Between Friends

You woke to tickling on the bare skin of your lower back. It so happened that Chris may have turned the heat up a bit too much. Therefore, you were only half covered by the sheet and blanket. Your tank top had twisted and lifted slightly from your movements while sleeping. You had been sleeping facing away from him and when he woke up and spotted the exposed skin, he couldn't help himself. He started dragging his fingertips lightly over your back, from one hip to the other.

When you jerked awake, you also gasped softly at the sensation which caused Chris to stop. You looked over your shoulder to see him propped up on a elbow facing you. "Sorry.", he chuckled quietly, thinking that maybe he had crossed a line.

"No,", you replied. "I like it." You rolled forward to expose your back again and hiked your tank top up a little more. "Please..." You closed your eyes and felt his soft fingertips again, trailing over your smooth skin, drawing lazy circles, zig-zagging curves and straight lines. You hummed quietly.

He sighed silently, licked his lips and let his fingers find your side to glide downward, from ribs to hip. You gasped again and giggled, pulling down the muscles of your side at the ticklishness. He let out a low, short chuckle at your reaction. He had an urge to sidle up behind you, grip your hip and press you back against him. God, he'd waited so long to touch you like this. You seemed to be just enjoying the relaxation of it, but it was getting him worked up... Very quickly. He tried his best to control his thoughts and keep his arousal at bay. If he let it get away from himself, he definitely wouldn't be able to hide it from you.

It was turning you on as well; his touch was so soft and gentle, sending electricity out to every nerve in your body, but you didn't let him know. You were comfortable with the way things were in this moment, but you actually feared letting him go further only to cut it short at a pang of guilt. You couldn't keep doing that to him; especially given how much more intimate one step further would be this time compared to any time before.

Without warning, he started tickling you playfully, gently digging his curled fingers into your side and stomach. He had to stop the sensual touch he was giving you, it was too much for him. He got up on his knees and hunched over you as you laughed loudly, squealed and squeaked at his mercy, pulling your knees into your chest in a feeble attempt to protect yourself. He laughed and paused. You were panting and looking over your shoulder at him when he gave you a good poke in the side and you let out a little squeak, covering your side with a hand. He smiled down at you and chuckled, "Ooh, a squeak toy." He gave your side a quick squeeze with all his curled fingers, inciting an identical noise as before. You covered yourself as best you could with both hands now and giggled as he spoke, his voice shrill with amusement, "That's so fucking cute!"

He poked you once more in an unprotected spot and you let out a short, low grunt, "Hngh!"

He threw his head back and laughed loudly, "That, not so much."

You both laughed as he leaned over you and you rolled back onto your side. He wrapped his arms around your back and shoulders, still hunched over you, "Actually it was still cute; you always are." He attacked the side of your face with kisses as you giggled and tried to escape.

He straightened, on his knees, "I'm gonna go make breakfast." He smacked your ass without thinking and before his internal logic could stop him. It just felt like the natural thing to do in that moment.

You cried out at the force and sting, "Oh!" You gave him a wide eyed look of shock.

He put a closed fist to his mouth to hide a smirk, then put his hand up in apology, "Shit. Sorry." He pressed his lips together as he got off the bed and headed for the kitchen.

"It's okay.", you chuckled.

He stopped and turned, titled his head and quirked an eyebrow, "Oh, is it now?"

You scoffed out a laugh, "I mean I forgive you."

He narrowed his eyes at you and nodded playfully, "Alright. Stay in bed if you want, hon. I can bring coffee and food to you.", he finished as he left the room.

"I gotta pee anyway.", you called after him, grunting to sit up.

You helped him make breakfast and you both ate at the island, joking around and talking. It felt so good, so comfortable, despite the nagging feeling of sadness that he was leaving soon.

Once you both ate, you brushed your teeth together and got bundled up to take care of the snow on the driveway and sidewalks. Over your jeans, you had put on some wedge knee high boots with knitted legs and fluffy fur around the top. You came to the front door where Chris was getting on his coat and gloves, already wearing a snug knitted hat pulled down over his ears, he noticed your were taller than your usual self and glanced down at your boots, pulling on his coat. "You sure you wanna wear heels to work in slippery snow?"

"Yeah, I love these boots. And they're grippy.", you steadied yourself by grabbing onto his forearm with a hand. He clasped your forearm back instinctively as you folded your leg up, resting the ankle on your other knee to show him the deep cut traction pattern on the bottom of the boot. "See?"

