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Blizzard warning in effect. Heavy snowfall, strong winds, and low temperatures expected. Please avoid unnecessary exposure and use caution if traveling is essential.
Stelle reads the alert on her phone, sighing to herself. Just her luck that a blizzard would hit during the holiday break, when there's no classes to be cancelled. Good thing I wasn't planning on leaving, she thinks. Kafka was away for one of her usual business trips, so Stelle hadn't bothered planning a visit home for the holidays. With everyone else gone, the dorm house was eerily quiet. But without anyone else around to swipe the common room, she could make good use of the TV. Playing games on her phone just wasn't as fun as using a big screen -- she could spend the whole break catching up on what she'd missed during exams.
Rolling out of bed, she didn't bother changing out of her pajama shorts or brushing her hair. Despite March, her friend and dorm mate, trying for months to tame Stelle's mass of hair, she still preferred leaving it messy. No one would see her today, anyway. A pair of fuzzy raccoon slippers and an oversized hoodie completed her snowed-in look.
On her way to the lounge, she stopped by the kitchen to scrounge up some breakfast, humming as she went. Strangely, the hallway already smelled like coffee. The last of her housemates had left early yesterday as far as she knew, before the storm warning hit. It shouldn't still smell like coffee here, unless someone had accidentally left the machine on. Her brows furrowed as she turned the corner into the room.
At the counter was a slim figure a bit taller than her, his dark head bent towards the coffee machine. "Oh!" a gasp escaped her, and he turned towards the noise. As she'd thought, his face was familiar. "I didn't think anyone else stayed for the break. Dan Heng, right? I'm Stelle," she said with a friendly smile. A surprise, but not an unpleasant one.
Despite living in the same house the last several months, Stelle had never actually spoken to Dan Heng. He mostly kept to himself, and wasn't in any of her classes. She only knew his name through March, who was one of the few people he actually talked to. How the bubbly girl had befriended the quietest person in the building, she was unsure. The first time she had seen him, Stelle had thought he was cute. But given his introverted nature, she'd never had much of a chance to act on it. Seeing him up close now, he was more than cute -- handsome, striking, elegant came to mind. Spending the break with him would be no trouble at all.
He shifted a bit before answering, the motion betraying his discomfort despite his face remaining neutral. "That's right. I always stay here during breaks, usually by myself." He turned back towards his coffee, taking a sip of the black liquid without hesitation.
"Eesh, how do you drink it like that? I need tons of milk and sugar to make it tolerable." Stelle takes the opportunity to move towards the machine as he gives her space to prepare her own drink. While the coffee brews, she lets her curiosity get the better of her. "So how come you always stay here?"
"I don’t have any family to visit, so it's not worth the travel expenses to go back to my home town." His tone and expression are still carefully neutral, so she can't tell if the question upset him. Still, she feels embarrassed to have pried.
With a flush warming her cheeks, she apologizes, "Ah, sorry, didn't mean to be nosy. I tend to ask questions now, think later…" She busies herself with adding the appropriate amounts of milk and sugar to her cup, stirring until it turns a uniform tan.
"It's alright, I don't mind you asking. Now, I will leave you to your breakfast." He heads towards the exit with just his coffee in tow.
For some reason, Stelle is sad that he's leaving so soon. But, she reminds herself, the TV is calling to her for some much-needed alone time. Still, she finds herself reaching out; "Oh, sure. I'll be in the lounge all day, probably most of the break, if you wanna join later. That is, if you don’t have other plans." Why is she nervous all of a sudden? She's being silly. Dan Heng will likely spend his time reading, as she often sees him doing between classes. It's not as if he has to hang out with her just because they're the only ones in the building.
He pauses at the doorway but doesn't turn back towards her. His reply is slightly muffled by the distance, but Stelle thinks she hears, "Sure, I'll see you later then." And then he's gone, assumedly back to his room in the opposite wing. With a smile on her face, Stelle makes herself toast and finds some of prepackaged snacks to take with her for maximum gaming time. All the way to the TV room, her smile doesn’t dissipate, despite being unsure why she's so happy. It must be the empty lounge, with every good seat free for her perusal. The alternative reason flicks through her mind, and she chooses to ignore it. No need to examine that idea when he would likely not join her, despite what he'd said. Expectations may lead to disappointment later. Settling herself into the ultra-plush couch directly in front of the large screen, she soon finds herself lost in the game.
✧✧✧
Fuck, why does it have to be her? In his room, Dan Heng sits back in his desk chair and stares at the ceiling. The one time that someone else stays for the term break, and it's her. With the storm, he can't even spend the days off-campus. He is well and truly screwed.
Stelle had introduced herself, as if he didn't already know her name. As if it didn't run through his mind at all hours of the day. He hadn’t known it when he'd first seen her; his body hadn't seemed to care, though, considering how his heart had raced just looking at the nameless girl. March had made quick work of befriending her, as she always did, and of course told Dan Heng about her. Soon the name Stelle had buried itself into his head, always accompanied by thoughts of golden eyes that seemed to be perpetually smiling. They had no shared classes, nor were history and business even held in the same building, so he had little excuse to approach her. Instead, he had gotten by on glances when she passed him in the hallway, surrounded by friends. And that had been enough for him. Or, more accurately, he had been able to ignore how much it wasn't enough.
But now, they were alone together for the break. Knowing her social nature, there was no way he could reasonably avoid her the entire time. Plus, he'd stupidly agreed to go see her in the lounge, if she'd heard him. So he would have to face her, without making a fool of himself.
He drug a hand over his face, trying to physically wipe off the nervousness he was feeling. He knew that he was inexperienced in matters of the heart, but this was ridiculous. Getting so worked up over a 5-minute conversation. Some part of him whispered, you could use this as an opportunity to make a move. But even as he thought it, he suppressed it. Stelle had practically their entire university drooling over her. In only a few months, she had made dozens of friends. Among them, Bronya Rand and Seele Vollerei stood out. The student body was divided on which one she was dating; both sides had evidence, but Stelle had yet to acknowledge the rumors either way. Whether it was the Student Representative President or the de facto leader of Wildfire, the school's unofficial motorcycle club, Stelle had to be off the table. And if by some fluke she wasn't, then why would his advances be appreciated out of nowhere? Today was the first time they had spoken, and she had no shortage of admirers. He was getting way ahead of himself.
Today at least, he could hole up in his room without arousing suspicion that he was avoiding her. Reading would be futile, but he went through with the motions anyway. His eyes skimmed words without comprehension while his mind worked over the issue at hand. Hopefully, he could find a way to just be normal around her.
