How about another instalment of Envy Problems? It's time to pick up where we left off. Thanks to everybody that voted in the last poll too. Your votes have been counted and the winners were Nikki and Celeste.

Oh, and if you want a little more background on Nora and Mike I'd recommend reading Finding the Way. It'll give you a little more insight into their past together. Now then, shall we get started?

Long Night

If the car pulling up at an all too quiet roadside hadn't been difficult enough, the ensuing silence sure was deafening. After food, there sure wasn't much in the way of conversation or catching up. A quiet thrashing from the rock station was about the only thing lifting the veil of difficult stillness. It was something at least, something to distract from the heavy task of treading old ground.

Except Nora took all that away with a deft flick of the dial. If anything, it seemed she was the one wanting to make some conversation.

Resting his head against the leather of the passenger side seat, Mike closed his eyes in thought. Too many memories. Far too much to cover. "Nora," he paused for a moment, "I still can't get over this. Why'd you come all the way out here?"

Her hand rested upon his shoulder, the warmth of contact flinching his eyes open, his focus square upon the dashboard. "Lillian told me what happened, ese. Sounds like there's somebody out to screw you and- You know what? You ever think I wanted an excuse to see you again?"

She looked so compassionate, so thoughtful.

"When you wandered in the other day… shit…. At first, I wasn't sure it was you, Sparky. It's been years… and yet you don't seem all too happy."

There was good reason for that, too. Sighing, Mike turned to gaze out of the window. "Remember that watch you bought me? Valentine's Day after graduation? Ring any bells?"

"The watch I don't see you wearing right now," she shot back with sass, "Yeah. Course I do. I busted my ass to get it. Hell, I wanted to give you a special send-off before I left."

That wasn't the point to this whole line of discussion. Unbuckling his seatbelt, Mike shuffled back as to free himself from Nora's hold. "When I found out from one of our old school buddies how you got hold of it... it changed things for me. I thought you were past all that-"

"Fuck sakes, Mike," Nora exhaled with frustration. "So I pulled a few strings and did some bad shit. You have any idea how much that thing cost? I was barely nineteen, holmes! Nineteen!"

"That's beside the point."

Reaching for the door handle, Mike was intent on walking the rest of the way. He was back in town at least, far enough from his apartment to walk – it'd only take maybe another twenty minutes or so.

*CLICK!*

Yet the safety locks slammed in place from the driver's side, barring his escape and with it, any hope of avoiding the full brunt of this conversation. Once again, he'd be forced to look back to his teenage years, a thought that filled him with a bleak, shadowy sensation.

"Open the door, please. I don't want to go over this right now."

The Hispanic girl reached out, holding him fast. Unbuckled and sprawled halfway across the driver's seat, she stared into his eyes. The color of blue could be terrifying sometimes.

"Nope. Now stop being such a bitch and tell me. What's your problem?"

A barbed question, sharp and painful – one that struck straight at the core of his heart. How was he supposed to explain something like this? Exhaling, hands clenched into fists, Mikey met her with equal fire, green and blue clashing in an explosive standoff of sorts.

"Hearing about what you did... Makes it feel like all I did to help you was for nothing."

Pausing for a moment, shoving his heavy feelings as far down as possible, the wounded musician pushed onward. "I helped you get through school… we were always together. I even begged my family to let you stay when we both know my aunt didn't like you… and for what?"

Ablaze, Mike kept up the pace, not planning for a moment to give up. "You moved out of my place after we graduated and went back to the same shit! Doesn't matter your reasons… you still did it, Nora! Why'd I bother sticking by you when-"

A sudden softness, the warmth of a hand upon his cheek, brought with it enough weight to silence him. Never before had he seen such a weird expression from Nora. Was she angry? Maybe she was happy? He couldn't tell. It was as if she was stuck in neutral!

"Least I'm true to myself," she spoke with low, jarring bite to her every word. "Four years and I ain't changed for shit…. I still remember where I started. Not like you…. Acting all high and mighty. Is the Winters I used to know in there somwhere? I'm seriously wondering..."

Something about those words tore in deeply, sending all of the gusto Mike had mustered crashing down in a sea of flames. Silenced, he submitted to Nora's almighty stare, stuck in the all too horrible midpoint between upset and frustration.

"I can't believe you're judging me like this, penedjo. I floored it for hours to help you and this is what I get?"

