Phoenix Maplewood well, now what

And just like that, he was gone. Easy pulled back as well, a startled expression flickering across her face before it was replaced with something akin to desperation and fear. "Adi," she whined, edging closer once more to pepper his chin with placating licks, spine curving inward in shame. What did she do, now? Play it off? Go for broke? Cry?

"Adi, I..." she tried again, but the words wouldn't fill themselves in the way they usually did. Easy gulped in an uneasy breath, seriously considering option number three once more. But she was her father's daughter, at the end of the day. Dawn's sister. And that left only one true option for the Morningside girl.

She moved closer still, until she was plastered against her brother-in-law's chest, breathing in his musky, man-family-strength scent. "Adi," she repeated, his name a soft sigh. A plea. And it was a nice feeling - almost - to be in such a position, but in that moment, she missed her father more than anything, and a part of her she didn't like was absolutely furious at Aditya for making her feel this way, and at Dawn for wasting what she had right in front of her.

Growing up sucked.