FĂli Durin

JVL
Today's Document
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Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
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Stranger Things
almost home
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AnasAbdin
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blake kathryn

@theartofmadeline
Claire Keane
we're not kids anymore.
d e v o n
Mike Driver
Keni
seen from France
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seen from Italy

seen from Nepal
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seen from United States

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@sherleyholmes
FĂli Durin
Heâs so beautiful I cry
Put me between them NOW and nobody gets hurt
falling in love with john marston was the one thing you shouldnât have done.
heâs told you countless times heâs too old to fool aroundâpushing his forties, with a greying moustache and a deep ache in his lower back that never seems to go away.
heâs fucking headstrong, but youâre worse. you complain and call him a âstubborn old cowboyâ and the night ends with him riding you like one anyway. next to the campfire that the two of you built together in the middle of nowhere, twig by twig, gazing at the stars, heart split open and body laid bare on your cock. barely hanging on by a thread.
you know sex isnât a remedy to any of this. but then again, itâs not love between the two of you. it cannot be. johnâs too old to fall in love again and youâre too young for him to hold back. but sometimes you catch him staring at you in the middle of the night, the warm, orange glow of the fire exposing the strange flush beneath his eyes.
it makes you think heâs been crying. guilty of something you canât name.
you blinkâand itâs gone. like it was never there in the first place. like all along youâve been peering into the edge of a broken mirror, hoping, praying, that what was trapped inside was the truth.
itâs stupid. you know that. a dumb, immature infatuation that will surely pass with age. thatâs what john thinks, anyway. probably.
sometimes you think he realises it. that youâre not as subtle as you hope to be. the traitorous fluttering in your chest whenever he cards gentle fingers through your hair at night. the shuddering breath you take when he presses the ghost of a kiss to the corner of your lips. the almost permanent urge to take his hand in your own whenever you see him.
his beautiful, broken hands, ruined by age and exertion. clutched between them is steady violence, the tight grip of a gun, and you want nothing more than to see them wrapped around your neck.
it happens even when heâs simply there, being john and doing nothing else. just good old john marston. with the wind in his hair. the sand and sunburn on his rough copper skin.
you kiss him a little too tenderly that night. and when his guilty eyes start searching for yours again, you keep your head tucked into the crook of his neck, away from his sight, where you think you belong. he shouldnât need to feel more guilty than he already is. he shouldnât need to repent for your sin.
and the next day, john, like the good man he is, takes you to visit the grave of his wife for the first time. he kneels before her, and you notice the skeleton of a hand reaching through the soil and earth before he does, desperately clawing its way into his chest. a stone fist blooming where its clutched around his scarred heart. never letting go, even in death.
and john? john doesnât even look sad. he just looks empty.
he doesnât even say anything when you walk away.
the two of you donât talk much after that. the ride home is completely silentâthere was more than enough said. heâs guilty. youâre hurt. youâve come into terms with it, but you donât think he ever will.
and much later on when you have him on his knees and youâre fucking him face-first into the dirt, you think you hear him whisper something like darling forgive me iâm so fuckin sorry, like he hasnât just tossed your heart straight into a bear trap and let its jaws ruthlessly tear into you. you forgive him anyway. itâs more than enough.
you shouldâve known that there was no place in his heart for you from the start. youâre the drug to his grieving. heâs the love of your life. itâs no happy ending, but you guess itâs the only one you deserve.
when u find a masterpiece x reader fic, but the reader turns out to have a name and a description
vintage dividers part five:
please like and credit if you use, reblogs are appreciated! thank you! đ
My arthur is starting to cough.
me hopping on tumblr and ao3 as soon as i get a new hiperfixation
a man who's intimate.
a man who adjusts to your every need. who kisses you every morning. who never lets you go to sleep angry with him. a man who knows every inch of you, every scar, mole, bump.
a man who never raises his voice at you. who lets his body language talk when he's angry. whose skin bubbles with heat as he crosses his arms and tilts his head, listening to your rant before nodding. "you're right, sugar. im sorry."
a man who practically begs you to let him make it better, kissing from your toetips all the way up to where your night shorts stop, barely covering any of your brown skin. who takes them down with his teeth because even though he's sorry, he's still got his pride.
a man who doesn't let up on your pleasure. who stays nursing on your clit like he's a baby. who makes you cum three times before even thinking about fucking you, your thighs sticky with sweat as he settles between them.
a man who fucks you in heavy, slooooww strokes that drag every vein through your walls. whose groans are low and sensual, driving fire to your clit and ovaries as he sweats, his body hot against yours. he notices how your stomach twitches softly as he lays his hand over it, how your walls suddenly close tight enough for him to halt his movements.
"like it when i lay my hand here, honey? when i feel my cock inside you? you like that?" his voice is taunting. he knows you like it. he knows because your moans suddenly pick up in volume, and your feet next to either of his ears nearly fall from his shoulders. he doesn't let you run from him, though. he wraps one of his arms around your knees, keeping your feet hopelessly in the air as he thrusts into you with debaucherous vigor.
a man who overstimulates every nerve in your body at once, sending you floating off as you come. who holds you through it, watching as your eyes roll like you're possessed. he can't get enough of it, not until you're practically choking, stumbling over how good it feels, how you can't take it anymore. the screams of his name into the heavy air of your bedroom just egging him on to make you cum again. to push your limit. to watch your soul wander from your body for a moment.
a man whose job and life purpose is to please you, a man who's intimate.
to see you just right
word count: 5k... my freakin sweet spot apparently synopsis: Shooting practice reveals your less than stellar vision. Arthur determinedly hunts down some glasses for you and you realise what details you've been missing out on. mutual pining, friends to lovers (almost) set during horseshoe overlook ! this is my first rdr fic so... be nice <3
Times like now, squinting at the bottles in the distance, the question of why the gang still kept you around bugs at you like an incessant horsefly.
I mean, you knew whyâyou've been running with the Van Der Linde gang for a couple years now. If you hadn't already proved yourself as resourceful and sharp-minded, you would've been kicked to the curb quite some time ago.
But you certainly werenât a hunter. Nor a shooter.
You weren't even very good at picking pockets.
What you had was keen ears; good for picking up leads and the hushed conversations of businessmen with deep pockets. Not to mention your adeptness at stitching up bullet wounds, better than anyone else at camp.
Yes, yes, you weren't useless by any means.
But still... that didn't mean you could shake the envy of others' skills. It didn't take away that simmering, uneasy feeling as you stared down the targets in the distance, helplessly blurred to you. The shot from your last bullet still rings out.
You can already tell it hasn't hit its mark.
Just hit the fucking target. You think to yourself scoldingly.
You're not sure why this is so much harder for you than just about anyone else in the gang. And as much as it isn't your job, you've grown determined to be able to handle yourself if trouble ever comes knocking.
You thought that with a gunslinger as fine as Arthur Morgan himself, you'd learn a thing or two â a foolish idea that's dissipating quickly before you.
Adjusting your clammy grip on the pistol cradled between both palms, you shift your stance and squint again, rolling your shoulders back.
Empty lungs. You pull back the hammer and line up your best shot, feeling the kick of the recoil.
The lack of shattering glass is answer enough, but even so you lower your extended arms an inch or so to see closer. Scrunching your eyes to try focus, you wince at what you can make out.
No bullet holes on any of the crates, all six bottles still standing.
You're beginning to sorely regret asking for shooting practice when it only seems like a surefire way to prove yourself a fool. And in front of Arthur no less.
Arthur whoâwell, you'd be lying if you said you weren't fond for.
Quick to boil, your frustration wells, an itch behind your eyes. You drop your arms, lowering your gaze to the ground with another sigh.
"How you do this every damn day is a miracle to me."
You force a half-hearted laugh into your words. It's better than letting him hear that wallowing, pitiful feeling you can feel rising up your throat.
"It's jus' lots 'n lots of practice," Arthur says gently, his voice somewhere behind you.
Christ knows his intense, watchful gaze isn't helping you either.
You can't help but feel it burning into your back every time you raise the pistolâand every time you fail miserably.
Your frustration rises again and you finally lift your head, turning back to the cowboy.
"I'm sorry, Arthur," You say sincerely. "Iâ this was a mistake." You begin to hold the pistol out in your outstretched hand, grip lax.
You don't get very far before he's stepping in closer, his hand reaching up to yours and pressing your fingers to close around the grip again.
"C'mon now," He rasps. "Yer not just gonna give up 'cos it's hard, are ya?"
Skin against skin is enough to draw your heart up your throat, rabbiting fast and all too revealing. You pointedly ignore the spike in your pulse and let him manoeuvre you, his hand moving up to nudge your shoulder. You face the targets.
Six bottles in the distance glint tauntingly beneath the afternoon sun, as if teasing you for your failure.
"Arthur," You sigh dejectedly.
It's kind of him to keep offering encouragement but you only need ten minutes of this to realise it's a severely lost cause. "It's not use, I'm awfulâ"
"Hush," Arthur cuts you off, voice gruff this time. "You ain't no such thing. Justâ"
He hovers just behind you, the heat of his body blazing against your back. With a quiet hum, his fingertips square out your angled shoulders, fixing your stance. They trail down to minutely adjust the twist of your hips, pressing one further forward gently.
The sun seems to burn brighter suddenly. You fight to keep your face forward and pray Arthur can't heart the traitorous inhale you give at his touch.
"'Kay. Shoot again." He murmurs lowly, his hands retreating but staying close. "Lemme watch closer this time."
You're not brave enough to tell him that you're even less likely to hit the target with his close proximity.
Instead, you just follow his instruction, raising the pistol to the bottles once more. Slowing your breath as much as your racing heart will allow, you squint.
"Wait," Arthur's voice interrupts.
You falter, suddenly unsure. Moving out from behind you, his hand comes up to push the gun down, barrel facing the dirt.
Standing close, he tilts his head up, his eyes assessing you intently from beneath the brim of his hat. It's as though he's looking at a puzzle he can't quite figure out.
After a moment, his eyes cast out to the shooting range he's set up for you. You get a stolen glimpse of his chiselled jaw before he's stepping forward, broad shouldered, with one hand resting on his gun belt.
