#it was a neat idea though jonas! you just are talking to a guy this doesn't work for sorry bud xD

[townofcadence]

Artair pauses at the offer, before a slight frown in thought took to his face. He glances at the cards, then at Jonas. "I don't intend this to sound mean, but....what." He blinks, once and hard enough to scrunch up the whole of his face. "I mean-- I mean I get what you're saying. Not saying what to that. But like.... this whole thing."

He gestures at the cards, and then at Jonas and himself. "This-- this thing--- you're --- I mean.... man, if you don't wanna talk, you can just say that, and it'd be okay? I insisted, I'll admit that, but that's because anyone with eyes could tell something was wrong. People don't just talk about getting hit by cars while they lay in the middle of the road, or flip to trying to get drunk, if they're doing alright. And it isn't my business really I guess? But stuff like that gets me worried about someone, even a stranger. So I figured I'd offer you an ear, while we waited for you to get picked up. Sometimes it's easier to open up to someone you don't have any connection to, If that makes sense? It fights the brain. Like you don't have that notion of feeling you 'tricked' a person into thinking you're better than you are, or you won't think they're just being nice to you just because you're friends.

"But like--" He wipes at his face, as if a few of his damp, electric curls might have brushed against his nose. A sigh bursts from behind his hand. "---.... i don't know? I was looking to give you something it seemed like you needed. And I insisted, because a billion and one people get into their brains that they're not worth the trouble or that they are somehow obligating others to listen to them. They pull the polite card and dismiss themselves, or turn down someone offering help at first, because they think they ought to. I've found that when you push, the people struggling know you want to hear it, and they'll open up if they're so inclined."

Artair shrugs, now looking off towards the grey curls of fog the rain is bringing to the street. It settles low, maybe only just past the soles of the feet, and raises in faint lines in sporadic parts, in a trail like that of cigarette smoke. "So I figured I'd do that for you too, yeah? Give you that chance, in case you were in the billion. But there's no obligation to share with me, even if you're at your lowest low. You don't have to give up anything you wouldn't tell a stranger, Jonas."

Artair leans back against the metal rail of his side of the bench. "Truth be told.... I'm not like, actually trying to seek info about you. I'm not invested in your life and what brought you here so much that I need to know, you know? I mean, it seems like a lot is going on, but I'm not trying to force you to open up, if you really don't want to. You might have someone else in Vegas you'd rather talk to; a friend, or--- I dunno, a dog or a guinea pig that you vent to or whatever. So like. You don't have to give me anything more than what you're willing and comfy with giving. I dunno if you feel like I'm like--- trying to get something from you by hearing about your past? But really, I'm just offering to listen. And getting you a ride up to Vegas because it seems you've been dealt a shit hand. No other reason, and no strings attached."

Besides, he wasn't sure there was much for him to gain from a down-on-his luck magician with a twenty on him. Though that thought, he'd keep to himself. Jonas didn't need kicking while he was down.

He continues, looking skyward, through the arch of the bus stop cover. He can see the ripples of rain sliding it's way down the glass overhanging them, even through the smudges left by time. "Just like--- I guess I think the world sucks, but it only sucks as long as we let it. So a little good goes a long way into making shit a little less bad."

Artair let out a soft breath, finally focusing on Jonas' face again. "So. You don't have to play russian roulette with your life story or anything. Not with me. I'm sorry for pushing and making you feel you had to offer something you wouldn't be comfortable sharing with someone you don't know. If you want to tell me at any point while we wait, I'm listening, and we can keep playing the game to pass time, but this--- isn't what I was trying to accomplish. You can keep your privacy, I'm not going to make you play a game with me that like.... puts you in a position of giving me info you don't really want me to have. Not as a bet."

" Alright then let's see how you did, " Jonas flipped the cards presenting for his side a 6 of spades and 4 of hearts and for Artair's side two queens: Queen of Hearts and Queen of Clubs. " Mhm. So that's zero and zero for both of us in which case dealer deals both an extra card. "

He flipped out two extra cards turning them over. " 9 of clubs for the Banker, 6 of spades for the Player. Natural win for the Banker. You'd get a nice payout if we were betting money. But that's the basics. Only difference when playing for real is that you place your bet first on either Banker, Player or Tie and then the cards are dealt to show you what you get. "

He swept up the cards and shuffled them busily, his face lost in thought. " At the heart of the game though...it’s about gambling and it'd be kinda boring otherwise," he said slowly. " So if you're up to it why not try something different for the wagers..."

He glanced up at Artair and lowered his eyebrow. " You want to know a little more about me so ok. We'll play for real now. If your bet wins...then I'll tell you something about myself. Nothing simple like 'I hate pistachio ice cream' or 'Summer is my favorite season' Something more in depth I absolutely wouldn't blurt out to a complete stranger. But if my bet wins then you gotta do the same thing. Deal? "

Poker-faced, he continued to shuffle the cards as he waited for Artair's answer. Truth be told he had no idea if this guy would take him up on it. He might just get dismissed entirely. But this way, there could be a nice bit of give and take. And he was curious about this Arthur guy and well...maybe a bit cynical about if he really was as good a guy as he appeared to be. He'd always gotten nothing but disappointment every time someone professed to being concerned about him. Because they weren't. They never were. It was always about them and what they could get out of it.

But hey. Maybe he'd be lucky for once? Who knows...

[digirainebow]

hi digi! i am sending these late so i hope you see them before tomorrow, but here are some headcanon asks while you're waiting!

- what are everyone's typing habits? who uses emojis the most and do they use them unironically. i feel like ren types in all caps sometimes just because

- whose room is the messiest and whose is the cleanest. on like a sliding scale where would you place everyone from messy to clean

- what sibling traditions do you think alex continued to do with jonas? do you think they ever played amnesia spy girl again. amnesia spy girl 2 electric boogaloo. maybe they made some new ones like watching carmen sandiego together

- any very oddly specific headcanons about clarissa? god knows she needs more love

i didn't know how many to put here so i hope this isn't too many !!! have so much fun playing lost signals tomorrow i wish you the best with your playthrough(s)!!!! 🌒📻

unfortunately i did not get to these for my playthrough but fortunately i am getting to it here and now! 📻

typing habits: ren is definitely an all caps user but not as often as one might think! he balances it precisely for comedic timing. definitely the only all caps user of the oxenteens though. i also think his grammar varies wildly for no rhyme or reason. sometimes he capitalizes proper nouns and then the very next text he's writing shit like thx instead of thanks. usually falls in the all lowercase no punctuation category though. faster that way. alex is surprisingly difficult but i waaaanna say also all lowercase no punctuation? nona and clarissa are all lowercase but WITH punctuation. although clarissa will do proper grammar when she has something to say and a point to make. which tbh is often enough. jonas is properly capitalized but without punctuation most of the time emojis not so much for anybody! ren sometimes, on the cusp of ironic and unironic. nona unironically sometimes, shes a reactor though, her most recents are all the hearts. i just know clarissa LOVES a good ironic 🤪 though LMAO. nona knows when she breaks that guy out that someones life is about to end

room upkeep: from messiest to cleanest-- alex, ren, jonas, clarissa, nona. i say this because alex is the most likely to just leave her room messy when she has friends over. mostly because its usually just ren, and ren doesn't care. but with his own room i think ren would occasionally have a fit of 'oh god people (nona) can't see i live this way'. not that alex doesn't also have those moments, they're just less frequent. ren has seen her at her most despondent and depressed and vice versa so they just get it, y'know. jonas is a little messy but has a strong boundary, and about once a month gets everything in order. then there's a big jump to clarissa who's just tidy by nature. sometimes things slip a little when she isn't doing great, but it makes her feel better to clean (which she doesn't like and is annoyed by. she says she probably gets it from her mom) so she'll still find it in her to clean even when she's low. and finally, nona's room is very neat. but not because she's a big cleaner, in fact its the opposite. her room always has a layer of dust because she just doesn't really touch anything and when she does she remembers to put it back. boggles ren's mind

sibling traditions: i think, once, they did play amnesia spy girl. well, it more started with alex explaining how it went and they ended up having to act it out together because jonas didn't get it. they talk about how silly it was but deep down they know they both had fun. there was a lot of laughing. and genuinely i think jonas had no idea a show even got made and when alex is like hey haha we should watch this he's like no that is not my carmen are you kidding me no. they do watch it though. better than mindlessly scrolling and never deciding on something like what usually happens similarly, alex and michael were definitely in a "we watch [insert movie here] every year on this holiday even though it has nothing to do with said holiday" family and alex would introduce jonas to all of those films because she was continuing the tradition on her own before their parents got married anyway.

and finishing with clarissa! oddly specific...she gets unreasonably excited to go to a tea house? she goes to one with nona and/or like, her sister one year to celebrate something. thinks the little sandwiches are so cute and gets really into figuring out what fruit-based teas they have. surprises herself a little maybe. you are so right btw she deserves more love. she is still the character i am most attached to for now and always <3

[mermaidcashton]

dance in the living room, love with an attitude

authors: claire (@mermaidcashton) & laura (@maluminspace)  ship/AU: michael clifford/ashton irwin, roommates AU  prompt: “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have no idea what I’m doing. I almost never do.”  wordcount: 10k+ warnings: swearing, implied & explicit sexual content  a/n: • written for @maluminspace & @h0tsos ‘s 5sos fic writers collab (in which we all chose from a list of AU’s and had the above prompt quote to include - check out the masterlist linked to see everyone elses!) • i do not give permission for this (or any of my writing) to be reposted, by anyone, on this or any other website. please don’t do it! • title from ‘only human’ by the jonas brothers dance in the living room, love with an attitude *** The music was probably turned up a little too loud, but it helped to drown out the nerves starting to bubble away in Michael’s tummy.  ‘I hope ‘Ashton’ likes MCR’ he thought as he half-heartedly wiped down the kitchen counters with a damp cloth. He wanted the place to look mildly tidier than it usually did for his new flatmate. First impressions counted for a lot, as his mum had told him twice this week already.

Once the splashes of milk from this morning’s mishap with the cereal had been washed away along with the crumbs from last night’s dinner of peanut butter on toast, he stole a quick glance at the clock on the wall over in the living room area. It wasn’t quite midday, which meant he had a little over an hour until his new roommate was due to arrive. That should mean that he just about had enough time to vacuum the whole flat and take a shower.  Throwing the dishcloth into the little cleaning basket on the window ledge, Michael focused on  screaming the lyrics to ‘Thank you for Venom’ and tried not to focus too much on the anxiety about the rest of the day.

Agreeing to live with someone he’d never met in person probably wasn’t the smartest of ideas. It’s not like Michael had been given much choice, though. His last flatmate had given him less than a week’s notice when she decided to move in with her short-term girlfriend and left Michael with a whole bunch of bills that his meagre paycheck could never stretch far enough to cover. Luckily, his best friend Luke had a work colleague who desperately needed a new place to live since his landlord had slapped him with a very short notice period to move out of his current flat. Luke had offered to give this work friend Michael’s contact details and the following morning, Michael had woken up to a text from a guy called Ashton who was very interested in Michael’s recently vacant spare room. 

After explaining the cost of rent and other bills in a few subsequent texts, Michael had received a very grateful reply from Ashton asking if it would be possible to  move in that weekend. Of course the blonde had agreed, eager to get the awkward first meeting out of the way as soon as possible.

Determined to get his most hated chore done before he could start collecting his thoughts and mentally preparing for the arrival of his new flatmate, Michael grabbed the portable hoover from the charging port on the tiny bit of the kitchen wall that was not taken up by the counters and cabinets. He was just about to press the ‘ON’ button when a knock at the door put an abrupt halt to his plans.

Michael huffed as he made his way over to the front door. The only people that had the security code for the entrance of the building were his parents and Luke, neither of which were due to visit today. That left only someone who had the wrong flat, or one other possible visitor; his neighbour, Calum. They’d hang out sometimes, whenever their days off matched up. Their shared interest in certain obscure and rare computer games and a mutual love of sushi and beer made for hours of fun without the chore of actually having to leave the building. Michael had definitely made sure to let Calum know that he was expecting his new flatmate to arrive today, though, so he was a little confused as to why his neighbour would be dropping by now. 

That feeling only intensified when a glance through the spy hole on his front door revealed that Calum was accompanied by a stranger. He opened the door cautiously, still feeling a little bewildered. 

“Hey, mate.” Calum grinned, waving a handful of unopened letters in greeting. “Just found this guy outside with a bunch of boxes. I knew you were expecting your new flatmate today, so I helped bring his stuff up.” His dark brown eyes surveyed Michael with something like confusion from beneath the rim of his seemingly ever-present black bucket hat. 

Michael could only imagine that his neighbour was mirroring his own befuddled expression because Ashton wasn’t due to arrive for another hour. He forced himself to look over at the stranger, whilst his mind worked over what was happening.

It appeared that Calum was right in assuming this was Ashton. He was indeed carrying a large cardboard box labelled ‘bedroom’ that would definitely suggest he was moving house. There were also a bunch of smaller boxes piled against the wall beside the front door which supported that assumption. 

“Do you guys need any more help?” Calum offered, “I’m free if…”

“Nah, it’s fine.” Michael cut in quickly. “We can take it from here, thanks Cal.” The last thing Michael wanted was more people to see the apartment in its current state. 

“No worries.” Calum smiled, “You know where I am if you change your mind.” He turned his attention to his little fluffy dog who had been patiently waiting for his post-walk nap. “C’mon Duke.” 

Once Calum and his little fluff ball had wandered off across the hall towards their own apartment, Michael turned his attention back to Ashton. Three things struck him about his new flatmate in very quick succession;

Ashton was incredibly hot. His curly black hair hung loosely around his handsome face, framing his chiselled cheekbones and clean shaven, angular jaw beautifully. His hazel eyes were striking from behind the horn-rimmed glasses perched neatly on his perfectly ski-slope shaped nose. 

He looked vaguely familiar. Michael knew that he’d seen Ashton’s face somewhere before but it wouldn’t quite click in his brain. Not that it would be entirely surprising if they’d met before, they did share a close friend after-all. It just seemed a little off that Luke hadn’t reminded Michael of the occasion they'd met at before suggesting they live together.

Despite his silence, Ashton looked somewhat annoyed, possibly bordering on angry. That struck Michael as odd. He had been known to piss people off fairly regularly but seeing as he’d barely even spoken to Ashton, this would be an all time record.

“So you must be Ashton…” Michael smiled, awkwardly tucking a strand of his messy blonde hair behind his ear whilst offering his free hand out for his new flatmate to shake. “I’m Michael, or you can call me Mike if you want. Most of my friends do.” Ashton didn’t accept the offer of a handshake, in fact he made no movement whatsoever. He simply glared at Michael with an increasing level of irritation. “Are you kidding me?” 

Michael knew that he was not the prettiest of people. He dressed casually most of the time and due to Ashton’s early appearance, he’d not yet had a chance to shower and make himself a little more presentable. He didn’t think that he quite deserved such a cutting greeting, though. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting you yet, I was just…”

“You don’t even remember me, do you?!” Ashton interrupted, his tone dripping of resentment now. “Fucking unbelievable!”  Michael couldn’t remember ever feeling more confused in his life. Ashton hadn’t mentioned that  they’d previously met in his text messages so why would he be so angry that Michael hadn’t immediately recognised him now? 

The newcomer’s harsh tone had caught Calum’s attention, causing the neighbour to pause in sorting through his mail and stare unashamedly at the scene unfolding across the hall.

“This could only fucking happen to me…” Ashton huffed, adjusting his grip on the box in his arms. “I get turfed out of my flat because my landlord suddenly decides he wants it for his daughter and just when I think I’ve landed on my feet with a new place, my new fucking flatmate turns out to be a one night stand who doesn’t even remember me! Talk about kicking a guy when he’s down!”

Michael barely registered Calum’s audible gasp as realisation crashed around him. Suddenly the memory of the beautiful man that had swept Michael off his feet at a bar a few months back replayed in his head like a movie he’d seen once but hadn’t been able to remember the title of. He’d only known the guy as Ash and he’d assumed it was short for Ashley. Despite the fact that Ash’s hair had been a sexy shade of crimson, styled in a neat quiff and he hadn’t been wearing glasses, it was definitely the same guy that was standing in front of him right now. 

“Ash…” the word escaped Michael almost of it’s own volition. “But I thought that was short for… oh my god, this can’t be happening.” He cupped his own face in his hands as the reality of the awkward situation began to settle into the very fibre of his being.

“Wow, you can’t make this shit up.” Calum gasped, an almost delighted smile on his face. “What’re you guys gonna do?” 

Despite Calum’s annoying rubbernecking, it gave Michael the perfect excuse to look away from Ashton for a second. “Well I’m gonna throw something at you, if you don’t get lost right now, Calum.” He hissed. 

“He’s not the one coming across like a shithead right now.” Ashton scoffed, setting the box in his arms onto the floor. “Being a nosey neighbour still makes you a hell of a better person than the guy that flatters their way into your bed and gives you amazing sex but then gives you a fake number!”

“That’s right.” Calum agreed. “People that do that are the worst. At least have the balls to tell the other person you’re not looking for anything long term before you disappear the next day.”

“Calum, I swear to god…” Michael hissed. 

Ashton shook his head angrily. “He’s right, if you never wanted to see me again, you could have just said. I wouldn’t have wasted some of my best moves on you.” 

“Oh, what were the moves?” Calum smirked, prying his way further into the conversation. 

