[Deleted]

cw: alcohol, mention of mental health crisis

Tomas slung back the last of the whiskey at the bottom of the glass and then lifted it, gesturing to the bartender that he wanted a refill. It was his second glass of the night and the whiskey was warming his bones and making his eyes feel slightly fuzzy, which was the aim.

He unlocked his phone and the email with the e-vite was still open on the screen. He gritted his teeth and did his best not to break a tooth. It was an invitation to his parent latest charity event, one he would definitely not be attending and one he had yet again be named “guest of honour” at. His mother had attached a family photo to the bottom of the email, one that no doubt was supposed to pull at his heart strings and make him feel guilt. It was a photo taken at his high school graduation, an event that Tomas barely remembered due to the crippling anxiety and the dissociative episode that had struck the moment he had sat down after taking his diploma. He was entirely sure he would have jumped off the roof of the high school gym if Maddie and Mason hadn’t kept him calm and grounded, literally. His mental health had only worsened through college with the pressure to succeed, and it was a miracle he hadn’t broken completely. Thankfully he made it through and out of the clutches of his overbearing and selfish parents.

He had no intention of going to this party, he never went to any of them, their guilt trips never worked and every time they used his name as a society booster, he just hated them even more. The bartender freshened his glass and Tomas nodded his thanks. Taking a sip before reaching for his tie and loosening it with a tug, undoing his top two buttons of a sleek white shirt, he had slug his suit jacket onto the barstool next to him, hoping it would dissuade anyone from sitting there. He had come straight from work. If he went home, he knew a panic attack would strike and he would do anything to avoid that. Sending the offending email to his junk file he scanned through his emails, nothing that needed to be dealt with now and he sighed before taking another sip of the top shelf whiskey, closing his eyes, and trying to push the rage away.

It was at this moment someone slipped onto the stool next to him, completely ignoring the message his jacket was supposed to deliver. Opening his eyes, Tomas turned to look at the newcomer.

Maddison Lancaster

[Maddison Lancaster]

Call me friend but keep me closer
And I'll call you when the party's over

---

All signs pointed to a simple fact. Maddie had been stood up. She was irritated, but mostly at herself for even letting Tina at work talk her into this. She apparently knew a guy who would be just perfect for Maddie, wouldn’t she be willing to meet him? Maddie relented to her coworker’s constant needling, even if it was only going to be a temporary distraction for her. Maddie didn’t think it would really turn into anything. Blind dates were always a risk, but at least maybe it could be a single night of fun.

Who knew, maybe Tina could have been right and they could have been just perfect for each other. Maddie doubted it, especially with the guy, Bradley, didn’t bother showing up. What kind of name was Bradley, anyway? Why didn’t he just go by Brad? Maddie realized she was letting herself get worked up over some guy who, in the grand scheme of things, made no difference. She let out a long breath and looked around. She’d been there for over thirty minutes, but she had been busy looking at her phone, waiting to see if he’d even bother to text an excuse. It didn’t seem likely now.

Maddie slipped her phone into the pocket of her black skinny jeans. She had worn a nice blouse, but forgot her sweater at home. She wasn’t going to bother staying at the table, now that her date was a no show she made her way over to the bar’s countertop seating. As she walked up, she couldn’t help but smirk and shake her head.

As she got closer, her smile faded. It looked like Tomas was having a rough day. She saw him down the rest of his glass and saw it replenished, as he loosed the tie around his neck. It was obvious by his attire that he’d come straight from work. Was work what had him so vexed, or was it something else?

Maddie realized she was being a creep, standing behind him and staring as he tapped on his phone. She moved forward, as he closed his eyes. She took the opportunity to slide onto the stool next to him quietly, picking up his jacket and moving it to the next seat over.

”Bad day?” She asked, reaching out to take the glass he’d just sat back on the counter. She took a small sip, then set the glass back in place. ”Yep. That’s what you have on bad days.” She recognized the whiskey, and motioned for the bartender to bring another round for them both.

”Wanna talk about it?” She asked, fully aware that he might not want to talk to her at all right now. She hoped she wasn’t about to make his night worse.

