After the incident at the grocery store last week, I've been seeing Tanner more and more.

It's strange.

For years, I never noticed him around town. I never saw him at the places I went, never ran into him, never even thought about whether he was still here.

Now?

He's everywhere.

The first time I saw him was at the coffee shop I go to every morning to study.

I walk in at my usual time wearing my usual outfit: a comfortable hoodie, sweatpants, and a bag so heavy with textbooks it feels like it might rip my shoulder off. I wave at the workers behind the counter, and they greet me with the same familiar smiles they've had for years.

"Welcome in, (Y/N)! Want anything different today?" Karly's voice comes from behind the counter as I set up my laptop and drop my bag onto my usual table.

"Just the usual, Karly. Thank you." My voice is still slightly groggy. I had only woken up about ten minutes ago before immediately driving to my favorite warm little corner of the world.

The coffee shop is the definition of comfort.

Green plants line the light gray walls, a bright yellow accent wall sits behind the counter, and the baristas move around it making drinks and chatting with regulars. The overhead lights cast a soft amber glow that mixes perfectly with the natural light coming through the windows.

The smell of coffee fills my lungs, and for a moment, I let myself relax.

Karly eventually walks over to my table, the corner I've unofficially claimed as my study spot, and sets my coffee down.

Her eyes crinkle when she smiles at me. I smile back, mumble a thank you, and take a long sip.

Warmth spreads through me, and slowly, my brain starts waking up.

Then I begin studying.

Normally, nothing interrupts me once I get started. Most people who come here know about my studies because Karly has told them. I gave her permission to explain what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and that I don't like being interrupted.

For the most part, people respect that. Usually, I get left alone.

The occasional older man might sit nearby with a bagel and make small talk before leaving, but even that is rare.

Today is different.

I'm staring at my screen, trying to convince myself that pharmacology makes sense, when someone sits down directly across from me.

I immediately assume it's another person ignoring my invisible ‘do not disturb’ sign.

I roll my eyes and look up.

Then I freeze.

Of course.

Tanner fucking Grayton.

I quickly compose myself and force a smile, closing my laptop halfway.

"Tanner? What do I owe the pleasure?"

A smirk pulls at his lips as he sets his coffee down.

Carefully, almost too carefully.

He makes sure nothing touches my textbooks or my laptop before moving his cup closer to himself.

I immediately start moving my stack of books to give him more room.

He's very...

Meticulous.

"I was walking by," he says, his brown eyes meeting mine, "and I saw you sitting here alone studying. Figured I'd come in for a coffee."

He wraps his hand around his mug and takes a sip, watching me over the rim.

And for some reason, that makes me nervous.

His eyes stay fixed on mine. Like he's studying me. In all fairness, he has always done that.

Even in elementary school, Tanner was always watching. Always observing. Always quietly taking in everything happening around him.

But now...

Now it feels different. There's another emotion I can't place.

I fight back a small laugh and pull my sleeves farther over my hands, letting the fabric hide my fingers.

"Ah, I see. I've never seen you around until last week. Definitely never seen you in here before." I smile at him before taking a sip of my coffee.

The moment the warmth hits my tongue, I break eye contact and let myself appreciate the drink Karly somehow manages to make perfect every single time.

I hear Tanner chuckle. The sound makes me look up. He sets his cup down on the table, his eyes still on me.

I only meet his gaze again once I've finished my sip.

"Well, I just came back to the area," he explains. "I was gone for school for a while. Moved to the city, decided it wasn't for me, and eventually came back."

His voice is still playful, but quieter than it was in the grocery store. More like the Tanner I remember. I nod, letting my eyes wander around the coffee shop.

"What did you study?"

When I look back at him, I notice the smallest change. His jaw tightens. His smile remains, but something shifts.

He's clean-shaven, almost too perfectly groomed. His hair is still slicked back like it hasn't moved since he styled it that morning. He isn’t wearing his business casual attire like last time, he is wearing jeans and a sweater. Everything about him seems intentional.

Fascinating.

"I majored in forensic science," he says. "Minored in pharmaceuticals."

My eyes widen. A smile immediately spreads across my face.

"No way. I'm studying pharmacology right now." I pause. "But, you know... for living people."

A small laugh escapes me. His lips twitch as he nods.

"I could tell."

My eyebrows lift.

"Really?"

He seems caught off guard for a moment before gesturing toward the mountain of books sitting beside me.

"From the books, of course."

He catches himself quickly. The correction is so immediate that I almost miss it. His smile fades slightly. Not completely. Just enough that I notice.

Almost like guilt, or maybe shame.

I nod and pick up my coffee again, giving him a moment before asking the question that's been sitting in the back of my mind.

"So why did you leave the city?" I take another sip, watching him over the rim of my cup. This time, his reaction is different.

He lets out a long breath and leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes drift away from mine for a moment before snapping back.

"I was working a job I didn't like," he says. "They offered me a new position back here, and honestly? I enjoy it more."

He pauses.

"It's quieter. More controlled than the city ever was." His answer is careful. Calculated.

Tanner has always been like that. He knows exactly what to say and when to say it. He never rambles, never accidentally reveals too much.

I set my coffee down, unable to stop myself from continuing my unofficial interrogation.

"So wouldn't you have more opportunities in the city?" I pause, tilting my head, thinking it through. "More people means more cases. More cases means more work for you."

I realize how ridiculous that sounds and let out a small laugh. Tanner's smirk returns.

There it is. The version of him I saw at the grocery store.

"Well, yes," he says, picking up his mug again. "But you'd be surprised by what a small town can offer."

He takes a sip before placing the cup back down.

And something about the way he says it makes me wonder if he's talking about more than just his job.

"You're asking me a lot of questions, (Y/N)."

I blink.

"Am I?" I tilt my head slightly.

"Is it wrong to question an old classmate I haven't seen in years?" The question comes out more genuinely than defensively.

Then I think about it. He hasn't really asked me much about myself. Not that there's much to ask. Everything about my life is sitting right in front of him.

My laptop.

My textbooks.

My coffee.

The endless studying.

It's all laid out on the table.

Tanner lets out a quiet hum, his eyes dropping briefly before meeting mine again.

"No," he says. "I wasn't insinuating that."

The way he reads me is almost unnerving. The way he looks into my eyes like he's searching for something I haven't even realized I'm hiding.

That familiar crawl returns along my skin. Just like at the grocery store. I pull my arms away from the table and lean back in my chair, trying my best to appear composed.

It doesn't work.

If anything, his eyes brighten. He leans forward slightly, studying me again.

"How come you never left?"

The question catches me completely off guard. I blink a few times, searching for an answer that doesn't sound too pathetic.

"The college here is cheap," I say. "Rent isn't too high, and I'm comfortable for now."

Simple.

I try to ignore the way my skin prickles under his attention. Tanner lets out a quiet chuckle, looking down at his coffee.

For a moment, I think he's amused. Then he picks up the cup and finishes the rest in one drink. When he sets it back down, his eyes meet mine again.

"Fascinating." His is colder than I expect.

Before I can figure out what he means, his expression softens slightly.

"Well, since I'm back in town, give me a shout, yeah? Maybe I can help you with your studies." He reaches into his pocket and places a familiar piece of paper on the table. The same kind of note he left on my car.

I swallow and nod, staring down at it.

When I finally look back up, he's already halfway to the door. He is very quiet, then again, Tanner Grayton has always been quiet.

I looked around the coffee shop, searching for Karly's eyes, somehow hoping she'd confirm that what had just happened had actually happened.

Instead, she was chatting with another customer behind the counter, completely oblivious to the conversation that had just unfolded.

Or at least she acted like she was.

With a quiet sigh, I looked back down at the little note in my hand. I turn it over.

Blank.

Of course it was.

I wasn't even sure why I'd expected anything different. Shaking my head, I slid the note into my laptop case before opening my computer back up and forcing myself to return to pharmacology.

~

By the time I finally packed up my things, it was well past sunset.

