I hope you all are still enjoying this story. Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

His eyes never leave hers as she tentatively closes the door that will separate them till morning. Even though it's just an inch of wood, Mike can't help but feel a slight annoyance at the object as he sees El's eyes warm eyes disappear.

When the soft 'click' of the door is heard, his shoulders slump as he heaves a heavy sigh, casting his arms outwards and pushing his weight against them. His head drops as he shakes his head growling in defeat.

"You know, you can talk to her?" Pitch's voice causes Mike to look up at his partner.

Mike rolls his eyes as he begins to move about his small kitchen, picking up after the party.

"About what?" Mike grumbles, knowing that his Anima is going to have some kind of terse comeback.

"About how you like her".

And there it is, Mike thinks to himself and doesn't retort as he focuses on cleaning.

He hears his Anima sigh heavily, "You know, there's no harm in trying. I mean, I'm pretty sure it's a one in a million chance for us Anima's to change on the spot in meeting the other half of our soul. Look at Lucas and Max".

Mike feels his shoulders tense as he places the stack of pizza boxes by his door that he plans or recycling later. He knows there is truth to Pitch's words, but there's a deep fear that lingers within himself.

And or course, Pitch can't help to bring it up, "I know you have this whole issue because of your parents and all bu-" he starts and Mike turns to him quickly, "This has nothing to do with my parents!" he bites back.

Pitch gives him a wistful look, and Mike's slightly surprised to see some sort of disappointment cross his features, "I'm apart of you Mike, when are you going to understand that?" he shakes his burly head and moves across the living room and heads towards their bedroom.

Mike huffs as he tightens his fists together in anger. He slumps forward at the kitchen sink, using his arms to brace himself. He can feel the frustration pulsing through him, both his own and Pitch's as well.

It's a concept Mike has never fully understood. For ages, he has always wondered what made him and Pitch so different from one another. He could never recount a time where he met another human and Anima that were like he and Pitch: unmatched. Or, that's what Mike felt like anyways.

He would always watch his friends, and now even El with Veda, and there was a surge of jealousy that rested within him.

Mike silently wished more often than not that they could go back, back to their childhood when things were good. It seemed that when Mike was an adolescent and Pitch had morphed into his wolf form is when things began to change between them. Beforehand, Mike felt connected with him, now, it was like they truly were two separate entities and it bothered him to no end.

Closing his eyes firmly and taking a deep breath, Mike shook off the rest of his thoughts as he washed his hands one last time and made his way into his room.

He cast a curious eye to see that Pitch was already curled up on his fancy bed and seemed to be asleep. Mike moved to his dresser as he stripped down to his boxer briefs and tossed on his favorite Star Wars sleep shirt.

Crawling into his bed he felt the exhaustion of the day hit him hard. Although his mind swirled with a thousand different thoughts and feelings that left him awake. It wasn't until his eyes finally collapsed from fighting sleep, did he finally drift off.

However, it didn't feel like his slumber was for long, as an unsettling scream pulled him awake.


Her eyes flitted back and forth as she stared at the ceiling before her. One of her arms was tucked comfortably under her head that was supported by a fluffy pillow, as her other hand played absentmindedly with the comfy duvet cover that rested gently across her body.

She could feel the tiredness that hung heavily to her eyes, but her thoughts that were loud and obnoxious kept her from slumper.

"Can't sleep?" the voice of Veda caused El to turn her head towards her small Anima who was curled up on the other side of the large bed.

El could just barely make out the foxes glinting eyes in the darkness of the room. Knowing her partner had no trouble seeing her at night, she shrugged and moved her head back to its previous position, her eyes gazing towards the ceiling.

"It's okay to feel nervous" Veda continues, not shifting in the slightest as she talked.

A heavy sigh escapes from El, "I know. I just...it's hard for me to believe that Mike and his friends are willing to go into such a dangerous situation. Just for me" she whispers her last words.

"They care about you" Veda states simply.