---

@tomas
Let me know if I should change anything!

[Deleted]

The sarcastic scold that he was about to spit at whatever stranger had dared disturb him stopped on the tip of his tongue when he caught sight of Maddie sat on the bar stool. She was not who he had expected to see when he turned, he wasn’t really sure who he expected to see, but it wasn’t Maddie. He was lost for words for a moment so instead he looked her over – She looked good, black skinny jeans and a nice blouse. Dark curled hair and green eyes that held his attention in a way that made his stomach clench and he had to fight the urge to reach out and touch her.

She reached over him, picking up the glass that he had just placed down. He caught the scent of her shampoo as she got close and he inhaled deeply. She took a sip of the whiskey and then set it back down, ordering another round for the two of them. Tomas let a half smile tug at the corner of his lips, he had no idea if she knew how sexy she was being, but his heart was pounding. He took another sip of the whiskey and the bite at the back of his throat gave him a moment of clarity. Why was she here? He didn’t remember messaging her, in fact he had assumed he wouldn’t run into anyone he knew here. He eyed her suspiciously, trying to pull the threads together to answer the question- the moment of clarity from the whiskey burn was gone though and he gave up.

He abandoned the question and instead pulled up his deleted emails and wiggled the phone in front of her so she could see his parents’ names, the invitation and him named as guest of honour, he provided no explanation – Maddie would understand, she knew all about his non-relationship with his parents. He felt the panic rise In his chest for the second time this evening and he curled his fist, digging his fingernails into his palm, he took two steadying breaths before turning back to Maddie. She was a good distraction, “Why are you here?” he asked “You look dressed up,” it was a observation asked like a question, “Are you here with someone?” he knew his tone was laced with jealousy now as he sat upright and glanced around the bar, eyeballing every person nearby.

Maddison Lancaster

[Maddison Lancaster]

Call me friend but keep me closer
And I'll call you when the party's over

---

It was more adorable than it should have been, watching as Tomas went from irritated to realizing who it was, daring to invade his personal space. The moment of recognition, his features softening as he looked her over, it was too much. She wanted to run her hands through his hair, She was glad to have the moment of distraction while she was tasting the whiskey in his glass.

She tried to keep the blush from rising to her cheeks as she glanced him over. He looked just as hot in his work suit as he did in his every day attire. She knew that he was aware, that he took pride in how attractive he was, but it wasn't helping to dissuade the thoughts creeping into the back of her mind. So what if he was a little vain? She was guilty of the same, using an advantage, any charm she had to propel herself through life.

After he took another sip from the glass, then shook her phone at her, screen unlocked. Maddie took it from his hands, and frowned deeply. It was an invite to another charity event, honoring Tomas. Yet another ploy from his parents, attempting to garner his attention.

"Fuck them. You don't owe them even the odd thought. I hate that they are still playing these games." Maddie set Tomas' phone down and instinctively reached out to rub his arm. She could see the signs of his anxiety, the way he curled his hand into a fist. She knew he was digging his nails into the flesh of his palm, he'd done this exact motion so many times. She wasn't certain if he even realized he was doing it now, or if it had just become a subconscious habit.

Maddie let her hand drop as the bartender delivered two more glasses of the top shelf whiskey. She gave a quiet thanks and picked up the glass, then turned fully towards Tomas on her stool.

"I am dressed up. Because I'm stupid enough that I let my coworker, Tina, I don't remember if you've met her… Anyway, not important. I let Tina convince me to go on a blind date." Maddie sighed and took a small sip from her glass. "And I've been sitting over there-" Maddie pointed to the table across the room before continuing. "For the last half hour. He's a no show. If he happens to waltz in now, I don't even care, I'm past the mood to entertain the stupid idea anyway. I was about to just sit at the bar by myself over there, but then I saw you sitting over here and decided you looked like you could use my company."

She turned her large green eyes up to look into Tomas' hazel eyes. God, she could get lost in those eyes. "Unless you don't want my company?" She kept her voice steady, but the question was loaded with emotion. She wouldn't admit it, and she wouldn't blame him for it, but if Tomas didn't want her around now, she'd be crushed.

