fierce ↠ sweet pea [1] [✔]

|| TWO ||

Sweet Pea glanced up at Lauryn in awe, a smile forming on his face. "Really? Why me? You don't have to prove anything to me."

"Not to prove... I mean it was to prove... Oh, I don't know," she stopped herself, starting to blush when she noticed him staring at her with admiration.

Then, he realised what it was.

All nervousness he felt fading away, he took her hand once again, this time intertwining his fingers with hers. He couldn't believe what he was doing. "I like you, too, Angel Face."

Lauryn's face wore pure astonishment, trying to think if this tough guy she'd known for years had really just confessed to her. She sometimes felt stupid for having a crush on him, because she was certain he'd never like her back.

"You do?" she breathed, shocked how he could've guessed so easily. 

He nodded. "Yeah. I have for a long time."

Lauryn blinked twice to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "I don't even know what to say. I never would've thought..."

He laughed softly, his thumb starting to massage her hand. "It's okay. You know now."

He reached for his phone in his pocket to text Toni that Lauryn was talking, and she replied saying that Fangs had fallen asleep. They agreed not to wake him, he needed sleep as much as Sweet Pea did.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, I should've stopped you," Sweet Pea said ashamedly as he put his phone away to give her his full attention, his heart aching thinking about what happened. "I should've known Malachai would play dirty with you."

Lauryn shook her head frantically, refusing to let him or anyone else take the blame. "No, this is nowhere near your fault. Nor Fangs', or Toni's, hell, you can't even blame God himself. It was all me."

After some more time of talking and trying to make each other feel better, Angel Face decided it was time for her to start trying to make things go back to normal. She was done laying in the same place and sleeping nonstop.

"Can you help me stand up?" she asked Sweet Pea, shifting herself onto the bedside and holding out her arm. His face fell.

"Are you sure, Laur? Maybe you shouldn't just yet," he objected, taking her hand anyway in case she'd try to get up herself."

She giggled fakely, trying to reassure herself. "Sweet Pea, I'll be fine. I need to get out of bed at some point."

Knowing it wasn't a good idea at all, he eventually gave in and lifted her up, his other hand swinging around her shoulder to support her. She seemed firm for a few seconds, before letting out a grunt in pain and having to be supported again.

"It's okay, I got you," Sweet Pea soothed, helping her lay back down slowly. She looked as if she was about to cry again, rubbing the wound from above her hospital gown. "Hey, you're gonna be okay, just give it time."

He stroked her soft cheek with his index finger, unable to believe that he was able to touch her like that. Her eyes widened with admiration as she watched him, feeling her heartbeat everywhere in her body.

Lauryn moved along the bed a little bit and patted the space next to her. Caught off guard at first, Sweet Pea kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed beside her. He put his arm around her and she snuggled into his chest, closing her eyes. 

It felt right, and long overdue.

"You know, you've really gotta start thinkin' before you do this crazy shit," Sweet Pea whispered, kissing the crown of her head. "I'm really not worth your life, you know."