✧✧✧
Hours went by with Stelle in front of the TV, only leaving when absolutely necessary. When she next looked out the windows, night had fallen. With it, the snow had began. It wasn't blizzard conditions yet, but she could hear that the wind had started to pick up. The realization that it was night caught up with her, and Stelle stretched into a yawn. I suppose I should go to my room for the night, she thought with a twinge of sadness. Why was she sad after spending the entire day playing her favourite game? He didn't visit, her mind whispered to her. Both hands went to her face, attempting to suppress her ridiculous melancholy over Dan Heng. She'd known it was unlikely for him to actually take her invitation; she'd been expecting this exact outcome. Had even told herself that expecting him would only lead to unnecessary sadness. Yet disappointed she still was. God, I'm being stupid.
Stelle grumbled to herself all the way to her room, trying to convince herself to not care if he wanted to hang out with her. In the months that she'd lived here, she had never been actively sad that he didn't talk to her. Sure, she had wished he would. She had noticed him around campus, head bent over a book more often than not. She had even considered approaching him herself, at the beginning of the year. But March had said that he was quite introverted and reserved, and Stelle had decided that making a move like that might make him uncomfortable. But it seemed that one chance encounter was enough to make her wish for more.
While she settled into bed for the night, Stelle resolved to approach him tomorrow. As long as he comes out of his room. He couldn't stay in there forever; she would be ready when he emerged. If she thought about it more, maybe bold action was the right approach with him. Clearly he wasn't going to initiate anything. Considering his friendship with March, it was unlikely that was his idea. He must not be completely averse to having someone else start the conversation. If her friend could do it, so can she.
--
Waking to the mid-morning light filtering in through her curtains, Stelle sleepily shook off the remnants of her dreams. Most of the details were already fuzzy, but she clearly recalled Dan Heng making several appearances. Her face warmed thinking about him. Dear god, when did I turn into a blushing maiden at the mere thought of an attractive man? She rolled her eyes at her own behaviour and got up. Though she tried not to make the decision consciously, she was aware of herself picking a slightly cuter black pajama set to go under her hoodie this time. The slightly translucent material made her feel a little less maiden-like, which helped her mood. She even attempted to comb through her hair, though she gave up part way through.
By the time she reached the kitchen, Stelle was unsurprised to find it empty. It was already almost noon; Dan Heng must have already gotten his coffee. She brewed her own milky drink and thought over her game plan. Unsure of which room was his, she couldn't just go knock. Waiting for him to come out was her best option. But how would she know when he left, unless he came to see her himself? After humming and hawing at the dilemma for several minutes, she settled on a note. Stuck onto the coffee machine so he wouldn't miss it, she wrote:
Dan Heng! You said you would come visit me yesterday. I'll be waiting today -- you know where. See you soon! Stelle
She drew a few star doodles around the note for good measure, and refrained from adding x's to her signature. Coming off too strong too soon would backfire, she thought. With the bait set, she retreated to her couch and booted up her game. But unlike yesterday, she wasn't able to find that perfect flow state within the game. She was distracted with thoughts of Dan Heng, and how he would react to her message. She only hoped he would heed it, or else she would need a new plan.
✧✧✧
Dan Heng had successfully avoided her. For one day. Only 13 more to go, he thought sarcastically. One day had been manageable from what he had in his room, but this morning he'd had to venture out for coffee. Luckily for him, Stelle was a late riser. However, she was surely up by now, and he was getting hungry again. Weighing the risks, he decided that it was unlikely she would leave the lounge in the time it would take him to get to the kitchen and back, as long as he was quick.
He walked through the halls as softly as he could, aware of every creak and groan he caused, thanking the howling wind outside for covering his footsteps. But from the kitchen, he could hear the telltale sounds of Stelle's video game coming from the direction of the TV room. Has she gotten up to eat at all? She zones out when she's gaming. I could bring her something. The thought forced its way to the front of his mind, before he roughly shoved it off. Giving his head a shake, he reminds himself that her habits aren’t something he should know about.
Dan Heng finds the fastest meal he can: instant ramen. Not the greatest supper, but it will get him back upstairs quickly. When he turns to the coffee maker to secure his main goal of this trip, he sees the sticky note affixed to the machine. It hadn’t been there this morning, so there was only one explanation: Stelle had left it in the hours since. He approached the machine like one would a frightened dog. When he could make out the words, he inwardly cursed. She had heard him yesterday, and now she was expecting him. Making himself his coffee as an excuse to delay, he considered his options. If he went back to his room, she would surely know that he had been here and ignored the note. That would just come across as rude, which wasn't his intention. But going to see her would almost definitely result in awkwardness and embarrassment.
He was still weighing his options, coffee in hand, when he's suddenly surrounded by darkness. A loud crash and groan follow from the direction of Stelle's lounge. Great, a power outage. He can’t even see his own feet in the darkness. Noodles abandoned, he pulls out his phone and lights his path. The noise had made his decision for him; he had to make sure she was okay, racing heart be damned.
✧✧✧
Stelle had been in the middle of an infamously-hard boss fight when the TV had gone black. Suddenly finding herself sitting in the dark, a groan of frustration left her as she tossed her controller towards the table. In the blackness, her aim wasn't the best; it clattered to the floor with a loud bang. She'd known that the blizzard was serious given the weather alerts, but she hadn't expected it to knock the power out. Looking out the windows, she noticed for the first time in hours just how much the wind had picked up. There was even snow cresting up the sides of the building in quickly-rising banks. Well, shit. How was she supposed to enjoy her blissfully empty lounge now?
That was when she remembered that she wasn't alone. As if summoned by her thoughts, Dan Heng appeared in the doorway, phone flashlight in hand. "Are you alright? I heard a crash."
He'd come to check on her? Something fluttered in her chest. Then she remembered that she hadn't hurt herself, only the controller, and was slightly embarrassed. "Ah, sorry, yeah I'm fine. My controller missed the table." Another sigh as she remembered all her lost progress. "I was fighting the final boss and hadn't saved in forever, so I'll have to redo everything when the power comes back on. That's going to put me way behind."
In the dim light of his phone, Dan Heng seems relieved. Her outburst must have been louder than she thought, if he'd thought she'd hurt herself badly enough to be worried. "That's unfortunate, but good as long as you're okay. I should go find my noodles then." The last sentence is a bit muffled, as if he's mostly speaking to himself. But Stelle heard him anyway, and once again lets curiosity guide her.
