#━━ 🍓 𝓷𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓮 ❮ pink flowers grow from my skin ⁄ threads. ❯

[romanticlcver]

closed starter for @falscgcds | based on this!

of course she hasn't been avoiding them. well, aside from the obvious: that she most likely ruined her best friendship in favor of a stupid one night stand. oh, and they live together, as if it couldn't get any worse. it's a line that they had never crossed, no matter how much nadine might have thought about it before, and in the after math she worries that she shouldn't have crossed it at all. she spends the next day out of the apartment, first and work and then...anywhere else. by the time she finally arrives it's late into the night and she has a box of cupcakes as a...peace offering? apology? though what she could be apologizing for, she isn't really sure. is an 'i'm sorry we had sex but it was great' cake appropriate? no? cupcakes will have to do.

she makes her way inside, leaving her shoes by the door as she goes to look for them. there's a chance she's not actually all that good at avoiding, considering that she's searching them out. when she doesn't find them in the common rooms she finds herself knocking on the door instead, balancing the box of sweets in her other hand. "hey? are you um...awake?" maybe she shouldn't be bothering them. she cringes at the sound of her own voice.

[romanticlcver]

the tone of his voice is probably discomfort, discomfort at the idea that his best friend could possibly love him that way...though she was quick to squash the idea. it feels worse to lie to him, suddenly sick to her stomach as he seems to wave it off. it's the right thing to do, just like pushing down her feelings is the right thing to do.

"right. you were just...doing a good job," she agrees, cringing at how stupid that sounds. how stupid she feels. "we'll just forget about it," she adds, nodding softly. "no big deal." after all, she had promised not to be awkward...no matter how awkward she feels.

"oh." he tries his best not to sound disappointed. there's a knot in his stomach that only grows with her answer and it's becoming harder and harder to ignore. "yeah, i get it. don't worry." anthony waves a hand, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. it's hard, but it must be done. his friend didn't feel the same way he did. she wasn't willing to cross that line like he was.

"i've been there before. you just get so caught up...hard not to." a nervous chuckle leaves his lips as he wraps an arm around her shoulder. "seriously though, don't worry about it. not a big deal. shit happens."

[romanticlcver]

she shouldn't need her best friend to remind her that he likes her, but it calms her racing heart. just a little bit. he doesn't have to love her back in the same way, as long as he likes her...

sadly, the calm feeling only lasts a moment before he's asking a question that has her pulse racing again. "um..." she lets out a long breath, suddenly, incapable of looking his way. "no, i don't...know what that was." a lie, of course. she knows exactly what it was: it was something she intended to keep locked away forever. "i guess it was just the heat of the moment. i'm sorry." she finally looks his way, offering an apologetic smile.

"you don't have to thank me. you know i'd never tell you to leave. i like you, nadine." it takes every ounce of restraint that he has to not say love. because that's how he felt. he loved his best friend, and there seemed to be nothing he could do about it.

"i do uh, i do have a question, if you don't mind." he sits up in bed, seated besides her. "when we were uh, you know, did you mean...did you mean to?" brows furrow. he doesn't get into specifics, but knows that nadine will know what he's talking about. or she'll play dumb, and that'll be enough of an answer for him.

[romanticlcver]

he wants her to stay...she thinks? she's too nervous to accept it as fact even when he's laying it out as plain as day. she hesitates for just a moment before sitting back down on the bed. it's a place she's been before, naked and otherwise, but her own confession lingers in the air.

"i wouldn't mind staying," she admits, shrugging slightly. she might add somehting about enjoying his company if not for how dangerous it would be to admit at this particular moment. she gets comfortable on the bed instead, letting out a soft sigh of relief. "thank you...for wanting me to stay, i guess."

anthony sits up in bed, shaking his head. "no. i don't want you to." he says it before he could think any more, knowing that if he held on to it any longer, it would never come out.

reaching for his clothes, he slides his boxers and t-shirt back on, feeling as if he shouldn't be naked any more. it was always cold in his room. "i mean, uh, if you want. you don't have to." they usually didn't cuddle after. it was unlike them. it was something they had silently agreed not to do.

