Eh, hello there...
I know it's been a while and there aren't enough words for me to use to apologize properly, but I've finally gotten my muse back for this fic and updates should hopefully be back to relatively normal.
The favorites and alerts that you lot have still given this fic even it's mini-haitus, they do mean a lot to me and I cannot thank you enough for sticking this fic out. I really can't.
A flash of bright light caused me to open my eyes—open my eyes! I blinked and took in the grins of JJ and Will standing in front of the television, JJ with a camera in hand. She put a finger to her lips and I glanced around.
Henry and Derek were curled up on the other end of the couch, but Derek's legs were entangled with my own. Both were still asleep and I couldn't fight the small smile that lit up my face.
"You want a copy? You guys can just crash here, Henry will like the surprise in the morning. I'll make breakfast."
I could only nod. They bid me a goodnight and headed upstairs to their room.
I glanced back down to the opposite end of the couch—Henry was curled up on Derek's chest, one of Derek's arms was around him for support, and both had their mouths hanging open. I curled back into my corner of the couch and smiled to myself. I finally felt, in this moment, watching him sleep, that whatever outcome became of our situation, we'd be okay.
-x-
I slowly came to an awakened state by the slow and steady movement of something against my left calf. The instant that sleep-fog had cleared I sat up and stared down the couch—couch? Oh, yes, Henry, Derek and I fell asleep on the couch together last night.
My gaze was zeroed in on the foot that was still rubbing along my calf. I forced my gaze to travel up the leg, the torso, and finally settle on the perpetrator's face—Derek. He was still asleep, as was Henry. Henry was sprawled out on his back, Derek curled around him, an arm over his torso to keep him from falling off the couch's edge.
A clanking of pots broke my thought process and I instinctually glanced towards the kitchen. It was JJ and Will. I could see them through the archway and merely watched as they playfully gathered ingredients for breakfast. Their touches and smiles and the way they looked at each other—I desired that.
I may fight tooth and nail to appear as apathetic about that sort of thing, but at the most basic level of every human being is that desire to love and be loved. I fight it because that sort of emotional compromise removes any form of logic in my mind. For a genius that's terrifying.
-x-
"We've been doing this for a while now you know, and what I'm about to say might be a little bit forward, but Spencer, am I, I mean, are you ever going to invite me up?"
I froze as I stared into his eyes. His arms remained around me as I tried to formulate a response.
"I, Derek, I, do, don't think I don't want you to come up, because I do, a lot actually. It's, it just, I mean, we're hiding on the side of my building as is and just out of the reach of the street light and some of your schoolmates actually live in this building and I—mmph."
One of his hands covered my mouth and he was grinning, his body slightly vibrating from his silent laughter. He pressed a kiss to my forehead and shook his head as he pulled away.
"Pretty Boy, if I could I would yell from the rooftop that I love you, that I'm with you because I am not ashamed of this. This is one of the best things to happen to me in a long while and I just, I want to come up to spend more time with you. I don't care if it's to just watch more of that sci-fi stuff you love so much, or to listen to you read out loud to me from one of your favorite books, speaking of, you still have to finish that one Sherlock Holmes story."
He removed his hand and just smiled.
"This isn't some ploy to, to, to proceed to another base?"
He laughed and pulled me closer, nuzzling his face into my neck. He pressed a chase kiss to my skin before I felt his lips brush the shell of my ear.
"Spencer, if all I ever get to do with you for the rest of my life is share kisses because that's all you're comfortable with, that will be more than enough for me. Just because I'm a teenage boy doesn't mean I'm controlled by my hormones. I actually do like when I get to hold your hand, or just sit pressed together shoulders, hips, thighs and knees, or when you're head is on my lap as you read and I card my fingers through your hair, but it's a Saturday night, I could stay. Momma wouldn't mind and I could sleep on the couch; I'm sounding like a girl with all this talk of my feelings, but I mean what I'm saying."
I nodded against his head, tugged my own arms tighter around him and just stood there a few moments.
"O-okay, we, we can go up. I'll finish the story, just call your mom and make sure it's okay. Please?"
He chuckled as he pulled away and nodded. He pulled out his phone and dialed his mother. I listened as he asked her flat out if he could spend the night and watched as his cheeks tinged a shade darker at whatever her response was. His eyes widened and he spluttered a few times before he called her a crazy, old lady and said he loves her and hung up.
"She said it was okay and if you'd like, you can come over for dinner tomorrow."
"So she said she doesn't want to see either of us before dinner tomorrow?"
He pocketed his phone and reached out for my hand, I let him take it.
"She said he hopes she doesn't see either of us before then."
"I like your mom, she's entertaining."
He nudged me with his shoulder, "You were going to invite me up, yeah?"
I squeezed his hand, "Derek, would you, would you like to come up tonight?"
"I'd love to."
Despite our jesting nature of the moment we knew it was significant for the both of us. Especially with him revealing so much with how he felt. I wanted to tell him I felt the same but I was terrified. For one I have never felt like this before and secondly—and mostly, I didn't know of any words that I could use to properly express what and how I was feeling.
I led him into the building, keeping our hands latched together as we waited for the elevator. I couldn't fight the smile that was continuously tugging at my lips. I was happy.
The doors opened and I led him in and pressed the button for my floor. I let go of his hand and wrapped my arms around his waist and placed my head on his shoulder. I felt his arms wrap around me and another kiss pressed against my forehead. The elevator jerked into motion and I pulled back and looked at him.
He was smiling with his eyes; this is what happiness looked like on someone else. I was making him happy.
"Derek?"
"Yes Pretty Boy?"
I bit my lip and closed my eyes.
"I, I love you."
His slight gasp caused my eyes to open and lock with his. He was shocked—I hadn't returned the sentiment he had been telling me for two weeks now. I felt his hands gently cradle my face, cupping my cheeks as he smiled at me, then pressed forward and our lips met.
