Green tea. That was it. He'd never actually had green tea before, but his mom loved scented candles. Felt like she was burning one pretty much every day, and so he'd sort of grown a familiarity to them. Even if he'd grown pretty much deadened to them over time because he never got a break from them. It smelt a lot nicer on her. More... subtle. Mixed with something else that he couldn't really place, but it just smelt nice on her. In contrast to him, who was sweaty as all hell. Antipersperant never did much, sadly.
"Circle of life, I guess. You guys probably got advice from the varsity girls when you were juniors, now you're giving advice to the juniors who are gonna be the ones giving advice when you move on... it's nice. Giving back to Red Rock, all those years of experience and knowing what to do." Michael nodded. It was nice. He should probably do the same. Reach out to the junior baseball players and give them a few tips while of course, advancing the agenda that everyone else sucked and they were the best team in the district! It was true, too.
At the proposition of teaming up to defend the Sylvie-Claude pair at the cost of natural security, he nodded very, very seriously, hands clasped together and face trying to pull itself into something serious and failing. They really should just shepherd them into McDonalds and barricade the doors until they agreed to pair up. It had worked for them! Surely it would work again. Michael saw no reason that it wouldn't.
Click.
"Mm?" Michael glanced over to the sound of the click, and it took a few seconds for it to click on what had clicked. Glove box, right. But uh, what had she pulled out? Mints?
Ohhh.
Ohhh.
Oh wow.
Oh wow! Wow! Wow!
Oh God, his heart was about to explode out of his chest. Maybe he, uh, maybe he should have went for that kiss. But, like, like, it didn't really matter because he was pretty sure he was about to do a whole lot of kissing. He just hoped that he was good at it because it would be kinda embarassing to fumble right here, right now. Like, like, he knew it wasn't gonna be like that but his brain was conjuring thoughts of him somehow being so bad that Clarissa just gave up and drove him home. Although, uh, it was his first time so yeah, he probably wasn't gonna be good at it anyway and Clarissa had more experience than him so...
Right, Michael.
Stop fucking overthinking it.
Just go with it.
"Yeah. That'd, uhm, that'd be nice." Michael nodded, his voice soft. Like the moment would be gone if he raised it above a quiet calm. Absentmindedly, he licked his lips. They weren't dry or anything but he just really wanted to make sure. "Just..." His mouth remained open for a second, exhaling and nodding again. "Just lead the way."
A Healthy Breakfast
Open!
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Applesintime
- Posts: 511
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:46 pm
- Location: In a magical place
She tapped a mint into Michael’s hand, and popped one into her own mouth. Slow, steady, letting the dissolving pill wash away the remaining McDonald’s musk. She set the little plastic box in the driver’s side cup holder.
Foot off the break pedal.
Seatbelt undone, a hand guiding it back to her side.
By the standards of Clarissa Shoemaker’s lifestyle as a car enthusiast and driving enjoyer, a sequence of events that did not happen without good reason. Letting her beloved baby purr, take to the road, that was the most venerated of her daily rituals. The sun would rise in the west sooner than she wouldn’t let her rubber hit the roads of the only city she’d ever known.
It took a very suddenly very special man in her life, apparently, to let that all slip through the bars of her steel trap mind.
I appreciate you making sure your lips aren’t too dry, but I’m gonna make them wet anyways, so
Hat off too. Taking it off was part of the process of driving safely regardless so it had been part of the plan. That it was also part of the process of making out competently was just a coinky-dink, as some would say.
“It’s mostly instinct, so… don’t think about it too hard.” A soft smile, fingertips brushing on his forearm, lingering for just a moment. “Just aim to, like.”
She demonstrated.
“Focus on one lip.” Her lips rolled together, slowly. Pretty obvious who she was thinking of in that moment when she was staring right at him. “Tilt your head a bit so we don’t bang noses together.” A gentle loll of her head to one side, some of her hair collapsed into her eyes and mouth.
Then, a moment long and slow, her languid, relaxed self seemed to stiffen a bit. Business-like she yanked the loose hair out of her eyes. Patted her cheeks, picked at her eyes, ran a finger over her own lips. Clarissa was the sort who didn’t really intuit how she was or wasn’t ugly very well, but she could still very much feel that insecure tug of not girl-ing good enough. It was like an itch, vague, but very much there in her most vulnurable moments.
She let the sensation go. She returned her focus squarely onto him. His eyes. A well of gravity, irresistible. The moment before the fall. A soft crunch as she destroyed what was left of the mint in her mouth with a molar.
