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Skinny Love [Arlo x Reader]

"I get it now..." The way Arlo's lips curl to a frown amused me for a moment, my fingers flexing as I grip the hem of my jacket tightly, "You're afraid."

"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I be afraid?" His blue eyes are sharp and cutting, his gaze attempting to tear strips off my very being. I can see the tensing of his shoulder as he straightens himself, standing a few inches taller than me.

"Really now?" I couldn't help but snort as I glance over him, "I've known you for a long time, like what? Ten years now?" I couldn't help but chuckle at the mere memory of childhood naivety with starry-eyed children looking through rose-coloured lenses, wishing they can somehow hold the world in the palm of their hands.

"You're always afraid of losing control. You're afraid that your house of cards will go whoosh-" I sweep my hand across an imaginary house of cards, a small smile tugging at my lips, "-blown away~"

I can feel his annoyance rolling off like waves of a stormy sea as he shifts, eye twitching as his gaze bores down on me. There's no better satisfaction than seeing him lose that tight grip he has on his emotion. He doesn't say anything and so I continue, venom and spite seeping into my voice as I spoke.

"You have to be in control of everything that the moment I resist, you-"before I could finish, Arlo cuts in, his usual calm tone edged with anger and annoyance.

"Are you testing my patience, Y/N?" He hisses, taking a step closer, blue glowing; the telltale sign of his ability being activated.

I could feel my hands shake as blood rushes to my cheeks, races through my very veins as I met his scowl with my own.

"Wow." There's no shortage of sarcasm in my voice as I spoke, "Am I now?" I cross my arms over my chest, there's no way I am going to back down now, not when the flames of my wrath are fed with fuel. I can feel my lungs burning with every deep breath I take just to ease the burning flames raging inside me.

"You," I jab my finger at him accusingly, "want to be in control of everything. You want everything to go according to your plan. You want everything to fit perfectly like puzzle pieces."

"Y/N-" Before he has the chance to cut me off again, I quickly interject.

"No. Listen to me. I do everything for you, do everything you ask me to but it's never enough, okay? What I do is never enough for you. All I want is to make you - to make us - happy. I can't keep doing this, Arlo. I'm...I'm done... " I realized too late that I was crying.I screw my eyes shut, hands furiously swatting away the tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Y/N..." His footsteps echo softly against the tiled floor, I take a step back, not wanting him anywhere near me but my attempt to escape was futile. I feel the back of my knees bump against the edge of the table, putting a stop to my plans of getting away from Arlo. His warm hands take mine into his, holding them in place. "I'm sorry."

"Apologies don't make everything better." I replied, words broken apart by soft sobs.

"I know." He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer to him. "I know." He buries his face in my hair, his arms holding onto me closer.

I buried my face in his chest, snaking my arms around his torso as I cling to his shirt. Our relationship was barely hanging on to the tread, but neither of us wanted to admit it. I want to hold on to the hope that we - what we have - is still worth salvaging.