- Chapter Seventy-Six -
They Said, "Can You Feel It?"
[Warning: explicit content]
On some level, Nadine knew that Chloe was never going to honor her request. And truthfully, with the way that the older woman had been eyeing her, the mercenary really hadn't wanted her to.
Kisses crafted of live wires dangling below a deep jewel-toned pond, each risky spark packed the punch that Nadine so craved in a partner. And that was when the other woman was being delicate, taking her time to show her appreciation for her younger counterpart. But when the long-time pickpocket had something on her mind, or was particularly irritated for some flighty reason or other, things could only be described as 'next level'.
Chloe was a force to be reckoned with, and she knew precisely what she was doing - not that it bothered Nadine any.
What did get under her skin sometimes was the way that Chloe would take out her annoyances, hiding them away to be dealt with long after the fact, usually when Nadine thought everything was fine.
Swarmed almost instantly by a sweet barrage of lethal lip-locks that went above and beyond the stated parameters, the permascowling former boss began with her hands on the inward curve of the hourglass, slowly working them higher. Pawing over the top of the sleek, spongy material made specifically for aquatic purposes, the skin peeking below was like silk; a luxury import, every last inch was smooth to the touch. Not entirely sure at what point in the proceedings it happened, the woman felt her own one piece getting fumbled at, her more toned physique subject to membrane examination.
Edge of the bed looming just behind them, perhaps the biggest mystery of all was how they had come that far without seeming to move at all. Either way, the thief's tongue was nothing short of keen as it burrowed its way through admittedly shoddy defenses. Nadine may not have realized it right out of the gate, but her body certainly knew where it wanted the action to go.
"Remind you of anything?" Nipping spiritedly at those lush lips that she so loved tasting, the thief pulled her lover in for a deep, oxygen-depriving smooch. Teasing her junior by breaking it off prematurely - a thin trail of spit lingering between the two in the light - the photographer traced the outline of that modest swimsuit. And then her finger sorta kinda... slipped, and she was touching the flesh below.
"Interesting you should mention that..."
Hot as the day was proving to be, it had nothing on their time in Sydney. Mere memory igniting something in the younger of the two, the ex-mercenary play-fought back, wrestling for dominance as her partner eased her back on the bed. All but forgetting that they had company, Ross gnawed eagerly at Frazer, earning a reproachful look.
Thighs clamped around her waist so that she was pinned down for the count, the silver-streaked woman pulled back abruptly, sitting up straight to gesture off-handedly to the young thing curled up at the foot of their bed. "I thought you said you wanted to play it safe? You know," given everything Chloe had heard on the subject, this clearly was not a sentence that she had expected to ever utter, "for Adler?"
Maybe it hadn't been quite what she was getting at, however Nadine shifted uncomfortably in her skin, breaking eye contact as she turned her head away to stare at the generic geometric print on the wall. Condolences had been sent to the grieving widow and her young daughter out of respect, yet now that she had seen the young woman grown up and gathered the kind of impact the death had had in her life, the ex-merc couldn't deny a certain sense of responsibility. Her part in Rafe's death was wholly justified, and yet she was ultimately just as guilty as the Drakes.
Light as her understanding in the matter of the relationship with Rafe Adler was, Chloe picked up that there had been something there. Intimacy in the form of sex was not entirely a set-in-stone rule, but in her own experience it was rare to find an exception; of all the jobs she'd undertaken in her day, Chloe could count only so many that hadn't involved someone she had slept with at one point or other, although that seemed more the drawback of being part of such a small niche in the world.
In short, who hadn't fucked a complete asshole at one time or another? Call it temporary insanity or prolonged proximity, a girl needing an edge or proving a point, there were a whole rainbow of excuses as to why the clothes came off. Sometimes it was just a long day, the right time, and a bottle of aged whiskey.
Hardly anything to bat an eye at. But with someone like Nadine... Well, it seemed to Chloe that with the mercenary being in a certain sort of environment with a new father, his bitter ex, and Sam, things would definitely get 'hinky', as Victor would put it. Fine, ancient history.
