Changes

Pairing: Mary Kline x reader

Tags: reader and Mary are implied to be lesbians, light drinking involved, Mentions of Sex/hookups, One mention of death and stalking, reader is a forensic therapist, reader is older than Mary by an unspecified amount, that may be it?? Let me know if I’m missing something

Summary: Dr. Mary Kline has just joined your friend’s practice, and, in an effort to learn more about her, you purchase her book. Once you read it, you realize you have vastly different views. Does that end all hope for any relationship with her?

WC: 4.3k | Read on ao3

Summary:

“Are you free tomorrow?” Jackie asks, grinning. “I’d like to schedule another study date with the best tutor in town.” There’s that fucking word again—date. Shauna swallows down the bile rising in her stomach. or Shauna tutors Jackie in Chemistry.

Status: One Shot

Words:6,775

Mary Kline x fem!reader

5k words | read on ao3 | MDNI

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

summary: After Mary leaves the house and doesn’t come back for a while, you decide to go looking for her and find yourself running into exactly the type of trouble she was trying to keep you away from.

notes: entity!mary, Emotional manipulation with a side of tooth rotting fluff <3

Chapter 5: Pick me up and it’s all forgotten (you’re not so rotten)

Coming back to consciousness was like coming down from an illusively ecstatic high that slowly began to fade into the air surrounding you, achiness concentrating in your joints and the slight tug in your hamstring that you gradually became aware of as you awoke. Shifting your legs between the sheets, a rustle of cool air gentle against your skin, you felt your nerves pulsing as they yearned for Mary’s warmth. 

However, you were only met with the rhythmic click of the ceiling fan spinning above the bed, the blankets next to you discarded and vacant with the indentation of the brunette’s figure against the sheets vaguely left behind. Sitting up, you blinked your eyes awake to take in the surroundings of Mary’s bedroom. Soft golden light flickered across the sage floral duvet that you had wrapped around your body while the rest of her belongings were orderly and neat, barely a hairpin out of place that could give you the slightest idea of where she had gone so early in the morning. 

Of course, your mind kept sending flashes of the previous night back to you like a broken tape, and a sentimental part of you wished that the other woman had at least stayed to pepper a few tender kisses against your jaw or whisper good morning. Your rational mind knew better, though. It had meant nothing and everything, just a way of blowing off steam and releasing your repressed, horny desires that had been building up inside of you after being confined for so long. Yet, your body unconsciously disagreed.

Groaning as you slid out of bed, throat hoarse and gravelly and legs sore and aching, you wandered over to a chestnut dresser and dug through its drawers until you found a faded, baggy t-shirt that you could slip over your head. Tugging the collar around your neck, you nearly sighed aloud as you inhaled the scent of mint and chamomile that clung to the t-shirt like an intangible extension of Mary, engulfing you with her overwhelmingly comforting presence. 

After taking the time to clean yourself in the bathroom, you headed out to the kitchen, somberly surprised that the brunette hadn’t been waiting for you while she was flitting around the stovetop or reading a book against the sofa. So you made yourself a breakfast with eggs and avocado toast, eating and promptly washing your dishes amidst the unusual, thick silence that hung like an ominous fog in the house. 

You tried to busy yourself with organizing some of Mary’s therapy paperwork, dusting a few bookshelves, and wandering curiously through the empty rooms, but the longer you remained alone, the more an unsettling, uneasy feeling began to creep down your spine and prickle like phantom touches against your skin. Unable to withstand the tension any longer, you marched over to the window and precariously began to peel away the strips of tape and newspaper that enclosed the glass, enshrouding its view.

When you created a large enough gap to peer an eye through, you were surprised to see a blank expanse of yellow patterned wallpaper staring back at you, its unnatural swoops and flourishes sending an eerie chill down your spine. As you plastered the tape back against  the window and stroked a hand against your chin, stumped, your gaze trailed over to the front door.

Taking a cautious step forward, you experimentally turned the handle, feeling the locking mechanism halt the movement instantly. Squinting down at the keyhole, scavenging your brain for any trace of the location of the key, you suddenly rushed back over to Mary’s bedroom and soon emerged with a couple of bobby pins. 

Bending down, you twisted the ends of the bobby pins in the keyhole, attempting to pick the lock until your fingertips turned clammy and a drop of sweat ran down your brow. Nearly about to give up, you froze your hands at a metallic clicking sound and let the pins clatter to the floor as you opened the door, a hopeful grin flashing across your face. 

Stepping outside for the first time in weeks, expecting to feel the warm rays of the sun against your skin, you were perplexed as you laid your eyes upon at a row of identical houses surrounding a street, all boxed in by sky blue wallpaper with hyper realistic cloud designs that created a surreal environment. Whatever hopeful twinge had crawled up your chest was immediately crushed by the stark reality of being immersed in the Backrooms once more.

Taking a gulp, you took a few cautious steps forward towards one of the houses diagonal to you, turning the handle of its front door. To your surprise, it opened, and you entered it with scarcely a glance behind you, resolute in your intention to find Mary. 

The entryway led you through a series of liminal spaces that weren’t identical to the traditional yellow wallpapers but always held the same sort of uncanny demeanor that kept you on edge, causing you to check your back constantly as if there were eyes crawling along your spine when you weren’t looking. You walked through green-tinted pool rooms with water as clear as the ocean, rooms strung with multicolored Christmas lights, and hallways of endless staircases with flickering lights and ominous creaks that had you shuddering when you turned each corner.

Eventually, you came across a series of padded walls and quarantine sealed doors within the rooms of empty yellow wallpaper that appeared to be manmade and not natural to the Backrooms. Intrigued, you followed the edge of the wall until it ended and merged into thick glass, outlining some sort of containment tank. Peering inside of the chamber, you were appalled to see a girl who appeared to be in her early 20’s curled in a ball in the center of the room, dressed in a plain white hospital gown that matched the grey, lifeless walls of the room she was confined inside of. 

“Hello?” you called softly, watching her startle as she suddenly noticed your presence and stared at you with wide, horrified eyes.

“Are you real?” she asked almost disbelievingly, rising to her shaking legs as she approached the window and pressed her palm tentatively against the glass.

“Yes, I’m real,” you breathed, mirroring her action until your palm was hovering directly over hers, only separated by the transparent wall between you two.

“Sorry, I haven’t spoken to anyone else in a while,” she glanced down, picking anxiously at her fingernails. 

“What’s your name?” you asked, feeling a similar urge to reach out to the only other person you had found after permanently becoming an inhabitant of the Backrooms.

“Kat,” she told you, finally meeting your gaze once you gave her your name in return.

“What are you doing in here, Kat?” you implored, faint concern across your expression as you took in the glass walls, latched doors, and small enclosed space that she was confined in. 

“Ever since they found me, I haven’t been able to leave,” Kat swallowed, her red rimmed eyes glassy and prickling with tears at the corners.

“Who’s they?” you replied, hand involuntarily curling into a fist.

All of a sudden, Kat’s eyes blew wide and her jaw went slack as she stared off into space at a point behind you, her hands beginning to shake rapidly. 

“I– I–” Kat stuttered, absolutely tongue tied and incoherent. 

“Who are they, can you tell me, please?” you urged her gently, searching her gaze for a sign of what had caused her to become choked up so abruptly.

“Behind you!” she released a strangled cry, pressing her pointer finger against the glass as she clapped her other hand over her mouth in horror.

You whipped your head around, inclining your gaze to take in the terrifying sight of a monstrous creature standing at the other edge of the room, crooked black limbs thin and diverging like the branches of a tree. It towered over you, head nearly hitting the ceiling as it released an inhumane roar. 

“Run!” Kat’s alarming shout finally set your legs back in motion, breaking out of your trance to sprint down the hallway as fast as you physically could. 

You completely lost any sense of direction, diving headfirst into the endless maze of empty office buildings with a deadly entity at your heels. Each thump of its gnarled feet against the carpet and its arms scraping against the narrow walls sent reverberations running directly up your spine, seizing you with the debilitating horror that each ragged breath would be your last if you didn’t keep sprinting. Pulse hammering, you turned corner after corner at blinding speed until you finally reached a dead end, pressing against the empty wall to no avail. 

Turning around, you watched the entity round the corner and stalk slowly towards you, baring a row of fangs as deadly sharp as knives. 

“No, please!” you cried out, gasping as it wrapped its claws around you like twisted vines and began squeezing your throat tightly, lifting you a few feet off of the ground. 

You writhed madly in its chokehold, pure adrenaline coursing through your veins as you kicked and flailed your arms wildly until your fist collided with a piece of vulnerable flesh. The creature yowled out in pain, dropping you to the floor where you lay panting, lungs screaming for air and neck scathed as if barbed wire had been encircled around your throat. Before you could gather your senses or defend yourself, the entity had knocked you onto your back, pinning your wrists and ankles against the moist carpet. 

When you attempted to twist out of the creature’s grasp again, it swiped a gnarled limb against your arm like a razor, cutting deep into your shoulder. Reeling with pain, you shut your eyes tightly as you prepared to meet your end, your body caught in a whirlwind of anguish while darkness crept menacingly into the corners of your vision. 

Before the entity could lean in and tear your head off, you heard it howl out in agony and retract its spines out of your skin, a resounding thud of bones breaking and limbs twisting as it hit the nearby wall hard. Fluttering your dazed eyes open, you watched a figure with a distorted face and dark brown hair chase the entity away, growling and emanating hostility. 

After a few moments of holding your breath, you watched the figure hurry over to kneel down next to you and stroke a clawed finger against your temple, the chestnut hue of her hair and the amber flash of her eyes strangely familiar in a way you couldn’t pinpoint properly in your incapacitated state. The more you tried to squint and get a closer look at the entity, the more your vision increasingly blurred and faded into the void of unconsciousness. 

₊˚  ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━  ₊˚

Eventually, your eyelids blinked awake once again, the ease of sensation back into your body a rude awakening as you became increasingly aware of the throbbing cuts against your skin. Paired with the ache in your limbs from the previous night, you were an absolute wreck, shielding your sensitive eyes from the flicker of the fluorescent lights with the back of your arm as you released a bodily shudder.

“Shhhh,” you heard a soft voice whisper, rubbing soothing circles against your palm.

“Mary?” you mumbled, glancing disorientedly at the woman looking down upon you, her hands wrapped around you as you were sprawled across the carpet with your head in her lap. 

For a moment, your vision spun and you swore you saw a face with three eyes and three mouths, but then your eyes focused and you were captivated by Mary’s kind smile and the freckles that lightly dotted her cheeks, wrinkled slightly with concern. 

“It’s okay, darling, I’m here,” Mary pressed soft kisses against the space between your brow and your temple soothingly, calming you down and bringing you back into your orbit that revolved around her. 

“What happened?” you asked, brain still fuzzy like mush and diaphragm still struggling to keep up with the air you were gasping in hurriedly.

“Deep breaths, in and out,” Mary caressed her hand against your abdomen, talking you through basic bodily functions until feeling slowly rushed back into your limbs and you were floating down, down, down. 

You took ragged breaths in and out, inhaling the comforting scent of herbal tea and rosemary against Mary’s pulse points and exhaling all of the tension stiffening your limbs in a strangled fight or flight mode until you were back to a state of calmness.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” she breathed, tucking flyaway strands of matted hair behind your ears and smoothing them out with her fingers. 

You nearly melted into the sensation of Mary’s touch, a warm, safe feeling settling deep in your chest. After running her hands through your hair and ensuring you were okay for a few moments, she cleared her throat.

“You were attacked by one of the hostile entities,” she pursed her lips, gently massaging your scalp with her fingertips and then trailing down her hands all the way to the tips of your split ends. The action was mesmerizing, and you could nearly drift off into a thoughtless sleep at the tenderness of her touch alone. 

“I came as fast as I could, I couldn’t bear the thought of you defenseless and alone. You really scared me, baby.”

“I’m sorry,” your bottom lip began to shake uncontrollably, a sinking feeling in your gut at the thought that you had made the brunette genuinely worry over you.

“Shhh,” Mary wiped away the tears that trickled down your face like rainwater with her thumb, placing a kiss over each faint indentation until you were blushing from your cheeks to your toes. “Don’t waste those pretty tears, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Easing you up with a steady hand on your shoulder and the other against your back, you bit your lip hard to keep from groaning at the ache in your bruised limbs and raw cuts after completing such a simple action. The older woman adjusted your position until you were sitting comfortably on her lap, reaching in her pocket to reveal a small first aid kit that she had miraculously packed with her.

Watching her slender fingers studded with glinting gold rings retrieving antiseptic wipes and bandages made your mouth go dry with want, so you averted your gaze to her focused expression, brows adorably furrowed out of concentration. Then, she gently took your hand in hers, squeezing your knuckles as she applied the alcohol to the torn skin around your wrists.

