NC17!!! At Teddy's place (AFTER SCHOOL, MON)

[Sharise]

Teddy mentally cringed. He was afraid of this. Though, had he not been so mortified, the situation could be amusing. If only in a 'haha, you poor bastard' kind of way.

"How should I put this? I guess I'll just be blunt..." He took a large sip of his drink. "We have sex, Sweetheart."

It took everything he had to turn and look at her. "Actually... I've had sex with a lot of people." He bit his lip. "Does that bother you?"

[Cres]

Sweetheart blinked a few times. It was rare that she ever heard that particular word. Even Chip, known for his unafraid use of words, rarely resorted to such bluntness.

At first she was simply amazed that someone dared speak the word to her. Then she felt a little delighted. At least it meant Teddy didn't think she was five years old anymore.

Then the full import of what he had said entered her brain. She stared at him. Somehow, he had always been that little boy who first startled her and then picked up her books for her, and who had shared with her the secret of a teddy bear. Now that illusion was completely shattered. At first it shocked her. Then hurt a little. Somehow, something inside her had always hoped that Teddy, like herself, was saving himself for the special one.

She looked down and swallowed a few times to force down the tears. She was overreacting. She told herself so. But it was difficult to keep the shock from showing.

Of course she should have known that he would be seeing other girls. Maybe even guys, who knew? She had no prejudice. A handsome boy like him - and a friend of Ace's, no less. They all knew Ace's reputation. And... it was all about sex these days with everyone, wasn't it? It had come to mean nothing.

Strengthened by that thought, she smiled a little and looked up at Teddy again.

"I... no, I... I'm just... surprised." She blushed. "I suppose I have been... sheltered a little too much."

She felt herself utterly silly. He must think her foolish and childish. Perhaps he'd never want to see her again. That got a hot lump rise into her throat. She didn't know how to be sexy or attractive. She didn't even know how to deal with that kind of things.

[Sharise]

Teddy watched as Sweetheart went through a range of emotions. He held his breath the entire time. He didn't want to hurt her, or lose her. He still loved her, and he knew he always would. They had lost contact once, and he didn't want it to happen again.

Once Sweetheart spoke, Teddy breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't hate him. "Nothing wrong with that." He smiled. "I'm just one of those poor fools that have been exposed to far too many things." He took another sip of his drink and looked away. "Sex has lost all meaning to me. Actually, it never had a meaning." He looked at the girl by his side again. "I've never actually been in a real relationship. Pathetic, I know."

[Cres]

Sweetheart felt a sudden rush of relief at his reaction. He liked her after all!

As he spoke, she couldn't but feel sorry for him. She tried to discern if he really thought himself unfortunate or was he just saying so. Sweetheart was sure there was much he was missing out on.

In her secret mind she thought that perhaps he'd let her be the one to show him there was more to sex.

"Well..." she said quietly, "I've no point to think you pathetic. At least you've got experience. I've never had a real relationship either, but on top of that I've hardly even kissed anyone. Well, once."

[Sharise]

Teddy was slightly surprised at the information given to him. Not only did Sweetheart open to him, but the girl had managed to escape all of the perverts in the world. That took skill.

"Honestly, I'm kind of shocked." He smiled. "How did you manage to keep away from all the guys like me out there?" His voice softened. "You're beautiful." He meant it. He'd always thought that Sweetheart was gorgeous. Even more so now.

[Cres]

Sweetheart blushed. His compliment made her glow. She could hardly believe it true. She glanced at him from under her eyelashes and then looked down again, shyly.

"I... I suppose it's mainly because of my brother. He's quite... protective, whenever he's home in the summer. And in the school... no one really notices me." Her voice grew more silent towards the end. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

She hadn't meant to ask it, but there it was. She blushed a little deeper. She feared she was soon as red as her hair.

[Sharise]

Teddy's expression softened. He couldn't help but to smile a little as Sweetheart turned red.

Reaching out, he gently tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him. "I always have."

[Cres]

Sweetheart's breath caught into her lungs and she looked at him, her eyes very wide, like a frightened deer. In truth, she was not frightened at all, but his closeness, and the way he looked at her, and the words he said, they all had a deep impact on her. She had never felt much attraction to Vinnie, who seemed intent on winning her over, but Teddy had been her childhood crush - and still was.

She doubted it would ever change.

She couldn't say anything. Half of her wished he would kiss her, right there. Half of her feared exactly the same thing, for reasons unclear to her.

[Sharise]

Teddy watched Sweetheart closely. His hand remained under her chin, and he wasn't planning on moving it. She looked scared, but having known her for so long he knew she wasn't.

It was taking everything he had not to kiss her. His entire life, he had wanted to kiss her. But he was afraid. For the first time since he was a kid, he was afraid of what the girl might do if he kissed her. Oh, but he longed to.

Before he could stop himself, Teddy's emotions got the best of him. Using his hand under her chin, he pulled Sweetheart in for a kiss. Their lips were almost touching when he paused for a second, but it had felt much longer than that. Smiling a little, he decided to go for it and closed what little space was left between them.

He kissed her softly, but passionately. It was as if all of his love for the girl was being communicated through the kiss. He prayed she wouldn't slap him.