"Huh? You lost some noodles?" Her head tilts as she asks, a usually-unconscious motion that she's now very aware of. Why is she so self-conscious all of a sudden?
Dan Heng looks away; if she could see his face better, she would bet he's blushing. His shy face is so endearing, she's tempted to tease him just to see his expression. But she doubts he would appreciate that. "I was grabbing supper when the power went out. I couldn't hold the cup of noodles, coffee, and my phone at the same time, and it sounded like you hurt yourself in the dark. So I left the noodles in the kitchen and came to see you."
"Oh." Now it was her turn to be embarrassed. "That was kind of you. Thank you, Dan Heng."
A long pause precedes his reply, making Stelle nervous. Finally he breaks it, saying, "You don’t have to thank me, I didn’t actually do anything and it was no trouble."
Suddenly, Stelle remembered her note. If he'd been making supper, then he definitely saw it. In fact, he was even holding a coffee as they spoke. If the power hadn’t gone out, would he have joined her? She supposed she would never know, but either way, he was here now. Spending the rest of the night alone in the dark with no games to play sounded boring; spending it with Dan Heng significantly less so. This blackout could be a good opportunity for her. "Do you mind some company on your ramen-retrieval? My schedule has opened up all of a sudden." She lets just a bit of flirtation enter her smirk; small enough for him to ignore if the feeling isn't mutual. Usually, she's not concerned with whether the object of her flirting is interested or not -- it's a game more than anything, never anything serious. But now she's very concerned with his feelings. How had he managed to get under her skin so badly after only two conversations? Damn those alluring green eyes.
Dan Heng hesitates for only a moment before agreeing, "Alright, but be careful not to trip on anything. Does your phone have battery?" She hadn't even thought of grabbing her own light. Pulling it from her pocket, it flicks on to a low battery warning. She turns it towards Dan Heng, who sighs. "You should save that in case you need to place a call. We can share my light."
Even better. She walks right up to his side, beckoning towards the doorway. "Lead the way, sir knight."
He turns to her with an incredulous look. "Is that necessary?"
A grin escapes her as she fights a laugh. She likes that expression on him. "Yes! You came to rescue me from the clutches of darkness, which qualifies you for knighthood. It's in the very-official dorm handbook."
When he cracks a smile at the joke, Stelle decides that it's her favourite of his faces. Can she make him do it again? It will have to be her new goal for the evening. And she is very determined once she sets her mind to something.
✧✧✧
In the span of 20 minutes, Dan Heng had gone from making ramen to avoid running into Stelle, to wandering the dark dorm house with her at his side. She kept close enough to him that he could reach out and touch her if he wanted. And he wanted. But he didn't. She was being friendly, as she always was; nothing more. The proximity wasn't helping his nerves, though.
Once they had gotten his ramen, Stelle had grabbed herself a bowl of cereal since it didn't require cooking. He was unsure of their next move. Does she want to do something? His mind was blanking on things they could do to occupy their time. Well, except for one thing. One entirely inappropriate thing for him to suggest. Stop. It. Be. Normal.
"I think I have a power bank somewhere in my room. We should stop by and see if I can find it to charge my phone."
Her voice prompted him to retreat from his ungentlemanly thoughts, if briefly. She wanted him to follow her to her bedroom? Dan Heng was once again grateful to the darkness surrounding him, masking his no-doubt red face. Not helping, Stelle. Somehow, he managed neutrality in his voice to say, "Okay, you lead the way." No need to admit that he knew which room was hers, thanks to March.
They walked through the halls in comfortable silence. It's strange; they only really met tonight, yet he finds himself relaxing around her. If not for his racing heart, he might even be comfortable. Normally the silence surrounding him was awkward, but not theirs. It was nice. Within it, he tried to remind himself that she almost definitely had a girlfriend. But he argued with himself; you don’t know that, unless you ask her. That felt out of the question, to ask without apparent cause. Best to just focus on keeping his thoughts safe.
Arriving at Stelle's door, she fumbled around for a minute to find her key card. Once it was retrieved, she pressed it to the sensor on the doorframe.
No reaction.
"That's weird. Maybe it's not locked?" But as she said that, she tried to door to no avail. A suspicion crept into Dan Heng's thoughts, but he didn't voice it. Please not that. Anything but that.
Stelle tried a few more angles, but nothing made the card reader respond. It was her that finally said his thought aloud: "Do these not work without power?"
Dread filled him at once. "They are supposed to, but it seems like something failed. We should check my room, just to be sure it's not specific to your door." Not that that would be much better, but it would be something.
Stelle hummed her ascent, and followed him back across the house to his door. As suspected, it wouldn't open.
"Well, I guess we're stuck in the common spaces until the power's back. At least the kitchen isn't locked." Stelle's joke lifted his spirits a bit; she clearly wasn't too upset. Maybe she hadn't yet reached the conclusions that he had. Or maybe she just didn't care. Either way, he was now in for a much harder night.
"The lounge you were in will be the warmest place in the house, we should go back there for the night." Please let her not think he was trying to make excuses to get in her pants. If this could be avoided, he would. But it would be best to conserve heat since they didn't have a time estimate for power returning.
Luckily, it seemed that she hadn't even considered an ulterior motive to his words. "Yeah that's smart, the TV gets really hot when I have it on for that long. It's probably still pretty warm in there." As if the mention of heat reminded her that she was only wearing thin shorts, a shiver overtook her. She shot him a sheepish smile, admitting, "A blanket sounds nice right about now."
Dan Heng tried his best to not show how cold he was. He inwardly cursed his constitution, having always run cold. Hopefully the lounge had enough blankets to make for a semi-comfortable night. He refused to let her be uncomfortable, even if it meant going cold.
But on their return, they searched up and down only to find a single blanket. Dan Heng insisted that Stelle take it, which she reluctantly accepted. Holding himself as still as possible to deter shivering, he thought warm thoughts. If he concentrated enough, he could get through the night. He had to.
From the biggest couch, Stelle called to him. "Hey, my laptop still has full battery. I've got some movies downloaded, wanna watch one?" That means getting closer to her. He was hesitant, but the promise of her warm aura convinced him to say yes. Plus, he really didn’t want to see her disappointment if he said no. So he joined her on the couch, giving her as much space as he could. It's just a movie. Focus on that and get through this.
✧✧✧
Stelle curled her legs under the blanket and balanced the laptop on her knees. Dan Heng was crushed into the corner of the couch, pretty much as far from her as he could get. That couldn't be comfortable. Despite his multiple layers, she was sure that he'd been shivering, too. Yet he'd insisted she take the blanket. Stelle only considered for a second before turning to him and lifting the corner of the blanket. "You don’t have to sit all the way over there, you won't be able to see the screen. Aren't you cold?"
