Don't Go There

♡₊˚⊹bonus scenes⊹˚₊♡

[a/n: this fic was recently rewritten entirely. if the comments don't make sense that's why!]

      You nearly had to pinch yourself to make sure this was real life: it was.

"But we can talk about that later," Alex tucked some hair behind your ear, and tilted your chin up to kiss you again after saying, "Just let me be happy that I'm yours, and you're finally mine."

You blushed, and the two of you spent the next few intimate moments doting on each other. Plenty of kisses to each of your noses, eyes, and of course lips later, Alex spoke again with a voice that didn't quite match what he was saying. "We do have a slight problem, though."

Of course you did.

"And that would be?" you looked to him nervously.

"I'm not sure it'd be the safest idea for me to try to travel home in that," he gestured with his chin to the living room window. Through it you could see only frosted outlines of other houses through the blowing fog of snow. Your face immediately heated realizing what he meant.

He had to sleep over.

~

   "So, I don't mean this in an offensive way at all," you began, holding your hands up defensively, "But.. how come you're still at your parents?"

You two were on the couch with whatever movie Netflix played when you hit shuffle, his head in your lap and your hands in his hair.

"Well," Alex threw a piece of you guys' microwaved popcorn in the air, and it surprisingly landed in his mouth. "I graduated when I was 18, and wanted to take a gap year, but that turned into a couple years. I'd found a job I loved, so I stayed there a year, then I started applying around to colleges for real, and then you came back."

"Understandable," you slowly nodded.

"Why?" Alex's popcorn pieces that had missed his mouth when he tossed them were gathering in a small pile on the floor below his head. "You don't wanna date a bum? Did I mention I collect comic books and only shower twice a month?"

You playfully and gently slapped his shoulder and giggled. "You're not a bum; I was just curious. I was still with my parents before this."

"Oh yeah, how did they just agree to let their only daughter move out here?"

You rolled your eyes as I explained, "I could tell I was a burden on them. When I asked, they acted like they cared, but gave in pretty easily. Just as I suspected they would."

"Well that's bullshit," his finger ran down your cheek. "You're never a burden, and I for one will love having you around."

The warmth of his hand and sincerity of his words made you blush. You leaned over as best you could and he met you in the middle for you guys' 50th kiss of the night.

"Hm," you let out a hint of a laugh, eyes still shut.

"What?" He looked up at you again, with those perfect dark eyes of his.

"You didn't seem to love having me around the day I left," you half teased. "How come you didn't care at all when I was saying goodbye?"

"Okay c'mon," he sat up, seeming almost offended. "I was like 10, and I was getting teased by other kids that I thought were cool. They convinced me I was really weird for having a friend, a best friend, who was a girl."

"Well you are weird, but not for having a friend who's a girl."

"Yeah well now those guys wish they had a friend who was a girl, and I get the prettiest one I've ever seen."

He kissed your hand like you were a princess, then snuggled his face into your neck. You recognized the scent of his lavender Old Spice shampoo, just like your last unintentional sleepover.

"Hey babe?" he spoke muffled into your neck and hair. You could have exploded. It sounded so perfect coming from his lips. "I usually don't sleep with a shirt on; but I'll try if that kind of thing makes you uncomf-"

"No," you answered quick -- a little too quick. "I mean-- no. I don't mind," you stated more calmly.

He smirked at you with sleepy eyes and sat up to remove his shirt. Once he got it off, he threw it somewhere in the corner of the room and looked over at you, a smug look now on his face.

"Quit it," you whispered shyly.

"God you're adorable," he put his hand on yours, and shifted so you two would be laying down.

After a moment of silence, you found a position comfortable enough for your hand to reach his back, and your fingers drew odd shapes on his bare skin. "It means so much that you were willing to give up such a big thing like Brown for me," you spoke softly.

"I'd give up anything for you," he responded without missing a beat. "I've always loved you Y/N, it's just in a different way now."

You thought briefly about giving him your whole cheesy spiel, but felt the first twitches of him falling asleep, and decided to let him go ahead. After all, you two now had all the time in the world to tell each other how you felt.

Your Alex. You'd always loved him too, and you would a little bit more every day from here on.

︵‿︵ONE YEAR LATER︵‿︵

    It'd now been a year since Alex and you admitted your feelings that night at Aunt Juniper's house. Or, old house rather. She moved in with Simon shortly after you moved out to the rental. The happy couple had recently announced their engagement from their trip to Niagara Falls.

Bean Hollow had you as their newest barista, which worked out perfectly as the apartment you and Alex shared was only 5 minutes away, and you were still addicted to chai lattes. Your last shift for the week would be over in three, two, --

"I'm outta here," you told your coworker as you untied your apron.

"See ya Y/N," a few people called out behind you.

You listened to your current favorite song, which lasted the short trip home. Your heart was racing, knowing Alex would've just gotten home from class an hour ago. Even after a year, you couldn't believe everything worked out and you two were living together.

The apartment wasn't huge, but it was yours. A one bedroom one bathroom on the top floor, decorated in both of your vastly different aesthetics; but you two made it work.

You opened the door, and you guys' chubby little Siamese Ragdoll kitten hobbled over to greet you.

"Pancake," you happily scooped him up.

"He's been waiting all day for you," Alex's voice came from the kitchen, and he suddenly appeared from around the small corner. "So have I."

You placed Pancake back on the floor, "You've only been here an hour."

His hands were then on your hips, and he spoke between kisses, "An hour too long without you."

You could suddenly feel how warm the apartment was, and the familiar smell of apple pie filled your nose. "You're baking?" you inquired with a smile.

"And had no one to throw the ingredients at," he feigned injury, hand over his heart.

You lovingly rolled your eyes at him, and went over to light a candle on the kitchen counter. Music was suddenly playing: "Toothpaste Kisses" by the Maccabees.

You turned back to face him, and he was coming toward you doing the goofiest little dance moves; you couldn't hold back a laugh. He was singing along playfully and took your hand in his. The two of you danced and laughed your way over to the window, where he spun and dipped you.

You loved him so much, and he loved you right back.
And everyday, from your apartment window, you two got to watch the sun set over the lake where it all began.