You hissed between your teeth, attempting to focus on the searing heat of her hands against yours instead of the pain that prickled like a disorienting disease all over your body. Mary held you through it, arms wrapped around you like a cocoon that filled you with such a homey ache that you didn’t ever want to feel her touch leave your skin. 

The moment that she wrapped the first strip of gauze around your wrist, spiraling upwards until she tied it to the center of your palm, was the first time that you felt as if something monumental had shifted within you. Gazing up into her almond shaped eyes, creased with such genuine kindheartedness and attentiveness that you wanted to cry, you knew that she was deep down a good person.

Even if she had become an entity, her inner humanity still burned like a light inside of her chest, and you felt it shine upon you with the warmth and radiance of the sun. Your heart ached for a piece of her affection, longed to love her even through the bitterly obsessive and overcontrolling side of her. 

Mary must’ve noticed something shift in your expression because the corner of her mouth twisted into a smile as she leaned in closer, fully engulfing you in everything that was her. Before you could fully sink into her dizzying presence and careful hands, the image of Kat’s traumatized, horror-stricken eyes flashed through your mind, burning unbearably into the backs of your eyelids even when you blinked them open. 

“I saw something back there,” you murmured softly, glancing up at the brunette with nervous alertness. “Some kind of glass containment tank…? Who could’ve created it in here?”

You felt the hitch in Mary’s breath in your arm pressed flush against her chest, feeling the subtle pause in her movements as she shifted her reach to clean the cuts against your ankles. 

“They belong to ASYNC, they’ve been building their labs all over the Backrooms, expanding them despite the entities,” she sighed, pent up frustration clear in the way she spat their name out as if they were the scum of the Earth. “You shouldn’t have been out here at all…”

“There was a girl trapped in one of the tanks,” you continued, worrying your bottom lip between your teeth anxiously. “She looked scared and alone, we need to go back and find her.”

Mary’s entire demeanor changed, her old self a mere shadow of the doubt and rage that flickered across her features like a malfunctioning electrical outlet. You swore you saw an unnatural crease cut down the side of her face and split her nose into two, but when you blinked her expression had returned back to normal, making you brush it off as an unusual trick of the yellow-tinted fluorescent lights flashing above you. 

“It’s not uncommon to get hallucinations in these hallways, especially when you’re dehydrated and unused to the terrain,” she spoke calculatingly, her words sensible and logical as if they were common sense. 

There was an underlying edge of authority to her voice, almost as if she were talking down to you like a stern teacher. Her assured words perplexed your mind, torn between the sweet lull of her accented tone and the sight you had seen right before your eyes just an hour ago.

“It was real,” you argued, a feeling of unease that you couldn’t quite pinpoint tingling down your spine.

“Hmmm,” Mary hummed under her breath, creeping her fingertips up the sides of your inner thighs with slow, lingering brushes. “I don’t think so, dear.”

You began to shake your head, but your hips began to involuntarily jerk forward, chasing the tantalizing grazes even when your brain protested. She began maddeningly caressing your skin with hypnotizing circular rubs of her thumb, trailing higher and higher until she released the pressure completely, leaving you breathless and yearning for more. Whatever retort you had been about to speak aloud dissipated into incoherent strings as you choked on a needy whine, craving her fingers so badly that your entire body shook. 

“Let me ask you again,” Mary tilted your chin up to meet her piercing gaze, hands tightening against your waist while her embrace became suddenly suffocatingly hot as if her body was radiating volcanic heat. “What was it you saw earlier?”

“N-nothing,” you gulped, noticing her eyes darken as she watched the bob of your throat, a famished appetite suddenly growing in her dilated pupils. “I must’ve been– mistaken.”

“Good girl,” she purred approvingly, sending a dizzying wave of heat straight to your core. If you weren’t so hopelessly horny, maybe you’d have noticed how condescendingly she had been looking down upon you, strategically weaponizing her teasing touches and deceptively sweet words to subtly twist your thoughts.

“And besides, you’re in no state to be going on a search mission,” Mary tutted disapprovingly, winding the milky gauze around your ankles. “I’ve dedicated myself to taking care of you, but I can’t keep you safe if you’re off chasing night visions. Would you really want to break my trust, darling?”

“No, never,” you replied instinctively, feeling abruptly small as she leered over you with furrowed brows and wide, accusatorily pitiful eyes. “I’d never do that. I’m loyal to you and only you.”

“That’s everything I needed to hear,” she pressed a kiss to the top of your head, ruffling your hair fondly with her hands. “There’s one more thing, though.”

You released a questioning little hum in the back of your throat, feeling her grip involuntarily tighten against your waist, her eyes fluttering shut for a brief moment as she swallowed the sound ravenously. 

“You need to promise me you’ll stay far away from them, alright, sweetheart?” Mary murmured against the shell of your ear, her voice taking on a darker, raspier tone with hidden layers underneath. 

“I promise,” you breathed, feeling the brunette’s lips against your temple curve into a small smile. 

In Mary’s protective arms, her sweet nothings whispered into your ear curling down directly towards your lower abdomen, you’d give her anything. You’d probably sacrifice your soul to the devil if she asked you nicely.

“Then, let’s get you home,” she let your lolling head press into the crook of her neck, lifting you up underneath the knees and against your back as easily as if you were weightless.

For the next hour, you let yourself float in and out of consciousness, exhausted from all the blood you had lost and pushing your body to its limits. Eventually, you recognized the dim lamps of Mary’s childhood home through your half lidded gaze, feeling the brunette’s gentle hands peeling off the blood-stained clothes that you had been wearing. 

Then, she was helping you step into the bath, turning the water on its warmest setting. You watched the hot water fill up the tub absentmindedly as Mary unravelled the gauze she had wrapped around your wounds, revealing the angry red flesh beneath. Even with bruises littering your body, gashes tearing into your skin from the entity attack, the other woman still looked at you like you were something beautiful beyond your scars. 

Wiggling your toes in the rising water, you watched Mary pour tiny vials of essential oils into the water, eventually dropping a bath bomb that fizzled in pink, fiery orange shades of a sunset. After a couple of minutes passed by, she dipped her hand into the water to check the temperature and switched the faucet off.

Shifting towards the other end of the tub, the brunette knelt down behind you with a brush in hand, stroking your hair and untangling the matted knots that had formed in your hurry. You acquiesced to her gentle touch, feeling her hands work through each knot and smooth it out with practiced ease. 

When she ensured that your hair was thoroughly brushed through, she poured a violet tinted liquid out of a bottle at the edge of the bathtub onto her hands and began lathering it into your hair, rhythmically working it into your scalp and dragging it through your strands to the ends. You sighed bonelessly against the tub at how comforting it felt, being looked after so attentively and carefully that you ached between your ribs. 

Once she finished, she smoothed conditioner through the tips of your hair to detangle the remaining knots completely and began to scrub at your body, precariously taking care to not scratch at your cuts or bruises. You dipped your head backwards into the water after you had washed your entire body, allowing her to rinse your hair clean.

Stepping out of the bathtub, she instantly wrapped a soft towel around your shoulders, shielding you from the cold as she helped you dry yourself. Mary handed you one of her t-shirts and a pair of cotton shorts to dress in, which you took gratefully. You settled yourself across her bed as she darted back and forth with different items; drying your hair with your discarded bath towel, smoothing oil through the damp strands, and making you a mug of chamomile tea and a bowl of pasta that you devoured hungrily. 

Glancing up at her returning, you recognized the familiar green vial that Mary held between her hands as your medicine. You placed the mug down against the side table, licking your lips unconsciously at the sight of the remedy.

“Mary,” you spoke, breaking the thin veil of silence that had extended between you two for the past few hours.

“Yes, darling?” she asked attentively, settling down next to you with the vial in hand.

“I’ve been wondering…” you trailed off, worrying the off the shoulder hem of your t-shirt between your fingertips. “You’re an entity, but you don’t seem to look like one, at least all of the time.”

Mary hummed lightly, tracing her knuckles against your bare knee. You saw the plane of her face vaguely ripple into a distorted expression before returning back to normal, the darkness casting shadows across her hollowed cheekbones. 

“I have the ability to alter my appearance, especially in your favor since you humans are quite sensitive. I wouldn’t want to scare you.”

“You don’t scare me,” you breathed, leaning in to graze a hand against her jaw. 

You felt Mary’s heartbeat falter as she scanned her eyes over your face, mouth slightly opened in surprise. Almost as if she hadn’t expected you to be so openly enamored with her with how otherworldly she was on the inside. 

“Let’s take your dose before bed,” she snapped her eyes away from yours as she uncapped the vial, expectantly hovering it over your lips.

You sat back on your knees, opening your mouth and catching her infatuated gaze as you awaited the medicine. Tipping the vial back, she rested her thumb against your throat to feel you swallow, stifling an involuntary sigh at how compliant you were for her. The liquid burned all the way down your throat yet you still desired more, to feel Mary’s hands easing the remedy into your mouth and protecting you from becoming an entity, even as she was one. 

Glancing down at the remaining liquid hovering at the bottom of the glass, instead of dipping her fingers into the vial like she had before, Mary caught the droplets on the tip of her tongue, watching your ravenous stare all the while. You felt your mouth begin to water at the sight, eyes solely fixated on her mouth as you shifted your knees restlessly in place. 

Leaning forward, the brunette cupped your cheek delicately in her palm and pulled you in by the waist as gently as if you were a piece of fine china, careful of your injuries. You instantly pressed your lips against hers, finding her tongue to swallow the last of the acidic liquid that she had collected from the vial while your hands tangled in her dark hair.

This kiss was far more tender than anything you had experienced before, her soft lips taking the time to meld against yours and ravish your taste against her tongue. Even after a day of fighting entities and spending the entire evening cleaning you up, you were in awe at how the other woman’s lips still managed to taste of jasmine and blackberries and how her perfume still hung strong around her like the warm, moist air of a meadow at dusk, enveloping all of your senses.

You moaned against her mouth and felt her echo a sigh against your lips in return, easing you down onto the bed until you were caught in a tangle of limbs and intertwined bodies that you never wanted to leave. After your breaths went ragged and you pulled away, the faintest giggle of euphoria on your lips, Mary pressed her body flush against yours, fitting perfectly against your every curve like the pieces of a puzzle. 

“I never knew I could feel like this,” you murmured against her sternum, nuzzling impossibly closer to breath in her floral scent. 

“Like what, baby?” Mary murmured into your hair, curling spiral patterns into your strands.

“Safe,” you told her, a saccharine sweet sensation burrowing deep inside your chest at how contented you were.

Suddenly, you felt Mary’s arms go rigid against your figure, noticing the microadjustments in how she slightly pulled away from your touch and hitched a warm breath against your forehead.

“Mary?” you asked softly, tugging at her wrist gently. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” she sat up, releasing a barely intelligible sigh that you picked up on after scrutinizing her so closely.

She caught your pleading eyes when she snuck a glance back at you, relaxing her shoulders out of the shame of not wanting to tell you what was going on deeper within her.

“You just took me back to a memory of my mother,” she admitted quietly, letting a layer of chestnut brown hair fall into her eyes. “I didn’t necessarily grow up with the best home life…”

“Keep going,” you insisted, taking her hand in yours and watching her flash you a grateful smile.

“I spent most of my childhood locked up in this very house, never allowed to leave or interact with anyone else. My mother told me she was trying to keep me safe, and I didn’t realize how far that strayed from the truth until she was admitted to the mental hospital,” Mary’s voice trembled slightly, biting the edge of her lip as she opened up about her repressed memories.

“I just don’t want to feel like I’m doing the same thing to you,” she breathed, a singular tear trickling down her cheek.

“You’re not doing the same thing at all, I promise,” you reassured her, raising your intertwined hands to place a kiss against her knuckles. “Even if it was a little strange at first, I’m here because I want to be.”

You eased the brunette down until she was lying down on the bed beside you, pressing your foreheads against each other so your noses touched and your breathing began to sync. 

“What did I do to deserve you?” Mary asked with widened eyes, maple brown irises glinting with a vulnerable hint of gold. 

Jealous therapist!Mary x Patient!reader

PART THREE!!

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

Summary: Mary picks you up and takes you to her office, but instead of talking about your feelings, she proves to you that you don’t need anybody else but her, and makes you forget about your crush completely.

Word count: 1.3k

Warning: NSFW/18+ Mary is pretty aggressive and and very determined to make you only hers 🫪

I’ve been having a bad few days and haven’t been able to form a coherent sentence so I’m sorry if there’s mistakes or something doesn’t make sense, cause again it’s just for fun. I hope u guys like it cus I don’t ;) ALSO I barley proofread it so I pray there’s no awkward ass mistake LMAO

Also, this is most likely the end of this fic, so lmk if you have any more requests I love writing for you guys!!

