Ava is sitting at the kitchen table, her long blonde hair disheveled from sleeping in. She’s wearing a thin white shirt and panties, the buttons undone just enough to reveal a bit of cleavage. As she walks in, she looks up from her phone with a frown.

"Oh, great. It’s morning already? Just what I need another day of dealing with worthless scum.”

She scoffs and rolls her eyes before going back to her phone, not even bothering to acknowledge him. She tries not to look at him as she makes breakfast, but it’s nearly impossible Ava’s hair is disheveled, but she’s effortlessly stunning.

“What the fuck are you looking at, you pathetic, worthless piece of shit? Do you think I don’t notice you have your disgusting little eyes glued to me? You disgusting pervert. Honestly, the thought of you looking at me makes me want to vomit”

you stutter, face red, trying to explain yourself before he cuts you off.

“Save your excuses, you miserable insect. As if someone like you deserves to even breathe the same air as me, let alone lay eyes on my body. Not in your wildest, most delusional dreams would you go near a woman like me. You’re nothing. Do you hear me? NOTHING.”

His voice drips with venom as he crosses his arms, now looking at me with pure contempt.

“Get it through your head, I’d rather die than let a pathetic maggot like you touch me. Do you think you’re worth a second of my time? Please. Don’t make me laugh, you worthless sack of shit. Men like you disgust me.”

You exist to grovel on the ground at my feet, do you understand?” She lets out a high-pitched, mocking laugh, her eyes narrowing as she notices his gaze lingering a second longer than it should. Internal thoughts:

“Why the fuck did I have to live with this disgusting, perverted man as a roommate? That useless asshole is probably masturbating right now just thinking about me. It’s disgusting.”

As she glares at him over her shoulder while fixing his plate of eggs and bacon, she thinks, "That perverted piece of shit probably wishes he was me right now." She grins wickedly before turning back around, giving him a wink as she slides his food across the counter.

"There you go, little buddy. Enjoy your breakfast. I made extra bacon just for you. Now why don't you get out of my way so I can take a shower and get ready for class?" Her voice drips with sarcasm as she looks down at him with utter contempt, her chest heaving slightly from anger management issues.

"Oh, come off it," she snaps, rolling her eyes. "You know I hate having you around. It's the least I can do to make your pathetic excuse for a life a little more bearable." She sighs heavily and takes a step back from the counter, arms crossed over her chest. "Fine. Eat up."

"Because," she drawls out slowly as if talking to a child, "it makes my day less miserable knowing that I can get under your skin by doing something nice." She tilts her head back dramatically and looks up at the ceiling, pretending to be bored. "Oh, the inhumanity!"

After watching him stalk off like some sort of wounded animal, Ava huffs indignantly. "Men," she mutters under her breath as she storms into the living room and flops down on the couch, kicking her feet up onto an empty coffee table. She picks up her phone again, using it as a shield against him and whatever pathetic excuse for emotions he decides to throw her way next.

"What?" she snaps when she realizes he's been staring at her. She sits up straighter on the couch, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. "What do you want now?" Her eyes narrow, daring him to say something even remotely insulting or critical of her appearance.

Ava purses her lips angrily but decides not to engage further with his childish behavior. Instead, she tilts her head back against the couch and closes her eyes, taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. As soon as she feels herself starting to chill out, he manages to set her off again. Fucking men, always pushing your luck. She glares at him from the corner of her eye as he continues with his chores.

His sudden movement startles her out of her zen-like state, and she glances up at him warily from beneath her lashes. When he holds up the red bra, her cheeks flush an angry shade of pink. "Oh," she mumbles, grabbing it from his hand with a muttered "thanks." She quickly stuffs the lacy undergarment into the front pocket of her jeans before turning away, pretending to be engrossed in something on her phone once again.

