#Margie takes a little while to get over the sting of disappointment with having her cool validating job fall through

[painted-bees]

Thinking a little more on the whole "when did Margie and Raf realize they were In A Relationship?" question, and while they'd both struggle to find a definitive moment, I think there was one particular situation that arose to kinda...lock things in for them.

Sometime prior to autumn 2009, Margie was headhunted by Bioware[Edmonton] thanks to the recommendation of an old Orbital Media colleague who was trying to establish/salvage Bioware's beleaguered handheld dev team. Following a promising phone interview, she was asked to make a 30 second demo track as part of the hiring process, and met expectations well enough that she was offered a job as an in-house musician and sound designer. Which also meant that she'd have to move to Edmonton. She had been keeping Raf up to date with this whole thing, mostly because she was too excited to keep it to herself. Raf was hugely supportive and excited -for- her. 'Cus like...he plays games. He even plays Bioware games, so, yanno...very cool. But he had also assumed this was gonna be more of a freelance contract kind of thing. And so, hearing her mention that the company would cover the costs of relocating her to Edmonton comes as a weird surprise. And suddenly, he's having a real hard time being excited for her. He keeps it to himself, 'cus he'd be an asshole not to. He's been really adamant with himself, and with anyone who asks, that he and Margie are just really good, comfortable friends/roommates. But even by this point, he's kinda known and been unwilling to admit to himself that the only reason he hasn't openly recognized their relationship for what it actually is--is because the non-committal ambiguousness provides him a clean way out if he starts feeling cagey/uncomfy about anything. It was an exit door that he liked keeping open incase he needed it. But Margie had seen it differently. To her, it was a door she figured she was gonna have to leave through eventually. Because Raf would inevitably find a more serious partner to settle down with, or he'd be whisked off by some other important venture that she couldn't be a part of. She figured he was leaving that door open because his current situation was a temporary transitional stage in his life that he simply allowed her to be a part of. And so, she's not really torn-up about the prospect of leaving, especially under the circumstances. It presented an easier, more exciting transition than she might have had to face if Raf had 'outgrown' her first.

So, Margie's excited about the new job offer, and Raf's sitting there feeling like he played himself--while being wholly unable/unwilling to tell her "Hey, uh...this sucks, actually, I really don't want you to go." Because that'd require him to admit that he's been lying to himself--which sucks. But more than that, it'd require him to admit that he's been lying to her--only employing honesty as a tool of convenience to dissuade her from going and getting something really good for herself. He can't, he won't. The sudden off-key in his tone, though, doesn't go unnoticed by her, and Margie is perfectly candid about the whole "we'll visit each other, I'll stay in touch--I'm not gonna disappear on you lmao" Except that's not really...how Raf operates. Distance + time does not make this man's paranoid lil' heart grow fonder. There's never been a relationship-friend, family, or otherwise-with enough staying power for Raf to maintain it once they're no longer within physical proximity. Even if he wants to 'keep in touch', it quickly falls off. He's just known...too many people, and been too many places...his brain doesn't have the bandwidth to maintain close relationships when there's a distance. And, after a long enough pause in communication, his paranoid anxieties lift the barrier of entry higher and higher until it's almost insurmountable. People become strangers again. Always. In the end, Bioware did not get to develop any more handheld titles, and the handheld division in Edmonton is dissolved before Margie was even offered a job start date to plan her big move around. And so the whole thing falls apart before it even had the chance to get started lmao. At which point, Raf finally allows himself to be honest and say "thank god, I was fuckin' dreading an empty apartment again." Treats her to a consolatory dinner, and gets to tell her as much as he is able to figure out for himself--that he doesn't really know what he wants, actually--but that things aren't as casual and clean-cut as he thought it was. He still can't bring himself to be like "yes, romantic committed relationship, that's us, that's what we are" but he does at least take measures to establish that he'd really like to take off his shoes, place them on the rack next to hers, and close the door behind him.

[rami-hoe]

Stress Relief

Summary: Times have been tough since Merriell came home. Y/N decides they could both use a little fun. 

