𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆.

Honestly, Millie couldn't actually believe that Finn had expected her to be able to take any other interest whatsoever and at the thought that he only wanted her for himself, she could feel her face flushing, although perhaps that had something to do with rushing about getting ready as quickly as she had. It was a small comfort that her make-up from when she'd been out was still on; there was absolutely no chance of getting it sorted out now. She let herself be pulled in and kissed again and then for only a split second, resisted before melting against his lips and letting out a little laugh as if she still couldn't believe how easily he had swept her away. When he finally drew back enough to take a breath, her forehead still resting against his, she let out a quiet little breath against him, and smiled as she admitted, "Well, you know about the plan already so you're clearly far more ready than I am," she said looking him from head to toe, and she put a sweet, little face on as if she was more hurt at him for not telling her than anything and squeezed his hands tightly. She had a quick look at her reflection and then turned back to him, tugging her jacket straight with perhaps more authority than she felt, "More than ready," she grinned a little wickedly at him and threaded her fingers with his, "you're big enough to wrap around me and keep me warm and so it'll have to do," and she tilted her head up to him.

finn smiled down at millie with that soft, boyish grin that always seemed to appear only for her, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand as they stood in the hallway. he gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze, pulling her a little closer to his side as they started walking toward the elevator. "honestly? let them gossip." he said quietly. "i don't care who sees us anymore. i spent way too long pretending there wasn't something real between us. if people want to talk about me flying across the country and taking you on a rooftop date… let them. as long as i get to hold your hand like this and call you mine, they can say whatever they want." he glanced down at her, eyes full of affection as he watched her play with his fingers. when she leaned her head on his shoulder in the elevator, he tilted his head to rest gently against hers, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo. "you look beautiful, by the way. i meant what i said earlier, you could wear anything and i'd still think you're the prettiest girl in any city."

She could practically feel the pulse of his heart against her, uneven and fast against her own and somehow that was even better than the kiss. The pressure of his hands on her waist tightening around her, instinctively pulling her closer and she almost couldn't help but arch into his touch. "Well you're insane for this. But I have to say I absolutely loved it. I was certain that you'd be either in rehearsals or prepping for your shows, or literally doing anything other than flying across the country for me". Her eyes softened when he admitted he was so nervous, an unbearable sweetness settling onto her features. "I really hope the nerves are gone. Although honestly, you make me nervous too and I think that's never going to change", she whispered, thumb rubbing back and forth against the fabric of his shirt. And then he called her baby. She felt a tiny flutter in her chest. Millie wasn't used to it; they weren't used to them being… this yet whatever 'this' was becoming. "Jealous?" She asked out loud, a smile formed in her lips. "I would still only have eyes for you if the entire city was staring at me, so." It was only when he reluctantly gave her an ultimatum and told her to go change, did she release him with another big grin. "Fine", she dramatically sighed though she was still nowhere near letting go. "I hope I packed something for a sophisticated NYC rooftop date". And then she burst into genuine laughter as he clamped his eyes shut and promised he wouldn't look and stepped back towards the bedroom area, "You don't have to do that, you know. I mean you wouldn't see anything you haven't seen already."

finn stood in the middle of the suite, heart still racing from everything they'd just shared, a smile playing on his lips as he listened to millie moving around in the bedroom area. he rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks still faintly flushed from calling her "baby" out loud for the first time. "i know it sounds insane." he called back. "but the second i realized how much i missed you, nothing else mattered. rehearsals, shows, all of it could wait. i just needed to see you." he let out a quiet laugh when she mentioned still being nervous around each other. "good. because yeah, you still make my stomach flip every single time you look at me like that. i don't think that's ever going away, and honestly? i don't want it to." when she teased him about jealousy and said she'd only have eyes for him, finn felt another flutter in his chest. he leaned against the wall near the bedroom entrance, arms crossed, fighting the urge to peek even though he'd promised not to. "i believe you. still doesn't stop that little jealous part of me from wanting you all to myself tonight."

i’m genuinely very excited for the new album, but i do think it’s a little hurtful and honestly quite brave of you to release music without featuring me on at least one track. not even a tiny background vocal? a spoken word interlude? the sound of me shaking a tambourine somewhere in the distance? interesting choice. but really, i’m incredibly proud of you. there’s something very cool about watching someone keep creating things that feel so personal and fully their own. still, if the deluxe version mysteriously needs a dramatic harmony and emotional support tambourine player, i am available. ( @fiinns )

thank you so much! i'm really excited about the new album too, and honestly a little nervous because i have no idea what people are going to think about it. i'm sorry! i didn't know you wanted to be part of this album, i had no idea. you could've texted me or called me, you know? it's not that difficult. okay, but the image of you shaking a tambourine somewhere in the distance is actually really funny, so i'll consider it next time. wait… i need to release a deluxe version too? fuck, the headache. looks like i'm going to need you a lot sooner than you think. maybe we should write a song or two together.

you have to bring her flowers and maybe something sweet! and as for where i would take her, maybe one of the fancy restaurants in the area. do a little wine tasting while we eat a meal.

i didn't have time to take her on a proper date in napa because everything happened so fast, but i reserved a rooftop spot in new york so we could have dinner together. that's enough, right? i completely forgot the flowers, fuck.

