wintcrstcrfall

[wintcrstcrfall]

The man didn't realize how hungry he'd been until the first mouthful of food truly took him off guard. Closing his eyes and letting out a prolonged sigh, for a moment Jeremiah focused on the food in front of him, grateful that Isabelle had come and saved him from hunger. Even after a few minutes he was feeling a little better and not already as ready to hit his head against the wall as before. "This... This is truly so good. Thank you. What would I do without you?" Mumbling in between bites, the man still found time to throw an affectionate look towards his friend. He even let out a short chuckle at her calling him indecisive because sometimes he truly was the worst at making decisions. What didn't evade his attention though was how little actual food she ate, which left their respective plates looking like total oposites - his completely demolished and hers barely touched. Jeremiah wanted to say something but the words didn't form completely, which was a nightmare for every writer. The truth was, he'd said most of what could be said about what ailed Isabelle. He truly couldn't do more except get face to face with Klaus once again and do something he rarely allowed himself to do - threaten him, trying to scare him off in not so legal ways he'd inevitably learned about in his line of work. Still, it wasn't in his nature and so the man tried to act honorably, yet again. Her suggestion though, surprised him. Not because Jeremiah had something against it, but rather because of the topic of it. It was definetly not one people jumped on so readily as she had. "Are you sure? It's... a lot. And I don't only mean how huge the texts are." Deep down though, he was already sold on the idea. He'd love to pick her brain, plus two people always worked better when critical thinking was involved. "If you're sure, though, we can start first thing tomorrow morning. Breakfast's on me this time."

“Don’t say that,” she chided him, a laugh of disbelief slipping out. “Jeremiah Dawson, you are not inadequate! Far from it. Indecisive at times, perhaps, but never inadequate.” After sending him a soft look of disapproval, Isabelle offered him a reassuring smile before she rose to her feet again, returning to the stove to plate the dinner she had quickly thrown together. Even with minimal effort, the dish she had made had a restaurant quality to it. Hopefully it tasted as good as it looked. Watching his hands fidget with his sleeves and the tension in his shoulders, she could plainly see the pressure he was feeling by this new project, and she knew all too well it was pressure Jeremiah was placing on himself. If he could only see himself through her eyes, then he wouldn’t be so paralyzed with doubt. She was certain of that. Isabelle had always admired his tenacity, how his mind wouldn’t rest until he found a real story worth telling, even if it meant being solely concentrated on his work and nothing else, however long it took. If anything, it revealed just how deeply he cared about what he put out into the world and how fiercely committed he was to making sure it would come out right. “Maybe you’re not meant to understand everything from the very beginning. You will figure this one out, the way you always do, and you’ll do a brilliant job. I know it,” she said, setting the hot plate down in front of him. Then, she gave Jeremiah’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before returning to her seat across from him. Isabelle hummed, pretending to think deeply about his question. “Only a little.” Her tone was purely teasing. Smiling almost emptily, she pushed the food around with her fork, deciding she wasn’t really hungry after all. Instead, Isabelle returned to spooning ice cream into her mouth, trying to steer her mind clear of stupid Klaus. “I could help you with the research, if you want. I-I mean, if you rather work alone, you can say no, of course but.. I honestly wouldn’t mind it.” It was almost offensive he hadn’t even asked her, especially with him already knowing how much she loved to read and research.

[wintcrstcrfall]

"Looking at you like what?" The blonde inquired with a raise of her eyebrow and a half smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Having him flustered was a good look on him and it was undeniably addicting for Vivianne too, because it reminded her she was still the only one who could get through to him like that. The fighting, the disagreements, hadn't managed to take that away from their marriage and she wasn't going to take it for granted anymore. Not after being so close not only to losing him but her life as well, for things like that stacking up added as a rude wake up call. And Vivianne was awake and past the selfish pettiness that had driven them away from one another. But it was so hard to thing sad thoughts whenever Wyatt was pulling her so gently into a kiss, that she let on for a moment, hand lifting to rest on his cheek. Sometimes, whenever she had to leave, she chose to take off her engagement ring but never her wedding one - because as much as it was the smart move in making sure it wouldn't get damaged or lost in the line of work, Viv always wanted to have the most important reminder of him with her. Now she was glad to have put both back on before returning as the ring caught the light, sparkling, as she caressed his cheek softly. "Don't take too long." Her tone was light as her nose brushed against his once, before her feet stepped backwards. Heading for the second floor of their home was as familiar as breathing, an action she could do with her eyes closed too. Still, somewhere in the middle of the steps, her hand pressed against her ribs and she took a painful, shaky breath in before continuing. The bathroom seemed unchanged from the last time she was there, as if no time had passed at all. The blonde tried not to look at her reflection as she stepped in, leaving the door open, then leaning over the sink and closing her eyes, head low. With horror she realized that the feeling deep in her stomach was fear. Of course, she could just turn off the lights, play it off as another part of the experience, but it would steel feel like an omission, a pointless delaying of the inevitable. There was no hiding forever. And she didn't want to. So as she heard Wyatt's steps getting closer, Vivianne straightened up and leaned towards him, head turning sideways, seeking another kiss. "Hey, you... I love you."

