#successful black parenting magazine

[successfulblackparenting]

New Studies Reveal: All Parents Face Toxic Stress, Racism Exacerbates the Burden for Black Parents

Recent studies highlighted by the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association (APA) show that while parental stress is a widespread issue, “41 percent of parents say that most days they are so stressed they cannot function and 48 percent say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming compared to other adults.” The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental…

[flowerandblood]

The Second One (1/2)

[ modern • Aemond x Alys!sister • female ]

[ warnings: angst, kissing, physical violence, swearing, toxic relationship, toxic behaviour, manipulation ]

[ description: On the occasion of their grandfather's birthday, her older sister, Alys, comes to their house and introduces her partner to their family, who from the very beginning arouses her concern with his behavior. After a series of unpleasant words and arguments, he visits her in her room in the night, paying her a strange, ambiguous visit. Dark, manipulative, bitchy Aemond. Anon request. ]

This is Part 1 of The Loved One

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

My other works: Masterlist

_____

Her family decided to throw a party for her grandfather at their house to celebrate his 90th birthday, at which her older sister appeared for the first time with her partner. She was surprised that her man was so young and thought with shock that the age difference between them was at least 10 years.

She and her never understood each other very well, as Alys pursued her goals over dead bodies. After many years, she realised that she could not trust her, that she had to be careful with her words around her. She loved her and tried to accept her as she was, but she couldn't be her friend.

Nor did it seem to her that Alys could ever see her as such.

She introduced the man she had come with perfunctorily, a scar on his left cheek – it seemed to her, looking at him from a distance, that one of his eyes was artificial, shining strangely in the light of the chandelier.

He was dressed in black tight jumper and fitted trousers, standing with his hands folded in front of him like a bodyguard, not paying much attention to what his sister was saying, biting his lower lip.

She thought that he didn't want to be here at all.

She shuddered when their gazes met for a long moment. Instead of looking away, however, she felt a sense of discomfort as she saw the way his eyes ran shamelessly over her entire body, the tip of his tongue hitting the side of his cheek.

She left the room deciding she didn't want to look at it, walking out through the back door into the garden.

Alys always overshadowed her – she felt small and bland in her presence. Her older sister could make a good impression when she wanted to, always extremely feminine, confident and mysterious, a true femme fatale.

She was very successful in the fashion industry, modeling for many years, her face was on the front pages of the world's magazines.

Unsurprisingly, she did not seek the friendship of her younger sister, who was a nobody next to her, a little girl playing at studying literary history. She loved reading, in the world of books she could be whoever she wanted, she could be the only one, the main character in the story.

Despite what she was feeling, she tried not to show her or anyone else her pain, focusing on her friends from her studies and the fact that she really liked what she was doing, recognising that getting into university thanks to her results without being forced to pay tuition fees was also some kind of success, something her parents always emphasised.

She sat on the grass taking advantage of the fact that it was a pleasant summer evening, due to living far outside the city boundaries she could admire the stars that stretched above her across the cloudless dark sky.

She heard the sound of a door being pushed open and slid shut and thought it was her father smoking compulsively. She smiled as she heard someone's footsteps heading in her direction being sure it was him, hearing the sound of a lighter being fired up and the hiss of a cigarette.

She glanced over her shoulder and froze seeing the man Alys had come with looking at her intently. She pulled back slightly as he sat down next to her, shocked to feel her heart pounding hard, knowing it was strange to say the least.

She felt uncomfortable.

He held out his hand with his cigarette to her and she shook her head without looking at him, wondering if she should return home. He grinned, letting the smoke out loudly through his nose.

"Are you running away from her too?" He asked with some kind of amusement, his voice low, deep, slightly hoarse. She felt a shudder at his words and looked at him uneasily with a expression of surprise on her face, wondering what he was implying.

She was running away from whom?

From Alys?

She swallowed loudly, recognising that his words were rude.

They might not have liked each other, but she was her sister.

"Why be with someone you're running away from?" She asked frustrated, wondering if he had come to arouse her sister's jealousy, to tease her at her expense.

She had no intention of getting dragged into any of their games.

She felt a squeeze in her throat when he looked at her with some kind of mockery – before responding to her, he pressed his cigarette to his lips and took a deep drag, letting the smoke out along with his words.

"She can fuck well." He hummed, as if it was a normal, decent response.

She shook her head in disbelief and stood up, moving ahead, leaving him alone. She walked into her house and passed Alys, who wanted to ask her a question.

"Did you perhaps see −"

"− in the garden."

She couldn't look at him for the entire dinner and, as if he was doing it on purpose, he took the seat opposite her before Alys could decide for him where they would sit. She told him to move closer to her mother, but he settled comfortably in his chair, playing with his fork.

"No. I'm fine here." He muttered, throwing her a long, meaningful look. She pressed her lips together, swallowing loudly, feeling sick to her stomach.

She thought they were both worthy of each other.

She had no idea what their relationship was, but Alys liked to live on the edge and perhaps that was what she experienced with him.

Extreme emotions.

Her older sister finally sat down next to him, noticing her at last, asking her questions out of politeness that she didn't feel like answering, seeing him looking at her with a smirk that made her sick.

What kind of man was this?

"How are you doing in your studies? What are you reading now? Any poetry?" She asked in her soft, low, feminine voice, taking a sip of wine, fixing her long black hair.

She exhaled quietly, swallowing hard, looking down at her plate, on which lay an uneaten piece of meat.

"I'm reading the prose of Witold Gombrowicz right now. He's a Polish writer." She explained, convinced that her sister would certainly not know who it was, she, however, surprised her as she blinked, looking at her partner in wonder.

"Gombrowicz… do you by any chance have books by this author in your flat, Aemond?" She asked him curiously, his gaze, however, not even paying her a moment's attention, fixed on her, making her feel like sinking to the ground.

"Yes." He replied briefly, with some kind of satisfaction from which she grew hot, feeling uncomfortable with the idea that she had any interest in common with the man who sat before her. Alys stirred in her chair, intrigued.

"That's interesting. Well, tell me, little sister, what this Gombrowicz is writing about." She said lightly, putting a bit of salad on her plate.

She felt some kind of humiliation at her words, like a monkey in a circus who was now going to juggle her knowledge for her enjoyment. She sighed quietly, giving up, having no idea how to explain it to her.

"It's complicated." She said truthfully, and her sister snorted.

"Don't you know what you're reading about? What are they teaching you in these studies?" She asked with lively amusement. She felt a tightening in her throat and tears pushing into her eyelids, which she held back with difficulty.

She exhaled and looked at the man sitting in front of her, staring at her expectantly, intrigued as to what she would do, how she would answer, the fingers of his hand rubbing against each other in a gesture of anticipation.

"Gombrowicz uses difficult metaphors, swaps out certain words, using other, infantile ones in their place. Most of it is written as if he himself is the protagonist of events, it is like his stream of consciousness, the plot is simultaneously present and absent.

What all his books have in common is that he is a broken man, rejected by Poland and the Poles because he fled to Argentina on the Transatlantic right after the outbreak of the Second World War instead of staying and fighting.

Everything he writes about is his relationship with his country, which he loves and hates, which he longs for and abhors, his despair about his sexuality and his psyche. He wrote all his life in Polish, but he did not return to Poland, the communists did not want to publish his work.

He was unable to express his feelings in another language and although he was considered a traitor, in my opinion his true feeling for his country, the enormity of his suffering in seeing how much poison there was in his nation, which he pointed his fingers at when others praised it to the skies, is expressed in his work.

He is, in my opinion, an outstanding author." She said on almost one exhale, grabbing her glass of water. She took a deep sip from it, setting it down with a loud clink of glass, not looking at them, feeling her heart pounding hard.

Her sister blinked, raising her eyebrows, shaking her head.

"Oh, Mother, so many long sentences, and I still don't know exactly what his books are about. Anyway, I'm glad that you're doing well with your studies." She said lightly, and she shuddered to see a wide, dangerous smile spread across the lips of the man before her.

He was enjoying what was happening.

He drew satisfaction from it.

Her sister went back to eating, turning to their aunt across the table, not seeing that she was struggling to hold back tears of humiliation.

Nor did she see the way her partner looked at her sister, unaware that he was giving her far too much attention.

She thought they were both fucked up.

She knew that another half hour at the most and she could run upstairs to her room saying she would go to bed and leave this whole gathering.

She saw Aemond grab a bottle of wine and pour himself half a glass, her sister threw him a puzzled, upset look.

"You're driving, aren't you?" She burbled, and he hummed under his breath, taking a deep sip. He set his glass down without looking at her.

"Not anymore. I'm tired."

She felt a squeeze in her pit at the thought that he was trying to make them stay here instead of going back to the city.

She thought the last thing she wanted was to listen to them moaning on the other side of the wall and looked away, resigned and tired.

According to her plan, after several minutes she said a polite goodbye to everyone and said she would go to bed now, not honouring him or her sister with a single glance.

She changed into her pyjamas consisting of a T-shirt and shorts and locked her door, wanting to make sure no one tried to enter her room.

She swallowed loudly when, an hour later, she heard their voices in the corridor, lifting her gaze from the book she had just been reading in the light of her bedside lamp while sitting on her bed.

"I told you already, I don't want to stay here overnight. Let's order an Uber." Her sister insisted, she could hear her muffled, frustrated voice.

"And I told you I am tired. I'd like to finally fucking rest. You wanted me to come, I came, and now I want to go to bed. Is that so fucking much?" She heard his low, angry voice and felt discomfort at the thought of hearing every word knowing that this was their private conversation.

"Can you keep your voice down? Do you always have to act like a little child? And why are you looking like a pervert at my little sister, huh? Do you think I can't see? Do you want to fuck her?" She hissed out in a whisper, and she felt her heart pounding hard, ashamed, embarrassed and horrified by her words, by the fact that she had noticed it and pretended that nothing had happened.

She heard his low chuckle.

"Maybe I want to. Maybe she wouldn't act like a bitch to me like you do." He growled and she heard a loud splat followed by complete silence.

She slapped him.

She stared at her door, breathing unevenly, swallowing her saliva with difficulty, wondering if she should come out and intervene or if it was better to stay quiet.

"Get the fuck out of my house." She hissed and he laughed, as if her words amused him.

"Fuck no. I'll stay here overnight and drive home in the morning by my car. If you want, order an Uber. Sorry −"

She heard someone come upstairs and from the way he spoke she deduced that it was her mother.

"− will it be a problem if I stay here overnight? I feel bad and I wouldn't want to go back to the city in this condition." He said lowly.

There was silence again – she thought that her mother didn't know what to do, having surely heard at least some of their argument.

"− I − yes − of course −" She muttered after a while. She heard the sound of a door opening on the other side of the corridor, their voices becoming increasingly indistinct.

Then she heard the loud clatter of Alys' heels, her and her mother's voices as they ran down the stairs.

"Fucking bastard." Said her sister, their mother trying to reassure her.

"− after all, I can't just throw him out, since you invited him −"

She heard the loud slamming of the front door. She got up on trembling legs and walked slowly to the window, seeing her sister lighting a cigarette with trembling hands, wiping her cheeks.

She cried.

She felt a squeeze in her heart at the sight, and even though she had hurt her so often with her words, she felt sorry for her. After a moment, she saw an Uber pull up in front of their house, and she got into it and just drove off.

She swallowed loudly at the thought that she had gone, but he had stayed.

What was he planning?

She turned off her lamp, hiding under the duvet, swallowing loudly, listening for any sounds. She felt restless – she couldn't fall asleep and she shivered feeling her heart pounding hard.

She felt that something was about to happen.

She shuddered, snapped out of a deep sleep when she heard a quiet knock on her door. She glanced quickly at her phone's display and saw that it was two o'clock in the morning.

She looked at her door, figuring that if she didn't get up he would go away, but he knocked again. She covered her face with her hands, feeling tears under her eyelids with fear.

"Please, go away. Please." She said pleadingly, wanting him to take pity on her, not having the strength for it, for their pushing and shoving, for him to fuck her now when in a week's time they'd be back together with her sister, looking for thrills, hating and loving each other like two elements.

She had no intention of being anyone's plaything.

"I want to talk about Gombrowicz." He said lowly and she groaned loudly, licking her lips, shaking her head.

"It's two in the morning." She muttered beggingly, not understanding completely what he had in mind.

"I'm not going until we talk about him." He said after a moment in a matter-of-fact, cool tone, and she sighed heavily, stood up and walked to the door, turning the key.

She opened it for him and there he was, standing in front of her, looking down at her with an indifferent expression on his face. He stepped inside as if nothing had happened, walking up to the window, opening it wide, pulling cigarettes and a lighter from the back pocket of his trousers.

She thought surprised that she had never met such an insolent man in her life.

She simply closed the door behind him, sitting down on her bed, leaning her back against the wall, covering her bare legs with the duvet.

He didn't look at her but out of the window, straight into the night, his face lit by the warm flame of the fire, his cigarette hissed. He took a drag of it, settling comfortably on her wide windowsill, silent for a long moment.

"Have you read Trans-Atlantyk?" He asked at last indifferently, still not looking at her while letting the smoke out with his mouth, his face turned in profile to her. She swallowed loudly, all tense, wrapping her knees with her hands.

"Yes." She replied quietly.

Silence fell between them again, broken only by the hiss of his cigarette each time he took a drag.

"What do you think about it?" He asked at last, just as matter-of-factly and dispassionately. She pressed her lips together, sleepy and tired.

"That it's his best book." She said truthfully, throwing him a depressed, exhausted look.

She didn't have the strength for this.

She just wanted to go to sleep.

"Why?" He continued, and she sighed heavily, placing her forehead on her knees.

"Because it is his response to what has been going on around him. It is his answer to all the accusations made against him. Proof that his country was not at all indifferent to him – on the contrary, although he wanted to, he could not eradicate it from his heart. He saw what was poisoning his country from within. What was destroying it and he had the courage to speak out about it.

He spoke of it with irony and contempt, but when you read into his words, there is only deep feeling and regret there, regret that his country cannot be what he would like, what he needs, what he loves. His people do not reciprocate this feeling, do not see the need to change, that everything is declining.

His feelings are complicated, but therefore true, because he shows that there are no easy answers. Out of the chaos of his thoughts there emerges some truth, some core, and although elusive, although dressed up in humour and irony that made me laugh, after reading this book I wanted to cry."

She said exactly what she felt, regardless of whether he was listening or not. She heard him hum at her words, silent for a long moment, his cigarette almost completely burnt out.

"After I first read this book I couldn't sleep. I felt anxious. As if I had suddenly entered someone's mind, heard their private thoughts and then no longer knew whether I or the author was thinking about something. I had never felt anything like that before." He said calmly, running his tongue over his lower lip, dropping his cigarette into her glass of water that stood on her desk.

She looked at him uncertainly noticing that his face was no longer so tense and aggressive – he was lying comfortably spread out, leaning his back against a wall, pulling another cigarette from his pack.

She considered his words in silence, recognising with surprise that she understood what he was talking about, that she had in fact felt the same way when she read this author's books.

"Can I sleep here with you?" He asked suddenly, and she threw him a shocked, horrified look. She watched him nonchalantly light another cigarette.

What?

"− no − I − God −" She mumbled out, burying her face in her hands, wanting to tell him that he was just terrifying her, that what he was asking was wrong in so many different ways and was putting her in a very awkward position.

She felt a certain discomfort looking at his face, feeling that it was some kind of game, that he was testing her.

"− I can sleep on the floor − I won't touch you −" He said finally looking at her, letting out a puff of smoke with a quiet hiss of his lips.

She couldn't tell what she saw in that look, dark, cold, proud.

He, however, was still sitting in the same place and still looking at her.

"I don't believe you. You want to have fun at my expense, but I don't feel like it. We've talked, now leave. Please." She said, looking bravely into his face, trying to sound as soft as possible.

She had no intention of offending him.

She just wanted him to let her alone.

"I don't love your sister." He said lightly, as if he were talking about the weather. She snorted, shaking her head.

"I don't care. She cried today because of you after she left our house. You're insolent and unpleasant, intruding on me in my own home and making me feel uncomfortable." She choked out, frustrated and angry, furrowing her brow, feeling that she was losing patience.

He, however, chuckled lowly at her words, amused, shaking the ash from his cigarette out of the window.

"She was crying? That's interesting. She didn't give a shit that you almost cried because of her at the table." He murmured, glancing at her curiously, clearly wanting to check her reaction. She pressed her lips together at his words.

"She told me about you. What an ugly duckling you are. That you don't know how to dress well, don't know how to accentuate your figure and your assets. That you hide yourself in big sweatshirts and sit with your nose in books instead of really living and that there's nothing to talk to you about because you can't converse about anything interesting." He mused, taking another drag, cocking his head with curiosity.

"It's none of your business. Get out." She said dryly.

He stood up, approaching her slowly, crouching in front of her bed – he placed his elbows on her bedding, his cigarette in his mouth, which he lightly removed with his hand as he caught his balance.

She felt pain in her heart at his words and tightness in her throat, her fingers clenched on the material of her duvet, her eyebrows arching in anguish. She felt tears under her eyelids again, but she didn't want to give this bastard any satisfaction.

"Get out." She repeated coolly in a trembling voice, looking at him coldly.

"Did you tell her what she wanted to hear too, before you got bored?" She asked with derision, the corner of her mouth twitching in a mocking smile. She saw his gaze darken – he licked his lower lip involuntarily as if he recognised that he was accepting her challenge.

"But when I saw you today I understood why she said that. Because you're pretty. Because you're kind. Polite and cultured. Because you can converse about high literature, and she just doesn't understand what you're talking about. You don't have to spend hours applying make-up, wearing deep necklines and tight dresses to be naturally beautiful. To attract and intrigue. She's fucking jealous of you, little one." He hummed and she felt a shudder at the way he called her, thinking how inappropriate it was.

She pressed her body against the wall, wanting to be as far away from him and his words as possible, feeling hot, thinking that he was manipulating her.

"I didn't have to say much. She prefers to fuck, you know? To feel desired." He murmured lowly, taking another drag, looking at her expectantly, some dangerous glint in his eye.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked finally, feeling that she didn't have the strength for it, that she just wanted him to leave her alone. He grinned in a way that made her feel a shiver.

"Just so you know the problem isn't with you." He said lightly, as if it was obvious. She shook her head unable to follow his train of thought.

"Why are you with her if you despise her?" She asked, feeling that she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, her voice slightly raised and trembling.

"Because she has big tits and a big ass. Because she sucks cock well." He said calmly and she shook her head, feeling embarrassed by his words, feeling as one by one tears began to run down her cheeks.

She covered her face with her hands, feeling that it was too much for her, that they were both worthy of each other.

Why was he meddling her in their affairs?

"− hey − hey, little one −" He whispered – she felt the mattress next to her bend under his weight and she immediately jumped back, terrified, pushing him away, shaking her head.

"− no − please, no, leave −" She mumbled out, but he just put his arms around her and pressed her against his chest. She could hear his heart beating fast – he smelled of wine, cigarettes and some intense, masculine perfume.

"− please, let me go −" She wailed through her tears, but he hushed her, his free hand stroking her hair, the other holding his cigarette.

She felt him lean his back against the wall and settle into a half-lying position, drawing her with him, his large, warm hand roaming over her head and back, in some strange, irrational way making her feel comfortable.

"− cry −" He whispered quietly with some kind of understanding, as if he knew what she was going through, and although she didn't want to, she allowed herself to burst into sobs, along with her tears flowing out of her all the years she felt next to her sister like nobody.

She didn't want to come off as the jealous one, the one who couldn't enjoy other people's successes, but she understood that Alys never praised her sincerely – everything she said was the bare minimum so that no one could accuse her of being judgmental towards her.

She felt bad at the thought of sobbing in her man's embrace, cuddled up to his chest, but she couldn't help it. She didn't have the strength anymore: she just wanted to sleep, to simply rest.

"− it's okay, little one − I know −" He hummed stroking her hair with slow, tender movements, playing with her curls once in a while, smoking his cigarette, the pleasant, cool night air breezing over her warm, red cheeks.

They were both quiet, lying like that in silence, looking towards the window. She sniffed with her nose and snuggled into him, surrendering.

She thought that if he tried to rape her she would start screaming loudly to wake her family, but some subconscious feeling told her that he wouldn't do it.

That for some reason he too sought comfort in her.

"− I'm done with her, you know? − after what I saw today − after the way she spoke to you I realised that she has no respect not only for me, but even for her immediate family − I was deluding myself that she was only saying that to me because I'm a piece of shit, but I was wrong −" He murmured quietly, weariness and discouragement in his voice. She swallowed loudly, trembling in his embrace.

"You don't speak respectfully to her either." She whispered resentfully, wondering if he really thought he was blameless.

He chuckled quietly at her words – she shuddered when she felt him kiss her hair as if they had been close, as if they had known each other for years. He rested his chin on the top of her head, playing with her hair.

"− that's true − but I don't pretend to be a saint − I know what I want and I make it clear − she hides her desires behind pretty, empty words −" He grunted, stroking her head with a calm, steady motion of his hand.

For some reason what he was doing was calming her down _ she was no longer so frightened, though she still felt strange and uncomfortable.

"If you make it clear what you want, why don't you say why you came here?" She asked with a grudge, feeling pain at the thought of him toying with her and getting exactly what he wanted. He hummed, letting the smoke out through his nose.

"I already told you. I want to talk to you about Gomborowicz and sleep in the same bed with you." He murmured low, kissing her head again, nuzzling the tip of his nose into her hair.

She felt bad at the thought that for some reason it was pleasurable, that she felt a sense of satisfaction that she was now the one in bed with him and not her sister.

She shuddered when his hand slid up to her face and lifted her chin, forcing her to rise her head. She drew in a loud breath when she felt his full lips immediately pressed to hers, soft, wet and hot, his tobacco-tasting tongue invading deep into her throat making her feel throbbing between her thighs.

She pressed her hand against his sleek black jumper, ashamed and terrified that she didn't have the strength to resist him, that she was taking pleasure in the way his fingers stroked her cheek gently as their tongues met and licked with a loud, lewd clicks, slick and sticky from their saliva, his cigarette slowly burning out in his other hand.

She wasn't sure she'd ever been so terrified and aroused at the same time, her heart pounding like mad. She felt her moisture between her thighs, so she clenched her legs tightly to relieve herself any way she could.

She knew he felt it – his hand slid from her face down her back to her buttocks and slipped from behind between her thighs, his fingers pressed against the material of her shorts, rubbing her there in sure, slow, circular motions.

"No." She mumbled and pulled away from him, terrified, feeling that this had gone too far, that she couldn't do this, that she wouldn't let him take advantage so that he could then laugh in Alys face with the satisfaction that her little sister had welcomed him between her thighs with joy.

They stared at each other with eyes wide open, breathing embarrassingly loudly.

"Come here."

"Please, get out."

"Come."

She felt her heart pounding hard, knowing that they were now fighting each other for dominance, for who would have the last word, who would give in.

"If you don't leave, I'm going to get up and wake my parents saying that you came to my room in the middle of the night and you won't leave me alone." She said dryly. He pressed his lips together feeling that her words were final, that she wasn't joking.

"You don't want me to leave." He whispered lowly pressing his lips together, breathing unevenly, his cigarette extinguished.

She swallowed loudly involuntarily glancing down and felt a shudder as she saw the bulge in his trousers.

He was hard.

She shook her head feeling her tears gather in the corners of her eyes again.

"I can't, I'm sorry, it was a mistake. I don't want to do it, not like this, it's wrong. Fuck!" She cursed, knowing it had gone too far anyway, burying her face in her hands, heartbroken that she could have done such a thing to her own sister.

She heard him rose lazily, dropping his second cigarette into her glass of water. He looked at her over his shoulder in a way that made her feel a tightness in her throat.

"I'm sorry, little one. I didn't mean to hurt you. Really." He said lowly with some kind of pain and just walked out, leaving her alone at last.

She collapsed on her bed, covering herself with her duvet up to her head, wanting to hide, to disappear, to sink into the ground.

She couldn't believe how close it was.

How close it was for them to fuck.

She cried her eyes out terrified that she felt tension between her thighs, that she was aroused.

That some part of her wanted him to come back and finish what he had started.

She was awakened in the morning by the loud slam of the front door of her house. She got up quickly, walking over to her open window, looking out of it into the driveway.

She saw him open his car door and give her one last look, as if he hoped he would see her there. She felt a strange tightening in her heart and pain, burning tears under her eyelids.

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him – after a moment she heard the muffled sound of music and the whirr of an engine.

She watched with a blank stare as he drove away and disappeared around the corner, pressing her forehead against the frame of the window, feeling a river of tears begin to run down her cheeks.

She wiped her face with her hands, heartbroken that this man had brought her to such a state in one evening, and turned away, wanting to return to her bed.

I wish I had met you before her.

She froze, spotting something white on the floor beneath her door. After a moment, she noticed that it was a folded piece of paper and she walked over to it quickly, picking it up from the floor and opened it. There was only one sentence written inside.

Aemond Taglist:

_____

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy

[charcharbinks333]

¡evan peters characters!

fall preferences!

tate langdon:

tate loves spending halloween with you, since it’s the only day he can leave the murder house

cozy sweaters, horror movies, the rare rainy night in, cuddles (he’s the little spoon obvi), the smashing pumpkins and nirvana playing on your cd player

he takes you to the unknown spots around town on halloween that have all the cool graffiti art, but they are unknown to most

overall a sweetheart

kit walker:

he watches girly rom coms and chick with you

you make pumpkin pie while he holds you by the waist, peppering chaste kisses along your neck and watching you at work.

“i’m not in your way, suga’… can’t you let a man watch his wife at work?”

visiting family for thanksgiving and charming his parents (he does the same)

laying with him in bed and listening to the storms

candle light when the power goes out, jazz playing on the radio, early morning kisses, walks on crisp october afternoons

pre-death!kyle spencer:

days spent in your dorm, watching horror movies that he adores

him watching you do your makeup before going to a halloween party in matching costumes that you chose.

him letting you paint his nails black to match yours, but denying it ever happened when he’s around his frat brothers (not in an ashamed way 😭)

him letting you wear his hoodies and sweatpants as the days grow colder

making desserts together at 3 am

james patrick march:

lots of planning for devils night—he has to be ready for the greatest serial killers of all time!

him seeing you in your flapper costume, absolutely shellshocked. he practically worships the ground you walk on, and seeing you in something so skimpy drove him insane

engaging in pastime murders with him (!IF THATS UR THING)

leisurely drinks, late nights waiting for him to come to bed, reading beside him, dancing to jazz by the bar

him letting you wear his blazer when you’re cold (wearing a dress)

austin sommers:

watching him at late hours, writing away in his notebook and drinking. you wrap your arms around him and he kisses your forehead, repeatedly telling you he needed to finish this before november.

halloween themed karaoke at the bar, in which he holds eye contact with you and eventually drags you on stage.

cuddling on the couch and watching hocus pocus over and over (it’s his favorite halloween movie.)

late nights drinking before going home and drunkenly eating the leftover pumpkin pie in the fridge while giggling uncontrollably.

peter maximoff:

watching him speed through piles of leaves, creating a tornado of red, brown, and orange hues, giggling to yourself as other students get frustrated with him

going trick or treating even though you both are way too old for it

watching his kleptomania at work as he takes all the candy from the “take one” bowls, haphazardly using his mutation out in a random neighborhood

watching community and—to your luck—landing on the halloween episode and giggling at the coincidence

listening to classic rock as you get ready to go out, but he pulls you back onto the bed for more cuddles (“baby please i need you… don’t go out yet…”)

play fighting on the bed

alex (adult world):

giggling as the halloween issues of different porno magazines ship to the store, judging the horrible costumes with him

him teaching you how to bake, you clinging to his side as he tries to work around you, being successful in his efforts.

studying for midterms during work, hoping alex doesn’t catch you off duty (it’s happened plenty of times)

watching the first snow together while leaving work, trying to catch the first snowflakes on your tongue 

going to mini-parties at Rubia’s apartment and planning group halloween costumes that include a couple for you and alex

[simp-ly-writes]

Friend of the Captain (pt.3)

Pairing: Edward "Eddie" Horniman x afab!Reader

Summary: Fate keeps pulling its strings, but your's and Eddies appear to be drifting further and further apart- only to see one another at weddings or funerals. But maybe one day, luck will be in your side and then something beautiful can flourish (with a side of cash, of course).

Warnings: 5000~ words, language and light teasing, angst (emotional, alcohol and drug usage, dark thoughts) to fluff, jealousy, and pining (of course).

A/N: Apologies for the wait everyone! A few timings changed but I need plot- okay.

Masterlist | Taglist Request | somewhat un-edited.

(pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3)

↳ "...you're the best friend I could have ever asked for," your words stung, shattering Eddie's heart beyond repair as his face twitched before hiding it in your palm. He made a promise as a child, to always have you in his life yet even as you got closer together, the more he realized how far apart your both were as that moment became a mere distant memory. Eddie was needy for more yet you had already packed up your bags, closed the estate for the summer and went off to find new inspiration worldwide.

↳ He ended up reading a few of the gossip articles his mother left on the coffee table one morning, hot pink, zoomed in features and question marks galore as you walked around in beach wear with another man on your arm. He gripped the magazine, throwing it back on the table before packing his bags and returning back to base.

↳ When Christmas came around once again, you were not at the estate- a newfound tradition it seemed yet your gifts were still left under the tree, perfectly wrapped with each Horniman getting a gift. Eddie looked at the professionally wrapped gift, chuckling to himself at the childish wrapping paper you always insisted on using. This Christmas it was a bunch of little green cars with elf's behind the wheel.

Tearing into the gift, Eddie pauses as he slowly turns the box open to find a custom engraved watch. Flipping it backwards, his finger traces over the engraving- "Always." His mother peers over his shoulder, smiling from ear to ear as she inspects the jewelry. "I'm jealous, Edward," she teases, as Charlotte mockingly coo's- loving as her brother's cheeks paint themselves a pinkish hue. Freddy is already drowning himself in the new bottle of liquor your most recent boyfriend was the owner of its production before Tammy demands her own fair share of the drink.

--

↳ More years had passed and it was September already. You had yet to go back to dating, stepping away from romance scene at the current news that rocked your world, sending you crashing towards the floor as you fell into your office chair. Gripping your hair, tears streamed endlessly from your eyes as one of your assistants rapidly books the private jet back home to England- both of your parents were just announced dead to the public before you had known privately.

They were on a charity meeting with local schools and had crashed in their helicopter- dying instantly. You felt sick, seeing their bodies broadcasted over live television, smoke exiting from the aircraft as you lunged towards the toilets and threw up your lunch. "The plane has been booked, ma'am," your assistant calls from behind the door as you dress in full black and head towards the airstrip.

↳ You were surprised to find a series of reporters already waiting for you on the runway. Putting on your newest mock-design of sunglasses- it was going to be your first break into another market. Lights flashed in your face, hands racing to pull you into their microphones and endless questions yet the airport staff were not trained for a mob of this size.

They bursted through, making you fall towards the ground as you curled up into a ball- doing your best to avoid being trampled further. You quickly worked your hands through your pockets, clicking the power button thrice in quick succession as your first emergency contact was called and before you knew it- Freddy and Tammy were bursting through the crowd, fists raised as reporters fled the scene.

They were dressed in head to toe in black, ready to take you back towards your family's estate and to the funeral. You stood at the front, head tipped low as your flowing black dress drifted in the crisp cold air. It clung to your bones, finding any skin you had yet to hide as you silently cried, head leaning towards Charlottes already waiting presence as she whispered her condolences to you before pulling away.

You blinked rapidly, doing your best to dry your cheeks as a warm body at your back had you raising an eyebrow, especially when their arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you into a strong hug as your skin became tickled by their stubble. "I came as soon as I could," Eddie spoke over the wind, watching as everyone started making their way towards their cars as light rainfall began to come down.

You turned yourself around in his arms, cries turning into laughter as you shook your head into his shoulder, hands gripping the fabric of his suit, threatening to tear it apart just as you forced yourselves apart. You shook your head, taking another step back as you continued to laugh, Eddie took a large stride forward, head lowering in worry- trying to catch your eyes as your hair began to fall over your face. Taking a sharp sniffle you spoke in even tones, "We only see each other at weddings or funerals, Edward."

"Darling I-" you hold up a hand, shaking your head once more as you take another step back, Eddie moves forward as you dance around one another, rain falling heavier as you walk yourself under a tree canopy. "I made a promise to my father years ago, he wanted me to stop talking with you- begged me on his deathbed that I was unknowing of recently. I made a compromise of being friends yet... If these are the times we find each... Edward I-"

"Please, don't call me Edward," Eddie cuts you off, heart racing as he processes the information you speak. I always knew that old man hated me from the start, business over pleasure any day of the week, Eddie thought to himself. Hands now grasping your shaking shoulders as you can't support yourself with the overwhelming grief- falling forward into his arms. "Eddie," you whisper out in a pleading tone yet unknowing of what you wanted.

Before you both could think further on the subject, your lawyers were demanding of your presence to sign the papers, as the only child of your parents. You were the Duchess of the estate now as the endless sea of documents and hearings suggested. And those small hugs and words sat still underneath that tree, rooted in place as Eddie got called back to work and in the trauma of it all, you were glad everyone left- wanted everyone to leave you alone.

The cameras everywhere started to become too much, the people constantly checking in- tip-toeing around you, as if you would break with their soft tones and bittersweet, pity-filled smiles that mocked the constant aching of your heart and mind. Articles floated around, showing old pictures, telling the world of how you were living the high life with dead money but you had money, you had fame, before this all and now, you wanted to escape it all.

--

↳ That man you were with was an old picture, that boat party was in early spring and that engagement ring was false news as you threw your phone across the room as it shattered against the tiles. In reality you were sat in your bathtub, barley breathing above the water. You have been feeling an overwhelming numbness in your present and soon enough, you were pulling at everything to just FEEL something these days.

Looking down at your hand, the family crest engraved ring upon your finger sat heavy as you came to realize what such titles costed. Someone was yelling your name from the other side of the door, pounding against the heavy wood as you sunk under, watching the bubbles of your breath break the surface of the water above.

You close your eyes, emptying your lungs before coming back up to the surface and clearing the hair from your eyes. You drain the tub, wet feet pattering against the marble floors and towards the vanity- your gear already waiting for you as you got strapped in and flung the door open.

↳ Determine to FEEL you tested drugs, tested alcohol but they both lost their kick. You tried sleeping around again yet could never get off, so you drove down country streets as fast as you could, jumped out of planes, flung yourself off cliffs and climbed up mountains.

↳ Your business was running in the background as you let it run itself. You sent all the staff home for the remainder of the year with their wages at the estate as you walked the line between fear and adrenaline.

↳ Sabrina had called you after receiving news of you being in the hospital. You had fractured your shoulder from a skiing incident, you smiled through the drugs, holding a thumbs up for the picture as she cried at the image. You looked so lifeless with those eyes, your skin appearing grey as a walking corpse yet you could care less. People still wanted to sleep with you, to "live that high life" and you allowed them to just as every paper told you to.