[romanticlcver]

it should be a relief that he's bringing it up, but somehow it only makes it all feel heavier. it's exactly what they need to do: to move on and go back to normal. or back to whatever normal means for them, which tends to include some not-so-normal things for friends. as she puts on her clothes she's trying to shove down her feelings, hoping desperately that she can go back to being normal. she doesn't want to lose him as a friend...or like this.

her attention turns back to him, feeling slight relief from his comment. her saying that she loved him wasn't enough to scare him away entirely? "i'm sure i will," she murmurs shyly, lifting a shoulder into a shrug.

she swallows nervously, still standing by his bedside but not running away just yet. "i don't?"

anthony doesn't know if he should mention what had happened during sex. every time he went to open his mouth to speak about it, he immediately shut it again. she had to have been caught up in the moment. there was no way that she loved him, at least not more than a friend should. that's all they were, right? friends. roommates. they had agreed to never cross that line, even while sleeping with each other.

"you gave me that lemon flavored one and i knew i had to thank you in some sort of way." his laughter is forced, but he's hoping nadine doesn't notice. "i hope that was enough. and that maybe you'll do it again sometime." although, he isn't sure how much of a good idea it would be to sleep with her again. there are a million and one thoughts running through his head but he's trying to play everything off like it had been nothing.

dark eyes watch as she gets up from his bed, wobbling slightly as she begins to get dressed. anthony lets out a small sigh. he just wished he could be honest with her, without ruining what they had. "you don't have to run out."

[romanticlcver]

he doesn't say it back and why should he? she hardly even considers that as he's suddenly erratically thrusting into her, in a way that her body really seems to like. she's still gasping and trembling as he pulls out, eyes suddenly closing as she tries to avoid the inevitable. the consequences of her big mouth. the aftermath is never awkward with anthony but she worries that it suddenly will be, all because of her.

the laughter that she lets out at his joke is more nervous than amused, knowing that she had completely messed everything up. "that...wasn't my intention. with the cupcakes," she mumbles, trying to sound more lighthearted than she actually sounds. she lets out another nervous laugh. surely that will fix it. but, more than anything, she's planning an escape route. "but that is good to know."

how well can she actually escape when they live together? she calmly stands up and begins to put her clothes on, ignoring that her knees are still sort of wobbly.

"your pussy feels so good around my cock, baby. milk it for all its worth." he breathes out, attaching his lips to her neck. anthony bites at the skin, no doubt leaving a mark. he doesn't care. it turns him on even more, knowing that she'd be waking up in the morning, marked by him. he's never been one to be super possessive, but right now that's how he feels over nadine. possessive, and not wanting her to be with anyone else but him.

the next set of words leaves him breathless. anthony feels as if he's gotten the breath knocked out of him. punched in the gut, even. did she just say...? there was no way. but he had heard what he had heard. she loved him. maybe she had been caught up in the moment. maybe she had meant to say something else.

it's hard to concentrate now on what was happening. she was still moving her hips in a way that made him feel good, but those words were still in the back of his mind. he couldn't ignore them, as much as he was trying to. maybe he was thinking into it too much.

anthony increases his thrusts, ready to finish. needs to finish, because he can't really continue this act like nothing had happened. after a few more he does, pulling out at last minute to cum on his self. after he's finished, he reaches for an old shirt on the floor, using it to clean himself off. "guess cupcakes get me in the mood." it's an attempt at a joke. he doesn't want to say what he's thinking. can't. feels like it's best if he pretended he hadn't heard what he did.

[romanticlcver]

each touch seems to only add to her arousal and does so much more than that, everywhere his lips move feeling as if he's worshipping her body. there had been a point in time in which she could never imagine being with him like this, that he might want her at all, but how is she to deny it when he's paying close attention to her?

she's left moaning with need as he thrusts more deeply into her, eyes rolling back from the sensation of him filling her up. "yes," she whines out at his praise, always sounding like music to her ears. nadine isn't proud of the way that she seeks approval but she does, and his approval in this way feels especially satisfying. her hips begin to move in circles, panting out as she feels him deep, the pressure of his length grinding against just the right spot. "i love you," she gasps out, not realizing until a moment too soon that it isn't the right thing to say in response. it's osmething she's said before, of course, but not when he's inside of her. she pauses her motions for just a moment before continuing, half hoping that she might distract him from hearing her at all.

