• I Feel Lovely •

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

A half hour later, Zoe was still on auto-pilot. She couldn't remember what had happened, how it'd happened, anything; all she knew was that she couldn't go home. The first address to her lips had been Embers -- but she couldn't go there either. Previously, the blonde duo had been there for each other. Now, the only place she wanted to be was not her friend's apartment; it was her boyfriend's arms. She somehow managed to find her way from the hospital, not entirely sure she was going the right way. It was still close to noon, but, already, the sky was darkening with the thunder clouds that began to pour halfway on her walk. Zoe didn't feel the freezing rain though; she couldn't feel anything at all.

What the heck had happened? One minute, she'd been trying not to lose her mind fussing over her bed-ridden friend, the next, both young women were losing their tempers with each other and Zoe was running from the hospital. Zoe had lost her temper with Ember. In her defense, Ember hadn't exactly made it easy on her; saying how stupid she was for thinking a guy didn't only want sex, that Romeo thought the country girl was just a toy, how naive she was for being oblivious to the darkness that had driven Ember to the hospital in the first place. Never in her life had Zoe been attacked like that; never in her life had she responded by running away. She didn't do that! She stood up and fought, not screamed harsh words and sprinted off. That wasn't like her.

But, it was too late now to change what had happened between them. She had to get somewhere safe; she had to get to Romeo. It'd be a miracle if she slept tonight, but, at least if he was there, she'd feel a little better. Cuddled up to him, maybe all of this would go away; she could forget it all and stay holed up in his apartment while the oncoming storm raged. No, not oncoming; it was already here.

Looking up and blinking, Zoe was startled to find herself drenched to the bone, the ice of the rain hammering into her skin. She stood there for a moment, feet not moving as she realized she'd made it. This was the door to Romeo's apartment building. Her wide eyes stared at it for awhile, the rain coating her further. Go inside. Wrapping her arms around her shivering/trembling body, Zoe slowly, painfully walked through the doors, taking the stairs automatically as her feet shuffled their way to the apartment she'd been to so many times now. She was safe there; she would be okay there.

Finally reaching his floor, Zoe found his door and knocked on the door, shivering as the heat of the building tried to thaw out her frozen limbs. If he wasn't home, she would curl up on the floor until he got there; she needed to see him before she could do anything else.

• • •

WORDS: 531!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Will be here Eventually! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo had spent most of the night awake, making sure that Zoe got as much sleep as she could, given the panicked state she had been in after receiving the news that her friend was in hospital. He didn’t want to see her end up in a hospital bed too, which probably would have been the case if she had driven out there when she was in such a fit of hysteria, worried for the health of Ember. It had been late when the call had come from her cell and the pair of them were falling asleep to a movie so it made no sense for Zoe to rush off to the hospital, especially when she wouldn’t be any help down there; she was a veterinary student, not a medical one and he was pretty certain that they were quite different career paths with different skills.

However, now he was exhausted himself. He had a day off work fortunately, but there was still a lot to do in the apartment, such as laundry, cleaning and putting up a new bookcase before Ellie’s dramatic shouting became a reality and one of them did fall over the strewn books and break an ankle. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, rubbing his tired eyes before moving to turn the kettle on, making himself the strongest cup of cheap coffee imaginable. He had pulled stunts like this back in his student days and wasn’t so out of practice now. He downed the cup in record time and then moved to the fire escape for one of his regular cigarettes before he got on with the list of chores that he had in his head.

He opened the window and frowned at the stormy weather. It was a good job that Ellie was staying late at school today because he was in no mood to have to ferry her about in this. New York traffic was unbearable but add the bad mood of drivers and the rain was just something that took far too much patience that Romeo didn’t have. Still, he needed a smoke, regardless of the weather. He just hung back inside a bit, making a note to leave the window open to air out the smell that might linger once he stubbed the cigarette out.

Romeo was about to move to unwrap the shelving he had propped by the wall since the other day when he heard the knock at his door. His eyebrows furrowed; he wasn’t expecting anyone and whilst the building wasn’t the most secure in the city, most people still buzzed up to his apartment if they had a delivery. Knowing Ellie she had probably ordered something online, like another pair of unnecessary shoes. Crossing the wooden floor, he grabbed the handle and pulled it open, not bothering with the peep hole. His eyes fell on the soaked figure in front of him, widening when he realised that the water on her face was not just from the rain. “Zoe? What’s wrong?”

