OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
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ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
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FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
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outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
He was sure she’d have a hundred questions to ask. And he was quite shocked she hadn’t started rattling them off the moment we was ushering her farther behind racks of parts and supplies. He almost questioned her himself, like should be actually be more worried about the other injuries on her? Were they effecting her that much that she was losing her ability to talk? He knew she was a journalist. Which meant that naturally she was an inquisitive person. But he let it pass. She had been through a lot in the past few days, he was sure.
She breezed past him when he gestured for her to proceed into the room he was showing her. A well hidden one without overly hiding it. Meaning if a search was done, it could easily be over looked but also upon discovering it, it wasn’t hidden per say. He crossed his arms over his chest as he ducked under the door frame. Not wanting to knock his head on it, as he had done several times going in and out of the room. Mainly when he moved quickly and didn’t think about it. But that was more towards the beginning and less now.
He didn’t follow her completely in, just standing inside the door and watching her as she looked over the space. It was rather big considering the fact that it was what it was. His eyes never looked away from her, watching her take it in. Wondering what was running through her mind when she turned to him with a bright smile. One that made his heart tighten in his chest a bit, she was achingly beautiful in that moment. Even with the bruises on her skin and the lack of sleep. Huh. Wasn’t that something...
“That’s a pretty big ask for a journalist like myself. But you’re kinda cute, so I’ll let it slide.”
A small smirk fell on his lips as he chuckled deep in his chest. Of course it was a huge ask, honestly he was still questioning himself on how well his brain was working. It was a risky move telling her. She could easily write about this, come back with police, her tipping them off to what he had going on. Now, there wasn’t a lot to prove upon looking. They’d probably just scout him out. But still, it was a risk. So would she keep that? That he was ‘cute’ enough for her to not go around telling all of Lethford? He was well known amongst the rebels, but that was about it. A whisper amongst them. Not something printed or written down, at least not that he was aware of.
“The journalist in you is probably cursing the part of you that thinks I’m so adorable.” He joked back, watching her inspect one of the couches. He tried his best to keep this area the cleanest, and after recent events and how many people had wound up there, it was scrubbed clean. As clean as it could be. The room still held the faint smell of cleaners and he was sure that on the fabric couches, she could feel that they were still damp from where he had shampooed them earlier. He wasn’t risking himself, or anyone who came to him, with getting sick.
“How long have you been doing this?”
It was a safe question to ask. One that he felt answering could just bring out those not so easy to answer questions. Not yet at least. He had to keep reminding himself that no matter how much he wanted to tell her, she was still a stranger. One that could be dangerous at the end of it all. Who could out him and many others. He wasn’t completely sure why he trusted her as much as he did, but the way that she looked upstairs, made him want to offer her a safe space. That she could know she had a safe place to escape to. Where a mountain of a man would keep her safe. “Long enough that it’s well known that I am a save haven within the right groups.” It was a safe answer.
Jasper watched as she started to walk back towards him, dropping his arms from his chest to rest comfortably at his sides. Something about arms being crossed made him think he looked more intimidating, at least that was something he had been told a long time ago. So he made conscious efforts sometimes to make himself seem less threatening for his size. As she got closer, they were suddenly plunged into darkness. There was that lovely power cut off. He knew it was coming soon. Next thing he knew, he heard a stumble and a small figure known as Ezra was crashing against him. He laughed as his hand instinctively reached out to help steady her. She seemed to hurry to find her feet again and let him go as if he was fire to the touch.
He kept his hand on her arm with a gentle grip, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing her arm. “It’s okay. Let’s get you back upstairs. I have some candles and lights up there. Just be careful with those two left feet.” He joked, his hand gently directing her out of the door and locking up behind them. As he had shown her the way down there, he would usher her back to the stairs and up them with a small warning to his room. Once inside, he went to work with lighting a few candles so that she could see and turned on his battery powered fan that he had. “Do you want a change of clothes? I am sure that you don’t want to sleep in what you are wearing...” He suggested, though he was already pulling out a black shirt of his. Which he was sure would swallow her whole. “I... ah, I think my shorts will not stay on you but here’s a pair just in case.” He said, as she set the clothes down on the edge of the bed.
“The journalist in you is probably cursing the part of you that thinks I’m so adorable.”
Ezra couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up in her chest - because though he was joking, he’d gotten it so right. If she didn’t like him as a person, she wouldn’t have thought twice about using this to her advantage. She was heartless that way - something she’d learned she had to be in her career path. She had to distance herself from the story, because all that was supposed to matter were the facts. She didn’t know how to assure him that he could trust her without embarrassing herself, so she just shrugged her shoulders in response.
”Maybe a little.” She scrunched her nose as she lifted a hand to use her fingers to indicate a small amount, before continuing to check out the space she was in. She thought she was asking safe questions when she asked him how long he’d been at this, because she didn’t want to grill him and make him think that she was playing with him to get what she wanted. Still, she didn’t begrudge him his vague reply.
Smiling softly, she thought again of the fact that he’d offered her what was probably his best kept secret because he was worried for her. Because he wanted her to have somewhere she was safe. Already, she felt more relaxed, and with it more tired - her bones felt as if they were aching for sleep. Ezra tried not to dwell on why Jasper was the one thing that could make her feel okay, because that would mean admitting more than physical attraction to the man standing in the doorway, and she wasn’t prepared to do something like that. ”Oh, so I’m in the same room as a rebel legend? The journalist in me is quaking.” She teased, trying to ease any nervousness on either part of this interaction. She didn’t want him thinking the worst of her, so she’d avoid digging any further.
And then, of course, she made a fool of herself by falling all over him. The way he continued to hold her, even after she’d steadied herself, struck a chord deep in her chest, making it hurt. His large, warm hands on her arms gave her more comfort than she could express. ”Good idea.” She murmured in response, letting him direct her from the room, relying on his memory of the shop to lead them back up to his bedroom.
As Jasper lit candles, Ezra stood in the center of his bedroom, feeling an energy build up in her chest. Maybe it was the exhaustion, but that felt like a cover for something else when she thought about it. The dim lighting, the breakdown she’d just had, Jasper’s broad chest. She couldn’t pinpoint it, but she barely heard him ask her a question.
“Do you want a change of clothes? I am sure that you don’t want to sleep in what you are wearing...”
