“Just let go,” She panted, pausing momentarily. “It’s okay, you don’t have to hold back.”
Her permission filtered through his chaotically fuzzy mind. His head dropped back to the pillow beneath it. He stopped fighting to hold back and let his hips writhe with the toe curling pleasure that was almost at the brink inside of him. His orgasm hit him in an almost violent rush and he couldn’t stop from letting out a rasping cry. He expected her to pull away, but instead she simply paused, mouth still firmly encircling him until the last wave of his pleasure began to subside.
She slid up the tenth of his body, moving to half lay on him. She curled one leg over him and lovingly put an arm across his chest.
“May I kiss you?” She asked softly. He opened his eyes to take in her face, so near, with her hair fanning out on the bed behind her. He managed a small nod, feeling too overwhelmed and exhausted for much more.
Soft lips pressed into his and he felt her tongue entreat him, inviting him to open his mouth. He melted into her, feeling the sweep of her tongue against his. Momentarily he was struck by a slightly unusual flavor to her kiss before he realized he was tasting himself through her. If he had been any less drained, it would have been an exciting revelation, but instead it kindled a warm contented sense of acceptance inside him.
“Ready to go to sleep,” Her voice sounded husky as she gently brushed away a strand of hair that had stuck itself to his sweat dampened brow.
“Yes,” He responded, unsure he was currently capable of much more than sleep at this point.
“Alright,” She soothed, going in for one more kiss before beginning to work the covers down from underneath him so that they could both snuggle beneath their warmth. When they were both successfully ensconced in the blankets, she grabbed her phone and handily shut off all the lights, leaving only the sparkling lights of the city from the window illuminating the room.
Even in his exhausted state, Cheol couldn’t stop himself from reaching out for her. She fit perfectly against him as he pulled her against him, spooning her body from behind. The smell of her wrapped around him, body and mind, a mix of her grapefruit shampoo, soap, and her personal scent. With his every sense filled with her, he succumbed to sleep, the quiet patter of rain still falling outside.
Chapter 9
He woke up in the morning to the bright light of a sunny day streaming in the window. A tangle of her hair was spread out over the pillow under his head. She was still asleep, sprawled in his arms, peaceful and beautiful. The blankets had worked their way down both of them, leaving them exposed from the waist up. Only her arm covered her breasts as it curled to tuck under her head in that oddly picturesque sleep pose people so often took in commercials for beds and sleep products.
He was torn between the desire to watch her sleep and the urge to uncover her and compensate her for the pleasure she gave him the night before. With great gentleness, he ran the tips of his fingers across the pale stretch of her shoulder and down her arm and back, to then travel down the curve of her ribs to her waist. She stirred slightly, still not opening her eyes, but turning her upper body into him. He slid down enough to run gentle kisses along the back of her shoulder as his hand splayed against her waist.
Awake now, but groggy, Claire twisted to lie on her back. She gathered the unruly mass of her hair so that it draped upwards, keeping it out of their way. Cheol moved on top of her, holding his weight on his elbows, his hands cupping her shoulders.
“Good morning, 애인[16],” His words were soft but his eyes held a demanding intensity.
“자기야[17],” She responded, hands rising to rest on his ribs and legs bending to cradle him.
They made love, slow and lingering, in the soft hazy morning light. Time was no obstacle and the desperate need of yesterday had subsided. It was the sort of heart aching love that made the world disappear.
Eventually, satisfied and a little sore, they got up and put on a few clothes. Claire busied herself in the kitchen, making some bacon and eggs on the small stove while Cheol watched from across the room. Seeing her doing such mundane domestic things added to the sense of intimacy he felt lingering from their morning activities and everything they did the night before. It was odd but seeing her like this made him feel more like he was getting inside her life than just making love had. He was getting to see the private everyday her that only happened behind closed doors.
“Do you want anything to go with this?” She asked, interrupting his train of thought.
“Toast?” He suggested. “Do you have any jam to go on it?”
“I think I have some strawberry, is that okay?” She replied, walking over to the refrigerator and opening the door to confirm.
“I love strawberry jam,” He said hungrily. “Can I help?”
“It’s okay,” She shook her head. “I’m almost done.”
A few minutes later she brought out two plates of bacon and eggs, with slices of toast balanced on the side. Laying the more full plate in front of him, she went back to the kitchen to get utensils.
“Do you want a fork or chopsticks,” She asked as she opened the drawer.
“A fork is good for this,” He replied, glancing at the contents of the plate. Forks in hand, she came to sit beside him on the loveseat. They made light conversation as they ate their breakfast. Unsurprisingly, they were rather hungry this morning, thanks to their exertions over the last half day.
“What would you like to do today?” She asked him, leaning against his side, as they sat together.
“We still haven’t finished that Moon Lovers’ series,” He suggested. “I don’t think there are that many episodes left in the series.”
“I think we are down to the last two or three, actually,” She affirmed. “Want to finish that today?”
