A/N: Okay first off, I really want to apologize for how long it took me to update this. I was horrified when I saw that my last update was in April, and I promptly wrote this chapter within two days after neglecting it for so long. I want to thank everyone who has still been keeping up with this, favouriting and following and leaving reviews. Really guys, I appreciate it a lot, you're the best. I am not sure if the next chapter is going to be the last one or if an epilogue is going to follow if I can't fit everything in it. But yeah, this story is actually nearing its end!
Also one guest reviewer had asked about how the people at the hotel never got suspicious of Soul when he always brought another lady to his room, and the answer is that the staff doesn't care because this story is set in a universe where prostitution is more of an acceptable thing (in fact when I started writing this story, I didn't even know that it was prohibited in most of the US). So he rents the room to service his clients.
And on with the new chapter!
Chapter Ten - Purple Mugs
Maka was possessed. That couldn't have been her to spout such bold words, could it? Yet there she was straddling this man after she had dragged him to her bed as he panted beneath her and touched her all over, each caress full of adoration. The smell of orchids permeated the thick air as she had changed her bedsheets in preparation beforehand. Yes, she had had every intention of seducing Soul, and now she was going to fulfill her promise.
His eyes shone with reverence, a deep dark shade of clouded ruby as she ground against him and her hands grazed his chest, a finger hooking against a button as she smiled down at him, a slow sultry curve of her lips, and he groaned. She bit her lip as she fumbled with the buttons to his shirt; he watched her for a few seconds before he took the initiative and undid the rest himself with quick nimble fingers, fingers she couldn't wait to have buried inside of her.
His palms traced a path of burning embers on the flushed skin of her thighs, his smile rakish and inviting as she leaned down to connect their mouths in a languid dance of lips and tongues and passion. She let out a moan as the pace of her hips became more frantic and the heat between her legs became unbearable. She needed friction, she needed his touch, his mouth on her breast, or perhaps buried between her legs, she needed him inside, to thrust into her rigorously as he clutched her for dear life.
His shirt fell away the moment he heaved himself up to sit and to drag her own shirt up her torso, baring her chest to his greedy eyes. His hot mouth was like a brand on her skin, her nipples hard at his touch. Maka could feel the curve of his smile against the swell of her breast, the devilish glint in his eyes as she arched her back and let his tongue have its way with her.
There was a part of her that couldn't believe what she was doing, how shamelessly she was seducing him, remembering her very first night of passion with Soul. She loved this; she enjoyed his body and what he could do to her own body. The way he could have her moan so loudly in the raptures of climax and how she embraced each and every way he could give it to her. Tonight she would show him how far they had come together.
She hissed his name as she mouthed his earlobe, dragging the skin between her teeth and taking immense satisfaction when his hips jerked right against her core. Smiling smugly, she kissed the shell of his ear, pressed another kiss against his temple before she ventured down to his cheekbone as their hips continued their feverish grinding in a weak attempt to diffuse the tension that had both of them riled up, limbs and fingers hot and twitchy, their skin scorching just with the thought of their naked flesh pressing against each other. Just as his tongue was circling her other nipple and she felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest, she pressed her palms flatly against his chest and gave a slight push.
Soul regarded her with a raised eyebrow, but she only offered a wicked smile. "Lie down, Soul." Her voice was a low hoarse timbre full of need, and without hesitation he followed her request as she raked her nails down his chest and her fingers caught in his belt loops. His ribs rattled with each breath he took, his eyes keen and curious as he observed her every move. Maka bit her lip, her thighs rubbing together; he had a beautiful body, strong and sturdy and broad with firm muscle, big and tall enough that he could easily envelop her, yet he was quiet and still beneath her smouldering, pointed gaze, waiting for her, ready to comply to her wishes. Her lips curved; he had always been the one to service her, to show her passion and sex she hadn't experienced before. It was time to allay this pressing surge of heat that bound them together in a frenzied tangle of need.
She undid his zipper quickly, the sound deafening, only accompanied by their hurried breathing and the frenetic wild rhythm of their heartbeats. Dragging his pants down, Maka didn't waste any precious seconds to do the same with his boxers, hazy green eyes taking in his erection as her core clenched, her skin blotted with redness. She inhaled deeply, her tongue thick and heavy in her mouth when she gave him a look that was aflame with desire. It had been far too long, and just for this moment she didn't want to think what this meant and what it would mean for the future, if there was a future with them together to speak of. He gulped and she found his throat the most enticing as she leaned in to kiss him hard, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth before she pressed her lips against the Adam's apple that provoked her so.
