Tony looks back at her and quickly jumps off the couch. He wraps his arm around her and carries her back to the couch. “Summer Baby. Deep breaths,” he instructs as he holds her hand.
She can feel his hand on hers, now, and his strength at her back, but it’s too late to take back control of her body — it’s gone until his emotions drain out of her skin. She can’t help thinking that, knowing it’s not quite right, but even her thoughts are chaotic and convulsed right now. She holds on tight to his hand, tears starting in her eyes and teeth gritted, until her body is her own again.
“I’m sorry,” Summer gasped, blinking away the tears. She didn’t let go of his hand, though her grip slackened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to see that, I’m so sorry.”
Tony stroked her hand with his thumb, squeezing lightly. “Don’t apologize babe. What happened?” he asked softly, looking down at her.
“You were angry,” she muttered, “and I didn’t shield.” Her whole body ached now. “I was stupid. I was stupid, and wrong, and I’m sorry.” She flushed, embarrassed by the way she’d reacted. “I’ve interrupted your show.”
“Summer, I’m not going to sit here and coddle you like a damn baby, I love and respect you too much for that.” Tony said, firmly, looking back at her. “If you want to sit down and explain why you’re mad at me or whatever like an adult I’ll gladly listen.”
She managed to catch his eyes, but he wasn’t seeing the problem. “T-Tony,” she tried again, desperate to unlock her jaw enough to say something. And then darkness, and the convulsions taking her muscles and shaking her like a rag doll, bowing her entire body backward.
Tony looks back at her and quickly jumps off the couch. He wraps his arm around her and carries her back to the couch. “Summer Baby. Deep breaths,” He instructs as he holds her hand.
She can feel his hand on hers, now, and his strength at her back, but it’s too late to take back control of her body — it’s gone until his emotions drain out of her skin. She can’t help thinking that, knowing it’s not quite right, but even her thoughts are chaotic and convulsed right now. She holds on tight to his hand, tears starting in her eyes and teeth gritted, until her body is her own again.
“I’m sorry,” Summer gasped, blinking away the tears. She didn’t let go of his hand, though her grip slackened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to see that, I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t show someone you care about them by fucking them, Summer.” Tony growled, moving his eyes back to the TV just to piss her off more. “And if you remember correctly I did sit here and reassure you. Or are we just not counting the time I listened to you complain about those bitches?” He crossed his arms and moved as far away from her as possible. “Are we just not counting that because you didn’t get what you wanted in the end?”
It hadn’t been enough, and she didn’t know why it hadn’t been enough. It wasn’t even because he said no to sex — waiting was familiar, was normal. His anger was painful. Was that why it wasn’t enough? Anger was rejection, was denial, was being unwanted.
Except he’d said she should come back. Could come back. It wasn’t go away forever.
But it /hurt/. The pain swelled up her throat and bent her spine into an arc backwards, sliding twitches through her muscles. Her legs trembled, and her arms, and she bit her tongue on a whimper.
Tony ignored the sound coming from Summer and kept watching TV. She had this idea that Tony would always want to have sex. He would happily admit that it was usually on his mind but sometimes he’d rather just sit around and talk. He stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen and pulled out another beer. He drained it quickly before pulling out another and returning to the couch.
She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe, and she couldn’t move, and her limbs wouldn’t stop shaking, and Tony was oblivious. He probably thought she was faking, to get his attention. The thought cut like a blade.
One spasm released her, and she dragged in a breath, and then the next was seizing her muscles, cording ligaments and tendons against her olive skin. “Help,” but she wasn’t sure the sound made it past her own head.
“Summer, I’m not going to sit here and coddle you like a damn baby, I love and respect you too much for that.” Tony said, firmly, looking back at her. “If you want to sit down and explain why you’re mad at me or whatever like an adult I’ll gladly listen.”
She managed to catch his eyes, but he wasn’t seeing the problem. “T-Tony,” she tried again, desperate to unlock her jaw enough to say something. And then darkness, and the convulsions taking her muscles and shaking her like a rag doll, bowing her entire body backward.
“You don’t show someone you care about them by fucking them, Summer.” Tony growled, moving his eyes back to the TV just to piss her off more. “And if you remember correctly I did sit here and reassure you. Or are we just not counting the time I listened to you complain about those bitches?” He crossed his arms and moved as far away from her as possible. “Are we just not counting that because you didn’t get what you wanted in the end?”
