**This is non-canon with HR&T**

This is technically a fanfiction chapter dedicated to agatharoza 's mystery-romance The Bad Nerd Boy. I also include several other characters from her lovely stories. I thank her for actually getting me into the romance genre. Now, without further ado~

Featuring:
Tyler Vincent X Autumn Summers
Koltin X Norma
Hunter X Mey
Colton X Jess
Luke X Shanelle
&... The Crown Boys

(Taken from TBNB's "Cast" Chapter)
Castile
Owl
Liam
Niel
Raph

Title: "Operation Christmas Matchbox"
Or
"The Wild, Dorky, Gentleman"

"I brought you here because, despite past misdeeds, despite old sins and betrayals and despite the past threat to my girlfriend's life, I wanted to tell you that trust is earned. You're a bad boy... but not an evil one. That's why you are here."

Norma Johnson

"So it was like that huh? He's got a wild side to him?"

Mey blushed from my prodding. I was asking her about an old game of Kiss & Tell. Turns out Koltin was having a lot of fun that day. At first I was pissed-no, disappointed that the bottle they were spinning had landed on Mey instead of me right next to her. However, that was months ago, Villain X was unmasked by the Crown Boys and now we and Autumn's boyfriend were invited to a little get together the Crown Boys had concocted. Something tells me that those little rascals were up to something.

"You mean he hasn't kissed you yet?"

Mey's eyes grew wide from my silence. Silence, silence speaks volumes.

"We've been watching G.o.T together at my place every week," I said, frustration in my voice, "and I can see it in his eyes but-" I sighed, letting silence finish the sentence for me.

"Whoa, Norma. Have you talked to Jess about it?"

"She didn't say much, just 'I'll take care of it'. A bit ominous for our friend going to college in New York if you ask me."

"How much did you tell her?"

"Everything."

"You told the Walking Facebook everything?!"

"I know-I know, desperate."

"Are you sure he likes you?"

"His brother Colton confirmed it. Jess confirmed it. His deep desirous eyes confirm it."

Mey giggled, "Oh. My. God. Norma I've never seen you like this."

"What?! It's true!"

Mey's giggles erupted into laughs. It's true, the last time I was this into a man was when all the men were kids. As in, I had a crush in like kindergarten that like amounts to nothing. I still remember Zion but he was a jock and went to all the after game parties. He'd flirt with all the other girls and get drunk and other guy generic guy stuff.

Koltin... was wherever I was going to be. If I was going to an after game groupie with everyone he'd third wheel with Jess and Colton. Other times Jess would tell him that I was going to be somewhere I wasn't just to get him to go outside his home. I know all the cliché love stories say this sort of crap but Koltin was different. Whereas Zion and other guys were all about sports Koltin talked about writing and history. However, he'd talk about plots, characters and whole different and purely original worlds his goofy mind created. Then sometimes he'd listen to me talk about my problems, thoughts and Games of Thrones. He talks when you get him started and then listens as well.

"Heh," I huffed humorously, "he called me his Night Queen."

"You're still talking about him?" Mey laughed, "I'm so happy for you. Why Night Queen?"

"He likes to say he's the Night King. A big bad guy from the Game of Thrones."

"Isn't that some ugly blue guy?"

"Goofball thinks the name sounds cool."

"Sounds like home boy needs a little shove in the right direction, eh?" Luke chimed from the driver seat, he was taxiing us to meet with Jess, Colton, Autumn, and Tyler at the airport.

"You keep outta this Lucas."

"Pfft, not gonna happen."

I sighed and looked out the window the rest of the way there. Businesses with closed signs eventually turned into houses with Christmas decorations and then we arrived at the airport. It was a grey but perfect Christmas Day. Perfect weather for going to the park. Koltin loved strolling with me at the park.

Ugh, I'm struggling to get him off my mind.

I remember when he took me to an outdoor movie for the Fourth of July. These simple things seemed like crap old people would do but he made it so... romantic. The nincompoop has done some really romantic things and just really needed to take it to the next level. That, or I'm getting impatient. I'm not planning a wedding or anything yet like Jess was when we last saw each other but ugh this boy.

