AWKWARD JUST ISN'T ENOUGH (GABE/CALEB)

[shasta]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-image:url(http://i54.tinypic.com/2vafwqd.jpg), border: solid #ffffff 5px; width: 400px; height: 500px;] RUNNING HER FINGERS BACK THROUGH HER HAIR, PULLING THE STRAY STRANDS OUT OF HER EYES, SHASTA SIGHED AND CONTINUED TO STIR THE MACARONI COOKING IN THE POT. THE STEAM HEATED HER SKIN AND MADE HER FEEL FEVERISH, BUT SHE FIGURED THAT WAS ALSO DUE TO THE THOUGHTS WHIRRING AROUND IN HER HEAD. SINCE SHE AND GABE HAD STARTED DATING, THEY HAD NOT HAD SEX. YET. SURE, FOR MOST MODERN COUPLES, IT WOULDN'T BE A BIG DEAL - AND THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DONE THE DEED ALREADY BY NOW - BUT FOR SHASTA, IT WAS KIND OF A BIG DEAL. SHE'D GONE THROUGH A HARD TIME AFTER HER SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, FOLLOWING A CLOSE CALL WITH RAPE THANKS TO HER JACKASS OF A HIGH SCHOOL BOYFRIEND, AND THE SITUATION HAD PLAGUED HER INTO ADULTHOOD. SHE'D BEEN A VIRGIN UNTIL... WELL UNTIL THE ONE MAN WHO STILL HUNG AROUND INSIDE HER HEAD, REFUSING TO LET HER THOUGHTS GO. AND NOW, SHE WAS DATING HIS BEST FRIEND AND THINKING ABOUT SLEEPING WITH HIM. THE THOUGHT MADE HER FACE FLUSH, AND SHE WAS GLAD - FOR PROBABLY THE TENTH TIME THAT AFTERNOON - THAT SHE WAS STANDING OVER A STEAMING POT OF NOODLES. IT WOULD HELP EXPLAIN WHY SHE KEPT BLUSHING BEET RED. TURNING AWAY FROM THE POT, SHE SUCKED IN A DEEP BREATH OF COOL AIR AND PLANTED THE PALMS OF HER HANDS ON THE COUNTERTOP BEHIND HER. SHE WAS ALONE IN THE APARTMENT FOR NOW, WAITING FOR GABE TO BE HOME, AND SHE WAS GLAD FOR THE TEMPORARY ALONE TIME. THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT ALONE TIME WAS THAT IT GAVE HER WAY TOO MUCH TIME TO THINK. SHE WANTED TO MAKE GABE HAPPY, AND SHE KNEW HE'D BEEN GOING THROUGH A HORRIBLE TIME LATELY. HIS SISTER WAS MURDERED, WHILE HE WAS ON A DATE WITH HER IN FACT, AND HE WAS TOO SWEET OF A GUY TO HAVE SUCH HORRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN TO HIM. SHE REALLY DID CARE ABOUT HIM - EVEN IF SHE COULDN'T FULLY ADMIT TO HERSELF WHETHER SHE LOVED HIM OR NOT - AND SHE WANTED HIM TO BE HAPPY IN LIFE. HE HAD HELPED HER THROUGH ONE OF THE HARDEST TIMES IN HER LIFE, AND SHE WANTED TO HELP HIM THROUGH HIS. WITHOUT HIM, SHE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD A YEAR AGO, OVERDOSED ON COCAINE AND LAYING HALF-NAKED IN SOME SEWER DRAIN. CLOSING HER EYES, SHE TRIED TO PUSH THOSE IMAGES AWAY. SHE'D DATED THE BROTHER OF A MAFIA LEADER AND A PRETTY BAD GUY AFTER BREAKING UP WITH CALEB AND BEING KIDNAPPED BY THE IRISH MAFIA. ASHER HAD BEEN A GOOD ENOUGH GUY (IF YOU COULD IGNORE THE FACT THAT HE WAS DIRECTED DESCENDED FROM THE IRISH MAFIA'S CREATOR). THEN THERE HAD BEEN GIOVANNI. HE HAD THE MOST ADORABLE LITTLE DAUGHTER (A FACT THAT HAD ATTRACTED SHASTA TO HIM DUE TO THE FACT THAT