#darkwants: everly ft ezra 03

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

status: closed

pairing: every & ezra

based: things we plotted

@darkwants

it was almost funny how one small thing could impact the trajectory of your life.

something was simple as a single phone call could crack the world wide open and turn it upside down. a friend of hers from culinary school had some kind of family emergency. the issue was that he had a restaurant that still needed to be run. he had called everly begging her to come help him and she had agreed. she had booked herself a flight and promised to be there as soon as she could. everything had been so fast and she hadn't even realized she hadn't let ezra know. she had been rushing through the airport in order to make it. it had been by the skin of her teeth that she got there before they finished boarding.

flying was something she had done time and time again. especially when she had finished with culinary school. she figured that nothing could go wrong. she had been trying to figure out how she was going to approach the whole situation at the restaurant. eventually landing on just reading a book before she ended up drifting off. when she woke it was to the older woman sitting next to her, trying to get the mask onto her. in an instant she was glancing around to see the chaos going on around her. people were screaming and crying. she could see a man clutching at his wife and son a few rows up on the other side. the first person who had come to her mind was ezra and how she wasn't ever going to see him again.

the plane ended up going down in what seemed like the middle of no where. there was nothing but trees and she had been knocked out upon impact. again she woke only to smell smoke and hear more screaming. the woman who had been beside her was no longer there. she was scrambling to undo her seatbelt and rushing to get out. yet the moment she moved, her left leg screamed in protest. she cried out as she looked down only to see a piece of glass lodged into the meat of her thigh. yet she forced herself to keep going, yelling to see if anyone was near.

that had been a matter of nine months ago. nine months of struggling to survive and thinking help would never come. out of everyone on the flight only a handful had survived. the black box had been destroyed in the crash. no one had any idea where they were. each day had been a struggle to survive, find food, fresh water etc. the day the helicopter showed up everly had been half certain it was a dream. she remembered being carried onto a gurney, someone telling her she was going to be alright. her first instinct was to fight, trying to push away at the hands while crying out for them to stop.

the clean white walls of the hospital were the next thing that she was greeted with. that and the sight of her grandmother who was perched on the chair beside the bed. there were so many machines all around her and she realized that she was in a hospital gown. for the first time in months she felt clean. yet that was when it all registered and she quickly began to look around for ezra," grandma? wheres-where is ezra? where is he?" her voice was hoarse but that didn't stop her from screaming. the panic hitting as she realized the one person she wanted wasn't there. her grandma was trying to shush her but the doctors were getting in the way in order to adiminster a sedative.

hours went by and while she was knocked out, her grandmother found a phone to use. cell phones were too much of a bother for the old woman. ezra had given her, his number and in an instant she was demanding he get back to the hospital. he had been the one to drop her off which everly didn't know. the next time she woke, she still saw that the room was empty save for her grandma. the panic hit again and there was no stopping her from screaming again. her grandma was instantly snapping at the nurses and everything seemed to go in slow motion the moment the door was pushed open. a sob bubbled up her throat as she tried to wipe at her face," ezra-ezra! you-you weren't-you weren't here!"

[misaligncd]

continued from: here

with: @darkwants

it was going to be a huge adjustment for the both of them. though everly assumed he had been trying to find an omega for some time. perhaps that was why he had been fine with her. she still wanted to know exactly what he had been told about her. though she wasn't sure if that was something she could ask. instead she was focusing on what they were talking about. he clearly wanted to know what expectations she thought were going to be in place. of course they did have all the time in the world to get to know each other.

his words about flirting made her head tilt," can i be honest," she paused," i don't-i'm not sure if or when i might be flirting." she was sheltered and she knew it. in fact the conversation they had was probably the most she had spoken to someone. she was just relieved that he seemed to be, being patient with her. the fact that he wasn't expecting her to be hidden away was something that surprised her," you've given me a lot to process."

everly was already wondering what her daily routine was going to be like. maybe she was getting ahead of herself but it was clear her life was going to be very different. she nodded quickly, biting down on her lip," i won't go crawling under a car and i'll find you or someone else if i have a question or need something." though she had the feeling that ezra was going to be the one that she wanted to go to for anything. she nodded as he confirmed that it was the restaurant that she had pointed towards. there weren't too many cars in the parking lot. she found herself glancing around," that sounds good."

her head turned as they pulled into a parking spot and she shrugged," never tried it?" there was a lot that she hadn't done and she felt like there were going to be quite a few reminders of it. the blonde watched him as he climbed out only to walk around to her side. she unbuckled herself just as he opened the door and with his help, slid out. her feet met the ground and she reached for his hand without thinking twice. he was leading her towards the entrance and she was happy to let him. they were greeted by a hostess who quickly was leading them a booth. she couldn't help but want to stay close to ezra given there were so many unfamiliar scents hitting her. her hold on him tightened a bit and she knew that he might be able to sense her stress.

[screamiingsiilence]

ezra had always managed to surprise her ever since that day they met. never did she think they would come so far. she had no idea what their future looked like. the only thing that she was sure of was that she wanted to make things work. they could build a life together and share a home. one thing that she hadn't realized was how easily she'd fall into ezra again. it was as if his touch made her forget the many things that she was going to do that day. especially in that moment with him buried inside of her. none of her previous concerns were present in the forefront of her mind. instead she found herself thinking of how they might christen every single room in the house. how she would be able to tease him and push until he gave her attention. before she'd have to drive over or vice versa. now they could have each other whenever they damned well pleased. even in the middle of the day and in the kitchen. she was already a mess beneath him. her moans filling the room as he covered her body with his own. her fingers quickly laced with his when she realized he reached for it. her hips weakly pushed back to meet him, allowing him to take anything and everything he wanted from her," so-so good sir!" his thrusts were nearly bruising and the squelch of her own wetness echoed. she felt nearly helpless, her stomach tightening," just want-want all of you," she pleaded," so close, want-want you to fill me up, want-want to be so good for you."

as reluctant as ezra had been to start dating again, he wasn't so stubborn as to not admit there were perks to it, and he wasn't just talking about the 'married men live longer' kind of perk. with everly around, it seemed like just maybe he'd come home to the scent of fresh food wafting out of the kitchen, to a home that was clean, but still felt warm and cozy from curling up to a movie marathon on the couch. those were things that ezra knew he wanted, that he wanted from a life partner, but on a very basic, carnal level, he wanted this as well. someone that he could press himself against without warning, someone who would open up and whine and beg, willing to take his attention the moment that the need hit him and not need a phone call and a negotiation before making the car trip over. and that wasn't a one way longing, either, because if everly suddenly started to squirm from a movie, he wanted her to reach for his cock, he wanted her to rub against him when she felt like playing, to realize that he would satisfy her as soon as she gave the signal. maybe he wouldn't always satisfy her in the way that she wanted, but for now, everly would get exactly what she wanted. stretching across everly's body, ezra reached to cover her hand and twist their fingers together as he rutted into her from behind, his breathing escaping in a hiss against the curve of her neck. "you sound so good when you beg," ezra muttered, driving his hips against her hard. "what's wrong, afraid i won't let you cum on my cock? thinking i'm just going to leave you a horny mess, dripping my cum?"

