#braxdaekko

    “I love you! I love you! I love you so much! Yes--I love you!”

    Akachan’s on his hands and knees in the streets of Susukino, his neat suit slacks darkening in the puddle of rainwater he’s bent in. He’s arched low, a cat sleeping on the curb beside a vending machine peacefully purring as Akachan strokes its ratty fur. He looks like a stray himself, with his bony stature and catlike mouth.

It’s hot. 

As in, really hot. 

Maddy didn’t believe that her body could reach this sort of temperature before, momentarily blanking on what she’d learned in all those physiology and anatomy courses. It felt like her skin was burning, almost melting right through the layers of her clothes and right through the cotton of her worn couch. Akin to a fever...but way, WAY more intense. It didn’t help that Daesuk’s hands were brushing at the skin of her waist, just beneath the hemline of her shirt and igniting more of that heat in her skin, one of her hands curling just a bit tighter on his shoulder. 

But was she complaining about it?

Not in the slightest. 

As embarrassing as she may be later to admit it, Madeline was utterly taken by the predicament she finds herself in now. She hadn’t even expected the night to take a turn like this. All she had done was prompted Daesuk for an innocent movie night, gradually moving closer and then sharing a kiss. Or two. 

Or ten.

At this rate, she’s completely lost count, no thoughts, head empty and simply allowing herself to feel in this moment. Kiss-swollen lips met his again and again, disregarding the need to breathe. She pressed her body closer to his, lips curling up a bit when her burning form met his own cool form, dissipating some of the heat. 

There’s a fleeting thought that tries to convince her to wrap her legs around his waist but she quickly pushes it away, settling for keeping her legs open enough to fit him but nothing more. She wasn’t about to jump ahead ten steps in their relationship because of a singular thought. Sure, she was running mostly on carnal instinct right now, but that small part of her brain was active enough to think semi-rationally. 

Speaking of which, rational brain prompted Maddy to break free, lips only a hairs-breadth away from Daesuk’s, as she took in a much needed breath. “Sorry, forgot to breathe,” she pants, one hand cradling his face. “I may need some more practice controlling that.” Or a lot, now that she realizes how pleasantly dizzy he makes her, both physically and emotionally. 

She’s startled then at the chime of her phone, the device vibrating on the desk beside them. Turning her head in that direction, Maddy reaches out and grabs her phone, letting out a light gasp as Daesuk moves to place kisses on her neck. Unconsciously, she reaches up with her unoccupied hand to clutch at his dark strands and tug, earning herself a grunt from the male. The sound alone prompts a breathy “’M sorry” from the brunette, half her attention going to her phone and the other to gently thread her fingers through his hair during his ministrations. 

Immediately, Maddy’s heart sinks when she sees the message, promptly ordering her to come in to the clinic. “Dae, I’m really sorry, they’re calling me in for work,” she explains, sighing when his lips brush over a sensitive area. “It’s for a few patients.” There’s a deep murmur in her ear, stating that she stay home instead. 

“I...don’t know if I can. I’m on-call, they need me at the hospital,” she tries weakly, not having moved a single inch from underneath him. Her face turns towards him, lifting his head up from her neck and back to face hers. “I promise I won’t be too long.” She slots her lips into his reassuringly, trying to pour as much comfort and love as she can into it. “But, I can stay for a bit longer,” she says between a few more kisses. “Just a bit longer...”

Maddy lets herself drown again in the lips of her lover, utterly unconscious of anything else around them. That including the follow up message in her phone, relaying that the previous one was an error and to ignore it. That she really could, in fact, stay home. 

It was just an innocent touch. Really, all Eve had done was put their child down for the night and had gestured to Noah to hand her a blanket but, whoops, she had found herself grabbing his whole hand instead. She stopped then, turning to stare at their hands entwined together.

It felt nice...warm even. Feeling that comforting weight in her hand had sent an invisible shiver down her spine that she enjoyed a little too much. It sent her mind reeling with memories of where those hands had been and where she wishes they were now. But that’s all they were, memories. And, right now, any semblance of a relationship between her and Noah was barely even existent, only held by their son. Besides...

She didn’t want her heart broken again.

After an awkward silence, Eve cleared her throat and pulled her hand away, immediately regretting it but saying nothing. Rather than have the courage to look him in the eye then, she went off to grab the blanket herself and wrap the child carefully and quickly, before beelining it straight to the kitchen to finish cleaning everything up.

She can still feel his presence following behind her, hovering just inside of her personal bubble. He is free to leave now, she had asked him for help for their child, not exactly cuffed him to her and forced him otherwise. "Looks like whatever you did today worked and we can try that again tomorrow," she reassured, still not looking at him and trying her best to distract herself. "You can leave now, thank you, Noah."

"I love the way your hand feels."

Like a record scratching sound effect, Eve stops what she's doing, suddenly unable to breathe. She turns, very slowly, and meets his eyes then, her expression crumpled in a mix of frustration, anger, and, although she will deny it, yearning.

"That's not fair," Eve starts, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can't say shit like that, Noah. Not after what happened."

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to grab your whole ass hand, it was just there," she tries. "I just...We're here for our child. We have to help him deal with whatever the fuck is going on with him and then move on. That's all there is to it."

maddy usually deals with her nightmares alone. they came in waves, ever since she can remember, and they always left her a shaky, sobbing mess. when she was a child, they would be soothed by her sister; when she was with her adoptive family, her parents would try their best to assuage her fears. but now, as an adult and living on her own, it was hard to wind down from them.

and they just got worse. 

maddy can’t go a single night without waking up terrified beyond belief. the most reprieve she’s gotten was back on her birthday to june, but nothing more. she can’t sleep well, her rosy complexion has dimmed, and she’s just not as cheery as before. she tries with her friends but even they’ve started to notice. maddy’s too ashamed to let them know the truth. 

that is, until now. 

she’s in the middle of one, her body curling up in a tight fetal position, sweat breaking out on her forehead, quiet sobs leaving her lips. she won’t remember it once she wakes up, but she’ll know that it felt inexplicably and absolutely horrible. she almost screams when something wakes her up, eyes opening wide and looking wildly at her surroundings.