Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 38: Neck Kiss

Y/N stirred from her sleep, her dreams interrupted by a sharp, tiny pain on her finger. With a groggy groan, she blinked her eyes open and instinctively pulled her hand away, only to find Rose grinning up at her from her lap. The little girl had just bitten her finger! 

"Rose!" Y/N muttered softly, half-scolding the child. But the scolding quickly lost its edge when she noticed Rose's lower lip trembling, her eyes already filling with tears. Y/N's heart immediately melted. "Oh no, no, no! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!" she cooed, quickly changing her tone. "You're my little princess, my star. You didn't mean to, right?"

Rose's face brightened up a little at Y/N's sweet words, and she let out a soft gurgle of approval.

Suddenly, a chorus of giggles erupted from across the room, causing Y/N to glance up. Chris, Calie, and Scarlett were all watching her, and to her dismay, Calie was holding up her phone, clearly recording the whole thing.

"Oh come on, seriously?" Y/N groaned, giving them all a tired, half-serious glare.

Scarlett wiped a tear of laughter from the corner of her eye. "Sorry, it's just... you're so good with her, Y/N. Plus, the way you panicked was hilarious."

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling a little. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Rose here just tried to gnaw my finger off."

Chris chuckled, sitting up a little straighter. "Looks like she's starting to teethe," he noted, nodding toward Rose who was now babbling away on Y/N's lap.

"No kidding," Y/N replied dryly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I totally didn't notice, or, you know, feel it."

Her friends burst into laughter again, even Rose joining in with a giggle, though she probably had no idea why everyone was laughing.

Y/N sighed, feeling slightly embarrassed but amused all the same. Just as she started to relax, she felt something sharp on her foot and yelped, pulling her leg back quickly. Cebrus had nipped at her toes, looking up at her with wide, innocent eyes.

"Cebrus!" Y/N scolded, pointing an accusatory finger at the dog, but as soon as the dog let out a soft whine and gave her the saddest puppy-dog eyes, Y/N felt her resolve crumble. "Seriously? Are you all teaming up against me tonight?"

The room erupted into another round of laughter, and Y/N finally gave in, throwing her hands up in surrender. "I need water. I can't handle this level of betrayal."

She carefully placed Rose on the ground, where she resumed her chase of Cebrus, before heading to the kitchen. She could hear the soft murmur of conversation and laughter from the living room as she filled a glass of water at the sink, still feeling the lingering effects of the wine she had earlier. She hadn't handled alcohol well in the past, and tonight was no exception. Sleep had come easily, but now she needed to clear her head. 

As Y/N leaned against the counter, sipping her water, she felt a sudden warmth behind her. Two hands gently slid onto her hips, and she stiffened instinctively. Her heart raced as Scarlett's presence became clear, her breath warm against Y/N's neck.

For a moment, Y/N stood frozen, unsure of what to do, her mind clouded with a mix of confusion and the alcohol still in her system. "Scarlett..." she whispered, her voice catching slightly. "What are you doing?"

Scarlett didn't respond, at least not with words. Instead, Y/N felt the soft press of lips against the back of her neck, small, deliberate kisses that sent shivers down her spine. Y/N closed her eyes, her hands gripping the edge of the counter, fighting the urge to lean into Scarlett's touch. Her thoughts spun in a chaotic whirl.

Just as quickly as it began, it was over. Scarlett pulled away, leaving Y/N standing there, her heart pounding in her chest. Y/N turned slightly, watching Scarlett as she silently slipped out of the kitchen, her expression unreadable.

Y/N stood there for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. She wasn't sure how to feel—confused? Flustered? Maybe both. She downed the rest of her water, hoping it would clear her mind, but the thoughts lingered. 

When she finally returned to the living room, Scarlett was sitting on the couch, bottle-feeding Rose. The soft glow of the lamp highlighted Scarlett's features as she gently rocked the baby in her arms. It was a peaceful scene, and Y/N couldn't help but smile slightly, despite the strange interaction they'd just had.

Y/N quietly sat down on the floor next to Cebrus, pulling him into a gentle hug. The room was quiet except for the sound of the movie playing in the background, but Y/N wasn't really paying attention to the screen. Her mind kept wandering back to Scarlett's touch, the way she had felt so close, yet so far. 

"You okay?" Calie whispered, leaning down slightly from the couch to look at Y/N.

Y/N glanced up, startled out of her thoughts. "Yeah... yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled, though she wasn't sure she believed it herself. 

Calie gave her a knowing look but didn't press further. Y/N was grateful for that. She wasn't ready to talk about it, especially not when Scarlett was sitting just a few feet away.

As the movie continued, Y/N found herself glancing at Scarlett out of the corner of her eye, watching how focused she was on Rose. The gentle way she held the baby, the small smiles she gave every time Rose made a little noise—it was clear how much Scarlett cared for her. 

But there was something more, something unspoken that hung in the air between them, and Y/N couldn't shake the feeling that whatever had just happened in the kitchen was part of that.

Chris and Calie, meanwhile, were completely engrossed in the movie, making occasional comments to each other or pointing out things on the screen. Every now and then, Calie would glance at Y/N, as if waiting for her to say something, but Y/N remained quiet, lost in her thoughts.

By the time the movie ended, Y/N felt like she had been through an emotional rollercoaster. She stretched her legs, glancing over at Scarlett, who was now gently rocking a drowsy Rose in her arms. Scarlett caught her gaze and gave her a soft, almost shy smile.

Y/N returned the smile, though her heart was still racing. She wasn't sure what Scarlett was thinking, or if she even wanted to know. But one thing was clear—things between them were changing, whether she was ready for it or not.

"Looks like someone's ready for bed," Scarlett murmured, her voice soft as she looked down at Rose, who had finally drifted off to sleep.

Y/N nodded, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over her. "Yeah," she agreed quietly. "She's out."

Chris stretched, letting out a dramatic yawn. "Well, that was a good one," he said, referring to the movie. "But I think it's time to call it a night."

Calie stood up, stretching her arms above her head. "Agreed. I'm exhausted."

Y/N slowly got up from the floor, her legs a little stiff from sitting so long. She glanced at Scarlett, who was gently cradling Rose in her arms, still sitting on the couch. Scarlett met her gaze, and for a brief moment, something unspoken passed between them. Y/N wasn't sure what it was, but it made her heart race all over again.

"Goodnight," Y/N said softly as she headed toward the door with Cebrus trailing behind her. As she put on her jacket, she heard Scarlett's voice from the living room, quiet but filled with warmth.

"Goodnight, Y/N."

And just like that, the evening ended, but the thoughts of Scarlett's touch, her presence, lingered long after Y/N left the house.