They had been on the road for little over an hour. Planning their date hadn’t taken long since Emily knew exactly what she wanted to do. Of course, spending time together while they planned their wedding was fun. Perhaps a little hectic at times, but the fact they had similar ideas for the even helped them through.
However, they barely had time to enjoy each other’s company. Not that Emily would complain about the quality of those moments. If only Orion wasn’t behind the wheel, Emily would pull her into a kiss just for the sake of it.
As it was, all the kissing had to wait a little longer.
They had entered the Porcupine Mountains fifteen minutes ago, and Emily was already in awe. The last time she had been there, she was still a kid. But she remembered every curve, turn and path to the best spots. Guiding Jay through that maze was easy, and soon enough, they were parking on Emily’s favorite place. The access wasn’t the easiest; many ways of getting lost if you didn’t know where you were going, but with the most amazing view.
A clearing between the trees; and the limit of the risk, would be their camping spot for the evening and night. Although Emily had made sure to pack everything they would need. From space heaters, a portable campfire, an extra large sleeping bag and enough food for them; Dax included.
“Welcome to Paradise, Ms. Katsaros. A little piece of Heaven in the core of Michigan.“
Sienna found herself planted beside the welcome mat of her neighbor, slender legs pressed to her ribcage as her back curled over her knees, a worried expression playing to her defined features. The aura of ceasing to exist had crept to her subconscious mind through the carefree breeze of her dreams, as it now blew harshly with roaming thoughts of disappearing into oblivion. When unable to remain in silent solitude with her running mind, she grabbed her phone and texted the first person she thought of, her finger pads quick to the surface of the screen as she attempted to steady her breath simultaneously. The message read "Can't sleep, coming over,'" with tired eyes, she pulled the door shut behind her and walked inches to meet herself at his door, giving it a few knocks at first. When there was no reply to her gesture, she realized that Julian had work that night. Checking her phone, she saw that the time read "1:45 AM" and only hoped that he'd be there soon, as the curly haired boy was the only one could who really calm her down without even knowing it.
Sienna broke from her tangled thoughts, head jerking up slightly as she heard the familiar voice along the dimly lit corridor. "No, I wanted to wait for you. Being alone at my place is the same as being along at your place, dumbass," She chuckled, gradually rising from her seated stance as she pulled off the key hanging around her neck and jammed it into the crevice indented to the door, turning the handle as the click echoed through their parameter. "How was work? You look tired. I'm sorry for imposing, I just... I um, couldn't sleep." She shrugged as if it seemed to be a nonchalant case, as if the reoccurring nightmares and fears were simply minuscule. As the brunette found her way to his couch, plopping down against the lumpy fabric, she smoothed out her night shirt which reached just barely to mid thigh. "I brought oreos, if that helps."
Julian: watched as the girl stood up and pulled his key from around her neck. He couldn't help but grin at the sight; it was almost like Sienna was keeping a piece of him near and dear. He hid his smirk though, as she pushed his front door open. "Yeah, but it's warmer in my apartment than it is in the hallway," he grumbled as he followed her in. Taking off his coat and placing his keys on the nearby kitchen counter, his green eyes moved to follow his neighbor as she walked into the living room. Her long locks flowed down her back, swishing ever so slightly with each step her long, slender legs took. Her gown was more of an oversized shirt and Julian couldn't help but stare. But when she plopped down on the couch, he averted his eyes again quickly as he turned into the kitchen, stomach rumbling. "Hey, as long as you don't mind if I fall asleep on you midsentence, I don't mind the company." Opening his fridge and peering in, he added casually, "Also, if I use you as a pillow." Looking back over his shoulder at the girl, he grinned. But at the mention of oreos, he found himself closing the fridge and quirking an eyebrow at her. "Oreos are nothing if they are not matched with milk."
