Trouble Sleeping (Teacher's Lounge) on Sonora Lounges

Amelle Nicchi

October 11, 2016 7:11 PM

Trouble Sleeping (Teacher's Lounge) by Amelle Nicchi

It was a little after ten o’clock at night when Amelle entered the staff lounge to make herself a cup of tea and relax. Since she was still waiting for students to sign up for the Library Helper positions, she currently didn’t have anyone helping her in the library for these first few days of the new school year. That meant that she was in the library all day long. From seven in the morning until ten o’clock at night, curfew. She always did a sweep of the library just before ten to make sure everyone had either gone off to Aladren or to their respective common rooms and hope that they didn’t get into trouble. As there were few students who had decided to get an early start on things, the library was hardly a mess, so it was a quick clean up before she could finally lock the doors.

But even though she was quite exhausted from the long days, she couldn’t sleep. She hadn’t yet adjusted to the change in her schedule since her summer had been so lazy. It was going to be a conflict for her until she had some assistance in the evenings. That was, if she had enough people sign up. Right now there were about seven, which was a nice start, but she definitely needed more help otherwise, she would never get a break for herself except the weekends and working from seven in the morning to ten at night just wasn’t healthy for anyone.

Amelle took a seat on one of the couches that was in the room and took a sip of her tea. She had heard that Chamomile could help a person have an easier time falling asleep, so she really hoped that to be true. She really hated tossing and turning at night and she couldn’t just go off to see Isis or Alfie to chat when she couldn’t sleep because they likely would be.

Putting her tea down, Amelle stretched and ran a hand through her mess of curls. She was so tired, but she couldn’t figure out how to settle her mind down enough to sleep. She was staring into the fireplace and zoning for she didn’t know how long before she refocused and found herself no longer alone in the lounge. Amelle jumped with a loud gasp and started laughing even though she thought her heart was going to jump out of her chest. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I wasn’t alone anymore!” Amelle said through her embarrassed giggles.

6 Amelle Nicchi Trouble Sleeping (Teacher's Lounge) 32 Amelle Nicchi 1 5

Rory Taransay

October 12, 2016 9:30 AM

Not sure if I'll be of any help by Rory Taransay

Rory leaned back in his chair and, raising his arms above his head, stretched. He’d lost track of time whilst working, and was surprised to see that it was after 10pm. He’d received several owls that day, replies from friends offering the uses of various creatures for his lessons, and had decided to sit down and spend the whole evening sorting out exactly what he planned to teach over the term.

It had been a successful evening’s work, he reckoned. He was fairly happy with what he planned to do with all of his classes, and he’d replied to the various owls confirming dates. It was definitely useful, knowing people he could rely on to make lessons more interesting! There were already some animals at Sonora but obviously not all types, and Rory’s main aim was to make sure his students had as much hands-on time as possible.

Standing up, he decided to go and read in the staff lounge for a while before going to bed, wanting to get out of work mode to make it easier to fall asleep. He picked up his latest purchase, a book on Demiguises, creatures that he found particularly fascinating. Getting out of work mode definitely didn’t mean stopping thinking about his favourite subject, magical creatures! When he was younger, Rory had been a big fan of fiction books (particularly those featuring animals and explorers), but these days he was more likely to be found learning some obscure fact about some obscure animal.

Arriving at the lounge, Rory immediately toed off his shoes, preferring to be in socks so he could properly sprawl out on the sofa. He was dressed pretty casually, in jeans and a slightly faded blue t-shirt, a gift from his older sister a few years back. Orla always enjoyed finding ridiculous animal t-shirts for Rory and this one was no exception, with a picture of a whale on it and the caption ‘whale hello there’.

Stepping further into the room, Rory realised that someone – Amelle – was currently relaxing on one of the sofas in front of the fire. She didn’t seem to have noticed him, and with a fond smile, he wondered if she was asleep. Rory didn’t really know exactly what was going on between him and Amelle. They got on well together, that was sure, and he thought there might even be a hint of something more between them. He often found himself thinking of her as more than just a friend, although he didn’t knew if she actually felt the same way. However, he did know he had to tread carefully. A casual relationship with a colleague could have the potential to end very awkwardly, especially at a boarding school, and besides he didn’t want that sort of relationship, for himself or for Amelle. She deserved more than that, and he wanted more than that. It wasn’t just the physical side of a relationship that tempted him. He wanted someone he could laugh with, share problems with, curl up with in the evenings, and hopefully even grow old with.

