Everything That Kills Me Makes Me Feel Alive || Drarry
Talking to people had been easy once upon a time; the easy admiration or scorn of his peers, depending on the mood of the week, had always been easy to deal with before. Maybe he hadn’t liked dealing with it, but he had done it. Talking to others had never left his bones weary and his soul heavy in a way that he’d only ever felt during the war. Not until he’d been dragged to speak with a mind healer, confined to a room for days until they were sure Harry wasn’t about to off himself.
Though, he considered, they might have released him sooner had he not bit back to a question about whether he dreamt of drowning in the Great Lake with I might if it would make this go faster. That had been the moment when they’d decided to keep him for observation.
Some people couldn’t take a joke.
He ignored the calls of the people clamoring for his attention, the shouted greetings and questions about where he had been, the fear that the uprisings were already beginning. The only thing he had on his mind was taking a bloody nap, of forgetting the last few days when he’d been like a caged zoo animal. More than usual, at least.
Annoyingly, the tension had no time to leave his body when he slipped into the room.
There was no tension in the shoulders of the distinct silhouette outlined against the window, no indication that his feet dangling out the window was anything other than a comfort choice.
With the week Harry was having, however, he couldn’t resist being glib. “You’re not thinking about jumping are you?” He cast a rueful look at the couch he’d been meaning to pass out on, before stepping over to position his body behind Draco’s. “They’ve got people here you can speak to about feeling like that. Or so I’m told.”
featuring: @winkmercyj ☀️
location: twenty five lusk, san francisco 🐻
time/date: monday, ~7pm ⏰
summary: IT’S DATING. IN THE DARK. AND IT’S TIMED. NO PRESSURE. 😅
FREDDIE HAYWARD
YOU KNOW WHAT, he totally wasn’t nervous! THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE NERVOUS ABOUT. After all, it was going to be pitch black! Nobody could see him, and he couldn’t see anybody, either! If he looked like a complete doofus, they wouldn’t know! He could wear a clown costume (he would never ever do that) and they wouldn’t know!
All he had to do was talk and be himself and that was it. It was just like dating in the app only, like, they didn’t even have his profile picture to go off of! No biggie.
Freddie got to the lounge stupidly early, something he didn’t normally do, and found himself pacing around for a bit before they were eventually moved downstairs to where everybody else was waiting so that they could all be properly seated (like, in the dark) without being spotted by whoever it was they were going to be seated with.
There were only forty-five minutes per date, which meant Freddie — ever the fast talker — had forty-five minutes to make one heck of an impression.
His eyes took a second to adjust to the light (or lack thereof) as the countdown began, sitting in the dark room and biting down on his lip. He let out a nervous laugh, looking toward what he could only assume was the direction of the person sitting across from him.
“So,” he drawled out through a chuckle, “come here often?”
Life at the rodeo was surprisingly louder than Clara would have ever thought; in the distance, crowds cheered and sometimes groaned as people completed their rides for charity, bulls grunted, horses neighed, and there was just a general chatter from spectators and vendors alike. The clatter was soothing to Clara’s city bred ears. She was taken aback that she felt okay surrounded by all of the animals and dirt and cowboys, that it kind of felt like a different extension of city living.
She hurried towards the pop-up tent that was doubling as a refreshment stand from the port-a-potties she had been forced to use after consuming a large blue raspberry slushy on a dare from Barnabas. A small path cut away from the main walkway; no one was using it and it seemed to lead straight to the refreshment tent, so Clara happily broke off from the crowd. She was anxious to get out of the heat, which was at least 10 degrees warmer than the usual New York weather during the fall, and to flirt her way into some free nachos. The thought of free food always made her smile and she walked towards her destination, not paying much attention to her surroundings.
Suddenly, a loud, metallic clank sounded next to her, followed by an angry noise reminiscent of a hundred balloons releasing air at the same time. Clara could feel hot air against her shoulder blades and a presence looming behind her. Slowly, Clara turned and found herself face to face with a bull in the pen next to her. The bull didn’t seem to appreciate the movement and charged at the fence with a ferocity that made the metal shake for several yards. Clara shrieked, though she would deny it later, and stared back in at the bull in confusion. This was not the cute, cartoon-like, man cow that she had been imagining. This thing was huge and scary and a beast. Slowly, Clara backed away. The bull made as though he was going to ram the fence again and Clara bolted for the tent, out of the fear of being impaled.
Halloween had once been Carter’s favorite holiday; in years past she and Oliver and Lily would do a group costume that was high on nostalgia that they hadn’t gotten to share as kids. They would spend the night together at whatever party was being thrown, laughing until their sides ached over everything and nothing all at once. Carter had never felt so high as she did on those nights when she full of camaraderie and candy and liquor and love.
Those years were over.
Ollie had shown up in barely-a-costume, a leather jacket, and tight jeans. He’d taken one look at her Power Ranger get-up and raised an eyebrow in response. “I thought you were joking.”
When asked where her yellow ranger costume was, Lily had rolled her eyes. “I don’t know about you, but I’m trying to get laid tonight.” And Carter knew that she still wasn’t entirely forgiven for abandoning her on homecoming night.
They’d both trailed off after arriving: Lily to dance with anyone drunk enough to not think about the implications of swaying hip-to-hip with another girl, Oliver to play flip cup and beer pong with his basketball buddies. Carter was left in the middle of the room, feeling out of place and out of her depth as she watched her two closest friends have fun without her.
She wandered aimlessly, downing shots when they were offered to her. It occurred to her that the liquor was probably the best money could buy. Seemed like such a waste when they disappeared so quickly and, after three of them, the taste buds numbed to the expensive quality. After four, Carter could no longer pick out what other flavors were being offered to her. The cranberries and limes blended in a haze, until all she could taste was whiskey, whiskey, and more whiskey. Another shot later and the boot around her ankle started to feel like a shackle, designed to keep her from her natural urge to dance.
Carter just wanted to feel good. Good in a way that not even the, admittedly too much, alcohol was making her feel. She glanced around the room, eyes moving quickly from the couples who were swaying too close together on the dance floor to the partygoers who were foregoing dancing. Taylor was there, standing next to her cookie cutter boyfriend, whose name Carter couldn’t currently remember. Did it have something to do with Pokémon? More importantly, did Taylor know that her boyfriend was named after an anime character?
Taylor looked good. Her cream colored – or was it pink? – flapper dress hit just below the knee and hugged Taylor in just the right way. No doubt it was custom tailored to fit her perfectly. Even on Halloween, Taylor would leave no expense unturned to make sure that she looked better than everyone else. Carter watched her for a moment, hoping to catch her eye, but Taylor’s attention remained focused solely on… What was his name?
A surge of disappointment surged through her. Taylor could make her feel good. The memory of her weight pressed comfortably into Carter’s lap emerged. The way her hands had rested on her hips, while Carter’s brushed the top of Taylor’s thighs. How, just for a moment, she’d anticipated that Taylor was going to kiss her. How much she’d wanted her to bridge the gap between them and repeat the innocent action of a birthday party past.
She waited a few more moments, hoping for something that she couldn’t articulate, but Taylor’s attention never wavered. With a sigh, Carter turned away, grabbing another shot of whiskey from a passing tray, and downing it as she let herself be absorbed into the crowd. Bodies pressed against her as she mingled, hot and sweaty and overpowering, not one of them doing anything to alleviate her loneliness.
Air. She needed air, a space to breathe and gather herself. To maybe call an Uber so that she could go home and pass out in peace, or chow down on leftover Chinese food. Maybe both. Lo mein and a nap sounded like a great combination.
Carter made her way in the direction of where the door should be, but somehow found herself down a dark hallway without knowing exactly how she’d gotten there. She didn’t know that the house was a maze. Stumbling slightly, she made her way over to someone in one of those basic costumes, a cat from the looks of it, and tapped them on the shoulder. Her request for directions never made it past her lips; Carter’s head tilted to the side as she gazed at the girl in confusion.
“You changed…” she mumbled, frowning as she tried to concentrate on Taylor’s face. Not an easy task as alcohol blurred her vision.
Taylor grinned and something looked different about it – did dimples just randomly disappear? – and stepped closer. “You’re right,” she agreed, in a voice that wasn’t quite right. “I’ve changed a lot.”
And then they were kissing.
It was nice, Carter supposed. Taylor’s mouth was warm and eager, and the taste of sherry lingered on her lips. The hand that was trailing towards her chest was also a welcome distraction. She just thought that it would be more. When Taylor had straddled her at homecoming it had felt like an electric current going through her body, like something bad would happen if they stopped touching. This was just lips touching lips and skin touching skin. There was no desire in the actions, nothing that would drive Carter to go further than they already were. Even the hand that was now groping clumsily over her shirt was boring.
How disappointing. Frowning, Carter reached up and removed the hand, taking a step back. Once again, she opened her mouth to say something but was brought up short by the sight of an ivory flapper dress and wavy brown hair disappearing around the corner. Huh. When she refocused her attention on her kissing partner, Carter was mildly surprised to find that it wasn’t Taylor – of course it wasn’t, Taylor was straight and had a boyfriend – and that she was looking in shock back at Carter.
Color flooded the girl’s cheeks. “I thought you were someone else. I’m… I’m sorry.”