I unlocked my front door, shrugged off my jacket, and kicked my shoes into their usual spot by the entrance. My backpack and textbooks landed beside the door with a dull thud.

There wasn't much point in putting them away. I'd only be grabbing them again tomorrow morning.

My little house wasn't anything extravagant, but it was mine. The short entryway opened into a combined living room and kitchen, cozy enough that I could cook dinner while still watching television from the couch.

Speaking of...

The couch practically swallowed me whole the moment I flopped onto it. I let myself sink into the cushions.

One minute passed.

Then another.

I should probably eat something. Or at least do something productive with the hour I had before bed.

As if the universe had been waiting for that exact thought, my phone buzzed from the coffee table. I squinted at the bright screen before unlocking it.

Unknown Number

Hey, it's Tanner. I was wondering if you'd want to go out to dinner with me sometime? ;)

I immediately sat upright.

There was absolutely no way Tanner Grayton was asking me on a date. Right?

Before I could overthink it, my fingers were already moving.

Hi, Tanner!! I'm down! What were you thinking? :)

The second I hit send, I tossed my phone onto the couch like it had burned me. Both hands immediately flew to my face.

I lived alone. No one could see me blushing. That didn't stop me from hiding anyway.

I feel a buzz a few heartbeats later.

I was thinking either coffee again tomorrow or dinner tonight? My treat, of course. :)

Dinner?

Tonight?

Well...

I hadn't eaten yet, and I was never one to turn down free food.

A rush of adrenaline shot through me. Suddenly I was 22 again, staying out too late with classmates after finishing prerequisite exams for medical school.

It was that same reckless excitement. I shouldn't, but why not?

The kind of feeling that whispered, 'You have an exam tomorrow, but what's one drink?' I'd buried that version of myself beneath anatomy lectures, endless flashcards, and impossible exams years ago.

I hadn't felt this alive in a long time. My fingers trembled as I typed.

I haven't eaten yet, so I'm down for tonight! Did you have somewhere in mind? :D

I watched as the message was marked Read.

Then...

The typing bubble. My stomach flipped.

I was thinking somewhere a little nicer, if that's okay? I do want to treat an old friend :)

Something nicer?

I looked down at my hoodie. That complicated things.

My mind immediately raced through every remotely nice outfit buried somewhere in my closet from dinner parties, graduations, or few questionable nights out that I preferred not to think about.

I laughed quietly to myself before jumping off the couch and hurrying toward my bedroom.

Halfway there, I froze. Right. I still had to answer him.

Sure! Give me 20 mins to get ready? :)

I set my phone down and immediately threw open my closet.

After a few minutes of digging through hangers, I found a white long-sleeved blouse I'd almost forgotten I owned. It had been nearly a year since I'd worn it.

A black-and-gray plaid skirt followed.

Then black stockings.

Medium-height black heels.

Apparently I still remembered how to dress myself.

I hurried into the bathroom and brushed out my hair as quickly as I could. Definitely no time for a shower.

After changing, I smoothed lotion over my skin before putting on deodorant and a light spritz of perfume.

Nothing too overwhelming, but just enough.

I kept my makeup simple. Mascara, a little blush, neutral eyeshadow. Then, after a moment's hesitation...

Dark red lipstick.

I rummaged through my jewelry box until I found a delicate gold chain necklace and a pair of matching gold stud earrings.

Perfect.

I looked up at myself in the mirror.

For a moment, I looked like I used to.

Back when I'd spend forty-five minutes picking out an outfit because there was always the possibility someone cute might be out that night.

Somewhere along the way, hoodies, leggings, and scrubs had quietly replaced that version of me.

I smiled. Maybe she wasn't completely gone after all.

Then it hit me.

Tanner.

My phone. I rushed back into the living room and picked it up. Sure enough, there was another message waiting for me.

Sounds great! Just send me your address when you're ready, and I'll come pick you up :)

My cheeks warmed all over again.

I'm all finished! My house is right next to the old elementary school. Blue house on the left, you can't miss it. :)

Barely three seconds passed before my phone buzzed again.

Living in a small town sucks. Everyone knows everyone, and if they don't know me personally, they know my parents. Every dumb mistake I've ever made somehow becomes public knowledge, and no matter how old I get, people still remember me as the kid who did something embarrassing in school. There was only one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school, so we all grew up together.

When you live this close to everyone you've ever met, you're bound to run into people you'd rather avoid or people you never expected to see again. Personally, it's never been a pleasant surprise.

That brings me to today.

All I wanted was to leave my house without my neighbor asking about my parents' marriage, get in my car, sit through the one red light in town that seems to last an eternity, and make it through the grocery store without running into anyone from school.

Of course, the first thing I see when I pull into the parking lot is the unmistakable red minivan belonging to one of the girls I went to school with. Then again, everyone went to school together here.

Normally, that wouldn't be so bad.

Except every time she sees me, she traps me in a conversation about the miracle of motherhood and asks when I'm finally going to stop obsessing over my career. She'll go on and on about how a family would give my life structure before inevitably offering to set me up with one of her husband's cousins or some distant relative I've never met.

Just thinking about it sends a shiver down my spine.

I begrudgingly park as far away from her iconic red minivan as possible, the one somehow capable of holding what feels like an entire daycare's worth of children. With a sigh, I climb out of my car and begin my grocery store routine.

Open the trunk. Grab my reusable bags. Close the trunk. Walk inside. Find a cart. Keep my head down.

It works about 85% of the time. 20% if the red minivan is here.

The math doesn't make sense, but neither does this town.

I step into the store and immediately feel my skin crawl. I blame it on the colder weather and zip my jacket all the way up, hoping it'll chase away the chill crawling over my skin. It doesn't.

If anything, the feeling settles in even deeper, lingering just long enough to make me uncomfortable. I shake it off as best I can and head toward the produce section. Maybe picking out fruit will distract me.

My mind drifts between Honeycrisps and Granny Smiths when I hear my name screeched across the store.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

Please don't let it be...

Too late.

I look up to find Sally marching toward me with every single one of her children trailing behind her like ducklings. I silently say a prayer, despite not being religious, and force the brightest smile I can manage.

"Oh my goodness, as I live and breathe! (Y/N)! Fancy running into you here!" She smiles.

I smile back.

Maybe if I look busy enough, she'll leave.

"Oh, hey, Sally! It's so good to see you too!" I inspect the apple in my hand like it's the most fascinating thing I've ever seen, silently willing it to turn from green to red.

No such luck.

She parks her cart directly in front of mine, effectively trapping me.

"So! How are your studies? You always did have your nose buried in a book." Her laugh echoes through the tiny grocery store. I resist the overwhelming urge to clap my hands over my ears.

"They're going well," I answer, grabbing another apple. "I'm finally studying how medications affect the body. You know... doctor stuff."

I toss the apple into my bag and reach for another.

"I never understood why you'd want to be a doctor." Sally waves a hand dismissively. "Marriage and kids were all I ever needed. My husband makes a wonderful living, and I get to stay home with the little ones."

Here we go.

"I actually have a cousin, he's probably 6 times removed, but he'd make a wonderful husband! Great job, wants kids. What do you say, (Y/N)?"

I pretend to be deeply invested in comparing apples, hoping she'll eventually get bored.

Instead, something else catches my attention.

Or rather...

Someone.

For the first time all day, I'm genuinely surprised.

Tanner fucking Grayton.

I can't help staring. He's changed.

His dark brown hair is combed neatly back, his face more defined than I remember, and he'd apparently decided to grow another six inches since the last time I'd seen him, making him tower over me. His brown eyes catch the fluorescent lights overhead, flecks of an emotion I can't quite place, something I don't remember from school.

He's looking right at me.

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth before his gaze shifts from me to Sally.

"Well, Sally, it's been lovely seeing you, but (Y/N) and I should probably get going."

Sally blinks.

So do I.

I stare at Tanner, then back at Sally, desperately trying to keep my jaw from hitting the floor.