[/color] He put his arm around her and ushered her inside before she could say a word. “Y’re soaked through, love.”[/color] He moved to the bathroom and grabbed a thick towel to bring to her. He needed to find her a change of clothes too; he had some shirts and shorts that would work, but first he wanted to know if she was okay.
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• • •

TAGGED! Zoe <3
WORDS! 607
OUTFIT! Northern Dream
LYRICS! Find Me - - - Boyce Avenue
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Ember was wrong and Zoe knew that. Romeo wasn't like the typical city guys; he'd proven that time and time again. The college guys wanted sex and fun and memories, but he didn't resemble them at all. Still... he was a guy, born and raised in cities where "modern" ideas were more common than her old-fashioned ones. Did he want her to be like the other girls and hand herself over on a silver platter? They'd never directly discussed it before; there wasn't really a chance to. She believed she'd made it clear she wouldn't be giving up her virginity until after she was happily married. Was he hoping she'd change her mind? Had the hints not been strong enough? Did he want to sleep with her now? No, no he couldn't; he knew her better than that. But what if Ember was right?

Zoe blinked as the door swung open, her semi-composed face cracking at the sight of Romeo and his question. Was something wrong? Yes. Everything was wrong. Her best friend had just ridiculed the love she was so head over heels into, had torn apart her morals and basically called her an idiot for believing in them. Everything was so wrong it hurt. Instead of answering, she just shook her head and let his warm arm pull her inside. She was so cold from the rain that her limbs felt stiff; it was a war in itself to unwind her arms from herself.

She looked up as he walked away from her, re-appearing with a warm and inviting looking towel. She should change into dry clothes or she'd get sick; she should move and do something. No... she couldn't, though. Talking about it, moving on, living; doing that would be admitting it happened. Zoe couldn't confess to losing her best friend who'd installed all these new insecurities into her already unconfident mind.

Stepping back from him as he got closer to her, Zoe's brow furrowed and she looked up at him. "Are you upset that we didn't have sex last night?" She swallowed, watching his face and waiting for an answer. Ember couldn't be right. Romeo wouldn't do that to her, would he? No. But Zoe needed to hear him say that out loud.

• • •

WORDS: 402!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Soaking Mess! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo was a guy. He could be the gentleman and he didn’t try and hook up with strange girls from the bars he went to, but he was still a guy. He had been in relationships before and there had been a few meaningless flings and one night stands that he didn’t like to brag about or even think about at times. He had never discussed sex with Zoe, but he knew that she wasn’t ready for it and probably wouldn’t be for a while. Romeo was willing to wait. He wasn’t the kind of guy to push her into something and he definitely wasn’t going to pressure her into sleeping with him. He liked her too much to do something like that and whilst he probably would find himself getting frustrated, he wouldn’t blame Zoe. She wasn’t from the city like he was and he knew that she wasn’t like the girls in those clubs with the short skirts and the desperate air of perfume and heavy makeup.

However, of all the things he could have listed for the reasons why Zoe might turn up on his doorstep crying, sex was not one of them. She didn’t seem like the type of girl to let something like that reduce her to tears and after the mysterious call last night, Romeo’s stomach turned to lead. Her friend had been rushed to hospital and now Zoe seemed to be breaking down in hysterical tears. Oh god, no…don’t let her say that the girl had died. He had yet to meet Ember, but he knew that she was important to Zoe and that she was one of her best friends in a big city that still scared her.

He reached out to wrap the towel around her but froze when he saw how she stepped back. That was not like his Zoe at all. The crease lines appeared on his forehead as he studied her and his green eyes widened, jaw falling slack at her question. He was not expecting Zoe to ask him anything like that and he quickly wracked his brain for the memories of last night, wondering if he had done something too forward to make her think like that. Last night, sex had been one of the last things on his mind! “O’ course not.”

[/color] He said once he had found his voice again and gotten over the initial shock of her question. He stepped forward again, throwing the towel around her shoulders and rubbing her arms with it, hoping to get a bit of warmth into the girl. He reached to the wall behind her and flicked the thermostat so that the heating would come on. At least he could throw her clothes into the washer and dryer soon for her. “Zoe, y’ know that’s not why I’m dating y’, right?”[/color] He asked quietly, worried that she was thinking this about him. He wasn’t angry, just upset.
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• • •

TAGGED! Zoe <3
WORDS! 528
OUTFIT! Northern Dream
LYRICS! Find Me - - - Boyce Avenue
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe wasn't just upset about the sex talk; she was crying because of what Ember had said and how she'd said it. She knew Romeo wouldn't leave her because she didn't give him any "action." The way Ember had said everything though, how he'd go chase another skirt if Zoe didn't give in soon, the nonchalant manner in which she'd shrugged all of this off, her attitude in general; that was what had Zoe in tears. The two blondes may have had totally different ideas about the world, but they didn't insult each other about them. At least, they hadn't until their fight in the hospital room.

