made up of moonlight

“i   didn't   expect   to   see   you   here.   actually,   i   don't   know   what   i   expected   ...   ”   crooked   teeth   flashed   in   her   direction,   and   he   was   thankful   for   the   lowlight   hiding   the   pinkness   in   his   cheeks.   sitting   and   watching   the   dock   had   become   somewhat   of   a   routine   for   oliver   —   it   was   a   calm   that   reminded   him   life   existed   beyond   the   darkness   of   his   new   job,   something   he   had   taken   simply   to   fill   a   void,   to   pay   the   bills,   to   occupy   the   hours   where   he   should   have   been   sleeping.   “most   people   are   already   asleep   at   this   hour.”

although they weren’t together, there was an undeniable closeness between them, one that the femme didn't know how to define. yet, there was one thing rae did know: if she couldn’t find oliver, he would be at the docks gazing out over the water. “i tried texting you but you didn’t answer. couldn’t sleep until i knew you were okay.” the redhead settled in beside him, draping the blanket she’d brought around them both. “i thought i’d keep you company for a while.”

guess it didn't take much to get her to beg. smile pulled at the corners of his mouth at the view. " see ... that wasn't so hard, was it? " he'd liked her but then she started to poke her head into things that didn't concern her. " do you wish you wouldn't have found out? you know ... sometimes it is easier living a lie. the truth doesn't always set us free. "

there was nowhere for her to run. even if she’d tried, escape was impossible. the smile that played at his lips made her stomach churn, warning her that even her submission might not be enough to spare her. "i wish i’d never found out. i don’t know what to do anymore." to remain at his side meant a life spent glancing over her shoulder, safety forever out of reach. and yet, leaving was not an option, at least not one luca would grant her willingly. "what are you going to do with me?"

"in that case, it sounds like i'm the one that should be patching you up," nolan responded with a slight smirk. he couldn't help but feel an ache in his chest when he was reminded how badly he had hurt her. it wasn't intentional, but nolan had always managed to fuck things up with everyone. "you know, you could stay if you want to. catch up or something. i'l get you some food and we can watch that show you like."

"unfortunately, i don’t think these bandages can mend a broken heart, but i’ve managed to survive." the redhead teased while she slowly packed up the first aid kit, trying to prolong their time together as she wanted to stay with him as long as she could. "nolan, i…" the redhead knew she had to say no, had to leave before the old feelings resurfaced. yet the moment she met his gaze, rae gave in. "i can’t stay too long." though in her heart she knew if he asked, she would stay forever.

𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅𝐄: damn. got me to the edge just to end with idiot?

rae: wait rae: oh rae: are you seriously jerking off to me insulting you??? rae: god you are disgusting rae: glad i ruined it for you

         “okay,  well,  i  did  answer  the  door.  please  come  inside  and  get  warm.”  ellie  insisted  and  ushered  the  redhead  into  her  apartment.  she  grabbed  a  wool  blanket  from  the  couch  and  handed  it  to  her.  a  worried  frown  set  on  her  face.  “did  something  happen?”

“when i left work, i had the feeling someone was following me. my phone was dead and i didn’t have a charger. i didn't want to risk just going straight home so i drove around for a while. eventually, i realized i wasn't being followed but my gas had fun low. luckily, i ended near your apartment or i was probably going to sleep in my car overnight.”

Anaya hadn't expected Rae to quip back with such a quick insult, it left her temporarily frozen in shock. The two had always found ways to be civil to each other while living under the same roof, but having a roommate always caused problems no matter how good you tried to be. Anaya would have left for her own place long ago but the reality was that the area was expensive and she didn't make enough money to live on her own just yet, Rae helped aleve some of the burnen that came with her money troubles so she couldn't just walk away. It also didn't help that she could hear rae through the paper thin walls every single time she brought someone home. Every gasp, every moan, it had had Anaya wishing she was the one getting Rae to make those sounds. The beauty had been the subject of many fantasies for Anaya late at night, every sound she heard accompanying scandalous images she created in her mind of the two of them tangled in a mess of sweaty limbs and cotton sheets. "The last thing I need is for you to bring me back one of the many 'winners' you've continued bringing in to our home." She shot back as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe if you weren't a sex crazed maniac I could live here in peace."

"sex-crazed maniac? i’m sorry i enjoy sex but haven’t found a romantic partner yet. i have every right to live my life as i choose, without guilt or apology. if that means bringing someone new home every few nights, so be it." it felt foolish to justify her choices to anaya as she thought that when they first met, that anaya was free of judgment, but now she realized that might have been mistaken. "you could always join me one night and find someone yourself or is no one ever quite good enough for perfect anaya?"

