Disclaimer: I do not own Wolfblood or anything related to it.
A/N: This is set as Maddy runs to tell her parents about Rhydian asking her out, but instead of Whitewood coming to RUIN EVERYTHING, all goes as it should have done. Enjoy :)
There was still one thing he hadn't told her.
Sure, he'd asked her on a date now; and sure, he'd implied how much she meant to him, but he'd never actually told her. Not properly.
Which was why, on their date that night, he planned to tell her. He was nervous – pretty terrified, in fact; Maddy had the insane ability to affect him in that way – but also ecstatic because the girl he'd had feelings for for a really, really long time was the girl he was going on a date with. He had a feeling that Maddy would always be the only girl he'd ever want to date.
Maddy ran home, excitement glowing on her face as she got to the back door. She ran in to find her parents sitting at the table, still looking a little angsty after the day's earlier events, with cups of tea in their hands.
When she burst through the doors, they turned to face her, looking shocked at her sudden excitement.
"What's gotten in to you?" Emma asked, a smile tugging on her lips. Maddy practically skipped over to the sofa to put her bag down.
"Haven't seen you this excited in human form since...well, I don't know how long." Dan added.
Maddy didn't want to seem like an excited little cub, but the grin would not leave her lips no matter how hard she tried, and she couldn't stop bouncing, so instead she just stopped fighting it and let it happen. "Rhydian asked us on a date." She grinned, shaking her hands at her sides, unable to contain herself.
At the same time, her parent's eyebrows raised and they stared at her in shock.
"I...wow," Dan stuttered, almost lost for words.
"Today?" Emma asked.
Maddy nodded. "Yeah. Tonight."
"...I...Maddy, that's great." He smiled genuinely and stood up to give his daughter a hug.
"I know." Maddy smiled.
"I'm...a little lost for words."
"Are you really surprised, Dan?" Emma's voice came up after Maddy let her dad go. "They've been all over each other ever since he came back." She was trying to act chirpy, but Maddy could sense a definite hint of something harsh behind her voice; maybe bitterness, or frustration. Maddy recognised the tone.
"Mam," Maddy said, her smile fading. Instead, her brow came together very slightly. "You could at least try and act happy for us."
"I am happy for you!" Emma defended herself, standing up and taking her empty mug to the sink. "I just...don't want you to get hurt again."
"Again?"
"You were devastated when Rhydian left last time. What if he decides to do it again?"
Maddy didn't bother to resist the urge to roll her eyes. "He's not going to leave again, mam. He's decided to stay here; he knows where he belongs. I know you said you didn't want us getting too close, but...if it's what's going to happen, don't be so horrid about it."
"No one was horrid, Maddy," Dan said softly, "I think your mum's just a bit surprised it happened so soon. We are happy for you, though. Really."
"Thanks dad."
"Look, I'm sorry, Maddy. I just get protective, you know that," Emma crossed the room and enveloped her daughter in to a tight hug. "I don't like the thought of my cub growing up."
"No one said I'm getting married and moving out," Maddy joked over Emma's shoulder. "It's nothing too sudden."
Emma chuckled, and when she let Maddy go, she left a kiss on her forehead. "So, where's he taking you?"
"I don't know. Not Bernie's...that's all I know. He's coming by at six to pick me up."
At 5.30, Maddy got a text from Rhydian, just as she stepped out of the shower.
Gonna be a bit late. Sorry. You'll understand why when I come get you. I'll be there at 6.15ish xx
Maddy smiled at her phone, just because it was Rhydian. And then she mentally slapped herself for being such a lovesick puppy.
Rhydian being late wasn't such a bad thing. It would give her more time to get ready, and more time to calm the ridiculous nerves that were dancing inside her stomach.
It's ok. See u soon :) x
Can't wait Mads :) xx
Maddy smiled at her phone again, and then her mum came in, trying to sneak a glance over her shoulder.
Maddy pushed her away playfully.
"Why are you smiling at your phone?" Emma asked, smiling at her daughter.
"It's just Rhydian." Maddy's said as nonchalantly as she could, trying to stop herself from smiling.
"Telling you how much he looooves you?" She teased. Maddy shoved her playfully, walking over to her desk. "You're seeing him in half an hour and yet you're still attached to your phone like it's the only way you'll ever get to speak to him again."
It almost was, Maddy thought to herself. She shook that thought away immediately and decided to think more positively; like about the fact she wasn't losing Rhydian, he wasn't losing her, and they were going on a real date.
