#five.

“You always do this,” Elain huffs, her hot flour-dusted palms pressing half-hearted handprints into the linen clothing your waist. You pepper a trail of kisses down the sweet length of her throat, nipping a section of skin to relish in the flutter of her pulse beneath your lips. Your tongue flicks out, brief and teasing, and calling a soft gasp from her chest. “Do what?” You mumble. 

“…This.” Nimble fingers sink into your hair. “Distractions.” 

A sharp tug has you whining, her palm flattening across your sternum as she gives you a disapproving look. “We can do this later.” Another disciplinary tug to your hair. “After the biscuits are out of the oven.” 

“Elain…” You shift on your feet, wringing your fingers together before glancing at her from beneath your lashes. “I want to taste you now…” 

“You’re shameless,” she mutters, but heat is creeping up from beneath the cotton collar of her apron. She takes in a steadying breath, grip on your hair wavering. “You can have your mouth on me, but you’ll work for it, after trying to be so sneaky.” 

“Mmmm…what do you want me to do for you, ‘lain?” 

“Don’t give me those eyes,” she laughs, leaning close enough to whisper against your mouth. “You’re not going to like it.” 

“I’ll like anything you do to me. Promise.” 

“Sure about that, sweet thing?” 

Arousal spreads like melted butter between your thighs as blunt enamel slowly drags across the plush curve of her lower lip. Her fingers curl in your hair, nails grazing your scalp, and you shiver. “Come with me. We can be quick,” she smirks, throwing a teasing glance over her shoulder as she takes you by the wrist through into your shared living room. 

“On the sofa. You can lie on your back,” she instructs, and you slide into place.

Perfect. This is going perfectly in every way. 

Elain slips her fingers beneath the waistband of her skirts, slowly, delicately shimmying out of the rippling fabric until it puffs to a pool around her feet. Leaving her in apron, floral cotton shirt, and underwear. Cream coloured. 

Round, dark eyes fix on your own set, holding your attention in place as she slips her fingers under her apron, freeing buttons from their slots. Allowing the collar of her shirt to go lax, to begin teasingly falling over the round slope of her shoulders, until it’s split in two and joining her skirt on the floor. 

Her bare nipples pebble beneath the rough linen of the apron, and you want to take each in your mouth. Run your tongue over them until they gleam like candy, rosey and freshly-licked. 

Like another part of her.

Your throat rolls. 

Elain raises a brow. “I’ve not even touched you.” 

“You don’t have to.” 

Feminine satisfaction glitters in her soft brown eyes, and your breath catches as she undoes the ties around her waist. You wait for reward but she merely readjusts the set of the apron, keeping the sugar-and-flour-dusted linen tight to her upper body. 

“Where do you want me?” She asks, as if it’s undecided. 

“Up here,” you whisper. “On top of me.” 

“Mhmm? Want to taste me?” 

“Mother, yes.” 

Elain’s lips tug up at their corners, humming with pleasure. She takes her time closing the distance between you, her scent as torturous as is it tantalising, and you moan with relief when she turns herself round to straddle your face. Knees press their weight into the cushioning either side your head, her palms settling either side your hips, hair cascading forward over her shoulders to skim your stomach. 

This position…it always promises pleasure, between the two of you. 

You lift your hands from your sides, bringing them to trail over her hips, fingers dipping into the cotton band still clinging to her body. The last piece in your way before you can truly set your mouth on her. Run your tongue through her. Delight on her.

“Hands to your sides,” Elain chides softly, and you shudder as she trails her fingers down the inside of your bare thighs, your own skirts hiked and looked around your waist. Obeying her instruction, you force yourself away.

“Now, I told you before you weren’t going to enjoy this,” Elain says, hovering above you while her palms flatten over your inner thighs, spreading your knees so they fall open atop the sofa. “And I promised you I would,” you mumble, half reassurance and half flirtation. “What plans have you made for me, Elain?”

“I want you to know this probably hurts me more than it hurts you,” she says mildly, absently trailing her fingertips along the inner band of your underwear. So close to touching you where you want to touch her.

“But if it makes you behave next time…” she trails off, and you gasp and shudder as she cups your heat with her palm. A hot, firm pressure for you to rub against. You tilt your head to one side, pressing an adoring kiss to the bare skin of her calf. “I’m enjoying this plenty, ‘lain…let me help you enjoy it too…”

If you can just get your mouth on her…keep her preoccupied just long enough she doesn’t hear that timer go off…

Elain sighs, then leans back, putting her weight over you. Sat atop your mouth.

She moans, a soft sigh of pleasure from her throat, thighs parting perhaps not even consciously, gently rocking atop of you. Her head tilts back, brassy hair curling down her spine, and she presses her fingers across your hips to steady herself.