Turning to face you, he takes a few wide steps back, then halts, raising his hand.
"How many fingers?"
Brows raised, you will yourself not to scoff. "You beinâ serious?"
Arthur doesn't move, only his head tilting forward an inch, the brim of his hat dipping lower. He smiles wryly. "Humour me."
Dropping your arms, you let the gun swing idly to your side. With a shrug, you focus on his hand.
"Two."
Arthur nods. He turns and paces back til he's in line with the bottles this time. It's far enough from you that the details of him begin to blur out, but you can still see his figure just fine.
"And now?" He calls out, voice raised to reach you over the distance.
Your careless shrug from before is nowhere to be found. A sudden sheepishness crawls up within you as you quickly try to strain your gaze.
God, is he even holding up a hand at all?
You don't get a moment to guess before he's approaching you once more, his features getting sharper as he draws closer. You can see his smile, a rare sight. He seems to have solved his puzzle.
"What was that for?" You question curiously.
"It ain't yer aim, that's for damn sure," Arthur says, coming to a stop before you.
His blue eyes assess you once more, before he extends his hand out for the pistol at your side. You hand it over wordlessly, waiting for his explanation. A dragonfly swoops by you with a loud hum.
"It's yer eyes." He says, holstering the pistol without a glance.
You blink, confused at the implication. You're sure if there was something wrong with your eyes, you'd know about it at your grown age.
Your confusion must be clear on your face because Arthur continues, resting his hands on his gun belt casually.
He nods to you. "Not all bad. 'Betcha can see just fine up close. But in the distance, not so much."
"Oh," The word escapes in a soft breath.
It hadn't really been something you had consideredâthat your poor performance shooting was due to that blurriness surrounding the targets. That it was due to anything other than you being utter shit at shooting.
Turning your stare out to the bottles again, you blink and squint, as if to check. You realise he may just be talking truth.
"Lord, I think you might be right." You admit, a relieved laugh colouring your tone. The frustration you felt from earlier drains rapidly, taking with it your souring mood.
A different part of you deflates at the knowledge you'll never get better at shooting. Cursed vision. You wrinkle your nose in distaste, pushing down your bitterness.
Arthur gestures to the horses with one hand, lesson clearly over.
The pair of you begin to meander back towards your horses hitched in the treeline. Side by side, it doesn't escape you the nearness you're inclined to, drawn to him, a flower facing the sun.
The leather of his jacket brushes your bare arm. You think you must be suffering sunburn, considering how your skin seems to burn in response.
Eyes flashing in his direction, you think you see a hint of colour on Arthurâs face.
Heâs tilts his head, his features covered by the brim of his hat, so you can't be sure. You chalk it up to a wishful imagination.
Always unknowable. Maybe it's his private nature that's part of what allures you to the man.
Pushing forward, you approach your mare, Dragon, with a gentle greeting. You're rewarded with the butting of her muzzle against your palm, a smile curling onto your lips instinctively.
âY'know, chances are, you're not nearly as awful as ya think.â Arthur says, his tone softer than usualâperhaps sensing your blue mood.
Despite talking to you, he keeps his gaze steadfast on his own horse, Hypatia. He dotes on her with a loving pat, hands usually meant for violence, now gentle.
After a moment, he says. âIâll see what I can do fer you at the general store.â
Pleasant surprise curls up in your stomach in a sharp bloom.
âArthur,â You say with a smile, sounding a bit awed. He does look up at you this time, blue eyes bright from beneath the edge of his hat. âThatâs very kind but, well, you neednât do thatââ
"I ain't makin' you any promises," He cuts your rambling response off. "I'll just have a look. That alright?"
Feeling your face glow warmly, you force yourself to meet his strong gaze. "Alright."
Then after a moment, you say, "I guess I'll allow it."
Arthur guffaws lightly at that. He pushes up on strong legs to mount Hypatia in one fluid motion, one he's done countless times before. You watch, pretending you aren't staring at the powerful flex of his thighs as he settles into the saddle.
Christ alive. It takes effort to avert your eyes, stepping up to sling yourself into your own saddle.
âIf she allows itâŠâ Arthur repeats, almost incredulously, his head tilted toward you. Thereâs a tug on his lips, like heâs holding back his smile, even as he shakes his head at you.
A laugh titters out of you and you nudge Dragon forward, if only so he can't see the grin on your lips.
And if you spend the ride to camp lingering on the feeling of his hands covering your own hands, adjusting the twist of your waist?
Well, that was your own damn business.
â
After your shooting lesson, Arthur leaves camp for four days.
Some bounty given to him by the sheriff in Valentine that he was tracking up into the mountains â at least thatâs what heâd said as he bid you a polite goodbye, early in the morning light, the day after your lesson.
Youâd murmured your drowsy goodbye over your coffee cup, eyes barely open â making Arthur snort quietly â and then watched intently, your sleepy gaze softened, as he disappeared between the trees on Hypatia.
Perhaps youâd been too spoiled with his company in these last couple weeks.
He hadnât taken any longer jobs, always back at camp for the evening, with a tip of his hat to you. Always prepared to lend a helping hand or to escort you and the girls into Valentine. You'd almost call yourselves friends. The familiarity of his presence was something you'd gotten used to.
It was one of the good reasons you found yourself particular afflicted with him â Arthur Morgan was far kinder than he ever gave himself credit for.
And far nicer to look at than he seemed to think so too.
To say youâre a bit put off by not having your usual pretty-boy cowboy to provide somewhere nice to rest your eyes wouldnât be a lie.
âSomeoneâs head in the clouds.â
The jeering words from Karen pair with a playful nudge to your shoulder.
Distracted, the dish in your hands slips and lands back in the water-filled basin with a splosh. Narrowing your eyes at Karen, you fish it out and resume your abandoned scrubbing.
âAinât sure what youâre talking âbout,â You hum, nonchalant as you can manage.
Liar. Youâd definitely been casting your gaze towards the trail that leads into camp and slipped away into a daydream, sweet as the cowboyâs eyes you were imagining. Surely he wouldn't be away much longer, right?
âMmhm,â Karen says, telling you exactly how much she believed you.
At her side, Mary-Beth smothers a giggle in her palm. Clearly your attempts at subtlety are wholly ineffective.
Despite your intent glances as you work your way through the remaining chores of the day, none prove to be fruitful. The sun lazes across the sky and sinks toward the horizon and even then, Arthur is absent.
Your lovesickness abates with a sigh. The outlaw could be gone for weeks at a time, you knew that. If it was a shorter trip, he'd be back already. Tonight, you depart from around the campfire earlier than usual, heading back to your shared tent with Mary-Beth.
Itâs with an absentminded hum that you potter around, straightening out the space as the sunlight dwindles. You had worked hard today and itâs filled your bones with a weariness ready for sleep.
An oil lamp burns on the crate acting as your bedside table, casting a mellow, amber colour through the tent. The idle sounds of the wildlife of Horseshoe Overlook fill the background, mixing with the crackle of the campfire.
Maybe you should journal a bit, before bed. Eyes narrowed, you scan your cot for the little book you keep nearbyâyou had used it just last night.
Coming up blank, you huff and crouch to your knees to hunt for it. Countless times youâve fallen asleep with it in your hand and found it gone in the morning. It worms its way down the edge of the tent with a mission to escape you, you swear.
Peering beneath your cot, the red leather of the book gleams back at you. You smile and reach out, having to duck a little further to reach it, giving a victorious little aha! when you close your fingers around it.
Shifting back, you sit on your heels, right as someone clears their throat behind you.
Spooked and not unlike a deer, you startle with a violent jump. Whipping around, pulse jumping, your panic recedes as you narrow your eyes at the cause of your panic.
âChrist, Arthur,â you seethe at him. You put a hand over your racing heart to calm it. âYou damn near scared the mickey out of me.â
âMy apologies, miss,â Arthur says, tipping his hat. He sounds sincere but even so, you catch the glimmer of amusement on his lips. âWerenât my intention.â
Heâs lingering at the entrance of your tent, not quite entering. His big hands rest of his gun belt, hovering somewhere between casual and proper.
How Arthur manages both is a mystery to you; every bit at home amongst the rough of tumble of camp, yet ever-so polite to you.
He treats you like a gentlemen treats a proper lady; though both of you are neither.
Pushing to your feet, you let your journal drop atop your cot. Then you regret it, wishing you had something to occupy your hands. The all too familiar buzz of nerves that come with being sweet on someone makes you prone to fidgeting.
You brush down your skirts just to do something. âAnd just what was your intention?â
Amusement abiding, a different expression skitters across Arthur's face. He raises one hand to scratch the back of his neck.
âGotcha somethin',â He murmurs, dragging his hand forward, across his beard. Rather hastily, he stuffs his hand into his satchel.
He digs for a moment and then pulls his hand out, extending it out. Something shiny glints in the low light of the tent, resting in his big palm.
You step forward and squint for a moment, realising with a jolt of unexpected delight that itâs a pair of round spectacles.
An infectious smile tugs the corner of your lips up, your eyes brighter upon seeing the gift heâs brought you. Your hand reaches out, then halts in mid-air, glancing back up at him.
âMay I?â
ââCourse. Theyâre for you.â Arthur grunts, feigning nonchalance even as he beckons you to take them from him.
Smile turning to a grin, you pluck them out his hand, stepping closer as you do. You turn them over in delicately, drinking in the details greedily. Theyâre finely made.
With an ebb of guilt, you realise they mustâve cost him a fortune. If he paid for them, that is.
âTook me all the way out past Emerald Ranch to find a fella who did them.â
Gaze snapping up, the ebb of guilt grows. He hadnât just got them for you, heâd gone out of his way to find a spectacle maker specifically.
Thereâs a silver lining to the guilt â the feeling sprinkled through your chest like gunpowder, kicking up sparks. He certainly had to be keeping you in mind, to some capacity, to do such a thing for you.
The thought of being more than a passing thought in Arthurâs mind is enough to set the gunpowder alight. Your chest glows brightly like a firework.
