Hi, everyone!

So this is my birthday gift-fic to ME! My birthday is the 19th on Friday. However, there's too much story here to be a one-shot, so we're getting a chapter for every day leading up to my birthday! Most of the story is already written out and I will be updating one chapter a day up until my 22nd birthday! Yay!

For all of you who are reading Oral Presentation: This story is based in that universe, but I must make it clear: THIS STORY IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE EVENTS IN ORAL PRESENTATION! It's basically a what-if scenario for the story and does NOT actually happen in the story. It is also four years in the future from where Oral Presentation currently is.

So, for all of you Steven fans, that should be a relief. This story is kind of mean to the poor guy. Trust me, he gets much better treatment in the future chapters of Oral Presentation!

First chapter is pretty angsty, but it DEFINITELY gets better. Trust me, stick around, and review!

Mending the Heart

Part One

May was no longer the innocent waif of girl that she had been when she started attending college at Harvard University four years ago. Things had changed; she had changed. She had had the rose-colored glasses ripped off and then shattered under that man's foot without remorse and without regret.

She didn't blame him for her disillusioned state. She had experienced her first real relationship with him, had learned what it was like to love so deeply that her heart was irreparably broken when everything fell apart. She told herself it was the age difference; she told herself that she hadn't been prepared for the gruesome reality of his world. May Andrews told herself many things, but she wasn't sure if she believed any of them.

All she knew was that he had left her for a real woman, someone who had lived in his world for longer than she could ever survive. It only made sense—she was young and fickle, or so he had said, and he needed something steady and lasting—something he wasn't sure she could give him.

It had shattered her and she still hadn't learned how to pick up the pieces of what had once been her heart. Even now, as she was standing on the stage, being applauded by her family and friends, her boyfriend watching on proudly as she received her Bachelor's diploma, May didn't feel the elation or sense of accomplishment that she should have been feeling.

She felt…nothing.

And that nothing was all-encompassing.

May was pretty sure that she would never feel anything ever again.

The cheers and applauding went on for another five minutes before the dean finished giving his speech. They threw up their caps and cameras flashed enthusiastically before everyone filed off the stage, clutching their hard-earned diplomas tightly and rushing off to meet up with their families.

May was approached by her boyfriend, his messy grey-blue hair glinting in the sun. "I'm so proud of you, May," he said, swooping her into a hug and kissing her. She kissed him back, but she couldn't help but despise the smoothness of his chin, the lack of bristles brushing against her mouth as their lips met.

She often wondered why she was with Steven Stone. Sure, she had crushed on him for a long time. She had still been able to acknowledge his attractiveness when she was with that man, which she had always berated herself for after she acknowledged how deeply she loved him. Steven had admitted his feelings for her shortly after he had left her for that woman and since May had stayed attracted to him the entire time it seemed fated that she ended up with the clean-cut man who had a successful career in geology and was the kind of man you would bring home to your parents. He had never met her parents; she knew they wouldn't approve of him. So why, when she had the perfect man in her life, the one that she was clearly meant to be with, did she still feel so empty?

They broke the kiss and then Steven put his hand on her lower back, guiding her towards her parents and Brendan, who had all flown up for her graduation.

"May!" Brendan exclaimed when he saw them approaching. She waved back with a large smile on her face. She had perfected the art of pretend happiness that at this point, she wasn't sure what was the mask and what was who she actually was.

"Sweetheart, we're so proud of you!" her mother exclaimed as May and Steven met up with them. Her mother hugged her tightly, tears wetting her eyes. "Congratulations!"

Norman, her father, looked on with his arms crossed, watching the exchange. When her mother finally released her, he said, "Well done, May. You've exceeded my expectations. Your mother and I are very proud of you." He placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded approvingly.

May nodded back. "Thank Mom, Dad," she said. The cheerfulness of her voice was flawless. No one could tell the difference between the young woman who had left Littleroot, Arizona with stars in her eyes and the baccalaureate standing before them with an empty, broken heart.

Brendan slapped her on the back encouragingly. "I knew you could do it, bestie," he said with a wide grin. May smiled at him and it was almost real. His grin didn't fade, but his gray eyes pierced her like a sword.

He was the only one who knew she was still in love with him. He was the only one who knew she didn't love Steven like she should. He was the only person in the world who could see through her lies.

"I fully expect for you and me to catch up before I leave," Brendan told her seriously, but there was enough playfulness in his voice to fool the other three present. Steven was now conversing with her parents about May's accomplishments, but even if they were paying attention to the exchange, they wouldn't have seen anything wrong with it.

May didn't let her smile fall, even though Brendan could see clearly the pain that was hidden beneath the surface. "Of course," she said with an impish wink.

After the initial excitement, her parents urged everyone to go to dinner with them, courtesy of her dad's recent promotion.