Except, with the heiress running about, it really wasn't. Not totally blaming the harmless little nit, it was one thing to watch on as the brothers handled their share of the consequences, but with emotions boiling over in this scorcher, how could it not cross Chloe's mind that there had been more? Dead for fifteen years now (give or take), Adler senior was no threat, yet she knew what it was like to feel a pang out of nowhere for a love that had run on 'what if'.
The foreign part was feeling the nasty home-wreaking stab that flared at Nadine's reaction to the question. Going on with the narrative of being sore about this being the second time that day that Nadine had made a call without asking for her input first, Chloe lost sight of her original plan. Tone gaining a snippy edge, the ravenette snapped somewhat unfairly, "You know, I could have lived with just being volunteered for clean-up. But you just had to keep going."
Lost for only a moment, the fighter willingly pinned to the bottom looked back up at the scorching saboteur, more than stung to feel the other woman shying away. She understood how Chloe might misread any part of this situation as some misguided, unresolved sentiment for Rafe, however that couldn't have been any further from the truth. Armed with the knowledge she presently had, Nadine would do the same all over again: that smarmy prick got exactly what he deserved aboard that pirate ship, and no external factors were going to change her mind.
"What are you on about?" Sensing that this wasn't going to end well, Ross broke into her signature frown.
"Don't act like you don't bloody know." Reason not what she needed or wanted in that instant, the onyx-eyed beauty thought better of their current arrangement, climbing off the younger female. Nadine looked truly wounded, however Chloe was too annoyed to take much else into consideration.
Just as I feared, sagging only a little for the islanders, within the buzzing hotel room the sun had set for the honeyed hazel gems. As if the woman needed visual confirmation that that was indeed a darkened time. Unable to act and left frozen to the bed, the mercenary watched as Chloe packed up in a huff. "Chloe-"
[Someone Has A Big Head]
Tuckered out from a long day at the beach with family and friends, Cassie hadn't fought all that hard against the suggestion that her crew reel it in for movie night. Usually, trying to reign that wily lot in was like pulling teeth, but after an eventful lunch, memorable snorkeling adventures, and another hour and a half or so to just drink in the sun, the kids were more than amenable.
The adults too.
Sullivan and Charlie made short work of catching up over a game of backgammon; Mary-Elizabeth relented to investing more in feigning interest of the outcome than smothering Joseph in front of his peers. Lisa relaxed some as well, knowing that the kids couldn't get into too many hi-jinks watching a movie; pity that her idea of unwinding was to hover silently from the peripheral fringes and drink. Kissing the sides of her boys' heads in earnest, Kimmy had driven back home for the night, whereas June took her brother back to his place for work the following morning.
Kids doing as kids do, the only one remotely close to being still was Noah, who was already half-asleep and looking like the first victim. Plotting what they would do to the fallen, Stella Rose and Cassie were side-by-side, minds almost loud enough to hear over the musical number on screen. Weary of the girls and making a pact to stay up longer than the devious duo, Joey was conversing quietly with Dylan in the back. Each engrossed in the community-elected flick, Jenn was lounging across Georgie's lap as Kielo braided her long hair, dreaming of an alternate route that the movie might have taken.
Content in the corner with a book of Polish prose, Ali occasionally hummed to himself as he turned the page, eyes leaving the written word to glance at his little brother. Or to observe the film. Once or twice his gaze landed on where the other young adult was seated, his arms folded across his chest, a surly scowl in place. Returned with Charlie to assist with the yard work and practically dead in the corner with blisters galore, Rafael looked as if he had sincerely regretted his decision to join the eldest Cutter.
As for Nathan and Elena, it turned out that the reformed criminal had planned a special surprise for his wife. Double-checking with his old mentor and trusted partner in crime that the kids would be supervised by more than the two most overbearing mothers on the entire rock, Nate gave the old man the thumbs-up. Returning the gesture with a meaningful coded nod, Victor confirmed that it was clear.
