Chapter Text
Aster woke with a start, a crack of thunder pushing her awake as heavy rain poured relentlessly outside her small apartment. She sighed heavily, rolling onto her back and staring up at the dark ceiling of her room, the sun hadn't even risen yet. Moving to Oregon during storm season as someone from bright and sunny Oklahoma had taken a toll on her the first few days; only now was she getting used to the gloom and constant downpour of rain.
Pushing herself to get out of bed, her bleary brown eyes locked on the time. 5:37 her digital clock blinked back at her in bold red letters, making her groan as her sock-clad feet hit the old wooden floor of her room. Another boom of thunder and flash of lighting announced their presence through her window on the far side of her room, Aster quickly got ready for the day and headed off to her little kitchenette to make coffee before she had to go to work.
She was fortunate to find a job so quickly after moving out here on such short notice. A tiny bookstore that doubled as a coffeehouse eager to find a new employee had taken her in with such little time to prep. This would be her third day, and Aster was eager to force her mind on anything other than her failed relationship, pouring her coffee in a capped mug to take with her as she eagerly dawned her coat and beanie to keep her warm.
The drive was quicker than usual, the storm allowing her to make her way the twenty minutes it took to drive without running into much traffic. The windshield wipers on her 2013 Juke squeaking in tune with the morning radio as each swipe against the front glass of her vehicle calmed her down. Pulling into the barren parking lot of Yachats Coffee & Books greeting her with soft yellow lights inside as she parked in the employee spaces towards the back of the older brick building.
Aster was quick to lock up her car and head inside, keys tucked between her knuckles as she unlocked the doors to the front of the shop and the smell of rain and ancient books hit her nose as she stepped inside from the storm. Days like these were her favorite since moving from her small town of Eason, Oklahoma. She knew no one and no one expected much from her other than a decent book recommendation or a black coffee before they were saying goodbye and leaving her to her own devices. It was a weird change at first, but Aster embraced it as the days went on.
There weren't too many people who would come in today, the rain being a natural deterrent for those sane enough to stay home. Regardless, she opened the shop with ease, cleaning tables and chairs before setting up the display case and filling in any empty spots on the shelves of the tiny library they possessed as the coffee brewed. She settled in easily, even grabbing a new release from one of her favorite horror authors and buying it so she had something to read throughout the day.
With the lights turned on and the sound of the storm raging outside, Aster was able to hit the fifty-page mark of her new novel before a customer came inside. The heavy wind and rain picked up as the glass door all but swung open. The sound of the chimes on the handle bringing her attention to the person coming in. A regular, at least, was muttering to herself as she shook the rain off her now closed umbrella before wiping her feet on the mat and smiling over in Aster's direction.
"Morning, Aster!" She spoke kindly, her soft voice warming and friendly as she stepped up to the counter and took a long look at the menu.
"What can I get for you today?" Aster smiled back, grabbing one of the black aprons she was required to wear and tightening it around her waist as she patiently waited.
"I know I normally get a cold brew, but today I desperately need something warm. Just a warm latte with oat milk please," the customer hummed, turning her head towards the display case and cooing in excitement "and one of those chocolate chip muffins!"
Aster simply nodded, ringing her up and letting her pay before making quick work of the simplicity of it all. The muffin warmed in the little heater, and added to the myriad of smells inside the tiny shop. It was calm, and overly comfortable for someone looking to have a decent place to study without anyone getting too out of hand. Aster hurriedly passed the hot coffee and muffin over, thanking the customer for stopping by and encouraging her to sit in for once and enjoy the ambience.
The rest of the early morning eased by slowly, only four more customers braving the rain to get their caffeine fix before mid-shift showed up. Aster's coworker, Blaine, stepped in around noon. She was tall, taller than Aster, and had dirty blonde hair kept in a neat braid down her back. This specific coffee shop didn't have a specific dress code as long as you wore non-slip shoes and your apron, so Aster enjoyed getting to dress as comfortably as she wanted.
Blaine was quick to clock in and make herself a drink. It was some form of an iced chai latte that Aster noticed she made every time she started her shift.
"Mornin' Aster," Blaine grumbled, her usually optimistic tone nowhere to be seen this gloomy day "sorry, I'm hungover. Might be a little slow to get in the groove today."
"Is'alright," Aster replied, keeping her own gravely voice low as she leaned back against the counter and picked her book up again.
"Did you want to take your break? You've been here since 6, I'd be fiending for a pick me up if I was stuck on opening shift," Blaine joked, her laugh coming out in all but a wince as she pointed at the book Aster gripped tightly in her hands.
She nodded in response, dog-earring the page she was on before making herself a decently sized cold brew and heating up two of the breakfast sandwiches; clocking out and mumbling a soft thank you before scurrying off towards the booth in the far back of the seating area. Aster sat quietly and stared out the window as she ate, thankful for the quiet atmosphere and slow pace of the day as she occasionally read a few more pages of her book. Fifteen minutes had passed quicker than she had hoped, a soft sigh falling from her lips before she finally made her way back behind the counter and feeling more energetic as the caffeine set in her system.
"Been slower than shit today," Aster joked as she clocked back in, the slight country twang to her accent making Blaine giggle alongside her as they took turns cleaning the machines and helping the few stragglers that came in.
"It's usually like this during storm season. I'm loving it though, easiest job to do hungover in my opinion."
Aster nodded along, half paying attention as the door chimes rang as a burly man hurried inside with a huff. She watched as he kicked his boots against the mat, getting a better look at him when he looked up towards the counter with an apologetic smile forming on his scar-split lips. He was handsome, extremely handsome, if you asked Aster. Over 6ft tall with short cropped hair that fell in soft blonde waves over his forehead. And to say his build was monstrous would be an understatement. He was built like a man who had never known what sugar was a day in his life-- a solid block of muscle underneath his sweater that all but clung to his body in just the right places. Hell, even his black cargo pants left little to the imagination as he stepped in and made his way over to the counter; his dark brown eyes flicking from the menu to Aster's small frame with a satisfied grunt.
"What can I get for you today, sir?" Aster asked, pushing down the blush that wanted to creep over her freckled cheeks and picking at the dry skin around her fingers as she waited for his response.
"Needa large black coffee. Three sugars, and help pickin' outta book if it's not too much trouble," the man spoke, his accent catching both employees off-guard.
Aster nodded, letting the blush creep up her neck this time as she rang him up for the coffee and offered to help him find what he needed. He's definitely military, Aster thought to herself, timidly hurrying around the counter and leading the way over to the bookcases in the back.
"Anything in particular you were looking for? If we don't have it on the shelf, I can always order it in for you to pick up a few days from now," she asked, forcing herself to look up at the hulking man behind her as he simply stared down at her with an unreadable expression.
