Wow!! Sixteen reviews!! Thanks to: Poof, Hero Sis, MJ, Writer, Anonymous, smoking caramels, trueurbanite (too lazy to log in, eh? Haha, just teasing), LisalikesPhantom (Idotoo, hahaha...sorry, just teasing), phantomluver, Virginie, PrincessSYS, L.G. (so great to hear from you again!), Kyrene (wow I thought you'd fallen off the face of the earth! So good to have you back), Hot4Gerry (nice name -winks-),a special welcome to AppaAndMomoForever (once again, thanks so much), Carmabell (thank you so much!), and, of course all the readers. I continue to be overwhelmed by your generosity and support.
To PrincessSYS, since I know this will come up again in your review: Patience, young grasshopper! All shall be revealed two (full) chapters from now.
disclaimer: I own nothing. and sorry about the excessive fluffiness recently...I just decided to cram in some before things turned...well, decidedly NOT fluffy. (cue evil laughter)
chapter 7 (part one)
"Meg."
I felt the consciousness coming, but I longed to slip away once more, longed for the dream never to end.
"Meg," the angel repeated, nudging my shoulder this time. "Meg, you should get up."
"I…I don't…want…"
"Suit yourself," replied the angel, and I felt the weight center of the mattress shift as he left my side. "Just don't blame me when Mrs. Valerius comes back to break the door down looking for you."
That got me up.
"Shit," I swore, tearing the covers that I'd been so neatly tucked under away from me, realizing belatedly the tenderness of the gesture. I sat at the edge of the bed for a moment, dazed. "What happened? What time is it?"
He looked away, probably to give me more privacy, as I was still stark naked. "You fell asleep," he explained, eyes locked on the ground. "My fault entirely; I shouldn't have been singing…"
"You…you were singing?" I asked, surprised and more than a little disappointed. Why didn't I remember that?
He looked at me curiously. "Yes… You asked me to."
I felt my eyes widen. "I don't remember," I said, perplexed.
"It must have been just before you drifted off, then," he offered.
"That's probably it," I agreed, but something was eating at me from the inside.
He looked away again, this time putting more distance between us by walking over to the far side of the room. I sat in awkward, electric silence for a moment before taking one of the blankets from off the bed and wrapping it around me, and I stood.
It was harder than I thought. My legs didn't want to move; and, once they did, it was painful to support my weight, let alone walk.
"Oh, I give up," I said, collapsing back on the bed after a few tries to walk normally; I was just too tight.
Erik laughed. "Please, Meg, the melodrama doesn't suit you at all."
I muttered something rather improper under my breath, and he spun around, his eyes growing wide. "Marguerite!" he gasped.
"What? It's true, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, but—"
"Aha! See? I'm right."
He crossed his arms in front of his chest, indignant. "For Christ's sake, that doesn't mean you have to be so…indecent about it."
"But, Erik, I'm not being 'indecent'. I'm merely stating facts."
He shook his head, looking away again. "That mouth of yours is going to get you in serious trouble one day, just wait."
I nodded. "You told me that yesterday."
"Well, then, a little repetition never hurt anyone."
I smirked, sitting up, attempting once again to stretch my lower back. "Unless…"
His mismatched eyes just about doubled in size as he snapped his gaze back on me again. "Meg!" It sounded like a yelp.
I burst into laughter, I couldn't help it. "I didn't say anything that time, that was entirely you."
Perhaps it was my imagination, but I believed I saw a little color rise in his cheeks and on his neck. "You're terrible."
"Not compared to you." I paused, thinking it over. "Actually, maybe I am more terrible than you; I just made you blush, after all."
His hands flew to his face. "You did not make me blush."
I stood, pulling the lower half of the blanket I still had wrapped around me to just shy of my waist, gingerly doing a few lunges to stretch out my legs more effectively before covering myself again. "Yes, I did, I saw it."
He chuckled. "Meg, I don't blush. Believe me, it's impossible."
"Come here," I said. At his puzzled expression, I repeated myself. "Come here, quick."
He obeyed.
I grabbed his hands, pulling him closer. "Now, bend down. To my height, come on."
He bent his knees, awkwardly leaning towards me. Satisfied, I peered at his face for a moment before gently resting my hands against his cheeks, and smiled.
"What?" he asked me a little suspiciously.
"Your skin is warmer than usual," I murmured, taking the opportunity to press my lips against his forehead. His usual clammy skin was nearly, dare I say it, normal.
"Nonsense," he said, pulling away and straightening up to his full height. He looked at me, a rare, crooked smile lighting up his dismal features. "Besides, if it was, can you blame me?"
"No," I quipped, "not really." I turned around and walked off, intent on actually getting dressed this time, only to be near-yanked back by Erik, one of his hands around my arm, the other resting on my waist.
"Meg," he said, his angelic voice made hoarse with sudden want. He kissed the top of my head, pressing me closer to him. "Meg, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were the Devil incarnate."
"I'm flattered," I breathed, thinking along the same lines with regards to him, though less sure of the knowing better part. "Do I tempt you so much, then?"
"Always," he murmured in my ear, sending me into a series of minor convulsions, so great and intense was my desire for him. I knew I couldn't indulge, though, no matter how much I wanted to; I had obligations to fulfill first. Erik could wait…couldn't he?
I dreaded yet hungered for another episode like the night previous. Still unsure of where this was going, I said, "Would it shock you if I were to say the same, if not more, about you?"
He pressed my body even closer to his, and I had to bite my lip to conceal my small, anticipatory squeak. "Perhaps."
"What…" My mind was becoming rapidly consumed with the need to surrender myself to him, and I had to fight to keep my wits about me. "What if I told you that I didn't want you?"
He surveyed my face for a moment before boldly moving his hand up from my waist to cup one of my breasts, and I gasped his name loudly, eyes seeing stars; even through the blanket I could feel the cold touch of his fingers, and my body reacted immediately.
"Sorry, Meg, but actions speak louder than words. Hurry back," he said, speaking softly into my ear once more before removing his hand and walking away, disappearing into the pantry, leaving me standing in the middle of our bedroom, my body still fiercely on fire for him.
I seriously contemplated shedding the blanket and running after him—anything to feel his skin against mine—and it took all of my resolve and self-control to walk instead to the small armoire where I kept my meager supply of clothing. I got dressed in a daze, convinced that Erik was watching as I did so—I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn't bring myself to turn around and face him, or I'd never leave the apartment at all—and soon left, resolutely walking down the hall towards Mama Valerius' apartment, thinking one thing, and one thing only:
If this meeting went for longer than an hour, I'd probably explode.
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