All nice and warm (Tanner)

[Tanner Larson]

Tanner stood with both hands on his hips, admiring their work. For throwing something together in a couple of minutes, he thought it was pretty darn good. The rest of the school had better like it, too, since it was standing in the middle of the courtyard and would continue to do so until it melted. It was his first time making something like this, as well, which only added to his pride. "We make a good team," he observed aloud with a smile.

Seeing the girl shiver out of the corner of his eye, Tanner turned to the other blonde with a frown; he had known she was cold before, but now it was pretty serious, and they should definitely get inside. He took a few steps towards her, so that they were just a foot away from one another. "Are you cold?" He asked with a mischievous smile. Once he was within close proximity to the girl, he sent a wave of his own body heat radiating outward from himself: Kiara would likely feel a brief but strong wave of warm air. It was a power he had learned only recently, and as such was not very strong. He did, however, like to show it off.

That said, it obviously wouldn't make the girl feel suddenly warm, so he knew they still ought to get going. "Here, let's go back to my room," he suggested with a nod, leading the way. It wasn't the first time they had spent time together in one another's dorms, but it was the first time he felt sort of... strange about it.

Soon enough, though, they were running up the stairs to the fifth floor; his dorm was just down the hall, and he opened the door using his key and led the girl inside. "Sorry it's kinda a mess," he explained when they were standing in the common area. He had noticed that the girl's clothing was a bit wet, but... what the heck was he going to do about that? It wasn't as though he had a change of clothes for her. "Uh, do you want to go in my room or stay out here?" He asked. "We could watch a movie? Or something?" He wasn't sure how much time she had to just hang around, but he didn't really have anything to do so he was up for anything.

[Deleted]

The snowman was a masterpiece, especially considering the amount of time (or lack therefore) put in it. Details like a nose, buttons and eyes would have been the finishing touch, but this would have to do. It didn’t take long for her attention to drift away from it as Tanner took note of her being cold, which totally wasn’t fair since this winter weather was probably quite refreshing to him, and as he attempted to warm her up. The wave of warmth could be felt, but it simply made the cold come down even harder as she could no longer benefit from it. Nevertheless, a quick thank you got mused before an agreeing now followed. Going back to his room sounded good right now.

Once there, arms were still embracing herself, but at least there was some heating within the building and the cold from outside was being blocked out. Eyes drifted around the common room, eventually settling on Tanner again. ”You could just blame the mess on your roommates.” Ki decided with a nod, also wanting it to be a sign that he shouldn’t be worried about it. Anyway, she was still cold and while the couch did seem comfortable, there wasn’t a blanket on it and there was some suspicion that his bed would have that. Yes, all in favor of a blanket. Plus, if they were going to watch a movie, the interruption of roommates was never pleasant.

”A movie sounds good.” And a hand motioned to the door which led into his private space as to answer the first question at the same time. She let Tanner go first, stepping in behind him while immediately taking notice of the fold up moving boxes that leaned against the wall near the window. Unintentionally, her expression fell, recalling their last conversation. ”You are moving?” Like away from Vermont and Pilot Ridge? He hadn’t told her about that…

While awaiting the reply, Kia moved to the bed. Knees were already halfway bent before it suddenly hit her that her jeans were wet. She fully stood up straight again, starting to realize that, hey, she couldn’t just take a seat somewhere in this condition. Would it be weird to ask him for some clothes? Tanner probably could see her peeking at him while considering that though.

[Tanner Larson]

Tanner was fairly torn regarding which room they ought to be in. Given that his bedroom just had his bed, it would be sort of... intimate was the wrong word. Really, just a bit too close for comfort. After all, it was a fairly small bed, so they would sort of be right next to each other. Not that he minded, since he trusted himself, but he wasn't so sure how Kiara would feel about it. On the other hand, were they to stay in the common space, then chances were one or more of his roommates would be popping by at some point, and he wasn't so sure how much he wanted that. Not that he didn't just love his roommates...

