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morgan-weston · 4 days ago

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blame it on the goose, got you feeling loose, blame it on the tron got you in the zone || BRORGAN

tagging: Morgan Weston ( @morgan-weston ) & Bree Brown

date & time: October 25-26, 2024 from Friday Night to Saturday Morning

location: Gay Club, Bar, Tattoo Parlor, Party Bus, Hummer Limousine, who knows where else, Morgan's Ranch

warnings: excessive drinking, black out runk, mentions of a physical fight, A LOT OF ALCOHOL

summary: Look the only thing anyone needs to know if that Bree and Morgan got white girl wasted and had one hell of an adventure. Cue montage!

word count: 3,785

MORGAN tipped back his glass and set it down with a clink that blended into the buzz of the bar. The neon lights played tricks with his eyes, blurring together, and he couldn’t tell if the room was spinning or if that was just the whiskey. The whole point of this night was supposed to be for Bree to see the wild and untamed side of Morgan that normally never came out. He hadn’t been much for it - he liked being in control of himself, and with enough alcohol in his system, he just knew there’d be none of that. But after a rough week - after the earthquake lockdown - where Morgan had tried his damnedest to communicate about his thoughts and feelings to and with every single person involved in the mess, it had backfired, and he felt the need to let loose and take Bree up on her offer. And here he was, absolutely not in control of himself, due to the amount of alcohol he’d consumed. Dressed in a blue denim shirt, a pair of black jeans and his best boots, Morgan had followed Bree’s orders and in return, she’d kept him entertained. He’d even willingly done a round of karaoke where he absolutely butchered Kenny Roger’s “The Gambler”. Now, standing in the gay club, he could see why she wanted him in the country get-up; it was a cowboy-themed night and everyone was dressed up. He was thankful he hadn’t put on his best rodeo attire, otherwise he probably would’ve gotten nominated for ‘best costume’. Morgan glanced around the bar, taking in the warmth of the crowded space. Strangers laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world, couples swaying like no one was watching, and Bree, with that fierce and steady look that she was known for. He was swaying lightly, and his cowboy hat was lost somewhere, but he turned towards her, a dopey smile on his lips. “D’ya have a cigarette?”

BREE had started planning this night since the moment Morgan agreed to let her drag him around where her little heart desired and she was taking full advantage. As she knew this would likely never happen again. So far, everything was perfect, they were killing it as cowgirl Barbie and cowboy Ken, the shopping, fruitful, the food, delicious, the karaoke pre-game, efficient. And Morgan hadn't complained more than twice about any of it. Now, she didn't know what exactly this man was going through to get him out with her tonight, and she wasn't about to ask but she really hoped she was succeeding at keeping his mind of it. But looking at her tall friend, shrouded in the neon lights of the cowboy themed gay club, she thought maybe she was doing exactly that, and she allowed herself a celebratory cocktail to celebrate her continued success. As she was keepin him plied with good whiskey, she wasn't surprised to see a grin on his face as he turned to her, swaying with all the rhythm she expected from a 6'5 white man. Processing his question, as she was a few drinks in herself, she shook her head. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a ziploc bag and held it up in front of their faces. "I have a lollipop, a toothpick and some hay." Had she come prepared, of course, not because she knew he'd ask for a cigarette but because cowboys chew on things, she's seen a western or two. So, it only made sense. Pointing at the mechanical bull being set up on it's on stage, ziploc bag swaying as she did, she got very excited. "We're going to ride that, but I think we both need at least three more drinks and one more Cowboy Carter remix first." Finally handing him the plastic bag, she chugged the rest of her cocktail and then poured them both two shots of rum.

MORGAN couldn’t help but chuckle at Bree’s enthusiasm. She was beaming, and he knew she was working harder than she let on to keep him from spiraling. He took the Ziploc bag from her, holding it up to the neon light like he was inspecting a treasure. "You really came prepared, huh?" he drawled, smiling down at her. "But I ain’t chewin’ on hay unless I’ve got a horse nearby.” Bree’s energy was contagious - at least enough to drag a grin out of him every time she spun another crazy plan. “Cowboy Carter remix, huh?” he echoed, shaking his head. “Well, you do know how to keep a man entertained, I’ll give you that.” He pulled the lollipop from the bag, unwrapping it and tucking it in the corner of his mouth, the feel of it familiar and steadying, and it dulled the need for that cigarette temporarily. It was a small comfort, but it was something to focus on other than the whirlwind of feelings he kept pushing down with every drink. Eva, Puck, Serena - they were still there in his mind, their faces clear even in the blur of the club. And he wasn’t sure if he was drinking to forget them or to gather the courage to face it all head-on. But Bree? She was like a compass, dragging him through this mess with the kind of loyalty he didn’t feel he deserved but was damn grateful for. But as he set the empty glass down, he let his gaze wander to the mechanical bull in the corner of the club, and he started reconsidering the whole compass metaphor. Bree was right; he needed three more drinks to get on that thing - at least! “D’ya want me to injure my shoulder again?” he asked, his voice light and jokey, but his words slurring. He’d only just gotten over it after all. “Or d’ya just want me to relive my youthful days?”

BREE nodded, very pleased with herself. "I am always prepared. Surprising me is an Olympic sport very few people have medaled in." Currently, Jake was the most likely candidate and that was both something she loved and hated. Not being in control, not knowing someone's next move caused her periodic anxiety but it was also kind of exciting and impressive, which is exactly how she would describe all of her favorite people, especially her man. Drinking some more of her long island ice tea, because she was here to get drunk and ride a bull, she looked damn hear offended at Morgan's comment. "Entertaining is but one of my many talents, mister." Uh oh, no mister, we've officially passed tipsy into stage one drunk. Which involved a lot of dancing mostly. Taking note of his words, she made a mental note, that she would probably forget in the morning, that he only chewed hay around horses, and clearly prefered lollipops over toothpicks, so she'd be sure to carry more of those in the future for him. While she was hear to encourage every questionable decision, including processed sugars, a literal cigarette? Like it's 1926? Ew. Now in a couple more shots, she might be smoking a cigarette with him. God help her. At that thought she spotted a hype as fuck, what looked like, a 30th birthday party, gravitating toward them. She had no time to answer his questions, okay, there were more pressing matters, like "Shots!" She yelled at Morgan before taking both of hers, barely feeling the burn of the spiced liquor. Then the party were floating by and Bree tapped one of them on the shoulder. "Can I buy that off you?" She asked taking out her wallet and handing them a fifty dollar bill. The person looked at her and gladly handed over the glittery hot pink boa and Bree tipped her white cowboy hat at them. And like a sign from the heaven's Beyone's Sweet Honey Buckin' came on. Going over to Morgan she told him to stand still before throwing the boa over his shoulders around his neck. Still holding the ends, she started to dance because it's a fucking Cowboy Carter song. "You're still in your youth, big guy. So move those horse riding hip and act like it!"

MORGAN was feeling the whiskey in his veins, and it wasn’t whispering - it was shouting, urging him to let loose in a way he hadn’t since Montana. When Bree threw the hot pink boa around his neck, he blinked once, twice, like he was trying to process what exactly just happened. But the room was spinning, not in a dizzy way, but in a way that made him feel like maybe he could actually catch the momentum if he just went with it. “Now hold on,” he slurred, his grin spreading like wildfire. “This- this is new territory, Bree.” He tugged the boa experimentally, laughing - a deep, booming laugh that felt like it belonged to a different Morgan, one not bogged down by all the worries in his head. The beat picked up, and he could feel Bree pulling at the boa, urging him to move. The way she was dancing, carefree and fearless, made him realize he’d been worrying about every things for too long, and it was nice to finally let go. “Alright, alright!” he hollered back, throwing up his hands. The whiskey was hot in his blood, the lights were blurring, and Morgan felt the weight of everything he’d been carrying lift. He stumbled into the beat, swaying awkwardly at first, but then finding his rhythm with a looseness that only several shots of whiskey could bring out. “You want hips?” he slurred, voice booming in playful defiance. “You got hips!” He rolled his shoulders back and dipped his knees, throwing in a slow grind. Morgan found himself throwing caution to the wind. Maybe it was the liquor, or the lights, or the wildness of the moment, but he grabbed the ends of the boa from Bree’s hands and twirled, almost knocking over a table in the process. He swayed, he stumbled, he shimmied - his cowboy boots dragging across the floor in a not-at-all elegant attempt at dancing. “Okay, Bree!” he hollered, stumbling as he tried to keep up with Bree’s dancing. “One more shot and then- ” He jabbed a finger in the direction of the mechanical bull. “Then I’m ridin’ that damn bull!”

BREE doesn't think she has ever smiled so much and so genuinely. Well, she has, but in this moment, she was convinced this was the most fun two people could ever have. Smiling as Morgan started to let loose, she started yelling, "Yes! Okay, I see you! Look at all that!" In the most joyfully supportive tone, as Morgan sort of moved to the beat. It was fun and that was the point. As he took control of the boa and almost knocked over a table, she laughed and danced with him. Then she was looking in the direction of his finger and agreeing to another shot. "Damn right you are, Cowboy!" That was pretty much that last of what she remembered. From there on out it was bits and pieces. It was lights, and the thump thump thump of the bass. It was pushing through sweaty dancing bodies to hit the side of the inflatable... pool, mat thing, surrounding the mechanical bull to catch you. Smart. Most of that was only remembered because Bree must have insisted they got it on video because they rewatched the footage of them killin' it. Well, she wouldn't know if that was true until she watched it sober. Maybe it just seemed like twenty seconds because drunk time was not sober time. Then not much, and BAM they're at a bar. Maybe it was the same club but maybe it wasn't the lights were more red and less purple/pink and the music, that was different too. Morgan ordered their drinks and Bree was distracted by a bachelorette party and talking to the bride-to-be. Yelling? Everyone turned at the damn near scretching and god dammit, Morgan. He was letting this lady lowkey beat his ass. Then Bree seemingly completed the shorted teleportation route and was yanking on hair and they were both yelling obscenities at each other. Bree must have won because the other chick got thrown out and she was high fiving that bachelorette party. Thankfully Lauren, the bride-to-be, caught it all on her phone and sent it to Bree. Unfortunately, Bree would forget who Lauren was by morning. There's a little chill outside, maybe that's because they were sticking their head out of the roof of a hummer limo. What happened to the party bus? Why were they in a tattoo parlor? Oh my God, Bree is holding Morgan's hand. Wait, how did she end up in the chair? "Come near my flawless skin with that needle and I will sue you so bad, you're great grandchilden will still be paying what you owe me!" Unsurprisingly that got them kicked out. Still she was laughing and it was good.

MORGAN's memory was swimming through messy, brightly colors. The neon lights of the club pulsed purple, then red, then a blinding blue as they danced. Then, there were flashing camera lights, the bass still thumping in his chest, and people cheering him on, while he threw one arm into the air, waving the boa like a lasso before nearly toppling over a table again. Fast forward - he barely remembered actually getting on the bull, but there was the feeling of Bree’s hand in his, dragging him toward the beast like he was headed for some kind of showdown. The crowd was cheering, their faces blurry, and the next thing he knew, he was gripping the bull’s handle for dear life, swaying wildly. The memory snapped forward to a new location. A red-lit bar? No idea where they were, but the whiskey was still flowing, and Morgan went to grab another round when a woman turned her attention on him. She’d been talking with her hands a lot - he must've done or said something wrong, because before he knew it, she was punching him in the nose. He didn’t realize that Bree was in the middle of it, pulling her hair, but he could feel Bree’s voice piercing through the chaos, shouting at the top of her lungs. He blinked and then he was outside - was he outside? The cool night air hit like a wake-up slap as he and Bree popped their heads through the sunroof of a limo. The streetlights blurred into streaks, and then all a sudden, they were somewhere new; the tattoo parlor. He had no idea how they’d ended up there, but he was laying in the chair on his side, his shirt splayed out somewhere else, watching Bree threaten the poor tattoo artists. Next thing he knew, his shirt was being thrown into his face and they were ushered out of the place. Morgan stumbled back out with her, clutching his stomach as he laughed. “Bree, you’re a menace,” he mumbled, leaning up against the building, as he took the lollipop stick from earlier out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth. "It's been fun!"

THE NEXT MORNING

BREE felt a thousand little pokes on her back as she shifted to sit up. The morning sun peaking through her windows, with a brightness only seen just after sunrise. Wait, no. No, this was not her place. It smelled like wood and grass. Was she outside? Letting her eyes focus, she looked around her and she was laying in a bed of... is that hay? On cue, she hears a soft crunching sound and looking up, there was a horse hovering over her. She was in a god damn barn, sleeping in front of a horses stable. While her head didn't hurt, it also wasn't giving her any indication on when, why and how she was where she was. Slowly getting up, she hears what sounded like mummering and on the off chance she was kidnapped by criminals dumb enough to leave her unrestrained, she grabbed a rake off the barn wall and carefully made her way toward the sound. A huge sense of relief washed over her when she saw it was a sleeping Morgan. Suddenly she understood she was at his Ranch. Stilling didn't know the why or how. Slamming the non rake part down on the floor by her foot, like it was a trident, she sighed before bending down to shake Morgan awake. "Wake up before you become the butt of every joke in your employee's group chat." She said louder than she knew she needed to. Looking down at herself, there was hay everywhere, and pink flowers and god help her, glitter. Trying to clean herself up, she looked over at one of the horses noticing her bag around it's neck. Petting and soothing the horse she slipped her bag over it's head and took out her phone.