His neighbour’s blatant disregard for the seriousness of the situation was annoying to say the least. It was also the last thing Michael needed to deal with right now. “Piss off, Calum!”, he snapped. 

Duke yapped disapprovingly at Michael, his tiny eyes focused on the blonde man as his human’s smirk grew even further across his face.

“Oh, you can shut up as well!” Michael snapped at the tiny pooch. “Now you’re yelling at a dog.” Ashton rolled his eyes. “Maybe it’s a good thing you blew me off, looks like I had a lucky escape from dating an arsehole!”  Michael really couldn’t envisage the situation getting any worse. At this rate he was going to be searching for another roommate instead of enjoying a pleasant lunch with this one, like he’d hoped. 

“I didn’t give you a fake number!” Michael protested. “I swear, I’m not like that, and I really liked you! I broke my phone, the same weekend we...met.” He felt his cheeks begin to colour, trying his hardest to ignore Calum’s snort as he focused on Ashton’s disbelieving face.

“It took me two weeks to sort out a new one, I had a little pay as you go in between, I had a different number, and I-you did call, then?” Michael paused his blurted explanations to blurt out a question, instead. He had been wondering every time it was late and he was alone for 6 months whether or not he’d missed a call from the best one night stand of his life. 

“Of course I did!” Ashton threw his hands up in exasperation, startling Duke and sending him scuttling back into the still-open doorway of the opposite flat. “I thought we had a connection, we said we wanted to see each other again; that doesn’t happen that often for me! Maybe it does for you…”

“Oh, it definitely doesn’t.” Calum smirked. “The only man who comes to see Michael regularly is the Domino’s delivery guy.” 

Before Michael could blow up at him, Calum backed up properly into his flat, resting his hand on his front door. “It’s a shame, actually,” he continued, smiling encouragingly at his neighbour. “Michael is really a great guy. He always has time for me and Duke; whether it’s for beers, a listening ear, or belly rubs.” 

He throws a wink to Ashton as he shuts his front door with a click. “I’ll leave you to figure out which one is for me. Welcome to the building!” 

Michael knows he needs to gain control of the slightly-stunned silence left in Calum’s wake, fast. He needs to say something apologetic, or charming, or cool. “Do you like fish fingers?” Or that. 

Ashton blinked a few times in quick succession, and Michael wanted to throw himself down the stairs. 

“Do I like fish fingers?” Ashton repeated, pushing his long black hair back with both hands.

Michael flushed again, at least thankful for the fact that he no longer had an audience for the most embarrassing encounter of his life. “It’s just, I thought we could have lunch, and talk, and I’m not really much of a cook, but I have fish fingers, right, and everyone likes fish finger sandwiches...don’t they…” He trailed off, hoping Luke perhaps had another co-worker who needed immediate accommodation. 

Ashton fixed him with the most intense stare he’d ever received in a conversation about freezer food, and Michael tried to match his unrelenting gaze in a way that would make him look less like he wanted to cry. Ashton’s eyes really were beautiful, seeming almost magnified by his glasses. He looked thoughtful and sad now, rather than judgmental and angry, and Michael would take that.

“I do.” Ashton decided on, after what felt like an eternity. He stooped down to pick up his box again, muscles tensing, and Michael’s mind began to wander. 

He remembered Ashton’s arms looking just like that as he lifted him up for the last few feet of the journey to the redhead-at-the-time’s bed. Michael could almost feel his fingers digging into the bare skin of his thighs all over again. The memories of slow, wet, considered neck kisses being broken with teeth, and the delicious burn that started low and spread like wildfire as Ashton stretched him out like he was born to do it.

“Michael? After you?”  Michael snapped out of his daze, dragging his eyes away from Ashton’s lips where they had landed at some point in his reminiscing. He stepped back so Ashton could enter the flat and set the box down by the sofa. “Yeah, great, come in, make yourself at home, I’ll get the rest of your boxes!”   As soon as he was outside in the corridor, Michael let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. ‘Okay, Clifford - you need to snap out of it. Relax and smooth things over so you two can live together.’ He told himself, as sternly as he could manage. ‘We need a roommate more than we need to get laid.’

��That’s debatable.’ Another voice - which sounded more like Calum than himself - chimed in before Michael shook it off and picked up the stack of cardboard boxes cluttering up the corridor.

‘Okay, you can do this. Damage control. Just be normal. Go in and face this head on. You can do this.’ Michael murmured, running his tongue over his bitten lips as he took his first steps back to where Ashton was waiting.

He hip-checked the front door closed as he re-entered the flat, placing the boxes next to one Ashton had carried in, before straightening up to see Ashton sat on the sofa, looking both nervous and delicious. 

“I…” Michael faltered under Ashton’s almost shy gaze, then caught sight of a slice of Ashton’s firm, hairy stomach from where his t-shirt was riding up slightly.

“I just need to go to the bathroom. Then we can...talk, and eat. Okay?” Michael forced what he hoped was a casual, winning smile, and then scuttled across to the bathroom the moment Ashton made a noise of agreement and nodded his head.

Michael clicked the lock shut and put the toilet lid down as he pulled his phone from the pocket of his sweatpants. He began tapping away with urgency as he took a seat on the toilet, pulling up his message thread with his best friend.

SOS!!!! 🚨

Luke!!!!

Where are you

LUKE FUCK HELP ME YOU DICK

With each message he sent, Michael could feel his panic beginning to swell back up in his chest. Finally, three dots began moving across the message to indicate Luke was writing. Help was on the way.

🥺🥺🥺 What’s up

Michael felt what he knew was an unjustified rage at Luke and his fucking emojis as he furiously typed a reply.

Oh nothing, I just had sex with my new roomate!!!

Michael jumped when his phone immediately started vibrating relentlessly, sliding his finger across the screen and holding it gingerly to his ear. 

“Hello?” He whispered into the receiver. 

“WHAT!!! What do you mean you’ve slept with him?! Ashton was due there at 12, and it’s now...12 minutes past 12! That’s INSANE, even for you! I cannot believe-”

“Luke!” Michael hissed through clenched teeth, turning on the cold tap on the sink before he spoke again. “Not today, idiot! Remember, months ago, when I broke my phone? That weekend, I hooked up with that guy I met at The Alchemist? Red hair, big arms, amazing mouth-”

“Yes, I remember! What’s that got to do with it?” Luke cut in. 

“It was Ashton. I only knew him as Ash, remember? And obviously I never saw him again because I had no way to contact him after I broke my phone. But it’s him, Luke - he’s in my living room! In OUR living room! What am I gonna do?! I am freaking out!”

“Oh my God! You’ve really outdone yourself this time, Mike! You’ve had your new roommates dick in your mouth before he even moved in! Classic you.”

Michael could practically hear Luke’s eyeroll. “This is not classic me! Dick! Help me, Luke!”

“What do you want me to do, I can’t unfuck him for you!” Luke shot back. Michael let out an involuntary whimper and slumped further down on the toilet. He was so screwed.  

***

Michael emerged from the bathroom, Luke’s advice ringing in his ears as he approached Ashton on the sofa.  ‘He’s a really nice guy, Mike; just talk to him. Explain what happened after you hooked up, and say you hope you can put it behind you and be friends. I think he’ll be cool, honestly. Just try not to trip and land on his dick and you should be golden.’ 

He took one last deep breath as he sat down on the black leather beside his one-time lover.

“So, Ashton...I...listen, I’m sorry that I broke my phone and made you think I’d ghosted you. I’m just an idiot that dropped his phone outside Sainsbury’s. And I’m really sorry I didn’t recognise you straight away, I was just expecting someone I hadn’t, and your hair, and glasses, and-” Michael could feel himself starting to babble but he couldn’t stop himself; he was so desperate for Ashton to like him. He was trying not to think about why it was this important to him. 

Ashton held his hand up to stop him with a small smile. “Michael, it’s okay.”  

Michael stopped short in his unravelling with a look of surprise. “It is?”

Ashton’s smile grew wider. “Yeah. I was just a bit blindsided, and I was hurt at the time back then, you know? But you explained, you apologised, and you seem like a nice guy. Luke sure can’t talk you up enough, and I trust him. I have no reason not to believe this is gonna be all good.” 

Michael blinked, unsure if this was too good to be true. “Yeah? So...we’re good? You’re gonna...stay?”

Ashton relaxed back into his seat, toeing his shoes off and under the coffee table. “If that’s okay with you, yeah. We’re both grown ups; we can keep it platonic and put the past behind us, right? Friends?”

Michael nodded, trying to hide the gulp in his throat. “Yeah, of course. Right. Great. Friends.” He could definitely do this.

***

He could definitely not do this. 

It’d been a long one month, two weeks and three days of trying to convince himself that he didn’t want to be anything more than Ashton’s friend and roommate. 

Some days, Michael thought it was possible to put those lingering feelings away and focus on their blossoming platonic relationship. After all, Ashton was everything most people could ever want in a flatmate. He was tidy, considerate, fairly quiet and respectful of personal boundaries. The slightly older man was also great company. Michael has had many pleasant conversations with him over breakfast and in the evenings before they went to bed. 

As lovely as all of that was, Michael had started questioning if it was worth the growing ache in chest for more. Each new thing he learnt about Ashton made him more sure that he was probably the closest thing to the perfect man that Michael would ever know. It was a cruel twist of fate that had meant his one opportunity to have Ashton for himself had slipped through his fingers, quite literally. He cursed himself on a daily basis for that one clumsy moment when he’d fumbled pulling his old phone from his too-tight jeans outside the supermarket and had been forced to watch his only chance with Ashton sink into a muddy puddle. 

Whatever higher powers existed had been even less kind to have that strong, gorgeous, well-hung man turn up on Michael’s doorstep months later, as his only hope of being able to keep the flat he’d grown to love. 

Every day since then, seemed to have presented a new challenge or torture. First it was the tight t-shirts and vests Ashton wore more often than not. They accentuated every muscle of the raven-haired man’s torso and displayed his strong biceps in all their glory. 

Then came the sleepy morning routine they’d subconsciously fallen into. Ashton would emerge from his room in nothing but his loose grey sweats and crooked glasses, his hair ruffled and his eyes heavily lidded, before joining Michael for a hasty breakfast which usually consisted of cereal or toast and mug of strong coffee. It was during these sluggish mornings when they’d started to bond over their mutual love of crime dramas and fantasy movies, among other things. That had naturally led to evening-long Criminal Minds marathons whole weekends debating whether the Lord of the Rings movies or the Harry Potter movies were the better adaptations of their original books. Those playful arguments had spilled over into text messages now, so Michael couldn’t even escape his torturous living situation when he went to work. 

Despite all of that hardship, the most latest and arguably the toughest challenge Michael found himself facing, was Ashton’s morning yoga. At first, the older man had kept that part of his morning routine confined to his bedroom. For some reason or another, over the last week or so, Ashton had decided that the living area was a more suitable location for this activity. 

If Michael thought that sleepy, shirtless morning Ashton was hot, then sleepy, shirtless morning Ashton doing the ‘downward dog’ was positively off the fucking scale. The way his large hands pressed into the yoga mat and the way his strong arms and legs tensed as he straightened his back and pushed his arse up into the air lingered in Michael’s mind all day. These images often flickered through his mind at night too, when he was alone in his bed with nothing but his hand for company. 

Deciding that a little get together with some friends would help dispel some of the tension, Michael floats the idea of asking Calum and Luke over for a ‘lads night’. Ashton had agreed easily, being a generally social person, he’d seemed enthusiastic about the possibility of hosting a mini party. 

A group message is created and it doesn’t take long to settle on the following Friday night for beer, snacks and a FIFA tournament. 

Ashton seemed to have been looking forward to it, often mentioning how excited he was to get to know Calum better and asking Michael to help him decide between certain snacks to purchase for the occasion. 

All in all, Michael was proud of himself for the idea, focusing on hosting a couple of friends had certainly given both him and Ashton something new to focus on. 

It was only when Friday arrived that Michael started to doubt his plan. Watching Ashton arrange plates of snacks on the kitchen counter, with the cutest concentration face he’d ever seen, started to make Michael wish they were spending the evening alone instead. He quickly pushes the thought of his head, berating himself for thinking something so stupid. It’s not like anything could happen between them even if they were alone, they were roommates now, that’s where their relationship ends. 

“So....” Ashton broke the silence enveloping the flat as he finished pouring a bag of cheesy Doritos into a bowl. “Did you finally solve the mystery of who was stealing people’s shit from your fridge at work?” 

Michael was caught off guard by the question. He’d been watching Ashton so intently that he momentarily forgot about everything else. It took him a moment to remember that he’d been keeping Ashton up to date with the ongoing lunch burglar drama at the DIY store he worked at. “Oh, umm no, not yet! But Brenda finally told Linda to stick her fake friendship where the sun doesn’t shine.” 

A genuinely delighted smile burst into Ashton’s face as he headed into the living room area. “Good for her! Linda sounds like a bitch…” 

It really meant a lot to Michael that Ashton took such an interest in his work life. The fact that he cared so much about people he didn’t know, but was aware they meant a lot to Michael, was also heartwarming. 

Before Michael could go into more detail about the break time drama, a knock at the front door interrupted him. “Oh yay! Our first guest!” Ashton beamed, jogging off towards the front door to greet Calum.

***

As soon as the beer and wine had started flowing, Michael’s ever-present pining for Ashton dulled to an almost non existent haze at the edges of his mind. Sure, his knees felt weak every time Ashton flashes him that dopey smile of his and he might have blushed whenever their knees touched as they competed against each other in a thrilling game of virtual soccer. 

That was all better than his usual all-consuming lust, so Michael was somewhat proud of himself. He even managed to surprise the urge to let Ashton win their game, and was almost smug when his player sent the football flying past Ashton’s keeper to secure a 2-1 win. 

“Motherfucker!” Ashton grumbled, throwing his control pad into the sofa as he fixed Michael with look that was almost definitely the hottest gaze he’d ever been caught under. “I’m gonna get you for that, Clifford.” It sounded like a promise that held more weight than the simple challenge to a rematch it was probably meant to be. 

Michael had to fight back a whimper, staring into Ashton’s beautiful hazel eyes this closely was too much. The intensity of it all rendered him momentarily speechless and he was all-too glad when Ashton got to his feet and headed for the kitchen. 

“I need to drown my sorrows.” The black-haired man laughed, breaking the tension that had descended on them before heading off to the kitchen. Ignoring the knowing looks from his two friends, Michael picked up Ashton’s discarded controller and tossed it to Luke. “Your turn to face me, Hemmings. Let’s see if I can beat my all time record of beating you 6-1” 

“Fuck off! You have never beat me that badly.” Luke huffed, picking up the control pad that had just landed in his lap. “I’m gonna enjoy kicking your ass in front of your new boy-“

“Shit, we’re out of beers already!” Ashton’s interruption came at exactly the right moment in Michael’s opinion. He really hadn’t wanted Luke to finish that sentence and now he wouldn’t get the chance. 

“I’ll go to the shop for some more, does anyone have specific requests?” The eldest friend asked as he traipsed back into the living room area. 

“Oh you don’t have to go!” Michael shrugged, “you should stay here, we’ll send Luke instead, he sucks at this game anyway.” 

Luke scoffed, waving his hand defensively. “You’re not getting out of playing me that easily!” 

Ashton laughed, his eyes sparkling as he checked that his wallet was still in his jeans pocket. “It’s fine. I’m already out of the competition and I wouldn’t want to give anyone else an unfair advantage.” 

Maybe it was just the effects of the beers he’d already drank, but Michael could have sworn that Ashton’s gaze lingered on him a little longer than it probably should have. “You’re too nice.” The blonde beamed fondly, “I’ll transfer you my half of the money in the morning, unless you wanna take a tenner from my room?” 

“Oh is that an open invitation?” Calum asked, a lazy smile curling the corners of his lips. “You owe me at least that from when we bet on whether or not Luke could drink that tzatziki sauce last time.” 

“Fuck off, Calum! I don’t owe you a penny, I won that bet, Luke’s a fucking wuss…” 

“Hey! I am not!” Luke interrupted incredulously. 

“Okay, I need to hear that whole story when I get back!” Ashton giggled. “I’ll just grab a case of whatever beer is the cheapest though, yeah.” 

There was a general murder of agreement before Ashton headed out of the front door. Michael fond him watching until Ashton had disappeared into the hallway, swinging the front door closed behind him. “He’s so nice…” The blonde sighed dreamily, still gazing at the closed front door. “Don’t you think he’s just the best?” 

Calum and Luke exchanged a ‘is he for real’ glance before silently agreeing that this was the perfect opportunity to tease Michael about his blatant love for Ashton. 

“Yeah, he’s pretty special.” Calum agreed, smirking slyly. “You really can’t sing his praises highly enough, can you?” 

Shaking his head, Michael finally returned his attention to the TV. “You really can’t, he’s just so kind and sweet.” 

Calum nodded in agreement. “Not bad to look at either!” 

“Right?!” Michael giggled, oblivious to the fact that his tipsiness was making his lips too loose.  

“Hey Mike.” Luke cut in, reaching over to nudge his friend’s shoulder. “How’s being in love with your flatmate working out for you?” His conversational tone was entirely at odds with mischief in his eyes. It confused Michael but the youngest friend’s words were altogether too bold, a blatant overstep if ever there was one. 

Despite his inner rage at being called out like this, Michael fumbled, unable to cobble together an appropriate response. “Ugh, I don’t even… You’re so far-“ 

“There’s no point denying it anymore.” Calum chuckled, “I can feel the sexual tension between you two from across the hall!” 

