The Rugby Player and His Fairy

[Jack Trove]

... and Jack's lips moved up from her neck to her lips; across her cheeks to stroke her closed eyelids, and back down across the ridge of her nose... then her mouth; her soft, puckered, open lips. Beneath him, her chest heaved; he could feel the quickened adrenaline-fuelled thumping of her heart against his. His fingertips pressed against her skin; working back and forth across it feverishly, clumsily; and where he touched her, he could feel fireworks explode at the point of contact. And Jack seemed to envelope her; shield her from the world around them completely; and only her long, striking scarlet hair escaped. It fanned across the ground in long, lavish strokes; speckled by the snow that was beginning to fall from the sky above...
Her thigh moved against his. Her hand pressed against his chest. His hand plaited itself through the loose waves of her hair. Every single he took was disjointed with hers; yet it seemed to work in unison. Then, his leg curled around hers. Her lips found his once more, and his own lips pressed against hers eagerly; hungrily. His tongue flickered out, tracing the shape of her lips before her mouth opened, and they met.
Then, her hand was beneath his top; surprisingly cool against his skin; which was firing up. When he opened his eyes, he suddenly saw hers, sparkling green and wicked- yet enchanting like a fairy's- or some other strange, tempting creature. He watched them greedily; watched for their reactions as his fingers interlocked with hers and he pressed her leg against him harder. But they closed, the magic was gone, and Jack found his kisses growing faster... eager for them to reopen.
Look at me, Olivia...
But what, pray tell, was the reason for all of this?
Olivia had said she was, 'cold'.

[Olivia Skye]

His lips collided against hers, hard - and becoming harder all the time as he moved on top of her; his thigh pushed tightly against hers. Olivia's eyes were closed as her lips moved against Jack's urgently, her chest rising and pressing up against his, her heart running on pure, hormone-fuelled adrenaline, palpitating quickly against the fast, irregular beats of his.
Her hand broke free of his again, and they slid up over his flaming skin, over the chiselled abs and around his waist, slowly moving up and down the scorching skin of his back.
She could taste him: the familiar, but always fresh taste of him, his hot breath mixing with hers as his lips continued to move on hers; still harder, still faster, making her chest heave beneath his and her heart rate accelerate still further. And as his hands ran over her body, over her skin, their burning touch seared into her body, creating sparks at every stroke, stimulating her senses and just continuing to make her heart beat faster and faster still.
Jack's lips broke away from hers, and they stroked along her cheeks, down to her neck and onto her collarbone, making her shift slightly underneath him and open her eyes, to find his grey-blue eyes raising to meet hers.
And all she could feel past the heat then was desire.

[Jack Trove]

There.
Jack seemed to sigh as the eye-contact was made; where he watched the same fizzing fireworks he could feel rocketing around in his belly explode in her eyes; a shower of emerald stars. Through the kisses- not kisses, the collisions- of his lips and hers like bullets; he felt himself smile, satisfied. Then, he pressed his lips down against hers and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, like he was sucking her in. For a whole ten seconds; everything in him froze. Not a single muscle moved but his heart, which pumped so fast it defied reason. And Jack held his breath; held hers; counting the delirious seconds as they swept by until he had to let go-
... 2 ... 1 ...
With a gasp; he wrenched his mouth from hers, and immediately dug it into the hollow of her neck. There, he relaxed, his breath hot and heavy... but the close brush of her skin was too tempting to resist. Softly, again, his lips began to nuzzle into her neck; and now, softer still, his fingers traced the contours of her body; slipping beneath her top; across her stomach; down her spine... His fingers touched every little ridge; one by one- counting them...
Then, his hands slipped further, and in one long stroke Jack gathered her leg close to him; with another, fiery spark of greed he moved one arm to gather her waist to his and finally his mouth moved from her neck to her forehead... His lips rested there; slightly open; and now, his neck was to her lips. Suddenly, sighing, Jack moved back down, and his fingers were tracing the gentle route of her spine once more... moving up and up until...
His fingers met a metal hook.
And a cruel, mocking laughter filled his ears...
"Done her yet... You done her yet? You hearing this, Kenny boy?"
A rush of hot, fiery blood dizzied his head as two fingers now curled themselves around the metal catch. His whole body seemed to tense. Desire... desire egged him on. Everything in him was screaming at him in a sort of terrifying rage- telling him what to do.
Jack knew what he wanted to do.
A third finger brushed beneath the smooth material of the strap.
"What else would you be going out with her for…?"
Then, somewhere amongst the rush, the heat; the terrible temptation, something seemed to break. Mal's leering grin terrified him, and suddenly, Jack let go.
He jumped to his feet, with Olivia still sprawled on the ground.
"I'm sorry," he croaked, surprised at how hoarse his voice actually sounded.

