#thr: thethievesgambit

[florxdexcerezos]

She had decided long ago how she'd go to war for him. Burn out in a blaze of glory just for him. Everything she could do, she would. But the life they lead wasn't that kind of setting, there was no grand sacrifice she could make like in the books or the movies. So Maly simply considered her Jae with reverence, and love as if he built the world. When really he only built the foundation of their little family.

"I love you too, amor. For eternity." Maly's voice was soft, as she drifted off to sleep. She would sleep for half an hour peacefully, comforted enough that the pain from pumping would disappear. Jae would know she was awake again when she shuffled out from his hand, turning so she could look up at him, eyes still closed.

Aurora was comfortable in her father's arms, her tummy settling after feeding. She would only gristle when she needed to be burped, but otherwise was quite happy staying where she was.

"Why not both, nae sarang." He meant it with his whole heart. Jae would never be able to make up to her for all the things he put her through as he figured his shit out, but he could make sure that he showed her every day now that he loved, and appreciated her and would never place her second to anything or anyone. Well, maybe their newborn daughter would have something to say about that but that was neither here nor there. "I'll marry you every where and anywhere you want."

At her request, he smiled. "You know all you have to do is ask and I gladly will." Carefully balancing Aurora in one arm, he got into bed with his wife. Back against the headboard, sitting with Maly's head in his lap so he could properly run his hand through her hair. Aurora in one arm, running his fingers through Maly's hair with his free hand, he couldn't help but feel lucky, blessed, that Maly had given him a second chance to prove himself. To build this family with her. " I love you." He said to both his girls as they fell asleep.

[florxdexcerezos]

His large hands moved to daintily unhook the necklace and hang it around her neck. He set it carefully on her collarbone and pressed it into place with a kiss. Perfect. Blue eyes flicked up to observe her expression, his own silly and adoring. "Please, i insist." He cooed, pulling back to offer his hearteyes directly.

His hands returned to Elizabeth's hips, gripping lightly. "Should sit here more often." He remarked with a grin.

"Of course, I did," she said giggle in her tone as she settled on his lap. It seemed absurd to her that she wouldn't get him a present. The warmth of his body, her gentle giant, made her so unbelievably happy. It was something she made herself promise to herself she would enjoy while she could, before they had to go their separate ways again. "Hmm," she hummed, pressing her body against his some more as he kissed her neck. Leaning back slightly only so he could look at the pendants she got them.

At his question she couldn't help the small chuckle that rose from her. "Yes, love. I wear yours, you wear mine. As close as you can be without physically next to me."

She froze for a moment, the word forever piercing her heart. While they hadn't discussed everything yet, that made her hopeful. She nodded a small yes as she pulled her hair off to the side. Something about this moment seemed more intimate than all the physical acts they had ever done, more than all the stolen glances and lingering touches. He was the romantic out of the two of them but in this moment, she felt it, she just knew. Forever didn't seem long enough for how long she wanted to be with him. "Can I put yours on?" She asked softly, unsure why she felt so shy suddenly.

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Meeka gasped at this revelation. "Why didn't you say something earlier? I have to meet him properly! And feed him! I'm not letting him leave without a bag full of tupperware! He needs sweet treats to keep him going!" As well as actual food but that is irrelevant.

"Why, do you want to be?" She would. Kisses distracted her thoroughly enough that any follow up suggestion was swallowed whole. At least for now, while her mouth opened and tongue flicked out to curl around Chase's. Meeka let him bask in the taste for a moment before gripping his chin and pulling back. "Always so hungry~"

"Maybe," Was said coyly as her arms wrapped around his neck, he didn't waste any time closing all the space between them. Body against hers, hands caressing her thighs and kissing her neck as he listened to talk through her ideas. These moments made the long hours in trauma care worth it all.

"The prettiest." Murmured in between kisses as he trailed them up her neck and side of her face. Chuckling, he pulled back. "More like Morri. Jae works out, Morri is always skipping meals running from case to case trying to save everyone." The half brothers were so funny to him sometimes. Both raised so differently but out there saving people in similar and different manners.

"Should I be jealous?" Chase teased before used two fingers of his right hand to tilt her chin up towards his face. "Maybe you should calm my worries." Pressing his lips against hers, his tongue licked against her lips.

