*define who the fuck knows i'm tired*
There was a knock on the door, and Robin unlocked it, opening it and walking back to where Jen was sitting. Jordan let himself in. He looked like he'd showered, but there were spots on his neck that she didn't really want to think about. "Hey," he said softly. "I'm here. Robbie-"
"I'll call my parents then," she said frostily.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes.
"What do you want?" she said softly to him, after walking out into the corridor.
"I told you, I'm sorry. I couldn't tell her n-"
"That's rape, then," she said angrily. "I'm taking care of my friend, so if you'll excuse me-"
"You're not that much younger than me, could you stop and listen for a moment?" he snapped. "Don't you get it?! Isn't there anyone you hold dear to you? What about that guy you like?"
"Tyson?" she asked. She'd made him up, she had to admit- he wasn't real. He was a ruse, something she'd told him ages ago to make him jealous. Obviously it hadn't worked. "We're- we're going strong, what's it to you?"
"Don't you ever make excuses for him? Change plans?"
"Nah, because unlike you, I'm not a dumbass, and I'm not dating someone who forces me to change my plans," she snapped.
He sighed, pulling a hand through his hair, then letting it drop, looking at her. "I'm sorry, Robbie."
"Fine." She shook her head. "I'd argue, but this isn't about me. This is about someone else."
"Okay. What happened?"
"I'll let you find out for yourself. It's not my business to tell." She walked back, past Jordan and to Jen. "I'll talk to you soon."
"Okay. Thank you, Robbie."
"You can call me whenever you need to, you know that, don't you?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I do."
Jordan said, "I'll let her out, you finish eating, and followed Robin out, a hand on her lower back. She couldn't walk fast enough to make him stop touching her, but she also kind of liked the way her legs felt like jelly and there was electricity from his fingers down her spine. She gulped and kept walking.
"Robbie, I'm sorry," he said softly. "I know it's not enough to make you forgive me, but-"
"No, I..." She sighed. "I'm being stupid. It wasn't really your fault."
"I should've been more-"
"Hush, now." She sighed. "You're lucky I can't keep mad at you for whatever reason."
"Yeah, I am," he said, sounding relieved. He hugged her to his chest and she probably stopped breathing even though the hug wasn't even that tight. "I'll see you soon, Robbie."
"Yeah. Uh, next time I come round, I guess."
"Okay." He patted her shoulder. "I'll see you soon, kid."
"See you."
<><><><><><><><>
Elle swirled her wine in the glass that she was holding, and Drew smiled at her. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Very much so," she said, a small smile on her face.
The night air was cold, pricking at their skin, but the moon shone over them, peeking through the leaves of the tree they sat under. Both were full of roast beef and potatoes, and now they were drinking some red wine together. The park was empty, save for a few kids in the distance who were probably drinking or smoking something they shouldn't be. But Elle felt safe, at home, with Drew, whose eyes reflected the lights of Nashville around them.
She smoothed her hand over the picnic blanket that they sat on, and said, "This is comfy. I love it."
"Good. Stand up for me?"
She frowned slightly, but stood, and Drew did the same, kissing her once, before saying, "I asked this last night, but I wanted to do it properly."
A smile grew on her face, and she watched as he cleared his throat, then began. "You're so beautiful. You're so beautiful, and I think you forget that sometimes. I've loved you ever since we were kids, and I love you even more now. I know that, as we get older, I'm just gonna fall more and more in love with you." He sighed slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "You've been through so much, but I want to be there from now on. I want to make sure that nothing ever hurts you again. I want to be able to protect you for the rest of our lives together, but most of all, I want the whole world to know that you're mine, and no one else's."
He bent down on one knee, bringing out the little box that he had brought out three years ago, as a silent tear rolled down her cheek. "Elle Lilliana Hayes-Lockhart, would you do me the absolute honour of becoming my wife?"
"Yes," she breathed softly, and Drew smiled widely. He stood up again, taking the ring from the box and sliding it onto her finger.
"A perfect fit for the perfect woman," he said, kissing her hand, then her lips. "I love you."
"I love you more."
They sat back down, a warm buzz in both their stomachs. He wrapped an arm around her gently, and she held her hand up to the moonlight, enjoying the way the light bounced off the small gem in the centre. "It's beautiful," she breathed.
"From my mom's side," he responded. "It's, uh, not worth much, but-"
"It's from you, it's worth the world and more," she said, and he blushed.
They were silent, enjoying each other's company. "Y'know," he said, "I wanted to propose back when we were sixteen. The night I turned seventeen. I knew I wanted to marry you then, but I just thought... well, obviously you wouldn't have said yes."
"Maybe," she said. "I don't really know what I would've said back then."
"I... well, we were all so scared you were going to d-die that I wanted to marry you before that. Even if... even if it was only for a few months."
She was silent then, her hand taking his and squeezing gently. He let out a soft sigh. "I'm glad it didn't get to that point."
"Me too," she whispered. She looked up at him and he smiled softly, his dimples showing. "I couldn't live without you."
"Me neither."
They felt at peace, lying there under the stars. They knew there would be hardships still to come, but no matter what, they could pull through it if they stuck together. That's how they'd gotten through the past and it was how they'd get through as the future loomed ahead.
"I love you," he said softly.
"I love you more."
They shared a kiss under the stars, and soon, they went home, where a puppy greeted them excitedly.
Today really was the first day of the rest of their lives, and Drew couldn't wait.
<><><><><><><><>
Six months passed and Elle looked at the negative pregnancy test with a soft sigh.
It was April now, April of 2039. It was going to be Drew's twenty-fourth birthday soon, and it was a week before their wedding.
Wedding planning had been stressful, to say the least. She had been through so many dresses that her head hurt. She had gone through various different decoration ideas with Jessie, who genuinely believed there was a difference between navy and midnight blue.
