Ruby and Liam AU

Chapter 13

A/N - I haven't said this in a while, but all rights to bracken ☺️
Enjoy!

Ruby's POV

The movie was actually pretty good. Once the first one was over, I was definitely looking forward to The Empire Strikes Back.
However, it's around dinner time for the Stewart household, and I'm invited.
"Are you sure I should eat here? I mean, popcorn is very filling, and I had an apple 6 hours ago"
"Don't be silly-"
"You can't ask be to be something I'm not" I interrupted Liam, smiling.
"Since the food here is great" he continued. "Plus, I already told Harry that you came over, so no worries, okay" he said, shooting me down with a dazzling smile.
Damn the stupid Stewart charm
"Akuna Matata" I mumbled.

At the dinner table

I walked down the stairs after Liam, and I instantly heard Cole wolf whistle once he saw me.
Classy
I'm not even sure why I'm so nervous about this little dinner. It could not be simpler: pick up food, put food in mouth, and swallow food. But I just feel like I'm going to do the stupidest thing, and I'll manage to mess up whatever I think I have with Liam.
"Guys, this is Ruby" Liam says, touching my arm lightly, almost making me jump.
Everyone responds with a chorus of 'hellos', except for Cole, who mumbles something about gems.
We sit down, and I notice how alike Liam and his mother look. Her blonde hair is wavy and she has sharp blue eyes.
"Hi honey, food will be ready shortly" she smiles towards me.
I fidget around a little in my seat, and Liam's step father, Harry, raises his eyebrows questionably at me.
I am saved from responding when Cole comes out of the kitchen with a giant pan of chicken.
My eyes widened from how good it smelled, and I actually drooled a little.
Maybe no one saw...
My hopes were crushed when I saw Liam choke on his water, and my face is as red as a rose.
But I didn't really care much about that after I tried the food. It was that good.
"So darlin', how do you know Liam?" Harry asks.
"Oh, how she knows Liam" Cole speaks for me. "She came over a few months ago and-"
"We worked on a project, that's it" Liam interrupts, glaring daggers at his brother.
So this is what brotherly love looks like.
"So you call what you guys were doing working" Cole said, smirking.
The heat flushed up my cheeks so quickly, and I said "that's inaccurate" at the same time Liam exclaimed "you asshole!"
Then both brothers started to stand up, and started throwing mediocre insults at each other, but I could tell it would've gotten heated if their parents didn't shush them.
If this dinner didn't have the amazing chicken, then I would've put this on my list of 'worst gatherings'.
"Guys, just calm down" Harry said, trying to pacify them.
Liam was obviously angry, with his neck up to his ears a tinged pink. But to be honest, I'm more embarrassed then mad. Cole was just hinting that Liam and I did something the last time I came here.
Aren't I great at first impressions?!
The rest of the dinner was filled with awkward silence.
I guess Liam's parents didn't want to pry at whatever happened a few months ago, probably because they're scared of what they'll find out.
Being able to leave the table was a relief, and maybe a little bit of a disappointment.
The food was that good.
While walking back up the stairs, Liam said, "look, about Cole-"
"It's alright" I say with a smile. "By the impression he gave, he's not my favorite person right now."
"Yeah, I thought he would be nicer, seeing how he hardly knows you and all, but he's just trying to get me in trouble. He probably succeeded too. I bet Harry's going to want to have a "talk" tomorrow."
I laughed a little. I never really thought about wanting a sibling before. Sam was an only child too, and she never complained, so I never did either. Now thinking about it, what is their to complain about?
Once in his room, I instantly jumped on his bed, as if we've been friends for years and this was an ordinary movie night.
I meant to sit down, but flopped on my back instead, semi-screaming just a little bit.
I guess when you eat a bunch of chicken, your natural instinct is to lie down.
Liam laughs heartily, and just lies down next to me.
All the tiredness from my sleep deprivation last night, plus the two hours spent in a dark room watching a movie, AND eating a bucket load of chicken, came flooding back to me.
I propped a pillow up near my head so I could see the tv.
"You can play the movie, but I'm warning you I might fall asleep. Just wake me up before midnight." I yawn into the pillow, facing Liam on my side.
"Sure thing darlin'." He says and brushes my hair away from my face.
I almost don't feel the shiver from his touch.
Almost
He hits play, and the Star Wars theme song fills the air as I doze off to sleep.

