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.
"A list of demands, huh? I don’t see how you’re in any position to demand anything from me, if I’m kidnapping you."
And that's where she would be wrong. "Just because you are doing the kidnapping doesn't mean that I am going to go quietly and without requests." He easily tossed back at her. Rolling his head towards her with a 'duh' expression across his bearded face. "I think you will be surprised at how loud I can be if you ignore me." He further teased. As quiet as he could be, his voice deep and low, it really just meant that he could really project his voice well when forced to. And besides, if she really was just going to leave him trapped somewhere, he'd hope the past few times of being together would have earned him some brownie points of some kind.
"Besides," He shifted a little closer to her in the seat without straining the seat belt. "What are you going to do to keep me quiet?" If she wanted to be a little tease, he was going to encourage it. And flirt back when he felt it was appropriate. Ezra was lucky that she was driving or else he would have pulled the car to the side of the road so he could pull her to him and kiss her. At her question on being less shaky, he lifted a large hand and shook it back and forth in a 'so so' fashion. Because now he was shaking for a little bit of other reasons.
"Don’t tell me you don’t like surprises?"
Jasper thought about that for a moment. Thinking on how many times he had surprises in his life. In the military, definitely didn't like those surprises. Those were normally not a good thing. "Guess it depends on who's giving out the surprise." He retorted. Cause to be completely blunt, he was pretty sure he'd like most of the surprises that she would dish out for him. At least when she had that wicked look in her eye and that impish smile on her face. Yeah, he'd get in trouble for her, in a heart beat. Just like he did back at the bar. He didn't even have to think about it before he was charging head first into the situation.
"I have to admit this isn’t really doing the kidnapping theory many favors."
He had to agree with her. She was driving fast, but that was quite alright. He really expected her to break one hundred. Even after he told her not to. The engine could handle it, it was rebuilt and would easily be able to handle the power behind it. But she was dragging him deeper and deeper into the forest that surrounded Lethford. "I'm starting to think you are dragging me out here to get rid of my body once you are done with me." A wicked grin on his face, though he kept his eyes trained on the winding road that she was bringing them down.
As they settled in to a parking lot, he took a moment to look around. It was quite a beautiful spot really. The dock that extended into the water was inviting while the water itself looked like glass it was so calm.
"I think it used to be a camping spot. But no one ever comes here."
Her voice brought him back to reality. And as she unbuckled her seat belt, he did the same to his. "It's really a nice spot." He said calmly, though his hands reached out to her and with a graceful, yet gentle pull, made the move to pull her to him. He waited patiently, had even been a gentleman up until that moment. She had kissed him before. But now it was his turn. One hand settled against her cheek and brought her lips to his. Kissing her tenderly but with enough passion to make her toes curl if it was wanted on her end.
"I think you will be surprised at how loud I can be if you ignore me."
Ezra smirked in response to his words, her gaze bouncing from the road to him occasionally. She had no doubt that if he was even half as intrusive as the thoughts of him that plagued her when they were apart, then he’d certainly pose a threat to any kind of secret plans. Ezra had never thought about someone as much as she’d thought about him, and it was driving her crazy. She’d been working so hard to keep him at a distance, and yet he was the first person that came to mind when she was struggling. Clearly this was some sort of odd dependency she was forming, so she thought it’d be smart to distance herself from him. But no matter what, they seemed to continue to be pulled together.
"What are you going to do to keep me quiet?"
Heat bloomed in her chest, the world feeling slow and languid as she caught the way he was looking at her. Again, his words were like physical touches, causing the chills running along her skin to raise goosebumps in their wake. Was this what it felt like for everyone? ”I have ways.” She replied cryptically, her gaze lingering on him for a moment, slowly giving him a once over before re-focusing on the road. ”But it’s easier to show you than to tell you about those.” A slow smirk smoldered on her lips, her gaze locked steadily on the road, refusing to glance at him to see his reaction.