I just want to kiss him.

Koltin Barnes

I think I got it down to a science... NO ONE can understand the opposite gender. That's it. NONE. No uterus? No understanding of a woman's problems.

That doesn't mean I don't try. Asperger's Syndrome makes me see the world differently but it's definitely not a mental illness that makes you intrinsically smarter. Okay, maybe sometimes but not in the social tense!

God, I botched that up didn't I? Anyways...

I see the world different than most people. Sometimes the most ordinary things seem to be the most profound. Like in one sense I had to teach myself a different way to tie my shoes when I was young. In another sense, an average high school girl, a GoT fan and aspiring psychologist is my everything. That girl's name is Norma Johnson and I think something is- ugh how do I say it- afoot? Wrong? That's too vague though.

Whatever it is, and however you word it, I feel like I'm frustrating her and that is the opposite of my desires. When watching the few lovey-dovey scenes of GoT she has this look on her face like I should magically know what she's thinking. And then I ask, last week,

"What?"

"Are you wearing chapstick today?"

"N-no?"

She sighs and makes my insecurities go into overdrive. I'm not entirely ignorant, I know that I'll need to be-how do I euthanize it-more physical-no, that sounds like abuse. Ah! I know, I'll need to be more intimate someday and believe you me, it's only my self-discipline that keeps me from all that X-rated action if I really wanted it.

And that's part of what scares me.

My first real kiss was Mey. Her body was tense, I later reflected, tense and tacitly screaming you don't have my consent. In the moment my mind was in la-la-land. Afterwards? That guilt is still in my core and the fact, which I found out later, that Hunter saw me pawing on his girl made it worse.

I don't even know the guy, but I know if I were in his shoes somebody was leaving that place horizontal for the hospital. As an highly functioning Aspergian, I must keep my emotions in check. If not I might cane someone to death in a fit of rage. I become irrational.

I'm not joking.

I'm protective of my friends and I still can't forget that Hunter, Tyler and Luke worked with Villain X. It took everything in my power not to find the knife Rosie was planning on using on Autumn and do horrible, sadistic things to both her and Ashton's baby mama. I don't know if I will ever forget Shanelle for her involvement in almost shoving my Norma head first down the stairs and into, luckily, me.

And now, we're about to have a big Christmas get together after the ordeals of months past. I have mixed feelings about Hunter and the others, I'm feeling insecure in my de facto relationship, and I was born with a disorder that makes me a tad autistic, bipolar, or whatever. My emotions are all over the place and-

"Helloooo, Earth to brother~"

I huffed a single laugh. "Houston, please shut up."

"C'mon Koltin!" Jess said, "I'm not supposed to tell you this-"

Yet you are, I mentally deadpanned.

"But Norma has got a special outfit prepared for tonight."

Oh. OH. Crap! Am I blushing?!

"Look at his face!" Jess laughed, "I should have videoed that!"

"Staaawwp!"

My brother said, rising, "Speaking of the devil~"

Picking up my black cane and fedora I rose from my seat where I was waiting and peered through the throngs of people and spotted her. Calling out her name I half-ran-half-walked to her and gave her the iconic airport embrace, lifting her from the cream tile floor for a moment. My brother Colton and Jess looked on with knowing smirks on their faces. I used to get onto them like the little brother I am, you saw each other a week ago, blah, blah, blah. Now? I guess Karma's a punk. I'm giving her The Airport Hug and neither of us have been, or plan to climb, on a plane.

"I missed you, My Queen!"

"I missed you to dork!"

Oh, the Game of Pet Name Epithets? I see how it is~

"Aww, don't be like that toots."

"Alright, babe."

"Babe. Hm." I pretended to test the word, "Babe is good."

Her smiled widened, there was a flicker in her eyes but then she sighed and took my hand. She guided me to some seats out of earshot of Colton and Jess.

"Hey let's talk."

She's breaking up with me, I can feel it. I'm too different, eccentric, and retarded. I felt it coming, I've asked what was wrong and now it's here. I asked again,

"Was there anything particular you wanted to talk about?"