She smirked at his comment about the shorts, reaching out to gather the clothes in her arms. ”I’ll try them out.” She told him, thinking of all the more exciting replies she could have teased him with. Hugging the bundle of clothing to her chest, she met his gaze, that nervous flutter still firmly in her chest. ”Thank you.” The words were more sincere than any she’d spoken to him as of yet, the emotion in her gaze not conveyed on her casual expression. With that, she quickly turned and walked to the bathroom, stopping to grab a candle that he’d lit before slipping into the smaller room.
With only candlelight to see by, Ezra kicked off her boots and took off her clothes, neatly folding her bra in between her shirt and jeans. She stacked the clothes on top of the boots in the corner of the bathroom, and then caught sight of herself in the mirror. Twisting, she observed the scratches on her back, running from her shoulder blades on either side and down her back slightly. They weren’t terrible, and were already scabbing over, the skin slightly bruised. Pulling Jasper’s shirt over her head, the fabric brushed just above her knees. Staring down at her sock-clad feet, she felt like a child all of a sudden.
The shorts did not work - the moment she pulled them up over her hips, they fell down to the ground, lifeless. Frowning, she felt that flutter in her chest again. Ignoring it, she nosed through the drawers and cabinets until she located a hair band - which she knew she’d find, since Jasper had hair like he did - and used it to pull her hair up into a messy bun. Shorts in hand, she turned back to the bathroom door, reaching for the handle as the flutter built like electricity in her chest.
She was nervous.
Sighing hard, she turned back to the mirror and pointed a finger angrily at her reflection. ”Get ahold of yourself.” She scolded her image, her voice hushed so that Jasper wouldn’t hear the pep talk she was giving herself. Whipping back to the door, she held the shorts in one hand and the candle in the other, opening the door before she could think about it any further. Stepping into Jasper’s bedroom, she kept her gaze anywhere but on him as she moved to set the candle down before finally turning to look at him. ”You were right about the shorts.” Was her voice higher than it usually was? She held the shorts out for him to take, her heart hammering in her ribcage. ”But the shirt is great.” She said, fiddling with the fabric absentmindedly.
“Oh, so I’m in the same room as a rebel legend? The journalist in me is quaking.”
He shook his head at her question. “I think you are pushing it far there. I am like a giant walking target. It’s hard for me to go out and remain anonymous if I partook in the rebel activities.” his hand gesturing to himself, as if she could not see the height and build of him as it was. Not a lot of people in Lethford stood over six foot three. Let alone four more inches on top of that. He was a walking billboard and couldn’t exactly blend in. Which was part of the reason that he did what he did. No need to blend in if he was part of the background things happening. You always needed ones like him or else everything would fall apart.
He was glad that she let him direct her as much as she did. He had a feeling if the power was on she would be protesting the entire way because she ‘wasn’t a child’. Which while that was true, he also liked having a hold on her in some capacity. She was soft beneath his hands and she seemed to trust him as they moved along, following his lead. And when he lit the candles around his room, she had a beautiful glow to her. He found himself walking to play with her hair, but obviously kept that tucked away in his mind.
He watched her gather the clothes before clipping out the soft thank you. “You’re welcome.” He gave her a small smile as she met his gaze, hugging his clothes tight to her chest. He wanted to say something but she was already inside the bathroom before he could even form the thought of what he wanted to say. Once she was inside, he looked around the room. Making sure nothing was out that was too embarrassing, not that he had a lot to be embarrassed about. Grabbing a few things and tossing them in the trash, papers or random wrappers that he had forgotten about. He straightened out the sheets on his bed, thankful that he had just recently washed them. Probably only a day of sleep on them as it was. And no one came up here when they were locked in.
He went to the closet he had, pulling out an extra blanket and pillow set, placing them on the end of his bed for himself. He would make camp on one of the couches below. He was a gentleman at the end of the day, and he knew his mother would tan his hide if he hadn’t offered her the best sleeping spot he had to offer. His bed was extra long, for obvious reasons, and was comfortable enough. He frowned lightly at the thought of the couch below. Even if he got comfortable, he’d still be hanging over it in more than one way. He was just too large for the space.
He turned back to her as she spoke up, her hair piled high on her head which only showed off the bruises on her neck more. He tried his best to not stare at them, as he didn’t want her to keep being reminded they were there because he couldn’t control his eyes. “Sometimes I am right.” He joked back, taking in how his shirt seemed to dwarf her under it. He felt a tug on the side of his mouth as it lifted into a small smile. “Well I am glad that you are comfortable. You’re clothes in the bathroom?” he asked, pointing as he walked over to the bathroom anyway. Collecting her clothes. “I figured I’d wash them for you so you have fresh clothes in the morning...” He trailed off, coming to stand in front of his spare pillow and blanket rested.
“You can take the bed. I’m going to take one of the couches in the office below. I won’t be far. So if you need anything, just holler down to me. I’ll leave the door open.” He started, picking up the sleep set for himself under one arm, her clothes tucked neatly in the other. “Uh, good night, little one.” He said, crossing the distance to her to brush a soft kiss to her forehead before he disappeared down the stairs, the door left open behind him just like he said. He got the washing machine going with her clothes, so they cycle would start first thing in the morning when the power started back up. And then he laid out his blanket, and flopped down on the couch, his legs hanging over the arm rest and one arm laying on the floor. Falling asleep softly to the thoughts of a certain blonde curling up safely in his bed.
Something inside of her was a little bit touched that he didn’t comment on her lack of pants. It relaxed the nervousness in her chest as he joked about being right. In fact, he seemed to avoid staring at her - and then she remembered that she had hand-shaped bruises on her throat, so she probably wasn’t the most attractive person in the world right now. She brushed off the thoughts, rolling her eyes slightly. ”I wouldn’t get used to it.” Ezra commented in response to his joke.
And then he was standing up, mentioning her clothes and heading for the bathroom. Ezra’s lips parted to say something - perhaps to protest - but then he’d already retrieved them and mentioned washing them. Nodding her head faintly, Ezra wasn’t sure how to express her gratitude. She hadn’t ever let anyone take care of her before. It was strange, to feel like she needed it all of a sudden. ”Okay.” She said, quickly tacking on, “Thank you, um, again.” Which immediately made her feel like a complete loser - why was she talking like a teenage girl with a crush? Embarrassing.
Ezra wondered if he moved so quickly because he knew that given the time Ezra would protest, because by the time she was understanding that he was going to go sleep on a couch that even she would be uncomfortable on, he was already moving on to his next topic.
