Sorry for the wait, I've had a really bad week, so I haven't got much done at all.

Chapter nine: Are we or are we not anything

I woke up the next morning by the sun shining in through the open blinds and I quickly turned around to try and avoid it. I only managed to turn halfway though; until something beside me stopped me. I looked up from my hiding place under the covers and found Doug asleep next to me. I smiled at the sight of him, dead to the world as it appeared and then carefully rearranged his grip around my waist to that I could turn around fully.

I was now completely facing him and I couldn't fight the urge to carefully brush a couple of stray hairs out of his face. Doing so made him shuffle a bit in his sleep, but he didn't wake up. I put my head back on the pillow and relaxed, figured that I might as well go back to sleep for a little while longer. When I pulled to covers up even more I felt his arm tighten around my waist and pull me even closer. I looked at his face again trying to decide if he was actually sleeping or not, and I could swear that I heard him sigh happily.

I quickly decided that I was thinking way too much and nestled into his chest where I immediately fell asleep again.

---

'Ow' I murmured still half asleep. 'Stop poking me, I'm sleeping'

'I know and I'm waking you up, its boring being awake without you'

'Fine' I muttered and slowly opened my eyes, only to find Doug staring down at me. 'How long have you been lying like that?'

'A while'

'So, you like to watch me sleep then?' I ask with a smirk.

'It's ok' he answers and shrugs his shoulders. 'I prefer it when you're awake though'

'Good answer' I smile at him.

'So, what shall we do now?' he continues impatiently.

'I don't know, you're the one who woke my up'

'We can always do this…' he said and inched closer to me, before stopping, his lips hovering above mine.

'Are you teasing me, Mr?' I ask quietly still staring into his blue eyes.

'I might' he started and I could feel his hand move up my side, and come to a stop at y waist. 'And then again, I may not'

'What's that supposed to mean?' I say trying not to shiver from the touch of his fingers on my bare skin.

'This' he said and suddenly pulled away and started to tickle me.

'Aaaw, Stop!'

'Nope'

'I can't take this anymore' I screamed as I wriggled around underneath him. 'You have no idea the pain and torture you're putting me through' I manage to continue in-between laughing and screaming.

'Seriously?' I hear him say and when he stops tickling me for a brief moment I see my chance to get out of this. I quickly grab his hands and with a move that even surprises me, I manage to slide out from underneath him. Unfortunately I didn't plan on the floor being so close and seconds later I land with a thud on the carpet below the bed.

'Ouch' I said sitting up and rubbing my sore elbow.

'Geez' Doug said and shook his head. 'All of that just to get away from me'

'You were tickling me, what was I supposed to do?'

'A kiss would have stopped me' he stated simply.

'I bet it would' I smirked before actually realising that I was sat on the floor completely naked.

'Doug! Why didn't you tell me that I was naked?' I said and put my arms in front of me, trying to cover up a bit.

'You seriously have to ask?' he said with a knowing look. He then started to speak really slowly emphasising every syllable. 'Boy plus naked girl…do I really need to spell this out to you?'

'Ha…ha, I think I get it thank you very much' I said and stood up in front of him. 'Two can play that game though' I finished and quickly pulled the covers off the bed and wrapped them around myself instead. 'Ha'

'Hey, not fair' he pouted covering his "man-parts" with his hands.

'It's nothing I haven't seen before' I smirked before jumping back onto the bed. I crawled, very ungracefully, over the bed and finally straddled him, turning the covers into a little tent, just big enough for both of us.

'Ah' he smirked back at me. 'Have you come back for more?'

'Nope'

'Nope?'

'Yup'

'Yup?'

'Huh?'

'Huh?'

'Seriously?'

'What?'

'What?'

'Seriously?'

'Doug!' I cried and playfully slapped him on the cheek. 'You're confusing me'

'Hey' he said and slapped me back. 'You're confusing me'

'Whatever' I sighed. 'I was only trying to say that I didn't come back for more'

'Yes, and I was only trying to show my confusion over your answer'

'You + me is slightly confusing, especially at this time in the morning'

'I couldn't agree more' he nodded. 'Why can't we just be normal?? This burden is just to much for me to bear'

'Oh, come on' I giggled. 'I'm trying to say something here'

'Well then, go right ahead, I'm not going anywhere'

'Fine, we need, aww, I hate brining this up cause its such a cliché-thing to do, but I kind of have too, ok…well, I'll just say it then…'

'Ok…' he said with a confused yet amused look on his face.

'We need to talk'

'About what?'

'About this, about what we're doing here, you know'

'You mean "the talk"' he said quoting his fingers in the air.

'If you want to call it that, then fine, I just need to know some stuff'

'Shoot'

'What are we doing here? And before you complain, you're the one who said shoot, so now I'm pointing the gun and you're answering, ok?'

'Ok, I do believe that we just woke up together'

'Stop being a smartass, you know what I mean. Are we or are we not anything?'

'It depends, I suppose. All I know is this, I like to hang out with you and if I'm not mistaken you like to hang out with me. We've had sex a couple of times now, which I definitely like, and we've also just hung out, which I also liked. And without repeating myself to much, I suppose that I like to hang out with you'

I sat there taking in what he just said for a couple of seconds before answering.