After several minutes of listening to him snore softly from the other room, Ava reaches over and steals his phone off of the nightstand while he sleeps. As she scrolls through his contacts list, she finds herself growing more infuriated by how many women are in there. With a growl, she deletes them all except for her own number, then puts his phone back on the charger before crawling into bed beside him.

"So," she whispers in his ear, making sure to keep her breath warm against his skin, "how's my little perverted friend doing tonight?" He remains fast asleep, and she laughs softly under her breath. With a flick of her wrist, she slaps him across the face hard enough to wake him up but not so hard that it draws any attention from neighbors. "Wakey, wakey," she chides gleefully.

"Oh," she purrs innocently, giving him an equally fake grin. "I thought maybe you were having trouble sleeping or something. I just wanted to help my dear roommate get some rest." She continues holding his gaze, her hands still trapped beneath his palms. The tension in the room is thick enough to cut with a knife, and she knows that this game of dominance can go one of two ways: either she backs down or he does.

"What? Oh, that?" She pretends to act nonchalant as she carefully withdraws one hand from under his palm and holds it up for him to see. "I was just making sure you were comfortable... checking your temperature, you know?" Her grin widens, her fingers lazily curling around the hand she's holding as if trying to prove a point.

The situation intensifies, and Ava can feel herself becoming aroused by their standoff. She wonders how far he'll let this go before he backs down or tries to assert his dominance over her...

Her breath comes quicker as his grip tightens around her wrists. "Fine," she whispers, the adrenaline rushing through her body making every nerve ending stand on end. "Yes." She swallows hard before pressing her chest against his, their lips inches apart. "I touched it... But don't worry, I didn't look at any of your pervy little pictures or anything."

Her words are laced with venom, but there's a spark in her eyes that betrays her excitement. She lets out a shaky breath and hopes he doesn't push things any further tonight... because she isn't sure how much longer she can keep this up without giving herself away completely.

Her whole body tenses as he speaks, feeling his breath on her skin and the heat of his gaze burning into her. She swallows hard, trying to keep herself calm, but it's becoming increasingly difficult with each passing second. "Fine," she finally whispers, knowing that she doesn't really have a choice at this point.

With shaking hands, she carefully fishes his phone out from the front pocket of her jeans and hands it back to him, not daring to meet his eyes as she does so. Her heart is racing, and she can feel herself getting wet beneath her panties as they lie mere inches away from his hardening member.

She wonders if he can tell how turned on she is... how much this whole thing is turning her on... But even more than that, she wonders how long it will be before one of them breaks and calls a truce. The tension between them feels almost unbearable, and she isn't sure which would be worse: keeping it up or finally admitting defeat.

Her eyes flicker up to meet his as he speaks, heat flushing her cheeks an angry shade of red. "What? No!" she exclaims defensively, struggling futilely against the grip he has on her wrists. "It's not like that."

She pauses for a moment, feeling his warm breath on her lips before finally admitting, "I just... wanted to see what was so special about them, you know?" Her heart skips a beat as she realizes she might have gone too far, but there's no taking it back now.

She looks away, not wanting to see the judgment in his eyes or the disappointment she knows she'll find there if he thinks that her reason for snooping through his phone was because of jealousy. The truth is so much more complicated than that... and also so much hotter.

"I just... I don't know," she whispers against his lips as he kisses her. "You always seem so happy with them... and I just wanted to understand why." Her words come out haltingly, her breath hot against his skin. She closes her eyes, trying to ignore the way her body responds to him, how good it feels to have his hands on her again.

"It's not like I don't have anything else going on," she continues, "but sometimes... Sometimes I feel like you wish I wasn't here." She pauses, biting her lip nervously as he pulls back just enough to look at her face. "Is that true?"

The silence stretches between them, tense and heavy with unspoken words. She swallows hard, not sure what she expects him to say or do next... but part of her hopes he'll tell her it isn't true, that he does want her around. That maybe they could find some sort of middle ground where they can both be happy.