Fortunately, Kiara was in the mood to be more decisive than he was, and she chose his bedroom. Perhaps that was the lesser of two evils? He led the girl into his private quarters without hesitation, only remembering that there were unfolded boxes leaned against one wall when the other blonde brought them up. "Oh, just off-campus," he explained quickly; having remembered their previous discussion about his post-Hammel plans, he didn't want her thinking that he had been lying and already had a plan. "Figure it'd be kinda cool to have my own place, ya know?" He asked with a smile.

He moved away from the girl briefly to turn on the television and make sure the HDMI cable was plugged in; he didn't have a DVD player and the cable would allow them to watch a DVD in his laptop on the larger-screened television. He turned, however, to see Kiara peering over at him and looking a bit uncomfortable. Was she regretting their decision to adjourn to his room? But no, he realized rather soon that she just didn't want to sit on his bed when her clothing was clearly wet. He blushed furiously almost right away, for he knew exactly what he would offer; it was the right thing to do, but it was a bit odd. "Um, would you like a change of clothes??" he asked, voice a bit higher in pitch than usual. "I mean, I don't have anything girly, but... heh..." he chuckled nervously, hand rubbing the back of his neck. That wasn't a weird thing to ask, was it? He was just trying to be chivalrous, was all.

[Deleted]

Okay, just off-campus. That was good. At this moment Kiara could not imagine losing another important person in her life. Without any effort, a smile gave away how happy she was for him while nodding. ”There better be a house warming.” She mused, not allowing herself to elaborate further on the double meaning that could hold given his ability. Hands got tucked into the back pockets of her jeans, slightly tugging the fabric away from the cold skin underneath. It might have been somewhat obvious already that the wet clothes didn’t add any comfort, but it possibly became even clearer as a grateful expression showed, and she nodded. She might as well have stated out loud ’I thought you would never ask’ because that could be read from her face.

So while Tanner began to rummage through his closet, Ki stood behind him after having shed her boots, curiously waiting to see what he might find for her. As it appeared to be a pajama pants and a big sweatshirt, it definitely did please her. She didn’t have it one yet, but she could already imagine the comfort it would offer. Taking both pieces of clothing from him, the blonde momentarily placed them on the bed after having moved back to her previous spot. Back towards Tanner, hands gripped the hem of her long-sleeved shirt, tugging it over her head. The sweatshirt got put on, and then the jeans followed. For a moment Kiara almost lost her balance while standing on one leg to take it off, struggling since the wetness had it more difficult, so it proved to be easier while bending down. Tanner didn’t mind, right? He was gay, so it wasn’t as if this would bother or fluster him.

Once the pajama pants were on as well, Ki spun around again with a sheepish grin. Bet she looked ridiculous. Even the sleeves of the sweatshirt almost covered her hands. ”How do I look?” She asked quite rhetorically while making a little twirl. This was warmer already, but it would take a bit longer for her to fully heat up again. Tucking a blonde curl behind an ear, arms soon folded against her chest. ”Thank you.”

[Tanner Larson]

Tanner grinned at the request for a house warming party. He wasn't sure he had enough friends to host a house warming party, but perhaps he'd throw some sort of "open house" where people could come check at the place. He would have to see how he felt once he was all settled in and the time had come. "Hah, well, if I do, you'll be the first to hear about it," he replied with a nod, figuring that was a good way to acknowledge the idea without committing.

At Kiara's nod, Tanner replied with one of his own. Okay, okay, now... what on earth do I have for her to wear? He asked himself, opening up his closet door and searching through his stuff. "Uh, just a minute," he called over his shoulder as he rummaged. He decided it should be something that could warm her up, and maybe a little think to absorb any residual moisture? He'd selected a sweatshirt almost immediately, but what else? Then it occurred to him that he had a clean pair of pajama bottoms. That could work, right? "Uh, here you go," he said, turning back around and handing the clothing items to her. "Uh, hope that works..." he added awkwardly.

He watched as the other blonde placed the clothes she had been given on his bed - and then turn around and take her top off! That was like every boy's freaking dream, and here he was practically being given his own private show. Did it fluster him? Hell yes. But did it bother him? Hell no.

