☾moonlight,

“the best?” he asks, slightly taken by surprise at sera’s words. his face softens, a very small yet genuine smile forming. “you really mean that?” while it’s true that she literally just said that she meant it as she said, the question just kind of slipped right out anyway, like it was difficult for him to believe or process. even though the two of them were always lying to everyone around them, they never lied to each other, so he knew that if she said it, she had to believe it. that made him feel soft and so unbelievably warm and happy to be here with her. she was his escape, and he needed her as often as he can possibly have her.

sera always seemed to know exactly how to tempt rhys to the point that he could not ignore his urges and how badly he wanted to be entirely consumed by the magic and beauty that was his girlfriend. he’s absolutely obsessed with the way she instinctively wraps around him, back arching, heels digging into his back, arms around his neck. he continued kissing her with every ounce of passion and emotion that existed within him, like he needed her lips melded against his for him to breathe. she was his oxygen — his life and driving force. he applies some pressure as his fingers rub up and down her panties, feeling her as she became wetter for him. he focuses on her compliments and the way she expresses how badly she’s wanting him right now. the way she grinds on his hand encourages him, causing him to shove her underwear to the side. he then continues palming her, his fingers occasionally gliding along her wet folds, beginning to slip inside a couple of inches before he removes them. rhys groans again, desperate and hungry for sera. he entirely pulls away to sit up enough to remove his own shirt, then he’s leaning back down and brushing her hair away from her face. “how do you want me to fill you up again, baby? you want my fingers?” he asks, lips brushing against hers’, punctuated by a lingering kiss. “or my tongue?” following his question, he lightly licks at her lips, grinning against her mouth. “or do you want my dick stretching you open and filling you with my cum?” he grinds down on her, hoping she would be able to feel how hard he is for her through his jeans. “i’m all yours, however you want me.”

“why is that so shocking to you?” she stares at him with mild bewilderment, eyebrows furrowing as she let out a small laugh. it was crazy to her that he didn’t already think as much. “how many people do you know that would go against everything their family believes in?” she softened too, her mind swirling with rhys. admittedly, it did that all the time. “i always think about how brave you are. just cause you love me,” she lilted the word love, meaning every bit of it. “you make every day of my life, a million times better. how could my favorite person not be the very best?” sera was used to hiding. hiding who she was, what she was. only before, she had to hide mostly alone. now, she hid with him. to not be drowned in sadness she likes to imagine that she’s acting. playing the part of the normal ( not witch ) human girl, who is not ( painfully ) in love with normal ( not normal ) rhys. the couple were anything, but normal. and one could only hide so much. she doubts anyone would truly describe her as such a thing, but her nana always said that other peoples opinions were none of your business. hiding was easier and harder all the same now, but she didn’t feel loneliness and that? that meant everything. she never felt alone with him. even when it was hard it didn’t drag her down, because she had someone to hold onto. to keep her steady. he was the best thing that ever happened to her. 

the world around her slowed down, heated sparks of magic. a clench in her lower stomach. the entirety of her wrapping around him. her fingers making their merry way across his back. his kisses stole all of her breath away only to breathe life back into her the very next second. she needed him against her to survive. every moment away was just her waiting to be back with him again, like a drug. it was truly intoxicating to be his. to have him pin you down, touch you, kiss you like his life depended on it. to have someone be as obsessed with you as you are with them. to feel the charge of his energy, his magic intertwining and making a home with hers. her lips were laced with all her love and devotion, all of her want for him. her need. all of her belonged to him and she made damn sure he could feel it. she kissed him back with just as much fervor. melting together. hot and glowing. her soft groan as she felt him push at her, could feel how soaked her panties had gotten against her skin. her nails digging into the flesh of his neck as he slides the fabric to the side and really touches her. rubs her. his whole hand felt too good as she rocked back and forth, her choked moan of his name and the way her chest rubbed against his while his fingers teased at her. the hair on his skin tickling her skin causing her whine to mix with his groan. it was growing harder to remain at ease when all of her ached and screamed for him, just as desperate and yearning. her appetite for rhys was insatiable. 

“i’ve been apologizing for my brothers for as long as i can remember, it’s kind of become second nature by this point. i’m sure you’ve noticed that they’re grade a assholes, and me, being a good person and whatnot, then has to try to make it all better somehow.” but, truthfully, he knew that sera had a point. even so, he couldn’t stop himself from feeling guilt every once in a while. after all, she meant so much to him and all he wanted was to keep her safe and happy. pretending like he wasn’t madly in love with her was agonizing. he couldn’t help himself at times and he’d brush his fingers against hers as he walks by, or winks when he’s sure no one else is looking. then, as soon as he could slip away, he’d always sneak his way right back to her, needing to be taken into her arms and embraced, or to feel the way her lips molded to his when they’d kiss.