His eyes went saucer-wide, darting between her face and her legs, visible under the lifted blanket. "I'm fine, really. You should keep the blanket." He said it with a vigorous head shake.
He was almost as stubborn as she was. Almost. "I promise I don't mind sharing. I won’t bite, you know?" Unless you ask me to, she decided against adding. He already looked like a deer in headlights, best not to scare him off even more.
He was silent for a moment, before tentatively asking, "Won't Bronya mind?"
The question threw her off entirely. She was sure as much as evident from her face, but she said anyway, "Why would Bronya care?"
His eyes shot up from her legs to meet her eyes for just a second, before he looked at his hands folded in his lap. A touch quieter than before, he says, "Because you're not wearing pants and I would have to be pressed against you to share the blanket."
Sounds good to me. "I'm still failing to see why Bronya would care?"
A shocked look flashing across his face. "Are you two not dating?"
"What? Of course not! Who told you we were?" Stelle answers with a surprised laugh.
He doesn’t answer her question. His face remains serious when he says, "So you're with Seele then."
Is he messing with her? "Dan Heng, I'm not dating Seele either. Obviously. Her and Bronya are together."
The shocked expression deepens, as if she's presented him with an astonishing discovery. He leans towards her a bit when he says, "Really?"
She laughs a bit, watching him so surprised. "Yeah, really. They're not very subtle, I don't know how you thought I was with either of them." What a weird revelation. Was that why he'd been acting so strangely around her?
"The entire school thinks you are," He says dryly.
"What?"
"They're divided. There's bets on both sides, on when you will officially acknowledge your relationship. No one suspects Bronya and Seele are actually together; now that I think about it, if that is their goal then it's brilliantly done." If she thought about it too, it did make sense as a cover. As Student Representative President, it might effect Bronya's standing with some students to be connected to Wildfire. But still…
"You're telling me the entire school has been placing bets on my love life, and I have heard nothing of this?" It was ridiculous. Comical even. But she really didn't think Dan Heng was the type to joke about this.
He confirmed that when he reluctantly said, "…Yes. Sorry to be the one to tell you."
Their eyes meet; a second of silence passes before Stelle starts laughing. Dan Heng gives her a relieved smile, even chuckling a bit with her. Several minutes later, with an aching stomach, Stelle manages to compose herself enough to speak. "I can’t believe you thought I was dating Bronya. She's pretty and all, but not really my type." Hopefully her teasing attitude is able to keep up the current atmosphere, with Dan Heng smiling instead of acting like she's a lit match.
He takes the bait just as she'd hoped, asking, "So what is your type then?" The laptop doesn't provide enough light to see if he's blushing, which she curses. She's sure his expression would be even cuter if she could see the pink cheeks that are surely there.
She puts a finger to her chin and hmm's in thought. Let's tease him a little first. "Well, Professor Yang in the physics department almost makes me regret choosing business; that's a man who's aging like fine wine. And do you know Gepard Landau, 4th year? His sister is a PhD candidate and wow, the looks certainly run in the family." His face remains neutral as she talks, but she notices a flare of something in his eyes at the mention of Gepard. Interesting. But that's probably enough teasing for now. She gives him a smirk and adds, "Oh, and tall, dark haired history majors. Bonus points if they're too shy to make the first move."
His mouth opens and closes a few times, like he's going to say something but thinks better of it. After a minute of this, he finally shuffles over from his corner to sit next to her under the blanket without a word. Stelle tucks it around him and looks up at his face; now that he's closer to the laptop, she can see the dusting of pink on his cheeks. The sight makes her smile big. Up close, he's even cuter than before. He meets her eyes for a second before looking away again. "I... didn't think you would be interested in me. Given that we've only really met tonight. And you're so friendly with everyone, it is hard to tell if you're genuinely flirting." With him pressed against her side, she can feel the vibrations of his voice. It makes something in her chest flutter.
"You didn't give me much opportunity to know you before. But for the record, I've thought you were cute since March told me your name. You're much more handsome when I can actually see you, though." The pink intensifies at her compliment. She grins. "Especially when you blush."
He looks aghast, which makes her giggle. "So you're enjoying teasing me that much?"
"Oh, very much so. You're much more fun than anyone else here. I guess since the entire school thought I was dating two of my friends, then my friendliness really does come across as flirting. But it's not intentional. Except now, with you." She was going to be as blatant as possible, to leave no room for him to misinterpret her meaning.
He leans in close to her ear and drops his voice, "I have you all to myself, then?"
Her eyes widen, and now it's her turn to flush. Where has that come from? She'd had no idea he had that in him. But when he sees her rosy face, he laughs and gives her a smile so bright she can't even tell they're in the dark. It's the first full smile she's seen on his face, and she decides that any amount of discomposure on her part is worth seeing that expression.
✧✧✧
God I want to kiss her. The thought echoes in his head while he watches her blush. Some latent part of him, a part that is bold and unapologetic, had awoken at Stelle's clear admission. She was interested in him. Not any of her other myriad admirers, but him. And knowing that made him want to hold her and never let go. A voice tentatively warns, don't go further than she does, but it's overpowered by his newfound boldness. When he smiles at her, she looks awed. He'd never thought that he could have that effect on someone; it was enough to decide his next move.
Sliding his arm around her shoulders, he brings the other hand up slowly to tilt her chin up. He gives her every opportunity to dissent, but she just looks at him warmly. So he completes the motion, tilting his head as their lips meet. It's a gentle kiss; despite his newfound confidence, he doesn't have a great deal of experience. When she takes the lead to deepen the kiss, he follows. She tastes like cherry candy and coffee, an oddly pleasant combination. They break for air for just a moment, which Stelle uses to move her laptop and swing her leg over his. While straddling him, her hands rest on his chest. Dan Heng is breathless when she leans close to him and asks, "Is this too much?"
He hurriedly shakes his head, scared that she'll back off if he hesitates. He definitely doesn't want her to back off right now. His hands, which were hovering between them, slide to her legs. Her skin is hot beneath is fingers despite the chill of the room. "You're burning up," he murmurs.
Stelle gives him a smirk, replying, "I wonder whose fault that is." She leans back on his lap, crosses her arms over each other, and grasps the hem of her sweater. In one fluid motion, she discards the sweater and shakes out her hair. Under it, she wears a black camisole that matches her shorts. His heart ticks up a beat at the sight of her with so much skin on display. He tries desperately not to notice that she isn't wearing a bra when she leans back towards him. "You're keeping me plenty warm all on your own."
