He shrugged. "Alright then."
                          
Without a warning, he wrapped both arms around you and tossed the two of you onto your bed. It had startled you immensely, so you weren't able to react right away. You were tightly tucked against his chest and were able to hear his heart beat strongly.
                          
He chuckled and loosened his grip around you.
                          
You propped yourself up so you were sitting upright, supporting your weight on one arm.
                          
"So that's what you had in mind? I'm not that much into WWE wrestling matches, to be honest", you said jokingly.
                          
"Me neither", he huffed und sat up as well, swinging his face uncomfortably close to yours. "However,", he continued, "I am very much into this."
                          
With these last words being merely a bit more than a husky whisper, he closed the gap between your faces and locked his lips with yours. Besides the heat of his breath and the warmth of his lips, you felt his hand crawling on top of yours. His other hand was gently cradling your cheek, touching it ever so carefully, as if not to break you.
                          
He pulled back a tiny bit to rest his forehead against yours. His hand moved from your cheek onto your shoulder.
                          
Your cheeks were filled with a steady heat. You were almost certain they must've been glowing and radiating warmth. You were silenced by your racing heart.
                          
You felt your body shaking a little bit, but tried to suppress it.
                          
Mr. Harket had his eyes closed for a few seconds, enjoying the moment. When he opened his eyes, he smiled and pulled away a little more, so he could look at your face in its entirety.
                          
"Oh, dear, you look a little flustered. Are you feeling alright?"
                          
You nodded and smiled.
                          
"That's good then."
                          
He pulled you onto his lap and hugged you, gently stroking your hair. The two of you sat like this for quite a while, and to be honest, you were enjoying it very much.
                          
After some time, he sighed deeply. "(y/n), I adore you. So, so much. You cannot imagine."
                          
"I think you have mentioned that before."
                          
"That may be. But I feel like I can't say it enough, dear."
                          
You remained silent for a while, before he started speaking up again.
                          
"(y/n), about... Jakob. I'm still not sure what to do."
                          
"I know. Me neither."
                          
"I think I will speak to him at home. I won't confront him directly with what we've found, but try and get some things out of him. Other than that, I may have to get help. However, theoretically, he's already of legal age, which means I can't do much except... throw him out. But I couldn't..."
                          
His voice faded. You could hear the pain in his words. He was trying to be a father to a son that seemed out of control. And he was still blaming himself.
                          
"I don't think any parent could do it that easily. Besides, I doubt that it would do anything but more damage. Maybe not to us, but to him."
                          
"Listen to you talk", he huffed, "Still thinking about his well-being. Can you explain me how someone who has been mistreated like this, can still forgive and think of their tormentor? It takes an angel for that. Maybe, just maybe, you are one. I could imagine that very well."
                          
He smiled a little, a few strands of hair falling onto his face messily. He reached out to stroke your cheek with his hand.
                          
"You have given me insight. I can understand the depth of Jakob's character better ever since you have told me more about everything that has happened to the two of you."
                          
"I see. Then I'm glad. I don't want to make excuses for my son, though. Especially since his behavior seems to worsen again."
                          
"I know. It's alright."
                          
There was another episode of silence. Then, suddenly, you remembered a question you have been wanting to ask.
                          
"Say, Mr. Harket, ever since your wife had... disappeared. Have you been seeing anyone?"
                          
"No. Never."
                          
"Really? Not even a date?"
                          
"No. There have been a few women giving me their phone numbers, but I wasn't interested and way too busy."
                          
"I see. But, well, doesn't that feel... a little sad? Weren't you all alone at times?"
                          
Mr. Harket took a hold of your shoulders to look at you directly.
                          
"(y/n), in all these years that my wife had been gone, and maybe even some time before that; I have been very lonely. I didn't dare to admit it, not even to myself. But now I can't find a way around it. I have been incredibly lonely in all these years", he whispered. His voice was trembling with emotion. "Very, very lonely. Touch-starved and cold from the missing warmth of a person next to me. Nobody to hold onto in cold winter nights. Nobody to give me words of support after a long day of trying to be a good parent and doubting myself. No tender touch of a soft, fragile hand..."
                          
He took your hand and placed it on his cheek. You were awestruck by his confession. He dared to show himself to you so... hurt and fragile.
                          
His grip on your hand tightened.
                          
"And even though you already fill so many gaps that have been open within me, I keep wanting more", he hissed through halfway gritted teeth, dropping his head. You could see his muscles and the tendons on his neck flex, as if he was in pain.
                          
"... I'm- I'm sorry...", you started in a quiet voice. His bitter laughter interrupted you.
                          
"But isn't that how it always works?", he asked, looking back up at you. "Isn't that what love does to people?"
                          
You tilted your head to the side slightly, unsure of what to respond. He didn't seem to be expecting an answer, however. He continued.
                          
"Interest turns into love. Love turns into desire. Desire to be close to one another, and even closer than that – so close that you fear you might end up swallowing each other whole. A burning sensation – like an agonizing thirst. It's only human, to always want more and more. But isn't it such a pitiful characteristic?"
                          
You smiled half-heartedly and shook your head. "Now, listen to you talk. You sound like you're going insane. Please calm down."
                          
"Oh, if you only knew...", he said lowly, shaking his head as well. "But you're right. I shouldn't be so negative."
                          
"That's the spirit."
                          


                          
The two of you laughed a little. Then, his face turned more serious again.
                          
"Dear, where is this going to go?"
                          
"I don't know. I'm constantly asking myself the same question, but I always end up brushing it aside and taking the days as they come."
                          
"It sounds like a peaceful solution, but it won't work forever."
                          
"That's true."
                          
"I guess I will... think about it a little more. Maybe make some plans. We'll see", he said, turning his head to look at you with a loving gaze. "If anything is the matter, call me. You know I'm here for you."
                          
"Thank you."
                          


                          
-       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
                          


                          
After about one more hour, he said his goodbyes and left. He had said that he wanted to make some things right at home, or at least try to do so. You let him go.
                          
He had seemed very upset after spilling his feelings and you felt sorry for triggering it, in a way.
                          
His words wouldn't leave your head.
                          
Dear, where is this going to go?
                          
You certainly couldn't tell. And it scared you.
                          
It was Sunday, though, and tomorrow you would have to go back to school. So you went to sit down to check your homework, quietly preparing for tomorrow.