“Well, I hate to break it you… That makes you just as guilty, if not more,” he murmured, arguing playfully. An equally playful smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as his eyes locked with hers. The atmosphere between them had changed once again, and it was in their favor, thankfully. Wyatt hadn’t realized how much he missed the warmth of her laughter, the brightness that shone in her face whenever she smiled or the way she could still manage to make him feel like they were both in on some secret joke. At last, they had returned to their own little world, one filled with utter bliss, and he didn’t plan on leaving from here anytime soon. “Mm, I’ve missed your desserts the most,” he told her, soft and sincere, a look of pure admiration upon his face when he spoke to her. Wyatt couldn’t help gaze at her like that. He couldn’t remember if there was ever a time he felt this ridiculously in love with her. And that was saying a lot, because he was already completely head over heels for her to begin with. This moment, as simple and common as it was — just a husband and wife having some dinner together — felt too good to be true, and Wyatt was soaking up every second of it, as if it might slip away from him without warning. He certainly wouldn’t let himself be caught off guard this time around, but if his mind tried to wander back to any negativity, he dismissed it right then and there. His gaze dropped briefly to her hand, palm up, and then back to her eyes. His heart gave a little lurch. God, she was beautiful like this — smiling, unguarded, inviting. With the heartache of the past few months feeling so far away now, Wyatt could almost believe they were starting fresh. Vivianne suggesting the shower took him by surprise. For a moment, he thought she was just messing around with him but slowly and surely, Wyatt realized she was being serious. “I’m comin’,” he said with a grin, his thumb gently tracing the back of her hand before he let go. “Give me a second to get my act together, will you? I’m still trying to recover from the sight of you looking at me like that.” Smiling teasingly, a chuckle slipped past his lips. He rose from his chair and took a few steps toward her, his hand brushing lightly against hers as he reached for her. Wyatt wouldn’t let her go, at least not without pulling her back in for a brief, soft and tender kiss first. But it was easy to let Vivianne pull herself away from him, knowing they’d be spending the rest of the night together. “Go on then. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.” With a hushed voice came the reassurance, the contact of their hands slowly breaking away, and he waited, watching as she walked away from him before going off himself to grab a couple of things.

[wintcrstcrfall]

Jace and Lorraine weren't strangers to closeness. It came with the territory of being friends for as long as she could remember, and yet what they shared in that moment was unlike any of the times before. Maybe it was due to the desperation on her part or because of crossing every boundary she'd promised herself she would never do, but having this closeness to him was like sunrays caressing her skin after long weeks of winter. The brunette had squeezed her eyes, part in embarrassment for the weakness of the moment and in part because she didn't want anything else to distract her - no more than feeling the beating of his heart so close was. Lorraine felt lost as to how they'd gotten into that situation and the bigger problem was that the ideas floating in her brain were only jumping from bad to worse. It didn't help when she felt his fingers, long and slow, touching her hair hesitantly as if she was like the frozen ice they'd build their lives upon. In a silent response, the girl tightened the hold of her arms around him before finally letting go and pulling backwards. Cheeks flushed and eyes not meeting his at first, Lorraine found herself shaking her head from side to side. Don't do it, she chided herself. Don't be so utterly transparent. What's gotten into you tonight? And yet one look into his eyes and the storm of raging emotions there and the brunette felt a silly rush of excitement, the same type she got whenever a big competition was ahead. "You're right, as always. I would never... Not now." The girl nodded but her teeth chewed the inside of her cheek. She was drunk off of the last half hour of conversation, drunk to the point of saying something she otherwise never would've. "But... he betrayed me. And that is so hard to look past in the line of what we do - trust is everything, on and off ice, you know that." With eyes finally on him, Lorraine took a deep breath before continuing, "And as silly as Connor's suggestion was, it actually can help in showing I'm not interested in him. But only if you'd agree to help me pretend for a few weeks that we might be together..."

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤif    the    look    wasn’t    enough    to    crack    him    clean    in    half,    the    hug    did    him    in.    arms    around    his    neck,    breath    shaky    against    his    skin,    and    jace    feels    like    he’s    going    to    throw    up.    because    of    himself,    what    he’s    done.    the    shutter    in    his    body    his    doing.    and    she’s    here    thanking    him    for    protecting    her    !    he    doesn’t    even    know    why    he    said    it.    why    he’s    suddenly    so    obsessed    with    a    guy    who’s    never    done    anything    wrong    —    except    maybe    have    a    crush    on    her.    why    it    makes    his    chest    tight    every    time    her    eyes    light    up    talking    about    someone    who    isn’t    him.    except    [    …    ]    he    does    know.    he’s    jealous.    the    realization    takes    his    two    broken    pieces    and    tears    it    to    ribbons.    of    course    he    is    …    and    not    in    the    best    friend    way.    and    now    she’s    curled    into    him,    trusting    him    with    her    vulnerability,    with    her    heartbreak,    and    he’s    the    one    who    caused    it.    ❝    yeah.    i    know.    ❞    he    manages    to    eek    out,    fingers    loose    as    they    curl    into    the    fabric    of    her    shirt.    hadn’t    realized    until    then,    that    it’s    his    favorite    shirt.    ❝    i    wouldn’t    let    anything    happen    to    you.    ❞    oh,    he’s    gonna    puke.    it’s    not    just    that    he’s    jealous    of    their    relationship    —    an    unbelievable    closeness    you    need    with    someone    on    the    ice    to    do    what    they    do    —    but    he    can’t    stand    the    discomfort    of    not    being    number    one    in    any    aspect    of    his    life.    especially    when    it    comes    to    lorraine.    his    hand    lifts,    slow    and    hesitant,    fingers    weaving    into    her    hair.    they    linger    there    for    a    moment    before    he    pulls    back,    dropping    his    arms    away    from    her    and    shaking    his    hands    at    his    sides.    as    if    that    would    shake    off    his    bad    deeds.    ❝    i’m    sure    he’s    not    a    bad    guy,    you    know    him    way    better    than    me.    you    guys    depend    on    each    other,    and    that’s    great.    i    just    wouldn’t    mix    romance    into    that,    y’know    ?    just    in    case.    ❞

