Helios-16

You were one of very few people she tolerated, and could even call a friend. Due to your skills both in combat and lightening Valeria's mood after a mission, she asked— No, demanded you be her right-hand. You accepted the offer, not minding spending some more time around her. She was your friend, after all. Yet you couldn't shake that extra, nagging feeling whenever you saw her. First you thought it was just the way you admired her, but it stirred something unfamiliar in your stomach.

It's how you find yourself now, in her small office, on a chair while she's working on paperwork.

You shift in your seat as you think it all over, it's not like you're in love with her, right? She's a woman. You're straight. But she makes you feel weird. You've been staring at the ground for so long now, it makes Valeria speak up. "Mm, tesoro, something bothering you?" She asks, gaze still focused on her papers. "Oh," You look back up at her, clearing your throat. "No, sorry. Just daydreaming. Nothing to do here." Valeria lets out an airy chuckle in response to what you say.

"You're eye candy, how about that?" She muses with a small smirk, giving you a quick glance and a wink. It's moments like those that make your cheeks flush and your thighs press together, and you doubt your feelings. You've never looked at a woman before and felt this, let alone felt it this much. But you remind yourself that it's probably just a playful feeling, it means nothing. And even if it was real, it wasn't like Valeria'd feel the same. She's so much... better. You're out of her league.

You shake your head slightly to try and get rid of those thoughts. You don't like women, so why would you care anyway? You're snapped out of your thoughts when Valeria mutters a curse.

"¿Por qué nada puede salir bien en este maldito lugar?!" She hisses, moving her chair back as her water spilled all over her shirt. Your eyes widen, and you stifle a laugh as you stand and go to retrieve a towel to clean it up. You're laughing by the time you get back, gently cleaning up her desk. "This is not funny, tesoro." She grumbles, and you can't help but nod along sarcastically. "Oh, no, Valeria. It definitely is not." You tease, leaning forward to pat the towel on her shirt. You don't think too much of it as you pat her chest, trying to get most of the water out. It's when you can feel Valeria's gaze boring into that you realize how inappropriate it is. Your hand rests on her breast for a moment as you look up at her in confusion, then quickly pull your hand back. "Oh, oh, shit— I wasn't trying to-.." You stammer. Valeria's gaze is knowing, and she smiles slightly. "It's alright. Any other would have their hand cut off." She says lowly, giving a small hand gesture. "Go on." You stare for a moment, feeling your cheeks heat up. No doubt you're red. She can't be serious?..

Fuck it, you think. It means nothing. You gently continue to dab the towel on her shirt, from her chest to her stomach. Valeria just watches with an amused expression. You feel like your emotions are on overdrive— Why has she got you blushing and stumbling over your own words? Damn it. Her gaze follows you as you toss the towel away. "I can tell you're thinking about something." She says as you make your way back to her. "That's why I have a brain, no?" You reply, frustrated with yourself. Valeria raises a brow at your attitude, reaching out to grab your wrist. "Tell me what's on your mind, Tesoro." You don't reply as she pulls you a little closer, sliding her hand to your hip instead. Valeria looks up at you, and gives you a squeeze. "What is it, hm? Did I make you uncomfortable?" She asks, seeming worried about actually having done something wrong. You shake your head, because despite your internal confusion you aren't uncomfortable. It felt good to touch her like that. She makes everything feel so good, even when it shouldn't even make you bat an eye.

You roll your eyes when she squeezes your waist again. "It's not important." You mutter, looking down at Valeria. God, her eyes, those lips..

She catches your gaze flickering to her lips and her mouth twitches. Valeria seems to catch up now. So that's why you squirm and blush under her gaze all the time.. "It is important when it comes to you, Hermosa." She says softly, "It's okay to feel what you're feeling, you know?" Valeria continues, and it makes you scowl. She's too observant. You try to ignore her, and go back to your seat in front of her desk but she just pulls you back again. "Why are you so hesitant, hm? Think you'll like it too much?" Valeria teases, moving her face closer to press a kiss against your side. Your breath hitches in your throat, but you don't move away. "It's okay," She cooes, lifting your shirt just a little to place another chaste kiss to your waist. You take in another sharp breath. Your hand gently leans down to caress her hair, and just before she plants another kiss to your skin you push her away.

Valeria makes a confused noise, glancing up at you. You're staring at her with hazy eyes, your lips slightly parted. Oh, you want to play hard to get?