↳ What surprised you was seeing Freddy out of all people telling you off by your bedside. Tammy nowhere to be seen as he gripped your hand- pleading. You look at him blankly in the eyes, almost falling asleep to what you have heard a thousand times before. Yet there is one question that catches you off guard, your neck straining as you quickly look away to hide the tears beginning to stream down your face.

"W-What would Eddie think of you right now? He's off somewhere, probably getting shot at- thinkin' that his job was ensuringhis girl is safe at home. What a fuckin' joke (name), if you are gonna listen to anything I say, know that you are a joke- and thats coming from the definition of it."

You shake your head, now playing with the various cords in your hands, threatening to rip them out as you choke back a sob. "I'm sorry, Freddy, I'm so sorry for being such a fuckin' mess," you sputter between your lips, taking shallow breaths as your heart monitor rapidly beeps, nurses running into the room as Freddy stands up from his seat as positions himself at the foot of your bed.

"Yeah, well saying you are is a great step, now make something of it because I can't deal with all these crying people. Fathers health is gone- I think this is it..."

--

↳ Under a year later, Eddies father had passed. You remember never driving more of a wildly than then down the country roads, almost clipping a gate in the process as you opened the door with your own key. Staggering into the new dukes office and sitting by the fire once more as you held his head in your lap, he clenched onto your waist- crying before a knock at the door had him switching back off, hardened exterior as if nothing happened.

↳ You stood up quickly, brushing off your clothes and nodded to him with pained eyes and shaking hands. Your heart burned, wanting to help yet the hollowed look he sent you with the tip of his head was enough to have you swiftly out the door and here you were, dressed in black again as Eddie stood beside you, face hardened while carrying his father to the hole in the ground and while making no move to touch you. You stepped a bit closer to his side once seeing the woman from across the fence looking intently at you both, please make it not be another reporter.

↳ Eddie folded, wrapping an arm around your torso as he pulled you under his long coat- thinking you to be cold as you gripped his hip, turning your head away from their stares and whispered a prayer, setting your bundle of flowers against the grave as Eddie make his own remarks. You both going inside the home.

↳ Sabrina openly sobbed into your shoulder, this is the first time she had seen you since your most recent accident as she whispered in your ear, albeit a bit loudly- perhaps on purpose as Eddie's head snapped over to the both of you- pausing his conversation with Tammy. "I am so thankful that you are alive."

"Why wouldn't they be, mother?" Edward questions, looking between you both with the most remorse he has shown today. Your eyes snap down to his wrist as he plays with the watch you gifted him a few holidays ago. "I don't think this is my thing to speak about, Edward." And with that, she picks up her drink and strides over to the table as the lawyer stands, emptying various files from their brief case to the table.

Memories flash through your minds before Eddie holds your hand, you intertwine your fingers together, giving it a light swing while being unable to look at him in the eyes as you play with the ring on his finger. "I lost myself, Eddie. I-I'm still a bit lost really... I'm getting better- promise just, I fucked up."

"Hey, look at me, darling, look at me, (name)," Edward calls out to you, using his other hand to pick up your chin as you blink away tears. He presses a kiss to your forehead, using a soft tone, "and we will find you again, promise."

↳ Eddie was later pulled away from you as you made your silent escape and exited the room, Eddie becoming drowned in those all-too-familiar papers. You were un-noticing to Sabrinas thoughtful look as you exited the house just as fate would have it for the two of you, so close yet ever-so far.

Geoff was already standing by the front door, tipping his hat towards you as you playfully bowed back- engine roaring back to life as he knocked on your window. Rolling it down with a charming smile, "Everythin' alright Geoff?"

"Yes, my Lady. Just curious- you're not stayin'?"

"Oh... no... I think... never mind," you stutter, smile fluttering as he hums out in reply. "We hope to see you around more often your grace, mother misses you like her own," you nod politely, "I will do my best to then," you state before rolling back up your window and rolling out back down those country roads.

↳ That day Edward Horniman was established as the Duke of Halstead. The news once again meeting your phone screen rather than the word of those close to you.

--

↳ You wish you could say that you saw one another right after that, but after you made a spontaneous visit to the Halstead manor. The staff members look panicked as they speedily greeted you and tried to move you towards the seating room as you shook them off. Placing your bags by the door before walking further down the hall and towards the office. You looked through the french doors, heart dropping as that woman you had seen earlier flashed Eddie a charming grin.

Sabrina clapped her hands joyfully at whatever had been said as childish jealousy ran rampant in your chest. You glared at the woman, her face tilted away from yours, everyone unknowing of your presence before you walked calmly back down the hall. Picking up your bags with your head held high, the various staff members chased after you, "How about you stay for tea miss? Oh, I'm sure the Duke will be overjoyed to have you stay, Could I bring you bags upstairs for you?"

You sent everyone a small sad smile, their heads dropping down as they silently understood your decision. You dropped your bags back into the boot of your car, slamming the door close as you drove back down the gravel roads. Luna chasing after your car with a wagging tail.

Edwards meeting had finished as he dismissed everyone from the room, standing while taking a sip of his tea- his heart lunged forwards at the sight of your car driving away. He hastily placed his drink down, running down the stairs as his mother called out to him, warning him of the cold weather that morning yet as he opened the door, he could no longer see your car and that door shut just as quickly.

--

↳ You would try again to see Eddie, yet that woman was always seen right beside him. There was some dark part of you that hoped Eddie would never go back to dating, that you could be selfish yet it would be unfair as you had done your fair share of it. Unknowing to the pain Eddie kept to himself seeing you so happy with someone else. It seemed to him the only times he ever got to see you was when it rained and rained it did.

↳ You took a ride around the estate, really both of your estates since no formal fences were placed. You strode over the overside of the pond, eyes squinted at the sight of the woman once more falling in step with Eddie as Luna raced between their feet. You continued your ride, looking up to the grey gloomy skies with distaste and the next moment you looked back across, they all were gone - if just by your imagination.

--

↳ You were dressed to the nines, a flowing emerald gown drifting off each curve of your body, emphasizing your natural features as you swirled around the crowds of hungry business men and jealous wives as you picked up a champagne glass from a walking tray and returned to Mr. Johnston's side.

↳ A hand written and delivered invitation graced your doorstep, too tempting to refuse- it had been sometime since you last stepped into the spotlight and done yourself up, and so you went all out. You showcased your newest jewellery line- finally finding more inspiration the more times you reminisced around your inherited property.

↳ A rather bizarre relationship you held with Mr. Johnston as well, as he had tried to purchase your land yet smiled and waved away his deal like a fleeting thought. Mr. Johnston have given you many expensive gifts since them to keep your company with him- adoring your intelligence in everything accessory or business related as you reviewed materials for him as a side-gig and token of friendship

↳ You swayed lightly to the music as he introduced to you hundreds of faces, beyond impressed that me managed to remember the names and family connections of them all. You smiled politely, kissing cheeks and making small talk before being led to the next person, ignoring the stares as they watched you from behind- gown drifting away with you.

↳ Much to your surprise, you were being introduced to the Duke of Halstead himself yet for once you were not most interested in Eddie but the woman that stood ever-so elegantly by his side.

"Susie Glass, its an honour your grace," she said politely, red lipstick curving up into a small smile as you shook hands lightly, swiftly dropping your connection before Eddie picked up your hand, pressing a delicate kiss to the back of it. You both maintained eye-contact as he did so, never wavering before Johnston coughed, and you tipped your head down, a smile fighting against your lips as did Eddies.

With your gaze down, you ignored the rather pushing tones of both parties, focused on the small red liquid, is that blood?, starting to form at the edge of Eddie's shirt. You shifted your weight to stand closer to him, starting to open your mouth to question before Mr. Johnston was calling your name.

"You never told me, duchess that you and the duke had grown up together, what a wonderful sight to see two friends reconnecting. If you will Ms. Glass, I think we should allow them so time to reunite," Johnston comments, eyeing the closing distance between yours and Eddies forms as you blink a thanks to him as he leads Susie towards the bar.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, your grace?" you tease out, hands drifting up his chest to fix his jacket. You hold him there as his eyes quickly flash down to your lips and back up towards your eyes. Your head tilting, well that has changed....

"Can I not admire the dress? It has been some time since we have last seen each other like this. What was it, when we were 20-something?" You instantly remember that night, cheeks a hard red as you blindly follow Eddie down the hall and into an empty room, the door clicks locked as you become lost in the memory.

--

Eddie had pushed you up against a wall, the paintings swinging almost off their nails as your own scraped against his roots, ensuring that yours lips stayed on one another in a passionate kiss. The shoulder of your dress began to fall as did Eddie's lips, trailing down your chin, to your throat where he sucked a bruise as you softly moaned in his ear.

It was so wrong, you had a boyfriend waiting for you back at university, it was your childhood best friend- the one you promised your father never to be with and yet as he picked you up, hands feeling up your dress and pushed you onto a bed. It never felt so right.

Eddie climbed on top of you, smashing his lips onto your own once more as you whimpered and moaned as he chuckled, shushing you lighting before continuing his attack. You began to unbuttoned his shirt. Nails working down his abs as you smirked to the sound of his breath hitching as you created your own markings to his neck.

Nothing more ever came from your heated make-out sessions or hook-ups. Always resulting in being, "good friends" with one another who needed help...

"Everything alright there, darling?" Eddies baritone voice pulled you out of the memory as you his chest pressed flat against your bare back where your dress dripped. His hands on your hips, his head on your shoulder as you both swayed back and forth lightly.

You pick your hand up, placing it on top of his hands on your waist, circling around each bloody knuckle with concern. "What have you not been telling me, Eddie?" that you love me, your brain pleads to finish for him yet you hold your tongue, bitting your lip from saying anything more.

Eddie hums deeply into your ear as goosebumps coat over your skin, gods you feel like such a horny teenager. But to be fair, that would be the last time you were romantically involved. "I think I will need a few more drinks before I become an open book but, I have been busy in managing my fathers... businesses."

You step away from his touch, gathering distance, eyes firm, "I know what your family does, Edward. Longer than you apparently. I believe it to be the reason why my father never wanted me settling with someone like you-"

"Someone like me?" Eddie challenges. "Do you even have the faintest idea of what Mr. Johnston has done, what your previous boyfriends have done?-"

"Yes, I do. And that should make you understand why I still decide to come back to you, after everything," you finish with, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs by an unlit fireplace as Eddie stands in front of you, undoing his jacket with a hiss as you tut him off in a posh tone.

"Why, Edward-dear, it appears you are the one learning new ideas, would you like some help with that?" You tease out, watching as his shirt turns a deeper red. Edwards rolls his eyes playfully at you as you drink up the sight of this beautiful man, even when bleeding and threatening to stain the designer rug underneath you both.

You kneel lean forward, slowly unbuttoning his shirt as Eddie un-do's his bowtie, it hangs off his shoulders as you dress the wound with the supplies sat conveniently waiting on a nearby shelf. "Arms up now, captain," you playfully command as Eddie complies.

"Never knew you to be such a bossy one," Edward sarcastically comments, looking down at the top of your head fondly. You look up at him through your lashes, blinking twice before continuing your work. "And I never knew you to be bedding your associates-"

A knock at the door sounds as Eddies delicate look before a glare, enforcing that you both would speak about the topic later as you wipe your hands and lean back in the chair, smiling at the women as Eddie leans down, pressing a kiss to your cheek in thanks as he straightens his clothes out.

"Hello, Susan," the Duke greets the once mysterious lady as you look between the two of them, jealousy brewing in your stomach once more, your hands itching to hold on to some part of Eddie once more. "What have you done to him, duchess?" Susie asks you, hands presses and leaning forwards against the back of a chair opposite of yours.

You smile gracefully at the woman, beginning to stand yet as you approach her, Eddie softly grasps your wrist, holding you in place. "Well, by the looks of it. He has been shot- what have you been doing with him, Susie?" you fire back.

"Nothing-"

"Really then?" you cut her off with a scoff as you wiggle your hand from Eddies grasp, moving towards the door, you can hear multiple people moving in the hallway as you curse out, your dress spotted with blood. "Alright then, I think it's time for a sharing circle then..."

--

"You killed a man?" you ask calmly as Eddie slowly nods his head. "That was something I did- yes-"

"and by the sounds of it, it will not be your last... or hers..." you reply, head leaned into your hand as you found yourself seated once more. The party-goers were dying by the hour as you all soon made your speedy walks back towards your cars.

--

You joined Eddie that night, helping to redress the wound, dress him for the night, pouring you both another few drinks before pulling him into bed. What surprised you most was his tight grip on your waist as he pulled you down beside him. "Eddie I am not dressed for bed," you spoke softly, not wishing to awake anyone near.

"Sleep naked, wouldn't be the first time-"

You covered his mouth with your hand, shaking it away as he gave it a playful kiss. You heart lunged at the memory of a moment similar to this when you had just been cheated on. Yet you ultimately decide to make yourself comfortable, just as the last, kicking off your shoes but deciding to stare at the side of his face illuminated by the dying embers of the fireplace.

"You know, I think I have had enough drinks for tonight," Eddie comments as you hum out, eyes falling heavy as you press your head into your pillow for the night, taking a deep breath in- "I love you, (name). I've said it so many times to myself that it surprises me to sound so right saying it aloud," you are wide awake now, exhaling heavily as your legs twist together underneath the covers.

"I thought you were with Ms. Glass," you speak in a meek tone, not wanting your heart to explode twice, only one of you can be injured at a time. Edward chuckles, head shaking as he looks at you, brown eyes staring deeply into your own, "Well that same woman told me not to sleep with the help, I'm just taking her advice."

"Well she sounds like a very smart lady then, leaving all the more for me," you tease out, lips pressed together as you eye his own. Eddie leans forward, humming out as your lips connect, your hand finding the back of his head before a hiss escapes between his lips and you rapidly pull back.

"Oh shit, sorry," you apologize, looking under the covers to see your knee brushing into his bruised side. "You can always kiss it better," Eddie retorts as you roll your eyes and press a peck to his lips. "whats that supposed to solve?" And soon you both are up into the early morning hours.

--

When you awakened the next morning, having breakfast together in the study, you nearly spat our your tea with the words that escaped Eddies lips, "Would you help me steal a car if I asked politely?"

A smirk meets a smile as you tap your chin in mock-contemplation. "sure" you shrug, pulling the man into another kiss with a chuckle. And thus kicked off the rest of your lives together with a healthy side of cash.

--

Bonus:

↳ Lady Sabrina brought flowers and a bottle of wine to your mothers grave for a chit chat. She poured out to glasses, sitting one by the tombstone as she commented on the nutty taste of the substance.

"I was right in the end, you know. They are a rather marvellous couple and you really should have ended things with that husband of yours. My boy was only ever the most substantial choice, rather embarrassing to think otherwise."

Sabrina could imagine your mother glaring down at her, slipping her the bird while maintaining a pleasant smile. But in due time she would await that interaction as she sipped her wine, embracing victory as she squinted across the field watching as you and Eddie did shooting practice near the woods with a satisfied hum.

(pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3)

↳ Taglist: @daffodilstark @leavemeslowly @iamasimpingh0e @kneelarmhstrung

↳ A/N: I think thats a wrap for Friend of the Captain... but definitely not for my writing on the Gentlemen (2024)!

[johnwickb1tsch]

Vino Veritas - Part II

A Destination Wedding Frank x Fem!Reader Fic

Attending the wedding of your ex-fiancé gets slightly better when you meet someone having just as miserable a time as you... Warnings: Nothing too serious holy shit. Cursing. Broken engagement. Nihilism, existential bullshit, copious amounts of sarcasm. Eventual nsfw, not this chapter. Angst. Grump/sunshine trope. Loosely based on the movie but I'm not that smart. Or bitter. 😆 chapter map.

II. The Interminable Fucking Car Ride

“So…what do you do?”

“I run the marketing department for JD Power.”

“The car trophy people?”

“That’s a magazine.”

“Ah. So you’re the grand architect of big corporate’s bid to tell us what to think while slyly taking all our money.”

He snorts. “Only those who are incapable of thinking for themselves. Somehow, that doesn’t seem to apply to you.”

If you squint, that almost felt like he was paying you a compliment.

“So, what do you do?” he asks in turn.  

You don’t know why you’re almost embarrassed to tell him. “I run an art gallery/gift shop on the beach in Playa Bonita.”

He blinks, those lovely dark eyes fixed on you for a moment. “Of course you do.”

“What does that mean?”

He huffs a little. It almost sounds wistful, but then he frowns, utterly fucking ruining the moment.  “You just look the type.”

You’re not sure why that stings…or why you even give a fuck.

The Fucking Rehearsal Dinner

“I’ve never really understood the point of the rehearsal dinner. Is eating so hard we really have to rehearse it?”

You sense an almost twitch of the corner of Frank’s mouth. They have stuck you together at a table in the far back. The black sheep who they felt they had to invite, but didn’t really want to.

“Not to miss the opportunity to make the groom’s parents spend unnecessary money too?” Frank offers.

“Fair to spread the misery, I guess.”

“Didn’t you sue Keith over this shit?”

“My parents did. They lost thirty thousand dollars in deposits.”

“Jesus fucking Christ. No one should spend that kind of money on a wedding.”

“Strangely, I agree with you now. I didn’t know any better at the time.” You’d been so young, you could hardly even fathom how much thirty-thousand dollars was.

Your parents had been happy at the time with the prospect of marrying you off to Keith. He’d been successful, charming, and outwardly doting on you. They never really thought you had much going on your own, so they probably thought he was the best you could do. The thought still hurts, more than it should.

“I mean,” you blurt, “Did you know who you are or what you wanted when you were 20?”

“Of course not.”

“He was my whole world. When he dumped me. It...it really fucked me up.” You don't know why you're admitting this to this near total stranger. There is just something about his forthright manner that demands honesty. 

“Ah well, join the club. My father tried to shoot me once, if it makes you feel any better.”

You blink. “He tried to shoot you?”

“Yes. With a gun.”

“What did you do?”

“I ran at him.”

“You ran at him? Not away from him?”

“Yeah. Well, I was pissed off. He tried to shoot me again, but I got the gun away from him and hit him with it. Broke his orbital bone. He said I was the accumulation of all his bad decisions. He started to cry and begged me to kill him. I didn’t, only because I didn’t want to fuck my whole life up. The poor bastard jumped out the seventh floor the next day.”

Before you can stop yourself you reach out to place your hand on his on the table.

Before he can stop himself, his long fingers close around yours.

This connection endures for precisely 1.5 seconds before he shakes you off.

“I’m fine.”

“I don’t think your fine.”

“Fine, I’m all fucked up, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

You sigh, sinking down in your chair, embarrassed. Why did you touch him? What were you thinking?

“I guess we’re in the club together,” you answer miserably.

You feel him looking at you out the corner of his eye. There is a weight to this man’s gaze. It’s not unpleasant, just…you feel as though he sees everything.

“I feel like we should get at least decoder rings or something,” he grumbles.

The bride and groom make their entrance, interrupting whatever acerbic thing you were going to say next. You watch as they make their way through the crowd, basking in the glow of being the center of attention. Keith always loved that shit. You hate to admit, that his bride to be is a solid stone cold foxy 10. The kind of woman that men will trip over themselves for as they walk down the street.

You weren’t bad looking but you’d never had that kind of power.

If you wanted to trip a man, you had to do the dirty work and actually stick out your foot.

“Oh, look at us, let us presume to inconvenience you with the ostentatious display of our love,” you mock quietly in a mousy little falsetto.

It actually makes Frank laugh. At least, you think it’s a laugh. Maybe it was indigestion.

He joins in, though forgoing the funny voice, “And we’re conceited enough to think we’re actually different from the rest of the human race, and our love will last forever and ever…”

You’re enjoying this malicious bit of fun, but there is something in the way that he says it that makes you pause. “You don’t think love can ever last?” you ask.

He snorts. “Well, he doesn’t. I heard the prenup she had to sign was brutal,” he tells you.

 “Poor thing.”

“You really feel sorry for her?”

“Slightly?”

“Are you going to say hello?”

You sigh. “I guess I fucking better.”

You slowly make to stand, the chair screeching under you. “Give ‘em hell, kid.”

You flip Frank the bird as you go, and hear that peculiar strangled sound that must pass for his outward expression of mirth.

Dumb ass free shit you would never do on your own

"I spoke to the bride last night."

“Indeed?”

You’ve had pedicures before, but you’ve never sprung for a professional foot massage, and you have to admit it feels pretty good. It totally surprised you to find Frank there, but he’d informed you unashamedly that he can’t resist free shit. You find that amusing, considering he’s obviously comfortable, if not outright rich.

Maybe that’s how he stays that way.

“Yes, and she told me she doesn’t mind that you’re here, and she’s not threatened by you.”

You snort at that, taking a long sip of your iced latte.

“At least, I think she meant you. She’s dumb as a box of rocks, it was hard to tell who or what she was talking about at times.”

You sigh at hearing that. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to soothe my feelings.”

It’s his turn to snort. “Merely reporting facts, I assure you. If you still feel badly about Keith and have not managed to move on to one of the other 8 billion people on this planet, then there is no helping you.”

“Is that your method for getting over a bad breakup?” He makes it sound so easy, you cannot help but roll your eyes at him.

“No, I have opted out of that shit show. It makes me uniquely qualified to offer comment on your own situation.”

You tilt you head in confusion, looking over at him. “You’ve…opted out of what? Dating? Romance? Marriage?”

“All of the above. It never ends well, as I have learned from watching my mother’s train wreck of a life as she blithely stumbled between marriages and boyfriends and suitors.”

“That’s so sad,” you blurt before you can stop yourself.

If you hadn’t already started to learn this man’s gestures, you would have missed the way he stiffened slightly, staring fixedly down at his feet.

“How many times have you been in love?” he asks.

You think about it, and regret the answer. “Just the once.” With Keith, the asshole. Any one who came after didn’t have much luck getting over the wall you built to protect yourself from another heartbreak.

He looks at you then, and you are pinned by those chocolate brown eyes, that for once seem earnest rather than annoyed. “What’s it like?”

The fact that this man, who is at least ten if not fifteen years your elder, is asking you tears your heart into little bits of confetti.  

“It’s like going insane,” you answer truthfully, and he looks back down, frowning.

“I thought so.”

***

You are standing in your inflatable body bumpers together on the sidelines, declining to partake in this insane sport, content to watch the others attempt to inflict cervical injuries on themselves and others.

The question is eating at you, and you decide what the hell. What’s he going to do? Be mean to you?

“So, you’ve never been in love?”

“I don’t think so,” he answers, frowning, though it’s the same frown he’s been wearing for the past hour watching the idiots running around the field.

“Believe me, you would know.”

“Do insane people know they’re insane?”

“Ok, maybe that was a bad comparison. It’s…total surrender.”

“Wow, you’re really talking it up.”

“It is though. You have these special feelings for a person, and you just know whatever they do to you, it won’t matter, because you’ll still care for them.”

“It doesn’t matter, until it does matter.”

“Some people have higher tolerances for pain than others.”

“If you loved Keith you could probably take a Caesar-style stabbing without flinching.”

You’re not sure how exactly to respond to that.

“At any rate. I prefer to avoid pain rather than withstand it. My parents inflicted quite enough. No need to spread it around.”

“Alright, I get it that your parents sufficiently traumatized you, with the failed marriages and the…shooting thing. But doesn’t there come a point where you have to let it go and rise above it?”

“I don’t see any reason to.”

“Think about all your missing out on though.”

“What exactly is that?”

“You know…human connection. The things that make life worth living.”

“Jesus, are you sure you don’t work for Hallmark?”

“Positive.”

“I bet you sell rocks in your shop that have inspirational words carved in them.”

“Of course I do. The markup on those things is astronomical.”

You see him smirk out the corner of his eye.

“I bet you also sell little statues of big-eyed children slinging bible verses.”

“Ohhh, now those are fighting words, sir.” You bump him lightly with your inflatable tutu, making him shuffle a step. For a fleeting moment, you catch a hint of a smile, and it feels like a resounding victory.

Feeling bold, you fix him with an earnest stare. “You claim you’ve opted out of this mess. But what if you meet someone you really like?”

“Then I should probably run swiftly in the opposite direction,” he says, paying you a side-eyed look.

Five minutes later, he does quit the field, though he doesn’t quite run from it. You tell your self that it’s just a coincidence, and that he was just done standing in a polyvinyl orb in this heat.

But deep down…there is the tiniest kindling of something in your heart, and you know you should kick dirt over that shit and stomp on it.

You don’t, and you carry a ridiculous little light feeling with you as you return to the hotel.

It feels like you swallowed a butterfly.

[mzxixi]

SUPERSTAR

──────────────────────

𓍯𓂃Sakusa Kiyoomi x model!Reader

after years of being outshined by his teammates Sakusa Kiyoomi needed a solution. The solution? Its you. Y/n L/n a model who is gaining popularity daily is just the perfect opportunity for him to get his name on the headlines. Will she be the root to his success or will she be the cause of his down fall?!

Tags/warnings: nothing much other than drinking

Note: this took so long cuz I’ve been rlly busy lately. Don’t mind any grammar mistakes English is not my first language🥹.Let me know if you want to be added into the tag list

──────────────────────Masterlist ~ next chapter ──────────────────────

It wasn’t new to him. Seeing his teammates on the news and all over social media except for him. It’s not like he has never received any attention but compared to his teammates he felt out of place. What can he do to get his name out there? Why do they get most of the attention?. Sighing as he put his phone down. “Hey Omi-omi you’re still here?” A blond setter sat next to him which irritated him even more. He thought he could finally be alone in the locker room but no.

“When’s your flight?” The blond asks. Sakusa did not want to answer him or even talk to him he let out a sigh “ 4 in the morning” his tone of voice was enough to let the other man know he wasn’t in the mood for a conversation. Atsumu got up grabbing his things from his locker before leaving Sakusa alone. “Have fun in new york”

“Thanks” he knew it was going to be the opposite of fun

What was there to like about bunch of models walking down the runway probably half naked

5 in the morning. It was too early for him to be waking up but there he was boarding his plane half awake and was reading to sleep throughout the whole flight. Luckily his seat was comfortable enough.

5 hours into the flight. He woke up to see his cousin reading a Magazine. Why did Komori had to follow him and why were they on the same flight. “I can’t believe this chick lives in Japan?” Noticing Sakusa was awake he tried to make conversation. “I don’t even see her on the front cover of our magazines” Sakusa hummed before closing his eyes again.

11 hours. They landed in New York . After arriving at their hotel all Sakusa wanted to do was rest but komori had other plans. “Let’s go grab dinner”. Right he wasn’t alone on this trip. Thankfully he doesn’t have to share a room. Feeling hungry himself he agreed.

They did not make reservations beforehand. They were told They had to wait 20 minutes before they were seated. Waiting outside Sakusa was getting impatient. He was about to leave until he was cameras flashing. They were all pointed towards a black sedan. Exiting the car was a face he had never seen before. The cameras flashed rapidly with some paparazzi desperate trying to get her attention. “She’s even prettier up close” he heard his cousin whispered. “That’s the girl I saw on the magazine. The one I showed you”

“Y/n can I take a photo with you?” a girl beside him asked. He wasn’t exactly judging her but why does she have to be so excited about meeting some unknown celebrity on the streets of New York . He did not notice he was eyeing the both of you until your gaze met his smiling at him.He did not even return your smile.

What’s so interesting about this girl?

──────────────────────

To say you were nervous was an understatement. You were excited and anxious. This is your first fashion show outside of Japan who would’ve thought you’ve made it this far. Certainly not you. But with your parents being highly respected individuals you weren’t surprised they probably bribe someone to get your name out there. But it doesn’t really matter to you because as far as you know today you will be a model for Dior.

“I met a guy yesterday” you said to your manager. “Y/n sit still and let emmy do her job” your manager pointed at your hairstylist. Emmy chuckled “no it’s ok. Continue miss y/n”. Your manager rolled her eyes before letting you continue. “I did not actually meet up with him” you started “we just crossed path and he happens to be standing right next to a fan I was taking photos with” you couldn’t really remember much other than his attractiveness. “But I smiled at him and he doesn’t seem to like me much” you express.

“So he’s a total stranger” your hairdresser spoke up before Akiko could. You were sure you are not going to see him again so you brushed it off and changed the topic. “I wonder what dress I am going to wear” you haven’t seen your outfit yet and you were excited to see it. “It’s beautiful” your manager says as she took a sip of her coffee. “So beautiful it’ll make that guy wish he had smiled at you back” you let out a laugh at your manager words.

She wasn’t lying when she said the dress you were wearing is beautiful. The dress you are wearing is a black lace dress that will surely capture the eyes of your audience. “Am I old enough to wear a dress this short?” The dress was surely too short but who cares.

You were beyond nervous Scared that you will mess up and ruin your whole career. In a few seconds you were about to make a name for yourself.

Walking down the runway wasn’t so bad. You just had to mind your step and make yourself look presentable. You could tell the audience loved your dress looking at each one of them you were happy they were pleased by how you looked but one particular audience caught you off guard.

It was him. The guy you saw the other night. Same curly hair and stoic expression.

You nearly messed up when you saw him. Who was he? Was he some kind of celebrity you don’t know off? What ever it is you were surely going to find out who he is.

“You did so good out there darling” your mom greeted you with a hug. “Be more careful next time I saw you nearly mess things up” she said strictly. Did she come here to praise you or lecture you. You messed up because of a guy but you weren’t going to tell her that.You weren’t in the mood to deal with all her lectures “it’s my first time and I got nervous” you cleared things up. Your mom had always been strict with you. Always wanted you to be a model and even having a strict diet for you which you had to obey majority of your life. She always find a way to push you way past your limits and you were growing tired of her

“Whatever I’ll see you at the hotel” she kissed ur cheeks before leaving.

──────────────────────

New York felt like a dream come true you couldn’t believe how this city can be so bright and full of life even during the late hours. You wanted to have some fun here but the problem is your mother. You hated how she won’t even let you have some time for yourself here.

You couldn’t believe you were here with someone like your mother. Dragging your feet along the hotel lobby you stumble upon someone familiar. A model who you met earlier. Amelia Martinez. “Y/n,surprised to see you here” you were surprised too. Surprised she even noticed you. Amelia was a senior with much more experience than you. She was tall,beautiful and had the perfect characteristics to be a model. Who wouldn’t be jealous of her.

“Amelia” you forced yourself to greet her. To tired to even deal with anyone right now. You noticed that she was all dressed up ready to go out. Out of curiosity you gathered up the courage to ask her which to your surprised she answered excitedly “I’m just heading to the club down the street” she answered cheerfully “do you want to come with me? It’ll be lonely if I go there by myself” was she really inviting you to hand out with her?

This was the perfect opportunity to enjoy your time here in new York and to get away from your mother for at least a couple of hours. Without thinking twice you went with her in what ever clothes you were wearing.

Amelia turned out to be better than you expected. She was open minded and out going. “And that’s how I became a model” her story made you feel a wave of jealousy rush over you. She had always wanted to become a model and had all of her familys support while you never had anyone’s support and all you got was a pushy mother who wanted “the best” for you. “You’re off to a great start y/n” her words sounded genuine and you liked how she praises you. As the night goes on you and her were having the time of your lives. You will admit that you were a bit drunk.

Heading over to the bar. You noticed a familiar figure sitting all alone in the corner away from all the people. You had to look at him twice to finally remember who that person is.

It was him. The one you saw at the restaurant and during your show. Without thinking twice you approached him in your drunken state.

“Usually the prince is the one who goes searching for his princess but in this universe the princess is the one searching for her prince”

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Tag list: @miliondollagirl

[veronicaleighauthor]

Banned Books Week 2023

It’s that time of year again, when we honor and focus on the books out there that have been banned. And boy, it seems the last few years that book banning has been on the rise. You know if you don’t like a book and you don’t agree with it, no one is forcing you to read it. I’ll even go as far as understanding parents taking books out of their own kid’s hands. My objection is when parents take books out of some other kid’s or adult’s hand. Growing up, if someone had taken “The Diary of Anne Frank” off of my library’s shelf, I would have been lost.

This year I’m focusing on… “Anne of Green Gables,” by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Yes, you read that right, our dear old unromantic Anne Shirley was banned!

Description:

Eleven-year-old Anne Shirley has never known a real home. Since her parents’ deaths, she’s bounced around to foster homes and orphanages. When she is sent by mistake to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she wants to stay forever. But Anne is not the sturdy boy Matthew and Marilla were expecting.   She’s a mischievous, talkative redheaded girl with a fierce temper, who tumbles into one scrape after another. Anne is not like anybody else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special, a girl with an enormous imagination. All she’s ever wanted is to belong somewhere. And the longer she stays at Green Gables, the harder it is for anyone to imagine life without her.

Author:

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in Clifton, Prince Edward Island, in 1874. Educated at Prince Edward College, Charlottetown, and Dalhousie University, she embarked on a career in teaching. From 1898 until 1911 she took care of her maternal grandmother in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, and during this time wrote many poems and stories for Canadian and American magazines. Montgomery’s first novel, Anne of Green Gables, met with immediate critical and popular acclaim, and its success, both national and international, led to seven sequels. Maud Montgomery also wrote the popular Emily of New Moon in 1923 followed by two sequels, and Pat of Silver Bush in 1933 with its sequel. L. M. Montgomery died in Toronto in 1942, but it is her early years of lush, green Prince Edward Island that live on in the delightful adventures of the impetuous redhead, the stories Mark Twain called “the sweetest creation of child life yet written.”

Why It was Banned:

You’re probably asking yourself, who on earth would ban something as adorable, and funny, and innocent as “Anne of Green Gables?” (Who on earth bans any book?) Well, let’s find out!

After “Anne of Green Gables,” was published in 1908, it wasn’t long before it was translated into other languages, that way others could fall in love with Anne Shirley. In 1912, it was translated to Polish and it found a captive audience amongst the Polish people. Soon, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s other works were translated, and she grew very popular there. Anne’s individuality was endearing. In 1939, when the Nazis invaded Poland, Polish soldiers were issued copies of Montgomery’s novels to take to the frontlines, as a means to raise the moral. When the Nazis occupied the country, “Anne of Green Gables” and Montgomery’s other works were banned, but that didn’t stop the Polish people. Copies were sold on the black market; resistance members carried them. Anne Shirley had become a beacon of hope. The war in Poland ended in 1945 and I’m sure the Polish people were looking forward to being free…unfortunately, they had been liberated by the Soviets and a Communistic government was put into place. Similarly, because Montgomery’s works were so beloved and “Anne’s resistance to authority” was a threat, the Soviets viewed it as “subversive” and banned “Anne of Green Gables” in 1953 to 1956.

My Thoughts:

I first read “Anne of Green Gables” when I was thirteen or fourteen. My family and I were visiting family up north and we stopped by this huge warehouse that sold old, used books for cheap. I stumbled across “Anne of Green Gables” and from the title I was intrigued, and it was one of the ones we bought. I devoured it and soon fell in love with odd, weird, red-haired girl. She turns her hair green, hits a boy with a slate, gets her friend drunk – what’s not to like? I had no idea it was Classic Lit – to me Anne Shirley felt modern and realistic. I went on to read the rest of the series, and re-read them off and on over the years. Then, I found the miniseries! Imagine my surprise when I learned it was a banned book.  

