Chapter 10: Let's try again
Den was still wiping away her tears when she heard a grunt behind her. Turning around, she half expected to see a tramp or someone waiting to get past, but instead, she saw-
"Anders!" She gasped as he leaned against the wall and made his way towards her, slightly sweating.
"Thought I'd lost you," his face scrunched up in pain as he got closer to her and she looked him up and down and noticed he hadn't even bothered to put shoes on.
"What are you-God! You shouldn't be down here in your state! Get back up there!" Den hurriedly wiped her face when she realised it was still wet.
"Only if you let me explain what that was-"
"Explain what?" Den shrugged her shoulders and tried to appear casual, "You obviously had plans and I barged in and-"
Anders was suddenly in front of her and both his hands grabbed her shoulders as he stumbled. Her hands came up and she immediately grabbed him under his arms, making sure he didn't keel over.
"She's not my girlfriend. Or my lover. Or-"
"It's all right, you don't have to explain or make excuses. I-" she wanted to push him away, but she felt him tense beneath her grip and his head suddenly rested against her shoulder as if he were struggling to keep himself upright.
She felt her heart speed up as he took deep breaths.
"Can you...can you please come back up so we can eat and talk?"
"No, I'm busy and-"
She heard his slight groan, though recognised it as pain and it was all because she shifted slightly and he had moved his leg in an awkward way.
Den wanted to leave, she REALLY did but...she couldn't exactly leave him to get back upstairs in his state.
"Oh, bloody hell," she grabbed his arm, forcing him to lean mostly against her as she wrapped her arm around his waist, "come on."
Agonisingly slowly, they made their way back into and up his building. She thought she could easily dump him at the door, but his grip on her didn't waver and she entered the open apartment door to find that Michelle was nowhere in sight.
She made him hobble with her over to his sofa, trying to be careful to avoid the table as they did so.
"Sit down and rest," she grunted when her leg shifted awkwardly and she had to ease him down so she didn't just drop him, "for Christ sake."
As soon as Anders was down on the sofa, she made to pull back, but he gently took her wrist.
"Sorry, I...I need you to do me a favour," his pained expression was not from exertion and she wondered what he had done.
"Oh?"
He released her and let her pull back far enough so he could lean over and grab the leg of his tracksuit bottoms. She'd thought it'd been a weird choice of clothing for him, but when she saw the state of this leg, she understood why.
The large plaster that had been covering his wound had peeled halfway down and he must have agitated his stitches because a small portion of blood was smeared over his leg.
She'd remembered he'd told her about the stitches, but it still shook her.
"Jesus," she sank down onto her knees, the comfy rug buffeting her fall as she stared at his leg, "what the-"
"It's only five stitches and it doesn't hurt as much as you think. But, I'm not good with blood and...such," when he made eye contact with her, he gave her a hopeful smile, "do you think you could help me change and clean it?"
Den thought of refusing. She should have gotten out of there and told him she was busy but that voice spoke up again.
'Come on, he needs your help. Just stay and fix him up.'
"Alright," Den nodded and Anders had to hide his joy. He did need her help, but he also really wanted her to stay so he could have a chance to explain.
He pointed her in the direction of his first aid kit and the bandages the doctor had given him and waited until she was back on her knees and gently wiping around his wound with the antiseptic wipe to get off the blood.
"That was Michelle," he nervously licked his lips, hoping she wouldn't suddenly jump up and leave.
She pointedly kept her eyes on his leg and shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh, she seemed nice."
Anders was trying to think of a way to put it delicately, but the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them.
"We used to have sex."
'You bloody arse!'
Den's hands stilled for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure and carried on cleaning.
"Oh. I see."
"And...well, whenever I'm low or in bad shape, she usually pops over to...well, to cheer me up-OW!" He quickly shot forward in his seat when she pressed too hard against his cut.
She hadn't actually MEANT to do that, but that little jolt of anger had caused her hand to tremor and well...ok, maybe she meant subconsciously. But she instantly felt bad about it when she heard his cry.
"Sorry," she bit her lip and hoped it was sincere enough.
"It's fine," he made himself sit back and carried on, "but...I asked her to leave. I didn't want to today. Or tonight."
Den looked back down at his leg and quickly grabbed the larger plaster from the table. She really didn't have an answer to that, her mind still going over his words. Should she dare trust him? Herself? She'd not misjudged him about having a 'girlfriend', but she had just been a little wrong about the...well, the correct term.
'Fuck buddy,' her own voice told her and she had to quickly hide the grimace on her face.
Anders leaned forward again and asked, "I'd still like to have dinner with you. If you want?"
Her heart gave a little flutter.
