Between Lies and Love

Chapter 8

Lizzy and Y/N finally managed to get away for the weekend. Y/N had found the perfect cabin—a cozy, wood-paneled retreat nestled in the mountains, surrounded by trees, far from the noise of the city. It was the kind of place that felt like a dream: quiet, peaceful, and just for them.

The drive up had been full of easy conversation and laughter, with Y/N occasionally stealing glances at Lizzy when they thought she wasn't looking. Now, standing at the edge of the cabin's porch, they both took in the view of the forest stretching out before them, the golden light of the setting sun filtering through the trees.

Y/N let out a contented sigh. "This... is perfect."

Lizzy smiled, slipping her hand into Y/N's. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd find the perfect spot."

Y/N grinned, squeezing her hand. "I told you I had good taste."

Inside the cabin, it was everything they could have hoped for. A stone fireplace dominated the main living space, and a large window overlooked the forest. The smell of pine and fresh air drifted in through the open window, and Lizzy could already feel the stress of city life melting away.

Y/N was in full-on excitement mode, wandering around the space, inspecting every little detail. "Okay, seriously, we need to make this a regular thing. This place is amazing."

Lizzy laughed as she set her bag down. "I'm not gonna argue with that."

Y/N glanced over at her, a mischievous smile spreading across their face. "You know what this place is missing, though?"

Lizzy raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"A proper pillow fort."

Lizzy blinked, then burst out laughing. "A pillow fort? Are we ten years old?"

Y/N gave her an exaggeratedly serious look. "Forts are timeless, Lizzy. I'm surprised you don't already know that. I think we need to rectify this situation immediately."

Lizzy crossed her arms, her smile still lingering. "And what exactly do you propose?"

Y/N pointed to the couch and the fluffy armchair near the fireplace. "We have all the materials we need right here. Blankets, pillows—this place is a fort-building paradise."

Lizzy shook her head, amused but intrigued. "You're really committed to this idea, huh?"

Y/N walked over, slipping an arm around Lizzy's waist and pulling her close. "You know you love it," they teased, their voice low and playful. "Come on, when's the last time you did something ridiculous just for fun?"

Lizzy sighed dramatically, though her grin betrayed her. "Fine, but only because I want to see you fail spectacularly."

Y/N kissed her cheek. "Oh, ye of little faith. Prepare to be amazed."

It didn't take long before they were in the midst of constructing the most elaborate pillow fort Lizzy had ever seen. Y/N, surprisingly, was a master of fort engineering, and they worked together, laughing as they draped blankets over chairs and stacked pillows as supports. Every so often, Y/N would make a grand declaration of their design choices, causing Lizzy to double over in laughter.

"Okay, this blanket is clearly the structural backbone of the whole operation," Y/N said, laying a thick quilt across the top of the fort.

Lizzy snorted. "Structural backbone? You sound like you're building a skyscraper."

Y/N winked at her. "A skyscraper of coziness."

Lizzy shook her head, but she couldn't stop smiling. By the time they finished, the fort was an impressive construction, complete with a little entrance and a series of twinkling fairy lights that Y/N had found in one of the drawers.

Y/N stepped back, admiring their work. "Behold! The Fortress of Cuddle-tude."

Lizzy covered her face with her hands, laughing. "Cuddle-tude? That's what you're going with?"

Y/N nodded sagely. "It's a masterpiece."

With a playful shove, Lizzy guided Y/N into the fort, both of them tumbling into the sea of blankets and pillows. As they settled inside, the soft glow from the fairy lights cast a warm, intimate light over their faces. Lizzy lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling of the fort, feeling a strange mix of peace and excitement.

"This is... kinda nice," Lizzy admitted, turning her head to look at Y/N, who was already watching her with a soft smile.

"Told you," Y/N replied, their voice low as they shifted closer to her. "Forts are the key to happiness."

Lizzy rolled her eyes playfully, then reached over to brush a strand of hair away from Y/N's face. "You're ridiculous."

Y/N grinned, their fingers gently tracing patterns on Lizzy's arm. "You love it."

Lizzy smiled softly, her heart swelling as she leaned in to kiss Y/N. The kiss was slow, tender—one of those moments where time seemed to stretch and bend around them, making everything else fade away. Lizzy's hand found Y/N's, their fingers intertwining as they kissed again, deeper this time.

When they finally pulled apart, Y/N rested their forehead against Lizzy's, their voice barely above a whisper. "I love you, you know."

Lizzy's breath caught, her heart thudding in her chest. She hadn't expected it—at least not in this moment, surrounded by blankets and laughter. But somehow, it felt right.

She cupped Y/N's cheek, her thumb brushing over their skin. "I love you too."

For a moment, they just lay there, wrapped up in each other and the warmth of the fort. It was the kind of peace Lizzy had longed for but never thought she could have.

Later that evening, after a long hike through the woods and a dinner of more takeout, they found themselves curled up in front of the fireplace, the crackling fire casting a warm glow over the room. Y/N had their head resting in Lizzy's lap, while Lizzy absentmindedly ran her fingers through Y/N's hair.

Y/N glanced up, their eyes half-lidded in contentment. "You know, I think we really nailed that fort."

Lizzy chuckled. "We did. It might be your greatest achievement."

Y/N grinned lazily. "High praise coming from you."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of the fire filling the room. Lizzy couldn't remember the last time she had felt this at ease—like she could just exist in the moment without worrying about the past or the future. Here, with Y/N, everything felt simple. Everything felt right.

Y/N's voice broke the quiet. "We should make this a regular thing, you know. Escaping to a cabin in the middle of nowhere."

Lizzy smiled, her hand still stroking Y/N's hair. "I wouldn't mind that."

Y/N turned slightly to look up at her, a playful glint in their eyes. "Maybe next time we'll build a fort even bigger. Like... a fort mansion."

Lizzy laughed softly. "You and your forts."

"What can I say? I'm a simple person with simple needs."

Lizzy leaned down, kissing Y/N's forehead softly. "Well, as long as you're with me, I'm in for whatever ridiculous ideas you come up with."

Y/N's eyes sparkled as they reached up to cup Lizzy's cheek. "Deal."