#I LOVE THIS SO MUCH ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lizzystuffsthings · 2 days ago

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Oh my goodness they're so cute!

I love how you worked in some of the irradiation of being a throuple along with the practicalities is someone working from home and someone deployed. Those touches make the story so much more!

And great smut 😏❤️‍🔥

❤️‍🔥❤️💋🥰💋❤️❤️‍🔥

Soundtrack of Debauchery - Part 3

Pairing: Young!Syverson X OFC (Jessie) X Mike (Hellraiser)

Word Count: 11 118 words

Warnings: SMUT, D/S vibes, Vaginal Fingering, Masturbation, Spanking, Vaginal Sex, Creampie, Alcohol, Drug Use, Angst, Canon-Typical War Situations/Trauma

Taglist: @raccoon-eyed-rebel @amberangel112 @utterlyhopeful-fics @marantha @kebabgirl67 @littleone65 @omgkatinka @luclittlepond @enchantedbytomandhenry @narnianaos @geralts-yenn @peaches1958 @avengersfan25 @sillyrabbit81 @lena-banena @mrsevans90 @confessionbrain-writings @electricfashionbookszipper @rosecentury

Story Masterlist

Masterlist

As Jessie pushed through the door of her apartment, out of breath from dragging eight heavy grocery bags up five flights of stairs, she was greeted by the sound of her boyfriend cursing up a storm.

She set everything down in the kitchen, taking the time to put the cold stuff away before she investigated what had her boyfriend kicking up such a fuss.

She'd expected to find him with his headphones on, playing one of his online games but, to her surprise, she found him in a tangle of sheets—and not the sexy kind.

The mattress was on the floor, propped up against the bed frame, the sheets were in a pile on one side of the room while the pillows were stacked on the other and in the middle was Mike holding the large king size duvet and duvet cover.

“What the hell is going on in here?”

Mikey jumped, letting go of the blanket as he spun to face Jessie.

“Shit, youʼre back already?”

Brows furrowed in confusion, Jessie checked the time on her phone.

“I was gone for almost three hours.”

Mike’s face dropped, looking around at the messy bedroom.

“Really?”

Jessie nodded, stepping further into the room.

“I… I know you’ve been working extra hard trying to get things ready for when Nate gets home so I thought I’d check a few things off your list.”

His eyes stayed downcast as he scratched the back of his head and Jessie’s heart damn near melted along with the surge of panic that had been elicited by the sight of the upturned bedroom.

All of the sudden, Jessie had thrown herself at Mike, causing him to let out a small ‘ompf’.

Taken aback, Mike hesitated a few moments before returning the embrace and pressing his cheek into Jessie’s hair.

“Thank you.”

Letting her go, Mike huffed. “For what? I just made everything into a bigger mess than when you left.”

He’d wanted to help shoulder the ridiculous load his girlfriend had begun to carry from the moment she heard Sy was going to be home but obviously he was incapable of doing something as simple as washing their bedding. He’d been utterly defeated by linen.

“Are the sheets clean?”

“Yeah, I left them on the floor because I needed the basket for the clothes I put in afterwards. I got stuck trying to get the covers back on the blanket and the mattress. I don’t know how you get the duvet to go in flat. No matter what I do it just ends up in a tangled lump.”

They had one of those bug proof and waterproof mattress covers that fully wrapped around the mattress and zipped shut. Jessie wasn’t afraid to admit that getting the damn thing back on the heavy king mattress was one hell of a workout. Mike had never been the one to change the duvet cover, nor had he been the one to take it off since Jessie had stripped the bed before leaving so he had no way to know that there were ties in the corners.

“I’ll help with those then you can finish making the bed while I put the groceries away.”

Together, they held the mattress on its side, working the tight protector over it before lifting the whole thing back onto the frame and zipping it shut. Next came the duvet which they shook out and laid out on top of the mattress.

Jessie reached for the cover which she flipped inside out while Mike watched attentively. “See these little strings in the corners?” She held them out for Mikey to see. “They tie to the loops in corners of the duvet so that it doesn’t get all bunched up inside the cover when you use it. I like to lay them on top of each other and tie the upper corners first.” Jessie demonstrated what to do on one side while Mike copied on the other. “Then I flip the cover right side out over the duvet and pull it down little by little. That way the blanket stays flat on the bed the whole time and I don’t have to worry about holding it up or making lumps anywhere. When you get to the bottom, you tie off those corners and you close it up.”

It was all very simple once she’d explained it and Mike felt a little silly that he hadn’t been able to figure it out on his own but Jessie hadn’t made fun of him or shooed him out of the room. No, his beautiful, sweet, patient girlfriend had taken the time to teach him what to do.

“Thanks, babe.” He pulled her closer, placing a kiss on her cheek. “I can finish up from here.”

“Thank you for helping. I know it probably seems like I’m going a little crazy but Sy has been gone for so long and he hasn’t even seen the apartment since we signed the lease. I just want this place to feel comfortable and homey.”

Mike hugged Jessie tighter and she pressed her cheek against the soft, well-worn cotton of his shirt.

“Home is anywhere you are, babe. He’ll appreciate all the effort you put in but you’re always going to be his main focus.”

She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed the reassurance that Sy would be happy no matter what he came home to. The last week had been spent organizing and reorganizing every room in the apartment. Yesterday Mike had come home to find Jessie on her hands and knees, scrubbing every inch of the bathroom. Today her focus had been the kitchen which also included a massive shopping haul to get all of Sy’s favorite snacks and enough food to hopefully last the ten days he was home without someone having to take a few hours out of their day to get more. Laundry had been on her agenda for the evening and tomorrow morning she planned to vacuum and mop so that the place smelled fresh as he walked in.

With a final squeeze and a peck on the lips, Jessie returned to the kitchen to unpack the groceries. Mike joined her a few minutes later, making quick work of the remaining items before sending Jessie off to watch a show in the living room as he made dinner. He wasn’t as skilled a chef as Jessie but he was great at greasy stoner food which, by the look of his girl, was exactly what she needed.

Once his loaded nachos were in the oven, he went down to the building’s laundry room to pull his clean clothing out of the dryer. By the time heʼd fished folding everything, the cheese on the nachos was deliciously bubbly and golden.

He insisted on dishing up the food himself, bringing the plates into the living room where Jessie was able to enjoy a quiet evening for the first time in over a week.

Before they went to bed, Mike made sure Jessie was extra relaxed by making her cum on his tongue, two dexterous fingers pumping inside her, then took her to bed where she fell asleep to the comforting scent of freshly cleaned sheets.

