I've been running through the jungle
I've been running with the wolves
To get to you, to get to you
•
I've been down the darkest alleys
Saw the dark side of the moon
To get to you, to get to you

~ ~ ~

There was something about Valentine's Day that made Zoe want to dress up a bit more than usual, and she hadn't noticed until after she was dressed, that there might have been some subliminal messages in her outfit since she planned on losing her virginity today. Because, in a stark, blinding white dress and her hair perfectly groomed, Zoe felt like she was presenting herself as a pure, untouched, innocent virgin. The message wasn't intentional but now that she saw it, she couldn't unsee it...

There wasn't time to change, however, when Teddy started knocking on her door and insisted she hurry up so they weren't late for school. Luckily, Zoe could hide her purity away under a heavy jacket and wear her thick winter boots until she made it to school where she could show off her dress and switch into heels. After living in the snow for this long, she had learned her lesson and couldn't possibly walk to school one more morning in heels and an exposing outfit.

"What time are you leaving?" Teddy asked Carmen, waiting for Zoe at the front door as she jogged down the grand staircase.

Carmen pushed the two suitcases she had packed last night from the living room to the foyer and shrugged. "Maybe an hour or so from now. I want to be home maybe mid afternoon tomorrow and still give the babies time to play."

Teddy nodded as he watched Zoe hurry to shove her feet in her fuzzy boots and throw her backpack over her shoulders. He liked her hair today, like he did everyday. He couldn't see her outfit under her giant winter jacket but he could see a lot of her legs, which meant she had to be wearing a skirt or dress of some sort. Teddy almost wished she was wearing jeans so he didn't daydream about her legs all day but even her jeans were beginning to get to him. She looked enticing in everything.

"Do you two have any plans while I'm gone?" Carmen asked with her hands on her hips and a knowing glint in her eyes, which they both—separately—caught.

"Nope. No big plans, anyways." Teddy tried to say casually but looked extremely tense. He glanced towards Zoe, who also appeared a bit stiff and anxious. "We're just gonna hang out.."

"Yeah.. Maybe order a pizza or something.." Zoe feigned innocence as she tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Alright. Sounds fun." Carmen smugly grinned and began gesturing towards the space between her and the two high schoolers. "Just make sure you don't leave a mess, alright? And remember to be safe. You know, because I won't be here and it will just be you two... together, I mean."

Zoe's face boiled with embarrassment and she turned towards the door to leave as soon as possible. Teddy was so quick behind her since his train of thought was on the same track of hers that he nearly collided with her as they both reached for the door. Teddy and Zoe fumbled with their farewells at Carmen, which made her snicker to herself, and disappeared out of the house to escape.

The silence and tension between Teddy and Zoe was enough to keep them from even daring to brush elbows as they walked side by side on the sidewalk. Neither of them could even look at each other. Teddy was too caught up thinking about the pressure of taking care of a virgin girl when he was a virgin himself, while Zoe was too caught up imagining how intimidated she would be once she saw Teddy naked.

Zoe had only seen him shirtless once and couldn't stop thinking about the parts of him that she hadn't seen yet.

Teddy had zero experience making a woman feel good and he knew basing his knowledge off of porn was probably a bad idea.

What if it hurt or he wasn't turned on enough by her for it to be fun?

What if he did something wrong and scarred her for life?

-

"I'm trying to quit. I'm serious this time." Howl said when him and Teddy stepped outside during their lunch break. He had his cigarette pack in his hand and was trying his best not to open it.

"You should quit. You've had enough. I haven't had one in weeks and it's not so bad." Teddy pointed out.

"But you never smoked as much as I did." Howl countered.

"And now you won't smoke as much as you did either." Teddy firmly declared as he snatched the pack of cigarettes from Howl and tossed them in the trash compartment by the doors to the school. "Granted, we have kids in the house now so quitting isn't really a choice for me. I can not have cigarette smoke all over me with the kids around."

"We? As in, you and Zoe? Man, you sound like an old married couple already. I love it." Howl chuckled.

Teddy rolled his eyes but didn't bother snapping at Howl this time. When he said we, he meant all of them. Teddy, Carmen, and Zoe. He didn't mean him and Zoe had children so he couldn't smoke anymore.

"You and Fisher are the real old married couple here. You guys bicker like you've been together fifty years." Teddy laughed.

"I think that's why I like him so much." Howl smiled, a genuine expression that he couldn't fight, even as he flicked the ashes of his cigarette into the snow. "I've never had so much fun bickering with someone before. He's so good at it, you know? It's fucking adorable. I was just raving about him to Liam too."

"Liam? Nightclub guy?" Teddy asked with a bit of suspicion in his narrowed eyes. "You talked to him, even though you're trying to be loyal to Fish?"

"It was his bachelor party and I had always promised him that I was going to crash it so... I did." Howl shrugged and leaned back against the brick wall. "The night didn't really end how I always predicted it would, though. I mean, Liam kissed me but it wasn't-it wasn't... it was nothing, really. And then I told him I'm in love with Fisher so.. we parted ways."

