• The Stars Stay Up •

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

When Zoe cracked, you knew something was seriously wrong with her. And, very rarely was something wrong with Zoe. She rarely got sick, and it was always a light cold when she did. She'd also learned how to bear her troubles and carry on with a hearty smile. But even she had her breaks now and then. Right now, well really all of tonight, that was one of those occasions. Zoe just wanted to curl up and cry, be away from Romeo and his intoxicating... everything. She needed to clear her head and think. Think over how she'd get past her on-coming paranoia, her feelings for Romeo, her heartache. Think about how she'd forget all of tonight. And, she wanted to forget. She wanted to go back to a few hours ago when she was simply enjoying being in Romeo's company and keeping her true feelings hidden. That had been a heck of a lot better than the torture he was forcing her to endure now.

Zoe knew she was digging herself into a deeper hole as she continued the topic about hearts and loves. She wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer without breaking into a fresh torrent of tears, and she didn't want to cry anymore in front of him. It was a sign of weakness; and she was already appearing too soft for her liking. Zoe felt exposed, like she was missing some vital piece of clothing and being stared at by thousands of people. Really, though, Romeo was the only one there. And yet, he made her so nervous and fidgety, and now devastated, that Zoe didn't know what to think or do. This was all so new to her and her heart, that she was somewhat afraid of making a mistake. What if she accidentally let some suggestive remark slip? Or if she gave into this almost uncontrollable urge to reach up and kiss Romeo, show him what she felt for him?

As his hand brushed her hair out of her face, Zoe instantly cooled down. Her temper subsided, reminding her that she had no reason to be taking out her anger and frustrations on him. He didn't deserve it, not after he'd been so sweet and kind to her all night. It didn't mean she wasn't upset with him. She was, oh yes, but it wasn't really with him. It was with the fact that he wasn't in love with her, but with some other girl. "Ya really should write a book someday, hun. Ya could put all our conversations in it. It'd prob'ly be a best seller," she smiled softly at him. One of her hands moved up, allowing her fingers to gently run down his cheek. Zoe watched her hand, instead of his eyes, wishing she could touch him like this all the time. It was probably a bad move to make, especially since she was supposed to be forgetting her feelings for him, not increasing them. "Until ya get published, though, focus on findin' your magic with someone who's special enough," Zoe added, pulling her hand away from his face and resting it in her lap again. Her comment was more of a stab at herself than an instruction for him, as she very well knew. She wasn't special enough to catch his attention. And, unless she gave up all of her good morals and perfect behaviors, Zoe didn't think she'd ever be worth him.

Zoe could feel Romeo's eyes on her, and it caused her to fidget just slightly. Her fingers tapped on her leg, and she wished her other hand was well so she could distract herself by fiddling with her fingers. She didn't like feeling awkward or nervous, and hated the fact that Romeo was causing her to be. The butterflies, though, they were nice. So nice. They were unlike any Zoe had ever felt, and she loved it. But she couldn't keep them. The problem was, however, that she didn't want to release them. She couldn't merely open her stomach and let them fly away, like she wanted. They had too strong of a hold on her, and it hadn't even been that long yet. "And if ya take your chance to risk yourself before it's too late," she added in a whisper. Zoe had lost her chance with him. Someone else had gone and snatched him up all because she was too afraid to say anything. And now, Zoe was regretting it. She wished she would've been able to get him to fall for her, instead of the other way around. She wished she was brave enough to tell him. She wished she wasn't only his little country mouse.

"More like ya wish ya always were," she smirked weakly at him, bumping his side in return when he nudged her. Zoe wanted their playful relationship back, and was happy to see it make a small appearance. If only it could go back to normal, all of this would've been so much easier. She wouldn't be heartbroken, he wouldn't be making things worse, and they'd be laughing all this off with some of their usual banter. She missed it already, and it hadn't even been gone for that long. But, it was gone now. Something had changed. And, honestly, Zoe wasn't liking it at all.


Zoe's hands were shaking as she clutched her keys and she could feel the icy metal digging into her palm from her tight grip on it. She held her breath as he walked past her, hoping he wouldn't ask what was wrong now. Because, where was she supposed to start for an answer? With a shake of her head, her eyes flickered up to meet his. Hers mirrored all of the pain he'd either saved her from or caused tonight, and she couldn't help a sniffle as she took a step back into her apartment. She couldn't go with him, not now. Everything would get worse if she stayed with him. He'd make her fall harder for him, and make her wish she could feel safe and protected every night, like she would with him sleeping a ways away from her.

So, with a sudden jerk of her arm, the door slammed shut in his face. Zoe's entire body trembled as she released her grumbling cat and dropped her keys onto the floor. They clanged loudly, filling the tense silence Zoe was still so afraid of. Using her now-free hands to cover her face, she turned and slid down the door onto the floor. She curled her knees up to her chest, tears now streaming down her cheeks as she tried to wash all her heartaches away.

• • •

WORDS: 1180!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: The Floor, Her Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Although Romeo didn’t fully understand the reason behind Zoe’s mood change or even that he was at fault for it, it didn’t mean that he didn’t see it in her eyes. Every gaze he tried to hold, she avoided and it only took him a few moments to sense the tense atmosphere that washed over them, seemingly rendering Zoe unable to look at him.
At first, he wondered if it was because of how he was fussing over her. He knew about, and respected, Zoe’s independence. He figured that it couldn’t be easy for her to let him act the way he was doing; fussing and worrying and insisting on doing everything for her whilst she was in his care. Did she feel weak? That wasn’t how Romeo saw her at all. Her saw her as an exquisite beauty in a city that was often only lit by neon signs and head beams. He saw the compassion and adoration in her eyes whenever she spoke about something she cared about. He smiled at how gentle she was and how the city life could sometimes catch her off guard and leave her bewildered, almost like she was a deer, lost and far from the safety of the forest.

He knew that he was walking in dangerous territory the way he kept getting closer to her, allowing his fingers to caress her soft skin, taking her hand in his and holding it like lovers would do and melting in her beautiful eyes over and over again as he opened up more, revealing truths and beliefs that no one - not even Ellie - had heard before. Their friendship was changing fast and the anxious knotting in the pit of his stomach was a sure sign of that.
That anxious knot wanted more than this though. It wanted Romeo to make a move. Sweep Zoe off her feet, into his arms and kiss her like the sun would never rise. But he couldn’t do that. Not now, especially not now. That didn’t mean that he didn’t want to though and the excess licking off his own lips was the only way to calm the urge, the desire to taste her.
Romeo wasn’t the kind of guy who was shy or nervous around girls, even those who made his heart somersault in his chest, but with Zoe, things were different and it wasn’t just because of the attempting mugging that had happened earlier that night.
She was Zoe; Romeo’s little country mouse who had expressed her desire to return to the country on more than one occasion and he, well, he was a city boy through and through. The bass-line of a pneumatic drill was music to his ears every morning and the smell of the vendors and the fumes of cars were his own personal defined scent when he walked the streets. The neon lights and loud parties revitalised him and the resonance of sirens and alarms were almost soothing to him on nights when he couldn’t sleep.
In his mind, Zoe didn’t want the city, didn’t want him.

The small smile she gave him eased his worries just a little bit though, which was a good thing, considering his hand had been restyling his hair repeatedly ever since Zoe seemed to clam up and start avoiding his gaze.
Writing a novel had always been something at the back of his mind, a possibility that was always going to be on his bucket list, but would probably be the thing he put off for so long that it was impossible to finish. However, she had a point. Maybe not with the conversations exactly, but maybe now, whilst he was young and with the free time to try and achieve such a feat, it was worth a shot. In a few more years he’d be back at college to finish chasing his dreams and then, once he was teacher, he’d be swamped with marking, lesson plans and so much more to handle that finding time to possibly have, love and enjoy a life and a family would be just about all he could take. “Maybe. I dunno what I’d write though. It’d end up bein’ a clash of genres, know what I mean?”

[/color] He smiled, thinking about it and the endless choices he had.
At the touch of her hand, Romeo wondered, once again, if maybe she did feel the same way that he did. Instinctively, he raised his hand, gently placing it over hers and smiling a lopsided smile at her. He enjoy the touch of her hand against his skin, her fingers running over the rough stubble that was currently laying dormant on his face, waiting to see if it would become a full grown beard or whether it would vanish tomorrow morning with the aid of Gilette. “There’s plenty of magic for me right ‘ere.”[/color] The words escaped his lips before he could even think about what he said or insinuated with that softly spoken sentence. His eyes widened slightly, jaw slackened and he cleared his throat quickly, stepping back from Zoe’s hand before he lost every ounce of self control and pulled into that kiss that had been filling his mind for a good few hours now. “I mean, uh, New York, it doesn’t get much more magical than the good big apple, right love?”[/color] There was a strong heat rising to his face and he thought of lettuce, cigarettes, old books and cold beer in the hopes of cooling the red blush that spread up from his neck before Zoe could notice it.