A look of realization ignited in Nora's powerful brown eyes. "I get it now," she whispered, all too quiet compared to the usual. "That's why you kept your distance from me…. All this time… and it's why you hardly ever called… always dodged me when said we should hang out…."

She was too bright for her own good. A girl with street smarts and a razor intuition to say the very least. It was something a little too painful to admit; a quiet truth that Mike had always shoved to the back of his mind, but it didn't change the gravity of the situation.

"Four years I kicked around Eaglewood and I hardly heard from you. This shit right here's why! You've been mad at me all this time! ASSHOLE!"

Mike hung his gaze and stalled. "What did you expect?"

There was no way he could hide this anymore. It'd all gone too far. Besides, he didn't figure there was much point in trying to sidestep when he had plenty to deal with already. "I put so much faith in you… I envied you, Nora! I fucking idolized you… and this is what happened! YOU THREW IT ALL AWAY! You could've done so much with personality like yours... but you didn't..."

Stunned into silence yet again by the sheer strength of his own shouting, Mike reaching to the side his friend, hand brushing up against her thigh as he fumbled blindly for the door lock. A second click of the button against his fingertip released the safety.

Nora's hand jutted out to hold him in place. There she hovered, inches away from his face. There was no escaping her attempts to bore into his soul. "Stings to think you of all people see me like this... I should punch you out for this shit."

Brushing her aside, he made for the door. "It's not what you think... If anything... street fights and slinging for deadbeats is a waste of your talent..."

Free at last, and far from willing to continue this conversation, he made an exit. Leaving the girl with a quiet, thoughtful expression to slump back into her seat, he shuffled across to the sidewalk. He'd said enough.

The full extent of his feelings were out there clear as daylight, but there couldn't have been a stranger sense of middling confusion for it.

Life had changed so much over these recent years, but there was no doubt in Mike's mind that the person he was today, the roots of the singer and the showman, had been spurred on by a few different people.

"True, Kyu awakened my potential... but Nora was with me at the very start..."

It made it all the harder to look back toward the car, and so he didn't. Miss Vasquez was pissed; she had to have been after such an outburst.

'For fuck sakes. Here I am crossing yet another friend off my list at a time when I need her most. Lilli's gonna kill me when she hears about this but… there's no way I could've kept that inside any longer. Damn did I mess things up again... Looks like it's just me and Sapphire at this p-'

The car door smacked shut, and with it, there came a low, painful growl from the engine. Nora was leaving, of course she was. After this, there was no doubt, as to how she'd feel.

Yet the engine froze, cut dead, and now halfway down the street, heading toward the flashing lights of the Golden Falls Casino, Winters heard the unmistakable sound of a door swinging open again. Sneakers pounded against concrete, not at all dulled by the hustle and bustle of patrons and the rattling of chips from beyond the doorway.

"Don't you walk away from me, fucker," Skidding to a stop, Nora reached out and pulled him back, stalling his exit as she jerked the fabric of his shirt.

Before he knew it Mike found those powerful blue eyes of hers a crashing into him like a tidal wave.

"You were jealous of me?" A smooth, far more familiar laugh slipped out of her ruby lips, and with it, there came a sharp slug of a balled fist against his shoulder. "You're an idiot, Sparky. A real idiot! Why envy a girl like me? I ain't got shit compared to you with your folks. No family, nothin'. It's me on my own."

Rubbing his arm to ease the throbbing, Mike edged back, waiting until finally Nora let him go. "You think it mattered to me you didn't have family? Nora… it's who you are! How did you not notice after all this time? You're cool… you're in control! When we were teens I thought you had it all… still do… kinda."

"Mike," she chuckled, coming closer – her all too badass signature smile shined brighter than the lights of the casino. "My life ain't no party. For real! I'm the girl you're lookin' at because I've always had a rough ride."

"Yet you don't let it stop you." His own attempts at gaining such confidence hadn't ended all that well. "Everything got to my head and now look at me. Lillian told you why I'm in such a mess…. If I had half the strength you've got this never would've happened.

A pat on the shoulder from Nora was a great deal of comfort – it helped keep his negative thoughts at bay. "Well… you know what to do, right? Be careful who you trust in future."

She hugged him tight for the faintest of moments, "Or you could just find a better girl… someone that really wants you cuz you're a good guy, Mike. I bet if you look around there's way more hot chicks out there looking for a piece of what you got… for the right reasons..."