His comment about surprises made the smirk grow into a grin, and she gave a soft nod, as if absorbing his information. ”I’ll keep that in mind.” She murmured, as if mostly to herself, focusing on not damaging his car with the tree branches that clearly hadn’t been trimmed back in some time. His next words had her laughing softly, shaking her head as if to defend her reputation. ”I’d be much more tactful if I was trying to take you out.” Her tone admitting that she knew she’d be toast if he saw her coming. She was puny compared to him, and no amount of self defense lessons was going to change that. And then they were parked, and despite the calm expression, Ezra could feel her heartbeat tapping out a rhythm in her throat, almost so strong it felt as if he might be able to hear it at any moment.
"It's really a nice spot."
There wasn’t any resistance as he reached across the empty space between them. Ezra let him draw her in, twisting her body so she could lean into him without discomfort. She didn’t let the buzzing alarms in her head distract her from the fact that she definitely wanted him to kiss her, one hand coming up to graze his wrist as his hand cupped her cheek. The warmth in her chest exploded into flames, all rational thought pushed to the back of her mind, as his lips found hers. The tenderness didn’t last long as she returned the kiss with the same intensity. Her other hand slid up his chest to the back of his neck, pulling him into her to deepen the kiss.
She didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until the burn in her chest became more familiar, but despite breaking the kiss, Ezra didn’t back away from him any more than she needed to in order to take in a breath, her lips still brushing his before she was leaning into him again. This kiss was her throwing caution to the wind, kissing him - for lack of better words - as if it were the last kiss they’d share. She brought her other hand to the back of his neck, lacing her fingers together.
The flirtatious dance they were doing back and forth in the car seemed to charge the air. A crackling happening between them each time a small tease or taunt was tossed "at one another. It was fueling a fire in him to touch her and kiss her. One that caused a small battle in him, knowing he couldn't do much while she was driving. But also knowing that really he should keep his hands to himself. That he should have a better self control than to just snag her from across the seat the moment the car was in park. He made it a few moments, so that was good enough right?
And when he actually got hold of her, he was careful for any sign of her not liking what he was doing. When she twisted in his grip to get closer to him, that was all he needed. He kissed her, and when she made a move to smother him in passion, he met her. His mouth moving against hers and his grip on her tight to show that he didn't want her moving away from him. But nothing that would actually hurt her. Her small hand wrapping around the back of his neck made his heart pick up its pace once more. And when she leaned back, he almost followed her, a soft groan of complaint leaving him. Though he realized then that she was taking large drags of air into her lungs. Maybe he shouldn't complain, he thought to himself as he let out a shaky breath of his own.
Before a tease could leave him, something along the lines of her not being able to keep up with him, her lips were back on his. The tease was easily forgotten about. His arm wrapped around the small of her waist and pulled her closer. Holding her to him and shifting so she could rest comfortably against him. He found his heart starting to beat out of control. And as a hand of his slipped to caress her side, he realized he needed to pull back. So he did just that, leaning back and taking a deep breath. His wide chest expanding rapidly as he tried to get a hold back on himself. "So," he said, his voice low and a little airy. "Why did you bring me here?"
Jasper didn't want to stop. Hell, he was pretty sure that he could recline his seat and they could just lay there in the passenger seat, making out until they both had swollen lips and they couldn't breath right. Until a basic human need made them break apart. But it wasn't fair to expect that. Not when they had no idea what was going on between them. Part of him said to just shut up and enjoy the ride. Enjoy what she was giving him. But the other part wanted to do right by her. He wanted her to know that she was safe with him and secure. That he was not going to do anything to hurt her.
Feeling the pressure of his hold on her, Ezra felt like she was vibrating, the energy buzzing in her almost overwhelming. Had he slipped up and gripped her too hard, she wouldn’t have noticed nor cared. Her mind was quiet, all of her attention on the large man she was currently draped against, her body pressed up against him. The little sound he made as she took a moment to catch her breath had her lips curving as she returned to him, kissing him twice as hard. The feeling of his hand on her side drove her wild, for some reason, and had she had any self control left, she might have thought to back off. But she didn’t.