Everyone agreed easily and then headed off. "Let's go to the Red House," her mother suggested. "It's supposed to have fantastic seafood!"

May worked very hard to keep the color from fading from her cheeks. Only Brendan noticed the discrepancy, but he was wise enough not to say anything about it.

"I'm not really in the mood for seafood," Brendan said, saving her from having to give any excuses. "What about a steakhouse?"

"Definitely," May agreed. "I really am in the mood for some really nice sirloin."

"Whatever you want, dear," her mother said with a smile. "Steven, are you alright with steak?"

"Of course, Mrs. Andrews," he replied, wrapping his arm around May's waist. She instinctively leaned into him. Yet again, his arms weren't nearly muscular enough to provide her the safe feeling that she had always felt with him and his height didn't dwarf her like his had.

It had been two years and she couldn't let it go. She was going to have to end this—May already didn't know how she had lasted this long in the faux relationship anyways. She believed that Steven had an inkling of suspicion, but he loved her too much to say anything.

Nonetheless, she had received her Bachelor's and a chapter of her life was closing. She had secretly applied for a program in Australia to study the Great Barrier Reef and she had been accepted. She hadn't decided whether she was going yet, but she had two weeks to reply before they would replace her. If she did well enough, there was a school that would accept her in Australia for a Master's degree. It wasn't as prestigious as Harvard, but she was starting to think that Massachusetts wasn't the right place for her anymore.

As they got into the car to drive to the steakhouse just down the road, May took a deep breath. She would talk to him. She had to.

There was no way she could continue this farce any longer. Besides, she would rather be alone than continue to hurt Steven.

It seemed that maybe her fate wasn't Steven, but rather to be alone.

That night, Steven took her to his apartment for a little celebration of their own for her graduation.

May didn't have the heart to deny him this one last thing.

He kissed her deeply once they were in his bedroom, his tongue running over her lips before she allowed him entry, tangling their tongues together in a gentle but passionate dance. They were both in control, equally giving and taking.

Feeling the roughness of his beard against her lips was a strange sensation, but she had grown to love it. His tongue dominated hers, occasionally allowing her to take control before stealing it back from her without remorse. She submitted every time, sometimes putting up a fight but other times simply giving herself fully to the sensation of being completely dominated in every sense of the word.

Steven gently guided her over to the bed, his hand softly running over her hips before sliding up her shirt to caress her breasts through her bra. She tangled her hands in his head, moaning softly when he rubbed her peaks through the fabric.

He never wasted any time. He lifted her up with his large hands and she wrapped her lips around his waist, never breaking the kiss. Firmly gripping her rear, he would walk through the apartment to the bedroom. She ground her hips against his pelvis, coaxing his manhood to life with each gyration. He growled into her mouth, sending sparkles of pleasure down to her abdomen.

She panted softly as Steven worked her blouse over her head and she did the same to him. Her bra was quickly discarded and they fell back onto the plush bed, legs tangled together as he began to suckle her breasts teasingly. Waves of pleasure coursed through her body at the gentle stimulation and she began to squirm, moaning and panting and gripping his shoulders as she arched into his mouth.

He would rip off her clothing with little care to the state of her shirts afterwards. More than once she had found her sleeves ripped at the seams. He would unhook her bra easily with one hand before devouring her body, his tongue tracing her sides, collarbones, belly button—everywhere but where she craved it. She moaned in frustration and tugged his head towards her breasts. He never complied until she begged, but once she submitted his mouth would surround her hardened peaks with a heat that had her bucking against him wantonly.

She began to unbutton his jeans, her fingers grasping the zipper and yanking it down roughly. Similarly, he pulled her shorts off. May shifted to make sure that her underwear followed, baring herself to him. Leaving his boxers on, he began to slowly stroke her clit, spreading the moisture from her labia down to her opening.

Buttons had popped off her jeans and zippers had been ripped too far before when struggling to remove clothing in a hurry. As soon as her panties fell to the floor, he was already pinching her lightly and eliciting harsh pants. She was already soaked and he slipped in a single digit to loosen her. He tapped her bundle of nerves expertly, but when she tried to grind against his hand to reach climax, he used his other hand to pin her hips down to the bed and continue to making her groan in pleasured agony. "Not yet," he would say.

Steven slipped his middle finger inside her once she was lubricated with her own moisture and then began to rub against her weakness. She gasped and moaned, bucking her hips against him roughly to reach climax as quickly as possible. He kissed her hard, growing more passionate as they both reached the point of arousal where there was no reason to hold back and draw it out. The pleasure in her abdomen boiled over and she screamed, flexing around his finger. The moment she had reached completion, he pulled off his boxers and aligned himself to her.