"No? Was there something bothering you?"

"Besides having self trust issues about me having trust issues?"

"Everyone telling you to forget about the Villain X fiasco?"

She's been working out how I think here lately and man that's awesome.

"Yeesss," I air quoted in falsetto, "Koltin that's in the past, blah, blah, blah. Well I'm a aspiring historian, remembering the past is my thing. That whole ordeal was way more than one mistake. It's-it's like cheating with me. It's not, oops I made a mistake. No-" I counted on my fingers, "one: they planned it. Two: they covered it up." I thought a second and added, "Four: they took their socks off. Five et cetra, et cetra."

"What if one was drunk?" She asked with a smirk.

"Well... it's the law if you're drunk you can't give proper consent so one could be kinda innocent. That'd be a mess. Oh, look!"

Autumn and Tyler emerged from the schools of people and she almost tackled Mey. Oh, I just noticed she was here. Luke was here to, talking to Jess and my brother. Norma and I hopped up and I gave a friendly one armed embrace to Autumn,

"Ms. Summers! How I missed you!" We parted and I added, "It been a bore in your absence."

"Oh stop Koltin! I see you've been well!" Casting a knowing look at Norma.

"In this case boring has been quite refreshing-"

"Are you saying I'm boring?" Norma asked, knowing that I was teasing.

"Oh not at all babe."

"Oh my gawd, you two are on a pet name basis!"

Autumn and Norma were swept away in idle chatter as me and the guy next to me watched their happy faces in amiable silence.

"So..." Tyler started awkwardly, "you and Norma officially an item?"

"I'm trying to take it slow, Mr. Vincent. The battlefield of love is like the stock market. You invest all your affection into something too quickly before finding out if it's unhealthy, or something easily bought out and you are screwed. That's why you watch where you invest."

He nodded, although his face tacitly implied that he was befuddled by the analogy.

"Makes sense, I guess. Like keeping your cards close to your chest until you're sure it's a good play?"

"You know I'm bad with words but... I think Norma is worth investing my affections with."

"Your dad let you play the stock market?"

"That's probably why that analogy was on the forefront of my mind. How about you and Autumn?"

"Lucky, she and I are going steady and I'm enjoying every minute."

"That's good, cards still close to your chest?"

"Nah," he smiled, "went all in a long time ago and got lucky."

His smile faltered when he looked at me, my expression indifferent as I finished abruptly,

"Very."

The Crown Boys had arrived Castile greeting loudly,

"What's up porn stars!" Then he added, "And Autumn, who's ready to party!?"

"I told him not to do that." Owl droned.

"He didn't listen?" I said.

"That's my line." Owl said.

"I missed you to Cas," Autumn greeted, "got your license yet?"

"He-" Castile put a finger to Owl's lips and he swatted Cas' hand away.

"Yo," Luke clapped me on the shoulder, "I heard you got a valet for my ride. Thanks dude."

I gave him a genuine smirk, "No problem dude."

"What are we riding in?" Norma wondered aloud.

Castile dramatically put on large black rimmed glasses, declaring, "Behold!"

Two hummer limousines pulled up to the drama queen. Holding my hat at the windy airport I was again soaking in the scene before me. The girls were chattering about happily and the guys were clambering inside the limo to check out the interior and accessories. It was only for a moment, but this hole in my gut appeared whenever Norma got into the other limo. Like part of me wasn't there without her.

"Yo, Earth to brother~"

I muttered an apology and got into the van.

"Ey, Colton." We both looked at Cas, he added as he rummaged through a backpack, "The married one."

Oh no.

Oh my God.

He pulled out a box of... protection and tossed it to him.

"You might need those!"

"Pfft, me? I'm all natural."

He tossed them back but Luke added, "Hey! The non-married one might need 'em!"

"Ooohhh really?" Cas said intrigued.

God kill me, why did I take part in arranging all of this?

Norma Johnson

"To Poirot's!" Jess declared.

"Alright," I started once I saw Autumn and Jess trying to communicate with their eyes, "What madness have you all planned this time?"

"Everything." She pulled out her phone and showed me a picture of an outfit. "A Christmas Present from Koltin. Although he doesn't know he technically bought it."