Sy was dog tired after the fifteen hour flight home from the Middle East, the subsequent flight back to Pittsburgh and the Uber ride to what was technically his apartment. At least, it was his apartment on paper though he hadn’t so much as spent a single night in it. He’d gotten a little bit of sleep on the plane but it wasn’t enough to make up for nine consecutive months of shitty sleep.

The driver dropped him off in the first available spot on the busy street and Sy walked the rest of the way to his building where he froze in front of the door. The key was in his hand but he felt strange using it to let himself in even if Mike and Jessie were expecting him. There was a nagging voice in his head that told him that he should ring the buzzer like any other guest would.

He’d changed out of his uniform already so he didn’t draw as much attention from passersby as he stood there, internally debating what to do.

His phone chimed in his pocket, momentarily interrupting his train of thought. Pulling it out, Sy laughed as he read the words on the screen.

Mike: I saw you pull up. Get your ass up here already.

Without any further hesitation, Sy unlocked the door and began the walk up the fifth floor. When he arrived at the top, Mike was casually leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Took you long enough. Are stairs getting too hard for you in your old age?”

“Mike, I’m twenty-six not ninety-six.”

“That’s what I said—old. You’re officially closer to thirty than you are to twenty.”

With a scoff, Sy approached, dropping his duffle and pulling his annoying little cousin in for a bear hug. Mike clapped him twice on the back, laughing as he did.

“I missed you too, kid.”

“Alright, listen,” Mike began as they pulled apart, “Jessie’s been freaking out all week trying to make this place perfect for you so: boots off in the hall, tell her that supper smells nice and there’s a bottle of bleach under the bathroom sink. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

Sy couldn’t help but smile fondly as Mike spoke. He wasn’t thrilled that Jessie had been stressing out about him coming home but he was glad she had Mike looking out for her.

Wordlessly, Sy kicked off his boots, leaving them by the door before stepping into the apartment. There was music coming from the kitchen which was on the other side of the hall from the door. If Jessie was in there cooking, she most likely hadn’t heard Mike open the door.

“Come find me when the food’s ready,” Mike said as he crossed the apartment to one of the two bedrooms and closed the door.

From the living room, Sy went left, walking into the dining area. To Jessie’s great dismay, the kitchen was absolutely tiny. There was only about four feet of counter space between the stove and the sink. The fridge was in a small nook perpendicular to the rest of the kitchen. If the door was open, it partially blocked the stove.

Still, she’d insisted that it was better to compromise and choose a place with a bad kitchen and low rent rather than to pay a few hundred dollars more a month for a nice kitchen that would never belong to them.

Jessie had proven time and time again that she could cook an amazing meal on absolutely anything. This time was no different. The scent of whatever she was stirring on the stove was making his mouth water and there was what looked like homemade crusty bread and a chocolate cake cooling on the counter.

The next song began to play and Jessie wiggled her hips to the beat. She was wearing extra tight skinny jeans with a loose fitting knit sweater that stopped a few inches above her waistband.

Before he could think better of it, Sy crossed the space in three wide strides and gave her a quick spank before sliding both hands to her stomach and hugging her from behind. Jessie jerked as she startled but she didn’t make a move to turn around, instead blindly swatting his hands.

“Michael Lucian West, you promised no shenanigans today!”

Ouch, full name. Jessie was definitely wound up too tight.

“I made no such promise,” Sy growled against her ear, his hand sneaking under her shirt.

“Nate!”

Dropping the spoon, Jessie turned in his hold and crashed her lips to his. Sy had the foresight to switch off the burner before he put two large hands on her ass and hoisted her up, moving them over to the rarely used table. It was so rarely used, in fact, that there were only two chairs.

As soon as Sy set her down, Jessie was undoing his pants and slipping her hand inside to grab his cock.

“Jesus, Sweetheart, give a man a warnin’.”

“Doesn’t feel like you needed a warning to me.”

The warning wasn’t to have time to get hard, the warning was to keep from coming at the barest touch. He caught hold of Jessie’s wrist, pulling her hand out of his pants and over her head until she had no choice but to roll onto her back with Sy looming over her.

“Behave,” he warned, moving her other arm so that he held both wrists in his hands, “or I’m gonna have to find creative ways to teach ya patience.” Sy nipped at her ear then attacked Jessie’s neck with his lips. The hand not pinning her wrists in place pushed her sweater up to reveal her lace covered breasts.

Sy was definitely an ass man but he loved Jessie’s tits. They were a nice handful without being so large that she always needed to wear bras for support which meant that sometimes she wore what she called bralettes. Mike and Sy just referred to them as her sexy sports bras. They were his favorite because there was no lining behind the see-through lace, allowing him to see just how turned on she was by how her nipples pressed against the thin fabric.

He circled one hard bud with his thumb, silencing her gasp with a hungry kiss. Jessie squirmed under Sy’s touch, wrapping her thighs around his waist and pulling him closer.

She lifted her hips to grind against him but a sharp pinch on her nipple caused her to yelp and drop back to the table.

“I said, behave.”

“Make me.”

With a growl, Sy freed himself from Jessie’s hold by hooking an arm under her knee and rolling her onto her stomach so that her feet were on the ground and her front was flat against the hard wood. A sharp spank echoed through the small room, followed by three more in quick succession.

“You act like a brat then I’ll treat ya like a brat. Shirt off, bra too.”

While Jessie pulled her sweater over her head, Sy unfastened her jeans, working the tight denim down her legs. Once he’d tossed the garment aside with her panties following soon after, Jessie was left naked while he was still fully dressed.

“Put your hands on the table.”

The deeper than normal tone of Sy’s voice made Jessie’s whole body shiver in anticipation. She planted both palms on the table, resisting the urge to look at her boyfriend over her shoulder.

Jessie wasn’t sure what had come over her. It hadn’t been her intention to jump on Sy the moment he walked through the door. She’d planned to welcome him home with a hot meal and some quality time all together but it was like something inside her had snapped.

Getting the apartment ready for Sy’s return had kept her mind busy over the last several days but the instant she saw Sy, it was like all the worry she’d experienced since his deployment had come crashing back.

She’d needed to know that he was real. She needed to know that he was there, living and breathing in front of her.

There would be time for slow love-making later. Right now, Jessie relished every sensation that bordered on that edge between pain and pleasure because that meant that the man she loved was back home, safe and sound.

Thankfully, Sy seemed to be more than willing to indulge her mood, kicking her legs further apart and putting her pussy on full display.

Stepping back as he ripped his shirt over his head, Sy took a moment to appreciate the view.

“Fuck me, that’s a beautiful sight.”

��Syyyy,” Jessie whined. Her clit was throbbing with need but with her legs spread wide, she couldn’t even squeeze her thighs together for some relief.