So, you see, the Nazis and the Communists banned and censored books…Those who are on the side of good don’t ban and censor books. And I’ll leave it at that.

[dodorimo]

something old, something new - part 2

continuation to this. Raphtav. 1.6k

Raphael actually appears here. Car sex ensues.

AO3 link

· · ──────  ❊  ────── · ·

“Can we expect little ones soon?”

The coffee spews out of her mouth in a perfect arch. For an instant, she must’ve looked like one of those tacky, fish-like water fountains you often see in gardens.

Did Astarion wait until she took a big sip so she would make an even bigger mess? The bastard.

Tav quickly assesses the damage. Her new clothes have been spared, thankfully. The same couldn’t be said for the restaurant's table.

Their shopping spree had been a success. Somewhere along the way, Astarion convinced her she was in dire need of new jewelry, which brought up the matter of her complete lack of proper beachwear, and so on. There were almost too many bags to carry, all of them were from different brands: Hermès, Tiffany, Dior, Sephora (that last one was a little self-indulgence of hers).

“We’ve too much on our plate to worry about kids,” she said, grabbing a napkin to clean up her mess.

Raphael as a father? Hell would first freeze over.

“When you say ‘we’ do you mean ‘we both individually’ or ‘we’ as in ‘I don’t want it’?” He emphasizes his point by making quotation marks with his fingers. “With how quickly he put a ring on it, you’d think he’s plugging you full every night.”

And there goes the last sip of her coffee. Out of her mouth.

The lewd picture he conjured aside, she had to disagree that it was really that fast. Four months of dating is a perfectly reasonable amount of time for people over 30. Right? … Right?

“‘We’ as in ‘we’ have no vocation to be parents.”

“Hm. A shame.” Astarion makes a face. “Some would argue you two are too pretty for your union not to bear fruit,” he says and takes a bite off his ice cream… A bite. With his teeth. She’s pretty sure this is the first time she’s seen anyone do that.

“What’s your excuse?” she deflected. “You should’ve an army of nose-pickers by now.”

That managed to shut him up.

She seizes the opportunity to lazily scroll through her social media feed. All afternoon, she and Astarion joked about all the ways Raphael would get back on her for her (presumably) dress transgression. They had plenty of ideas: he would send her a text (signed with his initials, as he usually does), then come pick her up in his limo to give her a ‘stern talking to’. All meaningless jest, of course. With no basis in reality. None.

That's why when the notification pops up on her screen, she thinks it's her mind playing tricks on her. But the more she stares at it, the less likely it is to go away.

[17h14]  ❤︎ Million Dollar Man ❤︎ said: I’m outside - R

“Guess you're going to have to hitch a ride on your own now.” She tilts her phone so Astarion can read the message too. “Mine just arrived.”

Astarion sends her a look over his silver-rimmed sunglasses. He doesn’t seem fazed. “Oh my. Speak of the devil.”

They say their goodbyes (and in his case, good luck) and then she’s off to search for her fiancée. It doesn’t take long. In fact, it doesn’t take time at all. Parked at the front of the street and taking up most of the space is a black limousine.

Why the limousine today and not one of his many sports cars? She would’ve more luck making sense of a physics problem.

The car takes off the moment she gets in. She holds on to her seat to keep from tipping over. Gods, she forgot how fast those things were.

She remembers her first ride. The giddy smile on her face. Do you see me now, mother? It seems almost banal now.

Sitting across from her, Raphael is a sight worthy of a magazine cover. He’s dressed in a three-piece black suit today, with a burgundy tie and a golden watch on his wrist.

In other words, he’s looking every inch the filthy rich man he is.

Tav almost feels bad about her waist-high jeans and loose ponytail. Almost.

“You have coffee on your shirt,” are his first words to her.

And, just like that, all her goodwill goes out the window. She tactfully adjusts her hair so it covers the offending stain. “Hello to you too,” she mumbles.

Something is plaguing him today. His fingers drum on his thigh in a frantic staccato. Whatever he wanted to say to her, he didn’t like it at all. Thankfully, she finds out soon enough.

“I need a plus one for today’s inauguration party.”

“But I thought that was…”

“Taken care of?” He waves a dismissive hand. “So did I. Change of plans. Out of my control.” Annoyance reduced his usual flowery language to a series of short sentences. That bad, huh.

Today is her day off. He’s in big trouble.

“You’ll be thoroughly rewarded.” This is the closest he’d come to pleading with her.

The effort is good enough. She nods, a small smile playing on her lips.

Raphael lets out a sigh and it's as if the weight of the world has been lifted from his shoulders. She’s still staring at him expectantly, though. Was that really all?

“So… you didn’t come for the dress?”

For some reason, he found this hilarious. “Why? Is there something you wish to tell me, my dear?”

She doesn’t have to answer. The car slows down; they’ve arrived at their destination. His penthouse, by the looks of it. The one on the main street, to be more specific.

“Daniella will brief you on the details when you get there.” The mirth he showed earlier is gone. He’s all business now.

“You’re not staying?”

“I have other matters to attend to before the party. I’ll meet you there.” He moves to open the door.

“Wait.” She holds his wrist and looks at him in the eye, hoping her pouty lips and pleading gaze would convey her meaning.

Fortunately for her, it does.

Raphael tastes like whiskey and freshly picked cherries. The kiss starts slowly, a mere touch of lips, before evolving into something more intense, passionate. She gets lost in him, in the feeling of his body pressing against hers and his hand cupping her breast.

He pulls away suddenly. He almost seems angry at her, with his ragged breath and furrowed brow. She hears the door closing with a soft click.

“Ten minutes.”

Then he kisses her again.

Tav smiles against his lips. This is a lot more than she was going for.

Raphael parts from her just long enough to check if the privacy screen that separates the car from the driver’s seat is closed. It is.

As with most things where he was concerned, she struggled to wrap her head around his bed habits. He had all the pomp of a man who wanted to be in control, while sparing none of the effort.

But there is an appeal in the challenge, in the idea of bending him to her wishes. Just as she knows he would be doing the same to her.

With practiced ease, she pulls out his cock from his trousers and kneels in front of him. The car is big enough for her to do so without issue.

Tav knows by now just how much he enjoys a show. Almost as much as he enjoys the feeling itself. So she gives him what he wants.

She starts by teasing the sensitive skin at the base of his cock, her hand fondling his balls. He sucks in a breath. He doesn’t want to let her know how eager he is already. As if she couldn’t tell.

He's not idle, in the sense that he talks her through it. Praises her at every move, telling her how good her tongue feels on him, how pretty she looks with his cock down her throat, what a naughty little whore she is who couldn’t wait until they’re out of the public eye.

Tav wasn't completely honest with Astarion. Raphael is good at this. At telling her what to do. On most days, his voice alone is enough to get her off.

He commands her to pull up her shirt, move faster, put her little fingers between her legs. Where are the manners he showed her just now?

She kisses him and takes him whole and makes that little wet noise halfway between a kiss and a suck that he likes so much. She even gives her tongue a few taps with his cock. In a matter of minutes, he’s close to the edge.

“Get up.” Sweat runs down his temples as he struggles to keep hold of himself. “I’m finishing inside you.”

“I…it’s that time of the month.” She swears she told him.

For a frightening moment, he seems to be weighing his options, before deciding on sinking his fingers into her hair, pulling her to him. “Finish what you started.”

Gladly.

The hand at the back of her neck gives her little choice. She swallows everything he has to give, little tears pricking her eyes and, when it’s done, she sticks out her tongue for his perusal. Not a drop to be seen.

His smile is wide as he gives her cheek a playful slap. She is being dismissed.

She watches him as he fixes his clothes. His hair is disheveled in all the places her fingers touched. There’s a hint of pride in knowing she was the cause, in knowing she was the one to make a dent in his perfectly manicured facade.

It is only for the sake of her rebellious womb that she doesn’t guide his fingers to her wet cunt so he can finish what he started. Disgust be damned.

“Later then.” 

She gives him one last look before the door closes. His voice is husky when he finally answers, evoking a pet name coined long ago.

“Until later, little mouse.”

[bleach-your-panties]

💔the financial abuser - kingpin!touya todoroki  x black! wife!reader

warnings: modern au/no quirks, drug family business, mention of past child abuse (y'all know the story), family illness (not touya or y/n), oral (m! receiving), car sex, pre-marital sex, dacryphilia, degradation, breeding kink, size kink, pregnancy, coercion, controlling/obsessive behavior, stalking, angry outbursts, choking (not in a sexual context), drug use, gaslighting, manipulation, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, mental illness, serious injury/hospitalization. read at your own risk!

☠️: some dialogue/actions inspired by true events.

💔: banner images from pinterest

💔: banner made by me with canva

💔post themes: ain't about the money  - t.i. ft. young thug

                           soldier - destiny's child

                       throat baby (remix) - 

 brs kash ft. city girls

                           baby by me - 50 cent ft. neyo

                           whatever you like - t.i.

                           what you know - t.i.

                             superman - eminem

                           papers - usher

                    roses - outkast

                           gold digger - kanye west

💔9.7k words!

💔read in dark mode for best experience!

🖤yo. 🖤series. 🖤iida.

—-

----

If you ain’t no punk, holler,

“We want prenup!”

“We want prenup!”

Yeah, that’s something that you need to have

‘Cause when she leave yo ass

She gone leave with half

___

You met your husband, Touya, at a hair salon in your neighborhood. 

In the "hood", so to speak. You grew up in an impoverished neighborhood in one of the roughest cities to live in in the nation, with an 80% black population and a violent crime rate 95% higher than the national average.

Although it was dangerous as hell, the living conditions were less than desirable, and you were constantly surrounded by sketchy people, this was your home.

You'd grown up in this city and attended school here from elementary through university. Now at age 26, you're a successful chemical engineer, working as a consultant for the city's power plant. 

Your parents are both deceased unfortunately; your father died in your childhood and your mother passed away after a long battle with breast cancer just after your senior year of university, so as far as family went, you only had your dear aunt, who was getting up in age.

She's your father's sister, having supported you throughout most of your academic life by helping you get back and forth to campus, attending all necessary parental conferences when your mother was too sick to, and finally, attending all of your graduation ceremonies. You are extremely thankful for her.

Present day, all you do is work, pretty much. 

With your work, you usually have to keep your hair pulled back in a tight bun and covered with a protective hair cap. It was always a relief to be able to get your hair done and have your stylist rub her long, acrylic nails against your scalp while she lathered your natural tresses with sweet-smelling shampoo.

The soft ding of the bell hanging over the door alerted you to a newcomer's presence while you sat underneath the dryer reading one of the old Jet magazines that every salon always seemed to keep on hand. 

"Good afternoon, ladies."

You looked up from your magazine and your dark brown eyes fell upon the most handsome man you had ever seen. 

Tall, muscular frame, skin the color of freshly churned milk and hulking arms a collage of black ink. He was no shorter than 6'5'' at the least. You could tell by the way that he had to duck under the door frame to come inside the shop. 

"Heyyy, Touya~" Your eyes moved around, pupils enlarging as you realized that every other woman in the shop had stopped whatever they were doing to greet this man.

Just who is this guy?

He walked further inside the small salon, his small, narrowed, turquoise eyes roaming over each and every feminine face before stopping at yours.

Oh no, he's walking over here!

Your face began to heat up; you hated being put on the spot and this man was just too gorgeous, you might faint! 

He smirked at you and dug his big hands into the pockets of his black joggers.

"What's up, pretty? I think I would remember seeing a face as gorgeous as yours around here. What's your name?" 

Your stylist came over then, smacking her lips at Touya and motioning for you to come over to her chair.

"Leave her alone, Touya. She wants nothing to do with the likes of you. She's a good girl, she's not interested in thugs."

That made your blush worsen and you lowered your head to the tiled floor, hoping that he'd just move on and bother one of the other women.

Touya laughed loudly. He brought his arms up to rest behind his hair, which you now noticed to be a brilliant white, just like freshly fallen snow. 

His big biceps bulged and you could see that they were also covered in tattoos. He even had them all along his neck, trailing upwards to just under his chiseled jawline and then downwards, disappearing into his white V-neck.

"How do you know what she likes, Tisha? And I'm not a thug, I'm a well-respected businessman, I'll have you know."

The entire shop cracked up at that, making your anxiety lessen just as you looked up to further examine this man.

Unfortunately, he caught you looking and bit his lip at you. Usually, the gesture would've made you cringe, but it was different when he did it. It was sexy. 

His lips were a little plump and when he bit them, you could see two glints of silver: a tongue stud and a lip stud.

"Y/n is my name." You said simply. 

He smiled this time and squatted down so you didn't have to crane your neck to look at his face.

"Y/n, huh? Pretty name for a pretty girl."

You almost wanted to roll your eyes, but instead, you smiled.

"Thank you….Touya…"

He nodded slightly. More glints of silver when he made the gesture; he also had his right eyebrow pierced, three stud piercings in his nostril, and multiple silver hoops in each ear.

“God had no business making this man this damn fine.”

A deep chuckle broke you out of your thought process.

"Well, I appreciate that, beautiful. Tisha, don't charge her anything for her hair. I'll pay for it."

Aw, shit, did I say that out loud?! Nice going, Y/n!

"What? No! You don't have to do that, I can pay for myself!" You huffed. You knew this game all too well.

If he paid for your hair, he'd feel like you owed him something. Not a chance.

"Oh, girl hush and let that man pay for you. Keep that $750 in your pocket, shit." Tisha chuckled as she began to install your wig.

Touya handed her the money out of his wallet while grinning. He held his hands up, palms facing you in a gesture of surrender.

“I promise I don’t want anything in return, but maybe you wouldn’t mind grabbing breakfast with me one day? I know this great spot right down the street from the salon.”

You scoffed, now finally rolling your eyes at him.

“That’s still wanting something, pretty boy, even if it’s only a meal.”

Touya shrugged. “So that’s a no, then? Too bad. I won’t keep bothering you, though. See ya around, pretty girl.” He teased with a smug look on his face before turning and walking back out the door of the salon.

A few hours later, Tisha was done with your hair. She handed you a mirror so you could look at yourself.

“Thanks, Tish, it looks amazing!” You dug in your purse for your wallet so you could give her a tip, but she stopped you.

“Girl, what are you doing? Touya already paid me.” Eyebrows scrunched, you pushed the $20 bill into her hand anyway and got up out of the chair before she could protest.

“Just take it. Maybe next time I come I can get a discount on my lash installment.” 

“Girl, you crazy! Get on out of here!” 

You left the shop smiling to yourself. The bell tinkled over your head as you walked out into the bright sunlight. 

Your smile immediately dropped when you walked over to your car and noticed that you had a flat tire.

“Oh no, what the hell?! When did that get there? Aw, man…” 

The offending item that had punctured your tire was a long, rusty nail sticking out the side of it. 

“Dammit, now I’m going to have to call a tow truck.” You sighed and pulled your iPhone out of your purse.

“Need some help, pretty?”

It was Touya - he’s still been here all this time?

He casually leaned up against a smoke-gray Range Rover with black rims. The brake calipers had been spray-painted a deep purple.

“Oh, Touya. There’s a nail in my tire, but it’s fine, I can just call-”

“I can wait with you for the tow truck and then take you home.” He offered. Getting up off the truck, he stalked his way over, taking long strides. In a second, he was standing right next to you, so close that you could smell his expensive cologne.

You didn’t know how to react, just kind of looking up at him with a stuck expression on your face. 

“Uh, you really don’t have to…I could just call someone..”

“Why do that when I’m standing right here?”

A perfectly arched eyebrow raised. “Because I don’t know you? You could be a serial killer.” 

You know now that he’s most likely a drug dealer, like that was any better…but yeah.

Touya just laughed at you and shook his head. 

“Not gonna make it easy for me, huh? I like that. Keep it up, baby doll. I’ll get you sooner or later.” He walked back over to his truck and opened the driver-side door.

“At least come sit and chat with me until the tow truck comes?” You couldn’t continue to resist him, no matter how much you wanted to. Especially when he looked at you with those turquoise eyes.

—-

And that’s how your whirlwind romance began.

—-

Now I ain’t saying she a gold digger

But she ain’t messing with no broke niggas

Now I ain’t saying she a gold digger

But she ain’t messing with no broke niggas

Cutie the bomb, met her at a beauty salon

With a baby Louis Vuitton under her arm 

She said, “I can tell you rock, I can tell by your charm

Far as girls you got a flock

I can tell by your charm and your arm”

But I’m lookin’ for the one, have you seen her?

—-

After that day, you and Touya began somewhat of a friendship.

Whenever you came to get your hair done, he’d somehow always be there and he’d always pay for your hair, nails, and lashes. Turns out that he owned the beauty salon, the diner that he offered to take you out to, and pretty much everything else on that strip.

One day after you got off of work, you were surprised to see his truck out in the parking lot.

He was waiting for you.

“Touya! Funny meeting you here, what’s up?” You put your hands on your hips.

“I want to take you on a date tonight.” 

Your eyes bulged slightly, probably making you look like a fool, but Touya didn’t waver in his proposition. 

"What do you say, pretty? Go out with me?" 

You began weighing all the positives and negatives of going on a date with him. He could have a gaggle of jealous exes just waiting to catch him with another woman and raise hell, or one of his opps that was waiting to catch him slipping so they could blow his head off.

Tough decision, but eventually you folded and agreed.

—-

After your first date, you saw Touya more and more, seemingly everywhere you went.

The grocery store, the mall, restaurants. You even saw him across the street from your dentist's office one day while leaving an appointment.

Despite all of these seemingly random pop-ups, you found yourself undeniably attracted to Touya, which may have clouded your judgment just a tad.

So over the next several weeks, Touya would continue to show up at your job and surprise you with flowers, food from his diner, and lavish gifts.

This is how you would end up kneeling underneath the dashboard in Touya's Range in the parking lot of the industrial plant, hours after your shift had ended.

His black sweatpants were pulled down his thick, muscled thighs and pooled around his ankles while you struggled to take his huge cock into your mouth.

He regarded you with those cool, turquoise eyes, one large hand planted firmly on the top of your head as he guided you up and down on his hard shaft.

"Just like that, pretty. Such a perfect, slutty mouth. Yeah, you like being slutted out outside of your job? Not the perfect, innocent little scholar right now, are you?" 

You hummed around his dick, saliva spilling from the corners of your mouth while you breathed steadily through your nose. 

Touya's degradation never failed to turn you on, but sometimes you felt like he was just being mean intentionally.

His hands pressed down on your head harder, forcing you to take him further down your aching throat. Once he started, Touya wouldn't let up until he fucked your throat raw and tears streamed down your beautiful face, ruining your expensive makeup.  

He loved to see you cry.

"There you go, baby. That's my good girl. Take my cock like only you can." 

You moaned around him as best you could, but your jaw was aching and you felt like you'd pass out from lack of oxygen any moment now.

Suddenly, you were being pulled off of him by the roots of your hair. Touya dragged you over the center console into the backseat with you sputtering and trying to catch your breath.

"Down." He ordered and you immediately obeyed, getting on your hands and knees.

He clambered over you clumsily, his height preventing him from being able to get into the exact position that he wanted, but this would have to do.

"Arch." 

Tattooed hands came down to hold your lower hips as soon as you arched your back.

You were already wet from sucking him off, but due to the sheer size of Touya's dick, it wouldn't be enough.

Hiking one foot up, he removed one hand to guide his dick into your hole. You immediately felt the burn. 

"TOUYA! It's too much…" You moaned with your head turned slightly to the side to look over your shoulder at him.

"Not too much, baby. Never too much for you, my sweet girl. Take me, baby. Take my big fucking dick in your tiny little hole. I know you can do it."

Your freshly done acrylics scraped against the car door while Touya grabbed your expensive bundles up in one hand and forced your head completely flat on the floor with the other.

His pace was hard and rough, but he knew you were loving everything that he was giving you judging by your moans.

"Shit, pussy's so good baby, sucking me in so nice…fuuuccck!"

Of all of the women that he's fucked, you were the only one that had been able to take all of him without passing out.

It was a shock to you as well, how you hadn't passed out already from Touya's deep stroking. No doubt his fat tip was hitting your cervix; you could feel him in your damn stomach.

"Touya, I'm going to cum!" Your words were muffled, but he could just make out what you were trying to say and feel you clenching around him.

His eyes watched your ass move in waves as he pounded into you with everything he had, no doubt making the entire car shake from the sheer force of his thrusts.

“Come on, cum on this dick, baby. Make a mess on me, baby doll,” He cooed softly, leaning over you to press you against the floor as he rolled his hips into you.

"TOUYA!"

"Yes, scream my name, girl! SHIT!"

—-

The next thing you knew, you were waking up in the front of a large mansion with a high, wrought-iron gate around it. It was surrounded by acres of land, all to itself off in the countryside. A soft, fleece blanket covered your naked body.

"Where are we? Is this your house?"

"Fucked you so good you lost your memory, baby, but yes, this is my house." 

"Why'd you bring me here?" 

"Why wouldn't I? Why, you'd rather me fuck your brains out and just leave you passed out, only to wake up alone in a fucking parking lot in the dark? Come on, Y/n." You could see him roll his eyes through the rearview mirror.

Remaining silent, you just hugged the blanket tighter around your shoulders.

"So where do we go from here, Touya? What's next for us?" 

He hit a button and the doors unlocked. Touya came around to open your door and then scooped you up into his strong arms, holding you close to his chest.

"I brought you here in hopes that you'd agree to be my girlfriend."

"What if I say no?"

"Then I have to kill you."

"WHAT!?"

"I'm just playing, girl. Damn. So will you? Will you be my baby?"

—-

Touya and you began dating that night, and not even six months later, he asked you to marry him.

And you said yes.

Now, you believed that you were in love with Touya. He treated you like a princess and showered you with expensive gifts: jewelry, cars, designer clothes, shoes, and bags. Whatever your heart desired. Not to mention he was sweet, attentive, caring, loving, and amazing in bed.

Little did you know that Touya had another side to him.

—-

Stacks on deck, patron on ice

And we could pop bottles all night, and, 

Baby, you could have whatever you like

I said you could have whatever you like, yeah

Late-night sex, so wet, it's so tight

I gas up the jet for you tonight 

And baby you can go wherever you like

I said you can go wherever you like, yeah

—-

While you were planning your wedding, many of your friends and family members came to you with concerns about your fiance. Including your beloved aunt.

“That boy is no good, Y/n. I’m telling you. Just look into those cold, soulless eyes of his. That boy is not right in the head.” She would rant as you sat on her living room couch with wedding books opened up all around you. 

"Please, Auntie. Touya is a good guy. Sure, he's in the streets, but he'd never hurt me." 

"You don't sound too sure of yourself." 

Rolling your eyes, you had heard enough of the negativity. 

Gathering up the books and magazines, you threw them into your new Louis Vuitton tote bag and pulled it onto your shoulder. 

"I have to go, Auntie, or I'll be late for my dress fitting. I love you." You leaned down to give her a hug and kiss on the jaw. 

"I love you, too, baby. Just please think about what I've been saying before you rush into this marriage, alright?" 

"Alright, I hear you. I'm gone."

You stepped out of her house and closed the screen door behind you. Your black BMW M3 with the custom purple wheels sat pretty in the driveway. Touya had it custom-painted for you, said that everyone needs to know that you're his woman.

As you were backing out of the driveway, you heard your phone vibrating in your bag. 

🖤🫶🏾Husband💜 would like to FaceTime…

You declined the request and hooked your phone up to the car mount, immediately calling him back on the phone.

"What the fuck, Y/n? Why are you declining my calls? Where the hell are you at? I've been calling you all damn day!" He barked through the receiver, making you cringe.

"I-I just got in the car, I'm leaving Auntie's house, on the way home now…" 

You could almost hear him rolling his eyes on the other end.

"Yeah, and what did she want now? Still bitching about you marrying me?" He scoffed.

"Touya, stop that. She's only concerned about me, that's all."

"Yeah, whatever you say, Y/n. I know that your whole fucking family despises me, not that I give a fuck, though. I'm marrying you, not any of them."                

"That's true, Touya, but it would be better if you at least tried to get along with them."

"Well, maybe they should stop judging a book by its cover and try to get along with me since I'm about to be your husband."

"I don't think that's how it works, but okay, Touya. I'll be pulling up in a little bit."

"Are you trying to rush me off the phone? I called because I want to see you before I leave tonight. Gotta fly to Tijuana for business."

Of course, 'for business' meant, to pick up a "shipment".

—-

Ayy, don't you know I got kis by the three

When I chirp, shawty chirp back

Louie knapsack where I'm holding all the work at

What you know about that? 

What you know about that? 

What you know about that? 

I know all about that

—-

"And by 'see me', you mean get your dick wet. I have wedding stuff to do, baby. I have to fly to Paris to pick up my dress and how am I supposed to do that if you're taking the jet?" You complained. 

"Just send your assistant to get it. I need you here to take care of me, baby doll, just like how I take care of you. Come on, now."

You wanted to retort that you needed to be there to try it on, but there was no arguing with Touya, especially when he wanted sex.

"Okay, I'm almost there. Tell the guards to open the gate."

—-

"Ohh shit, Touya, baby, give me that dick~"

"Yeah baby, you like that?" 

And that's how the two of you went along for the rest of the night, Touya putting you in all different types of positions, beating your shit in.

He was always rough, pulling your hair and smacking your ass until it was raw and red.

He made sure to leave marks all over your neck and titties as well, marring your brown skin so that whenever any man looked at you, they'd KNOW that you were getting dicked down by a real motherfucking king.

"God Y/n, how do you keep this shit so tight? I'm gonna bust my load in you, fuck around, and get you pregnant tonight, girl."

"Mmm, if we don't stop now you're going to miss your flight."

"Fuck it," He chuckled, "I'll call Shoto to handle it." 

Shoto, his younger brother who'd just finished college a semester ago. Touya had taken him underneath his wing to train him to be next in line for the family business.

His other siblings, Natsuo and Fuyumi, wanted nothing to do with this life and just worked everyday blue-collar jobs.

"Here, get on top of me. Ride this dick while I make the call."

You sighed but complied nonetheless and crawled up onto his lap as he reclined against the head of your shared California king bed.

"Hello?" You heard Shoto's bland, emotionless voice come over the receiver.

"Hey Sho, I need you to go handle that for me. Jet's already loaded and ready to go."

"What? Why can't you do it?" 

"Because I told you to do it and I'm the boss."

"Yeah whatever, you're probably too busy fucking. Hey Y/n." He snickered, causing your cheeks to heat up. He knew his older brother too well.

Touya hung up on him and tossed the phone to the side, grabbing your hips and slamming you down onto his thick cock.

"You gonna let me get you pregnant, huh, baby? Gonna let me breed this little cunt, stuff you nice and full, and make you fat with my seed?" 

You weren't quite sure that you were ready to have a child, but you were starting to get up in age and you and Touya are getting married, so what's the harm? You nodded.

"Yes, Touya. I love you. Make me a mommy."

—-

Have a baby by me, baby, be a millionaire 

Have a baby by me, baby, be a millionaire

Have a baby by me, baby, be a millionaire

Be a millionaire, be a millionaire, b-be a millionaire  

I don't play no games (I don't play no games)

So when I'm in that thang (when I'm in that thang)

Come see what I mean (see what I mean)

See what I mean, see what I mean, oh

I said lil mama put me on (baby, put me on)

Bet I'll have you gone (bet I'll have you gone)

Come see what I mean, see what I mean

See what I mean (see what I mean)

New music, new mood, new position 

New erotic sounds, it's going down, now listen

I can hear your heartbeat, you're sweating

I could paint a perfect picture 

I get deeper and deeper, I told ya I'd get ya

I'd work that murk that, just the way you like it, baby

Turn a quickie into an all-nighter maybe

Yo, I need you to be what I need, more than liquor and weed

I need you to maybe give me a seed

I need you to give me reason to breathe

I need you

—-

Time Skip, Wedding Day

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Fuyumi asked you while she was putting your veil in your hair.

You only giggled softly, rubbing a hand over your small baby bump.

"I think it's a little too late to back out now, Fuyumi." She shook her head, making her white and red curls bounce.

"It's never too late to change your mind. You're not his wife, yet. Y/n, I love my brother with all of my heart, but honestly, you deserve so much better than him."

It was hurtful to hear, but you weren't shocked by the young woman's words.

Natsuo and Fuyumi were like your family; they also didn't think that you should marry Touya.

"I'm pregnant with his child, Fuyu, and I don't want to be a single mother. I love Touya with all my heart as well, and whatever he went through in the past, we can get through it together. I'll be there for him, til death do us part."

Fuyumi just let out a long sigh and tried to put on a smile.

"I can't say I didn't try, but okay. If this is what will really make you happy. Just please take care of yourself and the baby, no matter what. Protect yourself."

She handed you your bouquet just as the wedding music began playing. 

"I'll see you at the altar."

She left, leaving you alone. You peeked out the door and saw the flower girls and ring bearers go down the aisle. 

Taking a deep breath, you exhaled and tightened your hands around your flowers.

"Hey, beautiful."

Your head whipped around so fast you almost gave yourself whiplash.

It was Touya, standing there in his all-white suit with a purple silk dress shirt opened up to show off his tattooed chest. 

"Touya!? What are you doing here, you're supposed to be at the altar!"

"Hmm, the wedding can't start without us, baby. I just wanted to give you something really quick."

He reached into the breast pocket of the suit jacket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and a pen.

You watched him carefully.

"What is this?"

"A prenup."

"A what? Touya, I'm not signing a prenup minutes before our wedding! Why are you just bringing this to me now?"

He furrowed his white eyebrows, not liking the tone you were taking with him.

"I'm sorry, but who do you think you're talking to, Y/n? You should know not to ever raise your voice at me. Not even my own mother yells at me, baby doll, and you're damn sure not about to start. Now sign the goddamn prenup or I'm calling all this shit off." 

No way! He wouldn't actually call the wedding off, would he? Not after all of your hard work, not after everything you'd been through in the past couple of months.

Your dear aunt had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease a few months ago and hadn't been doing too well. She'd been in and out of the hospital frequently and even had to leave her job because of it.

You begged Touya to hire an in-home nurse to care for her and, after much disagreement, he finally let you.

Why would he do this to you now? Moments before your special day? 

With your lower lip wobbling and tears beginning to spill out of your eyes, you took the paper with a shaky hand and signed your signature on the line, initialing where it directed you to.

Touya chuckled darkly once you were done and took it back from you, stuffing it into his pocket.

Why would he make you sign a prenup? You didn't know much about this type of stuff, but usually, prenups weren't good.

However, you couldn't fathom losing Touya or your fairytale life. You were finally getting everything that you ever wanted.

A family.

"Hey, don't cry, baby doll. You know I'll always take care of you, right?"

He moved in to kiss you, his hand covering your bump and rubbing it softly. With his pinky, he swiped the tears from under your eyes, careful not to smudge your face makeup.

You nodded slowly and he smiled at you. 

"I love you, Y/n." 

With that, he left the room.

—

Five Years Later 

Being married to Touya was not at all how you expected it to be.

After quitting your job and becoming a full-time housewife, your life seemed to go into a downward spiral.

While you were dating, you’d found out that Touya and his siblings had grown up in an abusive household where his father beat him, his siblings, and their mother. His mother had had a hard time coping with what she'd been through, so the four siblings had agreed to have her committed to a mental health care facility.

During their childhood, in a fit of psychosis, their mother threw a pot of boiling water on Shoto, disfiguring the left side of his face. An ugly, red-marred patch of skin now covered the once-perfect porcelain. 

After that incident, Touya left home and never looked back. 

He talked very little about his father, so what you did know, you had to find out from Fuyumi, who still maintained limited contact with their father. Neither Natsuo nor Shoto talked about the man. 

Many times, you had tried to persuade Touya to get therapy in order to deal with his past traumas, but he never listened. If anything, he would become completely enraged whenever you would broach the subject.

It also didn't help that Touya was now even more deeply involved in the drug lifestyle. 

At first, it didn't bother you as much as it should have, but as time went on things just got worse and worse.

Your son, Takuya, was now five years old and you really didn't want him exposed to the people and dealings that Touya was involved in.

Takuya would ask you many questions:

Mommy, why is Daddy never home?

Who are these strange people in our house?

Why can't my friends come over to spend the night?

Why does Daddy have flour underneath his nose?

Yes.

Touya had been abusing cocaine ever since your third year of marriage.

He said that it helped ease his mind. Made him forget the past. 

A knock came on his office door, causing the turquoise-eyed man to look up at it.

"What, Y/n?" He asked in irritation once he looked up and saw you standing there, just staring at him.

"Are you seriously getting high in the middle of the day?"

Spread out over his desktop were multiple, identical lines of freshly chopped cocaine. With a rolled-up hundred-dollar bill, Touya closed off one of his nostrils while he used the bill to snort the white powder into the other.

He did it effortlessly, almost elegantly. 

"Touya, really? What if Takuya ever walked in and saw you doing this shit? You know he's getting older now, and he's started asking me questions about your…habit."

Touya didn’t seem deterred; better yet, he most likely hadn’t heard a word that you’d said as he focused on the feeling of the drug entering his system.

“Did you fucking need something, Y/n? If not, then kindly get the fuck out. I’m busy.”

You gave him an incredulous look but bit your tongue and nodded.

“I need you to sign the check for Takuya’s school tuition so I can mail it off today.”

Touya sucked his teeth and sniffled. With the back of his tattooed hand, he wiped his nose roughly.

“Of course, that’s what you always need. Money. “

With a soft sigh, you prepared yourself for one of his rants. On top of abusing drugs, Touya had been diagnosed with, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative identity disorder, and bipolar disorder. 

You’d seen him dissociate firsthand, especially when he was high. You figured that the alternate personality that he’d created stemmed from his traumatic childhood. This persona’s name was Dabi, and Dabi was not nice by any means. He was awful, much worse than normal, agitated Touya.

If it wasn’t for you insisting on having genetic testing done while you were pregnant, you’d have never found out what mental ailments your husband had been suffering from. 

“Well…if you hadn’t taken my name off of all the accounts, I could have done it myself and not have to disturb you while you’re taking care of business.” You finally snipped. You’d had enough of Touya’s drug abuse, verbal abuse, and emotional abuse.

You had gotten sick of him always taunting you, downplaying you, and making you feel as if you were less of a person because you had left your job, your family, and everything that you knew, in order to cling to him and become his wife.

He made you feel low, lower than the earth beneath your feet, and you had had enough of him.

To pour even more salt into your stinking, infected wounds, Touya treated you like a child. 

You had an allowance, you had to call and check in with him anytime you left the house, and he didn’t let you go anywhere without him or one of his guards. 

It hadn’t always been like this. No, this behavior only began once you attempted to leave him the first time.

You’d tried to leave Touya many times over the past five years, but your efforts were always in vain. No matter what you did or where you tried to go, he would always find you and bring you back, literally kicking and screaming. After a while, you just decided to give up, telling yourself that you’d never be able to get away from him.

—-

Mmmm

You high, baby? (Yeah)

Yeah? (Hahaha, talk to me)

You want me to tell you something? (Uh huh)

I know what you want to hear 

—-

The veins in his neck bulged and he turned on you, turquoise eyes flashing with lightning.

