#super fluff

Now, every time you sat in the cafeteria fiddling with your necklace (practically a lucky charm by then), you'd dare to steal glances at Eddie when he wasn't looking. If he turned to look at you, you'd lower your gaze, biting your lip. You'd wait a few seconds, and when you looked back—surprise!—he'd be staring at you, a wide grin on his face. And when that happened, you'd raise your eyebrows, caught red-handed, and lower your head, embarrassed, smiling shyly and slightly covering your face.

And from the other table where Eddie was sitting, his friends could see his silly grin.

"Hey!" Dustin snapped his fingers above his eyes. "You've been glancing at her for almost half an hour. Focus!"

He snapped out of his trance, blinking a few times. He looked at his friend as if seeing him for the first time, and then his thoughts returned to their order. He smiled wryly.

"Easy, the dungeon master is who you're talking to. I've got everything under control," he chuckled.

Dustin grimaced. "Yeah, but if you keep this up you're going to become the master of idiots." he answered, teasing him

Eddie blushed but laughed and swatted the visor of Dustin's cap down, making everyone at the table laugh. Dustin gently nudged Eddie in the stomach as he grinned.

For your part, every time you ran into Nancy in the school hallways, she'd bombard you with questions like a machine gun, one after another. You still hadn't told her what had happened with Eddie when she left you alone, considering it a small act of revenge. Although, thanks to her, you now feel closer to him.

"Come on, tell me! What happened?"

She walked sideways like a crab, close behind you, never taking her eyes off you, with an expectant smile. You, clutching your books, sighed and rolled your eyes, but you smiled.

"Not much. You know, I was nervous and started chewing on my dolphin pendant, and when I put it in my mouth, he took it out. That's all... Oh, and he said he thought the necklace was nice," you said, shrugging but with a shy smile.

Nancy opened her mouth and her smile widened. She laughed in disbelief. "Whoa, wait. He took the necklace out of your mouth?!"

"Yes... he said I could suffocate. He was very sweet and considerate" you smiled tenderly.

Nancy laughed happily again and shook her head, "Oh, my friend, he's head over heels for you."

You immediately became nervous and felt heat rise up your neck. "No! I don't think so. He was just being nice...I think." you said a bit hesitantly

She grunted and rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! You wouldn't realize he's in love with you even if he told you so to your face!" she huffed, throwing her hands up and letting them fall.

You sighed and shook your head. "It's just that I don't want to get my hopes up. It's better if everything stays the way it is now," you said with a hint of sadness.

Your friend put her arm around your shoulders, giving you a comforting squeeze. "Hey, believe me when I say he really likes you. You don't have to worry. Everything's going to be great."

You nodded with a pout, but then you smiled and couldn't help teasing her. "Hey, since when did you become an expert on guys? Since you started dating Steve 'Slicked-Back Hair' Harrington?" You laughed.

Nancy made a face of surprise and offense and put her hands on her hips laughing contagiously. "Hey! Here I am giving you advice and you're making fun of me!" she playfully reproached you.

Then you both continued walking down the hallways, smiling and amused. After a few seconds, Nancy added, somewhere between sincere and a little mischievous.

"You know how important his hair is to him," she added conspiratorially, "Did you know he has more hair products than a woman? I don't even know why he wants so many."

You raised your eyebrows in surprise, then burst out laughing. She joined in, and you both left, your laughter echoing through the hallways.

It was basketball practice. All the students went to the court to watch the game. Some, like you, did so reluctantly. To make matters worse, it was a hot day, and the enclosed gym felt oppressive. From the bench, you watched as Eddie sat down with his Hellfire club on the other side. You kept an eye on his sweaty forehead, the back of his hand brushing against his brow as his curls stuck to it. You stared at him for a while, like someone admiring a painting in a museum, taking in every detail, your gaze sweeping over him from head to toe. He ran his tongue over his lips, moistening them. And every now and then he grabbed the lapels of his leather jacket and fanned himself, revealing his tight Hellfire shirt. Your gaze, unable to resist, drifted lower. Since when did he have such a small waist?. Your breath quickened slightly. When you least expected it, he turned his head to look at you. Your eyes met his for a few seconds. You gasped, self-conscious and caught off guard, quickly looking away. Eddie gave a crooked smile.

You swallowed loudly and nervously reached for the pendant again. But it was so hot that your sweaty hands (also from seeing Eddie) kept slipping over the dolphin. With a sigh and a grimace, you wiggled the silver chain of the necklace from side to side as if you were tugging at the collar of a tight shirt. Your fingers were getting wet on the pendant, making fidgeting difficult. You pursed your lips and with a slight exhalation, reached behind your neck to grab the hook and undo your necklace. Nancy glanced at you out of the corner of her eye. When you took it off, you carefully placed it on the bench beside you, between you and your friend.

"Please watch my necklace while I go to the restroom."

She nodded but frowned. "Are you okay?"

You smiled slightly at him. "Yes, I'm just going to cool my face. It's really hot."

He is hot

You slipped through the crowd, asking permission to pass, trying to escape as quickly as possible, though clumsily, while people muttered curses as you walked ahead, blocking their view. Eddie watched you from the other side. You headed towards the restrooms. Something inside him wished he could follow you, but he quickly pushed those thoughts away. He wasn't a pervert. When you reached the restroom, luckily you were alone. You closed the door with a soft thud and stood in front of the mirror. Your hands rested on the edge of the sink, and you closed your eyes, letting your head fall onto your shoulders. You sighed deeply.

You turned on the tap, letting the water run, and looked at yourself in the mirror.

"What do you think you're doing, y/n?" You asked yourself aloud, slightly reproaching yourself.

You shook your head, grunting, and clasped your hands under the stream of water, splashing your face several times, trying to clear your mind of impure thoughts about Eddie. The cold water felt instantly refreshing, and you sighed in relief. You wet your forehead, the back of your neck, and your neck itself. From there, you could hear the shouts of the players along with the cheers of the students. It seemed the game was over. You dried your hands, turned off the tap, and, smoothing down your clothes, left the bathroom as if nothing had happened. As if, just minutes before, you hadn't undressed Eddie with your eyes.

When you returned to the court, Nancy was already waiting for you, sitting with a smile and clapping. The players were already leaving the court for the locker rooms, and the other students were departing. Smiling, you sat down next to her.

"You should have seen Lucas, he was amazing!" Nancy said enthusiastically.

You chuckled but didn't answer. The first thing you wanted to do was put your necklace back on. Your head swiveled to the right and down to grab the accessory. The smile you'd been wearing vanished. The place was empty. You frowned and looked the other way, feeling around for the wooden bench. Nothing. It wasn't there. A cold panic ran down your spine. Nancy noticed your expression and became worried.

"What? What's wrong?"

"My necklace," you quickly interrupted, looking around. "My necklace isn't here, Nancy. Where did you put it?"

Now Nancy looked just as worried as you. "Uh, I-I don't know, I didn't move it from where you left it!" she stammered nervously.

You clutched your head in your hands with a distressed grimace. "Well, it's gone!" you moaned desperately.

Your friend felt bad about losing your precious amulet, so she reassured you as best she could: "Don't worry, I'll help you look for it. It couldn't have gone very far."

Together, you two searched everywhere. Under the bench, in the corners of the walls, but nothing, it was all useless. He was nowhere to be found. The court was almost empty except for Eddie, who had stayed a little apart, watching you. He saw you pacing nervously while a look of anguish crossed your face. It was the first time he had seen you like this, and he definitely didn't like it. Suddenly, he heard you exclaim

"What am I going to do now?! I need to find the necklace!!"

Then he saw your face crumple and you cover your eyes with your hands, sobbing, your shoulders shaking slightly as Nancy hugged you. His heart sank. Seeing that hurt him more than a kick in the groin. When the two of you left, he quietly went over to where you had been sitting and started looking for the dolphin necklace on his own. He didn't like seeing you sad. He understood that the necklace was important to you. He smiled, imagining your happy face when he gave it to you. He couldn't wait to see it.

The next few hours were torture for you. You could barely concentrate in class because your mind was consumed by the lost item. The teachers told you off several times for being distracted, and you wandered the hallways like a zombie, staring at the floor, lost and more serious than usual. Nancy felt bad about losing the one thing she was supposed to be keeping an eye on. You assured her it wasn't her fault and that you weren't angry with her. You also thanked her for helping you look for it.

Completely discouraged and hopeless, you slid down the wall and sat on the floor next to your locker. Nancy pouted and sat next to you, rubbing your shoulder.

"Don't be sad, you'll see that we'll find him when you least expect it." She tried to cheer you up

You shook your head, your lower lip trembling. "No, Nancy. If the necklace didn't turn up when we looked for it, then it's not going to turn up," you said hoarsely, feeling a lump in your throat.

She raised her eyebrows in sorrow. She opened her mouth to say something when a male voice interrupted her.

"Is this what you're looking for?"

Your head jerked up to look at him. Eddie held his hand aloft, the necklace chain resting on his fingertips, the dolphin pendant facing you, offering it like a gift or a trophy. You gasped and jumped to your feet, followed by Nancy. You walked over to him and covered your mouth with your hands. Your eyes welled up; you were going to cry, but this time tears of joy.

"YES! Omg!! Eddie, where did you find it!?" you asked in shock

He chuckled at your reaction. It was better than he expected. "It was in a corner near a trash can. It must have slipped off the bench and people just kept kicking it by accident until it rolled over there."

You laughed with relief as a huge smile stretched across your lips. He thought it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. You opened your mouth and raised your hands to your sides to say something, but you didn't know what to say; you were speechless. You could kiss him right there until he passed out.

"Eddie... I... I really don't know what to say," you said with a sigh and a smile.

He gave a lopsided smile and began toying with the pendant, running it through his fingers. "You know, a thank you would be nice."

You chuckled and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, looking down. "You're right. Thank you so much. I really owe you one."

Eddie grimaced and waved his hand like he was shooing away a fly. "Oh, it's nothing, really," he said, then thought better of it and smiled mischievously. "Although... if you insist. How about I ask you out? Do you want to go out with me?" He blurted it out without a second thought.

Nancy, standing behind you, opened her mouth in a giggle and then brought her hand to her lips to stifle the smile. Caught off guard, you bit your lip and stared at her in disbelief and astonishment, your eyebrows raised, and you hummed in confusion. And you couldn't fidget with anything this time. Eddie chuckled at your expression, and he smiled, waiting for a response. You were freezing up like a fish; your mind, racing at a thousand miles an hour, tried to form a coherent sentence. Suddenly, your friend's eyes rolled back, and she gave you a shove from behind.