"You're in love with Fisher?" Teddy's suspicious expression contorted even more intensely as he stared in awe at Howl. "Like.. the real kind of love? Or are you over-exaggerating?"

"I'm in love with him. The real kind of love. The kind that makes me want to spend every single hour of every single day with him. The kind that makes everyone else feel... inadequate because they don't fit me like Fisher fits me." Howl explained, the look in his eyes turning wise and meaningful as he spoke.

These weren't jokes and there was zero ounce of over-exaggeration. Howl was being serious. It made Teddy shiver.

"Have you told Fisher any of this yet?"

"No."

"Are you going to?"

"Eventually."

"When?"

"When the time is right, I guess."

"When's that?" Teddy asked, pushing further and further to find the answers he wanted without even realizing how much he was prying. He was simply so curious that he couldn't help himself.

Howl snorted a laugh and shrugged his brows shoulders against the cold brick behind him. "I don't know, Teddy. When I can't bite my tongue any longer, I'll say it. The next time we're alone and happy, I'll tell him I love him."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Teddy was without another question, but at the same time, he had a million more on his mind. How did Howl even know he was in love? How did he know it was the real kind? It's not like people fell in love in high school all the time. Love was for old people in cheesy rom-coms. It couldn't possibly last like this, in high school, with so much ahead of them in the future.

Howl was surprised by Teddy's silence after his abundance of questions and turned his head towards him to see Teddy biting his thumbnail. That familiar habit made Howl's eyes narrow now as he carefully studied the boy stood beside him. Why was he suddenly so anxious? Why was he so curious? What was running through his mind so fast that it made Teddy's eyes look like he was speed-reading a book?

"If you haven't told him yet.." Teddy started, his eyes still staring off as his hand disappeared into the pocket of his jeans. "How do you know he'll say it back?"

"I don't." Howl admitted.

Teddy turned his eyes to Howl with a confused frown on his face. "What if he doesn't love you back?"

Howl shrugged once more, looking completely unbothered. "Then I'll make sure he does fall in love with me in the future. And if that doesn't work... I can't do much else but enjoy him while I have him."

Teddy's brain was having a hard time computing with these new ideas being introduced into his head. How could someone be so fearless? Howl even seemed confident. There was a possibility that Fisher wouldn't feel the same way as Howl and Howl was already prepared to accept that. Why even plan on saying it at all? Why even embrace it when Fisher could reject the whole thing and run? Wouldn't that hurt? Teddy may have a theory that Howl was a masochist but this was something completely different.

"If Fisher does completely reject me and crush my heart, though," Howl started, causing Teddy to zero his attention in on him. "will you come drinking with me? You don't have to drink but at least drive for me so I can get plastered and wallow in my heartbreak."

Teddy scoffed a laugh and shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't imagine the kind of mess Howl would be if he was wasted and heartbroken. Yet, there was still no hesitation in Howl's idea.

"You're not telling him tonight, right? I'll be your designated driver but not tonight." Teddy clarified.

"How come? What are you doing tonight, virgin?" Howl teased.

"I'm staying in with Zoe tonight." Teddy retorted. "There's no way I'm going to babysit your ass at a bar tonight."

Howl no longer found his virgin joke funny as he realized what Teddy was saying to his right now. "You're staying in with Zoe? Tonight? On Valentine's Day? Like.. you made plans to do this?"

Teddy casted a sideways frown at Howl, already catching on to where his mind was going. "It's not like that, Howl. I just asked her if she was doing anything and she said she wasn't so... we're gonna hang out."

"And do what?" Howl pushed, his curiosity growing by the second. He wanted to know every single detail. Each other?, he wanted to add.

"I don't know. Watch a movie. Play video games. Order pizza.." Teddy shrugged. "Without Carmen and the babies in the house, it's probably gonna be quiet and boring, though."

"Carmen's out of the house tonight? On Valentine's Day?" Howl nearly exclaimed, getting even more excited at the thought of the endless possibilities that tonight had in store for Teddy and Zoe's relationship. "Oh, please Teddy, have sex tonight. It's too perfect for you not to."

"Howl!" Teddy shouted in shock with his eyes wide and mouth agape. "Just because Carmen's out of the house doesn't mean-"

"No! Listen to me!" Howl grabbed Teddy's shoulders and kept his eyes locked with Teddy's so he could read the sincerity in his eyes as he spoke. "It's Valentine's Day, you've finally just recently come to terms with the fact that you truly want Zoe, and I can promise you that she wants you just as badly. Don't waste all your time with her just pinning over something that you could have tonight. Do the fucking universe a favor and just do it. Tonight."

Teddy could feel his heart racing in his chest as he absorbed every word that Howl spoke and he kept their eyes locked. Teddy gulped and said, "I'm a virgin, Howl... Deciding to suddenly have sex is how I screwed all of this up the first time. You know that. I ran for my life the first time I tried this."