MORGAN was sprawled out in the hay, still wearing the remnants of last night’s wild wardrobe, complete with that glittery pink boa around his neck like some kind of lasso gone wrong. The sunlight felt like it was setting his brain on fire through closed eyes, but he could hear the faint sounds of movement nearby - a muffled scrape and something that sounded like an angry sigh. He groaned, half expecting the walls around him to start spinning again as he peeled one eye open. “Ohhh, hell,” he muttered, blinking up at Bree, who was looming over him with a rake like she’d come to drag him out of the barn herself. Her hair was laced with hay and glitter, and he could swear there was a flower petal or two stuck to her cheek. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Now, that’s a look, Bree,” he drawled, voice rough as sandpaper. “You got the barn chic down." Morgan sat up, running a hand through his hair and feeling a handful of straw come out with it. He glanced down at himself - glitter, hay, a few mystery bruises he couldn’t place. He remembered...some things from last night, but specifics were a little harder to nail down. Sitting up, Morgan leaned back against the stable door, the sight of the ranch slowly coming into focus around him. Last night’s laughter seemed to echo faintly in his ears, but here they were, back in the barn, and it was morning. “Any clue how we ended up here?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

BREE was glad he had gotten up easily and didn't seem to be doing too bad. Of course, he was still sitting down and the getting up seemed to be more of an issue for people. Naturally, she rarely got hungover and even the few times she had, a decent breakfast and some water usually got her back to normal. Laughing a little, as he ended up with a handful of straw. Looking him over, now that he was in clearer view, she noticed he looked like he got his ass beat and that greatly confused her. Perching herself on top of a barrel of hay, she shook her head. "No, but I also don't know whose socks are on my feet or where my shoes are." Looking at her phone again, she went through her texts and show like ten messages from a BRIDE (Lauren ??) and what looked like 15 new videos and a seemingly infinite amount of photos. "Well, at least our night was well documented." She said, holding her phone up to his face and scrolling all the way back up to her camera roll. "A couple of these texts from, I guess a bride we met, are videos." Holding her phone between them, she pressed play on the first video and it starts with Morgan catching hands from some pissed off chick and then Bree lunging at her and full on grabbing her by the hair, calling her a little bitch, among other things. When the video ended, Bree just looked at Morgan. "I don't even want to know what the other video is." Although it looked like it was just Morgan and Bree talking to the camera.

MORGAN blinked, squinting at Bree’s phone screen as the video started playing, catching flashes of neon lights, laughter, and way too many close-ups of their flushed, tipsy faces. The clip showed him swaying a little too close to the camera, Bree in the background with her arm thrown around his neck, both of them grinning like fools. In the chaos of the bar, he stumbled back after some girl’s punch - her reason unclear, but Bree immediately charged in, fists ready. He winced, half-amused, half-sheepish, touching his sore nose. “Didn’t think I’d end up in a brawl last night, but if I got you as backup, I guess I can take a punch or two.” He grinned as she clicked on the next video. Morgan chuckled, scratching the back of his neck as he watched the blurry, chaotic clips. “Yeah,” He started slowly, wincing. “It might be best if we avoid that place for a while. We’ve definitely left our mark.”

BREE putting her phone back in her bag, for now, crossed her legs and tried to see if those videos would job her memory. But they didn't, and then she just stared at Morgan, half destroyed feather boa still around his neck, hay and glitter everywhere and she couldn't even remember what place they had been at in those videos to avoid it. The only place she remembered was the very first club they went to but after about five drinks she can't remember that one either. Without any warning, she just bust out into full body laughter. Muscle memory told her she had done this a few times last night too, but it felt good. So much of her laugh was far too heavy to also carry laughter. Usually the only person she could get like this with, was Jake and they had been too heavy lately for either of them. Last night was suppose to be for Morgan to feel lighter, to let go, let loose and just have fun. It never even occured to her that, that's exactly what she needed to. Her laughter dying down, but a smile still firmly on her face, she wrapped her arms around the cowboy, even if the angle made it a bit awkward, and hugged him. Suddenly, she pulled away so confused by his scent. "Why do you smell like hot sauce and gasoline?"

#thread #thread025 #bree #tw: alcohol

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morgan-weston · 6 days ago

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You took for granted seeds we planted when we were young || CLUSTERFUCK 2.0

tagging: Eva Anderson ( @anderseva ), Morgan Weston ( @morgan-weston ), Santana Lopez ( @psusantana ), Jake Puckerman ( @puckjake ), Bree Brown ( @blckbarbree ) & Noah Puckerman

date & time: October 30, 2024 at night

location: Bree's fancy ass apartment

warnings: mentions of alcohol

summary: And here we go again. Another clusterfuck for Jake's video roll on his phone. Santana, Bree and Jake all worked together to get the Throuple in one place to finally talk their shit out. Except some truths are revealed and now things might be worse than ever. Communication is hard.

word count: 5,808

MORGAN hadn’t known it was Jake’s birthday until mid-afternoon, when a text had come through on his phone, while he was elbow-deep in horse grooming, inviting him over for drinks at Bree’s place. Seven hours later, Morgan stood outside the apartment, clutching a gift-wrapped box. When he’d found out about Jake’s birthday, he felt a small pang of guilt - he probably should’ve known. Jake was dating Bree, and Bree had become like a sister to him; and not to forget about the fact that Jake was actually Puck’s half-brother. Not that that mattered right now, even if Morgan tried his best to make it matter. So, Morgan had scrambled to the nearest bike shop and picked out a pair of leather gloves - good ones, sturdy but soft, the kind that felt broken in the moment they were slipped on. The gloves weren’t anything grand, but they’d pair nicely with the motorcycle Morgan had gifted Jake not too long ago. When the door opened, Morgan smiled softly. “I couldn’t show up empty-handed, could I?” He said, first thing and held up the present.

JAKE was still wrapping his mind around practically cutting his mom off for the time being, but with his birthday finally here, he could finally put all of that behind him. Him and Bree still needed to deal with their own mess but for the sake of his brother's current situation, he'd happily agreed to his girl's plan to get the throuple together, and then Santana had jumped on board as well. Getting Puck to Bree's place for what he thought was a chill dinner was simple, and the same had happened with Morgan. He let Bree handle getting Eva there, and once the show was set to start, Santana had made up a reason to get Puck out of the living room area once someone knocked on the door. Once the coast was clear, Jake walked over and opened up the door, and he was surprised to see him with a gift. "Dude, you already gave me your bike, that was present enough." He smiled as he stepped aside after taking the gift bag from the man. "Come on in. Dinner is just about to start, but that's Bree's forte." He pointed out before glancing around behind him to look for his girlfriend. "Bree?"

BREE was fully aware this was probably a terrible idea. However, Eva was her favorite woman, pretty much ever, Morgan was a friend and Puck was basically her brother-in-law. An it did not sit right with her that these two men weren't being as forthcoming with Eva as they needed to be, as she deserved and apparently it was worth pissing her Professor, PR team manager, and friend(?) off to give them an opportunity to say what needed to be said. As she made sure the catered meal was warm and ready to eat, she heard her name being called. Coming into view of Jake and Morgan, she smiled at her boyfriend, while scanning the area, glad to see it looked like Santana had moved her and Puck somewhere else. "Yes, hi, come in." She smiled, and all but pushed Morgan to the kitchen.

PUCK unwillingly followed Santana into another room. Looked like a spare bedroom and he was realizing that Bree was like, rich rich. Which he knew, but he'd never really seen. Not like he would recognize luxury brand clothing or whatever. Looking a the mother of his child he furrowed his eyebrows. "Now why exactly did you want me alone in a bedroom? You know we don't have to have sex if you wanna have another one of my kids." He smiled at his own joke.

SANTANA rolled her eyes at Puck's words. "First of all, don't insult me. I threatened, and then bribed, the hospital so as soon as I pushed Maya out, my tubes were tied. That was the first and only baby that will ever come outta this body." She pointed out. "But I wanted you alone to remind you that I care about you, and I owe you the world for everything you've done for Maya, so just keep that in mind when you find out what your brother, your future sister in law, and I set up." That should have been enough of a hint as to what was coming, but it was also Puck so she wasn't sure if he'd catch onto that.

JAKE had to bite back a chuckle as Morgan was pushed into the kitchen by Bree, but then he followed anyways. "We should probalby start eating, and get out some drinks — the good stuff — right now." He suggested, since he wasn't sure if Puck would end up hearing Morgan's voice and come out of the bedroom yet.

MORGAN shrugged and gave a small smile. "That bike was given to you as a 'thank you' for that time on campus," he started, but continuing almost made him wince at the memory and the pain it had left behind. He stepped into the room, and let the topic go, instead greeting Bree with a warm smile and a small wave. He hadn't seen her since the morning after their drunken night that he didn't remember a thing of, and in a weird way, it felt kind of comforting to be her and Jake's third wheel in this situation. "D'ya need a hand or anythin'?" He asked, slightly confused about being pushed into the kitchen, but figured it was because he probably had to help out. "The good stuff? What good stuff, man? Y'know, I'm drivin' tonight, so I can't go as crazy as Bree and I did a few days ago."

JAKE decided not to comment on the reason why he'd gotten the bike, since he was sure that the classroom fiasco contributed to why the throuple was in the position they were in now, and instead just focused on the fact that he wanted to get some food before the show started. "Don't worry, we've got it." He suggested, and they did mostly, since Santana had practically laid out the fine china dinnerware, the utensils, the cups, etc. The Latina had been rather dedicated to helping Bree get everything laid out just in case this shit went downhill fast. Jake was piling food onto a plate for himself when he heard a knock at the door, and knowing it could only be one person, he put the plate down in front of Morgan. "Babe, pour the wine." He called out as he jogged over and opened up the door for Eva.

EVA had been expecting this to just be a chill night in with Bree, so she was dressed down and completely unprepared when it was little Puckerman opening the door instead. "Why are you here?" She asked before just walking past Jake, and the aroma of food coming from the kitchen led her straight in that direction until she spotted Morgan. "Bree Bianca Brown, what the fuck is this?" She huffed, already annoyed at this little ambush.

BREE really wasn't listening to anything anyone was saying. Instead, she was attuned to that front door and waiting for that fateful knock. Sooner than she was ready there it was. Popping open a bottle of good winne she poured herself a glass and chugged it. Hearing her full government named, she looked at Morgan, "If you'll excuse me." Then she went to the front door. met with a very unamused Eva. "Before you get mad, just remember I'm on your side."

PUCK wasn't surprised Santana managed to get her tubes tied so early in life. A bad ass through and through and he was glad that their daughter seemed to inheriet so much from her. Even if it did cause some challenges from time to time."Yeah, okay, not sure what that's got to do with Jake's birthday dinner. I mean, I already knew y'all set that up." Before he ould even have another thought, he heard a voice ring out through this big ass apartment and he'd know that voice anywhere. Without even looking back at Santana he just left the room and followed where the voice came from until he was face to face with Eva. Looking at his brother, he was starting to put the pieces together. "The fuck is going on?"

MORGAN watched as Jake started scooping food onto the plate, and he was about to speak up when there was a knock on the door. Morgan was pretty sure he'd been the only one invited tonight, for whatever reason, but maybe a family member was coming over? Or a close friend? Either way, Morgan quietly grabbed the plate as Jake exited the room, and just continued to scoop the food up, figuring that Jake wouldn't mind. It wasn't until he heard that familiar voice that he looked up, seeing Eva on the opposite of the kitchen island. "I-" he wasn't allowed to finish his sentence when the door opened again and Puck was stood right there, next to Eva. "This- I'm-...I was invited!" He quickly tried to reason, wanting them to know he hadn't planned for this. Sure, he was trying to win them back, but this wasn't on his list of ways.

EVA could only roll her eyes as Puck walked out next, and then she didn't even need Morgan to defend himself because she could already tell that Bree and Jake had set this up. Or at least she had assumed it was just them until she spotted Santana walking down the hall next, and now it really made sense. "Just so we're all clear, the last little ambush didn't go so well, so why are we doing this again?"

SANTANA didn't really get the confusion on the throuple's faces, or their lack of appreciation for the hard work that had gone into tricking all three of them like this, but she wasn't gonna stand for it either. "It's too late to yell this out, but surprise! Yes, all three of you were unaware that this was happening and yes, the three of us did set this up because we care about all of you. If any of you wanna fight about it, I'm down, but I'd advise you not to." She sassed with a grin. "Now, sit your asses down and talk." Was she demanding it? Yes. The only one who might fight her back on it was Eva, that much she knew, so she didn't even say anything else as she walked over and grabbed her hand, shoving her over on the couch. "Jake, you're guarding the door. Bree, get the wine. Puck and Morgan, both of you fucked up, again, so it's only fair that one of you start."

JAKE didn't know why Santana was always bossing everyone around, but he wasn't stupid enough to disobey a direct order from her either so he grabbed a chair from the dining room and placed it in front of the door. "Since it is my birthday, can someone get me a plate before the show starts?" He teased, sitting down in the chair and taking his phone out to record this, since he knew it would come in handy later.

BREE was glad that Santana was there, because even Bree can admit, Eva would have walked out, maybe Puck and Morgan too and all of this would have been for nothing. So she did as she was told and went to get the wine. Very good wine, that she knew for a fact was Eva's favorite. So she looked at Jake before she went to go get wine glasses and fill up two decanters.

PUCK kind of wanted to just leave, but it was his brother's birthday and Santana wasn't to be fucked with. So he sat down, not next to Eva and watched as Bree came in with the glasses and wine and he found himself struggling to look at Morgan right now. All of this didn't even feel real and he needed a minute for his brain to boot back up. "Can I get water or something?" He asked Bree, he was trying not to drink anymore. It was one of the many things he was obtaining from for the time being.

MORGAN was as confused as he always was - except maybe just slightly more than usual. The last time this had happened, it had not gone down well, and Morgan knew better than to try and talk to Puck and Eva, while there were other people there. But Santana was intimidating and he didn't know what she'd do if he just jumped out of the kitchen window, so he just slowly followed the group into the living room with the plate of food in hand. He decided to place his tall body in the doorway between the living room and dining room, so he could watch everything unfold from there. Puck refusing alcohol was an incredibly welcomed sight, and it warmed his heart, his eyes softening as he stared a little bit too long at him. But then he snapped out of it and he figured it'd be best to maybe speak up, since he was the one who'd last done everyone wrong anyway. "So- err...you both look good." He said, eyes darting between Eva and Puck.

SANTANA wasn't gonna let Bree serve everybody herself, since she probably was the most foreign to such out of the women in the room, so she got up and grabbed a plate of food for Jake. It was the least they could do since they had jacked whatever birthday plans he could have had with Bree. And busying herself was the only way to keep her from not slapping both Morgan and Puck in the back of their heads for being idiots, so she didn't even mind it this one time. But as soon as Morgan finally opened up his mouth to greet them, that urge increased. "Well, that's not how I'd greet people I claim to love after I royally fuck some shit up, but sure, Weston. Nice opening." She stated sarcastically, handing Jake his plate and a glass of wine before she went back for her own.

