One day I'll have it all. // Williamson

Harmony midst chaos

We were both out of breath, looking at each other as if we just did the craziest thing ever.

Leah didn't seem lost though, she just looked like it was her idea to kiss me, and that she was proud of it.

"Valentina, I-" Leah started to speak, but I cut her, putting my hands off her body.

"I'm sorry, I, I'm sorry.." I stuttered, and Leah shook her head,  and slowly put her hands on my cheeks, smiling widely.

"Hey, it's okay, don't be sorry.." She whispered, with the sweetest voice. "You're a pretty damn good kisser, Villanueva."

I smiled shyly at her words, most certainly extremely red.

"What are you doing here?" She then asked me.

I took a deep breath, the lingering taste of her kiss still fresh on my lips. "I couldn't just drive away. I needed to see you again," I confessed, my voice revealing the sincerity of my feelings.

Leah's eyes softened, her fingers gently tracing patterns on my cheeks. "You came back," she whispered, a mixture of surprise and something deeper reflecting in her gaze.

I nodded, unable to articulate the swirling emotions within me. Leah's presence felt like a lifeline, grounding me during my internal chaos.

"I don't want to rush things," I finally said, my gaze locked with hers. "But I also don't want to let fear dictate everything."

Leah's smile widened, a genuine warmth lighting up her features. "You don't have to figure everything out at once, Vale."

"I know I don't. But I also don't have the right to hurt you, and to make you confused or... or unsure, like I know I just made you feel."

Leah's fingers brushed against my lips, a gentle touch that silenced my anxious thoughts.

"Valentina," Leah said softly, her gaze unwavering. "I'm not confused or unsure. I know what I want, and I want you."

The sincerity in her words wrapped around my heart, thawing the fears that had held me captive. Leah's touch was a reassurance, a connection that transcended words.

"I want you too," I admitted, sighing. "You're... you're not supposed to be calm, and reassuring right now. You're supposed to be mad at me."

Leah chuckled, the sound resonating with genuine amusement. "Why would I be mad at you? We're both figuring things out, Valentina. It's okay not to have all the answers right away." She said, putting a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Trust me, I don't have it all figured out either. I'm gonna get jealous, and insecure, and I'm gonna be mad over things so futile you'll actually start to wonder if I'm crazy." She said, and I giggled at her words. "But if you promise to still be here for me when I'm all those things, I promise to do the same for you."

The vulnerability in Leah's words resonated with a shared understanding.

"I promise," I replied, the weight of that commitment hanging in the air. Leah's smile held a mixture of relief and genuine affection.

She leaned in, her lips brushing against mine in a tender kiss. It was a promise sealed in the warmth of that connection, a silent agreement to face the uncertainties ahead hand in hand.

As Leah pulled away, her gaze held a depth of emotion that mirrored my own, the unspoken understanding between us comforting.

"No pressure, no labels, just us," Leah whispered, her words echoing in the quiet space between us. The simplicity of her proposition was a balm to my soul, a gentle reminder that no matter what happened, at least we were together.

I nodded, a shared understanding passing between us. "Just us," I affirmed, my voice soft yet resolute. Leah's smile deepened, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken pact we had forged.

"I'll see you tomorrow at training?"

Leah's question hung in the air, the anticipation of the coming days evident in her eyes. I nodded, a reassuring smile playing on my lips.

"Definitely. Tomorrow at training," I affirmed, the prospect of seeing her again always comforting in my mind.

Leah's grin mirrored my own, a shared understanding that transcended words.

"Goodnight, cowboy Valentina," Leah whispered, her lips only inches away from mine. I giggled, and rolled my eyes, offering her lips a quick peck.

"Goodnight, sudoku Leah," I teased back, and we shared one last lingering gaze before parting ways for the night. As I drove back home, the echo of our shared laughter and the warmth of Leah's touch lingered, casting a soft glow over the uncertainty that had momentarily clouded my thoughts.

I wasn't the best at feelings, and definitely not the best at expressing them. But Leah made me want to be better. She made me want to unravel the layers I had carefully built, exposing the vulnerability that lay beneath.

And I was certain this would all be worth it in the end.