#threads:hasani

[muse-legion]

The tension between them was palpable, thick enough to slice with the sharp edge of the silence that had descended upon them. His eyes, a tempest of dark secrets, met hers with a silent challenge, the corners of his mouth curving into a small smirk which didn't quite reach his eyes. "Perhaps I should." Hasani's words brushed against the delicate skin of her ear, his lips almost touching that sweet spot he remembered too well; -almost. Fighting the urge to dip just a little lower and taste what he so desperately craved, he inhaled sharply, the scent of her perfume weaving its seductive spell around him mercilessly. "And shouldn't you be getting upstairs to your husband?" Each breath he took was merely a quiet battle between the voice of reason screaming at him to step away and the siren call of desire urging him even closer into her orbit. His hand slid down her arm, fingertips delicately grazing her skin oh so tenderly. "And yet... here we are. Just you and me." For a moment, he felt as though he could drown in those pools of unspoken intentions, a tumultuous sea of longing and guilt.

"And what makes you think I'd miss a chance to enjoy this… heat?" Hasani let the question linger, his gaze drifting to her parted lips, resonating with the growing evidence of his need for this woman and not even sparing a single thought to the awareness of the fact she could feel it through the fabric of his tailored suit at this point. This forbidden fruit, had the power to consume him whole, to burn down the carefully constructed façade of his life - Yet, he couldn't help but be drawn to the very edge of the precipice, the thrill of the unknown whispering sweet nothings in his ear. With a smoldering smile, he reached out and gently traced the line of her jaw with his thumb, hoping to send an electric current through her veins like he used to way back in the day. "If you want me to stop, better tell me now."

𝐢𝐭  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐚  𝐛𝐚𝐝  𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚  𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭  ,  asking  him  to  help  ...  giving  him  permission  to  enter  her  space  —a  match  poised  over  a  pool  of  gasoline,  daring  fate  to  spark  a  blaze  .  she  can  can  smell  his  cologne  ,  the  moment  he's  inches  away  ,  a  heady  blend  of  danger  and  allure,  perfuming  the  air  with  memories  potent  enough  to  make  her  knees  weak  and  her  heart  race  with  a  reckless  desire  .  perfectly  manicured  nails,  painted  the  color  of  midnight  wine,  moved  her  hair  to  one  side  .  her  lips,  stained  the  same  rich  burgundy  ,  parted  slightly  just  to  catch  her  breathe  .  It  was  a  shade  her  husband  detested  ,  yet  the  compliments  couldn't  stop  flowing  from  everyone  else  around  her  .  and  then,  there  were  his  words—silk-wrapped  secrets  slipping  past  his  lips,  each  syllable  a  subtle  caress,  a  phrase  layered  with  double  meanings  .  was  it  his  pleasure  to  torment  her  so  ?  to  watch  her  unravel  with  each  carefully  chosen  word  ?  "  thank  you  .  "  she  murmured  ,  voice  a  whisper  caught  on  the  cool  air  that  kissed  her  exposed  back  ,  sending  a  shiver  racing  down  her  spine  .  she  hesitated,  fear  and  anticipation  warring  within  her,  before  gathering  the  courage  to  meet  his  gaze  .  "  shouldn't  you  be  getting  home  to  your  wife  .  "  knowing  full  well  the  hypocrisy  of  her  question  ,  as  if  she  wasn’t  willingly  standing  in  the  eye  of  the  storm  .

[muse-legion]

„Plants huh? You’d get along just fine with my mom then. She’s good the green thumbs. Might take you to hers one of these days. Her garden is a piece of art.“ Hasani watched as Cassie's eyes brightened at the mention of her routines and the people in her life that were helping her stay afloat. He knew talking about hobbies and friends was a good distraction from the darker subjects, which often clouded one’s thoughts. He felt a little bad for bringing up his own failed commitment, realizing he might have accidentally led her down a path of painful reflection. "that's a good way to keep the mind occupied. As for me, I've been working a lot. Late nights are nothing unusual in my line of work.“ A low chuckle tore from his lips and he quickly elaborated further, once he realised his words may have sounded more dubious than intended. „Don’t worry, nothing illegal or anything of that sort. I’ve got my own security company and while I usually just take care of managing events and the more boring sides, such as paperwork and bills of this business, it still feels like the days don’t have enough hours most of the time.“

He paused, a small smile playing on his lips while his gaze remained locked on her own. „Other than that, spending time with the family and tinkering on my grandfather’s Oldtimer or going to the gym are usually my go tos to unwind.“ Hasani explained, before a laugh escaped inevitably as he thought of his mother's persistent attempts to set him up on blind dates. "And occasionally dodging my mother's matchmaking schemes."He took a sip of his drink, the cool liquid washing down the sudden dryness in his throat. Hasani could feel the weight of his own confession lingering in the air, and he hoped that by sharing a bit of his own life, he could encourage Cassie to open up more without feeling the need to fixate on the negative.