“God, I bet it’s like watching a car crash, isn’t it?” Luke asked, picking up the bowl of M&M’s on the coffee table. “It’s horrific but you can’t tear your eyes away? Am I right?” 

Calum nodded. “It’s like watching a bad fucking soap opera.” 

Michael felt offended and embarrassed but still no words seemed to form coherently in his mouth. 

“At least it’s a bit less tragic now we can be sure it’s not entirely one sided!” Luke stage whispered with a calculating look on his face as he met Calum’s gaze.

“Yeah, it’s mildly less irritating!” Calum laughed. 

“Wait, what do you mean?” Michael sputtered. “Ash and I agreed that our one night stand is ancient history, we’re not-“ 

“Oh puh-lease!” Calum scoffed. “If you two haven’t fucked again by the end of this month I’ll eat my bucket hat.”

***

Ashton had returned with a case of twenty four bottles of beer and as a result, lad’s night had ended up running into the early hours of Saturday morning. 

Having drank his way through more than his fair share of that case, Michael didn’t end up rising from his pit until noon had long since been and gone. 

“Ah you are still alive!” Ashton chuckled, tearing his attention away from the TV to look at his flatmate. 

This was definitely not fucking fair. Michael didn’t need to look in a mirror to know that he looked exactly as he felt - rough as all hell. Ashton on the other hand, still looked as dreamy as ever. His black curls, although slightly ruffled and fluffy, were still on the stylish side of messy and he’d somehow found the motivation to get dressed, too, something Michael wasn’t even contemplating.

 “I’m glad you’re up now, though, I wondered if you had anything planned for dinner?” Ashton asked, peering at Michael from behind his horn-rimmed glasses. 

The thought of food made Michael’s stomach lurch unpleasantly and he had to fight to hold back a wretch. 

Ashton gives a sympathetic giggle before pausing his show and rising to his feet. “I’ll take that as a no. Don’t worry, buddy. I have a plan but first…” he jogged over to the kitchen and flicked on the kettle. “Why don't you go and take a shower while I make you a tea? You’ll feel better after that and then we will talk dinner!” 

As Michael plods over to the bathroom, he shoots one last look over at Ashton, busily preparing mugs on the countertop and tries his absolute hardest to remember a time that he wasn’t in love with his flatmate.

***

As always, Ashton was proven to be 100% correct. 

Michael felt a million times better once he was showered and snuggled on the sofa with a mug of steaming tea. 

“You look a little more alive now.” Ashton smirked, sparing Michael a sideways glance before returning his attention to ‘Law and Order’. “Do you think you can handle talking about dinner yet?” 

The ache in Michael’s stomach felt a lot more like hunger than it had done when he first woke up and the thought of food didn’t make him feel like throwing up anymore so he nodded. “What’re your plans, chef?” 

Ashton’s cheeks turned a rosy pink as he shrugged. “I couldn’t bear to see you try to cobble together another freezer meal so I thought you might like me to teach you a simple pasta dish?” He suggested, his tone a little shy like he was worried what Michael’s reaction would be. “I’ll do most of the work, but I thought if you helped out, you’ll learn how to make something other than Super Noodles.” 

Michael couldn’t even be mad at the subtle dig at his cooking skills. He was terrible in the kitchen and it was just a little embarrassing that Ashton had noticed just how dyer his cooking skills were. “When you say simple, do you mean like a recipe and technique you can write on the back of a postage stamp because that’s about the level of my skill.” 

Rolling his eyes, Ashton casually threw his arm around Michael’s shoulders. “Don't be so hard in yourself, buddy! I once taught Luke how to make scrambled eggs on the stove so he didn’t have to be a savage and use the microwave anymore, so there’s definitely hole for you, I promise.” 

Michael tried to focus on the hat Ashton was saying but all that his slow, hungover brain could process was that he was pressed against his stupidly gorgeous flat mate’s side. The heady smell of Ashton’s minty body wash and the soft scent of his fabric conditioner felt intoxicating and Michael could do nothing besides allow his head to drop into Ashton’s shoulder. 

To the blonde’s surprise, Ashton shuffle away or call him out on it. He simply rests his own head on Michael’s and laughs. “We’ll make a chef of you yet, Clifford.” He promised.

***

They spent a good three hours, watching reruns of C.S.I and making plans to start a Marvel movie marathon after dinner. They sat close to each other the whole time and Michael noticed Ashton watching him from the corner of his eye on at least three separate occasions. 

By the time Ashton suggested they start making dinner, Michael had gone over his conversation with Calum and Luke the previous night, about sixty times. His two best friends had convinced him that Ashton wanted Michael just as much as Michael wanted Ashton. 

“The way he looks at you, dude.” Calum laughed. “He’s practically imagining you naked at any given moment. It’s getting uncomfortable.” 

“Don’t be stupid!” Michael reprimanded. “He doesn’t think of me like that anymore. We had a one night thing months ago. That’s it. Nothing else will ever happen between us again, we’re just flatmates.” 

Calum and Luke exchanged a sceptical glance before bursting into laughter. 

“Yeah right!” Luke huffed sarcastically. “Do you know how many times I hear your name come out of his mouth at work these days?” 

Michael’s cheeks reddened. He had no idea that Ashton talked about him at work. It felt kind of surreal to imagine his roommate relaying snippets of their home life to Luke. 

“Let me guess!” Calum interrupted. “About a thousand…” 

Nodding, Luke drained the last of his beer. “Yeah and that’s just before lunch!”

“Honestly, if they don’t bang soon I’m gonna knock their heads together.” Calum sighed. “Did you know Michael comes over to my place most mornings so he doesn’t have to watch Ashton do topless yoga?” He asked Luke disbelievingly. “I want my lie-in’s back!” 

At the time, Michael hadn’t believed his friends. He didn’t think that there was even a remote possibility that Ashton still carried a torch for him. But in the clear light of day, Michael couldn’t deny that all the signs were there… perhaps there could be more between them after all. 

He followed Ashton into the kitchen, rolling up the sleeves of his grey oversized sweater, trying to clear his mind enough to be able to process learning a new skill. 

“Okay, this is like the simplest recipe I know but it’s delicious and tastes so much better than the freezer junk you usually make for yourself.” Ashton rambles as he grabs a saucepan and a frying pan from the shelf near the cooker.  

“Hey, freezer junk has been my lifeline on many occasions, I’d probably be dead without it.” Michael scoffed, only half joking. 

Ashton rolled his eyes fondly, handing Michael the saucepan. “Fill this with water for me and then put it on the back hob, while it’s boiling I’ll teach you how to make the sauce.” 

As Michael carried out his instructions, he couldn’t help but admire the concentration on Ashton’s face when he began rifling through the fridge and cupboard, pulling out various ingredients. 

Once the pan of water was safely on the job Ashton had indicated, Michael returned his full attention to the slightly older man.

“Right, the first thing we do for the sauce is put 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into this cold pan.” Ashton explained, pushing his glasses up his nose a little, reminding Michael of a hot English teacher or something… fuck, it was already difficult enough for Michael to concentrate without random fantasies about Ashton fucking him over a desk running through his mind. “Usually I’d never add oil to a cold pan, but for this particular recipe, it works because if the pan was already hot, the first ingredients would burn before the rest was in there.” 

There was something about the way Ashton talked with such passion and confidence that made Michael wish he was confident enough to just drag him to the bedroom, his need for more from Ashton becoming unbearable. He forced himself to nod, pretending like he understood when really, Ashton could be telling him absolutely anything right now, and Michael would not know the difference because all he can think about is the way Ashton had groaned at the feeling of Michael’s nails running down his back and how he’d growled Michael’s name as he neared his climax. 

“Can you pass me the basil?” Ashton asked, pulling Michael out of his memory. 

The blonde surveyed the ingredients on the countertop. Luckily he recognised most of them, so he picked up the basil by process of elimination and handed it to Ashton like a dutiful sous chef. 

Ashton looked mildly impressed as he took the bag of basil and took out handful. “We want about ten or so decent sized leaves and we tear them in half before adding them to the oil, okay?” He waited for Michael’s nod of understanding before tearing the leaves in his hand and dropping them into the pan. 

“Then we need to chop 6-8 cloves of garlic directly into the pan.” Michael looked back at the little stack of ingredients and frowned, noticing an instant problem. “We only have one clove of garlic…” he pointed out, biting his bottom lip worriedly. 

Ashton burst out laughing as he picked the garlic up from the counter. “This is a whole bulb, babe…” he explained, apparently not even noticing his use of the supposedly accidental pet name. 

It was difficult for Michael to feel too offended by Ashton’s laughter when he’d just called him babe, though, so he let it go, focusing on the term of endearment, no matter how accidental it might have been, rather than the humour at his dumb mistake. 

“It’s the smaller, wedge shaped pieces that are cloves, please don’t mix that up if you make this without my help.” Ashton chuckled, breaking six cloves from the bulb and picking up a tiny knife he’d laid out next to the oven. 

“Don’t laugh at me!” Michael pouted. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have no idea what I’m doing. I almost never do.” 

Ashton gave him a fond smile. “You’re not alone in that, I promise…” 

It was hard not to feel comforted by Ashton’s lopsided smile, so most of his embarrassment slipped away fairly quickly. 

“I just chop off the little hard parts at the bottom of each clove and peel the skin off before chopping it directly into the pan. Don’t chop it on a board or you’ll lose some of the flavour.” Ashton explained carefully. 

Michael watched with interest as Ashton demonstrated his technique with the first two cloves. He handed the third to Michael along with the knife and gestures for him to add it to the pan. 

It took him probably three times longer to chop that one clove into the pan, than it took Ashton to do the first two, but he was encouraging and patient. The older man praised Michael for completing the tiny task, seeming genuinely impressed.

Once all six cloves of garlic had been added to the pan, Ashton turned on the hob into a medium heat. “Okay, so we stir this together for about five minutes. Can you do that while I open the tin of tomatoes?” 

Michael nodded, picking up the wooden spoon from the counter and storing the simmering ingredients together. It already kinda smelt like his favourite Italian restaurant and his tummy grumbled impatiently. 

“One thing I should specify is, you need to use tins of whole tomatoes, not chopped.” Ashton explained as he poured the first tin of tomatoes into the sizzling pan. “Can you pour in the second one?” 

Michael did as he was told and watched as Ashton squished the whole tomatoes down and stored them into the red eat of the ingredients. 

“Mmm it smells so good.” Michael sighed, breathing in the delicious smells. 

Ashton looked proud of himself as he offered a smile. “Can you take over the stirring while I add the salt?” 

Michael took the spoon from Ashton, ensuring that their fingers brushed. 

There was a moment of eye contact and a silent shifting of tension between the two of them. If ever there was a time to bite the bullet and kiss Ashton, now would be it. His nerves failed him though and he dropped his gaze to the simmering pan. 

Instead of moving around Michael to pick up the salt as he’d done for the tomatoes, Ashton simply reached past the blonde, pushing him against the counter momentarily before he pulled back to add the salt to the pan. 

If Michael had been fully alert, he’d have recognised that for the flirtatious move it was meant to be, as it was, he put it down to a simple lack of judgement on Ashton’s part and continued to concentrate on stirring the sauce.

***

The tomato pasta tasted as good as it had smelt. It turned out to be exactly what Michael’s hungover body had needed. 

He and Ashton had eaten it at their little table in the kitchen. Conversation had flowed freely as always, skirting around flirtatious at times but never quite enough for Michael to pluck up the courage to take things further. 

“The only thing that would have made that better would have been a nice glass of white wine, but I thought you were still a bit too delicate for that.” Ashton giggled as he picked up the empty plates from the table and carried them over to the kitchen sink. 

“Hey, you drank as much as I did!” Michael pouted, picking up the empty glasses and following Ashton to the sink. “How’re you not hungover.” 

Ashton chuckled as he ran the water into the washing up bowl. “You’re just a lightweight, Mikey.” 

It wasn’t the first time Michael had been called that so it didn’t take him by surprise. He laughed it off as he grabbed a tea cloth ready to dry the dishes that Ashton washed. “One day you’ll stop teasing me, Irwin.” 

Ashton shook his head. “Don’t count on it, babe… you’re too easy to make fun of, that’s not my fault.” 

There it was again, that little slip, a fond nickname that roommates probably shouldn’t have for one another. 

Quickly pulling himself together, Michael nudged his flatmate in the arm, just hard enough to pull a surprised “oof” from him. 

“Careful now.” Ashton warned jokingly. “You don’t want to start a scuffle you can’t finish, Clifford.” 

Michael threw caution to the wind and nudged Ashton again, deliberately keeping his gaze on the plate he was drying. 

“That’s it!” Ashton huffed, scooping up a handful of bubbles and swiping them across Michael’s face. 

The blonde spluttered and shook his damp fringe out of his face before fixing Ashton with a glare. A few acts of retaliation flashed through his mind. He could have whipped Ashton with the tea cloth or splashed him with dishwater but none of that happened. 

There was something about the way Ashton’s eyes were sparkling, almost like he was daring Michael to do the thing he’d been too scared to do this whole time. He refused to let another opportunity pass like before when they were making the pasta sauce. Michael tried not to overthink as he stepped forward and cupped Ashton’s face with one hand before leaning in and kissing him. 

The raven-haired man’s lips felt every bit as soft as they had done on that night seven months ago. Ashton didn’t kiss back with the same hunger and desperation that he had done back then, though. 

Michael stepped back, feeling his cheeks heat up in an embarrassed blush. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, Ash…” 

Ashton bit his bottom lip between his teeth as he stared at Michael intently. “No…” He said, finally breaking his silence. “You just shouldn’t have waited so long.” 

The older man’s words had barely penetrated Michael’s brain before he was being  pressed against the counter behind him. Ashton’s lips were on his again but this time they were working just like they had been that night at Ashton’s old place. 

The intense kiss pulled a whine from Michael and he automatically wrapped his arms around the older man’s neck. 

It started as a fairly simple kiss but it quickly began to build momentum. It was the crack in the dam holding back all of their emotions for all this time. 

“Ashton…” Michael gasped as they pulled apart for air. “I know we said we should just be friends but…” 

“Fuck being just friends.” Ashton mumbled as he worked kisses down Michael's neck. “I can’t pretend anymore.” 

Those words were all Michael needed to hear in order to relax into this. “I can’t tell you how bad I’ve wanted this.” He whispered. 

Ashton slipped one of his thighs between Michael’s as he nipped at the blonde’s neck. “I think I have some idea.” He groaned. “I never stopped thinking of the way you moaned my name that night, Michael.” The older man confessed, pulling back just enough to look Michael in the eye. “Wanted it again since the moment I walked in here.” 

The way Ashton was looking at him like he wanted to devour every inch of Michael, had the blonde melting. “Me too.” He crashed his lips against Ashton’s in another desperate kiss as he subconsciously rutted against the older man’s thigh. After the months Michael had spent feeling kind of lonely and touch-starved, the tiny amount of friction was enough to have him whimpering against Ashton’s lips. 

“Uh, you sound and taste even better than I remember.” Ashton muttered, pressing his thigh harder against Michael’s crotch to pull another little gasp from him. 

“Ashton! Fuck, please, I…” Michael’s head tipped back as he lost his fight to regain any sort of control over his own body. He was in Ashton’s control now, and Ashton knew it.  

“Come on…” Ashton coaxed, stepping back from Michael as he took both of his hands in his to pull him away from the kitchen counter. Michael whined high in his throat as he easily followed where Ashton led. 

Michael had hardly been into Ashton’s bedroom since he had helped him move some furniture the day he moved in; it had almost felt too intimate to go into Ashton’s personal space given the history between them. Seeing it now, cozy and dark with slithers of light coming through the window from the lamp posts outside, gave Michael a chill; it felt like Ashton was sharing a secret with him.

He followed Ashton’s lead dutifully all the way to the bed, accepting the deep kiss Ashton offered him as a reward, before the older man peeled his oversized sweater from his torso, breaking away to pull it over Michael’s head. Michael wanted more contact, but was disappointed when Ashton gently but decisively laid him down among the crisp sheets, instead. 

Ashton pulled his own t-shirt over his head in one fluid motion and flicked the lamp on his bedside table on, bathing the bed in a warm glow that made Michael feel like he was in a dream. 

Michael gazed in wonder at Ashton as he climbed into bed beside him, letting his eyes travel all over his arms and chest, taking in the extra tone and definition in his body since the last time he’d been able to stare at him like this; clearly, the yoga was doing more than just allowing Ashton to ‘find his centre’. 

He didn’t think he was anything special to look at, but he could see Ashton mirroring his own actions, eyes full of lust searching all over the parts of Michael’s body he could see, and even his gaze lingering on a part he couldn’t.

 “Ash,” Michael breathed out, surprising himself with how far gone he sounded already. “Take ‘em off, I wanna…” He trailed off as Ashton’s eyes snapped up to meet his own, holding eye contact for only a moment before he nodded almost imperceptibly, shuffling down the bed and taking hold of the waistband of Michael’s sweatpants. He returned his gaze to the pale man before him, biting his own lip as he allowed his fingertips to graze the skin of Michael’s hips. “These too?” Ashton questioned in a low voice as he brushed the fabric of Michael’s underwear.    

“Oh God, yeah”, Michael answered, squirming slightly from the infuriatingly gentle feel of Ashton’s touch. Ashton didn’t need to be told twice. Michael shivered with the feeling of being suddenly completely exposed as his sweatpants and underwear hit the carpet. Michael looked up at Ashton through his lashes, braced up on his knees in his black, ripped jeans. “You’d better be planning on losing those in the next second, Irwin.”