His eyes remained fixed on her, noticing how fidgety she’d suddenly became. It made no sense to him, but then he knew better than to push her into revealing exactly what had happened to cause her to become a nervous wreck nearly. So, he just moved a little closer, tempted to put his hand on her shoulder or pull her into a hug, but he didn’t know if that was what she needed to calm down. His eyes flicked to her tapping hand and he almost reached out and grabbed it, entwining her fingers with his own. Romeo - reluctantly - resisted and reached up to toy with his bronze locks of messy, wax filled hair.
Suddenly, he decided to stop caring and worrying. He was Romeo and she was Zoe. They were relaxed, chilled and awesome and he took it upon himself to change the sombre tone of the conversation, shaking it off like it was stupid to be discussing in such depths to begin with. “Aye, but life is about takin’ risks! If we didn’t then we’d reget every little thing. Sure, we get hurt, and it hurts like hell, but that’s the beauty of bein’ human. ‘Cause then we go, pick ourselves up and deal with it! Zoe, if I can give you one piece of city advice it’d be this; live like you’re on freakin’ Broadway every morning. If you’re scared of something’ take a runnin’ leap at it and make the most of every little thing, every little moment and every little bit of magic that comes your way. Because one day…BOOM. It’s over.”[/color] He smiled, glancing towards the window, the velvety blackness of the New York sky soothing his mind of deep thoughts and worries. “We overanalyse things and close doors that haven’t even been opened yet, too quickly these days. If you want to take a chance at somethin’ then go for it, love. Forget about the fear and just live. We really only get one shot at this.”[/color] He was trying to encourage himself too, but right now, at this moment, he was working on bringing back the Zoe he was familiar with, the girl who he could happily spend whole days in the company of without this awkward tension between them.

He feigned horror, shock and hurt at her words, clasping his hand to his chest theatrically. It was a good sign and something that he welcomed much more than her anxious shuffles, melancholy mumbles and broken eyes. He hoped this was things back to normal now, that maybe this whole phase had just been because Zoe had invited him to her apartment; her personal sanctuary in a land so unfamiliar to her in comparison to the fields and quiet of Adams.

Romeo’s green eyes were fixed on her as she began to fiddle with the keys in her hand. He tilted his head, furrowing his brow as he wondered just what she was doing. At the glance in her eyes he felt a dagger in his chest and the small step back that she took sent fear rocketing through his body. She couldn’t push him away now! She couldn’t let this night get the better of their relationship; the friendship that he knew both of them cherished.

However, before he could get his foot back into the apartment, the door slammed in his face and he blinked repeatedly for a few seconds, confused by what was happening here. His jaw clenched with determination and he stepped up to the locked door, knocking on the wood with his injured hand, crying out and dropping Zoe’s things when the pain ricocheted up his wrist causing him to swear loudly on instinct. He chewed on the inside of his mouth to keep the rest of the profanities trapped inside, but once the pain was bearable, he leaned his shoulder against the door, knocking with his other hand this time. “Come on Zoe, open up. I’ve got your things out here, love.”[/color] He hoped no one came by. This didn’t look good already; guy with a busted hand and lip with bags standing outside the door of a small, quiet but mesmerising beauty. He licked his lips, swallowed hard and looked at his watch. He’d promised Ellie that they wouldn’t be long and it was getting late now. He couldn’t leave Zoe here though and he wouldn’t. He just needed to try and come up with a plan. “’ave you ever seen the movie Ghost? The song, “I’m Henery the eighth, I am”? I will start singin’ it. Loudly and out of key I may add until you open this door Zoe.”[/color] He’d done this to Ellie before when she was younger and locked herself in the bathroom. He’d do it again now if he had to. “Come on Zoe, please. I’ll stand here obnoxiously until either this opens or the police drag me away. And you can explain the latter to our Ellie if it comes to that.”[/color] He sighed, leaning his weight against the door and clear his throat softly.
Here it goes…

“I'm Henery the Eighth, I am,
Henery the Eighth I am, I am!
I got married to the widow next door,
She'd been married seven times before.
And every one was an Henery
She wouldn't have a Willie or a Sam
I'm her eighth old man named Henery
Henery the Eighth, I am!”

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Romeo's little country mouse
WORDS! 1882
OUTFIT! This Little Number
LYRICS! Lonesome Swan - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe could've sworn her heart stopped as he spoke. Her breath caught in her throat, and her whole body seemed to light up with the faintest bit of hope. He thought she was magical? Her, the simple country mouse who supposedly wasn't sparkly enough to catch his attention? Zoe's eyes glimmered with the idea. He thought she was magical.

But, just as quickly as the light had appeared, it vanished once more. He hadn't meant her at all... not even in the slightest. She wasn't magical at all. Zoe felt her heart sinking now instead of stopping as the rejection flooded her system. Romeo didn't like her, didn't think she was magical. He thought the city was. "Yeah, I 'spose it is," she whispered softly, staring back down at her hands in disappointment. None of her fantasies were going to come true. Why did she even bother hoping they would?

She wasn't the risk-taker type. That's why she kept hoping. She hoped some big, fantastic event would happen that pushed the two together naturally instead of her putting herself out on the line for him to chop to pieces. Zoe didn't want her heart broken, but it looked like she was already too far in to spare it. He'd stabbed her where it hurt the most, and she'd sat by and allowed him to. And now, she'd pay for it.

All Zoe could do was cry. Cry, sob, sniffle, anything related to that. She couldn't force herself into stopping, like usual. Hell, she could barely breathe through her tears. And it was all Romeo's fault. Well, his and that stupid mugger. If the guy hadn't tried to rob her, Romeo wouldn't have had to save her, she wouldn't have ended up at his apartment, this mystery girl wouldn't have been revealed, and she wouldn't be suffering this goddamn heart break right now. She'd be happy, smiling, looking forward to hopefully running into Romeo somewhere tomorrow whenever she had free time. She'd be talking to her Mama or sisters on the phone, maybe even calling Jack or Ember up to go see a movie or have lunch. Everything would be normal. Zoe wouldn't feel so... helpless. She'd be in full-control of her life, or as much in control as possible. And she'd be contentedly crushing on Romeo from afar. She'd swoon over him and their conversations before bed, smile whenever he did, and laugh at the silly jokes he made. Everything would be as it was.

Zoe sniffled loudly as the "what if's" ran through her head. What if she had admitted to liking Romeo? What if she'd kissed him while he was so sweetly taking care of her? What if she wasn't so innocent and naive? But, "what if's" didn't happen. That's why they were "what if's". You'd missed your chance to make them realities, and now you were wondering what would've happened if you'd chosen them instead. The funny part was though, that Zoe didn't have too many new "what if's". There were the same old, same old ones that had been in her head ever since leaving Adams, but that was about it. She'd never really had anything happen to her while in New York that made her say "what if I would've done -insert something here- instead?". That is, until Romeo paraded into her life and turned everything upside down.

And, he did do just that. He changed Miss Perfect-Example Zoe into a more realistic person. She didn't feel on the outside anymore, not while she was talking to him. She wasn't so obsessed with being the one everyone wished they could be: the innocent virgin who didn't have a clue or care about relationships, heartaches, and dating drama. He made her experience things she'd always wanted to feel. He made her fall head over heels in love, and wish she hadn't. He made her feel like a tragic Cinderella who could never have her Prince Charming. And a piece of Zoe hated him for it.

As Romeo swore, Zoe flinched and hiccuped, curling tighter into herself and leaning back against the door. Tessie stalked out of the room, going to sit on the carpet near the couch and smooth out her ruffled fur. Zoe watched her for a moment, trying to focus on her kitten instead of whatever Romeo could be doing outside her door. He'd probably hurt his hand, or bit his lip again. Part of Zoe told her she should go out there and help him, return the favor of care taking. But the other, presently louder, side told her she shouldn't. Why did he deserve her pity? He didn't want her, he didn't need her. She was merely a passing friend, someone who would be forgotten in years to come, even if she never forgot him in the slightest.

She shook her head silently when he told her to open the door, burying her face further into her hands and hiding behind her curls. Even if he couldn't see her, she still felt the need to hide herself while she cried. Zoe didn't want him to see her so weak and fragile, not when she had to pretend he didn't cause her heart to flutter every time he smiled at her. She didn't want him to know he had such a pull on her emotions. She didn't want his pity. She wouldn't be able to bare it.

"I c-can't," she whispered brokenly, wondering if he could even hear her. Probably not, but at least she'd choked something out. "I-I'm s-sorry," she sniffled again, wincing as she went to wipe her cheek off with her bad hand. It stung, and Zoe wished she had more ice to put on it. Or some pain killers. Those would knock her out, make her forget all about Romeo and his heart-breakingly gorgeous self. They'd make her so zonked, she wouldn't even know if the world was crumbling down around her. They would make reality go away. No, Zoe. You're fine, she told herself silently. She could deal without the meds, even if she wished she could give into the urge of sleeping this whole night off. In the morning, "everything would be different". Oh how wrong that was, oh how wrong Romeo was, and oh how stupid Zoe was for letting this happen to herself.

A harsh laugh escaped her lips as he started singing, and she shook her head. Zoe wiped her cheeks on a corner of her quilt, hugging the fluffy blanket to her chest as Romeo continued to attempt to sing. She'd let him stand out there and embarrass himself for awhile; she needed the time to gather her own wits while he lost his.

So, she sat for awhile in silence. Well, almost silence. There was still Romeo's "singing" in the background. Zoe was happy he didn't walk away, however. She must mean something to him if he hadn't left her things by the door and walked off, right? She hoped, against her own will, that that was the case.

After awhile, she stiffly moved from her ball on the floor. Zoe wrapped her blanket around herself, quietly unlocking the door but not opening it. She went over to her couch, curling up on it and closing her eyes, listening for signs of him coming in or Tessie moving around the apartment. Really, she was listening for movement of any kind, specfically kinds that weren't familiar to her. If someone was in the apartment, you could be sure that Zoe'd be running out to the safety of Romeo's arms in a matter of seconds.

• • •

WORDS: 1365!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: Her Couch, Tylers' Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo’s save wasn’t the smoothest ever, but it seemed to work, which meant that there was an actually chance at being able to pull this off. He wanted to be close to Zoe; closer than they already were, but as he repeatedly kept reminding himself, timing was the key and right now - tonight - the timing would be way off and she could put it down to the emotional rollercoaster both of them had been dragged on over the past few hours or worse, and the last thing Romeo wanted, she could think that he was doing all of this out of pity, and nothing could be farther from the truth than that.