“Uh, good night, little one.”
Her lips were slightly parted, ready to tell him to just take his bed, when he closed the distance between them. Naturally, Ezra’s head tilted upwards as he kept coming closer, and she felt her heart leap up into her throat as he leaned in to press his lips softly to her forehead. The soft intake of air betrayed her surprise, and she hoped the candlelight hid the fact that her face was quickly flushing red. Before she could say anything else, he was already gone, off to go do more charitable things on her behalf.
She blew out the candles and then turned to her sleeping place for the night. His bed was gigantic compared to the full she had at her place, and Ezra crawled into the center of it, pulling his blanket up and over her shoulder, clenching it in her fists and conveniently up against her face. Inhaling, she caught Jasper’s smell, and this was how she fell asleep - curled in on herself, clutching his blanket to her face, and within moments.
…
She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t see - not for a long while, until slowly she began to see shapes. She was at the hospital - held up against the wall, his hands around her throat. She was choking, struggling. As her vision began to fade, she kept waiting for Isobel to show up. She was slowly blacking out, and Isobel should have shown up by now. Someone should have come - but no one did. His grip tightened on her throat, his eyes cold and cruel as she choked, clawing at his hands, feeling herself become weaker and weaker. She was trying to scream. Trying to call for help. If she blacked out, she knew she wasn’t going to wake up again.
In Jasper’s bed, Ezra’s sleeping form began to thrash around, weak moans of fear ripping from her throat. As her dream self faded more and more, her physical body became more violent. Her moans and grunts became yelps and shrieks.
A red hot rage built up in her, one final burst of pure, justified wrath. In a flash, he was on the ground, and she was stabbing him with the blade of glass. Unlike in real life, the blood welled up like a fountain. It was everywhere. All over her. Looking at her blood-soaked hands, Ezra’s lips parted and she began to scream, and scream, and-
Hands on her shoulders dragged her from the nightmare like she was being pulled out of deep waters, her throat burning from screaming. Her heart was thundering in her chest, her body feeling as if a surge of electricity was running through it. For a minute she couldn’t see, and in her blind panic she lashed out at whomever was touching her, a choked whimper escaping her lips.
Her memory came back to her slowly, and as she remembered where she was - her panic settled, and with it her resistance. She went limp, panting. As her thunderous heartbeat slowly began to even out, she was able to focus and actually see what was going on. As soon as she caught sight of Jasper, however, she felt tears immediately begin to overflow, running down her cheeks hot and fast. "I'm sorry." She croaked, though she wasn't exactly sure what she was apologizing for - waking him up, lashing out at him? She found herself concerned if she'd hurt him when she'd first woken up, but the tears weren't stopping, her heart still beating out an excited rhythm in her chest. Ezra didn't know where this was all coming from - didn't know how to process what she was feeling. She hated that she was crying in front of him again; making her want to hide her face, but her arms refused to respond, her body shaking in the aftershock of her panic.
Jasper wanted to get away from his room because the longer he looked at her, swallowed by his shirt and looking at him with those soft blue eyes, he wanted to not leave. He wanted to scoop her into his arms and drag her into lay on his chest as they settled into his bed. So it was safer for him to make a quick exit so he didn’t get the idea to suggest it. Or even give her the chance to argue that he could just sleep beside her. She needed space, it was better than him overwhelming a space for her to rest. Because he didn’t know if he’d have the strength to not touch her as they laid besides one another.
Her small gasp as he pressed his lips to her forehead made his blood rush through him. He liked the sound of it, he even caught what he thought was a red blush over her face before he was gone. A smile of satisfaction that never left his face during his prep to go to sleep.
- - When he woke, he wasn’t even sure why he had. His eyes went to the clock on the wall, straining to see what it said in the darkness. The power was still out, he could tell by the dark screens behind the desk. So it was still late, or really early. He shifted on the couch, his lower back popping in discomfort from being curled up like he had been. Maybe he just needed to get into a better position and his body wasn’t figuring it out in his sleep.
A soft sound caught his attention. He leaned up on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees for a second as he focused on the sound. What the hell was that? And suddenly there was a loud yell. He was up and halfway up the stairs before his mind even put together that it was Ezra. He burst into the room, ready to fight whoever was in there. But when he was confronted with an empty room, and her thrashing on the bed, realization kicked in what was happening. A night terror. He moved forward carefully, knowing that she was going to wake up one of two ways now. At least from his experience with others he had been deployed with.
“Little one, it’s okay. You are safe. You are not there. You are safe here.” He spoke gently at first, hoping his voice would be enough to pull her out of it. He sat on the side of the bed next to her. But she wasn’t letting up. Her body was shaking and the yelp was what tore through him in that moment. His hands reaching out to try and steady her body. “Ezra, wake up. It’s just a dream. It’s ok-” A crack sounded through the room as her hand made contact with his face. It was a solid hit, but he recovered quickly as her scream sounded back to him from his walls. “Ezra its me, it’s okay. You were dreaming.” He waited until she seemed truly away, her body slumping forward as she tried to catch her breath.
As she apologized, he took her face between his hands and hushed her lightly. The pads of his thumbs brushing away the tears as they fell from her eyes. “Shhh, it’s okay. Don’t apologize, you are safe.” He repeated. As she shook he shifted into the bed with her, lifting the blanket for him to slip under it and he tugged her towards him. “Come little one. Come here,” He offered, wanting to wrap her in his arms as he brushed her tears away and her hair back from her face.
It was just a dream. She kept repeating those words in her head, trying to steady her breathing, trying to stop the tears that continued to stream down her face. Ezra didn’t fight him as he cradled her face in his hands, brushing her tears away. The action didn’t help her stop the tears, or the shivers running over her skin in waves. Ezra had, somehow, managed to avoid fear like that her entire life. She’d done pretty good at avoiding conflict because she never got involved.
As she tried to make sense of her newfound feelings, Ezra didn’t protest as Jasper climbed into the bed, tugging her and beckoning her to him. A small voice in the back of her mind questioned why she was letting him comfort her like this when she’d never let anyone care for her before. She had a splash of embarrassment thrown into the mix as she focused on Jasper, so open and ready to care for her in whatever way she needed. Her, basically a stranger. Ezra never could understand how there were people like that in the world. Selfless. Charitable. Kind.