“yeah, we are almost there, but almost isn’t good enough,” his sentence trails off, almost breathlessly, and he listens to her continue, responding with an ‘mhm’ when she starts talking about how hot it’d been today, his mind very quickly descending to the gutter. he fights back a moan as her fingers brush over his jeans, lets out a shaky exhale at the feeling of her nose against his neck. once she’s pressing down more firmly, the moan manages to slip out and he’s immediately pulling off of the road, putting the car in park in a matter of seconds. he lets out a pleased hum as he reaches over and reclines the passenger seat, climbing out of the driver’s seat and making room for himself to settle between his girlfriend’s legs. he captures her lips in a desperate, needy kiss while he tugs down her sundress to uncover her bare chest. one hand gropes and plays with her newly exposed skin as the other slips between them, wandering off to curiously touch between her legs and feel the way she’s completely soaked through her panties for him. this causes him to lowly groan, so incredibly turned on that he could hardly take it. “you’re soaking wet already. is watching me drive a big turn on for you?” he asks with a teasing grin, mouth still pressed to hers. 

“double a assholes,” she agreed, easily. “you’re the best person i know and i mean that. i’m sorry you have such shitty brothers. and that i can’t kiss you in public.” none of this was fair. sera couldn’t understand, didn’t want to understand why her loving him was such a problem. how painful it all was to have to stand apart from him, to pretend he meant nothing. he meant everything to her. all their little moments got her through it, till they could be here. together again. “i hate it. i do. but, i’d do all of it over again.” as long as it meant she could have him. 

“yes, it would’ve killed me. i was tryin’ to do both me and you a favor, but it didn’t go accordin’ to plan.” joel grunted quietly as she worked on freeing him from the shirt that held him captive, fighting back the smile that threatened to appear every time she was close. if he’s being honest, he isn’t sure why he’s so stubborn sometimes. everything always goes so much better whenever she is involved, one way or another. the man trusts his lady more than he could ever trust himself, yet he continues with this behavior every. single. time. it’s like it’s impossible for him to learn his lesson. maybe it’s got something to do with old dogs and new tricks.

his expression softens at her next comment, then he stares down at her, silently, letting out a soft huff as his form of acknowledgement. he does soon add, “yeah, well, that’s my job, right? lookin’ out for you? my self-proclaimed job, anyway. i’d never let anyone hurt you if i have anything to do about it, you know that. i’d take a hundred more of those bullets as long as i have you in perfect health to help care for me. i may complain six ways to sunday, but i’m grateful. always grateful, baby girl.”

he watches her as she undoes his belt and zipper, then finds himself leaning into her touch as she delicately cups his face. she can be so soft and sweet with him, unlike anything he’d experienced before she entered his life. it melted him the same way now that it did at the very start. his eyes stayed locked onto hers, admiring the way he could see in her eyes how much she loved, cared, and worried for him. he definitely understood the feeling, as it was entirely mutual.

every time she undresses for him, he forgets how to breathe. her body is so beautifully sculpted, like nothing else he’d ever seen. he’s absolutely obsessed and enamored, watches the way she steps toward the shower and taunts him to follow. “hell yeah, i’m right behind you,” he says as he pushes down his boxers and steps in after her, wrapping his good arm around her waist and tugging her close. “is the shower itself how you planned to make it up to me, or did you have somethin’ more in mind?”

“i bet it would have.” eden teased, “you can take bullets and knives and arrows, but asking for some help. that’s what does it, huh.” her laugh echoed through the bathroom, she didn’t really mind though. how stubborn he could be. how he never loses his fight. she found it all quite endearing. comforting. she’d be more worried if he complied too much. 

his soft huffs bring her comfort too, a deeply familiar sound. she liked to think of it as a second language, knowing what his different huffs mean. this particular one was one of her favorites. being with joel has been the safest she’s ever felt, didn’t know how relaxing it could be to feel protected and watched out for. to know someone always has your back. he gave her relief. that in itself was a miracle. baby girl. please just let me melt on him now. “our job.” she corrected. “to look out for each other. complain all you want, i’ll just have to find new and creative ways to make you happy.” how could he look so hot yet be saying such soft things. “i’m the grateful one. i appreciate everything you do, always.” flashes of her tearing out the jugular of the hunter who had shot him ran through her mind, blood covering her fur. no one fucked with her mate. “taking care of you is in my blood too. and i’m sure me playing nurse has it’s benefits.”

she loves feeling him lean into her, giving into her touch. for such a big strong shifter to surrender to her. another way he opened up to her, without saying a single thing. the air was colder in the bathroom compared to their body heat, though the steam beginning to wave off the water was helping. moving into the water with a relieved sigh. her soft giggle at his response, feeling his presence seconds later. feeling his arm tug her closer. the hot water beating down on her their skin. the gasp that escapes her as all the nerve endings in her body jolt, melting back against him. wrapped in his scent and his body. his beautiful body. the throb she felt between her thighs intensified. “were you hoping for something more?” of course she had something more in mind. her fingers wrapped around his forearm, pulling his hand up to cup her breast. the soft moan as his fingers brushed her nipple. her body was so attuned to him. she ached to be closer. 