SHE WAS GETTING TO THE AGE WHERE HER FEMALE DESIRES LED HER TO WANT A CHILD WHETHER IT WAS POSSIBLE OR NOT), AND HE WAS A FUN GUY TO BE WITH, BUT HE'D GOTTEN HER INTO SOME BAD HABITS. SHE'D GOTTEN INTO DRUGS WHEN SHE WAS WITH HIM, AND SHE'D BECOME AN ADDICT WITHOUT EVER TRYING. THAT WAS HOW IT ALWAYS WAS: THERE WASN'T MUCH EFFORT IN THAT KIND OF THING, IT JUST KIND OF HAPPENED. THEN, SHE'D LITERALLY RUN INTO GABE OUTSIDE A FLORIST, DROPPED A BAG OF COKE ON THE GROUND, AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP - AND LATER, RELATIONSHIP - HAD STARTED FROM THERE. GABE HAD HELD HER HAND THROUGH ALL OF THE COLD SWEATS AND WITHDRAWALS AND EVEN LET HER THROW A FEW THINGS AT HIS HEAD. HE'D EVEN SUGGESTED SHE MOVE TO BOSTON TO GET AWAY FROM SAPPHIRE BAY, AWAY FROM THE PLACE WHERE SHE'D FALLEN SO HARD. AND NOW HERE THEY WERE. IT HAD BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE THEN, AND SHE WAS AMAZED HE HADN'T BROKEN THINGS OFF WITH HER BY NOW. MOST GUYS WOULDN'T STAND A GIRL NOT PUTTING OUT LONGER THAN A MONTH OR SO, BUT GABE WAS A TROOPER. HE SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND HER HOLDING BACK, AND ALTHOUGH HE NEVER BROUGHT IT UP, SHE WONDERED IF HE THOUGHT ABOUT HER BEING WITH CALEB BEFORE. THE CONVERSATION HAD NEVER CROPPED UP BETWEEN THEM, BUT SHE WAS WELL AWARE THAT HE KNEW. HE WAS CALEB'S BEST FRIEND, AND SHE KNEW THE TWO MEN WERE LIKE GIRLS - TELLING ONE ANOTHER EVERYTHING - AND SHE'D BEEN ACQUAINTANCES WITH GABE WHEN SHE WAS DATING CALEB. THE ONLY THING LEFT WAS THAT SHE KNEW NEITHER OF THEM HAD TOLD CALEB THEY WERE DATING, AND HAD BEEN FOR SIX MONTHS. SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHY - IT WASN'T LIKE CALEB STILL HAD FEELINGS FOR HER - BUT MAYBE IT WAS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WOULD BE AWKWARD. THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD HERSELF. NOTHING MORE THAN AWKWARD. AS THE FRONT DOOR CLICKED AS THE LOCK TURNED, SHE BRUSHED HER HAIR BACK OUT OF HER FACE AND LOOKED UP, SURPRISED OUT OF HER THOUGHTS WITH A SMALL SMILE ON HER FACE. HER MIND INSTANTLY THOUGHT OF THE LACY NEGLIGEE SHE WORE UNDERNEATH HER CLOTHES, AND SHE ALMOST BLUSHED AGAIN BUT MANAGED NOT TO. SHE HAD DECIDED TONIGHT WOULD BE THE NIGHT. GABE NEEDED THIS, AND SO DID SHE. THEY BOTH HAD THINGS TO GET OUT OF THEIR MINDS, ONCE AND FOR ALL. SHE WAS READY, SHE TOLD HERSELF. THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN, AND SHE SMILED WIDER AT HIM, HIS TALL FRAME FILLING THE DOOR AS HE SAUNTERED IN WITH THE BAGS OF GROCERIES AND THE MOVIE HE'D DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO WATCH: THE NOTEBOOK. "HEY SWEETHEART," SHE CHIRPED, ALMOST DANCING OVER TO HIM TO KISS HIM ON HIS LIPS. SLYLY SNAGGING THE BAGS FROM HIS HAND, SHE WITHDREW THE CHEESE HE'D PROMISED TO BUY HER AND BEGAN TO GRATE IT. "HOW WAS YOUR DAY?"

