Pippa stood in the middle of her bedroom, frowning. She carefully examined her small white bedroom It was messy. Even after she'd up all her dirty laundry that littered the old hardwood floor. Make-up and hair products were strewn around a long mirror that hung in the corner to the right of her overstuffed closet, with a broken. When had that pink glitter gotten on the wall? Pippa didn't think she owned anything glittery, let alone that shade of bubble gum pink.
Pippa tidied the space where she sat every morning and did her make-up, organized some loose papers on her small desk, and shoved her clothes to the left side of her closet so that the broken bifold door on the right appeared merely broken instead of like it was seconds away from busting open. Coming back to the mirror, she carefully staged her most frequently used brushes and products, so as to not look like she'd tidied at all, but rather that she was a generally tidy person who sometimes forgot to replace her items, not a slob who'd had to take out an entire bin liner of old coursework, receipts, and other rubbish not thirty minutes ago. Pippa was just thankful she didn't eat in her bedroom, otherwise she was sure she'd find something atrocious under her bed or shoved in the back of one of her drawers.
Her mum opened the door, startling Pippa. "About bloody time," Marline remarked. Her eyes narrowed slightly, "I didn't tell you to do this. What's going on."
"Well… I was hoping that if I cleaned up, you'd let me have Sophia over tonight?" Pippa asked with false hope in her voice. She knew her mum'd never let her. Besides, she knew Sophia was in no mood for company tonight.
"You know Reggie and I are out of town with the boys this weekend."
"She wouldn't spend the night! Just a few hours with the house to ourselves!" she pretended to protest.
"Not a chance," Marline snorted, "Come wash up dinner if you want to have Jamie over before we go."
"When was dinner?!" Pippa asked, following Marline down the narrow staircase to the living room.
"Half six, like always. We called you."
"Dinner is not always at half-six! And why didn't anyone come get me?" Marline ignored her, save a sigh of impatience and sat on the sofa next to her husband, Reggie. Pippa walked into the kitchen to see four plates and glasses stacked in the sink along with two empty baking trays. Pizza night. She opened the fridge, "You didn't even save me any?!" she called into the kitchen.
"We called you!" Marline answered back. "There's leftovers in the fridge!" Pippa slammed the fridge shut in frustration.
"Keep that up and you're coming with us to Manchester!" Reggie gruffed from the living room. Pippa rolled her eyes. It was quarter past seven now. She just had another two hours before her parents and the boys left for their football tournament. Jamie would be here shortly to spend a few hours with her before her parents left.
"Are you sure we can't go out to the pub if I promise to be back before you leave? It's Friday night…"
"No," her mum deadpanned without looking up from the television.
"Okay, just had to check… And that's a hard no on Sophia too? Even if I scrub the whole house?"
"No one here while we're gone." Marline paused the tv and turned around. "Jesus, are you not old enough to be left alone for two nights?"
"No! I absolutely don't want to go to Manchester for the weekend. Just thought I'd check…"
"No friends, no boyfriends –"
"And keep my phone charged with locations on. I know."
Pippa dragged her feet up the stairs again and resumed cleaning until she was satisfied it looked tidy yet lived it. She didn't want to appear as if she was trying too hard.
When Jamie arrived, Pippa rushed to beat her little brother, Andrew, to the front door. "Hey!" she said breathlessly, tucking a loose dark wave behind her ear. Jamie smiled brightly at her.
"Jamie!" Andrew chirped from behind Pippa's elbow. "Guess what? You were right - Gracie's going to the formal with me next week!"
"Hey, mate! Told you so," laughed Jamie. He turned to Pippa and asked, "And are you ready to go? I saw Evie and David on the way."
"Not tonight, Jamie," said Marline, kindly. "Pippa broke curfew last weekend, remember? She needs to be home before we leave." Pippa invited Jamie inside with an apologetic smile. He kicked his shoes into the corner and exchanged glances with Pippa.
"Really! I swear I had you back in time!" protested Jamie.
"You would've. But then you spent 15 minutes snogging in the front garden," gruffed Reggie. Marline shot him a glare.
"Ah-ha…" Jamie rubbed the back of his neck and turned slightly pink. "I… That is a big window," he laughed gesturing to the old bay window overlooking the quiet residential street. Pippa rolled her eyes and led Jamie into the small, dark kitchen trying to ignore Reggie's attempt at embarrassing her.
"Actually, I do have to interview a muggle for school, want to do that now?"