âWhat happened to just having a nosy in the general store, hm?â You ask.
âWell, now,â Arthur begins, giving a hesitant cough as if itâll cover the sincerity of his actions. He tilts his head down, the brim of his hat covering his eyes, as he always did when he felt too seen.
After a pause, he says lowly, âI know how much you wanted to shoot.â
âThatâs... mighty kind of you, Mister Morgan.â You say, hoping your voice doesnât betray the racing of your treacherous heart. âThough, Iâd hate for you to go to all this trouble if they donât even work right with my eyes.â
Holding the pair of spectacles up, you unfold the arms and peer through the lenses. Theyâre certainly magnifying somethingâArthur looking further away in the one lens you peer through. Itâs almost like a funhouse mirror. The smile on your face widens, cheeks nearly aching.
âThat donât matter,â Arthur says. He pats his satchel gently. âIf those donât work, I got three more pairs in here.â
âThree?â You lower the glasses, bewilderment colouring your voice.
âWhere the devil did you get so many?â
âTurns out, folk rich enough to take the stagecoach can usually afford âem.â Arthur chuckles.
Somehow the image of Arthur out there, picking through the loot box, then demanding folk hand over their eyewear is enough to inspire a laugh out of you.
You stifle your laughter behind your hand, endeared even more when he opens his satchel to prove it, a shy smile on his lips.
Sure enough, he draws three more pairs out. Even the thickness of the glass even varies from pair to pair â god, who knew one could be so thoughtful whilst robbing?
âYou know, that might be the most sweet thing anyoneâs ever done for me.â
The words come out softer than intended, your affections surely obvious.
You donât risk a glance up at Arthurâs face, too fearful your feelings are written over your own, plain to see. In doing so, you miss the dusting of pink across his own cheeks.
Arthur clears his throat, sending a single prayer for strength to a god whoâs surely abandoned him. The way you sound, heâd almost believe youâre sweet on him.
âCmon, then,â He says, adding a touch more gruff to his voice. âBetter try them on after all the damn time I spent hunting them down.â
You roll your eyes at his faux annoyance. Thereâs no real heat to his words.
Tilting your face down, you bring the pair up to tuck over your ears hesitantly. The world around you shifts as the lenses settle. Your sight is sufficiently more blurry than it was a second ago.
âWoah.â You murmur, looking up just to check.
Arthurâs figure swims before you, entirely out of focus. You blink, unbeknownst of the way the glasses magnify your eyes to a comically large size. It makes Arthur's smile grow, teeth peeking out, knowing for sure you canât see for shit.
âNot those.â He says decidedly and when you slide them off, heâs already holding out the second pair, arms unfolded this time.
You mutter a quiet thank-you, feeling warmth creep your neck at the simple, polite motion.
This pair, when you slide them on, has a rather different effect. Instead of the blurriness alike to being underwater, the entire world sharpens.
You inhale at the difference. The sounds of the campfires and people around you dims and you blink rapidly, eyes jumping from detail to detail. There's something new to notice in every corner.
Head dipped down, you can pick out the individual blades of grass underfoot. The stitching on the hem your dress, the same as on the sleeves, you can see properly now. As in, see the stitches.
You swish you dress, watching, entranced.
Arthurâs comment during shooting practice may have been wrong âsaying there was nothing wrong with your vision up close â because suddenly everything seems so much more. Maybe youâve been blinder than you think.
Swinging your head round, you survey the inside of your tent with a renewed interest.
The fraying hole in your blanket, scribbled words in your opened journal, the splinters in your wooden crate bedside table â things you normally need to see up close, clearer than ever.
âI take it those ones are workinâ just fine.â Arthur says amusedly, having watched your wide-eyed and wandering gaze.
At the sound of his raspy voice, your head jerks up â and then your heart lurches forward with a hiccup, nearly tripping over itself.
Arthur is⊠Heâs⊠Holy heaven, has he always been that handsome?
A dozen new details spring out at you, little secrets you've been missing. You can see the crook in his nose from being broken too many times. A scar youâve never noticed on the edge of his chin, given away by the small patch in his beard.
He has freckles, dozens of little ones, from all his time spent under the baking sun. They gather at the edges of his eyes, blending into the crows feet. You can trace the cupid's bow of his lips.
It occurs to you that you should totally, definitely say something. Youâve been silent too long, just taking in the lines of his face, awed, but your throat has dried up.
Lord above, heâs pretty.
How are you expected to continue your day with the knowledge that Arthur Morgan might be the prettiest man youâve ever laid eyes on?
Lord, if youâd been fond of him before, youâre surely smitten with him now.
Arthur shifts uncomfortably under the attention, taking your prolonged silence for the worst. His already jittered nerves fry under your stare and he ducks his head to hide himself from you.
âProbably can see what an ugly bastard I am, now you can see proper.â He huffs offhandedly, scratching at his beard and keeping his gaze low.
It hadnât occurred to him, this downside of fetching this gift for you. Youâll see him clearly now â flaws and all.
âWhat?â
You sound a mixture of bewildered and crestfallen and it draws Arthurâs gaze up.
Your eyebrows have knit together in the middle and you take another step, bringing you closer together still.
Arthur forces himself to keep breathing, even as his nerves flutter. Itâs an awful lot like one of Mary-Bethâs books, where she talks about romantics getting butterflies.
It feels more like a hive of bumblebees, Arthur thinks, trying to shove the feeling down. âSides, the two of you werenât romantics. You didnât see him that way.
âNot in the slightest.â You say, eyes never leaving his face.
Arthur isnât sure what your expression means but even as the attention makes him shift, something within him more selfish preens. Having your undivided attention when heâs surely unworthy of it has him standing a little taller, chest puffing out more.
âSay, has anyone ever told you that you haveâŠâ Your voice trails off, your words soft as the dawnâs first rays of light. Arthur forces himself to meet your eye again. âA little bit of green in your eyes?â
This time, you donât miss the flush of colour that creeps up Arthurâs neck.
He clears his throat, breaking your stare so he can rub the back of his neck; a futile attempt to cover his nervousness.
How in the hell else is he supposed to react to you all but waxing poetic about his eyes? You, enigmatic and more beautiful than a mayflower in the spring?
Heâd wanted your attention, getting you the glasses, but now he has it, heâs melting beneath it like butter in the sun. He's a grown man for heaven's sake. How is it that you can make him nervous like nothing before?
âNo, er, canât say they have.â He says, stealing a glimpse back at you.
God, Arthur was a fool. You look even more beautiful in the spectacles. Heâll surely embarrass himself with his besotted stare, unable to curb his fondness for you.
Thereâs something new in your expression too. Your smile turned more feline, as if youâve clued in to something he hasnât.
His hands fall to clutch his gun belt, prepared to retreat and perhaps spend his evening drowning himself in the river to escape the mortification of feelings. He's giving himself away â and if he isn't, the heat colouring his cheeks sure is.
âRight, well,â He nods, clearing his throat once more. âIf they workinâ jusâ fine, Iâll leave ya be.â
âWill you let me thank you first?â You ask tentatively.
Arthur doesnât know what that means but he nods nonetheless. He tries to keep himself from fidgeting, his hands flexing on his belt all the while. Blue eyes dart from you, to the ground, then back to you.
You only need another half-step to get close enough to do what you wish. Pressing up onto your toes to reach, you bestow a gentle kiss onto Arthur's cheek, just above the scruff.
It takes a great deal of courage to keep your eyes steady, heart in your throat, as you sink back down onto flat feet. You don't relent your closeness.
For one long moment, you drink in the politely stunned expression on his face. This close, you can smell the scent of cigarettes and woodsmoke on his clothes. It makes your head spin. Makes your heart tremble. Your lips still sear from the kiss.
Though your heart threatens to bruise your ribs with how hard its beating in your chest, you refuse to regret your boldness.
Besides, as Arthur seems to grapple with what's just happened, his smile and blush return in equal measure.
"...Why'd you think she left dinner so early? She's probablyâoh!"
Mary-Beth's voice cuts through the charged air.
Snapped from your tender reverie, you tear your eyes from Arthur and take a timid step back. You're well aware it's too late and both Mary-Beth and Tilly had seen the nearness you had been sharing with Arthur. You'll be hounded about it tonight, no doubt.
"Sorry, didn't realise we were interrupting." Tilly finds her voice before Mary-Beth does, the latter spluttering her agreements. Before they can retreat, Arthur cuts in.
"Weren'tâ" His voice comes out rougher than usual and he clears his throat, hat tipped down. "âinterrupting nothin'. Don't worry bout it, I was just leavin'."
He takes a few steps back and then pauses, heaving a heavy breath as if he was gathering his strength. Still lingering just beyond the entrance of your tent, you wait with baited breath.
Arthur's eyes dance over to the other girls. If you could be bold, hell, so could he. He finds your gaze.
"Shootin' tomorrow? You 'n' me?" He asks, voice low.
If you didn't know him so well, you might miss the slight apprehension in his tone. As if you'd say no.
You have to sink your teeth into your bottom lip to try contain you smile. Your fervent nod betrays your excitement anyway.
Arthur smiles then, more brazenly than you've seen before, before he bids you a goodnight with a final tip of his hat.
â
The crates where targets once stood are now gloriously empty, the six shattered glass bottles banished to a life in the dirt.
You stand, pistol still smoking in your grip, and grin triumphantly. The sun glints off the delicate frames of your new spectacles. Your vision is clear and your aim is true.
Hovering just behind you, as he had some days ago, Arthur hums his contentment. "'Atta girl."
You turn, looking over your shoulder at him, and in an instant, your smile in reflected back. More reserved than your own, but entirely for you. Arthur nudges you to look forward with a gentle hand, gesturing to something out in the field.
"See if you can hit just the edge of the crate next. We might make a gunslinger of you yet."
You huff, leaning back an inch to feel more of his warmth. Arthur smiles to himself, well aware of your tactics.
His hands drop to your hips, twisting them in a minute adjustment they don't need, just to hear the slight stagger in your breath.
"Why, Mister Morgan," Your voice is threaded with humour, exactly the colour of sunlight. "I'd nearly think you're just making excuses to put your hands on me."