That having been said, he was no playboy, and while changing in front of him had been her idea, he still knew it was impolite, if not creepy, to just stand there watching her. So he turned away from the girl, rather abruptly, eyes falling quite quickly to the floor. He wouldn't lie and say he wasn't extremely curious, but he forced his eyes to remain where they were until he heard her voice. When he looked up and saw her in his clothes, his heart practically melted into his lungs. "Uh... comfortable!" He offered cheerfully, color rising to his cheeks. "Um... why don't I..." He wasn't sure where he was going with that sentence, but he suddenly felt as though his bedroom was a bit claustrophobic. Heading out into the common space, he soon spotted the microwave. "...make you some hot chocolate?" He finished; he knew he had some Swiss Miss packets somewhere, and he definitely had milk and a mug or two. That would probably warm her up better than his sweatshirt would, at any rate.

[Deleted]

”It’s very comfortable.” Kiara replied with a cheerful tone of voice, nodding to add to the confirmation while attempting to glance down at herself. It was pretty baggy, but it definitely did beat the previous clothes being worn. As Tanner backed away, a small amused smile took over and she lightly dipped her head to the side, observing him while he excused himself. He was being cute without even realizing it, and it made the smile on her lips only wider. ”I would love that,” she told him while briefly standing in the doorway before casting a glance over her shoulder, back at the bed. Perhaps she could get comfortable already.

Since that sounded like a good idea, Kiara stepped over and took a seat at the edge. It wasn’t the best position to watch an entire movie though. Another peek over her shoulder and the blonde leaned forward to wipe any dirt from underneath both socks before shuffling backwards on the mattress. After having fluffed the pillow, Ki placed it against the bed board and made sure to only hog half of it. With legs stretched in front of her, hearing Tanner rummage about in the common area, hands absentmindedly ran up and down the covers by her hips. Would she dare to slip legs underneath? They couldn’t compare to her fleece blanket, but the prospect of extra warmth made her give in.

She neatly folded the edge on her lap, running hands over it to remove most folds before blue eyes scanned his bedroom, only to land on Tanner again as he stepped into the room once more. Ki smiled, gratefully accepting the mug before both hands snaked around it, taking a miniscule sip. ”Oh, um, I hope you don’t mind.” She said, referring to how she had gotten comfy on his bed. There was still enough room for him to sit down next to her, which Kiara expected he would do, but to make sure the message got across, one hand patted the spot next to her. Hey, Tanner was a warmth source as well.

[Tanner Larson]

It was a good thing that Kiara wanted hot chocolate, because Tanner was leaving that bedroom regardless. He imagined most guys would have a strong reaction to a pretty girl suddenly undressing in their presence - especially in their private quarters - but his was particularly strong because he was very confused. Kiara was a friend of his, and had been for quite some time. But ever since they had cooked together, he had started feeling strangely towards her. Deep down inside, he knew what it was - attraction, maybe even a bit of lust or the beginnings of a crush - but it was as though his conscious mind wasn't prepared to acknowledge that just yet. So away to the kitchen he went.

Pouring milk into two mugs, he heated them both up at the same time, emptying the contents of four Swiss Miss packets (because who ever used just one of those?) into the two mugs. Stirring each one with a seperate spoon, he was soon on his way - more carefully, since he was now holding two mugs of a rather hot beverage in his hands - back into the bedroom.

...to find Kiara under his covers.

Thankfully, he only managed to spill just a little bit from one of the mugs upon freezing in his steps. Face turning a bright shade of red, his eyes quickly hit the floor for a second time that day. "Uh, no, not at all," he replied; it was very clear that he was a bit flustered, but he tried to work past this. "For you," he said, extending one mug towards the girl when he was close enough to do so; he put his own down on his nightstand for now, quickly getting to work connecting his laptop to the TV so that they could watch a movie on the larger screen. "Uh, did you have anything in mind? I have Netflix," he offered. He didn't really care what they watched; he had a feeling he wouldn't be paying much attention to the movie, anyway.