“Did you just talk back to me?”

The blood froze in your veins as Touya stood up, calmly pushing his desk chair back. The wheels screeched eerily across the wooden floor. Touya stomped towards you like a panther, waiting to attack and kill its prey.

“T-Touya- I…”

One hand was all it took to constrict your breathing. Touya held you up like a doll, the muscles in his arm barely flexing as he slammed you against the wooden double doors of the office entrance, making them rattle violently. Your little legs thrashed as you moved your body, attempting to get Touya off of you, to no avail.

“Bitch, how dare you disrespect me, after all I’ve done for you. I took you out of that shitty neighborhood you were living in, took care of you and that fucking brat, took care of your whole fucking family despite them cursing the very ground that I walk on. This is how you repay me? Flapping your fucking lips at me? HUH?!?!”

He yelled directly in your face, making you squint your eyes as spit flew from his lips. His face was so close to yours that you could see up his nostrils, see the white residue from the hit he’d just taken.

If he didn’t let you down soon, you’d pass out. Touya soon realized this, and he let you go, let your body drop to the ground with a ‘thud’ while he stepped back and regarded you without a smidgen of concern.

Your hands flew to your throat as you coughed violently. Your chest burned as you tried to regain the precious oxygen that your lungs had been deprived of for far too long.

—-

You know you want me, baby

You know I want you, too

They call me Superman

I'm here to rescue you 

I wanna save you, girl

Come be in Shady's world

(Ooo, boy, you drive me crazy)

Bitch, you make me hurl

—-

"You act like…," you wheezed, then halted to take in a few more deep breaths, "you act like I wasn't somebody before I met you. Like I wasn't on my own, living independently and happily before you came along and messed it all up!"

He must have found your lamentation amusing, because he chuckled, deep in his chest.

"Oh Y/n…when have you ever been independent? Your whole life you've always depended on someone. Your aunt, your family, your friends, and then me. You think you're so special, because what, you went to school and got a degree?"

Said degree was displayed on the back wall of his office. He'd let you hang it there after buying an expensive, mahogany wooden frame lined in real 24k gold for it. A gift for your first year wedding anniversary.

Now the object seemed to offend Touya. He made a beeline for it and snatched it off the back wall before sending it hurling across the room, narrowly missing you before it went crashing against the wall next to the door and shattering.

You whimpered in fear as he began walking back over to you. 

Kneeling down so that he was eye-level with you, much like he'd done at your first meeting in the salon, he glared at you with eyes colder than Antarctica. 

"How's that degree working for you now, Y/n? You're nothing more than a stupid slut willing to open her legs for the first man that showed her any shred of attention. You're pathetic, and I can't stand the fucking sight of you." He said lowly, the baritone of his voice rumbling in your ears.

You buried your head in your hands, the tears flowing freely down your firearms as you tried to shield yourself from him, from his rage. His hatred.

It wasn't like Touya had never yelled at you before or threw fits when he was high, but this was the first time in five years that he'd ever put his hands on you.

And it would be the last. 

"That's it, Touya! I've had enough! You're impossible and I'm finished dealing with you and your issues. I'm leaving for good this time."

Touya laughed at you again. He just kept laughing for a long time.

"That's really funny. Have fun trying to leave me with no money and nowhere to go. You'll be back. You always come back, Y/n, because you can't survive without me."

Your tear-soaked face curled up in disgust; you couldn't believe what this man was saying to you right now.

"Since you're so adamant on leaving though, you can go ahead and get the fuck out." 

"Pardon?" 

He stood to full height again.

"Did I stutter? Get the fuck out of my house, right now, Y/n." 

"No! We're married, which makes this my house, too! You can't just put me out!"

He must have thought that you still weren't getting enough oxygen to your brain, because Touya grabbed you by the arms and hoisted you up.

You kicked, screamed, and clawed at him all the way, almost causing him to drop you a few times, but finally he made it to the large ornate doors leading to the outside of the estate.

"NO! TOUYA, NO! NO!" 

—-

They call me Superman

Leap tall hoes in a single bound

I'm single now

Got no ring on this finger now

I'll never let another chick bring me down

In a relationship? Save it, bitch

Babysit? You make me sick

Superman ain't saving shit 

Girl, you can jump on Shady's dick

—-

Thank goodness Takuya was at school and not here to witness the scene of his father throwing his mother out of her own house.

"I hate you, Touya! You hear me?! I HATE YOU! You won't get away with this!" 

Was the last thing the snow-haired man heard before he slammed the door in your face. You heard all of the locks and the deadbolt click.

With fury, you kicked at the closed door with all your might.

You were kicked out now, with nothing. Not your purse, wallet, clothes, phone, or anything. Only your Apple watch on your wrist, which you guessed might be a bit of help.

Looking down at it, you noticed that it was charged to 75%, which was good. You'd have time to get to a charger. 

With an indignant huff, you rushed down the many stairs leading from the house and into the driveway where your car was parked.

It would be a dumb idea to get in and try to drive it, because Touya more likely than not had a tracker installed into it. However, you had an idea.

—-

Don't put out, I'll put you out 

Won't get out, I'll push you out

Puss blew out, popping shit

Wouldn't piss on fire to put you out

—-

See, though you had been quite gullible the past five years, believing that your sham of a marriage was pure and true, and that your bastard of a husband was your Prince Charming, you were still a college-educated woman and had plenty of good sense to use.

When Touya started getting high every other day, you began stealing his money and putting it away when he wasn't looking.

Small amounts here and there that you passed off with simple excuses that Touya found to be believable. No way his dumb little housewife would ever think to steal from him.

How wrong he was.

You had accumulated a good amount over the last three years, but when you first tried to leave Touya, he became suspicious of you, thus limiting your access to the money by taking your name off the accounts and giving you a weekly allowance. 

How stupid of him.

You took a portion of that money and stored it away every month, in case you ever needed it. In case you finally got the courage to leave Touya and never look back.

The day had finally come.

Pulling up to your sister-in-law's house, you waited for her to come to the door. Looking down at your Gucci slides, you felt embarrassed about the situation that had just occurred. 

"Y/n! What are you doing here? What's happened?" 

With the look on your face, she immediately knew that something terrible had happened and that her elder brother was more than likely the cause of it. 

She moved aside so you could come inside. You sat on her couch and put your hands in your lap.

After swallowing down the lump in your throat, you began to speak.

"Touya…he, um, he locked me out of the house."

"HE WHAT?!"

You had to cover your ears slightly from the sheer volume of her exasperated voice.

"Yeah. We got into an argument and he tossed me out onto my ass like Jazz from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Fuyumi didn't laugh at your joke; instead, she gave you a look of sympathy. 

"Y/n…I'm sorry you had to go through that…" Her voice began to crack and you gave her a questioning gaze.

"Was he…?" She couldn't even finish the question. 

You immediately understood and nodded.

"Yes. He was high." 

"And where was Takuya?"

"He's at school."

A sigh of relief from the white-haired woman. "Thank the heavens."

Fuyumi moved from her spot on the opposite couch to come over and give you a tight hug. You sank into her warm embrace and hugged her back, more tears bubbling up as feelings of shame, stupidity, and anger came to the surface. 

"It's okay, Y/n. It's all going to be okay. I feel like this is my fault. I should have tried harder to get you to leave Touya. I should have-"

You stopped her from talking by pulling away from the hug and giving her a small glare.

"Don't you dare try to blame yourself for his actions. He's a grown ass man, yet he acts like a child. Don't worry, Fuyumi. This time I'm done with him for good. It's time for me to move along in my life with my child and leave Touya's miserable ass behind. I tried everything to help him and all he did was treat me like shit for five years."

Fuyumi was a bit stunned to hear you speak with so much initiative, but she nodded, nonetheless.

"If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to call me or Natsu. We want what's best for you and Takuya. Always." 

—-

After talking with Fuyumi for a little while longer, she ended up calling Natsuo over, who works as a mechanic.

With a little trial and error, he managed to remove the tracker from your car. Touya had hidden it meticulously, but he was no match for Natsuo's years of experience with machinery.

You finally bid your brother-in-law and sister-in-law goodbye so you could go and speak to your lawyer before picking up Takuya from school.

—-

I can't get to work on time

Can't believe the words to him I just said

Who the hell argue and fight 

Like dogs at six in the morning?

I know it's gonna be some more shit tonight (oooh) 

Our pastor's calling, telling me I done went too far, 

And I'm sitting round town and my friends can't recognize me

Cause I took a chance on love 

It's like, I'm dying (ooo dying)

For you, I gave my heart

And turned my back against the world

Because I was your girl, girl, girl

I done damn near lost my mama

I done been through so much drama

I done turned into the woman I never thought I'd be

I'm ready to sign them papers, papers 

—-

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Todoroki, but the prenup that you signed is very much valid. According to this, he really doesn't have to give you anything."

You blew out a frustrated breath. How could you have been such a fool? If Touya wanted to call the wedding off because you wouldn't sign, you should have just let him. 

It would have saved you a world of heartache and headache, that's for sure. 

"So, there's absolutely nothing that I can do?" You asked the well-dressed man in front of you. 

You fiddled with the rose gold, 5-carat diamond aquamarine pear-shaped ring set on your left ring finger. 

“What about our son? Did he say anything about providing for him?”

The brunette man pushed his glasses from the bridge of his nose up to his eyes. 

“Despite his trying to implement a clause in which he wouldn’t have to pay child support since the child was conceived outside of the marriage, as the child’s biological father he’s still legally responsible for providing for Takuya. Though he could contest his paternity and ask for a DNA test.” He set the paper on the desk and looked at you.

“That slimy bastard…he did everything in his power to make sure that I’d never try to leave him. He’s sick….”

“Again, I’m very sorry, Mrs. Todoroki. I wish that there was more that I could tell you.”

“I just can’t believe this…Touya had all of this planned from the very start. He came to me in a moment where he knew I couldn’t refuse him. He knew that I needed to lean on him at that time and he took advantage of me.”

“What do you mean by 'took advantage of you'?” The man in front of you sat up straighter in his chair, slightly leaning his body towards you.

“Well, I never expected that Touya would ask me to sign a prenup. He never made it a priority to discuss how we’d do finances; he just always said that he’d take care of me. Which is why it was such a shock that he made me sign the prenup minutes before I was about to walk down the aisle to marry him.”

“He asked you to sign a prenup minutes before your wedding? He coerced you and didn’t even give you time to seek your own legal consultation. I’m glad you told me this, Mrs. Todoroki; this changes everything.” 

Could this be it? Could this finally be your way out of this marriage?

“And that’s not all! I was pregnant with Takuya at the time and my hormones were all over the place. My aunt…she’d been very sick as well, and it was just an overall bad time for me. I w-wasn’t thinking straight…I-I just…I just wanted someone to be there for me. I didn’t want Touya to call off the wedding.” 

You cursed yourself for crying over this again, but speaking about it out in the open really made you realize how badly Touya had manipulated you. From the very beginning of the relationship he tried to break you down and make you weak for him, and you let him. Your lawyer handed you some tissue from the box on the desk.

No more weakness. No more vulnerability. It was time to be strong; you had a child to raise and he needed his mother.

It was time to fight for what was rightfully owed to both of you.

“Coercion and signature under duress; oh, he’s done for. I’ll make some calls to get this in front of the judge as soon as possible. Don’t worry, Mrs. Todoroki, I’ll handle everything from here.”

—-

You left the law office with a massive weight lifted off of your heart. 

Takuya's private school was only a few minutes away if you took the interstate, so, after picking him up, you'd probably just go back to Fuyumi's house for the night.

"God, I hate this bend in the road, it makes me feel like I'm going to fall off into a ditch." You grimaced while holding the steering wheel carefully.

When you were almost around the corner, a black SUV flew past you at top speed and caused your car to lose control and spin in circles several times before crashing into oncoming traffic. 

—-

You had to have blacked out from the impact - were you dead? 

No, your hearing was still intact. You could hear something in the distance: footsteps.

Your head was bent at an odd angle and you could feel the blood dripping down your forehead.

"Well, would you look at my little broken doll, all bent out of shape. It's a miracle you aren't dead, huh? That was a nasty accident you had."

With you not being able to turn your neck to the sound of his voice, Touya had to step into your line of sight. He looked down into your eyes, his own turquoise ones shining with mirth. They seemed darker, more sinister.

Then it dawned on you. 

This wasn't Touya.

It was Dabi.

"W-w-what's wrong…with you…? You're…. you're insane…"

That was the final thing you said before slipping into unconsciousness.

—-

Dabi just watched your unmoving form with an evil grin plastered across his face. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and lit one.

With his free hand, he reached out to stroke your face while his eyes glowed.

"I know you want, me baby. I think I want you, too. I'm here to save you, girl. Come be in Shady's world.  I wanna grow together, let's let our love unfurl. You know you want me, baby. You know I want you, too. They call me Superman, I'm here to rescue you."

With a flick of his wrist, he threw the cigarette down and the entire car caught on fire.

—-

You want what you can't have

Ooo, girl, that's too damn bad

Don't touch what you can't grab

End up with two back hands

Girl you just blew your chance 

Don't mean to ruin your plans

—-

 911, what's your emergency?

"Yes, my wife has been in a terrible car accident! Her car caught on fire and she was trapped inside. I-I pulled her out, but she's unconscious and I think her neck might be broken!

Okay sir, I'm going to need you to get her to a safe location and wait for help to arrive. Avoid moving her anymore and try to keep her neck supported.

"O-okay."

—-

Three Months Later

You ended up with three severed vertebrae in your neck. The doctors still don't know how you didn't end up paralyzed or dead, but at this point it must have just been a miracle from God.

Touya brought you to the hospital under the guise of the distraught husband and no one seemed to suspect anything.

Except for Natsuo, Fuyumi, and your lawyers.

Your family was just grateful that you were alive and didn't think to question how the accident may have occurred, though Touya didn't get away completely scot-free.

Your lawyer was the number one accusatory figure when your divorce case went to court. He argued that Touya had been following you, tracking your phone, and was angry that you were finally filing for divorce from him.

That you were going to actually leave him this time.

Touya had an amazing defense lawyer that continued to play him up as the distraught husband; Touya knew what he was doing when he decided to stay at the scene of the accident and "help" you. Your other lawyers and Touya's went toe to toe in the courtroom for days.

— 

Caroline, Caroline

See Caroline, all the guys would say

She's mighty fine, mighty fine

But mighty fine only got you somewhere half the time 

And the other half either got you

Cussed out or coming up short

—-

The jury was at a deadlock.

It wasn't an easy fight. More days in the courtroom with you sitting there in a neck brace, your body bandaged beneath your clothes from the burns you sustained in the fire.

A miracle that you were even alive. 

Finally, after two weeks of court, Touya was convicted of attempted murder.

His defense lawyer tried to go for an insanity plea which was supported by him staying at the accident scene and bringing you to the hospital afterwards.

The prosecutor argued that Touya, though aware of his mental illness, never sought the proper help and continued to mentally and emotionally torture and abuse his wife.

These claims were supported by Natsuo and Fuyumi, who both agreed to testify on your behalf since you couldn't speak up for yourself due to spousal privilege. 

More deliberation, more waiting.

At last, there was a breakthrough.

The insanity plea fell through and Touya finally decided to just plead guilty.

—-

Regardless, we don't want to get involved with all them lawyers

And judges, just to hold grudges in the courtroom

I wanna see your support bra, not support you 

—-

He was called to the witness stand, where he told all the grueling, gritty details of the past five years of your marriage. As much as he didn't want to let you go, he just couldn't bring himself to drag this battle out any farther. After hearing his testimony, the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to fifteen years to life in prison.

So now, here you are, sitting in front of the man that you once loved with all of your heart.

Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, wrists and ankles shackled, Touya regarded you with a downtrodden expression. 

"Y/n… I'm sorry for everything that I put you through. I just want you to know one thing: I'll always love you and my son." 

With a dry chuckle, you shook your head.

"I don't think you know the meaning of the word love, Touya." 

You pushed the divorce papers with your wedding rings situated on top of them towards him and nodded up at the guard standing behind him.

The elder man unlocked Touya's wrist cuffs so the inmate could sign his name where required. He didn't even read over it.

The shackles went back on immediately, and, with one last look, the guard escorted Touya out of the room and back to his cell. 

—-

The sunshine was bright on your face as you walked out of the prison. A funny thought crossed your mind and caused you to giggle out loud.

For years, you'd felt like a prisoner under Touya's watchful gaze.

Oh how the tables have turned.

—-

I know you like to think your shit don't stank 

But lean a little bit closer, see

Roses really smell like booo-booo-ooo

Yeah, roses really smell like booo-booo-ooo

—

a/n: i feel like i was starting to drag this out, so I just had to hurry up and end it 💀 i still think it came out pretty good though! i had to do a lot of research for the legal part and i still don't think it's all correct, but oh well! i ain't no damn lawyer/judge!😂 

[omarera]

So so proud of Omar. I am so happy he is let in to new types of media. SvD and DN are the biggest national morning news papers in Sweden. He has been in evening papers and might be silly but I am glad he is covered in these papers. And now also Hellenius Hörna and Så mycket bättre. Thank You TV4. Now let’s hope national radio stations let his music in as well.

Here are some bits of the interview in SvD. It resembles his Sommarprat and nothing new for us really but a really nice interview with a nice tone in it and it will reach many households in Sweden that still has morning papers…

He talks about where he was a few years ago from the interview and I think it’s beautiful that he opens up about feeling lost, experimenting and on his journey to get to know himself and feel confident being who he is and that he also dares to vocalize his dreams. Remember that Jantelagen is strong in Sweden and vocalizing such big dreams is not usual. His journey continues!! I so want for him to reach his goals❤️

They start off with his FO&O and talk a out his bringing and his mom and dad and moving to Sweden.

One thing he hasn’t touched so much on before is how being known so young affected him:

“It was the sickest thing I've ever been through. It was both a kick and very scary to break through, especially when you were alone in town or going home on the bus. I was up in Stockholm and felt very watched. It was an emotional rollercoaster.”

He takes a deep breath.

“Every single person my age has known about me since I was 14 years old. It has been very intense and probably affected me in different ways. I've probably become more shy and stick mostly to my friends that I've had for many years.”

(We know he always pick stay home and that he is very close to his friends and has a circle of friends he feels safe with. And then about after FO&O)

“I released a few singles, but then the pandemic came and everything was put on hold. That's when it started.

Omar Rudberg puts one hand in his baggy leather jacket pocket and looks out through the Connection Hall in the Slaughterhouse area, where we met on a cool autumn afternoon.

“I was incredibly lost. Both in my professional role and in myself. I had no idea who I was or what I was going to be, what I liked and didn't like.

He set out on an experimental journey.

- I tried to find myself and started hanging out very intensively with friends. We hung out every day and became almost like a collective. It was incredibly fun and above all nice to see people who were in different ways.”

(I also liked this part where he talks about his creativity: )

“In the new homeland, the song and dance continued to be palpable, as did Omar's wild imagination. By the age of eight, it was so intense that his parents took him to a child psychologist.

- What they reacted to was that I didn't need toys. I could just enter another world, be chased by dinosaurs or have the worst action movie in my head. But I wasn't crazy, the child psychologist noted, just a child.

The creativity and musical gift can be traced to the grandmother and the mother. Early on, the latter ensured that Omar participated in talent competitions, often with success.

(And then more in creativity and using it to find yourself)

- My friends and I started trying different types of clothes. We played music and got dressed up. Some tried to put on makeup and nail polish. I really experimented. Those who are not in the know immediately think that a guy who wears make-up is gay or transgender - that bothers me. Make-up should not have to have an orientation, it should be for everyone. Now I wear black eyeliner when I feel like it without being ashamed.

Playing with the outside became a way to find home more in one's inner self, and the fact that Omar was named Best Dressed Man of the Year by the magazine Café this spring is something of a receipt for that.

- I have realized that I have to feel comfortable, stable and free with who I am if I am to be able to move forward in life. Clothes clearly play a role in that. They can also help me get into a certain character more easily.

(There is more text in YR and Karusell but he gets back to: )

“Although it is as an actor Omar has become known in recent years, it is the music he wants to focus on the most in the future. A few days ago, the new single Off my mind was released and tonight is the premiere of this year's So much better on TV4, where Omar is one of the participants.

Perhaps the participation will also be revenge for Omar as a solo artist.

- Yes, I hope people are reminded that I'm actually a singer at heart, it's music that I love the most. I'm looking forward to releasing an album eventually and especially to playing live.

A decade has passed since Omar Rudberg first broke through, when I ask what he thinks life will look like in another ten years, he first laughs at the thought of being 35. Then comes the answer:

- I want to have done the sickest gigs, have had several hits and be out on a world tour. I want to be in a Latin American TV series or movie and for my own company to be worth an incredible amount of money. I will not buy a Lamborghini, but a nice apartment for my mother so that she can be free as a bird. I want to give back everything I got from her.

He runs his hand through his slightly wavy hair and walks over to the mirror to get ready for the photo shoot.

- I would never have dared to have it this way a few years ago. Thankfully, I am much more confident in myself now.

You're not as lost anymore?

- No, I have grown a lot in recent years and now I feel stable enough to take myself forward in life. But I'm probably not quite there yet, the journey continues …

Translated bits from: Elin Liljero Eriksson - 23 oktober 2023 SvD Magazine.

[successfulblackparenting]

Being The Only Black Student: A Toxic Reality

In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States, a disturbing trend emerged in schools nationwide. Reports of racist bullying surged, with many Black children finding themselves the targets of hate-fueled abuse. The reality for those who are the only Black student in their classroom—or even in their entire school—has become increasingly toxic. This article delves…

[cartermagazine]

Today In History

Sarah Breedlove–who later would come to be known as Madam C. J. Walker–was born on December 23, 1867 on the same Delta, Louisiana plantation where her parents, Owen and Minerva Anderson Breedlove, had been enslaved before the end of the Civil War.

This child of sharecroppers transformed herself from an uneducated farm laborer and laundress into one of the twentieth century’s most successful, self-made women entrepreneurs.

Her hot straightening comb, conditioning compounds, and other hair and skin care products made her the wealthiest Black woman in America.

CARTER™️ Magazine

[cowboythighs]

steve harrington found success at a young age, quickly making a name for himself in hollywood.

eddie munson runs a community theater.

their paths don’t cross until they’re meant to.

⬇️a steve-centric steddie ficlet below ⬇️

(cw: addiction)

——————————

It's 1977 and Steve’s leaving home. He’s landed his first acting role at 10 years old when he’s chosen to play an orphan on a popular show about life on the prairie. It's not a main role—just for one season—but he’s excited to be on one of the most popular shows on television.

It's 1977 and Steve’s sent to live in LA in the care of his agent while filming. His checks get sent back to his parents in Indiana.

He's happy to help them—he really is—but it’s a lot of pressure, knowing that his parents and his siblings are depending on him to survive. And he loves acting! But when his contract nears its end, he’s excited at the prospect of returning home.

He wants to sleep in his own bed; wants to spend his summer practicing with his best friend Tommy so they can be ready to try out for the school basketball team together in the fall. So when his agent tells him that the show wants his character to return next season, he politely tells him thanks but no thanks.

He's already got his bags packed. He's called Tommy and made plans to start training the day after he gets back to Hawkins. He’s ready to go home—wonders if his mom will make his favorite (breakfast for dinner) for his first meal back home.

He calls her to ask, but before he can, she brings up the contract. She talks about how his dads having trouble finding work—how much of a help it would be if Steve would renew his contract—stay in LA just a bit longer. Cries and says if he doesn't, she doesn’t know how she’ll be able to feed them all.

So Steve unpacks his bags, calls Tommy to cancel his plans, and renews his contract. Things don’t get better as time goes on. There’s always another show, a better offer. And there’s always a reason why he can’t go home—daddy can’t work, mommy can’t make the kind of money Steve can.

So he stops asking. Takes job after job; keeps his schedule packed so he can make enough money to support his family. He becomes a heartthrob as he progresses into his teens. Starts landing leading roles in movies that make magazines plaster his face all over their covers.

He finds out when he turns 17 that he’s broke. That his parents hadn’t invested his money like they’d said they would—had blown it all on bad business ventures (his mom) and gambling (his dad).

It's 1984 and his face is on billboards, he’s the star of three different summer blockbusters, and he’s broke.

His agent helps him sell most of his assets-the house in Malibu and the sports cars-helps him trim down his team to the bare bones and hires an attorney to ensure that final strings between Steve and his parents are cut.

He's 17 and for the first time in 7 years, he doesn’t have anyone to provide for but himself. He'd worked hard for so long, and now he was ready to play hard—make up for lost time. Instead of going home after a day of filming he’d go out to clubs he shouldn’t be allowed into with a group of young stars that also wanted to party.

It was the most fun he’s ever had. Steve was pretty sure he's almost happy. He's young, he has friends, and he’s a household name. Everywhere he goes there’s someone smiling and calling his name.

But it turns out he isn’t much better than his parents when it comes to managing his money. The big fat paychecks from the movies don’t ever seem to stretch far enough to cover the spending he does. It’s 1985 and he’s still in the red.

He takes the next job he can to help pay off his debts. He wasn’t enthused about the project, but it was supposed to be a guaranteed hit that would’ve been enough to put him back in the black—but it flops. And so does the one after that.

It's 1986 the party drugs Steve used to do for fun turns into a habit.

The name “Steve Harrington” used to carry a certain connotation in the business. hard-working, solid, dependable. They called him a workhorse. Everyone wanted him to work his magic for the camera, but they also praised him for being a good person off screen—a real team player.

It's 1987 and the name “Steve Harrington” has a stench that lingers around it. Unreliable, always late, often too high or too hungover to function. Another Hollywood's darling becomes a cautionary tale. The job offers dry up, and he can’t afford to pay his team or his mortgage. It seems like the nail in the coffin for his acting career.

It's 1988 and Steve’s back on the covers of magazines—pictures of his mugshot and the rehab facility the courts ordered him to.

It's 1989 and he has a handful of new mugshots to add to the collection.

It’s 1990 and his friends won’t call him back. His agent has dropped him and all he has left is a dingy little apartment in NoHo and a pack of debt collectors intent on squeezing every last dime from him.

It’s 1992 and Steve’s 25 when rehab finally sticks. It's his fourth time in almost as many years and he’s so tired. The twelve steps don’t feel so much like bullshit anymore, but more like a life raft in the middle of the ocean. He clings to it. And this time, it works for him.

It's 1994 and Steve has a job waiting tables at a diner and he thinks it’s the hardest work he’s ever done. It's the first time he’s been proud of himself in years. The clientele is older, so he doesn’t get recognized often. He likes that. It's easier that way.

It's 1995 and he makes enough money to move to a better neighborhood. Closer to the diner. Further away from the bad memories trapped in his old apartment. Benny's Burgers becomes his sanctuary. He met Benny in AA—he’s not Steve’s sponsor (Benny’s best friend is), but he keeps him straight. It helps.

It's 1995 and Steve’s happy. He has a cat. Has a bike that he takes up to Griffith park on his days off. Riding makes him think of his friend Tommy back home—wonders if he ever made the basketball team. He has dinner every Sunday with his sponsor, Jim, and his family.

Steve has regulars at the diner now—people that know his name (and his cat’s—James) and care about him. It's nice. One of his favorites is Wayne. He always asks after James (sometimes brings a little bag of treats or a toy for him) and leaves Steve a nice tip.

It's 1996 and Steve’s 29 and he’s happy thinking the world has forgotten him. He's almost at the end of his shift when Wayne walks in one afternoon. He sits in Steve’s section and tells him his nephew will be joining him. Steve’s excited to meet the man who Wayne’s spoke about with so much pride for the last two years.

He sets Wayne up with a coffee and goes back to the kitchen to knock out some of his side work. He gives it a few minutes before he pokes his head out to check—sees a man around his own age sat across from Wayne. He grabs a pot of coffee and a glass of water and makes his way back to their table.

It's been a while since he’s seen it, but he knows the recognition in the man’s eyes when Wayne introduces Steve to his nephew, Eddie. He wants to sink into the floor when Eddie says far too loudly, “Oh shit—Wayne, your Steve is The Steve Harrington??? From The Detention Club?” Steve hates the way people are turning to stare.

Steve makes an excuse—tells Wayne he forgot he needed to check on something in the back. Hears Wayne as he’s walking away, asking his nephew, “Do you know him?” He doesn’t want to hear Eddie’s response. Takes longer than he usually would in the kitchen before he calms his nerves and steps back out.

He tops off their coffee, nervous to look up. Manages to avoid eye contact while he gets their orders and disappears back to the kitchen. He convinces his coworker robin to take their food out for him so he can hide a little longer.

When he can’t wait any more, he goes out to check on them. Asks if there’s anything else he can get for them.

“Steve,” Wayne waits until Steve looks at him. “My nephew owes you an apology.”

Steve tries to wave him off—say there’s nothing to apologize for.

“Oh yes there is,” Wayne interrupted. “He’s obviously made you uncomfortable. But he promises he’s not gonna go blabbling your business to anyone else. Don’t you, boy?”

Steve glances over to find Eddie nodding his head rapidly.

“Scouts honor! Sorry if I freaked you out. It just threw me off because I'm used to seeing you on my bedroom walls—not now! Obviously—but back when I was a kid. It doesn’t matter,I just mean it was just exciting seeing you in person. But I won't tell anyone I saw you here- I'm sure it gets annoying, people trying to harass you all the time.”

Cautiously, Steve allows a little relief to settle over his anxious nerves.

“Not really,” Steve smiles. “Most people have forgotten about me at this point.”

“How could anyone forget you?” Eddie asked.

Steve shrugged. “I'd rather be forgotten than remembered for some of the stuff I've done. It’s easier to be an anonymous server in a random diner than a guy who had the world in the palm of his hand and managed to fuck it all up.”

It’s not the last time Eddie comes to the diner. Sometimes he’s with his uncle. Sometimes he’s alone. If they're not busy, sometimes he asks Steve to join him. Sometimes Steve does. He'll pick at Eddie’s fries and listens to him talk about the play he’s writing for the community theater he runs.

Steve’s not sure why he does it, but he asks Eddie if he can read it. Eddie’s thrilled—brings him a copy a few days later. Tells Steve he’s welcome to give Eddie feedback.

Pages in hand, Steve starts to doubt himself. He talks to Jim.

Steve worries that reading a script will trigger something in his brain that will undo years of hard work on his sobriety. Jim tells him to trust himself; tells him he can come over early on Sunday—before their regular dinner—and read it in the Hopper’s living room, where he can listen to the kids playing down the hall and smell Jim and Joyce cooking in the kitchen and be reminded that it’s not 1987 or 1990 and that he’s alright.

Steve does. He reads Eddie’s play. It's brilliant. It makes him laugh and cry and he finds himself making notes in the margins like he’s going to be the one performing it.

Eddie beams when Steve says he loves it. Invited him down to the community theater to sit in on auditions with him. It sounds painful, to Steve—an entire day watching amateur actors who will undoubtedly butcher Eddie’s work.

He's wrong. It’s one of the most exciting days he’s had in fifteen years—maybe longer. There are so many talented people auditioning—each with unique interpretations of Eddie’s words.

It's magic.

It makes him itch to be up there with them, auditioning.

He can’t. But his heart is quietly pulled towards the stage.

He gives Eddie his opinion when he asks for it. Helps him decide who would be a fit for what role. It's exhilarating.

It’s 1996 and Eddie asks him out for drinks. Steve says no. Asks him if he’d rather get pizza instead.

It’s 1996 and Steve’s 29 and there’s still cheese in his mouth when Eddie–with grease on his lips–leans over the pizzeria table to kiss him. He’s 29 and he thought he’d lost everything but is starting to realize he likes what he has now more than anything he’d ever had before.

It’s 1997 and Steve’s reading Eddie’s latest play. He's falling in love with a character and almost wants to scream because of how badly he wants to play it. He looks up to where Eddie’s been watching him. “Tristan.”

Eddie nods. “He's for you. If you want- when I wrote him, all I could think about was you playing him.”

It’s 1997 and Steve’s acting. He's on stage and it’s opening night. His family—Jim and Joyce and their kids, Eddie and Wayne, Robin and her girlfriend Chrissy—are in the audience supporting him.

It’s 1997 and Steve Harringtons is finally home.

[totowlff]

chapter twenty-eight — what won’t you do for love

➝ the moment of truth has arrived for elisabeth and niki.

➝ word count: 4,4k

➝ warnings: none

➝ author notes: the most awaited chapter for you is here. i hope you are as excited as i am to find out what happens from now on.

AUGUST, 2016

Sitting inside the black Mercedes C-Class parked in her parents’ building Alsergrund, Elisabeth had been staring at the silver star emblem embedded in her steering wheel for more than five minutes already. She was sitting in complete silence. She took a deep breath and tried to push back the lump in her throat, and the tears that kept coming to her eyes. 

It was as if, every time she touched the car handle to open the door, some memory of the last 48 hours of her life came to mind, like a punch to the gut. She had no idea where it was coming from. 

After Toto accidentally posted photos of the two of them, there was no longer any point in running away. It was real, official, and out to the public. The mystery had been solved. Elisabeth Lauda was the newest conquest of the investor, entrepreneur, and notorious playboy Toto Wolff. That’s the way it was phrased on the cover of OE24, one of Austria’s main gossip tabloids. The words were printed along with an image of the two of them together from the IWC gala a few months ago.

Even worse than seeing her own face splashed over the cover of a magazine in a market near Stephensplatz, was the way people around her reacted when reading it. A mother and daughter in the next checkout lane had been reading the magazine while they were in line. Their expressions of disbelief when they saw the glamorous woman on the cover in a black dress and red lipstick was the same as the one in the pages of the magazine — bent over a dock tie in a black bikini, handing a shaved ice to a thirteen year old girl in a park, the woman standing next to them with her hair pulled back in a messy bun and oversized sweatshirt — it was all terrifying, to say the least. But even worse than that were the comments they made out loud, when Elisabeth was sure they couldn’t see her eavesdropping. 

— How is such a successful man with this stupid little girl? — the woman said, showing the magazine to her daughter. The girl nodded and laughed.

When she returned to the penthouse, Elisabeth set the bags down on top of the kitchen island and leaned back against the stone countertop, taking a deep breath. It was as if she'd gone back to VIS, reliving the hell her classmates had put her through. Only this time on an even bigger scale.

— Liesl? — Toto said, standing in the kitchen doorway.

— Yes — she replied, opening one of the bags and taking out their groceries. Her eyes were full of tears.

— Is everything okay?

Elisabeth took a deep breath, not daring to look back. She didn't want Toto to see her crying.

— Yes — she said softly, the tightness in her throat strangling her voice.

— Did something happen at the market?

The memory of the girl's laughter made a tear fall down her cheek. Elisabeth swiped her hand across her face, wiping it away.

— No, nothing happened.

She heard footsteps behind her, and suddenly, a pair of hands landed on her waist, making Elisabeth spin on her axis, causing her to meet Toto's dark eyes. Her bottom lip began to tremble, and a few seconds later, she collapsed in his arms, tears wetting the gray T-shirt he was wearing.

It was all too much for her. 