It hadn’t been enough, and she didn’t know why it hadn’t been enough. It wasn’t even because he said no to sex — waiting was familiar, was normal. His anger was painful. Was that why it wasn’t enough? Anger was rejection, was denial, was being unwanted.
Except he’d said she should come back. Could come back. It wasn’t go away forever.
But it /hurt/. The pain swelled up her throat and bent her spine into an arc backwards, sliding twitches through her muscles. Her legs trembled, and her arms, and she bit her tongue on a whimper.
Tony ignored the sound coming from Summer and kept watching TV. She had this idea that Tony would always want to have sex. He would happily admit that it was usually on his mind but sometimes he’d rather just sit around and talk. He stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen and pulled out another beer. He drained it quickly before pulling out another and returning to the couch.
She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe, and she couldn’t move, and her limbs wouldn’t stop shaking, and Tony was oblivious. He probably thought she was faking, to get his attention. The thought cut like a blade.
One spasm released her, and she dragged in a breath, and then the next was seizing her muscles, cording ligaments and tendons against her olive skin. “Help,” but she wasn’t sure the sound made it past her own head.
“When we first met you said you knew my type. Something about being the kind of guy that’s only interested in sex or some bullshit like that,” Tony grumbled, not looking at her. “You still think of me as that type. The type that wants to fuck everything that moves. Sometimes I just want to sit around and watch hoarders and have some snarky banter with you, okay?”
“Today I was thinking of you as the type who would reassure his girlfriend when she’d had a shit day,” Summer spat back, fingers digging into the cushions. “The type who would put his show on record because she wanted to— to fuck someone with a brain.” Her throat hurt, and there was a ringing in her ears. “Sometimes /I/ just want to believe that I’m a person worth being cared about.”
“You don’t show someone you care about them by fucking them, Summer.” Tony growled, moving his eyes back to the TV just to piss her off more. “And if you remember correctly I did sit here and reassure you. Or are we just not counting the time I listened to you complain about those bitches?” He crossed his arms and moved as far away from her as possible. “Are we just not counting that because you didn’t get what you wanted in the end?”
It hadn’t been enough, and she didn’t know why it hadn’t been enough. It wasn’t even because he said no to sex — waiting was familiar, was normal. His anger was painful. Was that why it wasn’t enough? Anger was rejection, was denial, was being unwanted.
Except he’d said she should come back. Could come back. It wasn’t go away forever.
But it /hurt/. The pain swelled up her throat and bent her spine into an arc backwards, sliding twitches through her muscles. Her legs trembled, and her arms, and she bit her tongue on a whimper.
Tony got up from the couch and opened the door. “Welcome back,” he said sharply before walking away from the door, letting Summer decide if she wanted to come in or not.
Anger burned off him in a wave. It was like being slapped. Actually, being slapped might hurt less, she thought. A little dazed from the pressure of it, she stepped inside, one hand fumbling for the back of the couch. “Tony … “
“When we first met you said you knew my type. Something about being the kind of guy that’s only interested in sex or some bullshit like that,” Tony grumbled, not looking at her. “You still think of me as that type. The type that wants to fuck everything that moves. Sometimes I just want to sit around and watch hoarders and have some snarky banter with you, okay?”
“Today I was thinking of you as the type who would reassure his girlfriend when she’d had a shit day,” Summer spat back, fingers digging into the cushions. “The type who would put his show on record because she wanted to— to fuck someone with a brain.” Her throat hurt, and there was a ringing in her ears. “Sometimes /I/ just want to believe that I’m a person worth being cared about.”
[Text] Not sorry. We don’t need to have sex all the fucking time, people do just hang out and talk you know. Just because I don’t want to fuck you all the time doesn’t mean I don’t want you around.
[Text] If you want to come back that’s fine but I’m not about to chase you down.
Tony scowled as he wrote the texts and threw it back onto the table as he sent them.
The text alert going off startled Summer so badly she shrieked a little, and a circle of tiny flames sprang up about her. It vanished almost as soon as it appeared, leaving a ring of blackened stone, and she pressed her hand to her hammering heart, staring at the marks. Slowly, she fumbled her phone out of her pocket to read the messages.
What should she say back? Was she really being too needy, too demanding? She hadn’t let Chuck have sex with her; she didn’t know how much was too much. Drawing up her ragged courage, she walked back to Tony’s place and tapped at the door.
