Realistic or Modern 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy met Theo's gaze and smiled a little when he told her she didn't have to be sorry. Somehow she felt a little more at ease just looking at him, and being there in his bed. Knowing he was beside her comforted her, and while she knew that was a dangerous thing, she didn't really want to push that away right now, when she really needed it.

As his hand reached out and trailed along her arm to her elbow, Poppy closed her eyes, just enjoying the feeling. It soothed her, in a way, though not enough to block out the claps of thunder overhead, or the occasional flashes of lightning that seemed to penetrate her closed eyelids. His words of affirmation helped as well, and she nodded, not quite able to speak since she was just trying to get through the storm. It didn't seem like it was going to die down any time soon though.

When Theo asked what he could do, she felt inclined to answer, though her answer wasn't exactly something either of them should have wanted to been okay with, given their arrangement. But Poppy wasn't thinking about any of that at the moment. She could only think about how she felt, and how it felt nice to be there with Theo, and how he seemed to be keen on helping her get through this. It was a fear she had wanted to try and get over for years, but to no avail.

So, instead of actually answering Theo, Poppy just inched forward, eyes still closed, till her body was pressed up agains him, her face buried into the crook of his neck. She could faintly hear the sound of his heartbeat, and she allowed it to drown out the sounds of thunder, and the heavy pattering of the rain against the window. Poppy allowed the warmth of his body to calm her even further, and eventually she felt the pace of her heartbeat beginning to slow, going back to normal.

Poppy knew she probably should have said something to acknowledge the fact that she was basically burrowing into him, but she felt too comfortable to want to ruin the moment with words so she just rested there like that, eventually feeling soothed enough to doze off into a deep sleep.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

This... feels nice.

outfit

Well, this is what she was wearing.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

Poppy's eyes remained shut. She seemed to somewhat respond to Theo's attempt to calm her. But he knew that he could do more for her. There was a slight pause after he had asked what he could do. That question was answered, but not in words. He felt the shift underneath him, Theo watched her move closer to him. The feeling of her skin pressed up against his was something he knew. But not in this way. This was new. Poppy's frame seemed to fit oh so perfectly with his own body. Her face gently burried it's self in his neck. He could feel her warm breath tickle against his skin. It took him a second to respond due to the fact he was taken aback. Not because he didn't like it, because he did. Theo felt so incredibly warm and fulfilled the moment she pulled herself closer.

That wasn't something he should have been comfortable with.

Theo's one arm wrapped around underneath her, it rested on her waist. The other came up, his fingers gently combing her hair, brushing against her skin so lightly as if she could break. He pressed a gentle kiss onto the top of Poppy's head before bringing his other arm around her to pull her closer. A tender closeness that the two had never shared. It should have scared him in the moment. This was all moving a direction that he couldn't control, that he was afraid of. He wasn't scared though. Not in the slightest. All he felt was contentment. Eventually he felt her racing heartbeat calm, her breath became slow, and he could tell she was asleep. Theo didn't want to fall asleep. As soon as he did, he'd wake up the next morning. And he wanted this moment to last as long as possible. In that moment, he wanted to hold Poppy for the rest of eternity. Theo knew, however, that this thought, this feeling, would go away when he opened his eyes. He just wanted to enjoy it a little longer.

---​

The morning came swiftly. Theo had drifted off to sleep in pure bliss. To wake up with Poppy still tangled in his arms, her legs interwoven with his, he wasn't sure how to feel. In his groggy state of mind, he felt comfortable. His eyes opened to meet the sleeping face of Poppy. The beautiful innocence that painted her expression caused his lip to tug up briefly. That was until his brain finally woke up with his body. His initial pleasant reaction of seeing her so peaceful and still deep in sleep was met with something else. Uneasiness. He felt the need to escape in the confinement that he found himself in.

Oh so carefully, Theo untangled himself, pulling his body away from hers. He didn't want to wake her up, he needed a moment to compose himself before he could talk to Poppy. Miraculously he was able to slip out of bed. That left her lying alone still dreaming peacefully. Theo felt like he had to get out. He ran a nervous hand through his messy hair. Cuddling up close to someone only reminded him of mornings waking up with Analise. Lazing about in bed. Good morning kisses. As much as he adored every moment at the time, it only burned him later. After her, waking up alone never felt so humiliating. He never wanted to feel that way again. Ever. Since feelings never lasted, it was inevitable in any relationship with a connection. So forming one with Poppy frightened him in every single way.

Theo decided that taking a shower before she woke up, to help ease his mind and think things through, was the best option. He stood as warm water hit his skin. Part of him glad to get the sent of Poppy off of him, wash it down the drain. This should have been easy. It was easy for him before when he'd move one from partner to partner like changing your clothes. This was why he never got involved, he never should have let himself get this far. He should have ended things with Poppy at the first red flag. Now he was here, staring at himself in the mirror wondering what he should do.

Should he end things with Poppy? Could he was probably the better question. Theo knew well enough that he couldn't. But he didn't have to say no forever. He didn't want to say no forever. He just needed some space. With space, things would calm down. With time he could rid himself of any attachment properly and refocus. They had agreed that if they wanted to take a break, that they could. All he had to do was tell her he needed time and block her number.

Till when? Theo wasn't sure. If he could just prove to himself that he didn't need her, that he didn't depend on her, then he could allow himself to have her again. He couldn't let himself want to hold her. He couldn't let himself fall for her. She was married for Christ's sake! He couldn't have her not matter how much he wanted to. At the end of the day she would always go back to him, she'd sleep in bed with him, and she'd be in love with him. Theo was just a means to an end. He needed to be ok with that. And right now he was on the verge of not being ok with that fact. That was terrifying.

Taking a deep breath, he finally opened the bathroom door. Drying his hair with one towel while another was wrapped around his waist. He glanced over to his bed. And there she was, looking up at him. When she did, all he could see was danger. "Morning," He spoke flatly, tad cool in tone. He moved to his dresser, his back to Poppy as he tried to get his words together. Theo wanted to keep his distance. He was way too afraid to get close.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: I'm afraid. I can't...
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: morning...

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy only realised when she woke up that sleeping in Theo's arms had to be some of the best sleep she's had in a while, even with a storm raging on outside. She forgot all about the thunder and the lightning and the night of her parents' death. All she could feel in that moment was comfort that seeped into her through the warmth of Theo's body pressed against hers in an almost affectionate embrace. She fell asleep long before she realised he wound his arms back around her, but that was what she woke up to a couple of hours into the night, only to feel satisfied and go right back to sleep.

She should have been scared about what this meant. The truth was that Poppy knew what it meant, mainly because she began to feel it a little while ago, but she'd happily remained in denial. Now she wasn't so sure if she could deny it anymore, since last night made things very clear to her.

The thoughts came rushing back to her when she woke in the morning. She only slightly stirred when Theo got out of bed, untangling himself from her to go shower. She heard the water running and quickly put two and two together, and as she recalled the entire night, she began to feel a little tense. All this was becoming too much — yet at the same time she didn't want it all to end.

Poppy laid in bed, mulling over her own thoughts for a bit, before she slowly threw off the covers and grabbed the first thing she could find on the floor, which was Theo's shirt from last night. She pulled it on over her frame, buttoning it up because it was a little chilly, and she sat herself back down on the edge of the bed, still lost in her own thoughts, when Theo came back out. She met his gaze and offered a small smile, though it wasn't returned. "Morning," she greeted, rising to stand up.