[florxdexcerezos]

"Yes, the All Blacks is the New Zealand national team for Rugby Union. The big one that does the hakas, you've probably seen them do that rather than play a match." It certainly made things easier to describe.

Brett listened carefully at Elizabeth's explanation, smiling softly. He was glad she got to have those memories; they sounded like fun. He wished he had such experiences with his step dad. But alas, the time for that had long passed.

"I believe baseball is one of the sports that I've not been to yet. But it sounds like an atmosphere I'm depriving myself of. Perhaps I could catch a game with you sometime? You can show me what I'm missing."

Elizabeth beamed as he complimented her father. She loved him beyond anything and it wasn't just because he was her only family, he was at times her best friend too. There was nothing, well almost nothing, that they kept from each other. "Exactly!"

Pen in hand, she was ready to write things but there was something there underneath it all. As someone who sought stories everywhere to write them, she could tell that there was one there. This was their first meeting though so she wouldn't push. "That sounds nice, can I ask, all blacks? Is that the name of a team?"

The mention of baseball had her light up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree at Christmas. "My dad actually. We moved around a lot when I was little and baseball was something he really loved. Made it a point to watch a game whenever and wherever we could before he settled us in California and we got season passes. There's just something about a crowd, some hot dogs and cheering with strangers that really just makes me happy. Have you ever been to a game? Like baseball? "

[florxdexcerezos]

She loved hearing him try her first language. Whether stuttered or perfect, it was angelic either way. He was always so fervent in his devotion to her. It helped that she wore such short skirts around him. The ones that her father would baulk at, and barely covered any of Maly's dignity.

Milky thighs sat prettily on the edge of the table, skirt just covering the prize he sought after. "Creo que es posible. Si te puedas." Another quick yank on his hair was his go-signal, before she leaned back to balance herself and lift her hips. Her hand would find him again to guide him to his heaven.

God he loved it when she went off in Spanish. It just made her that much hotter to him. The fact that she was going off on him because she cared about his wellbeing just further enamored him, causing a huge grin creep up. "Aye, amor. Te preocupas mucho." His spanish was not all that well, yet, but he was still trying.

A small surprised gasp came from the tug of his hair, but god did he love it when she did that to him. He was already hard for her, but not until after he kissed and nibbled all over her thighs would he take her. His hands rested on her knees as he sat in his chair in between her legs, they slowly began to inch up her legs as they squeezed the sensitive flush skin on the inside of her thighs. "What if I earn it then, mi reina." His mouth already salivated for the taste of her.

[florxdexcerezos]

With his permission, she leaned in again, capturing his lips softly. The tenderness didn't last long. Having been blocked from taking what she wanted for so long, she'd be lying if there wasn't desperation in her fingertips. Eagerness to take of his what she wanted. Nikki pushed into the kiss, keeping hold of his cheeks with gentle hands.

"Kartik - I - " She pulled back, cheeks a little rosy. "I don't know if I can keep my hands off you." At least she was honest. "I want you."

Her words squeezed his heart, they made him realize what a fool he had been all these years to fight fate. That day he met her, in his neighbors yard when his parents came to socialize with Michael's parents, he should've known it. It was fate, he had been on its collision course and he refused to see it. "No more waiting," he whispered against her lips. "I'm sorry for making you wait. For not seeing what was always right in front of me. For knowing that you would so I did make you wait. I am so sorry."

Smiling at her words, he nodded yes. "Of course, anytime you want, anywhere you want."

[florxdexcerezos]

"No, don't cancel, everyone's worked so hard on it and cleared their schedules." She frowned. "I'm sorry, it's all sort of come to the forefront now." They'd both been working so much leading up to the shower, preparing so much so their little family would come together in time for their arrival. Though she had relaxed her duties at the bakery, being deskbound drove her crazy.

"Could we take a little time out from things? Just a little break, you and me. It's super short notice I know, so I'm not expecting you to use time off at work, just something on a weekend when you're off. Just us, actively doing something relaxing, without trying to do something for someone, or the twins, or the house, or something else. I just want you, before that time becomes a commodity. I don't want to ruin plans, or cause a fuss."

