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alittleprincehwa · 4 years ago

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since childhood ──── ₊˚.𓂸 park seonghwa

pairing ─ ₊˚.𓂸 park seonghwa x gender neutral reader

genre ─ ₊˚.𓂸 angst, fluff

synopsis ─ ₊˚.𓂸 you never believed the saying " never fall for your best friend. " until now.

tags ─ ₊˚.𓂸 childhood best friend seonghwa |

words ─ ₊˚.𓂸 5k+

alexa play ─ ₊˚.𓂸 click here

You walk along the empty neighborhood. The same place you grew up in. Only the reminiscence of your youth remains intact. The lights were the only thing keeping it from complete darkness. Your feet kicked the small rocks and pebbles along your way. It was already midnight, but the caffeine you consumed early morning made you restless.

The wind rushing through you gave you shivers down your spine. Your different layers of clothing kept you from the cold of early winter. When you pass a rather familiar house, you let out a shaky breath that condensates through the chilly air. Despite your heavy clothing, you could still feel the cool winter. You recently arrived back at your hometown due to your school's yearly winter break. You couldn't pass up the opportunity.

You continued strolling through the quiet road. You often remember the pieces of childhood memory to your highschool years. You had many childhood friends since your mom was quite a social butterfly, so she insisted that you had to be friends with the neighbors.

You yourself were completely distinct from your mother. You were a shy child. You couldn't make much friends. Your worries got the best of you, making you distance yourself even further. Well that was until you met him. Park Seonghwa. Two houses away from yours. You first met him when you were playing on the community playground. There weren't much kids so it was perfect for you.

You saw a certain toy that appealed to you. You were too fascinated by the toy to see that another kid also had a plan to play with it. You ran and pick up the plaything. But before you could, another hand reached for it. You look to where the hand was from and saw a boy staring at it with sparkling eyes. He was too engulfed with the thought of the piece of plastic to play with to notice you. You could clearly remember what he wore. A plain white shirt accompanied with a pair of black pants. He had a bucket hat that fit his head perfectly.

When he did, he let out a sound that somehow embodied a growl. You were also a competitive child. You wanted to play with it, and you were definitely not letting a boy just take it. Your other hand reach out and pull the toy to your direction. The boy that was slightly taller than you, grabbed it aswell. It quickly escalated, you were both pulling for the thing and the idea of picking another one didn't seem to come to your mind.

After minutes of grunting and struggling, the other kid managed to get the toy out of your hands. What he didn't know was that he hit you on the head when he attempted to take the toy you desperately wanted. For a moment he was celebrating in victory. But paused when he heard a sniffle. You did what any child would do if they get hit, cry. Your cries going louder and louder as you felt the pain.

The boy stopped his victorious moment and looked at you. He himself didn't know what to do. He dropped the toy and scrambled to you. He teared up at seeing such a cute girl cry. He started to regret what he did. Soon his cries were mixed with yours. Both of your mother's heard the sobs of their children and rushed to help you. Your mother picked you up from the ground and checked your head. It turned out it wasn't that bad, you only needed to wear a patch on your forehead.

The other boy was even more sad than you. He felt bad for hitting you. He wanted to apologize but didn't know you. So instead, he asked his mom. He waddles to her side and nudges her leg. He begged his mom to take him to your place. His mom gave in and helped his crying son.

As your mom answered the door, you peak from the other room. You saw the same lad that whacked you awhile back. After a few exchange of words between the adults, your heard your mom call out to you. " Y/n-ah! The boy earlier came here to apologize! " She said. You pout as you walked like a penguin to the front door. You kept looking at the floor, too scared to look at him.

Your mom gestured you to wave at the fellow infront of you. You finally look up and wave at him. Your face brightened up when you saw him carrying a tub of ice cream and a poorly written apology card. You and your mom invited them in. You both settled in the living room couch. Eating the ice cream as he apologizes. " I'm sorry... I'm seonghwa by the way. Wanna be friends? " He reached out his hand as he flashed a smile You accepted the apology and shook his hand while a movie played in the back. And in that moment, you both clicked and became inseparable.

Highschool rolled around and you two were still glued together. Being caught doing the most stupid of things together. Eventually you started feeling weird around him. It was the little things he did that made him so attractive. The things you two would do together. He would walk you home everyday, not missing a single day. You two would get smoothies in a nearby convenience store, playing with the different flavors. The small things such as loosening the first few buttons of his school uniform. How he looked as he runs his hand through his hair.

You kept these weird feelings to yourself. You soon regret hiding them when he started dating. It was a sight to behold everytime he would sling his arm around another girl's waist or shoulder. You were lying if you said you weren't jealous. You supported him through his relationships that mostly didn't last long. You always comforted him during every breakup. He didn't know how envious you were inside.

He then also felt an unusual sensation in the pit of his stomach whenever you two would come in contact. It continued like that for a few weeks or so. The tension grew heavier in every moment you two would be in the same room. You couldn't speak without feeling hesitation. He couldn't touch you before his heart would beat faster. Anything the both of you did made the other fall in love even more.

It was the spring of your school year, school coming to an end soon. Most students joyful of taking a break. Others sad that they couldn't see their friends. You were one of the happy ones. Seonghwa was one of the only people you knew. Seonghwa mustered up all his courage and asked you out to watch a movie. You agreed to it as it reminded you of one of the first things you two did when you were little.

You blushed at the idea of being on a date with with seonghwa. You dressed yourself in the prettiest clothes you had and made sure you combed your hair well. You happily skip to the theater that wasn't too far away. To your surprise you saw seonghwa with another girl by his side. You were disappointed and upset. But were you surprised? No. You realized he invited you just so you could third wheel. A frown appears on your face the whole time.

You grew even more furious as a minute passes. You couldn't mute the sounds you could hear from beside you. Your blood boiled when you heard kissing sounds. You had to sit there for another hour and a half. You tried to endure the anger that was oozing out of you. You sat there beside the two. You focused your eyes on the big screen with glossy eyes.

The movie finally ended and you three, including his hook up of the week, and walk towards the exit. You fastened your pace, not wanting to be caught between them again. Seonghwa was too invested in the conversation he had to notice you were already ahead of the crowd. You storm out of the theater and walk down the sidewalk with a single tear escaping your eye.

Seonghwa said his goodbyes and jogged to meet up you. He was about to talk to you, but that was until he saw your face. He stopped, " Was the movie that sad? Why are you crying? " He asked. You scoffed at his question and continued pacing. He asked once more, hoping to get an answer this time. " Come on y/n tell me! " He urged you. You bit your tongue, trying not to explode on the spot.

You failed to stay quiet and finally say " I can't believe you had the audacity to invite me just to third wheel! " You ruffled your hair with your hand, massaging your scalp. " Third wheel? No you don't understand that was my fr- " You couldn't listen to his excuses anymore. You were fuming at this point. Steam almost came out your ears. " Bull shit! Do you think I'm deaf? I can actually hear you two making out beside me! " You yell.

You were glad nobody was there besides you and seonghwa. Nothing to be heard but your voice. Lustrous tears race down your skin. You couldn’t hold back anymore. You two stood inaudible rather than in tranquility. Not able to say anything due to the inking of peer pressure. With much silence, you finally spoke “ Don’t you get it? I like you seonghwa. “ You whisper. " I had to watch you everyday make out with a girl infront of me. But what did I do? I supported you. I just wanted you to be happy. ". You didn’t expect him to reply. You just wanted to get it off your chest. You felt relief, but pain was still lingering.

