Heartstrings | Johnny Lawrence x (y/n) | 1984 |

| 22 | Mother

With one last, shared look of relief, you both left the chaos of the parking lot behind and headed toward Johnny's house. The drive was quiet, his hand never leaving yours as you navigated the streets, exhaustion settling in after the intensity of the night.

When you got to his house, Laura answered the door, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of the bruises and cuts that both of you bore. "Oh, Johnny... what happened?" she whispered, immediately ushering you both inside. Her gentle hands guided you to the kitchen, and she quickly gathered supplies, dabbing at the blood on Johnny's face with a damp cloth.

You, despite your own injuries, instinctively leaned in to help her, gingerly pressing a gauze pad against a small cut on Johnny's cheek. He winced slightly but kept his gaze on you, brow furrowing in concern.

"Hey," he murmured, reaching up to gently hold your hand, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. "You should let my mom take care of you first. You're hurt too."

You shook your head, offering a faint smile. "I'm okay, Johnny. I want to make sure you're alright." You pressed the gauze against his cheek a bit firmer, half-serious. "Besides, you always said I have a tough grip."

Laura chuckled softly, watching the two of you with a warmth that softened the tension of the evening. She continued to work, offering Johnny a small bandage for the cut near his eyebrow. "You two... look after each other better than anyone I've ever seen," she said with a soft smile. She reached over, gently dabbing at a bruise on your cheek with a cloth. "But don't forget to take care of yourselves too."

Johnny's hand wrapped around yours again as he looked at you, his expression a mixture of gratitude and worry. "I just don't want you pushing yourself too hard for me," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

After finishing up with the last of the bandages and with Laura's assurances that she'd get you anything you needed, the two of you headed up to Johnny's room. The room was dimly lit, and as you stepped in, a feeling of nostalgia washed over you.

You noticed a shoebox on one of his shelves, partially open with old, worn pictures peeking out. Curiosity getting the better of you, you lifted the lid to see faded snapshots of the two of you as kids—laughing, playing, and goofing around in the neighborhood, and a few of you at family gatherings.

Johnny came up behind you, his gaze softening as he noticed what you were looking at. "I kept those," he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "Sometimes, when things were tough, I'd look at them, and...it'd remind me of better times."

You looked up at him, your heart aching at his quiet confession. "We've been through so much, haven't we?" You smiled softly, holding up a picture of the two of you at some long-ago Halloween, decked out in ridiculous costumes. "I can't believe you still have these."

He shrugged, his cheeks tinged with the faintest hint of pink. "Guess I always thought...no matter what happens, I don't want to lose those memories."

You held his gaze, feeling a mix of affection and something deeper as you took in his words. "And now we're here," you whispered, taking his hand and pulling him close. "Still looking out for each other. Guess some things never change."

Johnny smiled, pulling you into a gentle hug, his voice barely a murmur. "Yeah. And I'm not planning on letting go anytime soon."

Johnny's arms tightened around you, his gaze locking with yours, a softness mingling with something deeper in his blue eyes. He leaned in slowly, his breath warm against your skin as he whispered, "I don't think you know what you do to me."

Your heartbeat quickened as his lips brushed yours, tentative at first, then growing bolder as his hand slid to the back of your neck, pulling you even closer. The kiss deepened, filled with all the feelings you'd both held back for so long. His hand moved to your waist, fingers grazing your side as he pressed you against him, his lips exploring yours with a blend of tenderness and hunger.

You let your fingers curl into his hair, savoring the way he responded to your touch. He smiled against your lips, breathing your name between kisses, his hands moving with a confidence that only made you want him closer. "You have no idea how long I've wanted this," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Just as things started to intensify, a light knock on the door broke the spell. You both froze, quickly pulling apart, barely managing to straighten yourselves as Laura's voice drifted through the door.
"Johnny? Honey, I brought you and Y/N some snacks!"

Johnny's eyes went wide, and you couldn't help but giggle, stifling it behind your hand. He grinned, struggling to keep a straight face as he called out, "Uh, yeah, Mom, come in!"

The door opened, and Laura stepped in with a tray of snacks, her eyes flicking between the two of you with a hint of curiosity. "What's so funny?" she asked, setting the tray on Johnny's desk.
You exchanged a quick look with Johnny, unable to stop the laughter that bubbled up. "Oh, nothing, Mrs. Lawrence," you said, still giggling as you tried to compose yourself. "Just... reminiscing."
Laura raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but amused nonetheless.

"Well, as long as you two are having fun." She gave Johnny's shoulder a gentle squeeze, a smile playing at her lips. "I'm glad you're both in good spirits."

As she left, closing the door behind her, Johnny turned back to you, his grin widening. "Guess we almost got caught, huh?" He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close once more. "But I don't mind a little risk."