#para:summer

Summer It had been quite some time since Summer had last been to the police station for a reason other than work. On occasion she would stop in to ask around about leads and cover some basics about the crime in Farwell. But this time her reason for being there was 100% personal. She was there for Renz, and Renz alone. The girl had just finished up a quick errand after she had finished work for the day, immediately making her way to the station to meet her friend for their evening of strangely planned fun. Walking in moments later, she took the opportunity to see who was around the station at that point. In the past (AKA several months ago) she had been there to see Renz, so she knew that if people who had been around then were there that evening they likely wouldn't find it too strange that she had popped up again. But if there were new people she wasn't sure if she was ready to field their questions or taunting. Seeing a few officers she knew had been there before made her more comfortable as she strolled through the entrance of the building, immediately beginning to seek out her friend. Did he get a desk now that he was a detective? Where might he be? "Hey, is Renz around?" Summer asked the first officer she saw then, getting a positive response before she was pointed towards his desk. She probably could've found him without asking, but she hadn't known that when she first walked in. Oh well. "Hey," Summer began brightly as she approached Renz. "You have a desk now. Very cool. Ready for food?"

Renz had been excited for the day to end. Not only did it mean that work for the day was over but someone will be showing up at the station soon. Someone who hasn't been to the station for him in months and he was excited. Summer had agreed to meet up that night and really, even if he only just had sex last week, which was a one night stand, Summer was different. He's spent more time in bed with her than any other girl and somehow, their friendship made a special connection. After the clock hit 5 o'clock, Renz had been constantly checking the entrance in a subtle way. He didn't want to seem like he was waiting for someone because that'll mean something. He kept browsing the same file over and over again on his desk just to act like he was busy until finally, he saw a girl on the side of his eye walking towards him. He'd be lying if he said there wasn't any butterfly commotion in his stomach. "Oh, hey. You're here." He said, closing the file as he stood up. "Yeap. I'm a detective now, remember? I'm a priority." He joked, nodding when she asked if he was ready. Leaning down, Renz grabbed his bag and flung it over his shoulder. Suddenly, a former cop and now detective noticed the two. "Reeves! Oh, hey you. Summer right?" The guy said, walking closer to them. Renz gave him a smile. "Summer, you remember Ken Anderson? He was one of my partners before when we were cops. He's a detective now too." Renz introduced, just in case she forgot. The two have met before and in Ken's mind, she was Renz's girlfriend before. "Are you two back together now? I haven't seen you here in months." The detective joked and Renz just punch him on the shoulder jokingly. "Shut up, dude. We're gonna go. I'll see you tomorrow." He said, locking his hand with Summer's, just like before as he lead her out of the station. "I'm sorry about that... He's always been a tease. I'm not sure if you remember." He chuckled after the apology.

Summer kept the bright smile on her face as Renz stood up, seeming like he was basically ready to go. “I forgot there were so many perks to being a detective,” she replied easily as she looked up at him, her attention immediately shifting once Renz’s name was called. Was he about to be called in to work on a case? Because that’d be... weird though understandable timing. Luckily, that didn’t seem to be the case, and Summer was immediately met with a familiar face. A familiar face that apparently remembered her name. “Yes, Summer,” she confirmed as she looked at their new company, trying and failing to remember his name. And it was a good thing she didn’t have to, because Renz almost immediately swept in with a re-introduction. “Yeah, I remember you! Congratulations on your promotion!” Summer told Ken with a cheery nod, figuring it was best to acknowledge him in that way, as opposed to an introductory handshake. They had met before, after all. It was at Ken’s words that Summer was temporarily taken aback, not having expected what was said at all. Summer was honestly rendered speechless at Ken’s question about the relationship between her and Renz, and she was wondering what on Earth would possess him to assume that they had been together in the first place. Did other people think that? Was that a commonly held belief that she just had never known about? The girl didn’t even try to speak then, just giving Ken a highly confused look which hopefully got her feelings across before she heard Renz make it clear that they were going to leave then. “Nice seeing you again,” Summer decided to say before they walked away, her hand easily falling into place interlocked Renz’s. It was just like old times, and even though she had been a tad surprised when he had just reached for her hand, there hadn’t been a moment of hesitation for her when taking it. It was almost like no time had passed, and everything felt incredibly familiar. It was almost enough to make her forget the weird moment that just happened. But not enough. “I vaguely remember. But, you know, it’s been five months, so I was beginning to forget. I’m glad I had that refresher,” she said before looking up at him while they walked. “That was an unexpected teasing topic, by the way. I guess me just showing up here a couple of times last year was enough to get people thinking.”

Renz didn't have much different treatment at the precinct once he became a detective. All that was different was that he now has a desk and a space in the fridge for him to put his food. Everything remained the same as he was still under a captain. "There aren't much actually but the desk is good enough." He responded with a smile as he watched the interaction between Detective Anderson and Summer. He wasn't surprised at all that Ken remembered her as she was the only girl that Renz allowed to visit him at the precinct. So, his co-workers thought she was the only girlfriend Renz had, even if she wasn't even his girlfriend. He felt a little embarrassed when Ken asked if the two were back together. He didn't want Summer to think he was spreading the news in the department that they were together even if they weren't. They were just friends. The with benefits part was solely for the two of them to know. Renz only realized that he reached for Summer's hand when they were already locked. It was just something he got used to before and seeing her there felt like the old time. His actions were uncontrollable as his body moved like it already knew what to do. Chuckling, Renz bit his lip and nodded at her. "Well, let's just hope you won't get another of that again." He coughed a little, opening the door and letting her go out first before following but he kept their hands together. "Uhh...yeah." He was honestly speechless. He wasn't sure how to explain himself. "I'm... I don't want you to think I used to tell them we're together. They just assume it since you're the only girl that visits me here. Plus..." He paused, squeezing her hand a bit. "I think you'd understand why." He smiled as he looked around, trying to find a good restaurant to get food from. "What do you want to eat?"

Summer exited the building without looking back, wondering for a moment if people were going to be talking about them. The girl pushed that thought out of her mind as quickly as she could, however, not really wanting to know. People held hands with their friends all the time. Hopefully people wouldn’t view their relationship differently for it. Summer continued to look over at Renz as he clearly tried to come up with a response to her musing about the other detective’s beliefs about them, trying to make it clear just from her facial expression that she found it more amusing than anything. It didn’t bother her to be thought of as Renz’s ex. He was great, and she actually did like his personality. It was just a little strange because their friendship didn’t dip into romance. They joked about it, for sure, and there were some moments that Summer caught herself thinking of the what ifs, but at the end of the day, they were two friends who got along and were reaping the benefits of that, nothing more. “Wait, I’m the only girl?” she asked, almost cutting him off in her surprise. It made sense, but still. Wow. No wonder they’d assumed. Add in the hand holding (excellent point) and things were probably highly suspicious to casual work friends. “Well, other girls need to up their game. And you do make an excellent point. This-” she said as she squeezed his hand in return, “might confuse some people.” That didn’t mean she found it necessary to stop, though. If anything, it just made her want to march back into the station to inform everyone that boys and girls that were just friends could hold hands without it being weird or romantic. But that would be embarrassing and time consuming, so Summer didn’t toy with that thought for long. “Well, we’ve got so many options. Let me think... oh yeah. I’m up for something quick from the diner, or Italian. And by Italian, since we’re doing to-go, I mean pizza. Do you have a preference there? If not, we can just flip a coin,” she suggested, beginning to guide them in the general direction of both locations.

Renz would be lying if he said he never thought about asking Summer out, especially back when they're spending so much time together. He wanted to ask her out and give this thing a try but he was afraid Summer didn't want that. If he opened that up and her response to it was negative, he was afraid he'd ruin whatever they have left. It was a risk he wasn't willing to take so he told himself, he'll just ask her out if she ever asks about it. Nodding at her question, he felt a little blush on his cheeks when she looked surprised to be the only girl that's gone to the station for him. She might think Renz has completely no game that's why their relationship just stopped at being friends with benefits. When she squeezed his hand back to agree with his point, Renz smiled at her, licking the bottom of his lips. "Well, I don't know about you but this-" He said, repeating the squeeze they've been doing. "This feels good to me. I don't want to stop it, if that's okay." He said, not sure how she'll take it but he just had to say it. At Summer's suggestion of places to eat, Renz had to quickly answer. "Italian!" That was probably too obvious. There's no way he's gonna go to the diner with Summer. Olivia works there and if she sees Renz with another girl, just days after their first awkward but chill date, Renz will be more than embarrassed. "I'm actually...craving for some pizza. So, let's just go with that." He smiled, hoping he didn't seem suspicious. They started walking and the breeze of the night was starting to cool a little. His thumb was rubbing the back of her hand for warmth before starting up a conversation. "Your roommate...what's her name again? Does she still live there?"

Summer was already enjoying herself that evening, even though she and Renz had literally just met up. If the night was going that well already, she knew that it’d surely be one to remember later too. It was so nice just to joke around and talk to Renz again. Everything about their bond was familiar to her and great to revisit. She grinned at the next hand squeeze, deciding against going for a fourth in order to simply nod in acknowledgment of her support for his proposition. “I agree. So this stays. And hey, the more people that see us, the more people I get to explain the importance of casual displays of affection between friends to later,” she concluded with a smirk. She knew she wouldn’t do it unprovoked, but if anyone asked, she’d definitely be anticipating it and she’d have a reply ready to go. As soon as Renz agreed to Italian food, Summer set their course for the pizza parlor, figuring that they could just grab something to go and then be on their merry way. Since, you know, it wasn’t a date. “Someone really likes Italian food, apparently, ” Summer observed, choosing not to comment more then. Everyone liked Italian, right? “What kinds of toppings do you like on your pizza? If we disagree we can just do half and half. Or, like, three-quarters and one-quarter. We can get super technical on them. They can take it.” Summer was interested in learning a little more about Renz that evening, and so far that had been a success. Favorite pizza toppings just seemed like the next logical level of questioning for a friendship. As they continued to walk, Summer took further comfort in Renz’s actions and general presence. It was nice to have him around again, and she couldn’t help but wonder in the back of her mind how long their arrangement would last that time before they lost touch or someone officially ended it. One month? A week? Literally just that night? Summer was snapped out of her thinking at Renz’s words, and she couldn’t help but laugh a little, a memory quickly springing to the top of her mind. “Her name is Sydney. And yes, she does. Though I told her I’d have company tonight, which was a rule instated after... well, you remember. That incident with you which became the reason why she and I have rules. So I don’t know if she’ll be around or not. She’s seeing someone, so I think she might just sleep over at her place. So we’re good, I’m pretty sure. And if we’re not, I’ll keep you updated.”

Renz could see that Summer was having. Well, according to her smiles, she looks like she's having fun and honestly, he felt the same. They've only been together for a few minutes but he anticipated this moment all day and now that he got it, he was just glad. When Summer kept pushing the term friends, saying she'll have to explain to people that friends do hold hands in public, even if they're of the opposite sex, Renz wasn't sure how to feel about it. Was that her sign that she wants to remain friends with benefits and nothing more? "So... We can't kiss in public?" He had to ask. It's no secret that they kiss. Obviously, if they've had sex, kisses weren't much big of a deal. But Renz and Summer haven't really done that in public. Although, right now, it just crossed his mind and wondered what Summer thought about it. Just right now, looking at her semi-dried lips, he's having urges to lean forward and kiss them. He chuckled, shaking his head when she commented on his liking for Italian, basing on how he responded earlier. "Well, you know, you can never go wrong with pizza." He reasoned out, which is not a lie at all. "I do love cheese. And if I could, I usually ask for extra black olives. I love black olives." He told her, asking the question back. "What about you? What do you like? We can just buy two boxes if you want. I withdrew some cash earlier so I don't mind it. I'm prepared." He said, subtly hinting that he was going to pay for the pizza. That is if she wasn't going to reject the offer. Renz kept their bodies closer as they continued walking to the pizza parlor. When Summer laughed about his question, he immediately remembered what happened during his first encounter with her roommate, who's name is Sydney, as Summer reminded him. "Yeah, pretty sure neither of us forgot about that." He said, chuckling as he shook his head. It was one of the most embarrassing moments of his life, especially with the way Sydney looked at his dick that night. "I'm still embarrassed till this day, I hope you know that. I honestly thought she left that night so I figured, we have the house to ourselves and I couldn't find my boxers so I just walked out naked." He explain, the moment flashing back in his head and he couldn't help but laugh louder. "Does she at least know that your company is me?" He asked, chuckling again. "And what rules are we talking here? Just so I can follow them, out of respect for Sydney."

Summer looked up at Renz, a little surprised, when he asked about kissing in public. Yeah, that would be harder to explain. Kissing in public was definitely something that was for people that had something more than friendship going on. It wasn’t like Summer would be opposed... but if that were to happen they’d both have to be cool with pretty much anyone in town seeing them. They could do it all they wanted in private (and they would, she was sure), but it was a public display of affection that usually meant something was up. Summer bit her lip as she quickly thought through his question, speaking easily a moment later. “Well, we could. But only if you’re cool with people thinking we’re dating, because that one’s definitely more of a dating thing.” At Renz’s words about pizza, Summer couldn’t help but agree. “It really is impossible to go wrong,” she said, having suggested it in the first place for that very reason. “And I’m also a fan of cheese. I’m pretty simple in my pizza tastes. I don’t think I’ve ever had black olives on one before... or in general, though. So. Do with that information what you will.” The girl knew it was probably futile to make an argument against his paying for the food, but she was still prepared for one anyway, and she quickly shook her head at his proposal. “You don’t have to be the one to pay for everything. I mean, if you beat me to it there’s nothing I can do. But you don’t have to.” He could also do with that information whatever he wanted. She wouldn’t stop him if he decided to pay for food (free food was always the best gift), but she wouldn’t not chip in if they were super relaxed about it either. As their conversation continued, Summer couldn’t help but laugh a bit at Sydney’s expense. Poor girl. The incident Summer had been referring to had been pretty unfortunate, but it had been great for the girls to set some guidelines. Syd still never let Summer forget what had happened. “Makes perfect sense. But alas, she was very much there. And very much surprised at the sight that awaited her. She says hi, by the way. And yes, she knows it’s you. She has made enough ‘remind him to cover up this time’ jokes for me to be sure of that.” Summer took a deep breath before launching into some of the newer rules of her home, taking care to make sure she got them all since they were still semi-new. They’d only been instated after one of her and Renz’s nights (about five months ago), so they were still pretty new to Summer. “Well, first of all, when we’re home we call out to each other, so we know we’re good to go. And when we leave, we say we’re heading out. If we’re not in, our doors are open. And if we are in, there’s no nudity in the common living space - covering up with a towel is acceptable, though. If someone’s coming over, we give each other a head’s up, and sometimes just make plans to be elsewhere for the night. It’s pretty simple stuff. Just, you know, courtesy. It makes things a lot easier. We also say when people have left. Because, you know, better safe than sorry.”