EVA could have left now, and she wasn't afraid of Santana so she'd fight her way out of here if she had to, but this was the first time she'd seen Puck since finding out what he'd done in lockdown. While dumbass #1 had tried to love bomb her since she'd last seen him, dumbass #2 hadn't so much as said a single word to her since she'd cried in his arms, and that horrifying moment alone called for some ounce of accountability on his part. "I always look good." She tossed at Morgan without even looking his way as her eyes were trained on Puck...for now. "Since we're clearly not getting out of this, let's skip the bullshit. Noah, what did you do during lockdown? Better yet, who did you do, and before you think about lying, he already ratted you out so your best bet is to just be honest."

PUCK could feel Eva's eyes on him and he was rebooted enough to know that he better look back. Probably the least he could do since he hadn't reached out to her since she cried on his shoulder. Which he now understands was also a dick move. And selfish and definitely not the actions of a man who loves her, so when she started asking about lockdown, it wasn't until she mentioned him telling her that he even realized she already knew. Fucking, Morgan. Couldn't even give Puck the ability to tell Eva himself. He decided to talk to Eva first and then deal with Morgan after. Look at that, him thinking, what an improvement. Thankfully, Bree came back with a water and he thanked her before chugging half the bottle. "On day four of the lockdown I got shit faced, had sex with some chick, kept drinking, then punched a wall. That's how I hurt my hand. I should have told you myself. Even if I didn't tell you that day we talked. I should have reached out and I should have told you the truth, instead of making excuses to justify not talking to you yet. I'm sorry for what I did during lockdown. I'm sorry for not telling you about it myself. I'm sorry for not reaching out and for ghosting you again." Now, Puck wanted to immediately throw Morgan under the bus but he wanted to Give him the opportunity he robbed Puck of to tell Eva himself and he wanted to get Eva the space to process what he said and say whatever she needed to say in return. He wasn't perfect and he knew he had a lot to answer for but he was trying.

MORGAN watched Santana, eyes squinting a little at her comment and he was about to speak up when Eva decided to go straight for Puck's throat, calling out his lack of communication. Morgan didn't even know about that part. To a certain degree, he was happy he'd told Eva, even if it wasn't his place to do so. He didn't know if Puck had planned on talking to her about it or not, but there was constantly that nagging in the back of his head, bringin him back into the classroom to be taught about Communications 101, and surely, telling Eva these things was a part of the curriculum, right? On the other hand, he could see how wrong it was too. This was Puck's story to tell, and so once the other man stopped, Morgan gave Jake his plate, leaving the man with two plates full of food now, and he stepped forward. "I'm sorry, too. Everything that I said those days; things came out so wrong. But I thought y'all deserved that kind of communication from me, y'know?"

EVA wasn't surprised that Puck had the sense to just come clean now, and she appreciated his little apology but it was too late for that too. She'd already told him once before about the ghosting, which he had a habit of doing whenever he'd fucked something up, and that should have been the first red flag that caused her to be done with this. Yet she'd ignored that one, and some others, so here they were. She didn't even need to process it since Morgan had given her the rundown of the important shit anyways, so she was about to brush off the apology until Morgan stepped towards them and uttered one of his own. That earned him an eye roll. "I'm pretty sure nothing came out wrong, Morgan." Everything he said had been crystal clear, in her opinion, so she didn't know why he was inserting himself into this right now. Turning her attention back to Puck, she shrugged. "I get how shitty your dad was, and how everything he's said and done has probably fucked you up, but that can't constantly be your excuse for why you make shitty decisions. Morgan and I both agreed on that when he told me what you did, and honestly, fuck you for letting me cry and be vulnerable and not having the balls to just be honest. That's a dick move." She huffed.

PUCK simply nodded at her words. Even though they stung, he had also been prepared to have his apology not accepted or have it be too little too late. While he was working on a larger apology to give her, his therapist and support group members had all made it clear that sometimes things are too far gone, but that doesn't mean you don't apologize. Because the apology isn't to fix it or get what you want. You apologize because you did something wrong, period. "Yes it is. I recently learned that even if you can explain it that will never excuse shitty behavior." Now that he'd said that, he could focus on Morgan and his lack of confession. Maybe he'd already told Eva, but something told him he hadn't. I mean would he have bothered telling Puck if he hadn't said he talked to Serena? Probably not. "I am wondering what kind of explanation he gave you" He looked at Eva. "-for why he fucked Serena probably fifteen minutes after whatever conversation he had with you about me." Puck still wasn't willing to look at Morgan, and he was being messy and he shouldn't have said it, because Morgan should have told her but fuck him. All the shit he gave Puck for his shitty coping mechanisms, to turn around and reveal his whole fucking secret relationship with Serena, still made his blood boil.

BREE gasped in her seat next to Jake. "Morgan." She said with heavy disappointment in her voice. She hadn't seen that one coming.

EVA didn't know how he'd come to this conclusion, but she was sure that either his mom or someone with some sort of qualifications had gotten him there. He sure as hell hadn't figured that out on his own, and she would have been proud of him for it if she wasn't mad at him. But when he started to turn the focus on Morgan and mentioned an explanation from him, she was slightly confused since Morgan had told her he didn't know what his feelings for that little punk were. And she was still pissed at him too, but when Puck revealed the new information, she was almost positive that her blood had never boiled like it was now. She also hadn't known that the man could hurt her any worse than he already had, but boy was she fucking wrong. "You fucking asshole." She hissed as she finally turned to Morgan. "You looked me right in my face and gave me that whole speech about your stupid heart tying into knots when you're with us, how losing us — or me or him or whatever — would be the biggest mistake of your life, and how I was the fucking one just to go fuck her immediately after that?" Eva hissed as she glared at him, and she didn't even know how she was fighting back tears right now but she sure as hell wasn't about to let him see her cry ever again.

SANTANA was thankful that she had refilled her glass because all of these revelations were too much, even for her, and she hated that things were this bad. Gulping down the full contents of her glass, she was now annoyed because Eva was clearly too good for them. But it also took a bitch to know a bitch, and she could see right through Eva's tough exterior and knew she was on the verge of tears. As if there were ever a time to step in, it was now. "Jake, turn the camera off." She stated before she glanced between the two idiots. "If there were ever a time for you two to be actual men for once, it's now. She should walk out of here and never look back, so you might wanna say whatever you need to say before she does."

JAKE nodded and quickly turned the camera off, and even he was baffled at this now. And as much as he loved his brother, he couldn't exactly support him and Morgan repeatedly hurting someone who obviously didn't deserve it. "Just so we're clear, this is the last time I'll be involved in setting you three up. I thought I was bad but damn, you two don't even deserve her."

MORGAN looked between Eva and Puck, feeling his brows furrow as he listened to Eva come for Puck and his actions. Was it true? Yes. Did she have to tell him that harshly? Morgan's heart hurt, wanting to step in and cradle Puck's face into his chest, but he also wanted to kiss Eva's lips so hard, because the way she was taking control turned him on like crazy. Gulping, Morgan was about to step in, choosing to defend Puck, but then he was interrupted before he could even say a word, and the other man decided to completely throw him under the bus. Everything that he hadn't yet told Eva, because he was playing the balancing game of making her miss him, before confessing about his wrong-doing. His eyes looking between the two started panicking, and his ears started ringing, and Bree's disappointed 'Morgan' was fuzzy in his brain. But then Eva spoke up, and it was like his ears snapped back, her voice crystal clear and he gulped hard. It was like he had this little voice inside his head, constantly doubting whatever he was going to say next. "I can explain!" 'Can you?' "It's all a big misunderstanding!" 'Is it?' "I didn't mean any of it!" 'Didn't you?' "Can you guys just shut up for a second?!" He finally snapped, his voice loud, and it was mostly directed to the voices in his head, but he turned to Santana and Jake. Looking back at Puck and Eva, he took a step forward and ran a hand through his beard. "Listen. I had sex with Serena, after our lunch, Eva," he started, trying to calmly explain what had happened. "I didn't do it to hurt you, you have to believe that! I had invited her over, so that we could get things cleared up and so I could move on, and focus on the two of you. I don't know what happened, it's like everything became blurry after that, because I wasn't thinking. About anything. And I should've." He sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "I can't take it back now, but my mind's never been clearer. I meant what I said. I only want you two."

EVA honestly didn't need to hear shit else at this point, since Morgan crossing that line after their last conversation only solidified everything she'd said before. In fact, her mind her never been more made up than it was now. But when he raised his voice at them, both her and Santana made the exact same face, and she could tell the Latina was about to knock him upside his fucking head, just as she wanted to, but she waved her off dismissively. The last thing he needed was both of them about to throw hands, and she was sure that the odds had never been more in their favor. Just like the last time she'd seen him, there was more bullshit excuses coming her way, and she didn't hesitate to roll her eyes as he spoke. The audacity of him to come for Puck's excuse when he kept finding them for his actions too. Waiting until he was finished, she shook her head. "Right, so instead of doing like I told you to do and telling her what you told me, you fucked her? It didn't just happen because you weren't thinking, Morgan. You did it because you wanted to." That realization alone was enough to make her crack, but somehow, by some miracle, she held back her tears. For now. "Just like I said before, you both keep saying how you want this, how you're so sure of it now, but you both had to fuck someone else to be sure. I didn't. And honestly, all this proved was that even if we tried to do this, the second shit goes south or we have one fight, both of you are just gonna go stick your dicks in whatever hole gives you some attention. I deserve a lot better than that." Eva didn't really know what else she was even supposed to say now without repeating herself, so she stood back up and glanced between them. "I can't do this anymore, so I'm done. For good this time. You two can do whatever the fuck you want, but leave me out of it. I let both of you hurt me twice now, and I'll be damned if you do it ever again, so just stay away from me. Is that clear?"

MORGAN watched as Eva told him everything; everything that he'd done to fuck this up. She was coming for him, calling him out, and honestly, it was the truth. Morgan might've been dumb, but he could see exactly what she was saying, and it made sense to him. He had had sex with Serena because he'd wanted to, he had gone and stuck his dick in someone else, after a fight with Eva. And if anything, this just proved to him more that he needed to become a better man. That he needed to prove himself more. That this wasn't the end. If anything, it only made his desire for them stronger. "Eva..." he watched her stand up, wanting to say something, but not knowing what exactly. He needed his usual 3-4 business days to figure out what exactly he could do or say, in order to make any of this better.

PUCK could see the turmoil in Morgan, the realization that he was wrong, had been wrong but the fight to tell yourself you didn't mean it, that it wasn't you intention. That you weren't that guy because in your head you'd never treat someone you care about the way you're realizing you did. And Puck knew that's what was happening in his head because it's exactly what happened in his for weeks. listened while Eva spoke. Said everything Puck and Morgan deserved to hear. As everyone's voices filled his head, he felt a rage build up in him at Morgan, at himself too, but at Morgan more, but he was trying to decide if he had the right to say anything. Thankfully, Eva had plenty to say, to them both. All of it hurt but all of it true and when she said she couldn't do it anyone, he realized he had already accepted this outcome. Accepted that unless there was real change, provable change, in Morgan and Puck's coping mechanisms and behaviors, unless Eva had the time and the space to process and heal and rebuild herself, this was always going to end up here. For the first time, he finally understood why his mother told him as a child not to hold on so tight you squeeze the life out of what you're trying to hang on to. Nothing can grow in those conditions. While he had so much he needed to say to Eva he knew he couldn't say it now and even if he could she likely wouldn't hear it. So he simply turned to her and let his heart break as he looked at her, knowing the pain he caused. "I get it, and you're right, about all of it and imma stay away from you. I'll do everything I can to keep us from crossing paths again, not on campus, not anywhere." It hurt to say but it was the least he could do. Now, he needed to say something to Morgan and he wasn't all the way sure how. Getting up, he faced his- not his, cowboy, "She was my friend and you knew that. You could've picked anyone, but you picked my friend. Losing you and Eva is what I deserve, it's what I earned but Serena? I didn't earn that loss. And neither one of you cared enough about me to- to..." He trailed off, just staring at Morgan. Finally he looked away an at Santana, Bree and Jake. "Can I go?" He asked the three who set this up.

EVA honestly just needed to get out of here, get some air, and to move the fuck on from both of them. Morgan having nothing to say other than her name proved that he had nothing left to say right now, which made sense considering that he'd probably just run right back to Serena after this. And the Puck started talking and she didn't care what he had to say either. "Great, good to know you can commit to something." She muttered before she headed for the door, and Jake quickly jumped up and moved out of the way so she could leave.

SANTANA sighed as Eva left, and while the plan had gone off the rails, she had switched sides and was only rooting for Eva now. Well, she was rooting for Puck to get better and work through his shit, but romantically, she only cared about the woman in this throuple. Downing some more wine, she nodded at Puck's question. "Yeah, it's fine. I think you've said everything you needed to get off of your chest too, so no need to stay any longer." Not that he needed permission at this point anyways, but he had asked so she gave it to him.

JAKE wasn't for beating a dead horse so with Eva and now Puck being done, he was giving up on this throuple thing too. "Well, thank you both for coming anyways. And thank you for my birthday gifts. Sorry this didn't work out like we planned, but...good luck in whatever, or whoever, you do next, I guess?" He rambled, since he wasn't really sure what else to say. "I'll see you around, Morgan."

MORGAN's face resembled that of a kicked puppy, not knowing how to make any of this better. The way he'd not only ruined his relationship with Eva and Puck now, but he'd also come between Puck and Serena, knowing how the two were such good friends; at least that's what he figured based off of the fact that he'd caught him in her apartment that one time. But a part of him was screaming that this could be resolved. If he was stubborn enough; persistent enough. He loved them for crying out loud! He wasn't going to give up on them just yet. As he watched Eva leave, followed by Puck, Morgan sighed, and rubbed his temple in pure frustration. He had to think now, come up with something else, because he was pretty sure he'd cleaned out every single poppy and sunflower field in California in order to send them that crazy amount of flowers, so that wasn't an option until they'd grown back again. He had to think about his next move. What was the way to someone's heart? ... Eyes opening wide, Morgan looked at the three on-lookers and gave them an optimistic smile. "This was great, you guys, we should really do it again some other time, but I need to go, I have something- I have several things I gotta take care of." And with that, he ran out of the house, knowing exactly where to head next: his kitchen.

