Quote:
Cliff jogged off and was back within 5 minutes with his gym bag, backpack, and soccer ball, all ready to go. He took her hand as they walked toward his dorm, content with the silence that had fallen as they went, though he kept a playful sort of distance between their bodies. He was all gross and dirty from practice and the last thing he wanted to do was get any of that dirt on her, so between their bodies there was enough room for at least one other person. Every so often he would glance over, smile wide and certainly more relaxed than when she'd originally found him.
Quote:
Abby smiled at him and nodded. Cliff always had math homework but that wasn’t anything new. Even with him saying she could watch a movie while he finished up Abby knew she wouldn’t, she would work on her own stuff while he did what he needed too. Her sharp eyes noted the stiff way he moved as he went to grab his stuff, and assumed that practice must have done a number on him..
He was back in record time, and looked to be moving easier once he had actually started to move. As they traversed the campus she absently brushed her thumb against the back of his hand, their silence full of contentment and the sound of the campus life around them. She wasn't too fond of the distance he maintained but could understand why since she could smell him quite clearly and his clothes were quite grimy. Her own were still in pristine condition after a full day, her dark jeans clinging to her legs while the sapphire blue peasant blouse provided a pop of color, granted she didn't have soccer practice to deal with.
As they approached his building she asked, “So other than math what else needs to be done tonight?” An idea started to build in her mind but it meant she would need some time to run back to her place and grab supplies.
He was back in record time, and looked to be moving easier once he had actually started to move. As they traversed the campus she absently brushed her thumb against the back of his hand, their silence full of contentment and the sound of the campus life around them. She wasn't too fond of the distance he maintained but could understand why since she could smell him quite clearly and his clothes were quite grimy. Her own were still in pristine condition after a full day, her dark jeans clinging to her legs while the sapphire blue peasant blouse provided a pop of color, granted she didn't have soccer practice to deal with.
As they approached his building she asked, “So other than math what else needs to be done tonight?” An idea started to build in her mind but it meant she would need some time to run back to her place and grab supplies.
Quote:
It was soothing, the way she brushed her thumb against his skin. It eased him somewhat, kept the thoughts about what happened earlier that afternoon at bay. He could drop that bomb later, probably after the shower so he could properly get up close to her for a very badly needed hug and reassurances that he wasn't strapped to a metaphorical guillotine with her dad holding the rope that kept the blade up. He came back to the present when her voice broke the comfortable silence, mercifully interrupting his thoughts.
"Nothing," he said plainly as he opened up the door for her to walk on through first. Cliff was always mindful of his manners, having been raised by a mother who insisted that her son be as gentlemanly as the men of olde. Silly woman, he always thought, but he loved her all the same. It didn't matter that they weren't blood related; family was family. "I managed to finish the rest during lunch." The brunette puffed up rather proudly at the feat, then led her up the stairs and soon enough into his dorm before closing the door behind him.
"I won't take too long," he said as he started dropping things off in their assigned places--backpack on the couch, gear and ball in the corner, old clothes in the hamper--before making a beeline for the bathroom. He'd pulled his shirt off in the process, just to get a head start, but turned to her just before going inside the bathroom. "There's a ton of takeout menus in one of the drawers in the kitchen if you wanna order while I'm in there."
Cliff gave a smile before hurrying on into the bathroom, though he left the door slightly open as an invitation in case she wanted to hop in with him.
"Nothing," he said plainly as he opened up the door for her to walk on through first. Cliff was always mindful of his manners, having been raised by a mother who insisted that her son be as gentlemanly as the men of olde. Silly woman, he always thought, but he loved her all the same. It didn't matter that they weren't blood related; family was family. "I managed to finish the rest during lunch." The brunette puffed up rather proudly at the feat, then led her up the stairs and soon enough into his dorm before closing the door behind him.
"I won't take too long," he said as he started dropping things off in their assigned places--backpack on the couch, gear and ball in the corner, old clothes in the hamper--before making a beeline for the bathroom. He'd pulled his shirt off in the process, just to get a head start, but turned to her just before going inside the bathroom. "There's a ton of takeout menus in one of the drawers in the kitchen if you wanna order while I'm in there."
Cliff gave a smile before hurrying on into the bathroom, though he left the door slightly open as an invitation in case she wanted to hop in with him.
Quote:
“That's good.” Abby passed him as he held the door open for her, “at least lunch was productive for us both.” She chuckled at him and his proud look, tempted to just poke him in the side but let him be as they made their way to his room. Like him, she deposited her backpack on the couch but turned to watch him move around the dorm. Her idea was still forming in her mind and as she watched him drop the day’s stuff in their proper place, only briefly was her idea sideline. Cliff striped off his shirt and all her mind could think of was him shirtless… and less. She mentally shook her head and said, “Actually I need to get a few things from my room. I’m going to borrow your keys and I’ll be back by the time you're out. Promise.”
