Joco {the second}

[Mallory]

Fifteen years have passed since the two teenagers first met. They are no longer eighteen and longing for each other from afar, but they are rather thirty-three and married. A lot has changed since that day in the coffee shop, but then again, a lot is the same. (view spoiler)[Signs of affection have become easier for both of them (hand holding being their go-to) but occasionally one or the other blushes profusely at a simple kiss. Children are out of the picture as of now, but they are not going to be dismissed forever. Once fate decides the time, it'll happen, but for now, the couple awaits for a time. Joey and Coco have been married for five years, and they were at the age of 28 when they finally tied the knot (since Joey could barely muster up the courage to propose). At first, Coco's family was furious that she married without permission, that she married to someone whom was not wealthy and that the man barely had money to support himself. Her family had difficulty realizing that love wasn't about money, and that Coco did not care if her husband was rich. The girl believed that her husband was perfect the way he was, that he was everything she had dreamed of, and even if they got by with enough money to spare, then so be it. After the marriage, Coco's family began to speak to Joey more, getting a feel for his beliefs and way of life. Coco had always told her partner that her parents truly did like him, they just gave him the cold shoulder because he didn't understand half of what was being said. Being a people pleaser, Joey wasn't very thrilled that he couldn't make peace with his wife's family. Although their small start of a family wasn't wealthy altogether, small amounts of extra spending cash began to come in every week. Joey had been picked up by a record deal, a small company that would promote his music and get his face shown around Seattle. He traveled often, but it was never farther than an hour away, for her couldn't bare to leave Coco's side. Life is the same, for the most part. After all, did you really think that these two would get very far? (hide spoiler)]

[Mallory]

Remember the faces
(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

An apartment, it wasn't the prettiest, and it was usually either too cold, or too hot, but it was all theirs. It was older New York style, almost loft like, with wide open spaces, exposed brick, bright, and colorful decorations and furniture, part of Coco's heritage. Spain was bright and colorful, and even though Coco had broken free from there, she couldn't truly escape the culture, and naturally ingrained tastes. She was Spanish, and she would have to come to terms with that eventually. Coco was in a wide, expansive, California King bed. The white sheets were halfway down her body, the edge of the sheets hugged her curvy hips, her t-shirt that she'd worn to sleep in had ridden up some to expose her perfectly unmarked stomach. It was one of Joey's band shirts, she loved anything that represented him, or reminded her of him. Often if he had to be gone overnight she would wrap herself in one of his shirts he had previously worn, just so she could go to sleep with the smell of him wrapped around her like a cocoon. That or she would stay up all night working herself, Coco had pursued her artistic side, and was working on making herself known as a Glass blower. She made all sort of pieces, and had actually hand crafted most of hers and Joey's glassware in their kitchen that they used on an every day basis. There was an art gallery a few blocks away that had set up a meeting for her to introduce some of her work, if they liked it then they would have an 'opening' that presented her work and then display/sell her work for six months at a time, and they would renegotiate things every six months. She had her own kind of workshop on the roof of the building, and since they lived on the top floor it was easy for her to access it. they didn't have a balcony like the other apartments in the building, but they had the whole roof to themselves. And in Coco's opinion that made up for any cold, or hot times they had, and the occasional lack of hot water, but hey that wasn't often. Her dad kept telling her that he was going to fix the place up, make it all weather proof, but Coco kept pushing him back, despite his efforts. At that exact moment Coco was asleep next to her husband, Joey, completely oblivious to the world around her.

[Mallory]

The morning sun shone through the window off to the side of the bedroom, the white curtains only absorbing bits and fragments of the light, leaving rays of yellow streaked across the wooden floor and the bottom of the bed. It was a rather beautiful, picture-perfect moment, but to much dismay there was no photographer. A couple laid together; the girl had the sheets bunched around her waist, the navy blue shirt she wore riding up against her stomach. The shirt was not necessarily hers, yet it should have just as well been considering the amount of times she has worn it. A roughed-up The Ramones shirt with once-white letters that had faded into dingy beige. It was one of the boy's favorites, but he could care less if she wore it with pride. The boy laid beside the girl, his facial expression soft and unmoved, much like a sleeping child, untouched by the cruel world. Nobody knew, but he longed to wrap his arms around the girl, to sleep with her body pressed against his. Instead, his arm was outstretched towards her, his hand merely a few centimeters away from touching her arm. Even in his slumber he tried to keep a safe distance no matter how much her wished to be closer. Take a step back from the sleeping couple and you would see how attached to the other they truly were. The bed they laid in was twice the size they actually needed, their small bodies could possibly get lost within the spread, yet they never did. They kept close to the other during the night, not necessarily holding each other, but they were always an arms length away, no matter the size of the mattress. The boy stirred in his sleep, his eyebrows knitting together as if something had disturbed him within his dreams. A moan escaped his lips as he turned to his side, now facing the girl with the white sheets encircling his chest. Restless in the morning, Joseph Fields slowly opened his eyes to the blinding light. When he finally came to his senses, the first thing he saw was her face. The perfect, angelic face of his wife, nonetheless. Coco was still asleep, the amount of beauty radiating from one being almost frightening. How the want-to-be-someone, Starbucks-working, forbidden-from-love, little boy from Seattle ended up with such a beautiful woman, he had no idea. But he took in every minute of it knowing that one day it would all be gone. Joey pulled some of the covers from his side of the bed over to wrap around his legs, his feet freezing due to the fact they didn't think ahead to throw a few extra blankets at the end of the bed. He kept his gaze on Coco, taking in everything he could before she woke.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

It was a serene moment in the lives of Joey and Coco, and Coco wasn't even aware. She was lost in a dream that had her and Joey wrapped in one anothers arms on the edge of a river, she was quite content with the dream, and believing that it was real. She had no intent on waking anytime soon, but apparently the real world had other plans, because a text came through to her phone and the noise jerked her awake. Coco winced slightly, the noise disrupted her very happy moment with the love of her life, and somehow the sound was strange and foreign, like it didn't belong in her life. A sigh escaped her lips as her eyes fluttered open, she pushed a hand through her thick, dark locks. Her eyes glanced next to her, Joey was already awake and was looking at her with adoration and love. Coco blushed, and looked shy like at him, "Morning." She whispered, his sleepy eyed look was more than she could handle, he was so adorable. Coco scooted closer to him, and snuggled against his chest, she wanted to kiss him, to do more. But that wouldn't happen at that moment, because she was all too aware that she needed to brush her teeth, and she figured she was a mess to look at because of just waking up. Coco traced circles on Joey's bare shoulder, marveling at the perfection of his skin, sometimes she was sure that everything was just a dream. Because how else could she end up with such a perfect human being? He loved her to death, literally, respected her and her boundaries, he paid attention when she spoke, he never ignored her for something or someone else, he surprised her sometimes, and he always put her needs before his own. From what her few friends had expressed, most guys were not like him. Their boyfriends/husbands were forgetful, selfish, distant, and non-committed. Nope not her guy, and they were very jealous at times. A happy sigh escaped her lips as she nuzzled her face against his chest, content with everything in hers, and his, life. His career was taking off, she was chasing her own dream, and her parents were slowly coming to terms with the marriage.