Collapsing at the other end of Amelle’s couch, Rory had just opened his book when Amelle’s sudden realisation of his presence made him jump too! Her giggles were infectious and he found himself joining in the laughter. “I thought you might be asleep,” he replied, his chuckles subsiding to just a grin. “What’re you doing here at this time of night?”

9 Rory Taransay Not sure if I'll be of any help 33 Rory Taransay 0 5

Amelle

October 12, 2016 7:43 PM

If nothing else, you've brightened my day by Amelle

Merlin’s beard, it was Rory who caught her spaced out on the sofa! And even worse, it was Rory who just witnessed her reaction to being startled out of her own head. This was absolutely embarrassing for her. Thankfully the room was dark for the blush that had entered her cheeks wasn’t likely to be seen by the fire light. Amelle did not want to look foolish around Rory, but thankfully he just picked up on her laughter and joined in, making her feel less self-conscious about her reaction. She hadn’t expected anyone to come into the lounge this late in the evening, but she found herself pleased that Rory had joined her.

She really didn’t know what was going on between the two of them. She enjoyed spending time with him on a level that was different than her friends. She knew that she was attracted to him (and really, who wouldn’t be?) but it was more than that. Amelle looked forward to seeing him. Currently, with him sitting near her she felt butterflies in her stomach which she knew was caused by both excitement and nervousness. Over the summer break, Amelle had realized that she had missed him. She missed talking to him and spending time with him. She truly regretted not giving him her address to write to her as she felt that would have given her something to look forward to.

Amelle knew that work relationships were difficult but the more time she spent around him, the more she found herself having deeper feelings for him. She tried not to since she was uncertain about how he was feeling and she didn’t want to make anything weird between them, but he had been such an uplift in spirit that she needed. Amelle continued to smile as Rory addressed her, feeling unable to stop with him here with her. “I think I was quite possibly on the way to drifting off.” Amelle admitted with a sheepish shrug. Considering how difficult sleep was coming to her these last few days, it was no surprise that she sits down in the lounge and start to drift off here.

She sighed at Rory’s question and stretched out her limbs. “I just needed to get out of the library.” She admitted, turning in her seat to face him more and curling her legs beneath her to get more comfortable. “I spend fifteen hours a day in there currently since I do not have my helpers yet and can’t leave during the open hours.” Amelle explained. “And I can’t sleep at night, so I feel like I’m going stir crazy.” She added, giving a small laugh at how pathetic that sounded. “How come you’re up this late?”

6 Amelle If nothing else, you've brightened my day 32 Amelle 0 5

Rory

October 14, 2016 3:49 AM

Which is more than I seem to be doing for this conversation by Rory

Rory frowned at Amelle’s response. “Fifteen hours a day? That doesn’t sound particularly healthy,” he replied, a little concerned. Fifteen hours a day was really too long for anyone to have to work on a regular basis. Luckily, it sounded as if it wasn’t permanent. “I’ll have to come along to the library more often, break the monotony of a long day,” he added. “Maybe I could even relieve you a bit in the evenings, do some work in there and keep an eye on what’s going on while you get some fresh air or something?”

He covered his mouth with his hand as he yawned, the late night starting to get to him. Amelle’s question had a point, he should be in bed. But there was no way he was leaving now. He was definitely comfy where he was (although he could think of ways to be comfier still, if Amelle would just move over towards him a bit).

“Oh, I was up late doing work, replying to some colleagues who’ve offered to loan some creatures, and working out my teaching plans for this term,” he explained. He often found himself to be more productive in the evening when it came to paperwork, as for him the daytime hours were for spending outside. But really, that wasn’t the only reason he found himself awake at this hour.