You groan, mouth opening, ready to taste her, ready to feel her, but- “uh, uh, uh. None of that sweet girl. Put that lying tongue of yours away.”

A whimper slips from your throat, and Elain pants above you. Heat and arousal rolling off of her in waves. Her scent is inescapable, and dominating. Beneath her, your eyes flutter, nearly rolling with every inhale as her scent is brought down into your lungs, carried in your bloodstream and sweeping through your body.

“You’re going to stay right there,” Elain whispers, continuing her slow movements, thighs parted wide so she can swipe across your mouth. “You’re going to wait for every minute to pass. And you’re not going to taste me, or even so much as touch me until that timer goes off.”

She can’t be…

You’ve got to wait to experience her?

You squirm beneath her, but she leans back, keeping you flush with her cunt. Trapped against the most seducing part of her. How can you argue when your limbs turn weak beneath her scent? Hormones demanding compliance to your mate.

“You know, you could have avoided this, sweet girl,” Elain mumbles, and aches spark between your thighs as you feel her fingers travel from your leg to her clit, canting her hips forward enough so there’s room for her to touch herself while atop of you.

She’s putting you through hell.

“If you hadn’t tried to scheme your way into getting what you wanted…” She huffs, landing a light smack to your tender sex. Because she can. “Now I have to make sure you’re behaving. So you’ll know better next time.”

You can feel her.

She’s wet.

Arousal seeping through her underwear. And you can’t so much as touch her. Forced to endure her passively. She’s lightly circling her clit, hips jolting whenever she makes a direct pass—Elain’s always been so responsive to that kind of stimulation. Maybe when this is over you’ll strap something to her in retaliation, but… Gods. You need to taste her.

Elain swears softly under her breath, pulling her hand away and you understand she must be close. Fuck, she’s hardly given you any stimulation at all and you feel equally near. But you want to come with her. And most importantly, you want to taste her as she comes. Feel her fluttering on your tongue, followed by the internal flinches in response to overstim.

Elain eases up from her seat, and it takes you a worryingly long period to understand the timer is up.

Because that’s what got you into this mess in the first place.

“Stay there,” Elain orders, flushed and breathless. “Stay right there, and do not move. I’ll make you wait until they’re cool if I have to.”

There’s not quite enough wit left in your head to figure how serious she is, but after that, you’re not going to take any chances.