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

Still breathless from the tense, silent car ride, you stood awkwardly behind Mary as she unlocked the door to her office, rain hammering against your hood. You hugged yourself to ease the cold, until Mary gripped your shoulder and pulled you into the warm air of her office, before flicking on the small lamp on her desktop.

You watched as Mary peeled off her drenched coat, and pushed her wet hair away from her face. Watching the rain drip down Mary’s lovely face was much more pleasurable than watching it slide down the window of her car.

The buzzing of your phone nearly took your breath away, as you’ve been anxious for a reply back since you’ve sent the text. Immediately you shoved the phone in your face, and the name you were impatient for popped up. You weren’t expecting the response you got, so you glanced up at Mary with a blank expression.

“Is it her?” Mary’s smile faded as she clenched her jaw. “Yeah,” you nodded, “she said, "thank you for being honest with me. But I really like you, is there any way we can work this out? I get if you’re bad at dating, but we could at least t—“” Mary yanked the phone from your hand, and tossed it onto her chair, “I already told you, it’s not going to work out,” she said firmly, as she inched closer to you, with her eyes glued to yours, Mary’s fingers reached for the zipper of your jacket.

She lowered the track, and as the fabric parted, Mary leaned in, “let me help you forget about her, okay?” She whispered, her breath brushing your ear, leaving a warm sensation down your neck. “Are you sure?” You look up at Mary with furrowed eyebrows. “I’ve always been sure about you,” she whispered one more time, before dropping your jacket to the floor.

Mary placed her bare hands onto your hips, giving them a tight squeeze as she pushed you against her desk, causing the lamp to wobble. She used her thumb to part your lips, inspecting each part of your face like it was her first time ever seeing you. “You look so good under my light, I’ve always wanted to see you this close,” Mary hooked your hair behind your ears, holding your cheeks firmly with her hands before pulling your face in, your lips landing right on hers. Instantly Mary’s mouth consumes all of your senses, making sure the only thing you knew in that moment was her.

She suctioned the loose skin of your neck in between her teeth, sending a twitch down your body. You whimpered as she marked your neck with her mouth, leaving your skin wet with her slobber, she kissed the bruised area softly before loosening her grip on your hair. With a growl, she stepped back followed by leaning down and hooking her forearm around the back of your legs, resting your entire weight over her shoulder and steadily carrying you, to then drop you onto the familiar couch you’ve sat in all this time while being her patient.

Before you could even move, Mary curved her fingers around the waistband of your pants, ensuring your underwear came off with them. You crossed your legs in vulnerability as Mary stared down at you. “You have no idea how bad I’ve wanted to see you on my couch, all exposed and vulnerable like this,” Mary purred as she turned you over onto your back, and lifted your head from your hair once more, “I’ve spent all this time hearing you stress over her when I would’ve given you the world…” Mary breathed your ear before spreading you open, causing your back to involuntarily arch just enough to make Mary groan.

You shivered as Mary let out a sudden, sharp rip of air, sending her warm spit down your crease, before catching it with her fingers and rubbing it around your clit, causing a muffled whimper straight out of you. Instantly you sank into Mary’s hand, as she pinched your clit, twisting it around her fingers. You didn’t even notice your hips were moving back and forth. Just Mary’s touch caused you to feel completely powerless over your own body. A knot formed in your throat, you knew it was wrong, but it was impossible to think about anything besides her fingers, as they inched closer and closer to your hole.

Your hands searched for something to grip, until they gripped the cushion of the couch, as you continued whimpering into the pillow as you throbbed against the tip of Mary’s quick fingers. Mary patted your wetness as she leaned over your back, “did she ever make you feel like this?” Mary whispered into your ear, forcing you to moan, “never,” you cried, as Mary sunk two fingers into your hole, “whose fingers are inside you now? Huh?” You could barely form a word as she pumped them in and out of you, her palm slapping against your ass. “Say it,”

“Yours,” you cried, as your legs began to shake.

“Say my name,” Mary demanded, her pace quickened as she pounded into you even harder, “Mary,” you screamed, lifting your head from the pillow as your saliva dripped from the corners of your mouth. Mary didn’t hesitate to use her other hand to stuff her fingers into your mouth, matching the same rhythm as down there.

The deeper her fingers went into you, the deeper they went down your throat. Each thrust overwhelmed you more, and it became so unbearable tears formed in your eyes. “See, I’m just what your body needed, you don’t need anybody else,” she growled, “say I’m everything you need, and that you belong here, right underneath me just like this.”

“You’re all I need,” you choked, with Mary’s fingers still in your mouth, “I belong with you.” Your spit began to drip down Mary’s hand, just at the same time the wetness from your hole soaked her other hand. You continued to cry into the pillow, “I’m gonna—“

“Do it baby, come for me,” she slammed into you deeper, as you sucked the life out of her fingers. Mary got just what she wanted. The only image in your mind was her. The way her thighs looked in that skirt, the way she looked with wet hair, the feeling of her full weight on you as she breathed heavily in your ear. Your breath broke into jagged gasps as your body tensed up, like it would shatter at any moment. “Give it to me, every single drop belongs to me tonight.” Her voice broke you, her fingers found that perfect rhythm, hitting the sweet spot, your back arched even further and your thighs locked, squeezing her arm in between them. “Mary,” screeched, your voice cracking as you cried.

♡ 𝑔et well soon chapter 3:

mary kline x fem reader

chapter 1: 2.3k words

chapter 2: 2.6k words

chapter 3: 5.7k words

━━╋━

you found something. it depends on you whether things go good or bad.

all chapters can be found on ao3 (˶ˆᗜˆ˵)

The strong sunlight from the curtain you forgot to close shot through the window, eyes peeling open. You yawned sharply and rubbed your eyes as last night’s events coursed back through your mind. You attempted to lift yourself up just as your frail bones from a rough slumber abruptly stopped you. Your dizzy head hit the hard couch cushion, making you groan in utter frustration.

You can barely see the door to your bedroom from the couch, but all you could do was sigh. You were unsure if she was awake, but at this point, you were unsure of everything. In your mouth was still the bitter taste of smoke, almost taunting you. You just hoped and prayed that the morning would play out fine.

You stepped as quiet as possible to the guest bathroom to prepare yourself for the morning that would either go awful or excellent. All of your main hygiene items were in your other bathroom that you presently couldn't access, but thankfully you had alternatives. You freshened up as quick as possible before stepping back out to a silent living room, trying to think of ways to start the future conversation between you and your therapist.

Those fast-paced thoughts took over your mind, and you tried to ground yourself immediately.

“Everything will happen how it’s supposed to.” You thought to yourself.

You were unable to change and on your body were the same large t-shirt and tiny shorts from last night. To distract yourself, you began making coffee in hopes that Mary would take a little longer to wake up.

You moved around your kitchen in speed, a hundred notions distracting you from every direction. The moment your door opened, you froze, nails carving into the island as footsteps trailed down the hallway. Mary walked into the living room, hair slightly tousled and eyes still low from her sleep. Before letting you speak, she stops, worry and guilt portrayed on her face.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized.

The two of you never broke eye contact as you responded, “I’m sorry too. It was my fault.”

“No, it was mine. I shouldn't have smoked if I knew you'd have to take me home last night.” She replied. It was hard to hide the disappointment on your face at her sentence because the truth was that you started to gain a romantic attraction to your new therapist. It was dismaying watching her last night knowing that she’d never let herself fall for her patient. Especially someone with feelings so profound and hard to comprehend.

“Taking it slow” has never been a thing with you. You're used to rushed relationships where it all goes to shit anyway, but this felt different. The age gap between you two didn't matter. If anything, it slightly turned you on. The thought of being taken care of by Mary captivated you further into her, making you want to take the risk. But it was wrong.

“It's okay though, we make mistakes. And that was a one time thing.” Mary added on in a confident, yet professional manner. You paused, taking in the view of your therapist before insincerely nodding. You knew it was wrong. Both of you did. And something about Mary Kline drew you in like nobody else could ever achieve. But that deep yearning within you needed it to be right.

“I apologize for that again, Y/N. I’m gonna gather my stuff and head home. Thank you for having me over and keeping me safe though,” Mary said, her polished tone almost driving you insane.

“Sure. You don't have your car though,” You reminded her, somewhat hoping that she already knew.

She blinked, regaining her memory. “Yeah, yeah, uh.. you wouldn't mind, right?” She asked, a more timid effect in her words. She knew that the moment she got home she would shrivel up in her bedsheets, maybe scream into her pillow, and probably lay and soak up all of her embarrassment.

“Never. Do you want coffee?” You flashed a light smile at her, trying to keep your gracious demeanor visible so that you could mask the unbearable twinge in your stomach at every word of hers. It was odd to think that Dr. Kline had your emotions in such a strong whirlwind after not even knowing each other that much.

You watched as she eventually read the energy in your offer and she started to ease down. “Yes, please.” You asked for her coffee adjustments before turning on the machine. The sound of the grinding filled the room between the two of you.

“Did you get a good sleep?” Mary finally asks. “I felt terribly guilty for taking your bed.”

“It's okay. You don't need to apologize.” You reassured her. “I didn't sleep the best, but I don't have work today. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m glad you don't have work. I don't either.” She sighed, taking slow steps closer to you, grazing the kitchen island subtly. Automatically, you turned your body around and began lingering your hands around the sink to give the illusion of keeping yourself busy. She knew exactly what you were doing but wasn't planning on saying something.

Out of your sight, she observed the magnetic calendar on your fridge. The first thing that caught her eye was a note written in purple ink, “Visit a furniture store tomorrow”. She felt like she could finally recommend it, a store of her client’s that hasn't been getting recognition.

“Furniture store..?” Mary muttered to herself, making you finally look over.

“Ah, yeah. I don't have guests over often, but last night made me realize that my decorations are plain. But I’ll probably find somewhere before our appointment tomorrow.” You said.

“Right, our appointment tomorrow.. ” Mary’s schedule was scattered. On Wednesday, you scheduled another appointment and chose the fastest way she had. You weren’t sure why you did it. The session was on Saturday, which was one of the days you were off. Your job had given you Friday and Saturday off rather than the normal weekend only because Sunday was constantly busy. So, you took your chance. “How come you’re not going today?”

Her comment made you take it into consideration. You had it set on the calendar for today, but it wouldn't hurt to set it off until the next day. It was more of a want than a need anyway.

“Just don't feel like it.” You finished up the brewing of her coffee before handing it to her, a soft “thanks” murmured to you. The way your fingers brushed set your heart ablaze, and the crave for her touch only heightened. “You sure you don't want to relax before I take you home? There's no rush, Mary.” You watched as she sipped from the mug, the way it settled in her throat. Resisting from the want of pulling her in and letting her trace every inch of you was the hardest step for you.

“If you’re fine with it.” It was almost irritating the way she worried for your approval as if you would say no.

“Of course I do.” You blurted, sounding a bit too cordial than intended. You avoided eye contact, but you could sense the moment she steadied her dark-sienna eyes on you. All she returned was a smile, making you feel a little bit foolish.

“Oh, right. That's what I forgot. One of my patients has a furniture store. He’s been struggling with customers, so if you don't have any ideas on where to go, I think it’d be nice to pay his store a visit.” Mary proposed, her eyes lighting up at her own suggestion.

“Sure I will. What's it called?” You asked.

“Hm.. something about a pirate. Ottoman Empire is all I remember as of now. He’s been forgetting to tell me more about it.”

The store you’d always pass by would catch your attention sometimes, though you never had a purpose to step foot in there. Cap’n Clark’s, Ottoman Empire. You had barely realized that it was a furniture store, only because you would take short glances at the name while driving instead of fuller inspections.

“I’m familiar with it. His name is Clark?” You queried.

“Yes, it is. Are you familiar with the location, too?” Mary said.

“Yup. Thanks for the suggestion. I’m only realizing today that it's a furniture store, so I’ll make sure to go.”

“Great,” She stated, leaning back against the wall taking sips at her cup. You grabbed the nearest pen and walked to your fridge to write down the name as a reminder. Mary tracked your movements carefully.

In a desperation of changing the scene, you offered her a seat with you on your front porch. The oak trees of your yard shaded the sidewalk and the mist from the hot sun glided through the air. Your neighborhood was peaceful and welcoming, and though your neighbors were friendly, you never bothered to speak to them. Isolation was your preference.

You gave it a moment before starting a conversation. Surprisingly, the flow of your words began to adjust back to the comfort of last night’s talk. The two of you found each other finishing the other’s sentences, laughing at stupid jokes and making touchy gestures here and there.

Eventually, her face dropped and she spaced out as if she were lost in questions to ask you. You interrupted her thoughts.

“Ready to head home? I can take you whenever.” You pushed the idea out in a hospitable manner, and she nodded.