With one last shaky smile she hoped was at least a little alluring because this silly man had ways of dismantling her composure like nobody else, Maka turned around, her back to his face as she bent down to give the head of his shaft a tentative lick before she took him fully into her mouth with a hum that made him jerk. He whispered her name lovingly, and even though her cheeks were blazing because it was difficult not to feel self-conscious with her butt sticking up like that, the immense thrill of hearing his voice like that more than made up for it. She had not planned on sucking him off like this, but she had wanted to be brave, experimental, and maybe she was hoping that he'd do something with what she was offering him.
Maka breathed sharply through her nose as her head bobbed up and down, her hand steadying her against his thigh. She still remembered how he would be particularly vocal when she touched the underside of his dick, and the difference in angle did nothing to deter her from her mission. He grunted and she could imagine his squinted eyes, the way he bit his lip as sweat beaded on his forehead. When she felt the searing temperature of his palms molding her hips, she nearly jumped, a squeak escaping from between her lips. Her heart thudded furiously, threatening to burst with excitement and trepidation because she couldn't see him, but she could feel his chest stir, angling up from the bed as his hands massaged her sensitive skin. Deft fingers dragged down her tailbone over the fabric of her panties as her mouth and tongue slowed down, sluggish with the sensation of his touch.
She blinked, clearing the haze from her mind before she dove down again, kissing the side of his dick from tip to base before she gave him languid lick that made him freeze for a brief moment, his breath hitching in a sigh. Soul's fingers fisted in her panties, catching the fabric in one hand to drag it to one side, her folds ridiculously wet. He was probably smiling... or maybe drooling? Maka's mouth twitched.
His breath hit her oversensitized flesh in little bursts of heat as he waited, teasing and taunting her, dangling the one thing she wanted over her head. Brows furrowing, she released him from her mouth with a mewl and only let the tips of her fingers graze him, but kept her body in the same position. Two could play at his game. Oh, but he was easy to persuade; she smiled into her arm as his touch elicited a groan from her. He fondled her butt, his mouth like a brand on her skin; he nipped just below the curve of her ass, his tongue sliding close to her folds, and for a moment she believed he would just continue his sweet torture, but then he gave her slit a cursory lick. Sparks danced on her nerve-endings as her mouth parted and she moaned his name thickly. Oh, how she had missed this; his mouth, his tongue and his fingers. Could he please use them, too?
She could feel his lips curve into a smirk against her folds before he chuckled, his rich dark voice so close to her making her curl her toes and bite her lip. He gripped her hips again and she nearly cursed because this was so not the time to tease her, especially not after she had asked him so nicely! However, her words got stuck in her throat, coming out as garbled noise with a question mark when he hoisted her hips further up, giving him better access to her core, before his mouth was against her again and he finally sunk two fingers into her wet heat. Maka let out a contented sigh, her nails digging into his thigh as he added a third finger, his pace precise and unrelenting as his mouth and digits worked in unison.
The fog in her head thickened, her spine curving as her arms quivered and her voice became high-pitched and needy, yearning for release. Her body was high strung, her muscles taught with pent up sweltering tension that made her quite forget that there was his dick, hard and thick, begging for her attention. She moistened her lips, her breathing sharp and quick when she took him in her hand, lazily pumping him. How she'd love to just let him keep going and enjoy his attention, but it wasn't very polite to leave him hanging like this, regardless of how gratifying the flicks of his tongue were.
She didn't bother easing into it, but took him swiftly into her mouth without preamble, careful with her teeth. Even though she paid special attention to all spots that made him cry out and flinch, nearly stopping his assault on her folds, he lasted much longer than the last time she had given him head; her lips were numb, her tongue sore when his cock pulsed in her mouth and he found his release with a groan, clutching her thigh with one hand. An intense feeling of delight fluttered in her belly as the muscles of his leg spasmed beneath her hand and she could hear him breathing harshly in and out. But that was short-lived as any coherent emotions of pride or satisfaction were derailed by his renewed attention between her legs, his fingers stroking her relentlessly, curving them inside of her to draw out desperate keens of his name and wordless appreciative shouts. Maka's eyes screwed shut, shuddering with each caress of his skilled tongue against her clit, and when the rumbling timbre of his voice stirred her flesh as well, her back arched and her voice was torn from her lungs, his name a sensual chant on the tip of her tongue. Her thighs were quivering when he pulled her back by the hips, turning her around to face him. His eyes were vibrant with wonderment as he whispered against her lips that this had been the hottest thing he'd ever seen and heard.