You’re so close to getting what you both want. To giving her what you both need.

~~~~

a loud BLEEP is heard before the recording cuts to the start of the podcast.

yasmin: “hey, guys! welcome back to another episode of hopefully your favorite podcast by now. you already know, it’s yasmin ali, your favorite host and certified yapper. unfortunately, i’m not here with the sexiest co-hosts alive. missing my girls tiara and chantal today.” she blew some kisses towards the camera. “but i am here with the first and definitely sexiest guest alive so i hope you guys are as excited as i am. he’s the reason why you’re even able to listen to me run my mouth so much, the reason why i’m able to call myself a yapstar, and build a brand and following behind it. the creator, the executive producer— mr. yapstar, himself.” she softly grinned as she semi-introduced him, her hands highlighting him. “tell them who you are and how the name even came about.”

giovanni: “alright, first off all…that was a lot.” he teased before he continued. “but what’s good y'all, i’m giovanni. mr. yapstar, himself and the love of her life, even if she wants to keep that part to herself.” he added in with a subtle smirk. “i might be the creator and executive producer, but the name? that’s all her. it was really a spur-of-the-moment thing and me being quick on my feet. she talked…a lot.” he stated with a chuckle. “we both did but i liked teasing her about it cause she’d just get more talkative and a lil dramatic. but i enjoyed it all, so she became my yapstar and she’s been living up to it ever since.” he finished off with a smile on his face.

yasmin: she immediately snickered at his initial reaction, which turned into a chuckle after he went on. “y’all, please ignore that. he has this projection issue he’s still getting over, and that mixed with his delusions..?” she slipped in, grimacing a bit before he continued. chuckling along with him, she wore a grin that lasted until he finished his statement. “i do talk a lot, but don’t let him fool y’all. he earned his title as mr. yapstar, he be talking more than me now. but yes, i was bullied. he would be calling our messages bible scriptures.” she shook her head, continuing to chuckle. “but yes, giovanni. otherwise known as mr. bleep. i’m so happy to have you on the show, that little teasing went a long way and it was only right for you to be the first guest on something you played a big part in. and i’m gonna keep saying it because guys, this man has probably gotten me a botanical garden full of roses but will never accept his flowers from me. so i have to force them down his throat.” she smiled, turning to the camera. “we’re doing a lil’ something different with today’s episode. with valentine’s day being tomorrow and love being in the air, we’re gonna do a lil’ deep dive into relationships— our relationship. i’m a lil’ torn because i’m so happy to share him with you guys today but as y’all might’ve noticed, i don’t like sharing. but i’ll allow it this once, just so you guys can see why i go so hard about him. so, if you’re in a relationship, listen with your boo, catch a vibe, hopefully this sparks up some interesting topics between y’all. or if you’re single, still catch a vibe but a solo one. until you find your one.” she finished off the rest of her introduction, letting out a soft sigh before segwaying and returning her attention to giovanni, with a playful smile. “so, first things first. let’s address the elephant in the room.. how did you feel about me screaming i’m single every five seconds? and be honest, ‘cause they’re dying to know.”

giovanni: he chuckled under his breath, playfully shaking his head. “see? soon as i say something with my chest, it’s projection.” he teased as he looked at her for a second. “sounds like a little deflecting to me…maybe a touch of denial.” he tossed right back at her as he looked back at the camera, smirking. “we’ll circle back to that.” he simply said as she continued on before he chuckled. “and yes those were bible scriptures. the best ones to read, so i’m not hearing the bullying. mr. bleep was crazy but we grew. i’m happy to be here too, baby.” he told her with a smile on his face before he playfully smacked his lips chuckling. “she deserves that garden and it’s going to keep getting filled. i accept my flowers but you know i like it when you get a lil threatening.” he said with a grin. “i’m just wearing my supportive and proud boyfriend hat today.” he spoke before he listened to her. “i didn’t even know that was an elephant to address but honestly, i didn’t feel any way about it. i was saying i was single too, so we were both living in our truth. only time i didn’t like it was your first podcast episode, and i told you that. i just took it as if you were reminding me” he expressed as he glanced over at her then back at the camera with a subtle grin. “don’t let her fool y'all though, she was screaming she was single but we knew what it was.”

yasmin: “always wanna say something with your chest when it comes to my feelings, and when i call out the delusions, i’m the one that in denial. y’all see what i deal with?” she asked with a head tilt as she looked at the camera, chuckling before shaking it. “uh-uh, we not circling back to nothing. “ she said, sliding her hand underneath her neck, giving him a playfully stern look but it transformed at his reply, softly smiling. “he likes a lil’ bit more than a lil’ threatening but i won’t air out your business like that.” she spoke up, clearing her throat. “it’s an on going joke with our viewers, so we really needed you here to clear the air. what, why?” she paused to ask, thinking back to it. “i was reminding you in a way. y’all, i swear this man did everything in his power to make it look like we was together when he knew we were both single. like it was sooo intentional, he thought he was slick.” she called him out playfully, before a low giggle escaped. “i didn’t know nothing. i was single single. real single. ladies, unofficial relationships are a no. if he don’t want you screaming you’re single, tell him do something about it.” she playfully egged on as she crossed her legs, her attention flickering between him and the camera. “okay so, for those who don’t know— giovanni had a lil’ player streak going on before we started talking. i’m talking about rosters, in every girl’s comment section. like it was a lot.” she called out a bit, covering her mouth as she chuckled before coming to her point. “so, at what point or moment did you realize you wanted to be in a relationship?”