“Relax.”
Like the tide she moved forward gently, but unstoppably. Right into his personal space, into his sun-warmed scent, suffusing into the comfortable familiar aroma of her car, and she felt safe, it felt easy. Her eyes closed, supporting hand under her as she rose over it, another hand grabbing onto his shoulder. The weight of her transferred through her grip light as seafoam, cozy as a well worn blanket, once more the impact of that core work Michael had seen in the ancient times before the two of them had become the earth and the moon and the sun.
Her eyes closed. Her breath implied.
“Hold me.”
Whispered, a breeze barely audible even when only atoms separated them.
She angled her lips, right, forward. Right at his.
For this moment in time, hers.
Foot off the break pedal.
Seatbelt undone, a hand guiding it back to her side.
By the standards of Clarissa Shoemaker’s lifestyle as a car enthusiast and driving enjoyer, a sequence of events that did not happen without good reason. Letting her beloved baby purr, take to the road, that was the most venerated of her daily rituals. The sun would rise in the west sooner than she wouldn’t let her rubber hit the roads of the only city she’d ever known.
It took a very suddenly very special man in her life, apparently, to let that all slip through the bars of her steel trap mind.
I appreciate you making sure your lips aren’t too dry, but I’m gonna make them wet anyways, so
Hat off too. Taking it off was part of the process of driving safely regardless so it had been part of the plan. That it was also part of the process of making out competently was just a coinky-dink, as some would say.
“It’s mostly instinct, so… don’t think about it too hard.” A soft smile, fingertips brushing on his forearm, lingering for just a moment. “Just aim to, like.”
She demonstrated.
“Focus on one lip.” Her lips rolled together, slowly. Pretty obvious who she was thinking of in that moment when she was staring right at him. “Tilt your head a bit so we don’t bang noses together.” A gentle loll of her head to one side, some of her hair collapsed into her eyes and mouth.
Then, a moment long and slow, her languid, relaxed self seemed to stiffen a bit. Business-like she yanked the loose hair out of her eyes. Patted her cheeks, picked at her eyes, ran a finger over her own lips. Clarissa was the sort who didn’t really intuit how she was or wasn’t ugly very well, but she could still very much feel that insecure tug of not girl-ing good enough. It was like an itch, vague, but very much there in her most vulnurable moments.
She let the sensation go. She returned her focus squarely onto him. His eyes. A well of gravity, irresistible. The moment before the fall. A soft crunch as she destroyed what was left of the mint in her mouth with a molar.
“Relax.”
Like the tide she moved forward gently, but unstoppably. Right into his personal space, into his sun-warmed scent, suffusing into the comfortable familiar aroma of her car, and she felt safe, it felt easy. Her eyes closed, supporting hand under her as she rose over it, another hand grabbing onto his shoulder. The weight of her transferred through her grip light as seafoam, cozy as a well worn blanket, once more the impact of that core work Michael had seen in the ancient times before the two of them had become the earth and the moon and the sun.
Her eyes closed. Her breath implied.
“Hold me.”
Whispered, a breeze barely audible even when only atoms separated them.
She angled her lips, right, forward. Right at his.
For this moment in time, hers.
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Applesintime
- Posts: 511
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:46 pm
- Location: In a magical place
OK. Wow, he was really gonna do this.
Michael took the mint and popped it into his mouth, running his tongue along his teeth as he sucked on it. It was nice. Gave his brain something to focus on. There were some brief worried thoughts flashing through his head but like, at some point you just have to ignore them. She was the one who offered, so clearly she was interested regardless of if he sucked at kissing or not. And, heh, if he did suck that was just something they could work on. Practice makes perfect, after all!
Seatbelt off, shifting around in the passenger seat to face her. Licking his lips again, this time out of nerves more than anything else. Even then, those nerves were starting to slowly fade, replaced by anticipation. Excitement, even. Like everything was playing out in slow motion and he couldn't wait.
"Alright, uh..." Michael copied her, tilting his head the opposite way. That made sense, otherwise they'd just be running into the same bumping nose issue again. OK. Yeah. He sorta intuited how to do it and that was probably the most important thing. A little hard to concentrate when you have the prettiest girl in the world staring at you and you're trying not to get lost in her eyes or worry that you'll somehow fuck everything up. He was never much of a worrier, never too conscious of himself, but he was acutely aware of himself now.
Just go with the flow, he guessed. Relax, chill out, let Clarissa show you how it's meant to be done. It was a mock test with no wrong answers.