"That's because you were with the wrong girl, Teddy." Howl whispered, his tone still firm and serious. "This is Zoe we're talking about. You know Zoe and she knows you. You're more compatible with each other than most people ever will be. You like her and she likes you. You are destined to spend tonight railing the fuck out of that adorable little blonde."

Teddy recoiled at Howl's crude language and shoved his hands off of his shoulders, but he didn't forget everything else Howl said. He kind of had a point. Teddy didn't really want Zoe and Zoe had already confessed to him that she wanted him too. Awhile ago, they agreed that they weren't destined to be together and even agreed to find other people to love, but it had never happened. Probably because what they were telling themselves was all wrong. It wasn't true for either of them.

Maybe they were meant to be. Maybe the stars had aligned perfectly for tonight to happen. Maybe Howl was right and Teddy should stop wasting his time pinning over something that could easily be his. Even if Teddy was scared of the millions of ways tonight could go wrong, maybe he had to take that chance. He had been wrestling with the world and wrestling with himself for so long, maybe he should just forget about it all tonight and do something that he wanted for once. Like making Zoe his.

"You have condoms. I know you do. You've been preparing for this moment." Teddy expected to see a smug grin when he looked up at Howl, but instead, there was a glint of joy and pride in his eyes and only a hint of a smirk on his pierced lips. "Don't let an opportunity like this slip through your fingers, Teddy. You deserve tonight. You deserve her."

Teddy gulped and let a nervous smirk pull awkwardly at the corner of his lips. "I guess.. we'll see what happens."

"Oh, I wish I could see."

"Gross, dude."

-

"Oh, Zoe! You look so beautiful!" Vanessa gasped as Zoe approached their usual lunch table.

"Thank you! So do you, Van! Like always." Zoe happily replied and fell into the seat beside Vanessa to pull her into a hug. Since Vanessa didn't go on the ski trip, it had been a few days since they last saw each other and Zoe missed her.

"If I wasn't so hurt from your constant rejections-" Joseph chimed as he stared hopelessly at Zoe, hearts in his eyes and mouth agape. "I think I would ask you out again. You know what.. Fuck it. Let's go on a date tonight, Zoe."

Zoe chuckled at Joseph's proposal, as did a few of the other girls, since his attraction to her had basically become a running gag.

"Stop kidding around, Joseph." Zoe laughed. She knew he wasn't joking but it was easier to reject someone when you acted oblivious. It hurt them less.

"Do I look like I'm kidding over here, Zoe? Really?" Joseph asked and gestured at his outfit.

Joseph was a very extra person. Every opportunity he had, he did and said something completely ridiculous and over the top. So today, for Valentine's Day, he came to school in puffy white shorts that almost looked like a diaper with a bow slung over his bare chest and wings strapped to his back. He was trying to be Cupid, which was made a bit more obvious by the arrow he was carrying around that had a heart as the arrowhead, but he barely got five steps into the school before he got yelled at for violating the dress code.

Joseph came prepared, though. When he got yelled at and was forced to change, he pulled a red shirt from his backpack and covered his bare chest but not his pasty thighs. Still, though, he kept his bow and arrow and the pair of wings over his shoulders. Joseph did actually look like a joke, which further helped Zoe dismiss his courtship and declare it all a joke.

"You look like a fool, Joseph. Personally, I love it and find it kind of endearing, but it's not helping your case." Zoe giggled.

"Fair enough.." Joseph shrugged and went to return to his food before he noticed the death glare he was getting from Chuck.

The guy barely talked to Zoe anymore ever since he finally realized Zoe would always take Teddy's side, without question, but he was still obsessed with her. Joseph had to put his hands up in a silent declaration of submission and surrender. That didn't soften Chucks hardened expression, however. He was still bitter.

"So.. Stacy-" Zoe redirected her attention, causing Stacy to curious meet her gaze. "What are you and Grant doing for Valentine's Day?"

It was hard not to notice the fact that Zoe asked the only girl at the table that was in a relationship about her Valentine's Day plans. Vanessa, who was thankful that she wasn't added to that category, looked at each of her friends and then toward Zoe. They all turned their attention to her too, also intrigued by this question and it's source. Zoe was completely zeroed in on Stacy, which made it abundantly obvious that there was an answer she wanted to hear.

"Nothing special. Dinner and a movie." Stacy shrugged.

Zoe nodded, unsatisfied by that answer. When a few eyes turned away from Zoe so the people at the table could eat, she kept her eyes glued to her close girl friends around her. "You guys have all been in a relationship at one point, right? Did you guys ever... talk about.. doing it with your boyfriend beforehand?"

The four girls paying attention to Zoe all stared and stared and stared as they tried to decode her question. There was a reason she was asking and they all knew it, they just didn't know why or what she was asking yet. They had to dig a little deeper for that but they didn't want the boys to hear so, instinctually, they all leaned towards her to keep the conversation contained between the five of them.

