Word Count: 4,135
Song Choice: R.E.F. Warrior’s Lullabye by Zack Hemsey; Redemption by Zack Hemsey
Special a/n: the last chapter of Remnants of Time! but there still in an epilogue. also, don’t underestimate the last chapter. haha, you have no idea what’s about to happen. hehe. (I hope it all makes sense.) please leave feedback!
Natasha came. She came with a look on her face that didn’t say anything, but when she was done taking care of Sam, who just groaned and whined a lot, she walked over to Steve. The blond wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but her face didn’t spoil any information regarding her thoughts or her emotions. Another weight weighed heavy on Steve’s shoulders - having left a teammate back, even if his reasons were justified. It shouldn’t have happened. After his fight with Tony, Steve had sworn to himself to never leave a teammate behind again. And yet, one assumption had arisen, suggesting Natasha might be working for Hydra or someone bad and Steve had fallen for the trick. He was ashamed.
And this unintelligibility radiating off Natasha just made it worse - Steve felt she punished him by pulling away every feature he normally used to read her. Her body language - silent. Her eyes - silent. Her hands - silent. She didn’t say anything and Steve had never been so irritated by the Russian before. For moments, he considered confronting her, but then he remembered how she had reacted the last time he’d done that. He frustratedly sucked in a breath of air. The redhead didn’t react to it. Steve didn’t have any words anyway. So he agreed to her silence.
When Natasha didn’t get the cuffs off his hands, Steve nodded, grateful for a topic that could start a conversation.
“They won’t go off. I’ve tried. Just go and get Zola and Lomawu. They-”
Natasha shook her head.
“I’m not leaving you back, Steve. We can only get this done together. And that is the whole truth.”
With those words, she left the blond. Speechless, Steve sat on the cold ground of that basement. Natasha had promised she wouldn’t leave him. Like he had promised to not leave her. And done it anyway. Steve shuddered. She must’ve felt shaken, to be betrayed by him like that. But even if she hated him, Steve hated himself more for what he’d done. If she really would come back, how could he ever apologize for breaking their trust - and quite possibly their friendship?
Only a few minutes later, the Russian returned, with a glass full of a swishing liquid in her hands.
“Why wasting our energy”, she finally smiled at him, “when there is a huge museum with tons of chemical substances right above us?”
With exemplary care and petite fingers, Natasha poured some liquid - probably acid - onto the chains and set a chemical reaction in motion that freed Steve’s hands from those unnerving cuffs holding him captive. When the blond’s bare skin came into vision, it looked scarred and bloody.
“Don’t worry”, Steve waved it off, “I’ll be fine. We should really get going, though. What do we do with him?”
“I’ve got that covered”, Natasha promised. “Rogers. There’s one thing. Whatever I do, I need you to trust me to do the right thing.”
Steve’s heart did a little jump. Natasha offered him a second chance. Just like that. Without hesitating. Without listening to any of his apologies or whatever. She knows what it’s like to make the hard call. Steve cleared his throat. Natasha was on his side and he wouldn’t mess it all up this time.
“You were the only thing that Zola and Lomawu couldn’t anticipate in their plan. You’re our ace. I got your back.”
With that, the two of them ran.
Natasha texted Clint mid-way. Steve and she had lost the way, whatever the way really was. Basically, the Russian was running and Steve just trying to follow and spot any possible ambushes or even enemy forces, but so far everything looked clear. He couldn’t afford to care about pedestrians right now. At least he was still in normal clothes. Those didn’t draw as much attention as Natasha’s dark suit.
Clint wrote: The Remnant is here. Hurry up or you’ll - Wanda! - just hurry! The hospital is close. Run north now.
His face hurt like hell, from that hit he’d taken from Bucky’s metal hand, but he didn’t tell Natasha that. Or about his neck, or his ear. She worried about enough things right now. He mustered her face that lit up when that hospital Clint was texting about came into sight, still way ahead of them. He wondered if she thought about Bucky. The image of the two Soviet spies snuggled up next to each other in that bed in Cologne reappeared in his mind. Maybe they were a couple and no one knew.
More thoughts found their way through the supersoldier’s mind and he let them. Hopefully, his friends could have a life after this, he tried to imagine it. Bucky and Natasha. She let the brunet so close so fast. Steve smiled.
Then, he noticed the eight level of the empty, abandoned hospital the looked like it was from the 50s. A window clinked loudly and then crashed. Someone’s head looked out of the hole, then an arrow flew past it.
Steve’s forehead was in wrinkles.
“What is it, Steve? What plan are you cooking up right now?”
“How does Clint text while he’s fighting? I just can’t… picture it.”
Natasha just stared at the blonde, as if he was the most bizarre person on the planet. Maybe he was. He shrugged.
“He uses the speech-to-text function, Steve.”
“Ha! So that’s how you text me while driving.”
Natasha grimaced.
“You’re too precious for this world, golden boy. Make sure to stay alive in the battle ahead!”
In shock, Steve noticed the helicopter on the roof of the hospital. The rotators began to move right then and two persons were entering it. A woman and a man, from what Steve could tell. Zola and Lomawu.
“Nat! Can you hit them?”
She checked her handguns and shook her head. Their ranges were too short.
“Didn’t bring my rifle. Sorry, Rogers.”
Steve kicked a stone in disappointment. They were too late. But the fight seemed to continue on the inside. A scream reached Steve’s ears and he sped up.
The two of them sprinted up the staircases, perfectly warmed up when lunging into the fight. One thing Steve noticed immediately was how narrow the old hospital’s hallways were. He spotted dents and arrow shafts stuck in walls and scattered over the floor. A strong draft greeted them, proving what a wreck this building really was.
Right now, Scott and what looked like an invasion of ants were attacked by the Remnant. Clint, however, tried to protect himself from the Winter Soldier. Wanda was the down, on the floor. She’d been hit. Steve ran towards the other end of the hallway, where the young girl tried to get back up. She struggled. Suddenly, a wall shattered, blocking his way. A person appeared in-between the debris. A growling person. With a knife. And a mask. And a blood covered face. The Remnant. Steve looked at her, quickly taking a defensive stance. Now he yearned for his suit.
The brunette woman was about to pounce on him when someone lunged at her from behind. Scott. More than brave, he pulled her hair. She hissed loudly and a shiver ran down Steve’s spine. She turned to Scott, kicking his legs away. He landed on his back and she jumped onto him. He was fast. He almost managed to tap his suit to make him shrink. But boy, she was much faster. In one move, she had both Scott’s arms pinned to the linoleum floor. Then, she did something Steve didn’t expect at all. A strange, low whistle rose over the fighting noise. It took a second to be returned.
Natasha yelled something in the background. Steve didn’t pay attention. His eyes shot back and forth between Scott and Wanda. If he made a run for her- someone shoved him from behind. Barton fell right into him, stumbling. His cheek was bleeding. His bow was broken. The Winter Soldier charged at the two men and Steve grabbed stones from the broken wall. The Asset dodged and smashed every single one.
“Bucky! Just-”, Steve screamed, but his friend didn’t listen at all. When Steve touched him, a knife slashed over his arm and a gun appeared. Steve kicked the handgun out of the Winter Soldier’s grasp. When he looked back up, Bucky was already on his way to re-engage with Barton.
Screams came from the room next to Steve. The Remnant, Rebecca, had broken Scott’s forearm. A bone was unglamorously sticking out of it. His shrinking device was completely crushed. A knife gleamed in the Remnant’s hand. Blood ran over her fingers. Three deep cuts opened up Lang’s thigh. His flesh was torn to shredded.
At that sight, Steve’s blood turned boiling hot. He scrambled to his feet, ran into the room and opened the door to smash the Remnant off Scott. She jumped back to her feet instantly.
But Steve just pushed the next best thing, a hospital bed, and slammed it forwards. Then, he pulled the Remnant into his strong grasp. Something pinched his leg. Darts. The poisoned ones. He didn’t care. He just ran, anger had taken control.
Steve crashed his victim against the next wall. Her suit collided with the stone roughly. Her mask fell, but Steve had to watch with shock how her arm turned metal from once second to another. How did she do that!? In battle’s defiance, he kicked her arm, making it slam against the worn out wall. The stones broke with a nasty crunch and she fell through it. Only then Steve realized it was the outside wall.
Only then Steve realized it was the outside wall. Shit. He’d just thrown Bucky’s sister off the eighth story. When he put his head outside the hole, there was no body on the pavement. No blood. Nothing. Steve couldn’t see anyone. Where had she gone in that one second?
Inside, someone gagged. Steve ran back. The Winter Soldier closed his hands around Wanda’s throat. But he stood so far away. Between Steve and him was half the hallway and a rapidly increasing pool of blood around Scott. If Steve just had his shield! Next, Steve’s hands grabbed whatever was around him and made a metal table whiz through the air, thumping right against Bucky’s chest. The brainwashed soldier opened his hands enough to have Wanda slip away. Clint tried his best but didn’t succeed at kicking the Winter Soldier. They fought a quick and intense hand-to-hand combat, which resulted in nasty oomphs and cries.
When Steve looked up from Scott the next time, Barton wriggled on the floor, in between Bucky’s legs. His jaw already looked blue and the rest of his face was smudged with blood.
Steve’s attention was dragged away by a stinging in his leg. Another dart. And a third. Even a fourth before the blond realized where they came from. From above. From the hole in the ceiling. He could not jump away when a heavy-looking device crashed down. Steve kneeled over Scott’s unconscious body, caving in when the massive device plummeted onto his back. He couldn’t help but scream at the piercing pain. That definitely leave a huge mark on his back. The Remnant jumped through the hole in the ceiling, landing softly on her feet. Steve’s desperation grew.