#thread #thread024 #eva #puck #bree #jake #santana #the easter bunny #santa claus

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morgan-weston · 6 days ago

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Hey, man, if you're needin' a place to stay for a bit, until you've found your bearings, then I've got three guest bedrooms that I ain't usin'. Although, I'm a little far out from the city, and you'd have to adjust to the smell of hay.

Wait-...Anderson? That's your last name?

I'll be honest: I didn't expect to be back here until Thanksgiving or maybe even Christmas, and I definitely wasn't expecting to suddenly find myself semi-living at home again on Halloween. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, of course, but it's been... well, let's just say it's been a bit of an adjustment. And it looks like I'm not the only one who thinks so because my mom quite literally just told me to "stop moping on the couch with the cat and go to that Halloween bash".

I suppose she has a point, so I'm currently putting together a very last-minute costume, as I didn't bring costume 1.0 from New York (and it was a couple's costume, so it would have been no use anyway...).

In other words: yes, hi, I'm back, and I figured I'd say hello on this website before seeing most of you (I hope!) in person again tonight! For those of you I haven't met yet: I'm Blaine Anderson and disclaimer: the mustache you'll see me with tonight is very much a fake one. Please feel free to come and say hi! I promise I don't bite.

#dash #blaine

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morgan-weston · 7 days ago

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i have feelings for u. not telling u which ones.

#about

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morgan-weston · 7 days ago

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What's one thing you wish you had said to someone?

That I'm sorry. @anderseva @puckhq @andyholliday @serenaxsmythe

#question

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morgan-weston · 7 days ago

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MORGAN: Come on, it was pretty funny though! Remember the time I burnt those chickens in the oven? Safe to say I won't be making that mistake again!

Andy: Hush. We don't talk about that. Andy: You and me both.

#text #andy

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morgan-weston · 8 days ago

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MORGAN: As long as you don't make that thing again. Do you remember? It was burnt and it somehow managed to still taste more like anchovies than what it actually was. MORGAN: I love your cooking, but I was so thankful that "Joe's" was open that night!

Andy: Mmhmm, and had I been alone I might have. Andy: All you're doing is coming over for dinner. So unless you intend to insult my cooking, you won't hurt me.

#text #andy

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morgan-weston · 8 days ago

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MORGAN: Yeah, that poor guy almost had you using his tie to choke him out, huh? MORGAN: I don't wanna hurt you, Andy.

Andy: Saving me from wanting to fist fight a car salesman warrants something more than cookies in return. Andy: Yes, you did, three years ago. And maybe I was holding a grudge and maybe seeing you still sometimes really fucking hurts, but you still did me a solid and I've more than enough manners to know I need to pay that back.

#text #andy

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morgan-weston · 8 days ago

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MORGAN: No, I just wasn't expecting you to invite me over for dinner. MORGAN: I just mean, I hurt you big time, and everything. MORGAN: I ain't complaining though, I love the idea of getting to have dinner with you.

Andy: Dude. You good? Are other people ignoring you, is that the problem?

#text #andy

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morgan-weston · 8 days ago

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MORGAN: I just didn't think you'd text me, you know? Not to ruin all of this progress you've done at therapy.

Andy: You went from worried I'd sent you a message for my dad to almost jumpy levels, I'm just making sure. Andy: I will see you then.

#text #andy

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morgan-weston · 8 days ago

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MORGAN: Yeah, I just don't want to miss out on this opportunity. MORGAN: How about Friday night?

Andy: You good? Andy: My evenings are free, so you pick and I'll have dinner on the table by 7.

#text #andy

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morgan-weston · 8 days ago

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sink into you like water (pray you won't pull me under) || serena & morgan

TAGGING: Serena Smythe and Morgan Weston @morgan-weston

LOCATION: Morgan's ranch

TIME FRAME: 10/22 evening

WARNINGS: very, very nsfw

SUMMARY: Morgan invites Serena over for dinner to make amends. She’s unsure about his cooking, but she can’t resist spending time with him. To their surprise, dinner isn’t the only thing that gets eaten that night (wink wink) and after cuddling him (lame) and choosing to stay the night at the ranch, she realizes her feelings run deeper than just attraction to a guy with complicated connections.

SERENA

Serena took a deep breath as she pulled up to Morgan’s ranch, the tires crunching against the gravel driveway. The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the landscape, and while the beauty of it should have calmed her, she felt nothing but a tangle of emotions. She’d been ignoring the butterflies he stirred in her and the way her heart ached around him for too long. Pretending she didn’t know what it all meant was easier than facing the truth. But now, standing here, she couldn’t help but question whether she was making a fool of herself. Was she just clinging to the idea of friendship to hide her attraction? Maybe Eva was right, maybe she was just being "thirsty", and worse, getting rejected. When the door swung open, Morgan stood there in a casual shirt that framed his physique perfectly. His smile was warm, familiar, and for a brief second, her doubts quieted. “Hey,” she greeted, her voice steady, though her stomach churned with nerves. He stepped aside, letting her into the house, and the scent of his home surrounded her, offering a sense of comfort she didn't know she needed. “I know I said I’d bring wine, so I grabbed this,” she said, handing him a bottle of Château Margaux, one of the most exquisite wines money could buy. “But,” she added, lifting a bottle of Macallan 18 whiskey with a smirk, “I’ve had one of those days.” She stepped aside then and gestured toward a box on the steps, containing the Nardi Classic steering wheel they’d admired together at a vintage car show. “And I brought you a gift,” she said, watching his face. She loved gifting people for no reason at all, but not everyone thought it was a normal thing to do. In the kitchen, the air was thick with the unsaid. They traded small talk, but Serena couldn’t stop analyzing every glance, every pause, trying to read Morgan’s feelings. Was he mad at her? Did he regret inviting her? She had come here still feeling a little upset yet now she found herself worrying that maybe she'd been too emotional, too needy. The tension inside her kept building, her mind racing even as she tried to act casual. “So,” she began, her voice lighter as she tried to break the ice, “I really hope you don’t turn out to be a terrible cook, because I’ve had a busy day and haven’t eaten since breakfast.” She laughed softly, trying to ease the storm inside her.

MORGAN

Morgan was stood in the kitchen, washing his hands as he watched a car pull up into his courtyard. He knew it was Serena, as he watched that familiar car of hers ease to a stop in the gravel driveway, the fading sun casting an orange glow across the land. His pulse quickened a little, seeing her step out. Even though he’d told himself this was just a dinner between friends, the butterflies in his gut were louder than his calm, easy exterior would ever admit. He dried his hands, took off his apron, and moved through the rooms so he could open the front door and greet her properly. "Hey there," he said, his voice gentle, and a small smile resting on his lips. When she handed him the wine and whiskey, he raised a brow, his signature grin tugging at the corners of his lips. “You know how to spoil a man, don’t you?” he teased lightly, his eyes flicking over the bottles before settling back on her. “This is a fancy one, huh?” He teased and caught her gaze. There was something else in her eyes, though. He wasn’t sure if it was tiredness or tension, but it had him wanting to make sure this dinner was perfect - not just because he was trying to apologize for leaving her hanging during the lockdown, but because he didn’t want to let her down. Not again. As she gestured to the box on the steps, Morgan’s face softened, a genuine warmth spreading through him. “The Nardi Classic?” he asked, stepping forward to take a closer look. “Damn, Serena, you didn’t have to do that. I love it!" He glanced up at her, catching a fleeting moment of uncertainty on her face, like she was waiting for something. He wasn’t sure what, but it made him want to reassure her, to let her know he appreciated her - whether it was the gift or just showing up. So he moved to wrap his arms around, giving her a thankful hug. He could smell her perfume, her shampoo. God, she really was enticing, wasn't she? "Thank you." He whispered, his lips hovering just above her ear. He invited her in, setting the box in the hallway, before going into the kitchen, where he found two wine glasses. "If it's been a long day, then I suggest we don't wait," he said cheekily, and opened the bottle of wine and poured the red liquid. He couldn't help but chuckle at her comment, and he shook his head. "If the food is terrible, ya gotta take it up with my grandma - she's the one who taught me everything," he said with a smirk, and effortlessly moved through the kitchen to stir the sauce, and flip the vegetables in the pan. He could feel her eyes on him every so often, like she was trying to figure out what was going through his head, and truth be told, he wasn’t entirely sure either. He knew he liked being around her - he liked the way she could make him laugh, the way she knew her way around cars, and how she wasn’t afraid to call him out when needed. But there was something more, and it lingered in the air between them, thick and complicated. “Don’t worry,” he said, flashing her a quick smile as he plated the chicken, “I promise, I won’t let you starve tonight.” He sprinkled a little garnish over the potatoes and added, “I’m a pretty decent cook, I swear. I’ve had enough time to practice living out here by myself.” The lightheartedness in his tone was meant to ease things, but as he moved to set the plates on the table and glanced at Serena, he couldn’t ignore the way her gaze lingered on him, like she was waiting for something more than just dinner. “So,” he said, leaning against the counter for a moment, handing her the glass of wine that had had time to breathe. “I know we didn’t exactly leave things great the last time we talked.” His eyes met hers, and for a moment, the air felt heavier. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for that; for leaving you to deal with everything during the lockdown. That wasn’t fair.”

SERENA

Serena’s fingers tightened slightly around the bottle as she handed it to him, a quick flicker of warmth crossing her face when he teased her about spoiling him. She managed a smirk, her usual sharp edge dulled by something quieter tonight. When he mentioned the Nardi, her lips parted slightly as if she were about to say something, but then, without warning, Morgan’s arms were around her. Her body froze instantly, caught completely off guard. She stood there, stiff as a board, arms still at her sides, not even able to lift them in return. The hug had happened so fast, she hadn’t had time to process it. The sudden closeness felt foreign, disarming. She could smell the warmth of him, feel his breath near her ear and for a split second, everything around her just stilled. Every defensive layer she’d built over the years seemed to waver under the weight of his embrace. But just as quickly as it happened, it was over and he was already talking to her as if nothing had changed. Serena stayed there for a moment longer, her arms still awkwardly hanging at her sides, trying to catch her breath. She had imagined being in his arms before, but now that it had happened unexpectedly, she hadn’t even known how to react. Following him into the kitchen, her heart was still racing. She grabbed her glass of wine, grateful for the distraction, though she really preferred whiskey now. But after that, she couldn’t trust her voice not to betray her, so she took a sip and watched him move around the kitchen like this was just another normal night. Maybe for him it was, but for her, everything about tonight was new. Like, she had a friend who cooked her dinner. And now they did hugs too apparently. When he brought up the lockdown, she looked away briefly, tension pulling at her jawline. "You owed me nothing, Morgan," she said, her voice softer but quieter than usual. “It wasn’t your job to stay by my side the entire time. Things just shifted so quickly, and yeah, that threw me off, but you're fine, really. You didn’t do anything wrong.” She pressed her lips into a thin line, struggling to contain her emotions. “I just didn’t expect us to have something in common," she murmured, her eyes on the wine glass as she swirled the liquid. Finally, she glanced up at him, her gaze steady. "I isolate myself whenever I feel bad too. I should’ve known better.”

MORGAN

As Serena spoke, Morgan instantly picked up on how much quieter her was, and something about the softness in it made him stop what he was doing. He leaned against the counter, set the glass down, and folded his arms over his chest, listening carefully. Serena had always been hard to read, but right now, she seemed more open, more vulnerable than she usually let herself be. “You owed me nothing, Morgan.” Her words hit him square in the chest. He hadn’t realized she’d been carrying that weight, that she’d felt like he owed her something. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when she continued, talking about how quickly everything had shifted and how she hadn’t expected them to have something in common. The way she said it - like isolating herself was some deep, personal flaw - made his heart ache a little. He set the spatula down and turned to face her fully, leaning one hip against the counter, arms still crossed but his posture more relaxed. “I didn’t leave you because I didn’t care, Serena,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “I was dealing with my own mess, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t think about you. Hell, you’re one of the few people I trust, and I should’ve been there. I wanted to be.” He let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Truth is, I didn’t know how to handle it. Everything went sideways, and I just shut down.” His eyes met hers, and for a moment, he let his guard down too. “I’m sorry if I hurt you by pulling away.” He could see how much she was struggling with her own emotions, how hard it was for her to admit that she, too, isolated herself when things got tough. It wasn’t easy to open up about that, and the fact that she’d said it to him, of all people, meant more than she probably realized. “Listen,” he said, taking a step closer, his voice gentle but firm. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I get it. You’re not the only one who hides when things get rough.” He smiled, just a hint of warmth touching his lips. “But you don’t have to do that with me. I won’t push, but I’m here if you need me. I’m just also the type of person ya need to tell, if you need me.” He chuckled, hoping it would offer some sort of reassurance, by using self-deprecating humor. He watched her carefully, trying to read her reaction, though he knew Serena was a puzzle he wasn’t likely to solve anytime soon. Still, he wasn’t going to leave her hanging again. The food was ready, so he grabbed the plates and set them on the table, making sure everything looked perfect, even though the food was just an excuse to keep them both occupied. He glanced at her, trying to lighten the mood just a little. “Alright, now I’ve gone and made dinner,” he said, his tone playful. “The least you can do is let me know if it’s any good, or if I should stick to whiskey and burgers.” But even as he joked, his eyes stayed on her, a quiet question lingering there. Were they still friends? Or had everything between them shifted too far to go back?