[Olivia Skye]

Olivia could feel his fingers gently stroking along her spine, and suddenly, in the rush and heat of the minute, she knew exactly where this was going.
And couldn't bring herself to do the responsible thing and protest - to hell with that.
Jack's mouth gently moved along her neck, placing butterfly kisses along her skin, with every touch increasing that terrible burning desire, making her body rise and press against his, sending her heart rate to a frequency so fast that it was practically undetectable - just a blur in this fast-moving whirl of senses and fire.
His fingers, in the form of flames, licked up her back, searing sensually over her burning skin, stroking softly over her.
Then, he suddenly pulled her sharply closer to him, making her breath come in an abrupt gasp, causing her senses to fire up with a vengeance again, making her want to moan out as his kisses continued to blaze on her neck.
Jack pulled away from her neck, to leave his lips resting on her forehead as his hands slipped under her shirt again and resuming stroking her spine. Passion pushed her on, causing her lips to kiss his neck, over and over, and over as his hands continued to glide up...
His body slid down hers, and she felt his fingers touch the hinge of her bra, and she kissed him fiercely, every cell in her body willing him on, everything lost in him.
She could feel him toy with the strap, almost indecisive, and she could also feel her body subconsciously press hard against him, her instincts making her try to persuade him to just do it...
Please...
All the while, he continued to kiss her, and her lips pressed back hungrily, craving his touch to continue more than anything. His fingers slipped under the strap, then suddenly, Jack let go of her, letting her slide back down on the ground as he jumped up.
"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely, looking down at her.
Olivia lay there for a few moments, gasping slightly for breath as she gazed up at him, her body recoiling in pure confusion - but her brain finally starting to kick in.
Only a little, though.
"It's... it's okay," she said softly, still breathless. "You didn't... do anything wrong."
Her mind was crying out that she needed to cool down... they needed to cool down... but her body was still sending out those signals, still screaming out oh God please, oh God...
She shook her head slightly, her long hair shifting underneath her as she tried to still the hot, hazy rush still there in her.

[Jack Trove]

He couldn't look at her.
Still panting, Jack turned away; but the image of her was still fresh in his mind, and her taste still fresh on his lips. Behind him, she was speaking; but the words were muffled by the roaring blood in his ears. Something about him not doing anything wrong. Something about that. He ground his teeth; clenching his fists and doing his best to stay still, but his frame wouldn't stop trembling.
Didn't do anything wrong? He'd been so close to doing something... something that felt so right. And it was easy. His senses all told him so. So easy to turn around and just go back to where they were...
Mal's grin widened.
"So... what?" he said gruffly, hoping some sense of logic would come out of Olivia, 'cause Jack himself was literally stumped. "What do we do? Do we... I mean, should we...?"
I know I want to.
Christ, I want to...

[Olivia Skye]

Please, just do it...
But somehow, Olivia knew that she couldn't say this. And not just because it was irresponsible - no, since when had she ever cared about whether something was the responsible thing to do or not? It wasn't because of all the fairytale expectations that most girls seemed to have, about "losing their flower" to "the one". Olivia was much more realistic than that - and right now, she wanted to do this. Really, really wanted it.
But her pride wouldn't let her say that.
Because it would make her little better than her mother, with her constant chasing and begging... and if no one could respect her, who would respect Olivia?
But even the voice of her pride couldn't check her chest, which was still heaving, or clear away the tension - or erase the lingering feeling of his touch.
"I don't... I don't know," she admitted, her breath still heavy and shallow, staring up at the sky through the gaps in the trees so that she didn't have to look at Jack. "I ... do you ... do you want to?"
Jack was going to have to make the decision here - because for once, she was totally lost for words.

[Jack Trove]

Did he want to?
Jesus, he was a teenage guy, half-in love with this girl, and she was asking him whether or not he wanted to...?
Jack turned back to look at her; this time, a smile on his face. Maybe he should've said something to her. Something... appropriate? He'd sat through the movies; he'd listened to the songs. He knew what guys were meant to say in moments like this.
Well, he was crap at English anyway.
Two strides did it, and suddenly, Jack's arms were around her; his lips back where they should be; back on hers. And there, they stayed; softly, carefully; but burning. And together, both sank to the ground...
Jack was on top of her again, his hands were climbing the rungs of her spine once more. Like clockwork, beneath him, her skin seared, spurring his hunger on.
And once more, he found the metal hook. Teasingly, this time, he stroked it... holding his breath and counting the seconds until...
It was out. A click. Easy. He caught his breath. It shouldn't be that easy.
The material dropped, slipping through his fingers; which moved up to the slender slope of her shoulder. He tugged the strap, and it fell too...
A single shiver ran up his spine as his hand moved again...