Pippa nodded enthusiastically before her face dropped, "I absolutely refuse to explain the Google to you again, though," she said. Pippa really enjoyed helping with Jamie's muggle studies homework. It was the only thing that offered her any insight into 'his people' and the way Jamie and other gypsies like him lived. She didn't know much about the culture, only that Jamie's ancestors were native to the UK before even the Anglo-Saxtons and Vikings arrived. Pippa also knew that after brief interactions, the Anglos quickly accused them on witchcraft and started a cull. The gypsies self-segregated and after a few unsuccessful attempts at integration, they remained closed off from the rest of society. Even Jamie and his family were very selective in the information they revealed to Pippa and her parents about their religion and customs. Pippa didn't mind; however, it was something that drive her parents mad.
"Oh, don't worry, I got an O – outstanding – on the Google essay… Ok, first question… What are den-ous-oares and how do you establish truth from fiction in the absence of living eye witnesses?"
"Den – what?" Pippa reached for Jamie's notebook… "Dinosaurs?!" she stared at him agape. "Oh, Jamie…"
"Sure, if that's how you want to say it,'' he shrugged.
"But… You've seen Jurassic Park…"
"Those things! Those things are real?" Pippa watched him jot down 'wingless dragons'. "And our stance on dragons is… not real. Got it." Jamie chuckled to himself. "And how do you know that dinosaurs are real creatures, but dragons are not?" Pippa stared at him in disbelief. Nearly two years they've been together, and friends for over a decade. A decade she's known him – no, he must be joking – my God; he's not. An entire decade and she didn't know he didn't believe in dinosaurs.
"It's okay, we can come back to that one. Can you describe the importance of making telephone calls in your day-to-day life and explain what struggles you would encounter if you were unable to do so?"
All too quickly, Jamie's homework lay forgotten on the kitchen table and Pippa found herself giggling at Jamie's all to accurate impression of their mutual friend, David. Eventually, Marline came into the kitchen and told Jamie it was time to leave. Pippa escaped to her bedroom and waited for the rest of the family to leave. To her surprise, her mum came to say goodbye… and also remind her of how the home security system worked and to keep her phone on her, and that if anything should go wrong, to ring her gran.
"I don't see how anything can go wrong if I'm not allowed to leave the house and no one's allowed in," said Pippa. "I'll be fine. I've got big plans for an uninterrupted bath and whatever I want on telly."
"I guess," sighed Marline, "Don't use the hob either – I don't want to come home to the house blown up." Pippa agreed if anything just to get her mum to leave.
As with anything worth waiting for, the minutes over the next hour got increasingly longer until Pippa was all but pacing the house. Finally – finally. Pippa heard a soft tap on the window. She held up a finger to the figure waiting patiently on the roof. Grabbing a small but powerful magnet from her night table, she taped it flush against the female end of the security tag and slowly jimmied the window open. With a finger to her lips, she wordlessly instructed Jamie to stay out until she was sure her mum hadn't got an alert from the security company.
"Don't you look good in your burglar's uniform?" said Pippa, fingering the collar of Jamie's dark jumper.
"Oh no you don't," Jamie carefully wrapped his delicate fingers around her wrist, "This is the only jumper I have left."
"I'll trade you for this one," she gestured to the black and yellow sports jacket draped carefully across the back of her chair with POTTER embroidered in black across the back above the number 4. "It doesn't smell like you anymore," she explained.
"Er, you can keep that one… I like you in that one," said Jamie softly. Pippa bit her lips and anxiously waited for Jamie to bend down for a kiss. After a false start and a chaste peck, the pair laughed nervously before Pippa suggested going downstairs to watch a film.
"This is nice," said Jaime with an arm curled around Pippa's waist and a hand playing with her hair while she was nestled into the crook of his shoulder. For the first time since she'd met him, Jamie was able to pay more attention to her than what was happening on the tv.
"Mhhmm. I like spending time with you without mum breathing down our necks."
"Or mine yelling 'door' every time she walks by," agreed Jamie. Pippa nodded wordlessly. She heard Jamie's heart thundering in his chest. She wasn't sure it was so loud because the rest of the house was silent or if he was just as nervous as she was. Pippa forced the tension in her shoulders to lessen and sighed deeply.
"You alright?" asked Jamie. He tenderly traced an icy trail up and down her spine. Pippa quivered with nerves and excitement. Her breath caught in her throat. They'd both been looking forward to this night for several weeks – it was rare that they could steal even an hour alone together. Especially with Jamie away at school most of the year, most of their time was spent in treasured minutes in the densely wooded area on the walk between their houses.
"Yeah," answered Pippa, "Just cold I think." Jamie reached above her and pulled a faded afghan off the back of the sofa. Pippa let Jamie wrap her in the afghan and savored how he pulled her tight against his chest.