"I DO!"

You exclaimed abruptly as the shove Nancy had given you propelled you closer to Eddie. He let out that adorable laugh he reserved only for a select few, and you found yourself smiling too. Then you cleared your throat and, frowning as you shook your head to clear your mind, you spoke again.

"Uhm I mean.. yeah, yes I do"

Eddie bit the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting into laughter and hugging you tightly right then and there. He just said, "Cool." Then he raised a finger and searched his pocket for something. When he pulled it out, you saw it was a blue wildflower, similar to a forget-me-not.

"For you," he said, handing you the small flower. "I saw it in the yard on my way to you and thought it would make my proposal more... appropriate," he said dramatically, but hiding a hint of shyness.

You gasped at the sight of the delicate flower he was giving you. A sweet smile touched your lips. "Thank you, Eddie," you whispered softly.

He puffed out his chest with pride and scratched the back of his neck. "No problem," he replied. Then he took the necklace chain and opened it. "May I put it on you?" he said, holding it out toward you.

"Yes please"

You turned around and gathered your hair, biting your lip. Eddie's hands gently circled your neck, placing the necklace across your chest and then tying the hook close to the nape of your neck. You held your breath the whole time. You looked at Nancy, who winked at you.

"There you go. Perfect"

You turned around and looked at him with a happy smile. Eddie thought he could hang stars from your eyes. You both just stood there, smiling without saying a word, until Nancy cleared her throat to get your attention. You both snapped out of your trance and looked at her. She gave you a knowing glance. You and Eddie suddenly laughed shyly. He put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels, self-conscious, while you looked down.

"Um, well... I guess I'll see you later," he said suddenly. "Bye Y/n, take care," he said in a warm and gentle tone.

You watched him leave with a dreamy look in his eyes. As he walked away, your whole body relaxed and you sighed deeply, feeling in love. Nancy ran to your side, skipping and giggling excitedly.

"You have a date!!!" she exclaimed in a sing-song voice, dragging out the final syllables as she shook you.

you blink confused, “what thing?” he looks at you like you’re the one being difficult now. “the-” he snaps his fingers once, frustrated. “the layered street food thing. with the uh, the cheese and pink sauce, and yellow-”

you can’t help it, you laugh a little, but not at him, in a heart warming way. “a yaroa?” you say. his mouth forms a tight line, but he nods. “yeah. that.” your face changes immediately, something warmer settling in as you step closer to the counter.

“you’re trying to make a yaroa?” you ask, a little incredulous. “don’t say it like that,” he mutters, glancing at you. “i know i probably butchered it, alright?” you lean against the counter, watching him for a second. the way he’s actually trying, even if it’s messy, even if he’s clearly out of his depth. “why?” you ask, quieter now. he shrugs, but it’s not casual, not really.

“you talked about it,” he says. “said it reminded you of home. figured i’d-” he cuts himself off, jaw shifting like he doesn’t like explaining himself this much. “i don’t know. try it.” your heart warms, filling with so much adoration. “rafe..”

“don’t make it a thing,” he cuts in quickly, but there’s no bite to it. “it’s probably not even good.” you step closer anyway, peeking into the pot, then over at the ingredients he clearly just guessed his way through. “you didn’t want my help?”

he scoffs lightly. “kinda defeats the point, doesn’t it?” you smile a little at that. “you’re so stubborn.”

“yeah,” he says, glancing at you. “you like that.”

you roll your eyes, but you’re still smiling, reaching out to lightly touch his arm.

“you forgot a few things,” you say gently, not trying to hurt his ego, but genuinely help. his brows pull together. “i knew it.”

“hey,” you nudge him slightly, stepping into his space. “it’s okay. i’ll show you.” he watches you as you move around the kitchen, fixing things here and there, your curls bouncing slightly as you lean forward, explaining what goes where, what it’s supposed to taste like.

and he’s not even pretending to focus on the dish anymore. he’s watching you, as if he had hearts for eyes, like a dog watches you pass his a bone. he’s the way your hands move, the way your voice changes when you talk about something that matters to you.

“you said your ebuala used to make this?” he asks suddenly. you glance back at him, a little surprised he remembered. “ abuela,” you correct, “ but yeah… all the time.” he nods slowly, like he’s filing that away somewhere.

“what else?” he asks. “What?” you pause.  “what else did she used to make?,” he says, quieter now. “the stuff you grew up with.”

there’s something about the way he says it, like his hard exterior is protecting himself from being so vulnerable, but he wants to show you he cares about you, that he truly listens to what you tell him, like he actually wants to know, not just asking to fill space.

your body softens at his question, “oh! a lot of things,” you say enthusiastically, elated you get to speak about your home, your culture, the foods and drinks that make you, you.. “i could show you sometime, if you want.”

he lets out a small breath, almost like relief, but tries to play it off. “yeah,” he nods. “i’d like that.” there’s a moment where neither of you move, you’re both kind of sucking up the vulnerable moment, together. 

you’re standing close now, closer than you were before, your hand still lightly brushing his where you moved something on the counter. His eyes drop to your hands, intertwing his hands in yours. then he looks back at your beautiful face, as a smile creeps up on your lips. 

“you didn’t have to do this,” you say quietly, almost nervously at how he’s looking at you, with so much love. he shrugs again,  “i know,” he says. “i wanted to.” your heart does that annoying little thing it always does around him. you glance away for a second, then back.

“…it really means a lot. more than you could ever imagine” you admit. and it’s true. there’s barely anything in south carolina, let alone the outer banks that tie you back to your roots. So having him at least try to make you something, fills your heart more than he could know. 

he holds your gaze for a second longer than usual. then he shifts slightly, both hands coming to sit on your waist now, as he pulls you closer, placing a small kiss on your forehead. 

“yeah?” he murmurs. you nod, your cheeks heating up. “Yeah.” his eyes linger on you, his gaze holding more emotions than he cares to express, but you know they’re there. 

“you gonna teach me how to do it right, sweetheart?” he asks, quieter now. you smile up at him, teasingly “only if you listen.” he huffs softly jokingly, but there’s a small smirk there too. “for you? I’ll learn.”

However, there was something undeniably magical about the transition from friends to something more. You two are dating. And both of you are complete idiots for each other. Asahi Haruka had stolen your heart completely.

You don’t know when you started having feelings for Haruka, but you can’t imagine a world without him. It sounds cliché, like it came out of a crappy Lifetime movie, but before either of you knew it you had become each other’s confidants. Sharing small touches, talking about your hopes, dreams, and fears, sneaking kisses in your room. By the time you reached high school, you both confessed. At the same time. You could always read his mind and he could read you like a book. It was as if you were two halves of the same whole, inseparable and bound by an unbreakable bond.

He’s your sun.

Just as you were finished packing and about to stand up, two soft hands covered your eyes and the scent of sweet cologne made you smile.

“Guess who~?” called a voice, a slight mischievous giggle practically giving him away.

You feigned a gasp. “Oh woah! Who could it be?”

You formed a mischievous plan of your own. Time for your favorite activity: teasing your boyfriend.

You hummed. “Judging by the six rings on each hand, it must be Kuro-kun!”

“Bzzt! Wrong!” said the voice. You could tell he was pouting slightly. “You better be joking! Try again!”

“Of course I’m joking!”

“Then, guess my name!” the voice said cheerfully.

“Hmm~, is it… Lina-chan?”

“Wrong again!”

“Oh! I got it now! This is definitely Kou-kun!”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Totally gotta be Haru.”

“Noooo~!!”

“Well, with whining like that, it must be Tsumiko-kun!”

“N/N-chaaaaaan~!”

You couldn’t hold back your laughter. Teasing Haruka was not only easy, but incredibly funny. Even with his fingers and rings pressed to your eyes, you could tell he was pouting up a storm. You tenderly stroked his fingers and laughed again in feigned revelation.

“Oooh! It’s you, Haruka~.” You removed his hands from your eyes and looked up at him with a smile. “I knew it was you.”

Staring up at your boyfriend, you could clearly see that you were right and he was pouting super hard. You kissed his hand and his pout melted into a silly grin. Yet, his eyes still held a grudge.

“N/N-chan! That was really mean…” he pouted. “You shouldn’t call your boyfriend another guy’s name.”

You giggled, leaning forward in your seat. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. You’re just too cute when I tease you.”

Haruka blushed. You finished packing up your things and stood up from your chair. You grabbed Haruka’s hand. “Come on, let’s go home.”

Haruka smiled. We could. Or…” He bumped your shoulder playfully. “I can take you somewhere awesome!”

You raised an eyebrow quizzically. “Somewhere awesome, huh? And where would that be?”

Haruka smiled and gave your hand a slight tug. “It’s a surprise! It’s also close to the station so afterwards we can go home together.”

“Haruka, we’ve been going home together since primary school.”

“That’s not the point!” he huffed playfully. “Besides, today is super duper special!”

“Really?” you asked. “What’s today?”

“Today is…” he paused for dramatic effect, making you roll your eyes in the process. “Our 100 Day Anniversary!!”

Ah, of course. How could you forget?

Anniversaries were nothing new in this relationship. Especially when it came to Haruka. He celebrates everything. Friendiversaries, childhood traditions, milestones, etc.. Ever since you two started dating, he’s even added monthly anniversaries to the list. You didn’t mind it. Every milestone, tradition, and anniversary with Haruka made your heart skip a beat and cherish those memories even more.

“Wow. Today is special.” you smiled, opening the classroom door. “Well, let’s get going before we get scolded. I wanna see this super awesome place. If Haruka likes it, it must be good!”

Haruka smiled brightly and With his hand in yours, you left school and you couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest.

*****

“And then, Sensei blabbed for an hour about how I should be paying attention…” Haruka complained. “It’s not my fault I always fall asleep in his class… if he wasn’t so boring…”

As you walked through the bustling streets, you both talked about things going on with friends and school. Of course, Haruka vented to you about how he fell asleep twice in class. You chuckled.

“Hmm… if only someone had listened to my advice and not stayed up playing otome games all night.” you hummed.

“Dreamhunter has an event that allows you to collect 12 SSR cards, each with unique date timelines and rare CG’s and I’m supposed to pass on that?!”

