[Age Switch] For Ellen

[manwithoutfear]

Ever since learning Ellen was carrying our child, I've spent more nights at her place than my own, despite my admitted annoyance towards her dog. Some might call this hovering or being overtly concerned, but most don't live subject to the whims of a magical island. Sleeping by her side gives me a false peace of mind, and given that rest will be in short supply once the baby comes, getting as much of it as I can in the meantime strikes me only as forward thinking.

A light sleeper by nature, something as simple as a shift in her weight is enough to ease me awake. I noise a grunt in the back of my throat as my eyes flutter open, still close enough to dreaming that I don't notice anything's off.

"Ellen?"

Comments

[shewaswarned]

"Probably. Did you cut yourself?"

Ellen frowns visibly and gets to her feet, moving into the kitchen and towards the cupboard where she keeps the majority of her first-aid supplies. The bandaids are the first thing she sees, and she grabs the box of them to bring them back to the table, reaching out to take his hand.

"Let me see."

[manwithoutfear]

"You'd think being able to see would make things easier, right?" I'm reluctant to give her my hand -- it's just a cut, I can take it care of it on my own -- but I don't want a fight, so I hold it out for her. If nothing else, it gives me an excuse to look at her some more, filling in the line work of my memories with color and texture.

"Guess it comes with an adjustment period."

[shewaswarned]

"It's definitely an adjustment period," Ellen murmurs understandingly, cleaning off the cut first before putting a fresh bandaid around his thumb, gently holding onto his hand for a few more beats once she's done.

"There." She smiles up at him. "Okay?"

[manwithoutfear]

I reach out to cup her face with my uninjured hand, tracing the curve of her bottom lip with my thumb -- completing the picture in my head.

"Yeah," I exhale, finding a smile of my own. She's more beautiful than any sunrise, and I know if I stay here for any longer, things'll get awkward real fast, but… I don't care.

[shewaswarned]

It might be an unconscious act, but she tilts her head into his touch, reaching up with one hand to gently snake fingers around his wrist, the bones feeling smaller under her hands. More delicate.

"Good," she murmurs, smiling slowly.

[manwithoutfear]

Again, the urge to kiss her catches me off guard. My head bows down, instinct taking me through familiar motions…

I jerk back at the last moment, my mouth pressed together in a thin smile as my face grows hot.

"Maybe I should, uh--"

[shewaswarned]

"Eat your fruit?" Ellen weakly finishes, clearing her throat quietly as she shifts, turning to face the first-aid kit instead of him directly.

She'll just busy herself with putting it away first before taking a seat at the table, though she's attempting to stifle a smile as she does so.

She fully intends to blame the hormones.

[manwithoutfear]

"I am a growing boy," I mutter under my breath, turning on my heel to sit opposite her at the table. I stab at a piece of mango with my fork, examining it with all my available senses before I sink my teeth down.

I take a minute to chew -- I always enjoy my food -- and glance back over at her.

"...so I guess I'll be sleeping on the couch 'til I get back to normal, huh?"

[shewaswarned]

"Why would you - oh."

She hadn't even considered the possibility that there'd be an issue with - keeping hands to one's self.

[manwithoutfear]

I clear my throat. God, this is awkward.

"Unless you don't mind sleeping next to jailbait...?"

I can't help the slight hopeful note in my voice. I blush that much more.

[shewaswarned]

"What, are you worried I'll try something?"

She's fully confident in her ability to stay hands-off until this is back to normal.

[manwithoutfear]

I gape at her for a full minute before I force myself to shut my mouth and keep eating.

"Shut up."

Not my most eloquent reply.

[shewaswarned]

She practically snorts back a laugh, some of the earlier tension easing away, and returns to eating silently.

For a lawyer, someone needs practice on coming to his own defense.