He can feel himself blushing like mad when she presses forward and kisses him again. Her whole body is pressed against him in nothing more than her flimsy sleep set, and it sets him ablaze. All his earlier inappropriate thoughts come back to him, suddenly seeming not so off the table. Hands on her legs, he grips firmly as she tugs on his hair lightly. It's not enough to hurt; just enough to make him groan into her mouth. He can feel her smile in their kiss and knows that reaction was what she wanted. An urge to move his hands up her body overtakes him. Thinking on it for only a second before deciding she probably won't mind, he follows through. One hand curls around her butt, the other sliding up to her waist and gripping the bunched-up camisole. A pleasant sigh escapes her; he was right that she wouldn't mind. It emboldens him to squeeze her tightly to him, feeling every soft curve against his body. Her hips grind against him in response and he holds back a moan.
Without shifting away from him, Stelle breaks the kiss, breathing heavily. In the dark, her pupils are blown wide looking at him. Her voice is raspy when she speaks, "Have you ever done this before? I don't want to push you too far."
His mind is too preoccupied with the feeling of her against him to be embarrassed at his answer. "No, I haven't. But I am fine." She looks unconvinced, so he shifts her on his lap and leans into her, eliciting a gasp. "In case it was unclear how much I want to continue."
He's looking her in the eye as he speaks, so he sees the flashes of surprise, desire, and resolve cross her face. With a mischievous grin, Stelle slides her hand down his chest and hovers at his navel. "You want me that bad, huh? Well then, you'll have to earn it. Since you have no experience, you haven't developed any bad habits that I'll have to break. Do exactly as I say to make me feel good, and I'll return the favour." A single finger runs across the front of his constricting pants, teasing him. "Do we have a deal, Dan Heng?"
If he hadn't already been ready to say yes, hearing his name in that breathy voice would have done it. "God, yes, Stelle. Tell me what you like and I'll do it."
"Good boy," she says with a smirk. The praise makes his dick twitch. Fuck, since when am I into that? She moves his hands: one pushes further up her torso, cupping her breast. The camisole remains between them, but only barely. Stelle curls his fingers over the hem of it, brushing her skin. The other hand, she moves to the waistband of her shorts. One eyebrow raises at him expectantly. "I want to ride your fingers. Feel how wet you've made me?" The directness makes his flush deepen, but he does what she says. Dipping into her shorts, he gently drags a finger across her and finds she wasn't exaggerating. The feeling makes his mind go blank. "Now push your middle and ring fingers into me, slowly."
He watches her face as he does, sees the moan leave her lips as he gets deeper. Stelle rocks her hips on him, finding the speed she needs on her own. His other hand palms her breast, teasing her nipple from the edge of the fabric. Between gasps, she instructs him, "Curl the tips of your fingers towards you, like -- oh! Yes, that's it. Fuck, don't stop doing that." When he does as she says, her back arcs towards him. The strap of her top falls from her shoulder, freeing her breast from the fabric. On instinct, he leans down and drags his tongue across the tip. Her answering moan of his name tells him it was the right move, so he pulls her nipple into his mouth. He uses her gasps and cries as signals to know where to lick, suck, and bite. Pulling his mouth away to kiss her exposed throat, he replaces it with his free hand to continue his ministrations. By the time she gives her final instruction, her chest is heaving. One hand meets his and pulls his thumb into position in front of her entrance. "I'm so close, don't change anything. Just press your thumb here in little circles and for the love of god, don’t stop when I tense up." He pulls his head back from her skin to watch her reaction as he stimulates her. Near instantly, she tightens on his fingers and lets out a string of moans punctuated by his name. On her instruction, he keeps pumping into her while she rides out her orgasm. When her entire body seems to melt against him, he slowly eases out of her and waits for her to speak. Thoughts race through his head in the silence; that was the hottest thing I've ever seen. Watching her come with my name in her mouth is as good as getting off myself. It's too much. I need more. Please let it have been good for her.
She eases his worries with a contented smile. "As I thought, you're a natural. Such a good listener, too. You deserve that reward now for sure. But would it be greedy of me to ask for you to do that again, at the same time?" Her gaze was still hazy with lust. A deep pride settled in him that he had gotten her off well enough that she wanted more from him.
His hand moved back to her waistband at the same time that hers did his. She finally freed him from his pants while he circled her entrance with his fingers. Looking from his erection to his face, she whistled. "I could tell you were big when you ground against me, but damn. Everyone would be so jealous of me right now if they knew," she practically drooled over him.
The unexpected praise hits that newly discovered craving, and he bites his lip to not groan. "Pretty sure it’s me they would be jealous of," he reminds her with a meaningful look that made her grin.
When she wrapped a hand around him, he pushed his fingers back into her and they groaned in unison. "That's better. I want to hear the sounds you make, don't hold them back," she said between gasps of her own. This time, she let him set the pace and matched her strokes to his. Stelle kept her eyes on his the entire time, seeing every bit of pleasure she wrung from him. Her breaths came faster as he felt himself nearing the edge. Her hands on him were entirely unlike his own; it was a sensation like nothing he had ever experienced.
Right before he hit that peak, Stelle slowed her hands to languid strokes. He bucked against her instinctively before she spoke, "We don't have any condoms, so I can't fuck you properly. Instead, I'll give you a preview of the main event until we get into our rooms again." She shifted forward until his dick almost rested against her stomach, and matched the rhythm of her hips to her wrists. "Pretend that I'm riding your cock instead of your hand. Look how deep you would fill me up. Fuck, I want you so bad, you have no idea. I need to feel you lose control, Dan Heng. Go ahead, come for me now." Her words were enough to tip him over the edge. He held eye contact while he spasmed under her hand, and resisted the urge to bite his lip against the moans she caused. She wasn't exaggerating about needing to see him lose it; her own release came as she watched him break. They leaned against each other as pleasure rode over them in waves, before finally falling back to the silence of the dark room, their beating hearts and heaving lungs loud by comparison.
Stelle is the first to speak. "So, I did the thing where I act before I think." His heart drops. Does she immediately regret doing this? But then she continues, "I didn’t consider clean up. Any ideas..?" He blinks once, twice, then looks down at their intertwined forms. Their clothes were in varying levels of disarray, and featured large wet stains across their fronts. Then he looked to their hands, each damp from the other's arousal. I just came all over her only set of clothes. And mine.
