Work Text:
PROLOUGE
THEY WALKED in the rain, their clothes stuck to their bodies, the cold cutting to the bone. Luckily there was no thunder tonight, and it was just rain. Felix couldn’t handle thunderstorms. It was dark as they walked along far from the crash site. Felix looked over at Izzy, to see that tears were streaming down her cheeks. He reached out and grabbed her small hand and held it in his. They were only eight. Felix felt his own eyes welling up with tears, but he had to stay strong for Izzy. They were soaking wet, but had nowhere to go. No friends, no family. No one wanted anything to do with their families because their parents had homeschooled them their entire lives. They had loved it, but now they were all alone. They were on their way back from the lake house, when the car skidded off the road and hit the side rail. Izzy and Felix were the only ones who survived. They found an alley, and Felix pulled her into the alley, sat her down, and assessed the wounds. She had a few cuts above her eyebrow, but nothing serious. He saw her body begin to shake not just because of the chill but also because of the sobs that were wracking her body. He sat down beside her, took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, to try and give her at least a little bit of warmth. He hesitated before pulling her into his arms. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed. Felix had no idea where they were. He had never been to this part of town before. They sat in that alley and let the rain pour down on them. She calmed down after a while. He closed his eyes but jumped when he heard the sound of thunder. “We have to get inside, and fast.” He thought. “I just don’t know where to go. All I want to do is lie down, bury my face in a pillow and cry. But I have to stay strong for Izzy.” He thought. Him and Izzy stood up and began to look for a place to stay. They came to the front gates of an orphanage. Felix felt his stomach churn. He wanted to be with his parents, not here. He took a deep breath, grabbed Izzy’s hand, and pushed the gate open so they could walk in. The lights in the orphanage were on and glowing warmly. They went up the front stairs and Felix hesitated before knocking on the door. They waited, but no one answered. They were about to leave when a woman who looked to be in her late 30’s opened the door. “Oh my goodness. You poor little things, out here in the cold.” She ushered them inside. When they were inside and she had closed the door, she turned to them, got down to their level and said “What are your names? Mine is Ivy.” She looked at Izzy. “Mine’s Izzy.” Izzy said in a small voice. “I’m Felix.” He said, his voice thick with an Australian accent. Ivy led them to a bathroom where Izzy and Felix both had hot showers, then they got new clothes. Then Ivy led them to a room. She put Felix in the boy’s dorm, then led Izzy to the girls dorm. As Felix lay on his bed, he finally let out the tears he had been holding back. He turned and buried his face in his pillow and sobbed as quietly as possible. After a half hour, his sobs subsided to hiccuping breaths. As he drifted off to sleep he thought “At least we’re safe and dry. Right now, all that matters is keeping her safe. I have to protect her. No matter the cost.” and with that, he drifted into a dreamless sleep.
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CHAPTER 1
9 years later
IZZY’S P.O.V
Felix and I are now seventeen years old, and no one has adopted us. We have almost dealt with that, well, he has, I haven’t. I always wonder what it would be like to have another family. Ever since the night of the crash, Felix has been my best friend and protector. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here at the orphanage. I am a mentor to a lot of the little kids, and so is he, but sometimes, when I see kids go to their new parents, my heart sinks, because it’s a constant reminder that I’ll never get picked. I am sitting on the bench near the front gates, and Felix comes to sit beside me. “Hey Iz.” he says. “Hey Lix.” Those are our nicknames for each other. I’m Iz or Isa, (My name is Isabelle) and he is Lix or Lixie. We have always called each other that, even when we were five. I lean my head on his shoulder and he puts his arm around my shoulders and sighs. “I wish that was us.” I whisper to him as we watch yet another kid go to their new parents. “I know. Trust me, I know.” He says, his voice deep. His voice changed a huge amount. While he