So when Jasper pulled back from her, she was definitely taken by surprise. She’d been so certain he was about to take the next step, and Ezra had been more than willing to let him. Even as he caught his breath, she felt the urge to follow him, to not give him a chance to say anything. Her hesitations about leading him on were forgotten - she wanted him. Right now. Her gaze dropped down to his mouth, pretty sure she could convince him to continue kissing her until she couldn’t think straight. No. Ezra had never felt the need to chase a man, and she knew she was letting her attraction to him push everything else to the side. She settled back slightly, not exactly separating herself from him, but her hands slid from his neck down to his chest, resting there as her gaze flicked back up to meet his.
”So, why did you bring me here?”
Ezra liked the way his voice sounded, and it took her a minute to clear her mind enough to actually understand his question. A soft smirk took over her face. ”To have my way with you, of course. I thought we already covered that.” She joked; because she didn’t know how to tell him that she’d brought him here to share it with him. Because she wanted to stop feeling like some sort of victim, and this was her place to clear her mind and collect herself. This was her safe place, and it made sense to bring him into it. Her smirk grew into a grin as she leaned back further, reaching over to the steering column and turning off the car. As the hum of the engine faded, and the headlights turned off, the darkness of night closed in around them. Thankfully, the clearing allowed for a lot of natural light from the moon, so it wasn’t pitch black. ”But if I’m honest, it’s a little bit selfish. It’s going to get cold soon, but right now the water’s probably alright.” She said slowly, her mischievous gaze finding him again as she set the keys on his chest, reaching over him with her other hand to open his door.
”You must be familiar with night swimming, right?” She asked, giving him an innocent look before climbing over him and out the open door. She left it open, looking back at him as she kicked the shoes off her feet, feeling the cold gravel under her soles. She was tough, though, so it wasn’t painful. One more flash of that challenging, impish grin and then she was traipsing across the gravel into the grassy expanse that led down to the lake’s edge. She didn’t check to see if he was coming with her, because it didn’t really matter - even from his seat, he had a perfect view.
It only took her a few moments to reach the dock - it wasn’t a very large clearing - and once she stepped onto the wood, she didn’t hesitate to pull the strings at her waist and then reach to the hem of her dress and pull it up and over her head, letting it fall to the wood at her feet. On her left shoulder blade was a simple, mid-sized sunflower tattoo, the petals a warm golden color. Her undergarments were a basic black set. Ezra didn’t glance over her shoulder, strolling confidently down the dock - normally she ran, but she wanted to give Jasper time to really see her, selfishly. The last few steps of dock she took faster, jumping off the end and into the water. Ezra didn’t like getting into water slowly. It was easier to take that shock of cold all at once in her opinion. Breaking the surface, Ezra took in a deep breath, brushing the wet hair back from her face before turning to see if Jasper had followed her to the water.
"To have my way with you, of course. I thought we already covered that."
He found a small chuckle leaving him at her statement. It made him feel like he was a teenager again. Sneaking out to the middle of nowhere and making out in the backseat of the car with a girl he liked. "Well I do apologize for being so daft." He said, running a hand down her back as she sat back and turned the car off. He held himself back from grabbing her and holding her in the car with him. He wasn't going to take that next step. The gentleman in him said no, that if they were going to go beyond kissing, they'd not be doing that in a car. Not yet. He wanted to make sure she knew that this, whatever it was, wasn't just a physical attraction. It felt like more than that to him. So as she leaned over him and opened his door, like he had done to her a few weeks back, he felt a small smile grow.
"You must be familiar with night swimming, right?"
And then she was over him, his hand sneaking a small touch against her back as she got out and started... well that answered his question on how she expected them to go swimming without bathing suits. His smile fell, but not because he was disappointed or upset by her actions. But because he was suddenly very focused on her. He stood up outside of his car but didn't make it further than that. She knew what she was doing. Teasing him, tempting him. He took a deep breath as the dress was left behind and sent up a silent 'thank you' to the fact that she at least kept her undergarments on. He might not have been able to handle much more of it. Could have just wound up with him sitting back in his car for the rest of her night, leaving her disappointed in him.