Play along. I can do that.

"Oh! I was wondering where you wandered off to, Tanner." I force out a laugh. "I swear I lose you every time we go shopping."

To my surprise, his eyes stay fixed on mine. Almost like he is staring right through me. The moment stretches just enough before Sally's voice cuts through it.

"Oh my goodness gracious, Tanner? I didn't know you still prowled around these parts! So you two are a couple?"

Without taking his eyes off her, Tanner rests a hand against the small of my back.

Warm.

Steady.

Completely unexpected.

"Oh, yeah," he says with an easy smile that never reaches his eyes. "Have been for a while now. (Y/N) and I never really left. We're both still keeping our noses buried in books."

He sounds... lighter.

Playful.

Like the weight I'd always associated with him had somehow disappeared.

I rack my brain, trying to remember the Tanner I knew growing up.

He'd always been quiet.

The kind of kid who spent more time observing people than talking to them. We'd sat next to each other for years, him always on my left. He never interrupted anyone, never caused trouble. Most days he'd simply listen, watching the room with those same brown eyes.

His parents were wonderful too. I'd met them a handful of times during school functions. They were kind, patient, ridiculously smart, and somehow managed to give Tanner the most normal childhood anyone could hope for in this town.

Even in high school, he'd never gone through the rebellious phase the rest of us had. No partying. No drama. Just polite, quiet, and unbelievably composed.

Which made whatever this was...

Completely out of character.

Sally gasps dramatically.

I lift a hand in a quick goodbye before Tanner and I continue deeper into the produce section.

He doesn't leave my side. If anything, he mirrors me. When I grab tomatoes, he grabs tomatoes. When I stop to inspect peppers, he does the same. Every so often, he'll quietly swap one of my choices for a better-looking one without saying a word.

It's strangely...

Domestic.

We walk in comfortable silence until we turn into the next aisle, finally out of Sally's line of sight.

The second we're alone, I let out the breath I'd been holding.

"Tanner! What the hell?"

"What?" He tilts his head innocently. "You looked like you needed rescuing."

"I did not need rescuing!"

"No?"

He steps closer.

Way closer.

"I don't know..." His voice drops just enough to make my stomach drop. "It looked pretty dire from where I was standing."

Heat rushes into my face.

I immediately plant my palm against his cheek and shove him back.

"Don't be ridiculous! It was not a dire situation. She was just... talking."

He lets me push him away without resisting, a grin spreading across his face.

"Mm. Sure."

"She was."

"If you say so."

He crosses his arms, his grocery basket hooking casually over one forearm.

Wait.

How long has he been carrying that?

A laugh slips out before I can stop it.

His smile falters. Something in his eyes stir.

"...What's so funny?"

"I just realized you've been carrying that basket this whole time." I point at it, laughing harder now. "Holy shit, Sally is oblivious."

Understanding flashes across his face before he chuckles.

"She never was the most observant."

The laughter fades, and I finally look back at him.

Those brown eyes are still studying me, but there is something different about them. I just can't figure out what.

Without really thinking, I reach out and rest my hand on his arm.

Solid. Way more solid than I expected.

Holy shit.

Has he been working out? As if knowing what I'm thinking, a quiet laugh escapes him.

"You've definitely grown up, huh, Tanner?"

My eyes immediately dart anywhere but his face. He follows my line of slight, keeping his eyes on mine.

"I think we both have."

Before I can come up with a response, he turns and continues down the aisle, leaving me rooted to the spot in complete disbelief.

My face flushes again as I watch him walk away and finally examine him.

Khaki slacks and a blue button-down shirt.

It's oddly fitting.

Definitely not typical grocery store attire, but somehow it suits him perfectly.

I stand there for a moment, watching him disappear down the aisle before my brain finally catches up with what just happened.

I replay the entire interaction.

The fake relationship.

His hand on my back.

The way he looked at me.

The way he smiled.

I probably look insane standing in the middle of the canned goods aisle, staring at a can of black beans like it holds the secrets of the universe.

Eventually, I force myself to take a deep breath.

I'm still in the grocery store.

I am, in fact, still surrounded by strangers whom I've probably met before.

I compose myself as best I can and finish shopping.

After finding everything I need, I check out and make my way back to my car. The red minivan is gone, and I can't help but smile a little.

Finally, no more unwanted life advice. No more eyes on me.

I unlock my car and load my groceries into the trunk before closing it with a satisfying slam. I return my cart, then head back toward my driver's seat.

Almost on autopilot.

When I reach my door, something catches my attention. A small piece of paper stuck to my window. I peel it off, confused, then slide into my car and sit down before unfolding it.

The handwriting is neat yet familiar.

It was good to see you again. Maybe I'll see you around ;)

I stare at the note longer than I probably should.

Then, before I can stop myself, I feel my face heat up.

I quickly fold the paper, crumple it slightly, and shove it into my center console like hiding it will somehow make my reaction disappear.

It doesn't.

I let out a long groan and slam my head against my headrest. I attempt to think rationally.

He was just being kind, that's what old friends do. I don't want a relationship right now, I'm too busy.

I keep repeating those lines in my head like a mantra before I get a grip and shift my car and drive away.

Y/n and Tanner were supposed to be friends. That’s how it had always been since forever.

The two of them could drink together, crash on the same couch, and talk nonsense in voice calls until the sun came up. But everything changed on the night of Tanner’s birthday.

Y/n showed up a mess; makeup streaked across her cheeks, and her outfit was thrown together like she hadn’t looked in the mirror before walking out the door. She was already drunk, voice too loud, and she laughed too hard at things that weren't even funny. She poured herself another shot before anyone could even greet her.

“Hey, maybe chill for a sec, yeah?” Tanner muttered, catching her elbow before she toppled into the counter. He tried to brush it off with a grin. “Don’t need you puking on my presents.”

She laughed, too loud again, and it made his skin crawl. Something wasn’t right.

Tanner, buzzing himself, thought at first she was just extra hype because it was his night. But the way her smile never reached her eyes made him think otherwise.

By the time she stumbled, nearly sending another drink to the floor, he caught her arm again. “Alright. That’s enough. C’mon.” His voice was still steady, but it carried a new tone – one of concern.

She blinked at him like she didn’t understand, then tried to wave him off, but he was already guiding her upstairs, toward the bathroom.

Y/n leaned against the counter, messy frazzled hair falling in her face. Tanner reached for a towel, running it under cool water. He pressed it to her hand, and she flinched like even that ounce of kindness burned.

“Hey…” he said softly, but before he could ask anything, she leaned forward. Her lips crashed against his.

Tanner froze. His mind screamed don’t, but the alcohol dulled his resolve, and the taste of liquor on her lips tugged him under. He kissed her back, hesitant at first, then hungrier when her hands fisted in his shirt.

And then suddenly she was crying. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks as muffled sobs broke between kisses.

“Y/n— wait—” Tanner pulled back, breath uneven. “What’s going on?”

She shook her head, words slurring out in broken speech. Something about him, about last night, about being left. But he couldn’t piece it together, not with the desperate way she was pressed against him like she’d break if he stopped.

So he didn’t.

--

The next morning, the house was too loud for how hungover Y/n felt. Her head ached, her eyes burned like they’d been open for hours without blinking, and her stomach churned awfully.

Someone was already clattering in the kitchen, and the smell of stale beer lingered in the air. She sat on the edge of Tanner’s bed, his sheets bunched around her waist and stared down at her chipped nail polish, wishing she could disappear into the floorboards.

A deep breath left her chest as she tried to remember the events that led her there. She remembered fighting with her ex, the drinking, remembered Tanner leading her to the bathroom and then— oh, god.

Tanner shifted behind her, sheets rustling. “Good morning, beautiful,” His voice was scratchy with sleep

She dragged her eyes up, meeting his for not even half a second before looking away again. He looked softer than he should’ve, his hair tossed every which way, still half asleep, and that softness made her chest ache.