“What’s wrong, baby?” he taunted, pushing his pants down his thighs. The answer to his question was already obvious by the way she was practically dripping onto the floor.

“I need you.”

“Do you now?” Sy stroked himself while trailing a hand up the inside of her thigh. “You feelin’ empty?” he asked, leaning forward to nip at her shoulders.

“Yes.”

His hand continued to creep upwards at a torturously slow pace, finally coming to circle her clit. “You need to be filled?”

“Yes!”

One finger slid through her folds, easily pushing inside. “Is this what ya need?” Her core clenched around him, searching for more.

Jessie made a disgruntled noise. “No.”

Dropping his underwear to the floor, Sy added another digit. He pumped two long fingers in and out, making Jessie moan when they pressed down against her front wall and reached that place hers never could. “How about this?”

“No.”

A cry of frustration filled the room when Sy’s fingers disappeared but it quickly turned into one of relief as his cock took their place. Pushing all the way in, Sy didn’t stop until Jessie was pinned between his hips and the table.

Brushing Jessie’s hair aside, Sy rested his forehead against the nape of her neck. “And this?” he choked out. “Is this what ya need?”

“Yes,” she said on an exhale.

Wrapping an arm around Jessie’s front, Sy took a moment just to feel. His calloused palms moved down the soft skin of her stomach, following the curve of her hip to her thigh before retracing its path back up to palm her breast.

When he no longer felt like the slightest movement would push him over the edge, Sy gave a tentative thrust. And fuck him if it didn’t send a burst of pleasure all the way down to his very core.

Chasing that feeling, Sy repeated the motion, eliciting a moan from the both of them. As his pace quickened, Sy planted a palm on the table next to Jessie’s and grasped her hips with the other.

Every slam of his pelvis against her ass was punctuated by the sound of the table knocking into the wall. If the neighbours happened to hear the noise, the accompanying grunts and moans left no room for doubt as to what was happening on their side of the wall.

Sy’s peak was approaching far too fast for his liking. In a desperate attempt to stave it off, Sy pulled out, spinning Jessie around and lifting her to perch on the edge of the table. This time, when she wrapped her legs around him, he didn’t protest, choosing to kiss her instead.

Her hands clawed at his back as she scrambled for purchase, the vigor of his thrusts not diminishing in the slightest. The change in position added delicious pressure to her clit, causing her to clench around Sy’s girth.

“Fuck! Baby, I’m sorry, I’m so fuckin’ close,” he panted, knowing he neared the point of no return. Jessie couldn’t form words in response so instead, her half-hooded gaze found his as she nodded her understanding. She was right there with him.

Her head fell to his shoulder, looking down at where they were joined and seeing Sy’s bare cock disappear inside her. She unintentionally clenched at the sight, pulling a string of curses from Sy as his rhythm faltered and he spilled himself deep inside her. Following close behind, Jessie’s body shuddered, her walls milking every last drop of Sy’s release.

They remained like that, wrapped in each other’s embrace for what could have been seconds or minutes as they came down from their high. Eventually, Sy pulled out, resulting in a trail of cum to escape as well.

“Oh shit.”

Jessie didn’t need to open her eyes to know that Sy had just noticed the lack of condom.

“It’s okay,” she reassured, letting herself lay back on the table. “I’m still on birth control.” Not trusting her legs to hold her, she decided that the table was as good a place as any to rest for a minute.

She heard Sy move around the room, turning the tap on and off before a wet cloth gently swiped over her core. Soon, she was lifted into Sy’s arms as he walked them, completely naked, out of the kitchen.

Mikey was usually the one to wrap himself around her for a post-sex cuddle. She had to admit, clinging to Sy like a koala, she could see the appeal.

Sy assumed that the room not currently occupied by Mike would be their bedroom and he was pleased to see he was right. Gently, he laid Jessie on the bed, putting one of her blankets over her so she wouldn’t get cold as he searched for something comfortable for her to wear.

As much as he liked her skinny jeans, they were not the most comfortable for an evening of lounging at home. He opened every dresser drawer, pulling items out as he went. At the very bottom, he found the clothing he had left behind, neatly folded and organized. He distinctly remembered telling Mike to shove his box of clothes at the back of their closet along with his few other belongings but one of them had apparently disregarded his request in favor of giving him his own drawer.

He pulled on fresh underwear, his favorite black sweatpants and one of his old t-shirts before dressing Jessie in her own flannel bottoms and another one of his shirts.

“I was supposed to be the one doting on you.” Jessie gave him a sleepy little pout. The look was so adorable he couldn’t help but kiss her.

“Mike said you’ve been workin’ yourself ragged all week and ya made me an amazin’ dinner for tonight—which I hopefully didn’t ruin by interruptin’ ya. The least I can do is clean up the mess I made.”

The sound of a door opening pulled their attention to the hall where an amused Mike stood with his arms crossed.

“I figured that it was safe to come out since the building has stopped shaking.” Mike laughed as he dodged a pillow Jessie threw his way. “Sorry, Sweetcheeks but I’m fucking starving.”

“Dinner might have gotten a little cold by now. Can you put the stove on medium and stir the pot every now and then?”

“On it.”

Whenever Jessie entrusted part of her cooking to Mike he took the task very seriously. He would be damned if he ruined her careful efforts by letting something burn or overboil. She’d made something with a French name which she had said was essentially beef stew with a red wine base. His stomach had been growling non-stop for hours.

Sy put a hand out to help Jessie up.

“The food smells great, Sweetheart,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Let’s go put Mike out of his misery, I bet he’s been waitin’ all day to get a taste.”

They made their way across the small apartment, still holding hands.

“You would lose that bet. He’s been sneaking bites whenever I go to the bathroom.”

When they joined Mike in the now quiet kitchen, he was just finishing up setting the table.

“You’re lucky the kitchen wall is made of brick or we would not be getting our security deposit back.”

Mike had pulled the table out of the corner to allow for a third chair to be added, making the damaged wood visible. They had no attachment to the table they had picked up for thirty dollars on marketplace so the sight just made the three of them laugh.

“You should check the food and I’ll go get my gaming chair.”

Jessie stirred the contents of the large dutch oven, nodding to herself when she deemed the food ready for consumption. “Sy, can you slice the breed?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She pointed him to the knife, cutting board and the wicker basket, instructing him to put a clean towel under the bread. It was still warm as Sy sliced it and he was all the more impressed as the crust crackled and the light, fluffy inside was revealed.

Mike rolled into the kitchen, using his chair as a sort of scooter by putting one knee on the seat while his other leg pushed off the floor. Save for their bed and mattress, that was the most expensive item of furniture in the entire apartment. Once they’d found all the communal pieces of furniture, Mike had used his remaining savings to finally buy a decent chair for his home office.

