Odyssey of Hannah & Laena

Odyssey of Hannah & Laena Ch. 08

Life for Lewis was going well. Things with Hannah and Laena were great. Though Lewis still had a hard time wrapping his head around being in an unconventional relationship. He was really into them, and they were equally into him. But juggling two women, especially ones with high libidos, proved to be a challenge of its own. There were plenty of sleepless nights, and he barely had any time to himself since Hannah and Laena spent most of their time in his apartment, or had him stay at theirs. Nonetheless, he was happy about where he was.

Eventually, Lewis managed to put his foot down and get them into a healthier sex life. Of course, the girls weren't exactly happy to hear about it. Hannah whined nearly all day when he broke it to them, and Laena gave him the silent treatment. It wasn't ideal for him since he didn't like them being upset, but it had to be done, and they got over it in about a day after they had some time to cool off.

It had been a good few months since they started seeing each other, but Lewis wasn't sure how to label their relationship. He didn't want to assume he was dating them, so he said to himself they werefriends with benefits. Albeit they acted like anything but that.

Lewis began to get restless thinking about it. Every time he was with Hannah and Laena, he was just happier and more fulfilled. He never liked dancing around the line of fuck buddies. He was a man of commitment, and he wanted to commit to them. But having two girlfriends? It was a strange concept. Such a decision would have so many implications about how it would interlace into his life. Especially with his family, since they were always the more traditional types. It gave him shivers at the mere thought of breaking the news to his mother, and even more trepidation over a conversation with his sister.

But as many doubts as he had, he still wanted them. And he was planning to make things official soon.

-

"How about these?" Ashley asked, pointing at some gold rings laid out in a glass display.

Lewis flicked his attention to her and glanced over her shoulder at the assortment of jewelry. He had no idea what kind of things women liked, and Ashley was more than happy to volunteer her expertise.

"Hm, I don't know. Seems a bit much, no?" Lewis murmured, his voice unsure as he carefully rubbed his chin. He scrutinized the rings. His dark eyes narrowed, not liking how lavished they seemed with their various gems and intricate engravings. He knew that Hannah and Laena wouldn't want anything super expensive. He thought the symbolism was more important than anything, and he was certain the girls did too.

Ashley just nodded in agreement after taking another look at the display, and they continued browsing around the jewelry shop. As they explored, an older woman approached them, one of the employees.

"Good afternoon, do you two need any help?" the woman kindly asked, her hands neatly folded at her legs.

"Oh, we're just looking for something..." Lewis mumbled after giving the lady an acknowledging glance, while he bent over another display.

"Ah, anything in particular that catches your eye?" the woman continued with a polite smile. "If you have anything in mind, I'm sure I can find you something."

Lewis slowly straightened out and turned to the lady. "Yeah, that would be nice, actually," he replied gratefully. "Do you have anything simple? Just something more symbolic rather than flashy?"

The woman chewed the inside of her cheek as she rubbed her jaw in thought. "Hmm, I think I may have something you'd like. Please, if you would be so kind as to follow me."

Lewis and Ashley followed her across the shop to a set of displays near the corner of the space. There were rows of simple gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, and rings. He scanned them closely, leaning closer to the glass.

"Ohhh, these are really pretty, don't you think, Lewis?" Ashley said as she shuffled next to him to get a look for herself, pressing her finger against the glass at a particular set of necklaces. "I think that Hannah and Laena might like some of these."

Lewis's eyes followed her finger and observed the necklaces closely. "Not bad..." he trailed off, still unsure. He looked a little harder for a second, and his attention eventually landed on a pair of rose gold rings. A small, satisfied smile curled at his lips, finding exactly what he was looking for.

"Excuse me," Lewis said to the lady. "Could I get these rings over here?"

"Of course!" She smiled and nodded, walking over to the display. As she reached inside for the rings, she paused for a moment. "Which one did you want? Your choice, sir," she asked, curious as to why he needed both.

"I'll actually be taking both." He didn't bother explaining; it wasn't really her business anyway. The lady just nodded in agreement; she wasn't going to argue with him.

Ashley nosily looked over Lewis's shoulder, her eyes catching a glance at what he chose. "Oh wow, Lewis! What a good eye, I think Hannah and Laena will love those!" she gushed with a wide, cheerful smile.

The lady carefully took the rings to the table behind her and packaged them neatly in their own separate black boxes before slipping them into a nice pink shopping bag with the jewelry shop's logo engraved on it.

