"Well, that was a brilliant way to start off the day," Abe growled to himself in sharp annoyance, practically steaming himself into poached fish in the shower. After the morning's escapade, he had locked himself in to his room and avoided contact. Valerie would be home soon from work and he still wasn't sure what to say or feel about the whole thing. How awkward will it be now that they both are aware that the other desires them?

Banging his clenched fist once more on the steam-slicked wall, he turned to put his back to it. The hot water soothed the taunt muscles and tense flesh of his shoulders and chest as it pounded down. Despite all the frustration and annoyance mixed with wistful thinking, he grumbled inwardly, it was still there. He glared down at his nude self in disgust. Never imagined he'd have to deal with human nuances like…that.

Sighing, he ignored it again and shifted his head under the falling water, trying to knead out the growing headache. Due to the loud roaring in his ears, he never heard the bathroom door opener the sound of clothing falling. In fact, he was so lost in hazy, lusting day dreams that he didn't even hear the semi-clear glass door to the shower slide open and close.

The only thing that grabbed his unfocused attention was a dry, teasing hand sliding up over the right side of his ribcage. A loud startled yelp escaped him as he jumped and whirled around, practically flinging himself against the chilly wet wall. Valerie smiled at him innocently, her hair mussed from work as she pulled it to the side of her neck, flashing the red poppy tattoo.

Abe stared in slight horror and shock, his heart fluttering like a drunken anvil in his chest. As if he wasn't even there, she ignored him and reached up to angle the shower head over her pointed her face into the hot spray. Unable to speak let alone make a disgruntled noise, Abe covered himself as much as possible with his hands.

Despite himself, he stared at her nude form, so readily displayed in front of him. Water from her soaked dark hair ran in rivulets down her shoulders and chest, dripping off the undersides of her full breasts. He watched the water glisten over dark, mocha colored nipples and on her flat belly and broad hips. A thin stripe of dark, trimmed hair led down at the apex of her thighs to something hidden Abe had never seen before except in anatomy books.

She turned to face the glass door, her hair streaming down her back, giving him a better view of her creamy back and the round globes of her bottom. Abe choked a little at the sight, his hands not big enough suddenly.

"Wha-what are you doing?" he rasped out, his voice harsh and rough from restraint. Valerie tilted her head back, one eye opening to look at him coyly. She shrugged, causing her flesh to bounce distractingly.

"Showering."

"Yes, I-I can see that. But why are you showering in my room?"

"Why not?"

"Alright, Valerie, stop playing games, damn it. What are you doing?" he finally demanded, voice tight and tired of her flippancy. She caught onto his frustration and her playfulness washed away. The smile dropped and her eyes softened as she turned to face him fully. Swallowing hard, she forced a step closer, into his personal space. A sudden nervousness possessed her hands as she wiped water out of her eyes. The shower landed on her shoulder, bouncing off in a spray of crystal drops.

"I know you've never been in this sort of situation before but I don't think you should run from it," Valerie said a bit bluntly, her tone soft and understanding. Abe opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off. "I'm not saying 'Let's jump into bed and screw till morning'. I just think…"

She paused, trying to think of the best way to say it. She smiled again.

"That a little experimentation would do you some good."

Abe gawked at her, his mind unable to focus. She took advantage of his stunned silence to come much, much closer. Gently she ran her wet fingers over his tensed shoulder down his arm to his hand.

"Relax. I won't bite," she promised, her consoling eyes locked on his terrified ones as she pulled his grasp away from his lower section. Not looking down, she carefully put her arms about his stomach and leaned up to kiss him.

It was too hot, too insane for Abe to keep full control of himself, especially with her willing, wet body pressed against him. Almost instinctively, his hands hitched onto her hipbones, thumbs almost bruising, as he pulled her closer. The meeting of wet skin…Valerie groaned low in her throat at the sensation, the vibration running through her mouth to his tongue. After a few moments his lips found their way to her earlobe where he nipped her a bit sharply. She gasped and bucked into him, pelvis to pelvis. To hold back a cry at the feel, he suckled the earlobe into his mouth, drawing hard. Valerie's hips arched into his and her head fell back, giving him complete access to her neck which he attacked hungrily.