“let me show you how grateful i am.” she murmurs, pushing her ass against him. her legs spreading instinctually. “i want you to use me till you feel better.” grinding her hips back, slow and sensual. caring. feeling his dick slide between her thighs as she moaned. her voice strains softly. “however you need me, sir.” her smirk lighting up her face. 

rhys.

rhys let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding in, though it slipped out as a sigh. it was more of a sigh of relief the moment that he felt sera’s fingers brush against his thigh. he looked away from the road just long enough to flash her a subtle smile, though he wasn’t sure that he agreed about anything today not being that bad. “look, i’m sorry for drawing their attention to you in the first place, you know i hate when they talk to you, much less make comments like that. i can’t stand not being able to stand up for you, you know? not wanting to do or say anything that makes it worse, i-i just… just don’t like it. i don’t like it, sera.”

still, she was sort of onto something. the rest of the day wasn’t going to be bad at all. he’d catch himself glancing over at the way her sundress rode up her thighs, absentmindedly licking his lips. it was getting harder to focus on the road, especially as she slid over and pressed a cool, wet hand to the skin of his stomach. he slightly squirmed, let out a gasp that transitioned into a playful grin. “i don’t think you actually want to get there,” he laughs, quickly glancing at her again as he squeezes her inner thigh, hand inching further up. “because you’re about to make me pull over so i can feel how much you’ve thought about me all day right now. we’re still about fifteen minutes out.”

while the flash of his smile did make something flutter inside of her it did little to convince her that he was okay. “rhys, don’t. don’t apologize for things that are not your fault.” she let out a soft sigh of her own this time, voice growing quieter. affectionate. “i don’t like it either. it’s so unnatural for me to stay away from you, to not go to you for comfort. but, i know you would stand up for me. i know it kills you like it kills me when we can hardly look at each other. but, you.” pausing, feeling him. “this. it’s worth everything. so they can say whatever they want about me, but it doesn’t change anything.” she tried not to think about what would happen if they found her in his bed, if they saw how clearly she loved their brother. the horror. 

joel.

joel wasn’t a very great patient, anyone that’s ever been with him for a prolonged period of time would say as much. someone who knew far better than anyone else was eden. after all, the two were a team, partners, lovers, for plenty of years now and she has had to patch him up and tend to his wounds almost as often as he’s had to do it himself. still, that didn’t seem to make him any more willing to accept the assistance, at least without putting up a little bit of a fight.

hunters had gotten better at knowing how to wound him, and make it so that it lasts longer than he was used to. he had a bullet wound in his shoulder that wasn’t seeming to heal, maybe because there were small fragments of the bullet still lodged in there, or maybe there was some sort of coating that acted like poison to the wound. regardless, he was in a shit ton of pain and could barely use his right arm. maybe if he had been left-handed, this wouldn’t be so much of an issue.

he’d been obeying for several hours now, sitting there like an asshole, staring at a tv program that he didn’t even care about so he could “get some rest” (her words). eventually, he couldn’t take it any longer and found himself wandering to the bathroom, deciding he was capable enough to shower without any help. this proves to be way more difficult than he thinks when he ends up half out of his shirt and half still in it, totally unable to finish undressing himself. he was stuck, aggravated, and hesitant to admit defeat. eventually, however, he sighs and calls out loud enough for her to hear, “darlin’, can you come in here real quick?”

her spoon stopped stirring when she could have swore she heard shuffling. moving. he just could not sit still could he? it didn’t surprise her, even with how well he’d been doing thus far. her man wasn’t a patient one. she lowered the radio playing throughout their kitchen, a strange habit she didn’t really need considering how heightened her hearing was. a soon as she hears darlin’  she turns off the stove and makes her way to find joel. following the beckoning of his deep voice all the way to the bathroom.  one of his flannels falling off her shoulders as she appears in the door, “you called?” taking in the sight of his distress and the way his shirt was twisted around she went to him with huff of air. worried he’d mess up his arm worse getting it stuck. “i’m sorry it isn’t healing faster but, would it kill you to just tell me you wanted to shower?” 

nimbly she went to work, weaving his shirt off his head. not being shy in admiring the bare skin coming into her awaiting view. even after all this time, the mere sight of her lover excited her. the scent of him the way he felt when he was close. the comfort of the matching warmth. but, it was harder to focus on that when worry and pain mixed in. eden hated seeing him injured, liked it even less when she would find out by seeing blood seep through his clothing. it hurt her when he was in pain and it hurt her worse when it was because of her. 