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

it had felt like a fresh start in a sense for ezra and herself. even if her memories were scrambled she remembered how it had been before. the tension, the fights and the constant not knowing what else to do. they both had suffered from it but now it was different. she wasn't entirely sure how else to describe the way that things seemed to be better. even if she had been stuck in the hospital, ezra was a constant whenever he could be. he had been there as much as he was able to be especially when she had been afraid for him to leave her alone. there was still that fear but she had learned coping skills since the hospital had mandated she speak to a shrink.

everly was happy to be outside for a change which was a big step. she had feared what might happen once she did. of course she knew that she couldn't remain indoors for the rest of her life. that was part of why she had been asked to be taken outside. it hadn't dawned on her that she probably should have warned ezra. granted he had started to get to know some of the staff very well. he had charmed some of the nurses time and time again. she had noticed how some of them even seemed to think that they were adorable together. she knew that the age difference had surprised a number of people.

the smell of the pasta tickled her nose and made her smile. though she was so eager to tell him the good news. she didn't even think twice about how he might be unsteady when she pulled him down for a kiss. one thing that she was always going to make sure of was that she kissed him hello and goodbye. she had thought about the lack of affection they used to have with one another. the day that she had left they hadn't so much as uttered a goodbye. she had remembered how in those woods how she had struggled to remember the last time she had kissed him.

"mhm," she mumbled, not entirely willing to pull away from him completely. instead she was going to kiss him again. her hands still clutching at his shirt to keep him down at her level. a small laugh escaped from her at the mention of him wanting to rearrange everything," you know i could just like the bedroom how it is." she truly didn't care that much about where things were or how things looked. all that she cared about was that she was going to be in actual bed. that ezra was going to be able to hold her at night. she finally broke away only to notice the container in his hands," that smells amazing," she paused," want to sit out here and eat with me?"

despite holding a steady job for as long as he remembered and having occupied the same role at the garage for years, ezra had seldom in his life felt the same sense of purpose that he did when going to the hospital for everly. it provided a surety that he hadn't ever experienced in their relationship and it was such a nice change from how tings were before, the disconnect and apathy of before, and the heartbreak of losing her in the crash. even if it was something as simple as bringing her dinner, he knew what he would be doing on a given day and he knew that he could handle it, that he would be where he was meant to be and doing what he was meant to do - he'd be with everly, taking care of her, and she'd let him.

even though ezra had been at the garage for part of that day, he wasn't oblivious to what everly's schedule looked like after so long. she would have therapy, likely had a shower and while he couldn't be sure, he wouldn't be surprised if her hair had a ribbon in it again. something that was slightly less expected about her day for ezra was that she was outside, a kind nurse that he'd interacted with enough to be in the loop about the family gossip regarding her niece informing him of that development. it wasn't a bad thing, in fact it seemed like a good sign that everly was feeling up to being out without worrying about anyone seeing her and snapping pictures.

plastic wrapped styrofoam container of lasagna in his hands, the bottom of the container was still warm against his palm as he carried it over towards her chair. for him, everly was always easy to pick out and he didn't question when she summoned him over, frowning slightly over the idea that she'd been left out there without anyone to check on her and that she might need something. it was a worry that she easily dispelled when she pulled him into a kiss, ezra having to adjust the lasagna to keep it from falling before bracing a hand on everly's chair and leaning into her.

"seriously?" a smile spreading across his face, ezra wanted to ask if there were qualifiers to that, but decided he didn't care. she'd get to go home, had she called it home even though she'd never been to the place that he'd moved to. she wanted to be there because he was there, it was home because he was there and that was the kind of thing that made ezra's stomach do flips that were better served in the guts of a younger man. "two days, huh? guess i better get ready to rearrange the bedroom for you. gotta make it perfect."

[misaligncdarchive]

"maybe one day someone will want to take the time to train me," she said slowly, not wanting to pressure him. everly knew that most men didn't care about how women in her position behaved. it was the rare few that felt the need to take that time. plus there were also the facilities that you could pay to do it for you. she had heard the horror stories about such places. women went in with free will and came out mindless puppets.

everly had to admit that it was different for her. ezra wasn't someone that she had known for years. he was brand new to her and she really didn't know if she'd keep seeing him. it was the first time that she was seeking someone out in the fashion she was. even if she had managed to piss him off at first. she was gasping as his fingers brushed against her clit over and over. his movement against her was soft as he seemed to explore her.

"a few times a day," she breathed," normally when i wake up, mid day and unless i'm being used, before bed." her life wasn't exactly organized but it held some structure. it felt almost like a miracle that she was speaking in complete sentences," it's ex-expected for us to do it." small whimpers escaped as his hand brushed along her slit before seeking out her hole. only to come back up and she was struggling to keep her hands in place. her head tilted back as his mouth also forged a path. her heart was racing and she let out a moan as he pushed a single digit inside of her," oh!" her hips were arching from her perch to meet his touch as she just enjoyed his touch.

"to a point. you still need to be trained." which was something that took time and energy, and it took a man being willing to invest in her. men didn't usually do that with girls that were just playtoys and even if they did, not all men wanted the same things, so the lessons needed to be changed. but there were some things that ezra considered common sense, your basic courtesy items, and everly may have been a pretty little diamond, but her manners were still rough.

as far as her instincts went, ezra hadn't decided on that yet. she was smart enough to start working at his fingers when they were shoved in her mouth, but that was a fairly blatant thing and to bite down would have been sheer stupidity on her part. besides, being a good girl for him would work out in her favor, something he thought that everly was realizing as his damp fingers searched out her clit and stroked gently.

"how often do you touch yourself?" he asked almost idly, touch shifting to trace along her folds and brush briefly along her hole before going back up to her clit. "it seems like something you should do regularly." returning his mouth to her neck, his mouth followed a trailed from her pulse point to the top of her shoulder and down to the jut of her clavicle. there was plenty of time to mark her and as he worked a hand between her thighs, finger slipping inside of everly, ezra planned on savoring the moment instead of rushing like last time.

