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Winn was relived she didn’t want him to leave – to have someone want him around, it was something he wasn’t used to. Perhaps climbing up the fire escape to her bedroom was a bit heedless of him given what happened when he arrived at the front door, but that kiss seemed to change something. It made everything so clear, his feelings so real and close to the surface. A smile managed to come to his lips after Kara expressed her gladness that he returned. “If you don’t mind me staying, I’d be more than happy to. Selling papers is more exhausting than people realize.” Especially when the weather was either too hot or cold. “If you feel more comfortable with me on the floor, I wouldn’t complain. The only beds I ever get to sleep in are overly cramped, usually two or three stuck together on a small mattress. But lodging houses aren’t known for there accommodations.” He wanted to leave the decision up to her, seeing as they weren’t married it would be largely frowned upon. He was too tired to walk all the way back, yet would leave if asked. It wasn’t his house, Winn didn’t expect to be provided any rights to stay. Just seeing her was enough. They way her face lit up whenever she grinned, her eyes so bright. If only it was possible to just keep standing there so he could keep looking at her, saving a picture of a beautiful woman in his mind forever.
“Of course I don’t mind you staying.” Kara replied with a smile, “I don’t think anyone our age should be working a job like that. It’s too demanding of a job anyway, especially for those that are so young and have no choice in the matter. I can imagine selling papers is not a job that pays well either.” Legally, she knew Winn could work for they had to be around the same age, but it still wasn’t right to her. Kara’s heart broke even more when he went into the details of the sleeping arrangements he’s used to. Who cares what society thought! She had a large bed, lots of open space on the floo, and even a couch on the other end of her room she often read books on. Kara wasn’t about to have Winn sleeping on anything other than a bed. If he had such poor sleeping conditions, Kara was going to make sure he had the best sleep of his life.
She moved back inside her room and waved for him to follow. “I’d love for you to stay, Winn. You can sleep in bed with me because it sounds like you sleep in horrible conditions. I think you could use a good night’s sleep, but feel free to sleep wherever you feel the most comfortable.” She had never slept in the same bed with someone of the opposite sex before. What was so wrong about it anyway? She had no ulterior motive in offering her bed for it was one made out of love and concern for a human being… a man Kara had easily fallen in love with at first glance. Would temptation be there? Possibly… but Kara also knew where she stood. She cared about Winn so much that she wanted to make sure he was comfortable.
He hadn’t really considered much of anything, other than seeing Kara again. It wasn’t a difficult climb, the rungs of the ladder steady enough, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t scaled the side of a building before or slept on a fire escape either. “I couldn’t wait a couple more hours,” he whispered in return, keeping his voice low. “It’s safe enough – I think.” Winn knew it wasn’t the smartest idea to linger, especially given the first impression he gave to her father, yet it was early. Why would anyone disturb her at one in the morning while she was allegedly sleeping? “It was a good idea and this might be a bad one but the lodging house is a few blocks away and honestly, I don’t want to be too far away from you. That’s not weird, right? I know we only just met. I’ll leave if you want me to.” Only be her say-so would he go, if the choice was his to make, Winn would want to remain in her company. There was something about Kara that pulled him in her direction, keeping him from placing too much distance between them.
I was nice to hear that he didn’t want to leave her side. It made her smile and perhaps this wasn’t considered proper to have him up here, but Kara was never one to really follow the expectations most people wanted from her. She really cared about him and much like Winn, being parted from him until the next morning was something she didn’t want. “No no no.” Kara repeated with a smile, “I wouldn’t ask you to leave. I’m— I’m glad you came back.” Kara quickly glanced at her bedroom door before looking back at him. “Do you… want to stay? No one comes in my room in the mornings anyway, so you could always sneak out first thing. It’s the least I can do anyway because you walked me home so I wouldn’t be alone. I wouldn’t want you to walk back alone because who knows what could happen. I— I have a big bed… or there’s always the floor or the couch.” She felt so nervous to mention her bed because sleeping in the same bed with two people not married to one another was frowned upon in their culture, but Kara was a woman with her own mind and opinions. She didn’t think it was a concern but would Winn? And she also felt strange telling him what she owned for she knew he probably didn’t have much. She hated that her family had so much while Winn and those like him had little to nothing.
In truth, Winn wished they could have continued kissing forever – wanting to remain trapped in her touch and keep that spark of happiness however long possible. He never thought a girl like Kara would ever want him in return, despite their short time knowing one another, he looked forward to speaking to her again. If only it was so simple that he could stay up in her room and talk all night. But that was highly improper all things considered. They hadn’t even started with an appropriate courtship. Not that Kara’s family would permit the two of them to date, yet he had a feeling neither cared too much for their approval. But that was a matter to discuss another day, perhaps their next meeting, because he wanted to how far their connection could lead them.
