assholic | Open Post

The yawn reminded her that it had been awhile since the last time he'd had a full night's sleep. She'd let it go for awhile, but she'd heard some of the horror stories from the crew they had there of what could go wrong around inattentive workers and power tools.

She went over to him, coming up behind him and resting her hands on his shoulders, kneading there gently. "I think we should pack up here for the day and go get some rest. Real rest, Diego." There was a firmness there that, if he was getting familiar with her tones, would let him know that she wasn't going to be argued with over this.

He was trying to get everything done soon. Now. But they weren't on a time crunch. No schedule loomed overhead. Just that internal clock of theirs, and his seemed to be set for something specific. She kneaded at his shoulders, giving him a small massage as they stood there. "Don't make me break out the cuffs so that their first use isn't absolutely kinky and is more of a health thing. I'll get Claire over here to prescribe eight hours of cuffs."

Her touch stopped him dead in his tracks. Not from her hold but relishing the way Jessica kneaded his muscles. He stretched his neck from one side to the other, aiding the way she worked out his tension while also thinking of a way to buy a little more time. Then she made a joke about cuffing him and bringing Claire into the argument.

Diego relented, feeling that if Jessica was threatening him with Claire then he would never win. "You know, the water runs here now. I could get a shower and we can just use the air mattress. Cut out the travel time." Another yawn left him as pausing and the shoulder massage seemed to catch up how tired he was.

It was surprising that Jessica had waited as long as she did to put her foot down. He'd been working like a mad man to get everything working where most the construction staff preferred when she was around. Or that could be because she'd cut their workload in half. Diego might have repeatedly tried to get the crew to work at his speed and attention to detail.

"Nope," she said, still working at his shoulders. She leaned in and nipped at the back of his neck before she leaned over and whispered in his ear. "I want to curl up in bed with you. Naked. They'll be here tomorrow, and you can boss them around some more then. We've still got almost a whole month left on the lease to my old place, so why not use it for what little privacy we can get while we can get it?"

She kissed the side of his neck, then kept rubbing at it. "I can carry you home if you want. You're tired. Tired means accidents happen. So let me take care of you until you're not tired."

Jess had a feeling part of it was wanting her out of the old place sooner than later, but she didn't want him working himself into an accident when there was no time table to push them. Not one that he hadn't designed, anyway.

"I'll never get back here tomorrow if we go to bed naked," he uttered tiredly. It was futile to argue but Diego desperately wanted to finish the place. They were so close, he could picture it all. Somewhere to work but somewhere to securely live too. Even if someone tried to Molotov cocktail the business, there were sprinkler systems and fire retardant barriers.

Jessica kissing his neck woke a familiar member of his body that had been out of commission as he worked for 3 days straight. With a grab at the side of his crotch to adjust himself, Diego turned toward her. "What makes you think we're not gonna have privacy here?" The question came with a concerned gaze. His eyes were red and heavy but he glossed over being tired.

Where he looked forward to their new home together, something about what she just said nagged at Diego that Jessica didn't share the sentiment. "Nobody comes upstairs unless we invite them up. We'll have all the privacy in the world here. No neighbors complaining or interrupting. No bad memories." He stood frowning, childlike as if she didn't like the fort he'd made.

"Maybe you need a day of not coming back here if you can't answer that question yourself." She looked at tired eyes and an almost childlike look, and she melted. Her hand cupped his face and she gave him a soft kiss. They'd been mostly keeping their hands to themselves, since each knew how distracted they could get, but that was part of what she'd missed.

That soft kiss had an 'aww' coming from off to the side, and she gave him a lift of her brows. "For the immediate future, until we have this place done, there's not a lot of privacy. Which is okay, because working on it to get it finished is important. But I'm very tired of behaving myself when I miss touching you, and while I'd love to get naked and sweaty, I think that can wait until after I've gotten a meal in you and you've had a full night's sleep. If naked is going to distract you too much, then we can have clothes on, but I want you in bed with me, sleeping."

She loved his fort. His den. The castle in the sky he was building her. But just like he'd insisted on rest when she'd been hurt, she was going to insist on it for him to avoid the same happening to him. "There's no bad memories here, Diego. All good ones. So let's keep it that way."

She was right about most of what she'd said. Diego wanted to counter that he'd eaten a meal but he couldn't remember it or when he ate it. The more he stood still as they talked, the more the exhaustion was creeping up. Fortunately, they didn't have a car that he had to drive home.

"Alright. Let's go," he relented when she concluded that there were no bad memories in their new home. "Can we take all the paint stuff to the utility closet before we go so there aren't any accidents on the newly finished floors or the furniture coming tomorrow?"

