". . . That may be all I need. In darkness she is all I see."
"Fuck."
"Come and rest your bones with me. Driving slow on Sunday morning. . ."
"Jesus Christ, where's the button? Dammit . . ."
"And I never want to lea--"
"They think they're so funny, playing Sunday Morning, on a Sunday morning. Oh, that's rich. Not that I care, but you know, go them. Whoo. Round of applause for those creative geniuses down at the radio station."
The bed creaked, footsteps faded, the bathroom door was shut and reopened minutes later. A bird was chirping outside the window, or maybe it was a pigeon cooing at the morning sun. Who actually cares what it was.
I rubbed my eyes and laid my head back into the mattressto relieve my pounding headache. The exact time we fell asleep was a mystery to me, probably sometime around eleven o'clock. All I could remember, for the most part, was Levi dragging me back to his place and the familiar scent of spices and vanilla.
The bedroom door clicked, but no sound emanated in the room. I didn't bother checking if Levi was in the room; that was answered when the bed dipped and a weight was pushed onto my back.
"Come on, wake up," Levi urged, straddling me with his knees pressed near the sides of my chest. "I have to get ready for work."
"Ten more minutes, my head hurts," I complained, feeling around for his legs and patting the bare skin. "And go put some clothes on."
"Oh I don't know, maybe I want to go to work like this," he replied sarcastically.
"That's disgusting, get off of me."
He brushed my hair away, kissing the nape of my neck and pressing his lower half against me. "Wakey wakey, let's go make breakfast."
"I swear to God, Levi, it's too early for this shit," I groaned out, pulling a pillow over my head.
"Let's. Go. Make. Pancakes." Every word was spaced out in a seductive manner, causing my wrists to pulse with heat.
"You go make pancakes, I'm not hungry."
"So you don't want to make breakfast with me?" he inquired, whining. "Or is it pancakes? Do you not like pancakes? How about waffles? I bet you like waffles."
"You must not have heard me," I retorted as sweet as I could. "I said I wasn't hungry."
He exhaled a sigh and traced his fingertips down my spine slowly. "If not breakfast, then what do you want to do?"
"I would like to go back home."
"Is that, what you really want, Roxanne?" He began to whimper, a helpless sound I had never heard escape from his throat before.
"You won't let me go to work, and I'll be all alone when you leave," I said, removing the pillow and placing it under my right cheek. "People are probably getting worried, thinking I got kidnapped last night."
"Basically what I did," he remarked, lifting himself off of me and falling back onto the bed. "This is technically like Taken."
I rolled over to face him and positioned myself against the headboard, questioning, "Oh my god, what are you going to do? Call my friends and ask for a ransom?"
"Yeah, of about two dollars," he answered vaguely, sitting up and crossing his legs over the bedsheets.
"Fuck you," I responded, reaching over and poking Levi's nipple on accident. "I'm worth way more than that."
My reaction earned a chuckle from him and a poke back. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling. Two dollars and thirty cents."
"I'm so done with you," I said, throwing the covers off of me in protest and folding my arms over my chest.
"No, take me back! I can change!" he exclaimed, clutching the piece of his shirt that rested over his heart. "Without you, the candle light that is my life snuffs out, leaving me cold and dark."
I shot him a questioning look before uttering, "Well that was very, uh, poetic, but I guess everything you say comes off that way."
The blue in his eyes seemed to brighten as he tucked his bangs behind his ears. "Do you understand why I love reading now?"
"You told me last night, but now I'm starting to see it come out." I crawled over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, my bare thighs slightly touching his forearm. "You should read to me sometime, if you're so good at it. And make it something interesting."
He raised a brow at me and pursed his lips. "Reading to someone is boring though. There's funner things we could do."
"Oh, really?" I queried, amused. "Like what?"
"Well, take a look at what's around you at this very moment," he replied, grabbing ahold of my hands.
"We're in you're bedroom," I said blankly. "I see nothing fun to do in here."
"I beg to differ," Levi purred, softly nudging me onto the rumpled covers of the bed.
I squeaked as my back hit the mattress, Levi's grip on my hands preventing me from softening the fall. He loomed over me, cocking his head in an entertained manner.
"Levi, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"You know Roxanne, I could take you right here and right now if I wanted to."
Managing a gasp, I furrowed my brows in worry and stared at him. "You don't mean that."
"What makes you say that?" He removed one of hands and cupped my chin, pressing his thumb to my lips. "I could do whatever I want, I'm the one holding the power after all."
I slapped his hand away and sneered. "I'm not an idiot, Levi. You wouldn't have your way with me and I know that for a fact. You're not that kind of person."
The bird continued to chirp, but Levi remained silent, his lips slightly parted as if he wanted to say something back but couldn't.
