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It took her longer in the bathroom than she thought. Mostly to get her head in order than any real physical needs. But soon she was emerging, once more in control, exactly where she liked to be. “Oh he does. But he hates all my boyfriends so it should be interesting to see his reaction.” She fished out another bottle of water, she noticed he had already gotten one himself. “Your lucky Sherlock already likes you. The last guy he met nearly wet his pants when Sherlock growled at him. There wasn't a second date after that.”
She joined him once more on the couch, much more aware of the space she made sure was between them. “After all these years one would think you could at least beat me once. It's a good thing you're so cute…” Her eyes went wide as she realized what she had said, they cut over to him then flickered back to the screen, her heart giving one hard throb. Abby had been trying to ease things back into a more comfortable line of thought but that slip of the tongue had been completely accidental. She covered her slip by taking a deep swig of water. Capping the bottle she quickly leaned forward and placed it on the coffee table before settling back into the couch.
“‘Pull the Lever, Kronk’,” she quoted from the movie, her finger in the air and everything.
She joined him once more on the couch, much more aware of the space she made sure was between them. “After all these years one would think you could at least beat me once. It's a good thing you're so cute…” Her eyes went wide as she realized what she had said, they cut over to him then flickered back to the screen, her heart giving one hard throb. Abby had been trying to ease things back into a more comfortable line of thought but that slip of the tongue had been completely accidental. She covered her slip by taking a deep swig of water. Capping the bottle she quickly leaned forward and placed it on the coffee table before settling back into the couch.
“‘Pull the Lever, Kronk’,” she quoted from the movie, her finger in the air and everything.
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"Then maybe I'll start off with a couple of bonus points, huh?" Cliff asked as he watched her from the couch. Now that his feelings were out in the open he was a lot less shy about keeping his eyes on her, at least if they were in the same room and...well, alone. He honestly just couldn't get enough still; the relationship was literally 5 minutes old and the honeymoon phase was already creeping up on him.
As soon as she joined him on the couch he noted the space between them and chuckled lightly, though he left it alone. If she still needed her space, that was totally fine with him. Her slip of the tongue also did a good job of cheering him up, and he got up and sort of scooted toward her as soon as she said it. "So I'm cute now?" he asked with a smirk, his heart already picking up its pace with the change in proximity, before taking another swig from his water.
Even her effort to cover it up was adorable, so she was doing a better job at keeping his attention than the movie was at that very moment.
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She closed her eyes briefly as he scooted closer. Apparently she wouldn't be able to get out of her little slip that easily. “You always were. Even when you were a bratty little boy with cooties.” Abby wrinkled her nose at him while tweaking his own playfully. The movie might have been playing in the background but she wasn't really paying it too much attention. He had made the distance between them all but disappear, and she was beginning to have the same issues she had before. Much more aware of the person next to her then she should have been.
“Why does she even have that lever?” Abby tried to get their attention back on the screen but it was rather clear that neither of them were paying much attention to the antics of Kuzco. “Cliff? The movie is that way.” She pointed at the screen even while keeping her eyes on him herself.
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"Guess I should be flattered," he chuckled as she reached out and tweaked his nose--he playfully swatted her hand away when she did, though it was partnered with a laugh. The dialogue of the movie slipped in through one ear and out the other. It didn't seem like she was paying much attention either, so he didn't feel all that bad. He'd already seen it before, after all, and so had she so that was perfectly fine.
"Precaution?" he asked with a shrug. "I bet we could find the answer on Google though." When she pointed to the screen he turned to look at it, then sighed. "Sorry, I'm just...well, I'm a little distracted now. But movie, right." He did his best to keep his eyes on the screen, but he still occasionally glanced in her direction.
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“Google knows all, although one would think she would stop asking Kronk to pull it if he keeps pulling the wrong one.” Abby focused on the screen and did her best to ignore Cliff, a high order all things considered. However as the hijinks continued on the screen she really did start to relax. She had shifted until she had unconsciously ended up leaning against him.
