Work Text:
You know there’s something wrong from the moment you walk through the door. The radio is off. Melissa is always dancing, softly singing when you walk through the door on a weekday. There’s no smell of Lasagne cooking and Melissa had told you specifically as you drove to work that she would cooking a Lasagne tonight, enough left over for you both to take to work. You frown as you poke your head around the door and into the kitchen and don’t find her there.
You continue to walk around the bottom floor of the house before deciding to check the bedroom. Usually, Melissa would text you if she wasn’t well and you’d pick up soup on the way home. You walk up the stairs and eventually walk through the door to find Melissa organising her closet. You smile softly as the woman throws her clothes onto the floor, muttering angrily.
When you’d first started dating, Melissa had told you she had gotten into the habit of tidying and organising whenever she was upset. She’d come home one too many times with bloodied hands and her mother had insisted she find a better way to deal with her anger and this, this is what she’d found.
You watched as Melissa, grumbled into the clothes, clearly talking to herself about the day earlier. You’d missed lunch in the staff room, trying to avoid all the drama over the NBA tickets, you’d decided to hop out to the deli round the corner and grab a sandwich. You usually sat in the far corner of the staff room and watched amused as Melissa bantered with mostly everyone.
You’d only been dating for six months.
You’d yet to tell anyone at work. You specified in teacher English at the school and could often be found with your head buried in a book. Melissa and you had bonded in the library when you had come to her for advice about a student with Dyslexia. She’d threatened you to begin with, asking how you’d found out and if you were an undercover cop. Once you’d assured her you weren’t a cop and that you’d found out from a student she’d recently helped who returned a book she’d borrowed from you with yellow markings at the start of every word, she’d more than helpful.
You’d thanked her with a free ticket to a Flyers game. She’d tried to say no, but you wouldn’t let her. Then you’d fallen in love with her. It hadn’t taken you by surprise. Melissa Schemmenti was beautiful. She was smart. She was fierce. She had a heart of gold and a wild streak.
Surprisingly, she had fallen for you too.
The age difference didn’t bother you. It didn’t bother her after you convinced her she wasn’t having a midlife crisis. Barbara was the only one who knew, Melissa wasn’t comfortable yet and that was fine with you.
You watched as she angrily swears at a tight looking red dress that you must ask her to model for you at some point.
“So, I’m guessing work didn’t go too well?” You ask, and arch an eyebrow as she turns around, eyebrows furrowed and a scowl on her face.
“I didn’t hear you come in.” She huffs, as she moves to continue throwing items in a pile on the floor.
“No, I think you were too busy throwing your clothes around your room.” You reply amused as she stops and throws an old hoody on the floor. “Did you suddenly decide that you wanted me to treat you to a new closet of clothes, finally taking up my offer of letting me be your sugar baby?”
“You realise we work in the same place right Hon?” Melissa stops piling her clothes and looks up slightly amused. “You don’t make that much more than me with your vinted sales.”
“Excuse me, I’ll have you know I sold my old leather jacket for $20, I could totally buy you some new clothes with that, have you never heard of thrift shopping?” You grin as Melissa lets out a laugh and you finally begin to see her relax.
You notice that she’s still wearing her grey jacket and move to take it off, you smile as she lets you take it off her and place it on the bed. You move her to the bed and sit her down, leaning to take off her black boots, you bring the zipper down and place them next to you as you kneel.
“You don’t have to do this.” She whispers and you look up and arch an eyebrow at her, your smile never leaving your face. “You don’t.”
“I know, but I want to look after my woman.” She bit your lip as she throws her head back and laugh. “You laugh but you are my woman.”
“I am.” She looks at you with a fond expression on her face, as she moves her hands to cup your cheeks. “I’m sorry, you had to come home and see me like this.”
You furrow your brows. There’s something else off. You just can’t pick up on it. Something about her if different.
“You don’t have to apologise Mel.” You move to sit next to her on the bed, throwing an arm around her and pulling her in, you wait for her to lean her head on your shoulder and let out a content sigh when she does. “I’m here for you.”
“I know you are.” She says slowly, almost like she’s thinking about every word carefully as it leaves her mouth. “You’re very good to me.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, what’s got you so stressed you’re organising your closet?” You ask and you feel her deflate slightly. “Honey, no matter what it is, I’m here, who do I need to beat up?”
“Barb.” She swallows and you can hear the pain in her voice. “Barb has said something today, that has me thinking.”
“Wait, is this about the argument that broke out in the staff room?” You move to look at Melissa who won’t meet your eyes. “This is about the NBA tickets, right?”