still has his Australian accent, his voice is much deeper now. My voice hasn’t really changed.His arm tightens around my shoulder and he kisses the top of my head. I feel my cheeks start to warm. And for some reason, my heart skips a beat. I sigh and sit up. “What’s wrong? Anything I can do?” He says. I turn to face him. “I always wonder what it would be like to have another family.” I say. He brushes hair from my face and leans his forehead against mine. “I know Izzy. I do too. But we have each other. And that’s all that matters, right?” He asks. “Yeah, you’re right.” He takes me in his arms and holds me against his chest. He tucks my head under his chin and rests his head on top of mine. “We are going to age out of the system in a week. What are we going to do then?” I ask, my eyes filling with tears. He feels my tears and pulls me closer. “Don’t cry Izzy. It’ll be okay. I promise. We’ll be together.” He says. “You promise?” I ask. He pulls back, and holds out his pinkie finger. “I promise. No matter what, I’ll always be with you. Wherever you go, I go. And vice versa.” He says. He cups my face in his hands, and kisses my forehead. I close my eyes just as more tears slip down my cheeks. He pulls me into his arms again. “I love you Izzy, you know that, right?” I nod. “I love you too Felix.” I rest my head on his shoulder, and take a deep breath. The faint sound of thunder rumbling above us makes Felix jump. Thunderstorms are one of his biggest fears. “Hey, it’s okay. Let’s go inside, okay?” I get up, pulling him up with me. I take his hand, threading my fingers through his, and we walk inside. We walked into my room. Since turning sixteen, we’ve both gotten our own rooms. We slip our shoes off and go to sit on my bed. When he sits beside me, I brush some of his long blonde hair out of his face. Thunder rumbles more loudly outside my window, making Felix jump again. I take his hand. “It’s okay, I’m here.” I say. The thunder booms again, louder this time, and he closes his eyes, and his body begins to shake. I quickly wrap my arms around him and pull him against my chest. He wraps his arms around my waist, buries his face in my chest, and begins to cry. I hold him against me. Feeling his tears soak through my shirt, I run my hand through his hair. “Felix, it’s okay, I’m here. You don’t need to be scared.” I say to him, continuing to stroke his hair. “I’m sorry Izzy” He sobs into my chest. We move back on my bed so we’re lying down. His head is still on my chest. The rain outside pours down now. The sound of rain pattering against my window is one of my favorite sounds. Him, not so much. He has a fear of thunderstorms. Rain is fine, but as soon as the thunder starts, he starts to panic. I wrap my arms around him, and pull the blanket over us. I reach over and grab my phone, turn on the little bluetooth speaker on my bedside table, and I play some calming music to hopefully drown out the sound of the thunder. It must work, because I feel him relax in my arms. He is still crying, but not as much as before, and he has stopped shaking. About half an hour later, his breathing evens out, telling me he has fallen asleep. I turn off the music, and put my phone down on my bedside table. I make sure he’s still asleep before turning off my lamp. I kiss the top of his head before drifting off to sleep. Before I fall asleep, I whisper, “Goodnight Felix. I love you.”
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FELIX’S P.O.V:
I WAKE up in the middle of the night, my head on Izzy’s chest, and her arms around my waist.I quietly slip out of the bed, careful not to wake her up, and go to the bathroom. The memories of earlier that night come back to me. My eyes are red and puffy, probably from crying. My hair is messy, so I run my hands through it with a sigh, trying to tame it as much as I can. I turn off the light, go out of the bathroom, and walk to the bed. Izzy is still asleep, so I slip into bed quietly. I brush her hair out of her face, and pull her into my arms. I wrap my arms around her waist, and tuck her head under my chin. I rest my head on top of hers, and try to fall asleep. The storm has slowed to a dull rain, the thunder long gone. God, I hate thunderstorms. They scare the shit out of me. I don’t know what it is about them that scares me so much, but they just do. I try to be okay, to be strong, but I just can’t. I’m so grateful that Izzy is always there to help me through it. I try to get my mind off the storm and think about