Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMPADVYWFW44R0FKS6ZWY13

The bartender matched his expression of surprise, but otherwise kept polishing the glasses in front of him with the same meticulous care. "Yes, she's in the back. Been there since she came in an hour ago," he said. "Said to let her be unless someone was looking for her." Silas' brows knit upward at this information. Generally, unresolved women didn't seek refuge in his bar. Rory's old friend - Zach, was it? - must have pushed her to want this kind of isolation. "Thank you, Tom. Drinks are on the house later." The barkeep nodded once, and a look of relief passed across his otherwise impassive features. He resumed his work, the soft clink-clink of glass on glass punctuating the weighty air. No, something was weighing on Rory to send her spiraling into one of these funky moods of hers, but then again... that had been her MO for as long as Silas could recall. He sighed through his nose and pushed past the heavy velvet curtains, ascending the narrow stairwell to the landing above. He could already hear the soft, snuffling sounds of crying as he reached the top. Face impassive, he pushed into the back flat and followed it to its source. Rory, true to what he'd seen at the threshold of the bar, was curled on the futon in the corner, her legs drawn close to her chest like a cat's. "Rory?" he called. "Mind letting me in?" She looked up through the matted, stringy strands of her raven hair, warily. Her right eye was puffy from crying. In her hand, she clutched a half-smoked cigarette, the ember flickering weakly in the dim light. "I hope you've got a good reason for barging in here like this," she said. "Damnit, Silas, did Zach send you after me?" He approached and slowly took hold of her shoulders. "I came here on my own terms, love. Zach doesn't know anything about this." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, cooing softly. "Come now, you need to clean yourself up. Can't have you wallowing like this. Let me help." Silas got to his feet and held a hand out, looking between her and the bathroom. "I'm going to run a bath. Tuck yourself under the covers while I do, aye? Take a minute to breathe." Rory had never been one to keep her feelings locked down. She had always been free and open with her heart, pouring what she could into the life she had. Now though...he could sense something niggling at the edges of her mind, could see it in the exhausted slump of her shoulders. "Rory," he said carefully, "you've been carrying something heavy on your shoulders lately, haven't you? What's eating at you, lass? Refill those cardio tanks with something other than meaningless dross." She paused in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder at him with a sharp frown. "You're one to talk," she said. "Where was that interest when I needed the talking-to years ago, Silas?" He looked up, his gaze sharp and knowing. "Ah, and what was I meant to do? Give you the beating you deserved?" Rory scoffed and spun on her heel, disappearing into the bathroom. "I'll fill my own damn bath." The water sluiced through the pipes before splashing heavily against the tub. Silas watched from the doorway, his body wound tightly. He could feel her bristling anger, see it in the tight set of her jaw, the guarded look in her eyes. Goddamnit, girl, he thought to himself. He stepped into the room, pressing against her back so that his chin was almost touching her shoulder. His hands moved to take hers, guiding them under the tap. "There now," he breathed, crowding into her space. "You always forget to scrub along your wrists and such. Little of me, little of you." She made a face. "Pull that bloody stuff on someone else, Si." Silas smiled wryly, meeting her gaze. "Very well then. Straighten your hair while I find clean clothes for you." He moved to the wardrobe, rifling through the garments there. "I know you're hurting, lass. Thought you said it best to's well give that man a wide berth." Rory's shoulders slumped. She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "I'm being silly." He returned with a small bundle of clean clothes. "You're you. And I love you for it." Snapping the towels into the air, he held them out. "Fresh towels, still warm from the dryer." Rory looked up at him, her eyes wide and searching. She took the towels, squeezing them gratefully. "Thank you," she whispered. "What would I do without you, eh?" Silas smiled and returned the lilting look she had just given him. "Getting the bath ready was the least I could do, you know. After all, where else could you go and find a friend like me?" He inclined his head, scrutinizing her face. The soft light of the bathroom was kind to her, softening the angular planes of her cheeks and brow. She hesitated. He could hear it in her intake of breath. "Erm...well..." She