[Mallory]

Ding
Coco's phone sounded through their bedroom, make him twitch and her to awake from her sleep. Her hand instantly went for her hair, running her long, artistic fingers through the mass of brown. That was when she looked over at him, her eyes not icy in the morning but rather a calming blue. A pale pink brushed against her cheeks, signally that she was embarrassed over something. Was it him? Was it the fact that he had watched her while she was sleeping? It was only for a matter of seconds, but perhaps that was enough to send her emotions off the scale. He himself would have been embarrassed if it wasn't for the fact that she spoke out a simple greeting. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. "Morning," he returned, moving his arms for her to slide up against him. Coco pushed herself up against him, burrowing her head into the middle of his chest. He wrapped one of his arms around her shoulder, the other arm between them. Tilting his head downward, Joey placed a short and sweet kiss on the top of her head. "What'd we plan for today?" his voice was still soft since they had both just woken up, but you could feel the excitement coursing through his vocal chords. He, personally, didn't have anything planned - which was almost abnormal, but if his darling wife had anything planned then he would make it his duty to do it alongside her. After all, he always found life much more enjoyable with her near.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco let out a happy hum once Joey wrapped his arms around her, this was her safe place, this is where she felt the most like where she belonged. The world could go on forever without them, Coco wouldn't care, as long as she could remain in Joey's arms for eternity. Joey asked their plans for the day, she blinked for a moment, wondering what she should say. Honestly she had forgotten that he didn't have anything to do, usually he had practice, or a meeting, or a gig, or something going on. So she always assumed that she had to find something to amuse herself with, when he did have a day off now and again she always found herself overwhelmed with the thoughts of what to do since she actually had him all to herself. They normally ended up vegging out and watching tv or something, and cuddling together all day. She wanted to do something different this time though, to actually go out and do something for once. "I was thinking maybe we could go to a café somewhere for breakfast, then go on a walk or go shopping or something, do lunch at that bistro we both loved so much? Then the afternoon we can go to the bookstore and the music shop, and then maybe one of those carriage ride things towards evening? You know the ones with the horsies? And then dinner at wherever you pick." Coco lifted her head for a moment to glance at Joey, she was quite proud of herself, she had actually planned a day for them for once, well sort of. It was the best that anyone was going to get from her at least.

[Mallory]

Joey had expected Coco to say something along the lines of "we should just stay in" or even "watch a few movies, homemade food", and he was a little surprised when she changed her motives. She had almost everything mapped out from the moment they walked out the door to the exact second they arrived back home. She had hooked him in, though, when she said music shop. Of course, Coco wasn't exactly into the whole music vibe that he was, which is most likely why she added the bookstore into the mix. He couldn't help but wonder if she ever listened to his music collection, if she ever listened to his favorite records or CD's when he was away. It seemed unlikely, but it was a thought he couldn't shake. A smile crossed his lips when she had mentioned that they would have dinner wherever he picked. If it was up to him, they wouldn't be going out at all for the afternoon. At home is where you would find them, eating a variety of food that they found in the cabinets, sitting next to one another on the couch as they watched a sitcom or movie. Relaxing with Coco was what he needed, was what he enjoyed, seeing how it took him away from the craziness of the rest of his life. "You just have it all planed out, don't you?" Joey asked, grinning down at her when she looked up at him. Her plans were mundane, normal, yet not at all in the routine. Did he mind? No, not at all. But you could never tell if plans would end up being changed. "Well," he said, pushing himself away from Coco so he was propped up on one elbow. "if we want to make that cafe breakfast, we should probably get ready."

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco nodded when Joey pointed out that she had everything planned, she did. Not that that mattered, knowing them they would deviate from the plan at some point and end up doing whatever came to mind. But hey at least she had tried, and had succeeded at planning an outing. Coco stretched in a very cat like manner when Joey moved away from her, pushing her limbs to their limits, trying to shake some of the sleep out of her bones. "Hmm," Slipped from between her lips, she blinked up at Joey. "I suppose we should get ready," She agreed before sitting up and slipping from the bed. Coco grabbed a pale grey towel before going into the bathroom, she dropped it on the counter right before she undressed and went into the walk in shower, it was a beautiful piece that she and Joey had taken the time to restore. Of course they had a standalone tub in the corner, old, and porcelain. Coco preferred the shower unless she had time for a bubble bath. She lathered up her hair with Eco friendly shampoo, rinsed it, then proceeded to soap up her olive skin from head to toe. ONce she was finished with the shower she stepped out onto cold tile and grabbed up the towel, she wrapped herself up and skipped into the bedroom, she practically dove under the covers. "I'll find clothes in a sec," She murmured from beneath the covers, she just wanted to take a moment to get warm before having to expose her bare skin to the air again.

[Mallory]

Joey let his eyes follow Coco as she walked away, yet the minute the door to the bathroom was closed, he stared back up at the ceiling. How he ever got the life he ended up with, he had no idea. His wife was far too beautiful for what he deserved, and the apartment they shared, the music career he held... it was too good for anything he needed. Everything happened so fast, none of it expected, and he wasn't exactly sure how half of it ended up the way it did. Her family wasn't exactly approving of him, and his family didn't exactly... care. So, it was an odd match. But here they were, alive and married, confused and helpless. There was so much that today would hold, most of it being caused by words he had yet to speak. Four months. Tomorrow. At six in the morning tomorrow, he would be boarding a plane to San Francisco. Tomorrow morning he would leave to be gone for four whole months. It was the deal of a lifetime, but a difficult deal that he almost passed by. An opening act. He, Joseph Richard Fields, was the opening performance for two semi-famous bands. It brought a smile to his face just to think about it, but even if achieving more fans is what the outcome would be, it was still hard knowing he would have to give up Coco for four months. He shut his eyes, squeezing them shut until he heard the bathroom door open. The back of his throat tightened when he turned his head to look at the girl beside him in the bed. He'd have to tell her at some point, but now just didn't seem like the right time. Perhaps when they're at the cafe? Maybe after their day of shopping? Joey let a small smile slip onto his lips, and then leaned over quickly to kiss Coco on the forehead. He pushed himself up and out of the bed, his feet hitting the cold floor and sending a shiver up his spine. Maneuvering around the room, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and grabbed a pair of black jeans from the dresser opposite of the bed. Stepping into them, he pulled them over his legs, doing a small jump in order to get them up all the way. Joey headed toward the closet, sifting through the shirts until he found a grey long-sleeve. Over that, he put on a white-washed jean jacket. It was a simple outfit, which is why he barely put any thought into finding a certain look. "You gonna lay in bed all day?" he threw a smile towards Coco, signalling that he was completely joking.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco felt Joey kiss her forehead, she smiled up at him before burrowing deeper into the covers. From her nose up was the only part of her out of the blanket, the only reason that much was exposed was because she enjoyed watching her husband get dressed, he was adorable. She held back a giggle as he jumped around getting his pants on. Her eyes followed him all the way to the closet where he managed to finish getting dressed, and he looked really good. She rose both brows when he spoke to her, she pushed the covers back and grinned at him, "I might. What would you do if I did?" She said in a sassy tone, very unlike her, but she was joking back, she wiggled her eyebrows at him just before getting out of bed and heading toward her closet. They each had their own, of course they had to. Coco's mother sent her clothing a lot, like she didn't have clothing stores in the US. Of course they were usually old lady looking clothes, so they were either donated, or shoved to the way back of her closet. Once in a while there would be a cute shirt, or scarf, but not too often. Coco held onto her towel with one hand while maneuvering clothing around with her other hand. She decided on a gray and black top, short sleeved, a pair of white jeans, and a white leather jacket. She pulled the pieces out and laid them out on the bed, then she dropped the towel, her cheeks turned pink, as well as the rest of her skin. This was still a bit hard for Coco, being comfortable so bare to Joey, Coco tried not to linger on the thoughts of how he saw her. Instead she got dressed as quickly as she could and hid her face by the curtain of her hair. "I'm just going to fix my hair real quick," She murmured before disappearing into the bathroom. Coco put some frizz control in her hair, and made sure the dark locks weren't going to be flying everywhere. She tucked a hairband into her pocket just in case she tired of it being down. "Okay ready," She called from the bathroom as she put on her shoes. Coco rejoined Joey, trying not to look too embarrassed.