What was she supposed to say? Should she just leave without a word? Should they talk about it? And that was all considering it was two-sided. What if she was the only one who felt this way? Then she'd be ruining something good, and she really didn't want to do that. The agreement was to never let feelings get involved, but Poppy felt like it was a little too late at that point.

"Uh," she cleared her throat and shifted from one foot to the other while standing near the edge of the bed. "I can make coffee?" Could she have been more awkward? She was glad his back currently faced her because even she couldn't decipher the expression on her face, but one thing was for sure — it wasn't the expression of a calm, collected person. More like a conflicted person with a serious issue. Maybe she should have just said she'd see him later and leave. But they'd had breakfast together before. This shouldn't be so bad, right?

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

Did we just fuck up?

outfit

Theo's shirt from last night.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

He could hear her shuffle behind him. Poppy's light steps in his direction made him feel even more apprehensive. Theo could see her nervous stature in the mirror on his wall. The way she shifted awkwardly behind him, wanting to say something but keeping quiet. His shirt hung loosely over her small frame as she pensively decided what to say. Theo pretended not to notice her, however, as he pulled on a pair of sweatpants. He had just grabbed a shirt from the drawer when he heard her voice. He let out a defeated sigh.

The two had shared one morning together. Where everything went downhill. Fear was the primary motivation here. Theo wanted Poppy to leave. He just wanted to be as far away from her as possible. Her presence was making him anxious, scared even. The way she made him feel was frightening. If she was gone, for just a short while, he could fix whatever was wrong with his attitude. It wouldn't be so hard. Out of sight, out of mind as they say. They were strangers before, they could act like strangers again. "No, I can make my own coffee when you leave," He responded coldly. He couldn't let himself be nice, or sugar coat what he wanted to say. As soon as he did that, Theo would chicken out again. That would only lead to more and more pain, wouldn't it?

He turned as he pulled his shirt on over his head. "I think-" He paused as he pulled the fabric down to his waste, "That we need some space." He finally met her gaze, trying to keep his face as stern as possible when he did so. It was becoming increasingly harder to remain strong. Seeing her expression drop was enough to make him buckle slightly. A voice tried to tell him that he didn't want that at all, but he told it to shut the hell up.

"You're getting too attached and I think it's best if we don't see each other for a little while," He explained, making it about her, implying that he didn't care. Maybe if he pushed her away enough, she wouldn't want to come back. Then his whole problem would be solved. Theo crossed his arms over his chest, closing himself off to her. "I'm not saying for forever, just for the foreseeable future I think it's for the best." Was he being selfish? Yes. But when had he not been in this relationship? All he could think about was how afraid he was to get close, because Poppy would inevitably hurt him, wouldn't she? It wasn't hard to assume what could happen since she was currently cheating on her husband with him. It was better this way.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: I don't want to have to say it. But I will.
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: comfy for an uncomfy conversation

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Theo's words hit her like a train. Not at first. When he mentioned making his own coffee once she was gone, she took that as a clear sign to leave. Poppy was fine with that. It admittedly didn't sit too well with her, but that was the arrangement. They weren't in the habit of sharing breakfast in the morning, or waking up in each other's arms, or indulging in any kind of pillow talk. That wasn't the deal. So as much as his indirect proposition stung, Poppy was willing to accept it and get a move on before this was ruined.

But then Theo spoke again, and that's when it felt like she was being railroaded.

It wasn't enough that he wanted to take a break in their arrangement, but the fact that he implied that she was becoming attached seemed to stick with her more. Several things ran through her mind in that moment, rendering her speechless for a good few moments.Theo picked up on the fact that there were changes — maybe it didn't register last night, or maybe he hadn't wanted to acknowledge it last night, but he wasn't being subtle about it now. Moreover, the way he phrased it made it seem like she was the only one with those feelings... meaning this was definitely all her fault. Part of her had wondered if Theo ever felt the same way she did, but clearly she'd been wrong in thinking that. And now it was ruining something great.

She felt bad. But she also felt disappointed. Somehow the idea of not seeing Theo frequently didn't sit well with her. Not for the sex, but just for the joy of being in his company. While that should have been as big of a giveaway as any, she couldn't bring herself to want to change that. Maybe it was for the best though. And she was certainly going to respect his wishes. They decided on that in the start. If any of them wanted to break it off or press pause for a while, then the other would agree. That didn't make hearing any of this any easier though.

"Okay," Poppy said after a moment, seeming to remember that she had yet to actually say something. She met Theo's gaze for all but a moment, and then looked away. There wasn't anything else for her to say. Theo said what he needed to, and she was accepting his wishes. "Yeah, you're right," Poppy nodded, continuing to avoid looking at him as she hastily moved around the room to grab her clothes. The sooner she got out of there, the better. "It's for the best." She still had his shirt on but she wasn't bothered to change out of it when she was in a hurry to leave, and Oscar wasn't home anyway so she didn't see any problem with it.

Poppy paused at the doorway of the bedroom to turn back and look at Theo. She contemplated saying something, but really, what could she say? So, instead, she just gave him another small nod, looking away as she did so. "Bye." The words left her mouth once she'd disappeared from the doorway and headed to the main door. She didn't hesitate to pull it open and step outside, though once that door was closed behind her, she paused, letting the fast pace slip away so she could lean against the wall and just digest what just happened. It was going to take a lot more than a few minutes for the whole thing to register, so she just pulled on her boots, got out her phone, and called for a cab.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

Well... that's that, I guess.

outfit

Theo's shirt from last night.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

Theo felt bad immediately as soon as the silence fell between them. But he didn't say anything. He kept the same neutral expression, even if he wanted to break. To tell her to stay. To forget he even said anything. Somehow, he kept himself from doing those things. He gave Poppy a small nod when she said it was for the best. It was the phrase he was repeating to himself over and over again as he stood there. Theo didn't bother looking over at her when she stopped in the door frame. He looked down at the floor slightly when he heard her say her goodbye. He almost winced at how upset she sounded. He flinched when he heard the door close on her way out.

And he was alone. Theo thought that as soon as she left, he'd feel better. That overwhelming feeling of anxiety would disappear and he'd be back to feeling normal again. But that wasn't what he felt. The quietness of the apartment made it feel so empty. He felt incredibly alone at that moment. He ran his hands through his damp hair as he sat on his bed. This was what he wanted. This was for the best. But why did he hate it so much already?

The next week Theo was struggling, even if he didn't like to admit it. He was bored a lot when he wasn't working. When he sat idly, he thought of Poppy. He wondered what she was doing. If she was as bored as he was. If she missed him at all. He tried to squash those thoughts as soon as he had them but sometimes they came on so fast, he couldn't. Theo had pulled up his phone to text her way too many times than he wanted to. One was too many in his opinion. It helped that he blocked her number as soon as she walked out of the door. He didn't want to be tempted at all to fall back into old habits. He had a pretty bad track record with self-control.

To distract himself on the weekend, he decided to go out with a few friends. And he did have fun. He felt the best he had felt all week. The drinking, dancing, and socializing was all fine and dandy. But Theo wanted to prove more to himself that he was in essence "back to normal". So he fell back on even older habits than Poppy Walsh. Getting up from a stranger's bed and leaving early in the morning wasn't as easy as he had remembered. Theo hadn't felt that empty in a long time on his walk of shame home that morning. Even if he didn't do anything wrong, he felt guilty. He knew that, even if he wanted to, he wasn't ready to call Poppy again.

