In Love with Madden

I JUST NEED YOU

After having caught up with Taron, given him a strong reprimand and a not so friendly shove to the floor, Everly had decided to forgive him. He did, after all, push her and Richard's relationship in the right direction, and that had to count for something.

Taron was only in town for a couple of days, and Richard and Everly made it their sworn mission to follow him around everywhere, caused by them simply not having anything better to do.

The third time they insisted on following him all the way to the bathroom stall at the café they were eating at and waiting for him just outside the door, Taron had had enough.

"Are you serious, guys?", he exclaimed loudly from the inside of the stall. "Can I please have some privacy for once in my life?"

"Always the drama queen, huh?", Richard snickered, while Everly tried to conceal her laugh, "and who pees that much anyway?", Everly could not hold her laughter anymore at that, bursting into a laughing fit.

"We love you, Taron", they called out in unison while walking back to their table and dying of laughter.

***

Towards the evening they went to the hotel Taron stayed at. He had insisted on booking a room, even though both Everly and Richard had offered him a bed to stay in.

"Oh, I always wanted to go to the rooftop garden in this building!", Taron suddenly said as they were walking through the hallway, "Why don't you two go ahead and take the elevator? I just have to do something, and then I'll be up shortly."

As Taron literally ran down the corridor, Richard turned towards Everly. "I had no idea there was an accessible rooftop in this hotel?"

"Me neither", she answered with a shrug, as they entered the elevator and pushed the button for the 14th floor.

The two hadn't even made it to the 6th floor when the elevator shut down. Almost all the lights on the elevator ceiling died out, and Richard and Everly could only just see each other.

"What in the world...", Everly trailed off.

"It's probably just a power outage," Richard, ever the problem solver, had already reached for his phone, when he noticed it wasn't there. "Hey, can I borrow your phone?", he asked her, "Taron must have taken mine or something, I can't find it."

But Everly couldn't find hers either, and so they decided it would be best to wait it out. The power would return somewhat soon, they thought.

They stood for a bit, both uncharacteristically silent around each other.

Everly said, "I was thinking about us-" at the same time as Richard said, "Everly, I'm sorry."

Everly gestured for him to carry on.

Richard sat down on the floor of the elevator with a soft thump. "It's difficult for me, Everly, and you need to understand that." He was looking at the ground.

She understood what he meant even without being provided with any context, Richard's solemn voice in itself explaining a lot. "It used to be different, but around a year ago I was in this really bad relationship which just ended so horribly."

Everly opened her mouth but didn't get to say anything before Richard snapped, "I don't want to talk about it."

He groaned, rubbed his eyes and apologized, "I'm sorry, I know it doesn't explain anything, and I know it isn't an excuse. I know you're different. You're so great and sweet and considerate and funny and perfect. It's just difficult," he repeated the last part in a whisper, almost solely for himself.

"It's okay, Richard, I get it. I could never understand your situation a hundred percent, but I'm here for you. In whatever way you want me to be."

"Do you need more time?", she added carefully after a few moments of silence, not wanting to sound impatient, insensitive, or inconsiderate. "Nothing's urgent, and I don't necessarily need anything to happen right now, I can wait, I don't-"

She looked at Richard, who was looking at her, and cut herself off.

"I don't need time", he mumbled, "I just need you."

Everly searched his eyes for any doubts before she slowly leaned in and pressed her lips against his.

A few seconds later the power returned, making the elevator buzz and startling Richard and Everly.

"About time you two talked this through", Taron's voice sounded over the intercom, and Everly noticed how his usually teasing tone had been replaced by something softer and gentler.