You led her back inside with you and she headed back to your room to get her belongings. The moment she left your sight you wanted to jump around in excitement. The nervousness of getting to see her constantly from more scheduled appointments entered your stomach, making your limbs feel flimsy. Instead of getting yourself jittery, you just picked up your keys and waited at the door for Mary to appear. When the door opened, you tilted your head, attempting to cover your expression with your hair. It failed.

“What’s wrong?” Mary asked in a concerned voice, about to break into a little smile. It was hard to hide it.

“I’m fine. Just remembered something.” You tried to play it off before turning your body and opening the front door. To your left was the porch, and you stared at the seat that Mary sat on and you could almost paint the picture of you two laughing together. Your heartbeat jumped as she placed her hand on your shoulder.

“Are you sure you’re fine?” She asked again, genuinely curious at your strange motions and jerks. You let out a sigh that almost sounded like a laugh. Mary was completely oblivious and you hoped that it’d remain that way.

“Yes, I’m ok, I’m ok. Don’t worry.” With that confirmation, you both began making your way to your car.

You drove a dark-red ‘89 Camry that was gifted to you from your family. It had been your grandfather’s and you were the chosen one to keep it because you were seen as the most responsible out of the rest of your siblings. You always kept it in good condition so that it could look as good as new. The tallest tree in your front yard gave your car shade so that you made sure the leather seats of your vehicle never heated up too much. You waited a while for the engine to cool down and in the meantime, you searched the radio for a calm song to break the silence. Mary gave you the directions as you turned the wheel. You forced yourself to keep your eyes on the road and not steal glances at Mary, and it was the most difficult thing on Earth. She told you that the estimated time was about 10 minutes while driving, which made you realize how much she walked the night before. 20 minutes wasn’t the longest, but it always feels ten-times more extended in the middle of the night.

What was she thinking?

Maybe she just needed to clear her mind.

Yeah, ‘cause the best time to leave the house is at 2:30 in the morning.

She can protect herself.

Your overwhelming mind made you roll the window down for fresh air. You were wasting the drive with her by overthinking.

“It smells nice in here,” she started. “strong lavender.” She said, reading out the name of your freshener.

“Thank you. I’m guessing you're a fan of lavender too.” You added.

“Sometimes.” She spoke. That marked the last conversation of your day with her. “Right here.” She said. You felt a knot in your stomach but also felt the pounding of your head ease.

Her house was a light shade of blue with little decorations on the exterior. You could recognize specific flowers that were growing in her walkway garden. What caught your eye was a cherry blossom wreath that brightened the image of her front door. You couldn’t help but wonder how it looked inside.

“Thank you once again, darling. I’ll see you soon.” She placed her hand right on top of yours, giving your palm a squeeze as she opened the door.

The nickname struck you like lightning. Darling. “Of course, anytime.” You smiled at her. The minute she shut the car door, you drove off so that you wouldn’t stay stuck in place observing her home any longer.

As soon as you made it out of her view, you pulled over to the side of a random neighborhood, slamming your eyes shut and holding your head in your hands. You lowered down the nagging podcast in your ears and then you finally latched your hands tight on the wheel, preparing yourself for the rest of the day. After all, it barely started.

~~

Saturday morning already made you stressed. You disagreed with your boss over the phone to take a random employee’s shift on your day of freedom when your shifts were longer than the others. The extra money would help, but you were stable. At one point, you hung up on him, cutting him off mid-sentence. Therapy had been set for 12:30 today, two hours later than your first session. It gave you more time to run errands, grab coffee and even relax. You felt uncomfortable being wide awake at 8AM, but you gave it a chance.

~~

Before heading to the furniture store named on the paper attached to your fridge, you were able to exercise, treat yourself to a cold drink, and bathe yourself. You wanted to portray yourself as casual to Mary’s other client, so you wore a black v-neck shirt along with light grey denims. You picked black platform loafers to match your top. You didn’t mind a mixture of silver and gold jewelry, it complimented your skin tone rather than just one color.

You felt rather excited about meeting this man. It was possible that you could unravel more about your therapist and that he can find you charming pieces of furniture too. But the image of Clark in your head was a mystery. Was he cheerful, or was he just an asshole? The answer would come to you once you arrived there. Once you finished dressing up, you paused your ongoing house appliances and headed out.

The parking lot was empty and you were able to get the closest parking spot. The location was more quiet than you remembered, but not much was thought of it. Something in your gut was telling you not to go inside, to refuse, to just leave. Once you reached the door, you became very ignorant of that.

You expected to be greeted by a man, but the store was empty. It was dead silent, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. One of the main beds on display had a nightstand with photos on it and a television with the wire cut. It didn’t take long to realize that its owner had been staying there. Your first idea was to call Mary, let her know that the store was open with no staff in sight. The phone rang, and the clock on the wall marked exactly an hour before therapy. You weren’t sure if she had a meeting at that time, but if so, you were just planning to leave a voicemail. Surprisingly, she picked up. Your body went still as she spoke.

“Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Y/N. I’m sorry to bother. I just wanted to tell you about the furniture store you recommended.” You stuttered.

“It’s alright. Go on.”

“I did think that I was gonna see your patient, Clark. But his store is open and I don’t see him anywhere. I’m just letting you know so that you can tell him.”

You can almost see Mary’s face from behind the phone. “Hm. Funny. His appointment is right now, but he’s not here. He’s never missed one.”

It made more sense on why she picked up. “Right.. I’ll keep checking and I’ll call you just in case.”

“I’d like that. You’re still coming today, right?” She asked.

“Of course.” You walked around the store observing the smaller decorations he had with the phone to your ear at the same time.

“Great. I’ll see you. Be careful, Y/N.”

“I will. See you.” You hung up as a simple, yet elegant windchime caught your attention. You traced the metal pattern on your hand, observing the texture and color. To your right was another floor downstairs with an arrow pointing down that read, “more down stairs”. Out of curiosity, you slowly make your way down the stairs. Perhaps Clark was down in the basement and simply couldn’t hear any customers. The flickering light frightened you, but you didn’t want to leave it unsearched.

The light didn’t stop flickering until you were more than halfway down, but it didn’t stay on. It turned off, only leaving a dim exposed lightbulb that brightened the room. The wall had blue tape that formed a rectangular shape, almost like some sort of entryway. You observed a whiteboard that had a map illustrated properly on the wall. It showed a figure (most likely identifying as Clark) staring at a wall as if it were nothingness, and the ending of it left you questioning how it finished. Clark had to be the one building this map, making this research like a mad scientist. The only thing you could hear at this moment was your own footsteps and heartbeat. For a few minutes, all you did was discover new facts of a weird, unsettling place through the notes left by him.

There were pages scattered across the floor, just sitting there like somebody left in a rush without picking them up. A paper you saw had another sketch of hallways with arrows leading nowhere. You continued rummaging through the papers until you came across a more detailed sketch. One that looks like it had been taken seriously this time. It showed the same furniture of the room you were in, the same staircase, the same exact placement of ceiling lights. Only the other paper taped to it showed a huge, yellow office room with random furnishings settled in unusual spots of the room. The edge of the paper had 3 dots with a question mark to give an explanation that it only continued on and on.

You slowly looked up, and for a long time your eyes were glued to the blue tape. How would that be possible? A million thoughts rushed through your skull like dopamine, and you slowly walked closer to the wall with a smirk. You clenched your fist and held it out, but you froze the moment you were inches apart from it. If it were real, where would you begin to describe the things you discovered to your family? Where would you begin to describe it all to Mary? There’s no way it’s possible.

You found yourself panting a little harder than usual and you weren’t sure why. It’s not like you were stuck there, you could walk out and leave whenever you wanted to.

Yet, you desperately wanted to see what stood behind that wall.

You pushed your fist forward, expecting a rough, solid return from the material. Instead, the entire half of your arm sunk into the unfamiliar place ahead. You let out a gasp that was louder than you intended as you swung your arm back through, laughing a bit from shock. You pinched your own arm, but you were wide awake. You stopped for a minute to calm and prepare yourself. What’s back there could hurt or help you. At the moment, it didn’t matter.

Step by step, bone by bone. You stuck your left hand through, then your right hand. You stepped closer, slowly entering the tip of your shoe. But something else rushed you, something rather than the control of your own body pushed you forward. Hard. For that split second of falling through, your body felt weightless and cold, like plastic. It seemed as if the world lurched, and all you could feel was the pressure of your joints tightening as you hit the floor face first, landing on your palms. A brighter view bled through to your eyelids now.

And here you were, sluggishly moving on the damp carpet of a yellowed lobby-like room. The sting on your hands that scraped the carpet made you open your eyes. It had successfully lured you in completely. There was an uncomfortable hum of the fluorescent lights that made your pulse accelerate.

“This isn't real, this can't be real.” You reminded yourself. You stood up, struggling to keep your balance. Instead of losing your composure, you braced yourself and proceeded forward through the room. It smelt of dust and strong moisture. The wallpaper had vague stains all over. By now, this extraordinary place had wiped out your head, and it seemed like therapy hadn't even crossed your mind.

There were paths with wires on the floor that led to nothing. There were markings with black ink along the walls in unclear messages and symbols. It felt more like an illusion than an actual experience. Somehow, you felt the tension of being watched from every angle.

To top it off, you hadn't thought to bring a phone or a camera with you. And for some horrid reason, you knew you weren't alone. The presence of someone or something else walked through these hallways and rooms, but you couldn't perceive exactly what it was. Something you found odd was that every corner that you turned looked the same, but the moment you began searching deeper, the rooms started to shift. There were chairs descending into the ground, almost melting — it bypassed physics completely, and there was no way that you could explain how.

After finally getting your own view, you finally understood the repetitiveness of Clark’s analyses and the confusion. You snapped out of it before you realized it was time to head back. You kept a memory of your tracks so that you wouldn’t get lost. It irked you greatly not knowing what crept in the unknown, but you knew to not keep exploring without the company of another.

You were walking back rapidly, more mindful of the time. You were sure that you were already late to this appointment of yours, but informing another human of what you were seeing was all that you needed to back yourself up. Luckily, Mary felt like the right person to tell this to, the only person. She was the only person who was aware of Clark’s confidential information, and maybe this could help her help you (and your discovery.) Your thoughts tuned out all of the electronic machinery that kept the place lit. However, a startling noise started to build up and slowly dissolved your deep state of focus. The sound of heavy footsteps traveled east of you, and now you could feel panic bloom inside of you. Your breath trembled and you booked it as fast as you were able to. You felt the automatic urge in your body to stumble and slow down, but the increasing adrenaline in your veins didn’t allow you to stop.

Your blurry vision could’ve been deceiving you, but it’s almost as if the walls shifted with time. Nothing was adding up — the way back that you memorized took the look of a different wallpaper, distorted magazines discarded across the floor, and newer pillars that obstructed your run of fright. Fortunately, the heap of furnishings welcomed you back to the portal. Anxiety pierced into you as you apprehensively grasped at the walls trying to return to reality. In the blink of an eye, your body almost flung onto the rough carpet ahead of you.

You’ve never been more thankful to be back in the furniture store. You grabbed your keys and cell phone as you ran up the stairs and out of the main doors. By this time, you were already 20 minutes late to your session. You turned on your car, but you didn’t have the patience to wait for the vehicle to start up. You pressed on the gas and sped to the clinic, thoughtlessly running red lights.

The second you parked and locked your car, you hustled inside, immediately getting the receptionist’s attention.

“Hello,” the lady gently calls. “Who are you here to see today?”

“Oh, hi. I’m here for Dr. Kline.” You stated, eyes wide and irises unstable. Right now, all you needed to do was speak and speak for hours about your experience, theories, and wonders. The woman on the desk stared at you concerningly, before grumbling,

“20 minutes late.” She rested her fist on her chin and did a final tap on her mouse.

“Forgive me, I know. Please, just call Mary.” You apologized.

“Dr. Kline.” She corrected. You rolled your eyes when she looked away. “She should be coming soon.” You nodded instead of thanking her. You stood waiting, holding your bag until your knuckles turned white. You didn’t even notice how much you were shaking until you almost lost the grip of your phone in the other hand. The door opened and you couldn’t even look up until your name was said.

That same mellow voice that had been consuming you called out, and you felt every worry rush away. Your eyes met Mary, and the two of you observed each other for a split second. Your mouth and lips were dry, your face was glistening from sweat, and your hair was a bit disheveled from your continuous sprint.

However, Mary resembled pure beauty. Her hair flowed with minimized curls at the ends, and the light of the office added dimension to the strands. It framed her face, and you tried to ignore her worried expression as she watched your unsteady breaths. You tried to discreetly trace her outfit today, but she took slow steps towards you, and eventually settled her arm on yours. She delicately caressed your bare arm, yet didn’t say a word. You both walked right next to each other, and she never took her sight off of you.

Once you reached her room, she closed the curtains halfway, letting the sun barely beam through. She sat down and slowly adjusted herself, but your body was too jittery to sit.