[wintcrstcrfall]

There was nothing Lorraine hated more in the world than feeling or looking hopeless. Probably it was a byproduct of being an ice skater since a child, where every minor injury or a fall, was done in front of others who always judged, always scrutinized, or took points out of the rating she'd worked so hard to achieve. Now, somehow, that was even worse, because it was him. And it wasn't like he hadn't seen her in some low moments, but mostly so far their friendship had been a carefree, happy one. And he'd never commented such a thing before, even when she had terrible crushes on boys who didn't deserve her attention. That night, however, everything seemed to be going backwards ever since her stupid attempt at diverting a topic. Instead of using the moment to try and whisper her real feelings, masked as a soft joke, somehow they'd ended up... there - with him thinking that she liked her skating partner more and her being completely betrayed by another man. "Yeah, no, I know. And I-I'm not hurt. Just surprised." Shrugging, her gaze remained pointed at the ground. Even now, their knees were almost touching, and despite it being such a small thing she could feel his presence even with her eyes closed; the warmth radiating off of his body was enough to make her squeeze her eyes and groan. And instead of confessing that everything he'd said about her partner, she feared that it would be the case with him and her, if she made a step in that direction, Lorraine uttered, "You're my best friend too. Thank you... for telling me and keeping me from making a huge mistake." It was then that she looked at him for a second, before taking a deep breath and throwing her arms around his shoulders. There was a sob barely stiffled in her throat but by the time she locked her arms around him, the weight of everything almost seemed bearable. "I just want to feel truly loved, for once in my life. You know?"

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤjace’s stomach churned. what was he doing ? and all over one stupid comment. could feel his insides rot as she said the worst thing she possibly could right now: “ there’s no secrets between us. ” would have laughed if he weren't flooded with guilt. doubt sank into every curve of her face, and it should have been enough to confess that what he had just said was a lie, but instead he twists the tip of his shoe in the ground as if he were putting out a cigarette. ❝ maybe you don’t want to know, ❞ he said — a coward’s weapon against the reality that he was worried. about being replaced. about losing her in multiple ways. about things he had no business being worried about. he hated himself for it — hated that even now, the words he let loose weren’t the ones that mattered. not i’m jealous. not i want you to look at me the way you look at him. hell, he couldn't even admit that all to himself. ❝ guys like that … they’re good at making you feel like you’re the only one. but then they turn off the charm once you're dating. he's probably trying to whoo you on the ice still, or whatever. i’m not saying it to hurt you. i’m saying it because i care. you're my best friend, lo. ❞ because i care was the closest he could get to [ … ] whatever was burning in his chest. jace swallowed hard, hands tightening around nothing, wishing she would just call him out. but she hasn't and he's equally praying she won't. his angels and demons battling. the lie hangs between them. he let's it.

[wintcrstcrfall]

Jeremiah had told himself that he was going to keep quiet about this work until it had some certainty, some shape that would make him feel sure about what he was doing. The only person who knew what he was working on was his boss, of course, and even he didn't care too much as long as the story worked wonders. But something in Isabelle's presence that night made the words to just spill and he wasn't unhappy about it. The man valued her opinion, of course, but he also wanted to hear that someone else was wrestling with the same thing he was. It made him feel less lonely in a world that seemed way too comfortable in living for their own prosperity and nothing else. "It's... ah, both, I guess? One came after the other and now I'm just feeling completely inadequate to do both." Sighing, he started to unbutton the last two, three buttons of his shirt, trying to get himself to do something. When that was done, his fingers unnecessarily pulled at the rolled up sleeves, before resting his hands on his knees, leaning forward. "I always dig deeper when I do a story, you know that, but now it seems I have even more to dig into. And I don't know if I even understand half of what I'm hearing or reading... and yet..." There was this feeling that just didn't let him back away. It was more than a purpose, but like a subtle calling in his soul. Like he was meant to do just that and all of his life choices had led him to this moment. How could he step away now? "I think they really believe that. But then there's so much texts to read and reference and I'm not even nearing the half of it. They also have so many prophesies and so much to cross check... Am I crazy for picking something like that?"

