soft love.

“I didn’t say that,” Danny countered, coolly, though his arms lifted on instinct as she swayed, palms finding her shoulders. “what’s the big deal?” he echoed, brow lifting, as if she hadn’t just poked a hole straight through his known, rather laissez-faire view of physical intimacy. not that it applied to her. still, against better judgment, with alcohol proving more in control of actions than reason, he felt himself entertaining the idea, years’ worth of wanting her lying in wait beneath playful exterior. “for starters, y’know, I just… really know what I’m doing,” Danny teased, smirk spreading across features. “I’m afraid it’d set too high a bar for whatever Senator’s son you end up with next.” gaze dipped, before he could stop it, catching on her lips, and the “and what kinda best friend would I be, doing that to you, huh?”

the alcohol in her veins was definitely clouding her judgement, or maybe it was just giving her the liquid courage she had been lacking for the past years. can't help but roll her eyes at his teasing, though the touch of his palms on her shoulders sends a sudden jolt straight through her chest, completely defying the dizzying fog in her brain. "oh, please," the brunette scoffs, a playful pout settling onto her plump petals as she takes a tiny step foward, completely erasing the remaining pocket of space between them until she's standing well within his personal space. "as if some boring senator's son could ever compete with you, anyway." warm gaze glances up, locking onto his familiar one. and she can't help but wonder when did he get this handsome, when did the tension between them get so thick that it felt almost impossible to breathe? "you're a terrible best friends," she teases, tilting her head to the side. "because a good best friend wouldn't keep me waiting this long."

❝   impatient,   are   we   ?   ❞   femme   giggles,   locking   the   door   behind   her   before   she’s   making   her   way   towards   his   bed.   ❝   i’m   not   trying   to   get   caught,   alright   ?   i   had   to   make   sure   she   was   really   asleep.   ❞

"maybe a little," or a lot, but he wasn't about to admit it to her just yet. a slow, knowing smirk tugs at the corner of his lips as he shifts on the large mattress, dark hues tracking her every movement as slender legs cross the room toward his bed. "i was about two minutes away from coming out there and find you myself." as she finally reaches the edge of the mattress, he reaches out, large palm wrapping firmly around her wrist to pull her down onto his space.

❝   you’re   not   my   second   choice,   baby.   i   want   to   be   with   you,   and   only   you.   but   i   don’t   know   how   to   end   things   without   hurting   her.   ❞   it’s   not   that   he   didn’t   want   to,   but   he   wasn’t   trying   to   make   things   even   messier   when   the   two   girls   live   together.   ❝   it’s   not   that   simple.   i   mean,   you   guys   are   roommates.   ❞

has lot count of the number of times she'd laid awake on her empty bed, dreaming to hear those exact words leave his lips. yet, hearing them now, right after he reminds them of the messy reality of their situation, the sweet words lose a bit of their magic. "i know it's complicated," she mumbles, letting out a soft sigh. "but every day you wait, you're hurting both of us anyway." did he even mean any of it? she couldn't tell, but she sure as hell hoped he did.

“ i think, i — ” mouth shuts immediately, impeding her confession. “ it’s nothing. forget i said anything, ” cheeks burn bright red, chest afflicted by tension. a groan surges, frame shaking dramatically before she speaks again. “ fuck it — yeah. i think i like you ... a little bit. ”

words catch him completely off guard, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as dark hues flicker down familiar features. " you like me ? " considering they had been sleeping together for the past few months, he hadn't exactly expected her to actually voice the shift in their dynamic. not out loud, anyway. "define like." he wasn't exactly the type for serious commitments, though if he's being honest, she's the only girl he's been giving his undivided attention to for longer than a single weekend.

“ i'm fine, ” but a hiss comes past brims as felix sits on the couch, hand instinctively landing by his left flank, over bruised ribs. “ that cat on the tree put up a real fight. ” jests, as though lungs aren't filled with smoke.