El closes her eyes tightly, groaning, "Exactly. And I don't get why! They just met me, why are they willing to do this?"

A silence befalls them for a moment.

"Maybe they see who you are. They want to help you" the fox suggests.

El huffs, "I've never had anyone be so willing to help me before". She moves her arm from out under her head and moves it to join her other one. Now both of her hands play with the silky material of the bed cover.

"Well, maybe you've finally met some people who actually care about you" El picks up Veda's connotation. El knows that her Anima wasn't too fond of the group she and Kali had joined. Veda had never liked the antics they got up to just to survive.

El remembers the countless arguments they had over the group. Veda always pushing her to leave. But, El had no one else. Nowhere else to go. So, she was stuck.

But, El smiles slightly at her Anima's words. "Yes, they are really nice".

El feels something stir within her at Veda's next words, "Hmm, Mike especially".

Her cheeks redden. And she's pretty sure they were glowing even in the darkness of the room around them.

She scoffs though, "He's just being friendly".

"Friendly doesn't mean almost kissing" Veda fires back.

El's mouth drops open as she sits up suddenly and turns towards her Anima once again. She opens her mouth to speak, but the fox cuts her off, "Get some sleep El, goodnight" Veda whispers, and El sees the glint of her Anima's eyes disappear.

Knowing it's a losing situation, El flopped back onto the bed, casting her arms outwards.

Her eyes settle on the ceiling once again. And even though her thoughts swirl about her, the exhaustion that holds over her finally hits, as her eyes drift close.


The coldness is so dense it seeps into her bones. She wraps her arms tightly around herself, trying to hold in any warmth that might still be there.

It's dark all around her. The only things she can see is the smoky outline of her breath that permeates the air around her.

She casts her head in multiple directions, looking for some sort of light, any sort of person.

"Hello?" she calls out, her shivering voice echoing around her.

Her body shakes as the frigid temperature sinks deeper into her body.

She takes a tentative step forward, a wetness seeps into her bare feet, she looks down suddenly as a gasp of air escapes her mouth. It floats delicately in the air.

Her arms drop to the side as she looks around. She's in the void.

A panic travels up her spine, "Hello!?" she cries once again, her voice more desperate as her breath quickens.

Her chest rises and falls in quick repetition as she begins to feel the panic rise within her.

She runs forward, her face frozen in worry as she looks about in the endless space.

"Mike...Mike!?" she cries out.

"No one can hear you Eleven", his cool, venomous voice causes her to freeze.

She doesn't turn around, she doesn't need to, to know who the owner of the voice is.

El remains rooted to her spot, as she tries to calm her breathing.

She shakes her head, "No, no...you're not here" she mutters to herself.

"Oh, but I very much am Eleven. I'm here, in your mind" she can hear his voice getting closer, so she turns around slowly.

And even though she doesn't want to see his face, she stares him directly in the eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she questions trying to keep her voice even.

He cracks a devilish smile at her. "It's not very hard to get into your mind Eleven. Not when you're so open and vulnerable".

She furrows her face in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"You're so emotionally overwhelmed that it makes you weak, letting your minds guards break with ease".

"I'm not emotionally weak" she spits back.

"But you are. And you know it, and because of that, it will be easy to find you" he takes a slow step forward and El mimics him in the opposite direction.

"No, this isn't real, you aren't here" she shakes her head in disbelief.

Another quirk of his lips, "But you know that isn't true. You know this is real, you know that I'm getting closer to finding you, and it's causing you to become weak."

El lets out a stream of hot air from her nose, "There's no way you'd be able to find me".

Brenner gives her a surprised look, "But I think there is, and...who's this Mike fellow anyways?"

El tries to keep her face unreactive, but she knows her eyes widen in fear, and it's all he needs.

"That's what I thought. It won't be long now Eleven" he grinned wickedly at her.

"NO!" she shouts, her hands tightening into fists, "NO!" she screams as she casts out her hands towards Brenner as he's thrown back by the force of her powers.

She watches as he catapults into the air, as his figure disperses into the blackness around her.

