An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Theme: Alec Hardy/Oral Fixation
Warnings: none (see above)
Summary: A Hardy and Grace Flashback. On a beautiful night in September, Alec finally takes Grace out for the first time. The date goes amazingly well and it's obvious to both of them that they have explosive chemistry, but could they ruin things by moving too fast?
It was an unusually balmy early September night.
“This is delicious,” she said, spinning around him on the sidewalk. “It’s like Persephone’s holding on, just for us.” He smiled, but looked down at his feet. How could he respond to poetry? He was rusty. Tess had not cared for it, but Grace spouted sonnets.
The whole night, he’d been taciturn, but not out of boredom. He was besotted. She lit up the small patio where they had dinner. He’d been in such good spirits he’d even shared a dessert with her, a cherry chocolate trifle.
He didn’t know he liked cherries. Or chocolate. But its sweetness had made his eyes water.
They arrived at her apartment building. “Here I am. Small, but fetching.” She looked up at him and bit her plump lower lip.
He stood stiffly, not knowing what to do. He knew what he wanted to do, but the idea of being rejected by her after such an amazing night horrified him.
She climbed a step and took his hand. He followed to the door. She pulled him underneath the eaves and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“I had a lovely time, Alec. I’m so glad you finally got the courage to ask me out.”
“I thought I went about it rather smoothly,” he said. He wanted to press against her warmth, but his muscles remained rigid.
“Oh yes,” she said. “Super smooth.” She raised her hand. It hovered near his face. “May I? I’ve been wanting to do this all night.” He nodded. She lay her hand over his cheek and caressed. His beard hair crackled underneath the pad of her thumb.
He wondered whether she felt his cheeks burn underneath the beard. He was glad for the darkness.
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