“i’d be you right now if you didn’t jump in front of me.” her voice got quieter, fonder. her fingers traveled down his stomach, to his belt. undoing it and hearing the metal thud on the floor. unbuttoning and unzipping. eyes roaming back up to meet his. so beautiful and green, she’s as obsessed with them as she’s always been. even with how frustrated they looked. one of her hands came up to caress his bearded cheek. so handsome.

she could feel his aggravation, his stress. could feel the way he loved her in everything he did, especially in how he protected her. just as she would protect him. always. and she admired him. thoroughly. every scar, inside and out. she wanted to take his mind off of it all for awhile. “let me make it up to you, baby.” dinner could wait, hell, anything could wait. she was preoccupied the moment she closed the bathroom door. hunters and the outside world didn’t exist in here. her hands fell so she could tug his jeans down, her fingertips playing at the waistband of his boxers. leaving sensual kisses along his chest. moving away to slip his shirt off her her to leave her bare, figuring he could get the rest himself ‘wouldn’t want him to think she was babying him or anything’ as she turned on the shower and walked inside. “you coming?”

sera’s fingers brushed against rhys’s thigh, scanning him to see if his mood had lifted. eyes going soft and pleading. “rhys, babe. c’mon, it wasn’t so bad.” today had been one of those hard days for them. the kind where the distance they had to feign wore them down. where his brothers happened to notice her. she wouldn’t let it get to her, it was friday and that meant freedom. they could run off for the weekend and pretend like they aren’t romeo and juliet. she’d rather do that than be without rhys, she’d do anything to not be without him. no matter how difficult. 

normally, rhys wasn’t easily shaken. there wasn’t much that could make his heart feel like it’d beat out of his chest, his palms sweat, or his mouth go dry. his hands were steady, he was composed, and he would bravely face whatever was thrown his way. however, sera seemed to be his greatest weakness, albeit his greatest strength as well. he’d been back at wolford long enough to settle in with his sister and land himself the job that was ultimately his reason for ever leaving in the first place. sometimes, he isn’t sure if it was worth it. he knew that his ex-girlfriend was his soulmate, and if they can’t reconcile and rekindle the flame that once burned so brightly, then maybe he should’ve settled with a job at the gazette. he can’t always justify the choices that he’s made in life, and at this point, all he can hope is that he can right his wrongs.

still, terrified of rejection or to learn that she’s moved on with someone new, he’s yet to make his return known. but, it felt impossible to continue to put off, given that he feels like there’s a force that is physically pulling him towards the witch. there’s a pain deep in his chest whenever she crosses his mind, which is far more frequently than he’d like to admit after five years. what can he say? he’s hopelessly in love… maybe just hopeless. regardless, he had to try. the dissatisfaction and feeling as though something was missing, like a hole was carved out of his heart, ran too deep for him to hold out any longer.

it wasn’t difficult for him to figure out that she’d been working at the apothecary, given he already knew it was her dream (which he was super fucking proud that she succeeded, not that he ever doubted her). he showed up with the intention of going inside, but for some reason he was frozen, unable to even unbuckle his seatbelt or unlock the door. he sat there, unmoving, listening to music and consistently trying to talk himself out of this for literal hours. before he knew it, the place seemed to be closing for the night and he watched her walk outside, locking the doors. as soon as he saw her, it’s like his body started moving before his brain could catch up, then he was stepping out of the car and waiting for her to turn around. the second she did, he caught her gaze and lost his breath, weakly waving as everything else seemed to fade away.

some might call it a witches intuition, other’s might just chalk it up to a gut feeling. all sera knew was that she felt something. as if the universe was tugging at her, trying to get her to go outside while her fingers nimbly sorted and shelved herbs, feathers, bottled elixirs. it was soothing for her even if she had already rearranged this exact shelf about two times now. the feeling was biting at her nerves causing her to stall fully closing up the apothecary. only, time was passing and being stuck here all night hadn’t been in her plans.  she let out a soft sigh, speaking to the empty air around her. “if something bad happens to me because i go outside, mark my words, i will personally haunt anyone who had something to do with it.”  something about this intuition though, it didn’t have a spec of bad intention around it. not even a little bit. maybe that’s what was scaring her. of getting her hopes up again, waiting for him to just show back up one day. it was stupid. how much time had passed by since she’d seen him last? three years, 15 days and about 20 minutes her mind answered with ease. it had wrecked her so deeply, the pain seeping into her heart and nestling deep. part of her just wanted to find him. to tell him that she couldn’t be apart anymore. what if he had forgotten about her? can your soulmate forget you? what if he’d found someone else? what if he was staying away for a reason?

she couldn’t process that, didn’t want to. didn’t want to think that he was out there, waiting for her. ready to take her home from work like it’s what he had been doing this whole time. she was as devoted as the day he left, some might call her naïve. but, to sera, she was in love. earth shattering, soul branding love. the magic that thrummed through her veins, surrounded her just like the heated glow she always felt when she was close to him. it was magic in itself, what she felt with rhys. her favorite kind she’s ever experienced and she’d been without for so long. 