On instinct, his arms reached out to hold her steady as she moved in closer and closer, one arm around her waist pulling her closer still and another reaching up to stroke her hair, run his fingers through her curls. Satisfy that curiosity about how it felt. Nice and soft, just like he'd imagined it to be. Green tea and the other scent he couldn't place mixed with car smell to create one of those aromas that would bring him back to this moment again and again in the years to come if he ever so happened to come across it again. Although, if he was gonna be riding shotgun in the future it'd become a familiar one.
Right.
Michael closed his eyes tight.
Leant in.
Their lips touched.
Lightning struck.
The universe shrank to two again.
Michael took the mint and popped it into his mouth, running his tongue along his teeth as he sucked on it. It was nice. Gave his brain something to focus on. There were some brief worried thoughts flashing through his head but like, at some point you just have to ignore them. She was the one who offered, so clearly she was interested regardless of if he sucked at kissing or not. And, heh, if he did suck that was just something they could work on. Practice makes perfect, after all!
Seatbelt off, shifting around in the passenger seat to face her. Licking his lips again, this time out of nerves more than anything else. Even then, those nerves were starting to slowly fade, replaced by anticipation. Excitement, even. Like everything was playing out in slow motion and he couldn't wait.
"Alright, uh..." Michael copied her, tilting his head the opposite way. That made sense, otherwise they'd just be running into the same bumping nose issue again. OK. Yeah. He sorta intuited how to do it and that was probably the most important thing. A little hard to concentrate when you have the prettiest girl in the world staring at you and you're trying not to get lost in her eyes or worry that you'll somehow fuck everything up. He was never much of a worrier, never too conscious of himself, but he was acutely aware of himself now.
Just go with the flow, he guessed. Relax, chill out, let Clarissa show you how it's meant to be done. It was a mock test with no wrong answers.
On instinct, his arms reached out to hold her steady as she moved in closer and closer, one arm around her waist pulling her closer still and another reaching up to stroke her hair, run his fingers through her curls. Satisfy that curiosity about how it felt. Nice and soft, just like he'd imagined it to be. Green tea and the other scent he couldn't place mixed with car smell to create one of those aromas that would bring him back to this moment again and again in the years to come if he ever so happened to come across it again. Although, if he was gonna be riding shotgun in the future it'd become a familiar one.
Right.
Michael closed his eyes tight.
Leant in.
Their lips touched.
Lightning struck.
The universe shrank to two again.
Slow. Relaxed.
Falling into him moment to moment.
A tiny moan escaped her lips.
She couldn’t help it.
Nobody else existed. Nothing else was real. Just her safe place, with a plus one that she was letting into her life.
But the moment had to end. However long it had actually been. Might have been an eternity. Clarissa pulled back. Barely. Intertwined as they were, she was reluctant to put any amount of space between them. The fit was perfect. Her hand on his shoulder, his around her waist. The lingering echo of his heartbeat against her skin, as if no amount of clothes had been between. The perfume kiss of his scent, sun seared to perfection, clinging to the tip of her nose.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him at a slight angle.
“Wha…”
Her breath a gentle pant, as if she’d already plowed through her whole planned gym routine. The mind boggled at how she’d be able to do it now. Michael had probably stolen her breath for the rest of her life.
“What did you think?”
No small part of her fixated on the hope that she’d done an okay job.
Falling into him moment to moment.
A tiny moan escaped her lips.
She couldn’t help it.
Nobody else existed. Nothing else was real. Just her safe place, with a plus one that she was letting into her life.
But the moment had to end. However long it had actually been. Might have been an eternity. Clarissa pulled back. Barely. Intertwined as they were, she was reluctant to put any amount of space between them. The fit was perfect. Her hand on his shoulder, his around her waist. The lingering echo of his heartbeat against her skin, as if no amount of clothes had been between. The perfume kiss of his scent, sun seared to perfection, clinging to the tip of her nose.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him at a slight angle.
“Wha…”
Her breath a gentle pant, as if she’d already plowed through her whole planned gym routine. The mind boggled at how she’d be able to do it now. Michael had probably stolen her breath for the rest of her life.
“What did you think?”
No small part of her fixated on the hope that she’d done an okay job.
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Applesintime
- Posts: 511
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:46 pm
- Location: In a magical place
She took the lead, just like she said.
Michael was all too eager to follow her rhythm.
He didn't have any braincells left to make witty comments or observations.