She stares up at him as he explains himself, her face flushing an even darker shade of red. Part of her is relieved that he didn't intend to cheat on her with those other girls... but another part of her can't help but feel foolish for snooping through his things in the first place. "Oh," she mumbles, looking away as she processes this new information.

"I mean..." She pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing. "It still doesn't change the fact that you've been so... mean to me since we moved in together. I thought maybe if you got to know me better, things would be different." A tear rolls down her cheek and she scrubs at it roughly with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, looking up at him with a mixture of pain and confusion in her eyes. "I didn't mean to intrude... I just wanted things to be easier between us." She sniffs, wiping away another tear before taking a steadying breath. "Do you hate me that much?"

The question hangs in the air like a cloud, heavy and suffocating. Even though she doesn't want to believe it, part of her suspects that his answer might be yes... and if it is, then what? Where do they go from here?

She stares up at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You... you love me?" she whispers, barely able to get the words out past the lump in her throat. The idea that he could possibly feel anything for her is like a punch to the gut; it's both exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

She wipes away another tear, struggling to compose herself as she searches his face for any sign of deception. But when she meets his eyes, there's something there... something that feels real and raw and completely honest. It sends a shiver down her spine, making the skin on her arms tingle with awareness.

"I..." She pauses, swallowing hard as she tries to find the words to respond. "I don't know what to say." Her voice comes out hoarse and unsteady, barely more than a whisper. "I mean... I thought you hated me too."

She looks down at her lap, twisting her hands together nervously as she wrestles with this newfound knowledge. Part of her wants to believe him, wants nothing more than to throw herself into his arms and finally give in to the attraction that's been building between them since they moved in together... but another part of her is scared. Scared of trusting him, scared of being hurt again if things go wrong.

She takes a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever comes next, even though she isn't sure what that might be yet. "So," she finally says, trying to sound casual despite the knot in her stomach. "What do we do now?"

Ava watches as Bruce retreats to the kitchen, leaving her alone to contemplate his words. She sighs heavily, running a hand through her hair in frustration. Part of her wants nothing more than for them to work things out and be together... but the memory of their previous arguments and the fear of being hurt again are hard to push aside.

She decides that she needs some time alone, away from him and his intense gaze. Slowly, she gets up from the couch and silently pads down the hallway toward her bedroom. Once inside, she climbs onto her bed and curls into a ball, burying her face in her pillow as she tries to sort through her emotions.

It's been such a whirlwind of events since they moved in together: arguments, miscommunication, hurt feelings... but there have also been moments where she can feel the bond between them growing stronger, almost tangible. And now this revelation about his intentions with those other women... it all just makes everything even more confusing.

She closes her eyes, willing herself to calm down and think clearly. Eventually, exhaustion overtakes her and she drifts off into an uneasy sleep, the events of the night replaying in her dreams like a twisted movie montage.

The warmth of Bruce's body presses against her back, reminding her even in sleep that he's there. Even though she knows it's probably just because they've spent so much time together over the past few weeks and their bodies have grown used to one another, part of her can't help but enjoy the contact. It feels... safe.

As she drifts further into slumber, she begins to dream of happier times: picnics by the lake, long walks through the park, evenings spent laughing and talking around a campfire. In these dreams, they're not arguing or butting heads; they're simply enjoying each other's company. And for a few precious moments, it feels like anything is possible between them... like maybe they really could find a way to make this work after all.

But as the dawn begins to lighten the sky outside her window, reality intrudes once more, reminding her that their problems are far from solved. When she finally wakes up, the choice still looms large before her: do they try to make things work or do they go their separate ways?

"Ugh," Ava groans, squinting up at Bruce as he falls out of bed with an oomph. She yawns widely and stretches her arms above her head before sitting up and leaning against the headboard. Seeing him lying on his stomach on the floor beside the bed does nothing to dispel the warmth spreading through her body; if anything, it makes her heart beat faster.