With a low hum, Arthur lets his hands drag up an inch to rest on your waist. Your skin is warm, as is your smile. He can pretend the hot buzz of the day threatens make his knees buckle, though he knows it's entirely your effect.
"Maybe. That a crime?"
"Even if it were," You say, gaze slicing back to meet his. The taunt of a smile on your pretty mouth rivals all the beauty Arthur's ever seen. "Thank heavens you're an outlaw."
â
i get the privilege of bugging @illyrianbitch @wildfloweroutlaw with this new fic <3 heheh thanks for the hype that lead to this actually getting finished n posted !!
The Snake
Reposted cause I decided to fix the final details, but he is finished, and I'll do some test prints for my own sanity
âYou need to be more subtle with your expressionsâ
âI am subtleâ
My subtle expressions:
getting high and having sex with micah
âŠAND POST!!!!!
Bandos.
â No... TĂș no, Javier...
Cuando la banda se dividiĂł en Beaver Hollow, Matilda sintiĂł su corazĂłn romperse cuando Javier no se puso a su lado.
Bell Brothers
amos&micah
Itâs Our Anniversary
Summary: Michael, once again, fails to show up for an important event you had plans forâthis time, your anniversary. Tangled in a web of uncertainty, disappointment, and intoxication, how will his untimely arrival unravel the suppressed feelings and unspoken words youâve both kept hidden?
Pairing: Michael Jackson x fem!reader
Era: Bad
Setting: Encino, California. Spring of 1987.
Category: angst, fluff, smut, oral (f! receiving), sexual intercourse (p in v)Â
Word Count: 10,472
Note: For plot's sake, you'll have to pretend that the Havenhurst house wasnât inhabited by the whole Jackson clan. Sorry if thereâs any grammatical errors, btw. Also, I was listening to Anniversary by Tony! Toni! TonĂ©! when the idea for this popped up, hence the title. I think using songs for my imagines might be a recurring feature. Anyway, enjoy! R.I.P. to DâWayne Wiggins <3
Do you know what today is?
It's our anniversary
Made for you and me
Appareled in a Prussian Blue Valentino gown, you sit in the lavish dining room of the Havenhurst home designed with warm, Victorian elements. The intricately paneled walls display expensive oil canvases from the Romanticism and Renaissance periods. It was your boyfriendâs taste, not yours in particular, but still a stunning sight to take in. A pair of French antique chandeliers, adorned with crystals and bronze candlesticks, dimly light the spaceâaccompanied by the silky notes of Jazz Noir drifting from a record playerâblending together to set a mood of intimacy and relaxation.
Yet, as your dolled-up reflection looks back at you in discontent through the polished wood of the mahogany table, you are anything but relaxed. The loud dong of the grandfather clock adjacent to your right tolls aggravatingly for a third time, marking the three hours ago that Michael was supposed to be here. Unsurprisingly to you by now, he is not. That doesn't make the ache of disappointment any less painful.
For nearly the last year of the two you have been a couple, Michaelâs packed schedule has been a constant interference to the increasingly rare occasions you spend with each other. Around when you had met him, he had concluded his activities for the Victory Tour, taking on less strenuous pursuits in his career after the success of Thriller. There were the infrequent appearances or interviews here and there, but overall, it was the least busy he had been for most of his life. And in that time, he and you had plenty of it to build a connection.
Being an attorney and starting out on a semi-business basis, you assisted in some of the proceedings he and your colleague took in purchasing the ATV Music Catalogue. There were a few times they came to you for advice on matters of intellectual property, that aspect of law being your area of expertise. Yet, unusually, despite Michael hiring nothing but the best for his legal selection, he hadnât given any indication that he wanted to have a fiduciary relationship with you, even though you were the top IP lawyer at your firm. Your initial reaction was to be offended. After all the guidance he seeked, what could he possibly have against hiring you?Â
âWell, Mr. Jackson, I donât quite understand why youâd request my help, but decide to not appoint me to a position on your team. Is there some reason you think Iâm unqualified for the job?â Voicing your potentially out-of-line assumption, you still maintain a courteous tone, even though your pride was slightly wounded. However, he simply lets out a giggle at the question.
âItâs the opposite, actually. Iâd love for you to be a part of my team, but⊠it would conflict with another interest I have.â His aviator-shielded eyes cast downward toward the ground as he smiled coyly.
âAnd what might that be?â Your arms folded across your chest as your intrigue was piqued by the ambiguous statement, waiting for him to provide clarity.
âTaking you out to dinner on Saturday night. If you're up for it, of course.â
Your face donned with pleasant surprise as his words registeredâa bold approach to make with such a shy demeanour. Though you wouldnât say it aloud due to professional conduct, you had been an admirer of him since you were a girl in pigtails, starstruck by his strong voice and cherubic charm during that monumental premiere of The Jackson 5 on American Bandstand.Â
Having a celebrity crush as a youth was nothing uncommon, but actually being presented with the opportunity to pursue a romantic gesture from them as an adult was inconceivable. The part of you that subdued the adolescent fancy you held for him felt as if it had been sparked again.
And with indignation replaced by delight, previous aggrievance long forgotten, you happily accepted his offer. From that point on, you and Michael went on numerous dates. You remember the more intimate onesâtaking walks at night on the beach in Malibu or going to high-end establishments, such as opera houses and fine dining restaurants. The fun ones like going to the movie theater or to arcades in whatever crazy disguise he threw together. Most of them made you erupt into fits of laughter.Â
You always voiced the theory that the zany costumes were more of an attention grabber than if people actually saw him in his normal attire, to which he proved otherwise. Long story short, on one of your many visits to Disneyland, you both, along with the Mickey Mouse mascot you were being photographed with, were swarmed by a herd of hysterical fans in the blink of an eye. Youâre still not even sure how the limousine managed to get through the crowd as his security guards threw all three of you into the backseat.Â
âHoly fucking shit! What the hell is going on?!â The heavily muffled shout of the man beneath the cartoonish mouse head would have been comical, if not for the overly excited group enveloping the vehicle, packed in close and trying to get a glimpse at the King of Pop. You yourself were staggered at the mob and attempting to calm your jittery disposition. All the while, you looked over to find Michael simply smiling and greeting the rowdy bunch, as if this were an average day for him.
Realizing that it was just that, you acknowledged the grace and composer he held himself with as an extremely admirable trait. You couldnât fathom handling this lack of privacy and fanaticism since childhood. It was moments like this that made it click for you that being Michael Jackson, the popstar, came at a great price. To the world, he was this magical entity to marvel atâa wizard of entertainment. Before, due to the lack of familiar proximity, you used to hold that same image of him to some extent. But now, he was just Michael to you.
Michael, who had an affinity for Peter Pan and old Hollywood and Tchiakovsky. He always approached learning opportunities with eager curiosity, whether it was the sudden interest heâd taken in anatomy in recent months, or his humility in seeking mentorship from those he collaborated with in the industry, despite being a master himself. Michael, who was susceptible to internal struggles like anyone else and oftentimes wore himself down with his own expectations, but only because he believed in himself so fiercely. Michael, who was a beautiful fusion of contrasting energiesâchildlike spirit and wise, old soul, both wrapped in one. And the more of him you got to experience personally, the more profound and loving your relationship blossomed.
It carried on like this for a while, leisure time filled with frequent rendezvous, until his life started to pick up pace again. With the many filming projects he starred in, paired with countless hours of recording for his upcoming album, the days where you hardly saw him were steadily growing. You were able to distract yourself from his absence by getting lost in your own taxing work of large files riddled with dense jargon. Still, that only served as a temporary solution.Â
âI miss you, Michael. We never see eachother anymore.â You utter into the phone while absentmindedly twirling the coil cord around your finger. You were bundled up in Michaelâs bed, relaxing on your day off. But for him, he was busy in the studio, perfecting his sound for this new era of artistry.Â
An exhaustion-filled sigh is let out into the receiver. âI know. I miss you too. I keep running into all these problems with the tracks. And Quincy-âhe wants to go in a completely different direction with the sound than I do. Itâs like, I canât get anything worked out right today⊠Maybe I should just drop all of this and come home to you.âÂ
âWell, as much as Iâd love that, I wouldnât let you do it. I know how much this album means to you, to your fans⊠I want you to give it your all. Youâll get where you need to be. I know it. Just keep trying.â
Heâs deeply appreciative of your encouraging words, grateful to have someone so supportive in his corner, even though heâs aware his hectic schedule no doubt takes a toll on you as well. âYeah⊠I guess you're right. But still, I wish we had as much time together like we used to.âÂ
You think for a moment. âWell, how about we try our best to set some time aside out of the holidays for ourselves?â The suggestion was favorable enough, given the circumstances. And although there was some lingering resistance to practices outside of his past religion, such as festivities, he had opened himself generously to trying new things with youâsome, more willingly than othersâŠ
So, that was the arrangement you both agreed upon. For a brief period, while still new, it was upheld fairly well-âuntil it wasnât. The more activities Michael started to be bombarded with, the less he was able to keep his end of the agreement, and many of the days you had reserved for yourselves were cut into or entirely canceled by his heightened workload. But each time, you were understanding.
Like when he missed Valentineâs Day due to a conference he had for a potential brand deal with a fragrance line, which, by the way, ended up falling through, leaving the meeting pointless. Or when he got held back to reshoot some scenes for the Captain EO short film on your birthday, even though he was supposed to wrap up earlier to celebrate with you.
He would always return home with a peace offering, profusely apologizing for not being able to make it. And taking into account the extent of relentless demands in his career, it felt juvenile to be upset. So, you never truly expressed how much it bothered you, keeping it inside in favor of savouring the few moments you did have with each other.Â
However, tonight is a different case. Itâs your anniversary. And with each of the many reminders you gave over the last few weeks, he promised that no matter what, he would make it here by eight this evening. Instead, you found yourself alone, staring into the porcelain plate of chicken piccata you prepared, which has gone cold by now, with the hands of the clock moving farther and farther away from that designated time. As the minutes dragged on into hours, there wasnât a single call sent as a courtesy to explain his nonappearance.
