MARCO
It's late now. The campfire crackles softly, its warmth lingering in the cool night air. The sky is scattered with stars, and the music from the boombox hums quietly in the background as we sit around the fire, still soaking in the night. Tobias has joined us, perched on the back of Ax's lawn chair, his hawk eyes scanning the darkness. Cassie and Jake are in the middle of some lighthearted conversation about… something probably fascinating, I'm sure, while Ax chimes in with his usual, hilariously literal takes.
But I can't stop watching Rachel.
We're sitting next to each other now, the space between us small and charged. She looks good tonight. Damn good. Her hair's wild from the breeze, and her sweater and jeans? So tight in all the right places. I've been trying all night to focus on her face, but it's like my eyes have a mind of their own.
But it's not just the way she looks. That's nothing new. It's that, for the first time in a long time, she seems freer. Lighter. Like the weight of the world isn't crushing her. Every time she laughs or jokes with the others, I'm reminded of the Rachel from before—the one who could let go, even just for a moment. I didn't realize how much I missed her until right now.
This Rachel. Not just the warrior who refuses to feel. But the girl, too.
My Rachel.
When she's laughing and smiling, so effortlessly herself, it hits me—the ache in my chest. It's like a part of her I've been waiting for has finally come back. The real her. And I don't want her to disappear again.
But even as she laughs, I catch it. Her gaze drifting, distant, like her mind is miles away. I notice her fingernails digging into her palm, her fidgeting, the way she bites her lip. She's fighting to stay here with us, fighting to stay present.
She's holding something back, tangled in whatever's weighing on her.
But I see her trying. Trying so damn hard to hold on to whatever joy she can. And it makes me want to do something—anything—to bring her back, to make her truly feel free again.
I look at Rachel again, and this time, she's looking back. I can't hold back my smile. Her lips curve, like she's waiting for me to say something, but I'm still speechless.
I don't want this night to end. I don't want to let go of this feeling—being with my friends, being safe, being happy. For once, everything is exactly as it should be. No missions. No fights. No crazy decisions to make. Just… this. Just us.
I feel like I could stay in this moment forever.
/
The fire crackles and pops, its warmth on my face a welcome contrast to the cool night air. Everyone else has said their goodbyes.
Which leaves just me and Rachel.
I glance over at her, still sitting beside me by the fire. The flickering light dances across her face, softening her features in a way that makes it even harder to look away. She's staring at the fire, but there's something else in her eyes. A quiet, faraway look, like she's not really seeing what's in front of her. Something's weighing on her. I can feel it, even if she's not saying anything.
"You alright?" I ask softly, almost afraid to break whatever spell this moment has cast.
She blinks, then looks up at me. For a second, it's like she doesn't even realize I'm there. But then she smiles, a little forced, and shakes her head. "Yeah. It's been a good night," she says, her voice smooth, but there's a hitch at the end that tells me she's holding something back.
I'm not sure what it is, but I don't press her. Not now. Not when the night feels as perfect as it does right now.
We sit in silence, the fire crackling softly, the night stretching on. I can't shake the pull I feel between us as a song drifts through the air from the boombox. The kind of song that's been played a million times, but this time, it feels like the universe is telling me something.
Like this moment, right here, is as timeless as the stars above us.
I feel something shift inside me. A sudden, urgent need to hold onto this night, to hold onto Rachel, to keep whatever this is from slipping away.
Before I can second-guess myself, I stand up and extend my hand to her, trying to act like I've got it all together. "Come on," I say, keeping my voice steady even though my stomach's doing flips. "Dance with me."
Rachel looks up at me, surprise flickering across her face, her eyes catching the light from the fire. She opens her mouth, and for a second, I'm sure she's about to toss out some sarcastic comment or a dozen reasons why this is a stupid idea.
Before she can get a word out, I lean in slightly, my grin wide. "It is my birthday, you know," I remind her, like that settles everything.
Her brows lift, and for a second, she just stares at me, like she's trying to decide if I've completely lost it. Then, with a small, incredulous laugh, she shakes her head. "You're ridiculous," she counters, but there's no real bite in her words.
Surprisingly, she reaches for my hand, her fingers curling around mine as she stands. Her touch is warm, steady, and though she rolls her eyes, I catch the slightest hint of a smile tugging at her lips, like she's already given in to enjoying the moment.
I pull her closer, the way I've seen couples do in cheesy movies, and for a second, I almost feel like one of them. The music swells around us, and suddenly everything else falls away—the future we can't predict, the worries we can't escape, the lives we've been forced to lead—none of it matters right now.
It's just her and me, a couple of teenagers, best friends forever, under the stars.
I swear I can feel the ground shifting beneath us, just a little, like the world itself is holding its breath.
Don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
She looks up at me, eyes glowing in the firelight, her hands resting gently on my shoulders. I feel her warmth beneath my palms on her sides, the way she fits perfectly against me, and I can't help but smile. She doesn't pull away. She just lets herself be here with me.