“Y/N?” Mary interrogated. You paced small steps back and forth in her room, and you could feel her eyes track your movement. Everything dawned on you simultaneously and it visibly overwhelmed you. “Y/N.” She repeated, finally drawing your focus back to her.

“Yes. Sorry.” You uttered.

“What happened to you?” She asked. You stopped walking and stared at her. The question deactivated something in your brain, and now you felt the will to gush.

“I found something I didn’t want to find. It wasn’t my place, it wasn’t my business.”

“..Okay.” Mary tilted her head. “What did you find?”

You struggled trying to find the right words to describe it. “I found, uh, I found a place. And, th- the thing is, nothing makes sense. At all.”

“To not lose track here, start from after you called me. What happened the moment you hung up?” She held a clipboard, waiting for more of your sayings.

You gave it a few thoughts. “I walked downstairs. In the store. And then, I..” You tried to tell the smallest details. “I saw stuff that he had. Papers, research, weird random shit. A stop sign with mirrored text. And on the wall, there was tape. Blue tape that shaped out a door. On the wall!” Mary’s fingers darted with the pen in hand.

She nodded at your description of it, but she quickly interrupted.

“Have you smoked today at all?”

You pursed your lips. How could she not believe you? “No, not at all,” you shrugged, “the last time was with you.” The reminder caused Mary to look down in embarrassment until you continued. “But that’s why he didn’t come to you today. He’s in there, and he’s not alone.”

“What do you mean by ‘there’?” She asked, crossing her legs. You froze, trying to find the right words.

“So.. back to what I said. The blue tape. You can walk through it.”

Mary raised her brows. “Like.. a curtain?”

You shook your head and gestured with your hands about how it felt to walk in.

“No, nothing like that.. The wall lets you walk through it. Phase through. You know what quantum tunneling is?”

She nodded, and squinted her eyes uncertainly. “Yes. But how..”

“I don’t know.” You continued rambling on about the things you saw and heard. She listened attentively and asked smaller questions in between. Mary stood up to grab something from the drawers of her desk, whispering a hushed “excuse me”. But the moment she looked back at you, you were up again, pacing as if you’d been doing that the whole time. Your words stopped as you now inspected her for the first time today. She wore a red button-up shirt on her torso that scarcely revealed her collarbones, and on the bottom were black wide-leg trousers. Wrapping carefully around her waist was a brown belt, and a pearled necklace with a heart locket charm looped around her neck. You looked down as fast as you could while your face started to heat up, then you continued talking.

“...I don’t normally see shit like that. And I know you might think I’m crazy or something, but I was there. I’m sober and everything.” Your eyes were locked on the floor and you waited for her to return to her seat before also sitting yourself down. Your elbows rested on your knees while your hands cupped your cheeks. Mary could see how much it troubled you and she desperately wanted to reach the roots of it.

“Tell me how you felt. What feelings were you having while.. exploring that place?” Her voice clearly sounded skeptical.

“I was hesitant to walk further in. And I felt anxious once I heard that sound. I also felt a bit ill ‘cause it was sweltering hot in there. There’s no windows. It’s like some sort of trap.”

She nodded, noticing how you fidgeted nonstop with the ring on your finger. “..Now, Y/N. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but-”

You shook your head, pleading. “Mary, please. I need you to believe me right now. I don’t know who else to tell. And Clark is your client.”

“I know. I’m just.. failing to understand it all.”

“I am too!” You breathed out something that almost sounded like a laugh. “If you don’t want to listen, I can just leave now.” There were a few minutes left of your You weren’t angry, just shook. But she wasn’t quite aware.

“Stay. I love listening to you,” She said, voice low. You inhaled and you couldn’t help but smile at the realization on her face of what she said.

“Gee, I guess I will.” This time you laughed as Mary caught herself. “What are you gonna do about it though?”

She sighed. “I was going to attempt to contact Clark, see if I get a response before 24 hours have passed. If not, I can review his records and file a report of him missing.” You can hear the distress in her voice. She was trying to ignore the fact that her client had vanished and left all that he had unsupervised. She also tried to ignore the chance that he was lost in some huge, uncanny complex.

You frowned at her sentence. “I hope you get a sign of him. If not, send a team of people to search his store and nearby. Anyone but you.”

“I will.” She gulped.

“And if you still can’t find him,” You almost fully quit that sentence, but it needed to be heard. “He’ll be in there. Remember it’s not your fault.” She was silent. “Mary.” Her name brought her back from her disconnection.

“Yes, yes. We’ll find him.” She looked up at you as you were about to head out to leave. Time was up. You had 40 minutes to speak, and it flew by. The rapid flutter of Mary’s eyelashes and the clenching of her jaw lured you closer, making you not want to leave. Aside from everything else, today allowed you to partly see a more vulnerable side of her once again. See the guilt on her expression at her own mention of filing a report. This definitely wasn’t the first time she’s had to do this.

“Thank you a lot for today. Also, please update me if anything happens.” You muttered.

“Of course, Y/N.. I’ll see you.” The mental blank was more heavy now. “Be careful.”

“You too.”

Her hands were shaking, and the second before you leave, you spot exactly what she grabbed earlier from her desk. A bottle of pills. You stepped out and forwarded on before you pushed it any further.

And in the room of the door you had just exited was a now paranoid, defenseless woman. A woman who drove herself into intense regret of not being able to give everyone the assistance they needed.

She couldn’t help people, nor could she even help herself, so why did she keep trying?

Mary Kline x reader

Part one | 1.4k words

You meet with a therapist to help you deal with the daily stresses of life, though over time she begins to act strangely.

(Nothing too crazy happens yet but i promise it will in the next part 😛)

Mary Kline x fem!reader

6.8k words | read on ao3 | MDNI

summary: Having difficulty finding a job that you truly enjoyed, you decide to make a fresh start for the summer by applying for a job at Cap’n Mary’s Ottoman Empire. However, as the lines of your relationship with your boss begin to blur, you’re forced to deal with Mary’s underlying addictions and increasingly possessive hold over you. aka role reversal au

tags: alcoholic!mary, boss/employee relationship, jealousy, obsession, emotional manipulation, alcoholism, smoking, drug usage, dubious consent, cheating, age gap, kidnapping, praise and degradation, mommy kink, knife play, blood kink, bondage, toxic workplace yuri

notes: The first chapter is pretty tame but it will escalate really quickly (goodbye to slowburn)

Chapter 1: Bad decision

You had been bouncing between jobs for the last couple of years, never truly feeling like the occupations sparked an interest inside of you beyond the dullness of mundane paperwork and miscellaneous tasks. When the fresh breeze of spring and the aroma of clementines began to recede into the distance, you knew that you couldn’t spend another season idly living your life as a shell of your former self with summer creeping in. 

Eyes catching on a flyer that had been taped to the streetlamp a few steps away from your bus stop, you came across a “Now hiring” notice from a furniture store that you recalled was just off the main road from your neighborhood: Cap’n Mary’s Ottoman Empire.

The artwork of a woman in a faux pirate costume across the sheet of paper was uniquely charming, and you found yourself more intrigued by the minute to check out the offer and at the very least, get some interviewing experience under your belt. So the next morning, dressed in a nice blouse with a resume tucked underneath your left arm, you arrived at the address promptly when it opened at 10 am. 

Opening the double doors, you stepped into a large building filled with antique sofas and chairs, the overhead lights bathing the room in a yellow-tinted glow. A brunette who appeared to be half dozing against the front countertop suddenly straightened up with a jolt, her mismatched heels clicking across the linoleum floor as she headed towards you.

“Hello, welcome to Cap’n Mary’s Ottoman Empire!” she chirped with a slightly satirical curve to the corner of her lips, pumping her fist jovially. “What brings you here today?”

“Hi, I saw on a flyer that you were hiring?” you replied more like a question, perplexed as confusion increasingly overshadowed her features. “And, well– I was hoping to get a job here,” you explained, holding the flyer uselessly in your outstretched hand.

“Hmmm,” the woman’s caramel eyes traced over your business attire curiously, grabbing the sheet of paper out of your hand rather roughly as she brought the flyer close to her face and scrutinized the words written across it.

“I wasn’t aware that we were hiring,” she turned her head to flash a dirty look at a guy with messy blonde hair reclined against a chair behind the register, who offered her a shrug in return.

“But I can arrange for it,” she responded with a slightly strained smile, hand brushing against your shoulder blade as she guided you forward. “Follow me, love.”

Disoriented faintly by her casual touch and nicknames, you let her guide you down a narrow hallway until you finally entered a room a few doors down, white paint peeling against the doorframe. Scanning your eyes across the room, you took in a cramped, disorganized office space with miscellaneous files and pieces of stationary strewn across a walnut desk, electricity and water bill notices pinned up against corkboards that looked as if they were scarcely touched, and half opened cardboard boxes littering the floor.

“Excuse the mess,” the woman offered you a sympathetic glance, sweeping a pile of papers and supplies underneath her desk to make room for her to sit down and rest her elbows upon the wood as if she hadn’t a care in the world for the items’ contents or value. 

Sitting down in a lime green armchair across from her, you were finally able to get a better look at her and allow your eyes to roam freely without feeling awkward. She looked to be in her late 30’s or early 40’s, with long brown hair that settled messily around her shoulders as if she had been rushing around from place to place, a slightly rumpled blouse with a vague watercolor pattern, a pair of dark slacks with mismatched flats, and pieces of gold flashing by her ears and fingertips.

Even in her disheveled state, she was devastatingly pretty, and you felt an uncontrollable magnetism towards her that made it suddenly hard to swallow. Crisscrossing her fingers, the older woman studied you for a moment before clearing her throat, knees jittering restlessly beneath her desk. 

“I’m Mary Kline, owner of Cap’n Mary’s Ottoman Empire,” she introduced herself formally, asking for your own name and grinning as she spoke the syllables aloud on her lips.

“I brought a resume,” you offered when she didn’t prompt you further, only staring at you blankly as if she were lost in thought.

Mary barely glanced at the sheet of paper you placed precariously across the messy plane of her desk, her eyes wandering distractedly across the room as if a million thoughts were running through her mind at once.

“Do you know how to run computers? Make calls? Lift heavy objects?” she asked, strings of arbitrarily aimless questions running out of her mouth like a stream of consciousness.

“At my last job I did coding with different softwares–” you began, pausing when she abruptly slammed her palm against your hand.

“You’re hired,” she grinned widely at you, her intense gaze upon yours causing the first stirrings of something peculiar inside of your lower stomach. Something deceptively innocent, an underlying affliction that you weren’t fully conscious of until it was too late. 

From that point on, you started working at the Ottoman Empire full time, clocking in even on weekends for overtime if you weren’t particularly busy. You eventually met the only two other workers at the furniture store: a witty girl with a dark brown bob who went by Kat and a dirty blonde guy named Bobby who always seemed to be consistently stoned on the job. They were nice enough to share jokes with in between extended waiting periods, which usually stretched into most days since the store regularly never had any customers.

Meanwhile, Mary instantly took a liking to you, sending you off on constant errands and entrusting you with important jobs quickly. It was menial, repetitive work at best, but you found your mind contented by the switchup in the previous jobs you had been doing for the last year and a half. Before long you were her right hand woman, functioning almost like a secretary as you took her calls, scheduled upcoming shipments, and managed company bills. As you grew accustomed to managing your boss’ paperwork and unusually high security tasks, you began to notice the hidden cracks in Mary’s upbeat, compassionate persona.

She’d more oftentimes than not leave empty boxes of cigarettes strewn across her desk and bottles of unlabeled pills stashed in her drawers. At least three times a week she would arrive at the store late with red rimmed eyes, the smell of whiskey on her breath. Her subsequent mood swings were what rattled you the most, making her sweet and reassuring one day and frigidly distant the next. 

Even with her inconsistent personality, you still found yourself hanging on every word of praise and acknowledgement for some inexplicable reason. You knew that she wasn’t in the best state of mind, but your doubts faded into your peripheral vision when your hands grazed each other while exchanging files, when your shoulders brushed in passing, when she beamed down at you so full of pride and appreciation after you completed a task that a warm sensation arose in your chest. 

One particular day as you were walking down the hallway with a stack of letters to drop off at the mailbox, Mary appeared out of a doorway and caught your elbow, making your heart nearly jump out of your throat before you finally registered it was just her. 

“Sweetheart, I was wondering…” Mary bit the corner of her lip, averting her eyes reluctantly. “Could you be a dear and drive me to my therapy session today at 11?”

“Of course,” you instantly replied, trying to not come across as overly eager as she flashed you a grateful smile. 

“Thank you,” she replied with a sigh of relief, her fingertips lingering against your skin for a moment longer before she breezed down the hallway. 

You stared frozen in her wake, unusually breathless at the warm, sunkissed sensation of her skin against yours. Suddenly wary of the indecipherable feelings that stirred inside of your chest, you reassured yourself that you were just content to be considerate and encourage Mary to get the help she needed with her underlying mental health issues. It couldn’t be anything more than that.