Still, the larger part of her mind was still a swirling mess of night terror, memory, and emotion. Her throat felt raw. Her limbs felt numb. Ezra was tired. She wanted to let him take care of her. So she did - letting him tug her close, moving her body in close to him. Tucking herself into the curve of his body, her head resting on her shoulder. Every inch of her was pressed in close to his body, and she gingerly rested her arm across the expanse of his chest. He was warm, and she closed her eyes, tilting her face into his bare skin. The same smell that had soothed her earlier, from his blankets, rose up to meet her. He smelled faintly of spices, rain and oil. Maybe the oil had a little to do with the living-above-a-garage thing, but it wasn’t an unpleasant mixture.
It was nice.
For a long few moments, she let him hold her, and she calmed herself down. Ezra wasn’t sure how to broach any sort of conversation, as shame quickly followed the easing of her heartbeat. She felt raw, exposed, and weak. Jasper’s kindness only made it worse, though that certainly wasn’t his problem. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been held while she cried - hell, she struggled to remember the last time she’d really cried. But now that she’d managed to calm down, she was starting to become aware of the fact that she’d just cried all over Jasper, whilst cuddling while scantily-clad, right after having the worst nightmare she’d ever had in her entire life. That buzzing was back, building in her gut and traveling up into her chest, making her lungs feel too thin.
The urge to apologize again had her blinking her eyes open, angling her head up and back so she could look up at him. She wasn’t prepared for how close he was, which made her brain short circuit and instead she found herself staring up at him in the dimness, lips parted to speak but words forgotten. Clearing her throat, she scrambled for words to clear the tension in her body. ”Did I hurt you?” She asked, remembering the contact she’d felt before she’d realized who was grabbing her. She was pretty sure she’d clocked him pretty good, too.
Her lips kept trying to form the words to apologize, but she wasn’t sure what to apologize for. She was, however, very certain that if she tried to apologize again, he was going to make her want to keep apologizing with his kindness. Ezra scanned his face intently, searching for any obvious wounds. Where had she struck him? Part of her wanted to tell him about the dream, and another part of her wanted to just forget everything. Already, the exhaustion was digging it’s way back into her bones. She was curious as to how long she’d even been asleep before the nightmare had started. It felt like she’d barely closed her eyes.
”I’m okay.” She finally decided to say, as if she were trying to convince herself. Her voice was low, not much more than a murmur. The closeness of their bodies and the dark pressing in on them made it feel like a whispering kind of conversation. Ezra considered what to say next, because the strange nervousness she was experiencing made it hard to be quiet. She felt the need to show him that she wasn't as weak as she was making herself look right now, but wasn't sure how to prove that just yet.
Her tears didn’t slow as he tried to wipe them away. He wasn’t expecting his touch to magically make everything feel better. This wasn’t a story book, where a man whisked in and rescued the pretty damsel in distress and then everything was happily ever after. Life was real, it was ugly, it was painful. But it was also beautiful, and filled with joyful moments, and filled with love when you dared to let it be. Right now, this was one of those painful moments for Ezra. And he only hoped that he could help ease that pain.
On his second coax to lay next to him, she went for it. He was glad that he hadn’t stepped over a line or made her feel awkward. So as she wrapped against him, he pulled her close, tucking her against his chest. Her arms that laid across him was bit a light weight to him. And he picked up his free hand to stroke the back of her arm lightly, the other holding her firmly to his side as he just existed beside her. Letting her work through her thoughts for a moment. He wanted to let her have that peace. Even if she fell asleep during it, that would be okay.
Jasper felt her head twist, looking up at him and he tilted his head towards her, not minding how close she was one bit. He liked the way her breath tickled his skin as she breathed, and he smiled lightly when she asked if he was alright. “No, you didn’t hurt me. You hit like a girl.” He joked, hoping that he might ease her mind a little bit as he did. Returning that familiar banter the two had the first time they had met. But his cheek had stung after it had been smacked. It was a decent hit, and maybe he’d tell her that later, but not right now. Not until he felt her ease up a bit more against him.
As her eyes probed his skin, he raised an eyebrow at her. She was looking for evidence on him of where she had struck. But he was sure it was dark enough that she wouldn’t find anything. And by morning there wouldn’t be a mark left, that he was sure of. He squeezed her side, “You aren’t going to find anything. I told you I’m okay.” He pressed.
The way she said she was okay, almost sounded like a question. As if she was saying it out loud to make sure that she heard it herself. He waited a moment, his finger tips still brushing against her arm over him. Taking deep breaths, he nodded against her. “Okay, good.” He responded. He hesitated then, looking at the ceiling as he contemplated his next move or words. He took another deep breath, as if it was going to help his brain start moving if he took in enough oxygen.
Even being wrapped up beside her, he didn’t want her to think he was trying to be slick. No matter how much he had flirted before, and even so in the few exchanges of text messages, this was not the time nor place for her to feel like he was making a move on her. Not that he thought he had given her that idea yet. So he slowly went to shift out of the bed. “Do you want some water before I go? I’ll just be right downstairs if you need me...” He asked, shifting so that way he was on his side and looking down at her.
His fingers on the skin of her arm made waves of goosebumps break out. If he kept doing it, she was going to fall asleep. The movement, so simple, sent relaxing waves into the rest of her body, and she was suddenly starting to feel heavy. She’d pushed herself too far, and now this was her body’s last straw. She felt warm, secure. Which meant her brain was quickly choosing sleep time.
“No, you didn’t hurt me. You hit like a girl.”
A slow, sleepy smile spread across her face. ”I won’t hold back next time, then.” She assured him, her body suddenly flooded with relief. His joke made her fully relax into him, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. The barely there lighting was too dim for her to see if she’d really hurt him or not. It appeared he wasn’t going to let her try to take care of him, not right now. Ezra tried not to question why her first concern was if she’d hurt him, when he was obviously bigger and tougher than she was, physically. But she was - it was her chief concern, actually. Her embarrassment came second.
His hand squeezing her side made that flutter in her chest suddenly charge up into a ball of electricity, making her feel warmer. Was she blushing? She was going to have whiplash if she spent too much time with this guy. Tilting her face downwards slightly, Ezra sighed. ”Fine. But I’m going to make sure I didn’t leave a mark when the sun comes up.” She promised, her tone stronger and definitely more stubborn. She was already easing into her usual attitude, quickly building those walls back up.