Therefore, he'd wait longer. Well, that was the plan anyway. His friends had standing plans on Thursday once a month to play a little basketball tournament. It was late when they had ended. Tired, sweaty, and ready to go out for drinks after everything was all said and done. Theo had realized, before heading to the bar, that he had left his wallet behind. Naturally, they just decided to swing by his apartment to grab it, and maybe even pregame a little before going out. As the elevator doors opened to his floor, he noticed right away the figure standing by his door. It took him only moments to recognize her. What was Poppy doing at his door? Hadn't he told her he needed space? He put his hand on the elevator door to block his friends. "Why don't you guys just go on without me? I have something important to take care of," He told them with a short smile before pressing the first floor button. His one friend looked down the hall and gave Theo a confused look, just before the doors shut to take the three of them back downstairs.

Theo rubbed his closed eyelids. He was not prepared for this. What could she possibly want? Hopefully Poppy wasn't some crazy psycho that was going to murder him because he asked for space. Maybe he should have brought his friends with him. That way there would be witnesses. Theo was soon beside his apartment door, looking down at her with eyebrows knitted together and arms crossed. "What're you doing here?" He asked her, trying his best to seem unaffected by her sudden appearance.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: Ok crazy lady, don't murder me.
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy didn't think things could get anymore complicated. A break was a time for some space. During that time, Theo would either decide he wanted to continue what they had, or he'd decide to end it altogether. The thinking definitely made things harder on her, though truthfully, as much as she may have missed seeing Theo, she barely thought about him almost a day after they decided to press pause.

The morning sickness wasn't odd at first, but when it happened more often, it pushed Poppy to accept what she'd been hoping wasn't true. The only way to know for sure was to take a test, and initially, Poppy hadn't wanted to. Doing so would mean being okay with the fact that she may or may not be pregnant — and that the child definitely wasn't her husband's child. Eventually though, she knew she had to do something about it, instead of just remaining in denial, and when she further did the math and realised she was late, Poppy knew she could't hold off anymore. By the time they were into the middle of the week, she plucked up the courage to buy a pregnancy test.

Or three, rather. Better to be sure, since false negatives were also a thing.

With Oscar out of town again, Poppy could pace the outside of her bathroom at night, waiting for the timer on her phone to go off. All three tests came back with the same result: positive. No matter how much Poppy stared at those lines, she knew the outcome wasn't going to change. She was pregnant. She was pregnant. Poppy barely slept all of that night, just trying to digest the very idea of it. She'd had no trouble facing Oscar during her arrangement with Theo, but when he returned the next day, she couldn't meet his gaze. Getting attached was one thing, but having a baby? Was she even ready for that?

Poppy always knew she wanted children, but she never really thought about when she'd want children. The thought of it never crossed her mind because of the condition of her marriage with Oscar. That wasn't the kind of household she wanted to bring a child into because she didn't feel like there was much love between them anymore. Poppy knew she'd love any child she had dearly, and she didn't need someone alongside her to be able to raise one, but she still never would have thought that this would be the way it was going to happen.

The next few days were spent mostly texting and attempting to call Theo, but to no avail. The sooner he knew, the better, but that'd only be possible if he actually picked up the phone or answered her messages. She'd agreed to giving him space, but that was way before she'd had a bombshell dropped on her. Ultimately, Poppy decided to just go to his place. There was no other way she could get to him, and they needed to talk about this.

She couldn't wait for a reasonable hour during the day, so she arrived first thing in the morning. The sooner they got this over with, the better. By the time she reached his door and rang the bell a few times, she realised he wasn't home. Not entirely sure if he was just out for the morning or if he'd gone into work, Poppy leaned against the wall, eventually hunching over and sitting there by the door, trying once again to reach him through the phone. She'd just begun to dial his number when she heard the elevator.

Poppy recognised Theo immediately, though he didn't seem to be alone. Fortunately none of his friends exited the elevator with him. This whole thing would have been a lot harder with other people around. Slowly, Poppy picked herself up off of the floor, gripping her phone in her hands as Theo approached. She wore a neutral expression, though it was hard to keep the nervousness from seeping into it, and her voice. "I've been trying to reach you for days," she told him, waving her phone a bit as if to emphasise this. She bit down on her lower lip, wondering how to begin. "We need to talk. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

Time to drop the baby bomb.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

Theo watched as Poppy rose to her feet. She looked tired, if he was being honest. A little worn with something on her mind. How long had she been there? He had left early that morning for a little extra practice, so when did she show up? Had she been sitting at his door the whole entire day? That perplexed him just as much as her showing up.

Poppy told him that she had been trying to reach him. It made sense that she couldn't reach him, her number was blocked and he didn't want to talk to her. Out of fear more than want. He wasn't about to tell her that. Theo wondered if that fact would hurt her feelings. That he'd go to that extreme to keep her away. But she said she was there for something important.

For a moment he wondered if that was true. What could be so important that she had to show up at his door and camp out until he got home? Had her husband found out, or something? Well if he did, it didn't matter. He wouldn't be too upset if things came to an end that way, forcing him to lay it to rest and move on. Was it really important? That was an easy question to answer. Of course it was. Poppy and Theo may not have been open with each other, or said everything that they thought or felt, but they were honest with each other for the most part. If she said it was important, he knew it wasn't a lie. "Right..." He replied, with a small nod as he moved to unlock his door. He held the door open and gestured for her to move inside.

"You can go ahead and sit. I'm going to get a drink, you want anything?" He questioned, moving towards the kitchen as he did so. The open floor plan made it so he could watch he on the couch while he moved to the counter. He was feeling even more nervous as the minutes ticked by. He had no clue what she could be so anxious to talk to him about. He really should've had an idea, it wasn't hard to imagine. But Theo was left feeling completely caught off guard. Part of him wanted to know right now, and the other was wanting to stall because he didn't want to know at all. He cracked the seal on a new, nice bottle of whiskey. Theo just had a sense he was going to need it.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: Ok... What's going on??
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy kept playing the scenario out in her head. After surveying all the possible endings, she couldn't predict how it was going to go, but naturally she assumed the worst. At least that way she wouldn't be let down as bad. That's what she told herself, anyway, to lessen the blow of whatever was about to happen. With the way Theo spoke to her last time about getting attached, she naturally assumed he'd want nothing to do with a baby, and while the thought of that stung, she couldn't let herself overthink this till she actually broke the news to him.

Him opening the door and inviting her inside was a good sign, so she just nodded and stepped in, shoving her phone into her back pocket and glancing around as if she was seeing the place for the first time. Maybe part of her was wondering if she'd run into someone sprawled out on the bed or the couch, which, even if she did, it shouldn't have been any of her business. Despite knowing that, she couldn't push that small fear away, try as she might.

Sitting wasn't going to help, so as Theo walked to the kitchen, Poppy just began to slowly pace in front of the sofa, arms crossed over her chest. Asking if she wanted something to drink got her to snort a little. God, how was she supposed to go months without having a drink? Or coffee? One problem at a time, she scolded herself in her head. She had to get through this first, and then she could worry about all the other complications that came with pregnancy and pushing an actual human out of her.