“Mmm,” He nodded, running a hand along her thigh. Giving his hand a squeeze, she got up to get her laptop. She started the program and then settled herself down beside Cheol again. They were both hungry for contact even if it wasn’t the sort that led somewhere. He wanted her close, to feel the confirmation that she was real and was there beside him and she wanted the warmth and comfort of his presence surrounding her.
He reclined on the loveseat, his shoulder blades against one loveseat arm, and drew her down to lay on top of him, her head resting on his chest. As they watched, he absentmindedly ran his hand up and down her back, engrossed in the story on the TV. The romance that had started with such passion and potential was now taking a turn towards making them tragic, star crossed lovers. He was suddenly struck by how grateful he was to live in the modern era where duty and obligation didn’t make any love impossible in the same way.
They lay together and watched the story play out, indeed ending tragically with unfulfilled love and untimely deaths. It left a melancholic tone in the room as it ended and she suddenly wished they had watched something a little happier in the hours they had to share together alone.
She actually heard him sniffle slightly when the female lead died, bereft and missing the person she loved. Claire looked up at him to see a slight damp glisten to his eyes. Without saying a word, she pulled herself up to give him a comforting kiss, a soft brush of her lips against his. His arms held her to him even when she pulled back. Their eyes locked and he gave her a half smile as he enjoyed the weight of her resting on him. She caressed his cheek, thinking herself lucky to have caught the eye of someone kind, loving, and attractive.
With the series done, they busied themselves in the kitchen making a lunch for themselves from the odds and ends she had in her cabinets. Piling everything together on a large serving plate, the meal was shared between them. Taking turns, they took bites and fed each other, making the food something more than just nourishment.
Much though she wished she could pretend they could be like this forever, she knew a night was all they could probably have right now and that it might be some time before he could steal this much time to be with her again.
“Do you wan
t me to come with you for a bit when you head home?” She offered as the afternoon became evening.
“I know I can’t stay,” He confided with a tinge of sadness. “But there isn’t anything I would rather do than remain here with you.”
“It isn’t like your going home is good-bye,” Her reassurance was half hearted. “I can come for a little while tonight and I’ll see you when I can come to the dorms in the evenings. You can come here now and again, too.”
“But I can’t stay,” He sighed. “I can’t fall asleep holding you and I’ll have to live with quick kisses I can sneak when we find a moment alone.”
“We were lucky you could sneak away for this time at all,” Her reminder hung in the air. “You’ll be busy again in no time, what with preparing for the big tour.”
“Even less time,” He lamented at the thought.
“We’ll find some time,” She promised. “It may not always be alone, but it’s better than nothing, isn’t it?”
“Now that I know what this is like,” He protested. “I don’t think I can just let it go.”
“You’ll survive,” Her assurance, however, didn’t mean much in the face of the fresh disappointment.
They dressed and packed away his things in his bag before deciding to walk back to the dorms while the fall weather was holding out so they could have that extra half hour with just the two of them. When they walked into the living room, they found Changho, Jaejin, Hyunwoo, Kitae and Seunghoon all sitting together playing a video game together. Eyes which had been glued to the TV screen turned to the couple who had just stepped inside. A couple of members greeted them with sounds of disbelief or mild disapproval and others with teasing grins.
“Not even bothering to say a word,” Jaejin said in faux disbelief. “You could have been dead in the gutter for all we knew.”
“Oh, leave them alone,” Hyunwoo scolded Jaejin, elbowing him in the side as he did.
“Awww, you do love me,” Cheol teased back, giving a silly grin to Jaejin who rolled his eyes in response.
“Claire-ssi, can you play with us?” Kitae excitedly offered his controller to her.
“What are you playing?” Claire moved forward to stand behind Kitae, looking at the game on the screen as she leaned over his shoulder.
“Battle Crush Brothers,” Hyunwoo responded.
“Ahhh, I tend to be bad at these,” She admitted. “I mostly smash buttons and hope for the best.”
“We have other games,” Offered Hyunwoo with an innocent face, wanting to include her.
“Go ahead and play a little more,” She encouraged, patting his shoulder gently. “We can all play something else in a bit.”
“Yeah, get back in the game,” Jaejin quipped. “Unless you just want to concede that I am the best.”
“Considering you haven’t won a single match,” Seunghoon returned sarcastically. “Unlikely.”
“I’m just getting you to let down your guard,” Jaejin boasted jokingly. “Soon I’ll reach my unstoppable skill levels and leave all of you in the dust.”
The other members couldn’t help but respond with scoffs and general disbelief in his soon-to-be sudden revelation of hidden talents. They returned to the game, with much good natured ribbing of Jaejin continuing as he quickly became the first one of the players to lose the free-for-all battle. It was in fact Hyunwoo who won that battle as well as the two rematches Jaejin and Changho insisted on having.
Claire and Cheol wandered back to his room to drop off the things he had brought with him to her place. With his roommates otherwise occupied in the living room, Cheol pulled her down into the bed with him for a quick cuddle while he had the chance. Claire rolled onto her back and snaked an arm under him to curl around his back.
“Hi,” She murmured, looking up into his eyes.