'I like to hang out with you too. its just I've been through a lot these last couple of days, as you know, and I don't think I'm ready for something serious but on the other hand I don't really want something all casual and stuff and…'

'Would you like to go out with me?'

'And I just don't know what you want and I…what?'

'Would you like to go out with me?' he repeated slower this time.

'Out, with you?' I answered still not comprehending fully.

'Yeah, like on a date'

'Really?'

'Why are you so surprised? We obviously like each other, why not try it out for real?'

'I'd love to' I finally said smiling down at him.

'Really?'

'Why are you so surprised? We obviously like each other, might as well try it out'

'Ha, my sentence was nothing like that' he said clearly proud of himself.

'My mistake' I said with a small sigh. 'You heard the part where I said yes, right?'

'Oh' he said when my words got through to him. 'Right, sorry, how about tonight? I can pick you up around seven'

'Perfect, I'll see you then' I said and motioned to get off the bed again.

'But, wait' he said and grabbed me by the waist. 'You're leaving, just like that?'

'Yeah, I need to get ready for tonight'

'But…'

'No buts' I said and kissed him quickly on the lips. 'I'll see you tonight.

'Will I at least get to have sex with you tonight then?' he asked with a small pout.

'Not very likely, I never sleep with guys on the first date'

'But, you slept with me the first time we met, and we didn't even know each other then'

'Right' I said and pondered his answer for a while. 'That was different'

'So you sleep with strange guys that you don't know, the first time you meet them if you just happen to be stuck in a blacked-out elevator for several hours'

'Basically, yes' I smirked at him before it turned into a giggle. 'You called yourself strange'

'Very funny, but I am strange'

'True, so, are you ok with me leaving now?'

'Fine, but how about sex on the second date?'

'What makes you so sure that there will even be a second date?' I ask interested.

'I'm good at dates, haven't I told you? Oh, right, we've never talked about that stuff' he began but then stopped his line of thought.

'I suppose we'll have loads to talk about tonight then' I said with a smile. 'And I can't wait to see you work your date-magic on me'

'I'll have to warn you though; I'll sweep you off your feet'

'If that is the case, then I can't wait to be swept away' I declared and climbed off him and onto the floor, taking the covers with me.

'Hey' he cried once again. 'Still naked her you know'

'I know, but this is a house full of boys, you don't expect me to walk around naked here do you?' I asked and carefully tilted my head a bit while pouting. 'Cause I can if you want me too'

With those words I dropped the covers and walked over to the door, turning around as I reached it. 'It's all up to you…'

I let out a quiet laugh at the look on his face and the opened the door leading out into the hallway. I carefully stepped outside the door and breathed a sigh of relief when I realised that I was alone.

I admit that this wasn't the most thought-over plan I've ever come up with, but so far so good. I had only been standing there thinking for a couple of seconds when Doug came rushing up behind me and threw the cover around me.

'You caved' I snickered as I moved around in his arms so that I came to face him.

'Fine, I caved, but only cause I'm protective over you. Plus, you knew I'd come after you'

'I did, took you long enough though, I thought that I was going to have to look for the bathroom naked and alone'

'The bathroom ey? I'll take you' he said with a deep voice and then lifted me up on his shoulder walking off with me, leaving me with a pretty decent view of his behind.

'Doug?'

'Yes?'

'You are aware of the fact that you are still naked, right?'

'Totally, I always walk around the house naked'

'It's true, he always does' I heard someone say and when I looked up I noticed Tom coming up the stairs.

'Hi Tom'

'Hi Soph, are you ok up there?'

'A tad uncomfortable, but its ok, I don't have to walk'

'Clever' he said and took a sip from the glass in his hand.

'Hangover?' I asked quietly.

'Eh, yeah, and my back is killing me from sleeping on the floor'

'I thought you slept on the couch?' Doug said and turned around so that I was facing the other way.

'Hey Doug, turn me back'

'Oh, right sorry, but you were on the couch last night, weren't you?'

'Yeah, but Danny came and joined me and he always kicks so much in his sleep, I couldn't stand it anymore'

'Yeah, I forgot about that' Doug said thoughtfully.

'You guys are weird' I said to both of them.

'We know its kind of our thing' Tom said with a smirk. 'Now, I need to sleep, I'll see you later then'

'Yup' said and waved to him. 'Come on Doug; hurry up, my bladder waits for no one'

After I finally got to the bathroom I quickly washed my face and then got back to Doug's room where he was laying in bed watching TV. I found my clothes scattered all over the room and then got dressed.

'I'll see you around seven then?' I asked when I was about to leave.

'Yes, I'll come pick you up'

'What do I need to wear?'

'Something comfy will do'

'You're not going to be more specific that that?'

'Nope'

'Fine, comfy it is then, later dude'

'Later dudette' he finished with a smile as I walked out the door. I walked out of the house with that same huge grin all over my face, laughing a bit at the way I was behaving. I was sure looking forward to tonight, even though I didn't have a clue of what we were doing. But the thought of actually going on a real date with Doug made me feel at ease.