"If it all meant that i would end up here," Charlie said looking down at his hand, wedding band on it as it caressed her growing abdomen. "I would do it a million times over. Bellie grew up in safe enviroment and I got to meet you. Then it was all worth it." He was in no way dismissing the abuse he had suffered at his father's hands, but he had to believe that had he not done that, leading to Charlie leaving in the middle of the night with his little sister, they would not be here now. So it had to be something, he chose to believe that the universe did what it did to make sure you ended up where you belonged, and this was where he belonged.

"That's because of all that reading I've been doing to them every night," leaning down so he could place a kiss on her stomach, he said softly towards her bump. "Isn't that right, babies? Be nice to mama." As much as he was excited to be a father, he was a husband first and all his wife's discomforts worried him. "Need to rest for a while before we head out?" Listening to his wife's request just further solidified his worries. "Of course, anything you want. I can call Bellie right now and tell her to take everyone out for lunch instead. We can do the shower some other day." His sister would not hesitate to do anything for them, having become protective of her sister-in-law as well since her little accident at the bakery early on in the pregnancy. "I can ran you a bath." His hand softly ran up and down her back as he offered it, waiting for his wife to tell him what she needed.

[florxdexcerezos]

"Oh absolutely. In The Heights is crazy hot right now after the movie's come out. If you land a part, which they'd be crazy not to put you somewhere, think of the audience you could reach. All the agents would be asking your info, I just know it!" She'd be the first one to provide them his details.

"I'd love to listen to your music sometime. Perhaps on this cute lunch? But otherwise, we can go over your lines no problem~ I have no plans after this, only some errands to run closer to home but those can be done later."

He couldn't imagine Deli cutting her beautiful hair. Her curls were so quintessentially her. Such a beautiful part of the puzzle that made the beautiful image that was her. He had been lost in thought about it that it had flown over his head that she was complimenting him.

Laughing about possibly wearing a wig to be the piragüero, he added. "Well, we actors have to always be comfortable becoming someone else. This would be a challenge I intend to take head-on if offered." When she brought up the commercials he smiled, he did remember seeing her in that yogurt commercial, how could he forget that?! He also made a mental note to look for a target mailer with her in it and have her sign it. He had no doubt that Deli would one day make it big, he was her biggest fan now. "Nothing much actually. Been working on my music a lot more. I did a modeling gig here and here for old navy and gap but just really been focusing on making music. I thought this would be perfect for me." Musicals were the perfect blend of music and acting. "We should have lunch after this, I could use your opinion on some lines I have. If you're not busy after, I mean."

[florxdexcerezos]

Olly's heart had been in his throat all evening. Now he wanted something better to replace it. Something to displace the nerves he had carried around with him the whole trip. He craved validation, relief - he wanted Lucius desperately to make it all better.

"Allow me then, to repay the favour in kind at some point." He uttered softly, still keeping his hands on Lucius' shirt to pull him to the couch. "You deserve the world, and to forget it exists for a little while." That was what he wanted.

Olly glanced behind him, before taking a seat and pulling Lucius down on top of him.

It had all been so beautiful. A sweet surprise. He had though that it was just a getaway with the people that had become his family. The two best friends he met in a club once while they were in college, one who became his best friend and client, the other became the love his life.

His head still swirled with the view of Paris, the air, Elizabeth and Olly's sister cheering them as Olly kneeled before him asking him to spend their lives together. He felt drunk in love, he felt like a character in one of Elizabeth's novels.

He was still on cloud nine when his boyfriends fiancé's voice broke through. The way that Olly called him his husband only made him want him more. They were going to get married.

Taking Olly's face into his hands, he kissed him deeply. "No, let me take care of you." His hands groped at Olly's pants. "You planned this beautiful thing for us. Let me take care of you."

[florxdexcerezos]

She had so many plans that had to be implemented. New stores, new cupcake recipes, new consultations for wedding cakes - there was forever a lot going on in her head. Meetings, work, flights, all sorts. Meeka abhorred being idle. But she let Alejandra have control as a sign of trust, gave herself in with only one rule: no stopping to think.

While her mouth was open and occupied, Meeka's arms reached above her head, displaying her submission. It was also a way to ensure that she did not inhibit Ale's movements. Her back arched to push her body closer to Ale's, to show she was for the taking.