She fished his keys from his stuff and still hesitated, the desire to join him was pretty strong but if he was tired, her joining him wouldn’t help any. With a sigh she grabbed her keys, leaving her bag behind, and hurried to her room leaving Cliff to shower in peace. Like she promised him she was only gone for less than a half hour, most of that taken up in the travel between their two places. She knocked before letting herself in, a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Its contents to remain a mystery to him until Abby was ready to share.
She fished his keys from his stuff and still hesitated, the desire to join him was pretty strong but if he was tired, her joining him wouldn’t help any. With a sigh she grabbed her keys, leaving her bag behind, and hurried to her room leaving Cliff to shower in peace. Like she promised him she was only gone for less than a half hour, most of that taken up in the travel between their two places. She knocked before letting herself in, a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Its contents to remain a mystery to him until Abby was ready to share.
Quote:
By the time he was out of the shower he felt quite a bit better, though he might have been a little bit bummed that Abby had left the apartment and still hadn't gotten back before he was dressed and already set up to get his math homework done. Guess the shower didn't run as long as either of them intended, but either way his smile was wide and welcoming when she let herself in.
"Hey," he greeted as his eyes fell to her first, then the duffel bag. "I ordered some Chinese, hope that's alright with you," he started, then couldn't help but add on, "so what's in the bag?"
"Hey," he greeted as his eyes fell to her first, then the duffel bag. "I ordered some Chinese, hope that's alright with you," he started, then couldn't help but add on, "so what's in the bag?"
Quote:
Abby was oddly disappointed that he was fully dressed but shrugged it off on college hormones. “Chinese is good.” She loved a good fried rice, even white rice had a place in her heart. Cliff knew what she tended to get so she wasn't worried about that but she still eyed him as she came closer. “Feeling better?” He looked better, not as tired or as drained. The shower must have really helped.
“Not telling. I'm going to steal your bedroom for a bit. Once I come back out no going in till I say so, ok?” She tossed him a stern look before flashing him a cheeky smile and sauntering into his room, the duffle still slung over her shoulder. It didn't take Abby long to set up for the plan she came up with, once ready she went back out to join Cliff, closing his bedroom door securely behind her. “Homework first, surprise later.”
“Not telling. I'm going to steal your bedroom for a bit. Once I come back out no going in till I say so, ok?” She tossed him a stern look before flashing him a cheeky smile and sauntering into his room, the duffle still slung over her shoulder. It didn't take Abby long to set up for the plan she came up with, once ready she went back out to join Cliff, closing his bedroom door securely behind her. “Homework first, surprise later.”
Quote:
Cliff kept his gaze on her a moment as she crossed the room, fiddling with the pen as he nodded his head to her question. "Yeah, lots better." A part of him wanted to add that he might've felt even better if she'd joined him, but considering what she said next his mood shifted from slight to disappointment to serious curiosity. And maybe a little turned on as he watched her disappear into the bedroom. A smile settled on his lips as he started working on the homework, though he couldn't help but occasionally wonder what she was doing in there…
He looked up when she came out again, snorting in amusement as she laid out the ground rules for the surprise. "I know, I know," he said. His umber gaze lingered on her figure and his mind briefly flashed back to seeing her with much less on, but he reined the thoughts in and got back to his homework. "So" he said, clearing his throat, "I've only got math, how 'bout you?"
He looked up when she came out again, snorting in amusement as she laid out the ground rules for the surprise. "I know, I know," he said. His umber gaze lingered on her figure and his mind briefly flashed back to seeing her with much less on, but he reined the thoughts in and got back to his homework. "So" he said, clearing his throat, "I've only got math, how 'bout you?"
Quote:
Abby smiled at him and grabbed her bookbag before plopping down next to him at the coffee table. “Lucky. I’ve got the afternoon class work to do.” She fished out a small stack of paperwork and held it up. “I think you will get done before me.” She made a face at him before pulling out the first part and giving a little sigh. “Honestly none of it is that hard, it's just tedious. I’ve got Chinese to do and I need to write four poems. A Shakespearean sonnet, an acrostic, a couplet, and a haiku.” It was the last one that was going to be the hardest since she never seemed to get the syllables right.
“Maybe once you're done I can rope you into helping me.” She reached over and ran her fingers through Cliff’s still wet hair. She squashed the desire to lean in and kiss him because the sooner the work was done the sooner they could just relax. Being a responsible adult really sucked sometimes. Abby turned back to her work with a sigh and started to trace the characters on the chinese worksheet, back to kindergarten she went. Bah. At least now she could yell at someone in Chinese and while saying nothing terribly mean was able to make the other person think that she was cussing them out. It was amusing in a mean sort of way. “So how was your day, other than tiring?”