After a few hours passed, you found yourself stepping into your car alongside Mary and heading down a couple of sideroads that she directed you towards. Even with your hand against the wheel, you felt the focus of your control begin to shift to the brunette each time she pointed out a street sign or tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. It was irritatingly distracting, and you fought to keep your eyes on the road, even if your gaze always ended up trailing back to her in the end. 

You released a breath you hadn’t known you had been holding once you finally stopped in the parking lot, daring a glance at your boss who was beginning to gather her purse and belongings. Instead of promptly opening the car door, though, she leaned over to brush her hand against your own fingertips, prickling the hairs against your thigh. 

“I wanted to thank you again, I know this is a little out of your payroll,” Mary told you apologetically, her almond eyes captivating in the early morning glow that filtered through the treetops.

“It’s no problem,” you replied insistently, swallowing hard when you felt her hand shift to give your leg a squeeze.

“I haven’t been able to take my car out for the past few days,” she stifled a sigh, rubbing small circles against your thigh with her thumb that sent fluttery tingles down your spine. “Thank goodness you could take me.”

“I don’t mind,” you breathed, stare fixated on a strand that spilled over her shoulder like molten chocolate. Despite your better judgement, you reached out a hand and tucked the hair behind her ear, feeling her eyes flicker towards your arm and back to your expression with newfound fascination.

“I’d do anything for you,” you spoke aloud, the words slipping out of your mouth before you could think.

“Anything?” Mary murmured dangerously soft, the words biting into the thick silence between you two with a husky, gravelly edge. You felt her thumb freeze against your thigh, her fingertips pressing half moon indentations into your skin. 

All of a sudden, her eyes flashed towards the brick office buildings, and her entire persona shifted as she retracted away from you and shut the car door before you could blink, flats clicking excitedly towards an older woman standing on the sidewalk nearby. The unfamiliar woman who you assumed was her therapist, Clarice, wore a striped button up blouse with the sleeves partially rolled up, slacks and polished brown shoes, and dangly gold earrings that complemented her copper complexion and tightly coiled curls. 

You watched the two embrace, Mary rubbing her hand softly against her lower back before leaning forward to press a kiss to the side of her cheeks, Clarice doing the same. Swallowing the sour taste in the back of your mouth, you couldn’t avert your gaze from the way Mary’s eyes lit up like the sun, more enthusiastic and cheerful than you had ever seen.

It felt as if someone had twisted a blade directly between your ribs, and you shamefully buried the irrational urge to storm out of your car and drag Mary away, back to the moment when your hand was at her temple and her fingertips were against your thigh. But she wasn’t yours to be defensive of, and you questioned where your underlying resentment had even come from in the first place. You shook yourself out of your trance and shifted your car into reverse, backing up and driving back to the furniture store with your muddled thoughts and an unexplainable ache in your chest. 

Once your car was nearly out of sight, Mary turned to glance briefly at your departure, her expression unreadable. 

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A few days later, you were rudely awakened to your landline ringing like a fire alarm from your kitchen, slamming your palm against your alarm clock multiple times before realizing that the sound wasn’t coming from the device. Groaning into your pillow before stumbling upright, you wandered down the hallway and absentmindedly rubbed the sleep out of your eyes.

“Hello?” you mumbled against the speaker, leaning against the bar countertop as you tucked the phone between your shoulder and ear. 

“Sweetheart, come to the shop early, I have an important task for you. I’ll pay you overtime,” Mary’s light accent echoed against your ear, bringing your body to alertness immediately.

“Of course,” you replied, hanging up and heading down the hallway to your dresser to find a pair of fresh clothes. 

Before you knew it, you were heading off down the road towards the furniture store, pulling up alongside another car where your coworkers were stumbling out, looking peeved as to why exactly they were waking up at 8 in the fucking morning for a job barely over minimum wage. You gave them a shrug as you followed them through the double doors, entering the building that seemed to be unnaturally brighter than before.

As you filled into the entryway, you all stared in bewilderment at your boss sitting atop a piece of furniture dressed in a comically inaccurate pirate costume that was almost identical to the cartoon figure in the logo of Cap’n Mary’s Ottoman Empire. 

“I just had the brilliant idea to film an advertisement to attract new customers!” Mary exclaimed cheerfully, shaking slightly as if she were intoxicated, or high, or likely both. “You brought the camera, right, Bobby?”

“Not this shit again,” you heard Bobby groan under his breath, sharing a skeptical glance with Kat before raising his camera bag reassuringly.

For the next few hours, you found yourself moving around various props and lighting fixtures you had diy-ed out of lamps that you found around the shop, helping your boss carry out her ‘revolutionary plan’ for increasing sales. As the afternoon sun rose high, your eyelids began to droop sleepily, and you were eternally grateful that you weren’t assigned the role of cameraman like your coworker. 

One unfortunate setback stalled your progress, though. Mary had one knee high boot resting against a dining room chair while she pumped a fist, clutching a cartoonish paper sword in the air as she shouted out the script she had come up with. Suddenly, the biting sound of splintering wood echoed forebodingly, and the chair Mary had been resting all of her weight on broke underneath her, sending her lurching forward. She collapsed against a nearby coffee table, the corner slicing a nasty cut against her lip that bloomed bright crimson. 

“Shit,” Mary cursed out of frustration, clutching a hand against the blood flowing out of her lip before receding down the hallway towards the bathroom. 

“I’m going to check on her,” you told your coworkers instinctively, trailing after her before you could notice the knowing glance they exchanged as they nodded towards you with raised brows.

Slipping through the door, you cautiously walked towards Mary, who was standing at the far edge of the bathroom adjacent to the stalls. The brunette was hunched over the sink, scrubbing roughly at a red splotch on the collar of her blouse and grunting when the paper towel dissolved into pieces. 

“No good, piece of shit furniture,” she hissed between her teeth, tugging roughly at the buttons of her blouse.

You averted your eyes as she dropped her unbuttoned blouse into the sink and scrubbed at it underneath the faucet, the small glimpse of her lacy, violet bra burning into the backs of your eyelids. Busying yourself with gathering a few extra paper towels and dampening them in the nearby sink, you watched Mary stare into her reflection blankly, watching the blood run thick ruby rivulets down her neck. 

“Here, let me help,” you insisted, holding the wet towels in your outstretched hand like a peace offering. 

Miraculously, the anger previously etched into the older woman’s features receded, and she acquiesced with a nod. Stepping forward, you tilted her chin up slightly, wiping at the dried blood along the expanse of her neck until it came away clean. You watched Mary gaze at you beneath her lashes, her pulse slowing to a steadier pace under your gentle touch.

Your hands trailed upwards until you were finally wiping the last traces of blood against her lower lip, thumb tapping reluctantly to get her to open her mouth wider. She let you tug the corner of her lip open as you cleaned the blood crusted against it, suddenly perceptively aware of how intimate the action was. Breaths intermingling a few inches away, you could smell the faint trace of smoke mixed with her floral perfume against her skin, something intoxicatingly appealing in the scent of alcohol on her breath. 

When you began to pull your hand away, Mary suddenly latched a firm grip against your wrist, suspending your limbs in place as if she had paused time. 

“Are you going to kiss it better?” she asked deceptively sweet, pupils dilated and head tilted as she studied you, taking in your reaction. 

You hitched a breath, the implication making your mind go fuzzy while the cut on her lip just centimeters away from your thumb pulsed against your skin like a ticking bomb. That only made you want to downcast your stare, which sent you back to the flush of her exposed chest, which had you jumping away from her like her touch had sent an electric shock through your veins.

“C’mon love, I was just joking,” Mary hummed teasingly, chuckling at how flustered she had made you with a simple suggestive phrase. 

You clutched the bloody paper towel to your chest, forcing yourself to breathe in and out slowly. It was highly inappropriate to be in this position with your boss, you knew, but something in your mind unconsciously shielded all of her actions against your will. Almost as if she had built a safeguard into your mind, to dissipate every flicker of doubt that arose and keep you irrevocably loyal to her. You shuddered at the mere thought that you could be so infatuated with a woman that all of your walls collapsed around you, keeping you helplessly pliant in her hold. 

“I’ll be outside,” Mary told you, noticing how you shrunk into yourself but choosing not to comment on it. 

Listening to the sound of her heels receding, you grounded yourself with a hand clutched against the edge of the sink, trying desperately to regain the composure you had lost.

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A few weeks later, Bobby and Kat suggested that the entire workplace meet for drinks at a nearby bar, and you easily agreed. After countless nights of sorting out behind schedule shipments of incoming furniture, you needed something to allow you to unwind and relax the tension in your shoulders. Although you assumed Mary loosely had an addiction for drinking, you were surprised that she agreed to going out with her employees, given the generational difference. 

You let your two coworkers lead you through winding tables and crowds of people mingling until you reached a couple of vacant bar stools, all squeezing in around a high top table. Glancing around the room, you were immediately overwhelmed yet intrigued by the multicolor lights flashing neon overhead, oil lamps hanging in wall sconces giving the bar a medieval edge, and a spacious dance floor packed with flailing bodies like sardines, all gathered around an elevated DJ set. 

Bobby waved down one of the bartenders and instantly started ordering a round of shots, Kat nodding towards him when you flashed her a skeptical glance as if she were telling you to let him do his thing. Casting your gaze sidewards towards Mary, you were surprised to see your boss twitching her hands in an antsy, restless manner, staring into space towards the top left corner of the wall. 

“To Cap’n Mary’s Ottoman Empire!” Bobby exclaimed once the shots had finally arrived, the four of you clinking your drinks in tandem and downing them. 

Tossing your head back, you only drank half of your glass, not necessarily relishing the taste of alcohol as readily as your friends. As Bobby waved his hand for a couple more drinks and Kat dove into a story about an animal shelter she used to work at, you scarcely noticed Mary slip off of her bar stool and slink into the shadows of the crowd. You were met with empty air once you turned to ask her a question, a hollow sensation forming inside of your chest at how abruptly she had disappeared. 

After ordering a few more drinks, your two coworkers sprinted towards the throng of dancers, Kat tugging insistently at your arm to encourage you to come along to which you declined. You sat at your barstool with the rest of your group’s belongings, finding comfort in watching the chaos from afar on the sidelines while you nursed your drink between your hands, only taking a few small sips. Eventually, Kat and Bobby returned back to the table, leaning in as they giggled and rambled incessantly after the alcohol was steadily coursing through their veins. The conversation trailed back to Mary once the two realized she had left the table, feeling more open and brutally honest without her presence.

“Mary’s been a real bitch lately,” Bobby remarked, rolling his eyes out of irritation as Kat eagerly nodded in agreement.

“That’s kind of insensitive,” you replied defensively, a twinge of unease curling in your stomach at just how easily your friends were willing to turn on your boss. You were well aware of how particularly snappish and moody she had become over the last week, but you were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and not immediately lash out towards her. It didn’t feel right to criticize her when she was clearly going through issues of her own. “You don’t know what she’s going through at home.”

“Like hell we do,” Bobby straightened up, a cruel smirk curving the corners of his lips upwards. “Always whining about her husband kicking her out of the house that she’s paying for, all while drinking herself senseless each night with a bottle of vodka.”

“I saw her sleeping in the store when I was leaving after one of my overtime shifts,” Kat murmured, brows scrunched with disbelief. “She was passed out on one of the customer beds on display. How is that not against company policy?”

“We all have shit going on in our lives, but you don’t see the rest of us bitching and moaning,” Bobby chuckled sarcastically, downing the remnants of his glass before slamming it against the table with a jolt. 

You sat speechless with horror, appalled that your friends could so carelessly wave off Mary’s vulnerable signs of emotional instability in her personal life and shit talk her in the same breath. Unable to take it any longer, you stood up, nudging your empty glass towards the center of the table. 

“You’re a real fucking asshole,” you burned your glare into Bobby’s gaze, watching his features twist with revulsion before storming off through the crowd.

Suddenly feeling extremely claustrophobic amidst the sea of bodies pressing against you from every direction, your lungs twisting as you struggled to breathe with how aggravated you were, you scrambled towards the sight of a side door, craving a breath of fresh air. 

Shoving the door open, you emerged into a narrow alleyway, a faintly flickering magenta neon sign with the bar’s logo resting overhead. Collapsing against the brick wall with relief, you breathed in the humid, midnight air, allowing the natural city noise of car horns and the thrum of the bass against the cement below to ease your pounding head back to a state of calmness. Once your vision stopped spinning and you felt grounded in your senses again, you suddenly became aware of a voice nearby. 

Leaning down the alleyway, you noticed a woman pacing between a dumpster to the end of the next building with a landline in hand, growling into the speaker as if she wanted to snap the appliance in half with how hard she was gripping onto the handle. Curiously walking closer, you began to make out the figure’s tousled brown hair swept over her shoulders and black tank top, recognizing none other than your boss.