"Jess! What the hell?!"

"What?"

"You don't see what's wrong with doing all this behind our backs?"

"Well it was intended as a surprise." Autumn stated. "I tried to tell Jess that you, Norma, are never surprised."

"How did you convince Koltin to unknowingly buy that?" Mey asked as the phone was passed around.

"Him and the Crown Boys footed the bill for all this. Koltin got the plane tickets, these limo rentals, the outfit and more." Jess explained. "He kinda gave us a blank check and we used it."

"I don't even like black." I pouted.

"Yeah, but Koltin does. His brother and everyone is deep undercover now-"

"Everyone knows about this?!"

"Kinda." Autumn admitted.

"You all are the best, but you got no chill."

"You all know I don't roll like that."

Hunter had cast me an inquisitive look but didn't say anything.

"What are you, a virgin?" Castile laughed.

"Yes, yes I am." I stated, with zero humor.

"Bro, you do you," Lucas said, "but you need to go for it. Spice things up a bit at least."

"You taxied her here right?"

"Yeah?"

"Did she say something?"

"I ain't gonna betray her trust but she was talking Mey's ear off on the way here. She's ripe for the kill."

"Who's the lucky hen?" Castile asked.

An uncontrollably sheepish smile erupted from my face, the doubts and weight they kept on me gone as I said, "Norma."

"Dang it, I thought she was the only single girl here!"

"Cas!" Owl warned as I glowered at him.

"You know," Tyler said, "sometimes I just wanna put you to sleep so you'd shut up."

Liam, Niel and Raph were oddly quiet today, texting away on their phones.

"Too bad I talk in my sleep!"

Joking, I asked the group, "Who votes that we kill him and leave him on the side of the road?"

The vote was enthusiastically unanimous.

"Wow," his voice sarcastic and melodramatic shock on his face, "I am wounded by you all."

Everyone was in jovial laughter from our antics.

"Wait," I wisecracked, "you have feelings?"

"Why do you keep attacking me? Scared of a sixteen year old?"

"Alright, alright," Colton said, "enough horsepl- TAKE THAT!" He threw the box of protection at me, point blank in my face.

"Oh it's like that huh?!" I licked my finger, and tried for a wet willy.

The van erupted into a cacophony of ululations as we practically wrestled. I lost, getting noogied by my brother. Finally the tinted window separating us from the chauffeur lowered and we all went silent.

"Settle the hell down back there! You're shaking the limo!"

The window rolled back up without another word.

"Well," Liam said into the silence, "looks like someone is getting one star review."

Already under his arm, I grabbed him in an a bear hug.

"I'm going to miss you bro."

He held me back, saying, "I'm gonna miss you to Little."

"Big, I know I mess with you and Jess a lot," I parted sticking my finger at him, "but you better be good to her. Till death do you part."

"I will man."

"Man," Cas said, trying to lighten the air, "if the bromance is only getting started then I better have my Gaydar on the lookout."

"Gaydar? Radar? What the hell..." I chuckled.

Niel spoke for the first time I've seen today, saying, "Alright, real talk, the girls are having girl time for a few hours. We gonna kill time with some B-ball, or in the indoor pool and jacuzzi?"

"My vote is jacuzzi and pool," I said, "I hate basketball and I don't want these clothes getting sweaty. Mr. Oriskinnov would have to fetch our trunks though."

"Don't worry man," Raph also spoke up, "we got you."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Everyone else voted in sync with me. That made me really suspicious. My brother was the last to vote but he had been almost watching my reaction. He shrugged.

"Can't play basketball I guess."

Norma Johnson

We were leaving Poirot's when I asked again, incredulous and shaking my head with a smile, "Jess, just what all did you have cooked up?"

"You girl, are getting smashed to-night!"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I can't believe you. No matter what we did, he's too honorable for that. I promise you, if I was like that he'd drop me like a bad habit."

Autumn busted out laughing while Mey blushed for Jess.

"I-I wonder what Hunter and the guys are doing." Mey murmured.