"I mean, sure," she tried to say as casually as she cooked, "I cooked enough for two and then-"
His hand covered hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. She finally looked into his face and hadn't realised just how close he had been to her. A few more inches, she could kiss him...
"I'd like to have dinner with you. I'd like to spend the evening with you," she saw only sincerity in his eyes and heard his hopeful tones, "would-would you like to spend the evening with me?"
'Say yes, ya' daft beggar!'
Den finally gave him a smile and nodded.
"Aye'. I would."
A short while later...
After she'd finished up his leg, he'd gone to stand back up and join her at the table, but she'd put her foot down.
She'd gone back and forth and brought the food to him, putting it out on the small glass table in front of his couch.
He'd also managed to talk her into grabbing a couple of beers for their food and as soon as she sat down, Den finally felt herself relax again. The pleasant atmosphere from earlier returned as they talked and once they were both full and had a beer in them, they continued to open up to one another.
Somehow, Anders began to tell her what a horrible dick he'd been only a few years ago and Den was reluctant to believe it.
"No, I'm not lying, I was a complete and utter dickhead," he waved his hands out and laughed, though there was no humour in his voice as he remembered the way he was before.
"I can't see it, you're way too nice."
"No, it's true! Bastard. Arsehole. Dickhead," he pointed at her, almost proudly, "I got called a name in Norwegian that I can't even say back to you, it was that bad."
"I'm sure you weren't-"
"I was. Awful. Terrible," he finally decided to let out his shameful secrets to see if it would send her running, "I slept with my brother's wife and my other brother's girlfriend."
Den blinked at him a couple of times in surprise.
"...Ok, you were a dick," she took another sip of her beer but didn't make a move to leave.
He was glad about that. He didn't have to explain in full detail about his God powers and past, but he did want her to know he had mended his ways.
In turn, Den began to reveal more about her life with her granny, her previous jobs, and finally, the bad dates she'd been set up with in the past. Including the one she had come from when she met him.
"Oh my god, he was awful!" She threw her hand over her eyes and groaned, "He talked and talked and talked ONLY about himself and UGH...he was so smarmy. Although...never as bad as the guy who still lived with his mother in a caravan. Or the one that had fifteen cats and made jumpers from their fur."
"What?!" He laughed aghast, trying to imagine this jumper.
"I know it sounds made up but...my god, they're actually people who make jumpers from cats and dogs fur, and I just," she laughed with him and shook her head in disbelief, "I dated one of them. Oh my god, he TRIED to make me one and I had to claim I was allergic."
"Surely, they can't have been all bad? Did none of them turn out seriously?" Anders hoped she would tell more bad dates, but he also wanted to know more about her.
She pondered for a moment.
"Well, there was only one guy who lasted four months. No one has lasted as long as that," she frowned and he saw the shadow pass over her face, "he...was kind of a dick. But, a bigger dick than you."
"I did some awful stuff, he's got to be a fucking monster to out-dick me."
Den seemed to hesitate for a moment before she calmly put her beer down on the table.
"I know you were looking at my chest the first day we met...and probably my scar?" She leaned against the back of the couch and faced him. But she wasn't mad nor did she judge him.
Still, he couldn't help but get a little embarrassed that he HAD been caught out looking down her dress
"Yeah."
She raised her hand and slowly, grabbed the top of her sweater and pulled it as low as the top of her bra.
Anders could see the scar went farther than he had first thought and grimaced at the pain she must have felt.
"Jesus. That's nasty," he was honest as she let go of her shirt and adjusted it back to the way it was before.
"Mmm. That's just the top," she slowly drew a line down over her breast and Anders realised that this had been no accident. She'd been talking about her ex and...dear God.
"Your ex-Boyfriend?"
"Yep. I told him I was leaving him and...well, he said that since I was, he was going to make sure no one else wanted me."
Anders felt his blood boil.
'Bastard!'
He had to agree with the voice in his head and despite not knowing anything about this man, he really wanted to go out and give him a taste of his own medicine.
"Jesus Christ...That's not just a dick, that's a fucking monster," he shook his head and tried to reel back his anger. Den saw what it did to him so she decided to make a joke out of it.
"Mmm. Still, at least it's a great way to get rid of creeps," she pointed back at her boob and put on a faux shocked expression, "oh, you want to see my scar? I got it from the last guy who I caught staring at my tits. I got a bit carried away as I took his nuts off with a butter knife."
For a moment, Anders was silent.
Then the slow burble of laughter came out when she cracked a grin and soon, they were both in fits.
The conversation after that moved onto more light-hearted stuff. It was only disturbed when Den had to excuse herself to go to the bathroom.
