Once again, the love life of Emily Anderson was as extinct as a do-do and it was due to the fact that one of the only two constants she had ever had in her life and successes she had had brought out the creeps and weirdos and honestly, between all of the failures she had had dating. she was close to admitting defeat and staying single for the rest of her life.
After leaving the arena and arriving back at her flat in Philadelphia, all the dyed jet black haired woman wanted to do was get drunk, sleep or mope around alone with her misery for company and wonder where she had gone wrong in life for her life to be as crappy as it had become recently with yet another break up with a man she had been seeing for 3 months who once again couldn't understand why her career was so important to her now that were together and how she needed to quit 'fake fighting' and get a real job . After trying everything she could think of to relax & fall asleep , nothing was working which had resulted in her having to pull out the big guns from her bourbon cupboard, a fool proof method that after half and hour, had finally beginning to work... that was until her sleep was rudely disturbed by a familar knock on her apartment door. As Emily Shifted Slightly, knowing exactly who it was that was standing at her door, Emily tried to ignore the knocking as it began getting louder, but as she tried, she couldn't help but smile as she heard the annoying voice of her best friend state through the door "Hey, Emmy! I know you're home..TK told me he let you leave early. Come on! Let me in! it's freezing plus I'm outside with your favourite pizza... and crappy whiskey... your favourite ". As Emily got up and threw of the blanket from her legs, Emily silently cursed her boss for telling the Man where she was and however much she thought about ignoring the man but she knew there was no way in hell the man outside her door was EVER gonna deal with being ignored and would increase his annoyance levels to a 9.5 on the 'dusty scale of pain " . Opening the door, Dustin smirked as his crush stated with one hand on her hip and a failed hidden grin on her face "you better have got extra cheese and pepperoni!" "Of course. Even remembered the garlic dip... When have I ever let You down! "Dustin grinned "Well.. You better come in then I suppose" the jet black haired woman grinned, opening the door wider, stopping her husky Puppy from trying to mug the man of his food "I know, I have missed you too fluff ball" Dustin laughed. As the best friends walked further in to the woman's apartment, Emily laughed as Dustin asked whilst hearing the sound of her famous white sound machine "what is that noise?" "I have to listen to ocean sounds to help me sleep.. you've known me for long enough to know that"she joked, shutting it off and grabbing a slice of pizza and settling down on her sofa. After grabbing a couple of glasses out of her cupboard in her kitchen , Dustin sat down next to his best friend and declared "So. are you going to tell me what is wrong with you? You been in a mood all day " "i'm fine. There is nothing wrong with me. I'm fine" "sunshine. I know you better than you know yourself... spill it... before I pull out the big guns" "I just feel a little sad today Dusty, that's all " "you're never sad.. if anything you are an annoying energy of happiness even when you are tired and miserable. Is this about what's his name... Saxon?" "Jaxon! and no it isn't. We aren't together any more... turns out I am just gonna be alone for life... Stinking of dog".