She smiled weakly, but accepted his kiss with as much vigor as he put into it, his hands unabashedly digging into her butt to pull her flush against his firm chest. There had always been something arousing about having her soft breasts pressed against him like this, about the contrast of his tan skin with the lighter shade of her own, about his broadness and her slender frame fitting so well together. Soul coaxed her tongue out of her mouth to join his, tilting her head back a little with his hand cradling her jaw and raising goosebumps on her arms with his other hand stroking down the skin there.
He pulled back with a gentle moan, his eyes alight with tenderness as he nuzzled her nose, grinning happily. Maka's heart lurched in her chest and despite everything he'd already done with her, breathing became an impossible task, her lungs stuffed, being at the receiving end of such blatant unveiled adoration. She clamped her mouth shut, lest she say something incredibly stupid and emotional that neither of them needed right now to ruin the moment. Instead she brought her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent, the faint lingering traces of his spicy cologne, relishing in the shape of his muscles as he ran his hand up and down the slope of her spine.
Her heart was going to burst, filled to the brim with such admiration, fondness, and contentment, unable to contain so much in her small body. It was scary how much he made her feel, how much he was never supposed to make her feel, but if she could fantasize just for a few seconds then she would do so, because this felt eerily close to perfection. Reluctantly, she pulled away the slightest bit, not enough to put any space between their bodies, and caught his warm affectionate gaze. Something flared in her stomach at how natural it had become to kiss him, how their mouths molded together.
Their touches were languid and lazy, memorizing each curve and imperfection, kissing just to kiss, to feel the texture of his lips, the curve of his mouth as their hearts slowed down to match their unhurried gentle caresses. It was only when she felt him hard against her thigh again as he sneakily tried to scoot away to hide it, the silly man, that the weariness from her orgasm left her body. His face was sheepish, his smile kind of mischievous in spite of that, and Maka grinned, the flare of exhilaration slowly but surely igniting within her again. There was a clumsy tangle of limbs when they couldn't decide on the position, making them laugh like the idiots they were, but he easily obeyed when he lay down again and she straddled his hips. Maybe she should turn around again to try something new, but that would mean not being able to look upon his face when he watched her, to see him come undone with his orgasm, see him squint through his pleasure, panting and grunting because of her.
"I have a condom in my pocket," he said, looking stricken at the prospect of having to move or having her move away even for the slightest moment.
"We-" Maka licked her lips and cleared her throat before she continued, petting his shoulder, "We don't need it. I'm on the pill and if you're...you know-" she wiggled a little, holding his intense stare meekly. The thought of having him buried inside of her without a condom shouldn't excite her so much, but there she was. She trusted him to be honest with her. He gulped, his mouth slightly parted, the tips of his teeth peeking out when he nodded his head, a nerve in his neck jumping. His voice was a raspy whisper as he told that it would be okay, that he was clean, and that he couldn't wait to feel her again because it had been too long.
Coyly, she dug her teeth in her bottom lip, sliding her hands up his chest to steady herself above him while his hand held her hip and his other hand nudged his shaft against her slit. They worked him inside of her together, and when she had engulfed him in her hot velvety heat, they shared a long-drawn sigh. Their eyes never strayed from one another, and when he went to grab her hips firmly to help her move, she playfully swatted them away.
"Let me do this," she whispered, and he understood, watching her expectantly. "But you can touch me here-" she took a hold of his wrists and guided his palms against her breasts, a giddy excited smile stretching on her face, which he mirrored.