He had already closed the open paint cans which Jessica could easily carry while he took care of the pan, roller and brushes--even if it was just to leave them in front of the sink inside what was to be their laundry room which Diego would either call the mud room or utility closet since there was no washer or dryer in it yet, just a sink.

One paint can was supposed to return to the apartment to prepare for returning it to the landlord but Diego was too tired to remember that in the moment. He missed the intimacy with Jessica but also enjoyed the time spent with clothes on as she wowed the crew or Danny with her abilities.

For a fleeting second, Number Two had a pang of homesickness as he could see Luther just as excited to see what Jessica could do as Danny had been. He also thought of his sisters but then worried how his soulmate would take Allison's power after seeing what Jessica had been through with the power of suggestion.

Fortunately, he was too tired to remember any of that at the moment and only waited tiredly for Jessica to answer him about the paint.

She'd been set to dig her heels in on an argument, so the lack of one had her sighing in relief. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, the moved to start loading up the cans to carry to where he'd suggested. "I'll call an Uber for us," she said as she started tucking the cans away, a little concern blending in with the relief.

Diego giving up so easily when it didn't involve sex was mildly concerning. He was stubborn. Headstrong. But maybe even he knew his limits and when to not push them. He seemed to be enjoying himself in setting up their new place; getting his hands involved in things, bonding and having 'man time' with the other workers. There didn't seem to be any women on the crew hired, not that she expected any. And none of the workers had been stupid enough to do more than comment on her abilities, not on any physical attributes. They seemed very aware of her being taken, and she was unaware of the little display he'd put on for them with his knives.

She came back out after ordering the Uber, then went over to him to hold her hand out for him to take. "Come on, mi amor. Let's go get some sleep. Just sleep." That might change in the morning, but for tonight, she just wanted him fed, then tucked in bed with her.

The honesty of it was he'd gone past his limits. Diego felt it was all worth it but it was going on nearly 3 months of working around the clock for 2-3 days at a time, little sleep on the days that he did. Meals weren't raw eggs but a lot of tuna or salmon packs, noodle bowls or wraps and only once or twice a day.

While it kept him in solid shape, it was amazing their relationship continued strong. There wasn't the romance or intimacy they had the first few months. Jessica hadn't wanted him to take on 4 jobs to afford a place but he stayed with 2 jobs then poured himself into fixing their new home.

Yet the work was for them so maybe that made a difference with her. Maybe it also helped that she knew where he was and it wasn't getting groped by a drunk patron or on the radar of ninjas. Diego did still train once a week with Danny and Colleen before or after classes but even vigilante work had come to a halt. He either worked on their future home or helped Jess with some of her cases.

His battery was nearly completely depleted and the more he stood still, the more it became evident. Diego grabbed his bag with one hand then took Jessica's with the other as they headed down to the Uber she ordered. "The furniture. And the cabinets. For the kitchen. Should probably try to get the washer and dryer there soon. We'll need it." Another big yawn as he talked about everything but sleep.

"Shut up, Diego. I'm putting a moratorium on talking about work for at least twelve hours. Depending on how you are when you wake up, when you wake up, I might make that a whole day." Guilt niggled at her, and she felt like she'd been lacking in taking care of him. He'd been working himself to the bone, and she'd let him, because he seemed content. But she should know better than that. He had very little in the way of self care reserves, meaning she was going to need to pay more attention to him and that wall he kept running into.

His hand in hers had a soft peace going through her for a moment, but that guilt was still forefront in her thoughts. "Want to stop and grab a pita or something on the way home? Something quick we don't have to make."

"I'm not talking about work," he returned defiantly. That stubborn trait began to show itself. Diego scowled yet still held onto her hand. "It's the things I've gotta remember to do next. Well, you've gotta carry the washer and dryer but we need to get them ordered."

His level of tired translated her threat about work as the work that provided him an income, not getting their place together. Diego was so tired that he wasn't sure if he'd said something about work and didn't remember. He became frustrated. "What's wrong with talking about work?"

"You doing work on the warehouse is work, babe. You're exhausting yourself because of it." And he looked adorable when he was giving her that scowl. She was struggling not to smile, but it helped to remember why he was in the state he was in the first place.

"I don't like you being this tired. This kind of exhaustion is dangerous and it leads to stupid choices and actions. I feel shitty that you're pushing yourself to get things ready so quickly, that you feel you need to. I'm also realizing I'm sexually frustrated, which isn't your fault, but it's adding to the irritation. And I feel guilty. I'm not taking good enough care of you."

She looked over at him as their ride pulled up. "I need to do better."