He wanted to run and help Clint. But if he left Lang, Rebecca would kill the unconscious Ant-man. He couldn’t do that. From the corner of his eye, Steve noticed Natasha coming in. Relief flooded his system. Natasha moved through the hallway, dodging debris like a dancer. A blade gleamed in her hand. The Remnant attacked Steve, using the distraction as advantage, and he huffed at the quick succession of punches being thrown at him. She knew his weak spots, he thought, she knew his every move. So he tried something else. Instead of punching her, he turned around, spotting exactly what he needed. A supply cabinet. Whatever was in there might save their lives. So he opened it, shuffled through the boxes. No medication but masks. Attached to cartridges spelling N2O. Laughing gas. Perfect.
When the Remnant rushed at him, Steve quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her down. With his leg digging into her back and holding her in place, he had one chance to pull this mask over her face. And it worked.
Steve held her arms together, he squished Rebecca as the laughing gas filled her lungs. She squirmed under his grasp, but relaxed after a few seconds. Steve didn’t let go. He knew he couldn’t underestimate her. She was dangerous.
Suddenly, a knife was plunged into his side. How…? He stumbled in pain and the Remnant stood up. She grabbed this stick Steve had seen before, on her back. It whirled around in her hands. Steve was breathing heavily. Every hope he’d built up until now faded like it had been an illusion all along. The blond looked up. He wondered if his senses failed him or if his pain was just layering over them. He hadn’t even heard Natasha approaching. The Remnant fought with her now, the brunette’s stick creating a crescendo of cracks and slaps whenever she hit Natasha. The laughing gas didn’t seem to affect her at all. Steve got to his feet.
His Ma’s words rushed through his mind. He could still see her in the white hospital bed. Most of the time, he pushed this memory away, but now it pressed into his mind with an unusual urgency. Her voice had been muffled through the breathing device on her face and her hands were covered in some kind of gloves. Steve still knew the rubbery feeling on his cheek when she’d caressed his face, when she had wiped his tears away. You will get through this. You’re stronger than this world, Steven. You’re an overcomer. And then she fell into an endless pit of silence. And Steve had become what his Ma had always seen in him. Grief crossed his heart once more. But it birthed a decision, one he had made a hundred times before. I’ll overcome this. Giving up isn’t in my options.
So Steve stemmed himself up, pulling the Remnant off a wide-eyed Natasha. Blood was smeared over the brunette’s face, probably from her nose. Her lips were cracked, too. Nat had collected a batch of scratch marks on her décolleté and throat. The Widow nodded at him and ran off.
“Hold her there!”, she yelled at Steve but didn’t say anything else.
But Steve couldn’t. The woman lunged at him and used a medical table to attack him out of the air. Right before she reached him, however, a red mist swirled around her figure. She hovered in the air. Steve triumphed on the inside. Thank you, Wanda!
What happened in the next moments was too fast for Steve to understand right away. An arrow shot at the Remnant. She caught it before it could tear through her chest. Her arm turned silver. It deflected another arrow. Steve’s head whipped around in shock. Clint stood in the doorway, his broken bow fixed with medical tape. A third arrow was already in position. It made a chucking sound when it landed in Rebecca’s abdomen. Steve cursed.
“Clint, stop! You’re killing her!”
“Got my orders, Cap. T’Challa wants her dead.”
“He- what!? Does he know she’s Bucky’s sister?” Clint lowered his bow, but the red mist still held the brainwashed assassin captive.
“Are you kidding me!? How many more of your kind are there? Shit, I need a list”, Barton turned around to make eye contact with Wanda, “can you fix her mind?”
Wanda hesitated, her fingers still spinning her scarlet veil.
“I don’t kn- no. Not here at least, I - Oh, oh my god.” Her eyes had become huge and she covered her mouth in pure shock. Steve followed her gaze.
On the other side of the room stood Natasha.
She held a knife to Bucky’s throat.
Steve’s heart pounded heavy, pushed fear through his veins and cold sweat onto his skin. Could he believe what he saw? He didn’t want to, but when the first drops of blood rolled over his best friend’s skin, he wasn’t sure he had a choice. Bucky’s hair was in Natasha’s fist, she pulled his head up to expose his throat. To cut through it. Blood dripped over the silver blade. Steve recognized it as one of Bucky’s. But Steve was frozen in his spot. What was he supposed to do? What was Natasha doing? Would words be strong enough to pull Natasha out of whatever had stolen her sanity? Would she really kill him? She used to call him Yasha, with the sweet undertone of a deep-rooted love. Steve hesitated. Was it another lie? A trick?
Clint shot a worried look at Steve. Wanda still held the Remnant back, but she was distracted too. Scott just continued to bleed out onto the floor, ants gathering around his unconscious self.
I need you to trust me to do what is right. This was as far from right as it could get. Steve wanted to cry. His body wanted to punch something. His heart felt like Natasha had pierced it with a stick. To roast it over a scorching fire.
Clint grabbed Steve’s arm. Do something, his eyes seemed to urge the super soldier. Thousands of words rung through Steve’s mind, but he didn’t know which ones to choose. He felt like every word was wrong. The Remnant growled from behind him.
“What are you doing, Natasha!?” Steve’s voice cracked.
“I’m putting an end to the fight. We need to destroy Hydra. And we know their weak spot. If they realize he’s dead...”
But what if their weak spot is also mine?
Steve mustered Bucky. His arms were lifeless, they were fixated behind his back somehow. His blue eyes were clear but pointed at the floor. Something with a handle was stuck in his side. Probably a knife. Suddenly, Steve noticed how Natasha’s necklace was missing, the one with the arrow. The one she never took off. Something wasn’t right.
“This isn’t the right cho-”
“Sometimes, you gotta make a right choice, not the right one. You said that. This is my right choice, Rogers.” Natasha sent him a challenging, but cold look. Steve sucked in a deep breath. Yes. He’d said that. He regretted it now. But choices never applied to Bucky. With him, there was no choice. Steve still refused to believe Natasha was serious.
“You can’t-” She dragged the knife further along his throat. Bucky winced. More blood. To prove her point? To kill him?
“Nat, I beg you-”
“You taught me about sacrifice, Steve. It hurts. But it needs to be done. I’m the Black Widow”, she said mechanically and repeated something like a mantra, “Remember. Execute. Forget.”
It was another of these moments Steve realized he wasn’t trying to save two people from brainwashing and conditioning, but three.
Then, Natasha cut into the flesh. Bucky gasped.
In a fraction of a second, a knife shot into the spy’s shoulder. The Remnant sprang into action, ripping herself out of the control of a distracted Wanda. Natasha hit Bucky’s head full-force with her handgun and he collapsed to the ground. A dart dug into Natasha’s arm but stuck in her suit. Wanda ran over to Bucky and placed her hands on his cheeks. Red mist appeared around him.
“Steve!”, Wanda yelled. “Grab her by the neck!”
Natasha fought with the Remnant, trying to keep up with the brunette’s speed. The Remnant seemed furious, she kicked the Russian into her face and stabbed her a couple of times. Her metal arm crushed Natasha’s gun. The Russian seemed a little dizzy, too. Her right arm seemed limp.
“Steve, now!”, Wanda yelled again. Steve moved and tried to grab the Remnant’s throat.
“By the neck! Hold her up!”
“Her neck will break!”
“Just do it!”
So he did. He grabbed Rebecca’s neck, channeled all his leftover power into a firm grip and lifted her off the ground. To his surprise, she went completely still from one moment to the next. Everything dropped from her hands. The blades clanked against the floor, the sound echoing through the room in this sudden silence. The Remnant just hung there, almost like someone had pulled the plug. Her eyes went around the room, scanning it. But she remained completely still. Steve was stunned. If he had known it was this easy to stop her...
“How did you know, Wanda?” She smiled.
“He did”, she pointed at Bucky, who was still out of it. Bucky’s memories had saved them.
“Finally”, Natasha breathed. “Thank God that stupid plan worked. Barton, help me find a supply cabinet.”
The two of them rushed through the rooms and hallways. Steve was relieved when they could somehow stop the heavy blood flow that originated in Scott’s leg. The boiling rage at Natasha’s stunt with his best friend was still there, but he swallowed it. Now was not the time. Natasha approached him with bad news.
“Scott lost a lot of blood. But I know we have reserves in the Quinjet you left Wakanda with.”
That was terrible. Steve took a deep breath.
“I parked it in France, Nat.”
“I know. It should be here in a minute. I already alerted medical assistance. There will be a doctor on board.”
Steve was very grateful when Wanda relieved his arm by taking the Remnant for him. Now, he built himself up before Natasha, the woman he once thought he could trust. He grabbed her elbow when she made a step back. She winced. Steve noted that her arm was broken, so he gently let go. But she would have to talk. Too many secrets stood between them.
“What game are you playing here? What do you really want?”
“Vacation. I guess that’ll have to wait, though. To save all your asses, ‘til then?”
A police siren broke the deafening silence. Steve still didn’t know which words to use with the spy before him. The low rumbling of a Quinjet sent relief though every person in the room.
“We should go”, Natasha said.
“Where to? We can’t go back to Wakanda. We need to hide.”
Natasha smiled kindly and pulled something out of her pocket. A key?
“The director of SHIELD gave me this. We have full access to a hidden base in the Swiss Alps.”
As expected, Steve wasn’t satisfied with that.
“SHIELD, huh. And what flathead was bold enough to dig them out of that pile of rubble?”
“Steve, I can’t tell-”
“You can and you will. You owe us a lot, Natasha, and this is the least you can do.” After almost cutting Bucky’s throat.
Natasha nodded, her forehead wrinkled as if she was thinking hard which words to choose.
“The director won’t appreciate it. His identity is more than highly confidential intel. His business with us is personal too, that’s why he insisted on contacting you himself.”
“Who is it? Nat”, Steve’s voice sounded like a warning.
“Coulson.”