It was so easy to lay back into the pitfalls of self-pity. When it came to her ex, it was all Cassie did. Failing at anything sucks, but failing in a relationship? To know you weren’t good enough for the other person to not want to change? That stung and the minimal shattered remnants of her ego took a hit. In therapy Cassie learned Trent’s inability to change further impacted her already fragile father wound. And that’s why it felt safe to wallow in the pain - because she was used to it.

Hasani changing the subject from his own failed commitment tightly wrapped around her wrist, pulling her from the abyss. Her eyes brightened.

“Honestly - just working a lot,” she answered truthfully. “I think Matias loves having me here now so he doesn’t have to deal with the riff-raff.” Matias was the owner of the Griffith, the owner of the bar she basically lived at, and one of her best friends since high school. He’d been a staple in helping Cass settle in after moving back. “But when I’m not working, I’m cooking or attending to my plants, hanging out with Spence…” Spencer, another one of Cassie’s childhood friends, had stuck by her through everything - all the rehabs, jail time, hospital visits. “Just trying to stay out of trouble, ya know? What about you?”

[muse-legion]

“That’s one way to put it.” Hasani couldn’t help but chuckle at Bea’s playful tease, reminiscing on their past encounters. "Well, I do what I can to keep up the charm," He mused, flashing a mischievous smile before he took a sip of his whiskey, feeling the warmth spread through him although something was telling him it wasn’t just the whiskey that caused this familiar reaction. "And thanks for the compliment on the beard. It’s been a bit of an experiment, but I’ve grown quite fond of it."

His eyes briefly caught her own, as he tried to behave himself. Bea just always knew how to enchant him without even trying. He leaned closer to her, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "So, tell me, what’s the craziest thing you’ve done since we last saw each other?" He was genuinely curious about her adventures and the life she’d been living. As a flight attendant, she’d always had the best stories to tell and he’d missed hearing about her adventures. "To many more adventures," Hasani toasted, raising his glass towards hers, before he took a large sip again. His hand brushed against hers on the bar top, and the electricity was undeniable. "Do you remember the last time we were here?" he asked softly, wondering if she too had thought of him during their time apart.

"A lot a lot of you." she emphasised, before laughing at the memories. They had a lot of fun in their youth, catching up whenever she was in town after a flight, destressing together in more ways than one. She turned to the bartender when he advised what she wanted, ordering his drink and a vodka martini for herself.

"Oh, look at you all smooth talking. That never changes, does it? Always were able to charm the pants off me... Literally." Bea chuckled, leaning forwards onto the bar top. "Same goes for you, though. I'm loving this." She motioned around her jawline, referring to his facial hair. "It's rugged, looks good on you."

[muse-legion]

The jukebox blared an upbeat melody from decades past, resonating with laughter as other patrons danced and clapped along to its nostalgic tunes. He found it amusing how people could so easily get lost within the rhythm, completely forgetting reality in that moment. “I didn’t know that was still running. I used to love that song.” He chuckled, swaying a little to the beat.

“Sorry, I almost forgot you’re still at work. Wouldn’t want to get you in trouble but I can wait and the offer still stands once your shift is over.” Hasani winked at her teasingly, before he took his drink and followed her to the booth, where he made himself comfortable. “Remember when we hid in the utility room and waited until they closed, to have our own little private party in here?” A casual smirk tugged at the corners of his lips at the memories of their high school shenanigans. There was no doubt, those two were trouble and while they did have to face the consequences more times than not, he wouldn’t change a thing, even if he could.

Something flickered at the edge of Hasani's mind—a haunting curiosity that had grown since he’d last seen Cassie years ago. She seemed different now; there was depth in her gaze that hinted at experiences he longed to understand: what adventures had shaped her during their time apart? But he wasn’t going to push it. When Cassie’s playful inquiry twinkled in those same eyes he couldn't quite look away from—the ones tethered to unspoken memories—his heart tightened slightly at mention of a wedding band and he automatically rubbed his ring finger. He’d taken that thing off a while ago. “I wish… but unfortunately I’m still trying to get my ex to sign the divorce papers.” It wasn’t his favorite topic to talk about but there was no way he was going to hide the ugly truth from Cassie either.

Gently stepping around Hasani, Cassie took in a quick breath of air. While this was done to try and sort out her thoughts to properly explain her return, all Cassie got was the delicious scent of his cologne. It almost made her eyes roll back, lids fluttering shut to bask in the smell. But the sound of a patron putting coins in the jukebox and a small group of praising the song choice brought her back.