Her chest feels tight as her heart beats rapidly against her chest.

The tears burn as they cascade from her eyes.

El can feel the burning sensation within her, the rage, she lets out a long, terrified scream.


She's still screaming bloody murder as she feels herself being shaken.

"EL!" she hears a man's voice calling out to her. Hands are on her shoulders as she's being shaken.

"NO, NO, NO!" she keeps shouting, some sense of reality hitting her as she thrashes out her hands, making contact with something.

She hears a huff of air escape the person. She concentrates, and the shaking stops, she is unable to take in her surroundings due to the darkness that's around her.

"El, let him go!" Veda's voice causes reality to hit El like a ton of bricks.

"El...it's me" she hears a strangled voice beside her.

"Mike!?" she cries out and she realizes that she's holding him back with his powers, she immediately lets him go.

She hears him take in a deep breath as he moves around in the dark. Her eyes squint at the sudden brightness of the lamp he flicks on.

Her eyes are immediately on his.

She can see the multiple emotions that are flickering across his face as he struggles to catch his breath, and she finds she's doing the same.

"Are you okay?" he asks tentatively as he stays frozen in his spot, unsure as to what he should be doing.

It dawns on her that she was dreaming, that it wasn't real.

But it felt real, her mind tells her.

"El?" she turns to Veda who is also looking at her with extreme concern.

Then it all sinks in, and she lets the terror flow through her.

She shakes her head, and the tears begin to flow.

"El are you-" Mike begins to move towards her, and El moves so quickly because she needs anything to feel safe. She grabs ahold of his arms and tugs him roughly towards her.

She buries herself into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly as she sobs into his chest.

El can feel Mike freeze at the suddenness of the contact, but it only takes him a half second to move and wrap his arms around her small frame. El sighs in between sobs at the contact.

His hands begin to move up and down her back in a soothing motion, as she allows herself to break in his arms.

There's a steady silence that surrounds them, and El isn't sure how long they stay there. Mike with half a leg on the bed, and the other stabilizing him on the floor. While El curls herself up into him, practically sitting in his lap.

"You're okay, I'm right here" Mike's soft voice keeps repeating the same phrase over and over again, and El melts each time he says them, as he gently rocks them.

She can feel his warm breath tickling the side of her neck, as her crying finally settles.

El sniffles, trying to eradicate the mucus that has now run down her face and caused her nose to get stuffy.

As she pulls back slowly, Mike doesn't remove his arms from around her.

She moves one of her arms from his waist as she wipes at her red rimmed eyes. She casually glances up at him and he's looking down at her, she lets out a half-hearted chuckle.

"I'm sorry" she chokes as she tries to compose herself.

"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" his voice is low.

El shakes her head, "For crying all over you" she gestures to his very soaked shirt.

And she can't help but let out another slight chuckle as her bleary eyes catch what's emblazoned on his sleep shirt.

Mike gives her a look of confusion before she pulls back a bit more and she tugs at her night shirt.

His eyes widen in shock as he looks between her shirt and his. They're identical, almost down to the amount of fade that the logo shows from use.

"Well" he laughs, "Great minds think alike" he gives her a warm smile.

El nods at this as she can't help but pull at the bottom of her shirt and pull it up towards her face, dabbing at her eyes.

She watches as Mike turns away slightly, his face reddening slightly, and she stupidly realizes that she's probably giving him a total peek at her stomach.

She drops the shirt from her hand, her own cheeks reddening "Oh, sorry, just...a nervous habit" she tries to make light of the situation.

Mike turns back towards her shaking his head, "No worries" he flashes her another smile.

And even though she wants to return it, she can't. There's a heaviness that falls on her as if she was carrying a hundred pound backpack. She ducks her head.

"Hey", Mike says gently as she feels his hand gracing her chin as he tilts it upwards. El keeps her eyes cast downwards, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"You don't have to be sorry for crying" he starts and when she still doesn't look at him, he sighs, "El, come on. Look at me" he pleads.