After graduation, Mike and Jessie had both searched for jobs in a multitude of cities. Sy had just been stationed in Fort Campbell pending his deployment and with Mike working in computer programming, he was able to find a fully remote job with a company which was, ironically, based in North Carolina near Sy’s old base.

The deciding factor had been Jessie finding that Pittsburgh was a good place to be for someone looking to make it in publishing. Moving there left them farther apart than they wanted but Mike and Sy had convinced her that it was the best long term move for her career to start out in one of the top cities for her industry.

“Who gets to sit on Butt Stallion?”

“I’m sorry,” Sy looked over his shoulder as he placed the bread in the basket and folded the towel over it to keep it warm, “did you just call your chair Butt Stallion?”

“Hell yes, I did,” Mike said, spinning the chair to point at the giant unicorn print on the backrest. “Butt Stallion.”

Most men would probably have balked at the idea of having a unicorn print anything in their office but Mike had been thrilled to order that design. Unicorns fucking rocked. It didn’t hurt that the whole collection had been on clearance either. Apparently the way to attract female gamers was not to use an aesthetic reminiscent of a five year old’s princess tea party. Who knew.

“If you’re offerin’ up Butt Stallion, I won’t say no.”

“Have at her.”

They took their seats around the table, Sy sitting at the end with Jessie and Mike on either side. Taking his first bite, Sy released a low groan, immediately shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.

“That good?”

“Sweetheart, this isn’t good, it’s fuckin’ fantastic.”

Jessie preened under the praise. Cooking meals for her boys was definitely one of her favorite ways to show her love. Mikey loved to eat and he made sure to always show his appreciation when she made more elaborate meals.

Mike didn’t mean to let Jessie do most of the household chores but she didn’t have any specific schedule and if happened more often than not that Mike would get home to freshly washed sheets or sparkling clean floors. Since he didn’t want Jessie to feel like she had a child rather than a boyfriend, he usually did the dishes or made supper on weekdays.

“So, what are your plans while you’re here? Other than marathon sex with Jessie, I mean.”

“I dunno. I guess I was so focused on gettin’ home that I didn’t really think ‘bout what came after.”

“Did your parents say if they were coming finally?”

“I think they said they had a flight next Monday evenin’. They wanted to come out when you were both back at work.”

They’d each managed to take some time off while Sy was home. Since Mike worked remote, he mostly took half days because that still allowed Sy to hang out and talk if Mike wasn’t in a meeting. Jessie took Mondays and Fridays off both weeks, giving them long weekends together.

“They won’t be staying here will they?” Jessie didn’t mean to sound unwelcoming but the apartment was not made to house five adults and she was not thrilled at the idea of Sy arranging for his parents to stay with them without so much as a warning.

“Don’t worry, Sweetheart, last I heard they had their eye on an Airbnb.”

“Good, that would have made for awkward breakfasts. This apartment is not as soundproof as I thought.”

Jessie laughed. “I could have told you that. You scream like a banshee whenever you play online.”

Pausing with his spoon halfway to his mouth, Mike’s head tilted to the side with the most adorable little frown.

“Is that why you always go to the library when I play? I thought you just took advantage of the nights I was busy to go out.”

“Mike, I use an e-reader, I don’t have any other reason to go to the library. Haven’t you ever noticed there are never any books lying around?”

Mike looked over his shoulder at the pristine living room, seeming to picture what it looked like seventy-two hours prior. Though Jessie had cleaned any clutter in the apartment, she was right about there never being any books on the coffee table or by the bed.

“Shit…” He scratched the back of his head with a wince. “Sorry, Sweetcheeks.”

Jessie simply smiled fondly. “It’s okay. It forces me to get some work done without procrastinating. When you had that marathon gaming weekend I got three separate freelance jobs finished.”

She didn’t speak much about her freelance jobs since there wasn’t much she could say about them but they knew that beta reading stories for aspiring writers was not always an easy task. There were times where Mike could see her cringing from across the room. Nonetheless, she had perfected the shit sandwich method in order to provide professional and constructive feedback.

“Still, I’ll try and watch it from now on.”

The rest of dinner went by in much of the same way. There was some good natured bickering, Mike and Jessie caught Sy up on what had been going on in their lives and Sy told a few funny stories from his deployment that weren’t classified.

The boys did the dishes, refusing to allow Jessie to help so they sat her down at the table with a cup of herbal tea and had her ‘participate’ by telling them where everything belonged. Once the kitchen was back to spotless, they all cuddled up on the couch with a movie that had been released while Sy was away. It was the latest in one of Sy’s favorite series and neither Jessie nor Mike had seen it yet, preferring to watch it for the first time all together.

Squeezing three people on their couch was not the easiest of tasks since Mike and Sy both insisted on having as much of their body as possible in contact with Jessie’s. Eventually Sy settled on one end with Leah resting her back against his side. Mike was stretched out on the remaining length of the couch with his head on Jessie’s lap.

When Sy noticed Jessie beginning to nod off, he made Mike sit up so Jessie could stretch out instead, her head resting on Mike’s lap and her feet over Sy’s. By the time the credit began to roll over 2 hours later, Jessie was fast asleep.

Sy carefully stood, moving Jessie’s feet to the couch before lifting her into his arms. The fact that she was already wearing her sleep clothes allowed him to let her sleep and simply tuck her into bed.

“Wanna follow me to the roof?” Mike asked as Sy shut the bedroom door.

Going up to the roof would allow them to speak freely without worrying about waking Jessie.

“Sure, lemme just grab a beer.”

“And a jacket. With the wind it can get pretty cold up there.”

Sy found a thick hoodie in the entryway closet and took two beers from the fridge before following Mike out into the hall and up the stairs.

They sat on the old patio furniture Mike had dragged up. He didn’t smoke very frequently anymore but on the few occasions he did, he made sure it wouldn’t smell in the apartment. He made quick work of rolling his joint then lit it and took a long drag.

“I need to ask ya something before ya get done with that. And I need ya to be honest with me.”

In a surprisingly considerate move, Mike blew his smoke away from Sy. He noted that he’d also sat himself down wind so it wouldn’t blow back onto them.

“Okay, what’s going on?”

“Do you wanna get married one day?”

Mike’s eyes narrowed, a small smirk pulling at his lips. “I know gay marriage is legal but I think marrying your cousin is still frowned upon.”

Sy rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to punch Mike in the arm. Of course Mike would crack jokes when Sy was trying to have a serious conversation.

“I mean in general.” Sy shifted in his seat, taking a moment to uncap his beer. “Forget who you’d be marryin’, is marriage something ya want?”

