✴︎ need you on your worst behavior.

the bartender continued to mutter a string of curses as he sucked in his breath every now and then or let out a low moan. his cock already felt sensitive and jamie was absolutely driving him up a wall with the blowjob. he didn't want to let up though. he couldn't make it that easy for him. so he was going to have to muster up his strength from deep inside to make this harder on him. "then why don't you give me a proper blowjob, huh?" it already was one, but he was a little shit who had to tease the man. logan moved his left hand over to rest on top of his trainer's head. he applied some pressure to push his head further down, letting out a louder moan that time. his toes curled on the bed and his eyes were starting to lose focus. he could feel his own shaft throb and twitch in the man's mouth and pleasure run throughout his entire body. yet, he wasn't going to go down without a fight. "fuck your mouth with my cock if you want to earn my cum." the challenge was put out there into the air, wondering how the man was going to react to it. logan licked his lips as he glanced back down, gaze focusing on him again. jamie really was the best he ever had, but he would never say those words out loud.

He leaned down until he was mere inches from the bartender's face, his blond hair shadowing his dark, dilated blue eyes. "You think that's a punishment?" Jamie tsk'ed himself, shaking his head with a grin. "I've been making you work for every single rep for months. You think I'm afraid of earning this?" Finally, the trainer reached down and allowed his fingers to wrap around the base of Logan's throbbing cock to guide the glistening tip right back to his wet lips. He stared directly into Logan's green eyes, refusing to break contact for even a second. "Grab my hair and fucking do it then," Jamie commanded, his voice dripping with an arrogant defiance as he parted his lips. "Stop talking about what you're gonna do and fuck my face until I can't fucking breathe."

a part of him wondered if hayden had even eaten in the last couple of days. a genuine meal, not something that he could pass off as nutrition because it was an easy fix to his stomach reacting to something. kaleb would have to serve him a piece of lasagna later and stick around long enough to make sure that the man actually consumed it. another thing that was harder when you were suddenly alone. sometimes, he still felt the grief of his wife's passing. which wasn't something he was going to admit to unprompted. the last thing he wanted to do was take away the hope of the other moving on from this. "now that you have my help, i can confidently say that in a week's time you're going to be able to move around without feeling like a hoarder. otherwise, i'm going to have to bring back those mtv shows just so you can be shamed." not that he would ever betray his neighbor like that, or publicly call him out, but still... "people fail to realize how much logic goes behind what i do in a day-to-day. so if you need someone that can provide that sort of reasoning behind all of this, then once again, i'm your man." kaleb didn't want to feel like he was imposing himself on the other, but he hadn't as soon as he was welcomed inside of the home. his grip was lighter than what he was normally used to when it came to shaking someone's hand. mainly because he didn't want to come off as too much or like he was trying too hard. "and risk waking up with attack of the clothes and have them all wrapped up around you?" now that wasn't logical, but he hoped that it was at least funny. "is it easier for you to handle the boxes or the clothes? we can make an assembly line of sorts."

"I think I'd prefer a hostile takeover by the clothes over staring at these cardboard boxes any longer," Hayden said as a genuine (but small) fit of laughter escaped his lips. Kaleb's hyperbole was absurd, but the flippancy was a welcome distraction against the suffocating reality of the room. He let his hand fall back to his side as the handshake broke, feeling a strange, lingering sense of comfort from the interaction, but he was quick to brush it off because that was the last thing he needed right now. He then walked over to the hallway closet and pulled the door open, revealing a row of winter coats and jackets. The sight of them sent a familiar ache through his chest, but he forced his mind back to the framework Kaleb had just provided. "An assembly line sounds doable," Hayden continued, turning back to face Kaleb. He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms as he considered the logistics. "Let's have you handle the boxes and the actual sorting. You have the awareness for it, it seems like. I'll pull the coats off the hangers and bring them to you. That way, I'm kept moving, and I don't have time to overanalyze every single little thing or detail."