[Cres]

Sweetheart nearly trembled under Teddy's touch. Was he going to kiss her? She wished it, yet feared it, and then didn't know how to feel. She looked into his eyes as he pulled her in, feeling comfortably helpless in his arms.

When he paused for a moment, Sweetheart felt as though all her emotions ran out on her. She realised she was ready for the kiss. She had always been. She feared he might pull away, after being this close, she didn't know if she could bear it if he did...

And then he closed his lips on hers, and she closed her eyes, opening her lips to his touch willingly, letting him kiss her. She had always loved him, and though she had never really thought of him in a sexual sense, the kiss felt perfect, felt right. Like something she was meant to experience all her life, like everything she had ever went through had been preparing her for this very moment.

So she forgot about everything else and raised her arms carefully up to Teddy's neck, wrapped them around his neck and answered the kiss, though there was still something very shy about how she did it.

[Sharise]

Teddy's heart skipped a beat as he realized that Sweetheart was not going to push him away. Instead, she had wrapped her arms around his neck. He could feel a part of him growing in excitement, and he hoped she wouldn't notice.

Let his instincts guide him, Teddy allowed his hands to trail down Sweetheart's arms and sides until they found a resting spot on her lower back. He pulled her closer, never wanting to let her go. This moment just felt so right. Yet, a part of him couldn't believe that it was actually happening.

His tongue flicked out, skillfully making its way into the girl's mouth. He deepened the kiss, but not enough to traumatize the poor girl. He wasn't fond of using a lot of tongue - just enough to leave her wanting more.

Without thinking, he began to slowly guide Sweetheart backward. He wasn't trying to come on strong, or appear like he wanted more than to kiss. Hell, the kiss was more than enough, but he couldn't stop himself. That is until reality set in. Keeping Sweetheart held tightly in one arm, Teddy pulled back from the kiss and looked down at her. "Are you sure you're ok with this?"

He was slightly out of breath, which was unusual for him. It had to be the adrenaline rush.

[Cres]

Sweetheart forgot entirely where she was. She was so frightened that she might have died, it felt to her, but on the other hand Teddy's touch sent such sparks flying all over her body that she couldn't even think of pulling away. She felt him pull her closer, and clung to his neck even tighter, and though what he did with his tongue felt strange to her at first, she soon found it was oddly exciting... made her feel things she had never felt before.

She didn't even notice Teddy was laying her down on the couch, until he suddenly pulled back from the kiss and looked at her. She was breathless, and her eyes were wide and lucid with a feeling she had never felt before, and she could hardly understand him as he spoke. It took her a moment or two.

Sweetheart had sported a sheltered, unexcitable existence most of her life. She had never felt anything like this before, and the fact that it was Teddy who was touching her, giving her this new sensation, and the fact that she knew she shouldn't have, that it was all forbidden, made her want it even more.

But his pause did allow her the few seconds of thought she needed to feel the silver cross against her skin, inside the blouse. To remember, who she was. Her duties. Kissing was one thing. But what her lust-hazed mind suddenly realised, where they were going was something else completely.

Out of breath, and still holding onto his neck-hair, which she only now realised she had wrapped tightly around her fingers, she stared up at Teddy and swallowed.

"I... can't," she said, her chest falling and rising and her eyes filled with a feeling of desire mixed with anguish. And she still wasn't letting him go or pulling away.

[Sharise]

Teddy took in a sharp breath. He figured she would say as much. Keeping her tightly in his arms, he nodded. He was still breathless as he spoke. "Just kissing."

Before asking for further permission, he started up another passionate kiss. He couldn't help it. This was something that he had wanted to experience for so long.

He slowly continued to move the girl backward until they were both laying down, him on top of her. But staying true to his word, he simply continued to kiss her. He made sure his hands did not wander. One was pinned under her back and the other was on the side of her, supporting his weight. He had no intentions of trying anything more.

[Cres]

Sweetheart could have no objection to the "just kissing" remark, and she willingly bent under Teddy as he moved her down on the couch. She enjoyed the kiss more than what her conscience would have approved of. She breathed in quick, short breaths and let her fingers wander in his neck, along his ears, caressing him on his shoulders, letting her instincts guide her, since somewhere deep within, she was still stiff and frightened. She had never experienced anything like this. She trusted Teddy with all her heart, and was sure he wouldn't do anything to harm her, but this kind of thing was completely new to her, and she was afraid she would do something silly.

And all the time she felt the cross on her neck like a collar that strangled her. She didn't want to disappoint Teddy, she was afraid he would think ill of her if she didn't give in. Sweetheart's insecurity staggered even though she tried not to think of that. Half of her wished it would never end and that Teddy would continue touching her despite what she had said, that he would just show her what it was that all the other girls talked about, giggling... and the other half of her was shocked at what impure thoughts she harboured. They were not married yet, she tried reminding herself. They should not go too far until they were married. Then, all the sinful lusts would be forgiven.

Her Catholic training stuck deep.

[Sharise]

Teddy had no way of telling what the girl was thinking, but he had a good guess. Afterall, he had known Sweetheart for most of his life, so he knew damn well how important her religion was to her.

Breaking the kiss, Teddy gazed down at her. "Relax. I'm not going to pressure you into anything." He shook his head. "Don't worry about anything."

As much as he would like to go further, he knew that it would never happen. But that was fine with him. Sweetheart was back in his life and that was all that mattered.