None of this was Romeo's fault and Zoe didn't want him to feel bad or get angry about it all. This was between her and Ember; he just happened to be one of the topics fueling their fight. However, she wasn't one for keeping secrets or talking behind people's backs. And, if she hadn't asked now, she would've lost the nerve to and gone around thinking about if Ember was right. No one would be able to pressure Zoe to have sex, no matter who it was or what the situation was. This one decision was hers alone to make and she was saving it for the right moment. Ember may have called her naive for it, but she didn't understand. For now, her virginity was one of the things keeping her purely innocent. The city tried so hard to corrupt her, and she fought back by refusing to give over an experience she'd only ever get once. To her, the harder she held on, the more she won the fight against being like everyone else.

Her eyes had determination set in them as she braced herself for his answer. If he said yes, Ember was right and Zoe's respect for him would be close to shattered. But, if he said no like she was nearly positive he would, nothing had changed. If anything, she'd be more willing to cuddle up in his arms and let him soothe the chill from her frozen bones. "Ya aren't?" she said, taking a tiny hop back again as he moved towards her. Zoe couldn't run from him and, as her back hit the wall, her shoulders sagged in defeat and she let Romeo slide the towel around her. He wouldn't hurt her like Ember had.

She nodded slowly, burying herself in his arms as they worked to warm her up. She didn't care that she was soaking and that he would be to; Zoe just wanted him to hold her. "I know, I'm sorry," she mumbled, shoulders shaking with the sobs she was attempting to hold inside her chest. "It's just Ember said that ya'd leave if I didn't-- and I'm dumb 'nough to believe her and I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she sniffled, hugging the towel closer to herself. Zoe hid her teary face in his chest, but the relief coursing through her wasn't hard to see. She'd been right; Ember was the ignorant one here.

• • •

WORDS: 546!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Soaking Mess! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

He didn’t know what was going on here, or why Zoe was crying in his arms or had been foolish enough to clearly walk across the city in the rain. He also didn’t know what to say to her once he understood her fears. He wasn’t dating her just to get her into bed, but he wasn’t as pure as he either, but he had assumed that she would know that already. If she did then was that why she was asking these questions? Ember may have said something, but why would Zoe believe her unless she already had lingering doubts of her own. Romeo didn’t know whether he should be angry or hurt, if either.

He didn’t like the fact that she kept backing away from him. He thought they were beyond all of that now after everything. Sighing softly, he pulled her close when he could and kissed the top of her wet hair. “No, I’m not. Why would think that, love?”

[/color] If he had done something wrong, pushed her without meaning to then he was sorry for it, but he needed to know so that it didn’t happen again. He valued what they had together and he didn’t want to lose it because of her innocence and his lack of it. He didn’t know why she was thinking like this, but he needed to know now. “We need t’ get y’ out of these clothes.”[/color] He said simply, moving to his room to pull a t-shirt and some shorts from one of his drawers, bringing them back out to her and holding them towards her. “I’ll throw y’r clothes in the wash.”[/color] His voice was monotone, still unable to process what she had been worried about.

Romeo wiped the tears from her face and sighed softly, his hands cupping her face as he looked into her watery eyes. “Love, y’re not dumb.”[/color] He kissed her softly and smiled down at her. “I’m not goin’ anywhere ‘n’ I’m not the kind o’ guy who’s gonna push y’ into somethin’ y’re not ready for.”[/color] He said sincerely, hoping that Zoe would believe that, despite whatever her friend had told her. He didn’t understand why girls could manipulate each other’s thoughts so easily and quite frankly, Romeo didn’t think he wanted to know either. He held her close for a moment longer and then peeled her away from his chest. “Y’re gonna catch a cold if y’ stay in ‘em any longer. Quick, get changed and let me dry ‘em out for y’.”[/color] He moved to Ellie’s bedroom, which he usually avoided unless he was dumping clean laundry on the end of her bed. He glanced around the girly room and then grabbed the hairdryer from the desk and took it back out to Zoe. “Y’ can ‘ave a shower if y’ want one too.”[/color] He said, showing her the hairdryer and placing it on the back of the couch. He just wanted her warm and dry and then they could tackle whatever else was on her mind.
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• • •