[Mallory]

"I would join you," Joey responded to the girl making remarks from behind bed covers. He realized that his choice of words wasn't necessarily the best, but they were said, and there wasn't a way to take them back. Watching as Coco pushed herself out of the bed to make a break for her closet, he took in every inch of her that he could, trying to make up for time that would be lost in the next four months. He did not want to leave her. She was all he had. The clothes she had in hand looked as if they would go nicely together, and when she laid them across their bed, it was easy to see why she picked such attire. He often worded if she missed her Spanish roots, if she was being America-fied and needed to take a trip back home. Maybe she was like this in Spain, too, though. Maybe she was always getting dressed in soft grunge clothing. Joey swallowed hard when her hand left the top of the towel, leaving him to decide what to do in the moment. He turned his head away, his hands going to his hair to fix the madness that the nighttime had caused. It wasn't as if he looked away because he wasn't pleased with what was occurring. No, it was exactly the opposite. It still felt weird whenever she undressed in front of him, or even asked him to zip up the back of her dress. Even after five years of marriage, some things didn't feel right quite yet. He settled his gaze on a small facial mirror located on the wall, something that - oddly enough - both him and Coco used daily. His hands sifted through the mass of blond and didn't stop until every strand sticking out wasn't noticeable. Turning back around when she said that she was going to fix her hair, he caught just a small glimpse of the full attire. It was cute, not something he wasn't used to, but cute. Joey sat down on the foot of the bed, pulling out a pair of black Converse and tugging them on his feet. Simple. Today would be simple. "So the cafe?" He asked when Coco was beside him. He looked up at first, finishing tying his shoes, and then stood, staring at his wife face-to-face with a thin smile against his lips. What I wouldn't do to bring you with me, he thought, keeping his inner voice to himself.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Interesting, I wonder what's on his mind.... he looks very preoccupied and stressed out. Should I ask him what's going on? Probably not, because he probably doesn't even want me noticing that something is wrong. Or maybe he does want me to notice? Oh my gosh being in a relationship is confusing. The thoughts went through Coco's mind as she took Joey's hand and walked with him towards the door that would lead them out of their apartment. "Yeah café sounds good, then we can just wing it after that really. I mean if you want..." She liked the thought of having a plan, but honestly she didn't like sticking to a structured plan. The walk to the café wasn't far, but it was far enough to be able to enjoy the outdoors for a few minutes. Coco wasn't sure if she should bring up whatever was bothering her husband or not, she really respected giving others privacy, but she didn't like seeing her love upset. Coco let go of Joey's hand and tucked her arm in around his instead, making their bodies become closer. She felt that she should appreciate the moments she had with him for some reason. It was silly probably, but she had always trusted her intuition. That was something she took from her mom, it also made her realize that she kind of wished that she and her mother had a closer relationship. THen she could just call her mother up and ask her about things like this. Like some of her friends did with their moms, but Coco and mother were barely talking, let alone sharing worries and the details of marriage.

[Mallory]

Joey thoughts about the long list of things Coco prepared for them just minutes ago while they were waking up, and then noticed how she said that they could really do anything. Was she having second thoughts about a long day out? It wasn't as if he minded, after all, no matter what they did today, he was still going to have to leave. If all of this was up to him, they'd be laying on the couch all day together, snuggling close as they watched cheep and cheesy comedy movies. That was the day that he wanted, but anything with the girl beside him would do good. Coco grabbed his hand, leading him through the apartment and out of the front door. Once they were outside, it wasn't long before she let go of his hand and attached herself to his arm instead. It felt... right... for her to be against him as they walked. They were an odd couple for sure, but that didn't mean he wouldn't miss her whenever the time came. Perhaps she already knew, which was why she was being so attached and willing to let him choose what to do. Maybe she had read his emails, or checked the voicemail on his phone before he had a chance to. Coco didn't seem like the snooping type, though, which made him wonder even more why she was acting this way towards him. Something could have been wrong, but then he wasn't sure if he should ask, since he wouldn't be able to do much after today. He swallowed, letting out a steady breath of air as he thought. Should he just ask? Is that the right thing to do? "Are you alright?" Joey asked, not wanting to be too intruding, but just wanting to know if his love was going insane. "You look shaken."

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

The wind blew some of Coco's hair around, she used her free hand to tuck it back into place. The streets were just coming alive it seemed, and the gloomy weather had receded enough to let them have a little bit of sunshine peeking out from behind a fluffy cloud. It felt like a good day, they would probably have excellent weather to go walking around in, if that's what they ended up doing. Her attention was diverted to Joey when he asked her a question, and she blanched at his observation of being shaken. Well wasn't he observant? "Yes... no? Maybe?" She shook her head and a wry smile crossed her face as she looked at him with her bright blue eyes. "Honestly I'm worried... you looked upset moments ago and so that has me worried about whatever is on your mind. I didnt' want to poke around though, or ask you about it in case you didn't want to talk to me about it, I'm only your wife. I mean maybe you like to talk about things with your bandmates? I don't want to be pushy..... and now I"m rambling I'm sorry babe," She blushed, tilting her head down she gazed at her feet as they walked, avoiding eye contact with her husband, afraid that she had already said too much and that she would seem to needy or something. Maybe he would leave her?

[Mallory]

Joey knit it brows together as the girl next to him spoke, saying how she was worried because he had looked worried. It seemed like they were just a puddle of worry that wouldn't dry up unless someone spoke about it. Then Coco began to say how she didn't know if he wanted to talk to her in particular, or if he had things he needed to talk to only his bandmates about. Joey shook his head softly, thankful that she had looked down and hadn't seen his gesture. Why would she think that he wouldn't want to talk to her? That seemed a bit weird, didn't it? Perhaps it was because there was something that he actually didn't want to talk to her about, but she simply couldn't know about that, not yet anyway. The months he would be leaving could always be brought up now, since she was so insecure about him not speaking to her when there were events going on. He debated saying the big secret now, but wanted to hold it off. This last day would be good. He didn't want it to be full of worry or stress. No, this was going to be as calm as he could possibly make it for now. "Coco, if there's something I have on my mind, I will talk to you. You don't need to worry about that." Joey raised his free hand to place it on the arm linked to his, his thumb rubbing against the sleeve of her jacket before he dropped his arm back next to his side. He loved her so much, he really did. It put his stomach into knots just thinking about having to give her up, even if they would be talking over email and phone calls. He bit his lower lip and looked out at the street before him, "Why don't we go to that Starbucks I used to work at?" it was where they had first met and, at least for him, it had been a while since he actually stepped foot into that building. Besides, it would be nice to review the past for a while, to remember the first days before he was off to start new things.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco kept her head down, not wanting to raise it while her cheeks were burning, feeling that she had stepped over the line with talking so much. Joey said that he would talk to her if he had something on his mind, but honestly she wasn't so sure. Their relationship was so different than others, she knew that for a fact because her girl friends spoke of completely different relationships than the one she and Joey had. They were awkward, and far less intimate than most people it seemed. She often wondered if it was her fault, and if he thought she was failing in the wife department because of it. Coco tried to shake off the doubts and nodded her head as best she could since her chin was practically touching her chest. "Yeah that sounds nice," Her voice was quiet, but she held onto his arm just a little tighter. Shying away from a passerby, a young woman walking her dog. Coco wasn't one to warm up to strangers, or to like anyone touching her much unless she knew them. They turned onto another street, headed to old haunts and memories, it was going to be an interesting day to be sure, and Coco was going to have to get all of the warring thoughts out of her head so that she could actually enjoy it with Joey.

