"So…" Willow looked beside her at the woman with a full smile and mischievous glint in her hazel eyes. Her Aunt Susie on her father's side caught Willow by the arm as she made her way down the porch, making a B-line towards the cooler of alcohol like a beacon of light, given off from the good Lord above. "Your mother had told me they were cute, but Jesus…" She breathed.
Susie had always been closer to her than all of her other Aunts and Uncles, even some cousins. She was the youngest of Paul's siblings, himself being the eldest. The middle child was her Uncle Jerry. Her Grandmother Pearl had gotten pregnant with her father at the age of sixteen and married soon after finding out. After battling Brest Cancer for four years her Grandmother died at the age of sixty-seven, her husband following not soon after. Her Aunt Susie always reminded Willow of her Grandma Pearl.
"Yeah." Willow smirked at her young Aunt. "They're, uh, they're somethin'." She stammered, trying to squirm her way towards the cooler.
"Oh yeah, yeah. Go get somethin' to drink." Susie chuckled. "With this crowd, you're gonna need it." Willow laughed in a rush and nearly jogged over in her heals towards her older brother.
"Dude." She called out as Tyler's head popped up from chatting with a leggy blonde. "Open, open, open!" She chanted almost wishing she had some magical skills to make a cup of Rum and Coke appear in her hand at will.
Tyler chuckled, opening the cooler and pulling out a bottle of Rum and a bottle of Tequila. Oh dear brother, thy knows me too well. Willow thought to herself as she grabbed the bottle of Tequila and twisted off the cap.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Tyler said ripping the bottle from Willow's hand, mid-swig. The bitter liquor barely made it to her lips as she licked at them quickly, trying to gasp as much poison into her body as possible. "Easy She Ra! You want lime and some salt maybe?" He chuckled taking them from the small plastic table beside the cooler and giving her a piece.
"Here," The leggy blonde said as Willow eyed her for a moment then slowly started to recognize her. "Let me make you a drink." She smiled kindly taking the bottle from Tyler's grasp. He smiled down at her as she pour Willow a shot and gave her a salt shaker. "To hold you over." She giggled in a small child-like way. Willow nearly groaned at the sound but bit her tongue.
"Molly right?" She asked as the girl looked up and smile before returning back to her concoction. "So I guess this is your chance to meet the family too?" She asked her brother's new girlfriend. She had seen pictures on his cell phone, small pixilated things that didn't do the girl justice. She was beautiful, stunningly so and legs that seemed to go on forever under her blood red sundress and tan cardigan, making Willow feel completely inadequate in her own.
"Well, I thought it was the best time seeming as you and the guys would be stealing most of the spotlight." Tyler said in a sly smile as Willow narrowed her eyes at him before taking the shot quickly and sucking on the lime. She threw the rind in the fire pit beside her as Molly smiled at her, presenting a yellow drink.
"Molly's Special Lemonade." She gleamed with a bright smile on pale, pink full lips that made Willow self-consciously press her chapped, un-glossed ones together. "Two or three of these should definitely do the trick." She said as Willow took it with a smile.
"Thanks." Willow smirked back thoughtfully as Molly nodded and slipped her hand through Tyler's arm.
"So, are you excited about the wedding?" She asked as Willow shrugged, trying to bite back a growing smile.
"A little."
"Leo's beautiful." Molly gushed as Willow's eyes narrowed a bit and nodded her head once in a shift motion of agreement.
"Hey!" Tyler pouted as Molly giggled and leaned up on the tips of her toes to kiss his pouted lips.
"Don't worry baby, I'm just sayin', being observant." She said with a shrug as Tyler rolled his eyes.
"Seems every woman here is being a little too observant if you ask me."
"No one asked you." Riley said coming up from beside Willow and tossing her plastic cup that was once filled with something into the fire pit. She grasped a can of Coke from the cooler and poured a shot or two of Rum in with it. "Hey Goldie Locks." She nodded her head towards Molly as the girl attacked to Tyler's arm smiled for a moment before it fell and looked confused. Tyler he rolled his eyes and said 'never mind' under his breath as Willow covered her laugh with a snort turned cough. Riley chuckled lightly excusing herself and Willow as she dragged the bride to be away.
"Wowzer." Willow breathed out as they both laughed full-on out of ear shot.
