boundaries [s.m]

chapter three

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable." – C.S. Lewis
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saturday night came with the couple rushing about, trying to get the city condo in order, cleaning up, setting out alcoholic and soft beverages, placing out bowls of snacks, ordering the pizzas, and organising the playlists, before organising themselves, and the way they plan to release their relationship to his peers, since most of aria's closest friends already know.

"it's casual, and it's only a smallish group of people," shawn says to aria, trying to calm her down, as he paces around the main bedroom, looking for a shirt to wear.

"smallish? shawn, we're telling your friends that we are dating, mind the fact that most of your friends hate you for even being friends with me!" aria bursts, standing up, and looking stressed. shawn scrunches his face up in confusion, as he pulls a black button up over his torso.

"hate you? they don't hate you," he says, buttoning up the shirt, much to aria's dismay. "aria, they love you."

"really? because at your birthday do, ian told me to my face that he hates me," aria points out, folding her arms. "shawn, you cant stop me from being scared."

"they aren't going to judge, and if they do, i will tell them about brian and what he does," shawn shrugs, making aria snort out a chuckle, before shaking her head. "look, aria, baby," shawn says, walking towards her, and placing his hands on her hips. "at the end of the day, it shouldn't matter. i love you, and i want to be with you, and i will be with you, no matter what anyone says, okay? if you really do feel uncomfortable, it's fine, we won't say it, but i assure you, they won't go too crazy. i promise."

"pinky?" aria asks in a small voice, as shawn smiles, nodding.

"pinky," he says, pressing his lips to her forehead. "now, why don't we start opening some drinks?"

"mhm," aria nods, trailing her hands up to behind his neck. "but," she moves her fingertips to the top two buttons of his shirt, carefully unbuttoning them, revealing the skin of his upper chest. "there we go."

"you're unbelievable," he chuckles, shaking his head.

"i know, but you love me," she answers, making him smile widely. "come on, let's do a shot before everyone gets here." she tells shawn, patting his shoulder, before beginning to walk away.

"aria," shawn says quietly, grabbing her hand back into his. "you won't be scared, will you? you aren't worried i'm gonna think differently, are you?"

"i mean, it is a doubt," she admits, looking down at the floor, making guilt, and sadness flood through shawn. "but i'm fine."

"hey, aria," shawn coos, tilting her chin up with his fingertips. "i won't ever listen to them when it concerns you. i am so sure about you, please don't think i ever won't be."

"i don't think you will, but it's just a concern i have," she mumbles. "i'm sorry."

"why are you apologising? don't be," shawn asks concerned. "aria, are you okay?"

"i'm fine, shawn," she says, looking at him with reassurance. "i'm fine."

he sighs softly, hugging her body immediately, and swaying her gently in his arms. "i know you're not," he whispers, as aria tucks her head into his chest. "i know you probably don't want to tell me, but i'm here. i'm not going. and i will most definitely not listen to my friends if they say anything about you. i've tried too long to get you, and i'm not letting you go now. not after trying so hard. whatever happens, we'll be okay, i promise. i will try my hardest to keep us okay if anything really does happen. i'll be here forever, darling, when you're ready."