By the Nine Hells, she was in trouble. She had barely been single a few months now that she uprooted her life and left her cheating fiance, and here she was swooning over a gigantic man who probably wanted nothing more than to bolt back out in the rain and never see her or the store again. Why did he have to be so fuckin handsome?
"Been lookin for the new King book. Billy Summer's it's called. You got that around here, love?"
Aster's eyes widened in surprise, nodding quickly before she scurried further down the shelves until she reached the Horror section and let her eyes run over the titles. She knew exactly where it was, having just picked up her own copy of it this morning. With shaky hands, Aster stood on the tips of her toes in order to reach it, all but squeaking like a pathetic mouse when she stepped back with the book in hand-- her backside bumping into the man and a plethora of apologies falling from her lips when his hands came to settle her down by her shoulders.
"Fuck, I'm sorry sir, here's the book you wanted. I'm like 100 pages in, myself. It's a really good read so far," she stuttered out, face turning a deep red as she held the book out for him, her shoulders feeling like she held a 9 volt battery up to her septum piercing from how electrifying his firm touch was on her.
The man chuckled in response, brushing his calloused fingers against her overly smooth ones as he took the book from her and turned it over to read the blurb on the back cover. His brown eyes catching hers as she feebly stepped back towards the bookcase so she could look up at him easier.
"No need to apologize--" he started, bending down a tad so he could look at her name tag before continuing "Aster, I appreciate the help."
His cheeky smile splitting his scarred lips again as he took a step back and winked at her. He fucking winked, like some cheeky bastard who knew exactly what he was doing.
All Aster could do was nod again, keeping her head down as she made her way back to the register and finished his order, biting back her own feeble smile as he overly tipped her and grabbed his drink.
"If this book is as good as you say it is, I'll come back to get some more. You wouldn't mind that, would you love?" He spoke once more, the thick Manchester accent sending a shiver up her spine.
"O-Of course, sir--"
"Simon. Name's Simon."
"Of course, Simon," Aster retorted, her doe eyes staring up at him as he smiled once more, turning his back on the two baristas before making his leave with the book tucked under one his thick biceps.
Once the door had closed, Blaine repeatedly hit Aster's shoulder with an excited squeal of enthusiasm.
"Dude, no fuckin way! That's the most he's ever spoken to anyone here!" Blaine yelled, practically jumping out of her shoes as she stared at Aster in shock.
"He was probably just being friendly," Aster muttered.
"No fuckin way, Aster. He's been in her like 30 times and all night shift has gotten out of him was a large black coffee and a grunt."
They both talked about him for a while longer, Blaine running down every experience she has had with the man named Simon and how this was definitely the first time he had ever even smiled inside the shop. It made Aster's mind whirl with the information, butterflies swimming in her stomach as she tried to focus on work. Out of all things she could have expected with moving to Oregon, finding a new relationship in any sense of the word was the last on her mind.
The last two hours of her shift went by with only two more customers coming in, and Blaine encouraged her to go home and relax. It was a nice break, not having to speak to anyone as she packed up her book and made herself a large cup of black tea, no sugar, to take home with her in her mug. Stepping outside for the first time since the early hours of the morning, the air had become muggy, and humid despite the cooler temperatures. Aster took a deep breath anyway, letting the rain hit her black hair as she stepped towards her car and got inside the driver's seat. Pressing the gas and hitting the start button on her Juke, the engine roared to life, doors auto-locking as the heater blew out cold air; Aster resting her head against the wheel and reminding herself to take a few deep breathes as she let the car warm up.
After settling her shot nervous system and taking a swig of the steaming tea waiting patiently in her cup holder, Aster finally pulled out of the parking lot and turned left on the road, taking herself home to her barren apartment that hadn't been fully unpacked yet and set into her usual nightly routine. Making herself some ramen with too much cayenne pepper and rice to eat for dinner before taking a blistering hot shower to warm her up.
Once she was finished with that, Aster grabbed her paperback copy of Billy Summers and curled up in bed with the little lamp on her bedside table casting a comfortable orange hue around the area, reading until she fell asleep with blankets wrapped around her like a makeshift snuggie. Her only thoughts being of Simon and wondering if he, too, was finding solace with his book and regrettably-- she hoped he was thinking of her despite them having only exchanged a few words with each other today.
°•○●○•°
The rest of the week had dragged by slowly for Aster. The rain had dwindled down Friday morning as she opened the shop and organized the new box of books they had gotten delivered, her brain finally freeing her from the holds Simon placed on her from their initial meeting. The smell of new books mingled with the dark roast coffee and the steam fogged up the windows. It made the store feel even more cozy, ensuring that if you sat by one of the windows no one could walk by and look through the tinted glass at what you were doing as Aster easily hid behind the shelves while Blaine worked the front counter. It was simple. Easy even, to forget what had her brain feeling like mush as she had finished the last few pages of Billy Summer's the previous night and she eagerly looked for a new one to occupy her time.
She could always reread her favorite King book, Rose Madder, easily taking the cake for the most perfect early autumn read in her opinion. But she had left her copy at home, so she sadly had to wait until she could get her hands on it again. Sighing as she fished out the last two young adult novels out of the box and putting them in their proper spot, Aster didn't even register the sound of the door chimes clinging as a customer entered, expecting Blaine to take care of it as she finished up.
Not caring to listen to the mumbling from the front, Aster kept her head low as she broke down the boxes with her small orange boxcutter knife, biting her lip in concentration as she made short work of it, folding the cardboard up on itself and turning to head towards the entrance so she could throw them away outside. She hadn't even fully retracted the blade on her knife as she suddenly slammed into a massive form, one hand quickly catching her wrist that held the knife and a short lived scream falling from her lips.
"Woah, easy there, pup. Could hurt someone if you aren't careful," a deep gravely voice with a Manchester accent chuckled out above her, his calloused hand warm, yet firm, against her wrist as he tsked down at Aster.
"What the- Simon?" Aster stumbled out, cheeks immediately going red with embarrassment as her wide brown eyes met his amused ones.
"I'm so, so, sorry Simon. I wasn't paying attention and-- wait what did you call me?"
This time, Simon laughed, shaking his head as he released her hand and smirked down at her. "Had to come see my favorite barista after finishing up the book you recommended me, didn't I?"
He still hadn't answered her question, but Aster was honestly glad he didn't. The nickname stirred something deep in her, only making her flustered appearance more visible as she took a step back to see him better. She sheathed the blade and shoved it into the back pocket of her ripped up skinny jeans, hands immediately thumbing the soft fabric of her oversized Cannibal Corpse shirt to keep herself occupied.
"C-Can I uhm... can I buy you a coffee as an apology? Black coffee, three sugars right?" Aster smiled shyly, peaking up at his handsomely scarred face with a nervous glance.
"Only if you pick out a book to go with it," he hummed, eyebrows flickering as his hand reached forward and pushed a loose strand of her curly black hair behind her ear.