“Hi,” He parroted, running a hand along her waist. He had the urge to take in as much of her sight and scent and feel as he could, knowing she would only be there for so long. If he could have frozen time and live inside of a single moment for as long as he could, he would have captured a hundred moments in the last 24 hours for him to revisit. Part of him worried that his chance to steal these moments alone would disappear, or that she would.
“No need to look so sad,” She soothed, tucking some hair behind his ear. “I’m always here for you, even if I can’t be with you.”
“It isn’t the same as being beside you,” He countered.
“It’s true, but I’ll be there when I can,” She allowed. “Besides, maybe it's good for you to have to miss me sometimes. You won’t get tired of me that way.”
“Tired of you?” He scoffed. “Tired of you? What nonsense. I could spend all day, every day looking into that face and never get enough of it.”
“You have so much else in your life right now,” She put a gentle hand on his face to bring his eyes up to meet hers. “I don’t mind not being able to be your first priority. You have a job that requires a lot of you and I love the part of you that is that job. I’ll be here, somewhere in the background for as long as it lasts, and I’ll still be there when it’s all over and you step off that stage to do whatever else makes you happy.”
“How can you be sure that you can be happy with that?” He wasn’t sure he understood how she could really be okay being sidelined in his life in such a way.
“What you do, the performance, the composing, the friendship you have with everyone else,” She explained. “They are a part of you, a big part of you. I don’t want you to have to change who you are. I like the you that loves the fans and the you that gets on a stage and sings with all his passion…and occasionally can’t keep his shirt on.”
“What, are you jealous?” Cheol joined in her laughter at the last statement she made.
“No,” She laughed uproariously. “I get to see it and fan service is a fun part of what you do.”
“You only love me for my body,” He teased, trying to sound hurt at the notion.
“Oh yes,” She agreed with mocking seriousness. “Best try to keep that up or, alas, I might just have to cast you aside.”
“Awww, ouch,” He clutched at his heart. “I guess I am going to have to get my hooks in you while I am still in peak condition.”
“Mmm, yes,” She nodded, furrowing her brow as she considered it. “Yes best to tie me down now before I find something better.”
“Tie you down, eh?” He snickered at her choice of words. “What if I just keep you here in bed, then you can’t meet any other men who could steal you away.”
“Bold of you to assume that men are the only competition you got there, Cotton,” She quipped back with a raised eyebrow.
“Wait, what?” He pulled back and looked down at her blankly, as if he wasn’t sure he had understood what she had said.
“Huh?” She froze, looking at him to read his reaction.
“What does that mean,” He blinked.
“What does what mean?” Her eyes narrowed at his tone.
“Do you like girls? Like like girls?” He questioned, never having considered the possibility.
“Yes,” She responded slowly. “You okay with that?”
“Of course,” He responded quickly, though he was honestly still processing the information. “I guess I never thought of that before.”
“It isn’t important, you know,” She reassured him. “When I like someone, there is only that person. It’s not a competition, really.”
“I don’t have to be jealous?” He asked, mostly joking.
“Why would you need to be jealous?” She scolded, giving his shoulder a swat. “I’m here with you now, aren’t I? Do you need a reminder?”
He was about to say no when she started to roll him over onto his back and he decided he wanted to see just what this reminder would be. She straddled his waist and entwined her fingers with his. Bringing his hands up to her lips for a quick kiss, she put their entwined hands on the pillow beside his head. Her face hovered above his for a second before
she leaned in to run her lips over his face, starting at his forehead and ending at his chin.
“I love your silly face,” She whispered into his ear as she nipped at the lobe which had a small silver hoop in it.
“Why is my face silly?” He gave her hands a squeeze.
“Because it’s attached to a very silly man who doesn’t know how wonderful he is,” As she made that statement, she slid down to lick along the line of his neck. “Nobody should get to be this cute and hot.”
“I’m hot, huh?” He asked, clearing his throat.
“Mmm, very,” She confirmed as she licked back up the other side. “And really fucking good in bed.”
“Yeah?” He managed, trying to control himself as he felt a stab of desire hit his stomach.
“Yeah, it’s too bad we don’t have any privacy here,” She murmured wistfully. His mind started racing for a place in the dorms that would give them just fifteen minutes of guaranteed privacy where someone couldn’t walk in.
“The bathroom in the hall,” He breathed. “It has a lock.”
“Hmm?” Claire managed to get out before Cheol sat up, taking her with him. His arms were suddenly around her waist as he lifted her up and carried her the six meters between the bed and the bathroom down the hall. He kicked the door closed before he set her on the bathroom counter and returned to turn the lock in the handle of the door.
“Can you do this without making noise?” She asked him as he returned to her, eyes sparking with want.
“I’m not sure I care,” He admitted, fumbling to drop his jeans and underwear as he neared her, perched on the counter. Stepping out of the legs of his pants, he reached out to undo hers. After a few seconds of desperate struggle, her clothes joined his on the floor of the bathroom. He stepped between her thighs as she balanced on the edge of the counter, holding his shoulders for balance. Sliding a hand between them, he maneuvered a finger into her to see if she was ready for him and found her slick and warm.
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