That made two of them. Carter shook her head, muttered a similar apology. She thanked the girl for kissing her, like a fucking idiot, and made her excuses to leave. Thankfully, she was able to find the door this time. She made her escape into the night, gulping down cool air as she scheduled an Uber. She was never drinking again and she was definitely not telling Oliver anything about her night.
who: mostly Evan and Meredith and Harold but guest appearances by Henri
when: the weekend before Thanksgiving
where: the SPCA + pet store + the house
It had been Evan’s idea. Ever since their discussion about adopting a dog it just kept coming up in conversation and then the Hughes woman surprised her by taking them to the SPCA. The smile on her face when she realized where they were could have lit up an entire room. She felt like a kid on Christmas morning as they walked through the rows of dogs looking for their forever home. It was odd, normally she was so drawn to larger dogs but they seemed to keep coming back to this one cage with a French bulldog mix in it. They were walking down another row when Meredith took Evan’s hand. She laced their fingers and tugged her back in the direction of Harold. “He’s so… cute. He just looks like a snuggler.”
In the days after speaking to Meredith about her wanting to adopt a dog, Evan couldn't help but think that now was the perfect time. Before Evan headed back to Chicago. That way, Meredith had someone to help ease the dog into their new home and then had company once Evan made her way back to Chicago. The brunette loved the smile that formed on Meredith's face when she realized where they were. She enjoyed walking through the area looking at all of the animals, noting the one that Meredith seemed smitten by. “But he's so small…” She commented, but she couldn't argue with the look on her face. She squeezed Meredith's hand, her thumb brushing over her knuckles as she called the employee over. “Could we spend a bit of time with Harold here please?”
“Yes, well, some of the best things come in small packages.” Henri used to tell her that Right after she’d tease her for being shorter. When Evan called over the employee she squeezed her hand in return, that smile was back and she simply beamed. Those bright blue eyes were focused on the pudgy little frenchy. As they opened the kennel she gave one more squeeze to Evan’s hand before pulling away to kneel down. Harold waddled over and immediately nuzzled into her hand.
As Meredith moved away, Evan stood back to watch the interaction. And just a few moments into it, she knew that they would be taking him. She was so confident that she left the room with one of the employees to fill out the information that she could and pay the money necessary. She would wait for Meredith to choose out the other items however. Once she had filled out everything she could, she returned to the kennel and kneeled down herself.
When Evan went away she played with Harold for awhile. He knew how to fetch and to give his paw and to sit and lay down, he was a good boy and she was already in love. By the time brunette came back Harold was in Mere’s lap happily accepting all the love the blonde was giving him. As she knelt down the dog wiggles out of Meredith’s lap to waddle over toEcan and head butt her hand for pets. “He’s perfect and I love him.”
The brunette smiled and pet the dog comfortably when he asked for them. He was pretty cute...for a small dog. And he seemed to be loving and kind which was really the most important thing. Hearing Meredith's words, she looked up and nodded her head. “I know. I could tell. That's why he’s yours as soon as you sign your name and pick out some essentials for him.” Evan explained, scratching Harold behind the ears.
It took her a moment to process that but once she did her eyes widened and her smile grew. Careful of her new canine companion she launched herself at Evan and hugged her tight. “You’re the best, you know that?” When she pulled back from the hug she scooped Harold up into her arms. “Thank you so so much,” she hadn’t been this happy in so long. Snuggling him close she got up with him. “Where do I need to sign? What do we have to do?”
She wrapped her free arm around Meredith and hugged her back with a soft laugh. “I'm glad you're pleased with the decision.” She teased, standing up a second after Meredith had. “Follow me.” She led her into the other room where an employee was waiting to finish up the signatures. “So they have some collars and leashes here for us to pick from and then we'll have to go grab everything else for him.”
Meredith signed where she needed to sign and then looked through the options. She found a little black leather collar and matching leash and picked those out. He’d look so handsome, she was sure of it. “ There’s a pet store in the Trader Joe’s shopping center. I think it’s a petsmart.” They got him settled into the car and then Mere took a seat in the passenger’s side, buckling in.
She nodded her head, happy to go wherever it was that Meredith seemed necessary. She thanked the employees and then walked out to the car, getting into the driver's seat. She waited until everyone was settled and then drove off to the Trader Joe's. She parked fairly close to the entrance and then turned to her with a smile. “Okay...so food, bed, treats, toys, water and food bowls, brush, nail clippers, shampoo, poop bags; anything else we need?” She asked with a quirk of her eyebrows.
“Hmmm,” she thought for a long moment. “I wanna get him a pretty silver tag with his name and our address. But otherwise I think you seem to have the list covered.” The blonde grinned and got out of the car to go get Harold out of the back. She loved the way he waddled when he walked. They met up with Evan to head inside.
“Name tag it is. We should try and figure that out first. Maybe they can have it done by the time we finish our shopping.” Evan suggested, making her way towards the store as Meredith walked beside her, holding onto Harold's leash. She definitely had no regrets about this idea. She was sure that having Harold around would help Meredith so much.
“That sounds like the perfect plan.” They found their way inside and over to the counter. She told the lady exactly what she wanted- a silver circle with the name and address. The woman promised it would be ready by the time they made it back to the front. First stop was to look at beds. She pulled down the three that looked most comfortable and let Harold choose. The dog looked at all three and then headed to a grey plush looking bed. “Good choice.”
She chuckled softly at Harold choosing the grey bed. “This dog is just perfect for you, isn't he?” She grabbed the bed and placed it in the cart before they moved onto their next item. Evan was happy to simply walk around and push the cart. After all, Harold was Meredith's and so it was her decision. Not that Evan wasn't looking forward to having some company while Meredith was at work.
“He is.” She beamed. For the most part that’s how their shopping trip went. Meredith would give him options and let him choose. He chose the nature’s choice food, the bacon flavored biscuits, the shiny silver dog bowls, the plush Dino toy and the small tennis balls. The rest of the items she picked out with Evan’s help until they had a full cart.
Once the cart was filled with everything they needed, they made their way to the front where they were given the tag for Harold's collar. They soon paid for everything and then made their way back out to the car. “Do you want to just get some takeout for dinner? Make it nice and easy tonight?” Evan questioned as she placed the items in the trunk of the car.
“Sounds perfect. What are you in the mood for? The best take out around here is Chinese and Indian… although the pizza is pretty good too.” She helped get Harold settled into the back of the car in his new bed and put the little silver tag on his collar. “You look so handsome.” She smiled and scratched his head a little before going to the front of the car to buckle in.
“Let's go for some Chinese. It’s been a while since I've had that.” Evan commented with a nod. Rather than having to wait so long, Evan called the restaurant and ordered before she drove off. That way it would minimize the amount of time that they would be sitting and waiting for their meal. Once that had been completed, Evan started the car back up and began the drive to the restaurant.
Meredith made sure to put in her two cents about orange chicken and sticky rice. They made their way to pick up the food and then made the trek home. The blonde brought Harold, his bed and one of the bags inside. He was a curious little creature and looked around, finally finding himself a comfy spot on the couch, funny enough right beside Henri who gave a scratch to his head.
Evan made her way into the house and to the dining room table, setting the other food down before checking in on Harold. Once she saw where he was, she made her way back to the kitchen to pull the food out of the bags. “I'm so hungry.” Evan mused with a smile before taking a seat. “So what's the plan for him sleeping tonight?”
Meredith saw he had settled and after she was done setting up her stuff she joined Evan at the table. She made herself a small plate, the smell of the orange chicken making her stomach grumble. “I was thinking we could bring his bed upstairs and set it beside the bed.” The bed was too tall for him to jump up on to.
Evan nodded her head in agreement and smiled. “That sounds like a plan. Wouldn't want him to be all alone after having a new home.” She mused, making up her plate and then taking a small bite of the food. “Mmm, so good.” The brunette glanced over at Meredith and bit down on her bottom lip. “I think he's a good addition.”
“Exactly.” She smiled across the table and popped a piece of orange chicken into her mouth. Henri had lulled Harold into a slumber over on the couch and he looked perfectly content. The older woman was happy her sister had thought of this, Mere needed a companion. The blonde gave a nod and glanced over at him before looking back to Evan. “I think so too. He’s perfect.”
“He's alright. For a small dog.” She teased, winking at the blonde. She took another few bites of food. “So for Thanksgiving...I had an idea. It's nerdy and you can totally tell me it's dumb but...yeah.” Evan said with a slight smile, head tilting to the side.
“Don’t let him hear you say that,” she teased right back. Henri was highly amused by the conversation and by the fact that there was a dog on her couch who could clearly see her. Mere continued eating, “hmm?” She hummed and swallowed another bite of food. “I’m sure it’s not dumb.”
“He and I are pals, it's all good.” She winked playfully. “I was thinking since it'll just be the two of us, maybe we could get a puzzle to do. It's kinda something we can do all day in between cooking and watching movies or whatever.” Evan suggested with a slight shrug and a smile.
She considered this while they ate. “Sounds like it could be fun definitely not dumb…”. Mere took a long moment before speaking up again. “… before you leave will you go with me to get a tree? Please?” Blue eyes were hopeful. “I just don’t wanna do it alone…”
“Cool then…I look forward to it.” She glanced up when Meredith began to speak again, tilting her head to the side and bit down on her bottom lip. “Of course, Mere. I will definitely go with you. That's no problem at all.” Evan said, reaching over to squeeze her hand gently. “I haven't gone tree shopping in a while. I think it'll be good.”