His touch was all but electrifying again, making Aster have a hard time focusing as she stumbled back towards the bookcases and aimlessly searched for a book she thought was decent. It took her about two minutes, but her eyes finally reached their target and she grabbed the book without a second thought. Handing it over with a sheepish smile before letting her eyes stare down at her beat up work shoes.
"Demian, by Hermann Hesse. Don't think I've ever heard of this one.”
"It's one of my favorites. Hesse won a Nobel Prize in literature in 1946, he's got a few other really good reads but I like to recommend this one for people who aren't familiar with his work," Aster spoke quickly, her smile unavoidable as she rambled on about the plot and explained how she found this book her second year into college. “It's a short read, maybe only six chapters, but it's worth taking the time to get to know the characters.”
Simon turned the book over, reading the blurb on the back of the novel and raising an eyebrow at the description. He hummed again, giving her a small nod before encouraging her to lead the way towards the front, keeping the book close to him as he stayed a step behind her the entire way. Aster could feel his eyes on her back, dipping down to the way her ripped up jeans hugged her legs and of course-- the box cutter idly sitting in her pocket like it was a threat he had to establish.
Blaine unthankfully, didn't make the situation any better. As Aster rang up the coffee and the book (being sure to use her own store discount since it was one of her favorite books and she almost stabbed the poor man) Blaine couldn't help but interject.
"Yknow, Aster. You were supposed to go on break like an hour ago. Why don't you make yourself something for lunch and let me care for the shop for a while? You look like you need a break."
Aster's eyes went wide again, head snapping in her newfound friends direction with a baffled expression, her right eye twitching in shock. Simon grunted, putting down the full payment for the order despite her ringing it up as a discount and watched with patient eyes as she struggled with the idea that she had offered to pay for the drink. He looked amused, and Aster couldn't say anything without stuttering over her words and making it worse for herself.
"Could always come sit with me," he offered, pointing over at the little booth Aster had claimed as her own when she first started working there, holding back a cheeky smirk as Aster mumbled to herself and made him his drink.
"Fine," she muttered, getting her own drink ready before grabbing her small excuse for a lunch and slinking into the comfy booth seat without much more complaints.
Simon sat in across from her, his body facing the entrance like a gentleman as he put the book down on the seat next to him. Spreading his legs and smirking when his knee intentionally bumped into Aster's, making her jump slightly at the sudden contact. She shifted in her seat, scooting back against the booth chair and attempting to make herself smaller, head hung low in embarrassment as she picked at the cold metal latch of her lunch box.
"You're a cute pup when you're nervous love."
Aster froze, her eyes damn near bulging out of her head at the double nickname, her breath caught in her throat and she shook her head to clear her mind.
"Go on, eat," he commanded, his knee knocking into hers again to get her to finally look up at him.
If Aster had a mirror, she was sure she actually did look like a brainless pup as the way she stared up at him, mouth opening and closing at the words refusing to form behind her lips. All she could do was make some sort of strangled sound deep in her throat, hands shakily undoing her lunchbox and reaching for the hastily made peanut butter and jelly sandwich wrapped in plastic wrap. She took a deep breath to steady herself, unable to look up at the attractive man who watched her curiously as she took a timid bite out of the bread.
"How old are you, Aster?"
"Twenty-five, you?" She all but whimpered, eyes glued to the table as she took another small bite from her sandwich.
"Forty-three."
Simon said it like it was no problem, taking a long swig from the steaming black coffee and setting the cup down on the table. Aster almost choked, not fully believing him. Yeah, he was scarred and super tall, but in his early forties? He looked like he could be early thirties to Aster, but she was always terrible at telling people's ages. She simply nodded in response, reaching back into her lunch box to grab the small container of dried mango chips and setting them in her lap; determined to make it through her lunch break without having to step outside for a cigarette break or completely turning to mush at the way Simon looked and talked to her.
This time, when Aster braved to look at him again, she noticed that his outfit screamed military more so than the last time. Camo cargo pants hugging his muscular thighs and an army green Henley begging to be ripped off his torso. The small glint of a necklace peaking out around his neck and his face well-shaved. She didn't realize she had been staring until Simon's smile stretched across his face, showing off his pearly white teeth and accentuating the scar that ran from the right of his eyebrow and cut through his upper lip.
"You eat like a bird, little pup," he mumbled, reaching across the table and using his thumb to swipe off some of the peanut butter from the corner of her mouth, immediately bringing his thumb to his mouth and licking it off.
She didn't have a response. Couldn't respond as her gaze stayed on his mouth after what he did, ducking her head again and letting her hair slink back in front of her face.
"Bet you'd like that, hu? Havin an ol' man like me makin sure you eat enough," he thought out loud, clearly gaining pleasure at seeing Aster all flustered.
She nodded before she even knew what she was agreeing too, the softest of whimpers leaving her mouth as she let the words sink in. Her head felt fuzzy, confused yet comforted in a way she had never had to deal with before. Her face broke out in a blush again, the sound of Simon's deep chuckle filling the space between them as he bit on his lip, leaning back and admiring the mess he was creating out of the woman with ease. He reached for his pocket, Aster's eyes flicking up to him in confusion as he pulled out a card and slid it across the table to her.
"There's my number, pup. Call or text when you get home tonight and we can talk more about it. Don't wanna keep you so pent up while yer workin," Simon's voice came out more as a command again, his hand patting her shoulder twice before giving it a gentle squeeze and easing out of the booth.
Taking his book and coffee with him, he left with only one more glance back in her direction, his smile widening when he saw her tuck the card into her pocket before he left.
Aster was a goddamn disaster, face still flushed as she picked at the rest of her lunch. Trying to control her breathing, she hurried to eat and throw away her trash, hurrying back behind the counter to finish the last few hours of her shift in absolute silence. Blaine seemed to understand her demeanor, only letting Aster see her satisfied smile plastered across her face as she took over handling the orders for the rest of day.
°•○●○•°
Aster had busied herself when she got home that late afternoon with a detail-oriented mindset, determined to finish unpacking and hang up all of her movie posters and get her string lights hung over her bed. She was hyper aware of the card with Simon's number digging into her hip as she cleaned and organized, pushing off having to contact him until the last possible minute. The woman could barely make it through her own dinner before the weight of the situation pushed on her shoulders enough to make her grab the card out of her pocket, hands fumbling with her shoddy-- old flip phone to type in the number.
The second realization hit as she stared at the number-- she couldn't text him even if she wanted to with the piece of shit she was holding in her hands, her throat closing and making it almost impossible to breathe as she realized she had to call him. Saying fuck it to all intuition screaming at her to forget about it, she hit the green dial button and held the phone up to her ear.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times before he finally answered.