She snickered as Izma was surprised by the birthday cake scene in the dinner and snorted at the jump roping moment. It really had been too long since she had seen this movie. During one part she glanced over at him and realized Cliff was doing the same. Abby glanced away but had become well aware of just how close they were now, she didn't pull away however even though her attention kept wandering back to him. It was rather shocking how much one moment could change your whole life.
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"Good point," he said, though eventually the movie did manage to draw enough of his attention that he didn't notice as she shifted closer to him until she wound up leaning on him at some point during the movie. Cliff smiled wide and casually shifted in his seat so she could get a little more comfortable while leaning against him.
One moment really could change a lot.
"You know, I forgot how good this movie was," he said just as the movie came to a close. He made no indication of moving from the position he was in, though, since...well...he didn't really want to unless he had to. "Wanna pick the next one?"
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She felt when he shifted but realized that it just had her basically nestling next to him in a much more comfortable position. Doing her best to focus on the movie she was able to relax again, although still very aware of him. “Yeah. I'm surprised how good it was. You know they did a second one. Kronk's New Groove. This one was much better but Kronk’s was amusing as well.”
Abby looked over at him before grabbing the remote and began to flip through the choice, “one more, then I should go. I have class in the morning.” She finally stopped on a really old movie. “Have you ever seen ‘Quest for Camelot’?” According to Netflix it was older than them both but she was rather certain she had watched it before.
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"I heard about it, never thought to watch it," he said with regard to Kronk's New Groove. As she reached for the remote he re-adjusted himself again so when she came back his arm was more or less over her shoulders. "Alright, then one more then I'll walk you to your dorm?" Because it was getting late and even if they hadn't just started dating he would have insisted to make sure she got home safe.
As for her next movie pick he only shook his head. "I don't think so, but maybe. The title sounds kinda familiar, but I can't be sure. Just hit 'play'?" At this point the movie didn't matter if it meant he could be huddled on the couch with her for an hour or so…
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“You don't have to walk me back, you know. I'm just a few buildings over. Besides, I can protect myself.” Abby made a face at him, but shrugged while adding “but I have a feeling there is nothing I can say or do short of duct taping you down to dissuade you.” And a small part of her was happy at his offer so she really wasn't too concerned. They were sitting so close, aware of him and yet ok with it. Had they ever sat like this before? Hip to hip while he had his arm over her shoulder? She didn't think so. It was such an innocent way to sit and yet she was aware of every move he made.
Rather than mull over the strangeness of the situation she did as directed and starred the movie. She was soon lost in the storyline but as the show progressed Abby found that she was nodding off… And before she was even aware she slipped into slumber, her head resting on his shoulder as the rest fully relaxed against him.
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He knew he didn't have to, but believed that it was the gesture that counted rather than whether or not it was a necessity, so when she came to the conclusion that there wasn't anything she could do about him walking her home he only nodded turned his head just enough so he could lean forward and plant a kiss to her temple. Oddly enough the transition to a dating relationship rather than just a friendship allowed him to be much more comfortable as compared to before. He was still well aware of her every move, of course, and his pulse was still a little bit racey, but he liked the close proximity. The fact that he could pull her even closer, too…
It was nice.
As soon as the movie started his eyes stayed primarily glued to the screen. No, he hadn't seen it before so he was quickly engrossed in its storyline, up until one point, maybe three-quarters of the way through the movie when he glanced toward Abby and saw that she'd actually fallen asleep. His lips spread into a soft smile before he let his eyes drift back to the screen, and as soon as the credits started rolling he shook her lightly.
"Hey, Abs, c'mon. Movie's over…" he said quietly, hoping to stir her gently awake.
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Dead asleep Abby didn't do more than groan when Cliff started to shake her shoulder. “Noooo, no school yet,” it was muttered but clear as she snuggled into his side. “Warm…” She squirmed closer, “Sherlock. Silly puppy.” She started to drift deeper when something clicked in her sleepy brain.
A slight frown crossed her face as she snuggled even closer and took a deep breath. “Not Sherlock…” her eyes fluttered open and for a brief moment confusion was clear on her face. “Cliff?”
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She certainly had her more adorable side, and one he'd never seen before, so when she protested he left her to snuggle into him until she woke up on her own. It didn't take long, thankfully, and when she said his name he nodded, a small smile on his face.