“I shouldn’t have done that last night,” she whispered. “I wasn’t thinking. My boyfriend— um, ex.. he ended things. For real this time. And,” Her throat tightened, “I was a mess.”

Tanner sat up fully, rubbing a hand down his face. “Y/n…” He let out a breath, frustrated with himself. “I knew something was off. I should’ve stopped it.”

Her head snapped toward him, panic sharp in her chest. “No. Don’t say that. I wanted it, Tanner. I swear I did.”

Silence passed between them as he studied her as if he were trying to read her thoughts. Then, quietly: “I liked it. Being with you.”

Her heart twisted. Hell, she wanted to tell him she liked it too, that she always wanted him. But the words froze in her throat.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “I don’t know if you’re ready for… more, and that’s fine." He hesitated, a bit bashful, "But I don’t want to pretend nothing happened either. So what if we just… keep it casual? Friends, but… with the perks.”

The words hit like a brick in her stomach and the urge to throw up crept back up her gut. Friends. Casual.

“You’re suggesting... friends with benefits?” she asked, her voice thinner than she meant it to be.

“Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, unless you hate the idea. It just feels easier than… ignoring it.”

Her breath stuttered. He didn’t mean it the way she wanted him to. He couldn’t. If she let herself believe that, she’d unravel completely.

So she swallowed hard, forcing a nod. “Yeah. Friends with benefits. Sure.”

Tanner’s grin was hesitant but warm, like he was relieved. “Alright. Friends, then.”

But as she stood to leave his room, her chest heavy and her eyes burning, she knew it wasn’t friendship she wanted at all.

--

The weeks that followed drifted by in a strange blur. Tanner and Y/n kept things quiet between them, unspoken rules forming naturally after that first night.

They’d meet in the kitchen for coffee, sit together in the living room for movie nights, and sometimes, late at night when the rest of the house had gone to bed, they’d end up tangled in each other’s arms.

It was always casual. Or at least, that’s what they told themselves. Makeout sessions fueled by too much alcohol, stolen touches in passings, and the occasional nights that ended with them pressed together on Tanner’s bed. Never more than that, never less. They laughed off awkward mornings, passing it off as nothing more than fun.

And yet, under the surface, something felt heavier. Y/n could see it in Tanner’s eyes when he caught her staring too long, and Tanner could feel it in the way her hand lingered just a moment too long on his. But neither of them dared to call it what it was.

It went on for months like this. Neither asked for more. Neither offered less. They existed in this liminal space, close enough to feel the warmth, far enough to avoid confronting what they really wanted.

And all the while, Y/n carried the quiet ache of wanting more but being terrified of letting anyone see how fragile she really was.

Tanner, for his part, kept his feelings tucked behind a careful smile, pretending he didn’t want to hold her closer, pretend he didn’t want to be more than just a “friend with benefits.”

The tension between them simmered quietly.

They weren’t doing much. Just sitting in the living room, a half-finished movie droning on while Tanner leaned back against the couch. Y/n sat cross-legged beside him, fiddling absently with the drawstrings of her hoodie.

At one point Tanner reached up to run a hand through his hair, stretching his arm a little higher than usual.

That’s when he saw it, her whole body tensed, and her eyes flicked up at his hand like it was a loaded weapon. Her breath caught, shoulders pulling in tight as if she was bracing herself for something.

“...Y/n?” His voice softened, concern sliding in. He lowered his hand slowly with more care than he needed to; he didn’t want to spook her more. “Hey. You know I’d never hit you... right?”

The panic on her face cracked into an awkward laugh, brittle and unconvincing. “Sorry. Yeah. I know that. Of course I know that.”

But Tanner wasn’t letting it slide. He leaned in a little, searching her expression. “Then why’d you look at me like that?”

Her fingers twisted tighter around the drawstring. She shook her head quickly, words tumbling out too fast. “It’s nothing, I swear. I’m— i don’t know. Jumpy.”

“Jumpy doesn’t make you look terrified.” His tone was gentle but insistent.

The pressure of his gaze undid her. Her chest stuttered, breath hitching as tears welled up against her will. She ducked her head into her palms, voice breaking. “I’m sorry— I don’t mean to make it your problem. i just—” She sucked in a sharp breath, trying to steady herself. “I’m sorry, Tanner, i'm so broken. And I don’t want you to see it. I don’t want you to love me and regret it.”

The nightmares she faced were still on her mind, vivid enough to make her chest tighten. Even weeks after it ended, memories of her ex lingered like a ghost she couldn’t shake. At the time, it had all felt like love; the late nights, the laughter, the moments she clung to as proof that it was real.

But now, without the rose-colored glasses, she could see how much harm he’d caused; the bruises she had to explain away, the scratches she swore were due to her clumsiness, the lies she had to swallow and excuse just to keep the peace. She remembered having to lie whenever he cheated, the false hope of his promising to change, then repeating the same miserable cycle.

His heart ached at the way she folded in on herself, crying and apologizing like she’d done something wrong. He reached out carefully, resting a warm palm over her trembling hands. “Hey. Stop. You don’t have to be afraid with me.”

Tanner held Y/n close, murmuring soft words of reassurance as her sobs wracked her body. It felt like forever before she could catch her breath again, and even when cool air finally filled her lungs, her chest still ached.

The tears kept coming, each one pressed into Tanner’s shirt as he held her tighter. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “It’s okay. It’s okay,” he murmured.

Y/n rested her head against his chest a moment longer, letting her heartbeat slow while his steady warmth surrounded her. There was tenderness in his touch that left no room for doubt.

When she finally dared to look up at him through wet lashes, he didn’t move away. He just stayed there, steady and patient, waiting for her to believe him.

“Sorry…” Y/n mumbled, her voice hoarse from crying.

She knew she should pull away, create some distance before her feelings took over and she did something she’d regret. But she couldn’t. Some invisible thread seemed to tie her to Tanner, binding her to him no matter how hard she tried.

“It’s okay,” Tanner said softly, running a hand up and down the length of her shoulder. “I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”

He started to loosen his hold, ready to let her go, but she clung tighter, bunching the fabric of his shirt in her fists. His eyebrows lifted in surprise, his head tilting slightly as he studied her.

“Hey,” he whispered, barely a sound. “You’re alright. You hear me?”

Y/n nodded, though it was faint, her hands still trembling where they clutched at him.

He hesitated before lifting a hand, slow enough that she could stop him if she wanted. His fingers brushed her hair back from her face, careful, almost reverent. She didn’t pull away.

Her eyes met his, and something in his chest gave way. Tanner wanted to say a hundred things. That she wasn’t broken. That he’d never let anyone hurt her again. That the word friends didn’t even come close to what he felt when she looked at him like that.

But the words stayed in his throat. Instead, he leaned in just enough that she could decide. His breath ghosted against her temple. “You don’t have to run from me,” he murmured.

Y/n’s fingers loosened, but she didn’t let go. Her voice was small, almost afraid of being heard. “I don’t want to mess this up.”

“You won’t,” Tanner said, and he meant it.

The space between them shrank, slow and certain. His hand settled against her jaw, thumb tracing the edge of her cheek. She leaned into the touch, her lashes fluttering like she wasn’t sure if it was real.

For a moment, everything went still, the hum of the TV, the faint noise from outside, even the steady thud of his heart.

He kissed her, soft enough that it felt like a question.

When she leaned in again, he let her set the pace. Every movement was hesitant, but certain.

Tanner shifted just enough to draw her onto his lap, his hands finding the small of her back. She fit there easily, like she always had, though this time it meant something different. Her fingers twisted into his shirt again, not from fear, but to anchor herself.

He whispered her name once, barely audible. It came out like a promise.

He rested his chin on her hair, breathing her in like it steadied him. “I’ve got you,” he murmured. And for the first time in a long while, she believed it.