You laughed. “Oh, I’m sure your waifus and husbandos appreciate your determination. Maybe they can help you next time you need to study for an exam.”

“Noooo~. I want N/N-chan’s help!”

“Then, you better stay awake. We're in our 3rd year now. If we wanna get into the same university, we gotta work hard.”

Eventually, you arrived at a quaint little building that immediately caught your attention. Your eyes widened and Haruka smiled brightly. “We’re finally here!”

Nestled on a charming trendy street, the light pink café exuded an inviting aura from the moment you laid eyes on it. A sleek LED sign adorned with whimsical paw prints and the café's name, "NyaNyuBo," hung above the entrance, imitating a slow glow in the afternoon sun. Flower boxes overflowed with vibrant strawflowers and multi-colored milkweeds, adding a burst of color to the café's exterior. A few white wrought-iron tables and chairs sat beneath the pink and white canopy, inviting customers to indulge in a garden party aesthetic.

The windows were adorned with hand-painted murals of playful kittens, each with a unique personality showing. Posters are also put up showcasing deals and kitten mascots advertising discounts. A chalkboard easel stood by the door, displaying daily specials and cat puns in colorful chalk lettering.

“Is this… a cat café?” you ask, looking over at your beaming boyfriend.

“Yes! Isn’t it adorable? I saw a bunch of influencers post about it on Twitter and Instagram! And I immediately thought of you! I know how much you love cats and I wanted to make our 100 day anniversary extra special!” Haruka grinned, his eyes lit with joy.

Entering the café, you had to stop yourself from making a scene. The interior was just as cute as the outside.

You were greeted by the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee, sweet bubbly fragrances of bubble tea, and the soft sound of purring and tiny meows. The interior of the café was a cozy haven, with soft pastel armchairs and plush sofas with low coffee tables, decorated with scented candles and tiny plants, arranged near the walls and windows, creating intimate seating areas perfect for relaxation. In the center of the café were wooden tables and chairs, each with decorations and cards about each of the cats. Some of the tables had cats declare the tables to be theirs as they stretched and laid across.

The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the bay windows, casting a golden glow over the room and illuminating the mellow decor and sleepy kittens. Shelves lined with books and manga and knick-knacks adorned the walls, while potted plants mounted to the walls and roof.

You and Haruka walked to a table and you basked in the cute little cards and small mason jars full of delectable treats shaped like cats and adorned with adorable edible decorations. On the card it read: ‘Please do not feed our kittens any human food. While we work hard to provide our customers with delicious food and use ingredients that both humans and animals can eat, some of our kitties' tummies might not agree. So please, feed them a couple homemade kitty treats that help them stay happy and healthy.’

You gazed lovingly at the jar of treats for the cats. They’re shaped like kitten faces with “frosting” faces of different cats.

‘Super cute!!’

You were snapped out of your thoughts as Haruka handed you a menu. You tenderly grabbed it and let out a gasp immediately after opening it.

“Everything is so cute! The sandwiches, burgers, curry – they’re all shaped like cats! Even the donuts, macarons, and ice cream parfait have 3D art! I’m in heaven~!”

Haruka giggled. “Me too! It’s like a cozy cat heaven. I wanna live here.”

“Me too!” you sigh. “I’ve been in this area so many times and I never knew there was a cat café here. Was it always a café?”

“I don’t think so. We passed by this building so many times, but I never noticed what it was originally.” Haruka reflected. “Anyway, have you decided what you want?”

You nod. “I’ll have the Smoked Salmon Baguette Sandwich and a strawberry boba tea.”

Haruka nodded and left to go place your order at the front counter. The counter was adorned with even more cat-themed decor and accessories for customers. Behind it, baristas bustled about, preparing steaming cups of coffee and boba tea and artfully crafted cat-themed desserts. Behind the baristas, you saw a small window leading to the kitchen where the chefs were working equally as hard.

You took the time to really look around the café, soaking in the mellow and chill vibe. In one corner of the café, you noticed a towering cat tree where 3 cats slept and played with the dangling toys affixed to it. You looked down at the floor and noticed colorful cat toys littered about and a few customers on the floor completely immersed in playing with the kittens.

You sat back in your chair and listened to the soft k-ballad instrumental music playing in the background and customers chattering quietly amongst themselves, their laughter mingling with the gentle purring of the resident cats.

‘I’m so grateful for Haruka.’ you thought to yourself. ‘He really knows me throughout. If I hadn’t met him…’ You felt a pang in your chest at the thought.

Soon, Haruka came back with the drinks and sat down with a sly grin. “They said our food will be out shortly.” he informed you, giving you your drink. It was even cuter in person. A smiling white cat sat atop of your boba and you felt conflicted about drinking it. “Soooo, in the meantime, I bought us these!” He pulled out two cat ear headbands, one cinnamon and one chocolate brown. He handed you the cinnamon colored cat ears and put on the chocolate brown cat ears with a huge smile. “So we can blend in!”

You stared at him for a few seconds before laughing. “You are such a weirdo!” You laughed even harder as Haruka put on the cat ears and striked various poses.

“Come on~! Put it on!” he urged.

“Alright, alright.” you sighed. Swallowing your pride and cringe, you put on the cat ears and posed awkwardly using your hands as paws. “How do I look?”

Haruka’s face exploded into a plume of red and dramatically clutched his chest. “Too cute! My heart… ah!” Just as quickly, he pulled out his phone. “Give me a little ‘nya~’!”

“Pfft-! What?” you giggled, covering your face.

“Y’know… Nya~!”

You laughed again. “No way! I’d die of cringe.”

“Boo~!” he pouted, putting his phone away. “You should take more advantage of your cuteness!”

You rolled your eyes playfully. “Right back at you, babe.”

After a bit more back and forth teasing, a waiter comes by with your food. With a smile, she sets your food down and bows, telling you to enjoy your food.

Your eyes widen and you immediately salivate at the delicious and gorgeous food in front of you.

“This looks amazing!” you exclaim. You took a whiff. “And it smells sooo heavenly~.”

Haruka nodded eagerly. “For real! Ah! Wait!” He scrambled to pull out his phone. “We gotta get a pic!”

After your boyfriend took a few pics, you two finally chow down.

*****

“…and it was really smelly too!”

“Oh my god! Did you say that to his face?”

“I had to! I’m telling you, it was disgusting-”

Your words are cut off as you feel a tiny ball of fur leap onto your lap. Pulling back a little, you look down and see the most adorable munchkin kitten with cream coating looking up at you. You let out a short, high-pitched squeal/gasp, drop your food on your plate, and scooped up the fluffy kitten.

“Ohmigosh! Haruka! Look at the baby~!” you cooed, showering the kitten in affection and holding it like a porcelain doll.

Haruka’s laughter filled the air as he cooed along with you. “Wow~! They’re so tiny. They must be a baby baby.”

You placed the kitten gently on your lap and bombarded the cutie with scritches along its back and behind the ears. Melting in your chair as you heard tiny purrs coming from the kitten.

Haruka stared at you. “You really love cats, huh?”

You nod fervently, unable to tear your gaze away from the adorable creature, making cute kissy noises and baby talking the kitten.

Haruka soon pouted from the lack of attention. “Baby~. Shouldn’t you be paying attention to your kitten right here?” he whined.

You looked up to see your boyfriend pointing at himself, pulling out his infamous puppy eyes. You giggled.

“Then maybe you should be the one on my lap, hm~?”

Haruka, not expecting such bold words, blushed bright red and struggled to find a flirt back. You laugh again.

Your attention is brought back to the kitten that is actively trying, and failing, to jump on the table. Its little pink beans were desperately pawing at your plate, gazing hungrily at your salmon baguette sandwich.

“Aww~. Is the baby hungry?” you ask. You pick out a piece of salmon and dab your napkin on it to get rid of any of the dressing on it. You bring it towards the kitten's mouth and it eagerly devours it, letting out small little mews and purrs all the while. “Wow. You were hungry, huh?”

Haruka giggles and gushes along with you at the kitten’s eating noises. “The staff probably keep the kittens on a strict kitten food routine. This is probably its first time eating human food.” he whispered, looking around the staff. “You shouldn’t give them anymore. I don’t wanna get kicked out because my love is a rule breaker.” he winked in a teasing tone.

You agreed, turning your attention back to your food and boyfriend as the happy kitten nestles in your lap.

After you both finished your food, Haruka led you to the open cat play area, where you spent the afternoon surrounded by playful and curious kitties. Haruka's boundless energy matched that of the kittens as he chased after them, played with various toys, and sprawled on the floor dramatically meowing. You never laughed this hard.

“I’m glad you brought me here.” you sigh fondly. “This is the best date ever.”

“Is it in the top 5?”

“It’s first place.” You leaned against him, foreheads touching. Under the soft glow of the café's lights, you and Haruka found yourselves drawn into a tender moment, your gazes locked in a silent exchange of affection.

“I love you.” he whispered.

“I love you too.” you whispered back, smiling.

His warm hand cupped your cheek and his breath mingled with yours. Time seemed to stop as your lips met in a sweet, lingering kiss – a slow and gentle kiss that made your heart pound in your ears. In that moment, you wanted this moment, right now, to last forever. And as you both pull away, your foreheads resting against each other, you sigh blissfully unaware of how much time has passed in the tender embrace of your boyfriend.

Peeking from your eyelashes, you notice the warm orange glow flowing from the windows.

“Oh woah… it’s that late already?” you whisper in awe.

“What~?” Haruka whined. “Noooo~! I wanna stay here longer! With you and the kitties!” He flopped on the floor dramatically with a pitiful cry. You laughed and rubbed his chest.

“Come on. If we don’t go home quickly, auntie will get worried and scold you for hours.”

Haruka pouted, but reluctantly stood up and went to the front to pay for the meal. You giggled quietly at his silliness when you felt a small fur ball brush up against you. It was the baby that jumped on your lap. You picked up the kitten, giving into the cuteness. You then felt a pang in your heart at the thought of leaving it here. The more the kitten purred against you, the more you felt the urge to stuff the kitten down your shirt and run out the door. But, you wouldn’t do that.

“Okay, baby. Let’s–”

“Excuse me!” You called out to the employee behind the counter. “Could I see an adoption application?”

The female employee behind the counter smiled brightly and clapped her hands. “Yes, of course! Would you be adopting that kitten you're holding?”

You nodded. “Yes. Does that application process take long?”