While Lewis was at the register, Ashley kept lingering around the displays, eyeing the pretty rings and earrings that caught her eye. She glanced back at Lewis, a faint glint of jealousy in her eyes. She couldn't help but feel envious. A man going out of his way to spoil his lover, or in this case, lovers. Who wouldn't?

The lady slid the bag across the counter and offered a delightful smile. "Thank you for your business, sir," she said with a grateful bow of her head. "Hope you have a wonderful day!"

"Thank you," Lewis said simply with a small nod as he grabbed the bag. He called out towards Ashley, who was bent over a display, infatuated. "Ashley, time to go." She let out a small squeak and jerked up, hastily following his lead out the door.

They walked out into the parking lot towards his car. "I appreciate you coming and helping me out," Lewis said as he glanced over at her.

Ashley looked up at him, her cheeks flushing slightly as she nervously curled a strand of her blonde hair with her finger. "Oh! It's no problem, really," she replied, a wide grin curling at her lips. "You did most of the work anyway. I was just along for the ride."

"Hm, I guess you're right," Lewis chuckled at the realization. "But I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. It's always nice to hang out with you." He flashed her that calm, easy smile that always made her knees wobble. Ashley was sure he was being nice, but all her female instincts were telling her otherwise. She just hummed, unsure how to respond, and kept walking beside him.Dammit! Why is he so hot?!

"So... what now, Lewis?" Ashley asked as they reached his car, her head tilted curiously to the side as she looked at him.

Lewis paused as he reached for the door handle to his car, his brow furrowing. He checked his watch, then his phone. "Hm, I've got a couple of hours to spare," he replied as he opened the door. "Want to grab lunch?"

Ashley's eyes widened, her heart pounding in her chest. "Oh? Are you asking me out on a date?" she said, masking her excitement with a teasing tone.

Lewis shot her a flat look, his eyes half-lidded as he shook his head. "I'll take that as a yes." He didn't say anything more, slowly getting inside the car.

Ashley rolled her eyes, chuckling to herself as she opened the passenger door and stepped in. Although this wasn't a date in his mind, she certainly counted it as one. She was just happy to be along for the ride.

-

Meanwhile, Hannah and Laena lay sprawled across their bed in their apartment, wearing some of Lewis's shirts they snagged from his place, groaning and sulking in pain. It was that dreadful time of the month for them. Under normal circumstances, they'd take care of each other, but ever since their cycles synced, things became unbearable. The best they could do was just lie there and endure.

Hannah was tucked under the blanket, lazily scrolling through her phone while Laena lay across the bed, her head resting on Hannah's legs as she hugged a pillow. "How are you holding up, babe?" Laena murmured, her voice grumpy and laced with discomfort coiling in her stomach.

Hannah responded with a long, dramatic groan, her pretty brown eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. "This could be the worst day of my life," she complained, her thumb slowly flicking across her phone screen. "But I say that every time, so who knows."

"What time is it anyway?" Laena asked, tossing the pillow over her face, her voice muffling against the fabric.

"Almost two in the afternoon," Hannah answered flatly.

Laena let out a long, heavy sigh that almost sounded like a scream. "Ugh, this is the worst, this is the worst... I can't move, I'm hungry, my cramps are killing me, and did I mention that I'm hungry?"

Hannah just hummed, not really paying attention. "You're being a little dramatic, no? I have no idea how you can be hungry right now. I feel like I'm gonna puke."

Laena's green eyes narrowed as she shot Hannah a sharp leer. "Just let a girl complain in peace, Hannah," she said, her tone more pleading rather than a command. Laena's emotions and patience often became uncontrollable during these hard times.

They lay there in silence for a moment, Laena staring blankly at the ceiling while Hannah kept scrolling through her phone, the faint hum of the fan above filling the room. Hannah shifted, wincing slightly at the dull ache in her lower belly as she hoisted herself against the bed frame.

"Alright, I'm calling him," she announced, her voice a mix of mischief and impatience. "Gotta' see what our boy's up to."

Laena perked up, slowly crawling across the bed and settling herself until her shoulder was pressed against Hannah's. The phone rang a few times before Lewis's face popped up on the screen, his easy smile making the girls' hearts skip a beat and their stomachs flutter. He was mid-bite on a French fry while sitting at what appeared to be a diner booth.