Tony got up from the couch and opened the door. “Welcome back,” he said sharply before walking away from the door, letting Summer decide if she wanted to come in or not.
Anger burned off him in a wave. It was like being slapped. Actually, being slapped might hurt less, she thought. A little dazed from the pressure of it, she stepped inside, one hand fumbling for the back of the couch. “Tony … “
“Always in such a hurry.” She snickered. Oh, yes, better than undressing him, when he twitches at her touch. “You sit alone, naked, watching tv.” Delicately she tugged at his pants. “You haven’t tried to do so while I’m around.”
“I would never be unclothed around a woman.” Tony rolled his eyes. “Or are you forgetting that I am a perfect gentleman?”
More laughter. Very deliberate, she stroked her fingers over his cock, first light, then with increasing pressure.
“You’re really not going to give this up, are you, Summer?” Tony groaned. “Am I going to have to go through this every time I tell you that I love you? If that’s the case I can easily stop.”
“Go through — !” she spluttered. “Fine. Just fine.” She rolled off the couch, face flaming, and flung his shirt at him. “You don’t want me either, that’s fine.” Tears starred her cheeks, unnoticed. “You just — you just call me if you change your mind, Tony.” Snatching up her bag, she jerked the door open and slammed it behind her.
She should have known better. She should always have known better, Summer told herself furiously, angry tears sliding down her face. Of course the sorority girls were right. In what world would anyone want to be with her? She would never be good enough.
[Text] Not sorry. We don’t need to have sex all the fucking time, people do just hang out and talk you know. Just because I don’t want to fuck you all the time doesn’t mean I don’t want you around.
[Text] If you want to come back that’s fine but I’m not about to chase you down.
Tony scowled as he wrote the texts and threw it back onto the table as he sent them.
The text alert going off startled Summer so badly she shrieked a little, and a circle of tiny flames sprang up about her. It vanished almost as soon as it appeared, leaving a ring of blackened stone, and she pressed her hand to her hammering heart, staring at the marks. Slowly, she fumbled her phone out of her pocket to read the messages.
What should she say back? Was she really being too needy, too demanding? She hadn’t let Chuck have sex with her; she didn’t know how much was too much. Drawing up her ragged courage, she walked back to Tony’s place and tapped at the door.
“Always in such a hurry.” She snickered. Oh, yes, better than undressing him, when he twitches at her touch. “You sit alone, naked, watching tv.” Delicately she tugged at his pants. “You haven’t tried to do so while I’m around.”
“I would never be unclothed around a woman.” Tony rolled his eyes. “Or are you forgetting that I am a perfect gentleman?”
More laughter. Very deliberate, she stroked her fingers over his cock, first light, then with increasing pressure.
“You’re really not going to give this up, are you, Summer?” Tony groaned. “Am I going to have to go through this every time I tell you that I love you? If that’s the case I can easily stop.”
“Go through — !” she spluttered. “Fine. Just fine.” She rolled off the couch, face flaming, and flung his shirt at him. “You don’t want me either, that’s fine.” Tears starred her cheeks, unnoticed. “You just — you just call me if you change your mind, Tony.” Snatching up her bag, she jerked the door open and slammed it behind her.
She should have known better. She should always have known better, Summer told herself furiously, angry tears sliding down her face. Of course the sorority girls were right. In what world would anyone want to be with her? She would never be good enough.
Tony rolled his eyes, squirming a little as her hand slid into his pants. “You and hoarders are my top two, I promise.” He laughed a little. “But I won’t tell which is first and second.”
“Cruel, Tony, cruel.” Delicately, she curled her fingers against his skin, sliding around. She propped herself up against his shoulder better, and nimbly undid the button before bending to kiss and tongue down his chest.
“Seriously, Summer, you’re going to have to do better than undressing me. I regularly sit around my apartment naked watching TV.” He smirked down at her before returning his attention to the show. “Step up your game or give it up.”
“Always in such a hurry.” She snickered. Oh, yes, better than undressing him, when he twitches at her touch. “You sit alone, naked, watching tv.” Delicately she tugged at his pants. “You haven’t tried to do so while I’m around.”
“I would never be unclothed around a woman.” Tony rolled his eyes. “Or are you forgetting that I am a perfect gentleman?”
More laughter. Very deliberate, she stroked her fingers over his cock, first light, then with increasing pressure.