— Here is the repeated image of the lover destroyed...

Kai: i'm mc-freaking losin it

Kai: nobody told me chipotle had queso now

Quite frankly, Ivan was getting rather sick of his usual methods of transportation around the city. Yes, he should’ve been scoping things more in the few months he’d been around, but adjusting to work and the usual night-time security shift had been the primary concern of late, and the last thing on his mind returning to his current home in Brooklyn from the tower in Lower Manhattan afterwards. Seemingly spotting another nearby that looked as if they knew what they would be talking about, he casually strode up to them. “You don’t happen to know of any short-cuts, faster ways around here back to Brooklyn do you?”

Aaron looked up from his phone at the interruption. “Unless you know how to phase though buildings, this whole city’s a grid. If it’s a lucky day, the subway won’t fuck you up too badly, otherwise it’s one block over, one block down, step and repeat...” 

          “Never? I see.” Of course, Louisa couldn’t say she was a very good cook either – people had cooked for her all her life. She was trying now, but ending up with take out most of the time anyway. “That’s awful though. Can’t you just put a pizza into the oven instead of starving? You get those in every grocery store around here,” she teased.

“It’s the principle. DiGiorno’s is a gateway drug. The second you turn on that oven for the first time, it’s all downhill from there...” So maybe that was a bit too dramatic, but Aaron was a writer, and took full reign of creative license. 

“Well, this is shaping up to be an absolutely perfect engagement,” Siobhan said with her brows raised. “If I didn’t know any better I might say you’re trying to butter me up for something with how perfectly charming you’re being right now.”

“It’s your brother, actually. I’m hoping you’ll put in a good word so he doesn’t kick my ass,” he teased. He knew it was probably weird, seeing his friend’s sister, but Aaron wasn’t one to care much for consequences. “That, and it’s not like I can buy you flowers... I gotta bribe you with food.” 

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.  Let’s not try and pretend.” It was a last ditch effort to try and brush Aaron off and shoo him away though it was obvious that Sadie’s effort was minimal. From the moment she’d heard his voice tonight, she couldn’t deny that maybe there was that tiny part of her that longed to be spending her with him rather than some stranger that she didn’t even know or frankly, didn’t really want to get to know. Compared to what they had all the other dates that Sadie had been on seemed like a complete waste of time and despite trying her best efforts to could never seem to find that same spark she felt with Aaron despite their at times turbulent relationship. 

However, it was his answer to her question that seemed to cause a shift in attitude for Sadie. The slightest hint of a smirk seemed to cross her face for the first time all evening as she cocked her head to the side to look at Aaron properly. “Oh– is that the case? Then how do you feel about the idea of us ditching them both? We can get out of here. Go somewhere else?” Sadie posed the question with a devious little smile as she leaned in towards him to whisper in his ear as if she was sharing a secret.

“Though– you better think quick. I believe that’s him coming right towards us now.” She mentioned seeing the figure of a man she vaguely recognized from the photos her colleague had shown her over lunch just the other day walking towards the bar.

He watched, utterly captivated, as that little smirk pulled at her lips, transforming her, right before his very eyes, into the saucy minx he knew so well. He loved when he could pull that out of her; the mere thought of that mischievous glint in her eye had been the subject of many a late-night fantasy. He matched it with one of his one. 

“God, I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more,” he practically groaned at her proposal, the affection falling from him easily as he allowed himself to succumb completely to the rising tide. Her breath was hot on his neck, sensitizing every nerve and sending a shiver down his spine. They always did do best with an adventure. 

He hand slid down to her lower back, and without a second thought, he led her away from the bar. Fuck Blind Date Guy. Fuck Tricia and her career flirting. “C’mon, we can sneak out through the back.” 

“I’ve never wanted to come to a speakeasy. This was literally the most unnecessary surprise I’ve ever been given, and someone once gifted me a watch for my birthday.” TJ rolled his eyes, looking around the place. “At least the whiskey’s good.” 

“What’s wrong with a watch?” Aaron asked defensively, indicating the Rolex which currently sat on his own wrist. 

            “Bragging about where you went to college is bad itself, so I’m not going to lie, I secretly judge anyone who does it,” he admitted with a small smile. There was nothing he hated the most than hearing the sons and daughters of his mother’s friends bragging about how wonderful was to be a Harvard or Yale student as if that would give them the acumen they desperately needed. “Did he at least sent a manuscript? Was it decent?”

“No. At least he had the decency to wait for a request with that.” There was nothing that annoyed Aaron more than having to direct unsolicited materials down to legal to draft up a refusal letter. “I’m just trying to decide whether I ignore it, or respond with a strongly worded letter...” Aaron often had difficulty distinguishing when to let his own ego influence his actions, and he didn’t want to make matters any worse for himself here. 

For as much as Sadie tried to remain mad at Aaron, it simply wasn’t true. In fact she was pretty much 100% sure that he saw right through any facade of hers that she tried to don. After all, Aaron always had a way of reading her emotions like a book over the years and that was one of the things she loved the most but also hated the most about him. “See but that’s the thing. I’m not yours. Not anymore.” She tried her hand at a futile attempt to protest his actions. That was a lie too.  Of course she was his– after all what other explanation was there that could properly define the magnetic pull that always seemed to constantly attract and repel the two of them back and forth to each other? There was none. Clearly.

