unpavemypaths | open post

[It’s only after he’s knocked on the door of her apartment that he feels like he might have acted a little bit rash —-

When he woke up this morning, he knew immediately he was at some point in the future. For one thing, an alarm clock woke him up instead of someone yelling or a police officer shaking him. Also, he was in a bed, not on the park bench he remembers falling asleep on. The biggest tell was that instead of waking up to notes, hastily scribbled in napkins or receipts and shoved into his jean’s pocket, he woke up in pajamas, a fancy new cellphone on the bedside table. He scrolled through it briefly, a lot of information about someone named Lyn that he couldn’t care less about, a few things about his living arrangements, instructions to contact “Pops” for emergencies and the very last instruction, the one he vehemently ignores, “Stay away from Imogene.”

He didn’t really start to get anxious until he realized Imogene wasn’t in the house anymore, that Isaac wasn’t either. It was full of people he didn’t know who talked to him like he should understand what was going on. Instead of answering, he retreated to his room again, searching the phone for some kind of address for Imogene and discovering that she wasn’t in town anymore, she wasn’t even in the state.

That’s when he started to get anxious.

True to the note, “Pops” was more than happy to provide money for the plane ticket, even offered to buy it for him, technology not really being his strong suit, and didn’t ask any questions about why he needed it or make any comments about being paid back. After that it was simple. A quick plane ride, he was seated next to a nice lady who took a sleeping pill and was out for most of the journey(once she fell asleep it was easy to grab the pills from her bag and take one too. For his nerves) and then a cab drive(Pops told him to use the credit card he had in his wallet for anything he might need) to finally get to Genie’s place.

He usually has no concept of what time it is but that’s even more fucked after all the travel so he has no idea if Genie would be asleep or not when he pounds on her door, all he knows is that for him it’s been way too long since he’s seen her, he’s not going to waste an opportunity now.]

[It's not late, but it feels late. She's been busy all day, chores, studying, then hospital rotations. It's honestly a wonder she even bothered to change out of her scrubs. She's not tired, exactly, just drained, and the last thing she's expecting this evening is for anyone to show up at her door.

Most evenings, most of the time, really. She keeps to herself for the most part lately, it's easier.

Whoever it is, they sound insistent. She's going through things in her head as she crosses the small apartment to the door: no packages on their way, she doesn't think she's done anything to piss off the neighbors lately. Almost sure she didn't leave anything behind at the hospital. That's basically the list of reasons she can imagine someone turning up out of nowhere, so she's just baffled when she swings the door open.

She has to hold on tighter for a second when she sees him, shock written all over her face. A text is one thing, and even that is more than she expected right now, honestly. She'd started assuming he'd only meet them again in the far future at some point.]

What are you doing here? [It doesn't manage to sound remotely normal, hope and nerves and grief all too easy to read.]

Genie.

[It’s probably obvious the moment he speaks if it wasn’t beforehand, her name spoken in awe, accent bleeding through, his eyes getting impossibly wider as he takes her in. She’s the same Gene he remembers but different, older, more beautiful. She looks…sad.

He moves forward, his hand reaching out for her, he means to cup her cheek but instead tangles it in her hair. It’s so much longer than he remembers. He combs through the strands, playing with it like he used to. He’s still a little high from the pill, it feels euphoric to be with her again.]

You weren’t at the house. No one was. I didn’t —- why did you leave? [It’s supposed to sound more curious but his tone betrays him slightly, the intention clear, “why did you leave me?” He assumes it’s soulmate related. He wonders if she’s found hers. He realizes very quickly that he doesn’t care even if she has, he wants her regardless, as long as she’ll still have him.]

[She's always been good at figuring out roughly around when he's from anyway -- maybe it's a psychic thing, or maybe it's just that she has a lot of experience paying attention to people's tells. But right now it'd be hard to miss where he's from no matter what. She's not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, but fuck if it doesn't add to the rush of feelings. Somewhere deep down, she's always going to think of this version of him as her Sasha, the one she understands the best.]

School. [She closes her eyes, trying not to sound as overwhelmed as she feels by the touch. It's been -- a very long time.] I already had everything lined up, before-- I didn't really have much choice.

[He's the one who had talked her down from giving up on it on some of Isaac's worst days, though usually he was older when that happened. Convinced her that she didn't need to completely give up on her dreams. Unfortunately, that didn't change where she'd been accepted, or that dropping out would probably mean nowhere else would take her.]