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[gabriel]

you're the one that i should never take, but i can't sleep until i devour you - - - - -

He was exhausted that day. Of course, when you were a virgin that had never experienced the fruits of intimacy, you often found yourself neglecting your needs. The mere idea of sex left a bitter taste in his mouth, simply because he had been raised to respect women. Anything short of celibacy before marriage was a sin that was punishable by your soul rotting for eternity in hell. That was how his mother had taught him, and she had done a damned fine job of it, all things considered. He had done his best to teach his sister to respect herself and those around her. Considering she had a grave back in Sapphire Bay, he didn't think he had done a very good job with it.

Shrugging off the negativity that plagued his head, he kissed Shasta back and chuckled as she took the bags. "Oi, you worry me sometimes." He joked, closing the door behind him as he went to the kitchen and rifled around in the fridge for a bottle of beer. "It was good. How about yours?" He queried, cocking his head as he popped the top and brought the bottle to his lips, taking a swig. He did care about her, and she was helping him to keep sane.

Where romance had blossomed from him helping an ex-girlfriend of his best friend was beyond him. He hated hiding it from Caleb but at the same time, he knew he didn't have much of a choice. He would have gone to his friend for emotional support, but Caleb had enough shit on his plate. Gabe had a hard enough time swallowing his pain and being Caleb's crutch on top of everything else. "Fuck, I don't think I've ever been so tired in my entire life." He chuckled and ran his fingers through his dark, shaggy hair. He yawned and took another swig of his beer, watching her curiously.

He cleared his throat and wandered over to her, wrapping his arms around her middle as he rested his chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes. His head rested against hers, and he rocked slowly back and forth, chuckling. "We could have ordered takeout, instead of me letting you slave over a hot stove." He murmured, craning his head to brush his lips along her cheek. He was silent for a few moments, listening to the pounding of his own heartbeat. "If you ever need help, let me know." He purred, dropping his arms from around her middle in order to release her.

TEMPLATE BY VIKA OF CAUTION.

[shasta]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-image:url(http://i54.tinypic.com/2vafwqd.jpg), border: solid #ffffff 5px; width: 400px; height: 500px;] SHASTA SMILED AND ROLLED HER EYES AS HE TEASED HER, AND CONTINUED SHREDDING THE CHEESE SHE NEEDED TO FINISH THE MAC N CHEESE. SHE SILENTLY GRATED IT AND LISTENED TO HIM MOVING AROUND THE LIVING ROOM LIKE HER SENSES WERE ON FIRE. SHE WAS NERVOUS ABOUT HER PLAN FOR THE EVENING, AND SHE INWARDLY WAS AFRAID HE MIGHT TURN HER DOWN. SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE EMBARRASSED BY COMING ON TO HER BOYFRIEND AND HIM SHUTTING HER DOWN. PART OF HER DOUBTED IT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT ANOTHER PART OF HER THOUGHT IT WAS A REAL POSSIBILITY. HE HAD ALREADY GONE THIS LONG WITHOUT FORCING HER, AND MAYBE THAT WAS BECAUSE OF SOMETHING PERSONAL HE HAD GOING ON. SHE ONLY HOPED SHE COULD SHOW HIM HOW MUCH SHE CARED ABOUT HIM BECAUSE SHE TRULY DID. "WELL, YOU KNOW..." SHE REPLIED WHEN HE ASKED HER ABOUT HER DAY, "TRYING TO FIND AN AGENT WHO WON'T SCREW ME OVER IS ABOUT AS HARD AS FINDING SOMEONE I CAN MODEL FOR." SHE SIGHED TO HERSELF AND ROLLED HER EYES. WHEN SHE'D LIVED IN SAPPHIRE BAY, SHE'D HAD HER FATHER TO CATER TO HER, AND SHE KNEW THAT HAD WEAKENED HER. IT HAD MADE HER UNPREPARED TO DO THINGS ON HER OWN. TUCKING HER HAIR BACK BEHIND HER EAR ONCE MORE, SHE TURNED DOWN THE MAC N CHEESE AND SMILED WHEN SHE HEARD GABE'S VOICE RIGHT BEHIND HER. HIS STRONG, COMFORTABLE ARMS WRAPPED AROUND HER AND SHE LEANED BACK AGAINST HIM AS HE HELD HER. HE WAS HER SAFE HARBOR, THE ONE SHE WOULD ALWAYS TRUST. "I LIKE COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR YOU," SHE REPLIED, TURNING TO FACE HIM AS HE RELEASED HER. HE WAS ALMOST A HEAD TALLER THAN HER, SO SHE HAD TO LOOK UP TO LOOK INTO HIS EYES WITH A SMILE. STANDING ON HER TIP TOES, SHE KISSED HIM, LIGHTLY AT FIRST, ON HIS LIPS AND THEN TOOK A BREATH, THEIR NOSES ONLY MILLIMETERS APART. HER HANDS RAN UP HIS CHEST AND INTO HIS HAIR. SHE LOVED HIS SHAGGY BROWN HAIR, WRAPPING HER FINGERS INTO IT. HER SLENDER FRAME PRESSED AGAINST HIS STURDY BODY, AND SHE KISSED HIM HARDER THE SECOND TIME, TAKING HER OWN BREATH AWAY. SHE FORCED HER MIND NOT TO COMPARE THIS KISS TO OTHER KISSES SHE'D HAD IN THE PAST - NAMELY ONES SHE HAD SHARED WITH HIS BEST FRIEND - AND SHE PUSHED AGAINST HIM, PRESSING HIM UP AGAINST THE BAR, THE ONLY THING SEPARATING THE KITCHEN FROM THE LIVING ROOM. PULLING HERSELF UP, SHE WRAPPED HER LEGS AROUND HIS WAIST AND KISSED HIM PASSIONATELY, FORGETTING HERSELF AND EVERYTHING AROUND HER. SHE NEEDED TO FORGET, AND SHE HOPED GABE WOULD BE THE ONE TO HELP HER DO THAT.

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