Pippa wasn't sure who started it. But Jamie was kissing her like she'd never been kissed before. When they finally broke apart, she panted for breath only to have it taken away again when Jamie nipped along her jaw and down her neck. She wound her fingers through Jamie's hair and pressed her body against his. When did his shirt come off? Pippa smoothed her hand down his chest.
"Should we, err…" Jamie gestured to the stairs behind them.
"Er, you go. Mum wants me to call her again before I go to bed…" Pippa clumsily clamoured upright, "I'll meet you up there."
Pippa closed the toilet door behind her and felt relief wash over her when she heard the person on the other line pick up.
"Evie, thank God."
"How was it?" asked Evie, "I told you it wasn't that bad." Pippa could almost hear the Cheshire smile in her voice.
"I – We haven't yet. He's upstairs… It's weird… between us, I mean."
"Mhmm, I told you not to tell him what you were planning. Now he knows you know that he knows what's what and it's too late to change your mind." What?
"How do you... start?"
"Look, just get into bed and get it over with. Honestly, you're making a bigger deal of this than it is. You'll feel better once you do it. It'll be fine, I promise. I have to go David's over – just text if you need anything."
"Okay… I don't know why I'm being like this."
"Honestly, it'll be fine. It's like your first kiss, you build it up way more in your head before it happens but it's never that big of a deal. You'll be fine, I promise. You can't exactly change your mind now that he's there, right?... It'll be great, I promise." Pippa hung up her phone and pulled her hair up into a tight bun before letting it down again – Jamie liked it long…
Evie's words were anything but encouraging. She was also the last of her friends to kiss a boy, too and it was horrific. Pippa was 14 playing spin the bottle at Evie's birthday party. Tom was in the year above her. Pippa remembered the way he melodramatically groaned and rolled his eyes when the bottle landed on her. She'd tried to wave it off saying he could spin again when he reached across the circle and planted a sloppy kiss on the corner of her mouth. Tom'd watch got caught in her hair and he shoved his wet tongue between her lips and she distinctly remembered him licking the back of her teeth. Even three years and two boyfriends later, the embarrassment at the memory was still crippling.
Evie was right though. Jamie would be going back to Scotland after Christmas break and Pippa didn't know if they'd ever get another opportunity like this again. Her heart in her throat, Pippa climbed the stairs. Jamie was sitting on her bed patiently, resting his chin on his knees. He'd put his shirt back on. Jamie smiled nervously when she opened the door. Pippa froze in the doorway; her heart hammering so fast and so tight, it hurt the veins in her neck.
"You know, I don't know what your mum's always on about. Your room is plenty tidy."
"You should see the closet," countered Pippa.
"I did. I'm taking some of my jumpers back." Pippa tugged the sleeves of her shirt and wiped her palms on the back of her jeans. "Oh, I was only kidding – I wasn't snooping."
"It's fine – er, help yourself," she stammered. Pippa still hadn't entered her bedroom and she commanded her feet to move. The harder she tried, the more upset her stomach got. Pippa didn't understand. She'd wanted this for ages. Jamie'd seen her naked before – mostly… and in parts. And they'd fooled around plenty before this… well as much as two teenagers could get away with in brush of a national forest or in Jamie's room with his family just downstairs. They'd talked about it and agreed to wait until they had the night to themselves to avoid being rushed or interrupted. Everything was how she wanted it. It was perfect. He was perfect.
All Pippa could think about was how her mouth tasted of cotton.
"Hey," said Jamie softly, "It's okay," he patted the bed beside him, "Come here."
"Er," Pippa swallowed. It felt as if she was choking on sand. Evie was right, she shouldn't have said anything to Jamie. Pippa just knew he was getting frustrated with her. Honestly, she wasn't doing this on purpose. She wasn't trying to be a tease either – she just needed a minute. Why wasn't Evie clearer on what to do next? Just get in bed… Just get in bed how? Was Pippa meant to walk around the side or did it make more sense just to crawl up from the foot of the bed? She felt her shame rush from the pit of her stomach wrap its tendrils around her face.
"Pippa, it's okay."
"I – I'm sorry," mumbled Pippa. She cringed at how meek and feeble her voice sounded.
"Don't be sorry, Love," said Jamie. He crossed his legs and held out an open palm invitation. Pippa avoided eye contact but sat next to Jamie anyway. Jamie carefully pulled Pippa into his lap and brushed a kiss on her temple.
"I don't – everything was fine a minute ago!"
"Pippa… I promise, it's fine," said Jamie. He tried to catch her eye and smile. Of course it would be fine. She'd waited until she was in love, they had the whole night. Jamie loved her. He was always sweet. Tonight would be no different.
"Look, we've waited too long for you not to have fun." She was having fun! She was just being stupid.
