"If you aren't going to follow my orders...then...you have to think whether Team Seven's for you, Scarlet," Jaxson whispered.
I gawked at him as we stood in the almost deserted parking lot. We'd waited until everyone had cleared out before planning to leave. I was heading to the motorbike to start it up, Michael stating he wouldn’t be long. I planned to ride with Michael tonight since I was staying over at his place.
I thought I'd gotten the last of Jaxson's wrath, but he followed me and now here we were staring at one another. Anger filled our eyes and we both clenched our fists, neither of us wanting to admit we were wrong.
"So because I made the executive decision to participate in a cage fight match which I won, to prove I could handle my own weight, and contribute to the team aside from visions and helping to solve cases on the sidelines, you’re basically telling me to find a different team," I summarized.
Jaxson bit his lip and I knew this was hurting him a lot more than me. He was afraid of me getting hurt, not as an investigator, but as his girlfriend, who he didn't want to see dead on the bottom floor in a pool of blood.
He was doing this because he loved me and was afraid to lose me again, but he was forgetting one important factor.
"Scar, it's-" he began, but I didn't want to hear it. I could feel my anger had reached its peak, and if I stayed any longer, the elements would respond to my strong emotions and I might accidently harm the man I loved.
I walked forward, sliding my hand into my back pocket and retrieved my badge. I slammed it into his chest and held it there.
"Jaxson White, I know you love me. I'll never deny that, but you're forgetting one essential thing here. Outside of work, we are lovers. During work, we are both private investigators. I proved myself worthy on our first case and am not below you anymore. I'm an equal team member and one that you need to trust to make the right decisions to help the entire team. I regret nothing, because thanks to my participation, we got the crystal and completed the assignment given to us. But if you can't acknowledge that due to the love...and maybe even the fear that lingers inside you... then you're right," I whispered, blinking back tears as I stared into his wide amber eyes.
"Maybe I'm not right for Team Seven. Here's my badge. Feel free to find the last crystal without me," I declared and just like that, I began walking away.
I could hear multiple footsteps begin to follow, and that prompted me to move faster, reaching Michael's bike in no time. I quickly got on and put the helmet on, starting it up quickly.
"What? Wait, what the flying fuck just happened?!" I heard Ethan shout.
"Scar?!" Junho called out, but I ignored them. My heel moved the kickstand back in place, and with the press of the handles I was moving.
"SCAR!" I heard the others call after me, but I paid them no mind, squeezing the handles harder to increase my speed. I turned onto the main road and drove.
I let my tears fall and sobs escaped me as I drove, thankful there was no one following. They didn't need to see how much Jaxson's simple words hurt me.
Why was it so hard? Why couldn't he be more confident in me? Why couldn't he praise me for my hard work? Why, why, why?
I continued to cry and the land below mourned with me. It could feel my agony, the heartache, the pain that vibrated through me and was released into the air by my loud sobs and whimpers.
The dark sky filled with grey clouds and thunder roared through the sky as lightning struck in the distance. Rain began to pour and I allowed it, hoping it would help ease the anger in me. Its cool comforting droplets would help ease the burning heat of rage I held inside me.
I wasn't angry at Jaxson. I was angry at the primary source of our troubles, which was Xerxes. All of this had been his fault. The constant cases, the search for the crystals, everything I'd been enduring. The reason I had a fucking crystal in my heart. It was all thanks to him, and yet again, I was in pain because one of my lovers, who happened to be the leader of my team, could not accept the fact he couldn't always protect me.
I drove so fast the bike began to vibrate, but I didn't care. I truly didn't care what happened to me because without my team...the group of lovers I cherished and opened my heart to, I felt empty.
"SCAR! Fucking stop!"
I was pulled out of my dark thoughts by Michael’s' loud voice, which cut through the harsh rain that beat the ground. I looked over my shoulder and my eyes widened at the large white wings that spread from his back as he soared behind me.
