THE PRESTIGE (NIXON)

[SCOUT ELAYNA GREY]

[style=padding-top: 15px; width: 500px; line-height: 50%; font-family: wire one; font-size: 30px; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px; border-top: #111111 7px solid;]Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

rinsing the sweet-scented shampoo from her blond hair, scout allowed the hot water to rinse her off completely before she turned the knobs and shut the water off. the expansive bathroom was filled with steam that made her lungs feel thick and made it hard to breathe. but that was probably because she was nervous. she knew all too well that nixon didn't want to go out again after he got home from work. he was perfectly content staying at home doing nothing or watching netflix. even rebel was becoming antsy and bored from staying in all the time, and scout was certainly going insane.

now that she no longer had her job as a detective, she honestly didn't know what to do with herself. she didn't tell nixon because she didn't want him to think she was unhappy, but she was bored. she could only paint the basement so many times before it got boring.

realizing what day it was, something else had come to her mind. they'd been together for a year - her longest relationship, and she knew it was his - and they were going to be married in just a little while longer. it was cause to celebrate. she'd planned to drag him out to dinner somewhere he would find acceptable, and she'd even forced the housekeeper to accompany her to the mall where she'd found some attractive undergarments she knew he could enjoy after dinner.

then lydia had to go and ruin it all.

she hated nixon's mother. she wished it wasn't true, but unfortunately, it was. ever since she'd embarrassed him in public and, later, had belittled scout and essentially called her a whore who wasn't worth anything more than mass-producing sons for nixon, scout had hated her with a white hot passion. thankfully, she hadn't had much time to be preoccupied by lydia because nixon had put her in rehab. however, she'd been released, and her first item on her list of relationships to mend was to rebuild the bridge between her and her son. what bridge had been there in the first place, scout didn't know, but those were the words the older woman had used when she'd called.

most of the phone conversation was scout standing silently fuming in the kitchen with the phone to her ear as lydia explained that she was apologetic for how she'd treated nixon, and scout by extension. she wanted to make things right, and her idea to do so was a dinner party, an engagement party with limited guests to honor her son's impending marriage. scout knew he would say no. she knew he hated lydia, probably even more than she did. but scout was a sucker for reconciliation. she had always been saddened by how distant nixon was from his mother - having never experienced a relationship with her own mother - and the idea of somehow maybe repairing that appealed to her. lydia had manipulated her weakness.

she'd also gone to the trouble of inviting zap, scout's father. how in the world the grey family found out the things they knew, she would never understand. the limits of their stalking knew no bounds. but the prospect of seeing her dad weakened her and she relented.

braiding her hair along her neck, she tied it off and pulled on the comfortable outfit she'd brought into the bathroom with her. exiting the steamy room, she heard nixon's heavy footsteps on the stairs, and she paused at the end of the bed, watching him as he appeared in the doorway. her heart clenched in that familiar way it still did whenever she saw him, and she smiled genuinely at him, going to him and kissing him deeply before he could get past her. she sensed his irritation at having to leave the house and go to work, but she hoped her presence served to soothe him despite all of that. she had to somehow talk him in to this dinner, and she'd never be able to do it if he was being hardheaded as usual.

her hands gently slid around his stubbly jaw and in to his curly hair. tugging slightly on his hair which he now wore a bit longer and combed in unruly curls on his head, she slipped her tongue in to his mouth and leaned her hips in to his before finally releasing him and smiling up at him. knowing his habit, she stepped out of the way and he almost instantly faceplanted on the bed.

with a sigh, she slid up on the bed beside where his hips still hung off the side, and she ran the flat of her hand down his slender back. "do you know what today is?" she asked after they rehashed how his day had gone. she paused for a moment, waiting for him to respond to her before she bounced happily on the bed and smiled broadly at him. "one year ago today was the first time you got beaten up at the harbor for me. the day also known as the day when we officially started dating," she finished, her blue eyes flashing as she rubbed his back.

"and that also means i want to go to a sappy, romantic dinner with you," she announced, hoping her nervousness over dinner with his mother wasn't showing in her voice. if he ever suspected that was where they were going, he would instantly refused. she hated deceiving him, even for something so innocent - or so she hoped - but she honestly hoped something good could come out of this. besides, who was she to turn down a free dinner in her honor?

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TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD

[nixon mason grey]

he liked working again. he just preferred to be by himself, which was a fact that no one seemed to grasp. it was as if all of his employees couldn't believe that it was really him in his office. not only was he gawked at in public, but he was gawked at in the privacy of his own business building and he had enough by the end of the day. glancing at his watch, he was more than relieved that it was time to leave. standing quickly from his office chair, he shut down the computer, wiping down the hard drive to the machine, saving it all to the very important flash drive in his hands. he didn't trust anyone, especially after what had taken place with sloan, and he guarded his fortune with his life now.

clipping the drive to his key ring as he always did, he stepped from the office, locking it soundly behind him. sneaking out the back stair case, he flew down the endless flights of stairs before he reached the port that his black and red mercedes was parked in. opening the garage door by hand, the young billionaire got in, revving the engine loudly in his want to get home. flooring it, the tires squealed on the smooth payment as he shifted it into gear, streaking out of the back alley that hid him from prying eyes. he had become something of a recluse in recent months, and while it had been acceptable and understandable at first because of what he had been through, now he was turning into some iconic figure known for his disappearing acts. he needed to get back out into the social scene, especially with his upcoming marriage. sighing to himself as he waited at a red light, he glanced to the passenger seat where his fiancee usually sat when she did manage to convince him to go out. suddenly, guilt smothered him.

this wasn't fair to scout. he was making her suffer with his insecurities and his fears.

what had happened to him? he was no longer addicted to the drugs that had been pumped into his veins, so why couldn't he get over what had taken place in ghana? he was healthy, he was gaining weight and muscle, finally. he felt better than he had in months and yet the memories never seemed to be very far away. he was safe. he didn't know where sloan was, but she wouldn't be coming after him again. furrowing his brow, he was suddenly aware of the change of light, and he sped forward. he knew what today was and if he could get over his selfishness, he would somehow manage to take scout out. reaching into his pocket, he brought out the phone that would automatically connect to the blue tooth installed in the car. dialing the number to the restaurant that he used to be a regular too, he spoke up quickly. "this is nixon grey calling. i need to make a reservation for tonight at seven. yes. for two. thank you." he spoke out quickly, his english accented voice crisp and clear and authoritative. they knew who he was still.

glad for that, he was also glad when he saw their shared home come into view. hurrying to park the car in the garage, he killed the engine and shut the garage door as he stepped out of the car. suddenly exhausted, he knew that he could sneak in a quick rest before he had to start getting ready for this evening.

hurrying up the stairs after dumping his jacket on the kitchen table, he greeted the rather rambunctious rebel and entered the bedroom. seeing scout there, a small smile worked its way onto his tired features and he took in the sight of his wife to be. "i missed you love." he had been working a lot, to be frank. pulling long hours at the office was what was getting him all caught up, and he was slowly pulling the reins back from lysander. while he appreciated what his brother did, more than ly would ever begin to understand, he knew that running the company had taken its toll on the man. he was changing, whether he saw it or not, and that was exactly what nixon didn't want to happen in the first place. sighing softly to himself, he watched her as she approached him, feeling her touch, smelling her familiar smell. it was like home. she was home. feeling her hands encircle his jaw, the tension slowly left his rigid shoulders and he began to relax as she deepened the kiss she bestowed upon him.

forgetting his irritations from his day momentarily, he returned the kiss, his tongue clashing with hers as he poured his want and desire for her into it. sighing softly as she pulled away, he combed his eyes over her and then headed straight for the bed as he usually did. collapsing on it face first, he kept his feet towards the ground so that he was hardly on the bed at all. feeling the bed shift, he knew she was sitting on the edge of it, and he took advantage of the situation by scooting closer to her. as her hand smoothed over his back, he let out a breath of content. "i wouldn't be opposed to a quick back rub." he told her rather cheekily, hiding the temper from his tone after quickly telling her that his day was still consisting of being stared at like he was a freak show, like always. not wanting to talk about work, he shimmied even closer to her so that his hip brushed hers, wiggling his back in a way that suggested she start the back rub.

hearing her voice, he turned his head to look at her a bit more, peeking at her as best as he could. a smile lit his drawn features as she recalled their official dating date. "i still hate bicycle riders for that. but yes, of course i remember." he informed her quietly, his voice soft and low, his chest rumbling against the mattress. comforted by her touch, he sighed softly, hearing her next statement. still not moving so that she would continue to rub his back, he actually turned his head away from her, making it look like he didn't want to discuss the matter at all.

"it's a bloody good thing i made reservations at seven o'clock at austairs for two. and it's also a good thing your present is in my pocket. it's rather uncomfortable at the moment, love. think you could help me out?" he told her nonchalantly. the smaller box was pressing into his thigh, but it contained the diamond necklace he had purchased for her. it was of simple taste, but the color and the shape of the pendant were something to be admired. it matched the diamond studs he had gotten her quite some time ago. he knew that she enjoyed the simpler things, but he couldn't help spoiling her every now and again. inside of the box was a note, a promise. she could drag him out three times a week and he had to commit because he signed it. he was hoping constantly going out like that would make him want to be more social again. grinning to himself because she couldn't see his face, he plopped his face right into the mattress, not helping her move him at all. he adjusted his weight, going absolutely limp.

she had her work cut out for her.

