Hair and Skin

"What. . .was that?" There was no way Renton heard what he think he heard.

'Could we [. . .] together' is all that Renton could have heard – thought he may have heard–but no. No, he had only heard "together". Eureka wouldn't possibly have said that she wanted to _ together. His efforts to fill in the blank were becoming increasingly ridiculous, and perverted.

He hadn't heard! 'No, no, no, no, no, no-no-no'. Eureka couldn't say it again. Her mind was working furiously to answer, but she wouldn't – she couldn't – say it again.

Surprisingly, her outward demeanor gave nothing away. Renton was too distracted by his own thoughts, but if he would have examined Eureka's face it wouldn't have helped him fill in the blank. He had turned around at Eureka's words, and saw her staring down and to the left, with the same blush on her cheeks.

Finally, Eureka decided to look up, and say, "Could we make breakfast together?"

Of course! Renton, you idiot. Your jumping the gun again – Eureka's not like that. She wouldn't have wanted to *gulp* [shower] together. And even if she DID! – it wouldn't be like that."

"Oh," Renton's voice betrayed some of his subconscious disappointment. "Of course – uh, but like you said, you should take a shower first. Try to hurry, I usually finish breakfast before the kids wake up, or else their in a bad mood. I think they're getting spoiled."

Eureka smiled. She was really glad the kids could be spoiled for a while, 'They've had a tougher life than me or you.' Renton had begun saying something else–

". . .and with everyone from the Gekko, I could really use the help."

Once again Renton began to walk to toward the door, and again Eureka stopped him, this time, with just her voice.

"Um, Renton. . ." He had looked back with a smile on his face. "It's embarrassing. . ."

'No way,' he thought.

"But could you–I'm still feeling week–so I might need you. . ."

*gulp* "Well," he struggled for what to say, not realizing that he didn't have to say a thing, "you haven't eaten real food in days."

Eureka had been looking down, playing with her hair by twirling it around her finger. Seeing that Renton might already now what she wanted to ask, Eureka looked up in bravery and continued, "I might need you to help me. . ."

'Yes,' he was getting more eager with each word that dripped from her lips.

". . .to help me wash my hair a–and. . .my back."

He almost sighed. In a big way, Renton was relieved. He didn't think he could have handled anything more. 'It looks like neither of us are ready. But, I guess I like it that way.'

Eureka, on the other hand, was petrified. Her hair began to twist and untangle about her finger furiously. Renton's pause made her mind rush through thoughts and emotions faster than she could process them: fear – that he would reject helping–reject her – anxiety over the silence he was giving her – anger at Renton for not loving her–at herself for saying anything at all – and shame that she had overstepped the bounds of their relationship.

"Of course." Instantly, Eureka's thoughts and emotions were forced out of her head by blissful happiness. "Um, I'll get u a few towels. You can undress while I wait outside the bath room, and when your ready I'll come in. But – uh, we gotta hurry." Renton finally got through the door, and Eureka was, well, feeling a lot at once.

'Oh, the towels are so I can cover myself.' At this thought, Eureka first felt disappointment. 'He doesn't want to see my body.' But then Eureka felt a rush of sense, and love for Renton. 'No, he just loves me – that's not the right word – He respects me. He doesn't want to do anything because he knows that I'm. . .inexperienced.' Then she felt embarrassed and relieved. 'Besides, I couldn't let Renton see me like that.' Eureka giggled to herself, as she heard Renton coming back to the room. 'At least, not yet.'

"Renton, I-I'm ready." Eureka was sitting on a small stool in the locker room style shower. She had placed a towel across her lap, making sure to tuck some of the access fabric between her legs, and under her bottom, so that Renton wouldn't see anything too risky. A second towel was gripped in her hands. She had pressed the cover against her chest, putting her forearms against the sides of the torso, hoping that he wouldn't be able to see.

"Ok, I'm coming in." Renton stepped in calmly, looking toward Eureka but not directly at her. As for Eureka, she had looked away, almost too quickly, when he had entered. Renton wasn't wearing anything but–

"swimshorts." Eureka had said it loud enough for Renton to hear. He had kneeled down behind Eureka, with a bucket full of water, soap and shampoo.

"Huh? Oh, I thought you might be more comfortable if I was – well, I was going to get wet no matter how you look at it, right?"

"I know." Eureka was definitely NOT more comfortable. Renton's chest was more toned than she had imagined. While lying her head on him, as they lay on the hill during the first hours she had returned, she had noticed how strong he felt. He was both the Renton she knew, and a completely different person. She was now yearning for the next chance to feel his chest. But as she was starting to lose herself in thought, Renton's touch startled her to full consciousness.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to–" Renton had barely touched her back with his soaped up hands, when Eureka's spine had straightened dead bolt upright, and she had let out a small *squeek*.

Now her body relaxed, but she sounded slightly panicked when she said, "It's ok! I just didn't expect it."

"Uh, sorry. I'm going to continue. ok?"

"Mmm." Renton placed his hands on the wing bones of Eueka's back. As he spread his hands to every inch of her back – making sure not to move past the perimeter of her arms or towel – Renton examined her skin with both his touch and sight. It was so flawless, and smooth.

"aahh..." a small shudder escaped Eureka's mouth as Renton's hands moved to her lower back, and out toward the sides of her stomach.

'Weak spot?' Renton considered. What he said was, "Is it ok?"

Eureka had been fighting the urge to cry her delight, over Renton's gentle exploration, since his hands had first began to move. But now that she had, she found it hard to tell Renton to go on.

"Yes. Your hands are. . .rough."

"Oh, sorry."

"No, it's not a bad thing. It feels good. It lets me know its really you." Renton's silence must have been enough for Eureka to understand his confusion, because she explained. "They're the hands of a mechanic. The hands that have worked for the kids–for me–for two years. Feeling them makes me. . ." Eureka paused in embarrassment. She had said more than she met to, but she couldn't stop now, or risk feeling more awkward. ". . .happy."

Renton had finished cleaning her back, and then poured pleasantly warm water down her back to wash the soap off. "Eureka, you need to tilt your head back a bit, so you won't get any in your eyes."

Eureka silently obliged, closing her eyes in the hope that her sense of touch would become more sensitive. As Renton's fingers ran through her short hair, Eureka had let her towel slack from her grip. Fortunate, or not, the towel had not fallen, but had gripped to her body.

Renton had saw this happen, but said nothing. He now could see the perfect outline of Eureka's small, perky breasts. He stared only for a moment, leaning over Eureka's shoulder as her eyes were closed, then slowly moved back. He wasn't ashamed of what he had done, or what he had thought about doing. But Eureka was right: Renton respected her too much. He knew that neither of them were ready, and that continuing to look would make him lose control.

For a minute or so, Renton continued to work his hand through Eureka's hair thoroughly, while enjoying the sounds, shudders, and contorted expressions of Eureka's face as she simultaneously tried to absorb every pleasurable sensation and fight the urge to yell out that she wanted Renton's hands to work through her whole body.

As for Renton, he had decided that day – for ever on – that his two favorite parts of Eureka's body were her hair and skin.

Note: I'm trying to keep to weekly updates. Feel free to scold me mercilessly if I don't.