Just like when he was little, seonghwa was baffled. He didn’t know what to do. You turn your heel to lash out. But couldn’t when a hand caught your wrist. It was intuition that made him reach out for your hand. Speechless, the only thing he could do was look at you. Your eyes filled with hurt and betrayal. He couldn't help but withstand the guilt. " Why didn't you tell me...? " He let out with a low tone. You look down, avoiding his sharp gaze. Your driblets of tears meet the pavement under you. " What difference does it make? " You pushed him off you. You glance at him one more time before running.

He stepped back to avoid falling. You pace the opposite direction, back to your house. You wanted to scream at him, take out all your anger. But you couldn't find the courage to do so. You could only walk farther. The distance between you both widens. You didn't believe in the saying " Never fall for your best friend. " until now. You could hardly walk, too occupied in crying your heart out. Dreading everything that happened today.

For days, weeks, you hadn't spoken a single word to seonghwa. As childish as it sounds, you didn't want to see him. You endlessly cried. An indescribable feeling lingers in your heart. He didn't mean it right? You wished all your thoughts could disappear for a day. They wouldn't leave you alone, constantly reminding you of him. You thought avoiding him would bring you peace, it only ended in chaos. You couldn't get up, you barely ate, nothing gave you the motivation to continue on. Stuck in your bed, nothing but your thoughts accompanying you.

Your mother grew worried. She'd constantly check on you and ask you if you were okay. But all she got was silence. Today perhaps was different. Somehow, you grew tired of lazing on your bed and crying. You wanted to get some fresh air. You wanted to get over him. You didn't realize it was early morning. Three o'clock to be exact. You changed out of your clothes and into a pair of grey sweatpants and a black hoodie.

You quietly tiptoed your way out of the house, careful not to wake up your sleeping mother. You let out a sigh of relief once you close the front door. You take a step as you inhale the outside air you greatly missed. You place your hands in the sewn pocket of your worn hoodie. You walk down the quiet and still vicinity. You kept your eyes on the dull grey road.

You walk yourself to the playground. Since you knew the directions, it wasn't too hard. It was from when seonghwa would knock on your house and invite you to play. You halt once you finally arrive. The walk felt like forever, your thoughts distracting you. You hum a song along the way. You look up and see the familiar place. Just looking at the playground itself brings back many memories. Your dry lips form a small smile. You walk across the sandbox and near the swing set.

You silently sit on the swings, kicking the sand to push yourself. Soon enough, you started swinging slowly. You kept a slow pace. You sigh once more while you look around. Scanning your surroundings while the sound of trees swaying could be heard. Everything resembles him. Everywhere you look, you could see flashbacks. The slides, the seesaw, and the monkey bars.

You suddenly heard footsteps. You snap back to reality. Your hooded head darts to the sound. The swing you were on also halted, your hands gripping the chain harder. Upon locking eyes, your breath hitched when you saw the familiar eyes. Your lips parted, eyes glossy. ' What great timing! " You thought. It stayed like that for a minute. Neither of you believing the other was feet away. You felt terrible. The seconds of just staring at each other. But did you look away? No, you couldn't. You felt happy to see him, by part of you wished this wasn't happening.

The head of black hair, the usual clothes he wears. His tall slim figure. Semi broad shoulders- you knew too much about him.

His black orbs contrast with yours. He couldn't take his eyes off you. His eyes were glued to your figure. You were definitely not in the best state. Your puffy eyes, runny nose, red cheeks made it obvious. Your usual cheery smile was replaced by the opposite. Your staring continues for a minute. Guilt still filled seonghwa's heart, and the look on your face made it worse. It felt as though time slowed down.

He then walks towards you, his footsteps the only audible thing you could hear. The closer he got, your eyes looked elsewhere. The swing next to you move. Still, you avoided his eyes. The heavy tension was clearly present. It took a while before either of you spoke up. Each of you had too many emotions. The sound of metal creaking, mixed with the tension you both had.

" Don't you remember? " He quietly mutters. " When we were both just little kids. " He continues. You slightly smile, it felt as if it were yesterday. Oh, how you wished you could go back to that time. Where you didn't have to worry about anything. You were just happy with him.

You let out a chuckle, a dry one. You couldn't form any words. Nothing to say. Nothing came out of your mouth. Seonghwa took this as an opportunity. There have been things on his mind that he wished to bring up to you. But he couldn't just simply talk to you. Not after what he did. He was at loss, why was he so ignorant? Why didn't he pick up on the small signs you did, like tidying your self every time you see him, how your cheeks turn a shade of pink every time the two you were approximately close to one another, and how your eyes would turn dark whenever he touches another girl in front of you. It was the little things that were important. It was the little things he missed. He couldn't fathom how much he regrets it. He berated himself. What else could he do?

He turned his head to see you. He didn't expect to see a smile on your face. He could see the hurt in it. He could feel all the pain you had to endure. He couldn't take the amount of guilt he felt. He broke down. He buried his head in his slender hands. His arms rested on his lap. Tears spilled out. As he quietly sobs before you.

Your eyes widen when you look at him. You didn't expect him to be the one crying. Concern and pity took over you. Never once in your life did you see seonghwa crying. You get off the swing and walk to his side. You kneel in front of him. You extend your arms to his face. You place your petite hands against his large ones. You could feel the warmth you've been longing for the past weeks. Your thumbs graze over his knuckles. You observe how drops stained his hoodie. " I know what you did wasn't intentional... " You spoke, breaking the silence.

You push away his hands that were covering his face. His cheeks and nose were stained with his running tears. " Hey, it's alright, it's not your fault. " You push his bangs away. Then you got to see his eyes, his eyes a bit red, his plump lips parted. " Don't cry seonghwa, it's not that big of a de- " Before you could finish speaking, seonghwa engulfed you in his arms.

He lunged towards you, wrapping his arms against you as one holds your head. You were too shocked to do anything. You both felt the impact when you fell in the sandbox. You didn't know what to do with your arms. " I'm sorry y/n. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm so fucking sorry. " He cried against your covered chest. You grip the sleeves of his hoodie as you felt yourself tear up as well. Your bottled up feelings were too much. The bottle was too small. You inhale before close your eyes to feel your tears run down.

" I'm sorry. For catching feelings... " You sob. You were both crying at this point. With nobody around. Nothing to be heard but your cries. You ruffle his hair while you felt your jawline being stained with tears. Your clothing was starting to stain from the tears of the male before you. " Why am I so stupid y/n...? " His voice deep.

You lift his head. Caressing his cheek, you say " It's my fault for falling for you. ". You pull his face towards yours. Crashing your lips on his. Temptation got the best of you. Seonghwa's eyes went wide. Seonghwa didn't think twice before kissing you back. Butterflies appeared in both your stomach. This wasn't anything you two ever encountered. This didn't feel the same when he kissed other girls. Your lips moved in sync, rubbing against one another. His hands trail up and grip your waist.

From an outsider's perspective, it was just a bunch of adolescents having their first kiss. But for you and seonghwa, you didn't care. You wanted nothing but him. Him and him only.