—

If you or someone you know is in an unsafe or abusive relationship, you can reach out to:

National Domestic Violence Hotline (US): call or text 988, or chat at thehotline.org available 24/7/365

Canada: call or text 988 (mental health and crisis support, available 24/7/365), or visit sheltersafe.ca to find local resources

UK: call 0808 2000 247 (Refuge, 24-hour helpline)

If you’re outside these areas: visit findahelpline.com, which lists free, confidential hotlines in over 150 countries

When Isaac asked his little sister to pet sit for the weekend, she didn’t hesitate. It had been forever since she’d seen Bex, his scruffy little mutt with ears too big for his head and a bark like a squeaky toy. Isaac mentioned he’d be out of town, travelling across the country for some project.

She’d always thought the name was kinda funny. 'Bex' wasn’t short for anything normal. According to Isaac, it stood for 'Beagle Xtreme™' – because, well, Bex was a beagle and Isaac liked to be extreme. It was the kind of ridiculous name only Isaac would come up with.

“The guys might swing by later tonight,” he'd said casually over the phone, “but don’t worry, they’ll be gone before morning. You’ll barely notice.”

So, naturally, she entered his place like she owned it.

The front door creaked open with a push of her shoulder, and she kicked it shut behind her, her voice immediately dropping into that high-pitched baby tone people save just for pets.

“Beeexx!” she cooed, crouching to greet the dog whose claws scrambled against the hardwood as he charged toward her like a little missile, tail wagging so hard his whole body wobbled. “Who's the cutiest, huh? Who's the most handsomest ever?” She scooped him up into her arms, kissing his nose and pressing her cheek against his fur. The cream-colored tote bag slung over her shoulder shifted with the movement, the strap dipping down her arm.

“Oh my goodness, look at you,” she gasped, “You’re even cuter than I remembered. Did you miss me? Huh? Did you?” She slipped her boots off by the door, leaving them in a careless heap before padding barefoot into the house.

Still murmuring baby talk into the dog's fur, she wandered through the hall toward the living room – then stopped dead in her tracks.

There was a boy there.

Not Isaac. Definitely not.

He stood frozen at the kitchen island, half a sandwich hanging out of his mouth, hand mid-air reaching for chips. Snacks were spread out around him like he’d been foraging for hours.

He blinked at her, mouth full, eyes wide like he’d been caught committing a crime, a single crumb clung to his bottom lip.

They both just stared.

Then, with the most casual, muffled mouthful of food, he grinned and said, “Hey.”

She blinked again, this time followed by a short laugh. It came out amused and a little surprised, like he caught her off guard.

“Uh… hi?" She said, letting Bex wriggle out of her arms and hop onto the couch. "I didn’t know anyone was gonna be here. Isaac never mentioned it.”

He took another second before answering. In that second, he couldn’t help but notice the way her pink tee hugged her figure perfectly, soft fabric stretching just enough to reveal the lace-trimmed layer underneath. The hem sat right where her frayed denim shorts began, hugging her hips before giving way to long, bare legs. She looked effortlessly thrown together, soft and sunlit... and completely unaware of the effect she had.

“Yeah,” he said finally, scratching the back of his head. “Classic Isaac.”

She gave him a quick once-over: messy curls, lazy grin, some worn band tee that had clearly seen better days. He looked like someone Isaac would hang out with, which was to say exactly her type – if she were the kind of girl to admit that kind of thing.

“Right,” she said, with a half-smile. “Guess I’m not surprised.”

The boy, still half-leaning on the counter, cleared his throat and gave a lopsided shrug. “Sooo… I’m guessing you’re not the Postmates guy.”

She smiled despite herself. “Nope. I’m Isaac’s sister. I’m supposed to be pet sitting for the weekend?”

“That makes way more sense.”

He stepped forward, offering a slightly sheepish hand. “I’m Tanner, I live here. House appointed fridge raider and full-time guy-Isaac-forgets-to-mention, apparently.”

“Y/n.” She shook his hand, a soft smile tugging at her lips, though there was a flicker of awkwardness in her eyes.

“Sooo… if I’m supposed to be pet sitting,” she hesitated, glancing around like she wasn’t sure where to put herself, “what exactly are you doing here?”

He exhaled through his nose, like he’d been dreading that question. “Well. So you see... technically, I was supposed to go with Isaac.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, we had plans to travel together. Flights booked, bags packed, even matching neck pillows,” he said with a grin, clearly amused by the memory. “We found these ridiculous squirrel tail pillow things— like, the pillow was shaped like the tail— and Isaac and I both thought they were so dumb.” He shook his head with a laugh. “But then something came up last minute. Personal stuff, so I couldn’t go.”

There was something almost endearing about the way he rambled on, like he wasn’t used to explaining himself but didn’t want to miss a beat.

He leaned back against the counter like that explained everything, then added, “Isaac left anyway. And then I found out the ‘personal stuff’ wasn’t even happening anymore, so… now I’m just kind of here. Trapped for the weekend."

“Don't you love how considerate he is?” She quipped, dry.

“Yeah." He breathed a quiet laugh. "I told him I’d be chilling here for the weekend. I figured he told you.” Tanner scratched at his jaw, glancing toward the couch where Bex was now gnawing on a pochita plush. “But I guess he forgot.”

“It seems so,” she muttered, shaking her head with a breathy laugh.

There was silence, comfortable in its awkwardness. She glanced at him again – his half-smirk, the way he looked entirely unbothered by the situation.

It should’ve been irritating. It was mildly chaotic. But the way he rambled through it all was almost charming.

Before the moment could sit too long, Bex came trotting back in, tail wagging and one of her boots dangling from his mouth.

“Seriously?” she muttered, already moving to intercept him. “Drop it.”

Bex paused, staring up at her.

“Sit.”

Instantly, he obeyed, dropping onto his butt, the boot still hanging from his mouth like a trophy.

Tanner blinked. “Damn. I didn’t even know he knew how to do that.”

She grabbed the boot from Bex’s mouth and gave him a treat from a pouch in her tote bag.

“I’ve been training him since before Isaac moved out,” she said, now crouched and giving the dog a pat on the head. “Guess he still knows who’s in charge.”

Tanner let out a short laugh. “I feel like he only likes me when I’m holding food. The rest of the time I get nothing but my shoes chewed up.”

“Sounds about right,” she said, tossing another treat to Bex and watching him catch it midair.

He glanced over at her. “You got more tricks?”

She nodded, digging back into the tote. “Wanna see?”

He shrugged. “Sure. Impress me,” and sank into the couch

She stood, guiding the eager pup through a couple of basic commands: spin, paw, roll over. Nothing fancy, but the dog was clearly loving the attention. Tanner watched from the couch, looking somewhere between surprised and genuinely entertained.

But Bex, now overexcited by the treats and praise, started hopping around in circles, pawing at her legs with an eager whine.

“Okay, okay,” she laughed, steadying him. “Chill.”

She barely had time to sit back down before he jumped up after her, settling himself right in her lap like it was his throne.

She let out a soft grunt, adjusting to the sudden weight. “Guess I don’t have a choice, huh?” she said, more to the dog, rubbing his ears.

Tanner grinned, shifting a little to make room. “He just does whatever he wants.”

They sat there for a minute, the room quiet except for Bex’s soft shuffling sounds as he adjusted himself in her lap.

Tanner leaned forward, grabbing a controller off the coffee table and gesturing toward the TV, where the soft title screen of Tears of the Kingdom was still playing, ambient music floating in the background.

“I was playing this before you got here,” he said, settling back. “Then I got hungry.”

He glanced toward the kitchen mess, then added, “Speaking of… I’m probably gonna order something. You want anything?”

Y/n looked over at the leftovers still scattered across the counter.

“Your buffet’s still out.”

“Yeah, well,” he said, deadpan. “I’m not about to make you eat whatever's left in the fridge... it's mostly expired, leftovers, or both,” he was already pulling out his phone. “What do you like?”

She shrugged, still petting Bex absentmindedly. “Not picky.”