TAGGED! Zoe <3
WORDS! 551
OUTFIT! Northern Dream
LYRICS! Find Me - - - Boyce Avenue
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe had had her fears about being with Romeo. Most of them, she had gotten over and laughed at now. But, there were a few that still remained fresh in her mind whenever she had too much time to think. The main one? Sex. Zoe didn't want to be another girl who shared a bed with a guy; she wanted to be more than that. She wanted sex to be a bonus, not the reason someone was around. Ember's words hit that nerve hard, suggesting the worst to toy with the country mouse's mind. Was she only a game, a prize to be won? She'd heard about guys "chasing skirts" as a means of cruel fun, and those skirts that hadn't been touched yet were usually trophies. Was that what she was?

She knew Romeo was better than that, though, didn't she? He was sweet and caring and charming and... not that. Not once had he pushed her or tried to subtly pressure; he had acted like a complete gentleman their entire relationship. He wasn't like those other guys. But, what if Ember had a point? She knew about guys, or so Zoe believed, and the blonde city girl was much more apt than Zoe at explaining relationships, sex, and dating. However, Ember hadn't met Romeo or seen him with Zoe. She couldn't judge him straight off and throw him into the "every other guy" assumption. Zoe wouldn't let her.

He had said he wasn't upset about her not "putting out," just like Zoe was almost positive he would. But, there had still been doubt, something that wasn't Romeo's fault at all. It was Zoe's; she was the one asking questions and assuming things. Well, not assuming. She was only making sure none of it was true. "'Cause I was listenin' to Ember again," she sighed in frustration. Before today, the fears about this topic had been smaller and not at all a problem. Now, they were up front and screaming in everyone's faces. Even if she was in the hospital, Zoe was more pissed off at her best friend than she had ever been in her life. "Thank ya," she said in a soft voice, carefully taking the clothes so she wouldn't get them too wet. Wearing these and cuddled up in his arms, it wouldn't take long for the chill of the rain to be washed out of her system. But, she had a feeling there was another contributor to her hysterics, and that one wouldn't be as easy to fix.

Her eyes closed as he dried to tears on her cheeks, big blue circles blinking open again as he spoke. Zoe kissed him back without hesitation, a faint trace of a smile on her lips at his words. She turned her head, pressing her cold lips to his palm and saying, "I know yer not. I jest didn't want her to be right."

[/b] She stayed quiet after that, closing her eyes again and willing herself to forget about this. He had said he wasn't upset, that he wasn't interested in just the sex. She was more than that to him.

Zoe nodded weakly at his suggestion. The soaking clothes were heavy on her, and they were warding off any warmth the room was trying to give her. Once he'd set the hairdryer down, she went and kissed him, gently but lovingly. "Thank you, Romeo." It wasn't just for the hairdryer or the shower; it was for not being like ninety percent of the other males in New York. Any one of them would've pressured Zoe long ago and, yet, it had been her to bring the topic of sex up; he hadn't said a word about it.

She took the hairdryer and went off to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. The drenched clothes peeled off her body layer by layer until only her damp bra and underwear were left, and she stopped, frozen. The garments were wet, yes, but she wasn't going to give those up; she wasn't ready for that after the day's events. Leaving them on, Zoe rung her clothes out in the sink, wrapped a towel around herself and nervously peeked open the door to stick her head around. "Ya want me to let them air in the tub when I'm through, or ya plannin' to throw 'em in the dryer?" she asked, clutching the towel close to herself and biting her lip as she hid her body behind the door.[/blockquote][/blockquote]

• • •

WORDS: 803!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Soaking Mess! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

There was far too much stereotyping going on in the recent age of men and sex. Yes, sex could be amazing and yes, sometimes it lingered on a man’s mind more than it probably should, but not every guy was a sexual predator. In fact, there was probably only a small minority of men who preyed on drunken women and lured them just for meaningless sex and to put another notch in their worn out bedpost. Romeo had never been one of them. Sometimes drunken moments had happened and the hangover was just as strong as the shame the next morning, but it was something that happened to most people at some point in their life. If Zoe asked him about his past relationships he would be honest. He knew that at no point would she want to know anything in specific detail, but after her abrupt arrival at his apartment and with the state she was in about something her friend had said to her about sex, it seemed as though they would be touching on the topic in some way or another before the sun was set that day.