[SCOUT ELAYNA GREY]

[style=padding-top: 15px; width: 500px; line-height: 50%; font-family: wire one; font-size: 30px; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px; border-top: #111111 7px solid;]Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

smiling as nixon entered the room and walked toward her, telling her he had missed her, she lifted up on her tip toes to kiss him to welcome him home. "i missed you too," she stated lovingly when she finally pulled away from him. she hated when he was gone longer than necessary, but she understood. she was just bored and lonely, and she needed to do something with herself. she would go insane if she remained cooped up in the house.

as she stepped out of the way, he fell on to the bed, and she cocked her head and smiled to herself before settling herself beside him and running her hand across his back. "i bet you wouldn't," she replied, chuckling in amusement at his not-so-subtle attempt to get a back massage. she listened in silence as he explained about his day, running her fingers gently across his shoulders. he scooted even closer against her, and she snorted in amusement. shifting her weight and turning her body toward him, she dug the heels of her hands deeply in to his back, running her hands between his shoulder blades and down his spine to his lower back as she asked him if he remembered what day it was. she giggled as he mentioned the bicyclist and gripped his shoulders to dig her thumbs in to his back, rubbing out any soreness in his shoulder blades. "as i remember, that turned out pretty good for you actually," she reminded him, kissing his ear as he turned his face away from her.

for a moment, she sensed that he didn't want to talk about it anymore, and she was momentarily disappointed. but then he informed her he had gotten a reservation for dinner, and she squealed before she could stop herself. covering her mouth, she laughed and sat back on her heels, clearing her throat awkwardly and watching him as he informed her he'd gotten her a present. she had to admit, she'd learned to love his presents. she'd been wary of them at first because she hated when people spent too much money on her, but she knew that would never stop nixon when he wanted to do something. she also realized that buying things for her was his way of showing her affection, one of the only ways he knew how thanks to his horrible parents and their pathetic parenting style. he'd opened up to her since they'd been together, and she was thankful she'd been able to get him to open his heart to her. she'd also realized it wasn't a huge deal if he wanted to buy her something, and she certainly wasn't worse off for the wear. pushing her pride aside, she always loved what he picked out personally for her because he knew her so well. he'd always been able to read her like a book, especially since she couldn't hide how she felt about him when he looked into her eyes or when he touched her.

he asked her to help fish her gift out of his pocket, but then he stubbornly laid flat on the mattress and made no attempt to move to make it easier on her. "you're going to have to roll over if i ever have a chance of doing this, you do know that, right?" she asked, knowing he was doing it on purpose. always offering and then denying her, that was his style. when she tried to roll him over, she failed miserably and huffed before smacking him on his shoulder. "i don't even know why i humor you, you know," she teased.

then the idea came to her, and she smiled darkly to herself. shifting her weight, she slid her leg over his back until she was straddling him. leaning down so she was pressed against his back, her hands slid around his shoulders, slipping beneath him as her lips kissed him below his ear. twisting her hips, she slid her hands farther down his torso, toying with the hem of his pants before continuing farther downward toward his pocket. smiling against his ear, she kissed his ear and then sucked on his earlobe before slipping her fingers in to his pocket and feeling the velvety box hidden there.

"i got something for you too," she whispered in to his ear, running her nose up his neck into his hairline. "but i'd have to take my clothes off for you to see it, and we have dinner plans. i wouldn't want to make us late." her fingers closed around the jewelry box, and she shoved her hips forward to shift him just enough so she could yank the box from his pocket. smiling victoriously, she slid off of him and on to the floor, prancing away from him and opening the box as she did so.

inside, was the most beautiful necklace she'd ever seen, a simple twisting infinity symbol. she loved it instantly, as she had the earrings she knew would match it and the engagement ring on her finger. "nix..." she gasped, excitement and happiness in her voice and on her face. "it's so beautiful."

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TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD

[nixon mason grey]

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so no, you are not alone, i am in this too.
this is us, this is me and you.

[/style][style=width:450px; height:300px; background-color:#423F43; text-align:justify; font-family:arial; font-size:09px; color:6d6d6d; padding:8px; overflow:auto;]as she moved beside him on the bed, stating that she didn't bet he wouldn't mind a back massage, he smiled innocently. his rigid nature caused him to be almost permanently tense, except for when he was in her presence, and his back and shoulders were sore from it all. while one wouldn't believe that a CEO would have a lot of stress, especially in his posh position, but that wasn't the case. he was struggling to prove himself again, trying to remake his name into something that could be respected and appreciated once again. lysander had done a splendid job with the company, but nixon's life had been nothing but that company before he was taken to ghana. giving it up had been one of the hardest things he had to ever do in his life, but it had been an important step in clearing his criminal schemes.

thinking of those schemes now brought his memories straight back to the day where he had truly believed his life would never be the same. scout had come to him, begging him to run, for reasons that he didn't understand. thinking about how she had revealed herself to him then, he had thought that it was all a ruse. he had thought that she hadn't truly loved him, that it had been a job for her all along. but as he turned to look at her now, the pensive expression on his face turning into a frown, he realized how foolish he had truly been. scout's love was unconditional, just as his was for her, and that was never going to change. not now. not ever. sighing softly to himself, he was distracted from his darker train of thoughts as she mentioned that the bike fiasco had worked in his favor. grinning cheekily, he nearly laughed, and then spoke up. "well love, you did throw yourself on top of me. so yes, i suppose you're right." he teased her, figuring he was going to pay for that comment, either now or later.

remaining on his stomach, he closed his eyes as her hands worked into his muscles, and he inhaled sharply as her thumbs worked his stiff shoulders. an actual groan of enjoyment left his lips from her simple touch, and he relaxed completely, losing himself in the simple massage that she was giving him. obviously enjoying every moment of it, he mused aloud, softly, not wanting to offend her in any way. "do you ever think about the first night we ever met?" he questioned her, knowing that she had been on the job. her intent was to gather evidence on him and put him behind bars, and while that would have set him off months ago, his trust in her was yet again, blind. she was everything to him. he had given her his heart, which was entirely precious and guarded. no one else had ever claimed it before her, and no one else would ever have it after her. he didn't know how it had happened, but he knew that he couldn't live without her now. he didn't want to. sighing softly, he confided to her about the dinner plans he had made, and then listened as she squealed.

surprised, but pleasantly so, he looked over his shoulder a little, turning to lean on his elbow so he could watch her reaction. raising an eyebrow, he was about to open his mouth to comment on her response, when she laughed and cleared her throat awkwardly. that simple action alone brought a laugh out of him, and he watched her in her embarrassment. "i've got to start showing you off more." he explained to her, knowing that she wanted to get out of the house more. he needed to be more social, he needed to get himself back out there. he figured that he had been enough of a recluse by now, so he would give her what she so desperately wanted. when she found out that he had a gift for her, he turned his face away from her so he couldn't see her reaction that this little surprise. hearing her words, he grinned to himself and shrugged his shoulders.

"looks like you have a dilemma, doesn't it?"

he questioned her innocently, feigning a loud yawn and settling back into the bed. crossing his arms under his head, he was suddenly aware of movement to his side, feeling her legs wrap around his back as she straddled him. "that's cheating." he complained, but he still didn't move. she had to work for it and that thought made him feel actually giddy. he loved playing with her in this innocent manner. it was something that they didn't do enough and he wished that he had gotten out of his slump much earlier than this. hopefully she would see that he was trying to change for her. the smack she had delivered to his shoulder before she straddled him hadn't gone unnoticed, and as she settled over him, he tried reaching behind him to flick her with his fingers anywhere he could reach. "you're entirely rude, you know?" he teased her easily, still remaining stubbornly on his stomach, making it nearly impossible for her to grab the box in his pocket. it was really becoming quite uncomfortable, but he remained hard headed and defiant as he usually did.

"hurry love, you're taking forever." he goaded her, knowing he was going to get repercussions for this, either now or later. hoping for later, he felt her hands on him, followed by her lips, and as she sucked on his ear, his breath came out in a huffed gasp. she knew what that spot did to him. tensing below her, he felt her hands nearly reach his pocket and this time, he didn't fight her. hunching his back even though she was sitting on him, he made it easier for her to reach into his pocket. as she extracted the box and freed her hand, he laid back down, hearing her speak up once more. heat radiated through him at her words, and he furrowed his brow, sneaking a glance at his watch. "we've still got two hours. that's not enough time?" he questioned her, not realizing that she had other plans up her sleeve.

she jumped off of him, freeing him, and he turned over onto his back with a flop, rather ungracefully. it was comical when he didn't poise himself all of the time, and it was actually a bit of a relief at times as well. he could be himself around her and that was what he needed desperately, more than anyone could ever know. he needed to be normal and she allowed that. sighing, he watched as she opened the box, the pleasure on her face obvious. "i'm glad you like it." his voice was soft and deep, honest and sincere. however, he couldn't allow the moment to last forever. grinning wickedly, he sat up, reaching under the bed and scratching rebel's back as he straightened back up. he didn't know when she had snuck into the room, but he was certain that she would enjoy this too. grabbing the nerf gun in his hands, he started pumping it before she could really get a reaction, and then opened fire on her.

it was one of those mega nerf guns with fifteen shots in it, and he didn't stop shooting until every single one was gone. "oh bloody hell, it's empty. are you alright, darling?" he asked her innocently, blinking in a way that he hoped she deemed adorable after he had just shot her point blank. watching her for a moment, he gauged her reaction, putting the gun down by his side. "let's not be hasty now love. it's all in good fun, right?" he questioned her playfully and then saw the challenging look that crossed her eyes. pushing himself up from the bed quickly, he suddenly sprinted forward and out of the bedrooom with rebel and possibly scout, at his heels. he flew down the stairs to the bottom level of their condo and made a bee line straight to the couch.

before she could see him, he dived over the top of it, landing on his back on the couch cushions. bouncing slightly, he grabbed a pillow and covered his face, then thought against it and put it down over his manhood. he didn't know what she was going to do, but hopefully she would give him the benefit of the doubt.