The sound of something vibrating brought Elisabeth back to reality. She looked around for her phone, finding it in the console to her right. The screen had turned on, with Toto's name in big letters, along with a picture she'd discreetly taken of him one night as he read something by the fireplace. She smiled as she answered the call.

— Hey, darling.

— Hi, Liesl. Have you talked to your father?

— Well… No. Not yet.

— But you left the house an hour ago.

She pursed her lips. She couldn't even use the traffic as an excuse, after all, it wasn't even close to rush hour.

— I've been driving around their neighborhood for a bit — she said quietly — Now I’m parked in front of their building. I’ve been here for about ten minutes.

— But, why?

— Trying to build up the courage, Toto. I have no idea what to expect from this conversation.

Toto sighed on the other end of the line.

— Elisabeth, you know you've put this conversation off too long.

— I know…

— And, you know that no matter what he says, I'll be on your side, right?

— You will?

Toto laughed.

— Of course, Liesl. Always — he replied, making a smile spread across her face — Now take a deep breath and go. I trust you, my love.

Feeling a little more confident, Elisabeth said goodbye to Toto and ended the call. She put her phone in her bag and took a deep breath as she got out of the car, walking toward the entrance of her parents’ building. She said hello to Timo, the building’s doorman, and got into the elevator. Her hand tightened on the strap of her purse as she reached out and pressed the button to take her to the penthouse. 

As she stepped out of the elevator and walked to the apartment door, she felt her throat tighten and her hands go cold. “There's no turning back, Elisabeth”, she thought, pressing the bell. A few seconds later, she heard footsteps and the doorknob turn. However, it was not her father who appeared, but two curious black noses.

— Hello, my boys — Elisabeth said, reaching down to pet Shivas and Felix, who were barking happily, jumping around her, sniffing her coat, and trying to lick her face. Then, she realized there was a pair of familiar brown loafers on the ground in front of her.

— Shivas, Felix, sit — Niki ordered the dogs, his voice cold and abrupt. The pair of retrievers, one of them a yellow golden and the other a black flat-coated, backed up, sitting next to Niki. However, their eyes remained glued to Elisabeth as stood up from where she’d been crouched on the ground — Hello, Elisabeth.

— Good afternoon, dad — she said softly. She looked into his eyes for the first time, blue, so similar, and yet, so different from hers. She was a bit startled by the coldness in them.

— Come in — he said, standing aside for his daughter to enter. Elisabeth took off her high-heeled shoes and walked past him, walking slowly into the living room, listening to her father close the door behind her. She heard the click of the dogs’ nails as they happily followed after her. 

Niki and Marlene's living room was decorated in light, neutral shades with touches of vibrant red and orange. The layout of the room was centered around the fireplace in the center of the room, with the furniture facing it. On the fireplace mantle, there was a shelf with framed photos featuring the entire family.

Among the pictures from her childhood with her brothers in Ibiza, and of Lenny holding his newborn brother, there was a photo that she thought looked a bit out of place on that shelf. It was a photo she didn't remember seeing the last time she'd visited her parents.

It was from the 2014 Constructors' Championship celebration at the Russian Grand Prix. In it, Elisabeth was standing between Niki and Toto, holding the Constructor’s Cup in her hands, completely soaked with champagne. All three of them had wide, genuine smiles on their faces. It was the same photo that Toto had framed and sitting on a shelf in the motorhome office. Every time she set foot in the office, she always glanced at it and felt the heaviness of her guilt building inside of her chest.

— Are you okay, Elisabeth? — Niki asked, standing behind her.

— Yes, I’m fine — she turned away, a shy smile on her lips — What about you, dad?

— I’m fine — he replied seriously as he sat down in one of the armchairs in the living room, with Felix settling at his feet. The dog heaved a long sigh. Niki pointed to the sofa — Sit down.

Elisabeth walked around the coffee table and settled into the spot he had pointed to. Shivas settled just beside her right leg, resting his head in her lap. She placed her bag between her left thigh and the arm of the sofa, and used her free hand to stroke the dog’s head.

Silence in the room stretched for a few seconds, the only sound that could be heard was the tick of a clock.

— Where is my mother? — Elisabeth said in an effort to break the tension, looking at her father.

— Went to see her grandchildren — Niki said, his expression serious — But I don’t think that you came all this way to see your mother, did you?

Elisabeth pressed her lips together.

— No — she said, her voice thin.

More silence, more of the clock’s ticking. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, her hands icy.

— You have something to tell me, right? — her father said, reaching down with his right hand to pet Felix behind the ears.

She'd spent so many nights lying on Toto's chest, listening to his heartbeat and imagining what it would be like to tell Niki about her relationship. Elisabeth had thought of hundreds of approaches, dozens of ways to break the news, thousands of possible reactions he could have when he heard her say that the man she loved was just his friend.

— Well, I... No, we... Actually, I'm the one who wants to talk, since he's not here, but we...

— Who are you talking about? Who is the other person in this ‘we’?

Elisabeth blinked.

— Toto.

— Oh, I understand.

— Do you? — her heart filled with something akin to hope.

— Well, I understand that you and Toto want to tell me something.

— Yes, we do.

— And why isn't he here?

— I thought it would be better if I came alone.

— You did?

— Well, we did… The point is, I want to tell you something that I’ve been keeping with me, well, that we’ve been keeping…

— You mean hiding, Elisabeth? — he asked, his voice cold.

She pressed her lips together. The word was much more appropriate.

— Yes, dad.

— And what are you, or rather, were you hiding?

— We're dating — she said, abruptly — Toto and I, I mean. We are a couple.

It felt like everything in the room, even time itself, stopped. It was so quiet that Elisabeth was sure she could hear a needle drop to the floor. Her eyes were hyper-focused on Niki’s face, trying to read his expression, but she couldn’t discern any particular emotion. His gaze was fixed on the floor. Elisabeth started to grow uncomfortable as the seconds crawled by.

But then, Niki, patting the Flat-coated retriever's head affectionately, looked at Elisabeth and smiled.

— I already knew.

She swallowed hard.

— Mathias sent you the photo?

— Yes. And an almost two-minute audio clip saying that he was opposed to your relationship from the start, that you two were two irresponsible people who didn't give any thought to my feelings, and that he would be by my side to support me no matter what decision I made regarding your relationship.

Elisabeth lowered her gaze, looking at Shivas. The dog still had his head in her lap, looking up at her with big brown eyes. He stared at her for a few seconds before he sighed and closed his eyes again.

— Did you say anything to him? — she asked quietly, not able to meet Niki’s eyes.

— Of course. I told him to shut up and mind his own business.

She jerked her head up and looked at Niki, her eyes going wide.

— Dad…

— Did you really think Mathias would have any bearing on my opinion on this matter, Elisabeth?

— I did, actually.

Niki laughed.

— I thought you knew me better, Mauslein.

Seeing him laughing didn't bring the relief she'd hoped for. In fact, it made her even more nervous

— Aren't you upset with me? — Elisabeth asked, quietly.

He answered her question with another question.

— Why would I be?

— Well, you always say Toto is a friend. You've never called anyone else that, as far as I know. And I’m dating someone that is that close to you…

Her father leaned back in his chair, pulling the hand that was stroking Felix's dark fur into his lap.

— Elisabeth, do you remember what I said that night at that dinner?

— Which dinner?

— The first dinner we had after making the Mercedes investment. The one where I introduced you to Toto.

If her father had said anything after her eyes had first met Toto's, Elisabeth couldn't remember. All she could remember that night was the finger-combed hair, deep voice, and the charming smile of the man who'd spent the entirety of the meal talking to Niki. She was completely unable to recall what had been discussed or even what food was served that night, but she could remember exactly how many times Toto scrunched his nose as he smiled.

“Eight times”, Elisabeth thought to herself.

— Well, you said so much…

— I said that I knew you two would get along, because you liked the same boring things.

Hearing that phrase again brought Elisabeth back to that moment. She smiled shyly, trying to ignore the heat rising in her cheeks. She hadn’t expected her father to be as right as he had been.

— When I met Toto, back in 2009 — Niki continued — What struck me most about him, aside from his stupid idea of trying to do a sub-seven-minute lap in a GT car on the Nordschleife, was how much he reminded me of you.

— Me?

— You two are determined, stubborn, smart, and never leave the negotiating table without a deal. You are passionate about what you do, confident, and committed. Plus, you are the only two people I know who like apricot jam.

She smiled at the mention of the jam. She was the only one in the family who liked apricot jam and she always had some in her fridge. However, she knew very few people who shared her enjoyment of the tart and tangy preserves. However, during one of her first mornings in Toto’s penthouse, she opened the fridge in search of milk for her coffee, Elisabeth spotted a jar of it nestled amongst the other condiments inside.

— Thanks for buying me apricot jam, you didn't have to — she smiled, sitting down at the table and popping open the jar. Toto raised an eyebrow as he looked up from that day's edition of Der Standard in his hands.

— I didn't buy it for you.

The answer had taken her by surprise. With a slice of brioche cut in half and a little bit of the jam spread over it, Elisabeth stared at him.

— No? But…

— I like apricot jam — he said — It’s especially good on croissants.

Elisabeth smiled.

— It really is — she replied, offering a slice of the brioche she'd just made to Toto. He took a generous bite, and ended up with his nose smeared with jam. It made Elisabeth burst out laughing as she tried to clean it with her fingers, only to smear more of it on his face. The memory of that morning made her smile.

— You should give it a chance, dad. It’s good.

— No, no — Niki said, with a smile — More for you, you know.

Looking at Niki for a few seconds, Elisabeth realized that much of the tension in the air had dissipated. However, there were still a few unanswered questions.

— Does that mean you…

— Knew you were interested in Toto and he was interested in you? Of course. Toto was never discreet with his feelings about you. He was very obvious, the way he looked at you, the way he talked about you. But you couldn’t hide it, either.

— Were we that obvious?

Niki sighed.

— Elisabeth, you've always been an open book to me. I always knew when you were hiding something.

— But I’ve never hid anything from you, dad. Well, not before this…

— Summer of 2002 — Niki cut her off — Remember, Mauslein?

“That summer is hard to forget”, she thought, pursing her lips. The family had gone to Ibiza at the end of August to enjoy the first days of the Spanish summer. However, that season was a little different than their previous trips to the island. Niki had invited Sarah, the ex-wife of James Hunt, as well as her two children, Tom and Freddie, to spend a few weeks at the Lauda family’s home.

Between walks on the beach, some riding and a kiss on a deserted beach, Elisabeth found herself living her first love with Freddie Hunt. It was a pure, simple feeling, driven by Freddie’s charm — he had definitely gotten it from his father. Things culminated in Elisabeth spending her first night with a boy.

After everyone else had gone to bed, Freddie left the guest room he was sharing with his brother and crept down the hall to her room. It was practically a habit of his during that two-week stay, after Mathias showed a bit of jealousy over the attention Freddie paid to his sister during the day.

But that night was different from the others. Elisabeth went to dinner wearing a short linen dress that left her tanned legs showing, and Freddie didn't even have time for Elisabeth to whisper good night before kissing her and leading her to her bed. Of course, that first night was nothing like the nights she spent with Toto. After all, she hadn't even had an orgasm before he came, sweaty and out of breath. However, it had been something special for her, especially given the affection with which he had treated her. It was the first time that Elisabeth had ever felt beautiful and desirable, and not like the ugly duckling. 

Their story didn't last long, in the end. Freddie had to return with his mother and brother to England. However, her night with the boy had remained a fond memory for Elisabeth. It was one of the few happy memories she had of her teenage years.

— What about the summer of 2002?

— Remember when we had Sarah and the Hunt boys over in Ibiza? I remember how close you and Freddie were.

— We were practically the same age, dad. It's natural.

— I think it's also natural to see him leave your room in the morning with his hair messed up and his shorts inside out — Niki retorted, with an impish smile. Elisabeth's eyes widened — He made the same face when he saw me in the hallway, his hand still on your doorknob. I remember saying just one thing to him before he headed for the stairs.

— What did you say? — she asked, dreading the answer.

— I asked if he wanted a cup of coffee, or if he'd already had the breakfast of champions.

Elisabeth brought a hand up to her face, shaking her head. Her face burned with embarrassment, even twenty years later.

— You didn't…

— I did — Niki said, laughing — The poor kid couldn't answer me. He just excused himself and ran to his room. He didn't look at me for the rest of the time they were in Ibiza, he said goodbye without even looking me in the eye. I think I traumatized the poor boy.

She laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She was still a bit embarrassed about it. Elisabeth definitely didn't expect her father to pay so much attention to her. After the laughter had died down and silence settled in the air, she had the courage to look up at Niki again.

— So, did you always know? I mean, about me and Toto…

— Always? No, that’s a strong word. I suspected at first that there was a mutual interest. But then he showed up with that French model… Aurélie, was it? And I could see that you weren’t as close as I thought. But after you left during that Grand Prix weekend in Monaco, he didn’t go a day without asking about you — her father said — That was, until we won the Constructors’ title in 2014. You two were the only ones to not show up for the team dinner. I even thought about stopping by your rooms to check if you were all right, but I suspected that you were busy.

She had no idea what to say to that. 

— Then, in Melbourne last year, I realized for sure you were together. I was coming back from having dinner with Lewis and decided to stop by Toto's room. For one thing, he took five minutes to open the door, and answered it wearing a bathrobe that was too small for him. I thought I was going to get a free show for a few minutes. Once I stepped inside, I saw that there was something on the bed, almost hidden under the sheets. It was your phone.

— How did you know it was mine?

— Do you know anyone else who has a fluorescent turquoise phone case, Elisabeth?

Pursing her lips, she looked down to see Shivas was dozing in her lap, his back moving slightly with his quiet breathing. She never wanted to trade places with a dog more  than she did right now: no problems, no worries, just sleeping peacefully and thinking about the next meal.

— You mean that…

— I knew it was you and what you were doing before I even saw the panties under the chair. Actually, that’s why I told him to use protection.

— But…

— Elisabeth, did you really think I would care if I didn't know you were the one having sex with him?

She blinked.

Silence filled the room again.

— Well, the point is that I’ve known for a long time that you were together — Niki spoke again — But there's something I still can't understand, Mauslein. Why didn't you tell me before?

— Dad…

— I always made it clear that you could tell me anything, that I trusted you and that you could trust me.

— I know…

— Did I say something that discouraged you at some point?

— No, dad. It was just the opposite.

— What do you mean by that?

She sighed.

— I spent a lot of time denying myself the chance to feel anything for Toto. I was afraid to feel something, actually. I was afraid of being vulnerable, of the pain that came with it. But my heart was a bit more stubborn than my head. It hurt me much more to resist it than to accept that he felt the same way I did.

— Mauslein…

— And I hesitated. I kept almost telling him how I felt, but I couldn’t ever bring myself to do it. And then, I remembered what you said on that flight to Bahrain after Lenny was born. You told me not to deny myself the chance to be happy. And I found mine in that man.

Niki's lips curved slightly.

— He's sensitive, understanding, intelligent and funny. Toto complements and completes me in a way that no other person ever has. We have the same ambitions, the same dreams, the same goals. I look at him and I see my future. He’s my best friend, my boyfriend, the future father of my children, my partner in crime. I love him, dad. I love him and am willing to fight with him, and fight for him.

As Elisabeth spoke, she felt something hot run down her face. A tear. She ran a hand quickly over her face, lowering her head, trying to hide her emotions. She had never stopped to reflect on the extent of her feelings for Toto. It was a completely different love than she felt for her parents, siblings or nephews. It wasn't something almost natural, but rather, a feeling that had grown inside her chest until it was too big to just be inside her.

— You know how I feel about this, Elisabeth — Niki said, his tone serious. Looking up at her father, she swallowed — I just want to see you happy, my daughter. I want to see you smiling, happy. And I can see that Toto is capable of leaving you just like that.

— You mean that…

— If you need my blessing or any of that bullshit to make you feel at ease, know that you both have had it from minute one. I trust Toto to be by your side, and I trust you for following your heart.

More tears streamed down Elisabeth's face.

They were tears of relief. Tears of happiness.

— I don't think you'll ever learn that you can't cry in front of me, otherwise I'll start crying — Niki muttered, getting up from his chair — Come here, Mauslein.

Lifting herself gently so as not to disturb the still-sleeping Shivas, Elisabeth rose from the sofa and let herself be enfolded in her father's arms, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. Feeling his hand caress the back of her head, she felt like a child again, being comforted by her father after her brothers had excluded her from some play or after some misadventure at school.

That was one of her safe places. It always would be, as long as she lived.

Lifting her head slightly, Elisabeth chuckled as Niki placed a kiss on her forehead, the same way she had when she was little, running the tips of his calloused fingers, which had gripped the hard steering wheels of the cars he’d driven over the years, over his daughter’s cheeks.

— I thought you realized I was happy for you when you looked at the pictures over the fireplace, Mauslein — her father muttered.

She turned to look at the pictures on the mantle and the 2014 title celebration photo seemed to stand out among the sandcastles and toothless smiles. It was the last detail that was missing for her to realize that this was no longer one of the scenarios she had made up in her head.

— You put that picture there…

— Well, we have pictures of Mathias with Claire, we needed one of you and your partner. I found this one very adequate, but we can change it. You probably have taken better ones since then.

— Is that your way of saying he's family?

Niki smiled.

— Yes, Mauslein. Toto is part of our family now. I can’t wait to call him my son-in-law.

[callmeyours-fiction]

Call Me Yours "fiction"

Prologue

In the heart of Manhattan, where the city's heart beats strongest, Alexis Ray's apartment served as a sanctuary amidst the chaos. The sun filtered through sheer curtains, casting a soft glow over the sleek, modern decor. Alexis, a vision of focus and determination, sat at her drafting table, her platinum blond hair cascading over her shoulders, reflecting the morning light. Her eyes, a striking mix of green and silver blue, scanned the sketches in front of her. Each line, each curve on the paper, was a testament to her passion for fashion and her undeniable talent. Onyx, her loyal orange cat, lay sprawled beside her, basking in the sunbeam.

"Another day, another trend to set," Alexis mused to herself, her fingers deftly moving over the sketch, adding the final touches to what she hoped would be the next big thing in the fashion industry. Despite her success, a cloak of solitude wrapped around her. The apartment, though filled with the echoes of her accomplishments, felt empty. Her parents' absence, a void that no amount of accolades could fill, lingered in the air.

Meanwhile, across town in a neighborhood that hummed with a different kind of energy, Naomi Park prepared for another day at her veterinary clinic. Her black hair, long and wavy, was tied back as she examined a sick puppy, her touch gentle yet assured. Her clinic was her domain, a place where she could make a difference, one animal at a time. Chomper, her leopard gecko, watched from his terrarium, a silent observer to the compassion that defined Naomi's life.

"Alright, little guy, let's get you feeling better," Naomi spoke to the puppy, her voice a soothing balm. Her confidence was palpable, a beacon for those lost in the tumult of the city. Yet, beneath her poised exterior lay the scars of a love lost, a reminder of the vulnerability she guarded fiercely.

In another part of the city, Cassia Mackenzie, with her boundless energy and infectious laughter, taught a dance class. Her movements were poetry in motion, a language all her own. "And one, and two, and three!" she counted, her voice a melody over the music. Cassia's world was one of rhythm and flow, her spirit uncontainable. After class, she checked her phone, a message from Alexis lighting up the screen.

"Brunch tomorrow? I need my bestie fix," Alexis' message read.

Cassia's reply was immediate, a string of emojis that conveyed her excitement. Their friendship was a tapestry of shared dreams and unspoken understandings, a bond forged in the fires of adversity.

Elsewhere, Elena Gilbert meticulously arranged her baking ingredients, her kitchen a laboratory for her culinary experiments. The precision with which she approached her baking was a reflection of her scientific mind. Yet, her heart yearned for connections that went beyond formulas and recipes. A text from Naomi broke her concentration.

"Emergency at the clinic. Raincheck on dinner?" Naomi's message read.

Elena's response was one of unwavering support, a testament to the depth of their friendship. "Of course. Let me know if you need anything," she typed back, her words a bridge across the distance that separated them.

As the day unfolded, the lives of these four women moved in parallel, each on a trajectory of their own making. Unbeknownst to them, the threads of their destinies were about to intertwine, weaving a tapestry of love, friendship, and self-discovery that would challenge their beliefs, test their bonds, and ultimately, lead them to a love that transcended the pages of fashion magazines and veterinary journals. But for now, the city hummed with the promise of tomorrow, a backdrop to their separate journeys, each step dancing in the direction of fate.

Chapter 1: Parallel Lives

The city was just waking up as Naomi Park started her day, the early morning light casting a soft glow on the streets. Her routine was a comfortable rhythm, a blend of dedication and care. After lacing up her sneakers and setting out into the crisp morning air, Naomi's first stop was her favorite coffee shop. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the space, a beacon for the sleep-deprived and the early risers alike.

"One coffee and a mushroom and goat cheese panini, please," Naomi ordered, her voice cheerful despite the hour. The barista, a young man with an easy smile, nodded.

"Coming right up, Dr. Park. You're saving any lives today?" he asked, handing her the steaming cup of coffee.

"Hopefully, just making them a bit better," Naomi replied with a wink, taking her breakfast and heading out.

The clinic was a short walk from the coffee shop, a journey Naomi made with a spring in her step. By the time she arrived, the clinic was buzzing with activity. Her team greeted her warmly as she walked in, her presence bringing a sense of calm and confidence.

"Morning, everyone! What's on the agenda today?" Naomi asked, slipping on her white coat and checking the schedule.

"First up, a kitten with a slight wound from playing too rough," one of the technicians replied.

Naomi nodded, her professional demeanor in place. "Let's make sure it's nothing serious. Lead the way."

Meanwhile, Alexis Ray's day began with the discipline of a seasoned athlete. Her morning jog through the quiet streets was a time for reflection, a moment of peace before the storm of the fashion world. Returning to her apartment, she quickly showered and dressed, choosing an outfit that was the perfect blend of professional and chic.

Driving to the Vogue Magazine office, Alexis was a study in concentration. Her arrival was always noted, a silent acknowledgment of her importance and influence. The morning meeting was crucial, a discussion on the upcoming spring fashion show.

"Team, we need to ensure this show sets the trends for the season. Our selections and themes must be impeccable," Alexis stated, her voice commanding attention.

The meeting was a whirlwind of ideas and creativity, but it was Alexis's vision that guided them. Afterward, she turned her attention to reviewing articles for publication.

"I expect more from you," Alexis said, her tone firm yet not unkind, as she handed back a draft to a junior member. "Your analysis lacks depth. Fashion is not just about clothes; it's about the story they tell."

Her feedback was direct, and her expectations were clear. Despite her reserved nature, her team respected her, knowing that her guidance was invaluable.

As the day turned to evening, Naomi found herself at a club with Elena, seeking a release from the day's pressures. Elena watched, amused and slightly concerned, as Naomi flirted effortlessly.

"Naomi, maybe take it easy?" Elena suggested, her voice barely audible over the music.

Naomi just laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Relax, Elena. We're here to have fun, remember?"

Elena shook her head, a smile on her face despite her worries. Naomi's charm was undeniable, her ability to draw people in a gift. But as the night wore on, Elena decided to head home, leaving Naomi to her adventures.

Across town, Alexis attended an elegant party hosted by Christopher John Rogers. Her outfit, a stunning piece from his collection, drew admiring glances. Yet, her focus was on networking, on forging connections that would benefit her work.

"You have an incredible eye for fashion, Alexis," a designer commented, captivated by her insights.

"Thank you," Alexis replied, her response gracious yet reserved. "It's about understanding the narrative behind the design."

The party was another success, another evening where Alexis's reputation grew. Yet, as she returned to her apartment, her thoughts were on the work that awaited her. The night might be for networking, but her passion was always for the fashion itself.

In their respective worlds, Naomi and Alexis moved forward, their paths yet to cross. Their lives were a tapestry of contrasts and similarities, each driven by their passions and haunted by their pasts. Conversations and connections were the threads that wove their stories, a reminder of the intricate dance of life in the city.

The clinic was busier than usual, the waiting room filled with a mix of anxious pet owners and their furry companions. Naomi navigated the chaos with a calm demeanor, her presence a reassuring force. After successfully treating the kitten from the morning's first case, she moved on to a more challenging patient: a dog with a mysterious illness.

"Ginger hasn't been herself lately," Ginger's owner, a middle-aged man with worry etched on his face, explained to Naomi.

Naomi knelt beside Ginger, her hands gentle as she examined the lethargic dog. "We'll run some tests and figure out what's wrong, okay? I promise we'll take good care of her."

As the day progressed, Naomi found herself deep in conversation with her team, discussing treatment options and strategies. "Let's not jump to conclusions until we have all the results," she advised her tone both firm and comforting. "Each case teaches us something new. Remember, it's about the care we provide, not just the cure."

Alexis's Inspiration

Meanwhile, Alexis spent her afternoon in a creative rut. The latest designs seemed lackluster, failing to spark the innovation she was known for. Seeking inspiration, she decided to visit a small, avant-garde art gallery during her lunch break.

Walking through the gallery, Alexis was drawn to a particular piece, a bold, abstract painting that challenged conventional beauty. "There's something about this," she murmured, lost in thought.

The gallery owner, noticing her interest, approached. "It's a conversation starter, isn't it? The artist believes in finding beauty in chaos," he explained.

Alexis nodded, her mind racing with ideas. "That's exactly what fashion should do—challenge perceptions, create conversations. Thank you for this," she said, her voice filled with newfound enthusiasm.

Returning to the office, Alexis convened another meeting with her team. "Let's think outside the box. Fashion is art, and art is transformational. I want us to explore that in our next collection," she declared, her eyes alight with passion.

Cassia's Performance

Cassia was preparing for a major dance performance, a fusion of contemporary and traditional movements that told a story of resilience and hope. During rehearsals, she found herself struggling with a complex sequence, her frustration growing with each misstep.

"I can't seem to get this right," Cassia vented to Alexis over a video call later that day.

Alexis, always the voice of reason, replied, "You're overthinking it. Remember why you dance, Cassia. Let that emotion drive your movements."

Encouraged by Alexis's words, Cassia returned to rehearsal with a renewed sense of purpose. Her performance was not just about perfection but about expression. "Thank you, Alexis. You always know what to say," Cassia said, gratitude evident in her voice.

Elena's Experiment

Elena was in the midst of a culinary experiment, attempting to create a new dessert that combined unusual flavors. The kitchen was a mess, but her excitement was palpable. Naomi, ever supportive, had offered to be her taste tester.

"This could be a disaster or a delight," Elena warned as she presented a plate of her latest creation to Naomi.

Naomi took a bite, her expression thoughtful. "It's... unexpected. But in a good way! You're onto something here, Elena."

Laughing, Elena jotted down notes. "Your honesty is invaluable, Naomi. Back to the drawing board!"

the lives of Alexis, Naomi, Cassia, and Elena continue to unfold, each moment a step on their journeys. Their paths are yet to intersect, but the city around them pulses with the promise of connection, of shared stories waiting to be discovered. Conversations, both challenging and encouraging, are the lifelines that tether them to their dreams and to each other, unseen threads weaving a complex tapestry of life.

Alexis at the Charity Event

The Tom Ford charity event was a highlight of the fashion calendar, a blend of glamour and philanthropy. Alexis and her team from Vogue were among the glitterati, representing the pinnacle of fashion journalism. Amidst the sparkle, an intern named Candace accidentally spilled a drink on a guest's designer gown—a potential disaster in the making.

Candace's face paled, her apology stammering out. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—"

Before the situation could escalate, Alexis stepped in, her composure unshaken. "It's alright, let's handle this. Candace, could you please get some club soda? I'll explain the situation," Alexis directed calmly, turning to the guest with an apologetic smile. "I assure you, we'll make this right."

The guest, initially furious, softened under Alexis's diplomatic handling. Candace returned, watching in awe as Alexis deftly managed the situation, ensuring the gown was cared for and the guest remained appeased.

"Thank you, Alexis. I was sure I'd be fired on the spot," Candace whispered once they were alone.

Alexis shook her head, her gaze kind. "We all make mistakes, Candace. What's important is how we fix them. Let's learn and move on."

Candace nodded, her admiration for Alexis growing. "I've never seen someone handle a crisis so gracefully. You're amazing, Alexis."

Alexis offered a small, enigmatic smile. "Just doing my job. Let's get back to the event, shall we?"

Naomi's Chaotic Day

Naomi's phone buzzed relentlessly, messages from past flings seeking her attention. She glanced at the screen, a flicker of annoyance passing through her before she silenced the device and focused on her work.

The day only spiraled from there when a problematic client arrived, demanding unreasonable care for their pet. Naomi took a deep breath, channeling her patience. "I understand you're concerned, but we're providing the best possible care for your pet. Trust us," she explained, her voice firm yet empathetic.

The client huffed, dissatisfaction clear, but Naomi remained professional, navigating the situation with practiced ease. By the time she left the clinic at 8 pm, she was mentally exhausted.

Back at her apartment, Naomi sighed, sinking into her couch. "What a day, Chomper," she said to her gecko, who watched her curiously. She picked up her phone again, this time to call her grandmother. "Hey, Grandma, just checking in. How was your day?"

The sound of her grandmother's voice was a balm to Naomi's frayed nerves, a reminder of the love and stability that grounded her.

Alexis's Evening Reflection

Leaving the charity event, Alexis felt the weight of the day settle over her. The drive home was a blur, her mind replaying the evening's events. Once home, she slipped into her routine, a book in hand, seeking solace in the quiet.

Her phone buzzed, a message from Cassia breaking the silence. "Do you ever think about finding love, Lex? Or does it never cross your mind?"

Alexis paused, considering. "I don't think it's for me, Cass. I'm not sure I'm built for that kind of connection."

Cassia's response was quick, a mix of humor and concern. "Sometimes I think you're more robot than human, Lex. How can you not feel lonely?"

Alexis chuckled softly, a rare sound. "I have Onyx, and I have my work. That's enough for me."

Their conversation drifted to other topics, but Cassia's words lingered in Alexis's mind as she played with Onyx, the quiet of her apartment wrapping around her like a familiar cloak.

As the night drew to a close, both Naomi and Alexis found themselves adrift in their thoughts, the events of the day a testament to their resilience and independence. Yet, in the solitude of their respective spaces, the question of connection—of something more beyond their work and daily routines—hovered unanswered. The threads of their lives continued to weave a pattern yet unseen, their encounters with others shaping the tapestry of their existence, even as their paths remained parallel.

Chapter 2: The Unexpected Encounter

Preparing for Fashion Week

Alexis and her team were in the thick of preparation for the upcoming New York Fashion Week, focusing on the spring collections. The atmosphere in the Vogue office was electric with anticipation. Laurel, the chief editor, had just given Alexis and her team the significant responsibility of crafting a major article for the magazine, a piece that would also be featured online.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for us," Alexis addressed her team with a blend of excitement and seriousness. "We need to ensure our coverage is insightful and engaging. The spring collections are a pivotal moment in the fashion calendar."

Jake, the junior creative content intern and openly gay, seized a rare moment of downtime to suggest, "Alexis, how about a team hangout? It could be a great way to unwind before the chaos of Fashion Week."

The team looked at Alexis, a mix of hope and surprise in their eyes. Candace, quietly harboring feelings for Alexis, held her breath, waiting for the response.

"To my surprise, I think it's a great idea. Let's do it. I'll make reservations at THE CAMPBELL," Alexis decided, seeing the value in team bonding. Her team's reaction was immediate, a chorus of approval and gratitude.

At THE CAMPBELL

The luxury bar was buzzing with energy, an ideal backdrop for Alexis's team to celebrate. While everyone else engaged in lively conversations, Alexis remained a quiet observer, sipping her drink and letting the music fill the spaces between her thoughts.

Candace, emboldened by alcohol but also genuinely concerned, approached Alexis. "Are you okay with us hanging out like this? You seem... distant."

Alexis offered her a small smile. "I'm glad to see everyone enjoying themselves. Don't worry about me."

Their conversation was brief, Candace returning to the group, throwing glances at Alexis, hoping not to be too obvious with her admiration.

The Unexpected Encounter

Meanwhile, Naomi and her friends were also at THE CAMPBELL, immersed in their own world of laughter and dance. Naomi's preference for a French Martini was well catered to, and the group was having a blast.

The night took a turn when Candace, in her drunken state, accidentally vomited on Naomi. The shock and disgust were immediate, Naomi ready to confront the irresponsible partygoer.

Before things could escalate, Alexis stepped in, her expression apologetic. "I'm so sorry about this. Let me take care of any cleaning bills, please."

Naomi, caught off guard by Alexis's stunning presence, momentarily forgot her irritation. "It's... okay, I guess. These things happen."

Despite Naomi's reassurance, Alexis insisted, handing her a contact card. "Please, let me at least compensate you and your friends for the inconvenience."

Naomi was taken aback by Alexis's demeanor—so composed and yet so distant. "Is there something on my face?" Alexis asked, noting Naomi's stare.

"No, nothing. It's fine," Naomi managed, her friends watching the exchange with interest.

Elena teased Naomi once Alexis had departed to care for her team. "Looks like you've met your match, huh?"

Naomi smirked, her interest piqued not just by Alexis's beauty but by the challenge she represented. "Maybe. But let's see if she can handle me."

Reading the contact card, Naomi's eyes widened in recognition. "Alexis Ray, Vogue Magazine. No wonder she seemed so out of my league."

Her friends laughed, but Naomi's mind was already racing with possibilities. Alexis Ray had left an impression, one that Naomi was not ready to shake off just yet.

As the night wound down, the chance encounter at THE CAMPBELL lingered in the minds of both Alexis and Naomi. For Alexis, it was an unwanted complication in an otherwise meticulously organized life. For Naomi, it was the beginning of a fascination, a challenge she was eager to explore. The threads of their lives, previously parallel, had crossed for the first time, sparking a connection that promised to unravel in unexpected ways.

The Morning After

Candace woke with a sense of dread, her mind replaying the events from the night at THE CAMPBELL. Frantically, she reached out to Jake, her fellow intern, needing to share her guilt and fear.

"Jake, I'm freaking out about last night. I can't believe I let things get so out of hand," Candace confessed over the phone, her voice shaky.

Jake, equally anxious, replied, "I know, I'm worried too. Alexis is going to have our heads. Do you think she'll mention it to us today?"

Both interns dreaded the confrontation they believed was inevitable as they made their way to the Vogue office.

Upon arrival, the tension was palpable. They were met by Hannah, another team member, who couldn't resist adding to their anxiety. "Heard about last night. You two might want to update your resumes," she teased, half-serious.

Gathering their courage, Candace and Jake approached Alexis to apologize. "We're really sorry about last night, Alexis. It won't happen again," Candace managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alexis simply nodded, her expression unreadable. "Focus on your work. We have a busy day ahead," she said coolly, dismissing them without further comment.

Lunchtime Revelation

As lunchtime approached, Alexis was so engrossed in her work that she hadn't even thought about taking a break. Her assistant, concerned, asked if she had plans to eat, but Alexis was determined to continue working, assuring her assistant she'd take care of herself.

It was then that a text message caught her off guard: "Hi, This is Naomi. We met at the bar last night."