Zoe bought his lie. Well, part lie. New York was a magical place to be, but only in the right company and at the right times. Tonight, the mugging and the violence that Zoe had been forced to witness wasn’t magical and Romeo didn’t like the fact that she had to see that side of him, even if he had been protecting her. He had never really been a fighter and often talked people down with words, but times sometimes required brutal physicality and even if he came out the hero, he didn’t like it. It wasn’t the magic he was searching for, but the harsh reality of the city.
He just wanted to be the lucky guy who could show Zoe the magic now, and reintroduce her to the beauty that often remained forgotten about the city.

On the other side of the door, Romeo raced for possible ways to get her to open the door again if his original plan failed. The last thing he wanted to do was to break the thing down, but even at the risk of arrest, he would do it if he had to. Zoe wasn’t okay and his main goal of this evening was to make her happy again. He had thought he was doing a good job, but clearly something had bothered her in their recent time together which had made her distant from him, upset and worried over something that Romeo couldn’t read in her expression. All he could see was the pain in her eyes as she shoved the door closed, locking him in the hallway of a strange apartment complex in his casual attire with a bloody bandage on one hand, a swollen and busted lip on his face and hair that looked like it hadn’t seen a comb or style product in the whole time it had been on his head.

If anyone walked past, he was going to draw attention. That much, he was sure of, but he didn’t care about being embarrassed or questioned or glared at by the people who lived around Zoe. When Romeo cared for someone as much as he did for the country mouse locked inside her apartment, he did everything in his power to get through to them. Sometimes it took a lot of work and sometimes it was a simple case of buying them some cookies, but either way, he didn’t stop until they let him in.
He knew that he wasn’t perfect and that, some of the time, he could cause more harm than good to a person, but he could never be given kudos for trying. Sure, he had seen a lot that had affected who he was. He smoked, drank and swore like a sailor at times, but his heart was golden. He may not have been the traditional Superman or the proper gentleman, but he did the best that he could and learnt a long time ago not to strive to meet the expectations of others. It didn’t mean that he didn’t fall short of his own expectations on occasion and if he couldn’t entice Zoe out of her apartment now, this would become one of those rare moments in which Romeo would fail himself.

He blocked out the pain in his hand. He’d regret doing so later and he could feel the blood starting to seep through the bandages once more, but right now, it was the last of his concerns. He had to help Zoe, get back to Ellie, make sure both of them were convincingly okay and then, maybe, he’d have a moment to look at himself, his hand and decide exactly how badly it was damaged now with all the excessive movement of his fingers irritating the healing process.

Romeo heard a noise coming from behind the door, but he couldn’t make out the words. It was Zoe’s muffled voice though, of that he was sure and it sounded too like she had been crying; her voice seemed thick with broken emotion. The thought of her being so upset almost broke his heart, but he held it together, hoping that eventually she’d open the door and let him back inside. He wanted to make her better more than words could describe, but it was difficult for him to do that when he didn’t understand what was wrong in the first place. Romeo hated feeling useless though and as he sang the irritating song, he knew that he had to find a way to touch Zoe again. No matter what happened, he wouldn’t leave her alone tonight, even if he had to kidnap her back to his apartment.

The ‘joyous’ thing about his song of choice was that no one could sing it well at all, and more often than not, loud and out of key was the best way to hear it. Unless, of course, someone is repeating it over and over and loud enough to cause a bit of a scene in what, he suspected, was a usual quiet hallway and he was standing outside the door of a polite, quiet and well mannered young woman whose neighbours probably received not a spot of bother from her. Until now.
To be fair, it wasn’t Zoe causing the noise; it was the loud, thick accented Scouser who, until today, had never even stepped in this building, let alone caused trouble it in. Sure, it was innocent trouble, but all it would take was an agitated neighbour to put in a complaint about the ‘strange, scruffy looking young man incessantly singing ‘I’m Henery the eighth, I am’’ to get the manager/landlord/owner up the stairs with every right to toss him from the building.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.

A few people looked his way as they passed down the hall, but he just politely waved and smiled, continuing with his off key rendition of a song that could rival “It’s a Small World” for it’s annoying nature.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, his singing quieting ever so slightly as he fished it out, looking at the text from Ellie. Where are you? He gazed at it for a few moments and then shoved the small piece of technology back into his pocket. He’d deal with this situation first and then speak to his little sister about his whereabouts. It wasn’t like she didn’t know he was here, she was probably just thinking about the time. He had told her that they wouldn’t be long at all, but then Romeo hadn’t factored his impromptu performance outside of a locked apartment door back then.

“Hey, I can do this-”

[/color] There was a soft click from the door, but the wood didn’t move, “-all night.”[/color] Romeo wondered for a second and looked around the hallway, a little bit confused before he reached out and turned the handle, pushing the door open just a crack to begin with. Once the silhouette of Zoe appeared on the sofa, he stepped inside, closing the door behind him and depositing her bags that he was carrying in front of it.
Slowly, he moved towards her, sinking into the space next to her and taking a deep breath. His next move could be the worst he could make, or it could be exactly what they both needed right now. He put his arm around her shoulders and tilted her chin so that he could look her straight in the eye, trying his best to ignore the puffiness that accompanied only tears. If he paid attention to it, then he‘d break down and probably end up sweeping her up into his arms and trying to play the role of Prince Charming. “I’m not goin’ anywhere. And you don’t ‘ave to tell me what’s wrong if you don’t want to, but believe me when I say that I am never goin’ to leave you like this, ever. I don’t just mean tonight either. But if you’re ever sad or ‘urt, I’m goin’ to be there for you, whether you ask me to or not.”[/color] He moved her light hair from her face and smiled. “You’ve let me in now and I don’t go away so easily.”[/color] He winked playfully, and then took her fully into his arms, cradling her to his chest and kissing the top of her head softly as he rested his chin against her blonde locks.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Romeo's little country mouse
WORDS! 1553
OUTFIT! This Little Number
LYRICS! Lonesome Swan - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe's heart beat froze as she listened to her apartment's door creak open ever so softly. The noise echoed into the silence that surrounded her, and her breath quickened as she realized Romeo's singing had stopped outside in the hallway. Had he gone away? Had he given up? She hoped not. She didn't want to push him away, but she couldn't figure out any other way to force her heart into line. True, not seeing him would make her think of him more, but she wasn't exactly thinking straight at the moment. All she knew was that she needed to be as far away as possible from Romeo and his intoxicating, enchanting, amazing self. His mere smell made her melt, and, as it met her nose now, it set her fears at rest. As long as Romeo was here, she was safe. She was happy. She wasn't worried about how broken her heart was, or how sore her hand was becoming now that it was regaining its ability to feel.

What she didn't expect was for him to sit down next to her, touch her even. It made him jump slightly, but she relaxed the next moment as he studied her eyes. They were red from her tears, and she knew she must've looked half insane. But he didn't seem to be looking at that. In fact, he appeared to be looking through her instead of at her. Zoe knew her eyes were like an open book when she was this emotionally distressed. And she knew Romeo was probably reading her as easily as he would any fairy tale. Too bad he couldn't realize she wanted him to fill the slot of her Prince Charming. Zoe stayed very still as Romeo held her face, looking up into his eyes and trying to remember how to breathe. He looked so concerned, so worried. Was that all for her? God, she hoped so. She hoped so with all her heart.

His words took her completely by surprise. He wasn't going away, he didn't want to. She wasn't just some random, pathetic girl to him. She had to mean something for him to be saying such things to her. Zoe leaned gently into his touch, giving him the faintest trace of a smile in return. She cuddled up to his chest, burying her face in his shirt and keeping her head tucked under his chin. This was perfect to her. Being in his arms, him talking sweetly, the two of them locked away from the crazy world they lived in. It was heaven.

"Thank you," she whispered almost silently, mumbling into his chest. "I don't want you to go away, Romeo," she added timidly. Zoe didn't dare to look up at him, knowing it'd only make her think the worse. She'd try to judge his reaction, and would come up with the worst observation ever. Besides, why ruin their moment? It was too good to last for long, and Zoe knew that. Something, or someone, would eventually interrupt it. And they'd probably do it soon.

All she wanted to focus on at the moment, however, was Romeo and how his lips felt as they pressed tenderly against her hair. They sent tingles throughout her body. And, she had to admit, they felt nice. This whole arrangement did. Zoe didn't feel awkward at all, or nervous, or shaky. She was warm, comfortable. Then again, Romeo was good at making her feel better, as he'd proven tonight. Even if he was inflicting more pain on the country mouse with every second he spent near her.

Zoe slowly moved her head against Romeo's chest, turning to try and catch a glimpse of the clock hanging on her wall. It had to be getting late, and she knew Ellie was still home alone. Besides, she was feeling a bit exhausted herself. But she didn't want to move, at least not right now.

But, it looked like she would have to. Her cell phone started blaring in her purse, and with a ringtone she recognized easily. It was her Mama, probably wondering why the heck she hadn't heard form her daughter yet tonight. With a soft sigh, Zoe tilted her head to look up at Romeo. "That's my Mama. I gotta answer it," she whispered, unsteadily moving to climb out of his warm embrace. As much as she hated to, Zoe did need to get the phone. If she didn't, she'd be getting calls all night until she did.

She walked slowly over to her bag, which was still on the floor near the door. Zoe grabbed her phone out of the bottom, being careful of her sore hand. If she banged it, maybe she would be needing those pain killers sooner than she wished. "Mama," Zoe smiled slightly, going over to sit back down on the couch. She gave Romeo a tiny smile, keeping close to him but not daring to climb back into his lap. Not that she wasn't tempted to.