Renz knew he made a mistake. He never should have opened his mouth about kissing in public because with the way Summer bit her lip, she obviously thought hard about it. If she thought hard about it, that means she wanted to say no. Now, he has probably ruined their night. He bit his lip a little, shaking his head. "Naahh, I'm sorry. I never should have told you that. Just got caught in the moment." He said, chuckling awkward as he looked down on the ground. It's not like being thought of as dating would be something he didn't want but he didn't want to make things uncomfortable with them. It would be a lot weirder and he wasn't going to ruin what they just got back. His eyebrows furrowed when Summer told him she's never had black olives before, something he once heard from Rose just last week. How could these people have not tasted black olives? It was surprising to him. "Okay, we'll just get plain cheese then. No need for black olives." He said, meeting halfway in the decision. Renz shook his head, not taking no for an answer but it looks like Summer felt the same. "Well, I invited you to meet up tonight so I think I should just pay. I'll just find a way to distract you when the cashier asks for the payment so I can pay for the pizza." He wasn't one to take the bills all the time but considering he was the one who insisted in meeting for the night, it was only right that he pays for their food. She can handle the entertainment at her house. Renz covered his face, embarrassed to hear that Sydney never let Summer away with happened. It was all his fault, he could admit that but it wasn't intentional so he really doesn't like to put much blame on himself. He laughed out loud, nodding that the girl at least knew he was visiting their home. "Tell her she doesn't have to worry. I'm bring a bottle of water inside your room so I won't have to go out in the middle of the night." It was his only reason for going out so it was the safest to just bring a bottle inside instead of going out. Renz listened as she told him about the rules that were set for their home. It was only right that he follows them since he was visiting. "Okay, I don't think we'll have a problem with that. Just let me know if I'm breaking any unspoken rules, though. But I promise, I will stayed covered this time." Well, at least outside. There was a reason for putting locks on door and once that clicks, he's good to go all nude inside Summer's room. Finally, they got to the pizza place and as usual, Renz opened the door for Summer, this time letting their hands slip apart. She probably needed some air too. Brushing his hair back with his fingers, Renz looked at the options in front, thinking if he should buy something other than pizza. "Do you want anything else? Soda? Breadsticks?" He asked, making sure he got what she wanted, ordering their box of cheese pizza in advance too as he took some cash out of his wallet before Summer could even put her wallet out.

Summer had just about fully accepted the idea of kissing in public when Renz took it back, and suddenly she was a little sad about it. But why should she be sad about it? Being sad about it meant that you cared, and the whole point of what they were doing was that they would only care to a normal friendship level. So, no. She decided then that she wouldn’t allow herself to be sad, and instead decided to channel things into a witty comment. “I’m taking that as a ‘nah, everyone in the precinct already thought we were dating. If the whole town thinks we’re together again dating’ll be really hard.’” She was teasing him, and she really hoped that came across. At their toppings talk, Summer shook her head at Renz’s accommodation, encouraging him to get whatever he wanted. “Hey, if you want black olives, you should get them. Treat yourself, right?” she insisted before quirking an eyebrow. “Good luck distracting me. I’ll let you get away with it this time, but next time I pay,” the girl insisted. Summer looked over to Renz as their Sydney conversation continued, catching him with a clearly embarrassed look as they were discussing what had happened. Aw, cute. He was still a little embarrassed by it. Good. Everyone was. “Well, I’ll tell her you’ll be by my side all night and that all provisions are taken care of. I’m sure the news will be comforting to her. Which is absolutely nothing against you, by the way, and entirely about the situation. The rules were also put into place because something very similar happened with me and her girlfriend, so we’re at a really good understanding.” Summer didn’t want to ever have those incidents happen in her home again. Twice was enough. But she did want to further clarify one part of the rules. “The rule about nudity in common spaces is just full nudity, by the way. If you want to find your boxers and grab some coffee in the morning, that’s allowed. You don’t have to be... too covered,” Summer explained, hoping that Renz got what was implied with her last sentence and didn’t assume the other meaning (the one of him not having to add on extra layers like a coat just to see her roommate, who more than likely was not going to be there). Once Summer and Renz arrived at the pizza parlor they separated, Summer entering first with a quick thank you to Renz for holding the door. She stared up at the menu once prompted, trying to figure out if there was anything else she wanted. “Well, clearly water bottles are a must,” she pointed out as she looked over at him with a smirk, “And I’m good as far as breadsticks go, but if you see a dessert that catches your eye on the menu, be my guest. I can never say no to that,” she concluded honestly, taking note of how he already had cash out. What an efficient gentleman.

Renz squinted his nose before shaking his head at her comment. It sounded like she didn't see it as a big deal whether she said yes or no. Pouting his lips a little, he let out a sigh before responding to her. "It's more like a nah, I don't really want things to be weird, uncomfortable and complicated between us." It was the safest response he could give, although her face was full of teasing, he decided to just go along with it. When she insisted that he gets the black olives, Renz subtly shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine, I have all the treat I need right here." He said, nudging their shoulders together before smirking at her. Next time? So, this isn't the last and Renz felt a bit of a relief there. That must mean she wanted to see him more and this wasn't just a one time reunion for old time's sake. "Okay, fine. You get to pay next time. But next time, we're going to an eat all you can buffet." He joked, teasing that she'll pay more next time than what he's paying tonight. "Oh trust me. I understand why rules were set. I would've requested you guys to make one if you didn't and one of them would be /Renz isn't allowed to be naked in the house anymore/." It was all a good laugh and no matter how embarrassing the topic was, they were both enjoying the path down memory lane. Renz was surprised when Summer told him about a similar experience, even a bit surprised when she revealed that Sydney has/had a girlfriend. "What? Sydney's a lesbian? Kinda thought she was hot back then! Guess she's hands off." He shrugged, not really intentionally trying to make Summer jealous or something but he has thought of Sydney before in a more than friendly way because, well, she has a nice ass. Also, Renz just had to smile when Summer noted that he'll be by her side the entire night which is also a good thing. At least, he was allowed to stay in his boxers when he needed some coffee in the morning. He was quite sure though that Summer noted that to him because she loved the view during coffee in the morning when Renz is rocking his abs in front of her for breakfast. As they both looked at the menu, he had to laugh when Summer reminded him of the water bottles, instantly ordering 4 for the both of them. Dessert? What would be good for dessert on sex night? He pondered a bit before teasingly draping his arm over her shoulders. "I'll have this for dessert." He murmured with a smirk before completely ignoring what he just did and leaning forward to the cashier and ordering a small tub of vanilla ice cream. "Vanilla. You good with that?"

Summer took a moment to nod at Renz’s answer, understanding why he had said what he had even though her attention spiked at the word complicated. Excellent point. Kissing in public could make things pretty complicated, because that was almost like admitting that something beyond friendship was going on to the entire world... or, at least, all of Farwell. And that wasn’t what was happening. Well, it was, but it wasn’t. They were just friends who were hooking up. Simple as that. They enjoyed each other’s company and felt at ease with each other, and they always managed to have a great time together, plus they found it easy to pick up right where they left off, but at the heart of it all was their good friendship. And it was really important to not complicate that. Summer was thankful when they moved on from that, and then they were back to joking and having fun banter and everything was completely normal. “Honestly, yeah, the treat’s me for so many reasons. Number one though is because I’m a delight,” she insisted with a bright smile, nodding once it had been agreed that she would pay the next time. “I’ll take you to a buffet. You just can’t let excessive amounts of food distract you or slow you down later, okay?” Overeating probably wasn’t the best idea for an arrangement like theirs. “Nonono, Renz is allowed to be naked in the house, because if he’s not that means a) a hotel has to be reserved or b) all time would be spent at Renz and Jaret’s place. And it’s so nice splitting the time,” Summer insisted, glad that had never been close to being a rule. Nudity was not banned forever in their home. In the first place because they still needed to bathe and change and in the second because Sydney and Summer were understanding of each other. That’s what made them work so well as roommates. And speaking of roommates... “Well, with her interest in women she could have been any number of sexualities... but yeah, she’s a lesbian. So, yeah, no hands on my lovely roommate.” Summer didn’t really need to hear about Renz’s interest in Sydney, but she shrugged that off as she studied the menu more and more. Had they added thing since she’d last been there? Or was she just a little oblivious? Once Renz put his arm around Summer, the girl’s attention immediately went to him. And she wasn’t disappointed. “No complaints here,” she replied completely seriously before shaking her head as an actual order was placed. “Vanilla’s good. I can totally go for Vanilla,” she agreed, suddenly even more excited for their time together that night.

Renz decided to ignore how their first topic went on an awkward direction and focus on their usual banter about who likes who more. He rolled his eyes when Summer called herself a delight. It was true but he wasn't going to admit that out loud. Instead of going against it, Renz just let out a small chuckle, leaving her to think whether he agreed to it or not. "Oh, I'm not even gonna eat a lot. Probably just one meal and you'll still be paying big." He teased, knowing she meant that he'd need a good stomach condition for their activity later that night. Whenever they're together, Renz always made sure to eat light. Just enough to have energy but never too much to the point of feeling full and tired. "And I'm sure you'd hate that if I went to your house and never even take off a single piece of clothing, huh?" He nodded, agreeing that it was already a good arrangement that they split their time from his house to hers. That way, their roommates won't get tired of seeing their faces together. "Fine. I'm already satisfied getting my hands on HER roommate anyway." He said, calling her in third person just so it wasn't too obvious how much he wanted her. Physically, at least. Now that a part of him was touching her again, Renz felt like they were back to having fun in a sweet way. Being close was always an act of intimacy for Renz and having that with Summer was just something he'll never get tired of. After placing the order, Renz immediately paid as they were asked to wait for about five to ten minutes. He mouthed a thank you before facing Summer again, sliding his hand down her arm until it reached her fingers, intertwining them again like they did a while ago. "How was work, by the way? Fun? Tiring?"

Summer decided to take Renz’s laugh at her self-compliment as a confirmation that she was, in fact, a delight. As opposed to the opposite meaning, at least. And with that she simply moved on with a knowing smile. “Oh, come on. You either make it worth our while or we don’t go to a buffet. Making me pay for you to eat a small amount of food in a place that encourages overeating? That’s just torture,” Summer pointed out, a small laugh following her words before she pointed something else out. “And actually, just because you would be fully covered doesn’t mean I would. So there are worse things. Besides, you know there’s this thing called hanging out. We actually seem to be doing it right now quite well, fully clothed.” Summer didn’t mind just hanging out with Renz. If there was ever a reason why they could no longer have the benefits part of their relationship, she thought she’d be satisfied with the just friends part... though she wasn’t 100% sure and wouldn’t fully known until the time came. She didn’t let her mind linger on those thoughts for too long, and she instead looked up at Renz with an amused look. “If you weren’t satisfied, I think we’d have a problem,” she teased. She was glad to hear that he was good with her, though. It was a nice confidence boost. The girl looked around the restaurant after a moment, appreciating the fact that she and Renz could have comfortable semi-silence without her feeling any pressure to say anything. After Renz had ordered and paid for their meal and interlaced their fingers yet again, Summer glanced down at the sight. This was nice. She had missed this more than she thought she had. “Thank you for dinner,” she said earnestly as she looked back up at him, immediately launching into an answer to his question. “Today was... average. Really just me editing an article probably way more than necessary and trying to find a good scoop for a new one. Sometimes it feels like the news in this town could be condensed into a simple newsletter and people wouldn’t notice the difference. But yeah, it was fine. What about you, detective?”

Renz laughed and shook his head when Summer encouraged him to take advantage of the buffet offer. For sure, he could eat about five times the meal he usually eats but it was different for their situation. "I pass out when I'm super full okay? Do you want me to pass out during sex?" He teased, knowing it was something he wouldn't want and another thing to be embarrassed about. At the mention of hanging out, Renz raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure if it was possible for them to end the night without ripping each other's clothes off but it seems like she was willing to go for it, like normal friends. "Hangout without ending in sex? Are you sure you can do that with me?" Of course, he'd loved the friends part of their relationship but he'd definitely be sad if the benefits part was removed. He loved being with bed with Summer as perverted as that sounded. He gave her a look of uncertainty, as if he was taking back his words about being satisfied with her before letting out a laugh. She should know by now that she was more than enough for him since they last months hooking up before. If he got tired of her, they wouldn't even last a month. "You're welcome." He responded, quickly planting a soft kiss at the top of her. That was friendly right? He wasn't sure why he did that but he just really couldn't help himself. Maybe it was his horny-self moving, desperately wanting to kiss her in any form but then again, he's always wanted to give her a sweet kiss and not the rough and lustful one. "Well, if you ever need a scoop, you can always go down to the station and check for available scoops." He chuckled when she called him detective, still feeling weird with the name now given to him for his job. "Just paper work. I had to review this case. I'm working on a new partner, Detective Wilson. A private attorney died over the weekend and even if the results turn out suicide, I'm kind of suspecting it's a murder. I still need to talk to her about this tomorrow though." He informed her, not sure if it was a story she would actually enjoy since it involved deaths but he told her anyway before adding a lighter part of his day. "And... I might also have spent the entire day waiting for you." He shrugged his shoulder and gave her a big smile, remember a question he had to ask her. Although it was an inappropriate place to talk about, he figured it's best if he asked as early as now. "Are you on the pill or should I...buy more rubbers?" He awkwardly asked, not wanting to look like an idiot.

Summer was quick to shoot down Renz’s concerns, knowing that while it was quite likely that could occur, the odds that the buffet would even happen in the first place were slim. “Well, obviously if you’re passed out we’re not hooking up, so no. But something tells me I’d be able to keep you awake… Still, I understand,” she told him, knowing how embarrassing it would be if she just fell asleep in the middle of things. Still, a mental picture came to her head that she found amusing, and she couldn’t help but laugh to herself about it. By the time Renz asked if she thought they were really capable of hanging out without hooking up, the mental picture had completely left Summer’s mind and she was easily able to answer his question. “I mean, it’s not preferable. I like what we have going on, a lot. But I know that when you get a girlfriend, you’re not going to want my wonderful spirit and personality out of your life. So sacrifices will have to be made,” she explained, thinking of the inevitable. Their arrangement couldn’t go on for forever. Or, well, it could, but… that was unlikely. Summer didn’t 100% know Renz’s stance on relationships, but she wanted him to be happy. And it was entirely possible that someone would come along and help him to achieve ultimate happiness. She cared about him, and still wanted to be around even if they had to adjust exactly how that was. Summer was suddenly deep in thought about everything, but she still registered what was going on enough to respond appropriately. At his kiss to her head, she simply gave him a small but genuine smile, enjoying the fact that they could just be so relaxed with each other after so many months of zero communication. “Noted,” she began as the conversation focused in on career-talk. “I’ll probably be stopping by at least once a week then. Because if anyone’s going to have heard about the stories that need to be told in Farwell, it’s the people in that station. Like you, my dear, dear friend.” She had never considered checking in frequently at the station, but it made sense that she should. And thank goodness that suggestion had come her way, because she’d been writing a lot of fluffy things lately. Summer listened as Renz spoke about his job, her eyebrows shooting up when he mentioned a possible murder. “Woah, a new partner and a possible murder. It seems like your days are quite full,” she said, making a mental note to look into the situation with the attorney for a potential story. That was big news. At his shift in tone, though, Summer was immediately brought back from her journalistic fantasies, to the surprisingly sweet present. “Aw, cute. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been looking forward to this too…” she drifted off, about to answer his next question when they were alerted that their order was ready. “Thanks!” she told the worker who had alerted them, wondering if they had been paying attention to their conversation. Awkward. Summer moved to grab an appropriate share of the food, murmuring to Renz the answer to his question once she had safely done so. “The pill. But also I ran an errand before I went to grab you from the station, so we’d be good either way. Better safe than sorry,” she informed him earnestly, always one to take every precaution to avoid pregnancy. A couple of her friends had kids, and they were cute and everything, but Summer wasn’t ready to be a parent. At all.