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TAGGED - scout WORDS - ??
NOTES - he's not so cranky yet :3[/style]

[/style]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0[style=height:5px;]

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[SCOUT ELAYNA GREY]

[style=padding-top: 15px; width: 500px; line-height: 50%; font-family: wire one; font-size: 30px; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px; border-top: #111111 7px solid;]Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

when he commented that she'd thrown herself on top of him the day he'd officially asked her to be his girlfriend, she wrinkled her nose and pinched him on his side. "it was more like you wouldn't let me leave until you got what you wanted, you liar," she teased, laughing as she continued to massage his back. working the kinks out of his muscles relaxed her as well, and she leaned in to him, the tips of her fingers growing tender and hypersensitive as her hands ran over the smooth fabric of his shirt. she could tell by how tense he was that he was holding in more stress than she'd seen in him before. they hadn't been so close when he was the ceo of grey enterprises before everything that happened with sloan, and she'd never seen him so full of stress like he was now.

she innately knew it was related to taking the company back from his brother who'd temporarily stood in for him. he worried about it, and it was the one thing he'd loved - the only thing he'd loved - before her. he loved that company as much as she'd loved her job on the police force, but he'd given it all up for her. he'd given it up - even just for a little while - so he could heal the wounds he'd created with his illegal activities, and she knew it was all because he loved her. the thought sent a pleasant shiver of delight through her, and she smiled to herself as she firmly pressed her hands in to his back to ease his strain.

hearing his question brought her out of her thoughts, and she bit her bottom lip as she heard the words. she remembered that first night vividly, and she always would. the way he'd instantly gotten beneath her skin, the way she'd been drawn to him like some sort of magnet, those were things she couldn't forget. she never wanted to. she still remembered the way her skin burned when he touched her, and the way his eyes bored in to her unlike anyone had ever done. before him, she'd been the one to read people through their eyes. she could see everything about a person just by looking at them. but he'd been an enigma to her, only allowing her to see him when he wanted her to. she'd always been closed off to people, but he'd gotten in to her head right away. it fascinated her, how she wanted him to see her every thought and had no choice. she'd never reacted to a man's touch the way she did to him, and he had unsettled her from the very beginning. a complete stranger, and he'd broken down her stoic defenses within an hour.

"of course i do," she answered quietly, a smile in her voice. memories from that night flashed back to her, and she pushed sensuously in to his back as they came to her mind. "honestly, i think it's a little unfair you haven't sat me on the hood of any of your cars since then. i kinda enjoyed that," she noted with a flirtatious smirk.

then he told her about the dinner plans, and her girlish enthusiasm was so instantaneous she almost blushed as she covered her mouth and he twisted to look up at her. her blue eyes danced merrily as he laughed at her, and she smiled adorably when he announced he needed to show her off more. she loved being in public with him in the past. although she became frozen in camera flashes like a deer in headlights, she loved being part of his world. he was part of hers, and although she felt awkward and gawky at fancy balls and events, she was perfectly at ease as his other half. that was where she belonged, and she would learn to fit in to it no matter what. "i like that," she acquiesced with a happy smile.

of course, he had to go and ruin the moment by picking on her and then showing his stubborn streak. as the playful side of him began to come out, she couldn't say she minded. she'd always loved the challenge that passed between them as it had grown in to something more than a pure battle of wills. it was how they pushed one another, tested one another. her heart jumped excitedly at the prospect of it, honestly, so she decided to make it as difficult on him as he was being for her.

scout snorted as he told her she was cheating, and she didn't relent. he flicked her knee as she straddled him, and she laughed lightly before running her hands over his shoulders. "you're rude too. aren't we the pair?"

just as he knew her weak spots, she knew his, and she used it against him as she ran her hands down his stomach between his body and the bed. he'd gained his weight back after sloan almost starved and drugged him to death, and her heart beat increased against his back as her hands ran down his shaped upper body. but she had a goal to reach, and she couldn't allow him to use her ever-burning attraction to him distract her from that goal. she felt and heard him react as she sucked on his ear, and she smiled, nipping him lightly as his back curved and allowed her access to his pocket.

when he asked her why two hours wasn't enough time, she shrugged her shoulders and slid on to the floor with the jewelry box. "not even close," she pointed out with the raising of an eyebrow and a flirtatious smirk. "but i guess you won't know since you're being defiant and you're not going to get your gift after all," she added, biting the side of her bottom lip as she smiled amusedly at him before opening the box in her hands.

she wanted to put the necklace on the instant she saw it, but she didn't want to break the delicate chain it hung on. instead, her fingers traced the outline of the symbol and she glanced up at him when he stated he was glad she liked it. her smile was small and sweet in response to his words, and her heart swelled with her love and adoration for the man in front of her in that moment.

he sat up suddenly, and the grin that crossed his face made her furrow her brow. she knew he was up to something, and she snapped the box shut, placing it on the dresser as she watched him with narrowed eyes.

the first nerf bullet hit her right between her eyes, and she yelped in surprise. "nixon!" she exclaimed as she was suddenly pummeled with a barrage of orange, flying foam bullets. she giggled and tried to shield herself, but it was no use. rebel leapt up and joined in the fun by barking noisily and almost tripping her, and scout caught her balance against the dog's back just as nixon ran out of ammunition. he looked innocently up at her and asked if she was alright, and she narrowed her eyes at him, trying in vain to hide the smile that kept threatening to creep on to her face.

guiding the airedale out of her way, scout slowly advanced on him, raising her chin and glaring playfully at him as he told her not to be hasty. her blue eyes flashed and she smiled darkly down at him. "you're going to pay for that. you don't shoot a former police officer with a nerf gun and get away with it. you could have traumatized me," she stated overdramatically, unable to hide the amused grin on her face.

suddenly, he rocketed to his feet and sped past her, and she spun to chase him. reaching for his shirt, she almost caught him, but he hit the stairs before she could get a good grip. rebel barked excitedly, chasing them both and almost tripping scout. she was forced to slow her pace so the dog could advance ahead, and that put her too far behind him as he rounded the bend in the stairs and disappeared in to the downstairs. slowing her pace, knowing she would get him eventually, so she bided her time and came up with an idea to get back at him.

slowing her pace until her footsteps were silent on the stairs, she skirted the living room as she reached the bottom floor, and went to the kitchen instead. quietly pulling open one of the drawers beside the refrigerator, she pulled out a large stack of rubberbands and wrapped them around her fingers, preparing one before she snuck back around the corner toward the living room. she saw him shift on the couch as she arrived, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing as she aimed the first rubberband at him.

releasing it, her aim was perfect, and it beaned him right above his eye. snorting in an attempt to hold back the laugh in her throat, she got the second one ready and hit him with it before he could shield himself. "are you going to shoot me with a nerf gun again?" she asked, shooting at him with a third rubber band. "hmm? are you?" she asked, sending a fourth and fifth after him.

she readied the sixth rubberband and watched him as he sat up and fixed her with the most innocent look he could manage. it turned out to be rather adorable, his grey eyes wide as he watched her. "stop giving me the puppy dog look," she ordered him, narrowing her blue eyes at him. "that's unfair, and i don't appreciate it." her lips threatened to smile, but she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. "promise to be a good boy and never shoot scout with a nerf gun again. then i'll let you go," she announced, the smile reaching her lips as she rounded the couch and stood with the rubberband aimed down at him.

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TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD

[nixon mason grey]

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so no, you are not alone, i am in this too.
this is us, this is me and you.

[/style][style=width:450px; height:300px; background-color:#423F43; text-align:justify; font-family:arial; font-size:09px; color:6d6d6d; padding:8px; overflow:auto;]nixon raised an eyebrow as she announced that she didn't find it fair that they hadn't tried out one of his cars. hiding the smile from his face, he allowed the smoldering look to shine through his eyes as he directed his gaze to her. his intense grey gaze seemed to double in desire as he stared at her and the grin that spread across his face was reminiscent of the look he had fixed her with on that first night. he had been delirious in his want for her than, and she made him delirious again and again without even knowing. letting out a small breath of air, he stared at her. "well, i think we need to fix that then, love. maybe even tonight. you just never know." what he didn't know was that his night was about to be ruined by his mother.

it was a good thing he was pleasantly unaware that she was talking about completely different dinner plans.

"what the hell? that's not fair. you already have your gift. i'm not being defiant, you're being mean." he whined petulantly, watching her reaction as she opened the infinity diamond necklace. he had picked it out himself and the women working in the store had not only admired it, but him as well. lately, nixon had become absolutely oblivious to any woman who looked his way simply because his heart belonged to scout. he didn't notice the glances, the smirks, the whispers. he was on display in that jewelry store and he had thought that they were just being helpful and friendly. he even told the manager, a male, that he had wonderful staff. that was not something that came from nixon's mouth very often, but it was simply because he was unaware that they were flirting with him. before scout, he would have picked up on it instantly and one of them would have ended up in his bed tonight. now that he had scout, he didn't want to let her go. he didn't need to focus his attention on anyone else because she was all that mattered to him. and he wanted her to matter forever, which was why he had picked out the piece of jewelry. sobering for a minute, despite her teasing, he spoke up, his voice timid because of its sincerity.