Jasper then caught a little something that he hadn't expected to see. A little tattoo on her shoulder blade. She was far enough away, and the light of the day gone, that he couldn't exactly see what it was, but from the general shape of it and the burst of color he had a feeling it was a small flower. And then she was down the dock and out of sight. He stood for a moment, his gaze shifting from where she leapt into the water then to look down at himself. She clearly wanted to bring him here for a reason. And not just to hang out in his car. So he reached down and removed his boots, then his shirt, and pants. Tossing them into the passenger side of his car, leaving him in his boxer briefs. He went forward and collected her things as well, getting them into his car before he rolled down the window and shut the door.
And then, like a giant child, he took off running down the dock. Keeping in mind where she was and jumping off the edge and into the water. It was a little bit of a shock, the water cold enough to give a little kick of energy to him. But nothing that made him want to get out immediately. He found that he could touch the bottom of the lake, just enough to keep his head above the water, which didn't really shock him. And the moment he surfaced and found Ezra, he was grinning at her. Reaching up and pulling his hair out of the messy bun it had been in before. Letting the long hair down and settle over his shoulders and into the water. "So, your plan for the day was to show up at a sketchy bar. Have an even more sketchy man buy you drinks, allow a bigger man to come and defend you. And then take his car out to the middle of nowhere to take advantage of him and go for a night time swim? I mean, that's quite an eventful day. " He joked.
He reached out a hand towards her, offering to hold onto her so she didn't have to wade in the water the whole time. "And after our nighttime swim, then what is your plan?"
Ezra was taken by surprise with the amount of glee she got when she turned back towards the dock and found Jasper running down the dock towards her. A large grin split her face as he leapt off the end, a peal of laughter escaping her as the water splashed high into the air at his sudden appearance. She didn’t try to hide her obvious attention to his arm as he reached up to let those long locks down. He didn’t appear to be treading water like she was, and she didn’t know why that surprised her. The man was the biggest she’d ever had the pleasure to meet.
"So, your plan for the day was to show up at a sketchy bar. Have an even more sketchy man buy you drinks, allow a bigger man to come and defend you. And then take his car out to the middle of nowhere to take advantage of him and go for a night time swim? I mean, that's quite an eventful day.”
A smirk pulled at her lips as he detailed the events of the night. “You make me sound scandalous.” She said, sighing casually, though unable to stop a bemused grin from splitting her face. When he said it like that, laying out the events of the past couple hours, it made her feel like a hot mess. How did her plans to work always go so awry? As he reached out, offering her his hand, Ezra felt a little thrill run through her. She took his hand, using him as leverage to pull herself through the water so that she was closer to him. A little voice in the back of her head said to wrap herself around him and kiss him until the water was boiling, but then he was talking again, and she reminded herself that the swim was supposed to cool them off.
"And after our nighttime swim, then what is your plan?"
Ezra hummed, looking thoughtful as her hand slid from his hand to his arm, running up the limb to his shoulder. As she did so, she pulled herself in close to him, her body pressed up against his beneath the water’s surface. He was just as warm as he had been in his bed, which was actually very nice considering the chilly water. ”Honestly? I didn’t think that far ahead.” Her voice was low, at a level for a private conversation. The sound of the water and the forest felt like it was closing in around them. A slow smirk curled her lips, her face only a few inches away from his. ”But I’m sure we can come up with something.”
Jasper felt a smirk slide over his features as she used the word 'scandalous'. "Oh, good. So you were able to pick up on that hint then." He teased her. Watching the way that she slowly pulled herself towards him in the water. His feet finding just enough traction to hold himself steadily above the water as she got closer to him. "I mean, you are the only who got undressed after kissing me the way you did in my car. And by the way," As she got a bit closer, his arm that was out for her to pull herself into him was wrapping around her, pulling her closer to him without squishing her to his front side. "I like your little tattoo. Is it a flower? I was a little distracted while you were running down the dock." He grinned. Watching her face closely for any changes in her smile.