Standing in the quiet of Jeremiah’s kitchen, Isabelle reached inside the cabinet, searching for two clean glasses. But when he questioned her, she paused for a moment and turned to him, her hand on one of the glasses. “I don’t know,” she said quietly. Pulling out the two glasses, she set them gently on the counter, the sound of them touching down far too loud in the stillness of his home as his question lingered in the air between them. “Sometimes I think I want to believe in something more,” she went on, “like it would make things simpler, or at least… easier to explain the things that don’t make sense.” As she spoke, her finger idly traced around the rim of the glass. Picking up the glasses and walking them over, she set one down in front of him and sat opposite of him. “Is this about the story? Or about something else?” wondered Isabelle, her gaze searching his eyes for further understanding. It really wasn’t unusual for Jeremiah to pick her brain about random subjects whenever he was working on a story, but for some reason this one felt different. Undoubtedly, he had heard, like the rest of Salem the rumors of the man who had performed various miracles throughout the region. “If I’m being completely honest, I’m confused on what I should believe in. There are some people who believe there are many Gods and others who believe there is only one. Which is right? Because surely, they both can’t be.” Clearly, it wasn’t the first time she had given thought to this. By the way she spoke, it appeared she had thought deeply about it and more than once. Isabelle tilted her head, her eyes remaining intently on his. “What do you think about this man -- the Nazarene? The Jews say he’s their ‘Messiah’ but not all of them seem to agree on that.”

[wintcrstcrfall]

The warmth in her chest was only half because of the way her husband had kissed her a moment ago. Vivianne had thought it impossible that they would fall so easily back to feelings and actions and emotions from before the fighting had become more frequent than anything else. It felt good to feel like smiling freely, enjoying an easy going back-and-forth between both of them - it practically was the reason why she couldn't stop the chuckle from falling from her lips as Wyatt called her a tease. He was one to talk. "Oh, if I remember correctly, you teased yourself. I just contributed a great amount afterwards." The grin on the blonde's face was catching, growing bigger because next to her Wyatt was doing the same. Happiness suited him so much and he deserved it even more; for the past months, aside from everything else, she'd felt responsible for the happiness leaving his life as they grew apart in work and their shared times together. Seeing him like this was a welcomed, long awaited sight. "You got it. You know desserts are my specialty." Vivianne was smiling again, this time over the rim of her glass of water. It was better not to drink more, even if this moment between them was intoxicating enough to make her head a little dizzy. She almost didn't feel any pain, thought by now the woman knew it was just an illusion brought on by the happiness. And she gladly accepted it. As both of them made a distracted attempt at eating dinner, the blonde couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next. As much as she wanted him, wanted to spend the night with him, in their own bed, even if they weren't going to get more than a few hours of sleep, Vivianne was worried that once he saw her body, that anger and resentment would be back, ruining everything. So before she could reconsider, her hand slid towards him on the table, palm up, beckoning his touch. "Speaking of showers, maybe that's not a bad idea." She knew he'd been joking when saying it, but suddenly it felt reasonable. As her eyebrows lifted slowly while maintaining eye contact with him, she pushed her chair backwards, leaving a half-eaten plate behind. "Come when you're ready." If he complained of her being a tease a second before, this was a whole another level.

Almost whining, Wyatt blinked a few times, momentarily dumbfounded as Vivianne slid off his lap, the warmth of her body replaced by a ghost of it, lingering on his skin several seconds even after she had moved. As soon as she pulled herself away, he began to miss and crave her touch again, remembering where her hands had been at the back of his neck only moments ago. Blindsided, he stared at her for a second, still feeling the trail of her fingers down his chest, the whisper of her breath against his jaw. He hadn’t expected her to just stop. Hell, after everything, all the time they spent apart, he thought they’d tumble straight into each other like no time had passed. But no. Instead, she casually reached for her plate like she hadn’t just undone him in less than a minute. Eat first? The idea was downright ridiculous when he first heard it — Wyatt wasn’t even hungry anymore, not for food anyhow. Though the more he thought about it… He had to admit Vivianne did make a great point. If they didn’t take the time to eat right now, they would have to stop at some point later on, and he certainly didn’t want any distractions whatsoever. Watching her steal a sip of beer, he let out a chuckle and shook his head. “What game are you playin’ with me, darling?” Wyatt asked, amused, watching the playful sparkle in her eyes. “You’re sitting there actin’ all innocent, like you didn’t just light me on fire. Tease,” he said, his tone lighthearted and his eyes soft, despite the accusation. Leaning back in his chair, his lips pulled upward into a grin, betraying the relief blooming in his chest. She was teasing him, and flirting. That was more than enough for him. This teasing, playful version of Vivianne reminded him of their first handful of dates back in college. He had always said he never wanted her to change in that respect. “Fine. We eat first,” he muttered, grabbing his fork with a dramatic sigh. He would happily wait, though. She was more than worth the wait. ‘Course she was. Hadn’t he waited even longer for her than sitting through an entire dinner? “But you’re gonna owe me one hell of a dessert after this. And just know, I’m holdin’ you to that energy comment.” A wink and crooked smiled later, Wyatt began to eat. The food had gone cold but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He was having dinner with his wife, rather than all alone by himself. That simple fact made him the happiest man alive in the whole wide world right now. “I’m gonna need a cold shower right about now, if I’m supposed to finish this meal.” Wyatt couldn’t help the joke as he chuckled to himself.