Stealing his spouse away with a purpose, Nathan tapped the reporter on the back of the shoulder while she was cutting subs from the shop up the way. Everyone voted, and everyone had been given six inches of their own choice (with Lisa being the only one to order anything even remotely healthy from the grease-trap). Finishing with the final BLT - which was in fact their own - the woman set the knife down and eyed her husband curiously.
Playfully suspicious of what he might be planning, she motioned for Charlie to come over and take care of delivery. Setting aside the crispy bacon delight for whenever, the blonde thanked their friend for pitching in. "Thanks Charlie."
Not too busted up over getting called away from a losing battle, the bald bruiser grunted, "Eh, someone's gotta keep the little monsters fed. Otherwise, who knows what they'd try to sink their teeth into?"
Privately agreeing more seriously than she should have, Elena took a bite of her own dinner before replying, "Still, it's appreciated. Now if you'll excuse me, I think someone's trying to flag me down." Chuckling as Charlie took off with two dinner plates balanced perfectly on his bulky build, her sage gaze fell on the spot her husband was standing, thinking he was being subtle as he tried to get her attention.
"Yes?" Humoring Nate, she had a pretty good idea of what it was he wanted.
"Think I can steal you away while everyone's busy?" Puppy-dog eyes more effective on the woman than Vicky ever had been, the diver of the deep knew it was overkill when her inquisitive nature would do the trick, yet it was better to play his cards now. It wasn't exactly a time-sensitive thing, but the faster they got moving the better.
Acquiesce not quite the word for it when there was no reluctance to be had, she allowed Nathan to led her from the bustling house. Nightlife active and painting the scene the moment they were out of the front door, the crescent moon a crooked Cheshire's smirk to encourage, the would-be magician brought his partner down the porch and across the sand. Burning bright and grinning that certain grin just because he was holding her hand, Elena was reminded of the moment he had first proposed to her. What a cute, doe-eyed goofball! In that moment as well as this one, there was no doubt anywhere in her mind about whether or not he truly loved her.
Pouring more time and effort into figuring out the logistics of this moment than he'd spent worrying about the surprise itself, he took the single-most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his entire life by the hand. Just as into the blonde now as he was before when they were pressed together under heavy fire or going on their first real date, he couldn't keep the smile off his face. Aware of what a dork she probably thought he was, there was no getting rid of the goofy, cheesy grin that told her exactly what it was he was thinking.
"Care to tell me what this is about-?"
The only thing that had been uttered on the way, as Nathan brought them to their destination he lightly shushed her. It was a surprise, that was all she needed to know.
Residence packed to a point beyond stuffed, doing this in the house was a terrible idea when there were so many ways it could go wrong, and the car just didn't seem all that romantic. Granted the office would have been a sufficient location to possibly get away with it, however she deserved better than just 'fine enough to get by'. No sir, if they wanted any kind of unquestioned privacy, the only real option (short of driving out to the middle of nowhere) was to take Elena out on the boat.
"Hang on to that for a moment." Finger lingering over her lips, he hopped over the side and into the anchored ship.
Wonder and the prospect of the undiscovered lighting her summer stare, Elena followed her spouse blindly, landing on the marine vehicle just as a gentle wave sent it rocking against the side of the dock. Catching the woman before she could stumble, he beamed, causing her heart to feel like it was about to catch fire.
"Hey there." Not letting her go just yet, he felt his palms begin to sweat, as if this was the first time they had gotten this close to one another.
Flutter sounding more like the hammering of an anvil in her ears, she questioned if he could hear it too, the crazy way that he made her pulse thunder, her stomach full of butterflies and nerves. Moonlight only making it worse as it highlighted the chiseled cut of his chin, she stroked his jaw salaciously, "Hi."
Two full seconds sliding by as they clung on to one another, Nathan eventually remembered why he had wanted to bring Elena out there in the first place. Grasping her hand in his own, he gently tugged his wife along, leading her to the cabin. Waiting for her arrival, Nate had left a chocolate cupcake with a single unlit candle and sprinkles sitting in a box on the mounted table. Using the tapered candlestick lighter he had had the foresight to leave there for just this occasion, he proudly presented the celebratory confection to his spouse.