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

it felt like it had been a lifetime since she had been in the hospital. she had literally had a team of doctors who all had to approve that she was free to go home. there had been so many tests and physical therapy had been incredibly daunting. the infection in her leg was gone but she was still recovering. there had been a few procedures and they wanted to make sure her body was healed from the miscarriage. she knew that her story was also still one of public interest. there had been requests for interviews which she had firmly declined.

that morning she had been told that by the end of the week she was going to be released. they knew that she had someone who would look out for her. that she didn't have to worry about stairs or anything along those lines. she had to use either crutches or a wheelchair since she wasn't fully able to put weight on her leg. she was almost relieved that it was a morning that she was alone. ezra had to go to the garage and she had told her grandma that she needed to take it easy. the both of them had been a constant since she had been rescued.

she had gone to physical therapy and had been helped with getting herself clean. her grandma had been bringing her clothes to avoid the hospital gowns. she was wearing a silk button up pajama top that was oversized so it came a few inches above her knees. her legs were covered by one of her grandma's quilts and she had asked to be taken outside. she had gotten a text from ezra that he was on his way and he was bringing her dinner. she had been craving lasagna and her dietry restrictions were finally eased up.

the nurse had promised to send him outside when he arrived. she had been enjoying the warmth coming from the sun when she heard footsteps. it took her a few moments to figure out how to wheel the chair around so she was facing him," ezra," she breathed, motioning for him to come closer. he seemed concerned but he was doing as she asked. she reached to pull him down only to cup his face and pull him into a kiss," i almost called to tell you but i wanted to wait for you to be here," she breathed," i get to go home in two days!"

it was still so strange to see everly crying, to see her so blatantly bleeding emotion when it felt like he needed to fight tooth and nail for any scrap of reaction from her before. he'd always wanted to see her expressing some kind of feeling and now that he did, it almost felt like he was stealing it because ezra knew damn well the only reason she was that she couldn't control it after everything that she'd been through. she was melting down because of external stressors, not because she trusted him to see it.

but at least she knew that he'd protect her, and ezra wanted to think that counted for something as he kept his arms locked around her, not sure what would be the most soothing to her. kissing her hair? rubbing at her back? he tried both, at a loss for what to do when he had the feeling that the only thing that would help was undoing the past nine months of her life. barring that, make sure that no one came near her with a phone or camera seemed like it would be the safest option.

"i've got you. you want to get better wrapped up in the blanket? or maybe me get you another one?" if they were at home and she was scared, he probably would have wrapped her in a blanket and given her cocoa, maybe put on a movie or read a book. he realized suddenly he had no idea if everly liked books that didn't have recipes in them and he wasn't sure if she liked those or if she'd consider it an insult to think she needed a cookbook.

no need to dwell on that, and no time for it either with the way everly was crying, curling herself against him and resting her head against his chest. "you're not fucked up, honey." ezra said without hesitation as he reached to help pull up the blanket. "you're scared after going through a situation that was fucked up and that sounds pretty human to me." it was strange to hear everly call him sir because that was something that felt like it had faded away long before she got on that flight, but ezra also thought it was telling about her mental state and just how broken her barriers were at the moment.

"i'm not leaving you, okay? i swear. i'm going to be right here with you." ezra promised her soothingly, reaching to tug the ribbon carefully out of her hair so he could start to card his fingers through it, petting her in an attempt to held everly calm down. "i'm not going to leave you alone and i won't let anything get you. you can go to sleep and you'll still be right here with me when you wake up, i promise."

[screamiingsiilence]

he always seemed to know exactly what to do in order to get her riled up. she knew that what they were doing wasn't planned. something had clearly come over the both of them. it was in the middle of the day and he had only stopped by to pick something up. somehow they found themselves in the kitchen with her bent over the counter. she was unable to help herself because she truly did want more of him. ever since that afternoon in her apartment it was like a hunger had formed and he was the only one who could do anything about it. she whimpered helplessly as he pressed a kiss against her pussy before he was pulling away. the blonde felt nearly breathless but didn't dare move an inch," e-ezra." there was the sound of pants being undone and she almost wanted to cry out in relief. it seemed that he was going to give her what she had begged for. a long drawn out moan fell from her the second he slid inside of her. the movement was smooth as her walls stretched around him till he was seated all the way inside," oh-oh! fuck!" her body jolted as she allowed her eyes to drift shut, fully enjoying everything about that moment. it was almost impossible for her to focus on what he was asking. small whimpers fell from her at the very idea he was proposing," i-i would love it!" there was something rather unique to her about the idea of trying to make sure something didn't burn while he used her. she found herself attempting to try to move against him," please-sir, oh-oh please!"

part of ezra wanted to deny her and to keep going, working her over with his tongue and teasing her while she squealed for him, not quite giving her enough to cum so that she just became more frustrated and desperate. this wasn't supposed to be above him, ezra hadn't actually thought about getting his cock involved - hadn't thought much at all except for making her feel good and making sure everly knew that he enjoyed her behavior and she'd be rewarded for it. it was true that he thought with his dick, but bringing pleasure was its own gift and the way that she was begging was gratifying on its own, but the fact this was meant to be a reward meant that everly got to have whatever she wanted and the way he benefited from it was only a bonus. with a kiss against her pussy, ezra pulled away and licked at his lips as he stood up behind her and started to undo his pants, pushing them out of the way only enough to free his cock. "you know what i think, honey?" he murmured, lining up with her and sinking in slowly, sheathing himself in a single push so that his hips rested against the curve of her ass. "i think next time you make a snack for me, i should fuck you just like this and see if we manage to get them out of the oven without burning. would you like that? do you want me to use you when you're trying to be a good girl and take care of me?"

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

there was only one thing that she was certain of at that moment and it was that she needed ezra. in the back of her mind she knew that before the crash she wouldn't have dared even think such a thing. after months of living in the wild, not knowing what the future held, she knew she had so much adjusting to do. even in that hallway in the hospital when someone had been trying to get a good shot of her, she wanted ezra. granted she knew that if he had been there it was likely some sort of fight might have broken out.

her breathing was staggered as she continued to cling to him. it was nothing short of a miracle that she was even able to speak. she knew that he likely was going to have to get used to her emotions going from one extreme to the next. she had spent months with everything being unpredictable. that was probably going to still remain the case given what had happened. she still was trying to process the fact that she was in the hospital with all the bright lights and a real bed. she inhaled sharply as sobs continued to wrack through her.

she barely heard when he uttered a thank you to the nurse. what she did hear was the door shutting which meant that they were finally alone. that felt like an utter relief as he began to shift. she realized he was going to lean back and pulling her with him. his movements were careful and she was unwilling to let him go," i-i know," she breathed," i know i'm safe-here-i'm safe with you." god help anyone who was stupid enough to come into her room that wasn't family or staff. everly found herself curling up, thankful she was laying on her good side.