[wintcrstcrfall]

She'd been too preoccupied with stupidly gazing at his eyes, daydreaming about hearing words that were never going to leave his lips. Lorraine didn't know what it was in that day, because usually she could put aside her feelings pretty easily; yet that night it was just so much harder, the weight of her secret the only thing she could focus on. That and the way he was acting, so weird, so close yet so far at the same time. And then... slowly, like a tidal wave, his words came, forming one sentence after the next, leaving her breathless and underwater. "W-What...?" It was such a humiliating answer to give, a stuttered reply to something that had never even crossed her mind before. At first, it felt like a too cruel joke, even thought it wasn't in his nature to crack a joke about something like this. Not when it came down to them, to her. But the more she watched the storm of emotions wash over his face, the more the brunette felt weaker, the color draining away from her face. Surely, he didn't know him like she did; she spend more time with him, often late into the evenings, laughing and crying and falling, getting bruised up and then healing, training on and off the ice. But then, Jace had said he'd heard it and he'd never lie to her. It was her who lied to herself, hoping that one feeling could erase another, only to fall deeper. "No, I mean... it's just... I'm pretty sure I would know. We spend so much time together..." Her big eyes looked at him, the unsaid weighing heavily in the space between their bodies. "There's no way I wouldn't know. It's almost like with us - there's no secrets between us." Blowing out a heavy breath of air, Lorraine let her head hang lower, shaking it slowly left to right. "That's so pathetic..."

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤhe    should    have    let    it    roll    of    him,    like    he    had    time    and    time    before,    but    something    about    what    she    says    keeps    sticking    to    his    ribs.    infesting    jace    from    the    inside    out.    the    silence    is    a    little    too    long    to    be    casual,    teeth    gnawing    at    the    inside    of    his    cheek.    ‘    some    day    someone    will    fall    in    love    with    me    and    then    what    ?    ’    he    should’ve    cracked    a    joke    :    then    god    help    him    or    hope    he    likes    drama.    but    none    of    those    things    made    it    to    his    mouth.    ❝    yeah,    right.    ❞    it’s    all    he    can    muster.    why    was    he    acting    like    this    ?    he’d    known    lorraine    so    long.    had    seen    her    with    men    before,    relationships    that    could    have    made    the    long    haul    …    but    now    the    thought    made    him    want    to    ratchet    on    the    ground    next    to    his    shoes.    perhaps    he    knew    why,    and    putting    a    name    to    it    was    ten    times    scarier    than    this    passive    mess.    ❝    listen,    i    know    i’m    being    a    bit    of    a    dick,    and    i    can’t    protect    you    forever,    but    i’m    just    saying    i    think    that    he    has    feelings    for    you,    and    if    he    does    … ❞    don’t    blow    up,    jace.    ❝    i    think    you    can    do    better    than    him.    even    if    you    really    know    him    —    whatever    that    means.    ❞    there’s    a    moment    when    he    thinks    about    admitting    that    he    feels    jealous    about    the    idea    of    another    guy    being    close    to    her    in    more    ways    than    he    is,    and    he    opens    his    mouth    to    do    just    that    …    but    instead,    he    finds    himself    doing    something    he    doesn’t    think    he’s    ever    done    to    her    before.    lying.    ❝    i    bet    you    don’t    know    him    as    well    as    you    think    you    do    —    i’ve    heard    he    has    a    girl    he’s    been    dating    for    six    months    or    so.    ❞    winces    inside,    knows    he’s    playing    a    dangerous    game    ;    it    wasn’t    as    if    he    could    lie    about    every    guy    that    showed    interest    in    her.    but    it    felt    like    something    he    couldn’t    control    in    the    moment.    ❝    i    wasn’t    gonna    mention    it    but    i    wouldn’t    want    him    to    sit    around    playing    with    your    feelings    when    he’s    just    being    a    flirt.    ❞

[wintcrstcrfall]

Lorraine noticed she'd messed up a little too late. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and for no other reason than because she'd been too distracted by watching him and the way his fingers moved, eyes darkened whenever he was teasing for one thing or the other. But then it was gone, that easygoing feeling between them that had been so rich in the years before, when they were younger and unburdened. It didn't help that no matter what, Jace never seemed to approve of her skating partners too. For so long she just thought that he'd been afraid they would drop her, hurt her or cause emotional harm but looking at the way his face changed, some other crazy possibility sparkled back to life and this time the brunette wasn't quick to extinguish it. So silly. "Come on, he's not that bad!" As the months went on, she'd even hoped they would eventually grow to tolerate each other, because it would mean the world to her. Now Lorraine saw that such a silly notion was never going to happen. "I mean... I can't speak on what he thinks but we do spend a lot of time together. And you get to know people... truly know them because no one can pretend all the time." Her eyes narrowed, looking at the way he was rubbing his jaw. Suddenly, the brunette wanted to reach and grab a hold of his hand, hold it with hers and force him to look her in the eyes, but somehow she was afraid of what would happen and if he'd push her away because he was unhappy. Still, her eyes betrayed that desire. "You know I love you, right? But... you can't protect me forever. Some day someone will fall in love with me and then what?"

