A/N: Whoa, I totally wasn't expecting so much positive feedback from just the first chapter of this. Brownie points for everyone!
It was the sound of the pitter-pattering raindrops on the waterproof canvas roof that woke me the first morning of our camping adventure. Despite the chill that danced among my upper half, I pulled myself out of my cozy red sleeping bag to investigate. The sky looked like a watercolor painting done with various shades of gray. Foggy puddles were scattered randomly about the campsite, each growing in size by the minute as it rained cats and dogs.
Because the effort in attempting to snuggle back up in my sleeping would probably wake Tina, I lounged out on the smooth surface instead. Facing her, I tucked my bottom arm under the pillow, pulling it closer, before laying my head on the raised surface.
Sleep; every person on the planet did so, but no one as beautifully as Tina Cohen-Chang. With her silky black locks draped over her shoulder, her head rested in the ninety-degree angle her right arm made. Waking up next to her was a privilege that I could absolutely get used to.
"Artie, what was that?" A still half asleep Tina asked after a measure of thunder rolled through the sky with the power of a kettledrum.
"Just thunder, now go back to sleep." I said in a low and comforting voice, as I continued to admire her.
"Won't be able to now." She said, responding to a second outburst as she dropped her arms outside her cozy gray cocoon.
"It'll let up soon." I said tightening the pillow in my arm.
Once she woke up more, and brushed the gook from the congruent corners of her eyes, Tina became more talkative. The rain continued to pour at the same rate, but the thunder became less and less frequent during the first hour we were both awake.
"You're squinting, do you want your glasses?" She asked sitting up and folding the unused part of her sleeping over her lap.
"Please." I said rolling back on my shoulders.
Tucking her bare knees to her chest, Tina stood up as much as the tent would allow. The oversized navy blue T-shirt moved with her body as she stepped over my feet to get to the wheelchair where I strategically hung my glasses. She must have taken them off during the night because I clearly remembered her wearing pants to bed. Tina hung my glasses from the collar of her shirt before sitting back on her feet beside me and guiding them over my eyes. In an instant, my vision went from cloudy to crystal clear. I returned to my side as Tina plopped down next to me, placing her face on the pillow next to mine.
"Well don't really need these now, do I?" I laughed as she squirmed to find a comfortable spot.
"Guess not." She smiled, pressing the ball of her nose against mine.
After Tina planted a quick kiss on me, her top lip remained to linger over mine. She looked up at me from under the frames of my glasses as her left hand molded itself upon my chest. I smiled wildly against her mouth before pulling at her waist. If I had the legs that could, I would have wrapped them around her hip to pull her closer, but that's just not the way my body worked. Instead, she bent both of her legs over my knees, though I would have never known if I hadn't looked. Usually I dealt with not feeling below my waist, but it was moments like that where I wished I could. That's kind of why Tina and I had an "above the waist" rule – for her at least. It's not like I was uncomfortable with the idea, I'd just rather have her hands up on my shoulders then down at my hips where I couldn't feel them.
Continuing to battle with my tongue for dominance, she rolled out onto my white T-shirted chest. She repositioned her legs on either side of my pelvic bone. I could vaguely feel her knees press against my sides, which drew a smile across my face. My hands traveled simultaneously down her gentle curves and stopped at the broadest one. The way she was bent at the waist made her T-shirt ride up her back. My fingertips grazed the rough elastic of her underpants – wait till the guys in AV club hear about this.
Still straddling my lap she began to sit up, trailing her hands down my abdomen while doing so. I raised an eyebrow and made a face at her as I angled myself up on my forearms. Tina raised one arm up over her head, causing her shirt to briefly uncover one of her hips, and tugged the elastic band that held her ponytail together. Slipping the black elastic around her wrist, she shook out her luscious black hair until it draped over her shoulders evenly. Another uncultivated smirk appeared on my face and I pushed my upper body up to match the way she was positioned. Before charming me again, she flipped her hair to one side and placed her hands on either side of my jaw. My own hands molded around the upper halves of her smooth thighs.
Soon her grip on the back of my T-shirt signified how much she wanted me out of it. I laughed to myself at her urgency as I reached behind the tag and aided her in the removal of my shirt. As she tossed it off to the side, I realized my glasses went with it, but nothing else mattered to me besides Tina at that point. Only then did she progress all the way up my lap until she was pressed against my chest. I could feel the blood rush from all over my body to one particular area, which as silly as it sounded, was a big thing for someone who rarely felt anything below the waist.
"No fair." I mumbled in a low voice as I took the bottom hem of her shirt into my fingertips. When her body froze and she stopped kissing me, I worried that I crossed a line so I stopped toying with her shirt and returned my hands to her thighs.
"The rain stopped." She stated, pulling away from my face.
"What?" I asked, retrieving some of that blood back into my brain to think.
"I hear footsteps." She panicked standing up off my lap, nearly hitting her head on the ceiling. I listened more carefully as Tina frantically dug through her bedding for matching pajama bottoms, and she was definitely right. Reaching for my crumpled T-shirt on the ground next to me, I found my glasses and frantically put them on my face.
"You'll thank me later." Tina smirked throwing her pillow onto my lap. My cheeks flushed red and I pushed my glasses up with my index finger out of nervous habit.
"Breakfast is ready. Artie, Tina – wake up." My mother called from outside the tent.
"We're up, we're up." I assured, hoping that was good enough to keep her, dad, or Nora out. Thank god for Tina's good ears, because nothing's more awkward then having a member of your family walking in on intimacy.
After finding something to cover my thin and lanky legs, I situated myself in my chair. It never failed to amaze Tina how I managed to lift my whole body up there with only my arms. It wasn't always like that though; it took years to develop such upper body strength.
Because of all the rain, the campsite was disgustingly muddy. Again, not the best conditions for a wheelchair, but I managed with the help of Tina. My whole family was seated around the fire pit while my mother worked the griddle over the open fire. Even from ten feet away I could smell the batter of my mother's signature banana pancakes.
"Good morning." She said wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.
"You could say that." I smirked.