And even though she really doesn't want to, with a heavy breath she raises her tired eyes and their brown eyes meet.

He's giving her a gentle look as he slowly moves his hands about her face, pulling at the strands of hair that have stuck to her face from the tears. He guides them to rest behind her ear. Their eyes never leave one another.

"What happened?" his voice quiet, but even.

El slumps her shoulders, she knew he was going to ask her what happened.

"El, tell him" Veda makes her presence known by nudging the side of her arm.

She looks down at the foxes worried eyes. Even though they don't experience each other's dreams, they know when a nightmare has invaded their peaceful sleep.

El huffs, and then turns back to Mike who is waiting patiently.

"I...I had a dream about him...Brenner" her voice cracks. "But, it was weird" she scrunches her face.

"Weird, how?" Mike asks.

El shrugs, "I was...I was in the void, and he was there and...it was like he was actually there, like...it wasn't a dream but...it was?" she looks up at Mike with uncertainty.

He nods slowly, "So, he freaked you out?"

"That's an understatement. He said he would find me, and…" her mind drifts to what he had said about Mike, and finding him as well.

"And?" Mike pushes.

She looks at him, and the concern and worry is written plainly on his face. She knows she needs to be truthful, "And...he said he'd find me. Find you" she turns away from him.

"Me?" he asks startled.

El nods her head, "Yeah, that's why...I don't know" she huffed as she brings up her hands to run them through her wild curls, "I don't know if it was a dream or not. It felt so real."

"It felt like I was in the void. The same dark, empty space, the cold environment, the water on the floor" she explains as she looks off, distracted by her own thoughts.

Another silence falls before them.

But Mike finally breaks it as he reaches out to her, "Hey" he says gently, resting a hand on her arm. She pulls her eyes up to look at him, "Whether it was real or not, it still sounds super creepy, I mean...who wouldn't wake up freaked out,'' he shrugs.

El softens. A feeling of relief washing over her.

"Thanks...for being here" she whispers.

Mike nods as a small smile plays at the corner of his mouth. "Anytime", he whispers back.

They stare at each other for a long moment, and El almost forgets her dream. But, she's brought back to reality when Mike begins to move his leg that's on the bed and slides it off, he stands to his feet.

El's eyes widen as he begins to move away from her.

"Well it seems like-" he starts, but he stops suddenly when El vice grips his forearm.

He gives her a curious look. And El stares at the man before her. His untamed hair is even more so due to sleep, and, she realizes then that not only is he in the same Star Wars shirt as her, but he's only wearing boxers.

Her face reddens as the next thought traverses through her mind. But she can't help it, her anxiety is too high.

"Stay" she almost whines.

Her soft eyes glisten with unshed tears as Mike's face turns into that of shock at her words.

Stammering, "Uh...you...you mean...here?" he gestures to the room.

El can only nod somewhat shamefully.

She knows it's weird and awkward, but there's something about his presence that calms her for some reason. Yes, she has Veda, but to have an actual human being near her while she sleeps is entirely different. She cannot count the times she and Kali shared the same bed when one of them couldn't sleep. El always seemed to have nightmares even if her sister was by her side, but just the notion of someone being right there if she needed it was enough.

"El, I-" he starts. And she knows she's pushing it, especially as she slides her hand downwards on his forearm and finds Mike's hand. She intertwines their fingers together. Her amber eyes flick to his dark ones.

"Please" she whispers again, voice soft and pleading.

And that's all it seems to take for Mike to release a breath of air before he nods towards the bed, "Scoot over" he states.

El exhales in relief as she scoots over in the queen sized bed. Veda jumps down from the bed. "I'm going out into the living room," she states, flicking her long, bushy tail into the air.

"Wait, you don't have to-" Mike starts just as he places a leg up onto the bed, but Veda casts him a smirk, "No worries, you're couch is comfy anyways" she raises an eyebrow at the two of them and she slinks out the semi-open door.