[Olivia Skye]

Olivia sank back with him, letting his kiss and his touch restart the heat of her skin, kicking the adrenaline back into gear.
He lay on top of her, their lips colliding and his hands roaming gently over her spine again...
And it felt right.
Jack's fingers gently unhooked her bra, before they slid up over her shoulders, letting the strap slip and fall down from her shoulder. Her hands slipped down to his waist, under his top, fingering the hem of the fabric. He obligingly moved his arms, and she broke away from him for a second, pulling his top up over his chest. over his arms, before letting him resume kissing and stroking her skin again, with a small, contented sigh as his lips touched hers again.
She could feel the heat emanating from his chest on her own, making her breath come faster and heavier, and her chest rise and fall quickly, both their hearts accelerating from the adrenaline rush.
And then... the snow started to fall again.
Olivia felt the cold flakes land and touch her arms, melting on her warm skin.
She froze underneath Jack for a second, realizing where exactly they were, before, with a sigh, she let her lips break away from his and she fell back to the ground.
Moving her hands up to his neck, she shook her head minutely. "I'm sorry, Jack," she said softly, panting lightly. "But we're.. in the forest. I think this might be better... someplace else. And... aside from the snow, you... know how much I hate dirt," she finished, with a gentle laugh - but it was far too weak and shaky to hide her disappointment and the way he was making her blood rush.

[Jack Trove]

Jack's hands froze as she said this; one already beginning to travel down to her jeans. It curled into a fist; mere seconds away from the moment it would've been too late to back from... And throughout him; the burning blood cooled and congealed, and a tension broke over him; a new sort of sweat that made him want to get up and get away from her.
He stood up in stony silence, freezing suddenly in the cold rush of wind. Snowflakes settled across his bare shoulders, and feeling a fool, Jack snatched his shirt and jacket up from the ground; his now numb fingers slipping clumsily over the zip. Olivia was silent behind him; and again, Jack couldn't look at her...
Not because he was resisting the ensnaring grasp of her green eyes.
Because if he looked at her, he'd get mad.
Really mad.
Mal was mocking him inside his head. The anger was already there; and Jack's temperature rose and fell with his flickering emotions. Forcing himself to be still; he inhaled, and exhaled slowly; his fists furling and unfurling in unison with his breaths...
"Okay."

[Olivia Skye]

As he turned stonily away from her, Olivia hit her head backwards off the ground, cursing herself.
What was wrong with her? Here she was, with a guy who really cared about her, who she was pretty sure she was falling deeply for, seconds away from doing this, and she ... ugh, what the hell was she playing at?
And now Jack was angry, making Olivia's heart stop and making her feel so guilty, mad, ashamed of herself and so d**n stupid...
The tension between the two of them had been replaced now by an entirely different one, as he continued to stare determinedly away from her.
She sat up, fixing her bra and straightening her clothes, when he said just one word:
"Okay."
And she froze.
Please don't say it like that, Jack, please...
She picked herself up from the ground, and walked slowly over to him. "Jack, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she half-whispered, her hand reaching out to touch his shoulder, before catching herself and letting it fall again. "I really want to do this, I really, really do, just... just not here. We can go back up to the school, to a dorm, or wherever you want, just not... not here."

[Jack Trove]

Goddammit!
"I really want to do this, I really, really do, just... just not here. We can go back up to the school, to a dorm, or wherever you want, just not... not here."
Shut up. Shut up now.
Didn't she get it? No. Maybe not. Maybe there was nothing to get. Maybe Jack was stupid to be so mad...
He spun around, and was immediately shocked by just how close she'd come to him. He hadn't realized she'd even moved. And her hair... her fiery hair fired up his blood even now; back and forth it danced in the wind- stupid, teasing, tempting flames. Stupid fire. Stupid blood that burned and cooled; slithered and rushed all at once, all together, back and forth and driving him mad.
Get away. Go away. Stop looking at me.
Didn't she get it? No. Obviously not. Not her, with her great green eyes; great, emerald orbs reminiscent of a witch's, a ghost's, a fairy's. Some kind of sick, twisted magic worked in them- Jack found it hard to believe she even understood what the hell she was doing with them. Maybe she knew. She must know.
That must be why she kept looking at him.
And it was almost freaking impossible to turn away from it. He'd given her the choice. He'd let her decide. Then... then she'd turned on him. Like she'd gotten all she wanted out of him, and gotten bored. She'd led him on... then as good as slapped him. And sure, she promised him it would happen. She swore it would.
But could he believe her? 'Cause those eyes promised lies.
Stupid, stupid lies.
So don't fall for the lies. Don't fall for her.
It sounded so easy...
"Olivia, I..." Jack's tongue froze; on the brink of the moment that would matter. There were two things he wanted to say. Two things he wanted to do. But Jack... Jack couldn't have both.
So he had to choose.
And he'd choose...
"No." The word froze his heart, and for a second, his blood stopped flowing altogether. "Just... it doesn't matter. You've killed the mood now, anyway."

