Mia trudged up the stairwell towards her apartment. The setting sun blazed into her back, providing some relief from the tension in her shoulders. Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she glanced at the screen; half past seven, and a message from her boss at Kōfihaus.

Hey Mimi! I know it's your day off tomorrow, but can you cover for Lina? She works the open shift. Let me know. Thanks!

She sighed loudly as she reached the third floor—she'd reply later, but for now, she just wanted to get home. Turning down the walkway towards her unit, she noticed something sitting in front of her door—a small bouquet of flowers.

She sucked in a sharp breath, heart leaping into her throat as she rushed down the hall. Crouching down, she picked the bundle up, turning it to find the note card she knew would be there—like it always was.

"Oh…" she breathed out, her heart dropping into her stomach when she saw it. I'll see you soon, sweet pea. A hard, unyielding lump formed in her throat, and she tried to swallow around it, but found she couldn't. Tears welled up in her eyes and she slumped to the ground. Verbena, Texas bluebells, and firewheels—she recognised the wildflowers from her trips outside the city. He was close—he must be. The flowers were fresh, and she'd know that crap penmanship anywhere.

The sudden, aching sound of her own sob startled her, and she trembled as tears fell down her cheeks. Damn it… The sound of metal jingling, and the fading of the sun's warmth made her grow tense. The darkness of someone standing behind her blocked onto her doorway, and she turned slowly over her shoulder.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she scrambled to stand, her expression quickly changing from apprehension to shock. The familiar red of the serape, and those chestnut brown eyes; she held her breath. He smiled at her, but it was heartsick, his gaze filled with longing.

She wasn't sure he was actually standing there—but what an odd image to conjure up, if he isn't, she reasoned. Her mouth dry, she reached forward hesitantly, her hand hovering in the space between them. He stepped into her touch, moving to cover her hand with his right, pressing it into the armour of his chassis.

"Hey, sweetheart." He was warm, even through the leather of his glove. Her breath hitched as she met his gaze again, and fresh tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"It's you," she breathed out. Her sob was loud, and she threw her arms around his neck. He laughed as he caught her, burying his face into the curve of her shoulder. When he finally leaned back, she was still crying, and too overwhelmed to speak.

"Hey, now," he shushed her as he wiped at her tears. "It's alright, sweet pea—I'm here."

She sobbed out a laugh, wiping at her eyes with the heel of her palm. "You're a real piece of work, Jesse McCree," she muttered. Jesse laughed as he put a kiss against her forehead.

"You going to invite me in?" He asked, motioning to her door. She sniffled as she stood back, looking at him for a moment. Taking his face in her hands, she smiled through her tears as she pulled him down.

"Yeah," she whispered, pressing a soft kiss against his mouth. He kissed back, pressing her into the door with a little more force than he meant to. She snorted as she pushed against his chest, her fingers flexing as she nudged his nose with her own.

"Easy there, cowboy."

He chuckled as he kissed her once more, curling his fingers around hers before stepping back to wait as she unlatched the door. She quickly scooped up the flowers from the ground and took his arm, pulling him inside. Discarding her heavy knapsack next to the table, she set her flowers down as he looked around appraisingly.

"Nice place," he commented. "Seems like it might be cozy for two."

She raised a brow as she looked over her shoulder at him, filling a glass vase with water at her sink. "You planning on moving in?" She asked, unwrapping the ribbon on the flowers to drop them in.

He hummed as he approached her, thumbing over her cheek as he regarded her fondly. "Might be," he replied, his tone just a little saucy. "Depends on what the current tenant decides."

Mia brushed her fingers over the delicate petals of the wildflowers, then looked up at him.

"Where have you been, Jesse? You had me worried sick for three damn years until I heard about the hypertrain. And I couldn't even hear about it from you, I had to hear about you on the news!" She paused, hands on her hips. Jesse opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him before he could.

"And don't try to pretend you didn't know where I was. I never hid, never changed my name, and anyway, you've been having flowers delivered to me while I was at work for damn near a year!" The more she spoke, the more agitated she became. "And I know you know I have more than one job; I've had flowers from you at both of them." Her expression was a mix of relief and anguish, and her eyes grew wet again.