You pull away for a breath before going back in. Each other's tongue moves against the others. The kiss was soft and passionate. It felt like your lips we're made to fit his. Coincidentally, you two open your eyes at the same time. You deeply looked into his. His look had a hold of you. Your eyes made him weak. You both pull away. Breathing heavily. You quickly hug him, hiding your face in the crook of his neck. He sits himself and you up. Careful to you. Treating you like glass.

This was the most endearing part for seonghwa. He had no choice but to tell you. He took a sigh before speaking. " Y/n-ah... ". You hum in response. You were curious about what he had to say. Anxiety slowly eating you up. Was the kiss bad? Were you a bad kisser? But what he said shocked you. Left you speechless. You hadn't expected this.

" I'm going to Seoul. " He says.

You furrow your brows in confusion. " Wh-why? Seoul? What will you do there? " You look at him, puzzled. He took your hand in his before speaking again. " I passed y/n. I made the audition. " He said. Then it hit you. The audition. The one he took a month ago. He always dreamed of being an idol. From middle school, he'd endlessly talk to you about all the idols he listened to. You had to witness him singing. You completely forgot about it. " O-oh. " You replied. He saw your expression change. You look down. Not sure how you should respond.

" Well...congrats! " You look up and beam. You put on a smile. You were happy for him. But not entirely. Just when you were ready to forgive him. It felt like a pang. You were holding in more tears. You were happy he couldn't see through you this time. " I'm gonna miss you so much. " You hug him tighter. He takes in your scent. He takes note of how your trembling. Shaking because of the cold wind. But also because you were scared. Scared of losing him. Your one and only friend. The one you've been with since childhood. You knew you had to let go of him. But it's easier said than done. Will the distance worsen your relationship with him?

He pulls back and takes off his jacket. Revealing a white shirt underneath. He puts the warm clothing over your head and arms. You gleam inside at the scent of him. He takes you in his embrace once more. Inside his arms, you felt so comfortable. With him is where you belong. The sand particles getting in your hair. You knew you couldn't do anything and decided to cherish this moment.

And so the day arrived. The day where you had to bid goodbye to seonghwa. The ride to the airport was worse than you anticipated. You two looked comfortable, but there was definitely a bit of uncertainty. Specifically, because of the unspoken kiss, you two had shared. You and seonghwa pretended as if it never happened. Your parents drove you both. The long ride making you drowsy. You had a long way to go and your eyes were getting droopy. You had no clue you were leaning on his shoulder. By the time he realizes, you were already in deep slumber.

Seonghwa glanced at you, only to notice you were quietly snoozing. He tucked away a strand of hair behind your ear. He feels blood surge to his cheeks. And his mom seemed to notice. " Seonghwa? Are you alright? You seem red. " She asks, concerned. " N-no I'm fine! " He smiles. He instantly looks away and stares out the car window.

He secretly took glances of you throughout the entire car ride. Observing your perfect features. He knew he would greatly miss you. He'd wake up starting tomorrow knowing you're nowhere near him. He couldn't just walk up to your house again. He was gonna be alone.

You jolt awake when you felt the car stop. Your eyes were still half-closed. You look to your side and see seonghwa gathering his things. He turns to you to wake you up. But you already did that yourself. He smiles when he sees your awakened self. He extends his arm and fixes your messy hair. After that, you both just look at each other. This bittersweet moment all to yourselves. He continued caressing your hair. " I'm gonna miss you y/n. " He pouts. " Not as much as I will " You laugh. He smiles, at least you laughed before he left. He pulls you to a hug. He sneaked in a kiss on the cheek while doing so.

When you two parted ways, it wasn't a happy moment. Sure you wanted him to achieve his dreams, but part of you didn't want him to go. But all you could do was smile and wave. And so your feelings continued to latch on. You often thought about him. If his life was better there, did he find friends? For the first few months, you two often talked. But as more days progressed you and seonghwa grew busier. No time for one another. You two hadn't contacted each other in months. You could catch yourself frequently thinking if he ever forgot about you.

Five long years passed. Every day you waited for a call, at least a text. It continued like that for months. You were still hoping. Hoping he'd contact you once. That hope eventually died out. You figured he was too occupied to even talk to you. You'd be lying if you said you weren't sad.

Now it's the present.

You continued walking. Breath shaky due to the temperature. Your boots made a sound that echoes through the street. Your hometown brought back many memories. Both happy and sad. You had nothing to do, so walking around seemed to be your only option. Your surroundings were dark, but it didn't scare you.

You settled down by a nearby bench. The trees swayed with one another. You took a deep breath, your hand slips through your pockets, and grip your earphones. You connect the wire to your phone, playing your recently made playlist. The shuffle landed on a song you quite loved. You hum to the beat of the song, tucking away a thread of hair the same way he did. He may have not known, but you were awake the whole time. Trying to fall asleep but couldn't.

You chuckle at the faint memory. It may be years later but you still could recall it. Despite your best attempts of forgetting it, it popped up at the most random of times. Why Park Seonghwa? When can you stop haunting me?

You sigh and thought of something else. You didn't notice a figure moving until you felt your right earphone being pulled. Your reflexes acted up and threw a punch to whoever grabbed it. You wanted to scream, but before you could you heard a groan. You looked down and saw a coated boy with dyes hair, holding his cheek from the impact. The adrenaline wears out. You panic, you just punched someone. " Oh my god, I am so- seonghwa?! " Your eyes wide the moment he turned his head to you. He faintly smiled back, still recovering from your assault.

" What are you doing here...? You raise both your brows. " Nothing much...just wondering around. " He admits. You stood up, brushing off the dust on your jacket. " Aren't you supposed to be in Seoul? " You asked with a hint of bitterness. You roll your eyes. Seonghwa too stood up. You wanted to walk away but he ended up walking with you. " What's wrong with visiting my hometown? " He shrugged. How could he just talk to you casually after years? " It's been five years seonghwa. " You stop in your tracks and look at him. His expression quickly shifted from joyful to shameful.

" You can't just waltz back to my life and pretend that you didn't talk to me for five whole years! " You spoke. " L-look I- " You interrupted him. " And I'm not done! Yes, I get that your busy but you couldn't at least text me once? Can you imagine what I felt? I stared at my phone endlessly waiting for a text from you! " You pause, taking a deep breath. " It's late. You should get going. " You mumble. " No, listen to me. " His fingers clutch your wrist. You had no option but to listen to him. So you stood there, both ears open.

" I was also waiting. At one point I thought you got over me. I thought you found someone else... " He explains. You took a few seconds to process it. " Tch. " You grinned. Then unexpectedly you pulled the tall male into a hug. " You know I would never forget about you right? " He mumbles against his chest. He smirks just before snuggling you back. " God I missed you so much " He places a kiss on the top of your head. You felt yourself blush. When did he become so flirty? What did Seoul do to him?

" I missed you too... " You shyly say. You only hug him tighter, finding consolation in his warmth. All of a sudden you felt one of his fingers lift your chin up. You felt the world around you stop as he leaned in slowly. You didn't get a chance to pull back. But the thing is, you didn't want to. You stood still, waiting for when your lips would meet his. You both close your eyes when you felt each other's lips. He backed you up. Eventually, your back met the wall. You were trapped in between him and the wall behind you. This felt like what happened years ago. Your breathing steady as the kiss progressed. Over the years he too developed feelings for you. And your feelings for him never went away. The entire time you two shared the kiss, he was sweet and gentle with you. " You don't know how much I missed you " He seductively said before pulling you into another kiss.