"He's going to be a bit late." Maddy explained.
Emma tutted. "Men. Always late."
"Rhydian's not always late. He's just doing something deadly secret, apparently."
"Did he say that?"
Maddy laughed. "No. But that's what I'm guessing. He won't tell me anything. Can you help me with my hair?"
Emma smiled, leaning forward to pinch Maddy's cheeks. "Of course I can, cub!"
"Mam, I'm not a cub!" Maddy protested as usual, but there was a grin behind her voice as her mum turned on the hair straighteners.
"What do you want done with it?"
"Just straighten out the kinks at the back for us. I'll do the rest."
Once Emma had done as Maddy asked, Maddy finished her hair. She plaited a piece of it on one side, clipped it back and let the rest fall as it was. She applied a little makeup, but not much more than usual, and then headed to her wardrobe.
Having no idea what Rhydian had planned, Maddy didn't really know what to wear. So she settled for a smart-casual outfit and hoped it would do: black skinny jeans, a red, patterned loose top with elbow length sleeves, a jacket and some red flat shoes.
Once she was totally ready, Maddy waited out in the garden for Rhydian. She didn't fancy having an awkward send off with her ridiculous parents there, so instead she'd said goodbye to them beforehand and then she had set off in to the garden to wait.
Butterflies were crowding Maddy's stomach, leaving barely any space to breathe, and she was torn between either feeling absolutely ecstatic or absolutely terrified.
Rhydian arrived just when he said he would – 6.15 – and already they could both hear the rapid beats of each other's hearts.
"Hey you," Rhydian said, smiling slightly as he stepped towards her. She was sitting against the big tree in her back garden, and she accepted his hand when he reached it out for her to take.
"Hey," she smiled semi-nervously, hauling herself up. At first, she wasn't totally sure whether she should keep a hold of his hand or not, but then he held on tighter and let their hands fall at his side so casually, as if they'd always done it.
"How come you're sitting out here?" He asked.
"Didn't want an awkward send off with me parents." Maddy explained as he started walking in the direction of the hill above her house. She walked with him.
Rhydian chuckled. "Understandable. How'd they take the news you were going out with me?"
Maddy smiled to herself, hoping Rhydian couldn't see the way she was blushing ever so slightly. "Mam was a bit protective, but they were surprisingly calm about it."
"That's good."
A moment of silence passed as they walked up the hill, and then Maddy spoke up again. "Rhydian," she started.
"Mm?" He mumbled in response, looking down at her.
"Where are you taking me?"
He grinned. "You'll see."
Rhydian's stomach was even more filled with nerves than before, Maddy walking effortlessly close to him and her fingers entwined with his. They'd been alone plenty of times before – they'd even held hands before now – but this time it was leading somewhere, and it made him nervous but happy at the same time.
After ten or fifteen minutes of walking, Rhydian finally reached the place he was taking her. At first, when he was thinking of places to go, he thought he'd do the usual thing and take her to a restaurant or the cinema. But then he had realised that the nearest restaurant and cinema were in the next town along, and also that Maddy was never keen on posh things like that. So instead, he'd thought about the things he knew she loved, and that's when he came up with this idea.
A few yards away from what he'd set up, Rhydian stopped walking and covered her eyes with his hands.
"It's not that much of a surprise, is it?" Maddy said, reluctantly stepping forward again. "And don't let me fall."
"I'm not going to let you fall," he said, a grin tainting his voice. "Never have, never will."
Maddy's smiled, but she was biting her lip in concentration as she tried to step over the bumpy forest floor that suddenly seemed even more hazardous now she was blindfolded with his warm hands.
Rhydian hoped Maddy wouldn't notice the way his hands were shaking ever so slightly, and that he was almost hesitant to touch her. Even though he wanted to, he suddenly didn't have the nerve anymore.
He hated (yet sort of loved) that she had the ability to make him feel this way.
"And...," Rhydian started, letting his steps come to a stop. Maddy stopped too. "We're here." He let his hands come away from her face, and watched as she smiled widely and her eyes lit up.
He'd led her to a small clearing in the woods, right next to a little river, the sunlight streaming through the leaves and dancing against the forest floor. There was a small picnic set up in front of them on top of a red and white gingham blanket, and already both of them could smell the food Rhydian had laid out. It was all Maddy's favourites.