“How many pieces is this puzzle gonna be?” She rose a brow but smiled. When Evan agreed she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. A brighter smile pulled at pink lips. “Thank you , promise I won’t take forever finding one.” Henri chuckled from the couch. “She says that now but you’re going to be there at least an hour-dress warm.”
Evan paused thoughtfully but then simply shrugged. “I'm unsure right now. Lots.” Evan finished off her food and then listened to Meredith and Henri's comments. “Mm. You told me about Henri needing to carry you out...I'm not going to hold my breath about it just yet.” She said with a soft laugh.
Mere gave a little huff at the retort. She finished off the last of the small plate she’d made herself and then went about packing things up and clearing the table to do dishes. “I doubt you’d try to carry me out.” She smirked a little as she washed a plate.
She quirked an eyebrow and stood up from the table, moving to stand beside Meredith. “Oh no? Don't think I could? Hmm?” Evan questioned, crossing her arms over her chest and allowing her eyes to scan over Meredith's now familiar face. It was a face she was waking up to every morning and falling asleep to every night.
Meredith side glanced the woman as she continued to wash the dishes. That freckles face held amusement as she bit into her lower lip. She gave a small shrug. “I mean you look strong enough I just don’t think you would.”
“No? Why wouldn't I then? What gives you that impression?” She questioned, resting her back against the counter with a curious expression. She wasn't upset by the assumption, just interested to see what her reasoning might be.
The blonde shrugged again. “Just a feeling.” She reached around her for the dish towel to dry off a few things before putting them in their rightful place. “I feel like you have more patience than Henri did.” The older woman snorted. “I mean, she’s not entirely wrong.”
Evan hummed and then simply nodded her head slightly. “I supposed I can’t argue with that.” She said with a slight smile and a shrug. “I'm going to go for a shower...is there anything that you need help with at all?” She questioned, tapping her fingers lightly.
The younger woman smiled. She had no doubt that Evan could throw her over her shoulder, or carry her- she and Henri had very similar builds. Both women were taller than her and physically stronger. She shook her head at the question. “Nope. Just gonna finish up here then bring Harold up with me. Need to get into pjs and stuff.”
“Alright. Sounds good.” She moved to walk out before turning back. “Make sure you take the pup out.” Evan said with a slight smile and a wink. Of course she trusted Meredith enough, and knew she was smart enough to know to bring the dog outside. “See you in a bit.” She headed upstairs, taking her time with the shower as she listened to music. Eventually, she made her way into the bedroom now changed into her pajamas.
Mere took Harold out to do his business and then grabbed up his bed and his plush Dino and led him upstairs. He was already asleep in his bed by the time Meredith made her way back into Evan’s room. She wore an outfit much like last night, huge worn T-shirt and flannel sleep shorts. Crawling into bed beside Evan she gave a small smile. “I think he knows he’s home”
Evan learned down to pet the dog for a few moments, pleased that he seemed so comfortable in the house already. She eased herself under the covers and smiled as Meredith made her way into the room. “I think he does.” She agreed, turning onto her side with a hum. It was still a bit early, but Evan was happy to lay in bed and simply snuggle for a bit. The comfort that she felt was a little worrying to her, but she was trying not to focus on it.
Meredith liked their routine, she was finding comfort in having one even if it was simple. “It was funny watching him waddle up the steps.” She cuddled into the blankets turning to face the brunette. “Thank you for today. It meant a lot to me.”
Evan laughed softly. “I look forward to seeing it myself. And I'm excited to have a buddy when you go to work.” She mused, her arm finding its way around her waist without much thought. She knew she needed to put some distance between them, but figured that her heading back to Chicago would accomplish that. For now, she was content. “Of course. I'm glad it went well.”
“I’m not sure he’ll be able to do it himself all the time. I might have to carry him.” As that arm went around her waist she cuddled in a little bit closer. They were getting extremely close but it felt natural and necessary… it was comfortable and as usual it made her feel safe, it wasn’t something she was looking forward to giving up.
“Well, I'll keep an eye on that.” Evan said, her hand gently trailing up and down the blonde's back. “Don't want the little man getting hurt. Especially when it's avoidable.” Evan mused, snuggling a bit further under the blankets and smiling softly. “Do you think having Harold around will help you sleep when I'm in Chicago?”
The blonde bit into her lower lip at the question not really liking to think about the day that she’d once again be alone in those huge house. The hand caressing her back helped her to relax a bit. “I dunno. My guess is once you’re gone he’ll end up in bed with me. And then you’ll have to fight him for your spot when you come home for Christmas.”
Evan gasped at her words, shaking her head. “I can't believe that you're going to make me fight for my spot. Don't you enjoy my cuddles?” Evan pouted playfully and then pressed their foreheads together for a moment. “If you ever need to, call me, okay? I definitely won't mind staying on the phone with you.”
“I love your cuddles.” Meredith laughed a little. “I wouldn’t, he’ll just get so used to snuggling up with me that he won’t wanna give it up.” When that forehead rested against her own she closed her eyes for a moment. “Expect a nightly phone call then.” Lips tugged into a small smile. “And a slew of texts and goofy photos.” She let out a small shaky breath. “It’ll be hard here without you.” She admitted.
She couldn't deny the flip of her stomach when Meredith said she loved the cuddles, even if she tried to ignore it to the best of her ability. “Well, we will just have to figure something out that works for all three of us.” Evan mused, believing that they would be able to come to some sort of compromise. “That's okay by me, Mere. Honestly. I'm happy to be on the other end when you need or want me to be.” At her admission, she let out a soft breath. “I know. But...I'll do what I can to make it as easy as possible okay? Promise.”
The younger woman only clung a little tighter to Evan, the thought of letting her go right now was simply too hard to handle. She went quiet for awhile and simply gave a small nod. “What’s your favorite song?” She eventually murmured, changing the subject so as not to be sad right before bed.
She pressed a kiss to Meredith's forehead as she tightened her grip. Her hand gently rubbed along her back and she did her best to comfort her. “My favorite song is either Who Do You Love by Marianas Trench or The Call by Regina Spektor. Yours?”
The blonde melted a little into the hold. “I think it changes every day. Right now I love listening to Sara Bareilles. My favorite song of hers is Gravity. She just did a recording for the Hamilton remix cd of the Theodosia Reprise. It’s pretty amazing. Henri took me to see Hamilton in New York one year for my birthday.” She smiled a little at the memory.
“She is pretty great. Good choice there.” She said with a smile. “That's pretty cool. It’s nice that you were able to go to the show.” Evan mused softly, breathing out slowly and allowing her fingers to continue brushing over her back. “When uh..when is your birthday?”
Evan’s touch was almost healing in a way and Meredith let herself enjoy the comfort. “Hmm? Oh… Uhm November 1st. I just turned 27. Yours is May 2nd, right?” She knew because Henri always used to light a candle for Evan that night and Meredith always baked cupcakes.
She hummed thoughtfully. “Sorry I just missed it then.” Evan said as her eyebrows furrowed. She wished she would have known. Not that at that point she ever thought about Meredith. “Well...happy belated birthday.” She offered with a slight chuckle. “Yeah, that's the day.” She confirmed with a nod.
A warm smile touched her lips. “Thank you.” The blonde hadn’t been well on her birthday this year. No one even remembered really and she spent the day at work and then at home numbly going through the motions of life. “I make cupcakes every May 2nd and Henri would light a candle, that’s how I remember.”
Her heart felt a little more full at Meredith's words and she smiled softly. “Cupcakes are amazing.” Evan mused, thumb brushing circles along her back. “It’s nice to hear all of the little things that Henri did.” The brunette expressed, feeling some longing well within her.
“I make pretty amazing cupcakes.” The way that thumb traced over her back had tingles dancing along her spine. The blonde gave a small hum at the comment. “She was just as stubborn as you but she was stubborn in her own way. It’s why your room never changed. We’d always hang your stocking on the mantle for Christmas. She got you a gift every year. I still have them stored away in the closet. I’ll put them under the tree this year.”
“I look forward to trying one of your cupcakes.” Her bottom lip trembled, but she forced herself not to cry at the notion, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breath. She had missed out on so much, holding onto her fear and anger and pain. And she was so upset with herself. And the issue was that there was nothing she could do now to change anything. She wished there was, but there wasn’t.
She noticed the way Evan reacted and hugged their bodies a little closer. “I also bake amazing pies.” She murmured, changing the subject. “Tell me your favorite kind and it will go on the thanksgiving menu.” Henri had been so stubborn that there were now six gifts tucked away waiting for Evan. Mere had always thought it was sweet.
“Amazing pie, huh?I'm in for a treat then. Cherry is my favorite kind of pie.” She expressed with a smile, feeling the wave of sadness pass over her. It would take a while for her to stop feeling sad over the smallest things but she knew it was natural. “What's your favorite pie?”
“I can definitely do cherry. That used to be my brother’s favorite.” She and her brothers were very much estranged but that wasn’t her choice, that was on them. “I love Dutch Apple and Peach Crumb. But they definitely need to be served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. It’s just how it has to be done.”
She smiled at her words and nodded her head. “Just means we're going to have lots of delicious pie. And I am more than okay with that.” Evan said, adjusting her position to get a bit more comfortable before settling down once more. “I think we will have a good Thanksgiving. I'll do my best to make it good for you.”