Ashton smirked as he undid his jeans. “And I mean your underwear, too!” Michael amended hastily, hungry to see if his memory of Ashton’s body was accurate. 

The dark-haired man’s smirk grew wider at Michael’s clarification, pulling his zip down and allowing his jeans to fall open, exposing only bare skin beneath. “Underwear?” 

Michael’s jaw dropped a little, prompting a deliciously filthy laugh from his roommate. “For the record, roomie - I don’t wear underwear.” Ashton winked as he yanked his jeans down as far as he could in his current position, before wriggling around to pull them off completely. Michael was pleased to see that, if anything, his memory had been selling Ashton short. Blame it on the alcohol. 

Michael didn’t know how to decide on what to do first; on one hand, he wanted to kiss Ashton non-stop for the rest of eternity, but on the other hand, if he didn’t get filled up in the next 10 minutes, he was definitely going to throw a tantrum. Luckily, he realised, it probably wasn’t up to him. All of his experience with Ashton so far told him that the older man would definitely be taking the lead, and this was definitely not a problem for Michael. Indeed, it had worked out very well for him last time, when his staff night out started at the bar and ended with Ashton eating him out like his life depended on it. 

“What are you thinking?” Ashton’s sultry voice broke through his thoughts, apparently wanting a coherent answer despite the fact that he had just begun to run his fingers up and down Michael’s sensitive, pale inner thighs. Michael let out a shuddery breath as he tried to use his words to tell Ashton he wanted anything and everything possible between them, right there and then. Perhaps the way his cock twitched when Ashton let one his nails run over a faded stretch mark right at the base of one of his thighs would speak for itself. 

“Maybe we should get right to, huh, gorgeous?” Ashton teased, withdrawing his touches to lean towards his bedside table. He pulled open the top drawer, fumbling only for a moment until he found what he was looking for. The lube and condom were dropped carelessly onto the mattress as he shut the drawer again, returning his attention to the man almost-beneath him immediately. “We’ve got plenty of time for all the other goods stuff; right now, I need to fuck you, and I know you need me to fuck you...don’t you?”

Michael wondered at what point in his life he had begun to communicate exclusively in whines, but Ashton seemed to be into it, so it didn’t matter. Michael watched impatiently as Ashton popped the top on the half-empty bottle of lube, wasting no time in squirting a generous amount onto two fingers on his right hand and pulling Michael’s leg fully around his hip with his left.

Michael’s heart jumped as much as his cock when Ashton breathed gently on the lube coating his fingers in an attempt to warm it slightly before he brought them straight down to Michael’s bare hole, rubbing over it in a firm circle.

Michael was glad he didn’t have the problem of not wanting his roommate to hear him getting fucked, anymore, as he let out his loudest, neediest whine yet. Ashton proved he had meant what he said about not taking their time with their second tryst, sinking his index finger inside Michael in one fluid motion. Before Michael had got to 10, Ashton was opening him up at a steady, delicious pace and was driving Michael crazy in record time. 

Michael wouldn’t claim to be a pornstar or anything, but he didn’t normally have a problem with stamina. If Ashton kept it up like this, though, Michael was in danger of coming before Ashton’s thick cock got any closer to him, and that was unacceptable.

“Ash, please, I can’t...I want, ne-your cock, please!” Michael cried out as Ashton probed his spot one last time before immediately acquiescing to Michael’s begging. Michael wriggled at the loss of Ashton’s fingers, but took comfort in the fact that Ashton was already tearing the condom packet open. 

Michael watched in awe-tinged anticipation as Ashton gave himself a couple of loose tugs once he had the condom on, before closing in on his lover once more, making sure Michael was laid comfortably on the pillows as he positioned himself over him. Michael clung to Ashton’s shoulders as he lined himself up, just resting the tip on Michael’s slick hole for a moment.

Ashton’s hazel eyes bore down into Michael’s green ones with a soft fire as he raised one hand to brush Michael’s fringe out of his flushed face. Michael let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding as Ashton pushed in - slowly, but all the way.. He felt like he was sinking and floating simultaneously, and wrapped his arms around Ashton’s neck to anchor himself here, with him, in this moment. 

Ashton pressed his face deep into Michael’s neck, kissing and sucking his way up towards Michael’s ear. “You good?” He murmured, shifting his hips a miniscule amount. “Yeah,” Michael breathed, “S’good, please…”.

With a final nip to Michael’s neck, Ashton pulled back slightly and began to move his hips properly, his cock sliding halfway out each time as he began to build a steady rhythm for them. Michael felt that perhaps in their sexual relationship so far, he was earning himself the reputation of a bit of a Pillow Princess, and so he began to move his own hips to meet Ashton’s building thrusts. Ashton groaned, long and loud, at the heightened sensations Michael’s movements brought, and they began to work together towards their goal. 

Suddenly, Ashton’s mouth was crowding his, his tongue sliding into his mouth in a glorious kiss that Michael never wanted to end. He couldn’t tell if it had been 10 minutes or 10 hours when he felt that familiar feeling begin to bubble in the lower stomach. Ashton had begun to up the pace of his thrusts, his hips occasionally stuttering as groans rumbled low in his throat, so Michael knew they were on the same page. 

“Ash,” He murmured in the millisecond between kisses. “Touch me, please, I’m getting so-” Michael broke off into a moan as Ashton was already wrapping a firm hand around his neglected cock, stroking it with determination and flicking his thumb over Michael’s dripping head. “You close, baby?” He murmured, eyes drifting over Michael’s face and the arousal present there. Michael was starting to writhe slightly and his head was flopping to the side on the pillow, but Ashton wanted his attention. With his free hand, he took Michael’s chin and turned his head to meet Ashton’s stare. The moment Michael was forced to meet his strong, heated gaze, his hazel eyes boring down on him with such intensity, Michael felt the kick of heat and it was all over. He cried out Ashton’s name and let out a series of curses and moans as he came, hard and hot over Ashton’s hand and their sweaty stomachs in equal measure.

Michael hadn’t finished himself before he felt Ashton taken by surprise, as well; his hips shooting forward to fill him to the hilt for the last time as he spilt into the condom, releasing Michael’s chin to brace himself through his orgasm on the pillows. “Michael, fuck!”

Michael regained enough control to watch Ashton’s face through hooded eyes as he came, moaning and unrestrained as he finished. He thought he looked heavenly. 

As they both fought to catch their breath, Ashton pulled out gingerly, releasing Michael from his grip as he moved away to remove and dispose of the condom. Michael wriggled in place, trying to get comfortable to recover from what he hoped would be the first of many. Ashton came back from the bin in the corner and flopped back down, alongside Michael now, lifting his arm to allow Michael to snuggle in under it when he wrapped it around him. “So…” He said, sounding casual as you like. “About the whole platonic, friendly, roommate thing…”

masterlist for the 5sos ficwriters collab  • my masterlist

[smkkbert]

We ended as lovers (11/13)

Summary: Three years ago, Felicity’s life was perfect. She was offered a job at two great companies. Her boyfriend just started his own fashion label, and they picked a perfect apartment to live in together. The more heartbroken she was when Oliver got cold feet and it all ended. Now, Felicity is coming back to Starling City, well aware that she is destined to run into her ex-boyfriend there. While old feelings revive quickly, the pain still goes deep. Besides, for some reason Oliver seems to be angry with her. 

Previous Chapters: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  or read on Ao3

* * *

Chapter 11: Like a second skin

If she didn’t know Oliver and his passion for contrasts as well as she did, Felicity would probably assume that the driver was a serial killer that was trying to abduct and kill her. Although she knew that most of the things she had heard about the Glades and the people living here were prejudices, she doubted there was much else you could do in a dark and shady alley like this. Well, there wasn’t much else to do here if you weren’t Oliver Jonas Queen.

Releasing a low sigh, Felicity leaned back into the soft leather seat and stroked her hands over the skirt of her dress. Her muscles relaxed and a soft smile spread on her lips.

Two weeks ago, she had had feared getting ulcers just from being back in Starling City. She had been even more nervous on the flight than she usually was. She had basically counted down the days until she was back in Hub City from the moment the plane had landed here, and she had been on edge every minute spent in Starling.

This time, it was completely different. Felicity had still been nervous on her flight. It had been partly because of the turmoil, but it had also been because she was excited for her short stay here. She had looked forward to it. Seeing Sara and Nyssa again and catching her breath after the troublesome week of work was a good idea. She knew that she didn’t rest enough.

Of course, there was also Oliver.

These past days since their date, Felicity had missed him. She had connected the lamp he had bought for her to the wi-fi as soon as she had woken up the next morning, and she hadn’t been surprised when the light had started burning shortly later. All week, she and Oliver had texted again and again. Despite all the work he had had to do, he had always made time to text her.

There was a little part in Felicity that thought it was stupid. She wasn’t a teenager anymore. She didn’t need a text every hour to feel safe or whatever. Still, it had just been nice to know that Oliver had been thinking about her just as much as she had been thinking about him. When it came to love, maybe people never stopped being teenagers.

Eventually, the car that Oliver had sent to the airport to pick her up and take her to her hotel as well as to wait for her there and bring her to the location of the fashion show stopped. Felicity looked out of the window nosily and perked up her eyebrows when she saw where they were. A long red carpet led down the path to the open doors of a disused metro station. The location was unusual, but it was exactly Oliver’s style.

While the driver hurried around the car, Felicity spotted Sara in the crowd. She was wearing a white jumpsuit with a red leather jacket. With the flashlights of the cameras hailing down on her, she posed for the cameras. Felicity felt a tight knot forming in the pit of her stomach just watching her, but Sara smiled naturally. She was used to the attention.

When the driver opened the door for her and reached out his hand, Felicity hesitated for a moment. Of course she wanted to support Oliver today, but she wasn’t exactly pleased to pass all those reporters. She knew exactly that it would cause a lot of attention given the history that she and Oliver shared.

“Ma’am?”

Sighing, Felicity put her fingers into the driver’s hand and let him help her out.

“That’s Felicity Smoak.”

“His ex is here.”

“She’s here and she’s wearing his design.”

Felicity felt her heart starting to race. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention because the few magazines that had asked her for interviews were professional journals. They were interested in her career and her work rather than what she was wearing and who she was sleeping with. This was something completely different.

Luckily, Sara caught sight of her and quickly approached her.

“I still can’t believe you are here,” she said, hugging her close, “first, I didn’t see you in months and now twice in less than two weeks.”

“I know.” Felicity chuckled. “It’s a good change, isn’t it?”

“The best.”

Sara leaned out of the hug, still keeping her eyes on Felicity’s face. She was watching her with a lot of attention, trying to read her face. They had texted each other a couple of times in the past days and they had had a long phone call at the weekend. Sara had wanted to know everything about the date, so Felicity had told her everything.

Right now, it wasn’t the time to talk though. With all the reporters there, one wrong word could be turned against her and make her the cover stories in all the gossip magazines currently available. It was the last thing Felicity wanted.

She shook her head lightly. It was all needed for Sara to understand. She linked her arm with Felicity’s and led her down the red carpet. Instead of continuing to pose like she had before Felicity’s arrival, Sara walked down the red carpet without a single stop. She knew that Felicity didn’t like to be in the spotlight like that.

“Are you going to tell me what’s the current status of you and Oliver?” Sara asked as soon as they were inside of the building, hidden from all the reporters. “I mean you haven’t really said what exactly you are yet.”

Felicity sighed as she walked down the stairs next to Sara.

“I wish I could tell you, but I honestly don’t know.”

“And what do you want to be the status of your relationship?”

Once more, Felicity sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

These past few days, she had been thinking back and forth about this. She had tried to figure out what she wanted and whether or not she and Oliver could still have a future. As much as she had missed Oliver and as much as she had looked forward to seeing him again, she was hesitating to let in any thought of being with him. There were too many unsolved problems that would come with any future together.

“I tried to figure it out, but- wow.”

The moment they arrived at the foot of the stairs, the conversation she had just had with Sara just faded from Felicity’s mind. She was completely distracted from the beauty of the place here. The track had been set up as a catwalk. The seats for the viewers were placed in neat rows on panes of plexiglass that had been fastened over the rails. Curtains made of black velvet were separating the tracks from the tunnel, hiding where everyone was probably getting ready.

It just looked stunning. Oliver and whoever had helped him with this really had a feeling for making the darkest and ugliest places look as beautiful as paradise.

Sara seemed to sense what Felicity was thinking because she squeezed her hand lightly. Felicity turned her head, looking at her. Sara’s soft smile affected her. It made her smile too.

“I will wish good luck to Nyssa. She’s modeling tonight,” Sara explained, nodding towards the curtains, “you should come with me.”

Felicity bit down on her bottom lip. Since Nyssa’s specialty was the catwalk, and Sara’s strength were photoshoots, the two of them never got in each other’s way. Instead, they could really support each other and be there for each other. It was exactly what Felicity felt was what marriage should be like.

There was a part of Felicity that wanted to step behind that curtain and wish Nyssa good luck too. They weren’t as good friends as she and Sara were, but they were friends after all. It would feel right.

Felicity just didn’t want to meet Oliver just yet. Those last minutes before a fashion show were still critical. Oliver had to make sure that every single design fit perfectly. He never let any model out on the catwalk before he hadn’t made sure that she was looking perfect. He had a recommendation to lose there after all.

“I think I should take my seat,” Felicity said quietly, “I don’t want to distract Oliver and cause him to ruin anything here.”

“He won’t ruin anything,” Sara said, tightening her hold on Felicity’s hand, “and I am sure that he would want to see you.”

Before Felicity could protest, Sara already pulled at her hand and tugged her towards the curtain. A security guy shot them an angry glare when they neared the curtains. Realizing who they were – whether it was Felicity or Sara – he quickly pulled the curtain aside and let them pass.

In the hidden area behind, it looked even more busy than Felicity had thought it would. Two dozen small working areas had been set up for the stylists to make sure that every model was ready to go out onto the catwalk in time. People were running around, nervous or excited or whatever else they were.

Despite all the chaos, it only took seconds for Felicity to find Oliver. He was rushing around, hurrying from one working area to the other to check that every hair and make-up worked with what he had in mind. It had probably been talked out and agreed on before, but Oliver had to control it. He had to be in absolute control when it came to presenting any of his designs.

Watching him while he was ordering the stylists around, encouraging the models to give the best they had and putting the last touches to his designs, Felicity couldn’t help but smile. Everything looked incredibly hectic and chaotic, but Oliver was clearly in his element here. He loved all the business and the noises.

“Felicity. Sara.”

Hearing the familiar voice behind her, Felicity turned around. Moira approached them with her arms spread already.

“Hello, Moira.”

Oliver’s mother hugged Felicity first and then Nyssa. She was wearing a steel blue dress that looked incredibly good on her. It brought out the colors of her eyes. Her sweet perfume embraced her in a little cloud.

“Sara, Darling, Nyssa is right over there if you are looking for her.”

“Oh, perfect.” Sara flashed Felicity a brief smile. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Felicity nodded her head and looked after Sara. She just stepped next to the window in front of Nyssa, whose face lightened up the very moment she saw her wife. Nyssa reached out her hand, and Sara put her fingers into her wife’s palm immediately. Without losing touch, they started chatting. Their eyes were locked in a loving gaze.

There was something incredibly enviable about the way Sara and Nyssa were around each other. They were so close with each other, and they looked so content with it. Felicity could only imagine from far memories what it was like to feel that way.

“They are a beautiful couple, aren’t they?”

Flashing Moira a smile, Felicity nodded her head in agreement. She quickly turned her head back to look at Nyssa and Sara once more though. They were smiling at each other, and it seemed like for them there was nobody else. Despite the three people working on Nyssa’s hair, make-up and nail polish, there seemed to be only them in their little world.

“They really are.” Nodding her head once more, Felicity released a sigh, but she pushed those thoughts away. “So, is everything ready for the big show?”

“As ready as it should be at this point,” Moira replied and nodded her head, “but it’s been a long way to here.”

Felicity nodded her head. “I am sure it is.”

“The fact that Oliver changed almost everything he had originally planned within those last two weeks robbed at least twenty years of life.” Moira chuckled, but her nervousness and exhaustion definitely sounded through. “I had to color my hair this morning for the first time in my life because the grey was shining through.”

Usually, Felicity would laugh about the fun Moira was making about herself right before she would tell her that it didn’t take away any of her beauty. Even if her age would be shining through, she would still be one of the most beautiful women Felicity had ever met. Despite the make-up and everything else, she was just a natural beauty.

Felicity couldn’t focus on any of that though. She was too distracted by the fact that Oliver had changed so many things about the fashion show within the last two weeks. Oliver was often chaotic, even when it came to work, but he would never decide on something like that lightly. Putting all the designs for a collection together took months. He must be completely sleep-deprived if he had designed and tailored all those dresses in only two weeks.

“He changed everything?”

“Well, he would have to tailor new designs anyway because he tore them apart the night of… well, you know what night.” Moira cleared her throat quickly, trying to hide the awkwardness of the moment. “Instead of tailoring new dresses with the help of the design sketches, Oliver drafted a completely new collection. He worked night and day, at least as long as he wasn’t in Hub City and-“

“Sorry for tempting him away from Starling.”

Moira smiled as softly as Felicity had never seen her before. She hesitated for a second before she put her hand to Felicity’s shoulder.