"I had to endure a conversation with her while everyone was waiting for you guys inside!" Riley groaned sipping her cocktail as they made their way over to the pool patio where Felicia and Isabella were sitting.
The pool was covered but the air outside was cool enough in the Autumn air for Maggie to pull out the tables and chairs she had just put away that Summer. Willow sighed, falling into the cold cushion of a seat as Riley did the same, over doing it a bit and falling into Willow's lap. The girls laughed as Riley scanned the crowd of people that were set a few feet below them, across Willow's family lawn.
"Where's ya boo at yo?" Riley asked turning to look a Willow over her shoulder as she laughed and shrugged.
"Probably getting bombarded with my Aunt's phone numbers." She said rolling her eyes.
"Shouldn't you be like, ya know, helping him?" Izzy asked skeptically as Felicia smirked looking out at the lawn filled with laughing and drinking. Willow followed Felicia's line of vision and smirked.
"Possibly, but this is so much more fun." She said watching Leo and Mikey trying to squirm out of a conversation with her two single Aunt's on her mother's side, both with a glass of red wine in their chubby, gaudy gold covered fingers.
Willow chuckled lightly tapping the backside of her hand against Riley's leg, asking her to get up. Riley looked over her shoulder, rolled her eyes and stood up for Willow.
"We can't leave them alone for a minuet." Riley said placing her hands on her hips as Willow laughed and tugged Riley to follow her down to the boys.
"So you like playing Mikey's girlfriend?" Willow asked softly and could have swore to see Riley's face turn a soft shade of pink.
"It's fun." She shrugged. "It's just, I don't know…" She sighed softly. "He's a good kid." Willow nodded and dropped her arm from between Riley's and slipped it through Leo's.
His whole body tensed for a moment before his eyes met hers. She smirked at him and he let out a soft breath before crashing his lips down on hers. She stumbled back a step before placing her hands on the sides of his scruffy face.
"Easy there Tiger." She whispered and pulled away, letting his nose graze her cheek.
"You have no idea what I had to just endure with your absence."
"Does you butt feel like a pin cushion?" She giggled, giving it a soft pat as he growled lowly and grasped her hand in his.
"Careful Mrs. Hamato, you might start something you cannot finish." Willow stopped for a minuet, letting her eyes flicker back to his as a smile spread over her face.
"You two are so in love is starting to give me a rash." Riley said, interrupting the moment completely as Willow groaned and rolled her eyes to her best friend's.
"Yeah really bro…" Mikey said scratching the back of his neck as Willow tsked and smacked him in the stomach. He chuckled and pulled her away from Leo in a hug as she clung to his little tight body.
"So, you having fun?" She asked softly as she looked over her shoulder at Riley walking with Leo to the cooler.
"Your family is nuts dude." He whispered as she giggled and nodded her head.
"I gave you all fair warning."
"True but, Jesus." He breathed out as Willow smacked him again.
"Wills!" A woman called out as Willow sighed and turned towards the voice. "Does this one belong to you?" She asked. Her cousin Kristen asked holding onto Leo's arm in a death grip.
"C'mon lets go save your brother." She said over to Mikey as he chuckled and followed her over to the cooler.
Maggie grabbed Willow's arm and started tapping the side of her beer bottle with a plastic fork. Mikey smirked, draping his arm over Willow's shoulder as she squirmed uncomfortably under the gaze of everyone's sudden attention.
"Everyone listen up!" Maggie called as family members started coming around from the front yard seeing what was going on. Everyone's voices slowly dropped down to soft mummers around the large back yard and Willow's eyes searched frantically for Leo who was smiling at her from near the cooler. "We're here today to celebrate our Willow's engagement and to meet the wonderful man who was finally able to keep her under control long enough to clip her wings." Willow's face burned red as she suddenly became more interested on the chipped paint on her toenails than anything else. Mikey hugged her closer to his body as everyone's laughter died down.
"Where is he…" Maggie called out getting on her tip-toes to look over the crowd and smiled waving her hand to motion Leo to come to her. She pulled Willow close to her side by her hand, putting her and Leo's hand together as he set his beer down.
"When's the date?" Someone called out as Willow blushed once more, looking up nervously at Leo as he gave her a reassuring hand squeeze.
"We haven't figured that much out yet." He answered coolly as Willow's shoulders relaxed slightly.