In a quick movement she grabs you and shoves you against her office desk. "You really want to be like this, Hermosa?" She asks, grabbing both of your arms to pin your wrists to your back as you stand with your front against the desk. "Want to play pretend?" She whispers, using one to hold your wrists together and the others to push your hair aside, pressing her lips against your neck. You whine in response, trying to move your hands. "No, no touching. You want to play hard to get, so we'll do just that." She says lowly. "Have you been thinking about me all this time?" Her words make you shiver, and you squirm. "You wish," You reply, and Valeria snickers, landing a smack to your ass. You whimper, your back arching and pressing into her crotch. "Right.. Sure you haven't." She muses, tangling her hand in your hair again. "Dirty woman, thinking about your boss, hm? I'll teach you to behave." Valeria's hand lets go of your wrists, and she grins when you keep them there obediently. She tugs at your hair harsh enough for you to move back, your head resting on her shoulder. "You want this?" She asks, staring at your lips to wait for your reply. Which doesn't come. Valeria gives another yank at your hair, and you give a quick nod. "Speak." She hisses, her hand trailing to the button of your jeans, undoing it agonisingly slow. "Y-..Yes." You whisper, cheeks burning. "Yes, what?" She grunts, and you stay quiet again. Do you really need to beg?..

"If you want this, beg for it." She huffs, her fingertips trailing along the hem of your panties. You look to the side, gazing up at Valeria. In a desperate attempt to kiss her you move forward.

A kiss first? Valeria decides to indulge, leaning forward to press her lips against yours. It's a little sloppy due to the position you're in, but you both don't mind. Valeria groans into the kiss, her grip on your hair loosening. "Please," You whimper between kisses, greedily tasting her. "Please, I want to feel you." Valeria grins into the kiss, pulling back. "You make such a good slut. Begging for me like that." Her fingers trail down, ghosting over your folds for just a moment before letting her finger brush your clit. "A-.. Ahh," Your hands move behind you, holding onto Valeria wherever you can. Valeria moves her hand, slipping one finger into you as you jolt and lean back. "Shh, Hermosa. Be good for me." She whispers softly, pumping in and out slowly to let you relish in it for a moment. You breathe out, letting your eyes close and your head fall back.

After a few seconds, she adds a second finger, speeding up a little to see your reaction. You whine, squeezing her arm in response. "Mierda, you're wet. Is this what you were daydreaming about?" The sounds coming from your pussy are obscene, and you're grateful the walls are thick. Your sounds become increasingly louder. You pant, trying to say something but it only comes out as an incoherent babble.

Valeria places her mouth onto your neck, sucking a hickey into your soft skin. It combines so deliciously with the sensation of her fingers pumping inside you, and you can feel the warmth in your stomach build. "Nnhm.. Val..-" You croak, turning to look at her. "Mmh, are you close, hermosa?" She asks, even though she knows the answer. You give a weak nod.

It seems Valeria has other plans. "Hold out a little longer for me," She whispers huskily, to which you shake your head. With the speed she was going, it wouldn't take long. "Just a little while more, otherwise i'll make you cum until sunrise." She promises, slowing down a little. You can't help it though, not when she starts to kiss along your neck again. You arch your back, moving along with her speed and with a loud moan, you come undone on her hand, and you're positive you're on another planet.

Your knees buckle, but Valeria steadies you, looking at you with an amused expression. You're panting. "Is it that hard to listen? You heard what I said, no?" Valeria asks, pumping through your orgasm as she holds you up. When she's done, she takes her hand out of your pants and shoves her fingers into your mouth, letting you taste yourself. "Until sunrise," She repeats, watching you lick her fingers clean with hazy eyes.

"keep counting," he grunts out, curses when you squirt just the slightest from how his fingers come into contact with your pussy. you twitch underneath him from where he straddles your torso, facing away from you so all you can do is look at his back while he keeps slapping your pussy in punishment.

"mmh!" you moan out.

"wrong. i'll give you another chance before we start over," he says before spreading out your pussylips so he can expose your clit before bringing his hand to you again. you twitch more in his hold when his palm comes into contact with your clit and his fingers rubbing against your sopping entrance.

"f-four," you try to remember what number you're on. you've had to start over a couple times already. the first because you still had some fight in you and were acting bratty still. and then the second and third time because your head was getting fuzzy that you lost count, or he wasn't being fair and gave three quick slaps to your pussy in succession because he likes seeing the strings of your slick connecting his fingers to your pussy.

"good, good." he rubs at your clit and you moan out again.

