"Mr Cornish?"

I looked at Tim and found that he was staring into space, chewing on his lip. We sat in the small living room on the sofa opposite the solicitors. They seemed foreboding in their dark suits and mountains of paperwork but Tim didn't seem that phased by their continuous presence.

"Tim," I nudged him and he jumped slightly.

"Mm, sorry. What?"

"We will be in touch about the upcoming court dates. I know it is frustrating but this can be a lengthy process and it may be a few months before it gets to court."

Tim nodded and pushed himself up from the sofa to show the solicitors to the door as they exchanged a few pleasantries. The woman, whatever her name was, definitely had her eyes on Tim even knowing the case they were trying to represent. She wore far too much makeup and hitched her skirt up each time she leaned over to show something to Tim. Even now she and her partner made their way out, she fluttered her lashes and for the fourth time left her card with contact details as if the letterhead and numerous phone calls weren't enough. I remained where I was, thinking about everything that had been talked about so casually over coffee despite the potentially immense consequences.

"I thought they'd never leave," he smirked as he reclined next to me on the sofa, his hand wandering slowly up my thigh as he put on his most sultry and alluring expression; lips slightly parted, eyes half lidded and searching.

"Are you alright," I asked. I was usually very good at knowing what mood Tim was in even if I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I used to imagine he had very mundane and predictable trains of thought until I read his writing. Martin had often berated him for being passionless in his writing and I wondered to myself if he had read Tim's latest work. I was sure he must have. Tim often gave him a copy as a gift and waited for praise for his omni-present tutor which made me quite resentful at times. I imagined Martin now, reading that chapter that made even me blush. I had made a permanent space in my mind for the night that had inspired that particular chapter and I offered up a silent thanks that I didn't believe in God to have to repent it.

"Why wouldn't I be," he said happily.

Because we were just discussing your childhood abuse, I wanted to say. I felt the urge to shake him, sigh or roll my eyes at him. Was he being naive, innocent? Was this his brave face?

"Ivo, we've done this to death," he sighed with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm okay. I mean, not all the time," he said sheepishly, no doubt referencing the nighttime trauma he regularly suffered.

"But it was a long time ago. I don't really want to drag it all back up again but it seems I don't really have much of a choice because some creep that screwed me over in school decided he needed to clear his conscience and screw me over again."

We both started to say something at the same time and we laughed. This usually happened.

"No, you go."

"I was just going to say," I went on. "That I'm really proud of you. I don't know what I would do if it were me."

"Ivo," he said severely. "Don't say that. It's not some big thing that's an achievement or anything. It's not something to be proud of. It is what it is and we get on with it."

I pulled him in towards me and cuddled him then. He struggled and I huffed. I never wanted to let him out of my arms. My beautiful boy. It was true. He had softened me like nothing else. He'd made me a romantic.

"Ivo, you're crushing my lungs," he laughed and tried to pry me off him and even though I wasn't as young as I once was I could still over-power him. I doubted he was really trying though. He was muffled by my shirt and I could feel the circle of warmth from his breath on my stomach. Something about the whole thing seemed very homely. Domestic while still seeming like fantasy. Tim's good looks and charm also added the fantastical part. How could having this boy in my lap be a reality. What did I have to offer him aside from advice that I couldn't myself take.

"Don't you have to go to work or something," he asked hopefully so that he would be released. He let his arms fall by his sides in defeat and he looked comical. The first thing that came to my mind was a Platypus.

"Nope," I laughed. "I could stay here all day if I wanted to."

And oh how I wanted to.

He groaned.

"If I promise to give you a blow job will you let me up?"

I released him immediately and he grinned as he pushed his hair back from his face.

I could feel myself getting excited as he leaned over me.

"That's your problem Ivo," he teased. "You didn't even wait for me to promise."

He stalked off to the kitchen then, swaying his hips at me seductively. He paused in the kitchen doorway, one hand on the door frame.

"And so the student becomes-"

He cut off then as if to sneeze but didn't and then he looked very annoyed at himself for his body ruining his dramatic moment. Oh how he loves to be dramatic.

"The master," he finished weakly before taking a breath and sneezing delicately. I laughed heartily and he glared at me.

"Your body betrays you young man," I chided him with a smirk.

He gave me a familiar cheeky grin as his eyes roamed further down my torso.

"As does yours Professor," he replied knowingly.

"Are you going to leave me like this to suffer," I leaned back and rested my arms along the top of the sofa, spreading my legs somewhat.

"Oh please," Tim chuckled. "When have I ever been so cruel to you," he cooed.

"Yesterday," I said darkly when I thought about him leaving for the library just as I was going to kiss him.

"Hmmm," he hummed. "I supposed I was rather cruel," he replied; half confident and daring and the other half watching me in a desperate attempt to gain some of that confidence.

He slowly sashayed his way over to the sofa again and kept his eyes on mine as he lowered himself to his knees. God, he was so good at being seductive. I closed my eyes as he slid his hands along my thighs putting pressure on them as he leaned on them to stand. He leaned in close to my neck and tilted his head so that his breath was hot on my ear. I shivered a little I must admit.

"But that's nothing compared to how cruel I can be," he whispered in a voice dripping with sex.

He was gone in an instant then. Keys and coat in hand as he snapped the door behind him.

This one will be the death of me.