Subclasses Ch. 15

I grimace, self-conscious of my masculine figure. "I'm glad you think so. I wish I could like my masculine body."

"Babes, your masculine bod is hot. The cute, nerdy, approachable kind of hot. The stable, safe kind. Trust me, most women dig that a whole lot more than big muscles and a quarterback's jawline." I smile noncommittally, and we continue our game in silence for a bit.

"What do you want to know?" Gabi asks, breaking the silence.

"About what?"

"About me. You said you don't know me very well."

"Oh," I say, taking a beat. "I guess I don't know, exactly. Getting to know someone's deep thoughts and feelings, I think, is something that happens over time, as long as the person has a fairly open personality. It builds with shared experiences. Our shared experiences tend to be surface level jokes."

"Are you saying you want to go through some trauma with me?" she asks half-jokingly.

I laugh. "Want to? No. But I would like to know that if we were to go through some--either together or individually--you'd be open with me. I feel closest to people when I can comfort them. It's how I show love, and being trusted while I comfort someone is a key way I receive it." I fire three loving green shells at her; one hits, and I snag first place.

"I want to commit to that," she says softly. "I want to be open with you. What you just described--that's something I've never had in a relationship before. It's something I would like to experience. I know I haven't been open with you in the past. I think I was always scared you'd notice I liked you, and then I'd have to acknowledge that I'm attracted to women."

I nod. "Anyway, that's where I'm at right now. You're a wonderful friend, a good cuddler, and a fantastic kisser. I hope it grows into more, but I also don't want to pressure you to change who you are. That's like top three on the toxic girlfriend checklist list. You're already a catch the way you are. But right now, I don't think we are a great match romantically."

I groan in apologetic frustration. "I feel like I'm talking in circles and not giving you enough credit."

She flashes me a warm smile. "It's okay. I know what you mean.

"So if you don't have romantic feelings for me, but hope to in the future, where does that leave us in the meantime?"

"I'd never complain about more of the same: easy roommates who kiss, fuck, and hold hands from time to time. And you know what Uncle Ben always said: with great kisses comes great romantic affection."

"I don't think that's quite what he said," she says with Southern snark. "Bless your heart."

"That's what he said when he was dating Aunt May. He just adapted it for Peter's situation," I say authoritatively. "It's canon."

"Well, then," she says as the current race ends, "I say we enact some of Uncle Ben's wisdom!" She lunges onto my lap to straddle me, wraps her arms behind my head, and pulls me into an intoxicating kiss. My heart and stomach flip in unison, and when she pulls out of the kiss, the only thing I can think to do is pull her into another one.

Lips on lips, tongue against tongue, breath to breath. It all comes in a heady rush and I'm here for it. It's all I'm here for. My hands reach around the small of Gabi's back, and I pull her closer to me. Riding my lap, she begins to gently pump her body up and down against me.

"Wow," a voice says from the door, interrupting us. "That's- that's a hot kiss." We pause in place, our lips still touching, her hands holding my face to hers, and open our eyes to see who's caught us. Jake gives us an appraising and appreciative look. "I didn't know you two were dating."

Gabi pulls half an inch back from my face so she can answer. "We're... still figuring that part out."

"No need to be embarrassed. Like I said, it's hot, and you two already bicker like an old married couple. Might as well be a young married couple while you're at it." He pauses and looks at me. "Wait, are you dating that hot British chick?"

"Yeah," I say awkwardly. "It's possible all three of us are dating each other. Like Gabi said, "we're still figuring it all out. Suffice it to say, Beatrix's expression when she saw us kiss for the first time was at least twice as lusty as yours."

He blushes. "Uhh, sorry, I didn't mean- umm."

Gabi and I laugh. "No worries," I say, "we're just teasing."

"I'm not," Gabi says. "I'm getting hot knowing you think we're hot."

"I'm... glad to be of service?" He asks the statement. "Anyway, ready for dinner?"

"Yep! Let me grab a coat," Gabi says, leaping from my lap.