Mike fiddled with his grinder, using his thumb to spin the top.

“I don’t know, it’s not really something I ever thought about.” Okay, that was not entirely true. Mike had briefly considered what it would be like to get married when Jessie had gone down a Pinterest rabbit hole and was looking at different wedding color schemes. He took another inhale of his joint, holding the smoke in for a little longer than normal before finally blowing it out. “Do you? Want to get married, I mean?”

He looked at Sy from the corner of his eye, not wanting Sy to catch his gaze and read him as easily as an open book.

“Growin’ up the way I did, how could I not? If I’m half as happy as my parent after thirty years of marriage I’ll be a lucky fuckin’ man.” His parents were the picture of wedded bliss. They’d been high school sweethearts and voted best couple in their yearbook. “Pop still talks about how beautiful mama was on their weddin’ day.”

Mike’s body went stiff for just a moment before he seemed to force himself to lean back in his seat.

“Yeah, well, I’m glad mom never got married. The fucking jizz donor would have have gotten half of every dime she made and he didn’t deserve that.”

The tone of Mike’s voice didn’t match the words he’d spoken. To the untrained ear, he would likely have sounded angry but Sy knew there was something else in there.

“So you’re sayin’ you’d prefer it if ya didn’t get married?” Sy pushed. “Even knowin’ that you’d never do that to Jessie?”

“I don’t know, Nate!” Mike stood from his chair, standing to put his joint out against the brick wall of the interior roof access door. He turned and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do I like the idea of Jessie being my wife? Fuck yeah, I do. Is getting married something I’ve always dreamed about? No, absolutely not. It’s not like we can both marry her anyway so if getting married is something you want then it’s better if I don’t think about it too much.”

Sy’s face went soft, realizing what was bothering his cousin.

“Mike,” he said, keeping his voice calm and reassuring, “can you sit down? Please?”

The younger man looked up, his eyes betraying the emotional turmoil he was experiencing. Wordlessly, he obeyed, reclaiming his seat.

“If ya disagree with what I’m about to say, the conversation ends here,” Sy affirmed. “I won’t say anything to Jessie and we don’t bring the subject up again until one of us is ready to pick out a ring.”

He paused, waiting for Mike to give a small nod in understanding.

“You’ve done a lot of growin’ up in the last two years. It’s like meetin’ Jessie has helped ya see what I’ve always known. You didn’t suddenly become a man that’s capable of takin’ responsibility and bein’ a good stable boyfriend. You’ve always been that guy, it just took the right girl to make ya want to be him instead of the party boy. I’m so fuckin’ proud of ya for steppin’ up. I know that our relationship with Jessie is unconventional to say the least but I’m glad you guys have each other. It makes it easier to be away knowin’ you’re there, that she’s not just sittin’ at home waitin’ on a phone call that might never come.”

“Nate…” Mike was starting to think he knew where things were going and he didn’t like it.

Sy ignored his interruption, needing to get everything out. “I didn’t mean for this to be a conversation about who gets to marry her. I know that legally speakin’ it can only be one of us but I think we can both agree that if she wanted to marry us both, it wouldn’t matter who’s name was on that piece of paper, she would be my wife just as much as she would be yours. The reason I asked at all is because…” Sy took a deep breath, steeling himself for the last part of his speech. “I want to marry Jessie before I go back. If something happens while I’m away, I want her to get the death benefits. It would give me peace of mind knowin’ that you’d have the extra income and that ya wouldn’t have to carry the financial burden on top of everything else. But if being legally married to Jessie is something that is really important to ya, I will respect that. The payments would stop if she ever got remarried anyway.”

The silence stretched out as Mike processed everything he’d just heard. His brain wasn’t working at full speed but he was still lucid enough to fully understand the gravity of Sy’s words and it scared the shit out of him.

“What brought this on, Nate?”

Sy palmed his nap with one hand as he picked at the label of his beer with the other.

“We uh… We had some close calls.”

Mike shook his head, his mouth agape as he stared at his cousin.

“It’s more than that. You’re the most annoyingly rational person I know, you wouldn’t be jumping to marriage from a few close calls.”

“You know I can’t talk specifics,” Sy grumbled but Mike didn’t let him avoid the question that easily.

“I’m not asking you to give me specifics, I’m asking what the fuck happened out there to make you think about all this? This isn’t just a passing thought. You had the time to think about what it would do to me and Jessie if we lost you. You had the time to think that maybe having a bit of extra cash would make the grieving process easier. You had the time to look up whether or not that money would still be coming in if Jessie got remarried to me. What the fuck happened?”

Mike’s voice had gotten progressively louder as he spoke and Sy was grateful they were having this conversation outside of Jessie’s earshot.

Sy leaned forward, resting both elbows on his knees and rubbing one hand over his mouth.

“Everything,” he whispered. “Everything happened. Not just the shit we lived, the shit we saw…” he swallowed the lump in his throat, not sure whether he should continue but Mike leaned forward as well, showing Sy that he had his full attention. “The first time we saw a kid get killed, we were in the city. The kids were runnin’ around the square. We could hear them laughin’ from where we were waiting in the humvees. Then one of ‘em stepped on a landmine.” It wasn’t necessary to say anything more. “The second time, it was in a small village. This little girl was in the path of a stray bullet. The next half dozen times it was a lot of the same. Different cities. Different circumstances. What never changed was the fact that those kids were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The worst sound I will ever hear is the gut wrenchin’ scream of a mother findin’ her child like that. I can’t get it out of my head.”

Sy’s eyes burned but he fought back against the emotions bubbling under the surface or he would break down before he finished. He was used to it by now. He’d been keeping those emotions at bay for months.

“I’m not sayin’ it’s the same, but… I keep picturin’ that scream comin’ from Jessie.”

Mike was not above pulling Sy into a bear hug. The distance and the angle of their chairs made it more of an awkward side hug but neither man complained. There was no telling how long they stayed that way but when Mike felt Sy’s grip loosen, he pulled back, leaving only a firm hand on Sy’s nape.

“I get where you’re coming from. Money isn’t everything, though it sure as hell makes life easier when you have it. But Nate, asking Jessie to marry you for the death benefits?” He shook his head at the idea. “How do you think that’s gonna make her feel? I don’t disagree that it makes sense for you to be the one she’s legally married to one day but she deserves better than a half-assed proposal and a courthouse wedding. Your career is already taking so much away from you both, don’t let it take this from her too.”

Objectively, Sy knew Mike was right but he still couldn’t help but feel like he needed to do… more.

Sy cleared his throat taking a sip of beer to chase away the tightness. “Are you guys doing alright with rent and stuff? Do you need me to send more money?”