her head lifted from his neck and she reached with her shaking hand to try to wipe at the tears. god she had never realized what it meant to feel so truly tired. everly didn't think twice about it as she reached to rest her head against his chest. her ear pressing right against where his heart was as she found herself focusing on the sound," i'm-i'm trying," she promised," i'm so-so fucked up, aren't i?" she didn't dare look up towards his face as she reached for the quilt to tug it up over her shoulder, wanting to be hidden," don't-don't let me go, please sir? please don't." it didn't dawn on her what she had just called him. even before the crash it had been ages but it almost felt natural in that moment.

she wasn't even concerned with the scans that had been done. all she knew was that she wanted to fall asleep in his arms where she knew she was secure and safe. she was relieved that the sobs seemed to have stopped but a few tears were still falling. she found herself still listening to the sound of his heart as she focused on taking deep breaths.

for all ezra knew, being closed up in some machine had reminded everly of being in te plane and plummeting towards the ground, he wasn't sure what was going on and her attitude all day had been strange and unexpected enough that he was coming to realize that he shouldn't be too surprised about things freaking her out and he just needed to be ready to go with it. so if she suddenly had a problem with heights or enclosed spaces or the dark, they'd deal with that when the time came.

between the nurse and everly, he soon realized that some kind of new phobia wasn't the cause at all and out of absolutely nowhere, ezra had the realization that everly didn't need to watch the first final destination movie any time soon. none of them did and ezra wondered if all the survivors were being hounded, or if everly was somehow special - she was special to him, of course, and chances were that he'd be having some kind of word with security if it wasn't for the fact that he was busy holding onto everly, hiding her face against his neck.

get out he mouthed over everly's shoulder, making a shooing motion with his hand and logically, ezra knew it wasn't the nurse's fault. they weren't supposed to frisk and identify everyone in the corridor and it wasn't their job to keep a sheet over everly's head like she was a body being transported, and if he thought about it, ezra knew he preferred the nurse getting everly back instead of causing some confrontation with whomever caused it, but he just wanted a moment with everly. as everly explain they had been useful, ezra softened enough to murmur, "thank you" before the nurse managed to escape the room.

"someone made a mistake somewhere," ezra said as gently as he could, trying to position himself on everly's bed so that he could pull her against his chest and she could relax. "people are going to be assholes for a while, but i've got you now. when you're in this room, you're safe. no one gets to bother you in here." how did her test go? that was something he'd wanted to ask whenever she was brought back, but now he'd lost the chance because some fuckwad upset her. did they even know, or would they not get the results until later? god, everly's grandma was going to be so unimpressed with how sloppy things were going whenever she made it back in the morning, ezra could just feel it.

if he could just get everly to stop crying, that would be a step in the right direction. how funny it was that at one point, he would have done anything for everly to show some emotion and now he just wanted her to be able to take a breath and calm down. "you're okay, honey. it's just you and me now, right? can you breathe for me?"

[screamiingsiilence]

"ye-yes!" she choked out, honestly knowing that she would agree with whatever he was saying. it was something that happened whenever she was in his grasp. faintly she remembered thinking about how she might never be in his hold again. obviously she had been so very wrong considering where she was, right then. the path that had led them there hadn't been an easy one. she never thought after she had left that he would seek her out. let alone how persistent he would be. it didn't matter anymore what had happened in the past because the future was looking so bright. she was moaning helplessly as he continued to praise her. her walls were clinging to his fingers as he kissed right below where her ass met her thigh. the pleasure was just so good and she never wanted it to stop," please!" the fact that she had said she belonged to him seemed to have been the right answer. mindlessly she nodded in agreement since she knew that he didn't care if she acknowledged what he said at that point. a startled moan ripped from her as he pulled his fingers back only to seek out her clit," want-want your cock," she pleaded, moaning as his tongue dragged along her slit. their was a tightness forming in the pit of her stomach and her thighs were trembling" want-want to cum on your cock sir, please, please!"

"that's right, sweetheart, that's exactly what you need to do," ezra murmured, sounding as if he was the one getting worked over. everly was saying exactly what he wanted to hear and ezra couldn't help but feeling fucking lucky because he'd nearly missed her. the idea of letting someone into his life in a serious way for the first time in a decade was enough to make him panic at first, he could admit that, and he was so fucking pissed at the way everly made him work for it after he turned her down, he could admit that, too. but now here she was, in his home and preparing to make it hers, moaning and begging and talk about their future, promising to give him everything he wanted. "you're going to be so good for me, giving me everything i want." god, he was so damn grateful that he'd gotten her back. as much as he'd hated what she put him through, it would be worth it for what she was offering, paradise all wrapped up in a pretty blonde package. kissing just below where her ass met her thigh, he ran his tongue along the crease as her juices slicked up his fingers, the sound wet and squelching, causing his cock to throb inside his jeans. "that's right, that's a perfect answer." he hadn't expected much of any answer, and the one he'd been looking for was different. he'd expected dirty talk, her to parrot his words back at him about how she was needy and a slut, but everly's true answer was even better. "and as long as you belong to me, i'm going to take care of you, i promise." fingers sliding out of her and reaching around to rub at her clit, ezra's mouth soon pressed back against her, tongue lapping up the mess she was making of herself and pressed against her hole.

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

it was jarring, realizing how little privacy she actually had. when she had been dreaming of rescue she hadn't thought about everything that came with it. how people would want to hear her story and see her face. she had just imagined being back in the real world and being with the ones she loved. yet it was clear that with safety came a huge price. she hated how all that she was feeling was panic and fear. she still had to get used to so many things like a ton of people being around. she had thought they were going to provide security but it seemed someone had slipped through the cracks.

she was barely able to breathe as she was wheeled back to her room. the nurse was trying to comfort her but she wasn't having it. all that she knew was once again she needed ezra. ezra was the only one who could make her feel safe and protected. she just hoped the hospital hadn't told him no to staying overnight or given him problems. the sight of the door was an utter relief but the tears were showing no signs of stopping. the second the door was opening, she heard ezra's voice. it felt like a weight had been lifted.

he had moved quickly from the chair and was hurrying over to him. she barely paid attention to the fact that he was being told what happened. all that she knew was that she wanted his arms around her. she wanted to feel him and make sure that he was really there. it wasn't sane but she still felt like any moment she could wake up and be back in those woods. her hands were instantly reaching for him and she gasped when she finally felt him. she knew that if she didn't calm down that she was going to possibly end up getting sedated again.

"they-he-he didn't get the chance," she choked out between sobs," i heard him whispering about how i'm one of the people from the plane and there were flashes." everly recalled how she had been utterly confused. she could see the nurse was looking concerned but that didn't matter to her. instead she was reaching to pull him down to pull him into her arms even though her body was so tired. her face pressed into his shoulder the moment she could reach him.