Renz smirked at her response, knowing no matter how sleepy he get, whenever they're together, she could easily keep him awake. He just raised an eyebrow at her because it was well understood that if he was passed out they most likely would just sleep in. It's better to do it in mornings anyway. Again, Renz had to laugh out loud when she started boosting her ego again with the teasingly self-compliments, which he found really cute though. "Oh, come on. I won't even get a girlfriend if she isn't twice as good as you." He teased. In his whole sex experience, being with Summer in bed the longest guaranteed her the spot as his best. So, if he's ever gonna get a girlfriend and the sex was part of his basis, the girl should beat Summer to it. Although, if things would work out, maybe Summer is the right girl for him. He knew that this could only end in two ways. Either they become a couple or they just have to stop giving each other the benefits. But the thought of losing Summer got him looking straight at nowhere. He knew it'd be hard unless he got as busy as he did at the beginning of the year but he knew it'd be harder if she stuck around but changed their relationship course. Again, there she goes with the friend. But now it's dear, dear friend, which is probably worse because that's like a complete confirmation that they were just indeed friends with benefits. Renz decided to just stop thinking about the what ifs and gave her a smile. "Once a week? I hope that doesn't include the times we'll be going out. Once a week might not be enough for us." He joked, although, maybe it's best if he'll be the one to pick her up next. It was just the more gentleman thing to do. "Not really full... Just, different. She's a lot older than me and more experienced so i have to respect her decision. But I still think it's a murder." He shook his head, still thinking about the case as some things weren't just adding up for him. He figured he'd just talk to Detective Wilson more about it when they meet up, out of respect. Their order was finally done and Renz immediately grabbed the bag with water bottles and ice cream, which was heavier than the pizza box. He smiled at Summer's respond, knowing they're safe either way. "Oh, wow. You should have just told me. I still have some here anyway. You shouldn't have spent money on that anymore." He told her, smiling at the cashier as a thank you before walking out of the store. They kept their hands together and started walking a familiar direction, the way to Summer's house has always been easy to remember so his mind was going down the memory lane as well as their feet. "Breakfast? Should we be thinking of what we'll eat in the morning?" He asked, making sure she had stock at home. And also, mainly because he was hoping he could cook for her the only meal he knows how to make.

Summer was glad that Renz didn’t seem to find her self-complementing annoying or weird. He played along with it, and for that she was thankful. Her doing it in the first place showed that she was comfortable in his presence. Others had not been so kind when she’d shown that side of herself before. So she didn’t worry about shooting off another statement, a smile on her face as she spoke. “Oh, then we’ve got nothing to worry about. A girl twice as good as me? Impossible.” In reality, Summer knew plenty of amazing girls. She was best friends with one, after all. But Summer also knew her own worth. And a girl twice as good as her would be hard to find. When Renz mentioned his desire for them to go out during the week, Summer couldn’t help but focus in on the word out. “You want to do some going out along with all that staying in?” she asked curiously, honestly intrigued by his potential answer. Technically, they were out and about right now, and they were having a great time. So if they just tacked on activities like that to their time together, she could only see that turning out well. Still, if he said no or that he’d meant something else, she hadn’t set her heart too much on it that his denial would clearly affect her demeanor. “But anyway, no. Work life is different from personal life. We’re personal. That’s work,” she continued after a moment, listening happily as Renz continued to talk about work. The life of a detective sounded interesting. Disturbing, yes, as they saw some crazy stuff, but interesting. They got to solve mysteries every day and get answers, and Summer appreciated answers. “Well, time will hopefully tell. And hey, in a weird way I hope you’re right and it was murder. Maybe that’d ease the partner transition between you two.” Once the food was safely in both of their hands, Summer made her way to the exit, speaking as they walked. “I take no chances. And you never know when you’ll need something, so better safe than sorry,” she insisted. She wasn’t about to not keep her own supply of condoms at her house. Even if she was only hooking up with one guy at the moment… and had only been with him in the past year, she still found it important to be prepared no matter what. The girl carefully balanced the pizza with one hand while the other remained linked to Renz’s as they made their way to her place, the walk not long. She had made sure to choose somewhere close to the center of town when she’d moved out of her childhood home, so the convenience was great. “Breakfast depends on what you want. We have the basics. You know, coffee, orange juice, bread, eggs, baking stuff. But if you’re looking to make… I don’t know, a homemade waffle, you’re a little out of luck. A waffle iron is about the only thing we don’t have,” she told him with a shrug, curious as to what he’d be wanting to start his day. “Anything is free game.”

Renz rolled his yes before letting out a laugh. Right now, he did believe that it was nearly impossible to find a girl as good as her but he was sure, he'll find her one day, someone who doesn't just have sex with him for a good time, but one who loves him and may possibly want a child with him. "Well, what I meant was, I want us to go out of our work place and stay in our homes. It's not like we can do much when we're in public. Pretty sure you won't be able to keep your hands off me." Now, it was his turn with the self compliments, laughing to tease that he was just joking about it. He didn't want to turn Summer down in a potential hang out as just friends as he didn't want her to think that he just has fun with her when they're in bed. "I mean, if you want to go out sometime and do stuff other than..." He chuckled, knowing she got what he meant. "I'll be down for that too." He appreciated how much respect she has for his work life. It wasn't easy to be dealing with someone with the same job as Renz and he was glad that she knew how to handle that. Laughing out loud, it wasn't new to him to hear someone hopefully got murdered. Honestly, most detectives would prefer murder than suicide since murder would put more justice for the family. "Yeah, hopefully the attorney got murdered." He joked back. It was probably weird that she had to go buy them the condoms and he could only imagine the amount of looks she got when he purchased it. What guy would ask their girl to get rubbers for them? "Mhmm. Wonder if some other guy's gonna use them next time..." He didn't want to sound jealous but obviously, that's how his tone went. Renz looked a way for a minute, not wanting Summer to see the expression on his face. This was the downside of it all. He can't complain if Summer wants to sleep with another guy and Summer can't do the same if he wanted to get it going with another girl. But knowing you're in bed with Summer for how many times already, Renz couldn't help but feel bad if ever she wanted another guy. But he wouldn't say that out loud. Instead of responding to her, Renz shot back the question at her. "Well, what do you want for breakfast?" He had to make sure what he'll be preparing for her the next day would be something she liked. Shaking his head, Renz let out a chuckle, already seeing the structure of her place in front of me. "No, I'm good. I don't need waffles. I'm actually just fine with the coffee and bread. Eggs, if I'm gonna have a long day." He told her, making the turn to walk to the front door of her place. Seeing it just made him nostalgic even more. "God, I missed this place."

Summer shook her head with a knowing look at his words, getting what he was saying but disagreeing just to do it. “Oh, so you don’t want to do anything at your workplace. That’s probably wise,” she teased. “And, you know me so well. I couldn’t even do it just now. There’s really no hope for that,” she continued, realizing as she spoke that they actually had kept their hands on each other for a majority of the time they’d been together thus far. Wow. Her teasing had truth. “You know, let’s just take things as they come. If you’re ever like ‘wow, I really want to see this movie with someone, but Jaret can’t go I wonder who’d be up for it’ and you think might, text me. Because chill hang time is always fun too,” Summer admitted, laughing moments later at their casual discussion of hoping for murder. It was ridiculous, but it made sense and was understandable… which was so crazy to her. They didn’t speak any more about murder or detective work, though. And Summer was fine with that. She was interested in his detective work, of course, but their conversation had shifted away from that. She couldn’t help but notice the slight jealous tone of Renz’s words regarding her sleeping with someone else, but she didn’t know why he might be jealous. “Considering how you’re the last person I slept with, and that was five months ago, that’s unlikely,” she decided to point out, not mentioning that there was still a chance. Summer was sure he had been with other girls in those past five months. It wasn’t like she wasn’t allowed to be with other people too. She probably wouldn’t be, but who knew? “Okay, but bread or toast? And are you a butter, jelly or jam, or plain toast kind of guy?” Summer asked then, for some reason thinking that food preference said something about a person. “I’m good with whatever for breakfast. Half of the time I just grab a poptart and am out the door. However, some actual food might be a good idea to get me through the day. So I could go for some eggs, maybe. Maybe scrambled with toast. Or, oh, maybe an omelette. I don’t know. I’ve got some time to think about that,” Summer rambled, cutting herself off before she spoke more about food. Renz realized that they had come upon her home before she did, and so she was a little caught off guard when they were suddenly standing in front of her front door. The girl dropped Renz’s hand then, reaching into her bag with her now free hand to grab her keys, inserting them into the lock before speaking. “It missed you too,” she told him, meaning more her than her home. “Absolutely nothing has changed about it since you were last here, except for the fact that there’s no holiday decorations to be found,” Summer added as she unlocked the door, swinging it wide open so that he could enter first and she could follow behind, locking it. “Syd! You here?” Summer called out into what felt like an empty home as she walked towards the kitchen, getting no response. “Sydney?” she asked one more time before turning her attention to Renz. “It would seem that we are alone.”

Renz bit his lip, feeling a bit awkward when she mentioned doing anything at his workplace, remember just weeks ago how he had sex in the office of a general. It was something no one knew about and maybe it's best if no one heard about it anymore since General Harper left anyway. Looking back at their hands, Renz smiled when Summer agreed to his statement. They really can't keep their hands off each other. Well, at least Renz since he's the one initiating the hand holds the entire night. "Well, I was talking a more PG hands on each other type of thing but yeah, I bet we won't survive." He teased back, chuckling at her when she tired to speak like Renz. Of course, speaking like Renz meant mentioning Jaret and choosing him when he wanted to do something. "Well, speaking of Jaret, the boy's got a girlfriend now. So, I'm kinda out of the picture. Haven't been home much for weeks now, actually." He told her, knowing it was too dramatic of a subject so he just laughed it off. Smiling, Renz was glad that she could admit that she hasn't slept with anyone in a long time and the last time she slept with someone was Renz. Maybe she just didn't want to waste time with anyone else other than him, which was a positive thing for him. He liked the attention and the more she spoke about it, the less he feels worried that one day, Summer will suddenly ditch him for another guy in bed. "Hmm..." He thought for a while when she asked him how he liked his bread. "Well, I love a good toast with butter but sometimes, I go for plain and just dip it on my coffee." He'll have time to think about that in the morning, listening to what her preferred breakfast was. When she mentioned an omelette, he felt relieved since he has mastered that for months, being one of the only foods he can make on his own. "Babe, it's gonna be a long night for us and probably a long morning too so I'm sure you're gonna need two omelettes and a pop tart to get through the day." He teased, already feeling the vibe of her home which let out a sexually attracting vibe since it's what they usually do there back in the day. When Summer reached for her keys, Renz grabbed the box of pizza from her so she could easily open the door. As he entered, he noticed that nothing really changed that much. A couple of added home decors but nothing big. When Summer called out for her roommate, Renz decided to join in. "Hey, Sydney. I'm back. Fully clothed." He called out, jokingly as he dropped the pizza and bag of goods on the table, immediately going after Summer when she confirmed that they were alone. "Good." He said, surprisingly lifting her, wrapping her legs around his waist as he leaned to kiss her on the lips. "More space for us, then." He joked, going to the nearest wall to lean her there and let her lips know how much his lips missed her. Slowly, Renz dropped her feet back on the ground but his lips continued to kiss her before pulling away a bit. "Mhmm. What flavor are you wearing on your lips? That tastes good." He teased, chuckling a little as he gave a little space between them.

Summer was amused that Renz had chosen a PG rating, instead of R for them. Or even X, all things considered. But she didn’t mention that, instead laughing it off. “Wait, no way! Who is it?” Summer asked at the mention of Jaret’s girlfriend, already fully prepared to tease him about love songs. “I bet he’ll eventually want to do a cover of a love song for her. I wonder what I’m going to be dragged into next…” she pondered, referencing the fact that she and Jaret recorded videos of their covers of songs (and some originals) for a YouTube channel. Summer didn’t broadcast it a ton, but she liked getting to hang out with Jaret and just sing and play. He was a chill guy. She could only imagine that he and Renz were the best of friends while being successful roommates, because those personalities really seemed like they’d work well together. But anyway. Summer really was happy for Jaret. And his mysterious girlfriend. “Hopefully you’re back in the picture soon too, though. Everyone needs their friends when they’re in a relationship. Even if it’s just to share in the happiness and excitement.” Summer wasn’t sure if her words were actually wise and factual or not, but she felt them to be true, so she stood behind her statement. Bros before hoes or whatever the saying was. At Renz’s outlining of his preferred bread styles for breakfast, Summer nodded, taking note of his preferences. Bread in the coffee? Like biscotti? Or…? Interesting. “Noted,” she told him, making it clear that she wouldn’t forget that information before she continued to speak. From his words it sounded like he intended on them having quite the night and morning, so she had to say something witty about that. “Is that my present for having gone five months without anything? Because if so, I should try that more often,” she said, not really wanting to have to go that long just to get one night of what she was being promised then. But she didn’t actually think she’d have to. No, things actually usually went that way with him - something she was very, very thankful for. As Summer moved around her home, looking to triple check that her roommate was actually out, she listened to Renz call out to Sydney too, laughing at his greeting to the girl who very clearly was not there. “Were she here, I’m sure she’d be pleased,” Summer said as she looked up at Renz. Moments later he was in front of her, clearly taking advantage of their being alone. Summer’s breath caught in her chest when he lifted her, the action being unexpected. She could see the next thing coming, though, so she was prepared when he went in for the kiss. She didn’t hesitate to kiss him back, her arms wrapping around his neck both to make her even more secure and to draw him closer. It had been a long time, and she was making it clear through how she kissed Renz then that she had every intention of making up for their lost time that night. Summer actually pouted once he pulled away, though, not expecting it but knowing that they probably shouldn’t get too carried away yet. They needed to eat… right? Or did they? “Salted caramel,” she murmured back, answering his question as she opened her eyes to look up at him. “But I know, right?” She had chosen it for a reason, after all.