---

@tomas
Let me know if I should change anything!

[Deleted]

Her ‘fuck them’ advice about his parents made me smile. She was of course, absolutely right. He hated that they could get to him like this still, what he hated most is that if they knew the effect they had on him they would only try and sink their claws in deeper and drag him back into their world. As Maddie’s hand rested on his arm the entire world froze for a moment, not literally. No that wasn’t her gift, she just had a power over him lately that he couldn’t get a grip on. He was never this out of control of his emotions. When the new glasses of whiskey arrived she pulled her hand away he let out an involuntary shiver as his skin longed for her closeness again.

He watched as she took another sip of her drink. Maybe it was the emotions talking, or just the alcohol but the voice in the back of his head took another look at Maddie and told him to pull it together, stop wallowing and do something about his out-of-control emotions. He was so busy focusing on her own thoughts that he missed the beginning of her answer to his questions “…..dressed up……..stupid……my coworker, Tina, ………convince……. blind date.”

The last two words pinged up Tomas’s spine like an elastic band and he sat bolt upright. She was on a blind date! He had hoped his initial guesses had been wrong. He glanced over to where she said she had been sitting and looked around for this blind date, his nostril flaring with irritation as he searched him oit. Until she mentioned he was a no show. He felt a mixture of guilt that she had been stood up and glee that she wasn’t out with a man that wasn’t him. Although he hadn’t actually thrown his hat in the ring, so he had no right to feel like he even had a chance with Maddie. Not that he should try and have a chance with her, no! He really needed to stop these feelings in their tracks. Mason would kill him…. he thought he would anyway…. but…. maybe he wouldn’t…. Shaking his head to try and rattle these thoughts from his brain he looked down at Maddie as her green eyes met his and his brain completely cleared of any doubt.

His voice came out a little raspy, “Of course I want your company,” he said. Internally he locked sensible decision-making Tomas away in the box with his parents. “Whoever that guy is that stood you up, he must be completely insane,” he let his hazel eyes slowly drag over Maddie as if she was something to be devoured and then he smirked, teasing now “At least now you get to spend your evening with a real man, a devilishly handsome one if I do say so myself” he leant forward slightly, his eyes never leaving hers, “and hard to resist,” he winked at her as he sat back again, he was teasing her -kind of. inside he really wished she found him hard to resist.

Maddison Lancaster
let me know if you want any changes

[Maddison Lancaster]

Call me friend but keep me closer
And I'll call you when the party's over

---

Maddie wasn’t sure if it was just wishful thinking on her part, but when she mentioned the blind date it almost looked like a jealous expression crossed Tomas’ face, however briefly. He glanced around the bar. Maddie followed his gaze. It wasn’t the usual place she’d be spending time at, it was more upscale here than the bars she frequented. It also wasn’t walking distance to her apartment in the East End. Her usual hang outs were much more dive bar grunge, less businessmen in suits and ties, like Tomas. Maddie hadn't even considered the possibility of running into him here, but the more she thought about it now, she should have.

She watched him, chewing on the corner of her bottom lip nervously as she waited for him to respond. Maddie had herself convinced he was about to tell her he’d rather be alone, that he didn’t want to deal with her drama today, he had too much of his own. She’d respect that. She wouldn’t have much other choice. If he wanted space away from her, she’d oblige.

Maddie could feel some of the tension leave her as he said of course he wanted her company, like it was a given. She watched his eyes slide over her again, and she wondered if she was just projecting her own feelings onto him. She felt a blush start to heat her cheeks as he assured her that the guy who stood her up was insane.

”Oh my god. Could you be more full of yourself?” Maddie smirked as she teased him. ”You always forget arrogant and vain.” Even as she spoke, she looked over him. There was something to be said about the appeal of a loosened tie and unbuttoned collar on his well tailored white shirt. She knew he dressed to impress, especially at work. It was effective. He gave off an air of importance and confidence. More irresistible than you know. That, she kept to herself.

