. wild out a little

[theo lovett]

The strength of his reaction was hard for Theo to rationalise. Though he had been relatively starved of physical affection, he had been hooking up fairly regularly with Elyse's friend and had felt no particular intensity when he'd done so. Maybe it was just drunkenness, though this was far from his first drunken fumble. It was even far from his first drunken fumble in a hot tub. He forces himself to get it together. He kisses her again, pulling her closer to him, wanting her body against his. "Nah, I want you," he says, his voice throatier than before. It's easy to pull her fully against him in the water, slipping wet arms around her, one on her waist and one snaking up to her neck. "And yeah, I wanna stay until tomorrow. If you'll have me."

[dolly weathers]

She runs her fingers through his hair again and kisses him softly. Her body wraps against his and her cheeks feel sore with her smiling. Her chest fills with humid air and she's sighs in his touch, "I think I might like you." She frowns. It's a problem that nags at the very back of her mind, but for now she kisses it away. Her lips touch between his brow, "I guess I can have you." She doesn't think about having to wake up the next day to return to her reality. Her lips pull his in deeply and then she sits back, "I think I do need that water though."

[theo lovett]

The faint smell of chlorine envelops them, a scent he had always associated with LA but would now forever associate with this moment. If things were to go awry, he'd have to swear off swimming pools for life. As she speaks he feels himself flush, his chest feeling tight. He's never felt anything like it. "I know I like you," he says, bristling with energy he didn't know what to do with. He melts into the kiss, feeling her body loosen. As she speaks his frustration bubbles up, but it's overrun by his nurturing nature. "C'mon. Let's get you a glass of water, a couple aspirin, and your bed. I'll get us breakfast in the morning."

[dolly weathers]

Her chest constricts and unable to handle her emotions, she feels her lower lip protrude to a pout. "Did you see my fridge?" she dots a kiss on each corner of his face, "there's nothing for breakfast." She presses her chest against his and gives him a long kiss, as if she's saying goodbye forever. She hesitates to pull away, her body feeling bare and cold as she exits the tub. Her drunk self stupidly failed to bring towels, so she tugs her shirt over her wet chests and slips into her panties. "Do you want me to get you a towel?"

[theo lovett]

She litters his face with kisses, making that same warmth rise up from his stomach to his chest. Whilst he was plenty accustomed to sexual intimacy, affectionate intimacy was something he had learned to go without for a long, long time. He doesn't know quite what to do with it, is embarrassed by how fluffy his insides feel. "My turn to order in," he says, before she presses into him. Her nakedness is unavoidable now, obvious and taunting and he holds her against him for a moment, before she gets up and out of the tub. Sheepishly he glances away, granting her her privacy. He laughs, nodding. Her getting a towel would give him a chance to calm down. "Yeah, I'll be honest, probably best I don't stand up straight away."

[dolly weathers]

She nods when he mentions ordering in, knowing full well that her family would have a table full of brunch. But she doesn't want to break the trance or pinch herself into reality. She laughs softly at him and bends over to scoop the wine glasses to place in the sink. Inside she grabs two fluffy towels and wraps herself in one while she brings out another to Theo. "Here," she says, placing the deep green towel on a patio chair, "maybe I'll give you some privacy?" She suggests, but she's already walking away to get herself a glass of water.

[theo lovett]

Finally Theo heaves himself out of the tub, reaching for the towel she so kindly left out for him. He gives himself a quick drying off, before wrapping it around his waist and padding back into the kitchen, where he leans against the island. "Short hair dries so quickly, it's a dream," he says, finally picking his phone up. The screen is flooded with notifications, almost all of them from Elyse, with increasing rage. "Oh fuck, I'm in trouble..." he mutters, though he can't bring himself to care. He opens up the messages, holding the phone up as he leaves a voice message. "You're not my mom Ellie," he says, putting on an exaggerated accent like a teenager in a Disney movie. He grins at Dolly again. "Bed?"

[dolly weathers]

The cold water hits her throat and she feels herself simmer. She grins and squeezes her own hair with the towel, "it's still the worst." She's reminded by her own phone and decides that bend down to pick it up. It's full of notifications, but that one still lingers 11AM. She huffs a little and chews on an ice cube, "you tell her." Dolly chugs the last of her water and nods as she walks past him, her hand reaching out to ruffle his hair. Upstairs she pulls him onto the bed, "you're exhausted, aren't you?"