[Mallory]

Joey took in a deep breath, his head tilted downward to where his glasses slid down the bride of his nose. He didn't even bother to push them up. There was tension in the air between him and Coco, even if she did grasp his arm tighter when a young girl walked past them. He couldn't help but think that he was the one that had caused the two of them to be like this. He was the one keeping secrets. He was the one that was eventually going to have to make this already gloomy day worse. Six o'clock tomorrow morning. It didn't seem right at all, and it was for too late for him to cancel. The dates were already set, flyers already printed that had his name plastered across them. It was too late for him to say "no, I need to stay home". Honestly, he wished that he would've told Coco about this when he decided to go, instead of the day before. God, what was wrong with him? Joey decided that he would tell her soon, tell her about when he was leaving and for how long. It wouldn't be a pretty discussion, he could see it play out now, but it had to be done if he liked it or not. Joey lifted his head, raising his arm with it to push his glasses back up. Oh, it was going to be a very long day. He blinked slowly, trying to think of something to say but nothing came to mind. He couldn't even maintain a healthy relationship when they were next to each other, how did he think any of this would work out while on the road?

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

( Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww )

Coco sighed quietly, not wanting to disturb her husband. He seemed to still be upset, so was he lying to her? She wasn't sure, she chewed on her bottom lip and risked a glance at him from beneath her long, dark lashes. He had a look that said he was struggling with something, but what? Well it didnt' look like he was sharing anytime soon, so she was just going to have to leave him alone with it and do her best to make the best of their situation. "Remember when I came in that first day?" Her voice was quiet, but slowly came to a normal level while she spoke, excitement creeping in, "I was so nervous about entering a shop on my own, then there was this cute boy at the counter and I almost ran out for fear of talking to you. You were so nice, and made sure that I felt comfortable, I just wanted those stupid henchmen away from us so that I could relax and get to know you." She was glad he'd suggested this, they approached the shop, it was a place that would be special to her forever, it was wear she'd met the love of her life. And they'd overcome so much since that first day, never giving up on one another. Coco had fallen in love quickly, though at the time she'd been far too shy to admit it, Joey had intimidated her without even meaning to, but eventually they'd moved past their shyness and held hands for the first time, shared a first kiss, then obviously other things since they were married.

[Mallory]

Joey let his eyes fall onto Coco when she spoke, her voice soft at first and then progressively getting louder. She started to talk about the first day they met, and how she was absolutely terrified to talk to him. It was funny, really, since he felt pretty much the exact same way. A half-smile crossed his lips and he nodded, feelings of joy bubbling up inside of him as they came closer to the building. "Yeah, I remember." he couldn't wipe the grin off his face. These were the memories he liked, this was the past he couldn't live without. "The most beautiful girl walked in and I begged myself not to screw up when you came to my register. When you came in the next day, I couldn't believe we actually went out to lunch." Joey breathed out a laugh, his hair tossing out of place when he shook his head. That was so long ago, such a while back that it was nostalgic just to walk down the same streets. San Francisco would have nothing compared to the memories in Seattle, and he definitely wasn't ready to leave this all. "You know, my parents called it puppy love. They said it wouldn't work out. I told them to watch, that we would end up being married some day." he looked over to Coco, his eyes soft and loving. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that he was married to her, that this was real.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco felt her stomach flutter with butterflies while Joey spoke of her in the past, she had been so young and naïve, well she was still naïve really, and innocent. Her mother had pointed that out several times during the time she'd dated Joey, but it hadn't stopped her in making the commitment that she knew was right. This guy beside her was her soul mate, her other half, the one she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. She looked at him with surprise, his parents had doubted it all too? She didn't know that, so they had both gone against their parents wishes, and now they were connected to none of them. Well maybe she could eventually patch things up with her parents, maybe. She felt bad for possibly being the cause of Joey and his parents rift. But she wasn't going to say anything, She walked into the building with Joey, it was crowded, but that wasn't surprising. This place was very popular, and had excellent service, that was why it was always so thick with people. She knew Joey had connections though, so they would have a table and coffee in no time.

[Mallory]

Joey was beaming by the time they reached the coffee shop. His mood was patched up one hundred percent since they left their apartment, and he was ready to face the day with open arms. You know, that is if he can muster up the courage to actually talk to his wife about what's going on. Okay, maybe he wasn't patched up one hundred perfect. But he was much happier after talking about his past, their past, and the shop they had just entered would just make everything better. Not much had changed, except for the crowd of people. That was different for sure. He looked at Coco for a moment before walking to the counter, the man that was in front of him moving to the side to let the next person order. Joey look at the barista, the girl behind the register pressing a few buttons before looking up to greet the customers. "Hi, welcome to Star-" the girl's eyes got wide and she began to smile, "Joey? Oh my god, it's been forever since I've seen you. And I see you're still with her," the barista smiled softly at Coco. It wasn't a crude smile, but more like a welcoming one. The girl behind the counter used to be one of Joey's best friends - well... best coworker but same thing. He nodded softly, his face gaining a bit of color when his wife was brought into the conversation, "Yeah. Yeah, she's here to stay." well, maybe not after what he was going to tell her soon, "But uh, I'll take a venti caramel macchiato, and..." he drifted off, looking at Coco so she could order. After she spoke he looked back at the cashier, handing her some cash without having to know the price. Working at this place for so long, he knew the prices, and didn't need a screen to tell him how much he owed. "Hey, do you think we could get all of that wrapped up? We're kinda on the run and don't have much time." the girl nodded happily, taking the bill and handing him back change before disappearing into the back.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco followed along with Joey to the counter, skipping ahead of the crowd, her husband started speaking with the familiar barista. Her cheeks glowed pink when the girl referred to Coco, she didn't much like being the center of attention, so it was kind of hard for her when she was. Shyness, anxiety, whatever you wanted to blame it on, she'd take it. Coco said in a soft voice, "Chocolate chip latte," and then half hid her face behind Joey's arm, not really wanting to make herself any more obvious. Joey paid the bill for their orders and then they had to wait for the drinks to be made. A sigh escaped her lips, Coco maneuvered herself around to where she could lean her head against Patrick's shoulder, her full front going against his, not something she usually did in public. But she was feeling needy for some reason and went with it, Coco wondered what was wrong with her. This was not like her usually, she normally would keep to holding hands and that was it, but her emotions were all over the place and she was feeling cuddly for some reason. Maybe it was almost that time of the month or something, she'd have to check her calendar when she got home.

[Mallory]

Joey watched as the barista disappeared into the back, handing off their order for it to be made. It wouldn't take long, really, but he wished that something would malfunction and he could put off telling Coco the truth. He knew he would have to say it soon, and he wished that they were still back in the apartment, under the covers and snuggling to keep warm. It was like she could read his mind, that she knew he needed a bit of comfort. Coco rested her head against his shoulder, her body pressed against his. It felt weird, especially in front of all these other people, but he couldn't step away from her, that would just be bad. "It's gonna be alright," he muttered absentmindedly. Joey let his eyes fall closed for a moment, one of his arms wrapping around her shoulders before he released her and opened his eyes. For a moment, he didn't even realize what he had said, but when it hit him, he knew that he shouldn't have opened his mouth. Oh man, maybe he was going to have to explain sooner than he hoped? Joey looked down at the girl against him, his expression relaxed yet very tense.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco snuggled closer when Joey folded his arms around her, then his words made her heart slow down. What was he talking about? Was there something he wasn't telling her? Or maybe he just sensed that she was emotional... yeah that was probably it. Though she didn't think so, he'd been kind of off all day and Coco was fairly sure that this was connected to whatever was bothering him. She pulled back to look into his eyes, "What do you mean Joey?" Her eyes were questioning, "Why wouldn't everything be alright?" Her heart sped up, anxiety seemed to be taking over as she waited for him to answer her, her chest started tightening, her airway was closing. Then their names were called and she was temporarily distracted by the girl from before, she turned in Joey's arms to look at her, she smiled meekly before slipping out of her husbands arms and taking hold of her large latte. Coco gave Joey a look that spoke volumes, in particular it said that their conversation was far from over as she made her way out of the café, expecting him to follow suit.