Maddie turned back toward the counter and stared at the amber liquid in her glass. She needed to stop thinking he'd ever share her feelings of attraction. Even if he did, how would that work? He was Mason's best friend, they were practically brothers. Mason would kill them both then bring them back to do it again. Maddie frowned. She was glad her blind date stood her up, but at the same time, now it left her unsure of herself and feeling somewhat desperate. Not because of Bradley. He didn't matter in the slightest way to her. But Tomas did. Tomas' opinion of her mattered.

---

@tomas
Let me know if I should change anything!

[Deleted]

Tomas loved to see her smile and the air caught in his lungs as she teased him back. Had he just made her blush? Surely not.

“Arrogant and vain or just honest?” he grinned. Tomas knew he was attractive, and he loved to use his looks and his overconfidence in them as a way of either attracting people or getting rid of them. Not everyone found his arrogance and vanity as endearing as Maddie, but then again not everyone knew him as well as she did.

Undoing the cuffs of his shirt and rolling up the sleeves he rested an arm on the bar, playing with the glass of whiskey absent mindedly. Being here with Maddie and the glasses of whiskey had made him more at ease and he pulled off the tie completely now and shoved it into his pocket. Her being stood up felt like a sign, he needed to make the most of this situation – He wasn’t exactly sure what kind of situation this was. He watched her for a moment, as she stared at her glass, she was deep in thought and he wondered about what. Probably not the same thoughts he was having – but it was worth a try…wasn’t it?

“Tell me Maddison Lancaster,” he started in mock seriousness “If this…” he pointed between himself and her “Was the date you were supposed to be on…” he smiled “What would you expect from the night of magic I would deliver?” He presented it like it was casual conversation, like he was trying to cheer her up after she had been stood up. In reality he wanted to know if she could think of him as something other than a friend, more then just her brothers best friend.

[Maddison Lancaster]

Call me friend but keep me closer
And I'll call you when the party's over

---

Maddie rolled her eyes when Tomas called himself honest. He wasn’t wrong, so she couldn't argue the point. His overconfidence in his looks and his skills were well earned. "Okay, maybe you have a valid point." She smirked.

As Tomas rolled his sleeves up, Maddie could feel the blush deepen on her cheeks. How was it he just made himself more attractive? It wasn't fair, him dangling himself in front of her like he was. Did he even know how much of an effect he had on her? She was sure he didn't know the full extent.

After staring into the depths of her glass for too long, Maddie picked it up again as Tomas broke the silence that had fallen between them. She had just taken a sip as his words were sinking in.

"If this was the date you were supposed to be on…"

Maddie swallowed the sip of whiskey, and it went down much harsher than it should have as she almost choked at his next question. She let out a small cough. She could feel her cheeks burning now.

She couldn't tell him the real answer, could she? She took a second to calm herself and suck in a deep breath. "Tomas, you just about murdered me." She glanced at him. Her intentions for tonight had included getting under someone else to try to get over her unshakable feelings for him. It was part of what led her to say yes to Tina's insistence about this ill-fated date. It wouldn't be the first time, and probably wouldn't be the last, that she used another guy to try to forget about Tomas. But that hadn't panned out and now Tomas was tormenting her, whether he knew it or not.

"What would you expect?" She turned the question back on him, then cautiously took another sip of whiskey.

---

@tomas
Let me know if I should change anything!

[Deleted]

Tomas raised his eyebrows as Maddie choked slight on the whiskey as he presented the question. She was definitely blushing this time and he grinned at her reaction, “Youre blushing Maddie!” he exclaimed “What kind of thoughts are you having?” he teased his voice all mock horror at the inference that she was having sordid thoughts about him. Secretly he hoped it was true. Running his hand through his hair he watched her compose herself for a moment before she turned his own question back on him.

He thought about teasing an answer out of her and not letting her get away with just flipping it back on him but if she was so taken aback by the idea of a date with him maybe he should give her his ideas and see how she reacted. He swirled the glass of whiskey a few times, thinking of the kind of date he would take Maddie on and thinking of a way he might get a reaction out of her right now for what he suggested. Finally deciding on his answer, he sipped the whiskey and met her gaze.