“Maybe just a little but I don’t regret it. Kissing you was – it was amazing,” he admitted before her lips brushed his cheek. A smile formed, his hand lifting to wave in return. “Goodnight.” Winn backed up a few steps, watching as she headed inside, the two unable to tear their gazes from one another. A slight chuckle escaped after her laugh and near tripping. “That might be a good idea.” He spoke softly, able to feel the racing of his heart as it slammed against his chest. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.” He sighed once she disappeared from view, retreating behind a closed door. With heavy reluctance he started to walk away. Although his feet moved his mind remained transfixed on Kara. The last thing he wanted to do was return to the lodging house, but if he didn’t, he’d be late at the circulation gate and might not get the papers he needed to sell. Then again, he could make it if he ran fast enough in the morning. Instead, he rounded and headed towards the side of her building, quick to scale the fire escape to her window, pushing his fear of heights aside best he could.
Kara stayed by the window until he was out of eyesight. She thought he had left and decided to start changing into evening clothes when she heard the sound of metal clanging against itself. She grabbed a robe and covered herself and slowly walked over to her window to investigate. “Winn?!” Kara whispered. “What are you doing?!” She smiled down at him after opening her window. “You do realize what you’re doing is not safe? Need help?” As much as she found his actions rather charming, Kara knew it was also a serious matter that if her father came in, well, he would most likely call for the constable to take Winn away. She looked over her shoulder briefly to see if they were safe before giving him her attention. “I thought you said parting ways for the night was a good idea?” Kara smirked as she sat along her window just to keep watch of her bedroom door. Besides, it was close to 1 o’clock in the morning at this rate, so she had no doubt that her father had retired to bed for the night.
Kissing her brought about a new sensation – a strong feeling pulling at his chest, wanting to press forward and take it a step further. But Winn prevented himself from showing the desire, keeping his hands from the clothing he’d gladly tear her free of if given the permission. On the street and near her family was the worst possible time to have the notion overtake. Kara deserved every possible ounce of respect and he was inclined to keep himself in check, afraid to ruin what was happening between them, needing to cling onto their connection.
He kept his lips against hers, bodies so close he could feel the warmth radiating between them. Winn’s hand remained around the curve of he neck, mind stuck in a whirlwind of emotions. He knew by standings he was far too below her, he’d never be able to gain the approval of those among her class, especially the family who took Kara in. But just for a minute, for a moment, he wanted to be free of the shackles holding him down – even his own name was a constant reminder of the life he was forced to live. A newsboy, someone who barely had so much as a nickel to spare. The deepening of the kiss made him dizzy with desire, so much so he had to break it off, the motion slow in parting. “As much as I would love to keep doing that, I should probably say my goodbyes until tomorrow.” He drew from her touch, breathless and far more captivated than he envisioned possible.
Kara couldn’t believe she ended up kissing someone she just met, but the feelings she had for Winn were genuine. She never really courted anyone before— never kissed anyone before. She knew what her boundaries and morals and one of them were to take things slow, but the chemistry was almost too much to try and keep buried any longer. If Kara could find a way to sneak him into her room, she would for she hated the thought of being away from his presence. She deepened the kiss one more time and found Winn being the first to pull back. She wanted to tell him not to stop and she found herself following his lips and nearly sought them with great haste before coming back to reality. He had a point and she nodded in agreement.
“I think that’s a good idea. I don’t think we should get too carried away… but maybe I’ve already gotten carried away.” She laughed a little before kissing his cheek instead. “Goodnight, Winn.” She stepped away from him, giving him a slight, awkward wave. “Goodnight.” She reached for the doorknob still facing Winn and instead of reaching for the knob, she found herself tripping and blushing from embarrassment. “I should probably look where I’m going.” The tone of her voice was that of someone embarrassed with a small chuckle escaping to try and hide how she felt. “Goodnight… again.” She waved and opened the door, closing it as she walked in and kept her eyes on Winn until he was out of sight. How did it go from Winn walking her home to the two sharing their first kiss? She sighed happily with her back against the front door and smiled before running upstairs to her room. She ignored Jeremiah yelling at her for being seen with someone like Winn and ran to her bedroom window to watch Winn leave.
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Winn wasn’t sure what Kara thought of him – how she saw him through her eyes. So many people judged on appearance alone or assumed the kind of guy he was based of his parents. But he tried to stay away from the criticism, he clung to optimism because without it, he feared what a downward spiral in morale would do to him. Yet with Kara, despite the short time they knew one another, he was beginning to see that maybe it was possible to speak the truth of his past and not expect the worst of responses. She didn’t find him worthless. Kara saw something in him worth sticking around for.
