summary: you always had a thing for jj, while you thought he had a thing for kie. you couldn't have been more wrong..
warnings: none i think
notes: i have absolutely no clue how to play poker, so please don't grill me lmao
the water glistened, reflecting the afternoon sun. you dunked your feet inside, hanging from the bridge you were sitting on. it was lightly moving due to the waves beneath it.
you kept your eyes trained on the horizon, but looking at nothing in particular.
jj came running from the shore, sitting down beside you, letting his feet dangle into the water next to yours. "john b is making food"
"what could he possibly be making?" you smiled, clearly knowing that there wasn't much left in the pantry. you got through the day alright, thanks to both of you working, but you didn't buy any extraordinary things to make sure you had enough money to pay everything else.
“we’re having toast,” jj smirked, then paused for dramatic effect. “but we raided heyward’s for tomatoes, and kiara brought guac from her mom. so it’s fancy toast.”
“fancy toast! the ritz could never.” you hugged your knees to your chest, resting your chin on them, but a smile crept up on your lips.
"what are you even doing out here alone?"
"i'm thinking"
"about your dad?" jj asked carefully. "you know I’m here if you need to spill. no judgment. not even if it’s super depressing.”
"thanks, i know" you were thankful that you had such great friends. people that were like family to you and always made sure you were alright, even if they didn't have much to give themselves, apart from kiara.
"are you going to surf the surge tomorrow?" jj changed the topic, interpreting your silence as answer enough.
"heard agatha's gonna be a bitch" you shrugged. "must be nice to lose a few unnecessary limbs"
"don't be ridiculous, i'm a pro" jj took the sunglasses off his head and pushed them on your nose instead. "are you coming or not?"
"i prefer not to" you giggled, slapping his hand away as he tried to readjust the rest of your apperance. "gonna look good for cps"
"they won't even make it out here, agatha will arrive too soon for that"
"well, then i should be thanking her, right?" you looked up to the sky, the sun still breaking through the slowly arriving clouds, but the darkness of them made it evident that it wouldn't take too long for the storm to arrive. "thanks aggy! sorry for calling you a bitch"
"if that isn't nice" jj grinned. "look at you! such a polite lady"
"told you i could behave better than you" you stood up and waited for him to do the same. "i'm pretty sure they just told you to go and get me not to wait out until they had finished the food, right?"
"caught me" jj shrugged. you knew him well enough to guess that he was trying to escape more work than necessary. "but it did take some time to find you. you weren't in the tower john b locked you in"
"oh, maybe i'm not as well behaved as we thought" you shrugged, following him back to the beach. "you need those sunglasses soon?" you liked the red tinted look of them. you had worn them before and you loved that they made you look like a hippie or vanessa hudgens going to coachella in 2014.
“keep ‘em,” jj shrugged, giving you an exaggerated once-over. “you look better in them anyway.”
you raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious. “how much did these cost?”
jj spun around, pretending to be offended. “whoa, whoa! don’t insult me like that. i didn’t pay for them.”
you laughed. “you stole these?”
“they were like six dollars, okay? i stole them out of principle.” he wiggled his eyebrows like that somehow made sense.
you shook your head amused. “jj, that’s still stealing.”
“nah, see, i was planning on giving them to you for a while, so really, it was a selfless act. call it proactive gift-giving.”
jj’s face lit up, the trademark smirk in place as you walked side by side back toward the beach. he kicked at the sand a little, glancing over at you every few seconds like he was waiting for you to laugh again.
you could hear the others before you saw them—john b shouting something about the toast burning, and kiara’s voice cutting through with, “how do you even burn toast?!”
“so, what’s the plan after we survive this gourmet meal?” you asked, your tone only half-teasing.
jj rubbed his hands together with a glint in his eyes. “well, after we feast on fancy toast and whatever leftovers kiara’s mom sent, i was thinking… poker.”
“poker? don’t we always lose when we play with pope?”
“yeah, but he’s working today, so we have a chance.” jj wiggled his eyebrows as if this were the best news in the world.
you laughed, shaking your head. “so, your plan is to take all my money after i generously agree to participate in poker?”
jj’s smirk deepened. “well, since you’re wearing those shades, you’re bound to win. you’ve got that poker-face-hippie thing going on.”
you shrugged, pretending to think about it. “true. i could absolutely bluff the hell out of you all.”
he nodded seriously. “exactly. so really, it’s your civic duty to play.”
“civic duty,” you repeated, laughing. “sure, sure.”
"sit down, you two" kiara ancouraged when you walked onto the patio.
"where have you been that long?" john b questioned, looking at you suspiciously. "you're always sneaking around together"
"don't be ridicilous, b" you shook your head. "we were just watching the waves"
kiara and jj exchanged glances you didn’t quite understand. it made your nerves tweak to not know what they were hinting at.
“i bet it was a sight so see” kiara said softly, a smirk on her face.
jj nodded. “as always” he shrugged, his eyes still on her.
you had to try hard not to let your face distort into jealousy. you had had a crush on jj for as long as you could remember. and the two of you were close, but nothing ever really happened with your brothers best friend.
being in love with jj was confusing. most of the time, he treated you just like anyone else, acting completely normal. but then, out of nowhere, he'd start flirting, leaving you unsure of what to think.
even though you tried your best, the crush on the boy always resurfaced when he would flirt with you once more, keeping your hopes up.
the meal continued without anything happening and you found yourselves cleaning the table to play a few rounds of poker like jj had promised.
"looks like you're in a tough spot" he grinned.
kiara had put down her cards, while you were trying hard to keep a straight face, knowing you would probably lose.
you shrugged. "i don't see you putting down anything valuable, maybank"
"ohh" kiara and your brother hollored at the same time.
"well, let's see then" kiara nudged jj's shoulder.
the blonde smirked before he revealed his cards to you, flushing a street. "you've underestimated me, guys"
john b and you sighed simultaneously, accepting defeat as you threw your own cards in the middle. while jj was busy mixing the cards, kiara took a look at her phone.
"i think i better head out" she smiled, standing up from her chair. "my mother's gonna go crazy if i'm late again"
you played a few more rounds after the girl had left, john b and you losing to jj each time. you were sure he had gotten help from pope, knowing that his time would come.
john b threw down his cards after one more uneventful round. "i'm heading to bed" he nodded, pulling his snapback down, before he highfived jj and pressed a kiss to your hair. "don't stay up too late"
"night, b" you smiled as you watched after him.
"one more round?" jj giggled.
"i'm all out" you shrugged, pointing at the pile of money on the table in front of him.
"well, if i lose you can have all of it"
"this sounds almost too good" you muttered. "okay, what if i lose then?"
"you'll take off your shirt" he shrugged.
"jj!" you pushed a hand to your mouth, draining out the scream of outrage that threatened to errupt in the air between you.
"what?" jj smirked, looking up at you with wide blue eyes. "am i making you nervous?"
"not a chance," you shot back, trying to keep your voice steady despite the way your heart was hammering in your chest. jj's smirk widened, the mischievous glint in his eyes only growing as he shuffled the cards one more time.
"alright then," he said, dealing the cards smoothly. "prove it."
you glanced at your hand, trying to keep your expression neutral. jj's eyes flickered up to meet yours, watching you intently, and you couldn't tell if he was bluffing or not.
you took a deep breath and played the first card, trying to focus on the game instead of the way jj was watching you like a hawk.
the next few minutes were tense, each of you placing cards with care. it was almost suffocating.
"you're really dragging this out, you know that?" you muttered, glancing up at him.
jj just grinned, his eyes glinting with amusement. "patience, sweetheart. good things come to those who wait," he replied, his voice low and teasing. you rolled your eyes but couldn't help the slight tug at the corners of your mouth.
finally, it came down to the last card. you had one left in your hand, and so did jj. your eyes met, the room silent except for the sound of your heartbeat in your ears. You hesitated for a split second, then threw down your card.
jj's eyes flickered to the table, his face breaking into a triumphant grin. he laid his final card down with a laugh.
"looks like i win," he drawled, his voice smug. your eyes widened as you stared at the cards, disbelief washing over you. how did he keep doing this?
"you've got to be cheating," you grumbled, pushing back from the table. jj laughed, the sound warm, filling the quiet night air around you.
"well, you agreed to do this" he shrugged, like he was completely in the right.
you looked at him without any expression on your face, before you sighed, your fingers dipping down to meet the material of your shirt, as you stood up.
jj's eyes widened at your movement, standing up at the same time. "it was a joke, y/n" he muttered quickly. "you don't have to do anything you don't want to"
you halted in your movement. "if you had won, would you have given me the money, like you promised?"
"of course" jj answered without so much as a thought.
your smile deepend, before your fingers gripped the hem of the shirt, pulling it over you head in a quick motion. revealed was your bikini top. the one jj had seen you in a million times, but still his eyes widened even further.
jj's mouth opened slightly, his usual cocky demeanor vanishing as he stared at you. he remembered seeing you in it before, but this still felt different. maybe it was the intimacy of the dimly lit patio, or the way you stood before him now, your eyes steady and unwavering. you had called his bluff, and he was utterly speechless.
"see?" you said, trying to keep your voice light despite the rapid thudding of your heart. "no big deal. just a bikini, jj."
he swallowed hard, finally snapping out of his daze. "right," he said, his voice cracking slightly. he cleared his throat, his gaze darting away before quickly finding its way back to you. "just a bikini."
you walked around the table, pushing yourself between him and the discarded chair. "this can't really be the reason you're so uneasy"
you tried to read the emotion on his face, but he just looked at you, at a loss for words. you softly pushed your hand to rest against his chest. your eyes widened in surprise. "your heart is racing" you declared with a soft whisper.
