hypochondria // tate langdon

and they fell in love

things in the carter household haven't been the merriest. mom and dad have been fighting a lot more than usual. my school attendance hasn't been great, i'll admit. things overall have been super stressful.

tate's been a great help.

he'll come over and let me talk out every one of my problems, carefully listening to what i say. sometimes we'll play card games or listen to our favorite bands. it really feels like this is tate and i's world, everyone else is just living in it.

i lay on my floor, staring at my ceiling while being forced to listen to the sound of my parents yelling from downstairs.

i heard shuffling from behind me and approach my side. i eyed to the side to see a familiar beat-up converse with the initials "t + l" written in sharpie on the side. they stood for tate and lydia, of course.

i smiled, staring back up as he laid down next to me.

we sat in silence, listening to the commotion. we heard something glass break as louder yelling broke out.

i sat up suddenly, alarmed.

what if someone was hurt?

what was going on?

tate whispered, "shh, everything's fine, lydie," he gently laid me back down, putting a frizzy stray hair behind my ear.

i huffed in frustration, tears stung my eyes from being overwhelmed with stress.

"i just can't do it anymore tate," i whispered, fighting back the urge of completely sobbing.

i sat up, tate following.

"i-it's too much. i can't handle it. the screaming, school, myself. it's too much!"

too late.

he gazed into my sobbing eyes with utter sadness and sympathy. he opened his arms as i melted into him, my entire body going limp.

he pulled me into his crisscrossed lap, his arms protectively holding me like there was no tomorrow.

"i'm sorry tate, i really am. i'm s-"

"sweetheart, don't ever apologize. just let it all out, i'm right here,"

i never had someone treat me with such love and affection, it only made me cry harder.

it wasn't long until the tears stopped coming, but tate still held me just as tight.

i breathed slowly, shakily. his scent smelled of cigarettes and faint men's cologne, filling my nose.

i smiled, burying my face into his shoulder. i couldn't get enough of it.

tate gently released me. i pulled back so we were face to face with each other.

"lydie?"

i met his eyes, tilting my head.

"you know you're the prettiest girl i've ever seen?"

i laughed lightly, sniffing.

"tate?"

he hummed.

"i like you,"

he scanned my face with his eyes before they stopped on my lips.

i followed, butterflies racing through my body.

i hadn't even noticed he was getting closer to my face until he was only an inch away.

he stopped himself, "i like you too," he breathed, breathlessly. 

then he kissed me.

my brows unfurrowed, the screaming subsided, in fact, i couldn't even hear the wind outside my window i had left open for him.

the only thing that was in my world was tate.

only tate.

he held me so closely, i've never felt safer.

this felt right.

he wasn't forceful, yet passionate in showing how long he waited to kiss me, and it filled my heart.

he pulled away slightly, leaving our foreheads connected.

the cheekiest grin plastered on my face, infecting tate this time.

he kissed my cheek, then my temple, then my nose, my chin, he peppered loving kisses all over my neck, making me squeal.

i'm in love.

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author's note - hi again!!! i'm back-well i never left, just got busy with school. sadly, these are how updates are when i have school :( but i'll always try and update whenever i have time for you guys!! <3 anyways! oh my god, this chapter? hello??? this may be my new favorite chapter, i love it so much. get ready for lots of cute bits of tate and lydia that will make all us single people feel even more single :') i'm excited to keep updating and you guys actually reading my chapters is so crazy ahh??? thank you all, my loves!! have a good day hehe!! <33

words - 570