Sienna leaned against the support of the sofa, her sapphire eyes wandering around his room as she recognized the framework of her surroundings, it was as if she spent more time in there than at her own house. Her gaze followed his voice, watching him as his back turned to swing open the fridge door, her lesser lip wedged between white incisors with a small smile tipping the corners of her mouth. "I'll just draw on your face in Sharpie when you fall asleep, no worries. Not my fault if you wake up with a dick on your face though." Emitting a small giggle, she held up the oreos and ushered him to come join her. "You can only use me as a pillow if we get to watch my movie of choice."
Julian: smiled at her comment and rolled his eyes; he expected no less from the girl he had known since the day he moved in just beside her. Despite the lack of milk, though, he found himself following her gesture to come to the couch. Oreos would be enough. He was too tired to think of anything else to eat or drink anyway and Sienna's company and the couch seemed promising. Sitting beside her, the twenty-one year old found himself immediately lying down, his head of curls resting in the girl's lap in a moment. His warm cheek snuggled against the cold skin of her thigh as he got comfortable, but glancing out of the corner of his eye towards her face, he smirked, "Deal. What do you want to watch?" He reached for the remote on the coffee table in front them, giving it up to her for good measure.
Sienna pulled her wild caramel tousles into a messy bun before positioning her back to the structure of the couch, her lips only stretching wider as his face fell to the comfort of her lap. His own hair flopped to her bare skin, their contact resulting in a small shiver down her spine, though she chose to avoid the notion. Blinking her eyes a few times, she pushed the frame of her spectacles from the tip of her nose closer to her eyes, attempting to read the array of movie selections on the screen. "Don't hate me for choosing a romcom, I actually enjoy this one. Maybe only because of Justin Timberlake though." She rested her arm hanging over his shoulder as the opening credits rolled, her fingers combing through his relatively long hair gently. "Don't mind me, I'm just braiding your hair."
Julian: could have sworn he felt Sienna's body jolt the moment his skin met hers, but uncertainty made him hesitant. He chose not to ignore the possibility as she began flipping through channels. The remote clicked past a few great options and as they did, he couldn't help but groan. "C'mon, you're gonna pass up Pulp Fiction?" When she finally decided, though, Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake appeared on Julian's small TV screen. "Ugh, you've got to be kidding me." He chose not to fight it though; after all, he had made the deal and honestly, Sienna's legs were so smooth and warming under him, he didn't regret the decision. His eyes focused on the screen, attempting to make sense of the movie they had jumped into the middle of. But exhaustion had taken over and as Sienna's long fingers began running through his hair, he found himself more tired than he had previously felt. His deep voice got even deeper, raspier as he fought to keep green eyes open. One of his arms raised to push her hand away, but he couldn't fight it. He whined, "You're making me sleepy." Brow furrowed, he buried his face deeper into her thigh, lips brushing against the skin as he attempted to waken himself.
Sienna found herself drawing small patterns as her fingers pressed lightly against the fabric covering his chest, her attention focused on the movie to which she now knew all the words. Unlike most girls, Sienna never took pleasure in watching cliché movies with predictable happy endings, but somehow this had gotten past her various barriers. She disregarded his side comments, her own eyes growing heavy with a lulled feeling of sleepiness. "Stop whining," she whispered softly, her fingers slowing their motion slightly. As his lips grazed her skin, she could feel her veins jolt with excitement and a newfound feeling of tension, but she attempted to ignore it. "Hey stop that, you're distracting me from my favorite part." She nudged him softly, though her eyes focused on him rather than the various colors projecting on the screen above.
Julian: kept his face buried within her thigh as he mumbled against the skin, "No." Yet the feeling was so hypnotizing, he couldn't do more than attempt to weakly fight against it. When Sienna's attention turned back to the movie, he sighed, hot breath pushing between her legs and against his face. Finally turning back to the screen, he watched Mila and Justin for a brief moment before his eyes turned to the girl again. He noticed her big blues turned to him and he smirked, "Hey, what are you doing watching me? This is your favorite part."