[Deleted]

A bit flustered? Glancing down at the floor (and his lack of long blonde locks) did not help with hiding the bright blush upon his cheeks. Kiara tried to catch his eyes as he stepped closer to hand over the mug, dipping her head some in the process. Tanner not catching on brought a small entertained curl to her lips. Normally the girl would feel horrible about causing discomfort to someone else, but at that point she couldn’t help but, well, take it as a compliment. He reminded her of herself around Jackson. And that in turn made her wonder what was going on through that head of his. Did… he like her, think of her as more than a friend?

While he fumbled with the laptop, Ki observed him. Her own thoughts began to run wild. Tanner was attractive. He was sweet, funny and always there for her. He had complimented her earlier, something he wasn’t overly comfortable at doing. Was that why he didn’t have a boyfriend? His question brought her back to reality though, quickly blinking before looking over at the television. ”Um, do you like Disney movies? How about Tangled?” Because living like a kid again made her feel carefree and happy. And she couldn’t really come up with another title right now. ”Unless you had something different in mind.” She added, bringing up the mug with both hands again, gently blowing at the hot beverage before taking a couple more sips, while eyes rested on Tanner.

Watching him place away the laptop as a movie had been decided on, she shuffled an inch to the side, even though it did not make a lot of difference since he weighed more than then the blonde girl. As soon as Tanner took a seat, it brought her closer again with her arm resting against his. Call it evil to be entertained by this, but Kiara cast a sideway peek at him. Would he be blushing again? Maybe she wasn’t being that subtle either. Movie time, Ki.

[Tanner Larson]

If Tanner's flustered gestures were highly noticable, the young blonde wasn't aware. Perhaps he should have been, given that he was reacting quite strongly, even if his reaction was purely nonverbal. But the pyro was so busy trying not to react to seeing Kiara laying in his bed, that he didn't notice the reacting he was actually doing. However, he recovered while he was turned away from the girl, connecting the television to his laptop. The logical side of Tanner Larson took over then, rationalizing that as they were just friends and there was no chance of anything happening between them, then there was nothing to be worried about. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't be so confused, so this ought to be no different.

Once the laptop and television were hooked up, Tanner hopped up onto his bed alongside the other girl, conspicuously remaining above the covers. "Tangled sounds good," he said with a nod as he opened up his Netflix account and searched for that movie. "I've actually never seen it," he admitted with a smile. He didn't become aware of his arm against hers until he had started the movie, though, when his mind was no longer on the task at hand. His eyes widened slightly, chewing on his bottom lip uncomfortably. He wouldn't ask her to move, but realistically how long could he sit there with her body so close to his without doing anything about it? Feeling her eyes on him, he turned towards her, feeling his cheeks grow hot but willing himself to smile nonetheless. "How's the hot chocolate?" He asked quietly, before turning his attention back to the television as the movie began. As they hadn't turned on the bedroom lights due to the fact that it was still daytime outside, it wasn't particularly bright in the room, and when some clouds moved past the sun, it became darker still.

[Deleted]

Tanner had not seen Tangled yet? Well then, it was about time they solved that. Unlike him, she experienced comfort out of being so close to him. Emotionally because it confirmed that being alone didn’t have to occupy most of her day, and physically because it provided extra warmth. So did the hot chocolate. ”It’s delicious and warm,” she decided with a soft smile. As darkness began to claim the room, Kiara took note that it did made the television screen stand out more. For a second or two she looked over at the window, then put down the mug on the nightstand by her side and shifted about, tugging legs from underneath the covers. ”I’m going to close the curtains.” Ki informed him while clumsily crawling over the man’s legs, off the bed and doing just what she had told him about. Instead of climbing over his legs again, she stepped around the bed and closed the bedroom door in the process, pleased with the result as she settled down next to Tanner again.

”Much better, right?” With the hot chocolate halfway finished, Ki let it be for a moment. She didn’t want her bladder to get activated during the movie. As the movie continued, Kiara had subconsciously ended up in a more slumped position. Not to the extent that she was practically laying down, yet her back wasn’t that straight anymore either. Nevertheless, the girl wasn’t overly comfortable yet. Tanner’s arm was in the way. So, shifting by bending legs, having most of her weight practically rest on her left hip, her right hand took a hold of his wrist and had him lift the arm in order for her to cuddle into his side, letting the left arm drape around her shoulders. She was comfy like that, exhaling happily while cherishing the warmth of his body. During it all, eyes never lingered away from the screen. A hand lay upon his abdomen, absentmindedly fumbling with the shirt there.