something else. I look down at Izzy, sleeping peacefully in my arms and think about how in a week, she and I will be aging out of the system. We turn 18 the day after tomorrow, and after that, we have a couple days to get our stuff, find a place to stay, and leave. I know Izzy is scared, and I’m trying to be strong for her. I have a place in mind to take her. As kids, she always talked about how she wanted to go to Paris, France. I promised I would take her there one day, and I think it would be perfect. We have jobs. Izzy and I have worked since we were sixteen. We have saved up enough money, and rent wise, it would last us long enough to find other jobs. Rent isn’t bad in Paris. I looked it up when I had some free time. Izzy doesn’t know I’m planning on taking her there. Izzy stirs in my arms, and I tighten my hold on her. She relaxes, and I finally fall asleep. But not for long. The sound rips me awake. A scream — hers.I sit up instantly, heart hammering. Her voice shakes the air, trembling with fear. I sit up in bed, and look at the girl beside me.“Izzy?” I call softly, trying not to panic, but there’s no mistaking it. She’s scared.I find her in the dark, shaking, hands fisted in the sheets. Her chest rises and falls too fast, eyes wide and glassy with lingering terror.Her gaze meets mine for a split second before darting away. She’s still caught in the nightmare, still running through the shadows that only exist in her mind.“Izzy…” My voice is low, careful, grounding. “It’s me. You’re safe. I’m here.”She flinches, then collapses toward me, and instinct takes over. I pull her into my arms, cradling her like she’s fragile porcelain.“It’s okay. You’re okay,” I murmur, pressing my hand to the back of her head. “I’ve got you.”Her body trembles against mine, fingers clutching at my shirt like if she lets go, the shadows will take her again. My chest aches, hearing her so vulnerable, knowing she trusts me enough to let me hold her.“It felt so real,” she whispers, voice breaking. “I was calling for you, and you didn’t—”I flinch at the words. “I’m here now,” I say firmly. “I’ll always come for you. Always.” Her tears brush against my chest. I slide my hands from her hair down to her cheeks, brushing the wet tracks away. My thumb traces along her jaw, careful, hesitant — afraid she’ll pull away if I move too fast.“You don’t have to be scared alone,” I whisper. “Not ever.”Her eyes find mine. The fear is still there, but something else flickers in her gaze — relief, trust, something unspoken. My heart tightens. I want to tell her everything I feel, but the words catch in my throat.“Izzy…” I whisper, the single word trembling with meaning.“Yeah?” she breathes.I can’t stop looking at her. Her lips are just inches from mine. My whole chest aches. I swallow hard, trying to ground myself.“I… I need to hold you,” I admit quietly. “Is that okay?”Her answer is in her sigh, soft and wet with relief. “Yes. Please.”I draw her closer, settling her against me. Her head rests on my shoulder, and I wrap my arms around her like I could shield her from the entire world.Her warmth seeps into me. The nightmare fades, replaced with the steady rhythm of her breathing, the scent of her hair, the softness of her body against mine.I can’t stop staring at her. At this. At how much I want her.“Izzy…” I whisper again, closer this time.Her eyes lift to mine, searching, and something flickers there — hope, trust, maybe even the same thing I’m feeling.“I…” My throat tightens. “I—”I stop, swallow, panic rising. But she leans just slightly toward me. And I realize I don’t need words.I close the distance.Our lips meet softly at first, tentative. Gentle. Fragile. Like I’m afraid of breaking her.And then she answers. I feel her lean into me, and the rest of the world falls away.The kiss lingers, slow and warm, safe and desperate all at once. My hands cradle her face as if I could memorize every line, every curve, every little detail, and never forget it.When we finally part, I keep my forehead pressed against hers. My chest is tight, full of something fierce and unspoken.“Izzy…” I whisper again, voice soft, almost shaking.“Me too,” she says, breathless.I let out a shaky laugh, half relief, half disbelief. I wrap her in my arms again, holding her closer than ever, afraid she’ll vanish if I don’t. For the first time in a long time, the nightmares feel far away. Because she’s here.Because I’m holding her .And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough for both of us.