He sped up, hovering over me before he passed. I debated whether to slow down or not, but Jaxson's words kept repeating in my mind. I wasn’t a part of the team anymore.
I was going to keep at my current speed, but I felt magic in the air and watched Michael land a few feet away from me.
"Stop, Scarlet,” he insisted, his eyes a dark copper. I bit my lip, my hands gripping the breaks to slow me down. In seconds, the bike came to a stop. I cursed, getting off the bike and lifting my helmet off to throw it onto the patch of grass next to me.
"Michael! Don't go using your damn gift on me!" I snapped before I turned around and stormed in the opposite direction. I knew I'd given him permission to use it on me in the bedroom, but I should have been more specific, which had proven to be my downfall in this moment as I stomped off in the rain.
I heard the flap of wings, but I didn't care. My ass would walk away from Michael because until we got back to the office and clocked out, this was work and he wasn't a part of my team anymore.
"Scarlet!" Michael called out.
I kept walking and heard Michael's frustrated exhale, but it didn't stop me. I knew if I stopped I wouldn't be able to hold back anymore. I wouldn't be able to mask the pain I'd been harboring. I wish I could say my feelings of being left out had faded after my talk with Ethan, but they hadn’t.
Those emotions still lingered inside me, waiting for this day to come. It was as if my body knew that it would only be a matter of time till I had to face the reality that I wouldn't fit in. Not because of my skill set, but because I was fragile.
I passed out after getting visions. I could barely cast any spells unless we were in life or death situations. I earned the award of being the “baggage of the team” because that's exactly how I felt. The person who brought the team down.
Someone wrapped their arms around my waist. I tried to pull out of Michael's hold, but he was stronger. Arms came around me and he held me tightly, making it impossible for me to escape.
"Fuck, Scar. Stop. I know you're angry," Michael whispered. My lip trembled as I tried to think of words. Angry? Sad? Confused? Heartbroken? The list of emotions running through me was endless and as they flooded through me, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Jaxson doesn't want me on the team anymore," I said quietly.
"Scar, he didn't mea-"
"Every day...I wake up and right before work I stare at that badge. I look at the metallic pink metal symbol and my photo beneath it," I said, trying to hold my back tears and sobs.
"I stare at it and wonder...will I be able to be worthy of this badge? Will I be able to prove my worth today?" I whimpered. A cry escaped me and I stomped my feet in frustration since my arms were trapped in Michael's hold.
"Fuck, Michael! How long till you guys accept me? How long till you think of me as a damn team member and not just your fainting girlfriend who can sometimes use magic and has a fucking stone in her heat! When will you think of me as a damn partner?!" I shouted.
"Scar, we don-"
"YOU DO!" I screamed and struggled out of his hold, turning to glare at him. He stared at me in shock and I let my tears fall as I let my pain out.
"When my mom was murdered, I vowed I'd become an investigator. I worked my ass off through the laughter and the pain of my childhood to be able to reach this point. I ignored the loneliness and the hardships I had to endure, so one day I could carry that badge with pride. Yet, it's been five and a half months and I still feel like I’m the girl who walked up the stairs of Saikikku's home as a rookie. Five and half months of endless cases, car chases, mall fights, cage fights! Hah! The list goes on, yet because I do something right for the team, I don't belong? But I bet if any of you did what I did, you'd be praised for it. You would all pat the person's back and say how amazing the they are."
Michael was speechless and I laughed. "Is it because I'm a girl? Or wait, because I'm your guys’ lover? Everyone wants to shelter me from this world, but GUESS WHAT? I'M AT THE CENTRE OF IT! I have a fucking STONE in my heart! I can feel the winds cry and the ground sob in agony every fucking day, because us shifters and humans alike can't take care of our own world! Fire outbreaks are happening everywhere and as much as I try to ignore it, I can't help but feel the fire's anger. Shifters and humans thinks they own this world, yet we’re are NOTHING but residents! And I get to feel all of that because I'm the Elemental! I'm the girl who gets visions and can see someone's past and even fucking future. But my own team, my boyfriends who claim to support all I do and give me the push I need to fight my insecurities, encourage me for one moment and then despise my actions the next. Even Kendrick puts me as his daughter FIRST instead of as one of his agents. How long do I have to scream and wave my hands in the fucking air before SOMEONE gets it?!" I screamed.