Kia could easily fall asleep like this. That is if she wasn’t aware of Tanner’s heartbeat having picked up its pace, and the fact that this entire situation made her feel better about herself again. While her gaze might rest on the screen, thoughts had taken a run once more. Subtly, given it was obvious she wasn’t one to sit still too long, the blonde moved again, lessening the slumping and being able to rest her head higher against his shoulder like that. She… could easily kiss him like this? Should she?

Pondering about this, Kiara lightly tilted her head, only to realize just how close his face was to her own. It made it incredibly tempting and, without fully realizing it seemed, the hand that had been toying with his shirt drifted up to settle on Tanner’s left cheek, gently guiding him to face her. She leaned in, hesitated, made eye contact and then glanced down at his lips again before finishing that what she had started.

Lips met. The girl moved again, but only to sit a tad bit straighter again to make this much easier without straining her neck. She wasn’t dominant though; Tanner could pull back whenever he pleased.

[Tanner Larson]

Tanner smiled as Kiara complimented the hot chocolate. It hadn't been anything special - just a few packets of mix in warm milk - but he was happy that it was helping to warm her up. While his unnaturally high internal body temperature meant that it had been a long time since he'd really known what it felt like to be cold, he still knew that his friend had been uncomfortable, so while seeing her wearing his clothes and wrapped up in her blankets had been a bit off-putting at first, he was glad he could help.

Besides, he could get used to seeing her in this state.

When Kiara said she was going to close the curtains, Tanner didn't think much of this: he, too, had noticed that the movie was more enjoyable in the dark (wasn't it always?), so he figured they were just on the same wave-length. Needless to say, he was more than a little shocked when the girl, instead of getting out of her own side of the bed, climbed over him and went that way. He said nothing, though, simply watching the girl with slightly-parted lips as she shut the curtains - and then the door.

Oh God, oh God...

He had never been in this sort of situation before, but he could guess what it was going to lead to. Girls didn't just shut the door and get in your bed for no reason, did they? "Uh, yeah," he replied to her question, managing a smile as she settled back down beside him. Noticing that she had shifted down a bit, he did the same, figuring it might be more comfortable; he had to relax anyway, or this was going to be a long movie.

They watched together for a little while, wordlessly, until he noticed out of the corner of his eye that she was shifting again. This girl sure was fidgety, wasn't she? but no, she wasn't just stirring: she was grabbing onto his hand and leading it around her back. Eyes widened once again - a seemingly common reaction with this boy - and for a moment, he just sat there silently, trying to figure out exactly what was going on.

Move your hand, dumbass.

Tanner allowed his hand to trail gently up and down the girl's arm, eyes glued to the tv screen but wishing they were elsewhere. He felt the girl's head come to rest on his shoulder, and her hand on his stomach. The young pyro couldn't fully process this, but he knew this wasn't what friends did. His heart was racing, breathing slightly quickened, but still he willed himself to focus on the movie... until he felt Kiara's hand on his cheek. When he turned towards her, it was then that he noticed just how close they were. Before the girl moved into him, he knew exactly what was going to happen.

When their lips met, Tanner practically melted. While not his first kiss, it was his second, and his first with a girl. Kiara's lips were soft, smaller than his, and for a moment, he simply sat there, uncertain, tightening his grip around the girl's back as his mind tried to gain a fuller understanding of this moment. This wasn't meant to be, though, and when he pulled away, confusion was evident on his face. He looked at her deeply, blue eyes piercing hers.

"I'm... sorry."

What he was apologizing for wasn't exactly clear. But he hadn't known what to say, and he felt sort of weird about the whole situation. Was she just kissing him because she was emotional? Did she just do it because she knew he wanted to? Had she felt obligated?

Regardless, the boy soon decided that he wasn't satisfied with just one kiss, and so he leaned in once more, pressing his lips more firmly to hers and shifting to allow their bodies to touch a bit more. His free hand reached behind her to rest on the back of her head, fingers combing through her hair gently. It had taken Tanner a while to realize this was what he wanted, but now that he knew, he had no intention of stopping anytime soon.