Sienna let out a small chuckle between her exasperated sighs in reaction to the scenes playing on the screen as he let out a meek plea for opposition, goosebumps reflexly rising to her arms only for a spilt second. Sienna was always one to keep great composure while hiding any sort of feeling, as she had much practice with it. "I think watching the stars is more fascinating." Her tone was hushed and gentle, eyes averting from him to avoid his reaction as she returned to the tv. "Wow, that was hilarious. Did you just see Mila? Damn."
Julian: grinned from ear to ear, sleepy as he was, when she talked about the stars again. Yet, in a flash, she was turning attention back to Friends with Benefits, saying something about the actress on screen before he could respond. He couldn't let it slide, though. Moving so that he was facing the ceiling, but looking right at her, he kept his smile on as he sighed, "Eh, I don't need Mila. I've got a prettier view." He locked eyes with her then, but after a pause, his green orbs moved back to the screen as a yawn escaped from him. "This movie sucks, why do you like it so much?"
Sienna That smile was enough to make any girl go weak at the knees, which is exactly why is shouldn't have phased Sienna, and yet she could feel herself absorbing every minute that his grin grew, as it only reflected the same way upon her pink lips. The room remained with little lighting to her advantage, her cheeks transforming to a crimson red color and growing warm with embarrassment. "I think you need glasses." She scoffed, taking her own to place over his emerald hues. "It's actually a terrible movie. I think it's cool how it seems like a real situation, I dunno. Like it's not Nicholas Sparks bullshit, it's more realistic. I think maybe secretly I actually really want something like this, but I've suppressed my emotions so much that I just really don't know anymore."
Julian: raised his hand then, slipping her glasses from the bridge of her nose and placing them on his own face. He quirked an eyebrow at her, "Nope. Still as bright as the moon." A smirk appeared again, but he kept the glasses on as he glanced towards the movie again. "God, are you fucking blind or something?" He blinked behind the frames, unable to see anything but blurriness and finally gave up. Slipping them off his face, he handed them back over and refocused on the screen. Yet he wasn't paying attention. Sienna's voice was calming as she thought out loud and he couldn't help but get lost in it. When she finally stopped, though, he sighed. "I bet college kid from 14C would love to play this out with you. And you guys are halfway there. Just go fall in love with him."
Sienna rolled her eyes with great annoyance, though the growing grin on her lips would suggest otherwise of her true feelings to the matter. Her hand searched for his in the dark only reflexly slipping between his fingers, her other hand departing from his locks to aimlessly wander around his face in search of her glasses, as everything seems slightly blurry. "I'm not that blind, shut the fuck up. I'm sure guys love all the blind girls." His presence was more than just relieving, but it was comforting to talk to. As if Sienna could converse with him about anything. And she wanted to tell him, she really did, but the timing was just off. That seemed to be the problem for her everytime. "I'd rather not, he's not someone I'd fall for. More likely to fall in love with Santa than him."
Julian: laughed as her hand roamed his face. His lips pursed against her fingertips as they wandered over his mouth, but he didn't help her retrieve her glasses until he was finished teasing her. "Yeah, we really dig it when our girls bump into things and sometimes have four eyes." Tired as he was, from head to toe, Julian couldn't help but blissfully be happy that Sienna had decided to come over tonight. It would have been another night, lying in bed and waiting for sleep to quickly take over. With Sienna, life seemed a little less like routine and gave it more meaning. Not that he'd tell her that, in fear of her fleeing to her apartment and never coming back to him. He chuckled though, as he watched the ending of the movie, "Tell me how that goes with Santa, then. His grandkid will start calling you Gma. Are you prepared for that responsibility, C?"
