- ̗̀ GRLPWR

⋯ ❛ NETFLIX IN BED could honestly fix just about anything, ❜ she said and chuckled softly as she rubbed her hands against the hot chocolate cup. licking her lips absentmindedly, the raven-haired female let her eyes lock with naomi’s. ❛ honestly, though, you do deserve to have some time to yourself. everyone does. and sometimes, it’s what you need, you know? especially with how FUCKED UP the world is today. ❜

naomi smiled at that, giving the girl a small nod. “netflix and dogs, in my case.” she replied easily. harper was right, though. her shared home with chris was a safe space. the safest space there was for her. maybe harper was right, maybe naomi should focus on that. get her mind straight. it would do her some good. “oh, you have no idea,” naomi huffed out with a shake of her head. “everything’s a mess, isn’t it? on the surface it’s all fine but underneath it all? a complete mess.”

closed starter for @heynaomi

seb tapped his fingers along the counter top. a lot had been on his mind for a while now, but ever since gracie started school again, the house was quiet and he was having to deal with a lot of said thoughts. he glanced over at the other, turning around to rest his back against the counter, hands still gripping the edge. “naomi? i’ve thanked you and chris before, right? for everything you’ve done for gracie and i and the things you continue to do? i don’t think i could ever ask for better friends or better role models for gracie to look up to and strive to be.. so thank you, for everything. one day, i hope to be able to pay you back for all of this.”

the little one meant that naomi had all the excuse in the world to bake as much as she wanted. gracie was the only one that would never say no, honestly. that was all the reason she needed. naomi was moving around the kitchen until she called out to her, making her stop momentarily and look up at him. “seb,” she replied with a smile after he called her name. naomi wasn’t expecting what came next, that much was evident by the way her features softened immediately. her hands stopped what she was doing and she nodded a little. “you have — and if you don’t stop i’m going to get tears in the batter.” she warned playfully, a laugh following shortly after. she shook her head, though, her eyes not straying from him. “thank you for saying it, though. that really does mean a lot because you deserve it. you both do.”

❛ YOU DON’T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE, ❜ harper said and chuckled, shaking her head in the process. ❛ honesty, it’s okay. maybe you should take a holiday? ❜ she suggested and a soft shrug of the shoulders happened as she kept her dark-brown eyes locked with the blonde. ❛ or maybe, you know, take a night off and go out with your friends. or, you know, stay in bed and watch netflix for a whole day. you’re allowed to take some time to yourself. ❜

“i do,” naomi assured her with a wave of her hand. she absolutely did. it was the least that she could do, anyway. naomi’s features softened at the mention of a holiday. if only it were that easy. naomi forced a small smile at the raven haired girl, nodding slowly even if she knew it wasn’t plausible. “yeah, maybe.” she offered. her smile grew a little more as harper continued and she nodded a little. “some netflix in bed probably would do me some good, actually.”

she promises that she can get him both, and part of him wants to take her by the shoulders and make her promise that in doing this she’s not going to fuck things up for other parts of her life. he knows very little about the law system, but he also knows that his parents would have gone after this guy; if he’s still living, he doubts he’d be so easy to find. 

still, hope is a hell of a drug, and nikolai allows himself a small taste in this moment. 

“Eight years ago, there was a car accident. Right where US-101 crosses into Route 154, on the edge of Santa Barbara. A Western Star 4900 plowed through a 2011 Mercedes-Benz, no trailer attached, just the cab. The occupants of the car were pronounced dead at the scene, but the truck driver’s name was never released.” 

naomi is smart, and he’s sure she doesn’t need this spelled out for her, so he keeps it short, looking up at her. “I want the name and location of the truck driver.” 

had this all not been so dark naomi likely could have thanked him. thanked him for the task at hand and the distraction that came along with it. if she could do this maybe it would pull her out of this slump that she was in. not only that, but she’d be giving nikolai peace of mind, which only made her want to ind this guy that much more. 

naomi’s features softened as soon as he began speaking, understanding almost immediately. she wasn’t going to push it. that was more than enough information she needed to agree to it. of course, if she hadn’t already. “okay,” she let out with a small nod. “i’ll find this guy.” naomi sounded sure as ever of herself. “do you have any leads at all?”