“My son has a soft spot for you to say the least,” she explained, “and although it distracted him from work at the wrong time, it also gave his work a special touch that his last collections were missing. If you ask me, this is going to be the first collection to really catch up to the first’s success. Maybe it’s even better than that one. Either way, Oliver is clearly past his anger. He didn’t call this collection The Return of Happiness for no reason.”

The Return of Happiness. The words echoed in Felicity’s mind, and she couldn’t help but feel that they were absolutely beautiful. They might also hold quite some meaning if Oliver really meant them.

Felicity felt her heckles rising and quickly turned her head back over her shoulder. She wasn’t surprised to find Oliver’s eyes on her. He was taking her in intensely, letting his gaze travel up and down her body. The corners of his lips twitched slightly at the sight, and Felicity could feel her heartbeat quickening at the way his gaze made her feel.

When Felicity lifted her hand and waved at Oliver awkwardly, he said some last words to the stylist he had been talking about and hurried towards her. Although his eyes were focused on her and only her, he avoided any possible hurdle in his way.

“Hey.”

There it was again, Felicity thought with a smile. That little hey just felt like it was only ever meant for her. Just like that soft tone of his voice and the warm smile on his lips seemed to be just for her.

“Hi.”

Oliver’s arms wrapped around her, and he held her tightly. Felicity could feel his nose pushing against the crown of her head as he breathed her in. With a low sigh, Felicity closed her eyes and leaned even more against Oliver. She let herself enjoy the hug and took in a deep breath until she felt all her muscles relaxing completely.

When Oliver eventually leaned out of the hug, he let his hands stroke all the way down her arms. His fingers tightened around hers then, and he lifted her hands to pull them a little bit to the side and look her up and down. He took in the red dress he had seen in her closet last week, the dress that he had designed and that they both liked so much. Even if he’d try, he wouldn’t be able to hide his smile anymore now.

“Nice dress,” he said, meeting her eyes again. “Who’s the designer?”

“Oh, you actually know him,” Felicity replied, “your mom even meant that-“

Felicity stopped when she realized that Moira was no longer standing next to them. She hadn’t even realized that she had left them. With a quick look around, she found that she had already reached the other end of the room though.

“I guess she thought that it was better to leave us alone.”

Looking back at Oliver, she felt her heartbeat skipping a beat before it started racing in her chest once more. Just like she had seen with Sara and Nyssa before, Felicity felt like all the bustling activity just faded away. All there was were Oliver and his deep blue eyes that she could so easily get lost in.

Only now Felicity realized that Oliver was still holding her hands. His thumbs were rubbing over the back of them slowly, drawing small circles into her skin and-

“Oliver?”

The moment Oliver heard the sound of his name, he clenched his jaws. His shoulders tensed. His fingers tightened around her hands.

“Can’t someone have a moment here?”

Felicity smiled comfortingly. “No, not when you are about to rock a fashion show, so I should go and-“

“Will you still be there after the show?” Oliver asked. “To… talk? Or something?”

Or something, Felicity thought to herself and couldn’t bite back an amused smile. She’d ask Oliver what exactly he had in mind for that if she thought that she could hear his answer. She wasn’t sure that this was the right time or the right place though.

“Oliver, I came here for you,” she said instead and squeezed his hands, “so of course I will still be there after the show.”

“Promise?”

The little word made his heart beat just as high as his hey before.

“Promise,” she whispered. “For now, good luck.”

With that, she straightened up to the tips of her toes and brushed her lips against his cheek in a gentle kiss. Oliver’s eyes were unbelievably soft when Felicity stepped away from him. She squeezed his hands one last time before she turned around and headed back towards the curtains where Sara was already waiting for her.

“If you ask me,” Sara said as they both left the area, “you shouldn’t decide on what status your and Oliver’s relationship has yet because I am sure it’s going to change very soon anyway.”

Felicity shot her a brief glance, trying to look annoyed. Sara held her gaze easily though. She stood with what she had said, and Felicity couldn’t hold it against her. Sara was probably right after all.

 * * *

 “So,” Robert addressed Felicity, turning towards her the moment Malcolm Merlyn left their side, “what did you think about the fashion show?”

“I still can’t believe I gotta watch this from the front row,” Felicity said, shaking her head in disbelief, “it’s been incredible, right?”

The designs had reminded her a lot of Oliver’s first collection. Although every single design had been unique and no copy of the prior designs, the style had the same soft touch the last few collections had seemed to miss. Oliver was still playing around with mixing fabrics that didn’t seem to work together well – leather and lace, velvet and linen, silk and metal – but it was still much softer and really beautiful. Felicity wasn’t surprised that Moira thought the collection was going to be a success.

“You can definitely see how much Oliver has grown as a designer,” Robert agreed, his smile giving away that he knew little about fashion and it was mostly his pride speaking out of him there, “and as a brother. Did you know he was going to do that?”

“If with ‘that’ you mean using Thea’s accessories on his designs and calling her out on the stage to honor her work,” Felicity said, smiling at the memory, “no, I didn’t.”

Felicity couldn’t even deny that she had been surprised when she had recognized some of Thea’s designs on Oliver’s models. She had been even more surprised when Oliver had called Thea onto the stage and thanked her for the work she had contributed. He had also advertised for her designs, reminding everyone how well they fitted with his designs as well as others.

“All I did was asking him to check out Thea’s designs one day soon,” Felicity added eventually and took a sip of her champagne, “I never expected him to do this though.”

“Well, you obviously have a good influence on him,” Robert replied with a smile, “it’s never been different.”

Felicity smiled, but she lowered her gaze. She didn’t know what to think about that. In the few years that she and Oliver had been together, she had often heard that she had been a good influence on him. Although it had certainly always meant well, Felicity couldn’t help but feel awkward about it. Being a good influence on someone meant that you were changing them, and Felicity wasn’t sure that that was what relationships should be about.

When Robert cleared this throat, Felicity lifted her gaze to look at him. Robert was looking at her with pursed lips and a hesitating expression in his eyes. There was something about the way he looked at her that told Felicity there was something on his heart.

“I am sorry, Felicity,” Robert said before Felicity could ask him about it, “for not telling you that your dad was invited.”

Felicity shrugged her shoulders. After everything she had learned about Adrian that night, her father had basically been forgotten. After all, she was used to him being an ass and not really caring about her or about what she was doing.

Besides, if her father hadn’t shown up, she might not have run outside. If she hadn’t run outside, Oliver wouldn’t have followed her. Maybe, they would have never known that there were inconsistencies in the story of their break-up. Despite everything, her dad’s insensitive visit had had some good things to it.

“Don’t worry about it,” Felicity replied, shrugging her shoulders once more, “it did have some good things to it. At least it helped Oliver and me to see that something was wrong.”

“Do you think that you two are going to get back together?”

Felicity almost choked on her champagne at Robert’s question. She hadn’t taken him to be this direct when it came to her relationship with his son. When they had been together, he had been the one that had been more reserved. Moira had been the one to push a little with her questions, asking about their intentions for the future, including weddings and kids. She had been a little nosy although she had still been quite pleasant.

Eventually, Felicity got a hold on her coughing. She took a deep breath and looked right at Robert. He looked a little amused like he had only wanted to tease her with his question anyway.

Felicity shrugged her shoulders. “Who knows?”

From the corner of her eyes, she could see something that called her attraction. Only when she turned her head, she saw that it was Oliver. She wasn’t surprised about it though. They always seemed to know where they were and what they were doing.

Cocking her head slightly, Felicity watched him. Oliver was smiling politely, nodding his head to whatever his opponent was saying. He really did his best to look patient and interested. People who didn’t know him as well as Felicity knew him would probably fall for it. Since Felicity knew him as well as she knew him, there was no way she’d fall for it.

Poor Oliver, Felicity thought to herself. He loved his fashion, and he loved these fashion shows. He hated the after-parties though. They stressed him out because he didn’t really like to talk to people, especially when it was small talk. Sometimes, Felicity was still surprised that this man here was the same man he was when he was around her. They usually seemed like two completely different types of people.

When Oliver’s eyes met hers briefly, he rolled his eyes. He obviously had trouble getting rid of the guy that was talking to him.

“Since I owe you one,” Robert said, clearing his throat, “I will take care of that, so you can steal Oliver away from here.”

With that, he beckoned the waitress to come closer. He stole two glasses of whiskey from the tray and stepped right towards Oliver and the other guy, thrusting the second glass of whiskey into that guy’s hands. Within seconds, Felicity watched Robert urging more and more between them until his back was turned towards Oliver. Leading one hand behind his back, he gestured for Oliver to just run away as quickly as he could.

Oliver didn’t need any further invitation. He turned on his heels and headed right in her direction.

“Finally,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her without hesitation and brushing his lips against her temple, “I thought I’d never make my way to you.”

Felicity chuckled, rubbing her hands up and down Oliver’s back. It felt so good to be back in his arms like that. There was something perfectly natural about this. Felicity almost wished that she never had to let go again.

“Congratulations on your success,” she said as soon as they pulled out of the hug, smiling at each other, “the show has been amazing. Everyone will love it.”

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Oliver said nervously, “when I read the critics.”

Felicity nodded her head slowly. She knew that Oliver did most of his work for himself. He loved designing and he loved tailoring as far as he could tailor at least. Still, he was always nervous about the critics. He wanted his work to be acknowledged.

“They will be good,” Felicity assured him, putting a hand onto his heart, “or they will be wrong. There is no in between.”

Oliver looked at her intensely like her words were his lifeline. Felicity knew that those few hours between presenting his work to the public and reading the critics in the newspapers were always difficult for Oliver. He was feeling like he was in some kind of void, unable to do anything but wait, and patience had never really been one of Oliver’s virtues.

“Thank you for including Thea by the way.”

“Yeah, I didn’t really do it for you.”

Oliver frowned at his own words. Felicity pressed her lips together and rolled them into her mouth. She didn’t want him to see her smile. It was too much fun to see Oliver struggling for words after his last attempt had sounded so wrong. Usually, she was the one having struggles to find the right words for anything.

“I mean of course I’m happy that you helped me see Thea’s talent. I would have missed it if you hadn’t tipped me off on it,” Oliver hurried to explain quickly, “but I did include her designs in the show and I did invite her on the stage because she really got talent there that shouldn’t be overlooked. Otherwise, nothing would have gotten me to do that, not even you.”

“To be honest, if you had Thea’s talent, someone else would have seen it eventually,” Felicity explained, “so she would have made her way either way.”

Oliver nodded his head. “Yeah, I guess she got the Queen Family’s-“

“Oliver?”

“I will definitely kill somebody before this day is over.”

Poor Oliver, was all Felicity could think once more. For the last three years, he had dedicated himself to his work completely. All he wanted to have now was some kind of break, so he could catch his breath and do what he wanted to do. The people around him just wouldn’t let him because they couldn’t see that things had changed for him. To their excuse, Felicity had to admit that Oliver had chosen the worst timing to take his time.

“You should go,” Felicity whispered, nodding towards the woman that had called Oliver, “we can still talk later. I won’t leave before tomorrow afternoon, so talk to these people here. We can still meet up tomorrow for lunch. I don’t mind.”

“I mind,” Oliver replied, grabbing her hands and holding them tightly, “because I want to spend time with you. That’s more important to me than anything else that is here. Let’s run away.”

Felicity already opened her mouth to reply, but she didn’t really know what to say. She couldn’t ask Oliver to run away with her. If the roles were reversed, she knew that she couldn’t do this. The success of her company meant so much to her because so much depended on it that she couldn’t risk it easily.

“We can’t do that,” Felicity told him and shook her head, “I mean all those people came here for you and-“

“You came here for me,” Oliver interrupted her firmly, shaking his head, “that is what you said to me before the show. You came here for me. Everyone else came for the reporters or my parents or the fashion show itself. You came here for me, so you are the person I want to spend time with tonight. I even got a new phone, so I can put it on mute. It’s so cool.”

Felicity chuckled, but she soon cocked her head at Oliver again. She wanted to go somewhere with him, somewhere where there were no interruptions and where they could have their moment without anyone calling him away. She had come here for him and not because of the fashion show or anything else, so she wanted to spend time with him of course.

“I-“

“You should go,” Moira whispered as she stepped towards them and put her hands to both of their backs, “I will handle all of this.”

“Are you sure, Moira,” Felicity asked, “because I know that-“

“She said we should go,” Oliver said urgently, already grabbing Felicity’s hand, “so we should go before she changes her mind.”

He said those last words right into her ear, tightening his fingers around her hand. Looking at him, Felicity saw how serious he was about it. He really just wanted to leave. Who was she to disagree with him on it?

“Okay,” she said quickly, “let’s go.”

“And take the back exit,” Moira whispered, “or you’ll have your photo printed on the front cover of every tabloid.”

Oliver nodded. He shot Felicity a brief glance, making sure that she was ready. As soon as Felicity nodded her head, giving her consent to go with Oliver wherever he wanted to go right now, he pulled at her hand and led her away. Hand in hand, they hurried towards the back exit wherever exactly that was. At least Oliver seemed to know.

“My parents love you, you know?” he asked, whispering those words into her ear. “They are pushing for us to be together.”

“They think that I have a good influence on you.”

“You do,” Oliver agreed with a chuckle and kissed her temple, “because you chased away my bad mood. They wouldn’t have been able to stand it any longer.”

Felicity smiled at the way Oliver grinned amusedly and replied, “Well, in that case I will do my best to keep your mood at a high level.”

“You don’t have to do much to achieve that,” Oliver said and winked at her, “all you have to do is be there.”

Felicity felt her heart skipping a beat and smiled at his words. Whatever would happen tonight, she was sure that it would decide where their relationship would go. The thought made her stomach flutter as tingle spread all over her body.

Let’s see where this night would take them.

 * * *

 “There we are.”

“There we are,” Oliver agreed with a long sigh and pushed his hands into the pockets of his pants, “unfortunately.”

Felicity smiled softly, cocking her head. Oliver looked honestly sad about the fact that they had finally arrived at the door to her hotel room. He had done his best to prolong this night for as long as possible. He had even made the ten minutes it should have taken from Big Belly’s to the hotel take almost one hour because he had taken quite some detours. Now the soles of her feet were aching, but she didn’t mind.

The evening had indeed been great. For the first time, she had had Oliver all for herself. There hadn’t been any other people around them, and nobody had even called him on the phone. Even if someone had, they wouldn’t have heard it thanks to Oliver’s new phone. Hence, they had been able to have dinner, chat and walk home without any interruptions.

She was just as sorry as Oliver was that the evening was coming to an end, but she really couldn’t be on her feet for much longer. She was tired and exhausted. She just wanted to fall into bed.

“So…”

Oliver lifted his gaze, looking at her. He nodded his head slowly. “So…”

They looked at each other intensely. Neither of them really wanted to say goodbye just yet, but they had arrived at her hotel room, so there wasn’t anything else left to do other than saying goodbye. It was time.

“So…”

The third time that syllable was said, the corners of Oliver’s lips twitched into a smile. If they continued like that, they’d still be here tomorrow. The thought made Felicity chuckle and shake her head.

“Are we going to see each other tomorrow?” Oliver asked, pulling his hand out of the pocket of his jeans and lacing his fingers with hers. “Before you go back to Hub City?”

Felicity nodded her head. “Sounds good.”

“Lunch?”

“Sure.” Again, Felicity nodded and felt a tight knot forming in the pit of her stomach. “My flight leaves at five, so we shouldn’t eat too late, but yeah.”

With how far apart they lived, she and Oliver shouldn’t be dancing around each other like they did. Their past was complicated, and their future, if they had any at all, wasn’t going to be any easier either. Who knew when they had time to see each other again?

“I’ll pick you up at twelve.”

“Okay.” Felicity smiled. “Sounds good.”

Oliver nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

Felicity guessed that okay was the new so. No matter what little word they continued to say just to prolong their time together, it didn’t help. At the end, they would have to say goodnight and goodbye.

“Goodnight, Oliver,” Felicity whispered as little as she wanted to say this, “sleep well.”

“You too.”

Oliver wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. Just like earlier this day in the show’s backstage area, his nose pressed to the crown of her head and he breathed her in. A moment later, his lips brushed against her hair. Some single hairs got caught in his stubble when he pulled away, but Felicity didn’t mind the slight twinge.

Lifting her gaze to say goodnight to Oliver once more, she realized how close he still was. His breath ghosted over her face. The tip of his nose almost brushed against her forehead when he took in a breath. His chest was still pressed to hers, so she could feel the rapid beat of his heart.

While Oliver angled his head and slowly leaned in, Felicity felt everything around them fading away. It was just Oliver and her, and this time nobody could change that by breaking through their little bubble. There was really just them.

Oliver’s lips were only a breath away from hers when he stopped moving. His eyes were locked with hers, his desire to kiss her visible there. Still, he didn’t close the distance, giving her the time to lean in or distance himself. She should make the final decision of what she wanted.

There wasn’t much of a decision to make though. Felicity knew what she wanted, and it was about time that she finally got it. She had waited three long years and two unbearable weeks.

Angling her head back a little, Felicity straightened up and brushed her lips against his. Their lips touched gently and carefully at first. It only took a brief moment until their lips pressed down a little more firmly into a real kiss. Finally!

Everything inside of Felicity was tingling from the touch of his lips and from the way his short stubble tickled the sensitive skin around her mouth. Oliver lifted a hand to her face, cupping her cheek. His thumb stroked along the line of her jaw while he was continuing to hold her so, so gently.

