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It had been around three weeks since Annalise had seen Eve but they had been in contact. They texted a little throughout the day and at night they would call each other. Partially because it was beginning to get hard to sleep without one another and falling asleep to the sound of each other's voices made it easier. They weren't dating they weren’t really sure what they were. According to Eve they were ‘friends’ but they both knew they were much more than that. On Friday night Annalise decided to take a trip up to New York and surprise Eve. It was around 8pm when she got there and they usually had their nightly phone calls around 9 or 10. So Annalise knew she would be at home finishing up some work.
She walked up stairs to the third floor of her apartment and looked under the rug for the spare key. She always thought it was cliche and dangerous that Eve kept a spare key in such an obvious place but for once she was happy about it. She put the key in and opened the door.
To her surprise there was a woman in a red robe standing in front of the refrigerator and now looking in shock at Annalise. Did she have the wrong apartment? Maybe everyone in New York kept a key under their rug and she had somehow ended up in the wrong place? All these thoughts raced through her mind and before she had realized it she’d be standing there in silence for a good five minutes. The other woman still staring at her in shock.
“Um... I’m sorry... I was looking for..--”
Before she could finish she was interrupted by the sound of Eve’s voice coming from somewhere else in the apartment.
“Tina, babe, come back”
The way she felt must have clearly shown on her face for once in her life, because the gorgeous blonde woman standing in front of her looked at her like she was a child who had just been told Santa Claus or the tooth fairy wasn’t real.
Annalise wanted to speak so badly but she was in such shock she couldn’t function. Who was this woman? Well, she was Tina, apparently and she was young and blonde and skinny and to put it simply all the things Annalise wasn't. She wasn’t even going to bother asking herself what she was doing in Eve’s apartment because the answer was quite evident.
“Hey.. um... if you’re looking for Eve..” As if things couldn't get worse the sound of Eve’s name coming out of her mouth made her feel like she had just swan dived off the empire state building.
“No, no I.. I.. I’m sorry. I need to go” Annalise turned to run and never look back. But not before Eve got up and made her way to the kitchen.
“Annalise?” she looked in disbelief. Annalise was frozen with her back to both of them.
“...I should go...” Tina said grabbing her clothes and bag quickly and running out.
Annalise and Eve were left alone and still neither of them had spoken it. Honestly Annalise didn’t know why she was so upset but she could feel tears beginning to stream down her face and if she hated anything in the world it was crying, she hated crying in front of people even more. She shouldn’t have been crying. Her and Eve weren't dating and honestly she was the reason they weren’t. Maybe that’s why she was upset, because she didn’t really have the right to be. Because no matter how she felt Eve wasn't hers and seeing this other woman was the perfect reminder of that.
“Annalise please. Let me explain”
She took a deep breath and laughed coldly “Explain? Explain what? You’re a grown woman, you don’t have to explain anything”
When she turned around Eve was taken back by the fact that she was crying. She had seen Annalise cry a lot but she was never the cause of it and it broke her heart to know that she was. More than anything she wanted to hug and kiss her and make everything better but she knew that wouldn’t work. She had fucked up.
“Please.. please just talk to me”
“About what? Why you call me every night and tell me you miss me but have some random woman in your bed? Fine. Let’s talk about it.”
Eve could feel her face getting warm and tears starting to build up. Now that Annalise was giving her the chance to talk she was suddenly speechless. Why did she do that? Everything with Annalise was going so well and she had just ruined it. In that moment she hated herself more than anything else in the world.
“I just missed you...I guess. I don’t know.”
Annalise let out an emotionless laugh and wiped her tears. She was hurt and angry and she wanted to walk out and never look back but she couldn’t. Now Eve was crying, sobbing even, and she looked so genuinely hurt by what was happening she figured the least she could do was hear her out.
“I missed you Annie. I missed you and I missed being able to see you and touch you and feel you. I guess I just wanted to feel something... besides alone. When I’m with you it’s great but then I come back home and I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t sleep. I can’t work. It’s pathetic.. and I’m sorry... I don’t know... I’m just sorry.”
Part of what she was saying was right. Eve had been so sweet and understanding about where Annalise was mentally and she never tried to push her she was just always there. Whenever she needed her, and she never stopped to think about what she needed. She knew that Eve loved her and that it had to bother her how unstable their relationship was. It bothered Annalise too but the difference was that Annalise knew whenever she wanted Eve she would be there and apparently she didn’t give Eve that same level of comfort. Suddenly she felt a lot less angry and a lot more guilty.
“You’re not selfish.. you told me you had a life in New York, remember? I’m the one who's been selfish.”
“No, Annalise, don’t. You’re fine. This is all my fault” Eve was still crying. She was one of those people that once it started it didn’t stop. All the anger had faded away and left her with somewhat of a sense of clarity. Annalise walked up to her and wiped her tears.
“No. It’s my fault for not telling you how I feel. You deserve to know. I should've said it a long time ago and honestly I’ve been trying so hard not to. I just didn’t want to make things complicated...” She bit her lip and looked into her eyes.
“I love you. I think about you all the time. It's been really hard the past few weeks. Which is why I came here... I wanted to surprise you.” she couldn’t help but be slightly amused by the irony of it all. She had just came to surprise her and maybe have a nice weekend but now so much more was happening and she felt so relieved once she finally said the words.
“Are you just saying that because I’m an emotional mess?” she sniffled and laughed.
“No... come here” she wrapped her arms around her waist and gently caressed her face.
“I’m sorry” She couldn’t help but say it again.
“Please. Don’t apologize” she kissed her lips slowly and softly. “So... Tina?” she said breaking their kiss just for a second.
“Who?” a genuinely confused and tear stained faced Eve replied without thinking.
Annalise couldn’t help but laugh. “Nevermind” she pulled her in tighter and kissed her again. This time more passionately and filled with emotion. They made their way to the couch and later into the bedroom. The night was filled with tenderness and love. This was the best surprise Annalise could have ever hoped for.