*****

*Corey*

"Why would we stop when we can take a bus straight home?" Sean asked.

"Because I want Jayden to see Finn before we get home and Finn's house is on the way," I replied flatly as if the question he was asking was stupid despite him having no way of knowing why I had suggested the stop to begin with.

"And I suppose you'll be paying the house's rent?" Sean said.

"Yes." I looked at him. He opened his mouth but shut it. Yeah, that shut him up. He frowned at me.

"Fine." He muttered. I smirked.

"Let's go."

"You owe me so badly for this entire trip." He hissed.

-----

The bus drive was incredibly annoying. Why? I sat right at the back in the centre of the worst company. It was hell listening to Jayden and Kaden argue about video games and tornadoes while Adan and Trent discussed politics because Adan could do that to people. Though, Trent seemed to be very interested. I had no idea where the argument about tornadoes came from but it was heated because both idiots felt so passionate about those things for some reason.

When the bus finally arrived in the town where we would be switching to a different bus in the morning, I basically sprinted my way out of it before we headed to the house we had booked for the night. It was already dark out and everyone was completely beat so we went straight to bed.

-----

It was still dark when I woke up so I immediately check my phone. Twelve thirty in the morning. I couldn't sleep again because of a heavy fear that weighed in my chest, but it wasn't my own. I sat up. Was Jayden having another nightmare? Was that where the feeling was coming from? I sighed as I got out of bed and made my way downstairs. I only wore my boxers considering that my pyjamas had been lost in the explosion – along with every other item of clothing I had brought with. At least this house had toothpaste and soap in the bathrooms.

I walked downstairs stumbling slightly despite being able to see perfectly in the dark. I felt like I hadn't gotten any sleep at all. Three hours of useless 'resting' that was just tossing and turning.

"Jay, why are you up?" I mumbled once arriving at the living room entrance. I didn't have to look up to know it was him across the room, sitting in the moon-lit darkness.

"I... Uh... I can't sleep." He mumbled. "You took my sleeping pills." I scoffed at the glare he gave me. He was, of course, referring to his cigarettes.

"It's a terrible habit, you'll thank me eventually." I said, "Can't sleep? Or don't want to?" I asked taking a seat beside him. I noticed that he was still in his jean and his long-sleeved shirt. It was summer and so hot even at night.

"A little bit of both... I don't want to have another nightmare... I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to." I chuckled and he looked at me confused.

"That's probably the first time you've ever admitted something to me." I pointed out. He chuckled. "It's summer, you know. I'm burning out and I'm barely wearing anything." His eyes seemed to automatically run over me and he gave a nervous chuckle before quickly looking away from me. Was he shy because I was shirtless? How did he fail to notice that when I walked in? I smiled at his reaction. "You should probably get those jeans off or you won't have any blood going to your feet," I said.

"I-I will." He mumbled. I nodded leaning over to him.

"What are you doing?" He asked leaning back slightly.

"Nothing," I mumbled as my lips met his jaw lightly.

"Corey –" he chuckled.

"What?" I smiled, "I thought we were good now... Besides... We both can't sleep. So..." I bit my lip knowing it would draw his attention to it as I glanced down at his lips, "Maybe this will help?" When I looked back to his eyes after the whisper, his were still stuck on my lips.

"I-I doubt, but I guess it's worth a try." The slightly breathless sound of his voice seemed to make my heart stop. I felt like I needed to be closer to him despite how being close to him literally drove me crazy.

I was surprised when he lifted his hands to my face and guided it to his. Our breaths mingling as we moved toward each other before his soft, plump lips met mine and the familiar heat began to course through me as we kissed. This little taste of him only made me want more. I felt his hands grab my hair and pull me closer to him deepening the kiss as he tilted his head while leaning back, so I assumed he felt the same way I did. I loved kissing him, it didn't feel like any kiss I had ever had before, somehow it felt so much different, so much better. No wonder it had been impossible to get out of my mind after that first kiss.

I was terrified despite how great it was, I had never felt the way I did with him close to me. Not even with Samantha, hell, the feelings I had for Samantha didn't come close.

I groaned as his hands ran down my bare chest sending overwhelming waves of excitement through my entire body. Wanting to feel more of him, I ran my hands down to the bottom of his shirt and quickly tugged it up and off of him, breaking the kiss for only the second it took to get the shirt over his head. I felt him shiver as my hands touched his chest lightly before I traced them down over his abdomen and then onto his belt. I didn't know what we were doing, my hands moved on their own accord at the impulse of just needing to feel every inch of him but I froze as overwhelming fear suddenly swept through me. I knew it wasn't my own so I instantly pushed myself up using my arms to secure my position above him. He looked terrified and shut his eyes clearly trying to control his panicked breathing.

"I-I'm so sorry." He covered his face.

"For what? I mean... We weren't going to..." I drifted. I didn't think I was ready for that with a guy yet... But then again... It would allow me to mark him and then his pull towards me would be too strong for him ignore if he decided to leave me...

"I know..." He whispered.

"Then why are you so afraid?" I asked, "Jay?" I added pulling his hands away so I could see his face. His eyes opened and he stared up at me, they showed so many emotions and answers that I couldn't read and it frustrated me because I did not know what he was thinking or feeling besides the utter fear.

"I'm being an idiot." He muttered. I rolled my eyes as I lay next to him and ran my arm around his bare waist just to get to touch him again. I smiled when he moved closer against me.

"Talk to me, Jayden," I whispered into his ear. I wasn't expecting him to, I didn't expect him to trust me yet so I was surprised when he gave a soft sigh.

"I-I used to have scars and bruises everywhere... Those were from my dad, they disappeared when I drank Izzy's blood." He mumbled. "I didn't want questions so I never showed much of my skin." He said. That explains his attire in the midst of a very hot summer.

"What about the scar on your neck?" I questioned. He had said that was not from his father. No answer came from him as he just swallowed leaning his head against my collar, "You're not going to explain it right now, are you?" I asked staring at the fabric of the couch behind him. He shook his head. "I'll wait." I mumbled lifting my hand to run it along his hair and down to his neck gently, "Get some sleep."

He looked up seeming surprised that I didn't push for a second before smiling at me. "You should too." He said.

"After you." I nudged my head against his to kiss his ear and he squirmed, surprised by the gesture. I chuckled as he covered his ear before I gasped. "Are your ears ticklish?!"

"No." By the way he said it, I knew he was lying. "I'm trying to sleep, back off." He snapped softly, sending me a playful frown before he rolled over so his back was facing me.

I chuckled shutting my eyes and moved my arm to his waist to pull him against me securely. Just laying with someone seemed like a weird concept in my mind, but it felt perfect with him.

*****