"i'll love you for forever." he whispered, his words holding more meaning than anything ever could when it came to them. they had been through so much, through so many ups and downs, that him admitting that was something to be admired, to be appreciated. it was obvious that he meant it because of how unsure he seemed. while his words were certain, he wasn't used to bearing his heart like that, and that scared him. but she would take care of him. she always did and that was why he trusted her without a doubt. smiling shyly at her, he looked down for a moment, using his clever ruse to take advantage of her in this situation. absolutely ruining any romantic moment they could have, knowing they would have time for that later, he watched her as she put the necklace box on the dresser, stepping towards him with a suspicious look about her.

grinning like a mad man, he opened fire suddenly, laughing as rebel bounced around, trying to pick up the nerf gun bullets in her mouth as they flew around the room. as nixon's first shot hit scout squarely between the eyes, he laughed openly, his eyes beginning to water with tears from the hilarity of the situation. continuing to fire at her, he didn't know how many times he hit her, but he was laughing harder each time. as he emptied the chamber, he looked at the gun, then slowly lifted his gaze to her. he tried to go the innocent route, but she would have none of that. hearing her next words as she took a step towards him, he pat his leg as rebel looked over at him, putting his arms out as the dog rocketed at him, jumping up on his lap with her front legs. scratching her lovingly, he watched scout and fixed her with a dubious expression. "dramatic much? you can't be traumatized by nerf bullets, scout, dear. especially since you're a former police officer." he told her matter of factly, watching her with that doubtful expression still locked on his handsome features.

and then it happened.

she got too close, and he guided rebel down from his lap, getting hastily to his feet and beating an even hastier retreat. he dodged her outstretch hand, glad for his speed and agility in this moment because he didn't want to face her wrath even if she was laughing. running for safety, he slipped around the corner of the staircase, his shoes squeaking on the hard wood floor. always the perfectionist when it came to the house and appearances, he grimaced as he left scuff marks. "ah, the floor, the floor, the floor." he muttered loudly enough for scout to hear, outrunning his soon to be wife and their dog. trying not to think about the black marks on the expensive floor, he careened over the top of the couch, settling down, his chest rising and falling rapidly from his shortness of breath. listening for her, he heard her come down the stairs, but she didn't appear as suddenly as he first believed. rebel did though. the dog surprised him from the other side, and she launched herself at him, licking his face over and over again. "oy, stop that! you're going to blow my....cover."

he finished slowly, looking up as scout appeared over him, her fingers armed with a rubber band. "that's gonna hurt more than what i did! you're going to leave a mark!" he spoke up quickly, keeping the pillow where it rested on his groin, reaching up to try to deflect the shot. "think of my beautiful.....face." yet again, he was cut off as she shot him right in the face, above his eye. instantly, he clapped a hand over the 'wound', being just as dramatic as she was. "ouch! bloody....scouttttt. stop it!" he whined once more, trying to roll over as she kept shooting him with rubber bands. he jumped each time she hit him, and it made him look almost as if he was having a seizure of some sort because of how quickly he was moving back and forth. hearing her words, he spoke up defiantly, always needing to be challenging.

"yes! yes i am! i mean, i know you would prefer a different gun love, but that's for later." he said, looking up at her and waggling his eyebrows in what he thought was a seductive way. he swayed his hips back and forth awkwardly because of his position on the couch, trying to look inviting, but really only looking as if he had a nervous twitch. grinning like a fool, he sobered when she nailed him with two more rubber bands.

"quit it!" he announced demandingly, but the jest was still written all over his face. he needed a different approach, apparently. sitting up slowly, he fixed her with the most adorable expression that he could manage, a look that she had deemed 'the puppy dog' look. whatever that meant. reaching behind him on the couch, he managed to grab a few of the rogue rubber bands that had managed to pinch his skin, and he looped one over his finger. hearing her words, he nodded his head innocently. "i don't promise to be a good boy, and i don't promise not to shoot scout with the nerf gun again. all's fair in love and war." he finished brightly with a shrug of his shoulders, bringing his hands around to the front of him and shooting the two rubber hands at her before she could blink. laughing maniacally, he stood up on the couch suddenly, breaking all laws of the house but simply not caring right now. quickly crawling over the top of it, he hurried from the family room with rebel hot on his heels. the dog was going to be the death of him in this game, he was certain of it.

and boy, was he right.

he reached the dining room and as his foot hit the carpet, rebel knocked against the back of his knee rather roughly. this sent his heel sliding forward, and he cursed his slippery shoes as he fought for balance. it didn't work out in his favor, for he reached for the closest thing to steady himself, and that was one of the chairs. his recent weight addition had bulked him up, giving him more muscle and ultimately making him lose his gaunt like frame. which meant that the chair couldn't hold him up. it came crashing down as he fell backwards, landing hard on his back on the ground. the chair landed on top of his chest, and he laid there for a minute, absolutely stunned.

still panting, he laid sprawled out on the ground, listening as rebel ran around him in circles, yapping at him because he wouldn't get up. turning his gaze to the energetic dog, he huff. "this is all your fault." he told her defiantly, remaining winded. closing his eyes, he remained the way he was, knowing scout would have seen that entire thing. in another moment, he broke out into hysterical laughter, unable to control himself any longer. this had escalated rather quickly.

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TAGGED - scout WORDS - ??
NOTES - he's not so cranky yet :3[/style]

[/style]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0[style=height:5px;]

[/style]

[SCOUT ELAYNA GREY]

[style=padding-top: 15px; width: 500px; line-height: 50%; font-family: wire one; font-size: 30px; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px; border-top: #111111 7px solid;]Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

when he promised he would love her forever, her heart leapt in to her throat, and her lips parted as she looked up and over at him. a year ago, she never would have imagined he would say such a thing to her. now, she knew she would never be able to live without him. she'd tried once, when she'd believed he left her after she confessed to him, but she had barely survived the time apart. she'd turned in to a hermit and even her father couldn't bring her out of it. she never wanted to be without him again. she smiled at him, her eyes shining with devotion and adoration for him.

then the moment was broken, and he was running away from her down the stairs with rebel closely in tow. she followed, laughing, and gathered the rubberbands and began pelting him with them where he laid on the couch. "your beautiful face will be fine," she assured him with a snort, "trust me. i like your face the way it is."

he jerked away from her, and she almost lost control and doubled over in laughter at him. when he teased her about a different gun, she lost it and almost fell on the couch as she snorted from laughing so hard. she hated snorting when she laughed, and it had only happened a couple times, but always because of nixon. he denied her and told her he didn't acquiesce to her commands and then shot her with her own ammunition. huffing in feigned exasperation as he leapt up from the couch, she dropped the rest of the bands from her fingers and went after him.

rebel was quicker, following his poor example and running right over the couch, and the dog literally barreled him down as he ran for the dining room. she saw the entire scene unfold in front of her, and she was momentarily worried that he'd hurt himself when he fell, but she could tell he was being dramatic. covering her face as she began laughing, she watched as rebel lovingly licked his face and he muttered to her. she giggled soon overtook her, and hearing nixon laughing only made it worse.

bending over, she lifted the chair off of him and set it upright before dropping on to her knees beside him and smirking amusedly down at him where he lay on the floor. "you're going to destroy the house, mr grey," she teased him. "you're just so destructive. what am i going to do with you?"

she smiled broadly, biting her bottom lip slightly before reaching over and grabbing rebel, dragging the dog in to her lap. the airedale was full grown now and a writhing mass of energy in scout's lap, but she handled the creature well. "and youuu hurt daddy. say you're sorry," she playfully put the dog in a headlock that she easily wriggled out of, leaping on scout's arm and licking her face wildly. scout laughed and batted her away, scratching her nose between her eyes as rebel's tail whacked energetically against the nearby chairs. rebel leaned against her, almost toppling her over, and she looked down at nixon with an entertained smile on her face.

"just so you know, you're definitely not going to see your anniversary present now," she pointed out, shrugging nonchalantly and pouting her lips as she raised her eyebrows. "you're actually pushing it until i'm going to have to teach you how to behave again," she added, her blue eyes flashing teasingly as she reached over and ran a finger down his chest. "i know how much you hate that," she concluded with a flirtatious wink before pushing herself off the floor and on to her feet.

holding her hand down, she offered him her hand to help himself stand. "am i allowed to wear my present to dinner, or is it only for certain occasions? because i'm going to do it anyway no matter what you say, i just want to hear what you think is going to happen before i tell you otherwise." grinning sweetly up at him, she flicked his nose and turned her back on him to walk back to the living room. the place was a mess, what with the rubberbands everywhere and couch cushions looking as if they'd been blown off of the couch by a bomb going off. she didn't care, and it actually brought a smile to her face since she knew it was all evidence that nixon was happy. she was happy, and she wasn't bored for once as she was during the day when he was gone. she loved that he could make her laugh the way he did. she'd been too uptight before she met him, and he'd managed to make her loosen up. she loved him for it.