The kiss was perfect, even more perfect than every single kiss they had shared two weeks ago. This time, the kiss wasn’t filled with anger. It didn’t happen solely from a mixture of lust and bottled-up rage. It was a kiss full of softness, a kiss that came from deep in their hearts. It tasted like love.

Felicity didn’t know how much time had passed when their lips parted. They didn’t pull very far apart, just enough to look at each other. Oliver’s hand stayed at her cheek, holding her like she was a treasure he didn’t want to get hurt. His pupils were dilated, his lips spread into a soft smile of content and joy.

Smiling, Felicity leaned her forehead against Oliver’s. Her arms stayed wrapped around his chest. She used her hold on him to push herself as close to Oliver as possible. Although it wasn’t cold in the hallway, she was seeking the warmth of his body. It warmed her inside and outside.

“Goodnight, Felicity,” Oliver whispered eventually.

“Yeah,” Felicity took in a deep breath and angled her head back a little, “goodnight.”

Instead of moving apart, they only leaned in for another kiss. Their lips opened to each other, their tongues meeting in a slow dance. Oliver lifted his second hand to her face now too, holding her head between his palms.

“I should go,” Oliver whispered against her lips, “like right now.”

Felicity hummed in what sounded like agreement. Her hands moved to the front of his chest at the same time. Her fingers tightened around his leather jacket, pulling him even closer towards her. Her words and her actions just didn’t work together.

“Goodnight, Oliver,” she whispered her reply, “see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

The goodbye stayed in their words though as they continued kissing. Felicity really didn’t want Oliver to go, now even less than a couple of minutes ago. She wanted him to stay. She wanted to pretend that she could just hold him and never had to let him go again. Of course she knew that it wasn’t really possible with her job, her friends and her entire life really in Hub City, but at least she could pretend.

The last three years had been filled with so much sorrow and so much anger, they deserved to pretend that everything was going to be easy from here on. At least for one night, Felicity figured that they were allowed to. It was all she really wanted right now.

With that thought, Felicity reached into her purse and grabbed her key card. She knew that as long as Oliver’s lips were on hers, she would never have the focus to get that card into the little slit meant for it. So she stroked the card over the back of Oliver’s hand on her face. He got it immediately, grabbed it and unlocked the door within two seconds.

As soon as they had crossed the doorstep, Oliver kicked the door shut between them. The key card fell onto the floor with a low clattering sound. Felicity kicked her shoes away, sighing contently when the soles of her feet touched the floor. Oliver swallowed the sound eagerly, tightening his arms around her.

Felicity wanted to lead him towards the bedroom, unwilling to wait any longer to feel all of Oliver. She wanted him to be in her and all around her. She wanted to feel him and only him, nothing else. The little bubble that was around them already should grow even smaller, so there was nothing else to focus on than them.

When Felicity took the first step away, their lips parted though as Oliver just stood where he was. His hands were holding hers as they were standing the length of an arm away from each other. His smile was taking over his entire face as he was looking at her. He looked as happy as Felicity hadn’t seen him in a long time.

“What?” she asked, cocking her head, when he showed no sign of following her. “Are you playing hard-to-get? Or shy? I have to disappoint you, Oliver, that train had left the station a long time ago.”

“It did?” Oliver asked. “Really?”

“Yeah, kind of.”

Chuckling, Oliver pulled at her hand until she was back in his arms. His lips brushed against hers in a gentle and even playful kiss. As soon as Felicity straightened up to deepen the kiss and start another attempt of getting him into her bedroom – really, her thoughts made her feel like she was a femme fatal, trying to tempt her next victim into the darkness with her – Oliver broke the kiss once more.

Felicity grumbled unhappily. After all the time they had wasted hating each other, she didn’t want to wait any longer. They had lost so much time. They should try to catch up now.

With one look at Oliver’s face, Felicity felt her heart losing its rhythm. It was beating irregularly, stumbling in her chest helplessly. There was just something in Oliver’s eyes that told Felicity something big was coming. Oliver hadn’t stopped because he was playing around. He hadn’t even done it to heighten their desire for each other. He just needed to say something, and it was something meaningful, something that had to be said now. It had to get out of him, so he could breathe and it could breathe.

“Felicity,” he whispered her name like it was a prayer and lifted his hands back to cup her cheeks, looking at her as softly as he was holding her, “I love you.”

She shouldn’t be surprised. Deep down, she had known that Oliver still loved her. She had seen it in the way he had looked at her when they had had sex. She had felt it in his rage when he had freaked out the night of the rehearsal dinner. She had known it from everything he had done after that.

And still Felicity couldn’t help being surprised at hearing Oliver say those words out loud tonight. It just came unexpected because Oliver didn’t necessarily carry his heart on his tongue a lot of times. He was quiet and broody, especially when it came to his feelings. Big gestures and meaningful words just weren’t his. He showed his lips rather than saying it unless it was a quick Love you between two goodbye kisses.

“I love you, Felicity,” he repeated his words, “and I have always loved you and I probably will always love you. If the last three years didn’t do anything to change that, nothing ever will. For me, it’s going to be you no matter what.”

If her heart would beat any more quickly, Felicity was sure that it would just escape her chest. Her throat felt tight, and she was sure that no sound would come from it. With the way Oliver was looking at her, waiting for her to say something after this big declaration of love, she cleared her throat though.

“That’s intense.”

Her voice was lowered to a whisper that she could barely hear over the rushing of blood in her ears. If Oliver’s slightly amused smile was any indication, he hadn’t missed it.

“True,” he said with a sigh, looking at her gently, while his right hand was stroking over her cheek, “but I don’t want to lose time dangling maybes or something. I have gotten a second chance to show you how much I love you, so I will use it. I know there won’t be a third chance, so I have to make this work. I want to use this chance to its best.”

Felicity nodded her head. Wasn’t that exactly what had been on her mind before too? That they had to make up for the missed time by going all in from the start instead of waiting around for life to make things easier for them?

“I know you aren’t the same person you have been three years ago,” Oliver continued, “neither am I. We have to get to know each other again, but I just know that, whoever you are now or whoever you will become in the future, it will never change my feelings for you. I will always, always, always love you.”

The heaviness of his words got her. The repeated declaration of love crawled under her skin and spread in every cell of her body.

For a second, Felicity felt panic building at that feeling. She had sworn herself never to fall that deeply in love again. She had left like she had been burnt once and the pain of it had been with her for so long that it wasn’t worth it. No matter how happy love could make you, it wasn’t worth the pain that came when it was gone. It was too much for her to take once more.

Since she had never really fallen out of love with Oliver, it wasn’t like she had much of a choice here. Even if she didn’t want to fall in love again, it didn’t matter. She still was that deeply in love. And it would be worth it.

“I love you too.”

Felicity hadn’t realized how much Oliver had needed to hear her say those words. He released a strangled breath. His chest heaved and the tension she hadn’t noticed in his shoulders before seemed to ease.

He loved her. She had loved him. That easily, the world seemed to make sense again and everything inside of her seemed to have found its place again. She had fully found her place again because that little emptiness that not even Helix Dynamics could have filled was taken again.

Not breaking the lock of their eyes, Oliver stroked his hands down her body. His right arm wrapped around her back, while his left arm pushed beneath the back of her knees. He lifted her into his arms easily, holding her like she was as light as a feather. All the while, he just continued to look at her like she had just given him the most precious gift he had ever received.

Felicity lifted her hands to Oliver’s cheeks, holding his face the way he had held hers before. While her fingertips were stroking through his short stubble, Felicity watched Oliver’s in. She wanted to take him and memorize him in this moment that they had found their way back to each other. He looked so happy and so at ease. He looked like he had found his home, just like she had.

They leaned in at the same time. As their lips brushed together, Felicity stroked her fingers into the short hair at the nape of Oliver’s neck. She could feel goosebumps spreading on his skin, and she smiled into the kiss at that feeling. She loved knowing that she could do that to him with just as much as an innocent touch.

Oliver carried her into the bedroom. Thanks to the few doors there were, he didn’t have any trouble finding the bedroom. Even if he did, Felicity wouldn’t mind. It was a nice feeling to be carried by Oliver like this. She could easily get used to it.

In the bedroom, Oliver lowered Felicity to the floor right next to the bed. His arms stayed wrapped around her though, stopping her from distancing herself. It wasn’t like Felicity had had any intention to do so in the first place. The closer she was to Oliver, the better.

Scraping his teeth against her bottom lip, Oliver broke the kiss. He didn’t pull away. Instead, his lips peppered a trail of kisses from the corners of her lips to the soft spot right under her ear. His lips lingered there a little longer, almost turning Felicity’s legs into wobbly jelly. Her fingers tightened in his upper arms.

“Finally, I gotta do what I wanted to do a very long time.”

Oliver stroked his fingers up her back towards the topmost button, leaning back a little. His eyes locked with hers, and he smiled softly. One by one, he undid the buttons of her dress. His fingertips brushed against her soft skin, and Felicity was sure that his touch caused goosebumps to spread from the nape of her neck all the way down her back.

As soon as he had undone the last button, Oliver put his hands to the naked skin of her back. The warmth of his skin warmed her and relaxed the slight tension she always carried in her muscles. With a content sigh, she leaned all the way against Oliver. She angled her head back as far as he could, so she could look at Oliver’s face.

“You do know what you undressed me two weeks ago, right?” Felicity asked. “It’s not been that long.”

“But I didn’t take any of my designs off you.”

Felicity perked up her eyebrows. “My dress for the wedding?”

Oliver looked at her, unable to find something to say. He opened his lips, but he closed them again. He frowned for a moment before he chuckled. Although it was certainly mean to sound light, Felicity couldn’t help but think that it actually sounded a little sad.

“I didn’t realize that until now,” Oliver said, shaking his head, “I guess I was too focused on my anger and on beating myself up for being that weak that I couldn’t even resist you for 24 hours. I wasn’t able to focus on the fact that I was undressing you, never mind what I was taking off from you.”

The sadness Felicity had heard in Oliver’s chuckle was visible in his eyes too. Their past probably wasn’t going to leave them anytime soon. There was still a lot of regret there, no matter how much they told each other to leave their past behind themselves.

Felicity lifted her hand to Oliver’s heart and let her palm rest there. She could feel his heartbeat beneath her hand. It was beating slow but unevenly, just like hers.

Their lips met in another kiss. It was just as slow as their heartbeats, but it had more harmony. Their lips just moved in perfect synch. Their tongues danced in that slow and familiar way. Their bodies fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle.

Slowly, Felicity moved her hands to Oliver’s shoulders and pushed his leather jacket down his arms. Oliver unwrapped his arms from around her just long enough, so he could shake off the fabric. While it was dropping to the floor, Oliver’s arms already wrapped back around her waist. He leaned forward, angling her back, so she was almost lying in his arms. If he let go of her now, she’d lose all balance and fall to the floor.

Felicity had never really liked not to be in control of everything. She loved tech because she could control it. Letting herself fall and trusting someone to catch her was not something she did easily. With Oliver, it felt incredibly easy though. She’d let herself fall around him a thousand times. She knew he’d always be there to catch her.

Pushing her chest against his, she prompted Oliver to straighten back up. Once she was safe on her feet again, she grabbed the hem of his shirt and started tugging at it. Oliver got the hint and lifted his arms over his head. Since Felicity was too tiny, he helped her take that shirt off of him completely.

When Felicity’s body pressed against Oliver’s now, all the naked skin touching, she felt heat pooling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that it had only been two weeks since they had had sex before, but it was different now. Just like with their fist kiss tonight, the sex just wouldn’t be tainted by broken past. In the light of their I love yous, it was just something completely different. It was something much better.

While Oliver was slipping out of his shoes, Felicity unbuckled his belt and undid his pants. She pushed them down quickly and Oliver kicked the pant legs away one by one.

Oliver tightened his arms around her waist and turned them around, so his back was turned to the bed. He said down on the edge of the mattress, his lips parting from Felicity’s. Although the desiring expression in his eyes was something to get lost in, the only thing Felicity wanted more than to lose herself in Oliver’s eyes was losing herself in Oliver’s kisses and his touches.

She crawled onto his lap. While her arms wrapped around his neck, her hands stroking through his hair, her legs wrapped around his hips. That way, she opened herself to him. Her sensitive area rubbed right against his erection. He was already hard for her, ready to make her feel all the pleasures in the world.

Moaning against Oliver’s lips, she grinded herself against him. The feeling of his cock rubbing against her clit already felt so good. The bare thought of feeling him back inside of her now that there were no more real hurdles in their way, or at least none they wouldn’t do their best to get out of their way, made Felicity want Oliver all the more. The movements of her hips sped up in response.

Oliver moved his hands from her hips to her back and up her spine until he reached the clasp of her bra. With a simple movement of his fingers, he unclasped the lacy fabric and took it off her body. As soon as he had dropped the bra to the floor, his hands came to rest against her back. They covered it almost completely as her back was so much smaller than his hands were.

With a quick movement, Oliver turned them, pushing Felicity down into the mattress. His body covered hers. His naked torso rubbed against her nipples. Her open legs encompassed his hips perfectly, allowing himself to continue rubbing against her like she had done before. The firm strokes of Oliver’s hips heightened Felicity’s pleasure only more.

Oliver stroked his tongue against hers one last time before he broke the kiss. His lips never let her skin though. Instead, he brushed a couple of kisses against the line of her jaw before he kissed down the side of her neck. Kissing, licking and biting, he explored her body once more, taking so much more time than they had taken the two times they had had sex during her last stay in Starling.

Opening her eyes, Felicity stared at the ceiling. Although she could feel Oliver’s body on hers and she could feel his lips against her pulse point, sucking a hickey into her skin, it still felt incredibly unreal. It felt unreal that she was back here in Starling and that she was happy to be back here. It felt even more unreal that Oliver was in her bed, taking his time to explore her body before they would unite.

It felt unreal, but it was the best kind of unreal. It felt like she was caught in a dream that she really didn’t want to wake up from.

The feeling of Oliver’s tongue pushing into her belly button distracted her from her thoughts. She giggled, unable to hold back that girly sound. Her legs kicked around, trying to make Oliver stop. He leaned his stubbled chin against the inside of her thigh and smiled at her warmly. It made Felicity stop and just look back at him.

Everything about the way he looked at her relax Felicity and made her realize how happy she was to be here with him. As unreal as it felt, it was real. This was her dream come true, and she wanted to use every second of it. The thought made Felicity put her hand to Oliver’s cheek and stroke her fingers through his stubble.

Oliver continued to look at her for a moment longer. With his eyes still locked on hers, he brushed his lips against the inside of her thigh. His fingers hooked into the waistband of her panties, and he pulled them down her legs with one quick movement. Throwing the fabric somewhere behind him, Oliver made himself comfortable between her legs.

Felicity felt her breath getting caught in her throat at the way Oliver looked at her, his pupils dilated and an expression of pure desire taking over his face. Without any warning, he lowered his head between her legs and rubbed his tongue against her clit.

“Oh, god!”

Desperate to hold onto whatever self-control she had after all this time that nobody had done this for her, Felicity reached her hands over her head and held onto the headboard of the bed. Her back arched off the mattress. Her hips pressed closer to Oliver’s mouth, urging against his tongue that continued to make waves of warmth go through her body.

He licked a long stripe from her clit down to her opening. His tongue snuck between her folds and thrust right into her. Felicity gasped for breath, her back arching off the mattress even more. Oliver pushed her legs over his shoulders and pressed his forearm down in her hips, keeping her from moving. She was completely lost to whatever he did with her, but she didn’t want it any other way.

To say that Oliver was talented with his tongue was an underestimation to say the least. He teased her in the best way possible, rubbing the rough top of his tongue against her clit again and again. Within seconds Felicity felt like she had no more control on her body. Her head was turning from side to side in the pillow. Her fingers were tightened around the head of the bed so firmly that the knuckles had probably turned white. Long moans of pleasure were falling from her lips.

No man had ever made her feel the way Oliver made her feel in- and outside of bed.

When Oliver turned his attention back to her clit, Felicity felt her toes starting to tingle. She loosened a hand from the headboard, grabbing Oliver’s forearms over her hips instead. Her fingers dug into his skin, her nails scratching him lightly. It took a lot from her, but she opened her eyes, wanting Oliver to see how close she was.

As soon as their eyes locked and Felicity saw the desire in his eyes, saw how much he enjoyed eating her out, she felt the pleasure washing over her. Heat spread inside of her, making her feel like her body was set on fire. There was a small line between pleasure and pain, but the first outweighed the other at the end.

While her body spasmed from the pleasure that was rushing through her, Oliver continued to stroke his tongue against her clit slowly. He tried to tickle the last of her pleasure out of her, making her enjoy this for as long as possible.

Once Felicity had come down from her high, Felicity moved her fingers into his hair and tugged at some strands. Oliver got the hint immediately and moved up her body. Pressing his body to hers, his lips met hers in a searing kiss. They were even hungrier for each other now than they had been before.

Felicity pushed down Oliver’s boxer briefs. Her hands cupped the cheeks of his ass. Smiling against Oliver’s lips, she pinched his ass slightly. Oliver growled against her lips, causing his chest to vibrate against hers. Felicity deepened the kiss, pulling Oliver even more against him.

Oliver stroked his tongue against the roof of her mouth before he rolled off her. Sitting on the mattress next to her, he reached down to grab his jeans and started searching the pockets. Felicity watched him for a moment. Sucking her bottom lip between her front teeth, Felicity took a brief moment to consider her options.