"Factory!" he corrected with the pouting scowl the way a child might protest their fort being called a tent. It was the only thing closest to an interruption which didn't seem to deter Jessica in the slightest.

His scowl shifted to a frown as she continued. He didn't like her feeling shitty. It also meant a lot that she was worried about him, taking blame that wasn't hers. "Baby, no. You take great care of me. The best! No one has ever taken care of me this good..."

The car that pulled up was a Tesla and Diego felt all around the car, unable to figure out where the handle was. "--What the fuck is this shit?! Open the goddamn door!" he barked at the driver.

It was hard to hide the smile, but she slid up behind him, reaching around to press where the panel was to open the door. Then she gave him a bump with her hips. "You're grumpy when you're exhausted. And you still haven't answered about food. I want you to eat, so do you want something on the way home?" She hoped so, otherwise she'd have to figure out something at home, and by that time, all she'd want to do is carry him, literally, to bed and tuck him in.

"Then let me take care of you. You need food and sleep. And I need you. So... let's find a compromise." As soon as they were both in and the door was closed, the driver touched the gas pedal to start them off towards her soon to be old place.

Tired eyes widened with surprise as she created a handle out of nowhere. His brow knitted together, panning between Jessica and the car as the door opened. She bumped him with a hip and repeated the question about food. He looked up then gave her a nod before getting in the Tesla.

"Yeah, we can pick up something on the way." Diego gave another yawn, slumping into the seat. His arm immediately moved around Jessica when she joined him in the car without thinking about how ripe he might smell. Fortunately their driver seemed in a rush as most New Yorkers were about getting somewhere.

How Diego smelled was never in the negative for her. The more he worked, the more he sweated, and for soulmates, that smell was never a bad thing. He all but reeked of a breeding partner, setting up a lair for them to prepare for... well. Things. But she was just curling him up against her to rest as she gave the driver a pit stop at a pita place to pick up an order she was already calling in.

"Okay. We'll pick up a pita and some water for the way home. But then it's bed, and I don't want to hear an argument about it." Not that she thought she would. He was in that complicit, tired mood, and she was going to take advantage of it. She'd just have to keep her hands to herself until morning, and that was the hard part.

He could say the same about how Jessica smelled, if they were having that discussion. There wasn't much conversation after she gave the driver the location for the pita pickup. Diego looked around the electric vehicle, never having been inside of one before. He was sound asleep by the time they stopped for the food.

In fact, he didn't wake up until feeling himself getting pulled out of the car. "Stop, stop, stop." The words were mumbled then followed by a yawn. "I can walk," Diego uttered in a sleep filled voice. He let out a disgusted noise, grabbing the collar of the shirt he wore to wipe the drool at the corner of his mouth. To say he was sleeping hard was an understatement.

The ride-share was a comfortable ride through the city with a nice scent and soft jazz playing, a nice turn for Diego after not being able to get into the car. It also helped that the driver wasn't chatty. Number Two would've been impressed if he was more alert.

"I thought you were getting food?" he asked without focusing on Jessica after she set him down.

"I did," she answered, lifting the bag with her hand after setting him down. He was drooling, just a little, and she had to keep the chuckle firmly to herself so he didn't think she was laughing at him. She wasn't. Not really...

The Tesla took off behind her, and it was just her and Diego on the sidewalk in front of her building, Jessica willing to give him enough time to wake up enough to pull himself together. "I got you a pita. So let's get inside and eat so I can tuck you in, mm?"

It bothered her that she hadn't gotten him to leave sooner. The fact he'd fallen asleep so quickly and so soundly told her that he'd worked himself to his limit.

"I need a shower to get this paint off. Then bed," he grumbled while rubbing his eyes and walking into the apartment building. "Mmm, is that the Olympian?" His favorite gyro so far. Chicken shawarma and lamb gyro with feta, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and tzatziki sauce on a fresh baked pita. His stomach growled with approval.

Diego held the door open for Jessica, following close behind when she walked in. "Are we splitting it or did you get something for yourself?"

He mashed the elevator call button then started to pick off some of the paint on his hands, with his eyes looking between the task and Jessica.

"Depends on how hungry you are. You think you can eat a whole one?" He'd been so tired, and it gnawed at her that she'd let him get so far down that hole without dragging him out. She slid her hand over his, stopping him from picking at the paint. "If you're too tired for a shower, we can just crash and clean up tomorrow. If you're not still absolutely wrecked then. If you are..."

There was a look. A look that spoke of what she was willing to do to ensure that he actually got a full block of rest. "We'll just talk about that later." No, they would not. She'd just sit on him.