“I think first we would start with dinner- Somewhere cozy, but high end, where the food is to die for and the atmosphere relaxed, followed by cocktails and a few games of pool where no doubt you would kick my ass,” he slid forward slightly on the stool so he was closer to her, smiling as he spoke he tried not to get completely side tracked by her green eyes “After you had suitably humiliated me at pool, I would walk you home – preferably a picturesque route. No doubt you will have left a jacket at home so I would casually take mine off and wrap it round you when you got cold, a cliché move but always effective” he smirked, he was standing now, a foot taller and leaning towards her so she had to tilt her head back slightly to keep the eye contact, he lowered his voice so only she could hear him, “When we reach your front door I would lean in like I was going to take my jacket, meeting your eyes at the last second I would pause, mesmerized by you,” he acted it out, lifting his hand to her cheek he gently brushed his fingers against her soft skin, he could feel her warm breath tickling his lips as she inhaled and exhaled and it was oh so tempting to just lean down and close the small gap between their mouths and kiss her. He swallowed and continued “And then I would kiss you, slow and deep and passionate….” He stopped talking, holding her gaze for a second before pulling away a little more, having to put more distance from temptation. He smiled, “Do you think that’s the kind of date you would enjoy?” he sat back on the edge of the barstool and waited.

Maddison Lancaster - I hope this is ok, I can change anything if you want.

[Maddison Lancaster]

Call me friend but keep me closer
And I'll call you when the party's over

---

Tomas commented on the blush that was burning brightly on Maddie's cheeks, and she wanted to just die now. He was not going to let her live this down, she just knew it. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She evaded answering his question directly. There was no way she was going to give him an honest answer. His ego was already big enough, she didn't need to inflate it further by telling him just what kind of effect he was having on her.

With the next question deflected back at Tomas, Maddie had a moment to compose her thoughts as it seemed like he was searching for the right words to answer her.

When he began his answer, Maddie shifted to watch him. He moved closer, crossing the already limited space that had been between them. He spoke of how she'd beat him at pool - only if you let me, or if I shut down your ability - she thought the response, but did not speak, because he was already continuing. He described walking her home, her forgetting a jacket. Maddie wondered how he knew her playbook so well. Even tonight, she'd left her jacket at home.

She watched as he stood, moving ever closer. He towered over her, the barstool only helping their full foot in height difference marginally. She looked up at him, breath caught in her throat when he stroked her cheek and described how he would kiss her at the end of a date.

He was so close, and all she could imagine was his lips on hers. Then, without warning, he backed away. Sat back on his own stool, signature smirk back on his face.

He'd been toying with her, of course. She was stupid to think otherwise.

He knew her so well, he could just spool out one of her most secret desires on a whim. Was she so transparent, so desperate for his attention that he felt the need to play with her to stroke his own ego?

"I hate you so much right now." She didn't mean the words, but she was embarrassed and hurt. She stared at the glass again, blinking back the urge to cry. She would not cry right now.

Why would he play with her emotions like that? They hadn't really discussed it, both pretending it hadn't come out for the past few month, but he knew now she'd had a crush on him since they were kids. She knew it was hopeless, but she hasn't expected to be mocked. Was this the consequence of the truth?

---

@tomas

[Deleted]

Her reaction had not been what he expected. He could see her staring at the glass in front of her and he was sure he watched her blink tears away. Sure, Tomas had made the interaction seem like teasing but that was only so he had an out if she flat out rejected him and laughed in his face. He also backed away to help resist the temptation - if he kissed her, there would be no taking it back. It would no longer just be a harmless flirtation or something he could deny existed.

"I hate you so much right now.” It felt like a knife in his chest. How on earth had he created a feeling like that in her. Tomas felt his defensive walls go up. She had turned this question on him, and he had given her an honest answer - even if the delivery had been somewhat teasing, how could she be so angry.

This was not a situation Tomas had ever found himself in before, how was he supposed to deal with it – just come out and announce his feelings towards her had changed. No, he had to have some control of the situation, he needed to figure out what he was feeling and what she was feeling so he could figure out how to deal with it.

