nifties | I'm way too young to lie here forever⭐️

Zari drops her hands to his shoulder blades. She's actually surprised that is a surprise. 2040s have less of a deadly bug and plant problem so that might be a factor. "Duh, babe. Do you have any idea how much I have to work out to maintain this body? Just because I'm not super jacked like Sara and Ava..." She sighs wistfully. Not what she'd aim for in an ideal body at all, but Zari does think they look hot.

"Okay, point taken. We do need to take advantage of the natural beauty so what are you into? Bonfires? Sure, my hair will smell, but we could grill. We could also cuddle under the stars."

"...No, actually." He blinks a few times, but easily falls into her eyes again. After a year, it still feels like there's so much she holds back from him, even if it might not be intentional. John's always afraid to ask if it is. "I mean, I would- try to hike. If you wanted me to."

Since he definitely isn't sure he's into grilling. John lets out a nervous chuckle, pushing a panel of her hair over her shoulder.

"Are you describing... camping?" Because that is funny to picture, for either of them honestly.

Zari looks surprised at her oversight. This is mostly unintentional on Zari's part. She's conditioned pretty thoroughly at this point to never get into the details of anything she's doing. If John saw how things were with her parents, he'd quickly get why. Zari barely gets a sentence out when the dismissals come. She couldn't handle it if John ever behaved that way so she never gives him the chance to. The only thing she hides is weird online experiences that everyone with her celebrity gets into. That he definitely is better off never getting stressed about.

She shudders at the thought of camping. "God, no. I'm describing... selective moments outdoors. No more than an hour." She nods, mind already buzzing with a new plan. "New proposal: we hit up a really nice restaurant, head back to this place of yours, and walk off our meal around it? Finish off our day indoors doing whatever works for us." She grins slyly though it fades quickly as she realizes she knows nothing about this place. "Please tell me this place has a tub. There's no way we're skipping a bath bomb on an anniversary. We're not animals."

What she describes sounds much more his speed, both personality-wise and physically and he's grinning by the time she gets to the bath.

"Like I'd stay anywhere without one," he reminds her unnecessarily of his ridiculous obsession while rubbing his nose up against hers. Something is still bothering him and while usually, he'd gloss over it, the fact that no one has vaulted through their locked door yet means he has a few more minutes of intimacy to waste on insecurities. Lucky him. "You know I'd never... judge you, yeah? I mean, look at me."

Literally a walking disaster. He doesn't care how much she works out or, doesn't. Or how many people she hires to make sure everything in her life that can be controlled is controlled. He gets the impetus behind that one anyway. There's pretty much a constant spiral going on over here.

John would touch on insecurities this early in the morning. Zari sighs against his face which makes her cringe. She's positive her breath can't be that attractive in the morning. "I know.... kind of." Zari chews on her lip anxiously. She should just drop it or claim she's kidding. The truth spills out of her in a rush instead. "People don't listen to me. I know that sounds insane when my followers fall off my every word, but that's different. I'm talking about them even if I'm not saying their names. Zari is a whole different story." There is a reason why even Leslay could steamroll her when the topic of engagement came up. Zari couldn't draw up an act for that. That's how she loses ground every time.

She can't meet his eyes as they discuss this. Her eyes fixate on the curve of his shoulder as if she hasn't mapped that with her hands and mouth a thousand times over at this point. "I just don't want you to roll your eyes and say that's nice when I tell you about meeting one of my goals at the gym or how many font changes I had to make to a shampoo label. I know it's not that interesting to anyone else." It matters to her. She has an image to maintain and followers to please. She likes getting both right. These are the little details in her life that no one else gets.

Suddenly, it becomes all too apparent he touched on something he shouldn't have. He lets his own self-destructive behavior tangle with others' far too often. John cups her cheek tenderly, stroking the bone with his thumb.

"I listen to you." His voice crackles a little when he reminds her. Has he ever once shied away from who she is? It's more than a returned favor for how easily she accepts his bullshit. He bites into his lip, not wanting to sound too eager even if that's how he feels. "And I don't have to be one of your followers to hang off your every word."

Yeah, so much for not being eager. He presses a gentle kiss to her lips as he tries to come up with a better way to assure her of his loyalties. Old John may have been offended by this entire scenario, but she's changed him in ways he doesn't fully recognize yet.

"Look, I can't always promise to know exactly what you're talking about, but that doesn't mean I don't wanna hear it." She listens to his magic stuff just the same whether it makes sense to her or not. He tries to say the next part as gently as he can, but sometimes he really does think she needs the reminder. "I'm not one of your boyfriends by contract, Zari. I love you, all of you, even the boring parts."

She thinks he's pacifying her until the kiss comes. Zari returns it softly, drawing back to meet his eyes once it's done. He's so hopelessly earnest. Zari couldn't doubt him if she wanted to. As hard as it is to hear, she needs that reminder he isn't someone bought and bound by agreement. They're an experience that is only as good as she allows it to be.