Renz nodded, laughing when she couldn't believe that Jaret has a girlfriend now. It was quite a shocker for most but for him, Renz just figured it was about time. Jaret had cute personality behind that smug and Renz knew Bee was the perfect girl for her. "Bee. It's Bee Kent." He plainly said with a smile, chuckling when she thought about teasing him with love songs. "Hey, hey. I'm the only one allowed to /drag/ you here." He joked, knowing how she and Jaret enjoyed spending time together whether it was just to sing and jam or just simply to hang out. "Well... I'm kinda just letting him have the time of his life with his girl until he misses me and comes crawling back to me." He let out an evil laugh along with his devious plan, trying to remember when the last time Renz and Jaret hung out. It's be a really long time. A long time for him, meaning a few weeks. Five months is a long time and Renz still couldn't believe she focused on herself that long without anything with a guy. He smiled, nodding when she asked if their night, and possibly morning, is her present for spending five months without anything. "Well, let's just say it's your reward for five months of working hard for yourself. Really, I'm proud of you." He smiled, knowing it was the best for herself, whatever she did. They may have lost contact but at least, it resulted to her success. And they're back to contacting now. Obviously, Sydney wasn't home at all because if she was, she'd probably gone out of her room as soon as the front door open. Renz was slightly glad that she wasn't because now, they have twice the privacy they needed. The sound of her breath told him that she was caught off guard, but as soon as her feet were off the ground, her lips knew what they had to do. Having to taste her lips once more made Renz feel at home. The kind of taste he missed for five months and she was clearly making it up to him with the way she kisses him back. He chuckled a little when he saw her pout when he pulled back. "Mhmm. Yumm. Can't wait to have more." He teased, leaning forward to kiss her again. This time a little deeper before pulling it back. "I'm gonna set up the pizza, okay. Let's just eat on the couch so your room won't get messy. Well, until we mess it up." He joked, kissing her again, one last time. "Mhmm. God, I really missed that." He walked back to where he placed their food and brought it to the table in front of the couch where they'd usually eat. Renz took off his jacket, his badge and even his gun holster, placing it on the side of the couch, just on top of his bag. "I hope it's okay, I brought some clothes. Maybe I could shower here in the morning and go straight to the station. Or... I could drop you off at your office first before heading to the station." He said, opening the box of pizza as he comfortably sat down the couch, patting the space beside him for her to sit.

Summer nodded in recognition of the name. “Bee Kent,” Summer repeated, reflecting back on what she knew about Bee. Not much anymore. They had been great friends up until middle school, but then they’d parted ways. They were still on okay terms, but were by no means friends currently and therefore Summer couldn’t even begin to make any sort of comment about them or not - not even a ‘they’re perfect for each other!’ or a simple ‘interesting’. “Well, I wish him all the happiness in the world with Bee. If they get married, dibs on singing at the wedding,” she declared, not anticipating Renz would challenge her for that. The girl nodded as Renz continued to speak about Jaret and Bee, smiling at Renz’s obvious caring for his friend. “Well, I’m sure he’ll be crawling back in no time. Probably still with her, of course. But with the knowledge that balance is necessary,” she told him with a smile, shaking her head at his ridiculous evil laugh. That was definitely going to be brought up at some point in the future. Likely multiple times. Soon enough the conversation was focused back on Summer and on her success over the last five months, and the girl didn’t mind. It was nice to hear that someone was proud of her. She had worked pretty hard to get through school and get a job, after all. “Well, I can’t think of a better reward,” she said once Renz had confirmed that it was basically the reward for her job well done. And truly, she couldn’t. The kissing they did moments later confirmed that, and by the time Renz pulled away a second time Summer was almost ready to just forgo the pizza in favor of another priority. In the end, she didn’t have to. Renz said he would set the pizza up for dinner and she just nodded, still distracted by what had happened in the best way. “I missed it too. /You/ too,” Summer replied then, perfectly content. She snapped out of it as they moved away from each other to conduct their business, however, him fixing up their meal and her grabbing paper plates and napkins for the two of them after putting the ice cream in her freezer. As she walked back to join Renz on the couch, she caught him removing his badge and gun holster, and she just watched. She had almost forgotten about all of the things detectives carried… and she was glad he had taken care of removing things himself. Was she even allowed to do that? Like… legally? Summer suddenly had a lot of questions about things that she didn’t even need to worry about at that point, but she quieted them all as she moved to take her place in the room. She set down the napkins and plates on the table before sitting down next to Renz, speaking as she did so. “Of course it’s okay. Definitely feel free to shower here,” she said, not intending on telling him no. That’d be weird. She wasn’t about to tell someone they weren’t allowed to make themselves cleaner at her house. “And my own personal detective escort to the paper? You present a very tempting offer there, Reeves,” Summer said with sincerity, actually appreciating his offer. The girl handed Renz a paper plate and napkin then before grabbing a slice of pizza for herself. “If we have the time, that’d be great,” she concluded.

Renz smiled when she commented on a wedding for Bee and Jaret, nodding when she offered her voice for the wedding. "Well, dibs on going to the wedding with you, then." He joked, not sure how the two will be if a wedding does happen for Bee and Jaret. The two just started out so he doubt a wedding would be coming in anytime soon. Honestly, there was a reason why Renz never went home a lot since Jaret and Bee became a thing. He just figured he'd let the two enjoy each other's company and one, he didn't want to be a third wheel and two, he was slightly jealous of his friend being in a stable relationship. Something he hasn't really had in a long time. Renz decided to shrug the topic off, not wanting the night to end up being about the couple when it should all be about the two of them. The kisses felt tempting to ignore the dinner but he knew they'd have to eat at some point. It will be more weird if they have sex first before eating pizza, which is kind of funny if you think about it. Renz smiled when Summer returned his feelings of missing each other's lips and just each other in general. Renz noticed her looks when he started removing the items under his jacket. Yes, he was carrying a lot and really, he wasn't allowed not to carry those. Like he always says, crime doesn't have a time. "Uhh, sorry. I couldn't leave these back at the station." He apologized, not wanting to freak her out or something with his weapon. He decided to just cover the gun with his jacket. Renz mouthed a thank you to her, accepting the plate and napkin she handed him. Grabbing a slice, Renz immediately took a bite, the cheese still warm and as soon as it touched his tongue, he let out a moan. "Yeah, of course. What if something happens to you on the way to work and they investigate me at the station? No way I'm risking myself." He teased, his leg folding flat up on the couch as he gently pulled her close to him to sit in between his legs. His arm loosely wrapped around her body as he placed a small kiss behind her neck. "Such good pizza. We should probably save some for when Sydney comes home." He suggested, a little token for her roommate for allowing him to stay the night even if Summer already agreed to it. Renz decided to open up small chats, hoping she wouldn't mind. "Tell me. You've never really been even on dates after New Year's eve? No guy lurking around, hoping for another date with you or something?"

Summer really had no clue if a wedding was even in the cards (though you always hoped that your friends’ relationships worked out), but she didn’t hesitate to agree to Renz’s offer. “You mean I’d get to go with the potential best man? Deal,” she agreed easily. Summer hadn’t realized that Renz had noticed her observing, so when he spoke about it, she gave a small shake of her head as she began to speak. “No, yeah, of course. I totally get it. I just... forgot for a second, I guess,” she said, brushing it off with a shrug. Being a detective was dangerous. Of course he would still need to carry a gun. Really, something could happen at any time and if, when apprehending a suspect, they didn’t react well and decided to fight back using any means necessary (including using weapons), he was of course expected to respond appropriately. So maybe her reaction was more due to her having forgotten over the course of five months than it was anything else. Still, she appreciated it when they moved on and began to eat. Summer grabbed a slice of pizza after Renz, immediately laughing when he moaned at what she could only assume to be the taste of the pizza. “You okay there?” she asked before taking a bite of her own slice. It had been way too long since she’d had pizza, and she was definitely happy to be eating it that evening. Usually she just came home and cooked or grabbed something from the diner. Pizza was reserved for when she knew she wasn’t going to be alone, for moments like the present. She took another bite before replying to Renz’s statement about not risking himself, rolling her eyes at his words. “If something were to happen, you’d definitely be getting a lot of questions - for sure a person of interest, maybe even a suspect. And we can’t have that, when you have done absolutely nothing wrong with me, ever,” Summer said, agreeing to his escorting her to work. Nothing would happen to her, but it was cute that he had offered. Taking another bite of her pizza, Summer got the hint when Renz began to move, and she easily moved with him, scooting over while she ate to situate herself between his legs. The kiss was again unexpected, and were she not currently eating, she might’ve even sighed contentedly at just how nice everything was in that moment. But she was, so she didn’t. She just settled for being content and resisting the urge to turn around and give him a quick peck on the lips. He needed to eat too. “We can try. But no promises because it actually is really good,” she said, already done with half of a slice. She wouldn’t eat more than two, so more than likely there would be some for Sydney, but no promises were to be made regarding saving food in her home basically ever. Plus, what if Sydney wasn’t home the next night? She was at her girlfriend’s a fair amount now so it was possible. Summer relaxed in her current position as she answered Renz’s question, looking back on her dating life for the past five months not so fondly. “Well, it’s not like there haven’t been possibilities. But nothing worked out after one date, it would seem. Some guys around here just have the personality of rocks. So maybe… three first dates. And zero second. It’s great. Apparently I’m just weeding out all of the eligible bachelors in town.” Her joke was self-deprecating, but it wasn’t untrue. She did want a relationship, but… it seemed like no one in town was interested in one with her. No one she clicked with, at least. There were certain guys in town where she would never even consider a relationship (like Jaret, even if he didn’t have the girlfriend), there were certain guys she would never trust again (Brad), there were the emotionally unavailable guys (Luke) and then there was Renz… who, yeah, she could probably see herself with, but there would be some risk in saying that and why mess up a good thing? “But what about you?” she asked after taking another bite of her pizza. “How have the ladies of Farwell been treating you these past five months?” Summer knew he had been with other girls. He had to have been with others, there was no reason for him not to be, so she was curious as to if he had anything in the works, relationship-wise.

Renz felt a little awkward, even after Summer told him she forgot about his job. He knew that some felt a little awkward with him and his position so he did understand how Summer responded so he just gave her a smile. The pizza was too inviting to turn down, honestly. Even if their purpose for going over to Summer's place was more than just to eat, they couldn't skip the meal. "Very okay. Haven't had a decent meal today. I ate but this is my favorite meal of the day." He said with a chuckle. Sometimes, with his work, being to focus could make you lose your appetite and just eat in the facts of the case instead. Not literally but his brain gets too full with work loud that he sometimes would forget to have a proper meal, so instead, he'll just have some crackers after. He chuckled lightly, knowing what she meant about him being a suspect if ever something happens to her. It would not only cost him his job but also his reputation. "Well, yeah, that, and I guess I just want to keep you safe." Some might think it was a disadvantage to have a cop around for company as it was dangerous but there are perks of it also, like complete protection. And with his relationship with Summer, he definitely planned on keeping her safe as much as he can. Everything with Summer felt like how it needed to be. Their bodies move like they really know what they're doing with just the small hints and even if both were busy eating their pizza, they still found a position where their bodies were literally close, again. Renz tried to finish his pizza, leaving only the crust and then tossing it back on the box. "Yeah, well, she can have the crust. I don't eat that." He joked, seriously, giving her another fact about himself. He could eat a box of pizza but he'll definitely leave all the crusts there. It just didn't fit his taste. Grabbing another slice, Renz took a huge bite as Summer relaxed in his arms. He laughed, hearing her call the guys' personality a rock. Honestly, he could agree to that. Some were just either boring and plain while some were just to good to be true, you couldn't take a risk. It goes same for the girls in town, too. He's only lasted until one day but after that, nothing happens anymore. That's when he figured no one's worth being in a relationship just yet. Or maybe he just wasn't date-able for the women in town. He stared down on the ground for a while, trying to comprehend what she just said. One would be a fool not to be with Summer, and that includes Renz. But like what he said? He'd rather not ruin what they have right now because this was definitely better than nothing. He was brought back to Earth when Summer shot the question back to him. Letting out a light hum, Renz took another bite of his pizza before answering. "Yeah, uhm, good, I guess. I've been on dates. Nothing past the first date yet since we last saw each other. But you know? No one just...really clicked. No one probably thought I was worth a second date or something. Or maybe I let my job get in the way that's why they feel neglected or something. But yeah, you don't have any serious competition right now." He joked with a laugh, placing his pizza down as he wiped some napkin on his mouth. Of course, there was a girl he had his eyes on for a possible future relationship but he wasn't going to tell her that and ruin their night. He grabbed a water bottle from the bag they got from the store and took a long gulp. Honestly, he was probably a little full already but he didn't want Summer to stop for him. She seemed like she was still enjoying the feast so he just leaned back there, intertwining his fingers with her and started playing with it. "I'm really glad we got back in touch. I really missed you for five months. I mean, in this small town, I thought I'd once see you before but I didn't. I even planned on going further with you but... I guess, things just happen for a reason." He smiled, just really having missed her company.