Sienna huffed in frustration as her eyes adjusted to their blurry state, the defined features of the tv shifting to blobs of color, but amidst her temporary hinderance, she found the ability to laugh uncontrollably, as she always did with the boy nuzzled to her body. He was something different, a character she'd never experienced in her book of life, something she was intrigued to explore. "I think I rock the four eyes and the bumping into things. You're totally turned on by it." She giggled, pushing her glasses back into place as she shifted on the couch to now lay beside him, the two awkwardly squeezed onto one couch, and yet, she couldn't feel more comfortable in that moment. "Responsibility? I hardly even remember to tie my own shoes, fuck no. I think I'll reconsider. Who else is up to par in this building?"
Julian: loved knowing that he could make Sienna laugh. Every time she giggled, a burst of confidence shot through him and his smile doubled, dimples showing off. He joked, "Oh, yeah, definitely. I love the whole damsel in distress thing, actually. So you being blind is helpful." Sienna's body moved from under him and Julian couldn't help but let out a whine again. He had been comfortable, his hot breath creating a little spot of warmth on her leg. But as she shifted to lay in between him and the back of the couch, he found that having her against his chest was just as comforable. He shifted to move an arm around her, hand falling on her upper arm as the movie played on, now as background noise. "Yeah, I've seen you walk out with your laces flying behind you. That's dangerous, you know. But uh, there's guy from 13B. He's into crossfit." Julian smirked as he looked down at Sienna. Her hair was hiding her face and he couldn't help but use his free hand to push it aside.
Sienna poked and prodded at his dimples as they grew prominent with his smile, yet another attributed that deemed him perfect in her eyes. Of course, she wasn't planning on on mentioning that anytime soon. "I'd rather be the heroine than the damsel, so you're shit outta luck." She inched closer to his frame as his arm worked around her, a content sigh escaping her lips as she buried her face to the crook of his neck. In all honesty, her lips wanted nothing more than do simply press down along his tan skin, but she figured that was simply the drowsiness talking. "Look at you, caring for me and shit. Good job. Too bad I'm all about that rebel life" She mumbled, mustering up the most intimidating face she could come up with, though it failed after a couple of seconds of forced suppression of laughter. "Crossfit? Ew, anyone who's into that bullshit would probably want their significant other to work out too and physical exertion is not my thing." She caught his gaze as he pushed her hair back, reaching up to bump her nose gently with his. "You're so not cute, ugh."
Julian: didn't notice but he seemed to be tracing circles into Sienna's arm then, unable to get enough of the feeling of her soft skin against his fingertips. With her lips hovering near his neck, he had to fight the urge to nudge closer to her and close the gap. He felt goosbumps rise along his skin as she spoke, hot breath tickling the spot below his ear. "You're about as rebellious as a first grader staying up past their nine o'clock bedtime. Especially with that face." He chuckled underneath her as she laughed at herself, something he couldn't help but love about her. "Yeah, well, he's probably your best bet in this shithole apartment complex. So go invest in some running shoes, C." He hadn't even realized how odd his action might come across, until his hand lingered against her cheek. A blush creeped onto his cheeks just as the ending credits of the movie rolled; he was thankful for the timing, as the room went dark. But he felt Sienna's nose against his and in a moment, he was grinning again, letting his hand fall from her face to her neck as his thumb brushed over her jawline. "Really? 'Cause you sure are."
Sienna felt as though being continuously pricked with goosebumps, her arm slithering around his neck as she pressed her forehead lightly to his. And in that moment, there was nothing that could keep her away from maintaining that position. It felt as though nothing else mattered and all her problems melted to a layer of insignificant gravel; she was truly happy, which was something she wasn't able to say in a long time. But the thing with Sienna was, she could not allow herself to be happy, as it would ultimately just vanish within a matter of time. Her happiness was temporary in most cases, but Julian seemed to be different. "It's hot, you know it is." She mumbled, lips only lightly grazing his ear as her giggle came out in an airy manner, her heartbeat increasing with every second passed. "You sure about that? I heard the guy who lives next to me is quite the keeper. Plus, he's got a huge crush on me," she teased, her fingers twirling his hair as she pulled him closer, their bodies pressed to each other's. With his hand on her cheek, she could hear the knocking of her heart against it's chambers through the ringing of her ears, as it made her blush beyond belief. She really didn't think any one guy could have this effect on her. "Hey, can I tell you a secret?" she croaked, voice barely inaudible though her celestial blues locked gaze with his emerald orbs.