Maka moved her hips slowly, grinding and rocking against him before she put more of her weight upon her knees and moved up, his dick sliding almost out of her before she ground down again with a mewl. It took her longer without his help to find her own rhythm, at first just rolling her hips because it was easier, but she was Maka Albarn and she rarely took the easy way out of things. She broke into a sweat as she moved up and down, his voice a rough timbre that spurred her on as his hands palmed her breasts and tweaked her nipples, making her pant harder and her hips jerk. Even if she had been in this position after they had found their way to his apartment in a delirious scramble for each other's skin after Tsubaki's wedding reception, he had still been the one to guide her movements, to steady her and to whisper encouragements against her ear. This time she would do this on her own, watch him unravel as he encouraged her with his moans, with his searing smouldering gaze, his eyes narrow slivers of red.
He pulled at her nipples and stroked down her chest, over her ribs, the taut skin of her stomach and her waist, but never did he touch her hips or try to break her pace. Bracing herself more steadily against his chest, she moved faster, her rhythm more urgent, their voices a cacophony of moans and grunts. Soul's eyes were glazed over and piercing at once as liquid heat pooled in the pit of her stomach, coiling tightly, making her insides flare, her voice raw and hoarse, her arms trembling. She came when his hips thrust up, hitting something within her that made her bend over, the tips of her hair tickling his chest as she mewled and the blaze within her spread over chest, her ler limbs, reaching the points of her toes, her nerve-endings on fire. His dick pulsed, filling her with searing heat as his fingers curled against her sides, groaning her name gruffly.
Maka's chest was heaving, her breaths short and hectic, her muscles lax, her bones molten when she lifted her hips a little and he slid out of her, making them both shudder. Soul's smile was warm and loving as he brushed the hair out of her face that got stuck to her sweaty skin. She lay down against his chest, his heart a sensuous steady drum against her ear as their legs tangled together, their bodies enveloped with their mutual affection. His hand stroked her lower back, drawing calming patterns there, while he ran his other hand through her damp hair, Maka's eyelids drifting shut, weariness taking over.
What would it be like to be able to do this with him without any other complications? To revel in his company, his comforting presence, his silky voice. To wake up next to him every day, to be greeted by his sultry bedroom gaze, woken up by a kiss, and to enjoy breakfast together. She smiled against his chest. Lying in his arms like this, with his lips pressing against her forehead, with his voice throaty from his orgasm asking her teasingly if she was tired already, was pure contentment, and maybe this was what love felt like.
There was a sense of deja vu waking up next to him again. Unlike last time though, they were both naked, their limbs interlaced, his hand very low on her back, her head just below his chin. Maka grinned, feeling euphoric and happy and everything at once. She kissed the tip of his nose before she unwrapped herself from his arms, and stretched with a pleased sigh, watching his relaxed features as he snored softly. Her smile faltered a little.
She had successfully seduced him, and the sex had been amazing, but what now? What did this make them now? She was still delaying the talk they needed to have, but she'd hate to ruin this… this peace right now. Her heart gave an involuntary squeeze. Too lazy to get dressed, she took his shirt from the floor and put it on, the fabric long enough to cover all the essentials. She padded to the kitchen, the giddiness from before thoroughly decreased as she thought about what to make for breakfast. Pancakes sounded good.
Maka filled the kettle with water and let it boil as she took out two purple mugs with ridiculous cat faces plastered over them. They had been presents from her Papa, given to her before she had moved out. They looked silly, but they had made her smile whenever she had felt lonely the first few months of living alone. What would Spirit Albarn think of her choices now? Not that she had cared much what her father was thinking, but Maka could perfectly imagine him frothing from the mouth if he ever found out that his daughter was canoodling with a… prostitute. She smiled bitterly. Like father like daughter.
It was her fault for not addressing the issue with Soul, but he hadn't done anything about it either. She heaved a sigh. They both had to work on their communication skills. The noise of the kettle brought her back from her thoughts and she fixed herself some peppermint tea, taking a small sip in an attempt not to burn her tongue.
Maka heard him before he stepped into the kitchen. Smugly she took another sip, keeping her back to the door when his strong arms wrapped around her waist and he drowsily placed his chin atop her head.
"Good Morning," she said, feeling her heart speed up at his proximity and the fact that he was very very naked.
"Mornin'," he said, his fingers smoothing down the shirt she was wearing. "Why are you dressed?" he asked petulantly as she turned around to face him, an eyebrow raised.
"Dressed?" She looked herself up and down, fixing him with questioning eyes. "I'm only wearing your shirt."
