Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and all events are completely fictional.


Lauren Lopez didn't hate bugs, she just didn't like them. She didn't like the way they could just appear out of nowhere then disappear in the blink of an eye. It all started when she was about seven years old. One morning she woke up and there were bugs crawling across her wall. It turns out; she had accidentally left a biscuit on her bed-side table. Ever since then, she had become very, very particular about cleaning.

"Hey Lauren, what are you doing here?" Joe Walker asked as he opened his front door to find his petite friend standing on his doorstep.

"Can't I come and visit my best friend whenever I want to?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course you can. Come in," he said gesturing her inside. "It's just, you usually text or call me before you come over, that's all." He closed the door and followed Lauren into his living room. When Joe sat down next to her on his couch, he noticed she was playing with her hands, something she only did when she was nervous or scared. "Lo, what's wrong?" She didn't look up from where she was looking at her hands.

"Nothing," she said simply. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

"Come on, you're playing with your hands, you only do that when you're nervous or scared about something. Now, spill."

"Bugs."

"What?"

"Bugs. They're in my house, everywhere and I don't know why! If there's bugs that means there's food and I've cleaned my house all over," she said almost in tears. She quickly buried her face in his chest.

"Oh, it's okay. Bugs aren't that bad," he said gently stroking her back.

"Yes they are," she replied, her voice muffled by his chest. "You remember how I told you about when I was seven?" She looked up at him.

"Yes," he said laughing slightly. She narrowed her eyes and he stopped. "Would you like to sleep here tonight?" he asked. "To get away from the bugs," he added quickly. She nodded slightly.

"Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back.

"You're welcome," he whispered.

Later that night, Lauren was lying on Joe's incredibly uncomfortable couch, wide awake. How can someone's couch be this uncomfortable? She thought to herself as she rolled over for what must have been the hundredth time that night. I wonder if Joe's still awake. She decided that she would go and have a look. She got up from the couch and tiptoed her way up to Joe's bedroom. She slowly opened the door to reveal a sleeping Joe Walker spread out on his bed. Lauren was about to turn around and go back to lying on his horrible couch when she heard him stir.

"Lo?" he said sleepily.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

"Why do you always think something's wrong?"

"I don't know. Why aren't you asleep?" he asked sitting up slightly.

"Your couch is unbelievably uncomfortable." He laughed.

"I told you." He held his arm out, "Come here." She smiled and closed the door behind her. Lauren walked over to his bed then lied down in his arms. As soon as she was comfortable, Joe wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. She snuggled closer to him and laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Night Lo," he said as he kissed her head.

"Night Walks," she said as she hugged him tighter.

For the first time in her life, Lauren was glad she had bugs in her house.