"I know! I'm trying," pleaded Pippa. She hunched her shoulders and tried to get up. Now he didn't even want to sleep with her!
"No, no! That's not what I meant! It's just – look –" Jamie laughed uncomfortably, "It's not like I've any hope in Hell at getting you off, so if you're not even going to get a laugh out of it, what's the point?"
"I guess," sniffed Pippa. She pulled a loose thread off the cuff of her sleeve. "I want to. I do; it's just…"
"I'm nervous too," admitted Jamie. "Especially after listening to Sophia go on about it."
Pippa sighed in agreement, "You're not angry?" she asked.
"No," sputtered Jamie. "Could you imagine?! Pippa! I - What kind of a boyfriend – 'yeah, mate,'" Jamie put on his chaviest accent, "'I was nice to her all day and she didn't even fuck me!'"
Pippa smiled into Jamie's neck, "Sounds like a right bitch," she mumbled. "And a tease."
Jamie kissed the top of Pippa's head and tucked her under his chin. His gentle touch broke the seal on her tension. Pippa let out a shuttering sigh and let herself relax as Jamie adjusted them so she was laying atop him and nested between the wall and his chest. "We have all of tomorrow, and the rest of Christmas Holidays. And if not now, then half-term, or Easter, or summer, or next year, or when you're at uni."
"I'm not going to make you wait that long. It's just, egh." Pippa rolled on to her back and scrubbed her eyes. "If I tell you something, you have to promise to act surprised when you find out." Jamie nodded and propped himself on his elbow. Pippa sighed, "You're a terrible liar…" Pippa swallowed, "Soph's pregnant."
Jamie's face fell and his eyebrows shot up. "Merlin's beard, Pippa," he breathed.
"And I know it's stupid – But it's not like she's a complete idiot. But she just told me yesterday, and I just can't – I can't stop thinking about it."
"That's not stupid," said Jamie seriously. "No, no, you're right. Of course, you are. You're always bloody right. Jesus – we're playing with fire. What were we thinking?" Jamie saw the look on Pippa's face, "What aren't you telling me?" he asked.
Pippa chewed her lip, "Ollie dumped her as soon as she told him."
Jamie's eye narrowed and he shot upright, "What a fucking tool! I've always hated him. I've always hated him." Pippa nodded and hid her face. "Oh, please don't cry. I'm sorry. I know you're friends."
"No, he is a tool. And they're both idiots… I feel bad for Soph, that's all." Jamie agreed.
Jamie and Pippa spent the better part of the next hour in relative silence. They faced each other with their chins resting on their knees. Pippa was letting Jamie trace circles on her palm. "Do you think he loves her?" asked Jamie, breaking the sleepy silence. "Ollie, I mean."
Pippa stretched her burning legs, "I think… I think he used to," she said slowly. "But then he only stayed because she was sleeping with him," Pippa anxiously watched Jamie's reaction.
"Pip." Jamie brushed her hair out of her face.
"I told you it was stupid," she laughed tearily.
"I don't think that's stupid. I – I worry about it too… Not the you only staying with me because I'm a great lay part. But you changing your mind. It's really common for us to get married to our first love. Like more common than not. And that's not really done with muggles… Or if I introduce you to… everything and you decide it's too much or you'd rather make a life with someone more like you."
It was then that Jamie remembered his Dad's advice from earlier that week, "But I think… I know that loving you is worth that risk."
Pippa kissed him then. She kissed him; slowly at first, then deeply and full of passion. She kissed him like he was off to war in the morning. She kissed him with her whole body.
Nothing happened that evening. Pippa felt no need to push it to her limits and she appreciated Jamie letting her take the lead for once. She could tell Jamie was aching for more, but Pippa was too nervous to reach for the button on his jeans, least he got too excited and subsequently disappointed. Eventually, they were able to settle for the night. Pippa slept in nothing but his tee-shirt and Jamie a pair of grey track pants that Pippa hungrily noted were starting to get too tight on his lean frame.
After Pippa fell asleep, Jamie snuck down to the toilet and contemplated a cold shower. Then a hot one. He'd repeat this twice more before finally falling asleep with his arms curled around Pippa.
It was unclear who woke first, or what time it was. It was still dark outside and appeared as if it would be that way for hours yet. Jamie was still half asleep, rubbing his thumb over Pippa's ribcage. Neither of them had slept well, unwilling to sacrifice their embrace for physical comfort. Pippa was exhausted but radiating with euphoria. Jamie mumbled her name and pressed into her sleepily. Pippa turned her face into the crook of Jamie's neck and was intoxicated by his woody scent. Despite how warm she was already; Pippa tucked a leg between Jamie's and shifted even closer.