SERENA

Serena stared at him, feeling the weight of his words settle between them. She knew they'd probably talk about the content of their last messages, but she had expected more charm and sweetness. This was too sincere, too personal, too raw. For a moment, she wasn’t sure how to respond. In fact, for a few seconds, all she could think about was how she’d never had a conversation like this before. Of course he'd be the one to change that. "Hey, it's ok," she said softly, her tone betraying the ache she felt to get closer to him, to touch him, to comfort him. But... She sighed. "It’s not your fault I assumed that just because you're kind and sweet, you don’t have your own struggles like the rest of us mere mortals," she laughed lightly, and then her voice softened when she added, "I'm not hurt, I promise,” she whispered, her eyes locking with his. "Listen, you know I’m not exactly the easiest person to deal with, so we’ll figure this out as we go, yeah?" She watched as he moved to the table, setting everything up like it was some grand dinner they were about to share. It almost made her laugh. Trust him to try and diffuse the tension. She remembered their first date, how he'd made her feel so secure that she’d opened up to him, only for him to immediately drag her to the dance floor when it got too real. A man after her own heart. "Let’s get one thing straight, though" she said, standing and folding her arms as she walked over. "You’re not off the hook just because you made dinner. I expect to be spoiled with daily texts for at least a month." Her gaze slowly softened, turning into a grin. "I’m sure it'll be good. I don’t think there’s a single grandma in this world who isn’t the best cook ever, so if she taught you, I’m sure it’ll be delicious." Serena sat down and took a bite, savoring the taste. She had to admit, it was even better than she expected. For the first time since she'd arrived, things felt... A bit light, easy. She looked into his eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips as she said, simply, "Thank you."

MORGAN

Morgan felt a strange kind of relief when Serena spoke, like he’d been holding his breath without realizing it. He’d expected her to brush off his apology or turn it into a joke, but she hadn’t. Her words were careful, honest - more vulnerable than he’d seen her before. It wasn’t lost on him, the way she was trying to keep things light, even as she let her guard down enough to admit they were figuring this out together. He appreciated that more than he could put into words. When she demanded daily texts for at least a month, his lips tugged into a grin. That was more like the Serena he knew - bold, direct, and teasing all at once. But even underneath her playful tone, he could sense the sincerity. It felt like a small peace offering, a way of telling him they were okay, without needing to say it outright. “Daily texts, huh?” he chuckled, pretending to mull it over. “How about those videos that the kids do, these days? What’re they called, ‘fit checks’? Like, where you show off what you’re wearin’?” Morgan asked, trying to keep the mood light, but he couldn’t help the warmth that spread through him knowing she wasn’t pushing him away. “I’ll do those, just for you, Serena.” When she complimented his cooking and mentioned his grandma, he felt a surge of pride. “She taught me everythin’ I know,” he admitted with a fond smile. “You don’t grow up in a ranch household without learnin’ a few things in the kitchen. Plus, she always said a man should know how to cook for the people he cares about.” When she looked up at him and thanked him, so simply, Morgan’s heart did a funny little flip. It wasn’t a grand declaration, but it was real, and that meant more to him than anything. “You’re welcome,” he replied, his voice low but steady. He held her gaze for a moment, trying to convey everything he couldn’t say out loud. Morgan took a sip of his wine, letting the warmth settle over him as he tried to find the right words. He didn’t want to push her, but there were things he needed to know, things that had been eating away at him since the lockdown. “You know,” he began, his tone casual, “I wasn’t sure if you’d actually come tonight. Figured maybe you’d had enough of me after everything.” He chuckled softly, though his eyes stayed on hers, searching for some sign of what she was really feeling. He leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful but open. “I’m glad you did, though. Feels like… we’re back on track, a little bit,” he said, his voice trailing off, almost like he was testing the waters. He didn’t want to assume too much, but he needed to know if they were moving forward or if this was just a temporary truce.

SERENA

"I don’t know if I’m ready to witness your cowboy fashion on the regular," she smirked, leaning into her usual teasing banter, though her eyes softened slightly. Truth be told, this situation with Morgan kept her mind so busy she never thought about his fashion choices, which was funny because she did that with everyone. As he spoke more about his grandma, Serena found herself reflecting on family. It was strange, hearing him talk so warmly about someone he loved. She always envied people who had that. Family to her had always been distant, more about reputation and duty than real emotional bonds. There was no warm, guiding presence in her life after she was sent to boarding school, no memories she could talk about with such fondness. Maybe that was why she found Morgan’s sincerity so disarming. It made her feel things she wasn’t used to, things she didn’t quite know how to handle. His intense gaze locked with hers and she felt a familiar knot tighten in her chest. She almost laughed when he said that because actually she had this feeling, this constant sense of not having enough of him. And having him look at her like that wasn't helping at all so she looked away, taking a slow sip of her drink. "I'm not known for giving up so easily," she finally said, her voice quiet but steady. "But I guess I’m a sucker for good food and stubborn cowboys who make things complicated." She added a playful wink to soften the words, but there was a flicker of truth behind them that she couldn’t hide. When Morgan opened up again, sharing his concerns, she felt that familiar urge to comfort him. "Hey," she said softly, trying to reassure him, "We were never not on track, Morgan." If it was someone else, it wouldn’t even bother her so much. She sighed, finishing her wine. Talking to him was easier than with anyone else, yet certain things still felt impossible to put into words. "Look, you've seen how my life is..." she paused, searching for the right words so she wouldn't turn the moment into something too heavy. "Let's just say this is nothing compared to what people have done to me or compared to what I have done to people," she confessed, her gaze dropping as she avoided his eyes. "So really, Morgan, don’t beat yourself up. You did nothing wrong and nothing that could possibly ruin what we have here. Everything is ok."

MORGAN

Morgan leaned back in his chair, the warm glow of the dining room casting a soft light on Serena's features. He chuckled lightly at her teasing, grateful for the banter that felt like a bridge between them. “I guess I’ll just have to make cowboy fashion the next big trend,” he replied, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. But her eyes softened, and he sensed the weight beneath her playful words. It struck him how much he wanted to peel back those layers, to see the real Serena - the one who hid behind her teasing and tough exterior. As he spoke about his grandma, he caught glimpses of a different side of her, one that lingered on the edges of vulnerability. He shifted slightly, leaning in closer. “You know, family isn’t just blood. It’s about those moments that make you feel at home,” he said, trying to connect with her. He could feel the tension in the air, a mix of longing and unspoken words. When she looked away, taking a sip of her drink, it felt like a small loss. He wanted her to stay locked in that gaze, where the world outside faded, leaving just the two of them and the connection that sparked between them. “I’m glad you’re a sucker for stubborn cowboys,” he replied, a teasing lilt to his voice. “I’ll make sure to cook more than just good food then.” There was an honesty in his words, a hint of hope that they were building something together, however complicated it might seem. But then her expression shifted. He reached across the table, his fingers brushing against hers. “You’re stronger than you think,” he added, his voice low, the intimacy of the moment lingering in the air. “And I’ll be right here, whether we’re talking about earth-shattering moments or just cowboy boots.” Morgan searched for her eyes again, he felt the flicker of something deeper - a connection that went beyond their teasing. It was a promise, a chance to explore whatever this was, however complicated it might be. “Just remember, I’m not going anywhere,” he said, a hint of warmth in his smile. “And I’ll keep serving up that good food as long as you keep coming back.”

SERENA

Serena leaned back slightly, her fork hovering over her plate as she processed the shift in the atmosphere. The way he was treating her tonight was stirring something inside her and for a couple of days now, she’d felt uneasy with just how much attention she’d sought from him back in the cafeteria. She’d meant it when she said he hadn’t done anything wrong because if it had been Tina, for example, she wouldn't have cared that much. And realizing she craved something from him, something she didn’t even want from the people she was casually sleeping with... yeah, that definitely gave her pause. But she wasn’t about to deal with it tonight. Box it up, file it away: that was her way of handling things. She chuckled softly, rolling her eyes playfully to keep things light. "Actually, I just thought that might be redundant. Or are there cowboys who aren’t stubborn? Did I really draw the short straw here?" Her smirk returned, aiming to keep the mood playful. But then his fingers brushed against hers and she looked down at his hand for a second before instinctively pulling away. And then immediately regretted it. Why had she done that? She wanted him to touch her, hell, she’d been thinking about it more than she was willing to admit. Granted, holding hands wasn’t part of her usual fantasies, but still. She hesitated briefly, then chose not to dwell on it, and placed her hand back down, cautiously. As the conversation shifted back to lighter topics Serena felt a small wave of relief. But her mind kept circling back to their hands. God, she didn’t need more complications in her life but... Right now it'd be so good to be her old self again who sure as hell wouldn't have been overthinking none of it. Unfortunately this Serena had some decorum, so she'd just need to keep pushing through this, focus on the friendship and hope this pull she felt would fade. Eventually. She smirked then, throwing out a quip to keep things easy. “I’m only sticking around for the food. You’re just the bonus.” She gestured toward the plate. “So, what’s the deal? Does this recipe have a name? Is it one of those family heirloom recipes passed down through generations?”

MORGAN

Morgan couldn’t help but grin at her stubborn cowboy remark. “Hey now, stubborn’s just code for knowing what we want,” he said, voice easy and teasing. “But I’ll let you decide if you drew the short straw.” He watched her carefully, noticing the way she pulled her hand back and then hesitated before setting it down again. He felt a brief pang of disappointment but tried to brush it off, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. The smallest things seemed to be carrying more weight tonight, and he didn’t want to ruin the fragile balance between them by pushing too hard. She was teasing him again, and that was familiar, comfortable. He welcomed it like a warm fire on a chilly evening. He took a breath, focusing on her question about the recipe, grateful for the reprieve. “Well, if you ask me, calling it a family heirloom’s a bit dramatic,” he drawled, leaning back in his chair. “But yeah, you could say this one’s been around a while. My grandma started making it back when my grandpa had just bought the ranch. Money was tight, and they had to make do with what they had. Y’know, it’s a wonder what a few good vegetables and plenty of herbs and spices can do.” He paused, a fond smile lingering on his lips. “She called it ‘Rancher’s Chicken,’ though I always joked it should’ve been called ‘Magic Chicken’ considering how it seemed to fix just about anything.” He was glad she liked the food, and hearing her talk about sticking around - even if it was just for the meal - settled some of the nerves he hadn’t realized he’d been carrying. This dinner felt like a test of sorts, a chance to see if they could rebuild what had been shaken during the lockdown. But there was something else lingering beneath the surface, a connection he wasn’t sure either of them knew how to address. He took a sip of his wine, letting the warmth spread through him before speaking again. “And for the record,” he added, voice softer but steady, “I’m real glad you’re sticking around, even if it’s just for the food.” His eyes met hers, holding her gaze for a heartbeat longer than necessary, before he reached for the wine bottle and poured more into Serena’s and his glass. He wanted her to know he meant it, that her presence wasn’t something he took lightly. “But I also gotta know one thing.” Morgan started, his gaze coming up to meet hers slowly. He wasn’t sure how she’d react to this, but he couldn’t go on without an answer. Morgan leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the table as he continued. “D’ya have feelings for me?” Morgan knew he was treading dangerous territory, but he wasn’t willing to pretend there wasn’t more going on between them. He’d rather have them be honest and risk the awkwardness than keep dancing around what was clearly (at least to Eva and Puck) growing between them.

SERENA

Serena’s eyes widened, her heart racing as Morgan’s question lingered in the air. She tightened her grip on her wine glass, instinctively wanting to lie, deflect, avoid. But then there was him, sitting there, so open, so real and she didn’t want to ruin that with a lie. Not with him. She took a long sip and sighed. If he was planning to go there, the least he could've done was give her something stronger. And then a more troubling thought crossed her mind. Her stomach twisted as she pieced it together. Tonight he was so worried he had hurt her. This wasn’t about the cafeteria at all, was it? Eva must have gotten to him. She’d convinced him that he was leading Serena on, that Serena might feel rejected. And now he was here, ready to end their friendship to spare her from that. The idea of Morgan pitying her made her stomach turn. She stood up abruptly, angry tears threatening to fall, but she would be damned if she cried in front of him. Crossing the room, she leaned back against the kitchen counter, her chest aching. "You don’t have to worry about it, Morgan. I don’t do feelings,” she snapped, her tone sharper than she intended, before taking another sip of wine. She thought of Tina. The last time she tried to “do” feelings, it had ended in disaster. It was raw, it hurt too much and so she decided she was done with it. Even with Dani, that she dated, it hadn’t been about feelings. She was thirty, she had a daughter, she was supposed to settle down, right? So when it ended, she was relieved she had handled it like any other business deal. Morgan was a friend she didn’t want to lose. So, yes, she noticed she was starting to care, but obviously she wasn’t going to let it go further than that. Romance always ruined things and if they crossed that line, their friendship would be done. That’s how it always went. Now, her attraction was undeniable. She knew she couldn’t pretend otherwise because he probably already knew that. With the way they flirted. So she might as well be honest about that since there was no use in denying it. Her throat tightened as she forced herself to meet his gaze, her voice low but steady. “You’re handsome, hot and charming. Of course I’m attracted to you. As any woman who knows you probably is. But that’s all it is.” And she didn’t bother asking him the same question, because she already knew who he had feelings for. And yeah, she wasn’t in love with him or anything, but she didn’t want to hear about that either.

MORGAN

Morgan felt like he’d just been blindsided by a runaway stallion. He watched Serena, able to see her emotions bubbling under the surface, even if she was trying to keep them from spilling over. For a moment, he was tempted to drop everything, stride over to her, and pull her into a tight hug just to remind her she wasn’t in this alone - but he knew better. Serena was fierce, proud, and stubborn in her own right, and the last thing she needed was him crowding her. He stayed where he was, his eyes following her as she moved to the counter. The distance between them felt like a chasm, and Morgan hated it. He’d never wanted to hurt her, but it seemed that trying to make things right had only made it worse. She didn’t do feelings - Morgan had sensed that. Every time he’d gotten somewhat close to getting through to Serena, she’d pulled up a wall, blocked him from entering. And those rare moments where he was allowed, he was quickly pulled back outside with her self-deprecating humor. He swallowed hard, regretting having asked her. She didn’t do feelings - and now he looked like an arrogant, selfish asshole who thought too highly of himself. But then she continued. What she said afterwards, every meaning behind the words she told him, he took in, and listened to, nodding as he did so. They echoed in his head. He was happy get some sort of confirmation that there had at least been an attraction, and that it wasn’t just him. “Serena,” he began softly, standing up slowly, taking his time to approach her. He didn’t crowd her; he stopped a couple of feet away, giving her space to breathe. “Why are you saying ‘of course’, like it’s a given that you’re attracted to me?” he asked quietly, his voice steady despite the tightness in his chest. “There’s no ‘of course’, because I certainly didn’t know. I’ve felt things, but I never thought you felt the same way.” He saw the way she gripped her wine glass, her fingers tense. He wished he could erase whatever doubts had taken root in her mind, but he knew that was something only she could do. Still, he wasn’t about to let her walk away from this conversation thinking he didn’t care. “You said you don’t do feelings,” he continued, his voice gentle but firm. “And I respect that, if that’s how you need to handle things. But if I’m being honest, I do.” He let out a small, humorless chuckle, running a hand through his hair. Even if he took 5-6 business days to process his emotions, he still wore his heart on sleeve. “I know it might sound real foolish comin’ from me, the guy who barely knows what he’s feeling half the time, but… well, here we are.” Morgan took a step closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. “You’re not just some pretty face I flirt with, Serena,” he said, sincerity lacing his words. “You’re smart, strong, you know how to make a man smile. I’m grateful for that, and I never want you to feel like you’re less important than anyone else in my life. There’s an attraction - I can’t deny that. But I also don’t want to lead you on.”