he ducks his head, trailing kisses down her neck as she compliments him. it turns him on even more, if that were even possible in this moment. he likes when she shows dominance, although it doesn't happen often in the bedroom. anthony was always more than willing to hand over the reigns if that's what she wanted.

hands move to her breasts, rubbing her nipples in between his fingers. they're hard and as she continues to slide his cock against her folds, he moves downward, mouth now on them instead of her neck. his tongue gets to work, flicking the hardened nubs, eyes closing as he finally feels his cock enter. he lets out a relieved sigh of his own, hips thrusting forward, wanting to be as deep in her as he possibly could. "so fucking tight, baby. i fucking love your pussy."

[romanticlcver]

her imagination tends to go wild in moments like these, too easily forgetting that they're friends rather than lovers. how is she supposed to feel like the former when his length is in her hand, when he's whimpering dirty things to her?

"you sound so cute when you're begging for me," she can't help but tease, a little bit of the friend side of things coming out even as she rubs his head against her clit, causing herself to let out a breathy moan. he needs her, and even if it's only in this way...it's something that gives her a big head. she wants him to need her, wants for her to be enough that he only has her like this. she doesn't waste another moment before she lines him up with her entrance, lowering herself onto his cock with a relieved sigh. "you always make me feel good," she whimpers out, body stilling as she adjusts to his length filling her up, thighs already trembling ever so slightly.

once he's left naked, anthony feels much better than what he had only moments ago. he's doing his best to get lost in what they were currently about to engage in. over the last couple of months, he's gotten good at pushing his feelings down, at least until they were done. he practically had to, if he wanted this thing to continue and he did. if he couldn't have nadine in the way that he wanted, then this was the next best thing.

she grabs hold of his length, eliciting a moan from him. it's hardened and he's ready to be inside of her, but instead of putting it in, she's teasing him, rubbing it along her folds. "fuck, baby. you're so wet. i need to put it in. wanna be deep in you, my pretty girl. let me make you feel good. i need you." it comes out as a whimper. there's so much more to it than sex, but nadine doesn't have to know that. she can believe that it's the only thing he's talking about. like he doesn't need her in every way that he can get her.

[romanticlcver]

for some people in this day and age, this would be an ideal situation. they live together and that makes it easier to have moments like these...but the more they have these moments, the more everything she feels for him threatens to come to the surface. how is she supposed to see him as just a friend when he's knuckles deep and calling her baby?

she's breathing heavily as he removes his fingers, keeping herself from making another whiny sound or begging him not to stop. instead she watches through heavy lids, incapable of looking away from the sight of him savoring her juices. it's almost enough to make her go feral (again).

she stays calm instead, if only so he can remove his clothing. "far too much," she agrees with a shaky voice, her own hands reaching out to help pull off his shirt and push down his pants. her desperation might become obvious by her motions more than anything, a desperate need to feel less between them. as soon as the articles of clothing are gone her bare chest is pressing against his, needing to feel him closer, forehead against his and eyes closing. it's too intimate of a moment for something casual, or for just friends. her hand reaches down to hold onto his length, moving him teasingly between her wet folds. "tell me you need me," she whispers softly.

he's done casual in the past, with plenty of men and women. it was never really for him, but this day and age it seemed to be nearly impossible to find someone who was serious about a relationship, so anthony did what he did best - go with the flow. assuming nadine was doing the same was one of the reasons why he never spoke up about his feelings for her. the last thing he wanted to do was make things awkward, especially since they lived together. it was a sticky situation to be in.

as she tries to push his fingers further in by grinding down on them, anthony can't help but chuckle. he likes how she's coming undone right before his eyes, by his hands. it's a sight to take in, one that he would no doubt reference back to when he was alone in his room, attempting to self-pleasure himself.

"that's right, baby." he coos, removing his digits from her core. he brings them up to his lips, sucking her juices clean. "think i have too many clothes on." anthony says once he's finished, doing his best to remove his own pants and shirt.