"Happy birthday, hon." It may have been Cassie's birthday, however the ex-adventurer never forgot how they got here to this place, that it was Elena that was the real champion.
At the same time they had their plates full with staking D&F Fortunes place in the competitive market, she had single-handedly carried their daughter every second of every day for nine stressful months. Credit checks, tax forms, new ownership papers, title of business transfers, squaring up permits, setting up their office, looking into hiring a small crew (most of whom were individuals known to the couple), and near-constant bank visits were only the beginning. By the end of that first year, the paper cuts on their hands had paper cuts; trying as the struggle had been, it had nothing compared to the excruciating hours Elena had been in labor.
Nate had done everything he possibly could have to be there for his wife and child, pulling triple shifts at the desk and answering every late-night craving - nay, every fluctuating hormonal whim - but in the end it only felt like so much. Like he had just walked in at the end to claim the glory off her shoulders.
No part of that felt right to him, because he'd found the family that he had always secretly dreamed of. Unconditional and worth all the sweat and tears, this was the idea of the family that he had been too scared to bring up in front of the jaded older brother that scoffed at the very notion. The kind of family that seemed impossible when he was just a thief. A handsome, successful thief, but a thief nonetheless.
"You feeling alright there, Cowboy?" First instinct to press the back of her hand to his forehead, the candle smoke was filling up the confined space faster than accounted for, so she hastily blew out the recycled stub and set the treat out of the way. Sweet as the gesture was, she had wanted to pay the moment its due, however Elena couldn't help but think of the boink the brunette had gotten walking back into the house with their share of the leftovers. All these many years later, and he was still the same old Nate.
Aiming for a nonchalant approach and missing the mark by this much, the ex-thief shook his head, still self-conscious and paranoid that after all these years certain things meant more to him than they did for her, that he'd wake up one day to find himself in a cell. Or worse. "Me? I'm good. Fit as a fiddle. This was just my little way of saying thank you."
More evil than others initially suspected, the blonde tilted her head to the side, allowing that single wisp of bang to dangle just in front of her soft hazel eyes. "For...?"
Everything. "Cassie, for a start. Call me crazy, but you deserve a little recognition for squeezing that big head out." As he was so keen on reminding their little girl, thankfully for everyone involved she grew into it, but it was pretty massive when she was first born. It must have weighed a good ton all on its own.
Picturing the way their daughter would constantly refute that her head was abnormally large upon birth, Elena chuckled at the real memory of a very normal-sized baby, healthy and pink, ten tiny fingers and itty-bitty toes. "What, were you really that surprised? You Drakes have huge heads! I can only image how big yours must have been when you were that age."
"Oh yeah?" Sounding like war to him, Nate went for his wife's ribs, tickling her weakest spot. "Well it just so happens that I did see your baby photos, and I can say that half of that big head was on you too."
Alive in both of their eyes, the couple silently exchanged their deepest innermost thoughts and feelings for one another seconds before their lips met. I love you.
[What's A Beached Mermaid To Do?]
Door slamming in time with the rising of the twin moons, Sleeping Beauty found herself stumbling out of a deep sleep, lungs filled with saltwater as she rose. Resounding ka-boom a wooden thunderclap to rouse even the dead, it was the raised voices that had sunk into the foamy fathoms of dreamland, circling like a flock of seagulls. Only louder than the synth-pop new wave band with new speakers and the bass blasting. Definitely more annoying than the birds.
Fierce, the warriors to whom the voices belonged were instantly recognizable, even when the words themselves were not.
"Chloe..."
Broken a kind way to phrase it, a fist crashed against the nearby wooden frame, loud enough to startle the young woman into waking yet soft enough to avoid serious damage. Serious, as in the sort that required immediate medical attention. Muscle memory strong with this one judging from the sound of impact, there was also hesitation in the knock; a doleful sign of distress, an unspoken admittance that it was a matter of defeat more than a lack of strength.
Accompanied by the numbed shuffling of heavy feet, there came a loaded sigh as someone could be heard trudging across the room to sink down into the empty mattress. Louder from below, even the resulting squeak sounded sorry. Skating the fine line between resent and resignation, a thickly accented voice uttered what seemed to be a single word. A name.
Drowsy mind clouded with pressed lumber seashells and a blue tide, everything in sight was a frosted blur, an abstract take on reality. Mind racing to play a desperate game of catch-up, her eyes took the much-needed minute to adjust. From what the heiress could tell from the crisp marigold beams lengthening in the shadow of the open window, it was sometime in the early evening. Either that or the world had randomly decided to take on a lush autumn theme without consulting anyone.
Was it really still that early? Attempting to prop herself up on an elbow, Daniella's first bodily impression was that she hadn't gotten nearly enough rest, that this little stint was the unnamed brother of the power nap. Joy of joys.
Melancholy, there was a silhouette hovering just beyond the limits of the peripheral, a beast lurking overhead that could have belonged to anything, or anyone. An echo of a ghost, when the young woman tried to focus on the visual blip, she found that the space was empty. Had it been her imagination? More likely, someone had been there, but her slurred sense of time had fudged the line between past and present. Someone - Nadine or Chloe, probably - had lingered at the door for half a heartbeat before storming out. It was the universal signal, the unspoken prayer that the other person would follow...
Oh.
[Thinking Of You, Thinking Of Me]
Try as he might, Sam couldn't do it.
Almost sticky, even with the AC on full blast the air was stifling to the thief, a winter blanket on the hottest summer day. Feeling smothered no matter what way he turned or how he tried to position himself on that lonesome Queen of spades, sleep in any form was simply unattainable. REM? Fuck you, his whirling mind seemed to say. A cat nap? Not happening here, buddy. Pillow about as comfortable as a boulder when he laid in the middle and mushy as a thin crust of newly formed ice when he sought the edges, Sam had endured worse nights in the past, yet never here.
Too hot for his own good, the historian hadn't even bothered with a shirt, so there really wasn't too much he had left to take off. Just his boxers, actually. Although he'd considered calling room service for a glass of ice-cold water, the heat was such that he figured it would have melted by the time it got up to his room from the kitchen. So without room service, it wasn't like there would be anyone that would see if he did. Only one person, possibly, and...
Hmm, how would Sleeping Beauty have taken it?
Conjuring up the curious countenance of a certain child, it wasn't like there was any visual mystery left to uncover on his body... or for that matter, hers.
All soapy and wet, if Sam closed his eyes even a little bit he found himself reliving the lost hour; glistening in the man-made rain and packing more fuel than a stick of dynamite, their bodies were pressed close, straight to the point of seamlessness. Thicc as a tarantula and twice as long as a daddy long legs when the water came running down, her lengthy limbs ensnared their prey in a rabid frenzy, wrapping tight around his waist. In that position it was hard not to hit her pulsing core, everything so tight as the hungover heiress took all of him underneath the steaming shower head...
Eyes snapping open as the dull throb became more than a torrid memory, Sam could just about feel every quivering inch of his member as it was sheathed inside the princess. Impaling her again and again with proven results, the stale air rang with the chorus of Dells whimpering as she spilled over onto the tiled floor, her shoulders sharp as the broken teeth scattered around the island of Libertalia as they jutted against his own chest. Sharper still as their position shifted and he could make their shape out more clearly, Sam could even make out his own grunts as he lost control.
Focused more on the downward curve of her spine and the lifting of her bubblegum bum as they both selfishly milked the final moments of their connection, the girl may have been spewing, yet he'd barely noticed. Busy rocking into her with everything he had, the bigger priority was the moment, the delicious feeling of her insides squirming and contracting as he'd pushed her over the edge. The relieving burst of an overfilled bladder, the overwhelming sensation of an aching muscle eased into serene relaxation...
Right.
Ego scraped raw after being left high and dry, considering their critical crash-course in continence control, that certain child could kiss it. Momentum of thought lost as the train derailed at a rather unexpected pit stop, the rebuffed explorer found he had lost interest in pondering the many ways his female companion would handle walking in on him naked. Unless...