[Mallory]

Joey swallowed hard, the look on his wife's face sending him very bad vibes. She was worried, it was obvious, but she didn't even know what she was worried about. Nervous for the unknown, he guessed. Funny, really, seeing how he was terrified of the exact same thing. "I-" his sentence was cut off by their names being called, signalling that their coffee was ready. He didn't know if that was a bad or good thing. Coco turned in his arms, looking at the barista before slipping away from him and picking up her coffee. When she turned, her ice blue eyes cut into his skin, telling him that their conversation wasn't finished with just yet. Joey felt overwhelmed. All of this was happening at once and he knew that he had done it to himself. She wasn't going to be thrilled to hear that her husband was going away for four months, and he wasn't excited to leave her, but the worse part of it all would be when he would actually break the news. He stepped forward, taking his coffee from the girl before taking a step back, "It was nice seeing you," he said blankly, the girl behind the counter nodding and smiling nicely. Joey turned around to jogged a little to catch up with Coco, seeing how she was already halfway out the door. He decided to let his coffee cool, seeing how the cup seared his skin, so he rested the drink down by his hip. "There's something I have to talk to you about," he said to Coco, his head turned towards her. "but I don't want to say it while we're walking down a Seattle street. I want to talk to you about it when we're actually alone; when we're at home or something." It didn't feel right saying it right now, not with all these other people around. He couldn't say it now. He wanted it to be where they both felt comfortable, where he wouldn't feel forced to keep everything together.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco kept tears back as she went through the crowd, weaving around people without worrying over Joey, she knew that he was close behind, there was no way that he would let her get far without him. She finally got almost to the doors when Joey caught up and started saying things. Coco barely registered his words as she pushed open the doors to the café and stepped outside. She gulped in breaths of air as if she were starving for it, panic attack, that's what was happening. Coco closed her eyes and took as deep a breaths as she could to calm her nerves, she focused on a patch of grass creeping up between the sidewalk slabs. Her heart slowed, her chest eased up from the constriction she'd been feeling, and her breathing returned to normal. Coco turned to Joey with deadly calm, "Then lets get back home as quickly as possible." With those words she turned on her heel and started back the way they'd come. Coco refused to try and think up what it was that he might have to tell her, it would only send her spiraling again and she wasn't about to do that. Her footsteps were quiet as she walked along the sidewalk, going back to where they'd only just come from. She thought about the painting she wanted to do in the apartment, and other little diy projects she had in mind to do. It was keeping her properly distracted, as well as keeping her from looking at Joey as they trekked back.

[Mallory]

Joey felt terrible, absolutely terrible. He knew that he was the one that caused this, that caused the current gap in their relationship. He knew that he would be the one that would be tearing them apart even farther, and he knew that if they did split that it would be because of him. The back of his throat tightened and he refused to think about that for any longer, at least not them splitting. He had only been in one other relationship before Coco, and that ended horribly wrong when he found his (now ex)girlfriend making out with his best friend. Needless to say, neither one of those relationships made it out alive, and he didn't want that to be the ending of his marriage. Maybe his parents were right, though. Maybe this was just puppy love and he had no idea what love really was. Maybe this was just a longing for affection, and he only wanted someone to hold at night. No. No, he wouldn't think like that. He loved Coco, and even if he had kept one secret from her until now, that didn't mean they were done with forever. Right? Joey raised his coffee cup to his lips, thankful that the cold air had cooled it off some. He glanced sideways at the girl beside him, recognizing how she wasn't looking at him but instead the path ahead. She didn't even know what he was going to say and she was already acting like this was a horrible thing. Joey just wanted to close his eyes; to make the world black to where he could have another shot at all of this. He had at least a month to tell his wife this, maybe two, but he was just now deciding to tell her about the tour, the day before he left. There was no doubt that he was a complete asshole right now, but if he could turn back time and change when he told her, he would. He wanted to apologize right now, but that would just make it worse, seeing how she had no idea what was on his mind. So, he kept quiet, vowing to not say a word until they got into the building, or if Coco spoke first.

(do you just wanna say that they reached the building 'cause there silence and ignoring one another would be a fairly crumby walk home)

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

She walked quickly, far more quickly than before when they had been headed towards the café. Which meant that she got to their building far faster than she had escaped from it. Coco was a whirlwind when she walked in and flew up the steps, nothing would stand in her way to getting back to her home, where she would be comfortable, yet uncomfortable because apparently there was something so big that Joey needed to talk to her about that he couldn't even tell her outside of their place that they had made their home in. Keys, she fumbled in her pocket for the keys, her hands were shaking as she unlocked the front door and made her way in. She tossed the set of keys onto the side table by the door. Coco marched into the kitchen, she went straight for the bread box. There was a small bottle of scotch hidden there for special occasions. Coco set her coffee cup down by the sink, for the moment abandoned. After she'd pulled the scotch out from under the bread she pulled out a small, thick tumbler that her mother had sent over, and poured herself some of the dark alcohol. It would taste terrible and would burn all the way down, just what she needed. Coco turned, she leaned back against the counter and shot the drink back as she stared at Joey who was coming in behind her. "So? Are you leaving me? Because if so I'm not leaving, I'm staying. I worked too hard on this place to leave and I have more plans and..." Her bottom lip started to quiver despite her strong, angry start. "Joey what the hell is happening?" She asked and folded her arms over her chest to keep him from seeing her hands shake, she also bit her cheek so that she could concentrate on the pain and not cry.

[Mallory]

Joey had to jog to keep up with her, but even then it was hard for him to stay beside her. So he let her loose, watching as she practically sprinted toward their home. He had really screwed up, hadn't he? Maybe it was just his word choice, seeing how he said that he didn't want to talk about it in front of others. Coco was probably expecting the worse, and that wasn't exactly what he wanted to reveal. When they arrived at their destination, he stood back, watching as she dug around for her keys, unlocking the door and stepping in. She wasn't even looking at him. The boy in the thick-framed glasses stood in the doorway, watching his wife move around the apartment. It was like he was invisible. All he wanted to do was to scream "Hey! Look at me! I'm leaving tomorrow!" but it wasn't something he could do. He wanted the attention, at least today he did, but if anything he was going to get was negative, then he might as well leave tonight. Joey watched as she downed a shot of a brownish-colored liquid, something he wouldn't ever familiarize himself with. Alcohol had never really been something he liked, but he wasn't exactly going to turn it down at the moment if he was offered. Coco looked at him and he decided to step forward, shutting the front door behind him. She asked if he was leaving her, if he was moving on from her. He shook his head softly at first, his feet still carrying him toward her. Then she asked what was happening. Finally. Okay, he could do this. Maybe. "I got offered to be an opening act," he said in a hushed voice, not wanting to upset her more than she already was. He was looking at her head-on now, something that they seemed to be doing more and more often. "I'd be touring America, so it's not incredibly huge, but it's still an amazing offer. I couldn't pass it up, Coco. These... these two other bands are great, and if their fans like me then this whole music thing is going to take off." Joey's voice was wavering, but he didn't exactly know why. Perhaps it was because of the next sentence to come out of his mouth, "I'd be gone for four months. And I know that's a long time but I also know that we can make it work. I'm sorry, Coco, I really am. I should've told you about this sooner, and..." he didn't want to continue. He couldn't continue. He didn't want to do this anymore, he didn't want to leave. It was too late to cancel, though, and even if he was already homesick, there was nothing he could do about it. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Joey was moving toward Coco and it made her want to step back, but she was already back against the island in the kitchen, she couldn't exactly go anywhere. Everything seemed to slow down as spoke to her, telling her about his tour, he was offered something, something real, something that would help his music career take off and he had accepted. Relief swept through her, making her weak in the knees, if she hadn't been leaning against something she might have sunk to the floor right then. As it was she was being held up by the inanimate object in their kitchen as she stared at Joey with her mouth open just slightly. He'd struck her speechless really, and she wasn't sure how to respond ot him at first. A million sentences passed through her mind as she stood there staring at Joey, they weren't that far apart now, he'd made up the space between them. "I-" She blinked and cleared her throat slightly, "I'm happy for you. Thank God, I thought you'd maybe found someone else, or you had tired of me, maybe I'd done something wrong..." She squeezed her eyes shut against the thoughts that had been going through her mind. Reopening them she took a deep breath, "You have to take this, of course you do. You obviously did already," She gave him a sharp look, "I'm glad you did. But please," She stepped forward and laid a hand on his chest, looking into his eyes, "Next time tell me before you're about o leave? And maybe talk to me about it? I'm your partner Joey, not your mother." There was hurt in her eyes, but it was from him not telling her or discussing it all with her as her husband. "So.... four months? I hope you plan on skyping me a lot," She tried to give him a small smile, though it was hard with all of the emotions she'd already had go through her in so little time. There was a weight off her chest, knowing that he wasn't leaving her.. yet at least. Who knows? Maybe one day he still would, but for then she was secure. Coco chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she peered into Joey's eyes.