[/style]

TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD

[nixon mason grey]

[style=height:5px;]

[/style][style=height:5px;]

so no, you are not alone, i am in this too.
this is us, this is me and you.

[/style][style=width:450px; height:300px; background-color:#423F43; text-align:justify; font-family:arial; font-size:09px; color:6d6d6d; padding:8px; overflow:auto;]he was aware of rebel as she laid basically on top of him, licking the scruff on his face as he stayed on his back. closing his lips tightly so he didn't get any wandering dog tongue, he turned his face away from her and tried to push her away. it wasn't until scout pulled the chair away from him did the dog seem to focus on something other than his prone body on the ground. sighing softly, the pressure from his chest was relieved as well, for his lovely fiancee saw fit to lift the chair from him. still not moving off of the ground, he smiled innocently to her, looking up at her as she accused him of ruining the house.

"it's a good thing i can afford to fix it."

nixon hadn't really thrown his money around after coming back from ghana. he had been conservative in more ways than one, even as far as going not to have sex with scout. they had finally been together intimately a few days prior and nixon had to admit that he had missed it. he had missed her. his feelings for her had never quelled, even though they weren't together physically in that manner. he was content with spending long nights having her wrapped in his arms. it was the simple things in life that he had come to appreciate, which was not something that he had ever been able to say before. he loved her, but he had loved the style of the life he had led before her. that wasn't to say that he loved that life more, but there were aspects of it that he didn't think he could live without. now he knew that as long as he had scout, he could live anywhere and have anything. while his company was something he treasured, having scout save his life the way she had made him realize so much more. he didn't need material things. he needed a person to love and to love him in return. the emptiness that he had filled with cars and riches was now filled to the brim with the love that scout poured onto him.

smiling softly to her, he watched as she reprimanded rebel, the name for him leaving his lips as she told her that she hurt daddy. his brow furrowed suddenly, but he didn't think that it was a bad thing. it was true. they were like parents to rebel, but hearing it brought things into perspective. as scout played with their dog, he watched her with a quiet expression to his features, wondering if he would have children with this woman. and something strange made his heart skip a beat. he wanted to live the rest of his life with her. he wanted to love her for the rest of his days. and if that life and that love meant raising a family with her, then he wanted it. ultimately, he wanted scout to be happy. and if children, if family, made her happy than he would give her the world. she had never had a mother figure in her life, and his mother was a raging bitch, so he found that if they did have a family, he knew she would make a wonderful mother. his shortcomings as a father would be fixed because of her ability to love so endlessly. he could love because she loved him. he owed her not only his life, but his heart as well.

hearing her next words, he brought himself out of his imaginings and watched her as she touched her finger to his chest as rebel seemed to gain control of herself. he stared at her with an amused expression at her words, and he smiled adorably up at her. "sorry love, but i don't think you can teach me anything. you just...can't handle it." his british accent rumbled up at her, his arms going to fold behind his head so that he could look up at her easier. as she stood up, he looked at her offered hand and took it with both of his. he didn't want her to get away from him that easily, so he pulled her down. he was gentle, but it was enough force to make her fall on top of him. grinning, he kissed her lips suddenly, wanting to take her breath away, wanting to make her want him all over again. two could play this game. it was a game that he was a professional at, especially when it came to playing it with scout. he knew what he did to her. he knew what he could do to her. hearing her question as he finally released her, he sighed softly and then sat up with her in his lap.

"i would be satisfied if you never took it off. but we should get ready." he finished, following her as she went into the living room. looking at the destruction, he normally would have jumped to clean it up. now however, the house looked lived in, and he found he liked it better that way. he was happy, she was happy, and the house was a mess. and he didn't want to clean it.

racing to the stairs suddenly, he looked over his shoulder. "i get the bathroom first." it didn't matter that there were three other bathrooms in this house. he was going to take over all of her things in that bathroom and make it nearly impossible for her to get ready. taking the stairs two at a time, he sprinted now, hurrying into the bathroom and trying to shut the door on her before she could get inside, laughing hysterically.

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TAGGED - scout WORDS - ??
NOTES - he's not so cranky yet :3[/style]

[/style]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0[style=height:5px;]

[/style]

[SCOUT ELAYNA GREY]

[style=padding-top: 15px; width: 500px; line-height: 50%; font-family: wire one; font-size: 30px; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px; border-top: #111111 7px solid;]Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

"we'll see," she stated vaguely to his challenging comment that she couldn't teach him anything. smiling to herself, she stood and offered him her hand which he took only to drag her back down on top of him. she landed with a giggle, catching herself with her hands on either side of him. he captured her lips with his, and she moaned quietly as she kissed him back. her knees pulled up against his sides to balance her, and she reached in to his curly hair as she returned his kiss. she explored his mouth with her tongue, feeling herself wanting him but knowing it wasn't going to happen. especially after he found out where they would really be going tonight.

knowing he was teasing her, she twisted her hips so she was pressed down against him. she would meet him move for move in their chess game if he wanted. both of her hands played with his hair before tracing his jaw and feeling the scruff she loved so much. smiling as she finally pulled away for a breath, she shifted her weight as he held her and pushed them both up off the ground. the movement forced her to support herself on her knees, and she looked down at him a moment as he assured her he never wanted her to take off the necklace he'd given her. cupping his handsome face in her hands, she kissed him again, wanting him right in the middle of the floor. after they'd finally been together again, she hungered for him even more than she had before. she didn't know how she could want him more after the fact than in the months she'd lived without it, but she did.

of course, he wasn't going to humor her, in fact, he intended to tease her until she was urgent with need for him. pouting, mostly to herself, she stood and walked to the living room, wondering if she should bother cleaning it now or wait until later. she wasn't really in the mood, and she found that she liked how it looked more like a house where two people and their dog lived than a picture out of a furniture magazine. she really saw herself as part of a family with nixon in the moment, and a soft smile spread over her lips, causing her to bite her bottom lip as she felt the surge of happiness through her.

behind her, she heard him move, racing for the stairs before pausing and addressing her, announcing he was hogging the bathroom. "oh, no, you don't!" she exclaimed, racing after him and cursing inwardly that he had such long legs. she was tiny compared to him and it sucked when he ran from her. she was lucky that rebel was typically on her side and tripped him up when it was convenient.

knowing he was going to lock her out if she didn't reach the bathroom in time, she dove for the door just as he tried to close it, throwing herself against it and practically falling inside. she giggled and danced away from him to the sink where she wagged her hips and gave him a sassy look. "you can go now," she announced, waving him off and trying to hide the intense amusement in her face.

"unless, of course..." she trailed off, turning so her back was to the counter before planting her hands on the stone and pulling her bottom up on to the counter top. "...you have a minute?" she blinked innocently at him, slowly biting her bottom lip in that way she knew drove him insane. yes, two could play this game, and it was more fun that way.

reaching for him, she pulled him strongly toward her, hooking her feet around the backs of his knees so he couldn't get away as she looked up at him, her blue eyes glinting with a tease and a challenge. she knew they didn't have much time until they had to leave, so he would believe they were going to a restaurant for their anniversary, but that didn't mean she didn't want to play with him some more.

"i've always wondered...if you're ticklish or not," she mused, her fingers slipping beneath the hem of his shirt to his sides and running across his skin as she smiled cutely at him. she hoped to keep him in place with her legs, and she was highly aware of the positioning she'd put herself in to, but she didn't care. she had nothing to hide from him, and he already knew that she loved him and her body belonged to him just like her heart and soul. but he also knew her well enough to know when she was teasing him, as she did when he returned it in kind.

"so, are you?" she asked, watching him with her wide, innocent eyes as the shadow of an amused smile flitted across her lips. she tickled up his sides, allowing herself to smile as she watched for his reaction.

[/style]

TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD

[nixon mason grey]

[style=height:5px;]

[/style][style=height:5px;]

so no, you are not alone, i am in this too.
this is us, this is me and you.

[/style][style=width:450px; height:300px; background-color:#423F43; text-align:justify; font-family:arial; font-size:09px; color:6d6d6d; padding:8px; overflow:auto;]"love, you are not very graceful tonight."

he said as a matter of fact, watching her with an amused expression to his face as she fell into the bathroom. nixon had struggled with getting the door closed simply because his belt had gotten caught in the door handle on his way in, and he was still rather stuck as she fell in, making it a rather comical situation as he basically caught her because he had no other choice. trying to feign ease, he crossed his arms nonchalantly, trying to make it look like he was leaning against the door instead of being stuck there, especially because of his grace comment. giving her an innocent look as she instructed him that he could leave now, he shrugged his shoulders.