brought a hand to his chest, Hollywoodish, and looked up at him through her lashes. "Is this your way of taking me on a date or something? Cor, try it on sometime." Silas swore under his breath, sinking into the silence of the bathroom. He stared at the underside of his chin, rubbing a hand over his mouth. "Rory." The whispered name escaped him, urgent and sharp. He could feel his heart racing, beating in the pit of his throat, it thrummed so loudly. She was here, with him, in this moment - and God, he wanted her to stay like this forever. Forever locked in this tight little bubble of joy. She moved closer, her fingers trailing over the lines of his jaw, his cheek. He felt a shiver run down his spine at her touch, and his breath hitched. "Ah, what're ye playing at, I wonder?" She smiled, a slow, sly thing, and leaned forward on impulse to press a soft kiss to his lips. They were warm and pillowy, tasting faintly of berries and sugar. She pulled away before he could respond, smirking. He felt the unexpected jolt of arousal and looked away, cheeks flushing. "K...kiss me again," he breathed out, his voice a low rumble. "I'm...not ready yet." She nodded once, understanding. "Then we'll take our time." She smiled brightly and poured him a glass of the cool water from the bedside cabinet, pressing it into his hands. "Drink, while I get you cleaned up." He lifted his glass in cheers, the rye-eyed glass clinking against hers as she touched it. As she pulled away, he drew his gaze over her body, taking in her curves, the soft sloping of her breasts, the smooth roundness of her belly. Her thighs were smooth and wide, and he could feel them pressing against his own as she poured him more water. Fuck. He swallowed hard, pushing away the rising tide of arousal. "Lass..." he breathed, his voice half-choked around the sudden pulse of want. "Lass...I need to..." He huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. "You don't know how badly I want..." She snorted. "Well, tell me, then." She smiled, leaning close to whisper in his ear. "Tell me everything. Let's get deep into what you want." Silas wasn't sure how to reply after that. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, unsure whether to back out of the situation or lean into the low, seizing heat. She had a skill for this - of removing the baggage, of forcing him to acknowledge how much he really, truly wanted her. "Tell me what I need to keep." Her hand rested against his chest, tracing the lines of his jaw, her thumb pressing against his lower lip. "Don't hold back now." He bit his lip, his eyes fluttering shut at the feel of her hand against his skin, his wandering gaze. After a moment, his eyes opened, dark, heavy-lidded, and shocking before he pressed a hand against the back of her thigh. He pulled her into his lap with one swift motion. Silas felt the warmth spread across his chest and down his stomach, his heart racing at this sudden new intimacy between them. Rory looked at him in expectant silence, something almost dreamy in the starry breathlessness of her eyes. Her tongue ran laps across her full bottom lip. She stroked his hair and rested her forehead against his. "Whatever you need. I can be there for you, you know. Plant my roots by your side, shown in the forest I made into me, unvanquished." Silas swallowed hard and pulled her flush against his chest, his hands greedily groping at her curves and hair - and dear Christ, he needed her, wanted her, more than anything, anything in the world. He captured her mouth in a searing kiss, yielding to the hungry press of her tongue, its desperate swallow. He nipped at the swell of her bottom lip before trailing his lips down her neck, buttoning her shirt open. His fingers scraped at the flesh below, making her gasp and lean into his touch. He licked down her neck and felt himself grow increasingly hard, his panting breath hot against her skin. She arched into him, sighing as his hands skimmed over the soft curve of her hip. He pulled her against him, and she bucked forward as he tightened his grip. He drank in the sight of her flushed skin at his touch, the beads of sweat beading at her forehead. She pushed at his shoulders, stumbling as he pulled away, her eyes glazed. "Take...take me, then." She reached out to undo his shirt, pushing it open, and then her hands were crawling up his chest, under his shirt, burying into his hair. "Love...I feel so full and aching..." Silas growled low in his throat, his heart pounding as he bowed over to gluttonously claim her mouth. Tongues swam and drank in the kisses she showered upon him, their teeth sinking into lips and cheeks, marking him, claiming him, ripping him open and pouring himself into her. He stripped her the rest of the way, baring her pale skin to his hungry gaze, his eyes dark and hot as he surveyed her. She leaned against the