"you don't look fine," manicured brows frown slightly as she takes in her brother's best friend, stepping closer until she can hear the slight rattle in his chest. "you're breathing like a broken accordion," she points out softly, tilting her head to the side. "are you sure there's nothing i can do for you? — maybe some water for starters?" 

the way he practically ignores her request to move closer before feeling his lips linger against her foreheads pulls a soft giggle from her lips. with a hum, the blonde stands straight fully now, even pressing up on her tiptoes to lean a little closer. "you're not getting away that easy." petite hands caress his cheeks, thumbs brushing beneath his warm hues to see the dark circles. the exhaustion clinging to him and it pulls a small pout to her lips. it happens too often and she wishes she could do more, but she also knows having a baby cry in the middle of the night isn't help any, either. still, this is her family and the two of them is all she wants. "you're gonna let me take care of you tonight." this time, she leans up to press a soft, lingering kiss to his lips, only pulling back after seconds pass. "go see our little boy and get washed up, gray. you'll have food waiting for you when you're all done."

she's an angel. has always been. even when they were just teenagers and he was entirely too reckless for his own good. the blonde had been the one constant light in his life, and not much had changed since then. "i don't deserve you," he murmurs against her lips, lingering in her space just for a second longer. before he finally pulls away, his alrge hands give her waist a gentle, appreciative squeeze. "hope you made something good," he teases, easy smile finally breaking through the tired lines of his face. he does exactly what he's told. walks quietly down the hall, steps softening as he appraches the nursery that had been slowly decorating. peeking inside, his chest tightens with that familiar wathm at the sight of his sound sleeping soundly, a perfect, quiet reminder of exactly what he's fighting for every single day. it's not after a long moment of watching him breathe, that he steps away to wash the grime of the day off his skin, eager to get back to the blonde waiting for him in the kitchen.

it doesn't feel like there's any need to point out the fact that it's not like her to do something like that. really, it's not even something he should be focused on because he shouldn't know that little detail about her, but he does. she's not the type, but he also understands why she would if things have been like this for a while. "why didn't you say anything to me sooner?" the question slips out before he can stop it and his head shakes at the thought. because he doesn't have a doubt that she went to her best friend about whatever has been going on with her dad and her parents in general, but the two of them aren't as close as she is with charlotte. in fact, he's not sure he's ever had a friendship as close as the one they have. swallowing thickly, his deep blue hues lift from the spot he's seen her staring at, soon taking in the frustration and anger, even the sadness lacing her features. "what did she say when you brought it up to her?"

his question catches her off guard, pearly whites sinking into her full bottom petal as she tries to come up with an answer. but the truth is, she doesn't know why. maybe because she was ashamed of what she had found out, maybe because she didn't want to believe it and saying it out loud would make it real. " i wanted to, i just .. i guess i couldn't bring myself to say the words." offers him a small shrug, finally tearing her gaze away from the carpet to look up at him. "if i told you, it would mean my family was actually falling apart, and i .. i wasn't ready to face that." still wasn't. slender fingers continue their restless, anxious twitching against the fabric of her jeans before she curls them into her palm. "she said she was sorry," a bitter laugh escapes her, and the mere memory of the blue eyed girl makes makes her want to completely break down all over again. "but her being sorry doesn't fix it. doesn't fix anything."

"he did what?" his tone is rough, voice dropping as his gaze narrows while taking her in. the way she shakes, the way she's stepping into the office and pushing the rest of the club into the background. annoyance too easily takes over sometimes and now isn't any different as large palms press into the desk to push himself up in order to stand. "my father put me in charge, so i don't give a fuck what he said before—if he even said it." then again, he wouldn't put it past the old bastard. pulling his gaze from her, he glances in the direction of the couch against the far wall before taking in the beautiful woman before him again. "either we go back out there and you point out the fucker to me, or you can take a seat and give it a little time until he leaves. it's up to you."