Warnings: smut, dom/sub, daddy kink

Word Count: 2.6K

Things had been tight ever since Merriell came home. He was looking for work, but most of the jobs had been taken up by the soldiers that came home six months ago. I wasn’t complaining- I’d happily live on the streets if it meant Merriell was by my side. But it did mean I had to pick up extra shifts at the diner whenever I could.

The clock read 6:47. I’d been on my feet for nearly eight hours, running between the kitchen and the tables. I just had to get to the next thirteen minutes, and then I could go home to Merriell. I just wanted to fall into his arms and sleep for the next three days.

I heard the phone ring as I delivered a refill to table six, and glanced over my shoulder. Lenny, the grill cook, reached through the kitchen window and got it. I plastered a smile on my face, placed the drink down, and asked it there was anything else I could get them.

“Just the bill, sweetheart,” the man said without looking at me.

I turned on my heels, and headed back to the counter to tally up their total.

“Hey, Y/N,” Lenny said as he hung up the phone.

“Yeah?” I asked.

“Margie called in. Her kid’s sick. Can you cover?”

Fuck. “How long do you need me?”

He scratched the stubble under his chin. “Just until the dinner rush clears out,” he said. “I’ll have you outta here by nine, promise.”

I sighed. “Alright. Just lemme call Merriell.”

Lenny disappeared into the kitchen, and picked the phone off its cradle, dialling up my home number.

Merriell picked up after the third ring. “Hello?”

“It’s me,” I said.

“Hey boo.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “You headin’ home?”

“No,” I said. “Lenny needs me to stick around a while.”

“That’s the third time this week.”

“I know, Mer, but we need the money.”

Merriell huffed into the receiver. “I know we need the damn money.”

“Don’t snap at me, Merriell.” I knew Merriell hated that he couldn’t provide for me, but that’s just the way it had to be for now.

“I’m not snappin’,” he snapped.

“Like hell you aren’t,” I said. “I’m just doing what I have to to keep our heads above water. You don’t get to be mad at me for that.”

“I’m not mad at you! I’m just frustrated. I barely see you anymore, and when you are here you’re so exhausted we can’t-” He cut himself off, but I knew where he was going. It had been a few weeks since Merriell and I were intimate. But he was right- I was exhausted. Working double shifts was killing me. It’s hard to get in the mood when you get home covered in grease and coffee from a twelve hour shift of being yelled at by customers who didn’t realize food took time to make. “I love you, Y/N. I miss you,” he said.

“You’re not the only one whose frustrated, Merriell,” I said with a sigh. “I miss you too.” Our relationship had always been a physical one. Merriell was incredible in bed, and I loved him more than anything; of course I missed being with him. But things had been so stressful lately, for the both of us. We needed one night where we could forget about all of it, just let go, and I thought I had a way to make that happen. I looked through the kitchen window and saw Lenny scraping the black bits off the girl, not paying any attention to me. Nobody else was close enough to hear the conversation, so I leaned against the wall and murmured into the receiver in a low, breathy voice  “I miss the way you feel inside of me.”

Merriell’s breath caught in his throat. “Do ya now?” He asked.

“Mhm,” I hummed. “I miss the weight of your cock on my tongue. I love sucking you off, Mer, you taste so good.”

The sound of Merriell’s heavy breathing passed through the phone.

“I miss your tongue on my clit, the way you stare at me when you’re between my legs.” I could feel heat rising between my thighs.  “And I miss the feeling of you stretching me open, reaching so deep inside me. You know what I would do to you if I was there?”

“Tell me,” he demanded in a low voice.

“Excuse me!” I looked over my shoulder to see the man at table six staring me down. “Are you getting paid to stand and jabber on that phone? Bring me my bill.”

I faked a smile. “Right away!” I rolled my eyes as I turned back around.

“I gotta go, Mer,” I said.

“What?” The distress in his voice made my smile genuine.

“A customer’s on my ass,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re gon’ be sorry when you get home.”

I knew he was joking, and played along. “That a promise?”

His voice darkened. “Yes.”

I bit my lip. I knew that tone.

“Waitress!” The man called again.

