He nodded, glad she was agreeing with him. As much as he wanted to hold her and kiss her, and just...be next to her...he wasn't sure what could come of that, especially since he felt so deprived of it. Part of him wondered if it was because they didn't spend enough time together. Every time they were together, they were with someone or in public, so they felt the need to not show that kind of affection towards each other.

Public decency, embarassment, and pure fear were all factors that seemed to keep them apart. Even though they were dating, sometimes it still felt as though they weren't. Simply because it seemed like everywhere they went they had to be monitered or watched, causing them to tense up and be afraid to show each other any sort of love other than a hug now and then and hand holds.

While physical affection wasn't everything a relationship was about, for Eric...it was almost a need. His entire life had pretty much been void of that sort of thing, especially after his mothers death. Physical affection was something he felt he needed, especially in a relationship like the one he had with Kai. It was something he was deprived of almost completely, and she was his only source it seemed.

He gave her an apologetic grin when he saw the flush in her cheeks. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his eyes lit with affection. "I just...felt like that needed to be said. Because...I didn't want you to..." he trailed off, his own cheeks blushing a little. He looked down, stopping where he was. "You know what, nevermind. I should...probably stop talking." He let out a few chuckles, feeling slightly embarassed. But at least he was being open about it. He hoped she would at least understand what he meant and be aware of how sensitive certain things could be.

"I may or may not have been getting a little ahead of myself." he gave her a grin, then closed his eyes for a second, shaking his head. His head fell into his hands for a brief moment, before he ran his fingers through his hair, lifting his gaze back to hers. His hand also slipped back into her own, and he felt her thumb run softly over it.

"I...don't want to talk to Summer about this sort of thing." he said, letting out a nervous breath. "John is the first guy that I've ever really felt comfortable around, and I think if I'm going to talk to anybody it should be him. I don't know if I will though." he sighed softly, feeling slightly overwhelmed. Should he have even brought this up? It needed to be addressed, sure, but maybe he should have waited...

Was it making her uncomfortable? Putting any pressure on her?

"I'm sorry for bringing it up." he told her, giving her a soft smile. "I don't know why, I just thought that...maybe...it needed to be talked about." He swallowed, glancing back at the tv screen and what was happening in the movie for a few seconds, trying to place his thoughts. After a moment, his gaze dropped to the floor. "I don't want to put any pressure on you." he whispered, before looking over at her. "But...how are you feeling? About everything?"

He knew that it might be a bit of a touchy subject, and was probably pretty risky to bring up on a first date. But they'd been through so much already, before becoming a couple. Why should being together stop deep and personal talks from happening? If anything, those should become more frequent, especially if she was planning on being with him long term.

"I know for awhile things were kind of rough. After...after Daniel." he swallowed, hoping it wouldn't send her spiraling into some sort of anger or depression. He was hinting at the fact that she'd been a bit frightened of Eric for a little while after that incident, afraid of any physical affection because of the trauma Daniel had put her through, all the public humiliation. He was wondering if he had to start being aware of that too, and if he should dial things back with her if she was still scared.

Eric also felt a sense of dread starting to build in his chest. A fear that he didn't know he still had, an anxiety that just wouldn't leave him alone. Earlier, he had been pretty much joking in the mall. When she'd had her arms around him, saying all those things. But she'd pulled away so suddenly, and after all that build up she hadn't even kissed him. She had been so close too. His anxiety was shooting completely unnecessary worries and doubts into his head, and he didn't like it at all.

He'd thought his self esteem had gotten better over the course of the last couple of months, but apparantly it hadn't, because he was starting to feel a bit helpless again. He couldn't help but look back and think that almost all the times he and Kai had had an intimate moment, he had been the one to initiate it. Not her.

Does she not love me as much as I love her? he couldn't help but wonder, his leg starting to tap again. Am I doing something wrong? Moving too fast for her? He was in a state of absolute worry and self hate, because he DID NOT LIKE the fact that he was having all of these negative thoughts so early on in their relationship. If his anxiety was going to be a problem, he should seriously consider asking for some medication. Would pills help it any?

He knew that his body language was a tell tale sign of his anxiety starting to flare up, and he was well aware that his thoughts had more than likely been heard by her. He didn't like this. He didn't like it at all, but it felt uncontrollable. It was eating away at him, and tearing him down. Was he unintentionally doing exactly what he didn't want to do? Was he ruining it? Putting too much stress and pressure on her?

He was so worried about everything, his mind so lost in what was going on that he wasn't even aware of the tears glistening in his bright blue eyes. It wasn't until one slid down his cheek that he felt the warmth and raised a hand to his face, brushing it away.