“Of course not. Please wait right here. I bring you the adoption paper and a kitten goodie bag full of essentials and a carrier.”

“Thank you!” The employee left towards the back and you softly squealed at your decision.

“Are you really going to adopt the kitten?” Haruka asked, just as excited as you are.

You nodded gleefully, covering your new kitten in kisses. “Of course! Look at this baby! It was love at first sight.”

“Hey~! No fair! I want kisses too!” Haruka whined, puckering his lips towards your face. You laughed, trying to maneuver out of his way.

“You’ve been getting kisses all day! Learn to share, Haruka.”

“Huuh??? No way! I don’t wanna share N/N-chan!”

“Too bad~.” you teased.

*****

The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of deep purple and soft pink as you both stepped out of the train station. As you and Haruka began your walk home, the streets were quiet with only the sounds of cicadas buzzing in the trees,the sidewalk illuminated by the gentle glow of street lamps. The cool evening breeze rustled the leaves, creating a soothing spring aesthetic that accompanied your footsteps.

You walked with a skip in your step, smiling in content, holding hands with your boyfriend and holding the cat carrier that held your new family member: Naoko or Nao for short.

You smiled down at the kitten curled up in the transparent carrier. “We’re almost home, Nao.”

Haruka glanced over, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Look at her. Already so comfortable with us."

You gazed down at the sleeping kitten, your heart swelling with affection. "I know right~? She's soooo adorable. I can't wait to get home and set up a little space for her with the stuff they gave us. She’s going to love it. I’m gonna make her the best meal she’s ever had in her tiny life!"

Haruka pumped his arm, flailing around Nao’s bag of essentials. "I've already got a bunch of ideas! We could set up a cozy, extra fluffy bed for her by the window so I can see her from my window, and maybe get some of those climbing trees. And a bunch of toys that she’ll be buried in! She'll have so much fun!"

You laugh softly, bouncing off his enthusiasm. “You’re gonna spoil her rotten, aren’t you?”

He winked playfully. “Absolutely! Anything for Nao! She’s our little princess!”

“Woah. Little princess, huh?” you hummed melodically. “I think I just caught a glimpse of Haruka being a lovesick dad.”

“D-Dad?!” he sputtered, his cheeks turning red.

“Yeah. I think you’d be an amazing dad, Haruka.” you stated, smiling nonchalantly.

“W-W-W-Whaaat?!” Haruka yelped, stuttering and getting even redder. “Y/N! It’s too early for us to be thinking about that! We haven’t even graduated yet! A-And I don’t have a job! You also have to be married before thinking about that stuff! We shouldn’t rush things!”

“Huh? What’re you talking about? I’m talking about the future.”

“H-Huh? O-Oh, yeah! That’s what I meant! Yeah! Totally!” he stammered, avoiding your eyes.

“Hmm~? Were you thinking of making a family right now?”

“N-No! Of course not!” He whipped his head away from you, hiding his face.

“Are you sure~? You’re blushing a lot, Ha-ru-ka-chan~.”

“Noooo~…”

“Tonight would be the most romantic day to propose, Haruka. Should I be expecting something soon?”

“N/N… please… I didn’t say anything… please stop…” he mumbled.

You laughed and decided to put a hold on the teasing to save the reputation of your boyfriend. After a few minutes of walking in comfort silence, you turned onto your street and approached your house first. You turned to your boyfriend with a smile.

“Thank you for the amazing date, Haruka. Today has been perfect. Every anniversary you always seem to one-up the dates every single time.”

“Of course, angel~. You deserve only the best.” He pressed a gentle kiss on your lips and you melt into his arms, humming in serenity. As he pulled away, he turned to walk towards his house, but you didn’t let go of his hand. You turned back, looking back at you in confusion.

“Y/N?”

“Oh, did you think you were sleeping somewhere else tonight? Absolutely not. Stay the night.”

“E-Eh? Stay the night? B-But…” He peeked at your house.

“My parents are out of town for the weekend. It’ll just be us.”

“W-What?! Really?”

“Yeah! Plus, the baby will be sad if you go home.” You raised the carrier to show the kitten, slowing waking up from its nap. “And it’s not like we haven’t slept over at each other’s houses before. It’ll be like a sleepover!”

“Oh yeah! It’s been awhile.” he noted. “Yeah, okay! I’ll have to get some stuff from my house and tell mom that I’ll be staying over tonight.” He peeked down at Nao. “And it’ll give me some quality time with NaoNao~.”

As you both walked up the pathway to the house, you smiled. “Yeah, and with Nao here, we can play house.”

“Play house?”

“Yeah. You, me, and the baby.”

Haruka’s face erupted in blush and stammered a nonsense string of words as you led him into the house, laughing at his whinings.

—

another a/n: hey. sorry. it's been awhile. i've seriously been lacking. i got really hype fixated on learning blender animation and minecraft. also, work shit sucks. i hope you enjoyed asahi haruka. it's nice that this fic is the first intro to him. i hope you guys like him! it's been a while since i've written cutesy stuff. i hope i didn't make it too cringe or cheesy or plain.

And then his body was shocked with the warm feeling of a full bodied hug and his senses were filled with the thick scent of a woody aftershave and cheap detergent and instant coffee, and Eddie couldn’t care to question why his uncle was dead too, he just wanted to hug him. He hadn’t hugged him in a very long time, and right now, it felt super nice. 

It was a long hug too, and he was pretty sure Wayne was crying. 

He hadn’t seen Wayne cry, ever, except for that one day when Eddie got put into his care after his mother had died. 

Wayne pulled back and planted his hands sternly on Eddie’s shoulders, and his cheeks were all wet and his under eyes were all swollen, and it was a very strange thing to look at. Wayne wasn’t a vulnerable person, and he allowed himself to be vulnerable around Eddie, when Eddie was hurting, but never to this extent. The man looked distraught. 

Eddie supposed he did just die, so it was nice to know one person wasn’t feeling so hot about it. 

“Never do that again, kid.” 

Eddie furrowed his brow, “Do what?” His voice sounded weird, a little scratchy. It bugged him out. 

“Die.” Wayne said sternly. 

Eddie pulled a weird face and started to giggle, “Erm, I don’t think I can promise that, Wayne.” 

“Promise it.” He pressed again. 

“I promise… I will not… try to die.” Eddie said with a nod and another giggle, “I don’t have much say over the matter.” 

“Fine.” Wayne gruffed, and then pointed a finger at him, “No dying until I’m long dead.” 

Eddie didn’t like the sound of that. Of Wayne dying. Wayne wasn’t supposed to die. That’s just not a thing that can happen. Eddie needs him too much. 

Wait. 

Waynes already dead… if they’re here. 

In the afterlife. 

Oh my god, Waynes dead. 

Eddie started hyperventilating. 

“Wo- woah, woah, what’s going on, son?” Wayne pressed a hand over Eddie’s hear and tried to calm him, “I- I’m sorry, I’m not… I didn’t mean- I didn’t-” 

“No!” Eddie shook his head, he felt frantic. Wayne couldn’t be dead. He just… he couldn’t. He wasn’t supposed to die! Fuck, “Wh- why are you here?”

“I’m-” Wayne looked like he was choking up and Eddie hated it, “Wh- what did I do? How can I… g- get a nurse-”

“Hey.” Another voice drifted into the picture and Eddie felt another set of hands on his chest and shoulder, slowly guiding him back down into his pillows, “Hey… hey… shhh.” 

“Wh- what’s…” Eddie looked at the voice, and it was an Angel. 

Huh, Eddie always thought Angels were supposed to be like, those big scary things with the eye in the middle and like, rings around it or too many wings, and it looked like it was supposed to trip you out. That’s what the damn Bible said. But hey, he guessed humans got something right. 

They were beautiful creatures, Angels. They had soft features, and pretty pink lips, and freckles smattered over rosy cheeks, and gorgeous eyes, and strong shoulders, and fluffy brown hair, and moles that scattered it’s tanned skin, and muscles, and wore yellow sweaters. 

Eddie relaxed a little in the Angel's presence. 

He never thought himself religious, but after coming face first with divinity such as this, Eddie thought he might start praying every day. 

“Relax. You’re okay.” The Angel said again, and Eddie listened, “What’s wrong?” 

“He can’t be here.” Eddie whined, he felt his eyes grow a little wet and he struggled to lift a hand high enough to point back at Wayne. 

The Angel furrowed its pretty brow, “Why not?” 

“He can’t.” Eddie shook his head, a stern whisper, “It’s too soon.” 

The Angel clenched his jaw, “Do… Do you want him to leave?” 

“Please.” Eddie begged, because if anyone could grant life to a mortal again, it would be this Angel, wouldn’t it? 

“Really?” Wayne croaked, and Eddie turned to look at him, “You don’t want me here, kid?” 

Eddie shook his head, Wayne has to live. He has to. Eddie wont be okay if he doesn't. 

Wayne's breath hitched, “W- well, alright then.” He stepped away from the bed and Eddie already missed him, “B-bye.” 

Eddie looked at the Angel with desperation, “He’s going to be okay?” 

The Angel swallowed, “Hes… what?” 

“You’re going to make sure he’s okay?” Eddie pressed, and he really hoped this Angel did what was best for Wayne, “You’re going to watch over him?” 

“Sorry?” The Angel looked confused. 

Weird. It must be his first week on the job or something. 

“Will my uncle be okay down there?” 

“Down where?” The angel asked and looked over to Wayne. 

“On earth.” Eddie said with a sassy shake of his head, because where the fuck else would he be talking about?, “Where people live?” 

“Wh-” 

“Eddie.” Wayne interrupted, stepping a little closer, “Are… Where do you think you are right now?” 

“I dunno.” Eddie shrugged, “Heaven? Is that what you call it here?” He looked back to the Angel. 

“Heaven?” Wayne asked again, “Didn’t think you believed in that-”

“Shh!” Eddie pulled a stern face at him and gestured his head toward the Angel, “Don’t tell it that.” 

“It?” The Angel asked. 

Eddie turned back to the beautiful entity, “Do Angels have gender?” 

The Angel furrowed its brow again, and Eddie heard Wayne snicker from behind him, and then the Angels' already rosy cheeks turned even pinker, “E- Eddie…” it knew his name? Fuck, of course it knew his name, it was a damn Angel. But Eddie was still a little awestruck because wow, something that beautiful is addressing him?, “Do- do you think I’m an Angel?” 