"five!"

he laughs. "i didn't even spank it this time. you got dumb from a couple of spankings, hm?"

you shouldn't have teased him earlier. you were grinding against his dick while cuddling and all he wanted to do was lay there peacefully with you and nap. but you'd sat up and braced against his fluffy tummy, kneading at his torso while rubbing that pussy all over his dick to see if he'd get fed up enough to fuck you. he got fed up alright.

so now he's sitting on you and spanking your pussy because you were misbehaving.

"mmm, six," you count out when he delivers an actual spank this time. he wide grin sets across his face and he dips his middle finger into your pussy teasingly before pulling it back out.

"that was wrong. i told you before, i didn't spank you the last time." you wiggle your hips in a sad attempt to get any sort of friction against your cunt. he rubs at your clit again and pulls away just as quick as it came. "looks like we have to start over."

"no!!" you whine out, but he keeps your legs spread and prepares to slap your pussy once more.

"yes, brat. you get it right this time and i'll finally let you cum."

Later came a lot sooner than Jason expected.

“Jay? What does ‘in-num-ray-bil’ mean?”

Quiet enveloped the living room as all chatter ceased. Tim’s head turned so fast from where he had been talking to Steph that Jason swore he heard something crack. Jason opened his mouth to answer, a smirk growing on his parted lips as he looked at Tim when said brother interrupted.

“Do you mean ‘innumerable,’ Dick? It means that there’s too many to count.”

Dick frowned at the teen. “I was asking Jay, Timmy. It’s rude to interrupt.”

Steph barked out a laugh before clapping a hand over her mouth. Cass, who sat next to her on the couch, smacked her shoulder in admonishment, though she too was fighting to keep a smile off her face. Even Damian’s lips twitched. It was always entertaining to see Timothy being knocked down a peg.

Tim was gobsmacked. “Um, right…Sorry, Dick.”

“Sorry, Jason.”

Now, Tim was gritting his teeth. “Right. Sorry, Jason.”

 “You’re forgiven.” Jason shot Tim a smirk and turned to Dick. “It’s pronounced ‘innumerable’ and it means that there’s too many to count.”

Even Damian, who was sitting in an armchair with a book, couldn’t help but snort. Stephanie’s hand was the only thing keeping Tim on the couch.

“Thanks, Jay!” Dick said brightly. He went over to Damian and crawled into the man’s lap to continue reading his book. The older man rolled his eyes but said nothing.

Jason could feel Tim’s glare and knew that he’d be answering for the supposed transgression in training, but it was totally worth it.

He stuck his tongue out at Tim for good measure, though.

And that was how it went for the next couple of weeks. Dick would go to Jason to ask him a question about a word or phrase, and Jason would answer, shooting Tim a smirk or grin if the teen was in the room too. If he wasn’t, Jason would text him about it. He could tell it was getting under Tim’s skin, and Jason was taking great pleasure in it.

One night, Jason saw Tim leaving Dick’s room. Jason opened his mouth to make another jab when he noticed the dejected look on Tim’s face. His head and shoulders were hanging lower as well, and Jason frowned. “Tim?”

Jason saw Tim tense, but the older boy did not stop and continued walking back to his room. “Not now, Jason.”

Jason followed after him. “No, seriously. What’s wrong? Is something wrong with Dick?”

“I don’t know. Is there?” Jason faltered as Tim turned a glare towards him. “You two seem to be BFFs recently.”

“What?”

Tim let out a harsh breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dick stopped asking me to read to him before bed. He said something about needing to read alone.” He sent another glare Jason’s way. “Did you say something? I don’t know what I did to you, but you didn’t have to turn Dick against me—”

“Whoa, what? I didn’t do anything!” Jason felt a pang in his chest at being accused by his brother and took an involuntary step back.

“No? Then why is he suddenly going to you all the time for help with words? I’m the one that’s been helping him with his English. He used to come to me for that. He used to ask me to read to him at night, but he started without me tonight, and it’s—it’s like he wants nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Maybe he’s just getting older?”

“No. He goes to you now. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts asking you to read to him.” Tim let out another harsh sigh and stalked off, throwing back, “Just…leave me alone.”

Jason stood in the hall, watching Tim storm away. Tears pricked at his eyes, never having been chastised like that by his older brother. Did Tim hate him now?

This wasn’t fun anymore. Jason needed to find out what was going on with Dick. He knew he didn’t start whatever this was, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to get blamed for it.

