"Strider-"
"Strider?"
"Dirk!"
The voice is hushed, not exactly a whisper but still much quieter than usual and enough to wake you. Your eyes shoot open but then blink rapidly to focus against the light immediately straining your eyes. The room is dark except for the laptop light in your face. Lying on your side with the laptop on the bed beside you, you have one arm tucked up the pillow while the other is hanging over your side. Once you regain sight, you are met with the slightly annoyed expression of the voice's owner. Suddenly that expression splits into a toothy grin and he just chuckles. You rub one of your eyes before snuggling back down into your pillow.
"Sorry, Jake. Didn't mean to pass out there."
"Eh, it's fine. Probably pretty late there, isn't it? Just passed the crack of noon here."
A simple hum is the only response you give him as your eyes slip close again.
A low, quiet chuckle tumbles through the microphone of your laptop.
"Peachy. Alright, you seem bushed. I guess I'll scedaddle then. Hey Dirk." His tone switches a bit and it makes your head raise just enough to peak one eye open and squint at the screen.
"Sup?"
"I'll see you tomorrow."
And suddenly your blood runs cold, your stomach flutters, and your head swims all at the same time. It's the perfect combination of sickness and sweet anxiety.
"Yeah, tomorrow."
He smiles and gives a small wave. "Sleep well."
You simply nod, mumbling a 'you too' and reaching up to close the top.
"One more thing!" He pipes up, so you move your hand and raise a brow.
He smiles again and makes it soft and sincere.
"Love ya, Dirk."
Even though you've heard it multiple times, whenever those words tumble from his lips, you can't help but crack a smile and wiggle from the flipping in your stomach.
"Love you too Jake."
You once again reach up and take hold of the lid on your laptop. Shutting it, you listen to it power down before wiggling under the covers and tucking it up to your chin in the darkness.
"One more day." You whisper quietly before letting yourself drift off to sleep.
Jake had been your friend for years. The two of you had met through an old gaming forum website, and you instantly clicked. Conversations became more frequent and the two of you were best friends in no time. You are nineteen now and living in a small apartment in a new city. Going to college for engineering and mechanics, paying bills off of jobs you pick up here and there as well as regular employment at a local restaurant. Even though Jake has been you friend for about the past six years, you've never actually met the guy. There was always hopeful talk when you two were younger, but he had been living with his grandmother as she travelled the world. Most recently, they had been finding themselves in England. She was growing too old to travel as much, so they took up residence outside of London. And that's when the serious plans started happening. Jake was settled down and you were as eager as always to meet your best friend; and quite frankly for the past two years or so, your boyfriend. Some say it's stupid for you to continue a relationship with someone you've never met and that you've only seen one part of, but you don't care. You and Jake have both seen each other at your worsts.
You've had your share of fights even when you weren't a thing. Distance makes everything harder. Both of you felt at one point or another that the other wasn't putting enough effort into things. Admittedly, there was a time that you weren't sure if it could work. There was a week or two were you didn't answer his calls or texts, you never got online and your contact slipped to almost nothing.
That was one of the worst mistakes you had made.
By the end of that week, you were fighting with yourself. You desperately wanted his companionship again, but your mind wouldn't stop telling you it wasn't going to work.
Though it's obvious that I the end you ran back to him and now things are truly better than ever. You were never one to believe in the over blown and melodramatic topic of love, but that's always easier to think when you're not in it.
Once you are, everything is different.
You're not exactly sappy per se, but every now and again the romance does over take you. Though Jake makes more failed attempts at being romantic than you do. He usually just ends up making a fool of himself. Not that that isn't one of the most adorable things ever.
For the record, you did not just call anything adorable.
But back to the matter at hand.
The whole thing between you started veering from that of just friendship. Small, flirtatious actions went unmentioned and a few conversations went further into the realm of comforting each other than giving a metaphorical pat on the back. You poured your hearts out to each other through those little cameras and shitty microphones. After a few weeks of this, you finally gained the courage to let a little slip. But then when he said he might be feeling just the same, the gates opened. A flood of emotional bullshittery and girlish giggles filled the air of your dark room that night. And after, the two of you were a thing.
And now that the both of you were on your own, Jake made the decision to move to the states. When he brought up the idea, at first you beat around the bush. Though Jake was never one to catch on to the subtle things, and so you blatantly had to ask him if he wanted to come live with you. He seemed over joyed by the thought of living with you, so that settled that. That was a few months back, but now the day is upon you. He is flying out in a few hours and would arrive at about seven tomorrow evening. His stuff is being shipped in a few days, but neither of you could wait any longer. Tomorrow is the day you will finally get to see him without being surrounded by a tiny box. You can hardly contain the excitement bubbling its way in your stomach.