Though he recognized the change in topic for the diversion it was, Mike didn’t stop it. They’d both said what needed to be said and they’d both gotten their point across.

Since signing their lease, Jessie and Mike only allowed Sy to pay a few hundred dollars for rent and utilities each month. They didn’t want him paying a third of everything without actually living there so they had compromised by letting him contribute as much as a storage unit would cost since that was essentially the only benefit to having an apartment while living on base.

“Yeah, we’re doing okay. We aren’t starving and all the bills get paid on time but Jessie’s been working side-hustles to try to put some money aside. Her job isn’t as hands-on as she’d hoped so she’s probably going to have to pay more for an editor if she ever decides to self-publish one of her manuscripts.”

“She ever end up tellin’ ya what the hell she’s writin’ about?”

Talking about Jessie was the best way to lighten the mood. They were both like love-struck puppies and any mention of Jessie immediately made them smile. Seeing her picture every night before he went to sleep had gotten Sy through some thought ops.

“Nope. I know she used to write fanfiction which is posted online somewhere for everyone to see but she won’t even tell me what her username is or what fandom she posted in. We have a deal that if I read something and guess that it’s hers she’ll come clean but I haven’t had any luck so far.”

Sy didn’t know much about fandoms or fanfiction. He’d mostly heard the popular kids in school make jokes that fanfiction was basically just bad porn written by friendless middle-schoolers. Back then, he hadn’t had time to open any book other than the mandatory reading so he was not in a position to judge the veracity of those claims.

“So she probably writes romance then, right?”

“That’s my guess but who knows.” Mike leaned back, crossing his feet on the table. “Maybe I’ve been reading enemies to lovers when I should have been reading eldritch horror. If I at least knew which actor she was thirsting over I’d know if I was on the right track.”

A sly grin pulled at the corner of Sy’s lips. “You still talk to Jessie’s old roommates?”

His cousin frowned at him. “Yeah,” he confirmed, a hint of suspicion in his voice. “Why?”

“I’ve got an idea. Gimme your phone.”

When Mike handed over the device, Sy checked the time, noting it was just past eleven which, for a bunch of recent grads who liked to party their weekends away, was still early. Perfect.

Putting it on speaker, Sy called the one person who knew their girl better than anyone else.

“Mike! I wasn’t expecting to hear from you guys this week. Isn’t Sy coming home?”

“Actually, Mel, we’re both callin’. Mike and I need your help with something.”

“Damn Sy! Glad you got home safe. What’s up?”

“We’re surprisin’ Jessie with a trip up to this little cabin in the middle of nowhere for a quiet weekend. We wanna plan for a movie night but there won’t be any Wi-Fi or cell reception out there so we won’t be able to just scroll through Netflix until we agree on something. The plan is to download a couple of options but we can’t agree on anything. Mike suggested we pick something with her favourite actor to get her all hot an’ bothered but this dipshit says her favourite actor is Channing Tatum when clearly it’s Chris Evans. Can ya please tell Mike he’s wrong and I’m right?”

Catching on to the ruse, Mike’s face lit up. “You can’t tell me Magic Mike is a bad choice! It’s literally meant to make girls wet!”

“You don’t seriously believe Jessie would prefer to watch a bunch of hairless pretty boys shake their asses in speedos over a fucking super soldier.”

“First,” Mel cut in “lemme just say it’s fucking adorable that you guys are surprising Jessie with a romantic getaway. Second, you’re both dipshits because you’re both wrong. Her favourite hunk is Alexander Skarsgard. She was fucking obsessed with True Blood even if she refuses to rewatch anything beyond season four. I promise that if you make it through Tarzan, she’ll ride you boys like wild broncos all night long.”

Mike placed a series of excited smacks on Sy’s shoulder and Sy had to wave him off before Mel could hear and question what was happening on their end of the line.

“Got it. Thanks Mel.”

“No problem! Tell her to give me a call to thank me for all the orgasms.”

As soon as they hung up, Mike took his phone back and began furiously typing.

“Alexander Skarsgard plays Eric Northman in True Blood,” he said more to himself than to Sy. He continued muttering as he typed, eventually sitting back and scrolling through what Sy imagined were his search results.

“What exactly are ya lookin’ for?” Sy finished off his beer, placing the empty out of the way in case Mike got too excited and began pacing.

“I’m hoping that one of the usernames will jump out at me but if they don’t, I’ll click through a couple of users to see if the posting timelines fit with when I know Jessie was active and start reading those.”

“How many results are there?”

“For this pairing? A hundred and forty-two.”

Sy assumed a pairing was a specific couple though he wasn’t sure how Mike would know which one to look at.

“You’re hopin; that you’ll just stumble on the right story out of a hundred and forty-two results? We don’t even know if that’s the right character.”

“It’s a hell of a lot better than ten thousand plus results. This is manageable. Jessie didn’t have a computer until she was fourteen and she hasn’t posted anything new online since she started working on her own novels two years ago. That narrows down the timeline.”

Sy opened his mouth to tell Mike that he was grasping at straws but Mike whooped before he could get a word out.

“Oh shit… Oh fuck, this has to be hers.”

Stunned, Sy’s mouth now hung open for a different reason. “I know I got ya a lead but you’ve been lookin’ at this for months. Now, after two full minutes, you think you’ve actually found it?”

“The fucking username is ‘Jasey_Rays’ this has to be her.”

With a shake of his head, Sy indicated he didn’t understand the link. Mike looked up from his phone long enough to answer the unspoken question.

“Online, people tend to call you by a shortened version of your username. Usually it’s the first word or first syllables. Having her online name sound like her real name is an easy choice.” He’d always wondered why some of Mike’s friends called him Jabba. Apparently it was because his gaming username was ‘JabbaMikeez’. “Then there’s the fact that ‘Jasey_Rays’ is also a play on Jasey Rae which is a song by All Time Low, a band she most definitely knows seeing as she grew up in fucking Baltimore.”

He had to concede that what Mike was saying made a lot of sense. Even if he did sound like he was trying to prove a conspiracy theory by connecting pictures with red string.

“Is Jessie into CNC?” Mike asked after a moment of silence.

“What?”

“Consensual non-consent. You know, where she pretends to fight you off and struggle but it’s with the intention of you overpowering her and giving it to her rough.”

No amount of locker-room talk could have prepared Sy for that question or the casual way Mike described CNC. Sex, or lack of it, was a frequent topic of conversation on deployment but Sy didn’t usually contribute much of his own interests.

“Why does it matter?”

“I’m checking the story tags to see if it sounds like something Jessie would write.”