Jason peeked his head into Dick’s room and found his younger brother sitting up in bed, reading the latest Warrior Cats book that Tim had previously been reading to him. Dick looked up and beamed when he saw Jason.

“Jay! Perfect! What’s a rah-vine?”

Jason gave a hesitant smile back and walked into the room, sitting next Dick on his bed. “It’s pronounced ‘rah-veen’, and it’s like a valley with really tall cliffs on either side of it.”

“Oh! Thanks, Jay!”

Dick went back to reading. Jason watched him for a moment, biting his lip. Finally, he spoke up, “Dick, if you’re struggling with these words, it might be easier to step down a bit and then work your way back up.”

Dick looked up, blinking in confusion. “What?”

“You’re always asking about what words mean. I’m really happy that you’re trying to learn and reading lots of books, but it’s not so fun to read when you don’t know what words mean, you know?”

“Oh.” Dick looked back down, hiding his face as much as he could with his hair. He refused to look at Jason as he asked, “Is it really annoying?”

“What?” Jason leaned back in shock. “No! Of course not! I just know that reading was never fun for me when I didn’t know what was going on.”

“But you’re always reading! You always know what’s going on!”

A lightbulb went off in Jason’s head. “Is that why you’ve been asking me instead of Tim about words? Because I read a lot?”

Dick still did not look at Jason as he nodded. Jason sighed and wrapped an arm around his younger brother.

“I know you didn’t mean to, Dickie, but you’ve made Tim pretty sad.”

Dick’s head shot up in shock, tears springing to his eyes at the thought of upsetting one of his siblings. “What?”

Jason nodded. “Yeah. He’s been pretty sad that you’re not asking him stuff and don’t want to read with him anymore. To be honest, he thinks I did something, so if you could clear that up that’d be cool.”

Dick’s lip wobbled, and he threw himself into his brother’s arms. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I just—I just wanted to be like you. You’re always reading stuff, and I wanted to see what was so interesting about reading by yourself.”

Jason felt his heart skip a beat at his brother’s words, and he pulled the boy into a tighter hug. No one had ever really looked up to Jason before. There never really was anyone around to do so. He felt his chest warm and a smile form on his face as he rested his cheek against Dick’s hair. 

“Thanks, Dickie. But you don’t have to do all the stuff I do to be like me. Besides, being like me is super cool, but it’s even cooler to be like you.”

Jason felt Dick’s head shift as the boy moved to look up at him. “You mean it?”

“Totally.”

Dick rested his head against Jason’s chest. “Okay. Reading can be kinda boring anyway, especially when it’s alone.”

Jason shifted Dick so that they were facing each other, still loosely holding the boy in a hug. “Why don’t you ask Timmy to read to you? I know he was real excited to get to the end with you.”

“Yeah, okay,” Dick replied, nodding. I wanna say sorry too.” Dick leaned in once more to give his brother another hug before grabbing his book and running out of the room. “Thanks, Jay!”

Jason smiled, satisfied that he had fixed the situation.

Tim would later come to him and apologize for being so harsh to him. Jason would forgive him, of course—he would have been pretty upset too—and they would come to an agreement about helping Dick.

You’re in love with the man who always walks his little girl to school every morning, crooked pigtails flouncing with each too-big step she takes to keep stride with his long legs.

Madly in love with the way he smiles down at the tiny girl, even tinier hand held firmly in his as she dodges cracks in the pavement, and the shriek of her laughter when he lifts her by the arm, swinging her through the air to the next chunk of concrete.

Hopelessly in love with the broad shoulders he hoists her up on, little legs swinging with arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her chin resting on top of his head, blowing stray hairs of an overgrown mohawk out of her face.

Dangerously in love with the way he lets her cling to his front when it rains, like a little koala wrapped around this tree of a man who holds an umbrella in one hand and has a firm hold on her with the other.

Happy. He looks so happy with her. Like she’s the sun he orbits; the star that lights up his world.

You’re just a comet who occasionally passes them by.

——

Johnny never thought he would be doing this alone.

He’s so far out of his depth. Never even had the chance to dip his toe in the water before he was shoved into the churning ocean.

He still remembers every life-altering detail of that day. The phone call after the 16 hour flight back to base. The frantic drive to the hospital. The impossibly tiny, wailing little girl, all alone in the social workers office.

She’s all he has left of her. Of them.

His best friend. His partner in crime, for more years than he can remember. The person who understood better than anyone who he is, saw him through his darkest moments, and loved him with her whole heart.

Gone.