Finding it difficult to keep the hurt and shock from his voice he finally managed to get words out, they sounded colder then he intended, “Im sorry that the idea of kissing me is so abhorrent to you.” he blinked a few times, trying to soften his tone and failing, but he had no idea what was going on here and it was making the butterflies in his stomach thrash around rather than their usual nervous flutter. His words began to run away from him, “I guess that answers my questions then, I won’t try and pursue this again,” he sat back in the stool, he felt deflated and he swallowed the last of his whiskey in one go, wincing at the burn to the back of his throat as he re-ran his last words in his mind and froze – had he just revealed that he intended to pursue her? That this interaction hadn’t been a joke. Maybe she wouldn't notice the wording, he felt his heart pounding in his chest and he licked his bottom lip slightly as if the kiss had really happened and he might still be able to feel hers lips on his. He muttered a curse under his breath and set the empty whiskey glass down on the bar a little to hard, making the wood vibrate as his temper seethed. He was such an idiot

Maddison Lancaster

[Maddison Lancaster]

Call me friend but keep me closer
And I'll call you when the party's over

---

The sat in silence for a long moment. Maddie was processing everything that Tomas had said to her. She couldn't express to him just how deeply it hurt, him using her feelings against her like this. He'd almost had her believing he meant it, and that was just cruel. As long as she'd known him, Tomas had been smart, funny, attractive, successful at whatever he put his mind to. He was always desirable, and could take his pick of partners. Maddie knew she had nothing to offer him, but she never expected that he would mock her so flippantly.

When he finally broke the silence again, Maddie felt like ice was running down her spine. He sounded angry now. What the hell did he have to be angry about? Then she let the content of his words really sink in. “...kissing me is so abhorrent to you... that answers my questions then, I won’t try and pursue this again...”

Wait.. did that mean... was he not just playing with her? Maddie took in a deep breath, unable to process the thought fully. She chanced a glance as he downed the rest of his glass of whiskey. When he slammed the empty glass back down on the counter, Maddie failed to stop herself from wincing.

"Tomas..." She paused, chewing on her bottom lip as she thought through the next words that she was going to say. She wanted to just ask him, to be direct and find out if he was playing games or- or what? She couldn't entertain the possibility that he was being serious, that he wanted what he'd just described as much as she did. "You can't- you can't..." She bit her lip again, the words she intended fizzling out before they formed. She looked up, searching Tomas's face for answers, before looking back down.

"I can't handle being mocked, okay?" The words were quiet, her voice quivering ever so slightly. It was more than just the words that came from her mouth. She was asking the unspoken question, the one she was too chicken to outright say. Was he really mocking her, or was it something more? Was there some small chance that he shared the feelings she'd had for him? She was terrified to let herself hope for that. She didn't deserve for him to want her in the same way. He deserved someone who had their shit together, someone who wasn't as much of a hot mess as she was. But she was desperate for him to see her as more than a friend, more than Mason's little sister. Was there hope?

---

@tomas

[Deleted]

He saw her wince as he slammed the glass on the bar and he hated that he caused a fear reaction in her. It was not what he intended, this was just all so frustrating. Had this been any other woman he would have gone to Mason to talk it through, but that was a massive no go. Plus, all of this had been building for weeks, months even, and he had thought it was just going to go away and instead now he could barely get through a day without thinking about her or dreaming about her. Ergh the dreams, he groaned with exasperation. What on earth was he going to do!

He watched as she tried to find her words, repeating herself twice. When she bit her bottom lip he had to physically resist another groan, he wanted to bite that lip. He wanted to pull her to him and kiss her, hold her, run his hands through her hair. He mentally kicked himself, he had clearly upset her with his suggestions, kissing her was not going to help this situation.

“I can't handle being mocked, okay?" her words took him off guard completely, he had been expecting brutal rejections or even cliché rejection, like “its not me, it you” or something equally humiliating. Instead she just accused him of mocking her. He sat in stunned silence or a moment. He ran a hand down his face in exasperation “Mocking you!? What was I mocking Maddie?” he couldn’t keep the frustration from his voice “Jeez, I answered your question!” he sounded annoyed now despite trying not to “How is me telling you how I would take you on a date mocking?!” he could feel the words coming out of his mouth without a single filter from his brain, “What else did you want?” he held his hands out as if offering something that wasn’t there “For me to admit I think about that kiss, that date, multiple times a day, that I dream about it!” He winced at his words and bit down on his tongue to stop himself from admitting anymore.

