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One eyebrow lifts, her eyes cutting to yours with that calm, terrifying patience she brings into every room. Your mom laughs like it’s cute. Emily doesn’t laugh at all.

At first, you only do it because you want to make her uncomfortable. Emily married your mom, moved into the family like she had a right to be there, started touching things that used to feel unchanged and safe. Her coat on the hook by the door.

Her coffee mug beside your mom’s. Her ring glinting whenever she reaches for your mother’s hand. Calling her “mom” feels like a small, petty weapon, something sharp enough to remind her that this whole arrangement is strange whether anyone wants to admit it or not.

But the problem is that Emily never flinches the way you want her to. She absorbs it, watches you, lets the word hang between you like smoke. Then one night, when you say it too softly, too close to her ear while passing behind her in the kitchen, you realize the word doesn’t just make her uncomfortable. It makes you wet.

You hate that realization for about five seconds before your body gives up pretending. The taboo of it starts crawling under your skin after that, ugly and addictive. Emily isn’t your mother, not really, not in any way that matters except the ring on her finger and the place she holds beside your mom at dinner.

That should make it easier to ignore. Instead, it makes everything worse. You start noticing her in ways you can’t take back, the low rasp of her voice in the mornings, the way she takes her glasses off when she’s tired, the grey in her hair making her look sharper and colder and even more untouchable.

You start thinking about the word when you’re alone. Mom. Not because she is, but because she isn’t, because calling her that turns every glance into something filthy.

The first time you touch yourself thinking about her, you try to blame it on wine. Your mom and Emily had hosted people downstairs, all quiet laughter and expensive conversation, and you’d gone to bed early because sitting across from Emily had made your skin feel too tight.

You’d heard her voice through the floorboards, low and controlled, the kind of voice that always sounds like she knows more than she’s saying. You’d buried your face into your pillow, leggings shoved down your thighs, fingers slipping between your legs before you could talk yourself out of it.

You pictured her wedding ring first, because apparently your body was that predictable. Her hand around her glass. Her hand on your mom’s lower back. Her hand around your throat instead, ring cold against your pulse while she told you how wrong you were for wanting her.

After that, the fantasy got worse. It wasn’t gentle, never gentle, not in your head. You imagined Emily finding you like that, door cracked open, your fingers wet and your face burning because you’d been stupid enough to whisper her name.

You imagined her standing in the doorway in one of those dark blouses, grey hair loose around her face, expression unreadable except for the hunger in her eyes. You imagined her saying, “Is this what you do when your mother’s downstairs?” and the thought alone made you come so hard you had to bite your pillow to stay quiet.

The shame didn’t stop you. It never did. If anything, it made you reach for the fantasy again the next night, and the next, until Emily became the thing you thought about whenever your hand slipped beneath your waistband.

Tonight, you walk downstairs in your oversized hoodie like you haven’t been ruined by thoughts of her for weeks. Your mom is plating food, humming softly, completely unaware of the way Emily’s eyes lift the second you enter the room.

Emily is leaning against the counter, wineglass in hand, wearing a charcoal button-up with the sleeves rolled to her forearms. Her hair is darker near the ends, silver at the roots and temples, and it makes her look almost severe in the soft kitchen light. The wedding ring is there, of course. It always is.

You look at it before you look at her face, and Emily’s mouth curves like she caught you doing exactly what she expected. “Hey, mom,” you say, too sweet, too casual, pretending your pulse isn’t already climbing.

Your actual mom turns around with a warm smile. “You’re in a mood.” You shrug, sliding into your chair like the leggings don’t feel too tight against your skin already. “I’m always in a mood.” Emily sets her glass down with a soft click.

“That’s true.” Her voice is mild, but her eyes are on you, steady and dark, and you feel the words settle low in your stomach. Your mom tells Emily not to encourage you, and Emily looks away first, smiling faintly like she’s innocent. She’s not.

You know she’s not because when she passes behind your chair to get the salad bowl, her fingers brush the back of your hoodie. It’s nothing, barely a touch, but it makes your thighs press together under the table.

Dinner feels normal enough to be cruel. Your mom talks about work, Emily answers with that polished warmth she gives people when she wants them comfortable, and you sit there trying not to stare at her hands. The ring keeps catching the light.

Every time she lifts her fork, every time she reaches for her wine, every time her knuckles flex around the glass, you feel it like pressure against your throat. You wonder if your mom notices how quiet you’ve gotten.

You wonder if Emily notices the way your breathing changes. Of course she does. Emily Prentiss has built an entire life out of noticing what people try to hide. When your eyes drop to her ring again, she lets them stay there for a second before softly saying your name.

It hits you harder than it should. Your name in her mouth sounds too intimate in front of your mother, too knowing, too close to the things you imagine when you’re alone.

“Yeah?” you ask, forcing yourself to look up. Emily tilts her head slightly, grey hair shifting against her cheek. “You’re quiet tonight.” Your mom smiles, oblivious. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

You laugh because you’re supposed to, but Emily doesn’t laugh. She watches you over her glass, and her thumb slowly turns the wedding ring around her finger. It’s deliberate. It has to be deliberate. Heat spreads low and sharp between your thighs.

After dinner, your mom leaves the room to take a call, still talking over her shoulder about dessert like she trusts both of you completely. The second she’s gone, the kitchen feels smaller. Emily stays at the counter, rinsing plates with her sleeves still rolled up, her ring flashing under the running water.

You should leave. You don’t. You lean against the doorway in your hoodie and leggings, watching her hands like they’re doing something obscene instead of washing dishes. “You’re doing it again,” Emily says without looking at you.

Your stomach drops. “Doing what?” She shuts the tap off, slowly dries her hands, then turns around with a look that makes your mouth go dry. “Looking at my ring like it’s something you want in your mouth.”

The words are so sudden and filthy that you forget how to breathe. Emily doesn’t move closer yet. She just stands there, calm and elegant and devastating, your mom’s wife with grey in her hair and your name sitting like a secret behind her teeth.

“That’s not true,” you say, but your voice betrays you immediately. Emily’s eyes drop to your thighs when you shift. “No?” she asks. “Then why do you keep squeezing your legs together every time I touch it?” Your face burns, but the embarrassment only makes your body hotter.

She notices that too. Her smile fades into something darker. “You started calling me mom to be cruel,” she says quietly. “Now you say it because you like what it does to you.”

You swallow hard, fingers curling into your hoodie sleeves. “You don’t know that.” Emily steps closer. “I know exactly that.” Her voice drops, smooth and certain, and suddenly there’s nowhere to put your hands, nowhere to look except her face, her mouth, her ring.

“You like pretending it’s spite,” she says. “You like acting like you’re only trying to get under my skin.” She stops in front of you, close enough that you can smell wine and soap and her perfume. “But you and I both know better.” Her left hand lifts, and the ring glints right before her fingers touch your jaw. “Don’t we?”

You could still walk away. That’s the last sane thought you have before Emily’s thumb drags over your lower lip. Instead, you tilt your face into her hand like you’ve been waiting for permission. Her eyes darken, and for one second, her control visibly shifts. Not gone, never gone, but strained.

“Say it,” she murmurs. Your throat tightens. “Emily.” Her fingers slide from your jaw to your throat, not squeezing yet, just resting there with that wedding ring cold against your skin. Her mouth hovers close to yours. “That’s not what you called me earlier.”

Your whole body jolts with want so sharp it almost hurts. “Don’t,” you whisper, but it doesn’t sound like a refusal. It sounds like begging. Emily’s hand tightens slightly around your throat, careful and firm, and the ring presses against your pulse.

“Don’t what?” she asks. “Don’t make you admit it?” Her other hand finds your waist through the oversized hoodie, fingers pressing in like she wants to feel how badly you’re shaking.

“Don’t make you say you’ve been thinking about your mother’s wife with your hand between your legs?” The sound you make is broken and humiliating. Emily’s eyes flare. “Oh, sweetheart.”

The kiss happens fast after that, but it doesn’t feel impulsive. It feels inevitable. Emily’s mouth takes yours with a restraint that lasts maybe three seconds before it turns rougher, deeper, angrier. You grab at her shirt, fingers twisting in the fabric, and she backs you into the wall hard enough to make you gasp.

Her hand stays at your throat, ring cold, palm warm, thumb stroking once like she knows exactly how much that contrast ruins you. “You’re trouble,” she breathes against your mouth.

“You’ve been trouble since the wedding.” You whimper when her knee presses between your thighs. Emily’s laugh is quiet and cruel. “There it is.”

“You’re married to my mom,” you whisper, because the words feel necessary, because the ugliness of them makes you ache. Emily freezes for half a second. Then her mouth brushes your cheek, your jaw, the corner of your lips.

“I know.” Her fingers tighten on your waist. “That should’ve made me stop looking.” Your eyes flutter shut when her knee presses harder between your thighs. “It didn’t.”

She kisses you again, slower this time, like she wants you to feel every bad choice. “And now you’re standing here wet through your leggings because I put my hand around your throat.”

You hate how right she is. Your hips move before you can stop them, grinding down against her thigh with one needy little roll that makes Emily inhale sharply. The sound almost makes you proud until her hand closes a little firmer around your throat.

“Careful,” she warns. “You’re getting bold.” You look at her through your lashes, breath shaking, and say the one word you know will ruin her composure. “Mom.”

Emily’s face goes still. For a second, there’s only the distant sound of your mother’s voice upstairs and the thunder of your own pulse. Then Emily says, very softly, “Say it like that again and I’ll make sure you can’t sit through dessert.”

Your legs nearly give out. Emily catches you easily, her mouth curving as if the weakness pleases her. “That’s what I thought,” she murmurs. Her hand slides lower, pushing beneath the hem of your oversized hoodie, finding bare skin above your leggings. The touch is warm, controlled, possessive.

You arch into it without meaning to. Emily watches your face the whole time, like every reaction tells her something she already knew. “All casual for dinner,” she says,

fingertips slipping under your waistband just enough to make you stop breathing. “Leggings, hoodie, acting innocent.” Her ring presses against your throat again. “Nothing innocent about you, is there?”

Your answer is a shaky little no. Emily smiles. “Good.” Then her fingers dip lower, sliding beneath the tight fabric of your leggings, and the first touch against your wetness makes both of you go still. Your face burns hot, but Emily’s expression shifts into something hungrier, rougher, almost disbelieving.

“Fuck,” she whispers. “You really have been sitting at that table like this.” You grip her wrist, not stopping her, just holding on as her fingers drag slowly through you.

She looks down between your bodies even though she can’t see much with your leggings still in the way. “All that because of my ring?” Her thumb presses lightly against your clit, and your knees buckle. “Or because you like calling me something you shouldn’t?”

“Emily,” you gasp. She doesn’t let you get away with it. Her hand at your throat tightens just enough to make your eyes snap back to hers. “Try again.”

You know what she wants. Worse, you know you want to give it to her. Your lips part, and the word comes out soft, ruined, soaked in shame and lust. “Mom.”

Emily’s eyes darken so sharply it feels like being touched all over. Her fingers circle your clit with slow, cruel precision. “Filthy girl,” she murmurs. “You’re gonna look me in the eye while I make you cum for your mom.”

Emily’s fingers are still moving when you hear it, the soft creak of the upstairs floorboard that makes both of you freeze. Your whole body locks against the wall, breath caught halfway out of your throat, pussy still pulsing around nothing because she’s pulled you so close to the edge you can barely think.

Emily’s eyes lift from your face toward the ceiling, sharp and alert in a way that reminds you exactly who she is beneath all that hunger. The sound comes again, footsteps crossing the landing, then your mom’s voice faintly drifting down the stairs as she finishes her call.

Emily’s hand stills inside your leggings, fingers slick and warm against you, and for one sick, thrilling second neither of you moves. Your eyes go wide, panic and arousal twisting together so tightly your knees almost buckle. Emily looks back at you, calm enough to be cruel, and whispers, “Not a sound.”

You nod too fast, lips parted, chest rising hard under the oversized hoodie. Emily’s fingers slide once more through your wetness, slow and deliberate, like she can’t resist reminding you what she was doing before she stops.

Your hips twitch into her hand before you can help it, and her mouth curves faintly, dark amusement flickering across her face. “Greedy,” she murmurs, barely loud enough for you to hear.

Then she removes her hand from your leggings, and the loss makes you whimper so softly you barely recognize yourself.

Emily’s gaze snaps to your mouth, warning and satisfaction mixed together. “Careful,” she breathes, “unless you want her to ask why you’re shaking.”

Your mom’s steps get closer, each one landing like a countdown. Emily doesn’t rush, which is somehow worse than if she did. She eases your hoodie back down over your waist, smooths the fabric like she’s just fixing your clothes, like she hasn’t had her fingers buried against your slick heat seconds ago.

Her wedding ring catches the kitchen light from down the hall, still sitting pretty on the same hand that just made you forget how to breathe. You stare at it, dazed, wanting, furious with yourself for wanting.

Emily notices because Emily always notices. She lifts that hand between you, fingers wet with you, and taps your cheek twice with them, light and humiliatingly intimate. “Fix your face,” she says softly.

The touch leaves warmth and slick on your skin, a filthy little secret pressed right there where anyone could look and not understand. You inhale sharply, and Emily’s eyes darken as if the sound almost tempts her into ruining both of you.

“Emily,” you whisper, but it comes out broken, too needy to be useful. She tilts her head, grey-streaked hair brushing her cheek, expression composed again except for the heat still sitting low in her eyes. “No,” she says.

“You don’t get to sound like that when she’s ten feet away.” Your thighs press together on instinct, and her gaze drops for half a second. “God,” she mutters under her breath, “you’re impossible.”

Then she steps away from you like nothing happened. One second she’s close enough that you can feel her breath, her perfume, the heat of her body, and the next she’s across the kitchen doorway, picking up a dish towel with infuriating ease.

You’re left against the wall, legs unsteady, leggings damp, cheek still marked by the slick from her fingers. Your pulse hammers so hard you’re sure your mom will hear it before she even reaches the bottom step. Emily dries her hands with the towel, slow and casual, but you know she didn’t wash them.

The knowledge makes your stomach twist and your pussy clench again, because she’s walking back into the role of your mom’s wife while still wearing you on her skin. She glances at you once, quick and sharp, and mouths, “Breathe.”

You try. It doesn’t work very well. Your mom appears in the doorway a second later, phone still in hand, smiling like she hasn’t just walked into the aftershock of something that could destroy the entire house.

“Sorry,” she says, looking between you and Emily without suspicion. “That took longer than I thought.” Emily turns toward her with that smooth, practiced warmth, dish towel draped over one hand.

“Everything okay?” she asks, voice perfectly level, perfectly wife-like, perfectly obscene after what she just did to you.

Your mom nods and crosses the room to kiss her cheek. You look away too late, catching the sight of Emily accepting it calmly while her eyes flick to you over your mom’s shoulder.

That glance nearly ruins you. It’s brief, private, and filthy, a reminder that she knows exactly how wet you still are under your leggings while your mom stands right there.

“You okay?” your mom asks, turning toward you with a little frown. “You look flushed.” Your mouth goes dry so fast it almost hurts. Emily’s brow lifts slightly behind her, not helping at all.

“Yeah,” you say, voice rougher than it should be, “just warm.” Your mom hums sympathetically, completely convinced. Emily sets the towel down and says, “She did say she was in a mood.”

You want to hate her for how easily she says it. You want to hate the calm little smile she gives your mom, the controlled way she moves around the kitchen, the ring still glinting as she reaches for the dessert plates.

Instead, all you can think about is her fingers sliding under your waistband and her voice telling you to look her in the eye. Your cheek still tingles where she tapped you, and the thought makes your stomach dip with shameful heat.

Your mom asks if you want dessert, and for a second you can’t answer because Emily is standing behind her, looking at you like she knows exactly what you still want in your mouth.

“Sure,” you manage finally, gripping the counter behind you. Emily smiles faintly, slow and cruel around the edges. “Good girl,” she says, soft enough that only you understand what it means.

The three of you move back to the table like nothing happened. That’s the worst part, really, how normal it all looks from the outside. Your mom sets down bowls of warm brownies and melting vanilla ice cream, smiling like this is just another quiet dinner at home.

Emily pulls your chair out for you like she always does, one hand brushing your shoulder in a way that looks completely innocent if no one knows where that hand had just been. You sit down with your legs pressed tight together, oversized hoodie bunched around your hips, leggings still damp and clinging between your thighs.

Your mom starts talking about the call she took upstairs, something about work, something normal and dull, but the words blur before they can settle.

All you can feel is the leftover ache between your legs. All you can see is Emily sitting across from you, perfectly composed, wedding ring glinting while your slick is still drying on your cheek where she tapped you.

She eats like nothing’s wrong. That’s what makes it unbearable. One hand rests on the table, elegant and steady, wedding ring catching the warm kitchen light every time she lifts her spoon. The other stays low, relaxed near her lap, like she isn’t aware of the way your eyes keep dropping to her fingers.

Your mom nudges Emily’s ankle under the table while telling a story, laughing softly, and Emily smiles at her with that polished wife warmth that makes your stomach twist. Then her gaze flicks to you.

Just for a second. Long enough to make your breath catch and your pussy clench helplessly under your leggings. You look down at your brownie and ice cream like that’ll save you from wanting your mom’s wife at the dinner table.

You don’t notice her foot at first. It starts subtle, almost innocent, the edge of Emily’s shoe brushing your ankle beneath the table. You freeze with your spoon halfway to your mouth, heart stuttering hard enough that you’re sure your mom must hear it.

Emily doesn’t look at you. She keeps her attention on your mom, nodding along, answering calmly, completely present in the conversation above the table. Under it, her foot moves again.

This time, it slides slowly up your calf, dragging over the thin fabric of your leggings in a deliberate line. Your stomach drops. Your thighs tense because you already know she isn’t going to stop there.

The toe of her shoe reaches the inside of your knee, and you almost choke on your next breath. Emily’s face stays calm, but her eyes flick to yours for one sharp second when your legs part without permission. It’s barely anything, just a small shift, but it’s enough to let her in.

Her foot slips higher, slow and controlled, pressing between your thighs with a precision that makes your fingers tighten around your spoon. The first real brush against your pussy is light, just the toe of her shoe rubbing over the damp seam of your leggings.

You have to bite the inside of your cheek to keep from making a sound. Your body reacts instantly, hips twitching toward the pressure like you’ve forgotten where you are. Emily’s mouth curves faintly as she takes another bite of dessert.

