Me: Oh gods, here we go again-
Edward: ...What is this?
Me: More writing?
Arno: ...Oh God...
Me: What? What's everyone's problem with this oneshot?-
Edward: Seems angsty is all...
Me: Okay, I'm just gonna start writing now-
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TW/CW: Angst (?), bitchy girlfriend in the form of Caroline, toxic relationship, cheating
Note: I don't know why but this idea came into my head, and when that happens I write it-
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Your POV
You can barely dodge the sea of adolescent bodies in the hallway and make it to class on time all at once.
Math.
You inwardly groan to yourself as you slip into the class, sitting in the back corner as usual.
Your gaze snags on someone, though.
And that someone? That someone is Edward Kenway. Easily the most charming guy in the school. The hottest, too.
But then your fantasies get shattered when they see his girlfriend, Caroline, kiss him on the cheek.
Caroline's a bitch, cheerleader, slut, mean girl and most popular girl in the school rolled into one.
(Note: Oh this is definitely a jab at Edward's first wife in canon-I hate her bc she had the fucking audacity to leave Edward then tell him he has a daughter he didn't even know about and also bc I'm an Edward simp-)
You feel jealousy rear its ugly head, but a tap on your shoulder interrupts the self-deprecating thoughts you're currently having. You turn in the direction of the tap and nearly sob in relief. Jacob Frye, your disaster bi best friend, wingman and roommate. "You need to confess." he mutters to you. "He's taken." you murmur in response.
"Y/N M/N (middle name) L/N, if you do not confess, I will do it myself." Jacob hisses.
"No, you will not." you hiss back.
He snorts and goes back to writing notes and you back to looking at Edward and fantasizing about what could've been if you just grew a fucking pair and confessed to him before Caroline snatched him from you.
Now that you think about it, he looks kind of annoyed as Caroline pesters him.
Edward's POV
Does this wench ever shut the fuck up? is his first thought whenever Caroline opens her big fat mouth.
Yes, she's his girlfriend.
Or, rather, she forced him to date her. He hates every second of this. Of listening, of pretending to be interested, of telling her 'I love you' when he really thinks she's the sluttiest girl he's ever come into contact with during his 17 years on this godforsaken Earth.
"That's great and all, but I'm trying to focus." he mutters as he tunes Caroline out.
Which is probably going to get him gaslighted later, but he doesn't care.
He just wishes he could have the chance to break up with her. But he hasn't found a suitable out yet.
His gaze drifts to Y/N. Honestly, he'd be more likely to be with someone with a real personality other than a façade over a desiccated husk.
He takes them in–their H/L H/C hair, S/T skin, E/C eyes, lips that looks so soft and so fucking kissable...
...Before he notices Caroline fix her attention on him again, so he pretends he wasn't looking at Y/N in the first place.
One day, he silently swears to himself. One day, I'll be able to say that I love you, Y/N. Just...not now.
Timeskip, your POV
You huff to yourself as you kick back on the couch. Jacob's out on a date with Arno–another roommate of yours, and you're here.
Evie–Jacob's twin and the final roommate–grins at you. "Edward?" she asks. She's the first one who found out about your dilemma, and she's been helping (as well as teasing). "Edward." you confirm as you chow down on some Polish pretzels.
(Note: POLISH PRETZELS ARE SO FUCKING GOOD BRO AND THESE ARE THE PRETZELS IM TALKING AB BY THE WAY)
"Binging Bones'll solve this."
"Don't you mean, 'Binging Bones for the sole purpose of simping for Agent Booth'?" you ask.
(Note: I'm guilty of that and my mom teases me ab it bc she's watched Bones and she spoiled quite a bit for me >:( )
Evie's grin grows as she fist bumps you before vaulting over the couch into an empty spot next to you.
Timeskip, your POV
Jacob and Arno are back from their date by now–and they've brought back poke bowl leftovers.
(Note: I once made a poke bowl with red tuna, purple rice, rice noodles, spicy mayo, hot sauce, kimchi and something else I can't remember and a bunch of other ingredients I also forgot about but it was so good-)
You dig into your poke bowl greedily–the two had bought poke bowls to-go for you and Evie, how thoughtful of them–as you finish up this one fucking essay.
Your phone buzzes as you submit said essay, and the contact name says 'Desmond'–a friend of yours from class. And when you open the text...
It reads, 'Edward just told me Caroline cheated on him. Figured to pass the info on to you, just in case'. You nearly drop your phone as you read and reread the text, but you reply with a quick 'Thanks' once you get an okay-ish grip on your phone again.
Edward's POV
Such merciless, unrelenting pain.
She cheated.
Of course she did.
He can't do much but wallow.
So that's what he does. He heads for the shower and turns it on, setting the temperature to damn near scalding, as if that could take the pain away. He doesn't care if it'll burn him.
He feels too numb to care.
He'd mentally prepared himself for it, and he never wanted to date her, it still fucking hurts like he took a knife to the heart.
Timeskip, your POV
Four in the morning. Pouring rain. You on a bean bag in your room, curled up with a mug of chocolate peppermint tea and reading The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas.
(Note: The Spanish Love Deception was so good, highly recommend reading-)
You read romances when you hate yourself. Like, badly. And now? Now is one of those times.
As you sip your tea and read, your phone buzzes with a text, so you take it out of your pocket. A text from Edward that simply reads, 'I need to see you' sends your heart leaping into your throat.
All rationality leaves your mind.
You reply with, 'In front of that 24-hour café?' and his message comes through around a minute later saying, 'I'm at the corner closest to your building'.