"Lieutenant Riley, who's calling?" His deep voice rang through her little speaker, causing her already shaking hands to almost drop her phone at the sound of him.
"Uhm-- it's ah... It's Aster," she replied, using her left hand to pick at her lower lip as she shook her leg with nerves.
"Oh, Aster, shit, I'm glad you called. Thought you'd be more of the texting type, doll."
Aster froze again, rubbing her face with her free hand as a nervous laugh sounded from her lips.
"Yeah, about that, I- I don't really have a phone meant for that. Just calls for me," she mumbled, hoping to the deities she didn't have to outright say she had a shitty little phone.
Simon took a second to respond, something dark in his voice that Aster could barely register until he was almost done speaking.
"Ah, cute little pup, can't even afford a good phone. Need me to help you with that too?"
Now it was her turn to freeze, unable to respond as the words rattled her brain.
"What are you getting at? Why do you keep calling me pup?" She feebly asked, nothing in her voice indicating it was a bad nickname for her, she was just caught off guard.
"Seems like a good nickname fer ya. Like the way it makes your cheeks all red. You blushin right now, ain't ya?" He grumbled darkly in response, the sound of him moving around echoing through her phone and deep in her bones.
She nodded again, realizing he couldn't see her before finding the courage to speak again.
"What do you want this to be, Simon? I'm not just some stupid girl who's gonna let a man eighteen years older than me get his rocks off and never speak to me again. Been through enough already to deal with any of that."
Her voice was stronger and more confident than it had been in years, shocking even herself as she bit the reply back into the phone.
"Take it as slow as you want, Aster, but I want you to be mine. Bein' mine ain't that easy though. Gone a lot for work, but I'll treat you right if you let me. You look like you need someone like me in yer life."
"Someone like you?"
"Yes, Aster. Someone like me. A man who can read you easier than yourself and make the decisions your brain deems too difficult to make yourself. You like the sound of that little pup?" His voice was a half moan- half grunt as the sound of something heavy slapping against skin could be heard over the muffled speaker.
Aster's face went red again, her brain going just as fuzzy as it did earlier when Simon sat only a few feet away and touched her like he owned her.
"Still there, mutt?" He gruffed into the phone, snapping Aster out of her allusion.
"Yes, sir," the words came out a few octaves above her normal tone, her breath frantic as she stared at her feet dangling off the couch cushions in front of her.
What sounded like a strangled moan came from the other end of the line, making heat pool deep in her stomach, striking her in a way she didn't know she needed.
"Good, pup fer me yeah? When's yer day off? Let me show you how nice bein with me can be, yeah? Then you can decide if you truly want this."
"T-Tomorrow and Monday are my two days off."
"Give me your address, I'll pick you up tomorrow then. Wear somethin cute fer me yeah? Gotta get back to this book you made me buy," Simon hummed back into the phone, but the sounds around him were silent admission he hadn't even touched the damn book yet.
She did what he asked, giving him her address and saying goodnight. The call ended shortly after that, leaving her flustered, horny, and confused all at the same time.
Crawling into bed that night, Aster couldn't help but let her hand slip between her thighs as sleep started to take. Relieving herself of her desire for the man with dark eyes and an even larger frame. And for the first time in at least three years, Aster came with the name of a man she just met falling from her lips, eyes fluttering close as she curled under her blankets into a dreamless sleep.
°•○●○•°
Morning came too quickly, the alarm Aster had set ringing relentlessly on her bedside table, the digital clock blinking 8:20 AM with what seemed like a sick sense of humor. Aster was quick to turn it off, stripping herself of her pajamas as she hauled herself into her tiny bathroom. Looking in the mirror wasn't any better. Her exhausted face stared back at her and naked frame showed many of the scars she had earned over the years littering her chest and stomach. A few burns here and there from spilling blistering hot coffee on herself and from run-ins with a few wild characters at some of the punk shows she attended back in Oklahoma.
Shaking those thoughts from her mind, Aster quickly started the shower and waited for it to warm up, going through her usual routine and ensuring every part of her was scrubbed down and squeaky clean before shaving her legs and armpits. Once she was done, she stood under the steamy spray of water for a few minutes longer, letting it fully wake her up before turning off the faucet and stepping out on the black bathmat.
Simon had mentioned that he wanted her to dress cute, so she wanted to at least attempt to do so despite her pack of feminine clothes. Using one of her towels to keep her hair out of her face, Aster wrapped herself in the bare-thread robe she had gotten as a gift her senior year, scurrying off to her closet and eyeing the mostly black wardrobe. It took maybe 25 minutes of pulling shirts off hangers and examining them before realizing just how lacking her wardrobe really was.
It mainly consisted of oversized band t-shirts and sweaters, making her groan at the thought.
"He's gonna think I'm a bum," she groaned to herself, biting her lip as she tried to pull something together.
She settled on one of her long-sleeved Spite shirts, glad her tits were small enough she didn't have to wear a bra as she looked through the small dresser for some pants. Looking through every option she had, her eyes widened when she found one of her favorite pairs of crust pants. She had cut them off right above the knee, and reattached the fabric with way too many safety pins, but they added to the flare of her look. Grabbing a lace baby pink thong, she started to dress, only pulling her long sleeve on after she towel dried the rest of her curly hair and tucked it into her pants, looking for some of her homemade belts she designed with chains bought at her local Home Depot many years ago.
Once that was done, she found her lucky pair of socks and pulled on her busted up combat boots once her feet were covered in the aloe infused fabric. Taking a look in the full length mirror, Aster smiled at herself. She was as cute as she was going to get given what her wardrobe consisted of, and prayed to the Nine Hells that Simon liked it anyways. Lastly, she grabbed her cut off denim jacket littered with patches and art work she had made herself and pulled it on, her favorite piece being the large print of Jesus being choked out by the Grim Reaper on the back and hummed once she deemed herself ready for the day. That patch was earned nearly two years before Aster moved to Oregon, a prized possession from a three hour trip to Springfield, Missouri for a show just to see Multiatred. It was by far one of the hardest Death Metal shows she had gone to, and it was still the best $40 she had spent for a t-shirt.
Checking the time, she realized she only had 20 or so minutes left until Simon would be knocking on her door, hurrying off to her bathroom one more time to shove her gauges in her ears and put deodorant and perfume on.
She waltzed back to her living room, pacing the room as she waited. The nerves were starting to set in, and she silently told herself that next time-- she'd get up an hour earlier so she could have coffee before a date. Lost in her thoughts, Aster almost jumped out of her skin when three heavy knocks sounded on her door. She hurried over, peering through the peephole to make sure it was Simon before opening the door.
"Hey, there--" Simon started, raising an eyebrow as he blatantly checked her out before letting a wide smile fall on his face "thought I said to dress cute, pup. Didn't realize you were a fan of any of those bands."