"Honestly? I didn’t think that far ahead. But I’m sure we can come up with something."
Of course they could come up with something. The two clearly had some sort of attraction between them. And beneath that, there was something a little deeper that had started to bloom the moment she showed up on his shop step, the bruises fresh from the raids that had happened. Possibly even before that considering she thought enough to show up on his doorstep instead of going anywhere else really. The way she even trusted him to take care of her, was enough to have him start tripping over his own feet clearly.
"Hm, I am sure we could." He answered her. Leaning back just enough that he could get a good look at her face while she was wrapped up against him. His hands traveling to her waist and gripping her lightly there. And then with a playful smirk and a quick moment, he would go to toss Ezra up and out of the water.
Ezra chuckled as he teased her, raising her brows challengingly. ”Well, what does that say about you, that you’re swimming in nothing but underwear with a scandalous woman?” She asked, a smile on her features that said she was quite pleased with herself. Though, an annoying voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she maybe wasn’t scandalous, but she certainly wasn’t a nun. If Jasper knew about all of her history, would he think less of her? Trying not to let those annoying thoughts deflate the bubble of glee they were currently floating in, Ezra was thankfully distracted by his next words, her mouth popping open in mock offense, scoffing slightly. But then he was pulling her closer, asking about her tattoo, and for a minute she just smiled stupidly at him. Oh, he was dangerous. What was worse was that he knew he was dangerous. ”First of all, you,” The ‘you’ punctuated by an accusatory poke to his shoulder, ”kissed me first.” Conveniently, she was choosing not to count the kiss she’d given him to start off the night. ”And it’s a sunflower.”
"Hm, I am sure we could."
Oh, Ezra certainly didn’t mind the way he looked at her. That playful smirk stayed firmly in place on her face, even as she felt his hands gripping her waist. Her heart started to skitter along her ribs, causing quite the ruckus. She was a little worried he might hear it, it felt so strong. She thought he might lean in and kiss her, which she would have gladly accepted it. Instead she only got a split second to prepare, that smirk shifting gears into a look of realization and shock before she was up in the air and then splashing back down into the water. She might have let out a shriek of surprise, but she wasn’t going to admit to it. Coming back to the surface, spluttering, she pushed her hair back from her face and gave him a mocking, serious look. Choosing to have a water war with someone twice her size was a losing battle, but she couldn’t help but rise ot the challenge. ”Okay. I see how it is.” She laughed, using her entire arm as an impromptu wave making machine and sweeping it across the water to splash him.
"Well, what does that say about you, that you’re swimming in nothing but underwear with a scandalous woman?"
He let an innocent look take over his features, or at least, the best one that he could manage. "I am just a simple minded man who was lead into temptation by a wily little minx." He stated, his eyes growing wide with fake innocence and yet, after only a few moments, the grin grew back on his features. Jasper had been more focused on the family, his almost adoptive family, during the past few years. He hadn't really taken the time to date or do much of anything. Sure he had random occurrences here and there. A few months of dating for it to fizz out or they just realize that there wasn't too much there to continue on.
It was odd how quickly she grabbed hold of his attention and how she had, with seemingly little effort, kept his attention. Even with the madness of the world, it was like she was a little light at the end of the tunnel for him. Something he got to look forward to during his day. Her little texts here and there. Anything.
"First of all, you... kissed me first."
"The first ever between us, yes. But you started the kissing today. Back at the bar. You do remember that don't you?" He said, lifting a hand to pretend to try and take her temperature to make sure she was feeling okay. Surely that fact hadn't slipped from her mind already. She was the one who grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and brought him down for a kiss. Not that he protested in any way. "And in the car, you kissed me back. Every single time." He grinned further. "Are you complaining?"