giovanni: “well i hope it clicks for them now. cause you didn’t need no other niggas in your dms, that’s why.” he stated with a shrug before he laughed. “was i doing it or was that just the powers to be? you know i can’t control fate baby, things gone play out how they will. we both were single and laid up with each other every night damn near.” he responded while he tilted his head as she playfully egged him on. “if you were so single single and real single, what other people were you going on dates with and giving your time to? i’ll wait for the answer.” he called out teasingly as he leaned closer and put his hand up to his ear to hear her answer. “unofficial relationships are a no, i’ll agree with you. that's why i did something about it.” he expressed as he leaned back in his seat and his attention shifted towards her once she spoke again, chuckling lowly. “alright, yasmin. now you dragging it, i wasn’t in that many comment sections but i won’t deny the lil’ player streak.” he started off before he thought over his answer. “it wasn’t one big moment. it happened gradually. i realized it when i stopped wanting to entertain anybody else and the idea of having a 'roster' just didn’t feel fun anymore. talking to you was the only thing that did it for me.” he said calmly as he looked at her. “i’d catch myself thinking about you in situations i normally wouldn’t. wanting that kind of closeness with one person and your words from my birthday just stayed in the back of my head. time-wise, it was probably between your birthday and september, that’s when it got deeper for me. i knew that something had to give and i wasn’t going anywhere.”

yasmin: she laughed at his explanation, shaking her head some. “naaaah, i think it was you. done by giovanni, purposely and intentionally to scare the hoes away. uhm! don’t say it like that, i was not caking with a man for that long, while still being single.” she was quick to rebuttal with a flustered smile. “okay, i was talking to other guys! i was still kinda on and off with someone else at the time. maybe no dates, but you were not the only man calling this phone.” she tried to defend with a scoff, turning her attention the camera, making a face to show her playful annoyance before rolling her eyes, her smile still lingering. “thank you.” she humphed before chuckling at he began his own defense. “naaaah, it was that many comment sections, if you know, you know.” she gave the camera a look and a head nod before chuckling. “mm. yeah, i think it was august-september for me as well. guys, i will admit i was in denial at first like a deep deep denial. but i’d be like ‘yeah, me and giovanni are just vibing right now, it’s not gone last.’ and then when i’m talking to another guy, and you know how they do the fake flirty thing where they try to act like you’re their girl or you gonna be theirs? a guy would do that and i would literally get so defensive and irritated.” she chuckled at the thought, covering her mouth a bit as she adjusted her crossed legs. “i was not even tryna’ play like that. so i kinda knew in the back of my mind, where home was or would be for me.” she admitted. “i feel like the story of us is really really organic but a mess and all over the place at the same time. so, let’s start from the very beginning. what was your first impression of me?”

giovanni: “only god knows the truth but that’s fine. i’ll take the credit for it and if that scared them away then you didn’t need them no ways. seems like i did you a favor.” he told her as he looked at her, noting her expression. “any nigga before me don’t even count and i didn’t say i was the only one on your phone but i was the only one you spent time with.” he stated matter-of-factly with his smile still present as his attention went back to the camera after her playful eyeroll. “you’re welcome.” he told her before he chuckled with his brow raised. “how you so sure it was that many comment sections? you keeping tabs?” he asked with a smug smirk since he was curious about her answer. “i’m not gone lie, you being in denial had me thinking i was being delusional for a second. but i thought the same at first or that it would fizzle out eventually.” he revealed before he chuckled at her talking about her view of things, shaking his head. “they probably just wasn’t smooth or charming enough, though. i got away with calling your mom my mother-in-law on our first date. everybody don’t got it in them and everybody not giovanni.” he expressed as humble as he could before he nodded his head agreeing. “that part is accurate. all over for the place but real.” he stated as he smiled at her question and he rubbed over his facial hair. “my first impression? obviously i thought you were fine. that was a given. but what really caught me was how you talked. your tweets were funny cause you just be saying anything so i couldn’t really decipher your personality from that and it intrigued me.” he looked over at her briefly before looking back at the camera as he continued. “once we actually started talking, you just slowly checked all my boxes. you were funny, playful, sharp and our conversations never felt forced. even our back-and-forth on twitter felt natural. it was a breath of fresh air, honestly and i didn’t realize how bad i needed all of that until it was you.” he finished off as his focus shifted back to her and he reached out for her hand to hold.