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤnot    that    unique    ?    like    she    didn’t    know    she’d    hung    the    moon    years    ago.    no    one    made    him    laugh,    or    made    him    feel    the    most    in    his    skin    quite    the    same    way    lorraine    did.    ❝    okay,    well,    now    you’re    just    lying,    ❞    timbre    casual    and    teasing,    like    it    wasn’t    something    he’d    thought    about    too    much    on    too    many    nights    (    he    had    ).    but    when    she    continued    to    talk,    his    amusement    started    to    fray.    her    skating    partner.    it    came    in    a    green    wave    :    the    memory    of    the    conversation    he    had    overheard    between    him    and    his    friends.    there    were    feelings    there,    and    he    refused    to    put    a    name    to    the    reason    that    realization    twisted    his    stomach    so.    ❝    he    said    something    similar    ?    ❞    tone    stiffer    than    before.❝    well    it’s    not    too    hard    to    be    too    good    for    him,    he’s    like    a    bowl    of    soggy    cereal.    ❞    &    it    doesn’t    sound    like    he    was    joking    anymore,    leaning    forward    and    setting    his    elbows    on    his    knees,    rubbing    the    heel    of    his    palm    against    his    jaw.    why    did    that    bother    him    so    much    ?    ❝    so    what,    he    says    nice    things,    gets    to    lift    you    a    couple    times    a    week,    and    now    he    thinks    he’s    an    expert    on    you    ?    ❞

[wintcrstcrfall]

Vivianne had thought that Wyatt would never look at her the way he'd been looking at her right at that moment. It was a mixture of love, fear, relief, happiness and something else, something that really looked like peace. She felt it too - a fragile spark in her chest, who was still stronger than the pain coursing through her body, making it's permanent stay there. It was almost like a strong drink after a long day of not eating anything and she felt her head lighter, a little dizzy but nonetheless, never better. The woman knew that it was bound to be a high that would eventually ease her down from, but for now Viv hoped, prayed, that it was going to stay for at least a while longer. She needed it. And from the fervent way his fingers touched her, greedily pulling her body into his lap, Viv knew her husband felt the same. "I'm here, my love," the woman sighed, for a second letting her forehead rest on his shoulder as he kissed her neck. Wyatt smelled like home, like everything she'd grown used to but had been away from for a while now, so it felt different all over again. She herself felt different, smelling of metal and hospitals and the sharp wind that had blasted through the rolled down windows of her car. But as his hand slipped under her clothes, the shiver that ran through her body was both of pleasure and a ripple of pain, reminding her that this was short lived. Pulling a little bit away so that her eyes could look at his, Vivianne smiled softly. Her fingers threaded through the locks of hair on his nape, relishing in the feeling of having him this close, like before. The more deep he kissed her, the more she reciprocated back, a pleasant hum rumbling in her chest. "No wasting time, Wyatt...", Viv whispered, hand moving to the front of his throat and down his chest. "Though let's eat first, yeah? We're going to need that energy." There was a teasing gleam in her eyes as she nuzzled her nose over his jawline. Then, carefully, she returned to the place next to his and pulled her plate from its place on the other end of the table, where she'd put it before, when being this close to him felt like a mirage. Taking his bottle of beer, she continued to smirk while taking a short sip, then returning it back to him. "Cheers." It probably wasn't the best idea, knowing the painkillers she had to take, but the moment seemed too good for her to let it pass, dimmed by what had happened. So, she chose to pretend a while longer and have a normal, a little teasing too, dinner date with her husband instead.

It felt like he could finally breathe properly since Vivianne first walked into the room before her lips were on his, soft at first and unsure, almost as if they were feeling out the shape of each other after being apart for too long. But the second time was different. It was deeper and honest, weighted with all the things they hadn’t been able to say for too long a while now but were finally allowing themselves to feel again. Wyatt tasted the saltiness of her tears on her lips and of his own tears that rolled down his cheeks. His hand slid from her cheek to the back of her neck, fingers threading through her hair, grounding himself in the warmth of her skin, in the realness of her. She was here, she was with him and best of all, she still wanted him. That truth alone undid something inside him, something he'd kept wound tight and buried under months, maybe even years, of frustration, guilt, and unspoken fears. He kissed her back, slowly and thoroughly, as if trying to memorize the taste of something he thought he’d never have again. Pulling apart for just a second, Wyatt let his forehead fall back against hers, his lungs slightly breathless but his heart utterly full. He didn't speak right away, his throat was thick with emotion, but his hands did the talking, grazing over her shoulders, down her arms, pulling her gently onto his lap like she belonged nowhere else. “God Viv,” he murmured, “I’ve missed you… All of you.” But, as touch starved as he was, there was no rush on his part, no frantic grasping for what they’d lost, only a shared, aching desire to make up for the time that had slipped needlessly away from them. His lips found her neck then her jaw, each kiss an apology and a promise. And when he looked at her again, all Wyatt saw was the woman who still made his world tilt rather than the woman who had left his heart bruised when she left. Eventually, his hand found the hem of her shirt, pausing just long enough for permission, even though the answer was already written in the way she clung to him, in the way her breathing hitched under his touch. “We’ve got some time to ourselves now,” he whispered into her ear, voice low and rasping. “Let’s not waste any more...” Capturing her lips in a slow, deep kiss, he let himself get lost in the passion of the moment with her. The last thing on his mind was about tomorrow, or the fights they'd had, or the time that had gotten away. All that mattered was now. Her. Them. And relearning every inch of her like rediscovering a favorite song he thought he’d forgotten the melody to, not that she was something Wyatt could easily forget of course.