He was still shocked that this was actually happening. Of all the things to happen in their relationship he didn’t ever imagine that this was going to be one way that they’d spend an afternoon; talking about sex and not rushing into things. Romeo didn’t know who this friend was, but he had to assume that something had caused the fight between the two girls in order for her to bother Zoe in such a way. In the past, he had heard just how close they were, but he knew just how deep a dagger could be plunged when wielded by an angry woman. He had seen it plenty of times before and the end result was never pretty.

Romeo let out a soft sigh at her excuse, but remained silent. He didn’t know how someone could get under Zoe’s skin so easily and make her think like this and of him. There were so many things about women he would probably never understand and their conniving ways to break each other was probably at the top of that list too. Still, he felt terrible that Zoe was feeling this way and would do anything right now to make her feel better, but the question was what? Right now, he didn’t know what would freak her out or what would make her feel safe and reassure her that he wasn’t that guy; that he wanted more out of this relationship than just sex. “Well, she couldn’t be more wrong.”

[/color] He said softly, brushing the damp hair from her face with a small, sad smile.

Once Zoe was in the bathroom, Romeo glanced down at his own clothes, now wet through from hugging her. He glanced at the closed bathroom door and then moved to his bedroom, peeling the shirt from his chest. The jeans would dry out quick enough, but his shirt had been clinging to his chest. He threw it in the hamper and grabbed one of his many football shirts when he heard Zoe calling out from the bathroom. Stepping out from behind the door and moving across the room, he glanced at her and smiled softly. “Just throw them out ‘ere. I’ll take care of ‘em for y’.”[/color] He said, pulling the royal blue jersey over his head and then running his fingers back through his hair to return it to its messy style.
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• • •

TAGGED! Zoe <3
WORDS! 625
OUTFIT! Northern Dream
LYRICS! Find Me - - - Boyce Avenue
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

One day, Zoe would gladly be corrupted by a man who loved and respected her as much as she did him, and whose last name she'd taken on. She'd be ready for it then, and these fears would be near gone. Right now, though, she wasn't prepared for sex or intimacy; she just couldn't do it. Her ideals on life may be high, but she wasn't going to give them up because of what everyone else was doing. She believed that, one day, she'd marry a guy and that she'd give up her last piece of innocence to him and that it'd be even more special because they'd waited. No one was going to force her into forgetting about this one dream.

She didn't care about his past relationships, or that he'd been with other girls before. Sure, she would've liked if he was as pure as she was, but it wasn't a deal breaker and it didn't diminish her respect for him. Honestly, she didn't care. All Zoe was concerned with was what they had in that moment; absolutely nothing else mattered. They would have to conquer this topic eventually, and no time was better than the present, even if it hurt both of them a little. Their relationship was strong enough to thrive without sex, right? All they had to do was get through talking about it.

Zoe trusted him. She knew he wouldn't do anything to pressure her; Ember's words had just shaken that trust because of the selfish fears the country mouse had had about dating in general, not only Romeo. Hearing the words from his lips, she was positive he would not touch her in a way to make her feel uncomfortable or make it seem like she had to do things in order to keep him around.

She could see the sadness in his smile and it made a sharp pain wrap around her heart. She'd caused that; it'd been her who'd upset him from her own stupid worries. Zoe grabbed his hand tightly, lacing her smaller fingers through his and refusing to let go. She didn't want him to start blaming this on himself. "Please don't be upset," she said, pleading with him. "It's not you, I promise. It's... it's Ember. Ya didn't do anythin' ta make me think that ya wanted more from me. I'm jest scared that one day she might be right," she rambled. Zoe was afraid that it would come true; that, one day, he'd get tired of waiting and run off with a beautiful city girl, like Ember. It'd been one of her biggest fears all along, and she guessed that it wouldn't ever really go away. She still couldn't see how he'd fallen in love with her when all the sparkly dolls made a much prettier picture than her plain, old-fashioned self.

Zoe's surprised eyes widened to the size of saucers as she took in her shirtless boyfriend. She'd seen him like that before, but it never failed to errupt a burning sensation inside her stomach. It was a mixture of the desire she couldn't act on and the longing of wishing that she could. Even now, the lusty fire flashed through her eyes, vanishing as fast as it had appeared as Zoe put a clamp on her emotions. She was so busy trying to keep herself from blushing that she hardly caught his words, only nodding numbly as she slid back around the door to get her clothes. Why did he have to be so freaking hot?