“Bullshit. He died on that helicarrier…”
Natasha smiled, a smile that Steve had seen a couple of times before, in dark hallways and on airy rooftops. The smile that announced another trick by the Black Widow, one where she lured people into her net, making them see and believe something that was an illusion. It marked them as her victims.
“Everyone dies at one point, Steve. Some just know how to turn it into a game.” The Captain stared at her, signaling the redhead to go on.
“Sometimes, dying ensures survival. I’m a spy. Never wondered how I’m standing in front of you, alive, unharmed? In the Red Room, we practiced dying every day.”
“You practiced lying.”
“Death is just like me. One truth out of many. Whoever believes it is a fool.”
With that, she turned around, announcing their way out of this place.
It happened on the stairs. In just a couple of moments, fate, or more likely fatigue, decided to turn everything around. Wanda stumbled over some debris on the stairs and fell. At the same time, she let go of Rebecca, who had stayed completely focused the entire time, waiting for a split second of weakness like this one. The Remnant jumped, probably the one with the most power in her legs out of everyone, and disappeared in the ceiling.
Steve groaned. He could’ve screamed at everyone and everything. She was gone. They’d lost her. Sam had been right. Their whole mission was a disaster.
The police sirens sounded really close now.
“Come on, guys, get going!”, Natasha encouraged, leading them all to the Quinjet on the roof. She knew they couldn’t waste any time here. The world was in the mood to welcome Steve Rogers and his friends back yet.
The police cars made their way through Munich’s terrible traffic and reached one of the city’s old abandoned buildings. The old hospital was the place civilians had reported.
Gun shots. Arrows. Red mist.
A whole police squad entered the building, overly cautious and handguns raised. They were ready to shoot, to put their years of training into use.
All they found, however, was a halfway collapsed eighth story and puddles of blood on the floor of an old, abandoned and decayed hospital.
Masterlist
Please leave feedback. My ask box is also open for your words/screams/tears/emotions.
These hands on me were not his. This body, this mouth, these lips. Not him. Not his indescribable heat and passion, not his hot whimpering breaths, not the sweet smell of his sweat and the sound of his deep raspy moans. Not his tender kisses, not his delicate touches that could light my skin on fire. None of it was him.
“S-stop…” my voice stuttered out weakly. My hands flew to his shoulders as his grimy fingers pushed further down into my panties to slip between my folds and I gasped in a stunned breath, my thighs trying to press closed but stopped by the width of his body.
“I know you don’t mean that, sweetie,” The words were slimy against my heated skin as his tongue lapped at my breasts.
“No,” I mumbled a bit louder at him, desperately trying to gather the strength in my body, past the swirling buzz of alcohol, to push his mouth from my skin. “Get...off me.”
Hovering just above me, he licked at his lips as he forced two of his fingers inside me, pushing them in deep, a malicious smirk pulling across his face as my eyes went wide in fear. My breath quickened in my chest at the feeling of his fingers roughly beginning to pump inside me, my mouth dropping open in shock before he violently grabbed around my chin and quickly leaned down to slam his mouth to mine.
His tongue shoved past my heavily pursed lips, sweeping horridly in my mouth, my nails scratching into the skin of his shoulders as I whimpered with disgust under him. With my hazy mind racing, I brought my knees up and locked them up under his hips, shoving him off my body with everything I had in me.
“Get the fuck off!” I yelled, my voice straining through the thick air of my room as his lips left mine with a smack and his hand yanked out from between my legs. He toppled over on his side next to me, his brows furrowing in deep as I scrambled to do up the buttons on my pants. “You...you need to get out of my house.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” He growled out at me, pushing himself up off my bed, “Fuckin’ whore.”
Slamming my hands to the mattress beside me, I sat myself up in my bed. “Get the fuck out of my house! Now! Get out!” My voice went high, cracking as it echoed off the walls of my bedroom.
He fumbled with his belt, shaking his head in a gruff as he hastily grabbed his jacket off the end of my bed. “Now I know why the bloke dumped your ass. Bringing me round to yours, only to do this fucking shit! Just a teasing little slut, you are.”
I choked back a breath, my eyes glazing over as I watched him trudge out of my bedroom and right through my front door, slamming it closed behind him.
Pulling my knees to my chest, I dropped my head in my hands, the tears I’ve been holding back for the past four days unwillingly pouring hot down my cheeks. I sobbed, truly sobbed, my body shaking as I struggled to take in breaths, my toes curling into the sheets as the wet tears ran down over my chin and jaw and down my throat, soaking through the thin material of my pants. I wiped at my cheeks with the back of my hands, lifting my head from the cradle of my knees and sucked in a deep jumbled breath. Rolling my lips into my mouth, I let my tongue lick at the wetness of my tears that had pooled in the corner of my mouth.
Staring up at my ceiling, I squeezed my eyes shut, the tears starting to well up again as the thought of Niall ran incessant through my head. I didn’t even know what I was doing anymore. I laid my body down on my side, curling into a ball as I buried my face deep into my pillow, just letting the tears fall as they wished. My head throbbed, my body ached, falling mercy to the pain. The pain that the stranger had caused, the pain of my own emotions ripping through me, the pain of missing him. Wanting him. Needing him.
I calmed down after awhile, my face dry and tear stained as my fingers curled into the material of the pillow case, my chest quivering as I struggled to regain my normal breaths. My eyes slowly closed, becoming heavy through the tears and watching the movement of the shadows on my wall from the glare of the moon that bounced through my windows.
I didn’t know what time I fell asleep fully, early morning I was sure, but I did know the picture of his beautiful smile and the joyous sound of his laugh were the last things playing through my mind before I finally drifted off.
Banging. Loud, rapturous banging. I couldn’t tell if it was the pounding in my head from my impending hangover or someone actually at my front door. Rolling over, I squinted past the bright sunlight that reflected off my stark white bedroom walls as I yawned. More loud banging. Definitely not just in my head.
Letting out a groan, I tossed my legs over the side of my bed, stumbling up and rubbing the front of my face in my hands. Looking down, I realized I must have taken my pants off sometime in the middle of the night, my legs bare except for my long sleeve tee that barely covered my thighs. Grabbing my big wool cardigan that hung off my closet door, I slipped it on as I glanced in the mirror. I looked rough. Like I had been a crying, emotional mess all night long or something. Rolling my puffy bloodshot eyes at myself, I shuffled my way out of my bedroom.
Another loud banging. Had to be Clare. Only she would be this damn impatient.
“I’m coming, Clare...Jesus,” I grumbled out, pulling the fronts of my sweater closed over my body.
Reaching out, I grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open, my hand coming up to tuck some fallen hair behind my ear as I flicked my eyes to the ceiling. “You are so impatient, Clar–”
“Hey, Sum.”
My stare grew wide, my lips parting softly with the hitch of my breath as my heart thumped crazy in my chest. “Niall.” It came out more as a breathless whisper as my mind tried to wrap around the fact that he was actually here, standing at my door right in front of me.
He looked fucking wrecked. Completely. Probably more than me and that was saying something. We both stood there, silent and just staring. His hair was an unclean wild mess, dirty blond pieces sticking up every which way. Eyes a dull, washed out grayish blue, something I had yet to see. The color in his face was drained, his usually soft and rosy skin showing signs of stress with a few blemishes along his chin and jaw that pressed out from his three day old stubble. I dropped my eyes and swallowed hard as he reached up a hand to run nervously through the front of his hair.
Stepping aside, I let him in and carefully closed my door as I turned to face him, my stare floating off to the side as my arms hugged tight around my middle. “Niall...w-what are you doing here–”
“I’m so sorry, Summer,” he blurted out, my eyes flicking to his as he stood there, chest rising high, the words spilling impetuously from his thin dry lips, “I...I don't know what happened. I fuckin'...I was just talkin' to her and...and we were drinkin' and I was pissed...I was so fuckin' pissed off, Sum, I was hurtin', ya know? And ya didn't pick up the phone and–"
"Niall, slow down,” I said, shaking my head at him, “What are you talking about?"
"I...I slept with Melina.”
Gasping in a breath, it caught in my throat and my eyes began to glass over as they quickly darted with his. My heart sunk deep in my chest and I forcibly swallowed down some rising sick. “What?” I barely breathed out to him.
He shook his head, squeezing his eyes closed as he pushed his two hands through his hair, gripping tight at the back. “I...I don’t even know. I-...everythin’..." His words couldn’t even come out now, the pain in his face apparent as he darted his eyes, trying to think of what he wanted to say. Breathing heavily, I kept my stare on him, pressing my lips together desperately fighting off the urge to completely lose it and burst out crying in front of him.
“It...it didn’t mean nothin’ Summer, she means nothin’ to me, I swear. It was a stupid fuckin' mistake...it should’ve never fuckin’ happened–”
“Why did you even go to see her in the first place?” I asked him, my voice soft. His lips parted, brows knitting as he searched my face.
“That’s what I was tryin’ to tell ya, that mornin'. I was meetin’ with her to tell her to leave me the fuck alone, to leave us alone, that it was over...for good. I...I don’t want nothin’ to do with her anymore.”
Running my tongue along my dry lips, I drew in a shaky breath as I fixated my eyes to his pleading ones. Pulling in my face, I tilted my head to the side. “Then why did you sleep with her?”
The question cut through the both of us like a knife, neither of us really having any solid answers. He dropped his stare for a moment before taking a breath and swallowing hard, slowly looking back up at me. “I don’t know, baby. I was...everythin’ was so fucked up and I was pissed off, fuckin’ mental. She came on to me and I was...I was already drunk and...and I know that’s not an excuse, I know, but I…” his voice trailed off a bit as he glanced to the side, his blue eyes beginning to water. He tipped his face down his and reached up to wipe at his nose with the back of his hand as he sniffled slightly. “I thought with everythin’ that happened,” he flicked his eyes back up to me, “Our fight and I kept tryin’ to call ya, and...you didn't answer, Sum, you weren't answerin' me! I just...I thought it was over. I thought...I thought you were done with me. I’m a fuckin’ fool, Summer.”