[wintcrstcrfall]

Lorraine was left with no other choice but to laugh, eyes rolling at his words. She knew him well enough to know that there was no way he'd actually follow through with his "threat" because their taste in women was so different. Probably that was the reason why she felt no annoyance or veiled unhappiness at the suggestion; plus, she wasn't really a jealous person. The brunette had to learn not to be, otherwise it was impossible to survive and thrive in their circles. And if anything, she truly thrived. "For such a star player, you're selling yourself way too short. I'm not that unique." She was laughing again, her hand raising to push at his shoulder in an action that was supposed to convey annoyance, but deep down her heart sank a little. It was yet another reason for her to add to the ever growing list of why she was certain he didn't see her in a romantic way, and never would. Secret pining wasn't her thing, unless it was towards him. "Though you have that thing in common with my skating partner - he told me something similar the other night while at practice. You haven't talked to him, right?"

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ‘    we’re    us.    ’    —    that    should    have    come    as    a    comfort,    but    it    doesn’t    extinguish    the    embers    that    sizzled    under    the    surface.    of    course    he’d    thought    about    them    off    and    on    their    entire    friendship,    but    every    time    it    was    pushed    down    with    the    reminder    of    what    a    bad    idea    that    was.    to    inevitably    ruin    everything.    ❝    make    sure    to    add    that    i    think    he’s    a    moron,    for    good    measure    …    and    that    if    he    tries    to    wingman    again,    i’m    stealing    his    girl    out    of    spite.    ❞    an    empty    threat.    their    taste    in    women    were    complete    night    and    day.    ❝    besides,    you    could    do    way    better    than    me.    better    than    ninety    -    nine    perfect    of    the    population,    probably.    ❞    but    it    didn’t    matter    that    there    was    no    world    where    he    deserved    her    more    than    the    ways    he    already    had    her,    jace    would    still    drop    everything    if    asked.

[wintcrstcrfall]

Instead of acting all wounded by the brash way she'd thrown his very nice words about her personality, Jeremiah rolled his eyes. At that point he had gotten used to it - Vera just didn't think she deserved someone stable and serious, let alone searched for him. Somehow he knew that it wasn't his place to talk about this topic and had instead left it to their mutual female friends. "I assure you, I'm not the only one. Besides, even if I was, you know I'm never wrong!" That self assured smile was back on his face as they slowly made their way in the evening traffic of people. "Oh no, no, you already bailed me out. It's my treat. I insist. And I already have the place in mind. I'm starving for some good Mexican food." The blue eyed man was different once he clocked out; or, more like, different for her. Not that he usually wasn't a gentleman or lighthearted and considerate, but Jeremiah at work was another thing. Hence, the need for her to keep bailing him out. "I wouldn't need to trespass if that guy wasn't a total fraud. I just found what he didn't want me to." The means were still considerably innocent that it didn't matter, as long as he had the story.

It felt like a small price for him to pay for her rescue. The resulting picture was not worth it. Maybe that was really his goal. She clicked her tongue against her teeth, "I have worse pictures of you Jer." Compared to many of the photos they had taken or that she had taken of him - this latest one was quite tame. "Fine," she dramatically sighed. Though his approval did make her send to the group chat. No need for words when they all were aware of his behavior. She didn't protest, following after Jeremiah as he pulled her. The staff at the station was probably happier the faster they were gone. She was just an innocent savior of his. Vera raised a brow, as he leaned down. His words only seemed to push her point. He had nothing her ex needed to hear. Still his words brought a smile to her lips. Her first genuine one since the bad news. "Idiot. Only you think that." Waving him away, she broke eye contact. She wanted to add, clearly. Otherwise, she'd be in a very happy, long, relationship. "But Thank you. That's nice to hear." Didn't fix everything but it was a nice start. And he believed it, which only made the remark sweeter. Even if he was wrong. "No? They didn't feed their lovely prisoner? Shame." She teased. "What do you wanna eat? I'll treat you." Vera hooked an arm with Jeremiah, snorting lightly at his clear... reduction of the truth. "Trespassing is certainly something, I think the cops would agree, Jer."

[wintcrstcrfall]

"Hey, come on, that's not fair!" His protest against the unnecessary picture was probably captured by it, because Vera's reaction had been too funny. Also, Jer was positive that they were pushing it, with how much no one at the police station liked his presence. Still, when she tried to snap a quick selfie, the man made a face that knew would be more appropriate and definitely funny. "This better only go into the group chat. Now come on, I don't want to be here." Taking her arm, he carefully pulled her after him, clearing the path of some people that rushed in and out of the building. Only once they were outside did Jeremiah release her, before turning face to face. Or, face to top of her head. Still, he narrowed his look and leaned lower, so they could be alost at the same eye level. "Oh, I'll find a few things to say to him. Including that he lost the best thing that happened to him." There was sincerity in his eyes while saying it. While the now ex definitely hadn't deserved her time, Jeremiah still felt for his best friend. She deserved so much better than the men she chose to date. "Let's go have dinner, I'm starving. Can you imagine they didn't offer anything for food?" Shaking his head Jer pulled off the journalist pass that hung around his neck and pocketed it on the inside of his suit. "And I didn't do anything, except look for the truth! Well... Might've trespassed too but that's nothing."