"Rhydian," Maddy grinned, "did you do all this?" She turned to face him, a look in her eyes that Rhydian didn't recognise, and he looked down slightly bashfully.
He shrugged. "Yeah. Shan helped me a bit, though. I told her my idea and she helped set it up and get the food ready. That's why I was a bit late." He was looking at her again now, and her lips were curved in to the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen.
"It's amazing."
He shrugged again and smiled in return. "I just thought that it's all your favourite things. The woods, rivers, food..."
And you, Maddy thought.
She smiled just a little bit wider and stepped towards him. Gingerly, she reached out and took a hold of his hand, still looking in to his ocean blue eyes.
Rhydian was staring at her, his lips open ever so slightly, and his eyes were sparkling as he looked in to hers. The sun was hitting his face so perfectly, and Maddy suddenly had the urge to reach out and touch his face. She didn't, though (she was far too nervous), but she did step forward and press a soft, slow kiss to his cheek.
"Thank you, Rhydian. I love it."
Rhydian smiled against her cheek, her lips still lingering near his skin. "You're welcome." He resisted the urge to nuzzle her face and pulled away, leading her over to the blanket. Just before they sat opposite each other, Rhydian put his hand ever so gently in to the small of her back; he was barely even touching her, but it made Maddy jump as she felt a jolt of something run over her skin. It made her blush, and Rhydian saw it. He grinned knowingly.
They ate and talked for a while. Neither of them was able to take their eyes off each other, and subconsciously they were getting closer and closer to each other on the picnic blanket.
It was strange; they'd been alone like this so many times, kept their thoughts about each other inside so many times, and they'd been close so many times. But this night, when they both at least sort of knew how they felt, everything just seemed...different. The connection and pull towards each other was getting stronger and stronger, and although it wasn't unfamiliar, it was more so than usual.
Once they'd finished eating - although Maddy was still munching on the occasional grape - Maddy sat with her legs curled to her side, leaning on her hand, and she looked at Rhydian with a small frown on her face. The sun was lower in the sky now and casting an even more golden glow through the forest. The light was catching in her dark brown eyes, making Rhydian want to look in to them forever.
"What?" He asked, realising the way she was looking at him.
"What made you decide to ask me out?"
Rhydian smirked. "Tom and Shannon practically begged me to. They were like little kids." He laughed, and so did Maddy. She was still looking at him as he looked down at the blanket, and all of a sudden he just grew a lot more serious. Nervously fiddling with the blanket in between his fingers, he shrugged softly. "That, and...I almost lost you today, Mads. It made me realise...I don't want to do this without you. And I don't want to...pretend like I don't feel anything anymore, when actually you sort of...mean everything to me."
Maddy gazed at him, slightly shocked. She'd never heard him be so open before. Although he was hesitant, he was definitely still sure of what he was saying, and Maddy's heart began to race in her chest. She felt exactly the same way.
For a moment, she looked down at his lips. He licked them nervously, and then it hit her—she wanted to kiss him. Man, did she want to kiss him. And by the way he looked up and glanced briefly at her lips before her eyes, she had a feeling he wanted to kiss her, too.
But she was too scared to initiate it; after so long of being friends, it seemed too soon. So instead, she just smiled softly at him before popping another grape in to her mouth.
He smiled back, and he licked his lips again.
After another short while, Maddy lay back on the blanket and gazed up at the sky above her. She could feel Rhydian's eyes on her for a moment. And then he scooted over before lying down beside her, their arms brushing. She was looking up at the sky, but he was looking at her.
"It's so beautiful out here," Maddy said. "How did you find it?"
He shrugged. "Came across it when I was out running one day. It made me think of you, and I kind of wished you were there with me to see it."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Maddy smiled and begun listening to the wind through the leaves; the birds that were tweeting in the trees around them. And then she tuned in to Rhydian's steady, familiar heartbeat, and it made her feel more at home than she'd ever known.
"Mads," Rhydian said, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Yeah?" She turned her head to face him and smiled upon realising he was looking at her already.
Without saying anything and without looking away, Rhydian twisted his hand slightly so that he could hold hers, entwining their fingers together perfectly.
Maddy smiled. Rhydian smiled.
"You know how I feel about you, right?" He finally said.
Maddy just pulled her lips together, nodding slightly.
"You know," he started, "I've never met anyone who gets me as much as you do."
"Maybe because you'd never met another Wolfblood before me?" She grinned, and Rhydian chuckled.