Mike exhales another long breath and El gives him a worried look. Feeling as if she might have overstepped her boundaries.

"Mike, you don't have to stay, I'm sorry...this was stupid", she laments, shaking her head.

"No!" Mike raises a hand out to her suddenly causing her to startle. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell, I just...please, it's just...I've never shared a bed with anyone" he mutters.

She shrugs, "Neither have I" she states gently.

Mike raises his head to look at her, curiously; surprised. She gives him a soft smile, knowing that her cheeks are flushed red.

He gives her an endearing look, "Oh...okay" a gentle smile.

El shifts underneath the bedcovers, as Mike settles above the sheets.

She rolls her eyes, "Mike".

He looks over to her, "Yeah?" he questions as he settles probably as far away as he possibly can from her, which she finds slightly disappoints her. But, she doesn't know if it's because he's uncomfortable or he's being shy. She chooses not to worry on the matter.

"You can move under the covers,'' she starts and then gives him a sly smile, "I promise I don't bite" and she's actually surprised by her own boldness.

Mike's mouth drops open suddenly, but he follows her demands as he shifts, causing the bed to stir once again. He settles himself underneath the very warm blankets, and El notices that he's shifted somewhat closer to her, now there is only about a foot between them instead of three or four. El smiles.

Mike reaches his long arm outwards and flicks the switch to the lamp on the bedside table off. The room is enveloped in darkness.

She turns slightly so that she is on her side, pulling the bedsheets up around her chin. A long yawn escapes her mouth as she feels Mike shift as well.

Feeling his breath on her face, she knows he has turned on his side as well.

She smiles into the dark, "Goodnight Mike," she says.

He lets out a short chuckle, "Goodnight El," he says back, sleep causing his voice to become heavy.

Her worry is still heightened by the fear of nightmares that are sure to riddle her in the night. But her eyelids grow heavier with each minute that passes by.

She listens to the steadiness of Mike's breath as it eventually evens out, she allows it to lull her to sleep.


He really wasn't expecting his night to go as it did. He figured it would play out like any other night, even with El who had been sleeping in his spare bedroom.

Mike had never been awoken by a scream so loud that it caused his heart to nearly beat out of his chest.

Sitting up as if a lightning bolt had struck him, he moves his head wildly searching throughout the room looking for any sign of danger.

Another scream.

"It's El!" Pitch barks at him through the darkness that surrounds them.

It takes him a minute as he untangles his lanky limbs from the constraints of his bedsheets, once he is free he races out of his bedroom and makes a beeline for where El is.

He throws open the door, and even though it's fairly dark in her room, he can see her thrashing about in her bed.

"She won't wake up!" Veda's voice registers to his ear.

He begins to panic, but instinctively he moves towards El, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders shaking them.

"EL, EL, you've got to wake up!" he yells a bit louder than he intended to.

She continues to thrash about, "No, no!" she continues to cry, and Mike feels his heart break at the strain.

Then, she lets out another long scream as she sits up.

"EL!" he cries again, and in the darkness he can see the glint of her eyes as she opens them.

"NO, NO, NO!" she cries and the next thing he knows, he's frozen in place, and he feels like he's being strangled.

Veda reaches out to her, and he reassures her that it's him.

That's all it takes for El to release him, as Mike takes a deep breath, and moves around in the dark his hand blindly fishing for the bedside lamp. He flicks it on.

Their eyes are immediately locked on to one another. He can see the terror and fear written plainly on her face. He holds a hand up to his neck and rubs it absentmindedly, suddenly struck by the strength of her power.

But, he chooses not to focus on that now, he reaches out to her, but slowly, not wanting to startle her.

He's surprised when she doesn't respond to his or Veda's voice, but then, he's taken aback when she reaches out to him and pulls him close to her.

Even with a small physique, she is curiously strong. So, Mike falls into her.

Her head is on his chest and she begins to sob as she tightens her arms around his waist.

Despair fills him, and it only takes his brain a moment to respond as he wraps his arms around the girl, pulling her into a tight embrace.