Realising she had yet to actually respond to Theo, in addition to the snort, she glanced over. "No, thank you. I can't drink." Maybe that was a giveaway. Maybe it wasn't. Poppy just said it on a whim, not realising till she'd spoken the words. Why should she have been worried if it sounded the way it sounded? That made her job easier, in a way. It's not like she was trying to hide this from him. The whole reason she came over was to tell him what was going on. Now wasn't the time to shy away from the truth.

The more she paced, the more she was going to think about it, and Poppy knew nothing good would come from doing that. "Okay, I'm just gonna come right out and say it," Poppy decided, speaking aloud mostly to herself, as a way to convince herself that she needed to do this, and waiting wasn't going to do them any favours.

She stopped pacing so she could face Theo properly, and with her arms still crossed over her chest, teeth still gnawing on her lower lip, Poppy managed to mumble the words she'd been trying to tell him for the past few days, "I'm pregnant."

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

Let's get this over with.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

Theo watched her nervously pace around his living room. Ok. This definitely wasn't good what ever it was. He had never seen Poppy this unnerved in all the time that he had known her, which it wasn't exactly a long time, but long enough to know this wasn't normal. With her anxious energy, he was getting more and more uneasy. He turned and went to grab glasses from the cupboard, only to hear Poppy say that she couldn't drink. Theo set his one glass onto the counter, looking over at her with a confused expression.

That really should have tipped him off as he poured liquor into his glass, but it didn't click within his brain. Maybe it was the worried thoughts that clouded his mind. Or the fact he was just tired after a long day of running around. Or she was just that distracting. Whatever it was, Theo was still trying to decipher this little clue of her's. Just as she stopped and turned, saying she was going to come out with it, he was pulling his glass up to take an unfortunately timed drink. Because the next sentence that exited Poppy's mouth hit him like a truck. "I'm Pregnant."

Shit.

Theo attempted a gasp as his eyes widened, sending a large amount of scotch burning it's way down his throat. He set his glass down, almost hard enough to break it on the counter as he coughed violently. Immediately it sent his thoughts spirally down the rabbit hole of panic. He was trying to grasp for air, both because of the alcohol that went down the wrong pipe and the gigantic bomb that Poppy just dropped on him. "Fuck Poppy," He chocked out. He had to grab onto the counter to stop himself from falling over. He felt lightheaded.

The first question that came into his head, after a very long line of obscenities, was "is it even mine". Which, admittedly, wasn't a question he wanted to ask. The fact that Poppy was there, telling him at all, told him she at least suspected him as the father of this baby. Then the thought of "Oh shit what if it is mine" was next. That sent him into an even greater panic. Her husband was very, extremely, painfully white. What the hell were they going to do with it coming out looking like him, who was very much so not white?! And he'd make a terrible father. He could barely take care of himself, how in the world was he supposed to take care of a defenseless baby?!?

Now Theo was the one pacing around in the kitchen. His one hand planted firmly in his hair, the other on his side. He let out long slow breaths, trying to avoid hyperventilating. He had no clue where to start. What should he ask? Was she 100% sure she was pregnant? Like false positives were a thing right. Oh, if this was fake, he was going to kill her. "I dont- What ar- Are you- How di- Is- shit!" Incoherent word vomit just tumbled out of him. Now the whole 'I can't drink' thing made sense. Which was the only thing that made sense to him in that very moment. Theo paused, he looked over at Poppy, as he pulled his hand out of his hair before he pulled it all out of his skull. "You're sure? Like totally completely sure that you're definitely..." He couldn't even say the word. "And it's, like, mine?" His voice had very obvious desperation and shock.

A million and one thoughts in his head, but the only one Theo never thought of was leaving her behind. Because even if he wasn't at all ready, believed himself to be a horrible dad, and this was literally the worst circumstances to have a baby in, he couldn't ever do that. At the end of the day, if it was his, it was his kid. Even if he was going to be a shit dad, he'd still be there through it all.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: shit
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Theo didn't take very long to react, but from the moment the words left her lips, it felt like ages to Poppy. Especially with all sorts of thoughts running rampant in her mind. She was freaking out about this, definitely, but what she was more worried about was how Theo was going to take it. With the way he reacted to the news though, she could only suspect that it wouldn't go well.

Poppy winced, seeing Theo choke on the scotch he'd been drinking. That couldn't have felt great, but at the same time she didn't blame him. The last thing he was ever expecting was probably her showing up at his door and telling him that she was pregnant. With his child. She was in a tough position but his position was no better. The fact that she had a husband didn't make things any easier.

Theo began to pace, now that Poppy was standing still, and she continued to gnaw on her lower lip, eventually getting a metallic taste in her mouth that she knew could have only come if she bit down a little too hard. Nonetheless, she kept up her efforts. It was a nervous tic of hers, and she was definitely nervous right now. Among other things. Poppy couldn't even begin to explain how she was feeling right now.

The string of gibberish and half finished questions that left Theo's mouth a while later further cemented the idea in her head that this probably wasn't going to end well. She was trying to give him his space, and time to digest this, but it wasn't the kind of news someone could wrap their heads around so quickly. Not unless they were a couple actually trying for a baby, which they definitely were not.

"I'm sure," Poppy nodded in agreement when Theo asked, to double check. "I took the test three times." Honestly, the fact that she was pregnant was about the only thing she was sure of at this point. There were so many other unknowns, and the idea of it all terrified her. "And yes. It's yours." She wouldn't have been there if it wasn't his. She could have just called or texted and ended their arrangement altogether if she was having a child with her husband, but she knew for a fact that this wasn't Oscar's because they had barely been intimate since she started to see Theo. She had no doubt in her mind that he was the father.

There was so much Poppy wanted to say. She wanted to reassure him that he didn't need to be involved if he didn't want to be, because she knew neither of them asked for any of this. That being said, Poppy herself certainly wasn't going to give the baby up or terminate the pregnancy. She couldn't bring herself to do that, and she loved children. It may not have happened the way she expected it to, but it was still a baby. She was growing a baby. It was both warming and terrifying all at the same time. God, she needed a drink.

As her mind continued to go off the rails, Poppy eyed the remaining scotch left in Theo's glass before making a quick move to walk across to the counter to pick up the glass. "You know what, maybe I will have that drink."

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

I need a drink.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

With Poppy's reassurance that yes, she was very much so pregnant, and yes this was his baby, Theo felt his head spin faster. He hadn't meant for a scoff to come out when she finished speaking. He felt sick to his stomach with anxiety. This was not what he had expected to learn today. His intertwined hands rested on the top of his head as he turned his back to Poppy. He wasn't angry, not in the slightest. He was honestly just shocked. It was always a risk when you slept with someone, but for some reason Theo never expected it to happen. He was normally careful, but apparently not careful enough.

He had yet to think about how Poppy was feeling about all of this. So when he inventively did, Theo knew he had to say or do something other than have a melt down. Right now words were not coming to him and his brain was not functioning. He wanted to reassure her, that no matter what, he'd be right there. That he couldn't ever leave her alone with this responsibility. That it would kill him inside to know he had a kid and wanted nothing to do with it. He liked kids. It was debatable whether he was good with them, but he liked them enough. He was never sure about the whole being a dad thing, since he never was sure about the long term partner thing, but now that it was a reality....he still wasn't sure how to feel. But he could figure it out right?