━━ she should have just kept her mouth shut - that was a thought that passed through vivian’s head far too often. a thought she’d forget about almost as soon as it appeared. that was just one of those things she couldn’t correct an old habit on. but she didn’t regret her words, because part of her was still sure naomi needed to hear them - see things from an outside view for one. “nobody’s perfect, babe. he should be able to forgive you if you forgave him.” that was her two cents on the matter anyway. vivian’s head shook when naomi mentions she should head home; a clear indication that it was her cue to leave. “i’ll go.” she rose. giving naomi the space to stay and think if she wanted it. “I love you, babe. you know that right?”

naomi wasn’t convinced of that. sure, the drinking had been a problem for chris but she couldn’t compare it to this. how could she? they couldn’t be more different, that much was certain. naomi let a small breath slip past her lips, shaking her head a little at it all. it was just too much. naomi could feel herself reaching her breaking point and she had no idea what would happen when she did. naomi nodded slowly at viv’s words, although she didn’t meet her gaze. “yeah, i know.”

PARTING HER LIPS, harper blinked at the abrupt and stern voice coming from the blonde’s mouth. harper swallowed and her cheeks were painted a gentle pink. i’m sorry. i’m just - on edge. i didn’t mean that. the expression on the raven-haired female’s face softened and she moved her hand around in a playful manner. ❛ honestly, don’t worry about it. you’re allowed to be on edge. are you okay, though? if you don’t mind me asking, of course, ❜ she said and smiled at the woman warmly. 

naomi had regret washing over her as soon as she saw the look on harper’s face. thankfully, though, harper’s words had naomi relaxing again. she needed to get it together. she cleared her throat as she pushed a hand through her blonde hair, nodding her head slowly. “yeah. i um, i’m sorry. i’ve just been working a lot and,” naomi shrugged slightly. “i’m really sorry.”

“you know that you being actually nice, makes alarms go off in my head, right?” matty questioned her, though there was a grin playing on his lips while he said so, clearly not meaning any harm by it as of now. “i’ll keep it in mind though, to be fair, not sure it’s worth it. it’s my uniform so i’m sure i can just get a new one.”

naomi raised an eyebrow at his words before her arms crossed over her chest. “would you prefer the alternate, then? i can give you a real hard time, promise.” she offered sincerely, unable to hide the growing smirk on her lips. “it might be easier.” she agreed with a small nod. 

━━ relief washed over him the more that time passed. she wasn’t leaving. she wasn’t doing it. at least for tonight, they (both of them) could breathe. honey and bee noticed the commotion and trailed at their side, making chris hold onto naomi tighter in fear of getting tripped and dropping her in the process. making sure she hasn’t hurt; always his priority. “you want matching boots too?”

naomi looked down as soon as she’d heard paws trailing behind them, a sound that was more than enough to make her smile grow. reminders like this were good. reminders that her life was still good. that she didn’t need to do this. she really didn’t have to. maybe she would hand it all off to blake, who knew. she laughed softly at his offer, shaking her head a little. “i’ll save those for another time,” she assured him gently with a kiss placed to his cheek. 

━━ it was instinct. when one of them moved so did the other. no time was wasted between naomi hopping up and chris moving his hands to help support her weight up against him. he could have been turned around and his hands would still move towards her. chris accepted the kisses with a smile, slow steps lead them back to the direction of their room. there was no real confirmation uttered, but he was already moving them both to get changed. “thank you. I appreciate that.” he never got tired of hearing those words from naomi. he knew just how much meaning was behind it. 

naomi had said it before. she’d meant it. chris had all the qualities of a man that her father had hoped she’d find in someone. every single one. it was because of this that she knew that he was it for her. she was all in and wanting nothing but him for the rest of her life. truly. naomi held onto him tightly as he started walking them backwards, leaning in for another quick kiss. “can i borrow a hat tonight?” naomi questioned with a small smirk. only chris could somehow alleviate the weight on her shoulders. 

━━ subconsciously, the two had made a habit out of this request. of asking the other to stay behind, to tag along, all when things got hard. this was different - this was chris asking her to stay with him for her. he was giving him an out from having to make the decision, at least for the night. he didn’t waste any time wrapping his arms around her middle and placing a kiss at the top of her head. “we’ll figure that out on the way.” this worry seemed little in comparison to what subject their conversation held just minutes ago. 

naomi’s arms moved up to wrap around his neck as she felt his circle around her middle, hopping up and wrapping her legs around him after he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. she knew he would catch her, he always did. naomi pulled herself even closer when she was up, resting her forehead against his and pressing a few quick kisses to his lips. “i love you,” she let out gently. “i love you so much.” she pulled back just a little to look at him, moving a hand to his cheek as she shook her head a little. “he would have loved you, too, so much.”