His eyes peered up as she put her hand over his. "I'll be fine. Not going to bed with paint and whatever else might be on me from working today." For the past 3 days. Granted, Diego did keep a wash cloth and cleaned up a little on a daily basis but there was no way he'd get in bed without a shower.

"This elevator takes forever. Crazy how the one in the factory is older, but runs better." Thanks to some improvements made by Rand Enterprises. Then again, the factory elevator was originally built to carry a lot more than the small residential lift. "The one at home," he quickly corrected.

As if to spite Diego, the elevator dinged and the doors opened to their floor. He was happy nobody interrupted their trek to the apartment. Jessica called it when she said being sleep deprived made him grumpy. It would be the absolute worst time for Vido or anyone to drop in on them.

"Eat, shower, bed?" he asked while pulling the chain from around his neck to unlock the door.

She let him grump, struggling not to smile, but she had to keep behind him as he walked, otherwise the gig would be up. She barely suppressed a chuckle at the tone, watching him shuffle a bit less elegantly than his usual stride. She loved watching him walk, not only because she had a great appreciation for his ass. There was a reason she kept thinking of him as a big black jaguar or jungle cat. He moved like one. All slink and grace and fluid motion.

Unless he was tired. Then he was a little panda bear that grumped at her and she wanted to cuddle him. She came up behind him when he got the door unlocked, an arm sliding around his middle. "Eat, shower, bed. Here, you get started on the food and I'll warm up the shower for you."

She held the bag up for him, thinking about plans to keep him in bed in case he got another case of the 'need to fix this right now' in his brain.

Her touch had the ability to stop him dead in his tracks, and not just because of her strength. Being his soulmate gave her the uncanny ability to soothe him almost instantly. And her touch could also invigorate him better than any energy drink or espresso. Diego could also feel Jessica without her being present. They were getting the hang of their connection, similar to how he learned his powers.

Yet it wasn't an exact science. She missed the signs of him overdoing it just as Diego had not picked up on her being hurt until Jessica called him. Each could sense something being off but hadn't pinned down exactly what. "Then you warm up the bed, naked." His voice was husky which could be a factor of how tired he was but also a nod to what she'd told him back in the factory.

He took the bag of food and headed to the small table in the kitchen. Tired eyes still held a glint of mischief as he looked over his shoulder to Jessica before taking a seat and starting in on his pita.

"That's a request, huh?" She shut the door and locked it, then shrugged out of her jacket. "Should I just guarantee your submission to my demands by doing everything naked? Because I'm not above playing dirty."

The boots got kicked off as he watched her, then her shirt was pulled off over her head. She saw that smile, heard that huskiness, and her body couldn't help but react to it. Diego just flat out did it for her, more than anyone she'd ever met, and it would never cease to amaze her how every little thing could have her body turning into a gooey mess for him.

Her arms reached behind her to undo the bra, which she dropped, before she shimmied out of her jeans and underwear. "Eat, Diego. The food. I'm going to go make sure the water's nice and... hot."

Flirty wasn't something she would usually be accused of being, but with him, she gave him a wicked smile over her shoulder before she walked off to the bathroom, putting an extra swing in her hips.

"I plead the fifth," he uttered through a crooked grin. Diego unloaded the paper bag and began to unwrap the foil from around the pita. He took a bite, moaning appreciatively just as Jessica started to peel off her layers. It would've been easy to mistake the sounds he made and how he licked his lips as a response to the pita he was eating but his brown eyes fixed on his better half.

She awakened a hunger that had been dormant as he busied with renovations, surrounded by work everywhere he looked. One hunger had fueled the other and he scoffed down the sandwich. Hopefully she hadn't planned on having half as Diego did what Jessica said and ate his food.

"Ready or not, here I come." Diego meant that in more ways than one. There was no doubt in his mind that his eyes would close with at least one mind blowing orgasm. He didn't expect it to be in the shower. Jessica might be able to easily lift him but she was the one needing to be lifted if they were going to finish in the small space. It was a quick shower then bed.

She was sneakier than that. He was going to have the shower to himself, otherwise it would be a half assed one at best. As much as she wanted him touching her, she wanted him in bed more, and he could easily do that there. So when he got to the bathroom, the water was the temperature she knew he liked, and Jessica's naked self was sprawled on her belly on her bed, resting there as she felt a little thrill of pleasure in knowing that hey, she'd taken care of someone in a good way today.

As for the food? She'd eaten something earlier before showing up that evening, and when she'd felt that hunger pain echo along their link, she knew where it was coming from. She rested on the bed, trying not to imagine him naked and soapy, just the way she liked him. "I hope you know this is torture for me," she said conversationally, loud enough that he should be able to hear her. "Do you know how much I love licking water off you?"

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