She had forgotten Otis seemed to have an unlimited supply of those fucking trucker hats.

He wore them all day every day. She understood why when he was out in the sun working with Rufus or driving, but she knew he was hiding from her under them, and she hated it.

He was on top of her, kissing her neck. That goddamn hat kept brushing against her face.

He pulled away from her. "Did I do something wrong?"

She grabbed the hat off of his head and threw it in a corner, glaring up at him. "Stop fucking hiding from me, Otis."

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "You fucking hate my hair short. So I wear the hat. What the fuck?"

"Babe...Listen." She shoved him off of her and sat up, looking him in the eyes. "It's not that I hate it. I kind of do...But that's only because I loved your long hair so much. Like...So much..." She fluffed the front of his hair. Baby had left the top longer so it swayed to the side. "Honestly, I think it is kind of cute. I kind of like it. But I can't wait for it to grow out. I just...I hate that you're trying to hide from me. I hate that you're trying to hide how much you're hurting from me. Like this...You could have talked it out with me instead of chopping all your hair off."

He raised an eyebrow. "Could've buzzed it. Used to do that."

"I would have fucking killed you. My point is...I...I don't see you as weak-"

"Adi, we just fucking had this conversation."

"I know...I know. I just...Don't want you to hide from me because you think it'll make everything okay and snap your fingers and the world will be normal again."

He sighed. "I just...Okay, okay. Whatever."

"No, come on. Talk to me."

"If anything, if anything, I just wanted to be able to enjoy sex with you. I couldn't let them take that from me. And I just wanted to enjoy it without worrying if you were going to do something that would scare me. Okay? You...When you get lost, you do things that you don't even think about. And don't get me wrong, I love that. But I just...There's certain things you can't do to me right now...And that was one of them."

"Ok...Ok..."

"I love you..."

"I love you too, baby." She smiled. "Thank you for being honest with me instead of trying to hide it." Her smile faded, and she looked anxious. "Hey, babe? Do me a favor?"

"Hm?"

"Maybe...cool it on the sideburns until your hair gets long again...? That would just look...so, so strange."

He snorted. "Yeah, I think I can do that."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"Bet you were glad to see them go." He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

She looked away from him sheepishly. "No..." She giggled, kissing him lightly. "No, honestly, I wasn't. They're a part of what makes you and what makes you unique. I love whatever you look like, baby. I know you don't like how you look right now, if you ever do, but god, you're so fucking handsome...and you're so fucking sexy." She bit her lip. "In fact, you look damn well good enough to eat sittin' there, Otis." She leaned into him, forcing him back on the bed.

"Uhhhh..."

"Shhh...Relax. It's just me, baby." She pushed his shirt up, caressing his abdomen and chest.

He looked up at her nervously.

"Come on. You love this. Just relax. Let go, okay? It's just me." She kissed him, letting her body fall against his. She let her hands trail his body, stroking down his arms and sides, his face. She felt him relax slightly under her. "There you go, baby. Just relax...God knows you deserve some loving..." She sat back up, pulling his shirt over his head and trying to hold back a gasp at the bruises that still littered his skin. She kissed his torso, starting around his ribcage, and heard him sigh in pleasure. She knew he loved it when she kissed him everywhere, just loving on him and being so tender with him. It was something only she knew- how much he loved affection rather than just sex. He loved being loved.

She worked her way up his chest, smiling against his skin as he groaned in pleasure. She settled in the crook of his neck.

"Hey, don't give me any fucking hickeys, I can't h...hide...haaaahhh..." He closed his eyes, wrapping his arm around her waist. She knew what he was trying to say before she had hit just the right spot on his neck: He couldn't hide the hickeys anymore because his hair was short.

She loved listening to the sounds she could get out of him. The sighs and moans, the pleasured little whimpers. She took great pleasure in knowing only she could get those sounds out of him.

She worked back down his chest, leaving sweet kisses down his torso. She felt him snake his fingers in her hair, then abruptly stop and fist the sheet beneath them.

"No, no, baby...That's okay, you can do that." She looked up at his face. He nodded and returned his hand, raking his fingers through her long locks.

He didn't know how he could possibly have feared the way he would react when she was on top. Her love was so, so different from the abuse he had withstood. It was the polar opposite: she was so sweet and tender with him, and payed so much attention to what he liked. She may have had control over him, but it wasn't aggressive at all. He could practically reach out and touch the love and affection pouring out of her as she kissed him all over, paying special attention to spots she knew would get a reaction out of him.

"I love you..." He opened his eyes, and saw her leaning down to kiss him on the lips.

"I love you too, baby..." she smiled softly down at him, claiming his lips as hers.

She made love to him slowly, sweetly. She loved to watch him as she did, throwing his head back and moaning, ghosting his hands all over her back. She didn't try to tease him this time, she just wanted to love him.

When they had finished, she still sat on top of him, kissing his shoulder lightly.

"Thank you..." He looked up at her, maroon eyes somber.

"Hm?" She cocked her head.

"Thank you...For making me feel normal again...For loving me..."

"Baby..." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I love you so, so much you silly man. My silly, wonderful man..." She kissed him, one hand on either side of his face.