She hadn't meant to spend so much time in there, but after washing her hands, she couldn't help but have a sneaky look at his amazing shower that seemed to have two heads and had room for two people.
'How much money do you want to bet he's had sex in this shower?'
'Don't picture that!'
'No, no, go right ahead. Here's an image of Anders, completely naked and then, just in front of him with her hands pressed up against the wall and her-'
"That's enough of that!" She put both hands up to her cheeks and slapped herself gently, trying to get her thoughts to behave, "We mustn't do that here."
'Ya' know, she's right. Save it for later when you're in bed.'
She groaned, knowing full well her filthy thoughts would betray her before she was able to sleep later.
As she left the bathroom, giving herself a mental berating, she stopped at the adorable sight that greeted her.
Obviously, Anders had been so relaxed and chilled out by her company, that as soon as she'd given him a few quiet minutes to himself, he'd completely conked out on the couch.
His head was leaning back and he just looked...so peaceful.
She didn't have it in her heart to wake him, so instead chose to save him a job for later and tidied up.
She'd just finished putting the rubbish away and making sure all the dishes and cutlery were in the dishwasher when he let out a loud groan. Almost a cry.
She turned to look at him and could clearly see he was dreaming but he didn't look happy.
His brow was furrowed and his head went back and forth slowly as if he was trying to escape his dream.
She made her way over and carefully knelt on the couch beside him. Her hand came to his shoulder and gently shook him.
"Anders? Anders, it's all right."
"No, away," he whispered and his hand came out, reaching blindly for something or someone, "run. Run!"
"Anders," she said a little louder and her hands cupped his cheeks, turning his face towards her, "Anders, wake up-"
"Dru."
'I'm here! I'm here, it's alright!'
A chill ran right through Den. How did he know that name from her dreams? And the voice was calling to him as though he would answer.
She almost pulled back in shock when his eyes fluttered open and looked at her, a small smile spreading over his face.
"You're here," his hand came up to rest against the back of her head, his fingers lacing through her curls.
"Aye'...you were having a nightmare," her voice shook and she tried to quell her worries and panic she'd felt when he said the name.
He shook his head slowly, his eyes full of relief.
"I thought I'd lost you."
There was something different about him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but...it was the way he looked at her. Even the slight change in his voice. Slightly deeper.
"I just went to the bathroom," she said quietly, though she had a feeling that wasn't what he meant.
"I-" he took in a breath and a moment later, his expression changed and his eyes returned to normal, as though he were only just waking from his sleep, "Den...was I dreaming?"
She nodded at him.
"Are you all right?"
He nodded back at her and it was in that moment of silence did they realise how close they were again. But this time, Den did not pull away and neither did Anders.
In fact, slowly, encase she resisted, he gently pulled her closer and she went willingly.
And when their lips touched...everything seemed right.
Warmth spread through them both.
Anders hadn't kissed a woman like this in years. With sex, it was usually heated and full of lust and passion but this...was sweet and innocent.
And Den hadn't felt like this in years. She was literally putty in his hands.
And then it swept over the both of them as they shut their eyes and just felt one another.
"Fi?" She didn't look up at him, staring intently down instead.
"Yes?" He could sense her worry and nerves and that made him nervous also.
"Can I," she paused before finally looking up at him and getting her words out in a rush, "can I kiss you?"
Fili blinked at her a couple of times. He felt like he should perhaps jump up, scale the tree, and hide in the branches away from her, very much like a cat. But he maintained his composure and just gulped down the lump that had formed in his throat.
"Why-why would you want to kiss me?"
"Because...well," she tilted her head from side to side to debate her next few words, "you're the nearest boy that will kiss me."
He couldn't keep the scowl from his face.
"Oh. Thanks."
Temporarily distracted by her insult, he allowed the book to slip from his fingers but winced as the back of it hit him in his leg.
"I MEAN...you're the nearest boy that will kiss me BECAUSE I asked him...anyone else would probably run and hide or just...laugh at me."
He furrowed his brow at her.
"I'm sure there are some lads dying to kiss you," he didn't want to think of any kissing her, but surely-
"Come on, who would want to kiss someone with a mug like mine?" She let go of the book with one hand and gestured with a wave to her face. Her beard hadn't fully grown in and she'd always made fun of herself for the number of freckles she had. But Fili adored them. Her biggest concern had always been the tiny scar she'd sustained when her parents were killed and left her with a slightly turned up top lip.
He didn't like the idea of her giving away her first kiss to someone who wouldn't appreciate it, though he couldn't fathom why. In his Twenty-Third year of living, he still couldn't quite grasp relationships, no matter how many girls he kissed.
