On the metro on their way home, Ellie sat tucked under his arm with her back against his side, one hand still wrapped in his as she talked with Maria who was sitting across the aisle from her. It was the moment Michael knew for sure this, she, was what he wanted. More days like this. More time with Ellie like this.

It might come slowly, but for more of this... it’d be more than worth it. And who knew... after today, maybe it wouldn’t come as slowly as he’d feared.

17

Somehow, Ellie had found herself in a relationship. Sort of. At least, that’s what it felt like. Although she tried not to think about it too hard, worried she’d panic or say something and everything would come crashing down.

But as long as she didn’t think too much about it, she was happy. Dr. Amy still considered it progress, although Ellie didn’t tell her therapist that she felt like a relationship fraud, like she was faking something she couldn’t actually do.

Still... it felt nice. And it was more than she’d ever had before.

Michael still hadn’t been inside her apartment, and she hadn’t been back to his, but they talked on the phone every night now. Not just texts, actual phone conversations before bed. Saying goodnight to him was now part of her nightly routine.

More than once she went out for dinner with ‘some of the group’ or over to someone’s house for dinner, and it just so happened Michael was there too. And since they were both there and liked holding hands and sitting next to each other... well, it just seemed silly not to. He always walked her out to her car and gave her a kiss goodbye, and each time the kiss was a little bit more. One of these days it was going to be more than just lips on lips, and the thought made her feel both panicked and excited. Which was ridiculous because they did far more than little kisses at the club.

Ellie was spending every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night at the club now, even though she and Michael only played on Fridays. That gave them Thursday to flirt and anticipate and Saturday to just hang out at the bar with their friends. Although hanging out was slowly turning into something more like cuddling and flirting.

She didn’t have a moment of panic either, although she had occasional bouts of anxiety. Often, Michael helped her turn those aside with a simple touch of his hand on hers. Sometimes she’d shift about and the marks he’d left on her would flare to life or her ass would throb around the plug in it, and her issues would be derailed for another night.