His fingers are wrapped around hers, intertwining them together by the hands and the hip. She loves this, being connected to him. By the hip. By the bone. His touch is consuming, powerful, and yet tender.
"What's wrong?"
"You," he answers without hesitation. Calmly he locked his door the moment they stepped in to his one bedroom apartment.
Rey blinked. She was about to put her red hood down but she stops herself. "Me?"
"Yes, you," he mumbled, giving her a cold glare. He walked by her and sat on the couch.
She stood in place and examined him. He was staring at the wall absentmindedly with his body tensed up in agitation. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked in a hard tone. She doesn't like the way he spoke to her and she wasn't going to keep it unknown.
His eyes bored into hers, staring at her with careful observation. She's a young girl in an older man's apartment. "Why are you with me?" he asked, crossing his arms. He's concerned with her and...this. Him. Them.
Rey raised her eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"What else can it mean?" he asked calmly.
"I want to be with you because I like you," she said sharply. He spoke his mind and so did she.
Poe exhaled and looked at her with a blank expression.
She couldn't help but to wince. She had never seen him like this before; so empty. "Why don't you believe me?"
He ignored her question and instead, he gestured her to sit beside him. He waited until she was seated before he answered. "I do believe you," he whispered, frowning. All the laugh lines that was embedded into his skin was hidden now and nowhere to be seen.
She frowned as well as her stomach began to churn. Rey didn't like it when he frowned. He looked older, worn. He looked so sad...so lonely. "Then what's wrong?"
"I'm too old for you," he locked his eyes onto hers. "I'm too old." He was shaking. His eyes were all over the room, attempting to subdue this pain he was experiencing - this numbing and aching pain. It hurt just saying it. It hurt because it was the truth.
"You're not too old," she took his hand and squeezed it. "You're just right," she chuckled softly. She loved his calloused hands, his laugh lines, his deep and dark eyes. He was distinguished. Handsome. He was unlike anyone she had ever met. Poe was caring. He was laid back and sincere. He was perfect for her.
"I'm twelve years your senior, Rey," he reminded her, his eyes on her. He takes her in, the warmness in those eyes of hers. She was beautiful and so loving and always happy- he didn't want anything to take away that smile from her. He held on to her hand as if it was his last time. "I'm too old for you."
"It's only twelve years," she answered reasonably. She wants to yell and speak out but she doesn't.
"You're Little Red and I'm the Wolf," he whispered bitterly, recalling to the comment he overheard thirty minutes ago.
It doesn't bother her. It never does. "So?" she asked, shrugging off the comment.
"You should be with boys your age -
"I don't want them. I want you," she said with persistence. Rey kissed him on the cheek and held on to him. "You shouldn't let those people get to you."
"I can't-can't help it," he breathed. There was frustration in his tone. Anger and self loathing. "I get stares everywhere I go from strangers and the people I know. I get commentary from them -
"So do I."
Poe raised his eyebrow at her.
"They look at me too," she said, unable to hide her discomfort. She notices. She notices everything - hears everything but she ignores the world when she was with him. "They call me a slut and a gold digger -but I don't care. I want you." Rey stroked his cheek and smiled at him. It stopped getting to her months ago when she focused on only him and what he have to offer to her. He offered her love, stability, friendship, and kindness. He was everything to her.
He touched her cheek carefully, allowing only his fingertips to brush up on her skin. Her touch shocks him, brings him back to a beating pulse and a peaceful heart. "There will always be people who won't accept us."
"I accept you," she bashfully said, giving him an easy smile. Rey couldn't help but to blush, to be giddy.
Poe chuckled to himself but it left him hollow. Empty. "I used to be like you," he whispered, his voice breaking. He leaned and ran his fingers through her soft hair. He blinked in fascination. Her hairs was so silky, so pretty. "I used to be so positive and optimistic."
"What happened?" She leaned and pressed her head against the crook of his neck.
