Slipping forwards on the stairs up to the second floor of apartments I managed to catch a hold of the slippery railing and pull myself back up. I looked back to him and I smiled. I spun to face him my bag clutched in my hands behind my back. 'Come on' I teased.

My tights clung to my legs whilst my skirt flapped a little in the breeze that was accompanied by the huge downpour of rain. He looked down and quickly led the way to his place. I had to carefully jog since I didn't want to slip as we took the stairs to the 3rd floor of the apartment blocks. Who knew on the day of huge downpour both of us would forget umbrellas.

Speed walking the rest of the way we stopped at his place. He caught hold of my hand gently as we quickened our pace in the rain, colour flushed to my checks and as soon as he looked back to me I could see he was also very red, he quickly released and fumbled with the keys a little. Wh-what was that? He swallowed thickly as we stopped to catch our breath in front of the door to his apartment.

No. 23 the small plate to the right of it read.

Standing slowly, I saw puddles form on the floor from our drenched clothes, as he unlocked the door to his apartment and we stepped inside. I raised my head and more dribbles of rain ran down my face fading into the floorboards. I managed a small laugh despite it all.

'Geez that was hectic ha ha' I gasped before fully straightening, peeling off my sodden jumper I began to wring out the bottom of my shirt that was sticking to my skin. He walked meekly past me, hooked his drenched blazer on a coat peg and went to place his bag on a nearby chair, before turning to face me, with those emerald green eyes of his, but quickly looked down on eye contact. He acted as if he wanted to speak but no words would come.

He flicked on his electric kettle and placed two cups next to it. 'Arthur are…are you okay?' I asked gently, walking though the landing to the living room, placing my bag leaning against the door as I did so. Upon seeing his timid face, which had turned to face me, his emerald eyes darting across the floor, I walked a little closer to him and leant against the back of the small couch that was seated near the middle of the room,

'Hm? Y-Yeah I'm fine _' he gave a short smile and turned to fully face me, blushing a little by the long eye contact that we momentarily shared. He then walked over to stand in front of me scratching the nape of his neck, nerves maybe?

I could gently hear the water in the kettle bubble as steam clouded over the see through part of it. 'Have you got a fever or something you look a little a red' I said straightening and standing rather than leaning, a little worriedly placing my palm against his forehead. Brushing his dirty blonde hair out of the way to do so.

He immediately flinched back and stumbled slightly.

'A-ah I…I'm going to get a blanket okay? _ Since, well rain makes you cold 'n all right? Typical English weather I guess…' Before I could answer he hurried off to get one from a cupboard near the door and began to pull one out, stretching it out so that he could fold it.

I walked over to join him as he had finished folding it in his arms and tapped his shoulder; he jumped and spun round to face me, but because the floor was still wet from the rain he fell forwards. We both fell against the back of the small couch, my back pressing against it whilst he had fallen into the quilt, which was now strewn across my lap.

He looked up at me and I blushed fairly deep and my hands went to my sides and I swallowed as I looked down into his light green eyes and held my breath for a moment.

He quickly stumbled to his knees but because of how he fell his right hand was only inches away from mine and his left arm was folded across the blanket on my lap, which he then straightened, pressing the blanket between my knees to the floor. His tie was lightly dangling in the small gap between us; a few last raindrops ran down it and disappeared into the folds of the blanket.

He was in a sort of knelt position and I could feel his warm breath brush against my skin, since his face was only a few inches away from mine. He looked up and immediately went a shade darker and flinched back.

'_!' he stuttered.

'S-sorry I-I um…' his eyes darted to the side and he tilted his head slightly causing his light hair to fall down in front of his face. Blushing deep he began to push off the floor to stand up, however his hand slipped on the blanket pulling it further off my lap and he fell forwards, again his legs slipping on the wet floor coming into contact with his already sodden clothes. I went to speak but before I could it was too late.

I could hear the kettle still bubbling away.

His lips pressed into mine.

Heat rushed through me, my hands tightened. His arms trembled slightly from shock mainly. He was just about to retract but last minute decided otherwise,

He slowly closed his startled green eyes in a slight fluttered motion since this was very new to the both of us as accidental as it was.

He instead very gently pressed a little more. I fought away a shiver that was about to shudder through my body. This caused his cheeks to redden followed by mine.

As stunned as I was also, my wide eyes slowly shut too and I felt his right hand very slowly reach over to mine and clumsily lock our fingers together, his other was keeping him steady on the blanket between my knees, and mine was trembling by my side, parallel to my back that was now flat against the couch.

He very slowly moved his lips a little, to a more comfortable position since we did fall into it. I felt my shoulders go up a little and I gently pressed back. Warmth seared through my skin, conflicting with the damp embrace of his lips from the rain.

