And The Show Begins

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

He knew what she was doing as soon as she started asking things of him. She was being evasive. She didn’t want to talk and the best way for her to get out of it was to get him busy with something else until he forgot about it. Cal knew the routine, hell; she’d pulled it on him enough times. But this time, he wouldn’t relent. He’d remember what was happening and he’d get the answers he wanted from her. She wasn’t going to remember half of this and the half she did, she’d more than likely chalk up to crazy dreams. “In a minute,” he said to her for both the hot chocolate and the pain meds. If he could swing it, he’d conveniently forget the pills.

His actions were almost hesitant now, like she were so fragile, she’d break the second his hand pushed too hard on her back, but still, he moved his hand in slow lazy circles over the thin tank top. Imagine, those months ago, he’d only been joking around when he’d bought that particular outfit; it sure as hell was biting him in the ass now. He didn’t think he’d get such a jolt, like a kick to the head or something when he saw her wearing it, but he did. Or maybe because he somehow knew she was wearing it for him. After all, she had been sort of trying to seduce him, hadn’t she? She never wore those clothes, and now all of a sudden she was? How else was he supposed to interpret that?

He held her closer to his chest, not wanting to let her go and not really willing to give up his answer. He couldn’t lose Ayden, as selfish as that was; it just wasn’t possible. And if they got together, and eventually broke up, they wouldn’t be together, or it would take a very long time for them to get as close to how they used to be before this spillage of emotions mucked everything up. Plus, he wasn’t usually this pessimistic person, so where were these thoughts coming from? They weren’t all selfish, but the majority was. He couldn’t believe her words at face value; which, he should have considering he had brought himself to think Ayden wouldn’t take his words for what they were either. They made quite the pair. But, for the moment, Cal was taking Ayden’s words as the drunken reciprocation it appeared to be. She wasn’t slurring as much, but she had had trouble walking the four feet between the couch and the chair. “I’m not saying it would, completely. But it might and I don’t think I could live not seeing you every day,” he said, quietly.

Cal shook his head lightly, thinking about those days. Waking up to get the coffee on before Ayden woke up in zombie state. Surprising her with dinner, or some new clothes to try on, movie nights curled up on the couch the TV playing the background, he loved all those things. He loved how messy her hair was when she finally strolled into the kitchen in, more often than not, his sweats and a tee. He was such a goner; it was going to take years to get over Ayden if she broke his heart.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 550!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden put on a bit of a pouty face at his answer, sneaking in some puppy-dog eyes along with it. She'd break him, she always did. It'd only be a matter of seconds before he cracked. Right? "But Caleb..." she continued to pout, those big pleading eyes on him again. "Caleb, please. I'm cold," she mumbled, cuddling closer to him as his warm hands ran over her back. Ayden was cold, but it was mostly from how nervous she was getting. And these damn shorts and stupid tank top. Before, when she's planned on not having them on right now, they'd seemed like a decent idea. Now, hoever, now she was freezing her ass off.

"I love you, though," she insisted again, shaking her head at him. "You're not getting rid of me, are you? You can't! We can't be like them! Not us," Ayden buried her face tightly in his chest, the tears pricking her eyes harder than ever. She was losing the haze of that alcohol by the second, and the reality of this situation was slamming into her full force. Caleb, her life-long best friend, the one person she wouldn't ever bare losing, had just said he'd loved her. And she'd said it back; twice now, in fact. She'd finally admitted that she loved him.

Slowly, Ayden pulled her head from his chest, looking up at him with teary eyes. "Caleb, I love you," she whispered so softly, it was a wonder she'd been able to hear herself. "I don't want you to leave like my dad did. We aren't like them. We're better than them; we won't ruin this like they did. We aren't like them," she said quickly, but the earnestness was clear on her face. Ayden was nearly back to normal now, the situation having been like cold water being thrown in her face. Now, she was awake and back to normal. And she was realizing this was the moment she'd been dreaming about, though not willingly.

She'd dreamed about telling Caleb she loved him, and about him saying it back. But, she still hadn't been able to admit she loved him. Until now, now that she'd said it out loud to both him and herself. Now she just wanted him to say it back, to not break her like what her father had done to her mother. He had to love her; he had to.

He had to.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Gothem Comedy Club :D
WORDS: 500!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

It felt like a war he just couldn’t win; or, like pulling teeth to get a real answer out of her. Cal didn’t want to fight with her, he’d just want to sit down, watch a movie and get answers, and then all this practically exploded in his face. He couldn’t honestly say which direction he was going in because it was in a million little pieces. He wrapped his arms around her though, when she claimed to be cold. The blanket that had been on the chair, he’d moved to the couch in anticipation of the movie. And that was too far for him to reach at the moment. She probably was cold since she never wore those clothes, it was mostly sweats and tees, and now she was barely covered.

There had to be some truth to her words. She wouldn’t have said them otherwise, but how was he to know it was actual love and not some sibling thing. He shook his head slowly, his brows drawing together slightly. How would they be like her parents? Cal certainly would let that happen, and that lead him to believe her words were what they were. “I could never get rid of you,” he said, looking down at her. Where was this insecurity coming from? Could it be blamed on the alcohol, or her parent’s stupidity? After all, how do you drop a bomb like that over the phone? He kissed the top of her head, tightening his arms around her for a second before relaxing them again. He was so out of his comfort zone with this, hell, he was light years away from this kind of situation. If anything, he thought out of their parents, it would be his calling for divorce. They were the ones constantly bickering, even through his childhood, but then, it had all been in good fun, and neither had really meant what they said, they were just trying to irk the other; and odd relationship his parents had.

