Earl
We were lying together on the bed, tangled up, the kind of close that felt safe and heavy and warm all at once. My head rested on Dawn's chest, and I could hear the loud steady thrum of his heartbeat, so steady it made my own pulse seem like a drumline.
Everything felt new, overwhelming, but not scary. Not with him.
And yet…
I couldn't ignore it.
I shifted slightly, trying not to make it obvious, but my body betrayed me anyway. My chest burned with embarrassment. My face felt hot. I swallowed hard and looked up at him, eyes wide.
"Dawn…" My voice was barely above a whisper.
He tilted his head down, studying me, his eyes gentle. "Yeah?"
I hesitated, twisting my fingers together nervously. "Is… is it… normal?" My words came out halting. "To… feel… this… when we—" I gestured vaguely toward our kiss, my cheeks flaming. "When we kiss… and… um… you know… I… get… this?"
He blinked, a soft, reassuring smile touching his lips. "Oh…" He didn't sound shocked or disgusted, just… understanding. "You mean… an erection?"
I nodded, small and uncertain. "Yeah… is it… normal?"
He chuckled quietly, low and comforting, like the sound was a hug in itself. "Yeah, Baby. It's completely normal. Your body is just reacting to closeness, to intimacy… to feelings. It doesn't make you weird or bad."
I exhaled a shaky breath, relief flooding through me, though embarrassment still burned my cheeks. "Okay… okay… I just…" I paused, then asked, almost shyly. "Do… you… feel the same?"
Dawn's hand brushed my hair back from my forehead gently "Yeah," he admitted softly. "But more than that… it's not just about that. It's about being close to you. Feeling you. Holding you. I like it all... the kissing, the cuddling, being able to be near you like this."
I blinked, trying to process the warmth of his words. "So… it's not… wrong?"
"Never," he said firmly. "What we're feeling is natural. And we're taking it slow. We only do what we're both okay with."
I let out a quiet laugh, embarrassed but lighter now. "I just… I didn't know if it was… weird to ask."
"Never weird to ask," he said, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. "I want you to feel safe asking me anything. Always."
I snuggled closer, feeling the tension ease from my chest. "Okay," I whispered. "Thank you."
He held me tighter, arms wrapped around me like a shield. "Always," he said again.
And lying there, forehead against his shoulder, I realized something: growing up, exploring feelings, even the confusing parts, this could be safe. This could be gentle. This could be us.
And that made it easier to breathe.