"Yep, it's Cliff. And as much as I wanted to just stay cuddled up like this, you and I both have class in the morning, so how 'bout you get up and I walk you home?"
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“Class?” It took her a bit and she actually had to squish her desire to just go ‘nope’ and snuggle back into him to finish sleeping but a more rational mind prevailed. She sat up slowly, wiping the remaining sleep from her eyes, “yes, class… Early morning…”
Abby glanced over at the tv, which was once more on the home screen, “the movie is over?” She stifled a yawn and stretched slightly. “I slept through the movie didn't I?” She hadn't meant too. She had enjoyed what little of it she remembered. “I guess I'm more tired than I thought.” A second yawn was hidden behind a hand. “Bed is a good idea. Home, bed, sleep.” She was blinking rapidly trying to get her brain to connect properly as sleep tried to drag her back down into its depths.
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"Yeah, class," he said with a chuckle. "And yes, you did. I hadn't seen it before so I managed to stay awake. Now c'mon, let's get you home?"
Cliff brought his free hand up to her cheek, and he leaned down so they were eye to eye. She seemed to be drifting off still even though she was still talking, and he couldn't help thinking it was the most adorable thing he'd seen from her yet. But no, there was no way she could sleep there. Not this soon, at least. People would get to talking and it might just spook her…
So he tried to wake her up the only way he could think to fight sleep. Cupping her cheek, he leaned down to give her a brief but firm kiss, much like she'd done earlier before they started the second movie.
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“Yes home,” Abby agreed sleepy, quietly as her eyes started to drift closed. It wasn’t until he was right in her face, kissing her, that she woke back up. When the short kiss ended Abby was quite awake, it was amazing how something so simple could make a person sit up and notice. “Oh… hello.” She smiled uncertainly, “I think it’s time to go home.” She shifted slightly, not quite willing to get up but knew that it was past time to.
The young woman couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, “That is a novel way to wake someone up by the way.” She leaned in and gave him a quick return kiss before getting to her feet, wobbling slightly from the light headedness. Luckily her dorm really was two buildings over and it was just a short walk. Abby wasn’t actually sure if she was going to stay awake much longer so she needed to keep moving, keep the blood flowing and her head clear. With care she walked over to her bag, “I guess I overdid it today with classes and practice. I’ll sleep like a log tonight.”
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Worked like a charm, which brought him a good level of satisfaction.
"Hi," he returned at first, and her kiss back kept him from saying anything more. Instead, he just followed her up and off the sofa. "Yeah, that's what I've been trying to say. I'm still walking you, by the way."
He grabbed a sweater for himself and his keys as Abby readied her own things. He was ready to go pretty quick, so he walked to her side, a hand almost instinctively going to the small of her back as he started leading her to the door.
"I'll be up early for my usual jog, want me to give you a call to make sure you get up?"
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She rolled her eyes at him and gathered her stuff, slipping on the light sweater that had been shoved in the surprisingly large bag. There was no point in arguing and when she stumbled slightly as she hid another yawn Abby realized that maybe Cliff walking her back wasn’t such a bad idea. Even with his ‘wake up’ kiss she was still dragging, her head felt a bit like it was stuffed with cotton.
As he gently guided her from the building she couldn't help but to take a deep breath when they finally made it outside. The fresh air, cool and bracing. It helped clear her head, enough so that she smiled at Cliff and nodded. “If you can, it's not a bad idea, but I don't want to impose on you. I do have all my alarms you know.” She hated waking up and had several alarms set throughout the apartment, Abby just needed to make sure she turned them on.
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He noticed the fact that she looked a little woozy still so he made sure to keep her close and watched her step for her, enjoying the brisk air as well. "No, it won't be a problem. Plus I offered, so you wouldn't be imposing at all."
The walk really wasn't all that far; just two buildings down, and he knew he wasn't allowed in the building late at night as it wasn't a co-ed dorm, so as soon as they were at the door he paused and quickly took her hands in his. "Okay, so I'm up at 5am like clockwork, what time do you want me to call?"
