[Again, slightly horny chapter]
Selene attaches herself to me again before I can even process what's happening, wrapping her arms around me and nuzzling into my neck like I'm some kind of human-sized teddy bear.
The warmth of her body seeps through the thin fabric of her strawberry pajamas immediately, and I can feel the soft press of her breasts against my side. Her sweet strawberry scent washes over me, stronger now that she's this close.
It's actually kind of jarring how quickly she's gone from keeping her distance this morning to being possibly the most affectionate she's ever been. But hey, I'm not complaining. This is definitely the good type of jarring.
I wrap my arm around her, my palm settling naturally on her lower back.
Beside me, I notice Bianca's in the exact same predicament I'm in. Mom's holding her from behind, arms wrapped tightly around Bianca's middle, chin resting on Bianca's shoulder. The honey-and-lavender scent that always clings to Mom drifts over, mixing with the other smells in our little blanket fort.
Bianca's gently running her hand through Mom's green hair, and despite her usual cool demeanor, she can't quite hide the small, affectionate smile tugging at her lips. It's actually really sweet to see her like this: vulnerable and caring, her sharp edges softened by genuine affection.
"Hey Adam..." Selene's voice is soft against my neck.
"Mm? What's up?"
"I'm... I'm sorry. About this morning." Her words are slightly slurred, running together. "I was so weird and I made it all awkward and—"
"Selene, come on. We already talked about this, remember?" I keep my voice gentle. "It's fine. And you really don't need to apologize."
"But I do though! I was being so dumb and—" She hiccups. "And you're always so nice to me and I just..."
"Hey. It's alright! Let's just forget about it, okay?"
She's quiet for a moment, and I can feel her relax slightly in my arms, her weight settling more heavily against me. "Adam?"
"Yeah?"
She pulls back slightly, and when I look down, she's beaming at me with this radiant smile. Her eyes are a bit unfocused but full of warmth. "I love you! Like, so much!"
The pure, uninhibited joy in her voice makes me smile automatically. "I love you too, Selene."
"No but like—" She stares at me intently, those impossibly large pink eyes searching my face. Her hands grip my shirt. "Do you really? Really really?"
"Yeah, really really. I love you."
"Hehe!" She makes this incredibly joyous noise, something between a giggle and a squeal, before crashing back into me with another hug that nearly knocks the wind out of me.
Her full weight presses against me, soft and warm, and I have to brace myself to keep from toppling over entirely. Her breasts compress against my chest, and through the thin pajama fabric I can feel everything: the softness, the warmth, the gentle give of her body.
I turn slightly and catch Bianca's eye. "You surviving over there?"
She's still wrapped in Mom's embrace, but she looks relatively content. "Better than you, apparently. At least Mom's quiet when she's drunk. Selene turns into a fucking koala."
"I heard that!" Selene says without moving from my neck, her voice muffled against my skin.
"You were supposed to," Bianca replies, smirking.
It's kind of wild to me that despite drinking the most out of all of us tonight, Bianca still looks completely unaffected. She's behaving exactly as she always does, as far as I can tell. Her pale cheeks aren't even flushed, her movements are steady and controlled. Meanwhile, Selene's acting like I'm the last life preserver on the Titanic, and Mom's doing her best impression of a very affectionate backpack.
Seeing Bianca so willing to put up with Mom's drunken antics makes something warm bloom in my chest.
I reach over and place my hand on Bianca's head, rubbing it gently. "You're actually such a sweetheart, you know that?"
She seems genuinely surprised, her eyes widening slightly as her face takes on the tiniest hint of a blush. "Shut up, dork."
I shuffle a little closer to her, closing the small gap between us, and hold out my left hand. She looks at it for just a moment before taking it with her right, our fingers interlacing without hesitation. Her hand is cool and soft, and she gives mine a small squeeze.
Selene pulls back from me again, looking deeply into my eyes with an intensity that's slightly intimidating. "Adam. Adam, listen."
"I'm listening."
"You're like... you're so amazing. Don't ever change, okay? Promise me!" Her hands come up to cup my face, and her palms are warm and soft against my cheeks. I can feel her thumbs gently brushing across my skin.