He gave his head one shake as he pulled on his last glove and sighed at you as you put your foot down again, "Okay. Just be really careful, sweetheart. I don't wanna be taking you to the hospital with a broken ass or worse."

You chuckled while bent over, fixing your boot top, "Promise." You straightened and looked at him and then tilted your head at him.

He lifted one corner of his mouth and chortled, "What?"

You cupped your hands around his neck, "You need a scarf. They really help keep you warmer. I'll knit you one." You barely touched his jaw with your fist, giving him a fake punch and he titled his head up and to the side, playing along while grinning at you.

After you both had removed the snow in the driveway, sidewalk and the path the the house, Chris started shoveling the elderly neighbor lady's driveway next door. You thought nothing of it and followed suit, using the snow blower on her sidewalk. You made a mental note to come check her paths whenever it snowed while Chris was gone.

The little white haired woman came out on her porch shortly after you both had started on her property. You saw her movement out of the corner of your eye and turned off the blower's engine. When Chris heard it stop, he turned to look at you. You waved at her on the porch and she waved back. He turned to the direction you were waving just as she started to speak, nearly shouting, "Oh, Chris, I got my grandson coming over later today to do that."

He held a hand up for a beat to greet her from her driveway, offering her a warm smile and shouting back, "Hey, Miss Shirley. It's no trouble. (Y/N) and I'll be done shortly. Then you can just have some quality time with your grandson when he shows up."

"Ohh, you are such a sweetheart. I've not met (Y/N) formally yet. You bring her in for something warm to drink when you're done."

You'd seen Shirley sitting on her porch in the middle of the day or being helped inside by family after they took her out and about or grocery shopping plenty of times. You would wave and say hi, but you'd never actually met her.

"I will if we have time, okay? Now get back in the house before you freeze. You're not even wearing a coat, young lady!", he chuckled, waving her back into the house.

"Alright, Dad!", she shouted back as you and Chris both laughed while she turned and shuffled back to her door, disappearing inside.

After you both finished Shirley's paths, he walked to you, shovel in one hand. He kissed your forehead and put his other hand on one of the snow blower handles and turned it, pushing back down the sidewalk and up into the driveway to put it away. "I'm sorry I started clearing her snow before checking with you. It's just habit to do it if her family hasn't come to do it already."

You scoffed, "Chris, please. It's awesome that you help her. Besides, it just reminds me how lucky I am to have such a sweet guy for a best friend." You beamed at him.

He smiled back affectionately at your statement, "Thanks. So, you wanna go visit Shirley or just get back in bed?", he asked once you were both almost to the garage.

"What do you want to do?"

"Don't ask me that.", he smirked, bringing the blower to rest in its spot and taking off one of his gloves to swipe at itch under his red nose with the tip of his thumb.

You chortled, knowing he was holding back a particularly mischievous thought being that your question was phrased quite open-endedly. "Does she know about Sebastian? About he and I?"

He pressed his lips together and nodded, "She knew of him, they talked here and there sometimes. And yes, she knows he passed. She asked me once when I got home from work where he was because she hadn't seen him in a while. I don't think she knew that the two of you were together... Though who knows what she's suspected about the three of us all this time." He huffed out an uncomfortable chuckle. "She's a sweet lady though. So, do you wanna go over?"

"What time is it?"

He pulled his coat and shirt sleeve back off his wrist to look at his watch, "Just after ten-thirty."

"And when do you have to leave for the airport?", you folded your arms, pulled your shoulders up and shivered a bit. Being done pushing around the snow blower and having sweat on your neck and scalp in the cold air was dropping your body temperature quickly.

"4 o'clock.", he sniffed and pulled you into him, wrapping his arms around you tight, rubbing his palms in quick up and down strokes against your coat.

You looked up at him, "Yeah, we can go over for a bit, but only if you want to. No more than an hour? We still need hot showers and cuddle time."

"Sounds good." He twirled you around with his hands on your shoulders and wrapped his arms around you again, your back pressed to his front. His feet spread apart wide so not to step on your heels, he walked you both over to the wall where he hit the button to close the garage door. He just stayed there with you in his arms while it descended, tucking his chin against your shoulder, trying to lend you more warmth before releasing you.

God, he always made you feel so warm and safe... And valued. It prompted you to ask, even though you were sure of the answer, "Do you have to go?"

He let out a breathy chuckle, "Little late to back out now, hon."

The door met the concrete, halting the noisy motor hanging from the ceiling, leaving you both in silence only until you spoke, "I know. I'm just really going to miss you."

You could feel him nod slightly against you, his voice low, "I know, sweetheart. Me too."