"But, they do have colors and arrangements worked out." Izzy yelled out with a smile on the pool's porch where she and Felicia leaned against the railing, over looking the yard.
"When's the shower?" Another woman called as Maggie waved her hand at them as Paul was by her side, handing her a glass of Champagne that everyone seemed to have acquired. He leaned up, handing one to Willow and Leo next as they took it with a smile looking towards each other, with growing smiles. He rolled back over the grass to Maggie's side, taking her free hand.
"Oh, that won't be until the wedding is decided. Now, I say we raise our glasses," Her and Paul both did at the same time as everyone around the yard did the same, "and give our blessing and happy wishes to the couple. May everyday be an adventure." She finished with a smile sipping her champagne with a small tear rolling down her cheek.
"Here, here." Riley called out as Mikey chuckled clanking their glasses together before taking a sip. Everyone around called out words of encouragement as Willow and Leo smiled at each other, tipping their glasses to clank gently and taking a sip, their eyes still holding each other's gaze.
"So when did you two planning on having children?" Maggie's sister Dana asked as Leo choked on his beer with Willow on his lap. She laughed, patting his back softly as he leaned up a little onto her.
"We're not sure yet." Willow chuckled softly. "Uh, he has a lot to do with the dojo and I'm still working on getting out of that damn cubical." She sighed smiling over at Leo as he coughed softly, sitting back in the lawn chair that was set up around the fire pit.
Family members and friends went on their way, talking of long drives home and not wanting to catch traffic as the reminder sat around the warming fire on the cold Autumn night.
"Jesus let them at least have the honeymoon before you start talking about my baby having a baby." Paul said shaking his head as everyone chuckled softly.
"I don't even know if I want kids." Willow shrugged as Leo's brow slowly furrowed and looking up at her. She noticed his intrigue and she shrugged again. "If it happens then that's fine but, I don't know… I'm not ready now." She said looking only at him as he nodded his head, his brow still furrowed together as she sighed and ran her fingers through his soft hair, to the back of his neck.
"You two don't need to be having this discussion now." Maggie assured them, looking only at Leo. "If my daughter is known for anything it's the fact that she is indecisive on almost every aspect of life." She stated matter-of-factly and Willow arched a brow.
"Oh am I?"
"Of course you are." Maggie said rolling her eyes as Willow narrowed hers. Maggie let out a exasperated sigh, looking beside her at her husband and then over at Felicia who shared a seat with Izzy and Riley who sat on Mikey's lap. "Girls please help me out here."
"You do change your mind, a lot." Felicia said softly as Izzy let out a long breath.
"A lot is an understatement." She said emptying her red cup of the last sip and Riley snorted in response.
"Alright, alright fine. I'm indecisive, whatever. Just means, I know exactly what I want, when I want it." Willow shrugged as her body shook a little from Leo's laughter under her. "Whatever." She grumbled sipping the last of her beer.
"You two really should be setting a date." Maggie said with a little harshness to her tone as Izzy sighed.
"The place I want is booked up until next summer and…"
"That's perfect!" Willow said clapping her hands together making Boba and Rufio both jump awake beside her father. "We have all this year to plan, and accounting for my procrastination skills and my apparent indecisiveness we'll have everything ready to go next summer, how is that not perfect?"
"Well, are you sure you want it to be that late?" Izzy asked arching a perfectly shaped brow as Willow rolled her eyes.
"Late? I was thinking at least a year from now." Willow smiled turning to look back at Leo. "Do you think it's too late?"
"You're mine now anyways." He smiled rolling the engagement ring around on her finger. He smiled lazily up at her as she leaned down and kissed his scruffy cheek. "What's a few more months?"
"Well, alright." Izzy sighed, exasperated. "I suppose if you want it that late then, I'll call the place tomorrow and get a date."
"A date." Willow sighed, a smile slowly spreading over her face. "We're gonna have a date." She leaned down to Leo again, nuzzling her face in the crook of his neck and taking in a long breath. "We're getting married." She sighed softly, her lips moving against his skin as she spoke. She felt his body tremble under her slight as she pulled away and looked into his honey brown eyes, with a slight sparkle to them. She didn't know if it was because of the fire or his excitement until a slow smile graced his face.
"We're getting married." He repeated, leaning to her lips for a soft kiss. "Love you." He whispered softly against them as a shiver ran up her spine.