We stood there in silence as I tried to catch my breath, tears rolling down my cheeks as I trembled from the cold of the rain.
"Scar...we...didn't mean to make you feel that way," Michael whispered, agony written all over his face.
"Well, congratulations!" I clapped. "That's exactly how I feel, and have for MONTHS! But it's all good. I gave my badge to Jaxson. I'll sign my resignation and then you guys can find an agent that isn't a burden like me."
I turned around and began to walk again. My teeth chattered and my clothes stuck to my body, which made walking fast rather difficult, but I decided to suck it up. It wasn't as bad as the pain in my heart. Unity? Hah...unity my ass. Can't be united when you all think differently.
"Scar."
Michael landed in front of me and I stopped. I glanced to the side, wanting to walk around him, but I was so tired. I was exhausted from saying what I had to say, sore from the fight I'd had to endure, the energy wasted giving Ethan the crystal.
I was just tired of fighting. I wanted to give up just this once. Michael sighed and stepped forward, pulling me into his arms. His wings wrapped around us and as much as I wanted to fight, I gave in.
"I just...want you guys to accept me as an agent. I love you all so much...and I know you love me too, but I need you to be able to accept that you can't shelter me. I just want to feel independent and a part of the team. I want to feel accepted, Michael. Is that too much to ask?" I lifted my head to meet his sad copper eyes. He shook his head and kissed my forehead.
"It's not too much, Scar. I'm sorry you feel this way." He held me tightly against him. My shoulders sank and I rested my head against his shoulder. I let my last thread of restraint go and started sobbing.
I cried like someone had died. As if the part of me I dreamed of becoming, a confident woman who stopped crime and would be able to find and bring in the person who stole her precious mother away, had died. It was like accepting the reality you'd never be the person you always wanted to be. No matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't be good enough to reach whatever standard was set for me.
Not because the standard was hard to achieve. It was because the standard kept on rising when I was mere inches away from it, leaving me hopeless and tired of trying over and over again.
"Let's go to my place, or you're going to get sick," Michael encouraged.
"The...others," I whispered, knowing they would be worried. Here I was crying like an idiot, and yet I was still worried about the rest of the team. The team I no longer was a part of.
"They aren't invited. This is your boyfriend taking you home to his place. We'll take a nice bath and relax, just the two of us," he offered.
I nodded at first, but realized one problem with that. I looked up at him with wide eyes and slowly took in his drenched appearance.
"Michael...you hate water," I pointed out. He gave me a sad smile and nodded.
"Yes…and though it's kinda hard for me to stand here right now, I do it because my partner is upset at our team for not acknowledging her greatness. I stand here because I need to show you that everything you're saying is worth every second of me standing here, even if I'm panicking inside. I want you to understand that your pain is my pain. And yes, you are my girlfriend and that comes with its own worries and fears, but since we are clocked in, we are still partners right now. I need to prove to you that no one else belongs in Team Seven with us, but you. Jaxson can go fuck himself." Michael mumbled the last sentence.
I closed my eyes, urging the rain to stop, even if it was just in this area. Within moments, the harsh downpour began to decrease and just like that, it stopped raining. Thank you.
The elements were only trying to comfort me the best they could and I thanked them for that sense of understanding and love.
"Sorry....you won't be in pain right?" I asked, now worrying about Michael. I knew water was something he despised, but I didn't know the background around it, which made me worry if he was going to have a bad reaction.
"I'll be fine, silly. Why are you so selfless? Stop moving the spotlight off you,” he whispered and pulled me back into a firm hug.