"Hey, hey," Xander immediately walked around and sat down back on his side of the bed, closer to Scarlett, his arm around her shoulder as he pulled her into his side, still careful of Angelina still in her arms. "You are going to be an amazing mother. It's okay to worry. It's okay to be uncertain of the unknown, you know?" He leaned his head against hers, looking down at their daughter. "I've thought about it myself. I've spent my whole life knowing that...everything was kind of handled for me. I only knew what it was like to help my mom with my siblings, not completely take over taking care of them. I worry that I'm going to suck at taking care of her all the time. But I know that we're in this together. We succeed together, we fail together. If we accidentally drip food onto her head it's not the end of the world. If we forget to push the button it's not the end of the world. It is exhausting, but it's...joyous exhaustion." He smiled at Angelina as she peeked open her little eyes, almost as if she was looking right at them with the understanding of who they were. "She relies on us completely. As long as we make sure she is safe, happy, and loved and cared for always, there's nothing to fuck up." He pressed another kiss to her head. "Worrying means that you actually give a shit about how she lives. And that's a good thing."

The immense weight of the past two days seemed to lift, if only a little, as soon as Xander's arm settled securely around her shoulders. Scarlett instantly leaned into his side as she listened to him, letting out a shaky breath she felt like she'd been holding since the day she gave birth. She kept her focus pinned on their daughter, watching the rise and fall of her tiny chest and the way the her lips moved against the bottle. Hearing Xander admit that he was scared, too, made the tightening in her chest loosen a little bit. She swallowed hard against the remaining lump in her throat, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips when he mentioned dripping food on the baby's head. Scarlett looked up from Angelina to meet his gaze, her eyes still bright with unshed tears, but the panic in them had started to fade. He was right and always knew what to say to make her feel better. She wasn't her past, and she certainly wasn't her mother. The very fact that she was terrified of failing was proof enough that she was already light years ahead of the woman who (barely) raised her. "Thank you," Scarlett murmured quietly, her voice still a little thick with emotion as she shifted slightly to rest her head more comfortably against Xander's shoulder. "I don't know how you always know exactly what to say, but... Thank you. I need to remember that. We're a team."

Sidney let out a laugh as she was lifted, her feet swinging slightly as she gripped the counter between her parted legs, returning the kiss. "Thank you. It's hard, but it's what I've always wanted to do. It's always been me and Carter and I'm going to protect him like he protected me. He was always...standing up to bullies for me and helping me study and calm me down when I was stressed out. So this is me returning the favor." She kissed Jelani again. "But honestly? His career putting you in my life is the best thing he ever could have given me."

"That do sound a lot like Carter. He's fiercely protective over everyone in his life and I can't say I blame him," he agreed, laughing softly. Jelani was happy to accept another kiss from Sidney, but this time, the receiver made sure to let it linger for a little big longer than the last one. "You right about that, baby. I just wish we hadn't been so afraid to say anything when we first started dating 'cause if we'd known that Carter wouldn't have minded the entire time, this would have been so much easier to navigate at first."

"Summer... Fuck," he gasped out, his head snapping back a little as his grip on the sink behind him also tightened. Cameron could feel his orgasm fast-approaching already, but there was no way he could could let it end like this. He couldn't just let her take him until he blew his load on her tongue and left them both frustrated and unfinished. The desperate need to be inside her, to feel her tight around him while he watched her face change, was screaming louder than the pleasure blinding him. So, without wasting any more time, Cameron pulled Summer's mouth off of him completely, then he gripped her under the arms, his large hands sinking into her skin as he forcefully but carefully hauled her up off her knees. He didn't give her a second to complain or catch her breath because the moment her feet hit the floor, he spun her around, pressing her front flat against the cold surface of the bathroom door. "You ain't getting off that easy," he growled against the shell of her ear as his hands flew to her hips, pulling her back against his aching cock as he fumbled blindly with his own shorts, pulling them down just enough to clear his thighs. He pushed his knee between her legs, widening her stance, his fingers digging into her hips as he lined himself up against her wet, aching center just to tease her for a minute. "Lemme hear you say it again, baby. Whose is it?"

