I pull the brush through my wet tangled hair, watching as Florence moves around the kitchen in nothing but my t-shirt, her hair just as wet as mine from our shower. I set the brush down and walk behind her, pulling her back into my front. Our equally bare legs brush together as I wrap my arms around her waist and press a kiss to her neck, prompting her to giggle and turn her head to meet my lips in a kiss.

She fully turns around in my arms and deepens the kiss, slipping her tongue between my lips and pushing me against the kitchen counter, stealing my breath. I don't care how many times we've done this in the past twenty-four hours, it has yet to get old.

The apartment door swings open and Florence jumps backward away from me. Ash raises an eyebrow at us, telling Syd to go put her bag down in her room.

"Really?" she snickers. "We left at 10 yesterday morning. It's now noon and you're still fucking on the nearest surface. Lesbians, I swear."

"Flo is bi," I correct.

"You know what I mean. Sooo...how was it?" she asks with a shit-eating grin.

"Fuck off," I groan. I meet Florence's eyes and our faces burn in matching shades of scarlet.

Syd comes running into the kitchen, stopping to analyze Florence and I's outfits. "Why aren't you wearing pants? Is it no-pants day? Can I take off my pants?"

"Uh, no, we were just...doing laundry. So we took off our pants to wash them...We'll go get dressed," Florence stutters through an excuse.

She leads the way into my bedroom and I close the door behind us, leaning back against it. I immediately laugh at her poor excuse of a lie.

"Shut up," she whines, smacking my shoulder. "What did you want me to say?"

"She's five. You could've just said it was no-pants day."

"Fair point."

We get dressed in comfortable silence. "Are we...are we going to tell her about us?"

I mull over my words before answering. "We will eventually, I promise. I just want to make sure that this is set in stone before we tell her. I don't want to set her up for heartbreak, you know? Especially with...her condition."

"I know. There's no rush, darling, I promise. I love Syd, and that's not going to change. I only want what's best for her. And you."

I grab her hand and gently tug her closer, kissing her softly and slowly. The kiss doesn't last long because we're smiling too hard. We stand in one another's embrace, basking in the moment of easy happiness.

A piece of paper slides under the bedroom door and I break the hug to pick it up.

I read it and snort. "It's a note from Ash. It says 'You guys better not be fucking in there because I want food.'"

"Oh, god," Florence laughs adorably. I smile at her, watching the way her eyes crinkle with that raspy laugh of hers. "What?" she asks, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing, I just...you're really amazing, you know that? I wouldn't trade what we have for the world."

"Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself, I suppose."

"Shut up," I laugh, tossing the note in the trash can next to my bed.

"I'm just kidding. I've never been happier than I am with you, love."

I smile uncontrollably, blushing hard as I look anywhere but at her. Did this woman just call me love? "Cool," I say, my voice a bit too high to be natural.

"You're a dork," she snorts.

"Oh, but I heard chicks dig that."

She pauses, looking at me quizzically for a moment. "Was that a Natasha reference?"

I laugh and shrug, opening the bedroom door and walking into the kitchen to feed the vultures.

~

Ash stays at the apartment all afternoon and into the night, so we decide to have a movie marathon. Of course, two and a half movies later, Syd and Florence are sound asleep cuddling on the other end of the couch. Florence has an arm wrapped around Syd's small body. The satanist's head is resting on Flo's stomach, her face hidden by a beanie. I can't believe how good Flo is with her. How much they love each other.

"You really like her, don't you?" Ash says quietly from beside me. I look away from Florence to meet Ash's soft gaze, finding that she's already looking at me.

"Yeah, I do," I smile.

"I'm happy for you, Y/N. Just be careful, okay? I know you only love her for her, but she is a celebrity. That's a lot to deal with, especially with a kid."

"I know that, but I've thought this through. I want this. I want her." I pause, blushing. "And I never said I love her."

"You didn't have to. I know you better than anyone, Y/N. Just promise me you won't let her break your heart? Because I really don't wanna have to kill Florence Pugh."

"I promise." We seal it by interlocking our pinkies, laughing at how childish the action is. This, right here. The girl of my dreams, my best friend, and the child I would give up everything to protect. This is all I need. Now and forever.

~

I wake up around three in the morning when my phone dings with a text message. I stretch my arm out to grab it off the coffee table, trying not to disturb Ash who is asleep on my shoulder.

I unlock the display and open the message from the unknown number. My heart lurches in my chest. A picture. No, two. Not just pictures. A picture of my apartment building from the street below, and a picture of my apartment door from the hallway.

Another message comes through, though this time it isn't a picture.

Found you. See you soon.

Five words. Just those five simple words are enough to make me forget how to breathe. Not because I have some random stalker. No, I can't breathe because I know exactly who sent these messages. And it's my worst fucking nightmare.

Found you.

~

I don't ever want you to leave me, my darling

You and me were meant to be together, my darling

And if I cannot have you, no one can,

you're my darling

'Cause I possess your soul, your mind, your heart, and your body

hey guys, sorry for the inconsistent updates (I've been working crazy hours lately). BUT!!! GUYS WE HIT 50K?!?!?! (technically 51k now)! this is totally insane so thank you to every single one of you guys for reading this story and stumbling through this chaos with me :) on another note, what's been your favorite song mentioned and/or used as a chapter title so far??? i'm just curious lol