"I'm sorry...I shouldn't-"
"Shh, Scar. Stop. I don't want you apologizing for this. It had to be said, or this would have been going on and none of us would know. We aren't perfect and please do not think because you're a girl, we think you’re some fragile doll who can't be one of us.
“Jaxson...he's...difficult and the past he's endured makes him that way. I know you understand and reacted because you had enough. I think it's good for him to be on the receiving end and think about his words. Now, let's go to my place before you get sick,” he urged.
I nodded into his shirt, tightening my hold on him. He stroked my back and we stayed there for a few more minutes. Michael let me cry again and waited till I calmed before we walked back to the motorbike, my hand in his.
Michael drove and I rested my head against his wet back, not caring about how drenched he was, but wishing I could see his wings again.
I was simply drained, physically, emotionally, and mentally. I wanted to just sleep and hope this had all been a bad dream. The wind blew past us as Michael drove down the quiet freeway. The sound of the wind was like a lullaby, singing a calming tune to help me sleep.
My eyes slowly came to a close and I truly hoped this was all just a dream.
"Scarlet?"
"Scar...wake up. Michael's in pain."
I stirred at Aurora's and Serenity's voices that were filled with concern. I opened my heavy eyelids, noticing a fireplace burning about three feet in front of me. I slowly sat up, looking down to see the long white shirt that loosely hung over my body. I squinted around to see if my glasses were nearby.
The place looked familiar, but my mind was still playing catch up as to why I here to begin with. I noticed my glasses on the side table next to the black sofa I was resting on. I reached out and picked them up before opening them up and sliding them onto my face. My blurred vision instantly cleared and I studied the clean yet cozy living room that was white and gold themed.
My ears picked up the sound of someone vomiting, followed by a series of coughs. My heart skipped a beat when Serenity's words sunk in. Michael?!
I lifted the fuzzy white blanket off my legs and ran barefoot on the tiled floor to where I hoped the washroom was. The sounds of coughing and sniffing grew louder the closer I got.
I reached the washroom within six seconds and opened the door to see Michael trembling on the floor as he tried to catch his breath.
"Michael?!" I exclaimed as I dropped to the floor next to him, immediately rubbing his back as I felt Serenity take over. I didn't even fight the switch, needed to make sure Michael was okay.
He looked horrible. He had a pale face, flushed cheeks, sweaty forehead and tired eyes that could barely stay open as he tried to stop shaking. Panic attack.
"Panic...attack?" I asked within our mind. Aurora was silent for a moment.
"He's frightened of water, right?" she reminded.
"Yes...but when we went to the hot springs, he didn't have such a intense response," I recalled. Serenity frowned and took a calming breath as she began to rub his back soothingly.
He didn't have a reaction maybe because you were there and you guys weren't in there for a long time. He wasn't submerged in water or anything. With him being drenched by it for a longer period of time, the rain must have triggered the reaction associated with his fear of water.
I felt horrible as my essence floated in my mind as Serenity continued to rub Michael's back. She began to sing quietly and I could sense the magic flowing through the melody and doing its duty to ease Michael's pain.
I noticed his breathing slowed and the tension in his shoulders left him as he finally relaxed. He opened his eyes and glanced over at me. Serenity took the opportunity to pull back, giving me control once more.
"Scar? Sorry, did I wake you?" I almost broke down and cried at his weak voice.
"Michael? No you didn’t wake me. But why didn’t you if you weren’t feeling well?" I pulled him into my arms and he relaxed, resting his head against my chest.
"You were tired. Didn't want to bother you with my problems,” he whispered. I wanted to scold him, but I noticed his breathing had slowed. Within moments he was fast asleep.
I let out a slow breath, relieved he was okay and wasn't vomiting anymore. I stayed still, watching him for a while but decided he'd be more comfortable and warm near the fireplace. I laid him down, using a towel as a pillow before I took a calming breath and summoned the wind to my aid.