"they caught him before he left and sh-shielded me," she told him, hoping that he might remain calm at that piece of news. yet she couldn't stop herself from crying. something told her that she was going to be so tired of crying by the end of everything. her shoulders were shaking as she heard the nurse mumble about leaving them alone. she barely paid attention when he walked out. instead she pressed her face into his neck," they said-they said this wouldn't happen, i don't know why it happened."

it wasn't exactly a mystery just where everly had gotten her stubborn and hardheaded personality after dealing with her grandmother for the past few months and while things hadn't always been easy, at least they'd also never been so bad that the woman decided he wasn't allowed to look out for her anymore. she also apparently trusted him enough to leave him with everly and even encourage him to see everly again, which was probably the biggest sign of trust and approval that you could get from the woman, if ezra had to guess. of course, just because ezra had somehow won her approval over didn't mean that ezra had any idea how long everly would be okay with him being there. he wasn't convinced that wasn't something with a timer attached and he wasn't convinced that everly was going to be that easily appeased once she moved into the new house, either.

"just add more, huh? like what? posters of fondue fountains? a big, flat screen tv? fairy lights?" that first offer was a joke, the second one curious, but the third was absolutely serious. how much light had been out there where she crashed? it seemed like if they'd been able to see the glow of a city, they would have tried to make it in that direction, so chances were they only had the stars overhead and if everly woke up in darkness, she might think she was there again. so many not fairylights above the bed, but a nightlight or something wouldn't go amiss, leaving the bathroom door open a crack or something like that. he'd seen a commercial recently for no leak skylight installation, which would be an interesting feature, but only if a view of the sky didn't freak everly out and make her forget she was under a roof.

no matter how lighthearted he wanted to be for her, reality kept creeping in and ezra soon found himself frowning, wanting to ask just what she thought she could possibly be interrupting or what on earth she thought he had going on that could be more important than her. it didn't make any sense, but he didn't get the chance to ask as they were interrupted. the words vanished from his tongue as ezra made eye contact with the nurse or physician's assistant or whatever the guy dressed in scrubs was and ezra found himself being kissed again by everly before he slipped off the bed. "i'll be here when you get back," ezra said, assuming she had to be terrified to be so affectionate.

he didn't know how long her test was going to take, but he took the time to step out and talk to someone at the desk about him staying. maybe it was because of the fuss she'd made earlier before he got there or maybe everly's grandma said something prior, but there wasn't any issue with him staying - he was told about the couch expanding and about needing a code to get back in at certain times, which would be fine by ezra. he could survive needing a code and sleeping on a couch, although he had a suspicion he may end up propped up in everly's bed for the night.

regardless, he was back in the room and had set the tv on some gameshow to wait for everly in just a short amount of time, extra pillows brought by a nurse filling the chair behind him. hospitals were always so cold and he wondered if it felt even worse to everly because of her time spent lost. would that be prying, veering too close to a sensitive subject too soon? he didn't know, and he was about to give the answer to a jeopardy question when he heard the door, the sound of crying accompanying it.

"what the hell happened?" there was a tinge of outrage in his voice, something perhaps went noticed as ezra quickly pushed up from the chair, a pillow falling to the floor as the guy tried to get everly back in place, talking about security and cameras and everly being infamous. they weren't fucking guarding her, they weren't paying attention. so much for confidentiality and privacy, ezra thought, barely giving the guy time to get the bed secure before reaching for everly, giving her the contact she was reaching for. "did they say anything to you, honey? what happened?" he didn't want to hear it from the guy, he wanted to hear it from everly because unless the nurse said something about confiscating phones and smashing them to protect everly and the others, he wasn't interested in hearing it.

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

"i'm on the verge of looking better," said everly, knowing she had a long way to go. yet she didn't want to tell him about that. especially since she was underweight and she had kind of few wounds that needed to heal. wounds that were from a variety of different things. she wasn't too sure what had made her think that she needed to tell him why she wanted the shark. of course she remembered how ezra had been so surprised when he discovered that she had a fondness for them. then he had been the one to surprise her when he had bought her the gift on that trip.

she couldn't help but smile at what he said next. she glanced down at the plushie before glancing back up at him," i agree." part of her wished that she could just go back to the day that he had bought her the thing. before that damn phone call that had been the reason she had even gotten on that plane. yet she knew it was pointless to think such things. she wanted to just try to focus on moving forward. even if she knew that deep down it was going to be hard. she inhaled sharply, having not even thought about if they would allow him to stay overnight," i'm sure they'll let you stay."

if they didn't than everly knew she was going to have to say something. it wasn't lost on her how everyone seemed to be treading lightly. they all wanted to make sure that she was okay which meant that they didn't say no to much. she knew already that she wanted ezra with her if he was free. of course she understood that he had a job but she hoped he would take time off. yet she wasn't sure she should voice it. instead she watched him as he seemed to take the hint and walk over. yet again he seemed a bit surprised that she was pulling him into a kiss.

"hi," she breathed, unable to stop herself from smiling. the kiss was brief as she leaned back against the pillows. only for the smile to grow as he reached to pet her hair. her gaze went towards the bag that he held up. it seemed he had packed himself an overnight bag. she nodded, hoping already that the staff wouldn't give them trouble. her grandmother was already up and saying she would see if they could find a cot or something for ezra.

though everly knew it meant that her grandmother would need a way home. that left them alone as she glanced over at ezra," do you," she paused," do you think you could climb into this bed?" most of what she was connected to was her left and she had shifted a bit to allow more room," i just want you to hold me."

"you look better." even her hair looked tidier, although ezra didn't know if they don't anything to it besides getting it off her face.there was a part of his brain that wanted to make a juvenile comment about sponge baths, but he held it back, pretty sure that no one would find it funny given the circumstances. not that he was sure everly ever found him that funny but no need to focus on that at the moment, especially not when he felt like he might have made his first misstep of the day with everly. (discounting the whole not coming in and trying to leave thing in the beginning.)

he hadn't meant it as any kind of judgement against the shark or against everly, he wasn't about to shame her for wanting a stuffed animal for comfort, he wasn't that kind of asshole. he was probably even less of an asshole than when he and everly first got together, rough edges worn down by exhaustion, then grief, then a healthy dose of everly's grandma not putting up with his shit. "i think that shark is the best thing i ever did for you." honest, and hopefully showing that he was not judging her for asking for her shark. if he was going to judge her for it, then he wouldn't have bought it for her in the first place.

"i'm hoping that the nurses won't mind me staying. haven't checked out visitors hours or anything." assuming that she could put up with him that long. give her a few days to adjust to being back and having people popping in and out all the time, she likely wouldn't be worried about him being around anymore. until that happened, he was planning on staying close, so of course he answered her summons when everly gestured him closer, soon adding another surprise to an increasingly long list. it wasn't often that ezra was surprised by a woman kissing him - more often, he was surprised when a woman didn't kiss him, but each time everly did it came as a shock. maybe that was obvious from his reaction, if the way everly's grandma laughed was anything to judge by.

