Flowers in the Window || W2S

25

-Two Months Later-

The sun was setting, low and pink in the sky. You liked that. It meant the stars were coming back. Sure, the nights were colder now, but that didn't bother you as much as it used to. You had tasted death-tasted real, pure cold. Nothing would ever compare to that.

Bryce sat on the table next to you, polishing a cup. His crutches leaned against a chair. He didn't need the wheelchair anymore-the doctors had told him it wasn't necessary. He was healing perfectly. Especially with all that money he'd suddenly come into possession of.

Turns out Marcus had left Bryce basically his entire fortune in the will. Both of you had been surprised, but in hindsight, it made sense. Marcus had no children or decent relatives-Bryce was the only person who could have received all that money. The banks were a nightmare to get through-an abundance of long security checks had to be done-but by the time all the cash came through, you and Bryce had decided that you were quite comfortable in your little flat together. So you spent the money on installing things to make the flat more accessible for Bryce's recovering leg. And fixing the broken door, obviously.

Once that was done, the rest of it went to the homeless shelter. Improving the facilities, paying the staff, paying yourselves, giving the residents their allowances. Combined with several investments from other billionaires and corporations, it had all worked out just fine for the shelter in the end.

The public still thought Marcus was missing. Nobody had been called forward to identify his body yet-although from what the police had told you, there wasn't much body left to look at. All the people knew was that Maleficent and the Incinerator had both been killed when the latter blew up the steel mill with his weapons. Just a few hours later, Catastrophe's body had been discovered near the bridge. Marcus's legacy had begun by helping the people through peace, and it had ended with him saving the people with violence. Was that poetic? You weren't quite sure.

"You look tired," Bryce commented, setting the glass down.

You rolled your eyes. "You always say that now."

As far as comas go, you'd recovered quite well. You'd woken after two weeks, and the recovery process had been slow and difficult. It was frustrating, not even being able to use the bathroom without assistance, and most nights, you'd just been lying awake, staring at the plain white ceiling, tears streaming down your temples. But Bryce had been there to comfort you the next morning-every morning. And every night, or every afternoon, or whenever he could, Harry was there, either in the room or at the window, stroking your hair or wiping your tears or leaving little flowers. He'd had to do a little bit of cleaning up after everything that had happened, but his role had been brief. The police wanted to handle it themselves, and with the state you were in, he'd been happy to give them full responsibility.

Bryce broke your thoughts by clearing his throat. "Aren't you going out?"

You blinked, confused. "No? I thought I told you-Wes and Margot are going to the Chinese place together."

Even as you complained about Bryce's forgetfulness, a smile formed on your lips. You'd felt many mixed emotions after waking up from your coma, and they all seemed to blur together at once. But when Wes and Margot had walked into your hospital room holding hands and proudly announced they were dating, the only thing you had to say to that was, 'Finally'.

In your opinion, it was the only thing that needed to be said.

"Oh, I know," Bryce said, and there was a very suspicious looking smile on his own face. "But don't you want to go outside? The sunset is so pretty-you don't want to go and see it?"

You narrowed your eyes. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, nothing," he insisted, raising his hands in mock surrender. "But I think you should go out anyway. Just because Wes and Margot are having fun doesn't mean you can't too."

"Okay then." And with that, you went to go retrieve your shoes and coat, having been successfully coerced into going outside.

Bryce was waiting for you by the door, leaning on one of his crutches. He opened his unoccupied arm, and you went into it, wrapping your arms around his waist as he put his on your back.

"Have fun," he said cheerfully. "Be safe. Enjoy yourself!"

You laughed all the way down the building stairs. What was he doing? What did he have planned?

It didn't take long at all for you to find out. You stepped outside, into the cold, and immediately heard a familiar sound in the sky. You turned your head to greet the noise, and then suddenly you weren't on the ground anymore. No, you were in the sky, and then you were on the roof of the Emerald building, your arms around Harry's neck, his around your waist.

He pulled off his mask and looked down at you, grinning. "Hello, beautiful."

You blushed profusely and smiled. "Hi. What's all this about?"

He leaned closer and kissed your temple before whispering into your ear. "Look left."

You did as he said.

The web on the Municipal building was the first thing you noticed. It stretched out, connected to the bookstore opposite and below. The bookstore also had a web connecting it to the government building on the right, reaching up to cling onto a window. And the further you looked, the more webs you saw, shining with the setting sun. So many webs, spread out across this part of the city, some closer than others. But it wasn't until you saw a dip in the side furthest from you, in between two curves, that you realised exactly what shape you were looking at.

Tears in your eyes, you turned back to Harry, smiling softly. "You drew me a heart?"

He nodded. "I just thought it would be nice. You deserve it."

"It's lovely," you breathed.

"Every other time I've tried to tell you that I love you," he continued, "it has ended in disaster. I wanted to finally be able to tell you in a way that didn't involve mass amounts of danger, and I wanted it to be romantic. Just thought this would be special."

Your head nodded then, one fast and jerky bob. "This is the best thing any person has ever done for another. The most romantic gesture history has ever seen."

He laughed, and you laughed with him. He threw his head back slightly, laughter genuine and real and melodic, and then he was kissing you, and the two of you were leaning into each other's embraces. He pulled away, but he wasn't done. His lips attacked your face, kissing your forehead, cheeks, jaw, nose, and finally, your lips again.

And then he said it. "I love you."

He said it, and you smiled.

"I love you too. With my whole soul."

He kissed you again-softer, more compassionate than the last. That was Harry Lewis, though-kind and hilarious and brave. And you loved every inch of it.

He pulled away, chuckling when you tried to chase his mouth again. "I found a really pretty view of the sunset, if you want to go see that."

You smiled. "And leave all this mess for the city council to clean up? They're going to hate you."

"No more than they already do," he grinned. "I'm a menace."

"My menace, though," you said.

"And you're my star."

The stars would be coming out at any moment now. "I'd like to see the stars with you. I never got a chance to explain why I like them."

"You don't have to explain, sweetheart," he told you. "That's just part of who you are, and I love it. But I'm also never going to pass up an opportunity like this, so let's go, shall we?"

"We shall."

He scooped you up in his arms, making you squeal. He laughed, and the sound sent waves of happiness rolling through your brain. He approached the edge of the building, kissed your forehead, and then leapt off. A web attached itself to the nearby restaurant, and the two of you swung through the city, the first hints of twilight reflecting on your faces, your joined laughter filling the air, as you both stayed with each other, in the moment, and dove headfirst and happily into this new, strange, beautiful forever.