“No, David, I didn’t spend it on that this time!” Mary hissed, cradling the telephone against her ear in a chokehold. A blue vein bulged out of the center of her forehead with how hard her brows were scrunched, and the back of her neck was flush with a rosy tint beyond the neon lights that illuminated her from above. “For all of your finance bullshit, I’m still the one paying the bills.”

“Fuck!” she threw the phone as the dial tone rang out, letting it clatter uselessly to the floor and spring back up by its spiral cord. 

She walked back and forth across the alleyway for a few brief moments, rage nearly emanating off of her in visible waves. All of a sudden, she noticed you lurking in the shadows and paused in her step, the intensity of her gaze freezing you in place like predator to prey. Mary released a barely intelligible sigh, leaning against the brick wall and digging into her pocket to reveal a pack of Marlboros. 

“Cigarette?” she held one out to you between two fingers, suddenly tempting underneath the darkness of the alleyway with the slightest tinge of alcohol flowing through your veins.

You took one from her, watching the brunette search her pockets again for a lighter. Once she pulled one from the depths of her baggy jeans, she stepped forward, placing the tip of the cigarette gingerly between her lips as she tilted her head downwards and held the lighter between you two. You raised your chin, gazing up at her amber eyes eclipsed midnight, almost consumed by her dilated pupils. 

Flicking her thumb, a flame flashed to life between your mingled breaths, setting her features aglow in shades of gold and fiery orange. You leaned forward to let the end of your cigarette catch the light of the flame, the breath nearly escaping your lungs as you realized how close your noses were to touching. If it weren’t for the miniature fire ablaze between you two, would you have been tempted to close the distance?

Locked in such intense eye contact that you felt her stare searing beneath your skin, you inhaled too abruptly, regretting the action instantly as you choked on a puff of smoke. Mary chuckled lowly at your reaction, sucking her cheekbones around the cigarette in a way that outlined her jawline so alluringly that you felt your throat go dry, an unfamiliar heat simmering in your lower stomach. 

“Do you need help, babygirl?” the words fell from her lips as smooth as velvet, only enunciated by a light slur. 

Your heart lurched into your throat with surprise as she dropped a hand to your waist, brushing against a sliver of your exposed midriff and sending you tipping back against the brick wall for support, your knees nearly buckling. 

Removing the cigarette from her lips, she opened her mouth partially to allow a small curl of smoke escape her lips and drift into your own mouth just inches away. You opened your jaw instinctively, breathing in the aftersmoke like it was air to your lungs. Mary hummed under her breath as she tugged at the edge of your lip teasingly, mirroring the moment when you had brushed your thumb against her own to wipe off the blood that day in the bathroom so long ago. 

Her presence was beyond intoxicating, sending signals to parts of your body that you hadn’t known could react in such evoking ways and making you come to the revelation that your simple admiration had unconsciously crossed the line into unconditional infatuation.

Mary tilted her head at you slowly as she watched the recognition flash successively across your features, analyzing you as if she were deciding just how much of you she wanted to consume. As the trail of smoke dissipated into the humid air, she ended the suspense and crashed her lips against yours, kissing you open-mouthed and messy. Your body reciprocated before your brain could protest, your tongue finding hers and nearly moaning at how badly you craved her taste. Her canines dragged against the edges of your lips as she kissed you harder, almost as if she were devouring you. 

The older woman tasted addictingly of smoke and something sharper– faintly of raspberries and metal. Still, something nagged at you in the back of your mind, despite being dizzy with instantaneous pleasure and her pervasive touch as her hands roamed down the sides of your neck and up the side of your shirt. There was something in the clumsy, tactless way she raked her hands across your body and sloppily traced her tongue against your teeth. You could tell just by the strong scent emanating off of her that she was intoxicated, and something new– a twist of doubt, curled inside of your lower chest. 

“Mary,” you gasped against her mouth, pulse hammering and thoughts barely coherent as your senses were overwhelmingly taken over by everything that was her. “I can’t– fuck.”

“Shhhh, it’s alright, love,” she whispered against your lips, shifting to suck lazily against the edge of your jaw while her tongue lapped insistently. 

“Mary,” you repeated a little more forcefully, groaning as her teeth found the soft flesh of your neck and began grazing your skin more roughly. “This isn’t right– you’re drunk.”

You attempted to shove lightly at her shoulder, unease creeping in when she pressed flush against you in return, not slowing her motions in the slightest. You watched the exact moment that she recognized the self-aware tone of your voice as she froze her shifting hands, tilting her chin to bore her eyes directly into yours.

“I thought I told you,” Mary spoke dangerously, words deceptively condescending and disapproving at you for even making her repeat her instructions again. “Everything’s fine.”

Her lips found your neck again, arm grazing the edge of your breast and sending an unconscious shiver tingling down your spine. At this point you knew you had to get away from her before she did something, or worse, you did something that you would definitely regret.

“No,” you told her forcefully, hitching your breath when you acknowledged her eyes snapping up violently quick to scrutinize your features, searching for weaknesses between the spaces of your armor, the carefully built walls that you always kept high around yourself. 

Instead of replying or leaning forward to attack your neck once more, Mary pressed the lit end of her cigarette against your hand, holding it against your skin with an iron grip as you cried out in agony. Traitorously, you felt a twisted mix of pain and arousal coarse through your veins at how easily she had you wrapped around your finger, marking you in every way possible in a manner that made you feel so achingly turned on. 

“Just take it like a grateful bitch,” Mary hissed into your hair, releasing her hold on your hand to bring the cigarette up to her lips to take another drag. 

Fingertips still tingling with ambivalent emotions, your mind torn, you took advantage of the brunette’s preoccupation to push her off of you with all of your might, sending her stumbling backwards. 

Hands shaking at what you had done, at what you had been complacent with your own fucking boss doing to you, you raced back towards the side door to the bar, the world running past you in a blurry haze. You were faintly aware of Mary’s ragged, gritty voice calling after you, leaving it behind without a backwards glance as you descended back into the comforting crowd inside of the building. Still dizzy with restrained want and disoriented with her taste still fresh on your lips, you swayed with the mass of bodies dancing to whatever electric club song was blasting through the speakers, aimlessly making your way through them. 

Finally, you spotted the edge of Kat’s mesh top in your peripheral vision and pushed towards her direction, eventually returning to your table. 

“Hey,” Kat smiled wider than usual at you, cheeks flushed with a cherry tint as she took in your disgruntled appearance and smudged lip liner. “You look fucked up.”

“I need a shot,” you shouted at her over the thrum of the bass, head pounding hard against your skull.

“Bobby!” Kat called enthusiastically, nudging her boyfriend with her shoulder against the other edge of the table. “Get us some shots!”

Bobby flashed you a satisfied smirk, all of the animosity from an hour ago forgotten after a couple of drinks. After talking up the bartender, he returned a few moments later with three shots, tinged amber in the dim lighting. 

The three of you raised them in tandem, clinking your glasses before you downed the alcohol, unfazed by the stinging sensation of lime and bitter liquor burning the back of your throat. You needed something to wash away the incoherent feelings unravelling inside of you, to make you forget about a certain older brunette’s glinting maple brown eyes and slender, gold adorned fingers that traced tantalizingly over your skin. 

The next couple of hours flew by in a trance. You freely allowed Kat and Bobby to drag you into the throng of flailing bodies piled on top of the dance floor, only slipping away when you felt something sickly curl in your abdomen and ran to the restroom, spilling your guts into the toilet. 

After that you stuck to the deserted corners of the bar, sobering up and making brief small talk with a few others lingering nearby. You gazed wistfully as pairs of men and women chatted intriguingly with each other, some ordering drinks for each other while others made out, all passion and pure desire. That twisted something deep and vulnerable within you like a knife to the gut, wondering why you couldn’t express your own emotions as easily as them. 

Eventually, you felt a tug on your arm as Kat and Bobby returned, begging you to follow them to another dive bar nearby. You rejected them apologetically, telling them that you were exhausted from partying and needed to head home. Although they were initially upset, they took your word for it and left in a rush, running on the exhilarating adrenaline spike of more alcohol and intriguing strangers.

Fumbling for the keys to your car, you made your way slowly between the tables, many bar stools discarded as visitors headed enthusiastically for the dance floor. Before you could make your way out the door, your eyes caught on a brunette on the fringe of the crowd, stumbling clumsily with a cigarette between her fingers as if she had entirely lost her center of balance and was making her way through a minefield. 

You paused in your step, regret and guilt thick on your tongue as you gazed forlornly at Mary’s impaired figure. The rational side of your mind told you to leave your boss, that nothing good would come out of mingling with her past midnight. Yet, your emotional side compelled you to take care of her, unable to leave her incapacitated and blackout drunk at a random bar. 

Your feet moved before your brain could process if the choice was the best idea, heading to the edge of the bar and tugging Mary gently towards the exit. She reacted with shock and revulsion once you first embraced her, glancing up at you with wild, completely gone eyes devoid of any glimpse of brown. However, she seemed to recognize you and began providing little resistance, letting you guide her like a ragdoll out into the damp, crisp air outside. You made your way gradually down a couple streets to the corner where you parked your car, letting Mary lean onto you for support as she mumbled incoherent strings against your shoulder. 

When you finally stopped at your car, you opened the side door and eased her into the passenger seat, arranging her limp body across the seat before safely pulling her seatbelt across her waist. You then stepped into the driver’s seat, adjusting the mirrors and waiting for the engine to turn on. Before you stepped on the gas pedal, Mary reached out and wrapped her clammy fingers against your upper arm, surprisingly strong for her disoriented state as she stared at you blankly. 

“It’s you,” is all she murmured, staring at your expression with fascination, her lips slightly parted. 

“Don’t get too sweet on me,” you moved her hand gently back to her lap, pulling out a paper map from your glovebox compartment and scrutinizing it under the dim reflection of the streetlight. “What’s your address again?”

“Can’t,” Mary rested her fingertips against the top of your hand gingerly all of a sudden, becoming strangely somber as her bottom lip trembled. “He won’t… let me– in.”

You glanced at the painfully empty look in her eyes, your stomach sinking as you realized the precarious living situation she was dealing with. She had nowhere to go, and you couldn’t just leave her on the side of the street. 

“Alright,” you swallowed thickly, promptly marking a course towards your own house. 

You watched out of the corner of her eye as Mary sighed against the cushioned interior of the passenger seat, turning to face you as her eyelashes fluttered half consciously. She looked so unusually vulnerable and small, hair slicked against her forehead with sweat, ash streaked across her fingertips where she had previously been holding a cigarette, sinking boneless into the seat. 

After making the final turn onto your street and pulling into your driveway, you helped Mary climb out of the car, who was even more woozy and disoriented than before. You half carried her inside, bringing her to your bedroom so you could ease her down safely onto the duvet. The older woman collapsed instantly once she hit the mattress, curling up on top of the quilt while shuddering slightly. 

Noticing the shakiness of her limbs, you helped tuck her legs underneath the quilt, draping the blanket gently over her shoulders until she was comfortable. As Mary settled down, opening her red rimmed almond eyes partially, she gazed up at you wordlessly.

“Want to… kiss you… love,” she slurred, reaching her arms out blindly towards your face. 

“Get some rest,” you rejected her drunken advances delicately, tucking her hands back underneath the quilt. 

Exiting the room to collect yourself, your face beet red after what she had just asked of you, you deliberated on where you would sleep for the night. You didn’t want to leave her on the couch after she had already gotten comfortable beneath the blankets, but you’d be a fool to lay in bed alongside her. So you decided on pulling up a sleeping bag on the floor, rummaging through your closet and unrolling it alongside your bed. 

After taking a detour to the bathroom to clean up and change into some pajamas, you returned, hesitating on turning off the lamp at your bedside table. You watched the faint rise and fall of the brunette’s chest atop your bed, a halo of warm light softening her disgruntled appearance.

“Sweet dreams, Mary,” you whispered into the thin veil of darkness as you clicked the light off, lowering yourself onto your sleeping bag and against your pillow.

The older woman mumbled something unintelligibly, her senseless words eventually fading into the soft rumble of her slow breathing. You drifted off soon after, placated by the comforting sound of Mary’s short breaths and the cool air conditioning against your skin. 

lol

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Jealous therapist!Mary x patient!reader

@pining-for-hot-therapist

PART TWO!!

