A/N: I know it's been forever since I updated and I appreciate the support for this fic so much! As I said on my latest update to Moments, I've been going through a lot lately and had to get my laptop repaired, but I'm back now and I've edited all of the previous chapters to this.
Also, I got a few comments/messages about what I said in my last author's note about the LGBTQ+ representation and I'd like to respond and clarify things: Cyrus and his love interests were not representing the entire community. As a bisexual woman, I do feel it's a genuine shame because Scandal changed my life in the best way, but that is the one thing it lacked. There's more to the LGBTQ+ community than the G, let's not forget that.
Anyway, here's a new chapter. I hope you enjoy it!
Olivia is busying herself in the kitchen when Fitz walks in, eyes wide with shock at the sight before him. In their entire relationship, he's never seen her pick up so much as a wooden spoon, so watching her dart around the room, attempting to make breakfast is hysterical. He only intervenes when she begins to attempt to whisk pancake batter, gently prying the mixing bowl out of her hands to take over before she causes an accident or starts a fire.
"Go sit down, Olivia. I got this."
She frowns and her plump lips pout. "I want to help."
"Liv, you know how you can help?"
"How?"
"By getting out of our kitchen." His teasing grin fades a little as the implications of his words settle in. Though the house had been built with her in mind, neither of them have acknowledged that it's still hers until now.
"Okay." She admits defeat, standing up on her toes to kiss his cheek.
While Fitz makes breakfast, Olivia takes herself through to the dining room. She's setting the table when Karen appears in the doorway, lingering there for a moment before walking in and taking a seat.
"I want you to know that I haven't said anything to your father, Karen," Olivia speaks softly, daring to approach the subject and break the tension.
"Thank you." Karen nods slowly, breathing out a quiet sigh of relief. Then her brows draw together in a frown. "But why didn't you? I was awful to you, you could've just…"
"Because it's not my place."
They're both silent for a while as Olivia finishes placing silverware on the tabletop. Karen pours herself a glass of orange juice and takes a sip before she speaks again.
"I wanted to apologize… I'm sorry for how I reacted yesterday."
"It's okay." Olivia's shoulders lift in a light shrug as she pulls out a chair opposite Karen. "I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did. I never wanted to hurt you."
"You don't have to explain, my dad told me everything. It was the first real, honest conversation I think we've ever had." Karen almost laughs.
"You should talk to him." Olivia begins earnestly, trying her best not to overstep their unspoken boundaries. "I promise he won't love you any less or view you any differently. Your sexuality doesn't define you."
"I brought Ana here to tell him. I was just going to say it, like 'Hey dad, this is my girlfriend' but I chickened out." Karen grimaces and at that moment the sound of infectious laughter comes from down the hall, in the kitchen.
"Well, it sounds like he's already taken a liking to her," Olivia notes with a faint smile touching her lips.
"It's almost annoying how well they're getting along." Karen's eyes roll but there's only playfulness behind the gesture.
The laughter and friendly chatter soon follows them through to the dining room as Fitz and Ana walk in, each carrying two plates with bacon and pancakes stacked high. If he's surprised by the distinct lack of tension between his girls, he doesn't show it.
"Here." Fitz places their plates down and takes a seat beside Olivia, flashing her a grin. "I didn't get to introduce the two of you yesterday; Liv this is Ana, Ana this is my girlfriend Liv."
Olivia decides then that she'll never tire of hearing Fitz refer to her as his girlfriend so easily, without fear or reservation.
After breakfast, Karen leaves Ana to pack while she and Fitz take Rufus out for a walk. When they return, Karen and Ana say their goodbyes, leaving Olivia and Fitz watching from the porch as they drive away. When they're finally alone, Fitz loops his arms around Olivia's waist, hugging her from behind. She tips her head back, breathing out a quiet sigh.
"So Karen and I had a long talk… About you. About her." He murmurs into her ear, pausing to press his lips to her neck in a sweet kiss. "About Ana."
She shifts in his arms to face him, studying him carefully. "What did she say?"
"She told me that Ana's not just a friend, she explained that she's her girlfriend and they're in a serious relationship." He pauses, narrowing his gaze on her. "She also told me what happened when you'd arrived yesterday."
"Oh… She did?" Olivia tenses in his arms and she isn't sure how to read his expression.
"It's okay, Liv." Fitz soothes, rubbing circles at the base of her back. "She needed to tell me on her own and she was glad you didn't take that away from her."
"And you're not mad?"
"Not at all. I don't like it when you keep things from me, but this was different." He watches a genuine smile spread across her face and grins back at her. "I'm gonna Skype with Teddy, then after that… I'm making love to you."
A shiver runs through her at the predatory tone of his voice. "I didn't know you actually meant that last night."
"I'm a man of my word." His hands dip lower to squeeze her ass, pulling her up against him as he closes his mouth over that spot on her neck that makes her tremble. "And I meant it when I said I'd make you scream."
After a round of heated, intense lovemaking where Fitz well and truly made good on his promise, he traces his fingertips up and down Olivia's side, skimming over her curves as her ragged breaths even out.
"Is there anything I could be doing for you?" He asks after a while, biting his bottom lip for a brief moment as his gaze travels down her naked body. "Sexually, I mean."
Her brows shoot up in disbelief. "Seriously?"
"What?"
