*𝙰𝚕𝚙𝚑𝚊𝚋𝚎𝚝 𝙱𝚘𝚢* {𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚡 𝙵𝚎𝚖! 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛} (DISCONTINUED)

9

♫"boy you got me helplesss, look into your eyes and the skies the limit"♫ - helpless, Philllipa Soo

『••✎••』

(y/ns pov)

I woke up to soft beams of light peeking through the curtains, Finn curled up beside me, his fur warm against my hand. The guest room felt more familiar now, but there was still this lingering feeling in my chest that I couldn't shake off.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes and stretching quietly. Last night felt surreal. Not just because I ended up here, but because of how safe I felt. Walker wasn't someone I ever thought I'd run to for help—not until recently. But the way he held me when I broke down... I never knew he could be that person.

Finn stirred, blinking lazily at me as I quietly slipped out of bed. The hallway was silent except for faint noises coming from downstairs. Walker was probably already awake.

As I made my way to the bathroom to freshen up, flashes of last night played over and over in my head. Especially the moment I stood outside his room, debating if I should knock. I had never been more scared to ask for something so simple—just a place to feel safe.

But the way Walker looked at me, like it wasn't a burden at all, made me wonder how I ever hated him in the first place.

After washing up, I padded down the stairs, hearing faint movement in the kitchen. I peeked around the corner to see Walker at the counter, toasting another one of those cinnamon pop-tarts he was obsessed with. His hair was messier than usual, sticking up in random places.

"Morning," I said softly, stepping into the kitchen.

Walker turned, a little surprised, but his lips curled into a small smile. "Hey. You sleep okay?"

I nodded, hugging my arms. "Yeah. Thanks for letting me stay... again."

He shrugged, sliding a plate with a pop-tart toward me. "I told you, you don't have to thank me. I'm glad you're here."

I sat across from him, picking at the edges of the pop-tart. "I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to freak you out by showing up out of nowhere."

Walker leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "You didn't freak me out. I'm just... glad you came to me."

His words hung between us for a moment, and I caught myself staring at him again. His blue eyes flickered toward mine, and I quickly looked down, feeling my face heat up.

"Can I ask you something?" I said, breaking the silence.

Walker nodded, chewing his pop-tart like his life depended on it.

"Why... did you hate me so much before?" I asked, meeting his gaze.

Walker paused, mid-chew, and looked at me like he didn't expect the question. He swallowed, leaning forward slightly. "I never hated you. We just... fought a lot. I guess I didn't know how to talk to you without messing up, so I just teased you instead."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's your version of not hating someone?"

Walker laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, maybe I was a jerk sometimes. But I think I was just trying to get your attention."

My heart did a little flip at his words, but I tried not to let it show. "Well... you had it. Even when you were annoying."

He smirked. "Guess I'm still annoying, huh?"

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at my lips.

We sat there for a while, eating in comfortable silence. I didn't realize how much I missed this—just being around someone who made everything feel normal for a while.

As I finished my pop-tart, Walker suddenly shifted in his seat, his tone more serious. "Hey, Y/n?"

I looked up. "Yeah?"

His eyes softened, and for a second, it felt like he wanted to say something more. But instead, he just smiled. "I'm really glad you're here."

I felt my chest tighten in a way I hadn't expected. I smiled back, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Me too."

A/n~ hey yalll im back 🙂 (sorry this chapter short ima try to release another one today or tomorrow)

also if this chapter feels out off place, its cause i barely remember what happened in last chapters and i really dont feel like rereading them 😭

WORD COUNT: 740