Title: Get This Right
Author: KC-Chick
Summary: If you tell anyone, I kill you. Craig. Ellie.
A/N: The alert didn't send out the first time, so I'm reposting. Two years after Craig is out of rehab. Enjoy!
O.o
"Shut up, you do so," he snorts matter-of-factly. Wasn't that my thing?
"No, I really don't!" I reply.
"Whatever. You're just embarrassed to tell me."
"No I'm not! I'd tell you if I had one."
"You wouldn't. Not if it was horrible."
I ponder. Maybe he's right.
I lie in the grass with him, my head on his tummy. I can feel his fingers run through my hair. It's kind of greasy, but I didn't care at this point. I don't think he does, either.
I asked him once, about his fetish with playing with my hair. It was something I noticed when I had first met him. He was always running his fingers through his hair, or starching the back of his neck.
He looked surprised when I had asked him, as though he didn't realize that I noticed. As though I had just called attention to something he didn't realize he even did himself.
"I dunno," he had mumbled. "Just a habit, I guess."
Now as the sun is setting, and we're just lying on the ground, I have another question for him.
"Manning?"
"Hmm?" His response is absentminded. I can tell he's enjoying the moment. I almost feel bad interrupting.
"I have a question."
"Okay," he replies, now paying more attention.
I swallow, suddenly realizing my mouth is dry.
"Why…" It won't come out. Damn.
I sit up and look down, playing with my fingers.
"El…" He takes my hands in his, knowing that when I play with my fingers I'm nervous. "What is it?"
"Why did you wait?" I look straight into his eyes now. I need to know.
He shoots me a confused look.
"For…?"
"Why did you wait to tell me?"
He still looks confused. I'm not making it easy. It's not.
"Tell you…?"
"About how you felt."
"Felt about what? El, you're not making sense."
I take a deep breath. Why is this so hard?
"About me."
I pause, never taking my eyes off of him.
"Why did you wait to tell me how you felt about me?"
He sighs, somewhat in relief, I think. Scratching the back of his head, I can tell he's really trying to find the right words.
"I wanted to wait, El." He pauses. "I didn't want to say it on impulse. I didn't want to lie, not even the least bit."
"What do you mean?"
"El, I've known how I've felt about you for a while. Ever since that summer, back when I was still with Ash, I knew. You were always there. You were there when I was an ass and picked Manny when it should have been you all along. You were there when I came back from Vancouver thinking I was some big shot and that everyone had moved on without me. You had moved on, but you were still there for me. You were there when I was an ass again and did coke. You were there when I was in rehab and when I got out." He pauses again, taking in a breath. "You're here now, even after everything."
"I promised you I would be."
"I know. So I waited to tell you, El, even though I felt it for a while. I wanted to make sure I got it right when I said it."
He intertwines his fingers with mine.
"I know that the first time I said it, I was on the drugs, El. But you know how I feel and how I've always felt."
I nod, by this time tears trickling down my face.
"I know, Craig. I know."
He wipes off my tears.
"C'mere, baby."
I climb into his lap, and he wraps his arms around my waist. The comfortable silence sets in again. Thank, God.
"So, Craig…"
"Hmm?" his reply is absentminded again. I'm glad.
"If everybody has one, what's yours?" I can practically feel his smirk imprint my neck as he rests his head on my shoulder.
"Uh, uh. You're not turning this on me. I asked you first."
"But I really don't have one!"
"Yes, you do."
"Ask my mother! Look on my birth certificate! I do. not. have a middle name."
"Okay, okay. Fine." He accepts my answer, for now anyway.
I lean into him, and he nuzzles his face against my neck.
"Craig…" I tease. "What is it?"
There's a pause and I hear a muffled answer.
"What was that?"
He mumbles again, a little louder.
"One more time. My hearing seems to have gone bad."
"Duncan…"
I laugh. Loudly, may I add?
"If you tell anyone, I kill you."
"Aww, Craig Duncan Manning, you wouldn't kill me."
"How do you know?"
I grin.
"I'm too cute."
"Yeah, I guess that's true."
"You guess?"
"And the sex is too good so…I guess I'll keep you around."
"Mr. Manning, this is not the place to talk dirty."
"I guess I'll have to wait until I have you alone."
I smirk.
"Yes sir you will, Duncan."
o.O
Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi, as we know. Also, ironic tidbit, I got the title for this from a Taking Back Sunday song lyric. What one, you ask. "What's It Feel Like to Be A Ghost." Irony much? I'd say so. :)
A/N: I try and bring some fluff to this very heavy situation. Did it work? Review and tell me, please.