CHAPTER 2: A WEEK LATER
IZZY’S P.O.V:
FELIX AND I take one last look at the place where we grew up. We walk to the train station. Felix said to trust him, that we were going someplace beautiful. We were waiting for our train, and we heard a familiar voice behind us call, “You think you just leave without saying goodbye? Tsk tsk.” Ivy. I turn to her, and her arms are open, so I run into them, hugging her tightly. She hugs me back. Felix walks over to us, and I step away from Ivy, so that Felix can hug her. He does. When he pulls away, they both have tears in their eyes. So do I. “You better go if you want to catch your train. I love you both dearly, and I will never forget you two.” “We love you too Ivy.” Felix says. We walk towards our train. We are in our seats and I attempt to ask him where we are going. “So Felix…………..where exactly are you taking me?” He turns to look at me. “Well, I wasn’t going to say anything, but I’m taking you to Paris.” I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I just let my jaw drop. “P-Paris? Like Paris, France?” I ask in shock. He laughs, “What other Paris is there?” I throw my arms around him, and hug him tightly. “Thank you, thank you.” He hugs me back. “Your welcome Izzy.” I return to sitting, and I lean my head on his shoulder. He wraps an arm around my shoulders, and kisses the top of my head. I eventually fall asleep, and so does he. I wake up when we are just half an hour from Paris. I look up at Felix, and he is still asleep, so I stay there with my head on his shoulder waiting for him. He stirs, slowly waking up. “Hey, are we almost there?” He asked me. “Almost. About twenty five minutes.” Neither of us move. He stays with his arms around my shoulders, and I stay with my head on his shoulder. The train whistle blows, meaning that we are close to our destination. We stand, and make our way to the front of the train. We grab our suitcases and wait for the train to come to a complete stop. The train stops, and people slowly make their way out of the train. Luckily, one of the things Felix and I did while we were in the orphanage was learn French. When we step out of the train, it is almost dark out, but the city lights are breathtaking. We take a cab to our apartment. It’s very small, but it’s better than living on the streets. Felix and I go to our room, and there are two beds.The good thing about this apartment is that it is move in ready. I set up on one of the beds, putting my clothes into the dresser next to my bed. I go to the window, and look out at the city of Paris. We are on the tenth floor, so the view is beautiful. Felix comes up behind me, and puts his hands on my shoulders. “The view is breathtaking.” I say to him, “I know right?” He says. We have dinner at a cafe close by, then we head back to our apartment. When we get back, we both take turns having a hot shower. The water was heaven on my skin. After my shower, I went and sat on my bed, turned on the lamp, and pulled out the book I was reading while I waited for Felix. Felix came out in sweat pants, his shirt in his hand. I blushed and tried to focus on my book, trying to keep my eyes off his muscular torso. He laid down on his bed, and turned to look at me. “It’s late. We should get some sleep.” He said. “You’re right.” I said. I put my bookmark in my book, turned off my lamp, and tried to sleep. Sleep comes easy for me. But the first crack of thunder snaps me out of sleep.For a second, I’m not even sure where I am. My heart punches against my ribs, breath caught halfway in my throat. The room is pitch black, the kind of dark that feels heavy, like it’s settling over everything. Then another flash of lightning bleaches the walls white for a heartbeat, followed immediately by a deep, violent rumble that shakes the apartment.Great. A massive thunderstorm. At two in the morning.I rub my face and push the blankets back, listening for any movement. The storm growls again, louder this time, and something in my chest tightens with a familiar worry.Felix.He hates thunderstorms.I sit upright, fully awake now, and strain to hear anything over the rain slamming the windows. The apartment is small, so it doesn’t take long—a muffled, shaky breath from the living room. Barely audible, but unmistakably his.I slide out of bed and tiptoe into the hallway, the cold floor biting at my feet.“Felix?” I whisper.No answer.Another thunderclap cracks through the sky, and this time I hear it—a soft, choked sound, like someone trying not to cry. My stomach drops.I turn the corner into the living room and see him immediately, illuminated by the faint, flickering glow of the streetlights outside.He’s sitting on the floor beside the couch, knees pulled tight to his chest, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt. His shoulders tremble with every sharp inhale. Tear tracks glisten down his cheeks. His eyes are wide and unfocused, staring at nothing.He doesn’t even notice me at first.God, my heart breaks.“Lix…” My voice comes out small. I kneel beside him. “Hey. Look at me.”Another flash of lightning fills the room. He flinches so violently he nearly folds in on himself. His breath stutters, a broken gasp ripping out of him.When his eyes finally lift to mine, they’re full of something raw and terrified.“I— I tried to be okay,” he whispers, voice shaking as hard as his hands. “I didn’t want to wake you.”“Oh, Felix…” I reach out slowly, giving him a chance to pull away if he wants to. He doesn’t. He leans toward me like gravity’s pulling him in, like he’s been waiting for me to do exactly this.I slip my arms around him, and he collapses into me instantly, pressing his forehead to my shoulder. His whole body shakes with silent sobs.“I’m right here,” I murmur into his hair. “You’re not alone. I’ve got you.”The storm rages outside, pounding against the windows as if it wants to get in. The thunder rolls so loudly it vibrates through the floorboards, but I tighten my hold on him. He clings back—fingers twisting into my shirt, desperate, as if letting go would pull him under.His breath is uneven against my skin. “I hate this. Izzy, I hate this so much.”“I know.” I rub circles on his back, slow and gentle. “But it’s okay to be scared. You don’t have to hide it from me.”He shudders again. “I feel stupid.”“You’re not stupid.” I pull back just enough to cup his face. His cheeks are damp and warm under my palms. “You’re human. And you’re safe with me.”Another boom. He squeezes his eyes shut and buries his face against my chest. I hold him through it, matching my breathing to his until his starts to slow, until the tremors soften under my hands.We sit there on the floor, the two of us tangled together in the dark while the storm crashes around us. His tears eventually stop, replaced by the occasional hiccup, his breathing deep and uneven but no longer frantic.When he finally speaks, his voice is barely audible.“Thank you… for coming.”“I’ll always come,” I whisper back. “Every time.”His fingers tighten around mine. “I know.”Outside, the storm continues, but inside, something else settles—quiet, steady, warm. The kind of feeling that’s been there for years, growing in the spaces between childhood nightmares and whispered late-night comforts.The kind of feeling we never say out loud.Not yet. But in this moment, with Felix soft against me and the storm raging helplessly beyond the windows, I know one thing with absolute certainty:He has always run to me during thunderstorms.And someday… I might just run to him too.