"yeah" jj finally found his words. "you're so close"
you looked up at him, surprised at what he was hinting at. "i'm sorry if i'm making you uncomfortable" you tried to step back, but his hand shot out, holding you in place by your elbow.
"jj" you muttered, your voice barely audible. you could feel your heart beat just as fast as his did.
"have i ever told you how beautiful you are?" jj's voice was soft and tender, like he was trying not to disrupt the calmness of the moment.
"no" you sighed, unsure. he came closer, your noses were almost touching. his eyes were ready to close, not far from kissing you. your voice rung out before he could do anything of that sort. "what about kie?"
"what?" jj blinked in surprise, stepping backwards.
"what about kie?" you repeated a little bit louder.
"what about her?" jj laughed, before he saw the confusion in your eyes.
"i thought there was something—“
"between me and kie?" he smiled, shaking his head. "well only that she knew about my crush on you"
"you have a crush on me?"
"i thought it was kinda obvious" he pointed a finger between the both of you. "can i please finally kiss you now, routledge?"
you smiled, your heart fluttering in your chest at his confession. "of course" you watched him step closer once more, before you grinned. "but what about—?"
"—oh would you shut up now?" he pushed his lips against yours, drowning out your giggle as your smile touched his mouth like it was supposed to.
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summary: jess got into another fight and you're about to clean his wounds, but he has other plans, tired of always answering your questions
warnings: kissing, making out, sexual remarks, allusions to sex
note: this was so fun to write and my first jess mariano fic, so please be gentle guys!!
“you never fail to amaze me, jess mariano“ you huffed, arms crossed as your eyes fell on the boy sitting on the curb in front of the supermarket. shadows were casted over his cheeks and he looked less than happy to see you.
"it isn't what it looks like" he muttered, trying to avert his gaze, although that was kind of hard, considering the outfit you were wearing.
your brushed your skirt to the side, before you sat down beside him. "well, it looks like you got beaten up"
"you should see the other guy" jess chuckled.
you sighed, not amused by the joke, as you softly touched his cheek.
"ow!" jess pulled his head back, trying to free it from your hands, but you were relentless, turning his chin in all possible directions to get a good look at his injuries.
"we're gonna have to clean them if you don't want them to get infected"
"i don't care about that" jess shrugged and took out a cigarette from a pocket of his jacket.
"yeah, i know tough guy". you quickly snatched the cigarette from his mouth before he was able to light it. "but i do"
"what the fuck, y/n?" jess exclaimed annoyed.
you left his words unanswered as you stood up from the cold concrete and held a hand in his direction to help him up. "come on, now. we're not dating, because i care so little about you, are we?"
jess rolled his eyes, before he followed you, of course ignoring your helping hand in the process.
you laughed at his tough act as he sent you a dark look, not finding anything about this remotely funny. he knew that this was one of your usual tactics to get him to talk. you would act understanding and worried about his injuries before he would be caught in a room alone with you, with no way to escape, having to explain every little detail about the fight.
well, tonight he decided, you were going to be caught in a room with him.
a smug smile slipped onto jess' features as he followed you up the stairs. you turned around and pushed a finger against your mouth, before you took out your keys and unlocked the door.
"grandpa is sleeping" you muttered, opening the door wide enough for jess to walk through, but not wide enough to reach the creaking sound.
jess and you had met the year before at the supermarket, where you had watched him buy a ridiculous amount of industrial glue, while he was busy watching rory and dean talk.
you had guessed that he had been doing that to bother them and while rory was a friend of yours, you had to admit that it had been a little funny.
unbeknownst to you, jess had forgotten everything about rory, once his eyes fell on you behind the counter.
"are you working on the worlds longest scrapbook or are you just very passionate about glue?"
"huh?" jess had been so stunned by what you said that he lost his usual cool demeanor and found himself at a temporary loss for words. he couldn't remember a situation in which he had not been able to reply with a witty joke.
"want me to repeat that?" you asked amused as you pulled the last bottle of glue over the scanner.
"no-uh" he shook his head "i'm jess, luke's nephew"
"oh" you smiled, a sign of recognition in your eyes "that's you!"
"and you are?" he held the ten dollar note in your direction.
you took the money, taking out his change in the process. "i'm y/n, taylor doose's—"
you were interrupted when the aforementioned man stepped next to you, a frown on his face at the sight of jess. "i'm her grandfather" he finished for you. "and you're gonna stay far away from her, you hear me, mariano?" he pressed.
"grandpa!" you scolded and jess was surprised at the sudden shame that entered taylor doose's face. it seemed like he really gave a damn about your opinion, unlike he did with anyone else in this town.
"well, i'm gonna check on miss patty and her plums" taylor excused quickly and walked away, before you could question him further.
"please don't mind him" you told jess, amusement evident on your lips "i just got back and he's been a little on edge without me here"
"where have you been?" jess asked, intrigued to hear more about the mysterious and pretty girl in front of him.
"my dad's" you replied with an uneasy smile. he recognized the expression on your face, had he always worn it himself when someone had asked him about his parents.
he decided not to stir the pot any more. "well, i'll see you around, doose" jess said, took his glue and left you standing with only a faint goodbye from your lips.
jess' hands went to squeeze your waist, as you closed the door.
you were luckily able to suppress any sound at the sudden touch and you could jess' smirk in your neck.
"very funny, mariano" you whispered, freeing yourself from his grip and turning around to let him see the annoyed expression on your face.
his eyes glistened with happiness in the dark of the hallway, before his hand went behind your back, bringing you closer to him. "why don't we go to your room?" he whispered.
you had to admit that for a short, misguided, second the sweetness of his words was not far away from undermining you.
you shook your head, snapping out of whatever had gone through your head at his tempting suggestion. "nice try" you smiled sarcastically and jess sighed, letting go of you and following behind you to the bathroom.
jess was no stranger to your rejection, especially when your grandfather was home, but he was not finished trying to (respectfully) lead you into temptation.
"there are two options how we can do this" you spoke, your voice in a normal volume as soon as jess had closed the door.
before you could explain his options, he interrupted you, the smirk now basically right in your face when you turned up the light and looked at him. "want me to lock the door?"
"no" you dragged. "you know why? because we are not doing anything forbidden"
"forbidden, huh?" jess smiled "kinda like the sound of that"
"this is not a rom-com"
"oh no" jess shook his head, wearing a faked stoic expression "of course not. just two people doing non-forbidden things in the bathroom" he shrugged.
"it sounds wrong when you say it like that"
"what does it sound like?" he stepped closer to you, ready to touch your lips with his, as his eyes fell close, but you were quicker, swerving around him, before he was able to even touch you.
"nah-ah!" you scolded.
"what?" jess turned around, now crossing his arms like you had done earlier "i'm just trying to kiss my girlfriend"
"not happening" you shrugged. "so, as i was trying to tell you before: you have two options: first, the easy one: let me fix your face and we're done in no time"
"or?" he furrowed his brows, leaning against the wall.
"or" you repeated "the hard one" jess' smile got impossibly bigger and you rolled your eyes "ew, not like you think"
"fine" he sighed. "the easy one i guess, no need to tell me about your torture method"
"it's not a torture method, but thanks for thinking so poorly of me" you muttered, before you opened the drawer under the sink, taking out the first aid kink.
you climbed on top of the counter and motioned for jess to come closer and stand in between your legs.
"well, this is kind of suggestive, don't you think?" he pinched your waist. you just shook your head, taking his hand and laying it on top of your knee instead.
"keep your hands there, mister" you directed, before you grabbed a wet cotton pad and pushed up his chin, so you could gently take the unnecessary blood off his face. "for your own good, i hope that the other started throwing punches"
"of course" jess nodded, overly dutiful, before he hissed in pain as the cotton pad touched one of the scars on his nose.
"you should've thought about that before you got into an unnecessary fight, you know?" you commented, switching out the pad, before you continued cleaning the other side of his face.
"yeah, yeah" he averted his eyes, his gaze falling onto the hem of your skirt, his fingers were laying on top of. he softly raised the fabric, pushing his hands to rest on your bare thigh.
"jess" you sighed in a warning tone.
"what? it's itchy"
"it isn't" you rolled your eyes, but didn't discuss the topic further as you threw away the pad.
you tried reaching behind you to grab one of the plasters from the first aid kit, but jess was quicker, snatching the box away from you and holding it behind his back with one hand.
"wha—"
"give me a kiss first" he prompted, smirking.
"jess" you whined, not amused at his antics.
"just one kiss, come on babe"
you reluctantly nodded. jess stepped closer, taking your chin into his hand and pulling your face closer so your lips could meet his.
his lips were warm and firm against yours, his teasing grin fading as the kiss deepened. what was meant to be a quick peck quickly turned into something more. his hand, which had been holding the first aid kit out of reach, dropped it to the floor as he wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you closer.
you could feel the intensity growing between you two, the playful resistance dissolving into a surge of unexpected desire.
jess' other hand moved to the small of your back, guiding you even closer as the kiss became more urgent, more consuming.
when you finally broke apart, breathless and flushed, he looked at you with a glint in his eye. "was that so hard?" he teased, his voice a little huskier than before.
"oh, shut up" you muttered, flustered and lips swollen as a cause of the intensity of the kiss. you gently shoved his face back. "now pick up the first aid kit you dropped"
"yes, ma'am"
you shook your head, laughing to yourself as you watched him reach for the box on the ground behind him. it had clattered open, revealing it's contents to the ground beneath it.
he threw everything back in the box before he picked it up and came back to the counter to stand in front of you.
you took a few plasters, opening them up to stick them to the cuts on his face. "you look cute" you commented as soon as you were finished.
"i'm not cute" jess exclaimed with a stoic expression.
