Lillian groused morosely on his couch. Fidgeting and sighing every couple of minutes. He looked up at her from the chair he’d plopped himself on to watch whatever inane show she’d turned on.

“And what – prey tell – is wrong with you?” He teased.

Her eyes turned to his, filled with desire. Which he was not expecting. He swallowed hard and waited for her response.

“I feel… empty.” She murmured.

“Empty?” Brayden answered.

Lillian nodded slowly her eyes implying something. Brayden turned the word over in his head a couple times trying to figure out what on earth she meant. And looking at him like that? He contemplated a little longer. A distressed whimper fell from her lips.

Oh, empty! His brain cheered. He flipped a flirtatious and evil look at her. He fingered the gold ring he had moved to his right hand playfully.

“Well, why don’t you go fill yourself then?” He replied casually.

Lillian flushed and stammered.

“I haven’t… the means for something like that.” She whispered.

“Nothing?” Brayden inquired.

She shook her head vigorously.

“I wouldn’t know, what or even where, to get something – like that.” She added hoarsely.

“You mean, you don’t have, anything?” He gapped.

Lillian shook her head, embarrassed.

“Easy fix.” Brayden waved off. “You go into one of those stores and ask the nice person there for something, about this round,” holding his middle finger and thumb in a circle “and I’d say probably, mmm, 3-4 inches long, but it has to - how do I say this – move?” He grinned at her increasingly red face. “No extra, uh, dangly bits, if you will, but a nice, flared base, and maybe it has a nice vibrating bit to go with it!” He added evilly. “That way when you’re feeling “empty”” He quoted, “you can keep it in even while you walk around.” Finishing his spiel flippantly, looking back at the tv, just to tease her.

“Oh, but if you do that, make sure you’re wearing a snug pair of panties and pants, so when you do tighten around it, it doesn’t go anywhere.” Turning back to her red face. “Just in case.” He added.

Her face was a glorious colour, her eyes half feral looking at him. Her ragged breaths screamed desperation and want. Brayden just smiled sweetly at her and turned back to the TV. Lillian huffed indignantly and disappeared in James’ room.

Brayden sighed deeply and tipped his head back. How had she gotten to 25 without a single toy? He shook his head. Maybe she was too shy to bring it up to James? Not with him apparently. Their conversations had grown more and more risky in the weeks following Halloween. Or maybe it was the bonfire that followed shortly after that.

She sure was busy at the end of October, her birthday, then Halloween, and the Bonfire Night the first weekend in November. Brayden had taken the last weekend off work just to be there.

It had been freezing but the bonfire was huge out on her parents’ land. He had driven the two hours to get out there basically on a whim. Calling in sick for his last 12-hour shift of the rotation, claiming to be too ill to work, or risk taking the whole squad down with him. Lillian and all her friends and family sat tightly knit around the fire drinking and laughing, waiting to burn “The Guy” as Lillian called it.

The time finally arrived for a man shaped bag of leaves, who was fully clothed to be sacrificed to the fire. Lillian’s father then went on to tell the story of who Guy was and what burning him meant. It apparently was a great British celebration to burn a catholic effigy for the hell of it these days. Or that’s at least what Brayden took away from it.

Fireworks followed quickly after, a beautiful and full array of fireworks echoed off the trees in the middle of nowhere, which is where this land was, in his opinion. Cheers and rallying cries echoed from all those who came. Brayden had found a seat next to Jasmine, who leaned over to him at the end of the night, to tell him:

“You win.” She winked.

Brayden had grown pretty brazen since then, actively seeking Lillian out to go on mini dates, or activities. He offered to do mundane chores and errands with her regularly. Luke and Joe had even invited him to play a game of hockey when their team was down a member. Brayden was feeling as close to a winner as he could get without winning yet.

He smiled to himself when he heard James’, shower turn on. His ego thoroughly stroked. Any day now, he thought she’d turn. With Christmas in a couple weeks, he figured she’d wait it out until after the holiday, but hopefully before the new year.

He preened at the sounds he could hear coming from the shower in the neighboring room. Growing flustered himself, he adventured into his own shower. Grinning ear to ear.

Toweled off with just a towel around his waist Brayden ventured back out into the main living space to dart into his own room, but Lillian was back on the couch and looked up at him as he cleared the bathroom door. Heat rising in her face at the realization of what they both knew had just happened. She blinked her eyes away and starred at the TV intently letting Brayden disappear into his room to find some pants. He came out again, still shirtless and plopped himself back into the chair he had been in, like nothing ever happened.

James came home not an hour later to find them both silently watching TV. His eyes darted between the two before deciding nothing was wrong, except Brayden’s bare chest, which he glared at coldly. He plopped down next to Lillian on the couch, and slung an arm over the back, before gracelessly kissing Lillian’s temple and inquiring what they were watching.

“Why don’t we turn on that movie we’ve been wanting to watch?” James asked Lillian, shooting a fuck off look at Brayden.

“Oh, but – I” Lillian started.

“You guys enjoy, I’ve got work in the morning.” Brayden finished, standing and stretching, knowing full well his neck tattoo was on display.

“Goodnight.” James replied cooly.

Lillian whispered a quiet goodnight to him as well before he padded into his own room. Brayden sighed, tugging the sweats he’d throw on, off, and tossing himself into his bed. Brayden smiled to himself as he drifted off to sleep.