Millie went totally rigid the moment her gaze fell on him standing there. For one confused, disbelieving second she truly thought she was imaging him, that maybe she'd fallen asleep, that this whole day and jet lag had finally taken their toll, that Finn just wasn't in New York, certainly not outside her hotel room, and definitely not standing there looking at her like this. But then he'd said something, all nerves and lopsided grin and his voice just smacked against her as much as he looked at her, and unraveled everything. Her chest felt like it was clenching itself and before she'd even had time to think of something clever or even a half-decent sentence she found herself laughing, just a tiny surprised and unbelieving little thing, a hand pressed over her mouth, head shaking in disbelief as if it was all a silly dream. "Are you actually crazy?" She actually managed to whisper, without any hint of it being an actual question at all. Only wonder. Only pure affection slipped out before she could even try and shove it back down, her eyes flicking all over his face as if willing him to be more than just an hallucination conjured up from her missing him. And as the truth of it slowly dawned, as she slowly began to understand that he had actually travelled thousands of miles to see her, all the shock changed into something else. Disbelief. Disbelief at the fact that anyone could do that for her. Before she even processed what she was doing, she closed the distance between them and instinctively her fingers balled into the front of his jacket as if seeking out something stable to hold onto. "I can't believe you actually did this…" she managed through another tiny, relieved giggle, briefly lowering her head lest the tears start to roll down her face because there was a very real chance if she kept looking at him like this she wouldn't be able to help herself. "A rooftop in Manhattan? Are you for real?" She lifted her head back up then, her eyes bright. "You really did bring out your romantic side, didn't you?"

finn thought his heart might stop when she kissed him like that. the feeling of her hands gripping the front of his jacket, the way she leaned into him like she wanted to close every remaining inch between them, completely unraveled him in seconds. his own hands tightened instinctively at her waist as he kissed her back, pulling her closer without even realizing he was doing it, because after days in napa of slowly learning what it felt like to have her this way, the idea of distance suddenly felt unbearable. he could still taste her lipstick faintly when she pulled back just enough for him to breathe again, forehead resting against his, and for a moment finn forgot about the rooftop entirely. forgot about new york buzzing outside the hotel windows, forgot about the reservation he'd spent hours obsessing over, forgot about literally every coherent thought he'd had before she opened the door. all he could focus on was the fact she was smiling at him like this. her tiny laugh against his mouth made something warm twist painfully in his chest, because he knew then he was completely done for. "you have no idea how nervous i was coming here." he admitted quietly, eyes flicking between hers while his thumbs brushed little movements against her sides. "i spent the whole flight convincing myself you were gonna look at me like i'd lost my mind for flying across the country just to take you to dinner." he laughed. "and honestly? maybe i have. but you standing here looking at me like that is making it feel pretty worth it."

i have to kick that busiest title over to joe, since being on the road nonstop like that is no joke. i did that when i was a teenager, but i have a feeling it'd be nap after nap after nap if i tried that right now. it's going to be a great show, and we'll all be cheering you on! which, the night before, i hope there aren't too many nerves. i've got my signs ready! i'm saying, you two should take the stage together since i think people would go absolutely wild having you and joe up on stage together. don't mind me running this idea by him for one of his shows. what, because you all can't get rid of me? just a testament to what great friends you are when i'm attaching myself like velcro. and seriously?! i'm equally excited for you two yet also not surprised given how close you two are. i mean, i know how it goes with the feeling a little bit of everything, so you know that you can always ramble at me about it if you need to. i know you'll figure everything out, though. i appreciate that so much from you, mate, and i just hope people like the finished product when it's released, especially when so much love and work is going into the show. i'll just keep sending you selfies of me in the suit until you get tired of it and wonder exactly when i actually work.

i completely forgot about joe, he's definitely the busiest one in the cast. i never know where he is, but i do know he's having a lot of fun on tour! are you seriously telling me you're old now, charlie? it's not like you're 40 or 50, there's a lot of things you can still do. i'm still finding it really hard to believe that you'll actually be there, and i'm so, so, so happy about it! i talked to joe about it! well… not exactly about us sharing the same stage, but about making music together, i think that would be really cool. i would never want to get rid of you because you know how much you mean to me. everyone keeps telling me they're not surprised! i was blind all this time, right? i had no idea millie felt something for me, literally thought i was just a friend and that was it, nothing more. i'm sure people are going to love this project, trust me, man. it's almost impossible not to fall in love with any project you're a part of. do that, i'm going to make a folder on my phone just for your selfies and look at them every time i miss you.