She shoved all the thoughts into her mental box and scooped up her soaking clothes, opening the door again and dropping them on the floor. Zoe safely locked herself into the bathroom and stripped down, turning on the water and stepping into the warmth of the shower. It only took her a few minutes to wash the grime of the city and of the rain from herself before she was hopping back out onto the cold floor and changing into Romeo's too-large clothes. She always loved wearing his clothes because they made her realize just how much smaller she was than him. Zoe combed through her hair and flipped on the hairdryer, trying to tame the curls as they sprung back to life, soft and clean. She turned it back off and looked herself over once in the mirror, not minding at all that she looked like a wreck; better than when she'd come, but still not as good as she should.

Zoe walked back out into the living room, crossing to Ellie's room to return the hairdryer and sneak a hairtie off of her dresser. She pulled her curls up into a messy bun and went out to the couch, curling up in the corner of it. With her chin on her knees, she let out a sigh and mentally prepared herself for the conversation that she knew was coming.

• • •

WORDS: 872!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Soaking Mess! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

No one had ever called Romeo any less than a gentleman. Yes, sometimes he could be one of the guys and could make comments and laugh at immature innuendos, but he was never the kind of guy who leered at the bar or who crept out of bed and vanished with the sunrise as though nothing had ever happened. He knew that Zoe didn’t mean to imply that he was, but it was still a little upsetting that she was worried about all of this, despite the facts suggesting otherwise. They had spent nights together and nothing had happened and until Zoe gave him the go ahead for more, he was happy to keep it that way. His own broken home had forced him to look at sex in a more serious light than most college kids. He knew the risks, didn’t sleep around and the last thing he wanted was to end up in the same rut his own parents had found themselves in when they were younger and Romeo was still a child. He didn’t want any of that to end up in his future, or in Zoe’s and he would do everything in his power to keep any of that from happening.

When she grabbed his hand, Romeo thought something else was wrong. He listened to her words and then shook his head, pushing his hair back again before pulling her closer, kissing her forehead sweetly. “It’s not goin’ t’ ‘appen. At least not with us, so don’t be panickin’.”

[/color] He whispered. He had gone quite some time without sex and it hadn’t driven him to any extremes; it wasn’t his vice. He had guessed that Ember’s life was more like his than it was Zoe’s and so he wasn’t surprised by the tall blonde’s cynical view of men, but it didn’t apply to him. “I won’t ever make y’ do somethin’ y’re not ready for, be it sex or anythin’ else.”[/color] He promised, meeting Zoe’s bloodshot eyes from the tears. He gave her another quick smile and dropped another kiss to her forehead.

He stared in bemusement at the sudden change in expression before she vanished behind the bathroom door again. Smirking to himself, he gathered up the clothes and moved to the kitchen, throwing them in the washing machine first. He may as well do the whole lot, rather than throw them in the dryer for twenty minutes. Whilst the machine came to life, the clothes now sloshing about with the water, Romeo quickly worked at throwing some food together. There wasn’t much he could do in a short time, but a few sandwiches were neatly stacked on a plate by the time Zoe emerged from the bathroom and Romeo made her a cup of tea too, bringing it all through to her as she curled up on the couch. “’Ere are, love. Don’t want y’ gettin’ sick.”[/color] He said with another charismatic smile as he took a seat near her, throwing his legs up on the table like he always did. He didn’t know what else to say. This was not a situation he had prepared for at all.
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• • •

TAGGED! Zoe <3
WORDS! 564
OUTFIT! Northern Dream
LYRICS! Find Me - - - Boyce Avenue
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Despite what some people thought, Zoe wasn't immune to the animalistic side of human nature. She was capable of all of it and had narrowly escaped its overflowing on more than one occasion lately, but she stopped herself because she had to. She didn't want to take that chance or use it as a reason to keep someone with her, and she sure as hell didn't want it to be the reason she and Romeo broke up. How could she ever suspect that it would be, though? She knew he was a gentleman and that he wouldn't push her, yet a few choice words from Ember had temporarily shaken that. It wasn't fair of her to accuse him of this, and part of her wished he'd get upset with her for even thinking like that. He was being so nice and wonderful while she basically insulted him and it made her feel absolutely terrible, a feeling that increased as she stepped out of the shower again and found him making food for her. How could she have she ever worried about him only wanting her for sex?