"To the moon and back." She replied with a smile as a gagging noise made them both look up. Mikey and Hayden leaned forward in their chairs, faking dry heaves into the ground as Riley laughed beside them. Tyler and Raph looked at each other from behind the two boys and leaned forward in their chairs to smack them upside the head. Two smacks echoed through the backyard as Molly giggled beside Tyler in his seat and Felicia rubbed the back of Mikey's head.
"Ow…" They groaned out in unison as they sat up and glared at their brothers.
"Dumbass." Raph said shaking his head. Riley took over rubbing Mikey's head, bringing him into her chair as he made a spectacle of crawling in her lap and nuzzling his head against her neck. Felicia stood up, rolling her eyes at the two of them and headed towards the house. Izzy followed after her, moving quickly away from the happy couples that she sat between.
"Licia, wait." She breathed out as she ran up the porch steps that lead into the house. Felicia held open the door for her, going into the house and heading for the liquor cabinet.
"Want a shot?" She asked with a monotone voice, reaching for a bottle of Capitan Morgan's.
"You ok?" Izzy asked, hopping up onto the counter as Felicia shrugged.
"Peachy." She handed Izzy her shot drowning hers down and pouring another.
"You seem it." Izzy said sarcastically, arching her brow and taking her shot slowly. "You've been in a weird mood all day, what's with you?"
"You notice how Raph was parading himself around here all day? Like he enjoyed the attention all those woman were giving him." Felicia said turning towards her friend with a glare. "Squeezing his muscles, and cooing over him like he's some…fuckin, I don't know Backstreet Boy or something. Its disgusting." Izzy shrugged.
"They don't usually get that kind of attention, they might be starved for it. Something in their minds might actually like it and want to see how far they can push it, since they might never get a chance like this again." Izzy stated as Felicia blew out a puff of air.
"Could you not be so goddamn logical for a second and actually consider my feelings! I mean, he knows I like him, how could he not? I basically threw myself at him the other night and he didn't do shit. Well, we kissed but I mean…"
"You kissed!?" Izzy nearly screamed as Felicia hissed at her to shut up.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She said smacking Izzy's leg as she winced.
"You kissed Raph?"
"Kissed, made out, what's the difference?" Felicia grumbled taking another shot. Izzy glared at the bottle and snatched it away from the dark brunette and slammed it down on the counter behind her.
"Stop it! What's gotten into you? You never care about boys, or…"
"Maybe that's what's gotten into me! I never care, I never even noticed how guys reacted towards me. I always watched you guys, for years and years I sat back and watched and now something, I don't know. Raph, he's just so…"
"Mean?"
"No! He's so much more than that! I mean he's passionate and caring. Looket how he treats his family. It's like his life to protect them and make sure they stay brothers. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life."
"But, he's so cold and distant."
"Not when you get to know him." Felicia sighed, rolling her finger along the edge of her shot glass. "He looks at me sometimes and I just feel, I feel like he can see me. Ya know? Like, that's all there is in this world, is me and him and my stomach starts to get all butterflies and my heart pounds so hard in my chest," She placed her hand against her heart and clenched the fabric in her fist. "I just don't know how to explain this to him. Or, what he'll do, how he'll react…" She let out another long puff of air, as her bangs blew out of her eyes. "This is stupid."
"I didn't know you felt like this about him…" Izzy started at her wide eyes as she opened the bottle and pour the two of them more shots. "But, he's, I mean, you know what he is, it's just… Weird, isn't it?"
"Not for me. I don't care. I mean, yeah, at first I was skeptical and unbelieving that my feelings could possible be this strong for him, being what he is but, I am. It's, I just, I don't know…" She sighed out again.
"Ok, well, he's good to you right?"
"I don't know yet."
"Ok, is he a good kisser?"
"Amazing."
"Huh… Alright, well there's that." Izzy shrugged as Felicia groaned and smacked her leg again.
"Helpful." She said placing her elbows on the counter in front of her and burring her face in her hands. "What do I do." She mumbled into her palms as Izzy rubbed her back.
"Tell him?"
"Pass." Felicia's muffled voice said as Izzy chuckled lightly.
"Ok, don't tell him and live in this awful life of never knowing and wanting something you can completely have at any moment but, just torture yourself with never taking that step to get it." She shrugged hopping off the counter as Felicia lifted her head towards her redheaded friend.
