A/N: Hayo! Here's a little one-shot I thought of when I was listening to Seasons of Love, from Rent. Hope you like it!
I dropped my bag at the door, throwing my shoes off. My jacket slid off my arms and fell onto the floor, becoming a puddle of fabric. I whipped my phone out of my back pocket, checking the time before hurrying past the kitchen and living room. I twisted the door knob to my room, not bothering to close it behind me.
We're reliable with the… Ladies!
My phone came to life, singing the set ringtone. I quickly slid answer and plopped down in my chair with a smile. I sighed, and the phone crackled.
"Wow, I haven't said a word and you already sound done." My boyfriend's voice chuckled through the phone.
"Alex, you know I could never be done with you." I breathed, exhausted from running straight home after work. I'd been employed at the local library; which Alex was insanely proud of me for. The problem is, it has shoddy Wi-Fi, which means booking it home for our daily call.
He laughed, "Ditto, babe. Have you had water yet? Or am I your priority?"
"Priority, of course," I stated, reaching for the water bottle on my desk. "But I should seriously consider a gym membership if I'm going to be running three blocks every day."
"Yeah, no. You're already more ripped than I am." He argued. "I don't need any more girls falling all over you if you get even more muscular."
Well, he wasn't lying. I had always been stronger than him, since I was in the army when we met. But, now that I've been honorably discharged, my muscles are harder to keep. Between college and work, and family, it's been hard to make time for the gym or just jogging.
"Okay, true. I don't have time for a gym anyways." I nodded, remembering something I found out earlier. "Hey, guess how far away you are."
"Uh, like, six hundred and sixteen miles." He replied. "I think…"
"Yeah, but, Alex, do you know how many turtles it would take to reach you?" I whined. "It would take six million, five hundred and four thousand, nine hundred and sixty Diamondback Terrapin turtles!"
"Whoa. Why did you convert it to turtles?" He inquired, before backtracking. "Wait, wait, never mind, stupid question, you're John 'Turtles-Are-My-Life's-Blood' Laurens."
"Alex, be serious, that's too far away!" I laughed despite myself. A series of small laughs slipped through the phone, and I wished I heard them all the time.
"John, it's far, I know." He sobered. "I'm sorry, but this writing scholarship is amazing, not to mention completely free!"
I softly sighed, nodding again despite him not being able to see me.
"Hey, John. Hold on for a moment," His voice was confident and light, but I could tell he wore a frown. "Let me do the math really quick, meaning let me google the answer…"
The static from his voice was gone, indicating he had put his phone down.
I ran my fingers through my hair, closing my eyes as I waited for him to come back on. I leaned back in my swirly chair, letting the waves of tiredness roll over me. I could fall asleep right now.
Dude, honestly, he'll be right back.
"Okay, I'm back!" Alex's voice exclaimed, startling me from my position. "So, Leather-back Sea turtles are, like, six feet long…"
"Yeah? What are you up to, lil' lion?" I had adopted Laf's nickname for Alex a while ago, though I usually say the English version. French isn't, eh, how you say, une de mes meilleures compétences.
"Well, we're only, let's see…" He muttered some numbers under his breath. "Five hundred and forty-two thousand, and eighty Leather-back Sea turtles away! That's a lot less than the, what'd you say… the Diamondback Terrapin turtles!"
A stupid grin took over my features; Of course, Alexander would google facts to make me feel better.
"Really? Well, that's so much better." I told him, grinning even harder when I heard him chuckle.
"Alright, that sounded very sarcastic, dear." He retorted.
I love when he calls me that; even though he calls Laf and Hercules that, too, it always seems extra special when he says it to me.
"Hey, you agreed to date my sarcastic ass," I shot back, smirking. "You knew what you were in for."
"True, true." He quieted, taking a deep breath. Sometimes that's all we do on the phone; just listen to each other's breathing. I shut my eyes, taking in the sounds of him exhaling and inhaling. It calmed us both, hearing something we didn't get to hear every morning anymore.
We used to lie on the couch, hearing each other's heartbeat. He'd be lying there, reading a book, when I'd come home from work. I'd drop everything and fall on top of him, eliciting a chuckle from him and a content sigh from me.
He was always so warm; I'd always look forward to winter, when we'd bundle up on the couch together and watch scary movies. He'd wrap his arm around me, and I'd hide in his arms when something bad happened to a character.
I miss that.
I know, I know, he's got a full-ride to college, and he's happy and I should be happy for him. Don't get me wrong, I'm completely ecstatic for him. But, sometimes, I forget he's in New York, and I come home and call out his name, asking what he wants for dinner.
I can't even tell you how many times I've done that in the three months he's been gone.
"Babe?" Alex's voice whispered. "Can you do me a favor?"
"Yeah, of course, what's up?" I mumbled, my eyes still closed from reminiscing.
"Could you open the front door?" He requested. I popped my eyes open, why would he ask that?
"Uh, sure." I answered, standing up. "Did you order me pizza, again? Babe, I love the surprise food, but you're gonna make me fat."
I meandered out of my room and down the hallway, ending up at the white door that we had painted together. I placed my hand on the door knob, leaning forward to look through the peephole.
"And don't look through the peephole!" Alex reprimanded, reading my thoughts.
I straightened, "Fine, geez! Why not? What if it's a murderer?"
"Babe, just open the door." I sighed, nodding.
"Okay, but if I get killed I'm haunting you."
I gripped the doorknob, heavily inhaling before swinging the door open.
Standing in the hallway, holding his phone to his ear, was Alex. A huge grin was spread across his face as he spoke into the phone.
"Surprise." He whispered.
"Alexander!" I took a step forward, before tackling him in a bear hug. He fell against the wall behind him with a breathy laugh.
"Hey, John." He murmured, cradling the back of my head with one hand, while the other wound itself around my waist.
I inhaled, breathing in his scent: Books, ink, and black coffee. Three things that I've associated Alexander with since we met, almost five years ago.
"I missed you so much." I muttered into his deep blue jacket, snaking one arm around his neck and the other around his middle. He nodded into my shoulder, pulling me closer.
"Hey, guess how many turtles away I am now." He mumbled, turning his head so his lips were touching my ear.
"Zero." I softly replied.
"And it's going to stay like that. I transferred to Charleston College, I'm staying." He told me, before pressing a kiss to my temple. I slightly pulled away, shock gracing my features.
"You… you transferred? You're staying?" I uttered, unable to believe that I had him back, and for good this time. He smiled, nodding like an insane man.
"I was able to transfer my scholarship, I told them it was for family." He explained, tightening his grip on me. "There won't be any crazy number of turtles between us now, John."
I laughed, leaning forward and brushing my lips against his. "Good."
He tilted his head, halting my teasing. I forgot how good of a kisser he was, melting in to him as soon as our lips touched. He pulled back, leaning his forehead on mine.
"Let's go inside, babe." He sighed, kissing the tip of my nose before bending down for his bag. I hummed in agreement, and, hand in hand, we headed inside of our little apartment.
A/N: Please read and review! It makes me happy:D