I bit at the corner of my mouth, my eyes falling soft on him as he shuffled on his feet, his hands shoving into his pockets. “You’re not a fool, Niall.”
“I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Summer,” he said, catching my stare. “I knew...I knew as soon as it happened...I could never-…it didn't mean nothin, you gotta believe me, it didn't mean nothin'...I’m so sorry.”
I saw his face turn down, his tongue darting out to lap nervously at his lips. Those eyes, those usually bright eyes so clouded with pain and regret. It hurt my heart to even look at him. Letting my eyes fall closed for a moment, I sighed as I choked back my tears. "Niall, it's fine."
His brows fixed in as he shot his eyes to me. "It's...it's fine?"
“Yeah, it’s fine. Whatever,” I spoke up as I turned my face away, my eyes flooding with tears as I fought to keep my chin from trembling.
“You don’t seem fine, Sum,” he said, his voice low, “Look at you, you’re cryin’.”
I shot my watery stare back to his, my brows pulling in. “Well, what exactly do you expect me to say to you, Niall? You fucked her, okay, you fucked her. There’s nothing you or...or I can do to change that. It is what it is."
"I just...I don't want ya to be mad at me."
I let out a huff of breath. "Jesus Christ, Niall. I’m...I'm not mad, I’m just…” I said softly, my words faltering.
“I’m sorry–”
“Stop saying that!” I shot back at him, my eyes squeezing shut as I rolled my lips into my mouth and tipped my head down.
He stood there, quiet as his mouth parted, his eyes fluttering and slowly dropping to the floor. I let out a small sigh. “You don’t have to keep apologizing, Ni. I know you’re sorry.” I watched him nod his head slightly, his one foot kicking out in front of him as he sucked his bottom lip into between his teeth before raising his head to look at me. “And I’m not mad at you, okay, I’m just...trying to...process everything,” I told him, my voice breaking off into a whisper.
I kept my stare down at the floor, my fingers gripping tight around my own waist. I could hear the sound of his heavy breathing and my heartbeat ringing in my ears. I didn’t know what I wanted him to say, but literally anything at this point would be better than this deafening silence between us.
“I...I don’t know what else to say, Sum,” he finally mumbled out to me, making my eyes shoot up to his. I flicked my stare between his hazy blue eyes, down the freckled slope of his nose and over the soft light pink of his lips. The tiny flutters in my stomach went rampant as I stared at him, my palms beginning to sweat in my curled up fists as my breaths began to quicken in my chest.
“Just kiss me,” I whispered as I swallowed hard, the tears welling up in my eyes.
His eyes flicked with mine, his head tilting to the side a bit. “What?”
“I just-...I want you to kiss me,” I breathed out, between tiny shakes of breaths, “Please…”
My small voice trickled off as a few tears rolled down my cheeks. My eyes shot off to the side as I reached up to dry my face with the sleeve of my sweater and felt him step closer to me.
The heat from his body immediately radiated onto mine and I longfully stared up at him, my body yearning to lunge forward and just latch onto him, fling my arms around his neck and kiss him until I could not kiss any longer.
Sniffling back my tears, he reached up to wipe at my wet cheek with the pad of his thumb. I nuzzled into the heat of his hand as he gently cradled my face, eyes glued to mine. “You have no idea how fuckin’ bad I’ve missed ya.”
He brought his other hand up to cup my cheek, his fingers curling into my unbridled mess of dark hair as he leaned in ever so slightly. Pulling in a breath, my eyes fluttered closed as I felt his breath spill out over my face, mouth hovering as his lips barely brushed at mine. My lips parted in anticipation, my hands gripping into the wool material of my sweater as tight as I could.
“I’ve missed you too,” I mouthed to him, the words broken and meager as my body began to ache, desperate to feel him on me. He playfully pushed his nose against the side of mine, his hot breath swarming against my wet parted mouth.
“Can I kiss ya now?”
My heart swelled in my chest, a nervous breathy laugh slipping past my lips. I wanted him to, I wanted him to kiss me so fucking bad I could taste it. “You never have to ask me that,” I breathed out as I tipped my chin up to finally meet the soft press of his lips.
With my knees practically going weak beneath me, I pulled him deeper into the kiss with the movement of my lips, my hands unclenching from my sweater to lightly rest at the front of his stomach. He held onto me, his shoulders raising high with the sweet slip of his tongue in my mouth. My hands ran up his chest, stopping to feel the rapid beat of his heart against my palms before moving them up to cup loosely around his neck. His breath filled my mouth, his nose nudging softly at my cheek as he kissed me deeper, his hands sliding down my back to wrap me fully in his arms.
I melted into him, the reality of everything that had just happened completely washed away with this one singular moment. I wasn’t mad at him, I didn’t have the right to be. I just wanted him. I wanted him to be mine, to be with me and regardless of how we got there, that was exactly where he was. With me.
Snaking my arms to wrap around his neck, I stood on my tip toes as my lips moved perfectly with his, the taste of him delicious on my tongue. I ran a hand through the back of his hair, his hands curling into the thick material of my sweater at my lower back. Breaking the kiss to gasp for air, he pushed his forehead to mine, a shallow chuckle slipping out. “Never thought…” his voice cracked as he gripped a hand to the back of my head and tipped his face up, pushing a kiss to my forehead. “I’m so happy I get to do that again,” he whispered against my skin.
Keeping my eyes closed, I hummed lightly in agreement, my fingers rubbing against his scalp as I stayed held tight to him, never wanting him to let me go. His big hand softly ran up and down my back, his mouth coming down to press tiny pecks to my lips over and over.
“Stay...with me,” I blurted out through half a breath.
He pulled back a bit, my eyes peeling open to look up at him. “You sure?” He mumbled, his hand coming up to brush some hair from my face. “I will if ya want me to. Or if ya want me to go–”
“No,” I cut him off, his hand cupping around the back of my neck, “I want you to stay. I just...I just want some cuddles, okay?”
“Cuddles?” He mocked in my accent, the corners of his mouth tugging up.
His stare caught mine as I pouted out my bottom lip and lightly nodded my head. The normally bright blue of his eyes was slowly seeping back as he licked at his lips and gave me a full smirk. “I can most definitely do that, darlin’.”
Biting my lip into a shy smile, I tightened my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. My eyes fluttered closed again, my face tucking down into the crook of his throat as my lungs inhaled that comforting familiar musky scent of him. I missed him. So much.
His arms held me tight, his face coming down to place a small tender kiss to the curve of my neck as his warm breath pulsed out against me causing a ripple of goosebumps to trail over my exposed skin. Slipping his body away from mine, he gave me a little nose scrunch, grabbing my hand as they dropped to my sides and began pulling me towards my bedroom. He looked back at me over his shoulder and I was met with a smile.
“C’mon, baby, let’s get our cuddle on.”
Wrapped in his arms, the world seemed breathless again. His sweet warm face nuzzled down into my neck, his nose buried in my hair as it fell across my shoulder. His hand laid at my chest as my face rested on his upper arm. My back was pushed against his front as he cradled me and held me tight into him, soft 'I’m so sorry’s being whispered into my ear.
His gentle lips brushed across the flushed skin of my neck, making my shoulder raise in a playful tickle. With his arm curled around the front of my body, his fingers gently grazed along the back of my hand, slipping his fingers between mine.
I drew in a breath, settling into him as my eyes fluttered closed in contentment. Bringing our hands up towards my face, I pressed my nose between the peaks of his knuckles, slowly inhaling the scent of his skin. I felt a short chuckle blowout against my neck.
“What?” I whispered, turning my face slightly.
“Nothin’,” he mumbled back to me, pushing his cheek into my shoulder. I ran the fingers of my free hand down the length of his arm that rested under my head, my fingernails forming small red lines in his pale skin. “I know ya don’t want me to keep sayin’ it, but I don’t care, I’m gonna keep tellin’ ya how sorry I am. Everyday.”
“You don’t have to do that, Niall,” I whispered back, pressing the side of my face into the swell of his bicep.
“I do,” he said, shifting a bit to fit a leg in between mine, “And I’m gonna. And I want ya to know the truth. I met up with her that night you left me house and I’d been drinkin’ already ‘cause I was upset...’bout me and you. And...and then things just happened and I didn’t know how to stop it. I wanted to, but...I’m a fuckin’ idiot, Sum. I shouldn’t’ve gone over there, I...I shouldn’t’ve been drinkin'. I should’ve tried harder for you.” I felt his mouth graze right below my ear, my eyes flicking about my room as I listened to him. “I wanted to call ya back when you called me, I did, but I was ashamed, I thought...I thought you were gonna hate me. I hate meself for doin’ that to ya.”
His fingers gripped firmer to mine, his voice soft as he continued. “I know...I know what ya say we are, but it doesn’t make it any less wrong what I did. And...I had to tell you what happened. I had to. I couldn't live with meself if I didn't. And I just missed you so much, Sum. Couldn’t go another second without seein’ ya.”
Swallowing hard at his words, I stayed still and silent, gnawing on my bottom lip as I took in what he was saying. “You okay?” He whispered, his arm tightening a bit around me. I let my eyes fall closed, taking in a jumbled breath.
“I’ll be okay,” I breathed out to him.
“Are ya sure, you seem...quiet. I just..I don’t want ya to be mad at me.”
A small smile formed on my lips and I let out a shallow sigh as I turned my body slightly to look at him. He lifted his face from the crook of my neck, his blue eyes flicking with mine. “I’m not mad, Niall.” My stare moved to watch as I pulled my fingers from his and reached up to brush his straggly hair from his forehead, dragging it back down to cup around his cheek, “I promise, baby...” I let my thumb run across his parted lips, my stare falling down his face, “I’m not mad.”