"hi again to you, too." if kisses were their new way of saying hello and goodbye, then ezra wasn't going to complain about that, and he took it as pretty damn obvious at that point that he still had a girlfriend. clearing his throat as he straightened up, ezra reached out a hand to carefully pet everly hair as he lifted his bag. "i thought i might crash here tonight and just go straight to work in the morning, if the staff will let me get away with it." he admitted, figuring he should explain the bag before everly thought it was more stuff for her.

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

as she had predicted, her grandmother had been bossing people about. she had been so happy to see that even if she knew it was wrong. there had been so many little things that she had never thought she's get to see again. of course ezra had left his number with the nurses. they had said their goodbyes and stressed they would be right back. her grandma had asked for a few minutes alone with her. only to whisper that ezra had been taking good care of her. as well as asking if there was anything special she wanted. the list that everly gave was a rather short one compared to what some might think.

she wanted the quilt that her grandmother had made years ago. it was made from old t-shirts that belonged to her grandfather as well as ones they had bought her. sewing was not her forte even if she had tried over the years. she wanted some of the family photos that were framed. of course she asked for some of her own clothes which included a robe. hospital gowns weren't exactly comfortable and faintly smelled like bleach. the one thing she asked for but asked that ezra not see right away was the stuffed shark plushie.

they weren't gone for more than hour and in that time everly took a nap. she even managed to have some broth. something that the nurse had helped her with. the reality show ended up being just what she needed. it was a distraction and almost made her forget everything that was going on around them. she had even been given a sponge bath and her hair was tied back with a ribbon. the door to her room was opened and she saw that it was her grandma. apparently ezra was parking the car. she had a lot of questions but opted to avoid those for now.

instead she was reaching for the bags. a smile on her face at the sight of everything. a nurse was going to help her into an oversized t-shirt that actually might have been ezra's. there was no need for pants due to her leg so she was helped back into the bed. the quilt was thrown over her legs and the photos placed on the table. yet her face brightened at the sight of the shark plushie. it was childish but she was going to wrap her arms around it tightly as she heard a knock and then ezra was stepping in. she hoped she looked at least a little better than she had before," you weren't gone long at all."

huffing out a laugh, ezra nodded along, far too easily imagining everly's grandma doing that. "i can believe that." she'd certainly seemed capable of whipping him into shape, but in all fairness, ezra also thought that chances were both he and everly's grandma had needed a distraction in that time, waiting to see if anyone would be recovered, and then dealing with the aftermath of accepting that she was dead. this showed what they all knew, everly had come back to them, and he wasn't entirely convinced it wasn't because she was stubborn and obstinate and she hadn't agreed to them labeling her as dead yet. for as much as everly had made him want to scream and slam doors and break things, he had to admit that he was grateful for her stubbornness at least this once.

flipping through channels, ezra was tempted to just leave it on the weather if he couldn't find anything else, but he knew that wasn't exactly the most attention grabbing content even if it was mild and inoffensive. it seemed an especially good pick after flipping past naked and afraid - he wasn't going to say that would be more traumatic than the news, but that seemed right up there with things that everly didn't need to watch. kid's show. william shatner, for some reason. unsolved crimes, that was a pass. commercial. medical show, maybe not considering that she was in a hospital. there, a reality tv show, which would likely be full of meaningless drama and shallow people and hopefully wouldn't have anything in it that would bother her.

"okay, hopefully that should be good." he said, setting the remote back down and looking around the room as if looking for an excuse to stay longer, but he couldn't see anything and besides, she should have a nurse call button or something. people checking in on her to make sure that she was okay, things like that. she'd survived without him for nine months and now she was in a hospital, but he was acting like he was necessary, how idiotic. "i'm going to go find your grandma, i'll be right back." at least he hoped he would be, and ezra paused at the door to look back at everly and offer a smile before slipping out of the room and heading directly for the nurse's desk. he didn't know if he'd find everly's grandma there or not, but he could make sure the nurse's had his number just in case anything happened.

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

"so are you," she breathed, having thought for so many nights that she would never see his face again. that thought was one of the many that had scared her. she had tried to avoid negative thinking as much as she could. yet she also knew that after so many weeks with no sign of a rescue, it was hard to avoid. she knew that maybe she should tell him that. however she had the feeling that the day had been incredibly taxing as it was. after all she had come back from the dead. there was only so much one person could take.

there were going to be so many adjustments. part of her wanted to know just what ezra had been up to in those nine months. if he still attended those weekly poker games with his friends. she also was wondering what her grandmother had done without her. everly got the impression that ezra had stepped up given the look of fondness she had noticed earlier. she could only imagine how fun that must have been for the both of them. ezra had always hinted that she was bossy but he had no clue in the slightest that had come from her grandmother.

already she knew that ezra was on the same page. he was pulling out his phone and she knew that he was likely trying to get a cab. yet that didn't stop her in the slightest from asking him to hold her. the bed was big enough though she knew that it could be a tight fit. he seemed a bit surprised due to the look in his eyes. she shrugged as she reached to move the stuffed animal. her movement was slow as she lifted the quilt up to motion for him to get in," it'll be fine."

honestly she had no clue but she didn't care. she wanted him close and she watched as he joined her. he was wrapping himself around her and she shifted so that her good leg was pressed against the mattress. she threw the blanket over him and was content to cuddle into him," you'd feel like you're getting fresh with me? that worried about impressing her?" her tone was playful but she yawned, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt," i know we should be careful but i just-i never thought i'd get to do this again." her throat tightened the moment the words escaped from her mouth," be held by you again."

"you're a sight for sore eyes either way." sometimes, back when they were dating and before she disappeared, ezra thought everly was at her prettiest when she was messy and disheveled. she'd looked touchable then, in a way that she hadn't always. if anything, sometimes everly looked like there needed to be some wooden desk between them with her about to cast judgement on him like an office official, the kind that made choices that could majorly change your life without even batting her eye because it was all just paperwork to her. she looked professional, and it made ezra wonder what she was doing with a guy like him no matter how often he saw her dressed up for a night out or dressed down to nothing at all.

it was sad, in a way, that buying a stuffed animal from a gift shop was the pinnacle of the relationship for both of them and it would have been enough to make you wonder just why everly even wanted him there, but ezra knew the answer. because he was the one she had. maybe things hadn't been perfect, but while she never had time for him, she'd never had time for anyone else, either. it was almost a relief to realize that, and he knew that there was more that he should be grateful for in that moment than just knowing everly hadn't hopped a plane for some romantic week in a log cabin with someone after breaking up with him via text - or hell, maybe an email.

but no matter what was wrong between them before, with kiss after kiss, everly made it clear just where she wanted him. calling out a thank you to everly's grandma, ezra knew that he was almost stranding the woman, but he was fully prepared to pay the cab fees so she could go home. or uber fees, whatever they found and she agreed to. he wasn't trying to ignore everly when he set down his bag on the floor and pulled out his phone to start looking at prices, but maybe it seemed like it considering the question she asked.