"Well, then, consider me your future number one tipper." Evie nodded firmly. "Because I've always been super interested in it, and all the various artworks I see on packs of cards are beautiful. I've always wanted to like...do a reading and be part of one but then also like...learn how to read the cards myself? I've always been afraid to try because I don't really have anyone to do it with." She clasped her hands together in front of her, almost shyly, looking at Alani with a hopeful expression. "Any chance you need a...willing apprentice?"

An apprentice. Leave it to Evangeline to go from terrified of stepping foot inside Alani's shop, to asking for a seat behind the curtain. It was a beautiful, sudden burst of confidence that made Alani's own energy hum with an appreciative spark. "An apprentice, you say?" Alani repeated, grinning. They didn't say no, though. But instead of saying anything else, they stepped back into the doorway, propping the door open with their hip and tilting their head towards the dimly-lit interior of the shop. "C'mon, then. Let's see how you handle being on the receiving end of the cards." Turning on her heel, Alani didn't wait to see if the girl would follow — she already knew the pull was too strong for Evie to resist this time. The bells chimed softly behind them as the door closed, shutting out the rest of the world and the expectations that came with it. Alani bypassed the front counter entirely, weaving through the familiar shadows of the crystal displays, and led Evie toward a deep purple velvet curtain at the very back of the room. Pulling the fabric aside, she gestured for Evie to step into her private sanctuary. "Have a seat," Alani said, gliding over to a small cabinet to retrieve a beautifully wrapped cloth bundle. They then dropped onto the seat across from Evie before unwrapping the silk, which then revealed a well-loved tarot deck. They began to shuffle the cards as they fixed their dark gaze on Evie, the playful smirk from the sidewalk softening just a little. "Take a deep breath, clear all those noisy thoughts out of your head, and tell me... What is it your soul is trying to say tonight?"

"I won't always need it," she insisted, wanting to make sure that she had no intentions of invading Jordan's work space. "And all I really need is like...soundproofing and a microphone and a way to record audio. It could be the tiniest closet you ever have, as long as I can fit those things in it." Gabi shrugged. She knew that she couldn't necessarily move her entire studio set up or recording process to Cincinnati (that would still be an LA thing), but having the place to do something when inspiration struck was helpful.

"No, we'll definitely get you something, baby. It'll be a whole setup and it'll be so sick," Jordan said with a grin, her tone reassuring as she reached for Gabi's hands and squeezed them gently. "I can already hear the gears turning your head, so I wanna let you know that you won't be taking over anything. I'm happy to share my space with you. That's exactly why you've moved into both of my apartments now, ain't it?"

"She's doing great! Exhausted, obviously, but I just know she and Xander are so excited." Cadence's eyes widened as Riley shared the secret, unsure of if anyone should know about it, let alone someone who wasn't part of the journalism circles or the league itself. Cadence was the one that was always the most interested in Danny's career, growing up watching sports with her family all the time, so it was a shock to hear news like that. "That's the division Charlie's boyfriend is in, right? That would be huge for them."

"Oh, that's so good to hear," Riley smiled, turning over on her side to face Cadence fully before moving a little closer to her, propping her head up with her elbow. She nodded then, reaching over to take Cadence's hand in hers before lacing their fingers. "Mhm. They thought they were gonna have to deal with him, plus Maxx Crosby, but then that trade fell through as I'm sure you probably heard about because the Ravens backed out of the trade. So, now that division is pretty much wide open."

"Are you sure?" Charlotte hated having leave Kamari, especially when he specifically stayed in LA to spend time with her. She didn't want to suddenly drop everything and leave him behind. She frowned, but she knew it was more important for her to head to her brother and Scarlett's place and help him. She knew their mother was already on her way, and she had already coordinated with the rest of her siblings about their tasks. "I don't want to leave you behind when I don't know how many days I'm going to be over there."