[Mallory]

He felt like a weight had been lifted off of his chest when Coco said that she was happy for him. He didn't know what he would have done if she were to scream at him, if she started throwing things and pushing him away. He listened as she started to go on and on, saying how she thought that he found someone new or that maybe she had done something to upset him. "I'm not going to leave you," his voice was soft, almost inaudible, like he didn't want anyone else to hear. Behind his eyes were where tears began to well up, but he bit them back, telling himself that he was going to take all of this like a man. Coco started to talk again, saying how he did good with saying yes, but that he needed to talk to her before he did anything like it again. He nodded, agreeing with her, but then her hand pressed against his chest. Even though the layer of fabric, even with the multiple years between them as a couple, Joey was still taken aback by just her touching him. It sent a shiver down his spine, turning his blood cold with anticipation. What was next? What was he even supposed to do, if anything? He tried to shake away his thoughts, knowing that if he kept his mind on the hand - the girl - against him, then nothing would continue. Coco said that she hoped he planned on skyping him over the four months he would be gone, and he could only return the smile that she had given him. "Yeah. Yeah, I couldn't go a day without talking to you." Joey knew that there would be days he couldn't talk to her, that there would be some points where he was far too busy. That didn't mean he wouldn't try. He wanted to kiss her, right then and there, but didn't know if it was an appropriate time. "I'm gonna miss you a lot," he murmured, one of his hands raising up to her face, fingers sliding behind her neck.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco felt his hand slip up to her neck, his fingers were doing something magical there, she leaned into his touch much like a cat would. "I'm going to miss you too my love," She murmured as she looked at him through half lidded eyes, this man was someone that she had chosen to be with, despite her parents and other relatives advising against it. They had overcome so many things, and been through so much together, and now they were going to be tested once again. But this time it was on their term, this was something that Joey had chosen, so it felt different this time, to her. "I just..." She almost pulled away, but she forced herself to stay still, "Don't go off falling for some groupie or something, okay?" She was half joking, that was when her arms snuck up and looped around Joey's neck, she pulled him down to her and kissed him on the lips. It was always shocking when they kissed, an electric current seemed to hum along their bodies when they decided to be intimate, and it scared and thrilled Coco. Mostly thrilled, especially right then, with her man about to be going off on a new adventure, having to stay away from her for a lengthy period of time.

[Mallory]

Joey let his teeth show, a smile crossing his face whenever Coco told him to stay away from the fans, to stay away from the groupies. It almost made him laugh, really. It would be forever before he actually had any groupies, but he knew what she meant. "I promise that I won't hook up with anyone while I'm on the road." that had to be the biggest test, wasn't it? Not trying to find hopeless love in someone else when the love of your life was waiting for you back at home. He could see how it would be desperately hard for someone else, but he knew that it wouldn't be an issue. He saw how much cheating could hurt relationships, and he knew that he never would do that sort of thing. It just wasn't right. Coco's arms snaked around his neck, and before he knew it, their lips were pressed together. It hit him like a brick wall. Every emotion that he had been feeling over the past few months. It was all out in front of him. Joey took a very small step towards her, not wanting to get her into a situation that she couldn't get out of. After all, she was already pressed against the kitchen counter. Electrical shocks were being sent through him, coursing through his veins, affecting his body like a snake bite. She was addictive, her love and her in general. How he had ever gotten so lucky, he had no idea; but there they were, standing on a wire and their fate was up to them. Joey lifted his other hand, resting it very softly on her hip as he continued their kiss, not back off and definitely not pressing forward.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

(Centuries is playing while.... ahhh this is intense)

Coco felt the surprise from her husband, he was still for only a moment though before he was kissing her back and pressing against her. She let out a happy little moan, it was lost to his lips though, never really making its way to the air. She couldn't help but still get the thrill she got from the first time they kissed, her entire body was itching for his it seemed. Maybe it was because they weren't physical like this often? She couldn't really be sure, and had no idea of how to explain such chemistry, perhaps this was how all couples were? That were truly in love? God she hoped so, because missing out on such intense feelings and emotions was wrong. Coco, without breaking away from Joey's mouth, moved herself up onto the counter, using his shoulders as leverage to get herself up on it. She wrapped her legs around his waist, not even giving thought to whether he would feel trapped or not, she just knew that she needed him closer. As her soft lips moved against his harsher ones her hands moved up into his hair, reveling in the softness of it, she had to commit every single detail to memory. Joey would be gone the next morning, for quite a while, and these moments, these memories, would be all that she would have to keep her company while he was away.

[Mallory]

Joey was unsure of what to do, his mind in a whirl of questions and insecurity. What if he messed this up, their little moment? Was there a way to mess this up? He wanted to not think about it, to just let himself go and do whatever came to mind, but he couldn't. His mind didn't work like that. He wanted to make sure that he was doing everything right, that this wasn't going to end up with him tripping over his or her limbs. Then Coco took control of the situation, gripping his shoulders and sliding herself up onto the counter. She was taller than him now, seeing how sitting on a higher platform put her head way over his. Whether he went on his tip-toes, or she tilted her head downward, it didn't matter; their lips were still fused together. Coco's legs went around his waist, pulling him close to not just the counter, but her as well. It made him a bit uneasy, but he tried to not think about it. His stomach was in knots and he placed his hands on the counter, nails digging into the surface. He didn't want to mess this up. If he screwed up now, then the next four months could possibly be a living hell. Joey had absolutely no idea what to do, but she obviously did. Her hands ran through his hair, unintentionally tugging at strands. He was anxious. Anxious for her, anxious for this. His hands moved from the counter and slid to her waist, her belt loops keeping his fingers busy. Was this right? Was this what he was supposed to do? He hoped so, because if this wasn't acceptable, then he was all out of ideas.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Hands, hands had went to her pants, and they were tugging on the loops there, Joey was touching her waist. Coco's mind was reeling from everything she was feeling and wanting, "More." She managed to breath out before kissing Joey again, this wasn't normal for her, or him really. But they were going to be separated for a long time, and she wasn't about to waste their last day together wandering around a city when they could be touching each other and making moments count at home with one another. Coco was frustrated with the clothing barriers, but she wasn't sure that Joey was ready for that point yet, she moved her hands down his neck, to his shoulders, then down his chest in a slow manner, finally she got to the edge of his shirt and slipped her hands beneath it. Her fingers roamed his stomach, while her lips stayed on his, everything was so intense, she felt like she might explode from it all. He felt perfect beneath her hands, his lips were working in sync with hers, could it get any better? Really? A blush tinted her cheeks, yeah she might have been taking lead, but she was still very aware of what was happening and was slightly embarrassed by her brash actions with Joey. Though apparently this sort of thing was normal in most relationships.