His lips twitched into that lazy smirk of his as he brushed a few bangs from his forehead, raking his long fingers through his hair. "And you look great in it, but you're still wearing too much. What for?"
Bashfully, she turned around again, keeping her mug clutched in her hands. "I don't really traipse around my apartment naked. It's weird." She threw a mock glare over her shoulder, his smirk still in place. Maka trembled when he placed his hands on her stomach, pulling her against him, his mouth hot against the shell of her ear, thick excitement pulsing through her veins.
"So modest," he whispered, nibbling on her ear, drawing a sigh out of her. "You weren't modest at all last night."
She licked her lips, pressed the mug against her collarbone. "No."
He rubbed her thighs, the shirt sliding against her warm skin. Her teeth dug into her lip when he trailed fluttery kisses down the column of her neck, making her breathe harder as she tilted her head a little to give him better access, and his sneaky hand moved up to slip inside the shirt, palming her breast.
"Mmh, I was about to make breakfast," she said breathily, but breakfast was the last thing on her mind.
"Screw that."
"Oh?" She managed a wobbly smile. "Don't you want to eat something?" His hands stilled against her flushed skin, and Maka's brain was too mushy to fully comprehend what she had just uttered.
"Oh yeah, better get to that right now." The mug was taken from her hands, still half-full as he hoisted her over his shoulder. She let out a squeak that morphed into shrill laughter when he patted her on the butt and skipped out of the kitchen to the living room, placing her carefully on the couch. The buttons of the shirt were undone to the middle, her tits full on display. When had he managed to do that without her noticing?
His grin was ridiculous, silly and eager as he moved above her, claiming her lips in a heated kiss, tongues and mouth tangling messily, their hands impatient in their advance. He molded her breasts to his liking, marvelling at their shape, at their softness, before he took one into his mouth and lapped against a pert nipple. He had seen her naked so often, yet the way he looked at her, as if her body was something like a cherished world wonder-
Maka hissed when he bit the curve of her breast, his tongue sliding over the spot immediately. He mouthed her clavicle, kissed the dip between her collarbones before he pressed open-mouthed kisses between her breasts, going lower and lower before her legs were lifted up over his shoulders and he dove right between her thighs with a greedy smile. Her hands fisted in his hair as she threw her head back.
They never got to eat breakfast
By the time they managed to untangle themselves from each other, lunch time had already rolled around and instead of preparing anything, they just ordered Chinese takeout. They were lounging on the couch, still naked, something that made her feel, despite everything else, self-conscious as she was slurping on her food. They had decided to watch reruns of a sitcom with a generic cast in the big city, wrestling with romance and work and friendships, and laughed at the appropriate parts which didn't always coincide with the silly canned laughter.
When they were finished with their food, she snuggled into his chest as he cocooned them in a blanket, their eyes listlessly trained on the TV. Soul was playing with her hair again, combing his fingers through the ashen blond strands or just lightly running his hand over her head. During the commercial break she fixed them both a cup of coffee, pouring the scalding liquid into the purple kitten mugs from her papa. He looked at her incredulously and pointed at the fat chubby cat on the purple background, but she simply shrugged coyly.
"Don't you like cats, Soul?"
"I'm okay with them, but these look like they've been stuck way too long in the uncanny valley."
She snorted and seated herself next to him crosslegged, careful not to drop any of the liquid onto her bare self. "Don't talk bad about them, my Papa got me these."
"The one that cheated-"
"Yeah, that would be him." She sighed, forlornly staring at the television. "They have a lot of sentimental value, even if my Papa wasn't always the best."
"I see." He slurped loudly when he took a big gulp. For a few moments, the only noise came from the TV; the main love interests were having a major dispute about something she didn't quite catch. "When I was a kid, my dad got me this piano with rainbow keys."
"Rainbow keys? You mean like the toy pianos?"
"Nope," he smirked. "He had a real piano for me custom made when I was really small because he thought why not? He spoiled me rotten. Heh, my mom was horrified, said how did he expect me to excel at the piano if it's treated like child's play. Guess she was kinda right there, I wasn't particularly good at it."
"You know, I still don't believe that." Maka frowned, the coffee in her hand growing cold. "But your parents… they sound like nice people?"
