FREE⇡RIDE⇣HOME [Elevator Hitch || COTAG]

No one's ever done these things for me before

I yawn.

After eating a well-made lobster with my coworker, I feel so nourished and relaxed... and tired. Today was a long day.

He sits down next to me and puts his arm around me, as I rest my head on the table. "Tired?"

"Yeah. What time is it..?"

He glances at his watch. "Midnight."

"Ooh, may I take a shower? And do you have some clothes for me?"

He nods and stands up. "Yeah, follow me."

He drags me to a closet, and gives me a towel and a shirt. "Is this enough?"

"Yeah, thanks."

He leads me to the bathroom, and opens the door for me. "Then, I'll take one after you."

I enter and he closes the door.

It's time to learn a whole new mechanism of a shower now.

I get in, get out, and dry myself off. I put on the shirt he gave me, which is twice my size, yet comfortable. My hair is soft and silk for once.

When I leave the bathroom, holding my own clothes in my arm, My coworker is coincidentally standing across from me. He gasps.

"You wear over-the-knee socks?!"

"...I wear over-the-knee socks," I confirm.

His eyes widen, and his smile does too. "That's so cute!" He rests his hands on my shoulders.

I pout. "Yeah... thanks."

"You can go to bed, if you want. Leave your clothes somewhere where you can find them tomorrow. I'll be right back!" He enters the room I just left right after.

I shake the weird feeling off and look for the bedroom... Wait, he told me to go to bed, but shouldn't I sleep somewhere else? On the couch, for example?

In the end, I decide to lie on the couch. It's cold, and I don't have much space. I wait for my coworker, because even though I wouldn't be surprised if he really wanted me to suffer, I don't think I'm doing the right thing.

When I hear him get out of the shower, I position myself so I can see the environment better, and wait.

He doesn't come. That's sad.

A minute passes, and I hear footsteps again. Could it be..?

"You're here?" My coworker hovers over the couch and looks down at me.

"Sorry, I wasn't sure where to go."

He plucks me from the couch and carries me to his bedroom. "I didn't ask you to sleep over, so you'd keep that much of a distance from me!"

He throws me on his bed and lies down next to me, pulling the covers over the both of us. He hugs me from behind and snuggles in my back.

I can't comprehend why he's being so casual with these things. I've always been convinced that hugging, kissing and sleeping together are ways of showing intimacy.

But I'm not complaining. In fact, I'm more than happy to be his target.

His hands wander all over my body, but almost exclusively my legs. He's playing with the tops of my socks, and stroking my skin. It makes me tremble slightly.

He goes a little too far, when I feel his fingers on the inside of my thigh. I turn around to face him, and faintly push him away. "Don't touch me..."

He pulls my waist closer to himself and wraps his arms around me, remaining still. "Sorry," He whispers.

When I finally accept the position, he starts moving again. Well, not really, but he's massaging my back. I guess it's fine like this, though. It feels good.

I like it when he touches me, no matter how unfortunately I've phrased that. I like it when he buries his face in my hair, when he holds me close, as if he wants to protect me, when he sacrifices himself for me...

It makes me feel loved.

"Do you have any sleeping meds?" I ask him, quietly.

"I don't, and even if I had any, I wouldn't give them to you. You've got to stop using those." He presses me closer with his arms.

I groan. I'll never fall asleep like this.

Well, whatever. I'm free tomorrow, anyway.

To my surprise, I do get sleepier. It takes really long for me to doze off, but it happens...

His warmth relaxes my mind, and I rest for a while.

I wake up shortly after, to some trivial sound. My coworker isn't next to me. I suppose he already got up, so I continue resting. My head hurts so bad...

After what felt like the whole morning, I feel something tap my shoulder.

It's my coworker. I rub my eyes and put my glasses on. "Good morning..."

"Good morning! I made you breakfast." He places a tray of various foods on my lap.

"Breakfast in bed, huh..." I fix my hair. "Thank you."

He steals some contents from the tray. "May I hand-feed you?" He asks, jokingly.

"Sure," I reply, before I even realise that he meant it as a joke.

I stare at the food, unsure what to do. My coworker slightly lifts my chin up with his hand, and peers into my eyes. His chest is shaky, and the thumb that's on my cheek slowly finds it's way on my lips...

He backs away. "I was just kidding. Enjoy your meal." He grins, uncomfortably.

Before he walks out of my range, I thank him again. "I'm happy to have you, really. No one's ever done these things for me before."

His eyes shine. "What things?"

I hum. "Giving me rides, hanging out for me, cooking for me, making me breakfast..." I count on my fingers.

He laughs. "No problem. I love y- ...b-being with you." He exits, shuts the door and shouts from the other side: "I'll clean up, and come back to you. Eat well!"

I can't deny the fact, that the way he talks to and cares for me, does hatch butterflies in my stomach. It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy...

Is he genuinely trying his best, or did I unknowingly assume that he doesn't normally care about anyone, when he's actually a really mindful person?

I selfishly hope its the former. It'd be so nice, to finally have someone who truly cherishes me and wants to protect me. He makes me feel so weird... it's addictive.

I know it's not a very manly thought, yet... I can't control it.

✂