"you're always cute" you shrugged, now being the one to take his chin into your hands. "especially when you tell me who you fought—"
he didn't even let you finish the sentence, before he pushed his lips against yours once more. even tough it was a clear tactic to avoid your questioning, you didn't mind it this time (not that you did before, but you had to at least act like it) pulling him closer by the neck and deepening the kiss.
jess moaned into your mouth, and your lips broke into a smile. his hands were now inching closer up your thighs and a soft laugh broke from your lips when you had to catch your breath.
"let's go to your room" jess muttered, lips skipping over your neck.
"grandpa is home" you reminded.
"grandpa is asleep" he pointed out, brows moving up and down suggestively.
"jess" you giggled, as he grabbed your waist, setting you down on the floor and taking your hand to leave the bathroom, before even waiting for an answer.
well, you weren't open to any more protests then, as he took you up to your room. the only thought in your head was to stay quiet.
opposite to the rest of the night, the next morning was straight hellfire, as neither you or jess had taken the time to set an alarm.
so taylor doose entered your room without the slightest thought and watched in horror as a half-naked jess mariano climbed out of your bedroom window and fell rather awkwardly on the ground in front of it. probably right into your grandpa's rose bushes.
summary: your’s and theo's relationship throughout the years
warnings: canon typical violence near the end, mentions of the war, blood and death
note: feel free to request stuff for the christmas calender!!
theo was startled by a sudden voice who called out his name, he turned around, the book he was about to push into the empty space still in his hand.
"nott" you had muttered, arms crossed and the surprised expression on his face when he turned around had almost made you lose it. you quirked a brow at the missing reaction. "i guess you don't even know my name?"
"sorry" theo winced and you could see how umcomfortable he was simply because he knew nothing about the person standing in front of him.
"don't feel too bad" you shrugged. "didn't know yours until you borrowed my favorite book for four weeks and i had to beg madam pince to tell me the name of the person who had it"
"well, sorry again" theo held the book in your direction. "you can have it now, if you still want it"
you completely ignored the book, until theo sighed and put it back in the empty space on the shelf where it belonged. "guess not" he muttered to himself.
"so, tell me, theodore nott" you followed him back to the table with his things. "what tempts a guy like you to borrow a book like that?"
"well, without meaning to insult you, i'd say it is more male literature than female isn't it?"
"you're a moron if you really think something like female or male literature exists" you sat down in the chair across from him. "i wouldn't declare sherlock holmes as male literature, more precisely i would say that most boys are too daft to even understand half the things arthur conan doyle mentions and to your information i'm taking great insult to whatever the hell you just said"
"geez" theo's eyes had widened, he found you a bit odd, annoying even, but he couldn't help but feel all the same intrigued. "like what you just said isn't an insult. most boys are too daft, huh?"
"maybe daft is a bit too harsh, i admit that" you rolled your eyes, a smile on your lips, "but i'd say most are too impatient to read those books, yes"
"well, you're not wrong about that" theo nodded "i can't remember the last time one of my friends touched a book that wasn't part of a class"
"that's quiet sad, i'd say"
"i agree" theo smiled. "so, now that we're on the same page, do you mind telling me your name? i feel like i deserve to know it"
"no" you grinned just as the smile vanished from his face. "i decide when you deserve to know, theodore nott" you left him sitting there, speechless about the sudden rejection.
you never actually told theo your name. he only found out when you managed to borrow the memoirs of sherlock holmes for two months straight.
the next time that the two of you talked was a few months later, at the beginning of december. snow had fallen and the hogwarts grounds had turned into a beautiful white landscape.
the snow was poudry, but you managed not to slip as you made your way through it. your body tightly wrapped in layers of clothing, the thick ravenclaw scarf almost reaching up to your eyes as the falling snow hit your face.
"not the right weather for a stroll, is it?" theodore nott had caught up to you, not exactly spotting the right outfit for the wuthering cold.
"well, i know there's a reason you're a slytherin and not a ravenclaw, but i would've expected you to be just a little smarter, nott"
theo looked down on his clothes just as you did. "i was actually just going for a smoke"
"in the middle of a mild snowstorm?" you quirked a brow. "i'd say it's not the right weather to be doing that either"
"you're a real know-it-all"
"tell me something new, nott" you rolled your eyes "it's exhausting to always be right, you know?"
"i bet it is" theo shrugged sarcastically. "there had to have been a reason you got sorted into ravenclaw"
"well, as said before, i can see why you weren't" you shrugged with a grin.
theo sighed. "another dig at the outfit, really?"
"well, considering you're standing here discussing with me and getting yourself wet, i'd say i'm allowed to keep judging your outfit"
"fair point" theo nodded and you were surprised he gave up so easily. "are you coming or what?" he asked, ready to walk back inside.
"no" you shook your head "you go ahead though, wouldn't want you catching a cold, who would faint during potions then and entertain the rest of the class?"
"hey, that was one time" he called, as you walked away "how did you even hear about that, we're not in the same potions class?"
you just shrugged and send him a smile over your shoulder. he was standing in front of the doors to the castle, soaked from head to toe and you had to admit, theodore nott was a (beautiful) sight for sore eyes.
it wasn't like you minded theo's company, but you noticed how he started hanging around the places you frequently visited during the weeks to come.
theo had it especially easy when he realized that you stuck to your routines during the week, making it impossible for him to miss you once he had figured it out.
monday and wednesdays after class were spent in the library, doing homework or reading a book from your list. tuesdays you helped madam pomfrey in the infirmary, healing minor injuries or filling up medicine cabinets. thursdays were reserved for your friends, playing card games or just spending time together in the common room, you always found something to do.
fridays were flexible and you often decided what to do spontaneously. sometimes you did a little tutoring, on other fridays you helped madam pince sort through books and put them back where they belonged or you continued reading the book you had begun reading that week. saturdays and sundays were for remaining homework, hogsmeade visits and drafting letters to send back to your family on the start of the next week.
"you're not being slick, you know that?"
it was a friday and you were putting away books, when theo kept lingering around you, like he had done that past week.
"what?" he asked, looking up from the book in front of him, a confused tone to his voice, clearly trying to mask that he knew exactly what you were talking about.
"well, i was sure you knew stalking was considered a legal offence" you noted.
"stalking?" he repeated. "i'm not stalking you"
"now, you're not not stalking me, are you?" you send a tight-lipped smile in his direction. "i do admit that it might be a question of definition, though"
"aren't you a bit full of yourself if you think i would be stalking you"
"that was offensive" you rolled your eyes "and i'm pretty sure i'm not imaging you turning up everywhere i went this past week. and considering i didn't know you until a few months ago, i'd say that you only started doing that recently"
"well, i didn't"
"okay, you didn't" your shrugged and turned back to the shelf, reaching for another row of books from the trolley beside you, before you pushed them in a row one after the other.
theo furrowed his brows, surprised by you just letting him get away like that. he knew he wasn't being slick, hell, he even knew that he was behaving like a stalker. you weren't wrong in the slightest and theo felt a bit called out by your words. but on the other hand, you hadn't said anything about being opposed to the idea that he really did go everywhere you did.
you waved at him, before you pushed the trolley into the next row of shelves. it didn't take long for him to follow, already making a decision in his mind.
"go out with me"
if he had startled you, you didn't show it. you didn't even blink at his suggestion, rather ignoring him like he was a fly on the wall, as you continued reaching for books on the trolley.
theo pushed the trolley to the side and stepped into the empty space. the next time you tried to reach for a stack of books, you touched his chest instead.
"you're still here, nott" you noted the obvious.
theo had to admit that he was a tad bit unsettled by your ignorance. he wasn't sure if you really hadn't heard him or if you just ignored the question, because he had made you uncomfortable.
"you know, normally stalkers don't look so scared" you smiled mischievously.
"i'm not stalking you, but i can understand if my company made you uncomfortable and i apologize if i have gone too far"
"you're a bit weird, you know that?"
"this is a serious topic, y/n"
you smiled at the honesty in his voice and sighed. "do you really think if you were making me uncomfortable or i was scared of you i would continue to speak to you?"
"well, no—"
"i'm not a child, theodore nott, i can voice when i'm annoyed, but i respect your manners" you smiled "and if anyone follows me around like a lost puppy, i'm glad it's someone with at least a little intellect"
"little intellect?" theo repeated offended.
"you might be smarter than i thought, but you're really bad at this"
"i know"
"well, would you now let me sort in the rest of these books? you're kind of in the way"
theo, nodded, the disappointment flashing over his features just like a wave of water. "i guess that's a no"
you waited until he had stepped aside and pushed the trolley back in it's original position. your hands reached for the row of sherlock holmes books and you held them up at him like a trophy. "that means yes, obviously"
theo spent exactly three days brainstroming what to do for your date. his friends tried their best at helping him, more than interested to finally hear something about the mysterious girl theo had been infuriated with these past weeks.
"is she that hideous?" blaise asked on the third day of theo's hard thinking.
"what?" theo raised his brows, he had been too deep in thought to even hear his friend.
"blaise just asked if your girlfriend was hideous, i'd hit him if i were you" mattheo shrugged, stiring the pot. it had been a particular slow morning and he had to admit that it would be quiet entertaining to see blaise and theo fight each other.
"five galleons on blaise" enzo added, before theo was able to say something.
"have a little faith in him" pansy said next to theo. "he might not look like it, but the boy has a wicked right hook"
"this is just embarrassing" draco threw the newspaper down in front of him.
"what?" pansy giggled "the newspaper or that theo and blaise are going to slap each other even more stupid"
"take a guess"
"guys" theo sighed, annoyance already taking over the worry that was bubbling inside him. "i'm not going to fight blaise and y/n is not my girlfriend"
"no yet" enzo wiggled his brows.
"y/n, huh?" mattheo said with a mischievous smile.