yasmin: “okay, okay. you was the only one i was spending real time with. but it don’t matter, i was still single.” yasmin maintained, shaking her head. “you know i was keeping tabs on you, don’t front for the cameras.” she remarked, with a coy smirk, easing back into her chair. “in all honesty.. you were delusional. like i was in denial, but like later on. you came out the gate, saying crazy things. like it was so ridiculous.” she shook her head, silently chuckling as she thought back. “was that on our first date? or on that facetime? either way— delusional. like you don’t even know me, what got you feeling this bold?” she asked rhetorically. “okay, i don’t know why he’s tryna’ front for y’all, he did not think my tweets were funny! he was like they were hard to decipher but he couldn’t really grasp nothing about me from them. like i was plain.” yasmin said, lightly using her foot to nudge his. “okay, he might not be fronting about that.” a low giggle escaped, her hand instantly slipping into his once he extended it. “my first impression of giovanni was.. he needed that from me. badly. i just thought he was chill, and he appeared to be just my type but he had so much going on girl wise that i didn’t even wanna go see about him. i definitely had a crush on him, and wanted him first though. i remember even tweeting about it to make the guy i was actually talk to mad.” she admitted, letting out a nervous chuckle. “but after talking to him, i realized… he was a robot. the tin man, with no heart and a bouquet of flowers.” she teased, ending her sentence off right there, purposely as she looked his way. “what do you think was our biggest challenges, and why it took so long for us to get to this point?”

giovanni: “both of our points can be true and i just wanted to hear you say it, i think you were the first stalker.” he teased as his glanced over at her as she spoke. “you call it delusional and i just call it manifesting, isn’t that how that works? i want to double down and say the first date but i’m not sure cause i know i was calling her that well before mother’s day.” he said as he remembered the timeline. “i didn’t know you but it was just something about you in that short time that flipped something in me.” he said truthfully as his view shifted back towards the cameras. “nobody’s fronting. i just didn’t tell you that then and you adding extra words. i said you were hard to read off your tweets, that doesn’t mean plain. you just be tweeting whatever, so i didn’t know if that was really you or an internet personality. but i was intrigued. a pretty girl tweeting about being strict and balling a nigga lips up, but listening to the girliest r&b? that caught my attention.” he told her as he looked over at her once she nudged his foot and he chuckled to himself, nudging her foot back. “all i do is tell the truth, you know that.” he gave her a smile as he intertwined their fingers and he kept his attention on her as she gave her answer to the same question, chuckling to himself at her. “you could’ve said something back then too, but things played out how they were supposed to. we didn’t even know each other and you knew what it was.” he teased with a grin as his attention shifted back to the camera before he chuckled. “and you definitely forgot my southern hospitality in that too.“ he said as he looked at her before his attention went towards the camera. “when i look back, i think the overthinking, assumptions and fears is what i see from the both of us. we both knew what we wanted and instead of saying it we kept it up here.” he said as he lifted his free hand to tap his head. “we tried to fix things separately instead of trusting in each other. we made assumptions about each other. what we thought the other was thinking, feeling or holding back to fit the narratives in our own mind. we both had fears and we let those fears dictate how we communicated and moved with each other. it’s like we were scared of our feelings and what we could be with them. that lack of faith made us question if things were real or if we were just wasting time, even after we stopped talking. we didn’t think we were capable of giving the other what they needed.” he ended off as his thumb brushed along the back of her hand and he looked over at her. “what was it for you?”

yasmin: “he tryna’ spin this narrative. i had a little crush, and would clock him here and there before i knew him but after we started talking?” she turned to look at him, with a smug smirk. “go tell them how you would act.” she ushered. “it only becomes manifesting after it actually happens so i’ll give you that.” she slowly nodded her head before silently snickering to herself at his response. as he continued she scrunched up her nose initially then lightheartedly rolled her eyes. “fronting.” she mouthed to the camera. “whatever you say, giovanni. all i’m saying was, i don’t think he ever expected me to be how i am.” she concluded, playfully pulling her foot away once he tried to nudge it back. “mhm, right. you know why i didn’t say nothing back then. but i agree, as far as us initially getting together.” she agreed, snickering through her smile at his teasing. “boy, please.” she mumbled, then nodded. “yes, how could i forget? tin man, with a bouquet of roses, southern hospitality and a dash of chivalry.” she corrected herself. “when i look back, i really think we struggled with having faith in us, all around. from the start, we didn’t think we’d make it this far, we didn’t have faith in each other’s feelings, then we didn’t think we’d get past our issues, didn’t think we could change. then we didn’t think we’d get back together whenever we stopped talking. didn’t think we’d ever make it to the relationship stage, like it was a lot of doubt between the both of us, even though you could tell it’s something we both wanted. that’s what i look back and noticed.”

