Rip-Dodge-Viper prompted- Can you do that as a one shot of Taylor doing exactly that. Leaving tiny drawings on Lexi's home door, her locker, her desk, the library table she studies at (like the nerd she is), etc... and Lexi just can't help but fall more in love with Taylor
I know I haven't been updating as much as usual, but I've been busy working my #Taylington book! Look for a title drop tomorrow on my Insta!
It started out as a classroom doodle, one she'd slipped into Lexi's book bag to let her know she was thinking about her.
Of course then Lexi had found it, and returned the favor with a single flower - blue salvia - the accompanying note had identified it.
"Thinking of you."
Was the only other thing the note said - that's how it always was, just a single flower and a note with the name and meaning of the flower.
They started out fairly simple, declarations of thoughts and feelings that were easy to decipher. As time went on, however; well, Taylor never would have guessed that flowers could have such specific meanings. She had even ordered a book about flower meanings off Amazon to make sure that Lexi wasn't making some of them up.
She wasn't, all of the meanings were legit, and Taylor found herself in awe of her girlfriend. Even if Lexi was looking up all of the flowers beforehand, it was still impressive. Not to mention romantic.
Definitely the most romantic act that Taylor had ever been on the receiving end of.
(Lexi claimed that the flowers paled in comparison to Taylor's sketches, but Taylor felt like she was just being modest.
As time went on and the flowers had gotten more specific, the delivery method had changed too, the first had been delivered with a shy smile and fidgeting hands -
"Umm, so. I got you this, because umm, well, you said you were thinking about me; and that's what blue salvia means - thinking of you. 'Cause I do, think about you. Like all the time! Not - not inappropriately! Or in an obsessed way, or anything - just, you know, a normal amount. For one girl to think about another. In a gay way."
As cute as the rambling is, Taylor doesn't have the heart to let her keep going
"Lex, thank you, it's perfect."
And just like that, the nervous grimace is gone, replaced by a wide smile that seems to make Lexi's blue eyes sparkle.
"I'll text you tonight?"
Taylor nods as she feels a dopey grin spread across her face, and Lexi's smile grows impossibly wider as she leans in to place a quick kiss to Taylor's lips.
Lexi's eyes study her for a moment longer before she's gone, jogging off in the direction of the astronomy building - leaving Taylor to stare after her, dopey smile still firmly in place.
After that first time, the two of them swapping sketches and flowers became a regular occurrence, the delivery getting more and more sneaky as time went on.
Lexi preferred to just leave the flowers where Taylor would stumble across them, occasionally enlisting the help of Mandy or other friends to deliver them personally.
Taylor had resorted to tucking her sketches between the pages of whatever book Lexi was currently engrossed in.
It worked out rather well, and she really hadn't seen a reason to switch up her M.O.
Until now.
Because now, she has something that won't really fit between the pages of a book.
It's a 2'x3' canvas of watercolor interpretation of 'Le Bracelet' by Erte that she had worked on for a re-imagined art project, one that Lexi had 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over as Taylor had worked on it. Of course, Lexi always had good things to say about Taylor's projects -except for the 'Mud on Canvas', that one was a disaster - but there was something different about this one. Something about the way that Lexi had studied the piece made Taylor want to give it to her.
But she couldn't just hand it over -
"Hey, umm, I saw you staring at this and I thought you might want it."
No, that wouldn't work.
And that's exactly how she finds herself outside Lexi's apartment door, twisting the key in her hands.
Lexi had given her the key a month ago, to use when Lexi's astrophysics class inevitably ran over and Taylor was left waiting around until she got out.
It made sense, and she had used it a couple of times since. The first time she had spent the time awkwardly sitting around the living room, waiting until Lexi showed up. As time went by, she had slowly grown more comfortable being there by herself, but still - nothing like this.
She had never used the key to sneak in, hang up artwork, and sneak out without Lexi knowing.
Mandy had assured her that the romanticism outweighed the creepiness, but still.
She was going to get in and get out, that was her goal.
She had even arranged to meet Lexi in half an hour to ensure that the other girl wouldn't try and go back to her apartment between classes and catch her in the act.
All she has to do is go in, hang the picture, and leave.
Taking a deep breath, she steels herself, glancing down the hall before turning the key in the lock.
It slides open easily, a fact that Taylor always finds slightly astonishing, (her girlfriend gave her a key to her apartment and hasn't changed the locks yet!), but she brushes it aside, stepping into the apartment and angling the painting so it won't hit the doorway. The room is dark, except for the long windows, sunlight streaking through to bathe the opposite wall in a kaleidoscope of fractured light.
She loves Lexi's apartment, always has, and she takes a moment to soak in the feel of it before moving forward.
It smells like Lexi, in that indescribable way that makes her heart race and simultaneously feel like she's home.
It's a feeling that she still hasn't gotten used to.
She makes her way towards the hallway and the blank section of wall that she'd scoped out previously. It's obvious enough to be noticed, but enough out of the way to not be too much of an inconvenience if Lexi absolutely hates it.
She really hopes Lexi doesn't hate it.
On the downside, she hasn't really put up much in the way of wall art. Her dorm room is decorated with posters and her dad had always taken care of hanging the decorations in the flip houses.
Still, she reasons, it shouldn't be THAT hard.
She has a hardware store bag of picture hanging supplies - she had pretty much walked through the store and grabbed anything that sounded easy to use and didn't require any extra tools - so theoretically, she shouldn't have any trouble.
Easy enough.
Only when she holds up the painting to measure the space out, she quickly realizes that it needs to be higher than she can reach.
Frowning, she ventures into the kitchen, picks up one of the barstools and drags it back with her. Kneeling on the stool gives her just the right height, and she laughs gleefully before digging in her bag for the hanging supplies.
Sticky sided velcro looks to be her best option, and she carefully reads the instructions before pressing the velcro to the painting. The problem comes when she presses the velcro to the wall.
"What're you doing?"
Lexi's voice startles her, and she jerks back from the wall, only to lose her balance and find herself falling from the chair.
"Whoah!" Strong arms wrap catch her under the knees and shoulders, and she feels her heart rate accelerate - both from the fall and the unexpected presence. "Close call!"
"Lexi?"
"Sorry, you were falling, and, well . . ." Lexi shrugs, causing Taylor to shift in her arms.
"No, no, thank you for catching me." Taylor assures her.
Their eyes lock for a long moment before Lexi clears her throat, gaze flickering to the half hung painting.
"Sorry for breaking in to your apartment." Taylor mutters, fingers playing with the collar of Lexi's shirt.
"Mmm, are you sorry for breaking in or sorry for getting caught?"
Taylor's mouth works, studying the side of Lexi's face until the other girl turns, one eyebrow raised and Taylor realizes that she's been had.
"I gave you the key to use, you know. I just didn't expect to come home and find you redecorating." Lexi lowers her to the ground but keeps an arm around her waist as they both look at the painting.
"Oh, well, it was supposed to be a surprise."
"Oh, you were surprised alright." Lexi quirks, and Taylor lets the back of her hand smack lightly against her shoulder.
"It's a little crooked." She laments, tilting her head to the side.
"Why'd you put it in the hallway, anyway?"
"Well, in case you hated it, I figured you wouldn't have to look at it that much in here."
Lexi looks back to her, eyes rolling.
"Really?"
"What? It made sense in my head!"
"Ok, well first, we're going go eat lunch, and then we're going to come back here and I'll show you how to hang a straight painting - in the living room, where you can actually see it."
Lexi's hand presses at her back, and she lets herself get guided towards the door, unable to resist -
"Well, the painting isn't exactly straight . . ."