finally deciding she’d put it off long enough. turning off all the lights and throwing her bag over her shoulder she pushed out of the front door, turning to lock it behind her. not even noticing someone standing by their car behind her. tug, tug, tug. swirling back around, the air got swiftly knocked out of her lungs the moment her eyes landed upon rhys. felt her knees almost buckle beneath her. there he was. for only a moment she paused wondering if she had fallen asleep on the job again, but no. she felt the air breeze past her skin, felt the pumping of her heart in her chest. her bag dropped from her arm as she ran.

colliding his body with her own, arms wrapping instantly around the back of his neck. her nose nestling into his neck and inhaling. the scent of him wracked through her, jarring her senses and her mind. home. rhys.  she let out almost choked laughter, feeling the tears forming in her eyes as relief released in her body. flooding her system so hard she melted into him. feeling the heat of him press against her. “you’re here,” her voice whispers, “it’s you.” the sound of heartbreak shadowed her words, like she was expecting him not to be real. her tears fell now, absorbing into his clothes. the affection, the concern. the time, distance between them, that didn’t matter once she was in his arms.  “where have you been, rhys?” she was afraid to think further, to wonder if he was staying. breath feeling as shaky as her voice. “how’d you know i’d be here?”

despite the fact that he wasn’t really her boyfriend, rhys still felt the anger bubbling inside of him at the unnecessary name calling as the guy walked away. he fucking hates guys like that. he was about half a second away from reaching out and stopping him so he could punch his sorry lights out, though sera got his attention when she started speaking to him. for now, he guesses the dickhead can get lost, but next time? if there is a next time? he won’t be so lucky.

“oh. yeah, sorry about that. sometimes these guys won’t take no for an answer since they’re pathetic excuses for human-beings, as fucked up as it is, i thought maybe he’d listen to me if i said that.” an airy laugh slips past his lips and he shifts on his feet, looking down at her with a sheepish yet flattered grin. “you know me, a regular knight in shining armor.” sera’s next words slightly puzzle rhys, causing him to raise an eyebrow and stare at her for several moments. “me? forget that you exist? yeah, right.” he chokes out more laughter, shaking his head. “nah, nah, no, nothing like that. i was just… bored. as painfully lame as it is, i’m here by myself. what about you? where’s your real date for the night, and why is he making me do his job for him?”

confusion painted her features. “what? you got that creep off my back, why on earth are you apologizing for helping me? he never would have left me alone.” it occurred to her that they didn’t know each other well or even at all, sera had no clue what he thought of her. what he might misunderstand in her tone. that she wasn’t bothered by it at all. his airy laugh and peculiar shifting was just a little too endearing. she did not still have a crush on rhys the kissing houdini. only, she did. “you definitely were tonight.” her own feet shifted as he stared like she had just said the most ridiculous thing ever, her staring right back at him.  “i know i’m minorly under the influence and all. but, what does ‘yeah, right,’” she repeated in her own attempt at his voice. face animating, curiosity piquing. “mean exactly?” she laughed then, relieving the memories. “cause you sorta were the ditcher and i, the ditched.” that wasn’t completely true or even fair and she knew it. leaning a little against the counter now. “i guess i’ll just have to down in history as a terrible kisser or something.” 

her eyes studied him closely, “not lame at all, cause i’m pretty sure i was bored too. me being said terrible kisser and all, couldn’t really score myself a date.” a part of her was quite happy he didn’t have a date either. it was expressed in the way she moved a little closer. maybe she liked him doing that job for her imaginary boyfriend. “you know what, maybe you should be my real date.” she suddenly stated, boldness running through her veins. “do his job for him, be my boyfriend for the night or something,” her knuckles brushed his side to nudge him. “that won’t be boring, right? we could still make a night of this. who knows where we will be in a few years! what harm would one night do.” 

once rhys noticed that serafina monroe was at this stupidly wild party, he couldn’t stop noticing her. then again, that seemed to be a theme throughout his entire high school experience. four years, he’s crushed on her from afar, speaking to her in passing but never enough for him to think she entirely knew who he was. with high school now over, closing a chapter in his life, he thought maybe it was time to put an end to this cycle, too.

unsure whether it was the alcohol in his system or the way she seemed like she really wasn’t into the persistent guy that kept trying to come onto her, he confidently stepped over and grabbed the wrist of the person whose hand was reaching out to touch her arm, shoving it out of the way. “hey, asshole, keep your filthy fucking hands off of my girlfriend. beat it, loser.”