The distance between them restored, Nora rubbed her hands together. Almost as though nothing had happened, she took off back the way she came, beckoning him to follow. That was so like her. Not a tear, not another angry word. As usual, she was too cool for that kind of crap.

"C'mon. We can finish talking about this later. Let me drive you home. Lillian's waiting for you, man."

Lillian! She'd gone out of her way to help and the least he could do was head home and thank her for it. Well, if she were still awake, at least.

On his way back to the car, Mister Winters paused in thought, looking upon Nora's back with a soft, quietly thankful curve of the lips. "Hey," he called out to her, "Where you staying in town? I figure you booked into a hotel or something. It's a long drive from here to Eaglewood."

Popping open the driver's side door, the Mexican girl climbed in, firing up the engine. "I'm staying at the old motel downtown; you know… the one near the talent agency."

No, that wouldn't do at all. The downtown district was a messy shithole, pure and simple. Getting into the car and whacking the door shut, Mikey belted up. "Give me a couple of days to clear up the apartment and you can crash at my place if you like?"

"You got the space for me, Sparky?"

A good question – one that Mike had to think about in double time. There was plenty of room for two, but a third? It'd take some reworking, that was for sure.

"Lillian keeps drifting between the couch and my room. I figure if I ask her to stay in there while I sleep on the bedroom floor it'll leave you with the leather. Might be a little cramped but it's something. It doesn't sit right with me… you sleeping in dives and all."

Nora kept him on his toes with a playful slap on the back, cranking up the stereo with an exitable grin. "I never knew you cared, ese. Inviting girls over now, are ya? Wow… your cuz was right…. You have changed."

"Quit it, will you?" Mike looked to the open road ahead – watching the streetlights zip passed as Nora put pedal to the metal. "You know what I meant…."

"Too nice for your own good. That ain't any different… even if you do dress snappier now."

Taking a screeching left turn, Nora flipped back her dark brown locks, fingers tapping against the steering wheel in tow with the music. "You' might be callin' it wrong there," she continued in a strangely teasing tone. "I don't think it's me you should worry about climbing into your bed…. If I wanted you I'd ask straight up."

Mikey popped the top buttons of his shirt, eyes on the sights as they floored it across town. What was that weird comment supposed to mean?

"I don't follow," he sighed – trying hard to sift through the backlog of thoughts swirling around in his headspace. "That supposed to be a hint, or are you messing with me again. Damn…"

"Think about it, holmes. All the stuff that's happened. This Charlotte girl and how everything went down. You been seein' anyone apart from her, playboy? Girls can be nasty bitches when they get green-eyed. Fuck... if I found out some guy I was with had another squeeze I'd lay his ass out... but some of the chola's I know? Fuuuck... They'd ruin your life."

A good point if there ever was one. Mike had to stop for a moment and count on his fingers. Outside of Charlotte there was Audrey, he'd also been messing around with Kyu and before this, involved with Nikki too.

"There's been a few," he nodded in response. "But I dunno. What did you have in mind?"

"One sec. This is the place Lillian mentioned... I think."

Nora screamed to a stop at the roadside. A tall building of wide glass windows and smooth white concrete brought with it a sense of calming relaxation. West Drive, home. At last, a chance to rest after so much crazy shit happening. A girl in a fox mask with a Huniebee, getting cornered outside the bar; an old friend turning up like this. What was next?

"Sounds to me like someone's playing a game with you, Mike."

That much was obvious - yet it looked like his companion, ever ready, had some kind of plan. Of course she did.

Alive with confidence, she lit up like a flare.

"I think we should start by kickin' a little ass, you on the same page? Get you back on stage and singin… show whoever's doing this that you ain't out of the game just yet."

"I don't know." The thought of stepping up and performing after all this had happened felt bittersweet at best. Fixated on a pair of clasped hands within his lap, he pondered. "You think that'll do any good at this point? I mean… did Lillian show you the video? It's kin-"

"Na," Nora gave him a playful whack on the arm. "Like I said. If I wanted to see you fuck I'd ask you… not go checking out some clip… but your cuz sure was all fired up about it, tellin' me all the details. That girl really cares about you, feel me?"

Winters, scoffed, reaching out to deliver the all-important brofist before getting out of the car. "She sure doesn't show it…. So, about the idea of yours. How do you think we should do it?"

