Borrowed Time

Chapter 182

Esme wanting to make Juliette dinner on their own was one of the sweetest ways that they showed their support to her after a long day, and it was something that Juliette had learned was actually very helpful, she liked knowing that there wasn't really anything else that she had to do that night aside from enjoy herself. 

Today had been hard, not just because of cheerleading sucking and a chemistry test... But also because her brain couldn't shake what they'd talked about last night, the feeling of panic in her chest at what she'd missed when she was friends with Ingrid... and the shit she'd been through.

Having a responsibility taken off her plate was the best possible thing for her right now, and she was grateful to have a partner that was willing to do that for her without her even having to ask them to do so.

"Hey baby?" Juliette looked up from her phone, giving Esme a smile as she took in them in, her breath catching in her chest - nothing was more beautiful than Esme Panchek simply at their most calm and relaxed, existing in loose clothing and makeup that hadn't yet been taken off, but not in a way that seemed to require any sort of upkeep.

There was just so much fucking beauty in Esme existing in the world - existence in and of itself was something that made Juliette's heart ache in the best way possible because she was able to exist around Esme... That was a blessing that most of the world was never lucky enough to receive, something that she would gladly thank God for.

She couldn't imagine if she'd been born in a different time, if they were fated to never exist at the same time even if their souls were linked... That life would be agony... Hell, this life used to be agony, it was Esme who'd changed that for her.

They'd made it into something that she loved experiencing instead of something that she was practically begging to have end around her... It was nice.

Fuck, you've been staring for too long, you need to speak before they think you're weird... Well, before they think that you're weirder than they already do, because they for sure already think that.

"Yes my love?" Esme leaned forward, resting their hands against the table as they looked at her, making her shift around almost nervously... She knew there was no reason to be nervous, but Esme just made her restless in the best way possible sometimes.

Ask your question, lift the spell.

"Do you want cheese on your burger?" Esme asked, and Juliette thought about it for a moment before she nodded - it wasn't an automatic yes for her, half the time she hated how that felt to eat and how it tasted, but it sounded amazing right now.

"Yeah, that sounds really good." Their wide, soft, uneven grin gave her a head rush.

Good lord.

"Cool, I just wanted to make sure." Esme straightened up, stretching as they yawned, their shirt coming up to show the waistband of their boxers, making Juliette bite back a groan as she thought of tracing her fingers over the smooth, warm skin... Fuck, I need to focus... On... Dinner? I don't know. "I never wanna assume, you know?" Juliette nodded.

That wasn't a kindness that she remembered was something that she got, not because she didn't have people who gave it to her.

"Mhm... Thank you for asking, sometimes I don't like the texture of it, so it's good to have the option." She explained, smiling as Esme walked across the room, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek, cupping her face when they pulled away, looking down at her with such loving care that she felt like she was going to melt into the ground.