It came with ease which left me a little surprised, but I put the thought in the back of my mind as I focused on lifting Michael slowly off the ground using the element. I held my concentration long enough to bring him into the living room, lowering him onto the black couch I had been previously laying on. Once he was on the couch, I got a wet cloth to clean his lips, and another one which I used to wipe his face soothingly.
He didn't feel like he was getting a fever, but I put a cool cloth on his forehead just in case and laid the fuzzy blanket over his lower half. Once I knew he was okay, I went back to the washroom and cleaned up the area, figuring that was the least I could do for him.
Once it was sparkling clean and approved by Aurora and Serenity, I headed back to the living room, noticing a few pictures on his desk that looked pretty brand new.
I took a closer look, noticing three pictures. The first one was Michael when he was little with his little brother, who I'd met when Mako came to visit. His name was Daniel and he also had an angel spirit. I knew Daniel and Mako were dealing with some issues, but I figured they must have worked it out during their visit here.
In the picture, Daniel had big gold-rimmed glasses and Michael wore an identical pair, both of them looking cute in the close-up. I put the picture back in place and moved to the second one.
This looked to be when Michael was only two or three and Daniel was but a baby. A tall man, who appeared to be Michael's father, stood with a crown on his head next to a beautiful woman with long gold hair. Daniel was in her arms, wrapped in a white blanket and Michael stood in front of them, his hand clinging to his mother's white dress and looking at the camera innocently with those bright gold eyes I adored.
I lowered the picture and turned my gaze to the final one. I picked it up to see Michael and Jaxson. It looked like they were in their late teens and Jaxson was smiling at the camera with that seductive smirk of his. I glanced over at Michael and noticed his eyes weren't looking into the camera, but were eyeing Jaxson. I stared at the image for a long time. No matter how long I looked at it, I could still see the love shining in Michael's eyes.
I knew the guys said Michael was bisexual and got very touchy when he was drunk or extremely exhausted, but the picture made me wonder if he had a crush on Jaxson. It left me curious as to if he still had a thing for Jaxson.
I lowered the picture and placed it back in its spot before I walked back to where Michael was sleeping. I sat down on the floor next to the sofa and rested my head against his the side of his right thigh so I could at least watch his chest rise and fall.
The room was quiet and the burning of the fireplace was comforting, the sound making it hard for me to not fall back asleep.
I ended up losing the battle, my eyes coming to a close as I continued to listen to the crackling sound of the wood being eaten by the flames.
Something brushed my cheek, which made me open my eyes slightly. Michael's gold orbs were staring at me as his hand continued to stroke my cheek. "Hey,” he greeted.
"Hey," I replied. I lifted my head and pulled my glasses off to rub my eyes. "How are you feeling?" I asked as I stood up and walked over to the side table to set my glasses back down before coming back over to Michael, who was slowly sitting up.
He tugged at the hair tie that held his hair back, releasing his long blonde tresses. He ran a hand through his hair while he sighed.
"I'm okay. Feel much better, that's for sure. Sorry, Scar and thank Serenity and Aurora for me as well. I didn't mean to wake you,” he confessed.
I quickly shook my head as I stood before him. "Michael, don't apologize. It's my fault. I didn't know you had such a strong reaction. You didn't need to risk yourself like that. I'm sorry," I whispered, lowering my head.
"Don't give me that look. It makes me depressed,” he mumbled before he patted his lap.
"Come here, Scar love." He moved so his back rested against the back of the sofa. I gave in, moving to sit in his lap. He had his arms around my waist and my legs were crossed yoga style in his lap. He rested his head on my right shoulder and I enjoyed his hold around me while I tried to ignore the feel of his groin beneath me.
We were quiet for a long time, watching the fire dancing in the fireplace, both of us lost in our own thoughts.