“For us.” She corrected gently. “I want it to be just as good for you.” A day of cooking and puzzling with Evan just sounded like an amazing day even if it would be missing Henri. She shifted along with the brunette and they resettled, one of her legs easily tangling with the older woman’s.
She hummed softly and nodded her head. “For us absolutely.” She replied, kissing Meredith's forehead. As a leg tangled with her own, she let out a soft breath and gently gripped the woman's shirt. She felt way too comfortable with Meredith but she wasn't going to fight it right now.
The kiss to her forehead had her cheeks flushing a little but thankfully her face wasn’t in Evan’s direct line of sight at the moment. “I’m not gonna wanna go to school tomorrow with you and Harold here. I’m gonna wanna play hookie but technically I’m not allowed cause it’s the day before a break.”
Evan smiled softly and lifted her hand to play with her hair. “One day. And then you'll get all of the Harold snuggles. I think it'll be good for me to get a day with him so I'm not a complete stranger since I'll be leaving for a month. Gotta have him like me when I get back.” She said with a playful wink. “It'll be good. And I'll text you to try and make the day go by quickly.”
The blonde leaned into the touch so easily but then gave a soft whine. “One day too long.” She poured some but then let a small sigh leave her lips. “You do need bonding time…. I guess as long as you promise to text me it won’t be all that bad.” She still sounded pouty though.
Evan chuckled softly, fingers still carding through blonde locks. “I definitely promise to text you.” She paused, humming. “Darn you're adorable though.” Evan cleared her throat after she spoke, attempting to brush it off. “I'll probably take Harold for a walk tomorrow.”
She’d closed her eyes to simply enjoy the way those fingers felt in her hair. “Can’t wait to be thoroughly distracted.” She smirked a little but it warmed to a shy smile at the woman’s words, her cheeks flushing again. “Nuh-uh.” The blonde tried to argue but Evan was already changing the subject. “Hmm I’m sure he’ll like that.”
“I'm pretty distracting so hopefully you're able to get your work done.” Evan teased gently, letting out a soft yawn. “I hope that he will. If not...at least it’s good for him.” She mused with a shrug, twisting to glance at the sleeping dog. It was great that he already seemed so comfortable. She had been a bit worried about how the night would go.
“Lucky for you I wanna be distracted.” She teased back. Pouting a little again the blonde nuzzled into her. “You’re lucky you get to watch him waddle all day.” The thought of going to school tomorrow was kind of awful.
She chuckled softly. “That's true. At least I have permission to be distracting you. It would be a shame if you weren't a fan of it.” She rested her chin on top of Meredith's head as she snuggled up to her, rubbing her back once more. “Sorry, Mere.”
“But you’ll both be here when I get home and we can get in all the snuggles and shop for Thanksgiving and it’ll all be good.” The more she spoke the more mumbled it sounded, she was getting sleepy.
“We will definitely be here when you get back.” She agreed with a smile, rubbing her back slowly. “Get some sleep. Goodnight, Mere.” She murmured softly, once again slipping into the routine of waiting for Meredith to actually be asleep before she closed her eyes herself; a goodnight whispered to Henri as usual.
“Night, Ev…” She murmured before slipping seamlessly into a peaceful slumber. Henri heard the goodnight and smiled. Meredith was melting away her little sister’s frozen layers and it was mesmerizing to watch.
Just like clockwork Vale opened his eyes slowly and extended his limbs as far as he could to stretch and begin his day. But, before he would begin his morning routine, he always just laid there thinking about whatever came to his mind. This would usually set the mood for the day, but this time was different. He had thought about someone he hadn’t in a what seems like a millennia ago.
Adjusting his position in bed, he faced up toward the ceiling and was sent into a trance like state. He heard the voice of his friend, Farrah, echo through his mind. It wasn’t that he was infatuated with her, it was just that she was part of the reason that he was able to get through being at the base without wanting to end it all. Her and so many others were there for each other when they thought all else was lost. But, with Farrah it was a different kind of dependency. They kept each other motivated to get stronger so that they could eventually get out and live their lives free. Fortunately, they got their freedom sooner than they thought.
He remembered all the times that they would train together and be each others sparring partners. She had always been one step ahead of Vale and even one time she had broken his hand because he tried to stop one of her deadly punches straight on. Vale raised his hand, open palm facing him, he glided the tips of his fingers across where the scars were from that very incident. He smiled and let a small laugh out.
Vale stretched one more time and then turned his head to the side to face the window that had a not so clear view of the gloomy sky, some snow had begun to fall a bit but, it stopped as soon as he noticed. He got up off his bed and looked for a t-shirt and pants to put on so that he could go for a run. The man walked out of the bedroom and continued with his care for hygiene. Soon he was out the door with his running gear on and began to run the same trail he always did.
With some luck, he caught the glimpse of a brunette also taking the same trail as he did. It wasn’t uncommon for folk to be seen there but, in this side of town where you could get robbed for even looking like you have money, not many people could get by. As soon as he caught up he slowed his pace and breathing to match hers, “Morning, Farrah.” he said with a deep tone.
WHO: Hunter & Sebastian
WHEN: 4/1/2017
WHERE: Plane home from Greece
WHAT: Hunter and Sebastian have a conversation about what’s going to happen post-Greece on the plane ride home in the private jet, then they flash forward to getting tested that evening.
WARNINGS: NSFW talk? But nothing NSFW. EDIT: SCRATCH THAT IT GOT NSFW OOPS. BUT FADES TO BLACK BEFORE IT’S TOO BAD.
Sebastian made sure the jet and pilot was all ready to go before settling in a seat beside Hunter. He hated leaving Greece, but he also missed Jett and Gus (and maybe a couple of his friends). The whole trip with Hunter had been an unbelievable getaway that he couldn't quite wrap his head around yet. He knew they both had become increasingly affectionate and he wasn't sure if he was worried it would continue in Ohio or more that it wouldn't continue and it was only a while on vacation kind of thing. As they took off, Sebastian rest his head against Hunter's shoulder, sipping coffee they had gotten before getting to the airport. "Do you want to eat our breakfast now or later?"
Hunter laid his head on top of Sebastian's as he stared out the window, dreading the moment that they pulled up in the air and left the island. Maybe it was weird, to be so attached to a place he'd only been in for a week, but he'd seen so much and done so much - not to mention the strange new connection with Sebastian that felt a little more.... nailed down now - but it was still strange to be so sentimental. "Later. Coffee first. Need at least two more cups," Hunter joked, pulling the blanket he'd packed up around their legs and getting comfortable. For some reason he always ended up absolutely freezing when flying. "One last chance to stay here." It was another joke, but he couldn't resist saying it.
Sebastian had grown so comfortable being in Greece with Hunter. He wasn't sure which he'd miss more; the country, the sun, or sleeping with Hunter every night. It had started to go beyond just sex for him. He liked the post-sex cuddling that he never thought that he would want. He liked holding hands while walking around the streets. And he liked that he woke up and Hunter was still there in the morning. What he didn't realize was how much that he liked that it was Hunter he was doing everything with. He wasn't sure what to make of it and he didn't want to think about what it all was. "I'm so exhausted," he laughed, smiling. "I wish we could," he nodded. "But we have cats and a dog to go back to."
Hunter buckled himself in properly when the plane started to take-off but didn't detach himself from Sebastian to do so, watching out the window initially but turning his attention back when the movement got to be too much and brushing a hand down over his shoulder. "So am I. The kind of exhausted that comes after a good work out, or relaxing so much you can't keep your eyes open after." He offered the edges of the blanket to Sebastian in case he wanted to get himself bundled up with it too. It was so soft, so comfortable. "At least they've had the best pet sitters this side of the Mason-Dixie line. How much do you want to bet the cats give us the silent treatment for at least the next three days?"
Sebastian made sure he was buckled before taking the edge of the blanket to pull it over himself. It was warm and soft, and well, it was everything that he wanted. He felt like he could be safe and relaxed and not have to worry about anything else. "Yes, the best kind of exhaustion. The relaxing kind," he grinned, kissing his cheek. It was their last leg of their trip, but he was still going to make the most of the things they had. "They have had the best pet sitters. Jett's been getting to be outside and play everyday. He's going to just as mad as Gus," he laughed. "But I have a feeling Puss will be Mr. Grumpy Puss."
Hunter took the kiss on his cheek and turned it into a proper kiss, hand cupping his cheek and drawing him into it. It didn't last long but it held a lot in it and when he pulled away he tried to keep it easy, "Apparently they've all gotten to lounge on the bed while we were gone, and they made friends with Pumpkin. Even Mr. Puss looked like he was enjoying himself." He stretched his legs out in front of him and nonchalantly looked over at Hunter. Instead of letting himself overthink things he talked without trying to filter anything out. "So, you going to crash at my place tonight or do you need to go unpack after we pick up the furballs?"
Sebastian smiled as his lips touched Hunter's, keeping it gentle. Over the course of their trip, Sebastian felt as though he had learned all about what different kisses meant for him and Hunter. There were the soft ones that felt like they were just in the mood to be close. There were the passionate ones that they both knew would lead to so much more. And he loved them both. "Jeff and Blaine spoiled them rotten. We have a lot to live up too," he chuckled, humming softly. "Hmmmm, I can crash at yours. As long as I have the furballs, I can go anywhere, really."