SERENA

Serena raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting into a confused, half irritated look, like she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. She scoffed softly, shaking her head as if trying to clear the fog of confusion Morgan had just created. “Wait, hold up. What?” she asked, her tone incredulous, as she left the glass on the counter and stared at him. “So, let me get this straight,” she began, her voice calm but with an edge of disbelief. “So you think you're starting to feel something for me. But... you don’t want to lead me on? Morgan, what exactly are you trying to say here? Because right now, you’re sounding like a walking contradiction.” She gave him a look that said seriously? Her frustration simmering just beneath the surface. “I'm not less important than them?" Serena shook her head again, this time with more exasperation than confusion, her gaze sharp as it locked onto his. "What, are you saying you want to sleep with the three of us or are you just that bad at expressing what you actually mean?” She took a deep breath and looked away, one of her hands was in her waist and the other on the kitchen counter. He was a good guy, one of the few people in her life who’d ever seen her beyond the surface. They just needed to talk this out, clear the air, and then everything would go back to normal. She could already feel herself calming down, forcing herself to think this through. It wasn’t about avoiding the conversation, it was about keeping him around. She knew he mattered more than she wanted to admit. And the truth was, she needed him in her life, just not in the way he might be thinking. Romance wasn't in the cards for them. Dating her meant chaos and chaos led to breakups and breakups led to people leaving. But friends? Friends could last forever. She’d never been good at this whole friendship thing, but she knew there were people out there who stayed friends for twenty years or more. If they could just stay friends, then he would never leave her. “Look, Morgan," she started, in a much more controled voice now, "If there’s something you need to say, say it. But don’t stand there and act like I’m supposed to understand what’s going on in your head when you’re throwing mixed signals left and right.”

MORGAN

Morgan had seen Serena irritated before, but this was different - there was a sharp edge in her voice that cut through the air between them, and he found himself scrambling to figure out the right thing to say. He didn’t want to make this worse, but apparently, he already had. Her words, her tone - it all stung, but he knew she deserved better than to be strung along in confusion. He let out a slow breath, leaning back against the kitchen island as he collected his thoughts. “I ain’t tryin’ to send mixed signals, Serena,” he began, his voice steady but careful. “I’m not real good at explainin’ things when it comes to this stuff, but that’s no excuse for makin’ you feel like I’m talkin’ in circles.” Morgan ran a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him. “What I’m tryin’ to say is... I care about you, more than I probably should for just friends,” he admitted, his words coming out slower than usual, as if choosing each one carefully. “And that’s got me worried about crossin’ a line that could mess things up between us.” He looked her in the eyes, wanting her to see he was being sincere. “You were there for me, during a time where I needed it,” he continued, his voice softening, not knowing how to put it into words. “And I ain't sayin' that to make you think I was taking advantage of it! But there was heartbreak involved, and you came in and made me laugh and think 'bout other things, and I don't know how or when or where it started, but that had me feelin' those damn butterflies ya get in your stomach, when feelings start comin' around,” Morgan sighed, feeling the weight of her stare like a physical force. “I’m not good at expressin’ myself the way you probably need me to,” he admitted, “but I’m tryin’ my best to be honest with you, even if it comes out all tangled up.” He saw the way she was gripping the counter, and he took a step back, trying to give her space to breathe. Especially for what was coming next. “But somewhere between the laughs and the butterflies, I was also feelin' that heartbreak - y'know, the one from before,” He sighed, not knowing how to say what he wanted to say. “The kind of heartbreak that you don't move away from; the kind of heartbreak that you want to keep fightin' for.” He swallowed hard. “I don't want to lose you, but I also don't want to lose them. And if that means I gotta push aside any feelings I’m startin’ to have, then that’s what I’ll do. ‘Cause the last thing I want is for this to turn into somethin’ complicated and messy that ends with us not speakin’ to each other.” He ran a hand over his beard, trying to find a way to bring some levity back into the room. “I’m not sure I know what I’m sayin’ half the time when it comes to this kinda stuff,” he admitted with a rueful chuckle. “But I know one thing for sure - I don’t wanna lose you over me bein’ an idiot.” “If there’s somethin’ I need to say, it’s this,” he said, his voice firming up a bit, and his body mirrored that as he stood up straight, taking ownership of his words. “I want you in my life, Serena. However that looks, whatever we call it - I just want you around. Because you make me happy.” He gave her a small, tentative smile, the tension in his shoulders relaxing slightly. “And, y’know, if I start soundin’ like a walkin’ contradiction again, feel free to whack me upside the head and tell me to quit overthinkin’,” he added with a faint chuckle, trying to ease the mood.

SERENA

Serena’s hand gripped the counter even tighter, her knuckles going pale as his words struck her, one after the other, each one cutting a little deeper. That heartbreak you want to keep fighting for. Her mind zeroed in on that, clinging to it like a bitter truth. Was that what she was to him? A laugh, a distraction, a distant third behind the pieces of his broken heart? She forced herself to hold steady, though she felt something in her unraveling, an ache blooming in her chest. “So… that’s it, then?” she asked, her voice sharper than she’d intended, laced with a vulnerability she couldn’t quite keep at bay. “You want me in your life… as long as it’s convenient? As long as I’m just—what?—some place you run to when you don’t want to feel that heartbreak?” The question hung between them, her gaze flickering with something almost brittle, and she could feel the burn of tears building behind her eyes. Don’t you dare, she thought to herself. Her mind chanted the words, over and over, each one like a thread she used to stitch herself back together. You don’t care that much, Serena. You do not care that much. But despite the silent mantra, her throat tightened, the words she’d just spoken feeling both like a surrender and a challenge. He looked at her, his face full of some earnest honesty, and the temptation to let him see her raw hurt nearly overwhelmed her. She swallowed hard, pulling in a slow breath to steady herself, her voice barely a whisper as she broke the silence. “You don’t see how unfair that sounds?” She was always that person for people, the one they came to when they wanted something easy, something fleeting, someone to fill the emptiness without demanding too much. But she couldn't be a hypocrite, she’d use them to distract her from whatever she’d been trying to escape at the time too. She didn’t indulge in love, but that didn’t mean she’d never caught feelings here or there. And just like that, she could feel herself slipping back, retreating behind a familiar, cold mask, one she’d worn so many times before. Because yeah, if that's what Morgan wanted from her so be it. "Friendly advice, Morgan? Next time you start by asking for the casual sex and save people's time,” she murmured, her voice low and biting. “You want me to be a distraction? Fine. I can do that. I'm very good at that, in fact.” Before he could react, she leaned in, her lips capturing his in a hard, almost punishing kiss. She moved to his neck, pressing her lips against his skin with a ferocity that spoke of anger more than passion. “This is all ever wanted from you anyway,” she whispered against his skin, her tone dripping with a mixture of scorn and something heartbreakingly vulnerable. "So I'm glad we finally sorted that out."

MORGAN

Morgan felt like he’d just been kicked in the gut. Every word Serena threw at him dug in deeper, and he had to steady himself against the kitchen island to keep from completely losing his footing. The sharpness in her voice, the flash of pain in her eyes - he’d done this, put that look on her face. And now she was angry, hurt, and he couldn’t blame her for it. He opened his mouth to say something, anything to stop this train wreck from getting worse, but before he could find the right words, she was kissing him. It wasn’t soft or sweet; it was angry, almost desperate, and it took him a second to react. When she pulled away just enough to press those biting words into his skin, he felt the sting of them more than the heat of her lips. “Serena-” he started, voice low and rough, his breath catching as her lips moved down his neck. His instincts warred with each other: part of him wanted to hold her, to try and soothe the hurt he’d caused, and another part wanted to give in. “This ain’t what I wanted,” he said softly, almost pleadingly, the words catching in his throat as he reached up to gently cup her face, pulling back just enough to look at her. “You think I see you as a distraction?” he asked, his voice a low rasp, trying and failing to keep the hurt from bleeding through. “Serena, if I wanted something easy, you know damn well I wouldn’t be standin’ here tryin’ to sort this out with you.” He took a deep breath, steadying himself, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “I care about you, and not just for the fun times or when things get rough. I care about you, the person - the way you challenge me, the way you see right through me, the way you make me laugh even when I’m not lookin’ for it,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “You think I’d go through all this trouble if you were just some way to keep myself from feelin’ hurt?” Morgan’s chest ached, the weight of the moment bearing down on him, and as his eyes traced over her face, from her eyes down to her lips, he could feel himself slipping. He had to focus on what he was supposed to say. “Look, I’m not good with words, and I’m probably makin’ this worse, but I want you to know - if I ever made you feel like an afterthought, that ain’t on you. That’s me bein’ an idiot, not seein’ what was right in front of me.” The room felt heavy with the silence that followed, the air thick with all the things left unsaid. His eyes kept trying to search hers; looking for an answer or a reaction. But all he seemed to find, was a want to feel those lips of hers again. His brain kept screaming a thousand different things at him, telling him to say this, or do that, reminding him of Eva and Puck and Andy and Serena and communication and thirst traps and- finally, Morgan crashed his lips onto Serena’s, shutting his brain the hell up.

SERENA

She'd wondered many times now how confident he’d be in bed. She assumed he’d be a good lover, with a body and personality like that, but she'd never thought much about kissing him. Well, what he was doing with his hands and tongue would definitely be added to her fantasies after this moment. She let herself melt into the kiss, the electricity between them that had shimmered for so long surging through her, igniting every nerve in her body. She let out a low, unrestrained moan, her desire spilling over after holding herself back for so long. Her hands slid up his arms, feeling the strength beneath her fingertips, then moved down, tracing his biceps and abs with a fervent grip. She pressed herself impossibly close, her body molding against his, like she was trying to erase every inch of distance between them. This was what she'd wanted for so long, and now that she had it, it was intoxicating. She pulled back just enough to catch her breath, her lips barely an inch from his. "Morgan," she murmured, her voice thick with desire, eyes flickering with amusement. "Quit trying to talk your way through this; your tongue can do it in more efficient ways," she chuckled softly, resting her forehead on his chest and shaking her head slightly. What the hell were they doing? Her hands lingered on his back, feeling his heartbeat pounding just as wildly as hers, and it gave her the smallest, thrilling satisfaction. She looked up then and kissed him again, this time softly. It felt like something she had waited a lifetime to do. She explored his mouth thoroughly, entirely engaged in the act. He was a very good kisser, she thought, unsurprised.

MORGAN

Morgan was reeling from the kiss, heart hammering hard enough to drown out every rational thought he had. When she moaned like that, it took every bit of restraint he had not to press further, to let her set the pace. She had been the one pulling him in, and he didn’t want to scare her off by moving too fast. But the way she gripped his arms, the way she traced his body like she’d been dying to touch him - it made something primal in him stir, and he couldn’t ignore the desire to close every bit of space between them. His hands moved down her body, fingers splayed against her back, steadying her and grounding himself. Every touch sent a ripple through him, and he felt like he was losing himself, bit by bit, in this moment. When she pulled back to catch her breath, he forced himself to stay still, fighting every urge to chase her lips again. Her words, teasing and thick with desire, had him swallow hard. He now knew what she wanted; she’d said it herself, this was the only thing she wanted out of him anyway. It caused a wave of emotions to come rolling through his body, and when she leaned in to kiss him again, softer this time, he could feel something shifting in himself, but also something shifting between them - something almost tender in the way she explored his mouth. It confused the hell out of Morgan because this wasn’t the kiss of someone who just wanted sex. So he deepened it in an attempt to see how she would react, kissing her back with every ounce of feeling he’d been holding onto - the kiss did something to him, something he couldn’t quite put into words. But he let his body act on his behalf, his arms moving down to grab onto her ass, lifting her up and carrying her over to the dining table, his hands swiping plates and glasses down onto the floor. The sound of them breaking and shattering on the floor didn’t phase Morgan. Instead, he removed his lips, not being able to stop himself from moving them to her neck, kissing her skin ferociously.

SERENA

Serena felt a rush of heat at the way Morgan handled her, at his strong hands grabbing her ass like that and then lifting her so effortlessly. The shattering of dishes was nothing compared to the thrill coursing through her. She wrapped a leg around his waist, trying to pull him closer even though there was no space left between them. With one hand on his back, she urged him against her, while the other hand slid beneath his shirt, her fingernails scraping lightly against the skin of his abs. But then the sensation of his tongue on her neck sent a spark of pleasure directly to her core and her hands kind of forgot what they were doing for a minute. She let out a sharp intake of breath as shivers ran down her spine. Her neck has always been incredibly sensitive, almost embarrassingly so at times, but the fact that it was Morgan doing this to her now? His tongue sent waves of pleasure through her body and she could hardly contain herself, letting out another soft moan. "God, this feels so good," she whispered.

MORGAN

Morgan felt a rush of adrenaline as he held Serena close, and felt her body molding perfectly to his. As she wrapped her leg around his waist, instinct took over, and he pulled her tighter against him, his strong hands gripping her like he was afraid to let her go. Her fingers on his chest and her nails digging into his skin didn't help either, and he couldn't help the quiet, husky growl that escaped his lips. Serena was usually so composed, so quick-witted, and in control, but right now she was all passion and heat, and it made his pulse quicken, realizing just how much she wanted this - but was it really all she wanted? It sent another frustrated wave of emotions through him, and his hand moved to her legs spreading them open, so he could step in closer, his clothed crotch meeting hers, automatically pushing her dress further up. Nibbling and licking and kissing at Serena's neck, Morgan was breathing heavily, his hand running up her thigh, and in between her legs. Impulses and primal insticts completely took over, and his brain stopped working. He allowed his body to take full control, and his growing erection in his jeans were showing of that. The sounds she was making, the way she pulled him tighter and touched him did that to him, despite the fact that he was confused and frustrated. His fingers reached her hot clothed center, and even through her panties, he could feel the effects of this whole ordeal. "You're so wet," he stated in a low growl, and lifted his neck after having worked on a mark on her collarbone. Instead, he crashed his lips against hers again, as his thumb started toying with her clit through her underwear. Her moans only spurred him on, and he wanted- no, needed more.