For him to not only be a complete no-show but also fail to at least leave you with prior warningâyou were nothing less than seething at this point. The fretful bounce of your stilettoed foot carries on as you take a large swig of Chardonnay to ease the perturbance, waiting for the telltale sound of loafers padding down the marbled floors of the corridor.Â
Meanwhile, the fluorescent lights of Los Angeles pass by in a blur as Michael heavily steps down on the accelerator of his Mercedes-Benz. Rush hour has long since been over, leaving the roads relatively uncrowded, thankfully making his race home quicker than usual. As the traffic light turns red, wheels halting in place, his right hand rummages around in his pocket to pull out a velvet box. How could I have forgotten? He inspects the small item, twirling it around with his fingers.Â
What happened today was nothing short of chaos. Yet again, he and Quincy spent what felt like forever clashing over creative differences. Quincy, favoring the music production, wanted Al Capone to be on the album. Michael, on the other hand, preferred Smooth Criminal. Although both had the same thematic origins, with this song, he had a clearer, conceptualized idea of how it would look and feel in a movie shortâthe 1920s speakeasy scene, gangster suits and some influences of jazz in the dance style. After much discussion and weighing the pros and cons, Michael's decision ultimately prevailed.
The real trouble began when they actually started recording. From too much echo and reverberation polluting the sound of the tracks to Michaelâs vocals not landing where they needed to, he found himself stuck in a continuous loop of scrapping various sections of his work just to start all over again. The constant mishaps couldnât easily be pinpointed to one thing.
The stress of the ever-nearing approach of deadlines for this album, from music videos to preparations for the upcoming tour. Fatigue from rehearsal-filled days and sudden bursts of inspiration at nightâlyrics, harmonies, choreographyâthat left him sleep-deprived. Or the nervousness from the much more immediate cause that, somehow, amidst all the madness, had completely slipped his mind.
As he returned to the sound booth from a restroom break, fully intending to keep recording until he felt the song heâd been working on was perfected, his eyes caught the red numbers on the digital clock hanging above the entranceâ10:39 PM. Panic set in as the realization dawned on him: he was supposed to be home three hours ago for his anniversary. And though being so late to this very important event that you both had greatly anticipated did nothing to ease his anxiety, it was not the primary reason for it.
Michael had planned to turn this celebration of two years together into something even granderâa marriage proposal, but the potentially disastrous outcomes he had conjured up loomed over him like a dark cloud for weeks. As result, this entire studio session ended up in no meaningful progress, and astonishingly, heâd forgotten the one thing he promised he wouldnât. Quickly pivoting on his foot, he scrambled towards the rack where his leather jacket hung, clumsily throwing it on.
âSmelly, whatâs gotten into you all of a sudden?â The quizzical tone of Quincyâs voice doesnât falter his rushed escape out of the room.
âIâm sorry, but I really gotta go! Iâll explain it tomorrow!â He hastily offers to wrap up their session before rushing towards the elevator. After impatiently waiting for the platform to ascend and dashing in upon its arrival, he soon reaches the first floor of the main lobby, booking it towards the exit of revolving doors.Â
His attention is snapped from the burgundy colored cube in his hand as out of his peripheral, the stoplight turns green, putting the vehicle back in motion. As he carries on with his journey of about ten minutes left until he reaches home, his mind wanders back to the day you first met.
âThereâs some parts of this document that are vague. You think you could come over and take a look?â John, Michaelâs entertainment lawyer, had just had a brief exchange over the phone with someone moments ago before three loud knocks were heard at the closed door of his workspace. When it opened, in pranced a stunning woman, clad in a form-fitting red skirt suit, instantly drawing in Michaelâs intrigue.
âGood afternoon. Itâs truly a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jackson,â you chime in a genial tone, approaching with a beaming smile and extended hand, which he enveloped gently to shakeâa fluttering giddiness erupts at the touch. As the two attorneys began to delve into the content of the forms, their words hardly registered to Michael. He was too focused on the concentrated gaze with which you scanned the documents, the shape of your rouged lips curving over vowels.
His eyes wandered to your accentuated curves as you leaned over the desk to examine the papersâvoluptuous and alluring. And as you closed your revision of the material with an âIâm here if you need anything else,â he couldnât stop himself from watching the sway of your hips as you made a swift exit from the room.
You frequented over the next week, offering advice and providing context when needed. Sometimes, he would feign confusion with some parts of the text just so you could stay a little longer. Realizing that this was not the most practical way to prolong your being, nor considerate of your actual work duties, Michael finally decided to voice an inquiry.
âHey, John, whatâs your policy on dating clients?â The brunette man sipping on a latte pauses mid-drink with a puzzled look before lowering the mug.
âIâm flattered, but I donât go that way.âÂ
âNot you, silly. Iâm talking about her.â Michael waves in the direction of your office, lightly chuckling at Johnâs humorous remark. âLawyers and clients arenât allowed to be romantically involved, right?â He had done some research of his own about the situation, but wanted further confirmation just to be sure.
âCorrect. But technically, you aren't an official client of hers, so you could still go for it.â And with that answer, he was asking you out later that very same day.Â
Michael had been relatively green to the world of dating by the time you two had met. The seldom flings he had with women, kept under the radar, never developed into anything serious. With the way most of them soured, he wasnât exactly sure that he would ever find what he was looking for. He often encountered people who were more enamored with his status and what luxuries it could offer than with him.
And though he was more than happy to shower his lady companions with anything they desired, he mostly did so out of the fear of being alone rather than the rapture of being in love, yearning to experience the joys of having a significant other. But little did he know, a certain lively attorney would be the end to his string of unfulfilling situationships.
Of course, he hadnât initially come in with much expectation that the dynamic between you would deviate from the usualâgifts and opulence in exchange for company. Yet, surprisingly, when he did make such gestures, there was often protest and reluctance from you to accept them. You let it be known that while you were appreciative, he should never feel as if your affection needed to be bought, emphasising that just being together was enough.
And in the time heâs got to share with you, youâd become both his best friend and the light of his life. Mirroring his childlike tendencies, you enjoyed the likes of practical jokes, whimsical films, amusement parks. You both gave each other an equal dose of mischief and excitementâa temporary escape from the pressures of adult life.
On the other hand, the womanly side of you was self-assured and sophisticated. Despite the stipulations that came with his public persona, you werenât one to crease under the weight. With poise and level-headedness, you managed to navigate both the harsh anatomization and glitzy display of his idol life. And though the expectations and prying scrutiny were unrelenting, your devotion to him never faltered.
As the demands of the day faded and it was just the two of you, your tenderness was given space to flourish in the sacred confines of one another. In the sentimental conversations you found yourselves getting lost in late into the nightâconfidences, dreams, worriesâyou had become a part of him he didnât know he needed.
You possessed the ability to truly see and understand him, even when he tried to mask the parts of himself he feared would make you grow tired and flee. The solitude of his stardom, the sadness from past traumas, which he had believed for so long was impossible to escape, were eased away by the comfort of your unwavering presence and acceptance.
While these gloomy moods burdened Michael at times, he still held a great love and optimism about life. When it came to his craft, he was fiercely passionate and hopeful about all the possibilities he envisioned for himself, even when others thought he may have been overachieving or setting his expectations too high.
But you never doubted or dissuaded him from his aspirations. You were his biggest supporter. Always uplifting, always giving your undivided attention to his enthusiastic ideas about the next big thing he was going to do, eager to get a glimpse into the innovative makings of his mind. And when the work was tiring, your love and support motivated him to keep going.
As your endearments were reified through these saccharine partakings, he was certain that he wanted forever with you. He found refuge in your affections, your embraceâyour peace sheltered him from the harsher aspects of his success and internal pains that, at times, would well up so much he thought he could drown. When he felt as if he would lose himself to those turbulent waters, you were the gentle wave beckoning him back to shore.
And in all these things, his resolution to ask for your hand in marriage was absolute. However, there was an additional reason why he decided an engagement was fittingâto convey that his adoration had not been swayed or dulled for you. He was aware that the requirements of his work agendas held great potential to cause a rift in your relationship.Â
Consequently, he flipped between confidence that your feelings for him were so strong that you couldn't possibly reject him, to doubts clawing from the darkest corners of his mind, trying to convince him that his fame, his tireless routine, and himself, were still too much for you. As the in-house security guard granted him access through the ornamental gates of his estate, he began to feel that unease bubbling to the surface again.
Easing down the herringbone pavement leading to the main entrance of the house, he sees your car in its usual parking spot and places his directly behind it. With a sturdy twist of the metal key in the ignition, the rumble of the engine dies down, leaving him to collect himself in the still silence.
He gets out of the car, taking calculated steps as he approaches the double doors of the entry, apprehension swirling around him as he suspects that his untimely arrival will not go over well with you. His ears catch the faint rise and fall of music as he steps inside, quietly sealing the door shut. Slowly carrying on down the hallway, timidly walking past the threshold of the dining room, he is greeted by the upward flick of your gaze over the rim of a glass of wineâcold and distant. Without breaking eye contact, you chug the last remnants of the intoxicating potion before firmly setting the glass down.
âHappy anniversary. Glad you could join me.â Between your sarcastic remark and the displeased expression, heâs wary that he might not be able to recover easily from this one tonight.
âBaby, please donât be like that. Iâm really sorry. I ran into some trouble at the studio and lost track of time.â He offers his regret as he takes in the elegant layout you put effort into, left abandoned by his lack of show for the event. A twinge of guilt twists inside him.
âSave it. Iâm really not in the mood to hear any excuses. You swore youâd make it, and you didnât. Again. Simple as that,â you mutter with contempt as you move to grab the plates of untouched food, your heels clicking briskly as you make your way towards the kitchen.
From the wine you had been downing these past hours, to finally hitting a breaking point from the repeated absences from Michael, you let your frustrations flow freely for the first time. Heâs taken aback by the bluntness of it, and although his contrition is strong, he feels a growing urge to defend himself as he trails behind you.