"Not even a damn message… No 'hey, I'm okay'—nothing. You ran away in the middle of the damn night on me over four years ago with nothing but a note, and no way to contact you. Now, you show up on my doorstep like I just saw you last week!" Her breath hitched as she choked on her words, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Damn it…"

"Honeybee…" His voice was soft, lined with a sorrowful apology as he reached towards her. She closed the distance, burying her face into his serape as she sobbed, arms wrapped tightly around him.

"I'm so mad at you, Jesse. I'm so mad. But I've been worried about you, too," she sobbed, squeezing him. "I missed you so bad…" He stroked her hair for a long minute, letting her cry a little before he nudged his fingers up under her chin to make her look at him. Her gaze was wet and raw and aching, and his brow furrowed as he leaned down to kiss her softly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he cooed, drawing his thumb over the swell of her lips. "I'm here, now, so you can yell at me all you like." He stroked his fingers through her hair and over her cheeks, kissing her over and over until her breaths tempered. She stilled, staying pressed into him, face buried into his serape. It smelled like smoke, and sandalwood, and earth—like him.

After a time, she took a step back. There was a long pause while she looked at him, arms crossed over her chest. He watched her for a moment, his expression soft.

"What happened?" She asked, her expression expectant. He looked a little perplexed at that, cocking a brow. She reached beneath his serape and took his left hand.

"What happened?" She asked again, cradling the metal appendage. He didn't pull away, but didn't look comfortable, either. After a long minute of silence, she sighed and kissed his palm.

"Hey, you don't have to—"

"I do. I saw you trying to hide it from me."

"I ain't hidin'—"

"No? Why'd you have your serape draped over it like that? And why're you only using your right hand when you touch me? You think I wouldn't notice it?" She wasn't angry, or even annoyed—she only sounded sad.

"It's… sort of new, I guess," he mumbled, looking embarrassed. "I'm not really used to it, yet." Another silence settled between them as they looked at one another. His metal fingers flexed, and she let go of him, reaching to thumb over his lips.

"Don't hide from me, Jesse," she chided him with a small smile. His right hand sidled down her torso to rest on her hip. She glanced to his metallic hand, the fingers flexing at his side where he continued trying to hide from her beneath his serape. She glanced up at his face, and smiled again.

"I want you to put your hands on me, Jesse. Both of them." He hesitated for a moment, then gingerly reached forward to put his left hand on her other side. She was surprised to find it was warm, and her smile broadened as she looked up at him.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" She purred. Jesse chuckled as he leaned down to plant a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"You really are somethin', Mia," he murmured fondly, nuzzling her cheek. She tucked in against him with a soft hum.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment," she mumbled, and Jesse laughed as he tipped her face up to kiss her again, over and over until she was giggling and breathless.

"You better," he muttered, pausing to nuzzle into her crown. "Damn, I missed you, sweetheart," he sighed, pressing kisses all over her face. She smiled as she let him go on, giggling at the scrape of his scruff across her skin. He kissed the bridge of her nose and stepped back, thumbing over the shape of her lips. She kissed the pad of his thumb, hooking her fingers into his belt.

"You going to stick around?" She asked. He smiled as he took off his hat, drawing his fingers over the curve of her chin.

"I could be persuaded," he replied. She smirked as she turned and crossed towards her cupboards.

"You want a drink?" She asked over her shoulder as she pulled out a glass tumbler. He sloughed off his serape, hanging it with his hat on the line of hooks next to her door, settling into a chair at her table.

"What do you have?"

"Hudson Baby bourbon," she replied, hopping up onto the counter to reach into one of the higher shelves. His brows shot up in surprise as he gave an appreciative whistle.

"That's a fine one. You take up drinkin' while I was away?" He teased, swinging his arm over the back of the chair as he watched her. When she hopped back down to the floor, she looked over her shoulder at him.

"No. I got this in case—" She paused, looking embarrassed as she turned away. "In case you came back…"

The quiver in her voice made his heart sink, and a tense silence fell between them. He stood out of the chair and closed the distance between them.