Feeling Jamie pressed against her hip, she asked, "Again – already?", with a sleepy smile.
Jamie pressed into Pippa even more and grabbed her arse still half asleep, "er," he chuckled, "still."
"Such a patient man," crooned Pippa stroking Jamie's hair and trailing a feather light touch down his stomach. His whole body tensed, and Jamie arched back with a shallow gasp, allowing her better access. He was fully awake now. "You're so sweet to me," she purred, toying with the waistband of his trousers.
Jamie whimpered. "Pippa," he moaned pathetically. He held her wrist and brought her hand lower before snatching it away and ripping his fingers through his hair. "Please. I'm trying – trying to be good."
"You've been very good to me," she agreed. Pippa reached across Jamie and fumbled on her nightstand for a hair tie.
"Are you – Jesus." Jamie flipped on the lamp.
Pippa smiled with a quick nod. With a jut of her chin towards the Jamie's straining trousers she said, "You can take those off if -" Jamie threw them to the ground. Pippa snorted, "if you want."
"Want – I whatever you yes want."
Pippa stifled her laughs kissing her way down Jamie's stomach, "I see… Tell me how you really feel," she whispered before taking him in her mouth.
Jamie lay there, in the small bed catching his breath, slightly pink in the face. "Sorry. I, er, usually get more warning than that." Pippa gave him a puzzled look and Jamie wiped the corner of her chin with the sheet. "Just feels more polite to give a heads up," he explained.
"Do – Do you think I'm going to be shocked every time? I feel like putting your dick in my mouth is plenty enough warning."
Jamie shrugged and stifled a yawn. "Okay!" He flipped onto his side and gently took Pippa's hair out of the tie. "So, I was thinking…" Jamie ran his fingers through the length of Pippa's hair and twirled the ends. He was wearing nothing but an ear-splitting grin. "The other day… I was thinking… And I know you said it wasn't your favourite! But! But.I was thinking that it might be different if you can actually," Jamie spread his hands over the bed, "like, lay down… and relax and it's not bloody freezing…"
Pippa bit her thumb nail and nodded shyly. "Yeah!?" Jamie gave her a lopsided grin before clamouring to his knees and hastily grabbing at Pippa's tee-shirt. "Off? Off. offoffoff," he sang and helped her pull it over her head.
Pippa laughed through her nose when Jamie had to double back for a deep kiss, playfully cupped a handful of boob, and almost lost his balance trying to rearrange his gangly body. "Bollocks!... All good – All good."
Jamie's breath was hot against her thigh. His hands were touching her everywhere, with no sense of direction or purpose. "Okay… this is… better."
"Mm!" trilled Jamie.
Pippa relaxed into it. "Oh! That! Keep doing that… No, no – before." Jamie adjusted more and Pippa frowned "Okay, keep trying stuff and I'll tell you when you do it again."
Pippa woke some hours later to Jamie stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. He'd waken her to let Pippa know her mum was calling – it was barely 6am, how Marline expected Pippa to be up and dressed, she'd never understand. Jamie dressed silently and slinked out of the room and disappeared downstairs.
After getting off a video chat with her mum, Pippa found Jamie in the kitchen making tea for the both of them. Still dead on their feet from their sleepless night, they ate in silence. Pippa was starving, having not eaten anything the night before.
Pippa got up from the table and announced she was going to shower. She grabbed a towel from the hall closet. She hesitated before grabbing a second. "Are you coming?!" she called after Jamie, who'd started climbing the stairs back to her bedroom. Jamie appeared in the bathroom, slightly out of breath, just as she was getting in.
"Me?" he asked hesitantly from the doorway.
Pippa pulled back the curtain, "Did you have someone else in mind?"
When the hot water ran out, neither Pippa nor Jamie were any cleaner than when they entered the shower, albeit, wetter. Jamie threw Pippa over his shoulder and laughed at her shriek of delight. He tossed her gently on her bed and pinned her wrists in a mock hold when she threw off his towel. Pippa let Jamie kiss her neck and hold her hands above her head with one hand and unwrap her towel with the other.
"James?" whispered Pippa. Jamie stuttered an apology and let go of her hands. "… Do you have what I asked you to bring?" asked Pippa, willing her voice to steady. Her stomach started to get heavy again, but this time it was different. It wasn't paralyzing, it was exciting
"Er, I – I wouldn't have brought any if you hadn't asked," replied Jamie turning pink under his freckles. "And, you know, it's not like they go off."
"I know… Could you?"
Jamie's breath hitched in his chest. "Yeah?"
Jamie padded to his backpack in the corner of the room. He fished around in one of the smaller pockets and brought a small square of foil back to the bed. Jamie hesitated before throwing the condom down on the night table and kneeling on the bed. He pulled Pippa up to meet his face and kissed her slowly.