She smiles apologetically, gaze soft as once again cups his face with only one hand this time. "Now you're being rude. I'm the most interesting woman you've ever met." She quips. Zari can't be sure that's even true considering the company they keep. "I love you too." She strokes her thumb over his cheekbone intentionally to mirror his gesture. "Why else would I let some strange man look at me for a year? No one else gets this kind of access to the Zari Tarazi you know."

He chuckles softly, impossibly soft really, as the kiss breaks and he can't help but rest his head against hers again. It never ceases to amaze him, how readily she returns his feelings, but he couldn't be more grateful for it in this moment.

"Don't I know it," he hums, bemused whenever she speaks of herself as the persona instead of the fragile woman before him. The disparity is what's so beautiful to John; that he's privileged enough to see behind the curtain. "And you are." The most interesting woman he's ever met, which is saying a lot really. He tucks some hair behind her ear and lets the silence lapse for just a moment before he feels compelled to dive back in with a joke. No surprise there.

"But we all have our mundanities, even us."

It is a good shield when she feels vulnerable. Zari wonders why she bothers at times. He can see beneath the persona and has for quite some time already. The influencer takes comfort in that and the warmth of his head against her. Brown eyes shut contently. A part of her wonders if they can't stay entwined like this forever. She knows realistically it's only a matter of time before one of their friends or brother come banging on the door. She has to enjoy this while she can.

"Really? Name one mundane thing about me." Zari challenges.

"Well..." he starts, finding the way their breathing mingles more distracting than it ought to be. "You hike, so."

John had intended to get up before they got in this position again, but now he feels effectively stuck. Pleasantly, of course.

"All I ask is you not judge me if you talking about shampoo bottle font changes gets me hot."

Zari scoffs playfully. "How dare you use hiking against me?" She laughs softly after the second. With great effort, she pulls back from John and smiles warmly. They really should get breakfast even if she is still clearly putting it off. "Oh, sweetie. I made me peace with how easy it is to get you hot a long time ago. You're powerless against my charms." She sighs wistfully like this has been such a burden for her.

"You're right, I actually find that you hike strangely endearing." He sighs as she pulls back, but recognizes it's for the best the moment they're out of the close proximity that was scrambling his brain. "And I do recall someone else being powerless not that long ago."

He leaves her with that as he uses her shoulder for leverage to get himself up and out of the bed, stark naked as he goes to hunt down his rumpled uniform. John makes sure to wink at her over his shoulder as he plucks his shirt off the floor.

Her face immediately gets hot which is exactly what he is going for or so Zari thinks. Zari's eyes narrow back at John. She gets out of bed, toes on her slippers, and shrugs on her silk bathrobe to do what else? Give him a peace of her mind. She hates when he gets her flustered.

"Hey!" She rounds on him to smack his shoulder in a display of maturity before he can get his shirt on. "Who said you could bring that up like ever? Don't forget who is actually in charge around here." Ignore the fact that she's blushing.

He shrugs on his shirt and considers the merits of buttoning it before he's found his pants, but then Zari is getting all indignant and blushing and it's really, really cute.

"Except when you aren't," he points out cheekily, murmuring a little aha! when he spots his trousers and moves to tug them from out from under the bed and then onto his legs.

It is ridiculously cute how flustered she gets. Zari only turns a darker shade of pink at his follow up. As usual once he plays with her, she can't help playing back. "You really want to go there?" She challenges just before she makes her move. It is extremely unfair to shove a man who is trying to get his pants and yet that is exactly what Zari does. She pushes him onto the floor and straddles him to prove a point. As if this in any way teaches John a lesson about embarrassing her. "Because you really don't look in charge right now."

Caught off-guard, it's extremely easy to overpower him, and he goes down hard. It knocks the wind out of him, but as he's catching his breath just as she pins him to the ground with his pants around his ankles and not one button done up on his shirt yet.

"Only cause you caught me with my pants down," he jokes with a dry laugh that quickly spirals into a cough.

Despite the actual violence she just displayed, he can't help the way his body wants to react to her right now though he knows they don't have the time. The only way he can think to retaliate is by nudging his hips up into hers, it seems suggestive until he uses it to flip her over so he's covering her on the floor now, his hands pinning her wrists against the hard floor.

"Why so red, sweetheart?" Nevermind the bright red flush crawling up his chest and onto his own throat.

Edited 2020-11-28 04:49 (UTC)

It makes for a pretty picture in Zari's book. Maybe it wasn't the nicest thing to do. She's certainly appreciating the view from above. Zari soon feels the nudge and prepares to shut that one down just as flips the script on her. She lets out a soft sound of protest as her back hits the floor. Zari glances at her wrists irritably as once again she remembers that he can do that.

"I could ask you the same thing." Zari meets his gaze, then drawing attention to the red creeping at his throat with her eyes, back up again. She's determined to play it cool even as she feels her body react, nipples pebbling underneath the silk. At least the robe is a nice cover for that, Zari thinks.