Michael eventually spoke first. "When I was young, we had a really horrible stepmom. Our real mom disappeared just after Daniel was born, many people saying she ran away because she had my brother, who had the same gift as me. Others said she was kidnapped by rogues, who were people who took shifters to gain rewards or simply to cause a disturbance in the realm. We have no idea really."
I turned my head slightly to get a glimpse of his expression, but he looked lost in whatever memory he was seeing as he stared aimlessly at the fireplace.
"The woman my father decided to marry was named Claire, and she hated us. She thought of us as a burden. Even though many of the maids, guards, and people could see she only loved my father for money, status, and comfortable living, my father was blind to it. I...was dealing with my own issues, being bullied at school for being unsure if I liked guys or girls and well...those times were very dark for me,” he admitted.
He rested the left side of his head on my right shoulder and continued. "I had a few times where I knew no one would accept me: no one at school, not my father and certainly my stepmother. Being an angel shifter who should be following the holy commandments, not debating whether he liked boys or girls, left me feeling abandoned in a world that just didn't feel right for me. I eventually tried to take my life...but Daniel stopped me," Michael revealed.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I tried not to get emotional by his words, but it was hard. I couldn't imagine what life would be like without him in it.
Just like with the others, it seemed unimaginable, and that's why his admission hurt.
To realize if it hadn't been for his brother, he would have been gone from this life, just because no one was willing to accept the idea of an angel shifter liking someone of the same sex.
"I lived for him and decided it was my duty to protect him, because no one else would. We did have our private maid, Marissa, who was almost like a mom to us, but there was only so much she could do. And that was if she wasn't sent to the other half the castle by Claire to do a ton of unnecessary cleaning so she wouldn’t have any witnesses," Michael huffed.
"Then the day came where Claire was once again talking down to me for something I'd done that pissed her off. It was a normal routine at that point, me getting talked down to and beat with whatever Claire could get her hands on. I was just tired of the torment and her mean words. I knew it was having a negative effect on Daniel too, and I was over it. Claire decided I deserved a lesson and she returned to the room with a container of bleach in her hand."
"Bleach?" I exclaimed, unable to comprehend what she was planning to do.
"Ya, bleach. She tried pinning me down so she could pour it down my throat. It wouldn't have killed me, but I wouldn't have been strong enough to heal the damage it would have caused to my throat. Daniel pushed Claire off me, but she recovered quickly and used magic to spray a stream of bleach directly at Daniel, which hit his eyes at full impact. By the time I got to him, the stream had grown and felt like a powerful burst of water. I shielded Daniel the best I could, but we were both hit directly. The water was scalding hot and it was so hard to breathe. Daniel commanded her to stop with his gift just before Marissa arrived."
I was speechless, turning my body so I could stare at him with wide eyes. "Is...that why you and your brother hate water? And...that's why Daniel wears glasses?" I put the pieces together in my mind.
Michael slowly nodded. "Angel shifters are all about perfection and so when Daniel got glasses, life was even worse for him. I don't need to wear them, but I did a lot when I was younger so he didn't feel out of place. It took us a week before Marissa was able to convince us to go near water and bathe. We general,y stuck with showers and we had to deal with therapy to help us cope. I didn't mean to panic...it's just a reaction that happens and usually the reason I stay out of missions when its expected to rain that day."
"Michael..." I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "You...why did you come to get me?" I whispered, almost in tears.
"Because I love you, Scar. You...you accepted me, something that many people aren't able to do. Being...bisexual...it's hard. I never knew how to fit in. Even with our team, it took me a while to get comfortable and know they wouldn't abandon me too. Yet, you came into our lives and simply the thought of me kissing another male excites you, instead of leaving you in disgust. I love everything about you, Scarlet, and I just couldn't allow you to walk away. I know the others mean well, and would have chased after you as well, but I told them I'd handle it," Michael explained.
"But...Jaxson," I said quietly.