You felt his tongue lick your bottom lip, conceivably asking for permission. You did as so and gave him entrance. It hastily escalated from a sincere kiss to a makeout session. You pull back, somewhat worried. " Seonghwa we can't do this here! We'll get caught! " You whisper-yelled. He wipes off the smudged lip balm with his thumb. He grins before stepping back. He laces his fingers with yours. He pulls you by his side, sauntering with him towards the path of your house. Your small figure beside his was an adorable contrast.

" Does this mean we're official...? " You ask, slightly embarrassed. You both continued walking. " Of course, love. " He leans down to peck you on the lips, " I've loved you since childhood. ".

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punkrockmads · 4 years ago

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Dandelions And Broken Glass

So, this isn't an Abby x Reader fic... this is a story tailored specifically to my personality and it's very important to me. I've been hesitant to post it but, yeah. Here it is!

Light. Flickers of white light fill the darkness. I think of them as tiny fairies flitting about, inviting me back into the cruel reality of life. The warm welcome becomes one of agony when I feel a searing pain in my right side. Slowly, my eyes open. A woman leans over me, moving a flashlight left to right, trying to see if my eyes will dilate. If I'm still alive.

The woman looks down at me with a soft smile, turning off the flashlight with a click and setting it down. Her skin is pale and wrinkled with age, her brown hair slowly graying. She has on a white lab coat. Doctor? Am I in a hospital? No, hospitals don't exist anymore. Not after the outbreak started years ago.

"Glad to see you awake." Her voice is soft; friendly. I'm not used to being near friendly people. "Do you remember what happened?" I shake my head. I have no fucking clue. "A couple of our people found you passed out and bleeding in an abandoned building. Looked like you took quite a fall. Straight onto a bunch of broken glass." I start to piece things together in my head.

I was looking through an abandoned building for supplies when a group of infected jumped me. I tried to run and one ran at me from behind, shoving me forward off of the landing and straight down to the first floor. I remember the sound of glass crunching underneath me and tearing through my clothes and skin. The infected were still coming so I flipped myself over, shooting as my vision went blurry and blood poured from the gaping wound above my right hipbone. When I had shot the last runner, I felt my body go limp and I blacked out.

"You're lucky a couple of our scavenging team members heard your gunshots. You had only been out for a few minutes when they got to you." The woman's voice pulled me back to the present. "I patched you up the best I could. You'll need to rest for a few days. But you'll be back on your feet in no time."

"Where..." I try to speak but my voice is hoarse and my throat is dry. I swallow and try to clear my throat before speaking, my voice rough but clearer. "Where am I?" I go to sit up but the pain in my side forced me back down onto the bed.

"Catalina Island. Welcome to the Fireflies." I furrow my brows. I had heard the Fireflies were regrouping but I never bought into the rumor. I've been alone for about a year now. I used to travel with my older brother before... before he was gone. We had been in groups before but it always ended with the two of us traveling alone. We were a great team. "Can I ask you your name?" The woman continues to give me a warm smile, attempting to make me feel welcomed but I still feel anxious and out of place.

"Madison." I say, bringing my aching arm up to my face to wipe sweat off of my forehead.

"Well, Madison. I'll let you get some rest. For now, just stay in bed and try to be cautious of your stitches." And with that, the woman leaves my line of sight and I hear a door open and close gently.

'Yeah, fuck that.' I think, trying to sit up again. The pain in my side is almost unbearable but I manage to drag my body up and lean against the cream colored wall behind me. I look around, scanning the room I now realize is a bedroom. Most of the bedrooms are overgrown and destroyed; taken back by nature. But this one is clean and comfortable.

There's a small, dark wooden dresser with a mirror in the corner to my right. It's missing a knob on one of the drawers and the edges of the mirror have gathered a bit of dust but, other than that, it looks untouched. A closet with two white double doors is built into the wall to my left. There's a desk with a chair and a little bookshelf next to it in front of me. The wood is light and slightly faded. A few books are placed on the shelf, the spines worn and tattered. The white bedroom door is open, giving me a view of a hallway and an entryway into what looks like a kitchen. The bed rests in the middle of the room but if it was moved just a bit to the left, I'd be able to see more.

What catches my attention is the window on the right wall. The sun shines through the paper thin, pale pink curtains. The warm white sheets under the navy blue comforter brush against my bare legs as I shift to get out of the bed and that's when I realize I'm only wearing a large grey t shirt, my black underwear and my lilac colored sports bra. I look around, trying to find where the hell my clothes are but I can't spot the jeans or burgundy tank top anywhere.

I panic more when I can't find my backpack, gun or switchblade and realize I'm in an unknown place completely unarmed. I go to search for my things but fall back onto the bed as soon as I try to sit up. I lean myself back against the wall and pull the comforter over my legs, feeling a bit cold. I grit my teeth at the pain in my side and lift the shirt to see a large white bandage with spots of blood seeping through. 'I'm completely fucked. These people could kill me at any minute.' I tell myself. I pull the shirt back down and lean back against the wall, groaning a bit. 'Fuck, brother. What have I gotten myself into?' I feel myself start to panic, heart beginning to pound, breaths becoming quick and shallow.

I'm trying to calm myself down, staring at the covered window when I hear a door open. I turn my head to the door, holding my breath. A young boy walks into the room quietly. He's got short black hair and scars on his face... From the corners of his mouth to his temples... Seraphite. He's carrying a medicine bottle and some water. He sees me looking at him and smiles, nodding at me as a greeting before turning to look back the way he came.

"Abby, she's awake!" 'Abby?' I think. 'Is that the doctor from before?' I hear a woman's voice respond with 'I know.' Boy, was I wrong. A woman walks in behind him, closing the door she had come through. I get one look at her and I feel like my stomach is doing backflips. 'Holy shit, she's beautiful.' Her long, golden hair is pulled back into a braid. Her skin is pale and dotted with freckles. She has more muscle than I could ever dream of gaining. And those eyes... I look away before she can catch me staring.

"Hey," Her voice is smooth and sweet like honey. It makes me look back to her instantly. She's smiling at me. Warm and welcoming. Her smile is pretty. I feel my face heat up a bit but I don't look away from her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got stabbed by a lot of glass and woke up with a stranger staring at me." I say with a joking smile. My throat is still a bit scratchy but my voice is back, for the most part. She laughs lightly, arms crossed over her chest. Her laugh sounds like sweet music. Abby and the boy walk into the bedroom, Abby sitting down on the bed beside my right leg, careful not to move me and risk hurting me more. The boy grabs the chair from the desk and pulls it over to sit in front of her. I tense a bit at his presence. I don't have the best history with Seraphites. Abby seems to notice my concern and starts talking to draw my attention back to her.

"I'm Abby and this is Lev." She gestures toward Lev who hands me a bottle of water and sets the pills on the dresser. I nod, giving him a silent thank you.

"I'm Madison." I say, running my index finger along the edge of the plastic bottle cap.

"Cute name." Abby compliments and I feel my face heat up again. The way her light red tank top and blue jeans hugs her strong figure makes it hard for me to not stare but I have to focus on my safety first. "Do people call you Maddy?" I look at her face again, her brown eyes looking straight into my pale blue pair.

