love happy • chris evans (bwwm)

• seven •

Phoenix twirled the necklace Chris gifted her between her fingertips as she walked through his Boston penthouse, searching for him. After walking past the dining room, she noticed the balcony door was cracked open which caused her to look out the glass sliding doors. At the sight of Chris leaning on the glass barrier, she slid the door open to join him.

"You're smoking?" Phoenix coughed as the scent of the cigarette hanging between his fingers flooded her nostrils.

"Obviously." Chris mumbled under his breath before putting out the cigarette and tucking the bud in his pocket. He turned around slowly to face the woman who he had barely spoken to in two days and opened his arms to her.

With a hint of skepticism, Phoenix approached Chris and hugged him loosely as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm really sorry about what happened the other day. My actions were beyond inappropriate and it was never my intention to betray your trust."

"I know."

"I understand if you want me to give you more space or if you don't want to marry me anymore."

"You are so fucking dramatic." Chris replied with a sarcastic laugh. "Was I FURIOUS with you? Oh definitely; probably more angry than I've ever been in my life actually but that doesn't mean I love you any less, Phoenix. You have to understand that I just needed some time to calm down, clear my mind and process."

"I'm sorry." She apologized once again while nuzzling her head into Chris's chest, causing him to tighten his grip around her waist.

"Of course I forgive you honeybee. What I saw was horrific, to say the least, but I do trust you entirely." He assured. "If you say it was nothing, I am inclined to believe you."

"I think Tom has feelings for me." Phoenix spoke randomly, without looking up at Chris.

"Did he tell you that?"

"Well no... Benoit brought it to my attention." She revealed. "Then I started thinking about it and it makes sense. He's been dropping subtle hints for two years."

"I don't know what to say."

"Did you know?"

"Phoenix, EVERYBODY knew." Chris replied honestly.

Although he was angry with both Tom and Phoenix, the thought of revealing Tom's feelings for her never crossed his mind. He always wanted Tom to be the one to tell her how he felt and the fact that Benoit was the one to tell her didn't sit right with Chris. For two years, everybody from the Endgame cast to Phoenix's own family knew about Tom's feelings for her and not one person said a thing about it. In a way, Chris felt bad that Tom's secret was outed by someone he didn't even know. It was an unfair and insensitive situation.

"I'm sorry you found out this way. We had all hoped Tom would work up the courage to tell you himself." He added.

Pulling away from Chris, Phoenix took a step backwards, distancing herself from her fiancé as she covered her mouth in shock. She hadn't been one hundred percent sure of Tom's feelings until Chris himself confirmed it. Her mind was moving a million miles a minute as her emotions began to overtake her. She didn't know whether to feel hurt or relieved that Chris knew this entire time and said nothing about it to her. She already felt dumb enough knowing she had no idea that her best friend was in love with her for years and now knowing everybody else, including her fiancé, was aware made her head spin. Why didn't Chris tell her? Why didn't Tom?

"I feel so stupid." She spoke more to herself than Chris as she slid down the wall until her butt touched the ground. "Is that why he was so nice to me? Only because he wanted to fuck me for 2 fucking years?!"

Chris let out a sigh before taking a seat next to Phoenix on the concrete balcony. "There's no reason to feel stupid. I can assure you that Tom is a genuinely nice guy. I don't think his niceness toward you specifically had anything with the fact that he wanted to fuck you for 2 fucking years."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my place or anybody else's to say anything." He responded before slinging an arm over Phoenix's shoulder. "It would've been wrong for me to reveal something so intimate knowing Tom wasn't ready to share that with you. If he wanted you to know, he would've told you."

"I just don't see how we can ever go back to being friends after what happened a couple days back and now knowing he's been in love with me this entire time."

"I can only imagine how you must feel."

"I feel... guilty almost." Phoenix spoke. "I do love Tom but not in the way he loves me... I don't think I'd ever be able to reciprocate those feelings, even if you and I weren't together. Tom and I are just too similar. It would never work."

"I'm sure he would agree with that." Chris assumed. "Maybe that's why he never told you. He didn't want to risk losing your friendship over something that would never happen."

"I just don't see how I can still be friends with him knowing what I know."

"Look, Benoit should've never told you. That was a fucked up move on his part, especially considering the fact that he doesn't even know Tom." Chris began. "Tom is someone who has been there for you whenever you needed it for multiple years now; that's not an easy task. You've trusted him and confided in him. I don't want to make assumptions but I'm almost 100% sure that not one of your other friends share as many common interests as you do with Tom. Your bond and connection was instantaneous. I still remember how beautiful it was to watch your friendship bloom from the beginning."

"I would think you of all people would understand, especially coming off of what you saw between us."

"I'm not a jealous guy. And I'm definitely not an insecure one." He reminded. "I trust that after what I saw, some boundaries will be put in place. I trust you, Phoenix. I'm not worried about what you and Tom do because at the end of the day, you come home to me. Tom doesn't get to lay with you and kiss you. He doesn't get to make love to you. He doesn't get to love you and have you love him back."

Rather than responding, Phoenix smashed her lips onto Chris's, kissing him hungrily. It was as if she had never been so turned on as she quickly unbuttoned his pants.

Chris grabbed her hand, preventing her from pulling down his zipper. "Hold on."

"You still don't want to have sex?" Phoenix sighed. "That's okay. I get it."

"I've been craving you for days now and I can't wait to be inside you again." He admitted while pulling her up from off the ground. "We just can't do it out here, where the world can see."

"I love you."

"Let me show you how much I love you."

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Thank you to everyone who is always voting/ commenting on the chapters! I can't even tell you how much I appreciate you. 😘