Julian: couldn't help but stare right into Sienna's crystal blues. She had once teased him for being so obsessed with her eyes, but he couldn't help it. They were so bright, even through the dark, they glimmered and caught Julian's undivided attention. His voice seemed breathy as he muttered, "So hot." Their bodies were tied so closely together, there was no longer any worry that one of them would slip over the edge. He was holding to her tight, hot breathing mixing together as their faces stayed close. Julian's smirk stayed as he laughed lightly, shaking his head. "Yeah, but the guy next door is a loser. Doesn't deserve the moon. He can just admire from afar." Her fingers running through his hair was becoming a weakness Julian didn't want to admit to, but as she twirled a piece around her index, he swallowed a large lump in throat. The credits ended just as she whispered her question in the deep silence. Julian let his thumb run over her jaw again as he nodded slowly. "Always."
Sienna wanted every inch of him to herself. And not in an overly possessive way or a sexualized dream of sorts, but just as they were at this moment. She had every waking fiber in his body clinging to her frame and the feeling of sheer bliss fulfilled her mind, her walls crumbling with each twitch of his dimples and breath against her bare skin. She was fully engrossed in the entirety of his being, this came to her as quite a surprise, though she was unable to fully comprehend the situation at hand. She smirked softly, his words tickling her nerves as the timbre of his voice resonated through her ears, raspy and deep, familiar and new. His following sentences made her frown only because that was not at al the opinion she had of him. "If by loser you mean fucking fantastic, then yes. The moon doesn't deserve anything and yet here she- it, I mean it is with the brightest star in the sky. It should be more than honored to be in his presence." She asserted these words in a fashion where she hoped he would understand his true worth to her. Hovering just centimeters from his lips, she whispered, "I'm dying to kiss you right now."
Julian: felt like his mind was going at a thousand miles per hour, along with his heart. It almost felt like this was dream, as the minutes ticked later and later into late night/early morning. He was exhausted, but there was so much adrenaline pumping through his veins as Sienna's legs tangled in his. Eyes dropping to her frown, he was so enamoured by her lips, he watched them move as she spoke of the moon and stars. He was barely paying attention to her words or his own as he sighed, "If only the moon knew." Too engrossed in her breath tickling his upper lip as she grew closer and closer, Julian couldn't quite believe the next words to come out of her plump mouth. If his mind was racing before, it was spinning out of control at that moment. His arms had slinked around her completely then as she hovered above him, brown locks creating a curtain around their faces. And Julian knew she shared her secret. He did. But what did it mean? A part of him wanted to ask. Was this Sienna and her quest to get through the apartment complex? Or was there really something behind the moon and the star? The majority of him, though, was craving her, wondering what she tasted like, how her lips would feel against his. So he couldn't stop himself. Green eyes glancing momentarily up from her lips to her eyes, he asked softly, "Then what's stopping you?"
Sienna could feel her breath hitch at the back of her throat, arms supporting her as she hovered over his lips though growing weak as every part of her body did each time he conducted the mere action of speaking. Her eyelids lost all feeling of gravity pulling them down with exhaustion as her full attention was encompassed by the way their bodies lay entangled within one another's and the proximity to his lips. Her mind began to run laps around the idea, though she knew the decision would tumble with increasing aftermath. "Where would we find light among the darkness if there were no stars to guide us?" She concentrated every working muscle to formulate such a simple sentence it seemed because she was so distracted with his physical being that her nonchalant approach to everything had simply vanished. She only desired to kiss him without having a constant reminder of its consequences buzzing in the back of her mind, but she hesitated, lesser lip quivering even as she nibbled at it softly with furrowed eyebrows, confused as to what was stopping her. "I-i... We shouldn't." She muttered, though only closing the gap further between the two.