"No," Alejandra said forcefully as she peppered kisses on her girlfriends clavicle, hands on the redheads waist. They were just right there, peaking over the top of the cute dresses she wore, begging to be kissed. How could Alejandra not be a wolf wanting to devour Meeka the moment she saw her. "World domination can pause for a moment, mi amor. I," her hands began to inch up Meeka's side. "have other plans of domination right now." Her lips came up and pressed against the others, tongue licking at Meeka's for entrance.

[florxdexcerezos]

Nikki had spent all week preparing for her exhibition. Collecting her favourite unsold artworks, arranging the layout, the theme she wanted for each room. It was her favourite thing about it all. On each night, she could stand in the middle of the room with a glass of champagne, and observe peoples' reactions to her paintings. All the time she poured into them.

While she spent plenty of time in her corners, she did flitter around the room to connect with other artists, or sellers, or people in the network who were good to get to know. She had been finishing up one of these conversations when someone had bumped into her - "ohp!" She got knocked a step out of place, a hand reaching out to steady herself.

"Oh-" She was ready to respond, turning to face the man who dared knock the starling from her perch. "No worries, love." Nikki shook her head, caramel curls bouncing. "You're a little far from home, no?"

It was one of those nights were Ronan was beginning to regret moving to New York. That he should have listened to his father and just had moved to Dublin instead if he wanted a change of scenery. Or even over to Edinburgh.

But to him Greenwich Village was the place to be. New York was where the art scene was. It was where he needed to be in order to meet other creatives in the art space and hopefully be recognized. He didn't even want to be rich, he just wanted to be remembered. For his time on this spinning rock to have meant something!

For the first couple of weeks it was hard, until he found a part time job doing from secretarial work at a detective agency. It helped him keep afloat while he figured shite out and thankfully freed up his nights to visit galleries and art galas.

Where he had found himself with a yet another vapid art student, for some reason it was just his luck. As she made an excuse to use the restroom, he felt himself untense and turned around to look at another piece, he found himself bumping into someone. "Oh, sorry." True to his roots, he had yet to master saying excuse me instead of sorry. "Sorry for being in your way."

@florxdexcerezos

[florxdexcerezos]

"I feel so honoured., baby" She cooed excitedly, clutching onto the envelope tightly. "I'm sure you had somethin' to do with it." Even if he did, it would only make her love him more.

Once she was lifted onto the counter, she put the envelope down her shirt so she could place her arms onto Chase. "Hmm-" She paused to compose her great vision. "Gosh, American buttercream would be so timeless. But I think Italian Meringue, what I use for the bakery, it'd be better. If only because if they have it outside, or somewhere hot, it won't melt on me. God, I'd make it the prettiest gradient of blue and pink. I'd clear appropriate flavours with them first, but I want to make them a set of their own cupcakes to go alongside it. I know Maly likes Mango, and I could make a bunch of those, but I need Jae to confirm his flavour otherwise he'll obviously perish." He was skinny, but not that skinny, he'd live.

"And of course I'll make some cupcakes for you, so you don't get too jealous, hmm?"

He knew that she would react this way. Smiling, he took her chin in one hand and kissed her softly before handing over the envelope. "They know you will or else they wouldn't have trusted you with this."

Then his hands glided down her sides, pulling her so she was sitting on the counter now. Him standing between her legs. "What flavor will you make it? And will you use the buttercream you used for my birthday cake or that really addictive one you use at the bakery?"

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"No fucking way-" Meeka knew what envelopes meant. They were either invitations to places with delicious food, or presents. Even the idea of what it could be had Meeka climbing over surfaces to get to Chase, and up in his space to sniff the envelopes as if it would tell her its secrets. Feral. "Oh my god, yes. yes! Gib! I need to create the best cake New York City has ever seen!" She gestured to grab at the invitation in his hands wildly. "I'm gonna make it beautiful! And delicious! It will speak the gospel of Heavenly Made!"

"Guess what I have here," Chase smirked waving the envelope in front of his girlfriend. Though he couldn't contain his excitement and decided to just be out with it. "Jae and Maly are having a gender reveal get together and not only are we invited." He held out a separate envelope and placed it on the counter before handing her the initial one he showed her. "They want you to do the cake. Results are in the envelop but they do not know what the baby is yet. Whatya say ? Up for the task? You know you can't let me know either, I'd spoil it. "

@florxdexcerezos