“Maybe once you're done I can rope you into helping me.” She reached over and ran her fingers through Cliff’s still wet hair. She squashed the desire to lean in and kiss him because the sooner the work was done the sooner they could just relax. Being a responsible adult really sucked sometimes. Abby turned back to her work with a sigh and started to trace the characters on the chinese worksheet, back to kindergarten she went. Bah. At least now she could yell at someone in Chinese and while saying nothing terribly mean was able to make the other person think that she was cussing them out. It was amusing in a mean sort of way. “So how was your day, other than tiring?”
Quote:
He blinked at the small pile of homework that she pulled out, then grinned and got back to his homework. "I hope so. Would be nice to win at something once in a while." Cliff paused and flashed her a grin; he was obviously joking, no matter how true it was that she won at most things they had contests over. And that included training, much to his chagrin. "And I would offer to help, but we both know I'm more into short stories and novels than I am into poetry. I can try though, once I finish?"
He felt oddly in the zone that night, so even as she spoke and her question came he just kept on solving the equations. "Uh...alright I guess? Mostly." And then he paused to wonder if he ought to tell her about the incident that afternoon. The decision didn't take him long; so far they'd been open and honest about all aspects of their relationship, and even if it was uncomfortable he didn't see a reason why he had to keep this a secret.
"Your dad came to see me after my last class. Damn near made my heart stop, and not in the same way that you do…"
He felt oddly in the zone that night, so even as she spoke and her question came he just kept on solving the equations. "Uh...alright I guess? Mostly." And then he paused to wonder if he ought to tell her about the incident that afternoon. The decision didn't take him long; so far they'd been open and honest about all aspects of their relationship, and even if it was uncomfortable he didn't see a reason why he had to keep this a secret.
"Your dad came to see me after my last class. Damn near made my heart stop, and not in the same way that you do…"
Quote:
“I would say you won last night.” Abby tried to wiggle her eyebrow at him suggestively but started to giggle. She couldn’t help it. It was funny. Whenever they ended up doing contests against each other Abby normally won because she liked to win, she liked being the boss and being in control. Hell even last night had ended with her being in control. Not that she was complaining since last night was fantastic and honestly the idea of a repeat had popped into her mind all day. Work first, fun later. “I think I’ll just need help with the haiku since I just never get the number of syllables right. If my teacher didn't already veto it I would have just gone with a single word repeated over and over. Apparently it's been done… by a grade schooler.” It had been cute, and the whole class ended up laughing, when the teacher showed the web site that had a kid’s haiku that only said no, over and over again. “I’ll figure it out, I really have two days to get it done. So I’ll just pick your brain for rhyming words.” She smiled over at him and went back to work on her characters.
“Mostly?” She looked up briefly and tossed him a quizzical look before turning back to her pages. He would explain in his own time… or she would keep poking him until he did. It didn’t require a poke for him to spill though and when he did, boy was it a doozy. Her pencil skittered across the page as he said her dad had met him after Cliff’s last class. Abby caught the sweet comment about the heart stopping when he saw her but the squishy feeling she felt at that comment was overwhelmed by the first part of his reveal.
“Oh dear. He didn’t threaten you did he? He doesn’t mean it you know…” She trailed off and winced slightly before amending her last comment, “He won't actually follow through with the threat. He is just really protective.”
“Mostly?” She looked up briefly and tossed him a quizzical look before turning back to her pages. He would explain in his own time… or she would keep poking him until he did. It didn’t require a poke for him to spill though and when he did, boy was it a doozy. Her pencil skittered across the page as he said her dad had met him after Cliff’s last class. Abby caught the sweet comment about the heart stopping when he saw her but the squishy feeling she felt at that comment was overwhelmed by the first part of his reveal.
“Oh dear. He didn’t threaten you did he? He doesn’t mean it you know…” She trailed off and winced slightly before amending her last comment, “He won't actually follow through with the threat. He is just really protective.”
Quote:
Cliff kept on scribbling away at the equations, though he heard her stop working briefly when he finally let that ball drop. In truth he felt a little bad about it; even though she expected the man to be harsh to the guys that she dated, he hated putting her at odds with the man in any capacity. He quickly finished up the problem he was working on before looking up, catching the wince but only offering a weak smile in return.
"It was fine. I mean, I can understand where he's coming from, and really it could've gone a whole lot worse. We…kind of...reached an understanding? I told him I care more about your opinion on our relationship than his, but threats were definitely made. Not in so many words, though." The smile brightened somewhat, more for her benefit than his own. He didn't want to upset her at all, he just thought she ought to know.