And then he had her up in the air and crashing back down into the water. He laughed at the look on her face when she resurfaced and then a wave of water was sent his way. He closed his eyes and turned away, chuckling lightly at the attack that soaked his hair further, letting the long locks stick to his skin and drape into the water. And then he was under the water, disappearing from sight. If Ezra didn't fight him, she'd find herself being lifted from the water, sitting on his shoulders as he stood up and lifted her out. "There, problem solved. For me that is."
"I am just a simple minded man who was lead into temptation by a wily little minx."
Ezra couldn’t stop the laughter, giving him a ‘you can’t be serious’ look. ”’Wily little minx’?” She questioned, raising a brow as if to call his supposed innocence into question. She liked to think that she had shown at least a little resistance before giving in to her impulses, but she couldn’t be so sure. Ezra wasn’t honestly sure who had done the most tempting between the two of them, but she’d certainly failed her mission not to lead him on.
"The first ever between us, yes. But you started the kissing today. Back at the bar. You do remember that don't you?"
Her brows pulled down, looking like she was searching her memories. ”Hmmm. No, I can’t say I do.” Her clueless expression almost held, but her lips twitched, the smirk trying to break through. Her shoulders shook with silent laughter as he pretended at checking her temperature, asking her if she was complaining. Her? Complaining about kissing him? Oh, the things she wouldn’t admit. ”Are you?” She fired back, cocking her brow.
And then she was suddenly thrust into a water war. She lost sight of him after splashing him, until she felt him rising up underneath her. She made a sound of surprise, her hands finding purchase on his head, wobbling as he lifted her up but not struggling away from him. She laughed, hooking her ankles around him, trying to ignore the fact that his face was now very close to her thighs. A portion of her shin and her feet were the only things still in the water, and the night air chilled her wet skin, raising goosebumps. Hearing his very confident words, Ezra scoffed aloud. ”Don’t think you’ve won this war yet.” She told him, and then she locked her legs even tighter, and threw her weight back. Sure, she’d be dunking herself into the water, too, but she was hoping that her full weight was enough to bring him down with her.
She was the perfect little tease. At least for him. She met him head on every single time. She had no problem putting him in his place. Or maybe just the place that she thought he should be at. He wanted her, in more sense than one. It was super clear to him in that moment, when she pretended to not remember kissing him first. And from what he could tell, she wanted him too. He did worry that it was in two different ways though. As she always seemed to try and keep distance between them. Like when they were texting before, he seemed more engaged in some ways.
Deep down, it scared him a little bit. To think that he was very interested in her. That he was slowly spiraling down a path and to think that she might not be traveling the parallel one. That her path would take a sudden sharp turn away from him and leave him stranded in the middle of it. Looking for her. And with a broken heart. But he also knew that if he didn't do anything, if he backed down without even try, he would be even more mad at himself. "I would never complain about you kissing me. Actually, I encourage you to. Whenever you want. For how ever long you want." He told her seriously. His eyes flashing to her mouth as he said it.
And then the battle began. She was up in the air and back down, splashing him and then steadying herself on his shoulders. He laughed as her hands curled into his hair to try and balance herself. His hands sliding up to grip her right above the knee. To try and keep her in place as she was now up in the air. He felt the goosebumps that raised on her skin, and he gently ran a thumb over her skin for a moment. Her scoff made him grin from below her, but next thing he knew, he felt her thighs tighten on him and then he was pulled backwards. And to save either of them from injury, he went with her. Splashing into the water, releasing his grip on her legs before he resurfaced. His hair in his face, so he had to reach up and push it back. "Well, that was quite rude." He told her after spitting out some of the water that got into his mouth.
"I would never complain about you kissing me. Actually, I encourage you to. Whenever you want. For how ever long you want."