“I know you’re not really into basketball, I know you love your hockey but I thought it would be nice if we could go, you know?” She sighs. “We all started arguing and saying stupid stuff.”
“What did you and Barb say to each other?” You ask and wait patiently as Melissa’s frown deepens.
“I told her all she did was teach kids how to use safety scissors…” You gasp as Melissa winces. “I know, I know she doesn’t but she said she was the most important Teacher!”
“Babe.” You groan but continue to hold Melissa. “I’m sure she’ll forgive you when you apologise, which you will but what did she say back?”
“She told me if my Kindergarten teacher had done a better job, I’d know that youse isn’t plural for you.” She shrugs and your arm falls off her shoulders. “It’s fine, you know.”
“You’re not shutting me out now Schemmenti, tell me what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours.” You grab her suddenly and throw her backwards on the bed causing her to yelp, you laugh as you pull her up the bed and wrap yourself around her. “I’m not letting you go until we do, even if it means we starve.”
“Y/N.” She murmurs as she looks down at you, your head on her chest as you look up at her. “I’m not letting you eat me if we starve.”
“I thought you liked it when I eat you.” You laugh as she hits you lightly on the shoulder and lets out a loud laugh.
“Get your mind out of the gutter.” She teases and you move up to press your lips to hers for the first time since you left the house this morning.
You move one of your hands to her cheek as she deepens the kiss. You know some part of her is doing this to distract you from talking about your feels but you let the kiss continue, only stopping as one of her hands slides down from your back to your ass and squeezes.
“You’re not seducing me to get out of telling me what’s wrong.” You whisper against her lips. “As much as I love being seduced by you.”
“I love seducing you, not that it takes much, does it doll?” She smirks at you and you blush. “Love that you’re not denying it.”
“Shut up Schemmenti.” You warn. “I will withhold kisses.”
“You will not.” She snorts and rolls her eyes. “Thought youse wanted me to talk.”
“I do.” You lay your head down on her chest. “Talk to me and you’ll get all the kisses you want.”
“Do you…do you get embarrassed when I talk like that, when I say stuff like youse or I use slang, you know?” You feel her heart jackhammering her chest as she talks. “Do..I..do I sound stupid?”
“Sweetheart no.” You sit up quickly and look down at your girlfriend who won’t meet your eyes. “No, I have never, ever been embarrassed of you and I have no reason to be, I love the way you talk, you talk like you, like you’re from South Philly and proud of it as you damn well should be.”
“It just made me think you know, does everyone think I sound stupid but they’re too afraid I’ll punch em out or something?” You move a hand to Melissa’s chin and force her to look at you.
“Yes, people are afraid of you.” You watch as a cocky smile appears on her face and you can’t help but grin. “But no one, myself included is embarrassed by the way you talk, okay?”
“But how can you be…” You cut her off with a fierce kiss before moving back to look at her in the eyes.
“Melissa Ann Schemmenti, I am not embarrassed nor is anyone of your friends, you are smart, you are sexy, you talk like the sexiest woman in the entire state, and I am not beyond knocking on Barbara’s door and getting her to tell you this.” Melissa smiles as you stare at her, a firm expression on your face. “You are beautiful, Barbara and you both said stupid things you didn’t mean, okay?”
“Okay.” She replies as you let go of her chin and lay back down next to her. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me and don’t ever be afraid to talk to me.” You reply as she moves to bring you back to lay your head on her chest. “I love you; you know that right?”
“I do.” She cuddles you in close. “I love you too.”
“If your really want to go to a game, I’ll take us, I may not be able to afford court sides but you’d be able to see and we could share some food, I could take you to a flyers game or we could go to a baseball game, or I’ll take you out somewhere for dinner..”
“Baby.” She cuts you off and moves this time to lean on her elbow and look down at you. “You don’t need to do any of that stuff, you know that right, I’m happy just ordering a pizza and catching the game on TV.”
“I know but what kind of sugar daddy would I be then?” You laugh as she groans but can’t resist laughing with you.
You love her like this. Head thrown back, mouth open as she laughs at your dumb jokes.
“God, you’re an idiot.” She looks down at you once more before pressing her lips to yours. “I love you so much.”
“I love you.” You whisper. “Hey Mel?”
“What hon?” She moves away from your lips but not by much, her green eyes bore into yours.
“I’m starving.” She smirks as you lick your lips.
“Well honey, you better eat.” She presses her lips against yours and you spend the night showing Melissa Schemmenti just how much you love her.