themanagerisavampirex

[themanagerisavampirex]

"Are you trying to say something?" Nani jibed, feigning shock and disapproval. Frankly, Hayden scared the absolute shit out of her. The only reason she was joking about it was because he wasn't here to hear it.

It seemed that the pair had somehow gotten so tangled up in one another, more so than either of them had planned or expected. And yet the question seemed to linger between them, unaired but all the more present with every meeting. One of them was going to break eventually. One of them was going to have to make the choice for them.

Until then...

"With your mouth? That's so unhygienic, Paxton. I don't think they'd accept that at the bank." She knew what he was implying. Her hands very much confirmed so.

The bedroom door closed with a click, sealing them away for the foreseeable future. Whatever concerns they had, momentarily put on hold until they were ready to face the world again.

"i know that he'll hate every second of this and for that i'm going to let this friendship unfold" he chuckled. seeing hayden being bombarded with a new friend is always amusing.

he was focusing on her more than work. he knew that hayden was going to take issue with it but paxton made no effort to distance himself from nani, he did the polar opposite "will you take cheques that i write with my mouth?" he asked. being around nani shifted his perspective, maybe he could have a life without the less than savoury side job.

restraint went out the window when it came to nani. what was once normally a man of stature was now one who melted when he saw her. they couldn't keep their hands to themselves. paxton shook his head "never"

[themanagerisavampirex]

text: ...... he took a nintendo to a wedding....? text: can't believe crumbs are your final straw 🍪 text: i can't just ignore mr darcy who do you take me for? *unlocks the door*

text: i don't know what she's done but she had him sitting through the wedding without the nintendo, that's a miracle text: you get crumbs on my sofa and you'll send me over the edge text: unlock your door and ignore mr darcy

[themanagerisavampirex]

text: i'll take it honestly, rita works in mysterious ways text: your sofa deserves this text: 😒 text: shut up and hurry up paxton mr darcy is nearly walking through the morning mists

text: if you could him behaving as a development then sure text: you leave my sofa alone. it's innocent in all of this. text: use the back door? well if you insist 😏

[themanagerisavampirex]

text: interesting development text: i'm gonna crumb your sofa so hard next time i've over there text: use the back door, someone broke the lock on the front door last week

text: for the record, i don't know if him and rita have a thing going. but she seems to have him behaving more than usual. text: deal text: your home. you think i'm going to leave you unattended with snacks? my couch will be littered with crumbs. text: it doesn't matter because i know it's not happening.

[themanagerisavampirex]

text: RITA?! 👀👀👀👀👀👀 text: bet (enjoying 7 minutes of uninterrupted michael mcfadyen's mr darcy) text: hold on, your home or my home? text: you're not expecting me to leave mr darcy in pyjamas are you?

text: he's got mrs hasagawa and whatever the fuck the set up is with him and his roommate text: if you get him in a matching t-shirt, i'll give you $50 (7 minutes later) text: i'm out of here, be home in 15 text: and yes i did take wine

[themanagerisavampirex]

Nani may have initially started this conversation out teasingly. Perhaps a way of controlling her own narrative, feeling the way that others might have felt when teasing her about her romantic life. She quickly changed her tune as Woody did try her.

Nani listened, nodding sincerely. It was clear as day that Woody cared for Becky. It was clear that it was eating him alive. There was a moment of quiet between them as Nani considered Woody's plight.

"You don't think you can give her better now?" she asked.

"It's been a long time... since Jimmy. You've both changed. You know what you'd do differently. So... why don't you?"

he let out a sigh after coming to the conclusion that nani wasn't going to let him out of this one. his time was well and truly up. "maybe the fact that we've been friends for years, i was best friends with jimmy and it feels wrong to step on his toes even if he's not here is a big factor of where to start" the most obvious point to start on "when he got sick, we were there for him and it all got too much for me. i couldn't watch him get sicker and i couldn't watch her watch him die on her. her family was imploding, her new husband was dying, tj was a menace and i wasn't there when she needed me most. i don't think i can ever forgive myself for that. she deserves better than that"

[themanagerisavampirex]

"Oh yeah, Grade A Besties. We're gonna get matching tattoos and everything." The thought alone made Nani shudder. It was both of their luck that Hayden wasn't around to hear her talking such absolute rubbish (or making fun of him).

Nani really had missed Paxton while he was gone. Like, maybe too much, actually. Not in a way that she could voice. "I'll see what I can do," she replied, wiggling her eyebrows. "I take cash or TJ Maxx vouchers, if you need some suggestions."