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FELIX’S P.O.V
My body feels heavy.
Not tired—just drained. Like every crack of thunder wrung something out of me. I’m still sitting on the living room floor, clinging to Izzy like she’s the only thing keeping me from falling apart again.My breathing’s better. Slower. But every time the sky grumbles, my shoulders twitch before I even realize it.I hate that she sees me like this…but God, I’m so grateful she’s here.She brushes her fingers through my hair, slow and gentle. “You’re exhausted,” she whispers.I want to tell her I’m fine. I try.“I’m fine,” I say—but my voice betrays me, cracking halfway through.Another flash of lightning lights up the room, and instinctively I tense, eyes squeezing shut. The windows rattle. The storm is too close, too loud.“I don’t want to—” I swallow hard. “I don’t want to sleep out here. Not tonight.”She understands instantly. She always does.“Come with me,” she murmurs. “To my room. It’s quieter there.”My chest tightens—not in fear this time, but something warmer, something that feels too big to name. I nod, because I trust her more than I trust my own heartbeat.She stands and helps me up. My legs wobble embarrassingly, and I lean on her without thinking. Her hand stays on my arm, steadying me all the way down the hall.The moment she opens her bedroom door, the difference hits me: the thicker walls, the softer dark, the hum of rain dulled to something gentler. Not silent—just safe.But I hesitate anyway at the doorway, suddenly unsure. “Are you sure?” I ask quietly. “I don’t want to—”She reaches for my hand, threading her fingers through mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world.“Yes, Lix,” she says softly. “I’m sure.” My chest warms painfully. I follow her in.We climb into the bed—awkward for half a second—and then instinct takes over. I gravitate toward her without thought, curling into her warmth like I’ve been doing it my whole life.The moment her arms wrap around me, everything inside me unknots.Her heartbeat is slow, steady. So is her breathing. I match mine to hers, letting the rhythm wash over me.“Izzy?” My voice is barely above a whisper.“Yeah?” Her fingers trace small circles on my arm.“Thank you… for staying with me.” I swallow, words thick. “For not letting me be alone.” She shifts, just enough to rest her forehead against mine. “You’ll never be alone,” she murmurs. “Not as long as you want me around.” My eyes flutter shut. Something in my chest goes soft, fragile.