Summary: During your next session after your therapist showed signs of jealousy because of your new romance, she tells you to text them to end things off, and tension begins to build up, and the next thing you know she is offering to come pick you up over the phone. (This is a terrible summary I’m sorry lol)

461 words

Hopefully you guys like the direction I’m going with this. Mb for the slow burn, The longer the wait, the sweeter the kiss. 😉

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Each night for the next three days were restless and your mind was nothing but a spiral. You truly questioned yourself, and the decision you were going to make. You couldn’t recall the last time you hadn’t taken what Mary said into consideration, and you understood she knew what was best for you, so the text messages and call logs between you and your crush were left empty. “I feel really bad…I haven’t texted or called them in days,” you mumbled, eyes fixated on your fidgety thumbs.

“I told you, it’s for the better,” Mary raised her eyebrows, “perhaps it would be mindful to inform them that it’s not going to work out…in fact, why not do it now?” Her tone of voice was soft, melodic even, as she twirled a button on her shirt around her fingers. Your gaze shifted to your phone, “probably a good idea,” you replied.

“What should I say?” You glance up and immediately your eyes quickly scanned her. Her tinted lipgloss glistened as she smiled, and the thick layer of mascara shaped her lashes perfectly, and just below eyeliner framed her brown eyes so satisfyingly it was hard to peel your eyes off of them. You’d never witnessed her wearing as much makeup as she was, but she sure did look beautiful.

Mary stood to her feet, and sat next to you on the couch, causing you to fix your posture. “Whatever feels right, darling,” Mary whispered, tucking your hair behind your ear, as your nervous eyes glanced down at her skirt that was covering less than half of her thighs. “I’ll do it when I get home,” you blurted, springing up and rushing towards the door. “What’s wrong?” She cried, lunging in between you and the door. “Nothing, I just need to go,” you blurted again, rushing out of the door, glancing back at Mary’s still silhouette through the window.

The text was sent that night, but the guilt still turned in your stomach. You felt bad for storming out on Mary in the way that you did, and a big part of you regretted it, so you dialed her number and she picked up almost immediately. “I just wanted to say I’m so sorry for running out like that, you did nothing wrong, it was all me. I was just overwhelmed and I didn’t know what—“

“Hey, calm down. I’m not mad at you. Take a deep breath for me, okay?” Mary’s voice soothed you and pushed a deep breath into your lungs, and you suddenly craved her hands in your hair again.

“Are you at your office? You asked, “can we meet up?”

“I’m not at my office, but…” Mary stuttered, “…how about I come pick you up?”

“Are you sure?”

for sure! here u go:

Mary Kline Dating Headcanons

she doesn’t like to cook. it’s not like she can’t cook, she simply doesn’t like to. so instead you cook for the both of you and she does the clean up. although she will occasionally prepare you a meal, especially if you are sick or too lazy.

she hasn’t been with many people and often kept to herself, because of the trauma she endured. but you made things easier for her. she feels comfortable and bold around you, not scared to make risky advances or to flirt. she wouldn’t have done this with anyone else before meeting you.

she bites her lip a lot when flirting, you know you good her good when she starts doing it.

she makes it her mission to make you blush by any means possible.

she reads before bed. i’d like to think that she has little reading glasses, which she puts on to do so. you find it cute, which she doesn’t get. she will always gives you a stern look whenever you make comments about liking how she looks with them.

if you go to sleep before her, she gives you back scratches to help you fall asleep. and sometimes she watches you sleep, because it appeases her.

while she’s the more serious one out of the two of you, she can still be somewhat silly. at least she tries to. you find it cute.

someone asked me if she’d own a strap and i said maybe 👀 actually i think that if she were in a long term relationship, she might actually buy one. and she’d be the one to wear it ofc. and although she would have a hard time getting used to it at first, it would become one of her favourite things to use in bed. (and she’d occasionally take it)

if you were younger than her, she would have the urge to take care of you. always looking out for you and your wellbeing, but she still tries to hold back the over-nurturing.

if you both argue, she’ll sort it out in a calm matter, but will need some time alone afterwards. i feel like she’s the type of person that would take a lot without saying much, unable to be very vocal if things get too much for her (like if there is yelling, or if she’s being disrespected in an intense way)

she very rarely raises her voice, and if she does, it’s really her last resort

she prefers if you both stay at home and spend quality time over big dates or outings, but still enjoys those when done

she really likes being given flowers

she likes to make you little gifts. you’d come home and would find a little present on the table or counter with a note next to it.

Self Control pt2. mary kline x female reader

summary: After four years, you met Mary Kline again. And while you had already been over her and didn't want to slip back into her life... you remembered why you were so infatuated with her.

Self Control pt1.

[ romantic and sexual relationship between therapists and patients is extremely forbidden and unethical, but i really wanted to explore this concept, also this is fictional and just for entertainment purposes. ]

It had been four years. Four years since you left Doctor’s Kline door. And in that moment, as you walked back to your car, you couldn't help but let the tears fall down your face. You weren't sure why, it was many things, the confrontation, embarrassment, shame and rejection. You entered your car and wiped the tears that had fallen through your neck into the collar of your blouse, the one you picked to wear purposely for her. You shut your eyes. Negative thoughts filled your brain, this was it, the absolute worst moment of your life. 

You cringed, thinking about your confession to her, the words you had never told anyone. But again, this was it. You couldn't go in the past and take back everything you said, she knew, and you knew. And the worst? She felt the same. Maybe not the same, but something… and that was enough to make you feel hopeful. But this wasn't a fantasy story, where despite everything the damned characters ended up together. 

The first months were unbearable. You had promised to her that you would continue therapy, you really wanted to, but knowing that it wasn't going to be her, you didn't even want to bother leaving your house. But, after a while, you really had to pick yourself up, realizing there wasn't anyone else that would do it, not even Mary. Things got better, it was slow, but efficient. Work got better, friendships got better and new ones bloomed. And you gained courage and went to another therapist. 

He wasn't like her, you immediately thought when you walked into his office. But maybe that was good, great even. This way there were no reminders of her. You still caught yourself, from time to time, thinking about her, but in a nostalgic way. Years have passed now and you haven't heard or seen her. Sometimes you did want to accidentally catch her, and lock eyes with her, but that never happened. Thankfully. Four years had passed and things looked better. You continued sessions with your new therapist, confronted  and learned a lot of things about yourself , even had some crushes.

You seriously haven't thought about Mary in a long, long time. But life really was funny when it had the chance to. You were at a bar a bit away from your town, with your friends, having fun and drinking a bit. The atmosphere was good, even a bit chaotic. You heard people singing at the karaoke, a lot of laughs, drinks being made and music on blast. 

You were talking to one of your friends, the one who could still keep a conversation on, you chuckled as you saw your friends drunkenly dancing to a pop song you had mumbled the lyrics to. You weren't quite sure what the conversation was anymore the moment you saw her. You even looked back again, and again to make sure it was really her. This wasn't really a place you thought you would see her in, but you didn't really know her that deep, anyway.

Mary, she stood across the room, with her back pressed against the counter where the bartender was putting the drinks. She looked good. She had a drink in her hand and was talking to a woman in front of her, a friend probably. Her hair was put down. a bit longer than what you remembered, she looked beautiful.

You tried to ignore her, you did, but your friend noticed you staring away and looked back at Mary, “What is it? Do you know her?” She asked confused, but had a small grin on her lips. “Uhm… no-no i just thought i did but no” You said but your words didn't convince her. “Old fling?” She asked and you shaked your head. “No- god- no… she uhm-... she was my therapist… the one I told you about?” You regretted reminding her as soon as you saw her face. 

“Ooh… the therapist… the one who also liked you?” Your friend teased you and you hit her shoulder. “Stop- seriously… i-... I haven't seen her in four years… why now?” You sighed and your friend shrugged. “You know… sometimes destiny is unpredictable… or…maybe it is already written and you two were supposed to see each other again” She said and laughed. “Oh so you're really wise now…. it doesn't matter, and she hasn't seen me… let's keep it that way.” You said and your friend looked back at Mary again, who this time was alone.

“This is the perfect moment to go talk to her…” She whispered to you. “No- no way…its going to be awful- im drunk and i- its just not supposed to happen” You argued and hid yourself in case she looked your way.  “Hun, it's been four years… you're not her patient anymore.” Her words brought shivers to your skin, despite being really hot inside the bar.

“Yeah… yeah but that's the point- it's been so long… I have no business getting back into her life like this.” You sighed and your friend grabbed your arm, pulling with her. You tried to stop her but she dragged you closer to the counter. “Live a little.” She said in your ear before pushing you further. You were going to walk away, but Mary was so close now. Your eyes met. Her face was normal but you could see the moment she recognized you. Her eyes went bigger, she blinked, and a small smile appeared on her lips.

She called your name in a question. You couldn't go back. So you took a breath and decided to make your therapy session. “Hi…” You smiled at her, she got closer. “Wow…It's so good to see you, how have you been doing?” She asked. 

“Im good… yeah im okay.” You said and she gave you a smile. “I'm glad, I really am” She said and she tilted her head a bit, as if trying to take a good look at you, she also hasn't seen you in four years. 

“How about you?.. still a therapist I presume?" You asked and nodded. “Yeah, I'm still a therapist, although I have sessions in a consultory now,” She explained and you nodded. The silence got awkward, you knew this was going to happen, what were you supposed to say? Nothing! You weren't even supposed to be talking with her. 

“Am I interrupting?- I would hate to.” You said referring to the woman she was with, who was looking at her. “No… not at all, please… I would love to keep talking.” Mary said and you tried to ignore what her words did to your stomach. You nodded. “I uhm .... kept my promise… I continued therapy.” You told her, it just felt like you had to. She smiled. “That's great…really…” She said, “I hated it in the beginning… it was hard but…hes not that bad.” I chuckled and so did she. 

“I imagined it would be, but it's normal… it's always hard to meet a new therapist.” She explained understanding. Then another moment of silence passed. 

“I wasn't sure… if i should have come up to you…is this weird?” You then asked, worried she was uncomfortable. “Of course not- I'm glad you came up to me.” Mary argued, reassuring  you of it. Four years ago, those words would've ruined you. You would've spent weeks wondering what she meant by glad. But what did she mean? “You look different… in a good way of course, lighter…” Mary said and you were glad the bar was dark and covered in orange lights, because if it wasn't she would have seen your flushed face. “Yeah… apparently therapy works.” You joked, she laughed and that made you smile. “Yeah, some might say.” Mary chuckled. She then looked down to her shoes, she seemed hesitant. 

“Do you want to go outside for a while? It's too loud here.” She asked you, and hoped she wasn't sounding weird. “Yeah sure.” You said and found yourself following her outside. When you stepped off of the door the night you felt the wind of the night hit you softly, and didn't realize how warm you were. She had felt the same, as you heard her sigh. You two sat down on the concrete step. Again, she was silent, as if wondering what to say, or what the right words to use. It was like she was acting just like she did in her office. 

“You know,” Mary said eventually. “I was terrified I'd hurt you… I spent weeks wondering if I'd handled that day correctly.” She looked at you, her eyes colourful with sadness. You weren't expecting her to mention anything of the past, but you also had seen her have at least three drinks. 

“You did.” You said and she looked hurt. “But… you also helped me, that helped me… two things can be true.” You didn't want her to feel guilty. None of this was her fault. 

“I guess they can… but I felt really bad, I was scared you’d… never reach for help again.” She said and you nodded. “I was scared of that too, but i-... realized I really had to get my shit together.” You chuckled and hugged your knees. 

“Mary.. can I ask you something?” You asked and she nodded, wide eyes looking at you. “If you could go back... would you have told me that you liked me ?” You asked and she looked down.

“I also questioned that for a while… but- would it be wrong if i said… yes? I never meant to hurt you, but I think you needed to know the truth … you didn't deserve to leave that room wondering if you had imagined everything.” She paused. “ I just... I shouldn't have let my feelings get that far. Or... maybe I shouldn't have had them at all.”

You nodded, you understood her. “It wasn't your fault Mary… you're a human being. It just happens…” You said trying to comfort her.  But you couldn't help but wonder if those feelings had gone away. Your heart was beating faster now. “I know…” Mary said and finally looked at you again. 

The yellow light from the lamps outside made her look even more ethereal. You two didn't say anything again, but didn't leave each other's eyes. A sound broke your contact, your now, even drunker friends, had walked outside. You cursed, you were supposed to drive them back home. They looked at you and called your name.

“I'm sorry-... i have to go, im the driver” You said standing up, maybe glad your friends interrupted the moment. She chuckled and put a strand of her hair behind her ear, the wind was catching up. “That's alright… I should go too.” She said with a kind smile.

“Wait- uhm Mary?” You said before turning away. She waited for your question. “Could we do this again sometime?” You asked hopefully, maybe a bit nervous, but strong enough to accept a rejection. “Yes, of course… I would love to.” Mary smiled and your shoulders relaxed. “Do you still have my number?” She asked.

“Uhm… yeah- i think i do.” You said and heard a whistle coming from your friends. “Well- until next time.” You waved at her. “Goodbye!” Mary smiled and stayed there watching you enter your car with your friends, feeling warm besides the cold.