Just when Oliver pulled a little foil package out of the pocket of his pants, Felicity climbed onto his lap, wrapping her legs around his hips. Her folds brushed right against Oliver’s erection. The sensation made both of them moan out loud. Oliver dropped his forehead against Felicity’s shoulder, pushing his nose against her skin and breathing her in.

They stayed like this for a long moment, not moving and just enjoying how close they were. They were taking their time, not hurrying through this like they had done two weeks ago. Tonight could be endless.

When Felicity reached out her hand and took hold of Oliver’s erection, his head snapped back. His eyes found hers immediately, locking with hers intensely. Felicity could almost see the thoughts processing in his eyes. They went from lust to understanding to surprise and finally determination. He knew what she was trying to ask without saying the words out loud, and he understood it very well.

The slight nod of Oliver’s head was all the assurance Felicity needed. She knew that he had been sleeping around these past years. He hadn’t lied about it or tried to hide it from her, not that it would have even possible with the attention his sex life got in the tabloids. Felicity also knew that Oliver wouldn’t lie to her about being healthy. He would never lie to her about anything.

Getting up onto her knees, Felicity positioned his cock at her entrance. She locked eyes with Oliver before sank down slowly, taking him all the way in. Her lips fell open in a soundless moan, while Oliver’s fingers dug into her hips.

Once he was all the way inside of her, stretching her inner walls perfectly while they were accommodating him tightly, they rested their foreheads against each other’s. Without moving their hips, they wrapped themselves in each other to get as close as possible. Felicity tightened her legs around Oliver’s hips, letting him sink in even deeper. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, one of her hands brushing through his hair. Oliver’s arms wrapped around her back, his warm hands stroking up and down her spine.

If time froze and caught her in this moment forever, Felicity knew she’d be happy. This was perfectly perfect, everything she wanted and needed and more.

Locking eyes with each other once more, their hips started moving together. Felicity sank down on Oliver every time he was thrusting up. His cock moved in and out of her slowly, pushing against her inner walls and rubbing against that sensitive spot inside of her that increased her pleasure so very quickly. Every thrust made her heart beat a little higher.

Felicity didn’t want this to end too quickly though. They had rushed through their pleasure two times before. This time, she wanted to take every second and enjoy it. The more they could prolong this, the better.

Pulling at some strands of Oliver’s hair, she angled his head back and caught his lips with hers. Their lips and tongues moved together just as harmonically as their lips. Felicity tightened her hands around his hair, scratching the other all the way down Oliver’s back gently at the same time. Oliver moved his hands up her back to her shoulders and down against over her rib cage. His fingertips grazed her breasts.

It wasn’t long before the pleasure grew inside of Felicity so much that she couldn’t control it anymore. Her hips lost their rhythm, chasing their relief wildly instead of answering to the thrusts of Oliver’s hips. Hot heat was spreading inside of her, making it hard to breathe. She tried to tear her lips away from Oliver, needing more oxygen, but he put a hand to the back of her head, keeping her where she was.

One particularly had thrust of Oliver’s hips were enough to send her over the edge. She let herself fall, losing herself in Oliver completely. She felt as light as a feather, like a gust of wind could just take her away. She had her head in the clouds, all worries and problems forgotten. For now, the only thing that mattered was this moment right here.

The last tremors of pleasure were still running through her, her walls fluttering around Oliver’s cock, when Felicity noticed the slight sting in her shoulder. Oliver had rested his head there, his teeth buried in her flesh slightly. His hands were holding onto her hips tightly, He was holding onto a small thread of self-control, doing his best to stop himself from coming. Just like her, he didn’t want this to end too soon.

Felicity stroked her fingers through his hair soothingly, but she did her best to stay unmoving apart from that. She wanted to give him the time he needed until he was back in control.

It didn’t take long. Soon Oliver angled his head back to meet her eyes. There was amazement and desire spread there, mixing with his deep love for her. It made her heartbeat quicken and her a new wave of heat running through her.

Their lips met once more, moving together in a slow and gentle kiss. Oliver turned them around, making them both lie down on their sides. His legs were stretched out, and Felicity moved her hand down his strong calf before he wrapped her leg back around his hips.

They adapted another slow rhythm, moving together even more slowly than they had before. Their lips broke apart, so their eyes could lock. They looked at each other, sharing their love for each other just with the expression in their eyes. For Felicity, there was only Oliver. There was nothing and nobody else this was all there was, and it was all she wanted.

The new position didn’t make Oliver go particularly deep, but the changed angle allowed his cock to push against her inner walls even more firmly. She was holding him in a tight grip and he stretched her perfectly. Their arms were still holding onto each other tightly.

Felicity was so very sore from her first two orgasms that she could feel herself getting close to another wave of pleasure soon. She angled her head, bringing it even close to Oliver. Their noses were brushing together with every single one of their slow thrusts. She moved her hands to his cheeks, holding his face in her hands.

It was good that there were no words needed here because Felicity didn’t have any to say how happy she was that Oliver was back in her life. She had never felt as appreciated, as loved or as grounded as she felt during every second that they were together. Whether they were having dinner together or make love, he made her feel things that nobody else could make her feel.

“Oliver.”

His name escaping her lips in a feverish whisper. She knew that her next orgasm wasn’t far away, and she wanted to make sure that Oliver knew exactly how he made her feel. She wanted him to know that the waves of pleasure running through her were all on him and that he was everything she had on her mind and in her heart in this moment.

She could see in his eyes that he got it. He understood her even when she didn’t say a single word. And he felt exactly the same way.

When the pleasure washed over her this time, Oliver captured her lips in a long kiss. He swallowed the sounds of pleasure falling from her lips eagerly, wanting to feel everything he made her feel. It turned him on all the more.

Felicity was still caught in her pleasure when she felt Oliver’s hips stuttering. They lost its rhythm. Turning Felicity on her back, he thrust into her firmly just a couple of times more. Pushing himself onto his forearms, he opened his eyes and looked at her. His pupils were dilated, his lips opened in frantic panting.

Lifting a hand to Oliver’s cheek, Felicity stroked her fingertips through his stubble and whispered, “Cum for me.”

“God, Felicity.”

With one last stuttering movement, Oliver came. His cock jerked inside of her, spilling into her. Felicity was still aroused, and the feeling of having Oliver cum inside of her made another small orgasm run through her. Her legs tightened around his hips, preventing him from leaving her though she doubted that he’d try even if he could.

They continued to move together lazily while the last waves of pleasure were running through them. Their lips were moving together in slow, loving, teasing kisses. Felicity’s hands were roaming over Oliver’s back until he grabbed one of her hands, laced his fingers with her and rested them on the pillow next to her head.

Their lips broke apart when the need for air became too much to bear. Their eyes met, and their fingers tightened on each other.

Oliver’s eyes were intense, crawling under her skin like they always did. Felicity felt goosebumps spread all over her skin. A wave of warmth ran through her, making her feel content and at ease.

“I love you,” she whispered before he could say it, wanting to be the one to say it first this time, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They both smiled at the words and their lips met in another kiss. Maybe not all problems have been solved yet. There was still a lot to discuss when it came to their future. None of that mattered tonight though.

Felicity turned Oliver onto his back. She covered his body with kisses, going from his lips to the side of his neck and eventually down his chest. Oliver played with some strands of her hair, enjoying the gentle caress. Felicity could almost feel him turning into putty beneath her. All tension left his muscles.

He knew as well as she did that tonight was all theirs and that was all that mattered.

* * *

* * *

@fannaz @promiseyoullbepatientwithme​ @bytemegeekette @felicity-said-just-in-case @phanseptiic​ @orangeisorange​ @mspotatohead14​ @whentheheavenfades​ @emmaamelia95 @smoakingskye @seaolicity @ourwritinginvein @1022bridgetp @felicityqueenforever @leagueofolicity17 @yryssss @myhauntedblacksoul​ @sherlock44​ @sinceriouslybea @olivyflavescentdeer​ @olicitys-castle​ @ofnothingcharming @vaelisamaza​ @smoakedandcharmed @alexisa1206 @mysaudadespt2 @florence-bubbles @addictiontelly @queens-of-arrows @memcjo​ @hysterical-for-joshifer-blog @oswinelevenforever @olicitylovemaking​ @bandanab310 @mymusiclove101 @lynslogic @scarletqueen23 @olicityshipper19 @alex-wesley​ @arrows-4ever @unabashedlynerdypatrol @louehmysoul @ligiapimenta @chattyyana​ @charlie-leau​ @coal000​ @samcrowleys​ @ishippolivia @julianegomesqueen​ @malafle @miriam1779 @charlinert @melaux​ @ontheolicityship​ @myshipperlife​ @wrightainsley​ @lexi9515​ @ladygreenwood​ @multi-fandom-crazy-fangirl @morinamel​ @mje-thomas @kebarry @canadianheartgirl @nannett2307​ @almondblossomme​ @kathrynelizabeth89 @imdfabulous @mrt2501 @arsipaci14​ @salasvia​ @brandis91 @cainc3 @morganmiguess @pr0fessi0nal-fangurl @iamisalima @nessafrancis-blog​ @jonhdiggle​ @niki-is-amazing @universed-posts​ @hopeful-warrior @senoritaswiftie @bellemmie​ @green-arrows-of-karamel @iheartarrow​ @olicityovereverything @oliverfel4​ @olicity-in-the-heart​ @fullychippedcreation​ @geemarie​ @everything-but-normal-cat @myarroworld @tjmartinez @pleasantfanandstudent​ @j69confessional2​ @scentedcolorpirate​ @icanica74​ @tjmartinez98 @certainmentalityface @tatianadamaceno @ryelew @wildwillowzepplin @missafairy​ @letsplaymurde-r @lipizette @positivepiper @nuttymilkshakehologram​ @laksagirl @turnupthemusicandscream @pumpernickle93 @onceuponanolicity @1106angel​ @jaspertown​ @fadinglands​ @morganashimi83 @mochababychristy​ @omglovechrissie @mariejr88-blog @thetaufactor @onceuponanolicity​ @speakandseethetruth​ @bri206 @aglasgo @geemarie @pineprincess @nerdgirljen @eternal-olicity14 @allyouhadtodowas-stay-stay-stay​ @lovingfanofupstead​ @tsseract @flowerandsunshine​ @dcnmarvelgamergeek @blondeeoneexox​ @monetsmark​ @bb-olicity @mashamarty​ @rulerofsilence​ @erika-amber​ @nothingmorethanmyotps​ @kayleenyc @tonto16​​ @olicityfluv​ @olicitea1990​ @haahaaa2408​ @pattid1​ @faegal04​ @24karatgem​​ @wrldtravler​ @readerkas​ @olicity-beliver @greencoffeecups​ @snorlaxishere​

[themjinterviews-blog]

37. I don't want a place to stay...get your booty on the floor tonight...make my day...pump up the jam, pump it up...pump it up yo pump it.

(For any curious parties, I have decided to try "out of context songs my gym teachers used to play" as my survey titles for an undisclosed period of time).

Who do you consider the King of Pop? Nobody. I’m sure the majority of people consider Michael Jackson or Elvis or something. But when they were both in their prime, I was like too young or not interested.

Have you ever changed your favorite color? From what to what? My favorite color literally changes every time I see a cool color.

On a scale of 1-10, how competitive are you? -5. I'm not really concerned whether I win or lose. I’m more into either enjoying myself or learning/improving a skill.

Do you have a curfew? Uhm no, I’m 30.

Do you know any LL Cool J songs? I’m sure I’ve heard some, but I couldn’t tell ya off the top of my head.

What celebrity do you wish would get their own show? Hmm. Like a Talk Show? Maybe Chris Pratt? I feel like he'd be funny at that.

Do you think you’d make a good president? Definitely not. I’d spend the majority of my presidency throwing badass White House keg parties until my untimely and inevitable impeachment.

Are you a better dancer or singer? I guess singer.

At what age did your have your most memorable birthday? Kid birthdays are too distant to really recall and adult birthdays were too boozy to really recall. Which leaves me entirely unable to accurately answer this.

How old is your best friend? Same age as me.

Yes or no: Guys in skinny jeans? If it works for you, be my guest.

Yes or no: Girls with dreads? If it works for you, be my guest.

Have you ever attended a theme b-day party? Yeah. A few times, probably.

Do you pc4pc on Myspace? Yo, noooo idea what that means.

Do you have any Eminem on your iPod/ mp3 player? Shamelessly love the Shady. 👍

Last time you went to the mall, what did you buy? Umm, don’t remember.

What hair products do you use in your hair every day? Brush, headband. Lol simple.

What do you think the best song of the summer was? Beats me. I don’t keep up with recent music regularly enough.

What are your schools spirit colors? No longer a student, but high school: purple and white and college: red and white.

When you get bored do you take pictures of yourself? More so when I feel I look cute or do something cool and new with my appearance.

Have you ever owned a lava lamp? Yeah, it was like purple and glittery. I miss it. It was neat.

Have you ever skipped school just because you were tired? Weirdly enjoyed school because I didn’t want to miss Stage Crew after school.

What was the last thing you watched on t.v? I’m currently watching our friends play each other in Wii Tennis, if that counts.

Has anybody ever given you a promise ring? Eric Forman. Lol aka no.

Do glittery and glowing things interest you? To an extent. I'm easily amused.

Have you ever broken a window? Inadvertently and probably drunkenly.

What smiley face do you use most often? I like these guys ^_^ :D :P

Are the Jonas Brothers really as amazing as people make them out to be? Can’t say I’ve heard them or know shit about them. I’m sure there’s worse people in the world but I don’t know about amazing.

Is talking about sex openly awkward for you? Depends. It’s not something I avidly discuss with my grandparents or the kid taking my Wendy's order. There are circumstances I can talk about it and not feel weird or uncomfortable though.

What is your favorite kind of cake?Cheesecake.

Honestly, have you ever eaten raw cookie dough? Best way to eat cookies. Not sure why people bother ever cooking them.

What do you think about putting ‘spinners’ on cars? What the fuck does that even mean?

Did you laugh really hard today? Nope, just like regular non-vigorous laughter.

Do you own any plastic jewlery? Plenty. I’m not super classy.

If you were a talk show host who would you want to have as a guest? No idea. I don’t have anything interesting to ask anybody, anyway.

What celebrity do you wish would have a big come back? Eh, don’t think I’m Celeb-savvy enough to give a fuck. But let’s bring the Baha Men back for the long awaited “Who Let the Dogs Out, Again?”

What other holidays are in the month your birthday is in? Labor Day and some Jewish Holidays and maybe Grandparent's Day?

Do you like showing your teeth when you smile? Depends.

Can you count your best friends on one hand? Yeah. I keep my circle of friends pretty small and manageable.

Is it ok for guys to wear sneakers to prom? Knock yourself out, I’m not the fashion police. Getting dressed up for prom always seemed overrated, anyway.

How close is your immediate family? We're pretty close.

How did/ do you get to school every morning? My mom had to go through a very intensive, irritating process of actually waking me. By the time I got up, I had 15 minutes to put on clothes, eat a pop tart and then I had the balls to ask my mother for a ride to the bus stop because I was a brat, didn’t like the cold and was already borderline late. I sucked.

Were you outdoors or indoors more as a kid? Both. Weather depending.

Do you ever make fun of yourself? Course. It’s totally ok when I do but I’m uncharacteristically irked when other people jokingly mock me back. I am aware of the hypocrisy but it is what it is *shrug*

[gedankenspaziergang]

- Many of my thots are already in there but i keep thikning  about how Abdi met Amira N. when he accidentally followed a Spanish squad into a bar last night and how he keeps thinking about that beautiful girl and tries to come up with a way to talk to her again.

- He wants to be in a relationship, he has so much love to give and now that he found "the perfect woman" (to quote himself)  he needs to do this right. He thinks about how his friends managed to do it but it doesn't really help.

- With Matteo and David he doesn't know how they even started talking.  And with two boys it has to be different anyways,  right? 

- He doesn't even begin to think about Carlos and Kiki because he doesn't understand their relationship at all. He's just happy that Carlos found someone as pretty as Kiki.

- The other couple he thinks about is Jonas and Hanna. Thats when it hits him: Jonas obviously serenaded her with a lovesong! The only song he can come up with though is Señorita by Kay One  because Carlos keeps singing it ever since they walked into the bus bringing them to Lloret.

- So he tells the boys that at the next karaoke night he wants to sing Señorita for Amira. The boys find it hilarious but quickly realize he is serious about it. Mohammed gently convinces him that the lyrics are probably not suitable for Amira and he does relent. A woman like Amira only deserves the best anyways. So he makes it his mission to come up with new lyrics for the song.

- the boy squad is chilling at the beach trying to survive the unbearable heat with a hangover, the girls are playing volleyball a few hundred meters down the beach

- David and Matteo are lying on their swimming mattress even though it's a hundred degrees, Abdi doesn't understand how they are not sticking together but he also kinda longs to have something like that

- David is cranky because he is so hungover (even though MATTEO DRANK LIKE FIVE SHOTS MORE THAN HIM), which he is not used to, he lost a swimming race to Kiki earlier and Matteo keeps putting sand in his hair which will never come out again

- anyways Abdi keeps asking the guys for lyric ideas, because he NEEEDS this song to be good!

