Love, Actually

416 Words

I wish I was in love

Deployment was easily the most difficult thing that Charlotte had ever gone through. It was one thing having to hide her feelings for her favorite person for months while he protected her, it was a whole other thing having him across the world in a dangerous situation. Obviously, he had his best friend, and for that she was thankful. Damian had his back better than anyone else ever would and she was glad that Damian was part of the team he was on. However, it wasn’t making her any less nervous. With every day that passed, she knew she was getting closer to him coming home, but whenever she went long bouts of time without talking to him, her panic rose and she started to dwell on all of the possibilities.

Having Damian’s...Lena around was a comfort. She was a mellow presence and she was used to Damian being gone. Of course, she was given more information than she needed about their sex life and was told that it was the best part about them coming home. The reunion sex as she put it. Charlotte was more interested in being able to hug him and touch his face and be wrapped up in his arms. Sex was all fine and good, but she wanted the comfort more than anything. She missed him something fierce.

Waiting at the airport for them to land, Charlotte could understand why Lena never went. There were parents, loved ones, wives, kids. Everyone was there in the hopes that their soldier came home unscathed. Lena and Damian weren’t quite on that serious of a level and while Hunter and her hadn’t been together long, they were still more committed to each other.

Hunter had told her to stay at the apartment, but she couldn't imagine being anywhere else. It was Damian that she saw first and when he caught her eye, she noticed the grin that tugged at his lips. He nudged Hunter and jerked his chin in her direction and she shifted uncomfortably as she waited for his reaction to her being there. All she could do was hope that he didn't get upset that she hadn't listened, but when her eyes settled on his, her worry just slipped away and was replaced by the overwhelming relief that he was finally home.

But I don't wanna cause any pain

368 Words

I wish I was in love

The second his arms enveloped her and he lifted her off the ground was the second that the tears started falling down her face. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist as she clung to him as tightly as she could for as long as she could. She didn't usually care for public displays of affection to this degree, but she figured this was a situation that warranted a big public display. It was straight out of a movie and she knew that they were that cliche couple right then, but it was worth it.

Her feet settled on the ground as he put her down and her hands covered his as they cupped her face. Charlotte could barely stand from the amount of relief she felt. His lips pressed to her forehead and she closed her eyes briefly which only sent another gush of tears down her face. "When have I ever been known to listen to you?" She asked with a laugh in response, although it came out a little stuttered and hoarse from the tears in her throat.

Charlotte placed her hands on his chest and then up to the sides of his neck, as if she was trying to make sure he was really there. Her eyes lifted to his and she laughed again, "Though, I kind of get why you said that because I look completely ridiculous right now." Dropping one of her hands, she wiped the tears beneath her eyes and did what she could to salvage the little makeup she'd put on.

Damian had finally reached them by that point and he scrunched his face up, "Am I just chopped fuckin' liver here? Where's my grand reunion scene?" He smirked and ruffled her hair before patting Hunter on the back, "You kids have fun. I'ma go lay the hot redhead that's waiting for me at home. See ya."

Char rolled her eyes and laughed before she leaned her forehead against his chest and gripped his uniform in both hands, "I missed you."

But I don't wanna cause any pain

356 Words

I wish I was in love

Charlotte smiled up at him and she realized that she'd become everything that made her cringe when watching overly romantic movies. There was just something about Hunter that made her feel completely sappy. He made her feel completely weak at the knees and like she might actually explode from the love she had for him. "I can only imagine you two, Wynn is a lot on her own, but you and her both? Gosh I bet you'd flood the place," She grinned and patted his cheek lightly.

Hunter's reaction to Damian's words made her laugh and she sighed, "Try hearing about it in much more detail while you two are gone. I love Lena, I really do, but I don't need to know that much about her and Damian. Looking at them hurts my brain now." She breathed him in as he wrapped his arms around her. It was probably the best feeling she'd ever experienced, almost overwhelmingly so. She melted further at his words and smiled.

It fell almost immediately after he brought up her new bodyguard. She could feel the guilt starting to rise in her chest, so she kept her cheek pressed against his chest so that he wouldn't be able to see her face as she explained. "Uh, no. Ian did actually, ya know, since he's my go-to guy. Justin...may have been left back at the house."