That was if she was planning on keeping it. Which was something he didn't want to think about at the moment. Despite being shocked and unsure, he'd never demand for her to get an abortion or to give it up, because that's not what he wanted at all. Even if Theo didn't want it, that was her choice, wasn't it. Just like he couldn't force her to get rid of the baby, he couldn't force her to keep it either. That thought made him feel even worse.

Poppy then said that she was going to have a drink, which didn't quite register in his brain. "Yeah sure, go ahead," He breathed out, almost in a defeated tone. Wait...WAIT! "Wait! No! Are you crazy?" Theo quickly corrected himself while plucking the glass from her hands. He decided to polish it off before she had the chance. Not with his baby insider her. There was no way he'd let her drink. Not until he heard that she didn't care. He set the glass back onto the counter, leaning over it with both hands now on the granite. He shut his eyes for a moment, a long drawn out sigh coming from his chest. He took a second before looking up at her. "I just-" He sighed before looking back down and shaking his head, "What are we going to do?"

Location: His Apartment | Mood: what now?
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy had just about reached the counter and picked up the glass, putting it to her lips, when Theo seemed to realise what Poppy already knew — she shouldn't be drinking alcohol while pregnant. That was definitely going to be hard to deal with for nine whole months.

Poppy barely had time to react before Theo was plucking the glass from her hands and quickly finishing it off so she couldn't make such a move again. She just groaned and huffed in defeat, leaning against the counter with her elbows crossed over it. Part of her wanted the troubles of all of this to go away, but another part didn't want to give up the baby that seemed to be causing those troubles. Besides, it wasn't the baby's fault. They'd been careful, but clearly not careful enough, and Poppy felt she was to blame for cheating on her husband repeatedly in the first place.

That being said, she didn't want to stop seeing Theo. She never wanted to. Hell, things between them might have even fizzled off... if she hadn't found out she was growing a baby inside her.

When Theo asked what they were going to do, Poppy stood up straight a little and crossed her arms over her chest with a small shrug. She looked like she felt cold, but really she was just anxious. And nervous. And freaking out at the idea of pushing a baby out of her months from now. And then taking care of that baby. Would she even be a good mother?

"I want to keep the baby," Poppy told him, figuring it was best if she told him her thoughts on the matter first since, well, she did know about it for longer. If only because Theo had blocked her number so there had been no way for her to tell him sooner than actually showing up at his place.

"I know that complicates a lot of things," she continued with another shrug, turning around and beginning to pace once again. "And I can deal with the Oscar side of things." There would probably be a few signs pointing to him not being the father, that was for sure, but if she was having someone else's baby, it was a clear enough sign that she couldn't be married to him for any longer. She'd have to figure that out, in due time.

"And... if you don't want to be involved at all, I'll understand that," Poppy told Theo after a short pause, mainly because she struggled to get the words out. Ideally of course, she would have wanted to see more of Theo. She never expected she'd actually be having a baby with him, but, well, it is what it is. And making sure the baby grew up in a good environment was important. Poppy wanted to be able to provide that, and having Theo by her side would help, but she also wouldn't blame him if he chose to remain uninvolved. He never asked for any of this, or for things to get so complicated.

It would hurt, but she would understand.

"It's up to you," Poppy told him finally, biting down on her lower lip so hard, she was sure she was drawing blood at this point. Not that it stopped her from continuing to gnaw on the flesh out of nervousness.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

It's your decision now.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

Poppy was quick to respond. 'oh thank god,' He had thought to himself. Her statement that she was going to keep the baby gave Theo an overwhelming sense of relief. That was followed by even more anxiety about the sureness of his impending fatherhood, but he tried to hold on to the small victory. That was a good sign right? That he was glad she was going to keep the baby? He wasn't sure, be he had never been so unsure about something in his life, so it wasn't like he was shocked that he was confused about his feelings.

He stood upright as she said that it would complicate things. That was an understatement if he ever heard one. At the moment he just didn't want to deal with that whole situation, he just wanted to get through this conversation first without passing out. That would probably be a miracle. He was impressed he had made it this far without having a panic attack or loosing consciousness. Poppy further assured him that she'd take care of her husband in all of this. He felt kinda bad about that. This probably was not the way the she expected (if she ever expected it to happen) for Oscar to find out. Still, there wasn't anything they could do now, and Theo didn't exactly feel bad enough to jump in to talk to Mr. Walsh.

The next sentence that came out of her mouth was rather shocking, yet it wasn't. Theo could tell that she was nervous to tell him it was ok if he wanted to take the easy way out. Like she expected him to just run off without a second thought. The fact she even was worried about that hurt, sure, but he couldn't blame her. The last they spoke he had tried to make it seem as if he didn't care. But he did. He cared too much. Which was exactly why he could never ever even consider just ignoring the fact he had a child. He made his decision as soon as the words "I'm pregnant" left her mouth. He was a dad whether he was ready or not. Theo couldn't live with himself otherwise.

But for some reason he couldn't bring himself to just out and say he was in this with her. Oh no. His stress riddled brain wanted to start spewing garbage. "I got a story," He began, "This was like a year...ish ago. Anyway. I went to a fair and I played this game. I won a goldfish...I didn't want a goldfish I wanted one of the other prizes but I ended up being the owner of this, y'know, tiny fish. I brought it home and I thought, well this is unexpected. And I didn't want it at first and I was moving and my life was kinda hectic but I had a fish to take care of. I somehow, loved this fish. Like I took care of it and I got it cute little things for it's tank." He paused, giving her a funny, albeit confused, look, "I mean, the fish died in like a month. I don't know if I forgot to feed it, or it got sick, or the water was...like bad, or it was just old. I thought about getting a vet to look at it?? But do they do fish autopsies...I-" He stopped himself and blinked a couple times at Poppy's very confused expression. He realized then he spent the last 5 minutes rambling on about a goldfish when she was waiting on his very important answer.

"What I mean is, I may have not expected this, or even wanted it, but it's my responsibility now. That's my kid Poppy. So even if I'm probably going to be the worst dad on planet earth, I'm still going to be there to love and care for this baby. I'll be there through absolutely everything. I promise," Theo finally confessed. He held her gaze, sincerity filling every word. Terrified, yet determined to do everything in his power to be the best father he could possibly be.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: I promise to stay by your side, both of you
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy honestly wasn't sure what to expect. She knew Theo was a great guy, and she enjoyed spending time with him — in more ways than he knew, of course — but having a kid was a whole different thing, and a much bigger responsibility. One that neither of them really asked for right now, but one they were forced to come to terms with, regardless. Poppy accepted that the day she found out. She was happy to give Theo time to make whatever decision he saw fit for himself. She wasn't going to hold it against him if he decided to not be involved with all of this.

Instead of getting an answer right away though, Poppy watched with curiosity and mild amusement as he went on to talk... about a goldfish? Poppy wasn't entirely sure what the point of the story was, but she stood up straight, tapping her fingers against the kitchen counter restlessly, while watching Theo as he continued to talk, explaining how he grew to care for the fish and then having to go through the death of the fish... and something about fish autopsies?