"Remember Lusties? That place we went on Valentine's Day?"

He knew it better than most, no doubt about that. "Yeah. I used to spend most of my weekends in there. Sang a lot with the band on local talent nights."

"Even better," she nodded – flashing a smile. "I'll call the manager and arrange a set for you next Saturday. Until then… get ready for it. This'll be your chance to show everyone you still got it. You with me?"

"I hear you. Loud and clear."

"Awesome."

Closing the door with a thump, Nora moved behind the wheel, giving him one last thumbs up before she revved the engine. A mighty howl tore through the quiet with reckless abandon.

"I'll call tomorrow, Mike. Now you be nice to Lillian, you hear? That girl's got your back. We both do!"

"I'll try my best. Go get some sleep. It's like four in the morning."

"Don't need to tell me twice! Later Princess!"

Slamming her foot down, Miss Vasquez screeched off the scene in a mist of burning rubber, violent black tire marks left in her wake.

With her gone, the musician looked back to the apartment building, his sights set squarely upon one of the squared third floor windows. A dim light crept around the corner of the blinds. Lillian, she must've been awake after all.

"Fuck… it's been a long night."

Tossing his house keys against the coffee table, Mike took in the sight of an empty lounge. Low lights and a quiet T.V provided at least a little illumination, and since Lillian wasn't sprawled across the couch drinking coffee or taking back her usual thirty cigarettes, he was pretty sure she was asleep for the night in his room.

Letting out an exhausted exhale, he flopped against the all too welcome comfort of the leather couch, popping the last of his shirt buttons and basking in the cooling sensation of the fan beside the door. It caressed his skin with an almost angelic touch.

The low hum of said electronic device brought a sense of calm. Contented to say the least, he allowed his weary eyes to close.

'Time to unwind and relax a little… take it down a notch. Between Sapphire and Nora I've had more than my share of stress to deal with. Think I'll take in a little music before I sleep. Damn… can't believe it's gone four in the a.m.'

Swiping the remote from beside his keys, the tired blond allowed his thoughts to detatch, absently flicking through the various cable channels until the calming melody of the classical music network arrived. There was nothing more therapeutic than string instruments when the stress levels were high.

A beautiful young woman of silky black hair with bright eyes, one Mike had seen a few times before on his classical music performances, arrived on stage with dainty footsteps, giving a gentle bow before readying her cello.

"Karina Santino. I knew you'd end up going a long way. The time I watched, you were playing at the stadium in Eaglewood… and I almost cri-"

A muffled sound, powerful and passionate in its intensity pulled Mike from the solace of his thoughts. Wait. Was that coming from his bedroom? Curious, he shut off the box with a slap of the remote.

Strange. Was the bedroom door ajar like that when he came in? Everything had been so tiring today. It was hard to remember!

"Yeaaaahhh…."

There it was again, this time louder and far less restrained – hungry even. Pulling himself up from the embrace of leather, morbidly curious and with a thumping heart to boot, Mikey slipped off his shoes and took slow, careful footsteps toward the doorway, flicking off the lights as we went as to not raise any suspicion.

It was Lillian's breathing alright, ragged, passionate and overwhelmed in an almost sexual howling of sorts. Seriously, had she brought a guy home without asking? His apartment wasn't just some hostel to bring home strays.

Stopping just short of the doorway, Mike steadied his breathing. Part of him felt a pang of unease. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea, yet at the same time he couldn't deny the tiny shred of curiosity, so powerful despite its size. Unable to suppress the nagging of his thoughts any longer, he peered ever so slightly around the doorway.

Burning heat cascaded across the expanse of his body, sending his cooled form into a searing mist yet again. The red organ within his chest, already frantic reached a powerful double pace, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't look away.

Lilian, and damn she was beautiful. The way her porcelain skin glowing against the illumination of a phone screen held a kind of magic to it. Sweaty and laboured, she rasped and sighed with delight, dressed down to little more than a pair of tight black panties. The fabric of said undergarments pushed to the side, she gently caressed her most delicate place, her pale face beat red as she stared with cloudy ocean eyes into a phone screen.

'What in the fuck's wrong with me? Turn away… Dammit, Mike… Stop looking at her.'

With every jerk, her perfectly rounded chest jiggled. Those wide womanly hips quaking as she lay spread eagle, tenderly massaging her blossom with trembling fingertips. Droplets of sweat slipping down her forehead like glistening crystals, she continued her chorus, her eyes not budging for a moment from the source of her stimulation.