He paused, searching for the right words, or even just some words to describe how he was feeling. “No, that's not exactly why I'm still up. To be honest, I think hearing from them made me kind of miss the good old days, travelling around the world, living a rougher life, and working with all different kinds of wild creatures.” Sighing, he knew that he what he still dreamed of was out of reach now. If he went back to that sort of life, he wouldn’t be satisfied – there was a reason he’d decided to leave it. True, part of him still longed to be on the road again, but another, bigger part of him wanted something more permanent, wanted to start on the path towards settling down and living a less varied life. Yes, he was still young, and still wanted fun and excitement and spontaneity, but he also wanted to know that he was actually going somewhere, that the future wouldn’t end up just being like this forever.

“But now being in here, with the wonderfully comfy sofas, the fireplace, and you, it kind of makes me realise that there were things I missed out on before.” The unconscious emphasis on the ‘you’ turned his slightly flippant sentence into something more heartfelt. Maybe it was the late hour and the tiredness, the feelings of comfort and warmth, or maybe it was Amelle sitting here smiling at him. But whatever it was, he found himself more relaxed and more open that he’d felt for a while.

“Do you ever wonder how people start being a proper adult, with a home, a family, a world all in one place?” He could see the end point, what he wanted, but he had no idea how to get there. As a child, it had all seemed so simple: you grew up, and everything would just fall into place. But he’d done the growing up part, and the next step wasn’t so obvious after all.

9 Rory Which is more than I seem to be doing for this conversation 33 Rory 0 5

Amelle

October 15, 2016 4:43 PM

It's not a terribly depressing conversation by Amelle

Amelle shrugged. “It’s why I haven’t been to any meals since the feast and only go to dinners when I do have helpers.” Amelle explained. She really didn’t have any options regarding her work hours. She knew that some people would probably believe that her job was incredibly easy. All she had to do with sit at a desk and check books out, but it was more than that. Some of those books had personalities that she had to be mindful of. There was taking inventory, helping students, keeping the space clean regularly (even with the elves help, the amount of dust that constantly filled the air was ridiculous). There were her contacts for more books when they were required and so on and so forth. While most of the staff had breaks throughout the day and ended around five each night, Amelle did not. She would work from morning until night because she could not leave the library unattended. Even when she did have helpers, they were only there in the evenings and weekends, so she never had the regular break schedule as most others. She was not naïve enough to believe that her job was any worse or better than the staff; she had subbed once and that was stressful enough, but she could respect the differences between them.

“That’s very nice of you to offer.” Amelle commented when he brought up taking over to cover for her some time. “But you already do enough as a staff member. I will, however, take you up on the offer of you coming to see me throughout the day.” Amelle said. “Lunch is awfully boring when you have to eat by yourself at your desk every day. It would be great to have some company from time to time.” She really meant that too. There were very few students who came during the day unless they were Aladrens with a free period, but that was never very likely. So, despite not being able to leave the library, she was often alone or with only one or two students sitting at various tables. Most of the activity came during the lunch hour or after the end of classes.

“Ah, the grass is always greener syndrome.” Amelle said while she listened to Rory explain to her what it was that was keeping him awake. She did sort of understand what he meant. She didn’t have a wildly adventurous life as he had had before Sonora, but she was often invited to travel with her friends’ jazz band but turned them down because of her obligations to the school. They always wrote to her to tell her about some city or another that they played at and Amelle sometimes regretted her choice not to go. “You had a very exotic life before you came here.” Amelle said, “It’s no surprise that you miss it.”

Amelle heard the emphasis in his words and the implications of it. Such a tiny thing made her heart race and she felt like a sixteen year old girl getting a note from her crush. It was so silly that something so little could have such an effect and there was likely that chance that he didn’t even mean it in any way. She shifted in her seat a bit, moving closer to Rory. She was attempting to be subtle about the movement, but she knew that it was more obvious than subtle. Hopefully, Rory didn’t laugh at her for it.

She sort of gave a snort when he asked her how people became proper adults. “You’re asking me?” Amelle looked at him, she thought she was the least adult person she knew. “If my parents had it their way, I would have gone to those marriage meetings, been married by twenty, and likely a mother of two by now.” Amelle said, amusement in her voice. “That’s how I would have become a proper adult instead of the adult I am now, even if I’m not much of one.” She laughed. “I really don’t know though. I guess you just keep taking chances until it finally pays off.”