He gave me a half smirk, leaning his face down to press a little kiss to my mouth. “I just want to lay here with you, okay?” I mumbled against his lips before turning my face to lay back on his arm, my body snuggling back into his warmth.
“Okay.”
“I can’t sleep.” I heard him mutter, his deep voice half groggy with restless sleep. It didn’t surprise me any since we had literally not moved from my bed all day. It was sometime in the middle of the night now, the pitch blackness of my room hinting to the fact as I slowly blinked open my eyes. We had basically laid here, watching tv and falling in and out of sleep the entire rest of the day, his body practically molded and glued to mine. Fingers intertwined, soft kisses and light tickles. His hairy legs faintly brushing against my bare ones under the heat of the covers. “Summer?”
“Hmm?” I hummed out, my eyes already falling back closed. I felt his hand come up, his rough fingers brushing the hair from the side of my face as he leaned down letting his lips ghost lightly at the shell of my ear.
“I want you.”
Those words. Those three simple words falling from his mouth, words that I was afraid I would never hear again so hot in my ear with that sweet rasp of his accent, made me ache. Turning my body so I was flat on my back, I looked up at him, half hovered above me as he rested up on his elbow. He looked beautiful. Tired and worn, his bed head of blond hair, his slightly cracked puffy lips and droopy half lidded eyes. Anyone else would probably think he looked a hot mess, but to me...to me he was absolutely gorgeous.
I felt the trail of his hand as he pressed his palm lightly at my ribcage, right up under my breast on the outside of my shirt. Licking at my lips, my eyes darted with his as I brought both hands up and cupped his face. My thumbs rubbed at the slightly blemished stubbled skin of his jaw and i gave him a sweet smile before I lifted my head up off my pillow, my eyes fluttering closed as I pushed a kiss to his mouth.
He tasted a bit stale, sleep and lack of hydration having set in, but my god, I didn’t want anything else but to taste him on my tongue. His fingers twisted into the material of my shirt, his short nails digging into my skin as his other hand slipped underneath my head, wrapping right under my neck, holding me up to him as he kissed me a bit harder. With his one leg tucked between mine, I could feel his already fully hard length pressing into my hip, the slight rock of his own hips rubbing it against me even more. I giggled out a bit into his open mouth, my fingers burying into the tiny hairs that curled out below his ears.
I breathed out thick and heavily, my chest rising high as his lips slipped down over my jaw to suck gingerly at my neck. My hips helplessly bared down into the mattress, my one leg bending up as his hand laid flat at the front of my stomach, fingers flitting to bunch up the bottom hem of my shirt. My hands carded through the back of his hair, nails scratching at his scalp as he sucked and licked his way across the plane of my throat, his tongue dipping in the hollow before sucking right up under my chin. My head tipped back, lips parting as his hand pushed up under the material of my top, burning hot on my skin and kneading lightly at my flesh.
I let out a whimper, my hips bucking up slightly to rub myself against his bare thigh that was pressed between my legs. I wanted to feel him, I needed to feel him. His fingers slipped down the curve of my waist and over my hip before dragging across my thigh as I slowly let my one leg fall open for him. He smirked against the skin of my throat and I shot my eyes open, tipping my chin down to look at him as he pulled his wet mouth from my neck.
His eyes were dark, so fucking dark, pupils blown as wide as could be with his bottom lip tucked up between his teeth. I could feel my heart racing quick in my chest, the pounding blaring in my ears as the heat that flowed around us became sweltering. His calloused fingers, those perfectly thick skilled fingers, slowly slid down my trembling inner thigh, rough against the sensitive skin as he flicked them right past the side hem of my panties. I gasped lightly, puffing out a breathy laugh as my eyes fluttered closed and my fingers gripped tight to his hair, the feeling of his touch making me forever lose my mind.
He was so gentle, so tender with me, the pads of his fingers dipping lightly to coat themselves before slipping sweetly between my folds. He never rushed me, never forced me. He took his time, just feeling me and touching me.
Small puffs of breath blew past my parted lips as he ran his fingers lightly over my clit, tiny gentle circles being given before slipping them back down my slit. I could feel his hardness pulsing against my thigh with every sweep of his fingers at my heat, the swell of his begging cock causing me to grow even more wet for him.
“I’ve missed ya,” he whispered, his hot breath pouring out against my face. I let out a small giggle, my stomach tensing as the rough pad of his fingertip grazed over my clit.
“I’ve missed you, kid.”
A smile pulled at his lips as his other hand cradled my head, his thumb rubbing light circles at my temple and I felt the soft press of his lips on mine again. I held on to him, my fingers pressing into the back of his head as I kissed him back, deeper this time, his lean body shuffling to slide on top of me as his hand slipped from my underwear.
Pulling his wet lips from mine, he tipped his head down, his forehead resting by my cheek. Breathing in deep, I pushed my nose to the side of his head, burying it into the thick of his hair as my fingers gently carded through. I hummed lightly against him, his fingers gripping tight at my waist as I held him flush on top of me. It was a peaceful, calm moment. Just us, in the dark quiet of my room. Just us. Holding on to one another, the peak of our arousals pleading with us as we subtly rocked our hips together, but yet neither of us wanting to spoil the utter sweetness. I could feel the beat of his heart thumping loudly against my chest, almost rhythmical with my own. The escalating heat of his body seeped into mine, his hot breath flowing past his lips and saturating my neck. He tipped his mouth down, placing a soft kiss right under my jaw before moving his hand to the bed and carefully lifting himself up just a bit.
I swiftly brought my legs up, tucking them around his slim hips and hooking my ankles up over his little round bum, holding him so he couldn’t move. He flicked his eyes down as he held himself up above me with straight elbows. Looking back at me, I tilted my head to the side, biting at my lip as he raised a brow to me, a smirk tugging at his lips.
“What you doin’ there?” He asked me, a small chuckle leaving his mouth.
“Keeping you here with me,” I whispered back at him, my hands running down the length of his chest and stomach as I spoke, “Apparently I gotta lock your ass up.”
He let out a snort, letting his head hang at my little joke, shaking it lightly. “Leave it to you to make a fuckin’ joke.”
“It made you laugh, right?”
He raised his brows as he looked back at me, “I’m supposed to be makin’ you laugh…”
I shrugged my shoulders at him, turning my mouth down. Slipping my legs from around him, I pushed myself up to a sitting position, my eyes locked with his as he kneeled back between my legs. Crossing my arms over my stomach, I grabbed at the hem of my shirt, quickly pulling it straight over my head, my dark hair falling over my bare shoulders as I tossed it to the floor.
“How about you make me come instead,” I whispered to him, his eyes wide as they fell down my body.
He gave me a nod, his eyebrow quirking with the side of his mouth. “Could do that too.”
Letting out a small giggle, I nodded my head at him, licking at my lips as I laid my body back down on the bed. “Yes, you definitely could.”
His own underwear were already half down his legs by the time I had fully laid back, his fingers hooking into the waistband of mine as he finished kicking his off. His eagerness always the cutest thing to me, I tipped my head back in a laugh, my body twisting to the side a bit as he began tugging at my panties. Lifting my hips off the bed for him, he yanked them off and threw them to the side, his warm naked body immediately hovering back over mine. My hands reached for his hair, his head leaning down to let his mouth suck lightly at my breasts, his tongue twirling around my nipples and pulling them between his teeth. I let out a low hiss, my chin pressed to my chest to watch as he flicked his eyes to mine, his mouth moving across the bottom swell of my breast to drag down over the soft skin of my stomach. His hands reached up to grope at my chest, his fingers flicking lightly at my erect nipples.
He sucked down the tender skin of my stomach, his tongue dipping into my belly button before pressing small kisses at my lower tummy, his body shifting further down to settle between my legs. My mouth dropped open, my head falling back to my pillow as the heat from his ravenous mouth dragged down, little nips being placed at the jut of my hipbones and the crease of my legs. His hands slapped to the back of my thighs, his fingers digging deep into the full of them as he spread me open.
I could feel the pulse of his hot breath hovering above my soaked heat, my wetness dripping out of me as I rolled my hips forward a bit. Feeling the rumble from his laugh as his lips brushed at my folds, my eyes squeezed shut at the feeling and I sucked in a shaky breath as the heat rushed to my face. I tried to swallow, the sensation of my throat slowly closing up on me as I struggled to take in a quick breath quickly made my eyes pop open. My dry lips trembled as I reached down and curled my fingers in his hair, yanking at his head.
“Just fuck me,” I blurted out, my head tilting down to look at him between my legs as I choked for air. His tongue was halfway out of his mouth, his brow furrowing. “Please…Ni…”
He darted eyes with me, his little pink lips slowly pressing closed as he faintly nodded his head, kissing his way back up my body. I dropped my head back, letting out a relieved sigh as I wrapped my arms around his neck, his mouth coming down to press a kiss to my lips.
“You okay, babe?” He breathed out, his two hands gently cradling my head now.
“Yeah, I just-...I missed feeling you inside me.”
I couldn’t dare tell him why I didn’t want his mouth on me. As much as I craved the feeling of his tongue and the way he could make me completely come undone with just the work of his mouth, I wasn’t about to tell him of the stranger. And where the man had forcibly touched me. I didn’t want Niall’s mouth to be tainted with that. His mouth was special. It was mine. All mine. I wanted to be able to kiss him and breathe him in freely without having to worry about the dirtiness of the man on his tongue. I didn’t want to have to taste that memory every time I kissed Niall.
“I missed that too.”
I could feel him pressed hard against my heat. The rigid weight of his cock slowly rubbing between my folds as he rocked his hips into mine. My eyes fell closed, my legs coming back up to hook around his hips as I let the thick swell of him brush against me. Grabbing around his face, I brought his mouth to mine, dipping my tongue past his lips to kiss him, his one hand dragging down the side of my body to slip in between us. I felt him rise up on his knees a bit, his tongue twisting with mine as I kissed him harder.
