willow | d. hale [on hold]

49 | argentina

"Willow, you know all this," Derek said, moving around the couch so that he could sit next to her.

"But I don't know that I actually know it," she said anxiously. "I mean, what if I sit in front of the test and completely blank—"

Derek cupped the sides of Willow's face to have her look at him. Though most of her tests were over, it was clear her stress was coming to a boiling point. He just needed her to take a breath and realize that everything would be fine.

They'd faced alphas and a Nogitsune and assassins. Willow could easily survive finals.

"You know this," Derek told her. "And you're gonna go in tomorrow and kick that test's ass. Then you'll graduate with your impressive but also ridiculously high GPA that will make every college selection board swoon in hopes to get you after your gap year."

"It's not ridiculously high," Willow mumbled under her breath. It could be higher if not for the supernatural distractions in her life. Then Willow sighed and pulled her face out of his hands. "I still need to keep studying and make sure I know this. Especially labeling the muscles."

"How about I help you study?" Derek asked, raising an eyebrow. There was a sudden mischievous look in his eyes that Willow didn't trust one bit.

"You didn't take anatomy in high school, Derek," she reminded him. No way would he be able to actually help her retain information.

"No, I didn't," he admitted. Then Derek startled Willow by grabbing her by the waist and pulling her onto his lap so that she was straddling him.

"Derek, I don't have time for—"

Derek cut off her protest while taking her hands. "You've looked at the study guide and the diagrams, now put it to practice. No hints. Start naming the muscle names."

Willow let Derek guide her hands to his face. She thought it was an absolutely ridiculous idea and that he was wasting her time. But as soon as she got it over with, she could go back to actually studying.

So, starting at the top of his head, Willow began naming the muscles as she touched them. "Depressor supercilii," she said, her thumb moving across the arch of his eyebrow. "Zygomaticus major," she recited a little slower, trailing her fingers across his cheeks.

Then as Willow's fingers traced his mouth, she allowed herself to get a bit distracted. How could she not when his lips just looked so inviting? "Orbicularis oris," Willow whispered, leaning a little closer.

Derek playfully nipped at her fingertips, earning a yelp from her. "Focus," he instructed in a stern tone.

Willow blinked a few times before continuing, this time a bit more hesitantly. Derek never took his eyes off her face as her fingers trailed along his jaw and down his neck.

"Platysma," Willow said as she brushed along his collarbone.

Had he been without a shirt the whole time and she was just too roped up in studying?

"Deltoid," Willow continued, trying to keep her thoughts from clouding as she now focused on his arms. It certainly didn't help that he flexed at her touch. "B - biceps brachii."

It was a struggle to make her way down his forearms and fingers. Then she slowly moved back toward his shoulders to continue on his torso. It was more blatantly feeling him up now instead of just pointing out where the muscles under his skin were.