Taking with LANCE VOLLANS

It hurts.

It makes her feel foolish, stupid, and completely helpless.

The kiss isn’t the same as all those that came before it either, and instead of giving anything in return, she simply sits right where she is – delicate fingers crumpling soft bed sheets.

Lia has never been good at hiding her emotions, and it takes great effort to simply sit there and pretend it’s all okay.

”Yeah… Okay.”

A deep breath and she stands as well.

”I’ll see you at HQ, then.”

With that, without even a proper goodbye, she heads into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

She should have known this wouldn’t mean anything to him. That she doesn't mean anything.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

It’s perfect, but reality quickly takes all that perfection away.

It quickly brings reminders of the way things really are between them, and it just as quickly makes her feel foolish for enjoying herself.

Did this even mean anything to him?

”Right… We should…”

And yet, despite her uneasiness, despite her own words, at first she doesn’t move from where she is – smiling so very gently.

”...Do you want breakfast?”

A strand of hair is brushed away from her face, and with this, she sighs, sitting up and pulling away from him.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Soft.

Light.

Gentle.

It’s something so simple, a situation she’s been in before, and yet there’s something so nice about it this time. It feels like she’s floating. Like time has stopped.

How is it that Lance can make her feel this way so very easily?

Make her smile like this…

”Yeah? That’s good... I slept well too.”

A chuckle of her own: short, quiet, and sweet.

For now, she allows herself to do no more than rest against him, cherishing his presence.

It's perfect.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

There will always be things that demand early mornings – school, job, all sorts of appointments – and while Lia will always be diligent when it comes to such things, none of it has to mean that she likes mornings.

’About to be seven in a bit.’

Time to wake up, then.

Time to get ready to go to work.

Knowing this still doesn’t stop her from complaining, of course:

”Uuuugh… So early.”

Drowsy still, a slight pout forms on her lips, but it all too quickly vanishes when he moves closer – when he smiles and when he kisses her forehead. So, she smiles about it as well, and she too shifts a little bit closer to him, suddenly all too aware of the feeling of skin brushing against skin.

The warmth is welcomed, at least.

”Yeah, but that’s okay… How did you sleep?”

Since when do these things feel so nice, comfortable, and domestic? Is it just because it’s him?

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Lia is not a morning person.

She has never been, and she will never be.

But, she is a light sleeper, and so what wakes her at such ungodly hours of the morning is actually his greeting.

”Mmm… What time is it…”

With her eyes still closed, still as if half-asleep, she whispers protests, her face nuzzling the pillow beneath her. And then, she remembers, so her face is turned look at him in order to confirm what should have already been obvious to begin with: he’s here.

Even when this early, her cheeks flush just so slightly, but it’s softly that she smiles at him.

”...Hi…”

What else could she possibly say but 'hi'?

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

’You have me.’

Under different circumstances, those words would have startled her and she would have been left wondering about them. And, perhaps later on, when thinking back on all of this, she will wonder...

For now, there is only them.

There is only the way he smiles at her, the way he holds her, and how amazing it feels to be so close to him. There is his kisses, his touch, and the way ranger uniforms are hastily removed and tossed aside.

A line crosses; forgotten and left behind.

Is it the right choice to make?

Perhaps not, but by the end of it, Lia smiles to herself.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

They fall, but at least they have each other to hold onto.

Her back finds the wall, and she allows herself to be pushed up against it, a hand resting on Lance’s chest while the other reaches for his cheek. Her heart pounds, her breath quickens, and there’s something almost pleading about the way she looks at him.

Something wanting.

Something that comes in company with the ever-playful smile that never leaves her lips.

”Lance.”

She pulls closer, leaning in to whisper to his ear, and even though her next words may be obvious, they’re still said all too clearly:

”I want you.”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

CONFIRMING <3 Dreepy goes to Amelia Livy

There’s nothing all that remarkable about Lia’s apartment. It’s nice, as if it has been decorated with care and attention to every detail, but nothing about it is unique or special – at least not about the entrance or the living room.

But, it’s not like this matters, is it?

It’s not like they’re paying much attention to things like those.

Not with the way she looks at him the moment she closes the door.

”Lance...”

What is there to say?

She chuckles at how silly it all feels, and then, getting on the very tips of her toes in order to be able to reach high enough, she leans in to gently kiss him.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Even though she knows what will happen, even though she knows it can’t just end like this, she still takes a moment to open the door, as if attempting to prolong things.

But, there’s only so long one can take to turn a key, and after a few seconds the door is pushed open, and she turns to look at him.

They should be saying goodbyes, but she doesn’t say a thing.

All she does instead is kiss his cheek, offering him her hand to take once again.

With this offer comes one of those soft yet playful smiles of hers.

Nothing needs to be said. Not really.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

’Ready?’

The couple of seconds that it takes her to respond feel like a small eternity, as if the world has been frozen still and there is only them. Them and the way he smiles at her. Them and the way he takes her hand.

Is she ready for it to end?

Or, perhaps, is she ready for what comes next?

There’s no real hesitation, and it’s with a gentle squeeze of his hand that she steps forward and out of the elevator.

”Ready.”

Never letting go, she leads them to her apartment's door.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

For a moment, she forgets all about the elevator.

About the way they keep going up, floor by floor, and about the fact that they will soon reach her own.

There’s only them; there’s only the kiss and the moment, and in this way, it is perfect. What she had wanted. What she had wished for.

Leaning in, she pulls closer, as if craving to be as close to him as possible. But, it’s not enough, is it?

Perhaps this will never be.

The elevator’s door opens at the ninth floor, and yet she doesn’t pull away from him.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