giovanni: “how i acted? you mean me leaning into it, letting you be exactly who you are and enjoying every bit of it?” he questioned to be sure that’s what she was referring to. “thank you. we were inevitable.” he added in before he chuckled at her reaction and what she mouthed to the camera. “i don’t front about you, yasmin. never have. i didn’t expect you to be how you are and i didn’t expect to like it this much either. there’s never a dull moment with you.” he said as he lifted their hands to kiss the back of hers before he looked at her once she pulled her foot away. “yeah, i know why. but my statement won’t ever change.” he stated with a chuckle. “that’s all you can say cause you know i’m right.” he told her with a chuckle before he nodded his head. “it’s more than a dash but we know you’re just holding on to something. we might have to rework that description to flow better like yours do.” he told her. “i do agree that it was weird though when it came to communicating emotions, especially when we yap about everything else.” he said as he shook his head thinking about it.

yasmin: her jaw dropped. “you serious? any other time, you loud and proud but now you wanna—. beeeeet.” she slowly nodded her head, biting back a laugh. “keep this same energy for when we get off here.” she said, playfully mugging him before looking away, as he spoke and kissed the back of her hand, dramatically snatching it away. “you was just fronting, sooo. don’t try to swoon now. there’s never a dull moment, when you’re getting stalked.” she quipped, eyeing him then back to the camera. “i’ll never know anything about you being right.” her half suppressed smile remained present, her attention lingering on him before occasionally darting back to the camera. yasmin slowly nodded her head, biting down on her acrylic as she let him finish, looking over at him as well as she spoke up. “it was weird because we got really comfortable with each other real quick, in a deeper way but somehow still struggled with communication. like the layers to it was so deep.. but y’all peep how he stole some of my answer though, right?” she asked, jokingly and rhetorically before nodding her head, knowingly. “we’ve been talking to each other for a long time, but only in a relationship for a few weeks. throughout it all, what would you say is your favorite moment of us?”

giovanni: “what you mean? i'm just trying to make sure i'm referencing the right act. you know i'm just as dramatic as you. i’m always loud and proud about how i act. you enjoy it. every fake complaint, every time i push your buttons on purpose." he stated before he smacked his lips when she dramatically snatched her hand away and he chuckled. "now you playing. what was i fronting about?" he responded with a smile as his focus stayed on the camera. "that's cap." he told her as he shook his head, glancing over at her with a smile as he sat up some putting his focus back on the camera. he nodded his head in agreement before he laughed at the last part. "is it really stealing if we both experienced it together? we've had a lot of moments so picking my favorite will be tough but i think i’ma go with the picnic dates. i’m grouping them because they both shifted something for us. they were intentional, helped with growth and intimate in their own way. there are two other moments that i want to say but if i know you as well as i do, one of them will be your answer.” he responded as he looked over at her. “the day we took pictures is a favorite of mine too. that’s when i really understood what intimacy could feel like with someone.”

yasmin: “uhm, yes it really is, because i said it first.“ yasmin joked, before listening to his answer. she hummed, nodding her head. “including the second picnic is a real good answer, i feel like a lot was let out on that date. if i don’t say them, could you say them anyways? ‘cause you already know i wanna hear.” yasmin said, momentarily chewing on her inner cheek before smiling once again, knowing the exact moment he was referring to. “ooh, that day has always been a silent favorite of mine. like we don’t talk about that day a lot but i always think about it. i feel the same way, intimacy without ever doing too much, just doing us.” she softly grinned as she thought back to it before answering herself. “for me, it’d beee.. well, you know my favorite date is stk. that was a butterfly moment for me. it was a sexy ass date, and then he gave me this cute chanel bag, just because.” she smiled toothlessly as she looked at him. “stamped, forever. i have to add our miami link up. the combination of the letter, my ringggg—.” she held her hand up to the camera, wiggling her fingers to show it off. “the whole night was a combination of intimate and sentimental and a lil’ fun. now let’s see… it might be a lil recency bias, but the dinner part of the museum date was cute. i just really liked how happy and appreciative you were. what’s your two others?”

giovanni: “you did. but it wouldn’t be me if i didn’t bite off you. i’m glad we were able to too. yeah it took longer than it should’ve, but that part’s done now. we here.” he pointed out before he nodded his head. “it wouldn’t have felt right not including it, both of them were crucial moments. i’ll still name the others, but i’m pretty sure one of them is already yours.” he affirmed since it’s been her favorite ever since and he nodded his head agreeing as he smiled. “those are always my favorite moments, when it’s just us getting lost in our own world. we got to get those pictures developed and take some more.” he muttered out for her to hear before he listened to her answer and he chuckled and grinned once she showed her ring off. he waited until she was done before he spoke. “it was a sexy ass date and you didn’t help looking so damn good.” he stated as he licked his lips before he continued on. “first of many. and for the viewers watching or listening, learn your woman. pay attention to what she’s into. even if that means tricking her into shopping dates or doing a lil tweet stalking.” he said more so for the camera and the viewers but he kept his attention on her for the moment. “the dinner portion was great. that date might be number one for me. you mixed three of my favorite things, you, art and food. but yeah, you already named my other two though, stk and miami. popping the question was the highlight of the night, but the rooftop bar was my favorite. it had the same intimacy, just more tense since we were still just friends.”