Halfway through the story, she had an inkling of what he was going on about, and it was only confirmed when he came to the end of his story — or adorable ramble, rather — and told her that despite not wanting this, or expecting it any time soon, he was going to be there. He was going to be involved.

Poppy felt herself feeling flooded with relief. Of course, while she had readied herself for the possibility of going through the motions of raising this child alone, it felt a hundred times better to know that she didn't have to. That the baby didn't have to grow up without a father. Even if their situation was... complicated, the baby would still have two parents who loved him. Or her. That was something she'd find out soon too. Or maybe not. Maybe it should be a surprise. But then how would she know what she needed to buy? Her train of throat was completely derailed, and she seemed to be spiralling internally the way Theo did with his goldfish story. One thing at a time, she thought to herself.

For the time being, she focused on the fact that Theo said he was going to stick around. Poppy smiled a little, unsure of what to say to express how much she appreciated that. So, instead of actually saying anything, she walked around the counter to gingerly give him a hug, initially hesitant since she wasn't sure how it would be received, given how they left things a week ago. In any case, this was more for reassurance, as if to say that together, even if they had no clue what they were doing, they were going to be able to pull this off and do a good job.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

We can do this.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

The subsequent look on Poppy's face just melted his heart. The overwhelming relief that she displayed made Theo feel bad that she felt so worried in the first place. That was his fault, wasn't it? But that didn't matter, because she didn't have to worry anymore. Anything she needed or wanted, she could have. It was quiet for a moment between them. The slow smile that spread across Poppy's face, caused him to give her a nervous smile back. Sure he knew he was all in, and nothing could change that. That didn't mean that Theo was suddenly confident and ready for this. For a baby. That word still made his heart race.

Poppy didn't say anything in response, instead she moved around the counter, stepping closer to him and carefully brought her arms around him. Unlike when she had snuggled up close to him the first time, he didn't freeze. He had almost seen it coming. Actually, if Poppy hadn't initiated the hug, he probably would have. Something about the closeness sounded soothing. So without a second thought or hesitation, Theo brought his arms around her. He held onto her tightly and tenderly rested his cheek on the top of her head. He felt his nerves settle some. Because he realized it wasn't just him in that moment. He had been very focused on his own feelings and insecurities about being a parent, but it wasn't just his sole responsibility.

They had each other. They'd be ok. Eventually. Things would probably be a mess for awhile, because this situation was complicated and difficult. That was something to worry about later. For now, he focused on how warm their embrace was. He tried to assure her through how he held her that he wouldn't let go. This was going to make their relationship very different from before. Everything was going to change, both between them and in their lives. Them getting closer, more attached was literally the least of his worries. It was almost like a switch was flipped inside him. Theo trusted Poppy in that moment. He had to. There was no other way to continue if he didn't.

In all honesty, he didn't want to be alone right now. He didn't want Poppy to leave. He wanted her to stay. Theo knew that her being there in his apartment was settling. As soon as she left then he would have to face all these feelings of uncertainty and fear alone. That sounded dreadful. What if she couldn't stay though? What if her husband would wonder where she was? Well, he wouldn't have to worry about that for much longer. Still, that thought made him somewhat upset. Theo felt this new sense of protection over Poppy, so suddenly he never wanted her to leave. Slowly pulling back from their tight hug, his hand lingered on her arm, trailing it's way down to her wrist, half tempted to intertwine his fingers with hers. "Do you...have to go, or um," He paused, meeting her gaze softly, "can you stay?"

Location: His Apartment | Mood: Stay, please
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy admittedly felt relieved to feel Theo's arms wrapping back around her once she went in for the hug. She hadn't given much thought to their conversation just a week and a half ago, when Theo said they needed to take a break from their arrangement. She was briefly reminded about it now, and imagined that her hugging him could have completely been misconstrued, and she felt lucky that he didn't push it away. Him reciprocating only seemed to further cement the idea in her head that he was with her in all of this, and that felt reassuring. Comforting. In Theo's embrace, Poppy felt safe, even though no danger was being posed to her.

Poppy knew there was a lot left to figure out, and they had yet to face a lot of difficult conversations and decisions, starting with Poppy eventually telling her husband about all of this. That wasn't a conversation she looked forward to having, but she didn't really want to think about all of that right now. For the time being, she wanted to just enjoy the fact that she had gotten through this one major part without any negative impacts. Theo was here. They were okay. They would continue to be okay because they were accepting that they were in this together.

When Theo pulled away and held onto her wrists instead, Poppy leaned back and looked up at him, meeting his gaze. When he asked if she needed to leave, a small smile touched her lips, because honestly she wanted nothing more than to be able to stay. Not just because of the growing feelings she knew she had for Theo — the feelings she didn't think were reciprocated — but because she trusted him, and felt comfortable around him, and she really didn't feel like going back home to an empty house since her husband wasn't home for a few days.

"I can stay," she answered him with a small nod, looking down at their hands. They weren't intertwined, but that physical contact was more than enough to make her feel all warm inside. On second thought, was staying over a good idea? What if it made him feel like she was being too attached again? Poppy didn't want to bring that up and dig an even bigger hole but... would he really invite her to stay over if he had truly felt like she was being attached? Or was there a bigger picture that she was missing, one that he wasn't telling her about?

Something else caught her attention though, and she was briefly distracted from that thought. "Aren't, um, your friends waiting for you though?" She asked with a nervous chuckle, remembering seeing them in the elevator when Theo had arrived on the floor.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

I don't want to be alone either.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

Theo waited patiently for Poppy's answer. He knew that it was possible that she couldn't stay because she had to go home to this thing called a husband. There was another thing that he thought of, only after the fact, was maybe she wouldn't want to stay. He had been rather harsh the last time they spoke. She could have been hurt by that and not wanted to be around him as much as possible. She was telling him about the baby and that was it. When she answered that she could stay, he smiled happily over at her. That was until it seemed like her face shifted.

Her next question was in regards to his friends. Oh right, he had completely forgotten about the guys who had come up in the elevator with him. "Oh them?" He questioned. They had planned on going out for drinks. He didn't want to go anymore. It wasn't because Theo didn't want a drink. This seemed like a perfectly great occasion to get drunk to relieve the tension he felt in his shoulders. It was more the people. Those friends of his weren't the people he wanted to be with right now. Poppy was the only person he wanted to spend time with. "I told them not to wait up," He told her honestly. He could send them a text later.

That and it would really be awkward. He wasn't going to act like himself with the weight of such a commitment over his head. He couldn't just tell them that a) he was sleeping with a married woman and b) he got her pregnant. Neither of those things would be easy to explain. He suddenly realized he was going to have to tell his parents. Theo felt a sudden thought made his anxiety spike back up. His dad would be ok after the initial shock. His mom on the other hand. He was sure she would take a long time to come around. Theo also never wanted to explain to either of them their situation. Who wanted their parents to know they participated in an affair?

Combing her nervous laugh with the look she was giving him, Theo felt like something was off. Maybe it was all in his head. But she did try to give him an out. Was she upset with him? He felt rather sensitive at the moment, with everything going on. He just wanted to know if Poppy was alright. Was it weird if he asked? They hadn't done that much, up until recently not at all. What was happening now was so far off from their original agreement. It felt bad not to ask. So he spoke up, "Is everything ok?"

