I Don't Know Your Face Anymore

"Tason?" Her voice was soft and her eyes were wide, filled with confusion.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He laughed harshly and pulled away. He should have known better than to keep talking to her. He had just screwed up everything he'd worked for. He was trying to keep his distance to make sure she stayed safe.

"I...Why did you?"

"Honestly? I don't know." She clenched her fists and closed her eyes.

"Oh. I get it." She said through clenched teeth. Her eyes opened slowly and fury shone brightly within.

"You're mad."

"No shit?" She laughed sarcastically. "You just kissed me. And then you're taking it back. Of course I'm a bit upset."

"Sorry."

"Is that all you can ever say to me? Do you really even care? Do you honestly give a damn about what you're doing to me?" He looked down. "That probably didn't mean anything to you...but...it meant everything to me. Just so you know. My feelings haven't changed. And it fucking irritates me. You're horrible to me. You've hurt me the most. And you don't even give a shit."

"I do care. And it was just a kiss. It was nothing." She slapped him. The crack echoed in the room and they both froze, staring at each other. "Was that really necessary?"

"You deserve a hell of a lot more..." She looked away. "I'm sorry."

"I deserved it, remember?" He practically snarled at her. She bit her lip. "I'm gonna go crash in the den, alright?" She looked down and mumbled something that was barely audible. "What?"

"I..." Her face flushed. "Stay," she whispered. Goosebumps made their way across his skin and he sighed.

"Fine." He ruffled her hair. "I really am sorry." He tried to make her meet his eyes. "Faye?" She stared at her hands.

"What?" She whispered, her tongue running along her bottom lip. He swallowed audibly. He really needed to learn to control himself.

"Look at me...Please?" The pleading note in his voice was what made her look up. Her eyes shone suspiciously and he knew she was struggling not to cry. He pulled her against his chest.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her voice muffled by his t-shirt.

"I...I'm making it up to you." He said, hugging her tighter. She sniffled and he stroked her hair soothingly. "It's okay to cry. It's okay to not be okay all of the time, Faye. You don't have to be so strong all the time." She gripped the front of his shirt and shook her head.

"I have to. I have to be okay. I have to try harder." He sighed and leaned away from her to meet her eyes. God...She was so beautiful. Before he could stop himself, he was brushing away a stray tear. And then he was kissing her forehead. And then her cheek. He didn't want to stop kissing her. He wanted to kiss her everywhere. He hoped to leave kisses like seeds that would grow until she loved herself as much as he--

Stop. You can't. A voice in the back of his mind insisted. He sighed and dropped his head onto her shoulder. In the morning, he decided. He would go back to treating her the way he had since that night.

Just once, he decided. He'd give in and hold her for the rest of the night. One night.

Just one more night.

She deserved a sense of security. No matter how false it may be. She deserved to be comfortable with someone. She deserved to sleep peacefully. Without nightmares plaguing her.

"Do you want a pair of my shorts to wear?" he asked, his fingertips grazing her cheek. She nodded slowly, a little furrow between her brows. She was trying to figure him out. He smiled reassuringly and got up to find a pair of basketball shorts for her to sleep in. He opened a drawer to discover that, of course, none of his basketball shorts were clean. He tossed a pair of boxers at her.

"Um..." She gave him an odd look and he rolled his eyes.

"Just put them on." He said.

"Okay." She gave him a look and he turned around, giving her privacy.

Faye stared at him, confused, for a moment. Why was he acting like the old Tason? Did she have him back? She shook her hair out of her eyes as she started to change her pants. The second she was pulling her jeans off, she fell. She groaned and continued trying to tug the cursed skinny jeans off.

"Are you okay?" Tason asked, turning for a second. Her face caught fire. She was laying on the floor of Tason's bedroom in her underwear. His eyes widened almost comically. He turned back, quickly, his shoulders tense. He fought to control his breathing. That image of her and lace and pink and....he cleared his throat. He forced himself to calm down and didn't turn back around until he heard her climb into the bed.

"I would fall...right then..." She mumbled, embarrassed. He laughed nervously and laid next to her, turning the light off. He finally had gained control of his breathing and she moved close to him, wrapping one arm around his waist as she laid her head on his chest.

"Those were cute." He whispered suddenly. She hit his side and hid her face.

"Shut up. You didn't see that..." Her voice was small.

"Are you blushing?" He demanded.

"Go to sleep!" She groaned.

"No, now I want to see your face." He flipped the light back on to see her face beet red. He laughed. "You're really blushing?"

"Shut up! I'm not." She groaned and buried her face into his chest as he turned the light off again. He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Sweet dreams." He said so softly, she almost couldn't hear him. A small smile claimed her lips as she dozed off.

Maybe things would get better...