“Everything okay?” your mom asks, glancing at you when you go too still. You nod too quickly, forcing your shoulders to relax. “Yeah,” you say, voice thin. “Just hot.” Your mom hums, unconcerned, and scoops up another spoonful of ice cream.

Emily’s foot presses harder between your thighs, the sole of her shoe grinding slowly against your clothed cunt. The pressure catches right over your clit through the leggings, dull but firm,

filthy because she’s doing it while your mom sits inches away. Your breath stutters, and Emily glances at you over her spoon like she’s daring you to embarrass yourself.

She starts rubbing you in slow, shallow strokes. Up, then down, pressing the toe of her shoe against the wet fabric until it drags right where you’re most sensitive. Your leggings are thin enough that you feel every shift, every point of pressure, every cruel little adjustment she makes under the table.

The fabric sticks to you now, damp with arousal, and the friction turns slicker every time she rubs against you. You squeeze your thighs around her foot before you can stop yourself, trapping her there.

Emily’s eyes darken, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she presses harder, making you feel the shape of her foot grinding against your swollen pussy through your leggings.

“You’re quiet tonight,” your mom says, smiling like she’s teasing. “Usually I can’t get you to shut up.” You force a laugh, but it comes out weak, almost breathless, because Emily chooses that exact second to drag her foot up against your clit again.

The pressure makes your hips jerk forward, small but unmistakable, and your hand flies to your glass just to give yourself something to hold. “Just tired,” you manage. Emily hums softly, like she believes you.

“Long day?” she asks, voice smooth and innocent. Her foot rubs another slow circle over your pussy beneath the table. You stare at her, furious and turned on and already too close to falling apart.

The friction builds fast because you’re still sensitive from earlier. You’re wet enough that every press of her shoe against your leggings feels obscene, the fabric dragging over your clit in a steady rhythm that makes your thighs tremble.

Emily keeps one hand on the table, ring visible, wife visible, respectable and calm while her foot works between your legs. She’s not even pretending it’s accidental anymore. Her shoe nudges your thighs wider, then presses firmly into the centre of you, grinding upward until your breath catches in your throat.

Your mom keeps talking, completely unaware, spoon clinking softly against her bowl. The normal sound of it makes everything feel worse. You’re getting rubbed off at the family dinner table by the woman your mom married six months ago, and Emily looks like she could keep doing it all night.

You lower your gaze to your dessert, trying to ground yourself in the melting ice cream and warm brownie. It doesn’t help. The chocolate smears into the vanilla, soft and messy, and your mind flashes back to

Emily’s slick fingers, the wet sound they made when she pulled them from your leggings, the way she tapped your cheek like a warning. Her foot drags up again, pressing directly against your clit through the damp fabric, and your thighs clamp down around her ankle.

Emily’s brow lifts slightly. Your mom reaches for a napkin, still talking, still blind to the way your hips have started moving in tiny desperate shifts. You hate yourself for it. You’re grinding back against Emily’s shoe because the pressure feels too good to ignore.

“Pass me the napkins?” your mom asks suddenly. You jerk like you’ve been caught. Emily doesn’t move her foot. If anything, she presses more firmly into you, toe grinding right into the slick, swollen heat between your thighs while you reach across the table with shaking hands. You slide the napkins over, trying to keep your face normal.

“Thanks,” your mom says, already distracted again. Emily watches your hands tremble, then looks back at your face. Under the table, she starts rubbing you in a steady rhythm, dragging the sole of her shoe up and down over your pussy like she’s testing exactly how much you can take before you make a sound.

You’re embarrassingly close. Your body never really came down from the kitchen, and now every slow grind of Emily’s foot against your clit pushes you closer to the edge.

You try to keep eating, try to lift the spoon to your mouth, but your hand isn’t steady enough. Emily sees it and smiles into her next bite of brownie.

“You don’t like it?” she asks your mom, nodding toward your bowl. Your mom turns to you. “Is the brownie too rich?” You shake your head quickly, cheeks burning. “No, it’s good,” you say, and Emily’s foot presses so hard into your pussy on the word good that your voice nearly cracks.

Your mom accepts the answer and keeps eating. Emily doesn’t let up. She rubs you slower now, cruelly slow, the toe of her shoe circling against your clit through the wet fabric like she’s got all the time in the world.

The pressure isn’t enough to make you come yet, but it’s enough to keep you trembling. Enough to make your pussy throb. Enough to make your hips chase her foot whenever she eases back. You stare at her across the table, breathing shallowly,

and she looks at you like she knows exactly how ruined you are under that oversized hoodie. Her wedding ring flashes as she rests her chin lightly on her hand. “You’re fidgeting,” she says softly.

Your mom laughs. “She always does that.” Emily’s eyes stay on you. “I’ve noticed.” Her foot slides lower for a second, teasing away from where you need her, and the loss makes you nearly whine out loud. You catch it just in time, turning it into a shaky breath, but Emily hears the difference.

Her expression shifts, satisfaction settling into the corners of her mouth. Then she rubs back up, pressing against your clit again with enough force to make your eyes flutter. “You sure you’re okay?” your mom asks. Emily’s foot grinds harder before you can answer.

“Yeah,” you say quickly, too quickly. “I’m fine.” Emily’s shoe moves in tight, slow circles over your pussy, the friction dragging through your leggings and making the wet fabric stick to you even worse. Your body is hot all over now, sweat prickling under your hoodie, thighs tense around her foot.

You can feel yourself getting wetter, slick soaking through the crotch of your leggings, making every rub louder in your own head even if no one else can hear it.

Emily tilts her head, watching your face with terrifying focus. Your mom takes another bite of dessert, oblivious. You grip the edge of your chair beneath the table to stop yourself from rolling your hips too obviously.

“Eyes up,” Emily says softly. It’s quiet enough that your mom doesn’t register the command, but you do. Your gaze snaps from her ring to her face. Her foot presses harder, toe dragging right over your clit again, and your lips part around a silent gasp.

Emily’s eyes darken. “Good,” she murmurs. Your mom looks between you both, smiling faintly. “What?” she asks. Emily doesn’t miss a beat. “Just making sure she’s still awake.”

Your mom laughs, but you can barely hear it over the rush of blood in your ears. Emily’s foot keeps rubbing you, slow and methodical, every stroke pushing pleasure tighter in your lower stomach. You’re trying so hard not to move, but your hips keep making these tiny helpless rolls, chasing her shoe under the table.

She lets you do it. Worse, she adjusts her ankle to make it easier for you, pressing the firm ridge of her shoe exactly where your swollen clit needs it.

Your thighs shake so badly you have to plant both feet flat on the floor. The ice cream melts untouched in your bowl. Emily watches the spoon slip from your hand into the dish and smiles like she’s won.

You’re right on the edge again. It’s humiliating how fast it happens, how little she has to do, how just the pressure of her foot against your clothed pussy has you blinking back tears. Emily knows. You can see it in the way she slows down just as your breathing starts to break, dragging the pleasure out instead of giving you enough.

Your mom is still there, still talking, still completely unaware that you’re one careless movement away from coming at the table. Emily’s gaze holds yours, calm and cruel. Her foot presses up one more time, grinding slow and hard against your clit. “Careful,” she whispers, so softly only you hear it, “or dessert’s going to get very interesting.”

The pressure gets too much too fast, and you know you’re going to break if you sit there another minute. Emily’s foot is still pressed between your thighs, rubbing slow enough to be cruel, the toe of her shoe dragging over your clit through your damp leggings like she’s got every right to take you apart under the table.

Your mom is still talking, spoon clinking gently against her bowl, completely unaware of the way you’re gripping the edge of your chair so hard your fingers ache.

You force yourself to pick up your spoon again, hand trembling as you scoop up melting ice cream and brownie like the sweetness might distract you from the wet heat throbbing between your legs. It doesn’t.

Every swallow feels too thick, every breath feels too loud, every shift of Emily’s foot makes your pussy clench helplessly. Emily watches you across the table, calm and elegant, her wedding ring catching the light as she brings another bite to her mouth. She knows you’re trying to run.

You eat too quickly, barely tasting any of it, just desperate to have a reason to leave before she pushes you over the edge right there. Warm chocolate, cold vanilla, your own panic, it all turns blurry in your mouth while

Emily’s shoe grinds once more against the swollen seam of your leggings. Your breath catches, and you cover it with a cough, reaching for your water so fast your mom glances over. “You okay?” she asks, brows knitting softly.

Emily’s foot stills beneath the table, but she doesn’t pull away. That almost makes it worse, the firm pressure just sitting there against your pussy while your mom looks at you with honest concern. “Yeah,” you say, voice tight, “went down wrong.”

Your mom’s face softens. “Slow down, sweetheart. It’s not going anywhere.” Emily’s eyes flick up at that, something wicked moving behind them because of course she hears the irony.

You hate her for it. You hate the way her mouth barely curves, the way she can sit there with her foot between your legs while your mom fusses over you like nothing’s wrong.

“Maybe she’s just tired,” Emily says, voice smooth, helpful, perfectly composed. Her foot shifts slightly when she says it, the toe of her shoe nudging your clit in one last little rub that makes your thighs twitch. You nearly drop your spoon. Emily’s smile stays polite.

You shove the last bite of brownie into your mouth because it’s the only thing you can do without making a sound. Your body is screaming for relief, slick soaking into the fabric of your leggings, clit aching from every slow drag of Emily’s shoe.

You can still feel where her fingers had been earlier, the ghost of them under your waistband, the way she’d tapped your cheek with your own wetness before stepping away. It all stacks up inside you, too hot, too filthy, too close to spilling over.

Emily finally pulls her foot back beneath her own chair, and the sudden loss makes you almost whine. You clamp your mouth shut, swallowing hard around the dessert instead. Emily sees it, and her eyes darken like she’s filing that reaction away for later.

You set your spoon down too carefully. “I think I’m gonna head upstairs,” you say, trying to sound casual even though your voice comes out rough around the edges. Your mom looks up immediately.

“Already?” There’s no suspicion in her tone, only concern, and it makes guilt twist sharp through the arousal still burning under your skin. You nod, pushing your chair back slowly because standing too fast feels dangerous.

“Yeah, I’m just really tired.” Emily’s gaze drops to your legs as you stand, quick and private, and you know she’s thinking about the mess she left there. Your leggings cling between your thighs, damp and obscene under the oversized hoodie, and you pray your mom doesn’t notice anything except your flushed face.

Your mom sets her spoon down. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks, softer this time. “You’ve been quiet all evening.” You force a small laugh, but it sounds thin even to you. “I’m fine, promise. Just warm and tired.”

She studies you for a second, maternal worry all over her face, and it nearly makes you crack. Emily leans back in her chair, calm as anything, one hand resting near her wineglass.

“She did say it’s hot in here,” Emily says, and the sound of her voice makes your pussy pulse all over again. Your mom nods slowly, still not fully convinced. “Do you want me to bring you some water?”

“No, I’ve got some upstairs.” The answer comes too fast, and you soften it with another weak smile. “Really, I’m okay.” Your mom reaches out as you pass her chair, catching your hand for a second. Her thumb brushes your knuckles, gentle and familiar, and it makes the whole thing feel uglier.

“Text me if you need anything, okay?” she says. You squeeze her hand, guilt burning under your ribs. “I will.” Across the table, Emily watches the exchange with an expression you can’t read, except for the tiny movement of her thumb turning her wedding ring around her finger.

You don’t look at Emily when you step away, because you know if you do, your face will give you away. You make it three steps before her voice stops you anyway.

“Goodnight,” she says. It sounds innocent. Your mom hears good manners. You hear a command wrapped in silk, hear the memory of her voice telling you to keep your eyes up while her shoe rubbed your pussy under the table.

You pause in the doorway, hand curling into the sleeve of your hoodie. “Night,” you say, still not looking at her. Emily waits half a beat, then adds, “Sleep well.”

The words slide under your skin. You know she knows you won’t. You know she knows exactly where your hand is going the second you get behind a locked door, knows you’re going to peel your damp leggings down with shaking fingers and think about her foot, her ring, her mouth saying good girl like a secret. Your mom smiles at you one last time, accepting your excuse.

Emily doesn’t smile at all now. She just watches you leave, grey-streaked hair soft around her face, wedding ring gleaming on the same hand that had been around your throat.

You climb the stairs carefully, legs unsteady, heat throbbing between your thighs with every step. By the time you reach the hallway, you can still feel the shape of Emily’s shoe against your cunt like she never stopped touching you.

You barely make it to your room before your body gives up on pretending it’s fine. The door shuts behind you with a quiet click, and the second the lock turns, you throw yourself onto the bed like your legs can’t hold you for another second.

Your face hits the pillow first, a breathless, shaky sigh spilling out of you before you can stop it. Everything still feels too hot. Your hoodie is too heavy. Your leggings are too tight.

The damp fabric between your thighs clings to you with every tiny movement, a humiliating reminder of exactly what Emily did under the table while your mom sat there eating dessert. You press your thighs together and immediately regret it, because the pressure sends a sharp little pulse through your pussy that makes you whimper into the sheets.

You can still feel her foot there. The slow drag of her shoe over your clit. The way she rubbed your pussy through your leggings like she had all the time in the world, calm and composed above the table while you were falling apart beneath it.

You can still see her face, too, that controlled little smile, that grey-streaked hair framing her cheek, that wedding ring catching the light every time she lifted her spoon.

The ring is what makes you roll onto your back with a broken groan, one hand dragging over your stomach. Your fingers catch on the hem of your hoodie, bunching it up without meaning to.

You think about her hand around your throat, the cold press of gold against your skin, and your hips lift off the mattress before you even touch yourself properly. “Fuck,” you whisper, staring at the ceiling like it might save you from yourself.

It doesn’t. Nothing does. Your hand slips beneath the waistband of your leggings, and the first brush of your fingers against yourself makes your mouth fall open.

You’re soaked, slick and swollen from being teased too long, your pussy sensitive from Emily’s fingers earlier and the cruel pressure of her foot under the dinner table. Your lips feel puffy and hot beneath your touch, folds slippery when your fingertips part them, arousal gathered wet and messy between them.

Your clit is swollen too, aching from the friction Emily gave you and then took away, so sensitive that even grazing it makes your thighs twitch. Your fingertips slide through the wetness, and your whole body jolts like you’ve been waiting for permission.

You think about Emily saying, “Eyes up,” while rubbing you right there in front of your mom. You think about the way she knew exactly how wet you were without even needing to see it. You think about her saying good girl so softly only you understood. Your fingers circle your clit, slow at first, and your breath breaks into a needy little sound.

“Mom,” you whisper, and the word makes your stomach twist. Not real, not like that, never like that, but filthy because she isn’t, because Emily is your mother’s wife and the title only exists to make everything feel worse. You say it again, quieter this time, almost testing how it feels in your mouth when you’re alone.

“Mom.” Your pussy clenches at the sound, your slick entrance fluttering around nothing, and shame rolls through you hot enough to make your fingers press harder. It’s a kink, a horrible little secret, a word you started using to spite her and somehow turned into the thing that makes you drip through your leggings at dinner.

You imagine Emily hearing you say it like this, breathy and desperate, with your fingers sliding over your swollen clit. You imagine her standing in your doorway with that unreadable look, grey hair loose, ring gleaming, asking if this is what you ran upstairs to do.

Your fingers move faster. You push your leggings lower with your free hand, impatient and clumsy, just enough to free the wet heat between your thighs. Cool air hits your pussy, and you shudder, knees falling apart on the bed like Emily’s watching even though she isn’t.

You glance down for half a second and immediately feel your face burn at the sight of yourself, open and glossy, lips spread by your own hand, slick catching in the low light from your bedside lamp. You’re visibly turned on, embarrassingly wet, your folds shiny and swollen from how long Emily kept you on edge.

You drag two fingers through yourself, spreading the slick up to your clit before rubbing tight, desperate circles. The relief is almost too much after being denied so long. Your back arches, hoodie riding up over your stomach, breath hitching in your throat.

All you can see is Emily across the table, perfectly calm while her foot rubbed your cunt through damp fabric. All you can hear is her voice, smooth and cruel, telling you to be careful or dessert would get interesting.

You bite your lip hard, trying to stay quiet, but the first moan slips out anyway. The house is too quiet around you now, every little sound feeling dangerous.

Your mom is still downstairs with Emily, probably cleaning up, probably laughing softly at something Emily says. The thought should cool you down. It doesn’t. It makes your fingers slip lower, teasing your entrance with a shaky little whimper because you’re imagining Emily doing it instead.

Your pussy looks ruined already, slick pooling at your entrance, lips swollen and parted, clit throbbing under the wet glide of your thumb. Her hand, her ring, her controlled voice, her body leaning into yours while she tells you how wrong you are for wanting her. You push two fingers inside yourself and gasp, hips rolling up to meet your own hand.

It isn’t enough because it isn’t her. That thought makes you whine, frustrated and needy, your fingers curling inside you as you try to mimic the way Emily had touched you in the kitchen. She’d been so precise, so calm, like she could take you apart without even trying.

You fuck yourself slowly at first, slick sounds filling the quiet room, thumb rubbing your clit while your fingers press deeper. The wetness is obscene, coating your fingers every time you pull back, your entrance clenching around them greedily as if your body is begging for Emily instead.

“Emily,” you breathe, then correct yourself on a shuddering exhale. “Mom.” The word hits harder this time. Your eyes squeeze shut, and your hips grind into your hand as if you can chase the fantasy into something real. You imagine her laughing softly, saying, “There it is,” like she knew you’d end up like this.

Your pillow muffles the next moan when you turn your face into it. Your body is already close, embarrassingly close, because Emily kept you right on the edge downstairs and sent you away shaking. Every circle of your thumb over your clit makes the pressure coil tighter.

Every curl of your fingers makes your thighs twitch wider, your pussy swallowing them with wet, needy little clenches. You think about her tapping your cheek with slick fingers and telling you to fix your face. You think about her watching your hands shake over dessert.

You think about her foot pressing harder between your legs while your mom asked if you were okay. The memory is so dirty, so impossible, that your whole body tightens around your fingers.

You start babbling into the pillow, barely words, barely sound. “Please, please, Emily, fuck.” Your fingers move faster, messy now, chasing what she refused to give you at the table. Your clit throbs under your thumb, oversensitive and slick, and the pleasure starts rushing up too fast to control.