"Yes, I know I promised, and I wanted to be here with you today more than anything. But with everything Iâve had to do to get this album ready, I have a lot on my plate. I donât think youâre being fair to me. It's not like I did this on purpose.â
His response only irks you more as you scrape the wasted meal into the trash bin. From his attempt to justify his actions to the fruits of your labor being overlooked, your tip-toe around full on confrontation has come to an end. With a heavy toss of the plates into the sink, not caring if they broke from the force, you sharply turned around, vitriol, tinted with liquid courage, pouring from your lips.
âNo, whatâs not fair is for you to leave me sitting here like a damn fool for three hours, and on top of that, not even call me to let me know where the hell you are!âÂ
Michael has never heard you yell like this before. In fact, during this whole two-year relationship, youâve never once had a serious argument. Small disagreements that were resolved so fast you both hardly remembered what you were upset over? Yes. But full-blown, furious disputes had never found their way between you. However, thereâs a first time for everything.Â
"Look, honestly, it just slipped my mind, okay?! You have no idea how bad my day has been. Canât you just hear me out? I donât know why youâre giving me such a hard time all of a sudden.â
He finds himself gradually raising his volume as well. Despite his plea, his fortified reflex drives his actions, clouding the more rational approach of trying to wind down this heated energy between you instead of fanning its flames. And youâre ready to throw back just as much fire.
âBecause Iâm fed up with you not being here! I have been for a while now. And Iâm busy too, Michael. My job is high maintenance, but I still show up for us. It feels like you're not even trying to do that!âÂ
Deep down, you knew that wasn't a fair or honest stance to take. Yes, you put in many more hours than most, plus the mental muscle necessary for your job was hefty. But Michaelâs career required even more of him to succeed. Truthfully, you just wanted him to feel the same hurt you were feeling. And as the anger in his gaze momentarily wavers into something dejected, you were certain it worked.
âI am trying! If I wasnât, Iâd still be working instead of standing here right now.â Thereâs a slight quiver in his exasperation as he feels his worst suspicions coming trueâhe had let you in, and finally, it had become too much for you to bear.
âWell, what do you expect me to make of it, huh?! Iâve been very lenient all the times youâve failed to show upâa full year, Michael. And now, this one time I desperately ask you to be here, you can't even do it!â You exclaim as you feel the familiar sting of tears threatening to spill. Somehow, you are able to uphold an unshaken demeanor of hostility.
You donât know exactly where this shouting match is taking you, but you werenât betting on the cruel grin that takes over Michaelâs face as he lets out a bitter cackle. Though, itâs quickly replaced by a scowl that shoots daggers through you.Â
âRight. So, Iâm just a terrible boyfriend who always forgets about you? When we got together, you knew how demanding my life was. I canât change that. And you said you understood, but it doesnât seem like that anymore. If itâs not something you can handle, what are you still here for?!â
There's an uncomfortable silence that settles in the air before the unmistakable sound of a sniffle breaks it. He immediately wishes he could take his words back as he watches the tears brimming your eyes begin to trickle down your face.
âYou know what?! Fine! Maybe Iâll leave then!â Your voice cracks as you exit the kitchen with a hurried stride, heading toward your shared bedroomâmore accurately, your shared suiteâto retrieve what youâll need for your departure.
Hot on your tail, heâs following you up the path winding stairs, shame and dread brewing in his conscience as he takes your declaration as an act of permanence. Contrarily, you were just heading back to your apartment in the city for a while to cool off. He feels foolish for ruining the evening and the proposal he had planned, sullied by his own vexations and rash need to have the last word. And the thought of this possibly being the end of your relationship has sent him spiraling.
âWait, thatâsâthatâs not what I meant.â A desperate attempt at an explanation to backtrack your decision comes tumbling from his mouth, but you are done listening as you barge through the door, determined to get away from him.
âWell you certainly said it, so you must have meant it.â Your vacant tone pulls at his heart, knowing that youâre shutting him out now. Still, with an earnest plea as he watches you shuffle around inside the dresser trying to locate something, he attempts to get through to you.
âNo, I justâcan you stop and listen to me for a second?!â He soon finds out what you were looking forâthe silver glare of your car keys dangles from your manicured fingers. No, no, no. This is not how the night was supposed to go.Â
âIâve already heard enough from you.â Your assertion leaves no space for bargaining as you turn to exit the bedroom, but Michael is towering over you with brooding eyes before you can take another step. Swiftly, he yanks the keys right out of your hand.
âYouâre not leaving me.â He canât lose you. Not like this. With firm conviction, he is hell-bent on not letting you set foot outside of this room. Aggravated by his antics, you try to grab the keys, but he just moves them farther from your reach. Like a childish game, he extends his arm higher and higher away from you as you stand on your tiptoes, pressed flush against him and struggling to retrieve the metal object.
âMichael, give me my keys back! Now!â You exclaim with heightened annoyance, slightly stumbling over your feet as he roughly pulls away from you, walking towards the glass doors of the balcony. He wouldnât dareâŠ
âI said youâre not leaving, dammit!â You watch, mortified, as he twists the golden handle to open the door before tossing the keys two stories down to get lost in the flower bed beneath, not even bothering to close it before he turns back around. Both breathing heavily from the exertion of your previous scuffle, you exchange a hard stare down from a distance.
âWhatâŠTHE FUCK is your problem?!â You shriek incredulously as he just stands there, glowering and not saying a word. Shaking your head in disbelief, you once again move to exit the suiteâthis time, to search for your keysâbut startlingly, Michael makes fast strides in your direction. Before you can register whatâs happening, he seizes your wrists tightly, pushing you until your back is pressed to the mural-painted surface of the wall.
Both puzzled and shaken by the impact of it, youâre ready to protest this strange action, but are quickly interrupted as the sudden crash of his lips to yours cuts you off. Wide-eyed with surprise and unable to break free from his vice-like grip, the vigorous motions of his mouth forces yours to do the same.
As your eyelids reluctantly start to flutter shut, getting lost in the sensation, Michael abruptly tears from the kiss before you fully cave in. Curiously, you watch as he walks over to the bedroom door and shuts itâthe snap of the lock setting in place rings through the hushed space.
His eyes are darkened with a new aura as he prowls back toward youâsomething fervent and burning. Suspense looms over you once he fully approaches, simply standing with his intense gaze sauntering over your flustered form. Clearly consumed by his thoughts, his close inspection leaves you wondering whatâs about to happen. That uncertainty is shattered by a low command that has heat stirring inside of you.
âTake your panties off.â
âAre you seriously trying to-â stunned at the vulgar statement, you start to question him, but are silenced by the sharp slap of his hand on your behind.
âDo it right now. Donât make me repeat myself.â The gruff command leaves no room for debate as he moves back, giving you just enough space to maneuver out of them. Though it takes you a moment to adjust from the initial shock of his harsh touch, you timidly do as he says.
The lacey undergarment slides down your legs with ease, briefly snagging on the rhinestone accents of your blue heels before laying crumpled on the floor. Slightly kicking them out of the way, you watch with anticipation as Michael hastily unzips his leather jacket, casting it aside without concern for where it landed.
He pounces back on you, meshing your lips together with fluid, eager movements that make your heart race. With just as much longing, your fingers tangle into the loose locks of his hair as your tongues become entwined through desperate pants into each otherâs mouths. His usual note of cinnamon, warm and sweet, dances on your taste buds, drawing you in more. With excitement heightened by this carnal entanglement, you can feel the slickness of it starting to build in your nether regions.
His kisses trace downward to the unblemished expanse of your neck where he begins to etch dark bruises, causing soft whimpers to fall from your lips. At the same time, his hands deftly shift the sparkly fabric of your dress up higher until the skirt crumples around your waist.
âHold this up for me.â He whispers softly, pulling away from the marks heâs painted into your skinâa canvas stained with burning desire. Obediently, your hands clumsily bunch up the coarse, lurex material as your core aches with need and expectation.
Once heâs sure your grip is secure, he impatiently falls to his knees, draping your right leg over his shoulder and grabbing hold of your hip to keep you steady. You gasp as his mouth now sears welts into your thigh, sucking and biting at the flesh with urgency as he inches closer and closer to where you crave him most.
His breath fans hotly over you wet folds before you feel him take a broad, firm lick over the surface. He prods farther, parting your lips to swipe directly at your slit, languidly moving his tongue up and down to collect your honeyed nectar. Carrying on like this for a while, muscle deliberately stroking along the strip of your womanhood, the erotic mixture of his saliva and your arousal making the movements smoother, he soon hones his attention onto your throbbing pearl.
Your breath deepens as he flicks and circles it at a steady pace, only using the tip of his tongue for the assault. And while the feeling is wonderful, it doesnât do enough to soothe the pain deep within you. With hips canting upward, you try to get more of him, but he pulls back to deliver another hard smack to your backside. With a yelp, you jolt at the sting, looking down at him with longing and frustration.
âYouâre only getting what I decide to give you. Understand?â He questions with blown out eyes. Youâre both intimidated and thrilled by the wild intensity in them. You nod your head stiffly, swallowing to alleviate the dryness in your throat, but you take thatâs not the response he was looking for as he slaps your behind again, much more powerful than the last. With eyes clenched, you grit your teeth from the lingering bite of it.
âI wanna hear you say it.â His stern declaration sizzles in the space between you, thick with tension, waiting for you to give a proper answer. Slightly quivering at the weighted feel of the atmosphere, you utter with avid compliance;
âYes, I understand.â Although quiet, it is satisfactory enough for Michael as he delves back into your warmth, resuming his manipulations. The pressure continues to leave you just teetering on the precipice of what you seek. You have to concentrate to restrain yourself from moving your hips again. Sensing your struggle to hold back, the rigidity in your limbs is obvious as you now release more constrained breaths, he fully envelops your bud into his mouth in an act of mercy.
As he builds the intensity of his motions with harder laps of his tongue and the harsher suction of his lips, he is practically making out with the drenched bundle of nerves. Finally getting what you yearned for, wanton moans climb from your throat freely as your body begins to slacken against the wall, swept away in this pleasant feeling.