SERENA

She threw her head back, eyes squeezed shut, breathing heavily as he spread her legs. She’d had her fair share of experiences, but somehow, just what they’d done so far had her trembling like never before. And he hadn’t even get in— As if on cue, his arousal pressed against her hip, drawing her head to the side, where a smirk played on her lips just as he leaned in, and they shared another one of those kisses that were driving her crazy. She let out a quick, hot exhale, threading her fingers through his hair as he mentioned something she was very self conscious about, and his tone made it sound like he was entirely pleased with himself. Usually, she’d have a witty retort ready, but the clever part of her brain seemed to have taken a vacation, and all she managed was a nod, whispering, “Yeah, I’ve been ready for weeks.” Her fingers clenched reflexively on his shirt as she rocked her hips to meet his touch. “This needs to go,” she breathed, and at his nod, she slipped his shirt off, immediately pressing her lips to the skin at his collarbone, savoring the taste.

MORGAN

The air hit Morgan's now bare upper body, and he sucked in a deep breath at the feeling of Serena's lips on his skin. Goosebumps slowly but surely started to appear, and his growing member twitched in his jeans. He could feel the restrictions of being behind the zipper, and her rocking against him definitely didn't help calm it down. "Serena," he hissed, and gripped onto her leg tighter, needing something to hold onto. The fact that he could feel the effects he had on her through her underwear, feeling how drenched she was, was definitely feeding Morgan's ego. A part of him felt victorious for being able to do that to Serena - someone who didn't let people in, and kept up a front. Another part of him thought about the fact the she was only in this for the sex, and it humbled him. She had no idea what she was constantly doing to him, and it caused the cowboy to grab a hold of the garment of her panties, pulling it to the side and ripping it at the same time. The noise of the tear caused Morgan to pull back slightly to look at the damage done. Bringing his hand up, he licked two fingers, wetting them before they quickly found their way back to Serena's now exposed cunt. He leaned his head down, lips pressed gently against Serena's ear as he kissed it softly. "D'ya want me to fuck you?" He whispered, his fingers teasing her clit, barely ghosting over it with circular motions. "Hm?" He breathed out, a finger pressing through her folds to gently get her used to him.

SERENA

Serena drew in a sharp breath, her body responding to the way his fingers teased her. Every sensation set her nerves alight and when he tore through the lace, her eyes snapped open, a thrill shooting through her at the sheer audacity. She almost laughed, feeling her heart race as he held her. She stared at him for a second, raising a brow as she tried to keep her voice steady despite her own unsteady breaths. "Ok, I really like this dress," she murmured, a smirk tugging at her lips as she took it off, tossing it aside without a second thought. Then her hands drifted down and she paused, waiting for his consent before unzipping his jeans with deliberate slowness. Her gaze locked onto his as her palm closed around him and he licked his fingers. He was so hard a low growl escaped her lips and echoed between them, her grip firm yet teasing. Her hips pressed eagerly against his hand teasing her then, oh yeah, she wanted to touch him but that was very distracting. Her body practically demanded more by rocking against his hand even before any words left her lips. "Please," she whispered, gasping at the touch of his fingers on her clit, each brush sending another schockwave through her. She pulled herself closer, wrapping her arms around his neck so she could kiss him deeply (she couldn't believe this was her favorite part about sex with him) and only then leaned back, giving him a better angle and spreading her legs more. "Please, fuck me Morgan, please." When he slid his fingers inside her slowly, her body tightened and pulsed around him in response. A soft gasp slipped from her lips and her hands gripped the table as a shiver coursed through her. Each gentle, precise movement of his fingers drew a soft moan, her body responding with instinctive, subtle movements that pulled him in deeper. She glanced up, her eyes catching his. For a heartbeat, she tried to keep eye contact, but something in the weight of his gaze was too much so she looked away.

MORGAN

Morgan felt a rush of heat and something primal ignite in his chest as Serena responded to him, the sharp breath she took and the thrill in her eyes making him grin despite himself. There was something about her - the way she carried herself, the way she pushed and pulled at him with her words and her touch - that set him on fire. And the fact that she wasn’t backing down, wasn’t holding back, made it impossible to resist her. When she stared at him, voice steady but breath unsteady, he raised an eyebrow, a half-smirk tugging at his lips. She already knew what this side of Morgan was capable of, and they’d barely gotten into it. "It's a nice dress," He breathed out, watching her remove it from her body, and wanting to sink hands, lips, teeth into her bare body that was only covered with a few inches of lace, but then her hands moved to his jeans, and the deliberate slowness of her movements made his pulse race. His breath hitched as her hand wrapped around him, firm yet teasing, and his fingers dug into her hips reflexively, trying to steady himself against the wave of pleasure that shot through him. He let out a low groan, his head dropping for a moment as he fought for control, trying to remember that this wasn’t just about him. But the way her hips pressed against his hand and the breathless way she whispered ‘please’ in his ear had him swallowing hard, focusing all his attention on her. He watched her closely, his rough fingers tracing over her clit with deliberate softness, savoring the way her body reacted to every gentle brush. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, Morgan felt something shift inside him. It wasn’t just the physical connection - although that was electric - it was something deeper, something he hadn’t let himself acknowledge until now. She kissed like she was giving a piece of herself, and he couldn’t help but wonder why when she’d said what she’d said. Her plea pulled him out of his thoughts, and the way she said his name - desperate, raw - made it impossible to hold back any longer. “I got you, baby,” he murmured, voice rough with want, slipping his fingers inside her slowly, feeling the way her body tightened and pulsed around him. He took in a sharp breath, watching her as she responded to every gentle, precise movement of his fingers, her soft moans making his heart pound in his chest. When she glanced up and met his eyes, it was like a jolt, something heavy and unspoken passing between them. But then she looked away, and he understood without words that this was more than just the heat of the moment. There was vulnerability here, something neither of them had been willing to face until now. And he wasn’t about to let her run from it - not this time. Morgan’s fingers quickened, finding a rhythm that matched the soft, instinctive movements of her hips, and he felt a rush of satisfaction at the way she responded, her body pulling him in deeper. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, resting his forehead against hers, voice barely a whisper as he said, “You feel so damn good, Serena. Let go for me.”

SERENA

The word baby fell from his lips so effortlessly, yet it struck something deep within her she hadn’t prepared for. It was so unexpected that for a heartbeat it nearly broke through her defenses. A warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with what they were doing and, without thinking, she slowed and instinctively reached for his hand. It was just for a moment though and then she caught herself, quickly pulling her hand away and forcing her focus back. She buried her head against his neck, moaning louder now and right into his ears, as though hiding would shield her from the vulnerability creeping into her chest. This was supposed to be just another night, just two people caught up in a thrill they’d never acknowledge out loud. Yet here they were and the consequences... No, she couldn't go there. Not now. Her breath shuddered against his skin as she tried to steady herself. But something about the way he was holding her and they were moving slowly, like they were makin— The thought made her hips quicken, wanting the release that would pull him away. Plus she'd finally be able to touch him because the angle right now wasn't helping at all. When he said her name in that low, breathless tone, it sent a chill down her spine, shaking any last resistance she had. She sucked on his neck and ear lobe, closing her eyes as she let herself drown in the warmth of him surrounding her. "I'm so close," she moaned, voice low and breathless. "Just... like this." She pulled back a little and reached for his hand, guiding it to follow the rhythm her body craved. She pressed his thumb gently against her clit, moving it in slow, deliberate strokes that sent a shiver through her, each motion pulling her closer. Her legs tensed, instinctively wanting to close as the intensity built, anticipation winding tight in every nerve.

MORGAN

Morgan felt Serena’s fingers guide his hand, and he didn't need more of a hint. His thumb pressed firmly against her, finding that rhythm she needed, and he felt her body react, hips bucking against him as a low moan escaped her lips. He moved his other arm to wrap around her waist, fingers splayed against her back, holding her close so he could feel every tremor that coursed through her. When she whispered his name again, breathless and wanting, he couldn’t help the devilish grin that pulled at his lips. He leaned in, brushing his mouth against the curve of her ear before trailing down her neck, pressing open-mouthed kisses along her sensitive skin. He could feel the way her pulse raced under his lips, matching his own thundering heartbeat. The taste of her, the scent of her skin - everything about her was intoxicating, pulling him deeper into her. His fingers moved in fast, deliberate circles, each touch designed to draw out another reaction from her. When he felt her tighten beneath his hand, he added just a bit more pressure, a little more intensity, and gave a random curl of his fingers inside of her. He'd feel her body jerking against him, and he relished in the sound of her ragged breaths, each one a sign that she was unraveling in his arms. He felt her nails dig into his back, a sharp bite of pain that only heightened his desire. She pulled him closer, like she couldn’t bear even a sliver of space between them, and he obliged, moving against her in sync. The tension between them was almost palpable, like an electric current that had been building for far too long and was finally ready to snap. As he kept up the rhythm with his fingers, he let his other hand trail down her spine, feeling the way her muscles tensed and released beneath his touch. He wanted to feel every inch of her, to map out the way her body responded to him. His fingers slipped lower, gripping her ass with a firm, possessive hold that made her gasp and arch against him. Morgan leaned back slightly to watch her, captivated by the way she was reacting to his touch. He didn’t want her to hold back - not now. “Don’t hide from me,” he murmured, voice low and rough, coaxing her to stay with him. He quickened his movements just a fraction, enough to push her closer to the edge. He could feel her legs trembling, and he could feel the way she clenched around his fingers, her body instinctively reacting to the building intensity. “Come on, baby,” he urged, voice a husky whisper against her ear, and he felt the way her body tightened at the sound of the endearment. He didn’t stop, didn’t slow down, maintaining that same relentless pace with his fingers until she couldn’t hold back anymore. When he felt her legs tense and then shudder, he knew she’d come undone. But Morgan didn’t allow Serena any time to recover. No, instead, he kept pumping his fingers in and out of her as he knelt down, placing his lips right on her hot, wet and now swollen cunt, tasting her and humming in delight. If she didn’t stop him, he would keep going.

SERENA

She looked at him in awe and just collapsed onto her back. He ate her with such patience and focus that afterward, all she could think was how lucky she was they weren’t doing this on her dinning table because she’d never be able to sit there again without getting turned on. She quivered against Morgan’s mouth, her toes curling almost painfully from the pleasure. He teased her everywhere but the two spots that would take her over the edge, nibbling on her inner thighs, brushing his nose against her clit and gently sucking one of her lips, but not getting any closer than that. The anticipation was maddening. She felt utterly at his mercy, arching and pressing herself against his mouth, desperate to feel more. Desperate for him to fuck her hard and senseless. When he finally sucked long and hard on her clit, grazing it lightly with his teeth, she held on for dear life, one hand gripping the edge of the table, the other tangling in his hair. "God, Morgan, please," she whimpered, breathless. But it was perfect, he was being perfect. Until his voice broke through, a low, “Please, baby, come for me,” as he slid two fingers inside her and it got past perfect. She felt herself go, feeling it building from her toes and knowing she’d absolutely soak his face. Her entire body shook as he held her firmly but gently, his strong hands under her thighs, keeping her in place. And the way he was so caring and gentle... God, she wanted this to last longer but she didn't stand a chance and so stars burst into color behind her eyelids and she moaned so loudly that the people in the city could probably hear it.

MORGAN

Morgan’s lips curved into a small, self-satisfied grin as he felt Serena quiver beneath him, her entire body taut with tension. Her reactions were like a map guiding him through every little moment of pleasure he was creating. He could sense her frustration building every time he pulled back, every teasing graze of his teeth, and he knew he was driving her crazy. For someone who usually tried to be clear-headed, Morgan found himself entirely focused on her - every breath she took, every shudder that ran through her limbs, every desperate arch of her hips against him. He wanted to prolong this, keep her on the edge until she was almost begging, yet something about hearing her say his name that way - whimpering, breathless, raw - was enough to pull him in, driving him to give her exactly what she wanted. With one strong arm wrapped around her thigh, Morgan held her in place, feeling the muscles tremble against his forearm. He pressed his mouth against her again, finally giving in to what she craved. The way she jolted and gasped beneath him sent a rush of satisfaction through him. His free hand slid up, fingers brushing softly against her until he was sure she was right on that edge, ready to fall. He felt the moment it all broke for her - how her entire body tensed before melting into shudders and gasps. He held her firmly through it, listening to every moan coming out of her, and not letting up until she had nothing left to give. When she finally relaxed, sinking back against the table, Morgan let out a long, slow breath. He pressed a lingering kiss against her thigh before moving to stand up so he could get a better look at how she was doing. His lips glistened from her, and he wiped at it with a crooked grin, watching her catch her breath for a few seconds Moving to push his jeans and boxers off, Morgan smirked. “Can ya take more of me?” He drawled, his accent thick. He crawled on top of the table, thankful that it was of amazing quality and could stand the weight, before moving to hover over Serena. He was still hard from her sounds and it showed, when he leaned in, catching her lips in a heated and hungry kiss.