His eyes narrowed solemnly, like he had been taken aback by my words, and he immediately unpinned me from the bed. "I'm sorry, I never meant to actually, uh, I was going to . . ."
"Why did you do that in the first place?" I asked, concern wavering in my voice. "Were you trying to teach me something?"
He huffed, shifting his gaze away from me. "You're going to meet some stupid people in the world, Roxanne. That's all I can really say."
"Looks like someone wants to protect me," I sang, smiling at him.
"Shut your trap," he retorted, pulling me up from the mattress and handing me his phone from the nightstand. "If I let you use this, promise you will never speak a word of this to anyone."
I nodded in agreement and asked him to put in the pin code, to which he responded, "It's twelve twenty-five. Next time, do it yourself."
"You're the sweetest," I remarked, punching in the numbers 1-2-2-5, then dialing Marco's cell and listening to it ring a few times before it clicked.
"H-hello?"
"Marco?"
"Roxanne? Oh god, where are you? We're worried sick!"
"We're? Who else is there?"
"Well it's just me and--Hey! Reiner! Don't snatch the phone from me I was talking to her!"
I shook my head and prepared for a scolding.
"Roxanne! Please tell me you're safe, you didn't come home last night and I was stressing because Marco woke up in the middle of the night and you weren't there and and and--!"
"Reiner, calm down. I'm fine, really. I stayed over at someone's house."
"Wait, what happened last night? Are you hurt? I swear if someone hurt you I'll--!"
"No, no and no! I told you, everything's alright. I'll tell you the details when I get home, I'll be over soon."
"Ugh, fine. I'll see you later then."
"Bye, sweetie." I hung up and placed the phone down. Levi had already laid his clothes down on the edge of the bed and looked at me awkwardly, causing me to question, "What? What did I do?"
"Your boyfriend sounds worried."
"R-Reiner's not my b-boyfriend!" I stammered out, my face heating up quicker than I expected. "He's my best friend, and n-nothing more!"
"Of course he is. Come on be honest, I bet you two have shacked up one time or another."
"No! Not even! I mean, he's a nice guy, but he's just a friend! That's all! So stop making assumptions!"
"I'm just teasing, you silly goose." Levi ruffled my hair and pinched my cheek. "Don't have to get so defensive."
"Your idea of teasing is twisted."
"That's adorable." He didn't say much else after that and plainly walked out of the room. The bathroom door shut again and I hopped out of bed. I have my chance to escape from this hellhole!
I hastily searched for my dress and heels, squealing when I finally found everything. I pulled my arms out of the sweater's sleeves and stepped into my dress. I don't think Levi will mind me borrowing his clothes, I mean, it may be cold outside. Once I had all my belongings in place, I rushed down the hall and barged into the bathroom, which had already accumulated a copious amount of steam from the hot water.
"Levi before you have a say in this, I'm stealing your sweater and going home!"
"Roxanne, get out!" he shrieked, proceeded by the sound of something dropping. "I'm in the shower dammit!"
"It's nothing I haven't seen before," I added, giggling. "Plus it's steamy in here, so stop throwing a fit."
"It doesn't give you the right to look, now leave!"
"For your information, I wasn't actually looking. Now if you excuse me, I have some business to attend to back at my place and I will see you tomorrow."
Even though I knew he wouldn't be able to see it, I blew him a kiss and added, "We should do this again sometime."
"Yeah, okay, whatever you want to do, I don't care, just go away . . ."
~*~
"So what your trying to tell me, is that you stayed with a guy, borrowed his clothes, slept in the same bed and cuddled, but you guys didn't have sex?"
I gaped at Reiner's inappropriate question towards my absence. "There was no sex! Nothing of the sort! What kind of a woman do you take me for Reiner?"
"One idea that springs to mind is a dominatrix."
I pressed my foot against his chest and pushed him onto the back of the couch. "What was that? I don't believe I heard you correctly. You should really stop mumbling and speak up." I exerted more force and he coughed out a few profanities.
"I like a woman who takes control--"
"You don't know when to stop running your mouth."
"Roxanne, don't hurt him!" Marco cried out from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and glared back at Reiner, hoping to view the life drain out of him.
"The big boy can take it, I'm not worried. I've been doing this for years, he just never remembers to say mercy."
Reiner gripped my ankle and snarled, "Men don't say mercy, we tough it out in order to declare a winner."
"Then I must classify as a man, or maybe you forgot I have bigger balls than you." I looked down at my exposed legs, noticing where his stare was directed.
"I like what I'm seeing from here, so how about, no."
I kicked him as hard as I could and retrieved my foot. "Pervert. Did your parents ever teach you manners?" He gasped for air, chuckling in between breaths. I grinned at the loser and climbed onto the table, striking a victory pose. "Undefeated champion!"