 the last thing she wanted was to make a scene. besides, it wasn't like it hadn't happen before. she had lost count of how many times she had been expected to just smile and bear it, to brush off an unwanted touch as nothing more than a hazard of the job in a place like this. "i don't want to go back out there," she finds herself whispering, slender arms wrapping tightly around herself. " i don't want to see him, i just .. i need a second." slender legs take a tentative step toward the couch, her knees feeling dangerously weak beneath her. she's thankful, for the way he reacts and seems to genuinely care but she's entirely too exhausted to witness the fallout if he goes out there with blood on his mind. "just let him think he got away with it for tonight." she finally lets her frame sink onto the leather cushions of the sofa, a sigh escaping her. "i'm sorry if i interrupted something, you do look pretty busy."

"i'm not looking for my dad in the shower. i just ... happened to walk this way. it's not like i knew you'd be here." more lies that she's sure he can see right through, yet it only has shoulders lifting into a slight shrug. the entire time, her warm gaze doesn't linger from him, watching the way still damp curls fall perfectly into place and she hates how good he looks right now. it's like he's irresistible and that's her biggest problem with preston. that and the way he reads her well and his certainty with steps that carry him closer until he's finally in her personal space. the problem is that as much as she shouldn't want it, it's all she wants. "i knew you were hoping i'd stumble in here and see a little too much." a smile curls at the corner of her lips, nose scrunching at her own teasing tone. the look on her face drops in the slightest before a soft breath slips out. "you could walk by me, get dressed and leave," she begins, brows quirking with a tilt of her head to let her own curls fall over her shoulder. "then again, there's no getting in trouble if no one finds out."

he'd be lying if he said she left him indifferent. but then again serina didn't leave anyone in the team indifferent. she was beautiful, funny, and entirely off limits to every single guy on the team. including him. being captain sadly didn't grant him privileges when it came to the coach's daughter, if anything, it placed a massive target right on his back. if her dad ever caught wind of the way his dark gaze lingered on her during practices, or how his pulse skipped whenever she smiled like that, he'd be stripped of his captaincy before he could even open his mouth to explain. his hues darken even further, dropping down tot he tempting curve of her plush petals before snapping back up to lock onto her warm gaze. "i could do that, yeah." agrees with a soft nod, his large palm reaching out, long digits slowly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "but then i wouldn't give you what you came here for, and that'd be a shame, wouldn't it?" he leans in just a fraction of an inch closer, digits moving to trail down her cheekbone before his thumb brushes over her lower petal. "probably would make you so frustrated that tonight you would have no choice but to touch yourself to the thought of me."

as  much  as  it  pained  him  to  watch  the  tear  slid  down  her  cheek,  it  also  felt  like  confirmation.  she  wasn’t  over  him.  they  weren’t  done  just  yet.  his  own  pair  of  eyes  blink  while  she  takes  a  cautious  step  back,  noting  the  distance  she  was  trying  to  put  between  them.  he  counters  it,  moving  forward,  lifting  his  hand  wipe  away  the  dark  trail  left  behind  by  her  mascara.  “  our  future,  ”  he  corrected,  but  she  didn't  give  him  the  chance  to  continue  before  she  was  off  again.  he  supposed  she  deserved  the  space  to  say  her  piece,  just  as  he  deserved  to  endure  it.  and  that’s  exactly  what  he  was  doing  —  enduring.  taking  it  moment  by  moment  with  the  knowledge  that  she  could  very  well  walk  away  without  letting  him  at  least  defend  the  parts  of  him  that  still  fucking  cared.  but  he  has  a  hard  time  focusing  when  she  mentions  her  …  fiance.  even  thinking  the  word  caused  him  to  recoil,  giving  her  his  back  as  one  hand  found  his  hip  and  the  other  his  hair.  “  and  you  don’t  see  any  of  that  as  a  little  convenient  ?  ”  he  whips  back  around  to  look  at  her,  gesturing  like  a  maniac.  “  the  guy  has  been  a  part  of  your  rink  for  how  long  ?  ”  brows  lift,  but  he’s  not  searching  for  an  answer  because  he  already  has  it,  “  years,  kyria.  he’s  been  here  for  years.  you  didn’t  even  notice  him,  did  you  ?  ”  of  course  not.  why  would  she  ?  she  had  him.  they  had  each  other.  until  they  didn’t.  “  i  leave  and  suddenly  he’s  lingering  around  after  practice.  offering  you  a  ride  home.  waiting  to  be  invited  in.  ”  the  words  are  gritted  out,  as  he  hates  the  image  they  paint  in  his  mind.  “  it’s  not  your  fault.  ”  he  adds,  like  a  reminder  to  himself.  “  you  see  the  good  in  people.  you  always  have.  ”  