-  Carlos is very  commited, offers to help him with the rap part

- Jonas finds it funny but thinks it's adorable and together with Mohammed they come up with some pretty neat lyrics

- they struggle a bit because they never actually saw Amira but with Abdis descriptions and Mohammeds absolute love for anything sappy and romantic they somehow make it work

- Matteo doesn't really participate, fully concentrated on annoying David. But every now and then he jumps in with some metaphors that are perfect and just what they've been missing

- I don't know how this ends, but maybe Abdi is asking to borrow Jonas' guitar, ready to serenade  Amira right there on the spot (before he realizes that he doesn't actually know where she is staying) until  Amira M. somehow   finds out about his problem and is like "what do you mean you don't know where she is staying. They are at our hotel, I've been hanging out with her in the mornings when all of you are still sleeping off you hangover

- and then they fall in love

The obligatory Lloret Abifahrt headcanon Druck edition

Abdi does bodyshots off of Carlos,

Jonas gets into an arm wrestling match with turtleneck boy,

the sheer amount of drunken love confessions are wild,

people find out that David is a very clingy drunk because he keeps asking for his boyfriend even though he’s draped all over said boyfriend,

Leonie and Sara and Sam are all dancing together, also matteo keeps trying to get david to dance on the tables but david is not having it

Them all chilling in the sun on the beach, Carlos falls asleep and gets a terrible sunburn (David and Matteo learned to always keep sunscreen at hand after their trip)

Drunk karaoke wherein Jonas dedicates a song to Hanna (idk which one yet)

at least one time of Photoshop Markus being followed by wildlife enthusiast Matteo again

They all sleep in terrible rooms, Matteo and David could bully the others into giving them the biggest room,

If you don’t pay attention the mattress will scuttle away with you on it

abdi following a group into a bar and only realizes a few hours later that it's not their class but a totally different one not even germans

They’re all very friendly though and he just lets them tag along and wow David and that cool girl with the turquoise streaks seem to get along like a house on fire

Maybe abdi even finds a new crush and Carlos is damned to help him find her again (if you asked yourselves, yes, it’s Amira N)

Imagine abdi telling the boys about amira n and everyone is confused af until abdi mentions that it's not their amira he is talking about, Matteo will be like: "da Queen?" And Abdi will answer "yes", which will confuse them even more

Imagine Amira telling Cris about that hilarious and kinda dumb in a totally cute way boy and Cris slowly realizing that amira has a crush, She would nag amira for so long until she finally admits she does have a crush on abdi

Cris meets a boy with slightly tired but warm eyes at the beach who has a soft lilt to his voice and they bond over memes and the desire to bring their friends together

Eva Joana and Cris will come up with an elaborate scheme to get Abdi and Amira together/to meet again but in the end they manage on their own

Laura sitting at home having breakfast and listening to David's drunk voice messages he sent at like 4am and being close to crying because David finally has things to be excited about, dumb story's to tell about his friends and she can finally worry about David breaking a leg while drunkenly jumping over fences to go swimming in a hotel pool and not because of sad reasons

Amira would totally roll her eyes when Carlos and abdi Come up with the idea of going swimming in the middle of the night; "why don't you go into the pool of that fancy hotel next to us" she says ironically and is *pikachu meme* when everyone is excited about that idea

I can also see Carlos and Jonas discussing tattooing a k and h to show their girlfriends how much they love them, While David, Matteo and Mohammed try to explain it's maybe not the best idea to do this without asking them first

Matteo and David ream into the guys for the tattoo idea and when they go to the beach, they all see matteos back and the swallow, wings outstretched, shimmering in hues of blue, David has a simple tattoo, it’s almost unnoticeable: A small vial full of water on his pulse, the waves forming an M

Thank you @naslostcontrol, @gedankenspaziergang, @flirtyflorenzi and @dusuessekartoffel for your service

Feel free to add

[singledarkshade]

Entwined Hearts

Part Seven Author’s Note: Final chapter, hope you all enjoy and aren't disappointed. The next few months went by quickly.

Gideon found herself folded into the Hunter family more and more. She spent each weekend with them, taking Jonas to the zoo, the carnival, the park and any other activity Rip would plan for them. They went out one night a week, usually for dinner but on occasion it would be to go to a movie or the theatre while she ate with the family most other nights.

Gideon was falling for Rip more and more each time they were together, but she still hadn’t told him about her transplant.

“Why?” Lily demanded, as they sat sipping wine on one of the few nights Gideon was spending the evening in their apartment, “It’s not like he’s going to decide he doesn’t want to be with you.”

Gideon shrugged, “Because I don’t want him thinking I’m some delicate flower he needs to protect. He knows I was ill, that’s enough.”

“Is that why you haven’t slept with him yet?” Lily asked mischievously.

“Rip isn’t ready for anything more than we already have,” Gideon told her disapprovingly, “And it’s nice not having that expectation with him. We enjoy each other’s company and have fun and…”

“And make out like teenagers?” innocence filled Lily’s voice, “According to John.”

Gideon frowned at her.

“Are you bringing him to the wedding?” Lily changed the subject.

“I don’t know,” she sighed, “It’s a big step to ask him to…”

“Be your date for a party?”

“Subject him to all of you,” Gideon shot at her, before sighing slightly, “But I would like him to come with me.”

Lily rolled her eyes, “Just ask him. It’s not like you’re looking to marry him, it’s a party.”

Gideon sighed, “This would be easier if Caitlin and Ronnie got married when they were supposed to.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they planned for the venue to burn down to annoy you,” Lily laughed, “Just ask him. If he says no that it’s too fast, then you’ve lost nothing.”

 Gideon smiled as Jonas hugged her goodnight, as much as she was falling in love with Rip she already loved and adored the little boy.

“I’ll be a few minutes,” Rip told her as he took his son to get ready for bed.

She nodded and turned her attention to thinking over whether to invite Rip to the wedding as her plus one or not. Not because she didn’t want him to come but because she would have to explain how she knew them, and then he would find out how sick she had been. She knew it was irrational that she didn’t want him to know, that it wouldn’t change anything, but Gideon still couldn’t tell him.

“And he’s asleep,” Rip appeared again and sat at her side, “I don’t know what they do to him at that day-care, but he is worn out most days.”

“Clarissa likes to ensure on nice days the children spend their time playing in the fresh air,” Gideon told him.

Rip smiled, “Well, it makes my life easier.”

His fingers gently touched hers making Gideon smile, despite Lily’s teasing she liked that Rip wanted to move slowly in their relationship. Almost every other guy she dated didn’t and Gideon knew that possibly was why she’d never found anyone before now.

“My friends Caitlin and Ronnie are getting married in two weeks,” she said softly, “I know it’s short notice, but would you like to come with me?”

Rip smiled, “I’ll need to check if John can watch Jonas but if he can, I’d love to.”

                                  *********************************************

  Rip frowned as he went over the list of everything that he needed to register Jonas for school. Clarissa Stein had suggested Westbrook School for his son, it would be able to deal with how smart his little boy was but there was a lot of hoops to jump through.

He looked up and smiled as Gideon placed a mug of tea beside him while he filled out the endless forms for the school. Because the school was a private one then they insisted on all sorts of things before they’d even grant them an interview. He had promised to take Gideon to lunch once he had this finished, if he managed to at some point today.

He swore hunting through the many bits of paper.

“What’s wrong?” Gideon asked softly, her hand resting gently on his shoulder knowing how overwhelmed he was doing this.

“I don’t have Jonas’ birth certificate,” he sighed frustrated.

Gideon squeezed his arm, “I’ll get it. Where is it?”

“It should be in my top drawer,” Rip told her, rubbing the bridge of his nose before he looked up at her, “Thanks.”

She pressed a kiss to his cheek, “Anytime.”

Rip watched her leave the kitchen, he adored her and wanted to be ready for more, but something was holding him back. With a sigh he turned back to his paperwork and hoped this would be worth it.

  Gideon entered Rip’s bedroom with a smile. It amused her how neat Rip liked everything to be, Gideon herself was quite a messy person but as Lily liked to remind her geniuses often were.

Despite the fact Rip had given her permission, it felt a bit like an invasion of privacy opening the drawer to find the birth certificate. Thankfully it was the first thing she saw as Rip must have had it out recently. Gideon was about to close the drawer when an envelope with very familiar handwriting caught her eye.

Slowly Gideon lifted it out, along with the picture it was paperclipped to. Staring at the photo, Gideon knew this was Miranda before she looked at the envelope in her hand.

How could this happen?

Forcing her tears back Gideon walked back into the kitchen, slamming the envelope and photo on the table.

“How long have you known?” she demanded angrily.

Rip blinked at her confused, “What?” he asked before focussing on the items Gideon had put in front of him, “Where did you get these?”

“Don’t avoid the question,” Gideon cried at him, “How long have you known?”

“Known what?” Rip whispered looking completely confused.

She grabbed the letter, “That this is me.”

He stared at her, “What?”

“I have to leave,” Gideon wiped her eyes, “I have to…” shaking her head Gideon grabbed her purse and jacket before hurrying out hearing him call her name.

  Rip sat staring at the photograph and letter on the table, which was were John found him.

“Are you okay?” John demanded as he walked in.

Shaking his head Rip looked at his friend, “Where’s Jonas?”

The little boy came running in answering his question and Rip scooped him up for a hug. Putting him back down Rip kissed his son’s forehead, “Why don’t you go watch some cartoons?”

Jonas grinned and disappeared leaving the two men in the kitchen again.

“He can’t hear you now,” John said, “What’s wrong?”

Rip lifted the letter and handed it to his friend silently. John frowned confused before he read the letter.

“Okay,” he whispered, wiping his eyes, “This looks like you’ve had it a while so what happened?”

“It’s Gideon,” Rip told him.

John grimaced asking, “What’s Gideon?”

“Gideon wrote the letter,” Rip said, shaking his head sadly, “Gideon has Miranda’s heart.”

Putting the letter back on the table John hugged his friend, holding onto him as he felt the tremors of emotion running through him. After several minutes he let go and sat Rip down.

“Does Gideon know?” John asked.

Rip nodded, “She found the letter when she was getting me Jonas’ birth certificate. She asked me how long I’d known.”

“But you didn’t?”

“I knew she was sick a few years ago but nothing like that,” Rip told him, “It never occurred to me that ‘G’ was Gideon. Why would I?”

John remained silent allowing his friend to talk.

“She looked so upset,” he whispered, “She thought I knew, as though I was using her to…”

“To keep a part of Miranda in your life,” John sighed sadly.

Rip nodded before asking, “What do I do?”

“I think you already know.”

  Gideon knocked on the door repeatedly until Clarissa finally opened it, looking surprised as Gideon fell into the older woman’s arms sobbing.

“Sweetheart,” Clarissa hugged her, confusion in her voice, “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Unable to say anything Gideon just held onto the woman who had become a mother to her. Clarissa moved her inside the house and sat her down on the couch.

“Okay,” Clarissa said, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Gideon sniffed, “My heart.”

“Is something wrong?” worry filled her voice, “Do you need me to call Caitlin?”

Shaking her head Gideon sighed, “I know where my heart came from.”

Clarissa stared at her, “Where?”

“Rip’s wife,” Gideon whispered, tears beginning to fall once more, “I have his wife’s heart.”

“Oh sweetheart,” Clarissa wrapped Gideon in her arms again, holding her close for several minutes, “How did you find out?”

“I found my letter,” Gideon whispered, “I thought that he cared… but why would he…it’s just…”

“Stop,” Clarissa told her, “Are you sure he knew?” When Gideon hesitated Clarissa stroked her hair, “From everything I’ve seen, Rip adores you because you’re you. No other reason.”

“But…”

“No buts sweetheart,” Clarissa said, “You need to talk to him.”

Someone knocked on the door and Clarissa squeezed Gideon’s hand leaving her on the couch. Gideon wiped her eyes, hearing murmured voices nearby. Sensing she wasn’t alone again Gideon looked up and saw Clarissa walking in with Rip.

  Rip ensured Jonas was fine with John before he left to find and talk to Gideon. His first thought was to go to her apartment but as he started for it, Rip remembered how the Steins were like parents to Gideon. So, he tried their house first.

“Is she here?” Rip asked the moment Clarissa opened the door to him.

Clarissa nodded, “Yes.”

“Please,” Rip whispered, “I need to talk to her.”

“Did you know about her heart?” Clarissa demanded.

Rip shook his head, “I had no idea. Of course I didn’t.”

Resting her hand on his shoulder Clarissa gave him a small smile, “Come on in.”

Rip followed her through into the living room where Gideon was sitting, her red-rimmed eyes widening when she saw him. Clarissa patted Rip on the shoulder before leaving them alone.

“Can I sit?” Rip asked softly, relieved when Gideon nodded. He took the seat on the other side of the couch and took a deep breath, “Gideon, I had no idea that you were the one who wrote that letter.”

Gideon shook her head, “I believe you and I understand if you never want to see me again.”

“Why would I want that?”

“Because I will remind you of…” Gideon started.

“You will remind me,” Rip cut her off, “That something wonderful came from the worst day of my life. That Miranda’s death meant that you and other people I will never know got a second chance.”

Tears filled her eyes and Rip moved closer, resting his hand on her cheek, “I loved Miranda,” he whispered, “And I always knew I could count on her to look out for me. It looks like she still is. Because I’m in love with you.”

“Rip…”

“And the fact you received her heart means Miranda ensured that you’re here so I could fall in love with you,” he breathed as Gideon leaned into his hand.

Gideon sighed, “She really was my Angel, in more ways than one.”

Rip nodded, tears filling his eyes, smiling slightly when Gideon rested her forehead against his.

“Please tell me that you still want to be with me,” Rip whispered, “That you aren’t going to run away again because I don’t want to lose you too.”

A blush covered her cheeks, “Are you sure?”

“More than I have been about anything in a long time,” Rip told her.

Gideon let out a sigh of relief before she nodded, “Then yes.”

Rip smiled at her touching his lips to Gideon’s in a soft kiss and pulling her into a tight embrace.

[whenthespotlightfades]

Skam break thoughts: Vilde vs Sana:  - Where vilde should have talked to Sana, Sana has proven to be rather difficult person to talk to, often shushing her, correcting her etc.  I don’t think Vilde thought she was strong enough to take on Sana in a normal conversation, but secondly it’s hard to talk to a friend that you feel betrayed you and Sana betrayed Vilde in a way. She took her position without explantion, hesistation and any regard for Vilde’s feelings.  So obviously Vilde would not be on Sana’s side. Vilde wants to be on a busse, as far as telling the girs about Elias calling Sana a slave, this is Vilde. She’s blunt and talks without thinking. She wants to fit in more than anything in this world. To be seen and valued. She didn’t feel that way with Sana, so she goes somewhere else. In a way Sana caused this to happen by hurting Vilde first and payback is a bitch. Sana is muslim, prejudice will dominate all the pepsi-max girls and they will chose the blond norwegain girls over her.  Noora vs Sana: - I don’t think Noora knows about Sana’s feelings, but I disagree that if she did she wouldn’t still have kissed Yousef if she liked him. She knew about Vilde’s feelings for William and that didn’t stop her either. Noora does what she wants really when it comes to boys.  I do think with the girls all loving Noora and Noora’s connection to Mari, that she will get Sana her busse back, once she realised she really hurt Sana. More than she hurt Vilde. It’s that neat ending with a bow on top of it, that paints Noora as the saviour she is suppose to be, she saves them all, apart from Isak that is. 

Sana vs family: - I’m hoping that Sana will actually talk to her mother, like Isak talked to Jonas. I do think she is upset with Elias, she invited the boys in hope of reuniting them, since Yousef was upset, she was hoping maybe they could be friends again if they saw Even was doing alright. I do think Elias and Yousef might have a falling out when he finds out he kissed Noora. Elias knows Sana likes him and he has made plenty comments to Yousef about flirting with his sister. That is a confrontation I’m absolutely expecting. Boy Squad vs Balloon Squad - We don’t know what caused the fight, but I love that the boys have Even’s back even if they have no idea why this fight was happening. Even belongs with them now.  Homophobia seems the easiest answers, but considering the things that have happened between Even and his previous friends, I think it was something else. The Question is who punched Isak and why? Who started the fight? How did it start? All these things are missing.  I might be alone in this but I would love for this show to remain realistic, Julie has a way of making the endings of season all happy and good, but real life doesn’t work like that.  I would be perfectly alright with Even opening up to Isak about his fear and realising he doesn’t need to worry about it. Maybe the boys can come around, but not this season, maybe it can end with Yousef or Elias simply nodding his head in a friendship gesture, saying we’re cool. Maybe we’re not friends anymore, but we’re cool.  Sana vs Yousef: - This is tricky, because i have no idea what is even going on his head. He likes Sana as far as we can tell, so why kiss her best friend, especially after last week’s episode. I feel with Even kissing Sonja most people in the end understood Isak’s mental illness comment had caused it. I knew that was my first idea, though my heart broke for both them. Yousef could do it because he knows he can’t be with Sana cause he’s not a muslim anymore but why then still pick someone Sana knows, if he dates Noora he would be confronted with Sana all the time. It would have made more sense to kiss Sara or something.  I’m not sure what I expect, I know Sana and Yousef will be together at the end because all couples so far were apart from Eva and Jonas, but Julie asked people if they wanted that ending and the viewers said no.  So whatever happens they will end up together, maybe after Elias punches Yousef in the face for kissing Noora whilst leading Sana on. He’d realise Sana likes him and maybe decides to fight her, show her she’s beautiful and worth just as much as any of those other girls. Though I would hope Sana discovers that on her own, your self-worth should in the end always come from you, not from whether a pretty guy thinks you’re worth something.