"I suppose." I laugh a bit, remembering the nickname from when I was a kid. I take a small sip of the water Lev had given me, immediately grateful for the way it soothed my aching throat.

"Cool." Abby's lips are a soft tinge of pink. I scold myself for admiring her when I should be figuring out what my next move is.

Lev speaks up from beside me. "Why were you alone out there? Do you have any people?" I see Abby give him a stern look, silently scolding him for asking a question like that when I had just woken up. I don't say anything, not because of the question but because I'm in the same room as a Seraphite and he isn't trying to kill me. "I'm sorry." Lev says after a moment of silence. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

"Oh, no. It's okay, honestly." I say quickly, giving him an assuring smile. "I just... I've never met a Seraphite who hasn't tried to kill me immediately." At that, Lev reaches to touch the scar on his left cheek and for a moment I think I've offended him but he just chuckles.

"I can see why you'd think that but I'm not a Seraphite. Not anymore, at least. Most of the Seraphites are gone." He explains. I relax a bit.

"Thank God for that." I sigh. "I seriously don't need to run into that group ever again."

"That goes for all of us." Abby cuts in, kicking Lev in the ankle lightly. I can see their brother- sister dynamic and it makes me even more sure that Lev is okay. If Abby trusts him, so can I. Abby looks me up and down before meeting my eyes again. I see something flash in her eyes for a split second before it disappears. "You should try to eat something. You've been out for a few days." My eyes widen at that.

"Days?! I thought it had only been a few hours!"

"Time tends to go by quickly when you're passed out." Abby laughs and my stomach fills with butterflies again at the sound. "Hey, Lev?" She turns to the boy. "You okay going down to the cafeteria and grabbing Maddy something?"

"Sure!" Lev grins, standing up and leaving the room. When the door he leaves through closes, Abby looks back to me.

"How are those stitches treating you?" I look to my side, lightly brushing my hand over it through the shirt.

"Could be worse." I shrug. It's better than being infected.

"Mind if I see?" Her question catches me off guard a bit but I don't have anything against it.

"Sure." I say. I lift the right side of the shirt up just to the end of my sports bra, revealing the bandages to Abby. I suddenly feel a bit exposed and what makes it worse is I'm exposed to this drop dead gorgeous girl who is focused on me. I jump slightly in shock when she delicately runs her fingers over the bandages.

"Sorry!" She says, pulling her hand back as though she's touched a hot flame. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay. You didn't hurt me." I tell her.

"Okay. I just forget my own strength sometimes." She laughs, blushing a little. She's cute when she's shy. "Makes me regret all the muscle."

"I think you look great." I say with a small burst of confidence. "And that muscle has probably saved your life more than a dozen times so that makes it even better." She laughs louder this time, her embarrassment fading away.

"Well, not to brag but they do come in handy. Y'know, saving lives and all." She moves to flex her arms before moving her focus back to the bandages, pressing on them lightly. I feel my heart rate speed up at the way her muscles tense. Her tough build perfectly compliments her kind personality and soft eyes. 'Oh, Brother. What am I gonna do about this girl?' "So. What Lev asked... how long have you been alone?" I swallow, not sure if I was ready to tell her about everything. I just met her.

"It's been me and my older brother for as long as I can remember. We were a team. Always looking out for each other." I say, the faint image of him being burned alive singed into my mind. "But he's been gone for a year or so now. I've been alone ever since." I choke back tears, refusing to cry.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds like you guys were pretty close." She smiles at me with sympathy, pulling my shirt back down and reaching for my right hand. I let her grab it, feeling her squeeze it gently but firmly. Her hands are warm and soft.

"We were." I let out a breath. "He's gone now, though. So it doesn't matter." When it comes to the memory of my brother, I prefer to shut it out and forget about it. It doesn't stop the nightmares, though. The flames. The yelling that haunts my dreams. The smell of burning flesh.

"I lost my dad when I was fourteen." Abby says and I feel a pang of hurt for her. The fact that she had gone through something like that made me want to protect her from ever feeling that pain again. I have to keep myself from reaching over and hugging her, afraid to overstep my boundaries.

"It took a lot but I managed to get through it." Her tone is calm and almost relieved.

"What a fucked up world we live in, Abby." I say, giving her hand a small squeeze.

"Damn right, Maddy." How could someone be this wonderful? She jumps a little when the door opens and slams shut but doesn't let go of my hand until Lev comes into the bedroom with a small tin can and a plastic spoon. "Thanks, Lev." She says, taking the can and spoon from him. I feel my heart sink a little when her warm hand lets go of mine.

"Mhm," Lev nods, sitting himself cross-legged on the chair. "I thought that might be easier for you to eat." He says to me. I smile at his thoughtfulness.

"Thank you, Lev." I say and I see his smile grow wider. Abby hands me the can and I read the worn label. 'Fruit Cocktail'. I pull on the tab but I don't have enough strength to open the can and my hands are a little shaky. This frustrates me because it shows that my injury did more damage than I thought. "Dammit." I groan.

"Hey, take it easy." Abby says in a soft tone, reaching for the can. I let her take it back. "You got pretty fucked up back there. I'm surprised you were able to sit up on your own." She says with a playful tone, opening the can, grabbing the spoon and sticking it into the container of fruit.

"Alright." I roll my eyes, trying unsuccessfully to hide my grin. "What, are you gonna try to feed me now, too?" Abby chuckles, shifting to sit cross-legged in front of me. I can see Lev shaking his head at us with a smile, playing with the buttons on his coat.

"Try?" Abby snorts playfully. "Use that tone and I'll do more than try."

"Whatever you say." I giggle and I see that flash of emotion in her eyes again. What was it? Why does it feel like I've known her forever? She hands me the can again and I slowly start eating. "So who do I have to thank for saving my life?"

Abby rubs the back of her neck as she looks at me, her grin turning sheepish. A sign of nervousness.

"Us, I guess." Lev answers. "We were the ones who found you."

"Is that why you guys came to check on me? Have you been doing that since I got here?"

"Yeah. Abby carried you back to our truck and got you to the infirmary. She stayed with you while you got patched up but I wasn't allowed in the room so she let me set up the apartment for you." As Lev explains, the urge to hug the two of them, especially Abby, grows stronger. But I don't want to make them uncomfortable.

"Well, thank you." I say to him before looking at Abby. Her shy gaze meets mine and her face heats up a bit. "Thank you both."

It's quiet for a minute as my eyes stay focused on Abby's. She coughs a bit before standing up, patting my knee. "Okay, you need to eat and rest so I won't have to open more cans for you. Those pain meds work great but they'll make you exhausted. I'll come check on you in a bit." I nod, watching as she stretches a bit. "C'mon, Lev." Lev stands up, putting the chair back before following Abby to the door. "See you soon." She smiles at me, nudging Lev toward the front door. I wave at the two of them, already missing their presence.

"You like her, don't you?" I hear Lev ask and my heartbeat speeds up.

"I- ye- okay, go! You're on dish duty tonight!" Their voices fade as they walk away. I want to laugh at Abby's reaction but it fills me with too much joy for me to comprehend. 'She might feel the same!'