"Hey, I'm sorry, Mia…"

"It's alright," she mumbled, looking embarrassed, but still a little hurt. "I just… I missed you, but I'm still mad at you. There's a lot I want to say, but I'm scared you're going to disappear on me again before I get to say any of it. It'd be bad enough if you bailed out on me like that again, but before I got a chance—"

"Hey now, that ain't fair, honeybee," he mumbled, pressing a thumb against her lips to stop her. "Give me a chance to catch my breath before you lambaste me, huh?"

She scowled a little. "Don't patronize me," she snapped. "You know exactly why I feel like that, and you know exactly whose fault it is, too."

"Damn, sweet pea, you ain't mincin' your words right now, are you," he mumbled, even as he smiled fondly. He cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone as he leaned down to press a few chaste kisses against her lips. She sighed as she closed her eyes, the tension between them quickly dissipating.

"I just don't want you to go away again. Yeah, I'm mad, and I have a right to be, but I missed you. And I want that to stay past-tense." Her voice grew softer as she went on, until she trailed off entirely. He kissed her again, a little less chaste as he pushed her into the counter.

"Think you can put up with me movin' in for a bit, then?" He asked, nuzzling her cheek. "I need to lay low for a little while." And I've been missin' you somethin' fierce, he thought, though neglected to add. She laughed through a sob as she put her arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer to bury into the crook of his neck.

"You jackass," she muttered, as exasperated as she was fond. "You disappear on me for four Goddamn years, then you just show up and ask to move in." Leaning back to look at him, she drew her fingers over his cheek as she sighed. "Of course you can stay. As long as you don't make the place smell like a smoke shack. I need my damage deposit back when I leave."

He laughed as he picked her up and squeezed, burying his face into the crook of her neck. She smelled faintly of lilac, and he hummed before reluctantly setting her back down. She still looked sad, but she forced a smile as she turned back to the counter, opening the bottle of tan liquor to pour him a glass.

"You still take it neat?" She asked. Jesse hummed his agreement as he leaned into her shoulder, leaving kisses along the curve of her throat as his hands slid down her sides. She gripped at the countertop as her breath hitched on a gasp, letting him have his way for a moment. Leaning back, she pushed a hand into his chest as she turned—he curled his fingers around hers.

"Easy there, cowboy. You want a drink, or not?" She asked, cocking a brow. He stared at her for a long moment, and she felt her cheeks flush with heat. He seemed to debate something, then leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her forehead.

"I'll take the drink, sweet pea," he said, brushing his thumb over the curve of her lips. Silence settled between them as she waited for him to sit back down before pouring his drink.

He fingered the rim of the glass for a moment before he picked it up, downing it in one shot. A low rumble resounded in his chest as he curled an arm around her waist, drawing her in to nuzzle her chest as he pressed a few kisses against the line of her cleavage.

"You got somewhere I can clean up?" He asked, letting her run her fingers through his hair with a low sigh. She smiled as she leaned down to press a kiss into his crown, her thumbs tracing the shape of his earlobes.

"C'mon, I'll give you the grand tour. There's not much to show, but you may as well get to know the place if you're staying for awhile," she said, picking up his hand and tugging him along. She led him through the apartment, showing him the small living room adjacent to the front entrance and the kitchen, the closet where she kept the towels and cleaning supplies, and a small bathroom, which was more like a water closet. He looked a little bewildered at how tiny it was, but nodded.

"I ain't got much of my own things, so I'll be needin' to borrow yours for now, 'til I can get my own," he mumbled, shuffling into the tiny room. Mia raised a brow, then laughed as she realised what he meant—he thought that was the only bathroom.

"That's not the main bath, Jesse. It's just a half bath. You really think I'd live in a place without a shower?" She asked. Jesse looked a little sheepish as he shrugged.

"I didn't want to assume…" he mumbled. Mia smiled as she leaned into him.

"Come on. The bedroom has an en suite. It's this way," she said, motioning further down the hallway. "It's pretty much the only good thing about this garbage heap, and almost makes the rent worth it."