Location: His Apartment | Mood: what's up?
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy nodded slowly. "Ah. Got it." She wasn't really concerned with his friends. She just felt like asking something to avoid asking what she really wanted to ask. The thought refused to leave her mind, no matter her desire to avoid turning this into an awkward situation. She could try to pretend like there was nothing wrong, that there weren't questions she wanted to ask him after the way they left things last time, though it wasn't so easy.

And it turned out that her attempt to try and mask her nervousness hadn't really worked because despite asking him a different question, Theo seemed to sense that there was something else on her mind. He was right, of course, and she didn't want to lie to him, but she also wasn't sure how to bring it up without sounding... like what? Like she had feelings for him? Like she was clingy? Only one of those things was true but that still didn't mean she was ready to tell him. She was still processing all sorts of emotions around the entire pregnancy.

"Everything's okay," Poppy answered him. That wasn't the total truth, though there wasn't anything that was currently upsetting her. She was just... confused. And curious. And thinking about how to ask him what was really on her mind.

"Things were just weird, last time," she began, shrugging a little. She'd already started so there was no going back now. Better she just come out with it than try to go back and say nothing was wrong, because now he'd definitely know something was up. "You wanted to take a break, and that's fine. I get that," she assured him, biting down on her lower lip and avoiding his gaze. "But right now, you're asking me to stay here after you said I was getting too attached." The last part was not untrue, but she decided not to dwell on that.

"I'm just confused," Poppy told him, finally lifting her gaze to meet his. "Is that really the best idea right now? Or is there something else that I'm missing?" She spoke in such a fragmented way that she worried he may not have even understood what she was asking of him. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Because Poppy certainly knew there was something that she wasn't telling him. She didn't know how she could be honest with him about that. Not till she heard what he had to say. There had to be something else, or he would have remained involved from afar. Poppy wasn't complaining about the sudden change, given that they hadn't spoken in over a week and things ended pretty abruptly, but she didn't want to go through all of that only to be told she was getting too attached again.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

Do I really want to ask? Okay, yeah, I'm asking.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

"Everything's okay." Yeah, no it wasn't. Theo could tell that as soon as those words left her mouth that Poppy had something she wanted to say. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good. At this point he was practically ready for anything. There was seriously nothing worse that she could tell him. The whole pregnancy announcement would probably overshadow anything else she could possibly say.

Then Poppy started slowly on what she really wanted to talk about. So it was about when he had asked for space. Looking back, knowing what he knows now, Theo probably would have never said what he did. But he didn't have a time machine and he didn't have the ability to undo that conversation. Or this one, which was making him increasingly uncomfortable. Theo swallowed as she talked about she understood why they needed a break. He winced internally remembering that he had told Poppy that she was the one that was too attached, when in reality it was him who was the problem.

He blinked a few times, leaving her wrist at her side to bring his hand up to rub his arm. A nervous habit of his. Trying to sooth himself during this conversation. It was not wonder why Poppy was confused. He was saying one thing and doing the opposite. Speaking so carelessly but everything he did had feeling in it. Because he could remove emotion from his speech, but it action it was so much harder. Theo may not have lied to Poppy, but he hadn't been truthful. Omission of facts was almost just as bad as lying about them.

Now would admission of the connection being more than just one sided make things more or less complicated? Probably less. Theo knew that if they were going to parent a child, there had to be trust between them. And if he couldn't be honest with Poppy that he had growing feelings for her, than this would never work. He hated keeping secrets anyway. "Right," He spoke slowly. Letting out a slow breath, he prepared himself to say things out loud that he had barely accepted on the inside.

Theo looked down for a moment, trying to gather words to say. It was hard with his scrambled brain. Everything seemed to be happening all at once, yet he wasn't as afraid to admit these things to her as he thought he would have been. Maybe it was the fact that he still felt so numb from the baby news. That everything else seemed much less scary than a child. He took a deep breath and met her eyes. "Poppy, the break wasn't just for you..." He paused, willing himself forward. She needed to hear this, "It was for me too. I was afraid that I was getting too attached. And saying that out loud was, and is, even scarier than admitting it to myself," He expressed. There was no point in lying or trying to back peddle now. It wouldn't do him any good. Knowing that now he was going to have a baby with Poppy, there was absolutely no way for those feelings to go away. It was hard before, but now Theo knew it would be impossible.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: right...yeah, about that...
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Theo seemed nervous. Or anxious. or both. Either way, it seemed like he was holding something back, something that revolved around what happened recently with the break in their arrangement. For a moment, she was worried. He felt she was getting attached, which she hadn't denied, but did he catch on to the fact that it might just be a little more than just attachment? That it wasn't just an attachment to the arrangement, but to him?

Poppy had never said any of that out loud, even if she had never truly denied it when he said that to her. He'd been right, of course. She had been growing attached, but it was more than just that. Poppy had feelings for them, and there was no suppressing it anymore. She knew they existed, and she knew it complicated things but... they were going to have a baby together. She didn't really think she could keep something like that from him forever and just hope it went away. She didn't want it to go away.

For the time being, she tried to put those thoughts out of her mind, or at least on hold, till she heard what Theo had to say. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she sure as hell figured it would be something she didn't want to hear. What he ended up saying, though, surprised her. And pleasantly so.

He'd been worried about getting attached. He'd been scared of admitting it. They'd both basically been in the same boat but they were too busy worrying about what it meant that neither of them thought to ever bring it up or discuss other possibilities. Poppy was a married woman — she shouldn't be thinking about possibilities, in an ideal world, but her marriage was far from ideal, and she'd never felt anything quite like the way she felt when she was around Theo. Poppy didn't want to lose that, and knowing that he now felt the same? It took a moment for her to digest it.

Her moment of silence could have easily been mistaken for something else. Given the fact that she wore only a surprised expression and nothing else, it would be easy to believe that she wasn't on board, or that she was trying to think of how to get out of it, when in reality, Poppy felt her heart swell. Everything was really complicated, there was no doubt about that, but in that moment, as she allowed Theo's words to register in her mind, she could only think of one thing.

Poppy considered explaining to him that she felt exactly the same way and that he had nothing to be scared about — if what he was scared of was reciprocity, rather than taking this step. She could understand why he'd be scared, given what she knew about his previous relationship, but she didn't want him thinking that she didn't feel the same way. And actions spoke louder than words.

Before she could change her mind, Poppy leaned forward, lifting a hand to curl her fingers into his shirt just so she could tug him closer. With that bit of leverage, she got onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

So... we've just been stupid?

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

For a moment there was silence. Theo searched Poppy's face for any sign of an answer or reaction to the fact he just told her some very important information. What if she didn't feel the same? He had thought that she did, but what if he read it wrong. It was possible, he wasn't perfect. Oh God, wouldn't that be awkward. Stuck with one sided feelings with the woman who was having your baby. Not like you can escape that relationship. Theo waited, and waited. This was going to kill him. The quiet thoughtfulness she held in her face. Why was she so easy to read 90% of the time and the 10% that was important it felt impossible to tell.

Then there was movement. He felt her hands wrap around the fabric of his shirt, pulling him ever closer. His eyes widened slightly in surprise. Poppy had caught him rather off guard as she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. It wasn't a gesture that was unfamiliar to them. Much more was a normal occurrence between them, yet what this meant was much more than before. He didn't need words to know what the kiss could tell him. Theo knew without a doubt that Poppy felt the same. So they really were just moving along, slowly growing more and more attached to each other. He felt so good to know that. He had never expected to grow to feel this much for her. But here he was.