"What are you two doing in here?" Donnie asked as the screen door closed loudly behind him. Izzy and Felicia both jumped, placing their hands over their hearts as Donnie smiled shyly. "Sorry, Ninja." He shrugged as Felicia chuckled and Izzy let out a slow breath.
"Want a shot?" Izzy asked as Donnie shrugged again, putting his hands inside his pockets and walking towards them.
"What kind?"
"Rum." Felicia said handing him her shot glass filled to the rim.
"I don't normally drink." He said eying the light brown liquor as Izzy rolled her eyes.
"You only live once." She said filling her glass and clanking it softly to his. She took her shot down quickly as Donnie followed suit, grimacing at the harsh taste.
"Ouch." He said rubbing his throat as Izzy laughed.
"Wait till you try Whisky. Burns all the way down." She said tracing her finger from his chin, down his neck and placing her hand, palm down on his broad chest. Felicia smirked as she watched Donnie place her hand on Izzy's, squirming uncomfortably under her warm hand.
"I'm gonna head back outside." Felicia said, trying to hold back her laughter as Izzy nodded, her eyes still locked on Donnie as a slow smile went to his face. She titled her head to the side noticing his dimples for the first time.
"You have dimples." She said letting her hand cup his cheek as he nodded and took her hand in his once more. Felicia shook her head, grabbing an arm full of beers before going back to the fire.
"And where have you been?" Maggie asked, holding out her hand for another beer as Felicia chuckled and handed it to her.
"Just talking with Izzy."
"About the wedding?" Willow piped up excitedly as Felicia kept her smile and shook her head.
"Just some stuff." She shrugged as she took her seat next to Raph. She handed him a beer as he took it with a smile.
"Thanks." He said, leaning over to her ear to whisper it softly. She felt a shiver roll through her body as she nodded lamely.
"N-no problem." She stammered out as Riley chuckled beside her.
"So are like all of you going out or, what's the deal?" Molly asked as she eyed Mikey in Riley's lap and Felicia's body leaned up against Raphael's arm. Felicia quickly sat up straighter as Riley looked at Mikey on her lap and moved her hands to the arm of her chair.
"No, we're not going out." She said as Mikey laughed softly on her lap.
"They should all be going out, if these girls know what's good for 'em." Maggie said, her words getting slightly slurred together. "I wouldn't want my baby girl with any other man… Well, ya know." Maggie said looking at Leo as Willow's eyes widened.
"I think it's time for bed mummy." Willow said getting off Leo's lap and grasping her mother's hands tightly.
"Probably." Maggie chuckled as Paul shook his head with a laugh and patted his lap.
"Set 'er down, I'll bring her in." He said as Willow placed Maggie's body on Paul's lap. She curled into her husband with a kiss on the cheek and he rolled them up to the house.
"It's cute that they're still in love after all these years. Does that give you and Leo some hope for your future?" Molly asked, holding Tyler's hand.
"You talk a lot." Riley grumbled out as Felicia smacked her arm. Willow snorted back a laugh as she nodded, taking her seat back on Leo's lap.
"They were always meant to be together. Even since they met in high school, it's just been like a fairy tale to them. Love at first sight and all that." Willow shrugged as Molly 'awed' giving Tyler a kiss. "What 'bout you two? You've been out of the questioning range pretty much all day. I know little about you, being as I'm the oldest I should know what you're intentions are for my little brother." Willow said, straightening her back and crossing her arms over her chest trying to clear some of the alcohol from her mind to look a little more intimidating and a little less drunk.
"Oh, well we've only been going out for a month or so." Molly shrugged as Tyler glared at Willow.
"A month, didn't you break up with Sarah a couple weeks ago?' Hayden asked, taking a swig of his beer as Tyler reached over and smacked the back of his head again.
"No dips hit, that was like years ago. I haven't been dating anyone. Excuse my brother," He said turning towards Molly who sat curled up beside him "the weed and multiple head injuries he gets from skateboarding have made him mildly retarded." Tyler said, turning a glare to his little brother.
"Dude, I gave up weed years ago."
"It was enough to make you sterol." Willow said shaking her head as Mikey laughed.
"Thank god for that." Raph piped in. "Bad enough that we got this one," He thumbed towards Mikey. "If either of 'em had kids the world would just give up."