wall, her legs spread slightly, proudly for him to see, taunting. He felt himself throb in response, his breathing stuttering from the sheer want, the desperate aching need. He needed her, needed to taste her, fuck her with abandon until she couldn't string sentences together. "Rory..." He pulled her against him, sucking in a harsh breath as he felt her heat, her skin flush against his. She kissed him avidly, her teeth nipping at his bottom lip, her hands scraping along his back, pushing him closer. She yanked her shirt over her head, revealing the pale expanse of her chest, and then his hand was there, splaying across the delicate area, fingers shaping and squeezing, making her gasp. She spat out a curse into his mouth, her hand finding the buckle of his belt and yanking it open, shoving it down his hips with force. He kicked it off with his shoes, leaving him barren and exposed on the cold tile. Rory took him then, reveling in the feeling of his skin on hers, her thighs squeezing deliciously around him as she twisted and twined against him. Silas bent his head down, his teeth grazing the nape of her neck, pulling a shaky moan from her lips. He bit and sucked at the soft skin of her neck, his fingers digging into her hip, and she writhed intrinsically beneath him, her legs wrapping tightly around him. She whispered things to him, nonsensical things, as he trailed his lips down her chest, over the swell of her breasts. He groaned and latched onto one nipple, his tongue flicking over it, making her hips buck against him. "Ah!...Fuck..." She keened, her nails scraping down his back, her teeth biting into his shoulder hard enough to bruise. She pulled back and looked at him with half-lidded eyes, flushed and chest heaving. "I...I need you, Si. Please." He groaned, biting at her neck. "Fuck, lass. I'm so...so bloody close. I can't..." She centered herself, taking a shuddering breath. She looked up at him, at the hunger brimming in his eyes, the way he wanted her, needed her with everything inside him. She reached down and guided him to her entrance, his tip brushing against her folds. Silas growled low in his throat, his heart pounding in his ears, his focus narrowing down to her, to the feeling of her skin against his, the feeling of his heart pumping in his chest, the feeling of his cock throbbing against her folds. He thrust forward, sheathing himself fully inside her in one smooth motion. She cried out, her head falling back against the wall as he filled her completely. He began to move then, his hips thrusting against hers rhythmically, setting a swift pace. She met him thrust for thrust, her hips bucking against his, her nails digging into his shoulders. He kissed her hard, his tongue delving into her mouth, swallowing her cries and groans. He broke away, lips snarling in a guttural growl. "Fuck, Rory, you feel so goddamn good. So wet and tight." She moaned somewhere to her left, her nails digging into his thighs as they rolled together, hips gyrating stacked atop his. His hands drifted to her hair, cupped around her ears, and rocked her chin back to taste the sweatiness of his neck. "Oi." The husky words rumbled over his skin as he pressed his cheek against hers, open-mouthed and gasping, his hips gyrating mindlessly. "Is this...is this what you wanted, lass?" She laughed, a musical sound that tugged at his ears. "Oh, fuck. Fuck, yes. God, Silas. Yes, yes, yes." He caught her lips in his, kissing her deeply, reverently, as their hips rocked together. He pulled back, his eyes dark and heavy-lidded. "Fuck, you feel so good. I...I can't..." She locked her legs around his back, her hips snapping forward, driving him into her. "Then...then don't. Come with me. Give it to me." He thrust twice more before he came hard, his teeth sinking into the flesh of her neck as he spilled himself inside her. He collapsed against her, his face buried in the crook of her neck as they caught their breaths. After a long moment, he pulled back to look at her, his eyes soft and warm. "Jesus, woman. That was...that was amazing." She grinned, her eyes bright and happy. "I'd say so. Promise me you'll stay." He smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Stay, and welcome to this strange patchwork hodgepodge of what we're building together?" She nodded, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to his lips, tasting like berries and sugar. He returned it sweetly, nuzzling his nose against hers. "Promise," she whispered, and he obliged, pulling away slightly to stare lovingly at her for a moment. "Stay," he repeated, his eyes soft and welcoming, his hand cupping her cheek. "I'd like that very much, lass. Very much." She smiled, warm and genuine, and tucked her head against his chest, curling her body against his as the bathroom drifted into silence, save for the soft sound of their breathing.