a/n: Wow, I'm finally back into the swing of things. Apologies for the first two chapters being absolute shit and any inconsistencies - I had just wanted to jump into the Sylar/Emma relationship too quickly, and didn't think carefully about the realistic process of them (with their past and emotional baggage) getting there. However, I don't want to edit the previous chapters yet because I'm just going to get stuck editing and not writing.
I promise to be more careful now that I'm taking writing more seriously again. On the good side, it means this story will be longer? Hope you like how this story is going :) Always appreciate comments!
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Emma squealed as Adam quickening steps broke into a run down the hill. The thundering sounds of the street construction swept past her, it seemed like the roads in San Francisco were always broken. "Watch out," Adam slowed down to watch her, and tightened his grip on her hand as she skipped over a chunk of cement that had been cracked by a nearby tree root.
"Adam," she laughed as she stumbled straight into his chest. Her nose smashed against his front pocket, and she inhaled his scent - their scent - the smell of Irish Spring and the fresh undertone masculine smell that was uniquely his. A tingle rushed from her heart and expanded to the rest of her face as his arms came around her. The tip of his chin rested on the top of her head, and she resisted the pull to kiss his Adam's apple.
Instead, he pulled back and kissed her forehead, causing her to break out into a smile. Here he was... she thought as she reached up and kissed his cheek, and he was now hers... a dark spark dampened the joy when she realized that Sylar had inadvertently brought them together, but Adam tugged her down the street, washing those thoughts away again.
He had seen her forlorn face when she had come back from work the day Sylar had yelled at her. "What happened," he asked, rushing to her side as soon as he saw her collapse against the door.
"I screwed up at work." Emma was shaking, and she wasn't sure from what. "I screwed up and Sy - the actor yelled at me for wasting his time... and - th -then he said I... wasn't cut for the job."
Adam's chest constricted as Emma started crying. She was such a hard worker, but this was an inevitable bump in the road for her. "Sh, stop," he pulled her away from the door and onto the sofa. Her arms came around him, seeking comfort, which he gladly gave. Anything to stop her from crying. "Emma. Emma, listen to me."
She hiccuped and looked up into his kind eyes. But she was still unable to shake Sylar's voice from her head. Not the one that was frustrated with her, the one that frightened her sexually, but the one, that on a professional level, was furious enough to try and get her fired. The one that from then on would not only remind her of her incompetence... but also...
"Emma..."
Adam broke her mind of the obsessive labyrinth she had been starting to build to protect herself from Sylar. One that she got lost in whenever he simply gave her
a look
. She desperately wanted to apologize to him, ashamed that she had struck so low ...all out of fear.
"Emma."
She jolted. It was too easy to get lost in the maze she had created for herself. "I'm sorry I've been a whack job all week," she said, burying her head into his chest. She knew her tears were staining his shirt, but she rather that than have him watch her cry. Even her voice couldn't hide her insecurities. "Work's just been stressful and today was the straw that broke the camel's back."
She held tighter as Adam laughed. She closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of his calloused hand in her hair.
"I know, but you have to remember: You're not perfect, Emma. You're not Super Woman, and you can't just handle work this intensely without having a small mistake here and there. Was the mistake that bad?"
Her "No" was muffled into his chest. It hadn't been as bad as Sylar made it out to be, but the way his green eyes blazed as he shouted at her. She hadn't seen it coming until it was too late. He had humiliated her, for no particular reason the rest of the crew reassured her, all while telling her another story in his eyes. He was incensed, aroused, and - the worst of it all - falling apart with every word he spat at her. She felt at fault for not only the simple production mistake, but the reason he couldn't preform up to standard.
Adam waited her to finish sniffling and watched as she wiped her nose with the edge of her sweater. His heart clenched when her big eyes looked up at him, teary.
"It just makes me feel... so useless." She curled up, her butt nestled in his lap as her tiny body fit completely on top of him. Emma was not aware of how tempting her position had become, putting pressure in the right places. Her head dropped back down to his chest.
"Stop pretending that you don't make mistakes."
She wrinkled her nose, "I don't."
His eyebrows went up before he saw the twinkle in her eye dim.
"I mean, not ones that deserve scolding in front of the entire team," she finished lightly. She was glad that Adam was here. Having him physically present was much more satisfying than calling him on the phone or crying alone. Without thinking, she reached up and pressed her palm against his cheek. She ran her fingers over his growing stubble before, very quickly, kissing him on the cheek.
"I'm so glad you're here... when I need you."
Shit. Emma didn't dare look up after what she just did. Her kiss was simple but so bold. But... here he was, Adam. Her first kiss and the only boy she had wanted since then. She couldn't describe the joy she felt when he continued to be her friend, even through the fumbling and awkward attempts to get his reignite their drunken flame. No matter how childishly she handled their relationship, Adam always made sure they stay on track.
Her breath caught as she felt fingers on her chin. They redirected her gaze, very gently, from the floor to his burning brown eyes. She might not be able to get lost in them, like an endless ocean or a depthless sky, but she could see very clearly what he wanted. She let her breath slip as Adam bent down and took her lips.
It was soft, teasing at first, as if he were resistant. When Emma felt him slowly back away, she found new courage rush from within and grabbed the edge of his shirt, pulling him down to take his mouth for her own. All the aggression, the pent up frustration from the past week - the past few years since she had known him - came pouring out in that one kiss. She couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her throat.
Desire took control. Her movements felt foreign for her first time, but her actions were familiar as her body mimicked what she had seen in all the videos she worked on. Their mouths were still connected as Emma raised her leg to straddled Adam properly. His large hands held her face, pulling her closer as he invaded her thoughts. All her thoughts... until she felt his hand slip underneath her shirt and his tongue in her mouth.
"Shit," he said as Emma jerked back. "Emma, I'm sorry, I shouldn't - "
"Don't."
"What?"
Emma felt her world crashing around her as she anticipated Adam's words of regret. She didn't want a repeat of her first kiss. The scene of Adam apologizing for taking it away, for not making it special - the implication that she was a mistake.