Abby was right, those pain meds do make you exhausted, because I fall asleep and by the time I wake up, Abby is back. She's beside me again, brushing a bit of stray hair out of my face with her fingers. She smiles softly at me when she sees me blink away the sleepiness in my eyes.

"Hi." I manage to mumble, taking in the sight of this stunning person in front of me.

"Hi." She responds, quietly. "Did you sleep okay?" I nod, attempting to sit up. Abby notices my struggle and moves to place her hand on my back, gently guiding me forward as though she's afraid she'll break me if she isn't careful. "I brought you some new clothes." She says. "Figured you'd wanna get cleaned up."

"Definitely." I respond with a sigh. "I probably smell like garbage." Abby laughs.

"Nah." She says. "More like blood, sweat and dirt." She teases.

"Oh, wow. Very precise." I joke, laughing with her.

"Well, lucky for you, we have running water." She nudges my right shoulder lightly. Why is she so kind to me? Suddenly, I realize I'm missing something.

"My backpack?" I question, my eyebrows raised in slight worry.

"Oh, right!" Abby stands, leaving the room for a moment and returning with my brown leather backpack. I reach out, silently asking her to hand it to me and she does, sitting back down in her spot. I frantically dig through the bag, seeing my knife, gun and small journal before pulling out a silver chain with a pendant attached. I grip it tightly, letting out a breath of relief as I hold it to my heart. "What is it?" Abby asks, curiously. I show her the pendant.

"It was my brother's." I say, smiling at the small, silver Firefly pendant.

"Your brother was a Firefly?" She asks. I shake my head.

"No. Our father was in Salt Lake before he and my mother decided to leave the group. He and my mom died when I was only a few weeks old. My brother was five. He used to wear it. Hell, he never took the thing off. Said he was gonna join the Fireflies again someday." My smile falters a bit, remembering his shaky hand pressing the pendant into my palm. That was the last time I saw him smile.

"My dad and I were Fireflies." Abby says, knowingly drawing me out of my thoughts. "He was a doctor at St. Mary's." So, our parents probably knew each other.

"Well, I guess you're a Firefly again." I say with a small tinge of happiness.

"Yeah." She chuckles. "And, if you want... you can stay and be a Firefly, too?" It's more of a question than a statement.

I think it over, running my finger along the metal firefly. "I'd like that." I say, nodding at her. I see her eyes brighten and her smile grow a bit, causing mine to grow, too.

"I'm glad." She says, simply. I can tell she's holding back some of her joy but the way she lights up doesn't go unnoticed by me. "C'mon. Let's get you cleaned up." I turn to swing my legs off the bed, letting my feet touch the cold, wooden floor. Abby moves to stand in front of me, bending down a bit to grab my hands. I let her pull me up, my legs shaking a bit. I bite my tongue, trying not to cry out in pain. 'Fuck, my side is killing me!'

"Are you okay?" Abby asks, clearly sensing my discomfort. I grab her forearms, feeling her muscles tense as she helps me stand up straight as carefully as she can. She's a few inches taller than me so I have to look up a bit to meet her eyes. They're filled with worry. The freckles on her face look like little stars. "You want me to carry you?"

"It's okay." I breathe. "I've got this." As much as I want to be held in her strong arms, I have to do everything I can to get my strength back. I begin walking towards the bedroom door, letting Abby move to place her left hand on my lower back for support. I cling to her right arm as she slowly guides me out of the bedroom and into the hallway. I look around, noticing the red front door, the little kitchen with the white, slightly chipped cupboards, the marble counters and oak stools, the living room with the grey couch and matching armchair, the glass coffee table sitting on a small, pale green rug and the medium sized television resting on a black stand. The whole place looks like something out of a catalog I had found while my brother and I were holed up in a store once.

"This way." Abby says quietly, walking me to a white door to the left, just before the front door. She moves her left hand from my back to turn the silver handle and push the door open before quickly placing it back. The bathroom's cold, tile floor makes me shiver slightly as I tread forward carefully. I sit down on the lid of the toilet, only managing with Abby's help, and let out a small groan. I instantly notice how close her face is to mine, cheeks almost touching as she makes sure I'm situated.

She handles me as if I'm a fragile porcelain doll. I feel her hot breath on my face as she lets go and stands up straight. I barely understand her as she asks if I need help getting undressed, too caught up in my thoughts. I just look up and shake my head and she nods, a stunning smile on her face as she turns away to start the shower, giving me as much privacy as she can. I peel the shirt off my body, goosebumps forming on my exposed skin. The sight of Abby crouched by the bathtub, steam traveling around her and the light on the ceiling acting as a spotlight distracts me from the stabbing feeling above my right hip. She looks angelic. I wish I could take a picture of her in this moment. I manage to strip myself of my last bit of clothing, leaving me fully exposed and a bit anxious. I instinctively cross my hands over my breasts. I've never been very confident in my appearance and being in front of a beautiful girl that I've only met today is not the most comfortable feeling in the world. My ash blonde hair, pale skin, icy blue eyes and barely toned build are nothing compared to Abby's perfectly sculpted figure. She looks like a goddess. It makes me almost hate my body even more, riddled with a hint of jealousy.

"Okay," She sighs, standing up and turning around to look at me. I instantly feel her eyes on me but they aren't glaring at my body. She looks at my face. Only at my face. She never makes a move to look at my body, keeping her gaze only on my flushed cheeks, giving a small smile that immediately brings me comfort. I notice her cheeks slowly growing red as I remember what Lev had asked her. 'Does she feel the same?' Abby takes my hand, keeping her focus on my eyes, pulling me to my feet. I stumble forward a bit, letting out an involuntary whimper. Abby puts an arm out in front of me, the other wrapping around my shoulders as she helps me regain my balance.

"I've got you." She says in a voice that makes me melt. I notice a bit of panic in her eyes and I nod, letting her know I'm okay. She makes sure I'm able to lean against the wall and steps out to grab the clothes she had brought. The warm water soothes my aching muscles. As I wash all of the dirt and filth, I try to imagine what my brother would say about the way I stare at Abby. He would've teased me about her. He would've told me to make the first move, knowing I never could. I don't even know if Abby likes me. The way she looks at me can't be just friendly, can it?

A few minutes later, Abby comes back in, setting the change of clothes on the bathroom counter. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm good." I respond. I lean down to shut the water off but the stitches only let me get so far. Eventually I give up, annoyed at how incapable I am. "Shit. Abby, can you turn the shower off please?"

Abby chuckles at my frustration. "Hang on." I watch her hand peek through the blue shower curtain and turn the shower off before it disappears again. She slowly opens the curtain, handing me a soft, purple bath towel. I wrap it around me before I can get goosebumps. I put on a clean outfit; pastel purple underwear, a light gray and black sports bra, a black tee shirt and, with some help from Abby, I manage to wiggle into a pair of dark red sweatpants. She helps me go out into the living room, sitting beside me on the surprisingly comfy couch."I figured pyjamas were the more comfortable option. There are some day clothes hanging in your closet for when you're ready to get out of your little apartment. Oh, and I've gotta say, your black combat boots are seriously awesome." I smile at her, drying my hair with the towel.

"Thanks." I smile, grateful for everything Abby has done for me. "And they're pretty damn nice."

"Ever crushed an infected's skull with them?" She asks with a playful grin.