"Zoraline Diana Tylers, why, in the name'a God, haven't ya called me, missy?!" worried snapped Mrs. Tylers as Zoe bit the inside of her lip.

"I'm fine, Mama. I was just... uhm... with a friend," Zoe stuttered. She wasn't good at lying. Hell, she'd never been good at it, and never would be. Her honest nature prevented her from it, especially while talking to her mother.

"Hunny, stop you're little self righ' ther. Ya lie worse than brown nosin' little bird. Now, Zoey, baby, talk to me," pressed Mrs. Tylers, causing her daughter to blush brightly. Zoe couldn't believe she was doing this with Romeo less than a foot away from her. But, at least it gave her an excuse not to look at him.

"Mama, I-I'll call ya la'er, 'kay? I've got homework to ge' done 'fore tomorrow, 'nd it's late here. I should ge' ta work," Zoe answered quietly, unconsciously slipping into a thicker country twang from listening to her mother's.

"Alright, darlin'. You'll call meh in the mornin', ya hear me, lil' girl?"

"'Course, Mama. I love ya," Zoe finished, speedily hanging up her phone and shoving it into her pocket. She used it as yet another excuse to not look at Romeo, though she wanted to. He'd probably be laughing his socks off by now. If only she was brave enough to chance a glance.

• • •

WORDS: 1150!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: Romeo's Arms, Her Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

In all honesty, Romeo half expected Zoe to push him away, hit him, yell at him and anything else that would be completely out of character for the young country girl. Then again, tonight, they had both slipped out of character on a number of occasions and for a number of different reasons, though Romeo’s main excuse was his heart. He didn’t expect - in a million years - for Zoe to welcome his embrace, to tuck her small form into his chest and just lay there.
He wouldn’t have left her, even if she shoved and pushed. He needed to be there for her; not just tonight but every time that she needed a friend (or maybe more) to pick her up and make her smile again.

He could see the pain in her eyes, the hurt that he didn’t know that he had caused. However, he didn’t want to dwell on any of that right now. He ignored the tears, not out of insensitivity, but out of caring. If Zoe didn’t want to share her problems, then he couldn’t force her. Opening up to him, reminding her that he was there, holding her when she did want to cry…these were things that he could do, but he would never invade her privacy, not if she didn’t want him to. That was what Romeo believed was up anyway; that he’d pushed too much to try and reveal another layer of the onion that was Zoe Tylers. The metaphor didn’t really work for him, with her anyway. He knew what he meant, but comparing Zoe to an onion, of all things, seemed almost offensive. She was more like a rare flower that Romeo was waiting to see bloom than she was a tear inducing, nostril burning onion!

Romeo folded her into his arms and leaned back against the soft pillows on the couch. He could hold her like this forever if she would let him. Her head fitted perfectly beneath his chin and they almost moulded together like a work of art as they sat there, cuddling almost in the most simple of ways. His hands rested on her back, his oceanic eyes looking down and realising just how tiny she was in comparison to him; his hand almost engulfed the size of her back effortlessly. A soft smile graced his rugged face and he closed his eyes, just enjoying the moment whilst it lasted. Eventually, they’d have to move and then all of it could be over in a second. If that was the case, and they’d never be in this position again, Romeo wanted to make sure that he appreciated this chance, savoured it and cherished it as one of his favourite memories.

His smile grew slightly and he gazed affectionately down at the top of her head, moving his hand to run his fingers through her golden locks. He played with her hair for a few seconds before deciding to speak, his voice soft and full of sincerity. “You’re welcome Zoe. I’ll be ‘ere for youse whenever youse need me, love,”

[/color] Romeo paused, letting her words sink in and then chuckling gently, almost lovingly into her hair. “Good. ‘Cause I ain’t goin’ anywhere. You’re stuck with me, no matter what, chick.”[/color]

They’d have to move soon. The ticking clock told him that. Plus, it was only a matter of time before the younger sister would be on the phone, frantically wondering where her brother was. Romeo had left her in a bit of a confused state when they’d left, still not telling her that he’d been in a fight or what it was about. The last thing he needed was Ellie really worrying about him; that was supposed to be his job.
He didn’t want to move though. He wanted to stay exactly where he was with Zoe folded perfectly in his hold. He wanted to protect her from the nightmares and the demons that would plague her thoughts after tonight’s events. Truthfully? He simply never wanted to let her go.

The ringing of a phone soon decided everything for them though, and he nodded in understanding when Zoe moved away, trying not to focus too much on the cold that came as she left his embrace. “Of course. She’ll be worryin’ ‘bout you.”[/color] Even though she took her seat next to him only moments later, Romeo didn’t want to appear as though he was eavesdropping on the private conversation between Zoe and the woman he knew she was close to. He moved back, pulling his phone from his pocket.

He brushed his fingers gently and reassuringly down Zoe’s arm before flipping to the text Ellie had sent earlier.
Calm down, I’ll be home soon, you geg. Still at Z’s picking her things up. Almost immediately after he sent it, the reply buzzed back through.
Mmhm, sure you are. I don’t wanna be an aunt yet Rome xx
He shook his head, making a mental note to kill his sister was Zoe was sleeping.
Mmhm, and you’re too young to be talking about that. Don’t make me send you to the penguin house, kidda.
Her final reply came through just as Zoe was ending her phone call. He flicked his eyes down to glance at it: Whatevs Rome. Just lemme know when it’s all going off next time. Mam called btw, told her you’d call back when you got in. xx
Then, he pocketed the phone.
His mother could wait for now. If she didn’t get a call back until morning it wouldn’t be such a big deal. Romeo could tell her that Ellie didn’t pass the message on, or that he was busy with work that he’d brought home. She trusted her son to keep himself and Ellie safe.

He stood up, noticing Zoe still not looking at him. It was a little odd, but then maybe she just didn’t want him to see her puffy eyes, which was understandable; Ellie did the same at times. So, instead he just offered her his hand, wiggling his fingers and forgetting about the bandage. “Come on love, shall we try this again? Only I’ll get us some ice cream on the way ‘ome instead of serenadin’ you with the most annoyin’ song on the planet, eh?”[/color] He kept his voice light and gentle, not wanting Zoe to freak out again.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Romeo's little country mouse
WORDS! 1105
OUTFIT! This Little Number
LYRICS! Lonesome Swan - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

What would Romeo say if Zoe told him, right now, right here? What if she told him she'd fallen head over heels for his foreign slang, messy hair, and course ways? What if she told him she didn't want him only as a friend?

Zoe figured he'd freak out. It'd be such a shock that he'd probably laugh at the finicky ways of her poor, uncontrollable heart. And if he did laugh? Zoe didn't know what she'd do. Most likely cry some more, surely lock him out of her apartment for real this time. It'd ruin their friendship, yes, but how could they continue it if one had stronger feelings than the other. They couldn't. Zoe had seen friendships turn the other way because of this. Heck, she'd been the one who was clueless until some boy came pouring his heart out to her. Now that the roles were reversed though, she didn't like it. Not one bit.

"My Superman," she smiled gently up at him as he played with her hair. It felt right to call him hers. He always called her "his" country mouse, so why couldn't she have a pet name? Zoe shook her head at him as he spoke again, hesitantly turning to look up at his sweet face. "Ya say that like it's a bad thing," she answered, pressing her face back into his neck to try and hide her reddening cheeks. Zoe liked this arrangement, though. She was comfortable, warm, safe. And so freakin' happy she thought her heart was going to burst.

This was what she wanted. She wanted to cuddle with Romeo all the time, close her eyes while he kissed her hair so softly she could barely feel it. But, most of all, she wanted to hear him whisper sweet things in her ear. How much he loved her, how beautiful she was. Anything really. So long as it reminded her that yes, she was good enough for an exciting city boy to love. She was good enough for him to love.

As Zoe hung up the telephone, her teeth chewed the inside of her lip. She didn't like lying to her Mama like this. Well, not really lying. The woman had picked up that something was wrong, and that her daughter was telling her the truth. Zoe knew it bugged her, and that she'd have to call as soon as she got home tomorrow. It'd probably cause her Mama to worry all night, however. She wasn't okay with that part. But, it wasn't like she'd be sleeping herself. Fretting for her family back home was the least of her worries, though.

She had more important things to fill her time with. Like the fact that her eyes were probably still wet with tears, and that Romeo was no doubt worried she'd lost her wits. And, truthfully, she had. His mere presence caused her mind to blank at times. Did she have any mind left to lose, though? There was no doubt she'd be having nightmares for at least the next six months, and then there was swooning over Romeo and concentrating on surviving the remainder of her college years. There wasn't too much left for her to give up.

Zoe watched him out of the corner of her eye as he stood up. A small smile graced her lips as his fingers wiggled at her and he spoke. She knew he was trying to coax her out again, and she actually planned on letting him this time. Her good hand reached out to grab the one he didn't offer her, knowing that it'd hurt if she touched it. Hers was already aching worse than ever, but her emotional pain was covering up the physical at the current moment. "I'd like that," she nodded, finally looking up into his enchanting eyes. "We gotta catch Tess, though. She pro'ly roamed off ta the bedroom 'gain," Zoe added, biting her lip as she realized her accent was still thickened. It usually happened after talking to someone from back home. She just fell back into the old language and way of speaking too easily.

She slowly got up off the couch, slipping her smaller and more delicate fingers in-between Romeo's strong ones. "Are ya gonna le' me check yer hand when we get back?" she questioned timidly. Zoe gave him an "I'm doing it whether you want me to or not" look, though it was ruined by the hint of a playful sparkle in her eye.