Anyway, you were gone already. I didn't think you'd be back.

[He smiles very slightly when she mentions school, a little bittersweet but he is happy for her.] Are you a fancy doctor already?

[Following the strands of her hair down to her shoulder, he places his hand there next, shivering slightly just from touching her. He could swear she is his soulmate, the way it feels when they are together, his fingers move over her collarbone, and up her neck, tracing gently along her skin.]

I tried to come back. Every time…I never made enough money before someone else took over. [Made enough money here meaning begging for it, or pickpocketing when he could. Unfortunately things like hunger would get in the way, what little he could save up always going towards survival and when someone else took over, the mission was all but lost, it was like starting over again every time he took control.

Even then, he’s probably the reason the body got so thin, often prioritizing saving over feeding himself. He probably ruined whatever they’ve been working on with his stunt today, he didn’t eat anything before rushing over, only the plain pack of complimentary peanuts from the flight sitting in his stomach now. Although currently, food is likely the furthest thing from his mind.]

Still just a student. You're about a year too early for that.

[She nods slightly at the explanation, just accepting it. It's hard to do some things when other parts of you are fighting it like that, she knows how it can be for him. She still wishes she knew why he left in the first place, that's all.

But he's not going to be able to give her that answer, even if he wanted to, so it doesn't matter right now.]

I missed you. [It's quiet, almost guilty.] Just -- come here.

[Inside, but also closer. She barely pauses to push the door shut behind him before practically launching herself into his chest, arms wrapped around him, hugging him tightly.]

[He holds her as tightly as she’s holding him. It’s felt impossibly long for him but now that he sees Genie, it’s like he’s been gone a lifetime, he can’t believe he missed so much. He presses his face into her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.]

I missed you too.

[It’s clear from the way he holds her that comfort isn’t the only thing on his mind, his hands roaming after a moment, rubbing up and down her back, trying to conflate the way she feels now with the body he had memorized, the one he traced in his dreams for years.

He pulls back after a moment, his hand finally cupping her cheek the way he meant to do to earlier. His voice quiet when he asks,] You ever find that guy? The one on your arm?

[The touch makes her shiver a little, reluctant when he pulls back, even if he's not going far. Leaning into his hand with a little smile.]

No. I'm on my own.

[She hasn't been looking, anyway. Has maybe been actively avoiding trying to find anyone, if she's honest. Not while she's here, not while she knows she's not going to stay here. She can barely bring herself to make friends. It just feels like people to lose when she eventually manages to get back to where she wants to be, and she's really tired of losing people.]

Good.

[He nods, having absolutely no business being as happy as he is that she hasn’t found someone yet. Especially when she said it so sadly, not that she isn’t dating or isn’t looking but that’s she’s on her own. He hates himself for leaving her like that, for making her feel like she had no one.

His hand moves slightly, down to her jaw, holding it, his thumb pressing against the side of her mouth, his eyes staring for just a moment before he pulls her towards him, meeting her halfway in a kiss.]

[She thinks maybe that they should talk about this, that it's a bad idea, that there's got to be a reason some version of him disappeared and refused to even get in touch for so long. That it's going to kill her when he takes off again after this.

It doesn't matter; none of that actually stops her from responding. Her hands grip the back of his shirt tightly, almost desperately, like she's worried he'll pull away, pressing up into him and ignoring the ache in her chest. It's been much too long and she missed him too much.]

[He’s happy she doesn’t make him talk, doesn’t ask him more questions, not that he really minds them but he rarely knows how to answer her and it always makes him feel bad. He wishes he could give her more, some kind of explanation or reason, he expects this might be part of why he was kept away so long, they should have done better if they wanted to stop him, must have known he’d come right back the first chance he got.

He can’t find it in himself to worry about the fallout from this as his free hand moves to her side, immediately grabbing for the bottom of her shirt, pulling at it until he can get under to touch bare skin, moaning out loud at the feeling. He’s desperate already, rushed, like he knows he shouldn’t be here and if he were to travel now, he might not get this chance again.]

Fuck. [It's a little gasp, already overwhelmed by how familiar everything is, by the closeness after so long. Even the rush is familiar in a way; they've never been sure how long they had before things switched up on him.