They were recording every little moment of this. How she tasted. How her lips felt against his, warm and soft and addicting. Her scent that would forever remind him of this moment when his mom burnt those green tea candles. Every little detail, every part of it no matter how small or minute.
But they had to breathe at some point, sadly. He happily would have forgotten until she pulled away and he was made aware of both how much he missed it already and how his lungs were poking at him.
Slow, deep pants as he gazed at her. He could run for miles and not feel as out of breath as he did right now. As if Clarissa had stolen his breath alongside his heart. God that was cheesy. But it was true. Everything just felt right now. Her arm on his shoulder, his arm around her waist while another gently played with her hair. That was something he was gonna be doing a lot in the next while, he imagined.
"That was... holy fuck, that was amazing." Michael panted out. "You're... good. Really good. How, uh..." A small, nervous giggle. "How was I?"
Michael was all too eager to follow her rhythm.
He didn't have any braincells left to make witty comments or observations.
They were recording every little moment of this. How she tasted. How her lips felt against his, warm and soft and addicting. Her scent that would forever remind him of this moment when his mom burnt those green tea candles. Every little detail, every part of it no matter how small or minute.
But they had to breathe at some point, sadly. He happily would have forgotten until she pulled away and he was made aware of both how much he missed it already and how his lungs were poking at him.
Slow, deep pants as he gazed at her. He could run for miles and not feel as out of breath as he did right now. As if Clarissa had stolen his breath alongside his heart. God that was cheesy. But it was true. Everything just felt right now. Her arm on his shoulder, his arm around her waist while another gently played with her hair. That was something he was gonna be doing a lot in the next while, he imagined.
"That was... holy fuck, that was amazing." Michael panted out. "You're... good. Really good. How, uh..." A small, nervous giggle. "How was I?"
Breathe. Breathe.
Had to remember to breeeeathe.
As it turned out, they hadn't changed kissing at all. Noooo, it was just as moment of rapture on earth as it had ever been. Nothing on earth could compare, not the microsecond precise lane change, not the smell of grease and oil and Raya’s laughing on the other side of an open car hood, not the sinking into Sylvie’s plushie pile with the fairy lights dancing over her face.
She squirmed as he played with her hair. Barely noticable, the little tremors in the Clarissa shape, but Michael would feel every little involuntary shiver that followed from the movements of his fingers. Rats on French chef's heads could never, etc.
Breeeeeeeeathe.
"I mean..."
Her hand drifted down his arm, at the seam between bicep and tricep. A fingers deep squeeze, intentful.
She knew what she was going to say the moment he asked, but she drew it out for the sake of theater. It might have been Vivian who'd taught her that one.
"You sure you haven't done this before?" Wink. Smile. Also a small nervous awkward giggle. She wasn't, like, totally one hundred percent lame, right? Just nintey nine percent?
Had to remember to breeeeathe.
As it turned out, they hadn't changed kissing at all. Noooo, it was just as moment of rapture on earth as it had ever been. Nothing on earth could compare, not the microsecond precise lane change, not the smell of grease and oil and Raya’s laughing on the other side of an open car hood, not the sinking into Sylvie’s plushie pile with the fairy lights dancing over her face.
She squirmed as he played with her hair. Barely noticable, the little tremors in the Clarissa shape, but Michael would feel every little involuntary shiver that followed from the movements of his fingers. Rats on French chef's heads could never, etc.
Breeeeeeeeathe.
"I mean..."
Her hand drifted down his arm, at the seam between bicep and tricep. A fingers deep squeeze, intentful.
She knew what she was going to say the moment he asked, but she drew it out for the sake of theater. It might have been Vivian who'd taught her that one.
"You sure you haven't done this before?" Wink. Smile. Also a small nervous awkward giggle. She wasn't, like, totally one hundred percent lame, right? Just nintey nine percent?
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Applesintime
- Posts: 511
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:46 pm
- Location: In a magical place
There was something nice about the way Clarissa squirmed, almost quivered, as he played with her hair. Imperceptible if you were just looking at her but with the way she was pressed up against him, Michael could feel every little motion she made. Pressing into him more, maybe just slightly adjusting herself so his hand had a better range of movement. It was nice.
God, she was cute.
It was still a little strange to see her in this light. No longer just a good friend he liked to talk with a lot. Now she was his cute, very pretty girlfriend. But it was definitely getting a lot easier. He couldn't help but wonder if she felt the same way. If it was kind of weird that now she had to append a 'boy' to the start of 'friend' in her head when thinking about him.
