AN: for context, this one-shot takes place the morning after steven and taylor kiss at the last night party at the cousins house
also this one-shot is a little bit longer than most :)
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as soon as the kiss ended, steven was just staring at taylor in awe with a priceless smile. "look, i-- i know i've been kinda clingy lately, but i-- i wasn't really trying to break you and milo up. i just... get jealous really easily, i guess."
taylor laughed, looking down at her lap. "steven, we both know that's not true. but, for the record, i am glad milo and i aren't together anymore. if you didn't notice, he was kind of a dick."
"so-- so does this mean that we're-- like together-- like officially?" steven asked.
taylor hesitantly glanced away. "look, steven, it's no secret how i feel about you. that's not something you need to question or anything. i just... don't know if i'm really ready to start a relationship with you right now."
"w-- what?" steven asked, confused. "if you like me, why-- why don't you want to date me?"
taylor sighed, hating that she was about to tell him the depth of her feelings. "it's not that i don't want to date you, steven. it might be stupid, but last year you really hurt me with what happened at nicole's party."
steven frowned. "i'm sorry, taylor. i've made a lot of stupid decisions, but that's one of my biggest regrets. i treated you and shayla both like shit. i-- don't even know if there's anything i can even do to make it up. i mean, she broke up with me at the end of last summer anyways, and i deserved it, but you and i never really talked about what happened."
taylor shrugged. "i mean... you did say it was a mistake. it's not like i'm mad at you or anything now, but i had a crush on you for a really long time, steven. so... when you just kind of shrugged it off as a mistake, it hurt. like stupidly bad. you're the only guy who i've actually ever had real feelings that are-- really, really strong-- and the hurt that i felt last summer doesn't just go away, you know?"
"...yeah," steven said, nodding. "i can... i get that." he then frowned. "but if you don't know if it can ever go away... do you think-- do you think you'll ever really want a relationship with me?"
taylor looked up at his face immediately and took his hand. "of course i will, steven. honestly, you've been better to me than any other guy. believe me, that's not something i take for granted. i just need some time. i'm not asking for a year or anything, maybe not even a few weeks."
steven smiled and nodded. "okay, good," he said, almost laughing. "'cause i don't know what i'd do without you, tay tay."
taylor smiled and rolled her eyes. "whatever, steven."
steven blushed and asked her, "hey, do you wanna go do something? i mean, unless you wanna stay sitting on the dirty floor all night."
taylor shrugged. "sure. what were you thinking?"
"uh-- we should probably look for my sister. i know she wanted to get a picture of all of us again for the last time before we leave," steven replied.
taylor nodded. "okay, yeah. that's a good idea. let's go find her."
steven got up first and offered taylor a hand to help her up. she sheepishly rolled her eyes and took it. "thanks."
while they wandered throughout the house looking for belly, skye spotted taylor and went up to her with a smirk. "so, uh, i guess you and steven are a thing now, huh?"