The bedroom was the largest room in the small apartment, and it still barely fit her queen bed and small dresser. The closet was small, too, overstuffed with cropped shirts and tanktops and more boxes up top. Mia led him towards the en suite bathroom, and Jesse gave an appreciative whistle as he entered. A pedestal sink, a toilet with a bidet, a large shower stall, and a jetted tub.

"Did they reno the bathroom and forget the rest of the place?" He wondered aloud. Mia laughed.

"The way I hear it, that's not too far off, actually. Some of the units were partially renovated a few years ago—I think they were trying to convert this place into a condo. The rest of the place is nothing fancy, but it's a roof over my head, and honestly, it's damn nice for a poor girl who works two jobs," she commented. Jesse chuckled as he mussed her hair a little, and she swatted him away with a giggle.

"Go on, then," she said, patting his chest. "The controls are all self-explanatory, and I've got a plain bar of soap if you don't want to smell like a flower bush," she joked. Jesse laughed as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

"Smell like you? There are much worse things, sweet pea. But if you've got it anyway, I'll take it," he said. She nodded, taking a paper-wrapped bar off the wall shelf to hand it to him.

"Much obliged," he replied, and she nodded.

"I'll let you get cleaned up. You got anything you want for supper?" She asked.

"Well, now! I barely moved in and she's already cookin' my meals for me!" He teased her. She smiled as she rolled her eyes, and he drew her up to kiss her a few times with a low hum.

"Well?" She asked, her hands sliding along his sides. It was an oddly comforting gesture, and it made him smile a little as he nuzzled her forehead.

"Depends. Are you on the menu?"

"Jesse!" She squawked a laugh, slapping his arm playfully. He laughed as he gave her a squeeze.

"Sorry, honeybee, but you do look good enough to eat…"

Mia smiled as she leaned up on her toes to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders with a hum. "Maybe later. Get yourself cleaned up, and I'll get us some supper," she said.

Jesse waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about that right now, sweetheart. The last thing I need is you slavin' over a hot stove for me after a long day at work. Once I get cleaned up, I just want to curl up with you for a little while. We'll figure out somethin' to eat later, alright?" He mumbled, leaning into the curve of her throat to leave kisses along her skin. Mia stepped back to look up at him, cradling his face in her hands for a long minute.

"Okay."

He turned his face into her hand to kiss her palm, then leaned down to kiss her mouth, pressing her back against the sink as he drew her in tight against him.

"I love you, Mia," he mumbled, heat flooding over his face. It felt like it had been years since he'd said it—because it had, but damn, it felt good to say it again. Her breath hitched, and she smiled as she nuzzled his cheek.

"I love you, too, Jesse McCree," she said, giving him a squeeze. "Go on and have your shower, cowboy. You'll feel better, and we can talk when you're finished."

Jesse nodded as he turned towards the stall, then glanced towards the tub. "You want to take a bath with me later?" He asked. Mia sighed with a laugh as she gave him another squeeze.

"Do you want to take a bubble bath?" She asked, pressing her forehead against his chassis between his shoulder blades. He snorted, covering her hands on his belly. Mia sighed as she shifted her fingers beneath the latch on his armour, waiting for the soft hiss to indicate it had come unhitched.

"Go for a shower," she repeated, lifting his armour off him. "I'll get you some clean clothes, and we can talk. Later."

She hooked his chassis over her shoulders to carry it away, and his heart squeezed in his chest after she shut the bathroom door. Damn, I missed you… He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed her until she was standing right in front of him, until he was holding her in his arms, until he was kissing her again for the first time in four years. He wanted her to be close to him, right now. Even the distance of her being on the other side of the door made him feel uneasy. He tried to ignore it, tapping the console and setting the water temperature before beginning to strip. One by one, pieces of his clothing fell into a dirty heap on the floor. Lastly, he unlatched the metal prosthesis attached to his upper arm. It powered down as it came unhooked from the nerve connectors, and he winced as the phantom sensation lingered. He stepped under the water and let out a luxuriant sigh, letting the heat peel over his body and settle in his core.