"you sure it's not going to put any pressure on your leg?" he asked, not sure how many places she was hurt in, but fairly certain they shouldn't press on it too much. still, he found himself hard pressed to tell her no and was already sitting on the edge of the bed and curling around her, making sure that he wasn't in danger of falling off as he guided everly into his arms. "i have to admit, i'm glad you're grandma isn't in here or else i'd feel like i'm getting fresh with you."

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

"thank you," she said, the words were out before she could process that. she had worried about her grandma as well as ezra in her time away. she had thought about how she had been the primary caretaker for her before that flight. the one who took her to appointments, grocery shopping, to her weekly crochet circle. she had just hoped that someone would do it. she hadn't imagined that ezra would be so willing but she was incredibly grateful. she couldn't help but laugh a little at the mention of how it wasn't always appreciated," she can be stubborn when she wants to be."

something that she knew already that she had gotten from her. however it was something that had come in handy in those nine months. there had been more than a few times when she wanted to give up. that she figured it would be so easy to just lay down and not move. if she had done that, she knew that she wouldn't be where she was. it was likely her family would have been getting told that she was deceased. she pushed that thought from her mind at what he uttered next. an amused look appeared on her face," i am not going to make you rearrange everything, just add to it if anything."

she knew already that he was being serious. things were clearly shifted in a direction that was unexpected. she had no clue why she felt compelled to apologize. it felt like she had rocked his world in so many different ways in a short span of time. his scruff was teasing the palm of her hand as she cupped his jaw. she realized that he was confused as he spoke. her face flushed as she realized that he had called her honey. it was just one of the many things that she had missed. her gaze met with his as she inhaled sharply," you went through so much with thinking i was dead and now i'm not and you probably have-have so much going on and i'm just throwing a wrench in it."

the sound of voices outside and the rolling of wheels made her sigh. yet her attention was fully on him as he spoke, nodding," thank you." her lips parted to say something else but there was a knock and a rather cheerful looking guy walking in. he seemed to look at ezra and then her before walking over. everly knew that ezra had to move but she pulled him into a kiss again without thinking. after it ended and ezra had gotten off, she was being carted off to get an MRI done. they wanted to see how much damage had been done and see if what they were doing was working.

she did her best to listen and stay in the position that they wanted. yet she had felt frazzled being in an enclosed space. she tried to tamper down the panic by thinking of ezra. he was going to be waiting for her when she was done. she forced herself to take deep breaths as she realized that they had just told her that she was done. she found herself being moved back to the bed and soon she was being wheeled out of the room. the hospital felt like it was it's own little town. there were so many different floors, elevators that only went to certain ones etc.

they were waiting on the elevator when she heard a rushed voice whisper," she's one of them! one of the people from that flight!" instantly alarms went off in the back of her head and she heard the nurse gasp. there was the flash of a camera and more of the staff came running. they ended up forming somewhat of a shield as security tried to cart the guy off. she was frozen, crying as they managed to get her into the elevator. her chest heaved with every breath she took as she felt how she was trembling. someone was saying something to her but she couldn't focus. all she was thinking was that her face was going to be broadcast all over. her body wracked with sobs as she was taken into her room.

she couldn't even form words as the nurse seemed to realize ezra had waited. the man was instantly informing him of the incident as everly blindly reached for him the second that her bed was back in place," they-they said this wouldn't happen! they lied!"

somehow, hearing everly say that made him feel like he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to, even though he'd been positive for all nine months that he was finally doing something for everly that she would appreciate. she'd want her grandmother taken care of, wouldn't she? she'd appreciate the woman getting help when she wasn't around, right? so why did it feel like he'd been taking advantage of someone else's misfortune to push his way inside the life of everly's family, to make himself indispensable? it seemed so selfish now - the woman could have hired a sitter of her own choosing instead of being stuck with ezra and now he had to wonder if she only allowed it out of kindness for ezra's own grief.

"i've been trying. not sure it always worked." he muttered, feeling absolutely positive that it wasn't always appreciated. sure, they got along well for the most part, but ezra knew that he wasn't exactly a joy to be around for everyone - despite the way everly was acting in the moment, chances were that she spent more time not being able to stand him than enjoying his company by the time she got on that plane. hell, if she didn't enjoy being away from him more than she did being with him, she wouldn't have packed up her things and tried to leave the state without telling him.

better to change the subject before he ended up maudlin, and ezra nuzzled at her hairline as he hummed. "our own, huh? does that mean you're going to be reclined in bed, telling me how to rearrange everything in the bedroom? who knows, maybe i can move everything out, put you in the middle, and paint around you if you don't like the walls." the words came out teasing, but ezra already knew that he would do it if it meant that everly wouldn't be miserable during her recovery. he had the feeling she was bound to hate recovering to some degree, but he didn't need to make it worse.

holding still as everly shifted and brought their foreheads together, ezra shut his eyes and couldn't help the way he pressed into her hand as it rubbed at his jawline. he needed a trim, and if he'd realized he was going to see everly, he probably would have before he left that morning. "what are you talking about, honey?" he murmured, face scrunching up in confusion as he opened his eyes. "you need me, so i'm here. what else am i for?" it was an honest question as much as a reassurance for her. ezra hadn't known that she would want to see him, but now that he knew everly wanted him around, he was going to be there for however long she wanted. it wasn't going to last, ezra was certain of that, but how could he ever justify failing her, especially now after everything?

there was the sound of something rolling on wheels and a call of voices outside the door, prompting ezra to hope that they moved on, that they were going to the next room down the hall and got distracted. "if they come to take you away for tests, i'll talk to someone about me staying with you, i promise."

