The night is warm and silent, the air drenched with heat and static, distant city lights reflecting murkily off heavy clouds. Vicky's leg presses momentarily against my shoulder as she clambers up the tree trunk- foot in hands, knee on shoulder, black leggings and white dress brushing past my face in the darkness. Feet on shoulder, tattooed ankles, painted toes, vanishing up into the darkness amidst the whisper of leaves.
"Come on!"
I grin. Warmth. The feeling of being with Vicky- chasing Vicky, fooling around with Vicky, and all her games and adventures.
One day it would end, one day we'd both grow up and get married and have responsibilities to-
"Come on Nate! They'll see you!"
I hop, jump, grab at a branch, and feel Vicky's hand close around my spare wrist- firm, something to lean against, to hold, pulling me up into the darkness.
"Idiot," she mutters, closer now. Something of her breath against my shoulder, her arm around my waist, steadying, and then letting go as she moves to climb further up amongst the branches.
My heart is beating. I can feel it heavy against my ribs, the same way it always gets with Vicky this close, the sudden absence of her warmth sharp. I move to follow, stepping carefully over boughs and branches, testing my weight to each of them as she leads me on towards the canopy.
We're waiting for the prince to arrive.
He'll be coming via carriage after midnight.
That's what they say.
That's what Vicky overheard.
Coming for a right and proper education.
"We'll go up in the old chestnut tree and watch him arrive!"
I grin,
we'll be the first to see him.
Vicky's white skirt bobs to a fro in front of me, stained with grass and moss now, in the soft greyscale of night vision. A moments light as she brushes the canopy aside, then reaches down and pulls me up beside her, onto a fork in the branch.
There's seventy eight different trees around the border of the university grounds- many more spread around the gardens, but seventy eight real big ones along the boundary. Every one a different species, a sort of botanical catalog of sorts, all mismatched and frantic compared to a "proper English garden". The horse chestnut broods over in the corner- close enough to the entrance for a view, but far enough away for a couple voyeurs not to get noticed.
We sit, and watch. 11:47, according to the old clock tower, the clock face illuminated from behind by soft yellow light. We don't know when the prince arrives. "After midnight"- that's all.
Vicky fidgets beside me, rearranging herself on the branch next to me, her eyes quick, darting around in the moonlight, short dark hair, round cheeks-
"What?" She catches me looking.
"Nothing."
A poked out tongue, a finger aimed just belong my ribs, prodding at me while I'm held hostage to keeping myself balanced in the tree.
"You're looking at me again."
"You're nice to look at."
She rolls her eyes, shuffles over towards the brunch I'm sitting on. We huddle together for warmth- both insufficiently dressed for a night of stalking. A head against my shoulder, a hand around her waist, something- a warm thought- the feeling of wanting this to last for always, the feeling of always wanting to be up in this tree with Vicky's body pressed against me.
"Your heart's beating."
"Hmmm?"
We settle into a fork amongst the branches, let the wood support us. Clouds wash over stars overhead, with every so often, a single dollop of rain.
And then a kiss.
A single kiss pressed deep against my collar bone. My breath catches, I feel myself freeze, blinking as she kisses me again, her lips light and warm.
I feel my hands tighten around her, finger tips digging into her back, into the fabric of her shirt.
"Do you want me?"
Yes.
Hands tighten, lifting her, pulling her against me, our lips touch, awkward at first, uncertain, too close- not close enough, I can feel her legs wrapping around me on either side, thighs pressed against my hips, a single arm splayed out for balance as I taste her tongue against my teeth between my lips, the same tongue poked out in jest, the same tongue she licked frost with just to-
This is what I was waiting for.
This is what I was chasing after.
"I've wanted you so long,"
She grins, wraps her arms around me, and the branch beneath, pulling herself higher, leaves catching in her hair, her chest at eye level, heaving.
"Well now you can have me."
We kiss. We make out. I press my lips against her check, her neck, other places, the entire tree shaking, her breathing irregular as I suckle on each nipple, my tongue pressing them into her as they come erect, my hands against her back, yearning, that deep familiarity born of trust, the tree groaning as she presses her weight against me, shuddering with each gentle flick of my tongue. I press back, feel hunger, the desire to be close, to be with her- to be inside her, my cock is hard against the leg of my pants, and then suddenly she's got her hand down there and I have to grab frantically at the tree to stop us falling.
She wants this. She wants you. She wants ME.
We're both laughing, panting, bodies suddenly tense against one another, breathing irregular, her tits out, pressed flat against my shirt now as I kiss the top of her head. Everything familiar. Everything making sense.
Of course we were in love.
Of course we would make love and fool around and fuck each other senseless.
Of course, of course of course, it was always going to be this way.
Inevitable.
"Why did we waste so much time?"
She grins, runs a finger along the base of my shaft, I can't even tell where it is any more, feels like she's tied it in knots, I-
"Because its fun," She pecks at my shoulder, lets go, presses herself against me, ear against my chest. At peace. "Because, I was scared you wouldn't want me."
Of course I want you.
Of course. I always wanted things to be like this.
I open my mouth, close it again. Trying to find, the words, trying to find the words for something so simple, something so obvious, something so absolutely true.