[Olivia Skye]

Olivia's blood froze at his tone.
Oh, so that was the way it was, was it? Because she'd pulled away - dammit, he pulled away first - she was - just -
A frustrated sound came out of her mouth as she turned away angrily, sick of looking at his stony blue eyes - because every second of eye contact was like a lash to her, ripping her skin open and producing a flowing mess of scarlet. He was just being so... so cold, and it was hurting her.
And not only hurting her. It was making her blood simmer in anger too, bringing up a cool, white hot rage.
He was so cold... was this all that he really wanted her for? Sex - was that it? And now that she wouldn't 'put out' in the middle of a forest, was she just not worth it anymore?
She didn't want to believe that. Jack made her feel... wanted. Special. Like she mattered. She didn't want to believe that it had all been manipulation, a calculated plan just to get her into bed with him.
But that was what it was looking like.
How could he?
Olivia kept her eyes focused determinedly on a tree opposite her, refusing to acknowledge the stinging tears forming on her eyelashes. "Dammit, Jack," she said coldly, scathingly "If you hadn't pulled away the first time, I wouldn't have been thinking enough to 'kill the mood'."
They were just tears of anger. She was mad, that was all.
That was all.

[Jack Trove]

There. The glimmer of a tear, and he was back under...
No!
He could hear her. She was angry. Angry about what? Because he'd found her out? Because she'd let herself down?
What?!
"Oh, do forgive me!" he spat, venom as icy green as her eyes hatching its spawn on the tip of his tongue. "Do forgive me for trying to do the decent thing- do forgive me for pulling away and giving you the chance to clear your head. Is it clear, then? Hey, nothing to regret now, right?"
Blunt, icy needles. He wished they were real. He wished they would cut into her; turn the rest of her as scarlet as her hair. Maybe then he'd have some goddam peace from those murderous, glorious, torturous eyes...
... taste...
... smell...
... touch...
... everything.
'Cause she was all over him; all around him; inside of him. He could close his eyes and she'd be there. He couldn't sleep 'cause she'd be there.
And half of him wanted her to be there... but if it was all a lie; some stupid, evil magic trick...
... if she wasn't real...
Did he care?

[Olivia Skye]

Olivia bit down hard on her lip to stop herself screaming at him, begging for forgiveness, asking him why he was doing this to her, start hitting him... or break down sobbing.
She wouldn't do those things. She wouldn't.
But he was really, really hurting her.
How could he talk to her like that? A minute ago, he'd been wrapped around her, warm, and warming her, making her feel like he actually cared about her.
Stupid Olivia. He's a guy; they're all like that. Have you learned nothing from your brother, from your mother?
The tears were starting to overflow from her eyes; bitter, salty, shameful.
"Get away from me, Jack," she said, her voice strained and filled with anger.
She just wanted him to leave her - to clear her head as he'd put it. How could she clear her mind, calm down, cool off, if he was there - just there?
Even when she was angry, even when - like now - he was making her cry, she couldn't stop thinking about him.
Because he was the only person who meant enough for her to cry.
"Just go," she semi-whispered. "Please."

[Jack Trove]

The tears confused him. He'd never seen a girl cry before- except for his mother, because she always cried. But... not Olivia. And he wondered... wondered as far as any remaining arrogance would let him... could those tears be for him?
No. Because she's a witch. A wicked fairytale that only will go so far. Right?
"Make it easier for you, right?" he said softly. "Yeah, sure. That's what I'll do."
Could he believe any of it? It was tiring, and he was so muddled now... so muddled... what was wrong in the first place?
Don't think. Just go away.
She's asking you to go away...
"It's all about making things easy for yourself, after all, isn't it?"
And he turned and strode off into the distance.