Hunter eyed the pilot's area up front when they broke away. Not that he thought anyone hired by the Smythe's would be spying on them but he was still concerned about wanting their more private moments to remain private. "We can pick up some of those gourmet pet treats on the way home. Bribe our way back into their good graces." He squeezed Sebastian's hand as the relief flowed through. Not that he thought he'd say no but... actually, yes, part of him had thought maybe Sebastian would say no. "Good. We've got that massive cat bed we bought in Greece. They can all pile up on that. Or on the bed with us."
Sebastian knew that they would be okay and that the pilot wouldn't be paying attention to them. At least Sebastian hoped that flying a plane would take precedent over eavesdropping on what he and Hunter were saying. "Oh that's a smart idea. We need to bride them for their love again," he chuckled. Sebastian smiled at Hunter, winking playfully. "I'm way too used to sharing a bed with you," he admitted, trying to make it sound less serious than he felt it was. "Okay but that massive cat bed was amazing. How could we not have gotten it?" he grinned, nodding. "Maybe cuddles will help them love us again."
Hunter could imagine all too well Mr. Puss going cold shoulder on him. It'd happened before, several times, and the longer he was gone the longer the cold shoulder lasted. "Trust me the way to their hearts is definitely through their stomach. They can't resist a little tuna all dolled up." The words made Hunter's stomach clench up but he wasn't too keen on examining what that meant. "So am I. You're welcome over whenever you want, you know that." Did that sound nonchalant? He really, really hoped so. "Let them recreate what they had with their awesome petsitters and maybe they'll be less bitter. Or... we can let them be angry at us and enjoy the fact that it means we can have uninterrupted sex before the jet lag kicks in."
Sebastian felt a little bad for leaving Gus so soon after getting him, but he hoped that the kitten would understand or not even realize what happened. It was doubtful, but he could hope. "The only way to win them back is to spoil them more than Jeff and Blaine did," he agreed. Sebastian let out a small sigh of relief when Hunter returned the worry of not being able to sleep alone anymore. He would have felt weird had Hunter not been worried about it at all and he already felt weird over the fact he had gotten used to the feeling of sleeping next to Hunter in such a short amount of time. "You're welcome to my place any time too, but your bed's a lot more comfortable," he smiled. "Hmmm, last round of sex before jet lag and then win them back?"
Hunter shook his head at just how much work they were going to have to do. At least Mr. Puss knew he'd never let him stay with someone that didn't take proper care of him - from what he'd heard Blaine had done exactly that. "My bed's got every amenity possible," he said with a massive grin, and maybe it was a little smug. He'd spent enough time in his bed to need it to be perfect, and it was even better now that maybe that bed would be a little less empty than it had been since he'd come back from deployment. "Lock them out while they eat and get comfortable, let them back in when we're sated? We can behave for a night after that, I'm betting."
Sebastian felt bad about having to leave the pets back with Jeff and Blaine, but he was also pretty sure that they were being much more spoiled than normal. He trusted Jeff to take care of Gus and Jett, hoping that he'd be able to win back their affections. "A bed shouldn't be allowed to be that comfortable," Sebastian told him, shaking his head. He was enjoying spending time in Hunter's bed more than his own now. "They can get nice and fed and readjusted to being back with us. And we can have one last round of uninterrupted hot sex before we crash from jet lag and want nothing more than to cuddle and be with our babies."
Hunter leaned over for another kiss, the movement so easy between them now that he no longer thought twice about doing it even when they weren't leading into sex. A week seemed like such a short amount of time but being in somewhere so exotic was like being in another world, and it'd changed so much. "You do know how to make something sound insanely appealing. I'll even cook for us again beforehand if I can find the stuff for tacos. The maid should've gone shopping, but if not we can just order pizza if she didn't."
Sebastian kissed Hunter back with ease. He was desperately hoping that the simple kisses between them didn't have to end once they were back. He was finding that he looked forward to them all too much. "Well I am a lawyer. I'm supposed to make things sounds different than they really are," he chuckled. "That reminds me, Jeff wanted me to let him know a date that I'd be kicking ass in court. If you want, I can let you know too," he shrugged. "Tacos? That sounds delicious. Pizza also sounds good too though."
Hunter 's eyebrows rose, leaning back in the seat as much as it would allow before patting Sebastian's side to join him. They weren't going to be napping anytime soon, he didn't think, but comfortable was the name of the game. "I'd definitely enjoy that. Be pretty hot to watch you get someone the justice they deserve. We can definitely incorporate those mid-break blowjobs." His stomach growled a little but he knew he wasn't hungry just yet, it was just thinking about it. "Anything else in mind for today? Any other plans?"
Sebastian smiled and curled into Hunter's side gently, resting his head on Hunter's chest as he pulled the blanket up around them closer. "That's what I was hoping you'd say," he admitted. "And I'm extremely hot when I'm kicking ass," he grinned, kissing Hunter again simply because he could. "Oh yes. Those mid-break blowjobs are the best," he nodded. Sebastian hummed softly before looking at Hunter. 'I.. okay. Are you planning on sleeping with anyone else or can we go get tested once we're back because fuck condoms. I want to feel you."
Hunter ignored all of the rest of the conversation to fixate on that one point. He couldn't really read how Sebastian was saying it. Couldn't figure out if it was something serious, or a statement, or if it really was just a surface thing where Sebastian didn't like condoms and wanted to make sure they didn't need to use them. That'd become pretty clear on the trip, and he wasn't exactly fond of them either... "No, I don't, and if I did I'd be pretty up front with you about it. Why fuck strangers when I've got a friend I actually enjoy who just happens to be incredible in bed? We can go before we settle down tonight. If you're up for it. There's at least one private clinic open on Saturdays. Fuck that sounds hot..."
Sebastian hated condoms, but he also didn't think that he really would want to sleep with anyone else after Hunter. Why go home with someone random when he had a friend who he trusted and knew could make him feel amazing? Being with Hunter was better than everyone else he'd been with before and he wasn't going to give that up. He enjoyed his time with Hunter and well, he really wanted to stop having to use condoms. "I'd like that. I just. Condoms are okay, but fuck I want to know what it'd feel like just you, no rubber in between us."
Hunter wasn't going to overthink this. Sebastian didn't seem to be trying to make things too intense. It seemed to be about sex, and maybe he didn't want Sebastian to sleep with anyone else (even if he'd only admit it to himself) but there was still this knowing fear that jumped to the surface when he thought about it being more than that. "Trust me, I get it. We can have a few marathon rounds once the pets fall asleep for the night.... maybe test that whole 'no rubbers' thing to see just how good it is?"
Sebastian didn't want to overthink things. He didn't want to make them more serious than they had to be. Partially for Hunter's sake and partially because Sebastian himself didn't really want to think about it. He didn't know what it was, but there was also a part of him that liked knowing that Hunter was only going to be sleeping with him and vice versa. "Fuck yes. I want to test that as soon as as much as we possibly can once we're given the okay to," he nodded.
Hunter couldn't help the ridiculous grin that spread wide over his face. Ear to ear. Seeing him so excited about something made something warm and bubbly spark up in his chest and settle there. Even if it was sex it didn't change the fact that it was new. It was exciting. It was something he'd never intentionally done before, only when he was drunk and so far gone he didn't think of it, which had only happened a handful of times. "...So how much do you think the pets would mind us being a little late picking them up?"
Sebastian couldn't deny that he was more than excited about the thought of getting to be with Hunter and not having to deal with a condom in the way. He had never been with someone that he wanted to get to be intimate with exclusively. He had to admit that it was terrifying but exciting to him all at the same time. "Hmmmm, I mean.. what's a couple extra hours late..? They won't really know, will they?"
Hunter turned towards him, kind of needing to see his face right now. Just to make sure he wasn't missing something in what Sebastian was saying, or somehow reading between the lines in a way that wasn't accurate. "Of course they won't, Blaine and Jeff will get more time with him. It all works out, right?" He leaned over and kissed him again, this one less innocent, maybe more... deep. Intense. Just right.
Sebastian smiled reassuringly at Hunter, making sure that he knows that it's what he wants fully and completely with him. It was something that was special to him and scary and he didn't know what to think, but he knew the same thing must have been going through Hunter's mind as well. "I'm sure that they all won't mind a little big of extra time together," he agreed, kissing Hunter back. It was perfect and the right intensity for the situation. "You're fucking addicting."
Hunter chuckled and let the kiss run its course, sinking into it as easily as he'd learned to. Then they were landing, calling one of their drivers, and he couldn't believe nine hours had passed so quickly. Knowing they were headed to the clinic after they dropped their stuff off was almost nerve-wracking but when they finally made it there it was Hunter that tried to lead their way inside. No nerves about being seen but maybe there was a little worry that an escapade would leave him with a positive result. "You ready?" He said at the door.
Sebastian slept most of the way back, pressed against Hunter like he's gotten comfortable with doing. Once they were in the car, he double checked that the clinic would be open once they were there. Once they were there, Sebastian squeezed Hunter's hand. He knew this was a big thing for them. He had never gone to get tested with someone else before. Part of him was nervous, but he was also more than ready to go in. "Let's go in, babe," he nodded, smiling softly.