Summer nodded at Renz’s comment, not about to say that the pizza wasn’t the best meal of her day either. She’d had Poptarts for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and some coffee to get her through the day. Nothing fun, nothing fancy. Pizza (especially with her current company) was the highlight for her too. Instead of saying so, though, she simply murmured a quick “I’m glad” before she finished her first slice and reached for her second (and final) one. She didn’t even get to take one bite of her slice, though, before Renz said something that actually made her turn around to look at him with a surprisingly thoughtful look on her face. He wanted to keep her safe? “I do feel very safe with you around,” she told him honestly before turning back around. It wasn’t just because he carried around a gun, either. He just had a presence that emanated thoughts of safety for her. So they could joke about her getting harmed all they wanted, but for her that was only possible because she didn’t actually fear it. Whether or not she and him were in contact, having him in the police force, even if he was now a detective and not an average cop, had always been a comforting thought. As they continued to eat, Summer began to think of other things she wanted to talk to Renz about - other things she wanted to catch up with him about. But eating was still the priority, so they sat in comfortable silence for a moment while they did just that, the girl a little surprised when Renz tossed the crust of his pizza back into the box. Ah, so he was one of those people. “You know, I actually don’t think she’d appreciate that. And I’d eat yours, but I have my own to eat. It’s like a free breadstick… not quite as tasty, but by no means bad,” she pointed out, explaining her reasoning for why she ate all of her pizza. “She wouldn’t want a box full of not-super-amazing breadsticks, though,” Summer added immediately. When Renz laughed at her comment about the men of Farwell, she couldn’t help but smile, glad her pain had amused someone like she had hoped it would. But she did wait with a curious look for him to answer her question in return, nodding as he did so. “You’re totally worth a second date. Don’t let any girl think you’re not,” Summer insisted, giving Renz a confidence boost before laughing at his mention of her competition. “Well, good. If I had competition, I don’t think tonight would be happening in the first place, because I’m sure you would’ve been with her,” she pointed out, knowing that as soon as a romantic relationship seemed possible for either of them their relationship would have to go. So them reconnecting definitely would not have happened… unless Renz just didn’t understand the basics of a relationship, but Summer was sure he did. The girl kept eating then, finishing off her second slice not too long after Renz had finished. By that point she was full but not too much, so she was pretty much done with the food. Seeing Renz drink water, Summer realized her need for it too, and she grabbed and opened a bottle before Renz intertwined their hands again. She took her own long sip before taking a break to breathe, taking another immediately after. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was until just that moment. She paused her drinking when Renz spoke, though, a little confused at what he’d just said. “Going further… like longer? You know, had work not been what it was for you, you could have. You had my number for three months after New Years before I changed it. But yeah, after March it really looked like this wasn’t ever going to happen again. It’s weird how Farwell operates. You’d think we’d run into each other at some point. Especially since our lines of work occasionally intersect,” she reasoned. “But oh well. It all worked out.”

Renz gave her a warm smile, feeling successful that he could make her feel safe. He knew it wasn't just because he was a cop, but whenever they're together, Renz knew that he acted much like a boyfriend would. He would hold her hand when they walk, he would open doors for her. Even when crossing the street, he would always keep her close to him and far from any harm possible. When we threw the crust back on the pizza box, Renz was surprised with her remark, not completely surprised by it. Whenever he'd eat pizza with someone, that would always be the comment. Always about how he wouldn't eat the crust but really, Renz wasn't a fan of that. He'd probably give it to street children or something, if ever there was one in Farwell. "I just don't like it, so I'm sorry, crust. Maybe in another lifetime." He told the piece of bread before chuckling. "Well, do you have any suggestion on what to do with those other than for me to eat it? Because I'm really not gonna eat that." He pouted like a little boy rejecting food. There was no way today was the day he'll eat all of his pizza. Dating, then, became their main topic and he felt a little awkward in discussing his recent dates and just his relationships in general. There was a reason he asked Summer to meet him and it looks like now was the time. Or maybe a little more later. "It's not my fault it goes to failure. Either wasn't the right time or it's just not the right girl at all." He told her. It wasn't even about his confidence. Of course, it got affected but the main reason why he doesn't get real dates and relationships was that it just couldn't work out. It'd probably turn out more horrible if they pushed through it. He did appreciate her confidence boos on him. Okay, maybe now's the time to tell her the reason why he was with her right now, since she was clearly talking about the difference of having a competition for Summer and choosing to be with Summer. "Well, what if I'm here because I chose you over some other girl?" He teased, waiting for her reaction. They never really talked about the possibility of them in a serious matter. It's always in a teasing and joking way so Renz was excited to hear what she'd say if the situation was indeed, him choosing her. As they relaxed, now less thirsty, Renz debated in his mind on how to respond to Summer's question. What did he mean by going further? "Uhmm... You know..." He paused, wanting to say the word relationship but then she added 'longer' and so Renz just nodded. Chuckling in confusion, Renz tilted his head to look at her better, his fingers still playing with hers. "Wait. So, you kept your number till March, hoping I'd call you, but you changed it because you figured I wouldn't call anymore?" He asked, laughing in a teasing manner, making the situation all about him. Although, maybe it was really about him. "Yeah, well, when I...we, became detectives, the new ones...there was a celebration. There were journalists who attended...and, I think you know her. Jillian Forrester? We had a.../wild/ night, honestly." Not sure where this confession was coming from but it kept going. He might have just ruined their night. "Literally, it was one night and then the morning after was so awkward we never spoke again. I guess it felt weird for me because she was the first time I slept with after losing contact with you, so I couldn't help myself and tried to call your number but...yeah. You changed it already." He chuckled awkwardly, not sure how Summer would take the news so he leaned down, planting a small kiss on her shoulder.

Summer shook her head in amusement at Renz, not all that surprised that he had decided to speak directly to the pizza crust. “Or maybe that’s something that is so ingrained in you that you keep it with you throughout all of your lifetimes,” Summer suggested, tossing out the alternative just for amusement’s sake. Summer paused then, considering an answer to Renz’s question. But alas, she was unable to come up with one, so she simply shrugged. “Not currently. But I’m sure I could come up with something with some time,” she said with a nod, confident in her brainstorming ability. Summer took a moment to let go of Renz’s hand then, putting the cap back on her water bottle before intertwining their fingers once more. It was a little weird to be talking about relationships with Renz, but it was also nice to be talking to someone other than Carly about them. Renz’s words about girls just seemed to perfectly sum up dating, and Summer couldn’t help but smile at that (even if it wasn’t the most hopeful statement). “I get that completely. Unfortunately, I think that’s just what dating’s like. There’s a whole lot of things that don’t work out so that you appreciate it so much more when things do,” Summer mused, thinking back on her own relationships. She’d had a thing back with Aaron in high school. That ended disastrously. She was in a relationship with Brad. Also very bad. She had not been in an official relationship since then, but she’d had some possibilities. And none of them worked out. So, yeah. There was that. Summer knew that she was in for something good at some point, but to that point any actual, explicitly romantic entanglements she’d had were complete disappointments. It was a wonder that she hadn’t completely given up yet, but Summer was an optimistic person. An optimistic person who had completely not seen Renz’s question coming. For a moment she didn’t believe him. And she really didn’t know what to say, because when it came down to it, had anyone ever really chosen her? Aaron blew her off, Brad cheated on her… nothing else had even come close to being a relationship. It had taken Renz’s question for her to realize that, but now that it had been realized, Summer wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that information. Did she confide in Renz? Would that be weird? She was probably taking his question entirely too seriously, considering the teasing tone it’d been delivered to her in, but it had just caused a huge realization for her, so she couldn’t help but answer him thoughtfully. “If you chose me…” she began carefully, trying to figure out how to conclude. “Then that would be a first for me,” she finally decided on, hoping she hadn’t made things too deep or whatever. She knew that weren’t about to get into it, but Renz still deserved to know the profound impact his words had unexpectedly had on her. “But, uh, anyway… Yeah. I mean, obviously I’d be happy. Because that would mean that I’m a little unforgettable, even after five months,” Summer continued after a moment, trying to make things as not-awkward as possible. She’d said too much, hadn’t she? The girl took note of Renz’s nodding at her question about them going on for longer than they had last time, rolling her eyes at his suggestion that he had been the reason she’d changed her number. “Yes, of course. Because wanting someone to call and then having them not is a great reason to accidentally lose contact with people… including the person you wanted to call,” she pointed out, teasing him about his flawed logic even though it was clear to her that she was being teased in the first place. “But no, actually, I met this guy when writing an article and things got really creepy, really quickly, so I needed to change it. Because blocking didn’t feel sufficient enough,” Summer explained, shaking her head at the memories. But apparently she wasn’t the only one taking a short walk down memory lane. Summer actually managed to keep her face in a neutral expression as Renz talked to her about Jillian, even though she was incredibly surprised. But was it really that surprising? “Yeah, um, I see her every day, actually,” Summer said after his confession, suddenly feeling very, very strange about everything. Things had just gotten weird. She really hadn’t needed to know that. Ugh, she’d have to look at Jillian now and not think of that. Because she did see her every day, and Jillian was Summer’s biggest competition at the paper, in terms of good work and interesting leads. Summer had some respect for Jillian, but they weren’t friends… now they had something else in common, though. Summer didn’t even register the kiss on her shoulder as she moved to grab her water bottle again, quickly opening it to finish it off before she turned back to Renz. “So, ice cream now or ice cream later?” she asked, changing the subject.

Renz shook his head. This was not at all traditional or something he just tells himself. He really doesn't like the crust. When she did the same by tossing the piece of bread on the box, Renz had to laugh out, not sure if she was just teasing him or she got tired of eating. He knew Summer would literally come up with anything just so she could prove herself right in the situation. The girl has always had a witty brain and that's something Renz admired about her. When she released their hands together to return the bottle cap, he wasn't really expecting that she'd put her hands back on his so when she did, Renz smiled, feeling a little burning sensation through his cheeks, knowing he was getting a little red. Luckily, he was behind her and she wouldn't see it at all. "So...you're saying I should get hurt in order for me to enjoy not getting wounded?" He asked with a chuckle, hoping he understood well what she meant. He's never really been in a long term relationship before so he knew he could get worse in the dating scene. "Relationships are just really complicated, that I am sure of. Like...the person that makes you the happiest...could also be the person to make you the saddest." He sighed, not wanting to seem upset but really, it was what the concept of relationships were and sometimes when he thinks about it, it just makes him less interested in being in a relationship. Summer was quiet for a while. Renz did not expect her to take the question seriously but apparently, she did. And it got him thinking as well. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, hoping she would come back to reality and not get any more lost in her thoughts. Finally, she spoke up. But then, her response was just too heartfelt. It was sad and Renz knew that because he's never really been a choice before. He was just lucky enough to be an option but as always, he doesn't end up getting chosen. It was then that he realized that they hadn't really had a real conversation about each other's past. He wanted to ask but he didn't really want to make the situation any more weird and depressing. "If only you're allowed to be part of the options..." He started, using the word allowed since technically, they had a limit on their relationship so it was just either stay on your lane or cross the border. He sighed, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek. "...I would choose you in a heartbeat." He smiled, hoping that made her feel better. Their conversation instantly switched to a different mood when Summer decided to shrug it off. Chuckling, Renz nodded at her. "Oh, please. I probably wouldn't forget you even after five years." If she did change her number because of him, Renz would have mixed emotions about it. He was glad because at least, the girl was expecting for him to comeback. But then, he'd feel bad because he knew she was probably hurt if she changed her number because of him. But then she started telling a story about a guy. Awkwardly, Renz bit his lip but kept his ears open. He remained speechless even if her story was worth reacting to. Renz kept his stare at a distance and when it was his time to tell a story about a girl, Summer basically had the same reaction. Everything suddenly felt weird and he was sure it was his fault. "Oh, nice. I'm seeing her this Saturday." He blurted out, another failure of his. Why does he keep spilling stuff? "For work, that is. Nothing else. We're...trying to be friends." He immediately save himself, not sure why he did but he felt like he had to. Summer then moved a little to drink her water bottle and Renz knew he messed things up, especially when she changed the subject. "Uhmm..." He hummed, moving a little himself, releasing his hand from hers and sat properly. "What do you want?" He asked back, not sure if going to bed this soon, and in a weird situation, would be a good plan. "Are you craving for dessert or are you craving for..." He said, teasingly pouting his lips as if he was asking for a kiss from her.

Summer could see how Renz had interpreted her words as being in favor of him getting hurt, but to hear it said aloud was a little strange. “I mean, yes and no,” she reasoned back. “Boo getting hurt, but it helps when you’re trying to recognize when you have something good going.” You had to realize the good when you could clearly recognize bad, right? At Renz’s words about relationships, Summer nodded. He was right about that. “You put a lot of trust in the other person not to hurt you. And they can be so great, but also so terrible so quickly. Ugh. Relationships are hard,” the girl agreed, venting a bit of her frustration. Everything in life was hard, really, but relationships seemed hardest. Summer didn’t really want to think about relationships anymore. They were a really depressing topic, but apparently they weren’t quite done with the topic yet. Summer could tell that her moment of reflection had been one for Renz too, and the mood of the room had shifted slightly during that time. By the time she’d said what she had, she had definitely solidified that mood, and now she was going to have to do some work to get them out of it… which became even more difficult with Renz’s next words. Summer briefly closed her eyes as he kissed her cheek, his words making her a little more sad than she expected them to. Alas, she wasn’t an actual option. They had agreed to that early on, and Summer was determined to stick to her word about not developing feelings for Renz… even if that was a little hard sometimes. They had a good thing going on. Why risk that? “Yeah, I would choose you right back,” she let him know, kinda regretting her words if only because it was a scary thing to admit definites about if only situations. She was definitely thankful for the mood shift seconds later. “Oh, five years? That’s really telling. I’m really great,” she teased. Thank goodness that mood was easy enough to get out of. At least, it was until Renz mentioned seeing Jillian again that weekend. He quickly clarified what it was for, but still. “Oh, that’s good. So you’re working on a story together or?” Summer asked, almost proposing then and there that they promise each other to stop talking about relationships and previous hookups. Everything got very strange when that happened, and it threatened the delicate balance they had. Summer could tell Renz felt that too because he had shifted in position, causing her to do the same. Now they were both sitting properly. Summer turned to Renz at his question, unsure of what would be wisest at that moment. She was actually quite full, so she didn’t really want ice cream, but… whatever. Summer took in the visual cue from Renz and went for it, pulling him in for a kiss as she shifted to turn towards him on the couch so that she could reach him better.

Renz chuckled, nodding when she tried to defend her answer. "No, no. I totally get what you mean." He smiled, seeing how she somehow panicked in trying to save her words as it might have affected him somehow. But really, it didn't. It was a good lesson she had opened up to him. Renz could tell how similar he is with Summer when it came to relationships. Obviously, everything she was venting about were the same thoughts going through his head. Relationships were indeed messy. The mood became awkward as their conversation became deep regarding choosing each other and just basically, where they are heading to with their relationship. As discussed earlier that day, and even before, way back in October, this was it. They're just two friends, gaining benefits from the other and there are no hard feelings about it. Basically, it was just sex. But in Renz's mind, he wasn't so sure if that remained the case. "Thanks." He awkwardly responded, although he was sure he shouldn't have said anything anymore. Summer was really one of a kind. She has it all and really, boys in that town are just too dumb to see it. So it was really impossible to forget her, whether as Renz's fuck buddy or just his friend that he got along with. "Oh, no. You're unforgettable because you're quite annoying." He teased. Their conversation was slowly shifting from one to another but apparently, this topic about Jillian wasn't over. Letting out a small cough, Renz cleared his throat as he nodded. "I'm just giving her the files. That's it. We'll talk about it a little but that's it. Nothing more. She just needed something to write about." And why was he so defensive about this? Maybe because he didn't want Summer to think that there's a possibility that someone could replace her? It was possible but he wasn't gonna let her know that. Again, things were pretty awkward. Luckily, Summer removed that awkward tension when she chose to go for Renz's lips instead of ice cream. "Good choice, babe." Renz whispered on her mouth, smiling as he returned the kiss. Without hesitation, Renz lifted Summer and straddle her on him, her legs on his side. She probably felt uncomfortable since her pencil skirt made it difficult for her to properly straddle. "Oops, I'm sorry." He said, unzipping her skirt and lifting it a little so she could sit on him properly. "There you go. Perfect." He said, pulling her face down on his as they continued to make out. Now that the flavor of her lips changed from salted caramel to cheese pizza, Renz couldn't help but find it funny. It just felt like he was eating pizza all over again. He chuckled lightly but with control. He placed her hands on the top button of his shirt, as if she was asking her to remove it. Sydney wasn't around anyway so he figured starting on the couch wouldn't be a problem. His mouth then moved down from her lips to her jaw, and then back down on her neck. Nibbling as he decided where to put his mark on her. "Five years without a hickey from me? I can make up for that." He teased as he made his first mark just above her collar bone.

