I'll Love You For A Lifetime [Heartstopper, Tara x Darcy]

Hot summer nights, mid July

Darcy's pov

What's the worst thing that could happen to a hormonal teen? Well, apparently, being left by your girlfriend during summer break.

And I don't mean left left. I mean, like, Tara went to visit her father's extended family or something.

So, after we bade our tearful goodbye, I spent a couple of days sad and alone but eventually thought, "Well, I shouldn't be completed dependent on another person for my happiness. Let's make me happy myself."

And well, I tried skincare, I tried taking myself out on dates, but you know what? It's a truck load of crap. None of it worked. In the end, I went to the salon and trimmed my hair above my shoulders so that they curtained around my jaw and dyed it blonde.

Tara's pov

I have never been able to wrap my head around the concept of falling out of love when a person changes. I mean, the more new things and new sides of Darcy that I see, the more connected I feel to her. It feels like unlocking new levels. Annoying Darcy, Darcy with a funny nature, Darcy with long pink hair, Darcy with abusive parents, Darcy with a trans brother, Darcy with short blonde hair...

Damn. Darcy with short blonde hair.

She was waiting at my door as I walked in after my 2 week long vacation with my dad.

"You said you would be here in fifteen minutes," she said into my shoulder, wrapping her arms around me.

"Well, I did not know you were coming over," I said, impulsively patting her hair. They felt slightly rough than before under my hands, but it felt good to touch them anyway.

"Wasn't it obvious?" she said. She tilted her head and peeked at my dad who had unlocked the door and had walked inside. She clasped her fingers behind my neck and kissed me. There was something selfish about the contact, as if she was trying to take me away. As if she wanted me all for herself.

"Missed you too," I said, grasping her hair, letting my skin memorize the texture.

I heard her sniffle in my neck.

"What's up baby?" I asked.

"I missed you," she said, holding me tight, like a little child. It made me chuckle a little, but it also scared me because in that moment, with butterflies in my stomach, I realised we were no longer knee deep in this, the waters had reached our necks. We were too deep in love. We were either going to save each other or wreck each other, there was no inbetween.

"Tara baby," my Dad called.

"Yes?" I said, my arms still around Darcy as we were well out of his sight.

"I'll be gone for a while. You and Darcy take care of the house okay?" he said.

I swear no one sets me and Darcy up as much as my Dad does.

"Okay, see ya dad," I said, smirked at Darcy and said, "We have the house to ourselves then?"

"I suppose?" she said, raising her eyebrows, "What's on your mind?"

I could have played it cheeky and replied with a what's on your mind? or you know what. But I said something simple, plain and raw, because that is exactly how I felt at that moment.

"You," I said, taking my finger and dragging it down from the little hollow at the place joining her ribs down to her belly.

"Mm?" she said, leaning over and kissing my neck. "Good," she said, "Real good."

I took her hand and pulled her inside. We went straight to our room and undressed each other. It was a slow process, intertwined with a certain sort of nervousness and need. Darcy's hands trembled as she placed them in mine in reassurance. I nodded.

I placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her, and we continued kissing as the undergarments came off. Darcy put her hand at the small of my back and pulled me, so that she was laying down with me on top of her.

"Mm," I said, stopped for a moment, "my hair is being a mess. Wanna come on top or should I tie them up?"

Darcy looked at me without replying.

"I'll just tie them up," I said finally sitting up. Darcy sat up too.

Darcy pulled her legs to her chest, letting her chin rest on her knees, looking at the bedsheets silently in a way that I knew something was bothering her, but I knew better than to push her at the moment. She had probably never been this vulnerable before.

I reached for my scrunchie and tied my hair up, admiring Darcy's thin stature. She did not have much curves on her and her tummy was completely flat. My eyes when down the arch of her back and I noticed a blue bruise on her lower left rib and chills ran down my spine. Instinctively, I reached out and touched it delicately. Darcy looked at me and then at my hand. She slowly moved her hand over mine and pulled it up to her lips, kissing it softly.

She swallowed. "Tara, did you..." Darcy said, breaking the silence, making me sigh with relief, "Did you expect me to be more...dominating?"

"What?"

"I mean, you know, in most relationships, like one person is supposed to be more dominating, you know. And it is usually, like, the masculine looking person. I don't know. I sound so dumb."

"First, it is okay. I think it is best if we communicate a lot, I like it," I said quickly, before she retreated into her shell again, "Second, no I did not expect anything, like, at all. It is not like I am being dominant either, we can do anything that feels good, isn't it? So don't worry about it. It's good."

"Good, yeah?" she said, smiling again. It was Darcy, so my heart melted into a puddle.

"Good," I said, crawling over to her and softly pushing her down again.

She wrapped her arms around me and rolled us over so that she was on top. She left butterfly soft kisses in the crook of my neck while her hands wandered down to the space between my legs. My back arched, I sighed into her ear, "Real good."