He heard the door of the bathroom crack open, and he glanced towards it from the corner of his eye, body tensing briefly before he noticed it was just Mia. She looked markedly less clothed than she had been a few minutes earlier. The tension returned when he remembered the metal prosthesis, and that she hadn't seen his damaged arm yet. He tried to pretend like he hadn't noticed her.

Her fingers brushed against the small of his back and he flinched. She pressed a kiss against his back, between his shoulders. The stall was more than big enough for the two of them, but it felt cozy to have her in there with him. The tension in his body slowly ebbed away as she leaned against him, her arms wrapped around his middle.

"I hope you don't mind," she mumbled softly. "I just want to be close to you, right now, Jess."

"I don't mind at all, sweet pea," he sighed as he tipped his head back, covering her hands in his belly. A beat passed, and he swallowed. "I missed you."

She squeezed him before she stood back, and he noticed the absence of her body heat as she stepped out of the stall again. He turned over his shoulder to watch as she carried a small stool in, setting it at his feet. She motioned to the seat, and he took the hint, settling down onto it. He closed his eyes as he felt her fingers getting more water into his hair, followed by the light, minty smell of her shampoo as she started working it through. It was an old intimacy that wasn't entirely unfamiliar to him, but given the distance, felt almost foreign, now. Still, it made him feel ineffably wanted.

Her fingers were slow and meticulous as she worked him over, and he couldn't help the low groan he let out, pressing his face into her chest. He heard her soft giggles from above him, and turned his gaze up to look at her. She smiled, leaning down to press a kiss against his forehead.

"Close your eyes—time to rinse," she said. He did as he was told, sighing again as she worked the lather out. He was left with a pleasant tingling on his scalp, then waited as she worked in some conditioner, combing it out and then rinsing again.

"Full service," he sighed with a happy smile, and Mia laughed as she leaned down to kiss his mouth.

"We aren't done yet," she teased. Jesse raised a brow as she stood back, plucking her loofa from the hook on the wall. She worked up a lather with the bar of soap, and started working on his shoulders and back. "Stand up," she said as she finished there.

He did as he was told, cheeks flushed as she continued to wash him. She was careful around the stunted end of his arm, as if she knew that there were nerve connectors there. He held his breath, waiting for her to ask him again what happened.

She didn't.

She carried on like she knew it as intimately as she did the rest of his body, like it had always been that way. It was a simple gesture, and it made a pleasant feeling bloom out in his chest. He let out the breath he was holding.

She avoided his personal areas as she continued, but made it down his legs, all the way to his feet, before she stood back up and handed him the loofa.

"You'll have to finish yourself up, but I figured you wouldn't mind," she said, turning her back to step out of the stall. He caught her around the waist and tugged her back against him, pressing his face into her shoulder.

"Thank you, Mia," he whispered against her skin. She sighed quietly as she turned over her shoulder to kiss his ear.

"You're welcome, Jesse. Now finish up, and we can go relax," she said. Jesse tightened his grip on her, fingers pressed into her thigh.

"What about you?" He mumbled. Mia smiled as she nuzzled his temple.

"I'll do myself while you're finishing up," she answered, carefully squirming out of his grip. He made a quiet sound of disapproval, but did as she had said, finishing up his washing before he stepped out of the shower. While he toweled off and combed through his hair and beard, she quickly showered. As he stepped out of the bathroom, a pleasant chill struck his skin, and he noticed the array of clean clothes she'd lain out on the bed.

"You kept my old clothes?" Jesse called back into the bathroom. There was a long silence, and then the quiver of her voice as she answered: "Yeah."

"Much obliged," he added, a little softer. He heard her sniffle, and he could hear the ache in her voice: "You're welcome."

Damn it. He hopped into a pair of boxers and grey sweats that she'd lain out, and pulled on a dark t-shirt before he hurried back to the bathroom.

"Hey—"

She startled as he entered, unable to hide the few tears that were still sliding down her cheeks. His expression softened, and he caught her face in his hands, pressing soft kisses against her mouth until she grew quiet.