"I'm such an idiot," he said, trying to smile and trying to let her know that everything was going to be okay. That his anxiety was just flaring up and he needed a minute to cope. "I'm so sorry, my mind just..." He gestured with his hand in the air, a waving motion that symbolized movement of some kind. Like wind carrying his thoughts through the air. "I honestly didn't know I was crying." He pulled his hand away from hers in order to lift up his shirt, rubbing the material on his face for a second to clear everything away.

"All my stupid anxiety needs to just get out of here." He let out a couple small giggles, but they were breathy and short, his voice still laced with that once hidden pain. He wanted to try and lighten things back up, but he didn't know how! He just wanted to collapse into her arms and never ever leave that safety.

She wanted the physical affection also, but she had her family. She hadn't been devoid or had a lack of love for years. She was able to take it for granted and it was just an additional nice thing. She didn't realize just how much of a difference affection made, and that she was his only source. Were they being too tight about affection in front of people? She didn't think that would be the cure all. When he apologized, she scooted a little closer, "Don't apologize for being honest and upfront. I just wasn't expecting to talk about this. It is something we needed to talk about," she agreed with him. Her eyes were warm and happy even though her face and posture looked like she felt a little awkward. She was a little curious about what he had stopped himself from saying. She wasn't sure if she should push for an answer or just leave it. Her head cocked, "Should I ask what you were going to say?"

She was a little surprised that he wouldn't want to talk to Summer, but then she realized that Summer was only a female. It would be awkward talking to somebody who couldn't really understand him. She found it hard to believe that brothers and sisters would willingly talk about that. Just because she was his guardian didn't mean that she would be there to talk about that kind of thing.

She sort of nervously played with his fingers, since they were touching. She was lucky that she had an obvious person to go to. She wasn't sure if she wanted to open that conversation anyway. "We probably do need to talk about it. It is a valid thing to discuss. I just...I just don't know what to do," she sighed. "I've never been in a relationship before," she told him what he already knew. She thought her younger self might have had a few "boyfriends" but all she did with them was sit with them during lunch or team up with them during games. She wasn't sure if they should finish the conversation now or continue to talk about it. Both of them were clueless, and she wasn't sure what more they could say on it. It was making her a little uncomfortable, but it was nothing she couldn't handle or wasn't willing to handle.

She glanced at the tv during the moment of silence. She had forgotten it was on. Should they turn it off or was he using it to keep John from wondering why it was quiet. Her head turned back to him, when he asked her how she was feeling. She was a little confused at first, but he soon clarified himself. She did tense a little and found it harder to swallow. She might not have found Daniel quite as scaring, but he had been bold enough to do it in front of people. If he had done it in private, she would have assumed that she could have avoided that position. It hadn't gotten better with all of the rumors floating around.

She wasn't exactly sure where this questioning was going. She was a little blindsided that he was bringing all of this up on the first date, however, if he did move, it was better that they talk it all out now. It was better that everything was established now. She wondered how much more passionate absence would make them. She froze trying to gather her words. "I suppose I am mostly over it. All of it hurts if I think about it too much. I am much more cautious around guys who I don't know well," she thought that was a reasonable reaction. It made her realize just how short of a time she had really known Eric. Was he worrying about something in particular?

"It has given me more awareness," she continued, while she hoped she wasn't saying the wrong thing. She didn't want to give him the wrong impression. Eric was beginning to feel worse, and it immediately began to affect Kai. At first she wondered why she was feeling the way she was, when she realized it was someone else's feelings. She began to want to squirm some to release the tension and build up. It was becoming more apparent, because he wasn't trying to hide the signs or the feelings. She felt guilty that he would think that about her, and she resolved that she would take more initiative.

Her eyes widened fractionally, when he started crying. She felt a few tears of her own leak down her face. She had Eric's feelings and now her own of guilt. "I am sorry Eric. I didn't realize you were feeling that way," she apologized. This was one of those times she felt that it might be good that she could read his mind. She doubted that he would have told her all of this. Her heart hurt for him and his giggles did nothing to reassure her.

She moved closer and hugged him with her head leaning onto his shoulder instead of being positioned so she could look at him. She felt awful, when she realized from his thoughts why physical intimacy was so important to him. "I'm sorry I didn't understand. I hope this doesn't sound bad, but I think I take physical intimacy for granted. I've always had access to it, so I never had a lack. I didn't realize how important that was to you," she wasn't thinking as hard on her words as she would have liked. Normally, she would have preferred to refine her thoughts further. She was scared she would say something wrong.

"I guess it's a mixture of everything. Daniel, my parents. I really don't want to mess up again. I also know how easy it would be to go too far," she explained. She really thought one of the major things was she took affection for granted. "I just am watched and moderated, and I have other outlets, so the need and want isn't as pressing." It probably helped that she was female. They operated differently. Eric had always seemed to have more freedom about this kind of thing even if his father disapproved of it.

Her voice became lower and still had the quavery tearful sound, "I should have known," her head shook slowly sadly. What was the point of being a mind reader, if she weren't more aware. She gave a shy smile, "And to think I was a little worried about moving too quickly." She didn't feel badly pressured, but she was able to take it more slowly. She didn't have the same drive that he did, and she hoped it wasn't a bad thing. She rubbed his back, because she thought that might be a soothing motion. "It's okay."

She was scared, because she didn't know how to measure love. She would do anything for Eric, but it was becoming more apparent she wasn't quite as physically affection driven. Was he right about her not loving him as much? When she realized that he wanted to lighten things up her eyes brightened for a moment before she tried to be coy.

"My mom always kissed me to help the pain go away," she snuck a mischievious look. She darted a few kisses to his cheeks pausing in between. She paused for a moment with a brow raised silently asking if that had helped any. She knew it wouldn't fix everything at once, but perhaps it would help. "I love you, and I would do anything for you," she lingered close enough where he could feel her breath. She wrapped her arms around his neck, so he would have to bend over some making it easier for her next move. The TV was still going, but by now she had forgotten about it.

She wasn't sure if more physical affection was exactly what he needed, but she was definitely willing. Gently, she edged closer until she was beginning to get into his lap. She wasn't as patient at playing it up, as she had been at the mall. She carefully moved so that her arms were still around his neck. She closed her eyes and slowly pressed her mouth against his, letting her feelings overflow and gain with the kiss. It was the kiss she had wanted to give him at the mall. She scooted closer. She had forgotten about John. He had wanted her to initiate, so she hoped that she had done it okay and it wasn't bad timing.

She told him not to apologize for bringing it up, but he still felt like he should. She was right, he was right. They needed to discuss it. But it was a pretty serious topic to tackle, especially for two teenagers who had never been in a previous relationship. She asked him if she could know what he stopped himself from saying, and he felt his cheeks flush again. He had been kind of hoping she would have gotten the gist of what it had been, but maybe she hadn't.

"Um...well, I was just going to say that I feel like it needed to at least be addressed because I didn't want you to uh.." He kind of cleared his throat a little softly, really not sure if he was fully comfortable telling her this so soon, especially on a first date. "I didn't want you to feel anything and get...nervous. Or suspicious of my intentions." He swallowed, really hoping she would either understand what he meant or drop it if she didn't.

It was a bit nervewracking and uncomfortable trying to explain to a girl he liked that sometimes the body just reacted in the way it was supposed to, whether the intention had been there or not. He felt her playing with his fingers, but the motion was comforting, and he let her. He nodded along to her words, understanding what she was saying and agreeing with her.

He was glad that she answered him calmly about Daniel. He hadn't been too sure of what he was expecting her reaction to be like, but he was glad it wasn't an angry or scared one. Her words made sense, and he was glad to know that she was mostly over it, and that she was smart enough to be taking precautions. However, through this explanation, his anxiety had begun to flare up, and he caught her worried look as he recognized his tears and wiped them away.

"It's not your fault," he said quietly, really trying to push back these god awful emotions. He hadn't meant to make or turn things so serious. Goodness, why couldn't he for once go a day without anxiety ruining everything?! She scooted closer to him, wrapping her arms around him in a comforting hug, her head leaned against his shoulder. He let one arm go around her, but the other was still busy lifting his shirt up to rub off any trace of tears.

He let himself lean into her, somehow feeling like the small one even though he was a lot taller than her. Her words flowed out of her mouth, and he listened intently, appreciating the efforts she was making to make him feel better, and he was able to understand her view on things a lot better.

He returned her shy smile, his tears gone but still evident in his icy eyes. The soothing motion of her hand up and down his back was letting his muscles relax, the tension that he hadn't even known was there fading. Her next comment, made him smile a more genuine one, but he was a bit nervous as to what she was going to do next, having seen the mischievious look on her face. "Did she, now?" he asked her quietly, his voice still shaking just a little with all his emotions.

The amount of relief that shot through him as he felt her kisses on his cheek were so strong that his shoulders literally dropped a couple of centimeters, the muscles all instantly relaxing with her touch. When she was done, his gaze shifted to meet hers, a grateful look in his eyes that was also laced with curiousity.

"I love you, too." he whispered back. He felt that same familiar tingle run down his spine as she snaked her arms around his neck once again. He leaned closer to her, his heart speeding up. He really was a little scared that she was going to play it up like she did at the mall and then reel back. But that was just his anxiety talking. After the talk they'd just had, he didn't think she was cruel enough to do that do him. Sure enough, she wasn't.

She scooted closer to him and closer still, nearly starting to get onto his lap. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck, and he naturally slipped his own around her waist. It wasn't long before her lips were against his. To his immense relief and joy, it wasn't just a quick kiss that would be over and done with in a second. No, he could feel her emotions seeping through, and it sent that familiar rush of excitement through his body.

This...this is what he had been wanting. This moment with her again. Intimacy wasn't everything, but for Eric it sure helped a lot. Especially for a couple like they were, who didn't really get a lot of moments like this to share, who had guidelines and rules to follow. He slowly pulled her up onto his lap, letting his emotions and feelings flow through her. He wasn't worried about slipping up or going too far, not right now. He wanted her to understand what he was feeling and why things like this meant so much to him.

For someone like her, who had the ability she did, picking up on emotions and feelings were a lot easier. For him, his passion for her slipped through a lot, but there was also another part of him that he had never expressed in a kiss before, even on prom night when things had nearly gone too far.

Pain.

All of his pain that he'd experienced, the immense emotional toll it had taken on him, his lonliness, his anxiety, the near complete lack of love in his life...it all flowed through him in that moment. If she could sense that...if she could feel his outstanding amounts of love and passion while still feeling all the pain within his heart...maybe it would help her understand. Maybe it would connect them even further than they were already connected.

He found himself leaning back, bringing her with him but leaving her on top of his body. In this way, he wasn't trapping her or making her feel forced to keep doing what she was doing. Instead, she had control over him. He'd felt his hands starting to slip lower down her back, so he'd made a conscious effort to run them back up, avoiding touching her in any uncomfortable places.

She had tried to leave it where if Eric didn't want to answer the question, he wouldn't have to by asking if she should ask. It was one little way of showing her trust, but she was a little nosy and sort of preferred to know. He had chosen to answer, and she felt bad for making him spell it out for her. It was just a continuation of what he had already mentioned, and she shouldn't have needed for him to spell it out for her. Her face took on the Oooh expression, as realization flooded her face for a moment. She knew they hadn't had a conversation that had clarified things quite as much as this one, but she had thought they had had some sort of conversation about intention at some point. Perhaps she was very much mistaken and she simply knew from mind reading.

She gave him an awkward apologetic smile. She was embarrassed, because she had caused him to be ucomfortable, and it was her own fault for pushing. She wasn't sure the normal time or if this was ever talked about, but a first date did seem unusual. Her parents certainly didn't give her a clue. She might get some things, but she doubted at this point they needed to talk about these things near as much. Since she read his mind the questions about Daniel made more sense. It offered a lot of understanding that a normal person might never have gotten.

Kai had wasted a lot of energy on Daniel. It had been understandable energy wasted, worrying and being afraid, but it had still been wasted. While she felt some anxiety knot up in her stomach at the mention of him, she could keep it from obviously crossing her face. At least keep the strength of her nervousness from sprawling across her posture. She wiggled her leg a little, and didn't look him in the eye, because she had to think about how she wanted to answer.

She wasn't sure how him crying wasn't her fault. Perhaps it could be blamed on build up, but she assumed that she had been the last straw. It bothered her that she could be so oblivious. She supposed this wasn't the kind of thing that people normally spent time thinking. At least it wasn't quite as neatly put together. It was more like you had to take the clues from context. She tried to wipe the tears out of his eyes, but it was difficult and inefficient, when she didn't have long sleeves or a tissue on hand.

She was glad that he didn't seem to be mad about her reasoning. She wasn't sure if it was bad that physical intimacy wasn't as important to her as it was to him. From her experiences, she was more prone to take things slower. However, she would be sure to make it more of a priority after this talk. She wasn't sure what he had been expecting from her, when she mentioned her mother, however, she hadn't tried to hide her devious smile. She gently stroked his face for a moment after the kisses before wrapping her arms around his neck.

She was glad to feel him noticeably and visibly relax. She could feel his fear as she repeated the motions she had at the mall, but she didn't worry about it too much, since she believed she knew what he was afraid of. It would be fine in a few moments. "I wanted to do this," she whispered assuming he would understand that she meant at the mall, however, it could be interpreted as right here and right now, which was fine also. She knew after the talk that it wasn't a big deal at all, but she nearly felt bold almost crawling into his lap. After all it was their first date.

She let her fingers begin to entwine with his hair on the back of his head. She didn't really think about if it was a good idea to let themselves be mussed. She wasn't sure what John would think. She didn't know him well enough, and that would have made her nervous if it crossed her mind. She could feel the excitement from him, and it built up her own.

Gradually, she began to feel....Pain, flowing from him. She barely stopped herself from gasping or backing away slightly. It almost made her want to gasp, and she felt tears prick her eyes. It took a lot of work to keep her from shedding the tears. The lonliness and lack of love might be second hand, but it was a more powerful feeling than any she had gotten from someone else. It gave her more understanding and sympathy.

She gave more wanting him to know that she loved him. He began leaning away, and she closely followed pressing closely to him. She was relieved that she was on top. While she was okay when she was warned or someone did it slowly enough that she knew what was happening, she wasn't overly fond of feeling trapped. It brought out unpleasant feelings of fear. Normally, people didn't do this to her, so she wasn't fully aware of the fear, but it was better what Eric had done.

She had to scoot up a little, so that she didn't have to strain to reach him. She was very careful not to knee him, because that would be an awkward way to end the moment. Her hands in his hair could be compared to a purring cat. It was the same similar kneading motion, but perhaps not quite as pronounced.

She was aware of her senses and feelings, but she was oblivious to anything much further away from her. This kiss wasn't different. It was like they were being more intentional and not quite getting carried away or lost in the senses. Compared to some of their kisses where she had felt a little nervousness at getting lost. She found it to be an interesting difference. She supposed it was because he was sharing something with her. While yes they were always sharing a kiss to share love, he was giving her more understanding into his need and want.

Her quiet words at first were confusing, and he was a little nervous as to what she meant. But it all was clarified by her kiss, and he assumed that she was talking about the incident earlier at the mall. Eric normally would be questioning and berating himself, and worrying about if he was crossing any lines, but none of that was even close to being present in this moment. He didn't care.

He had been wondering and worrying if all of this had been too much for them for a first date, but the more he'd thought about it...the dumber he felt. Maybe some of the topics had been a little extreme, but he and Kai had had serious talks before, very serious talks. They both had been put through so much, and talking about something like this really wasn't anything big. Or, it shouldn't have been. Why should being a couple interfere with having deep conversations? If anything, those kinds of conversations should increase.

That's why he hadn't really hesitated to pull her onto his lap. He'd held her before, and she'd been sprawled on top of him before. He remembered that very clearly. Being in the back of his car on prom night. He hadn't meant for things to get carried away so fast, but he remembered the rush of emotions he'd had during that moment, the absolute longing to go all the way. They hadn't even been dating at that point! It was then he'd realized how much power she had over him. She was part of almost every thought he had, and some of his decisions were influenced by her. He couldn't be alone without wishing she was with him.

The feeling of her fingers entwining his hair sent a soft shiver down the nape of his neck, and one of his hands slid up her back to play softly with her own. It was so strange...how he knew exactly when she'd picked up on his emotions. He wasn't a mind reader. He didn't possess any special power. He was just him, plain and ordinary. But yet...he was connected with her. So much so that he could internally feel the exact moment she'd emotionally connected with his pain, even if she hadn't given any physical signs of doing so.

She gave more, and it was such a powerful feeling in his heart. His mind and heart was overwhelmed with so many different emotions. Joy, passion, love, pain, even a small bit of fear. All of that caused a single tear to slide down his cheek, but he ignored it, tightening his hold on her. It was strange, but electrifying to feel her body against his like this again. He was in more control this time however, and he wasn't too afraid of slipping up.

He slowly pulled back, but only a little, reaching to place one hand on the side of her face, the wet line of his previous tear still a little visible. He said nothing, but closed his eyes again, brushing his nose lightly against hers before lightly kissing her cheek a couple of times, pausing briefly in between. Eric's hands slid slowly down back to her midsection, holding her gently against him as he began running his lips down her neck in slow and light manner.

He kept it at the same pace, going back up and slightly underneath the back of her jaw, ending near her ear. "I love you," he whispered quietly.

To his complete unawareness, John slowly opened the office door, peeking his head in again. At first, the man hesitated, his first impulse to say something. But he waited for a second longer. He trusted Eric, and he'd heard good things about Kai. It didn't look as if anything had gotten out of hand, although he was slightly suspicious about the way the two were positioned. But as a guy himself, he understood what Eric was probably feeling. As the responsible adult, he felt the need to step in. But he also knew that Eric wouldn't be a kid for much longer, and that soon he too would be considered an adult.

Let him be a kid. he thought. He won't be for much longer. John also knew that the pair didn't get to spend much time alone together, and by the look of things, it seemed to look like they both needed time like this. After a serious moment of debate, John slipped quietly back into the office, the door closing without a sound.

Eric moved his hands slightly lower to wrap around her waist, but he went no further. His lips met hers once again, but only briefly, light and soft to the touch.

"Thank you," he whispered, pressing his forehead gently to hers. His bright blue eyes fluttered closed once again as he laid there with her, just listening to and feeling their heartbeats. After a moment, he pulled back to meet her gaze, his hands sliding up to mess with her hair. At first, he'd simply let it run through his fingers, but it didn't take long before he found himself braiding a few strands of her hair together, twisting them in that motion as he laid there with her.

She remembered previously she had been in a similar position, and their emotions had been high. They had been very close. Last time her emotions had been chaotic and hanging by a thread. She hadn't had awareness or control. Her emotions often took the edge off of her awareness. His emotions had been powerful, and she had already been an emotional mess. This time she felt closer to him. She felt like they were becoming one instead of just feeling feelings.

She felt his hand slide up and play with her hair. When her hair was gently played with, it caused her head to tingle. It was almost a slight ticklish feeling. She felt his single tear course down his face, and she kissed it away. She was curled up and about as close to him as she could be. He pulled back a little, and she had a hard time letting him. At first she sort of followed, but he eventually pulled away slightly, so she did too. When he put his hand on her face, she opened her eyes for a moment, wondering what the pause was for. She moved one hand from his hair to stroke his face. She closed her eyes as he brushed noses with her, and she leaned into his kisses.

He began running his lips up and down her neck. Instead of it being romantic, she squirmed a little trying not to suppress her reaction. In a high voice that was on the verge of laughing, she tried to keep herself under control. No one had told her about this aspect of romance, that being ticklish could interrupt the moment. "Ahhh. That tickles!" She sort of scrunched up, but she managed to keep herself from wiggling overly much. As a young child anyone touching her neck would probably cause her to start giggling and squirming, and had annoyed her mother. She managed to squelch her first reaction after a while. She was afraid that she had dispelled much of the mood, and she was apprehensive that he might have become annoyed with her squiggling.

She became more accustomed to it, and she arched slightly as he whispered that he loved her in her ear. His soft breath had tickled, and the arching was a way of reacting to the tickling sensation. "I love you too," she whispered, trying to remain serious, but was becoming increasingly harder, when she was acting like a wiggle worm. She became a little more aware at this point and felt John's mind when he entered. She tensed a little wondering if they would get reprimanded. After a while she realized he had moved on. She relaxed again and noticed that she felt Eric’s hands moving again and they settled on her waist. She was curious if his hand were large enough to span most of her waist.

As he thanked her, she smirked , because it was something she enjoyed and it was far from a punishment. At that kind of statement she felt it was an inappropriate moment to say your welcome, so she didn’t say anything. Instead she gave him a kiss on the ear. She closed her eyes for a moment, because it was hard being up close and still looking at him. It strained her eyes and made her feel like she was going cross eyed. Now she could feel their heartbeats as they were so close together.

He kissed her softly, and her lips curved upward slightly. “Mmm,” she sighed, “This was good.” She stayed still, taking a moment to remember all of their little moments together. She enjoyed the sensation of him playing with her hair. She remembered falling on him and he had to catch her, dance class, in the closet, prom, when he was having a rough night, when he asked her to be his girlfriend, and that moment at the mall. Laying there like that was making her sleepy. She felt like she should just lay there and enjoy the moment, however, she also felt the urge to liven things up. She took a moment to consider the best way to do it, while maintaining some part of the intimacy and not seem like she was trying to end it.

She realized that she didn’t know his tickle spots, but now he knew one of hers. It might be a little awkward at first feeling around for a tickle spot, but she was on top of him, so he wouldn’t be able to get away very easily. However, she knew he was strong, and she might get bucked off. She smirked to herself. How often did she get an opportunity like that? She thought about doing some kind of teasing banter, but she didn’t want to let him down, when she didn’t kiss him, and she only tickled him. She sat up so that she could actually keep herself up, but remained kind of leaning over him.