"But going back to your homework, I'm nearly done here so it won't be long 'til you can start picking my brain for whatever you need." With that he went back to his problem, quickly finished up the last few before sprawling out on the sofa just behind her. He purposely positioned himself so he could easily lean over the edge of the sofa and onto her shoulder in case she needed him for something, or for other, more pleasant reasons. Currently though he was lying face down and groaning into the cushion; the sudden movements made his muscles cry out again, so he decided he might lay down just like that for a while. Or at least until she needed him to look at anything.
"It was fine. I mean, I can understand where he's coming from, and really it could've gone a whole lot worse. We…kind of...reached an understanding? I told him I care more about your opinion on our relationship than his, but threats were definitely made. Not in so many words, though." The smile brightened somewhat, more for her benefit than his own. He didn't want to upset her at all, he just thought she ought to know.
"But going back to your homework, I'm nearly done here so it won't be long 'til you can start picking my brain for whatever you need." With that he went back to his problem, quickly finished up the last few before sprawling out on the sofa just behind her. He purposely positioned himself so he could easily lean over the edge of the sofa and onto her shoulder in case she needed him for something, or for other, more pleasant reasons. Currently though he was lying face down and groaning into the cushion; the sudden movements made his muscles cry out again, so he decided he might lay down just like that for a while. Or at least until she needed him to look at anything.
Quote:
“God,” Abby quietly thunked her head against the table before sitting up with a sigh. “At least the worst is over. I've never heard him doing anything worse,” granted I've never dated anyone long enough for him to do worse. She mentally added as she quickly erased her mistake and powered through the rest. Cliff still beat her though since she watched him sprawl out on the couch, it was tempting to just put her stuff off to the side and break out the surprise now but Abby knew that she was going to be distracted if she didn't at least get two of the required poems done.
Finally she was able to get at least two done, the sonnet wasn't hard since she had one partially done from class but the acrostic was annoying. Luckily Cliff had given her the idea for the topic. “Cliff what do you think? Forever protective/Always placing me first/Tender love and care/Honorable, morally upright/Effervescent, bubbling with life/Receptive, an open mind.” With them done she turned around to face him with him spread out on the couch.
“Come on. Get up and break out the food. Then we can either do a movie or the surprise.” She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.
Finally she was able to get at least two done, the sonnet wasn't hard since she had one partially done from class but the acrostic was annoying. Luckily Cliff had given her the idea for the topic. “Cliff what do you think? Forever protective/Always placing me first/Tender love and care/Honorable, morally upright/Effervescent, bubbling with life/Receptive, an open mind.” With them done she turned around to face him with him spread out on the couch.
“Come on. Get up and break out the food. Then we can either do a movie or the surprise.” She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.
Quote:
Hard to believe the man was capable of doing worse, but protective fathers…
Cliff left that train of thought to run off on its own while he stayed content to just lie there and lament his aching body. Though when she recited her acrostic he couldn't help the smile. Turning his head so his voice wasn't muffled, he said, "Sounds about right? I hope you're right about the 'open mind' part." Especially for when he finds out that they were now sleeping together, but he didn't say that part. The kiss on the cheek prompted another groan, which was more a playful display than an actual gauge for his soreness, and once he was up he grabbed the plates and the little take-out boxes of food to set out on the coffee table for their consumption.
"Food and movie, then surprise?" He asked as he took up the space right beside her, grinning wide. He wanted it all if he could have it, and it also meant she'd be there longer so why now ask? Cliff was already grabbing some of the fried rice when he stopped to grab the remote and turn on Netflix, scrolling down his recents list.. "We could watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days properly this time."
Cliff left that train of thought to run off on its own while he stayed content to just lie there and lament his aching body. Though when she recited her acrostic he couldn't help the smile. Turning his head so his voice wasn't muffled, he said, "Sounds about right? I hope you're right about the 'open mind' part." Especially for when he finds out that they were now sleeping together, but he didn't say that part. The kiss on the cheek prompted another groan, which was more a playful display than an actual gauge for his soreness, and once he was up he grabbed the plates and the little take-out boxes of food to set out on the coffee table for their consumption.
"Food and movie, then surprise?" He asked as he took up the space right beside her, grinning wide. He wanted it all if he could have it, and it also meant she'd be there longer so why now ask? Cliff was already grabbing some of the fried rice when he stopped to grab the remote and turn on Netflix, scrolling down his recents list.. "We could watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days properly this time."
Quote:
“Sounds like a plan.” Abby leaned into him and stole a kiss before grabbing one of the white cardboard boxes and dished out some veggie Lo Mein. She eyed the box Cliff still had in front of him but mentally shook her head, one dish at a time.