Zoe looked at the sandwiches for half a heart beat before uncurling herself and going to cuddle up to his side. She didn't want the distance between them; she'd much rather be tucked safely in his arms as she tried to think of a way to apologize. She'd seen that look on his face and she wanted to make up for causing it, but she couldn't think of what to do. They didn't fight or argue that often; very rarely needing to sit down and physically, flat-out say sorry to each other. It was hard to find the right words to do it.

She twisted and buried her face in his chest, closing her eyes. It wasn't the saying sorry she had the problem with; her issue was that the doubts were still prowling through her mind, even after all of his words to shut them up. "Are you mad?" she whispered, snuggling closer to him as she tilted her head to look up at his face. They were going to have to talk through all of this sooner or later and, the less time they spent pretending everything was okay, the sooner it really could be.

• • •

WORDS: 423!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Soaking Mess! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo had kept a tight hold of his primal urges since dating Zoe. He knew how easily things could get out of hand if they weren’t careful and the last thing he wanted was to ruin a night with Zoe by losing control of his feelings and making it seem as though he wanted more from her than what they already had. He knew she wasn’t ready for any of it and whilst it sometimes seemed torturous to him, it was worth it to keep Zoe in his life. She made him happier than anyone had done in a while and it meant more to him than she could possibly realise. He wasn’t about to let lust ruin what they had, even if it took all of his willpower to keep his hands at bay sometimes.

He smiled as she moved closer to his side and Romeo’s arm instinctively wrapped around her, pulling her as close as he could, his lips moving to brush across her now dry hair. He knew that they would have to talk about this before their relationship could continue, but Romeo didn’t even know how to start this sort of conversation other than to reiterate what he had already told her; he wasn’t going to be the guy to push her into having sex. His rough fingers traced light patterns on her arm and he silently cuddled up next to her, totally unsure of what to do right now. He’d never been in a situation like this before and Zoe was the first girl who he had dated who wanted to wait before having sex, so he didn’t even know what he should say or do right now.

At her words, Romeo pulled away slightly, just so he could see her better. He flashed his infamous lopsided smile and brushed the hair from her face, sighing softly before leaning down to kiss her sweetly. “Nah, I’m not mad, love.”

[/color] He rubbed her arm and smiled down at her. “I’m just glad y’re alright now.”[/color] He kissed her again and then leaned forward to pick up the mug of tea. “Y’ prob’ly need to keep warm, love. ‘Ere.”[/color] He pulled the throw down and wrapped it over them both. There was no need to fuss over it now and he wasn’t mad at all. He just felt sad that Zoe had been made to doubt him and to feel like this.
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• • •

TAGGED! Zoe <3
WORDS! 443
OUTFIT! Northern Dream
LYRICS! Find Me - - - Boyce Avenue
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe was so happy with Romeo it was hard to put into words. The way he made her laugh, or how he could always brighten her day with just a smile or a text message in the morning when she woke up. They were perfect together without the physical aspects some relationships thrived on, which suited her just fine. She would rather have a man she could talk to and joke around with than one who was just there for the entertainment in the bedroom. Right now, she had that and she was risking it by bringing up a topic that could only lead to disaster. Why did she have to be so insecure about all of this?

A frustrated huff left her lips as he smiled and kissed her, though she did kiss him back without hesitation. He was too nice; he should be screaming or mad, at the least. He shouldn't be cuddling her like always and kissing her and worrying about her, definitely not that. Zoe had seen guys explode over much less, giving her one more reason to feel terrible as he tucked her in and handed her the mug of steaming tea. "I ain't gonna get sick from a lil' rain. I've been out in much worse, 'nd I'm still breathin'," she protested, letting him fuss over her, though she didn't believe he should be. She sipped at the tea, wrapping her cold fingers around the mug to try and warm them as she stayed toasty warm in his arms.

"I should be tha one makin' you tea and lunch. Yer bein' too nice," she scolded as she pulled the blanket closer. Her own wellbeing was the last thing on her mind at the moment, but she was freezing, and the heat radiating off of her boyfriend and being trapped by the blanket were helping to ward off some of the chill. Zoe reached up and gave him a gentle, sweet kiss. "I'm sorry for doubtin' you," she whispered sadly, her face only inches from his as she pressed her lips to his again.