[romanticlcver]

nadine doesn't do anything like this with her friends. sex is something casual for a lot of people, but she's never been good at casual...and now she's pretending to be, for him. it doesn't feel like something casual, the desire that grows for him in moments like these. it's desire that has always been there, but more recently she's allowed herself to feel it. it's freeing and thrilling and absolutely terrifying.

she nods and then shakes her head, letting out a sound that's an awful lot like a frustrated sigh. "more," she continues to beg, her voice gentle. she knows he'll give her what she really wants in the end and that makes the teasing that much better. when he finally touches her the way that she wants him to the sound falls from her lips more freely, a loud moan, hands clutching his shoulders as he pushes into her. "all for you," she agrees, pushing and grinding herself onto his fingers. she ducks her head to kiss his neck, and half to hide her face, pressing soft kisses to the sensitive skin.

"i'm all yours. no one else makes me feel this way." words that would be too dangerous to say, but in this setting it's different. she can pretend it means nothing: no one makes her as wet as he does, no one touches her like she does. the true meaning behind it all is as muffled as her words against his skin.

anthony manages to push aside his feelings to focus on pleasing nadine. the more that they indulged in such an activity, the harder and harder it became for him to ignore his emotions. the love he felt for the woman currently in his lap only increased as the days went on, but he couldn't let her know that. no, they were only supposed to be friends. nothing more.

anthony smirks as she pleads with him. it really was music to his ears, all thinga pushed aside. she was always beautiful, but there was something even more astonishing about her when she was like this. begging for his touch, like it was the only thing she wanted.

"is that what you want, my pretty little thing?" he asks, continuing to not give her what she wanted, still rubbing circles through her underwear, not quite coming into contact with her cunt. after a few more seconds of this, he finally gives in, shoving the material to the side and inserting his digits. they go in easy, already coated with her juices. his eyes close for a brief moment as he pumps in and out, satisfied at the sound filling the room. "so wet for me, aren't you?" he asks, bringing his free hand up to grab at her breast.

[romanticlcver]

she isn't sure how to be around him anything, the lines all blurred and crossed and yet...she doesn't want to go back to the way things were before. she wants him, however she can have him, however confusing it may be. it always becomes less confusing when their temperatures start rising, and nadine tends to forget what she had been so worried about in the first place.

she wishes she were someone who could more effortlessly take charge, be more confident when she takes him by surprise, but it doesn't come naturally to her. she feels more secure when he's the one moving to push things forward, moving to take her clothes off and touch her.

and she feels wanted, which is something she so desperately wants to be. suddenly she doesn't even have time to consider the thousands of different ways that he could break her heart. she quickly moves to help with the removal of her pants, desperate for him to touch her and make all of the worries fade away.

she bites her lip as he touches her, finding herself trying to hold back her sounds even as he asks to hear them. it's clear by the way her hips grind into his hand that she's enjoying his touch, needs his touch, head nodding in response. "yes," she breathes out, cheeks becoming more flushed. it feels so teasing, the way his fingers push and rub without actually making contact. "touch me," she begs in a weak voice, doe eyes wide and pleading. "please."

it sometimes scared him, how much he cared for nadine. it wasn't unusual for him to take such good care of his friends, but he couldn't help but feel like she was...different from the rest, and not just because he was sleeping with her. there was something there, something more than what he had with the others...

"i don't mind surprises." he insists. "it may have been unexpected, but i liked it." the smile he offers her is sincere as he continues to stroke her hair. he wouldn't mind her taking control like that every once in a while.

she's being soft with him now, something else he doesn't mind. hell, he'd take nadine in any way that she'd offer. there was still a voice in the back of anthony's mind telling him that they needed to stop, that he would only end up getting hurt in the end - but he ignored it, just like all of those other nights.

"that's like music to my ears." he says before moving his hands down, toying with the hem of her pants. after a few seconds he's working to take them off, unable to help himself. once she's freed from them, he's pushing her legs apart, running his fingers along her clothed core. "you know what else is? hearing what noises you're capable of making." his smile turns into a smirk as he rubs circles, still not quite removing her underwear, already feeling her beginning to turn wet. "you wanna make music for me, love?"