Choking in a breath as his fingers brushed against my clit, I whimpered into his mouth, my nails scraping at his scalp as I bucked my hips up towards him. “Relax,” he breathed out to me, his tone and wording surprising me. I peeled my eyes open, his lips breaking from mine as he pressed our foreheads together, both of us desperate for air. “You don’t want me goin’ down on ya, but I wanna make ya feel good.”
“But...Niall, I–”
“I know ya want it, Sum,” he whispered to me, his breath panting hot in my face. “Fuck, I know, and I’m gonna give it to ya, just-...just relax a bit for me, yeah?” I felt his fingers slip down my slit, circling loosely at my opening. My breath hitched in my chest as his two fingers slid inside me, my thighs clamping closed around his hips at the sensation. I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands dropping to his neck as my fingers dug into the sweat coated skin. He was gentle, smooth with his movements, the tiny flick of his fingers up inside me making me cry out.
I could feel his mouth smirk against my lips, my small audible whines being swallowed by him as he worked his fingers inside me. Hooking them up, he rocked his palm forward, the heel of it pushing against my clit.
“Niall…” I breathed out, gripping as tight to him as I could. He nudged his nose to mine, his hand cradling my head softly as he combed his fingers through the side of hair.
“Shhh,” he mumbled to me, his voice coming out deep from his throat, “Missed touchin’ ya.”
I rolled my hips towards his hand, the head of his cock smearing pre-cum against my inner thigh as it twitched heavily against my skin. Clenching down around his fingers, I moaned loudly as he flicked them faster, the weight of his hips pressing them in deeper. I bit at my lip to suppress myself, slightly turning my face from his to gulp in some much needed air. I could feel the heat of my orgasm rising from my core, slowly trickling up to my lower tummy. I didn’t want to come like this, not on his fingers. I wanted to come around him, with him. I fucking wanted him so bad.
“I need...oh fuck...” I mumbled, my voice squeaking, “I wanna…come...with you.” I desperately tried to get my words out, his fingers fucking wildly into me, my orgasm creeping up close. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel his stare on me, his big hand wrapped protectively around my head. “Please, baby...please just...fuck–”
I let out a shallow cry, my mouth dropping open as I felt his fingers pull from me and his achingly hard cock push inside me in one swift motion. His hand came up to press to my cheek, bringing my face back to his so he could place another heated kiss to my mouth. I slung my arms around his neck, kissing him back before dragging my lips away to tuck my face up into the crook of his neck.
Thrusting into me, he was slow and steady. The stretch of him filling me, that slight burn from my swollen walls around him, made my body shudder beneath him as I whimpered between broken sloppy kisses to his neck. He lifted his hips, pulling himself almost all the way out to hold his tip right inside my entrance before sliding so deliciously slow and as deep into me as he could. Those slim powerful hips dipping down slightly to let the head of his cock brush right at that perfect spot. God, he knew. He knew my body, he knew just how to fuck me and how to make me feel good. He knew me entirely.
Pushing my hips up off the bed slightly to meet his thrusts, my legs hooked up around him, my eyes squeezing shut as I dropped my head back down to the bed, tipping my chin back. “Oh...God,” I whined out, his face hot and buried down by the side of mine. I could feel his slight pants of breath beat out against my clammy skin, my wild hair becoming damp with the wet heat of it. My fingers sunk into the sticky sweat coated flesh of his upper back, his body moving along with mine, muscles flexing under my touch.
This, this was heaven. This was everything I wanted. Everything I desired, everything I craved. The feel of him above me, cradling me, protecting me and touching me, pushing into me, filling me to the brim so tantalizingly slow, making my body react in such a way that no other man could ever do, this was everything. This was it.
My arms tightened around him, my body curling up into his as his lips skimmed along the sweaty skin of my neck and throat. “Fuck, baby…” he stammered out through tiny grunts. He kissed his way over my chin, my lips trembling as I felt my body beginning to lose control. I dropped my chin, finding his lips and pressing my mouth to his. He steadied me, his fingers curling into my hair as he rocked his hips into mine, my thighs clamping around him and my stomach tensing beneath him. I could feel his heat, his gulping breaths from his rising chest as it pushed against my own. I ran my fingers through the wet hair at the nape of his neck, his lips breaking from mine to drop his head back down to my neck.
My head was spinning, my face on fire as I felt his one hand drag down the length of my body, his rough fingers grasping tight around my hip. His nose nudged at the dip below my ear, little parted lips ghosting at my heated skin as he thrust into me. “God, Sum...I...missed you...so much,” he breathed thick into my neck.
I gasped in a breath, squeezing my eyes shut as my body started to convulse. I could feel the tears begin to well up in my eyes, my hands gripping tight to him, holding his lean body as close to mine as I could. I wanted to feel every single inch of him. Whimpering between my bitten lips, I pushed my face into his shoulder, my feet curling up around his bum.
“Please...Niall...please…” I stuttered out, broken and wistfully. I felt the wet of my hot tears begin to slide down my cheeks and I rushed to gulp in air past my trembling lips as his grip on me stiffened. He encompassed my body with his; the heat blazing as the sweat pooled between our chests. His mouth kissed me tenderly, his tongue lapping lightly as low mangled moans escaped his lips.
His fingers were pressing so deep into my skin, that the simple thought of tiny bruises forming just from him, made me cry out even more. I could feel him begin to go rigid inside me, the constant steady thrusts, the drags of his cock along my heavily swollen walls quickly bringing us both to our release. The warmth spread rampant through my body, the tingling rising straight from my core as I clenched around him, desperately trying to stave off my orgasm. “Niall...I…I...” my words choked out in small sobs into his sweaty neck, my arms clasping so tight to him, I was afraid he couldn’t breathe. The tears flowed from my eyes, my body shaking under him as he gently lifted his face from my neck, his thrusts slowing down as he wrapped his hand around the back of my head to pet down my hair.
“Shh…darlin’...it’s okay,” he mumbled, my cries becoming louder as his slow steady thrusts pushed my aching body right over the edge. I dropped my head back onto the bed, his stare locked on me as I gasped loudly, my body writhing uncontrollably beneath him, the tears pouring down my red flushed cheeks as I came around him. His name flew past my lips, my voice hoarse in my throat as I struggled to breathe. Rubbing the tears from my face with his thumb, his forehead pressed down to mine as he stared at me, the low hum of his shushing and tiny pecks being placed to my lips as he steadily pushed himself in and out of me, my center pulsing around him as he began to give way to his own orgasm.
My fingers dug into the back of his neck, his hot breath filling my open mouth as his eyes fluttered closed, a low guttural grunt bursting out as he pushed himself deep and held still, tiny rocks of his hips milking his own orgasm as his twitching cock spilled his warmth inside me.
I moved my legs to lock my ankles around his bum, holding him in place inside me as he struggled to catch his breath, his chest sticking to mine with each heavy inhale. Lifting his forehead from mine, I slowly peeled my eyes open, the tears that filled them sliding down the sides of my face. I was met with his stare, his brows knitted together as his hand came over to brush away some hair that was stuck to my damp face.
Darting eyes with him, I felt my chin begin to tremble again, his stare flicking down and floating across my face. “I’m always makin’ you cry,” he whispered, shaking his head lightly. “I don’t like you cryin’.”
I let out a short breathy laugh as I choked in some air, my hand slipping down from around his neck to cover my face. He bent down, his mouth pressing right under my jaw. “I care about ya so fuckin’ much, Summer. So fuckin’ much,” he muttered against my dank skin, the words making me sob a bit more. “Please don’t cry, darlin’.”
Letting go of my hip, he reached up to cradle my face, his lips moving to kiss away at the salty tears as I slung my hand back around his neck. We stayed pressed together, glued from our sweat covered, heaving bodies.
He kissed me once more, softly, his lips enveloping mine as the rough pads of his fingers gently caressed the skin of my face. I had never felt so intimate with someone in my life, so desired and adored. He made me feel as if I was the only person that mattered to him in the world. And maybe I was.
I giggled through broken tears and open mouths, pulling from the kiss to tug him down into a hug. He had grown soft inside me now, but not even have bothered trying to move as we quietly relished in our orgasms. “I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered low in my ear. “I’m so sorry.”
Pinching my eyes shut, I pushed off the feeling of more tears that wanted to escape and tucked my face down into the curve of his neck, slowly breathing in the scent of him. Musty and worn, that faint hint of his day old cologne, I drew in a deep breath and held him in my lungs.
“I know, Niall,” I finally spoke out, my shaky voice struggling past my lips, “We all do things we regret sometimes, things we…things we don’t really think about at the time. And being piss drunk never helps.”
I could feel him nod his head against the side of my face before he pulled back to look down at me and I pressed my lips together, my fingers fumbling as they reached up to drag across the sweat coated skin of his forehead. His sweet little flushed face making me smile. “I know how she can be, Niall. I know she’s manipulative. And I know you would never hurt me,” I whispered to him, my eyes floating down to watch as my fingers traced over the lines of his face before flicking them back up to meet his stare. “But don’t you ever fuck her again.”
He let out a chuckle, his head shaking lightly. “No,” he mumbled as he tipped it down a bit before catching my stare through his lashes, the wrinkles spreading across his forehead.
“I don’t ever wanna fuck anyone else but you.”
I gave him a smug smile, sniffling back some tears as my hands cupped around his face, my fingers playing with the blond strands of hair above his ears. “Good,” I mumbled, pulling his face to mine, our lips hovering and my nose brushing faintly to his. “Now let’s just forget about it, okay?”
He let out a huffed ‘okay’ and pushed his chin up so his lips just skimmed at mine. His big hands grabbed around my head as he used his body weight to swing himself over on his side, making me giggle loudly into his mouth as he finally smashed his lips to mine. With my legs moved and now tangled with his, we laid there facing one another, bodies still pressed tight as his one hand dragged down through my hair to rest right at my lower back, fingers kneading small circles.
