My Lover or My Enemy?

Chapter 18

After our touching confessions, our morning is relaxed and simple, filled with warm affection and soft smiles.

We pack everything in to his trunk, deflating the mattress and unstringing the fairy lights ("God, Danny, how will I ever repay you for this?"). While carrying the mounds of blankets back, I wrap them around my head and body in a look that's reminiscent of Russian grandmas. I chuckle evily, sneaking up behind Danny and asking him in a croaky voice "would you like some magic?"
He jumps, at that, before erupting in to a peal of laughter and grabbing the ends of the blankets to pull me in for a kiss.

We ride back quickly, the vaguely familiar road spread out before us. I smile as we pass certain places I remember from last night, before descending back in to the easy conversation I had been having with Danny.

We eat breakfast at the café, and our disgruntled, 'I just slept in the forest' appearance doesn't catch /too/ many stares. I couldn't care less, however, about the occasional raised eyebrow, not with a warm drink in my hand and Danny sitting across from me, playing footsy with a giggle caught in the back of his throat.

Eventually, the drinks and pastries have all been devoured, and Danny makes the offer, "Would you like to meet Paul?"

"Is this, like, a 'meet the parents' type situation?" I joke, and he smiles.

"He practically is" he tells me, popping the last bite of croissant in to his mouth.

"Well then, I better look nice." I tell him, motioning up to my hair and face. "I have forest face"

He smiles at that. "And even then, you look gorgeous." He stares at me for a fraction of a second before cutting off my response with "Meet here in half an hour?"

I nod in agreement.

The half hour quickly passes, and before I know it I'm leaning against the cool coffeehouse bricks in a black pair of shorts and a crop top with a criss-cross of strings on the back, showing off my belly button peircing. I also am wearing black socks that go past my knee and a thin, sheer lace sweater that's more for style than temperature, and so I feel highly confident when Danny rolls up in his car. I run to the familiar sight, freshly washed hair whipping in front of my face.

"Get in, loser, we're going shopping" Danny jokes when I'm close enough to hear, and I give him a high five for the reference before seating myself in shotgun.

"You look great" He smiles at me, reaching over to capture my hand in a soft squeeze, which I reciprocate.

"Thank you" I say, a wide smile breaking out across my face. "The same could be said about you". He blushes faintly at that, stuttering over his response before I laugh and ask him what our plans are. He informs me that Paul, as the practical parent, gets to choose what we're doing, and after a little coaxing I learn that Paul has no idea we're coming.

It's with slight trepedation, therefor, that I stand in front of their door, Danny inserting his key as I wipe my sweaty hands against the rough denim of my shorts.

We enter quietly, and for a moment, I don't think anyone's home, before I hear Paul laugh softly, a noise which is followed by a wet sound.

I raise my eyebrows at Danny, who shrugs. We turn the corner to find Paul, entangled in a mess of limbs, with one hand clutching Luke's face as he peppers it with affectionate kisses.

Danny makes a shocked, strangled noise as a little voice in my head lets out a simpering 'awwww' and an OTP stamp of approval.

Paul looks up, and they both turn to face us, the blood draining from their faces as they pull away from eachother, shocked. They stutter excuses and look anywhere but us, pushing themselves at far ends of the couch in their panic.

"By all means, don't stop at our expense" I finally say, grinning. Luke visibly relaxes at that, but Paul remains tense, eyeing the frozen Danny with trepedation.

"Guys, this is Skylar" he finally manages to choke out, motioning towards me with eyes as wide as saucers.