[romanticlcver]

she inhales slowly, trying to collect herself and reign her feelings in. nadine isn't the most expressive person in the first place, it shouldn't be so hard for her to keep her thoughts and feelings to herself. the problem is that she's beginning to leak her feelings into the physical, and that anthony knows her too well. he can tell.

as quickly as she had pulled away he's pulling her back in and she doesn't complain. it feels right to settle herself onto hs lap, comfortable even though her features are still apologetic. "i just...didn't mean to surprise you," she mutters softly, holding his face in a way that's more gentle.

she allows the kiss to remain soft this time, a slight smile on her lips as it ends. her tongue darts out to softly lick at his lower lip, almost as a reminder that she can be gentle. she might be the one needing th reminder. "i'm never going to be done with you..." which is the problem, but she phrases it lightheartedly, a cheeky smile appearing on her face.

the whine that escapes from nadia doesn't go unnoticed. anthony raises a brow. it's not the first time he's heard such a sound, but it leaves him wondering why it's leaving her. all of the sudden, she seems desperate for his attention. she's holding on to him in a way she's never done so before, almost as if she's afraid to let go. like if she did, that he'd disappear and never return.

"i was just checking." he says with a chuckle. reaching out his hand, he places it on the side of her head, gently stroking her hair. "usually, i'm the one to leave the marks. not that i care, but it just took me by surprise, it's all." his lip would no doubt remain slightly swollen for the rest of the night.

she's pulling away now, and anthony grabs for her. pulls her back into his lap, hands placed on her hips. "hey now, i didn't say i wanted you to leave." he leans forward, placing his lips on hers for a soft, gentle kiss. "you're not done with me already, are you?"

[romanticlcver]

she's overcome with a sudden need, something that feels so unlike the other times they have been together. she's hungry for him, almost wanting him for comfort as much as sexual gratification. there's a whiny sound when he first pulls away and then a sharp inhale of breath.

when her lids open there's a question behind her eyes, wondering why he had pulled back. his words are what makes her realize she had perhaps been a little too rough, expression melting into something foter and face heating up with embarrassment. "i'm never mad at you," she insists, her voice soft, gentle even if her prior actions had not been.

how does she describe to her friend, just her friend, the possessiveness she feels toward him> that she hadn't even realized the way she was trying to claim him with her mouth until he was questioning it? she lets out a soft laugh, trying to diffuse the energy between them. the energy that she had created. "it's nothing like that. i don't know...what came over me." she shakes her head and begins to pull away further. "i'm sorry."

it takes everything inside of him to not pull away. if it were anyone else, such a task would be easy. anthony wasn't one to sleep around, but he had his needs, and occasionally he gave in to said needs. but she meant more to him than that. she wasn't just a random girl he had met at the bar. she was nadine.

he's taken by surprise as she fights for dominance. it seemed like the more he pushed her, the more that she pushed back. anthony had never seen this side of his best friend. she was always so...submissive, not only in every day life, but in the bedroom as well. he liked this side of her.

a small moan leaves his body as she nibbles at his lip. he can taste copper, meaning that she had drawn blood. anthony places both hands on either side of her face, pulling away for a moment, not only to catch his breath, but to comment on her sudden roughness. "you mad at me or something?" his laugh is breathless as he places his forehead on hers. it's the first time he's slowed down things between the two of them, usually an eager beaver to keep things going. "did someone piss you off today? is this going to be an angry fuck?" if he didn't stop talking, it wouldn't be.

[romanticlcver]

anthony is the last person she wants to hear telling her to chase men. doesn't he understand that he's the one she wants to be chasing? the one that she would be chasing, if things were different? there is no chasing between the two of them, it's impossible when they're always there for each other. they're there for each other in every way, the physical is just...an addition.

every time they kiss, she hopes that her body will stop reacting the same way. if her heart could only stop racing, if warmth would only stop pooling in the pit of her stomach, they could just be friends. normal friends, not friends who do this. every time her body betrays her, igniting, instantly needing more of him.

