Set This Old Heart Free

“Did you think I wouldn’t care?” Malia responded to Avery’s admission that leaving broke her heart. She was blinking hard, feeling kind of angry and kind of elated at the same time. “I care so much, Avery. I care so much about you.” Her voice wavered, but her tone was strong.

“You’re the world to me, Malia…” it was like everything was spinning. Did Avery really just say that? That she was Avery’s world? That she was wanted?

“You know how I managed to live through the hell those hunters put me through?” She sniffled, voice breaking. “It was you. Every time I hallucinated, every time I thought I was just going to die, I’d see you. Every good thought I had in that horrible place was about you. I’d think about you and know that even if I didn’t make it out, I’d be okay.” She wasn’t sure she was spelling this out clearly enough, so she kept going.

“I was with Nate. I should have been thinking about him all that time, but all I thought about was you.” She grabbed Avery’s hands again, tilting her head to make eye contact. “You’re my world, too. You’re my anchor.”

Avery felt like the world might shatter, like everything was hanging by a thread. Because how the hell was she lucky enough to be hearing these words from Malia’s lips? “When you were gone..” Her voice wavered. “I wanted to be part of the rescue party. I don’t know how I missed it but I’ve been kicking myself for it ever since.” She went quiet, thinking about when Malia had bee with Nate. That had been a confusing time in Avery’s life, a dark time.  She had had a lot of dark times, but she was currently looking at one of the few people who had ever made it seem like a life full of light.

“You being with Avery killed me. And I couldn’t bring myself to just tell you why. but... It’s because I wanted to be the one with you. More than anything. But... I didn’t think being with girls was an option. And I didn’t know how to handle wanting to be. And o I was an idiot. And I pushed against it and then I got upset when you went somewhere else and then I got caught in this stupid rhythm of just being your friend and I don’t want to just be your friend. Because I love you.” She let out a shuddering breath before saying in a firmer voice, “I love you, Malia Tate.”

BOLD any that apply to your muse / your muse would do

italicize any of your muse’s turn-ons / likes

strike any of your muse’s turn-offs / dislikes

Feel free to add to the list! REPOST, NOT REBLOG!

heterosexual. homosexual. bisexual. pansexual. asexual. demisexual. graysexual. monogamous. polyamorous. long-term relationships. casual relationships.

rough. loud. growling. screaming. crying. sobbing. gentle. tender. whispers. moaning. touching others. touching self. being touched. lingering caresses. kisses. french kisses. licking. nibbling. biting. scratching. hair pulling. dominance. submission. switch. power play. struggles. wrestling. hugs. cuddling. shower / bath sex. up against a wall. being held down. spanking. body worship. breasts. butts. legs. thighs. feet. hands. ears. love bites. innuendo. ( light ) choking. breath play. bondage. leather. silk. velvet. lace. being watched. watching others. half-clothed. bared skin. teasing. indoors. outdoors. public. private. lingerie. stockings. corsets.

“I’d like that,” Malia said softly, dropping her hand into Avery’s. She didn’t let go as they stepped off the porch together. Avery’s hands were cool, but not cold, and Malia couldn’t help but smile to herself as they began walking. She wasn’t going to let go.

“I still can’t believe you’re here,” she said, shaking her head in awe. “I mean, you were here and then you were just gone…” Malia trailed off, not wanting to follow that train of thought. Now wasn’t the time to talk about how sad she’d been when Avery had first gone away, what horrible timing it was…

“Why?” she asked, brushing her bangs behind her ear. “Why did your parents send you away? If that’s even what happened.” She couldn’t keep the pang of anger from surfacing. The last sentence came off more wry and pointed than concerned. It had been too hard, too miserable, too unexpected and infuriating that one moment, they were sitting on the couch at the loft, drinking hot coffee, and the next… Avery was just gone.  

Malia didn’t want to make Avery feel bad, because here she was, right here, in the flesh, holding her hand and walking with her. She bit her tongue and looked down at the concrete, waiting for an answer.

Avery pursed her lips, her eyes resting on Malia as she thinks over the questions, the statements. “I... Malia,,, It was my fault. I was. But they sent me away. that is what happens, and I know... I know I haven’t given you any reason to know that for a fact...” and yet the fact that Malia doubted it at all hurt like a sharp stab to the chest.

“It was because I distanced from everyone like I did. I fell into that hole of... Of wondering what damage my powers could do, of walking the line between magic and black magic.  But I couldn’t tell my family that.  And they freaked out. They sprung the decision on me. I think they were afraid I was gonna run away if they didn’t.”

She looked at Malia again, for along moment. “I didn’t want to leave. I really didn’t. Especially like that. It wasn’t fair to you. So... ask me anything you want. Whatever you need to know.”

Snapping out of it, Malia squeezed Avery around the waist and closed her eyes. She wanted to take in every bit of Avery that she could - the way her hair smelled, soft and clean and like flowers… even the way her heart was beating sounded joyful.

Malia felt so calm, so home. She realized Avery was crying when she finally pulled away. “Oh,” she smiled, unable to keep herself from grinning. “Oh, sweetie,” she repeated, sounding an awful lot like Lydia. 

Malia raised her hand to Avery’s cheek and took care to brush the other girl’s tears away as gently as possible with her thumb. “You’re adorable.”

She took a step closer to her then, and drew Avery’s forehead down so she could kiss her. She let the kiss linger before resting her own forehead against Avery’s.

"I missed you,” she whispered.

Avery stared at her, unable to take her eyes off of her because there was no way that Malia Tate was really here in front of her. It was hard to believe, in the best way imaginable. “you’re here,” she whispered.

As she felt the kiss, she suddenly felt truly home for the first time in months.

“I missed you too,” she whispered, her hands Malia’s hips. Avery felt her breathing relax as her forehead rested against the other girl’s. “Do you have time to come inside? Or we could take a walk? It’d be a bit quieter...”

Although in truth she  was happier  she didn’t care where she was with Malia, as long as she was with her.