"You okay?" she asks, feeling a bit guilty about last night's confrontation. Maybe they could talk things out this morning, find some common ground and move forward from here...?

"You okay?" Ava repeats, tilting her head slightly to the side as she studies him more closely. "You're acting kind of weird this morning." The heat from his gaze grows more intense, and she feels herself blushing in response. Something is definitely going on with him... but she isn't sure what it could be.

She pushes herself up off the bed, deciding that maybe they should just get out there and face the day together. Maybe if they focus on something else for a while, they can find their way back to each other without having another argument. She smiles tentatively at Bruce as she walks past him toward her closet. "So... what's on the agenda for today?"

As Bruce wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her, she feels a surge of warmth spread through her body. Her heart rate quickens, and she finds it hard to think clearly. Part of her wants nothing more than to give in to this moment and forget about everything else; the other part knows that they can't keep ignoring their problems forever.

She gently pushes him away, creating some distance between them, but keeps hold of his hands. "We do need to talk about things," she reminds him quietly, looking deep into his eyes. "But I want us to have fun too... together." A shy smile plays on her lips as she adds, "Can we just try and find a balance between the two?"

She smiles into his kiss, feeling her heart swell with affection for him. "Okay," she whispers against his lips. "Let's find some time today to talk things through... and then we can have fun together." The thought of spending some alone time with him fills her with anticipation; maybe they could even go somewhere special, like they used to before everything got so complicated between them.

She pulls back from the kiss, looking up at Bruce with a playful smile. "So, where do you want to start?"

"Well," she begins slowly, feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks as he calls her "little princess." It's such an endearing nickname... and it makes her heart beat just a little faster every time he says it. "I guess we could start by talking about what made us argue in the first place? You know, try to find some common ground?"

She shrugs, unsure if he'll go along with that idea or not. So far, they haven't had much luck communicating effectively since moving in together... but she's hopeful that maybe today will be different.

She takes a deep breath, thinking back over their arguments from the past few weeks. "Well," she finally says, picking her words carefully. "I think some of our fights stemmed from misunderstandings about each other's expectations and boundaries." She pauses, searching his face for any signs that he's following what she's saying before continuing.

"For example, when I said you should get your own life instead of trying to live through me... it wasn't because I didn't want us to spend time together or be friends," she explains. "It was more about not wanting you to think that just because we were roommates, I would automatically be interested in doing all the same things you are." She shrugs, feeling awkward as she puts her feelings into words.

"And when you got upset because of my friends," she continues, "it was mostly because I felt like you were treating me differently from how you treated them... like I wasn't good enough or something." Her voice cracks slightly at the end, and she looks down at her lap to avoid meeting his gaze.

"I just wanted us to be able to support each other, you know?" she says finally, looking up at him hopefully. "That was why we agreed to move in together in the first place... I thought we could help each other out and have fun doing it." Her cheeks flush with emotion as she finishes speaking; she isn't sure how he'll react to all this honesty.

She listens intently as he explains himself, nodding along thoughtfully. "So you didn't mean for me to find those numbers," she says, her voice quiet but firm. "You just wanted help learning how to talk to me better." The realization brings with it a mix of relief and annoyance; part of her is glad that he was at least trying to make an effort, while another part feels foolish for not trusting him in the first place.

"And what about last night?" she asks, her voice wavering slightly. "When I found those messages on your phone... how were you supposed to explain those away?" She looks up at him, searching his eyes for any sign that he's telling the truth this time.

She listens carefully to what he says, taking in his words and the emotions behind them. It's clear that he cares deeply about her, even if he hasn't always known how to show it in the best way. And despite everything they've been through, she can't deny the attraction that still simmers between them whenever they're together.

She takes a deep breath and slowly nods, as if coming to a decision. "I understand," she says softly. "It's not easy... being afraid of losing something you care about." She pauses, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "But I think we can figure this out together... if we try."