If anyone's going to slow it down she knows it has to be on her. She's supposed to be older now, smarter, have her shit together. Even if she doesn't really ever feel that way. Even if the only reason not to is a vague, nagging feeling that the whole situation is a problem that's going to blow up eventually.

Hard to care enough about that, right now. She'd rather cling to this while she can. It's easy enough to follow old impulses, pulling back long enough to peel her shirt off entirely already and not caring how desperate it makes her seem. She's already dressed down for bed, bra off; she wonders vaguely if she looks any different to him, even if it doesn't feel like she's changed that much, but she'd rather pull him into another kiss than ask.]

[A whine leaves his lips when she pulls back but it quickly ends when he realizes she’s taking her shirt off. He barely gets a chance to look at her the way he wants before she’s forcing him back in for a kiss. He responds back enthusiastically, pushing slightly to walk them over to a wall, he crowds in close to her as soon as her back is against it, his fingers trailing feather light up her side, her ribs, until he can cup her breast, his thumb pressing over her nipple.]

You’re gorgeous, Genie.

[His lips part from hers long enough to moan out. She’s always been beautiful, even before he knew what was happening or who the twins really were, he would follow her around, and think about her constantly when he wasn’t there. She’s only gotten more beautiful in their time apart, half of him is torn, wanting to move back so he can just admire her, the other part of him, the part that is currently winning, would rather press his lips against hers again, his tongue pushing into her mouth as he deepens the kiss.]

[She's not likely to let him get far for long right now anyway, a hand sliding up to tangle in his hair, ready to pull him back in if he tries to move away. The other slipping under his shirt, feeling at his ribs -- he's too bony, sharp edges in a way that makes her ache wondering how he's been while he was gone.

She'll worry about it later, though, see if she can do anything to help. Right now she doesn't want to let go, arching up into his hand with a low noise, raw and needy, fingers skimming over his skin. Reminding herself of how he feels under her hand.]

[He presses his chest into her hand, his whole body moving to get more of her touch. He’s not self conscious but he knows he doesn’t look great right now so he hesitates for a moment before pulling back, untangling her hand from his hair so he can take his own shirt off.

There’s still strength there, muscle obvious, he has to work hard to stay in shape, living off the land he’s needed his body to protect him, but he’s also far too thin, too many of his ribs visible through his skin. He doesn’t give her time to look, to worry, moving back in, he kisses her neck this time instead of her lips, moving down to her collarbone. He’s thought about this so many times, as much as he wants to rush, there is also so much he wants to do, so he leaves a lingering kiss on the top of her breast and pulls back enough to speak again.]

Gene. Show me your bedroom. [It’s not really a command but it’s not a request either, his eyes flicking up to meet hers before he straightens up, pulling her away from the wall so she can lead him there.]

[She takes the chance to look when he moves, and even with the fact that he's clearly had a rough time of it, there's not as much worry there as there is everything else. Desire and longing, warmth and affection, a little bit of sadness that she can't shake over all the time apart. It's all tangled up, strong enough to almost make it hard to breathe.]

Yeah. [She slips her hand into his, tugging him across the living room, only fully turning away from him to open the door. The whole apartment is homey, lived-in, an attempt to make herself comfortable here even though she never entirely felt that way. Art hanging on the walls and knick knacks on the shelves. There's a handful of pictures taped to one wall, facing the desk, easy to look at while she studies; his face is there, the couple of pictures she could manage to find.

She doesn't really plan on giving him time to look around much. Immediately she's pulling him to the bed, still holding his hand as she sits, urging him to come with her.]

[He walks with her into the bedroom, and even though it’s a new space with plenty to look at, his eyes never leave her, taking in the way she looks now, saving every new curve or dip to memory. He doesn’t want to waste even a second of his time by paying attention to something else, if this is all he gets, then he wants everyone moment to be about her.

When she pulls him toward her on the bed, he follows but moves to kneel in front of her instead of joining her where she’s at, gently pulling her legs apart so he can squeeze between them, his hands moving to her hips to pull her closer to the edge, flush against him as his dips his head down to continue the path he started out in the living room, kissing over one of her breasts while his hands move up and down her sides.

Just like before he was gone everything is electric, every touch buzzing in his veins. They say that only happens with soulmates but he knows that can’t be true, not with how he feels when he’s with Genie, like everything is right, everything makes sense. He’s never more alive than when they are together, he can’t imagine ever finding that with someone else, doesn’t even want to.]

