( FAYE )
sadie and i sit cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by an eclectic array of art supplies; the air is infused with the scent of creativity and the promise of an unconventional escape.
in one of her ramblings, she had expressed a wish to explore art, aspiring to be more like me. the irony.
"i'm gonna kick your ass" the redhead snickers.
the laptop screen flickers to life, revealing bob ross, the maestro of happy little trees.
"yeah, cause that's what art is about" i nod, sarcasm lacing my tone. "kicking ass"
as the tutorial begins, his calming voice resonates in the room, setting the stage for a painting competition between us.
our laughter harmonizes with the gentle swishes of brushes, which graze the canvases as we mirror bobs strokes.
"happy trees? my trees look depressed" i chuckle, glancing at the redhead.
she nods. "god, bob ross makes it look so easy"
bobs voice echoes in the room. "there are no mistakes, only happy little accidents"
"oh, shut the fuck up bob!" sadie huffs, causing me to burst into laughter.
i gaze at her canvas, being taken aback by its brilliance.
hers closely resembles the tutorial, while mine bears the mark of my own artistic flair, as that is my customary approach.
"stop bullying bob, it's not his fault you suck at painting" i grin, lying through my teeth.
she scoffs. "oh yeah?"
leaning over, she eyes my canvas with a puzzled expression.
"is that a mountain or a tropical fruit salad?"
i stifle a laugh with an exaggerated gasp, my hand firmly gripping my chest.
"this means something, okay? it's abstract" i roll my eyes.
in a matter of minutes, we find ourselves adorned with paint, the result of flinging paintbrush splatters at one another.
"watch out for that red, faye!"
sadie feigns concern as a scarlet cascade descends towards me, cackling once it lands on my cheek.
i gasp, flinging a spray of yellow at her. "bitch!"
she grins. "my favourite colour, thanks"
with our brushes set aside, we lay in the midst of the colour that adorns the once clean floor.
the living room had transformed into a gallery of nonsense, each splatter a testament to our failed attempt at becoming the next bob ross.
the faint aroma of drying paint lingers in the air, accompanied by the gentle whirring of the ceiling fan.
i break the silence first. "so... who won?"
sadie giggles, turning over to face me.
"well, i'd say we both won. art is subjective, is it not?"
i hum, leaving a soft kiss on her lips.
however, it transforms into more than a simple peck as she tugs me in by my hair, our lips intertwining with a fervor of intensity.
just as i prepare to take things in the bedroom, she interrupts the kiss and gazes up at me.
"origami" she breathes out, catching me off guard.
i furrow my brows, suppressing a laugh. "that's... hot?"
shaking her head, she lets out a chuckle. "let's do origami"
"are you cockblocking yourself and your girlfriend right now?" i blink at the redhead, confusion etching my face.
she rolls her eyes with a scoff, pulling up the screen of her laptop. "come on, it'll be fun"
sheets of paper scatter like confetti, folded and crumpled in various states of trial and error.
sadie squints. "this looks way easier on youtube"
i nod, wrestling with a particularly rebellious sheet.
"i think we just invented a new form of origami"
following a series of missteps, we finally produce something resembling a paper crane.
"nailed it" the redhead grins.
"if our goal was abstract origami, we're pros"
she chuckles at my remark, propelling our artwork across the room for it to land beneath the TV stand.
"thank god, it's out of my sight" she exhales.
an airy chuckle escapes my lips as i lean my head against her shoulder, leading her to reciprocate by resting her head on top of mine.
our fingers intertwine as we both gaze at the floor, seated against the front of the couch.
"my butt hurts"
sadies sudden comment causes me to burst into laughter, before agreeing. "same dude"
"we've been sitting on wood for too long" she sighs.
— ★ —
lying in the comfort of sadies bed, my fingers delicately weave intricate patterns on her back, her head resting on my chest.
It's a familiar embrace, one that refuses to loosen its hold.
suddenly, she shifts her head to gaze up at me with a sly smirk.
"remember when you tried dating that motel girl?"
her words cut through the room, slicing the silence like a razor.
my eyes widen, caught off guard.
"i mean, she was sweet and all, but you and i have something real" she exhales. "i guess she was just your deliberate way of getting over me, huh?"
i chuckle. "well, not really... we had agreed to be friends back then, i was pretty moved on"
"friends, right... come on, faye. you can be honest about it now. you couldn't face the fact that you'd never have what we had again"
"oh" i clear my throat. "no, i don't think that was the case"
her eyes shoot bullets at mine. "i think it was"
"alright, whatever you think your highness" i release a forced chuckle.
unfortunately, my attempt to redirecting the conversation with banter fails, like trying to catch a falling star.
"you wanted elysia cause she's someone safe, someone who won't challenge you like i do"
she breaks free from my hold, shifting to hover over me. "isn't that true?"
my breaths speed up, an anxious rhythm manifesting for unclear reasons.
"but let's not kid ourselves here"
her gentle hands ascend, cupping my face with a tenderness that transcends mere touch. her thumbs glide delicately across my cheeks, leaving an ethereal trail in their wake.
"you don't want safe, faye"
my fingers tighten around the sheets beneath us. "sades, why are you saying all this?"
"why? because it's amusing, watching you pretend to be happy without me" she sneers.
the weight of her words hang in the air, poisoning the room with an odd feeling.
"no matter what, you'll always be running back to what's comfortable, what's familiar, me"
she lowers her head, gracing my face with a cascade of kisses.
each kiss trails down, unfolding from my face to the delicate expanse of my neck, lingering upon the sensitive canvas of my collarbones.
in the intimate cocoon of our shared solitude, we lay face to face, foreheads together and fingers woven within the silken strands of eachothers hair.
"hey, faye?"
i hum, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
"have you like... reached out to finn?"
i take a brief moment, prior to shaking my head. "i haven't, yet"
her eyes glint with an unreadable expression as she slowly begins to nod.
"honestly, sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie. finns not your concern anymore"
i furrow my brows, the confusion evident in my gaze.
"but he is. he's still my best friend, i should atleast make sure he's okay"
her voice is a velvety murmur carrying an unsettling undercurrent. "did he make sure you're okay?"
i remain silent, causing her to hum.
"that's what i thought" she begins. "it's time you focus on what's in front of you, not what's behind. finn can manage on his own"
a pang of uncertainty courses through me. "are you sure, sades? i don't wanna just leave him hanging"
her fingers trace designs on my face, constructing a slow and calculated response.
"trust me, faye. if he cared he would've reached out himself. you should just focus on us" she places a kiss on my nose. "on this"
i let out a small chuckle before nodding.
"you're right"
★ authors note ,,
apologies for the short chapters, exams are a pain in the ass.
also...
IM SO FUCKING GAY