MELANCHOLIC.

        it was foolish of him to lean so heavily over the edge of what lay between them, to hope that something soft would greet him at the bottom. but desperation for any reciprocation of the care he was TRYING to show for her had him swaying in the direction of recklessness, with the weights of risk bearing down on his rigid shoulders.  ‘   it’s not a big deal. if you’d like to rest up before you head home, i have to hop in the shower anyway. you know how to lock up the doors and do the alarms, so…   ’

The moment he heard a voice, Victor immediately spun around in order to face the source of it and stared like a deer caught in headlights. OF COURSE he would find himself in this predicament. Unfortunately this wasn’t anything new. “I don’t think there’s really a good answer to that question. No matter what I say, I’m still the guy who was told to wear clean underwear over the phone.” 

River didn’t really have an answer to that one. She’d mostly been sitting around, sending memes to Yo and answering questions that came into the shop. “I mean, it really depends on what you consider actual activity and what you just consider busy work, because I have to say, the collection of memes I had saved to my phone has grown monumentally.”

She began dipping the strawberries in the melted chocolate and laying them out on the cookie sheet. “Y’know, I have to send something to Yo besides selfies of me waiting for him to get back.”

Rowan had a plan. He’d become quite taken with the idea of getting his head between her legs, letting her come undone against his tongue, spread out on his desk.

But he was nothing if not adaptable and Ireland didn’t seem to want to be patient. Next time. The banshee gave a low groan at her words. “My pleasure.” He reached between them, thumbing open the button on her jeans.

“Wanna give me a hand?” He hummed, tugging at a belt loop before stepping back to unfasten the snap on his own pants.

❛ ┆ —— ‘ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴀ ᴘʟᴀʏғᴜʟɴᴇss ᴛᴏ ʀᴏᴡᴀɴ that kept her at ease; she wasn’t worried about either of them getting attached, didn’t have to think about whether or not this would get too deep. he could likely crack a joke while he was fully inside of her and have the princess laughing.      ‘      you’re so fucking corny.      ’       she mumbled, placing a soft peck against his jaw as deft fingers unbottoned, unzipped, and pushed down his jeans. 

         his left leg, bent at the knee, was planted on the windowsill by a sock-clad foot. rooted to his spot on the far side of the room, parts of his insides ached to reach out and close the years long distance that gaped wide like a barren canyon between them. but terrence resisted — she had made herself abundantly clear the night before, and he wasn’t about to worsen the evident hate she felt for him. ‘   you feeling okay? there’s, uh, some water…   ’  he trailed off, resentment directing its way towards himself for his inability to even LOOK at her, rigid muscles gesturing in the general direction of his nightstand.

“YEAH BRO, I’m wearing clean underwear. I am sort of a grown up y’know. You don’t have to keep checking up on me… It’s unnecessary…” He trailed off before letting out a sigh at his brother’s next comment. “Yes, I’m showering regularly. Now I’m gonna hang up because I’m in the middle of the city and people are starting to look at me.” 

       in the space that existed between the end of her question and his inevitable reply, terrence allowed thoughts of their fractured past to steep and soak in his blood, turned to a soft simmer for the sake of avoiding the kind of argument that overwhelmed their better judgement the night prior. from his perch upon the windowsill, gazing out onto the sparse and uniform neighbourhood, he did not have to look at ireland, swathed in his blankets and bed clothes as though they had jumped back in time by four years. he was thankful, in his embarrassment, hidden behind the shadows that the dawn couldn’t quite reach. ‘   you passed out. last night. wasn’t sure if you wanted your parents seeing you like that. i slept in bea–  the guest room, don’t worry.   ’

        deadpan, and bundled in blankets that smothered her slim frame in the morning heat, aska turned to address the bleary princess. ‘   we fucked.   ’ shoulders lifting in a halfhearted shrug, she flopped back onto the mattress, voice strained as her limbs spread wide in a stretch. ‘   no, we didn’t. you got, uh… shitfaced last night. we had a good time. you might have puked on the bus; i don’t quite remember.   ’

margot tried to hide the smile threatening to break as she looked her up and down, not wanting to come across as judgmental. she had certainly seen worse conduct around these parts – at least this girl’s clothes were still on and she hadn’t tried to sexually assault anyone. that kind of behaviour wasn’t tolerated at the executive, but that didn’t mean it had never happened. “oh it’s no trouble at all. we want to create the most comfortable experience for our customers.” 

Helping others was hardly something Azaran did on a regular basis, mainly because it wasn’t the kind of thing his people were to be known for. But all the same, he performed the selfless act, the feeling not unlike that of a bad word leaving a poor taste in one’s mouth. As she stirred, Az made his way over to her, watching as she woke. “Fair is fair. You had asked me to walk home after more than a few drinks. You more or less collapsed not long after, and I wasn’t sure where you live, so I brought you to my home. I was making breakfast, if you’re hungry?”

“…Well, uh…you showed up at The Executive Club around 1am, partied for a bit, then threw up and passed out behind the bar. So I put you up in one of our beds for the night since I didn’t – and don’t know where you live.” She spoke matter of factly, neither impressed nor shocked by the girl’s wild night. “Here, I brought you a glass of water.”

In hindsight maybe Caera had made the wrong choice leaving when she had, perhaps she should have stayed to help her sisters in the learning of their elements, but she’d been selfish in her immaturity and had craved freedom and knowledge over family. She’d never stopped to consider how her time away might have effected her relationship with her sister. ( “My offer still, and always will, stand.” )

“I’ll take that challenge.” Rowan’s grin was all teeth as he led the way over to his office. He knocked the door open - it was never shut all the way anyway - and tugged the moroi in after him.

He quickly crowded back up into her space, sucking a mark onto her collar bone as his hands rested on the curve of her waist, urging her closer.