At least he accepted her comment, though she didn’t really feel like he believed her. Ezra wasn’t even sure she believed herself. In fact, she was pretty certain this was going to be a long string of not-being-okay days. She was damaged. Something had snapped, or fractured. But she told herself that this was her one night of weakness - tomorrow was the beginning of facing this on her own, instead of dragging Jasper around as a security blanket.
Only, as he began to move, as if to get up, those walls shattered and her brain went blank, doing a hard restart. She had the sudden, but intense, fear that if he left her alone, the nightmare would come creeping back. The simple thought of the nightmare made her eyes sting, though she forced herself to bite her tongue. She'd be damned if she was going to cry over a man not wanting to sleep beside her.
Ezra stared up at him as he asked her if she wanted water, and for some reason the question made her chest ache. He was making moves as if to leave, and that thrill of electricity in her chest exploded, sending shivers down her body. Without thinking, she reached out quickly and gripped his hand in hers. But now that she had a hold of him, she found herself panicking slightly more. What was she supposed to say? Stay? Please? Ezra would never even think of it, though that’s exactly what she wanted. Instead, licking her lips as her thoughts raced, Ezra met his gaze and held eye contact. ”I don’t want water.” She told him softly, though her grip on his hand tightened.
Logically, she knew that she was probably too exhausted to have even the slightest amount of energy to actually stop him from leaving the bed. But she was hoping that her holding onto his hand, her grip tight enough that it wasn't just a fleeting touch but not so tight as to be considered bruising, would convey just how much she felt she needed him to stay in this bed with her. She couldn't bring the words to verbal fruition, couldn't ask him to comfort her. Ezra would prefer him leaving, and her lying awake all night in fear, to asking him to stay with her. But the crackling energy in her chest told her that she needed him to stay if she wanted to sleep.
He laughed lightly, his fingers lightly poking her in the ribs as he did so. He liked that she seemed to ease up. He was glad that his light joke was taken he right way and she wasn’t offended by him saying that. “I’ll hold you to that, little one. Or else I’ll be forced to show you how to pack a proper punch.” He pushed further. This was easy territory. At least for now. He wasn’t going to play therapist and force her to talk to him. Not while they were somehow building a strange trust between them.
He watched her for a moment when she sternly told him she was going to be inspecting him when she could see again. He nodded lightly and then shrugged his shoulders at her. “If that’ll put your mind at ease, then you can do that first thing when you wake up.” It was kind of cute that she was worried over him. That she had caused some major damage that was going to be nonreversible.
As he asked her about the water, and looked down at her from his side, he studied her for a moment in silence. Several emotions seemed to run through her eyes as she reached out and grasped his hand. It was small and warm, but it almost sent a bolt of lightening through him at the connection. She had a strong grip on him, as if she was going to be torn out of the bed by some unforeseen beast the moment he left the pillow top. It was enough to still his movements as he waited for her to say something. To say anything to him. His eyes flickered to her lips as he saw a small movement, her tongue. He briefly felt the urge to lean forward and kiss her, but he beat that back quickly as she finally seemed to find some words for him.
“I don’t want water.”
Fair enough, but her grip tightened on him. She wasn’t going to actually ask him to stay. He could see that now. But she wanted him to. All the signs were flickering around her in bright neon lights, ‘please stay’, ‘don’t leave’, ‘come back’. His hair was loose around his shoulders and he dragged his free hand through the blonde locks. Well, he really didn’t like the idea of returning to that couch either. He’d be too far from her if she did have another nightmare. Not to mention he was sure that his back or hips would be messed up come morning if he continued down there.
“I’ll be right back.” He told her lightly, his voice deep in his chest. Jasper squeezed her hand for a moment, then got up, disappearing to the corner of his room and grabbing two water bottles from a mini fridge that was under a lap. He went over to the bathroom and shut the door, using the bathroom quickly and washing his hands before he took a deep breath and re-entered the room. He paused briefly to turn on the battery operated fan, knowing that the moment he got under the covers with her, he’d probably turn into a furnace when he fell asleep. He came back to the bed, lifting the sheet and slipping back under.
“Come here, let’s get some sleep.” He offered her the same spot against his side where he held her before. If she even wanted him to hold her until she fell asleep.
She did her absolute best not to squirm when his fingers found her ribs, partly because that was a particularly ticklish part of her body and partly because his touch made her skin feel like it was on fire, even if there was a thin layer of shirt separating them. Ezra gave him a mockingly warning glance as he mentioned teaching her how to punch, her lips pulling into another bemused smile. ”I know how to throw a punch.” She assured him. A challenging glitter lit in her eyes as she smirked at him softly. ”You might be military trained, but I’m a military brat. Which means all my friends were military brats who all had very little parental supervision and their favorite thing to do was roughhouse.” Pausing, she tilted her head slightly, her lips pressing together tightly to stop from grinning. ”If you ask nice enough, I can probably show you a few moves.”
When he relented and told her she could check him for injuries in the morning, she gave him a satisfied, sleepy smile. ”I’m gonna hold you to that.” She told him. Ezra was at ease bantering with him like this, though her face felt like it was beginning to buzz from sleepiness. She was going to sleep like the dead as soon as she closed her eyes, but something kept her gaze locked on Jasper, her lips curved softly at the corners. She was enjoying the back and forth, and it was a very good distraction from the storm in her mind. She didn’t want to think about the riots, the hospital, the virus, or the night terror. She just wanted to exist in this moment, carefree and peaceful.
“I’ll be right back.”
The anxiety that had quickly taken up space in her chest, erasing her ease for a quick moment, was eased as he squeezed her hand. She still felt the silly urge to hold onto him, refusing to let him get up. Of course, she stopped herself from looking quite that desperate and gave him a quick nod as he got up. Once he’d disappeared into the bathroom, Ezra pressed her hands to her face, rubbing hard. Sitting up in the bed, she glanced around the bedroom, studying the giant bed she was currently sitting on. It made her feel small, but not necessarily in a bad way.
As he stepped out of the bathroom, coming over to the bed and getting in, she glanced over at the water bottles, something tugging at her thoughts. Tugging enough to distract her as he beckoned her to join him and to sleep. Leaning over, she grabbed one of the water bottles and sat back, the bottle crinkling softly in her hand as she inspected it. And then, like a two ton brick to the face, it hit her. Turning the bottle so she could see the label, she felt a spike of fear hit her gut.
Crystal Nero.
