Xander's POV:

The fingers in my hair were going to drive me insane.

The way they would curl into a fist, tugging my hair with it each time she gave me one of those timid gasps from my actions.

Her other hand clawing my shirt and yanking me closer.

All with her warmth surrounding me, the taste and smell of her skin flowing my senses.

It left me fighting off what felt like the 30th purr that wanted so badly to start up in my chest.

And every time I had to remind myself that I wasn't supposed to enjoy this.

That this was just for her.

To give her what she wanted, and now to make sure that the most recent memory of any sort of sensation on her neck of the was a good one.

So that those visceral reactions I know she absolutely despised get buried.

I still had much to atone for with what happened with Layla, but Doe... Doe deserved to be entirely rid of her.

If this helped in that, then I'll happily carry on.

I'd acknowledge the intimacy of what we were doing, but paid no more mind to the topic than that.

I opted to ignore it for what the purpose of this was.

Just a simple exchange.

Just a curious Doe and a Xander willing to satisfy it.

That was it.

Well, I satisfied it ten minutes ago and we were still here.

I pulled my lips from her neck, blowing a soft puff of air over the most recent mark I had made.

Her back straightened even further, arching a bit into me with a shuddered breath.

I suppose that meant she wasn't opposed to that feeling.

I made a mental note, watching her turn her head upwards even more, so she was looking directly at the roof.

Fully submitting herself to me, whether conscious of it or not.

Truly not something I ever expected her to do, let alone under this circumstance.

Don't you dare mess this up.

It excited a deep part of my vampirism, leaving me with yet another thing I had to shut down before it got out of control.

I leaned back into her, kissing the spot right under the curve of her jaw before closing around it with my lips and sucking.

Hard.

The shy whimper let out... The way the thighs on each side of me pressed against my hips.

Fuck.

Okay... I needed to do something about this.

I knew that what was happening right now was meant to be purely fundamental or educational or whatever.

But that wasn't translating well to that deeply embedded vampiric savagery that had already begun to favor her.

I could tell that a part of me was about to become very greedy if this were to continue for too much longer

Her racing pulse was so easy to find through my fangs and that was evoking a different primal urge I knew she wouldn't be okay with.

It was the reason she pushed me away from the start.

My fangs already ached for that kind of release given the moment.

She was so close. All that was left was to have that part of her.

To feel the beat of her heart flowing through me like that...

No... that sensation was purely vampiric and all she would feel was the pain she was already afraid of. Snap out of it!

I didn't want this to stop, but I cared more about how she felt in all of this

I wanted her to know that she could trust me. In every way that mattered.

That I wouldn't dare risk her comfort just for a few more seconds of bliss.

I pulled just an inch away from her with a silent, reluctant sigh.

Yeah, this should stop here.

I drew further back, glancing over the multiple reddening spots darkening her beautiful tawny skin.

Some had already begun darkening into a purplish color.

She lowed her head after noticing my absence, those wide eyes she got her name from in full view.

That and the unfamiliar color splashed across her cheeks

She almost looked... dazed. And was just now attempting to come down from it.

Don't you dare feel prideful.

I tried to help it but partially failed.

"Why'd you stop?" her voice was soft, the sad undertones of it nearly making me toss every prior thought away and get right back to it.

I breathed out a chuckle at the thought, bringing my hand around to rub against one of the marks with my thumb.

One of... at least twenty.

I glanced over them again, checking my work.

Her skin was completely dotted over her neck and shoulders, but I'd made sure that I stayed above her collar bone.

I should have put a smiley face somewhere...

"Being that close to a pulse for that long tends to bring out the biting instinct," I spoke frankly, speaking softly as to not have her come back from that daze too quickly.

She blinked at me, pondering something over.

"Oh," She began, delaying a few moments before speaking again, "I um... You can if you want. As a thank you if anything since it's never hurt too bad when you do it." She turned her head away, that new color deepening and her brows furrowing as if she was confused.

I shook my head, feeling her hand there lower down to my neck.

Her blood right now may just be the final thing that tips my animalistic instincts over the edge.

Such a thing might scare her, and luckily every part of me took her feelings into deep consideration.

It also made me curious as to where that offer stemmed from.

Whether it was genuinely her, or one of the things conditioned into her.

Either way...

"Not tonight, dove," I consoled, "You don't owe me anything."

The... main event might have been over, but I wanted to keep her close.

Keep her here.

I knew I'd most likely have her in my arms all night as we slept, but that knowledge wasn't satisfying enough.