“I’ll be home by 9:30,” I said. I placed the phone back on its hook before Merriell could respond, and brought the asshole his bill.

It was hard to concentrate on work with the fire burning between my legs. I knew what was store for me when I got home; I loved it when Merriell got dominant with me. Luckily for me, I had been doing this long enough to function on autopilot. I spent the next two hours settling up with the customers and cleaning tables, all the while anticipating what Merriell was going to do to me when I got home. The fantasy was enough to jolt me awake.

Merriell was lounging in his chair when I walked through the door at 9:15. He brought his cigarette to his lips and took a long drag as I threw my purse on the counter, and hung up my coat. My arousal sparked back life the second I saw him.

“Come here,” he said with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I walked over to him, and sat down on his lap. “You think it’s fun to get me all worked up, then hang up the phone?” He brushed my hair back, running his fingers down my neck.

“No,” I said.

“No what?”

“No Sir.”

His hand slid up my skirt to cup my sex. I gasped, and tilted my hips towards him. His fingers slid under my panties, and ran across my slick pussy. “What’s got you so wet, hm?” He pushed two fingers into me, and I moaned. He knew exactly where my sweet spot was, and how to manipulate it.

“I’ve been thinking about you,” I said, grinding into his hand. “About this.”

“Thinkin’ about me fuckin’ you while you’re at work?”

I nodded.

“Any of your customer pick up on what a slut you are?”

I shook my head.

“Good.” He pressed the heel of his palm against my clit. “Only I get to see this.” He took his fingers away far too soon, and took the cigarette out of his mouth. “Strip,” he ordered.

I stood up, and unbuttoned the top half of my dress. I faced him as I pulled the sleeves off my shoulders, and let the dress fall. His eyes dragged over my body slowly, taking in every inch of me.

Merriell’s eyes made their way back to mine. “You’re not finished,” he said.

I kicked off my shoes as my hands reached behind my back to unclasp my bra. I turned to the side to give him a better view as I pulled my panties down my legs, but Merriell didn’t give me the satisfaction of a reaction.

“You’ve been a bad girl,” he murmured when I straightened back up. “How do you think I should punish you?”

I chewed on my lip, and remained silent.

“When I ask you a question, you answer it,” he said.

“I think you should spank me.” I pressed my legs together, my body craving any kind of friction.

Merriell nodded, and waved me forward. “C’mon then.”

I lied over his knees, clasping my hands in front of me.

“I think ten’s enough. Count ‘em out.” He brought his hand down on my ass, and I yelped.

“One.”

His hand rubbed over the area before he gave me another stinging slap.

I whimpered. “Two.”

“You gon’ apologize for teasin’ me?” He asked.

I nodded. “I’m sorr- ah!” The third spank was harder than the other two.

“I didn’t quite catch that.” By the time Merriell had gotten to ten, both the throbbing on my ass, and the throbbing between my legs had reached a peak. I was squirming in his lap, my body begging him to touch my core.

Merriell pushed me off his lap. “Bedroom,” he said as he tapped his cigarette out in the ashtray.

I walked down the hall with Merriell close behind me. I could hear him fiddling with his belt, and felt a surge of relief wash over me. I needed him to fuck me.

“Lie on your back, hands above your head,” he ordered.

He slid his belt off as I got into position, and bound my arms to the bedpost. He pulled on the strap, making sure it wasn’t too tight before he moved away. His shirt was quickly disposed of, but he kept his pants on, much to my disappointment. He was going to make me beg for it, wasn’t he?

Merriell pushed my legs apart, and settled between them. He didn’t bother to slowly work me up, instead electing to jump right into it. My hips rolled towards him instinctively as his tongue licked up my folds.

“Merriel,” I moaned, and his lips closed around my clit. I let out a rather unattractive squeak, and bucked my hips up. Merriell’s hand pushed down on my stomach, stilling my movements. He sucked my clit hard, moving his head side to side to heighten my pleasure. God, he knew just how to work my body. My breathing laboured as I felt myself approaching the edge, whines and whimpers escaping my lips almost nonstop. “Fuck, I’m gonna cum,” I breathed.