“Mom,” you whimper again, your thighs shake, your hips buck into your hand, and your pussy squeezes tight around your fingers, hot and wet and desperate. Your mouth opens around a silent, desperate cry.

You come thinking about her ring. Not her mouth first, not even her fingers, but that gold band on her hand while she touched you like she had every right. Your orgasm hits hard, sharp enough to make your back arch off the bed, fingers buried inside yourself while your thumb keeps rubbing through it.

You bite the pillow to keep quiet, but a broken moan still slips out, muffled and pathetic. Pleasure rolls through you in hot waves, your pussy pulsing around your fingers while slick smears across your palm and inner thighs.

Your folds feel swollen beneath your hand, clit twitching with every aftershock, your whole cunt sensitive and messy from how badly you needed it.

You imagine Emily watching, calm and hungry, telling you to look at her while you fall apart. You imagine her calling you filthy. You imagine her saying, “Good girl,” and the aftershock makes you jerk all over again.

When it finally fades, you’re left sprawled on the bed, leggings shoved down your thighs, hoodie twisted around your waist, breathless and ruined. Your hand is still between your legs, fingers wet, body twitching with every tiny leftover pulse.

The room feels too warm. Too quiet. Too full of her. You glance down again, dazed, seeing the slick shine still clinging to your pussy, your lips parted and flushed, your thighs damp where you made a mess of yourself thinking about Emily.

Shame starts creeping in at the edges, but it doesn’t feel strong enough to beat the satisfaction. Not yet. Not when you can still feel the ghost of Emily’s foot against your pussy and the imagined weight of her ring at your throat.

Then there’s a soft sound downstairs. A laugh, maybe your mom’s, followed by Emily’s lower voice, too faint to make out but familiar enough to make your stomach flip. You freeze, fingers still slick against your thigh. The distance between you and them feels impossibly thin, like the whole house knows what you just did.

You pull your leggings back up slowly, wincing at the damp fabric dragging over your overstimulated clit, and roll onto your side with your heart still racing. Your phone lights up on the nightstand. For one second, you think it might be your mom checking on you. Then you see Emily’s name.

Still awake?

Emily stared at her phone for a long moment before sending the message, her thumb hovering over the screen like it had more sense than the rest of her. The kitchen was quiet now, softened by the low hum of the dishwasher and the faint clink of your mother stacking dessert plates by the sink.

Emily sat at the table with one hand wrapped around a mug of coffee she hadn’t taken a single sip from, because her attention had stayed fixed on the staircase since you’d gone up.

She could still see the flush on your face, the way your legs had looked unsteady when you excused yourself, the damp, ruined tension in your body that no oversized hoodie could hide from her.

Worse, she could still feel the ghost of you on her skin, the slick warmth of you on her fingers, the way you’d squeezed your thighs around her foot under the table.

It should’ve made her ashamed enough to stop. Instead, it had left a low, persistent ache between her own thighs, one she’d been ignoring with the same discipline she used for everything else. Finally, she exhaled through her nose and typed, Still awake?

Your reply didn’t come instantly, but the typing indicator did, appearing and disappearing twice before the message landed. you know i am. Emily’s jaw tightened at the casual arrogance of it, at the way she could hear your voice in every lowercase letter.

Of course you were awake. Of course you hadn’t gone upstairs to sleep, not after the way you’d looked at her across the table like she’d left you starving.

Emily glanced toward your mother, who was rinsing a spoon at the sink and humming softly, completely unaware of the tension coiled under her own roof. The guilt came, sharp and familiar, but it didn’t come alone.

Beneath it was heat, filthy and unwelcome, a memory of your breath catching when her shoe pressed right against your pussy through your leggings. Emily shifted in her chair, thighs pressing together once before she forced herself still, and typed, You said you were tired.

The three dots appeared again, vanished, then came back like you were deciding whether to behave or make it worse. Emily already knew which one you’d choose. i lied. A quiet, humourless laugh threatened to slip out of her, but she swallowed it down just as your mother looked over.

“What’s funny?” your mother asked, smiling at her like Emily was only reading some harmless message from work. Emily locked her face into something warm and easy before the lie even reached her tongue.

“Nothing,” she said smoothly, lifting the cold mug to her mouth so she had something to do with her hands. Your mother accepted it without hesitation and turned back to the sink. Emily looked down again, pulse kicking harder than it should, and wrote, I’m shocked. You’ve never lied to me before.

Your response came fast this time, sharp enough that Emily could almost feel the bratty tilt of your mouth. don’t start. Emily leaned back slowly, her ringed hand resting near the phone, the gold band catching the kitchen light as if it wanted to remind her exactly what she was risking.

She thought of you saying that word downstairs, soft and wrong and deliberate, calling her mom like it was a dare you’d learned how to load properly. It had started as spite, she knew that much, but it had stopped being only spite weeks ago.

Emily had watched the change happen in real time, watched your eyes linger longer, watched your voice drop around the word, watched your body answer before your pride could catch up. The knowledge made her mouth go dry. It made the ache between her legs pulse again,

slow and inconvenient, because she’d felt how wet you were while your actual mother sat across the table talking about dessert. Emily typed, Go to sleep.

For a few seconds, nothing happened, and Emily told herself that was good. Then the screen lit again. make me. Emily closed her eyes, and this time the breath she took was far less steady.

The words hit somewhere low, dragging a vivid image into her head before she could stop it, you sprawled upstairs on your bed, hoodie pushed up, leggings shoved down, still sensitive and wet from everything she’d done and hadn’t finished. She wondered if you’d touched yourself already.

The thought was a mistake, because her body reacted hard, a deep throb settling between her thighs while she sat there in your mother’s kitchen like a decent wife.

Emily’s hand flexed once against the table, ring tapping softly against the wood. She opened her eyes and typed with cruel restraint, You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are.

Your next message arrived like you’d been waiting with your thumb over the screen. you keep texting back though. Emily stared at it for longer than she needed to, because unfortunately, you were right.

She should’ve stopped the second she sent the first message, should’ve left you upstairs to your restless little fantasy and gone to bed beside the woman she’d married six months ago.

Instead, she was sitting there, turned on and irritated and far too aware of how easily you’d gotten under her skin. Your mother walked over then, drying her hands on a towel before leaning down to press a kiss to Emily’s temple.

“Don’t stay up too late,” she said, gentle and trusting. Emily looked up at her, smiled like she hadn’t been imagining your slick thighs around her foot, and said,

“I won’t.” Your mother touched her shoulder once before heading for the stairs, and Emily waited until she was gone before looking back at the phone.

Another message was already waiting for her. she gone? Emily’s stomach tightened, and the arousal she’d been trying to smother turned hotter because you knew exactly what you were doing. You weren’t just asking if your mother had left the room, you were asking if Emily was alone enough to answer you badly.

She rubbed her thumb over the edge of her wedding ring, slow and distracted, trying not to think about that same ring pressed against your throat, your eyes wide, your voice breaking around the word mom. You should be asleep, she typed, because it was safer than the truth.

Your reply came with no hesitation. that’s not what i asked. Emily let out a slow breath, jaw tight, gaze flicking once toward the dark staircase. Somewhere above her, you were awake, needy, probably smiling at your phone like you’d already won. She typed, Goodnight.

For a moment, she thought that would be the end of it. Then your final message appeared. goodnight, mom. Emily’s thumb froze above the screen, and every disciplined thought in her head went quiet. There it was again, the word that had no right to make heat slide through her body the way it did, the word you’d sharpened into something obscene just by knowing how badly she’d react.

She stared at it until the letters blurred slightly, breathing slower than she felt, thighs pressed together beneath the table because ignoring her own arousal was getting harder by the second. She imagined going upstairs, imagined opening your door, imagined asking if you were proud of yourself for using that word while your mother slept down the hall.

The thought made her body clench with want so fierce she had to lock her phone immediately. Emily placed it face down on the table like that could undo the damage. Because if she replied to that one, she wasn’t sure she’d stay downstairs.

Emily didn’t pick her phone back up after that final message. She placed it face down on the kitchen table like the simple act of hiding the screen could make the words stop existing. It didn’t. Goodnight, mom stayed behind her eyes anyway, sharp and soft and wrong in exactly the way you knew would get under her skin.

She sat there for a long moment, listening to your mother move around upstairs, forcing herself to breathe slowly until the heat in her body became something she could at least pretend to ignore. Then she stood, went to the work bag she’d left by the hall table, and unzipped it with more force than necessary.

Case files came out first, then her notebook, then a stack of printed reports she’d meant to finish days ago. She carried them back to the kitchen table and spread them out like work could save her from herself. It had before, after all.

The familiar routine should’ve helped. Emily lined up the folders by priority, uncapped a pen, pulled the cold coffee closer, and forced her eyes onto the first report. Victimology, timeline, witness statements, geographical notes.

Solid things. Work things. Things that belonged to the life she understood, where wanting didn’t matter and facts did. She read the same paragraph three times before realizing she hadn’t absorbed a single word.

Her gaze kept sliding toward the staircase, then snapping back down to the page like she could catch herself before the thought finished forming. It was pathetic, and she knew it. Worse, it was dangerous.

She tried making notes. That usually sharpened her focus, gave her hands something useful to do, forced her mind into order. Instead, the pen hovered uselessly over the paper while her thumb rubbed once over her wedding ring.

The movement stopped her cold. She looked down at her own hand and remembered your eyes on it at dinner, remembered the way you’d stared like the gold band itself had been touching you.

She remembered your thighs tightening around her foot under the table, the little hitch in your breath when she’d pressed harder, the way your voice had thinned when your mother asked if you were okay.

Her body responded before she could stop it, a low, unwelcome pulse of arousal settling between her thighs. Emily leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. “Get it together,” she muttered to herself.

For a while, she almost managed it. She reviewed half a page of notes, corrected two dates, underlined something important enough to matter tomorrow. The dishwasher hummed through its cycle beside her, steady and domestic, while the rest of the house settled into quiet.

Your mother had gone upstairs a while ago, calling softly down for Emily not to stay up too late. Emily had answered that she wouldn’t, lying with the same ease she’d used all evening.

Hours passed in fragments, measured by the microwave clock and the cooling coffee she never drank. She should’ve felt tired by then. Instead, she felt wired, tense, too aware of the closed doors above her. Every small creak from the house made her look up.

The files became useless after midnight. Emily turned a page and realized she’d been holding the folder upside down for several seconds, which would’ve been funny if it hadn’t made her so angry with herself. She exhaled sharply, set the folder down, and rubbed both hands over her face.

The grey in her hair fell loose near her temples, and she smoothed it back with a frustrated motion that did nothing to settle her. Her phone remained face down beside her notebook. She hadn’t touched it again, but she kept feeling its presence like a dare.

Somewhere upstairs, you were behind your bedroom door, and she hated how vividly her mind filled in the rest. Your hoodie twisted up. Your leggings pulled down. Your hand between your thighs while that word sat in your mouth like a secret you’d learned how to weaponize.

Eventually, Emily closed the final folder. Not because she was finished, but because pretending had become more insulting than helpful. She stacked the case files carefully, aligning every corner with unnecessary precision, then slid them back into the leather work bag.

Her movements were controlled, almost too controlled, the kind of calm that came from forcing every impulse into a box and holding the lid down with both hands. The kitchen looked normal when she stood, which made the whole night feel even stranger.

Dessert bowls had been rinsed and stacked. The chairs were pushed in. The lamp above the counter threw a soft amber glow over everything, warm and harmless. Emily turned it off and stood in the dark for one second longer than she needed to.

She climbed the stairs quietly, one hand trailing along the banister. Each step felt louder than it should’ve in the sleeping house. At the top, she paused, listening.

No movement. No voices. Just the faint settling of old wood and the low hush of nighttime air through the vents. Her bedroom door stood slightly open, a narrow bar of darkness beyond it. Emily pushed it wider with careful fingers and looked inside.

Your mother was asleep, curled under the blankets, one arm tucked beneath her pillow, face peaceful in the dim light from the window. The sight landed in Emily’s chest like guilt, heavy and blunt.

She should’ve gone in. She should’ve changed, climbed into bed, let the night end there, and decided tomorrow that distance was the only sane option.

Instead, she stayed in the doorway, looking at the woman she’d married six months ago and feeling the full ugliness of what she’d allowed herself to want. Her wife trusted her. The house trusted her. Everyone trusted her to be controlled, responsible, safe.

Emily’s jaw tightened as she eased the door nearly shut again, leaving it open just enough not to make a sound. Then she looked down the hallway toward your room. The rational part of her mind gave her every reason to walk away. She ignored all of them before she even took the first step.

The hallway seemed longer than usual. Emily moved slowly, barefoot now, because at some point she’d slipped off her shoes without remembering doing it. Your door was closed, a thin line of darkness beneath it. She stopped outside it with her hand resting lightly against the frame, pulse far too loud in her ears.

She knew she shouldn’t be there. She knew coming this far already said too much. Still, she leaned closer, just enough to listen, just enough to see if there was any sound from the other side. Nothing at first.

Then maybe the soft shift of sheets, maybe a breath, maybe her own imagination punishing her. Emily closed her eyes for one second, opened them again, and stayed there in the dark, caught between the last good decision she could still make and the door she hadn’t yet opened.

You’re still awake when the door opens.

Not sleeping, not even close, just lying on your side with your phone clutched too tightly in one hand and your body still humming from everything you’d done to yourself. Your leggings are pulled back up, but they feel wrong now, damp and uncomfortable between your thighs, clinging to you in a way that makes you hyperaware of every twitch of your hips.

Your hoodie is still twisted around you, sleeves covering your hands, collar slipping off one shoulder from how much you’d moved. The room is dark except for the weak glow of your bedside lamp

and the pale stripe of hallway light that cuts across the floor when Emily pushes the door open. You freeze before you even see her properly. You know it’s her. Your body knows it before your brain catches up.

Emily stands in the doorway without speaking. The sight of her there, silent and grey-haired and still in that charcoal button-up, makes your stomach drop so hard it almost feels like fear. Not fear like you want her gone.

Fear like she actually came. Her face is shadowed, but you can still make out the line of her jaw, the loose strands of silver at her temples, the controlled stillness of her body as she looks at you on the bed.

One hand rests on the doorknob. The other hangs at her side, wedding ring catching the dim light like a confession neither of you can stop staring at. For a second, you don’t breathe. Then Emily steps inside and closes the door behind her with a soft click.

“You’re awake,” she says.

Her voice is quiet enough to make the room feel smaller. You shift under the covers, trying to sit up without looking like you’ve been caught doing exactly what you were doing. It doesn’t work.

Emily’s eyes move over you once, slow and precise, taking in the flushed skin, the messy hoodie, the way your thighs are pressed together under the blanket.

She doesn’t miss the phone in your hand either. She doesn’t miss anything. “Couldn’t sleep,” you say, and your voice sounds rough even to you. Emily’s mouth barely moves, but something in her expression says she expected that answer. “No,” she murmurs. “I didn’t think you could.”

You swallow hard. “Why are you here?”

That makes her pause. Her hand stays on the door for a moment longer before she lets go and steps farther into the room. “That’s a good question.” It should sound like a joke, but it doesn’t. It sounds like she’s angry with herself for not having a better answer.

She looks toward the floor, then back at you, and the weight of her gaze makes your thighs squeeze together again. Emily notices. Of course she notices. Her eyes drop briefly, and when they come back to your face, they’re darker than before. “Don’t do that,” she says quietly.

Your breath catches. “Do what?”

“Act like I didn’t see.”

Heat floods your face so fast it almost hurts. You sit up slowly, blanket slipping to your lap, hoodie bunching high on your thighs. Emily’s gaze flickers there, sharp as a blade, and you know she can see the way the leggings cling to you.

You tug the hoodie down instinctively, and her eyes lift back to yours. “Too late for modesty,” she says. The words hit low in your stomach. Your fingers curl into the blanket. “I didn’t know you were coming in.”

“No,” Emily says. “You just hoped I would.”

The silence after that feels electric. Your mouth opens, closes, then opens again around nothing. Emily takes another step closer, slow enough that you feel every inch of distance disappear.

She looks too composed for someone who shouldn’t be here, but you can see the tension under it now. The tightness in her jaw. The way her breathing isn’t quite even. The way her ringed hand flexes once at her side. “Did you touch yourself?” she asks.

Your whole body goes still.

Emily doesn’t soften the question. She doesn’t look embarrassed by it. She just watches you from the foot of your bed, her voice low and steady, like she’s asking something she already knows. Your pulse starts pounding.

“Emily,” you whisper, because saying anything else feels impossible. Her brows lift slightly. “That’s not an answer.” You look away, but only for a second before her voice cuts through the dark again. “Look at me.”

You do.

Her expression changes when she sees your face properly, sees the guilt and arousal tangled there so badly you can’t hide either one. “You did,” she says, and it isn’t a question anymore.

Your thighs press tighter under the blanket, the ache returning immediately, humiliating and hot. Emily’s eyes lower again, following the movement. “Was it enough?” she asks. The room feels too warm. Your answer is barely a breath. “No.”

Emily closes her eyes for half a second. When she opens them again, something has shifted. “You shouldn’t say things like that to me.” Her voice is rougher now, less controlled around the edges. “You know that, don’t you?”

You nod, though the motion feels weak and useless. “Then why do you keep doing it?” she asks. You don’t know if she means the texts, the staring, the word, the way you’re looking at her now. Maybe all of it. Maybe she wants you to admit every part.

“Because you keep coming back,” you whisper.

Emily’s jaw tightens.

For one second, neither of you moves. Then she laughs under her breath, not amused, not really, more like you’ve found the ugliest truth in the room and said it before she could stop you.

“You’re getting very brave for someone who couldn’t even sit through dessert.” She steps closer to the side of your bed, close enough now that you can see the faint flush at her throat, the loosened top button of her shirt, the silver in her hair catching the bedside light.

“Did you think about it?” she asks. “My foot between your legs while your mother asked if you were okay?” Your breath breaks. Emily watches the reaction with dark satisfaction. “Of course you did.”

You whisper, “Don’t say it like that.”

“Why?” Her hand reaches down, fingers brushing the edge of the blanket near your knee. “Because it makes you wet again?” She doesn’t touch you yet, not really, just lets her ringed fingers rest there, close enough to make your whole body strain toward her.