But he smiles for her. Because of her. Isobel is the light in the abysmal darkness that he’s drowning in. The buoy he clings to when he can no longer hold his head above the surface. She’s everything. His past, his present, and his future. And she’s sitting at the table refusing to eat her dinner.

“’s not right.” Her little nose scrunches, turns up at the meal, and she pushes the bright green plastic away, matching miniature fork sent skittering across the table by the force of it

Johnny lowers his own fork and swallows his frustration with a sigh. “‘s yer favorite. Wha’s wrong with it? ”

Her brows knit together as she studies the tray, little creases forming between them and she slumps in her booster seat. “Mommy didn’t make it.”

No. She didn’t.

Johnny was never the cook in the family. That was all her. She’d chased him out of the kitchen after he’d burnt one of her expensive pans and he was thus forth relegated to chopping, and occasionally peeling, duties.

“I know.” His chair scrapes against the floor when he pushes back from the table, moving to crouch down where she sits beside him so that he’s at eye level with her, and he pulls the fork and tray back towards her. “But mommy wouldnae want ye to go to bed hungry, aye?”

“I wan’ somethin’ else.” He watches her little bottom lip jut out, brows still pinched and face twisting into a stubborn pout.

“Wha’d’ye want?”

“Quesadilla.” She drags out the ‘ee’ sound, emphasizing her clumsy command of the foreign language in her already thick Scot’s accent.

He enjoys Mexican food. Loved the tacos Alejandro and Rudy shared with him and his team during his time in Mexico. She’d learned how to make them for his birthday.

Nowhere in Glasgow made anything like it. Not then, and not now.

“I cannae make a quesadilla, leannan.” Her little lip wobbles, eyes turn glassy, tears already welling up in the corners and threatening to spill down chubby cheeks. She sniffles, drags the backs of her hands across her eyes, and Johnny feels what’s left of his heart splinter, another little piece of it withering away to nothing with each fat tear that rolls down and collects at her chin. He unbuckles her from the booster and gathers her into his arms as he stands up, taking her with him to sit in his own chair at the table.

Her little shoulders shake, hiccuping with each muffled sob against his shoulder and tiny fingers fist the material of his shirt. “Miss ‘er,” she warbles, and his arms tighten around her small frame.

“Ah know, leannan.” More hiccups. More tears that seep through his shirt and brand his skin.

You should be here. You’re supposed to be here. With her. With him. With them.

“How ‘bout we go down to the shops? Ye can pick whatever ye want for dinner. Dinnae think they’ll have quesadillas, but I’m sure we can find somethin’ ye like.” She lifts her head from his shoulder, tips it back to peer up at him with bleary eyes and sniffles. Wipes her hand across her eyes again.

“Cheesy noodles?” It’s thin and reedy, poor little throat still tight and full of grief that he knows feels impossible to speak around.

“Aye, we can get cheesy noodles.” He brushes an errant strand of hair away from her face, tucking the unruly curl behind an ear where it probably won’t stay. Just like her mum’s. So much like her mum. She considers him, his offer, and toys with his shirt.

“And sticky pudding?”

“Whatever ye want, leannan.” She really shouldn’t have something so sugary right before bed but he doesn’t have it in him to deny her. Is just glad the tears have stopped. That she’s willing to eat, even if he has to bribe her with junk food and sweets. He sends her to put her shoes on while he cleans up in the kitchen and grabs his own shoes and keys.

——

He’s there.

He’s standing in the pasta aisle with his little girl in the buggy, smiling at the way she makes grabby hands at the dismal selection of boxed macaroni, and he pulls one down from the shelf to hand to her. She inspects it, turning it this way and that way, pointing to something on the packaging and saying something that makes him laugh.

You’re frozen in place, jar of pasta sauce halfway to the basket in your other hand, and you can’t move because the sound of his laughter causes something in your brain to misfire. Causes the electrical signals between neurons and synapses to jumble together and sets your nerves alight. You think you might really be frozen, body unwilling to move an inch away from where you stand now, by your beautiful neighbor in the middle of a goddamned Tesco, until a little voice is addressing you.

“Hi miss neighbor!” Johnny’s head whips around and when his gaze lands on you it feels like your stomach’s turned to lead. “We’re havin’ cheesy noodles f’r dinner!” She holds up the box in her hand and kicks her feet excitedly.

You’re currently kicking yourself for making what you’re sure is an expression closely resembling that of a fish out of water. Mouth agape, brows raised and eyes slightly widened in surprise. When your mouth finally remembers how to move you smile at the little girl waving her box of noodles and powdered cheese in the air. “Hello, Isobel. That sounds like a lovely dinner.”