He was surprised to hear a positive answer. The last thing Winn wanted to do was move too quickly, and perhaps scare her away from the idea of being something more than friends, although he would have settled for the latter. Normally, he wouldn’t be the first to rush into something, preferring to take things slow. His heart as telling him otherwise, thumping loudly against his chest, he almost couldn’t breathe. “Just tell me if you want me to stop,” he told her in response, keeping his voice at an even tone. A hand came up to cup the curve of her cheek before he moved in closer, allowing her the space to refuse. When nothing came, he slowly lowered his lips against hers, relaxing into the kiss the shared. The very sensation made him weak in the knees, a spark quick to ignite.
He was sweet to even bring the thought of her wishing for him to stop at the moment. Wanting him to stop was the last thing on her mind because all she had been thinking about since they first started talking was how much she desperately wanted to kiss him. Kara was never one to move so fast with anyone, but this was the first time she felt such a strong connection with someone. He understood her, respected her, made her smile and laugh… There was just so much chemistry between them, a spark igniting with every step they took to end up in this very spot.
It felt like things were moving in slow motion as she watched him close the gap between them. The touch of his hand against the curve of her cheek was a welcome one as she reaching up to cover her hand over it with a smile on her face. Was it possible to be so incandescently happy? Was it possible for one to die from such a feeling? If so, Kara would die happy, weak in the knees as the man she had such strong feelings for finally kissed her. She kissed him back, slowly to start, deepening it within minutes as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Nothing else mattered to her now than being his arms. Kara just saw him as a young man her age and never once saw him as a newsboy who was beneath her. He was her equal and one she wanted to give her heart to. She pulled herself as close as she could with her hands resting in the back of his hair.
“Gonna keep looking at me like that, freckles?” a brow raised, arms crossing acriss his chest. Her eyes on him had his heart beating quickly, teeth digging into his cheek. There was always something he believed between them, some sort of unspoken words that meant that there was more to them just the bickering and arguing. But it was her next actions that proved it to him that everything in his mind was true, watching her closely as she approached him. His hands dropped to his side, eyes dropping down to catch hers before she pressed her lips against his. A hand reach easily to the back of her head, fingers tangling themselves in the softness of her hair. Sawyer worked his lips against hers, refusing to break away from the moment. Pulling back, he pressed his forehead against hers.
“Thinkin’ I’m liking your company even more now.”
This was really not like Kate to make the first move. He just knew what to say to get a reaction from her and in the heat of the moment, kissing him was all she could think about doing to release that sexual tension she had been in denial about. Relationships never seemed to be her thing because the men her life always got hurt somehow, so why did she feel such a powerful connection with Sawyer? Her hands moved from his shirt to wrap her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as if it were her in last, and the passion from those feelings she had been in denial about controlling her every move. She didn’t want to break away either and ended up following his mouth in protest when he finally did. She wanted so desperately to smile from his words and find the joy in it, but the separation between them now… his words… it brought Kate back to reality…
If Winn was being entirely truthful, he didn’t remember his mother much. Mary had always been around – and he thought she cared about him, said as much, but clearly her actions spoke louder than words. “I guess even so, that’s better than being alone. I’d just think for two people who adopted someone, they’d treat that person like family. You shouldn’t have to put up with the way your father is towards you, it’s not right. Still, it’s not my place to argue with your choices.” He didn’t know Kara’s life well enough to put his opinions between them, who was he to judge? Being on his own was hard and his job wasn’t great, yet he was dealing with the outcome of his parent’s choices in the best way he could. Santa Fe remained the dream location, something to reach for, but maybe he didn’t need it as much anymore.
He usually brushed aside treatment like that, it was all he really could do. “We can’t change the way people feel. Knowing there are others out there who hold your views is enough for me. Besides, I don’t think it’s the best idea to argue with your dad on the matter.” Winn didn’t want her getting into any more hardships on his account. Her night started with trouble in the first place, it didn’t have to end the same way. He knew they’d be parting ways until tomorrow, only he didn’t want to leave – he didn’t want to force himself from her company.
Her small bout of laughter made his heart flutter, the sensation unexpected yet he didn’t want it to stop. His mouth formed a smile as well, gaze meeting hers. And when she stepped closer, taking her hand in his once again, he felt his emotions flare. “I was hoping I wasn’t,” he replied, keeping his voice low – though he was sure there was no dire need to keep quiet. “Maybe we can keep it a regular thing.” As friends perhaps, regardless of how much he wanted it to be more. Winn didn’t tend to rush anything, but looking at her now, seeing the way her eyes lit up, it was almost too much. He glanced down at her lips, edging a bit nearer, deciding to risk it. “Would it be okay if I kissed you right now?”