[theo lovett]

He grabs his boxers, slipping them on and propping the towel on a chair. "It'll go green now, too. You'll love it," he says, knowing he'd have to grow it out. He switches his phone off, not wanting Elyse to pry-- she had been skeptical of Dolly from the minute he mentioned she was coming to their party, going so far as to ask him why Dolly Weathers would waste time coming to a keg party in a cramped little Silver Lake apartment. It had been a question he asked himself over and over, wondering if she was reliving a lost youth, or maybe texting her rich friends the whole time, making fun of the yokels. He doubted that now, but he didn't want Elyse giving him any more food for thought. Yanked into bed, he pulls her against him, big spoon to her little. He nods. He hadn't slept so long ago, but exhaustion had settled into his bones, was becoming part of him. "Wiped," he says, giving her a squeeze. "But can't think of anywhere I'd rather be."

[dolly weathers]

She groans thinking of his green hair, "it's like you tried so hard to make yourself unattractive but it didn't work at all." Upstairs she stretches out in her big California king. Not too long the room had been flocked with her past relationship. Pictures of her and Damien had been replaced with objects that made her feel something. Fresh flowers, brass decor and photos of her and friends. A big painting of her family's large property in Montana hung on one of the walls. The rolling hills and mountains transported her to a more peaceful space. She kisses the arm that holds her and laughs a little, "I was kidding. But my legs feel like jelly and I don't think I can even lift myself."

[theo lovett]

"You're right. It's a curse being this good looking, I've been trying to free myself but I'm damned to always look like this." It had been so long since he last shared a bed with someone, and what a bed to share. It was expansive, the sheets smooth with the promise of an extremely high thread count. He does feel tired, feels like he could sleep for a week. The scent of chlorine clings to their skin, her hair slightly damp against the pillow. "You feel tiny," he says, his body cradling hers. He lies there for a moment, enjoying the closeness, silence blanketed around them. "You're gonna have to help me come up with an excuse about where I've been tomorrow."

[dolly weathers]

She laughs when comments on her size, "oh, really? How odd." Her frame was small in his arms. He was so well built and tall compared to her - short, compact but athletic in her own way. She the way his body cloaked hers, it made her feel like she was shadowed by anything bad. She was safe here, accepted for who she was. She wiggles to face him, her dark jade eyes looking in to his. "You've been saving the world. There was an emergency.. I consumed too much wine, suffered death by grapes. I needed revived," she rambles, her eyebrows raising at the plot thickens.

[theo lovett]

It felt nice to be so close to another person, something he urged himself never to take for granted again. She turns to face him and he studies her face, trying to separate the real deal from the photos he practically had memorised. "I mean, that could still happen," he agrees, gently sweeping flyaway hairs from her face. "There's also my blue balls. Lots of medical emergencies, thank god we're both here." He yawns, though he doesn't want to go to sleep, not yet. "What are you up to tomorrow? I've got the day off, if you wanted to do something," he asks, though he has no idea what. His heart rate increases again as he says it, a wave of nervousness washing over him. "If you're busy it's fine, I'm just avoiding going home."

[dolly weathers]

She blinks softly, the mascara on her eyes has melted onto her face and has created the faintest of shadows. "I'm sorry," she leans in to give him a kiss, "I thought we were waiting till our wedding day? You know. Next weekend." Her bare calves wrap up in his and her fingers rest on his cheekbone. "Oh," the mention of tomorrow makes her feel a little sick. The curtains threaten to open and she's desperate to keep them shut. "I've been summoned to my dad's for brunch. But you should stay," her thumb strolls softly on his cheekbone, font face="times new roman"]"I'd like to have you here when I get back."

[theo lovett]

He kisses her back, before shaking his head. "God, don't say sorry, please don't say sorry. I'm not pressuring you," he kisses her again. "Though my hopes are high for that wedding night." There was something particularly laughable about the idea of them getting married. He could see her family tolerating him as a temporary boyfriend, a youthful indiscretion that would prove a funny anecdote some day. But marriage? He was sure she'd end up with someone who had a Wikipedia page and a trust fund. They're wrapped up in each other and he sinks into the moment, relishing her touch. As she speaks his stomach ties itself in knots. "That sounds fun," he says, not sure that it does. "I'll get out of your hair."