Your eyes drop to the ring before you can stop them. Emily sees it, and her mouth curves. “Still looking at it.” Her hand slides higher over the blanket, stopping just above your thigh. “Even after you came thinking about it.”

Your face burns. “How do you know?”

“Because I know you.” Her voice drops. “And because you’re not nearly as quiet as you think you are.”

The words punch the air out of your lungs. Your eyes go wide, and

Emily’s expression turns almost cruel in its restraint. “Relax,” she says softly. “She didn’t hear you.” You don’t know whether that’s a relief or a worse kind of humiliation. Your fingers tighten in the blanket, and your pulse pounds between your thighs.

Emily sits on the edge of the bed, close but not touching enough, her hip near your knee, her body angled toward you. The mattress dips under her weight, and that tiny shift makes your stomach twist. “But I did,” she says.

You can barely speak. “You heard?”

“Enough.”

Your lips part, but no sound comes out. Emily’s eyes lower to your mouth, then back to your face. “My name,” she says. “Then the other one.” Her ringed hand lifts, and two fingers catch beneath your chin, tilting your face up.

“You said it so sweetly when you thought no one could hear.” Your breath shakes. Emily leans closer, her perfume filling your head. “Say it again.”

You shake your head automatically, but the denial is weak. “Emily…”

Her thumb strokes your chin. “That’s not what I asked.”

Your chest rises too quickly. The room feels airless. Your mother is asleep down the hall, Emily is sitting on your bed, and your own body is betraying you with every pulse of heat between your legs.

You stare at the ring on her hand, then at her mouth, then at the grey in her hair. The word sits on your tongue, wrong and wanted. Not real. Never real. Just a kink sharpened by how forbidden she is. You whisper, “Mom.”

Emily’s eyes go dark.

For a second, she doesn’t move. Then her hand slides from your chin to your throat, fingers wrapping there with careful pressure, wedding ring cool against your skin. Your eyes flutter, and she inhales through her nose like the reaction hits her somewhere low.

“That’s what I thought,” she murmurs. “You ran upstairs, touched this pretty pussy, and said that while you came?” Your hips jerk under the blanket at the phrase. Emily’s grip tightens just enough to make you still. “Answer me.”

“Yes,” you breathe.

Emily closes her eyes again, slower this time, like she’s trying to survive the answer. “You’re going to ruin me,” she says quietly. It doesn’t sound like an accusation. It sounds like a fact. Then her eyes open, and the control is back, darker now. “Show me.”

Your stomach flips. “What?” Her hand leaves your throat and moves to the blanket. She pulls it back slowly, exposing your thighs, your leggings, the damp, clinging fabric between them. Her gaze drops, and her voice turns rough. “Show me what you did.”

Emily doesn’t look away when you reach for the hem of your hoodie. That’s the first thing that ruins you. There’s no polite glance toward the wall, no shameful turn of her head, no last-second attempt to pretend this isn’t happening.

She stays right there on the edge of your bed, grey-streaked hair falling loose around her face, wedding ring glinting on the hand resting against her thigh. Her gaze is dark and steady, stripped of every careful lie she’d been wearing downstairs.

“Go on,” she says quietly. “Show me.” Your fingers shake around the fabric, and Emily’s eyes follow the movement like she’s already imagining what’s underneath.

You pull the hoodie up slowly, suddenly too aware of every inch of skin being revealed. It drags over your stomach first, then your ribs, then catches briefly at your chest before you tug it over your head and drop it beside you on the bed.

The cool air hits your bare skin and makes you shiver. Your nipples are already hard, tight little peaks from the nerves, the cold, and the way Emily is looking at you like she’s forgotten she’s supposed to feel guilty.

Her eyes lower to your chest, and the sharp breath she takes is so quiet you almost miss it. Almost. “Fuck,” she murmurs, more to herself than to you, and the sound makes your thighs squeeze together before you can stop it. Emily notices that too, and her mouth curves. “Don’t hide now.”

Your hands move to your leggings next. The fabric feels obscene against you now, damp and sticky between your thighs from how wet you are, clinging to the shape of your pussy like proof. You hook your thumbs under the waistband and pause, suddenly overwhelmed by the reality of Emily sitting there watching.

Her expression doesn’t soften. If anything, it gets hungrier. “You were brave enough to touch yourself thinking about me,” she says, voice low and smooth. “You can be brave enough to take those off.”

Your face burns, but your body obeys before your pride can argue. You push the leggings down your hips, thighs, knees, then kick them off the edge of the bed with a shaky breath.

Emily’s gaze drops between your legs the second you’re bare. The silence that follows feels louder than anything she could’ve said. You’re so wet it’s impossible to hide, slick shining against your folds, your lips swollen and parted from how long you’ve been teased, touched, denied, and left alone with the thought of her.

A thin smear of arousal glistens along your inner thighs, messy from where you’d rubbed yourself earlier and then dragged the damp leggings back up like that would erase it.

Your clit is still swollen, sensitive enough that just the air against you makes your hips twitch. Emily’s jaw tightens. Her ringed hand flexes once against her thigh. For the first time all night, she doesn’t look composed at all.

You expect her to say something cruel. Something controlled. Something that makes this feel like she’s still holding the reins. Instead, she just stares at you with open, shameless lust, eyes dragging from your hardened nipples to the wet, exposed heat between your thighs and back again.

There’s guilt somewhere in her face, but it’s buried deep under hunger now, too weak to win. “You’re beautiful,” she says, and the roughness in her voice almost makes you whimper.

Then her eyes darken further. “And soaked.” Your breath catches. Emily leans forward slightly, elbows near her knees, gaze fixed between your legs like she has no intention of pretending she isn’t looking. “All that from my foot under the table?”

You swallow hard, nodding because your voice doesn’t work yet. Emily’s eyebrow lifts. “Words.” The command hits you low, familiar and devastating. “Yes,” you whisper. Your thighs try to close again, but Emily’s hand shoots out and catches your knee before you can hide.

Her fingers are warm against your skin, her wedding ring cool where it presses near the inside of your thigh. “No,” she says softly. “You wanted me to see what I did to you.” She pushes your knee outward with steady pressure. “So let me see.”

Your whole body trembles as you climb back onto the bed properly. The mattress dips beneath you, sheets wrinkling under your palms as you move backward until you’re closer to the pillows. Emily doesn’t move from the edge, but her gaze follows every shift of your body with terrifying focus.

You sit back slowly, then spread your legs like she told you to without her having to say it again. The position makes you feel exposed in a way that burns through your chest and settles hot between your thighs.

Your pussy opens under her gaze, slick and swollen, folds glistening in the low light, your entrance wet enough that you feel yourself clench around nothing. Emily exhales slowly, like she’s trying to keep whatever control she has left. It doesn’t look like much.

“Jesus,” she says under her breath. The word sounds almost reverent. Her eyes lift to your face, then drop again, unable to stay away for long. You can see the exact moment she stops pretending to be ashamed of wanting you.

It’s subtle, but it’s there, in the way her shoulders loosen, the way her mouth parts, the way her thighs press together for one brief second before she catches herself. Your stomach flips when you notice it. Emily is turned on.

Not just tempted, not just watching because you pushed her too far, but aroused, visibly affected, drawn in by the sight of you spread open on your bed. The realization makes your pussy throb so hard you can’t stop the soft sound that slips out of you.

Emily hears it, and her mouth curves. “That sound,” she says, voice dropping into something darker. “You made that when you came earlier, didn’t you?” Your face goes hot, but you nod.

“I heard enough to know,” she continues, and her ringed hand slides slowly up your thigh. Not to your pussy yet, not even close enough, just a slow, deliberate touch along your skin that makes you tremble harder. “You said my name first.”

Her fingers pause higher, close enough that your hips tilt toward her on instinct. “Then you said the other one.” Your nipples tighten even more at the memory, and Emily’s eyes flick to your chest. “You like being looked at like this, don’t you?”

“By you,” you whisper before you can stop yourself. That gets her. You see it in her face, a flicker of something hot and possessive that burns right through whatever restraint she had left. Emily moves onto the bed then, slow and deliberate, one knee pressing into the mattress between your spread legs.

She doesn’t touch your pussy yet. She braces one hand beside your hip and uses the other to trace up your stomach, over your ribs, stopping just beneath your chest. Her ring brushes your skin with every movement, cold and sinful.

“You’re making it very hard to remember why I shouldn’t touch you,” she murmurs. Your breath breaks when her thumb grazes the underside of your breast. “Maybe I don’t want you to remember.”

Emily’s gaze snaps to yours. For a second, the room is too quiet, too intimate, too full of all the lines already crossed. Then her hand slides higher, cupping your breast with a slow, possessive pressure that makes your back arch.

Her thumb rolls over your hardened nipple, and you gasp, thighs spreading wider without conscious thought. Emily watches the reaction with shameless hunger, the last of her restraint thinning into something meaner.

“Look at you,” she whispers. “Spread out for me, wet enough to ruin the sheets, nipples hard because you like knowing I’m staring.” Her thumb pinches lightly, and your hips jerk. “Filthy girl.”

“Emily,” you gasp. Her eyes narrow. “Wrong name.” Your stomach twists, pleasure and shame and want all tangling together until you can barely breathe.

Her hand leaves your breast and slides down your stomach, slow enough to make you ache for every inch. She stops just above your pussy, fingers hovering over the slick shine of you while you shake beneath her.

“Say it,” she murmurs. You stare at her, at the grey in her hair, at the wedding ring on the hand about to touch you. Then you whisper, “Mom.” Emily closes her eyes for half a second, and when she opens them, they’re completely dark.

Your fingers hover for a second before they move, trembling slightly in the space between your thighs. Emily doesn’t touch you yet, doesn’t rush you, doesn’t give you any mercy, only sits there on your bed with one knee pressed into the mattress and watches like she’s waiting to see how badly you’ll embarrass yourself for her.

The low light catches in the grey threaded through her hair, softening nothing about her expression. Her eyes stay fixed on your hand, on the way your fingertips lower slowly toward your own wetness. Your breath comes out shaky before you’ve even made contact.

“Go on,” she murmurs, voice rough and quiet. “You wanted me to see.” Your pussy clenches at the sound of her voice, slick gathering hotter between your folds. Emily’s mouth curves when she notices. “So show me exactly how you touched yourself thinking about me.”

The first touch makes your whole body jerk. Your fingertips slide over your clit, swollen and oversensitive from everything she’s done to you already, and a thin, broken sound escapes before you can stop it. Emily’s gaze lifts to your face for half a second, taking in your parted lips and wide eyes, then drops right back down.

She watches your fingers move through the slick shine of your pussy, watches the way your folds part under your own touch, watches how wet you are before you even start properly.

There’s no shame on her face now. None. She looks hungry, absorbed, openly turned on by the sight of you spread out and touching yourself for her. “That’s it,” she says softly. “Slow.”

You try to obey, but your body wants more immediately. You circle your clit with two fingers, slick enough that the glide is easy, messy, almost too sensitive. Your hips lift into your hand, and Emily’s eyes narrow. “I said slow.”

Her voice doesn’t rise, but the command lands hard enough to make you freeze. Your hand stills against your pussy, fingertips wet and trembling.

Emily’s gaze drags up your body, over your stomach, your chest, your hardened nipples, then back to your face. “You’re not in charge just because it’s your hand.” Heat rushes through you so fast your thighs shake.

“Sorry,” you whisper.

Emily tilts her head. “Try again.”

Your throat works around the word before you can stop it. “Sorry, mom.”

Her expression changes. It’s small, just the faintest tightening in her jaw and the slow drag of her eyes back down between your thighs, but you feel it everywhere.

The word sits in the room like something lit from underneath, wrong and filthy and powerful only because both of you know it isn’t real. Emily’s wedding ring flashes as her hand settles beside your hip, close but not touching. “Better,” she murmurs. “Now keep going.”

You let out a shaky breath and start moving again, slower this time, rubbing your clit in careful circles while she watches every twitch of your body. The obedience makes you wetter, makes the slick sound of your fingers louder in the quiet room.

Emily’s breathing changes before her face does. It’s subtle, but you catch it, the way her chest rises a little faster, the way her lips part when your fingers dip lower and slide through your folds. Her thighs press together once where she sits, a brief, involuntary movement that makes something hot and proud bloom inside you.

She wants this. She wants you. She’s trying to control it, trying to keep herself still, but her eyes betray her every time your fingers brush your entrance. “Don’t look so pleased with yourself,” she says, though her voice is rougher than before. “You’re the one spread open for me.”

The words make you whimper, and your fingers slip inside yourself before you really decide to do it. Only one at first, slow and shallow, your body so wet it takes you easily. Emily’s gaze sharpens.

Her ringed hand flexes against the sheets, knuckles tightening like she’s fighting the urge to replace your hand with hers. You curl your finger inside yourself, trying to find the angle she’d found so easily earlier, but it isn’t the same.

It’s not deep enough, not firm enough, not her. Your frustration spills out as a needy little sound. Emily hears it and smiles, slow and cruel. “Not as good when it’s you, is it?”

You shake your head, cheeks burning. “No.”

“No what?”

You know she’s doing it on purpose. You know she wants the word again, wants you to make it worse because she likes how badly it affects both of you. Your finger moves inside you, slick and slow, thumb finding your clit again as your eyes flutter.

“No, mom,” you breathe. Emily inhales through her nose, gaze locked on the place where your hand disappears between your thighs. “God,” she mutters, almost too quietly. “You’re a problem.”

Your other hand drifts up to your chest, fingers brushing over your own nipple because you need more sensation, more pressure, more of anything while she keeps staring at you like that. The second you pinch it, your pussy clenches around your finger, and Emily’s eyes flick up to watch your face.

“Sensitive?” she asks. You nod, rubbing your clit faster despite trying to listen. “Words.” “Yes,” you gasp. “I’m sensitive.” Emily’s mouth curves. “I can see that.” Her gaze drops to your chest again, watching your nipple tighten between your fingers. “You get like this when you know I’m looking?”

You nod again before remembering her rule. “Yes, mom.”

The praise is quiet when it comes. “Good girl.” It wrecks you instantly. Your hips roll into your hand, finger sliding deeper, thumb pressing harder against your clit while your back arches off the mattress. Emily moves closer then, not enough to touch where you need her, but enough that her presence becomes overwhelming.

Her hand settles on your inner thigh, ring cool against your heated skin, holding you open when your legs try to close. “No hiding,” she says. “You don’t get to spread yourself out for me and then get shy when I actually watch.”

“I can’t,” you whimper, even though you keep going.

“You can.” Emily’s thumb strokes the inside of your thigh, dangerously close to your slick folds but still withholding. “You already did once tonight.” Her eyes meet yours, dark and knowing. “Tell me what you thought about.” Your hand falters.

“Emily…” Her fingers tighten lightly on your thigh. “Tell me.” Your breath shakes as your thumb circles your clit, pleasure winding tighter, hotter. “Your ring,” you admit, voice barely there. “Your hand. Your foot under the table.”

Emily’s gaze goes almost black. “And?”

You whine because you know what she wants. She knows you know. She waits, patient and ruthless, while your own fingers keep moving in wet, desperate little strokes. Your body is too far gone to lie well. “You hearing me,” you whisper.

“You coming upstairs.” Emily’s lips part, and for once, she doesn’t have a quick response ready. The sight makes your pussy clench hard around your finger. “You making me say it.”

Her hand slides higher on your thigh, stopping just short of touching your pussy. “Say it now.”

You shake your head, overwhelmed, but your body betrays you again, hips lifting toward her hand. Emily doesn’t give in. She just keeps you open, watching your own fingers stretch and rub and fail to satisfy you the way hers would. “Say it,” she repeats, softer. “The way you said it when you thought I couldn’t hear.”

Your eyes burn, your breath breaking into something pathetic. Your thumb circles faster, your finger curling inside yourself, and the word comes out on a whimper. “Mom.”

Emily’s expression cracks. Not fully, but enough. Enough that you see the want slam into her, see her swallow, see her ringed hand grip your thigh harder as if she needs to hold onto something that isn’t control. “Again,” she says.

“Mom,” you gasp, louder this time, and the sound pushes you closer to the edge so fast your whole body tightens.

Emily leans in, her mouth close to your ear now, her hair brushing your cheek. “That’s it,” she murmurs. “Make yourself cum like you did before.” Her voice drops lower, rough with her own arousal. “Let me watch what that word does to you.”

You add a second finger with a broken moan, stretching yourself, trying to take more because she’s looking at you like she wants to ruin you properly. It’s messy, slick, almost too much, your pussy swallowing your fingers while your thumb works your clit in frantic little circles.

Emily’s hand stays on your thigh, holding you open, her wedding ring cold against your skin. “Pretty,” she says, almost under her breath. “So fucking pretty like this.”

You’re shaking now, too close to be embarrassed by the sounds you’re making. Your fingers move faster, wet and clumsy, your thighs trembling around Emily’s hand as she watches without blinking.

The room feels airless, every little noise too loud, the slick movement of your hand, your broken breathing, Emily’s rough inhale when you moan that word again. “Please,” you whimper, though you don’t know what you’re asking for.

Emily’s thumb presses into your thigh. “Don’t ask me for permission if you’re going to use your own hand.” Her mouth hovers near your jaw. “Earn it.”

That sends you over the edge. Your orgasm builds from deep in your stomach and snaps through you hard, your back arching, fingers buried inside yourself, thumb rubbing desperately over your clit as you come. You say the word again when it hits, broken and breathless and filthy, your pussy clenching around your fingers in wet pulses.

Emily watches the whole thing with open hunger, her hand tightening on your thigh, her breath catching against your cheek. “There you go,” she murmurs, voice rough enough to make you shake harder. “That’s it.”

Your hips keep twitching, pleasure rolling through you in hot waves while slick smears over your fingers and inner thighs. Emily’s eyes stay fixed between your legs until the last aftershock leaves you trembling.

When you finally go limp against the pillows, your hand still rests between your thighs, fingers wet and useless. Emily doesn’t move for a long second.

She just looks at you, chest rising unevenly, grey hair falling forward, expression dark with want she’s stopped pretending not to feel. Then her gaze lifts to your face. “You’re impossible,” she says quietly.

You laugh once, breathless and shaky. “You came in.” Emily’s mouth tightens, but she doesn’t deny it. Her ringed fingers slide slowly from your thigh to your wrist, lifting your slick hand between you. “And you’re going to clean up the mess you made before I decide what happens next.”