“You say that now,” he muttered, scrolling through his phone. “But I feel like that’s a trap. The whole ‘I’m not picky’ thing always ends with, ‘Okay, well… not that. Or that. Or definitely not that.’”

She smirked. “Wow. You sound personally attacked.”

“Just prepared,” he said, tapping through the doordash app. “I’ve seen things.”

She gave a short laugh before glancing around the room again. At the stray shoes that spilled off the shoe rack by the door. The clothes that draped over the stairs railing, the back of the couch and a chair. A half-empty mug was left on the coffee table, and a crumb-filled plate abandoned on the fireplace. Not to mention the seemingly hundreds of pochita plushies that littered the entire space.

“I seriously can’t imagine living with, like… five Isaacs,” she said. “One was already enough.”

Tanner snorted. “It’s manageable.”

“Does he still leave his cereal bowl in the sink ‘to soak’ for three days?”

“He does, and now the bowl has its own ecosystem.”

She groaned. “That’s so foul.”

Tanner eventually set his phone down, apparently settling on something.

He sank deeper into the couch, game controller in hand, and glanced at her like he was about to bestow great wisdom.

“Okay, so this—” he held up the controller like it was some rare artifact, “—is your left joystick. It makes you walk. Right one’s the camera. A is for actions— talking, confirming— basically your everything button. X for jumping, Y for melee— thats like swords, bows, shields, spears, etc. B is for canceling, running, and also emotional damage when you accidentally hit it mid-combat.” ("-_-)

Y/n blinked slowly, absorbing the info dump. “Wow. Incredible.”

“I know,” he said, completely missing the sarcasm. “And this—” he pointed dramatically, “—is Ultrahand. This lets you build basically anything you want. You should see what cursed things me and Larry make together.”

She nodded solemnly. “Very advanced. I see why you’re so invested.”

Tanner glanced at her, squinting. “Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all,” she said, deadpan. “I’m learning so much.”

But the way she was biting back a smile gave her away, and Tanner shook his head with a grin, mumbling something about how “not everyone appreciates genius.”

He turned back to the screen, launching into a rambling explanation about shrine puzzles and the physics engine, clearly in his element.

And even though she had no clue what half of it meant, she didn’t interrupt. She just sat there, petting Bex, half-listening and fully enjoying the way his voice lit up when he talked about the dumbest little details.

The food arrived somewhere in the middle of Tanner explaining Zonai tech, and they ate on the couch without even pausing the game (or conversation), balancing plates on their knees while Bex shamelessly eyed every bite.

He eventually got a bite, though. Just a small one. Y/n caved first, and Tanner followed a minute later.

As the evening stretched on, the excitement of food and gameplay began to quiet. Bex was the first to crash, full and satisfied, shifting from Y/n’s lap until his head flopped onto Tanner’s thigh.

Y/n blinked slowly, watching the screen without really seeing it anymore, eyes heavy, head resting against the cushion behind her.

Tanner’s voice had softened over time – less explanation and more muttered reactions to what was happening on screen. He glanced over once, catching her eyelids fluttering shut.

She didn’t say anything, didn’t even pretend to be awake, and a few minutes later, her shoulder gently leaned into his.

Tanner didn’t move.

He glanced down, watching the rise and fall of her breathing, the way her hand still rested lightly against the curve of Bex’s back. The controller sat forgotten on his stomach, the game paused mid cutscene.

For a second, he thought about shifting. Grabbing a blanket or saying something, but he didn’t want to wake her.

So he just stayed where he was, letting his eyes drift shut, the warmth of the room and the quiet hum of the paused game around them like a blanket of its own.

—

Before the door even opened, Y/n's ears picked up the loud footsteps, muffled laughter, and the unmistakable clang of something dropping.

Tanner didn’t even stir.

The front door swung wide, and in burst Yumi, Nick, and Larry. All way too loud and totally oblivious to how noisy they were being.

“Shhh! Shhhhhh! Guys, seriously— quiet down!” Yumi hissed sharply, shushing them again as they kept talking loudly, trying to get their attention.

Finally, Yumi pointed toward the couch where Y/n was curled up with Tanner, Bex resting peacefully on her lap.

“Is that Isaac’s sister?” Nick whispered, eyes wide.

“Yeah, that’s definitely her,” Larry added, finally lowering his voice.

Despite all the noise, Y/n didn’t open her eyes; she kept them closed, savoring the calm amid the ruckus. Tanner shifted slightly but stayed out cold, clearly used to this level of chaos.

The trio exchanged excited and equally as shocked whispers, trying (and mostly failing) to keep their voices down as Yumi gave them one last stern hush.

“Isaac’s gonna freak when he finds out,” Nick muttered.

“Big time,” Larry agreed.

It’s been two months old routine for Tanner now. Watching, lurking, waiting. He learned the entirety of your schedule, when you go to work, when you sleep, when you wake up. When you’re not in the house, he just loves to go trough your things, today was no different. You went out with your friends on this warm summer evening for drinks. Tanner knew this, he also knew that you are usually gone for at least one hour, which was enough for him to shamelessly go trough your dirty laundry, occasionally shoving a piece of pretty panties in his pocket to smell later. He was proud of his little collection of your things especially your undies. It always left you wondering, searching the whole house for a clean pair, oblivious to this madman’s relentless digits stealing them.

He was in his element, when his ears perked up on the noise and laughter from the main door. He sneaked to take a look at the commotion and there were you with your friend group having the time of your lifes. You all stumbled into your home laughing and chatting with no worry in the world. Tanner had no time to run out of the house and he could not risk being seen. He creeped back into your bedroom and slipped into your spaceful closet. Anticipation gnawing at his ribs.

Some time passed by, there was still loud chitchat, but the bedroom door creaked open. Tanner looked trough the little cranny from the closet. This loverboy almost drooled at the sight of you, he was like a dog in heat. His fingers twitching in desperate need to touch you, caress you, take you, anything. You walked in with a few of your friends, talking. „Come on, guys! We’re not in school anymore! Who even plays 7 minutes in heaven.“ You were protesting. „Yeah, but this will be fun!“ One friend countered, wiggling her brows at you and pushing you further into the room along with your another guy friend, who kept furiously blushing. Tanner’s jaw went tight, his throat bubbling with jealousy, fingers now shaking with rage. „Okay, fine! Just let me go take a piss.“ You pushed trough them into the bathroom. Your friends left the room with laughter, leaving the guy friend alone in the bedroom, waiting for your return. He was nervously pacing around.

Tanner went red with anger. „SHE’S MINE!“ His mind is screaming. He reaches into his pocket, taking out a syringe with lethal poison. He’s slowly stepping out of the closet, inching closer and closer towards that friend of yours. The guy turned around just in time for Tanner to roughly stick the needle into his neck, sending the poison down his jugular. Your friend didn’t even have the time to yell out as he crumbled to the floor in convulsions. Tanner dragged him by his armpits into the closet. After that he dusted off his white coat, adjusting his red tie and hid behind the door waiting for you.

it was no secret that tanner and y/n loved each other dearly; they showed it whenever they could. the fans loved it. they loved seeing two of their favourite influencers care so much for each other. therefore, the video was made. and the rest of the fan base couldn’t be thankful enough for this one person to create a memory log of worthy moments.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

you weren’t apart of the newest last to leave vc for isaac’s channel, only because you had a long day at work and didn’t feel like staying up for multiple hours or even days. this led to where you were now, walking into your boyfriend, tanners room to bring him a water bottle. he was just getting to plug his headphones in when you catch nick speaking.

“i’m projecting that y/n is gonna fall asleep first.” you can see yumi’s eyebrows clenched in confusion as he throws his hands in the air.

“their not even in last to leave vc,” he yells. “they’re just babying tanner!” the boys laugh as your jaw hangs slightly open, a glare resting on your face. tanner’s pointer finger comes to push your mouth closed in the softest way possible, and gently takes the water bottle from your hand.