[His touch already sends shivers through her, her hands finding a way back to his skin as soon as he pulls her close. Moving down over his shoulders and back, up to his neck, never pausing for long. It feels like she's trying to imprint herself on every inch of him, legs pressed in close to his sides, every possible inch of contact.

It feels like fire burning through her, the same way it always has. Like she should be able to see the marks of it every place he touches her. He still feels the same in so many ways, too many ways, it feels like for once she's fallen back in time with him. She moans, eyes half-lidded but open. She doesn't want to stop watching, half scared he'll dissolve like this is all a dream if she takes her eyes off of him for too long.]

[He can’t seem to get enough of her, hands still roaming, lips kissing and sucking at her skin, his mouth closes over her nipple, his tongue swirling around it, hoping to pull more noises from her throat, to make her come undone the way he always has.

It was only the previous summer for him, though it seems longer for her, the two of them stealing away whenever they could, learning each other’s bodies, discovering likes and dislikes. The memories are imprinted on his skin, burned into his eyelids, he replays them all the time. His mouth moves away from her breast to suck a spot right below it, he wants to know if it will still make her squirm the way it used to, if her breath will still catch when he uses his teeth. He wonders if she has new spots that drive her crazy, if she’s changed, if she’s moved on.]

[Any attempts at dating she made after he left were brief, flamed out almost before they began. She hasn't even tried in a long time now. He's the last person she was with that actually knew her; she almost forgot what it was like.

(No, she hadn't, she thinks about it too much still, but she tells herself she did, one more set of memories she tries to pretend isn't haunting her.)]

God. [Her voice is choked, breath caught in her throat, hand tightening on his shoulder.] You're still so--

[Familiar. Good. Perfect. (But not for her, or at least he wasn't supposed to be.) She cuts off with a little moan, swallowing before she requests breathlessly:] More?

[He looks up at her when she speaks, his head still leaning down, his eyes watching, waiting. He smirks slightly when she finally finds her words, asking for more.]

I’ll give you whatever you want. [Probably more than that. He won’t be satisfied until he’s tasted every inch of her skin, marked it stronger than that dumb name on her arm. Soulmates be damned, she’s his.

Before fulfilling his promise, he leans up, capturing her lips again before pushing her shoulders back, making her lean down on the bed, exposing more of herself to him.

He drops his head down to her stomach, pressing a kiss there, his hands moving to her thighs, his fingers trailing up under the hem of her sleep shorts and he sucks another spot above her hip.]

[It's a nice thought, but all she really wants is for him to stay. It doesn't even have to be at this age, though she'd take it if she could, separate it out or find a way to make him stay. She's never met a version of him she didn't care about. Even when it's not like this, when she has to be careful and remember to keep her distance. But it's not the time to think about that; she doesn't want to lose what time they do have.

She shifts under his hands as she settles on her back, squirming and restless, eager. Clearly never trying to get away, arching up into the feeling of that mark with another noise, louder, breathless. It's exactly what she wanted, something to last for a while, to make it feel a little more real. Her hands are still looking to touch, fingers sweeping over his temple, down to his neck, eyes fluttering shut despite herself.]

[Once he’s done with the first mark, the skin red, a bruise showing up already, he moves to the other side and makes another. It gives him a thrill to think she might feel them whenever she wears pants in the next few days, neither of them fading until he’s long gone, stuck somewhere else in time.

The thrill gives way to something he doesn’t want to think about that, so he moves again, pulling at the waistband of her shorts, pushing all of it down over her hips, her butt. He presses a kiss to the inside of her thigh as her clothes pass by it, to her knee, her shin, her ankle, until everything is off. Then he follows the same trail back up, pressing a few more kisses to the inside of her thigh. It’s obvious where he is headed, but he’s taking his time, teasing her first, his hand rubbing soothing circles into her other leg.]

I thought you were in a rush.

[It's not really a complaint, just teasing, playfulness tempered a little by the way she can't hide the eagerness in her voice. She'll take whatever he wants to give her at this point, she just wants, failing to bite back a whine as she shifts a little again, legs falling a little more open encouragingly.]

I can go slower. [He teases her back, smiling gently as he nips at the skin of her inner thigh.

He’s never travelled before during sex, maybe it’s something about how his brain reacts that makes it impossible. He’d like that anyway, if he was able to take his time, really make her squirm.]

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