[Mallory]

Joey didn't quite understand when Coco muttered a single word against his lips, saying more before continuing their kiss. Was he supposed to do more? Was she about to do more? Did she want more? What in the world was her definition of "more"? He didn't get it, didn't know what she wanted him to do - if anything. Then, he got a hint. Coco's hands slid down from his head, resting on his shoulders and then continuing to his stomach. Her fingers went underneath his shirt, slightly cold to the touch, and it made him shiver. His eyes opened slightly in surprise, catching a glimpse of the girl's simple expression. Love. His eyes fell closed again, but he couldn't shake the look that he saw. This was what she liked, whether it be him or his actions. A smile pressed against his lips, and he desperately tried to wipe it away so it wouldn't interrupt their kiss. Joey's hands moved forward, resting on her thighs, fingers going over the bunched up cloth that was near her pockets. "You sure?" he asked, the question being almost inaudible since he murmured it between kisses. He wanted her to be comfortable, and didn't want to make her feel like she was pressured to do any of this. Her hands comforted him, honestly, and made him feel more easy compared to when he thought about leaving. Maybe it was good that they were doing this; he at least didn't feel nervous for the tour, nervous about their relationship.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

He was asking if she was sure or something and his hands were on her thighs, she felt like wiggling around but kept still as she waited to see what he would do next, "I'm sure Joey." She confirmed, her voice was steady when she spoke, she wanted him to know that she wanted this. His hands on her thighs was making her yearn for even more than before. It was like he was teasing her, though she was fairly sure he wasn't since he wasn't that kind of guy. Was he? Coco took a break from kissing Joey, she leaned her forehead against his as her hands moved up to his chest, tracing invisible lines beneath his shirt. Soon she was leaning away from him slightly so that she could pull his shirt completely off, it dropped to the floor, forgotten. Joey was sexy, and he didn't even know it, Coco was partially drawn to him because of that. She looked down over his chest, then she touched his chest, exploring it with not only her hand but her eyes as well. "You're..." She didn't want to say beautiful because he might get offended, "You're perfect." She managed and was proud of herself for not screwing the compliment up.

[Mallory]

Joey felt exposed. He felt too open. Even though he was married to her, even though this was supposed to be a normal thing, it felt weird. His shirt was off, tossed down next to him, abandoned onto the floor. Coco's eyes looked over him and he wanted to shrink back. He didn't know if the look she was giving him was good or bad, and he felt absolutely ashamed. He should be able to stand before her and have this happen, this should be something that didn't get on his nerves, but it wasn't something that passed over smoothly. Then, her hands were against him again, her skin pressing against his and gliding around with ease. It calmed him a bit, but he was still uneasy. The words that came out of her mouth made his brows furrow together. Perfect? Possibly in her eyes, but if she knew what was going on in his mind.... Joey let the corner of his mouth curl into a smirk, and he looked up at her. "And you're an angel," he replied, his own hands finding their way up beneath her shirt, fingertips not going any farther than above her diaphragm. Going up on his tip toes, he pressed his lips against hers once again, getting a feel for all of this once again. Him standing there half dressed, their hands searching the other's body, lips intertwined. It shouldn't have been a new experience, and it really wasn't, but right now it all felt like the first time over again. It was just him and Coco, they were the only two people left on earth. They had one another, and right now, that was all that counted.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco blinked with surprise, her eyes widened slightly, angel? Her? No way, she was anything but, yet she blushed and kept quiet at the compliment. She leaned into the kiss that Joey started up once again, her hands trailed up to his shoulders where she held on for dear life. She was a little unsteady because Joeys hands were beneath her shirt and it was sending shivers down her spine, and butterflies fluttering in her tummy. Coco wondered briefly why they didn't do this sort of thing more often, maybe it was her own fault. Perhaps she made him feel like he couldn't start this kind of thing with her. She would rectify that, show him that she enjoyed their physical interaction as much as their emotional. Cocos mind was all over the place as she made out with her husband, not knowing quite what to do with herself as he explored her skin beneath her shirt. She felt like this could only get more and more intense.

[Mallory]

The grip on his shoulders pressed him on farther, making him deepen their kiss into something that he wasn't sure he was exactly ready for yet. One of his hands wrapped around to her back, the pads of his fingers tracing along her spine. Every ridge, every bump, every vertebrae was her. This wasn't synthetic, this wasn't fake, this was real. They were real. Joey let his mouth soften against hers for a moment, taking her lower lip in between his teeth before releasing it and continuing the kiss. That was definitely something that he hadn't tried to do before, but it didn't feel foreign to him. Now he knew what Coco meant when she had told him "more". If there was a more right now, he wanted it. He craved more. Take back every single thought he had previously, and replace them with what he was thinking now. Her, this... More of it. He pressed his hand flat against her stomach, breaking their kiss once again to let his lips fall against the side of her neck. "Bedroom," he didn't know if it was a question or a demand, but either worked right about now. He loved her - really loved her - and didn't want this to end so soon. Besides, he needed something to look back on while on tour.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Certain moments in life will be forever etched into one's mind, this was one of those moments for Coco. The way Joey's hair felt, silky and fine against her hands, his skin smooth, his lips hard yet relenting, their bodies sending electrical like shocks to one another. All this was being committed to memory so that she could remember him, this, them, while he was away on his tour. She shivered beneath Joey's wandering hands, a pleasant chill that went all the way up her spine, and back down to her toes. He said something, but it took her a moment to comprehend his words, bedroom. It seemed that she wasn't the only one that was out of control, Coco slid from the counter, keeping her arms and body against Joey, as well as her lips, as they blindly made their way towards the bedroom. They ended up bumping into some things, knocking this and that to the floor, she thought a lamp crashed to the floor at some point, but it just didn't matter to her then, all that mattered was her, and Joey, nothing else. Coco actually started undoing Joey's belt as they stumbled into their private quarters, more was definitely what was fueling her right then, she needed more as much as Joey did.

[Mallory]

Joey took a step back, allowing space for her to slide off of the counter. He brought his arms up, Coco's shirt hooked on his hands so it was merely tossed to the ground in an instant. Their lips were locked onto one another, hands pressed against the other's body. It felt weird to be doing this, but it didn't feel wrong. He was being pushed towards the bedroom, only opening his eyes for a split second whenever they bumped into something. A serious moment, that was what this was supposed to be, but he couldn't help from grinning childishly against her lips. This wasn't them, this wasn't what they normally did, so it just seemed a little funny. Foreign land, that was practically what they were on. Joey felt hands tugging at the front of his jeans, fingers trying to undo his belt. He was about to help her, about to reach down and unhook his own belt when it loosened, the leather accessory coming undone. They were already in their room, just inches away from the bed. This was really about to happen, wasn't it? Confirming this in his mind, Joey pressed the palms of his hands against her shoulders, lightly pushing her down onto the mattress. He slid his hands down against her, fingertips resting in the waistband of her jeans. He had broken the kiss, but didn't care to rejoin it. After all, that wasn't really his priority right now....

(Do you uhhh just wanna skip??)

