Hello!

I'm not even sure where to begin this time. I guess with saying if this story has somehow stuck with you and kept you periodically checking for all these years, this update is for you.

This story had become abandoned, which I never wanted to see happen, so on a whim I decided to complete it. I remember the pain of finding fics that I loved but had just never been finished, and I just didn't want to be that.

So! I'm back.

Thank you for all of the reviews that were left! I was grinning and laughing and honestly couldn't believe what half of you wrote about this. So I'll reply to the ones I believe I've missed now. I at least owe you that!

Magenta Ruby: Re-reading this username made me so happy! I have gone back and reread this entire thing and can definitely agree with you about Paul- he's a jerk and I love him. The "Hope to see you update soon" hurts my soul a little. But I hope you somehow stumble upon this and I get to see you review again.

Anon: Awww. This is one of those reviews that make me grin. Your words mean so much to me, even though they were published in 2016! Thanks for reading my other fics in the meantime. Contestshipping is a very old ship now and I think I may have contributed to its staleness, but maybe this will help to bring it back! Thanks for gracing me with your first review. I hope you can come back and enjoy this in real time!

Dada-dee-dum: Haha! The length of these chapters is actually a little insane. And I tried to keep up with 2016-me by doing the length of this one justice, especially with being gone for so long. So, sorry in advance. But also, I hope you'd still grin like a maniac at it. I'll try to keep this short, but I LOVED your lengthy review! Thanks for the edits. I don't think the awkward silence thing was intentional but more so happened naturally. But you're absolutely right and I loved that you pointed that out. I don't think I even noticed that. Thank you for the highest compliments and praise. I just can't even believe it. But I'm so so happy this work can warrant this response from you. I hope to hear from you again too.

Anjumstar: Thank you, thank you! I appreciate your feedback and I genuinely kept your critiques in mind as I started writing again. I tried to keep pitfalls in mind when making decision, and really I hope I lived up to that. Reading this year's later, I absolutely experienced what you were talking about. It starts off cute and sweet and short and funny. And then it just takes this deep dive and becomes something I just HAVE to finish. I was genuinely surprised and even I was cursing myself at the end of Chapter 15. Literally screaming "Why! Why did I stop there?!" But thanks again for your helpful words.

Feta Tsukino: Another memorable username! I actually went back and reread EVERY SINGLE REVIEW and your name was a constant. Thank you for inspiring me and keeping me going!

Guest: Ah! I'm continuing now. Sorry!

MizuKaze53: Ahhh. Thank you! Thank you thank you. I'm beyond happy that you love it!

Evelyn, LOVE IT AF, Guest, Guest, Evelyn again, Guest, Irati97, CSForevah, Rose-Aki: The tag team is real. It actually hurts me to read these update requests now! So, so sorry. I hope you all find your way back to this somehow! Thank you for reading.

Golden January: Another familiar username. Thank you for what you said. It was the "It's been years since this fic graced my inbox" that prompted me to make an interim update chapter. You're someone else I really hope to hear from. Thank you for reading and then re-reading. I hope it had to the same effect if not better the second time.

OneAndOnlyFAilBAmoryna, Guest, I am a contestshipper: More painful reviews to read! Thank you for telling me that you missed it! Again, so sorry to leave this fic like this.

OpheliasTales: The author is reading now! Thank you for what you said. I'm glad you took a chance on this, even though it's been unfinished for a very long time. I hope more people can take the same chance! And I'm also glad you read it in one day hahaha. This was great. Thank you so much.

And that's it! Thank you to everyone who didn't review but has been frequenting this very specific part of the internet in hopes for a Chapter 16. I hope this update can bring you some kind of joy and reawaken some excitement.

Anyway. Here we go.


May rolled over in her sheets, facing the window and immediately regretting it. Her already closed eyes squinted against the glare of the morning sun, and she swung her forearm across her face to act as a makeshift shield.

Oh my god.

Was the sun always this bright? And did it have to shine directly into her eyes?

She groaned and made a mental note to have one less fruity drink at future fruity drink occasions. Maybe Drew was onto something, always opting for gin–

She bolted upright, her hand flying from her head to her mouth.