Hunter pushed the doors open and did the checking in for them - taking charge was such a natural thing for him to do and he trusted that if Sebastian was ever uncomfortable with it or wanted to be the one doing everything that he'd let him know. "So how many vials of blood do you think they'll take?" Tattoos didn't phase him, shots didn't phase him, but getting his blood drawn was always a little iffy for him. There was just so much of it and if he was any smaller it'd leave him light-headed every time.
Sebastian sat down when Hunter went to check them in. He smiled softly when he came back and shrugged. "I don't think it's too much," he said softly. "Do you.. want me to come back with you when you get yours drawn?" he asked, bitting his lip. Everything was so new to him, he didn't know what he should do or say to try and make Hunter feel better about things. "It's never been more than one vial for me," he told him, hoping that would help calm his nerves.
Hunter nodded a little, not wanting to seem like any kind of wuss about it. "Yeah, that'd be pretty cool. It does make sense for us to be there together, getting it done, since we're getting it done for the sake of.... well, each other. Right?" He squeezed his hand tight and leaned against him for a brief moment as they waited for the doctor. "I've had them draw up to three for testing for other things before. Smaller vials, just more of them. Though it might not be the same since that was testing viruses when I came down with that bronchitis-like issue."
Sebastian nodded, "It would. We might as well do it together since it's for each other," he agreed. Sebastian squeezed Hunter's hand back, letting the other stay close to him. "I don't think they'd need that much for this," he shook his head. "At least, I don't see why they would," he shrugged. Sebastian just rubbed Hunter's arm gently until their names were called to head back into the testing room. Standing up, he looked at Hunter. "Hey. It's going to be okay."
Hunter stayed by Sebastian's side and let his voice filter over him. Maybe he didn't register exactly what it said at first but when he tuned back in it was at just the right time. "Thank you, babe." He let the doctor show them a room and dealt with the questions when the nurse tried to protest them sharing an examination room. He'd been prepared to be vocal about why they needed it but didn't want to make everyone uncomfortable when the nurse backed down and let them go. "Thank fuck," he muttered, settling into one of the hard seats. "Thought she wasn't going to go for it."
Sebastian knew they would have to argue their way into the examination room, but he wasn't going to go down without a fight over the matter. When she finally let them go in, he let a small sigh of relief, squeezing Hunter's hand. "Same there, babe," he said softly, sitting down in the chair. He looked over the questions the nurse handed them and looked back over at Hunter as they waited for the next person to come in. "Is it bad I'm not sure the number how many sexual partners to put down?" He asked, looking back down at the paper uncomfortably.
Hunter nudged Sebastian's shoulder with his own at the question. "No, it's not bad. I'm not too sure myself. Somewhere in the higher double digits..." He murmured, trying to do the mental math. It'd been dry season for the most part since coming back to Ohio - minus that weekend in Vegas with a gorgeous woman and now his constant bed sharing with Sebastian - but before he left and when he was deployed the number had been pretty high. Mostly randoms, a few friends with benefits, even a few buddies who just needed to get off after a year away from their women. "I can't say I've been particularly.... monogamous in the past, minus a few women in high school."
Sebastian chuckled, glad that he wasn't the only one who didn't know how many to put down. "I think I'd be around the same then," he nodded, trying to think about it. Being in California, while he was trying to prove he was worthy enough to be at Stanford, that hadn't stopped him from still having a little (or a lot) of fun. It had slowed since coming back to Ohio, finding a few old flings at Scandals before what he started with Hunter. "I can't say I've ever been monogamous," he mumbled, suddenly worried about scaring Hunter away for no real reason.
Hunter tilted his head curiously at the way Sebastian said the words so quietly. "I'm the last person who'd shame you for that, 'Bastian. Not for everyone." For a second he debated taking it down a more serious route but at the last second decided against it, not feeling like they were anywhere close to ready to have that conversation unless Sebastian wanted to take it there. "Had to wait 'til the sex was worth it to whittle it down to just one person," he teased. "But we all know my cock's enough to keep you more than sated. Or my ass." The last part he said a little quieter, directly to Sebastian.
Sebastian looked over at Hunter and smiled softly. "Guess I'm just used to people getting on my case about it," he said. He was seriously terrified about the way he felt when he was around Hunter and part of him wondered how Hunter felt, but he also didn't think a clinic was the most ideal place to bring that kind of thing up. Not when they could be walked in on at any moment by a nurse ready to draw blood. Sebastian laughed, nodding. "Well lucky for you, my cock and ass isn't going anywhere, babe."
Hunter squeezed Sebastian's hand lightly, leaning into his side and settling down there. "Well those people are idiots. Your past, hell your present, that's nobody's business but yours and the person or people you choose to share it with." Maybe Hunter could be an ass. Maybe he could be immature at times. But he firmly believed that Sebastian didn't deserve to have to deal with such bullshit over something as simple as sex. "Thank fuck. I mean. Kind of what we're doing here, right?" He didn't really know what was going on here but he also wasn't going to make any moves to quell it. It felt... really damn good.
Sebastian rest his head against Hunter's, holding onto his hand. Despite everything they'd already done together, this was making him feel the most nervous and vulnerable. "That makes me feel so much better," he admitted. Sebastian knew that his family wasn't happy with his sleeping around, thinking it gave the family a bad name, constantly getting on his case about not settling down with someone when he was only 21. Knowing the Hunter didn't mind his past and didn't run from him because of it made Sebastian feel... safe for the first time. "It's exactly why we're here," he nodded. Knowing that there was someone who was willing to only be with well.. him.. was something that made Sebastian feel things he didn't want to think about.
Hunter relaxed against the chair again as the door opened, but he murmured a "Good, let me know what else I can do" against Sebastian's ear as the nurse came in and tried not to focus on what was about to happen. He handed his filled-out form over, one hand going down to lace their fingers together in a way he'd become accustomed to in Greece, the other tapping a little nervously on the edge of the chair. This whole thing was just so... new and at least the awkward part of the doctor's visit would be over soon and they could move on to the much, much more fun part of their evening.
Sebastian smiled softly, never expecting to like how things felt with Hunter so much. "I will," he said quietly, looking up as the nurse came in. He handed his form to her, looking over at Hunter. Squeezing his hand, Sebastian listened as the nurse explained what would happen and, nodded. "I can go first, unless you want to?" he asked Hunter, not sure if Hunter would prefer to get it done and over with sooner. He was looking forward to them both being done and out of the place.
Hunter looked up at the nurse then back down to their joined hands and sucked in a breath. "I'll go first. Want it done with, and we can keep talking through yours." As the nurse swabbed his mouth he squeezed his hand even tighter, pretty sure he was going to have to pry their hands apart as he watched her get the 2 vials ready. "Talk to me about something. Anything. Tell me something nobody knows, or how you feel about aliens, or something that's going to distract me enough I'm not tempted to look."
Sebastian nodded, letting Hunter go first. He had never seen the other so nervous before but he almost found it nice to see that side of Hunter. He was going to say something about Hunter breaking his hand, but Sebastian thought it best to bite his tongue about it. "Something nobody knows? Well. Despite what it may look like, my coming out wasn't as nice as I make it out to be. My parents are more accepting of it now, but at first they wanted nothing to do with who I was. Only my sister and Grandma really supported me. Granted, my coming out was kind of forced when mother found me in bed with a guy."
Hunter could feel the first needle but tried to ignore it, focusing on Sebastian's words and trying to piece together that tidbit with what he already knew about Sebastian. "Was it anyone I know? Sorry. Sorry, bad timing. How did you handle it? Did you keep doing it despite what they said?" Such basic questions but he wanted to know now. There were few people he knew who'd actually had a genuinely easy time coming out to their parents and it wasn't something he ever took lightly. Not after knowing how long it took him to even tell someone.
Sebastian shook his head. "Nah, it was this guy in Paris. I was fourteen. He was seventeen and a dancer. Go figure," Sebastian laughed. "I didn't think they were going to be home, but they came home and there we were," he said. "I kept doing it. I was a little more careful about it at first, but then Grandma told me that I had to be who I was was, so I stopped trying to hide it so much and then moving to the States, I kept up my sleeping around even more. I'm pretty sure my parents still aren't happy with how many guys I've been with. They think it ruins the family image."
Hunter raised his eyebrows very briefly at the age difference, though it wasn't like he hadn't had his own fair share of being the younger guy. For a second he snorted but he was very quick to clarify why. "It just amuses me that your grandmother essentially gave you her blessing to sleep around," Hunter teased, sufficiently distracted as the second needle was insert - he'd barely even noticed more than a few twinges. "Are they more concerned with the number of guys you've been with, or the fact that they're guys in the first place and not girls? They should be grateful you can't knock anyone up, honestly."
Sebastian just shrugged. He knew there was an age difference and at the time, it was a pretty big one. He wasn't even 100% sure that he remembered how it all came to be. "I told you she's the best. She's the one who had to give me the sex talk," he grinned, chuckling softly. "I think the number more than the fact they were guys. I think. I mean, I think it tool father a little bit to warm up to it, but he's more just annoyed at the reputation it gives Smythes or whatever."
Hunter imagined a tiny old lady telling Sebastian how to be safe, how to protect himself, what sex actually was... It was just the opposite of what he'd expected from Sebastian's family and it was a perfectly amusing image. "Please tell me she gave it to you in the most frank way possible. With diagrams." When the vials were pulled out he breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes briefly. "That's so dumb. They can't prove anything more than speculation about number, and it's none of their business anyway."