Summer could tell that her words had only made things even more awkward, so she was glad that Renz so easily went back to teasing her. The girl looked at Renz with a look that conveyed that she was highly offended, even if she wasn’t. “Well, at least I know I’m still unforgettable,” she said with shrug, turning his obviously fake diss into yet another self-compliment. Oh, but then things were momentarily awkward again with the conversation about Jillian. “Oh, no, yeah. I’m not, like, questioning anything. I just… don’t know what she’s writing about all the time, so now I do. Kinda,” Summer explained, wanting to get off of the Jillian topic as soon as possible. But also not? What files was he giving her? What kind of hard hitting piece was she about to come up with? Summer had been stuck on fluff pieces for a while, covering everything from what students in town were doing for Spring Break to the arrival of the new elementary school principal (which was actually a blessing of a story because she met Tucker that way), so Summer really had to up her game in terms of hard hitting stuff. Jillian had used a detective for a scoop? Summer could do the same… though she probably wouldn’t ask Renz. Maybe she’d ask the other man who had remembered her name? That way there was less of a chance that the stories would overlap. Oh, but Summer was getting carried away with herself and she had something important to attend to in the present. Summer tried not to smile into the kiss at Renz’s words, managing some success until he lifted her up to have her straddle him, clearly a better position for the two of them. Summer had avoided it because she was in a pencil skirt and figured it wouldn’t work, but a moment later Renz had taken care of that too and she was perfectly comfortable in her new position. “Thank you. Very considerate,” Summer murmured when she pulled away for a moment, a little breathless. She quickly fixed that, though, and crashed her lips against Renz’s once more, resting her hands against his chest until he moved them to a more preferable location for the moment. Summer took the hint and began unbuttoning Renz’s shirt, working quickly as Renz pulled away from her mouth to focus his attention elsewhere. Which was completely distracting, but didn’t keep Summer from finishing her set task. The girl closed her eyes and drew in a quick breath once Renz hit a certain spot on her neck, thankful that he had kept moving down ever so slightly because she was having trouble focusing. “Good. We have a lot to make up for,” she whispered as she finished with the last button on Renz’s shirt, immediately moving to push it completely off of him. She needed Renz’s help, though, to get the sleeves off. And then she’d need his help to even out the tragic imbalance of clothing between the two… unless he wanted her to do it herself. All the while, Summer was aware of what was being done to her, and though for a moment she was a little concerned about things being visible the next day, that concern immediately passed because Renz knew exactly what he was doing and there was no way any other thought could possibly be in her mind at that moment.

Renz bit his lip for a while, feeling like he had just betrayed Summer for giving the case to Jill instead of her. Well, in his defense, he didn't know she was a writer already. "Yeah, it's just work." He said, ending the conversation when Summer showed disinterest with the topic. Why would he even talk to the girl about another girl? He probably broke some girl code about it already. Anyway, back to their actual business. He really missed her lips, that was an understatement. Summer knew how his mouth have always wanted it and they she was moving now was really perfect for him. Chuckling when she said thank you for loosening her skirt, Renz nodded, not wanting a word out of his mouth. Because, then, that would require him to stop kissing her. That wasn't an option. Losing air from keeping their lips locked was allowed but there was no way he was going to stop the momentum they have. After all, her skirt was already loose and she was starting to unbutton his shirt. Renz kept his hands on her back, occasionally cupping her butt cheeks when he wanted to, on top of her panties. He helped her remove his shirt and now his revealing abs were right in front of her. Smirking, Renz grabbed her hand and placed it on top of his bare pecks and then down to his six pack, just to show off and of course, add to their mood. Ever since before, Renz knew where she liked her marks. Not too revealing but just enough for her to show to the people allowed to see it. Summer just let him do what he wanted on her neck and Renz appreciated the trust. He enjoyed the view right in front of him, Summer straddling him while their lips enjoy each other. But really, her top has got to go. "Come on, baby. Take this off." Renz murmured but he pulled the top off of her too, only needing assistance when she lifted her hands up to easily remove the clothing. There they were. Her bra over her perfect breast. Renz couldn't help but smile wide when she saw then, unconsciously licking his bottom, He leaned forward to kiss her on the lips, letting out a soft mouth after as he stared at her breasts again. He placed her hand on top of his belt, wanting that removed already as he was starting to grow. "God, you're too beautiful. I could look at you for days and I'd still want to see you the day after." He smiled, leaning his head back a little to just look at her better. He tugged the hem of her skirt, asking the clothing to be removed as well so she could simply just be in her bra and panties. 

Summer was thrilled when Renz got the unspoken message about finishing the removal of his shirt, and she didn’t even need him to grab her hand to know where she was placing it next. Her hands (and eyes) were immediately drawn to his body anyway, and she couldn’t help but trace her fingers over his muscles, completely appreciate of all of the time he obviously spent keeping in shape. Summer was just about to move her fingers even lower when Renz reminded her of her top, and she immediately lifted her arms so that Renz could slide it off more easily. She’d been in situations before where her top had been awkwardly caught on her head, and so she was seriously hoping that wouldn’t happen that night. It always killed the mood a little… not that she didn’t think she and Renz would laugh about it and then just get things right back on track, but still. Luckily, everything went smoothly, and once Renz had a second to look over her (and she had a second to blush at his look, though hopefully not too obviously) they were right back to kissing each other, this time Summer breaking away to trail her kisses down his jaw and to his neck as her hands did what he clearly wanted them to do - he had placed them on his belt after all. The girl easily undid his belt, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants too as she listened to him speak, pausing in her attention to his neck as she smiled at his words. It was always nice to hear stuff like that when you were in a position that could be tricky, were you not confident in your looks, and Summer appreciated the sentiment. Clearly, as she was smiling brightly. She didn’t reply just yet, though, because it was clear what the next step of things needed to be and that unfortunately involved her standing up… because it’s hard to get pants off when you’re sitting down, but it’s even harder to get a tight skirt off when you’re straddling someone else. Summer pulled away from Renz with a quick kiss then, carefully yet quickly standing up as her hands went immediately to her skirt. “Pants off,” she told Renz, making sure he did it before she went for her skirt. The girl worked her skirt down her legs then, making sure to keep her eyes on Renz’s face as she did so (but not make eye contact, because she had a feeling his eyes may be somewhere else and that was okay). She really just wanted to see how reacted to seeing… well, most of her, after he hadn’t for quite some time. Once her skirt was far enough down her legs, she kicked it off and immediately moved back into her former place, situating herself nicely in Renz’s lap as she wrapped one arm around his neck while moving the other to his face to bring him in closer for another kiss. Only once her lips were on his did she carefully elevate herself a bit, grinding down on Renz’s lap moments later to create a bit of friction between the two.

Renz was lost when Summer did what she does best with him. There wasn't any need to guide the girl on what he wanted. She knew where to place her hands, her body and especially her lips. Seeing her half naked felt nostalgic. All those moments they've had before where she would just strip in front of him and as always, he would take a second to look (even stare) at her entire feature, from her head down to her toes. She was beautiful as ever and that never changed. He could clearly see her blushing with his words and this made him smile bigger. Her lips went from his mouth, trailing it down to his jaw and to his neck, just like he did and Renz couldn't help but moan. "Shit..." He whispered, getting lost with the touch of her lips on his skin. His eyes remained close as he hands wandered all over her body like he missed it for the past five months they weren't in contact. At her order, Renz had to chuckle a little. "Yes, ma'am." He joked as he pulled his pants down, staying seated and until they were down to his ankle. He used his feet to remove his shoes and fully remove the pants, remaining in just his boxers as Summer stayed in her underwear. He couldn't help but stare, occasionally licking his lips. When they were in less clothing now, it was easier to move so Summer went back to her position on top of him and their lips connected easily. Her arm around his neck and hand on his face just made their bodies closer as if it was still possible. Renz kept his hands behind her back for support and a little more force in keeping their bodies close. Suddenly, her hips started moving and Renz had to smile in between kisses. The friction felt so good and he could feel how much she missed it — how much she missed him. Moaning a little, Renz tried to much her grinding until they were finally in rhythm. His manhood grew bigger which made the friction of their genitals feel twice as good. "Babe..." He started, pulling away from the kiss every now and then. "I... Uhm... Shit. You feel so good already." He moaned, feeling hopeless that he could even let another word out of his mouth. So without any form of announcement, Renz lifted her up with his strong arms, keeping their bodies close as he allowed her legs to wrap around his waist. He started slowly walking, keeping their lips together (this time, with his tongue trying to enter her mouth) as he brought the both of them to her bedroom, a direction Renz knew well even with his eyes close. As he twisted the knob, he realized it was locked. Great. Now they'd have to pause for her to get her key. But no way he's gonna let that. So, instead of bringing the fun to her bedroom, he went for a different option. "Dining table or kitchen counter?" He quickly asked, wanting her opinion on her they should do it. Renz still had his hands in full support under her weight but since their mouth were exerting effort as well, he leaned her by the wall and continued to make out.

Summer really, really wanted Renz in that moment, but knew that it probably wouldn’t be wise for them to continue like they were in her living room… but did she really care? At that point, not really. Summer had kicked off her shoes when they had first come into her home, so now they were both down to only their undergarments and she was sure that it wouldn’t be that long until those were gone too. And Summer was so, so looking forward to that moment. But currently she had something very important to attend to. Summer continued her ministrations, smirking faintly to herself at Renz’s moan. Well, that meant she was doing something right. As Renz started to move in sync with her, Summer let out her own quiet moan, getting a little carried away with how things were going. She wanted him closer, but considering how close they were already there was really only one way that could happen… well, there was more than one, but the others weren’t super sanitary considering how they had just eaten. At that point, Summer didn’t just want Renz, she needed him. And apparently he felt the same because before she knew it he was lifting her up and she was wrapping her legs around his waist so as to not fall. She hadn’t been expecting them to hook up that evening when she had left for work that morning, however, so her room was a little unprepared… meaning it was locked. For a moment Summer panicked at the discovery, but Renz remained calm about it and the way they had continued to make out while they had made their way in that general direction made her not worry too much about it either. Until his question, though. Her roommate would hate her if she ever found out… but as soon as she was up against the wall Summer made the decision to simply make sure she would never find out. As long as she didn’t walk in anytime soon that would be easy enough to do. Summer quickly considered the options as best she could while everything else was happening, honestly knowing she would have been satisfied with either. She’d be satisfied with the wall, honestly, but she knew she had to make a choice. And preferably soon. “Counter,” she decided on, figuring that there were too many things on her table for that to be a successful spot. "Definitely counter."

Renz could see the desire in every move Summer was making. By the time he started moaning, he didn't care where they do it anymore. He just wanted her in that mood and in that moment but remembering the rules they have set as roommates, the least he could do was respect a part of it, meaning to take it to the room and not the living room. This was the Summer he missed for five months, after getting used to having her for around three months. Catching up on their lives wasn't enough so they needed to catch up sexually as well. He knew she'd be disturbed if he asked her to suck him there, considering the fact that they just ate a few minutes ago but Renz didn't mind. He just needed to feel her. And the way his dick was throbbing right now, he was desperate to get inside her. Which was why they got stuck on the wall when they found out her door was locked. But no worries, no one was in the house but them. Suddenly, the rules were disregarded. They just had to do it now or they will explode. He chuckled a little as she chose the counter instead of the table, both places he has never done it before. Everything has its first time as they say, so Renz carried her to the kitchen and sat her down on the counter. What to do now? Well, he started it smooth by going back to kissing, only this time, his hands removed the lock of her bra from behind. It was time to set those beautiful breasts free. When he finally did, a smirk was mark on Renz's face again as he looked down on her breast and then back up to her eyes to tease. "So beautiful." He whispered, kissing her back on the lips again as his hands cupped both sides of her boobs. Now, he was really hard. Renz didn't waste any more time as he pulled his boxers down, letting it just drop by his ankles. His mouth, then moved to her breast, letting his tongue circle around her nipples to please her, keeping his eyes up to watch her reaction. All of these were happening, at the same time, he started jacking himself off to prepare for his grand entrance in a while. He let out a heavy breath as he removed his mouth from her breast, kneeling down so his face was in front of her now wet panties. "Can I?" He asked, tugging the garter of her underwear with his teeth, making him laugh a little. "Is this sexy enough for you? Saw some shit like this on porn and the girl looked very pleased." He told her, joking a little to lighten up their mood. With his hands, he used them to assist his from pulling her panties down to her ankles. "I'm keeping this." He murmured when the underwear was finally off of her. Both were now fully naked in front of each other and Renz went back to position his face in between her legs, placing small kisses on her thighs near her folds, hoping to release some shiver down her spine. "Spread your legs." He asked her and allowed his tongue to go in between her folds, licking before planting a small kiss down there. He knew she was already craving for him to go inside but a little teasing wouldn't hurt. Again, another push of his tongue in between her folds as he started stroking himself faster. His free hand joined his mouth and inserted a finger by her entrance, causing her twice the sensation he initially intended. He continued pleasuring her down there with his lips and adding another finger to put inside her as he waited for her loud moans to come out.