Oh my god.

May's hand grasped at the space on the bed next to her, which had clearly held the form of another human being. The sheets next to her, which normally remained neatly made in the morning, were wrinkled with the slopes and ridges that shadowed another body.

May's eyes flitted across the bed, from the indented pillow to the tattered sheets, as memories of the previous night flooded her mind. Her invitation to stay the night. Drew's refusal of her offer and then his acquiescence. The silk of his hair between her fingers, and the sound of his voice humming to her from the other side of her bed.

Her hand found its way to her mouth yet again and then rubbed nervously across her facial features. Her forehead, her eyes, back down to her mouth.

What had she done? What had she said? She fought to remember as her words came back to her in a slurry. Just two minutes. Just three minutes.

Was she out of her mind? May groaned again. There was no telling what damage had been done to their relationship, much less every barrier she'd been reinforcing for the last few months.

We are just neighbors, she'd told herself every time he touched her hand. Erased her worries with the sensation of his thumb. Made knowing eye contact from across the room. Cradled her in her own sheets. Simply two people who happened to reside within close proximity of one another.

Her eyebrows furrowed on her face as she bit her lip. She hadn't even thought of the damage this would do to Drew personally. How absolutely confusing was it for him when she danced comfortably along the line she'd been adamantly drawing between them in the sand?

She touched where his form had been beside her and found that the sheets had since grown cold. He probably went back home in the middle of the night. Somehow, she felt rejection creep into the linings of her heart. In her drunken vulnerability, she'd asked him to stay with her, and he didn't have the heart to say no until she was asleep.

Sick of her own thoughts, she turned to her nightstand to reach for her phone when she noticed a glass of water, room temperature. Wrapping her fingers around the glass, she brought it to her lips, knowing she was in desperate need of hydration.

May swung her legs around to the side of her bed before stepping onto the floor. Somewhere along the lines, she'd changed out of her party attire and into a racerback tank and running shorts. When was this? She didn't know.

She opened up the door to her bedroom and was washed in the daylight of her living room. After a quick glance around the space, she confirmed what she'd been afraid of– Drew was no longer here.

May set her glass down on the countertop and turned to face the fridge. After grabbing the Brita pitcher and beginning to pour another glass, her eyes darted up at the sound of her sliding glass door opening.

There was Drew. Morning hair. Grey t-shirt and yesterday's jeans. May's heart filled along with her water glass, the sound of the pittering water climbing to reach its highest note. A smile donned his face, and it made every doubt that came with the morning melt away.

He approached her. "Morning, Sunshine."

She put down the pitcher and felt her breath catch in her throat. "Um."

Drew took a seat in the barstool across the counter from her and she drank her fill of his features. She'd seen him in the morning many times. But always dressed and polished. Always graced with a satchel along his torso. Always ready to walk her to work.

Never unshowered, unbrushed. This was him at his rawest.

"That's odd," Drew said.

"What," May countered.

"You seemed to have a lot more to say yesterday."

He reached across the counter to grab her glass of water and took a swig.

May stared at him blankly. "Yesterday meaning last night."

He swallowed. "Of course."

Immediate panic set in her heart, causing her eyes to dance between his. It was like he could tell her pulse was rising because a slow smile graced his lips.

"What do you mean," May pressed.

Drew shook his head and pushed the glass back in her direction, indicating that she should take a sip. When she didn't oblige, he broke and laughed.

"I don't mean–" He laughed again. "It was nothing crazy. Honestly." He paused and May watched as his gaze danced along the countertop in an effort to recall their evening. "It was… more about what you didn't say, actually."

He looked up at her face and she tried to get a glimpse into his mind to no avail.

May was persistent. "Well, what didn't I say?"

Drew grinned. "What kind of a question is that?" he asked, reaching for a dish of pistachios she kept on her countertop.

She leaned towards him, clearly annoyed. He was lucky this countertop was in between them.

"The kind of question I've gotta ask when you won't tell me what happened!"

Drew scoffed, popping a pistachio in his mouth. "May. You were there."

She frowned. "You're making it sound like I wasn't."

"Oh, no. You were very there." He watched her expression as he chewed. When she said nothing, he continued. "Look. I promise I don't have more information than what you already know." She watched him warily. "We got back here, we said some things, and we fell asleep."

Drew eyed her expression carefully after he spoke. She knew he wasn't quite sure where they stood either.

May sighed, nodding her head slowly. "Alright," she said as she lifted the glass to her lips. "That sounds… abridged."

She could definitely remember everything. The bravery pulsing through her veins that seemed to be absent in the daylight. Drew barely even touching her, yet feeling so close to her at the same time. Speaking in whispers together, finally on the same side of the wall.

Something in his gaze was changing, sharpening. May broke eye contact and cleared her throat before putting the glass back down.

"Um," she started, to fill the air.

She stood there, hands gripping at the countertop as Drew said nothing.

"Um," she tried again, brushing a hair behind her ear. It suddenly felt as if she was suffocating.

"That wasn't weird, right?" she asked, looking back up at him. She could feel her eyes pleading with him. For what, she didn't know.

It took a few seconds for him to process her question. She began another as he started shaking his head no.

"Like, you don't think that it was–"

"No," he reassured her, his voice softening. They fell into silence as Drew's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "No, I don't think it was weird."

May bit her lip and nodded slowly.

"I thought it was…" Drew continued. "Nice."

May's heart stood still in her chest as the word "nice" echoed in her brain. She continued nodding, her lips pursed as she digested his words painfully slowly.

"Hey," Drew offered. "Why don't we…" He trailed for a bit. "... go grab some breakfast? We could go get Jenny's."

May kept his eye contact and pondered.

"Or…" he continued. "Maybe we can try something new?"

She thought for a moment before agreeing. "Yeah," she breathed. "New sounds good."

"Good."

Drew got up, slightly pushing the barstool away from the counter as he stood. He ran his hands through his hair and exhaled, attempting to loosen the atmosphere of the room.

"I can be back in…" He lifted an eyebrow. "Thirty minutes?"

May nodded again, plastering a smile on her face.

"Alright, Maple," he said, heading for the door. "I'll see you then."

She stiffly watched him as he twisted the doorknob and tugged before disappearing behind a slowly closing door. His footsteps tracked down the hall and she could hear his keys jingling in his lock before her door shut completely. His own front door opened and then closed behind him.

Oh my god.

Coming back to life, May frantically reached for her phone and dialed her friend's number. As she listened to the dial tone, the brunette walked briskly to her bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Her living room walls had betrayed her one too many times, but she hadn't tried her bathroom yet.

"Hello?" Dawn's voice answered.

"I need a conference call," May shot back immediately.

She heard Dawn trail, "Ohhhh, myyyy–" as she dialed Leaf's number.

Leaf picked up immediately. "Hello!"

"Leaf," Dawn's voice greeted sternly.

"Dawn?"

May sat on the edge of her tub, one hand covering her mouth and the other gripping the phone that emitted the voices of her two friends.

"What's going on?" Leaf questioned.

"May, you know what?" Dawn interjected. "I can just come over. Are you home?"

"No!" May responded in a hushed panic. "I mean, yes. I'm home. But no, you can't come over."

"Why not?" Dawn gasped. "Is he there?"

"May, if you don't tell me what's going on right now–!"

"They went home together after the party last night," Dawn answered quickly, filling Leaf in.

Leaf gasped, prompting May to take hold of the conversation.

"Okay, okay. Stop it. Both of you. I don't have a lot of time." May's hand was pressed to her brow anxiously, her elbow perched on her knee. "Nothing happened." May paused. "Well nothing really. And Drew will be back in, like, twenty-five minutes–"

"Back?" Dawn asked.

Leaf let out a tiny squeal, and May squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.

"Please stop," she said.

"May, this is huge," her blue-haired friend continued. "This is a really big deal. Like, these are major steps."

"Major," Leaf agreed.

May turned on her shower in hopes that the sound of the water would rival her voice as it carried through the apartment.

"You don't sound too excited, though," her best friend noticed.

"I am!" May admitted, barely above a whisper. She remembered what it was like to turn on her bed and see Drew next to her, laying on his back as she laid on hers. To stand with him in her kitchen under the glow of a blue nightlight and the white moonlight, begging him not to leave her. "But I'm nervous," she added. "I'm scared."

Both girls started responding at the same time.

"Don't be–"

"You shouldn't–"

There was a slight pause before Dawn spoke. "Go ahead, Leaf."

"May, you have nothing to be afraid of." May exhaled, trying to release the worry that was quickly accumulating in the pit of her stomach. "Whatever happened was bound to happen and, realistically, it won't even change your relationship. This is your relationship. This is who you guys already are."

"Yes," Dawn pointedly agreed. "It's like we talked about. It's time to stop trying."

May nodded, recalling the conversation she'd had with Dawn and Ash just a few days ago.

"It'll be great," Dawn continued. "And you can even ask him about things you still have doubts about. Maybe that'll help."

Just the idea of that helped soothe the storm that was brewing in May's heart. "Yeah," she said in agreement. "I think you're right."

"But you gotta go," Dawn said. "Because I think you've got like twenty-three minutes."

"Okay," May said, rubbing her eyes anxiously. "Yes. You're right. I've gotta go. Thanks, guys."

They said their goodbyes and May stood up to face her appearance in her steamed bathroom mirror. Using the side of her fist, she cleared enough space for her to see herself clearly.

This was the first time she'd seen herself that day. Aside from the eyeliner and mascara that had migrated to the area underneath her eyes, her makeup had remained relatively intact. She wiped at the smudges before re-clearing the space in the mirror with her wrist.

"This is fine," she told herself. "This is good. This is a good thing."


"You're home late."

Drew shut the door behind him and scoffed at his roommate, who was sitting at the counter drinking a cup of coffee.

"Or I guess early," Gary continued. He flipped a page in his book and took a sip of his coffee while giving his friend an analytical once-over. Drew tossed his keys on the counter and opened the fridge out of habit before closing it again. He wasn't thirsty, and his stomach was a little knotted at the thought of his fast-approaching breakfast date.

"And didn't you wear those yesterday?" Gary continued, fishing for more information.

"Gary," Drew warned. He pinched the bridge of his nose, causing his friend to shift the tone of his conversation.

"Are you good?" Gary asked.

Drew let out a frustrated exhale. He was good. He was more than good. He'd spent the final hours of his day beside the woman that had taken up all available residence in his mind. The darkest hours of his morning began in the quiet of her bedroom with her sleeping form facing away from him. He was torn between sleeping and memorizing the slopes of her shoulders. The rise and fall of her breath. How intoxicated he was by the scent that was embedded in the fabric of her linens.

A few hours later, he'd wandered into her kitchen, opening cabinet after cabinet before finding the drinkware he'd searched for. He poured water for her as dawn strikingly painted the floors of her living room. His world was quiet yet full, and for the very first morning, May was just a few soft steps away.

After setting the glass on her nightstand, he helped himself to the seclusion of her balcony and listened as the city slowly but surely broke from its slumber. The sun was coming up, which regrettably meant their night had ended. But something new could be accompanying the rise of the morning.

"Yes?" Drew answered, confused. He sorted through his thoughts and remembered May's unease during their conversation that morning. Things were going so well until they just… weren't. "I think I messed up," he admitted.

"Not possible," Gary replied confidently. He shook his head, frowning briefly. "No way."

"Pretty sure I did," Drew reiterated, leaning against the stove and crossing his arms. He blinked. "Somehow."

Gary set down his coffee cup. "What happened."

"She…" Drew began, choosing his words carefully. He didn't have time for a full-length conversation. "... asked me to spend the night."

Gary waited and when Drew offered no further information, he raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And…" he continued. "...I spent the night."

Gary paused for a few seconds as he took in Drew's vague words. He picked up his coffee again and turned his attention back to his book. "You didn't mess up."

Drew stared at him incredulously. How could he say that? He wasn't there this morning. He didn't talk to her.

"Look, man," Gary began, defending his point. "May's into you, alright? I've literally never seen anyone that into you. It's never happened."

Drew squinted his eyes at his friend, slightly offended. Was that supposed to be a compliment?

"My point being," Gary continued, pushing through his friend's gaze. "This is just new. For both of you." He shrugged. "She's probably just trying to figure out what that means."

Drew moved his gaze to the floor, nodding slowly. "Yeah." Gary was right. He pushed himself off the counter and headed in the direction of his room. "Alright, man."

"Alright," Gary responded dismissively, bringing the mug back up to his lips. Drew walked down the short hallway to his room as his roommate called after him. "It's a good thing!"


Drew stood at the steps of their apartment building with his hands in his pockets. He'd been shifting his position for the past few minutes as he waited for May to join him for breakfast.

Fifteen minutes prior, he'd knocked on their shared wall only to receive a frantic "I'll be down in a minute!" So he figured he'd wait downstairs for that minute. However, he should've known that she'd forget to mention that there would be an additional fourteen of them.

He leaned against the stone railing and stared at his shoes for a moment before sighing and facing the sky instead. How had life changed so quickly? Weeks before May had arrived, he'd managed to finally sublet his space in their apartment. The time had finally come for him to trade something old and familiar for something new and modern.

At the time, he'd also been seeing Daisy regularly. As two young upstarts in the company, they'd been the immediate talk of the office. To Drew, it just made sense to see each other. She was beautiful and successful and, really, what more could he ask for?

But then his sublet fell through. And when he'd asked Daisy to take the space instead, she declined. He really couldn't blame her for that. They weren't very serious, and it was a pretty serious ask. Though it was more of a last-ditch effort than anything, it just seemed like nothing was falling into place. And then a girl moved in next door.

Drew recounted that fateful first meeting as car after car passed him by. He'd heard the familiar sound of moving-in commotion a few days before they'd met. And her constant giggly conversations had filled the air in his room where he'd gotten accustomed to the silence. But when he got home from work that day and put his keys in his door, he heard jostling from inside the apartment of his new neighbor and figured he'd wait a few moments to meet her.

The first thing he noticed was how frantic she was. She'd whipped around to lock her door in such a flurry that she didn't even see him standing there. Until she did.

When she faced him, he locked onto her blue eyes and she froze, shifting from a blur to a still image. Drew waited for her to say something, some kind of normal introduction, but she remained silent.

Drew chuckled to himself at the memory. He remembered her turning around without a word, leaving her keys in the door, and just thinking it was the weirdest first encounter he'd ever had, but hopefully not the last.

He turned his attention back towards the front doors of their apartment building and was surprised to see May halfway down the steps. She was wearing jeans, some kind of flowy top, some form of sandals. Her hair was heavily damped from a recent shower, her head hanging to watch her feet as she traversed down the steps.

Drew clenched his jaw as he watched her descend towards him. He noticed the bounce of her step. Her toes, painted red. Her fingernails, unpolished. As she got closer, his gaze followed the slope of her nose, the curve of her cheeks. He noticed the soft pink shade of her lips and waited for her eyes to meet his.

May looked up, pushing a few strands of hair behind her ears and smiling. Drew felt a smile creep across his features as well.

"Are you ready?" she asked brightly.

"I am."

Drew turned to face towards the street and completed his descent to the sidewalk with May by his side.

"Do you know where we're going?" she wondered.

"I do."

You know, maybe he should contact the guy who backed out of subleasing his space. Tell him thank you. Send him an edible arrangement or something.

He glanced down at May, who was twirling a strand of hair around her finger as they walked. Her mind seemed to be somewhere else entirely. Drew tried to remind himself of what Gary told him— this was new. This was brand new territory for both of them, and he had to let her process it.

Really, the best thing he could do would be to treat her normally until she was ready to bring it up.

"I think you'll really like this place," he said.

May snapped back to the present, her tone tinged with excitement. "Oh, really?"

"Really."

"Why's that?"

"Well," Drew began as they approached the curb. He looked both ways before stepping down onto the pavement. May closely followed suit. "It's pretty close by…—"

"It's not Jenny's, is it?" she interjected.

Drew laughed. "No. It's not Jenny's."

"Okay…" May encouraged, completely intrigued.

"But," he continued, stepping onto the sidewalk. He made a left turn. "They deliver to our building—"

May hummed, clearly pleased with that.

"They have mocha lattes—"

She hummed again, slightly louder and more exaggerated this time.

"And…" Drew said, smiling at her reaction. "I'll just let you experience the rest."

They walked to a storefront in the middle of a brick building. Ivy framed a wide window at the front of the shop with big capital letters pressed across the glass— D.

"Cool," he heard May whisper to herself.

Drew reached out to open the slim door for her, and he almost had to duck to get inside.

The brick of the building translated to the interior of the coffee shop, as did the greenery that framed the window. A few couches were dispersed through the cozy space, with a handful of people taking up the singular tables that were set to the right-hand side.

The pair lazily approached the barista's counter, faces lifted to the hanging menu.

Drew's hands remained snuggly in his pockets, his thumb running along the metal of his keyring out of habit.

"Know what you want?" he asked his neighbor.

She pondered for a few moments, her eyes quickly scanning the menu. "Yyyesss…" she said, stretching the word as she completed her order in her mind.

Drew listened as she ordered her breakfast and the expected mocha latte before he too requested his meal. Then they selected a vacant couch to occupy.

The brown leather of the sofa was worn and comfortable. The cracks in the material were evidence of regular use, which he didn't really mind.

He watched as May sat next to him, crossing her legs, and he was instantly reminded of the previous night's party. They'd been sitting so closely, so comfortably, and there was a little more space between them today. Then again, this was a coffee shop, not Ash's apartment.

"So," May began with an exhale. She rubbed her hands across her thighs and toward her knees in a very elongated motion.

"So," Drew mirrored. He used his elbow to lean against the back of the couch, his temple resting against his fist. His stomach was in complete disarray, and he honestly wasn't sure if he'd be able to eat what he'd ordered.

May visibly steeled her resolve and faced him. A few seconds of silence ticked by before she spoke.

"How did you sleep?" she asked.

Drew blinked, the mental images of the night flooding back to him. He actually didn't sleep very well. He was so beside himself that it was pretty difficult to drift off and stay asleep for long. Obviously, he couldn't say that.

"Good," he said simply.

May nodded slowly before cracking a slight smile. Drew did the same, and she broke into pure laughter. He joined her with a slight chuckle.

"Any other… feedback?" she wondered.

"Feedback? For you?"

"Yes."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Anything."

"I mean," Drew began. "I already said it was nice." He reveled in the fact that May began giggling again. "I think that's pretty descriptive."

She covered her smile briefly before pushing hair out of her face.

"You, on the other hand," he continued. "Haven't said anything."

"What!" May exclaimed. "Yes, I have."

"Order for Drew?"

Drew looked towards the barista counter before pushing himself off of the couch. He pointed towards May in accusation before retrieving their breakfast. "No, you haven't."

He ignored her rebuttals as he grabbed their sandwiches and coffees before rejoining her on the sofa.

"Well, tell me again," he said. "I think I missed it."

May took a paper-wrapped sandwich and peeked inside. It must have been his because she grabbed the other one and began opening it.

"It was nice," she admitted before taking a bite.

Drew tried to glean any other adjectives from her eyes. Maybe a tinge of red in her cheeks. He came up with nothing.

A small silence hung between them as May chewed. "I have a question for you," she said between bites.

"Shoot." Drew grabbed his coffee cup and took a sip.

"It's a bit of a personal question."

"Alright."

May put her sandwich down and grabbed a napkin for her fingers. She looked him in the eye, and he could see that she was unguarded. There were no walls up.

"I wanted to ask you about Daisy."

He felt a small pang somewhere deep in his chest.

"What happened there?" she continued. "How long were you together?"

Drew let out a heavy exhale. He wasn't really expecting to dive into this today, but if she felt the need to ask him this question, he had to answer it. It probably wasn't easy for her to bring up either.

"We…" he said, figuring that was a safe word to start with. "We were very casual."

May nodded, her expression attentive and open. Drew's eyes wandered from the coffee in her hand to the ridges in her jeans as he tried his best to accurately describe his past relationship.

"We were very casual," he reiterated. May nodded again. "First, we just worked together. And then we started seeing each other. And that lasted for about a month."

May took another bite of her sandwich as she listened. How she could eat under these circumstances, Drew didn't know.

"Things ended right around the time you moved in," he recalled. His finger tapped on the lid of his coffee cup. "Actually, it was the day of that party."

Drew searched her eyes for any indicator of how she was digesting this information. She seemed to be calculating something in her mind.

"I haven't really talked to her since then," he finished.

"Okay," May finally said. She pensively brought her latte to her lips. A few seconds passed. "Why?"

Drew sighed again. "I mean, she…" He ran his hands through his hair. "She ended things with me." He decided to elaborate before she asked him for an explanation. "I asked her to take my spot in my place since my sublet fell through." He shrugged. "Looking back, it was a pretty stupid thing for me to do, but I was desperate." Drew paused, recalling details he would prefer to bury. "She said I had the wrong idea of… the nature of our relationship, and…" He met her eyes again. "That was that."

May took a deep breath and broke eye contact briefly. She seemed satisfied with his answer.

"I'm sorry that happened," she said.

"No," Drew let out a short breathy laugh. "Do not be sorry. I'm not sorry that happened." He finally began unraveling his breakfast sandwich. "I mean, I didn't get it in the moment. But I wouldn't change anything." He paused to assess if he meant that. "Yeah. I wouldn't change a thing."

May watched as he took a bite. "I'm really glad I moved here."

"I am too," Drew said plainly.

She chewed her lip, slightly lost in thought. "And I'm really glad I met you when I did."

Drew stayed silent in case she wanted to say more. She didn't. He took a sip of his drink.

"Any other questions for me?" he asked her.

She gave him a sweet smile. "What else are you doing today?"


"That's just not even true."

May and Gary erupted into laughter together as the trio sat on the carpet around Gary and Drew's coffee table.

"Drew, are you joking?" Gary asked him mid-laugh.

"Gary, come on."

It was so funny to watch the two of them together. Drew and Gary were so similar that their conversations were self-sufficient; May didn't have to add a thing.

"Is it true or is it not true," Gary accused, "that we used to hate each other."

"That's true."

"And did you or did you not keep an extra pillow in your car at all times."

"Gary, it was college—"

Gary shrugged. "Maybe I'm crazy but to me, that sounds like you'd rather sleep in your car than be my roommate."

"I kept the pillow because I slept between classes—" Drew pinched the bridge of his nose and May found herself giggling. Gary sure knew how to rile him up. "Ignore him, May. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Alright, cool cats," Gary said dismissively as he checked his imaginary watch. "It's getting late. I've gotta be up early."

He started standing, and May watched as Drew's gaze shifted to the floor. They spent so much time together today. After breakfast, they walked aimlessly around the city, watching as families enjoyed the weekend together. They'd passed soccer practices, street musicians, vendors. So many things that helped pump life into their city.

All day long, she tried to find the right moment to bring up what had happened between them, but the timing never felt right. So the subject was dodged. Again and again. Before she knew it, the afternoon had ended and they were returning home. After a few hours of being alone in her apartment, May had wandered next door just to see what her neighbors were up to.

So there she sat in an oversized t-shirt, afraid that time was slipping away again.

"Would you guys mind if I stayed over?" she asked without thinking.

The question seemed to shock the two men. Gary froze halfway off the ground and Drew's gaze flicked up to her face, slightly wide-eyed.

May waited in agonizing silence for a reply.

Gary spoke first, barely nudging his friend. "I wouldn't mind if you stayed over. Would you mind if she stayed over, Drew?"

Drew shook his head ever so slightly. "No, I wouldn't mind."

"Alright," Gary said again. He turned his back to them and sauntered to his room. "See you tomorrow."

When he shut his bedroom door, May was left in an incredibly heavy silence with Drew. He was sitting with his back against the couch, one knee raised and his hand draped lazily across it.

May bit her lip and searched for something to say.

"Do you need anything?" she heard Drew ask. "Maybe like a towel or…"

She shook her head. "Maybe just some water?"

Drew started rising from his position on the floor. "Sure."

"Or some tea?" May lifted herself up as well.

He gave a breathy chuckle. "I don't think we have that."

"I can look," she offered.

Drew leaned on the countertop as May walked past him to search his cabinets. The apartment was silent other than the sounds of the small cupboards opening and closing.

May quickly scanned the contents of their kitchen. Spices. Nope. Soup, pasta. Nope.

She opened another cabinet and spotted a box that unmistakably held tea. On her tiptoes, she reached for it and barely grazed it with the tips of her fingers.

"Got it," she announced, holding it in her hand and reading the label to herself.

Herbal green tea.

"Do you guys have honey?" May asked.

She was met with silence. Concerned, she turned around to face her neighbor.

"Drew—?"

"May, I—. I love you."

Her breath hitched in her throat, the room spinning slightly. Drew's face was vulnerable, serious.

"I'm in love with you," he said, his voice low. "And I know you probably don't want to hear that right now. I just can't—" He shook his head. "I couldn't just not tell you this time."

May stood completely frozen with the tea box in hand as she tried and failed to process his words as he spoke them.

Was this real? Was this really happening?

"And you don't have to say anything," Drew said. "You don't even have to feel the same way—"

"I do," May said softly. Drew watched her from the other side of the kitchen island. He looked just as strangled as she felt. She said it again. "I do."

He absorbed what she said at a snail's pace, and she could see relief easing the tension in his stance.

Drew approached her slowly, his voice a soft plea. "Then, what are we doing? Why are we doing this…" He struggled to find the right word. "… this dance."

"It's terrifying," May admitted, as he closed the space between them. Drew looked down on her with questioning green eyes and she could feel her own brimming with tears.

"Why?"

"Drew," May said, exasperated. She threw her gaze down at the floor as she struggled to explain something that made little sense even to her. "It was like a fire. It was like a fire to be around you."

His brows were furrowed as he listened, his jaw set.

"It was just hot and fast and intense," May explained. "And it was everywhere. It was unavoidable. And that scared me."

"Why?"

"Because what if it was just a short, fast-burn kind of thing?" May asked. "What if we burned hot and fast and then it was over as soon as it started?" She looked him in the eyes, hoping that he understood what she was trying to say. "I don't think I would've been able to take that. And then I found out you were leaving—"

"I'm not leaving," Drew spoke up. "I haven't left. You told me a long time ago to figure out what I wanted." His hands found their way to her forearms, and she felt his fingers coax comfort into her skin. "I wanted this. Whatever this was."

Drew's fingers traced a path to the palms of her hands and she felt her worry give way to tears.

"And I still want this. For however long we'll have it." His heavily-lidded eyes searched her face. "What about you?"

May released a breathy exhale and nodded. "Yes."

"We don't have to have all the answers," Drew told her. "We can figure it out as we go."

She nodded again, reaching up to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"But I do want this to be a long burn," he added. May broke a faint smile, slightly embarrassed. "If you'll burn with me."

"Yes," she said again. "I'd love to."

"Good," he said. And he gently brought his lips to meet with hers.

May let herself melt into what felt like their very first kiss. It was cautious and slow, unlike their last one. Drew's hands lifted to cradle her face, and she found herself enjoying the shape of his lips, which she'd traced with her eyes many, many times. The scent of his skin filled her senses with something she was so familiar with, yet so distanced from. It was like a work of art had been removed from behind its glass covering, and she could truly see it for the first time.

His lips broke from hers and she felt his breath against her skin. He pulled her into an embrace and held her against his chest. She closed her eyes, reveling in the warmth behind his t-shirt.

"Do you still want honey?" he murmured.

"No," She said. "This is good."


And that's the chapter. I hope it lived up to all of the anticipation! And again, thank you just for being here.

If you happen to be just joining now, welcome! You've come at a good time. And if you feel so inclined, please leave a review. I'd really appreciate it.

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