Oh my gosh, first of all I would like to quickly apologise because it has been a billion years since I updated! However, since then, if you haven't seen, I did as promised publish the M rated one-shot outtake of ryley's first time- it's called Just Us Two if you want to check it out :)
Quick note- slight time jump to Christmas time here, then through to January by the end of the chapter…and a plot twist…yep, it's been drama-free for too long ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, blah blah blah
Marley's eyes roamed over Ryder as she got dressed, his naked form partially covered by the purple duvet. She smiled as he mumbled incoherently in his sleep, probably having a vivid dream, watching him stir slightly before rolling over, returning to his deep slumber, offering Marley a view of the defined muscles in his back.
Until recently, it wasn't like Marley to have to remind herself to keep her mind out of the gutter. But in the three weeks since that fateful night, she couldn't deny that it was always on her mind. They would now make love constantly, to the point where, if one night they didn't, it would be something to remark on with surprise the following morning. Santana complained loudly about having to invest in earplugs to block out what she called their 'wanky noises,' but Marley knew that her roommate didn't mind too much really and, by Santana's own admission, it was a slight dose of her own medicine after Marley had put up with weeks of similar noises coming from Santana's own room. That being said, Marley admitted that Santana would probably be grateful to go home to her parents in the suburbs for Christmas to escape her and Ryder's new found activities.
Marley and Ryder, however, were not going home for the holidays. Ryder was required to work at the bar on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, and Marley wanted to spend Christmas Day with him, so, rather than buying a ticket to fly back to Lima by herself, they had invited Millie to use the same money to come and spend it with the two of them in New York City instead. Ryder's parents of course had plenty other family to spend the holidays with in the way that Marley and Millie didn't, so they were fine with the arrangement too.
This was why Marley was getting dressed so early, leaving her sleeping boyfriend to go pick her Mom up from the train station after she had got to the city from the airport. Marley flew into her mother's arms like a small child when they were finally reunited- these more than three months were by far the longest time they had ever spent apart, and they chatted animatedly, with Marley regaling her mother with a particularly humorous story about Ryder struggling to haul their Christmas tree from the shop to their home, as they in turn hauled Millie's huge suitcase, (probably mostly bursting with gifts since she was only staying for a few days,) onto the subway and back towards they apartment. When they got inside it was still only just after 10am, and Marley chuckled at their still closed bedroom door, meaning that Ryder was still probably asleep, oblivious to what Marley and Millie had achieved in the time before he had even awoken.
"Huh. Not bad for a freshman in college," Millie chuckled, remarking on her surroundings.
"Well I only pay a third," Marley reminded her. "And Santana's rich Dad pays the electricity and water bills."
"Alright for some! So. You gonna give me a little tour, then?" Her mother asked.
"Of course! Well, here is the living and dining and kitchen area. Obviously," Marley laughed, gesturing around her. "And…oh yes, take your things, because this-" she continued, opening a door, "-is Santana's room. She's gone home until after you leave and she's totally cool with you sleeping in here."
"Oh how lovely of her," Millie smiled. "Nice double bed, too," she added.
"Here," Marley continued, "is the bathroom," she said, quickly pointing to it, "-and this is mine and Ryder's room, but he's still sleeping so I'll show you it properly later," she finished nonchalantly, not even realising what she'd said.
"Your and Ryder's room?" Millie exclaimed, eyebrows raised. "What happened to him sleeping on the couch, young lady?"
"Oh…" Marley froze, faint memories of the panicked white lie she had fed her mother when she had told her of Ryder's arrival in New York coming back. Sure, at the time, their relationship and reason for sharing a bed genuinely hadn't been like that, but for one thing, Marley had known her mother wouldn't have seen it that way, and for another thing, it now very much was 'like that', and when it came to being face to face with someone, Marley was the worst liar around.
"Oh really?" Millie pressed, unsurprisingly seeing straight through her daughter. "And you didn't see fit to tell me about this development?"