Summer held on to Renz tightly as he moved them towards her kitchen counter, for a second wondering if she should try and take the lead before Renz had brought their lips together yet again, Summer sneaking her tongue into his mouth this time as he worked at the clasp of her bra. In no time, that was undone, and she was sliding the straps off of her to let it fall to the side. She expected a reaction from him - in fact, she might’ve felt some concern for him if he didn’t have one - so when he took a moment to look her over before meeting her eyes, Summer took a second to observe him (and blush once again at his words) before checking the bulge in his boxers. Ugh, she really, really needed him. Summer kissed him then, hard, as his hands went to her breasts, the movement more than welcome. But then they were gone, on to an equally important task. Summer watched as Renz slid his boxers down, having almost forgotten how big he was and appreciating that fact unexpectedly yet again, before she looked back up at him innocently (while thinking the exact opposite of innocent thoughts). The counter was high enough for him to be able to reach all of her easily, but not so high that, with some bending, she couldn’t reach him too, so she knew what she was going to do next. Summer groaned once Renz’s mouth went to her breasts, needing contact anywhere she could get it. He knew exactly what he was doing and she was getting desperate for anything that he gave her. And she was sure he knew just how desperate he was, judging by his proximity to her panties. But she could also tell that he really needed her, judging from how he was working himself too. For a moment, Summer leaned forward, bringing Renz’s lips back up to hers with one hand so that she could reach down to help him along too, her other hand finding its way to his dick to join his and take over for a moment, fingers curling around him as she moved her hand in a quick (though not too quick) rhythm. But then that moment was over, and Summer could only assume that she’d like the next logical step even better. “Please,” she replied breathlessly when Renz asked a vague question near her underwear, knowing any question he asked at that point she’d probably say yes to. At his words, though, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I’m going to remember that for at least five years,” Summer chimed in at his fun fact, not about to inform him at that point that girls in porn played up absolutely everything… he probably already knew. But it also wasn’t like she hadn’t enjoyed what had just happened. Once her underwear were fully off, Summer was left to wait in anticipation, knowing that pretty much any action that would occur next would send waves of pleasure through her. She still remembered last time. Incredibly clearly. She rolled her eyes at Renz’s statement about keeping her panties, knowing she could spare the pair. But she still had a witty comment to fire back at him before anything else happened. “Keep them. But don’t make it a regular thing or I’ll have none left…” she trailed off. But then maybe that was his plan. Summer just watched as the next series of events unfolded, a shiver of anticipation hitting her as soon as he kissed her inner thigh. Something very, very good was about to happen, and she knew it. At Renz’s command, Summer did as he requested, a moan almost instantly falling from her lips as she felt his tongue on her. Her hands immediately went to clutch at the counter, his actions being almost too much for her. When a finger was added, the girl couldn’t help the soft crying out in pleasure that escaped her lips, and by the time another finger had been added, Summer was moaning again, but louder than before. “Oh my-fuck. Renz!” Summer cried out as he hit a spot that instantly send pleasure coursing through her body. “Renz, please. I need you right now,” she demanded after a moment.

Renz always loved leading when he'd be in bed with Summer, well, the counter for this moment, but taking charge was one thing he was taught for his job. He didn't know it would come in handy with other things but when Summer joined in on the action, taking his hard cock in her hand, he felt nothing but weak. He could literally surrender then and there and do whatever she wanted him to do. His hand felt natural but when it was replaced with her hand, a loud moan escaped his lips, causing him to hold his breath a little and stay put, letting her stroke him however she wanted to. The fact that she was trying to take charge of what will happen was enough to keep the smile on Renz's face. Suddenly, he felt really stupid for never keeping in touch with Summer even after they both got busy. It wouldn't have taken a minute of their time to send a text of 'long time no see'. But that was done. The important thing is that they're back now, doing what they do best. As Summer begged him, he could hear the cry in her voice, wanting anything from him already. She probably felt like she was being tortured in a good way. "I'll do my best to remind you this for the next five years." He told her, although she was teasing, her response was somewhat of a promise. A promise that he won't lose contact of her again for at least the next five years. Everyday might not be like this for them but everyday, he will be there. Renz could feel the tension in her body as she finally opened up her legs for him, fully naked at it did bring back so many memories. Seeing her down there just made him crave for her more, hoping he could finally stop all his teasing and just go straight to the fucking. But like he said, a little teasing would only make it better. "None left? I'd love that. I might never leave your side then." He joked, putting her panties back down on top of the counter, telling himself to remember to keep them later in his bag. She started out with soft moans, along with the soft kisses he was giving her. When a tongue was added, he heard the moaning get louder and louder. It was the most pleasurable sound he's ever heard. And then, she cursed. She said fuck and Renz just couldn't help himself. He needed to fuck her there. "Ugh, shit." He hissed, standing up and moving her closer to the edge before finally entering her, a little rough but not too much that would hurt her. His first thrust was deep already and he could feel himself building up to a release. Already? Well, the night is still young and they'll still have tonight. He probably just got too horny with her since it's the first time in five months and now, he was just ready to release. "I want you to feel me." He whispered, just in case she had worries that he didn't use the condoms she bought. She was on the pill anyway so he figured she was cool with it. "Skin...on skin... Nothing in between." He added, thrusting slower now but as deep as he could. His mouth moved to her neck to place another hickey, this time it was closer on the shoulder. His thrusting started going faster as his moans became louder. "I'm... I'm gonna cum..." He breathed heavily, waiting for her to respond whether he was allowed to do it inside her or not. Just in case she was needing help on a release, Renz placed his thumb on her clit, rubbing her in between the folds to feel twice the pleasure he was aiming for.

Summer felt the need to tease Renz back about the next five years thing, but was so caught up in what was going on that all words that she was going to use to be witty suddenly slipped from her head. She couldn’t even manage a joke about him never leaving her side, or how unprofessional it would be for her to not own any underwear. Instead she could just react to what was happening, drawing in a sharp intake of breath every time something felt really, really good. Honestly, as Renz continued to go at her, Summer was having a hard time not tumbling over the edge. She was almost there, she knew she was, but Renz wasn’t yet and she wasn’t about to go much further without him. Summer could tell that her words had an effect on the boy, and apparently it had been a good one because her demand was met pretty quickly, Renz moving her into a good position before suddenly he was filling her up. She had momentarily missed the feel of his fingers in her, but they had been replaced by a sensation that was even better, so Summer had zero complaints. The girl let out a soft “ah” as she adjusted to Renz, giving him a quick nod when she had adjusted and they were good to go. It had been way too long since she had last done this, and she really had no idea how long she would last. Summer bit her lip at Renz’s first thrust, one of her arms immediately swinging around his neck to tangle in his hair while the other supported herself on the counter. If it was possible, Renz’s words only turned her on more… which was weird because it was a definite confirmation that in their rush to get to where they were currently, they hadn’t doubled up on protection. She was on the pill, though, so she wasn’t completely freaked out about that, and the way he was talking about things… well. Renz’s words temporarily took away any concern Summer had. They had slowed down, but things had only gotten better, as he focused on going deeper. The longer they went on, the more and more shallow Summer’s breaths became, and then suddenly he hit a spot inside of her and she knew it was only a matter of seconds until it was all over for her. Summer didn’t even realize that she was tugging on Renz’s hair then, words just tumbling from her lips. “So good,” she breathed out, her mind clouded by what she was feeling. “Me too,” she followed up at his words, for just one second wondering if she should allow the .1% risk of pregnancy to be a concern for her or not… but after a quick consideration of factors only slightly blurred by the fact that pleasure was beginning to overtake her, the girl came to the conclusion that she wasn’t letting Renz move anywhere. She made that clear through her body language too. At Renz’s extra help for her, Summer was edged even closer to release, the warm feeling building up even more quickly. “Fuck,” Summer breathed out again, following it up with an instinctive “Oh my god, Renz,” as her body began to tense... And then she came, the warmth washing over her so intensely that she swore she saw stars (though her eyes were closed at that moment) as she let out her loudest moan yet, knowing that it would Renz was probably right behind her and they’d likely be able to ride things out together.

Renz has always been a talker during sex and he knew it was not a big turn on for most girls. He just has a lot to say in his mind but when he gets drowned in by the sensation, not even a proper word could come out of his mouth. Nothing but loud moans, Summer's name and just pure cursing. As her need was immediately met, Renz could hear that it was just what Summer needed. She hasn't felt this pleasure in a long time, as she said, and now that she's getting it, Renz hoped he was satisfying her enough. He instantly got her answer when Summer tangled her arm around his neck, feeling her body closer to his even more. The girl couldn't speak as well, even when Renz raised the concerns of not using protection. She doesn't seemed to worried about it so he shrugged the thought aside as well, just focusing on hitting the right spots inside her, gentle but deep. Just the way she liked it. He could feel her tugging his hair but it was pointless. The pleasure he was getting from going in and out of her was too good that nothing else mattered to him. When he heard that she was close to her orgasm as well, Renz went on full speed, hoping they could release at the same time. Her touch over him was enough response that she was ready for his cum inside her and so he prepared himself for release. With his help over her folds, Renz could hear that she was getting closer and closer and when she cursed one more time, he just let it loose. He felt her walls tighten and that was it for him. They moaned loud at the same time as they rode off their orgasm together. His thrusting went slow as his breathing became heavy. He could feel himself finishing and just to make things sweeter, he started planting kisses on her shoulders, up to her neck until his lips were on hers. "That was so good. My knees are shaking." He said with a soft laugh. One more thrust and he finally removed himself out of her, grabbing the napkins on the counter as he cleaned both of them up. It was a messy night at kitchen and he could still see his cum dripping from her so he kept wiping it off. "That was intense. I'm sorry. I came a lot." He informed her, giving her small kisses all over the place before bringing her feet back down on the floor. "Can you open up the room? I need to lie down. That was too amazing."

Summer rode things out with Renz, her pleasure seeming like it was even more intense thanks to his. Whether that was true or not, she didn’t know, but she did know that what had just happened was amazing, and the fact that they ended things with a kiss just put a nice little bow around the entire experience. Summer laughed in return at Renz’s words, a soft smile feeling like it would be permanently etched on her face for a while. “Well, good. Is it ‘remember in five years’ memorable?” she asked, finally in a completely normal way. She hadn’t gotten to make the witty comment while things were going, but she wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity like that. After he pulled out of her (always a little weird), Summer looked around, trying to survey the mess they had made… which she definitely needed to clean up and sanitize before Sydney came home. It wasn’t that bad, but clothes were definitely clues, and considering how the counter where they had just had their fun was the counter where Syd liked to pour herself cereal in the morning, Summer definitely had to fix things. Still, even while Summer was formulating a quick to-do list in her head, she was also paying attention to Renz, and she was appreciative of him helping to clean the two of them up… which was a lot more work than she thought it might be. Summer simply took in his words about coming a lot, a little concerned about the whole .1% risk of pregnancy rate at that point. Still, she had just been on her period days ago, so she was pretty sure she was fine… she’d live in fear until the next one, but she wasn’t so fearful that she was going to be kept from enjoying the rest of the evening. “It was. And I can tell,” she teased as he planted kisses all over her, Summer moving to plant a soft one on his lips before suddenly her feet were on the floor once again. And she was already trying to remember where her purse was so that she could complete his request. “Yes. All that takes is a key,” she assured him as she got used to being on the ground once more, moving to find her purse exactly where she left it and digging the key out a second later. “This key,” she told him as she wrapped the key around her wrist, not moving towards her bedroom just quite yet. “But first of all, I believe you wanted these,” she remembered, picking up her underwear to hand to him, “And second, these are yours,” she continued, reaching down to grab his boxers and then hand them over. “We can get away with some things in the house with Syd, but not everything.” Summer then began to look around for where Renz had put the paper towels before she also grabbed a Clorox wipe… or two from the cabinet which had just minutes before been right by her head. The girl quickly wiped down where she had just been before looking around, trying to see if anything else needed to be fixed at that exact moment. Seeing nothing major, Summer grabbed her bra from the ground before unwinding the key from her wrist and moving towards her door. There… now it looked like she had at least made it to the bedroom for things. The girl opened the door wide and gestured for Renz to enter, assuring her that she’d be back in one moment and dropped the bra in the room before she dashed back out into the common areas of her home - firstly to use the restroom, since that was always a requirement after sex, and second to grab her bag, which not only had her phone but the box of condoms she had bought earlier in anticipation of the evening. Less than three minutes later she was back in her room too, tossing the box to Renz so that he could put some in whatever place he deemed convenient before she sat down on her bed, suddenly absolutely exhausted. She really just wanted to curl up with Renz and drift off to sleep, even if it wasn’t actually that late yet.

Renz chuckled with her, finally going back to their normal selves after an intense round, which pretty sure wasn't the last for that night. Finally, they can add their silly comments and witty banters they wanted a while ago but couldn't speak. "Very. And in case you forget, I'll try to spend every day for the next five years..." He leaned forward to give her a quick peck on the lips. "...to remind you of this experience." He finished, nudging their nose together before giving himself a stretch. Renz felt his cheeks burn in red when she agreed that not only was it intense but he did release a lot of load inside her, probably making her worry a little about getting pregnant. She was on the pill, that's all he kept saying in his head. The last thing they wanted to worry about is having a kid and right now, that wasn't really an option. Renz covered the used napkins with more napkin just to cover up their dirt before throwing it on the trash can. He'll just take it out in the morning. Summer then reminded him of his requested souvenir, accepting it from her own hand and bringing it up to his lips. She also handed him his boxers, which he instantly wore back and followed her. "Wouldn't want Sydney to add more rules, huh?" He teased, going over to where his clothes were, as well as his bag. Watching Summer clean up the mess they just made was weird for Renz. He didn't know she was that tidy when it came to spaces. Or maybe because they just had sex in a place where they shouldn't have and she didn't want to get caught with it. He picked up his bag, along with his and Summer's clothes and all the stuff that wasn't supposed to be in the living room when Sydney comes home. Before walking inside the room, Renz closed the box of pizza (trying to help at least with the cleaning) and grabbed the bag of bottles of water. The moment he got inside, he dropped his bag down on the floor, as well as their clothes and lied down the bed. He was really exhausted. Opening the bottle of water, he drank half of it before placing it down on the bedside table. Her room looked the same from five months ago. Nothing big changed except for some pictures and home decors. It wasn't long before Summer was back, tossing him the box of condoms which made him laugh hard. "Round two already?!" He asked in a loud tone before laughing even louder just to tease her. The still-naked girl sat by the bed and Renz just move closer so he could wrap his arms around her. "You tired?" He asked, planting kisses on her shoulder. "I'm torn, babe. I'm not sure if I want to see you in my shirt or just completely naked." He teased, pulling the girl down on the bed so they could cuddle. Since they first saw each other that day, he really wanted to tell her why he wanted to meet up but he didn't want to possibly hurt her feelings so he started with an apology. "Summer, I just wanna say I'm sorry." He sighed, turning her so that she was curled up to him, face on his chest and her body was under his strong arm. "Just about a week ago, I told a girl I loved her...but she said 'thank you' and rejected me. I went on two different dates and while both started well, it didn't exactly end...the way I was hoping for it to be." He looked down on her so she could feel his sincerity. "I really pushed through meeting up with you because I know...you never fail to make me feel...wanted. When I'm with you, I feel like I'm...worth being with someone. And that was selfish of me. I should have told you in the first place and I'm sorry."