"oh god" all colour drained from theo's face. "please tell me the two of you didn't hook up with each other"
"close to it" mattheo shrugged. "she tended to my wounds in the infirmary once and i could tell she had the hots for me"
"wasn't she the one who said you had the charm of a troll and the brains to match?" blaise offered with a smirk.
enzo's mouth almost hit the table infront of him by how fast it flew open. "that was y/n?" he giggled.
theo had to smile. "that does sound like something she'd say"
"she sounds lovely" draco nodded sarcastically "but at least she never saw mattheo naked. that does make her at least a little likable"
"i already love her" pansy quickly said, before draco could continue his judging. "seems like she knows how to handle little annoyances"
"i'm not a little annoyance"
"yeah" theo nodded "you're a quite big one, actually"
theo couldn't tell what had led him to the idea for your date, but he had known in that moment what the both of you should do.
"so hot chocolate was your huge idea?" you smiled as you sat down in the booth across from him, the server already putting down two mugs with steaming hot drinks in front of you.
"i saw how your friends gave you their hot chocolate packages after dinner and figured this might be something you liked" he shrugged "and before you call me a stalker again, i'm just very attentive to those around me"
you giggled as the grandma at the table next to you send you a worried glance at theo's words.
"he's harmless" you laughed in a way to assure her.
theo managed an awkward wave and the woman turned away quickly.
"well, it seems those around you are very attentive too" you giggled.
"i'm sorry" theo tried to hide behind his mug, feeling a tad bit ashamed at the awkward encounter, but having to laugh at the same time.
"don't be" you smiled honestly "rather tell me something i didn't already find out by snooping around"
"you snooped around?" theo exclaimed surprised.
"i had to get even, after you found out everything about me" you shrugged "i met this lovely boy, i think he goes by the name enzo, who told me a whole lot about you"
"oh god, no"
"quite interesting to hear about all those things from someone who has no interest in sleeping with me"
"what? i don't—“
"so you don't intend to sleep with me?" you smiled. "don't be ridiculous, theodore nott"
"i'm just not used to being this straightforward, admittedly"
you completely ignored the surprise swinging in his voice and went on with your story. "enzo did give me some exciting information and i wanted to talk about one thing in particular"
theo was ready to close his eyes and open them back up after you had screamed and left him sitting alone at the table. he had to admit that he wasn't particularly proud of his dating history (or lack of) before he met you and he was sure you weren't happy about that either.
"before you say something" he interrupted you, before you were able to let the words slip past your lips. "i'm not like that anymore, i was young and not interested in a relationship and just wanted a bit of fun—"
"what are you talking about exactly?" you asked, a susprised smile on your face.
"that wasn't what you wanted to talk about, was it?" theo asked and you shook your head giggling.
"i mean, don't let me tell you what to talk about" you managed to say between your laughter. "we can talk about your previous hookups if that's something you'd like to discuss"
"i'd rather not" theo shook his head and his cheeks turned rosy.
"fine" you smiled "now back to my question: how did you manage to play out that prank on professor binns in our third year?"
theo's features relaxed at the simple question and he smiled, recalling the memory. "so it all started with a ridiculous idea from mattheo and me getting roped into something stupid again"
you spent the rest of the night talking and ordering one hot chocolate after the other. there was not one second of awkward silence, even as theo brought you back to your common room.
"i had a lot of fun tonight" theo smiled, hands sinking into the pockets of his trousers.
you had admired how well dressed he was when he had come to get you in the afternoon.
"me too" you said honestly. "i can't wait for the next one"
"so there will be a next one?"
"don't be ridiculous, theodore nott" you smiled, before telling the password to the eagle ontop of the door. "of course there will a next one" you slipped into the common room and away from the smiling boy in front of it.
"are they weirder than you?"
the voice startled theo, as he was standing in front of the shelf in the library. he turned around, not surprised that it was you who had asked that question. you mostly started your conversations in the middle, without so much as a hello or some kind of warning.
"what?" theo wasn't sure what else to ask.
"you friends of course" you shrugged, like that had been obvious "we've been together for a month and i've never even met them"
"well, you have met them" theo corrected. "like in the hallways or during dinner"
"you know what i mean, theodore" you rolled your eyes. "i don't think a grunting sound could be classified as me meeting someone"
"that's just blaise, honestly" theo muttered "but pansy waved to you during dinner more than three times now"
"theo" you pushed "either something is completely wrong with them or me and i'd like to know what it is, now" you sighed, before you added "just say if you're ashamed of me or something, i know i can be a bit rude to people i don't know"
"tesoro" theo sighed "i'm sorry that i let you think that. they're just annoying, that's all"
"and you thought they would scare me away?" you smiled, touching his cheeks with your hands. "you stalked me for weeks and i'm still dating you, aren't i?"
"that's never gonna be funny" he called after you, as you walked out of the library. "fine, breakfast at the slytherin table for you tomorrow"
"aye, aye"
"she's not hideous" was the first thing you heard when you sat down at the table the next morning.
"well, you aren't either, zabini" you smiled, not even fazed by his assumption. "even though theo warned me about you"
"burn!" enzo called, exchanging a high five with pansy.
"i'm so glad we finally get to meet" pansy smiled. "i've just been waiting to have another girl around, it sometimes gets to much with all the testosterone"
"i don't know how you manage, honestly" you smiled.
to say theo's friends and you hit it off immediately would be an understatement. it took approximately ten minutes for you to become part of the group. enzo and you had been friends before, unlikely study partners, after you had helped him on a potions assignment once. pansy was ready to keep you by her side for the rest of the year and even blaise took a quick liking to you.
mattheo and draco were harder to break. mattheo, still having a pretty hurt ego about you turning him down the year before, was sure that you were just dating theo to get back at him for whatever reason and draco was just not interested to have any relationship past a simple hello and goodbye.
you didn't mind their antics, even if theo repeatedly apologized for it.
yours and theo’s relationship lasted for exactly two years. theo broke up with you one day after your anniversary.
the break up was painful, the fight that followed even more and still, you held him that evening, both of you understanding the severity of your situation and the war that was waiting to happen.
“theo” you cried, rushing through the ruins of the courtyard just months later.
you had been on different sides after all. you had followed harry potter into the war and theo had been bound to his father and to the promise the man had given to the dark lord. just like draco, mattheo, pansy, blaise and enzo.
your friends had gotten lost in the fight and despite not being supposed to, you were desperately screaming for them.
you ran back into the castle, not having found theo outside. you send curses at the death eaters that tried approaching you, having more luck than an actual plan. you were simply determined to find him.
you were thrown down to the ground as the doors of the room of requirement suddenly appeared and flew open. just as quickly as they had opened, they closed again, spitting out people in the procress, before the fire was tamed behind the doors.
harry potter, hermione granger and ron weasley were standing up from the ground slowly, black powder darkening their cheeks and clothes.
it took a moment for you to realize who the other two people were, as you quickly got up from the ground.
draco was breathing just as heavily as blaise was, both trying to fill their lungs with air.
“oh god” you mumbled, before you finally started moving, your legs guiding you into the direction of your friends, falling into their arms and pressing them close to you. “i’m sorry, i’m so sorry” you cried.
blaise and draco held onto you just as tight, not being able to let you go as they cried into your hair.
“be honest, draco” you said when you broke the hug, completely ignoring the trio next to you.
“theo” draco muttered, knowing what you were talking about immediately. blaise and him exchanged a look.
“is he dead?” you asked, heartbreak already burning in your limbs and throat. you were ready to mourn, ready to lose your life just like him. he had died for the wrong cause, but you hoped, heart heavy in your chest, that death was more forgiving than his life had been.
“we don’t know” blaise finally said. “we got seperated in the halls, theo—he was looking for you i think”
“i have to find him” you muttered, touching each hand of the boys in front of you. “stay safe” you kissed both of their cheeks, before you turned on your heel, running down the corridor opposite of where you had come from.
“theo!” you called once more, running up the stairs and through various hallways, hopeless to ever receive an answer.
“y/n” a voice called and you almost crumbled from the surprise it reached you with. hope was hard to keep and you had thought, really thought, that he was dead.
theo wasn’t dead, but close to it. he was laying on the ground, his back against the wall, while the rest of his body was bathing in his own blood. his cheeks were empty of any colour, lips dry and almost blue as he looked up at you with tired eyes.
“oh god” you muttered in shock, slipping onto the ground beside him, your uniform soaking up the blood like it was water in the lake. your hands touched his chest and the big glass shard that was stuck inside of it. theo hissed in pain. “sorry, sorry” you whispered.
“they surprised me as i came down the corridor” he explained. “i was looking for you”
“you found me now” you whispered once more.
“i don’t think they meant to do this” sweat dripped from his forehead. “they were kids, not older than fourteen, but they left and they took my wand”
“oh god” you repeated as you shook your head, holding his face in your blood soaked hands and kissing his lips softly.
“i thought you were dead” tears slipped over his cheeks and you shook your head crying.
“i’m gonna help you” you said quickly, before reaching for your wand and using it’s magic to extract the glass from theo’s body. he was winding on the ground, the pain probably unbearable. but you had to do this in order to help him. he would heal, he would survive and that was all that mattered to you in this moment.
“i don’t want to fight” theo cried “not for them, not against you”
“i know, my love, i know”
the healing had begun, slowly but surely his wound closed up, only leaving behind the blood around you and the worry on your face.
“come on” you said, as soon as he looked less pale. you took his hand and he followed you through the corridors of the castle, standing next to you when you had to fight death eaters, even beginning to send curses himself.
“you don’t have to fight, theo” you called over the loudness of the fight. “confringo! i don’t want you to fight against him”
“i’m not leaving you” theo called back, his voice nearly drowned out by the deatheater across from him, who was screaming curses and uttering threats about theo’s betrayal at the same time. “he doesn’t mean anything to me”
“what?” you send the deatheater flying against the wall, effectively knocking him out. your wand was now facing theo's death eater too.