”Jasper,” She said, turning to face him in the bed. ”Have you drank any of these waters yet?” Her tone was hard and serious, her gaze concerned, studying him as if she could visibly confirm whether he was sick. Just holding the bottle in her hand felt...wrong. Twisting the bottle around again, her eyes frantically searched for the expiration date. Once she’d found it, she felt the panic ebb slowly. It wasn’t from the contaminated batch. Regardless, Ezra didn’t plan on drinking the water. ”It’s not from the same batch.” She reported, her tone breathy and relieved.
Pushing herself off the bed, she snatched up the other bottle of water and strode over to the mini fridge. Setting the two bottles down, she opened the fridge and dug out every last bottle of Crystal Nero within, unceremoniously dumping the group of bottles into the trash can. Turning her attention back to Jasper, she cleared her throat. ”I’ll buy you more water.” She assured, coming back over to the bed. She had the urge to wash her hands, but her body was also ten times heavier than it normally felt. She was tired, that last surge of panic like the final nail in the coffin.
She pulled the blankets up, slipping her body under them and scooting in close to Jasper. Tried not to stare at his shirtlessness for too long as she pressed herself into his side, her head finding his shoulder. For a hot second she felt awkward and nervous, but her need for sleep overpowered that, and she relaxed into him. Sighing softly, she closed her eyes and pushed everything racing through her thoughts to the back of her mind. Jasper was warm, which only made her sleepier. ”Goodnight.” She murmured, her voice light and airy.
He laughed at her little remark back to him. Military brat. Maybe that’s why he liked her so much. She was sharp and quick to put him in his place, like a stern officer to his squad. It made him want to stand up straighter and say ‘yes ma’am’ and salute her. Though, all in good fun that is. “Easy tiger. Let’s get your hand healed up and then maybe I’ll take you up on those moves. I’d love to see you try and move me around.” He laughed. Of course that was a taunt at how small she was compared to him.
Many guys sought him out when they wanted to fight. They wanted the biggest, meanest looking guy. And what better than a man who stood six foot seven, weighed over two hundred pounds of solid strength, and had long hair that made him look like a lumberjack? Yeah his sheer size got him a lot of attention. Good. Bad. Ugly. Sometimes nice attention from the ladies as well.
As he settled back into the bed, watching as she went for the water. Sure, she didn’t want water. Though it took him a moment to realize she wasn’t drinking it, she was looking at it. The bottle making soft sounds as she turned it over in her hand. And he swore he watched the color drain from her face as she said his name. His brows pulled together in confusion as she looked at him. Blue eyes looking between the bottle of water and her. What was the big deal? Did that brand offend her in some way?
Her tone was what really caught him off guard. She sounded serious, as if he just told her that he was sick with the virus and hadn’t bothered to warn her. She kept examining the bottle which is where his voice finally sounded. “Why are you so serious about it? It’s just a bottle of water... if you don’t like that brand I can get you a glass of tap water...” He offered, almost sounding as if he thought she was crazy. Or just super picky.
As she mentioned it wasn’t from the same batch, that had his brows pull together more in confusion. The same batch? What in the world did that mean? “Batch? What are you talking about?” He sat up as she got herself out of his bed and made her way over to the fridge. He watched as she started dumping the water into the trash and he made a small groan of annoyance. Though she offered to buy him more water. “Besides the point...” But he didn’t linger on it much as she crawled back into the bed with him.
Ezra scooted in close to him and he instinctively shifted as she settled against him, his arm tucking her closer. Letting her head rest against the soft spot between his shoulder and peck. As she murmured goodnight to him, he ran a hand up and down her arm lightly, lulling her to sleep. “Good night little one.” He said softly as he waited until her breathing evened out and her body relaxed. He took a few moments to just soak up the way she felt against him and might have felt how nicely she fit against him. But soon, the heaviness of his own lids would coax him to close his eyes and fall asleep beside her.
Jasper woke when he heard his overhead fan start back up, and the very faint noise of the washing machine starting up. He was warm, which wasn’t anything new. But what was a new feeling was the fact that he was wrapped around that warmth. He opened his eyes to get lost in blonde hair and tightened his arms lightly, pulling the figure slightly more to him. Ezra. Her back to his chest, sure that they had shifted at some point at night. He yawned lightly, and took a few moments to just enjoy the moment before he slowly slipped out of bed. Trying his best to escape without waking her. She needed rest.
He made his way down to the office, checking the cameras that they were all back up and running and checking his phone. He got an idea, and after checking the time, he went through an app and made an order for a local place that wasn’t too far away. Breakfast was always a good idea. With an array of options, he chose a couple different things and set the pick up time for about an hour later, which would give plenty of time for her clothes in the quick wash and dryer. He slowly made his way back up the stairs to his room as he finished the check out process for the order.
“Why are you so serious about it? It’s just a bottle of water... if you don’t like that brand I can get you a glass of tap water...”
Ezra hadn’t considered the fact that some people may not know about the water being contaminated, because she only ever thought about what she knew. Suddenly having another person to worry about made her realize how often, despite being a journalist, she didn’t think about other people. How many people in the city were still drinking the bad water? Completely out of the loop on the danger they’re inviting in willingly? As she walked back to the bed, Ezra tried to explain gently.
”They found the virus in a batch of Crystal Nero. It’s contaminated. But these weren’t from that same batch, so it should be fine.” She told him, as she climbed into the bed and molded herself into his side. Ezra rarely cuddled, but she’d already decided that tonight she was here for comfort, so she might as well take advantage of it. Still, it took her a few moments to fall asleep - though it was much quicker than earlier, with Jasper’s warmth seeping into her bones and lulling her into slumber.
When she woke up, the bed was impossibly large and notably empty. She rolled over and blindly reached out, still half asleep, her hand searching for Jasper before her brain even realized what was going on. As she woke up, her body stretched out, arching as her bones felt like they were realigning. She hadn’t dreamed again last night, possibly too exhausted for her brain to manage anything else other than sleep. No, Ezra had slept like a rock, which was infinitely better than the night terror or just not sleeping at all, which she was sure she would have tried if she’d stayed at her apartment. Thinking of her apartment had her thinking of Stitch - luckily, she had a nice neighbor who often spent time with her dog, because Ezra worked such odd hours. Ezra wasn’t too worried about the pup - he was probably being fed eggs and bacon right about now.
