Stay With Me | Danisnotonfire x Reader

Chapter 22

You closed your eyes, expecting a physical strike. Instead you felt the weight lifted off of your body. You opened your eyes to see Nathan rushing down from his doorstep and the cop who pulled Suzy off of you.

The cop caught your attention. "Go in there for now and I'll care of this."

Slowly nodding, you walked toward Nathan's guiding arms and followed him inside his home. It felt as if you floated to a small armchair and a force nudged you to sit.

Nathan placed himself in your line of vision. "Are you alright?"

You nodded. "I don't know how she knew where I was."

"Don't worry, the police will find out." He took a glance toward his drape covered living room window. He sighed then turned back to you. "I don't want to be the bad guy, but are you sure it's best to be with Dan? What about America?"

"I..." You paused and looked at the closed curtains. "This isn't a regular occurrence in his life."

"Yes, but—"

The vibration of your phone cut him off. The screen reflected Phil's incoming call. "I have to take this, it's from my brother." You held the phone up to your ear and was about to speak but Phil's stammering made you stop.

"Listen, Y/N..." he hesitated. "There's a picture of you and Dan online and a lot of people are speculating on your romantic lives."

You blinked as you questioned the possible relation between Suzy's threat and timing of the picture.

"Do you want me to help you take it down?"

You sighed. The series of events in this early portion of the day already caused you to feel tired. "I'll discuss it with Dan when I get back. Does he know about it?"

"Yeah. He was the one who showed it to me."

Your imagination conjured up a slightly hesitant Dan with flushed cheeks approaching Phil with his laptop. "I'll be back soon." With a click you ended the call.

"What did Phil say?" Nathan asked with his arms crossed.

"Just some more things to deal with at home."

He sighed. "Just so we're on the same page, I'm not trying to cockblock you and Dan. I just want to be sure since you were really independent back then."

You gave him a small smile. "I know."

------

You felt the softness of Dan's blankets against your fingers as you wiggled further into his bed. Your head nestled itself on his shoulder. He closed his laptop and leaned his head on top of yours.

You broke the silence. "What do you think of the picture?"

His voice felt closer than ever. "Honestly I don't mind it, but I don't want to pressure you." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I haven't asked you to be my girlfriend yet either."

You smiled. "Thank you for being patient about it. I thought about it a lot and I want to stay here with you. I want to see where we'll go, the things we'll experience, and how we'll grow."

The weight on your head lifted as Dan sat up. He stared into your eyes. "I wanted this to be more romantic but..." Before he could form his words, a knock on the door filled the air. He released an exasperated breath. "Yes?"

Phil popped open the door and poked his head in. "Y/N, why did I just get a call from an officer informing me about what happened with you and Suzy earlier?"

"What happened?" Dan asked. His tone took a protective turn.

You avoided both of their eyes. "I was going to tell you both after I was done talking to Dan. She's in custody now, right?"

Phil crossed his arms. "I hate to say this Y/N, but you're officially grounded until this gets sorted out."

"Grounded, really? We're on like the third floor of the loft."

"You know what I mean."

"I'm with Phil on this one." Dan agreed.

------

You paused in your typing and moved your gaze to the ceiling. The laptop on your lap displayed a document with words detailing the plot of your next novel. Piano melodies murmured from the speakers and filled the space of your room. You flicked on the display screen of your phone and tossed it back down onto the bed when it revealed no new messages.

A knock came to the door.

"Come in," you called. It had been a day since Phil's grounding declaration but you were ready for company.

The door opened just enough to squeeze a (your favorite color) balloon with an attached note through the gap. The orb bobbed to your awaiting hands.

You unrolled the note and smiled. In Dan's lengthy handwriting the note read:

"Roses are red

Violets are blue

I may not be the best with words

But I'll try my best for you"

Dan's embarrassed voice came through the door gap. "Are you done reading?"

"Yes," you replied with a giggle.

The door opened further as Dan stepped through it. He donned his typical full black outfit but held a single (your favorite flower) in his hand. He sat on the edge of your bed and cleared his throat. "From the day we've met, I've enjoyed being around you. Whether it's about your relatable humor, entrancing words, or playfulness, I always want to hear from you. But more than anything I want you to be happy. I want to be part of what makes you happy. Y/N, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes."

------

A/N: You and Dan are now together! 8) -plays congratulatory trumpet music-

A lot of things have happened since the last update. I took a couple summer exams, turned 21, and discovered the depth of platonic love. I hope that you've all been well. Thank you to everyone who favorited, commented, and added this story to their public reading lists. :)

The next chapter will be the last one.