"Hey, you two," he greeted warmly, his voice slightly muffled by the diner's background chatter. "You girls doing okay?"

Hannah and Laena hummed happily, though they held a tired look on their faces. "Well, aside from me feeling like my insides are being stabbed over and over, I'm doing okay," Laena answered bluntly.

Hannah nodded in agreement. "Yup, same here, babe. You know, we're just lying here... dying," she murmured, her voice groggy.

Lewis's brow arched, and he looked closer at the screen. His eyes widened as he observed Hannah and Laena's current state. Their hair was tousled, eyes sagged, and skin was a little paler than usual. "Oh..." he muttered in realization of what was happening. "You two look dead." He didn't realize what he said until he saw their sharp death stares, their tired brown and green eyes glaring daggers through the phone.

"Whoops, sorry. You two look lovely... as always, heh," Lewis uneasily backtracked, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous grin. Hannah and Laena rolled their eyes and shook their heads, letting out small, amused chuckles that softened the moment.

"Anyways," Laena said, tilting the phone so that she was mostly on the screen. "We're not okay, as you can see. Can you come over and take care of us? Like right now?"

Hannah leaned in, her chin resting on Laena's shoulder, her silky black hair messy across her face, pouting dramatically. "Yeah, Lewis. We're suffering. I can't even remember the last time we saw you."

"I literally saw you guys two days ago," Lewis replied, his tone flat with a hint of amusement.

"Two days too long," Hannah groaned, her voice overly dramatic.

He laughed as he finished his fry. "Alright, alright, I'll be over soon. Let me just finish up here, yeah? I'll be there in like, twenty minutes. Did you want me to grab anything? Advil? Food? That tea you like, Hannah?"

"Food! Please," Laena blurted immediately, grabbing the phone from Hannah's hand and putting her face into full view. "I'm fucking starving to death, Lewis, please."

Hannah hissed, flicking Laena's temple before taking the phone back and returning the screen to her. "Yes, please, babe."

Laena's ears perked up at the subtle sound of a familiar voice coming from the speaker. She took Hannah's wrist and turned the phone back towards her. "Are you with someone right now, Lewis?" she asked, though it sounded more like an accusation.

Lewis paused for a moment, a small, nervous smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Oh, uh... yeah, I am," he answered, uneasy as he met Laena's stern gaze. "I'm with Ashley right now." He turned the camera towards Ashley, who sat across the booth, in the middle of sipping a milkshake. "Say hi, girls," he uneasily urged.

"Hey, guys!" Ashley said happily as she waved at the camera. Hannah and Laena sat there, staring silently. Lewis was having lunchalonewith his female friend, well, their friend too, but still.

"Oh, hello, Ashley," Laena said through a tight smile.

Hannha looked equally displeased as she greeted her as well. "Hey, Ashley."

Lewis quickly spun the camera back on him. He looked petrified, seeing the blank, disdainful looks on their faces as they stared into his soul. "Is there any particular reason why you are having lunch with Ashleyalone?" Laena questioned, her tone tight with mock politeness.

Lewis carefully rubbed his chin; he didn't want to reveal anything to them yet. "Um, well, she was... helping run some errands. Nothing crazy."

"What kind of errands?" Hannah said, squinting, her voice laced with suspicion.

"Hm, secret," Lewis replied sweetly as he shot her a teasing grin. He glanced over at Laena, who was leering at him with her arms crossed under her chest. "I know that look, Laena."

"What look?" she huffed.

"Don't worry, I'm not being naughty, I swear," he assured. "I wouldn't dream of hurting my lovelies." That helped soften her up. Laena pursed her lips, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Trust me, I think you two will like what I have for you."

Hannah arched her brow, her eyes studying Lewis closely. "Ugh, you're so annoying when you're being cryptic."

"You usually end up happy when I am," he shot back.

Hannah's mouth fell open to argue, but the words died on her tongue. "W-well... just get back to us. We're gonna take you by your word. You're lucky we're too tired to keep grilling you."

Laena smirked, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, hurry up. We need our human heating pad."

Lewis just kept smiling warmly as he usually did. Hannah and Laena hated how easily he could sway them with his calm, loving personality. "Of course, I'll be there soon. Love you," he said, giving them a small kissing gesture over the phone.

"Love you too," the girls chorused, their voice softer now as the earlier jealousy melted away under his reassurance. The call ended, and Hannah went back to scrolling through her Instagram while Laena slid down onto her back.