There was a split moment where that now familiar flutter rose up in her chest as she looked back at him, where she wanted to pull him to her and kiss him just because. And she might have, had he not tossed her into the water like a sack of potatoes. She was thankful for the brief reprieve she had in the water, focusing on the water war they were waging as a way to distance herself from those too-warm feelings that were starting to feel overwhelming, like she couldn’t breathe. He made her feel unsteady and out of control in a way that was almost intoxicating. As she found herself being dunked into the water again, she couldn’t get the thought of his hands on her skin out of her mind.
"Well, that was quite rude."
Ezra laughed as she wiped the wet curls from her face, once again having to kick her feet to stay above the water. The fact that he was able to stand was a definite disadvantage. ”You started it.” She accused, a bit childishly she’d admit, a broad grin making her cheeks hurt. ”A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do when men start tossing her around.” She shrugged, her shoulders rising out of the water with the movement. Pausing for a moment, clearly just enjoying her view of him, Ezra gave him a slow-burning smile. ”How about a truce?”
There was a devilish glint to her expression, not moving to close the distance between them, feeling a little bit more secure when his hands weren’t on her body. She had a feeling her teasing had started to backfire. ”What can I do to make it up to you?” She asked, looking at him questioningly. Of course, the flirtatious edge to her words was always there, though her smile was more amused than seductive.
He gave her a mock offended face, just a small one. It was mainly in his eyes more than the rest of is face, as he wasn't even sure if he knew how to twist it up to give a really good Jim Carrey sort of facial expression. "I blame you. I had to act first, I could see it in your eyes that if I didn't toss you first, you were going to try and toss me." Was that likely to have happened? No way in this world would she be able to do it. She'd have a better chance of dunking him, even with his feet planted solidly on the lake ground.
He stared at her as she seemed to suddenly turn her face to him with a look that just screamed 'trouble' to him. The way those eyes of her looked up at him and she just felt like she could flirt her little way out of this. That she could bat those eyelashes up to him and make him do whatever she wanted. And dear lord help the man, but she probably could ask him to do anything and he would. For her. But she didn't need to know that yet. So instead, his hands moved fast as he grabbed her, dragged her through the water to his chest and kissed her right on the mouth.
"I blame you. I had to act first, I could see it in your eyes that if I didn't toss you first, you were going to try and toss me."
Ezra scoffed, rolling her eyes as laughter glittered in her gaze. The notion that she could even attempt to toss him was laughable, and absurd. "Right. You were just acting in self defense. Of course." She trilled, the sarcasm thick in her voice as she gave him a light-hearted, mocking smile.
But the attitude in her expression faltered as he gave her a look that made her chest feel tight. Suddenly there wasn't enough air coming into her lungs, and she shifted to make distance between them, some instinct in her telling her to run, because she was about to be something's dinner. Old instincts, which now only meant a tiny thrill ran through her as she saw him dart forward. Ezra made a sound quite similar to a squeak as he pulled her through the water, but she didn't fight him. As she pressed up against his chest, his lips on hers, Ezra wound her arms around his neck. Without really thinking about it, her legs came up and wrapped around his torso, quite similar to when he'd carried her up the stairs to his bedroom. Only now the warmth of his skin was directly against the skin of her thighs, and it caused chills to run up and down her spine.
Jasper groaned as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling them closer together as they kissed one another. He planned on letting her go quickly after. Knowing that it would be nothing but trouble if they continued. Yet as her legs wrapped around his waist, one arm around the small of her back held her in place as the other tangled into her wet blonde hair. He liked this. And he also knew that he could stay there all night with her if she wanted that. If she asked him, they would have stayed in the water until they were blue from the cool water and air. Till their skin was like prunes and hair tangled into wet messes.
So he moved his way towards the shore. Kissing her, holding her to him as he got them out of the water and back onto shore. He shivered at the cold air, but it was a nice cool down for him as he parted from her. "How about we get you warmed up in the car huh?" He offered, slowly leaning down so she could place her feet on the ground as he did. He was trying his best to be a gentleman. To keep control on himself, but he was going to need her help as well in this situation.
