Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 37: Avoiding Her

Y/N trudged alongside Calie and Cebrus, her hands buried deep in her coat pockets as they walked toward Chris' house. The crisp autumn air nipped at her cheeks, and her mind was clouded with thoughts of Scarlett—thoughts she had been unsuccessfully trying to push away all week. Between the tests and the swirling emotions Scarlett left her with, Y/N felt like she was running on fumes. 

"Do we really have to go?" Y/N grumbled, adjusting the collar of her coat. "I have so much to catch up on. Besides, it's cold."

"You're just trying to avoid her," Calie replied with a knowing smirk, tugging her coat tighter as the wind picked up. "Besides, you've been avoiding everyone. You need a break."

Y/N let out a long, exaggerated sigh. "I'm not avoiding her. We're just... on different wavelengths, I guess."

"Uh-huh, sure," Calie quipped, nudging her playfully. "Different wavelengths, or just awkward tension that neither of you wants to deal with?"

Y/N shot her a half-hearted glare, but Calie just grinned in response. Meanwhile, Cebrus happily trotted next to them, seemingly immune to the chill in the air. He was clearly excited to see Rose again, which made Y/N feel just a little more at ease. At least Cebrus didn't complicate things.

As they reached Chris' house, Y/N hesitated at the door for a moment before following Calie inside. The warmth of the house immediately contrasted the biting cold outside, and they quickly shrugged off their coats. The familiar sound of Rose's giggles and Cebrus' nails tapping on the floor greeted them as they entered the living room. 

Cebrus was playfully keeping his distance from Rose, who was crawling after him on the carpet. Every time she got close, Cebrus would move just a few inches away, making her squeal in delight. Chris and Scarlett watched the little chase, smiling.

"Look at them go," Chris said with a chuckle as he leaned back on the couch. "Cebrus is going to wear her out before bedtime."

Calie walked over and kissed Chris, causing Y/N to glance away. "You two are disgustingly cute," Y/N muttered, shaking her head. Calie shot her a teasing look. "And they say lesbians work fast," Y/N continued with a smirk, quoting Calie's own words from before.

Calie arched an eyebrow, glancing between Y/N and Scarlett. "Maybe someone else here could learn from that, huh?"

Y/N rolled her eyes, refusing to rise to the bait. Instead, she walked over to where Rose was still crawling after Cebrus. Rose looked up at her, her face lighting up with a big, toothless grin. Y/N couldn't help but smile back, bending down to kiss the top of her head. "You're still the star of the show, aren't you?" she murmured.

As Y/N sat down on the floor beside Rose, she could feel Scarlett's gaze on her. The silence between them was palpable, heavy with everything unsaid from the last time they'd spoken. Y/N kept her eyes on Rose, not quite ready to meet Scarlett's gaze yet. 

Just as Y/N was about to break the silence, Rose crawled over and plopped herself down onto Y/N's lap, grabbing at the keys hanging from Y/N's pocket. Y/N let out a soft laugh as she gently took the keys from Rose. "Hey, you can't have those," Y/N said, though her tone was light and playful.

Rose's lower lip began to tremble, and Y/N quickly scooped her up into her arms, bouncing her gently to soothe her. "Oh no, don't cry. Look, look at me. I'm making silly faces!" Y/N stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes, earning a tiny giggle from Rose.

"That's one way to handle it," Scarlett's voice came from beside her, soft and filled with amusement. Y/N glanced up and met those familiar green eyes that had been haunting her thoughts all week. Scarlett waved lightly, her expression gentler than Y/N expected.

"Hey," Y/N greeted back, her voice quieter than usual as she felt her cheeks flush slightly. She quickly looked down at Rose again, who was drooling onto her sleeve, something white and sticky. Y/N winced, realizing it was likely Scarlett's milk. "Ugh," she groaned, taking a tissue from the nearby table and wiping Rose's mouth. 

Scarlett's giggle caught her off guard. "You really don't like that, do you?" Scarlett teased, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Y/N shuddered dramatically, her face scrunched up in disgust. "It's gross. Sorry, but human milk? No thanks." She mock-gagged, which sent Chris, Calie, and Scarlett into a fit of laughter. 

"Come on, it's natural!" Chris called from the couch, clearly amused.

"Still gross," Y/N muttered, making a face as she stood up, holding the tissue at arm's length. "I'm throwing this away."

As Y/N walked into the kitchen to toss the tissue in the trash, she was mentally preparing herself to rejoin the group, but when she turned around, Scarlett was standing in the doorway. Her arms were crossed, and she was looking down at the floor. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence heavy with the unspoken tension that had been lingering between them for days.

Finally, Scarlett broke the silence. "I'm... sorry. About last time," she said quietly, still not meeting Y/N's eyes.

Y/N felt her chest tighten but remained quiet, waiting for Scarlett to continue.

Scarlett took a deep breath, lifting her gaze to meet Y/N's. "I didn't mean to act that way. I just... I care about you, Y/N. And Rose—well, she loves you too. I see how happy she is around you."

Y/N's heart skipped a beat, but Scarlett didn't say the words Y/N had been hoping for. She wasn't confessing that she liked her—only that she cared, and that Rose adored her. But still, it was something.

Y/N nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. After a moment, she stepped closer and pulled Scarlett into a gentle hug, resting her chin on top of Scarlett's head. With Y/N's height, Scarlett fit perfectly against her, and for a moment, Y/N allowed herself to enjoy the closeness. "It's okay," Y/N whispered softly, kissing the top of Scarlett's head. "I care about you and Rose too."

They stood like that in silence, Scarlett leaning into Y/N's embrace. It felt natural, comfortable, and Y/N's mind raced with thoughts of how right it felt. But before either of them could say more, Chris' voice echoed from the living room. "Hey, the movie's starting! You two coming or what?"

Scarlett pulled back slightly, smiling up at Y/N before stepping away completely. "We'd better go," she said with a small, shy smile.

Y/N nodded, returning the smile as they walked back to the living room together. As soon as they entered, Y/N scooped up Rose, who was happily playing on the floor, and sat down on the couch. She was about to settle into her usual spot when Scarlett surprised her by sitting down right beside her. 

What surprised Y/N even more was when Scarlett leaned into her, resting her head lightly against Y/N's shoulder. Y/N froze for a second, her heart pounding, but quickly relaxed, letting Scarlett rest against her as Rose played contentedly on her lap.