She was convinced. That either he pissed off the wrong people, Jeremiah was more of a trouble maker than she knew. or — and this was the one she thought was more than likely, someone was clearly out to get him. His job seemed to come at a cost that she didn't completely understand. "Wait, I need a picture." Because truly, these were the moments that helped define their friendship. Twenty times in one year and the year was far from over. She took a quick picture of Jeremiah, making sure there was a cop in the image. Grimacing noticing the look, she tried again. "What did you do?" Allegedly. Either way, she decided on taking another. This time settling on a selfie of the two of them. Vera glanced up at him, shrugging. It was hard to be upset with a man she hadn't gotten attached to. It was just painful. A reminder that clearly relationships didn't seem to be for her. No matter how hard she tried. She waived her hand trying to be nonchalant. Vera let out a heavy sigh, almost all her emotion tied to it. "I don't think that would help. It's probably better this way." Convincing a man to get back with her felt desperate. "What would you even say?"

[wintcrstcrfall]

The brunette felt weird hearing him say those same words not once but twice in a row. She looked at him, really looked, with an undeniable buzz underneath her skin and a strong feeling of how silly she was suddenly acting. This was them, after all. Nothing had changed for years and nothing would, simply because Connor had put them at the center of another one of his jokes. Even if somehow he was correct. Right? "Yeahh, but we don't really need matchmaking, right? I mean... we're us." Every word that left her lips after Jace's first admission felt a little far away, as if not coming fully from her. "Next time I see him, I'll tell him to mind his own business. We do not need that drama to add on everything else."

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ❝    apparently,    since    he    said    you    like    me    —    ❞    he    couldn’t    possibly    ignore    that,    even    given    the    source.    the    next    bit    stumps    him    for    a    minute.    odd,    since    it    wouldn’t    be    the    first    time    someone    assumed    they    were    dating,    but    for    some    reason,    it    makes    jace    pause    in    thought.    ❝    i    guess    connor    needs    to    smoke    less    pot    and    stop    playing    matchmaker.    dude    loves    to    fuck    around    and    start    drama.    ❞

[wintcrstcrfall]

There was nothing that annoyed Jeremiah more than people trying to stop him from doing his job. His very legal, very important job. In his line of work, it was inevitable - he knew that much. And yet, the amount of times that people had tried to pressure, intimidate, threaten or outright try to get him fired, were growing quite fast. By now, he had at least a dozen run ins with the law, and not for speeding tickets. Apparently, there was something in his journalist pass that just enraged people, and that was the story behind most of his calls to Vera. Because he knew that she would always pick up, no matter the time. They were just that good friends. "I think this is the twentieth time. This year." Despite the smile on Jeremiah's features, it was obvious that he was also very, very tired. But as they made their way out of the police station, a few officers throwing him narrow looks that he pretended not to see, his attention fully zeroed on her. "Wait, he broke up with you?" Despite feeling an invisible weight off his shoulders, the man was also not happy that she was hurt like that. Again. "I'm sorry, V. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to have a word with him?"

Closed starter for @wintcrstcrfall | Based on this

"How many times have I saved you now?" Vera teased. She wasn't entirely sure which was more upsetting. Her boyfriend, all of a sudden now ex, or Jeremiah's text. A repeated cycle she hadn't done much to try and break. Well, Jer's case wasn't a cycle she ever was going to break. He called, she answered. She called, he answered. She had never had a more reliable friend in her life. And yet, how he continued to find himself in trouble continued to evade her. "Well, at least I won't have time to cry over being dumped. Again. I'm starting to think I'm the problem."

[wintcrstcrfall]

"Since when do we listen to what Connor says?" Despite the uneven thundering of her heart, Lorraine managed a lighthearted chuckle as the tips of her fingers played with her favorite necklace. "Last week he said the same thing about you, by the way. Apparently, we're now at the center of his jokes. It won't last."

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ❝    you    don’t,    uh,    have    feelings    for    me,    do    you    ?    connor    said    that    you    did.    ❞

[wintcrstcrfall]

Give me a plot about a shy girl being dragged to a bar and getting hit on, where a tattooed guy takes pity on her and rescues her by saying he’s her boyfriend. He walks her home and she realizes he’s not that scary, so she invites him in and they talk. Maybe he falls asleep on her couch and she takes care of his hangover and ohmygoodness it could be so cute?

[wintcrstcrfall]

𝑷𝑳𝑶𝑻 𝑺𝑯𝑶𝑷 :: i am desperate for an arranged marriage plot (mafia vibes are more than welcome). muse a is the golden girl, perfect, untouchable, while muse b is the reckless, womanizing son who’s always causing trouble. they get married for family business reasons, and muse a absolutely despises muse b, but here’s the twist: muse b is secretly head-over-heels for her. give me that tension, that burning hate from muse a while muse b quietly yearns for her. muse a even suggests that muse b can keep his lovers and do whatever he wants, but muse b? he’s already in too deep to accept anyone else. i need all the angst, the passion, and the slow-burn realization that these two are bound to crash into each other. please, i need this in my life! if you also need this in your life, like this post or send me a message !!