"Probably playing basketball." Autumn replied, "Lucas, Cas, Hunter? The Barnes Boys? Athletes every one of them."

"Koltin plays football with the guys every now and then but I'd be surprised to see him play basketball." I added.

"Why is that?" Mey asked.

"Cuz my boi absolutely sucks at basketball. Jess' boy is good but my Koltin, bless his heart, remember middle school when Coach Kruel had us play basketball 24/7?" I said.

Autumn shuddered.

"I hated that friggin' cunt." Mey said.

My eyes widened. "Mey!"

"You continue to amaze young pad one!" Jess laughed.

"Anyways," I continued, "me and Jess in middle school could wreck the Barnes Boys in basketball as they are now."

"It's true, bless their hearts. My bae and the boys got a plan though, I'm sure their doing whatever your Koltin wants to do."

Koltin Barnes

Mankind is God's greatest creation. Especially women. The close second? Pool noodles. Pool noodles are the bomb. We were in the glorious Crown Boy mansion and battling each other with Noodles of Death in the indoor Pool of Christophé.

"I will raise our spirits with words from the bard!"

"Bro, we're 0-3 and your still trying to quote Shakespeare?!" My bro yelled from under me.

"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes!"

Castile laughed from atop Hunter, "I love this guy! Marry me already!"

"Alas! Hell is empty and all the devils are here!"

"Go!" Castile ordered, "A horse! My kingdom for a horse! Go my steed!"

"Dude," Hunter bellowed, "I am not your steed!"

I whacked Castile upon the head with my pool noodle. Hitting him again, he blocked this attack and said in a really good Yoda voice, "Oohhh, the Force is strong with this one. Bend over, you will."

Our... steeds busted out laughing.

I gasped melodramatically, "How dare you dishonor such a civilized alien's character?!"

"Get him dude!" My brother cried.

"Shake not thy gory locks at me! T'was thou that wanted to do this!"

Castile hit me in the side, the water almost welcoming me into its... 4ft deep depths!

"Here I and sorrows sit! Here is my throne! Bid kings come bow to it!"

"You are seriously not saying that while on top of me-"

Castile cried, "Screw your courage to the sticking place and we'll not fail!"

"Hi-yah!" I yelled.

I got Castile in the jaw and he went reeling back and Hunter wasn't able to hold him! They both tumbled into the deeps!

"I am King of Scotland! You are officially Banquo my dear man!"

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Two outta three? Oh wait we already won three! Ha!"

"Alright guys," Liam said, "Shanelle says that the maids got the food ready and the girls are almost here."

"Aww, they're not swimming with us?" Cas whined.

"Yeah," Tyler said, "we don't want your dick to fall off at the sight of Autumn in a two piece."

"Point taken!"

We all climbed out of the water and went to put my clothes on after I dried off. Only to find out, my clothes weren't there. I panicked.

"Hey! Where are my clothes?!"

"Aw, one of the maids take your clothes?" Cas said, "Here I got an outfit for ya just give me a second."

"When are the girls getting here?!"

"They said fifteen minutes but give them forty-five." Owl drawled.

"Ugh, I wouldn't feel right with Norma seeing me like this!"

"Dude you know what you need?" Cas said now dressed in semi casual clothes. "You two need to go skinny dipping."

"Thank you for your unasked opinion, broski."

"Broski?"

"I call my brothers that sometimes."

"You only got one brother."

"I chose to have more."

He and a few Crown Boys who overheard smiled at that, he clapped me on the shoulder saying, "I can respect that. Now let's get you looking like a king."

He left to get me some clothes and I spied Hunter in the corner pulling on his shoes. While waiting for Cas I went to him, it helped that he was out of earshot from the other guys at this second and I started, "Hey, I got something I need to get off my chest."

Hunter knit his brows and shrugged before getting up, "Well, shoot, what's up?"

"I wanted to apologize." I shifted my weight from foot to foot.

"About?"

"I'm not good at these, um, about Mey and not coming to you sooner."

"Bruh, what are you talking about?" His voice was getting angry.

"The night Autumn was poisoned?"