6 Amelle It's not a terribly depressing conversation 32 Amelle 0 5

Rory

October 16, 2016 5:00 AM

Let's hope it's not depressing at all by Rory

Well, that settled it. Rory had noticed Amelle’s reduced feast presence, but had thought that maybe he just hadn’t been at Sonora long enough to know the habits of his colleagues, even those of Amelle. But now, hearing that she was missing out on meals with her friends because of work, he was definitely going to start having lunch with her in the library. It would be nice for her (or so she said) and there was no way he was going to turn down an invitation to spend more time with the pretty witch whose company he so enjoyed. And, if Amelle did need to take a break for even just half an hour, he was still going to stand by his offer to cover for her, even though she claimed he already did enough. It was Amelle: of course he was willing to go above and beyond the call of duty for her!

Exotic was definitely a good word to describe his life before Sonora, and Rory knew that part of him would always miss the freedom of those days, with roads stretching out before him, new creatures to discover, and nothing to hold him back. “At least I have the holidays to get my travelling fix,” he replied, smiling as he thought of his summer. Whatever happened in the future, he would always make sure to spend at least a few weeks each year returning to his old life. The time he spent with wild animals was great fun, and he also found that he needed the escape from everyday life. Taking off for the summer had, ironically, been relaxing, and had refreshed his enthusiasm for the year of teaching that lay ahead of him. Besides, how could he be a decent teacher of COMC if he never spent any time with the creatures he taught about?

As Amelle moved closer to him, Rory found himself imitating her and moving closer too. Could she read his mind? Did she know that what he wanted right now, more than anything else, was to hold the wonderful woman in front of him in his arms?

He laughed at Amelle’s reaction to his question, and at her answer. There was no way he could see Amelle settling down with just anyone to please her parents. To be quite honest, he wasn’t sure if she’d be happy to settle down with him, but he was getting the impression that she wasn’t completely averse to the idea. He shook his head at her as she claimed to not be much of an adult. “You put yourself down, but I think you’re pretty amazing,” he said, smiling softly at her and taking her hand. Something about what she said told him to just go for it, that now was one of the times when he should take a chance and hope that it paid off. If he could face down a chimera, then surely he could tell Amelle how he felt? After all, life was boring and pointless without a little risk. Throwing all thoughts of caution to the wind, he kissed her.

9 Rory Let's hope it's not depressing at all 33 Rory 0 5

Amelle

October 16, 2016 2:47 PM

I would say it's the exact opposite by Amelle

Amelle was a little jealous of his life style outside of Sonora and his life prior to Sonora. She had started working at Sonora was she was like nineteen, so she didn’t have much experience of any other sort of life except this one. She had traveled to Iraq to visit her mother’s family and to Sicily to visit her paternal grandparents, but she didn’t consider that really exploring the world. It was just visiting family. Sure her friends had offered her a spot in their band, but she didn’t really want to travel with a band. She loved to sing with them for fun, but as a job? No, that wasn’t what she wanted. And if she traveled just for the sake of traveling, with no job or focus, her parents would have forced a marriage onto her. As long as she stayed employed, her parents left her alone. It wasn’t fun or adventurous. It was safe. She was living a safe life and he had to think that was so dull. She certainly did.

“You get to travel on your holidays and I get to…listen to my mother complain about my life.” Amelle looked amusingly at him. “You are definitely living at a higher level than me.” She joked, although she meant it too even if she played it off so lightly. Of course, her mother was not easy to please. As long as Amelle remained single and without children, her mother would always find something to complain about.

He was much closer to her when she settled in than she first realized after moving and then noticed that he wasn’t in the same spot as he initially was. This meant that he had also shifted and moved closer to her. Amelle felt quite pleased by this notion and less self-conscious for having attempted to adjust her seating to begin with. She could feel the heat that his body naturally radiated and she willed his arm to come up and over her shoulders so that she would have an excuse to put her head on his probably perfectly chiseled chest (at least it was in her dreams). His comment had her laugh a bit, “Can you say that to my mother?” She teased. “She thinks I’m wasting my potential.”

