So here's a new story I've been writing since that 24 Fics, 24 Days challenge. I have four chapters written so far and they've been pretty quick to do, so I'm not worried about updates for this one like I am the other three multi-chaps I have going so far.

Anyway, I really do love this story so much already, even though the summary does it no justice whatsoever (I'm working on it, I swear). I'm so excited to share this with you guys and I hope you love it as much as I do. Enjoy!

.One

The first time we met, I was scared. It wasn't a small fear, either, the kind that's easily brushed away by a comforting kiss on the forehead and gentle hand on the cheek. It was an all consuming kind of fear, one that shook through my bones like an earthquake and stole the breath I so desperately needed to regain. Or maybe it was you who stole it, really, but either way it doesn't matter. The point is: I was terrified.

Why?

I'd never met anyone like you before, never seen someone so comfortable in their own skin despite the way everyone else looked at you, which was not exactly like you hung the moon and stars. The thing was, the first time I saw you, I realized I wasn't looking at you the same way they were. To me, you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. There was nothing that could ever come close to comparing to you, not even the brother I'd always thought was the sun. I wasn't disgusted by you the way they were, wasn't shocked or even uncertain; I was completely enthralled. And that, I think, is what really scared me the most.

I remember how busy the mall was that day. I remember all the people that kept blocking my vision of you. I remember the way it started to feel like they were closing in on me, suffocating me, drowning me, and how suddenly I forgot that I'd even seen you. All I wanted to do was leave, to get away, to just be able to breathe for a second, so I shoved through the crowd and I ran.

I guess you must have seen me make a break for it because no sooner had I left the building than you were right there beside me, asking me if I was okay. I must have nodded, I think I did, but it couldn't have been all that convincing when I was still struggling through the panic attack I'd tried so hard not to have. It showed on your face and in the way you reached out to touch my shoulders, to ask me again if I was really alright. I remember that well, you know. I remember the feel of your hands on my shoulders, even through the thick hoodie I was wearing. I remember the sound of your voice, cutting through the anxiety attack that was taking away my ability to function. I remember the way the light danced in your eyes, golden-green like a cat's. I remember you, you know. I remember every detail.

By the time I'd finally managed to calm myself down, I'd also realized how much more beautiful you were up close and started to freak out again. I wasn't comfortable with myself back then, wasn't at all okay with the idea of being something different from everybody else I knew. It probably didn't help that I was reserved and insecure not just because of that, but from a lifetime of living in the shadows of everyone around me. It was a bad combination if there ever was one, right? It was pretty much a surefire assurance that I'd never be able to come out.

But you did.

I wasn't expecting you, you know. You kind of crept up on me in the end there. I mean, I was attracted to you from the moment I saw you across the mall, but I think I knew nothing would ever come of it. I didn't even think I'd ever say a single word to you, after all. And then, when we did talk, or at least you did, I guess I had myself convinced it would never happen again. I thought you'd be on your way afterward and I on mine and both of us would have forgotten it ever happened by the time we woke up the next morning.

But we didn't. You asked for my number after, when I'd finally managed to hold something similar to a conversation for at least a few minutes, and I gave it to you. I didn't think you'd call then, not really, but you surprised me again there.

You can be so impatient on occasion, you know? God, it's infuriating sometimes. It wasn't then, though, because all I could think when you texted me that night was that I felt so much less alone, so unbelievably happy that a complete stranger had taken interest in me. Of course, then I'd started to wonder why and, well, I may have kind of thought you were a total player for a while there who was only after sex and strung hundreds of people along, but hey— I was eighteen and no one had ever taken an interest in me before. Could you really blame me?

You're always so quick to assume.

We probably should have cleared that up sooner, thinking back on it. It would have saved us a lot of trouble, don't you think? A lot of misunderstandings and hurt feelings and— God, we were bad at this back then, weren't we? I think we figured it out a bit at some point, though. We wouldn't still be here if we weren't. Or, maybe we're only still here because I can't leave you.

What?

Do you remember that, though? Do you remember the day we met? I hope you do. It's one of the most important days of my life.

It's important to you too, isn't it? I know you used to look back on it so often and wonder how different your life would be if you hadn't run out after the boy who was having a panic attack in the middle of a public place to make sure he was alright. I know you used to get so scared when you did that, so terrified at the prospect of never having even met me.

I always knew when you'd been thinking about it, too, because you'd have nightmares after and wake up crying in my arms or sobbing down the phone line to me. I remember teasing you about it and laughing and secretly being just as terrified by the what if that never was. I don't know why we were so scared of it if it was something we both knew would never happen. Because we did meet that day, you know? Why were we so caught up on what would have happened if we hadn't?

Maybe it's because what we were really so afraid of was losing each other. Maybe, by picturing what would have happened if we'd never had each other in the first place, we were reminding ourselves not to let this go. The world without an us is a scary one, don't you think?

Terrifying.

Is there an us now? Does this still count? I don't know anymore, Magnus. I'm trying so hard to pretend like nothing's changed, like we're still okay, but I just don't know if I can do it much longer. I'm so lost, Mags. I feel like I'm missing half of myself even though you're right here beside me just like always. That hasn't changed, I'm grateful for that, but every day that passes feels like another stab at my heart. I don't think I can keep doing this for long, Magnus, but the thought of there being no us anymore hurts even more. I can't breathe again, I can feel you taking all the air away just like you did that day. Can you feel it? Can you hear me?

Can you please just wake up?

No, love. I don't think I can.

I'll update this one every second Saturday (so, next chapter would be up on the 7th of March), or when it reaches whatever goal I've set for the chapter. Goal for this one is fifteen reviews, which I know you lovely little people can do :)

I've never actually done it where I post a chapter when you reach some preset number of reviews, but I'm trying it for this one. So, yeah. Fifteen reviews and the next chapter goes up right away, or you can wait until March 7th.