"Actually, a few times." I start. "One time, a runner's eyeballs squeezed out of it's skull!"

"Oh, gross!" Abby snorts, kicking off her worn gray sneakers and sitting cross legged, body turned towards me.

"Yeah." I say, faking a frown. "Poor dude will never model again." We both laugh. I look to the far wall, out the big bay window that had one long, green curtain pulled to the side and held with twine. The sun is setting, painting the sky in orange and yellow hues. The ocean rests below, blending with the scenery.

"Nice view, huh?" Abby's voice draws my attention back to her. I notice her eyes look me up and down quickly as she bites her lip. 'Did I just see that right?'

"It is." My voice is soft. I feel completely calm, sitting here beside Abby. I could sit here with her forever. Forget about the horrors that lie outside.

"Can I change your bandage?" She's hesitant with her question, knowing it's going to hurt me. I give her a nod, letting her know I fully trust her. She picks up on my silent message. "Okay. Let me grab a few things." Abby turns on the living room light and disappears into the bathroom for a minute before coming back out with a med kit. "Lie back." Her voice is commanding but gentle. I do as she says, shifting to lay on the couch. She kneels beside me on the floor, putting the med kit on the coffee table behind her. I fidget with my fingers as she lifts my shirt up, not quite sure what to do. She's so careful, slowly removing the bandages and gauze, revealing the wound that brought me to her in the first place. The stitches look almost perfect but there will still be evidence of it when it heals.

"That's gonna leave a nasty scar." I mumble, noticing her pouring hydrogen peroxide onto a white cloth.

"It's gonna look super cool, though. Makes you look like a total badass." She smiles at me for a second before looking at the cloth in her hands, then at my wound. "So... this is gonna suck." Her smile turns into one of pity.

"Yeah, but it's gotta get done." I mumble. She nods, pausing for a moment. As soon as she presses the cloth to my side, my back arches off the couch and I hiss in pain, clenching my eyes shut.

I feel Abby grab my hand and I squeeze hers tightly, choking back a small scream. "Hey, look at me, Maddy." I look at her face. She's calm but clearly not enjoying the pain she's inflicting. She keeps her cool, looking at me with those big, hazel eyes. Her gaze instantly brings me comfort. "Just focus on me, okay?" I nod, keeping my eyes on her. "Just listen to my voice. I'll be done soon, I promise. But I need you to stay still." When she touches the cloth to my skin once more, I tense, willing myself to stay put for her. She lets me squeeze her hand as hard as I need, probably not even bothered by it.

It's quiet for a few seconds before Abby speaks again. "I'm scared of heights." She says, simply. "Lev and I had to walk on these super high, narrow bridges once. I'm talking skyscraper high! I thought I was gonna die right on that bridge. I felt dizzy, couldn't breathe properly. But Lev, he just kept walking like he was on solid ground. He kept trying to get me to find my true strength or something like that." She laughs a little. I watch the way her lips curve into a small smile and, for a moment, I think about what it'd be like to kiss them. "Well, shit went to hell when my vision started getting blurry and I slipped. I was just dangling there and I swear I felt my heart drop into my stomach. Lev tried to pull me up but we both fell and smashed into this glass skylight. We landed in a pool that was underneath us, thank fuck. So, we both swim out of the pool and I'm just laying there gasping for air and Lev stands up beside me and he's immediately ready to keep moving. As if we didn't just almost fall to our deaths." I smile at her story, picturing Lev babying her. I don't even notice her set the cloth down and reach for gauze and bandages until she let go of my hand.

"I'm scared of the ocean." I laugh at my own stupid fear. Abby lets out a small chuckle.

"So is Lev." She grins. "Why are you scared of it?"

"I can't swim." I smile at her look of disbelief.

"You seriously can't swim?" She raises a brow, briefly pausing to look at me.

"Yep." I confirm, slightly embarrassed.

"How the hell do you not know how to swim?"

"I never got a chance to learn." I shrug. She goes back to applying the thick cloth bandages.

"Well, I guess we'll have to teach you how to swim." She stands up, carrying the med kit back to the bathroom and I move to sit up on the couch, slouching against the arm of the surprisingly comfortable furniture. I can't help but stare when she goes into the kitchen. She opens the refrigerator and goes to pull out a couple water bottles, giving me a perfect view of her backside. I bite my lip and look away. Silently scolding myself for staring. "Wanna watch a movie?" She asks, leaning in the entryway of the kitchen that's connected to the living room.

"Sure." I say. "But what about Lev?" Abby sets down the water bottles and a bottle of pain killers on the coffee table before she goes over to the TV stand, crouching down to open a small cupboard and pulling out a few DVD cases.

"He's staying the night at a friend's house." She says, looking through the DVDs. "I use the word friend lightly because I'm pretty sure Lev has a crush on him but he won't admit it." She gossips.

"Is Lev gay?" I ask, not meaning to sound rude.

"Yeah. He's also transgender." She explains. "Why? Is that an issue?" Her tone becomes defensive and she glares at me over her shoulder.

"Why would it be?" Her gaze softens at my words. "Hell, I'm not straight either." At that, she lights up just slightly but enough for me to notice. "Men are okay. Prefer women, though." I explain, simply.

"I'm with you on that." And at that, I light up. Abby smiles at me, turning on the TV and putting a DVD into the player. She grabs the remote, going to turn off the light before sitting back down on the couch. As she starts the movie, I contemplate moving to sit closer to her but I decide against it. I picture what it would be like to have her lips pressed against mine, her hands tangled in my hair, my arms wrapped around her neck, her body so close to mine.

"Here." Abby says and I jump a bit. She just smiles and I know she noticed but she doesn't point it out. Instead, she hands me two painkillers and a water. I thank her, taking them and turning my attention to the movie, letting myself get completely sucked into the story of this random popular schoolgirl character. Thoughts of Abby loom in the back of my mind.

Halfway through the movie, I fall asleep. When I wake up again, Abby is gone and I'm in my bed, wrapped up in the warm blankets, the daylight shining through the window. 'This bitch carried me to bed!'

It's been many months since I've joined the Fireflies. I adjusted rather quickly and fit in well with the others. The sparks between Abby and I are only growing stronger and our feelings for each other are obvious to everyone. Everyone including Lev who has become like a younger brother to me.

"Seriously!" Lev sits at the kitchen counter, working on a drawing of a horse while I do dishes. "You need to tell her! She already knows! Everyone does!" He gestures towards the front door for emphasis. I laugh at him, placing another dish into the drying rack.

"I can't just go up to her and say 'Hey, Abby. I love you and I really, really want you to be mine so we can be a family and grow old together.'. It's not that easy!" Lev sighs, grinning at me.

"Yeah, it is that easy."

"Oh really?" I turn to him, raising my brow in a pointed look. "Then how come you haven't told that boy you like him?" His face turns beat red and he looks back to his drawing, practicing his shading skills. "That's what I thought." I chuckle at his silence. I look out the living room window behind me to see the sun slowly going down. The sky will be painted with vibrant orange soon. "Actually, she should be back by now." My heart sinks a little at the thought of something happening to Abby while she's out on a run.

"She'll be back soon." Lev reassures. I just bite my lip, hoping everything is okay.

I really start to worry when the sun is almost gone and Abby still isn't back. I fidget with my fingers while I sit on the couch beside Lev, trying to distract myself with whatever movie Lev put on. My panic doesn't go unnoticed by Lev.