Amelle glanced down at their hands that were now linked. Well, it wasn’t a direct cuddle, but she liked the feel of her hand in his, so she would willingly accept this turn of events. But as she looked at his hands, his face suddenly came into view in front of hers and she felt his lips press against her own. Surprise hit her first but quickly vanished as she returned his kiss, her free hand gently resting against his cheek. She hoped that her surprise hadn’t played off as hesitation or unwant because that was not the case. She thoroughly enjoyed being kissed by him and didn’t want it to end, but the voice in the back of her head reminded her that they were in the Teacher’s Lounge and anyone could walk in on them. She wasn’t sure what the rules were about kissing in the lounge…

After a few minutes, she pulled away from his lips and gave an awkward chuckle. The attractive Care of Magical Creatures Professor had just kissed her, was she sleeping? “I was expecting more of a dinner date invitation, but I will happily accept kisses from you instead.” She finally said, trying to keep her heart from jumping out of her chest out of cheer happiness.

6 Amelle I would say it's the exact opposite 32 Amelle 0 5

Rory

October 17, 2016 3:06 PM

And I'm far from depressed too! by Rory

“Well, you’ll have to come with me on my travels at some point then,” Rory suggested. He’d love to take Amelle with him and show her all the wonderful creatures that he loved so much. His work was so important to him. It wasn’t just a job; his enthusiasm for magical creatures was part of who he was, and was therefore something that he wanted to share with her. The idea of actually taking Amelle with him on his travels was something he hoped she’d agree to make a reality!

He couldn’t believe that he’d actually found the courage to kiss Amelle, but he didn’t regret a thing! The initial moment of doubt that came when she didn’t kiss him back was quickly forgotten when she did return the kiss, and the corners of his lips turned up into a smile as his risk definitely paid off.

“I’m sure I could manage both,” replied Rory, grinning down at her. She had kissed him back! He put his arm around her, unable to stop smiling. If she was happy with kissing, then cuddling was definitely ok, and late nights in front of the fire were, in Rory’s mind, perfect for doing exactly that.

“I was planning on doing this properly, you know,” he admitted. “I…” he paused, half censoring himself but then deciding to go ahead with what he’d meant to say. He’d kissed her now, so she knew he was interested in her, and he wanted her to know how much. “I know we’ve only known each other for a number of months, but I’m serious about this, about us. If we’re going to do this, I want to properly give us a go. I want to take you on dates, and cuddle you in the evenings, tell other people, and be in a committed relationship.”

He wasn’t naïve. He knew that liking someone wasn’t always enough. There were often problems in a relationship, and not everything always worked out. However, he was determined that, if this relationship failed, it would not be for lack of trying on his part. Some people might think that they hadn’t known each other long enough for a relationship to be successful, but Rory was used to getting to know people quickly and was sure that his feelings for Amelle weren’t solely based on physical attraction. Despite his initial intentions to tread with caution, he’d just gone for it and kissed her, and now he wanted to make sure Amelle knew that he didn’t want this to be a casual relationship. However... he was also aware that most people didn’t jump in with terms and expectations moments after admitting an attraction. He was now having second thoughts about the timing of his declaration, and was starting to regret his lack of self-censorship.

“No, wait, I’m sorry if that was me getting a little ahead of the situation,” he apologised, wincing slightly. He didn’t want to ruin everything by being so serious straight after such a perfect kiss. “Can I start that again?” He snuggled up a little closer to Amelle (okay, yes, Rory liked cuddles), and smiled at her hopefully. “Miss Nicchi, may I have the pleasure of taking you out to dinner next weekend?”