Your soft, pleasured utterances fall upon Michaelâs ears like a sweet symphonyâhigh and melodious. His length is straining in the tight confinement of his pants, begging to be freed as the sugared and earthy scent and taste of your sex fills his senses.
With eyes peering up, he hungrily takes in the state of your form: the rapid rise and fall of your chest with each inhale you take, eyes shut, furrowed brows and mouth agape in blissed-out desire. The elegant bun your hair was neatly pulled back into has somehow come undone in the midst of this interaction, now flowing over your shoulders. God, youâre so beautiful like this. The salacious sight sets him ablaze, making him more zealous in having you fall apart for him.
The plush skin of your thighs curve over his fingers, grip squeezing firmer and opening you more as the fluctuations of his mouth become more vigorous, devouring you until heâs drooling on your sopped and weeping petals. In embarrassment and sweltering lust, heat rises to your cheeks at the slick and tacky sounds of his mouth passionately unwinding you.
The ravenous motions of his tongue against your clit causes your walls to deeply throb, sending a new wave of your essence to mix with the messy concoction between your legs. As Michael can feel the dribble of it streaming down his chin, he moves his thumb to continue the work on your button while shifting his head to take greedy laps at the dripping source, reveling in the taste of you.
As his tongue swirls and plunges deeper inside of you, he comes to the delightful realization that he would die happily hereâface basking in the warm paradise of your love, drinking down the sweet waters of your orchid. Getting lost in these elysian pleasures through tender ministrations and fervid caresses.
âMichael, Iâm so close!â You wail through needy cries as you feel the muscles in your pelvis beginning to be pulled taut. Thereâs hot pressure growing in your lower belly with the wish for release. The fibrous cloth of your dress itches your skin as your clammy hands struggle to hold it up, trembling as you can feel the force in you, building unbearably.
Michael groans enthusiastically into your core at the gratifying revelation, gripping your hips even tighter, intent on making you come undone on his tongue. The rumble of it vibrates deliciously against your lady bits, bringing you even closer to your peak when instantly, his mouth is surrounding your whole mound with loud, eager slurps, loosening his jaw to take more of you in.
And as he hotly consumes your sensitive parts, youâre finally granted that explosive release youâve been waiting for. Uncontrollably, ardent moans tumble over your lips as the tension in your walls spasms without reserve, sending bright tingles of pleasure radiating throughout your entire body.
Michael drinks your pleasured sounds and the sap of your orgasm with elation as he can feel his own organ twitching with excitement behind the barrier of his briefs. Slowly, as you come down from the rush of it, gasping for air, he pulls away to examine the results of his workâyouâre enticingly engorged and soaking. With a more delicate touch, he brushes featherlight kisses to the inflamed hues on your thigh before gingerly removing it from its place on his shoulder.
Rising eagerly, he brings you into another searing kiss. Although, the movements are slow and relaxed as he takes his time letting you taste yourself on his mouth. As his lips flow languidly against yours, sinking into the warmth of your embrace as you let go of your gown to wrap your arms around him, you both have a quiet understanding that youâre attempting to make amends for the hurtful things said and expressed during your earlier clash.
When you both slowly part from the kiss, the amorous, yet reverent stare he fixates on you with those deep, soulful eyes sets your heart aglow with a tender longing. Delicately, you lift your hand to cradle the side of his face, stroking the smooth skin with affection. His eyelids close in comfort, nuzzling into it as his lips gently peck at your palm.
Softly grabbing your wrist to break the contact, he sets your arm down, quietly stepping back while maintaining his gaze. His hands move downward to unbutton his shirt, fingers tactfully untangling the brass knobs from the red article of clothing. His expectant stare calls for you to follow his lead.
The plunge back making of your dress causes the sleeves to glide down your shoulders with little to no resistance, unveiling your bare chest to the cool, night air the open window lets in, causing your nipples to stiffen up. The textile plummets to your feet where you shuffle it aside, kicking your heels along after. With added effort, Michael eventually disrobes himself entirely of his leather and buckled garments, leaving him nude and just as exposed as you are.
Your pupils dilate as you take in the gorgeous sight of your boyfriend. The olive contours of his lean physique are illuminated by the pale glow of the moon. Your vision moves along the faintly defined muscles of his chest and torso, down to the neat trimming of his pubes, until they land on his impressive member, hanging proudly between his toned thighs and scattered with a constellation of vitiligo markings.
With hands trembling in inclination, you reach out to pull him back to you. This time, youâre the one to initiate the passionate dance of your lips. You feel him shudder, whimpering into your mouth as you firmly grasp his thick appendage, stroking it with purposeful motions. Pushing the skin back to circle your finger around his slit, a dribble of precum glides down, smoothly aiding the up and down caress of your hand to the velvety surface of his length.
Once stiffened to full capacity, he moves your hand to take hold of himself, placing the tip between your drenched lower lips, dragging it through the slick blendings of your previous foreplay. Leisurely, he rubs through your folds at a steady pace to liberally lubricate his girth before you feel the head gently breaching your entrance.
With breath fluttering into your neck as his head rests on your shoulder, heâs slowly inching into your awaiting canal. You feel slight discomfort at the burn of his width stretching you tremendously, but you do your best to relax the muscles, inviting him deeper into you. Finally, youâre stuffed full of him with his pelvis pressed flush to yours.
He peppers light kisses onto your throat, lifting your left leg up with a secure hold to cozily lay on his hip. And then, he begins to move with a slow, steady rhythm, pulling out all the way to the tip before delving back into you. By the slight grimace on your face, he can tell that you need more time to adjust to his size. But the slick, warm grip of your tight walls has him biting his lip in resistance, struggling to hold back the need to thoroughly ravage you.
Finally, he hears it. You let out small, pleasured sounds as heâs succeeded in fully loosening you up for him. The pain has been ebbed away into dazzling sparks of pleasure as you angle yourself upward to take him in deeper. With that queue, Michael gradually breaks from the slow tempo until he is rapidly driving into you, no longer able to contain himself.
Losing yourself in the feeling, desperate moans begin to fall from your lips in staccato with each powerful thrust he delivers to your watering core. Panting and groaning just as loudly, his nails dig crescent-shaped imprints where he grips your thigh, stroking into you relentlessly. Your own carve long, red scratches into his back, being overwhelmed by the sensations taking over your body as he hits your walls in just the right way.
âDamn, you feel amazing.â He speaks lowly through shallow breaths against your collarbone, hips continuing at a dizzying rate as he gets sucked farther into your wet and fleshy opening.
âS-So do you.â You barely are able to get the words out. The dizzying way he pummels your walls has heat stirring beneath your bladder. Blood rushes to all of your erogenous zones, heightening their sensitivity, begging to be touched. One hand rises to the aching buds of your breast while the other heads down to rub at the one between your legs, but Michael pulls back to quickly swat them away.
âBaby, please! Itâs not enough.â You let out in agony, desperate to have those extra flares of stimulation. Discontented at being prohibited from it, you feel tears of frustration stinging your eyes. Sheâs so needy. Michael thinks to himself with amusement as he takes in your expression.
âYeah? You want more?â The teasing tone of his question, paired with the lazy smile his lips are curved into screams of devious intentions. Youâre unsure of what he has up his sleeve, but you hope itâs something that puts an end to your suffering.
âYes!â You gasp out as he has now decreased his speed to deliver slow, long thrusts, stimulating you in a new and electrifying way as you can more distinctly feel him brushing against every ridge inside of you.
âOkay, Iâll give you more.â He stops his movements entirely to hoist your other leg around his hip, suspending you in the air. Quickly, you scramble to wrap your arms around his neck and lock your ankles to keep from falling. Just as soon as you are situated, once heâs certain his hold on you wonât slip, his hips begin to snap upward rapidly, hitting deeper and pressing right to that spot that has you keening with ecstasy.Â
âOh, fuck!â The hammering force of his strokes are so powerful that it has you roughly sliding up and down the wall. Your brace your legs tighter around his waist, unintentionally pulling him deeper into you. The lewd slaps of skin on skin, paired with the untamed moans and groans of rapture that rise from within your chests, echo pornographically off the walls of this ample suite.
His lips travel from your neck, down the swell of your breast where he takes your nipple into his mouth, suckling and nibbling it with fervor. While not fully sure if he means to or not, his pelvis rubs delightfully against your clit from the way he grinds you, giving you the relief you were after. He drifts his oral manipulations to the other breast, making sure it receives the same treatment.
With a wet pop, your tit falls from his mouth as he lifts up to press his forehead to yours. And then, he does something that has you nearly floundering out of his hold, not knowing how to handle this heightened pleasure that has jolts of electricity shooting up your spine.
Lightly undoing the lock you have around his waist, his arms allow the back of your kneecaps to rest on either side of him, causing you feet to dangle freely. In tandem, his arms mount you up to the tip of his erection, before dropping you back down all the way to the hilt with smooth thrusts meeting the falling motion. He does this over and over again until the stimulation of it buzzes in your nerves like static.
As wanton cries spill from your lips, back arching to take in more of his wild loving, he offers a smug question; âYou like that?âÂ
âOh God, yes!â It breathily rushes out as his hips are angled just perfectly to abuse the sensitive, spongy bump that lies on the upper part of your walls.Â
âI know you do. No one else can do your body like this, baby. Only I can.â He seduces huskily, breath fanning warmly against your mouth as he pulls you into a brief, yet searing kiss before moving to lick and bite at your neck.
Everything is steamy, slick and wet between you. A thin sheen of sweat coats your bodies, causing a light glisten to waver off of your gyrating forms. The mixture of your heady arousals strings off of him like gooey webs when he pulls out, acting as a glue that sticks you together as he slides all the way back in. It pools around where you two are joined, dripping onto the ground as more from each of you overflows.
And as he melts back into you, over and over again, you let out sounds that gradually expand in octave as the friction of him rubs you in a blissfully disorienting way. That hot and familiar coil in your gut is starting to wind tight, waiting to be snapped free. He lets out his own pleasured noises against the shell of your ear as he feels his own release building, eager to spill out. And from the way you clench around him, he can tell that youâre nearing your climax as well.
