A/N: a quick rewrite of this little oneshot I published last year. I just sat there thinking. "I could make this way more emotional and angsty" after rereading it multiple times over the past few months, and so i did! The slightly altered version, with even more Diaz Angstâ„¢.
Loud, thumping music could be heard through the entire the entire neighborhood, even.
The walls were vibrating and lights were illuminating the sky, for this was a special night. It was Marco Diaz' 18th birthday and if the Diaz family parties, they do it right.
Everyone was invited, and of course, Marco had to try making smalltalk with the crowd while not slowly becoming completely bored out of his mind.
A challenge which was much harder than he imagined it to be.
Marco adores his family, it's just so big, it's impossible talking to all of them in one night. Especially about the same old things over and over again.
He halfheartedly sipped some punch from the cup in his hand while listening to his Grandma ramble to him in spanish.
As his mind drifted off, he started to wonder where Star was this whole evening and began to worry a bit. She might have gotten into trouble.
You really never know with her.
"Uh, un segunda, abuela!" He interrupted his Grandma while putting his cup down as he started looking for Star, but before his search even began, it already ended, when he took a step into the backyard.
He crossed his arms, slightly raising a brow as he looked up at the interdimensional princess hanging down from the branch of a tree.
"Ooooo, marco, marco! You're finally here!" The blonde girl exclaimed happily.
"Check this out!" She cheered as she began doing pull-ups at the branch.
Marco's eyes grew wide as he quickly rushed over to the tree.
"Nonono, Star. Get down here, you know what happened the last time you were climbing trees?"
He reminded her, a noticeable tone of nervousness in his voice.
Of course she did not seem to care much. "Ppfft, that was ages ago! Don't be a buzzkill on your own birthday, safe kid." She grinned at him only causing the latino to shake his head and sigh.
"Come on Star, just jump, I'll catch you."
Star let out a hearty laugh. "Aaaaalright, but only because you insist!" She cried, before letting go of the branch and letting herself fall on the helpless boy who was spreading out his arms, trying to catch the blonde.
Much to his downfall, Marco didn't manage to catch Star, resulting in both of the teenagers crashing onto each other, landing on the ground in a really awkward position.
Marco cried out in pain. "Star, I wasn't even ready yet!"
Star got up quickly and gave her best friend a guilty smile. "Heh, sorry...my coordination is a bit..." She whispered. "faaaading." She made a vague hand gesture while helping Marco up.
"What do you mean by faaaading?" He tried to mimic her as best as he could.
Star began to bounce up and down as she grabbed Marco's wrist and inched closer.
Just then he could smell the faint scent of alcohol coming from the young princess.
"Oh my god don't tell me you did tequila shots with my dad..." Marco buried his face inside his hands. He didn't even need an answer, he already knew.
"It was totally awesome!" She squealed, flailing her arms around. "You know Marco, we should really do this more often. Celebrate on such a big scale, that is."
She winked, stumbling.
Marco shook his head as he put both of his hands on the shoulders of the drunk girl.
"Listen." He said in a calm, quiet voice. "We will get you to bed, you will drink a few glasses of water to avoid the worst hangover of your life tomorrow, and then you will sleep." He ended his sentence with a stern and determined look on his face.
Just as he was finished, big puppy eyes met his gaze. "Awwee,marco! But...it's so early and it's your birth-"
"No but's, Star." He cut her off midway. "You're incredibly intoxicated and if you won't go to bed right now you will feel absolutely awful tomorrow, trust me."
"Eeuuurgghh" Star protested, but the boy already had an arm around her shoulder and dragged her back into the house.
The loud music mixed with all the different voices in the background plus the stuffy, hot air on top of that really didn't help the situation.
Marco let out a heavy sigh as he tried to lift Star up properly. She was slouching over and completely out of focus.
"Man,the alcohol really did a number on her, better get her to bed quick." Marco thought as he was pulling her up the stairs in a cautious manner, watching every step she made so the girl wouldn't fall over or hurt herself.
"Why did she even drink in the first place, I told her how dangerous it is to just dive into alcohol like that, she has no idea what her limits are." He mumbled to himself more than anything.
They finally arrived in front of Stars room as the teenage boy made her face him.
"Okay, listen. We will go in, you will lay down and I will get you some water,alright? Don't. move."
Marco was a bit overwhelmed with the situation and quite worried, he didn't know how much Star consumed or when she even started drinking that night. He tried to conceal the concern in his voice but staying levelheaded is hard for him sometimes.
Star threw her arms around her friend and hugged him tight. "Thank you, Marco! You're always soooo sweet to me..." She lulled.
The confused teenager hugged back and sighed. "Let's get you to bed,okay?"
Star slowly let go as she watched him open the door to her room as quietly as possible.
The night dipped the room in a dark royal blue, only the light of the moon flooding the chamber like tiny, silver waves, drawing a fine line from the window to Stars bed.
Marco slowly walked in, his hand on Star's wrist, guiding her inside.