God, were her mood swings bad tonight.

• • •

WORDS: 815!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: Romeo's Couch, Jervis Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo wanted to confess how he really felt about Zoe so terribly, but he couldn’t. Tonight was not the right time, nor was it appropriate. They had been through so much this evening and it whilst it appeared as though they were getting closer, he knew that this could all just be from the events of the night. Zoe may just need his comfort, his embrace for now, whilst she recovered from what did happen and the thoughts of what could’ve happened if Romeo hadn’t swooped in when he did. Romeo was sure about his feelings for her, and he knew that he wanted their friendship to blossom into something more, but he had to make sure that she genuinely felt the same, maybe in a few days or weeks. If he was going to ask her out or confessed his feelings to her, he wanted to make sure that it was the perfect timing; that way, if she did feel the same, then it would be something she could remember for a long time, even when she was back in Adams.

’Back in Adams’. Romeo had forgotten that, one day, Zoe would return to the country and he’d be left in the city. Whilst he wanted to take a risk on this relationship, should it work out, how would it end when the time came and their choices and dreams divided them? It was something that he didn’t want to think about, not now and not ever. He gently shook his head, closing his eyes to rid his mind of the thought. It wasn’t the time for that either.

He smiled, his heart skipping a beat when she called him ‘hers’. It was like music to his ears, and he would do anything to hear it said by her again. “Aye, but I doubt that I could pull off the Clark Kent look.”

[/color] He pulled a face for added effect at the thought being in glasses. Romeo didn’t really have the right kind of face to pull of a pair of stylish glasses and, in a way, he envied that. However, no one else currently had this beautiful girl in their arms and so that kind of made up for everything in Romeo’s eyes.
He chuckled and then shrugged, brushing a wayward strand of hair from her eyes. “It could be y’know? I ‘ave plenty bad habits and I don’t floss.”[/color] He joked, smiling sweetly down at her, cuddling her close when she buried her face in his neck again. It was his turn to tilt his head, and with his lips almost brushing her ear, he whispered, “I’ll always be ‘ere, love.”[/color]

His green eyes were on Zoe as she hung up the phone and he saw her chewing her lip softly. He reached out for her, resting his hand tenderly on her arm. “If you want, love, you can call ‘er back when we’re at mine. You can use my room for privacy while I deal with Ellie, the geg that she is.”[/color] He knew that Zoe was close to her mother, and he didn’t want her to spend the night worrying about that phone call, especially if it was short just because he was close by. “I ‘ave a proper boss call rate, which came courtesy of a teenage sister who ‘as the phone glued to ‘er ear most nights.”[/color] He smiled, wanting Zoe to be comfortable tonight. He didn’t want her to be fretting or worrying about anything that could be simply fixed.

He looked down at the hand she did grab, smiling more to himself at the caring gesture. Romeo had no problem with her taking his injured hand; his tolerance to the pain had increased drastically over the course of the night, but it was still nice that she seemed to be worried about hurting him.
Either that, or the bloodstained bandage was too off putting for her.
Smiling, Romeo nodded. “Sure thing. Is catchin’ ‘er goin’ to be easy? Or do I need to think up some mega plan?”[/color] His eyes flitted over in the direction of the bedroom and he grinned. His twinkling, grassy eyes looked down at her. “We’re alike y’know? Our accents thicken whenever we talk to folk from back ‘ome,”[/color] casually, he shrugged, “You sound cute though.”[/color] There wasn’t all that much attractive about his gritty city accent.

Romeo smiled and paused for a moment, trying to ignore the electrifying sparks that shot up his arm the moment her fingers were interlaced with his. They felt right together and her smaller hand fitted perfectly in his rougher, stronger one. She wasn’t going to let this hand thing go, was she? Nevertheless, he smiled and ran his bandaged hand through his hair. “Only if you don’t pick vanilla ice cream and once I’ve dealt with my sister and got some take out down your throat. Then you can play doctor.”[/color] He looked down at her and quirked his eyebrow, “Deal?”[/color]
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Romeo's little country mouse
WORDS! 1,015
OUTFIT! This Little Number
LYRICS! Lonesome Swan - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! boss=great….I think that’s really it. The others are used earlier on xD <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe shook her head at him when he said he wouldn't be able to pull off a Clark Kent look. To her, he'd be able to look amazing in anything he wore. It wasn't like she'd admit to looking at his body, though. She had, god yes, as much as her moral compass told her not to. And she'd liked what she'd observed. But, it didn't matter to her. Romeo was Romeo. He was messy hair, the smell of cigarrettes, and endless banter brought up in the most random of conversations. He wasn't the hot guy who worked at Border's that she was falling for. Well, he was. But that wasn't what Zoe saw when she looked at him, or when she thought about him. She saw happiness and fun, and she felt her heart fluttering at a million beats per minute.

"No, you're my Superman. Not the comic book one," she whispered again, pressing herself closer to his warm chest. "This is all the disguise you need." Zoe knew she was saying too much. She was letting her heart get the better of her mind again, and setting herself up for more heartbreak. She knew it, but she didn't want to stop. This moment with Romeo wouldn't last forever, and she wanted to get the most she could out of it.

She leaned into his touch ever so slightly when he brushed her hair away, a smile toying with her lips once more at his words. "I've been here this long. If you're breath bothered me, it woulda been because of the smoke, anyways," she countered teasingly. Zoe had grown used to smelling smoke on his breath, however. He was the only person that smoked who she didn't mind. Everyone else was either put at a distance, or given gum the moment they started speaking with her. But, Romeo was her exception for a lot of things.

The feeling of his lips nearly touching her skin made Zoe shiver, and her eyes closed contentedly. "Right where I want ya," she answered almost silently, biting her lip sharply after she finished. Zoe didn't try and cover it up, though. What was the point? She lied about as well as she handled falling in love. Which, put frankly, meant she sucked at it.

Zoe shook her head when he said she could call her Mama again. She'd do it tomorrow, when she was home and had somewhat recovered herself. And come up with a cover story for this whole thing. Why she had cut the phone call short in the first place, who she was with (she couldn't tell her mother it'd been a boy. That'd be the next world disaster), and why she sounded as if she'd recently been hit by a truck. "Nah, it's fine. I'll talk ta 'er when I'm tomorra. She'll be al'ight 'til then, darlin'," she said, trying to gulp down the sparks that were radiating through her body thanks to his touch. Zoe gave him a slight smirk at the Ellie jabs, though she knew teenagers were horrible when it came to phone calls.

By now, Zoe was very used to seeing blood. She was training to deal with it, after all. And she'd been through plenty of farm injuries before, and had seen plenty of... gruesome pig or cow seasons. It didn't bother her in the slightest anymore. But, seeing it on Romeo did bug her. She didn't like knowing she'd been the cause of his personal injury for the evening, and every time she looked at his usually handsome lips, her heart fell a little. And not just because she was disappointed that she'd never get to taste the delicious flavor that belonged to only him.

Shaking her head to clear it, Zoe gave his hand a light squeeze as she shrugged. "Poss'bly. Depends on if she's mad at me or nawt," she answered with a smile. When his eyes turned to her, though, her smile grew and her cheeks flushed yet another shade darker. He had noticed the change in her language, much to her pleasure and horror. That part didn't shock her as much as the use of "cute" did. He thought she sounded cute? She chewed her lip, biting back to hope. No, she wouldn't let herself fall into that trap again. "People us'aly aren't 'round when I'm talkin' to someone from back 'ome," she shrugged again, looking down at their hands shyly. "Thank ya," she mumbled quietly in response, trying even harder to keep her heart in check.

Zoe couldn't keep herself from enjoying the intoxicating sparks that were shooting up her arm from their intertwined fingers. She liked how his strong hand fit perfectly around her smaller one, almost like it was protecting her from all the world. As strange as it was, Zoe liked it. He was her Superman, after all. "What d'ya got against vanilla ice cream?" she laughed softly, shaking her head at him. "And, be nice to Ellie. She's pro'ly just confused," she added quietly, squeezing his hand again. Zoe would stick up for his sister simply because she could. And she didn't want to feel like more of a burden than she already did. If she caused another tiff between the two of them, it'd make her feel even worse. But, she shook the thoughts off and smiled. "Fine. Long as ya stop greasin' it up wit ya're hair gel," she scolded playfully, referring to him continuously running it through his messy hair.

• • •

WORDS: 1023!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: The Couch, Her Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo secretly liked the idea of being Zoe’s superman. He wouldn’t really enjoy saving everyone and there would hardly be any time for him to live an exceedingly average life. However, with just Zoe to save, things could be perfect. Although, the country girl didn’t really attract too much trouble, aside from tonight’s extreme adventure. Still, Romeo knew that he’d be there for her whenever she needed him, regardless of whether it was a heroic need, just like tonight had called for, or simply for coffee, or fixing something broken in her apartment.; from the tiniest thing imaginable to the biggest disaster possible, he would be there for her. Always.

“I like that.”

[/color] He whispered into her hair, tempted to kiss her head again, but deciding better. If he did it too much, then maybe she’d get suspicious and grow uncomfortable. Instead, he switched the tone of the conversation slightly, smiling into her golden locks before tilting his head slightly so she could hear his words. “The comic book version didn’t get ‘alf the respect ‘e deserved. The ‘uman race took ‘im for a bit of a ride, like.”[/color]
It was a long time since he’d read those comic books, but on reflection, Clark Kent had a pretty mundane life; no one really noticed or cared for him and the only attention he really received was from the pretty Lois Lane, and even then it always seemed more out of sympathy for his disguise.
“Hm? The only thing I ever disguise is me ‘eart.”[/color] It was a bit too much to reveal, but the words were spoken before he registered them; a common occurrence of the evening for the ever honest Romeo.