"By doing it, you mean sex?" Vanessa smirked. She figured that was obvious but she wanted to lay a foundation before she dove into this topic.

"Well, yeah.." Zoe blushed and shrugged. "I'm just wondering if you talk to your boyfriend first or you just... seduce him.. when you want.. it.."

The puzzle pieces were slowly falling together and it began to click in the girls heads as their expressions turned into knowing smirks.

"Why are you asking this, Zoe?" Lauren playfully teased. "Is there a certain someone you want to spend your Valentine's having sex with?"

"No!" Zoe lied as her cheeks turned even redder. With her blonde hair and white dress, the color in her cheeks stood out more than ever. "I'm just... you know.. curious. I've never had a boyfriend so-"

"Until now, you mean?" Courtney butted in with narrowed, suspicious eyes.

"You're not seriously fucking him, are you?" Stacy whispered with disgust written clear across her face.

It was out in the open now. Everybody knew Zoe was asking these questions because she wanted to have sex with Teddy tonight. The only thing was, that clear information made them want to help her less. They didn't like Teddy, didn't think he deserved Zoe, and couldn't understand what she saw in him. Vanessa wasn't on board with that relationship either, considering Zoe had already confided in her about Teddy hurting her feelings. But.. Zoe was her friend and she couldn't stop her from falling for someone.

So, Vanessa simply decided to be supportive.

"Do you have lingerie?" Vanessa asked before anybody else could chastise Zoe.

Zoe was still a bit wide eyed by shook her head. "Nothing that's.... purposefully for sex..."

"Screw lingerie." Lauren scoffed and waved her hand dismissively in the air. "If you want to really turn a guy on, you have to wear clothes with nothing underneath. No bra, no panties. If it's a revealing outfit then he'll catch on real quick. If it's like a big hoodie of something, it'll be like a nice surprise when he starts touching you."

"That's not bad." Courtney said as she pointed to Lauren, looking as if she was seriously considering the idea for herself.

Zoe nodded along in understanding, considering that option for herself. She definitely didn't have sexy, Valentine's Day lingerie to dress in but she could easily throw on one of Teddy's hoodies and remain completely naked underneath. Although, not wearing panties or something would feel a bit strange. She had never walked around in no underwear before. Unless it was right after a shower or while changing.

That still didn't help Zoe seduce Teddy. If he didn't know she was naked and ready to be felt up, what was the point of it at all.

"How do you get the guy to... discover... your nakedness?" Zoe asked Lauren, feeling a bit of her embarrassment fade now that everybody was shamelessly engaged in this lewd conversation.

A few girls exchanged glances before a string of suggestions were all vomited on to the table.

"Make the first move. Guys love that. You'll be irresistible." Stacy said.

"Play a naughty game. Make a bet. Something quick and easy but something you know you can win. Then ask for a dirty favor." Courtney said.

"Seduction. Be flirtatious, be playful, lots of whispering and touching." Lauren said.

"But you're a virgin, aren't you?" Vanessa interjected, cutting off the round of suggestions. Zoe's blush returned. "That's why you're asking. Because you've never had sex with a guy before?"

"Well... yeah..." Zoe bashfully shrugged. "I'm a virgin."

"You're going to give your virginity to Teddy Morgan?" Lauren leaned in to whisper to Zoe in pure shock.

Zoe nervously looked around to the boys on either side of their conversation that weren't paying any attention. Thank god.

"I'm considering it." Zoe whispered back.

"Why him?" Courtney frowned. "Selik is hot as hell and he's asked you out a hundred times."

"I don't know Selik.." Zoe countered.

"He's your friend, Zoe!" Lauren whisper-yelled at Zoe. "There's no way you know Teddy more than you know Selik."

Zoe could only shrug, since Lauren's assumption couldn't have been more wrong. She knew Teddy more than she knew the very people she was talking to right now. She trusted him, she liked him, she wanted him. And there was nothing her friends could say that would change her mind because, well, she knew Teddy in ways that nobody else would. The only part of him she had yet to discover was his sexual capabilities and she was anxious to uncover that mystery.

"I want Teddy." Zoe whispered to her friends. "I don't want anybody else. Just him. You're not going to change my mind."

Vanessa cracked a smile, although, she was still a bit worried. Zoe was hopelessly crushing on Teddy and it was so endearing, but Vanessa didn't trust that he knew how to take care of a girl properly. She had never seen him be affectionate towards anybody before. Whatever version of Teddy that Zoe saw, it had to be a completely different version than the one he brought to school.

Hopefully, he wouldn't hurt her. That's the least that Vanessa could pray for in this situation.

"Alright. I'm going to try to be supportive and say," Vanessa said as she placed a comforting hand on Zoe's arm. "Make sure he makes you cum. An actual angel could fall from the heavens and make you the happiest girl on this earth, but if he doesn't make you cum, you're wasting your goddamn time."