The princess glared at him for a second before freeing herself from his grip. She felt like she was back in Kindergarden with a royal guard never leaving her side. She told him a million times she could take care of herself. She's never allowed to just figure things out as she goes and have some fun without someone breathing down her neck, normally her mother, but in this case, even Marco? He's not usually this uptight.
"I can handle myself,Marco." She babbled while trying to keep on her feet. "You never let me do things on my own!" The girl continued to accuse.
Marco turned around, his brown eyes pleading. It was a long night, the blaring music mixed with the endless smalltalk and the crowds of people really started to wear him out. It was fun at first, but he felt like he was slowly stressing out, in need of a break.
"Star, please. Just get to bed, let me do this for you."
She shook her head and crossed her arms before her chest.
At this point frustration overtook stress. How can she be so stubborn right now?
"Well, MAYBE if you wouldn't have decided to get completely SMASHED tonight, you wouldn't practically be falling over without my help, and we wouldn't be in this mess right now!"
He snapped.
Star gasped as tears started to shoot into her big blue eyes.
The sight made the brunette flinch in guilt. Star didn't deserve this. What a lousy best friend he was.
"God damnit." Marco exclaimed as he realised what he had done. He quickly dashed forward and embraced the crying blonde in a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry, Star, I didn't mean to shout at you at all, I guess I just get a little too worried about you sometimes." He whispered as he let go and wiped away the tears on her dampened cheek with his thumb.
"I don't want you to think that I assume you're not able to take care of yourself...i just.."
He looked away as he tried to explain himself better, running a hand through his tousled, damp with sweat, strands. He was clearly anxious to bring up this topic.
"I just want to be useful to you."
Star looked up at him, slightly confused, her heartshaped birthmakes flushing a bright pink. Why was he saying this?
The 18 year olds voice suddenly changed into a much softer, soothing tone.
"You're the strongest person I know. And I mean that." He spoke, even more clearly now, his gaze entirely focused on her. "Sometimes I watch you do everyday things and I'm like. How does she do that. How does she make friends so easily, everywhere she goes? How is her laugh so infectious? How...how does she radiant so much happiness."
He rambled, his thoughts coming to him so fast he couldn't list them all.
Since you've came into my life,everything changed for the better in so many ways. You taught me that I should not be afraid to fall, that it's okay to just be crazy sometimes, and just do what you want! I lost my fear, because you were always there. Encouraging me. Motivating me. Only weeks went by after I started to adore you. And only months went by before I started loving you. You bring me joy, hope and light! And you don't even know it! Hell, I am 18 now and I still haven't told you how much you mean to me, I always chickened out. Because...you're the princess of Mewni."
The boy let out a weak chuckle. "While.. I'm just...the safe kid. One of the only qualities I could use to help you." His voice was so quiet, it was on the verge of a whisper. He paused, looking down, scared of what Stars reaction would be. "I just want to be more to you." He finished.
Just as he was about to go on another rant, warm,soft lips met his as he could feel Stars arms wrap around his neck.
Marco was caught completely off guard and in a daze, he surely didn't expect such a reaction from the princess of Mewni.
Everything happened so fast, and still he felt like time froze.
It took him a few seconds until he was able to relax and just let go, melting into the warm embrace, placing his hands on her hips gently.
The two teenagers remained like that for a while, Star grasping at his shirt, pulling him even closer, until they had to catch some air, their arms still tangled around each other.
"Haha..um...wow." Marco began, his face tinted a deep red.
"Does that answer your question?" She replied, chuckling lightly.
His heart was pounding like crazy, he was almost sure even Star hear it. A wide grin formed on his lips. "It does."
Star rested her head on the boys shoulder, her long, blonde hair glistening in the moonlight, tumbling down her shoulders and waist.
As Marco started stroking it, she let out a big yawn. "I guess you were right all along, I am really tired now."
"Told ya." He replied shortly. "Call me, doctor Marco, I know these things." "Guess then anyone who read the wikipedia page on alcohol can be a doctor!" Star retorted, winking at him and freeing herself from the huh. She crawled under the thick,soft blankets, which were spread across her bed.
"Hey, at least i have the decency to actually read the whole page." Marco humored her.
Star playfully threw a pillow in response at her dumbfounded friend, who was standing in front of her bed. "I'll remember that!" He pointed at her jokingly.
Star let out a warm laugh and patted the empty space next to her, indicating for him to sit down.
He couldn't see much, it was in the middle of the night after all, but he managed to crawl into the bed without much effort.
He slid under the covers and propped his head up on his elbow, facing the girl next to heart hammering against his chest.
She took his hand and gave it a little squeeze. "I'm glad you told me how you felt." She breathed, looking up at him.
"I felt the same way for a while, I just didn't know how to bring it up." Star's eyes flickered in the dim light.
"Me neither." Marco confessed while inching closer. "But seeing you cry like that, seeing ME being the reason for you crying, it made me feel so awful.I just had to tell you what was going on with me. Me making you cry is just." He shook his head. "No."
"I love you." Star hummed, half asleep.
"I love you, too." Marco replied as he gave her a reassuring kiss on the forehead. He smiled, his eyes fluttering shut.