Alexis paused, the name taking a moment to register. "Ah, right. The incident," she mumbled to herself before replying with a formal text, "Please leave your bank account number. I will take care of it. I apologize for the inconvenience you faced last night. Thanks."

The conversation was curtly ended there by Alexis, keen on cutting any further communication.

Naomi's Surprise

At the clinic, Naomi was taken aback by Alexis's cold and formal response. "This girl is really something. Difficult and intriguing. No one's ever resisted me like that. A real cold princess," she muttered to herself, a mix of admiration and challenge sparking within her.

Feeling bold, Naomi shot back a message, "Well, your apology is enough. It's not a big deal. I don't want any compensation, but how about one lunch or dinner instead?"

Alexis's reply came swiftly, surprising Naomi with its bluntness, "Thank you for your generosity, but if you say so, we don't need to have any further contact. Have a nice day."

Naomi couldn't help but laugh, "Wow, the actual ice queen."

An Accidental Reunion

Months passed, and the incident at THE CAMPBELL became a distant memory for Naomi, who continued her life and work with the same passion as always. One early morning, as she jogged in the park, her thoughts were far from Alexis. That is until a familiar and captivating figure jogged past her—Alexis.

Naomi, surprised and intrigued, called out, "Alexis!" but received no acknowledgment, likely due to the AirPods Alexis was wearing. Determined, Naomi sped up to catch her, feigning a casual encounter.

When Alexis finally stopped, she looked at Naomi, slightly annoyed, "Can I help you with something?"

Naomi, caught slightly off guard by the directness, tried to keep it light, "No, just thought it might be nice to say a proper hello, you know, since we've met before."

Alexis, pausing for a moment, replied with a curt "Good morning," before resuming her jog, leaving Naomi standing there, a mix of emotions swirling within her.

"Good morning, indeed," Naomi scoffed to herself, the brief encounter leaving her more intrigued than ever by the enigmatic Alexis Ray.

Coffee Shop Collision

A week after their park encounter, Naomi found herself in a bustling coffee shop, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. As she waited in line, her attention was caught by a familiar figure at the counter—Alexis, ordering her coffee with an air of quiet efficiency.

Seizing the opportunity, Naomi approached her. "Fancy meeting you here, Alexis. Trying the new seasonal blend?"

Alexis glanced over, her expression neutral. "I prefer to stick to the classics. Less room for disappointment," she replied coolly, paying for her order and stepping aside.

Naomi, undeterred by Alexis's indifference, pressed on. "I've heard the classic espresso here is unbeatable. Maybe we could share a table and you could tell me if it lives up to the hype?"

"There's really no need. Enjoy your coffee, Ms. Park," Alexis said, before making her way to a secluded table, leaving Naomi to ponder her next move.

The Library Run-In

Days turned into weeks, and Naomi's fascination with Alexis only grew. Their next incidental meeting occurred in the quiet aisles of a local library. Naomi, browsing through the latest medical journals, spotted Alexis in the literature section, her focus on a thick novel.

"Into classic literature, or are you just trying to impress someone?" Naomi teased, leaning against the bookshelf.

Alexis looked up, her face impassive. "I find reading to be a personal journey, not a means to impress," she stated, marking her page and closing the book. "Excuse me," she added, slipping past Naomi, who watched her go, a wry smile on her face.

The Gym Encounter

The universe seemed to conspire to bring them together, as their paths crossed yet again at the gym. Naomi, lifting weights, caught a glimpse of Alexis on the treadmill, her concentration absolute.

After finishing her set, Naomi approached, wiping sweat from her brow. "You're quite the enigma, Alexis Ray. Even here, you're in your own world," she observed.

Alexis paused her workout, offering a brief nod. "The gym is my time for focus and reflection. I'm sure you understand the importance of personal space," she responded, before resuming her pace, her cold demeanor a clear boundary.

Despite the series of cold encounters, Naomi found herself increasingly drawn to Alexis, her thoughts often drifting to the enigmatic editor. It was a distraction, an anomaly in her otherwise straightforward life.

One evening, while walking her dog in the park, Naomi spotted Alexis sitting on a bench, lost in thought. This time, Naomi approached with a different tactic, her dog leading the way.

"Looks like someone wants to say hello," Naomi said, as her dog tugged towards Alexis, wagging its tail.

Alexis couldn't help but smile, reaching out to pet the dog. "He's very friendly," she commented, her guard momentarily down.

"Yeah, he has a knack for warming up to people. Unlike some I know," Naomi said, sitting beside her, a playful nudge in her tone.

Alexis let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh. "I suppose I can come across as... distant. But I have my reasons," she admitted, her gaze on the dog, avoiding Naomi's eyes.

Naomi sensed the shift, the slight crack in Alexis's cold exterior. "Everyone has their reasons. Maybe over coffee, you could share yours with me? No expectations, just two people talking."

Alexis paused, considering the offer. After a moment, she nodded. "Perhaps. But let's not make any promises."

Naomi smiled, feeling a small victory. "Fair enough, Alexis. Fair enough."

Their encounters, a blend of challenge and curiosity, had slowly woven a thread of connection between them. For Naomi, the realization dawned that her interest in Alexis was more than just a challenge; it was a genuine desire to know her beyond the cold facade. For Alexis, Naomi represented an unsettling disruption to her carefully maintained boundaries, yet she couldn't deny the curiosity Naomi sparked within her.

Naomi woke up to a face she barely recognized from the night before. Without a word or a backward glance, she left, feeling a mix of boredom and emptiness. The morning light did little to dispel her growing disillusionment with her repetitive cycle of fleeting encounters.

Back at her apartment, Naomi greeted Chomper and Mike, her faithful companions, who brought a semblance of stability to her otherwise chaotic life. As she prepared for her day, thoughts of Alexis intruded unexpectedly. Their brief encounters and the promised coffee chat that never materialized loomed in her mind. With a heavy heart, Naomi headed to her clinic, determined to lose herself in work.

During a lull, Elena stopped by for a visit. Their conversation meandered until Naomi mentioned Alexis.

"I met someone interesting... Alexis Ray from Vogue. But, it seems like she's just another New York ghost story," Naomi shared, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Elena, always the optimist, replied, "Maybe she's just caught up in her world. You know how the city can be."

Vogue's Triumph and Team Dynamics

At Vogue, the atmosphere was electric. The article Alexis and her team had worked on was a resounding success, drawing praise from Laurel, the chief editor. "Fantastic work, Alexis. This is the kind of excellence that sets us apart," Laurel commended, her approval a rare gem.

Amid the preparations for the upcoming Fashion Week, Candace found herself stealing glances at Alexis, admiration and something more tender in her eyes. Alexis, catching her look, inquired, "Is there something on my face, Candace?"

Flustered, Candace quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks tinged with red. "No, Alexis. Sorry, I was just... admiring the work."

An Awkward Reunion and A Text Message

The Fashion Week was in full swing, and Alexis was in her element, navigating through the sea of designers and celebrities. An accidental eye contact with her ex-boyfriend, Ryder, threatened to disrupt her focus. His attempt to reconnect was swiftly rebuffed by Alexis, her commitment to her professional boundaries unwavering.

Back at the clinic, as Naomi fought off sleep and the mountain of paperwork, her thoughts drifted to Alexis. On a whim, she sent a text, inviting her for a spontaneous meet-up. Alexis's initial refusal morphed into curiosity about the animals at Naomi's clinic.

The Clinic Visit

When Alexis arrived at the clinic, Naomi's heart skipped a beat. Her attempt to engage Alexis over dinner was quickly bypassed in favor of meeting the animals.

Leading Alexis to the puppies and kittens, Naomi watched as the usually reserved editor transformed, her laughter and genuine smiles a revelation. Naomi found herself drawn into a conversation about animals, Alexis opening up about her own pet, Onyx.

The moment was fleeting, however. As Alexis made her excuses to leave, Naomi was left with a profound sense of connection and an insatiable curiosity about the enigmatic editor.

"Looks like you've got a soft spot for more than just fashion, Alexis," Naomi said as they reached the clinic door.

Alexis, for a moment, seemed to hesitate. "Everyone has their soft spots, Naomi. Goodnight," she replied, stepping into the night.

Naomi watched her go, a mix of emotions swirling within her. Alexis Ray was more than just a challenge now; she was a mystery Naomi was determined to unravel.

Lingering Feelings and Realizations

As the door closed behind Alexis, Naomi exhaled deeply, a smile creeping onto her face. The realization was clear: her interest in Alexis had evolved beyond mere curiosity. She was genuinely captivated by the Vogue editor, eager to peel back the layers of her reserved exterior.

Yet, Alexis's stance was clear. Despite the brief moments of connection, she remained guarded, her focus on her work and her personal boundaries firmly in place. For Naomi, the challenge was no longer about breaking through Alexis's defenses; it was about understanding and respecting the complexity of the woman who had unwittingly captured her attention.

Chapter 3: Evolving Dynamics

Naomi's Shift in Focus

Months had passed since Naomi's unexpected evening at the clinic with Alexis. The once frequent nights of fleeting connections had given way to introspection and an undeniable fixation on Alexis. Naomi found herself reaching out via text more often, their exchanges slowly peeling back the layers of Alexis's guarded demeanor.

One evening, as Naomi sat on her couch with Chomper curled up beside her, she typed out a message to Alexis, "How's the world of high fashion treating you today?"

Alexis's response came after a short pause, "Busy as always. The world doesn't stop for Vogue, unfortunately."

Naomi smiled, typing back, "I bet it doesn't. But I hope you're finding some time for yourself amidst the chaos."

The conversation flowed more smoothly than before, with Alexis offering brief glimpses into her life, yet her replies retained a certain reserve.

Cassia and Alexis's Day Out

Cassia and Alexis decided to spend a rare day off together, strolling through a local art exhibit. Cassia, ever the optimist, attempted to draw Alexis out of her shell.

"You've been texting Naomi quite a bit lately. That's new," Cassia prodded gently, a teasing smile on her face.

Alexis, guarded, replied, "She's... interesting. Different from the usual crowd we encounter."

Cassia laughed, bumping her shoulder playfully against Alexis's. "Maybe 'interesting' is just what you need."

Their laughter echoed through the gallery, a moment of carefree joy amidst their hectic lives.

Ryder's Unsuccessful Attempt

Ryder, unable to shake his feelings for Alexis, approached her one day outside the Vogue office, hopeful and apprehensive.

"Alexis, can we talk? I've been thinking about us, about a second chance," Ryder started, his gaze earnest.

Alexis, however, remained unmoved. "Ryder, there is no 'us' to speak of. I'm focused on my career. That's my priority."

The rejection was clear, leaving Ryder to watch as Alexis walked away, her resolve as firm as ever.

Candace's Unspoken Feelings

Candace's admiration for Alexis had only deepened over time, a fact she struggled to conceal. Jake, observant and supportive, noticed her longing looks and sighs.

"Candace, it's obvious you've got it bad for Alexis. Just be careful, okay?" Jake whispered during a quiet moment at the office.

Candace nodded, her expression a mix of fear and longing. "I know. It's just... hard. Thanks for being here, Jake."

Jake, in a misguided attempt to help, ended up volunteering them for additional tasks from Alexis, hoping to give Candace more opportunities to be near her. Instead, they found themselves swamped with work, their little secret safe but their chances unadvanced.

An Unlikely Connection

As the dynamics between each character evolved, Naomi found herself increasingly captivated by the glimpses of warmth and vulnerability Alexis occasionally showed. Their text exchanges became a highlight of her day, a connection that seemed to promise more.

One night, Naomi sent a light-hearted message, "If I promise to bring Chomper along, would you agree to a walk in the park? He misses his favorite Vogue editor."

Alexis's reply, while still guarded, carried a hint of warmth, "Perhaps. Let me see when I can find some time."

The interaction, simple yet significant, marked a turning point. Naomi, once a seeker of fleeting connections, found herself yearning for something deeper with Alexis. And Alexis, ever reserved, began to acknowledge the stirrings of a connection she hadn't anticipated.

Their journey, filled with unspoken feelings, tentative connections, and the promise of something more, continued to unfold against the backdrop of their busy lives, each moment bringing them closer to understanding the depth of their bond.

Several days later. Candace, rushing to catch the elevator at the Vogue office, barely made it before the doors closed, only to find herself in close quarters with Alexis. The unexpected "Good morning" from Alexis sent her heart racing, but her joy was short-lived as the elevator jolted to a halt, the lights flickering out.

"Looks like we're stuck," Alexis said calmly, trying to use her phone, then noticing the lack of signal. "Signal's dead. We'll have to wait it out."

Candace, already on edge from the close proximity to Alexis, felt her breath quicken, not from the limited air but from the overwhelming situation. As she began to feel faint, Alexis noticed.

"Hey, take deep breaths. It's okay. We're going to be fine," Alexis assured her, her voice steady and comforting in the dark.

When the lights finally came back on and the elevator doors opened with the help of security, Alexis's gentle act of brushing dust out of Candace's hair was the final straw for Candace's composure, leading her to faint into Alexis's arms.

The Hospital Rush

While Naomi was having a busy week, thoughts of Alexis never strayed far. Receiving a text from Alexis mentioning she was at the hospital, Naomi's concern overrode everything else. She called Alexis immediately.

"Alexis, are you okay? Where are you? I'm coming over," Naomi said, breathless with worry.

"I'm fine. It's not me; it's an intern. We're at St. Luke's," Alexis replied, her tone composed.

Rushing to the hospital, Naomi found Alexis outside the emergency room. Seeing Alexis safe, relief washed over Naomi, though confusion lingered.

"Why did you bring her here yourself?" Naomi asked, impressed yet puzzled by Alexis's dedication.

"She's part of my team. It's my responsibility," Alexis explained simply, highlighting her leadership and care for her team.

An Impromptu Dog Walk

Despite the day's events, Naomi seized the moment to invite Alexis for a walk with Max, her dog. Alexis hesitated, but Naomi's playful insistence won her over. As they walked, Naomi tried to lighten the mood with jokes, but Alexis's reactions remained cool and distant.

After the walk, Naomi, ever persistent, suggested cooling down at her apartment, enticing Alexis with a picture of Chomper. To Naomi's delight, Alexis agreed, marking the first time she would see Naomi's personal space.

An Evening Together

Inside Naomi's apartment, Chomper immediately took to Alexis, allowing her to touch him without hesitation. The atmosphere was filled with quiet conversations about animals, work, and light-hearted topics. As rain began to pour outside, they found themselves waiting together for it to stop.

An accidental touch of their hands sent a rush of warmth through Naomi, her cheeks flushing with color. Alexis, however, seemed unfazed, focusing instead on the rain.

When the rain eased, Alexis prepared to leave. Naomi walked her to the door, the air between them charged with unspoken emotions and questions.

"Thank you for today, Naomi. And for looking after Candace," Alexis said, her voice softening.

Naomi smiled, a mix of happiness and longing evident. "Anytime, Alexis. Let's do this again, rain or shine."

As Alexis walked away, Naomi stood at her door, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. The day had brought them closer, revealing new layers to their relationship. For Naomi, each moment with Alexis was a step deeper into uncharted territory, her feelings growing more complex and undeniable. For Alexis, the day was a rare departure from her routine, a glimpse into a world of warmth and connection she seldom allowed herself to explore.

Their journey together was just beginning, a delicate dance of proximity and distance, warmth and coolness, slowly drawing them into a bond neither had anticipated.

Naomi's Daydream and Discovery

Naomi sat at her desk, the incidental touch with Alexis from the previous evening replaying in her mind, her thoughts interrupted by the memory of Alexis's scent. Shaking her head, she tried to refocus on her agenda for the day but found herself scrolling through Fashion Week news online, pausing on photos of Alexis and her team. She couldn't help but save every picture of Alexis, her smile lingering a bit longer on those images.

Stumbling upon Alexis's Instagram, Naomi's heart raced. Her feed was filled with aesthetic shots of buildings and fashion pieces. Then, Naomi's eyes landed on an older photo, possibly of Alexis with a boyfriend. "She's too incredible not to be taken," Naomi muttered to herself, feeling a pang of disappointment.

Lunch with the Team

Alexis, taking her team out for lunch, noticed the bright atmosphere, especially around Candace, who seemed happier after her recovery.

"How are you feeling, Candace?" Alexis asked, genuine concern in her voice.

Candace blushed, "Much better, thanks to you, Alexis." Her gaze lingered a little too long on Alexis, memories of their close encounter flooding back.

Evening Reflections

Alone in her office, Alexis was deep in research when Cassia's message popped up, complaining about the exhaustion from dance class. Moments later, a message from Naomi appeared, featuring a cute puppy. Alexis found herself smiling, appreciating the distraction Naomi offered from her solitary work.

Naomi's Night Out and Unintended Encounter

At the bar, Naomi tried to distract herself with a meaningless fling, her mind still on Alexis. Suddenly, she noticed Alexis seated not far from her, her heart sinking. Approaching Alexis, Naomi attempted to explain her actions.

"You seem to be having a good time," Alexis noted, her tone neutral, eyes on her drink.

Naomi, caught off guard, stammered, "I... uh, it's not what it looks like."

Alexis raised an eyebrow, "I'm not here to judge your evening entertainment, Naomi."

Seizing the moment, Naomi asked, "So, about your love life...?"

Alexis looked directly at Naomi, "I'm single. My focus is on my work, not romance."

Naomi's heart skipped. "So, there's a chance?" she thought but quickly shifted the conversation back to safer topics like animals and art, trying to hide her disappointment and hope.

Dialogue After the Bar Encounter

Naomi, trying to recover from her misstep, ventured, "I really admire your dedication to your work, Alexis. It's inspiring."

Alexis, softening a bit, replied, "Thank you, Naomi. It's just where my priorities lie right now."

Naomi nodded, a mix of admiration and longing evident in her eyes. "Well, if you ever need a break from the fashion world, you know where to find me and some friendly animals."

Alexis, allowing a small smile, "I'll keep that in mind."

As they parted ways that evening, Naomi couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and uncertainty about the potential for something more with Alexis, despite the barriers that seemed to stand in their way.

This narrative crafts a blend of complex emotions and interactions, laying the groundwork for evolving relationships and personal discoveries.

Chapter 4: Realizations and Risks

Naomi's Reflection

Naomi found herself confiding in Elena about the recent tumultuous events, including her impulsive actions at the bar and her growing feelings for Alexis.

Elena, concerned, advised, "Naomi, you can't keep doing this. It's not fair to yourself or to Alexis. You need to figure out what you really want from her."

Naomi sighed, "But it feels like Alexis doesn't see me that way... Just as a friend."

"Then be honest with her. Show her how you feel, but respect her space. If your feelings are genuine, she deserves to know," Elena counseled, emphasizing the importance of sincerity over physical attraction.

A Compliment Unspoken

The next morning, Candace found herself admiring Alexis aloud without realizing, "You always look so composed and elegant."

Alexis, slightly taken aback, replied with a polite, "Thank you, Candace," before returning to her book, a subtle acknowledgment of the compliment that left Candace both embarrassed and pleased.

Dinner Invitation Accepted

Alexis found Naomi's message inviting her to dinner intriguing. "Alright, Naomi. Dinner sounds pleasant," she typed back, viewing the invitation as a friendly gesture.

At the restaurant, their shared love for Thai food sparked lively conversation. Naomi's playful comments and Alexis's laughter bridged the gap between them, revealing a chemistry Naomi hadn't anticipated.

"You know, they say if you can laugh together, you can share a lot more," Naomi ventured, hoping to nudge Alexis into seeing their connection as something deeper.

Alexis, amused yet cautious, responded, "I believe shared laughter is a sign of good company, nothing more."

An Evening of Shared Interests

Back at Naomi's apartment, their conversation turned to climate change and its impact on fashion. Alexis passionately explained her views, her enthusiasm infectious.

Naomi, captivated by Alexis's smile, impulsively brought up the theory of the 8-second gaze. "They say if you look into someone's eyes for 8 seconds, you can fall in love."

Alexis, skeptical, chuckled, "I doubt it's that simple, Naomi."

Encouraged by Alexis's laughter, Naomi dared, "Let's try it then. For science."

Their gaze locked, the atmosphere charged with unspoken emotions. Naomi, overwhelmed by the moment, leaned in for a kiss, a bold move that left Alexis stunned.

Pulling away, Alexis was at a loss for words, making a hasty excuse to leave, her emotions a whirlwind of confusion and unexpected warmth.

Aftermath

Naomi lay awake that night, replaying the kiss, her desire for Alexis mingling with fears of having crossed a line.

Meanwhile, Alexis, alone in her apartment, touched her lips, the memory of Naomi's boldness igniting something she'd long suppressed. She was left questioning her own desires, the boundaries she'd set for herself, and what Naomi's actions meant for their future interactions.

Both women found themselves at a crossroads, their next steps uncertain but undeniably drawn to the possibility of something more profound than either had anticipated.

This narrative explores the complexities of developing feelings, the importance of communication, and the risks involved in pursuing one's heart. Each character is navigating their emotions and desires, seeking understanding and connection in their own ways.

Alexis's Moment of Distraction

During the meeting at Vogue, Alexis found herself momentarily distracted, her thoughts wandering despite her best efforts to maintain her usual focus. Candace noticed the brief lapse but hesitated before bravely inquiring, "Is everything alright, Alexis? You seem a bit off today."

Alexis quickly regained her composure, offering a dismissive yet gentle explanation, "It's nothing, just some concerns about my cat. Thanks for asking, Candace."

Candace shared her observations with Jake, who lightheartedly suggested, "Maybe Alexis is lovesick, huh?" Realizing his mistake given Candace's feelings, he quickly changed the subject.

Naomi's Reflection and Elena's Reaction

At the clinic, Naomi found herself distracted, her mind replaying the kiss with Alexis. Elena, visiting, noticed Naomi's unusual behavior and pressed for details. Naomi confessed, somewhat reluctantly, about the impulsive kiss, prompting a mix of shock and concern from Elena. "Naomi, that's not how you tell someone you have feelings for them. You need to be honest with Alexis, not just act on a whim," Elena advised, her tone a mix of disappointment and worry.

A Call and a Confession

Feeling the weight of silence from Alexis, Naomi decided to reach out over the phone. Alexis, caught off guard by the direct mention of the kiss, responded with a dismissive laugh, mistaking Naomi's intentions as playful rather than sincere.

Naomi, her voice laden with earnestness, corrected the misunderstanding, "That kiss wasn't just for fun, Alexis. I... I find myself thinking about you, about us, more than I've ever thought about anyone."

The revelation prompted Alexis to invite Naomi to the Vogue office for a late-night meeting.

A Heartfelt Encounter

In the privacy of her office, Alexis listened as Naomi expressed her desire to explore the connection between them further. Despite Alexis's initial resistance, Naomi's passionate kiss conveyed the depth of her feelings, breaking through Alexis's defenses for a moment of shared vulnerability.

Candace, working late, accidentally witnessed the intimate moment, her heart sinking as she realized her feelings for Alexis might never be reciprocated. She quietly retreated, her emotions overwhelming her.

Understanding and Patience

After the kiss, Naomi and Alexis shared a quiet conversation. "I don't expect anything, Alexis. I just want you to know how I feel. Whatever you're comfortable with, I'm here," Naomi said, her voice soft and reassuring.

Alexis, touched by Naomi's sincerity, nodded, "I'm not sure what I'm ready for, Naomi. But I appreciate your honesty, and... I'm open to seeing where this goes, at a pace that works for both of us."

As Naomi left the office, a complex mix of emotions played across both their faces—hope, uncertainty, but above all, a mutual respect for each other's feelings and boundaries.

Candace, meanwhile, grappled with her own heartache, deciding to keep her distance and focus on her work, cherishing the friendship she shared with Alexis and respecting her privacy.

Chapter 5: Revelations and Romantic Progressions

Candace's Heartfelt Confession

The atmosphere at Vogue was tinged with unspoken tension, particularly around Candace, whose usual vibrancy had dimmed. Alexis, ever observant, approached her with concern.

"Is everything okay, Candace? You seem distant today," Alexis inquired gently, her concern evident.

Candace, caught off-guard by Alexis's directness, struggled to hold back tears. "I... I'm fine," she stammered before abruptly excusing herself, leaving Alexis with a worried frown.

Jake, ever the supportive friend, followed Candace, offering a shoulder to lean on. Though Candace didn't divulge her feelings, her tears spoke volumes of her internal turmoil.

Later, Candace sought out Alexis, her heart heavy. "Alexis, could I talk to you after work?" she asked, a note of hope in her voice.

Alexis agreed, sensing the importance of the conversation ahead.

As the office emptied, Candace poured her heart out to Alexis, confessing her feelings with raw honesty. Alexis, taken aback, responded with kindness, explaining her view of Candace as a younger sister and her budding connection with Naomi.

"I'm flattered, Candace, but my heart is beginning to open to someone else. You're an amazing person, and you deserve someone who can return your feelings fully," Alexis said, her voice filled with empathy.

Naomi's Jealousy and Their Date

Back at her apartment, Alexis was greeted by Naomi's pouting voice message, a mixture of concern and playfulness in her tone. Sharing the day's events with Naomi, Alexis mentioned Candace's confession, which elicited a sharp pang of jealousy from Naomi.

"Should I be worried about all your admirers?" Naomi half-joked, half-serious over the phone.

Alexis reassured her, "There's no need for worry. I was honest with Candace about where my heart is leaning."

The admission brought a smile to Naomi's face, and she quickly shifted gears, inviting Alexis out for a weekend date. Alexis's acceptance sent waves of anticipation through both of them.

A Day of Discovery and Connection

Their date at the museum, followed by dinner and a jazz concert, was filled with shared laughter, mutual admiration, and deeper conversations than either had anticipated. Naomi's passion and openness gradually dismantled Alexis's reservations, revealing a connection neither could deny.

"Naomi, you've... disrupted everything I thought I knew about myself," Alexis confessed during the concert, her words barely audible over the music.

Naomi, emboldened by the moment and Alexis's admission, leaned in for a gentle kiss. "You're incredible, Alexis. Being with you feels like everything's right in the world," she whispered, her words sincere and full of emotion.

The night ended back at Naomi's place, where their emotional intimacy translated into physical closeness, marking a new chapter in their evolving relationship.

This narrative strives to capture the complexities of navigating new relationships, the courage it takes to express vulnerability, and the beauty of finding a connection that challenges and enriches both individuals involved.

Alexis's New Assignment

During a team meeting at Vogue, Alexis stood confidently, outlining the vision for the upcoming fashion show in France.

"Thank you all for your hard work. This project is a huge opportunity for us, and I'm honored to lead it," Alexis began, her team's eyes fixed on her with admiration and respect.

Kate, another editor, chimed in, "Working with you, Alexis, is always a learning experience. Your talent and dedication are truly inspiring."

Alexis smiled modestly, "We all bring something valuable to the table. I'm just as grateful to work with such a talented team."

The mention of a possible promotion to chief editor came up, to which Alexis humbly responded, "I'm flattered, but I believe there's still so much for me to learn. I'm not ready for that leap just yet."

Naomi's Day at the Clinic

Meanwhile, Naomi was deeply engrossed in a challenging operation on a dog rescued from an abusive situation. Hours later, she finally stepped back, exhausted but satisfied with the work.

"The operation was a success. He'll need time to recover, but he should be back on his feet before you know it," Naomi reassured the new owner, a gentle smile on her face despite the fatigue.

Checking her phone, Naomi found messages from Alexis about the Paris trip. Her heart sank at the thought of Alexis being away, her fingers quickly typing a sad emoji in response. "Can I come with you?" she half-joked, half-hoped.

Alexis's reply was gentle but firm, "I wish you could, but your patients need you here. I'll be back before you know it. Don't worry."

An Unexpected Visit and Care

That evening, as Naomi struggled with sore muscles from the day's exertions, Alexis's unexpected arrival brought a smile to her face, especially as Alexis began massaging her shoulders.

"Ah, that's exactly what I needed," Naomi sighed contentedly, the tension easing under Alexis's skilled hands.

In a playful mood, Naomi drew Alexis closer, her lips finding the nape of Alexis's neck, her hands exploring with a familiar longing. But Alexis, noticing the multiple coffee mugs on Naomi's desk, paused, "Have you had anything to eat today, or is it just coffee keeping you going?"

Caught, Naomi flashed a guilty smile, "Maybe I've been running on caffeine a bit too much today."

Alexis's concern morphed into playful admonishment, "That's not going to work for me. You need to take better care of yourself."

Dragging Naomi out for a much-needed meal, Alexis made sure to order an abundance of food, her actions speaking volumes of her care. "These are for you. If I find out you're skipping meals again, I'm banning coffee from your apartment," Alexis half-joked, half-serious.

Naomi, though pouting, felt a warmth spreading through her heart, touched by Alexis's care and attention. "You caring like this... it's really something special, Alexis. Makes you even more irresistible," she teased, leaning across the table, her affection for Alexis clear in her gaze.

As they enjoyed their dinner, the connection between them deepened, their playful banter and shared concern for each other highlighting the growing bond that neither could deny.

Jake's Heart-to-Heart with Candace

Jake found Candace in the break room, her gaze lingering on Alexis as she worked. "Candace, can we talk?" he asked gently, guiding her to a quieter spot.

Candace sighed, "I know what you're going to say, Jake. It's about Alexis, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's clear you still have feelings for her. And I understand it's hard, but have you thought about moving on?" Jake inquired, his tone full of empathy.

"I've tried, Jake. But my feelings for Alexis... they're genuine. It's not just a crush; it's more than that, even if there's no hope," Candace confessed, her voice cracking slightly.

Jake put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The Paris trip might be a fresh start for you. And who knows? Maybe there's a chance for you to win Alexis's heart. But first, let's see who else might be vying for her attention."

Naomi's Consultation with Elena

At the clinic, Naomi paced, her heart heavy at the thought of Alexis leaving for Paris. She confided in Elena, who suggested a bold move. "Why not talk to Alexis about going to Paris with her? It sounds like she'd love the company," Elena proposed, chuckling.

Naomi hesitated, "I mentioned it, but Alexis is too concerned about my patients here. She cares so much, even more about them than herself sometimes."

Elena laughed, "That's Alexis for you, always putting others first. But Naomi, you should really express how you feel about her leaving."

A Jealous Encounter and a Heartfelt Conversation

Later, Naomi decided to surprise Alexis by picking her up from the office. Spotting Alexis exiting with a young, beautiful woman laughing and talking closely, Naomi felt a surge of jealousy.

Confronting the situation, Naomi intervened, her stance protective. "Hey, Alexis, ready to go?" Her eyes darted to the young woman, marking her territory.

Alexis, surprised but amused by Naomi's appearance, introduced Naomi and Candace to each other, subtly diffusing the tension.

Once in the car, Naomi couldn't hide her jealousy. "Is Candace going to Paris with you?" she asked, her tone sharp.

Alexis, understanding Naomi's concern, reassured her, "Yes, Candace is part of the project team. But Naomi, you have nothing to worry about."

The reassurance led to a tender moment, with Alexis initiating a kiss, their first. Naomi responded with equal passion, admitting, "I've never felt this way about anyone. You're what I've been looking for, Alexis."

Apologizing for her jealousy, Naomi rested her head on Alexis's shoulder, a gesture of trust and affection.

Alexis, touched by Naomi's vulnerability, offered, "What if you came to Paris with me? Can you take a leave for a month?"

Naomi's response was a passionate kiss, filled with gratitude and love. "Yes, I'll find a way. Being with you in Paris... it's like a dream," Naomi whispered, their connection deepening beyond words.

Chapter 6 Dilemma

As the Vogue team arrived to Paris and  discovered the room shortage, 

Upon realizing the hotel room booking mistake, Jake looked apologetically at Alexis. "I'm so sorry, Alexis. It's my mistake with the booking."

Alexis, ever the leader, responded calmly, "It's alright, Jake. These things happen. We'll make it work."

Jake turned to Alexis with a mischievous grin. "Well, looks like we're a bit cramped. Alexis, maybe you and Candace could share? It'd solve our little predicament," he suggested, glancing between Candace and Alexis.

Candace, caught off guard, quickly interjected, "I'm totally fine sharing with Jake, actually."

Jake laughed, "I think that might raise a few eyebrows, considering I'm a guy. It's probably not the best idea."

Alexis, seeing no way out and wanting to ease the tension, agreed, "It's fine. Candace and I can share. Let's make the best of this situation."

The Awkward Room Share

In the hotel room, Candace's internal panic was palpable. "This is... a bit close for comfort," she muttered, more to herself than Alexis.

Alexis, unpacking her things, sought to make the situation as comfortable as possible. "Candace, really, the couch is fine for me. You take the bed."

Candace, blushing, replied, "That's really kind of you, but... sharing the bed, with you, it's just so... unexpected."

Alexis reassured her, "We're both professionals here. It'll be fine."

Candace texted Jake, half-complaining, half-thanking him for the arrangement. Jake's response was encouraging yet teasing, "Just be yourself around Alexis. Who knows what Paris might bring?"

Naomi's Insecurity

Upon learning she would be sharing a room with Candace, Naomi's heart sank. The video call with Alexis did little to assuage her fears, especially when Candace's voice interrupted their conversation.

"Alexis, are you seriously sharing a room with her? You know how she feels about you," Naomi said, her voice tinged with worry.

Alexis tried to calm her, "Naomi, trust me. I'm in this situation because of a booking error. You're the one I care about."

Naomi's insecurity, however, couldn't be easily quelled. "I trust you, Alexis. It's just... hard not to feel a bit uneasy about this."

A Heart-to-Heart with Elena

Back at the clinic, Naomi couldn't hide her distressed state. Elena, noticing her friend's mood, approached with concern. "Naomi, talk to me. What's going on?"

"It's Alexis... She's sharing a room with Candace in Paris. And I... I can't stop thinking about what might happen," Naomi confessed, her voice breaking.

Elena offered her reassurance, "Naomi, Alexis chose you. Trust in that. And it's okay to express your feelings and fears to her. Communication is key."

A Missed Connection

After the video call ended abruptly, Alexis felt a pang of guilt for leaving Naomi hanging. Attempts to reconnect went unanswered, leaving Alexis to reflect on the situation.

Building upon the narrative you've crafted, let's delve deeper into the characters' emotions and interactions, expanding the dialogues to explore their complexities.

The Unsettling Start in Paris

The Vogue team's arrival in Paris was not without its complications. The discovery of the room shortage immediately set a tense mood.

"Look, I really messed up the booking. I can't apologize enough," Jake confessed to Alexis with a look of genuine regret.

Alexis, taking a deep breath, sought to diffuse the tension. "Jake, it's okay. Let's not dwell on it. We'll figure out a solution," she reassured him, her leadership qualities shining through even in moments of crisis.

Jake's suggestion for room sharing led to an awkward pause. Alexis's eventual agreement was met with mixed feelings from Candace, who was inwardly battling her emotions.

Room Sharing Dynamics

Once in their shared accommodation, Candace couldn't help but vocalize her discomfort. "This is... a bit close for comfort," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alexis, in an attempt to navigate the situation with grace, replied, "Candace, I insist, the couch will be fine for me. You should be comfortable."