• • •

WORDS: 405!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Soaking Mess! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: Zoe is being difficult now -.- <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

He couldn’t be mad at her. Sure, he was a little hurt that she had doubted him after everything, but that passed quickly enough, really. He had taken and heard a lot worse over his twenty four years of breathing! He was a city guy and guys like him had a reputation; they didn’t ask for it, but it existed and he couldn’t blame Zoe of being fearful over it. Insecurities existed and Romeo probably had a few left over from his youth that the couple hadn’t gotten around to dealing with yet. His issues with his dad were one of them, but that was something he hoped never to drop onto Zoe. It had all been a long time ago and everyone was over that part of their lives now with no intention of thinking back on it.

Smiling, he slipped his arm back around her and pulled her closer as he shifted so that they were a little more comfortable together. “I’m allowed t’ fuss; I’m y’r boyfriend.”

[/color] He said simply, wrapping his other arm around her so that he was almost cocooning her in his hold. If anything, Romeo just wanted to make her feel better. She might not get sick, but she still shouldn’t have all these doubts playing on her mind. He wondered how long they had been there for and if Ember has just tipped her worries over the edge. He hoped not. He kind of hoped that it was all Ember’s fault, though he didn’t know the full story or what exactly was happening with Zoe’s friend, other than she was in the hospital. Those places turned him into a bit of a nightmare to deal with too, so he felt surprisingly understanding.

“Nah, I’m not. I’m just bein’ us, like.”[/color] He said with a smirk, dropping another affectionate kiss to her hair. “Now, stop worryin’ so much and eat y’r scran.”[/color] He said playfully, nodding his head towards the sandwich. He assumed she hadn’t eaten all that much today with the whirlwind she had left in that morning; food almost seemed to be the last thing she would think about. He kissed her sweetly and brushed the hair from her eyes, smiling lovingly down at her. “Stop worryin’, love. I told y’, it’s fine.”[/color] He said, nudging her nose with his own before sitting back again, his eyes scanning the room before an idea popped into his head. “’Ow ‘bout a film while y’ eat? I think Ellie’s got some rom-com in the player?”[/color] He suggested, looking down at her with one of his infamous lopsided grins as he picked up the remote from the small coffee table. The quicker he took take her mind off of all of this, the better.
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• • •

TAGGED! Zoe <3
WORDS! 535
OUTFIT! Northern Dream
LYRICS! Find Me - - - Boyce Avenue
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe couldn't remember a time where she'd been truly mad at Romeo. Annoyed at the smoking; frustrated by the fussing; concerned about his health. That was it. They'd never had a "real" fight before, and, though she wasn't complaining about it, she knew that at some point, there would be an agruement that escalated. With their banter and polar-opposite lives, it was bound to happen eventually, but Zoe was praying that it wasn't now. Losing her best friend was enough for one day; Romeo vanishing as well would be too much weight on the country mouse's already full shoulders.

She snuggled comfortably into his side, taking sips of her tea and letting the steamy liquid warm her from the inside out. The rain had done a number on her, but she wouldn't whine over it or ask more of Romeo. He was doing enough already, and she hated to worry him. "Yet ya won't let me fuss over you when yer sick," she said, clicking her tongue and drinking more of her tea. One perk of dating her Scouser was the tea and, while she hardly drank it before they'd begun going out, she had it almost daily now. At the moment, it was working to warm her up and relax her, but she still had the doubts playing in the back of her mind. If she wasn't careful, they'd escape again; she just hoped nothing triggered that breakdown. There'd been enough crying for one morning.

"Eat half? I ain't that hungry, anyways, and this tea's fillin' me up," she said, glancing towards the sandwich before looking back up at him. She wasn't starving, and she'd feel bad eating while he just sat there. Zoe cuddled closer to him, her eyes closing gently as his fingers caressed her hair. "I'm jest checkin'. I can't lose you today, too," she whispered back, kissing him lovingly again before tucking her head under his chin and relaxing against him. "Ya really want to watch a rom-com?" she laughed softly. "I don't care. Put on what ya want. 'Sides, ain't it yer turn to pick, anyways?" Zoe drank more of her tea and smiled easily, taking a deep breath as she settled into the moment. Rain, snuggling, and a movie; the combination for a perfect afternoon.

• • •

WORDS: 429!
TAG: Her Romeo <3
LOCATION: In Tears, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: Soaking Mess! <3
LYRICS: Lovely by Sara Haze
NOTES: <3 <3 <3