Kara knew in just the past hour– or hours now since they first met that Winn had a rough life. She couldn’t believe that despite all of his hardships, Winn was so mature and positive about anything and everything around him. He wasn’t afraid to stand up to her father, wasn’t afraid to come to her rescue in the alley… She admired that and it made her feel comfortable in his presence for Kara was the same way to a certain degree. What she failed at was finding positivity when life took an unwanted turn. She could learn from Winn in that department and she was already doing exactly that.
She really would like to keep it a regular thing whether or not he meant as friends or something more. Was it foolish to even think they could explore something so special as a courtship after just meeting one another? Kara knew the answer was probably yes and yet she couldn’t help but think of him in that regard. Kara trusted him, valued his good opinion, respected him as a human being… She knew that had she went inside when Jeremiah did, Kara would be awake all night thinking about the handsome newsboy that walked her home. She had thought about asking him and yet it seemed Winn took the leap first. Kara bit her lip, smiling. This was not how she was expecting the night to end and she had never felt so happy. “I was hoping you would ask me that.”
Hearing Jeremiah speak as if Kara mattered so little to him, as if she was just a guest at his house, caused another flare of disbelief to hit. Winn wasn’t usually the type how’d confront another so recklessly, but he couldn’t stand by and do nothing while abusive words were thrown towards someone he cared about, no matter how quickly the attachment formed. “You adopted her, that makes Kara your daughter – your family. Where I come from that means something.” Winn might no longer have his parents in his life, but he did have those he’d consider friends, many who were in the same position as him. He merely shook his head. “It doesn’t matter who I am because anyone with an ounce of self-respect would speak to you just the same. Yeah, and you better hope your true personality doesn’t make the headline. Though I’m sure it would make quite a sell.”
Winn would occasionally read a few articles ever now and again, some even about the great and well-known Doctor Danvers. The prose never dove past his accomplishments, never commenting on the type of guy he was. He didn’t want to think they took Kara in for anything less than the goodness of their hearts, but it was clear how little she was cared about. Not that he was fully surprised given the things Kara told him. Winn was about to make another remark, only he didn’t get the chance before Kara spoke up. The intentional banging into on Jeremiah’s part was let go, but he still sent a glower in his direction after being forcibly shifted aside. When they were finally alone, a heavy breath was released. “You don’t have to apologize for him. I’m guessing the rest of you family is just as nice?” Winn approached her again, letting a smile form freely. “I’m fine. I pretty much used to that kind of stuff. Never want to see you again? As if. What I want is to keep seeing you. Tomorrow, the day after that, right now. But if I’m getting the wrong impression, just say so and I’ll back off.”
“Thank you,” Kara replied with a small smile. She was still embarrassed about how Jeremiah treated Winn, but she really was grateful that he had come to her rescue once again. What made Winn care so much about her? “Eliza Danvers is actually very nice to me. She was the one who convinced Jeremiah to take me in, but even Eliza treats me like I don’t belong here. I almost wish they didn’t take me in because being with a family that doesn’t appreciate me is almost worse than being alone.” Kara didn’t really know what was keeping her now that she was old enough to live on her own. She had felt alone her entire life and yet it was nice to have someone around despite how poorly they all treated her. She was scared to live on her own and feel that loneliness once again. Kara needed an escape and perhaps she had found that in her new friend.
Her smile turned into a frown for she hated hearing him talk like that. “No one should be used to be treated like that. I’m so angry with him for everything he did to you.” If she could really lash out Jeremiah without any repercussions, Kara would gladly do so to defend the honor and integrity of Winn. All of her cares and concerns about Jeremiah seemed to fade once he said he wanted to keep seeing her. She couldn’t help but smile at him while her cheeks turned a light shade of pink in the process. What does that mean? Keep seeing me? Does that mean what I think it– it can’t be…
She laughed at how he went on about seeing her and was thankful for other reasons to smile again. In the short amount of time they had together, Winn seemed to know just when she needed to laugh or smile. “You’re not getting the wrong impression.”Kara smiled as she stepped closer and laced her fingers with his own once more. “I’d love to keep seeing you as well.” She glanced down to their hands laced together and smiled again before looking up at him. She had never felt his happy and it almost felt foreign to her. She glanced down at his lips like she did before Jeremiah interrupted them, “Winn, I–” Kara bit her lip and smiled before making eye contact again. She wanted to kiss him so desperately but was afraid to scare him off.