We start moving slowly, our bodies swaying in time with the rhythm. I feel the soft pressure of her body against mine, and I can't seem to get enough of it. Her hair, so soft, has that faint summer floral scent I've always associated with only her.
We're moving together, effortlessly, like we've always known how to do this.
I can't help but watch her—watch how the firelight dances on her face, the way her lips curve into a soft smile as she looks up at me. It's like there's no one else in the world right now, just us, wrapped in this bubble of quiet and music and warmth.
Her hands tighten slightly on my shoulders. She's still looking at me, but there's something different now, something deeper in her gaze. She's close enough that I can feel the warmth of her breath, and the space between us feels charged, like it's asking for something more.
I don't wanna miss one smile
And I don't wanna miss one kiss
And I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
My heart beats faster, like it's urging me to take that step, to do something.
Maybe it's the music, maybe its this amazing evening, maybe it's the way she's looking at me, but everything feels like it's pointing in the same direction. It feels like we're on the edge of something. And I know, without a doubt, that I'm ready to jump.
I lean in slowly. My heart is thumping in my chest, but it's not from nervousness. It's from the way I feel when I'm with her—like everything's suddenly clear. Like she is all I need.
Her deep blue eyes are locked on mine, wide and shining in the firelight. There's an intensity in her gaze now, something that tells me she's not pulling away.
And in that instant, I know—this is it.
This is all I've ever wanted.
She is all I've ever wanted.
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
The space between us narrows, and for a moment, the world disappears. The air feels electric, charged with a tension we can't ignore anymore.
My heart pounds, every instinct telling me to close the distance.
So I do.
When my lips meet hers, it's warm and soft and nothing has ever felt more unbelievably right.
And holy fuck, she's actually kissing me back.
There's urgency in it, like we've both been waiting forever for this moment. And maybe we have.
My hands move instinctively to the small of her back, pulling her closer, and I feel her melt into me. Everything I've wanted is here, in the way she responds, in the way her lips move against mine.
After what feels like forever and only a few seconds, I pull back slightly, breathless, my chest tight with everything I want to say—but can't. Not yet.
I look at her, searching for any sign of doubt. Her eyes meet mine, and then she smiles—a small, genuine curve of her lips that makes my heart stutter. She leans in again, slow, like she's giving me time to stop her. But I don't want to stop. Not even close.
And then she's kissing me.
Shyly at first, tentative—like she's testing the moment. My hand slides into her hair, the silky strands tangling between my fingers as I pull her closer. Her hands clutch the front of my shirt, holding on.
The kisses deepen. The softness fades into something hotter, hungrier. My tongue brushes against hers, and it's like something unlocks. Her fingers find my hair, a palm presses against my chest.
Every touch sends a jolt through me, winding tension tighter and tighter.
I let my hands explore—theoygh her hair, down her back, along her sides—drawn to the heat between us. I can't seem to get close enough. Can't kiss her enough. Can't feel or taste or breathe her in deeply enough.
My heart races as I lose myself in her—the way her body curves into mine, the quiet gasps between kisses, the press of her against me like maybe, just maybe she's always wanted this just as badly.
There's no hesitation anymore, no more wondering. It's just us. And somehow, it feels like it's always been meant to be this way.
Her breath catches, and something inside me snaps. My head's spinning, but I don't care. I just want more.
When we finally pull apart, the air feels cold without her—like a sudden void where her warmth had been.
My chest is tight, thoughts a blur. I need to know if she feels it too.
"You okay?" I ask softly, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
"Yeah," Rachel whispers. "I think… I might be more than okay."
Her voice is steady but quiet, like she's admitting something she hadn't dared to say before. It hits me like warmth spreading through my chest.
"Rach," I say, voice rough, "I hope you know how much I… care about you." I brush a strand of hair behind her ear, fingers lingering against her cheek. "More than I've probably ever let on. More than I even realized, until recently."
The words hang between us, heavy and real. All the teasing, the shared glances, the quiet moments—it's all been leading here.
"I know," she says quietly. "And Marco…" My name on her lips sounds different now. Realer. Closer. "I feel the same way about you."
The fire crackles beside us, but I'm burning from the inside out.
I'm hyper-aware of everything—her hand on my chest, the steady rhythm of her breath, the intensity in her eyes. There's vulnerability there, but also something fierce.
I pull her close again, tracing the curve of her spine. She feels impossibly strong and delicate at the same time.
Her lips are parted slightly, her cheeks flushed from the fire—or from us. She watches me like she's memorizing everything.
And I do the same.
Her breath brushes my skin, warm and steady. Her hands grip my shirt like she's holding me in place—or anchoring herself.
Either way, I'm not going anywhere.
"Best birthday ever," I whisper before I can stop myself.
Rachel lets out a soft, breathy laugh. "Yeah?"
"Not even a competition," I say, voice thick with everything I feel.
She leans her forehead against mine, eyes drifting closed. We stay like that, wrapped in each other, like the world might shift if we let go.
The fire pops gently beside us. The night stretches on, endless and quiet.
Right here, with her warmth pressed against mine and the firelight dancing around us, it feels like the universe finally got something right.