.......

"Seriously!"
Is the first word that awakens me from my heavenly slumber. Literally.
In my dream, I was floating on clouds, though it is physically impossible, and was stuffing my face with marshmallows. And, a certain someone was also there, but that is private.
I slowly open my eyes to see a very pissed off Cole in the doorway. Why is he pissed off? I do not know.
Why is he in my doorway? I don't-
Wait...
My room in the basement does not have a doorway...
I sit up very quickly, causing a sleeping Liam to move around a bit, and an angry Cole to widen his eyes slightly.
"Wait, what time is it?!" I say really fast.
"After ten..." Cole says.
I'm jumping off the bed before he even finishes the sentence, and want to ask if it's ten at night, but the sun streaming in through the window ruins my brief hope.
I stayed at Liam's all night...
I'm panicking, I'm pacing, I'm running my hands through me hair.
"I stayed the whole night?!"
"Uhhh, that's kind of obvious" Cole states.
"I wasn't SUPPOSED to stay all night!"
Now that made the impassive Cole ever so slightly raise an eyebrow.
"Well, what was supposed to happen last night, Gem?" He smirks.
"Nothing of course" my cheeks reddening for no apparent reason. "We were watching Star Wars, not a Porno film!"
I felt the need to point this out since Cole was still smirking, devilishly might I add.
After my extremely brief screaming, Liam's eyes started to open a little.
Cole then starts shaking him wildly, yelling something about having to take me home.
3 seconds later, Liam is standing on his feet, looking very confused.
"I didn't know you were staying the night."
I punch him in the arm a couple of times, kinda hard.
"You were supposed to wake me!" I say.
I'm really freaking out. My parents could be a little overprotective, and getting home late, or not at ALL, is going to give them heart attacks!
"Okay, OKay! I get it, sorry" Liam says, rubbing his arm. He's not taking this seriously.
"I'm serious! My parents are going to kill me! Do you really want me to die!!"
Exaggeration noted, but if you were in my situation, you'd say the same thing.
Now he was full on smiling, trying to settle me down.
"Relax, I'll give you a ride home, and I'll help explain everything to your parents. Okay?" Liam says, holding me by my shoulders.
I take a breath in and nod slowly.
"But I can't go on your bike. My parents will be waiting, and they highly disapprove of vehicles without seatbelts."
"Fine! I'll drive you" Cole yells before Liam can respond.
I furrow my eyebrows, trying to find the hidden meaning behind his words.
"HE doesn't have a LEGAL car liscense, and YOU can't walk home." Then Cole just turns around and walks downstairs...!!!
I'm shocked.
It looks like Liam is beyond shocked.
"I-I'll walk you to the door...?" He says like a question, probably still confused by Cole's sudden kindness.
I nod, dazed, and we head down.
At the door, Liam apologizes, sincerely this time, since he is wide awake now.
I feel bad.
It really isn't his fault that we both fell asleep on a comfy bed, after eating a filling meal.
"It's really not your fault." I say, and wrap my hands around his neck to show him I mean it, pulling him into a hug.
With my head in the crook of his neck, It feels familiar, and I instantly remember that this was the position I was in when I fell asleep.
No wonder I had such a nice dream.
His hold on me feels right, and he kisses my cheek gently when I pull away.
I am tempted to kiss him again, but I realize that Cole is waiting in his car right in front of us.
Maybe some other time.
I sit in the passenger seat, and I am off to feel the wrath of my parents.

A/N - I accidentally published this early, your welcom...?
I'm not sure, sorry, or not sorry.
Hoped you liked it😬
Comment, vote, read, follow, whatever you want
Panda out☺️☺️