That's all you need to see. You grab your coat and text, 'Got it, will be there ASAP' before sneaking out of your apartment–if Jacob, Evie or Arno catch you, you'd be lovingly yet sternly lectured and told to go back to bed.
That's why you count your lucky stars neither of them wake up.
You get out of the apartment building and see Edward exactly where he said he'd be, soaked by the torrential pouring of the rain. You make your way over, thankful you at least had the common sense to put a coat on.
He looks like he's been crying, and like he hasn't slept. With no words, he pulls you into a tight hug, burying his head into your shoulder as he cries. You put a hand on his back, and make soothing rubbing motions in an attempt to be comforting. "Shh...It's okay. I'm here. Let it all out."
And so he does. You notice Edward shivering–not from the crying, but from the almost glacial rain. You pull away for a moment, if only to fix your jacket around your shoulders–because there's no way in hell he'd fit into your jacket.
"I'm sorry for bothering you," he sniffles. "I just...I didn't know who to turn to and..."
"Not a problem." you reply. The rain pours harder now, and both of you are absolutely drenched.
Edward stays in your embrace for a while longer before he asks, "Can I be honest with you?"
His voice is louder now, yet still muffled due to his being buried in your shoulder. "Yeah. Of course you can be honest." you reply, trying to keep your voice a bit above the relentless downpour of the rain.
For good measure, you cradle his head gently with your other hand, lightly running your fingers through his sopping shoulder length golden blond hair.
Usually it's done up somehow–whether that be a ponytail, man-bun or some kind of half-up half-down style–but right now...it's loose.
Edward's arms are tight around you, and yours are equally tight around him in return. "I never loved Caroline." he confesses, his voice the loudest you've heard it since you left the warmth and tea and copy of The Spanish Love Deception in your apartment.
For him.
All for him.
"What do you mean?" you ask tentatively. He sighs and hugs you tighter, trying to keep whatever he's feeling at bay.
"What I mean is...she pretty much forced me to date her."
The words pelt you one by one as the rain continues to drench the two of you. You're the one feeling cold now, since you'd given Edward your jacket, but you try to hide it and strong for his sake.
"I'm sorry." you say as your fingers brush through his hair again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
And just like a broken dam, you get flooded with tears, murmuring apologies between sobs. You don't know why you're crying. Maybe it's you empathizing with him, you feeling guilty because you were too much of a fucking coward to save him from this toxic relationship by confessing your feelings for him.
It feels therapeutic, somehow. Crying in the rain, being held and comforted by a heartbroken crush.
A warm hand gently yet firmly grips your chin, and suddenly you're looking up through your tear-hazed vision. "Y/N." Edward says, his voice gentle. "It's not your fault."
That makes you cry harder, honestly. "I'm here, and I'm never letting go. I swear to fucking God, I am never leaving." he murmurs, the hand he has on your chin slightly feathering along your jawline now. "I'm not fucking leaving, okay? Because you and I both know you're scared of that. Of being alone, of being abandoned, of being rejected."
"Okay," you say quietly. "Okay."
The way he says it makes you believe him without question. Edward's atoll blue eyes (you've clearly been reading too many romance novels again) are soft, and comforting.
And you have to say it, even though he promised it before. "Promise me. Promise me you aren't leaving like everyone else did. Because I've been left so many times I can't take it anymore. Please."
Your voice breaks on the word 'please', because you're speaking from your heart right now. It's Edward's choice if he wants to accept it or crush it, and you're really hoping he doesn't choose the latter.
The hand he has feathering along your jawline moves to cup your cheek. "I promise." he murmurs, his voice thick.
A beat of silence rests between the two of you, wrapped in each other's arms as the rain pours on both of you. Your tears are still falling down your face, and the hand he has on your cheek wipes them away, as if you're the most important thing in the world to him.
More silence.
(Note: *aggressively eats popcorn* AHAHAHAHA I'M SORRY I HAD TO-)
And then in the blink of an eye, Edward's lips are on your own.
He tastes like sweet, tangy rum–from Caroline cheating, maybe?–and the slight undertone of rain. His lips are warm, too–a stark contrast to the nearly glacial rain around you and him. You kiss back, letting the moment envelope you, consume you.
He holds the kiss for a few minutes, before he pulls away to breathe. He leans his forehead against yours as the hand he has on your cheek makes little circles on your skin.
"You're cold." Edward remarks. "You're going to get sick, love."
You blink, realizing he noticed you shivering. You feel his free hand–the one not cupping your cheek–settle on your waist. But the contact goes away for a moment as he adjusts your jacket to fit both of you. "Feel better?" he asks you as his hand goes back to your waist.
"Yeah." you reply, putting your head on his chest. You feel safe and cared for–things you haven't felt in a while, if at all. "I love you." he murmurs, his voice nearly drowned out by the rain.
"I love you too." you reply. "But we should probably get back inside before we catch a cold."
Edward laughs and scoops you up bridal style. You let out a slight squeak of surprise, and he laughs again. He carries you inside your apartment building and sneaks through your apartment–making sure not to wake Jacob, Arno or Evie–to your room, setting you gently on your bed before sitting next to you. Your jacket's still half on his shoulder, half on yours and it's sopping wet.
"I love you." he says again.
And you, being the wise person you are, reply with, "Cuddle me."
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Me: SEE? It's not that angsty-
Arno: ...You've been reading way too many romance novels
Me: There's no such thing as too many romance novels. Arno, you're French, you should know this-
Edward: I have to agree with Arno on the romance novel front-
Me: Why is everyone ganging up on me for reading romance novels?-