“Why are you askin’ me? It’s not like I’d have been able to do that with her from an ocean away.”

“I don’t know,” Mike made a vague gesture towards Sy, “you give off dom vibes, maybe you guys talk about these things when you have phone sex.”

“We’ve never had phone sex.”

Mike dropped his hands to his lap, his head jerking towards Sy.

“What?! Bro, what the fuck are you waiting for?”

“There’s no fuckin’ privacy when I get the sat phone. It’s not like I could take care of myself and I don’t want the guys overhearin’ and have them know what gets Jessie off.”

A shiver travelled down Sy’s spine at the idea of his squad jerking off to thoughts of Jessie.

“So what, you stick to sending her horny texts and dick pics?”

“Mike, if I’m usin’ the sat phone it’s because there’s no fuckin’ cell service. Even when I was out here I never sexted with Jessie.”

“Now I understand why your banging was on the Richter scale earlier. Jesus…”

He went back to scrolling his phone. “Okay, which one of these do you wanna read? We’ve got—”

“What do you mean which one do I wanna read? This is your harebrained idea.”

“Yeah but if we both read something and I’m right we can both pick a scene and act it out with her.”

That… did sound kind of fun. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in exploring some kinkier practices with Jessie. Not CNC. But Mike hadn’t been totally wrong about the dom vibes either. This was a good way to bring that up. That was, if Mike was right and he’d really found Jessie’s account.

“I’m not pickin’ anything to read unless I know those are hers. That username business could just be a coincidence.”

“You try finding proof then.”

Mike shoved his phone in Sy’s hands, instead busying himself by rolling another joint.

The website on the screen looked similar to a library catalogue. There were no pictures or personal posts, just titles and summaries. It was no wonder that trying to find Jessie’s account without any hint on where to start would have been an impossible task.

Though he loved Jessie to death, the idea of reading vampire porn was not an appealing one. There was no way he was going down that rabbit hole without being absolutely certain it was hers.

Sy was about halfway through the list when one of the titles caught his attention. He recognized it because it was a lyric from a song he’d heard a thousand times. He’d held Jessie in his arms as she sang every word on the weekend they first met. “What’s Generation Kill?”

“Nothing sexy about the show so I wouldn’t expect there to be any smut in those stories.” Mike obviously misunderstood why Sy was asking. “It’s the HBO version of a story by a reporter who spent some time in Iraq with US Marines,” he explained, holding his joint between his lips as he dug his zippo out of his pocket.

Dammit. That actually did sort of confirm it. “This is hers,” he stated plainly, handing the phone back to Mike.

“Wait really?” he asked, a plume of smoke escaping as he spoke. “How do you know?”

“The chapter titles of the Generation Kill story are lyrics from the song Hero of War by Rise Against. Jessie knows every word by heart. That’s as close to confirmation as you’re gonna get without askin’ her.”

“Nate, you’re a fucking genius, you know that?”

Sensing that he had well and truly lost Mike’s attention—not that he minded—Sy stood from his chair. “I’m gonna go join Jessie. Don’t stay up too late.”

“I won’t. Thanks for your help.”

Sy made his way inside, double checking that the door was still propped open and Mike wouldn’t get locked out. As quietly as he could, Sy stripped down to his underwear and slipped into bed beside Jessie. She was on her stomach with one knee raised in a half frog but when Sy put an arm over her back she rolled over, mirroring her previous position with her head on Sy’s chest and her other leg over his stomach.

Holding Jessie tight against him, Sy breathed in the scent of her shampoo, committing it to memory. It was surprising how much he’d missed the little things like that or the way she hopped around when trying to put on extra skinny jeans. At twenty-two years old when he’d been fresh out of college, twenty years seemed like child’s play. Now, it was beginning to look like a lifetime of missed moments just like this one.

Eventually, Jessie’s soft breathing lulled him into a light sleep. It wasn’t until Mike joined that he was able to drift off completely, knowing that his family was safe and sound by his side.

Jessie woke to an empty bed, something she hadn’t expected to happen with both of her men being home. Looking at her phone, she saw that it was only shortly after nine which was still early on a day where no one had to be anywhere.

She stepped out of the bedroom, noting that the office and living room were both empty which meant the boys were likely out or in the kitchen. By the sound of things, it was the latter. After a pitstop in the bathroom, Jessie crossed the apartment, pausing when she heard Mikey speak.

“Dammit, I think I fucked this one too.”

Remaining out of sight under the arch that separated the small dining area from the living room, Jessie allowed herself to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“You were supposed to turn the heat down,” Sy’s still gruff voice answered.

“I did! It’s not chunky like the first one, but it looks nothing like the video.”

“Mike, the eggs are gettin’ cold and the ham is gettin’ burnt.”

“I’m trying! Easy hollandaise my ass.”

Realizing what had the boys bickering so early in the day, Jessie moved out of her hiding spot. Eggs Benedict were her favorite breakfast food but she didn’t make them often because they were a hassle to prepare. Jessie feared the tension might boil over if she didn’t intervene and help them out.

“You can reheat the eggs in boiling water when you’re ready to plate.”

Both men spun towards Jessie, Mike holding a saucepan and a whisk, Sy holding a slotted spoon. If they hadn’t been mid freakout, Jessie would have found the sight quite amusing.

“Hey Sweetcheeks.”

The kitchen was a mess of pots and pans, three plates sitting on the counter with English muffins waiting to be toasted.

“Show me the sauce,” she requested gently as she approached Mike. He was wearing a faded grey t-shirt with blue and black plaid flannel pants. He was adorably sleep rumpled but his eyes betrayed his anxiety which was likely caused by his failed attempts at making a hollandaise.

Jessie examined the sauce, giving it a quick stir. “The sauce broke, let me see if I can fix it instead of starting over.”

Mike’s shoulders slumped but he nodded in acceptance, putting the pot back on the double boiler.

“Can I make you coffee, then?” he offered, knowing that coffee was a safe bet. All he had to do was put the water and grounds in the machine and he knew exactly how much milk and sugar Jessie liked. He’d long since memorized how she took all of her favorite hot beverages

“Yes please,” Jessie said, placing a peck on his cheek before she turned to Sy who had apparently decided that shirts were not needed in the kitchen—even when frying Canadian bacon. He wore jersey shorts and nothing else, leaving his tanned skin on full display. “Can you get some fresh water boiling to reheat the eggs? You won’t need much since they are already cooked.”

They each focused on their respective tasks. Taking direction from Jessie, Mike put the buns in the toaster then assembled the different ingredients on the plate. Goddess that she was, Jessie managed to salvage the sauce. Though Mike could tell the texture wasn’t perfect, he prayed it would still taste good.