yasmin: “real. i agree, i just hope we’re able to make more favorites as time goes on. we paused with the pictures but once we pick back up, we’ll get the whole roll developed. oooh, that gives me a really cute date idea.” her features lit up as it came to her. yasmin let out a low giggle at his compliment, listening as he continued and nodded her head in agreement to his mini-psa. “a lil’ tweet stalking is an understatement, and turn her post notifications on. the littlest things go the longest way.” she smiled at the thought, blissfully sighing. “really? it was crafted to be your number one but i didn’t know if the execution brought it there. since when was stk your favorite? copying me as usual but yeah, that rooftop bar was so unserious, please, giovanni.“ she lowly chuckled before clearing her throat. “i feel like we’ve known each other for a good amount of time, and have gotten comfortable enough to be completely honest and transparent about this.. what’s the biggest ick you have about me? you can balance it out with a green flag afterwards, but you haveeee to say one.”

giovanni: “i don’t think we’ll ever struggle to make more favorites. we do pretty well when it comes to date nights. yeah, cause we got plenty more film to use and a scrapbook to fill, cause i didn’t decorate it for no reason.” he teased with a chuckle before his brow raised as he watched her features light up. “everybody got to start somewhere. not everybody built for the full-court press like me.” he stated and he nodded his head at her question. “yeah, really. the execution was perfect for me. i always enjoy myself when i’m with you, so it was already gone be up there.” he told her before he chuckled. “it’s always been in my top, you know that. i wasn’t copying you. that’s why i picked it, it felt like a modified version of us before.” he responded as he glanced over at her for a moment as she spoke before his focus went back towards the camera. “i wouldn’t call it an ick but when you hide behind your thoughts and feelings and act like nothing’s wrong.” he started off. “and your eating habits.” he teased even though he was being serious. “but a green flag. you don’t shrink yourself for anybody or anything. ever. and you care without making it loud or transactional.” he glanced at her with a knowing smile. “what about me? i know you are about to pull out a laundry list.”

yasmin: “i knowwww, all the blood, sweat and tears you put into it, i should’ve known you was into art at that point.” she teased with her own smile. “i’m really really glad you liked it, that’s all i care about. but i did not know it was in your top, forreal like that’s crazy. but it was. like us in another life, if we didn’t meet how we did.” she agreed. yasmin slowly rubbed her lips together. “mm… okay, that’s fair. a lil’ deep but fair. ‘cause everything be cool and then out of nowhere, i’m like ‘yeah, i didn’t like when you did this. i almost blocked you, deleted your number and left the city.’” she mocked herself, chuckling before her jaw dropped. “what’s wrong with how i eat? oh you real weird for that.” she commented. her tune switched, posing for the camera as she sat up. “y’all know it’s yasmin’s planet, so. and the least i could do is make sure the enforcer is good and cared for.” she cheesed then giggled at his reply. “you know mine. the banned list. y’all, so giovanni be having these signature sayings. like ‘two things can be true at once.’ or ‘there’s nothing wrong with___.’ i lowkey can’t even remember what’s on the list but they’re literally like automated messages. it’s not even slang or like personal sayings neither, like he might be the first human ai.” she poked fun for a moment. “i think him being so formal is adorable, though. i would say a green flag is that if he really likes you, he’s not afraid to show it. like he’s not trying to be p, or downplay anything. he’ll stalk you, and then mention something he found out by stalking you. he’s just really attentive, and makes sure you feel that from him, despite him being so nonchalant in other aspects.” she explained, her eyes lingering on his the entire time. “i’m a lil’ sad, ‘cause i don’t want this to be over but my last question to you is— what’s your biggest takeaway from us? or me. something you learned, that’ll stick with you in navigating relationships.”

giovanni: “i wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as i did, especially the different exhibits. i liked that it wasn’t all old, traditional art. and yeah, the dinner portion sealed it. we definitely got to recreate that exhibit vibe somehow.” he said before he nodded his head agreeing before he smiled. “it’s wild how we can play strangers and still have chemistry. that’s why i’ll never stop saying that you were made for me.” he expressed before his attention shifted to her once she started to give her answer and he kissed his teeth at the mention of his banned phrases before he chuckled, shaking his head. “it is a lil deep, but none of my gripes are real icks. you know i think everything you do is cute but if we going surface-level though, your dismissive goodnights including the ignoring, your terrible nicknames and you banning my best phrases.” he listed off back to back with ease before he looked at the camera. “yasmin hates on my creativity but be using the phrases herself. do with that what you will. she just want to be my mini me and i can’t even be mad at that.” he explained with a grin on his face, that stayed even when she said his green flag and he looked at her. “all the stalking that i do. i think the obsession gone read loud and clear. i’m never nonchalant about the things that matter though. if i don’t do nothing, i’ma chalant with no hesitation and immediately.” he stated more so for the camera and he sat up so that he could answer the question. “i don’t either, it’s been fun and nice letting them get a peek at us. but my biggest takeaway from us is that there’s no such thing as perfect timing. waiting for everything to line up just makes you miss what’s already in front of you. and consistency matters more than big moments. showing up the same way, being intentional, even when it’s uncomfortable.” he looked back at her. “from you, i learned how to slow down and sit with my feelings instead of trying to manage or control them. i also won't be navigating any other relationships. forever, remember?” he questioned. “what about you? your biggest takeaway and what’s something you learned?”