"Dude, I'd make an awesome father." Mikey said looking genially hurt.
"They'd be obese by age five." Leo said as Willow chuckled. "With all the crap you eat, I'd have to take them before you killed them with saturated fats."
"See now you would make a good daddy." Willow said nuzzling her face against Leo's neck as he smiled.
"You think so?"
"You basically raised these three, and they turned out…" Willow looked over her shoulder at Raph and then Mikey before grimacing and turning back towards Leo with a kiss on the cheek. "Well, I'd help." Leo narrowed his eyes on her and smacked her backside softly as she yelped and jumped off his lap. "Hey! They're the ones that have anger issues and are half retarded.
"Hey!" Raph and Mikey said in unison.
"At least you have Donnie!" She said in between bursts of laughter as Leo started to stalk towards her. She held her hands up in defenses as she backed away from him slowly. "Tiger, I'm still wearing my heals." She said in a pout as Leo stopped for a moment before a smile spread over his face.
"Which means it'll be easier for me to catch you. That and given the fact that you've been drinking since four in the afternoon." He said with a cocky smirk as Willow narrowed her eyes and opened her legs in horse stance.
"Bring it." She said as he threw his head back in a laugh.
"I don't want to hurt you baby." He mocked as she glared at him.
"You've been drinking too Leonardo." She shot back as he let out a laugh once, his smile turning crooked as he took three long, fast strides towards her. She yelped as his arm wrapped around her waist and one behind her knees. He tossed her over his shoulder as her arms and feet kicked out. "Put me down!" She cried, hitting his strong back as he kept her in place with one arm.
"Say it." He said turning back towards the fire.
"Say what?" She growled out as he chuckled.
"Say I'm going to be a good father."
"With tweedle dee and tweedle dumbass as proof? No, way."
"Ya know, we are right here." Mikey called to her as she smirked, lifted her head to look back at him and flipped him off. "Well, that was rude." He said in a pout, sitting back in his chair as Riley chuckled, rubbing Mikey's arms.
"Say it and I'll put you down." Leo shrugged nonchalantly as Willow growled louder, smacking Leo's back.
"Put me down Leonardo!" He only chuckled in response. "Fine! You're going to make a wonderful father."
"Thanks baby." He said placing her on her feet as she stumbled slightly. He caught her, trying to hold back his laughter as she smacked his arm.
"Dick." She grumbled going over and sitting in his chair. He followed after her, picking her up from the chair as she squirmed in his grasp.
"I think its time for bed." Leo chuckled and threw Willow back over his shoulder. He started for the porch steps as Izzy and Donnie came down them.
"Where have you two been?" Willow asked, lifting her head to try and make eye contact with Izzy, pushing herself up from Leo's stomach.
"In the kitchen." Izzy shrugged as Donnie smirked a little and walked with her back to the fire.
"You going to bed?' Don called to Leo as he nodded and jogging up the steps with Willow grasping tightly onto his belt.
"There's something wrong with you." She grumbled as Leo chuckled softly, not wanting to wake up her parents or grandparents. "Are you going to put me down?"
"Patients."
"Oh shut up, sensei." She hissed out as he walked up the stairs to her bedroom. He opened her door and threw her down on the bed. "This is my dojo bitch." She smirked pushing his body away from hers with her foot. He grabbed her by the ankle and started to slowly unclasp her sandal. He leaned down and kissed the top of her foot softly as she tried to wiggle it free. "That tickles." She whined, still trying to get her foot free as he grasped it tighter with an evil smirk.
"It tickles?"
"Leo, don't. My mom, she'll hear me." She said in a harsh whisper as Leo chuckled running the tips of his finger against the pad of her foot. She kicked it as he held tighter.
"You should really learn to be more quiet." He said lifting her foot and kissing her ankle.
"Are you trying to kill me?" She said through clenched teeth as he shrugged and kissed the inside of her cafe.
"No." She could feel his smile against her skin as she let her head fall back against her mattress.
Felicia and Raph sat outside on the bench, watching the embers start to slowly burn out. Everyone went to sleep hours ago and they sat in silence, their bodies barely touching in the dark glow of the red light.
"So," Felicia sighed out as she sipped the remainder of her beer. "You have fun today?" Her tone was a little more harsh than she would have liked, and grimaced as the words left her mouth.