maybe he was right. of course, he was. that was exactly how it had started, but did it even matter? the other had been there for her, had attempted (and failed) to fix te broken shards paris had left in his wake. "and so what if it was convinient?" the brunette fires back, her voice cracking as slender arms cross tightly over her chest, a defensive shield against the harsh truth in his words. "what was he supposed to do? leave me there to drown because of some guy that didn't even bother to say goodbye?" but he wasn't just some guy. never had been. not that she'd admit it now. but paris was her first and only love. the only one that truly knew the real her. the only one who could make her feel completely safe with a single touch, and the only one capable of completely tearing her apart. "he didn't force his way into my life." she points out, brows furrowing. "i let him in, i did that. and i don't — i don't regret it." it had been months since she'd felt even remotely happy, months since had laughed without feeling the suffocating guilt of his absence pressing down on her chest. even if it was a pale imitation of the fire she had shared with the male standing before her, she finally had something good. "he makes me happy, paris. happy, do you know how long it's been since i could actually say that and mean it?"

she’d  been  called  that  term  before  —  menace.  but  the  voice  was  sharper,  with  more  bite,  and  rang  out  behind  her  as  she  ran  as  fast  as  her  legs  would  carry  her,  away  from  the  whitewashed  chapel.  jane  had  never  meant  to  make  trouble.  if  anything,  she  was  just  as  much  a  victim  of  her  own  deviance  as  those  who  suffered  from  it.  “  our  little  secret  …  ”  she  breathed,  nodding  her  head  slowly  to  show  just  how  obediant  she  could  be.  it  was  a  practice  she’d  nearly  perfected  over  years  and  years  of  falling  to  her  knees  at  the  mercy  of  some  higher  power  she  wasn’t  so  sure  she  even  believed  in  anymore.  she  needed  to  ground  herself  in  something  real,  something  she  could  touch.  something  like  the  hard  proof  of  his  desire  bulging  against  her  center.  but  jane’s  only  knowledge  of  what  she  was  about  to  do  was  through  books  she  read,  and  the  occasional  porn  she  tried  desperately  to  get  through  without  blushing.  “  close  your  eyes,  ”  she  leans  in,  finally  pressing  the  first  kiss  to  his  lips.  not  wanting  to  seem  too  eager,  she  only  let  it  linger  for  a  moment  while  waiting  for  him  to  do  as  she  instructed.  and  when  she  felt  like  it  was  safe,  that  she  was  free  from  any  judgement,  she  sank  her  dainty  hand  down  the  front  of  his  pants  and  wrapped  it  around  his  erection,  feeling  the  smooth,  hot  skin  beneath  her  touch.  a  quiet  exhale  escaped  her,  slightly  surprised  at  what  she  felt.  

