The Way We Once Were

twelve

Sooo...this is my first time writing smut so if it's really bad please don't come for me. also amaya if you're reading this skip this chapter pleas

Travis's POV

When I pulled up to her house, the porch light was on, casting a warm glow over her front steps. My heart was racing a little, even though I had seen her in the morning, it felt surreal in the best way. She opened the door before I could even knock, and the second our eyes met, I felt this sense of calm settle over me, like coming up for air after holding my breath for too long.

"Hey," I said, stepping inside, and she gave me this soft smile that made everything in me slow down, focus on her and nothing else.

I'd noticed she'd put together a little dinner for us—pasta, candles, a bottle of wine. It was simple, but somehow it felt like the most special thing I'd ever walked into. We sat across from each other at the small kitchen table, and I couldn't take my eyes off her. The candlelight flickered, casting a warm glow that made her look like some kind of daydream, and for a second, I almost forgot where I was.

"This might be the best pasta I've ever had," I said with a smirk, and she laughed, rolling her eyes. "You don't have to flatter me, you know," she teased, but I could see the hint of a blush rising to her cheeks. "Who says I'm flattering you?" I nudged her foot under the table, my own grin widening. "Great company, great pasta... seriously, this is all I need."

She looked down, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and something about the way she looked so shy, so real, hit me right in the chest. I wanted to reach out and tell her she was everything, that no one else even came close, but I wasn't sure how much she wanted to hear it yet. So, I just watched her, letting her see it in my eyes, hoping she knew.

The conversation flowed easily, the way it always had. We told stories, laughed until our sides hurt, like the years between us had faded away. After a while, I noticed a little strand of hair that had fallen across her face. Before I could think twice, I reached over, tucking it behind her ear, letting my fingers linger, feeling the warmth of her skin under my touch.

"You know," I started softly, my voice barely above a whisper, "you don't have to settle for anything that doesn't make you feel alive." I didn't want to push her, but I needed her to know, she deserved everything. She deserved more than empty rooms and silent dinners.

Her eyes met mine, and I saw something change, something real and raw flickering in her gaze. "I think... I just forgot what it felt like to want more. To believe that I could have it. I just..." And then I leaned in, catching her lips in a soft kiss that held everything I hadn't been able to say.

She kissed me back just as gently, her hands slipping up to my shoulders, pulling me closer, like she was trying to hold onto this moment as much as I was. When we pulled back, I rested my forehead against hers, feeling our breaths slow down together. It felt like everything I'd been searching for was right here, sitting across from me, looking at me like I was exactly what she needed, too.

Eventually, we moved to the couch, curled up together like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her head rested on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around her, feeling her relax against me. The night outside was quiet, the world felt still, and I'd never felt more at peace than I did just holding her.

Time passed, but neither of us moved. It was like we were both afraid to break the spell, to let reality creep back in. I held her tighter, not saying a word, just letting her know I was there, that I wasn't going anywhere.

As the night wore on, we stayed close on the couch, wrapped in the kind of quiet that didn't need filling. Every so often, she'd tilt her head up and look at me, her eyes bright and searching, like she was trying to memorize this moment too. I could feel the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us, this electric tension that neither of us could ignore anymore.