Emily’s fingers close around your wrist before you can lower your hand. For one second, you think she’s going to guide it to your own mouth, make you taste yourself while she watches with that dark, unreadable patience. Instead, she lifts your slick fingers to her lips. Your breath catches so hard it almost hurts.

Emily doesn’t look away from you as her mouth closes around them, warm and deliberate, her eyes staying fixed on yours while she sucks them clean. The sight steals whatever air you had left. Her wedding ring presses against your wrist, cool and polished, while her tongue moves slowly over your skin like she’s making a point of every second.

You go still beneath her. Too still, maybe, except for the trembling you can’t quite control. Emily hums softly around your fingers, and the sound slides through your body like another touch, low and obscene and far too pleased. She takes her time, dragging her mouth off them slowly, lips wet, gaze heavy.

Your own taste is on her tongue now. Your own mess is on her mouth. She looks composed and ruined at the same time, grey hair loose around her face, blouse slightly rumpled, cheeks faintly flushed from watching you fall apart for her. “There,” she murmurs, voice rough. “Clean.”

You don’t know who moves first. Maybe you do. Maybe you lean up because you can’t stand the distance anymore, or maybe Emily decides she’s denied herself enough for one night. Either way, her mouth is on yours a second later, deep and hard and devastatingly controlled. You taste yourself on her immediately, slick and intimate, and a broken noise escapes into the kiss.

Emily swallows it. Her hand slides to the back of your neck, holding you there, thumb pressing just beneath your jaw. The kiss turns slower after the first hungry rush, but not softer. It feels like a warning. Like a promise she has no intention of keeping tonight but every intention of remembering.

You reach for her without thinking, hands catching in the front of her shirt, trying to pull her closer onto the bed. Emily lets you for half a second. Just long enough for your body to mistake it for permission. Then she pulls back, breathing unevenly, her mouth hovering close enough that you chase it with a needy little sound.

Her eyes flick down to your lips, then back up. There’s lust there, unmistakable now, shameless in a way she hadn’t allowed herself before. But there’s control too. Brutal, deliberate control. “But not tonight,” she says.

The words land like denial and command at once. Your face crumples before you can stop it, lips parting around a whine you’re too exhausted and turned on to swallow.

“Mom,” you whisper, still clutching at her shirt. Her expression tightens at the sound of her name, but she doesn’t give in. Her hand closes over yours and carefully peels your fingers from the fabric.

“No,” she says softly. “Not tonight.” She sits back from you slowly, and the absence of her heat feels cruel after everything. Your thighs twitch together, your body still wanting, still aching, still stupid enough to hope.

Emily notices that too. Of course she does. Her gaze drops between your legs, lingering on the slick shine still visible against your skin, the flushed softness of your thighs, the mess you made of yourself because of her. Her jaw flexes once.

For a second, you think she might break anyway. You think she might crawl back over you, put her mouth where her eyes are fixed, make you come again until you forget how to speak. Instead, she exhales and stands. The bed shifts when her weight leaves it, and you hate how empty the mattress feels.

“I need to get back to my wife,” she says.

It’s cruel because it’s true. Crueller because she says it while looking at you like she wants to crawl back into bed with you and ruin every careful line she just drew. You stare at her, chest rising too fast, your body bare and open and still trembling under the covers she hasn’t bothered to pull over you.

Emily smooths her shirt with one hand, then pushes her grey-streaked hair back from her face. Her wedding ring catches the bedside light as she does it, and your eyes follow the movement immediately. She sees. Her mouth curves. “Still?” she asks softly.

You don’t answer. You can’t. Emily steps closer again, just enough to make your breath hitch, then reaches down and pulls the blanket over your hips with a tenderness so sharp it almost hurts. Her fingertips brush your thigh before she lets go.

“Sleep,” she says. The word should be simple. It isn’t. Not in her voice. Not with her mouth still damp from your fingers and her eyes still black with everything she’s refusing to do. You swallow hard, staring up at her from the bed. “Are you really leaving?”

Emily’s smirk returns slowly, meaner this time, threaded with something almost fond. “Yes.” She leans down, close enough that her perfume fills your head again.

Her hand settles briefly at your throat, thumb brushing the place where her ring had pressed earlier. “Because if I stay,” she murmurs, “you won’t sleep at all.” Your eyes flutter at the touch, and she laughs quietly under her breath. “And neither will I.”

She straightens before you can reach for her again. At the door, she pauses with one hand on the knob, looking back at you sprawled beneath the blanket, flushed and dazed and still breathing like she’s touching you.

For a moment, all the sharpness leaves her face. Then she puts it back on like a mask. The wife. The profiler. The woman who can walk out of your room and into another bed without showing the war under her skin. Her thumb turns her wedding ring once. Twice. Then she smiles.

“Sweet dreams,” Emily says, voice low enough to make your stomach twist.

She opens the door just a crack, letting the hallway darkness spill in around her. Before she steps out, she glances back one last time, eyes dragging over your face, your swollen mouth, the hand still curled in the sheets where she’d sucked your fingers clean. Her smirk sharpens.

“Daughter.”

Then she’s gone, closing the door softly behind her, leaving you alone in the dark with your body still shaking and that word burning worse than any touch.

It’s not that Amelia dislikes you, she’s just… wary.

As Emily told you, it’s only been the two of them for a very long time. It’s understandable that the sixteen year old would be guarded with anyone entering their lives.

Still, it stings a little how cold she is. You can't hold it against her, she's just a kid and you're supposed to be the responsible adult. Except, Amy is just as good at the cold stare as her mother, making you feel like a teenager again, shy and uncomfortable around the mean girls at school.

You try to toe the line between making an effort and not trying too hard. You come over for dinners, but not always, sometimes explaining to Emily that you want to give Amelia a little space, before kissing her pout away. You ask her about school, but don't push when she looks at you with that face, Emily's face, except with much less delight and a lot more disgust.

Emily says give it time, she'll come around. But you hate imposing, you hate that your presence makes Amelia uncomfortable in her own home. She's never been outrightly rude to you, never disrespectful, she's just uninterested, and you don't want to force anything, don't want to take away the time she could be having with her mother. You know she's a classic teenager, of course, she still argues with Emily and tells her she's embarrassing, but you know she loves to spend time with her mom at home. She loves cuddling on the couch to watch a movie, or making dinner and talking about her friends at school. You could never fault her for that, and would never take it away from her.

When Emily calls once in the middle of the day, you're surprised. She knows it's your day off, but you're immediately worried something is wrong, since she's usually so busy she can't even reply to texts. Especially today, that she was going to spend it entirely with Amelia.

Turns out, she's being called in on a situation. It's local, so, thankfully, they don't have to travel, but she needs to go to the FBI immediately. Having promised Amy a shopping spree, she calls you in the hopes you can take her daughter to the mall. You have to confirm with her at least five times that Amelia is actually okay with it, and not just agreeing to appease her mother.

Of course you say yes. You'd love to spend time with her, but you're a little scared. Since Emily's being called away, breaking a promise she probably made a while ago, you're certain Amelia must be in a sour mood. Not being her favorite person on a good day, you're afraid of ruining the girl's day even more by being there. Nevertheless, Emily assures you she wants to go, and that everything will be fine. She trusts you — she doesn't say it outright, but it's heavily implied, and you don't want to let her down.

Emily's already driving to work, so you drive over to their house to pick Amelia up. Your heart squeezes when you take in her outfit, clearly planned for a day out with her mother. You usually see Amy in sweatpants and hoodies, since she's a girl who opts for comfort most of the time. She's always in a different variation of the same outfit, complete with colorful socks when you're spending time at home. Today, she has on a plaid skirt, a shirt you can't catch the reference of, and a bomber jacket you're pretty sure belongs to Emily. Her hair is in two cute braids, and she has a light shimmer of makeup on, just some blush and mascara, but it shows she put effort into it. You wish she was having her mother-daughter shopping spree, but you're determined to give her a good day either way.

She gets in the passenger seat, throwing a tote bag near her feet. A greeting is mumbled, but you don't push for more, already driving towards her favorite mall.

After a while, you take a chance, “-you looking for anything specific at the mall?”

“Not really,” she says, looking out the window.

“I have the whole day, so don't hold back. We can go to any store you want.”

“Okay,” Amelia mutters, but not unkindly. You can tell she's upset, but she's also trying to be nice in between all of her emotions, so you have to give her some credit. “There's a new cafe, so I actually wanted to try their iced matcha.”

Surprised she's even sharing her plans, you smile, “okay! I love iced coffee, even if your mother can't stand it.”

Amy actually chuckles, “she's so affronted by it, it's kinda ridiculous.”

Deciding not to insist, you stay silent the rest of the drive, but can hear Amy softly singing along to whatever is on the radio.

The mall isn't too full for a Saturday. Before anything else, you get Amelia her matcha and yourself an iced latte. She grins when the barista hands her her drink, pointing at the strawberry foam on top she says she can't find anywhere else. Your drink is simple, but nice to have on this hot day, and their coffee is pretty good.

She's still quiet, but her face isn't as closed off as before. You know Emily handed Amy her credit card, so you don't worry too much about it, aware your girlfriend is desperately trying to make it up to her daughter for missing this. You walk around for a little bit before Amelia decides to go into any store. When she finally does, it's a Sephora, and you're immediately hit with all the perfume scents they're selling.

Wandering aimlessly, you let Amy walk a little in front of you, giving her space to peruse without it seeming like you're rushing her. You look at some stuff for yourself, but neither of you end up getting anything, and continue on your way to a clothing store.

For a while, it's much of the same. Amy walking in front, looking at everything, and you mostly observing her, attempting to not be overbearing. You don't really take note of what stores you're going inside of, and when you realize, Amelia's already got two paper bags from different clothing stores.

In an Urban Outfitters, though, there's a small shift. She turns to you, holding jeans up to her waist, “do you like this?”

They're just jeans, you guess, but this is a moment. “Um, yeah. I like the slightly flared legs.”

She nods absentmindedly, looking down at the hanger in her hand, “I was wondering if it's too flared.”

You go back and forth for a little bit, her picking up other styles of pants and you giving simple comments on it. In the end, of course, it's her decision, but you're sort of proud she took your opinions into consideration. She ends up leaving with two different pairs of jeans and a vest top.

It was already after lunch when you arrived, but after walking around for a while, Amelia says she's hungry, and asks if you like Arab food. After your confirmation, she mentions a place with, according to her, the best shawarma she's ever had. Happy to get some food, you walk over, glad Amy seems to have opened up a little bit, and actually seems to be enjoying her day as much as possible.

Once you're finally sitting down and eating, all of Amelia's bags at your feet, she looks like she wants to say something. You don't ask, letting her have her time. After a bit, she speaks.

“Thanks for coming with me,” she says, her voice low and sort of shy, much like Emily's when she's uncomfortable talking about feelings. “Mom said it's your day off work so you could be doing anything else.”

“Oh,” you want her to reassure her, but not embarrass her, and, God, is it a hard line to toe. “I wasn't doing anything.”

“Still,” she insists after a bite of her chicken wrap, “you didn't have to come. So, thank you, I'm having a good time.”

You smile, your voice softening unconsciously, “of course, Amy.”

After pondering something, you decide to explain your reticence in coming.

“I knew you'd be upset your mom couldn't come, so I didn't want to intrude even more on your day,” you say, biting your lip with uncertainty. “I just wanted to lift your mood a little, and I'm having a good time, too.”

Amelia, almost, sort of smiles. “You did.”

Leaving it at that, you smile at her and continue to eat, only stopping when your phone rings. You're sure you put it on Do Not Disturb, so it has to be Emily or your mother, the only people allowed through — there's also Amelia, in case of emergencies, but she's sitting right there, so not her.

Picking up, your eyes widen with surprise. It's not Emily's voice on the other side, but JJ's.

“Hey, is everything okay?” You ask in an even voice, not wanting to alarm Amy, who's still happily eating on the other side of the table.

“It's Emily,” she says, and your heart practically drops into your stomach. “She's fine, conscious, don't worry.”

“Hm?” You only hum, a little nervous at her tone, but still trying to keep it from reaching Amy.

“She got into an altercation with an UnSub, hit her head a little, but they said she doesn't seem to be concussed.” JJ continues, and you can tell she's distressed, even if she's trying to reassure you. “The guy had a knife, hit her arm, but they've stopped the bleeding and she's all bandaged up now.”

“Jesus,” you mumble despite yourself. “I'm with Amelia now. We're gonna go over there. Can you text me the address?”

“Of course. They're keeping her in for a while for observation, because of the hit to her head, but don't worry, she's fine and telling everyone off for trying to coddle her.”

You huff out an incredulous laugh. That's Emily.

After hanging up, you wipe your mouth with a napkin, wondering how to tell Amelia about this.

“Everything okay?” She asks carefully, having picked up on the conversation when you mentioned her name.

“Yeah, everything's fine,” you start, taking your time and knowing you shouldn't. “Your mom got a bit hurt on the case,” taking note of Amy's worried eyes, you are quick to continue, “she's fine! JJ said she's already complaining about being in the hospital, but I think it'd be best if we went over there.”

“Of course!” She exclaims, already gathering her stuff and leaving a third of a shawarma on her plate. You feel your chest constrict at her nervousness, knowing she might've gone through this many times in her life, but it never gets easier. You're also worried sick, even with JJ's reassurances, but it hurts your heart to see Amy so agitated.

Not wanting to make her even more anxious, you keep up with her pace as you both leave the mall, each one with their minds on Emily in their own ways.

At the hospital, it doesn't take long to be let through. When they're given the all clear, a nurse walks them to a curtained off area of the ER. You'd already talked to JJ at the waiting area, so now you were both eager to see that Emily was fine with your own eyes.

When Amy pulls the curtain open, Emily's already speaking, “I'm fine, I'm totally fine.” But Amelia is having none of it, walking over fast and hugging her mother around the neck.

Standing back, glad to see that Emily does look okay, you let them have their moment. There will be time for you later. Still, she looks at you over Amy's shoulder and smiles, which makes you release a deep breath.

“What happened?” Amy asks, exasperated.

Emily places a hand on her daughter's cheek, caressing her soft skin with her thumb. “I’m okay, baby. The guy just surprised me, is all.” You had explained to Amelia what JJ had said about her mom's injuries, but since you were also not very sure of anything, couldn't tell her much.

“You really need to stop scaring me like this,” Amy complains, hiding her face in her mom's neck. Pulling back indignantly, she continues, “I'm only sixteen and I already have stress induced gray hairs because of you.”

You chuckle, finally sitting down on a chair near the bed. It's not so close that you can touch Emily, but still good in the small space. From here, you can see both Prentiss girls much better.

“Don't be dramatic, Amy,” Emily says good-naturedly. She kisses her daughter's cheek. “You didn't have to cut your day short because of me.”

You let out a laugh at her words, “after you scared us half to death there was no more shopping to be done.”

Emily shakes her head. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, but there's a slight indent where her hair tie probably was. There's some color to her face, which you're glad to see, but she's not wearing her own shirt, which was probably dirty with blood. Someone has given her scrubs, but she's still in her work pants, stubborn as ever.

“Amy, come show me what's in your bags, I think I'm gonna be here a while.”

Later, after Rossi offers to take Amelia to the cafeteria, despite her arguing that she's not hungry, you finally get a moment alone with Emily.

She's looking at you guardedly, probably worried about your reaction. You told her to be careful, after all.

You sit next to her thigh on the hospital bed, taking one of her hands in both of yours. Letting out a sigh, you finally speak, “I really was worried sick.”

Emily grimaces guiltily, “I'm sorry, I didn't even want JJ to call you.”

“Are you insane?” You ask, incredulously. “I have to know these things, Emily. It's not because you're not on your deathbed that I don't deserve to know what happened to you.”

She bites her lip, “I just- didn't want you to be worried. Or Amy.”

Deflating, you pull her head closer with a hand on the back of her neck and kiss her forehead, lingering for a little bit and smelling the coconut scent of her shampoo. “You don't have to apologize, Em. But I'm always gonna worry, no matter if it's a concussion or a paper cut.”

Emily lifts her head, asking for a kiss with the tiniest pout. You comply, sighing into it and finally relaxing after some stressful couple of hours.

Pulling back, she still has her eyes closed when she asks, “how was Amy at the mall?”

Smiling, you think back on your day. “Actually, she was very sweet. Maybe we made some progress today, I don't know.” Shrugging, you don't want to get ahead of yourself. You're grateful for your nice day out, glad that Amelia seems to have warmed up a little bit, but you know how teenage girls are — hell, you were one yourself some time ago. “But I'll tell you later. Now, I'm gonna tell you about how I'm gonna spoil you rotten for the next few days.”

“Oh, babe,” she smiles, “you're so good to me.”

“After you get better, though, I'm ripping you a new one for scaring both me and your daughter.”

Emily is still smiling when you hear a throat being cleared by the makeshift doorway. Amelia stands there, holding two paper cups, and you're not sure of how long she's been listening in. There's no disgust in her eyes at seeing you and Emily together, only curiosity and something like understanding.

“Hi, honey,” Emily says. You get up, placing a kiss on her temple and moving back to your spot on the hospital chair.

“I brought hot chocolates. Nurse said you could have one.” She hands Emily one of the cups, and surprising nearly everyone in the room, gives you the other. “Uncle Rossi talked to the doctor and he said it'll only be a couple of hours ‘til they discharge you.”

“You two should go home,” Emily starts, already getting indignant looks in response. “I'm okay, you can wait for me at home and Dave will drive me.”

Amelia, looking every bit like her mother, stubbornly sits on Emily's bed, crossing her arms. “Good luck getting me out of here.”

Emily rolls her eyes, then winces at the remnants of her headache.

“I've never heard anything more appalling,” you say, rolling your own eyes at Emily. “We're taking you home, Emily, don't fight it.”

Emily sighs, “maybe I liked it better when you two didn't get along.”

The air conditioning in the FBI building is a welcomed relief. It's been uncomfortable outside, hot and humid, and just the quick walk from your car to the front doors left you kind of sweaty. In your arms, your fourteen month old daughter babbles away, a small frown on her face, as if she's considering life's greatest questions — you can't help but see a lot of Emily in her.

Recently, Emily's been getting home earlier, spending less time at the office, and the reason for it is Ella. Since being born, she's had both you and your wife wrapped around her finger, and Emily decreasing her workload is only one of her indirect doings.