He feigned a hurt expression but then smiled softly. “So, are you telling’ me that I suit this smoky haze surrounding me?”[/color] He teased playfully, still holding her as close as she allowed him to. His bad habit had chased a few people away before and he could probably quit if he wanted to, but there was something soothing about them after a long day, or when his emotions were running high in a negative way. Still, it was nice that Zoe had stayed so close considering the musty scent. Usually, he carried mints or gum on him, but tonight, his breath had been far from his conscience and even now, it still was.

Romeo only just caught her words, and his face changed into a cute little shocked and befuddled expression before he relaxed again, smiling softly and wondering if maybe, just maybe, she had feelings for him that weren’t just reactions from him playing the modest hero this evening. He hoped so. It had been a long time since he felt something like this for a girl and it had been even longer since he opened up so much so anyone. The last thing he wanted was for both risks to backfire and leave him broken hearted and wary. So, instead, he replied into her golden hair, almost silently too, “Why would I wanna be anywhere else?”[/color]

At the conversation about Zoe’s mother, Romeo found himself a little far from his comfort zone. He had a feeling that Zoe probably didn’t want her family to know the danger she had found herself in earlier, but did that also mean missing out the part where Romeo was sat with her, holding her hand and hugging her? Maybe it was selfish, but he kind of wanted her to have one of them moments from a movie, where she smiles to herself and then squeals excitedly. On the other hand, he also felt like he was sneaking into her bedroom and hiding in her wardrobe whilst she fabricated some lie about talking on the phone and not to the tall city boy lurking in the shadows. It was foolish, both ideas were, but still, he didn’t want people to think that he was acting untoward to Zoe, or trying to make a move on her just because she was alone and far from home. He wasn’t that kind of guy and didn’t want anyone thinking differently.
Plus, he really needed to speak to his mother too. They were close, considering the past they shared and he felt like he could do with some motherly advice after all these emotions surged within him tonight.

Romeo’s eyes flicked towards the bedroom door. He envisioned a humorous chase sequence whilst the cat bested them each time, although he knew that neither of them were in a position to chase anything around anywhere. He could feel his own fatigue setting in now they had finally slowed down for the evening and both of them were certain to survive at least another day in the city. “Then let’s grab ‘er! In a nice, animal lovin’ way though.”[/color] He grinned.
He noticed the flush of her cheeks and smiled more. He loved making her blush, simply because she looked so darn cute when she did. The way she tried to avert her eyes, or allow her hair to ‘coincidentally’ hide her face, just did something that unleashed the frantic butterflies in Romeo’s stomach. “I know the feelin’. You need to ‘ear a conversation with me, Ellie and me mam.”[/color] It was like feeding time at the zoo; so much noise, hysteria and incoherent sounds that no one else on this side of the world ever made. It reminded him of the market in Liverpool, and most of the time, that was heaven for him.

He laughed, smiling childishly down at Zoe. “Vanilla ice cream is so plain! So unoriginal! No, you’ve got to pick somethin’ amazin’ when you’re gettin’ ice cream with me, love.”[/color] Plus, vanilla was always the cheapest and whilst he wasn’t the richest guy in the world, he wanted to treat her.
In a brotherly fashion he shrugged and pulled a sulky expression. “Our El’s always confused.”[/color] He’d still tease the younger Jervis to no end, but he found it amusing that Zoe was defending her, when the two siblings often talked like this about each other and fought like cat and dog, only to come together later and act like there was nothing wrong. Romeo and Ellie never spoke about it, but they were pretty much best friends.
Romeo laughed again, instinctively running the hand in question through his hair, which now sat pretty limp and matted, on his head. “Sorry love, it’s one of me things that I do without knowin’”[/color]
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Romeo's little country mouse
WORDS! 1,141
OUTFIT! This Little Number
LYRICS! Lonesome Swan - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Romeo kept saying that he'd be there for Zoe whenever she needed him. But, really, when would she need him? It wasn't like she almost got mugged every night, and she was usually the one keeping people out of scrapes, not falling into them. She rarely got sick or hurt, and she didn't break down like this ever. Well, aside from tonight, but that was different. Zoe had been raised to be independent and to stay out of trouble. She'd gotten used to it! But, now that someone was offering to take care of her, she didn't know what to think. She liked the feeling of knowing someone, Romeo, would be there for her, though. It was comforting.

For once, Zoe wanted to depend on someone. She wanted to have someone there for her, someone she could run to when she was in need of a hug or just a normal conversation. Sure, she had plenty of friends who she'd go out and get a "drink" with (usually consisting of her sipping on water of soda while the other person/people got hammered), but she never got to laugh and truly let go with them. Zoe was still careful around them, hiding herself and acting like the well-mannered young woman everyone believed her to be. But, with Romeo, that was the case. She was free to be who she wanted, and she truly loved it.

A smile played on Zoe's lips as she listened to him whisper into her hair. It felt nice, comforting, warm. This entire arrangement did. "That would be why you're not the comic book version," she smirked gently, closing her eyes and burying her face into his neck. Zoe didn't want to move, to spoil their moment. It was too perfect. He was. She blinked out of her thoughts as he whispered again, and she bit the inside of her lip gently, trying to keep the words she wanted to say from spilling out. But, she couldn't stop them for the world. Her curiousity was too overpowering. "Even with me?" she whispered, timidly turning her face to peek up into his enchanting eyes.

A giggle passed her lips when he teased her, and she playfully nuzzled his shoulder, her head still resting comfortably against it. Then again, his lap was generally comfortable, if you asked her. "Yes, even though I still wish you wouldn't smoke," she answered, giving him another smile as her eyes met his. The smokey scent had just become a part of Romeo. Even though she hated the thing that caused it, Zoe had to admit it suited him well. Her nose hadn't even minded it as he kept her close, more so because he was holding her, but that was besides the point. Zoe had fallen for Romeo, and that included everything from his intoxicating scent to the way he constantly ran his hands through his hair.

His next whispered response made Zoe's heart pound harder than ever against her rib cage. She replayed it in her mind a few times, smiling and biting the inside of her lip again. Maybe... maybe he wasn't falling for that other girl. Maybe it'd been a joke, one she'd taken the wrong way. Maybe... what if he meant her? Zoe's breath stopped at the thought. She closed her eyes, pressing herself closer to him but not saying anything. Zoe didn't want to say the wrong thing, the thing that would make her heart fill with hope again. She didn't want to feel it shatter right before her eyes again.

Zoe gave him a small smile as he looked towards her bedroom door, laughing prettily at his words. "Lemme try something. Cover yer ears," she smirked slightly. She was a farm girl, after all. She trained and took care of animals the first how many years of her life. And, Tessie generally behaved, it was merely Zoe calling her in the right way. Taking a deep breath, she let out a sharp, surprisingly loud, whistle that could've probably been heard back in Adams.

She watched the bedroom door, smiling as she saw Tessie stalking out of it. Zoe clicked her tongue and Tessie came closer, twining herself around Romeo's legs again. "Eas'er than I thought," she smiled up at him shyly. Whistling was a talent Zoe rarely got to show off, mainly because she didn't hail taxies and because there weren't any cows to heard here in New York.

"All three of ya? I can bar'ly keep up wit Ellie and ya!" she said with a small laugh, shaking her head. Zoe had already been drowning in confusion when Ellie and Romeo had first started talking in front of her. The two of them when they were alone, she could handle. Together, or with yet another person, and she knew her head would be swimming within seconds.

Zoe shook her head at him. "Have ya ever had old fash'ined, home-made vanilla ice cream? Ya won't think it's so plain then," she laughed. But, she was extremely spoiled when it came to ice cream. Her and her siblings had hand-made it all the time back in Adams with the freshest ingredients possible. Zoe hadn't bought too much of the treat up here because she knew she wouldn't like it half as much as she did the kind made by kicking a coffee can around, but she wouldn't mention that to Romeo. It was sweet of him to treat her, and she wasn't about to ruin the gesture. "With the way y'all talk, I dun blame 'er," she joked with another small giggle.

Zoe sighed playfully at him, shaking her head as he ran his free hand through his hair. "If I could, I'd grab yer hand, but..." she held up her injured hand and smiled up at him. Her smile widened as she looked at him, her eyes meeting his and sparkling happily.

• • •

WORDS: 1070!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: Romeo's Lap, Her Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Romeo knew that Zoe wasn’t the kind of girl who would ask for help. If he’d learnt anything in the short amount of time he’d spent with her, it was that. That didn’t mean that he wouldn’t look out for her and force convince her to let him help her out. He just wanted to be there for her, more than he was already. Sure, they were friends, but they only really hung out when coincidence and convenience happened to team up for their benefit. Romeo, realising that he was falling for the girl in front of him, wanted more than just chance meetings and unplanned exchanges with her. Truthfully, he wanted a relationship where they could cuddle on the sofa and watch movies until they fell asleep, but he’d settle for anything Zoe was willing to offer him.

He played the protector better than anyone would ever guess, aside from Ellie, and now, possibly Zoe. He was the kind of guy who would happily be woken up in the middle of the night, just because someone needed a hug, or needed to talk. He always had to make sure that everyone in his life was alright, even if that meant neglecting his own needs or wishes. It was hardly a practical trait, especially in the modern society that New York symbolised. Not everyone wanted to be protected or dependent on others and whilst Romeo respected that, he knew that everyone needed someone to lean on, just for the days when things were hard, or whenever someone needed a good old cry. He’d played the part well for almost all of his life, and he liked being the guy people came to, even if sometimes he heard things that he didn’t want to hear because it broke his heart.