“Fuck, what am I even doing” he said to no one in particular before taking two deep breaths and making an attempt to diffuse the situation “Look Maddie I was just feeling it out, if its that much of an insult lets pretend it never happened,” he caught the bartenders eye again nodding to his empty glass. Thank God he couldn’t experience hangovers because he had a feeling he would have a big one tomorrow if he did.

Maddison Lancaster

[Maddison Lancaster]

Call me friend but keep me closer
And I'll call you when the party's over

---

He seemed so angry, Maddie couldn’t help but to feel like it was her fault. Her stupid crush had ruined them. Would they be able to just go back to being friends? If he was this mad at her, why hadn't he just told her to piss off when she first asked, when she sat next to him and literally said she’d leave if he didn’t want her company? She may not have had senses like her brother’s, but she was now hyper aware of his movements. His groans. He was done with her, wasn’t he? Maddie was convinced that he was going to say she was too much and he didn’t want to deal with her drama.

When she’d finished everything she had to say, she shifted, waiting for his response. Waiting for him to tell her to get lost, to stop bothering him. What he said was very different, but his tone was still angry, annoyed with her.

He explained angrily that he’d been describing how he would take her out. She couldn’t describe how she was feeling. Confused, mostly. If he was being serious, why hadn't he just said that? He went on, admitting to her that he thinks about kissing her and dreams about her. Maddie could feel the heat rising on her cheeks again. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to feel what it was like to have his arms wrapped around her.. She’d thought about this too many times. Was this really how he felt? Why was his tone so harsh as it said it?

”Tomas..”

Maddie slipped off of her barstool and stood in front of him. ”I’m sorry… I thought.. Well, I didn’t think you were being serious.” She stared up at him, searching for his eyes with her own.

”I don’t want to pretend it never happened.” Maddie’s heart was pounding. She wasn’t used to being this honest, to being vulnerable. She didn’t get emotionally attached to people, she didn’t let herself develop feelings. Most of her relationships, if you could call them that, were short lived and one sided. If she felt like things started getting more serious, she blew it up before she let herself be in that position. She was the one who left devastation in her wake. She wasn’t used to being the one who could get hurt. But right now, Tomas could crush her completely.

---

@tomas

[Deleted]

Maddie said his name and he felt it like electricity across his skin. Everything was so out of control and he had no idea how to pull it back now. Had he just jeopardized his friendship with the two most important people in his life because he couldn’t get a woman out of his head. He met Maddie’s eyes and he could feel his breathing quicken, she wasn’t just any woman though – she was stunning, complicated, maddening and right now the only thing he could think about was the way she made his blood heat. She apologised, was she completely mad? What did she have to apologise for, he was the one that had completely fucked this up.

“I didn’t think you were being serious” her words made him smile in disbelief for just a moment, she though he had been joking and that was why she had gotten upset. Did that mean she was upset that what he told her might not be true, because if that was what she was saying…he felt a spark of hope in his chest.

She was stood before him now and even though he was sat on the barstool he was still taller than her and she had to look up to meet his eyes. She was so close again and he knew before she even spoke that he wasn’t going to be able to resist temptation this time. He could feel the rise and fall of his chest, fast and loaded with anticipation and then she spoke again, this time her words were layered with something more, a question she needed answering. The doubt tried to eat at him but he was in this now, he started this conversation, this revelation, this fucked up way to admit he had feelings of more then just friendship for her.

”I don’t want to pretend it never happened.”

He couldn’t stop himself this time, he had to do it, had to know for sure that this is what they both wanted – in a heart beat he had moved in, his lips on hers, he could feel the need, the desire releasing from his mind. He had imagined what kissing Maddie would be like a hundred times, but nothing could compare to this. He moved a hand to her cheek, running fingers across her skin again until they were tangled in her hair. one arm snaking around her waist and gently tugging her towards him, he wanted to feel her pressed against him as he deepened the kiss, praying she wasn’t going to pull away.

Maddison Lancaster