**
"This is – fuck, humiliating." You had your arms wrapped around her shoulders, your fingers digging into her back as you buried your face in the crook of her neck, and your hot breaths against her skin made this all the more frustrating for both of you.
"Shouldn't have said those things," She rasped, her hands finally going to your hips to help you along, "Do this first, for me, okay? Then I'll take care of you."
"Fuck, okay," You sped up, giving everything you had as you squeezed your eyes shut, and she started whispering encouragements into your ear right before flexing her thigh, sending you over the edge, "Fucking – hell!"
"That's it," She helped you ride it out – puntended, "Just like that, so good."
"I can't believe you always...get me to do that," You huffed, climbing off her thigh to lay back on the bed, panting up at the ceiling, "It always gives me these burns because of your jeans."
She smiled softly, shimmying out of her trousers, and you scoffed, mumbling something about 'oh, now you take them off' but then she just crawled up to you in only her shirt and pants to kiss your temple, running her fingertips up and down your arm soothingly.
"Part of the punishment." She shrugged, but then contradicted herself when she pulled some small tube of-
"Is that lube?" You scrunched your eyebrows, "No offense, Talia, but we really don't need that – something I'm proud of, by the way."
"It's lotion," She chuckled, moving down towards your legs again, and you spread them without a second thought, so she took a pinch of it to rub the part of your groin that was already an angry red from chaffing, making you hiss against the cool before relaxing back, "Feels good?"
"Mhm."
"Thought I'd give you a massage with it, but this seems to be a better use." She spoke like she was talking to herself, but you heard it, making you smile.
She kissed your thighs gently as she used two fingers to rub the lotion in and you hummed appreciatively, letting her know you were enjoying it. You were still wearing your shirt and you clutched it in your fists when she blew a soft breath over your center, trying to soothe everywhere while she was down there.
"I miss you," You muttered sleepily, making grab hands towards her, "Gimme kisses."
She smiled, kissing your inner thigh one last time before crawling up your side, and gently pressing your legs back together in a more comfortable position as she used her other hand to cup your cheek, leading you into a soft kiss that she repeated a few times.
"Movie's over." She mumbled against your lips, and you smiled, pecking the side of her mouth once as you turned to see the credits were rolling.
"Can't even remember what I chose," You whispered in amusement, and she chuckled, pulling you to her chest, but then you pushed back a little, making her frown until you asked, "Can I braid your hair?"
"Oh," She was surprised by the offer, "Um, sure, yeah."
"Sweet." You muttered excitedly, moving into a position so she could sit between your legs with her back to you after you slipped your pants back on, your bare legs on each side of her.
She relaxed back against your chest for a moment, letting her hands glide up and down your smooth thighs, her eyes falling shut for a bit.
"Love your legs, baby," She whispered into the room, and you blushed, nosing at the back of her head a little, "Love every part of your body," You kissed the back of her head before placing a hand flat on her upper back, so she took the hint and leaned forward enough so you could play with her hair properly, "Honestly though, can't get enough of it – always want you naked and underneath me."
You cleared your throat, feeling flustered as she kept her hands on your thighs, squeezing as she said certain words, and you wanted to press your thighs together, but she was sitting in between them.
"You're being quiet," She noted out loud, a trace of amusement in her voice, "Love, want to tell me a story or something? What'd you do today? Just want to listen to your voice."
"My girlfriend surprised me with all this new information," You couldn't help but to start and she chuckled lightly as you started braiding her hair in a French braid, "Usually, she's more of the silent type when it comes to her feelings or what she thinks – lets me do all the talking, but right now I just...I'm speechless – and yes, this is me speechless."
"I feel like...you make me really happy," She seemed more confident to say these things with her back to you, probably because you couldn't see her blush, and you smiled, melting under each word as she drew little shapes on your knee, not even noticing she was doing it, "I feel like...I'm home when I'm with you, I feel safe and lo – I just know you won't hurt me."
"I would never." You found yourself whispering your own thought and you knew she was smiling.
"I trust you and I just...I didn't get a lot of this growing up, I had Yelena, but my parents are flaky and it's..." She trailed off and you realized your hands had frozen mid-braid, so you picked it up again, continuing even when she didn't.
"Can we pretend we're in New York for just a second?" You used a high voice as you rushed it out and she laughed breathlessly, already knowing what you were getting at, so when you finished up the braid, she turned to face you, sitting on her knees and biting her lip in anticipation, "Because I'd really like to say something."
"I think we're at the point where we don't have to be in New York to be completely honest." She whispered shyly and you grinned at her.
"Then I love you," You shrugged like it was no big deal, trying to hide your bright smile and she was beaming at you, "And I have...for longer than I'd like to admit."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." You breathed out, feeling a tense weight being lifted off your shoulders that you didn't even know was on there in the first place.
"Well, good," She kissed you sweetly, only pulling back with lidded eyes to say, "Because I love you too...teddy."
"No!" You shouted with a laugh, pushing at her shoulders, and she only laughed loudly, crawling over you so you had to lay back, "Not the stupid nickname! I hate it!"
She started attacking your neck and face in kisses, anywhere she could reach, and you gave up on trying to fight her off – whether you were putting all your effort into it or not – and let her kiss you properly, feeling a massive warmth bloom in your chest as you both smiled into it.