"I second that." Courtney chimed.

"Oh, me too. Absolutely." Lauren declared.

"Well, I ain't got no problem in that department. Grant knows what he's doing." Stacy cockily smirked.

"And pee after sex. Always pee after sex. It's good for your coochie." Lauren added, making Courtney cringe at her horrible choice of words.

"Please, don't tell me you call it a coochie." Courtney plead.

"What else would you call it?" Lauren deadpanned.

"Not that!" Courtney exclaimed.

"Court, you literally hate every word that's not 'your special area'." Stacy argued, using her fingers to make quotation marks.

"That's not true. I think Flower is cute. And-"

"You like 'Flower' instead of 'Coochie'? Are you twelve years old?" Lauren barked.

Zoe giggled but avoided eye contact since she was too embarrassed and out of her element. She was so embarrassed yet so excited that her palms were getting a little sweaty and she was tempted to start bouncing her leg with anticipation. The girls had been kind of helpful, despite their distaste for Teddy. Zoe was thankful that Vanessa kept stepping in before the girls spiraled into their own hatred for him. Vanessa was always capable of steering the conversation in the right direction.

That was exactly why nobody had figured out she had a girlfriend yet.

"I know you're nervous, but you really don't have to be." Vanessa whispered to Zoe so she could comfort her alone, without any crude comments or judgement. "As long as you communicate, things should go smoothly. Don't be afraid to say no and don't be afraid to ask for what you want. You're just as important in the moment as he is."

"That sounds embarrassing.." Zoe whispered back to her as she made a face at Vanessa. "I've never really made demands before.. What if he feels like I'm bossing him around and he gets turned off?"

"Then he's an insecure little boy and doesn't deserve to be blessed with your virginity." Vanessa smirked. Zoe smiled and buried a giggle. "Besides, you'll both be naked and vulnerable, so it will be easier to talk to each other when you're on equal ground. Just don't get too wrapped up in your own head and enjoy it while it lasts. Okay?"

Zoe nodded with a confidence that she didn't have even this morning. Vanessa was right. Of course she was right. If Teddy actually liked her, he should want to please her and make sure she was comfortable and satisfied. And, in return, she would make it just as fun and comfortable for him. However, if he didn't actually like her or want her then all of his anxiety and anticipation and overthinking would all be a waste.

"I know you don't really get it.." Zoe whispered to Vanessa with a soft smile on her delicate features. "But thanks for being so nice about all of this anyways."

"Of course. You support me." Vanessa shrugged, referring to her relationship with Abigail, which Zoe was always sweet about. "Just friends being friends."

"Yeah, I guess." Zoe's smile broadened.

It was a bittersweet sentiment because, if friends really were suppose to be supportive, then Zoe had very, very few friends.

Zoe opened her mouth to repeat her gratitude but forgot what she was going to say when her eyes lifted to spot Teddy and Howl stepping inside from their smoke break. Teddy's eyes quickly found hers and his plain expression seemed to lighten, instead of darken. It felt nice, from Zoe's perspective, to finally gain his attention and not be scoffed at. Their relationship had evolved. He accepted her. Not only that, he welcomed her.

It made Zoe feel like the odds were in her favor tonight. Finally. She might actually get what she always wanted.

"Speak of the devil.." Zoe whispered with smile on her face.

Vanessa looked over her shoulder to see Howl and Teddy stalking into the school. Howl stepped away from Teddy to hang his arms over Fisher, who was a few tables away from them with his sophomore friends, before he laid a kiss on his cheek. Meanwhile, Teddy made his way across the lunchroom, his eyes locked on Zoe's as he signaled for her to follow with a simple nod of his head.

Zoe captured her bottom lip between her teeth and excitedly hopped out of her seat at the lunch table. Vanessa chuckled and managed to land an encouraging smack on Zoe's ass, which made her skip forward even quicker. Zoe's leave attracted her friends attention and some of them watched as she hurried across the lunch room, towards a smiling face and awaiting hand.

Zoe interlaced her fingers with Teddy's and he guided her the rest of the way towards him until she was tucked against his side. They began walking together into the hallway and out of the lunch room, unbothered and basically oblivious to those staring at them as they left. Some people had gotten used to Zoe's odd relationship with Teddy but they had never seen them touch and smile at each other like they were. They definitely weren't just friends, anymore.

"You don't smell like smoke." Zoe said as she sniffed Teddy's leather jacket. "I guess you haven't for awhile but you were just outside with Howl. You guys usually smoke when you're out there."

"I stopped smoking awhile ago, Zo. Even Howl's trying to quit now. We were just talking." Teddy said to the little blonde snuggled in his side.

"What were you talking about?" Zoe looked innocently up at Teddy through her eyelashes.