"That's probably it." He smiled, and watched as Maddy sat up. She looked down at him, and then he slowly followed her movements, sitting up too.
Her heart started to race when she realised how close he was; they were pretty much breathing the same air, and their foreheads were very nearly touching.
"So this date wasn't to cheesy for you, then?" Rhydian asked, looking her in the eyes.
Maddy shook her head. "Nope. It's perfect."
He smiled. "Really?"
Nodding, she smiled slightly. "I love it."
And then, without saying anything else, Rhydian slowly brought his hand up and cupped her cheek. Maddy's heart lurched inside her chest, and she very nearly fell to pieces when he gently brushed his hand down her skin so that it was sitting on her neck. His thumb smoothed her jawline.
Their eyes fluttered closed simultaneously. Breaths mingled, heartbeats combined. And when Rhydian leaned forward, brushing their noses together, Maddy's breath caught in her throat.
"I love you, Mads," Rhydian said then, his voice quiet and husky.
Maddy smiled, pressing her forehead further in to his. "I love you too."
And then, without another word said, Rhydian kissed her. His mouth was open and so was hers, and somehow their lips just fit so perfectly together that she couldn't quite believe it. It was a first kiss, so in some ways it was a little awkward as they tried to figure out which head positions worked best and how they should do this, but the longer they kissed, the better it got. Rhydian's lips started moving with hers, and Maddy brought her hand up to sit on his chest. They'd both been waiting for this for so long, and one pressing question crossed their minds at the same time: why hadn't they done this sooner?
Soon, though, air was needed, and they broke apart but kept their faces up close. Hesitantly, Maddy brought her hand to the back of his neck. She shuffled in her position to make it more comfortable, and them she felt him lean forward to nuzzle her cheek with his, concentrating on her scent. The line between their human selves and their wolf selves were blurring a little as their hearts raced and scents flowed around each other.
Maddy smiled, closing her eyes again.
"I just have one question," Rhydian said in to her ear.
"What's that?"
"Why on earth, have we not done this before?"
Maddy laughed breathily as he pulled away from her. Their eyes met again, and he was smiling that ridiculously adorable smile where the wrinkles showed around his eyes, his lips were very slightly pulled together and he looked at her like she was everything he'd ever wanted.
"I don't know. You should've got your finger out and asked me sooner." She joked.
He grinned playfully. "Hey, girls can ask guys out too, you know."
"I know."
"I guess we just didn't want to ruin our friendship," he said, "you know?"
Maddy nodded. "Exactly."
"And...now that we've kissed..."
"Well, that's the friendship ruined forever."
He grinned again, this time with more love filling his eyes as he reached up and touched her cheek again. "Guess we can't call it a friendship anymore then."
"Nope."
Still grinning, Rhydian shook his head in disbelief. Disbelief of the fact that the most amazing girl was right in front of him – she always had been right in front of him – and he'd only just realised how much he loved her. How much he needed her.
He should've kissed her for the first time that night he'd shown up at her window, and she'd placed his hand over her heart. She'd looked in to his eyes so desperately, so lovingly, that it really shocked him to see it. He should've kissed her there, but he was scared. Scared that it wasn't the right time; scared that he'd end up messing it all up and losing his best friend.
But now, as he sat with her on the picnic blanket, still gazing in to her perfect, mesmerising eyes, he begun to appreciate the fact that, although he should've done it sooner, at least he'd done it now. She knew how he felt, and vice-versa.
Rhydian leaned in and kissed her again, slightly more confidently than last time, and Maddy smiled against his lips.
"I love you," he mumbled in between kisses, "I love you."
Maddy giggled as he pulled away. "I love you too."
For a moment, Rhydian lost all control and started trailing his lips down her jaw, towards her earlobe. It took Maddy by surprise, the electricity running through her skin where his lips had gone, and in a tiny moment – so tiny, he wandered if it had even happened – he felt her jolt away from him ever so slightly.
"Sorry," he said straight away, bringing his lips off her skin and his head away from her. "I...sort of...lost control for a minute there..." Looking down, he awkwardly scrubbed at the back of his neck with his hand and bit his lip.
It took Maddy a moment to respond. "It's okay," she said, a small smile tugging on her lips. "I don't mind."
"You don't?"
She shook her head, hesitantly touching the spot on her neck where his lips had settled and she could still feel it. "No." And then she took his hand in hers and guided him down to lie next to her. He lay on his back and she moved closer, putting her head under his neck where her face fitted perfectly. His scent was strong right here, and she shuffled as close as possible to make sure it remained. To make sure this feeling—right here, right now, remained.
