Page 52 of Meet Cute

“Felt good?”

“Uh… U-Uh huh…”

Kissing my cheek, Finn hoists me into his arms properly. The amount of strength he has is always a little surprising, especially considering the fact I haven’t seen him ever workout. I guess he does chop firewood and stuff, but is that really enough?

“You’re all dirty, bunny.” He says affectionately while shouldering open the door to the bathroom. “I’m gonna get you nice and clean, and then we’re gonna watch a m-movie on the couch.”

Nodding wordlessly, a satisfied noise leaves my lips as he begins undressing me all the way. Both garments I have on fall into a pile on the floor, leaving me exposed. Although the way he stares at me is still nothing short of starving, there’s a lot more affection and softness interlaced than before.

Before he sets me down, I lean forward to pull him into a kiss. It’s quick, nothing more than a peck. But it’s worth it to see the way he beams like he’s won the lottery, eyes lighting up with all sorts of warm feelings.

“I love you, Duncan.”

“I love you too, Finn.”

THIRTY-NINE

I don’t know how he did it, but the bunny shirt he got me is actually super comfortable. Not only does it fit just the way I like—slightly baggy—but it’s warm, which is a good thing considering the snow outside is getting crazy.

“Hey, bunny?” Finn asks from underneath me, arms wrapped around me tight. The TV is playing but I’m not really paying attention, instead I’m enjoying the warmth of his body and the knit blanket draped over us. “What do you want for Christmas?”

Life has been so horrible that I nearly forgot all about Christmas. It’s funny that I was dreading the thought of being alone, and now in the cruelest gift of all I definitely won’t be.

But I wonder… If I’ve been missing for so long, are people still looking for me? Finn is a lot of things, but he’s not exactly a mastermind. I think if someone was trying, they would’ve found me by now. It hurts to think about how little I meant to everyone in my life, but it doesn’t matter anymore.

“I don’t know.” The question is so ordinary it really does throw me for a loop. “Um… I guess more things to do would be nice? Maybe… internet, if you trust me with it.”

Finn makes a face that tells me that won’t be happening anytime. “I-It’s not that I don’t trust you, I just… W-What if you go through one of your little fits and do something I can’t f-fix?”

Don’t exactly love them being called fits, but I understand—sort of. “That’s… that’s fine. It was stupid, anyway.”

“No!” He sits up a little, hands moving to rest on the curve of my ass. “It wasn’t. I’ll… I’ll see what I can do. O-Okay? I-Is that okay?”

“Of course it’s okay,” I yawn. “Don’t worry too much about it.”

He squirms. “I don’t want you to be unhappy. I-I want to give you everything you want.” Without me even doing anything, he begins nervously tugging at the fabric of my fuzzy navy blue pants. “I want to be a good b-boyfriend… but I've never… I’ve never dated anyone…”

Laughing softly feels cruel, but I can't help myself. “Me neither,” I decide to take the gentle approach with him. It was horribly obvious, but saying that to his face is mean. “But I think.. I mean, I-I guess you are a good… boyfriend.”

Boyfriend. The word is so unfamiliar on my tongue, and it comes out in a whisper. It’s something forbidden. Something that was never supposed to happen. Meant to live on in my wildest dreams.

But right here in front of me is the man who is apparently mine. He’s mine. All mine. I never considered myself the possessive type, but I do have to admit that I love the way that sounds.

My parents would hate this. They’d hate every part of it. From the way he’s always grabbing me, to the way he kisses me, and even the way he looks at me. God, it would make them sick. Now I wish they could see.

“I am?”

“You love me a lot. That’s… a pretty big part of it, I think. I mean… I don’t know. I’ve never had one. What is it supposed to feel like?”

Kissing my cheek, Finn's touch is almost supernatural. “I think it’s supposed to be like this. When I think about being apart from you, I just want to d-die. I don’t… Life without you isn’t worth living.”

As intense as that is, it makes me feel all warm. To be loved so unabashedly is freeing in a way I can’t make sense of. This should feel suffocating, but instead it makes me feel so very special and so very wanted. It’s what I’ve needed my whole life.

“Things would be weird without you.” Nerves get the better of me as I hide my face in his chest. I hate talking about this kind of thing. Haley always tried to get into deep convos with me and I never wanted any part of it. “I don’t know…”

Finn hums thoughtfully. “I think that without me, y-you wouldn’t… uh… be here.”

“Well, duh—”