“i don’t care for my father” theo said, before he too send the man flying. “i only care for you and your well being”
you made sure it was safe, before you pulled him in and kissed him so passionately that you almost forgot you had ever been apart. “don’t ever let me go again, theodore nott”
“i wouldn’t dare, y/n l/n”
you took his hand, walking back into the entrance hall, looking if you were needed anywhere. that’s when you saw them coming over the bridge.
“he’s here” you said, pushing theo behind you if there was really anything you could do to save him. “he’s—“ you paused, as the both of you walked closer up behind the rows of people already standing in the courtyard.
“harry…?” your voice was quiet, as you adressed the boy you had put all your hope in. someone you hadn’t known well, not well enough to be on first name basis, but what did it matter now that he was. what was he?
“harry potter is dead!” voldemort announced loudly, while the deatheaters broke into laughter.
ginny weasley dashed forward with a heartbreaking scream. “no! no!”
“stupid girl! harry potter is dead, from this day forth you put your faith in me” you looked down onto the ground in front of you and then back at theo, who looked like he was being painfully tortured by voldemorts words. he too had set his hope into harry.
“it’s done” you said softly. “the war is over”
“we lost”
“harry potter is dead!” voldemort repeated once more “and now is the time to declare youself. come forward and join us.. or die”
your ears were drenched out by the wailing sound in your head. it was loud that you missed everything neville said. you pressed your eyes close, wishing to be anywhere else. to be free from this destiny, but you knew you could never just leave. you wouldn’t be able to leave all these people behind.
it was theo‘s voice that woke you from your half sleeping state. the word he muttered was foreign on his tongue, but ignited a flame inside of you immediately.
“harry”
your eyes snapped open like a gun shot had rung through the air. but it wasn’t the sound of a gun. it was harry potter, who was running and firing spells at voldemort. you just had seconds to react, before the fight broke out again, no end in sight.
you had never thought to be happy that a war continued.
but continuation meant that you hadn’t lost yet. there was a chance to win as long as harry potter was alive.
when voldemort finally dies, it’s nothing like you ever imagined. he bursts into the air, pieces by pieces disappearing until only his wand is left.
the deatheater in front of you let’s his wand fall to the ground and you don’t have any interest to finish the job as you sank into theo‘s arms. content is flashing through your body and immediate tiredness is dragging you down. theo holds you as all your weight crashes against him.
you‘re tired of fighting and of war and death and fear. there is nothing in your head, apart from the thought that you will never have to endure all of that again.
theo and you went away after the war.
you travelled europe for a year, before you came back to hogwarts to finish the school year you were still missing.
theo got a job at the ministry, you started working at hogwarts. he proposed to you the day that you signed the contract.
your wedding was beautiful. pansy and luna were your bridesmaids. draco and mattheo were theo‘s groomsmen. all of your friends were there. you had even invited the golden trio, it was only thanks to them that the both of you were still alive and able to celebrate your connection.
“you lost your bow again, robin!” theo picked up the little pink bow and clipped it to his suit, knowing that your daughter was way too busy to even hear him call for her.
“maybe you should just give up” you suggested, picking up luke who was softly hitting your leg, seemingly tired of walking.
“but she looks so cute with it!” theo protested, the disappointment sipping from his voice as he pushed the trolley through the wall.
“it‘s no use if she always loses them” you shrugged. “what is it? like the tenth one you’ve gotten her in the past month alone? just wait until she’s older, love”
theo sighed, but nodded at your suggestion.
“grace, robin” you called, looking around the people in front of you to spot your girls.
“well, lucky you’ve got me” mattheo popped up next to you, robin in his arms, as he threw a wink in your direction.
“why are you even here, mate?” theo asked annoyed “you didn’t have any children the last time i checked”
“well, theres still a few women we’re not a hundred percent sure about yet” pansy joked as she appeared in front of you. “hey sweetheart” she kissed your cheek, before she took luke out of your arms.
“haha” mattheo rolled his eyes. “i was just accompanying my nieces and nephew’s like a good godfather and uncle should do”
“nope” theo shook his head. “you’re still not grace’s godfather, one daughter of mine has to be enough, riddle”
“yeah, yeah” mattheo shook his head, clearly not caring about anything theo said “we’ll get there eventually”
“no, we won’t, that’s the point—“
“hello nott” blaise greeted, draco following, scorpius and grace behind him. you sighed in relief, glad you daughter had not gotten lost.
“blaise” theo nodded, while you went around the trolley, hugging both men.
“amazing style choice” blaise pointed against his chest and theo's eyes fell down on his own chest, having completely forgotten about the bow he had pinned there. “looks great on you, mate”
“it’s robin’s”
“sure, keep telling yourself that” blaise said with a sarcastic smile “i heard denial is a river in egypt, y/n”
you giggled, but promptly stopped when theo elbowed you. “you’re my wife. mine” he muttered between clenched teeth, but clearly joking.
draco took a look on his watch. “there are places we have to be, aren’t there?” he set a hand on both scorpius’ and grace’s shoulder, who were talking to each other excitedly.
“of course” you nodded, following your friends to the platform and hugging your daughter so close, as if that might make her leaving a little less hard. “stay with scorpius, sweetheart. stick together, the both of you” you advised.
“i think isaac was trying to safe a department for the three of you” blaise told you daughter, who smiled gratefully.
“yes, mum” grace nodded, before you swapped places with theo, who was already crying.
“write to me every week, honey!” he declared. “stay far away from professor trewlaney and close to your mother as soon as she’s back at work”
“theo” you shook your head “she should have space to develop” you watched grace and scorpius board the train, waving as it slowly left the station.
“i’ve seen people develop at hogwarts!” he shook his head “it lead to a pregnancy in your case, tesoro”
blaise and draco choked on their spit simultaneously.
“that was after i became a teacher and you know it, dear husband”
mattheo held robin away from him, to take her in fully. “were you made there too?” he muttered, more to himself than anyone in particular.
“mattheo!” draco, pansy and you scolded loudly.
“hey guys!” enzo appeared behind you suddenly, startling all of you. “oh no, they’re already off, aren’t they?”
you nodded sadly, feeling sorry for the poor bloke who couldn’t arrive on time if his life depended on it.
“half an hour too late” draco exclaimed with a look at his watch. “as always”
“well you know the traffic is being a bitch” enzo slapped a hand to his mouth, before he took a quick look at evie next to him. “sorry, love. well everything’s been a b-word since jacky started forcing me to use muggle transportation.”
“i do not envy you one bit” mattheo shrugged.
“well, evie” enzo shrugged “the train is gone, but i hear that the weasleys have this super cool car, that—“
“no!” you shook your head, taking the little girls hand in yours. “i’ll take her!”
“so get-together at yours or what, nott?” mattheo asked “gonna have to know which of your kids were conceived in hogwarts”
summary: draco and you always come back to each other, sneaking around in secret, unable to let go, even though it’s getting harder to hide and maybe you're not willing to keep the secret any longer
warnings: slight angst but ends in fluff, height difference mentioned
your back was leaning against the castle's wall, arms crossed, you quirked a brow at the boy across from you. he was spotting a similiar expression, his arms crossed like you and face in a deep frown, unmoving as you nodded for him to talk.
"i'm not gonna apologize first" you shrugged, deciding to have it like this if he wanted to be difficult.
"well, me neither" he spat, voice venomous as he looked at you unimpressed, your threat not having the least bit of effect on him. "i wouldn't even know what for"
"you were the one that came back, draco" you reminded. "we agreed that whoever came back first had to apologize"
"well, i'm not doing that"
"then i'm not kissing you" you shrugged, turning your body as if to leave, before his hand grabbed your shoulder, turning you back around in a swift motion.
before you could protest or say anything else about his sudden action, his lips were on yours, pulling you in through the feeling that evaporated in your body.
you moaned into his mouth, not even caring that he didn't apologize, as he pressed you against the wall.
draco and you came from completely different worlds. he was a proud slytherin, someone that valued social standing and reputation above everything else.
you were a gryffindor, hanging along the golden trio most of the time, but basically being friends with everyone, no matter who they were or from which family they came. you didn't mind as long as you liked them.
draco and you had hated each other from the first encounter on. arrogant as he was, he had introduced himself to harry, muttering something about the wrong kind of people (eyeing ron and you) he had chosen to spend his time with.
you rivalry reached it's peak during third year when hermione had hit him and you had caught him days later as he was trying to throw something into her cauldron during potions class. you had slapped his hand back, resulting in him breathing in whatever he had held in there and spending a week in the infirmary, throwing up hours on end.
you gained two weeks of detention from snape, but quickly decided it was worth it, considering you had saved your friend from an even worse fate.
but the real change of your relationship had begun during fourth year. you had noticed that he grew into his looks and you couldn't believe it, but his cockiness actually attracted you.
draco continued making no secret of disliking you and your friends, but you noticed his eyes linger on you longer than they had before.
it had been a week of constant fighting, hormones high and upcoming exams stressing the both of you, where one thing had led to another and you found yourselves in shared detention with professor mcgonagall who punished you to sort through and clean her classroom.
"this is all your fault" draco muttered, cloth in hand as he rubbed it along the table, that picked the water up quickly.
"sure" you nodded with a role of your eyes. the row of goblets in front of you, used for the first year classes, turning out to be a particular hard thing to clean. "as if you didn't start the fight"
"i merely concluded obvious information"
"pff" you made, sending him a glare across the room. "that's not what i would call it"
"let's hear it then, genius"
"i'd call it an uneven distribution of arrogance and stupidity" you smiled smugly as you set down another goblet in front of you.
"you take that back!" draco let go off the cloth in his hand and dashed across the room, pushing his hands to his hips and looking down on you as if to try and dare you to say more.