But somewhere beneath these carnal sensations, lies an inkling of distress in Michael that once this is over, it may also be the end of you two. The worry has vulnerability pouring through his words as he says;
âTell me you wonât go anywhere.â The tone pulls at your heartstrings as you feel him press a delicate kiss just below your jawâa silent request for compromise. You lean into the mild touch as your arms squeeze tighter around his neck. You feel his heart beating sporadically as his chest lies atop of yours.
âI wonât go anywhere, Michael. Ever.â Full of devotion, the words pass your lips, holding him closer to you as he litters more affectionate kisses to your skin.Â
âTell me you love me.â He whispers against your cheek, hopefully awaiting your response. Much like the storm of passionate emotions raging within him, he rolls into you with frenzy as he can feel an orgasm steadily approaching, setting his loins aflame.
âI do⊠I love you so much.â The declaration comes out in a desperate sigh, spoken against his lips resting on the corner of yours. He delivers a delicate kiss to itâa stark contrast to the wild way he works your body.
âYou gonna cum?â Michaelâs question rings in the air with eager expectation, wanting to feel you come apart on him. And from the way youâre constricting around him, he knows you're getting ready to.
âYes, yes, yesâŠâ You chant in a daze as you feel the simmer of your release starting to bloom with heat deep within your walls.Â
âGo on, girl. Give it to me.â The raspy command has you gripping him tighter, crying out as your canal overflows, showering Michaelâs groin with the rains of your earth-shattering crest. The waves ride out within you, currents of electricity shooting up from your pelvis, to your chest and spreading outward to every extremity of your body. You lean back limply against the wall, basking in the feeling.
As you descend from euphoria, Michaelâs thrusts continue, rubbing you into overstimulation. However, you make no complaints as his hips start to stutter their movements, signifying that he is on the cusp of his own climax.
And as he struggles to maintain his composure, the warm and gummy grip of your cunt tempting him to let go inside of you, he musters a moment of strength to pull all the way out, carefully letting you down to your feet as his hand takes over to replace your walls.Â
Your ears are doused in the shlick sounds he creates with fast and smooth tugs along his length. With eyes closed and face furled up in concentrated bliss, his mouth hangs ajar, emitting high, breathy moans as sweat beads down his brow. You donât think youâve ever witnessed something so beautiful, yet so erotic in all of your life.Â
Finally, with back bowed and fist clenched beside your head, his load shoots out of him in heavy spurts, coating his fingers and landing on your lower abdomen. He continues to stroke himself until every last drop has been squeezed out and his erection has died down before collapsing into your chest, wrapping his arms around your waist.
As you both use this moment to catch your breaths, your hands lift to gently stroke his head, curling the locks around your fingers, as he places a faint, yet lingering kiss over your heart, shifting the atmosphere into something soft and affectionate. You remain this way for a while, silently marinating in the calm of each otherâs presence, before Michael rises from your chest to lay a light peck on your cheek.
âWait right here.â He whispers it into your skin, pulling away to disappear into the bathroom, switching the lights on. It sends rays of yellow beaming across the floor, bringing some brightness to your dim surroundings. Your ears pick up the distant downpour of water from the shower running as Michael emerges back into view, walking over to carefully scoop you into his arms, taking you both to get cleaned up.
The calming scent of lavender permeates through the humid space, refreshing waters cascading down your bodies as your hands tactfully assist each other in washing away the remnants of your love making. Though you donât speak as you go through the motions of bathing, the quiet between you is peaceful. The care with which you attend to each other conveys the love you are feeling.
Soon, you both find yourselves half dressed, Michael in his standard pair of briefs and you clad in a pale night slip, laying in the plush and spacious comfort of his king size bed. Your fingers idly twiddle with each other as you lie face to face, not having said a word yet, though there is a growing urge for someone to do so. Coincidentally, you both break the silence with an uttered âIâm sorry,â at the same time. Staring at each other, you wait for one of you to carry on with what you want to say.
âLet me start.â You take the initiative to speak first, the satin sheets sliding off of you as you sit up to gather your thoughts.
âIâm sorry for how I acted tonight. Iâve always admired how dedicated you are to your career. Itâs just that, Iâve been so lonely without you this past year⊠I guess I just lost my cool from not saying anything about it for so long.â You say in a small voice, now feeling embarrassed for your earlier outburst. Michael holds a solemn expression as you reveal to him what youâve been holding back on, his thumb ghosting over the back of your hand in a soothing manner.
âNo, I should have been here to celebrate with you. I know itâs been a lot to deal with, me being gone all the time, but I never knew you were struggling with it this much. Why didnât you tell me it was this bad?â He questions with a tone full of concern. Weighing on him like a great failure, he feels upset with himself for not truly knowing the extent of the suffering youâd been dealing with.
âYour work means so much to you, Michael⊠I didnât want to get in the way of that.â You mumble the last part so small that he almost didnât hear it, but when it registers, his fingers delicately grip your chin, turning you head upwards to be eye to eye with him.
âYou could never do that, angel. Youâre important to me too, and I want you to let me know when things are difficult for you. Donât ever feel like your worries are a burden to me.â He proclaims in a soft, yet vehement manner, lighting your heart aglow with adoration.
Internally, Michael feels a deep settling nervousness as he decides whether or not to state his next words. But in keeping his troubles from you, that would be hypocritical to his previous declaration. With that reasoning, albeit a murmur, heâs saying them before he loses the strength to.
âWhen you told me you were leaving, I couldnât handle it. I never wanted you to know, but I think itâs best you do⊠I get scared sometime. Scared that you wonât stay with me. That what I do, who I amâitâll be too much for you and one of these days, Iâll come home and you wonât be here.âÂ
As a lone tear rolls down his cheek from the forlorn statement, you swiftly pull him into a tight embrace. Rubbing gentle circles on his back while he quietly weeps into your neck, regret fills you as you realize that you failed to even consider that he was being tormented by such doubtful beliefs.
âOh, Michael⊠After all this time, donât you understand that Iâm not going anywhere?â You say as you move him to face you once again, wiping away the wet streaks that stain his face.
âYou should know by now that you canât get rid of me that easily.â Itâs spoken with a light lilt of mirth to lift the mood, to which Michael offers a weak smile that fades just as quickly.
âWell, what about what you said tonight?â Raking through your brain, you scan to recall what he is talking about. It finally hits you that he mistook your âIâm leavingâ as an âIâm leaving for good.â
âWait, did you think I was talking about forever?â It shouldnât be funny, but the fact that he had such a big reaction over a minor misinterpretation of words has you stifling a laugh.
 â...Werenât you?â He asks with genuine confusion, looking at you with a pouty expression that you find so adorable, you canât help but crack, giggling at the hilarity of it.
âHahaha! No, baby. I just needed to clear my head for a bit⊠Iâll always come back to you.â Your laughter gradually fades into a tender utterance as you lovingly gaze into his gentle eyes while caressing his face. A bashful grin stretches across his lips, also finding humor in what transpired due to the misunderstanding. Still, there is a crucial, unresolved aspect of the night that keeps him on edge.
âI canât believe the night turned out so bad.â He mutters, thinking about how the sole thing he wanted to accomplish this evening was squandered by the fight.
âWell, Iâd say we definitely made up for it with something else...â You lightly muse, but itâs hardly noticed as Michael seems to be intensely absorbed in his thoughts.
âNo, it wasnât just the anniversaryâŠâ Contemplation pulls at his mind like a match of tug-of-war. Should he seize the moment and go forth with his plan right now, before he loses the courage to, or wait for another day to prepare more and make the event better thought out and more special?
âIâmâŠnot catching on. What are you talking about?â Thereâs something unreadable in his stare that has you growing puzzled. It only increases as Michael gets up from the bed, going to where his clothes are strewn on the floor, fishing out his leather jacket before removing something from one of the unzipped pockets. Whatâs he up to?Â
Michael takes one last look at the velvet box, mind set on going through with the proposal, taking a deep breath to steady himself as he treks back to you, each step seeming to span for an eternity with all the overwhelming emotions swirling inside of him. He comes around to your side of the bed, gently shifting your legs over the edge so you can see him better.
Much to your confusion, youâre about to ask him whatâs going on, but the words quickly get trapped in your throat with astonishment as he drops down to one knee. Is he getting ready to do what I think he is? Your wonder is confirmed by what he nervously verbalizes next;
âIn the two years youâve been in my life, youâve become my everything. I never knew it was possible to be so in tune, so connected with another person, until I met you. Now, I canât imagine spending a single day without you by my side. My love for you is infinite, and I want to share that infinity with you. So⊠would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?â
He pops open the box, revealing a beautiful, gold Art Deco-style ring adorned with white and emerald diamonds. Heart pounding in your chest with joy, youâre so excited and in disbelief that you almost canât speak. Somehow, you manage to rush out a small whispered âyes,â as your answer.
âYou will?â Michaelâs eyes lighten up as you start to nod exuberantly with a radiant smile on your face, dropping down to join him on the floor.
âYes, Michael! Of course I will!â You warble out, being overcome by exhilaration as his own hand shakily slides the shimmering jewelry onto your finger, wrapping his arms securely around you for a hug full of relief. And now, you're crying again, but for an entirely different reason this time.
âI just got you that Mickey Mouse watch youâve been raving about. I guess it kind of pales in comparison to your gift,â you let out a watery laugh as joyful tears flow freely. Giggling at your remark and just as elated, he eases his firm hold on you to pull you into a swooning kiss.
Giddily, Michael starts to plant smooches all over your face, which you giggle at and try to bat away the ticklish feeling. Though, he abruptly pauses his affections to give voice to something you had almost forgotten.
âOh! And, uh⊠sorry about your keys, by the way.â He offers sheepishly, feeling that the earlier action was a bit theatrical.
âThatâs okay, sweetie. Youâre definitely looking for them by yourself tomorrow, though,â you lightly jest, not even really concerned about it. And as you nuzzle back into Michael, squeezing him tightly, those terms are more than fine with him.
Note: Credits to @cafekitsune for the divider. Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed, likes and reblogs would be appreciated :)
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