9 Rory And I'm far from depressed too! 33 Rory 0 5

Amelle

October 17, 2016 4:30 PM

Good, I'm glad we feel the same! by Amelle

Amelle’s eyebrows shot up at Rory’s invitation for her to travel with him. Amelle didn’t really know what his traveling entailed. Would it be like camping around dangerous animals? Was it a group of people that did it or was it only like Rory and another? She knew that he had a traveling partner prior to coming to Sonora who had died when they were with dragons, but had it only been the two of them? Amelle was not physically strong, so she wasn’t sure how well she would do in those types of situations and she wouldn’t want to put anyone in danger by being in the way. “I’d love to travel with you.” Amelle stated, which was true. Going to far off places with Rory seemed like a dream come true. “You’ll have to tell me how it works though. If you couldn’t tell, I’m not much of a camper, so I’ll need lessons first.” She said with a laugh. She thought it could be quite romantic if Rory did take her out on private camping lessons… or it could all go down in flames.

When his arm came around her, Amelle felt triumphant that he was cuddling with her now. She hadn’t expected the kiss to come first, but she was not going to complain about how the events played out. She rested her head against his chest, feeling smug when she felt the muscle beneath her. She had been right; he did take care of himself. She was naturally a curvy girl, her hips and chest making her seem a bit larger than she actually was. Her waist was slim, giving her an hour glass figure, but she didn’t really do anything to stay fit, her diet kept her healthy and slim. She always felt like if she dated someone who was extremely attractive, like Rory, that people would look at her and wonder how she managed to snag someone so clearly out of her league.

Amelle lifted her head slightly so that she could look at him while he spoke. He seemed to be working out in his head what he wanted to say, so she didn’t push him. She was a little surprised to hear him be so straightforward with what he was expecting of the two of them, especially after only a kiss (albeit, a lovely kiss that she would really like to do again). Not that she minded his bluntness about all of it. She was actually a bit glad that he wanted something more serious with her right off the bat. She had done the casual relationship in the past and it always ended up biting her in the butt.

She shifted slightly in her spot so that she could wrap her arm around his torso while he pulled her closer. She gave a soft laugh when he attempted to back track what he had said to her and asked her out on a proper date. She reached up to kiss the only spot she could reach in her current position, which happened to be his jaw, “I would love to go to dinner with you.” She answered with ease. “And, for the record, I love the fact that you want to date exclusively with me.” Amelle added, smiling up at him. “I agree to your terms and conditions.”

6 Amelle Good, I'm glad we feel the same! 32 Amelle 0 5

Rory

October 19, 2016 2:56 PM

You have no idea how relieved I am! by Rory

“Hey, no need to look so alarmed,” Rory laughed, amused by Amelle’s reaction to his camping suggestion. “I wouldn’t let you get hurt,” he assured her. Seeing Matthias Gould’s unfortunate accident had made him fully realise the perils of his job, and also his own mortality. This hadn’t stopped Rory putting himself in dangerous situations (as the odd scar gained just that summer had proved) However, Rory had no intention of losing any limbs, and he definitely wasn’t going to put Amelle in unnecessary danger. “But we can do some more civilised camping trips as a practice run if you want!” He thought that could be quite fun, especially as it would mean more time alone with Amelle.

Growing up in Scotland, Rory had become accustomed to life in wilder parts. True, his family were pretty well-off, and owned a large house on their own island, but the Outer Hebrides provided a wonderful backdrop to a childhood spent mostly outdoors. Being accustomed to taking off for a few days and living off what he could find had been a great preparation for Rory’s travels later in life. However, that wasn’t to say that he wasn’t without comforts when he travelled. Wizarding tents were much better than the muggle equivalents, and Rory made sure to be prepared for most situations he might find himself in. Feather-light charms came in handy too.

Rory couldn’t help a fond smile as Amelle kissed his jaw, and he leant down to give her a quick kiss before breathing a sigh of relief at her next words. “I thought for a second I might have blown things,” he confessed. “If you hadn’t noticed, I’m not that used to navigating relationship things.” That was an understatement, as in the last ten years Rory hadn’t managed anything beyond the odd very short-term relationship. Always being on the move had made things hard, and as a result he was in the difficult position of wanting a long-term relationship without having much romantic experience at all. “I just wanted to make sure that you know what I’m thinking,” he explained. “I know us being colleagues could make things tricky, so I guess it’s good to make sure we’re on the same page before starting anything.”

