He had only been trying to comfort her, he would say later on, after they had finished. Stephen Dene would never admit to the fact the his heart jumped at the feeling of Rory's fingers brushing over his skin, or the fact that when her lips touched his, everything, even his headache, seemed to disappear. He would also never admit that this gesture terrified him more than anything. Despite having more experience than Rory in many areas, this was the one in which he was lacking. He didn't move for a moment, his eyes still half open, looking at her. But she wasn't moving away. He had no true obligation to move away either, except a few excuses he might make in his head. Closing his eyes, he pushes all those excuses away.

He lets out a sigh, a deep one, like he has finally gotten something good out of going through all the bad. Rory parts her lips slightly, and Stephen only knows to follow her lead. Except she moves away. He doesn't say anything, but he's terrified. Has he done something wrong?

Rory just looks at him, and he looks back, and then she's back to him. They continue this little pattern, Stephen keeping his forehead against her's, until finally her lips don't leave his. Her lips are chapped from the winter air and his glasses press into his nose, but Stephen isn't bothered. Rory's hands are warm and moving over his skin so lightly that goosebumps rise and Stephen has to suppress a shiver. Their lips move clumsily together, almost like they're drunk. Stephen's mind is so fuzzy he felt like maybe he is drunk.

He needs Rory more, closer. Her hand moves up to his neck. Her thumb brushes over skin where there had once been a rope cutting into. It's all very overwhelming for him. He moves his hand from her thigh to her stomach. Her shirt moves and he can feel the warmth radiating from her body. His fingers run over a piece of soft, raised skin and he knows that must be her scar. Rory doesn't seem to mind; if anything, she holds him tighter. He moves his hand up the smooth line until it stops just below her ribs.

"So Thorpe says that- really?" Callum's voice interrupts them. Stephen makes no attempt to move from Rory, just mutters, "Piss off, Callum," and listens to her laugh lightly against his lips. He moves his hand to a more appropriate part of Rory's body when it seems Callum won't be leaving. Stephen still doesn't want to move away. He wants to continue being close to Rory for the rest of the night, and possibly into the morning. Only when Callum mentions a bet do Rory and Stephen part. She looks at her shoes as Stephen buttons his shirt, and he can tell that Callum already has the wrong idea. That isn't what bothers Stephen, though. He's bothered by the way Rory won't look at him, and when Boo joins them, she still won't look up. Is she ashamed? Maybe they did go too far. Maybe she was self-conscious about her scar. Stephen's head begins to pound again as he worries about her.

He suggests that she and Boo take the bedroom for the night, hoping she'll be more comfortable there. He follows Callum out into the living room and tries vehemently to deny what Callum keeps insisting. "So will you two be at it constantly now?"

"Callum," Stephen growls. His head must be splitting in half to be hurting so bad.

"What?" Callum says. "Its only a matter of time until Boo finds out. Can you just keep the snogging hidden a bit longer? Just until I get Boo's money." Stephen is too tired to respond. He sits instead, leaning back on the couch. "Hey, you okay? I'm only joking. Well, kind of."

"Yes," Stephen breathes. Sleep is already starting to take the pain away. He's still kissing Rory in his mind.