[Deleted]

Kiara definitely was the type of girl to make arrangements for situations like this. Except not really. Closing the curtains and the door had been something she judged to make the movie more enjoyable. Getting under the covers involved warming up, and so did cuddling into his side. He probably wasn’t that affectionate with his friends either since Ki would always find herself in this position with Aiden. She could also imagine herself getting this comfy around Lucah. Perhaps those weren’t flawless example though. Both were exes and the former had been a life-long crush. Nevertheless, the fact remained that the blonde had not set this up, nor had intended for this to happen from the start.

Kiara could feel Tanner grow tense as she kissed him, and it only made her feel horrible. That had been such stupid move. She didn’t even know how to explain herself, so when he pulled back and apologized, all the blonde could manage was a weak nod, trying to understand, and the urge to tear her eyes away from his. It had been ruthless and careless to not consider how the boy might feel about this. But before Ki even got a chance to recreate distance, Tanner moved about and had their lips crash together again. The slightly disappointed expression made room for a smile, living off of affection right now, and his lips received just as much pressure in return. Instinct took over as well, leading to her part his lips slightly with her own to deepen the kiss. If he was up for that as well.

And he was.

The thing was, even though Ki did enjoy feeling cared for again, it just… didn’t compare to the feeling Jackson gave her. It might be sad to even think about that given the circumstances, but the curly one just couldn’t help herself. Nevertheless, she found herself slumping down some more as the pillow sunk away from the bed board, practically laying on her side now. She could easily tell it was starting to grow heated, that it could be out of control soon, and that in turn led to her slowly breaking the kiss, still cupping Tanner’s jaw as their foreheads got rested together. Kiara didn’t know what to say, so she opted for the only solution: let him do the talking.

”What were you apologizing about?” Her voice nothing above a whisper.

[Tanner Larson]

Tanner had to put conscious effort into not letting himself get too excited about this; the urge to throw caution to the wind and just go for it was almost overwhelming, but he managed to merely keep the kiss going as she leaned into him, the arm that had been around her back trailing up to her shoulders, and the hand that had been behind her head moving to cup her chin. As he felt Kiara's lips spread his own apart, the boy allowed his eyelids to flutter closed once more, a soft moan of pleasure escaping from his throat as he allowed the other blonde to do whatever she wished. The young pyro was completely lost at this point, having never done something like this before, so he tried to be firm and not make it too clear that he didn't know what he was doing.

As Kiara shifted to lay down, Tanner followed her, not allowing their lips to part just yet. He knew, as Kiara did, that things were moving very quickly, perhaps too fast for either of them all things considered. With Kiara feeling emotional about what was going on with Jackson and Tanner being in way over his head, it likely was not a good idea for the two to continue down the path they were heading towards. Still, the boy could not will himself to break their kiss, and he was subconsciously grateful when Kiara pulled away first. He immediately moved to press their foreheads together, his breathing evidently heavier than before, as his eyes zeroed in on hers once more. After that first kiss, she had been the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes upon. He wanted to say so, but couldn't find the courage to vocalize these words.

When asked why he had apologized, Tanner gulped. This was another thought he wasn't sure how to articulate, but he had to try since she had questioned it. "I'm... sorry I haven't been a very good friend these past few weeks," he started, allowing his lips to just barely brush against hers. "I'm sorry I've been..." the shy boy paused for a moment, uncertain whether he could finish the sentence, "...thinking about you differently than I should." Unable to resist, he pressed his lips briefly against the girl's chin. "I'm sorry that I've been wanting to do this, maybe longer than I realized," he added, lips moving up the girl's jawline. "I'm sorry I kissed you when you were still on another guy." Here he brought his lips to the corner of the girl's mouth, pressing down gently before pulling back again. "And I'm sorry that I'm going to do it again." Their lips met once more, but only for a moment. When Tanner pulled away, his eyes didn't meet hers, and he rolled onto his back, looking up at the ceiling. His brain could hardly process what was going on. He knew he liked it, but it seemed almost bittersweet in a way he couldn't quite comprehend.