Teddy only glanced down at Zoe before he looked ahead to stay composed. "Nothing really important. Just some typical banter, as always. You know Howl's got a mouth on him."

"Mm. That I know." Zoe chuckled. "But so do you, which is exactly why you two get along."

"Like brothers." Teddy happily nodded.

-

The walk home from school was just as awkward as Teddy and Zoe's walk to school. They didn't say much, if anything at all. Since it was still cold out, her friends still refused to walk and all piled into Chuck's car so Zoe was left to climb the hill of their street by Teddy's side. Both of them had sex on the brain while they convinced themselves that the other was thinking of no such thing. Both of them were nervous. Both of them were tense. But both of them were undeniably excited by the idea of how the night would end

Once they were inside their quiet, empty house however, Zoe quickly excused herself so she could shower. She wanted to make sure she was clean, freshly shaven, smelled good, and had smooth skin for her night with Teddy. He hadn't actually thought about that since he was still stuck debating if he even wanted to try his luck tonight, but once Zoe said she wanted to shower, Teddy instantly agreed. They dove quickly into their separate bedrooms and spent the next hour washing and preparing themselves for the night that they were going to lose their virginities.

"I like your shirt." Zoe chimed when she met Teddy downstairs again. He was finished up first and was lounging on the couch as he waited for Zoe to return.

Teddy looked up from his phone and spotted Zoe in the doorway of the living room, fussing nervously with the hem of the sweatshirt she was wearing, which he recognized as his. It was the sweatshirt she stole from him in the beginning of their relationship and it was clearly too big for her. If she wasn't playing with the hem of it, her shorts would be easily hidden under it. That said more about her shorts really. They were really really short and made her legs look that much longer.

As always, Teddy was amazed by her hair. It always looked so angelic and soft and shiny. Her hair was voluminous, cascading over her shoulders like a golden waterfall, with waves that were as natural as the rest of her beauty. The very sight of Zoe made Teddy smile, but the sight of her long legs, hair, and giant sweatshirt got his heart pumping at new speeds. Why was having sex with Zoe a debate, again? Wasn't there only one answer?

Glancing down at his shirt and tossing his phone aside, Teddy shrugged. It was his Nosferatu shirt that he bought from a secondhand store just to please Zoe for Halloween. "Really? Even though it's not Halloween?"

"Those old scary movies are enjoyable year round." Zoe sweetly smiled as she stepped further into the living room.

It was so quiet in this house without Carmen and the babies that Zoe worried Teddy might be able to hear the sound of her heart racing in her chest. The silence reminded Zoe a lot of what it was like to live here before the Morgan family and she didn't like reliving that very lonely, dreadful, empty life. Luckily, Teddy was here with her. He always was, no matter where she was or whether they were happy or sad. That made the cacophonous silence a little more bearable.

"Are you okay, by the way?" Zoe asked with a sudden spark of concern as she sat on the couch beside Teddy. His expression turned curious as he watched her examine every inch of his face. "You're still a little bruised and I worry about your ankle."

Teddy's confusion over her concern faded and was replaced with a warmth that he couldn't quite describe. "You don't have to worry. I told you, Zo, I'm resilient. Can't even feel these bruises anymore."

"Really?" Zoe's hand instinctively reached up to touch Teddy's face but she paused before she made contact and searched his eyes. "Can I touch you?"

A smirk tugged at the corner of Teddy's lips, despite his internal protest, and he nodded. "Of course."

Zoe was careful as she graced her fingers over the dark spot by the outer corner of Teddy's eye. He didn't react so Zoe moved her fingers to touch a bruise on his opposite cheek. The colors in his bruises had faded and it seemed the pain had as well, but they were still slightly visible. Zoe wanted to ask him questions about what happened and why it happened, but she trusted Teddy to tell her if it was something important.

Besides, Zoe couldn't think of any reason that her mother would want Teddy beaten up again and, if it didn't involve Rin, then it probably wasn't something to keep worrying about. It must've just been a passing incident that Teddy accidentally stumbled into.

"See? No pain." Teddy softly reassured the blonde sat in front of him as she repeatedly stroked the bruise on his cheek.

Zoe dropped her hand to her lap and granted Teddy a soft smile. "That doesn't mean I don't worry about you. This happens to you too often."

"But I still heal. The pain is temporary and it's already gone." Teddy argued.

"It's gone? So, we can start that dual we promised in the arcade?" Zoe's soft smile brightened with a bit of mischief.

Teddy perked up with his smile reflecting Zoe's. "You trynna fight, Z? On Valentine's Day?"

"What else would you and I be doing other fighting on Valentine's Day?" Zoe cockily asked.

Teddy narrowed his eyes but his smile never faltered. "You have a point there. I should warn you though, Zoe... I'm bigger and stronger than you."

"Is that what you've been telling yourself all this time?" Zoe asked as she stood up from the couch and stepped into the portion of the living room between the couches and the foyer that was mostly empty and would give them space to wrestle. "No wonder you're such a pompous ass all the time. You underestimate me, Teddy Bear."