Sebastian laughed, "It was more like she tried to draw diagrams herself. And there was a condom on a banana. I was mortified. She did it in the middle of her cafe with other people around. I don't know why she thought that was a good idea. It was awful," he shook his head at the memory, smiling as the nurse finished up with Hunter. "I know. I guess enough people saw me with a different guy a night and that got back to my parents," he rolled his eyes fondly. It bugged him, but he tried not to let it get the best of him the best that he could.
Hunter leaned against him as the laughter came, trying not to laugh too hard while the nurse was bandaging up the already-bruising area. "Oh god. Please tell me your cheeks turned that rosy pink color. Did she make you practice rolling the condom down over the banana?" For a second he was going to say something more, but he didn't want the response to seem flippant when it wasn't. "It's your turn. You can ask anything that you want to. Consider it your distraction even if you don't need one."
Sebastian couldn't help but laugh along with Hunter, thinking back to his Grandma trying to draw diagrams and explain everything to him in the middle of the cafe. "I was terrified of it all. And yes. I had to roll the condom onto the banana while my cheeks were bright freaking red," he nodded. Sebastian rest his arm out for the nurse to start prepping him to draw blood. "Hmmm, tell me. Did you ever think about me while we were at Dalton and how close were you to jumping me?"
Hunter could surprisingly watch Sebastian as the nurse was prepping him, though he was fiddling with his own bandage in the meantime. "Of course." The words slipped out automatically. No filter was in place and maybe that wasn't the worst thing that could happen. "You were hot as sin and praised by nearly everyone, out of the bed and in it.... If we'd have been roommates... it might have been a lot more complicated than it was, and a lot more difficult to resist. Did you ever think about asking me if it was true?"
Sebastian looked over at Hunter, letting the nurse do whatever to his arm, barely even noticing when the needle went in. "Of course I thought about it. But I also thought I made it obvious that I was into you and well, you didn't seem very interested at the time. I was a cocky bastard who didn't want to look like he was chasing after someone he couldn't have," he shrugged. "Plus you with all those different girls.. I thought I got the message pretty clear you didn't want me."
Hunter ignored the nurse's presence so he could lean in and kiss Sebastian quickly. Maybe even sweetly. Reminiscent of beaches and barely moving waves and feeling like they only existed in a single moment. "Well, I can't say I was wrong to be in the closet.... Won't try and justify my reasoning... but I was pretty damn dumb not to jump your bones back then. Might would've made my first time with a guy more appealing than a sloppy handjob in the back of someone's truck."
Sebastian kissed him back softly. He didn't know why he felt so bothered by everything that had happened. Maybe it was that Hunter hadn't tried to be with him and well, Sebastian wasn't used to that. Or maybe it was just that he knew he would have made Hunter's first time with a guy so much better. "I know people need to come out on their own time and I never want to force someone out of the closet," he shrugged. "I could have made your first time so much better than that, babe."
Hunter finally averted his eyes back to the nurse but only briefly. It was kind of nice to realize she didn't seem to be paying them or their conversation any more attention than was strictly necessary. "For the record, there were only... maybe three or four people I'd have slept with from Dalton and you were definitely top of the list. And you have definitely made any recent memories I have of sexual encounters fucking fantastic. Phenomenal. Want me to keep spouting off descriptors? Because I can."
Sebastian was barely aware of the needle in his arm and it was gone before he realized enough blood had been taken out of his arm. "Well that does help," he nodded. "And I intend to make it so that you forget about all your past encounters and I'm the only one on your mind," he mumbled, leaning over to kiss Hunter again despite the nurse trying to tell them something about waiting for results and whatnot.
Hunter let the kiss linger, hands going up to Sebastian's neck and holding him there. "You're doing a fucking fantastic job. Might not be blind, no, but I'm damn sure sated enough to have my focus trained on you." The words got a little flowery. A little rambling, but it was nice to know that Sebastian..... gave enough of a shit to want that to be different than it was. "Kind of glad that we were adults when it inevitably happened though." Hunter admitted. "More experience. More talent."
Sebastian wrapped an arm around Hunter, keeping his close. "I am very pleased to hear that," he nodded. "Well, that's why we're here, yeah? It's well.. you and me," he smiled softly. He was glad they seemed to be on the same page about things. Hunter was... different for Sebastian. Special. "Yeah? I guess we both were able to perfect a few things before it happening," he nodded. The nurse had left the room and Sebastian had barely noticed, being too fixed on looking at Hunter beside him.
Hunter chuckled a little, leaning against Sebastian in an uncharacteristic display of vulnerability. There'd been a lot of those in the last 72 hours, but it was becoming easier and easier to handle those and not let them turn into potential panic attacks. "Yeah. Yeah it is. Give me however long results take and I'll remind you just how much this is us." Maybe he couldn't resist taking that to a sexual level, but it was very clearly not just that. "Remind me to thank whoever it was that helped you perfect that thing you did with your hands last night. Damn near had me keening. Last question. Why did you seem hesitant to turn this sexual when we started talking again?"
Sebastian wrapped a protective arm around Hunter. He wasn't sure why he felt so protective over the other or if he had any business whatsoever to be so protective, but he was and it wasn't something he wanted to turn off. "Mmm I can't wait," he smirked lightly, leaning back against Hunter as they waited. "I do hope it isn't too long," he nodded, chuckling. "And remind me to thank whoever it was that taught you that things you do with your tongue. I could come from that alone," he said before looking at Hunter, suddenly a little more serious. "I.. guess I just didn't want you to think this was just sex? Like.. I'm not just using you for your body. Or something," he mumbled, unable to find the right words to say that wouldn't make things weird or uncomfortable.
Hunter tapped his foot in a show of nerves he couldn't hide, but his own hand slid behind Sebastian to return the affectionate gesture. "Shouldn't be more than 20 minutes," he murmured, stealing kiss after small kiss, just letting each one linger enough to have been felt. "We should try that some night. After we've had that talk about what we're into, because my mind went straight to tying up your wrists and edging you all night." His eyes lit up with something close to mischief, but the way Sebastian looked had him sobering up and leaning in to keep the physical contact high. "If... it's any consolation... I don't think that's what you're doing. Not what I'm doing with you either. You enjoy someone's company enough and it starts to show to the point even the oblivious can tell."
Sebastian nodded, hoping that everything would come back alright. He'd hate to have gone through everything any then find out news they weren't expecting. Sebastian was relaxing more and more with each kiss Hunter gave him, letting himself feel safe and okay with the other. "Fuck, Hunter. You don't know how hot that sounds," he mumbled, kissing him again. "I am 100% all in for that," he nodded. Sebastian felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from him and he could breathe again. Knowing that everything he was feeling wasn't one sided made him feel so much better about everything. "Thank fuck," he said, kissing Hunter a little deeper than before hoping that would say more than he was able to say with words.
Hunter nearly let the kisses get inappropriate, but not in a sexual sense as much as the kisses almost got too intense and in a public place that just wasn't alright, not when that was for them alone. "Yeah? Might could try the getting you off with just my tongue tonight, then, after you're sated and loose limbed and sensitive - and we can drag in kinks after we have that discussion." It was like they'd mastered the art of non-verbal communication, with Hunter taking everything that Sebastian was giving to him and trying to feed it back into him. Trying to let him know just enough of what he couldn't say. "Yeah, thank fuck. If it was just sex you'd have never been in my bed again after that weekend. If it was just sex I'd have never let you..." He trailed off, hoping the other man remembered as well as he did.
Sebastian was getting to lost in Hunter's lips. He knew that they needed to slow it down before it got out too crazy to turn back and he also knew that the nurse would be coming back at any moment and he didn't need her finding them in the middle of something. "Fuck yes," he nodded, getting excited at just the thought of getting off only by Hunter's tongue. He and Hunter had learned what the other meant and needed almost too well. They somehow got each other without having to say a word and that saved Sebastian from having to find the right words. "I wouldn't have stayed the night. Or let you get close to me.." he nodded, knowing exactly what Hunter had meant.
Hunter pulled back only when he didn't think he'd keep his control in check, palming Sebastian briefly before settling his hands back in his own lap and smirking. "Now I'm even more eager for them to come back in and tell us we're clean," he said with a smirk, fingers tapping on the edge of the chair again but this time in excitement. "Exactly. So... you know. For the record. It's more than that." He reached his hand back to squeeze Sebastian's, a stupid smile on his face even as the fear tinged the edges of it.
Sebastian had to shift uncomfortably in his seat, stifling a groan that wanted to come out of his mouth. "The nurse needs to come back soon before I take you right here," he whispered into Hunter's ear, moving his mouth to suck at Hunter's neck for a moment before pulling away. "I'm.. really glad to hear that," he said softly, squeezing his hand back with a grin on his face that he was pretty sure wouldn't go away. When the nurse came back in a little bit later, Sebastian looked up at her eagerly.
Hunter 's hips pushed up against the open air at the way Sebastian marked up his neck, the feel of sharp teeth sending a very guttural reaction to the put of his stomach. "Fuck, but that sounds like some kind of roleplay fantasy come true," he murmured, When the nurse came in he perked up too, and when she announced him clean of any kind of STDs he gave a sigh of relief and turned to Sebastian as she opened up his results, wanting to know exactly what the paper said.