His brows knit together, one of them quirked at a curious angle. “And how d’ the two of ye know each other?”

Isobel’s foot connects with his thigh and his head jerks back around. “She’s our neighbor. She gave me the tablet,” she whispers a little too loud, cupping a small hand in front of her mouth. He turns back to you with the same jaunty brows and a quirk to his lips.

“So ye’re the one responsible for the wee heathens late night sugar-induced marathon.”

“M-marathon?”

“Aye, she was bouncin’ round the house all night, the little devil.” He ruffles her hair and she swats at his hand.

“I- I’m so sorry. I didn’t know…” You don’t really know what you’d been thinking when you’d given her the Tupperware full of sugary confections to take home after she’d spent the morning helping you root around in the flowerbeds in front of your home. She’d been watching out the window for hours until she was suddenly right next to you, asking what you were digging for.

“‘s alright. Ye’ll just have to make up f’r it.”

It’s your turn to pinch your brows and tilt your head in confusion. “Make up for it?”

His lips part in a full, genuine smile, like the ones he gives Isobel, and your leaden stomach suddenly feels like it’s lodged in your chest, full of butterflies and other fluttering things you don’t dare to name.

“Oh aye. Reckon ye owe us a dinner since ye’ve skipped right to dessert.”

You tilted your head to the side as you looked back at the lieutenant. “Just look at Johnny. And why are you not pushing him aside? You’re bigger and his superior.”

Ghost shrugged. “I don’t want to bother him. And let’s just wait and see how long Gaz can keep snatching cookies from under his nose,” he said, a short laugh leaving his lips. 

“You just want to watch the world burn, don’t you?” you asked him with a knowing smile. When he made sure no one was watching you, Ghost pulled up his mask a little and leaned down to place a soft kiss on top of your head. “You might get into trouble for this, lieutenant.”

“Only if you complain to HR,” he told you jokingly. 

You elbowed his side playfully as you laughed. “Like I would ever complain when you make me feel–”

He was quick to cover your mouth with his gloved hand before you could finish this sentence. “Quiet, love.”

Gaz suddenly turned around, almost seeing the way Ghost kept you quiet, but this mountain of a man moved so fast that it was impossible for the sergeant to notice it. You glanced up at your boyfriend with a quiet chuckle and a hand in front of your mouth. It had been a nice game for the two of you, stealing kisses here and there during missions, spending quality time together even in a room full of people. You were friends, that’s all the others thought of your good relationship.  

it’s not easy for you to rise above the crowd of people, hungry for just a crumb of max’s time and attention, especially when you’ve always been more of the meek type.

max knows this. and yet, it’s still out of his control.

he’s being pulled in multiple directions. left, right, center- he can’t even tell where you are as he tries to spot your silhouette or straight up attempt to sniff you out by smelling the air for your signature perfume like some kind of hound dog.

there’s a few fans and photographers in your way. their phones and large cameras blocking max’s vision as he loses you.

even though he swore you had been right by him just a second ago.

“y/n?”

you see his back hunching, creating an even worse posture than usual as he tries to peer into the crowd to see if you’re hidden behind someone taller.

his blue eyes scan the many faces of unfamiliar people but he sees you in none of them. you, on the other hand, despite having a half-obscured view of his face from the photographer you’re tailgating, can see the frustration clearly showing itself on max’s brow.

you bite down on your lower lip, feeling a hot flush of embarrassment as you contemplate between rudely pushing past someone or calling out to max saying “i’m here!” like a lost child.

well… there’s always the third option.

as politely as possible, you squeeze yourself through the bodies in front of you— or at least you try to.

half of your leg and one arm manages to wriggle their way between the small space and it gives you the opportunity to tug at max’s shirt.

you hesitate for a moment but it’s still better than nothing so you pray that max doesn’t immediately smack your hand away when you curl your fingers around the bottom of his red bull shirt and pull gently.

much to your surprise, max whirls around and spots you immediately. his hand flies to his hip to grip your delicate hand, fastening you to himself as if he was afraid of losing you. again.

the crowd parts a little, and your head pokes out. then a little more, and you’re finally returned to your boyfriend.

“i thought i lost you,” max says in a half-whisper as he wraps a firm arm around your waist.

“you almost did,” you joke back as you smoothen the slight wrinkle of his shirt where you had tugged on earlier.