her lips open the moment his tongue prods against them, easily letting him in. there's a thirst for him that she needs to quench and she'll take anything that he gives. her tongue tangles with his for dominance, suddenly less meek than she usually is. moments earlier she was worried about being too awkward, but when his lips are on her she can think of nothing aside from his taste and her need. she finds herself growing rougher with her motions, biting at his lower lip, snowing no signs of pulling away or stopping even for breath.

to see her lips turn upward into a smile is a good sign. or a bad one, depending on how you looked at it. he can't help but feel a bit sick to his stomach, knowing that nadine was on board for no strings attached. she seemed to want to keep it simple, so that's what he was going to have to do. keep it simple and feelings far, far away. "i'm glad i could be of assistance." he winks. "now, with great power, comes great responsibility. just remember that when you're out there chasing men."

he has to stop himself from saying that he wants to see how she is with strings attached. if he could have it his way, anthony would be with nadine. but they were best friends, and best friends didn't cross that line. ever. "you? awkward? no way!" his tone is teasing. playful. it's his only way to prevent a slip up.

before he could say anything else (or take another bite of his cupcake), she's placing her lips on his. it's soft. tender. not like they usually do. anthony lets himself enjoy it before deepening it, tongue prodding at her teeth, asking for entrance.

[romanticlcver]

no strings attached. the statement isn't incorrect, but it's one that only exasperates the sinking feeling in her. she smiles through it, knowing that it's for the best. it's the only way she can have him. "is this what they all want? thank you for finally helping me demystify men." she laughs and rolls her eyes, a little bit of their usual relationship shining through all of her awkwardness.

"the problem is that i'm a very awkward person, anthony. you should see me when there are strings attached." she's never been particularly awkward around him, which is perhaps why it all feels so off. there has never been a need to get flustered around her best friend...until now. she doesn't want to make things awkward with him, though, is determined not to any longer. in an attempt at seeming more at ease than she is she leans in, holding his chin with her free hand and presses a soft kiss to his lips.

his brow raises slightly at how fast she had said no. almost as if she were afraid if she didn't say it quick, that he'd change his mind and say forget it. he can't help but wonder what that was about. still, he doesn't say anything.

"then we can continue." anthony says with a nod, reaching out to grab her free hand and place a gentle kiss on her palm. there's a gnawing feeling in his stomach, one he has to ignore. he knows it's not a good idea, but if it meant keeping nadine around...

"i think i'd be some sort of crazy man if i said no to our arrangement. having sex with my beautiful roommate, no strings attached? it's what practically every guy on this earth would want." then why does he feel sick with those words leaving his mouth? dropping her hand, he grabs another cupcake, almost as if he needed to use it as a brief distraction. he went with chocolate this time. "nothing weird here. just remember, it's only awkward if you make it awkward."

[romanticlcver]

she can't explain the feeling of panic that she feels when anthony suggests not sleeping together. it's the only viable suggestion but her body immediately tenses upon hear it, throat feeling dry, heart pounding. "no!" she blurts out, only feeling more panicked when she realizes she is making it awkward. she's making it far more awkward, sure that it's clear how desperate she is to continue connecting with him.

she clears her throat, trying to seem more calm and collected than she is. it feels silly considering how visceral her panic feels. "i only mean to say that...no, things aren't too hard. i would like to continue...doing that." it feels like the closest she can ever be to having more with him, and nadine doesn't know how to lose this part of their relationship. she exhales shakily before taking another bite of cupcake, still trying to act natural.

"you're stuck with me too," she agrees, smiling softly. "and if you do want to stop, or i'm making things too weird then...that's okay. i just don't...want to."

if anthony had learned anything from his time here on earth, it was to fake it until you made it. he may want nadine in ways more than a friend should, but he was selfish enough to not pursue it, afraid to lose her. it was easy to push feelings aside when she was on the line.

"then don't." he says, as if it were that simple. like he wasn't struggling with his own feelings for her. it was much easier for him, though. countless times he's had to pretend not to care about someone, in order to keep their attention. it made absolutely no sense, but when did people ever?

"if you want to stop sleeping with each other, we can. if it's making things too hard...too...weird, then i don't have a problem with it." he did, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "you know you're stuck with me for the rest of eternity, yeah? either until then or you find some way to kill me. whatever comes first."