Drew Starkey Imagines

Neon Lit

Warnings: smoking, swearing

.......................................................

Standing outside the club, with the light, warm night breeze gently blowing her hair and caressing the bare skin of her arms, was the most relaxed (y/n) had been that entire week. After long, exhausting hours, everyday, filming in the water, having a laugh and a smoke with her friends and castmates after dancing and drinking was all she needed to recharge her batteries.

She took another drag of her cigarette as she listened to Madison and Mariah tell a story about a failed date of theirs, almost choking on the smoke after Rudy threw a random but hilarious comment into the conversation.

"No more smoking for you, ma'am." Madison told (y/n), taking the cigarette from her and taking a drag herself.

"Excuse you, miss, that one is mine." the girl took it back after playfully poking her shoulder, "And I can say the same about that tequila for you, if Mo moves you'll fall flat on your forehead."

"That is very true." she agreed, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek.

As (y/n) took another drag of her cigarette, a pair of arms hugged her shoulders from behind, engulfing her back against a broad torso. She glanced at the arms over her chest and recognized the golden ring on his finger, but it was a longing kiss on the cheek that made her roll her eyes in annoyance. Or so she tried to act out.

"What do you want, Starkey?"

The boy disguised a chuckle with another kiss on the girl's face, amused that she knew what all that affection was for.

"I was wondering if my beautiful, mad talented and best best friend could, maybe, give me a cigarette?"

"Didn't you buy a pack today?" she turned her head slightly to the side, hoping to show him the incredulous look on her neon lit face.

"Yeah, but I think it fell out of my pocket, I couldn't find it." he answered, while removing one arm from around the girl and looking through the pockets of his jacket again.

"Dumbass."

"Pretty please?" he hugged her tighter, almost making her choke on the smoke, "Oh shit. Sorry."

"You're gonna kill her before that thing does." Mo commented, referring to the tobacco.

"Not if I kill him first."

Drew gasped, pretending to be offended. (y/n) chuckled and held his chin so she could kiss him on the cheek, hoping he wouldn't turn his head too and the kiss would be somewhere else. Where she wanted to be.

"Gross." Madison commented, staring at the exchange of affection between her two friends, "Cute. But gross."

"As if you and Mo aren't the most disgusting thing to ever exist."

"Yeah but we're actually together, you know?" Mo replied slowly, articulating with her hands as if explaining a complex theory but ending up winking at the girl, who, along with Drew, showed her the middle finger.

"Burn." Rudy added, laughing at the roasting interaction between his friends, "Speaking of being together, I lost my girlfriend."

"She's still inside with Maddie." (y/n) said, trying to concentrate with Drew's breath against the side of her face and one of his hands discreetly caressing her shoulder, "Couldn't find her coat."

Rudy said he would check on the girls and find JD and Chase to let them know they were all ready to leave. Madison and Mariah eventually became distracted with one another, way too distracted in their own lovey dovey world to notice how Drew's arms went from embracing (y/n)'s shoulders to her waist, pulling her body closer to his and holding her like she was his only source of comfort. She was, most of the times.

His lips touched her temple and, after planting a kiss on the spot, he called her name hushly as he moved his head so his lips were hovering over her ear.

"(y/n/n)."

"Hmm?"

"Cigarette?"

(y/n) rolled her eyes in annoyance to mask the tingles taking over her body, that confidently rested against her best friend's.

"You're a pain in the ass, did you know that?" she replied, untangling herself from Drew's arms to turn around and give him a cigarette. He held it with his teeth a smiled, a sight that could've made (y/n) melt from how handsome he looked. She reached up to the cigarette with her lighter to light it up and, for a few seconds, it felt like time had slowed down, or that they were suddenly alone in the street, as the tiny flame, along with the green-ish neon sign above their heads, plus the way Drew's face was so close to hers and how he secured her hand with his while litting the cigarette up... It felt like a dream, like an ecstacy-like atmosphere, an intimacy they had never felt before.

Drew inhaled and exhaled the smoke, all while never breaking eye contact with the girl. The way she was holding her own cigarette between her lips and the look in her eyes while staring at him was also driving him crazy.

"What you lookin' at?" she joked, slightly pushing him by his chest.

He chuckled, and for more he wanted to replace her cigarette with his lips, he opted for simply pulling her back to him with an arm around her neck. (y/n) was quick to remove the cigarette from her lips before her face fell right against his chest, her laugh muffled by his sweatshirt. The tall boy laughed along with her, and used their heigh difference to rest his chin on top of her head.

The two remained embraced in each other, occasionally taking a drag of their cigarettes, as Mariah's words kept replaying in (y/n)'s head. But we're actually together. Ever since her and Drew grew closer she had always wondered if her feelings for him were ever noticeable or questioned, because she sure questioned Drew's. Their friendship was without a doubt different from the ones she had with the rest of the cast, and no one else played such a big part in her thoughts the way Drew did. He had her without even realizing it, which was fortunate for him because, if he was to ever make a move, they would be set. They both wanted it.

Together or not, whatever they were or had, they were content with it. Moments like these, where they stood embraced, their bodies lightly swinging from side to side, feeling like nothing else mattered besides the person in their arms... they would take it, and hold on to it until they figured something out.