Her stomach grumbled angrily at the thought of food, just as she heard footsteps approaching. Jasper. Her heart leapt up into her throat, doing a silly dance along her ribs on the way. Why was she nervous again? Sitting up in the bed, she folded her legs pretzel-style and drew the blanket up over her lap to hide her bare thighs. As Jasper came into the room, Ezra found herself staring at him for a moment, gaze bouncing from his chest up to his face, studying it closely for a few moments. He was right - she didn’t see anything that screamed injury. So she hadn’t hit him too hard last night.
Satisfied that he wasn’t actually hurt, Ezra smiled lightly at him. ”Morning.” She greeted, absently fiddling with the blanket in her lap. This entire situation would be much less awkward for her if they had slept with each other last night, because at least she was experienced with dealing with that kind of morning after. But Ezra had never just...slept...with someone before. Not just for comfort. And if they had done more, she’d likely have escaped while he was gone - or already be pulling on clothes and heading out the door.
Ah, right, her clothes. She could faintly hear the washer running, which meant she couldn’t leave right now unless she wanted to go traipsing around in underwear and a shirt. Her brain quickly scrambled to fill the silence, hoping her hair looked half decent. Despite having fallen asleep with it pulled back into a bun, her wild hair had escaped in the night, and was now in a loose mess around her head like a halo. The lost hair tie was probably somewhere on the bed, but she certainly wasn’t going to crawl around looking for it.
Definitely not wanting to discuss her nightmare, or the riots, Ezra decided to try and keep the conversation casual, certain she’d already embarrassed herself enough. ”Did you sleep alright?” She asked, scooting herself back on the bed so she could lean back against the headboard, the blanket still covering her from the waist down.
Jasper had rounded the top of the stairs when movement caught his eye. He looked up in time to see Ezra, in all the glory of her morning wake up. She looked so small in his bed, he knew it was larger than normal, but so was he. But she looked comfortable, small, and dear lord it hurt his head how good she looked in his shirt. Her hair a blonde little mess, messy from sleep and yet somehow she looked as beautiful as she did the first day he saw her. Except, he really didn't like the look of those bruises now that hte lights were on. It didn't take away from her, but it certainly made an angry stir back up inside of him knowing someone had wrapped their hands around her delicate throat.
"Morning."
That was enough to snap him out of it, a gentle smile falling onto his bearded face. "Good mornin'," He returned, walking over to his dresser and pulling out some fresh clothes for himself. A simple pair of jeans and a navy henley that fit him well, as well as a fresh pair of underwear. He folded it up under his arm as he turned to face her once more. She asked how he had slept, and he gave a light shrug of his shoulder. "Well enough. You are quite the blanket hog." He teased. She hadn't hogged the covers at all. No, she seemed rather content with the warmth he gave off as it was, and laid in his arms. But it would still be fun to tease her more than anything else.
He pointed a finger over his shoulder towards where the washer would be if it was upstairs and in sight. "I have your stuff on quick wash, should be done soon and I can switch it to the dryer." He explained, his blue eyes still glued to her. Why did she look so good in his bed? He tried not to think about that thought as his feet slowly brought him over to his bathroom. He tossed down his clothes on the sink and then turned back to her, his shoulders filling the doorway and he had to duck his head slightly to not hit the top of the door frame. "I ordered us some breakfast to pick up. I figured I'd take you for a ride."
Suddenly, his face dropped as he realized that could have sounded wrong. "No, you could take a ride... in my impala... like you sit in the passenger side and I'll drive us to pick up the food. Or you can stay here while I go get it. That's up to you." What the hell just fell out of his mouth? Before he further embarrassed himself, he ducked back into the bathroom and shut the door. Dear lord, that was embarrassing. And as he looked up in the mirror, he saw the lightest red blooming under his beard. Oh great. That was just fantastic. He changed into his clothes and washed his face and did his usual morning routine. Deodorant, brush teeth, brush hair to only pull it back into a messy bun. He ducked down and looked under his sink for the usual supplies he kept in there.
By the time he opened the door again, his face was no longer red. He gestured to the bathroom with a nod of his head. "There is a fresh toothbrush on the counter there for you, if you'd like. And a small travel size ladies supplies." He had to be prepared for whoever came to his safe place. If she chose to go into the bathroom, she'd find a packaged toothbrush unopened, with a small bag of floss, lady supplies, and even a travel-sized mouthwash and deodorant. He went and sat on his bed, turning eyes to her once more.
Ezra couldn’t help but watch him as he moved around his living space, finding it strange how much this felt like a ‘morning after’ situation, when nothing had even happened. Of course, normally, her morning afters were spent at her home. She didn’t usually spend the night with her partners. Because Ezra didn’t date, or take the time to really get to know the people she went to bed with. This was completely new territory for her, and she had no idea how to act. Of course, the smile that he gifted her with as he greeted her back helped ease her anxiety a little.
"Well enough. You are quite the blanket hog."
That, however, completely eased her. She let out a laugh in response to his accusation, shaking her head. ”I know that’s not true. If you could see my bed at home you would have gone with something else.” Ezra told him. ”I’m not much of a blanket person. Especially not with the human torch laying beside me.” She teased back with a casual shrug, reaching up to push her hair back, not even trying to run her fingers all the way through it. Even when she was fresh out of the shower, her curls were usually already a mess of tangles. After last night? She was sure she’d need shears to get the knots out.
As he mentioned the washer and her clothes, Ezra had the good manners to look a little humbled. ”Thanks. But I’m up now, I can switch them out. They are mine.” She told him, her skin feeling too tight for her body. She might have let him take care of her last night, but in the morning light, and after finally getting some rest, she was back to independent Ezra, who didn’t need someone to do her laundry for her. No matter if that someone was tall, broad, and built like Hercules. She watched as he moved over to the bathroom, turning back to her to inform her that he’d ordered them breakfast.
"...I figured I'd take you for a ride."
Her brow quirked immediately, and she had to press her lips together tightly as he struggled to explain his comment further. Was that...a blush? Ezra couldn’t hold back her amused chuckle then, watching as he quickly retreated into the bathroom. She tried to compose herself when he came back out, looking prepped for the day, but her mouth refused to be calm - she was fighting, and losing, the battle against a devilish grin of pure bemusement. Thankfully, he was quick to tell her that there were supplies for her in the bathroom.