"you know, i could. i really could. but this relationship involves sharing and caring and you suck at that." he informed her as innocently as possible, shaking his head as if she was one of the saddest things he had ever come in contact with because of her inability to share. however, as he stepped forward, he was stopped in his tracks, still miserably stuck on the door. "although i could also not be leaving because i'm stuck. so hold please, if you will. one moment." nixon said cheekily, covering anything she said with his own voice so she couldn't successfully make fun of him over the predicament he had found himself in. turning his hips in such a way so that he could bend around and grab his belt, he managed to unhook it from the door just in time, turning to see scout pull herself up onto the bathroom counter sink. he made a show of widening his eyes. "you aren't allowed to sit on the counters scout!" he chided her as seriously as he could, but failing quite miserably. huffing dramatically, he walked forward, meaning to pull her from the counter.

of course, she had other ideas, and he was suddenly aware of her asking him if he had a minute, and then he felt her legs wrap around his, keeping him up against the counter as her prisoner. looking down at her skeptically, he let his hands travel from where they rested at his sides, going to clasp her hips gently, the movement lifting her shirt naturally, exposing her stomach as he kept his hands on her. hearing her next words, he shook his head. "i'm sorry to disappoint, but i'm not the ticklish one in this relationship." he explained with a victorious grin, feeling her fingers dance over his sides. her touch was welcomed, it felt good. but now was not the time and they were running out of it as they continued to play. while he loved it and he wished they could stay in and just enjoy being in one another's company, he had made a promise to take her out. and that was what he was going to do. but not before making her pay for trying to tickle him.

in an instant, his fingers went to her sides from where they rested on her hips, and he started tickling her mercilessly. when he finished as she lost her breath from it all, he grinned and laughed shortly, adorably, before ducking out of the bathroom before she threw something at him. "i'll be ready in twenty scout. we have to leave in forty!"

he told her happily, dancing out into the bedroom and disappearing into the closet. tossing all of his clothes onto the floor, he pulled on a fresh pair of boxers and then pulled on a pair of black slacks. it didn't take him very long to pick out a suit, for his color wheel wasn't that broad. choosing one of his onyx colored shirts, he pulled it on and opted out of wearing the matching jacket. he could pull off just a shirt and tie because even though the restaurant was fancy, he was nixon grey and he could do whatever he wanted. grinning to himself at that thought, he finished tying the skinny black tie that completed his ensemble, shoving his shoes on as well. feeling completed now, he exited the closet and went straight to his dresser, running his fingers through his naturally curly hair. deciding to leave it without adding anything to style it, since this was becoming his new look, he made sure it was presentable and then added scout's favorite cologne to the mix. once done, he spoke out quickly. "i'll be downstairs love. hurry up, will you?"

he teased her, ducking out of the bedroom and reaching the kitchen. he went to grab the keys to his mercedes, but charlie was suddenly in the way, blocking him. furrowing his brow, nixon looked at the man. "i'm sorry sir, but ms. shepherd asked me to drive you both tonight." he apologized to his employer, watching him with a look that nixon couldn't place. the young billionaire went to grab for his keys again, but charlie slapped his hand away. "strict orders."

"what the...where did you even come from? you were at the mansion last i heard. and how in the world did she inform you where we were going. i'm driving, we'll be fine. charlie...charles. give me the keys. give me those...hey...get back here!" he finished, watching as charlie took the keys and darted off through the house. it seemed the good energy was infectious, and nixon took after charlie, trying to tackle the mountain of a man to the ground with his scrawny stature. things were going well.

[/style][style=width:490px; height:50px; border-radius: 50 50 50 50; background-color:#B05B66; font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#393238;][style=height:5px;]

TAGGED - scout WORDS - ??
NOTES - he's not so cranky yet :3[/style]

[/style]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0[style=height:5px;]

[/style]

[SCOUT ELAYNA GREY]

[style=padding-top: 15px; width: 500px; line-height: 50%; font-family: wire one; font-size: 30px; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px; border-top: #111111 7px solid;]Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

"oh! i'm the one who can't share? mr. 'the-bathroom-is-all-mine'?"

scout stuck her tongue out at him as he teased her. when she realized he was literally stuck on the door, she laughed out loud and then bit her bottom lip to restrain herself as he freed himself and turned toward her as she slid onto the countertop. "i'd like to see you stop me," she replied simply, raising her eyebrows and smiling challengingly at him.

just as he was about to remove her from her seated position, she wrapped her feet around the backs of his knees and stopped him, holding him against her with the strength of her legs. his gentle touch against her waist sent a delightful tingle up her spine that she tried to conceal and knew she failed miserably.

"well, that's not fair," she pouted playfully, her fingers beneath his shirt against his hot skin. suddenly, she realized she'd gotten herself into the prime position for him to torture her the very way she was trying to tease him, and she gripped his shirt as he began tickling her. writhing on the countertop, trying to escape him, she was as trapped as he had been moments earlier and giggling uncontrollably. "nixon...stop...please...nixon!" she begged him, her pleas broken by her laughter and her breathless attempts to escape him to no avail.

when her sides hurt from laughing and being tickled, she slumped against the countertop as he finally released her and skittered away before the soap she managed to grab could hit him. it smacked wetly against the back of the door as he called out to her from the other side, telling her she had to be ready in twenty minutes. she narrowed her eyes at the closed door although he couldn't see her, before smiling to herself and shaking her head. if they had really been going to dinner at austairs she would have taken her sweet time and made them late on purpose just because she could, but there were other plans in the making. she hated being deceptive, but it wasn't even his mother that she cared about. scout hated the woman. lydia had never given scout a reason to respect her, and her uncaring attitude toward her own son angered scout more than she could put to words. she loved nixon with every ounce of her soul and couldn't believe how his own mother could be enough of a bitch not to care about him.

no, it wasn't lydia that coerced her in to this dinner. it was zap. scout was a loyal daughter, but it was partly because her father demanded respect. he was a good man, and he loved nixon as his own son. he was the main reason scout had decided to surprise nixon with this engagement dinner. zap had basically ordered her to. he believed in politeness and manners, and since lydia had taken the time to invite them all, that meant they should go: in zap's mind. scout didn't even want to imagine how her father and nixon's mother would butt heads. the thought actually made her smile to herself as she imagined zap and lydia having a conversation. she didn't even pretend it would go well. zap wouldn't stand for the woman for a moment once he found out how she'd treated nixon his entire life. that was the abomination of desolation to zap shepherd: parents who didn't love their children. he only forgave himself for ostracizing scout's brother leo because the two of them had managed to explain their differences.

when she was finally done straightening her hair and adding a slight curl to it so it waved around her face and down over her shoulders, she exited the bathroom. she was assaulted instantly by the delicious smell of her husband-to-be, and she sighed contentedly as she heard him tell her he would be downstairs. entering the massive closet they shared, she tried one again, as she did everytime she entered it, not to be overwhelmed by the size and opulence of such a simple room. she'd never had a closet this large in her entire life, and she'd never had so many clothes in her entire life, but nixon loved to spoil her. most of the clothes she owned now - the ones she hadn't brought with her when she'd moved in with him - had been picked out by his personal shoppers who somehow knew her exact size measurements. she knew how they knew, but she liked to imagine that it wasn't because nixon knew exactly every curve of her body and had recited those measurements to the people who did his shopping.

slipping her shift dress on over her head, she straightened the low cut black, lacy dress over her chest and hips before tightening the accompanying belt around her ribcage. she'd picked this dress out herself as part of her anniversary present to nixon. she wanted to be beautiful for him, and as she gently tousled her hair around her shoulders, clasping her new necklace around her neck and adding the diamond earrings that matched to the look, she decided she may have accomplished her task. as long as he approved, that was what mattered. spritzing her perfume on her neck and the insides of her wrists, she slipped her feet into her black heels and followed after him downstairs.

as she walked through the living room toward the garage on the bottom level, she heard charlie and nixon playfully wrestling, but as she rounded the corner, the two of them looked innocently at her. narrowing her blue eyes, she smiled slightly and glanced toward nixon as charlie politely turned to walk to the driver's side door so they were alone. she took in the sight of him, dressed in all black, and she remembered powerfully the first night they'd met, the night he'd just reminded her of only minutes before. she smiled to herself as she remembered how he'd roguishly ignored the theme of his own birthday party, forgoing the twenties theme for his own personal style.

her fingers ran lightly along the hem of her black dress as she looked in to his grey eyes and smiled seductively up at him. "lucky for you charlie's here," she whispered flirtatiously, gripping his tie and tightening it gently before looking back into his grey gaze. "or we wouldn't be going to dinner right now." raising her eyebrows and batting her eyes innocently, she moved past him to the door charlie had left open before he departed for the driver's side, she slid in to the passenger vehicle and smirked to herself as she waited for nixon to finally climb inside before they could leave.

as charlie drove them out in to the streets that would lead them in to boston, scout slid across the seat so she was at nixon's side, slipping her hand in to his and leaning her head on his shoulder as they rode. "i'm really glad we're here, where we are now, together," she murmured to him, lifting her head and looking up at him. gently, she touched the side of his face, her eyes full of emotion and adoration for the man beside her. her imagination couldn't stretch to ever imagine that she would love someone as much as she adored him. her life had been filled with so much happiness since she'd met him. unfortunately, there had been a good share of sadness and pain mixed in, but nixon was her source of ultimate happiness. she would do anything to have him forever, and she would once they were married. the thought brought a smile to her face and she shifted in her seat so she could kiss him chastely on his lips.

realizing the car was slowing to a stop, her heart lurched as she thought about having to drag him inside to this get-together. the moment he recognized the building, he was going to dig his heels in and refuse. she already knew it.

"before you react rashly," she spoke before he could fully realize where they were, "it's all my father's fault. blame him."

smiling innocently, she leapt out of the car and grabbed his hand, throwing her weight against him and tugging him from the car before he could realize where he was and resist.

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TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD

[nixon mason grey]

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so no, you are not alone, i am in this too.
this is us, this is me and you.