"Yeah. Why?" He asked taking a swig of his beer and turning towards her. She shrugged and sipped her own.
"Just wondering."
"Really?" He asked arching a brow.
"Yeah." She shot back keeping her face forward.
"You mad at me or somethin'?"
"Now why on earth would I be mad at you?" She asked sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you basically whored yourself out today." She shook her head and tossed her empty bottle into the overflowing recycling basket.
"Whored myself out?" Raph asked in amusement, turning to look at her again.
"Yeah, exactly what I said! You whored yourself around all those woman. 'Oh Raph let me feel your muscle' 'oh Raph you're so strong'." She said through glared eyes, using a high pitched mocking tone. "It was disgusting."
"Jealous?" He asked with a cocky smile as she turned her face away from him, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You're ridiculous."
"Am I, or do you just want me that much?" He asked as she opened her mouth in shock and looked back at him.
"You think very highly of yourself."
"You still didn't say it wasn't true." He shrugged, tossing his arm over the back of his chair and sipped his beer.
"You are…I can't even…Condescending. Arrogant! I just…ARG!" She stammered in anger, getting from her chair and storming towards the house. She felt her arm get tugged back as her body collided with his. She could smell the beer on his breath as he took fast, unsteady ones in. The darkness of Willow's backyard made it hard for her to adjust her eyes to see where he was, but she knew he was merely inches away. She felt his warm breath trickle across her cheek, as she licked her lips slowly in anticipation.
"Then tell me, it's not true." He said softly, his voice deeper than normal. Her body shuttered against his as he clasped his other, large, strong hand on her arm. Holding her steady against him, her body flush to his.
"Y-you wouldn't, believe me." She muttered softly, her head turning downwards as he stopped her by cupping her cheek.
"Try me." He said using the same deep tone, but with a humor to it.
"What is this?" She asked as he let out a slow breath.
"You want there to be somethin'?" He asked as she nodded her head and then answered a soft 'yes'. "I've done that, this doesn't last forever." He said taking her hand and running it down his hard stomach. Her knees buckled to the feet as he kept her against him, tightening his hold on her arm. "I ain't goin' through all that shit again."
"I'm not her." She sighed softly, letting her head fall against his chest.
"How do I know that?"
"You know me?" She said, almost asking it like a question as she lifted her head from his chest and pressed her lips against the corner of his, reaching whatever she could. He sighed and turned his head to caught her lips in his own, giving in as she opened her mouth.
He could taste the hard liquor mixed with the beer on her tongue and furrowed his brow. Something felt off as her hands ran up his muscles to the back of his neck. She ran her fingers through the hair there and back down to his shoulders, and across his back. None of it felt right.
He took a step back from her as she gasped for a breath from the cut off of his lips. She looked into the dark space between them, trying to plead with her eyes to adjust with the darkness.
"Raph…?" She called out unsure of what she did wrong as he shook his head.
"It's not, you're drunk." He said knowing she couldn't see him. "We can't," He sighed running a hand over his short hair to the back of his neck. He clasped both of his hands behind it stretching with an exasperated groan. "You're drunk."
"You made that clear already." She hissed out. "Whatever. You want me when you're drunk, you don't want me when I am. Fine. Whatever. You think just because Meredith fucked you over, every human girl that passes your way is going to do the same. Fine! But, let me tell you something Raphael, I am not that kind of girl and I hate the fact that I like you. Not even like you, it's probably something more than that. I have no idea! And you think just because you have the body of a man, you are one? No, I always saw you as a man, a good man because of how you were brought up. I'm not Meredith!" She yelled towards the darkened space as Raph sighed and shook his head.
"Go to bed Licia." He said softly as she glared back at him.
"Fine. Good-night." She nearly growled out as she stomped her way up the steps.
Raphael walked back towards the fire, taking his seat on the benched. He could still feel the warmth of her body next to his on the cushion as he sighed, leaning back in the chair and running a hand over his stubbly face.
"God damnit." He sighed out, looking up at the stars.
A/N: yeah so the writer block fairy apparently withheld her tortuious will on me and let me finally get this god forsaken chapter done! Jesus H Christ! I was going insane! I've been working on this since I updated the last chapter! So, believe me I haven't forgotten or given up. I just apparently suck. So, I hope you all enjoyed it! haha. I hope, please God there is going to be more soon! Fingers crossed!