An embarrassed groan leaves him. With his head in his dry hand, he mumbles, "I'm so sorry, I was not… thinking clearly. We can find some towels in the communal washroom, and you can wash your clothes in the sink. Your sweater will have to do until they dry, though." The mortification he felt was as good as a bucket of cold water on any remaining sexy thoughts.
But Stelle only laughed, and told him, "You don’t have to apologize to me. I was quite busy watching you enjoy yourself. If this bothered me, I wouldn't have put myself directly on top of you." She leaned in and kissed him tenderly. It lacked the heat of their earlier touches, but was just as intimate. It managed to make him feel a little less like an overly excitable teenage boy.
"You can decide if I have to apologize once you have clean, dry clothes on. Getting to the washroom like this is going to be cold." Tucking the blanket over her shoulders, careful to not dirty it, he held onto her legs and stood. She let out a little yelp and gripped his shoulders tightly, but quickly realized that he wouldn’t drop her.
"You're stronger than you look. Do you have serious muscles hidden under those sweaters?" He snorted at her teasing. "Here, give me your phone. I'll hold the light since you're holding me." He retrieved his phone and her hoodie, and then carefully made his way to the shared washrooms down the hall. Luckily it wasn't far, but the room was several degrees colder than the lounge. They both shivered as Dan Heng set her down.
Stelle set his phone on the counter and tested the water, letting out a celebratory woo. "It's still hot. I'm gonna shower, if you would like to join me." The look she gave him had all the heat the room lacked.
Obviously I would like to join you. But he suspected they would both stop caring about their lack of condoms when pressed into the small shower stall together. So despite his less logical side mentally protesting, he told her, "It's probably best that I don't. You go ahead, I will wash your clothes in the sink while you're gone."
With an exaggerated pout, Stelle said, "You're probably right. Okay, if you're sure." She turned towards the shower room, and paused. Back to him, she pulled her top over her head then wiggled out of her shorts and underwear. She turned halfway to hand the bundle to him. He accepted it with a dry mouth as she winked at him. Seeing her silhouette in the shadows made him really regret being smart.
Before long, the sound of running water told him he was free of her temptation for a bit. Shaking himself, he tried his best to thoroughly wash her clothes in the tiny sink. Once he was satisfied, he hung them over the towel rack to dry.
Stelle emerged wearing her hoodie, with a towel wrapped around her damp hair. She ushered him towards the door. "Go on, your turn. I tried not to use all the hot water." For some reason, her appearance made his heart squeeze in affection. He wanted to lean down and kiss her. Would that be okay? Or is that the kind of affection reserved for relationships? I don't even know if she wants this to be a relationship. Could I do casual, if that's what she wants? If the alternative is not experiencing that again?
He was silent a beat too long as his thoughts spiraled. Stelle cocked her head and asked, "Are you alright? Did I... push you too far?" Her eyes were remorseful.
Quickly shaking his head, he reassured, "No, no, nothing like that. I'm fine. Just lost in thought." Putting his worries about whatever this was between them, he followed his gut and bent towards her, giving her a soft kiss.
When they pulled away, she looked at him affectionately. "What was that for?"
He smiled at her. "I just wanted to. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is. Is that what you were worrying over? Dan Heng, I thought I made it pretty clear just now how much I want you. You're welcome to kiss me whenever you want, as much as you want." He decided not to bring up his real worries. Later, he thought. For now, he grinned at her and pulled her in for one more kiss. She was giggling when they broke away. Making quick work of the shower, he reemerges without his outermost sweater, and a towel draped over his shoulders.
On the counter by the sink, Stelle had curled up her legs into her large hoodie and fallen asleep leaned against the wall. Dan Heng's chest tightens tenderly looking at her. Trying his best not to wake her, he carries her back to their lounge and settles her in against the arm. He sits himself next to her and tucks the blanket around them both, ready to attempt sleep, when Stelle shifts from her spot. Still seeming to be asleep, she curls into his side with a noise of contentment. Well, if this is what she wants, who am I to resist? Dan Heng wraps an arm around her and soon drifts off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
--
The next several days blurred together. Still without power, Stelle and Dan Heng spent the days trying to kill time and the nights keeping each other warm. She told him about her aunt Kafka, whose mysterious business career had inspired her major. He explained how he'd become emancipated as a teen and never looked back to 'home'. They learned about each other's hobbies, favourite foods, childhood stories; anything and everything that they could share in the long hours they spent together. He learned exactly how to make her body respond as he wanted it to, and she showed him new pleasure each time. The whole time, Dan Heng's worry about their status was a cloud over his head that was increasingly hard to ignore. Later, he kept telling himself. It's not a good time.
On the afternoon of their seventh day without power, the lights suddenly shot back on. Stelle and Dan Heng looked at each other in shock, before she cried out, "Oh my god, finally! Hot food, hot showers, hot blankets! My own bed! Video games!" Her enthusiasm was contagious. When he smiled at her, her eyes turned molten. "Meet me in my room in an hour?"
Her intentions were crystal clear. Fuck, I'm out of time. He had to decide in the next hour how he was going to broach the subject that had been on his mind all week. Because god he wanted this; wanted her. Even if it was only sex to her. But he had to know what he was getting into. If they went this far while he was having false hopes... it wouldn't end well for him. For now, all he did was nod at her with a nervous gulp. With a drawn out kiss that left him breathless, she bid him farewell for now and bounced towards her room.
***
Fresh out of the shower, Stelle felt better than she had in ages. The familiar scent of her shampoo was a comfort after a week without power. She had scrubbed every inch of her body until the scalding water had turned her skin pink, then lathered herself in lotion. Wearing a clean hoodie, thigh high socks, and her cutest matching underwear set, Stelle felt confident that Dan Heng would find her irresistible. Excitement coursed through her thinking about him. It had been difficult for her to hold herself back all week; the power had come on at exactly the right time.
While she waited for him, she plugged her long-dead phone in to charge. The winter night approached fast, with sunset already upon them, so she left her thick curtains pulled back to allow the orange light to shine through the sheer ones underneath. With her string lights lit, it gave the room a romantic glow. Since when am I such a softie? Usually she treated sex like a transaction, enjoying the pleasure but not making it into anything further, never getting attached. But her fluttering heart made her arrange things just so, to make the atmosphere match her feelings. I guess this is what it's like to want someone romantically instead of only physically.
