The late afternoon sun filtered softly through the curtains, casting golden rectangles across the living room floor. Y/N sat curled up on the couch, a half-empty bowl of popcorn resting forgotten on her lap. The familiar chime of the opening theme of Full House played on the TV, the innocent laughter and predictable warmth of the Tanner family a stark contrast to the chaotic thoughts swirling in her head.
She sank deeper into the cushions, letting the show's comforting nostalgia wash over her. The simple, cheesy sitcom was a small island of normalcy in the strange, new world she'd been thrust into—one without the shadows of her past and the burdens of her powers. It was the only place where she could, even for a little while, pretend she belonged.
Footsteps padded softly behind her. Before she could turn, a small hand clutched her sleeve and tugged gently.
"Y/N, you have to come with me. Please!" Hartley's voice was earnest, eyes shining with that bright, boundless energy that had disarmed even the darkest parts of Y/N's heart.
She blinked, pulling her gaze away from the TV. Hartley stood there, clutching a crumpled flyer in one hand, the other twisted nervously at the hem of her shirt.
"We just moved in," Hartley said, voice low and excited. "The new neighbors are my age. They have a dog. A big, fluffy dog. And they bake cookies!" She gave Y/N her best pleading look, cheeks flushed.
Y/N's lips twitched in the faintest semblance of a smile. The thought of meeting new people filled her with dread—new rules, new masks to wear, a fresh chance to be misunderstood. She shook her head, turning back to the TV, hoping the familiar opening credits might distract her once more.
"No, Hartley," she said softly, voice thick with exhaustion. "I'm fine here. Just watching this."
"But it's Full House, Y/N! It's been on like, forever. They have like twenty seasons!" Hartley's enthusiasm was contagious, and yet Y/N still hesitated. "You can watch more later. Just come with me for a little bit, please?"
Y/N sighed, eyes drifting back to the screen. The Tanner family's antics played on as if mocking her indecision. She hated how hard it was to care about anything beyond herself these days.
Hartley didn't give up. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a handful of colorful stickers, waving them like tiny treasures.
"I'll give you these if you come," she bargained. "You can pick whichever ones you want. And I'll save you a cookie. You have to promise, okay?"
Y/N's gaze flickered from the stickers to Hartley's hopeful face, then back to the TV. The warmth in Hartley's eyes was different from the cautious kindness of Celia or the casual friendliness of Zoe—it was genuine, fearless, and somehow made Y/N's defenses wobble.
She could feel the pull—not from the glow of the screen, but from the possibility of connection.
After a long pause, she finally exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and slowly set the popcorn bowl aside.
"All right," she whispered, voice barely audible over the sitcom's laugh track. "I'll go."
Hartley's face lit up like fireworks. She grabbed Y/N's hand, tugging her gently to her feet. As Y/N rose from the couch, she felt a flutter of something unfamiliar—hope, maybe. Or maybe just the simple relief that she didn't have to face this new world alone.
She sighed, a soft, weary sound that seemed to carry the weight of all the battles she'd fought, all the walls she'd built around herself.
And yet, as she took that first step toward the door, she let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, life could still surprise her. The upbeat strum of a rock song pulsed through the Madden household as Vic stood triumphantly in the center of the living room, waving a remote like it was a sword.
YOU ARE READING
𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐀𝐑, COLBY MADDEN
FanfictionY/N's heart skipped as she spotted Colby across the crowded hallway-just like old times, reckless and untamed. "Didn't think I'd see you here again," Colby said with a crooked smile, the past hanging heavy between them. After years apart, Y/N never...
