Page 26 of Butterfly

Teddy vehemently shook his head. His eyes were comically wide.

Ollie blinked. “Are you saying no to…what I did?”

Teddy kept shaking his head.

“Or no to me apologising for it?”

Teddy stopped, then started nodding with the same enthusiasm.

“I shouldn’t apologise because you…liked it?”

Teddy’s eyes practically glowed.Yes, yes, yes.

Ollie lowered his gaze, blushing. Teddy took the match from him, then lifted Ollie’s chin with his other hand, getting a good look at him. Teddy looked at him like he was precious, fragile, sacred even.

“I’m not,” Ollie whispered. “I’m nothing special.”

Teddy’s expression disagreed.

You are, you are, you are.

“I’m not, Teddy. I don’t know—” Ollie composed himself with a breath. “I don’t know why you care about me. I don’t… I don’t deserve it.”

Teddy nodded.

Ollie didn’t think he’d ever believe that, but he didn’t want to argue, not when Teddy was back to looking at him likethatagain.

“Does this mean you’ll stop pushing me away?”

Teddy’s focus shifted to the flame. He bit his lip, slowly nodding.

“Promise—”

The match was held in front of Ollie’s lips, cutting him off.

Ollie frowned, then obediently blew it out.

His eyes slid shut when Teddy took hold of his face, cupping both cheeks. Ollie’s heart pounded behind his ribs. He knew what was coming and tried to stay calm, but his breaths came faster, and his lips twitched, ready to seek out Teddy’s.

He gasped when Teddy kissed him, pulling away slightly from the shock of it even though he knew it was about to happen. Teddy didn’t pursue; he waited, their mouths millimetres apart, until Ollie leaned back in and closed the gap.

Teddy’s groan rumbled against Ollie’s lips. He came in for the kiss with parted lips, the tease of a tongue. Ollie’s lips shook as he opened up for him, and when Teddy licked into his mouth, he stiffened at the new sensation. He still had a hand on Teddy’s knee, and he dug his nails in as he tried to mimic what Teddy was doing.

There was spit smeared on his chin. The edges of his mouth, the tip of his nose… they were all wet, and Ollie flushed with embarrassment, not knowing whether he was to blame or whether Teddy liked it that way.

Wet.

Teddy slipped one hand to the back of Ollie’s neck, stroking him, easing his worries. From the needy way Teddy kept pushing his tongue into Ollie’s mouth, a little saliva here and there didn’t bother him in the slightest.

Teddy shifted, moving from a sit to a kneel, mirroring Ollie. He pulled away and brushed his thumb back and forth over Ollie’s slicked lips, rumbling with what Ollie hoped was desire.

They were both breathing hard in the quiet of the cell. The darkness felt physical, wrapping around them, drawing them closer.

“I…I haven’t done this before,” Ollie whispered.

Teddy stopped swiping his thumb across Ollie’s mouth. Something changed then, and Ollie knew Teddy was about to pull back, bring whatever was happening to a stop. He grabbed Teddy’s wrist before he could remove his hand from Ollie’s cheek.

“That’s not a no,” Ollie blurted. He bit his lip. “I don’t want to stop.”

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