I place my hand around her waist, hesitating for only a heartbeat before holding on properly. Another rumble of thunder rolls through the sky—but this time, I hardly react. Her arms tighten around me, warm and protective.“You’re safe,” she whispers into my hair. “I’ve got you.”I melt into her, every last part of me.“’Course you do,” I mumble, already half-asleep. “You always do…”Her scent, her warmth, her presence—all of it wraps around me like a blanket I didn’t know I needed.My eyes drift closed fully.And as sleep pulls me under, one quiet truth fills my chest:I don’t fall asleep because the storm is fading.I fall asleep because she’s holding me.And for the first time in years…I feel safe enough to let go. The next morning, I wake up and she is still asleep, so I stay where I am and let her sleep. I almost fall asleep again, but when I feel her stir, I wake up. Her eyes flutter open, and when she sees me in her arms, she blushes, and sits up, remembering the night before. “How’d you sleep?” she asks me. “I slept well. Much better because of you. How about you?” I said. “I slept better than I have in a while.” she says. I smile. “That’s good.” I say, brushing her hair out of her face, making her blush. Seeing her blush makes me smile even more. She swings her legs off the bed, stretching before getting up to go to her dresser. After she grabs her clothes for the day, I stay in bed, thinking about the night before. I realize as I’m lying there that I’m falling in love with her. The girl who has been with me my whole life. She’s so beautiful, kind, funny, and just so perfect. She comes back into the room in a pink crop top, and her favorite black bell bottom pants. Her brown hair falls loosely down her back. It’s so long, it falls to her elbows. Her bright green eyes are sparkling. I feel my breath catch in my throat, and heat rise to my cheeks. She looks breathtaking. And I tell her so. “You look………….Beautiful.” I say. She blushes again and looks down at the floor. “Thanks, Felix.” she says. I take my turn to get dressed. I put on a pair of black jeans, and a white T-shirt. I run a brush through my long blonde hair, and walk out to the living room, where Izzy is sitting on the couch, reading a book. I go to the window sill, and I sit there and watch the traffic go by. I sneak glances at Izzy, who’s reading on the couch still, occasionally smiling, and sometimes giggling at the book. I realize even more that I’m falling for her. So I decide to speak up. I turn to her. “Izzy?” She looks up from her book to look at me. “Yeah? What’s up?” I take a deep breath. “I need to tell you something.” She puts her book down beside her and sits up. “Go ahead.” she says. “Izzy, I’ve realized over the past few days that……I think I’m falling in love with you. And I want to be more than just friends. I-I mean……I-If that’s okay with you.” I am pacing back and forth in front of the window, and I know I’m blushing, so I try to turn around to face the window. Izzy comes up behind me, and I turn to face her. Instead of speaking, she just leans up and kisses me. I tense up for a second, but I melt into the kiss, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her back. The kiss starts out gentle, but Izzy deepens the kiss, running her tongue along my bottom lip, requesting entrance. I moan as I part my lips for her. We kiss for a while, and when we come up for air, our breathing heavy, I lean my forehead against hers. “I love you too Felix. And not just as a friend. As more.” she says. I let out a shaky laugh. “Really? You mean that?” I ask her. “Yes Felix, I do.” I pull back enough to look her in the eyes, but keeping my arms around her waist. I smile at her. I keep one arm around her waist, and bring my other hand up to cup her cheek. She smiles and leans into my touch. I realize that this is one of the best days of my life.
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TWO DAY’S LATER:
IZZY’S P.O.V
I’m leaning against the kitchen counter, absently stirring the last of my tea, when Felix slides into the room. He’s humming a little tune, relaxed, but the way he looks at me makes my stomach flip.“Hey,” he says casually, but I can see the tension under the calm. The way his eyes linger.“Hey,” I reply, smiling. My heart is already doing something stupid.He leans against the counter across from me, just close enough that our knees almost touch. There’s a quiet charged energy in the air — the kind of tension that has been building for months.