“c’mon baby, just come with me upstairs i have something real fun to show ya’“ sera bristled. attempting to pull away from his grossly grabby hands and alcohol soaked breath. “i’m not your baby.” voice dry and unamused. was it her? did she have some sort of creep magnet that beckoned out for douchebag guys to think ‘if i hassle her enough do you think she’ll sleep with me?’ pathetic. her friends had all dispersed and honestly? she was needing some space, away from all the glitz and glamour of amy trying to upchuck on her shoes. having some rando try and paw at her ass was not the serenity she had hoped for.

before she could get the chance to tell this guy off, a body brushed by her. almost shielding her out of the sights of this guy, shoving the creep’s hands away. “asshole! see i was trying to think of the perfect word for this guy and that will certainly do the trick.” she peaked her head back out, noticing her savior for who he was. rhys. the last time she could even remember being this close to rhys was the summer before freshman year, seven minutes in heaven. after eyeing him the whole night they had been chosen. the only problem was that once they were alone, her excitement mixed with her nerves. everything was going so well at first, it had taken them a second of heavy breaths and nervous hands. her reassuring him he didn’t have to kiss her if he didn’t want to. before their noses touched, her back pushing slightly against the closet shelves as they kissed. real high schooler kisses, as she’d referred to it then. that’s when her happiness had bubbled over into a giggle. right into his mouth. she felt him back away from her before she saw it, ‘can’t do this.’ and then he was gone. first kiss over. stupid. stupid. stupid. 

the embarrassment and subsequent, ignoring of him after, well that was definitely all her. she’d been rejected and it’d been hard. after awhile though, they’d greeted each other in hallways and she’d find herself gazing at him. looking away before he’d catch her. still remembering the feel of him against her lips. so it did surprise her a bit that rhys had came to her rescue. she wasn’t even aware he noticed her all that much. playing along was like a second nature. “i’d listen, my boy has a temper.” the guy put his hands up and backed away, muttering something that resembled the word ‘bitch’ and ‘not worth the time’. 

“boyfriend,” she started playfully, feeling relief that the man was gone. her body moved around him, so she could face him properly. setting her empty cup on the counter. “especially one so gallant. how could i not know of you?” the smile playing at her lips, the buzz of alcohol in her system. “here i was beginning to wonder if you knew i existed anymore. what have you been up to tonight...hot date?”

all that riley felt in that moment was confusion and fear. even what discomfort he felt from the soggy clothes and chill in his bones was drowned out for the time. he wasn’t sure what was happening, where he was, when he was. it’s almost like his mind was trying to make its way back to reality, but the bad memories had their hooks in him. this wasn’t a frequent occurrence for him, which is likely why he wasn’t sure how to cope or work through it on his own. he was lost and scared and he just wanted to be home. “i want to go home…” is whimpered from chapped lips as his head remains buried in his hands, though he’s tightly squeezing his eyes closed. he just wants everything to stop, he wants the rain to stop, the thunder to stop, the world to stop, if that were at all possible. he was in need of a single moment of peace and quiet so he could focus and make sense of everything, though he had no such luck.

he wasn’t sure how long he was sitting there like that, silently praying that he could have a moment to think. he’s so preoccupied trying to block everything out that he doesn’t entirely notice when shay calls out for him. subconsciously, however, the sound of her voice alerts him. it was like a trigger, but a good one, because suddenly he wasn’t convinced that this was going to last forever. he felt like he would be able to breathe soon, that his prayers will be answered.

within moments, he feels the way that she wraps around him, feels her warm breath as she whispers into his ear. he struggles to breathe much from his nose, though he still sniffles and shakily inhales. he feels entirely drained, but it’s insane the way that his body melts against hers, like he was able to feel perfectly safe and at ease the moment that he felt her pressed in close, without even realizing what was going on. she grabs him and begins softly petting him, fingers running through his hair. she begins to rock him softly, though he still hasn’t managed to face her. his eyes are cast down, almost like he’s a timid, abandoned, untrusting creature.

her voice and words are heard by him, but he doesn’t process much right away. she’s asking him to breathe, and he does his best to, then he finds himself compelled to obey when she says he needs to look at her. carefully, he brings his gaze up to meet hers, which causes him to freeze. he continues staring at her, fixated, focused, entranced. he watches as she moves closer, feels her nose brush against his, then he presses in to meet her lips as she kisses him. he kisses her like she was his oxygen, like it’s all that he needed to survive. it finally serves the purpose of grounding him, of making him aware of his surroundings, who he’s with, where he is, how he got here… suddenly, he feels a hint of embarrassment and guilt. his cheeks are dusted with a pink tinge as he presses his forehead to hers, reaching out and wrapping his arms around her, hugging her closely against his soaking wet body. “shay… i’m so sorry. i-i don’t know what happened…”

it didn’t go unnoticed he still listened to her, even in the state he was. that when she told him to look at her he did. such a good boy. her boy who was letting her in. shay would never know how to fully explain what kissing riley felt like. a drug seemed too tame for it, everything did. the experience was all new, awaking her and warming her from the inside out. all consuming and beautiful. like he was breathing life into her. although, now her breath was stolen as he presses in closer. kissing her like it was the last thing he did on this earth. if the end ever did come to all of humanity, shay already knew where she would be. who she would spend it all with. there wasn’t even a question. colliding with chapped lips and rain, soaked to the bone. home. even in the middle of a storm.