Eddie blushed a little this time, “Am I not supposed to figure it out?” He thought for a moment. Maybe Angels take the form of a human to blend in, to not scare people with their super big scary eye or whatever, “Sorry- I won’t tell anyone, I promise.” 

The Angel smiled, and it was so pretty. It had a lovely set of pearly whites too, and Eddie maybe wanted to run his fingers along them. 

“Ed…” Wayne put his warm, roughed up hand on Eddie’s forearm and smiled, “Do you think you’re dead?” 

Eddie nodded, as if it was obvious, “I died… it was… oh, Wayne, it hurt so bad.” He scoffed and shook his head, “Wished you were there… but it’s okay. I had Dustin… and Steve.” 

Wayne’s eyes widened a little, “Oh, you had Steve did you?” 

Eddie nodded, “Yeah…” He sighed a little dreamily, “He’s so handsome.” And then he giggled. 

Wayne grinned almost evilly and sat himself back down in his chair, “I bet he is. Did you tell him?” 

“Oh yeah.” Eddie nodded, “He was the last thing I saw, you know? Such a pretty face.” 

The Angel's breath hitched behind him, and then Eddie turned to look at it. The Angel sat down too, and Eddie thought it kind of looked a little like Steve. A lot like Steve, actually. It was so pretty. 

Eddie giggled and reached a finger out to draw it over the Angels cheek, down over its nose and the top of its lip, “Like you… but… sorry, Steve’s more beautiful.” 

“What?” A third voice entered the conversation, with a little shriek. Eddie looked over to see… oh no, Dustin. Dustin dropped all his things and threw himself at Eddie, climbing up onto the bed and wrapping himself around him, “You’re okay!” 

Why was everyone dead? 

Eddie held Dustin tight and looked to the Angel, “Why is he here too?” 

It looked confused again, and so did Dustin. Dustin looked actually quite hurt, much like Wayne did before, “You… you don’t want to see me?” 

Eddie shook his head, “Of course I want to see you…” He looked back to the Angel, “Take him back.” 

“Take him back?” The Angel asked. 

“Both of them!” Eddie felt himself well up a little. 

“Is he okay?” He heard a fourth voice whisper, and he looked over to see Scott whispering in Wayne's ear. 

No! Not Mr. Clark too. Fuck, why was everyone dead? 

“All of them.” Eddie demanded, “Make them all live again!” 

“Eddie thinks he’s dead.” Wayne said simply, addressing Dustin and his partner, “He’s high on pain meds, and he thinks Steve is an Angel, and we're all dead here with him in the afterlife.” 

Scott seemed to relax a little at that as he sat down next to Wayne, and Dustin slumped back into Eddie’s chest. 

“Your name is Steve?” Eddie asked the Angel, “Did you steal his face, and his name?” 

The Angel- well, Steve apparently - blushed and smiled a little bit, “I’m really sorry.”

Eddie sighed and pouted, “I suppose it is a nice way to settle me in.” 

“Yeah?” Steve asked. 

Eddie hummed, “So beautiful.” 

Dustin made a strange sound, “Steve?” 

“It’s not Steve.” Eddie pressed, and looked back at the Angel, “I’m very sorry, Angel. You are beautiful, but you don’t compare to my Stevie, so I cannot call you that.” 

The Angel turned very red. Eddie hoped he didn’t make it too angry, but he just couldn’t replace his Steve like that. 

“Your Stevie?” Dustin screeched. 

Eddie felt his heart drop. 

“He… he said that before I…” He swallowed. His head suddenly felt very clouded and if he wasn’t already dead, he’s sure this might just kill him, “Please tell me I didn’t make that up… I can’t have made that up. I- I need it to be real. For so long, I’ve… he… he said he sees- please tell me I didn’t make it up. Please tell me he called himself mine.” 

He looked desperately to the Angel, because they were supposed to be these… be all, know all creatures. And Eddie was sure that if it didn’t know, it could just check in with God or something. 

“Please tell me it’s true.” Eddie sobbed, his eyes pleading, he suddenly felt very tired again. 

The Angel looked a little saddened as it looked at Eddie, still red in the cheeks. It smiled softly, it’s eyes darted over to Wayne and then it ducked its head, “N- no. You didn’t make it up, Eddie.” Oh, sweet heavens, literally. Eddie was okay now, “I- he… he really said that. Steve said he’ll be yours, as long as you’ll have him.” 

Eddie smiled dreamily and sunk back into his pillows, “I’ll have him forever. I’ll wait for him. Can you tell him I’ll wait for him?” He looked between Dustin and his uncles, “When the Angel takes you back to earth, will you tell Steve I’ll wait for him? He can have a happy, long life without me, and when he gets really old and dies of old person things and comes here, I’ll be waiting.” 

Wayne gave him a very soft smile, “I’m pretty sure he already knows, Ed-”

“Just promise.” Eddie said sternly, “He has to know that I love him.” 

The Angel gasped and Eddie looked over to it. 

“You-” It shook its pretty head, “Love?” 

Eddie nodded, his eyes very droopy now, “Hey Dustin?”

“Yeah?” He responded, his voice a little drifty, like his head wasn’t fully in the game. 

“Can you look after Stevie?” 

“Yeah.” Dustin nodded and looked over to the Angel with a sweet smile that Eddie really loved, “Promise I’ll look after him.” 

“Good- and- and you too. Look after yourself… too.” He closed his eyes and hummed. 

“Okay.” Dustin whispered, “Hey, Eddie?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Can you just… one more time for us, tell us how pretty you think Steve is?” 

Eddie heard a swatting sound, like someone just got smacked. He couldn’t help but smile, of course, every time Steve popped into his head he had to smile. He loved Steve. And Steve was so pretty. Prettier than a goddamned Angel, apparently. 

“Oh, he’s so pretty.” Eddie giggled and pried opened his eyes, “Don’t you think?” 

“I mean, I don’t think.” Dustin shrugged, “Max does-”

“What?” The Angel said. 

“I dunno, it’s the chest hair.” Dustin said. 

The Angel shrunk down into its seat with more blush in it’s cheeks. 

“Why don’t you think?” Eddie gasped and looked at the Angel, “Look, is that not super pretty.” 

“Erm…” 

“But, make it less blurry, and a little bitchy, and then you’ll have Stevie.” 

“Blurry?” 

“It’s so blurry in here.” Eddie said, and then he giggled, “You look so fuzzy.” 

“Bitchy?” The Angel asked, and crossed its legs with a little sass. 

“Mhm.” Eddie nodded, “Bitchy- Wayne knows.” 

“I do.” He grinned and nodded at the Angel, “Steve’s sassy.” 

The Angel's eyes widened and it lowered his head, as if it was shy, “Is not.” 

Eddie giggled again, “So bitchy.” He bit his lip just thinking about it. Every bitchy remark he’d heard get called in school. The bitchy remarks thrown his way in the last week of Eddie’s life. The little hand on the hips pose he’d pull when giving one of the freshmen a look of disapproval. So bitchy, “So hot.” 

“Okay.” Dustin said quickly and shook his head, “Time for night night’s, Eddie.” 

Eddie pouted. 

“You’ll be able to see Steve when you wake up.” 

Eddie immediately closed his eyes, and everyone laughed a little. He thought for a moment- he did not want another dead person in here. He opened his eyes again, and Dustin groaned. 

“He can’t be dead too.” 

Dustin made a strangled face. 

“Like…” Scott leant forward to speak, “You’ll be able to look down and watch over him.” 

Eddie relaxed instantly. He liked the idea of that very much. Hopefully he could help keep Steve out of trouble too. Guide him in the right direction. 

“And you’ll re-alive all of them?” Eddie asked the Angel, pointing out at the three people in the room. 

“Promise.” The Angel nodded once. 

“Okay.” Eddie smiled and closed his eyes again, thankfully, he was so tired, “Night night.” 

“Night night.” Wayne said with a little chuckle, and then Eddie was out. 

When Eddie woke up again, the room was very dark. He rubbed his eyes and groaned. It was a good sleep, a very good sleep. He had a dull ache in his side, and an ache in his bones he supposed was from not moving in a while and sleeping on this rock of a mattress. He looked around and vaguely remembered waking up in a hospital room before, but he didn’t think it was a hospital room before. 

He looked around to see Dustin weirdly splayed out on an armchair he was pretty sure Wayne occupied before, and then he found someone else sitting in a little chair on the other side of his bed. His face smushed down into the mattress by Eddie’s hips, his hand reached up over Eddie’s thigh and rested on his stomach- his fingers intertwined with Eddie’s own. 

Oh god, it was Steve. Steve in his sweet yellow sweater, sleeping uncomfortably, half on Eddie’s bed, holding Eddie’s hand. 

Why did he remember an Angel sitting in that same position? 

He gently stroked his thumb over the back of Steve's warm hand that- ohhh, Eddie couldn’t believe he was holding. All his dreams were coming fucking true. 

And not only that, but he lived. He lived and Steve was holding his hand. 

Life was looking up for Eddie. 

He dared to reach out and run his fingers through the soft hair on Steve's head, and it was even better than he’d imagined. Light and fluffy, silky and smooth, so soft. Eddie hoped Steve would let him do this forever. He played with Steve's hair as carefully as he could, trying to remain soothing so he wouldn’t wake. 

But it was useless. Steve lifted his head and yawned and looked at Eddie, and all Eddie could do was freeze. He froze, one hand sitting in Steves, and the other sitting flat atop his head. They both blinked, once, twice, and then Steve was smiling. 

“You’re awake.” 

Eddie nodded. 

“Your hand is on my head.”

“Sorry.” Eddie swallowed and pulled it back. 

Steve laughed, “It’s okay, it felt nice.” He laid his head back down on the mattress, but this time he turned so he could face Eddie, “Keep doing it?” 

Ah, this must be the universe apologising for all the fucked up shit that’s happened. Eddie ran his hand through Steve’s soft hair again. 

“You still high?”

Eddie snickered, “Don’t think so.” 

“Good.” Steve smiled, “Whilst that was really funny, it did bring up some awkward conversations.” 

“Oh god…” Eddie swallowed, “What did I say?” 

“Well, for one… you thought Wayne was dead and then you thought the same about Dustin and Mr. Clark- who, by the way, was a shock to see here.” 