After a long case that spanned over a week, today is a Friday of only paperwork and the lone meeting for the BAU's Unit Chief, so you seize the opportunity to bring your daughter along for a surprise lunch. You've got a packed bag and, hopefully, you and Ella will be able to convince Emily to eat at the park. If not, you'll just have lunch in her office like you've done many times before.

Arriving at your destination, you hear a gasp and quick, heeled steps coming in your direction from an overexcited Penelope. Ella finally stops babbling, smiling widely at one of her aunties as she approaches. Your friend is cooing over the little girl's outfit, her gingham patterned shorts and light blue bucket hat to protect her skin from the sun.

Laughing, you remove Ella's hat, freeing her pigtails — if they can be called that. Her short, fine hair is clumped into two tiny sections, which hopefully will get easier to do as her hair grows. For now, they look like two little tufts. Still, you enjoy styling it when she lets you, spending one on one time with your baby girl.

After greeting everyone and letting them fawn over Ella, you finally make your way to Emily's office. Knocking softly, you open it when you hear her "come in", standing in the doorway for a second. She's looking down, her glasses on and a frown not too dissimilar from Ella's earlier, scribbling something on a case file. When you stay silent, she looks up, already opening her mouth to ask what it is before seeing you both standing there.

The effect is immediate. Her forehead smooths, her eyes light up and her lips open in a delighted gasp. “My baby!” She exclaims, standing up and quickly walking in your direction, arms already outstretched for her daughter.

Ella practically dives into Emily's arms, calling Mama over and over with a huge grin. She inhales your daughter's baby scent, closing her eyes and squeezing the little girl to her heart's content.

“What are you doing here?” She asks, still beaming as you close her office door behind you.

“We've come to sneak you away for lunch, if you can spare the time.”

“Of course,” she replies, sitting down on her office couch. Ella, on her lap, is turned toward her mother, looking up and babbling her own made up words.

You move to sit next to Emily, setting down all of your bags. “Do I get a kiss or just Ella?”

Emily turns to you with a smile, “sorry, baby.” Kissing you softly, but lingering, she only pulls back when your daughter places a hand on her cheek, calling for her attention. “You look beautiful,” she says, looking at you with those adoring eyes you could never get enough of. “And so do you, princess.” Turning to Ella, she kisses your baby's cheeks in rapid succession, getting a belly laugh in return.

“I was thinking we could eat at the park,” you start, pulling Ella's hat from her bag, “I brought her hat.” Then, you place it over her head, adjusting it and smiling at her cuteness. Emily does the same.

“Aw,” she coos uncharacteristically. “You look so cute, bug.” Bouncing her legs a little, she gets more giggles out of Ella. “What do you say, you wanna go to the park?” She asks in a soft, but serious voice.

Emily was the kind of mom who didn't want anyone speaking with her kid in a baby voice. She'd argue it would impair her speech development. And yet, she never spoke in an overly severe tone, even being caught softening her voice when Ella was about to fall asleep on her chest or shoulder, her favorite places.

“I made your favorite,” you say, getting up and grabbing bags. Since this was supposed to be a quick visit, you decided getting Ella's stroller would be too much trouble, and Emily would always want to carry her everywhere, anyway.

“You're a godsend,” she exhales, standing up with Ella in her arms and adjusting the girl on her hip. “My meeting this morning was so long.”

“Maybe we could get some cinnamon rolls at that corner bakery before coming back.” Smiling, you both make your way out of Emily's office. “Nothing like a sweet treat to get your energy up.”

“I'd like that,” she grins, then looks down to speak with Ella again. She spends almost the entire way to the park conversing with your little girl, sometimes getting babbles in response, other times some broken up words or just giggles.

Your daughter really, really adores her mother. You could tell from the joy on her face whenever Emily spoke to her, or from the way she always opened her arms, asking for Emily to hold her, no matter whose lap she was in before. Of course, you know your wife is just as enamored with your baby as she is with her. She's been obsessed with tracing every little feature on Ella's face ever since she was born, memorizing every line and wrinkle that has smoothed as the months passed.

Being able to witness Emily care for Ella has been your greatest joy. There's no happiness like the one on Emily's face whenever she's holding your baby, no other elation compares to the one she has as she gets another giggle or snuggle. She's so patient with her, knowing just how to soothe her tantrums and how to coax her into doing what's needed. You didn't expect otherwise, but Emily is a natural. After almost ten months of her worrying about her abilities as a mother, especially because of her strained relationship with her own, you’re glad she fell into the role so seamlessly. The moment she laid eyes on Ella, she was gone.

Amelia has a boyfriend. Which is, you know, fine. Normal, even, for a seventeen year old.

Except when that seventeen year old is the daughter of one Emily Prentiss.

Emily doesn't like the idea. Hadn't, even when Amelia was 13 and had a “relationship” in middle school. Of course, you hadn't been there for that, but Amelia used it as an argument in many discussions with her mother, especially when annoyed about Emily's overprotection.

Alright, you remember what being a teenage girl was like. Your parents were constantly out to get you, even if they weren't, even if they really were worried about drugs, predators or something worse. You know that Amy will see it soon, she'll understand Emily's view on it when she's older, when she's not infatuated. You're sure of it.

That doesn't mean she understands it now.

In the living room, you've been witness to a few arguments. From the day Amelia sat Emily down and said she had a boyfriend, until today, when she sat her mom down, again, to ask if said boyfriend can sleep over.

“Absolutely not,” Emily says, once again.

“Why?!” Amelia exclaims, her face indignant, just like Emily's. “What difference does it make if he sleeps over or not?”

Her mother sighs. You stay very, very quiet.

“The difference is I don't want him to.”

“Oh, great argument, mom.” Amelia scoffs, “very convincing.”

Emily stands up, moving away from the couch to pace away her stress. “I'm your mother, I don't need to convince you of anything.”

Amy presses her lips together for a second. Then, in an honestly shocking action, calls your name. You look up at her, confused.

“Tell her she's being unreasonable.”

Widening your eyes, you notice Emily is also looking at you and waiting for an answer. Her eyebrow raised in a challenge.

“Oh,” you chuckle forcedly, “I'm not getting in the middle of that.”

“Why not?!” Amelia asks, waving her arms around indignantly. “You're getting married,” she gestures at the ring on your left hand, still recent and shocking to you when you look down at it. “You're like, practically, my mom too, right? You should have a say in this.”

Lips parted in surprise, you look over at Emily, whose shoulders have dropped ever so slightly. She nods, “tell us what you think.”

Clearing your throat, you look between them for a moment. God, it's annoying how much they can't see that they're exactly the same.

“Um, I don't see much of a difference if he's coming over, anyway,” you say, finally, and Amelia looks at you triumphantly. She points, making a face at her mother that says see?

In a second, you lift up a hand to stop her. “But, you said you'd just be sleeping, right? So, no harm in keeping the door open through the night.”

Amy scoffs, “that's ridiculous.”

Well, you don't really believe that. You're trying to be diplomatic, whatever, sue you. Of course, it doesn't make a difference if the door is open or not. If Amelia wants to have sex, she'll find a way to do it, at home or somewhere else. You'd much rather it be at home, safely, and you just want some time to discuss it, properly, with Emily before she has a stress induced stroke.

You look at Amy, begging her to understand that you need time to help Emily get used to the idea. She seems to get the hint.

“He can come over for dinner, and then he can stay over. Door open, that's it.”

You both look at Emily, bracing for her reaction. She keeps her arms crossed, lips pursed, but relents. “Fine. No closing the door and for one night. I need to meet him.”

Amelia looks at you gratefully, then thanks her mom, quickly darting away to her room with the excuse of telling Nick the good news. You take a deep breath, turning to Emily, who's still fuming, by the looks of it.

You walk towards her slowly, then softly uncross her arms for her, wrapping them around yourself. Resting your hands on her shoulders, you lock eyes, waiting. Emily sighs, again, like she has the weight of the world on her back.

“Compromises,” you say, trying to get her to understand.

“I guess,” she shrugs. Her lips are still in the cutest pout, though you'd never tell her that.

“Wouldn't you rather they sleep here instead of somewhere you don't know?”

“I'd rather they not sleep together at all,” she says indignantly.

You bite your lip to contain a smile, knowing it'll just add to her distress. “She'll be fine, she's a smart girl. Besides, if she wants to do something more, she'll find the time, even if it is in the middle of the day,” you say carefully. “You remember what being a teenager was like.”

Emily nods, “that's what worries me.”

In the end, dinner comes and goes easily. Nick sleeps over, they keep the door open, and Emily doesn't end up having a stroke. She even likes him, as much as she can. He seems like a good kid, and after dinner they even studied together in the den, so you're guessing this is as good as it'll get when considering 17 year olds.

Emily was touched that Amelia asked for your opinion. She'd smiled about it and kissed your cheek, and you told her she was allowed to say I told you so if she wanted to. She did tell you Amy would come around, and she had, a while ago as well. Now, though, after you got engaged, it seemed she was even more welcoming of your place in her life.

After a half day of work, your boss ends up letting you go home to finish everything remotely. It's a slow day, so there’s no need for you to be at the office, and you'll take any opportunity you can to work from home. As you drive, you call Emily to let her know about your change in plans and ask what she wants for dinner, figuring you'll whip something up in case she gets home late.

At the house, which you, sometimes, still can't believe you can call yours, you finally sigh after getting in, tired from the drive back. It's eerily quiet, which is to be expected. In the middle of the day, on a Friday, Emily at work and Amelia at school, you hope the silence doesn't lull you to sleep over your laptop and you actually manage to get some work done. Deciding you'll grab a coffee to keep you company, you leave your stuff in Emily's office, since you're both still working on redecorating the spare room as an office for you, and start towards the kitchen. You greet Leo in the hallway, scratching between his ears and letting him go when he quickly skips away.

On the way there, though, you hear a noise from the second floor. Immediately startled, you try to rationalize that it must be the wind, or one of the windows moving with the force of it. A beat later, though, you hear it again.

Reaching the second floor, you realize the sounds are coming from Amelia's room. The door is closed, so you guess she must've forgotten the window open, as usual, and there's a branch or something hitting the glass. Hoping there isn't actually an intruder, and praying to whoever is listening that if there is one, they haven't been able to get into Emily's gun safe, or you're about to be in big trouble.

Telling yourself you're being paranoid, you slowly open the door to Amelia's room, bracing yourself for someone to come swinging or pointing a gun at your face.

What greets you isn't that, but something much worse.

Sure, that's really dramatic, though the thought of explaining this to Emily brings immediate nausea, and your eyes widen in shock as you take in the scene.

Amelia yelps, hiding herself under the comforter, as you finally get control of your body back, slamming the door and walking quickly down the stairs. Defeated, you already know you won't be getting any work done today.

Because Amelia is home when she should've been at school. And Emily hadn't said anything, which indicated she was skipping class, a whole other can of worms that you don't want to unpack right now. And Amelia is home with her boyfriend, door closed, when they both should've been at school.

If you’re trying to grasp at silver linings, at least they were both clothed.

Although they were, most definitely, making out on Amy's bed. With the door closed. Skipping school. While Emily was at work, completely oblivious.

And, shit, you're going to have to tell Emily about this.

No matter what Amelia sees you as, no matter that you're finally growing into a proper role in her life. Emily has to know. And, fuck, you were the one who encouraged her to be fine with this relationship, you said Amelia was smart, you said she knew what she was doing,

And now Amelia is skipping school to make out or do God knows what with her boyfriend.

Oh, Emily's never gonna let you make a decision about this ever again.

It takes a few minutes for Amy to come find you, but she does, eventually.

You're sat at the dining table, staring at your laptop screen, pretending to work and not managing to convince even yourself. You see her in the reflection before she makes herself known.

Amelia clears her throat. As you turn, you notice her flushed cheeks, the way she's wringing her fingers together like her mother does when she's uncomfortable. You wait.

“I'm guessing there's no hope in asking you to keep this quiet?” She asks, yet she's already dejected, a self deprecating little smile on her lips.

You stay silent, raising your eyebrows.

“We weren't even doing anything,” she tries. “We were studying and got distracted.”

“Okay…” You nod, willing to hear her out. “And why aren't you at school?”

Amy shifts from one foot to the other, looking down at the floor. “We had a free period, then only an English class after, but there's this test next week and I was worried, so Nick was helping me study-”

At the perfect moment, of course, Nick comes down the stairs, his backpack in hand and looking redder than a tomato. It's an admittedly amusing sight, though you keep your laughter in. Leo skips down the stairs right behind him, probably infatuated with his new friend.

“Hi, Nicholas,” you say, enjoying the way he folds in on himself — it's funny, okay? You're still human, after all. “I think you should go home.”

He nods, quickly kisses Amy's cheek and makes his way out. She doesn't even look up at him, but you're guessing they're okay from her little wave.

“Amy,” you stand up, closing your laptop and walking around the island, moving to grab a glass of water just to have something to do with your hands. “I'm hoping you're going to be responsible enough to tell Emily about this yourself.”

Amelia opens her mouth to protest, but you silence her with a look.

“I'm not going to berate you for having a boyfriend, or wanting to spend time with him. I know your mom gets a little protective sometimes-” You ignore her scoff, taking a sip of your water before setting the glass down. “But she's still your mom, and she has rules for a reason. You skipped school, sneaked in here and did exactly what Emily was afraid you'd do.”

She sits heavily on the couch, keeping her eyes down, biting her lip in an effort to keep her emotions in check. It's cute to see how much she and Emily have in common, even in a situation like this.

“When you tell her about it, you should ask her why she’s so against you having a boyfriend. I'm sure she'll explain it to you.”

Crossing her arms, Amy looks up, “she's trying to ruin my social life.”

You smile despite yourself at her stubbornness, “ask her and you'll understand.”

She stays quiet, most definitely thinking about how her parents are the worst. Well, we've all been there.

“I thought you'd be the cool mom,” she rolls her eyes, leaving the den swiftly, and still slamming her door for good measure.

After a beat, she yells out Sorry! I didn't mean to slam it.

At least there's that.

Emily arrives silently, like always. She takes off her boots by the door, leaves her coat hanging, drops her bag on the couch.

She finds you in the kitchen, after following the smell of dinner, which is waiting for her on the stove. She grins.

God, you’re about to ruin her day.

Emily greets you in that low, raspy voice after an entire day of using it. Her tone would normally have your knees buckling. This time, your shoulders tense. She notices, of course, yet doesn't say anything.

She kisses your cheek, the side of your mouth, taking note of the two glasses of wine on the island. Wraps her arms around you from behind, then murmurs, “you okay?”

You hum in response, pushing the glass towards her softly. Tilting your head, you wordlessly ask for a kiss, to which she complies happily. Sighing into her mouth, you pull back slightly. “I have to tell you something.”

Emily nods, waiting. Before you can say anything, though, you both hear Amelia's footsteps behind you. Turning, Emily smiles at her, heart warming at the sight of her daughter, wearing pajamas with her dark hair in a braid.

“Hey, Hon.” She calls, hand still resting on your shoulder, like she's making sure you won't leave. There's nowhere else you'd want to go.

“Hi, mom,” she says, looking at you and nodding. You nod back, proud she's seemed to take your advice.

“Maybe we should move to the couch,” you suggest, causing Emily to frown immediately and look at the two of you, one at a time, cataloguing expressions and narrowing her eyes, trying to catch whatever it is by reading the faces of the two most important women in her life.

She doesn't say anything, again, and you know that's just her own style of profiling. Quietly assessing before she can get to a conclusion. Still, she lets herself be guided to the living room, sits down without prompting and accepts the glass you bring her. Amelia stands near the couch, shifting on her feet, as usual.

Emily frowns, and, finally, Amy starts talking.

If you weren't so tense, you'd laugh at the rollercoaster of emotions on Emily's face. Confusion, anger, then a shock so genuine you could kiss her, declare how much you love her and how adorable she looks when she's just, absolutely, lost. You don't do any of that, naturally, falling back into your role of spectator and waiting to see if you might need to be the extinguisher for Emily's fire.

For a moment, everything stills. Emily doesn't say a word.

For all her fame at the FBI, for how intimidating she looks, you know she's nothing like that in her personal life. At work, she needs to put up that front to earn people's respect, which is upsetting, but not unreal. At home, she's a loving, caring, understanding mother, even when Amelia tests her patience, even when the cat breaks one of her favorite picture frames.

At home, she prioritizes conversations instead of hard glares, she squeezes your hip when you look upset but won't tell her why, she plays with Amelia's hair when she needs comfort but won't ask for it.

The Emily you know is warm and sweet, truly comparable to marshmallow on the inside when it comes to you or Amelia. The Emily you know looks nothing like the woman next to you right now, who you're pretty sure just gained another gray hair in a span of thirty seconds.

“You did what?” She asks in an almost whisper, her jaw locked, eyes boring into Amelia's own, a mirror to hers.

Amy presses her lips together, then drops herself on the wooden coffee table, immediately placing her hands on her mother's thighs. “I'm sorry, okay? I am. And I won't do it again.”

“Of course you won't,” Emily says, way too calmly for you to trust it. “You're not going to see Nick again.”

Amelia jumps up, “mom! That's so ridiculous.”

Emily sits up, moving to the edge of the couch. Your hand on her thigh keeps her from standing up. “No… What's ridiculous is you making terrible decisions after starting to date this boy.”

“You said she'd understand!” She almost yells, looking at you. A fire behind her eyes that you've only seen before in Emily's.

Lifting a hand to placate her, and keep Emily from saying whatever it is you can see from the corner of your eye that she's about to. “I said you had to ask her, and that she'd explain it to you,” you say it slowly, not wanting to oxygenate the flame even further.

“Explain what?!” Emily finally asks, arms crossed.

Amy takes a deep breath, sitting on the loveseat this time, a little further away from you both. “Why you hate that I have a boyfriend.”

Your fiancée scoffs, “haven’t you given me enough reason? You skipped school, Amy! You defied a rule I specifically set.”

She shakes her head, “you never liked it, even before that.”

“I told you, I don't have to explain anything to you, Amelia. I'm your mother.” Emily grabs her wine glass, taking a long sip. “Fuck, now you've made me sound like my mother.”

You touch her arm, earning her attention. You find it sweet how her eyes immediately soften. “I think she might understand it better if you tell her about when you were a teenager.” Watching as realization dawns in her eyes, you quickly squeeze her hand. “Only if you want to.”