Okay, that's genuinely touching. My heart does this weird little flutter thing. "That's really sweet, Selene. You're pretty amazing yourself, you know."
"You think so?" Her voice gets softer, almost childlike, and I feel her breath on my face: sweet, with just a hint of whiskey.
"Yeah, I think so. You're perfect the way you are."
Her entire face lights up like I just told her she won the lottery. Her pink eyes actually seem to glow brighter, and her smile is so wide and genuine it makes my chest ache. Then she practically tackles me, and this time I really do go down.
We topple backward into the nest of blankets, and suddenly she's on top of me, straddling my waist. Selene's weight settles fully onto me, and there's a lot of softness there, her thick thighs pressing against my sides, her breasts squishing against my chest as she leans down.
She pulls back just enough to look down at me, her pink hair falling around both our faces like a curtain, blocking out everything else. Strands of it tickle my cheeks and forehead. Her face is flushed, her breathing slightly quick, and that strawberry scent is overwhelming now, surrounding me completely. "You're the best! The best best best!"
Then she leans in and kisses me on the cheek. Her lips are soft and warm, and they linger for just a moment, long enough that I feel the fullness of them, the slight dampness. The kiss is gentle but enthusiastic, and when she pulls back I swear I can still feel the phantom warmth where her mouth was.
But she doesn't move away. Her breasts remain pressed against my chest through the thin fabric of her strawberry pajamas, soft and yielding. I can feel her heartbeat, quick and excited, against my ribs.
She pulls back slightly, just enough to look at my face again. Her pink eyes are sparkling with joy and alcohol-induced affection. "You're so kind."
Another kiss, this time on my forehead. I feel her shift her weight, pressing down more on my hips, and her lips find my forehead with unerring accuracy despite her drunken state. The kiss is warm and soft, and I catch an even stronger whiff of that strawberry scent as her hair brushes across my face.
Another pull back, and her face hovers above mine. "And smart! So smart!" This time she kisses my other cheek, and I feel the slight stickiness of her lips, the warmth of her breath.
And thus begins what I can only describe as the most wonderful torture session of my entire life.
For the half-hour, this loop continues. She pulls back slightly, gives me a compliment, then plants a kiss somewhere on my face. My forehead, my cheeks, the bridge of my nose, my chin, even my eyelids at one point, each kiss warm and soft and lingering.
Each time she shifts position to kiss a new spot, I feel her body move against mine. Her thighs squeeze my waist, her breasts press and slide against my chest, her hands find new places to touch: cupping my face, running through my hair, resting on my shoulders. The blankets beneath me grow warmer from our combined body heat, and the strawberry scent becomes my entire world.
"You're so funny!" Kiss on the left side of my temple. Her nose brushes against my hair as she pulls back.
"You make me so happy!" Kiss on the right side of my jaw. I feel the slight humidity of her breath, the softness of her mouth.
"You're the best brother ever!" Kiss on the other side of my temple. Her hair falls across my face again, silk against my skin.
The only place she notably avoids is my lips, which I can't help but find slightly disappointing, though I'd never admit that out loud. Every other part of my face gets her attention, I can feel the phantom sensation of her kisses layered across my skin, each spot tingling faintly.
The affection is, quite frankly, really nice even though it's also deeply embarrassing. But hey, if she wants to do this for the rest of eternity, you won't find me complaining. I'm not the type to rant about overly juicy steaks or over-buttered lobster.
But, the thing is, at some point during this extended session of positive affirmations and kisses, I get a raging erection.
I mean, what do you expect? I have a stupidly attractive girl on top of me, continuously kissing me and giving me positive affirmations while her very generous curves press against me with every movement. Her thighs are warm and soft around my waist, her breasts keep pressing against my chest with each kiss, and that intoxicating strawberry scent fills every breath I take. I think it'd be weird if I didn't get hard.
I feel a bit worried, though, hoping Selene won't mind it too much. Or notice it.
She pulls back again, and there's this teasing glint in her pink eyes that makes my heart drop.
