butterflies ઇଓ matt sturniolo imagines

𝘮𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦

ॱ⋅.˳˳.⋅˙ॱᐧ.˳˳.⋅ઇଓ

you had no idea matt was such a wizard when it came to pillow forts.

at the very least it was... magical. it was regal, it was stately, it was structurally innovative- okay, maybe not that great, but it really was something! or maybe you just thought so because matt made it all on his own.
     when you showed up with an armful of grocery store chocolates and a smile, you were only expecting to be let into his apartment for a valentine's movie night. but when your princely pillow-fort-architect opened his door, you were met with a kingdom stuffed to the gills with sheets. matt stood with a blanket draped across his head and shoulders, which flattened his scraggly hair into his eyes.

"welcome to my humble abode, valentine!"

"oh my god," you giggled, looking through the doorway into the abyss of blankets. "did you do all this for me?"

"obviously!"

"you are so cute," you swooned.

he tugged the blanket all the way across his face to hide the color tinting his cheeks, and leaned forward to peck you from behind the fabric. you followed him with wobbly knees into the apartment and parted the little curtain he'd made out of two cotton bedsheets, poking your head into the huge fort that overtook the living room; there were cushions all over the floor, and he even managed to drape everything over the television so you didn't have to watch anything on his laptop. in the middle where two lumpy chairs were formed was a blue stuffed elephant and a bouquet of white roses. you nearly fainted as you saw the flowers, remembering the time you mentioned how you liked white better than red in passing so many months ago.

"oh, matt-"

"go in! come on!"

the brunet shoved you into the fort and you toppled over, dropping the box of chocolates and your bag and rolling onto your back. he dove in behind you and fell right on top of your stomach, to which you let out a muffled, "oof! matt!"

the boy slid off and clambered into the makeshift seat beside you, giving you a chance to reposition. he picked up the flowers and the elephant and dropped them in your lap with a dorky grin, and he said, "happy valentine's day, love."

upon closer inspection, there was a little silver locket hooked around the elephant's neck. it had a small stone in the center, and when you clicked it open, there was a tiny picture of you and matt inside. it was the photo he'd taken of you two on your birthday, with his arm around you and your face tucked into the crook of his neck. you rushed to unclasp the necklace and relocate it to your neck, to which matt offered some assistance.
     you almost wanted to burst into tears as you ran the locket between your fingers. the whole thing just came as a shock to you, because you didn't expect anything from valentine's day. this was the first one you'd spent with matt, not to mention the first one you'd spent with anyone ever- you weren't used to all the grandeur. but how silly of you to think matt wouldn't do everything he could to make you feel like a princess, and in a way that was tailored just for you. you only hoped the gift you'd gotten him was good enough, because his romantic gesture was going to be near impossible to beat.
"all of this, it's all beautiful. it's perfect, matt. thank you," you gushed. suddenly remembering your own surprise, you rifled through your bag and pulled out a white box with a silver ribbon, and a blue envelope. "here, i got these for you."

"you didn't have to get me anything-"

"oh, shut up, matt. open it!"

he rolled his eyes at your brashness and did as he was told. first, he dragged his finger through the seal of the envelope and unveiled a homemade card with a picture of you two on the front (he accidentally stole your idea with the locket, but you didn't mind). you knew it was his favorite picture, the one that nick took when you visited the boys's hometown at christmastime. you were in a big puffer jacket that you borrowed from matt's dad, and there was snow melting in your hair and eyelashes; matt had his arms wrapped tight around your waist, and he was kissing your cheek hard while you were smiling at the camera with closed eyes. when he opened it, there was a little gift card inside for mcdonald's, and the boy laughed in that warm way that sent pins and needles through your brain.