"Well…I…it's private," Marley stammered, wincing, "between me and Ryder…"
"I'm your Mother!" Exclaimed Millie.
"Exactly!" Marley pointed out, cheeks burning red, a slightly nauseous feeling in her stomach.
Millie began to chuckle. "Oh Marley. Your face!" Her daughter's expression softened slightly.
"You're not mad?" She asked quietly.
"Mad? No. Mildly irritated that you didn't feel like you could talk about something so big in your life and relationship with me? Yes. Amused at how embarrassed you are? Also yes. Now will you just promise me you're using protection?" Her mom continued.
"Yes, of course! Can we please stop this conversation?" Marley begged.
"Alright, alright," Millie agreed.
"And please don't make any comment about this to Ryder. Please."
"I'll try my best," Millie chuckled again, and all Marley could do was sigh loudly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thankfully for Marley, aside from a rather obvious smirk from Millie when a sleepy looking Ryder finally submerged from bed that day, the living arrangements provided little awkwardness, and the three of them spent a cosy and enjoyable Christmas together. When Ryder was working, Marley could show Millie all the city landmarks and they could catch up on the mother-daughter time that they had been missing so much, and on Christmas day itself, when Marley sat, opening presents and eating food with the two most important people in her life, she couldn't quite remember ever being so happy.
The sadness she felt when her mother had to leave was sweetened by the coinciding return of Santana, just in time for a rather drunken New Year's at Rachel and Finn's. The three of them staggered home in the early hours of morning, Ryder and Marley collapsing onto their bed, kissing hungrily, Ryder's hands slipping further down Marley's body.
"Mhmpf…is this going where I think it's going?" Marley slurred.
"Do you want it to?" Ryder asked with a grin, kissing her neck as she squirmed.
"Yeah," Marley giggled almost instantly, pulling him up to connect their lips again for several minutes, until they were interrupted by a brisk knock on their bedroom door.
"Not a great time Santana," Marley breathed out.
"Trust me I know, I can hear. I need Bieber's help, I wouldn't be interrupting you if I didn't have a reason."
"Can it wait?" Ryder asked exasperatedly.
"No." Came Santana's immediate and somewhat urgent reply, so Ryder sighed and pulled himself up before opening the door to find their concerned looking roommate.
"I opened the window to have a cigar and some creep's stood outside looking up in our apartment," she snapped. "I gave him the good ol' Snix glare and middle finger, but apparently the guy's a huge misogynist and I think if you do the same thing he might leave, y'know, cos you're a guy and all."
Ryder frowned and made his way towards the living room window, pulling back the curtain and sure enough looked down to see in the dawn light, a balding man in a leather jacket stood on the sidewalk five stories below, staring intently, expression otherwise neutral, right back at him.
"What's going on?" He heard Marley's slightly worried voice say.
"Don't look," he warned her, knowing that that sort of thing would probably scare her. "He'll be gone in a minute." When a couple of minutes passed and he wasn't gone, Ryder took it upon himself to open up the window and yell out. "Dude clear off or I'll call the police." With that, the man gave a small nod of his head, before skulking off into the shadows.
"Is he gone?" Marley asked worriedly.
"Yup. Probably drunk or something," he replied uneasily, hoping he was right.
Hope you enjoyed! Tell me what you think and what this might mean ;)
Dear reviewers:
TeaAndGlee: Thanks! And thank you also for your kind words about the one-shot, I'm glad you enjoyed it, you're the best!
Ember411: Hehe, I know you do :p Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your review to that too!
Savannaramirez35: They sure did, and about time too :p Thanks!
Chubby4567: Aww thanks, this makes me so happy! Sorry about the delay!
Jennoist4eva: Aww, no problem, it's the least I can do when you give me lovely reviews! Argh I'd love to go to Australia! I'm from the UK :)
Guest: Hope you enjoyed both- thank you!
Lauren xxx