"Scar, Jaxson is really hard to understand. I've known him since our late teens and I still struggle to understand some of his actions. I just know that he's stressed and scared. He doesn't want to lose you again, especially to Xerxes who he has history with. I can guarantee Jax regrets what he said and didn't mean for you to think he wants you leaving the team. He just needs to see that you’re a part of our team, which means you may sometimes get hurt or be put in risky situations," Michael disclosed.
I nodded and pulled back to stare into his eyes. "I have a question...but you don't need to answer it if you don't want to," I reassured him.
He gave me a curious look, but nodded. "Sure."
"Do you like Jaxson?"
Michael blinked a few times. "Like, as in?"
"Do you have feelings for Jaxson?" I reworded the question, noticing a tinge of red that began to appear on his cheeks as his eyes widened.
"Why...the sudden question?" Michael asked, glancing away.
"The picture of you and Jaxson on your desk. I can see in your eyes that you liked him...maybe even cared deeply for him at some point," I confessed.
Michael was silent for a long time before he answered. "Yes...I had a crush on him."
"Had or still do?"
"Aren't you going to be mad if I answer that truthfully?" Michael asked with a frown.
"Why? You liking Jaxson doesn't harm me in any way. I like when you two are intimate anyways, so I don't see why that would make me mad or hurt." I shrugged.
"But..." Michael paused, clearly trying to find another excuse.
"We agreed to this relationship because I'm exclusive right? You guys will all date me and I'll keep myself to you guys. I don't see what's wrong with you liking one another in a deeper way. Jaxson was in your life before me, so I can't assume your feelings for him will just vanish. Either way, I'd be fine with and support you if you do still like him," I concluded.
"I....do...still...like him," Michael confessed, his face red. "I mean, don't get me wrong, Scar. I love you more than anything, but I do still have a crush on Jaxson. Maybe it was because he was my first friend or because he accepted me so easily. Even when I bite his neck or annoy the shit out of him, he's fine with it and accepts it like it's nothing."
He sighed, resting his head on my left shoulder once more. "I don't know...I just haven't told him. I don't think I ever well."
"Why not?" I asked.
"He'll hate me."
"What if he already knows?" I asked.
Michael lifted his head up in shock. "How?"
I shrugged. "You never know. Jaxson's observant...you might as well tell him. At least that way he knows and well...it would make my sex life more heated," I admitted, blushing slightly.
"Guess if you say so," Michael mumbled.
"Try it," I whispered, leaning in to kiss his lips. He kissed me back, then broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine.
"I will, as long as you promise to take a few days off and relax with the others. I'll deal with Jaxson. For now, just ignore him. You can hang with the others tomorrow since Jax has a meeting with Kendrick. Just don't stress about Jaxson. We'll figure things out, I promise," Michael vowed.
I smiled and nodded, hugging him once again. "Then promise me you'll confront Jaxson before we find the final crystal. I think it would be good for our relationship. I don't know why, but my gut is telling me so."
"Alright. I'll confront him the next time I get a chance," Michael agreed. I rested my head on his chest. Eventually Michael laid down with me in his arms.
"Don't stress. You can always make Jaxson's life hell if you wanted to," Michael hummed.
"I'll think about it while I sleep. I'll make sure to contact you if I need ideas of how to torture him," I hummed.
"Don't pick up when he calls. It's a pet peeve of his," Michael suggested.
"Interesting. Okay," I agreed.
We relaxed and Michael grinned. "Let's sleep and then we’ll do something fun for the evening."
"Okay...I'll go back to sleep," I muttered, already feeling tired.
"Scarlet?" Michael whispered.
"Yes, Michael?"
"I love you. Thank you for being you," he declared.
I grinned. "Thank you for living, even when the world was unfair to you. My world would be a much darker place without you," I whispered.
He beamed at my comment before pulling me into a steamy kiss.
I'd give Jaxson and I some time to cool off and hope we can work this out.
That’s all I could do, because my guts told me we didn't have long before the incoming storm.