I tucked my face down into his warm chest, my fingers reaching up between our bodies to play with the small hairs of his chest. I could feel the slow thumps of his heart against my fingertips, his stable breaths beating out past his slightly open mouth onto the top of my head as he drifted off, his fingers slowing their movements on my back.
Closing my eyes, I ran my hand up to cup around his neck and tipped my head slightly to press a small kiss to the dip in his chin.
“Night, Niall,” I mumbled before settling into him and letting myself fall back asleep.
Thoáng cái là đã đến tháng 7, giữa hè rồi. Tôi có nhiều dự định cần làm trong mùa hè này, vì khi lên 12, việc học là chính, có lẽ sẽ không còn được tự do, thoải mái về thời gian nữa.
Một trong những dự định của tôi là dẫn em đi thăm mẹ tôi.
Tôi nhắn tin cho em : T nè, CN này T có bận gì không ?
Em : Sao vậy K heo ?
Tôi: Đi thăm mẹ của K
Em : trời ơi, ngại lắm K ơi
Tôi : K muốn T hiểu hơn về gia đình K
Em: Ừ T hiểu rồi
Tôi: Vậy T chuẩn bị nha, đừng lo gì cả, mẹ dễ tính lắm.
Rồi ngày hẹn cũng đến, tôi chạy con max qua nhà em. Em đã chuẩn bị sẵn hết rồi. Em mặc chiếc áo thun tay dài sọc caro trắng xanh, chiếc áo mà ngày em đưa tôi ra mắt Ngoại của em, hôm nay em mặc lại bộ đó. Đúng như ý của tôi, em ăn mặc giản dị, phù hợp với em và cả tôi nữa, không xoe xua, không son phấn. Tự khi nào thói quen của tôi đã dần có thêm sở thích chụp ảnh, không thể bỏ qua hình ảnh này được, nên tôi đã lén chụp em, vì là lén, nên phải chụp nhanh mà lúc bấy giờ con Nokia của tôi khá cùi nên ảnh bị nhoè đi, em cứ réo lên là xoá đi xấu lắm, nhưng tôi không xoá.
Tôi cười nham hiểm đáp : Người yêu tôi mà, xấu cũng yêu.
Rồi tôi xin phép Nội chở em đi, nói là đi chơi trưa về ngay nên Nội đừng lo lắng.
Đó cũng là lần đầu tiên tôi trực tiếp đi thăm mẹ, những lần trước là mẹ tôi đến. Tôi không gọi trước cho mẹ, tôi muốn làm mẹ bất ngờ.
Trên đoạn đường chúng tôi cũng vui đùa cũng nhau, hỏi han nhau về những con đường, em đã đi hay chưa ? Rồi em nói rất thích những con đường như trong phim, những hàng cây to, muốn được đi bộ dưới con đường đó.
Chúng tôi đến nhà mẹ. Tôi chạy vào trước báo hiệu cho mẹ là tôi mới đến. Mẹ tôi đang may đồ, rồi tôi đi ra nắm tay em vào.
Tôi cười một vẻ vô cùng tự hào : Mẹ, bạn gái con.
Chắc hẳn đây là một điều vô cùng lạ, một cậu nhóc lớp 12 đã dẫn bạn gái đến ra mắt gia đình, hay nói đúng hơn là người mẹ. Tôi suy nghĩ kĩ lắm rồi, không phải là do tối hấp tấp, tôi đã xác định tình cảm dành cho em là nghiêm túc đến nhường nào rồi nên tôi mới hành động như vậy, cũng là để em có niềm tin ở tôi. Đâu đó trên những trang sách, những câu nói lãng mạn về tình yêu có nói rằng : chàng trai nào đưa người yêu giới thiệu với bạn bè , mời về nhà ra mắt với bố mẹ, chẳng phải đã xác định rằng là yêu rất nghiêm túc người con gái ấy hay sao “.
Tôi không thể đọc được suy nghĩ của em, nhưng tôi hiểu rằng, trong lòng em cũng đang rất hạnh phúc về điều đó, về việc tôi không giấu bất cứ điều gì với em cả, kể cả tôi có một gia đình không bình thương như những người khác, kể cả gia đình tôi có không hạnh phúc.
Em ngại ngùng khoanh tay chào mẹ, mẹ cũng mỉm cười gật đầu rồi tiếp tục may đồ. Tôi chỉ cho em nhà vệ sinh để rửa mặt, tay chân rồi lục lọi trong tủ lạnh có gì ăn vặt, nước uống hay không.
Mẹ hỏi han tôi về việc học hành rồi cũng có hỏi về em , nào là nhà cửa, ba mẹ, gia đình, học hành v.v…Chúng tôi xem tivi đến gần trưa.
Mẹ bắt đầu nấu cơm trưa cho cả nhà, hôm nay phải nấu thêm 2 phần nữa. Có lẽ vì em rất ngại nên cũng không dám có những hành động cử xử , em rụt rè như nàng heo nái cứ khít khít cái mũi mà thôi. Tôi ra hiệu cho em nên vào phụ mẹ đi, em cũng gật gật rồi đứng dậy đi vào.
Em khẽ : dạ bác cần con phụ gì không ạ ?
Mẹ nhường như hiểu được điều gì đó nên đáp : Ờ con giúp bác dọn chén đũa ra đi.
Em ngoan ngoãn đáp : Dạ.
Rồi bữa cơm cũng dọn ra, tôi sợ em ngại nên cũng gắp thức ăn cho em, tất nhiên là gắp cho mẹ tôi trước rồi. Mẹ cũng nói : con ăn đi, nhiều vào, không có gì phải ngại hết.
Trong bữa ăn chúng tôi cũng trò chuyện vui vẻ cho em đỡ ngại, tôi ăn khá nhanh , để sẽ nhờ em bới giúp thêm nữa, tôi đưa chén cho em, em bới cơm cho tôi trong bữa ăn, không khác gì là một người vợ cả…một gia đình…một nhà …em còn nhớ bữa cơm đó không Nái yêu ơi ?
Rồi tôi và em chào mẹ ra về. Trưa nắng, tôi sợ em say nắng sẽ lại bị nhức đầu như lần trước em tôi và em không trò chuyện nữa, tôi chạy nhanh cho về kịp nhà em.
Về đến nhà chào hỏi Nội. Hỏi Nội có ăn cơm chưa, vì chúng tôi ăn ở bên mẹ rồi. Rồi tôi nói em ngủ trưa tí đi, còn tôi phải về làm việc nữa. Kiếm tiền để tiếp tục xây nên những dự định tiếp theo cùng em.
Chiều tôi chạy ra siêu thị coop smart để mua ít đồ. Chủ yếu là cafe gói và mì. Tôi có thói quen ăn mì khô còn Nội thì ăn mì nước. Sáng trước khi đi học là pha ly cafe sữa gói sẵn để uống nóng .
Tôi có thói quen này là do từ nhỏ Nội đã cho uống cafe rồi. Hix, mặt tôi lúc này mụn đầy. Vậy mà em cũng yêu cho được, kể ra em cũng hay thiệt. Tất nhiên tôi không quên mua cho em vào bịch cháo và phở gói để em ăn sáng. Chứ mà em ăn cơm nguội hâm lại thì thương để đâu cho hết trái tim nhỏ bé này của tôi. Chiều tôi ghé ngang đưa cho em thì thấy em đang giặt đồ phơi, em ngại ngùng giầu ” đồ nhỏ” đi chỉ phơi toàn đồ lớn. Ngày đó tôi cũng để ý thấy…màu hồng…là màu hồng kitty .
Buổi tối hôm đó, chúng tôi vẫn trao cho nhau những tin nhắn, hỏi thăm nhau những điều nhỏ nhặt nhất.
Tôi: trưa T về có mệt không ? ngủ được chứ.
Em: Không mệt đâu, K đừng lo.
Tôi : T thấy tụi mình giống nhau không ?
Em: Ừ cũng gần giống xa..đều sống với Nội..xa mẹ cả..
…nhiều lắm những dòng tin nhắn mà tôi đã vội quên..xin lỗi em.. xin lỗi tình yêu của tụi mình…
When Shigeo Kageyama is abducted on his way home, Ritsu Kageyama teams up with the supposedly great detective, Arataka Reigen, to bring his big brother home.
Today is beautiful. He goes to the store because it’s his day off and it’s what his routine dictates he do—he buys tea, bread, milk, cream—cigarettes. He passes by children in the candy isle, picking up a milk lollipop, only to end up thinking of Ritsu. He turns it over in his hand, staring down at the glossy, sugar-coated surface, and he wonders. He plays back the facts in his head. Nishimoto, Haruka, Nishimiya, a mantra. Maybe he should have prayed for the dead.
He ends up shoving a fistful of the lollipops into his cart.
To those who sent me encouragements or showed interest in this story, thank you a lot! Your support was really helpful. Here is the long-awaited chapter 12 (also submitted to @gh-exchange if you prefer reading from there). Without further ado, let’s get to business!
Mai wished for the ground to open, swallow her whole and put her out of misery. She had been so mesmerized by Naru and so caught up in her indignation after his stunt that the obvious fact that Ayako was supposed to come back had managed to totally slip her mind.
How could she have been so forgetful? How could she have agreed to stay alone in the secretive darkness of a garden in the company of a gentleman she wasn't even affiliated with? A gentleman who was indecently close, so close she could actually breathe his scent and feel his warmth! How had she not realized her reputation could be ruined in an instant by such foolhardy behaviour? How could she…
The baritone voice of Shibuya snapped the brown-eyed girl out of her panicked state.
"Miss Matsuzaki, what a great timing. Miss Mai," he added in consideration of her far too pale complexion, "I highly suggest you sit down on this rock."
