It was too hot back home.  Annais had never gotten used to the heat despite being born and raised in it.  The thing she loved most about moving to Galar were the milder temperatures.  The winters were much colder than she was used to, but she gladly accepted that since she didn’t feel like she was melting in the summer.

When she got too hot, she couldn’t sleep, especially with someone next to her. Sleeping with Piers at home was comfortable.  The natural body heat between them wasn’t overwhelming.  Here, Annais couldn’t even stay under the sheets.  Back in Galar, she and Piers could sleep without clothes if they wanted.  While this door did lock, it didn’t shut very well and her mother had never gotten into the habit of knocking.  If the storm outside wasn’t so heavy, she would have opened a window.  Too bad the rain hadn’t dropped the temperature any. Tomorrow, she’d once and for all go into town to get a fan before her trip.  Tonight, she’d have to suffer through it.

She turned onto her side, now looking at Piers instead of the useless ceiling fan.  He appeared to be sleeping like a baby.  Lucky. She couldn’t be too jealous of him; she was happy he was getting rest.  When they first started dating, he had frequent insomnia.  He always joked that he slept better when she was by his side, because he actually slept.  At first, she thought he was flirting again, saying things to convince her to stay with him more.  But the more nights they spent together, the healthier he looked.  He had to put a bit more effort into looking dead for his shows lately, since she had practically taken to living with him.

Annais sighed.  She didn’t want to wish him awake, but she wished she wasn’t alone with her thoughts. She’d been avoiding how she left Galar since coming home.  She worried what it’d be like when they went back.  Would whatever uproar she and Piers caused have died down by the time their vacation passed?  Or would it reignite the moment they stepped foot back in the region?  She didn’t regret anything with Piers.  She couldn’t imagine having him propose any other way and knew in her heart that it was perfect.  But she cringed when she thought about the lead up, about how much she talked that night.  Everyone in Galar probably thought she was stupid for passing up such an opportunity. People probably thought she and Piers staged everything.  She hadn’t bothered to cut on her phone since coming home.  Those who knew her well enough for her to care if they reached out also had Piers’s number.  She didn’t know what people were saying about her.  She didn’t want to know, but the uncertainty bred fear.

As she grew wearier, she slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Piers. Tip-toeing across the old hardwood floor, she snuck into the bathroom.  It was pitch black when she stepped inside and shut the door behind her, knowing that the flip of the switch would bring light to both rooms. It probably wouldn’t be enough to wake Piers, but she didn’t want to risk it.

Once inside, she cut on the light.  Her eyes stung for a moment as they got used to the sudden brightness. She peeled off her nightgown; sweat had caused the satin to cling to her skin.  She stripped away her panties as well and tossed them into the hamper. Now naked, she stepped into the tub and cut on the faucet.  She didn’t even wait for the water to warm up slightly, she pulled the tab and the shower nozzle started pouring water.

Annais didn’t know when she started doing this.  It seemed like she had done it all her life, or at least since she was a pre-teen.  Whenever she couldn’t sleep, which was often, she found solace in the feel of cool water cascading down her skin.  She was grateful to have grown up in a house where her room had its own bathroom attached. If she had to walk across a hall and risk waking her parents, she likely would’ve never picked up this habit.  It didn’t matter if she showered before bed or not, she’d wind up back in the shower.  If she hadn’t washed her hair already, she’d scrub her scalp.  It helped center her.

As she lathered the shampoo through her hair, she thought she heard the door creak open.  When she peeked outside the shower curtain, no one was there.  Pity, she thought.  She had half-hoped Piers maybe decided to join her.  Shower sex was awkward, but it was better than nothing.  Annais sighed.  Maybe that was the reason why she was so much more uncomfortable tonight.  It was rough trying to find a place without her parents or Marnie where the two of them could spend some quality alone time together. They planned on camping tomorrow and both of them knew how it was going to end.  She didn’t know if she could wait until then.

She rinsed the suds out of her hair, then applied conditioner.  A hand drifted between her thighs as she let the conditioner sit.  Back against the shower wall, she tried to sate herself.  Masturbation was the tried-and-true way to get her out of her head, if only for a few minutes.  She thought about what could happen if Piers did shower with her here or if he walked in on her right now.  He’d start with scolding her for doing this without him.  He’d tease her for being so insatiable, for craving him so badly she couldn’t behave herself.  But Piers was such a softie, he’d hate to see her in need.  He’d relieve her, likely leading her to her knees with him so they’d be less likely to slip and topple over.  Whatever the position, he’d certainly do it with a hand clasp over her mouth, unable to trust her not to make noise and wake up his sister and her parents.  She’d like to imagine how quiet they’d try to be, and how much more erotic the natural noises that came with having sex would sound.  The raging storm outside and the hiss of the shower would pair with the sounds of their coupling and the heavy breathing of Piers in her ear as he had her pressed against the shower wall taking her from behind.