Eddie snickered, “Oh, yeah…well, you can understand why it’s not common knowledge that they’re together- you don’t have an issue-”

“No, god no.” Steve rolled his eyes, “Just… my middle school science teacher was the last person I expected to see waiting at your bedside, crying over you.” 

Eddie’s heart swelled, “How long was I out for?” 

“Three days.” Steve said with a sigh, “And then you passed out for another seven hours… Wayne and Scott have gone home to shower, they’ll be back in an hour or two.” 

“Okay.” Eddie said quietly. 

“You also thought I was an Angel.” 

Ah. 

“Right.” 

“It was… amusing.” Steve smiled, “You kept asking me to make sure they’d all be resurrected.”

Eddie laughed softly, “And I see you’ve done your job well.”  

“I take it very seriously.” Steve nodded. 

“As you should.” 

Steve gave Eddie a warm smile and closed his eyes for a moment. Eddie felt him squeeze his hand softly, like he just needed a moment to process it - Eddie, being alive and here right now, with Steve. 

The thought of that gave Eddie butterflies. 

Steve opened his eyes again, and Eddie had to take a moment to appreciate just how beautiful they were. The room was dark, but there was just enough moonlight being cast through the window (and glowing flashy things on Eddie’s heart rate monitor and everything all around him) to illuminate his soft features, and Eddie thought maybe that Angel was still in the room with him. Steve could very well be one, with beauty like that and a heart like his. 

“What are you thinking about?” Steve whispered after a while. 

Before Eddie even processed the question properly, his damn mouth was betraying him and speaking on its own accord, “You.” 

“Ew.” 

Eddie’s heart sank. Ew? Ew? Okay, Eddie could handle a little rejection, but he thought Steve might be a little more mature about it than that. 

Only it wasn’t Steve that said that, was it? 

“Get a goddamned room.” Dustin groaned and rubbed his eyes before flopping into another uncomfortable looking position. 

“We have one.” Steve sat up, resting his elbow of the arm that held Eddie’s hand on the mattress and the other one gestured to the entire room, “You’re just in it.” 

Dustin groaned and pulled the blanket up over his head, “Gross.” 

“You’re gross.” Steve snapped back. 

“Stop.” 

“We were having a moment, Dustin.” Steve cocked his head at the boy, who was still hiding behind his blanket, “And you ruined it.” 

“Stop having moments when there are fourteen year olds in the room then.” 

“Sorry that Eddie woke up whilst you were in here. Not my fault.” 

Eddie was enjoying this conversation very much. Watching on with a bright smile. 

“It’s entirely your fault.” Dustin pulled the blanket back and deadpanned him. 

“Listen here you little shit.” Steve whispered sternly and pointed a finger at him, “You either shut up and go back to sleep, or you go get a soda or something.” 

“I’m tired.” Dustin whined. 

“Sleep then.” Steve wabbled his head. 

“You’re so annoying.” 

Steve gave the kid the bitchiest smile he could muster, “Likewise.” 

Dustin flipped him off, and Steve flipped him off right back. 

Eddie looked at Steve dreamily and bit his lip. 

“Oh ew.” Dustin said again and kicked his covers off, “Eddie, get a grip man.” 

Eddie blinked and looked at Dustin a little confused, so did Steve. 

“Steve, never be bitchy around Eddie again, look at him. This is repulsive.” Dustin muttered and grabbed his backpack off the floor, “I’m getting a soda.” 

Steve snickered and winked at him, “Have fun.” 

Dustin flipped him off again and left the room. 

“What?” Eddie muttered. 

“Apparently you like it when I’m bitchy.” Steve said simply, shuffling his chair a little closer to lay his head down again. However this time, rather than resting it on the mattress, he rested it on Eddie’s thigh. 

Eddie turned bright fucking red and Steve giggled. How the fuck did he know that? 

“You talk a lot when high.” 

Eddie smiled shily, oh, “Ah, yeah… that’s… that’s something I’m working on.” 

Steve laughed. They fell into a comfortable silence again, and Eddie rested his hand on the back of Steve's head and sifted his stiff fingers through Steve’s hair. He honestly couldn’t get enough of it. He tensed when he noticed that Steve had started to cry. He stopped his movements entirely, looking down at him as the tears started to fall from his pretty eyes. 

“Don’t stop.” Steve sobbed, his voice so brittle and quiet, on the verge of breaking, “Please don’t stop.” 

So Eddie didn’t. He tightened his grip on Steve's warm hand (which was a little clammy now, but so was his own) and continued to run his fingers through Steve's hair. Steve cried, but it wasn’t a broken cry, it didn’t twist his gut and make him hurt. It was soft, almost as delicate as a flower. Eddie felt a little strange for thinking this, but it was a pretty cry. Steve looked awfully pretty whilst crying right now. He switched between quietly sobbing with his eyes closed, leaning into Eddie’s thigh and soaking the blankets with his tears, to just looking at Eddie with a saddened smile, the tears still falling and his lip still trembling, but not as painful. He thought maybe Steve was fighting between emotions; finally letting himself feel all the pain they had to go through, and being so utterly grateful that they were alive, and here, together. And so Eddie kept stroking his hair, and offered Steve small smiles, and that’s all he could do, and that’s all that Steve needed. 

He found it a little ironic, actually. Well, not ironic, more so just… bittersweet. When Eddie was bleeding out in Steve’s arms, Steve ran his fingers through Eddie’s hair to soothe him and it made him feel a little calmer. And now, here Steve was, crying to Eddie, looking more vulnerable than Eddie had ever seen him, and Eddie was stroking Steve's hair. 

He thought it was a little poetic, in a messed up sort of way. 

“Thank you.” Steve sobbed with a sort of sniffle that followed. He dragged their joint hands towards his face, and kissed Eddie’s knuckles that were a little roughed up and scarred, now that he looked at them, “Thank you.” 

Eddie swallowed the lump in his throat, he had a feeling Steve wasn’t thanking him for stroking his hair. 

“Of course, Stevie.” Eddie whispered. 

“I’m so glad you’re here.” He squeezed Eddie’s hand. 

“Me too, Sweetheart.” He fluffed Steve's hair, and Steve smiled, blooming pink again. 

He sobbed into Eddie’s thigh again, and Eddie’s eyes suddenly felt very wet themselves. 

“Come here.” He whispered, gently nudging Steve's shoulder. 

Steve sat up - their hands very unfortunately disconnecting - and he wiped his cheeks with the sleeve of his sweater, “You sure?” 

Eddie smiled and pet the spot on his bed beside him, and peeled back the covers, “Ah… don’t mind the hospital gown, promise I’m usually more decently dressed than this.” 

Steve laughed wetly and climbed up onto the bed beside Eddie, and curled into his side, his head resting on Eddie’s chest, one of his legs hooked over Eddie’s. Eddie tucked the covers back up around their waists and put his arm around Steve, fighting off the pain that came with. 

Steve took his hand again, and looked up at Eddie. 

This would probably be the right time, if ever, for Eddie to lean down and kiss those pretty swollen lips of Steves. To hold him and tell him he loved him. To say everything and nothing at all. But a horrible feeling sunk deep in his chest told him not too. It ate away at him and told him Steve would never want that. It’s just the heat of the moment. Don’t be stupid, Eddie. 

Eddie swallowed and laid back into his pillows, looking up at the roof. Steve sighed and settled in against him, his thumb now rubbing soft circles over the back of Eddie’s hand. Eddie sifted a hand through his hair again. 

I love you, Eddie thought to himself, I love you with every bone in my body, and all the blood in my veins. 

“Oh god.” Dustin groaned as he walked back into the room, “It’s gotten worse.” 

Eddie couldn’t help but grin as the boy flopped down into his chair again. 

“What’s your problem, Dustin?” Steve whispered, his voice still wet from crying, but he was doing his best to put on a brave face for the kid, “I thought you wanted me and Eddie to like eachother.” 

“Yeah…” Dustin shook his head at them like this was an obvious fact, “But not this much.” 

Eddie felt his cheeks blush. 

“So, you wanted us to be humble acquaintances?” Eddie asked, his fingers playing with the hairs at the high of Steve's neck. 

“No.” Dustin scoffed and sipped on his soda, “I wanted you to be friends… like, good friends.” 

“Ah, we are good friends.” Steve said. 

“No.” Dustin shook his head, “You’re like, in love with each other. I don’t need my two big brother figures being in love with each other, that’s gross.” 

“You think of us like brothers?” Steve asked, a little in awe. 

Eddie couldn’t help but feel the same, “Yeah, you think-”

“I shouldn’t have said that.” Dustin muttered. 

Wait. 

“Steve.” 

Steve tensed, “Y… yeah?” 

“Are you…” Eddie swallowed, “Are you in love with me?” 

Steve furrowed his brow and looked up at Eddie, “Well…” He shrugged. 

They could both feel Dustin glaring at them from over there. 

“You- you want me?” Eddie’s breath caught in his throat. 

“Yeah.” Steve said, as easy as breathing, “Do… you remember our conversation before you- before?” 

That was real? 

“Wait…” Dustin stood up, “You mean to tell me that you’re here, cuddled up in bed, and you think this is just… friends being friends?” 

Eddie’s eyes widened and he felt himself blush a little more, “Is it not?” 

“Have you not been making out in my absence?” 

“Making out?” Eddie almost shouted. 

“Ah, no.” Steve said, “Eddie just woke up from a coma, Dustin. As if I’m just going to have a heated makeout session with him about it!” 

“Have you kissed?” 

“Not yet!” Steve skwarked, “What did I just say?” 

“Well, I’d assumed you’d have kissed him- Jesus… it’s just been Eddie this, Eddie that, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie for the past three and a half days Steve.” Dustin folded his arms over his chest and sassed him. 

Steve deadpanned him, “Now you know how I feel.” 

Dustin blushed and looked at Eddie, “I didn’t talk about him that much.” 

“You realise the only reason I feel this way about Eddie is because you wouldn’t shut up about him- I know him better than I know you at this point, kid.” 

Eddie swallowed, his heart was beating so fast. So fucking fast right now. Steve… Steve loved him? Steve wanted to kiss him? Steve has wanted this for longer than they’ve even properly known each other? Just… just like Eddie? Oh god, oh god, oh, god-

“Fine, but you can’t be all mushy and gross around me. Just… kiss your boyfriend, Steve!” 

“I would if you weren’t standing here, telling me to kiss him- plus, I don’t think Eddie actually wants that?” 

Huh. 

Is Steve on drugs now? 