SERENA

She lazily opened her eyes, feeling numb but too worked up to stop. She took off her bra slowly and watched him undress, taking in the sight of his lean, well defined abdomen, strong arms and broad chest in the dim light. Even fully clothed, she could catch glimpses of his toned physique, but now, seeing him completely bare, it was so much better. Her gaze drifted down and lingered. He had been blessed, to say the least. Not that it'd make a real difference to her, but she couldn't help but appreciate what she had got to work with. She would have liked to watch him longer, but he crawled over her and sank down, pressing her close. Her arms wrapped around him immediately, their kiss going from heated and hungry to slower and deeper. She felt her heart rate spike as she sucked on his bottom lip, then traced soft kisses along his jawline, nuzzling his neck for a long moment. "I'll take as much of you as you'll give me," she finally answered him, and she was aware of what she was doing but Serena couldn’t bring herself to stop. Having Morgan like that felt incredibly good, especially now, with him surrounding her in every way. But he needed to be taken care of now, he'd earned it, so allowing her hand to drift between his legs, her fingers traced a slow line from the base of his shaft to the tip before wrapping around him, starting a loose rhythm as she kissed his earlobe, savoring his skin. She teased him for a moment before rolling over, shifting on top of him completely. Trailing kisses down his jawline, one hand tangled in his hair while the other stroked him slowly, she moved down kissing his chest, nipples and stomach, savoring each inch until she finally reached his pubic line. She meet his gaze before wrapping her lips around him, letting her tongue slide down his length slowly. He moaned, his face full of ecstasy as she bobbed her head, gradually taking him deeper until she could feel him pressing against her gag reflex. He arched beneath her as she pulled back, licking him slowly from base to tip. She swirled her tongue around his head before sucking with an audible pop, his loud moan resonating as his body quivered beneath her. Flattening her tongue against the underside of his length, she wiggled it gently against his sensitive flesh, placing her arms on his thighs as her hands continued their soft ministrations. She could feel the sides of her breasts against his inner thighs, sending a shiver up her spine at every touch. Glancing up at him with a proud smile, a thin trail of saliva slipped from her mouth, coating his length. She pulled back to catch her breath, her incisor grazing his shaft in a way that made him shiver. "Sorry," she murmured, wiping the mix of precum and saliva from her face. With one hand, she kept an even tempo, stroking him, while her other hand tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. When she leaned forward again, she placed a gentle kiss on the head, causing him to twitch involuntarily in her hand. She smirked.

MORGAN

Morgan’s head was spinning, and for the life of him, he couldn’t piece together how they had gone from cautious conversations to this - yet it felt as inevitable as a summer storm rolling over the plains. He caught those brown eyes of hers beneath the dark lashes, and his chest tightened at the sight. There was something fierce and vulnerable in her gaze, and it struck him harder than he expected. He sucked in a breath, trying to maintain some semblance of composure, but it was near impossible with the way she was looking at him, her touch deliberate and sure. As she moved, tracing her lips and fingers over his skin, Morgan felt like his body was on fire. Her every touch left sparks, igniting places he didn’t know could feel this good. He bit down on his bottom lip, holding back another groan, his chest heaving as he fought to keep some semblance of control. When she finally took him into her mouth, that restraint nearly shattered. He arched his back, a strangled noise escaping him as he buried his hands in her hair, his fingers trembling from the intensity. “Serena,” he breathed, voice rough and ragged. His hand reflexively gripped the edge of the table beneath them, trying to anchor himself. His mind was a haze of heat and need, and he felt so exposed - like she could see right through him in this moment. The urge to close his eyes and let go battled with the desperate need to watch her, to remember every detail of how she was making him feel. He had thought he’d be able to keep his cool, keep some of that smooth cowboy charm intact, but it was slipping through his fingers like sand. He couldn’t hide the way his muscles tensed or the way his breathing quickened with each movement of her mouth. When she pulled back and apologized for grazing him, he laughed breathlessly, a smile breaking through the haze. “S’alright,” he murmured, voice thick with arousal and affection. “Reckon I can handle a little roughness.” As she leaned in again, pressing a gentle kiss to the head of his length, he couldn’t hold back the sharp inhale that accompanied the involuntary twitch of his hips. She was testing his patience, and he was dangerously close to begging her to stop teasing him, to give him more, to not leave him hanging like this. But there was something intoxicating about the way she took her time, drawing out every ounce of pleasure. Morgan’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment, savoring the way she was taking him apart piece by piece. He could feel the warmth of her hands and the softness of her breasts brushing against his thighs, each touch sending jolts of sensation through his entire body. It was almost too much - yet not nearly enough. When he opened his eyes and met her gaze, seeing her proud smile as she pulled back to breathe, something inside him clicked. He reached down, fingers threading through her hair, and gently cupped her cheek. “You’re gonna kill me like this,” he drawled, his voice unsteady but laced with a teasing edge. It was all he could manage to say before he sat up, arms reaching out for Serena to pull her closer and crash his lips onto hers. There was no way in hell that he could take any more, he needed to feel her now, be closer to her. Moving, he rolled them over once again and pushed back Serena down on the table gently, his lips leaving hers to instead embark on a journey from her cheek, down to her neck, his lips ever so slightly ghosting over her skin, and his hand guiding his now-fully erect member through her folds. Every nerve in his body seemed to be tuned to her as he started pushing through, slowly and gently, his eyebrows furrowing as he sank his teeth into the skin of her neck and a hard hot breath escaped his nose. “God, you feel so good!”

SERENA

When he bit at her neck as he got inside her, the sensation lifted her higher, sending a shiver through her whole body. She tightened her arms around him, her breath catching at the thought that this bite might mark. The thrill of actually needing to cover up something he had done to her was almost too much to bear. Her fingers pressed into the muscles of his upper back as she began moving purposefully with him, meeting each thrust, losing herself in the rhythm. He picked up the pace, and she matched him, her breath leaving in shallow pants. She glanced down between them, and his gaze followed. Watching as he drove into her, each withdrawal slick and wet, was insane. They were really fucking. As her release built, she just watched him, captivated. When their eyes met, she turned her head to the side, overwhelmed, but he brought her back with his mouth on hers, their lips meeting in a series of urgent, heated kisses. She tilted her hips, pressing down into the table to improve the angle and the swift slide of him against her sensitive clitoris made her gasp into their kiss. “Oh God, yeah, yeah, just like that,” she murmured, gripping him tighter. He slowed his rhythm a moment after that though, each thrust ending with a final, deep push, as he looked into her eyes in a way she couldn't quite read. "What?" she asked, searching his gaze. But then another deep thrust followed and she shut her eyes, moving her hands to his ass and pressing him harder into her because God, this felt so good. He felt so good inside her. With her mouth pressed to his neck, her cries softened, but as she drew closer to release, louder whimpers escaped, her lips brushing over his Adam's apple. “Oh, yes, yes, yes… oh please…” She reached for his hand above her head, her body arching as she shuddered, her climax consuming her like shards of crystal scattering. He watched, entranced, his own eyes wide with lust as he followed her over the edge. With a groan, he thrust deeply one last time, his muscles tensing as he held her close, his face flushed with release.

MORGAN

Morgan felt Serena tighten her hold on him, her breath coming in shallow bursts against his neck. He bit down gently, feeling her body shiver beneath him. It was wild to him that this was happening - that they had gone from uncomfortable, unresolved tension to this intensity. Every little sound she made sent a thrill through him, and he couldn’t deny the satisfaction of seeing her marked by him. A possessive, primal part of him liked the idea more than he’d ever admit. He felt Serena’s nails press into his back as she met his rhythm, moving with purpose, and it took everything he had not to lose it right there. When she glanced down between them, and he followed her gaze, the sight was almost surreal, each deep thrust driving him into her, and they were really doing this. He couldn’t get over it, how close they were, how completely wrapped up in each other they’d become. The thought of her confronting him earlier, of her frustration and the uncertainty in her eyes, clashed with the way she was looking at him now - captivated, almost dazed. Her sharp gasp drew his attention, and he shifted slightly, adjusting his angle to keep giving her that feeling. He watched her face, the way she tilted her head to the side, trying to escape the intensity of their locked gazes. But he wasn’t having it - he wanted her to stay right there with him, so he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her deeply, his thumb brushing over her cheek as they moved together. He couldn’t help the low groan that escaped him, or the way his hands tightened on her hips, pulling her into him with every thrust. He wanted to stay like this forever, lost in the way she felt around him, the way she seemed to completely unravel beneath him. He didn’t have an answer to her question - not in words, anyway. All he could do was drive into her again, burying himself so deep that his breath hitched, and he let out a ragged gasp that turned into a groan. It felt too good to think beyond this moment, to question what any of it meant. When her fingers dug into his backside, urging him deeper, he complied, feeling her body react to every inch of him. He heard her cries soften against his neck, felt the gentle brush of her lips against his skin as she held him close, and something inside him softened too. As he felt her begin to unravel, her body tensing and arching beneath him, he followed, his hands bracing against the table to ground himself. “God, Serena,” he murmured, his voice barely audible over her whimpers. The way she called out his name, pleading and desperate, nearly undid him, and he knew he was done for. He intertwined his fingers with hers above her head, holding on as he felt her start to tremble, her climax washing over her in waves. Watching her come undone was like watching a wildfire burn bright - something mesmerizing and overwhelming that he couldn’t look away from. Her cries, the way she gripped him tighter, the way her body shuddered and arched - it was all too much, and not nearly enough. With one final, deep thrust, Morgan managed to pull out just before he followed her over the edge, groaning as the pleasure crashed over him. He felt the heat radiate through his entire body, his muscles tensing as he held her close. His face flushed, his breath heavy and ragged as he tried to find some semblance of composure, but he knew he’d never forget this. Not just because of the physical connection, but because of the look in her eyes - like maybe, just maybe, there was something more between them than either of them had dared to admit. In the lingering silence, with only the sound of their breathing filling the space, Morgan let his face bury in her neck and slowly let go of her hand, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. He didn’t say anything; he didn’t trust himself to find the right words.

SERENA

She was spent. Her arms and legs ached, and there was an added burn in her lower back from... well, thrusting in a way she’d never done before and on a dining table, no less. Also, she was pretty sure Morgan had left some spectacular bruises on her inner thighs, judging by the slight sting whenever they brushed against anything. But all of it had been worth it, if only for the weightless, drifting pleasure it left her in. They lay there, tangled together on his dining table, silence stretching between them with only the sound of their breaths slowly evening out. Serena kept her eyes on the ceiling, trying to process this—him, the fire that had pulled them together without a single rational thought and the fact that she didn’t exactly want to untangle herself from him just yet. Not at all. She felt him softening inside her, but she still didn’t move, wanting the connection to last just a little longer. This was their first time. It was probably their last. She felt helpless to make sense of it all because she was feeling so much. The last two months with him rushed over her, bringing with them the memories of his kindness, the way he’d been sweet and patient, never annoyed with her even when she’d been difficult in the cafeteria. The anxiety she’d felt when she thought he’d finally had enough of her personality... It all hit her at once, and it was almost cathartic. She couldn’t find words for it. Her eyes started watering without permission and it was a bless that he couldn’t see it with his head buried in her neck. She was fine, she was fine. Just... really, really alive right now. And although she probably wouldn’t be able to sit comfortably for the next few days, she’d never felt so cared for in her life. Not just because of how he’d touched her, but because of everything he’d done in the last two months leading up to this. Those thoughts almost undid her completely and she covered her eyes with her hand, wiping away a tear as quietly as she could. She was not going to cry here, he was not going to see that. Her mind started racing to rebuild her usual armor then, but her whole body felt heavy, like it wanted to rest in this rare, vulnerable moment, grounded by the warmth of his skin. She couldn’t think of anything witty to say and she definitely couldn’t tell him what was really on her mind. So instead, she nuzzled his neck again. She’d only just learned how much she liked that, with the only other person she’d ever connected with emotionally. But it was so much better with him, everything felt so much better with him. She had only recently started cuddling with Tina, but she didn’t know how he’d react to her wanting that. She tried to think of a way to put it as a matter of factly as possible then and only broke the silence when she was sure her voice wouldn’t betray her. “Alright, cowboy,” she started softly, her voice dropping as she added, “this table is fine and all, but what about we take the bed... if you’ll be cuddling me?”

MORGAN

Morgan’s breathing was still ragged as he stayed where he was, feeling the slow pulse of Serena’s heartbeat beneath him. The two of them, tangled together on the dining table, felt both completely surreal and somehow inevitable. He could still feel the tension in her body, the weight of her emotions almost palpable in the silence, and he was keenly aware of the lingering, intimate connection between them. He’d been so focused on trying to figure out where they stood, what to say next, that he’d almost missed the softness in the way she nuzzled into his neck. It wasn’t something he’d expected. Her touch was gentle, unguarded, and it hit him like a sucker punch to the chest. He’d always figured she’d keep her walls up with him; they were both good at avoiding what was real, staying light and keeping things easy. But here she was, close and quiet and so very real in his arms. There was a moment when he felt her body stiffen ever so slightly, and he almost pulled away, afraid he’d done something wrong. But then she whispered his name - ’cowboy’ - in that soft, teasing tone that always sent a shiver down his spine. When she mentioned the bed, and more importantly, cuddling, it threw him for a loop. He figured it wasn’t her jam, but he didn’t hate that suggestion. “Cuddling,” he repeated softly, almost to himself, as if testing the word in his mouth. He raised his head to look at her, noticing the glint of something unshed in her eyes before she quickly averted her gaze. She was trying to play it cool, but he could read the nervousness in her expression, the uncertainty in her voice. It struck him deeply - Serena, the tough, sharp-tongued, quick-witted woman he’d come to care about more than he should, was letting him see a side of her she probably didn’t show anyone. Morgan couldn’t let her think he didn’t want this - them - in whatever form it took. So, he cleared his throat, breaking into a lazy grin, trying to bring a little lightness to the heavy air between them. “Well now,” he drawled, his accent coming out thicker than usual, “I can never say no to cuddling.” It wasn’t much, but it was the truth in his own way. He didn’t move right away, still feeling like any sudden shift might shatter the fragile peace they’d found here. Instead, he lifted a hand to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing the edge of her jaw as he studied her expression. She looked so conflicted, like she was wrestling with something she couldn’t quite name, and it tugged at a part of him that was still trying to figure out what this meant for both of them. Morgan pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a moment longer than necessary, as if trying to reassure her without words. He didn’t want to break whatever spell they were under, but he also acknowledged what she’d told him, and how it hurt. So he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “C’mon,” he murmured, his voice still rough from the emotions churning inside him. He eased off the table, careful not to disturb her more than necessary, and held out a hand to her. “Let’s get you somewhere more comfortable.” He grinned and took her hand into his, guiding her to the bedroom, feeling the weight of everything unsaid between them but not rushing to fill the silence. For now, it felt like enough to be together, to share this rare and unexpected moment of vulnerability.

#thread #thread023 #serena #nsfpriv

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