"I know you're exhausted from rehearsals but you're not leaving me are you?" He asked me as I walked in to his room. 

"No," I said, shaking my head. He walked over and kissed me briefly, his left hand cupping my face. 

"Doesn't that hurt?" I asked him.

"A little, but much better than yesterday. I think the bean bag helped." He said making me laugh. 

"See you're already getting better." I said to him. I looked at his stubble, it was all uneven. His hair was a bit long too. "Isn't this bothering you?" I asked him, my fingers gliding over his jaw where his newly grown beard was. "This too," I ran my fingers through his hair."

"You're definitely not bothering me, but yeah, I feel homeless."

"Come, I'll give you a trim."

"Okay," he said, but hesitated. 

It didn't take long for him to get into the chair and get the stuff out. The shaving cream was on and I was about to start, 

"Have you done this before?"

"Mhm," I said, my hand going to the back of his neck to keep him still. 

"Really?"

"Yeah, for Blake a couple times." He nods, but I stop him so I can continue. I tilted his head back to do under his jaw. 

"So has anything ever happened?" He asked, and I was too concentrated to understand him at first. 

"What? With Blake?"

"Yeah."

"Oh um, no, we've always been friends," I said truthfully. "Oh but there was the few kisses we've done while we're partying and drunk. But again, that's just friendly. I'm not his type." I needed to look closer so I sat on him, in a straddle position so I could do a good job. "Why do you ask Handsome?"

"Just curious," he said, distracted. I looked at his eyes to see where he was looking and it was down my top. 

"Enjoying the show?" I asked and he smiled mischievously. He looked up again, looking a little more serious. 

"I'm curious about something else too."

"Go on," I said, put on another layer of shaving cream.

"It's about Tommy," he stated and I paused for a moment. "It's not bad, I just wanted to ask you something about you and him about all those years ago."

"Okay," I said, carrying on. I didn't mind telling him anything, there was nothing to hide. 

"He was your first kiss and first time and all," he started and I nodded. "Was he also your first love?"

He asked the very question that used to haunt me. It was the reason I removed feelings with guys to make sure I didn't have to ask myself this question. 

"I've never really allowed myself to go down that rabbit hole." I said honestly, wiping his face clean. "It was a time where we were both going through a lot, he was there through hard times, especially the night of that dinner, and I guess that made us depend on each other a lot. We technically only had each other." I got his fancy beard oil and rubbed it on softly, I felt him looking at me while I spoke, watching my expression while I talked about him. 

"So, looking back, I think yes, but we were young, and most of time we were lonely." I was done, and he was holding my hips.

"Are you lonely now?"

"Absolutely not," I said, kissing him. 

"So, I have another quick question, thank you for being so honest with me," he said. "Was it because of him that you decided no feelings?"

"Yes, it was."

"Interesting." He said and I saw the muscle in his jaw clench and unclench.

"You hate him even more now."

"Yep." I shook my head and kissed him again. 

"By the way, you look so cute."

"Cute?"

"Well, you looked more rugged with some stubble, it was just messy."

"So now I'm cute," I laughed at him. 

"Yes, but I don't care, I love you anyway." We kissed again, but it was more, there was so much in that kiss. Love, trust, and it felt better than any kiss we've shared. 

"So why was I different?"

"Well, I don't know about your feelings, but I think I hated you because I found you so attractive which annoyed me. I knew I'd have feelings for you if I allowed myself. And so when I did, and you reciprocated and then we did it for the first time, I knew that we were going to last, so I didn't have to be scared."

"That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"You're welcome." I got off him and I grabbed his hand to drag him to bed.

"So, we're going to last are we?" He teased.

"Oh shut up." He laughed and brought me to him. 

"No, really, what do you see in our future."

"I just see us together, growing old."

"Just us?" He asked, and I looked at him.

"Yeah. Why? What do you see?"

"The same thing."

"What about marriage."

"Not a fan," I said to him, hoping he agreed. I thought about the possibility that he'd want to get married and the thought of him proposing scares the living daylights out of me.

"I'm not either. Never have been really."

"Interesting." Phew. 

"I just don't believe in the concept but I'll gladly tell you whenever you want to hear, like that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't even like a night without you."

"Very true. And same here." He kissed me, before we got comfortable. 

"How's your arm?"

"Better." So it still hurts but it's bearable. I glanced at the clock and it was past midnight. I lifted his arm that lay over me and I kissed him. 

"Happy Birthday my love."

"Thank you." His arm rested over me again, on my torso, right where my scar is. "You know," he said. 

"Yeah."

"We've both had an injury in the same area on the side below our ribs."

"That means we were made for each other," I said and then I cringed. "Too sappy for me to say out loud."

"It's okay, I was thinking the same thing." We both chuckled. 

<><><><><><><>

"Blake said they'd be back around now, we should get ready." The heap of us - which included Cohen, Dillon and I, as well as a few guys from Lacrosse and a couple people that Lucy was friends with - began hiding to surprise them when they got back. Organising this party made us realise that our twin friends were not very good at socialising with others. 

There were three knocks at the door which Blake mentioned he would do and as soon as the door opened, Cohen switched on the lights and we all shouted "surprise."

Graham eyes widened ever so slightly as his eyes found mine, and Lucy practically freaked. Cohen hugged her and she looked less freaked and more happy. She said hi to that guy from her classic lit class and I saw Cohen seethe as they hugged and I just laughed to myself. 

"What's so funny?" Gray asked as he walked over to me after saying hi to his lacrosse friends. Or should I say lacrosse followers as they treat him like a god. Maybe it's the captaincy thing. 

"Just realising that you and your sister don't have many friends."

"We both aren't really approachable."