Before they sat down to eat, Jessie wrapped her arms around Sy’s neck, giving him a quick kiss before doing the same to Mike.

She kept him close, making sure he met her eyes as she whispered, “Thank you for making me breakfast.”

Mike touched his forehead to hers. “You’re welcome. I’m sorry you had to fix what I fucked up. Again.”

“Mikey,” she said, shaking her head, “I fuck up hollandaise two out of three times, that’s why I know how to fix it. You guys did ninety percent of the work, I’m not going to complain about helping you for the last ten.”

His arms tightened around Jessie, crushing her to his chest as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. When he finally released her, he had her take a seat on Butt Stallion at the head of the table. Every time Mike made that sort of mistake, it felt like he was lacking a rudimentary skill he should have already developed as a twenty-three year old. And every time, Jessie was there with a few helpful tips and encouraging words to help him bridge the gaps. It didn’t make the discouragement magically go away, but it sure as hell made him feel better. He hoped one day he’d be able to return the favour.

It was one of the reasons he was so hell bent on reading her work. He wouldn’t be able to help with the editing but he could discuss ideas with her, read her drafts as she progressed to give feedback or simply be there to talk her off the ledge when she wanted to throw her computer at the wall. He wanted to be her safe space the same way she was for him.

She’d said before that she loved talking about her fanfiction online but that she didn't discuss her book ideas publicly because she didn’t want anyone to make the connection between her (hopefully) paid and unpaid works. Something about how her novel was essentially fanfiction with the names changed. He had a feeling that, like him, she was probably her own harshest critic and he worried that without someone having her back, she might never have the courage to put her first book out there.

Beside him, Jessie took a giant bite of her food, moaning at the taste.

“That good?” Sy joked, throwing her own words back at her.

“Absolutely.”

With a weight lifted off his shoulders, Mike tucked into his meal. He’d had no idea what to expect, having never eaten that dish before, but he could easily see why it was his girl’s favorite.

Once Jessie was pleasantly distracted by her food, he decided it would be a good time to put into effect the plan he’d come up with the night before. He’d read two of the shorter fics he suspected were Jessie’s and one longer story. The contents had been both expected and unexpected.

It was obvious there was a lot of thought put into building the world from the longer fic. There was both depth and complexity to the characters and their backgrounds which impressed him. The shorter stories had been straight up sex but it hadn’t made him cringe like he thought he would. No, instead, they’d made him hard.

He shot a glance at Sy, nudging him under the table. Sy raised a questioning brow but seemed to guess what was about to happen from the look on Mike’s face.

“Hey Sweetcheeks,” Jessie looked up from her food, pausing to take a sip of her coffee, “I saw this post on Instagram and I wanted to try it with you. Finish the sentence. ‘I’ve never told a lie—’”

“‘And that makes me a liar. I’ve never made a bet, but we gamble with desire. I’ve never lit a match with intent to start a fire. But recently the flames are getting out of control.’” Mike would have been satisfied with the first sentence to prove she knew the song but of course Jessie was an overachiever. “You could at least make it a little harder. You might as well have said ‘It was never a phase, it’s a lifestyle’ and belted out the chorus to Dear Maria, Count Me In.”

She took another sip of her coffee, sitting back in her chair.

“Alright, what about this one,” Sy said, knowing exactly what Mike was trying to prove. “‘A hero of war, is that what they see.’”

“Just medals and scars. So damn proud of me.’ As opposed to the version of the chorus from earlier in the song which is ‘A hero of war. Yeah that’s what I’ll be. And when I come home. They’ll be damn proud of me.’”

Feigning nonchalance, Mike looked down as he stabbed a piece of egg with his fork. “Seriously, all the signs were there with the emo music, I don’t know why I never thought vamp sex was your kink.” He lifted the fork to his lips, chewing the small bite as he waited for Jessie’s reaction.

Both boys waited as Jessie put the pieces together, a definite blush creeping up her cheeks. For a moment she stared wide-eyed at Mike before her mouth snapped shut and she glared at Sy. “How the hell has he been trying to figure that out for months and you get it in less than twenty-four hours?”

Sy let out a deep belly laugh. “I make a living on strategy and tactical decision-making, Sweetheart. It’s nice to be able to use it when the only thing on the line is the possibility of Mikey getting to act out vampire sex.”

Jessie’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Okay, so tactically speaking, who blabbed?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” he lied, his voice dripping with amusement.

“I mean, which one of my old roommates blabbed?”

The boys shared a guilty look.

“Technically,” Mike defended, “she just told us you had a thing for the viking vampire.”

Jessie let out an exaggerated sigh, proving she wasn’t actually mad at either of them. “And who wouldn’t? Tall, blond, gorgeous. And the fangs…” She fanned herself, batting her lashes like a school-girl.

Mike squawked. “And what are we, chopped liver?”

“Meh,” Jessie waved him off, returning her attention to her food. “You’re not that tall. Or blond. You do have nice baby fangs though.”

Mikey showed off said baby fangs with a wide grin before following her lead and taking a giant bite of his food.

“So, if Mikey wanted to act out the vampire sex, does that mean you called shotgun on the werewolf sex?” Jessie asked Sy.

Mike made a choked noise, falling into a coughing fit. Once it finally subsided enough for him to take a breath, he washed it down by chugging half his glass of orange juice.

“What werewolf sex?” he asked breathly.

“Oh, did you not see those?” she asked coily, knowing damn well he hadn’t by his near-death experience. “It’s the ones with Alcide as the male interest. He’s played by Joe Manganiello.”

Sy was actually familiar with that name. He was one of the ‘hairless pretty boys’ from Magic Mike although he was more familiar with him from his role in Spider-Man.

“I thought that was just another vampire. Isn’t that what the whole show is about?”

“Yes but it’s a world where vampires are real. Of course all the other supernaturals exist as well.”

He had to admit, if Mike was the vampire of the trio, he was undoubtedly the werewolf which made him wonder what Jessie would be. Probably a succubus. Okay, maybe more of a nymph, but you’d think she was a succubus the way she had him and Mikey all riled up.

“You know, we should do an escape room or something while Nate is in town.” Having cleaned off every last crumb from her plate, Jessie stood to put it in the sink. “Put that big brain of yours to good use,” she teased, wrapping her arms around Sy from behind.

“Ooh, that’s a great idea, Sweetcheeks. There’s a horror room I’ve been hearing about ever since it was rated one of the top ten escape games in the world. I don’t think three people is enough to finish it in time, though.”

Sy turned his head to look at Jessie over his shoulder. “What do you say? Wanna try it out?”

“Only if one of you promises to hold my hand if I get scared.”

“Deal,” the boys answered in unison.

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