His fingers trailed down the column of her throat as he touched his forehead against hers. "I'm here, now, Mia, and I ain't leavin' again."

She grew tense in his arms as she looked up at him, searching his gaze for something as hope and longing and apprehension passed over her features. "You promise?"

He nodded as he leaned in to kiss her mouth, once. "I promise."

She swallowed as she let her towel drop to the floor. He averted his gaze, keeping it locked to hers, even as his fingers tickled up along her ribs.

"Let's go watch some TV," he purred, kissing the juncture of her collar bones before he stepped back and left the bathroom again. He heard Mia's huffing laugh behind him, and smirked a little.

He stretched himself out across the couch and started flipping through the channels on her TV, waiting for her to come out from her room. When she appeared from the short hallway, he paused, and barely stopped himself from giving a whistle of approval. She'd come out wearing one of his old flannel button-downs that she'd kept, and invited herself to stretch out on top of him.

"Anything good on?" She asked sleepily, nuzzling into his chest. The smell of lilac was a little stronger now, and he smiled as he gave her a squeeze.

"You smell good," he mumbled. She laughed as she curled her fingers into his shirt, looking up at him.

"Hm, don't think I've seen that show before," she teased. He laughed as he kissed her forehead, then turned back to the TV, glancing at the guide on screen.

"Some movies. Some trash TV, reality shows, the usual. You want to watch the news?" He asked. She snorted, shaking her head as she nuzzled into his chest. He hummed, thumbing over the shape of her ear. She took the remote from him and looked at the buttons for a moment, then tapped in a few numbers. The screen flickered, and then they were watching a woman talk about the best way to season salmon fillets. They both let out a sigh as they settled into the sofa a little more comfortably, letting the droning buzz of the television provide some background noise as they cuddled.

As time slogged on, his fingers teased along her spine, slowly working the hem of her shirt further up her body. He found himself shocked when he finally hiked it up over the curve of her backside to find she wasn't wearing panties.

"You're bein' cheeky, I see," he commented. She didn't say anything, only wiggled her hips in response. The slight jiggle made him chuckle, and he cupped a cheek in his hand, giving her a squeeze. She hummed as she pressed her face into his chest.

"I missed you," she murmured, drawing in a deep breath. Jesse's chest bloomed with warmth as he nuzzled the top of her hair.

"Me too, sweet pea. You thought about what you want for supper?" He asked. She turned her face up to look at him, her expression sleepy and relaxed.

"Mm, not really. You?" She purred. Jesse cocked a brow.

"Is that a question, or a suggestion?"

"Yes," she replied with a cheeky smile. He chuckled as he gave her a gentle swat, more sound than force. She laughed as she folded her arms under her chin, across his chest.

"I am hungry, though. You have any preferences? There's pizza, Mexican, a barbecue place—"

"I saw a little corner shop on my way in, a few blocks west of here. Looked like they did shawarma and such. You eaten there before?" Jesse put in. Mia nodded.

"Yeah. The food's pretty good, and the owner and her wife are really sweet. They're carry-out, though, so I'll have to go pick it up," she replied. Jesse nodded, but looked a little annoyed.

"I didn't want you slavin' over a stove, so now I'm sendin' you out to buy me food," he muttered. Mia smiled as she leaned up and pressed a kiss against his brow.

"It's okay. It's not that far, so I don't mind. You have anything specific you want?"

"Nah. I trust you'll bring me somethin' good," he replied, thumbing over her lips. She smiled and nipped at the digit, then swung her leg back over him to stand up.

Without speaking, she disappeared back to her room, emerging a few minutes later wearing a pair of cropped shorts, but the same oversized flannel shirt. She stopped behind him and leaned down to press a soft kiss into the crown of his hair, then his forehead. He tipped his head back to look at her.

"Be good, cowboy," she said softly. Jesse's chest fluttered, and he smiled lazily.

"Always am."

She smiled as she leaned forward again to press a soft kiss against his mouth. "Be back soon."

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my work! If you liked my writing, please leave me a review to let me know! It makes my day every time, and helps motivate me to continue writing! ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭❤️