Warnings: no beta, OOCness, English is not my first language, inconsistent tenses, i am very bad at prepositions, my reasonings don't make sense but please just humour me 😅

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: This fic was brought to you by "Drive You Home" by Jackson Wang.

Ada thought back to all the events that led her to her current situation—

the photographer was late so they had the push the shoot back,

there was a power outage that lasted for a freaking hour because of the brewing storm, and the generators could only afford to run the AC units at their lowest setting, and as a result, they had to redo all their hair and makeup because of all the dripping sweat,

there was another power outage, this one lasting for only fifteen minutes, thankfully,

the shoot finally happened, but it ended three hours behind schedule,

everyone packed up so Ada got into her car, but half a kilometre away from the studio, her car broke down, so she called the towing company,

one of the model agency's executives passed by and offered her a ride, but she declined because she hated that creepy executive,

she would have asked her colleagues for a ride, but she really wasn't close to any of them and she didn't want to owe someone,

she waited for a cab but none would take her; all were already occupied,

she tried Uber, Lyft, and other ride-sharing apps, but the waiting time was ridiculous; it was a payday that fell on a Friday evening before a public holiday on Monday,

—and concluded that the best way to get to her apartment five kilometres away was to walk home.

Whoever said that being a model was all glitz and glamour clearly didn't know what they were talking about. Or maybe it was because Ada was new to the industry.

Maybe she should have stayed in fashion design. At least there she would have an excuse for spending the night in the atelier.

Her flat was just five kilometres away. She could have made it back in five, six minutes tops, or maybe ten or fifteen, because of the pre-holiday traffic jam, but instead she chose to walk, and it would take her at least forty-five minutes to get home.

Oh well. Maybe she could use some late-night workout. Luck just wasn't on her side tonight.

And that was how Ada found herself walking the streets at half-past eleven in the evening. The roads and streets were just beginning to empty, and the September air was starting to get chilly. Her lightweight coat didn't do much to protect her from the cold, so she kept herself warm by walking briskly and buttoning up her coat.

She could have tried for a cab or Uber by now, but she was fifteen minutes away from her apartment. It would have been a waste of money at that point.

And because the universe truly hated her that day, the rain that had caused the power outage earlier returned, although it wasn't as strong this time. Still, it was enough to deter her from walking that last kilometre and a half home.

She retreated into a nearby awning and took her phone out of her pocket, intending to kill some time by reading work emails, when she heard a familiar rumble in the distance.

She frowned. She knew all too well what produced that rumbling.

As she had predicted, the Ducati's rumbling came closer before sputtering into a stop before her. The motorcycle's driver took his helmet off, and Leon's displeased face stared at her.

"What are you doing out here in the rain at almost twelve in the morning," Leon said, scowling, "with that thin coat and those high heels?"

"And just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse," she said, sighing for added effect. "What do you want?"

"Hop in, I'll take you home," said Leon, scowl still in place.

Ada tapped the email app, then told Leon without looking at him, "No need, I'll wait here for the rain to let up. You can go now."

"I really don't like the idea of you being alone here in the dead of the night."

Ada finally looked at Leon. "And I really don't like the idea of hopping into my ex-boyfriend's motorcycle."

Leon scoffed. "I'm not just gonna leave you here. What if someone mugs you?"

"I can protect myself, Leon."

"I know you can, but it doesn't mean—" He shook his head before laughing dryly. "How many times have we had this conversation?" He sighed. "Just get on my bike. I won't be able to sleep if I let you walk home alone at this time of the night in this weather."

Ada stared at Leon—and at the distant lightbulbs casting a weak orange glow to his face, at the rain slowly drenching Leon's shoulders, at the small scowl on the lips she used to kiss daily—and supposed that it would be fine if she accepted Leon's kindness. After all, they have broken up, and she was already over him, wasn't she?

Wasn't she?

"All right," she said, pocketing her phone.

Leon took his jacket off and told her to wear it. She didn't think that she would be able to wear this brown, shearling-lined leather jacket ever again, but here she was, shrugging it on and thinking It smells like him and he's still wearing the cologne I gave him.

She tried to not inhale his scent too deeply.

"The rain will drench you," she said, catching the helmet Leon had tossed her.

"Your apartment is just around the block. It'll be a quick ride." He started the engine. "Come on."

Ada wore the helmet—the same one he had bought for her to wear—and got on his motorcycle. And by pure instinct alone, she wrapped her arms around his waist and relished the feel of Leon's toned abs and muscular back straining against his tight-fitting shirt.

She was back there again—on his motorcycle wearing his jacket, her arms around his waist—and for a moment, it felt like they had never broken up.

The rain was steadily getting heavier, and Leon had just stopped in front of Ada's apartment building when the rain finally fell from the sky in full force. He could still make it back to his apartment if he sped up, but driving in this condition would be an accident in the making.

Thankfully—or rather, surprisingly—Ada invited him back to her apartment.

"I won't be able to sleep if I let you drive in this rain," she said, standing under the awning with her arms crossed, and still wearing that brown leather jacket. "You can wait for it to let up in my apartment."

There was a twenty-four-hour café nearby, but Leon wasn't going to remind her that, not when he could finally spend some time with her again, even if not in the way he still wanted.

"I still have your clothes in my closet," she said. "You can change into those."

He wasn't going to ask why she still had his things. He still had her things too after all.

Maybe she wasn't over him, like how he wasn't over her.

"All right," he said. If he was lucky, maybe the rain would get even worse and he could sleep on her couch.

"I'll buzz you in once you've parked your bike," she said before stepping inside the apartment building.

Some minutes later, Leon was opening the door to Ada's flat. He left his soggy boots and socks by the entryway, changing into a pair of indoor slippers—his indoor slippers—because a fashion designer's home always had the danger of pins and needles lying on the floor.

He was comforted by the fact that nothing much had changed in Ada's flat. There were still fashion magazines on her coffee table, a huge swath of fabric still covered the dining table, and various sewing paraphernalia could still be found on every surface—like that tomato pin cushion Leon had gotten her, complete with the pins that he had arranged into a smiley face. Mr Tomato, he called it.

Ada was all about order and tidiness, and her workspace reflected those values. She may have left the fashion design industry to focus on modelling full time, but she still made her own clothes every now and then.

Like that red qipao with embroidered butterflies on one of her dress forms.

"You finished it," he said, the corners of his lips quirking before falling into a straight line. He had been right there on her couch, her feet on his lap, when she had first thought out loud about making that qipao, but he wasn't there when she finished making it.

He would often go to fabric stores with her, helping her haul bolts of fabric into his Jeep. He would sometimes help her cut fabrics, especially for her larger projects. She would make him clothes too, insisting on taking his measurements every single time, even though he was certain she already had his measurements memorised by heart. He didn't complain, though; he liked it when she got handsy.

Ada followed his gaze. "Yes. I finished it just yesterday."

Without thinking about his actions, he took her hands and inspected her fingers. Thimbles could only offer so much protection, especially in hand sewing and embroidery, and her fingers were covered in plasters.

"And your agent didn't say anything about these?" He was surprised that she let him hold her hand.

"A few words have been said, but Photoshop will take care of it," she replied, before taking her hands back. Leon almost held them again. "Wait here. I'll get you towels and clothes."

She left for the bedroom, so he stood there in her living room, looking at the qipao. Ada was planning to wear it for next year's Chinese New Year celebration, and Leon mourned that he was never going to see her wear it or celebrate CNY with her again. They were even supposed to holiday in a mountain cabin this weekend, but their break-up a month ago messed with their plans.

She returned a few moments later with the promised towels and clothes. He took a quick shower and was amused because his things were still in her bathroom; his toothbrush, razor, and shaving cream were still on the counter.

When he went back to the living room, Ada was staring out of her window.

"You can't go home," she said as she turned to face him. "The rain got heavier."

"Oh. Okay." He wasn't going to argue with her, not in this weather, and not when he had her in close proximity again.

"You can sleep on the couch," she said. "I'm gonna take a shower. You know where the blankets are."

When she left for the bathroom, he headed straight to her bedroom where the linen closet was located. He passed by the kitchen and caught a glimpse of her fridge. A photo of the two of them was still stuck to the refrigerator door. He was twenty-three back then, and she twenty-six. It was taken right after the awards ceremony where he got his first gold medal as a professional motorcycle racer. His right arm held the medal while his left arm was slung across her waist. He was looking at the camera, beaming, but she was looking at him with so much pride and love.

He turned away from that picture—from that memory.

He dug around the linen closet for a specific blanket. It was a plain blue cotton blanket with wonky stitches. Ada had been trying to teach him how to use a sewing machine at his insistence, but after this experiment, Leon concluded that he wasn't meant to step on the sewing machine pedal; he should stick to the gas pedal.

He was proud of that blanket nonetheless. He draped it over Ada every time she fell asleep on her couch because of overworking.

Her room remained the same. She still had photos of them together on her bedside table, vanity table, and closet doors, and the sight of those lit a spark of hope in his heart.

Maybe, just maybe, there was still a chance for the both of them to get back together.

He made himself comfortable on her couch. He cushioned his head with a throw pillow—the throw pillow cover sewn by Ada, of course—and was about to close his eyes when he heard the bathroom door open.

"You okay in there?" she asked.

Leon sat up from the couch to look at her and her fluffy red bathrobe. Okay, maybe he was expecting to see her with a tiny towel wrapped around her, but they weren't in that kind of relationship anymore, so he tamped down his disappointment.

"Yeah, I'm good," he said. "Good night. You look like you've had a rough day."

"I did." She smiled softly. "Good night, Leon."

Her bedroom door closed, and Leon lay back on the couch, unable to fall asleep despite the lulling sounds of the rain.

Ada was tired. Sleep should have come easy to her because of how exhausted she was, yet she still couldn't fall asleep. Maybe it was a mistake inviting Leon back into her flat. His things were still all over her place, not to mention pictures of them together. Maybe he was thinking that she still wasn't over him, but judging by the disappointed look on his face when she came out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe, maybe Ada wasn't the only one who hasn't moved on yet.

If they hadn't broken up, they would be on their way to a cabin. They would have gone hiking and would have spent the next three days together holed up in that cabin, but they ended things between them. Instead, Ada booked more jobs, Leon probably had to practice on the track, and she didn't know when she could have a cosy mountain retreat again, alone or with company.

If she wasn't such a coward, maybe she would still be with him.

You never let me in, he had said. You always keep me at an arm's length.

She shook her head. The truth was—

No. Instead of internalising it, maybe she should tell him. He was right there on her couch, using that ratty blanket she had helped him make.

But he could be asleep by now. He had a race next weekend and he probably had practice tomorrow, if the rain left up before the sun rose.

And she knew his schedule why?

She grumbled and covered her face with a pillow, hoping to fall asleep, but after fifteen more minutes of tossing and turning, she knew that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep until after Leon had left. And she wasn't going to kick him out just yet, not with the rain still falling in full force outside.

Or maybe it was her thoughts keeping her awake. They have been keeping her awake in the month that followed their break-up. She kept on replaying that night he left—that night she let him go. She kept on replaying the words that have been said and unsaid. She kept trying to imagine what could have happened had she acted differently.

Maybe she shouldn't have gotten onto his motorcycle. Leon didn't have feelings for her anymore; he was just being his usual kind self, helping a person in need. It meant nothing.

And because it meant nothing, it would mean nothing too if Ada went to her living room and told Leon the things she should have said a month ago. If she got them off her chest, then maybe she could finally sleep.

She wore her indoor slippers and padded to the living room, where she saw Leon's face being lit by his mobile phone.

She crossed her arms and said, "Can't sleep?"

Leon looked up at her and gave her a self-deprecating smile. "You too, huh?"

He sat up and made space for her.

Ada didn't let herself think; she let her heart decide for once and accepted Leon's invitation.

She was careful not to sit too close to him. She crossed her legs and grabbed a half-finished handmade lace trim, putting it on top of a throw pillow. She worked on handmade laces and embroidery as a way to unwind after a stressful day, which maybe explained why she had so many rolls of different kinds of laces in her storage boxes.

She hadn't even done three stitches when Leon covered her hands with his, gently taking her little project away.

"There's not enough light for you to be making this," he said, putting her project down on the coffee table. "Your eyes are gonna go bad."

"They're gonna go bad anyway." She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself, intent on not letting her hands reach out to him. "Every person I know who sews or embroiders has bad eyes."

There was awkward silence after that. The silences between them were never awkward, and she would be content on existing in the same space as he was without exchanging a word, basking in the comfortable silence that cocooned them. But after their break-up, it seemed like she simultaneously had a lot and nothing to say.

Leon eventually broke the silence. He sighed and said, "Why are you here, Ada?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me what I'm doing in my own apartment?"

He scoffed. "You know what I mean. Why did you come here where I'm sleeping? Or at least, supposed to be sleeping."

She rested the side of her head against her knees. "I keep thinking about what you said—that I never let you in, that I always kept you at an arm's length. And while the latter is true…You were the only that I let in, Leon, even if I kept you at a distance. A very short distance. The shortest distance I ever allowed someone to be close to me." She smiled bitterly. "But that wasn't enough, was it?"

"It was enough for the five years we've been together," he said, matching her bitter smile. "It's just…I thought we were on the same page, so when I asked you to marry me, I thought you were gonna say yes."

"We were on the same page about how we felt for each other. Just not on the marriage part."

He sighed. "We've never talked about marriage before. I should have seen it coming. That's what they all say, that before you propose to someone, you should know that your partner wants to get married too. I followed my gut anyway, and I failed."

She laughed lightly. "I can't blame you. I mean, we were supposed to look for a house next month."

"Looking for a house together doesn't equate to a desire to get married." He shook his head. "I should have known before I proposed to you."

"Why did you want to marry me?"

He stared at her for a second, as if gauging if she was serious of not. "What, you already forgot my whole speech?"

"No. I don't think I'll ever forget it." And she smiled, a real one this time. She remembered that speech fondly, how the usually cocky Leon stuttered as he said the words that would cause their break-up. "Repeat them for me anyway?"

Thunder rumbled, and for a split second, lightning flashed, allowing Ada to catch a clear glimpse of Leon's bright blue eyes softening.

"I want to marry you because you're the part of me that I can't ever let go. I refuse to be with anyone else. It's you or nothing." He looked away from her, staring out into the raindrops that raced down her windowpane. "Even if you had let me go, you'll always be a part of me. There's always going to be a space in my heart carved out just for you."

She wasn't intending to, but she laughed. It was maybe the first real laughter she had since they split up.

Leon looked hurt. Ada found him adorable anyway.

"Hey, I'm here baring my heart out to you," he said, and although he looked offended, there was no real hurt in the tone of his voice, "and you're laughing at me?"

"You and your cheesy lines," she said, her smile reaching her eyes. She sat up straight, hugging a throw pillow just to give her hands something to do. "Have you been watching too many Hallmark movies recently?"

Leon rolled his eyes. "According to Ashley, watching Hallmark movies is best way to combat break-up blues. I don't know why. I got dumped, and she made me watch those movies where the leads get their happily ever after. It's like rubbing salt in my wound."

"Some people want to watch the opposite of what happened to them. Takes their mind off things."

"They just reminded me of you anyway. Everything reminds me of you." He took a deep breath. "I tried to get a new race suit made, but no one was available to make me one on short notice."

It made sense that Leon would want to get his race suit replaced; Ada had designed it for him.

"I can make some calls," she said.

"Doesn't matter." He shook his head. "Why were you walking, by the way? In the rain, nonetheless, and so late at night."

Ada told him what had happened earlier in the day—the delays in the shoots, her car breaking down, the ride-sharing apps having ridiculous waiting time—and at the end, all Leon said was, "You could have called me. I would have dropped everything."

"You're not my boyfriend anymore. I don't have the rights to ask you that."

"And what, have Simmons offer you a ride home?" He made a disgusted face. "I always drove you home because of creeps like him. Is he troubling you?"

"I can handle him," she said.

"I know you can. Doesn't mean I want him anywhere near you."

"Maybe a wedding ring would have kept him away. Maybe I should have just said yes when you asked me." She gave him a self-deprecating smile. "You know how scared I am of commitments. It took me a year before I finally agreed to go out with you, and another year to say that I love you too. The idea alone of marriage scares me."

"I know that now." He reached out a hand and cupped her cheek. "And I'm sorry for springing something like that on you."

She leaned in to his touch. "I'm sorry for being unable to say yes. It's not that I don't want to spend the rest of my life with you, it's just that…it's too big of a commitment. It's a big step, and I'm not ready to take it." She allowed herself the luxury of scooting closer to him and laying her head on his shoulder. "But if I'm going to marry someone, it's going to be you. Just not now. That is, if you're still willing to wait for me."

Leon pulled her closer to him. "You know I'll always wait for you. No matter how long your shoots take, I was always be there, ready to take you home. Even when you were still working at the atelier, I always waited until your work was done so I could drive you home. And I'll wait for as long as it takes for you to get ready to marry me."

"Won't you get tired of waiting?"

He tucked a few errant strands of her hair behind her ear. "They say that all good things come to those who wait. And you…" He rested his forehead against hers. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. You're worth waiting for."

Both of his arms wound around her. She placed her head on his chest, saying, "Why did we break up instead of having this conversation?"

"Because we're both idiots." He kissed her forehead. "And because anger was clouding our judgement at that time." He covered them both with that ratty blanket he made.

She snuggled deeper into his embrace. "I'll make my own wedding dress."

"Is it gonna be red or white?"

"You'll have to wait and see."

And to Ada's surprise, she yawned; she was actually feeling sleepy now.

"Go to sleep," Leon said. He placed another kiss to her forehead, running his hand across her back. "I'll still be here when you wake up. Good night."

"Good night."

Amid the sound of the falling rain and Leon's heartbeat, Ada, despite being on the couch, went out like a light, finally having her first peaceful sleep in a month.

The morning after was full of tentative touches and smiles, as if they were trying to ascertain where they now stood in each other's lives. He helped Ada make breakfast of toast, eggs, and bacon, their elbows bumping and their shoulders shaking with quiet laughter.

It was like nothing had changed, yet everything felt new.

After their breakfast, Ada came down with him to the underground parking lot.

"You sure you don't wanna come with?" he asked as he got on his motorcycle. The rain had finally let up, and after confirming it with his team, Leon decided to go to the race track to practice. Ada used to watch him practice sometimes, and he may or may not have shown off during those times. She had berated him after nonetheless about the dangers of his profession. "I can take you to the studio during lunch break."

"No need. Just focus on practising. I'll come on the race day itself to see you win." She handed him his helmet after brushing his bangs away from his face. "Drive safely."

This was the part where they would kiss, but things between them were…fragile. He wasn't sure if he still had any right to go for a kiss, or if—

Ada grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled him down for a quick kiss on the lips. It was the first kiss they shared in a month, and like the very first kiss they had shared, it was initiated by Ada and caught him completely off guard.

She let go of his jacket and placed something in his hands.

"A teddy bear keychain?" he said, holding it up to take a closer look.

"I made that for you by hand," Ada said. "Turn it over."

He did, and found a zipper compartment on its back. By Ada's prompting, he opened it.

Inside was a piece of Hershey Kisses.

"A chocolate? Really?" He removed the foil wrapper and popped the chocolate into his mouth.

"I'll give you more if you come over later," she said, smirking.

"You want me to come over?"

"Yes. I want to give you something."

He leered. "Yeah?"

She rolled her eyes. "Not that kind of thing." She bit her lip. "I…can't accept an engagement or wedding ring from you right now, but I can give you a promise ring."

He blinked. He gulped, he took a deep breath, he tilted his head to the side, and he asked, "A promise ring?"

"I'll have to buy it first, but I'm gonna give you one." She held his hands. "I can't marry you right now because of my own cowardice, but I'm going to be brave enough to marry you one day. I promise you that."

"Wait—You can't—We need—We have to buy it together." He got up from his bike, Ada's hands still in his. He felt a sense of urgency, like he needed to get out right now and buy her yet another ring. "I can't be the only one wearing a ring. You need to wear one too to get those creeps off your back."

"It might deter some of them, but for others it'll be an invitation."

"You really can't win against those types, huh." He shook his head. "I'm gonna get you one too. A promise ring. I promise you that I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes."

"I know." She kissed his nose and patted his cheek. "Now go. I'll see you later."

He got on his bike, and out of habit, kissed Ada and said, "I love you."

Her face softened, and she said in small voice, "I love you too."

He grinned.

They might have said those words out of habit, but it didn't mean that they rang any less true.

He put his helmet on and drove away. They still needed to talk about a lot of things, but for now, some things remained the same—he loved her, she loved him back, and they were together, never to be separated again.

A/N: this is fic 2 of 3 from the aeon wedding brain rot i had last august. i actually finished this fic last september but only posting it now because i had a mental health crisis lmao

thank you to everyone who has reached out to me, i really appreciate it 😭😭 your words really do mean a lot and helped me get out of my depressive state, thank you all 😭😭

special thanks to my son kaladin stormblessed for being the best fictional character in existence. i love you my boy, thank you for always inspiring me to take one more try 😭 (shoutout to syl, you da best)