Dust only the seasoning, the lump stuck in his throat was nigh as thick as an old ball bearing - maybe that water wasn't such a bad idea after all? Doing his best to clear the passage to his chest, Sam figured that there might just be a single scenario that might rekindle that spark, however the odds weren't great. Dismissing it as a long-shot, he worked his way higher up the pillow, finding only a slight alleviation on his throat and nothing whatsoever in the way of cooling himself down. The thief had previously acknowledged that sleep was going to play hard to get, but did comfort have to go-hand-in-hand with it? Apparently the answer was yes, yes it did.
Allowed nothing and less, the historian groaned into the open air, exasperated to say the least. Sheets kicked off the mattress and neck already sore, was he the only one that was suffering beneath this volcanic heatwave? Very much convinced at this point that there was only the one option to help - and almost certain that it would be more effort than it was actually worth in the long run - Samuel thumbed the edge of the scant material.
Couldn't hurt, right?
Thinking of a lot of things that 'couldn't hurt', the eldest Drake brother attempted to steer away from that other problem that was still facing him. The one with eyes that flickered like a lick of silver flame from an aquamarine ember, that could stare into your soul. Pleading more often than not, gentle even when she tried to be firm; by all rights that blue-gray gaze should have been icy, nothing but scorn and frozen fire, and yet somehow, there was something about it that had the reverse affect. Those damn eyes made him think that just maybe he could return her erroneous trust, one day.
Except nope, he was determined not to dwell on a gaze that was equal parts captivating and captivated, nor any other part of the girl... even if parts of himself begged to disagree. Instead the aged adventurer willed himself to wander back to the old classics, the personal favorites that had gotten him through the rough patches. Might as well, since it seemed inevitable that his brain would go to that place, his body following shortly thereafter.
Deep down he knew that he shouldn't, that there was a 1% chance that the heiress could come back at any minute and catch him like this, and yet his hands were unmoved by that prospect, fingers hooking around the cotton lip. Mind three steps ahead, the thief was already awash in buxom beauties, randy reds, built blondes, boyish brunettes, a biker babe brandishing a baton, and more ass than any one man could handle. Simpering, smirking, smiling, beckoning, his mind gave him free reign to select from a bevy of models eternally locked into the 70s, 80s, and 90s. An old flame, that one-night stand from the bar in Cartagena, the first guy that had ever caught his eye, the catalog was extensive enough to make even the sternest nun blush. Not that any came to mind.
Between almost getting it in earlier and staring openly at that perfect trio of retreating buns booking it up the stairs, he didn't really need to draw from the well of recent experiences. Who would, when there were winners like Miss Hawaii and a whole host of centerfolds to chose from? Women that had opened up a whole new definition of exploration and men that pushed him to an impossible place...
Rafe being one of them...
Guilt the last thing that Sam wanted to feel in that moment, he quickly forced himself to think of more pleasant experiences, ideally ones that had nothing whatsoever to do with work.
Mimi and Pablo, one folded up like a pretzel while the other took control of the situation, pushing him back into the wall of the bar, covering Sam's mouth so that the one patron around the corner wouldn't get suspicious and come over to investigate.
Hmm, he could still see that moment perfectly, Mimi sashaying over with a tray bearing a middling logger, Pablo catching his eye from the end of the gritty counter. In his wildest dreams Sam wouldn't have thought that he'd be knocking boots with the pair at once, let alone that they wouldn't even make it as far as the dingy bathroom. Hands roaming everywhere, there had been more than one moment the man had lost track of where he began and the duo ended, lips unafraid to claim whatever spot they landed on. In hindsight, that was probably one of the most formative experiences of his life, one single night that had shaped the kind of lover he was...
Although it was hardly Sam's first time taking advantage of his little brother bailing out early to rest up for the job, or first time doing any of it, really, Pablo and Mimi had taught him a lot. Or maybe it was more accurate to say that they had refined his technique? Regardless, thinking of all that they had done for him in that single experience, as the man laid there in a state between pleasure and perpetual discomfort, he couldn't help but disobey the one rule he had set for himself. As of five seconds ago.
Try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking about it. About her.
