It's You [H.S.]

11.5 | You're it

Raking his fingers nervously, distractedly through his hair, desperately trying to tame it, he casts his unblinking gaze over her, drinking her in.

She looks flustered; frazzled and rumpled. And pale. Skinny too, in black leggings, and with comically big hotel slippers dwarfing her bare feet. Her cropped damp hair falls in tousled waves above her pronounced collar bones, and her hands are tucked nervously into the too-long sleeves of her cream knit jumper. Her eyes seem a bit bloodshot behind her glasses - perched a little wonkily across her bare face.

But, God, she's actually here. The emotions flitting over her expressive glass face reveal she's tired and confused and cross and a little shellshocked... But she's here.

And he thinks she's never looked more beautiful. Genuinely.

Staring back just as brazenly, her first thought is that he looks buff... So sue her, but come on!

Against the contours and shadows his muscles cast across his unusually pale skin, a myriad of ink peeks out at her - swallows, butterfly, heart, rose, eagle and much more besides - like old friends, saying hello.

But he looks scruffy too; with his grown-out hair curling around his ears and almost grazing his jaw, and a heavier five o'clock shadow than she's used to. And, judging by the pronounced shadows under his eyes, she's not sure when he last had a good night's sleep either.

He seems older and more mature, somehow, in just four months. Broader, bigger, manlier.

Fuck, she's missed him.

>

There's a heavy, weighted silence after the door finally shuts behind his three best friends.

"El, I'm-", he starts tentatively, but she cuts him off, finding her nerve and fearing that whatever he has to say might render her incapable.

She blurts it all out. "You-, You did the very worst thing anyone's ever done to me... You hurt me, so badly. And made me question and doubt everything about us... But you also did the very best thing anyone's ever done for me. I can't understand it and I have a million questions and a billion things to say... But, right now, I can't think of anything apart from how much I've missed you... I hate you a tiny bit, but I love you, so, so much-".

A sob catches in her throat, causing her to whimper.

Heaving a deep breath as her vision blurs with unshed tears, she staggers a little in her ridiculous slippers and, reflexively, he strides towards her; stepping smoothly in and scooping her into his arms on instinct.

They can't get close enough, quickly enough. Her soft curves melt into his harder planes.

Totally overwhelmed, her shaky breaths catch and stutter up her throat, releasing in a trapped, hiccuping squeak, high in her chest.

Her soft peal of laughter, embarrassed, sets off his disbelieving chuckle, but he swallows it as hers tails into a proper sob.

When she crumples against him, entirely boneless, he takes her weight and holds her up effortlessly.

"Oh, El...", his voice is a little wobbly too and comes out in a bubbling chuckle.

Lifting a hand to cradle the crown of her head, he bends his knees to lean back to get another look at her, but she just shakes her head and burrows further into his neck.

Before he can comprehend his unexpected stoicism and sense of calm, he feels her press a soft kiss to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, and his knees give out too; literally.

With a yelp, she flings her arms out for balance, but it's too late and they land in an ungainly tangle of limbs. But, dropping straight down on to his shins, he reflexively cushions her fall, pulling her on top of him.