Pippa let her wet towel fall off. Jamie brushed it off the bed and he laid Pippa down and she pulled some of his weight against her. Pippa's hand flew to the night table and she shoved the gold foil in Jamie's hand.
"Okay. Wait, wait," said Jamie sitting back on his heels. "No, I want to. I just, er, you know I grew up in a sort of… cult, right. I…" Jamie waved the condom in the air, "I have no idea what this is for," he admitted with a grimace. "I mean I think… from the shape, but I…I must be wrong."
"You waited until now?" Pippa grabbed at the sheets to cover herself and sat up
"I'm sorry… I was really hoping you'd do something with it, and it'd just click…"
"Here." Pippa opened the wrapper carefully and was surprised at how slick the latex was. "Why is it wet?!"
"I don't know! The other one was like that too."
"I think it just rolls on – "
"I was afraid of that."
"Maybe the other way? No, like this?"
"Ah! Careful! Careful!"
"Sorry!... I think that's right?"
"I can't believe muggles managed to find a way to make it look even more ridiculous," said Jamie in a pained voice. Jamie and Pippa exchanged a look and snickered.
"Just look at me, then," said Pippa. Jamie's hand reached for her chest and grazed down the side of her ribs. He nodded and Pippa watched his Adam's apple bob up and down.
"Right, er," Jamie shuffled both of them back so they could lie down. He faced Pippa and stroked the outside of her thigh. "Are you sure you want-"
"I really want to," she insisted and guided his hand between her legs to show him exactly how bad she wanted this. He played with her until she felt even more pressure building. "Jamie."
"erm, do you want to get on top then?"
"No!"
"I don't want to hurt you! If you're on top then you-"
"I don't like being shirtless on top – I look silly!"
Jamie pulled his brows into a pained expression, "I, quite literally, am wearing a tiny rubber hat on my dick. I think I win looking silly today." Pippa shook her head shyly, "Do you want a shirt?"
Pippa taunted him, "I want you to fuck me."
Jamie groaned into her neck. He pressed himself against her inner thigh as he carefully limbered on top of Pippa. "Don't let me hurt you," Pippa nodded, "You promise you'll tell me?" Pippa just kissed him in response and wrapped an ankle around his hip.
She felt Jamie adjusting and gentle probing. She couldn't see beyond their tangle of limbs what he was doing but she felt something gentle enter her, "No, that feels good," she decided.
"Erm, still just my hands, love," he whispered.
"Oh," Pippa sat up a bit on her elbows. Maybe this would hurt more than she was expecting. If that was just his fingers… she didn't think that she had anything more to give. "Just… go for it."
"Err… I think you have to relax!" blurted Jamie, "yeah – yeah it's better if you're relaxed."
"I am relaxed!" she nearly shouted. Pippa caught Jamie's bewildered glance and both of them broke into nervous giggles. Jamie put a careful hand on her knees, which Pippa'd clamped together at some point. He gave a gentle shake to demonstrate that Pippa was, in fact, incredibly tense.
Just let your knees relax," soothed Jamie. His hand gently ran up the length of Pippa's leg and she released some of the tension holding her legs together. Her thighs dropped closer to the bed on either side of Jamie. Jamie interlocked their fingers and brushed a kiss against Pippa's knuckles.
Pippa reached for his face again and pulled him down close to her. Jamie kissed her deeply and softly. "I love you, Pippa. More than you'll ever know."
She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, "I love you, too." She felt Jamie fumble between their legs. She tried to adjust to give him a better angle.
"Ow, you're on my hair," laughed Pippa.
"Here, what if we," Jamie lowered his weight beside Pippa and she turned on her side to face him. Jamie gently pulled her leg over his giving Pippa more control. "Better?" She pressed her body down on Jamie. It wasn't quite the right angle, but it was just enough to give Pippa a taste. Hooking her ankle around Jamie's bum, she tried again.
His moan of pleasure surprised her. "Oh god," he pleaded into the crook of her neck. Holding her in his arms, Jamie clutched her close to his chest and pushed his hips with a whimper. Pippa braced herself, expecting the burning ripping sensation her friends described in vivid detail but was contented to find that her friends were full of shit.
"Okay?" panted Jamie. His body was taut, and he was gripping her shoulder tightly, trying to control himself. She nodded. Jamie held her hips and slowly pressed inside her several times, more controlled this time. Pippa let herself melt into his chest, enjoying this new full, stretching feeling. "More?" he asked.
"There's more?" Jamie nodded against her neck. Pippa saw a bead of sweat start to form at the base of his neck. She reached between them and felt Jamie was only able to go as far as the head.