Emily thinks about it for a moment. Amelia taps her foot impatiently. You figure she's glad the attention is not on her for a brief moment.

Seeming to make a decision, Emily turns to her daughter, leaving her glass on the coffee table, but her other hand still in yours. Then, she tells her.

Emily tells her about Rome, and John, and Matthew. She tells her about the priest, the clinic, like it's a story she only heard of. Her voice never wavers, her resolve never falters, though her hand squeezes yours when she says the word ‘abortion’.

“I've always done everything I can to ensure this didn't happen to you,” she explains. “Not because I don't trust you, or because I wouldn't help you do whatever you wanted in that situation because, believe me, Amelia, I would.” Emily reaches a hand in front of her, waiting for Amy to hold it. She does, of course, not even taking time to think about it. “I would move heaven and earth to make it your decision, and I always wanted to be a mother to whom you could come to if anything like that ever happened, unlike the one I had.”

Amy shakes her head incredulously, “you are.”

Emily smiles at her, “something like that changes you, Amy. I know I did what was right for me at the time, and I don't regret it, but it's something that weighs on you. I didn't want you to have to make that decision.” She wipes away a single tear that had escaped, “which is why I always worry when you mention a boy, and why I gave you the talk when you had your first period, even if your grandmother judged it way too early.” She sighs, “I know you're a smart girl. But this decision you made was very stupid.”

Amelia bites her lip, embarrassed. She looks down at her hand that's still clasped with her mother's.

“I want you to date, to have fun. But I don't want you making stupid decisions, Amy, you’re my daughter and you know better than that.”

She nods, her eyes moving to you for a second, then back to Emily. “I'm sorry. And I'm sorry, too,” she looks back at you, “that I said you weren't the cool mom. You definitely are.”

You let out a surprised laugh. Amy smiles back and even Emily, with her tense shoulders, shakes her head with a small grin.

“I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that so you don't get an extra week without your phone.”

Amelia opens her mouth to protest, but is silenced with a single brow raise. She deflates, leaning against the cushions, defeated. Looking up shyly, “can I still see Nick? Mom, I swear we never did anything more, I would've told you, I promise.”

Emily looks at you with an indignant look, “that's what she's worried about?”

You shrug, “she's in loove,” you sing-song, delighting in Amy's blush.

“Fine, you can see him.” Before Amelia jumps up, Emily continues, “only at school, or here, with supervision. It'll be a while before he can go up to your room again.”

Amy nods, smiling softly. “Thanks, moms.” She hugs you both quickly, leaving her phone on the coffee table and swiftly leaving the room, her footsteps fast on the stairs.

“She called you her mom,” Emily beams, kissing your chin.

“Huh,” you jokingly consider, “I thought having a teenager would be harder.”

Emily stares at you, attempting a glare, “I almost had a stroke!”

“You should've seen my face when I caught them,” you shake your head, sipping on what's left of your wine. “Or Nick's.”

She, finally, guffaws, finding humor in the situation. “Fuck, honey, I'm gonna need a lot more wine to get through the night.”

You nod, grabbing her empty glass and starting towards the kitchen. “Whatever my lady wishes,” you call back with a chuckle.

“Woah, hey! It’s okay, it’s just me… it’s just me.” Her dark eyes that were always so fierce and full of determination were now filled with worry.

“I’m sorry… You don’t have to be out here. I’m fine. Just go back to the others,” your words come out barely louder than a whisper.

“Absolutely not. You just practically ran out of there, and now you’re standing here in the cold, white as a ghost and crying. There is no way I am leaving!”

“Please Emily, I’m sorry for making such a fuss, I-” you try to muffle a sob that escapes your lips with your hand. “Please just go back inside.”

She shifts beside you, but instead of turning back to the entrance the brunette moves directly in front of you. “Honey”, she whispers, her hands now faintly touching your arms just above your elbows. “I am not leaving you.” That last statement sends a new wave of sobs through your body, which you—unsuccessfully, judging by Emily’s tightening grip on your arms—try to repress.

“I need you to try and breathe with me, okay?” Without looking up, you nod. It’s subtle, but Emily still notices. She always does.

Seconds, and then minutes, go by. A quiet understanding between the two of you. Words unspoken hang in the air, supported by the small circles Emily’s thumbs traced on your arms. It is only when your breathing finally returns to normal, and the tears stop falling, that you notice how cold it is outside. A small gush of wind sends shivers down your spine, leading Emily to immediately take off her jacket. 

“Take it”, she demands as she dangles the leather jacket between the two of you.

“Damn it Emily, I’m fine. I’m not taking your jacket.”

“You are literally shivering, now put the jacket on before I have to force you into it.” Her gaze is stern. The type that lets you know that there is no use in arguing with her right now.

“You are insane”, you muffle under your breath. On another day you might have argued with her, but even if you did not want to admit it: You were freezing. And exhausted.

“I’m a gentleman”, she retorted, a smug grin now settling on her face. After a short period of comfortable silence, her facial expressions shift ever so slightly. “Are you ready to tell me what happened in there earlier?” She does not force an answer out of you. Instead, the question is laced with understanding. And concern.

You tense. What had happened earlier? The team had went out for drinks after they had solved their latest case. Garcia even managed to force Hotch to come with for at least one beer. The evening was filled with light banter, Reid rambling on about the daily average amount of alcohol consumption in D.C., and the occasional flirting between Morgan and Garcia. Everything was great until JJ came up with the brilliant idea of a game of truth or dare. Since you had just joined the team a couple of months ago, and since then also had successfully avoided most of the after-work party escapades, it really came to no surprise.

Honestly, it all went pretty well at first. Most of the others had chosen dares, which lead to some very funny (and sometimes slightly awkward) encounters with other guests at the bar, but it all went sideways when it was your turn. Morgan had asked the one question you had dreaded forever: Well, Hot Stuff? There must be a boyfriend you have been keeping from us! Or at least a crush we need to know about? Spill the tea. Now, in no way was that question inherently bad, and in any other situation you could have easily made up a little white lie to make the situation less awkward. But things are different when you’re out with a group of FBI profilers. They would have spotted a lie from a mile away. “No boyfriend”, you had claimed. Not a lie, but also far from the whole truth. Naturally, the team had continued plastering you with questions of potential crushes, even going as far as searching for potential suitors for you in the crowd, while you had started to feel more and more uneasy — and also suddenly painfully aware of Emily’s thigh touching yours. 

The faint touch of a hand on your shoulder made you snap out of the memory: “Hey, come on. Talk to me.”

“How did you know you like girls?”, you blurt out, not daring to look into the older Agent’s eyes.

“Is that what this is about?” You could here the hesitation in her question. Like she had to really process what you had just said. When you did not answer, she continued. “I suppose I’ve always kind of liked women, I just did not realize that they were crushes until I was in my teens. Honestly, I could only ever really imagine myself with another girl. When I was old enough, I kind of tested the waters. I don’t know how much you’ve heard of my mom, but she’s more the… traditional…type. I had had a couple of boyfriends, nothing really serious but…you know how it is. A little later, I had my first girlfriend.  My mother caught us kissing in my bedroom and freaked out. I didn’t care, somehow. Because I had never felt more alive. That’s when I knew that boys were just not going to happen for me again.” She hesitates for a short moment, trying to see some sort of reaction from you. “Honey, why are you asking this now?”

“I- … I don’t know, Em. I’m just so confused…I don’t know what’s happening. It just feels like I’m drowning in all these different emotions and realizations I can’t quite process — I have no idea what the fuck is wrong with me!” That’s when the tears start to fall for the second time that evening. You slide to the ground, your back still against the wall, hands now in front of your face.

In less than a second, Emily is sat right next to you, and your breath hitches when she gently pulls your ice-cold hands from your face, firmly holding them in her own. She doesn’t push you to continue, but instead she patiently waits, her touch grounding you.

“You know I’ve never been in a relationship? Heck, I haven’t even kissed anyone. You know how pathetic you must be to not be able to make somebody like you enough to be more than friends just once??” You don’t notice Emily tense at your harsh words, too focused on avoiding her gaze. 

“I have always been told that the right guy will come at the right time, but after a while I just stopped getting my hopes up. For years I have been telling everyone that I simply choose not to be in a relationship right now. That I am somehow choosing myself. But the truth is: I didn’t. I didn’t choose this. But now I’m suddenly considering that maybe I did subconsciously choose not to try dating men because I actually liked women all along, which is fucking terrifying to think about. But like, how would I even know?”

Emily let out a deep breath before shifting her gaze from your clasped hands up to your eyes. “So, the thought of us finding out that you have never been in a relation ship, and the possibility of you being gay scared you so much that you had a literal panic attack?”

It is only when you work up the courage to really look at her that you notice the slight glossiness of her eyes. “Well, if you put it like that it sounds pathetic…”

“Would you stop with that word?”, she hisses. “You are not pathetic, there is nothing wrong with how you feel, and I-“, this time it is her voice that quivers. “I’m just so sorry that thought you couldn’t trust us with this. Could’t trust me with this.” 

“You can’t blame yourself for that, Em. Please. You and the rest of the team have been nothing but welcoming and supportive ever since I have joined the BAU. And I know how much of a privilege it is to have all of you trust me — literally with your lives. I just get too much into my head sometimes and… well I’m sorry for not giving you the same trust that you gave me.”

You could’t quite place the other Agent’s facial expression, but something between concerned and analytical seemed the most fitting. 

“You know, you tend to do that a lot”, Emily stated. “Finding ways to put the blame on yourself, I mean…”

You shrug. Then both of you let out a deep breath, the air heavy with words spoken and unspoken.

Once again, it is Emily that breaks the silence that seemed to linger between the two of you: “You ready to head back inside?”

“Actually, I think I’m calling it a night… Thank you. For staying with me I mean. And for listening”, you reach for the phone in your pocket.

“What do you think your doing?”

“Calling a Taxi?”

“Absolutely not, I’m driving you home!”

“Emily, no! You should go back to the others. I’m not ruining your night even more.”

“First of all: you didn’t ruin my night. Second of all: I would have left soon one way or another. And third of all: you’re apartment is literally on the way. So stop trying to argue with me.”

So you did. Because if there was one thing everyone knew about Emily Prentiss, it’s that there is absolutely no use in arguing with her if she has already made up her mind about something.

Still trying to find a way to somehow make her stay, you are suddenly pulled back onto your feet by the brunette.

“Wait here, I’m just gonna go and get my bag”, she hesitates for a second, looking you up and down. “And you jacket…I’ll be right back.”

It’s only then that you realize that you’re still wearing the leather jacket that smelled so much like its owner. 

Who had not stopped holding your hand until just mere seconds ago. 

And who you now wished had never let go.

———————————————————————————————————

The courthouse bathroom smelled like antiseptic and cheap floral air freshener, the kind that never quite masked the underlying staleness. You adjusted the knot of your tie in the smudged mirror, pressing your lips together to smooth out the faded lipstick. A drop of water from the tap had splashed onto your sleeve—dark silk, unforgiving—and you dabbed at it with a scratchy paper towel, cursing under your breath. First day of the Reid trial, and you were already fighting a losing battle against your own nerves.

Outside, the hallway buzzed with lawyers, reporters, and the occasional FBI agent weaving through the crowd. You spotted her immediately,Emily Prentiss, all sharp angles and coiled energy, leaning against a pillar with a case file tucked under one arm. She was scanning the room with that practiced, detached look, the one that made witnesses squirm and suspects overthink. But when her gaze landed on you, it flickered, just for a heartbeat. A tiny, dangerous crack in the facade.

"Counselor," she said as you approached, voice low and even. Professional. Too professional. The way she said it made your stomach twist.

"Agent Prentiss," you replied, matching her tone, though your fingers twitched at your side. You wanted to reach out, to brush the invisible lint off her blazer, to let your knuckles graze hers in the pretrial huddle just to feel the spark of contact. Instead, you clenched your hand into a fist. "You ready for this?"

Emily’s mouth quirked. "Born ready." The corner of her lip twitched like she was fighting a smirk, and you knew exactly what she was thinking,last night, her knee between yours, her teeth at your collar, muttering the same words against your skin.

The courtroom doors swung open with a weighty groan, and the bailiff's voice cut through the murmuring crowd. "All rise." You didn't miss the way Emily's shoulder brushed yours as you both stood,too close for colleagues, not close enough for what you really were. The judge's bench loomed like a guillotine, and you forced your gaze away from Emily's profile, focusing instead on the empty witness stand. Reid was already seated at the defense table, his fingers drumming a nervous staccato against the wood. Cat Adams, smug in her prison jumpsuit, smirked from the prosecution's side like she'd already won.

Opening statements were a blur. You spoke crisply, methodically dismantling the prosecution's argument point by point, but your pulse roared in your ears every time Emily shifted in her seat behind you. You could feel her eyes on the back of your neck, tracking the way your fingers tightened around your pen when the DA implied Reid had a history of instability. A muscle in your jaw twitched. Emily cleared her throat—just once, deliberately—and you exhaled, loosening your grip.

During recess, JJ cornered you near the vending machines, her smile knowing. "You and Emily seem... in sync," she said, popping the tab on a Diet Coke. The can hissed like an accusation.

You shrugged, buying time by feeding dollar bills into the machine. "We’ve worked together before." The lie tasted stale.

JJ hummed, taking a sip. "Uh-huh. And the way she looks at you when you’re arguing? That’s just professional respect?"

The vending machine spat out a bottle of water with a thud. You caught it mid-air, gripping the plastic tighter than necessary. "Emily’s thorough," you said, aiming for casual and landing somewhere closer to defensive. "She pays attention to details. That’s her job."

JJ’s smirk deepened. "Right. And the way you two leaned into each other during the recess huddle? That’s just… strategizing?"

A laugh escaped you,nervous, too sharp. You twisted the cap off your water, buying time. The courtroom doors swung open again, and Garcia’s head popped out, her curls bouncing. "Five-minute warning, lovebirds—" She froze, eyes widening behind her glasses. "I mean. Colleagues. Professional associates. Completely platonic coworkers."

Emily appeared behind her, stepping smoothly into the hallway. Her expression was unreadable, but the way her fingers flexed at her sides gave her away. "We should head back in," she said, voice even.

Garcia mouthed ‘oh my god’ at JJ behind Emily’s back.

The afternoon session bled into evening, the fluorescent lights overhead humming like a jury of bees. You’d just torn apart the prosecution’s star witness,some forensic accountant who’d flinched when you leaned into his personal space,when Rossi caught your elbow in the hallway. His grip was firm, his voice a conspiratorial murmur. "You know, I’ve seen Emily bluff her way through interrogations with serial killers," he said, thumb brushing the fabric of your sleeve, "but I’ve never seen her blush until today."

You swallowed hard, your throat suddenly dry. "Must’ve been the coffee," you lied, nodding toward the courthouse vending machine. "It’s brutal."

Rossi chuckled, low and knowing. "Kid, I’ve been married three times. I know what it looks like when someone’s trying not to stare at their wife’s ass in a courtroom."

Across the hall, Emily was hunched over a case file with Morgan, her brow furrowed in a way that usually meant she was two steps ahead of everyone else. But when Morgan nudged her and nodded toward you, her pen stilled mid-sentence. The look she gave you—half warning, half hunger—sent a shiver down your spine.

The bailiff’s voice cut through the tension. "Court’s reconvening."

The gavel cracked like a gunshot, jolting you back to the present. The judge was speaking,something about inadmissible evidence,but your attention snagged on Emily’s fingers drumming against her thigh. Three taps, then a pause. Three taps again. Your secret rhythm, the one she’d used that morning when she slid your coffee across the kitchen counter, her wedding ring glinting in the sunlight. Three taps: I love you.

Morgan’s elbow nudged Emily’s ribs, and her hand stilled. She didn’t glance at you, but her shoulders tensed, the line of her jaw tightening like she was biting back a smile,or a curse. You focused on the legal pad in front of you, scribbling nonsense to steady yourself. The pen left angry indents in the paper.

"You’re killing them," Reid whispered suddenly from the defense table, his voice low with something like awe.

You blinked. "What?"

"The way you’re dismantling their case. It’s…" He hesitated, eyes darting to where Cat Adams was scowling at her desk. "It’s almost beautiful."

The judge called for a fifteen-minute recess after the prosecution’s forensic accountant stumbled through his testimony, his credibility in tatters. You gathered your files with deliberate slowness, avoiding the weight of Emily’s gaze burning a hole through the back of your suit jacket. The air in the courtroom was thick with tension,legal, personal, the kind that made your pulse thrum just beneath your skin.

You barely made it to the hallway before Morgan materialized at your elbow, his grin all teeth. "Counselor," he drawled, leaning against the wall with practiced casualness. "You ever consider a career in the BAU? We could use someone who eviscerates people that gracefully."

"Stick to recruiting actual FBI agents, Morgan," you muttered, but the corner of your mouth twitched.

Behind him, Garcia appeared like a hurricane in heels, clutching a tablet to her chest. "Oh, please, please tell me you’re as good at cross-examination in your personal life," she stage-whispered. "Because if so, Emily never stood a chance."

You choked on nothing. "I have no idea what you’re—"

"Garcia," Emily's voice cut through the hallway like a blade, smooth but edged with warning. She appeared behind Garcia, her posture impeccable, but her fingers flexed at her sides in that telltale way you knew meant she was two seconds from dragging you both out of here. Garcia squeaked and spun around, nearly dropping her tablet. "Why don’t you go check on Reid? He looked like he needed a caffeine boost."

Garcia saluted, her eyes dancing with mischief. "On it, boss. But just so you know, the betting pool’s already at—"

Emily’s glare could’ve melted steel. Garcia vanished before she could finish the sentence, Morgan following with a laugh and a knowing glance over his shoulder. The moment they were out of earshot, Emily exhaled sharply, rolling her shoulders like she was shaking off the weight of the day.

"You’re not subtle," she muttered, stepping closer, her voice low enough that only you could hear.

You raised an eyebrow, fighting the urge to reach for her. "Me? You’re the one who blushed when Rossi called you out."

The courthouse steps were slick with rain by the time the judge finally adjourned for the day, the neon glow of downtown D.C. reflecting in the puddles like scattered puzzle pieces. You lingered by the defense table, shuffling papers with deliberate slowness, watching from the corner of your eye as Emily exchanged hushed words with Morgan near the bailiff’s station. His laughter carried across the emptying courtroom, rich and knowing, and when he clapped her on the shoulder, Emily’s mouth twitched not quite a smile, but close enough to make your pulse skip.