Aster blushed uncontrollably, doing a little spin for him before letting her own cheeky smile form on her face.
"I don't really own any cute clothes. If it's too much I can just change-"
"No, love, I like it. A little more than I should," Simon interrupted, covering his mouth with his fist as he coughed to ease the compliment.
It was Aster's turn to look now, taking in the view of Simon with an intense gaze. Black button-up shirt tucked neatly into faded jeans. Dark brown belt adorning his hips, and a decently sized leather jacket clinging to his arms. Aster nodded in approval, leaning against her doorway before catching his brown eyes with her own.
"Not too bad yourself, I gotta admit. Excited to see you in more than a muscle shirt, not that I'm complaining," she joked, heart fluttering hard in her chest when Simon laughed with her.
"You got what you needed then, hu pup? Wanna get out of here?" Simon asked, looking down at her with an amused look before peering behind her into the tiny apartment.
"Yeah-- well, shit, come in a second. I forgot to grab my wallet. Don't wanna get caught without my ID," Aster mumbled, turning around and hurrying off toward her kitchenette to grab the worn leather wallet and shove it in her pocket.
"You watch all these movies? I knew you liked King, but I figured scary movies might be too much for such a sweetheart like you."
Aster blushed, turning to look at Simon having to duck to get into her apartment, his eyes landing on both the House of Wax and Grudge 2 movie posters she had framed on the walls. She hummed, letting the dimples on her cheeks deepen as another smile pressed its way onto her face.
" I have an entire movie collection, actually. Was a Film Making major in college," she mumbled, shoving her hands into her jacket pocket as she took in the view of Simon standing in her living room.
Simon looked at her in surprise, letting his eyes follow where she pointed towards her TV and the five giant stacks about 3ft tall each of mostly scary movies. He let out a low whistle, bending to one knee so he could look at a few. He whispered a few of the titles to himself before looking up at her with an impressed gaze.
"You have some I haven't watched yet," he admitted, pushing himself off the floor and back to full height before itching the back of his neck.
Her smile widened at that, her stomach doing flips at the idea of getting to curl up next to him one day and show him some of her favorites. She took a few brave steps forward, tilting her head to the side as she looked up at the handsome man in front of her.
"Maybe one day you'll have to stay over and watch them with me. Now, where do you plan on taking me for our first date?" She asked confidently, biting her lower lip as she stepped within range of him and tried to not let her mood falter when the smell of his musky cologne filled her senses and attempted to make her dizzy.
"I'll definitely take you up on that offer," Simon grunted, stepping closer to Aster until their chests were almost pressed together, letting his hand hesitate for a moment before resting on the small of her back "but for now I have an adorable pup to spoil. You hungry? I know a good spot for brunch if you're interested."
She nodded in response, saying fuck it and leaning in and wrapping her arms around his middle, biting back a little whine when she felt just how muscular he was. The solid block of muscle around his abdomen meeting her chest as she nuzzled her face into his sternum, humming softly as his grip tightened around her. Only looking up for a brief second before pulling back and smiling at the way she got him to lightly blush at her actions.
"Lead the way, then."
Simon let her exit the small apartment first, eyeing her carefully as she pulled her keys out of her back pocket and locked the deadbolt behind them. He led her down the three flights of stairs towards the entrance where his black SUV was parked, daunting in size as they stepped towards the passenger side door. She reached out for the handle, his hand soon coming to grip her wrist, stopping her from opening the door.
"Let me," he offered, unlocking the door with the key fob she hadn't seen him reach for.
A blush covered her face again as she nodded, almost pouting when he let go of her hand to pull the heavy door open. Just as quickly as it left, Simon's hand was on the small of her back, helping her into the seat. He even leaned over and buckled her in, throwing her a cheeky wink before letting the door close and walking around the back of the car towards the driver side and getting in himself. Aster took note that he didn't buckle up, stifling a giggle before staring out the window so he couldn't see. He started up the vehicle, shifted into first and started down the road. The only sound coming from the loud rumble of the engine for the first few minutes of the car ride before anyone dared to speak again.
"Other than being a movie snob and being a hell of a barista, what else do you like to do besides read?" He asked, curiosity filling his deep voice as he glanced over in her direction.
"I used to play volleyball in college too, and during the summers I'd play baseball with my older brothers. Nowadays, I just make miniatures for a dnd campaign I'm running. Wednesday nights from 4-9," Aster thought out loud, a small smile pushing on her lips as she looked around at the scenery outside.
"How many?"
"Excuse me?" Aster asked, turning to face him in the small confines of the SUV and tilting her head up at him.
"How many older brothers? Where are you from? Definitely not from around here I take it."
Aster smiled shyly at that, looking down at her hands in her lap.
"Five older brothers, one older sister. From Oklahoma, but I was born in Kansas," she replied softly, her voice getting a sad tune to it at the end.
"Religious?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked in her direction.
"No, no. Not like that. Grew up in church but..." she shook her head, giving him a sad smile before fixing her gaze to the road again with a heavy sigh "let's just say I was lucky to get out. It's a long story."
Simon nodded, not pushing any further, but reaching over to grab her hand in his. His thumb rubbing gentle circles against her palm as they drove for a while longer in silence. Soon, they pulled into the parking lot of a cute little restaurant. It served primarily comfort food, and this time Aster waited for Simon to turn the car off and hurry over to her door before she unbuckled and let him help her out. Once the door was shut and the SUV locked, Simon kept his hand around hers and led her inside. Asking for a booth, it was only a short wait before they were seated and a small blonde waitress was prancing up to them.
"What can I get you two started with to drink?" The short lady asked, barely even looking in Aster's direction as she stared flirtatiously at Simon.
"Iced water with lemon," Aster stated duly, letting an amused smirk fall on her face as she squinted her eyes at the waitress who glared at her before turning to Simon again.
"Same as my lady," Simon grunted, not even bothering to turn his gaze from Aster as he waved the waitress off with a bemused smile forming on his lips as she finally scurried off. "You're cute."
"Mildly irritated is a better word for it, but what more can I say? You're extremely handsome, I'm gonna have to get used to girls giving you attention if I'm around you," Aster stated, keeping her voice level as she looked through the menu and humming when she found something that sounded like a good brunch item to eat.
"Mildly irritated, cute, whichever shoe fits easiest. I still think you're cute," Simon winked, biting his inner cheek as Aster glared across the booth at him before letting out a short, amused, laugh.
It didn't take long for the drinks they had ordered to be placed in front of them by their waitress, Aster taking a deep breath to steady herself as the blonde flicked her hair over her shoulder and only paid attention to the man sitting in front of her. She would keep her emotions in check. This was a first date after all. The waitress took Simon's order first, almost walking off before Simon called her back, his soft gaze turning harsh as he stared the woman down.
"You're forgetting my girlfriends order, ma'am," he all but barked out, making a small hand gesture over to Aster and frowning.