"Mmm." Michael tilted his head a little, tongue poking out a little. "Ppppppretty sure, unless I'm sleep-making out with someone. And I have a hunch that's not the case, so I guess I'm just that good." He was pretty sure Clarissa was just flattering him, but he preened at the praise either way. A nervous yet cheerful smile.
"I mean, I still think I need a bunch of practice," quickly improvising in his head for what he really wanted right now, "and I guess I have a willing partner who would, uh, love to help me with that..." Hesitating for a second, Michael went in for another kiss. Perhaps a little too quickly.
Yeah, too quickly but he kinda had to commit-
Clink! Their teeth sorta banged against each other.
Ooh. Oh that felt a little weird. Michael withdrew quickly, grimacing as his cheeks turned bright red. Ah, dumbass move! Too eager. Not that he thought Clarissa would mind but, yeah, little bit embarassing.
God, she was cute.
It was still a little strange to see her in this light. No longer just a good friend he liked to talk with a lot. Now she was his cute, very pretty girlfriend. But it was definitely getting a lot easier. He couldn't help but wonder if she felt the same way. If it was kind of weird that now she had to append a 'boy' to the start of 'friend' in her head when thinking about him.
"Mmm." Michael tilted his head a little, tongue poking out a little. "Ppppppretty sure, unless I'm sleep-making out with someone. And I have a hunch that's not the case, so I guess I'm just that good." He was pretty sure Clarissa was just flattering him, but he preened at the praise either way. A nervous yet cheerful smile.
"I mean, I still think I need a bunch of practice," quickly improvising in his head for what he really wanted right now, "and I guess I have a willing partner who would, uh, love to help me with that..." Hesitating for a second, Michael went in for another kiss. Perhaps a little too quickly.
Yeah, too quickly but he kinda had to commit-
Clink! Their teeth sorta banged against each other.
Ooh. Oh that felt a little weird. Michael withdrew quickly, grimacing as his cheeks turned bright red. Ah, dumbass move! Too eager. Not that he thought Clarissa would mind but, yeah, little bit embarassing.
“Practice as muuuuch as you need,”
Blink. Breathe? No time. He was coming in fast. No breath. Oh. Wait. He was coming in fast.
Clarissa barely tilted her head, maybe closed her eyes halfway, little involuntary moan already stuck in her throat,
Choked down in an instant and gone.
They kissed with enamel, not lip, not tongue. Clarissa winced backwards, a moment of wild surprise written in a moment of wide and empty eyes.
His blush brought her back to earth the moment after. Cuuuuuuuuuuuteeeeeeeee. Clarissa started to giggle. Not quiet enough for two, but loud enough for the whole car and the people not passing right by it outside. Bahahaaha, idiot smile, haahahahahaha. She threw her forehead onto his collarbone, squished herself into his warmth. Laughing into him hysterically all the while. Definitely forgetting to breathe.
“Ehha-ahhaha- god, M-mich-hhahah, Michael, you. You’re so. Ahahahehahaha! So cute!”
She laughed, pure of intent, empty of thought. Two became one. Clarissa laughed until she almost cried. She peeled herself off only after a long minute, and no, she was still not really done laughing. She was just through the worst of it.
“Oh my godddd. That was… amazing, Michael. I. I love you.”
She didn’t notice that was the first time she’d said it. Once upon a time she’d surprised Meggy with that word. Alicia too.
“We,” she emphasized, barely, because it was hard to make out a coherent cadence of thought through the constant relapse into another round of joyful giggles. “Are going to practice a lot more. But for now! Let’s get you home, my lord.”
Spotify off? More like on. She had her smooth and chill driving playlist up and ready. A little Khalid, a little Miguel, a little Victoria Monét, a little NxWorries, mooooore than a little Jhené Aiko and SZA. Muni Long’s 2024 drop had been a must. Clarissa envisioned that her and Michael's seperate playlists would fuse, soon, very soon.
Foot on the brake pedal, seatbelt clicked. Emergency break down, shift to reverse. The car hummed to life with the purr of a beast stirring in its cage. Clarissa took a long and deep breath, to soothe the remaining wildebeast laughs trying to escape her. She was calm. Focused.
Clarissa spared a moment to smile at Michael. Car first, of course, but he was a photo finish runner up. Ooooh, photos! They were going to need loooots of photos.
Blink. Breathe? No time. He was coming in fast. No breath. Oh. Wait. He was coming in fast.
Clarissa barely tilted her head, maybe closed her eyes halfway, little involuntary moan already stuck in her throat,
Choked down in an instant and gone.