I imagined an isolated life away from everyone, but this is even sadder. I swear I could hear the door slamming, to be honest. I feel you, though I don't think it makes you boring at all, you've just built something that actually gives you structure and comfort, and losing that suddenly would throw anyone off. I think therapy is something we should go to when we need it, not necessarily something that has to be this strict weekly ritual where you feel like you have to fill the silence with "big issues" all the time; sometimes it's just about having a space to say the small things out loud when there's no one else around to hear them, you know? That's why we shouldn't think about it at all, it just makes it heavier than it needs to be, sometimes it really is just about living and letting things unfold. I can't even blame you, I've barely been to any proper events lately either, it's been months… maybe close to a year, at this point. That's just what happens when we're both a bit on the quiet side, I guess.

apparently we have a very interesting and depressing imagination. me too, and i don't know why, but the song "happily never after" by the pussycat dolls immediately came to mind after i imagined the door slamming shut. that's true, but it's always good to create new routines, right? even if it's something simple like trying a new sport or waking up early to go on a 20 minute walk, i don't know. i remember when i first started going to therapy, and i always thought one hour would never be enough time for me to talk about everything i was feeling. and now, years later, i think one hour can feel a little overwhelming, because i'm pretty sure i've already said everything i needed to say within the first 30 minutes. maybe that means i'm healing from the things that happened in the past or from the things that used to bother me. are you thinking about going to any of joe's shows? because i heard charlie wants to go to one, and i want to as well. maybe you should come with us. we can both pretend we like going out sometimes.

After four blissfully disconnected days away, Millie was nowhere near ready to throw herself back into work. A full month of press tours and nonstop promotion for Enola Holmes was waiting for her on the other side of that hotel room door, and for the first time since the first movie had come out, the interviews wouldn't be through glitchy Zoom screens and carefully staged webcams but real rooms. Part of her was genuinely excited for it, who was she lying to? She loved the attention. But another part of her couldn't stop wishing the trip had lasted just a little longer, that somehow the world had forgotten about them for a few extra days and let her stay in Napa with Finn a while more. It had only been hours since she'd last seen him, yet already she found herself wondering when she would again. The four days they'd spent together hadn't exactly been private, she'd seen friends, gone out, kept things moving enough not to draw attention, but beneath all of it there had been this shift between them, and she couldn't help but wonder if anyone else had noticed it. A few people knew found out from the source; she'd told Sadie, and he'd told Joe and Charlie. Perhaps too soon, before they could define it.

finn had been looking at his phone every thirty seconds the whole time he'd been in the cab in manhattan, as though the reservation confirmation would disappear if he looked away too long. it was ridiculous, honestly. he'd played sold out shows before, walked red carpets, done interviews in front of millions of people without blinking, yet somehow planning one date for millie had him feeling sixteen again. maybe because this mattered more. napa had changed everything between them too quickly for him to fully process. one minute they'd been toeing around years of unresolved tension and almost confessions, and the next he was lying awake beside her at three in the morning listening to her sleepy voice talk about absolutely nothing while thinking, with terrifying certainty, that he could get used to this frighteningly easily. leaving her that morning had felt wrong in a way he couldn't explain, like walking away halfway through something important. so somewhere over the atlantic, running on no sleep and impulse, he'd booked out a small rooftop terrace in new york after hearing her mention once, months ago, casually, probably not even remembering it, that rooftops were the only places in the city that made her feel like she could breathe.

i miss you too! still haven't gotten used to not seeing everyone on a regular basis, and it's all very weird. i wouldn't miss your show for the world though, mate, not a chance. plus it's getting the old gang back together again from what you're saying, and that's a nice perk next to seeing you on stage. i'm sure it'll be incredible, too. we're each other's #1s, does it get better than that? joe's concerts have been amazing, so you know i'm going to say you absolutely have to see one of them. i tagged along with him for the start of his tour, and i'm planning on being there the last show, just to make sure i'm cheering him on for that, too. you should come if your schedule allows! i'm happy to hear rehearsals are going well, and that you're keeping in touch with friends in the meantime. though why do i feel like there's more to that interesting than you're telling me? i've been filming for peaky blinders, so it's like a dream every day, to be honest! plus i'm convinced i've never taken more selfies in costume than i have with this project.

i think out of all of us in the cast, you're probably the busiest one right now, honestly. you and joe, definitely. i was already nervous about the show before, and now i'm somehow even more nervous, but it's okay because i know it's all going to be worth it in the end. i'm going to be so happy seeing all of you there, i think the excitement is finally starting to feel real now, which is both amazing and slightly terrifying. and yes! i told him i was going to one of his shows and that i'd basically stay attached to him the entire time because i miss him so much and i'm incredibly proud of him. seriously, you're such a good friend, i don't think you even realize how much people appreciate having you around. okay, i'll tell you what happened. i went to atlanta to spend some time with millie and we ended up confessing our feelings for each other. and now i honestly have no idea what's going to happen from here, everything suddenly feels very real, and i think part of me is excited while the other part is completely panicking. man, you deserve every single opportunity they're offering you right now, i can't explain how proud i am of you. seeing good things happen to people you love is one of the best feelings in the world. listen, we absolutely need as many selfies as possible because you're beautiful and it would honestly be selfish of you not to provide photographic evidence.