Wait, boyfriend?

“What makes you say that- he litteraly professed his love to you whilst high, thinking you were so beautiful you had to be an Angel, Steven.” 

“Don’t use my legal name.” Steve glared at him, “I say that, because… well, it’s none of your business, actually.” 

“It is my business, since I’m the reason this is happening, apparently.” 

“Can you just give me and my boyfriend some space, please?”

Boyfriend? 

“Well-” Dustin stopped mid sentence, and looked dead at Eddie, “Ah… are you okay?” 

Steve turned to him and gasped, “Oh, my god, Dustin, get a nurse- Eddie, Eddie what’s happening? Where does it hurt?”

“Boyfriend?” Is what Eddie squeaked out, his heartbeat thudding so loudly in his ears he could barely hear the heart rate monitor's rapid beeping sound. 

“Wh- that…. Are you…” Steve sat up, frantically checking over Eddie, “Dustin, get. the. nurse.” 

Eddie could only stare at Steve, “You love me?” 

“Not important- Dustin!”

“He’s fine, Steve!” Dustin shouted, “Look at him.” 

“He's gonna have a heart attack or something!” Steve was on edge. 

“No.” Dustin laughed, “Oh my god, you’re such a loser, Eddie.” 

Eddie opened and closed his mouth a few times. 

“Dustin-”

“He’s fine.” Dustin sighed and grabbed his backpack, “I’m going to visit Max.” He walked for the door, and Steve was about to lose his shit, “Just kiss him, man.” 

Steve looked back at Eddie as the door swung shut, and Eddie just started nodding his head aggressively. 

“You- are…” 

Eddie reached forward to grab Steve's hands and pull him closer, “You love me?” 

Steve’s eyes widened and he sat back on his heels, thinking for a second, “Well… well, yeah?” 

“I’m your boyfriend?” 

Steve kinda smiled, “Yes?” 

“Ohmygod.” Eddie muttered, “Ohmygod.” 

Steve's shoulders relaxed, “You didn’t know?” 

Eddie shook his head, his heart rate slowing slightly but it was still beating faster than normal. 

Steve sighed and slouched back into Eddie’s side, cuddled up against the pillows again, “Do you want me to kiss you?” 

Eddie nodded rapidly, “You want that?” 

“Of course I do, baby.” Steve smiled and brushed some of Eddie’s hair out of his face and behind his ear, “Do you?” 

“Of course.” Eddie muttered, too nervous to move closer, “O-of course.” 

“Okay.” Steve laughed softly, “I can kiss you.” 

“And… it wasn’t a dream?” Eddie asked, his voice a little quiet as Steve moved closer, his heart rate spiking again, “You- you’re really mine?” 

“As long as you’ll have me, Ed’s.” 

“Oh.” Eddie melted, and Steve finally kissed him. 

It was the best kiss that Eddie had ever had. 

It was one of the best things in Eddie’s entire life. 

Eddie would have Steve forever and longer, for as long as he could. 

**

read Day Four here

\/ a dodgy art piece for this one \/

When you started working as Dieter Bravo's stylist, you were prepared for a diva with a drug problem. That's what you expected. You figured all you would be needed for was prepping him for awards shows and interviews, and occasionally used on movie sets. What you weren’t expecting was to find yourself in bed with him on more than one occasion, none of those occasions having anything to do with sex.

When you were hired, you had to give Dieter your phone number. You didn't think much of it, since he was your boss and not some creep at a bar asking for your number. At first, he only ever contacted you when he needed you to get him ready for an event, and every so often he'd ask you to get him styled up for a date (if he really wanted to get laid). When covid hit, he didn’t have a lot of excuses to go out, and he resorted to bothering his staff. Well, that’s what some of the other people on Dieter’s team considered it to be. You didn’t really mind it. It started off annoying, but eventually became just part of your job. You could even go as far as to say that you and Dieter started to become friends. Something you learned quickly was that Dieter hated calling people on the phone. Something about brainwaves. So when you got a call from him at three in the morning, you knew something was up. And this was how you ended up in his bed for the first time.

When you answered the phone, he called out your name in a trembling, whispered voice. He said something else you couldn't quite discern, and you pressed the phone closer to your ear.

"I'm sorry, I didn't understand you. Could you please repeat that, Mr. Bravo?" You replied blearily, trying not to sound annoyed.

"I fucked up. Need help."

That woke you up a little more; enough to make you perplexed as to why Dieter was calling you instead of Greg, his PA. "What? Sir, I'm sure Gr-"

"He quit. I called him and he quit. Please," he begged, sounding frightened. You'd never heard him sound that way.

“Where are you?”

He gave you the address and you typed it into your GPS, assuring him that you’d be there soon. You threw on a hoodie and some sweats, grabbed your keys, and headed out into the night. When you pulled up, you put the car in park and got out. It was a huge house in a neighborhood of other huge houses, and there were colored lights shining through the windows. You could hear the faint thrum of music from inside the house and the chattering of people inside. You looked around as you approached the door and you spotted Dieter huddled behind a car, looking like an animal hiding from a predator.

“Mr. Bravo?” You said quietly, walking slowly towards him. His head whipped around and his terrified eyes met yours. He was breathing heavily and clutching his jacket to himself tightly. “I’m here to take you home. You called me, remember?”

He nodded slowly, but didn’t move, so you helped him get up and walked him over to your car. When you began driving away, you watched him out of the corner of your eye, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. You’d never seen him this way, and you knew he wasn’t an overly paranoid person. He looked truly afraid, and you wanted to get him somewhere he could feel safe as soon as you could. You weren’t exactly speeding as you drove to Dieter’s house, but you weren’t following the speed limit either. Once you’d pulled up to his oversized house, you helped him inside and brought him to his bedroom, depositing him onto his bed with a sigh. Is this what Greg had to deal with? Maybe that’s why he quit… You turned to leave when Dieter grabbed your arm, hand shaking.

“Don’t leave me alone,” he begged, trying to pull you back toward him.

“Jesus, what did you take?” You asked, brushing his hand away and facing him. In the light of his bedroom, you could see just how dilated his eyes were, telling you he was definitely high on something.

“I…it was something new,” he murmured, and he started looking very pale. “I don’t-”

Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes widened and he made a beeline for the bathroom. You didn’t follow, mostly because you thought it would be inappropriate, then you heard the sound of him throwing up and you cringed. Instead of going to check on him, you went to his kitchen to grab a couple bottles of water, and you made sure the doors were locked. When you went back to his bedroom, you could hear Dieter calling for you from the bathroom.

“Sorry, I went to grab you some-”

“You left meeee” He groaned, slumped over the toilet with drool dripping down his chin and onto his shirt. He looked pathetic, and you honestly felt bad for him. You grabbed a couple washcloths from the linen closet in the bathroom, tucking one in your pocket and wetting the other. You walked over to him and flushed the toilet before you leaned over and wiped his face with the wet cloth. It was like caring for a child, and you honestly felt bad for him.

“You done in here or do you think there’s another round?” You used the dry end to clean his face a bit more before you opened one of the waters and held it up to his mouth, urging him to drink.

He only grunted in response as he slowly sipped the water, one arm hanging limp at his side while the other was draped over the toilet bowl, meaning you had to hold the bottle for him. You were about to ask him another question when he lurched forward and hung his head over the toilet, retching loudly while he gripped the edges of the porcelain for dear life. You shuddered at the sound and closed the water bottle, setting everything next to the bathroom sink. “Hold my hair,” Dieter gasped out, making you shake your head.

You knew what he meant, but it was still funny to hear. You approached him and brushed the hair away from his forehead, holding it back gently as his body expelled whatever it was that he took. After a while, he was reduced to just dry heaving, and when his body slumped over again, you cleaned his face and helped him get to his bed (you carried him). You helped him change into more comfortable clothes and actually put him to bed before you tried to leave again, and Dieter called out your name. “Don’t go…please.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to be alone…I want you to stay,” he admitted softly, and it made your chest tighten. He reached out for you and you sighed, taking your shoes off so you could sit next to him on his bed. He didn’t seem satisfied by that, though, and you quirked an eyebrow at him. “Will you…”

“Will I what?”

Dieter seemed hesitant to say what he wanted to say, and he reached out to you, gripping your hoodie and trying to pull you closer to him. It gave you an idea of what he wanted, and you scooted closer to him. He moved his blankets so you would also be under them, and he moved himself closer to you, letting out a shaky breath. You cautiously wrapped an arm around his shoulders and he seemed to relax, fully leaning into you while he laid his head on your chest. You had to hold in the urge to laugh or chuckle, because never in your life did you think Dieter Bravo would be asking you to cuddle with him.

“So…something new?” Dieter nodded and shivered against you, making you instinctually bring him closer. “Bad trip?” He nodded again and you sighed, moving a hand to rest on his head without thinking. You didn’t realize you’d started running your fingers through his hair until you felt him physically melt against you and his breathing started to slow down.

“Fuckin’ scary. Definitely not taking that shit again,” he mumbled, leaning into your touch. You stopped when you realized, and his breath hitched. “I didn’t say you had to stop…please, don’t stop.”

You paused before you began carding your fingers through his hair again and you wrapped your other arm around him, hugging him closer. “Are you okay?” You’d heard things about bad trips and how scary they could be.

“I will be…haven’t had a bad trip in a while.” Dieter looked like he felt at home in your arms, but you could also tell that he was holding something back. “I lied, y’know…”

“Oh yeah? What about?”

“I didn’t call Greg. He didn’t quit…I just…I wanted you to come get me.”

That surprised you, and you looked down at him with an expression that matched. “Why? I’m not-”

“Because I like you…you’re nice to me.”

“You like me?” You asked incredulously, and Dieter looked at you, the thought crossing his mind that he may have made a mistake. He began trying to think of ways to explain his way out of the situation and blame it on the drugs, but before he could say anything else, you simply used the hand in his hair to push his head back down and you kissed him on his forehead. “I like you too,” you whispered, closing your eyes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You weren't expecting to fall asleep with your boss in your arms, but it happened, and you were startled when you woke up in a bed that wasn’t yours. You had to replay the previous night in your head to make sure it wasn't just a dream, but then you noticed that your boss was still there, asleep in your arms.