The next day goes by way too slow. By the time six comes around you are pacing your living room. You almost jump out the door and down to your car. Everything's ready in your apartment. You actually cleaned and bathed yourself. It was just cool enough for you to wiggle yourself into a pair of tight, black jeans without completely dying of the hot as balls weather. Throwing on a plain t-shirt over that, you were good.
The entire way to the airport your fingers are tapping nervously on the steering wheel. You can't stand the churning of your gut, but it only gets worse the closer you get. And then it's a blur. Next thing you know, you are standing at the terminal gate; once again pacing. Your arms are crossed over chest while you try not to have a panic attack. Then they announce it. His flight had landed. This only makes your pacing quicken. Your eyes are locked on the ground as your feet move you back and forth back and forth back and-
"Dirk?"
That familiar voice calls your name. Your muscles stop when all you want to do is move.
"Dirk Strider?"
Slowly, your eyes lift and you're met with that all too familiar face. Your heart swells and flutters and drops and you don't even know what the fuck else it's doing. Both of you are standing there as the people weave around you. Both of you are frozen, but he suddenly breaks into one of the widest grins you've ever seen him have.
"Jake." The word comes out in an almost whisper. You can't believe this is happening.
The bags in his arms drop to the ground before he steps forward. All care and attention is lost to anything else happening at this moment. You begin to move closer and so does he. You are less than a foot away from each other when you stop. Your eyes are close to the same level, you are maybe just an inch taller; not even really that much. Black shades against wide framed glasses; orange against green. His grin begins to fade, but not to anything less than a blank stare. You hold the stare for as long as you can before both of you move at once. Strong arms are pulling you in and yours are winding around his neck. Fists grab onto the back of your shirt and pull as one of your hands gets lost in his wild hair while the other hangs over his shoulder. The world seems silent. All you can hear is his breath near your ear and all you can feel is his heart beat thudding against your chest and his warmth all around. This is happening; he's here. You are hugging him as tightly as you can because before he's only been pixels on a screen. But not now. Now he is real.
But then he's pulling back and you really wish he wouldn't. You just want to hold him in your arms and never let go. Though, he doesn't stray far. He keeps his arms around you but pulls away just enough to look at your face again. You are about to crack a smile when he begins to laugh. Not quietly either; he begins to bellow laughter out. You stare at him in confusion before he quiets back down. Low chuckles are trickling from his throat when he reaches up and runs his fingers across your cheek.
"The fuck are you doing?" Your voice is so quiet still. You're close enough to where he can hear it, but he just chuckles again.
"Golly, it's really you."
The words strike you at first as odd, but you quickly know exactly what he means. You feel the same. You've known each other for almost six years and this is the first time ever being this close. Being able to see all of each other; being able to know you're actually real.
His fingers ghost over your skin again before he reaches up and runs them along the rim of your shades. You don't even care that you're standing in the middle of an airport anymore; this is far more important. You even let him slip the frames from your face. It takes your eyes a moment to adjust, but once they do you are staring unshielded right back him. Your arms are still around his neck and has that one wrapped around your waist. When the hand on your face falls to the crook of your neck, he tugs you closer. The laughter is gone and his eyes that were so deliberately staring at you are now closed as your lips meet his. Oh god and if this isn't all you have been waiting for. To have this feeling of nervous fluttering all through your body. Your palms and face are hot, heart speeding up even more, but all you can do is pulls your hands back up into his hair and tilt your head a bit.
Even when your chest is burning for air, you don't want to pull away. You never want this moment to go away. But then it hits you- you'll have this for years to come. This man is living with you now. He'll be there when you go to sleep, and he'll be there when you wake up. You can cuddle the shit out of him all you want. It's the best feeling in the world knowing all of this is to come. Well the best feeling maybe only second to how absofuckinglutely amazing that kiss was.
When Jake finally does break it, he takes a small step back but returns to cupping your face. He's just smiling at you, tanned skin wrinkling a bit and blushing as emerald eyes sparkle. Those eyes are so much more amazing in person- no, everything about this man is more amazing in person.
"Love you." He finally says through a whisper.
Those words bring a smile effortlessly to your face and you'll be dammed if it wasn't one of the most sincere smiles of your life.
"Love you too."
He brings you back into his arms, heads tucking over each other's shoulders.
I love you.
You stand there repeating those words like you'll never be able to say them again after tonight.
I love you.
That's all it takes from him to make everything else better.
I love you.
That's all it takes to make your heart fly.