Valeriana

17

This chapter takes place another week after the last chapter. It's a bit lighter than the last couple, I promise, but there is still angst

CWs/TWs: referenced/mentioned death, referenced/mentioned eating disorder, referenced/mentioned sh. Stay safe <3

.•°*°•.

Jimmy decided to continue living in the same house after Daniel's passing, though he wanted to remodel it once he got the money. He started selling some of his and Lizzie's old furniture online and he gave Lizzie all of the nursery things their parents had kept in the attic.

It took a little while for him to adjust to living by himself, but he was doing alright after a few days. He got a raise at his job, but he still had to get another part-time job to be able to pay the bills on his own. Lizzie and Joel and Amanda and Nathan had all offered to help, but Jimmy insisted on doing it by himself.

The engagement ring he ordered finally arrived that weekend, and he was absolutely ecstatic about it. He could hardly wait to propose to Scott. Eventually, he began to think about asking Amanda and Nathan if Scott could come and move in with him, though he would have to wait for Scott to recover from the flu since they were still unwell.

That didn't mean he couldn't ask for permission from their parents.

.•°*°•.

"Absolutely not," Nathan answered, immediately shutting the whole idea down. Both Amanda and Jimmy pouted. "You two haven't graduated yet, and frankly, I'm a little against the idea of you proposing at his grad party."

Jimmy groaned. "Nathan, please," he begged. "Scott and I are grownups now and we love each other."

Nathan quirked a brow. "I said no."

"Please-"

"No."

Amanda sighed. "Dear, will you please let Scott move in with Jimmy?" she asked sweetly, hugging Nathan's arm. "They are adults now, and-" She stopped when she heard a thump, then another, and another come down the stairs. "Is that... Scott?"

"What is he doing out of bed?" Nathan asked. "He should be resting."

.•°*°•.

Scott stumbled downstairs, swaying side to side and occasionally hitting the wall with his shoulder as he descended the staircase. He giggled when he saw his boyfriend with Amanda and Nathan in between the dining room and the living room. "Hey, Jimmy," they slurred, sounding drunk as they waddled over. They hummed, slamming into Jimmy and wrapping their arms around him. "Mm, you're so hot," he said, giggling some more. He looked up at his confused boyfriend with a half-awake grin. "Weeeee... should fuck."

"Scott-" Nathan had stepped forward, but Amanda stopped him.

Scott leaned back and Jimmy kept a hand on their waist to keep them from tripping, the cyanette pulling on Jimmy's arm. "C'monnnn, let's g- Wah!" They shrieked as their foot slipped and Jimmy lost his grip on them, Scott falling backward and hitting their head on the sofa. There was a moment of tense silence, then a loud wail from Scott.

"Oh, baby," Amanda breathed as she rushed over to kneel next to Scott, who was crying like a three-year-old. The first thing she did was check his temperature with the back of her hand. "Oh my god, you're burning up!"