A soft chuckle emitted from his throat and he smiled, glancing down at his lap for a moment before flicking his green eyes back up to Zoe. It was impossible to keep the flirtatious tone from his voice when he spoke and that twinkle appeared within his eyes as he poised the question; “Then what kind of Superman am I, like?”

[/color] His tone may not have been appropriate or light, but Romeo couldn’t help himself. It was hard to have this kind of conversation sombre when emotions were running high. It was taking more self control than he ever thought he had to not kiss her there and then. He just couldn’t get over how beautiful she was and how happy he was being around her, even considering the soap opera of the night.
He tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled gently, but almost sadly, as his eyes met hers and threatened to reveal all of his secrets. “Only the parts that’d hurt.”[/color] He meant it more than just romantically. He knew that if Zoe knew all about his past, his gambling and his estranged father, she’d never be able to look at him in the same way and right now he was enjoying their intimacy, as innocent as it was. He didn’t want that look in her eyes to go away, not when she was looking at him.

Romeo smiled and looked away. She wasn’t the first person to voice his dislike of his habit, but she was the first who he genuinely cared to listen to. It didn’t mean he was going to quit though, not just yet. “Easier said than done, love.”[/color] His voice was quiet and he looked down at his mangled hand, only just noticing how bad it actually looked, despite the lack of pain. The constant moving of his fingers was taking it’s toll and the red stained bandages looked like they’d been there for a week, at least.

He quirked an eyebrow, looking at Zoe with a bemused expression, although he still covered his ears, but only slightly. He was more than a little curious about what she was doing, or planning on doing, but the shrill sound soon had him wincing and he had to bite his lip to stop the long tirade of coarse language escaping his mouth. “Bloody ‘ell, love! Give a la some warning before you do that!”[/color] He laughed, still slightly stunned by how loud the usually quiet girl had just been.
He smiled as the cat bushed up against his leg and he carefully stooped over, picking the cat up and placing her back down on his lap. “Well, ‘ello there. No more animals to round up then, eh?”[/color] He winked playfully at Zoe and smirked.

Romeo shrugged. “Aye, well you’re gettin’ used to us now, like. Who knows, one day you might be speakin’ like us too! Well, hang round me much longer and you’ll be able to keep up with a chat at least.”[/color] He ran his fingers over his dry lips, craving something to soothe the dull throb that was now fading, but still annoying as ever.

He laughed. This time it was his turn to surprise her. “I’ll ‘ave you know, that we used to live twenty minutes from an ice cream factory and I used to take our El when she was a kid and we spent the day makin’ ice cream. Used to do it every month when I got me money from me paper route. Not ‘ad any the same since back then though.”[/color] Burwardsley seemed so far away now and he hadn’t thought about the small country village in years. As kids, he used to hop on the train with Ellie and they’d go there of a Sunday. In the summer they climbed the hills up to the castle ruins, made candles in the candle factory, bought ice cream that they made and wandered around the little gift shops. Both of them still had the wooden engraved egg cups with their names on; they were perched on a shelf next to the pictures of them as they were growing up.

Playfully, he nudged Zoe’s arm. “’Ey, watch it you. Or else I’ll ‘ave to tickle ya into be’avin’!”[/color] Then, the twinkle appeared in his eyes again and he smiled down a the small blonde woman in front of her, a flirtatious smirk on his busted lip as once again, the desire to turn their friendship into something more bubbled to the surface. “Well…maybe you’ll ‘ave to grab it some other time then, love.”[/color] His eyes spoke sincerely, twinkling with the words he wasn’t ready to say.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Romeo's little country mouse
WORDS! 1139
OUTFIT! This Little Number
LYRICS! Lonesome Swan - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! “La“ is guy. And being home makes his accent come across more strong when I‘m writing <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

The flirtatious tone in Romeo's voice didn't escape Zoe, though she was a little confused to as what it was. In her mind, he was in love with the perfect, Goddess like girl he'd been fawning over earlier in the night. He wasn't even slightly falling for her. And that was why it confused her. She wasn't good enough to fill the place of that beautiful young lady whom he'd been talking about, but everything was starting to change between them. It was leaning towards those romantic feelings that Zoe dreaded and welcomed all at the same time. But, she wouldn't be protesting. It was just... strange. Could he have been talking about her? There was a tiny, one in a million chance. And, let's face it, the country mouse was one in about a billion as the only Adams girl in the cramped city. The odds were in her favor, if she looked at it that way. Maybe she could be that girl. The pretty one, the sweet one, the one who had Romeo more hooked than he'd let on. God, here came the hope again.

Zoe's eyes stayed on his as they found hers, momentarily drowning in the beautiful jungles of green. A smile played on her lips as she watched the twinkles sparkling in his eyes, and she forgot how to breathe for a short second. He was so freakin' handsome. Zoe blinked quickly, trying to scramble together an answer before he caught on to her gawking. Where to start, where to start? "The handsome kind. The kind that's more interested in protectin' tha ones he loves rather than keepin' his lady love interested. The kind that deserves a beautiful gal to make him happy someday," she finally whispered, still not believeing that her words summed him up. He was too amazing to cover in mere words of the English language. They didn't suit him at all.

Her head tilted gently into his fingers as they tucked her hair away from her face, unable to keep herself from smiling up at him. The look in his eyes made her frown a little and she shook her head at him. Her good hand slowly reached up, softly pushing some of his hair out of his face in return. The tips of his fingers trailed lightly down his temple and cheek, barely even toucing his warm skin. "Them lemme help with them. Don't hide 'em. At least not from your lil' country mouse," she whispered again, leaning the slightest bit closer to him. The burst of need to taste him tugged at her body again, and she had to work to fight it off. Not now. Zoe didn't want to ruin the moment by letting out the feelings pounding against her heart and mind.

The temptation to say "what if I said I wouldn't kiss you until you do quit?" jotted into her mind. But, Zoe quickly thought better of it. She wanted to kiss him, smoke-breath and all, though she couldn't exactly let him know that yet. Yet? Yes. One day, she would kiss him, even if it ruined the friendship that was so close and dear to her fragile heart. Then again, there was one other young lady who could definitely change his mind about the smoking. Ellie. "Ya ever think that you're poisonin' Ellie by smokin' in your apartment like ya do?" she said quietly, quirking her eyebrow at him. "And, what if she ends up smokin', 'cause you do? Thinka the disaster that'll be. Both of ya dying of lung cancer and leavin' me here all alone!" Zoe smirked gently up at him, slowly following his gaze down to his hand. It looked so bad, worse than her black and blue one thanks to the blood his wore. She rested her fingers on it carefully, peeking up at his face again. "I'll clean it for ya later. Make it look all pretty so Ellie doesn't worry too much 'boutcha," she said, pulling her hand away reluctantly and relaxing back against his comfortable chest. Even if she was supposed to be playing Princess Patient, Zoe would do anything to keep Ellie out of the darker side of tonight's event. She knew how much Romeo didn't want her exposed to these things, and Zoe didn't think she could take watching the innocent mind of the teenager be spoiled by the dangers she'd faced. And, surely, Ellie would be guessing at the "highlights" of the evening. That part alone would be torture enough for Zoe. Making her explain her attack would've brought her near/over the edge again.

Zoe barely kept herself from laughing as Romeo winced and bit his lip. She knew it must've surprised him. The extremely loud sound coming from the extremely quiet young woman next to him. But, Zoe liked whistling like that, and it made her even more homesick each time she did it. She'd taught her sisters how to whistle like her, mainly so they could call Lizzie, the horse who only correctly responded to Miss Zoe. Shaking the thoughts of, Zoe looked up and gave him a grin, her eyes laughing with sparkles dancing inside them. "I told ya ta cover yer ears, didn't I?" she giggled. Her hand scratched Tessie's head lovingly after she was set in Romeo's lap, the kitten purring in response to the sudden amount of attention. "I think we're clear," she smirked up at him, kissing the top of Tessie's head.

"I can keep up somewhat now. But, yer talk with Ellie b'fore had me as confused as c'n be!" she said, shaking her head as she tried to remember some of the complicated, seemingly random, phrases Romeo had used while they were all back at the apartment. Zoe doubted she'd ever be able to speak like them, let alone entirely understand them. Catching phrases here and there was good enough for her, as long as they didn't start talking about her in the Liverpool Version of English.

She gently pulled his fingers from his lip when he touched it, shaking her head. "Don't. It'll make it worse," she scolded softly, knowing his lip was definitely going to be pretty... offputting for the next couple days. Though, if he'd stop biting it, it'd sure help a lot.

Her eyebrows rose in surprise as she listened to his story, but Zoe was unable to keep the smile off her lips once again. "Yours sounds a lot more fun than what I'm used to," she laughed softly. "Yeah, ya can only get homemade ice cream at home," she agreed with a nod, trying not to get too lost in her own memories. They'd make her more homesick than she already was. And, frankly, that had been getting worse as of late. With the increased amount of drama and stress entering her life, Zoe had longed more and more for the comfort of her mama's loving embrace. But, Romeo's was starting to take second place to that. If only he'd hold her again...

"I don't think you're in any state ta be ticklin' anythin'," Zoe laughed, shaking her head at him, but smiling, nonetheless. The twinkle in his eyes made her heart melt, and she suddenly realized just how close they were. If she moved a few inches, their lips would be on top of each others. The urge to feel his lips pressed to hers overwhelmed her once more, and she barely caught what he said next. "When both of us are in better shape ta be holdin' hands," she answered, noting again how his smirk seemed tainted with flirtation.