“Izzy…” he starts, voice lower than usual. His hand brushes mine accidentally — I feel it, sharp and electric. “Can I…”I blink at him, heart racing. “Can you what?”He swallows, voice rough and nervous. “Can I… kiss you?”My breath catches. The question, the tone, the way he’s looking at me — I don’t even hesitate. “Yes,” I whisper.He leans in slowly, and my stomach does a little flip. First, it’s soft, careful — testing. Our lips meet, warm and gentle. My hands instinctively rise, one curling around the back of his neck, the other brushing his shoulder.His hands find my waist, pulling me closer, and suddenly there’s no space between us. The kiss deepens, slow and urgent, like he’s memorizing every second, every curve of my lips.I gasp slightly when his tongue brushes mine, tentative at first, and then more demanding, exploring. I respond instinctively, matching his rhythm, letting the tension I’ve been holding all these months spill into this single moment.His hands roam up my back, gripping lightly, pulling me flush against him. I can feel his heartbeat — fast, steady, intoxicating — and it makes my own pulse hammer in response.I wrap my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair. Every nerve in my body is alive, buzzing with warmth and desire. The world narrows to just him and me, lips and touch, the slow burn finally igniting. He pulls back for a fraction, forehead resting against mine, breathing ragged. “Izzy…” he whispers, voice hoarse. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”I smile against his lips, barely able to form words. “Me too,” I breathe.Then he’s kissing me again, harder this time, more claiming, and I melt into him, letting the months of built-up tension, of storms weathered together, of everything unspoken, pour out in one frantic, perfect connection.I can’t stop smiling against him, even as we stumble toward the couch, laughing breathlessly between kisses. His hands are in my hair, on my waist, my back — I can feel the desperation, the need, the care all at once.Finally, we pause, foreheads together, breathing the same air, hearts racing in sync. The room is quiet except for the soft hum of the heater and our ragged breaths.“Izzy…” he whispers again, voice low and trembling. “You’re mine, you know that?”I grin, leaning up to kiss him once more, soft and sweet, before pressing my head against his chest. “Always,” I murmur.And in that moment, with him holding me like I’m the only thing that matters, I realize that nothing — no storm, no past, no fear — could ever pull me away from him. He falls back onto the couch, and I sit on his lap, my arms around his neck, and kiss him again. He lets out a soft moan, and tightens his hold on my waist. He kisses me back, then breaks the kiss, only to kiss my neck. He trails his lips along my neck, gently nipping and sucking, leaving love marks. I let out a moan. He pulls back, and looks at me, his cheeks flushed. I smile at him, and lean my head against his chest. I hear his fast heartbeat against my ear. He stays like that for a couple of minutes, before he scoops me up in his arms and makes his way to our room. He kicks the door shut behind him, and takes me to his bed. He places me on his bed and lies down beside me. He pulls the blanket over both of us, and pulls me against his chest, tucking my head under his chin. I wrapped my arms around his waist and moved closer to him. I felt his breathing even out, and I knew he had fallen asleep. I stay awake for a little while longer, then let myself fall asleep. But not before I think, “I love him. I will do anything it takes to protect him. I love him, and he loves me.” And with that thought, I drift off to one of the best sleeps I’ve had since the first night here.
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CHAPTER 3:
FELIX’S P.O.V
I WAKE UP later that night, and Izzy is still asleep beside me. I gently slip out of bed, so I don’t wake her. I go into the kitchen to see what I can make for dinner. I pull a package of spaghetti out of the cupboard. I put a pot of water, and while I wait for the water to boil, I pull a saucepan out, and a can of tomato sauce out of the fridge. I heat up the sauce, seasoning it with some garlic, salt, and pepper. I am stirring the pasta, when I feel arms come around my waist. I let out a cry of surprise, and jumped slightly. “It’s just me silly.” Izzy says with a giggle. I smile. “I know, you just surprised me, that’s all.” She looks at me. “Hey, are we still going to that party tonight?” she asks. “I want to. Do you?” she nods. We eat dinner, then we both take turns going into the room we shared to get ready. Izzy comes out in a beautiful red velvet dress that goes down to her knees, and it hugs her body, so I can see her curves. Her makeup is done nicely, and her hair is loose. “How do I look?” She asks me. I get up and walk over to her. I cup her cheek with my hand and kiss her lightly. “You look stunning.” I say. I go into our room and get ready. I don’t really have much, so I decide on a black collared shirt, and black jeans. I walk out, and when Izzy sees me, she blushes. “You look good.” She says. We head outside, where our cab is waiting. “Emmenez-nous à La Machine du s’il te plait. ” I say to the cab driver. I lean back in my seat and wrap my arm around Izzy as we drive to the party.