she didn't care what anybody else thought about them. as long as she and aiden were happy, she didn't think anything - or anybody - else mattered. "anything." she repeats with ease, since she hadn't been more certain of anything in her life. she hadn't known she was capable of feeling as strongly as she did for aiden. she hadn't known that this type of love, this type of fire and hunger was even possible before him. now, she felt so comfortable within his embrace, she didn't think twice about expressing it. some might've pegged her as a fool, but she didn't care about that either. in that case, being a fool had got her in exactly this position and she couldn't have been happier about that. "hm, but i don't regret it," the giggle that follows suit is a sweet as sugar, nose nudging against his own, then his cheek, then his jaw, before she presses a gentle, lingering kiss against his skin there. "that sounds like exactly what i want..." the confession falls purred against his ear, allowing her hips to roll down against his own purposefully, teeth tucked against her bottom lip; restraining a moan and a smirk.

it's a low groan that rumbles deep in his chest at the intoxicating roll of her hips, the sound caught somewhere between a breathless laugh and pure, unadulterated desire. long digits tighten instantly against her waist, digging into her soft skin, refusing to let her move another inch away until he's entirely in control of the friction between them. "you're such a little menace, princess." the male breathes out against her skin as his lips trail down the column of her neck. he can feel the frantic little flutter of her pulse beneath his mouth, and it only fuels the fire she just lit in his veins. "telling me exactly what i want to hear, moving like that … you're trying to see how fast you can make me lose my mind." he shifts his weight, pressing her back into the mattress until the soft sheets catch them, his taller frame settling over hers so perfectly it feels entirely destined. with little effort, he pins her wrists above her head with one hand while his free palm slides up her thigh, the heat of his palm searing through her skin. "if that's what you wnat, you know i'm always more than happy to oblige." / @lustfooled ♡

"okay - so, if i broke up with her again, it wouldn't be completely off limits?" his relationship with her best friend was laughable at this point. more often than not, she'd broken up with him over the most intricate parts of his personality or the fact that he'd cheated on her in his sleep, or because she didn't like how he did his hair. he hadn't put a stop to it because he hadn't seen the harm in it, but they weren't going anywhere fast and if otto could see to it, they wouldn't be going anywhere at all anymore. his budding attraction for her best friend really putting a spanner in the works. his head tilts as he watches her still, gaze flickering purposefully across her features. fuck, she was gorgeous. she was also a little bit terrifying and completely off limits, what was a man to do? "i don't love her, ky. she doesn't love me. you know that as well as i do. she thinks i'm pathetic, doesn't she?"

 "— no, that's not what i meant!" an exhasperated sigh escapes her, the sound catching in her throat as she realizes how easily he just twisted her words against her. a furious blush creeps up her neck, her honeyed hues narrowing into a dangerous glare. "you're completely missing the point." she points out, er hands clenching into fists at her sides to stop herself from reaching out and physically shaking some sense into him. "if you two broke up for good tomorrow, it wouldn't magically make this okay. there are lines you don't cross, and sleeping wiht your ex's best friend is at the very top of that list." and yet, it's not enough to stop her from wanting it. from secretely wishing that the two of them would break up, for good. that he would finally belong to her without the suffocating weight of guilt holding them back. "she doesn't think you're pathetic," she murmurs, the righteous anger completely draining from her tone. "i just .. i don't get why you're together if you don't love each other, like what's the point?" / @lustfooled ♡

leyla's cheeks burn under his question and a blush overtakes every inch of visible skin. all she can do initially is nod, as it was a titbit of information she didn't share with everyone. "don't be mean," still she laughed softly, nose scrunching as she shrugs her shoulders. "my brother stuck around most of the time, because i asked him to." call her a prude, but if she didn't feel a strong urge to give into temptation, she wasn't going to do it. "...is that bad?"

"bad?" the male lets out an amused chuckle, shaking his head. "no, i don't think it's bad." he takes a slow step, his darker hues dropping to watch the soft blush painting her cheeks before locking right back onto her pretty eyes. " it's just .. a massive plot twist, considering how much game you try to talk." he leans his hip against the edge of the table, crossing his arms over his chest as a lazy, intrigued smirk pulls at the corner of his lips. "so are you waiting for marriage, or just for the one?"/ @lustfooled ♡