Whilst not only watching, but listening to his not only childhood best friend but childhood crush put herself down once again, the Kentucky gentleman felt his heart break and his anger grow that once again, yet another man had made her feel so bad about herself that she couldn't see what he could... what everyone could about her. Knowing that he needed to step in and give her the kick up the ass she needed, Dustin sat forward and took not only the pizza away from her, but the glass of bourbon" are you wanting to lose a hand"" Emily Nora Charlotte Anderson, you are gonna listen and listen good, you are never ever going to be alone... not when you have me in your life. Do you not remember that promise I made you when we were kids back home " "I thought you were meant to be cheering me up, not making me more miserable" the woman laughed, a sound that made his heart pound. Watching her put her hair up in her trademark high bun , Dustin continued talking "I never liked him anyway, he was a douche, he was never good enough for you" "Chuckie... no one in your eyes has ever been nor will ever be good enough for me" "Well... I can think of someone" he muttered. Looking at the man with confusion on her face, unsure if she had just heard what she thought she had just heard , Emily asked again "prey tell, who is this magic man you are talking about? " . After sitting in silence for a few seconds, the sound of the silence defening, out of nowhere Dustin stated quietly "m e. I'm in love with you!, I always have been. Ever since we were kids " . Looking at the man refusing to make eye contact with her, Emily simply shifted closer to the man and took his hand into hers, willing him to continue what he was saying so that she knew where they both stood before replying" Dust..- please", feeling a small squeeze to his hand, Dustin smiled as the woman then asked "how long have you felt like this?" "I think I have always loved you, ever since we were kids. you were this beautiful brunette girl who everyone loved but who was as big of a wrestling fan as me.. You were and still are perfect to me ... I just... I never thought I was good enough for you I suppose." As Dustin finished, both he and Emily sat in silence once again, each for their own reasoning, until Emily replied "why didn't you ever tell me Dust?" "that smile of yours alone makes me weak at the knees at the sight of it, I would build myself up to tell you and then by the time I'd get around to tell you, half the time I would get too embarrassed to say anything". Knowing now what she knew, Emily could see how embarrassed the man beside her was and all she could do was smile at the situation they'd found themselves in, when they were kids even up to when they graduated school together, she had always loved him as more than a friend but in her eyes, she had always seen the people around them as being a better fit for him than she could ever be ...if only they weren't as stubborn as each other then. Feeling the woman next to him play with his fingers the way she did whenever she looked for comfort or was stressed , Dustin glanced down and moved her chin to look at him in the eye "I should've told you so long ago how I felt about you. I love you trouble... always have.... Quit smiling at me , I can't stop messing up my sentences when you look at me like that!" "come here... I'll fix it" Emily smiled before softly kissing him.
Pulling away from his lips for air as her puppy Gigi barked , Emily smiled as Dustin pecked her lips multiple times with a smile plastered on his face "did that help fix the problem?" " yes... yes I think it did "Dustin replied with a smile, kissing her once again" although it doesn't hurt to check again" . Looking down as Dustin grabbed her hand , Emily burst out laughing as he practically pulled her onto his lap "it's taken me this long to admit everything to you, what makes you think I'm letting you go any time soon" , snuggling into the man Emily took a deep breath and exclaimed "I think I have always loved you, ever since we were kids, you were always my safe place, I just never thought I was good enough for you, I always thought you deserved someone better... someone more stable " . Watching the tears threaten to far from her beautiful blue eyes and knowing how Emily had always been when it came to seeing herself thanks to a tough upbringing, Dustin replied, pulling her on to his lap and wrapping his arms round her waist "NO ONE was and will ever be better for me than you darlin'. All I have ever wanted was you... so? what'd you say? be mine?!". Watching the tears fall freely , he smiled as he got a nod " now. I don't know about you, I am tired, so I think..." "just kiss me!" the woman tiredly grinned "don't have to ask me twice". Pulling away, Dustin smiled once again as he felt the woman get to her feet & pull him towards her bedroom and sarcastically asked " do I assume you are wanting something" "you're staying" "Are you sure" Dustin asked, stopping her from pulling him for a second "please Dust. I always sleep better when you are with me" "okay... okay. I can't with the begging eyes. That's go princess".
Waking up the next day, Emily was scared to turn around and face the person laying next to her, with his arm around her thigh, lightly snoring into her hair. As her alarm blared out, Emmy, knowing that she couldn't stay living in her dream world forever, turned and smiled as she was met by the face of her new boyfriend still asleep "and there was me thinking I was dreaming "she thought to herself. Shifting her body a little closer, the woman gently laid a kiss on Dustin's nose, waking him up "good morning to you too baby ..did you sleep well?" " I think that was the best sleep I've gotten in weeks "she grinned as Dustin pulled her close and replied "you can say that again", and both without a need to be anywhere, spent the morning together in their loved up bliss discusing what they were going to do for their first of many dates.