Flashes appeared before him of the past - of everything he tried to forget. He held her and stroked her back. "I...don't know," he exhaled.
She sat up and grabbed him by the face. She kissed his chin and made her way to his forehead. "It's okay. Just tell me when you're ready," she assured him, kissing the creases of his forehead. He had more worry lines than laugh lines now instead of the person she saw in photographs. Rey kissed the bridge of his nose and trailed her lips down onto his. "Hello Mr. Wolf," she whispered as if she was a love struck girl.
Poe laughed and gave her a quick kiss. She always did know how to make him laugh. "Hello Little Red." He pressed his head against hers and closed his eyes and sighed in relief. In happiness. "You're Little Red and I'm the Wolf," he whispered to her. He was a centimeter from her sweet mouth, a centimeter from tasting the sweetness of hers. He moved back and petted her head.
Her hood was still on. It was still drenched from the rain. He peeled her hood down absentmindedly and then he reached for her zipper.
"What big hands you have," she said in a serious tone. She was bluffing. Pretending. Playing.
Poe smirked at her but went along with the game. "The better to hold you," he said nonchalantly as he pulled down the zipper of her hoodie. She shrugged off the hoodie, leaving herself in her white floral printed blouse. She loves his hands, his huge and skilled hands. They're a bit calloused but it gives him a certain charm.
"What big eyes you have," she gasps, putting her hands to her cheeks. Rey crinkled her nose and winked at him. She loves his eyes, his deep soulful eyes. He's a man with a long and painful past and she could see it by his eyes. He loves her, adores her.
Poe laughed again, unable to suppress it. She always knew how to make him laugh. "The better to see you," he answers coolly, letting his voice linger. He was about to kiss her but he sees her gesturing for him to do something else. He obeys without defiance and makes his way to unbutton her blouse. Where they still playing their game of theirs still?
They haven't gone further than kissing.
And so, he takes his time undoing her buttons. Her body's tensing up - he could feel her heart racing. He should stop but he doesn't, he's too absorbed to unraveling her.
"What big teeth you have," she murmured, struggling to breath. Her breasts were heating up, expanding. Swelling. Her cheeks are flushed to the color of her hoodie. She's aroused, shivering from the contact of his cold skin.
There's a silence between them.
He's still unbuttoning her blouse and waits until he reaches to the last one. "The better to eat you with," he rasped, taking off her shirt. His eyes flickered to hers. He's staring at her with a hazy expression, licking his lips in a lustful way. He kisses her chest and makes his way up to her mouth. First he kisses her in between her breasts and then her collarbone...her neck...her throat...her chin...and then her mouth. He paces himself, kissing her lightly. He's strategic with this, with her. He kisses her like this, with every kiss he adds a bit of pressure until she invites him into her mouth. When he gets to be in her mouth he goes aggressive.
But this time when she parts her mouth for him, he pulls away from furthering anything. He rests himself against her forehead. He doesn't like distancing from her any further than this.
He loves having her close. By the bone. By the hip. By the rib.
He keeps his shut and so does she. He's breathing on to her, releasing hot breaths. He could feel her shivering - her hands searching for his. "Can I inhale you?" he asks faintly in a way that scares them both. He asks as if his life depended on it but he asks kindly. Sweetly. Gently. To many, his comment might have been confusing but with Rey, she knows him. She understands. She knows that he's asking if he could sleep with her, have sex with her. He doesn't want her to ask her in any other way than this. To him, this was sweeter. More humane.
She nods and exhales. He takes her breath away. He always does. "Yes. You don't even have to ask."
"I want to though," he laughs onto her skin. He opened his eyes and so did she. They were close, nose to nose. They couldn't help but to burst out in laughter. It was ridiculous how close they were but she rather liked it. "I care about you. I don't want to do anything unless you want to."
She created space between them for a moment and began to pepper kisses along his jawline. "Well I really want to now. What are you going to do now?"
to be continued