A shuddering orgasm passed through her, leaving her body feeling tingly and temporarily satisfied.  She let the cold water regulate her body temperature as she rinsed the conditioner out of her hair.  Another heavy sigh fell from her lips and she cut off the water.  The moment she pulled back the shower curtain, she felt all muggy and miserable again.  She toweled down before slipping her nightgown back on.  The panties weren’t going back on her body.  She’d put on shorts before breakfast, but she couldn’t fool with being any more uncomfortable tonight.  She tied her hair up in the towel wraps she kept to not soak the pillow before shutting off the light and creeping back to the bedroom.

Annais crawled into bed, feeling the old mattress shift beneath her as she settled under the sheet.  She couldn’t help but huff.  Even after getting that out of her system, sleep still wasn’t going to come to her. She rolled over to her side to stare at Piers, who was exactly how she left him.  His long hair was all over the place, fanned out over the pillow he rested his head upon.  Before she realized what she was doing, she was reaching for his locks- freshly washed, soft, smooth and silky to the touch.  When she played with his hair, it relaxed him and he got sleepy.  She wondered if that meant he’d stay asleep if she did so now.

A few monochrome strands wound up between her fingers, and she began weaving them together.  As she braided his hair, she wished he was into fooling around in his sleep like she was. She’d never do that without him explicitly saying she could, but she couldn’t deny she had thought about it those nights like this one when she couldn’t find sleep beside him.  That braid was completed as she fantasized, and she found herself separating another set of locks.  He looked so sexy during the daytime, with his furrowed brows and his natural scowl.  But he was absolutely cute when he was asleep, with his face softened and relaxed instead.  What she wouldn’t give to reach into his sweatpants and work him to an erection so she could quell the need within her…  She’d love to watch his face as she rode him in his sleep, she wondered how it would contort as his body gave in to what his mind wasn’t aware of.  She was starting to get worked up again.  Great, she thought, like I needed to be any hotter than it already is.

Annais was working on her fifth or sixth braid when he shifted.  She dropped it upon hearing a big yawn from him.  It was followed by a sleepy groan.

“Ann…” he whispered.

“Sorry,” she breathed.  “Didn’t mean to wake you, baby.”

His hand came up to touch the hair that framed his head on the pillow.  He huffed in amusement when he felt her handiwork.

“Cute,” he said.  He let his hand fall.  “Go back to sleep, love.”

“I can’t,” Annais said.  “It’s too hot.”

Without opening his eyes, Piers held out his arms for her.

“C’mere,” he whispered.  “Lemme hold you.”

“That’s only gonna make it worse, Nez.”

“You’re uncomfortable either way,” muttered Piers.  “Least be uncomfortable in my arms.”

She cozied up to him.  Usually she was the big spoon, naturally clinging to him like she would one of her stuffed animals when she was younger.  This was comfortable for him because he loved feeling her soft body pressed against and wrapped around him.  But the opposite wasn’t anything to sneeze at.  His lean but strong arms held her to him and made her feel protected. With his nose nestled in the crook of her neck, he inhaled deeply, then let out a wistful sigh.

“Y’smell good.  You shower again?”

She nodded.  Frowning, he squeezed her momentarily.  Annais’s habits were no secret to Piers.  He’d picked up on her doing it early in their relationship, especially on nights he stayed at her cottage.  

“Sorry, love.”

One of Piers’s palms rubbed soft circles on her abdomen.  It was a tender gesture, but it was erotic nonetheless. She pressed back against him to see if he was hard at all, but didn’t feel anything.

“Y’excited to go campin’ tomorrow?” he mumbled.

“Mhm…”

“Your mum says it’s probably gonna keep rainin’.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Annais said.

“It doesn’t?  Figured that’d sweeten the deal for you.”

Annais laughed softly.  “Okay, you’re right.”

Another yawn came from Piers.

“Close your eyes for me,” he told her.  “Just think about all the fun we’ll have tomorrow when we’re alone.”