"I won't hurt you. I promise. Please, Pippa," he husked.
"Slow," she demanded, pulling Jamie completely on top of her. She felt her body react to his heavy breathing and pulled him in even deeper when he wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Slow," he promised. It was more pressure than Pippa was expecting. She watched in amazement as her body took in more and more of Jamie. "Still okay?" he panted. Pippa caught his eye and she felt another wave of wetness spread down her thighs. Before she could answer Jamie buried his face in her neck and let loose a guttural string of curses. His grip on her shoulder and the back of her hair intensified and he pressed into her again and shuttered.
Pippa caressed his back and gently wound her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp. "You feel so good," she whispered in his ear.
"Fuck, I'm sorry," panted Jamie after he unceremoniously rolled off of Pippa.
Pippa's heart skipped a beat, "Sorry? Why sorry?"
"Er, what was that, a minute?"
Pippa glanced at the clock, "Three," she teased. Jamie's flush brightened making his freckles standout. "Where are you going?!" she startled, clutching for Jamie's arm when he started to rise from the bed.
"Nowhere," soothed Jamie in a whisper, "I just need two seconds." Jamie made a noise of disgust as he tiptoed over to Pippa's dresser and grabbed a handful of tissue. Pippa bit her lip to keep from laughing when he looked over his shoulder and twirled his finger; telling her to turn around.
"Did you really think I was leaving?" asked Jamie. He crawled back in the bed and tucked both of their bodies, still damp from their shower, under the quilt. He scooped Pippa up and pulled her onto his chest. Pippa shrugged. Jamie kissed her.
"I can't believe I just did that," declared Jamie, utterly awestruck.
"Third time really is the charm," muttered Pippa with a sleepy smile.
"Wow – just… wow," Jamie's eyes sparkled with excitement. He boasted a lopsided smile and ran a hand through his dishevled hair.
"Yeah?" placated Pippa. "Is it a proud boy?" she patted Jamie's puffed chest.
"Yes! A very proud boy. I've never been able to get you off on my own."
"Oooh, it learned a new trick, did it?" she teased.
"Yes! It's my best one yet." Jamie rose to his knees and gripped Pippa's hips, pulling her up to all fours. "Wanna see it again?"
Pippa let out a shaky breath when Jamie's nimble fingers danced around her body. His grazing touch left vibrant trails of heat across her back, down her leg, up her thigh, and, finally, to where she craved his touch most. "I do, I do – but," she groaned and pushed her bum into Jamie. He hesitated and Pippa sighed impatiently and wiggled her hips more, "I want to keep going but I'm starting to get sore." Pippa fell onto her belly.
"Pippa! "You promised you'd say something."
"I know! It doesn't hurt it's just going to if we keep going at it like this. This is me saying something."
Jamie looked at her skeptically. In truth, Pippa was starting to get very sore and it was starting to hurt to support her own weight. But she wasn't about to let Jamie know that. "We should probably eat something anyway," he admitted. Jamie flopped down on the bed, careful to avoid landing on Pippa's hair. They would probably need another shower, too. The warm, humid air of Pippa's room was starting to smell overwhelmingly of sweat and sex. Pippa buried her face into Jamie's neck and inhaled deeply. She liked it. "I'll make you breakfast," he offered.
"Hmm," she considered, "One more and we have cereal?"
"Pippa…"
"One more round," she hissed, and it seemed that was all the convincing Jamie needed.
The fourth round was a mistake. Pippa grimaced taking her first step down the stairs. For a moment, Jamie was worried her knees were going to buckle under her weight and she'd tumble down the entire flight of stairs. "Careful, Love," he cautioned. Pippa only looked at him with bright eyes and biting her lips to hide her grin.
They opted for a bath after scarfing down egg sandwiches. Pippa's legs were too unstable to stand for long without quivering and Jamie's arms were about to fall off. "I can't believe we did that," said Pippa.
"Me neither," said Jamie.
"So that's sex. This is so much better than a quick shag behind an old dirty well."
"uh-huh," agreed Jamie, "Today's been…Incredible… Did you have fun? Er, I mean – are you still okay?" stammered Jamie.
"I had the best time… Completely knackered though. My legs feel like they just ran a marathon."
Jamie splashed warm soapy water over Pippa's shoulder. "Same. I used muscles in my back I didn't know I had." Pippa sighed contentedly, wishing this weekend would never end.
The rest of the morning passed quietly. Jamie was trying to learn how to plait Pippa's hair and she was scrolling through social media.
"Who's Merlin?" asked Pippa suddenly.
Jamie raised an eyebrow, "You're not supposed to ask questions you know I shouldn't answer."