Curious, rough fingers ran up her hips and ribcage, brushing the underside of her breasts. Abe paused, lips against the dark bruise on her neck, his eyes almost black from dilation in desire. She squirmed in his grasp, begging for more caresses. When he didn't proceed, she drew a hand up his muscled thigh, fingers brushing inwards.

Despite the suffocating heat of the shower, chills ran up his spine and he cupped her round breasts in his palms. Marveling at the soft heaviness, he ran his thumbs over the perk nipples. When she sighed in appreciation, he pinched and rolled them harshly, drawing another fluid arch into him.

Almost violently, he spun them so she was pressed into the corner between the cold, slick wall and his hot body. Lips locked savagely as his hand slid down to her bottom, squeezing and lifting. Mindlessly, Valerie's head banged back against the wall. Her leg came up to wrap about his hip, drawing him closer. Abe gasped roughly when he rubbed against her heat and pressed painfully back, unable not to. A pressure started to build in his lower spine, stopping all blood flow above his waist. His head was spinning, his breath was short but none of it mattered. All that mattered was the rhythm they had, moaning, straining, rubbing.

Abe's legs buckled under him but he kept going, unsure if he could stop. Her wet, slick flesh called him to an end, one he wasn't sure if he could handle. Valerie's breath grew shallow and short, her hands and hips eager and urgent. The pounding of his heart went faster each time their separate skins collided and the pressure grew more and more painful. It had to end, he pleaded, this strain, this delicious agony had to come to an end. He just didn't know how.

Shuddering violently, Valerie's hand slid between them and grasped him firmly. A ragged gasp escaped him and the world spun brightly. He felt her name whisper from his dry throat as he leaned against her heavily, his body weak and quaking.

Vaguely, he felt her cradle his head against her sticky neck with clammy hands. He felt her heart pound restlessly against his, her wet chest meeting his when she breathed the hot air.

Abe shuddered in loss when her leg dropped from his waist to support her shaky form. A tired, content sigh echoed his as they held onto each other.

"Was that so bad?" Valerie asked in a breathless laugh. Abe leaned back as much as his dizzy balance would allow to look at her. Strands of dark hair clung to her cheeks and neck, half covering the dark hickey on the right side. She smiled at him sleepily and he found it easy to grin back.

"No, but the mess is," he commented in a weak chuckle, motioning between their sticky forms. Valerie laughed at that and brought a hand to her mouth, suckling on a slicked finger. Abe felt a purely sexual stir at that and a renewal of energy. She stopped at the feral gleam in his dilated, darkened eyes.

"Let's wash up and go to bed."

The light fell golden upon the soft hairs of Valerie's neck as she slept, moving slightly from Abe's breathing. She felt so warm, lying on his arm and snuggled back to his chest. Quietly, Abe watched his free hand as it glided over the curve of her mildly bruised hipbone, barely touching her. In her sleep, she sighed and wiggled her back against him. Swirling his finger over the red flower on her neck, Abe frowned.

What now, he wondered vaguely. Everything felt misty and unfocused like some pleasant dream that he knew was real. The dark color of his mottled green hand against her soft, cream skin was real. Real…it almost frightened him how wonderfully detached yet alive she made him feel with her breathing in rhythm with his. As if nothing else existed: no B.P.R.D., no cruelty of the world, no pain. Just them. He knew better than to delude himself but it was hard.

He had to leave when February came around, he knew that. What would become of them if he didn't? Valerie would be forced to choose between the world that held her family and any future children she could have and him. She'd never be able to take him to meet her parents (for real this time), never have children in her short lifetime or go into public.

No, this couldn't go any further than it already had. Inside his chest cavity, his heavy heart felt as if it weighed a million pounds. Gently, he dug his fingers in her mess of mussed chestnut hair, glinted golden in the light and buried his nose into it one more time. The arm she laid on curled over to cup her waist and pull her closer against him. A tiny sound of protest whimpered from her but she remained asleep.

Abe almost wished she would wake up and stop him, beg him not to go. It was stupid and proud but he did. He wanted her to wake up as he held her tight against him, treasuring her warmth and smell. Valerie barely responded to his embrace other than a sleepy sigh.

This was too hard as it was. February would kill them both, perhaps literally in his case. He had to leave now. Tenderly, he kissed the nape of her neck, savoring the feeling against his lips, knowing her poppy was to his mouth. A lump grew in his throat, breaking his resolve a little.

"Goodbye."