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“My first class is at 9:30 so I guess 9 is fine.” Abby shook her head at him and chuckled, “I really have no idea how you get up so damn early.” When she was younger Sherlock was her wake up call. That dog would start licking her face until Abby got up to take him out, once she started college Sherlock was replaced by several alarms… and the occasional neighbor who banged on her door to get her to ‘turn off the damn alarms’.
“Once my classes are done at 1, I was planning to go see if Dad wants to go grab lunch but…” She faded off and shrugged, looking down at their hands. Before she would have just suggested they hang out, get homework done, something but now… that whole dynamic seemed so much more important. Was it a good idea to suggest they work on homework together? Grab lunch together? She didn’t even know when his classes were. His practices were at least normally later in the day so they didn’t interfere with most classes. Why… Why did these feelings crop up now!
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So apparently they had different definitions for "early morning," but that was a small thing. When she answered he bobbed his head a bit, grinning at the would-be compliment. "Practice, Abs, and discipline. I don't remember the last time I wasn't awake at the right time for my morning exercise." Which was true. As a kid his mom used to help him get used to sleeping at a good hour and getting up when he had to, whether he still felt tired or not. By the time high school rolled around it was ingrained into him, and it's just always been that way. Which is great for him, because he doesn't ever have to worry about being late to morning classes.
There was something about the way she faded off that worried him a little, so he gave her hands a little squeeze. "I got class basically all day tomorrow, actually. Back-to-back, so I won't be free 'til after practice. You can maybe use that time to wrap your head around the idea of us dating?"
Cliff offered up a little smile before letting her hands go so she could unlock the door. "Sound good?"
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“Don't rub it in. I like my sleep, so sue me.” Abby made a face at him before dropping back to her pensive feelings. How could she not even know that he had class all day? Wasn't that something she should have known? How could they date! Her tired brain was over analyzing, and stressing out way too much. So rather than voicing those concerns she just nodded. Time to think… Time to think was a good idea.
When he let her go she fished out her keys, the metal warming up quickly in her hand. “Yeah. I have homework to do anyway.” She turned away and unlocked the door but hesitated a moment before going in. “Can we really do this Cliff? Can we really date without screwing anything up?” Her questions were asked mostly to the door but Abby needed to see his face, she needed to know what he was thinking so she turned back to face him, her foot propping open the door.
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He laughed lightly at the face she made before she seemed to pull on a more thoughtful expression. There was a good chance it was just exhaustion, but he had a feeling it was more than just that. Cliff slipped his hands into his pockets as she turned and unlocked the door, simply waiting for her to go inside and locking it behind her before he headed back home. When she finally posed the question, he sighed, smiling as reassuringly as he could manage before stepping forward to pull her into a brief hug.
"I think we can," he said quietly as he pulled back, stopping only to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. "But if you need time to think about it, then take all the time you need. I'll be here, alright?"
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Abby returned his hug, leaning into him. She liked his hugs, she liked his kisses…. She liked him. But did she dare risk their friendship for ‘like’. She accepted his kiss, and his offer silently, her mind just too full to really make any sense of anything. So much had changed in so little time.
“I know. I think… I think I just need to sleep on it. It's still so new, you know.” She searched his eyes, trying to make him understand when she didn't even understand herself. “I should go,” it was said softly, and still she didn't move. It was like she was waiting for something, debating something, arguing with herself. Finally she seemed to come to a mental agreement because she suddenly leaned forward and planted a solid kiss right on his lips. It was passionate but quick and before he could react she ducked into her building, the door locking behind her. She disappeared into the dorm building, rushing towards her room, her heart racing as her mind tried to figure everything that her heart was arguing for.
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Cliff did the usual head-bobbing motion to show that his support for her needed to take a little time to think on things. It was understandable; it was a fairly big change in such a short amount of time, and unlike him she hadn't been harboring such feelings for a long time. It was a reasonable thing, so he wasn't too worried about it.
Particularly not when she kissed him the way that she did before escaping inside the building, leaving a rather shocked Clifford just outside of her dorm. He stood there for a good 15 seconds before he finally came to, and grinned stupidly the entire walk home.
itspao_