The lady paused, the color momentarily draining from her face as she cleared her throat and turned in Aster's direction. "I'm sorry, ma'am. What can I get for you?" Her voice was slightly shaky and her eyes stayed locked on Aster as she white-knuckled her pen and prepared to write.
Aster couldn't help but smirk, intentionally taking her time to look through the menu again before letting her gaze flick up to the clock behind Simon. It was nearly 11:30. With a reserved hum, Aster finally closed the menu and leaned back against the booth once her decision was made. "I want the chicken fried steak."
"Also, be sure to tell Price it's Lieutenant Riley ordering. Don't want anything happening to the quality of food, he'll keep you in check," Simon finished, grabbing the menus and passing them to the waitress like they carried a disease before returning his full attention to Aster.
The waitress simply nodded and scurried off. It reminded Aster of a scolded child being told to go stand in the corner for acting out, and she couldn't help but laugh once the blonde was out of earshot from them. Without a second thought, Simon had reached over and taken one of Aster's hands in his own; thumb absentmindedly soothing her knuckles and a soft smile playing on his lips as Aster's cheeks lit up like a Christmas tree. With every pass of his thumb over her knuckles, Aster had to keep herself in check. She had only had one boyfriend in her entire life, who was a remarkable piece of shit, so she wasn't entirely used to the sweet gesture and how kind the older man was being to her. If it showed, Simon didn't mention it, just kept holding her hand and making small talk as they waited for the food.
It was thirty minutes later when the doors to the kitchen swung open and a dark haired man with a thick beard came out holding their plates. A huge smile was plastered across his face and his friendly blue eyes quickly caught Simon and Aster sitting in their booth.
"Good to see ya'gain Riley. Thought you skipped town since you haven't been here in a few weeks," the deep gravely voice of the dark haired man spoke, gently sitting the plates down on the table and almost double-taking when he got a good look at Aster, "See you brought a cute one. Glad to know you're human after all, Simon."
"Yeah, yeah, don't scare 'er off 'fore we even get started. Aster, this is John Price. He was my boss back in the day. Retired, and here he is. Makes a hell of a meal, though," Simon joked back, releasing Aster's hand from his tight grip so he could shake his friends hand with a small nod.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Price," Aster spoke, her accent more prominent as she tried to be polite. She couldn't help her face and neck from flushing when Price squinted at her.
"Where you from?" John mused, his own funny accent making Aster chuckle.
It wasn't the first time she'd been asked, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
"A little place I call Butt Fuck Oklahoma. Too small to even be on a map, but it's an hour and a half out from Oklahoma City," Aster replied, earning a chuckle from both men.
"They really got a town called that? Butt Fuck, Oklahoma? Gonna need proof if so."
"No, sir. It's a tiny little place called Eason. It's next to Wanette and about a 45 minute drive in any direction from an actual grocery store," she laughed, her smile widening when she caught Simon staring at her with a little smirk.
"How'd the cat drag you all the way out here then?" Price asked, and Aster froze in her seat.
It took her a second too long to reply, and both Simon and Price picked up on it. Aster could see them share a quick look before their gazes settled on her once more.
"A lady doesn't kiss and tell. You gotta buy me a few drinks first," she sighed, leaning back in her seat and sending a playful wink across the table towards Simon before letting her gaze fall on the plate that had been set in front of her.
"Well, shit, Simon. Looks like you'll have your hands full in no time. Please, enjoy your meals. It's on me," Price started, taking a half step back before giving them both a curt nod. "Again, it's a pleasure to meet you Aster. If LT gets too rowdy just call me and I'll take care o'him."
With that, John Price walked back to the kitchen and left Simon and Aster to enjoy their food. Aster was chewing on her lower lip as she continued to stare at her food, the portions being much larger than she had anticipated.
"Need help cutting it up, pup? I can do that for you if you want," Simon offered, his voice deep and steady like a sturdy weight holding place in a rambunctious ocean.
"Yes, please," she mumbled, pushing her plate carefully in Simon's direction as she stared up at him with wide eyes.
He hummed in response and used his own set of silverware to start neatly portioning out her food on her plate, only passing it back to her once he deemed it good enough for Aster to be able to eat without difficulty.
"Thank you," she squeaked out again, quick to take a long sip of her water before grabbing her silverware with shaky hands.
"Course, pup. You look fuckin adorable by the way, did I tell you that already?"
"When you picked me up," Aster giggled, her dimpled smile returning as she took her first few bites and hummed at the taste. "Don't tell anyone back home I said this, but this is the best chicken fried steak I've ever had. Maybe it's because you helped me cut it up?"
Aster watched Simon smirk at her words, a content look flashing across his gaze as his knee knocked into hers under the table.
"Can't let people know a Brit cooks yer food better than they do at home?"
"I think they might drop over and die, honestly."
They shared a laugh and continued to eat in a comfortable silence. Simon's hand finding hers again from across the table as they continued to pick at their plates. Soon the conversation flowed once more, something new but unspoken between them as Aster took time to get to know the man in front of her. Occasionally, she'd let her leg slide up and rub against his inner calf, smiling wide every time he gave her a warning glance before his own smile split his thick lips. They talked about music, their favorite bands and even their favorite movies came up in discussion. Aster's being O Brother Where art Thou, Pans Labyrinth, and Llamaggedon.
"What the fuck is that third option?"
"It's only one of the most amazing low-budget horror films that has come out in the last decade. I didn't say it was the BEST movie ever, but I fuckin love it. It's about an alien Llama who gets its ship crashed on someone's farm and it goes on a killing spree. I watch it minimum once a week just to keep the vibes good," Aster laughed, promising to show it to him sometime if he wanted.
"Any other campy films you like, pup?" Simon asked, his brown eyes catching hers before darting down to her lips for a few seconds.
"Velocipastor is another one."
Aster watched with an amused stare as Simon shook his head and took a big swig of his water. She had campy, low-budget movie suggestions for days, and she couldn't wait to showcase them all.
"Let me guess-"
"It's about a priest who somehow gets the ability to turn into a velociraptor," They said it at the same time and both shared a laugh together, Aster nodding before finishing off the last few bites of her chicken fried steak with a satisfied hum.
"He also teams up with a prostitute to fight crime," she interjected, waiting until Simon was sipping the last of his water before speaking and covering her mouth to stifle a laugh when he choked for a few seconds.
"Jesus fuckin' Christ I have to see that now," he mumbled, wiping his mouth and chin off with a napkin before leaning back in the booth and resting his head against the plush cushion behind him. "Aster?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you, for letting me take care of you so far today. If you're interested, would you indulge me a little further and we get outta here?" Simon asked, his voice kind and gentle but still holding it's usual scratchiness.
"I don't mind, Simon. Just gimme the opportunity to smoke a cigarette first before we go do anything else."