"Oh," he sighed in relief and it caused me to release air I didn't even know I was holding, "OH. Bro for a sec I thought something else came up. Do what I do bro, don't dwell on it. We're cool."

"Really brother?"

"Yeah man, forgiven and forgotten. Just don't remind me like an idiot. Now I'm almost having flashbacks about crap going on around that time right now man."

I gave him an embrace as a large amount of the weight on me here lately was lifted from my conscience.

"Hey, unmarried Koltin!" Cas called, poking his head into a doorframe from the hall, "Get over here! I'll have you ready to slay buddy!"

My other suit came with suit pants. When matching your jacket with your pants was almost a daily thing nearly made me ungrateful for the clothes Cas gave me. The jeans were a good, expensive brand. Come to think of it, a lot of the clothes were Boss brand. The turtleneck still had a tag on it.

Maybe Cas thinks he's a Boss. Okay that was a horrible pun. Everything was possibly a size smaller... I didn't think Cas was such a featherweight. I was never all in on exercise and sports but everything was tight on me. Even the suspenders were tight. Thankfully since the jeans were a good brand they weren't chafing me whenever I walked. The jacket barely fit me, and to be honest I think it would fit Norma better. I was pretty toasty in the turtleneck and something was in my inner coat pocket.

Plastic.

I pulled out the protection Cas seemed to keep close to his heart. I'm seriously worried about that brat now. If he keeps this up, the kid will be a father before the turn of the year... and it's Christmas for God's sake. Shoving it into my left jean pocket until I can dispose of it, I was walking towards the main entrance when I passed Tyler propped up in a cleft in the wall.

"Koltin, c'mere a second."

I stopped and turned to him, "Mr. Vincent?"

"There's something I gotta know. Why did you do all this?"

"Do what?"

"Buy four plane tickets, pay for Lucas' Uber, his valet, two limo rentals and tolerate working with the Crown Boys? Not only tolerate them, but invite three drug dealers to hang out with you? You know what Lucas, Hunter and I used to do, so why? Something's up."

"I'll try and give it to you straight, Mr. Vincent. I don't know if I trust any of you. You were willing to be pawns for some stupid narcissistic girl and her baby mama friend. How will I know you got my back if something bigger than that came along?"

He about interjected but I stopped him with my hand.

"A lot has changed." He nodded and kept listening as I continued, "That's all out of our lives. Several people have told me to not dwell on the past. I brought you here because, despite past misdeeds, despite old sins and betrayals and despite the past threat to my girlfriend's life, I wanted to tell you that trust is earned. You're a bad boy... but not an evil one. That's why you are here. Brothers make mistakes, even though you all made a lot of them, I forgive you guys and I want to trust you, I want our camaraderie (*comradery) to grow. That's why we're partying, right? To get closer and have a good time? So that's what I want, now c'mon let's build a friendship thick as blood."

The scowl he wore turned into a happy smile, and he stuck out his hand, "With pleasure, Mr. Barnes."

"Oh, let me add," I crushed his hand and shook it, "as you've probably heard. I'm like a mother bloodhound for my growing family. Autumn being one of those people. I'll tell you like I told my brother, you treat her poorly, I will be... vehemently disappointed."

"I'll kill for her, don't worry."

I let his hand go and asked rhetorically as we joined the others, "Are you serious about that statement?"

The guys rushed us with their hands and began filing out the grand double doors and stairs. Getting to the threshold the sight before me caused me to forget how to breathe. Her face showed a similar reaction as well.

"Who told you that I liked that outfit?"

"Huh?" I blabbed, half outside reality, "No one did."

She smiled brightly, saying, "You look great."

"You do as well."

"Alright party people!" Cas proclaimed, "Food is buffet style so eat what you want when you want! We're gonna party from sunset to sunrise baby!"

"Are you hungry Norma?"

"No Koltin, the girls went to Poirot's for old times sake. Care to stroll with me through the hedge maze?"

Smiling I reminded her, "You know I got a horrible sense of direction."

"You also know I have a good one. I want to see something cool Jess told me about."