━━ chris tried to hold her tighter. to make the moment last a little longer. again, desperately trying to hold on to this moment and erase the rest of the world. the concert had been forgotten in his mind the second he’d seen tears build up in naomi’s eyes. now, as she put some space between them by pulling back, it was still far in the back of his mind. “don’t go.” it was a request. a plea really. “come with us instead.” do do it. please dont do it. 

naomi looked up at him as soon as she heard his request, her features softening almost immediately. whenever naomi had asked him not to go somewhere he’d obliged. it wasn’t like naomi could truly say no to him anyways. not when the offer seemed so appealing. her arms moved to wrap around him again and she nodded slowly. “okay,” she let out, a sad laugh following after. “i’m going to have to find another ticket, though.”

━━ chris was past the point of trying to hide the frown on his lips. it wasn’t like naomi couldn’t see exactly what he was feeling about all of this in his eyes anyway. “it’s not right for them to make you do this.” it wasn’t. “I get the logic, i do. but - honey - it’s sick logic. it’s backwards.” this reaction. the spilled truths. it was only caused by seeing naomi in pain. especially when he felt like there was nothing he could do about it.  “a cop would tell you to just turn him in.”

naomi stepped forward to rest her head against his chest, needing that closeness now perhaps more than ever before. she closed her eyes to focus entirely on his words, her arms slowly moving to wrap around him. she let a shaky breath emit from between her lips, shaking her head a little against him. she pulled back after a moment, wiping under her eyes. “you’re gonna be late.” the last thing she wanted was for him to miss out on a night with andy for her. 

━━ “why do you think he’s so good?” vivian leaned forward in her seat, question naomi further with an arch of her brow. “a couple of years ago he was hanging around the same shady bars we were at. outdrinking everyone in that room and telling you off the first chance he got.” harsh. vivian knew the words might sting. but naomi needed to hear them - if only because vivian needed naomi to believe the words that would come next. “if you can forgive him … babe…. you need to start being able to forgive you too.”

vivian’s words hurt. that much was evident by the way her features fell slightly. she shook her head a little at his words. “things were different then,” naomi reminded viv. “even then, though, everything he was calling me out on ended up being true, viv. every single thing.” he’d been right all the while, which was why it was so easy for naomi to justify the behavior. naomi leaned back into her seat even further at vivian’s words, momentarily at a loss for words. she just wanted all of this to be over. to not have to deal with it anymore. she shook her head for a moment, slowly moving to stand. “i gotta get home.”

━━ “yeah, there always is.” Vivian couldn’t deny as much and there was no way she’d lie to naomi either. “But that’s a good thing isn’t it? if he says knows the bad and won’t walk away because of it?” was there something vivian was missing? she never fully understood why of all people Naomi went for chris in the first place but until now things seemed good. steady. “do you not believe him?”

naomi shook her head again. “he says that,” naomi began slowly, “and i believe him. i do. i know he wouldn’t lie to me, never about that. how could i be with someone like that, though -- someone as good as him knowing exactly what i did? if any of this comes back around i’m just going to drag him down with me.” naomi reasoned slowly. it wouldn’t be just chris, either. andy was attached to this, too. 

“You know, the first time that one of those assholes threw a drink at me I kept thinking that I would have to get used to it.” Matty began as he shook his head and slipped his jacket off to begin wiping at it after a guy he’d caught trying to shoplift from a gas station had threw a slurpee at him. “But it kinda just pisses me off more with time. I guess that’s another jacket ruined.”

naomi’s eyes flickered up to matty as he spoke up and she raised a brow, all before finding herself shaking her head slightly at his words. “you shouldn’t have to get used to it, that’s why,” she offered. they didn’t have to be on the best terms for naomi to know that was a line that shouldn’t be crossed. “i know an excellent dry cleaner in town, if you want her number.”

her agreement makes him smile, despite himself, and he takes a step to the side, indicating her to follow. it’s a slow amble from this doorway to the front door of the mansion, but nikolai doesn’t particularly care about secrecy for this matter. it’s not exactly a secret to begin with, how he wound up in the employ of blake trons’ mob. 

“I have to let you know, I might be sending you on a goose chase with this one. I only know what I want out of it, but I can’t be much help on the process,” he begins, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. “I’m looking for a name, an address if you have one, but just a name will suffice.” 

a name, a title, anything to point him in the right direction. he’s been stranded with no starting point for too long, and he would think, out of everyone in this house, that naomi would be able to understand. 

he had naomi’s complete attention as soon as he began speaking. this was perfect. this was truly perfect. it didn’t sound easy, but that made it much better. naomi didn’t want easy. easy didn’t suffice as an effective distraction. she wanted complicated. now even more so than usual. “i can get you both.” she promised more to herself than to him. if she did that she would have no choice but to succeed — and she would.

her eyebrows furrowed, though, after a moment and she found herself shaking her head slightly. “what’s the story, though?”

SNAPCHAT STARTER | accepting

andy: the barista doesn’t even know he made my year andy: wow. why did I ever leave treeville again?