A while later, when the sun was about to set, they took the picnic things back to Rhydian's house before Rhydian offered to walk her home.
"You don't have to do that." Maddy said, but she really did want him to.
He shrugged, looking down at their joined hands for a moment. They were facing each other. "I kind of want to."
"Well...in that case," Maddy grinned, walking off with him in tow, "let's go."
Rhydian grinned too and followed her willingly. On the way to Maddy's they walked really slowly; slower than usual, at least, because they wanted to prolong the time spent together.
"Look," Maddy said happily, pointing to the tree above them and coming to a stop. Rhydian looked up too. "There are baby birds up in that nest."
Rhydian looked down at Maddy who was still gazing up at the sky, and he smiled to himself. She looked so beautiful; the way the light was catching on her skin and in her hair made her stand out even more than usual, and he couldn't bring himself to take his eyes away.
When Maddy looked back to him again, she frowned. "You weren't looking."
Rhydian smirked, stepping closer to her. "I did look quickly. But I was just, um...looking at you."
Maddy smiled. She stepped closer this time, and then she brought her hand up to cup his cheek.
He smiled even wider as she brushed his cheek with her thumb and, when she leaned in to kiss him, everything felt right.
It was new, and it was exciting, and neither of them could get enough.
Eventually they pulled away, and Maddy took a hold of his hand again. "Come on," Maddy said, walking again. "Mam and dad will interrogate us if we get home any later."
"It's only 8.30,"
"That's late in their books. Especially because this is a date. And it's a date...with..." Maddy trailed off and bit her lip, squinting in the bright rays of the setting sun. She hadn't meant it to sound like that...
"With me, of all people?" Rhydian finished for her, turning his head to look at her.
Maddy stopped walking again, and she turned to him, a frown now on her face. "That's not what I was going to say..."
"Mads, come on. Your parents aren't keen on the idea of us going out. Isn't that why they kicked me out all those months ago?"
"How did you know that?" Maddy questioned without thinking; and then, by the way his face straightened out, she realised he didn't know that. He was just guessing.
"I didn't," he said quietly, looking to the floor. "But I do now."
"Look, Rhydian...that was then. They're more used to the idea now."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes," Maddy said, sounding absolutely and utterly sure. She stepped closer to him, trying to look him in the eyes; but he was still staring at the floor. "I'm sure. You're one of our pack, Rhydian. Especially now we're..."
Rhydian looked up at her then, without moving his head, and he smiled knowingly. "Yeah." He said, and his voice was happier than it had been a moment ago. He leaned forward, leaving a soft, slow kiss on her forehead. He squeezed her hand. They kept walking.
And when Rhydian dropped Maddy home, he came to the door to see her parents too, and they were fine with him. Maddy and Rhydian had kissed goodbye in the garden beforehand, so when he actually left, all he did was kiss Maddy's cheek and then walk off with a friendly wave and a smile.
Maddy's parents teased her a little, asked her some questions and made her blush like crazy; but once they'd done that, all went back to normal.
Except the feeling in Maddy's chest. She now had a feeling of complete contentment and happiness, and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face.
As she sat up in her room in her dressing gown and took her makeup off, her phone buzzed.
When she saw the text, she smiled.
Rhydian had sent her a picture of him pulling a funny face, with the caption 'felt like an idiot giving you a lame little wave like that'. It made Maddy laugh.
You looked a bit like one too. But my parents appreciated it. :) xx
:) see me tomorrow? I'll come over in the morning?
Yeah :) xx
Love you. Miss you already. See you tomorrow xx
Don't be such a sap. Love you and miss you too tho xo
That night, both Rhydian and Maddy fell asleep with a smile on their faces.
They'd been dancing around each other for what felt like forever, pretending they didn't feel the way they did. But now everything was out there, and all of a sudden everything seemed to fit in to place.
It was the perfect end to a not-so-perfect year.
A/N: SO. The end of S2 is hideously sad, as we all know, and I wish so much that we got to see their date. So I decided to do what I always do when something I'd have loved to see didn't happen in the show: write it myself.
I really hope you enjoyed it! I absolutely loved writing this; I nearly died from all the Maddian fluff and happiness. Let me know what you think in a review – I'd love to hear your thoughts :)
Love :* xxx
