{{Unedited}}   Vincent brought scrambled eggs and toast with a croissant and sliced strawberries to Marielle who was sitting on the couch watching the roaring fire. He set the plate in front of her on the coffee table and left, bringing her back a cup of coffee made the way she liked it. He’d already …

{{Unedited}} At two in the morning, Marielle couldn’t sleep and meandered into the living room and back to her laptop.   She glanced up at the list of names of people who were currently online. Jamie, Han, – the little symbol next to their names indicated that they were talking to one another – Kiritani, …

{{Unedited}}   As Marielle walked back to her office, she jerked to a stop outside the door. Her tattoos shimmered in a wave sup her arms. Oh no… Vincent. She was unsure of what exactly was waiting for her on the other side of the door; having no idea what Vincent knew, or suspected. She …

{{Unedited}}   When Marielle got to Valorant, everything felt distant, blurry, and wrong; like the world had tilted sideways. She’d taken a few extra minutes to sob in Austin’s shower, collected her things, and went to the kitchen, where fresh coffee was waiting for her. She cried more as she stirred in her cream and …

{{Unedited}} After Marielle and Austin ate, and cleared dinner from the table, they both washed the dishes side by side. Then they wandered back to the living room where he aimlessly went to his piano and sat down. He played a song that she vaguely knew with sadness in his eyes, and tone. Let’s Hurt …

{{Unedited}} “What do you want for breakfast, darling?” Marielle asked. “Maybe you let me make it, today?” Austin replied with a smile. “I thought you didn’t cook.” “It’s kind of hard to screw up some eggs and toast,” he chuckled. She flushed. “Okay, I’ll allow it if that’s what you want.” “I want to take …

{{Unedited}}   Chamber and Vincent walked beside each other in plain clothes, making their way through the endless throng of people. Rows upon rows of black and whites marched shoulder to shoulder, weapons poised on the left shoulders as their arms swung back and forth in perfect time to a drummed-out rhythm. The parade was …

{{Unedited}} They relaxed into the couch together, as she went to one of her movie collections and found the films. “You already have them.” She shrugged dismissively, “Yeah, I love these movies,” she whispered. He smirked and lifted his arm, urging her against him, where he held her and fed her popcorn so she never …

{{Unedited}}     The moment that he came through the door, he had her in his arms against him as he fumbled to shut it. He pressed her against the door as his mouth clamped over hers, and their tongues began to speak wildly to one another. The soft, warm, wet feelings told her everything …

{{Unedited}}     Marielle sobbed the entire way home. “Okay, done with that part,” she whispered, watching the trees move by, the buildings blur, the couples walking hand in hand. Another wave of tears came over her when she saw an old woman and her husband start to cross the street. The woman was still …