He folded his arms across his chest and looked away from her as he thought about it. Nothing bad could come of the kiss and it wasn't like anyone would find out. They were hidden from view of the house and Kili was still trying to finish up his own chores.
Slowly, he made eye contact with her again and he could see her practically brimming over with impatience. He smiled at her.
"Fine. But how-"
"Okay, hang on."
She moved and he couldn't stop the blush that spread over him as she crawled onto his lap and seated herself there, a leg on either side of his hip. Her hands came up and she idly rubbed the grass and dirt that had gathered on her palms, not noticing Fili's discomfort.
He had pressed himself so far against the tree that the bark was cutting into him. But he daren't move too much, encase he startled her like an animal.
She, however, didn't seem to understand the awkward position she had put them in.
"All right, shut your eyes and let me do it."
Fili raised an eyebrow at her but complied immediately. It helped him to focus on controlling his erratic heartbeat and the heat spreading through him. He felt her hands cup his face. The pressure on his lap shifted ever so slightly and his fingertips pressed into either of his elbows as the warmth spread below his belt.
Her face was so close to his and he could feel her hesitation as her breath ghosted over his lips. And then, she kissed him.
Her lips were a little chapped and he could feel the scar, but she was...good. A rush went through him and he moved his lips automatically, kissing her back.
It was soft, gentle, and tender and Fili had to restrain himself from wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. This was HER kiss after all and she wanted to do it the way she wanted.
All too soon, she slowly pulled away and her lips hovered over his. He wanted to pull her back to him.
Slowly, needing to come up for air, they pulled away. They both heard the sounds of the other's breathing and opened their eyes at the same time. Their hands never left the other.
"Sorry...that wasn't my plan when I asked you to stay this evening," his fingers moved over her scalp and Den almost purred at the feeling.
"I should apologise to you. I ply you with good food, drink, get you to sleep, and take advantage of you," she smiled down at him and REALLY wanted to kiss him again.
Anders smirked up at her.
"What if I'm letting you?"
She felt the gentle pull at the back of her head again and moved closer.
"Well...I suppose I could forgive myself-bollocks."
Both stilled when her phone let out a soft chime from her pocket and she groaned.
"I should get that. Sorry."
She pulled away with great reluctance and dug her phone out. Anders hand may have left her head, but he sneakily snuck it down to rest against her thigh and hoped she wouldn't notice.
But as she checked her voicemail, she did give him, 'I know what you're doing' look. Yet, she didn't mind when he didn't move it.
After the message, she pulled her phone away with a small frown.
"It's Jane, she was just getting worried since she hadn't heard from me in a while," Den bit her lip and gave him an apologetic look, "it's getting late. I should go. I have work tomorrow."
He really wanted to invite her to stay the night. But he knew he shouldn't push it.
When he was Bragi, he wouldn't hesitate to sweet talk his way into her pants and have her naked before him. He'd tell her everything he'd said time and time again.
But...he didn't want to do that with her. He couldn't chase her away and after so many years, dependant on his Bragi powers, he wanted her to like him for him. And he had a feeling she already did.
He got up and helped her gather her bits, but just as he got her to the door, he pulled out a phone and made her put her number in.
"I thought your phone was stolen?" She quickly typed in her digits, glad that they had a way to communicate now.
"One for business. One for pleasure. They luckily got the business one."
Hesitantly, as they stood in awkward silence, he tenderly cupped her cheek and kissed her again. And neither wanted it to end.
Visions plagued neither of them this time.
They only saw and felt one another.
As he pulled away, he kept his hand to her cheek, wanting to touch her for as long as possible.
"When are you free next?"
"Not tomorrow sadly...day after?"
"I'm supposed to be resting for another week, but could I tempt you to dinner? Or breakfast?" He smirked, knowing he could get used to breakfast with a woman if she was that woman.
She stepped away from him with a cheeky glint in her eye and nodded.
"Yes, but under one condition. I don't want to go out. Plus, I'll cook."
"Deal," he watched her walk down his hallway and only shut his door when she was out of sight, but he almost wanted her to come back up and kiss him again.
As Den walked out of his apartment, she hadn't realised QUITE how late it was until she saw the streetlamps lit and saw no one else about.
But even walking back home alone and in the dark...she couldn't help but smile. She felt wonderful.
But she didn't notice the black car parked across the street. Watching her.
Nor did she notice the man in the passenger seat lighting a cigar as he gazed at her from his open window.
The driver turned to the man and asked, "Do you want to pick her up, boss?"
Manny shook his head and inhaled deeply.
"No. No, let her enjoy this for a little while longer," he smiled as he exhaled.
Oh, he had a lot planned for dear, sweet Den and her little friend.
Or should he say, Dru and Fili?