She planted a kiss on his nose and then his forehead, before she let a devious smile spread across her face. She couldn’t help herself. Her resolve not to tease him lessened, “I’ve got you trapped. Hmmm. What should I do? Opportunities don’t come by like this every day.” She used one hand to hold herself up and the other to trace shapes in a playful way. She hoped he didn't take this the wrong way, but she didn't want to give away her plan all at once. "I think I'll finish what you started or at the very least continue it."

She gave him a quick teasing kiss to his mouth. She repeated the motion a few times, and realized she was getting herself a little excited. While she was kissing him, she had arranged her hands so they were near his pits, and he would have a harder time stopping her. She had to consider her next move, and her face blanked for a moment, as she realized that not knowing his tickle spots was a problem.

“I’m going to look really dumb if this doesn’t work,” she felt the need to warn him. She sat up further and began to try to see if he was ticklish under his armpits or his neck, since those were the most common places. After a moment she tried his belly. She felt sort of awkward, because if he wasn't ticklish there she would look really dumb. “I’m only trying to finish what you started,” she leaned over him again and gave him a diffident smile. She gave him a few more quick kisses to cover her awkwardness. "Really, it isn't fair for you to get to tickle me, and I don't return the favor," was her feeble defense.

Eric felt himself smiling as he kissed her neck, feeling her squirm. The worry of her not liking it didn't even cross his mind, for he felt so connected with her in this moment that he somehow knew that she found it ticklish before she even gave any real hint to that at all. She told him it tickled, which only caused him to chuckle in response, continuing to do what he was doing. Her squirming and soft giggles may have annoyed certain guys, and it may have ruined the mood for them. But for Eric it hadn't ruined anything, and quite frankly he found it overwhelmingly adorable.

She told him she loved him to, and he grinned at the way she was wriggling around, and let out a quiet giggle when she kissed his ear, the feeling unfamiliar. No wonder she'd found it ticklish when he'd kissed her neck.

"Mhm," he rumbled as she said openly that it had been good. He was relaxed and comfortable with her so close, and his voice had sounded a lot deeper than what it normally did, since it had come from the back of his throat. His voice was typically light and gentle, and sometimes could be considered a bit high for a guys voice. But it was still very much masculine, and the small rumble that had just been made sounded almost entirely like a different person, similar to how when a person gets sick their voice seems to drop and sound lower.

They lay together in silence for a while longer, enjoying the time together. Pretty soon however, he felt her shift, and she sat up a little, still on top of him. He flinched a little at her kiss on his nose and forehead, having not been expecting it, his reaction making him seem like a child again. He grinned at her, spotting her devious smile.

What is she up to? he thought, not even trying to conceal it from her. He stared at her as she spoke, his eyebrows lifting curiously and somewhat shocked, not exactly sure what to make of her words. What...was she implying here? He didn't want to jump to conclusions, so he just lay there in silence, his blue eyes gleaming playfully at her. Her fingers traced shapes on his chest, and she leaned in, giving him one quick teasing kiss on the lips.

That soon escalated though, as she continued this rapid motion. His lips curved upward in a smile as he reciprocated, wildly unsure of where she was taking this but his heart doing leaps and bounds with each passing second. He trusted her enough to know that she wasn't going to try and do anything too sexual, so he ruled that out pretty quickly.

Finish what I started? he wondered as she kissed him. Or at the very least continue it? What? He was so distracted by these thoughts, trying to figure out what she meant, that he hadn't noticed the placement of her hands on his body. She stopped, and he gave her an ornery but expecting glance at her next words, his eyebrows raised and his eyes alight with a certain mischief.

She sat up even further, and he found himself tensing his muscles, bracing himself for whatever mischievious act she had in mind. He had to suppress multiple giggles as she ran her hands over his body, trying to find his tickle spots. "You massive fart," he told her teasingly, finally breaking into a laugh as her fingers grazed his stomach. He raised his hands, grabbing her wrists to stop the tickling.

His genuine laugh was a sound heard only a few times since he'd known her, and each time it was released it was something special. A sound of pure joy. "I didn't tickle you on purpose!" he retorted, trying to defend himself. "I didn't know that kissing you there would trigger such a heinous act!" he joked after she kissed him a couple more times. It had been a long time since Eric had ever had a tickle fight. He hadn't had one since he was a very young child, playing with Summer and his mother.

The mere thought of this gave him a childlike rush of excitement, and he sat up a little more, placing a hand on her cheek and locking his lips with hers as he carefully pushed her back so he was laying on top. He did it slowly enough that he wouldn't scare her, and he pulled away from the kiss. He was more kneeling than laying, with his knees on the couch, straddling her hips. This way, he wouldn't crush her with his weight, because although he was thin, muscle tended to more than fat, and he was much taller than her, adding to that weight. His hands grazed her sides, tickling her.