air finally reaching her lungs as their lips broke apart, breathing all of riley in as their foreheads rested together. droplets of water pattering on her skin. feeling his arms wrap around her and hug her in close to his wet clothing. her body relaxed feeling him around her, her fingers caressing his cheek became softer. dropping the umbrella so that she wrap her other arm around his middle. tightly. doing her best to make everything in her calm, not showing how horribly worried she was. finding him out here like this. what if she hadn’t? what if something worse had happened to him? fresh tears had started to prick at her irritated eyes. her eyes searched his again, noting his change. the pinkening of his cheeks. “riley, no.” she replies immediately,  trying to stop this right in it’s tracks. her resolve quickly crumbling as the pain seeps into her heart. it hurt for him, for her love. “don’t you dare apologize to me. you didn’t do anything wrong.” her thumb slowly started to stroke at the skin of his cheek. there was no hiding her tears, relief and sadness. anger. at everyone who had failed him, them. for every single nightmare and bad memory. that such a precious person had ever had to feel unsafe. 

“i’m just so happy i found you. i looked  — looked everywhere. i wasn’t going to go back until i had you with me. i wouldn’t.” she crumbles in his arms, pressing more firmly at their foreheads. “are you okay?” her voice cracks softly. “you weren’t answering and i just, need to know you’re okay.” she kissed him again, chaste and reassuring. like she was making sure he was actually there. then again, then little trails of kisses all over his face. his cheeks, his nose, his forehead, eyelids. chin. then his lips once more. “you can’t not come home.” she almost whimpered. “i don’t know what i’d do if i lost you.” she felt so little then, exposed. but, she didn’t care. not with him. “you. you are the most important thing  — “ her fingers digging into his back, the hold on his face almost desperate. “i’m so sorry i didn’t find you sooner.”

at first, he thought that he had finally lost it. he didn’t see anyone approach, but now he was hearing a voice calling out to him through the storm? it was drowned out by the downpour and a loud boom of thunder, so he immediately wrote it off as paranoia. this told him he was going to have a long night…

it’s then that someone is falling to her knees in front of him. so, he was wrong? he wasn’t hearing things? slowly, he raises his head to look at the girl, recognizing her right away. she was the pretty girl from inside of the studio that one night. she’d been the only one to know his secret, and while it didn’t seem like he’d been caught by anyone else, why was the window fixed? did she alert someone that it was broken? as soon as that thought enters his mind, he quickly dismisses it. if she had told because she didn’t want him to keep coming around, if she gave that little of a shit about him, what was she doing here?

what was she doing here?

he hasn’t found the words to speak just yet. his voice feels like it’s miles away, so he watches her, silently. once again, he’s analyzing her. he’s watching the way that she moves, her expressions, listens to her tone when she speaks to him. his initial instinct is to flinch when she grabs his wrist, though feeling her touch and hearing her words causes him to relax. he was still reeling from his various emotions moments earlier, so everything happening caused him to feel some confusion. she tries telling him that he’s okay, and he finds himself wanting to believe her, even if he doesn’t.

he catches on when she explains to him that they fixed the window for the storm… ‘i wasn’t just going to leave you out here.’ why? she didn’t know him… he hasn’t even told her his name, yet she stayed around and ran out into this storm to make sure that he wasn’t stuck out here all night? it didn’t make a lot of sense, yet here she was. he had a thousand questions, but they all seemed trapped inside of his head, stuck in the back of his throat.

“where will we go?” at least he managed to ask one of them, though hoarse and spoken softly. definitely much different than the way he’d spoken to her before.

he’s so quiet. apart from the screaming she supposed. trying very hard to pretend she wasn’t freaked out about being in the storm. it had been a plague since she was little, probably one of the reasons she was supposed to be home already. the loud booms of thunder and her running to hide by jakes door, not wanting to wake him up. curled up much like the boy was on the ground. who was still looking at her without saying much. beautiful yet battered. he seemed to be studying her almost, as if gauging he should trust her or maybe tell her to fuck off. which, both would be valid if he did, considering. he didn’t know her, she didn’t know him. why would he? 

finally, he spoke. relief slowly flowed through her at the mere fact of him answering her. even if it was weird, hearing him speak so softly. to her. she wiped at the wet locks of hair falling into her face, that was definitely a good question. “follow me,” she dropped her fingers from his wet skin, not wanting to make it weird by prolonged touching. or spook him. she got up then, leading him to the front door of the building. too confident as she tugged at the door and.. nothing. “uh,” she tugged again, harder. staring at the door for a second in disbelief, “my phone!” she exhaled in distress, turning towards him slowly. maybe a little in embarrassment. why she needed to get him to safe place so bad she didn’t know, but determination rang through her anyhow. “i forgot that it locks like that..” she muttered.