They kissed with enamel, not lip, not tongue. Clarissa winced backwards, a moment of wild surprise written in a moment of wide and empty eyes.
His blush brought her back to earth the moment after. Cuuuuuuuuuuuteeeeeeeee. Clarissa started to giggle. Not quiet enough for two, but loud enough for the whole car and the people not passing right by it outside. Bahahaaha, idiot smile, haahahahahaha. She threw her forehead onto his collarbone, squished herself into his warmth. Laughing into him hysterically all the while. Definitely forgetting to breathe.
“Ehha-ahhaha- god, M-mich-hhahah, Michael, you. You’re so. Ahahahehahaha! So cute!”
She laughed, pure of intent, empty of thought. Two became one. Clarissa laughed until she almost cried. She peeled herself off only after a long minute, and no, she was still not really done laughing. She was just through the worst of it.
“Oh my godddd. That was… amazing, Michael. I. I love you.”
She didn’t notice that was the first time she’d said it. Once upon a time she’d surprised Meggy with that word. Alicia too.
“We,” she emphasized, barely, because it was hard to make out a coherent cadence of thought through the constant relapse into another round of joyful giggles. “Are going to practice a lot more. But for now! Let’s get you home, my lord.”
Spotify off? More like on. She had her smooth and chill driving playlist up and ready. A little Khalid, a little Miguel, a little Victoria Monét, a little NxWorries, mooooore than a little Jhené Aiko and SZA. Muni Long’s 2024 drop had been a must. Clarissa envisioned that her and Michael's seperate playlists would fuse, soon, very soon.
Foot on the brake pedal, seatbelt clicked. Emergency break down, shift to reverse. The car hummed to life with the purr of a beast stirring in its cage. Clarissa took a long and deep breath, to soothe the remaining wildebeast laughs trying to escape her. She was calm. Focused.
Clarissa spared a moment to smile at Michael. Car first, of course, but he was a photo finish runner up. Ooooh, photos! They were going to need loooots of photos.
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Applesintime
- Posts: 511
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:46 pm
- Location: In a magical place
OK, uh, yeah. Ouch. That actually kind of hurt a little. His teeth felt a little uncomfortable, like they'd been knocked a little out of place, though Michael knew that wasn't true. They just weren't used to touching anything other than food! Still, his tongue ran along them just to check anyway.
Just as he suspected. All in place!
Fortunately, uh, Clarissa didn't seem to mind so much. In fact she seemed greatly enamoured by it. Not in a 'I like having my teeth clink against other people's teeth' way, but more so a 'your inexperience is adorable' way. Which was, uh, was still kinda embarassing but he could live with it. Laughing like the funniest thing in the world had happened while pulling him closer still — Michael couldn't help but join her, both out of relief that she took it well enough and because her laughter was just so goddamn infectious.
Her warmth against him was nice. Soothing.
Oh wow, she was still going, huh. He didn't really get it, but if it made her happy it made her happy. He'd just enjoy her warmth until she pulled away-
and said those three little words.
I love you. Just like that, his heart stopped all over again. Because, yeah. This warmth in his core when she giggled, when he looked into her eyes, when they kissed. That was love, wasn't it? Clarissa must feel the same whenever she looks at him. It felt wonderful.
"I love you too." Michael mumbled out, his cheeks flushed red again. God, it must be really apparent how like... inexperienced he was with this, huh? Clarissa was straight up his first girlfriend, his first kiss... probably a few more firsts along the way but he'll cross that bridge once he gets to it. Once they get to it. And... oh right. Driving home. That was what they had gotten into the car to do before her lips distracted him. Yeah. Yeah, that sounded good to him. He still really needed to shower.
"Alright then. Lead the way, my lady." He'd do another fancy bow but like, there wasn't much room to do that in her car. If only she had a big truck, the likes of which terrified small children and pets on the road alike...
Actually, no. A too-big truck like that might be a bit much. He'll stick with her Mustang, thank you very much.
Seatbelt on, lean back and enjoy the ride.
((Michael Goldstein continued in The Heterosexual Love Between an Urbanist Boy and a Car Girl))
Just as he suspected. All in place!
Fortunately, uh, Clarissa didn't seem to mind so much. In fact she seemed greatly enamoured by it. Not in a 'I like having my teeth clink against other people's teeth' way, but more so a 'your inexperience is adorable' way. Which was, uh, was still kinda embarassing but he could live with it. Laughing like the funniest thing in the world had happened while pulling him closer still — Michael couldn't help but join her, both out of relief that she took it well enough and because her laughter was just so goddamn infectious.