He nodded, slowly easing his way out of the booth with a satisfied grunt before offering a hand to Aster. She took it without a second thought, allowing Simon to help her out of her seat and smiling to herself as he lead her back out into the parking lot. They stepped around the building towards where Simon parked, Aster letting go of Simon to pat at her pockets for her pack of Winstons.
A frown pushed it's way on her face before she let out an irritated groan, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as she finished checking her pockets. "Course I fuckin' forgot my goddamn cigarettes. I hate to ask, but can we pit stop at a gas station so I can buy some more?" Aster asked with a huff, unable to keep from pouting as she looked up at the Lieutenant with her best pleading gaze.
"Got some in the SUV, pup. Marlboro Reds okay? Can still stop for more if you don't like what I got," Simon chuckled, stepping forward and draping his arm over her shoulders as he lead her around to the passenger side and unlocked the door.
"Beggars can't be choosers. Marlboro Reds are good, thank you so much Simon."
With another small nod, Simon opened the door and helped Aster into her seat. He didn't try to buckle her in or anything, just reached over her to the center console and opened it up, grabbing a beat up pack of Marlboro Reds out and offering her one. Aster muttered a quiet thank you, biting the butt between her teeth and looking up at him with expectant eyes. Simon only smiled, grabbing the lighter from the pack and lighting the tip for her, grabbing his own and doing the same.
They stayed like that until the two cigarettes were finished, Simon taking the orange butt from her mouth and stomping them out on the ground before letting a sigh fall from his lips.
"Feeling a little better, pup?"
"Much better. If I had known the portions were that big I would have asked for something else... but that cigarette definitely helped settle my stomach," she joked, letting her curly hair fall in front of her face to hide her embarrassed flush.
Simon clicked his tongue, taking a sharp breath that had Aster looking up at him with a confused expression.
"Proud of you for finishing your food. You did a good job," Simon sighed, his gaze flickering with something darker as he stared down at her before regaining his composure, "you'll get used to being stuffed full eventually. For now though, let's get you buckled up."
The flush on Aster's cheeks deepened into a dark blush as his words settled in her brain. She was too nervous to ask, so she simply sat in the passenger seat properly and let Simon buckle her up. Once the door was shut and her eyes tracked Simon's movement towards the drivers side of the car, she let herself mumble out a small "I have no idea what I'm getting myself into, but fuck he's so fuckin hot."
As quickly as he left, Simon was opening his door and climbing into the vehicle and turning the key over to start the engine. Only the low rumble of the SUV making any sound between them.
"Got a few other places I wanna take ya, that okay pet?"
Aster nodded, clearing her throat before saying a proper yes and smiling to herself as Simon carefully pulled out onto the road and hurried them off towards the main part of the city. It wasn't even five minutes into the drive before the Lieutenant had let his hand come to rest on Aster's thigh, making her pulse jump under his warm touch as the gloomy sky and deep green of the trees passed them by.
"Good pup. Let me take you to the mall and get you whatever you want for being so good for me today, how's that sound?" Simon smirked, lust filling his tone as he squeezed her thigh just a bit tighter and letting his eyes flick over to Aster's small frame sitting next to him.
°•○●○•°
The trip to the mall was relatively quiet, not many words being shared between them as the food started to make Aster a little sleepy. It was a comfortable silence, however, and Aster appreciated it. Simon's hand stayed on her thigh unless he needed to shift the gear, occasionally playing with one of the safety pins attached to her jeans. Once they pulled into the large parking lot of the mall, Simon found a decent spot towards the front and couldn't help but smile when he parked and looked over at his date.
Aster had lightly fallen asleep in the passengers seat, her cheek resting against the seat belt and forehead resting gently against the window. If he had known her longer, he would have pulled out his phone and taken a picture to capture the moment. Instead, he committed the view to memory before leaning over just enough to brush some of her curls out of her face and tuck them behind her ear.
"We're here, pup, cmon," Simon chuckled softly, letting his hand fall back to her thigh before squeezing it gently and watching the younger woman stir awake slowly.
"Five more minutes," Aster grumbled back, her cute little pout Simon had quickly grown to adore pursing her lips and crossing her arms as she tried to snuggle deeper into the seat.
"Aster, it's time to wake up," Simon spoke again, this time his voice was a little more raspy and demanding. As much as he'd love to have her sleep next to him all day, he was barely done pampering and caring for his new pet. He moved his hand up to her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake, biting his lip to hold back a hearty laugh when Aster finally woke.
He watched as she shot upright, her bleary eyes darting around the parking lot with deep confusion before she turned to look up at Simon. He smiled lovingly down at her and held up his hands in a mock surrender as she fully came to consciousness.
"Shit-- how long did I fall asleep for? I'm sorry, Simon. That food put me in a coma," Aster yawned, rubbing the haze from her eyes and stretching her legs out in front of her.
"Only bout thirty minutes, pup. Don't worry," he reassured, quickly unbuckling his pup and turning the car off. "Looked like you needed the sleep, sweetheart."
°•○●○•°
If you asked Aster, no one, no one should ever be willing to spend this much money on her. Every shop they stopped in, Simon insisted on making her get a minimum of ten items before he'd allow her to head off to the next shop. The most embarrassing part of it all came when Simon unashamedly walked into Victoria's Secret and looked through the dainty items with a newfound purpose. Whether that be to embarrass her-- or truly spoil her as he insisted, Aster wasn't sure.
She had never bought herself anything from this specific shop, it always being way out of her price range as Simon quickly found a bunch of overly-girly items and all but forced Aster to tell him her size. Knowing better than to complain, Aster resigned to her fate and just let Simon spoil her as he intended. Her face was redder than half the clothes in the store by the time they were done, eight bags full of lacey clothes shoved in them as Simon finally deemed the amount enough. He carried every bag effortlessly, letting her lead the way through the barren mall with a satisfied smirk on his face.
They walked around a little longer, none of the other shops catching Aster's attention before she spun on her heel to look up at Simon with a pleased smile. She couldn't help herself, taking another step closer and saying fuck it to inhibitions before wrapping her arms around his back and pulling the elder into a tight embrace.
"Thank you, Simon. Seriously. No one has ever been this kind to me," she mumbled against his chest, her nose pressing against his sternum as she let her hair help hide her face against his torso.
His arms wrapped around her soon after, hands still clutching all the bags effortlessly and humming at the hug. "Course, love. Told you I'd take care of you, didn't I?" He reassured, only pulling back from the embrace when he felt Aster's grip around his middle loosen.
Aster nodded, flicking her hair behind her shoulders and smiling widely up at him before her eyes caught the neon sign flickering in pink and blue letters behind him. She looked between Simon and the store, doing a little happy dance (which consisted of her running in place a few times with her fists clenched up by her shoulders) before a cheerful squeal fell from her lips.