He rubbed the back of his head and placed the mug on the coffee table in front of them. "Yeah, they are good people. Even if we clashed a lot, they always wanted the best for me." Not knowing what to say, Maka remained silent, the uneasy tension between them stretching for longer than she would have liked. She was all too aware of family issues, but hers were a different kind.
"I think you should call them if you haven't already," she mumbled after a while, unable to meet his gaze. "They're probably worried about you."
He made a hum in response. It was only when the next commercial break started that he said in a quiet voice, "Maybe I'll do that."
An hour later when her mug had been completely drained and his was sitting half-empty on the table, they were back to cuddling on the couch. She was kind of bothered by the messiness in front of her, the mugs plus the empty containers of their takeout lunch, but she was too comfortable to move right now. Minutes ticked by and when the sitcom ended and another one started, Soul stirred beneath her, letting out a puff of breath through his nose.
"Hey, are you free the next week?" he asked, and despite his sluggish movements, his voice was clear from any drowsiness.
Maka raised her head a little to look him in the eyes. "I'm going back to work on Monday, sorry," she murmured dejectedly. "I have a lot of catching up to do, but I'm free on Saturday again!"
"Ah, I just wanted to take you out somewhere." He glanced away, his eyes anxious, as her fingers curled against his chest and she smiled brightly. Yet there was still the nagging voice deeply buried under a thick layer of reluctance that warned her, told her to talk about the matter of his job before they went out on actual dates and complicated the issue even more. She'd most likely spare herself a lot of drama if she just addressed it here and now.
"I'd love to," she murmured and bit her lip, thunking her forehead against his chest. She was an idiot, and not usually someone who lived in the moment. Even if she was prone to impulsive behaviour, this was went way beyond that.
"Awesome!"
But he sounded so happy, so excited! And a part of her, a part that was not so small, feared that this wasn't a thing that was supposed to last anyway. Wouldn't he… wouldn't he have already told her that he wanted an exclusive relationship? But he made no attempts whatsoever to sort it out. Maybe she wasn't important enough, but no, no, no. She discreetly shook her head to clear her thoughts. The way he had looked at her last night and the days before was not how you looked at someone who wasn't important. She had witnessed him putting on an act, the suave mask of a sophisticated, smooth talker.
Soul was anything but smooth and suave when he was around her. He was awkward and a total dork, sardonic and lazy and even shy. Never shy during sex, but the self-confidence he displayed when she had been his client was not something she got to see to the same degree now.
She swallowed her doubt down, her mouth opening with the beginnings of a question, but his hands were becoming adventurous again, teasingly trailing down to her butt. Maka squirmed with a huff. How easy it would be to let him have his way with her right now and avoid all potentially awkward conversations. But this needed to be done, damn it. She sat up quickly, her brows furrowed, and it was enough for him to stop his hands' wandering.
"Soul, there is something we need to talk about first," she began, her voice steady and resolute as Soul sat up as well, the seriousness of the situation dawning on him as well. Inhaling deeply and willing herself to remain calm, Maka continued, "Y-your job." It was then that all the words that she had been holding back came bursting forth, the dam breaking and flooding her lungs. "I don't think I can do it otherwise. No, I know I can't do it otherwise, being with you, I mean. No matter, how much I try to keep an open mind, this is simply not something I can… I can deal with. Maybe this is a lot to ask of you, but I want my partner in a relationship to only share my bed and vice versa. I just… I care about you alot, and I'm sorry if I come with this now of all times, but if we don't talk about it now-"
"Hey, hey, hey." His voice was soft as his hands went up to her face, his palms warm against her cheeks. He made her look into his eyes, an intense shade of red that gleamed like burning embers as his fingers stroked her cheekbone. "I… I don't want to share my bed with anyone else but you, Maka." Her heart jumped into her throat as he pressed his lips into a thin like, his jaw taut. "I'm not… I'm going to quit… actually, you can say I already quit. " His eyes flashed. "I want to be with you." And only you seemed like a faint whisper that echoed within their minds.
Maka's chest fluttered as she tried to locate where her heart had gone; maybe it had bounced out of her body completely by this point. There was a heavy knot in her throat and her tongue felt like lead in her mouth, and her smile stretched wide, toothy and just so happy. Soul was grinning from ear to ear, and even though they probably needed to have a longer conversation, this was enough for now. Their arms wound around necks and shoulders, and their bodies pressed together in a fierce hug.