"I'm positive," Kamari reassured, squeezing Charlotte's hand. "You don't gotta worry about it, I'll be fine here. I'm sure I'll come visit whenever they're ready for visitors, so I'll be able to see you then."

Lola nodded, letting Carter's words wash over her. It was easy to do, really: look at him and know exactly how she wanted to tell him how she felt about him. Maybe it took her longer to get there (she had dated someone else before officially getting with Carter, after all), but there was never any doubt that he was what she wanted for the rest of her life. She smiled up at him, nodding again, though much more confident this time. She hardly listened to the Elvis go through his practice spiel, because once she heard that they were allowed to speak, she already knew exactly what she was going to say. Maybe it wasn't a grand declaration or something to verbose, but that could always be saved for whatever massive wedding they decided to have in the future. "Carter," Lola began, smiling at him. "You are everything I have wanted and waited for in a partner. You are kind, and patient, and sweet. You make me laugh, you always know just what to say. I feel like I've waited my whole life for someone like you to be with, and now I get to spend the rest of my life wondering how lucky I got to be able to spend the rest of my life with you." Her smile widened. "And there is nothing that would give me greater pleasure than being your wife."

As Lola spoke, the rest of the room completely faded into a blur where it was just the two of them that existed in the world and no one else. The tacky Vegas chapel, the decorations, the single witness that Carter noticed a while ago, and even the Elvis impersonator standing just feet away disappeared. All he could see and all he could hear, was her. A tight, emotional knot formed in his throat while he listened to her speak, and for a split second, the big-shot quarterback who was used to performing under pressure in front of millions felt his eyes sting with sudden tears. He swallowed them down, however, and kept his gaze locked onto hers as an incredibly cheesy smile broke across his face. When she finished, Carter didn't even wait for the officiant to prompt him — he simply squeezed her hands tightly and took a step closer, completely closing the already small distance between them. "Eleanor, you have no idea how long I've dreamed of hearing you say that," Carter began as he let out a soft, emotional laugh, shaking his head slightly. "I spent a long time wondering if I'd ever get my shot with you. But standing here right now? Every single second of waiting, every single moment of chasing you, was the best thing I ever did. You are my absolute favorite person. You're my best friend, you're my entire world, and getting to love you is the easiest thing I've ever done." He took a shallow breath then, his eyes shining with tears as he looked down at his future wife. "I promise to spend every day making sure you know how lucky I am. I'm going to love you fiercely, protect you, and make you laugh every single day. There's no big, fancy stadium win that will ever compare to this. I can't wait to be your husband."

"Not cool, babe." Carter pouted, though she didn't exactly deny it, either. She spent plenty of time in the offseason catching up on sleep. "I told you, I want peanut butter toast and sides of deli meat. And also the ritz bitz crackers, I ordered some yesterday."

"Fuck, I'm sorry. I forgot." Jamie only just now remembered that was actually what Carter wanted. Not a sandwich. Who could blame him, though? They just brought home their newborn daughter from the hospital for the first time. Things were still chaotic, and they were both bound to forget things. "Let me ask you again, then. What kind of deli meat do you want?"

"Well, I guess we'll find out." Lola shrugged, watching the wedding unfold in front of them. She always thought that Vegas weddings got a bad rep as something scandalous, something that was the result of a drunken night out, but she always liked the idea. Something that was thought out and intimate and completely about the two people getting married. She always thought that when she did get married, she'd rather do something small first before a big ceremony, and this felt perfect. She leaned against Carter's arm, smiling as she watched the couple tearfully recite their vows, and she reached for Carter's hand, squeezing. "That will be us soon." Almost as if she had predicted the future, in almost no time at all the couple standing at the front of the room had said their vows and were declared husband and wife, and a small smattering of applause was heard across the room. Their names were called, and Lola shot up out of the pew, almost like a spring had been underneath her, and she reached for Carter's hand. "Let's go get married." As it turned out, Carter did book the Elvis impersonator, because he was still standing there as they walked down the aisle and got to the front of the room. "Do you know what you want to say?" Lola's voice was a whisper, because she didn't know what to say. She didn't consider the fact that they would have to recite something. She should have written something down on her phone, maybe. But it was too late now, because the Elvis impersonator (who really was good) was starting, and all Lola could do was stare at Carter, knowing that by the time they walked away from here they would be husband and wife.