It was funny, in many ways Angelo had been grieving the relationship the two used to share. He'd felt so hollow when she'd chosen to stay with her boyfriend and leave him behind, how could Angelo possibly be happy for her when he wanted her to be happy with him? He'd heard the saying 'time heals all wounds' but he no longer believed that to be true. Apparently you just live with the pain long enough that you learn to mask and ignore it, much like he'd done with Rae. But the moment he saw her it all came flooding back, every sleepless night, every time he picked up his phone to call or text her and chickened out at the last possible second. Standing so close to her was like reliving the night she'd told him she was going back to her boyfriend all over again and if he is being honest he didn't want to be reliving that right now. "Great, just taking things day by day." His works came out awkward and unconvincing so he took a sip from the red solo cup in his hand, hoping it would at least calm his nerves. He hated that she looked good, that time clearly had been far kinder to her than it had been to him. "You look great Rae, how have you been?" He didn't want to hear about how happy she was or how she'd made the right choice but he felt that he needed to know she was doing better. Because if she was doing worse then it meant they stopped talking for no reason, that all of this pain had been pointless.

just standing beside him was painful as all the old heartache came rushing back. every night she’d cried in silence, praying her boyfriend wouldn’t notice her muffled sobs as she mourned the loss of her closest friend. "sometimes taking it day by day is the best thing to do." she hoped their conversation would slip easily into its old rhythm. instead, they stumbled awkwardly, searching for words that once came so effortlessly. "thank you. and i see you've decided to grow out your hair. it suits you." how could she explain that the boyfriend she’d chosen months ago was now gone, that he’d ended things just weeks prior? "i’m doing alright. i finally got the last of my things back from my ex, though i think he may still have my electric toothbrush so i’ll have to pester him about that. how are you? have you finally opened your own repair shop yet?"

Jordyn hadn't been raised to act like this, to be a sneaky person who tip-toes out of someone's home like a bandit. She'd somewhat attempted to push her guilt out of her mind by telling herself it wasn't that serious. People leave one night stands all the time, not every sex fueled night needs to turn into a relationship. It was easier for her to believe that than to admit that she was a bad person for just walking out of Rae's apartment without saying anything. If she had been honest with herself Jordyn would easily admit that she was most likely just afraid what the commitment of their relationship would be, honestly the more she thought about it the more she had to admit to herself that she sounds like some college frat boy who was in it for a quick lay and that thought made her grimace. "Yeah well, I was also pretty drunk and everything looks different when you're drunk." Her hands were folded in her lap as she attempted to not let things get too awkward. "I guess you're right. I just really need you to know i'm not like that. I don't just sleep with people and duck out."

even if their encounter had faded into the background, thoughts of the other lingered far longer than someone should after a one night stand. every passing head of brown hair made her pause, wondering if it might be jordyn or merely a stranger. "you have nothing to apologize for. you chose not to spend the night. at least you didn’t rob me on your way out or did you and i just haven’t noticed yet?" the redhead let out a soft laugh, hoping to ease the guilt that seemed to weigh on the other. "if you’d like, we could always go out later. consider it your chance to make it up to me. i’d love to finally try that specialty drink they were touting at the bar last week, if you’re interested."

she   was   on   the   end   of   his   line   and   ephraim   was   reeling   her   in.   effortless.   a   chuckle   escaped   him,   but   for   the   moment   he   permitted   his   taunting   to   silence.   the   quiet   allowed   for   their   eyes   to   meet,   their   gazes   to   linger   ...   gently   his   tongue   ran   along   his   bottom   lip,   and   he   hummed.   “you'd   like   to   see   me   in   buckles   and   leather,   hm ?   is   that   right ?   ”   it   was   then   that   the   package   fell,   almost   bounced   against   the   ground,   hit   against   ephraim's   shins,   came   to   a   halt.   he   reached   down   to   retrieve   it   and   offered   it   over   to   his   bashful   neighbour.   “it's   the   type   of   thing   that   begs   for   a   second   opinion,   don't   you   think ?   maybe   you   should   show   it   to   me.”

it was all too much. the flush on her skin , the teasing smirk of his lips, the pounding of her heart. she couldn't take it anymore. rae wanted him. "i, uh… i have to go." overwhelmed, rae turned on her heel, retreating hastily into her apartment and leaving the package behind in his hands. it took a moment for her to steady herself though soon remembered that the source of her flustered emotions was still waiting outside. steadying her breath, she opened the door to find ephraim just where she’d left him, her package still in his grasp. "would you… maybe like to come in and see me model that set?" she managed in a single breath, her gaze dropping in shy embarrassment.