she shakes her head, trying to meet his eyes. “never mind this, i have somewhere better. is my place okay?” the storm swirled above them, getting darker. “as long as you don’t mind sneaking into my room? i have food and i can take care of your hand. plus, we don’t die out here.” that definitely was a plus. “i can drive us it’s not far from here.” christian let her use his car today, just incase. if he said no, she didn’t know what she’d do. she didn’t want him to say no though. “you don’t have to, if you don’t want. i just sorta worried.” if he thought her to be some sort of stalker, she wouldn’t blame him. she didn’t keep a ton of company anyway, losing the possibility of a new friend or whatever this boy may be wouldn’t shock her anymore. lots of people didn’t stick around. still. she wanted to try.  “nobody should be stuck out on a night like this.”

kev found himself thoroughly enjoying the way that gwen took this moment to explore various parts of his body. first it was his stomach, now her hand was trailing from his chest and up to his neck; he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like the way her small hand felt at his throat. part of him wished she’d curl her fingers, wrapping them tightly around and choking him, in the… nicest way, obviously. even though he was wanting this in the least violent way possible, he still figured that it could kill him, but for entirely different reasons. whether he was submitting to her or she was submitting to him, he feels like he’d drop dead on the spot regardless. he wanted it so bad that it made his thoughts fuzzy… unfocused. but he was seriously going to need to cut it the hell out if he didn’t want to deeply embarrass himself by getting turned on right now. how would he even explain himself? no, he had to think about other things, like… gore and filth and whatever else would put an end to these thoughts and feelings.

he was just as disappointed when she had to climb off of his back, since he was enjoying having her pressed so closely against him. however, maybe it wouldn’t have to be for long. at least he was getting to touch her again moments later when he was assisting her over the fence, kneeling so she can climb on his thigh to boost herself up. then, he’s grabbing one of her feet with both hands as he hoists her up, mind immediately going directly to the gutter. he was hyperaware that she was currently wearing a skirt and the temptation to get a sneak peek was strong. it was so much worse when she told him not to look, and somehow she still makes it worse! he feels something stir in the pit of his stomach… he feels a warmth pooling there at her words, which are sickly sweet and drip like honey. very briefly, he finds himself looking up and catching a glimpse of bare skin before he’s averting his eyes, not feeling right with seeing too much like this. permission or not, the situation made it feel inappropriate. he quickly clears his throat, lightly chuckling and playing it off.  “right. how does it feel?”

in one swift motion, kev runs and jumps, grabbing the fence and launching himself over it, landing on his feet but taking a moment to steady himself so he doesn’t faceplant onto the ground. he then stands up straight, turns around, and holds out his arms. “c’mon, i won’t let you fall. swear.”

“truth? all this adrenaline is kind of,” gwen paused her words as a timid smile grew on her lips, flicking her hair forward a bit to hide the flush on her cheeks. turned on. “ — you know what, i probably shouldn’t say that.” her fingers kept her still, once again finding it hard for herself to look away from the beautiful boy below her. remembering how warm he was against her. the cold air nipping away. she had felt his eyes on her for only a moment before, but it was enough to give her an extra boost of confidence. to want to see if he’d maybe look again sometime. or better yet, touch. lick. pound. her grip on the fence wobbled and she squeaked in surprise. “all good,” she assured, clearing her own throat to try to make some of the explicit images dissipate. jesus, gwen don’t die.

“holy shit.” she murmurs in surprise, watching kev run and jump. launching over the fence and landing with little trouble. heat slithered through her lower stomach, breathing picking up. i should not be finding this as attractive as i do, right? how easily he just found himself over the fence. he excited her. then he was holding out his arms for her, promising he’d catch her. “you better not.” it came out a little softer than she’d intended, the words once again feeling like the words held some sort of weight in her mind. “i’m really trusting you with my life here,” she adds, a little scared to jump. “precious, sweet life.” but, then she looks at him. the way he’s looking up at her, waiting for her. 

closing her eyes, she jumps. falling through the air until she’s wrapped in arms, strong warm arms. no longer falling at all. peaking a single eye open at kev. “if i’m dead, does that mean you’re an angel?” her giggles fill the air next, you could be my angel. it was natural for her to be surrounded by him, which was weird, considering how he hadn’t ever held her like this before. held her ever. he was strong and she was small enough that she twisted in his grip. wrapping her arms around his neck and into his hair a little; testing. she was obsessed with his hair. legs tightly gripping onto his waist. resting her head between his shoulder and the crook of his neck. “thank you,” she whispers playfully. “for catching me. never doubted you for a second.” her grin lit up her face and she reveled in his warmth. “where are we going now? or is it a surprise?”