CASUAL AFFAIR; brendon urie

Chapter Sixty: The End (Of All Things)

It didn't happen like in the movies.

We didn't run into one another's arms, and kiss passionately, declaring our undying love, and conveniently forgetting one another's screw-ups.

No - Brendon was waiting, leaning against his car with one hip, arms wrapped around himself with his hands balled into fists underneath each armpit, turning to face me upon the sound of my arrival, eyes wide and dark. And he smiled - it was a wobbly, unsure smile, but a smile nonetheless. And he said "Hey."

"Hi." I replied, pressing down on each knuckle with my thumb, stopping ten feet from where he stood.

"You came."

"I nearly did something really, really stupid," I said, trying hard to not let my voice waver as I spoke. "Last night."

And Brendon didn't ask what it was, or act hurt. He simply replied "But you didn't."

And even though a small part of me hated that he didn't demand to know, that felt I deserved a negative reaction ... Well, that part was so much smaller than the part that felt the wave of gratefulness - the part that made me take two steps toward him, before pausing.

He took a step toward me, and let out a soft laugh. "Jesus, Florrie."

I looked down, at my feet, my scuffing the toe of one van against the other, before looking back at him and hugging my elbows to my torso. "You hurt me."

Brendon bowed his head. "I know." he said. "And I don't expect you to accept any crappy apology I give to you."

"Good," I said, and when he looked back at me, I smiled. "Romeo."

His smiled was tentative, but it had grew slightly, in assurance. "But I am sorry. So, so sorry, and I need you to know that. I wouldn't blame you if you walked away from me right now."

"Why would I do that?" I asked in a small, soft voice.

"Because it's what I deserve." He was the boy, talking to me on the deck, at the party. He was the boy, who grabbed my hand as he stumbled through the woods. He was the boy who'd taken my request for a song, and played it for me. He was the boy I'd fallen for, like the klutz I was. "Juliet."

And then, who closed the gap, I don't know, but it was closed, and his arms were around me, tight, his lips against my forehead, and my face was pressed into his chest, my fingers locked tightly into the back of his shirt. And then he angled his head to break my heart in a good way with a kiss. And another. And another.

"I love you, Florence." his fingers found mine, and they wove together, clasping my hand tightly. "I love you so, so much."

I ran the hand not intertwined with Brendon's down his cheek, his jaw. Delighting at this simple touch of this incredible human being. "I love you, too."

And then he laughed, as his fist bunched up the material of my shirt at my lower back, and he rested his forehead against mine. "God, we're idiots."

"Hey," I found myself laughing back. "At least we didn't fuck up as badly as actual Romeo and Juliet."

He laughed harder at that, and then we kissed. I say we because I'm really not sure who kissed who first, but it didn't matter, because we were, and it was wonderful. And my heart thumped hard and fast, and I put a hand on Brendon's chest, over his heart, and it was beating hard and fast, too.

And when we were done, he smiled that goofy lopsided smile I loved, and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

"God," I wiped the tears brimming in my eyes and laughed. "It's like the ending of every fucking Katherine Heigl movie ever made."

Brendon laughed, both his hands moving to hold my hips, shaking his head. "When I said you were the best thing that's ever happened to me - I mean it." He paused. "And I'm more glad than I've ever been for anything else in my life that you came outside that night at the party, that you held my hand in the woods, that you said yes to me, that ... that you came, tonight."

I felt a lot of things then. Too much for me to name every single one. But above all, I felt something sharp and beautiful, about what he'd said, how he held me. "I'm glad too."

And for the longest time, we stayed, in that embrace, my arms around his neck, leaning against his chest, whilst he held me back. And then, after a moment, Brendon asked me softly "What now?"

"I guess we can see what other shenanigans we can get ourselves into."

Brendon laughed. "I meant do you wanna come back to mine for takeaway, but that works too." he found my hand again and clasped it tightly.

"I suppose we can always get into shenanigans after pizza." I squeezed his hand and leant my head against his chest.

And Brendon's voice was teasing as he said "Oh, I plan on getting into many more shenanigans with you, Florrie."

I smiled into his chest as I replied "Right back 'atcha."

And I could hardly wait.