Pippa pursed her lips, "I think if you're going to whisper his name in my ear while you're inside me I should at least be allowed to ask about him and his inglorious bollocks."
Jamie rested his chin on Pippa's shoulder and started playing with her hands. "Merlin… Well, Merlin is like our God – except he was very much a real person… He was a kind of a scientist and his wife Magdalena was like the first doctor. They were arrested and hanged in 1088 after refusing to stop handing out the first version of antibiotics. Fermented plants and grass – clearly witchcraft."
"But why still hide? I mean it's not like anyone believes in witches anymore."
Jamie snorted, "Tell that to Charles Walton - Mum and Dad went to school with his granddaughters. It's hard to want to break a law that's designed to protect the most vulnerable people in your society. We still have to watch Evylvna Gåswyrt's murder in school.
And you guys don't exactly have a great track record of co-existing with things you don't understand."
Pippa read aloud from her mobile, "Charles Walton – murdered in 1945 after being accused of witchcraft."
"The Google told you that!" gasped Jamie, stretching to read over Pippa's shoulder.
"You – You used the Google in primary! I can't keep explaining this. Jamie, I just," Pippa sighed heavily. Jamie looked as if he was going to argue – this was by far their most common fight. "No! Here. Watch this baby try a lemon." Pippa swiped back to a video.
Her distraction worked, "That is the fattest baby I have ever seen," gasped Jamie. He smiled at the looping video, "Who's baby is this? What's he called?"
Pippa shook her tapped the screen to load another video. "Again. They're just babies, Jamie. I don't know them."
Jamie smiled sadly, "What happened with Soph?"
"She stopped taking the pill when her and Ollie broke up the first time and "forgot" to start when they started shagging again. But – and you can't breathe a word of this to anyone – Evie and I think she's gone and done it on purpose."
"… But isn't that what the condoms are for? Because you're not taking any birth control? And those are impossible to forget."
"He blatantly refuses to wear them. Always has. Apparently, it doesn't feel as nice," said Pippa.
Jamie was silent for a long time, "Even if that's true… Doesn't that seem a bit… selfish? That's so much responsibility on Sophia. I mean, no matter how good your keeper is, why would you ever shoot at your own goal? Why are you crying? Pippa, God, I'm so sorry. All I meant -"
"No, I'm sorry. That was just a really sweet thing for you to say. I don't know why I'm so emotional right now."
"You can't think of even one reason why you're a little more sensitive than normal?" Jamie kissed her cheek with a loud smack. "I know it's not my business but if that's something you want, and it's a cost thing – I'd pay for it. Happily." When Pippa didn't respond, he added, "Only if you wanted it though."
"I am on the pill. It's free."
"Oh?" said Jamie. That's not what she'd told him.
Pippa picked at her cuticles and the rest came out in a rush, "Soph and Evie told me not to tell you unless I wanted to fight with you about condoms every time. And you're right. It's a lot. Sometimes I forget, or I fall asleep before I'm supposed to take it. Or I'm grounded and can't get to the clinic before I run out. So, you can't not wear one." Pippa gritted her teeth. "And I'm not going to fight you on it. You just. Have to."
Jamie smoothed some stray hair behind her ear. He pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear, "No more sex advice from the pregnant girl."
A soft noise woke Jamie from their nap on the sofa. Bleary eyed, Jamie looked at Pippa to see she was still sleeping peacefully on his chest. Jamie's heart stopped when a jingle of keys drew his attention to the front door and Pippa's, large, hairy, Scottish, stepdad kicking off his boots.
"Op - Don't mind me," Reg waved a hand at Jamie, "Don't get up. Just here for a bloody pair of cleats. Spent more on petrol driving back than a new pair cost. But whatever keeps the Mrs. happy, am I right?"
Jamie brought his hand to hold Pippa's head against his chest; half to keep her still when he sat up, half to protect her ears from Reggie's imminent shout. "eh, don't look so shocked, boy. 't's not like I don't remember being young. Although, I am impressed you managed to get in here without me mobile beeping me."
"magnet," deadpanned Jamie. Reggie chuckled while he was looking through piles of shoes in the entry closet. When he finally found what he was looking for, Reggie muttered something more about petrol cost and grabbed a soda from the fridge. He peered over at Pippa on his way back.
"Fu'king dead asleep," snorted Reggie, "Long night?"
"Er,"
"Relax, I'm not going to bite you. She's nearly 18 and got a good head on her shoulders – both of yeahs. Jus' be sure to be gone before five tomorrow or Marline'll have both yer heads."
"Y-Yes, sir," stammered Jamie. And with a soft click, Reggie was gone as quickly as he came. Jamie could hear his heart thundering in the silence. Since when did Reggie like him?