Now, her new question of the night was:
Would she let herself hope that this flirting was real?

• • •

WORDS: 1400!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: Romeo's Lap, Her Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Romeo Jackson Jervis]

Dangerous territory was approaching fast and Romeo knew that he had to quickly pull them both back to safety before a line was crossed prematurely. He liked Zoe as more than a friend and maybe, just maybe she felt the same, but the timing was way off for both of them and he didn’t want to spoil what could be just because they were both feeling more emotionally exposed thanks to the horrors of the evening. She was already shook up and he didn’t wish to add to it, all because his stomach and heart had reverted to being sixteen again and he was crushing hard again, for almost the first time in a decade.

He smiled, unable to control his chuckles as her words threatened to send a blush to his cheeks. Romeo never blushed; it was his talent in socialising, but Zoe’s words almost ruined that part of his reputation. “It kinda was Superman’s job to protect people though. But she never noticed everythin’ that ‘e did for them all,”

[/color] Romeo shook his head and smiled, “I’m happy enough as is it, right here, with you and Ellie.”[/color] He was tempted to add that he saw them both as his beautiful girls, but his self control kicked in to spare him from the loss of dignity that possibly could’ve come from such a shock announcement and confession.

If he could, he would’ve confessed everything to her there and then, but the truth of the matter was that it wasn’t just his story to tell. Every secret he kept was to protect Ellie from any more harm, and she deserved the chance to be free from the darkness of their youth, especially now when she practically had a world of opportunities at her feet. It wasn’t fair on her if her older brother went around sharing the skeletons in his closet without her permission; even if he only shared them with Zoe. He gave her a sad smile, leaning closer into the young woman, trying to find the best way to tell her that he couldn’t do what she asked. The last thing he wanted was to upset or offend her, but he simply couldn’t just be so open with her, not right now. “It’s not that easy, love. Not right now anyway.”[/color] He leaned closer, planting a soft kiss on her golden locks of hair, so as to reassure her that he was thankful to hear that she would be there for her. When the time was more appropriate and the situation ideal, then maybe he could tell her. After the violent confrontation of the night, he didn’t want to upset her more with his own dark tales of his past.

Romeo laughed, hugging her close to his side. It was only a matter of time before she commented on his ‘filthy’ habit again. Despite the amount of times he’d heard it from others, it never irritated or annoyed him. He always just shrugged it off; people were entitled to their opinions, even if they criticised his own lifestyle choices. “That’s why, love, I only smoke out on the fire escape. And our El won’t smoke ‘cause she hates it as much as you do. In fact, she does ‘er very best to be the complete opposite of me, most of the time, like.”[/color] The siblings were still very much alike in appearance and with their similar stubborn personality types. “Plus, they ‘aven’t been able to find any connection between smokin’ and lung cancer. So, don’t worry, ‘cause me and our El will be around to annoy the ‘ell out of ya for years to come.”[/color] He smiled warmly and ruffled her hair, winking a cheeky wink at his counter argument.
Glancing back at his hand, he shrugged. He knew he‘d have to explain tonight to Ellie at some point, but she‘d be able to handle the possible situations until that time came. He sighed softly, running his fingers over the texturised bandage. “Our El won’t worry ‘bout me. She knows only too well ‘ow I can ‘andle meself.”[/color] His smile was a reassuring one, though he knew he’d let her look at his hand properly once they were finally settled for the night. The confession to Ellie would only stir up bad thoughts for her, but she should know by now just how much Romeo would do to protect her from those dark, gritty truths of humanity.

“I did cover me ears! You still managed to burst me bleedin’ eardrums though, love.”[/color] He joked, laughing playfully. Grinning down at her, he tapped her nose as the twinkle appeared in his eyes. “I think that was the point, love. Sibling banter like that, you don’t wanna be ‘earing it.”[/color]

“’Ey, I’m not just a pretty city boy. I’ve ‘ad me fair share of country adventures.”[/color] He told her, with a lopsided smirk. He hadn’t had any since Liverpool though, which was a little saddening, but he never let it drag him down. It was all part of his childhood and something he cherished and nothing would ever amount to those memories.

Bending down, he stopped barely an inch from her face, their nose almost touching. He looked deep in her eyes and smirked a challenging smirk. “Don’t underestimate us Zoe, love. I’ll surprise ya more than you can imagine.”[/color] He laughed and straightened up again. “Come on then, we better get back to my place before our El calls the bobbies on us.”[/color]
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Romeo's little country mouse
WORDS! 1096
OUTFIT! This Little Number
LYRICS! Lonesome Swan - - - Glasvegas
NOTES! “bobbies“ are police! <3

[Zoe Diana Tylers]

Zoe knew she was quickly falling back into the lethal grip of Hope. She knew it, but she didn't want to pull herself back. Romeo was just too intoxicating, too amazing, too warm in the gentle embrace they were both currently locked in. It was perfection to the innocent country mouse who had never felt her heart fluttering like this before. She didn't want to turn away from the blaze of romance, and was finding it harder and harder to do as she spent more time curled up against Romeo's strong, protective chest.

It was Zoe who ended up blushing, despite her deepest wishes not to. He was happy here with her? Well, and Ellie. But, her, too? Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. Maybe, things were looking up. Maybe she was winning him over after all, making him forget all about that other girl who he'd been head over heels for before. Maybe... just maybe. "You make me pretty darn happy, too, Romeo," she answered shyly, tucking her head back under his chin to hide her reddening cheeks. Zoe didn't know what it was, but he was pulling feelings and words out of her that she'd never felt before. Not that she didn't love every minute of it.

As the sadness dripped into Romeo's expression, Zoe couldn't help but become more curious. She'd supressed most of her questions about his and Ellie's personal life in Liverpool, about their family, because she knew there was something dark lingering there. But, she wasn't one to press, not unless she needed to know. And, frankly, if Romeo didn't want to tell her, Zoe trusted him enough to not ask. Not yet, anyways. Later, if things went... well. Maybe then she'd have a right to unlock the door to the rest of Romeo's complex heart. Pushing the thoughts back, Zoe gave him a small, promising smile. Her eyes closed as his lips touched her hair again, and she was selfish enough to take a moment to enjoy the sparks that rocketed through her body at the caress. "'I'll be here for you whenever you need me,'" she smirked gently up at him, purposely repeating his words from earlier. Though, she would admit, she liked them better with his rough accent and bright smile.

"Didn't look like ya were on the fire escape when I woke up earlier," she said, sounding more like her mother than she cared to admit. While Zoe did like the contribution of the cigarrettes to Romeo's unqiue scent, she still wasn't a fan of what they did to his body. Or Ellie's. She wondered how the girl dealt with it all the time. If it were her living there, you could be sure Romeo would've had to switch to nicotine gum years ago. "I still dun like it," she commented, shaking her head at him but smiling none the less. "And, she doesn't annoy me at'll." A smirk flickered back onto Zoe's lips now as she looked up at him, bumping his shoulder playfully to show she was joking. Truthfully, Ellie had more scared her than annoyed her this evening. What with the ninja photography while she and Romeo were engaged in their first tender embrace, Zoe would probably still be a little jumpy when she went back to Romeo's apartment.

In all honesty, she didn't want Ellie to see her with Romeo. Zoe didn't know how the young lady would like it. Sure, Romeo and Zoe were currently only friends, but something had clicked this evening. And, it looked like she was winning him over. Slowly, oh so slowly, but she still thought she was. So, what if everything went well, and her pleasant dreams of romance became realities? Would Ellie be mad at Zoe, thinking she'd used her as a line to get to Romeo? Of course, she hadn't. But still. Young minds are wild, especially when left alone with a great discovery.

"Ya should still get this blood cleaned off, and put some fresh wrappin's on it. 'Sides, a clean hand looks a'lot better than this gory one," she nodded at him. Zoe knew his wounds would look a lot better once they were properly cleaned, especially his lip. She knew it must've bled countless times since the incident, and she also knew Romeo hadn't really had anything to drink or any time to go inspect himself. Not that she minded taking care of him once they were back at the apartment. In fact, it'd probably be a lot better than sitting in awkward silence with a teenager and a cat.

Zoe couldn't help laughing as he joked, smiling happily up at him. Her nose crinkled as he tapped it, but her smile didn't disappear. How could someone who made her heart feel so horrible make her feel this sunshiny and happy? It was impossible. "That's 'cause ya didn't cover yer ears properly. Bet ya didn't think I could be that loud," she smirked, sticking her tongue out at him in a childish fashion and looking up at him with sparkling seas of blue. Zoe rolled her eyes at his next comment, though she knew all about sibling banter. "Ya just don't want me to know what ya called her so I can't scold you for pickin' on her," she joked, trying not to laugh again. Her smile didn't fade as he spoke once more, but she still had a hard time believing her city boy had done things in the country. Sure, she'd been to the city too, but it wasn't something big. Just movies or concerts, or an escape. No real fun like ice cream making or visiting family.

Zoe's breath caught as Romeo's face was suddenly an inch, maybe less, from hers. Her eyes stared back into his, the innocence and confusion and tender feelings she tried so hard to hide glinting in the light. "Ya already do. Trust me," she mumbled breathlessly, barely being able to find the words to speak. Her lungs gulped in air the moment he pulled back from her, though her heart was still pounding from how close he'd been. Zoe nodded, looking down and scooping up Tessie. "Yeah, it's gettin' late," she agreed softly, smiling shyly up at him.

• • •

WORDS: 1150!
TAG: Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
LOCATION: Romeo's Lap, Her Apartment
OUTFIT: this classy sass!
LYRICS: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood
NOTES: <3 <3 <3