"no" you shook your head, rising up from your chair so you were on an even level with him.
"one last chance, l/n"
"or what? you will send daddy to straigthen me out?" you puffed air out between your lips, not even caring about his answer. "you've been using the same empty threats for years, malfoy, it's honestly gotten boring at this point."
his eyes widened, switching to collect the glimmer of your lips as a memory and before he could properly think of what he was doing, he had closed the space between you, kissing you softly.
it had taken exactly ten seconds for both of you to realize what had happened, quickly breaking apart.
"you just kissed me!" you muttered stunned, pointing an accusing finger in his direction.
"you kissed me" he shook his head, just as shocked as you, as he tried to remember what had happened exactly.
"no" you corrected firmly. "i'm not taking the blame for this mess. this is solely on you"
"you kissed back though" he concluded, with a final nod. "don't ever do that again"
"well, okay?" you shrugged "i won't as long as you don't ever kiss me again"
the tension between you was palpable, as you kept holding eye contact, no one of you moving as both of you tried to find out what the kiss would mean for your relationship, or more so lack of, moving forward.
it had been a sudden decision, maybe because you had spent all your years at school trying to one up draco malfoy, but you didn't think twice, before you pushed your mouth against his once more.
this time the kiss lasted longer and both of you had to catch your breath.
"i thought i told you to never do that again"
you nodded, before you smirked, "you said i should never kiss you back"
"yeah" he nodded, admitting that you hadn't done anything he had forbidden. "and you said i should never kiss you again"
"never is such a harsh word" you shrugged and just half a second later you were kissing once more, your hands gliding into his neck as you pressed him closer.
what began that day in the classroom accompanied you through the school years that followed. you and draco would put on a facade in front of your friends and pretend like you still couldn't stand each other, which was, to be honest, not even far from the truth considering he still constantly annoyed you. all while you would meet in secret, sneaking around the castle and hooking up with each other behind everyone's back.
apart from sleeping with each other not much changed between you. you never declared what you did to be a relationship, although both of you never met other people.
draco was the one constant through your teenage years. sometimes you would go longer without the other, but you would always come back, like a drug you couldn't stop taking even if it had the potential to destroy you in the end.
draco ended the kiss, pressing his forehead against your own. "sorry" he muttered and you furrowed your brows in surprise.
he had never apologised before, even if that was your rule. he would always suck up for a while, until you finally accepted that he was somewhat sorry, without actually saying it.
"hmm" you hummed, pressing one more kiss against his mouth, before you broke away and grabbed your bag off the floor. "we've got herbology"
draco nodded and turned around, picking up his own bag. "i'll go around the courtyard, you'll go now"
"sure" he softly grabbed your neck with his hand, bringing you close again and kissing you, more passionately than the moment allowed. you were way too flustered when he let go off you, but he just nodded for you to go. so you did.
you kept thinking about him for the rest of the day. through the whole herbology class, most of potions class and even charms, which was you favorite subject.
it hadn't been yesterday when you realized that you maybe didn't still find him as annoying as you did back when you were children. that you had maybe even grown fond of him a little, or whatever it was that you had.
and there was a stupid part of you that longed for more. for more of whatever it was.
what you had enjoyed at first, was now the part you hated most about your little arrangement. sneaking around, lying to your friends and always keeping something from them, while they viewed you as family, as someone they knew everything about.
you just wanted them to know and maybe you also wanted to know if he would stay. stay at the possibility of people finding out about you.
all that went through your head until the next day. and realistically you knew he wasn't what you wanted him to be. you knew draco well enough. he would never agree to go public, much less to even be in a relationship with you.
so it was pretty clear what you had to do.
you knew that it was the right decision in the long run. for both of you.
you met in the same hallway. you were leaning against the wall when he arrived, a distant smile on his face, that only really broke out when his eyes fell on you.
"hey" he muttered. you let him kiss you, before he stepped back, leaning across from you.
"hi" you said, testing the waters. he furrowed his brows and crossed his arms.
"what is it?" he asked unimpressed. he was used to you berating him for something he had said or done the day before. most often it was something regarding your friends and even though he never admitted it, you noticed his behaviour change, when you had been angry about something.
"nothing" you averted your eyes. you could hear him step forward, on edge, not used to the sadness in your voice.
times you had been apart came normally right after you had fought with each other. always screaming loudly, having found something to be annoyed about, before you decided not to see each other anymore, until one of you eventually came back.
"tell me" draco urged, the calmness in his voice long gone. "did something happen?" normally you would have made fun of him for his unusual care, but now you even felt sorry about it.
"i don't think we should continue to see each other" you shrugged, acting as if you didn't even care.
draco laughed, or rather puffed out air through his nose, before he shook his head. "i told you i was sorry"
"it's not about that"
"then what?" he stepped even closer. "something with you friends? i didn't even really see them yesterday"
"that's not it, draco"
there were a few seconds of silence, before he sighed loudly. "is it a guy?"
"no"
"okay, so you're just doing this? for what?" he threw his arms up, like he couldn't understand anything anymore. "you'll come back anyway"
you didn't answer anything, staring at him blankly, not having the strength to even say it out loud. without you wanting him to, he caught the uncertainty in your eyes.
"..you'll come back" he repeated, voice low. "right?"
"draco" you sighed, not knowing what to tell him.
"no, don't be like that" he shook his head and you saw that he was trying hard not to show you how much he cared. "don't act like you have to console me, don't act like you're breaking up with me"
"i'm not" you nodded. "but i'm not coming back either"
he pushed his hands into the pockets of his trousers, not even looking at you when you picked up your bag. you tried to catch his eyes, but it was to no avail. so you just walked away, not even knowing if you felt relieved or sad at the predicament that he would never be coming close to you again.
you walked through the halls of the castle and opened the door to the courtyard. the weather had turned rainy, thick clouds hanging over the towers of the castle, hiding them in the white air. the rain hit the ground mercilessly and you realized too late that it had been a stupid idea to walk across.
"you can't just do that" the voice behind you was so sudden and loud that your bag almost hit the wet ground beneath you.
draco caught up with you quickly, not caring about the rain one bit.
"what?" you asked, continuing your quick walk through the yard. but admittedly it was to no use, considering that you were already wet to the bones.
draco grabbed your shoulder, making you halt in your step and turn to look at him. "you can't just decide that" he said "it's not your decision to make"
"it's not yours either"
"why are you like that?" he ignored your previous answer. "i thought you liked this"
"i did" you nodded, seeing no reason to lie. "until i didn't"
"what does that even mean?" draco pushed his wet hair back annoyed. he wasn't able to understand you and scarily enough, that was the first time in years he failed to read what was going on with you.
"that means that we have to stop seeing each other"
"but why?"
you ignored him, moving your arm so he lost his grip on you, walking further through the wet garden. draco followed you.
"why?" he repeated, "what do you want me to do?"
"nothing, draco, it's fine"
"if this is some psychological trick, i swear to god"
"it's not, draco" your voice became louder, trying to drain out the rain that muffled it. "just forget about me"
"what if i can't?" he had stopped moving, staring at you blankly when you turned around. you had never seen him like this. so vulnerable, so honest.
"it didn't even matter" you simply said, "it was nice for a while, but it's over now"
"so you just decided that?"
"yes"
"but it wasn't just nice" he came closer, his face painfully twisted, as if to try and see your reaction to it. to get something from you. to see if it really didn't matter. "it was different. it wasn't just something"
"then what was it?" you pushed him to say more, to hear what you needed to for so long. "tell me why it was different? i thought you hated me"
"i did everything but that" he muttered and you had a hard time understanding him.
"why did you never say that before?" you asked, stray tears mixing with the rain on your face. "why are you so desperately trying to convince me of something you would've denied if i had asked you before? why didn't it matter before? why didn't you say something sooner?" your voice evolved into a scream, begging him to answer.
"why do you think i always came back?" he matched the loudness of your voice, anger blending with desperation as his blue eyes crashed into yours.
"why do you think i did?"
"i thought you knew" he shook his head, not understanding how it had come so far he had to explain it to you. "i thought i made it clear"
"thought you made what clear?" you asked, your voice louder than his, as he had grown more quiet. "that you didn't hate me? tolerated me even? that you—“
"that i fucking love you" his scream made you shut up immediately, eyes wide as you stared at him. "and maybe i should've actually said that or maybe i'm not what you want anymore—"
"what did you think would happen? did you think i would just accept it? not knowing how you really feel?"
"no" he shook his head "but i had hoped you would stay until i finally gathered up the courage to say it"
"how long?"
he sighed, looking annoyingly sweet as raindrops fell down from his hair and onto his cheeks. he looked like he was crying in an artful way. beautiful even, you thought, as you kept your eyes on his face like your life depended on it.
"mcgonagalls detention in fourth year"
"you couldn't have possibly loved me back then"
"maybe i didn't" he shrugged "but it was the first time i felt like this, when you kissed me"
"you kissed me" you corrected, but unable to stop the smile from breaking out.
"well, what do you say?"
"you want to hear it back?" you asked.
"preferably yes, but for now a sorry would do"
"for now, a hot shower would do" you rolled your eyes. "alone"
"and after that?" his voice lost a bit of it's cockiness, returning back to the insecurity it had held a few minutes before, "what then?"
you pressed your lips against his and he took the kiss with surprise, before he reciprocated it.
you pulled back, looking up at him, drenched from head to toe, but absolutely beautiful in his eyes.
summary: mattheo chose you and still you wonder why he even broke up with his ex in the first place
warnings: feeling like the wrong choice, insecure reader, angst but fluff ending
notes: i just wrote a little drabble since i already had a planned fic ready for lacy, i hope you still like it!
her hair was flowing effortlessly over her shoulders, caressing her back like it was some sort of clothing. she looked effortlessly pretty in general, soft pink lips and warm brown eyes reflecting the light of the sun when she would walk through the courtyard.
and the worst thing about her? she was nice. simply put. you couldn’t even manage to hate her, because next to being beautiful, she had a charming personality, a great sense of humor and friends everywhere she went.
you had understood if she had hated you. you, the new girlfriend of her first great love. but she didn’t and that made it impossibly worse.