"No fuckin way! They have an Auntie Ann's here!" She exclaimed, not even bothering to ask Simon if they could go before she ran over to the shop. Aster bounced on the balls of her feet, her cutoff denim jacket moving freely with her as she waited in line.
Simon had only raised his brow in confusion before following his pup over to the tiny shop and biting back an amused chuckle when he took in the tiny shop in front of him. It was simply a hot soft pretzel shop, and he had no idea what the big deal was. It was just a pretzel, right? What's the big deal?
It was, in fact, more than just a soft pretzel shop--Simon came to realize. After letting Aster take the lead and order them both a large cup worth of soft pretzel bites, Simon had to put a few bags down so he could pay before snatching them back up and following after Aster to a seating area so they could have their snack.
"Here, these are pizza pretzel bites. These ones are really good, and I got the cinnamon ones for after we finish those so it's like a mini-dessert."
Simon couldn't help but smile down at her, his brown eyes softening as he watched Aster get comfortable in her seat next to him. He adored how her smile hadn't faltered from the moment they got out of the last store, and he loved it even more that she simply allowed him to spoil her without so much as a second thought. If she'd let him, he swore to himself he'd spend every dime he ever made to make her satisfied. The two of them ate the soft pretzels in peaceful silence, Aster slowly scooting closer to Simon and resting her head on his shoulder as they finished up.
"You ready to head back, little pup? It's starting to get late," Simon asked, letting his left hand move to rest on Aster's lower back and gently rub soothing circles against the base of her spine as he looked down at all the bags sitting by his feet.
"Yeah, I'm ready. Just sad the day has to end. I had a lot of fun," Aster yawned, leaning back into Simon's touch for a moment before standing up and helping Simon by grabbing a few of the bags before he could complain.
Once they were back to his vehicle, Simon unlocked the doors and set the numerous bags in the back, letting his pup in the front seat and buckling her up with ease before he joined her once more in the cool interior of his vehicle.
Aster remained quiet and flushed for the entire ride back to her apartment, fidgeting around as Simon helped her out and carried the bags up the stairs behind her. She fumbled with her keys, head dizzy and swarming with all of the affection. Struggling to get her deadbolt unlocked, she finally huffed and got it to turn over. All but kicking the door open in the process. It seemed to Simon like everything was finally catching up to her and her brain was shutting off.
She hurried in and kicked her boots off, standing dumbly in her living room as she looked up at Simon; watching him use his foot to shut the door and place the bags down by the couch.
Simon watched as she leaned from side to side, her hands clasped in front of her as she stared up at him with adoring eyes. He stepped forward, clicking his tongue when she instinctively took a step back. She paused, looking up at him again and letting out the softest little whine Simon had ever heard in his life. Finally within reach, he let his hands snake around her waist and he pulled her close, trapping her in a tight hug that finally made her melt against him.
"You're in the same headspace you were in yesterday, yeah?" He asked, voice deep and quiet as he looked down at her, rubbing her back gently as she shivered and nodded against his chest.
"It's confusing. Don't know how to explain it," she finally admitted, nuzzling her face against his sternum and finally looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Means you feel safe with me, puppy. Just let it happen and I promise to take care of you yeah? Let Daddy do all the hard thinking, just be good and go change into your pajamas. I'll get a movie set up for us to watch and I'll stay as long as you'll let me."
She whined again, clinging to him tighter as she pressed her face deeper against his chest. "Daddy?" She asked sheepishly, looking up at him with glossy eyes and it melted Simon's heart.
"Yeah, pup?"
"Like callin you that. Feels right," she mumbled out, pressing herself tighter in his strong embrace and humming to herself before continuing "can you help me, please? Too tired."
"Of course," he replied, quickly dipping down to pick her up with ease, heading off towards where she pointed her room was and biting back a smile as he entered. More movie posters littered the walls and pink and purple fairy lights lit her king sized mattress from above. The most notable of the posters included two variations of Pulp Fiction, one for Eyes Wide Shut, and a few posters in deep neon colors that had Buddah plastered across the page. If Simon guessed correctly, he assumed those would light the fuck up under a black light.
A few tapestries were scattered about, clearly Aster hadn't found a spot for them yet, and all Simon could think about was why she ran so far away from home. He carefully laid her on her bed before accidentally walking into her bathroom, side stepping out and going to the next door in her room and finding her closet. He took his time going through her dresser, taking in each piece of clothing before he finally found where she kept her pajamas.
Grabbing one of the first shirts he could, Simon couldn't help but quietly laugh as he looked at the logo across the front. For once, it wasn't a hardcore band tshirt with gruesome art splattered across it, but a simple grey t-shirt with her college's logo in bright yellow print across the chest with the words "lets go bananas! Student Activity Club" written on it. He'd definitely be asking about that later he thought to himself, holding it carefully as he tried to find any semblance of pants for her to sleep in. Eventually he gave up, realizing that she only had sweatpants and nothing comfier, he hurried back out to her tired frame and hummed when he saw her half asleep on the bed.
"Help me out princess," he mumbled, sitting her upright and instructing her as he slowly took off her denim jacket and placed it on the edge of the bed.
She instinctively lifted her arms, pout still prominent on her lips as Simon eased the heavy fabric of long sleeve shirt up and damn near choked when it showed her bare tits. Simon took a deep breath and kept his eyes on her shoulders despite himself, quick to change her into the clean shirt and lay her back down again so he could work off her pants. It was the most any woman had ever let him do in the form of caretaking, and he was determined to not be weird about it. He made quick work of her belts, setting them on top of her jacket before unbuttoning the cold silver button on her jeans. Pulling them down slowly, Simon couldn't help it this time, watching as the cute baby pink thong greeted his eyes and he had to bite back a moan, taking the same care with the rest of her clothes before adjusting her shirt to cover herself and sighing heavily in the silence that echoed around the room.
"Stay for the night, please. Don't wanna be alone," she mumbled, voice slurring with sleep as she kicked the covers down and pushed her shirt up around her hips.
"Okay sweetheart, just give me a moment," he responded softly, grabbing her dirty clothes and taking them to the laundry basket he noticed in the closet.
He dropped the clothes in, turning the light off before stepping back into her room. Simon ensured the front door was locked, taking care to close her bedroom door as softly as he could before he started to strip down himself. He felt bad, not wanting to only be in his briefs, but having no other choice due to not packing an overnight bag, slipping into her bed with ease and covering them both with the sheet. She snuggled up to him almost immediately, and Simon hummed at the contact of her small frame laying half across him. Her head nuzzled into his side, and Simon could only hold her tight as they both drifted off to sleep.
"Guess we'll have to save that movie for another night," he whispered in her hair, giving her forehead a gentle kiss before he let sleep take him into a peaceful slumber.