Two Birds, One Stone

14. Star Struck

This is another chapter that isn't really plotty or emotional at all. We won't have any more of these for a while, so if this is your thing, cherish it, and if not, no need to worry. Shit's gonna start going down soon. This is stayonbrand, come on now.

This chapter is probably messy bc I'm not editing twice fuck it I've got too stories to update (see that wrong form of two? Yeah I should fix it but I'm gonna leave it there so you know how I'm doing right now)

neta catch the reference

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We stayed in bed like that for a while. It was quiet overall, but occasionally conversation took a momentary hold -- nothing deep, just basic chatter about this or that, neither here nor there. Jamie's fingers walked up and down my abdomen whenever he started talking, and from time to time he would kiss my shoulder or my collar or my neck -- I wasn't sure if it was gratitude or affection, but each time made me smile nonetheless.

     Nearly an hour had passed when we found out we weren't alone. Out from under the bed crawled Nemo, and after peering curiously for a moment at the fallen textbook, he hopped onto the covers and crawled onto Jamie's chest, where he pawed at Jamie's shirt for a few seconds before curling into a furry orange ball. Jamie's breathing slowed in an attempt to control the rise and fall of his chest and keep Nemo from leaving.

     "Sorry you had to witness all of that earlier," he murmured, scratching underneath the kitten's chin and earning a few quiet purrs. "I'm a hot mess, don't mind me."

     He seemed okay. At least momentarily. I wasn't sure he was ever really okay.

    "I love this city," he said absentmindedly. "It's busy. There's a lot to grab your attention. But it's not too crazy. This is the kind of place where I'd like to live . . ."

    I could tell he would have continued, but he cut himself short. There was an unspoken if in the empty space at the end of his sentence. If it wasn't for . . .

     "I'll bring you back here sometime," I mused, drumming my fingers against his hip. "Take you back to that ridiculously overpriced museum."

     Jamie tilted his head to look up at me. I wasn't sure if the curve of his lips counted as a smile, but it was something. "Yeah?"

     "'Course," I said. "This was fun. And I think Stevie's kind of in love with you, anyways, so I'm not sure you have a choice."

     Jamie hummed an almost-laugh. "I love her, too. We can go find stray cats together," he said, petting Nemo's head gently.

     He was joking, but I could easily picture that happening in my mind, and the image made me chuckle. I wouldn't pretend I didn't love that Stevie and Jamie got along.

     "I think . . . she kind of gets me, too," Jamie thought aloud. "She's really understanding. She's like you."

     "I'm not that understanding."

     Jamie rolled his eyes. "Take the fucking compliment, dude."

      I snorted. "Dude?" I mocked, raising my eyebrows teasingly, and Jamie laughed; it actually reached his eyes this time, if only beneath a stubborn fog. "Dude. Yeah, okay, thanks, bro."

      "Fuck you, I'm not calling you, like, babe," he pushed at my cheek, turning my face away from his.

       "Aw, I'm heartbroken," I cooed. "C'mon, baby."

      "Absolutely not."

       "You're hurting me, honey."

       Jamie mocked a gagging noise.