“hey! stop stealing my boyfriend!” you hear isaac yell through the now connected headphones. you shake your head at the screen, giving tanner a long kiss to the cheek before you exit the room.

--

“tanner you have ten seconds to get out of your room. ten, nine—” tanner scrambled out of his chair and tripped over his feet to get out the door as the rest of the guys complained how easy his dare was. a couple seconds later, tanner returned with you thrown over his shoulder. his arm held the back of your thighs and you gripped onto his sweater from behind.

“i caught a fish! papa, i caught a fish on my run!” he joked, swinging around to show you in distress. schlatt stared at the screen much like yumi had before with his usual confused expression.

“did tanner just.. steal a person off the streets?” he asked, getting a laugh out of everyone including you who could hear him through the headphones. no one replied as they watched tanner slap your ass and walk over to his bed and all but throw you down on it. you shrieked as your back hit the mattress and the wind knocked out of you.

tanner laughed at the shocked expression on your face, before kissing your forehead and walking back to his set up, acting like nothing happened.

--

you walked into tanner's room to give him yet another water bottle after he had downed his in the first hour. you did not expect to see a ring with two bead eyes on his fingers, and you did not expect for him to start speaking and moving his hands like it was a mouth.

"uh.. i have water for you?" you said almost like a question, trying to defuse what was going on. you guessed it was a dare that isaac had given tanner. the hand turned to you and opened like the hand was gasping.

"thank you, beloved." it said, to which you nodded with a small laugh. "can i have a," the hand got closer to your face as tanner whispered. "kiss?" you looked to tanner and than the hand, contemplating if you should leave him hanging. with a sigh, you leaned down and pressed your puckered lips to the tip of tanner's fingers.

on your way out the door you could hear the yell of a 'hey!' from your boyfriend, expecting a kiss for him, not his hand.

--

it was the end of the challenge and tanner was celebrating his win, yelling in the process. he ran to his door and opened it, jumping up and down like a school girl had talked to her crush. "y/n! we're rich, baby!"

"did you win?" your voice was heard faintly through the call as you rushed upstairs to tanner.

"hell yes i did!" he cheered, picking you up by the waist and jumping with you. isaac found the bit hilarious, seeing you flop around in tanner's hold as you gripped his shoulders in fear of him dropping you. he put you down for a moment before you were picked back up bridal style this time. tanner did a couple squats with you in his arms, flexing and talking about how strong and manly he is. when he finally settled down, he brought you with him as he gave his final remarks on winning. he sat you on his lap, his fingers drumming on your thighs as he spoke before the video ended.

--

"hello? can you guys hear me?" tanner asks, checking his setting on the roblox screen.

"yeah, i can hear you." you reply, "can you hear me?"

"yeah, i can hear you baby." your stream caught your flared cheeks as you walked your character over to tanner's. "we gotta go, y/n!" he yelled, character starting to run. "where are the others?" you followed after his character.

"we don't need the others, sugar." you whispered into the mic. his character stopped running and slowly span to face yours.

"hell yeah, let's get out of here!"

--

you were alone in the game, running around to find anyone you could. the game seemed to hate you as entities would chase you ad no go away, camping you as you hid. "oh my fucking god!" you yelled, getting away from a monster.

"y/n?" you heard a distant call to your left. your character moved a one-eighty until you spotted tanner's.

"tanner!" your character ran for his. "thank goodness, i keep getting attacked."

"i'll protect you baby, dont worry." he said smugly, character walking away as yours followed him. you were both quiet for around two minutes when you heard the sound of one of the monsters near by. your characters started to run when the monster appeared out of nowhere, along with tanner screaming. "take them, not me! take them!"

"tanner! what the fuck!"

--

your character had been up on a shelf from spawning into the next room. you didn't move as soon as you spawned, so your character was standing still as you read your chat. when you came back to the game, you moved your characters head down to get a better view of where to step, that was when you saw tanner's pressed as close as it can get to the shelf and it's head moving side to side.

"tanner, what the hell are you doing?" you choked on a laugh as tanner's character backed up.

"you were just standing there, i had to shoot my shot. y'know?" he wiggled his eyebrows and you shook your head, getting off the shelf. "hey! i wasn't done!" he pouted.

"we've got a game to beat, loverboy." you lightly scolded. the inappropriate act on a more or less children's game, let alone on stream was enough to make the tips of your ears red and a roll of your eyes.

"you better pay me back, i was doing you good deed!"

"how would you like me to pay you back?" you asked, confused. he was silent for a moment before you spoke up. "actually, don't even say anything. don't answer the question."

--

you had shut down your stream after rage quitting the game, you died too many times to keep going. after that, you were found on tanner's stream as he was about to end it. he was talking to chat about random things that you weren't listening too, you just hung your arms loosely around his neck as your nose pressed into his shoulder. he knew you were there, chat could tell by the way his hand came up to rub your arm in a slow, steady motion that was luring you to sleep.

as he was finishing up saying goodbye, you waved to chat sleepily and bid your own goodbyes. the last thing chat saw was the kiss you pressed to the crown of tanner's head, and his dopy smile that followed along with it. awe's filled the chat before it was disconnected and you two were officially done with your online jobs for the day, and could spend the rest of your time swaddled up with each other.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

I'm calling Nick.

"Hello?" He picks up the phone.

"Hey Nick, I'm outside. Can you let me in?"

"Yeah sure, one sec" He hangs up. A couple of seconds later, the door opens. A simple "thanks" comes out my mouth all muffled as I shove past Nick to walk towards Tanner's room. Isaac sitting on the couch, looks up and let's me know Tanner's still asleep. Great. Just great... I don't want to wake him up in a bad mood.

Whatever. He deserves it. I need to know what happened. I slam open his door to see him laying in bed sound asleep, with alcohol bottles covering his desk and his sweatpants on the floor next to the bed. His room's a mess, well when isn't it really? The only time its considered to be clean is when you clean it.

He must've heard the door open, cus he slowly wakes up and turns over to see me standing in his room.

"Baby, w-what are you doing here?" he asks so innocently.

"What am I doing here?? I should be asking what you're doing here?" I'm basically yelling.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?!? What do I- uh. I can't with you. We had a date planned for last night!"

"Wha- OH!! Baby, baby please come here. Please come here I'm so sorry."

'No- No absolutely not. What did you do last night? Tell me."

"I-I was drinking with Isaac and Yumi. We played that stupid truck sim game and streamed. Then I just drank and watched anime until I passed out I guess." He admits. What. The. Fuck. I must've said that out loud cus Tanner immediately started to apologize again, "I'm so sorry baby, I completely forgot. Please let me make it up to you".

"No, I'm going home. You better find a way to make this better" I say as I walk out his room and closing the door behind me. The guys must've heard it all happen, cus I could feel Isaac and Nick staring at me as I walk out the front door. I didn't say a word, I just kept my head low and kept walking towards my car. Once I got in my car I just needed to scream.

FUCK.

Okay, that's a little bit better.

-

I got home and immediately turned my phone completely off, tossing it on my night stand and not looking back. I just need to do something else, get my mind off of what just happened. I need a drink. I grab some alcohol from the mini fridge I keep next to my desk. It's a vodka kind of day.

5 shots in...

10 shots in...

20 gulps in...

fuuuck. maybe i should've stopped like 20 sips ago. were those even considered sips? they were too big to be sips. my brain is fuzzzzyyy.

i gottta admiT what i said to Tanner was fuckked up, but i don't mean any of it. I should text him. N-NO!! I'm not texting him.

But I miss him, no I dont. fuck im crying now. ok this is happeninggg. I need to lay down. go lay on the bed. okay. im on the bed now.

knock knock knock

what. what the fuck was what.

knock knock knock

there it is again. am i dying? fuck. is that god? it's getting louder

knock knock knock

oh wait. its my frontt dooor. silly me. i'll go open it. come on body get up. one steep at a time.

"Baby. You scared me." oohhhh iits tanner.