He can feel the tears soaking through his t-shirt, but he doesn't care. All he wants is for the girl he's holding to understand that she's okay, that she's safe and in no harm.

Moving his hand slowly he begins to stroke her back in small circular motions. His touch is meant to be a sign that he's there with her, to express some sort of comfort. And it seems to work because he can feel her head mold into his chest and her sobs begin to fade.

He adds in some comforting words as well, and he prays that they put her at ease.

Eventually, she slowly pulls her small frame away from him, sniffling as she does so.

Her red rimmed eyes break his heart as he watches her compose herself.

She tries to apologize but he shakes her off.

He's a bit surprised by a short burst of giggles that erupt from her as she points out their matching identical shirts. He'd be lying if he didn't swoon slightly at the realization, acknowledging that this girl was more perfect than she let on to be.

The flush that covers his face when she lifts her shirt to wipe at her swollen eyes is impossible to control as he catches sight of her stomach once again. He can't help but watch for a moment, that lovely male brain telling him to not look away.

It takes much of his resolve to do so.

Then, when he thinks everything is okay, even after El's bizarre explanation of her dream, he starts to leave, but she holds him back.

She asks him to stay with her, and he's pretty sure his heart stops right then and there.

Her pleading eyes and worried expression are what pull him towards her, unable to say no.

So, that's where he finds himself.

Tucked under the covers with a girl he is hopelessly falling for him dressed in a shirt and his boxers. And she in an identical shirt, and very short pajama shorts. An obvious dream for most males, and he finds himself incredibly lucky, but he's also petrified.

He's never shared a bed with anyone, let alone a girl. A very beautiful girl to say the least.

But, her soft and warm words pull him in even tighter. So, when he settles under the covers after flicking off the lights he hears El shuffle and he's pretty sure she's turned towards him.

In the darkness he allows himself to turn towards her as well. He can feel her little puffs of air that escape her small mouth. He'd think it would annoy him, but instead he enjoys it. Relishing in the moment that he's so close to a girl, and he allows the thought to lull him to sleep.

So, when the sun creeps in from the morning rays, causing him to stir from his sleep, he's surprised as to how well rested he feels.

Everything is warm and comfortable, and there's a weight on his chest that causes him to melt back into the comfort that is held there.

His eyes try to open, but the alluring pleasure of the whole situation causes him to fight the urge to awaken.

But, a stirring beside him causes his eyes to finally spring open.

Glancing down, he realizes that a person, which after the haze of sleep fades away, is El.

His breath quickens as El nuzzles her nose deep into his neck, her left arm and leg are thrown over his torso and chest, holding onto him like a teddy bear. And he sheepishly realizes that his own left arm is tucked under her shoulder and is holding onto her tightly as well.

He doesn't know what to do. He's literally trapped.

Not that he totally minds because El seems to be deep in sleep, her face peaceful. But, what guy wouldn't call himself lucky to have such a wonderful woman like El cuddled up to them.

He relaxes slightly, laying his head back down on his fluffy pillow. It doesn't take long for him to begin to drift slightly in the realm that's just between being awake and asleep. His hand around El shoulders begins to move absentmindedly against her soft skin.

Just as he begins to settle once again into sleep, a muffled voice brings him back to the present, "That tickles".

Mike's hand freezes and his eyes are wide open again.

He once again doesn't know what to do, so he stays still as El pulls herself from her own sleep.

Her mess of brown hair is cascaded on his chest and she raises her head and turns to look at him with bleary eyes.

She blinks slowly, as she uses her right hand to pull the hair away from her face, "Mike?" she asks somewhat confused.

Mike swallows hard, "Uh, yeah, hi El" he says steadily.

And then, as if El realizes what's going on, she pushes herself up slightly, pressing into his chest, she takes in a quick breath. Her eyes scanning down his body and she realizes then that she is quite ensnared in his body.

"Oh my gosh!" she says as she begins to pull herself away.