"Ugh, why did we have to choose such a sweet talker?" Laena muttered, pulling the blanket over her chest. "I wanted to be mad about Ashley for at least another ten minutes."

Hannah laughed, scooting closer to wrap her arm around Laena's waist. "Right? Well, I suppose that's why she chose him. He is sweet. But too sweet... Hmmmm, I wonder what surprise he has for us."

"Guess we'll find out soon," Laena whispered, closing her eyes and pressing a kiss to Hannah's forehead. "You think we can get him to give us foot massages?

Hannah giggled mischievously, returning a kiss to her soft lips. "Definitely."

Lewis returned to the apartment complex after dropping off Ashley at her condo. He made his way to Hannah and Laena's apartment, using the spare key they gave him to open the door. He closed the door behind him and took his shoes off, placing them neatly on the rack by the door.

He strode over towards their bedroom, carefully pushing the already cracked door open to see the girls cuddling in bed with their eyes closed. Laena was the first to notice him, her emerald eyes shooting open. She slowly sat up, wincing a bit as she ran her fingers through her messy short brown hair.

"Hey there, hotshot," Laena greeted, her voice raspy as she yawned. "Took you long enough."

Lewis arched his brow and checked his watch. "It's been thirty minutes since we last talked."

"And you said twenty," she countered, though her tone carried a playful edge.

Hannah groaned softly as she slowly sat up as well, her long black hair equally disheveled. "Hmm, hey, Lewis. What's our surprise?"

Lewis chuckled as he walked over and settled himself on the edge of the bed. "Hm, straight to the point, huh?"

"Yes, I want to know," Hannah hummed, crawling over towards him and kissing him on the cheek. "Now, tell us."

Laena made her way over, sitting cross-legged beside him. "Yeah, tell us, Lewis. Or unless that was a lie to have a secret date with Ashley."

Lewis shook his head, rolling his eyes as he reached over. "Alright, alright," he said as he reached into the paper bag. "But before that, here you two go." He handed Hannah a plastic cup of that tea she loved, then placed a container of food on Laena's lap.

Their faces lit up, wasting no time digging in. "Thank you, babe," they said together, their voices warm and sweet.

Hannah hummed with delight as she sipped from her cup while Laena went straight for the burger and fries he brought her. "So, are you gonna tell us now?" Laena said with a full mouth.

Lewis watched as Laena shoveled food into her mouth, not really disgusted but more so in awe. "Right, of course." He reached down to the pink bag, carefully revealing two small black boxes.

Hannah nearly choked on her drink, coughing a bit before finally managing her words. "Oh my God! A-are you proposing to us?!"

Laena was equally shocked; her cheeks puffed from the food. "Howy Shiwt! Wewis! My Gawd!"

Lewis's eyes went wide, half-baffled, half-amused. He chuckled, gesturing his hands as he replied, "What? I think we're skipping a few steps. And is that even legal?" Hannah and Laena tilted their heads, curious. Lewis took a deep breath, unsure how to say what he wanted to say. He rehearsed this a million times in his head, but now he was coming up blank.

"So, uh, well... You see--I, uh," he stuttered at first. He groaned, keeping the boxes close. "Damn, I'm not very good at these sorts of things."

Hannah placed a hand on his lap, offering a patient smile. "It's okay, Lewis."

Laena chuckled, gently stroking his back, encouraging him to keep going. "Go on, babe. We're not gonna laugh."

Lewis gave her a suspicious side glance. "You're laughing right now."

"Hmm, that's different, it's just cute seeing you like this," Laena teased. "Now go on."

Lewis took a deep breath, psyching himself up. "Okay... Okay... So, I've been thinking a lot about our relationship for the past few weeks." He paused, looking at Hannah and Laena. They just smiled patiently, nodding for him to keep going. "I like what we have... Like it a lot... It's a bit unconventional, but I think it works. And I can't stop thinking about you two. It's kinda surreal to think that I'm a part of this and--"

Hannah and Laena just sat there, listening intently as he began to ramble. After a bit, Laena rolled her eyes and cupped Lewis's cheeks in her slightly greasy hands and directed his attention towards her. "Lewis, focus," she said simply.

Lewis froze, nervously laughing as he let out a long sigh. "Right... sorry. Let me get to my point... I love you two." There was a small moment of silence between them.