"Mhm, that's the problem." He was a man of few words and made people uncomfortable whereas Lucy was scared of other people and preferred to be with friends whom she is already acquainted with. 

"So how did you keep this from me?"

"It was very easy, but finding you a present was not." We walked over to the kitchen, as it was more private so I could give him his present. 

"You didn't have to get me anything, you spending this horrid day with me is enough."

"You don't like your birthday?"

"A whole day being about me isn't very appealing."

"Oh shush, just open this and then we can get out of here."

"Very bossy." He said, although he began doing what I said. He opened the box, and he looked confused, just like I knew he would. 

"You know how we talked about marriage?" I said and he lifted the ring out of the box.

"Are you proposing, because that's kind of the oppos-"

"Be quiet," I said, and he laughed. "I never thought I'd have to tell you to stop talking. Anyway, we said that marriage isn't a possibility because... well, we're both not much of a fan. I was so glad you felt the same way and I thought, because you mentioned not wanting to live without me - diddo by the way - that I could give you this ring, and it could symbolise that instead of doing the whole 'I do' thing." 

He looked at the ring, and then back up at me, and smiled. 

"I love you, you know that," he said and I smiled as he leant down to kiss me.

"You can wear it on any finger by the way, no rules."

"Well, this is the promise finger and that's what we're doing, right?" I nodded as he put the ring on his left ring finger. 

"Looks good on you. Shall we go?" He nodded slowly and kissed me again, sofly.

"I'm thinking we spend the rest of the night in bed." I gave him a look. "My arm and side are fine, and it's my birthday surely I get some leniency."

"Fine, but we can't get too crazy, we have to be careful."

"You're mine, I don't need to rush, I just want you." He kissed me again that same way, slow and meaningful. It made me melt, and I felt all tingly. His words weren't helping either. 

We made it to his room, grateful the dorm was empty and he walked me towards the bed and I fell back on it in what felt like slow motion as he got on top of me. 

I got him on his side - the good one - and then got on top of him, so that he didn't hurt himself. 

He cupped my face as we kissed more, in that slow way that was becoming my favourite way that he kissed me.

I lifted my skirt to my hips and unbuttoned his pants. 

I leant down again and kissed him more, never really wanting to stop.

"You're my everything Nora," he whispered.

"And you're mine." 

I lifted myself on him and then lowered slowly.

"What about a condom?" He asked. 

"We've only slept with each other for months, and I trust you," I said and he kissed me, moaning softly as his head tilted back. "This feels-"

"Fucking amazing." I laughed and started going faster. We kissed each other breathlessly, keeping our mouths closed and we moaned together. I could feel him completely inside of me, and it was the best feeling. 

"Oh my god," muttered, as he held my hips making me go faster. 

"You feel so fucking good Nora, I'm already close."

"Tell me when you're almost there," I breathed out, almost finishing myself. 

He rubbed his finger on me sending me over the edge and he began thrusting himself. 

"I'm close," he groaned and I kissed him before lifting myself off him and lowering down to take him in my mouth. Along with my hand, I finished off and swallowed.

He carried me as we cleaned up in the bathroom, and there was lots of giggling and kissing. The night was so perfect that when we got into bed I didn't want it to end.

He was laying there as I clutched to him, looking at his ring and twisting it around on his finger. 

He lifted my left hand and put his ring on it and he smiled. 

"I'll get you one too, that way everyone will know we're forever without them wondering when we'll get married and all that."

"Deal," I said and we kissed. 

"This is the best birthday I've ever had." He stated and I smiled to myself. Mission accomplished. 

Being with him, and us being so committed this way has actually lifted a weight off my shoulders. Where I was nervous about the whole love thing and marriage and babies, but knowing we'll always be together has made me so happy. 

I put his ring back on his finger, and held his hand in mine. 

<><><><><><><>

The weekend brought sleeping in. Which resulted in another round of lovely lovely sex and staying in bed all day. We may or may not have included strawberries and whereby Graham ate and licked off of me. And I ate him in a sense although there wasn't any fruit or cream involved. Well I guess you could say cream. 

"At least you're not quitting your usual workout on a saturday," I said, getting dressed after our shower. He laughed and pulled me into bed with him. 

"Why are you leaving?"

"I want to get my script. If i want to stay here majority of the time then I need to do something productive as well.

"Hey, what we were doing was productive."

"Mhm. I'm wearing you're jacket."

"What's mine is yours."

"I'll be back," I said as I lifted his chin to kiss him. 

I got to my dorm, wrapping his wool-lined leather jacket around me. Technically it was spring now and it was kind of getting warmer but the nights were still a hyperthermia risk.

I grabbed my script and walked out but I stopped on the way to the door because there was a bang on it, like something or someone fell against it. 

I dropped my script and walked quicker towards it. I opened it, finding Tommy, unconscious on the ground. 

"Oh my god. Tommy?" I bent down to him and sat him up as I most definitely couldn't lift him. He was waking up, but he looked horrible. His face was bloodied and bruised like it had been punch a dozen times. "Who hurt you? What happened?" I asked him, but he obviously had concussion. "Hey, it's Eleanor, you're safe okay, but I need you to get up so I can fix you, remember?"

"I know," he groaned, "you've always been a good nurse." I laughed at the memory, and then focused. 

"Okay, you're talking, good. I need you to help me get you up okay?" He nodded and I put his arm around me as he groaned in pain trying to stand. I helped as much as I could, and eventually we made it to my room. I laid him on my bed and I noticed him clutching his lower abdomen. 

"It's not just your face that's hurt is it?" He shook his head and lifted his shirt. Which showed a lovely bruise on the side of his stomach as well as a stab wound. "Fuck."

"It's alright, okay," he managed to say.

"Just shut up and let me fix you before you tell me everything that happened."