#fortmark is working extra this holiday season!! oh my goodness

[overnightheartbeats]

"Ah, smart girl. She checks in on you, and she gets a bedtime story." Laurel loved listening to his stories about his siblings, just how much love and care went into his relationship with them. Frankly, she couldn't get enough of the stories, especially because she didn't have siblings. "I guess you'll have to wait to hear those stories, and you can be the judge of embarrassing or not."

She very well could've gotten lost in those shiny eyes, nodding along to his words. Laurel was not one to make promises, but she could promise to try. She wasn't too sure what it was about him, but there was something about him that invited her to try and be better. "Oh, neither do I. I know how to make three things, maybe. We'll send each other ideas, and as far as kitchen goes, we can borrow my house's. If we completely fail, I'm pretty sure my dad keeps a stash of pizza coupons."

"Were you upset about it before? Not shabby at all, I mean you'll also get a kickass education here, with it being a top school and all. Well, now I'm glad that I stuck around here, waiting for you to arrive. These pretty eyes?" she copied his move from earlier, fluttering her eyes at him. Being silly with him was so easy. "That'll be one of my first questions for them then, asking them for the stories. So, warm drink of choice is hot chocolate? Hm, I believe you, but also not sure how I can ask that without sounding like a total weirdo. Hey, does your brother share? But, good to know, no sharing here."

Laurel stood in front of him, feeling his gaze on her and she couldn't help but smile in complete wonder, curious to know what was on his mind. Did it look terrible? She thought it didn't look too bad. After all, sweats and hoodie looked fine on everyone. Right? Her laughter couldn't be helped as he took her hand, she was eager to squeeze in the space he opened up for her. "I'm sure the hoodie looks great on you, but I will be taking the compliment," she joked with a wide smile. leaning her head back to rest against him. She hummed in thought, "I'm sure we can think of some fun things to do," her fingers aimlessly playing with his hand. "Like I said earlier, I'm up for trying anything once." Her words got a bit softer, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand. This felt right.

"It's the stories I used to read to her before I left. Sometimes she picks it. She has the hard copy at home and I read it from the screen. We face time so she can see my face and she can go to sleep knowing I've made it another day." The smile was soft and warm. He really did love his siblings. Took him long enough to admit they were his siblings. He snorted not believing her stories would be that bad. "I'm curious, what did you do that could be considered embarrassing?"

He smiled softly giving her that twinkle of his eye. "Good. I don't want you to blowout the glow because someone doesn't see your worth." That was a good idea he thought. "I like that. I don't have many recipes but we can try one and make it our own. Let's borrow a kitchen."

"I've got no idea why Texas. This state is fucking upside down in weather but I guess it was just where the needle stopped. I'm not mad at it now. I met you. Not too shabby if you ask me. Makes it easier to deal with the heat when I've got your pretty eyes to keep me company." Eli laughed and sighed. "They have plenty of stories to share and I'm sure they'll be bursting at the seams to tell you. Colorado is nice. It's cold but nice. There's this hot chocolate shop, I hate coffee that serves the best hot chocolate. You can ask my siblings. I don't really love to share."

The way his eyes glued to her made it seem like he was fully checking her out. A part of him was but the other part liked the way his clothes looked on her. He didn't really pay attention to it before. He'd let Issac borrow shit and it didn't have the same effect. But laurel standing there with his clothes and the fit being the thing that enabled from looking away was a first.

He walked over and grabbed her hand to sit her down on his bed. Opening his legs up for her to squeeze between them. "They look better on you than they do on me." His voice came out a silky honey as he looked at her and wiped a strand of hair away from her face. "I got you to my room but I'm not sure what we should do now." Not that he'd push boundaries but he did want to put that out there.