[/style][style=width:450px; height:300px; background-color:#423F43; text-align:justify; font-family:arial; font-size:09px; color:6d6d6d; padding:8px; overflow:auto;]while he was patiently waiting for scout downstairs, he was also trying to take charlie down so that he could get the keys from him. however, there was quite the size difference between the billionaire and the bodyguard, and nixon was more of a fly to charlie than an actual hindrance. that didn't stop nixon from trying though, and as he launched himself onto charlie's back, the sight was rather hysterical. charlie didn't mind his boss' change of attitude, it was refreshing really, but he had strict orders. "you're not supposed to drive this evening, sir! you're supposed to be enjoying you anniversary!" he argued as politely as he could, trying to work himself out of nixon's tight grip. it wasn't until they both heard the click of scout's heels that they separated.

nixon pulled at his clothes quickly, straightening himself out and watching charlie tug at his own suit jacket, they both suddenly turned to scout with innocent expressions on their face. charlie looked triumphant and he held up the keys to show scout. "success, ms. scout." he finished with a cheeky grin, earning himself a glare from nixon but not truly caring. the bodyguard dashed off suddenly, leaving his boss and his fiancee in his wake. nixon turned his incredulous gaze away from charlie and glanced towards the woman he loved with an unreadable expression, studying her as she approached him.

"you put him up to that, didn't you?" he asked her accusingly, but playfully so. the grin was working its way onto his features, but he held it in as she came even closer to him. his eyes admired her brazenly, taking in her shapely form, outlined perfectly by the black dress that she wore. it matched him perfectly and he couldn't stop the appreciative hum that left his lips as she reached up to straighten his tie. listening silently to her as she spoke about him being lucky, he quirked an eyebrow and found that he had to disagree with her statement. with a tiny shake of his head, his grey eyes flashed intensely, the steel grey hardening before it darkened seductively. "i wouldn't call myself lucky then." he whispered to her, knowing his bodyguard was out of earshot, but not caring. his whisper was deep and gruff, sensual even, and it was obvious that if this night went well, nixon was hoping to find her without her dress on in his bed. but this night was not going to go well, and he was blissfully unaware of that fact as she walked away from him and stepped into the waiting car.

he followed after her, fixing charlie with a playful glare once more before getting in himself and closing the door after them. as he settled into his seat, adjusting the bottom of his tie a bit, he was aware of scout moving closer to him, her arm wrapping around his comfortably. smiling down at her as she rested her head on his shoulder, he softly kissed the top of her head, appreciating the closeness that they shared now. while before he had been kidnapped, their love had been a wonderful thing, he was pleased and blessed with the easiness that they shared now. his struggle had been horrible after returning home but it had bonded them in a way that nixon never expected. he wouldn't have thought that it was possible to love her any more than he had then when they had first been together, but he did. his love was so raw, so pure for her that sometimes it hurt. but it was a welcomed pain and he never wanted to lose it. sighing softly to himself, he glanced over at her once more as she spoke softly to him. a smile graced his easy features and he found that he couldn't agree more.

"i love you. just imagine, soon enough you'll be mrs. grey, and then you'll be mine forever." he finished quietly, his words serious and filled with adoration for this woman beside him. he couldn't wait until their wedding day. while he knew that her heart was his and would be forever, the marriage would make it real for the entire world to see. nixon had made his choice. scout was his life.

however, that choice was about to have some serious questions behind it as the car started to slow down, and it was no where near the restaurant. hearing her words, his body tensed automatically, defensively, and his grey eyes traveled to the tinted window of the town car. when he recognized the home, his blood ran cold, and he turned his gaze incredulously towards the woman he loved. how could she do this to him? she remembered the last meeting that he had with his mother. she had been there, she had seen his shock, she had seen the way the woman had treated him. why would she ever expect him to return to this hideous excuse of a human being? he listened to her wordlessly, trying to recover from the shock of the situation. he shook his head now, visibly balking as she blamed her father for this reunion. he didn't care who was to blame, he was not going in there. they didn't understand what would happen. he couldn't do this. he wouldn't do this.

"no. no, no, no. absolutely not. scout, are you serious? you've got to be joking. i'm not going in there. charlie, turn the car around. turn it around right now."

he commanded, trying to hide the upset from his tone. but charlie didn't listen to him and scout was soon tugging him out of the car. he continued to struggle against her, digging his heels in and flat out refusing to move until charlie had to actually come and help scout. they escorted the troubled billionaire to the door and he stood absolutely still as scout rang the door bell, his body so tense that his shoulders were nearly up to his eyes. he looked more like a wild animal in this situation than any other, for his grey eyes were wide with a variety of different emotions. he could not regain his composure in time to greet lydia calmly. when the brunette woman appeared at the door, she seemed softer, but nixon did not take that into consideration. all that he could see was a woman that had spited his very existence, that had treated him like breeding stock. he was a weapon to be trained and molded and she had done just that in order to keep her fortunes. nixon was nothing but an object to her, and the coldness was obvious in her eyes as she turned her gaze to her son.

however, she softened when she looked at scout and then charlie, inviting even the bodyguard inside for dinner. charlie acquiesced for nixon's sake, giving him a gentle push into the foyer. nixon stumbled inside, much to his own dismay, seeing that familiar disgust well up into his mother's composed features. this wasn't going to be what scout thought it was going to be. she couldn't change the way that lydia felt about her son, it just wasn't possible. his silence only showed his weakness in her eyes and she sneered at nixon before she glanced at the people gathered there, including zap, who was forever on time, or early. nixon's fear filled gaze met the man's eyes, the man he had come to idolize and love and he tried to convey to him that he couldn't do this. it had been a set up, he hadn't been able to prepare himself for this and he just wasn't ready. but lydia's voice, so like nixon's when it came to the accent, poured out over the awkward silence. "welcome, welcome. i'm so happy that you could all make it to this little celebration. if we could just go to the living room, there are things for you all to munch on before dinner. but before that, if you would please excuse my son and me, i would appreciate it."

oh no. oh no, oh no. nixon balked visibly once more, but he didn't have much of a choice as his mother grabbed his elbow and steered him away from the small group gathered. his eyes met scout's for an instant, quite unsure, but the anger flared almost instantly at his mother's touch. unable to control himself, he yanked his elbow away, nearly growling from her audacity. "don't" he snapped viciously, his temper flaring in a way that it hadn't done in quite some time. he was sorry that the three people he cared about the most were witnesses to his outburst, but as he ducked down the hallway after his mother, he couldn't help himself. following her into what appeared to be a study, she opened the door for him, allowing him entry before following him and closing the door behind him. instantly she rounded on him, her hand going out to push his chest, then raising to hit him across the back of his head. "what is the matter with you!? why are you still with that girl?" she snarled at him, continuing to push him backwards, her nails digging into his skin as she forced him into the wall, his back digging into one of the low bookshelves uncomfortably.

"mother, stop this. i don't need to explain myself to you, but for your information, scout is a beautiful woman, inside and out. she showed me what love is, and what it's like to be loved and i never want another. i love her and i want to spend the rest of my life with her. i don't need your approval." he informed her caustically, his tone furious even as he attempted to keep himself under control.

when she laughed in his face, he nearly lost it, his eyes widening slightly as her hand came up. he expected her to smack him, but it seemed rehab had taught her some propriety after all. keeping his comments to himself, he studied her as she shoved her finger in his face, her finger poking him in the cheek as he turned his gaze away from her. he didn't need this, but he wouldn't hurt her. he had better class than that and he wouldn't stoop to her level. "you impudent, disrespectful bastard! you're ruining this family again! she'll suck you dry until you don't have a cent left, don't you understand!?" she snapped nastily at him, his gaze darkening suddenly. turning to her, he grabbed her wrist harshly, feeling her smack across his cheek as he dared to touch her. "enough. i've supported you long enough. if you can't accept her and be civil, i'm finished spoon feeding your sorry ass." he finished threateningly, watching as her eyes widened and her lips parted as she sucked in a breath. it was then that she turned cruel.

wrenching her hand free from his grip, she grabbed her son's chin roughly in her hand, taking him by surprise so that he couldn't fight back. "you listen to me, nixon. i don't know what kind of delusional life your living, but maybe those drugs you were addicted to are still in your system. let me inform you of your worth. you mean absolutely nothing if you do not produce an heir to carry on this family name. as for your fortunes, you wouldn't have them if it wasn't for your father, or if it wasn't for me or even Lysander after he brought your sorry ass out of debt. you have on purpose and you shall perform it. so, marry her, that's fine. but get something out of her, you sorry excuse, you bastard! you're so ungrateful you little shit. i might not be an alcoholic anymore, but my feelings about you have not changed and they never will. you will do as i say, do you understand me?" nixon was slowly wilting, but the words about using scout poked at his flames.

"no. i won't do as you say. i would rather be with scout for the rest of my life, without children, then do as you wish." he finished stubbornly, earning himself another slap as she threw his chin away from him. he cursed inwardly at the pain, his grey eyes watching her listlessly as she shoved her finger back in his face. "you have no choice. you will give me a son. i don't care what you have to do. you will run this company into the ground because of your addiction and your issues. you should have just died in ghana nixon."

she spat hatefully at her son, watching with satisfaction as her words had some effect on the young man. while she did want to celebrate his proposal, she wanted him to know that her feelings about him had never changed. she appreciated scout now because of her ability to carry a child, so she would be polite in public, but nixon needed to know the truth. as he stood there listlessly against the wall, she scoffed at him, shaking her head. she couldn't know that nixon wasn't addicated to the heroin anymore. she couldn't know that he had come such a long way from ghana because of scout, because of zap. they had taken care of him and he owed them his life. and now his mother was wishing that he had thrown it all away. he didn't even know what to say but he did know that he wished he hadn't come here tonight.