He would tease her until it was unbearable and she was all but sobbing him for to let her climax. He would finally take off his clothes and let her run her hands over his toned, muscular body. He would always kiss her first, teasing her with his tongue and then rubbing the tip of his head over her lower lips and opening, not quite penetrating but giving her a little taste of what was soon to come. When they had first had sex, when she gave him her virginity, she had barely been able to handle his size. However, though, when she was aroused enough, she could take him with only a little initial discomfort. He slipped his hand between her legs and spread her lower lips, slowly inserting the head of his manhood. She gasped in delight, only for him to withdraw. "Tell me what you want."

"You," she whimpered.

"And what do you want me to do?" he growled into her ear.

"Fuck me!" she moaned loudly, gripping his hips with her legs and trying to get closer to him.

And then he would fully sheath himself inside her, sighing at the feeling of her tight walls clenching him. She gasped through gritted teeth at the feeling of being completely full.

"Are you ready?" Steven asked softly, brushing her womanhood with his member.

May nodded and moaned, beckoning him closer by spreading her legs as far as they would go. Gently he pushed into her, slowly teasing her with an inch at a time. Taking control, May grabbed his hips and pulled him fully into her and she groaned at the feeling. He began to thrust in and out, taking it slow. "Faster," she gasped, gripping his shoulders tightly.

He always set the perfect pace. Whether it was to draw out their pleasure with slow and teasing thrusts or if he pounded into her mercilessly to make her orgasm until she cried, it was always just the way she needed it. He skillfully played with her sensitive breasts and rubbed her clit, stimulating her until she could take no more. He was always in control, always dominating, even when she was on top; at the same time, she never felt controlled or stifled. His dominance brought out the animal in her, making her wild and untamable except when she was in his arms. It made her feel freer than she ever had before in her life.

Steven quickened his thrusts and May clenched around him, her second orgasm building rapidly. Lost in the slick sweat, the moans and the panting, she let herself loose, bucking against him until she reached completion. He didn't waver in his thrusts, keeping the pace with her until it was his turn and he pulled out before coming.

May closed her eyes and sighed. She couldn't help but think about all her times with him, for even now the memories brought her pleasure mixed in with the agonizing pain of what had been lost. Still, her best had always been him. In her broken state, she doubted that she could ever find better.

Even if she did…

"I love you," Steven murmured after he rolled over, pulling her into him. He had been a cuddler, too, but unlike her current boyfriend, his body enveloped her like her favorite blanket, warming her and making her feel safe and loved.

How wrong was she to have believed he actually loved her. May Andrews, the girl who was thirteen years younger than him. How could she ever have believed that a real man like him could ever completely give himself to a girl like her. She had been naïve and foolish, blinded by her adoration.

She wanted to hate him. She wanted to be able to tell the man holding her right now that she loved him, too. She could never bring herself to lie, though—she could never say it. Perhaps that made her pathetic, but then again, wasn't she? She was broken.

Silence filled the air and Steven finally sighed, pulling away. May stiffened, but she knew what was coming. Maybe it was better this way.

"This isn't working, is it?" he asked quietly, sitting up in bed.

"No," May whispered back. "And I don't want to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you."

Steven's voice was hard when he responded. "But that's all you've done this entire time."

May flinched at his tone. "I'm sorry."

He heaved a sigh. "I knew it was a bad idea," he admitted. "I always knew that he came first, but I never wanted to see it." Steven laughed bitterly. "I should really hate you, you know. But I can't, not with how much I still love you."

She remained silent.

"What do you see in him?" he asked. He sounded genuinely curious, although the bitterness was still there. "What was it about him that drew you to him? Was it because he was your first?" His tone was getting harsher. "Or was it because-"

May sat up and glared at him, her sudden movement silencing him. "So you think that I still love him only because I slept with him first?" she snapped. She hadn't talked about this with anyone other than Brendan, but he had not been so callous as to insinuate that, to invalidate her feelings because she lost her virginity to him. "I didn't mean to drag you into this and I'm sorry it happened that way, but he was always the one I loved. I still love him. And I don't know if that's going to change."

Steven turned to her, his face concerned and angry and bitter, all at once. "You need to let him go. You're never going to move on if you keep idolizing him like this! He's certainly gotten on with his life, so why can't you?"

May froze, staring at Steven as if she had never seen him before. Just as the words came out of his mouth, he realized his mistake, as well.

"May, I'm sorry-"

"I think I should leave," she said coldly, rolling off the bed and gathering her clothes. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Steven. But I think it's better this way." She quickly slipped on her blouse, forgoing bra and panties in an effort to leave more quickly.

"No, May, wait-"

As soon as her shorts were on, she grabbed her undergarments and stormed out of the room.

"May!" Steven called, getting up to follow her.

However, she had already stuffed her bra and panties into her faithful messenger bag and had left the house, slamming the door behind her.

It was raining outside, a testament to the moodiness of the area's weather. As she stormed towards the subway station without an umbrella, May decided she was thankful for it.

After all, she didn't have to hide her tears when the rain was doing it for her.

Please review!