"You coming?" Reid asked, shrugging into his coat with a tentative glance at Cat Adams being led out in cuffs. Her smirk had long since soured.

You hesitated, fingers drumming against your briefcase. "I should—"

"Save it," JJ interrupted, appearing at your elbow with Garcia in tow. "We’re all going to O’Malley’s. Even Hotch used to crack a smile there after a tough case." She paused, her gaze flicking to Emily, then back to you. "And before you argue, Emily already said yes."

Emily, now standing at the prosecution’s abandoned table, straightened abruptly as if she’d heard her name. Her eyebrows lifted in silent question, and you bit back a smile. So much for discretion.

The bar was dimly lit, the kind of place where the whiskey glasses left sticky rings on the wood and the jukebox played nothing newer than 1998. You slid into the booth beside Reid, who was already nursing a beer with the focus of a man trying to forget he'd spent the day being accused of murder. Emily sat across from you, her elbows propped on the table, fingers laced together like she was praying for patience. Morgan dropped into the seat next to her with a grin, nudging her shoulder. "Relax, Prentiss. We won."

"Not yet," Emily muttered, but her eyes flicked to yours, warm and private despite the crowded booth.

Garcia clapped her hands together, leaning forward. "Okay, but before we toast to Reid's impending acquittal—" Reid winced at the word acquittal— "we need to address the elephant in the room. Or should I say, the ring on someone's left hand?"

The table went silent. Emily froze, her thumb which had been absently tracing the edge of her wedding band still mid-motion. You exhaled slowly, pressing your knee against hers under the table. Three taps. ‘I love you.’

Rossi took a deliberate sip of his scotch. "I’ll put fifty on Vegas," he said, like he was discussing the weather. "Eloped after that case in ’13, am I right?"

Emily's fingers twitched, her wedding ring catching the dim bar light as she slowly lowered her hands to the table. The silence stretched like a live wire,Morgan grinning into his beer, Garcia practically vibrating with anticipation, JJ's knowing smirk widening,until Emily exhaled sharply through her nose. "Fine," she said, voice dry as parchment. "Vegas. 2014. Two AM after the Mendoza cartel sting."

Garcia shrieked so loudly the bartender dropped a glass.

You hid your smile behind your whiskey as Morgan choked on his drink. "Wait,you proposed?" he wheezed, pounding his chest.

Emily's smirk was all teeth. "She cried during the Elvis impersonator's vows."

The bar erupted in chaos,Morgan nearly upended the table lunging to clap Emily on the back, Garcia was halfway out of her seat squealing something about wedding photos, and Rossi just nodded sagely like he’d known all along (which, given the smug tilt of his eyebrows, he probably had). Reid blinked owlishly between you and Emily, his beer forgotten. "Huh," he said finally, pushing his glasses up his nose. "That explains why you quoted Marriage Story during the Rodriguez deposition."

Emily's cheeks flushed the faintest pink, but she held her ground, fingers tightening around her whiskey glass. "It was relevant to the—"

"Oh my god," Garcia interrupted, slamming her hands on the table. "You have a house together, don’t you? With like, shared towels and a coffee maker that says ‘hers’ and ‘hers’—"

You snorted into your drink. "It says ‘yours’ and ‘also yours’ because Emily broke the first one trying to reprogram it in Spanish."

Emily kicked you under the table—not hard, just enough to make you smirk—but Garcia was already gasping like she’d been personally handed a conspiracy theory. "You live together?!"

“We're married,” Emily said in exasperation.

The table erupted into overlapping questions,Garcia demanding to know why she hadn’t been invited to the wedding, Morgan ribbing Emily about her taste in rings, Rossi already flagging down the bartender for celebratory shots but Emily’s gaze never left yours. Her foot pressed against yours under the table, a silent anchor in the storm of their excitement. "Told you we should’ve gone with separate cars," she muttered, just loud enough for you to hear over Garcia’s dramatics.

You grinned, swirling your whiskey. "And miss this? I live for the theatrics."

it’s quick the first time, just a flicker, barely anything, the kind of glance she could probably deny if she really wanted to. then it happens again, slower, her eyes lingering near your chest before lifting back to your face like nothing happened.

by the third time, she isn’t as subtle as she thinks she is, and there’s something almost delicious about watching someone so composed get ruined by the shape of your boobs beneath fabric.

your shirt doesn’t hide enough, not really. it stretches softly across your chest, the fabric resting over the swell of your boobs and shifting whenever you breathe. you’re not sure whether it’s the cold kitchen air or emily’s attention that makes your nipples tighten, but either way, the reaction is obvious enough that her eyes catch on it instantly.

she sees the little peaks pressing against your shirt. she sees the way your chest rises a little harder when you notice her looking. she sees the way your body gives you away before you can decide whether you want to tease her for it.

and the longer she stares, the more aware you become of every inch of yourself, your boobs feeling warm and sensitive beneath the thin fabric, your pussy already starting to feel wet between your thighs.

you stop mid-sentence, letting the silence settle between you with purpose, and emily only realizes something is wrong when your voice cuts off completely. her eyes snap back up too fast, sharp and guilty despite the calm expression she tries to arrange over her face.

“what?” she asks, and it would almost be convincing if her voice didn’t come out lower than before, rougher at the edges, like she had been thinking about something entirely different from what you were saying.

you raise an eyebrow, staring at her while she holds your gaze with the stubbornness of a woman who refuses to confess without being cornered. the pause stretches.

her thumb strokes once along the stem of her wine glass, a tiny little tell that makes heat curl low in your stomach. then you ask, “were you even listening to me?”

emily’s mouth curves into that smooth, dangerous smile, the one she uses when she knows she’s been caught but hasn’t decided whether she wants to admit it yet.

“of course i was,” she says, far too easily. you stare at her. she stares back. then, like her body betrays her before her pride can stop it, her gaze drops again, dragging right back to your chest for one brief, shameless second.

when she looks up this time, there’s no saving it, and the faintest flush rises across her cheekbones. you laugh, quiet and disbelieving, and emily exhales through her nose like she’s irritated with herself more than with you.

“don’t start,” she says, but there’s no bite in it, no real warning, just that low velvet tone that makes your thighs press together.

“you’re staring,” you say, and the words come out softer than you meant them to. emily sets her wine glass down with a quiet click, slow and deliberate, like she’s making a choice. “i know,” she says. not defensive. not embarrassed. just honest enough to make your breath catch.

the simple admission changes the air between you completely, taking the conversation from playful to charged so fast it leaves you warm all over. she doesn’t move toward you yet, which somehow makes it worse. she just stands there, eyes darker now, letting herself look at you openly, and the weight of her attention feels almost physical, like her hands are already on your skin.

you step closer because you can’t help yourself, because there’s something addictive about watching emily’s composure fray in real time. her gaze dips again, slower now that the pretense is gone, and her lips part just slightly when your chest rises with your breath.

she notices everything. the way your boobs shift beneath your shirt, soft and full enough to pull her attention down again. the way your nipples are hard now, straining against the fabric like your body is begging for her mouth before you even say a word.

the way your thighs press together because your pussy feels slick already, warm and wet and aching from nothing more than being watched by her.

“you wore that on purpose,” she says quietly, and it sounds less like an accusation than a confession of weakness. you tell her you didn’t, but your voice is already thinner than it should be, already giving too much away. emily’s smile turns knowing, almost cruel in how soft it is.

“maybe not consciously,” she says, and her eyes drop again, taking in the way the shirt clings to the rounded weight of your boobs. her attention makes your skin prickle.

it makes your nipples tighten further, your stomach flutter, your pussy throb with that slow, needy pulse of arousal. the dampness between your thighs is impossible to ignore now, your underwear clinging wetly against you every time you shift.

her hand lifts slowly, giving you every chance to pull away even though both of you know you won’t. she touches your waist first, fingertips light through your shirt, dragging up your side in a patient line that makes your stomach tighten.

she’s watching your face now, because emily likes proof. she likes seeing the way your lips part, the way your breath catches, the way your eyes flutter when her thumb brushes just beneath the curve of your boob.

the contact is barely anything, just the edge of a touch, but it makes your whole body feel too warm. your boobs feel heavy and sensitive under her attention, your nipples aching for more pressure, and your pussy gives another wet little pulse like it knows exactly where this is going.

“emily,” you warn, but it comes out more like a plea. she hums, innocent and unbearable, letting her thumb skim a little higher until she’s brushing over you through the thin fabric.

the pressure makes your breath hitch, especially when her thumb grazes the hardened peak of your nipple. your body reacts instantly, your back arching just enough to press more of your chest into her hand.

emily sees it. of course she sees it. her eyes darken like the sight of you getting needy from one touch is almost enough to ruin her by itself.

“what?” she asks, like she didn’t just spend an entire conversation staring at you. you open your mouth to answer, but she kisses you before you can say a damn thing.

at first, it’s controlled, warm, almost teasing, her lips moving against yours with the kind of patience that makes you ache. then your fingers curl into the front of her blouse, pulling her closer, and something in her restraint gives.

the kiss turns deeper fast, her body pressing yours back against the counter until the edge digs into your lower back. her hands slide to your waist, then up, slow and deliberate, as if she’s giving herself permission inch by inch. when she finally cups your chest over your shirt, her palm warm and firm around your boob, you gasp against her mouth.

the sound does something to her. you feel it in the way she groans softly, in the way her fingers tighten, in the way her kiss gets rougher for one messy second before she reins herself in again. her hand fits over you like she’s been thinking about it for ages, squeezing gently at first, then with more confidence when your body melts into the touch.

your boob feels soft and full in her palm, your nipple hard against the fabric, every slow press of her fingers sending sparks down your stomach. your pussy feels wetter by the second, slick gathering between your folds, warm enough that you can feel it soaking into your underwear.

“i was trying to be respectful,” she says against your lips. you laugh breathlessly, tilting your head back as her mouth drags to your jaw. “you failed.”

“miserably,” she says, and then she kisses down your neck like she wants to prove it. her mouth is hot and slow, lips dragging over your pulse, teeth grazing just enough to make your hips push forward without thinking.

one hand stays on your chest, kneading through the fabric, while the other settles at your lower back and pulls you closer until there’s barely any space left between you.

she’s still composed in pieces, still careful, still attentive, but there’s hunger underneath it now, dark and obvious and impossible to ignore. every touch feels deliberate, like she’s been thinking about your boobs under her hands for longer than she wants to admit.

when her thumb rubs over your nipple through your shirt, your knees nearly weaken, and emily’s mouth curves against your skin.

“that sensitive?” she asks, voice low enough to make you shiver. you try to answer, but she does it again, firmer this time, rolling your nipple beneath her thumb until a soft, broken sound slips out of you.

the pleasure goes straight between your thighs, making your pussy clench around nothing. you can feel how wet you are now, how slick and swollen everything feels, how badly your body wants more pressure.

emily pulls back just enough to look at you, and the expression on her face is devastating. smug, affectionate, starving. like she wants to tease you for falling apart so quickly and kiss you for it at the same time.

“you have no idea how distracting you are,” she says, her eyes dropping again, shameless now. “standing there, talking to me like i’m supposed to focus, wearing this little thing like i’m not only human.” heat rushes through you so fast it leaves you dizzy.

you tell her she should have said something, but the words barely survive the way she’s touching you. emily’s fingers hook under the hem of your shirt, slow enough to make anticipation crawl over your skin.

“i was trying to behave,” she says, and there’s a smile in her voice now. “clearly, that was a mistake.” then she lifts your shirt, waiting just long enough for your nod before pulling it up and off you completely.

the fabric drops somewhere near your feet, forgotten immediately, because emily is staring again. only this time there’s nothing between her eyes and your bare skin, nothing to soften the way her composure cracks wide open.

your boobs are exposed to her completely now, warm and soft, rising with your uneven breaths. your nipples are hard from the cool air and from the way she’s looking at you, tight little peaks that make her eyes go darker the longer she stares.

the silence that follows feels filthy in itself. emily looks at your chest like she’s been handed something sacred and obscene, her eyes moving over the fullness of you slowly, taking in the curve, the softness, the way your body is already reacting for her.

her hands settle on you carefully at first, palms sliding over your ribs before she cups both of your boobs with a reverence that makes your throat tighten. then her thumbs brush over your nipples, and the soft moan that leaves you makes her inhale sharply.

your boobs feel almost too sensitive beneath her hands, heavy and warm and aching as she squeezes them with slow, possessive pressure. she watches the way they fit in her palms, the way your nipples stiffen under her thumbs, the way your whole body arches when she touches you just right.

“pretty,” she says, almost under her breath. then, rougher, like the word isn’t enough, “fuck, you’re so pretty.” and before you can even process the way her voice has changed, she lowers her mouth to you.

the first touch of her lips against your boob is slow enough to be cruel. she kisses around your nipple first, soft open-mouthed presses that leave damp warmth behind, while her hand kneads the other boob with steady, possessive pressure.

you can feel how badly she wants to rush, how much effort it takes for her to take her time, and somehow that makes it worse. when her tongue finally flicks over your nipple, your back arches off the counter, and emily makes a quiet sound like she’s pleased with herself.

she does it again, dragging her tongue over the sensitive peak before closing her lips around it. the suction is gentle at first, teasing, but when your fingers slide into her hair and pull, she groans against you and sucks harder.

your whole body reacts to her mouth. heat pools between your legs, slick and insistent, every slow pull of her lips sending another pulse of want through you.

your pussy feels soaked now, wet enough that your underwear clings uncomfortably to you, every shift making the damp fabric rub against your swollen clit. emily knows exactly what she’s doing, and worse, she’s paying attention to every single reaction. when you gasp,

she repeats the motion. when your hips twitch, her hand tightens at your waist. when your fingers tug at her hair, she looks up at you with your nipple still in her mouth, eyes dark and smug and completely ruinous.

the eye contact makes you throb. it makes you feel exposed in the best way, like she can tell exactly how wet you’re getting without needing to touch you there yet. your boobs rise and fall beneath her mouth, one wet from her tongue, the other held firmly in her hand while she rolls your nipple between her fingers.

you feel warm everywhere, flushed and sensitive, your pussy pulsing with every drag of her mouth. there’s a slick ache between your thighs now, needy and impossible to ignore, and the worst part is that emily can tell.

she can tell from your breathing. from the way your thighs keep squeezing together. from the way your hips keep shifting like your body is trying to find friction all on its own.

“this is why i wasn’t listening,” she says against your skin, lips brushing damply over your boob as she speaks. “you were talking, and all i could think about was this.” her hand slides down your stomach as she says it, fingers spreading over the soft, warm skin there before dipping lower.

she doesn’t rush, because emily is a menace when she knows you want something. she kisses across your chest, giving the other boob the same slow attention, tongue circling before she sucks your nipple into her mouth.

your thighs press together, desperate for friction, and she notices immediately. of course she notices. emily prentiss notices everything.

her hand slips between your thighs over your clothes, pressing just enough to make your breath break. “there it is,” she whispers, like she’s found the answer to a question she already knew. your hips roll into her touch, needy and automatic, and she smiles against your chest before kissing lower, then back up again.

she keeps one hand on your boob while the other rubs slow, firm pressure between your legs, not enough to give you what you need, just enough to make you ache for more. it’s maddening. it’s perfect.

you’re hot everywhere, trembling against the counter while emily takes you apart with her mouth, her hands, and that steady, devastating focus she usually saves for interrogations.

“you’re soaked, aren’t you?” she asks softly, and the way she says it makes your stomach flip. not mocking exactly, but pleased. deeply pleased. your pussy throbs at the words, wet and swollen beneath your underwear, and you hate that she can feel how hard you react through the layers between her hand and your body.

you try to glare at her, but it falls apart the second she presses her palm against you again, firmer this time. “all because i got caught staring?” she continues, her voice warm with amusement. “or because you wanted me to?” you say her name, half warning and half surrender, and emily’s smile turns downright wicked.

she kisses your nipple once more, slow and open-mouthed, then lifts her head to look at you properly. “tell me to stop,” she says, and the softness of it hits just as hard as the hunger.

because beneath all the teasing, beneath the dark eyes and the greedy hands, she’s still emily. still careful with you. still waiting for you to choose her back.

you shake your head, already breathless, already ruined enough that pride feels pointless. “don’t stop.” emily’s expression changes at that, something hot and tender flickering across her face before she kisses you again.

this time, there’s no pretending either of you are going back to the conversation. she kisses you like she’s done being patient, mouth deep and hungry while her hands move over you with more confidence. she palms your chest, thumbs circling your nipples until you’re making soft, helpless noises into her mouth.

every sound seems to pull her further under, making her touch rougher, her breathing heavier, her body press harder against yours. she slips one thigh between yours and lets you grind against her, just once, just enough to make you shudder.

the pressure against your soaked pussy makes you gasp into her mouth, your wet underwear dragging over your clit in a way that sends a sharp pulse of pleasure through you.

“good girl,” she whispers against your mouth, and the praise goes straight through you. she feels the way you react, feels the tiny jerk of your hips, and her smile is slow and knowing. “oh,” she says softly. “you liked that.”

you don’t answer, because answering would mean admitting how badly those two words affected you, and emily already knows anyway. she kisses down your throat again, her mouth returning to your chest like she can’t stay away from it now that she’s allowed to touch. her tongue traces over your nipple before she sucks it back into her mouth, her hand sliding lower to keep pressure between your legs.

the combination makes you dizzy. your boobs feel swollen and sensitive under her mouth and hands, your nipples slick from her tongue, your skin hot everywhere she touches.

your pussy feels even wetter now, slick spreading messily into your underwear, your clit aching from the pressure of her thigh and the teasing rub of her palm. every time you grind down, the damp fabric drags against you, and every time you make a sound, emily’s mouth gets greedier.

your fingers tighten in her hair, your head tipping back, your body trapped between the counter and the warm, relentless weight of her attention. emily looks completely gone now, composed mask finally cracked, replaced by something hungry and intimate and almost reverent.

and the worst part is, she still manages to sound controlled when she leans in close, lips brushing your ear. “next time you want my attention,” she whispers, her hand squeezing your boob again while her thigh presses between yours, “just wear this.”

your laugh breaks into a moan when she moves against you, slow and deliberate. “or don’t,” she adds, voice dipping darker. “i seem to get distracted either way.”