A knock at the door drew her from her thoughts. Though he was the only person in the building, she still peeked out of a crack in the door before opening it wide. Dan Heng stood there in fresh clothing, hair still a bit damp. He smelled like birch bark and crisp morning air. She didn’t miss the way his eyes roved over her from head to toe, catching on the bit of skin left exposed on her legs. When he looked into her eyes, Stelle caught a flash of nervousness across his expression before it melted into heat. In the back of her mind, she worried about what it could mean. She had noticed his nerves before they'd parted, but she had written it off as him being inexperienced. Surely that's all it was, right?
"So this is what you wear to seduce a man. Well, it's working," he joked as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.
Stelle backed towards her bed with a smirk, stopping when the back of her legs met the blanket. "I'm glad you approve. For the record, you're having the same effect while fully clothed, so I think you win."
He slowly approached, but didn't stop in front of her. Instead, he walked around to the side of the bed and sat down. She turned to him and froze when she saw his expression. That really wasn't the look she'd been aiming for. He looked… sad. Remorseful. A tad guilty. Fuck. Is he going to end things? Her heart was racing for an entirely separate reason now. They had barely begun. No, no, no.
Their eyes met. He must have seen the panic in hers, because his own expression got even moodier. In silence, she stood there without closing the gap between them. Waited for him to speak. The longer I stay quiet, the longer I can pretend that this isn’t going to hurt. But lying to herself was useless; she had gotten attached, and this would hurt.
"Stelle, before we do this, I need to ask. Is this casual for you?"
His voice didn't betray his feelings either way. That wasn't what she had expected him to say, but it wasn't necessarily better. She had assumed based on his demeanor and lack of previous experience that he wasn't one for casual hook-ups. Had she assumed wrong? If all he wanted was the physical, she could do that. But she knew that a part of her would break at the concession. Usually casual was her motto, but Dan Heng was different. Stelle craved more than nights of physical gratification from him; she wanted his sleepy mornings and busy afternoons, too. She wanted his good moments and his bad. She desperately wanted him all to herself, in every aspect.
She studied his face for a few seconds, trying to gauge his stance, but he'd guarded his expression well. He wants my answer without his influence. But she doesn't want to back him into a corner; she'll have to answer carefully. "I can do casual," her voice comes out a touch quieter than she intended it to. Shit. Damage control time. "That's how I usually do relationships. It wouldn't be new for me." There, that sounded surer.
A flicker passes his eyes, but it's too fast for her to decipher it. Then, "And if that's not what I want?"
Thump, thump, thump beats her heart before her mind catches up to what he said. Does that…? "What do you want, Dan Heng?"
Though she phrases it in a way that doesn't state her feelings on the matter, her body language is another story. Stelle knows she's never been a good liar. He could probably read her exact feelings from the expression on her face. Then again, she thought that she'd been fairly clear about her feelings all week, so maybe he couldn't.
After what felt like an eternity, she sees him come to a decision. With a more confident expression, he tells her, "I want to be your boyfriend. I want you now, knowing that I'll still have you next week. I want the physical, but I want everything else more. Please, Stelle, let me have you to myself. I want to be selfish this once."
It feels like a weight physically lifts from her shoulders. Her biggest smile stretches across her face as she answers, "You can be as selfish as you want with me, as long as you're mine." Stelle sees a surprised twinkle in his eyes at her words. Coming around the bed to sit next to him, she shakes her head. "Of course that's what I want. You scared the hell out of me, you big dummy. I thought you were going to break up with me before even asking me out."
"I'm sorry," he murmurs with a guilty expression. It reminds her of a scolded dog, which only makes her grin wider. "I have been worrying all week that when the breaks ends, we would go back to being shadows in each others' lives. I don't want to go back to not knowing you, Stelle."
"I could never go back to not knowing you, Dan Heng." She reaches for his hand, and he squeezes hers reassuringly. "And yes, obviously."
He gives her a quizzical look, to which she raises her eyebrows. "You're asking me to be a couple, aren't you? The answer is yes."
From his profile, she sees that his blush extends all the way to the back of his neck, which was never visible in the dark. Damn, he's so cute. Then he turns to her and kisses her deeply, until her head spins. When he pulls away, his hand stays on her neck, keeping them only centimeters apart. "You have no idea how happy you've made me." His voice was quiet, but honeyed. It reminded her of the original purpose behind their meeting, and suddenly her arousal was back in full force.
Pushing him back against her pillows, Stelle grabbed the hem of his sweater and smiled at him. "Let me show you how happy I am." She made quick work of his top layers, followed by his pants. When he sat before her in only underwear, she paused to admire his form. It had been too cold to actually undress him before, so this was her first look at his body as a whole. Under all the layers, he had lithe muscle. She let her gaze burn across him for long enough that he was sure to notice her appreciation. For good measure, she whistled when she met his eyes, "You're full of surprises under your clothes, aren't you? " Her hand ran down his chest while she teased.
His breaths were coming a little faster when he answered, "I told you that I'm trained in martial arts." That he had. But she hadn't realized how well trained he was. His body was that of a professional athlete, yet he always hid it under several layers of sweaters. A pity for the world, but a great joy for her. She would make sure to enjoy it thoroughly.
Holding eye contact, she pulled her sweater off and settled onto his lap. His hands found her hips immediately, gripping her to him. The fabric separating them felt very small. From the way his eyes had locked onto the golden lace decorating her breast, she had chosen the set correctly. Stelle brought her hands up his neck, cradling his head up towards hers. She tugged on his hair just a bit, the way she knew would make him groan. Bringing her mouth to his, she captured the noise with her kiss. His hands roamed her body, sending sparks all over. Hips grinding against him, she moaned into his mouth when his fingers teased her nipple through the sheer lace. Feeling his growing arousal under her, her own desire just kept growing. I need him. Now.
She got off of him only long enough to reach into her bedside table for a condom. Dan Heng used the opportunity to undo the clasp on her bra, and she let it fall to the ground. Turning back to him, she stepped out of her underwear before pulling his down. Once the condom was on, she repositioned on his lap, stopping right above his erection. "I want you to watch," she says while tilting his chin down so his view is unobstructed.
When he nods, she slides herself down until his dick meets her entrance. Slowly, she slides onto him until she's fully seated once again, their moans mingling together. Her chest heaves; fuck, he's already so deep and I haven't even moved yet. After giving them both a second to acclimate, she lifts her hips then quickly brings them back down, crying out in pleasure as she stretches to accommodate him. Quickly, she finds her rhythm while watching Dan Heng gasp and groan at every movement. His eyes are still locked on their union when she leans down to kiss him, which he reciprocates greedily. Fingers dig into her thighs and his hips jolt up just as she comes down, making her whimper. Breaking the kiss to speak against his mouth, she says, "Ah, yes, keep doing that. You're -- ngh -- hitting so deep, feels so good Dan Heng."