Luckily for Rory, it did indeed seem like they were on the same page. Sitting there in front of the fire, with Amelle cuddled up in his arms, Rory felt happier than he could ever remember being, which was quite a statement for the young adventurer. This was one of those rare moments where there was absolutely nowhere else he’d rather be.

9 Rory You have no idea how relieved I am! 33 Rory 0 5

Amelle

October 20, 2016 9:11 PM

You have no idea how comfortable and happy I am! by Amelle

Amelle relaxed as Rory laughed off her expression. She must have looked more terrified at the idea of traveling than she had thought. That didn’t surprise her too much though as Amelle sometimes wore her emotions on her face without any sort of filter. She never meant to, of course, but Amelle wasn’t one of those people who could maintain a stoic sort of attitude about life. If she was happy, she looked it, if she were sad; she probably looked that part too. If she were angry or scared, everyone knew it. She never had to say she was those things; people just had to look at her.

Amelle relaxed and smiled at him. “A few practice rounds sound like a good idea.” Amelle agreed, happy that he was thinking along the same lines as she was. Or, at least, she hoped he was. At any rate, she’ll be able to spend time with him and that’s all she really wanted.

“I haven’t noticed at all.” Amelle replied. If Rory had no experience in the romance department, he had fooled Amelle. His sweet words and soft lips told a different story. It was certainly not any story that she would complain about. Amelle actually liked the idea of Rory being more innocent (relatively speaking) in the relationship department because she felt that made him all the more genuine. Amelle had had enough of men who played games and only sought after one thing. If Rory expressed his wish for a more fulfilling relationship with her that had more of a future than anything she had ever had in the past. And that excited her more than anything. The prospect of Rory wanting a commitment with her and being so open about it really did fill her with great joy and she knew how clichéd that would sound should she have said it out loud. “If you ever want to practice your romance, I’m happy to volunteer.” Amelle teased, snuggling in even closer, or attempted to as they were already pressed pretty tightly to one another.

Amelle thought the warmth of his body mixed with the warmth of the fire could relax her and allow her the restful sleep that she craved. She wanted it too. Him beside her as she slept. But that wouldn’t happen in the staff lounge and she didn’t think he would go for a ‘hey, come back to my room just to sleep’ comment from her. She thought he was too much of a gentleman for that even if it was an innocent request. “If we stay like this, I’m going to fall asleep on you.” Amelle warned him, a smile playing her lips.

6 Amelle You have no idea how comfortable and happy I am! 32 Amelle 0 5

Rory

October 24, 2016 4:17 PM

Comfortable enough to fall asleep? by Rory

Planning a camping trip was now officially on Rory’s list of things to do, and he was going to find the perfect place. Hopefully by next summer Amelle would feel confident enough to travel somewhere with him!

“Always happy to practice romance with you,” he replied slightly drowsily, fully relaxing and sinking back into the sofa, his head resting on Amelle’s. He was glad to hear that Amelle didn’t think he was doing awfully. He was a fairly confident man, but relationships were not his area of expertise, and really he was just going along with what he thought seemed right. Luckily everything seemed to be working out well so far!

Rory felt his eyes starting to drift shut as Amelle snuggled closer to him. “Let’s stay here then,” he suggested. “I could happily fall asleep like this.” It was tempting, to just stay here all night in front of the warm fire with Amelle in his arms. He was completely unconcerned by the thought of being discovered by any of their colleagues. He had no problems with anyone finding out about him and Amelle, and it wasn’t as if they were doing anything more than cuddling. However, he had to admit that sofas weren’t the best place to sleep. As comfy as they might seem at first, they’d regret it in the morning. Half of him was tempted to suggest that Amelle come back to his room but, really, that wasn’t the appropriate thing to say, even if he just meant for sleeping. They hadn’t even gone on a date yet, and he’d jumped too far ahead of things already. He wanted this to last, and he was going to do it properly, slowly, and with the utmost respect for Amelle.

“If we don’t move now, I really am going to fall asleep here,” he said, stretching a little to stop himself drifting off but making sure not to dislodge Amelle too much.

9 Rory Comfortable enough to fall asleep? 33 Rory 0 5