But I don't wanna cause any pain

220 Words

I wish I was in love

Thinking about Damian's version of the things that went down between him and his lady friend was terrifying. Charlotte shook her head frantically and scrunched her nose, "No, no, no. I don't want to think about that. You win. Damian I bet his way worse than Lena." She could only imagine how descriptive he would be. She hoped he spared her from ever having to hear about it.

With her lips pressed together, she waited for him to get frustrated or angry with her for ditching the new guy. However, she figured it would have been the obvious thing for her to do. It was definitely her style. "It was just a drive to the airport, not like I was infiltrating a lair or something. Ian did just fine with the safe transportation of your adorable, sneaky, incredibly pushy girlfriend. And he did it with a smile. Unlike Justin, who while I like him, doesn't seem to do much smiling. Is that like a military thing or?" She gave him a grin when he pulled back and happily accepted the kiss that followed.

Charlotte looped her arm around his waist and nodded, "Whatcha wanna do first?"

But I don't wanna cause any pain

260 Words

I wish I was in love

Charlotte squeaked and giggled as he went for her neck. She swatted at him and snorted, "You only smile now because I got to you. I was pretty sure that you had a permanent frowning problem when we first met. Always so grouchy with your grumpy cat face." As she said it, she mimicked the way he looked in an exaggerated fashion. Her eyebrows furrowed and and her lips turned down into a dramatic frown. Her face unscrunched and she snorted and laughed. "It was a cute grouchy face, don't get me wrong, but I like your smile much better," Char reached up and pinched his cheeks affectionately.

She leaned into him a little as they walked and her eyes stayed on his face while he listed off the agenda for the rest of the evening. She nodded with each item on the list and burst out laughing at the last. "In all fairness, at least it's a nice ass," Charlotte grinned at her joke. The only way she knew anything about Damian and his butt was through Lena. The girl was always touching it when they were together. Her grin turned into a softer smile and she nodded again, "But I like the getting in bed thing. It doesn't smell like you anymore." And the day that it stopped had been one of the harder days to get through, but she kept that to herself.

But I don't wanna cause any pain

261 Words

I wish I was in love

"Pffft! I do not exaggerate. That was exactly what you looked like. You with your 'grr, no sneaking out, no having fun, I secretly adore you.'" Charlotte giggled and pressed her lips tightly together to try and rein in her fit of laughter. If she were being honest, she had practiced her impersonation of him for months after they started getting closer. She had been dying to break it out, even gone as far as testing it on Damian. That was the level of adoration she had for him even then. She knew she was spot on. "It's okay, love, you don't have to secretly adore me anymore."

As she continued snickering to herself about the impersonation and then her comment about Damian, she hadn't expected him to pull her in close, stopping abruptly. Charlotte looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes and fluttered her lashes for emphasis. She scrunched her nose and stuck her tongue out at him as he chomped at her, "It's obviously no competition, Hunt. I clearly have the greatest butt out of all of us."

His crack about washing the sheets made her shove him and she rolled her eyes, "Several times. Couldn't get the stench all the way out though. I think the grouchiness seeped into my skin. My face...it's been...getting stuck in this...oh no." Charlotte looked up at him with the same face she made earlier.

But I don't wanna cause any pain

197 Words

I wish I was in love

At his 'debatable' comment, she punched him lightly in the arm and pouted. "I see how it is, you really do prefer Damian's ass to my face. That would hurt more if it wasn't so damn funny," She laughed and huddled into his side while they walked. Charlotte was taken back by how much she missed being able to vibe with him. It was so different talking over Skype because the connection lagged and the transitioning of conversation didn't seem quite as easy. She'd missed just being able to talk to him naturally and joke and catch his facial expressions at the time they were meant to be caught.

He stopped again and swept her up into a kiss that made her melt. She curled her fingers in his hair and rubbed her nose against his, "How could you not? I'm hilarious and you don't get this kind of love and affection and hilarity through a computer." Charlotte grinned and kissed him again, "But I missed you, too. Probably more. Actually, definitely more."

But I don't wanna cause any pain