Don't let go: Joel Miller x OC

Nice to be nice

Ava danced barefoot around the kitchen carefree as she prepared breakfast dressed in nothing but one of his shirts- a pretty sight for him to amusedly ogle at from his spot at the dining table. It had become a common occurrence for her to now stay over on a night. It seemed that she spent more time at Joel's than she did at her own place, not that he minded in the slightest. It was nice to wake up on a morning to the warmth of a woman's body moulded to his own, a luxury that he hadn't even considered as something he missed until spending that first night with her. A luxury that now felt like more of a necessity.

Much to Joel's dismay, the tunes that she had been prancing around to all morning were by those pesky Swedes. A band that he hoped would have been left behind and forgotten was about in the 'before'. ABBAs greatest hits, which had been blearing from the stereo since around seven thirty that morning. Damn them and their stupid upbeat and unbearably catchy music.

Ava reached her palm out in an attempt to get him up to dance with her, a grin to her chops and fingers wiggling to beckon him over. He responded with an incredulous look as he took another sip of his coffee, "Not a chance."

"C'mon!" She whined with a pout as she tugged at his arm.

He stood his ground. She may have emerged from their early morning extremities with additional energy where her only requirements were to play the pretty pillow princess whilst goading him on with an array of filthy words and sinful noises. The same sure as hell couldn't be said about him, his back still twinging ever so slightly. "No."

The blonde let out a dramatic sigh as she rolled her eyes and boogied back to the stove where she cracked three eggs into the pan. She began to softly sing along as she swayed to the music,

"You can dance. You can jive, having the time of your life. Ooh, see that girl. Watch that scene. Digging the dancing queen..."

Joel couldn't help but watch her with a warm smile. He loved hearing her sing, the soft melodic tones she produced soothing to his ears... even if she was singing along to songs by them. He'd often hear her singing away to herself in the shower which he thought was cute, it commonly resulting in him going about his business in the bedroom with a stupid smile to his face.

She had very quickly become the 'yellow' in his life that he so desperately needed. A warm and sunny presence that had ignited a consistent flickering flame in his otherwise cold heart. He hoped that he could bring something to her life that she was lacking.

He hadn't realised that he already had done just that. He made her feel safe and wanted- not just desired, that's all she could ever ask of him.

Shortly after, heavy footsteps could be heard padding their way down the stairs, the bottom step creaking as she thumped down onto the floor boards in the entryway. A rather hungover Ellie emerging from within the hallway rocking some serious bedhead, disheveled tendrils of hair sticking out in all directions and prominent dark circles around her eyes.

She had been out with Cat all evening, supposedly at the movies but then arrived home late- way past the agreed curfew and much after the last showing in the make shift theatre and also very drunk, paralytic even. Her intoxicated state earning her a hard lecture from her guardian as she emptied her stomach contents onto the entry way floor the moment she stepped inside. Joel had begun to worry that perhaps Cat wasn't the best influence on her...

"Ugh, I'm dying!" She groaned loudly as she trudged into the kitchen and slumped down into one of the chairs.

Joel responded sternly, his arms crossed over his chest as he leant back in his seat whilst looking down at the sorry state of the teen. "Your own damn fault. Ain't gettin' no sympathy from me."