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

(Yep skippy skippy)

After a couple of hours of pure bliss, Coco rolled over in her bed, lying on her back, her body entangled with the sheets. Her skin had a fine sheen to it from the activities she and Joey had just been involved in, Wow that was amazing, I won't be forgetting that anytime soon, she thought to herself and glanced toward her husband who seemed just as tuckered out as herself. A soft smile appeared on her lips, she was satisfied and tired, but so very happy. Coco and Joey had been pretty tame in their love life since getting together, cuddles and sweet kisses on the cheek taking lead in their love life over anything more intimate. After today though, well she was rethinking the whole cuddle thing taking first, maybe second instead. Coco hid a mischievous grin and tried to contain her giddiness from it all. Coco was happy that she and Joey would have a big memory to hold them over for the next four months, it would definitely be enough to last for her. She was also hungry, after everything she had an appetite. "I think I'll make us some food..." Her voice was soft and relaxed when she spoke, her eyes still lingering on Joey.

[Mallory]

Green eyes were fixed on the ceiling, his chest falling and rising more rapidly than usual. Coco had slid off of him, both of them taking a few moments to regain their thoughts. He turned his head, his cheek pressed against the sheets as he studied her face. There was something on her mind, he could see it, but anything that she was thinking wasn't being said aloud. Perhaps that would be a good thing when it all came down to it, but he honestly wished he could tell what she was thinking about right then and there. Joey blinked slowly, taking in every aspect of their previous actions and of the world around them now. Was this was he would remember over the next few months? Whenever someone would mention his wife, or even Seattle, is this the memory that would come to mind? Or would he think of the music shops, the days he walked hand-in-hand with his wife down the sidewalk, the days of sunshine that takes over the gloom every now and then? Maybe a mixture of everything? Coco's mouth opened, the words that escaped making him pause and think. "Is that what you have on your mind right now?" he asked, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile, revealing just a few of his teeth. Food sounded pretty good right now, so he didn't want to turn it down, but he also didn't want her to leave him at the moment. He nodded, though, just slightly, to let her know that it was okay. Joey propped himself up on his elbows, the white sheets wrapped around the lower half of his body. He turned his head to look at her, "I'm really going to miss you," he whispered, leaning over very slightly to kiss her on the nose before going back to sitting up on his elbows. This was nice, even if some of the stress of life was starting to come back to him.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco wondered if she had offended Joey, he asked if that was really what she had on her mind right then. Well yes, that and everything they had just done of course, heat rushed to her cheeks as her mind wandered over their actions of the last couple of hours. Yeah maybe she shouldn't linger too much on that, it would send her entire body into a shade of red, and would probably freak Joey out some. He leaned forward and kissed her nose, she smiled softly at him, her head turned as he leaned back onto his elbows, her eyes never leaving him. "I'm going to miss you too, I wish..." She halted, she had to word it right, "I wish that you had told me sooner. I'm not mad," She rushed, "I just wished I had been able to know that I needed to make every minute count with you these past weeks. I love you Joey," Her eyes were earnest, and by that point she was up on her elbow, and turned on her side as she stared at him. Coco cupped Joey's cheek with her hand, her thumb made small movements against his cheek, "I'll write you every week, I swear. I know you won't be able to respond really, but at least you'll get word from me every week, right?" (Maybe we can say he sent her postcards now and then?) Coco moved her hand away and sat up, letting the sheet fall to her waist, she pulled on one of Joey's shirts that was lying on the bed, then slipped out from beneath the sheets to find a pair of shorts, she slipped those on as well and went barefoot toward the kitchen. "What are you hungry for?" She called over her shoulder as she made her way into their kitchen to fix them something to eat.

[Mallory]

Joey kept still as she explained how she wished he would have told her sooner about his leaving, that she wished she could have made the past weeks memorable. That was what he wanted to avoid, really. This whole time, even if he didn't exactly realize it until now, he wasn't really scared or worried about how she would react to the news. If Coco would have known about this when he found out, then she wouldn't have been acting like herself. She would have been trying to make him happy, doing what she thought was right instead of off of pure instinct. The past month or two with her just being her was a far better memory than anything they could scrap together in their last hours with one another. Joey kept his eyes on her as she continued to speak, her hand pressing lightly against the side of his face. She said that she would write him - something that would absolutely make him homesick, but comfort him at the same time. He nodded slowly, "I'll try to reply as much as I can, maybe even send you a few things." he watched as she moved away from him, her hands reaching to put on one of his shirts that were lying around. Coco then slid off of their bed, putting on a pair of shorts before making her way to the kitchen. She asked what he was wanting to eat before out of hearing range, and he honestly had no idea. What did they even have available? Joey looked back up at the ceiling for a few moments before throwing the covers away from him, moving his legs to the side of the bed to stand up. He moved around for a few minutes, pulling on a pair of jeans as well as one of his Billie Holiday shirts. His hands instantly went to his hair, trying hopelessly to smooth it out. When he stepped out of the bedroom, his hands were still raised. "Do we have like pasta or something?" Joey's voice came out plain, a serious question that he was wondering the answer to. Of course, they could always go out to eat, but that didn't actually sound like a fun idea as of now. He found his was next to Coco, dropping his arms back down to his sides as his eyes scanned the kitchen for potential food options.

[Leena, Cute and fluffy]

Coco found herself completely, and utterly distracted by the sight of her man getting out of bed and dressed, mmm yeah that would be a sight she would miss for sure. He put his hands to his hair, which was a sexy mess, she kept herself from giggling, just barely. He was always trying to fix it, and it never really worked out for him, she didn't mind in the least though. "Ummm," She glanced towards the cabinets, he was so close to her just then that if she leaned back she would be touching him. Distracting, he was far too distracting, Coco felt her cheeks grow warm, she moved further into the kitchen and raised up onto her tip toes to search the tops of cabinets. She pulled out some multi-colored pasta, spaghetti sauce, and spices, as well as some garlic bread after rummaging through the freezer. "Yes, we have all of that stuff, I'll start on the pasta if you want to get the garlic bread ready to put in the oven?" She flashed Joey a smile, trying to keep the worry off her face, honestly her plan was to shove all of her worries and fears to the back of her mind until after Joey left, then it could all come crashing down on her. When she was alone to deal with it all, she wanted him to have no qualms about leaving, this was an amazing opportunity for him. Her hands were busy as she filled a stainless steel pot with water and started pouring the pasta into it, then she lit the stove and set the pot on one of the burners. Satisfied that it was started, she went on to find a pot for the sauce so that she could get all of that going as well.

[Mallory]

Joey watched as she took a few steps closer to the cabinets, her eyes looking over all of the items. It was adorable, honestly, watching Coco stretch to grab a hold of certain boxes and move around the kitchen. She turned to him, saying that they had what it would take to make their meal, and that she would make the pasta if he would get the bread ready. "Sounds like a plan." Joey said, walking towards the oven to preheat it. This was, most likely, one of the last meals they would prepare together before he left, and that alone made him want to make the most of this moment. He would be leaving early the following morning, having to say goodbye to the life he knows and loves for four months. A tour bus, band mates, nothing but the hum of rubber against asphalt to keep him company during late at night... it would be hard for everyone, but there wasn't any turning back now. Joey stepped away from the oven, walking to a cabinet to pull out a ceramic baking sheet for the bread. He turned to Coco once he sat it on the counter, watching her for a few moments before speaking, "You're not going to throw me away for some biker guy while I'm gone, are you?" his voice was soft but still audible, his bottom lip caught between his teeth in an anxious manor. Perhaps it was a rude question that stated he didn't trust her, but it was more along the lines that he didn't trust himself. He had been faithful, always had and always will, but he hadn't been away from home for so long before. Joey let his hands slide off of the baking sheet, his fingers rubbing against the fabric of his jeans as he waited for her to respond.