'Hold on… Is that what I think it is? No fucking way, Lili… please tell me it isn't….'

The overly elongated whines of enjoyment rasping from the crackly speakers of Lillian's smartphone. They sounded terribly familiar. In fact, it was more than that. A voice called out in the recording with hunger, and it brought Mike's heartbeat to an even harder chorus of beats.

"You like that, hmmm? C'mon…. Lemme hear you call my name. I wanna see those eyes of yours… so gorgeous and blue. That's it… Let me know you want me…."

He staggered back on uneasy feet, almost tumbling over one of the lounge chairs as he went. That voice, its suave inflection and powerful, irresistible smoothness. The revelation crashed home, eyes of green widening amidst the darkness of the room.

'She's watching the video of Charlotte and me…. She's watching us and she's…. she's…. What the fuuuuck?! Why would she- Lillian…'

Halfway between a slide and a crawl, Mikey scuttled back across the hardwood, the thump of his back against the couch giving enough clarity to rip his flustered senses away, tossing him back into reality like a brick through a window.

Exhaling, lungs deflated and stiff, his whole body trapped in some weird vortex, he reached toward his chest. Any faster and his heart might stop.

"…I can't pretend that didn't happen," he whispered, staring into the nothingness. Without clear lighting there was little choice but to use the furniture as support to haul his body upright. "She's getting off… to me…."

Swinging his legs over the couch, Mike flopped against the leather tried to make sense of it all, finding it nearly impossible to tune out the sighs of almighty delight coming from his bedroom. He took in every audible rasp, how they quickened with each agonizingly polarizing second.

"Ahh... Y-yeaaah... Hmmmm..."

Finally, in a passionate howl, Lillian fell silent, nothing but tiny broken breaths echoing from the bedroom. With her intimate orchestra of sorts washed away, a powerful stillness hung in the surprisingly warm, clammy air.

Peircing the near impenetrable void of darkness, tracing the grainy outlines of ceiling paintwork, Mikey ticked over like an old clock, stalling hard every time his hour hand struck. There was no way to put it into words, and perhaps most surprising - the strength of his silent admission.

'She looked amazing…. I know I shouldn't be looking but… dammit…. Glowing white skin and that little skull tattoo near her tummy. Lili… you've changed as much as I have….'

His thoughts fell painfully silent as the squeaking of hinges shattered the silence like glass. Bare feet made their way across the hardwood, slow and rhythmic in their every movement. They were coming closer, no two ways about it.

'Better close my eyes and make like I'm asleep… I don't know what I'd do if she realized I'm awake after all that.'

The pattering footsteps finally came to a stop, so close that Mikey could hear the smooth patterns of female breathing. In and out, inhaling and exhaling. Lillian was at his side, perched like some mischievous little ghost.

'Don't move… Don't even breathe… Completely still. Rel-'

"It's like… good to see you finally made it home. Chyeah… took you long enough."

The gothic brat's words sank musically into his ear with such mesmeric charm that it sent a long, cold shiver crawling down the centre of his back. Damn, something about the tone in her voice, so inviting and powerful, kept pulling him deeper and deeper into a pool of blissful submission.

"Hehe... glad you didn't hear me," she teased with a giggle, "Then again… not like I would've given a fuck if you did…. Sleep tight."

A warm embrace met Mike's cheek, moist and welcoming. Her lips caressed his skin, finally backing away after claiming their prize.

Lost in a blur, nothing registered again until the bathroom door slammed shut. Alone at last, a sigh of relief slipped free, the frazzled singer bringing his fingertips up to rest upon the spot where Lili's lips had been.

Shaking a flood of rogue thoughts from mind, the singer opened his eyes yet again.

"Dammit I'm messed up… or maybe..."

Blue surged from his body, and in tandem with the tiny hint of satisfaction hidden away in the depths of his chaotic heart, the room lit up in a gentle glow.

'No Winters…. Don't go there…. That's the last thing you need….'

To be continued….

I hope you enjoyed the read. As always, you're more than welcome to leave some feedback if you would like. I value the opinions of all my readers. More importantly, if you have a pairing preference for this story then please let me know. Which Hunie would you like to see our protagonist end up with in this story?

As always, keep on supporting Huniepop and Huniecam Studio. I'll see you in the next chapter!