Seeing Lola spring up like that instantly melted away the last of his nervous jitters. He let out a soft laugh, his large hand completely engulfing hers as he stepped out of the pew. "Always ahead of me," he murmured affectionately, letting her lead the way down the short aisle. As they reached the altar, his eyes glanced to the officiant. Holy shit, we actually got the Elvis. The guy even had the sideburns and the classic white jumpsuit down to a science. Under any other circumstances, the quarterback would have found the theatrics hilarious, but right now, looking at the man who was about to legally bind them together, the reality of the moment settled over him in the best way possible. Carter squeezed her hand firmly, turning his body fully towards her so he could block out the rest of the room, the cheesy decor, and Elvis himself. It was just the two of them now. He hadn't written anything down, either (considering how super last minute this was), but as he looked down at the woman he had spent three long years chasing, the woman who was finally about to be his wife, he realized he didn't need a script. "Just look at me," Carter whispered back, his voice thick with a sudden rush of emotion as Elvis began his intro. He gave her a reassuring, incredibly tender smile, his thumb caressing the back of her hand. "Don't worry about words. Just... Say what's in your heart. I'm just gonna tell you how much I love you, and the rest is easy."

he moved his hands around so that he could grab both of cameron's legs and wrap them around his own waist. with the new position that they were in, he somehow felt like it was easier to slide himself inside of the other man. plus, if the quarterback chose to, now he could hold him in place too. he wanted to give the blond some of that power back in their dynamic, if he wanted it. "want me to stuff you up? didn't know you were going to need this that badly." truth be told, so did he. so he wasted no time in thrusting his hips forward and pushing his cock back inside of the other. that time, he finally felt it go beyond just halfway in. he had to suck in a deep breath and fight a series of grunts and moans that were clawing out of his throat in the process. he never knew how good all of this would have felt. now that he did, it was going to be hard to get him to stop. bram moved his left hand back down to wrap around the quarterback's thigh. his nails dug into him as he started to finally pound his cock deeper and deeper, as much as his body was willing to take. as he steadied his own body, he rested his forehead on the blond's for a brief moment. he was taking deep breaths to get used to the tightness around his shaft. almost like he was trying to hype himself up before a big game so that he didn't blow it. instead, this time, he was trying to make sure that he didn't embarrass himself and cum too soon. "you feel so fucking good, man." bram connected their lips together as he got comfortable once more. he started to grind his hips a little faster than before, making sure to give cameron what he wanted and pushed his cock deeper and deeper with each movement.

"God, yes," Cameron practically sobbed as he broke apart from the kiss, his voice barely holding it together. He didn't care about the ego-bruising implications of how much he clearly needed this. He needed the depth, needed the way Bram was pounding into him like he was trying to claim every single inch of him. The warmth of Bram's forehead against his own was the only thing keeping Cameron grounded in reality. He could feel the tension in his teammate's body, the way Bram was fighting his own urges, and it made Cameron's blood run hot with a possessive, delirious thrill. He then reached up and allowed his fingers to rest against the back of his head, pulling him down again until their lips were smashed together once more. "You're perfect. Just... Don't stop. Fuck me just like that," he hissed against his lips as he felt the grind of Bram's hips and the relentless, driving pace that was pushing him towards a release he had spent his entire life running away from. And as the pounding continued, deeper and more insistent, Cameron let his head fall back, away from the other's lips, as his entire body bowed towards Bram. He was completely at his mercy, every nerve ending screaming in response to the sensation.