She took my hand and led me to the maze. Cas and the girls had impeccable timing. The sun was setting early as it always does during late December and bathed the sky in beautiful oranges and pinks. Once inside the maze, the walls of hedges shielded us from the chilly breeze welcoming night's winter embrace. Away from everyone else, Norma started by asking,

"Remember at the airport when you had something bothering you? I don't think you finished before we went our separate ways."

"It-it's nothing."

"Whenever you stutter while saying that it's a dead giveaway sweetie. You can talk to me."

"Well," I leaned my head against hers as we walked, "I've been thinking a lot. Dwelling on things. Feeling... guilty about things I've done."

She was silent, still lending me her ear as she softly gripped my arm after we hit a curving turn in the maze.

"I've been thinking about the guys, my screw up with Mey, but mostly about you. About us."

"What about the Mey situation made you feel bad? I'm not angry, hell that was months ago but I'm curious. I also like trying to break down how you think."

I sighed, saying, "I was peer pressured into kissing a person I didn't want to kiss. Then, in la-la land, I tried to take the party game into the alley. She seemed, to me and my silly self anyways, to be giving me mixed messages as well.

"She didn't tell me that part."

"At first it only bothered me a bit 'it was a game' I justified, but Hunter saw."

"Oh crap."

"Yeah and that was when it all clicked. Sure, Mey should have known not to play if there was someone else in her life. I don't know the whole situation but even though it happened and at first it was nice, neither of us were really all in. It didn't feel like 100% consent to me so I was careful not to play those games after that."

"You've been careful about other things as well, I can tell."

"My thoughts about taking it slow were cemented into my mind. After that I wasn't saying that I hated or loved someone until I was absolutely sure I sincerely did."

"And kissing?"

I was silent for a moment before saying, "I want the first kiss with the woman I love to be consensual and special."

She tilted her head so we had eye contact as she smirked mischievously. Worming out from my side she shivered. Although there wasn't a breeze the general temperature was dropping a bit. I slipped off my jacket and handed it to her.

"How did I find such a fine gentleman?"

"By half-tackling him?" I teased, plopping my hat on her head. This caused some of her hair to get into her eyes and she blew a tuft out and tucked it behind her ear. I half-stared at her, god, her eyes, smile and everything was ethereal.

"You're right," she said as she took both my hands and guided me towards a hammock, a bench and some plants in my peripheral vision. Walking backwards she stopped next to the items, came close and draped her arms around my neck.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

(A/N: I Have But One Heart by Al Martino & Carlo Savina. Let me know if there's technical problems or if it's not playing the right song for some reason.)

"So, who's this girl that you love?"

"I love this chick named Norma Johnson."

"And if she lead you under the mistletoe her friend told her about, in a somewhat private place, at sunset, do you think that grants a special occasion of consensual holiday tradition?"

"Hmm, I'll sleep on it." I teased and she swatted my chest, causing me to chuckle.

"I love you Norma Johnson."

"I love you too, Koltin Barnes."

"Do you really love me?"

"You have my 100% love and consent, goofball."

"I must warn you, I get lost in the moment so if I cross any boundaries..."

"I'm glad I got a wild gentleman of a man then."

I smiled, so emotionally full I thought I'd burst. I like that, I'm not a typical bad boy. No, I'm one wild gentleman. Freeing my hands, my breathing intensified as I tucked a few stray stands of her beautiful hair under my hat she wore. Holding her face in my hands, I slowly, ever slowly, closed the gap between us and tenderly kissed her.

Tasting mint we parted briefly and I asked, "Strawberry mint?"

She nodded.

"You planned this out."

"You have no idea, that it? Wild boy?"

"That was just an appetizer baby. We're just getting started~"

A/N: The End! I wanted to do an extended version but this monster is already 5,500+ words! Surprisingly, (for those who don't know) Koltin Barnes is canon in TBNB universe and agatharoza and I planned to ship him with Norma when she/we (or whatever) created him. After seeing Ms. Agatha win a contest for Christmas I started finishing up this behemoth. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did creating it! This thing kept me up at night! Good thing it was the holidays! Anyways, merry Christmas/ happy Holidays agatharoza & fam! I wuv you guys! ♥️