"You actually think I'm unsatisfied?"
"Well, no, but…"
"Baby, nobody has ever – or will ever – make me come as hard as you do." She trails off with a frown creasing her forehead. "Wait, is there something I could be doing to satisfy you?"
"Livvie, no, god. I was just wondering if you have any unfulfilled fantasies that I could make happen."
Her tongue brushes at the corner of her lips as she considers his offer. "Before I met you I always wanted to have a threesome."
"Really?" His eyes widen with surprise at her confession.
"Mmm… But now I couldn't stand having to share you, watching somebody else touch you." She curls an arm around his neck possessively, pouting at the thought.
"Mellie and I had a threesome once."
Olivia stares at him, mouth agape, like he's grown a second head. "You did?"
"It's not at all what you're thinking." Fitz laughs with a shake of his head. "After you left there was a period of time near the end of our marriage where we tried to make it work. It was just… sad. I think she thought that because she wasn't enough for me, I'd be satisfied with the porn fantasy of having two women want me."
"Poor baby, having to sleep with two women. How did you ever cope?" Her tone is playfully teasing. She juts her bottom lip out as she pinches his chin gently.
"Two women who weren't you." He corrects, frowning until she leans forward to kiss him affectionately and an irrepressible smile spreads across his face. "After being with you nobody could ever compare. You ruined me."
"Good." Olivia wears a triumphant smirk as she wraps her thigh around his hip and pushes herself up to straddle him. "What about you? Anything you want to do with me to mix things up?"
"There is one thing, actually, though I'm not sure we could do it…" Fitz trails off, chewing his bottom lip.
"I'm listening."
"I've always wanted to make a sex tape with you."
"I don't know what I was expecting, but that…" Her tongue swipes between her lips and she peers down at him through darkened eyes. "That would be hot. I'd love to have a video of us for when we're apart."
"Just talking about this is turning me on." He runs his hands up her thighs, squeezing them with possessive fervor.
"I can tell, babe." Olivia pushes her hips back to grind against the erection poking against her ass.
A low growl escapes Fitz and his jaw clenches as she repositions herself to kneel between his legs. "Livvie."
"What?" Her face is a picture of innocence. She wraps a hand around his length and circles the tip of his cock with her tongue.
The words die on his lips as she takes him into her mouth, humming low in her throat.
"I told Teddy about us. And Mellie." Fitz announces casually over dinner.
Olivia almost chokes on her mouthful of noodles. Following hours and hours in bed together, neither of them had the energy to cook so they'd ordered Chinese takeout and his Skype call with Teddy had gone unmentioned. Until now.
"What did you – I don't –" She stumbles over her words, reeling from his admission.
"Teddy's fine with it, he's a good kid." He elaborates, biting into a spring roll. "But I didn't want Mellie to find out from Karen or anybody else. I was a little concerned about how she'd take it, to be completely honest."
"And how did it go?" Her eyes shift to the takeout container in front of her and she absently pokes at a dumpling with her chopsticks.
"She's disappointed, I think, but not surprised," Fitz replies with a light shrug of his shoulders. "Things were so hard after you left, I don't know that she'll ever truly be over it."
"Do you think she still wishes things had worked out between you two?" Olivia dares to sneak a furtive glance at him and sees him staring back at her, open-mouthed. "What?"
"Not in a million years." He scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. "She's moved on with that new guy, Marcus. She's happier than she ever was with me. I mean, she's actually in love and by all accounts, he loves her too."
"I'm glad. After everything, she deserves to be happy." There's nothing insincere in her tone; she really does mean it.
"So do you." His hand slides across the dining table to grasp hers.
She breathes out a muted sigh and her lips curve with a faint smile. "I am happy. So, so happy."
"I've been thinking," He begins, caressing her knuckles with his thumb. "How would you feel about going for dinner, in public, when we're back in D.C.?"
"Mister, are you asking me on a date?" Her eyes light up and her face breaks into a teasing grin.
"I am. I wanna take you out and show how lucky I am to have you on my arm…" He trails off, hesitating as the smile on his face slips a little. "That is if you're ready for it?"
"I'm ready. We have nothing to hide anymore and I would be proud for the world to know I'm yours." She states genuinely and her heart flutters in her chest at the thought of finally being able to go public, following the years of secrecy. There's a devilish look in her eyes. "But I should warn you, I don't put out on the first date."
"Is that so?"
"I'm not easy, baby."
He leans back in his chair, smirking at her. "Then I guess I'll have to put all my best moves on you to try to change that."
"Mmhm, you better." She says, brushing her tongue subconsciously between her full lips, enticing him even more. "I've been waiting a long time for this date, it'd be a shame if you disappointed me."
"I wouldn't dream of letting that happen." The twinkle in his eye tells her he means every word.
A/N: I just want to make it clear again, I'm not abandoning writing. I have plenty of ideas and plans for future fics, both multi-chaptered and one shots. But here's the thing: I've been really frustrated and lacking inspiration for Scars We Carry. I no longer like the ending I had in mind and I want to wrap it up much sooner, so it's likely I'll write 2/3 more chapters. I hope you understand.
And btw, if you haven't already, please go follow my tumblr - makingjaminvermont. I'm trying to post more on it, including sneak peeks and maybe some little ficlets I deem too short or rough to upload here! Thanks!