My stomach tightened, the pressure building up inside of me until I was just strokes away from an intense orgasm. And then he stopped. The bastard stopped. He pulled his mouth away from my core, and ran his thumb down my wet lips, carefully avoiding the spots that would give me any real pleasure. I groaned in frustration as my climax slipped away from me.

“Oh, did you think you were gonna cum?”

I glared down at Merriell’s grinning face.

“No no no, baby. You left me high and dry tonight. You don’t get to cum after that.” He lower his face down to my core, and lapped at my clit. I moaned, my hips trying and failing to twist out of his grip. He tactfully alternated between licking and sucking, but it didn’t take much to get me back to the edge. Within minutes, I was writhing beneath him, and begging him not to stop.

“Please, please,” I whined. “I need it.” He latched onto my clit, sucking until I was balancing right on the edge, and then he stopped once again. I sobbed.

He kissed just above my clit, then below, and to either side.

“Merriell, please,” I begged, and he delivered a sharp slap to my thigh. I sucked in a breath, and corrected myself. “Sir.”

He dragged his tongue over my core slowly before he sat up. “You want my cock?” he asked as he shoved his pants down, freeing his hard member.

I nodded, my eyes focusing on his hand slowly stroking his cock.

He rolled a condom on, and sat back on his knees, He grabbed my hips, pulling them up onto his lap so he could push his tip inside

I groaned, and tried to roll my hips to take him in deeper. I should have known he wouldn’t give me what I wanted that easily.

“Beg.”

My pride had long since gone out the window. “Please, daddy, I need you to fuck me,” I whined.

He slammed into me with one stroke, making me cry out in pleasure and pain as my walls struggled to adjust to his girth. His fingers dug into my hips as he thrust into me again and again, each one harder than the last. He ripped strangled moans from my throat. My body was so overstimulated, every small movement he made ignited my nerves.

“Please, touch me,” I begged. I just needed a bit of pressure, that was it. Just a few strokes to my clit, and I would come undone.

Merriell laughed, and shook his head.

I let out a broken sob, my head falling back onto the pillow.

He hummed, amused. “I can’t stay mad at you,’ he cooed. “You can cum.” He leaned down, and pressed a tender kiss to my lips. “But I’m not gon’ help you get there.”

My breathing was laboured as I wrapped my legs around his waist, grinding against him feverishly. His cock was hitting my g-spot with every thrust, driving me towards a climax entirely too slowly.

“Fuck,” he breathed out, his fingers tugging at my hair. “You better hurry up, boo, I’m not gon’ last long.” He pulled my head back so I was looking straight up at him. “You don’t cum on my cock, you don’t cum at all.”

I tilted my hips up to try and get even the smallest amount of pressure on my clit, but I didn’t have the leverage. I couldn’t get the right angle. I groaned in frustration, bucking helplessly.

I was teetering on the edge of an orgasm I just couldn’t reach, and Merriell knew it. He grinned down at me. “Frustrated?” His voice was starting to lose some of its authority. I could tell he was close. He buried his face in my neck, breathing hard against my skin. His arm snaked around my back, lifting my hips up higher. He pressed his body to mine, and gave me the access I needed. I ground my clit against his crotch, and felt a rush of pleasure shoot through my body.

“Merriell!” My legs shook as my orgasm crashed down on me. My hands tightened into fists around the belt, pulling hard on the worn leather. Merriell moaned my name into my neck, his hips stuttering as he came.

Our movements slowed as we came down from our high together. Merriell lowered my body back to the bed, and reached up to untie the belt. He pressed soft kisses to the spots on my wrists when the leather had reddened the skin before rolling off of me. I snuggled up against his side, lying my head on his chest as he pulled the condom off and tossed it in the trash.

Merriell wrapped his arm around my shoulder, hugging me against him, and I felt warmth spread throughout my chest. I nuzzled into him, and he kissed the top of my head.

“I love you, you know that?” He murmured.

I nodded. “I love you too.” I tilted my chin up, and found Merriell staring down at me. “We’re gonna be alright, Mer,” I said.

A small smile tugged at Merriell’s lips, and he leaned down to give me a quick kiss. “I know.”