“Nez,” she groaned.  “Can’t we do something now?  I’m so turned on.  I can’t sleep.”

“Really don’ want to give your parents the wrong idea ‘bout me.  Your mum already treats me like a libertine,” he whispered.  The hand that was on her middle drifted lower until it reached her bare thigh. Goosebumps rose beneath his palm as it brushed her bare skin.  She found herself pressing back against him again, and whined almost silently.  “But… I’d be restless knowin’ you needed me.”

His hand rubbed up her leg, beneath the hem of her nightgown.  Annais caught her bottom lip between her teeth as his fingers roamed between her thighs.

“Ann…  Just where are your knickers?” he breathed.  Calloused fingertips located and circled her clit.

“It’s, ah… t-too hot for them.”

Piers tutted.

“Y’really make it so hard for a bad boy to be good,” he growled in her ear, pinching the sensitive bundle of nerves.  She bucked into his hand, her own hand coming up to muffle her whimper. He resumed rubbing her pussy, coating his fingers with her slick.  “My angel, you’re a devil.  Y’know I can’t shag you, still y’lure me in with your sweetness…  Playin’ with my hair in the dark …  You’ve already had a bit of a wank tonight, ‘aven’t you, love?”

Annais was biting her bottom lip as Piers’s deft fingers touched her and didn’t respond.  Piers sighed. Annais could feel him shake his head behind her.

“Without me,” he said.  He removed his fingers from her.

“Nez, please…” she whined at once.  “I was in the shower.  I-I didn’t want to wake you.”

“And yet?”

Annais’s hand grabbed his wrist and tried to move his hand back to where it was. Piers laughed softly and obliged.

“You’re awful.”

“If you don’t fuck me soon,” she whispered.  “I’m going to explode.”

“Don’t do that, love,” he said.  

“Please…” begged Annais.

“I already said I’m not shaggin’ you in this house.”

She whimpered, grinding against Piers’s hand.  He sighed.

“But the bathroom door does lock,” said Piers.  He pulled the blankets off of her.  “Let’s go.”

“Are we going to shower?” she asked.

“No,” he said.  “Just go.”

Annais slipped out of bed, and Piers followed behind.  The two of them ended up in her bathroom.  Piers locked the door and flipped on the light.  He put the lid of the toilet seat down and gestured for her to sit.  As Annais sat down, Piers opened the cabinet and found a washrag.

“Put this in your mouth,” he whispered, handing her the rag.  “I don’ want you moanin’ and wakin’ the whole family.”

She did as she was told, and he lowered himself to the floor before her.

“I’m only doin’ this to help you sleep tonight,” he said as he saw her eyes light up in excitement.  He pushed her gown up, grabbed her hips, and pulled her to the edge of the seat. “Don’ expect me to do it again.  I know your pop has guns, an’ I’m not tryin’ to see him use them.”

She nodded as he spread her thighs.

Piers got straight to business, quickly bringing his head between her legs. Annais gasped upon feeling his mouth upon her, thrown off guard by the complete lack of foreplay.  It was clear he was extremely sleepy.  His motions were languid and a bit sloppy, but to Annais, his tongue still hit the spot.  Not only was he good at pleasing her, she was getting immensely turned on at the situation. She felt like a rebellious teenager, even though she was the furthest thing from rebellious when she was a teen. The thrills of doing something she shouldn’t be doing and getting caught were exciting.  Of course, she didn’t want to be caught.  The last thing she wanted to do was wake anyone up and embarrass herself, but the idea that she was being bad had her even hotter and more bothered.

Being so wound up and already sensitive from her time in the shower, it didn’t take long for Piers to bring Annais to the brink.  She was grinding against his face, holding him to her by his hair.  Her moans were muffled by the rag, but still audible enough to reach Piers’s ears.  He used those cues to adjust his strategy enough to bring her to ruin.

“Damn, Ann,” he chuckled as he raised his head from her lap.  He reached up to pull the rag out of her mouth. “Didn’t realize how badly y’needed this.”

“Oh, fuck me,” she panted.  “Good Lord… Jesus.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Piers said with a yawn, rising to his feet.  He took to the sink to rinse his face.  “‘M goin’ back to sleep.”

“Nez, wait…” Annais weakly said.

When Piers looked over his shoulder back to her, she held out her arms.

“Help.”

“C’mon,” he laughed, helping her to her feet.  “Promise me you’ll at least pretend to sleep now that that’s out of your system.”

“I don’t think I’ll need to pretend.”