𝕓𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕔𝕒𝕥 | 𝟲 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗

12 | Hiss and Make Up

Four shifted on his toes, standing outside Blake's door. He'd been doing some thinking, and, well... He couldn't quite tell if she was still trying to manipulate him in the kitchen, and with One's suggestion of her being a double agent, it could make sense. Anyway: he was going to apologise, keep it peaceful, and leave. There was going to be no talk about feelings, or liking or disliking anyone. Keep it simple, keep it honest.

He knocked the door, quiet at first. He waited a moment, then knocked again, louder this time. Blake opened the door slowly and made a move to shut it again when she saw him, but he wedged his foot in the gap.

"I just need a moment," he said. "I'm not pissed anymore."

She squinted up at him, then sighed. "What do you want, Four?" His code name felt funny in her mouth, the name 'Ellis' teasing on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to know his real name, but she didn't dare ask.

"One told me everything."

She cocked a brow in confusion. "Everything?"

He scuffed his shoes on the carpet, bobbing his head. "About your brother. And Circe. And the..." he stopped himself and met her eyes. "I didn't know. They didn't tell me."

Blake crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, a frown shadowing her face. "It wasn't his place to tell you. Do they all know?"

"Yes," he replied honestly. "I think he had good intentions. They told me to come and find you."

"Why?"

"To apologise for being shit the other morning. And for going fucking mental about you last week. In all seriousness, I can't remember much." He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Blake's eyes began to follow his movements before she stopped herself, forcing herself to stare at the bridge of his nose, away from dangerous territory - like his lips, because he was saying all the right things and damn, he was pretty. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself if she started, but temptation tingled at the tips of her fingers. She jammed them tighter into her armpits.

"You were blind drunk." She shrugged and leaned against the doorframe, arms still crossed defensively over her chest. "Look, thanks for apologising, but I'm going to turn in for the night."

"Wait."

She stared accusingly at where his hand caught her forearm, and Four hastily let go. Before she could leave, however, he stepped closer and tilted her chin up with one finger, gentle enough that she could step away if she wanted.

Blake was just itching to touch him. Touch starvation, Harmony called it; the human need for physical affection. Blake was a sucker for it. She craved it like a drug.

He had no idea what he was doing. He hadn't planned to do it, it just... happened. She was blatantly staring at his lips while he was speaking, he supposed, then tried to hide it by looking away, but he had seen, and that made all the difference. She still wanted him, even if she didn't like him, and that sparked a little flame of want inside himself.

Four stayed here, his finger under her chin, watching her eyes grow glassy with indecision. She realised with a start that he was looking for her permission, and against all her common sense, she nodded slightly. It was all the incentive he needed; he captured her lips in a kiss.

He originally intended it to be a chaste goodnight kiss, but Blake quickly turned it into something deeper. Her hands wove into his hair and somehow his hands ended up gripping her hips and her legs wound around his waist as he pressed her against the wall of the hallway.

He broke the kiss in a daze, resting his forehead against hers as he tried to regain his breath.

"Fuck, Four," Blake panted, the corners of her mouth turning upwards. "You kiss good."

"It's got a nice alliteration to it, hasn't it?"

The two of them startled. One, who was regarding them with a raised eyebrow, smirked.

"One! What the fuck!" Four barked, unsure of what to do with himself since he was currently holding Blake against the wall.

"Totally unintentional naming on my part, of course," One said conversationally, lifting a shoulder briefly. "Four just happened to be the fourth. And the horniest, apparently."

One's eyes glinted with mischief and Four resisted the urge to roll his eyes - he'd ended up doing exactly what One wanted.

"Fuck off, arsehole."

"Charmed. Anyway, get a room." One pointed at Blake's open door. "I don't want to see your make-up make-out."

One turned and strolled away, leaving the couple glancing awkwardly at each other.

"Sorry." Four broke the silence and gingerly let her down. She gave him a small smile and he realised, with no small amount of satisfaction, that she was flushed.

He gestured to her room. "Do you want to...?"

"Sure."

Blake led him inside, inwardly cursing One for interrupting them, and sat down on her bed.

Four took a moment to look around before he sat down too. The lack of personal belongings left the space looking hardly lived-in, except from the ruffled sheets where she hadn't made her bed. He guessed she hadn't been expecting visitors.

"Well," Blake said. She twisted her hands into her blue sweater. "Trust One to make things awkward. Has he always been like that?"

Four huffed a laugh. "The asshole just has a natural way with words."

"Yeah," she agreed. She nodded thoughtfully and trailed off into silence, avoiding his heated gaze. God, she was a full-grown adult, yet one apology had her kissing him like it was her last day on earth. Could she do this? Should she do this?

"So..." he started suggestively, looking pointedly at her lips.

Blake smiled. She shouldn't, she decided, but she damn well could. And that was enough of an excuse. "As much as I liked seeing 'Ellis' in a tux all the time, I do like this." She plucked at the fabric of his hoodie with one hand, while the other slid up underneath, inching up over his stomach. She pulled up the hem, eyes darting to his to make sure it was okay.

He smirked in response and tugged his t-shirt and hoodie off in one go, dropping it down next to the bed.

"I've missed being with you," she admitted, leaning in to press a kiss to his lips.

He didn't let her go, taking the opportunity to continue what she'd started in the hallway. When she broke for air, he tugged at her sweater.

"Clothes," he breathed. "They need to come off. Now."

He helped her pull off her sweater, discarding it carelessly as he peppered kisses from her mouth and down her jaw. She arched her neck as he continued downwards, gasping as he kissed and sucked the soft skin just above her shoulder.

Four's deft fingers unhooked the back of her bra and she slipped it off. His fingers caressed her skin as his mouth left a trail of open-mouthed kisses to her stomach.

He couldn't help but grin at Blake's murmured encouragement when he reached her zipper.