Her warmth against him was nice. Soothing.
Oh wow, she was still going, huh. He didn't really get it, but if it made her happy it made her happy. He'd just enjoy her warmth until she pulled away-
and said those three little words.
I love you. Just like that, his heart stopped all over again. Because, yeah. This warmth in his core when she giggled, when he looked into her eyes, when they kissed. That was love, wasn't it? Clarissa must feel the same whenever she looks at him. It felt wonderful.
"I love you too." Michael mumbled out, his cheeks flushed red again. God, it must be really apparent how like... inexperienced he was with this, huh? Clarissa was straight up his first girlfriend, his first kiss... probably a few more firsts along the way but he'll cross that bridge once he gets to it. Once they get to it. And... oh right. Driving home. That was what they had gotten into the car to do before her lips distracted him. Yeah. Yeah, that sounded good to him. He still really needed to shower.
"Alright then. Lead the way, my lady." He'd do another fancy bow but like, there wasn't much room to do that in her car. If only she had a big truck, the likes of which terrified small children and pets on the road alike...
Actually, no. A too-big truck like that might be a bit much. He'll stick with her Mustang, thank you very much.
Seatbelt on, lean back and enjoy the ride.
((Michael Goldstein continued in The Heterosexual Love Between an Urbanist Boy and a Car Girl))
Mellow. Little piano tinkles, barely audible over the happy hum of her engine. She knew what was under that hood better than she did the skin under her own clothes.
Her hand doing little dances on the stick shift.
A little cramp under her lowermost rib from the giggling.
She said something to him, and it was lost to time.
"You're mine and I like it, yeah"
The sun swept in a slow dance over their skin as the car moved against it, the same as the earth rotating with a dancer’s spin around and around.
"You're fine, but besides that
I see through to your heart"
The warm kiss of its light on her face. Smelled like him. Tasted like him.
Little fingers tapping on the steering wheel, rough calluses, chipped nail polish, wrists relaxed, giggle on her mind, dry throat, minty breath, chipped molar, two fillings, soft tongue, crooked incisor, wet lips, gaze on the road, dainty eyelashes, tension in the corner of her eyes, fairy light dust dancing in her vision illuminated by the sun.
Nothing on earth could compare.
"You lie, I don't mind it
That's just the kind of guy that you are"
She had already forgotten that she’d said those three words.
I love you.
But she remembered him saying those three words. It felt so good.
"Tell me anything, everything, whatever I wanna hear"
Polished windshield, dashboard lights, half tank, ten miles per hour, vinyl seats, textured brake lever, sun shield in the back seat, top up, sailcloth vinyl, cup holders, a little plastic of mints, glove compartment, glass windows up, mirrors perfectly angled.
"It's the sweet little nothings, that's all I need to keep me here"
Honeydew Blvd. Arterial of the light commercial district that cuddled Meadowbrook, parallel to the highway. Her car briefly rested. Right turn, no oncoming traffic. Always had to be sure. Focus. This was her zone. Her head over her left shoulder. Then her right shoulder, past the Michael in her way. Then her left.
Then, Clarissa glanced back at him. The restful serenity in his warm eyes.
"If you want me like you say you want me
Then you'll do whatever, yeah"
Clarissa trusted him.
"Love me like you say you love me
We'll be down forever"
"Don't lose me, don't lose me"
More than she did herself.
Michael knew how to give back to his community.
Clarissa’s trust was ineffective altruism.
"Don't choose me then use me"
A little hiiiiint of bold, almost unnatural red, right in that spot at the corner of her eye where existence was a suggestion and not a certainty. Something waiting for the light to turn green the same way she was. Someone that demanded her attention. Attention Clarissa wouldn’t give. The world’s safest driver.
"Just stay right beside me, oh"
She stayed steady and focused on the road ahead.
Rattly muffler, exhaust valves, coughs of pollution, gear shift clicks, clutch ticks, rear-wheel drive, intake stroke, compressed air, fuel burns, gas explodes, noxious fumes, exhaust stroke, battery sparks, alternator crackles, chugging axles, whirring radiator, hot water, sweet coolant, contaminated pipes, build up, gunk, warping, oil drip, engine shield, the suspension bounces, fluid pressure, burning rubber, rumble of asphalt, 1969 Boss 429, 1970 Maverick, 2012 S-class, 2013 Avalon, 1987 Wagoneer SJ, 2017 Cascada, 2021 Model 3, 1999 Forester.
