Say My Name [ Teacher-Student Romance -- Robert Downey Jr ]

Ch.85 - Reflected Reminiscing

This is for now, just for now. It's okay to allow yourself a break, some fresh air, some affection, (some love, too, maybe ((He doesn't love her anymore, how could he, but he does care))).

There's no playing with the ends of her sweater, no itchy fidgeting--only five pressed digits placed delicately to an expanding chest, taking comfort of the air filling his dutifully persistent lungs (one once filled with cancer) and the other arm slung over him, holding Robert close.

Nudging her cheek into the soft bedding, her head resting on his unoccupied arm, nearer to his shoulder as she keeps her forehead gently pressed to his.

Her eyes had closed on their own accord, maybe due to the intensity of viewing those deep eyes opposite hers and so close, so detailed, or for the fact that it's been an emotional day and she's exhausted. She doesn't know nor does she care to define it. Once peeking, she had found Robert's had done the same, lashes laying gently on his cheeks.

Hushly breathing back and fourth, sharing air and breath. Huffing out in measured rhythms as they simultaneously dropped from their nervous anxieties, into acceptance of the moment.

"You comfy?" He asks, and she sheepishly nods. Swallowing as she says roughly, "I'm feeling good. Really good."

"Good." He replies.

"Are you okay? Does this hurt your neck?"

"No, necks fine. Just..." Pausing briefly, "I'm thinking, that's all. But good, yes. I, uh, it's nice. It's been a minute."

"Yeah, it has been a second. I can't remember the last time we were--" Her eyes open to find him watching her with an open expression. "The last time we did this. It's a little strange, but nice. You know, the warmth. Being together; it's good. Different, though that's situational, probably. Anyways, I'm rambling."

A light laugh ripples through him, crinkling the corners of his eyes as he readjusts his hold. "Ramblings good. I'd ramble on too, but I think you've already covered my thoughts."

"Yeah, well I suppose some things never change."

That cracks a smile from him, both of them loosening up marginally. "I like the way you express yourself. It's always interesting."

"That's not what you'd say on my papers."

"Hey, that's different." He says pointedly though its all play. "Run on sentences are nobody's friend."

Her touch lightly skims his back, the spine thats too thin, too skeletal. "That is word for word what you'd write too."

A silent moment flits by, unperturbed and without weight. Cuddled close, embracing intimately, like they are what they once were. Like they aren't pretending as if this is something they can go back to. So she asks in this fictional world without history, asks like once upon a time she would have just for the sake of those melancholic memories. "If, if you want, we could talk about what you're thinking about--like how we used to. If you want to."

Robert seems to mull it over briefly, considering. Movements pausing before continuing smoothing his soft palm down her side "Sure. I mean, if you're feeling up to it. It's not a lot of anything new."

She still feels like an orphaned child in some way, an orphaned sibling in more accurate ways. Still mourning, but she's between waves of grief at the moment and she rather not think about the next barreling impact. She likes this, this distraction. This warmth. She wants to help, she's very earnestly interested in whats become of him these past few months. "I'm feeling better--thanks to you. If-If you want to share, I'd be nice to know whats been going on with you."