He puts his hand on my shoulder. "She's tough, Maddy." He reasons. "She's gonna be back soon and you're both gonna look at each other with that same lovestruck face you guys always do." I roll my eyes at his last comment. He isn't wrong, though. About half an hour later, there's a knock on the door.

"Maddy? It's me!" I let out a breath of relief at the sound of Abby's voice, jumping up to greet her. She opens the door, barely having enough time to close it behind her before I run over and wrap my arms around her neck, pulling her into a tight hug. She stumbles back a bit before wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me close. "Hey." She chuckles. I bury my face in her neck, the material of her light jacket brushing against my right cheek.

"How was the run?" I ask. I want to be angry at her for being late and making me worry but all I can feel is relief that she's here and okay.

"Good." She says, shuffling her backpack off her shoulders when I pull away to examine her for any wounds. Thankfully, I find none. "Sorry I'm late. The damn truck kept stalling and Aaron dropped a crate of supplies at the gate."

"That guy's such a ditz." I laugh. Abby shakes her head, laughing with me as I take her hand and pull her into the living room. "I'm glad I'm going with you next time. I'm always worried he's gonna get you killed."

"Hey, Abby." Lev turns away from the movie to smile at her. He looks at me with a smirk. "I told you she was okay." I roll my eyes at him.

"Hey, goober." Abby grins at him, walking over to ruffle his hair, not letting go of my hand. "Good day?" I release Abby's hand, shaking her shoulder lightly and going into the kitchen to pick up Lev's drawing stuff. Normally, I'd make him clean up after himself but I decide to leave him be.

"Yeah!" Lev's voice is cheerful as he answers Abby. "We had spaghetti for dinner and Maddy let me help her make sauce with some tomatoes from the garden instead of trying to find a jar!"

"That sounds fun! Did you help or did you make a mess of her kitchen?" God, she can be such a mom.

"A bit of both." I chuckle, handing Lev his art book and pencils. "Made you a plate, too. Figured you'd forget to eat and go straight to bed again." I cross my arms, looking at Abby with a knowing smile. She knows I don't like when she forgets to eat.

"Thanks, Mads. I really appreciate it." I just give a simple nod, letting my arms drop to my side. I wish I could kiss her. She lets out a deep breath. "C'mon, Lev. It's getting late."

"Okay." Lev says quietly, turning off the TV and standing up beside Abby. I go to grab the plate of spaghetti from the kitchen, making sure the plastic wrap is secured around the plate.

"Here." I hand Lev the plate since he's put his stuff in Abby's backpack and she's busy pulling the straps over her shoulders. "Make sure she actually eats for me, okay?" I grin, playfully.

"Promise." He smiles back.

"Oh my God, can you both stop babying me?" Abby says with an annoyed tone.

"Never." I tease, reaching up to wrap my arms around her neck once more. I close my eyes, feeling the warmth radiating off her skin as she hugs back. "But seriously." I mumble, lips brushing against her freckled cheek. "Promise me you'll remember to eat?"

I feel Abby nod. "I promise." I hum in approval, letting her go and looking at her flushed face. She opens the front door, moving so Lev can leave first.

"Bye, Maddy." Lev says, walking past us and out the door.

"Bye, kiddo." I say back. "Goodnight." I say softy to Abby. She rubs the back of her neck.

"Goodnight." Abby mutters, closing the door behind her as she leaves. I stare for a minute at the door, contemplating whether I should run after her or not. But I just turn away and decide to get ready for bed.

His face. His screams. I'm in a nightmare and I can't wake up. I want to reach out for him. I want to save him. But I know I can't leave my hiding spot or the Seraphites will find me. He yells and swears, clothes quickly catching fire. I can only sit and watch as his body hangs there, becoming charred. Unrecognizable. I have to help him! I can't move! Please, no! He cries out for me, yelling 'why won't you help me?!' and 'You coward!'. Things my brother would never actually say. But it all feels so real.

I sit up quickly, gasping for air as I look around my bedroom for flames. It's dark, the only light coming from the window. I can't get the image of him out of my head. 'Oh, brother.' I think, tears pouring down my face. 'I wish you were here.' I try to lay back down and go to sleep but I can only sit there, paralyzed. I let out a small sob, trying to think of what to do. Abby. I need Abby.

Before I can think, I'm putting my jacket on over my pyjamas and lacing up my combat boots. I leave my dark apartment and head down the stairwell to Abby's. I let myself mindlessly wander there, choking on sobs. When I get to her door, I knock lightly and instantly feel bad. What if I woke her or Lev? Before I can turn back, the door opens. Abby stands there in a pair of black sweatpants and a gray t shirt. Her face instantly contorts with worry when she sees my red eyes and puffy cheeks.

"Maddy?" She steps forward, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?" I can't stop myself from letting out another sob, more tears falling down my face mercilessly. She wraps her arms around me but I can't find the strength to hug her back.

"I'm sorry." I whimper into her shoulder. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay. You didn't wake me, Mads." She reassures me. "I was reading. Here, come inside." She gently pulls me inside, closing the front door. "Wanna tell me what happened?" She doesn't try to pressure me. She just waits for me to speak, rubbing my back.

"I had a nightmare." I say, feeling childish. "About my brother. I just... I needed you." I mumble the last bit, face heating up.

Abby takes my hand, pulling me with her. "C'mon. Let's go to bed." I let her guide me into her bedroom, tugging off my jacket and boots before crawling onto her bed. She closes the door and turns off the light before laying down beside me. She pulls the comforter over us and I shift to lay my head on her chest, curling into her left side. She drapes her right arm over my waist and runs her fingers through my hair with her other hand. I cling to her shirt, my tears drying on my cheeks.

"I'm sorry." I whisper, feeling like a burden.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Abby says. Without thinking, I shift to wrap my legs with hers, begging to be closer to her, to feel her presence as she slowly brings me back to reality. "What happened to your brother? I mean... Sorry. You don't have to answer."

"The Seraphites caught him." I swallow the lump in my throat. "They, um... they burned him. I had to watch."

"I'm so sorry, Maddy." I shake my head, letting her know it's okay.

"His name was Kai." I say. "He used to call me Dandelion because my mom said I made wishes come true." I laugh, quietly.

"Dandelion." Abby ponders the nickname. "It suits you."

"Abby?" I shift to look at her, my face hovering above hers. Her eyes widen a bit, flickering from my lips to my eyes and I catch myself doing the same to her.

"Hmm?" I place my left hand on her cheek, rubbing it softly with my thumb.

"I love you." I say. Before I can process anything, Abby pushes my head forward, pressing our lips together. The kiss is long, needy and full of love. Our eyes close. Her lips are warm and sweet. Soft. We don't pull away till our lungs are burning, pleading for air.

"I love you, too." She whispers, tracing my bottom lip with the pad of her thumb. I give her a small, tired smile, pecking her lips once more before resting my head back on her chest. Her arms are around me once more and I feel safe. At home. This is where I belong. With her and Lev. "Goodnight, Dandelion."

So, this is a thing now! I hope you guys liked it and, if not, I'm sorry lol. Here's a photo of me cause idk how to end this Author's Note

#abby tlou #tlou2 #abby anderson #lev tlou #personal

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