Mike reaches for her as he sits up with her, "No, hey El, it's totally fine" he grabbed ahold of her wrist, causing her to stop moving. He has to admit her quick movements against his waist as she slid her leg away definitely stirred something within him.

She stops and sighs, "I'm sorry Mike. I didn't mean to totally invade you while you slept".

He chuckles, "El, don't worry about it, it...it was kind of nice" he casts her a curious look.

She softens, "Really?"

Mike nods, "Yeah, you're really warm".

El giggles, "Well, you're pretty comfy" she returns.

They sit there for a moment, Mike shifts his eyes quickly, opening his mouth to speak, "So, did you sleep okay?" he asks hesitantly.

El ponders for a moment, but then a smile grows on her face, her eyes peek up at him, "You know...that was actually some of the best sleep I've had".

Mike quirks an eyebrow up at her, "Really?" he asks.

She nods, "Yes, I actually had some really good dreams".

Mike softens, "Well, I'm glad to be of service then" he can't help but joke.

El's cheeks flush at her next words, "Hm, I might have to take up your services again" a teasing smile dances across her lips.

Mike's mouth drops open at her forwardness, "Uh...yeah, anytime" he stutters staring at her with awe.

She drops her head in shyness as she begins to shuffle the sheets away from them, both moving to stand on either side of the bed. Just as his two long legs hang off the side of the bed he turns towards her to ask what she'd like for breakfast and it's then that Mike catches her in the light of day.

He realizes that she's not wearing shorts like the initial thought he saw the night before, but boyshort cut panties, and his eyes widen as she stands. She stretches and yawns, not even carrying that he's there seeing her in what should be considered an intimate moment.

But, she only moves elegantly towards the bathroom, his eyes following her as if she's the only being in the world. His whole body stirs and awakens.

"Uh.." escapes his stupid mouth before he can stop them and his eyes widen when El stops at the bathroom door and she gives him a curious look.

"Wha-" she starts, thinking he asked her a question, her hand landing on the frame of the doorway, but then Mike notices her cheeks quickly reddening. His eyes watch hers flick downwards and then back up to his.

She tucks her lips as if she's trying not to laugh. It's then that Mike is brought back to his senses as he looks down quickly and he realizes why she's flushing so madly.

And he's pretty sure he's about a hundred shades brighter than he in an instant as he sees his boxers tenting. He reaches quickly for a pillow and plops it down in his lap.

He moves his eyes to El, who is shying away from him.

"Uhhh…" he starts, not really sure how to explain this one.

But El gives him a teasing look, "Mike, don't worry about it" he breathes a sigh of relief as he tries to calm himself down.

However, El's eyes sneak back up to his, there's a teasing glint that's there, and he sees her contemplating her next choice of words.

Another sly smile that he is coming to enjoy very much inches onto her face as her eyes flick down towards the pillow in his lap and then back up to his eyes. And it's there that he sees something new, something different he's pretty sure he's never seen before.

Her pupils are slightly blown, 'Is it longing, or...something else?', his brain tries to register what he sees.

But, before he can El gives him a wicked grin, "It's quite flattering actually" and with a quick wink she enters the bathroom and closes the door.

Mike's heart takes off like a racehorse, and he knows there's no way possible for him to calm himself down like he intended to before getting up after that comment. Because, 'Did she find him attractive?'

And with that thought alone he realizes that he needs to take care of his raging problem so he scurries off to his own bathroom, hoping he can sort out his thoughts there. But as soon as he makes it to his bedroom door, all of his thoughts lead to one person, and he realizes with a groan, that he's in trouble.

Soooo, what do you guys think? Lots of Mileven in this chapter and some interesting tension is now being built between the two. Which I have A LOT of fun writing about hehehe.

I can't wait to get further into this story because it's pretty fun to write. I just really needed to have a chapter that was totally devoted to them and their growing feelings towards one another.

So let me know what you think by REVIEWING! :) Reviews are what make these stories and authors keep going! And thank you to those who do, they are greatly appreciated!