Sebastian smirked softly at the reaction that Hunter had to him, loving every second of it. "Maybe we should be adding that to our sex bucket list," he said, looking at Hunter excitedly. Their list was getting longer and longer and he wasn't about to complain about that. Sebastian opened up his results, letting out a huge sigh of relief. Looking at Hunter, he grinned, "Guess who's getting laid tonight," he smirked, not caring that the nurse was in the room.
Hunter 's eyebrows raised, but he had to actively shift in his seat not to be too obvious about his reaction. "Yes. Yes, please. We're going to have a mile long list at this point. Take us years to complete." Not that he was thinking that far ahead... but enough incredible sex to last a few years? That sounded nothing but positive to him. "Us?! Tell me it's us." He wanted to grab for the results and wave them around but settled on a far less rude grin, pulling him in by the collar for a much harder kiss.
Sebastian loved being able to get Hunter to react like that. "That just means we'll have to work hard to cross things off the list," he grinned. He wasn't going to turn down a chance to have good sex with Hunter. "Oh it's us, babe," he smiled brightly, kissing Hunter harder. The nurse cleared her throat, telling them they could go. "Let's go!" He beamed, pulling Hunter got of the office.
Hunter smirk was plastered on his face by now, he was sure of it. "You have such damn good ideas. Make sure we cross off one or two of those things every week. I'd say every day... but we might never leave my room." he teased, following after Sebastian and only stopping long enough to press the other man up against a wall, stealing a rough kiss that would've only gotten more heated if they didn't have a destination already in mind. "Though maybe that doesn't sound like the worst idea...."
Sebastian chuckled, not being able to stop himself from grinning ear to ear. He was fairly certain that the grin was going to stay on his face for a very long time. "A couple a week sounds like a great plan. We also need to have the kinks talk... that could end up making the list even longer," he smirked. "We do need to your bed at some point," he teased. Sebastian groaned as his back hit the wall, kissing Hunter back deeply. He didn't know or care about whoever may be around them, he just wanted to get Hunter home and in bed.
Hunter 's hands went up to Sebastian's neck and held him there until the kiss had him panting, grabbing Sebastian's ass in both broad palms and squeezing gently. "Oh? Is that a hint that you're having an urge to be tied up and spanked that I should be taking care of?" He grinned, fiddling with the edges of his shirt. "The rest of the world will still be waiting after we've christened every room we come across..." It was clear teasing, but it was also a hint of admitting he liked what they were outside everyone else.
Sebastian groaned against Hunter' lips, making no move to stop him. "Fuck.... I wouldn't say no to that," he admitted. While he'd rarely admit it to many people, there was something about submitting completely to someone that turned him on. Of course, there was also something about being dominating that also turned him on. "Oh yeah? You like the idea of everyone knowing exactly what we're doing?" He smirked, slowly rolling his hips down against Hunter's.
Hunter drew in a sharp breath as the answer landed. It wasn't the answer he expected, but it definitely wasn't unwelcome either. "You'd really want me to? You're going to have to tell me just how deep that urge goes.... Fuck, that talk may happen sooner rather than later," he admitted, imagining Sebastian ass up in front of him while he controlled his orgasms. "Yes. I do. Want everyone in a ten mile radius to know exactly who's got you so close to screaming. Don't even care if they want to play audience, as long as they keep their hands off you."
Sebastian knew that is wasn't something that most people would expect from him, but he trusted Hunter to know all of what he liked. There were very few people that he would ever trust to know about that kink and even fewer he would ever trust to carry it out, but he was absolutely excited by the idea of being at Hunter's mercy. "I trust you, babe. I know you'd make it amazing," he nodded, kissing Hunter deeply. "Just say when," he murmured. "Damn babe, that'd be.. so hot."
Hunter bit down on his lip as he watched Sebastian carefully to gauge just how serious he was, next words murmured against his ear as he leaned in even closer. "What are your limits, sweetheart? Tell me what's not okay, tell me what you absolutely love, and we can go from there." Instead of backing away he pressed him even tighter against the wall, bracing his hands on either side of Sebastian before rolling his hips forward. "Let me know if you're ever in the mood to give someone a show. Promise we'll leave them speechless."
Sebastian never imagined that they'd be talking about everything somewhere in the hallways of a health clinic, but he couldn't find it in him to stop it. "Honestly.. you can push me pretty far.. as much as I love a good orgasm, denial is almost more fun," he admitted with a shrug. "Completely being in the hands and at the mercy of someone else," he nodded, wrapping his arms around Hunter's neck to hold him against him. "We'll be leaving them all jealous too."
Hunter shuddered at the images flooding through. "Yeah? I can promise you if we ever tried that I'd take incredible care of you. Make sure that orgasm - orgasms - is one that you can't ever forget. Get you shuddering and begging under me..." Maybe he should pull away right now before things got so heated that they got kicked out of the doctor's office, but it just... didn't seem worth it to pull away right now. "Of course. Have you seen you?"
Sebastian couldn't shake the images out of his head. They'd definitely be trying it at some point. The sooner the better, really. "Fuck, yes," he nodded. "You'd have me wrapped around your finder," he groaned softly. They should pull away. They really should. They were in the middle of an office and yet Sebastian wasn't about to push Hunter away from him. "Me? Have you seen you?"
Hunter tilted his head forward and kissed his slowly, keeping it even and easy so that the intensity died down some.... but it didn't really work. "You saying I don't already have you wrapped around my finger?" He smirked, only pulling back when a nurse came by and did the obvious dry cough at them. "Oh, plenty, but I much prefer someone with your build."
Sebastian tried to calm himself down as best as he could, but his mind was so focused on everything Hunter Clarington. "Hmmm you could try and see if I am or now," he smirked, teasing him. "And I much prefer the gymnast build," he grinned, taking Hunter's hand. "I think that's our cue to leave," he laughed, starting to pull Hunter out of the building so they could go.
Hunter grinned back, already imagining the various ways - both sexual and not so sexual - that he could prove that Sebastian was as wrapped as he was feeling like he is. "Is that you admitting that I'm your type, Sebastian Smythe?" He didn't hesitate to take his hand nor did he hesitate to follow him out, letting the door slam shut behind them. "Yes, yes it is. Now time for home sweet home."
Sebastian knew that Hunter could probably convince him to do anything. He was completely wrapped around Hunter's fingers and he liked to think that he could get Hunter to do things he wouldn't normally do too. "Did you think think I could deny that fact?" He grinned, walking out to the car. "Yes. Homes. Sex. Going to get our babies," he said, opening up the car door.
Hunter loved the sound of every word that fell from Sebastian's lips. It was like he had become an expert Hunter whisperer, knowing just what to say to make Hunter's focus remain solely on him no matter who tried to communicate with them, no matter what was going on around them. "Drive. Think you can drive with my hands on your cock or do you want me to behave right now?"
Sebastian felt as though he knew Hunter better than anyone else and he knew that Hunter knew him better than anyone ever had. Part of him wondered what they would have been like had Hunter been out in high school, but he also felt like they had the perfect amount of build up to whatever they are now. "Fuck, Hunter, I don't know. That sounds way too tempting."
Hunter 's smirk widened as he looked Sebastian up and down, gauging his reaction. "Make a quick decision, babe. Either you drive and I tease you the whole way home, or I drive and I have my pants down enough to still tease you the whole way home. Just in a... more creative manner." The ideas were so tempting... like suddenly having access to Sebastian made him want to explore everything.
Sebastian looked at Hunter, checking to see how serious he was being. "I'll drive," he said, grabbing the keys and sliding into the driver's seat and buckling before he could change his mind about things. "What's gotten into you?" he asked, smirking at the other. "I'm not complaining, but it's like a fire lit inside your pants."
Hunter flushed a little but quickly shoved it to the side, sliding the confidence back in place before any slip was evident. "It's just hot knowing how many options we have now. So much we can explore." So much I'm not thinking of you doing with someone else remained unsaid, but he very much thought it. "Why not get started on it?"
Sebastian put the keys in the ignition and started to pull out of the lot. "I suppose we do have a rather long list to get started on," he agreed, looking at Hunter quickly. "Just, if we crash, that's on you, babe," he winked. Everything felt exciting to him. He looked forward to everything ahead of them and yet, he still couldn't believe Hunter was willing to only be with him.
Hunter chuckled at the mention of the list. It'd been one of his crazier ideas but it was definitely one he wanted to explore. "We've got... what, at least 25 items on it by now?" He slid over enough to palm at Sebastian through the fabric covering him, leaning in to innocently nuzzle his neck and press a quick kiss to his cheek. "We won't crash. Wouldn't let it happen. React however you'd like baby."
Sebastian couldn't help but find it amusing that they both had taken the list a little more seriously that either of them ever expected to. "At least 25. And it's growing quickly," he laughed. Sebastian groaned softly at the hand over him and gripped the steering wheel a little bit tighter already knowing that he'd need to focus on the road to get them to Hunter's house in one piece. "God, Hunt.."
WHO: Oli & Mason M
WHEN: July 6th
WHERE: Oli’s room
WHAT: Mason goes over to Oli’s room? (I suck at these)
Mason tugged on his sleeves of the Henley he’d thrown as he waited outside Oliver’s door, a small bag over his shoulder. He sent a quick text for him to let him in so he didn’t wake Jensen by knocking. Oliver wanting to spend time with him was something he hadn’t expected and he was grinning maybe a little too much.