Candace's protest was weak, her cheeks aflame. "But... sharing the bed, with you, it's just so... unexpected."

Alexis, trying to maintain professionalism, assured her, "We'll maintain our boundaries. It's only for a short while."

The text exchange between Candace and Jake later added a layer of complexity to their situation, with Jake playfully encouraging Candace to see this as an opportunity.

Naomi's Rising Insecurities

Naomi's discovery of the room-sharing situation stirred a whirlwind of emotions. "Alexis, sharing a room with her? You know how she feels about you," Naomi couldn't hide her concern during their video call.

Alexis, attempting to navigate Naomi's worries, responded with reassurance, "Naomi, you're the one in my thoughts. This was an unforeseen situation. Trust me."

Despite Alexis's assurances, Naomi found herself grappling with insecurity, the distance between them amplifying her fears.

Elena's Supportive Words

Elena, witnessing Naomi's distress, offered a listening ear and words of encouragement. "Naomi, you and Alexis have something special. Trust is the foundation. Talk to her, express your feelings," Elena advised, emphasizing the importance of open communication.

Naomi, though comforted by Elena's support, remained conflicted, her mind a tumult of doubts and fears.

A Tense Connection

The abrupt end to their video call left both Alexis and Naomi reflecting on their situation. Alexis, concerned about Naomi's feelings, pondered on the best way to reassure her.

"I need to be more mindful of Naomi's feelings. She means a lot to me," Alexis thought, regretting any pain her actions might have caused.

Naomi, meanwhile, found herself at a crossroads, her feelings of jealousy and insecurity clouding her judgment. "Should I confront Alexis about us? Do we even have an 'us'?" she wondered, seeking clarity amidst her emotional turmoil.

Deepening Conversations

Their subsequent attempts to communicate were fraught with missed connections and unspoken words. Alexis's attempts to reach out went unanswered, her messages echoing in the silence.

"I shouldn't let this misunderstanding drive a wedge between us. I'll give Naomi some space, but I need to make sure she knows she's valued," Alexis resolved, her determination to bridge the gap between them clear.

Candace's apologetic demeanor in the hotel room later that night spoke volumes. "I didn't mean to make things awkward. I'm sorry if I've complicated things for you and Naomi," she said softly, her eyes downcast.

Alexis, turning to face her, replied gently, "It's not your fault, Candace. We're all just trying to navigate this situation as best we can."

As both Alexis and Candace settled into an uneasy silence, their thoughts were with Naomi, miles away yet ever-present in their minds.

The Vogue team, including Alexis and Candace, was abuzz with activity in Paris, each member focused on ensuring the upcoming fashion show went off without a hitch. The arrival of another group from Vogue only intensified the atmosphere, leaving little room for personal interactions.

During a brief moment of respite, Candace noticed Alexis's relentless dedication and approached her with a bottle of water. "Alexis, you need to stay hydrated," she gently reminded her.

Alexis, momentarily distracted from her tasks, nodded in appreciation. "Thank you, Candace. I almost forgot," she said, her voice weary but grateful.

Alexis's Growing Concern

As the day wore on, Alexis found herself repeatedly checking her phone for any sign of Naomi. The lack of communication was uncharacteristic and left Alexis feeling increasingly anxious. "Maybe she's just caught up at the clinic," Alexis tried to reassure herself, though the worry lingered.

By evening, with still no word from Naomi, Alexis's unease deepened. "It's not like Naomi to be this quiet. Something's off," she thought, her concern growing.

Candace, observing Alexis's distress, finally mustered the courage to ask, "Alexis, are you okay? You seem distracted."

Alexis, not wanting to burden her team with her personal worries, excused herself. "I'm fine, just a bit tired. I think I'll head back and get some rest," she lied, masking her true feelings.

Naomi's Inner Conflict

Back at the clinic, Naomi grappled with her insecurities, staying late into the night to clear her head. The realization that her feelings for Alexis were deeper than she'd admitted to herself only added to her turmoil. "How did I let myself become so vulnerable?" Naomi wondered, her heart heavy with doubt.

Returning to her apartment in the early hours, Naomi was overwhelmed by the silence, the absence of Alexis's presence more palpable than ever.

The next morning, unable to face the day, Naomi called in sick. Elena, concerned for her friend, came over to offer support.

"Naomi, you can't let this eat you up. You need to talk to Alexis. Silence will only make things worse," Elena urged, her voice filled with concern.

Tears welled up in Naomi's eyes as she confessed, "I've never felt this way before, Elena. Love is making me weak, and I'm scared Alexis doesn't feel the same."

Elena wrapped her arms around Naomi, offering comfort. "You're stronger than you think, Naomi. But you need to be honest with Alexis, and yourself."

Reflections in Paris

In Paris, Alexis threw herself into her work, trying to dull the ache of missing Naomi. The realization of what it meant to truly miss someone hit her hard, forcing her to confront her own feelings.

"I need to understand what's happening between us," Alexis thought, her resolve strengthening.

Despite her efforts to reach out, the silence from Naomi's end was deafening. Alexis found herself reflecting on their relationship, the fear of unreciprocated feelings a constant shadow.

As both Naomi and Alexis navigate their feelings of love, insecurity, and the fear of vulnerability, they are confronted with the challenge of communication and the risk of opening their hearts to each other. Their journey is a testament to the complexities of love and the courage it takes to confront one's deepest fears.

The Weight of Silence

Days in Paris passed with Alexis throwing herself into the frenetic pace of Fashion Week preparations, each day ending with her checking her phone for a message or call from Naomi. Her heart sank with every silent night, realizing just how much she longed for Naomi's voice, her favorite notification that never came.

One evening, her team, noticing her subdued mood, invited Alexis out to lift her spirits. "Come on, Alexis. A little fun won't hurt. Let's enjoy Paris," they urged, gently coaxing her to join them for drinks at the hotel.

Meanwhile, Naomi, in her apartment, was caught in a haze of sickness and heartache. She read Alexis's messages but couldn't bring herself to reply, her emotions a tangled mess of love, fear, and insecurity. She glanced at her booking to Paris, a trip meant to bring them closer, yet now she felt further away than ever.

A Night of Escape

The Vogue team's dinner wasn't a grand party but an intimate gathering, filled with music, dancing, and laughter. Alexis, however, found herself drowning her sorrows in whiskey, glass after glass, her thoughts clouded with images of Naomi.

Candace, concerned, approached Alexis as she reached for another drink. "Alexis, maybe that's enough," she said, her voice laced with worry.

Alexis, in her inebriated state, snapped at Candace, "Just leave it. I'm fine." But Candace persisted, gently guiding Alexis back to her room, ensuring she was safe.

As Candace tucked Alexis into bed, hoping to give her some comfort, a call came through. Alexis, thinking it might be Naomi, jolted awake, her heart racing.

A Tearful Confession

Tears streamed down Alexis's face as she answered the phone. "I miss you, Naomi. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to push you away. You mean so much to me," she sobbed into the phone.

But the voice that came through was not Naomi's. "Alexis, it's Cassia. What's going on? Why are you crying? I'm booking a flight to Paris right now," Cassia's voice was filled with concern and urgency.

Through tears and whiskey-blurred thoughts, Alexis poured her heart out to Cassia. "I've messed up, Cass. I don't know how to fix this. I've been so focused on work, trying to show Naomi I care, but she's silent. I don't even know if she still cares about me," Alexis confessed, her voice breaking.

Cassia listened, offering words of comfort and advice. "Alexis, you need to give Naomi some space, but also, don't shut her out. Talk to her when you're sober. Tell her exactly how you feel. And remember, I'm here for you, always."

As the call ended, Alexis, overwhelmed by her emotions and the alcohol, drifted into a restless sleep, Cassia's words echoing in her mind.

Naomi's Struggle with Vulnerability

The next morning, Naomi woke up late, her mind still a whirlwind of emotions. The realization that she hadn't reached out to Alexis, despite her longing, weighed heavily on her. Deciding to take a sick leave, she sought solace in solitude, hoping to find clarity in her tangled feelings.

Elena, worried about Naomi's well-being, visited her. "Naomi, you can't let this consume you. Talk to Alexis. Don't let misunderstandings and fear dictate your happiness," Elena encouraged, her words a gentle push towards reconciliation.

Naomi, tears streaming down her face, admitted her fears to Elena. "I've never felt so vulnerable, Elena. I love her, but I'm scared. What if she doesn't feel the same? What if I'm just...not enough?" she confessed, her voice choked with emotion.

Elena hugged Naomi tightly, "You are enough, Naomi. Love is a risk, but it's worth it. You and Alexis have something special. Don't let fear hold you back."

As both Alexis and Naomi grapple with their insecurities and the distance between them, their friends become their pillars of support, encouraging them to face their fears and communicate openly. Amid the chaos of Fashion Week and the silence that has grown between them, the path to reconciliation and understanding seems daunting but necessary for their hearts to find peace.

Naomi's Return to Work

Naomi stepped back into her clinic with a facade of professionalism, though internally she was battling a storm of emotions. Her colleagues, noticing her return, expressed their concern and support.

"Naomi, are you sure you're ready to be back? We can handle things here if you need more time," one of the veterinarians offered, noting the subdued energy she carried.

"No, I appreciate it, but I need to be here. Work helps," Naomi responded, forcing a smile, her thoughts drifting to Alexis and the unresolved tension between them.

A Message Sparks a Decision

Back in her office, Naomi pondered over Alexis's latest messages, each word laden with worry and an emotional depth that was uncharacteristic of the usually composed Alexis. Naomi realized her silence had taken a toll on Alexis, prompting her to reconsider her approach.

Naomi debated internally, "Should I define what we are? No, that might add more pressure. But this uncertainty is eating me up. Alexis deserves better."

Finally, she composed a message, aiming to ease Alexis's worry without delving into the complexities of their relationship just yet. "I've been unwell, which is why I've been quiet. But I'm getting better, and I'm looking forward to Paris," Naomi typed, her heart heavy with a mix of relief and apprehension.

Alexis's Emotional Response

The phone call that followed was a revelation for both. Alexis, overwhelmed by relief and a surge of emotions, couldn't hold back her tears upon hearing Naomi's voice.

"Naomi, I... I've been so worried. Hearing you say you're coming to Paris, it means everything to me," Alexis admitted, her voice trembling.

Naomi, taken aback by Alexis's vulnerability, felt a pang of guilt. "Alexis, I'm sorry for making you worry. It wasn't my intention. I've missed you more than I can say," she confessed, the weight of her words heavy with unspoken feelings.

The Aftermath of Their Conversation

Post-call, Naomi sat in quiet reflection, her decision for Paris now imbued with a determination to clear the air and perhaps, find a new beginning with Alexis.

Alexis, on the other hand, returned to her preparations for Fashion Week with a lighter heart, her mood noticeably improved. Candace, witnessing Alexis's change in demeanor, felt a mix of happiness for her mentor and a personal pang of longing.

"Alexis, it's good to see you like this...happy," Candace mentioned cautiously, her own feelings shadowed by concern for Alexis's well-being.

Alexis smiled, a genuine warmth reaching her eyes. "Thanks, Candace. I guess I just needed to hear from someone important. We all need that sometimes, don't we?" she mused, her thoughts clearly on Naomi.

Anticipation for Paris

As Naomi made her final preparations for the trip to Paris, her mind was a whirlwind of hopes and fears. "Paris will be our chance to really understand what we are to each other," she thought, a mix of excitement and nervousness coursing through her.

Alexis, counting down the days to Naomi's arrival, found herself working with renewed vigor, her heart set on making their reunion in Paris memorable. "I want to make every moment count. Naomi's coming here, to Paris, for us. I need to show her how much that means to me," Alexis resolved, her feelings for Naomi deepening, perhaps more than she realized.

Chapter 7 Dilemma Part ll

A Joyful Reunion at Charles de Gaulle

Alexis paced anxiously at Charles de Gaulle Airport, her heart a flutter of excitement and nervousness. When Naomi appeared through the arrivals gate, Alexis's face lit up with an uncontrollable smile. She rushed towards Naomi, wrapping her in a tight embrace and planting a kiss that spoke volumes of her pent-up emotions.

"I've missed you so much, Naomi. More than words can say," Alexis confessed, her voice a mix of joy and relief.

Naomi, overwhelmed by the warmth of Alexis's welcome and the reality of being so close after the tense anticipation, responded with a kiss filled with equal fervor. "Alexis, I was afraid... afraid of losing you," Naomi admitted, her voice cracking slightly with emotion.

As they made their way from the airport, Alexis's chatter filled the air, a stark contrast to her usually composed demeanor. Naomi, though smiling, carried a weight in her heart, a fear of what the future held for them.

Introductions and Unspoken Tensions

Arriving at the hotel where the Vogue team was gathered, Alexis introduced Naomi to everyone. "Everyone, this is Naomi. She's a brilliant veterinarian," Alexis said, leaving the depth of their relationship unexplained. Naomi's smile masked her inner turmoil, the omission of their true connection stinging more than she anticipated.

Jake, curious about the new arrival, whispered to Candace, "So, that's the famous Naomi, huh? Looks like you've got competition, Candace."

Candace, watching Naomi and Alexis interact, felt a complex blend of emotions. "Yeah, that's her. Naomi," she replied, her voice tinged with resignation and a hint of unresolved feelings.

A Moment of Closeness

In their hotel room, Alexis's gesture of affection took Naomi by surprise. "Getting sick seems to have its perks if it brings me this much attention from you," Naomi joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Alexis, holding Naomi close, shared her feelings. "I might not say it often, Naomi, but you're incredibly important to me. How are Chomper and Max doing without you?" Alexis asked, her concern genuine.

Naomi, touched by Alexis's words, responded with a deep, passionate kiss. "They're fine. But right now, I'm just happy to be here with you," Naomi said, her voice soft and full of love.

Navigating Work and Personal Dynamics

As Alexis immersed herself in the preparations for Fashion Week, Naomi observed from a distance, her presence a silent support. Candace's attempts to be near Alexis only fueled Naomi's insecurities, prompting her to assert her place by Alexis's side, a silent challenge to Candace's intentions.

In the quiet of the night, Naomi wrestled with her doubts. "What are we, Alexis? Why haven't you told anyone about us?" she pondered, choosing to mask her fears with a smile and a kiss goodnight.

Questions Unasked, Feelings Unspoken

The days leading up to Fashion Week were a blur of activity, Alexis and Naomi finding moments of joy amidst the chaos. Their explorations of Paris were punctuated by laughter and shared looks, a temporary escape from the unspoken questions between them.

On the eve of Fashion Week, the tension reached a breaking point. Naomi's reluctance to return Alexis's kiss prompted a heartfelt conversation.

"Is something wrong, Naomi? Have I done something to upset you?" Alexis asked, concern etched on her face.

Naomi, torn between her fears and her love for Alexis, lied, "It's just work worries. I'm scared something might go wrong back at the clinic."

Alexis, believing Naomi's words, reassured her with a kiss. "Everything will be okay. Goodnight, Naomi," she whispered, hoping to ease Naomi's worries.

As Naomi watched Alexis fall asleep, her heart ached with unsaid truths. "I love you, Alexis. I just wish I knew how to tell you," Naomi thought, kissing Alexis's forehead before surrendering to sleep.

Naomi and Alexis navigate their reunion in Paris, marked by moments of joy, underlying tensions, and unspoken fears. Their relationship, still undefined, faces the challenges of distance, insecurities, and the complexities of opening one's heart fully to another.

A Fashionable Union

As the Paris Fashion Week unfolded, Alexis and Naomi made a striking entrance, their outfits a testament to their connection. "I wanted us to share something special today," Alexis beamed, her eyes alight with excitement. "Do you like it?"

Naomi, taken aback by the gesture, managed a smile, her heart wrestling with unspoken feelings. "Alexis, this is incredibly sweet of you. I had no idea you had this side. It's adorable," she said, leaning in for a tender kiss, an action that spoke volumes of her affection yet masked the turmoil within.

Alexis, reciprocating the kiss, whispered, "I just wanted today to be memorable for us," oblivious to the storm brewing in Naomi's heart.

Amidst the Glitterati

The fashion show was a constellation of celebrities, designers, and models. Naomi watched as Alexis navigated the crowd, introducing her to industry giants without revealing the depth of their relationship. Each introduction left Naomi feeling more like an observer than a participant in Alexis's world, her internal conflict growing.

"Naomi, I promise, I'm not going anywhere," Alexis reassured, sensing Naomi's unease. "Let's enjoy this moment together."

Despite Alexis's attempts to bridge the gap, Naomi's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, her laughter a little too forced as she grappled with her emotions.

The After Party and A Moment of Truth

As the after party commenced, Naomi's exhaustion was not just physical but emotional. "I think I should head back to the room. It's been a long day," she said, her voice barely hiding her distress.

Alexis, torn between her commitments, ultimately chose her heart. "No, I'll come with you. You're more important to me than any party," she insisted, her decision marking a profound moment of prioritization.

Back in the hotel room, the silence was palpable. Alexis's embrace was both a sanctuary and a reminder of the chasm that had formed between them. Naomi, overcome with emotion, clung to Alexis, her tears mingling with kisses that were both a plea and a declaration.

"I love you, Alexis. I just... I don't know how to navigate this," Naomi confessed between sobs, her vulnerability laid bare.

Alexis, heart aching at Naomi's distress, responded with a kiss that carried the weight of her own unvoiced fears and desires. "Naomi, I...," Alexis started, but words failed her, the complexity of her emotions rendering her speechless.

The night ended with Naomi whispering a need for rest, leaving Alexis alone with her thoughts, the depth of their kiss lingering as a silent testament to their unresolved feelings.

Reflection and Uncertainty

Alexis lay awake, replaying the night's events, the warmth of Naomi's words battling the chill of her departure. "What does this mean for us?" she pondered, the joy of the evening overshadowed by Naomi's sudden withdrawal.

Meanwhile, Naomi, in the solitude of her thoughts, questioned the future. "Have I pushed Alexis too far? Can love alone bridge the gap between our worlds?" she wondered, her heart seeking answers in the quiet of the night.

Naomi and Alexis navigate the height of Fashion Week in Paris, their public appearances belying the private turmoil of their relationship. Amidst the glamour and the bustle, their moments of closeness become a crucible for their fears, hopes, and unexpressed feelings, highlighting the complexity of love and the courage it takes to face one's vulnerabilities.

A Sunrise of Reflection

The early morning found Alexis and Naomi together, watching the sunrise in silence, a beautiful yet somber moment reflecting their inner turmoil. Alexis, buoyed by Naomi's confession, was unaware of the storm brewing within Naomi, whose smile masked a torrent of pain and indecision.

"Isn't this beautiful? Just like us," Alexis said, trying to capture a moment of happiness amidst the uncertainty.

Naomi managed a smile, her heart heavy with unvoiced fears. "Yes, it's lovely," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, the weight of her impending decision pressing down on her.

The Unspoken Distance

As they checked out of the hotel, the air between them was thick with unspoken words. Candace's observant eyes picked up on the tension, her concern for Alexis growing, even as Naomi's glare warned her to keep her distance.

The journey to the airport was a silent one, with both Alexis and Naomi lost in their thoughts. Alexis's heart ached at Naomi's distance, her silent tears a testament to her fear of losing what they had.

A Painful Goodbye at the Airport

Their separation at the airport was marked by an absence of words—a silent acknowledgment of the chasm that had formed between them. Alexis's call that evening, filled with confusion and worry, was met with Naomi's plea for time, leaving Alexis in a state of fearful anticipation.

A Desperate Search for Answers

The next morning, Alexis, driven by a need to understand, sought out Naomi at the clinic, only to find Elena instead. Her attempt to mask her pain with laughter failed miserably in front of Elena, who could only offer a sympathetic ear to Alexis's unshed tears.

"Naomi's at a conference. She'll be back this evening," Elena informed Alexis, her heart going out to the visibly distraught woman before her.

Alexis's attempt to leave with dignity was thwarted by her overwhelming emotions, leaving Elena with more questions than answers about the nature of Naomi and Alexis's relationship.

The Confrontation

The text from Naomi, "Alexis, can we meet, we need to talk," set the stage for a confrontation both dreaded and needed. Alexis, running on a mixture of hope and despair, found Naomi outside the clinic, her appearance alone enough to reignite Alexis's fears.

"What's wrong, Naomi? What do we need to talk about?" Alexis asked, her voice trembling with the fear of Naomi's potential goodbye.

Naomi's tears and her confession laid bare the depth of her pain and exhaustion from the ambiguity of their relationship. "I'm tired, Alexis...tired of not knowing where I stand with you, of feeling like I'm competing for your love," Naomi admitted, her voice breaking with every word.

Alexis, for the first time, allowed her true feelings to surface with anticipated fear, her confession of love a bittersweet realization of her failure to communicate her feelings. "I love you, Naomi. It's always been you. But I see now how I've failed us both," Alexis said, her own tears mirroring Naomi's.

The finality in Naomi's decision to step back, to protect her own heart, left Alexis with no choice but to respect Naomi's wishes. "Goodbye, my love. You deserve happiness, even if it's not with me," Alexis whispered, her departure a physical manifestation of her heart's shattering.

Naomi, left alone outside the clinic, was a portrait of sorrow, her decision to protect herself from further heartache leaving her isolated in her pain.

Naomi and Alexis's journey takes a heartbreaking turn, as unspoken fears and unmet needs lead to a painful separation. Their story is a poignant exploration of love's complexities, the importance of communication, and the courage it takes to let go when holding on causes more pain. Through their emotional dialogues and tearful goodbyes, we witness the transformative power of love and the deep scars it can leave in its wake.

Chapter 8 Separate Way

Naomi's Endeavor and Reflection

In the silence of her office, surrounded by plans and proposals for the animal shelter project, Naomi's thoughts invariably drifted to Alexis. Despite her best efforts to immerse herself in work, the echo of Alexis's absence was a constant companion.

"This project... it's something Alexis would have been proud of," Naomi whispered to the empty room, her voice tinged with a mixture of pride and sorrow. "Was distancing ourselves truly the right choice? The pain feels just as raw today," she confessed to the silence, a silent acknowledgment of her heart's refusal to let go.

Elena, entering quietly, found Naomi lost in thought. "You're doing incredible work, Naomi. But it's okay to admit you miss her, you know," she gently reminded her friend.

Naomi sighed, a fragile smile gracing her lips. "I do miss her, Elena. Every day. I just... I'm afraid of making the same mistakes again," she admitted, the weight of her unresolved feelings evident in her voice.

Elena reached out, squeezing Naomi's hand. "Sometimes, Naomi, it's the risks we don't take that we regret the most," she counseled, her words a beacon of support in Naomi's tumultuous sea of emotions.

Alexis's New Chapter

At the Vogue office, the air was bittersweet as Alexis's team gathered to celebrate her promotion. "We're going to miss you terribly, Alexis. But we're also incredibly proud," one team member said, the sentiment echoed around the room.

Alexis, her heart a complex tapestry of pride, anticipation, and latent sorrow, responded with gratitude. "I wouldn't have reached this point without all of you. Thank you for being not just colleagues but family," she said, her demeanor composed yet her eyes betraying the emotions she worked hard to conceal.

Later, in a quiet moment with Cassia, Alexis opened up about her unresolved feelings for Naomi. "I thought actions would be enough to convey my feelings. I was wrong," Alexis confided, her usual reserve crumbling slightly in the face of her admission.

Cassia, ever the supportive friend, offered comfort and a promise of continued friendship across the distance. "You'll always have me, Lex. No matter where you are," she assured, her playful pout failing to mask the sincerity of her words.

As Alexis packed her belongings and prepared Onyx for the move, she allowed herself a moment of vulnerability. "Onyx, my love, it's just you and me on this new adventure," she whispered to her cat, her voice breaking as she added, "I wish Naomi could be part of this journey too."

Unsent Messages and Unresolved Feelings

Naomi, back in her apartment, contemplated reaching out to Alexis, her finger hovering over the 'send' button of a drafted message. The screen illuminated her face, casting shadows that mirrored the turmoil within.

"I wonder how you're doing, Alexis. Are you happy? Have you moved on?" she typed, each word a testament to her lingering love and regret. Yet, the message remained unsent, a symbol of Naomi's fear and the chasm of silence that had grown between them.

As Alexis and Naomi navigate their separate paths, their stories are a testament to the enduring nature of love, the pain of unresolved farewells, and the silent hope that perhaps, in another place and time, their paths might converge once more. Through their reflections, conversations, and the poignant moments they share with friends, we see the depth of their characters and the indelible mark they've left on each other's hearts.

Celebration at Vogue

The atmosphere at the Vogue US office was electric, everyone gathered to celebrate Alexis's remarkable achievement. At 23, her ascent to Executive Fashion Director was nothing short of meteoric, a testament to her undeniable talent and hard work.

Candace, from a distance, watched Alexis mingle with colleagues, her admiration tinged with sorrow over Alexis's imminent departure. "It's hard to believe she'll be gone tomorrow," Candace thought, her gaze lingering on Alexis.

Approaching Candace, Alexis offered a heartfelt "Thank you for everything. Your support has meant the world to me." Candace, tears brimming, confessed her enduring feelings, "I'll always love you, Alexis. I won't give up." Alexis responded with a compassionate smile, "Thank you for being there for me."

The party was a mix of joy for Alexis's new journey and melancholy for those she would leave behind.

Naomi's Reflection at Henry's Bar

Meanwhile, Naomi sought solace at Henry's Bar, nursing a French Martini. The casual conversation with Elena soon veered towards Alexis, unearthing Naomi's suppressed emotions. "I miss her so much, Elena. If I could go back, I'd handle things differently. I'm a mess," Naomi confessed, her voice quivering.

After their heart-to-heart, Naomi requested solitude, gently rebuffing attempts from others at the bar to engage her, her mind consumed with thoughts of Alexis.

An Unexpected Encounter

The next morning, Naomi's routine stop at the cafe for coffee and a panini took an unexpected turn when she ran into Cassia. The surprise was mutual, with Cassia inadvertently revealing Alexis's relocation to the UK—a fact Naomi was painfully unaware of.

The revelation hit Naomi like a freight train. "You didn't know? Oh, Naomi, I'm so sorry. She's leaving for the UK for a new position," Cassia explained, her sympathy evident.

Driven by a sudden resolve, Naomi dashed to the airport, hoping against hope to catch Alexis before her departure. Cassia's encouragement, "Good luck!" offered a sliver of hope as Naomi hurried away.

The Heart-Wrenching Miss at the Airport

The race to the airport was fraught with anxiety and urgency. Naomi implored the taxi driver to hurry, her heart in her throat as she attempted to contact Alexis to no avail.

Arriving at the airport, the harsh reality set in—the flight to the UK had already departed. Naomi's hopes crumbled, leaving her in a cascade of tears and regret. "I was too late," she whispered to the empty terminal, the finality of her missed chance weighing heavily on her.

Naomi's breakdown at the airport was a poignant culmination of missed opportunities and unspoken words—a testament to the deep connection and unresolved feelings between her and Alexis. In this moment of despair, Naomi confronted the magnitude of her loss, the silence of the airport echoing the silence between her and Alexis.

the paths not taken and the words not spoken, capturing the essence of Naomi and Alexis's complex relationship. Through their separate yet intertwined journeys, we witness the power of love, the pain of regret, and the enduring hope for reconciliation, even in the face of overwhelming odds

Adjusting to a New Normal

Days melded into one another for Naomi, each passing moment a reminder of Alexis's absence. She had resigned herself to the reality that their paths might never cross again. Cassia, now a more frequent presence in Naomi and Elena's circle, brought both comfort and a reminder of what was lost.

One evening, as they planned a night out, Naomi sensed Elena's hesitance about inviting Cassia. "Well, tonight we're going to let loose, and I'm inviting Cassia. She might accept," Naomi announced, her tone playful yet perceptive of Elena's discomfort.

"Yeah, great, that must be fun," Elena responded, her enthusiasm not quite reaching her eyes. Naomi's playful nudge acknowledged the unspoken interest Elena might have in Cassia.

An Evening of Remembrance

At the bar, the trio found solace in each other's company. Naomi, in an attempt to drown her sorrows, indulged in wine and whiskey, prompting concern from Cassia. "Is she always this quick to hit the bottle?" Cassia asked, her eyes fixed on Naomi.

Elena sighed, her gaze softening. "She's been like this since she found out Alexis was leaving. It's been tough on her."

Cassia shook her head, a mix of frustration and empathy in her voice. "I don't get it. They love each other so much. Why couldn't they make it work?"

"I know," Elena agreed, the weight of their shared helplessness hanging in the air.

As Katy Perry's "Save as Draft" played over the bar's speakers, Naomi found herself overwhelmed by the lyrics, each word echoing her own unresolved feelings. 

“I struggle

I juggle

I could just throw a line to you

But I should let sleeping dogs lie

'Cause I know better, baby

I write it

Erase it

Repeat it

But what good will it do

To reopen the wound

So I take a deep breath

And I save as draft"

Tears streamed down her face, prompting Cassia and Elena to rush to her side, offering comfort and a shoulder to cry on.

Alexis's New Beginnings in London

Across the ocean, London welcomed Alexis with open arms. The new Executive Fashion Director of Vogue was greeted with enthusiasm by her new team. Kayla, Chris, Bella, Sarah, and Robin were eager to work under her leadership, their excitement palpable.

"Welcome, Alexis! We're thrilled to have you with us. Your reputation precedes you," Kayla beamed, her excitement mirrored by the rest of the team.

Chris added, "We've all been looking forward to your arrival. There's so much we can learn from you."

Alexis, though flattered by the warm welcome, felt the weight of her new role. "Thank you, everyone. I'm just as excited to work with all of you. Let's make something great together," she said, her voice steady but her heart yearning for the familiarity of home and the love she left behind.

As the team discussed upcoming projects, Alexis's professionalism never wavered, but her thoughts occasionally drifted to Naomi, wondering how she was coping without her. The excitement of her new position was tinged with the bittersweet reality that she was starting this chapter without Naomi by her side.

Naomi and Alexis as they navigate their separate lives, marked by new friendships, professional achievements, and the lingering sorrow of lost love. Through conversations and shared moments, the narrative captures the complexity of moving on, the pain of unresolved love, and the hopeful yet uncertain path towards healing

Chapter 9 Growing

Four years later have woven their intricate patterns into the lives of Alexis and Naomi, each thread pulling them in new directions, yet an invisible thread of connection subtly tethers their stories together.

Alexis: A Beacon in the Fashion World

Alexis's ascent in the fashion industry was meteoric, her innate talent and visionary approach earning her recognition and admiration from peers, celebrities, and even Anna Wintour herself. The invitation to accompany Wintour to the Met Gala was a testament to her impact and influence—a dream she once thought unreachable.

At the rooftop bar, celebrating a successful project with her team, the air was filled with laughter and congratulations. Chris and Kayla's enthusiastic exclamations, "I LOVE YOU, BOSS! YOU'RE AMAZING!" echoed the sentiment of the entire team. Alexis, surrounded by her colleagues, felt a profound sense of achievement and belonging.

"Thank you, everyone. We're all part of this success. Let's aim even higher," Alexis responded, her heart swelling with pride yet a part of her mind wandering to a past love, wondering if Naomi was out there, proud of her too.

Naomi: A Respected Voice in Veterinary Medicine

Naomi had carved a niche for herself in veterinary medicine, her expertise and charismatic approach to animal care earning her accolades and a substantial following on social media. Her video on essential pet care tips went viral, not just for the valuable information, but also for her engaging presence, earning her the affectionate moniker "hot vet" among her followers.

Leafing through a Vogue magazine one afternoon, Naomi stumbled upon an article about Alexis. A warm smile spread across her face, a mix of pride and lingering affection in her heart. "Hope you're happy now, darling," she whispered, her gaze lingering on Alexis's photograph.

Later, while scrolling through Instagram, Naomi's pulse quickened when she saw Alexis's account recommended to her. She hesitated, her finger hovering over the 'follow' button, memories and emotions swirling. Accidentally, she followed Alexis, and to her surprise, Alexis followed back almost immediately, sending Naomi's heart into a flutter.

Reconnecting Through Digital Threads

The direct message from Alexis appeared, bridging years of silence in an instant. "Hi Naomi, it's been a while. How are you? :)" it read, simple yet loaded with unspoken emotions.

Naomi's response was instinctive, a rush of feelings guiding her fingers. "Hi Alexis, I'm doing fine, and you?" she typed, deleting the part where she confessed how much she missed Alexis, opting for a more cautious approach.

Their conversation unfolded effortlessly, hours slipping by as they caught up on each other's lives. Naomi felt a joy she hadn't known in years, reconnecting with Alexis. Though their words were careful, devoid of overt romantic sentiments, the underlying affection was palpable.

"I'm glad to hear you're doing well, Naomi. Your work with animals is incredible," Alexis wrote, genuine admiration in her words.

"Thank you, Alexis. It means a lot coming from you. I see you've achieved so much. Congratulations on everything," Naomi replied, her words sincere, a reflection of the respect and fondness that time hadn't dimmed.

As they continued to chat, both Naomi and Alexis navigated the delicate dance of rekindling a connection long dormant. The conversation was a bittersweet symphony of what was and what could have been, each message a step closer to understanding where they stood in each other's lives now.

The separate yet parallel journeys of Alexis and Naomi highlight their individual growth and successes, underscored by a shared history that continues to echo in their present. Their digital reconnection, while tentative, opens the door to new possibilities, bridging the gap between past and present with every exchanged word.

Rekindling Old Connections

Upon seeing Naomi's name among her recent followers, Alexis's heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, she followed back and initiated conversation, a blend of longing and trepidation in her heart.

Alexis: "Hi Naomi, it's been a while. How are you? :)"

The simplicity of the message belied the complexity of emotions Alexis felt. Despite her attempts at moving on, her heart remained tethered to Naomi, a fact underscored by her discreet monitoring of Naomi's social media and inquiries through Cassia.

Naomi: "Hi Alexis, I'm doing well, thanks. And you? It's been so long."

Naomi's response, carefully neutral, couldn't hide the rush of emotions she felt upon reconnecting with Alexis.

Cassia and Elena's Update

Cassia, now in a relationship with Elena, found joy in their companionship, a stark contrast to the unresolved tension between Naomi and Alexis.

Cassia: "Naomi, did you know Alexis is coming to New York for the Met Gala next week?"

Naomi, caught off guard, tried to mask her reaction.

Naomi: "Oh, is she? That's... interesting."

Her nonchalance failed to fool Cassia, who could see the turmoil beneath Naomi's calm exterior.

Cassia: "Just thought you should know. I'm planning to meet up with her."

Naomi's heart raced at the thought, her emotions a whirlwind of hope and apprehension.

A Heartfelt Consultation

Later, Naomi sought Elena's counsel, her mind a battlefield of doubt and desire.

Naomi: "Elena, I'm thinking of seeing Alexis when she's here for the Met Gala. Do you think... do I even have a chance?"

Elena, always forthright, didn't hesitate.

Elena: "Finally, Naomi! Yes, you need to see her. Tell her everything, how you feel, what you want. Now or never, you idiot."

Encouraged by Elena's support, Naomi decided to take the leap, her message to Alexis a tentative step towards closure or a new beginning.