"I would love to," Cassie started as she began pouring his next drink. "But believe it or not, I'm a sober bartender. I'll still join you. My shift is almost done anyway." Once she placed the glass in front of her old friend, Cass beckoned for him to follow her to one of the booths toward the back.

As they settled in, Cassie gave him another once over, suddenly remembering all teh trouble they'd used to get in back in their high school days. "So, tell me, Hasani - what have you been getting yourself into lately?" If asked, Cassie would deny trying to avert the conversation away from her and her past. That information was not exactly her favorite thing to talk about. "I don't see a wedding band or a tan line. There's no way someone hasn't come and swooped you up yet."

[muse-legion]

To shake off the remnants of domestic turmoil and yet another argument with his wife Cat, who’d still refused to accept the separation, Hasani decided to attend a high-profile event at Corrie’s lavish estate—an invitation that felt as much obligatory as opportunistic, since part of him couldn’t help recalling how they shared stolen glances and much more than that long ago.

As he navigated through the now empty rooms, Hasani pushed aside thoughts of Cat's persistent calls and heart-wrenching texts, pleading for reconciliation; today wasn’t about mending what was broken. Just when he was about to leave the scenario, once his job was done, he spotted Corrie across the room—a vision wrapped in elegance that seemed untouched by memories or obligations. His heart raced briefly before reason reasserted itself: this day was not meant for nostalgia or igniting past infatuations.

Her unexpected request for zipper help gave rise not only to a déjà-vu but sparked something within him—the heady rush reminiscent of younger days, when longing intersected possibility and he couldn’t help but smirk at her mischievously. „His loss… - my pleasure.“ Standing behind her, once he closed the distance between them, with slow, steady steps, calloused fingertips tugged on strands of her long hair to gently push them out of the way. Hasani opened the zipper carefully. The view of her locks, cascading over one shoulder, reminded him just how quickly nights could turn unpredictable or rekindle long-dormant sparks without prior warning; albeit harmlessly innocent assistance taken outside its typical context stirred different feelings deep inside him— but that was all there ever needed to be between them again... or was it not?

𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨: all ( 25+)  𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞: corrie dekker — resident unsatisfied trophy wife . 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: after a party in her home ; your muse has always had a crush on corrie, but she’s married . they could alredy have history , maybe even already slept together.. / her husbands sibling / neighbor / babysitter . �� 

           “ hey — could  you  be  a  dear  ? anthony  went  to  bed  and now   i'm apparently trapped in my own dress . . . ” a  two  thousand  dollar  dress  she  only  wore  for  him  to  begin  with  ,  and  he  never  even  acknowledged  it  once  . 

[muse-legion]

Hasani nodded slightly, understanding the heaviness that came with the topic of breakups. "Yeah, something like that," he replied, his smile fading a bit. "It's been a tough few months, you know? Just needed a night to unwind, maybe find a bit of happiness again." If he was being honest, it was more than just a couple of months in which his ex made it her own personal mission to make it as hard as possible for him to move on. But he tried to downplay it, not wanting to burden Cassie with his situation. She obviously had her own package to carry. Hasani took another sip of his drink, his eyes momentarily drifting to the dance floor before focusing back on Cassie. "But enough about that," he quipped, shaking his head to clear the negative thoughts. "I don't want to bring down the mood and let the past ruin the pleasant surprise of meeting a long lost friend again after what feels like a lifetime." Cassie was someone who seemed to understand, truly get where he was coming from and didn't judge him without knowing the full story. Somehow it always seemed like he was the bad guy in this, simply for wanting a divorce and not keeping the promises he'd once made but that wasn't all there was to the history he had with his soon to be ex wife. Though dwelling on it was not an option either. "Tell me, what's been keeping you busy lately?" Leaning in a bit closer, his enthusiasm started to grow and with every passing minute, the past seemed to be drifting further away. Maybe this was just what he needed.

continuation from here @muse-legion

Cassie hoped Hasani was trying to make a lighthearted joke or that he hadn’t heard her say she was sober … or maybe he comprehended the term ‘sober bartender’ differently. Either way, if the topic were to come up again, Cassie mentally noted to keep her stance.

She smiled at the memory. There were far too many memories in said utility room with Hasani and with others. But she did remember the instance the man brought up as if it happened the previous day. Time really did fly by fast, huh? 

“Oh, I’m sorry to have brought it up.” Cassie suddenly felt her shoulders grow heavy. There was something sad to know they both were going through recent break-ups; failed relationships they once thought were forever lasting now were items of the past. In Cassie’s case, she wished her ex was the one that got away. Maybe if he had moved on from the young and naive twenty year old, life would’ve turned out much different and she’d be more successful like her friends. “Is that the reason for your night out? Trying to forget about the stress that comes with a break up?” Thankfully for the woman she didn’t have to worry about the law getting involved in her break up … she just had to worry about her ex figuring out where she went and finding her.