“Stop.” The protest fell from her lips the moment he touched her hair as she sucked in a breath. The weeks of being apart from Aaron had Sadie longing for his touch and right now she was craving it– something which she hadn’t noticed until now. “We can’t– we can’t be doing this right now.” She stumbled over her words a little as her gaze moved back to his– clearly the attempt to hide behind her hair had failed miserably.

“I’m supposed to be meeting someone Aaron. You can’t just swoop in like this.” Her words were clear but given the option? She would’ve probably picked him over some stranger if only she hadn’t been looking for an excuse to buy herself more time in New York then head back home. Whoever it was, she hoped they weren’t around yet to see any of this. “Besides– what are you doing here? Who are you with?” Sadie questioned realizing the thought hadn’t crossed her mind with him shadowing over her.

“Can’t be doing what? Talking?” he asked challengingly, though the way he spoke in a soft rumble so that he’d had to lean just that little bit closer belied his words. There was a softness in his eyes, and in the way they crinkled at the corners, as he saw that his action clearly affected her. God, he missed her. He could admit that to himself now. Because when they were good, they were great - amazing, transformative, a million different adjectives not even his writer’s brain could formulate... And it was probably just the last dying embers of his optimism - the dwarf star of all his hopes and dreams - that kept him coming back thinking maybe this time it would be different. 

Or maybe he didn’t even want it to be. Maybe the highs and the lows were all part of the thrill, and kept him intoxicated and under her spell. All he knew was that in this moment, it felt like they had been low long enough, and he was ready to start climbing again. It only took one look at her. 

He allowed his hand to trail down so his knuckles skimmed lightly across her shoulder. “Someone,” he repeated huskily, an amused lilted to his tone. “I don’t see anyone here... I’m here for a work meeting, but I can tell her to fuck off.” 

“Be prepared for me to eat my weight in fried rice because it has been calling my name all day,” she said with a smile. She was always good for anything that dealt with rice. She also couldn’t deny that Aaron was cute, charming even, and that sometimes she was more than a little stupid when it came to such a combination. “I assume you’re going to treat me to drinks too.”

“Good thing I haven’t had time to hit the gym today. It’ll be my workout rolling you out of there,” he grinned, leading them out the door and down the street towards his favorite sushi restaurant. “Oh, we’re definitely doing sake bombs...” 

“Huh–well maybe you should show the same courtesy. I mean, it seems only right but eh. Depends on if you’re up to being just as petty.”

“You know me,” he shrugged lazily. “My pettiness knows no bounds. I think I’ll make him wait a few days, and then send him the general rejection letter. Not even fill in the name. Dear Blank.” 

         “Ah, I see. Feeling generous,” she repeated, a small smirk growing on her lips. “Well, staying humble is not so bad. But I don’t see how something like that can help with it,” she admitted, arching her brow as she looked over at him. “Don’t you have an oven to heat yourself? Otherwise, that might be the best use for all of this.”

“I have never cooked in my life, and I don’t intend to start now,” he replied, pretending to be affronted by the mere thought of it. “I’m a true New Yorker - we eat out or we starve.” 

“You heard right.” The confirmation from her lips was quick to come followed by a nod Sadie gazed past Aaron as if she were scoping out the scenery around them to see if her date was anywhere near in sight. She was trying– pretending to swallow her feelings for the man beside her in an attempt to brush him off like he didn’t matter but the mere sight of Aaron in front of her? That was enough to send her emotions into over drive. “What? What the heck are you doing Aaron?” She was quick to protest raising a stern brow at him and though she’s tried to capture the attention of the bartender again, he’d already had his back turned to them. “Leave it alone. My bill’s not your problem to be messing around with.” She gave him a heavy sigh though if he didn’t want to let it go she’d think of a way to make him regret it…

“Plenty of fish in the sea right? In a city like this there are plenty of options.” She pressed her lips together, ignoring his previous dig since she’d grown a tolerance for his attempted stabs. “Including options that don’t include snobby former old flames.” Sadie shrugged attempting to turn her attention back to the glass in front of her instead of him.

Aaron finally turned to face her fully, adopting a slightly patronizing look as though he knew she was lying to him, but he was trying to be patient. “Now, we both know that’s not true. You’re my problem to be messing around with. Ergo, your bill is too.” There was something almost vaguely romantic about the statement - romantic for him, at least - but that didn’t make it any less true. He knew Sadie could take care of herself, but the fact of the matter was it would always be his place as well. 

He couldn’t deny that he had missed her. She was a drug, and eventually the withdrawal always kicked him and he was ready for his next fix. He could fill his time with casual flings - with Siobhan, who was fun and dangerously sexy because she was his friend’s sister - but Sadie was always there in the back of his mind, staking out that little piece of territory that would belong solely to her. 

“Snobby former old flame,” Aaron repeated, placing a hand over his heart as though the words had wounded him. “Aw, c’mon Sades, after everything we’ve been through, you’re gonna leave me with that?” As she turned her attention away from him, he reached out to tuck her hair behind her eye so he could keep his view of her on profile, a surprisingly fond and gentle gesture.