“hey, y/n” she had greeted one morning, a smile plastered on her face and happiness reflecting in her eyes. “theo mentioned that you had some problems regarding the divination essay” she said and added, before you were able to retort something: “i finished mine a few days ago and thought it might help you to read over it. it was indeed a very hard task, i struggled too”
“oh” you had said, dumbfounded, and stared at the pieces of parchment she was holding in your direction. “thank you, aurora”
“no problem” she grinned. “and rory is fine, all my friends call me that”
she had left in a hurry, having to return books to the library, and you spent your time looking after her in awe, surprise and insecurity flooding your features.
it was beyond you why mattheo had decided to break up with her. aurora turner was simply perfect and you certainly weren’t.
"what's going on in there, huh?" mattheo slipped into the space beside you, touching your head with one of his fingers softly.
"oh, nothing" you quickly excused, taking your eyes off of aurora and looking to the book in front of you. "this reading for muggle studies is just taking up my brain"
"romeo and juliet?" mattheo questioned, studying the leatherbound book.
"yeah" you sighed. "the english is kinda off"
"i know" he shrugged, turning the book around in his hands and opening it to a random page.
"you know?" you repeated, trying not to laugh. "i never as much saw you look at a book before"
"i liked this one" he smiled.
your smirk died down. "oh, i didn't know that" you tried to find his eyes. "why did you never mention it? i would've read it sooner then"
"it's not a big deal, that was ages ago" he paused, unsure if it was okay to finish the sentence, but you urged him on, nodding repeatedly so he would continue. "rory liked it"
"oh" you said plainly, before you realized that your reaction was all the more telling of your inner jealousy and insecurity about his old relationship. "i mean cool"
"y/n" mattheo muttered, laying the book down in front of you. "it really doesn't matter. we don't even have to mention it again"
"i don't want you to feel like you can't tell me something, just because you experienced it with your ex" you smiled, but it was costing you all your strength. "you can talk about the past, it doesn't bother me"
"that's clearly a lie" mattheo saw through you completely. "you shouldn't have to hide your feelings to make me feel better"
you sighed, realising that it was to no use to lie to him. "sorry, i just—" you shook your head "i don't even know why you decided to break up with her in the first place and i think i'm scared that you'll realize that at one point too"
mattheo looked at you with a soft smile, his gaze searching your eyes as if trying to convey everything he felt with just that look. "y/n, i'm gonna be honest. it’s not that rory wasn’t great," he began, his tone gentle. "she is a really good person, and there was nothing wrong with her. but that doesn’t mean she was the right person for me."
you blinked, trying to process his words as he continued.
"i realized that being with someone just because they seem perfect on the surface doesn’t mean it’s the right fit. we just didn’t connect in the way i needed. with you..." he hesitated, as if searching for the right words, "...it’s different. you make me feel understood. you get me in a way that no one else does."
you looked at him with so much admiration that he had to look down, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red.
"look" he said, when he was able to look in your eyes again. "dating rory was like constantly standing on a pedestal and people expecting me to be something different than i was. that didn't feel right, and it shouldn't. but being with you feels like coming home after a long day, realizing that there's someone in my corner even if no one else likes me for who i am and not for who they see in me"
"i didn't know you felt like that" you muttered, ashamed that you had possibly made him uncomfortable.
"i don't, not anymore" he smiled. "not since i met you. because i don't care about the others. i just care about us, you and me"
"i love you" you said as he kissed your cheek, pulling you closer by your waist.
"i love you" mattheo mumbled against your mouth. "don't ever think you're worth less than her, just because you're not her. if anything that's what makes you more special to me"
you nodded, teary-eyed, as he pushed his lips forward to meet yours. your hands toyed with the hem of his curls as he deepend the kiss.
after that day you never questioned mattheo's choice again. and you could see that both him and rory held a lot of respect for each other. but both were not even interested in anything deeper. mattheo never looked up when he heard her voice anywhere. rory never came to the tree you had often seen them kissing at, back when they had been together.
you realized that being enough for mattheo had never meant being perfect—it had only ever meant being yourself.
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summary: you try to live with the loss of luke castellan and the betrayal he brought upon you
warning: angst
notes: the timeline is all over the place lmao. i haven't read the books yet (i probably will in the future) so i have no idea how or when luke got claimed. i just made it up for the sake of the story, hope that's alright :)
the wind splashed in your face like the ocean did when you would throw your body in the water. it was different, colder than it normally was. you weren’t used to the shiver your body felt, you had always felt at ease at camp halfblood.
now it was nothing like it used to be.
percy and annabeth were down at the camp, far away from the cliffside you were standing on, probably consoling each other.
you had felt nothing but loneliness from the moment he had left.
not even your brother or annabeth could’ve done something to change that.
you felt almost the same you did the day you came to camp. afraid and nervous, hands holding on to luke as you ran after him. thalia, annabeth and grover not far behind you.
but you had felt a bit of familiarity that day too. everything was new to you, but luke wasn’t. you had grown up together, experiencing the first effects of being a half-god side by side. there was no one who could take on the role he had held for you.
you stared into the clouds, the width of the sky in front of you, as your mind wandered back.
“look at the water!” annabeth called loudly.
your hand gripped luke’s arm, as both of you watched the giant wave travel to the shore.
“poseidon” an unknown boy behind you muttered and luke and you exchanged glances.
the wave broke down right in front of you, soft water glistening onto your feet as the lake opened up, perfectly wide enough for you to stand in without getting wet.
“what?” you mumbled, as the water fell back into its position right as luke was trying to follow you. it drenched you completely, but as your hand moved forward it bend away beneath your touch, moving just as you guided it to.
“she got claimed by poseidon” a few girls muttered in awe.
“claimed?” you repeated, still standing in the lake. you looked at luke, as if he knew any better than you.
you had to move out of the hermes cabin the same day and into a shed that felt less like a home and more like a punishment.
you had been overwhelmed at the bustling loudness of the hermes cabin at first, but now you were missing it. luke slept next to you for the first week, until you decided that you had to do this on your own. still, luke spend every evening with you, until the last alarm rang out and he had to leave if he didn’t want to be caught outside after nighttime (or eaten by harpies).
luke and you only grew closer during your time at camp. you did everything together. people got used to it quickly, always pointing out if one of you was missing.
luke found solace in your presence, telling you about his shattered hope regarding his father, someone who was still unknown to him. and you felt bad about it. it had taken days for you to be claimed and luke was still in the dark after months.
it was simply unfair.
you couldn't always relate to his frustration regarding the gods, because your father tried to reach you in forms that was allowed, shipping letters or presents your way, but you always listened to him, understanding that he was going through something different and he desperately needed someone on his side.
to say that luke's claiming was a bit of a let down was an understatement. luke had hoped so long for something that all his expectations had been incredibly low and hermes still managed to undercut them even further.
he didn't bother to pay attention to any of his children, none of them were treated as if they were more than just one piece of a big puzzle.
a letter arrived in the middle of july, listing a bunch of names that hermes had concluded to be those of his children. luke was included on the list. it was nothing special, nothing worth of a mention.
luke stayed in the hermes cabin and lost a bit of hope with each day passing without hearing from his father.
sometimes he found his anger directed at your father, who seemed all the more caring than his own. and although he didn't wish for you to go through the same grief he had gone through, he sometimes wondered what it would feel like to have you understand his experiences.
time passed and luke stopped mentioning his father or anything about the gods completely. you tried to ask him about it, but he claimed to have moved on, not caring for the attention of someone who couldn't be bothered to give it.
that was about the time you started seeing luke in a different light. he was no longer the little boy you had grown up along, he was almost a man, features loosing their boyish touch and dissolving into something more grown. something you had never seen in him before.
it was like getting to know him all over again.
it seemed like it wasn't any different with luke as he suddenly grew interested in the kind of perfume you were using or the little rings on your fingers when your hand would rest on his biceps a little too long.
the infaturation came fast, almost overnight and neither of you was ready to longer deny what was so clearly happening between you.
luke and you started dating that same year. it was the first relationship for the both of you and everything felt special. you couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend. he was kind and funny, always kept an eye on you wherever you went and quickly became the most important person in your life.
faster than you noticed, your whole life revolved around luke castellan. maybe that was why you felt like you had lost everything the night that he left.
you were dating for more than a year by the time percy showed up at camp.
those few days were probably the last you had truly been happy. you had a brother now, he was lovely and you immediately formed a bond with each other, having had similiar experiences regarding the truth about your father.
you remembered the night so clearly. it was like a never ending flashback in your hand.
you were taking a drink out of gina's hand, right as annabeth came running through the forest.
"y/n!" she called, her voice slumping down when she noticed you not far away. "percy" she simply said when you turned around. the distress on her face was enough to make you follow her.
luke looked up at the sound your footsteps were making. and annabeth quickly threw something, that made him let go of what he was holding. you realized too late that it was a sword.
percy was laying on the ground in front of luke. your features turned into a frown, when you looked at your brother and back at your boyfriend.
"y/n" luke said, surprise and worry in his voice. "annabeth"
you were so confused. you didn't even know what was going on. but what he had planned to do send shivers down your spine.
"i heard everything" annabeth said.
luke looked at you, like he was quietly asking if you had heard it too.
you shook your head. "what have you done?" you stepped around annabeth, who tried to hold you back without any luck. you stopped to glance up at him.
luke averted his eyes, feeling your breath against his neck, as your head was still recoiled backwards.