Maybe I too was coming down from somewhat of a high.

That high being well, her.

Which was a whole other problem in of itself.

"Are you sure? I really wouldn't mind-"

"I'm sure," I solidified, still trying to ease that tension that appeared in her body now that we stopped.

I rubbed my hand down her arm, the one at her lower back staying still.

She looked to accept my answer, though unwillingly.

The fist filled with my shirt slowly unfurled, her eyes looking there as if she had to force herself to do it.

"So?" I broke the silence yet again, "Did it hurt?"

That smile of hers finally showed at the rhetorical question.

"No. You were right," She admitted with shockingly no sarcasm.

And with a genuine smile on her face.

Unheard of.

"I do happen to be right from time to time, just remember that it didn't hurt when you wake up tomorrow and it looks like you're covered in bruises."

She froze as if she forgot that getting marked was part of the process for a moment.

Her head turned down, and the second she realized she couldn't see it all, she practically leaped off of me and sprinted into the bathroom.

The air around me felt cold a little too quickly.

My hands fell into my lap at her absence, just watching her disappear into the bathroom.

Her voice boomed nearly the exact second the light turned on.

"Holy shit, Xander!" Her tone was a loud mix of shock and a scold.

I bit my lip, still feeling the bouncing in my chest from my badly repressed laugh.

"You told me to keep going!" I defended, laying my head back against the wall, and letting one of my legs fall off of the sill to set my foot on the floor.

The only response I got was some incoherent grumbling, eventually being concluded by an accepting sigh.

She stepped back into the room soon after.

"How long do those typically last?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"I told you that I have very little knowledge of these things. It cant be more than a couple of days though."

She idly began walking back, accepting my answer.

"I guess it's turtle necks for me if we go out in public."

As well as some concealer for that last one I did.

That one was a bit too high to be safely hidden from anything else.

And I did do that one kind of hard.

...my bad.

"Good thing you look good in those," I added.

"I look good in most things," She corrected, taking a slight detour towards the door.

Oh right. The food.

I had completely forgotten about that.

She grabbed the rectangular metal tray from the outside before kicking the door closed, flipping off the light, and returning to me.

It was some kind of chocolate-covered sampler platter. With fruits, pretzels, marshmallows, and god knows what else.

She set the tray right where she sat originally.

I only had a few seconds to wonder where she planned on sitting until I figured it out.

She took advantage of the fact that one of my legs was hanging off of the sill, hopping back onto it from there.

Her back met my chest as she sat between my legs and straightened hers, lifting the tray again to place it on her lap.

oh...

Well, I certainly wasn't going to argue.

"Upgrading your seatbelt?" I chaffed reaching an arm around to pull her closer while the other hand grabbed a strawberry from the platter.

I still wanted to be careful of her back, but she insisted it was fine and hated when I meddled.

"This one just feels more secure," she replied casually, leaning back on me entirely with her gaze out the window, "Maybe that should be your new nickname."

I brought my leg back up to cage her in, biting into the chocolate with my fang in hopes it would settle the slowly dissipating ache.

"You sure know how to pick the good ones," I noted sarcastically.

Her laugh was like music to my ears.

"You're just so versatile it's hard to choose."

"It's an upgrade from leech, that's for sure. It just doesn't have a nice ring to it." I added, putting my other arm to join the first.

This heat of hers was addicting.

"Nothing is an upgrade from leach," She proudly remarked, "It's simple and accurate. I mean, did you see what you just did to my neck?"

My mouth opened to reply, but I had nothing.

She... had a point.

"May I just remind you that that was per your request," I droned, lowering my chin onto her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," She began, lifting another strawberry towards me. I took it right from her hand with my other fang, "You did it well too, so I guess I'll give it some more thought before settling for leech."

My eyes rounded momentarily, causing me to pause mid-chew.

I did it well?

Well... I knew that from her reaction already, but hearing her say it felt different.

Her body jolted as she suddenly sucked in a sharp gasp.

"Oh my god! Was that a meteor?" The joyful excitement was almost as satisfying to hear as her laugh.

I turned my head just enough to see out the window, temporarily refusing to remove myself from her shoulder.

Another streak shot across the sky as I did.

"It was," I affirmed, glancing at her wide-eyed wonder as the next few followed.

Letting myself revel in the feel of her presence so close in a moment so peaceful.

This is what I wanted it to be like. This is what it should be like.

No worries, no fears, just her living in the moment and finally enjoying every second of it to the fullest.

I didn't focus much on the meteor shower that night.