Summer had a mock impressed look on her face once he mentioned trying to remind her every day, but that soon faded with his kiss. However, the comment she had been wanting to make was still in the back of her mind, so once Renz pulled away, Summer replied again. “Every day is a pretty big commitment. Sure you can handle that?” Summer asked, figuring that he didn’t actually intend on speaking to her every day, but not exactly wanting him to realize that just yet. If she could be reminded about that every day for five years, she’d be impressed. And one happy girl, honestly. Summer shook her head amusedly at Renz’s response to getting her handing off of her underwear, hoping beyond hope that there was no reason for anyone to go through his things the next day and there would be zero questions asked. Wouldn’t that be an interesting discovery? As Summer cleaned, she noticed Renz doing the same in the other room, and she was yet again thankful. “If she were to catch us, oh my God, SO many rules!” Summer explained as she threw away the clorox wipes and went to wash her hands. “No having sex in the kitchen, no having sex in the dining room, no having sex in the living room. In fact, just no having sex at home. And she can tell when something’s up. Thus, I clean. It’s in the best interest of all parties involved,” she continued, watching as Renz grabbed everything and made his way to her room. And then a few minutes later she had joined him for the evening, the door closed for some privacy just in case… especially considering how she had not yet put on any clothes. Summer rolled her eyes at Renz’s question, getting his teasing and firing back with some of her own. “I don’t know. Have your shaking legs recovered yet? Mr. I-need-to-lie-down?” she asked, honestly not ready for a round two at that exact moment. She was pretty set on just curling up and relaxing. Round two could happen later. Or in the morning. The girl had relaxed into her position on the bed, and if possible only relaxed more with Renz’s movements. “Mmhm. Are you tired?” she asked in response, moving with him to lie down as they began to cuddle. “Also I think you just made a decision about that. Though a shirt would be nice…” Summer didn’t want to get up, though. She was very comfortable in her current position and didn’t want to move from that spot unless it was necessary. As soon as Renz apologized, Summer began to grow a little concerned. Was it about how they had just completely lost touch for five months? Because they had already discussed that. Summer softly traced random shapes onto Renz’s chest with one of her hands, pausing when he had explained his apology. Wow. A week ago he had been sure he was in love with a girl - so sure that he told her. It sounded like he was just using her as another distraction so he wouldn’t have to face that rejection. Which was… not the best thing to hear. Summer actually got up then, pushing away from Renz to look around for where he had put their clothes. As she searched, she spoke, trying to make what had just happened less awkward even though that had kinda put a more harsh tint on the evening. “It’s fine,” she lied, thinking that she might’ve actually preferred to live in ignorant bliss. So, Summer had just popped up again at a convenient time. How lucky for him. Once she actually found their clothes, she grabbed Renz’s shirt, slipping it on and fixing her hair before she began to slowly walk back towards the bed, buttoning the buttons. She did pause once, however, to look up at Renz and tell him something very important. “You are worth being with, though. And you should know that.” Summer finished the last button before moving back onto the bed. Even when he did really, really dumb stuff, Renz was still a generally good person. At least he had known he messed up that night and had apologized for it… he just had terrible timing. And though the thought had crossed her mind, she wasn’t going to kick him out for that.

Renz paused a little, her question ringing hard on his head as he wasn't sure how to respond. Was this a test to see if he'll actually stay? "Uhmm..." He started, awkwardly letting out a small laugh. "I mean, I could do that...if that's what you want." For that big commitment to work, both sides would have to equally put an effort. It'd be a waste of time if he actually went through with it and it's not what she wanted from him at all. He had no problem in keeping contact with her everyday even if it was just a good morning text or a good night call. He laughed, feeling the frustration of having to follow many more rules if ever they got caught sexually exploring all over the house. "Well if Sydney tells you not to have sex here anymore, just give me a call and I'll find you a new apartment we can share." Though it was a joke, Renz didn't think it was a bad idea at all. He loved living with Jaret but lately, they have been kind of growing apart. Plus, living with Summer meant having sex probably as much time they spent at home. Now, that was the life he'd love to live. Moments later, their teasing moved to the bed room and both have agreed that round two might have to wait. "Excuse me, but I stood up the whole time and even carried you for a moment. My legs have the right to be shaky." He said with a hearty laugh, the shaking had already stopped but he'd still want to lie down, especially with Summer curled up beside him. "Tired, a little. Sleepy, not so much. I just want to lie down with you for a while, maybe watch you sleep if ever you pass out." He let his hand move up and down her arm, knowing the soft touches would make her feel more relaxed. And yes, the shirt would look nice but he preferred her naked. She'd probably get a shirt of his in the middle of the night when she gets cold or something. As Renz started apologizing, he thought he was doing the right thing. But then, Summer reacted differently until he realized what a mistake he had just made. As honest as it was, it's not what a girl would love to hear, especially after having sex with them. "Summer...come on." He tried to stop her as the girl got up and went around the room, looking for something. "I'm sorry, okay? It's not what I meant. I didn't...mean to make it sound so harsh." He apologized, not sure how to make things better now. She grabbed his shirt from a while ago and went back to bed, Renz instantly putting his arms around her. "I'm sorry, okay?" He said, kissing the back of her head. "I didn't entirely meet up with you just to get over the past failures of my dating game. I really missed you. Believe me. If I didn't want you back...I wouldn't be thinking of the coming days, wanting them to spend with you." He sighed, finally surrendering as he knew he messed up big time. Licking his lips, he studied her words a bit before asking a question back. "Really? Would you even choose to be with me if I'm worth it?" He asked, a little afraid of how she'll respond especially after his big mistake.

Summer shook her head quickly, immediately letting Renz no that no, that wasn’t what she wanted. Or, at least, she’d never expect that from him. Most people didn’t talk every day, even (sometimes) people who were married. And that was probably for a good reason. “That’s a big expectation, so that’d be hard to do. If you want to try, be my guest. But I’d be fine with just making sure we don’t go another five months without speaking. Like, at least once a month just a quick ‘hello, how are you doing?’ or even ‘hope you had a great day, remember that one time…’ would be cool,” Summer told him. She wasn’t going to really ask for commitment from him, since that wasn’t their deal, but… five months was a long time. Summer wasn’t expecting him to offer his help finding a new place if things with Syd didn’t work out, and she definitely wasn’t expecting him to offer to share that apartment, but the sentiment was nice. Even though she knew it was a joke. Renz was more or less happily living with Jaret, even if he hadn’t seen him much lately, and Summer and Sydney had gotten through the toughest part of their living together and were better for it. They got along well, and would probably be roommates until it just didn’t make sense anymore. “Well, as much as I’d love to steal you from Jaret always, I think he’d miss you too much. And obviously Sydney would miss me,” Summer concluded, satisfied with how her home looked at that point. It was unlikely she’d be having a fight with Syd about that night. Once they were both in her room together, Summer simply shrugged at Renz’s statement. It was true. She didn’t have to stand for their whole encounter, he had done the (not that heavy) lifting. So she guessed he deserved a break. “I guess that’s true…” Summer agreed as she settled in, nodding as a recognition of his words. “For some people the watching you while you sleep thing is creepy,” she pointed out as she looked over at him, shaking her head at her next words. “But not you. So go for it.” Was she a little nervous that she might do something weird in her sleep? Eh. But she wasn’t super worried about it at that point. What she was worried about was why Renz had felt the need to tell her she was a rebound hookup. No girl ever wanted to hear that, and yeah, it was nice that he was honest and he felt bad, but if he felt that bad he wouldn’t have hooked up with her in the first place. “Yeah, it was a little harsh, Renz,” Summer pointed out, agreeing with him. They had literally just had a conversation about being chosen first, where she had confided in him that it never happened, and in that moment it had just felt like a confirmation of that happening yet again - even if the apology was done was the best of intentions. As Renz tried to fix the situation further, both with words and affection, Summer just sat there, thinking. It would’ve been a whole lot nicer if his explanation hadn’t included the word “entirely,” as it was a bit of a sentence ruiner. But at least he was trying. Still, she was unknowingly a little pouty at that point, and wasn’t ready to forgive the mistake that easily. It would happen, since he was still staying over, but it would take a minute. And Renz’s question didn’t help either. Summer felt like she owed him an answer, though. And hey, maybe that could help move the upsetting thoughts out of Summer’s head. “I would choose you,” she began quietly after a minute. “You may say some dumb things with terrible timing, but you’re a good guy, Renz.”

Renz was shocked when Summer said once a month of update was good enough for them, as long as the five month break wouldn't happen again. That was too long. But he doubt he'd only talk to her once a month. Other than hooking up, they really had a friendship supporting it behind so like normal friends would do, he'll probably talk to her every once in a while. He was just quiet for a while, shrugging it off before chuckling at her next response. Yeah, everything was already perfect the way it is with their housing distribution. He has his own place with Jaret and she has her own place with Sydney. It was balance and that way, they'll have two places to stay at. "Or imagine if you Jaret lived together and Sydney and I did. Wow." He joked, laughing a bit, knowing how frustrated Sydney would be just imagining them being roommates. It was twice as weird and awkward. "I've watched you sleep before, come on." He said, talking about what he'd do if she passed out. "You look beautiful and peaceful...and happy. It transfers the same vibe to me." He told her, remembering those times before when she would curl up to him and immediately fall asleep. He'd have to stay awake for a few more seconds to appreciate the beauty right in front of him. But then, their greatest concern (or rather his, more than hers) had just ruined the night. He wasn't sure how to fix it, honestly. "Summer, I'm sorry." It was all he could say. He watched her sit there quietly, not a single emotion coming out of her face even after his touches and kisses, which terrified him more. "I wanted to be with you tonight, Summer. Whether this happened five months ago, four months ago, five weeks ago. Heck, even if it happened in the future, I know I'd still want to be with you, even just for the night." It was the best he could do and he'd definitely understand if she wouldn't forgive him too soon. Renz decided lie down first staring at the ceiling as he rubbed his bare chest. "Thank you." He said before sighing. "And I did, too. I chose you tonight. I passed out a couple of opportunities tonight, both work and a some other girls because this is important to me. You, coming back is important to me. I hope you know that." He said, rubbing her back a little. "Why don't you get some sleep, okay? I'll just...make myself some tea outside or something." He got up and kissed her cheek quickly before going out of the room to find some tea...and of course, avoid the awkward air they had in the room. He was afraid if he stayed longer, he'd either just say more stupid things or she wouldn't want to talk anymore for the rest of the night.

Summer could not even begin to imagine what living with Jaret would be like. Probably not super successful, even if they were friends. Ugh, he’d probably try and play pranks on her or something and record them, threatening to put them on YouTube. Nonono. And Sydney and Renz would be even worse. “Disaster. That would just be an absolute disaster,” Summer insisted, making it clear that was never to happen. At his mention of having watched her sleep before, Summer cocked her head. Wait. What? She hadn’t known that. But that made sense, considering how usually she would fall asleep first. “So then you look beautiful, peaceful, and happy?” she asked, teasing him just a little bit, but more understanding than anything. It was a little weird, but she got it. And if in her unconscious state she was able to help someone, then sure, go for it. Summer bit her lip as Renz apologized again, trying to figure out if there was a reason why she was so bothered with everything besides the obvious one. Because yeah, she had some issues with being second-best, and feeling used, but she was reacting very negatively to things super quickly and that was while the boy was genuinely apologizing to her multiple times. It was because they had just glossed over some of those insecurities that night, she was sure of it. They had been brought up, so they were at the forefront of her mind. Ugh. Vulnerability sucked. “I know,” she finally told him in response to his comment about wanting to be with her. It sounded genuine, so she knew he was telling the truth. She was just facing up to some stuff that she usually kept buried very, very far away in her mind. It had all been compartmentalized into a tiny box that she locked up and refused to ever acknowledge. But for some reason she had decided to take a second glance at that box that night. And… now the night was ruined. And at that point it was probably like 65% on her. She took note of Renz’s actions, again nodding and saying a soft “I know,” when he mentioned how important she was to him. She did know that, even if the whole not being in contact for five months thing had made her a little doubtful. Still, she had made plans with him that morning. And he had dropped whatever he had going on to hang out with her. So she knew he wasn’t just saying things to get her to not be mad anymore. Summer nodded once Renz said he was going to make himself some tea, watching him leave before she fell back onto the bed and sighed. Things were weird now, and she really didn’t want them to be weird. The whole point of their friends with benefits arrangement was that no feelings would be involved and nothing was weird. Was she just off her game because it had been five months? Probably. But still. Ugh. After a few minutes of laying there, sorting through her thoughts, Summer came to the conclusion that she wasn’t about to go to bed angry at Renz. Her anger was already starting to fade as she attempted to look at things logically. So she pushed herself up on the bed, swinging her legs over the side before she quietly made her way to the kitchen… the kitchen she would never quite be able to look at in the same way again. Summer didn’t even take a second to observe Renz, immediately going to wrap her arms around his waist as she went in to hug him. “Hey,” she greeted quietly. She didn’t want this to be a dumb, one-sided fight that made things weird. She just wanted things to be normal.

Renz furrowed his eye brows as he looked at her in confusion, not sure if Summer was just teasing with him about looking beautiful, peaceful and happy. Instead, he just nodded and agreed to it. "Yeah, I am when I'm with you." He smiled, hoping she got what he meant. Renz knew there was nothing more he could say to her in that moment. She was disappointed and he got that. He would too after what he just told her. And her responses remained short as she acted colder than she did for the five months they didn't talk. Renz felt horrible so he figured he'd give Summer the time and air she was obviously needing now. Going out for some tea wasn't just because he needed a warm drink before bed but he also needed the air to breathe better. As he search for the carton of tea they had in the house, he quickly made some for himself, debating whether or not to make her a cup too. After thoughtful consideration, he grabbed a second cup and made her tea as well. He heard the bedroom door open, and then close and he couldn't help but smile. He knew giving her a bit of the space would calm her a bit. As he took a sip of his cup, he was surprised when Summer wrapped her arms around her. Was she not mad anymore? He brought the cup back down to turn around and face her, pulling the girl for a bigger and better hug. "Hey, baby. I'm sorry." He whispered, even if it was just them in the house. He planted a small kiss at the top of her head while rubbing her back gently. "I made you a cup of tea if you want. Please don't be mad anymore."

Summer looked up at Renz once he turned around, not expecting him to hug her back. But it was a good unexpected, and she returned his hug, squeezing him tightly before relaxing, not pulling away. “Thanks,” she whispered back. “And I’m sorry about… kinda shutting down for a second there. I just needed a second to think, you know?” she asked, actually sorry about being cold to him. He had been trying to apologize and fix things, but in that moment she hadn’t wanted to hear him out. She had just wanted to be by herself, working things out. Summer kept close to Renz as she looked for her cup, immediately spotting it and grabbing it. “Thanks,” she said with a small smile before continuing. “And I’m not going to bed mad at you, okay Renz?” She refused to do that. That just made people resent one another, or, in their case, it might be the beginning of the end for things. And Summer didn’t want either of those things. After a moment of blowing on her tea to cool it down, she took a few sips of it, pleased by the taste. “I’m glad you remembered where things were,” she told him honestly, before reaching down to take his hand in hers. “But come back to bed? We can take these to-go.”