Then, very gallantly, Naru took hold of her arm and guided her to the makeshift seat. Mai followed his lead mechanically on unsteady legs, her anger now mostly drained by the shock and fear of being compromised, her mind refusing to process the frenzy of emotions she was drowning into. Fear, anxiety, shame were disputing irritation and disappointment, but above all, she felt tremendously grateful for Naru's superior self-control.
She just stupidly sat and watched him deal with the impending disaster, because she found herself unable to even think. She was positively sure that if she tried to talk, the only thing that would come out of her incredibly dry mouth would be inarticulate sounds and high-pitched noises.
The gentleman, on the other hand, appeared miraculously unfazed. His slightly scrunched eyebrows were betraying some displeasure, but his features were set in a composed expression, and his voice was steady and laced with confidence. If she hadn't been very well aware herself of the impropriety of the situation, Mai could have been fooled by his behavior and thought that their little private encounter was a perfectly commonplace occurrence.
Ayako, however, was far less gullible than that. The incongruity of the scene she had been the witness of hadn't gone unnoticed, and the auburn-haired woman was now directing a very fierce, shocked and resentful glare to Shibuya, who she was fairly certain was the instigator of such inappropriate setting.
"Are you alright, Mai? I think I heard some shouting” inquired her friend tensely, her suspicious gaze never leaving the tall man's frame. “Mister Shibuya, I shall insist you give an immediate answer about what is going on here."
Mai simply nodded, as se didn't trust herself to speak, while the young gentleman tightened his jaw and hardened his features after hearing Ayako's injunction. Apparently being doubted, suspected of harassment along being addressed in such a commanding tone didn't agree well with the prideful man.
"Miss Matsuzaki, » he began, aggravation colouring his voice, "I do not appreciate being…"
Before he had any chance to finish his undoubtedly scorching reply, the energetic voice of Yasuhara rose from behind a nearby thick hay of bushes. He appeared the next second, closely followed by his sister.
"Oh my, miss Matzusaki, I am most afraid you have caught us in a terrible moment."
If Ayako seemed fairly taken aback by the presence of the two siblings, Mai was on her part completely stupefied. What exactly were the Yasuharas doing here? And why hadn't they let themselves known earlier?
She turned to Naru, her eyebrows quirked into an interrogative expression, silently asking for any explanation he could offer. The gentleman let an exasperated sigh out at the sight of his friends, but didn't graced her with a response to her obvious inquiring.
"Mister Yasuhara, Miss Yasuhara,” replied the auburn-haired lady in a much more hesitant tone, “I, hum, I had no idea you were here too. Shall I ask what exactly led to this…situation?".
The two siblings flashed her symmetric candid smiles in unison, both the very image of innocence and sheepishness. Mai would have been convinced if it weren't for the identical intelligent gleam in their eyes, which was speaking more of mischievousness and sheer amusement than probity and righteousness.
"Shibuya, my sister and I were strolling in the gardens to admire its wonderful scenery and get some fresh air when we spotted miss Taniyama, being alone" explained Yasuhara, stretching the last word dramatically to emphasize how unbelievable he found the fact.
Ayako visibly deflated, losing some of her superb knowing she has been the thoughtless one, putting Mai in an awkward situation by letting the young lady on her own.
"We were about to go in her direction to offer some company, when we heard a very worrying sound from the edge of the gardens." continued the gentleman. "It was probably some huge animal, I personally bet on a wild boar, well, whatever it was it scared my dear sister greatly."
Madoka, taking her cue from her brother, closed her eyes and gripped his arm in distress, and frantically waved her fan for good measure.
"Do not remind me, brother, it was horrifying" she muttered with appropriate shivering. "So scary…and to think that miss Taniyama was alone, maybe facing an unknown peril…I still shudder just thinking about it."
Yasuhara patted his sister's arm reassuringly. Mai couldn't help but applaud inwardly at the display of such a consummate art of acting. However, that planted the seed of suspicion in her mind about the siblings. The two of them were far too skilled at pretending and scheming. Could it be…Could it be that they were the ones behind her inappropriate encounter with Shibuya? If possible, her eyes grew wider when the idea hit her. They couldn't have set that up, could they? They couldn't have been spying, right?
"It is over my dear Madoka, do not fear, everything is alright now" soothed the gentleman, oblivious to Mai's dubiousness.
"As you can see," he addressed Ayako, "she is still very affected. She almost lost consciousness back then, and I stayed at her side to attend to her. But we couldn't reasonably let miss Taniyama by herself with a lurking danger, so Shibuya had to make sure she remained safe. I am perfectly aware that the situation may have appeared quite improper, but I am sure it was the best course of action, considering the circumstances."
Mai genuinely wondered if they were actually telling the truth. Their explanation, though a bit sketchy, wasn't totally unbelievable…They seemed so sincere and convincing that her previous doubts wavered. Why were people around her so secretive and complicated and their characters so difficult to get a grasp on ? Ayako still appeared a bit leery though, so Madoka delivered the final blow.
"I am so embarrassed about my losing my nerves” almost sobbed the older lady, “everything is my entire fault! My weakness obliged them to stand in such an unbeffiting position… I feel so ashamed of myself!"
In front of such authentic despair, Ayako dropped her last suspicions, and, apparently not subjected to any lingering skepticism, tranquilly assures the Yasuharas that everything had been done for the better indeed. The story behind the scene she had witnessed was plausible enough, wild boars at night weren't uncommon in the area. That left only one mystery to solve. She finally turned to Mai for a last clarification.
"I perfectly understand the reason why mister Shibuya had to stay by your side, Mai, but pray tell why you two seemed to be in an argument?"
Mai felt Naru stiffen noticeably at her side. He knew she was a horrible liar, and would probably ruin the Yasuhara's hard work. Thankfully the siblings' little act had given her some time to recover from her shock, so after a sharp inhale she was pleased to hear her voice coming out relatively calm and steady.
"I was disagreeing about his presence, stating it was ungentlemanly of him to seek my company in such a time and place. I am afraid I did not let him explain his motives, which are now very clear and more than honorable. Mister Shibuya, I owe you my deepest apologies."
Said man bowed, giving the appearance of accepting the truce she had offered. His stance was slightly less rigid, as he was probably relieved she had provided an acceptable reason for their argument.
However when he straightened up, their eyes met and Mai couldn't prevent a little gasp of surprise. Once again she had been taken off guard by the sheer intensity of his gaze, and what she had seen in his gorgeous blue orbs disconcerted her greatly: a strange mixture of pain, anger, sadness and disappointment, softened by unexpected tenderness.
He looked so much like the man of her dream at that instant, open and suffering and actually human, that for a fleeting moment she wondered if she was asleep. But soon enough his gaze was clouded again, and the man returned to his unreachable self, leaving her utterly confused. Confused because of the enigma that was Naru, and confused because of her own inability to stay away from such a dangerous and tempting man.
"You have nothing to apologize about, miss Mai. Your reaction was most understandable. I am the one wanting to make honorable amends about my conduct" he stated courteously.
The politeness was undeniable, but his tone hold a hint of somberness. The cinnamon-eyed girl tried to decipher his intentions, to no avail. Was he honestly sorry about playing her, about the amethyst? She still felt the small crystal in the palm of her hand, a cruel reminder that she had expected much more than a farce from the gentleman. If only…
"No," she thought to herself, "I won't let myself be fooled again."
The gem was a fitting present, she decided, so much like Naru: full of sharp edges, cold and immovable but shining and amazingly beautiful. She absentmindedly clenched her fist tighter around it, letting the dirt smear slightly on her fingers. The stone was impregnated with her body heat, and she realized it was no longer cold. She smiled wryly at the irony: the mineral was now warmer than the man.
Madoka jolted her out of her contemplation.
"You are absolutely right, Shibuya! » exclaimed the lady heartily, “we have to offer compensation, for we are the cause of all this misunderstanding. What do you think, brother?"
"You are the voice of reason Madoka, as always! Since we deprived these lovely ladies of their time at the ball, we shall organize one at Netherfield. You would be the guests of honour, and could set the date at your convenience, of course."
"There is absolutely no need, you are not…" began Mai, immediately interrupted by Ayako who had significantly perked up at the mention of her being a guest of honour. She was undoubtedly weak to flattery.
"Mister Yasuhara, I certainly would not deny you the pleasure of hosting a ball, but please do not feel compelled because of this dreadful evening! However, if you insist, I would be delighted to help you with the invitations."
"Consider the matter settled, then," bowed Yasuhara, grinning "I will address you later for the details."
"As you wish! Oh, and about this embarrassing moment in the gardens… It would be undeniably best to forget it ever happened. Some more conservative people wouldn't be as understanding as I am, and I absolutely do not want Mai's reputation to be stained by such unfortunate chain of circumstances."
"Ayako!" cried Mai, "I didn't do anything that should…"
The young orphan stopped short, her pale cheeks turning crimson. She prayed fervently for the relative darkness to be enough to conceal her blush. She didn't feel she had the right to claim pure innocence on her part anymore. She hadn't done anything reprehensible per se, but if she had been given the chance, she wasn't sure her behaviour would have stayed irreproachable.
"Of course, Mai dear. However, certain things are better left untold. Now, I suggest we all join the other guests in the house. We have spent more time than necessary in the gardens."
Ayako immediately turned her words into action, and began walking toward the illuminated building, the Yasuharas falling into one step behind. Shibuya said nothing but offered Mai his arm to help her get up. She reluctantly accepted it, and they walked in silence, untold sentiments, misunderstandings and secrets hanging heavily like a wall between them.
AN: I love mischievous Yasu and Madoka, they’re hard to write though. Next chapter, another character will make its appearance...stay tuned :)
You probably shouldn't post this ask if I guess correctly, but I think Jimin is probably the child of a human (or maybe fallen angel?) and a demon who possessed a fallen angel
Maybe. I never really made it known yet but you’re getting there hahaha