"You should get dressed, sweetheart. You look ridiculous." And you know if it gets her up that's just a nice perk. Actions having consequences is so overrated.

He feels the way her body goes rigid against his, even through silk, and he has to bite into his lips to keep from making an embarrassing sound. His thumbs brace against her pulse-points, feeling the rushing of her blood beneath them in a way that washes over and comforts him.

"Oh, I look ridiculous, do I?" he can't help but taunt her, not wanting to let go until she at least puts up a fight. Instead, predictably, she's trying to talk herself out of a tight spot. "As I recall it, was trying to pull my trousers up when you started in on... this."

Even if she won't fight him, John thinks it's high time she answer for her crimes!!

Zari pouts when he doesn't take the bait. She really is used to being able to talk her way out of anything. John knows her too well at this point. He sees her tactics a mile away. How annoying of him. "You were picking on me. I had no choice, but to teach you a lesson. I feel like you've learned from this since you still look ridiculous with your pants around your ankles while I look amazing from every angle." Zari boasts, still feeling pretty confident she has this under control. Sure, he knows what she is up to, but she is Zari Tarazi. It's only a matter of time before he sees things her way.

"Now are you ready to get up? I wouldn't mind breakfast and I'd hate to have to teach you another lesson so soon."

He makes a show of thinking that over while he brackets her hips with his thighs, effectively locking her in.

"You know I can't deny that." How good she looks, and how it makes him feel no matter the context, but that hardly means he'll let her win. He is a Taurus after all. "But that only means I'm used to looking silly next to you. I could do this all day."

And food isn't much of a bribe for the guy who eats like a bird most of the time, either. Sorry, Zari. It's not going to be that easy today. His smile turns a little mean as dark eyes latch onto hers from above.

"I'd like to see you try that, princess." And if she really thinks that through, it's a win-win for John any way it falls out so she had better tread lightly if she wants to come out of this with a shred of dignity whatsoever.

This should really be the point where she remembers how this went last time. Zari does have enough sense to know she's in deep. It probably would have been best to put up a struggle and tap out in about five minutes. The thing about Zari is that she has a lot of pride. It's not easy for her to admit she is outmatched even when it is super obvious she is on the losing end of this. Taking the L just isn't in her vocab.

That smile does literally nothing to cool down that drive to win either. Yes, logically she knows he's loving every second of this and literally can't lose at this point, but swallowing pride?? That's a step too far for her. "You'd be surprised by how resourceful I am." Zari remarks sweetly just before tilting her head up to nip at the first bit of flesh she can get.

John emits a sharp yelp before he can stifle himself, her act of rebellion sparking another kind of jolt from behind his abdomen. At this moment, the game is just a pretense for how much he wants to have her now and his gaze is full to the brim with desire when he finds hers again.

"That doesn't surprise me in the least." It sounds fond despite the power struggle they're having and his head dips down to capture her lips suddenly in a fiercely possessive kiss he feels powerless to stave off. Blunt nails dig into the soft flesh of her wrists as he moves his mostly naked body against silk-clad curves in a way designed to drive Zari as insane as she's driving him.

Zari smiles smugly. She is so pleased with herself for getting a reaction even if she's positive she will pay for it later. It softens when she catches the fondness in his voice for the few seconds before he covers her lips with his. Her eyes flutter shut at the contact. It's not in Zari not to respond in kind even if she can't compete with that level of fierceness from her current position.

She doesn't realize what kind of trouble she's in until he starts moving against her. She feels electricity hit her belly hard as the hard line of his body moves into hers; drawing attention to how perfectly they slot together. The way he digs her nails in brings up memories of their previous escapades. Zari whimpers against his mouth, finally trying to move beneath him even if she can't be sure to what end. "That's cheating." Zari complains with a gasp when their kiss finally breaks for a second.

Thoughts of breakfast, the Legends and even their anniversary plans go completely out the window when she kisses him back, his eyes fluttering closed as he draws out the contact until he positively cannot breathe. The way she whines and squirms against him has his body hard and ready in seconds though it was exactly the situation he was trying to avoid. He spears her with his frustrated gaze, but finally lets go of her hands even if he can't resist dragging his palms down her perfectly silk-hugged body on his first attempt to pull away.

"You tackle me to the ground and I'm the one who's cheating," he complains without any bite, leaning in to kiss her again and roll them both onto their sides even while his lungs burn unpleasantly. He kicks his pants back off so when he does try to get up he doesn't trip and fall (again.)

She feels him harden against her. Zari does feel a twinge of guilt. She definitely instigated this one when there was no time to handle it. At least her constant horniness isn't so visible. "I'm sorry." She apologizes before he kisses her again. Once again Zari returns it, dropping her freed hand against the back of his head before ending it early. If she's a little out of breath, his lungs must hate him by now.

She strokes his hair gently as she works up the will to sit up. "I knew I shouldn't have brought up the font sizes. I was basically asking you to jump on top of me." Zari points out seriously even as she struggles to keep a straight face. Good thing he likes it when she's mean.

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