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TAGGED - scout WORDS - ??
NOTES - he's not so cranky yet :3[/style]

[/style]thereisalieinperfection @ CAUTION 2.0[style=height:5px;]

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[SCOUT ELAYNA GREY]

[style=padding-top: 15px; width: 500px; line-height: 50%; font-family: wire one; font-size: 30px; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px; border-top: #111111 7px solid;]Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

scout smiled up at him as he boldly examined her, and she soaked in the attention. "of course i did," she answered simply, smirking amusedly. as she straightened his tie, she bit her bottom lip gently when she heard his reponse and looked up at him through her thick eyelashes. the sound of his voice, rumbling in his chest, made her insides tighten and curl with want. her eyelids fluttered as she looked up at him, her eyes darkening with her desire to be in his arms, to just spend their anniversary together. but, alas, there were other plans afoot. she knew he wouldn't be in the mood after what he was going to go through - namely his mother - and she sighed to herself as she turned from him and climbed in to the car.

she despised being deceptive with him after everything they'd been through. she wasn't lying to him, she knew that, but she wasn't being completely honest either, and it bothered her. for so long, she'd lived with the guilt of not telling him that she was a detective. she'd waited until the last minute, and perhaps if she'd told him sooner, then they could have moved past it in their own way. as it was, it had driven them apart and ultimately led to sloan kidnapping him and almost killing him. she partly blamed herself for what had happened although she'd never admitted as much to him.

it was in the past, and they were closer now than they ever had been. there was a time when she wondered if there was anything between them but sex, and now she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that there was much more. her heart had never been as full as it was as a result of nixon. as she leaned against him, she smiled as he told her he loved her and mentioned that she would soon be his wife. twisting, she looked up at him, and her eyes were full of adoration and affection for him as she smiled.

"i can't wait," she whispered fervently, naturally leaning over and kissing him deeply, lovingly, on his lips. her fingers traced his scruffy jaw, slowly outlining his defined jawline and slipping beneath his ear into his curly hair that she loved so much. she lost herself in the sweet kiss that made her head spin. her chest grew hot, and she felt that familiar heat building between them. leaning against him, her legs naturally slid across his lap as she kissed him again, soaking in the feel of him before they would have to be parted to leave the car.

when she finally pulled away from him, her eyes remaining closed for a moment as she caught her breath, her blue eyes flickered open and she looked up at him, her pupils dilated. "i'm already yours, but i want the whole world to know it," she murmured lovingly against his throat as she ran her nose beneath his ear and smiled to herself.

as she pulled away from him, she realized to her chagrin that they had arrived at lydia's home. her excitement flew out the window as her heart fell in her chest. she just wanted to stay here in nixon's arms without having to face his mother, but she knew she had to push herself to do this. whether lydia was sincere in wanting to repair things with them or not, zap would be there. her desire to see her father overpowered her hatred for nixon's mother. through the impending horror of the evening, she knew zap would be the redeeming factor. somehow, he always was. he and nixon had an instant connection that she was thankful for. since his mother refused to allow herself to become part of their family, she was grateful that her father had taken nixon in as his own son.

"nixon, please. i know, trust me, i know, but we don't have to stay long, and then we can leave," she promised him, grabbing his hand and laying all of her weight against him. thankfully, charlie was willing to lend his help to move him, and she directed them to the door, twining her fingers through his as they reached the door and she rang the doorbell. feeling his tenseness at her side, she released his hand and slipped her arm around his waist, hugging herself to him as they waited for his mother to answer the door.

the moment lydia arrived, that familiar pang of irritation hit scout like a brick wall. she still despised the woman, not only for what she'd said to scout specifically, but more so for how she treated her son. scout cared more about nixon than herself where this woman was concerned. he'd grown up with her as a mother, and she clearly despised him. scout couldn't fathom how a mother could hate her own child, especially nixon. she loved him so unconditionally, she didn't understand how his own mother wouldn't be able to do the same.

seeing the mercurial shift of emotions in lydia's eyes reminded scout of nixon, but she forgot that when she saw how the woman looked at him. it was filled with such coldness that a disgusted shiver ran down scout's spine, and she glared caustically at the taller brunette when lydia turned her pleasant gaze toward her. they'd never liked one another, and scout didn't see much of a reason to start now unless lydia was sincerely changed. but considering how she changed her look purposefully when she glanced at scout as opposed to how she looked at nixon, scout highly doubted lydia had changed. she wanted nothing more than to be past this obstacle so she could see her father. he would know what to say and do to make the situation better. he always did.

almost as if he read her mind, zap appeared behind lydia in the foyer with a soft, knowing smile on his face. scout almost bounced in place as a broad smile instantly cracked over her features, breaking through the anger she felt toward lydia. as nixon's mother stepped out of the way to let them in, scout released nixon only long enough to fling herself into her father's bear arms. zap chuckled, pleased, as he lifted her slightly from the floor and placed her back on her feet so he wouldn't accidentally pull her dress up too high. glancing her over, he smiled proudly at her and kissed her forehead before looking at nixon over her blond head of hair.

"hello, son," he greeted the young billionaire easily, holding out his hand for nixon to shake. he noticed a look of distaste pass over lydia grey's face, but he ignored her. she hadn't talked to him much since he'd arrived a bit earlier than the rest of the crowd, and he instantly pegged her as a rude woman without having to communicate with her much. the moment he shook hands with nixon, his mother was calling him away, and scout stepped politely away from him, unaware of the disfunctionality of the boy's relationship with his mother.

zap wrapped his arm around scout's shoulders, unintentionally separating her from her fiance when he needed her most, and she twisted in his bear-like grip in an attempt to go after nixon, but it was no use. she was trapped in her father's affection. her blue eyes followed nixon desperately, and she met his gaze as his grey eyes pleaded with her, but she was impotent to help him. her eyes held her sympathy for him and her irritation with his mother as her father turned her and led her in to the living room.

scout finally wriggled free of his grasp, glancing after nixon just as lydia shut them off from one another with the door to the study. sighing, her shoulders slumping visibly, she straightened her dress and accepted a glass of water from a server. allowing herself to be happy in her father's presence, she smiled slightly at him and took a sip from her drink.

"i've missed you, scout," zap admitted with a sheepish smirk. he was as unaccustomed to showing affection as always, but it was endearing.

"i've missed you too, dad. the wedding planning takes forever, and i haven't been able to find a free weekend so we can come see you." she hated it, but it was true. it took over her life, and she wanted nothing more than to be nixon's wife, but she missed her father. they'd bonded over the past several months, especially since nixon had been kidnapped and then brought back to recover. they'd spent months with her father then, hidden away from the city who knew them.

"is he doing okay?" zap asked, his outgoing concern for nixon showing in his voice. scout smiled in to her glass, inadvertently reminded of how they'd chased one another around their shared home only hours before. glancing up at her father, she smiled brightly. "he's doing a lot better."

"that's really great, sweetheart," her father replied with a genuine smile. shifting his weight uncomfortably, he smiled sheepishly at her. "excuse me for a moment, i need to find the restroom." scout chuckled and nodded, settling herself on a nearby chair as her father disappeared into the foyer in search for the facilities.

unsure where to search, he set his empty water glass on a table and rounded a corner, thoroughly getting himself lost. finding the first door, he turned the knob and opened it in time to hear lydia spit her hateful wish that nixon had died in ghana. zap's eyes widened and he pushed the door fully open to see nixon standing like a pale-faced statue as his mother hovered rudely in his face.

"excuse me?" he asked, his temper flaring at the woman's words. there was no way she'd actually said such a hateful thing to her own son. he had shared his own hateful words toward his own son, scout's twin brother leo, but he would never wish death on either of his children. he'd experienced the death of their mother, and that was far too much misery for one lifetime, as far as he was concerned.

entering the room, his trip to the restroom forgotten, zap created an imposing figure as he crossed his arms calmly over his broad chest and fixed lydia grey with his penetrating gaze. scout got her withering glare from her father, and he was an ex-military man with much more experience wilting people under his hard gaze. "how dare you say such a thing?"

hearing her father's bass voice vibrating from a nearby room, scout frowned and rose swiftly from the couch, leaving her water glass behind. rounding the same corner, she almost collided with him as she appeared behind him in the study. seeing him squared off with lydia, she glanced back and forth between them before she saw nixon's face. his cheeks glowed red, and she innately knew lydia had slapped him again. the anger flared white hot within her, and she manuevered around her father to go to him. grabbing nixon's hand, she pulled him away from his mother, throwing her arms around him in an impulsive hug. she didn't care who else was in the room, she knew he needed her, and she needed to take his pain away from him.

"do you actually call yourself a mother? because you are the most pitiful excuse for one i've ever seen," zap pointed out calmly, uncrossing his arms and dropping his hands to his sides.

scout hugged her petite frame tightly against nixon's chest, the fingers of her right hand running up into the curls at the base of his neck. "i'm so sorry," she whispered, her mouth against his ear. kissing him on the side of his face, she wanted to cry. he didn't have to tell her what had happened; she already knew it was too horrible. she didn't need details. she wanted to tear all of lydia's hair from her head for ever hurting him, for ever hurting the man she loved more than herself.

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TEMPLATE BY ROYALSTANDARD