Giving him a playfully questioning look as he sat on the bed, Ezra scrutinized him. ”Do you have a lot of female visitors, Jasper?” She asked coyly. Logically, of course, she realized he probably had these things for the safe room he’d shown her last night. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t tease him still. Her lips twitched as she tried to hold the quizzical expression on her face. ”Do they also get to go on rides?” She asked, seeing if she could ruffle his feathers enough to get him blushing again. The anxiety that had been gnawing on her was gone, completely, thanks to him. Ezra slid her legs out of the tucked position they were in, pulling the blanket back from her lap and exposing her bare appendages. Slipping off the bed, she took a few steps towards the bathroom, turning around to look at him. ”I’m definitely gonna take you up on the ride.” Ezra told him, her lips breaking into a broad, playful smile. She turned on her heel, traipsing into the bathroom without looking back. Shutting the door, she caught sight of herself in the mirror and groaned at the mass of tangled hair that greeted her. At least none of it was sticking straight up or anything odd like that. She did what she could with her fingers, carefully working out the tangles until her hair looked somewhat presentable. She did the rest of the usual - teeth, toilet, face - before she opened the door again. She was still in his shirt, still sans pants, but at least her mouth tasted nice and she didn’t feel that morning grogginess any longer.
Thankfully, with the odd nervousness dissipated thanks to the easy banter they’d shared, Ezra wasn’t as nervous about being pantless - as if there was anything really showing, with the gigantic shirt she was wearing. If she were a more modest woman she might have rushed over to the bed in order to cover back up - but then again, if she were a more modest woman, she probably wouldn’t have been in this situation in the first place. Plus, Ezra didn’t mind the way he was looking at her. Glancing around Jasper’s room, she realized she hadn’t really looked at it last night. She’d been upset, and very distracted.
Now, sans distracting emotional turmoil, Ezra’s sharp gaze caught sight of - no, it couldn’t be. Raising a brow, she crossed the room to his dresser, reaching out to the wall behind it. The corner of a calendar. She pulled it out into the open, swivelling on the one pin that kept it on the wall. It’s rightful place was just above the dresser, but apparently it’d been relieved of the other three pins and allowed to fall into the forgotten land behind the dresser. With it out in full glory, Ezra was greeted with what looked like a model in a tight red lifeguard bathing suit - except her breasts were enormous, her hair was down and damp (of course), and there was sand on her thighs as she knelt before a wave, posed like only a man could dream. Glancing over her shoulder at Jasper, her expression trembled before she let out a loud laugh, hiding her mouth with her hand. ”Any comment on this one, sir?” She asked him, trying to sound serious and as if she were just doing a regular, every day interview.
He found a true laugh leave him at her first little quip of the morning. Ah, she must be awake now. Ready to kick ass and take names already, and her sights seemed set on a man by the name of Jasper Covington. He shook his head. “The human torch. I rather like that. And you seemed to rather like the human torch last night, all snuggled in close and drooling on my chest.” He raised a brow at her, the faintest of smile on his face. Was he joking about that? Hm, guess he’d have to let her figure that out on her own. He wasn’t going to fill in the blank.
Jasper wasn’t going to fight her on swapping out her clothes. She seemed more like the Ezra he had known before. Like the crying and him holding her last night had recharged her normal self somehow. He gave her a small nod, though he couldn’t help but add on, “I don’t mind.” Just in case. It was an added thing to say because he didn’t want her to thing that he looked at her like she was some burden to him. That was starting to feel like the furthest from the truth.
As he started his blubbering mess, he didn’t fail to see her trying to hold back a laugh at his expense. A chuckle escaped her but at least it wasn’t an outright laugh. He was glad for the small reprieve that the trip to the bathroom had given him, but Ezra clearly had other plans once he emerged. No matter how nice his gesture was. “Maybe I do.” He tossed back at the female visitors comment. Now, he definitely saw more rebel females come to his place for shelter than the heat of his bed. Actually a lot more. But that was a small detail that he didn’t want to even dive into with Ezra. He might have been a flirt at times, but he was also a bit of a gentleman, if she hadn’t noticed. “But I don’t kiss and tell.”
“Do they also get to go on rides?”
Now she was pushing it. That trip into the bathroom had thankfully given him time to slap himself. No more redness was to bubble up under his skin. He leaned forward, his elbows pressing into his knees as he tilted his head at her with a look of amusement. “Only if they ask nicely. So you are lucky I offered it first.” He commented back, noting the flush of heat that exploded under his skin and in his lungs as she smiled largely at him. ‘Take you up on the ride’. As the door was shutting, he murmured out a comment that he had told her before: “Be careful little one.” Because now she was treading into dangerous territory. For them both.
As she went about her business, he stood up and busied himself with getting socks and his boots on. Casually checking through his phone though there wasn’t much to see. Lots of political arguments on social media, he did look up the article on the water bottles as a caution. He hadn’t heard about it, but it was good stuff to know. It was a popular brand and he actually had a few cases stocked up. And he just hoped to god that it wasn’t any of the ones people during the raids had drank. He did not want to be the cause of that. Though judging by the date, he couldn’t have known that either. As it was announced after it anyway.
When the door reopened, and she waltzed out of it, his eyes traveled over her. His shirt came to about mid thigh on her. Covering her well yet giving him plenty of leg to look over. He was back to sitting on the end of his bed, though he had made it since she had last seen it. “I like you in that shirt.” His deep voice commented, maybe he would tell her the dryer was broken just to see her run around in it for a bit longer. She didn’t have to get out of the car when they went to pick up the food, so he wouldn’t have to take away from their... drive. Just she could wait for him until they got back to the shop. But he also knew that wasn’t right of him either.
He wasn’t exactly sure what had caught her eye at first, watching as she crossed his room. He sat up a little bit and his blue gaze stayed on her. Only widening lightly as he realized what she was pulling free. Well then, he had truly forgotten about that thing. Clearly from the way it was half fallen behind things.
“Any comment on this one, sir?”
“Gag gift.” He said quickly, which wasn’t a lie. It was something he had been given as a gift last holiday. Something about helping him find the right woman or something. Which clearly, that wasn’t quite his type. “They weren’t my type though. So I actually forgot that was there.” He tried to sound casual as he watched her. It was even was on the wrong month, which he was damn glad for. “I like my woman with an attitude,” He started, watching her extremely closely at this point as he leaned back a little on his bed. “Blonde hair, lots of it. Tough as nails. Legs for days...” He let his eyes run down her legs before he moved back to her face. “And isn’t afraid to put me in my place.” AKA; her.