Naomi: "Hey, I heard you're coming to NYC. Um, can we meet? Just for a friendly chat?"

Alexis's immediate response sent Naomi's heart soaring.

Alexis: "Sure, I'll let you know when I'm there."

Naomi, elated, braced herself for the meeting that could change everything.

The Long-Awaited Reunion

As Naomi prepared for the impending reunion, she couldn't help but rehearse what she might say, the conversations they might have.

Naomi (to herself): "Just be honest, Naomi. Tell her how you've felt, how you still feel. It's now or never."

Meanwhile, Alexis, equally anxious about their meeting, found herself reflecting on the past and what the future might hold.

Alexis (to herself): "I need to know if there's still something between us. After all these years, Naomi still affects me like no one else."

Their upcoming encounter, laden with years of unspoken words and pent-up emotions, promised to be a pivotal moment in their intertwined journeys.

the delicate dance of reconnection between Naomi and Alexis, their conversations laden with the weight of past love and the possibility of reconciliation. As they navigate their complex emotions and the changing dynamics around them, the anticipation of their meeting in New York sets the stage for heartfelt revelations and decisions that could alter the course of their lives.

The Preparation

In the flurry of anticipation, Naomi's apartment became a hub of activity, with Cassia and Elena providing both critique and support for Naomi's outfit choice.

Cassia: "Seriously, Naomi? That outfit screams 'I haven't dated since the early 2000s.' Alexis is a fashion icon now!"

Elena: "Cass, be nice! But... maybe something a bit more... modern?"

Naomi: "Great, so my wardrobe is ancient. Perfect. Anyone want to actually help me find something to wear?"

After some back-and-forth, Cassia unearthed a chic ensemble from Naomi's closet, striking the perfect balance between elegance and Naomi's personal style.

Cassia: "This! This is perfect. It says, 'I'm successful, confident, and yes, I know how to dress for a reunion with my stunning ex.'"

Naomi: "I... wow, I do look good. Thank you, Cassia. I needed that boost."

Alexis's Arrival and Cassia's Reunion

Upon landing in NYC, Alexis was greeted by the familiar yet always exhilarating pulse of the city. Anna Wintour's call added a layer of surreal excitement to her return.

Anna Wintour: "Alexis, darling, welcome back. I trust you'll dazzle us all at the Met Gala. And do take care – we all have high hopes for your brilliance to shine through."

Alexis, ever humble yet secretly thrilled, assured Anna of her readiness.

Meeting Cassia, Alexis was enveloped in the warmth of an old friendship that had withstood the test of time and distance.

Cassia: "Look at you! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were the star of the show. London's been good to you!"

Alexis: "It's good to see you, Cass. Really, I've missed this... our easy talks, your unfounded flattery."

Their laughter filled the air, a testament to the enduring bond they shared.

The Anticipated Reunion

Naomi's wait at the restaurant was a mix of nerves and excitement. When Alexis finally appeared, the world seemed to pause, her presence commanding attention.

Alexis: "Naomi, you look... breathtaking. It really has been too long, hasn't it?"

Naomi: "Alexis, thank you. And you're just as... no, even more stunning than I remembered."

The initial awkwardness soon gave way to a deeper conversation, each word laden with years of unspoken thoughts and feelings.

Alexis: "I've seen your work, Naomi. Your dedication to animals, your influence... it's incredible. I've always known you were meant for great things."

Naomi: "And you, Alexis. Your achievements, the way you've shaped the fashion world... I'm beyond proud of you."

As the conversation flowed, Alexis's admission broke the final barrier between them.

Alexis: "Naomi, I need to be honest. I've missed you every single day. There wasn't a moment you weren't on my mind. I... I still love you."

Naomi, overcome with emotion, found the courage to speak her heart.

Naomi: "Alexis, hearing you say that... it means everything. I was afraid, I let my past dictate our future, and I regretted it every day. I love you, Alexis. More than I've ever loved anyone."

The confession was the key that unlocked all the love and longing they'd held back. Alexis, taking Naomi's hand, made her intentions clear.

Alexis: "Naomi, I want to be with you, openly, proudly. Will you be my partner, my everything? Let's not hide or hold back anymore."

Naomi, tears of joy streaming down her face, whispered her assent, sealing their reunion with a kiss that spoke volumes of their renewed commitment to each other.

Naomi: "Yes, Alexis. There's nothing I want more. Let's start this new chapter together. I love you."

In this tender and poignant reunion, Naomi and Alexis navigate the complexities of their past to find a hopeful and loving future together. Their dialogue, rich with emotion and sincerity, captures the essence of their journey – a testament to the enduring power of love and the courage to embrace it fully.

Chapter 10 A New Beginning

The morning light filtered through the curtains of Naomi's apartment, casting a warm glow on the two figures entwined in sleep. Alexis was the first to stir, her movements gentle as not to disturb Naomi. With a soft kiss on Naomi's forehead, she whispered, "Good morning, Darling."

Naomi, slowly waking, blinked in surprise and joy at the sight of Alexis beside her. "Is this real? Are you really here?" she murmured, a smile spreading across her face.

Alexis chuckled softly, her heart full and kissed Naomi forehead. "Yes, I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere," she promised, sealing her words with a tender kiss. "Let's start the day right. How about breakfast in bed?"

As they shared a quiet morning, laughter and soft conversations filled the room, a testament to their rekindled love and the promise of a new beginning.

Planning for the Met Gala

The thought of parting, even for a few hours, brought a pout to Naomi's face. "Do you really have to go back to the hotel? Can't you stay or... take me with you?" she asked, her eyes conveying her longing not to be separated from Alexis again.

Alexis, touched by Naomi's words, pondered for a moment before a bright idea struck her. "Actually, why don't you come with me? And not just to the hotel—I want you by my side at the Met Gala. What do you say?"

Naomi's eyes widened in disbelief and excitement. "Really? You mean it?" she exclaimed, leaping into Alexis's arms. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!"

Together, they prepared for their day, their hearts light with happiness and anticipation for the events to unfold.

A Visit to Vogue

Arriving at the Vogue office, Naomi insisted on driving Alexis there, wanting to support her in every way possible. "I'll wait for you here. Take your time with Anna," Naomi said, her voice filled with pride for Alexis's accomplishments.

Alexis, squeezing Naomi's hand reassuringly, smiled. "Thank you. This means the world to me. I'll be back before you know it."

As Naomi hummed along to the radio, waiting in the car, her mind wandered to the upcoming Met Gala and the incredible turn their lives had taken. She couldn't help but feel grateful for this second chance with Alexis.

Reunited and Stronger Together

When Alexis returned, the look of sheer contentment on her face spoke volumes. "Anna sends her regards. She's excited to see us at the Gala," Alexis shared, her excitement palpable.

Naomi, thrilled at the prospect of attending such a prestigious event with Alexis, felt a new chapter of their lives beginning. "I can't believe this is happening. I'm going to the Met Gala with the most amazing woman in the world," she said, her voice brimming with emotion.

Alexis took Naomi's hand, her gaze soft and loving. "We've come so far, Naomi. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. Together, there's nothing we can't face."

As they drove back to the hotel, their conversation flowed easily, filled with plans, dreams, and the kind of love that had weathered storms to emerge stronger and more beautiful. They were not just attending the Met Gala; they were stepping into a future they would shape together.

In this continuation, Alexis and Naomi's relationship blossoms further, highlighted by their deep conversations, shared dreams, and the joyful anticipation of attending the Met Gala together. Their story is a testament to the power of love, second chances, and the beauty of facing life's adventures as a united pair.

A Night Under Heavenly Influence

The Met Gala's theme of "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" brought out the ethereal best in its attendees, with Alexis and Naomi among the last to grace the red carpet, their ensembles a breathtaking homage to celestial elegance.

The Media Spotlight

As they made their entrance, Alexis was quickly surrounded by reporters, eager for her insights into the future of fashion. With confidence and grace, Alexis shared her vision, seamlessly weaving Naomi into the narrative.

Reporter: "Alexis, as a visionary in the fashion industry, what do you foresee in the coming years?"

Alexis: "Fashion will continue to evolve, embracing sustainability without sacrificing beauty. It's about creating a legacy that future generations can admire and aspire to. Speaking of inspiration, let me introduce Naomi Park, a leading veterinarian and my partner in all things. Her passion for animal welfare is a testament to the kind of legacy I believe in."

Naomi, though initially taken aback by the spotlight, found her footing, her warmth and sincerity shining through as she engaged with the media.

A Warm Welcome from Anna Wintour

Anna Wintour's welcoming gesture was both an honor and a testament to Alexis's standing in the fashion world. Introducing Naomi as her partner was a significant moment, one that Anna acknowledged with a rare show of affection.

Anna Wintour: "Alexis, Naomi, you both look absolutely divine. A perfect match for tonight's theme... and, it seems, for each other."

Alexis: "Thank you, Anna. Naomi's presence makes everything brighter."

Anna (to Naomi): "Please, take good care of Alexis. She's quite dear to us all."

Naomi, charmed by Anna's warmth, promised to do just that, her heart swelling with pride and love for Alexis.

Engaging with the Stars

Surrounded by celebrities, Alexis and Naomi found themselves in engaging conversations, their love and mutual respect evident to all.

Katy Perry: "Alexis, it's wonderful to see you thriving. And Naomi, welcome to the fold. We've all been eager to meet the woman who's captured Alexis's heart."

Naomi: "Thank you, Katy. It's an honor to be here, especially by Alexis's side."

Dua Lipa's enthusiastic acknowledgment of Naomi's work added another layer of connection, bridging their professional achievements with personal passions.

Dua Lipa: "Naomi, I've been a fan of your animal care channel. Your dedication is inspiring. It's clear why Alexis speaks so highly of you."

The evening progressed with laughter, shared stories, and moments of genuine connection, highlighting the deep bond between Alexis and Naomi.

A Promise for the Future

As the gala wound down, Alexis and Naomi took a moment for themselves, stepping away from the festivities to reflect on their journey and the path ahead.

Alexis: "Naomi, being with you tonight, I've never been more certain of anything. I hate the thought of leaving for the UK without you."

Naomi: "And I hate the thought of being here without you. But we'll make it work, Alexis. We've overcome so much already."

Their conversation, filled with love and determination, underscored their commitment to each other. As they rejoined the celebration, their shared glances and soft touches spoke volumes, a silent vow to face whatever the future held together.

In this continuation, Alexis and Naomi's relationship takes center stage against the backdrop of the Met Gala, their interactions with celebrities, and heartfelt promises for the future. Through meaningful dialogues and shared experiences, their story unfolds, a testament to their enduring love and the strength they draw from each other.

A Night to Remember

After the Met Gala, Alexis and Naomi, wrapped in the comfort and privacy of their limousine, shared tender moments, reflecting on the evening and the precious time they had left together. Their return to the hotel was filled with soft whispers and laughter, a bittersweet prelude to their inevitable farewell.

At the Hotel

In the sanctuary of their hotel room, emotions ran high as Alexis and Naomi sought to make the most of their final night together. Their conversation, laced with love and longing, was a testament to the deep connection they shared.

Alexis: "Being with you tonight, it's everything I've ever wanted. I wish we could stop time."

Naomi: "Me too. But let's make tonight unforgettable, for both of us."

Their night was a celebration of their love, a promise to hold onto until they could be together again.

Parting at the Airport

The morning at the airport was a flurry of mixed emotions. Alexis clung to Naomi, her reluctance to leave palpable.

Alexis: "I can't stand the thought of leaving you. I wish I could stay here, with you."

Naomi: "And I wish I could go with you. But think of this as a 'see you later,' not a goodbye. I'll visit you, I promise."

Their goodbye was filled with promises of future reunions, each "I love you" a balm to soothe the ache of separation.

Support from Friends

Back at the clinic, Naomi found herself caught between the reality of her separation from Alexis and the teasing banter of Cassia and Elena.

Cassia: "They're like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Minus the tragedy, hopefully."

Elena: "Give them a break. It's tough, being in love and miles apart."

Naomi couldn't help but smile at her friends' attempts to lighten the mood, their presence a constant in her ever-changing world.

Naomi: "Thanks, you two. For everything. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Later, as Naomi prepared for a meeting, a message from Alexis brought a rush of warmth and a reminder of their deep bond.

Alexis's Message: "Missing you more than words can say. Can't wait for your visit. Here's a little something to keep me on your mind. 😜"

Naomi's laughter filled the room, a mixture of frustration and fondness in her response.

Naomi: "You're impossible, Alexis. But I wouldn't have you any other way. See you soon, my love."

Their playful exchange was a beacon of hope, a light guiding them through the distance that separated them.

Alexis and Naomi navigate the complexities of their long-distance relationship, supported by the unwavering friendship of Cassia and Elena. Their story, a blend of love, laughter, and longing, continues to unfold, each message and shared moment a testament to the strength of their connection.

A Day of Creativity and Surprise

In the bustling atmosphere of the Vogue UK office, Alexis and her team delved into the aftermath of the Met Gala, analyzing media reactions and planning future collaborations with major fashion houses. The spirit of creativity was palpable as they brainstormed innovative ideas for Dior, Chanel, Tom Ford, and Celine.

During a Break

Co-worker: "The Met Gala was a triumph, Alexis! But now, onto the next. How do you keep up with it all?"

Alexis: "It's all about the passion for fashion. But yes, the pace is relentless. We've got some exciting projects ahead, though."

A Playful Exchange

Seeking a moment of levity amid the day's demands, Alexis sent Naomi a teasing message, igniting a spark of excitement and anticipation for their upcoming reunion.

Naomi's Lecture and Surprise Visit

Meanwhile, Naomi's expertise as a veterinarian was recognized with an invitation to speak at Florida University, an honor that came with its own challenges, especially when Alexis decided to send a particularly distracting photo right before her lecture.

Naomi (to herself): "Alexis, only you would dare. How am I supposed to concentrate now?"

Despite the playful distraction, Naomi's lecture was a success, and she immediately set her sights on London, booking a flight to surprise Alexis for her birthday.

Planning the Surprise

At the club, Naomi shared her plans with Cassia and Elena, sparking a flurry of excitement and last-minute preparations.

Cassia: "You're flying out tomorrow? That's so sudden! But, what a wonderful surprise."

Elena: "Back to London, and just in time for Alexis's birthday. She's going to be over the moon."

Their conversation was filled with laughter, anticipation, and the warmth of shared friendships, all converging to make Alexis's birthday unforgettable.

Arrival and Birthday Surprises

Upon landing in London, Naomi's determination to make Alexis's birthday special was matched only by the surprise party her colleagues had organized, complete with heartfelt wishes from friends and mentors across the globe.

The Vogue UK Surprise

As the birthday celebration unfolded, Alexis was overwhelmed by the love and appreciation of her team, the surprise video calls adding layers of joy to her special day.

Anna Wintour (via video): "Happy Birthday, Alexis. Your talent and dedication continue to inspire us all. Enjoy your day—you deserve it."

Just as Alexis thought the surprises were over, the receptionist's call about an unexpected visitor piqued her curiosity.

The Elevator Doors Open

The moment Naomi stepped out, the entire office was captivated by the heartfelt reunion.

Naomi: "Happy Birthday, my love. I couldn't let this day pass without being by your side."

Alexis, tears of happiness in her eyes, embraced Naomi, the bouquet and gift box momentarily forgotten as they held each other in front of an office full of colleagues.

Alexis: "This... this is the best surprise. Naomi, having you here is all I could ever wish for."

Their reunion was a beautiful testament to their enduring love, witnessed by friends and colleagues who shared in their joy.

Cassia (whispering to Elena): "Look at them. It's like they're the only two people in the world right now."

Elena: "As it should be. Today is about Alexis and Naomi. Let's give them their moment."

As Naomi and Alexis shared whispers of love and promises for the future, the Vogue UK office buzzed with happiness for their beloved colleague and her partner. Their story, a blend of professional achievements and deeply personal moments, continued to unfold, enriched by the support and affection of those around them.

In this continuation, Alexis and Naomi's lives are beautifully intertwined with their professional worlds and personal desires, culminating in a surprise that underscores the depth of their connection. Through dialogues and interactions, their narrative celebrates love, ambition, and the joy of shared moments.

A Day in London

Wandering the streets of London, Naomi and Alexis reveled in the simple joy of being together. Hand in hand, they shared tender moments and playful exchanges that underscored the depth of their bond.

Naomi: "Tell me, am I a cute girlfriend?"

Alexis: "The cutest. But more importantly, you're the most amazing person I've ever known. Girlfriend, boyfriend, doesn't matter. You're my everything."

Moved by Naomi's genuine desire to make her happy, Alexis was touched deeply when Naomi presented her with a beautifully crafted necklace, a symbol of their enduring love.

Alexis: "Naomi, this is... breathtaking. You always know how to make moments special."

Naomi: "Only the best for you. I want every day to be a testament to our love."

Their laughter and shared glances spoke volumes, a testament to the ease and depth of their connection.

An Intimate Evening

Back at Alexis's apartment, the couple found comfort and playfulness in each other's presence, their connection strengthening with every shared moment.

Alexis (from the shower): "Naomi, could you hand me my towel?"

Naomi: "Sure, let me just—"

But Alexis had other plans, pulling Naomi into the shower for a moment of unexpected intimacy. Their laughter and tender touches filled the space, a celebration of their love.

Naomi: "Getting bold, are we? I must say, I adore this side of you."

Alexis: "And I, you. You bring out the best in me, Naomi."

As they settled into the night, their conversations meandered from playful banter to heartfelt declarations, each moment deepening their bond.

Choosing Love Over Routine

The next morning brought a reluctance to part, with Alexis playfully considering calling in sick to savor more time with Naomi.

Naomi: "You should head to work, love. We can't have Vogue missing their star."

Alexis: "But what if I'd rather spend the day with my star? Work can wait."

Naomi's surprise at Alexis's decision was quickly overshadowed by the warmth of staying together, their love prioritizing over the usual demands of life.

Naomi: "Alexis, are you sure? As much as I want this, I don't want you to compromise your responsibilities."

Alexis: "With you, Naomi, every choice is easy. Today, I choose us."

Their day unfolded with laughter, shared dreams, and the quiet contentment of being together, each moment a cherished memory in the making.

Alexis and Naomi's story is filled with love, laughter, and the deepening of their connection. Through their dialogues and shared experiences, we witness the beauty of their relationship, a testament to the transformative power of love and the joy of finding one's soulmate.

Exploring London

Elena and Cassia found themselves wandering through London's bustling streets, reflecting on their reasons for the visit and the evolving dynamics between their friends.

Cassia: "Do you think we were really needed here? It feels like Naomi and Alexis are in their own world."

Elena: "It's a bit like watching your kids grow up, isn't it? But honestly, seeing them so happy together is worth it. How are you holding up, though?"

Cassia: "A part of me misses the old days, but seeing Alexis genuinely happy for the first time... it makes everything worthwhile. She deserves all the happiness in the world."

Their conversation, filled with affection and a touch of nostalgia, highlighted their deep bond and mutual support for their friends' happiness.

Elena: "I'm proud of you, Cass. And I love you, always."

Cassia (blushing): "Let's head back to the hotel... for, you know, some 'us' time."

Their playful exchange and shared laughter underscored their loving relationship, a parallel journey of companionship and affection.

Intimate Moments with Naomi and Alexis

Back at their temporary London haven, Naomi and Alexis shared quiet moments, their love a gentle presence in the stillness of the afternoon.

Naomi (whispering): "I could stay like this forever, with you by my side."

Alexis (murmuring in her sleep): "Kiss me... don't let go..."

Naomi's laughter, soft and loving, filled the room as she admired the vulnerable side of Alexis, so different from the poised executive the world usually saw.

Naomi: "You've become my addiction, Alexis. Remember how you used to keep the world at arm's length? Now, here you are, utterly irresistible."

Awakening to Naomi's words, Alexis bridged the gap between them with a tender kiss, her playful side shining through.

Alexis: "I could show you just how tempting I can be, but only if you promise to stay by my side."

Naomi: "Leaving you would be impossible. You've captivated me entirely. But let's not talk about who's taking care of whom. Right now, all I want is to be here with you."

Their exchange, filled with warmth and gentle teasing, was a celebration of their connection, each moment a step deeper into the shared life they were building.

Alexis: "Then let's make the most of our time together. Show me again how much you love me."

As the afternoon faded into evening, their laughter and whispered promises filled the space, a testament to the love that had transformed them both.

The dynamics of love, friendship, and mutual support paint a vivid picture of the characters' lives. Through dialogues and shared moments, we see the depth of their relationships, the joy they find in each other's company, and the promises of a future filled with love and companionship.

A Bittersweet Gathering

The London bar, known for its ambiance and the memories it held for the group, served as the backdrop for their final night together in the city. As Alexis and Naomi joined Cassia and Elena, the air was filled with laughter and a touch of melancholy.

Cassia (teasingly): "Look who decided to join us from their love nest! Missed us much?"

Naomi (with a laugh): "Impossible not to, especially with Cassia's dramatics."

Alexis: "It's been too long, Cass. I've missed our times together. And Elena, thank you both for being here."

The conversation flowed easily, reminiscing about the past and discussing their current lives. Cassia's playful complaint about Alexis becoming a Londoner sparked a series of heartfelt admissions.

Cassia: "It's just not the same without you, Alexis. I understand we all have our paths, but it's hard."

Alexis: "Believe me, it's not easy for me either. I cherish every moment we've had and look forward to creating more memories, no matter where we are."

As the evening progressed, the reality of their impending departure weighed heavily, prompting Naomi and Alexis to seek some privacy to savor their last moments together.

The Final Night at Alexis's Apartment

Back at the apartment, the silence spoke volumes. Naomi, sensing Alexis's mood, sought to lighten the atmosphere.

Naomi: "You've been awfully quiet. Missing my irresistible charm already?"

Alexis (chuckling): "How could I ever get enough of you? It's just... the thought of being apart again. It's like a part of me is missing."

Their conversation turned to promises of staying connected, of visits and future plans that would bridge the distance between them.

Naomi: "Distance is just a test of how far love can travel. We'll find our way back to each other."

Alexis: "Every night without you will only make our reunion sweeter. Remember, you're my forever."

As they embraced, their shared kiss was a promise of endless tomorrows, a silent vow to face the challenges of distance with love and determination.

Farewells at the Airport

The airport farewell was a scene of mixed emotions. Alexis's goodbyes to Cassia and Elena were tinged with laughter and tears, a testament to the bonds they shared.

Cassia (holding back tears): "Don't forget us, London girl."

Elena: "We'll take care of each other. And we'll all take care of Naomi."

Turning to Naomi, Alexis found it hard to let go, their final embrace a testament to the depth of their feelings.

Naomi (through tears): "This isn't goodbye, Alexis. It's just... till we meet again."

Alexis: "I'll be counting the days, Naomi. You've given me so much to look forward to."

As Naomi boarded the plane, the promises of future meetings and shared dreams carried them through the pain of parting.

Naomi: "I love you, Alexis. More than words can say."

Alexis: "And I, you, Naomi. Always and forever."

Their parting words, filled with love and hope, were a beacon guiding them through the separation, a reminder of the love that would always bring them back together.

The emotional farewells and heartfelt promises between Alexis, Naomi, Cassia, and Elena highlight the enduring strength of their connections. Through dialogues and shared moments, we see the depth of their relationships and the resilience of their love, promising a future where distance is but a minor obstacle on their journey together.

To be continued…

[xxmyhomexx]

SONG OF THE CRIMSON NILE: Self Worth

This is another post about Amen and Eva. However, because Anubis is confirmed to be a LI, this game is making it hard for me to stay loyal! Anyway, this is a modern AU. It is also intended for older readers! It is a long one.

~~~

The office was a hustling, bustling space of employees coming in and out, talking on their phones and saying goodbyes for the weekend. That was what Amen's publishing house was about: getting written novels published, making authors successful while also reflecting on the true self. That is why people were happy: he was a good boss.

Even though he ruled his company with an iron fist, and was very strict and intimidating with his employees, Amen spared no one a good night. And as his personal assistant, Eva was one of them. She was gathering her things out of her office next to Amen's, and walked right passed him. She was about to wish him goodnight until she saw the scene before her.

Amen was in his chair in his glass domain, laughing with Theone, another employee. She was sitting on his desk, a little too close for comfort. She glared at them, heart racing with a surge of jealousy. She knew they were just professional, but it still hurt to see another woman so close to him.

"Eva," Agnia greeted her. "Going home now?"

She waved her dark curls out of her face. "Yes. I just want to say goodbye to Amen, but..."

Agnia peaked inside and saw Theone laughing with him. She nodded and smiled at Eva. "You know Theone's with Livius, right?"

"Yes," Eva sighed. "I just...I don't know, Agnia. It isn't like he's going to be mine, since we're complete opposites."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at me," Eva gestured to the black dress and heels she wore. They were a nice set, but compared to the others who wore wardrobes out of magazines, she felt out of place.

"Amen owns a three-garage house, and I live with my best friend. He wears suits that he has tailored, I like shopping at thrift stores. He's from a loving family, and my parents were abusive until Isman's family adopted me."

"Eva!" Agnia shook her head, surprised. "You're wrong about yourself."

"I'm also his PA. I'm a step below his pay grade, Ag. I'm..." Eva sighed. "He deserves someone who can give him a lot."

"Oh, Evthys," Agnia squeezed her shoulder. "Amen doesn't care about any of that. If you knew him, he'd be very disappointed in the way you talk about yourself."

"It's ok," Eva assured her. "I'm not sad about myself, Agnia. Just...just trying to keep it in my dreams."

She smiled and wished her a good evening, stepping away from the office and disappearing down the stairs. Agnia sighed and turned back to the office, noticing Amen's gaze. His eyes were narrowed into slits, and what they didn't know was his door was half-open, meaning he heard every word.

~~~

"Finally! This place is all mine...until next Saturday."

That evening, Eva lounged on the couch of her and Isman's two bedroom apartment. She called her friend earlier to see if he and Dia made it to the airport. The couple were flying to France for a seven-day vacation, and she couldn't be more than happy. That meant she had the whole place to herself, and she was enjoying every minute.

She was busy lounging on the sofa, reading a book when she heard a soft knock from the front door. It was seven, and she had no plans. Ramesses invited her out to dinner with his friends, but she declined for a night in. Still, who could it be? She sat the book down on the coffee table and shuffled toward the door, unlocking it to a familiar face. Amen stood there with his arms crossed over the purple collared shirt fitted to his muscles.

"Evthys," his deep voice made blood rush to her ears.

"A-Amen," she stammered. "Hello. How can I help you?"

"Are you busy right now?"

Amen took a peak inside her living space. The place wasn't too small, in fact quite spacious. She kept it clean, and the colors were muted but lively. Eva shook her head, inviting him into her home. She watched his towering frame enter the apartment, those black pants and boots showing off everything she wanted in him.

He was huge in muscle, but he was all natural. She blushed at the way his legs moved toward the sofa, the cushions hissing as he sat down.

"Would you care for a drink?" Eva walked toward the kitchen.

"No, I'm fine, thank you."

After gulping down a glass of water to calm her nerves, she made her way back to the living room. She forced a smile, and sat down one cushion away next to him.

"What brings you here?" She asked.

"I was driving in the neighborhood, and I saw your Beetle out in the parking lot. I wanted to stop in and check on you...after today."

"Oh, you didn't have to," Eva smiled thankfully. "I'm fine. I was a bit overwhelmed, but I have the weekend to recharge."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

Thump, thump, thump. Eva's heart started to race. There was no way he could be talking about the conversation she had with Agnia earlier, just no way! Gulping, she tugged the collar of her shirt.

"How could you say you're not worth everything you have, neferut?"

Oh shit, he DID hear them! Eva's smile faded, her mouth becoming dry. She tried to say something until Amen shifted toward her. He was so imposing, she froze.

"Amen, I know it seems bad, but I was just--"

"Just what? Because I want to know why one of my employees aren't happy with themselves, especially you."

Her eyes narrowed, and she became angry. How dare he assume something about her? They might have shared a few special nights together, but they were with no strings. What she said was the truth!

"I don't have to justify myself!" She shot up from the couch, catching him off guard.

"What we shared was only physical! There was NOTHING between us, ok? It was just that! No strings attached!"

Tears welled in her eyes as she continued to tear into him.

"You don't understand! I'm not..." her voice grew hoarse, and she had no more strength. "I'm not..."

Her head hung low as she stared at the ground, her face streaked with wetness. Amen got up from the couch, observing her. She still looked beautiful, her long dark hair falling over her shoulders in waves, her work wardrobe replaced with a one-shoulder top and comfortable shorts. He didn't buy for one minute what they shared was physical, he saw and heard it in her voice.

"Evthys..."

"No," Eva sniffed. "I-I'm..."

"Enough!"

She looked at him through sheened eyes. In one minute, he gathered her in his arms, and she froze. One hand slid down toward her back, the other firmly around her shoulders. He'd always been gentle with her, even though he was hard as a boulder. When he pulled back slightly, her brows frown together, and her lower lip was pulled between her teeth. Her soaked cheeks have dried, but they lost their softness from her tears.

"You mean more to me than you possibly could know."

Eva blinked. Before she knew it, his lips were on hers, gently soaking her in his aroma. Amen's kiss was the spark that ignited fireworks, and she kissed him back. His lips are full, gentle and inviting. He pulled away seconds later, his forehead against hers.

"Be mine, Evthys."

Be mine. Those two words, something she thought she'd never hear. Her breath hitched as he pressed his nose against her cheek, inhaling the natural scent of her womanhood. Gulping down her emotions, she nodded.

"I'm yours, Amen."

No more hiding through feelings of unworthiness. She had someone here, someone who saw her for her, as did her close loved ones. She wanted this, for herself and him. She wanted this man, she wanted to feel worthy, and this time, she did. Amen's breath was hot on her lips, and a small smile graced his.

"Say it again."

"I'm yours," she smiled fully. "I want to be together."

That was it. He couldn't hold back, and he wouldn't. He kissed her once more, this time more passionate. Eva pulled her head back, moving her hair to the side exposing the column of her neck. Amen broke free from their kiss, trailing his lips along her jawline, stopping at the crook of her neck. He sucked and nipped, gliding his tongue along the sensitive skin.

"Oh..." Eva gasped, reveling in this sensation. Soon, Amen left marks as purple as his shirt. Pulling back, he smiled, trailing one finger from her neck down to the region between her heaving breasts.

"I plan on making more...where's your friend?"

"In France," her voice was hoarse. "On vacation."

"Perfect."

He took her hand, leading her down the hall toward her bedroom. It was the master room, with a queen sized bed, a bookshelf containing her favorite novels, and a desk with a computer's screen lit on the Home page. Amen smirked as Eva closed the door behind them, backing her against the wall, milky blue eyes clouded with desire. Eva couldn't get two words out before his mouth crashed against hers, plunging his tongue so far in that she could almost feel it at the back of her throat.

"Mmmph!" Eva's muffled cries faltered as he pulled away. Amen interlaced their fingers together as he lowered his head. His free hand began to knead her breasts, pinching and tweaking with his fingers. The fabric of her top molded to her body, showing off alluring, inviting peaks.

He wanted to know if he could increase her pleasure through her layers. Combined with his mouth, Eva threw her head back as he lapped and sucked, unable to find anything to hold on to. She threaded her fingers through his hair that was almost as white as snow.

"Yes...oh, Isfet, yes!"

Amen smiled as he lifted her shirt over head. He repeated the torture, causing her to groan in both pleasure and a bit of frustration.

"Keep going," she pleaded. "Like that..."

When he slid a hand in her shorts, her knees buckled together. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders to keep herself on her feet. His fingers danced within, sliding out then between her legs with her shorts still on. Burying her head in his shoulder, she wanted to move it back where it'd be most comfortable.

"No," Amen grabbed her hand before she could touch his. "Not like that."

"Please," Eva rasped. "Let me do this."

He tugged at the waistband, letting it go with a snap! She squeaked when the elastic hit her waist.

"Take them off. NOW." His voice was demanding, husky with desire. Obeying, Eva's shaky fingers slid the rest of her barriers away, leaving her totally exposed. Amen kissed the column of her throat, taking her hands in his. He set them on his chest, allowing her to unbotton his shirt. He slid it off him, never breaking their gaze. He unbuckled the belt from around his waist, sliding it out with a loud THWACK!

Eva closed her eyes as he threw it aside, as well as the rest of his garments. Waltzing toward her, she clutched the wall as one meaty palm slid up her stomach, wrapping it around her throat. He could clutch it with his entire hand, Eva leaning her head back. She was limp in his arms, ready to surrender to his desires.

He nudged her legs apart, so much so she could feel him. She groaned when he pressed into her, allowing him to wrap her arms around him and kiss him passionately. With this, she pulled him toward her bed, sinking into the mattress with him on top. Amen excused himself for a moment, slipping on protection he brought with him. When he returned, he slipped into his beloved's embrace.

Eva's fingers explored the toned muscles of his back, her nails scratching up his sides. They slid toward the front, down his abs, across his shoulders, anywhere she could explore. She pulled her lips from his and kissed a trail along the crook of his neck, stopping at his ear.

Amen closed his eyes. He never let a woman touch him like this, any woman for that matter. He grunted when he felt her tongue play with the lobe before biting down on it gently.

"You're so beautiful."

She only meant for him and him alone to hear. His eyes snapped open, the weight of those words scorching his chest. She whimpered as he pulled her bottom lip with his finger, catching it between his teeth before soothing it with his tongue.

"There can be no one more beautiful than you, my neferut."

He trailed kisses down the length of her body, stopping below her navel.

"Oooh..." Eva moaned. "Please...I want you."

One had slipped through his hair, and Amen rose, grabbing her hand and locking their fingers together. He slammed his lips against hers, and with one swift move, her walls crumbled.

"Augh!" Eva cried in his shoulder. He had never entered in just one stride, and she was feeling all of him. It felt intensely arousing, and with long strokes, he slowly began moving. He wanted to carry it for as long as he could, to keep it going as if there was no time limit for them.

"Isfet," Eva gasped. "Oh!"

"Your moans," Amen's thumb brushed her plump lips. "So good."

She wrapped her legs around him, enticing him to increase his pace. Eva sucked and bit his lips, stroking her tongue to soothe them before plunging it in his mouth. Her nails dug in his shoulders, leaving grooves. Her body was beginning to sweat, as was his, but neither were ready to stop.

The bed creaked under their combined weight. This time, they moved in unison, dominating one another with touch after touch, kiss after kiss.

"Amen...AUGH!" Eva cried out his name as her world crashed around her. He collapsed on top of her, crying out into her shoulder to muffle his voice. The both of them were exhausted, heaving and panting. Vibrations of tingles and contacts from Eva's skin caused him to shift his weight. She shivered beneath him, visible from the aftermath of pleasure.

"Are you ok? You're shaking."

"Y-yes," Eva's voice was raw. "I...I will be."

He pecked at her lips, soothing her rampant body with his hands. He shifted his weight until she was on top, resting her head against his chest.

"I feel so light." she closed her eyes.

Amen kissed her forehead, toying with her hair. Neither said a word, just enjoying each other's company with smiles on their faces.