<div class="floatleft">(http://66.media.tumblr.com/9d9925a42d9e7eab7ede651862fe6c31/tumblr_npefzp2c4z1sxwyufo3_r1_500.gif)</div><div class="floatright">(https://i.imgur.com/yuExVFv.png)</div><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><strong>NAME:</strong> Michael Oakes (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=299655.msg14703824#msg14703824)<br/><strong>YEAR:</strong> Hufflepuff / 7th Year<br/><strong>BLOOD STATUS:</strong> Muggle-Born<br/><strong>WAND:</strong> 14" | Sycamore | Dragon Heartstring<br/><strong>WEARING:</strong> A pair of black swimming trunks<br/><strong>DATE | TIME:</strong>  Saturday, 26 October, 2019 | Early Afternoon<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong> Black Lake<br/><strong>CONTENT:</strong> Swimming<br/><strong>MOOD MUSIC:</strong> Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngzC_8zqInk)<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong> Juliette, Closed</td></tr></tbody></table><br/><hr/><br/>Michael kept zoning in and out. He would go from listening to her words and smiling attentively straight to idly staring, longing to reach out and hold her. Of course he was sure he'd soak through her clothes, and he knew it would be entirely inappropriate. But he wanted to regardless. In both states he was happy, and blissfully unaware of any inappropriate side to his gaze, also not fully noticing how much she was looking at him in return.<br/><br/>It was perhaps fortunate for Michael's efforts at not embracing her that he didn't notice her bite her lip, his head down in focus on the kiss itself. He did, however, hear her breath catch. Michael might have been bad with people, but he was attentive to bodies. Working around so many dangerous and unusual creatures had lead him to develop sharp wits, and he could tell she shivered as she skipped a breath. Despite that he had no right to comment, not knowing quite what it might mean.<br/><br/>Leaning back up he saw the beads of water on her skin, noticing the way they gathered and ran. In a moment he imagined what Juliette might look like were she drenched in water as he was, droplets tracing their way over her smooth form. He blinked hard, feeling more than a little guilty and incapable of concealing the blush in his cheeks. Michael then caught site of her light lip bite, and wondered if that meant what he thought, and hoped, it might. He seemed to relax lightly when she said she was charmed to meet him, breathing out slowly and smiling back.<br/><br/>He was just about to reply when he felt her step closer, closing his lips to take in the sight of her. They were very close now. It was enthralling to say the least. Again he nearly spoke but listened instead when she began. He shook his head, certain he wouldn't mind any suggestion. It didn't upset him but did surprise him when she suggested the French greeting. He knew of it, but it always seemed so bold to him. And he was rarely bold with people. Far more so with wild things.<br/><br/>His cheeks seemed to burn off the cold of the lake, embarrassment overpowering the icy water and returning a great deal of colour to his skin. When she leaned in he did the same, doing his best to account for their huge difference in height. Her hands would find his beard, rough and unkempt at the sides of his face and just about met by the wet straggles of his hair that fell lower. The hair itself was as wet as his skin was, and Michael silently hoped she didn't mind. But then, before he could stress longer, he was distracted.<br/><br/>Juliette's lips brushed his skin and every single aspect of Michael was warmed. Despite the delicacy, and brevity, it set him alight. Michael took a heavy breath at each kiss, his chest rising and falling in a noticeably ragged pattern and his eyes blinking several times. He couldn't explain it but with those two touches all remnants of the lake's cold were gone. Michael was not just warm but almost burning.<br/><br/>His jaw shook a little, lips trembling and heart fluttering. All the strength he possessed was gone and he felt a great deal in a short time. Scared, certainly. Excited perhaps more than he had been on any of his reckless adventures. And confused, thoughts racing through his mind as he debated a hundred ideas of what he should do. He could feel her fingers in his hair, closing his eyes for a moment to find some kind of calm. He heard her apology and that drew him back to reality.<br/><br/>Michael didn't speak in response, at first. Instead he leaned his head forward slightly, bringing his hands up as she had brought hers to him. He couldn't consider the water anymore. Without space in his head for thought he gently cupped the sides of her face, feeling his cool, wet and noticeably calloused hands against her soft skin. And at the same time he eventually leaned forwards until his forehead rested on hers, eyes both open now he gazed right at her, breathe still lacking control. With such gentle movements he felt an unspeakable intensity.<br/><br/>"Don't be." He eventually replied. Now so close that his breathe would be at her lips. He didn't want Juliette to be sorry for anything. He couldn't have been happier that she had interrupted his routine. And even now, so early into meeting her, he knew he couldn't bear to see her upset or apologising. His mind raced in seconds, Michael forgetting himself as he came to the realisation of how intense his feelings were.<br/><br/>There was nothing for it. His heartbeat pounded harder. Just about every aspect of him tensed. He closed his eyes slowly, knowing she'd see so close. He knew he shouldn't. There were so many reasons. But he felt as though he would collapse to the ground if he did not. Rather than returning Juliette's kiss properly he instead tilted his head. Their foreheads would separate but, in doing so, Michael's trembled and nervous lips would come into light contact with hers. It was gentle, caring and undeniably, for Michael, the most terrifying thing he'd ever done. All he could do was hope it would be returned.