I felt his grip tighten a little from nerves, and his knee slid forwards slightly and I brought my knees forwards to my chest the blanket gently sliding from my lap to the floor where his other hand was.

I heard the click of the kettle as it turned off from the water boiling.

I then slid my free hand over to his knee brought it up to his shoulder. This made him jump a little and retract from the kiss, as well as my hand release his shoulder. He stared down at my lap avoiding eye contact; I did the same watching my knees tighten together as I tried to curl myself up. I could feel his hand shaking in mine.

He leant his neck into my shoulder his hair draping over it, and attempted to speak an apology but was so stiff from nerves and the paranoia that I would be angry with him that no words were uttered. Noticing this I slowly slid my hand over his shoulder pausing to think it over before gripping his shirt just below his other shoulder across his back.

I could feel him shaking so I released my other hand and brought them both round in a tight embrace around his neck hugging him into me more.

'I-I'm just as scared as he is' I thought 'does…does this mean…I-I don't know how to react'

Gripping the back of his shirt tightly I could feel his heart race through his chest and I could feel his shoulders gently stop shaking as his nerves calmed enough to allow his arms to return the hug around my waist.

I felt my heart pound in my chest and I thickly swallowed.

My knees folded under me in a sitting position and he pulled himself in more so his legs were now on either side of me.

I now found myself shaking a little from nerves. This was all so…so new I didn't know how to react, was this normal? We-we're just friends right? Why had I gone to hug him in the first place? At the time it felt like the natural thing to do since I could see him shaking so much.

His grip around me tightened and I felt his forehead press into my collarbone, his hot breath enveloped my neck and I felt my own halt for a moment as I tensed up, my heart felt like it would burst.

'I-I'm sorry _' I heard him mumble

I paused for a moment before answering 'Arthur, why…why are you apologising?' I asked. Lowering my chin into his shoulder I lightly shut my eyes and slowed my breathing till all I could hear was his voice.

'I-I didn't mean for that to happen…but I didn't know what to do, I-I …' He tightened his grip on my still rain drenched shirt that was plastered across my back before continuing 'I-I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable at all _' I felt his hands shake the tiniest bit as the words left him.

I pressed myself into him and opened my eyes 'Don't be so scared…it's just me right?'

Steam began to rise from the lid of the kettle clouding over the outer plastic as well.

'I-I just I meant to tell you before but, I-I didn't plan on this' he breathed as he straightened up, still looking down, his arms dropping from around me I gently did the same. I leaned in a little using my hands for support tilting my hand a fraction to the side. Noticing this he locked his hands into mine, and I flushed again.

What did he mean 'tell me?' I-I don't understand anymore. I looked back to him but before I could speak I felt his hands lock tighter into mine and I decided otherwise.

I saw him swallow thickly and take a deep breath in. His eyes now met mine and I tensed a little. He leant in and I straightened again, he whispered very close to my ear that I flinched a little 'C-Close your eyes for a moment' I flushed and slowly did so. His hair brushing my cheek ever so slightly.

I could gently hear the rain outside still tapping continuously against the windows and the apartment block floor outside.

I noticed him lean back a little since warm air then hit my cheek. I then felt his hand brush against my neck and slide his fingertips to my cheek, his thumb gently hooking under my chin tilting it up a fraction.

'I-I'm going to try again okay?'

I went to speak but before I could, he again cut me off.

This time he kissed me properly.

He pressed his warm lips into mine at a slight angle so I could press back. He gently ran his fingertips down to my collarbone and used it to keep him steady. At this I tensed a little but allowed it. His other hand still locked in mine.

I still went a strawberry red but continued the kiss; it was warm, comforting and a little moist. But this time it felt…right.

I leant into him so that he was leaning back slightly and he moved his hand to the nape of my neck, whilst my free left hand went to the side of him crossing under his right.

He tightened his grip on my hand he had locked fingers with and I slowly withdrew and opened my eyes looking down at his tie. We were both out of breath and for a few moments only our breathing filled the silence. He did the same and then a few moments later leant in sliding his hand back down to my collarbone again and gently kissed the inside of my neck. I flinched at his touch and half shut my eyes, but let him as he slowly un-did the top button of my shirt.

I backed away a little at this not wanting to get serious, but all he did was lean in more and kiss a few centimetres below the middle of my collarbone I breathed in as he retracted, a single exhale caught my neck before he backed away and knelt on his knees also.

We both waited for a few moments before anyone made a sound. He was the first to speak.

'I-I meant to say this before, but I…I guess I never had the bravery hah…' he avoided eye contact for as long as possible before finally looking up at my very red face, the sight of his eyes made my heartbeat quicken again.

'But now or never right?' he swallowed thickly and inhaled deeply.

'I-I love you'

(Thanks for reading!)