yasmin: “after you gassed me with painting those flowers? no faith, whatsoever. yeah, i wanted to make it interesting and modern. the exhibit is a recreation of a night we shared, so we’d really just have to go outside.” she chuckled. hearing his words, her bashfully smiled before sighing. “and he’s not even being performative, he genuinely just talks like this. isn’t he such a sweetie?” she pouted as she looked at him. but she he listed out more icks, she brows knitted. “okay, so what it’s really sounding like is that you hate me. ‘cause why you got so many, why they rolling off the tongue so easy and what’s wrong with my nicknames? actually.. we’ll talk about that later.” she held her hand up, before turning to the camera. “i don’t think so, but keep tryna’ convince them. well, in the beginning i couldn’t tell, so it was real refreshing and one of my favorite things about you.” she commented, fiddling with her ring as she listened to him, slowly nodding her head as she agreed. “oooh, that’s a good one. but, you’ve always been consistent, so i’m surprised you took that away.” she slipped in between before he spoke up again, grinning this time. “forever, baby.” she thought about her answer before replying. “my biggest takeaway is not to give up so easily, especially when the potential to change is there. people can change, for who they want to, of course. detaching is easier but nothing good comes easy. what you taught me is that i’m not asking for too much. everything i want is in a tall, cutely packaged man named giovanni… well, almost everything because y’all, why he be telling me no?” side-eyeing him, she deeply sighed before returning her attention back to the camera. “thank you so much for tuning into this episode, and if you made it to the end, an extra thank you for sticking sappy moments, i know we’re used to mess & ki’s. but we had to switch it up for the occasion. sending you a lotta love this weekend, especially for my single people. if you feel like i missed a question, the askbox is open, i’ll think about bringing him back for another interrogation session.” she said, her face plain as she nodded, and turned to him. “anything you wanna leave ‘em with for the week, gabriel?”

giovanni: “i know my artistic limits. that’s why i got them wrapped in leopard print paper instead. it is but we’ll talk about that later.” he simply said before he smiled at her calling him sweet and he looked at her. “i just try to be whatever i can for you.” he said truthfully before he chuckled at her brows knitting. “hating you is crazy, mama. three is not so many and the last one doesn’t count. i only said it cause you brought it up as yours.” he told her. “i could but if i do that then it’ll start looking performative. i can only do what i would normally and if it’s not clear to them, it’s clear to you and that’s all that matters.” he stated. “i don’t know. i think my chalant activated when the crazy did and i was beating down your line.” he said with a chuckle. “i don’t think you’ve told me that before but you know my favorite thing about you is your yapping outside of your attitude and strict yasmin.” he told her with a smile as he watched her fiddle with her ring. “i have but i meant more so emotionally. i’m still learning but i’ve learned a lot about myself during everything.” he mirrored her grin once she agreed with him about forever and he listened to her as she gave her answer, nodding his head. “i’m happy that was your takeaway cause boy...” he trailed off as he shook his head, a cheesy smile grew on his face from what she said. “it was never too much but i’m glad you say that cause everything i want is in a short, pretty and bratty packaged woman named yasmin.” he started off before he stopped, smacking his lips at what she said. “stop that. she won’t tell you that i told her no to keep a promise or that she still got what she asked for.” he said as his attention went back to the camera as well when she started to wrap up but the moment he heard the name she said, he turned to give her a look. “what chyna say? cut the cameras, deadass.” he said jokingly before he shook his head. “that’s them nicknames i was talking about but since it’s valentine’s day, i’ll say this. if you’re with somebody, take your time with it. don’t rush it or half-ass it just to say you got something. and if you're single, don’t let the day make you feel like you're missing something or behind. half the time, the best connections come when you're not even looking for them like that. love doesn’t always show up loud or perfectly timed. sometimes it just feels natural and familiar. and when it does, you’ll know.” he rattled off for the camera and viewers before his gaze shifted over to her with a smile, once he finished what he was saying.

yasmin: looking over at his reaction, she chuckled at his sense of relief before raising her flattened hand to her chin highlight her face as he flattered her, smiling. she then used the same hand to wave him and his explanation off. “it don’t matter the circumstances, please don’t get to trick my audience by trying to justify that.” she told him. scrunching up a nose at his joke, she chuckled to herself. “only when he starts acting unusual..” she mumbled before letting him carry on with his sentiment, slowly nodding along as her eyes were on the camera. but as he finished, she felt his eyes on her and turned to look at him, letting out a nervous giggle. “i don’t know why you looking at me like that, but well said, loverboy. i couldn’t have said it any better myself.” she turned her attention back to the camera. “you heard it here first. if you wanna learn how to trap a girl and force her into a relationship, hit his dms. but not this weekend. ‘cause hopefully… he’ll be real busy. i‘ve shared him enough with you guys. on that note, i’m yasmin ali, and thank you for listening!” she cheesed, blowing a final kiss towards the camera as she signed off.