He’s really cute when he’s asleep, you thought to yourself as you looked down at him. He looked calm and at peace. Something that you're not sure you ever got to see. You always wondered why he relied so heavily on drugs. Maybe you could ask him. You stayed that way for a while, just admiring him as he slept. You didn’t think much farther than that, so when Dieter awoke to you staring at him like he's the best thing you'd ever seen, he shot upright and looked at you like you were some bizarre fan who had broken in.

"What the fuck?! What are you doing in my bed?!"

You were startled by this and you moved back, furrowing your brows. "You asked me to stay with you, that's why. The fuck?"

"Why the fuck would I do that?" He spat, seemingly offended by the very idea that he would do such a thing.

"Because you went to a party, got too fucked up, had a bad trip, and called me to come pick you up. You said 'stay with me please' so I did. You said you wanted someone who would bring you comfort, and you told me that you liked me. And obviously you were so high out of your fucking mind that you forgot all of that shit," you spat back defensively, catching him off guard.

"I said that?" He asked, taken aback.

"Yeah. You told me that you didn’t call Greg because you wanted me instead…my apologies, I should have left as soon as you fell asleep and let you be alone. I'll be on my way. Hopefully we can forget this happened, that way I can keep my job," you replied, quickly removing yourself from the bed to find your shoes. You slid them on and began making your way through the house to the front door, taking deep breaths to keep yourself calm.

You didn’t expect Dieter to follow you, and you didn’t know he did until he called out for you and grabbed your wrist, turning you around to face him. "Listen, I-"

"Don’t. I understand. We all say things we don't mean while under the influence."

"But I did mean it. I…fuck, this wasn't supposed to happen. Not like this. I'm sorry, just- can we start over?"

"'Start over'? Start what over? This morning? Or everything? Because that would be a lot."

"Just this morning."

"Okay, fine." You weren’t sure what to expect when you agreed, but you were willing to try. You really didn't want to lose your job.

"Thank you for last night…" Dieter murmured, reaching for your hand. You almost pulled it back, but you allowed him to take it, and he studied it for a moment. "Are you hungry?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were-"

"No, I know! But why? I helped you, I did what you wanted. So now is the part where I leave, right?" You didn't want to risk opening yourself up to the thought that something happened between the two of you that night. You needed to get out of there before you ended up falling for him more than you already had.

"Because I don't want you to leave yet. This house is always so empty…it's nice to have another person here…especially when that person is you."

Fuck, that sounds so sad.

"Please stay. Let me get you breakfast. We can…talk. Just talk, you know?"

"Who are you and what have you done with my boss?" You asked jokingly. He looked hurt, and you realized that he was actually letting himself be vulnerable in front of you and you were shooting him down. You sighed and placed your free hand on his hip to pull him closer to you, wrapping your arms around him and placing a hand on the back of his head. "You really mean that shit, don't you?"

He nodded against your shoulder and you sighed again, leaning your head against his. "I want to stay like this forever," Dieter replied, so quiet you almost didn't hear him. "I'd give anything to stay like this."

"So, what? You'd give up meaningless sex with random people in exchange for being cuddled?"

"By you? Yeah."

You weren't expecting his response, but it made you feel warm inside, and your breath hitched when you tried to inhale deeply. Dieter tilted his head up to look at you, your eyes meeting briefly before you noticed his eyes flitting between yours and your lips. You hummed and leaned your face closer to his, kissing him softly. He fully leaned into the kiss and you could feel his whole body relax against you, just like last night. When you parted, you looked into his eyes again and smiled.

"So, breakfast?" He asked, nose brushing against yours.

"Yeah, breakfast."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the next few months, Dieter started to open up to you more, sharing details about his personal life and how things were before he got famous. At first, you were confused as to why he was sharing all these things with you, but after a particularly fancy dinner at his house, you realized that this was his attempt at dating. When you breached the subject with him, for the first time, you actually saw him get flustered. It was cute. But he confirmed your suspicion, and when he asked if that was okay, you told him it was. That was how you ended up dating your boss.

It was actually really nice. And you began to notice how he started to change. He did less drugs, and he stopped day drinking. It seemed like he was trying to be better for you, and when you told him you were proud of him for it, he nearly cried. He was hoping you'd notice.

The next time you ended up in his bed, it was after a red carpet event. You started offering your work to other celebrities for some extra money, and Dieter didn't seem to mind as long as you kept him looking good. It was a pretty great arrangement, and you were highly praised for your work.

Whenever Dieter had to travel for these events, he always booked you a separate room, but one that was close to his so you could go see each other after the events were over. You both knew how people loved to speculate about everything, and he didn’t want the paparazzi to catch on to your relationship. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of you, he just wanted you to be able to keep your privacy. Whenever you styled people for events, you usually didn’t accompany the actors to the event, but Dieter wanted you to be there for this one. You had to get three other actors ready after you finished up with Dieter, and afterwards, he insisted that you put on something nice so you could go with him.

When you arrived at the venue, you were practically buzzing with nerves, and Dieter tried to calm you as best he could while in a public setting. You still had no idea why he brought you. When it came time to start walking through and do the interviews, the first question people asked him was who you were. He introduced you by your first name only, and made a show of his outfit. "This is my wonderful stylist. They're the one keeping me so pretty for these things."

You beamed under the praise, and the interviewers seemed shocked. A few of them wanted to speak with you, mostly about how it was styling someone as eccentric as Dieter, and you tried to keep the details as vague as possible. Dieter deserved privacy too.

As the night went on, you were able to get a little taste of what actually went on at these events. It was pretty fun, but you kept to the side since none of it was really about you. Most people had no idea who you were, and that worked to your advantage until you remembered that with great praise over your work, also came hate. You always considered yourself to be someone who could take constructive criticism well, but what you heard wasn't what you were expecting.

Those who weren't making comments about how great you were at your job were talking shit, even going as far as to insult you for things that weren't even related. People accused you of sleeping with people to get booked as a stylist, and said that you put more effort into Dieter than you did any of the other actors who paid you to make them look good. One of them was someone you had styled for the event. You realized that half of the people you styled didn't even know your name. After a while, the hate seemed to overpower the praise that was floating through the air, and you decided that you couldn't take it anymore. You texted Dieter that you were leaving to go back to the hotel, and the driver would bring him back when the event finished up. Instead of going to your room, though, you went to Dieter’s. He had given you his extra key, and you knew that hotel staff always kept the celebrities' rooms stocked well.

As soon as you crossed the threshold of Dieter’s room, you started crying. You'd been holding back all of your emotions since you overheard the first few hateful words. You collapsed to the floor and stayed there for a while, stifling your sobs behind your hand just in case people walked by. After you'd managed to get your sobs under control, you got up and went to where Dieter kept his clothes. He never seemed to notice when you took his clothes, and if he did, he never said anything. You almost tore your clothes as you rushed to take them off, wanting to get into something comfortable as soon as you could. You took a t-shirt and a pair of sweats from Dieter's bag and put them on, eyeing the container he kept his weed in and the bag of 'brownies' he'd put in there before leaving for the event. You headed over to the mini-bar to make yourself a drink. You pulled out a few of the small bottles of liquor and opened them up, downing them immediately. You wanted to forget, and the only way you could think of that would aid you in doing so was getting fucked up. You took a few more bottles and went over to Dieter’s bed, once again looking at the edibles he had brought along. After a few more drinks, you reached the point of 'fuck it' and you took one of them, not thinking about how much he might’ve put in it, and you ate the entire thing. It wasn’t big, but you didn't think about how Dieter might put a shit ton of weed in his brownies. Luckily for you, he didn’t, but it was still enough to give you a comfortable high that left you feeling like you were floating. You had a few more drinks before your emotions hit you again and you curled up in Dieter’s bed crying quietly.

You were so out of it, you didn't hear your phone blowing up with texts, and you didn't hear Dieter come into the hotel room. You didn’t even know he was there until he was cupping your face in his hands and saying your name over and over.

"Hey, c'mon, answer me," he said softly, wiping your tears away with his thumbs.

"Mmm," you responded, hiccuping as you leaned into his touch. "What time is it?"

"About 1," he murmured, toeing off his shoes and climbing into the bed with you.

"Youuuu're missing the parties," you slurred, trying, and failing to look up at him.

"Rachel made me go to at least one of them, but I left early." Rachel was his publicist, and usually Dieter went to all the after-parties that happened when he went to an event. And he'd always return to the hotel fucked-up. It didn't occur to you that he left early because he was worried about you. "What happened? You didn't answer any of my texts."

"Was busy."

"Doing what?" He asked hesitantly, a little worm of insecurity crawling into his brain.

"This," you gestured around the room, trying to point out the bottles and crumbs from the brownie.

Dieter looked around, then his eyes fell to the drinks and crumbs. "Did you eat one of my edibles and get drunk?"

You nodded and he snorted in disbelief, under the impression that you were just an emotional drunk. He, himself, was high, and had no idea what you'd been dealing with. "Overwhelmed by the people?" He asked, pulling you close to him while you sniffled and shook your head.

"They hate me."

"What? No-"

"I heard so much…they think I fuck around for work and that I don't put effort in my job because I favor you," you told him in a quivering voice, holding back another onslaught of sobs. "Someone said they think I'm a shit stylist and you probably only keep me around for sex."

"What the fuck? Who said that?" Dieter demanded, raising your chin to make you look at him.

"I don't know, it was all overheard…stuff people said as they passed by." You pushed down a sob and gripped his suit jacket tightly. You didn't care if the provider got pissed off. You'd come up with an excuse later.

"Listen to me," Dieter said firmly, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. "Don't listen to those assholes, 'kay? You're fucking amazing. You make me look like a fucking god. If they can't appreciate your skill and how awesome you are, they can go fuck themselves."

You wished you could be comforted by Dieter’s words, but your thoughts were still swarming your brain and you were stuck in a fog. Dieter could see you were stuck, and he began pressing kisses down your face while he held you close, stroking your cheek with his thumb. He made sure he kissed every inch of your face, making you scrunch up your nose and giggle softly. Your lips were the last place he kissed, and he lingered there, allowing you to melt into him. His hands roamed your body in a comforting way, not grabbing or fondling, just exploring and caressing. "You deserve the world," he murmured, making your heart skip a beat. He'd never said anything like that, and you let out a quiet gasp. "You're perfect."

"Dieter," you whispered, catching his attention. He hummed in response and you pressed your forehead to his. There were words hanging in the air between you, and you didn't know if you were quite ready to say them, or if Dieter was ready to hear them.

"Yeah, me too," he responded, kissing you gently.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Amazing."