"What are you gonna do, huh?" he asked, his voice light and playful, giggles slipping through his voice as he talked. He leaned down, stopping his tickling and placing his hands on the couch on either side of her shoulders, kissing her the same way she had him before deciding to tickle him.

"You started this fight with the wrong person," he told her playfully between kisses. He scooped his hands underneath her to raise her up, then sat up, pulling her close to his body. He was now sitting upright on his knees, and he took this chance to get back at her even further, running his lips down her neck again, only quicker this time. He had a feeling he wouldn't be able to do this for long, and that she'd find some other way to get back at him.

His hands ran down her back and to the backs of her thighs, not in a direct sexual manner, but it helped him hold her in a way that would keep her close to him. He found himself becoming slightly nervous. What if John walked in on them during this moment? What would he think? Would they get scolded?

But even though those thoughts were crossing through his mind, he was still able to shove them aside and giggle at how much the mood had changed and how light hearted everything seemed now.

"Yes a fart!" he exclaimed back at her indignant cry. "A massive one!" He laughed, flinching slightly as if he was mentally preparing for her to slap him. Her challenge had been greatly accepted, his heart pumping with this new excitement. Once he'd put her on her back and pulled away from the kiss, he looked down into her face, suddenly breaking into a giggle. "You're so cute," he told her before beginning his revenge.

The sound of her laugh filled his ears, putting an unstoppable grin on his face. Her body wriggled as he tickled her, her hands desperately trying to grasp his own to stop the torture. By the time he was done, she was out of breath but still full of spunk. Her words and the look in her eyes conveyed that clearly. "You sure did liven things up." he told her, nodding with a smile on his face.

As he pulled her up, he found himself wondering if she would always find her neck ticklish, or if she would get used to this feeling the more he did it. Her body was wracked with tension, but not the bad kind. She was tense, trying not to laugh and keeping her body stiff as if that would somehow protect her if he decided to start another tickle fight.

Although his energy was still spiking, and even though his heart was completely full of joy and happiness, he was starting to calm down as he continued to kiss her, his spunk fading as love slowly started to seep through again. He couldn't help but wonder if they ever did get married...how many of these playful fights would ensue, and how many they each would win. She was no match for him physically, but she held a power over him that only she herself could control. A heavy emotional power. He loved her and she knew that, and she could do almost anything to him to get him to let down his guard and pull a sneak attack on him like she'd done today.

He tried not to get his hopes up too high, because he knew that anything could happen, and there was that possibility of them not being with each other for the rest of thier lives. But he also wanted to keep his mind bright and focus on the good and happy moments like these while they lasted, and hope for the best in the future. He slowly moved from her neck to her cheek, and from there back to her lips.

His heart was thudding in his chest, the beat steady and sure. He found himself leaning into her, and wanting to push her back into the couch again, this time for a different reason. But he held his ground, his grip on her tightening so she couldn't fall backwards. These were the kind of moments that they needed. They needed more of this on a more regular basis, not just once every two weeks. Two weeks was too far inbetween for an emotional connection as strong as these were. He knew she had that mind reading ability that connected her to him in a way no one else could ever be, but even then that was so much different than this. This physical intimacy.

Eric hadn't really even noticed that his kiss had gotten more intense and passionate until the thought of John coming back in crossed his mind again. That's when he noticed the change that had so swiftly been made in his heart and mind, and he pulled out of the kiss slowly, bringing it to an end so he could get his body and thoughts back in order before he made a mistake he would regret making later.

His eyes shifted briefly to the tv, and a small smile graced his lips. "How much of the movie you bet we missed?" he asked. "Without looking at the time." He gave her a sly grin before breaking into a small chuckle, shifting back into a sitting position instead of being on his knees. His mind trailed off into something else they could do. Something that wouldn't tear away from this mood completely, but something that would keep him from taking things too far. Eric had a limit, and he was slightly frightened at how quickly that limit had come without him even realizing it had.

"Have you ever played two truths and a lie?" he asked. "We probably should have done something like this at the beginning..." he realized, trailing off his sentence before shrugging. "Oh well. I just think it could be a little fun. We can get to know things about each other we didn't know before. Give each other a little more information that we don't already have?"

"Then maybe next time we can actually...finish a movie." he laughed, not really being too serious. A movie didn't matter. He didn't really care if they finished a movie or not, as long as he was spending time with her.