But something about her always lingered in the places she wasn’t welcome.
A ghost in her machine.
"Don't you dare deny my love"
2023 Camaro ZL1.
All white.
Her hand doing little dances on the stick shift.
A little cramp under her lowermost rib from the giggling.
She said something to him, and it was lost to time.
"You're mine and I like it, yeah"
The sun swept in a slow dance over their skin as the car moved against it, the same as the earth rotating with a dancer’s spin around and around.
"You're fine, but besides that
I see through to your heart"
The warm kiss of its light on her face. Smelled like him. Tasted like him.
Little fingers tapping on the steering wheel, rough calluses, chipped nail polish, wrists relaxed, giggle on her mind, dry throat, minty breath, chipped molar, two fillings, soft tongue, crooked incisor, wet lips, gaze on the road, dainty eyelashes, tension in the corner of her eyes, fairy light dust dancing in her vision illuminated by the sun.
Nothing on earth could compare.
"You lie, I don't mind it
That's just the kind of guy that you are"
She had already forgotten that she’d said those three words.
I love you.
But she remembered him saying those three words. It felt so good.
"Tell me anything, everything, whatever I wanna hear"
Polished windshield, dashboard lights, half tank, ten miles per hour, vinyl seats, textured brake lever, sun shield in the back seat, top up, sailcloth vinyl, cup holders, a little plastic of mints, glove compartment, glass windows up, mirrors perfectly angled.
"It's the sweet little nothings, that's all I need to keep me here"
Honeydew Blvd. Arterial of the light commercial district that cuddled Meadowbrook, parallel to the highway. Her car briefly rested. Right turn, no oncoming traffic. Always had to be sure. Focus. This was her zone. Her head over her left shoulder. Then her right shoulder, past the Michael in her way. Then her left.
Then, Clarissa glanced back at him. The restful serenity in his warm eyes.
"If you want me like you say you want me
Then you'll do whatever, yeah"
Clarissa trusted him.
"Love me like you say you love me
We'll be down forever"
"Don't lose me, don't lose me"
More than she did herself.
Michael knew how to give back to his community.
Clarissa’s trust was ineffective altruism.
"Don't choose me then use me"
A little hiiiiint of bold, almost unnatural red, right in that spot at the corner of her eye where existence was a suggestion and not a certainty. Something waiting for the light to turn green the same way she was. Someone that demanded her attention. Attention Clarissa wouldn’t give. The world’s safest driver.
"Just stay right beside me, oh"
She stayed steady and focused on the road ahead.
Rattly muffler, exhaust valves, coughs of pollution, gear shift clicks, clutch ticks, rear-wheel drive, intake stroke, compressed air, fuel burns, gas explodes, noxious fumes, exhaust stroke, battery sparks, alternator crackles, chugging axles, whirring radiator, hot water, sweet coolant, contaminated pipes, build up, gunk, warping, oil drip, engine shield, the suspension bounces, fluid pressure, burning rubber, rumble of asphalt, 1969 Boss 429, 1970 Maverick, 2012 S-class, 2013 Avalon, 1987 Wagoneer SJ, 2017 Cascada, 2021 Model 3, 1999 Forester.
But something about her always lingered in the places she wasn’t welcome.
A ghost in her machine.
"Don't you dare deny my love"
2023 Camaro ZL1.
All white.
Freeze frame.
The surveillance cameras focus for a brief moment on suburban motion blur smoothly sailing a green light in the middle of the Meadowbrook wasteland.
Hooooold. Zoom in.
Barely modern car, depreciated market value, well maintained, rambling dusty streets in a part of the desert that doesn’t matter.
Average cheerleader in the driver’s seat, average boy in the passenger seat.
Ohhhhh.
I loooove this look for you, Clarissa. Finding your own lane.
Staying out of mine.
S. Nyquist
[[Clarissa Shoemaker continued in The Collector]]
The surveillance cameras focus for a brief moment on suburban motion blur smoothly sailing a green light in the middle of the Meadowbrook wasteland.
Hooooold. Zoom in.
Barely modern car, depreciated market value, well maintained, rambling dusty streets in a part of the desert that doesn’t matter.
Average cheerleader in the driver’s seat, average boy in the passenger seat.
Ohhhhh.
I loooove this look for you, Clarissa. Finding your own lane.
Staying out of mine.
S. Nyquist
[[Clarissa Shoemaker continued in The Collector]]