Theo responded to her kiss, kissing Poppy back as his eyes closed gently. His hands moved to her waist to pull her even closer. It wasn't just to kiss her, but to show her how he felt. A tender passion that felt so right. Why had he been so stupid to deny himself of this? This warm feeling he had spreading across his chest. It was like magic. Their situation was complex and hard, but knowing that they both had the same feelings for each other made things at least a little less difficult. He pulled back form their kiss, keeping her close to rest his forehead against her's. Theo locked eyes with her smiling gently at the new feeling of security was beginning to replace the spot where fear once sat.

"If I knew saying it out loud would have gotten me a kiss, I would have said something sooner," He teased with a quiet chuckle. Not that he needed to express feelings to get a response from Poppy, but he didn't get anything that felt like that. He gave her one more quick peck on the lips before crinkling his nose. "I've been running around all day. I probably smell bad, don't I?" Theo joked, feeling much lighter in spirit because, well, the girl he liked liked him back. And that always felt good.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: yup, we definitely are just two idiots.
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: basketball with da boys

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Theo and Poppy had shared several kisses in the past — all passionate ones, and all usually leading to something more, whether it took place in a bed or not. This was the first time she didn't feel like doing that. Not because she didn't want to, because truthfully she'd never not want to, with Theo, but because the kiss in itself was enough. It spoke volumes about their feelings, whereas everything they did up until now wasn't really about feelings. It was just pleasure and satisfaction.

Feeling Theo respond to the kiss by tugging her closer at the waist only confirmed in her mind that this had been a good idea. How long had they really gone like this? Did it take a pregnancy to actually bring these feelings to light? Whatever the case, she was happy things were out there now, because the worst part had been thinking that she overstepped some line and that Theo could never reciprocate how she felt. This right here put those worries to rest.

There were plenty of other things to worry about, but for now she wanted to relish in this moment.

When he pulled away, she kept her eyes closed. She only cracked open one of them when she heard Theo speaking, and it brought a smile to her face. "If you wanted me to kiss you, all you had to do was ask," she pointed out, leaning away a bit more so she could meet his gaze properly. She was still trying to register the fact that this had happened, and this was real. She woke up this morning thinking things would go to hell once she told Theo about the pregnancy, and it ended up being... pretty fucking great. Perhaps almost too great. But Poppy would consider all the other downsides tomorrow — her husband included.

"Well, your shirt is a little damp," Poppy said with a soft giggle when he brought up the fact that he'd been running around all day. "You can go shower if you want to," she told him, letting go of his shirt now and leaning her hip against the kitchen counter instead. "I'm not going anywhere." They'd already established that she was staying, and that was before all the feelings had come up. While she had wanted to before, she wanted to even more now. After the week she'd had, this was just what she needed.

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

This feels nice. I want more of this.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba

 

[ameuSHhen1Tn2ba]

Theodore Yang

He couldn't help but smile. His cheeks almost hurt from how wide his smile was. Theo was way more relieved than he thought he would feel after a confession. Had you told him a month ago that he was going to tell Poppy that he was more than just physically involved, he would have either laughed in your face or ran away. Any type of emotional commitment was hard for him. He wasn't surprised that it took something as monumental as her being pregnant to get it out of him. Was he feeling a bit grateful for the very unexpected baby news? He'd have to sort out his emotions about a child at a later time. There was way too much going on that he wanted to revel in.

A soft breath was pushed out of his nose in a half laugh as he watched Poppy with fondness. He looked down at his basketball jersey and back up at her. He nodded at her as she said that he could go shower, assuring him that she wouldn't run away if he did so. "Good, I'll be fast," He told her with a smile. He did a quick glance around his apartment. "Make yourself comfortable somewhere couch, bed, wherever," He gestured around the open space, "Mi casa, su casa." Theo began jogging over to his bedroom. "I promise to be quick!" He called over his shoulder as he made it to his bedroom door.

If this were any normal meeting between the two of them, Theo probably would have just told her to jump in. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened. But for the first time since he knew Poppy, sex wasn't the first thing on his mind. Which sounds bad now, but that was how their relationship worked up until this point. This was uncharted territory. It was strange, but a good type of strange. Everything was upside down and inside out. This wasn't the direction he had thought they'd take, and if he dwelled on it too long it might just send him into a fit of panic. So he decided to just turn off his brain.

Well he tried. Instead he just thought about how he had come home with Poppy sitting outside his door for who knows how long. He started to worry that she hadn't eaten all day long. As a chef, somehow his brain always traveled to feeding people. Well. That was a lie. It normally traveled other places but when it wasn't there it was on food. It was a wonder he wasn't fat at this point. Throwing on a hoodie and jumping into a pair of black joggers, Theo was out of the bathroom in no more than 15 minutes. "Hey Petal?" He called as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, suddenly feeling the urge to use a pet name for some reason. It just felt.... affectionate. It just felt right. "Have you eaten?" He asked when he found her within his apartment. Eyebrows scrunched in concern as he ruffled his wet hair. He was already going through the ingredients he had in his fridge and pantry, putting together possible meal plans. Combine two of his favorite things at the current moment, Poppy and cooking, and he was a happy man. As long as he focused on the current moment, he'd be ok. Because right now was pretty great.

Location: His Apartment | Mood: I'm a chef, I feed people
Tags: natasha. | Outfit: comfy and cozy

 

[natasha.]

poppy walsh

Poppy nodded as Theo gestured around and told her to get comfortable. "I will," she assured him, watching as he eventually disappeared into the bathroom with promises of being done with his shower quick. Once he was out of sight, she glanced around, taking the entire apartment in. She'd been over before though she'd been a bit distracted by Theo to actually see what his home looked like. She noticed other things now, things she would have hardly given a second glance in the past.

She took her time walking around instead of actually settling down. She was still a little jittery about the whole baby news, plus she felt far too active to consider sitting in one place and doing nothing. She'd been a bit tired before but talking things through with Theo and getting their feelings out in the open certainly woke her right up.

It didn't take long for Theo to finish his shower and she heard him stepping into the kitchen behind her since she'd been rummaging around for a glass to get herself some water. She'd only properly been in his kitchen once before, but fortunately she remembered where the glasses were kept since that one time she was there she'd made coffee for him.

"Hey," Poppy called back, glancing at him over her shoulder as she filled the glass with water. The nickname he used was one he'd brought up once or twice in the past, though it suddenly held more meaning now. It brought a small smile to her face and she watched him over the rim of her glass as she guzzled down everything that was in it. "I haven't, actually," Poppy admitted, setting the glass on the counter and crossing her arms. "Food was kind of the last thing on my mind."

Earlier in the day she'd just felt nauseous because of the whole pregnancy thing, and then she'd been unable to stomach any food because she kept worrying about Theo and how he was going to react to the news. With all of that out of the way though, she realised just how hungry she was. "What are you whipping up for me today, chef?" She grinned a bit and carefully hopped up onto the counter for a better vantage point to watch him as he cooked. "Need a sous chef? I should warn you though, I'm not nearly as qualified as you are for a Michelin star."

location

Theo's apartment.

mood

Now I'm kinda hungry.

outfit

Nothing fancy.

tags

A ameuSHhen1Tn2ba