A smile tugs at the corners of her lips as she reaches out and takes one of his hands in hers. "How about we start fresh? No more snooping, no more secrets?" She pauses, searching his face for any signs that he's agreeing with her. "Can we do that?"

"Okay," she says with a contented sigh, relieved that they seem to be on the same page now. "That's a good start." She smiles up at him, feeling a sense of calm wash over her as they sit there together. It's like they're finally able to put all their problems aside and just focus on being there for each other.

"So," she says hesitantly, "now that we have that out of the way... what do you want to do today?" She tilts her head, studying him with curiosity. Where will this newfound understanding lead them? And more importantly, can they make it work? Only time will tell.

She tilts her head, confused by his question. "Um...well, no, not really." She laughs softly, a little surprised he even asked. "Why do you ask?"

As she watches him stand up in front of her, she suddenly feels self-conscious about the way she's sitting on the bed. Her heart races a bit as she remembers how they were pressed together last night, and she tries to hide her growing nervousness beneath a calm demeanor. She swallows hard and folds her hands in her lap. "What did you have in mind?" she asks, hopeful that whatever he has planned will be fun and help them move past this awkward moment.

She blushes as he lies down beside her, their faces so close she can feel his breath against her cheek. The idea of doing combat training together is... unexpected, but at the same time exciting. It would give them something to do together besides arguing and working on the apartment. And who knows? Maybe it'll help them grow closer as they learn to trust each other and rely on one another.

As he kisses her gently, she responds in kind, closing her eyes and losing herself in the moment. It feels so good to be able to just be with him like this... without all the tension and stress of their past arguments hanging over them. For now, at least, they're able to just focus on being together.

"That sounds like fun," she murmurs when they finally break apart. "I trust you'll be a good teacher." She grins up at him before hesitantly asking, "But shouldn't we go find some clothes first? You know... so we can actually do this?"

She gasps as he enters her; the sudden fullness is overwhelming but in the best possible way. His moan sends shivers down her spine, intensifying the sensation further. She wraps her legs around his hips and arches her back, meeting him thrust for thrust, their bodies moving together in perfect harmony.

As they lose themselves in the heat of the moment, all thoughts of clothes and lessons and problems fade away, replaced by the pure joy of being together like this. The connection between them feels almost palpable, as if every touch, every moan, every breath they share strengthens the bond that ties them together.

When they finally reach their climax, her nails dig into his back and she cries out his name while he groans hers, filling her with his essence. As their bodies slowly calm down, they lie entangled in the sheets, hearts racing and skin flushed. It's as if nothing else matters except this moment together.

She looks up at him, love and gratitude shining from her eyes, and whispers, "Thank you."

She blushes deeply as she looks at him, realizing that their lovemaking was anything but quiet or discreet. The way he's watching her now, with such love and adoration in his eyes... it makes her heart race. As she finishes cleaning up the kitchen and dresses in a comfortable sundress, she wonders what he could possibly have planned for them outside.

"Okay," she says with a soft smile as she follows him out of the house and into the garden. The warm summer sun feels good on her skin as she wanders over to where Bruce is standing near a beautifully landscaped area filled with flowers. "What did you want to show me?" she asks, tilting her head curiously.

The surprise hits her like a ton of bricks when he reveals that he had the entire garden painted with their initials and a heart connecting them. Her breath catches in her throat as she looks around at their artwork; it's such a beautiful and romantic gesture, and it makes her feel even closer to him than before.

She turns back to Bruce, eyes shining with tears of happiness. "It's... it's perfect," she manages to whisper, reaching out to take his hand in hers. "Thank you for doing this."

She gasps in surprise as he reveals that their initials and heart are painted across the garden, followed by even more shock when he produces two small furry creatures - a puppy and a kitten. Tears well up in her eyes; it's clear that these pets mean so much to him, and he's giving them to her as a symbol of their love.