"look at me!" you said loudly, warningly, and you could see the muscles moving in his chin, a frown evident on his mouth.
"he's with kronos" percy announced, before luke had the chance to say something.
the rest of the memory was in a blur, but you clearly remembered your tears. tears of confusion, of betrayal, of hurt. that someone so close to you would betray everything you had fought so hard for? it seemed unfair to say the least.
and that someone was luke, your luke. you didn't even recognize him anymore.
you remembered his hand reaching out for you, the pleading look in his eyes, the silent question, to come with him and leave everything you loved behind. but you shook your head, turning away from him. you didn't even want to look at him. you would rather remember who he had been all those years before.
"sorry" he had muttered and neither annabeth nor you had been fast enough to stop him, as he ran away and through the portal he had opened.
now luke castellan was just a memory that haunted you. like a ghost that never really left your side. you missed him so dearly. all while you wished that he would stay far away at the same time. it was confusing and you hated that you were still so in love with him after everything he had done to you friends, your brother and even you.
you threw his chain into the relentless waves of the sea beneath you, before you walked back into the forest and away from the cliff.
"i haven't seen you all day" percy stood up and fell into a quick step beside you, when he saw you approaching.
"i was up on the cliff" you shrugged.
"oh" he muttered.
he had been following you around camp relentlessly after luke had left a few days ago. the hurt was still fresh, but felt so distant at the same time. percy was worried about you, you could clearly read that from the expression on his face.
he treated you like someone had just died. and that wasn't even far off.
"have you eaten anything?" he asked, not giving up.
"i didn't feel hungry" you mumbled. "where's annabeth?" she had been the only one who could at least somewhat understand what you were feeling. luke had been like a brother to her and both of you were now collateral damage on his path to power.
"you should really eat something" percy retored, matter of factly. "she went to change. i accidently spilled some ketchup on her shirt"
you halted in your step, turning to face your brother who looked up at you with a curious look in his eyes.
"don't ever change" you whispered, reaching out and hugging him close to your chest.
"what?" he mumbled against your body.
you pressed a kiss onto his head, before you let go of him. "thank you for being so caring" you smiled softly. "i will get through this, but i wouldn't without you"
"of course you would" percy shook his head and pushed his hands against his hips. "he's just a boy"
"no" your voice was soft and you tried hard not to let it break in front of him. you had done a pretty good job at avoiding to cry when percy was around you. "he was so much more to me"
percy sighed, but finally nodded. "yeah," he muttered, almost to himself "i get it."
you smiled sadly, appreciating his attempt to understand. the silence stretched between you, the rustling of the trees and the distant crashing of waves filling the space.
then, percy took a deep breath and glanced out at the horizon. "you know," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "the hardest thing isn’t losing someone. it’s realizing that no matter what they’ve done, you still carry the good parts of them with you."
you blinked, surprised by the depth of his words. he met your gaze, his eyes filled with a mixture of compassion and resolve. "and that’s okay. it’s okay to hold onto that. to let yourself feel it. but it’s also okay to let go when you're ready. you loved luke for who he was, not for what he was going to become"
for a moment, you just stood there, absorbing his words. percy, the little brother you never expected, was showing you a wisdom that went far beyond his years.
"yeah, you might be right about that" you said as soon as the words returned to you. "when have you gotten so wise?"
"well, nearly dying does all sorts of things with you"
you smiled, pulling him against you once more. "thank you for coming back home, percy"
"we're in this together now" he assured. "i never had a sister before, but i will try my best to be a good brother"
"you already are an amazing brother, you know?" you said softly. "but you're so much more to me, too"
at that, he send you a look that would probably cure your nightmares for days to come. you and luke had relied on each other all your life, but now he was gone and you had to learn to accept that.
now someone else was relying on you and you promised to not let it come this far again. you would make sure that percy jackson would never experience all the disappointments and frustration you and luke had to endure throughout the years.
you would make sure that percy never felt unwanted or less loved like kids who had normal parents.
you would not fail percy like you had failed luke.
summary: you and knox are not allowed to be together, but can’t bare to be apart
warnings: none i think
"you're too loud!" you scolded, when knox tried to whisper something which was clearly spoken loud enough to echo off the walls and make it's way right into the headmasters chambers in the entryway of the school.
"it's fine" knox shrugged, opening another door that you had to walk through before you would be able to climb the stairs to his room.
the door squieked loudly, making your eyes widen as you looked back at knox, who seemed to be alarmed now too.
footsteps echoed off the stone walls from he corner in front of you and you exchanged panicked gazes, but it was already too late for you to do something as a grey-haired man turned the corner and looked up from him lamp in surprise.
"mr. overstreet!" he gasped, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of you and knox. his surprise quickly turned to disapproval. "and you! what are you two doing here at this hour?"
neither you or knox knew what to answer. whatever you would say would probably only worsen the situation, as there was no plausible explanation for what you were doing in the halls of a foreign school in the middle of the night. well, apart from the obvious one, of course.
"we will have to call your parents, young lady" the man furrowed his brows, making a gesture for knox and you to follow him.
"please don't, dr. hager" knox tried to plead, but his words fell on deaf ears.
"someone is gonna have to pick her up, mr overstreet" dr. hager shook his head, as if he was seriously regret that he had to drag your parents into this mess. "she's not a student here and we can't send her out alone in the dead of night"
"my parents can't know of this" you tried, exchanging glances with knox. your parents were just as strict as the rules of welton, if not stricter, forbidding you from any contact with boys.
"i'm sorry, children" dr. hager said without so much of a hint of sadness in his voice. "this is the only way"
you sank your head, accepting your fate and sinking down in the chair in front of dr. hager's desk, knox following suit.
"what's the number?"
you sighed, before you told him the number to the telephone in your house, imagining how your parents would dash out of bed, taking the call.
dr. hager would tell your father you were sitting here in his office and your father would send your mother to go look if your bed really was empty, as if it was normal for teachers to call and lie to him in the middle of night.
it took about twenty minutes for your parents to arrive. your mother had even taking out her rollers, the look of disdain all the more evident as her hair was standing up in volumes, the curls circling around her face.
your father did not look less angry, quite the opposite actually. he had to be physically stopped from screaming when he entered the office, as not to wake the entire school.
"i'm sorry" dr. hager excused, as your parents thanked him for informing them.
"me too" knox stumbled up from his chair, before the door was able to close behind you and your parents. all three of you turned around in surprise.
"knox!" you scolded in a whisper, pleading for him not to make the situation any worse than it already was.
knox ignored you. "i shouldn't have brought her here, and definitely not this late anyway."
"damn right you shouldn't" your father burhsed past you, holding a finger in front of knox' face. "and don't you ever think about contacting my daughter again"
"father" you pleaded.
“no, y/n” your father shook his head, unwavering anger on his face. “come on, now”
you hadn’t spoken to knox since the incident. the punishment had been swift and unforgiving. your parents were furious, forbidding you from seeing Knox again. they had imposed strict curfews and even threatened to move you to a different school, one far away from the one you were visiting.
knox didn’t have it any better. his parents had been informed too, promptly visiting the school and scolding him, how he could’ve dared to break the rules.
there was no possibility to see each other again, but knox wasn’t one to give up so easily.
one evening, just after curfew, you were lying on your bed when you heard a gentle tapping at your window. you sat up, confused. there it was again—a soft knock. you moved toward the window and pushed back the curtains.
there, standing on the tree just outside your window, was knox.
“knox!” you whispered, shocked. “what are you doing here?”
knox grinned, balancing precariously on a thick tree branch just outside your window. his eyes were full of that same mischievous spark that had first drawn you to him, but now it was paired with an urgency you hadn’t seen before.
“i missed you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, but the intensity behind it was unmistakable.
your heart skipped a beat, torn between excitement and fear. “you’re crazy! if my parents find out you’re here, they’ll lock me up for good.”
“i’ll climb the walls every night if i have to,” he responded, his voice soft but determined. “i can’t stand not seeing you.”
you sighed, pushing open the window a little wider. “get in before someone sees.”
knox didn’t hesitate. with surprising strength, he swung himself through the window, landing quietly on the wooden floor of your room. you quickly closed the window behind him and turned, feeling the weight of your current situation. your curfew, your parents’ anger, the fact that you weren’t supposed to be seeing him—all of it loomed over you like a storm cloud.
“you shouldn’t be here,” you said, even though deep down, you were relieved to see him. “if my dad finds out…”
knox moved closer, his expression softening as he placed his hands gently on your shoulders. “i know. i’m sorry for getting you into this mess. i didn’t think we’d get caught that night at helton.”
you looked down, feeling the weight of everything that had happened since that night—your parents’ fury, the strict curfew, the constant watchful eye over you. but seeing knox here, risking so much just to be near you, made your heart ache in a different way.
“i couldn’t bear it,” he continued, his voice hushed but filled with emotion. “being away from you. it’s driving me insane.”
“i know,” you whispered, finally meeting his gaze. the tension melted a little as you looked into his familiar, earnest eyes. despite everything, he was here, standing in your room, just as desperate to be near you as you were to see him.
“what if we get caught again?” you asked, but there was no real fear in your voice now. just a quiet acceptance that this—whatever it was between you and knox—was worth it.
knox took a deep breath, his hands sliding down to take yours. “then we get caught,” he said simply. “i don’t care what happens, as long as i can be with you.”
your heart swelled at his words. you both knew the risks, the consequences, but in this moment, it didn’t seem to matter.
knox leaned in closer, his forehead resting against yours. “we’ll figure it out,” he murmured, his breath warm against your skin. “we’ll find a way.”
you closed your eyes, letting the comfort of his presence wash over you. for now, at least, he was here, and that was enough. even if the world outside was determined to keep you apart, in this moment, it was just you and knox, standing together in the stillness of the night.