Of course she noticed. She's literally sitting on me.
She leans in close, her lips nearly brushing against my ear. Her voice drops to a whisper, playful and knowing: "Annnnd... you're a total peeerveeert." The way she draws out the word, all singsong and teasing, makes my face heat up instantly.
Then, before I can even formulate a response, she giggles and starts peppering my face with kisses again. Faster now, more enthusiastic, like she's rewarding me for my embarrassment.
I think I somehow got even harder. Hm. Well, at least she's not angry at me.
After another half hour of this absolutely surreal experience, things finally start calming down. Selene's kisses become less frequent, then stop altogether. She settles down on top of me, her head finding its way back to my neck, I can feel her breathing slow, her body going soft and heavy with approaching sleep.
I'm equal parts sad and relieved. I'm not sure how much longer I would have been able to take that level of affection before I actually just collapsed from sensory overload.
She stays there for a while, draped across me like a very warm, very soft blanket. Her weight is comforting, grounding. The strawberry scent has become so familiar now that it's just part of the air I breathe.
Eventually, though, she does shift off me, repositioning so she's cuddling against my side instead. Still close, still touching, but no longer pinning me completely. She's still hugging me, one arm thrown across my chest, her leg hooked over mine, but she's no longer in full-on kissy monster mode.
"Alright," Bianca finally says, her voice cutting through the comfortable silence. "Everyone up. Water time, bathroom time, then we're watching this damn horror movie."
Ever the responsible one, Bianca extricates herself from Mom's embrace with surprising gentleness, then grabs cups of water. She basically forces them into Selene's and Mom's hands, watching with those sharp teal eyes to make sure they actually drink.
Mom takes her cup with a soft "Thank you, sweetie," her green eyes warm and unfocused. She drinks obediently, then wobbles off to the bathroom on her own, tipsy but functional. The honey-lavender scent trails after her.
Selene, however, requires significantly more persuading. "Noooo!" She whines, clinging to my arm with both hands. "I don't wanna move! I'm comfy!"
"Too bad. You need to pee. Get up." Bianca's standing over us now, hands on her hips.
"But I don't wanna go aloneee!" Selene turns those big pink eyes on me, blinking slowly. "Adam... will you come with me?"
I freeze. "Uh, I don't think—"
"Oh for fuck's sake." Bianca stands up, pulling Selene to her feet. "Come on, you clingy drunk. I'll go with you."
Selene immediately transfers her grip from me to Bianca, wrapping both arms around Bianca's waist. She's taller than Bianca by a few inches, so she has to lean down slightly, burying her face in Bianca's neck. "Really? You're the best sister ever! The best!"
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go before you pee yourself." I catch the way Bianca's hand comes up to steady Selene, fingers splaying across her back. The gesture is automatic, protective.
As I watch them start heading toward the bathroom, Selene still attached to Bianca like a barnacle, I really can't help myself. The words just come out: "You're such an amazing person, Bianca."
Bianca glares at me over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised. "Fuck off, Adam."
But I can catch the tiniest smirk tugging at her lips as she drags Selene away.
Fifteen minutes later, we're all gathered around the TV again, theoretically ready for the horror movie Bianca's been wanting to watch all day.
I'm sitting cross-legged in the middle of our blanket nest again, and Selene immediately returns to her position attached to my side. Mom settles behind Bianca, wrapping her arms around her daughter from behind.
Bianca hits play, and the movie starts.
Except it becomes obvious within just a few minutes that this isn't going to work.
Selene refuses to watch the movie entirely. She's deliberately facing away from the TV, her face pressed into my neck. I can feel her breath on my skin: slow, steady, already drowsy. Mom's hugging Bianca from behind, quiet and still. I honestly can't tell if she's paying any attention to the movie at all or if she's just existing in a warm, drunk haze.
The only two people actually watching the movie are Bianca and me, and I'm pretty sure most of Bianca's enjoyment from horror movies comes from experiencing them with the whole family. Sharing the scares, the tension, the jumps, that's the whole point.