"Oh, Bruce," she whispers, wiping at the tears that have spilled over onto her cheeks. "They're perfect." She leans forward, bending at the waist to scoop up the kitten and hold it close, pressing gentle kisses against its fuzzy little head. The puppy bounds over to Bruce, yipping excitedly as he tousles its ears and whispers soft words of affection into its fur.

They stand there together for a moment, just taking in the beauty of their day and all that they share. Even with all the ups and downs of living together, this moment feels like proof that they can make it work - that their love is strong enough to weather any storm.

She looks down at the kitten in her arms, thinking about how they had been talking earlier about wanting their own lives, but also acknowledging that she hadn't realized until now just how much she loved living with him and being part of their little family. She glances up at Bruce, smiling warmly before turning back to the animals. "How about... naming them after us?" she suggests with a soft laugh.

"What do you think, Ava? Should we name this fuzzy thing Bruce?" he asks playfully, ruffling the puppy's fur. The kitten mewls quietly in response to her gentle caresses and begins to purr contentedly.

She nods, unable to contain a grin. "And what about... Lily for me?" She looks down at the kitten again, thinking that the name fits perfectly. It's sweet and pretty, just like she feels when she's with him. The puppy continues to play and tumble around them as they share this moment together.

"What do you think, Lily? And Bruce?" Ava asks softly, her voice filled with affection for both of them. They both look up at her, their eyes shining brightly with innocence and love - a reminder that even when things get tough, they can always find happiness in each other's company.

She smiles, feeling an unbelievable sense of joy wash over her as they head back inside together with their new puppy and kitten. She follows him into the house, making sure not to trip over her feet in her excitement to see where they'll keep all their new belongings. As he leads them toward the living room, she can't help but marvel at how domestic it all feels - like this is really their home now, filled with love and laughter... even if they still have some bumps along the way.

Once inside, she sets Lily down on a blanket next to Bruce and kneels in front of her. "So, what do you think about your new name?" she asks softly, running her fingers through the kitten's fur. The little animal yawns cutely and stretches out, showing off its tiny claws for just a moment before curling back into a ball and closing its eyes.

She looks up at Bruce, grinning from ear to ear. "And what about you?" she asks, ruffling the puppy's ears affectionately. "Are you excited to be our protector and learn how to defend us?"

Together, they share this moment of happiness and contentment - a small taste of the life they could have if only they can continue to work together and support one another through everything.

Lily mews softly as she pads over to where Ava is sitting at the kitchen table, clearly seeking some attention. She rubs against Ava's leg before curling up on top of her notebook, purring contentedly. "Oh, hi there, sweet girl," Ava coos, reaching down to scratch behind Lily's ear. "You must be missing Bruce and Bruce must be missing you."

She looks over at the stove where Bruce is busily stirring a pot of something that smells absolutely divine. Her heart gives an unexpected little thud in her chest as she takes in his strong, muscled form and the way he moves with such confidence and ease around their home. It's hard not to feel proud of what they've built together - the life they have here... despite all their ups and downs.

"Smells amazing," she calls out to him, earning herself a grin in return. "What are you making?"

"Heh," she replies with a laugh, shaking her head. "You two really are quite the pair." As Lily continues to purr happily on her lap, she turns her attention back to her work for a moment before glancing up at Bruce again. She can't help but feel a surge of happiness whenever she looks at him; it's like he has this way of making everything seem alright, even when things get messy.

The front door opens and closes again, signaling that Ava's ride is here to pick her up from work. "Well," she says, gathering her things together. "Guess it's time for me to go. Don't stay up too late waiting for me; I have a feeling you'll be busy tonight." She leans in and presses a quick kiss to Bruce's cheek before slipping past Lily and heading out the door.

As she waits for her ride, she can't help but feel grateful for everything they have - their home, each other, even their little furry companions. They may have had their fair share of arguments and misunderstandings, but at the end of the day... they were always there for one another. And as long as that remained true, she knew they'd be okay.