Teddy nearly audibly gasped but he kept his calm as he slowly rose from the couch and followed in Zoe's footsteps. He was wildly amused by the cocky glint in her big, brown eyes and smirk on her face. Her insult was just as amusing since she dared to swear without even being bribed to. Teddy was captivated by her. How could she look cute enough to hug like a plushie but sexy enough to make Teddy fight a boner as he locked eyes with her?

"Shit talk.. Really, Zoe? I didn't know you had it in you." Teddy teased.

"Again, Teddy, you underestimate me." Zoe rolled up the giant sleeves of Teddy's sweatshirt and tossed her hair behind her shoulders. "Come on, Teddy. Let's see if you can take me down."

"I don't want to hurt you, Zo."

"I'm not asking you to punch me, Teddy. Just come at me. Grapple me. Try to get me on the ground."

"Alright. Just some friendly wrestling." Teddy smirked and looked Zoe up and down.

"Just some friendly wrestling." Zoe agreed, reflecting Teddy's smirk.

Teddy decided to make the first move, since Zoe looked so confident to counter any of his attacks. He darted forward quickly and reached for her waist, aiming to knock her down with minimal damage. Zoe had taken enough selfies defense lessons from Kenneth to know multiple ways to counter Teddy's very basic attack, however. With a deft strike, she knocked one of his arms out of the way as she grabbed the other and spun to capture his arm under hers before she bent forward and used his own weight to throw him to the ground.

Teddy hit the ground with a thud and wheezed a bit at the impact his fall had on his lungs. Zoe threw her arms up and cheered for herself, proclaiming her first win and doing a little dance. Teddy watched her from the ground and chuckled weakly at Zoe's dorky celebration. Had she always been this adorable?

"I should've known you're an expert at self defense." Teddy groaned as he pushed himself off the ground. "With your alternative lifestyle, it only makes sense."

"Care to try and take down someone so small and fragile again, Teddy?" Zoe playfully challenged.

Teddy laughed and shook his head. "You're going to be real embarrassed when I finally do get you, Zoe."

"When? You mean if?" Zoe pushed, feeling cockier and cockier by the minute.

Zoe was more skilled than Teddy imagined and that became painfully obvious the more they fought. Teddy only managed to get Zoe under his frame twice before she someone slipped out from under him like a slimy snake and popped back up. He still tried his best not to hurt her, even when he needed a tight grasp to keep her in place. Zoe also tried not to hurt him and had to improvise when the self defense moved she knew included hitting his throat, groan, or knees.

They were still having plenty of fun, though. Zoe giggled when she was losing and loudly exclaimed her excitement when she managed to escape Teddy's grasp. Teddy even cried out in pain when Zoe had his arm pinned behind his back or reflexively threw her elbow into his midsection. Zoe was always apologetic, though, and stroked Teddy's arm to try and comfort him when she hurt him. He returned the comfort, however, when Zoe hit her head on the ground and he had to stroke her head to soothe her.

"This doesn't count." Zoe groaned as she rubbed the heel of her palm in a circle where she hit her head, to relieve the pain.

"Maybe we should stop, Zoe." Teddy solemnly chuckled as he gently stroked the side of her face with his knuckles. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me. I tripped and fell." Zoe argued and dropped her hand from her head to look at Teddy. "Let's try again, yeah? One more time."

"One more time." Teddy agreed, extended his pointer finger in between them to firmly state their arrangement. "One round, winner takes all."

"Deal." Zoe said as she took Teddy's hand and used his strength to pull herself to her feet.

Zoe fixed herself once she was stood on her own two feet again, gracefully tossing her blonde hair back and off her shoulders before she fixed her messy sleeves that had fallen from her elbows. Teddy watched her, smiling to himself as he admired how pretty and strong she looked. Zoe looked like a badass right now. She wasn't showing any signs of fatigue, got up immediately after she was knocked down, and had a determination in her eyes that made her look fearless, because she was.

For the final round, Zoe was a little bit more aggressive. She went for Teddy first and captured his arms before she hooked her foot behind his leg to cause it to fall out from under him. Teddy fell to one knee but Zoe wasn't quite strong enough to get him to the ground, which gave Teddy enough of the upper hand to release his arms from her grip and push himself up to capture her from behind. Zoe was slippery enough to escape him, however.

Ducking down and out of Teddy's bear hug, Zoe reached between her legs to grab one of his and pull it out from under his again. This time, Teddy was falling backwards and had less of an advantage when catching himself. He hit the ground with a thud and Zoe nearly turned around to cheer before he kicked Zoe's leg out from under her to send her tumbling towards the ground as well.

Before Zoe could hit the ground and bump her head again, however, Teddy caught her limp figure and eased her descent towards the ground until she was safe. Before she could retaliate and win this round, Teddy was quick to straddle her slim hips and pin Zoe's hands on either side of her head. Her hands were the only points on her body that he truly had control over and Zoe knew how to get out of this position, but she was struck by the way Teddy's frame overshadowed hers.