After a few more minutes, I hear gentle snoring. Selene's breath has gone deep and even, each exhale tickling my neck. Mom's breathing has slowed too, and I glance over to see her eyes closed, her face peaceful.
"Fuck this," Bianca mutters, reaching for the remote and pausing the movie. Her voice is tight.
"Well, technically Selene's plan worked," I say, trying to lighten the mood. "She got drunk, avoided the scary movie, and now she's passed out. Mission accomplished."
"Yeah. Great." Her voice is flat and emotionless.
I glance over at her. "You okay?"
She doesn't answer right away, just stares at the paused screen.
"Bianca?"
"I'm fine." But her fingers are digging slightly into Mom's arm, and I can see the white of her knuckles.
She's very clearly not fine. I know Bianca well enough to recognize when she's putting up walls.
"You wanted to watch this together, huh?"
"Whatever. It's not a big deal."
"It kind of seems like a big deal."
She's quiet for a long moment. Then: "I just... yeah. I wanted to watch it together. With everyone. That's the whole point, you know? It's not fun alone."
I shuffle a little closer to her, dragging Selene along with me, and we get close enough that our shoulders touch. She looks tired suddenly, and there's something vulnerable in her expression that I almost never see. I reach for her free hand and she lets me take it, our fingers interlacing.
"Hey, we'll just make them watch it when they wake up, okay? We'll literally drag them back here if we have to."
"Yeah..." But she still sounds off, her voice smaller than it usually is.
"What's wrong?"
She grimaces, and I watch her debate something internally. Her jaw clenches, and she looks down at our joined hands. Finally, she speaks. "I just... it's stupid."
"It's not stupid if it's bothering you."
She's silent for another moment, and I give her hand a gentle squeeze. "Nobody wanted to watch it. The movie. With me. And I just... I don't know, it made me feel like shit. Like they don't actually care about spending time with me."
Oh.
I feel stunned. Bianca always seems so strong, so unaffected by everything. She's the one who's always got a sarcastic comeback ready, who seems above caring what anyone thinks. But right now, looking at her in the dim light from the TV, I can see how young she looks. How vulnerable. There's this tightness around her eyes, and her usual confidence has cracked to reveal something raw underneath.
"That's not true," I say, squeezing her hand harder. "Bianca, you know how terrified Selene and Mom get during horror movies. They still watch them anyway because they know you love them. They do it for you."
She nods slightly, but I can tell she's still feeling down.
"And look…" I squeeze her hand. "If you ever need to talk, or you're worried about something, I'm here. We're all here... We all love you. You know that, right?"
She looks up at me, and in the flickering light from the TV, her teal eyes are bright and glassy, like she might be holding back tears. She stares into my eyes, and for a moment she's completely unguarded. There's something raw in her expression, something vulnerable that Bianca usually keeps locked away behind sarcasm and goth makeup. I can see the conflict playing out across her face, gratitude warring with her natural instinct to deflect with humor.
Then, without warning, she leans in. I feel her shift closer, feel the warmth of her body as she moves into my space. Her hand comes up to touch my shoulder, steadying herself, and then her lips press against my forehead. They're soft and warm, and she lingers there for a moment longer than what might be considered appropriate. When she pulls back, she's smiling, with a hint of vulnerability still lingering in her eyes. "When did you get so fucking sappy, dork?"
"I blame the family bonding. It's made me soft."
"Clearly." But she's still smiling, and her hand hasn't left my shoulder. I can feel her thumb unconsciously rubbing small circles there, a gesture that's so uncharacteristically tender for Bianca that it makes my chest feel tight.
She leans against me, settling in.
We just sit there for a while in comfortable silence, connected by our clasped hands and her head on my shoulder.
After a while, Bianca starts talking in a low voice, telling me about some drama in the art club, and I respond in equally quiet tones. Our voices are soft, barely above whispers, and every word seems more intimate in the dim light.
The blankets beneath us are warm, the room is quiet except for our low conversation and the gentle snoring, and the air is full of mixed scents: strawberry, cherry, honey-lavender, all blending together into something that just smells like home.
And honestly? Even without the movie, this is pretty perfect.