Later in the day, she had fallen asleep over table centrepiece ideas, when Drew came home. He smiled, leaning over and kissing the back of her head. "Wake up, sleepyhead," he said in a soft sing-song voice, and Elle mumbled, stirring.
"Tired," she muttered, and Drew sighed.
"I know, baby. But it's gonna be over soon."
"I just don't get weddings," she said, rubbing her eyes and staring at the goddamn candles once more. "I mean no offence to Jessie, but there's literally no difference between amethyst and orchid."
"I think you'll find there's a very clear difference between the two," he said with a grin, and she rolled her eyes.
"Piss off."
Diglett barked, and Drew chuckled, lifting him. "Hey boy! Hi!"
"I need to make dinner," she said softly, standing, and Drew took her hand, hugging her.
"I haven't seen you for like ten hours, I wanna talk to you," he said, and she rolled her eyes, giving him a small smile.
"What do you wanna talk about?"
"How was your day?"
"The test was negative," she said, and he sighed.
"I thought as much. But that's okay. Next time." He kissed her cheek. "I'll make dinner."
"What would you make?"
"I'll work something out."
"Let's just get takeout," said Elle. "Can't be bothered cleaning up."
"Indian?"
"You read my mind."
"I'm glad," he said. "Why don't you take a break from planning? I thought we decided on table decor a while ago?"
"Yeah, but your mom and my mom both are just all, 'NO, NO, NO!' because it's like- ugh, I don't know," she said, rolling her eyes again. "They're so anal about it all."
"Oh, hon," he said with a small laugh. "You know you can say no, right?"
"I know, I know."
"Alright. I'll order in dinner. Why don't you find us a good movie to watch?"
"Okay."
He rubbed her back, then left to find the fridge magnet with the number of their favourite takeout place. Elle stood, walking to the TV room and turning on their Netflix. Diglett jumped onto the couch with her, and she scratched his head. "Good boy," she said quietly to him as he licked her hand.
Drew came back after a moment. "Pick a movie?"
"Yeah, just an old James Bond film."
"Skyfall, heard this was awful."
"Good."
He laughed, and pressed play on the remote, moving behind Elle and wrapping his arms around her. The room was completely dark, as Diglett jumped onto the couch with them and curled up beside them both. There was silence as the movie played on the TV. Elle wasn't really paying attention, and the doorbell went, making her jump.
"That'll be the takeout," said Drew, sitting up and pausing the movie. Elle sat up, too, and Drew went and got the food, coming back with plates and paper towels for them both. Instead of playing the movie again, he looked at her. "There's something you're not telling me."
"I'm not hiding-"
"Don't lie to me," he said. "You and I both know that I know you far too well for that."
"I'm... I'm just thinking..."
"What about?"
"Leukemia. I have it."
"Had," he corrected.
"Right. But Drew, what if it's genetic? What if it's hereditary?"
He paused, not anticipating this argument. His responses were usually so well thought out and articulate that he sounded intelligent in every situation, but now he was at a loss of words. This curveball had thrown him off. "Is that... is that a possibility?"
"I promised myself I'd never force another child through that." Her voice was soft. "And... and I don't want to leave you as a single father. God knows what Pa went through when he was raising me."
"You won't die," he said, softly but firmly. "Ellie, I... the leukemia thing... let's go to a doctor. Get an opinion. And we'll see where that takes us, huh?"
She nodded hesitantly. "Yeah."
"There's more to it than that, though, isn't there? Do you not want kids anymore?"
"No, it's not like that, it's just that-" She sighed. "Just, what if they don't like me? What if I'm a bad mother?"
"You," he said quietly, "will be the most beautiful, most incredible mother that I could ever ask you to be. I promise you that."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." He kissed her softly, then handed her the plate of food. "Do you want to try today? Or wait 'til we get an opinion?"
"I don't know," she breathed. "I want to try, but-"
"I know." He grabbed a fork and smiled at her. "We'll try again after the honeymoon, okay?"
"Okay," she said quietly, and he pressed play on the remote again. He kissed her cheek before tearing a bit of naan off and dipping it into the green curry, and she looked back at the screen. It was going to be okay. He had promised her that, and so she believed him.
<><><><><><><><>
Phoenix was drawing Ebony while she sat at her laptop, reading through some thesis she was in the middle of, and said, "Have you gotten a dress yet?"
"For the wedding?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"I bought this one dress, it came in the other day. I was stressing because I thought they wouldn't have size 14, but it ended up being fine."
"Good! Can I see it? Is it in your closet?"
"If you want I could try it on and show you?"
His eyes widened, and they were sparkling. "You would do that?"
"Sure. Face the wall."
"I've seen you naked before, I know how beautiful you are," he complained.
"Shut it, you." She pushed his shoulder with a chuckle, and he leaned up and kissed her.
"Irresistible," he said, and she rolled her eyes, motioning for him to turn around. He rolled his eyes, turning away and beginning to work on the fabric of her shirt. He could hear rustling behind him.
"Okay," she said, sounding nervous. "Done."
He turned around... and he was speechless.
The dress was a light green, bringing out the colour of her eyes, and had a golden lace overlay. He didn't know much about different fabrics, but even he knew that this was some kind of silk, maybe taffeta or the like. It went just above her knees, and gave her generous curves a chance at looking even more beautiful than they usually did. "Well?" she asked.
"Holy shit, Eb," he breathed. "You look stunning."
"R-Really?"
He stood and smiled, putting his hands on her waist and kissing her. "I can't wait until it's my turn to marry you."
She laughed. "Not so fast, Hayes-Lockhart," she said, nuzzling her nose against his. "We'll see about that when we're old enough."
"But of course," he said. "I love you."
"I love you more."
*a/n: comment and validate me
nethii <3*