Those firm little breasts of hers, bouncing as he plunged in and out of her tightness, the funny little faces she made every time he touched them. Would he ever get the chance to see them again, he wondered? There was still so much left that he could teach her, could do to her, could do with her.
Eh, there was much and more still to be done to the other models in his mind's eye. Beginning with a sunbathed redhead he hadn't seen in many a moon, the thief permitted his hand to wander, glancing over the clean cut of his abs to the wisp of hair trailing down his navel. Lower and lower his fingers crept, leathered pads skimming skin to tantalize the area before he set to work.
Author's Note:
And here's the second half!
So, I meant to write some smutty Nate x Elena, but, uh... this kinda happened instead. What can I say, it's weird for me to take them to that place, because theirs is such a pure and beautiful love for me.
Actually, on that note, I have to admit that despite envisioning these last two chapters as a much stronger smutty segment of story, I kinda faltered and lost steam. Sure, there was obviously some stuff there, but as I wrote this, it kinda became less about the titillation. But really, was that such a bad thing? Maybe it's just me, but I felt like I found something along the way...
Chlodine... I haven't much practice writing femslash, and the little bit I might have gotten before this just didn't really have the chance to happen, so... yeah. Hopefully for those of you that like that sort of thing/the pairing I didn't butcher it too badly. As for the couple itself, I think it's super cute, but it isn't fully set in stone, imo. I know Naughty Dog seem keen to push it (or they did, last I checked), but eh. (Okay, I admit it, I also soft ship Chloe with Charlie (and Flynn, but in the canon... Well, you can see the issue there)).
2.0
Meep. So this kinda fell to the side unexpectedly for a minute. A vast majority of the chapter was written way back on the heels of the previous update, but between time, losing my computer, and whatever else, new ideas (better, hopefully) took shape. And I got two reviews in the meanwhile...
I wish I could have responded directly to them, but alas I cannot, so I can only hope that gudi has stuck around to see this message/latest chapter.
To answer the reviews in order, I would say that you might not be wrong to question why it is that everyone just assumes that Sam and Dells have something going on. Maybe it's just me second-guessing myself here, but my gut instinct was to say that it probably wasn't the best-written development. Sam has a certain kind of reputation (I'd imagine), and on the outside looking in, Dells fits that mold. I'll be the first to admit that I probably didn't convey that well, or that if I did, it was so woven into flashback/scene-cuts that it was a little too tempting to skip a line and skim over. Or to even do so on accident (it happens to me sometimes when I'm re-reading sections). You really did nail it by saying that everything is densely written.
As to the second review, I was honestly taken aback on a number of levels.
Firstly I was stunned - and immensely grateful - to see that you continued with the story after seemingly not liking it. Apparently that's not the case though, that's terrific to hear! It's always an awesome feeling to hear/see the love word in a review, but to see the word "complex"?! Writing these relationships... Possibly one of the hardest parts of being a writer (for me at least) is detaching myself and seeing these characters the same way the audience does. Way too often I wonder if I'm having the characters say or do something they might not normally do, if something is being under or overplayed. Like why everyone is convinced that Sam and Dells are way further into their relationship than they really are. Or even more than that, I question if there are enough facets to the character relationships: is Bai coming across as a one-dimensional skirt, is it compelling enough to follow Sam and Daniella? Sorry for the shoptalk/rant there, I just try to be understood, difficult as that can be in the written medium at times.
Secondly, not only did you push on with the story, you were even very kind about the manner in which you addressed your previous review. While I did get the sense that you were frustrated (again, I do apologize, as confusing the reader is never my intention), it hit me as legitimate criticism, and I didn't think twice on the tone. Perhaps that's just me being my oblivious, twit self lol. Whichever the case, I never considered the review to be that of "a spoiled little brat". In fact, both of these reviews are exactly the kind of review I like to see! Ok, so maybe I love seeing anyone take the time/have the gall to leave any sort of response, but it's when I get really substantial messages like this that I feel like I grow as a writer. I genuinely do take what my readers say into account. I get in my own way most of the time, but so far I'd say that the comments I get are all constructive and help. So really, I thank you.
All of you, any and everyone that reviews!