Passed Zoe's calm facade, she could feel her cheeks warm and her heart race. Teddy's shoulders looked so broad when they were blocking out the lights above them. His grip on her wrists was gentle but still possessive, demanding that her wrists stay in place even if she protested. Not to mention, his face was closer than usual so Zoe could feel his heavy breath occasionally brush her face. His eyes were so dark, his jawline so sharp, and lips so tempting.

"Embarrassed yet, Z?" Teddy cockily asked, his voice a gentle whisper with a smile on his face.

Teddy couldn't help himself from letting go of Zoe's wrist and brushing a few messy strands out of her face. He always loved the view of Zoe like this, with her hair cascaded all around her, her doe eyes staring up at him, and her chest gently heaving under her shirt. It was getting harder and harder for Teddy to convince himself that Zoe Yang wasn't one of the most important people to him. He had already come a long way from hating her guts but his feelings for her weren't fully realized yet and even he knew it.

Zoe decided to take advantage of Teddy's cockiness, since it seemed he had let his guard down to gloat about his victory. So, while he was distracted admiring her and toying with her hair, Zoe used her free hand and her unguarded legs to push Teddy off of her. Teddy easily went tumbling on to his back and barely comprehended how it happened before Zoe was on him and pinning his wrists to the floor, beside his head.

For a moment, Zoe's golden hair swung above his face and framed her cocky smile as she stared down at him. Teddy was stunned into silence, which made Zoe giggle as she realized the effect her skills had on him.

"This is what happens when you let your guard down, Theodore." Zoe chuckled and released one of his wrists to brush her hair out of her face before she quickly returned to it.

Teddy simply stared for another couple seconds, absorbing every inch of Zoe's beauty as she smiled down at him. "If this is the price I have to pay.." Teddy said, thinking back to the conversation he had with his father but also referring to Zoe's triumph. "You can have it all."

"Like a prize?" Zoe asked with a tilt of her head, obviously not catching on to the true meaning behind Teddy's proclamation.

Teddy flashed Zoe a sideways grin and nodded. "Anything you want, Zoe."

"Anything..?" Zoe's expression turned a bit more challenging than curious. She wanted to make sure he meant it and he wasn't simply humoring her.

"Anything." Teddy promised with so much confidence and determination.

Zoe stared into Teddy's dark eyes as she gulped, her fingers gently tightening over his wrists. She had a couple ideas for a winning prize but she was too shy to ask for them. Although, Vanessa told her not to be afraid to ask for what she wanted. If Teddy did want her and he wanted to please her, he would comply within his own limits. Zoe still wondered if something as simple as a kiss was within his limits. They hadn't kissed since that one morning, where Teddy eventually rejected her and ran for the hills.

Their relationship had changed since then, however. Teddy was nicer, touchier, almost always smiling. Zoe didn't know what had changed, but Teddy wasn't hiding in his shell any longer. Maybe all Zoe had to do was take the first step and all their precious inhibitions would melt away. Maybe the timing had finally matched up perfectly for them both. Maybe it was now or never.

"For my prize.." Zoe bashfully began as her sparkling eyes scanned every inch of his face. She reached a hand to grab Teddy's chin, holding him gently but possessively. "I want you to admit that I am not fragile and weak. I'm a badass."

A new glint of wildness sparkled in Teddy's black eyes and even reflected in his growing smile. "You are not fragile and weak, Zoe Yang. You're a fucking badass."

Zoe blushed, her eyes flickering occasionally to look at Teddy's plump lips. She couldn't help but lick hers as she stared. "Now kiss me."

Teddy's wild grin faltered as he gulped at Zoe's demand but the wildness returned when he realized he was more than happy to deliver. And when he lifted his free hand to reach for Zoe's face, she allowed him to but didn't give up on keeping possession of him, in case he thought he could pull another trick out from his sleeve. He was only reaching to gently cup and caress her cheek, though, as he stared up at her. Zoe was stiff and silent as she awaited his compliance.

Teddy didn't reply with his words, though. Instead, he pulled Zoe's face the short distance down towards him and fearlessly captured her in a kiss. Zoe's entire body ignited in fireworks as her lips met Teddy's and melded instantly with his plump, warm, delicious lips. He kissed her gently and moved his lips slowly, as if savoring her, but Zoe could tell this was not the extent of her prize by the way he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss by slyly slipping his tongue between her lips. Zoe was nearly buzzing with excitement as she followed his lead and let herself fall willingly into his spell.

I keep posting early because I'm overly excited for everyone to read the last bits of this phase! There's only two more chapters and then we're diving real deep into some shit! For real for real! The next chapter is REALLY FUCKING AMAZING EVERYBODY SO GET READY!! ITS THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!🤩🤩🤩🤩