where all the poets went to die [dead poets society]

16 - oh-so-grateful

"It's all right, Charlie," Maria said, her cheeks still pink. She met his eyes and smiled at him when he still looked at her with concern. "Really, my sweet, I am."

"I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry," he said, placing his hands on her cheek to cup her face. "I know it's not an excuse, but I just get so excited when it comes to you."

Maria smiled at that and Charlie squeezed her cheeks. "I'll slow down, yeah?"

Maria took one of his hands off of her face and placed a light kiss in the palm of his hand. "Just by a little," she said, and Charlie thought that she looked so adorable that he had to kiss her then and there.

"Anything you want," Charlie said, kissing her lightly. "Anything you say - my bible now, remember?"

She smiled into another kiss. Gosh - kissing Charlie Dalton was quickly becoming her favourite thing in the whole wide world.

"Thank you," she said and then looked away shyly. "You know, I've never actually had a boyfriend before."

How that sentence should've made Charlie feel, he wasn't so sure, but he did know that it stroked a more traditional - primal even - part of him and he had this need to take care of Maria, to cherish her and treasure her to his utmost ability. Heat flushed up his neck and he moved to pop the top few buttons on his shirt.

"Really?" He asked, eyes widening in surprise. "I don't believe it. A girl like you?"

Maria shrugged her shoulders, still looking a little embarrassed.

"Idiots," Charlie said, kissing her right cheek, and then her left. "All idiots in London, I tell you. If I were there, I would've scooped you right up, doll."

"Well," Maria gave him a look. "You have."

Charlie arched a brow and tapped the tip of her nose with a finger as he clicked his tongue. "Exactly."

Maria laughed and Charlie's heart swelled with affection for Maria. He leaned in and pressed another gentle kiss to her forehead because goddamn it was getting hard not to kiss her. "I promise to take things slow and make sure you're comfortable with everything we do together," he said seriously. "You're worth it to me, you know."

Maria smiled up at him, her eyes shining. "Thank you, Charlie."

He smiled before looking around the room. "Do you remember when I said I was always curious about what a girl's room looked like?" He said, moving to intertwine their fingers together. He peered around, taking in all the little details that seemingly made up his Maria with curious eyes.

He noted that her room was cozy and while he had half-expected soft pinks and delicate florals everywhere, what he found was something that was much more Maria. Books sat on every surface available in her room. Classic novels, including Austen, Bronte, and Dickens, among many others, he didn't quite recognize.

Charlie quirked his head when he spotted a stuffed animal sitting on her bed and moved to pick it up. "What's this? My sweet girl's teddy bear?" He asked teasingly.

Maria rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "His name is Mr. Snuggles," he said and plucked it from his hand to fix the white bow around its neck. "He's been with me since I was born."

Charlie chuckled and moved to tuck a strand of loose hair behind Maria's ear. "Do I have to win its approval?" He asked for fun. "Mr. Snuggles, do you approve of me?"

Maria laughed, turning the teddy bear to face Charlie and miming with its stuffed paw. "I don't know Mister Charlie Dalton," she made a voice. "I believe you still need to pass a probation period."