[screamiingsiilence]

maybe what they were doing was crazy but everly couldn't bring herself to care. especially given how amazing ezra was making her feel in that moment. it certainly hadn't been expected but she hadn't thought that he would show up in the middle of the day. already she was practically crooning as his tongue dragged along her slit. her eyes fluttering shut as she whimpered helplessly. a small gasp escaped from her as he pulled away only to nip at her ass cheek. her face instantly flushing at the praise he gave," fuck-fuck!" a loud breathy moan bubbled up her throat as two digits replaced his tongue. she was just praying that her legs weren't going to give out. though she was in heaven at that moment. shivers shot up her spine at the very idea that he was presenting," want-want this," she choked out," want to be so goo-good for you, waiting for you to come home and fu-fuck me all over the house." she felt like she was possibly in a haze but she didn't care. already she had made a mess and she could hear the sound of her own wetness. her walls were clinging around his fingers. her teeth caught onto her lip as she nearly writhed above him," because i-i belong to you, sir?" it was the only thing she could come up with but actual thinking was becoming more impossible for her with every passing second.

the way she was already begging sent heat through ezra's veins to settle heavy in his stomach as he pressed his face deeper against her and let his tongue lick along her folds. it was almost like he could feel the moment that she relaxed and gave herself over to him, accepting what he was doing to her and ceding control. maybe it was all in his mind, but it was a heady feeling and ezra pulled away from her to bite at her ass cheek. "look at you, look at what a pretty little slut for me you are." he praised, smacking the other side of everly's ass before letting his fingers take over where his mouth had been, pressing two inside of her to start fucking her. "the only reason i'm going to want to go to work anyone is to be able to come home to you now. i want to keep you just like this, wet and eager and just waiting for me to get home and bend you over. is that what you want, everly? say it for me. tell me what my dirty girl needs." if he had it his way, everly would spend her afternoons edging, keeping herself soaked and eager to be fucked until he got home, then they'd have sex wherever in the house he found her. if there was dinner in the oven that was at risk of burning, that was only an added perk in his mind, and ezra ducked his head to nip at everly's thigh as he started talking again. "do you know what i'm doing this, everly? do you know why need to have your pretty pussy on display for me right now?"

[fcundaticnsofdecay]

part of her was wondering if he had moved to avoid memories of her. she knew that it wasn't right to be thinking about such a thing. she knew that she had lived with him for only so many months. granted she hadn't spent a lot of time there when she had been trying to keep her restaurant afloat. there had been so many nights she would crawl into bed when she was already passed out. she remembered how she always woken up alone. that thought had haunted her when she was gone those nine months. nine months of falling asleep next to wren of the others. they usually did it for warmth.

she had the feeling that maybe his new home was going to be a fresh start. it wouldn't be constant reminders of everything she had left behind or lost. everly was surprised that he was saying he was closer to her grandma. that was not exactly what she had been expecting to hear. she bit down on her lip," you've been taking care of her haven't you?" she had been wondering what her grandma had been doing. mostly because she knew that her grandma needed help with shopping, going to appointments and the weekly knitting thing. she nodded slowly as she realized that he had bought from the sounds of it a newer place," we can make it our own." she wasn't too sure what that would look like.

there were so many things that did not seem real. everly could only imagine how shocked he had felt when he had been told she was missing. that the plane went down and that she was supposedly dead. it had to be a whirlwind for him as well and she knew that he was probably in shock. yet he seemed to be handling it far better than she was. of course he hadn't been the one who had been out in the wilderness, fighting for every single day. she was utterly relieved that he was holding onto her as she cried.

her grandma seemed to take the hint and was already on her way out. it was clear that ezra hadn't been expecting it. everly would have tried to get up but she wasn't able to do so without someone helping. instead she continued to cling to ezra and once again they were left alone. a wave of relief washed over her the moment that he spoke about how he was going to call into work. she was instantly filled with relief and she nodded," thank you." she had no idea how she would have handled it if he had left her in the morning. even if she knew that he still had a life and a job that he had to get back to.

"so many tests," she breathed, knowing that she had no choice in the matter. she was relieved that he was going to be there for her when she got back. it took her a few moments but she was lifting her head and resting her forehead against his. she bit down on her lip as she reached to run her hand along his jawline once more," i'm sorry," she breathed," i know it isn't fair to you that i'm doin-doing this." she knew that he was willing to do it but still. she knew it was likely a member of the transport team would be coming in," but i'm happy you're here with me."

moving hadn't seemed like a big deal when he thought that everly was dead - it had been almost a welcome chance when she haunted so much of the house. there was the bed with the sheets he'd bought because he thought she'd like something softer than what was usually on his bed, and because he thought the color looked good against her skin. there was the backsplash he'd started to put up in the kitchen because even if he'd grown to hate his kitchen, he'd wanted it to be nice for her so that she'd be happy in it. there was the shoe rack for shoes when you entered the house, because one of the guys at the shop had told him once about his wife always complaining about him kicking his shoes everywhere. he could have gotten rid of the shoe rack, ripped out the backsplash, and changed the sheets, but ezra still would have had those memories with him, so instead he packed everything up, sold the house, and kept certain things that reminded him of everly boxed away under the excuse of not having much room.

but he'd find room now. things could be switched up and changed around, and he'd never really unpacked much beyond the essentials anyway, it would be easy to start to make the place feel like somewhere that everly could call home. maybe then it would feel like a home. "it's closer to your grandma, makes it easier to keep an eye on her." he hadn't actually expected her to ask why he moved, but ezra couldn't think of a reason not to tell her the truth. "i think you'll like it. like i said, it's smaller, but it's newer." he wouldn't be worried about everything looking outdated or old fashioned or embarrassing for her, so at least the place had that going for it.

"i can understand it feeling surreal. had a few instances of that myself with all this." being told her plane had disappeared, and not being able to believe that she was on it, having that cliche moment of 'but that's the kind of thing that happens to other people'. being told that she was dead and he had to accept it without a body, without being able to say goodbye. being told after all of that, everly was alive. but she was alive and real, the sound of her sniffling was something that ezra couldn't have made up if he tried and he made a shushing noise like you'd use to soothe a child as he held onto her tightly.

he didn't get the chance to tell everly that he wouldn't leave, the door opening up and cutting through their moment. head going up, ezra was ready to tell the hospital staff that they needed a moment and that after everly had been stuck in the wild for nine months, they could damn well give her another nine minutes, but the words died in his throat when he realized it was everly's grandma. instead he turned almost frozen, not moving or trying to explain why everly was crying as her grandma drew closer and rested a hand on him. "oh." he was going to do that, really. "guess we'll see you tomorrow." he would have walked her down, but he didn't want to leave everly even for that period of time after she'd asked him not to, and he started to rub everly's back, somehow feeling content in that moment as everly burrowed back against him.

he waited until everly's grandma was gone to drop a kiss against everly's hair, murmuring quietly against her head, "i'll call into work tomorrow, okay? i'll explain to arthur what's going on and it will be fine. i won't have to leave you, okay? and when they come to take you for your scans, i'll still be right here waiting when you get back." he didn't know if he was allowed to go for the scans or not, but at the very least, he could stay with her in her room. all she'd needed to do was ask and ezra caved to give her what she wanted, but then, he'd always tried to give everly that even if it didn't seem like it.