lennoxfraser:
Lennox had planned to take them to his dorm, but Flora instead opted for the closest option - Lennox didn’t know whose dorm it was, but it was empty and when the door was shut, it was silent. Thankful for a moment’s peace, which he hadn’t had since before breakfast, Lennox turned to watch Flora secure the room. “One of us has to think about this because half the time I don’t think you do,” Lennox said, the words coming out harsher than he’d intended, and he frowned. “It’s simple, yeah - between us it’s simple. But as much as you don’t like to admit it, the rest of the world matters, too. Making sure no one knows or suspects falls to me, and if that makes it weird, then we just have to deal with it.” Flora’s accusation - as gentle as it was - made Lennox’s frown deepen, but not out of anger. He sighed, and closed the distance between them, walking straight into her body and wrapping his arms around her, the place where he felt the most whole. “It’s not an issue,” he murmured into the skin of her shoulder. “What’s changed is that I can touch you now, and I don’t– I don’t know if that’s what you want by staying here. We don’t have rules for it, and I’m not saying we should, but– I need something to go on.” Lennox released her, pulling back just slightly, hands on her shoulders, face close. “What do you want?”
“We don’t have to do this, Lennox,” Flora said with a sharp sigh, pulling away – but only slightly. It was magnetic, what was between them. For every part of Flora there was that wanted to move away, there was another part that wanted to stay close. “I don’t want to make things more complicated for you than they already are. I don’t want you to have to spend every single day looking over your shoulder and watching what you say. We have to be smart about this. Of course, I understand that. But if this is going to become something else for you to worry about, then what’s the point?” She looked up at him, searching his face. Flora would never be able to let this happen, to be with Lennox if he was constantly looking over their shoulder instead of enjoying what was right in front of him. “You know how I feel,” she said plainly. “You know what I want. But it’s not worth it if this is just going to add more weight to your shoulders. I love you too much to do that to you.” This was his get out of jail free card, his chance to turn back and pretend that none of this had happened. No part of Flora wanted him to take the out, but she needed to give it to him. He’d sacrificed too much of his life and too much of his time catering to her needs, and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she forced him to do it again. “It’s not about what I want, Nox,” she sighed, fingers finding his hand and twining them together. “What I want is easy. What I want is this – you, touching me like this.” She stepped closer, eyes holding his gaze, her throat tight as she finally said, “If that’s what you want too, then we can handle anything that comes our way. Together. Like we always do.”