Julian: watched as Sienna closed her eyes and he felt like he was watching a movie. He couldn't not stare. Words became something distant, mumbles in the back of his mind as all he could focus on was the idea of a kiss. Where it would lead them. What it meant. But mostly and primarily, how it would feel. Almost robotically, Julian responded, "I think the moon could help with that quite a lot actually." It took only a few moments for Sienna to almost close the gap between them. Their lips were so close, any wrong move would launch them into the action they were contemplating. But Julian couldn't idly sit by any longer. Her hair was casting a vanilla scent all around him and her skin was driving him insane. Every part of him needed what was coming then. So he threw all the worries to the wind then. He nodded softly, "We probably shouldn't." But immediately after, he found himself bringing a hand to her chin and guiding her lips to meet his.
Sienna allowed herself to grow lost amidst the silent commotion that drilled in her mind as her lips fell to coat his, their soft skin pressed passionately, causing her head to go spinning. A clean slate, a blank mind, and only thoughts of him replayed to replace all of her previous hesitations or questions. Tilting her head slightly to the left, her tongue flicked against his lip, running along the lesser as if to beg for an entrance. She had been teased with what seemed to be the greatest experience she'd ever felt and she only wanted more.
Julian: found himself losing track of any doubts he had had before the moment Sienna's pink lips met his. All he could feel was a tingling sensation and the soft, mind-numbing movements as the girl's tongue ran over his bottom lip. Their soft kiss became deeper as their tongues met in the midst of the heated moment. As he tilted his head to the right, the hand that had closed the space between them was sliding to cup her neck as his other hand ran up her side, gripping her waist to bring her closer somehow. He needed her as close as possible as their lips continued to meet, growing rougher and softer as their desires grew and calmed with each moment.
Sienna gripped the fabric of his shirt gently, physically unable to retract her lips from his, as the longing for his taste had taken much too long to be fulfilled. Though these actions read contrary to everything she stated, her legs snaked around his middle and her tongue danced with his, racing for passionate dominance, this enchanted her knowledge of anything prior. From this single kiss, she knew that his taste had the ability to drive her mind insane, drunk from the tender touch of his large hands roaming her body and the soft kiss unbreakable even for breath.
Julian: could feel himself getting riled up, craving more, wanting to break another barrier with the girl on top of him in one night. As Julian brought Sienna's bought lip gently between his teeth, tugging softly before bringing their lips back together, he couldn't help but take in everything he could. The hand roaming her body slipped down her leg slowly, marveling at how silky she felt against his rough fingertips, causing his the fog in his head to grow thicker. His other hand found itself gripping her soft hair, tangling it between his fingers. He needed all of her, but could only get so much as the kisses were leaving him absolutely breathless.
Sienna wanted so much more than just kisses pressed to their lips, a small groan exhaling as she pulled away reluctantly for a breath, her lips lingering just above his as her lips grew to a large smirk. Her heart raced, galloping as her mind flooded with thoughts of what just occurred as she fluttered her eyes open, eyelashes brushing against the surface of his face. "If I'm a star, you're my only moon." She whispered, still out of breath, as he had simply left her in awe.
Julian: wished he could have kept his lips locked with Sienna but as she pulled away, he found his body fighting to take a deep breath, his lips swelling after the long time spent in a good back and forth. When Sienna's blue eyes fluttered open, though, it was like all the oxygen in the room had disappeared. His breath hitched. He had always loved her eyes, but they shone brighter than ever before as the moonlight from the window shone through on them. He could feel himself falling, but his mind was just too focused on the girl on top of him versuses the emotions he'd surely be dealing with tomorrow. He was smiling wide when she finally spoke, at ease with their regretful decision then. "I wouldn't want to shine without you," his deep voiced echoed through his otherwise empty apartment.