Each time his hips slam into hers from below, a shockwave of pleasure follows. She's riding him with abandon, not trying to quiet her moans. When he lightly bites her nipple between his front teeth, she squeezes around him, eliciting his own moan of pleasure. His tongue works her breast while one hand moves from her hip to hover above her clit. "Stelle, I-I'm not going to last. Fuck, ah, you're too good. I want you to feel good too. Can I still get you there?" His voice is shaky as he tries to hold himself back.
Knowing he's so close makes her groan. "Yes, fuck, please. So close. Don't hold back, wanna feel you inside me. Need it." Her words are disjointed in her pleasure-induced haze. The only things on her mind are his mouth teasing her nipple; his fingers pressing into her sensitive flesh; his cock buried in her so, so deep. She's on the brink when his body spasms, and she feels him release. It sends her over, saying his name like a prayer while she rides out her high.
After they're both spent, she stays straddled on him for a long few minutes, head tilted back as her breathing returns to normal. When she shifts to look down at him, he's staring at her with a flushed face. "You are so beautiful," he whispers tenderly, making her heart flutter. Leave it to Dan Heng to give me butterflies like a lovesick kid when he's literally still inside of me. I guess he's turned me into a romantic.
Stelle smiles and gingerly extricates herself from him, finding she's a little sore. The good kind of sore. She flops against the blanket while he cleans himself off, waiting for him to lay next to her. But instead, he hovers over her with a determined look in his eyes. "It's my turn to demonstrate my appreciation, if you would allow me to."
Curiosity officially peaked, she nods in confirmation. He kisses her slowly before moving to her jaw, throat, chest, leaving little marks along the way. When he gets to her navel, Dan Heng parts her legs over his shoulders. Her breath hitches when he looks at her with heady, unmasked desire. I'm not going to be able to get out of bed tomorrow if he keeps this up.
Not that Stelle minded that outcome even a little bit.
--
It was well into evening when they finally decided that a food break was necessary. They dressed enough to descend to the kitchen, then brought their spoils back to Stelle's room. They sat on her bed, and as Dan Heng divided some food onto both of their plates, Stelle remembered her phone. When it finally turned on, it dinged nonstop for a full minute with missed text notifications. Looking at the screen, it seemed 90% of them were from March. With a snort, she looked at the most recent few:
March: Helloo???
Are you alive?? Why aren't you answering???
Dan Heng isn't answering either
Oh god something bad must have happened
Steeeeeeeeelle :(
Her concern, though mostly comedic, did make Stelle's heart warm. She's really worried about me. She wrote a quick text back:
Stelle: Sorry March, power went out a few days ago and my phone died
But it's back and everything is fine now! Don't worry!!
Near instantly, her phone buzzed with an incoming video call. Stelle quickly straightened her straps and turned to face Dan Heng so he wouldn't be in frame before answering.
"OhmygodStelleIthoughtyoudiedI'msohappyyou'reokay!!" March ran all her words together in her hurry to speak, looking on the verge of tears. Stelle tried not to laugh at her friend's reaction.
"Sorry for worrying you, my phone was already dead when the power went out so I didn't even get to send warning texts. But it wasn't so bad, there was plenty of food stocked up. And I'm totally fine, so you can stop freaking out," she said with a smile. March was always dramatic, but she knew her friend cared a lot about her despite only meeting her a few months ago. Their friendship meant a lot to Stelle, and her worry was touching.
"My mind went to literally every worst case scenario! Break in, fire, car accident, bear attack, you name it!" A laugh escaped Stelle at 'bear attack' but March ignored her. "But no power for several days must have been boring, huh?"
Stelle covertly looked over her phone at Dan Heng, gave him a little smile. He returned it with his signature blush. "It wasn't so bad. I found things to do." That she had. "I miss you though. When are you coming back?"
March looked away for a second before replying excitedly, "6 more days! It feels like forever even though it's only been a week. Is that weird?"
"No, I feel the same. It's so quiet here without you, it's creepy," she said with a big grin. March laughed, reminding Stelle of the usual noise that surrounded their home.
"Oh by the way, have you seen Dan Heng much? I know he's usually holed up in his room, but he hasn't answered me yet. I would think his phone would be working by now if yours is." The worried look returned to her face. Stelle once again looked up at him, this time in question. He hastily pulled on his shirt and nodded, so Stelle swiveled to sit next to him again.
"He's fine too. We've been hanging out, since we both got locked out of our rooms when the power went out." Dan Heng flashed a peace sign alongside his unchanged neutral expression, which made her snort. Stelle tried not to lean too close to him. They had to decide how they wanted to tell people they were together -- March gossiping to the whole school probably wasn't the preferred method.
"Hi March. Everything is alright, no need to worry about us. I just left my phone in my room to charge."
The pink-haired girl's face lit with surprise seeing them together. "Oh! You managed to get the introvert out of hiding. Impressive! Hey Dan Heng! Glad you're both okay," March said with a relieved smile. Then, she paused for a second. "Wait, Dan Heng, why is your shirt on inside out?"
Shit. Busted.
None of them say anything for a minute. Dan Heng's face goes red, which makes March squeal incoherently. "Alright March, time to go. Talk to you later," Stelle interrupts while pulling the phone closer to her, getting Dan Heng out of frame. Quietly, she adds, "Do me a favor, March, and don’t mention this to everyone? I'll give you details later, promise." Then she hangs up and the room is once again silent.
Dan Heng looks scandalized. Stelle can feel her phone buzzing with texts that must be from her excitable friend, but she ignores them and gives him an apologetic smile. "Well, she had to find out some time… sorry about that."
He sighs and puts his head in his hands. "it's fine, I just… wanted a bit more time with you all to myself," he admits quietly.
Stelle shuffles over to him and puts her arms around him, whispering in his ear, "I am all yours, always." When he shivers, she pulls back to talk at a normal volume. "And we still have the house to ourselves for a few more days before people start coming back."
He returns her embrace with a slight pout; it's equally hilarious and adorable. "You're right. I intend to enjoy these days as much as possible, before you have people crowding you to ask if you're sure you weren't dating Bronya or Seele." She laughs and pulls him back to the nest of pillows, cuddling into him to enjoy their feast.
If someone would have told her last week that she would be glad to have the power go out during the hardest boss fight in her game, Stelle would have called them crazy. But now, looking back at this week, she thought that everything had worked out perfectly.