&.&.&

All I am is a man

I want the world in my hands

I hate the beach but I stand

In California with my toes in the sand

Use the sleeves of my sweater…

&.&.&

Isaac and Allison fell into a comfortable rhythm after the fight with the Darach. It was a friendship of sorts, if a guarded one. They were at least civil with each other, and Isaac eventually stopped thinking of Allison as "the hunter" or "the Argent", or "Scott's psycho girlfriend", and got to know her outside of the supernatural world… and he found that she was perfectly pleasant when she wasn't on a vengeful rampage. He could even say that he liked her. She was easy to be around, and as nervous as Isaac was around her, Allison always managed to pull a smile out of him.

As embarrassing as it was to admit, Isaac drew support from her. She was infallible.

Allison had called him that night, seeking a friend that wasn't Lydia. Comfort without judgment or advice, or even questions. This wasn't the first time she'd sought support from him, as his indifference actually served as a sort of anchor for her. Her father was out, and from what Isaac understood, he and his daughter had conflicting ideas of how much involvement Allison should have in their hunting life, which was a recurring discrepancy between them. They'd fought, they'd yelled, and now Allison was emotionally spent.

Isaac had suggested that they watch a movie—an innocent distraction. Allison had nodded, giving him a half-hearted smile. It hurt him to see her like this, so drained of energy and life. He wanted to take care of her, to bring that spark and spirit back.

They settled on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on the table in front of them, eyes trained on the television screen. It was a small couch, which forced Allison closer to Isaac than they probably would have wanted, and they were both hyper aware of each others presence. Allison tucked her legs to the left of her, opposite of him, and had to consciously stop herself from leaning towards him… but her body was just so fatigued…

Isaac had chosen the movie Friends with Benefits, which in hindsight was probably one of the most stupid decisions he could possibly have made, given the subject matter, but at least it didn't have any violence. The last thing either of them needed was a reminder of the reality and horror of their lives.

Allison let her head fall against Isaac's shoulder, and the room suddenly felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out. Neither of them said a word, or even acknowledged the gesture. Her head was so light that he would have thought it was just an innocent mistake, not an apparent invitation. She was toing the line.

Isaac only snuck one peek, his eyes roving over her dark curls, and was glad that he couldn't see her face. That would have made things way too awkward. I would have broken the tenuous, silent agreement between them—an understanding that they wouldn't do anything to compromise their friendship. Neither would step over the line. It wasn't comfortable, but at least their relationship—whatever it was—was safe.

After about twenty minutes, he realized that Allison had fallen asleep. Her breathing was completely even, and her body had relaxed against his, and he couldn't help but marvel at how perfectly they fit together.

Isaac took four deep breaths. Each one drew Allison's scent deeper into his lungs—the earthy, fresh, subtle scent that reminded him of the forest after the rain. All it took was four breaths for him to abandon his inhibitions, if only for a moment.

Slowly, he lowers his face until his senses were completely overtaken by her—her scent, her steady heartbeat, her fuzzy white sweater. He could even taste her, Allison's scent causing a strange reaction in his mouth, calling memories and urges right to the surface.

She's asleep, he thought, She won't know about this.

In a hesitant motion, he placed a delicate, hesitant kiss on the top of her head. He lingered there for several seconds, wishing that things didn't have to be so damn confusing, and drew away with a shudder. This kind of selfish, indulgent action couldn't happen again. Whatever was between them would hurt too many people if they gave in.

She can't know about this.

He was weakening, and Isaac knew it was only a matter of time before he broke.

The overall song inspiration for this collection of pieces is Sweater Weather by The Neighborhood. I feel like it fits the vibe of Allison and Isaac's relationship perfectly. I do not own Teen Wolf or the song.