"Roxanne get down! You might break the table!" Marco screeched, almost dropping a cup of tea, "Reiner, make her sit down!"
"Come on, butt in a chair Ms. Champion." Reiner picked me up by the waist, paying no head to my thrashing and placed me on the couch next to him.
I crossed my arms and exhaled sharply. "Boo, you're no fun. I just wanted to play a little."
"You have all day to play, just not on the furniture." Marco sighed and shook his head. I settled myself against the couch and glanced over at Reiner.
Time to play the guilt card. "I'm sorry you guys have to put up with me today, it wasn't my choice to stay home."
Marco smiled warmly. "We don't mind, we understand it's all you can do in this situation. Everything will be fine tomorrow. In the meantime, maybe you and Reiner could go to the park. You know, so you don't break anything or anyone with all your energy."
"Could we do that Reiner? I want to go play on the swings." I put on my best puppy dog face and tugged his arm.
"Agh, fine, just don't wander off when we get there." He rubbed the back of his neck and I jumped off the couch.
"Yay! Fresh air! Play time!" I bounced around the room and announced, "I'm going to go change, be right back!"
"Can you believe she's an accountant Marco?"
"I can't believe she's a person in our life."
~*~
"Chilly, eh?"
"Sh-shut u-up," I managed to stutter out, teeth chattering. A sweater and a jacket apparently weren't enough to brace the cold city weather. "H-how c-can you o-only w-wear a f-freakin t-shirt?"
"I don't know, I guess I'm immune to the cold. But hey, you want my scarf? It might help." He took it off his neck and wrapped it around mine. "Feel better, you big baby?"
"I'm not a baby and yes, its warm and it smells like you." I had always liked Reiner's scent; it was masculine, but also clean, like clothes straight from the dryer.
"You always had a thing for scents." He punched my arm lightly. "Little weirdo."
"Yeah well, at least I'm not obsessed with going to the gym," I retaliated, smirking.
"I'm not obsessed, I like to stay fit. You shouldn't be saying anything, you have no muscle."
"Oh, have we forgotten who's been beating your ass all these years? Who drop kicked you at graduation when you picked a fight with that freshman? That's right buddy, it was me. I may not show it, but admit it, I'm stronger than you." I stuck my tongue out at him and ran off in search of the swings.
"Roxanne, I told you not to wander off! Jesus Christ, get back here woman!"
If he's so in shape, he should be able to catch me. I spotted the swings and made the last stretch. "You better hurry and get the last one Reiner!" I called out, catching my breath as I did so. Reiner came a few seconds later, breathing heavy and slouched over.
"Not . . . funny . . . You know cardio isn't my thing," he panted, taking a seat on the swing next to me.
"Please don't be mad at me Reiner," I requested, squirming in my seat and batting my eyelashes. "You know I love you."
"Yeah, yeah, I love you too. But sometimes we can't handle ya, you know?"
"You guys worry too much!" I said, gently kicking my feet up and down."I'm fine, really. You guys don't have to watch over me all the time. I can take care of myself."
"That's why we worry, you're too much of a free spirit. It's a miracle you still have a professional job."
"It's because I know how to act in front of my co-workers, and how to act in front of my friends," I assured, humming a short tune. "I know what I'm doing."
"I guess I'll have to trust you on that, but I'm still going to worry! We really don't want a repeat of what happened last night."
I opened my mouth to speak but a little boy trotted up to Reiner and pointed at me, stating,"Hey, Mister, is she your girlfriend?"
Reiner's face flushed pink as he replied, "N-no, we're just friends."
"But she's really pretty! Why don't you ask her out?"
"Because I don't see her like that. I like her, heck, I love her, but we're not gonna get together. Sorry buddy." Reiner flashed a goofy smile and the boy laughed.
I ceased my swinging and looked down at the ground, laughing under my breath uncontrollably. Sure, I might have felt a little crazy standing up and creeping behind Reiner, but it was worth what I was about to do.
"Roxanne what are you doing back there?" Reiner asked as I cracked my knuckles.
"Oh Reiner you are just too funny, you . . ." I took a pause and lifted my leg up. "Idiot!"
And for the second time that day, I had kicked the wind straight out of him. He fell off the swing while the boy looked at me in awe; however, that awe soon turned into fear when he noticed Reiner face first in the dirt.
"Um, now I see why you don't wanna be with her Mister . . ."
I clapped my hands together and bounced around Reiner's body with glee, exclaiming, "I really am the undefeated champion!"
-
(Reiner and Roxanne, what an adorable rivalry <3 Reiner seriously deserves more love I swear, I love that big buff blondie to death. And Roxanne is immature, let's put it that way. Marco is the voice of reason, ain't nobody gonna mess around when that boy is around. Levi's just.............. a melodramatic grown ass man, but ya know, he's a precious baby too.)