They were barely in the door before Nani had glued herself to Paxton's lips, pulling away only briefly to continue the flirting. "At least wait until the door's closed."

his words to nani meant more than anything. he wouldn't lie to her, sure, there was some withholding of information, but he would lie to her. he respected her too much.

an eye brow raised "oh are you now?" he chuckled, the thought of hayden being bff's with anyone was unthinkable "if you can convince your new bff to give me some time off then i'm sure i can think of ways to thank you"

paxton didn't care what she wore, she always looked good and if he had it his way it would always end up on his floor ripped into ribbons "you not wearing anything is the preference" he grinned, carrying her through the home and into his room

[themanagerisavampirex]

text: good call! every man for himself, patrick could use a little romance text: we're gonna get matching t-shirts text: if he asks, nature called text: not like he's going to follow you to the bathroom text: commandeer a bottle of wine on your way

text: i don't know if i'd survive her whipping me onto the dancefloor, i'm going to shove patrick into her arms last minute to save myself text: again, it's weird you've claimed my dad as your bff. text: he's near enough but i think i could get out text: now you're just being a tease, that's it, i'm leaving this fuckin wedding.

[themanagerisavampirex]

text: at least give mrs h the benefit of 1 round of cotton-eyed joe text: just checking up on my bff text: and his current proximity in regards to a possible escape route? text: i look absolutely stunning right now in my pjs watching 2005 pride and prejudice and stuffing my mouth full of potato chips

text: i doubt it text: why are you wanting to know about my dad? text: never as pretty as you

[themanagerisavampirex]

text: but you might have fun! Text: is your dad there? Text: I bet you look real pretty 💐

text: i'll fuckin bail on this wedding right now, don't tempt me text: the stupid flower thing for the suits

[themanagerisavampirex]

Text: you tell me babe 😘 Text: I could remind you but you aren't here Text: the fuck is a boutonniere???

text: remind me again why i like you? text: i'm not dancing. she brought me a matching boutonnière?? if i don't return home after this wedding, report her to the police.

[themanagerisavampirex]

Text: I don't think she needs any, do you? Text: have you danced yet?

text: nani... text: this old woman is insane, don't encourage her

[themanagerisavampirex]

Text: awwwwww she really loves you, that's so nice 😍 Text: remember always wear protection

text to nani: don't you start text to nani: she won't leave me alone.

[themanagerisavampirex]

Text to Paxton: how's your date? 😏

[themanagerisavampirex]

Nani gave Woody a pointed look. She was as stubborn as everyone else around here, and frankly wasn't going to take bullshit from a grown man if she could help it. "Try me."

Okay, yeah she could guess the complications. Becky had (and hadn't) told her enough. She missed Jimmy, she would never know love again, Woody was too busy, he had a precinct to run. Yada-yada. Yes, Nani herself knew complicated but that wasn't one of her excuses for keeping whatever was going on with Paxton on the DL, okay?

if anyone should understand his predicament it should be nani. everyone always making a comment about you and that certain someone in your life, it's exhausting. he met her gaze with one of his own, deciding whether or not he did want to start but eventually opted for peace.

"nani..." he sighed "i can't jus- it's a lot more complicated than that."

[themanagerisavampirex]

"I'll take your word for it," Nani said, softening. How they were not put away for public indecency yet was beyond belief. Nani wasn't about to start making a point of letting that happen to her either.

Nani pursed her lips, running a few fingers over the collar of Paxton's coat. "Want me to have a word with the boss?" she said, so thick with sarcasm she could taste it. Perhaps a deflection of the sudden weird pang in her chest at Paxton's obvious sincerity. Usually she could handle sincerity well but... "We're BFFs now."

She gasped slightly when he picked her up. Clearly the sincerity had moved on, shielding its eyes from whatever was about to happen next. "Damn, I should have worn the matching polka-dots today."

the smirk spread on his face to a grin, knowing that he had caught nani bang to rights. he skirted around the eventual conversation they would have to have as much as she did, perhaps even more considering his came with a side situation that he was desperately trying to keep nani away from.

"i've had to kick her and victor out the bar a few times for their antics, that's all." he had become acquaintances with babette over the years at the bar and through nani but that was as far as it ever went. he was smart not to get involved there.

"i don't want to be going away for work, i'd much rather be here with you" it was honest of him. painfully honest in the area of emotions in which paxton doesn't wander into.

paxton pulled his keys from his pocket and unlocked the front door "we have to, the things i'm going to do to you would be considered indecent exposure." he chuckled and carried her into the house, kicking the door shut behind him.

[themanagerisavampirex]

Nani narrowed her eyes.

First, it was a glare at being called out because she was tired of it. Second, a glare at the subject being changed to face her instead. Then, it was a narrowing of eyes that said don't start. Nani wasn't here to argue with Woody. No, she was here to tell him straight that if he didn't stop staring at Becky she was going to announce it to the whole party.

"You know, it wouldn't actually cause you or Becky any physical harm to sit next to each other and have a nice conversation."

like she was one to talk. her and paxton were the biggest offenders of gawking at one another across a room "like i said, i have no idea what you're talking about. one could argue that you're projecting" it was no secret that nani and paxton were something, especially after their display at the hollow hootenanny a while ago. "