[Deleted]

Tanner wasn’t the only one in this way over his head. Kiara had intended to leave it at a simple kiss, to gain some affection because she had definitely being going through withdrawal the last couple of days. Her encounter with Aiden had managed to go by surprisingly well, without her having given in to the urge to connect their lips. Perhaps all the current details, like the bed and wearing his clothes, was the simple push she had needed to feed her emotions. Of course it wasn’t fair to her friend. Not at all. But maybe he was just experimenting? Up until now Ki had been convinced he was gay. Except, right now, she wasn’t certain of anything anymore. Or, well, other than the fact that she hated Jackson, just as much as she loved him.

As Tanner replied, the blonde grew even more confused. Why wouldn’t he have been a good friend? He was there for her to spend time with, and same could be said about today. First there was a frown, but then her face smoothed into an encouraging look for him to continue. The fact that Tangled played on the background was of no importance at that point. And that’s when her heart sunk. Oh God. Tanner had feelings for her? Almost feeling nauseous out of guilt, realizing just how much she might have been leading him on, she wanted to speak. Subconsciously her head dipped slightly to the side as his lips caressed along her jawline though, letting eyes close as he continued. Her little laugh was soft and bitter, only now starting to acknowledge the trouble she was causing. Tanner deserved more than that. More than this.

But then the guy broke apart and eyelids fluttered up again, gazing at the outlining of his body in the rather dark room. Kiara just lay there for a couple more seconds before carefully shuffling closer. An arm settled on his chest, using the tips of her middle and index to turn his head just enough for their eyes to connect. ”I… should be the one to apologize.” She whispered with a small smile, even though it faltered soon since this wasn’t an entertaining situation. Kiara sighed softly, resting her chin on the back of her hand as it lay on the man’s torso. ”I’m sorry I kissed you when I’m still on another guy.” How heartless had that been? Her other hand reached forward, gently caressing her thumb along Tanner’s bottom lip. ”I… didn’t know.”

That wasn’t a worthy nor decent excuse.

The kissing was good though. It made her forget the emotional pain. She could easily do it again. But it just…. wasn’t fair, was it? ”Sorry,” she whispered again, not even sure if it was best to move away now or not. Ki didn’t want to.

[Tanner Larson]

Though still unsure of his exact feelings, Tanner had learned by now that he saw Kiara in a way that friends just did not see one another. Whatever it was - lust? love? a silly crush? - it had driven him to kiss the girl repeatedly and lay out every one of his emotional cards on the table. He felt exposed and somewhat embarrassed, but he had felt it necessary to tell Kiara how he felt, even though he didn't really understand it himself. Granted, even as he spoke these words, he was well aware that they wouldn't be returned. Kiara was clearly hung up on Jackson in a way Tanner had never loved someone before. The fact that she used the present tense to describe her feelings for the other boy made it all too clear to Tanner that things hadn't ended with such finality as he had originally believed.

Did he regret it? Maybe. He wasn't sure, and it would likely be a while before he did.

As he heard Kiara apologize, he realized for certain that she just didn't see him the way he saw her. As to why she had kissed him in the first place, he supposed he would never really know why that had happened. "Maybe neither of us should apologize," he decided aloud, wishing he could smile encouragingly but finding he just didn't have it in him. "It just... happened." He sighed, not wanting to say the next words but knowing it was for the best. "It won't happen again, okay?" He only said this because he figured Kiara would want to hear it, but as to whether he would be able to keep this promise, only fate could be certain.

Because while he was a bit confused, and even thoug hhe sort of wished he could take it back and return to the way they once were, he knew deep down inside that he wanted to do it again.

He tilted his head back up to the ceiling, wishing he could wrap his mind around all of this. "Umm," he began, shifting to sit up for the first time in several minutes. "Maybe we can... finish the movie later?" He doubted whether they would be able to sit there together in the dark and watch another hour of this film neither of them had been paying attention to in the first place. Besides, he needed some time to think, and he wasn't sure he would be able to do that thinking with her present. He felt badly about this, but wasn't it for the best, ultimately?