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IZZY’S P.O.V
The music hits before we even get through the door, loud and pulsing. Lights flash, a kaleidoscope across the crowded room, and the smell of something sweet and strong hits me immediately.I glance at Felix, who’s adjusting the collar of his shirt nervously. “You ready for this?” I ask, nudging him with my elbow. He laughs, a little breathless. “As ready as I’ll ever be. You sure you want to do this?” I grin. “You said you wanted to get out of the apartment. This is it.” He hesitates, then shrugs. “Okay. Let’s survive together.” We weave through the crowd, laughing at the ridiculous dance moves and the loud conversations. Someone hands us drinks — I take mine with a smile and an eyebrow raise at Felix. He hesitates, then accepts, raising his glass in a mock toast. “To surviving parties without embarrassment,” I joke. “To surviving without falling into the punch bowl,” he adds, and we clink glasses.The first sip warms me immediately, a slow buzz blooming in my chest. I glance at Felix — he’s swaying slightly on his feet, cheeks pinker than usual, and I can’t help but laugh.“You’re already drunk,” I tease. “Maybe a little,” he admits, grinning sheepishly. “But I’m okay.”We find a corner, away from the heaviest crowd, and lean against the wall. I feel braver than usual, the alcohol loosening something tight in my chest.“Izzy,” he says suddenly, voice lower. “Can I… um… tell you something?”I tilt my head, heart thumping. “Of course.”He swallows, looking away for a second before meeting my eyes again. “I’ve been wanting to… kiss you. For a long time.”Heat floods my cheeks, and I bite my lip, suddenly nervous and exhilarated. “Really?” “Yes,” he says simply, stepping closer. The smell of him, the warmth, the nervous energy — it all hits me at once. “And I think… maybe tonight feels like a good time.” I laugh softly, my fingers brushing his arm. “I think so too.” He leans in, and the world seems to shrink down to just the two of us. My breath catches when his lips meet mine — soft, tentative, testing — and then deeper, slower, like he’s memorizing the feeling.I close my eyes, melting into him, and I can feel the warmth of the alcohol making me bold. My hands slide up to his shoulders, tangling slightly in his hair.The music pounds around us, but it fades into nothing. There’s just this — the kiss, the closeness, the way he smells like him, like home, like every storm we’ve ever survived together.He pulls back slightly, resting his forehead against mine, both of us breathing a little too fast. “Wow,” he whispers, a little awed. “That… was worth waiting for.”I grin, still flushed, still laughing softly. “Definitely.” He presses one more quick, careful kiss to my lips, like a promise. “The party's officially better now.” I lean into him, heart pounding, knowing that this is only the beginning of something neither of us expected… but both of us desperately wanted. ‘Houdini’ by Dua Lipa starts playing, and I drag Felix onto the dance floor. He puts his hands on my hips, and we start dancing. It’s a good thing we took dance classes together, because I love dancing with him. He goes behind me, and wraps an arm around my waist, and he pulls me against him, and we dance in time to the music, twisting our hips, spinning, the whole thing. The people must’ve loved it, because they created a circle around us, just to watch us dance. The song ended, and I stood in front of Felix, his hands on my waist, both of us breathing heavily, and I smiled at him. Everyone cheered for us, and we both bowed. The DJ got on the mic and said that karaoke was open to anyone. Felix and I looked at each other, and I smiled and ran to the stage. “What would you like to sing miss?” The DJ asked me. “Million to one by Camilla Cabello please.” The music started playing, and I sang, hitting every note with ease. “If it’s a million to one, I’m gonna be that one……..” I sing. Felix is standing in the audience, smiling and singing along. The song ends and everyone in the audience starts clapping and cheering. I get off the stage and Felix picks me up and spun me around, making me squeal. I wrap my arms around his neck as he spun with me in his arms. “You were amazing up there.” He said, placing me gently on the ground. He leans his forehead against mine, and closes his eyes. I close my eyes and lean into him. “Thanks Lixie” I say to him. “Do you want to sing a song with me?” He asks. “Yeah, but how about we sing ‘I see the light’ from Tangled? Remember how we used to sing that as kids?” He smiled. “Perfect. It fits us even more now.” I smile as we go onto the stage. “All at once, everything is different...Now that I see you.” We sing in harmony. We look into each other's eyes and smile. The song ends, and everyone cheers for us. Felix looks at the clock on his phone. “It’s almost midnight. We should get home.” I nod “You're right. Let's go” we leave the club and instead of taking a cab, we walk home. As soon as we step inside, I go straight to our room. I grab an oversized T-shirt, and some shorts from my drawer and head to the bathroom to get changed. I run a brush through my hair. When I get back, Felix is lying in bed waiting for me. He pulls the covers back for me, and I lie beside him. As soon as I’m close enough, he pulls me into his arms, resting my head against his chest. He reaches over and turns off the lamp. “I love you Izzy.” He says, kissing the top of my head. “I love you too Felix. Goodnight” I say. “Goodnight my love. Sweet dreams.” And with that, I drift off to one of the most peaceful sleeps I’ve ever had.