"H-H-Heeeeeeeyyyy Taaaannnerrrrr" wait no i'm mad at him. actually, i'm just falling, oh shit.

"Oh my god, let's get you in bed. Come on" heee says while catching me, he's so strongg. i can feel his muscles, oh my god.

im laying down now. in my bed, i don't remember getting here. oh yeah Tanner.

"Y-Youu, youung sir, you neeed to leave" i slur outt, hehe.

"I'm not leaving you like this"

"Buuut. I'm mad at you a-a-and so you need to leave."

"Just go to-"

-

I woke up in pajama's and a massive headache. What the-

"Are you okay?" Oh. I remember now. I shake my head yes and sit up to see Tanner sitting on the foot of my bed. God, I'm regretting a lot of shit now.

"Baby... I'm so sorry. Can we talk about this? I need to apologize a lot." He says, so quiet it's basically a whisper. He looks up at me meeting my eyes. Was he.. crying? His eyes were all puffy and his hair was all messed up.

"Look, I fucked up. I know I did. But, baby, please forgive me for it. This is the first date I've missed in the forever the fuck long we've been dating. You didn't deserve that. You don't deserve that. I tried to think of all the things I could buy you, or do for you, to make up. But truthfully, the best option was being here for you and letting you know I care.

"I know you don't want to hear this right now, but I love you. I love you so fucking much. At the end of the day, I would choose you over anybody. Please, baby, just forgive me so I can forgive myself." Tanner whispers, a few tear leaving his eyes.

"It's sad, the first thought I had is that you were cheating on me. Then I thought you died, or just decided you hated me. I spent all of last night on the couch crying in the outfit I would've worn. I'm sorry I yelled at you, I just let my emotions get the best of me. You just... You really scared me. I thought I lost you." I confess. I can't make eye contact with him. I close my eyes as streams of tears run down my face and onto the pillow I've been holding. I feel the bed shift and I think Tanner got up and walked away, but suddenly I feel a pair of arms wrap around me.

-

For the past 30 minutes Tanner and I have been doing the 3 C's: cuddling, crying, and comforting.

"Relationships are hard" I think aloud.

"Yeah but we make it work." Tanner says, kissing my neck. My head is still pounding from all the alcohol I had, I can imagine Tanner was feeling the same when I yelled at him. To whoever said relationships were supposed to be easy, fuck you. It's hard to put your total 100% trust and love into one person all the time. And on top of that, you get that back. Plus work, or school, and making sure you're still taking care of yourself.

"I'm glad I have you" I confess.

Today was a long ass day.

Tanner had dragged Y/n into one of his chaotic stream ideas; this time, a “simple” bake-off challenge. Simple in theory. But with Tanner? Nothing ever was.

They had one task: bake cakes without instructions. Y/N at least had a clue. Tanner, on the other hand, was hopeless.

To his left, Y/n was crouched by the fridge, rummaging through the top shelf before pulling out a carton of eggs. She set them beside a mixing bowl, turning her back as she moved to gather more ingredients.

A quiet moment passed before she felt Tanner’s fingers gently brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She coughed, eyes flicking up, mumbling a shy, “Thanks,” before focusing back on her task.

Tanner couldn’t look away. She cracked eggs into the bowl one-handed, flicking the shells into the bin like she’d done it a hundred times. Feet planted like an arrow, she stirred with efficient rhythm. There was a wrinkle between her brows, her focus unwavering.

She walked across the kitchen and dug through a drawer for utensils. Her free hand tapped idly against her hip in a soft rhythm. Tanner stayed quiet, completely absorbed.

Eventually, Y/n noticed. Her eyes lifted from the drawer, drifting to Tanner’s face, landing briefly on his lips before rising to meet his gaze.

He felt it hit him all at once – warmth swelling in his chest. It was overwhelming. Being around her was something he had never quite learned to handle.

“You actually have to do something,” she teased, breaking the silence.

“I don’t wanna make you insecure with my baking,” he said, smugly. It earned a giggle from her.

“Mhm.”

“You know I’m a baker…” he added, nudging her hip playfully.

She laughed and retaliated by tossing a puff of flour at him, coating his hair. Tanner shook it out dramatically, sending white dust flying.

“You, uh… missed a spot,” Y/n said, biting back laughter.

“Oh yeah?” he challenged.

“Let me.” She reached up, fingers gently ruffling his hair as she brushed the flour from it. “All good,” she murmured, hands lingering for a second too long before pulling away.

Not even halfway into the stream, Tanner had given up on any serious attempt. He was now tossing random ingredients into his bowl while Y/n tried her best to ignore the chaos beside her.

“Tanner… what is that?” she asked, staring at the bowl like it might come to life. “Are you baking a cake or brewing a potion?”

“You’re eating this,” he said, way too confident.

“Absolutely not. I’m feeding it to Nick.”

He smirked. “He’ll eat anything.”

Before she could reply, he scooped a glob of the goopy batter into his hands.

Her jaw dropped. “Tanner— don’t you dare.”

He took one menacing step toward her.

“Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it?”

She grabbed a nearby spoon like a weapon, backing up. “Touch me with that and I’m flipping this whole kitchen!”

He crept toward her, arms outstretched, batter dripping between his fingers.

"Stop! I swear to God—" she backed away, laughing – until he lunged and she bolted down the hall, "TANNER, ENOUGH!"

Eventually when the batter war had ceased and the kitchen was only mildly destroyed, they got back to baking.

Tanner slid his disaster into the oven with a proud nod.

“Tanner, I don’t think that’s gonna rise,” Y/N said cautiously.

“I added a lot of baking powder. I’m pretty confident,” he said, dead serious.

That made her burst out laughing.

Y/N turned to slide her own cake into the oven, but the door slipped as she reached down. It slammed shut on her hand.

“Shit—ow!”

She rushed to the sink, cranking the water on cold, holding her injured hand out. Her body hunched forward, one arm gripping her elbow for support while the other stayed under the flow. A low string of curses slipped out under her breath.

“Damn— are you okay?” Tanner hovered beside her, unsure what to do with his hands.

“Y-yeah. Yes,” she said between shallow gasps, her voice shaky.

“Shit— okay." he said softly, laying one hand on her shoulder and the other gently over her arm. He could feel the tension in her, her body rocking slightly, trying to self-soothe "Um… just breathe, yeah? Deep breaths. You’re alright.”

He inhaled slowly through pursed lips, then exhaled, long and even. She didn’t follow right away – but after a few repetitions, she joined in.

It was quiet. Just the water, and their breaths.

Both of their shirts were damp now. After half a minute, her breathing settled. She leaned into him slightly, enough that he adjusted his stance to support her better.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her chin tucked low.

“It’s alright. I can’t cook either.”

She laughed weakly, feigning shock.

“You were lying earlier?”

“I know. I sold it well.”

After a few minutes, Y/N leaned in to check the oven, "Tanner?"

“Yes?”

“Where’s my cake?”

“Uhm…” He turned, holding something that used to be a cake. Now, it looked like a patchwork disaster held together by icing and sheer optimism.

Her jaw dropped. “You RUINED my perfectly good cake?!”

She stood frozen in place while he pulled her into a hug, laughing as she fake-sobbed into his chest.

“My cake is still intact,” he said, motioning to his monstrosity.

“If you can even call that a cake,” she grumbled, sniffling dramatically.

She lightly smacked his chest. “I can’t believe you.”

There was a pause. The chat seemed to disappear, the clatter of baking tools stilled and all noise fading until it was just the two of them – surrounded by flour dust and the warmth of the kitchen light.

Tanner’s eyes found hers, soft and steady, his voice low and soft enough that the stream wouldn’t catch it.

“I would very much like to kiss you right now.”

Y/n tilted her head up.

“Please.”

They held the moment, lingering just a little longer. Not quite yet – not while the cameras were still rolling.

Tanner smiled, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face.

“We’ve got all night once this stream ends.”

Y/n’s smile was quiet but full of promise.