Was this really how this moment was going to happen? His heart was racing, hoping her words were meant the way he hoped. It wasn’t how he’d wanted this to happen; how he wanted to hear those words from Ayden, but he would take it. He lifted his hand to brush away those tears then moved some stray hairs from her face before leaning forward to rest his forehead on hers. “I’m not going to leave, Ayden. You have to believe that, I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” he said, sighing, pissed at her father more than anything. Cal really didn’t understand how the man who seemed to have it all could just go and give it all away. He had a wonderful wife, a woman Cal had often referred to as his second mom, a gorgeous, smart, sweet, talented daughter whom he loved more than life itself, and he just gave it all up. It really didn’t make sense to him.

Caleb pulled at Ayden, letting her curl up in his lap again. He turned his head a little bit and rested his cheek on top of her head. ”Close your eyes, Little Fire. Get some rest,” he said softly, knowing she hadn’t been getting much sleep, if any at all. He really wished she would have told him sooner. Then maybe they would have been able to deal with this differently and they could still be clueless about the others feelings. His heart was overflowing knowing she loved him back, but at what cost? “Just sleep and we’ll figure everything out in the morning,” he said softly, barely a whisper. They could figure everything out, what they were going to do about them, about her parents, just everything in the morning, after Ayden had gotten some sleep and there was coffee and waffles on the table for breakfast.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 647!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden was so scared he was going to leave. She didn't want him to, not at all. Hell, if it came down to it, she'd beg on her knees, which was something the proud Miss Steele would never do for anyone else. Caleb was her one person who was always, always there. If he left her, too... She didn't know what would happen. Depression, definitely. Maybe some running away and a smidge of name-changing. Dramatic, yes, but Ayden wouldn't be able to cope if her best friend ditched her too. He'd really been her only best friend for as long as she could remember, and it wasn't like girls were Ayden's favorite gender for a social circle. She'd never be able to replace Cal though, not even if she tried for the rest of her life. And, currently, her heart was telling her there was more than one obvious reason for that.

Her watery eyes looked up into his with so much pain and loneliness, Ayden was surprised her tears weren't streaming down her cheeks. "You mean it?" she whispered back softly. Hearing him say he couldn't get rid of her... it made her feel just a tiny bit better. Maybe at least one person wouldn't leave her. Maybe. Hopefully maybe.

Ayden tilted her face into his fingers as they rain over her skin, brushing tears and hair from her cheeks. Her eyes closed as his forehead leaned down against hers. With how close they were, she was surprised he couldn't hear her heart pounding against her ribcage. They were so close... so, so close. And not in the way they usually were; this was different. All of this was different. "I want you to stay for me," she pleaded back, blinking open her eyes and very hesitantly running her own fingers down his cheek. "I couldn't bare it if you left, too, Cal." Her voice was full of so much emotion, it surprised even her. Ayden was never like this, never. She never broke down; it was a sign of weakness, and that was something the strong young woman never liked to show. Caleb was the only person on the planet who got to see her like this; and, without him, Ayden didn't know how long she could go without shattering into a million pieces.

She curled into him as best she could, her head fitting perfectly under his cheek. They'd sat like this quite a few times before and, yet, it had never, ever felt like this. "Tell me you love me," she mumbled, her eyes drifting closed. Ayden hadn't slept all week, but, now, finally she felt like she could. But she wanted to hear him say those three words one last time. "Please. Just one more time," she begged weakly, clinging tighter to him to make sure he was there yet. Ayden had no intentions of letting him go, not now. Not after tonight.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Caleb's Lap. Mhm. ;3
WORDS: 530!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Caleb felt for her. He didn’t know what it was like, what she was going through, but he could guess; but even that wouldn’t really compare. But he wished more than anything that this wasn’t happening to her. Hell, he’d rather it was his parents going through the divorce and not hers; just so he could see her smile. Ayden always said that it was him, who brightened the day, but in his eyes, he just woke up and it was Ayden who made the sun shine just a little bit brighter each day. She was his best friend, hell, they’d been attached to the hip for so long, and even Cal couldn’t remember when they’d actually met. His heart broke for her, it really did. Cal had only seen Ayden this upset a handful of times and even those times were usually short lived.

He didn’t want Ayden to feel any pain, any discomfort; maybe that was what love was really like, he didn’t know. He did know he’d rather die than see her hurt, would hop on a plane, fly back to Seattle and tear both her parents a new one for breaking their only daughter’s heart. Cal shook his head, trying to form a proper sentence, but his brain just couldn’t develop the words. “Of course I mean it, Angel. I can’t lie to you,” he said, hearing the truth in his voice. He could lie to his mother with no problem, his father? Like a pro, but Ayden? Now she was one person that he could never lie to, not even over the phone because he called her right back and told her the truth; if he even managed to hang up the phone first. In person, well, just one look into those bright baby blues and it was like he was compelled to tell the truth. He could never get away with keeping anything from her. He was seriously surprised he’d managed to keep in the fact that he was head over heels with her for so damn long.

Everything was going to change. Everything had changed and it had taken Caleb this long to realize it. “I’m not leaving you, Ayden,” he said with such conviction, reassuring her. He couldn’t do what her parents did; he couldn’t willingly break her heart. And they had to have known it was going to kill her when her mother spilled the news. He knew he shouldn’t have gone to work earlier. He should have tried harder to be home all this week, tried to get her to talk earlier. But of course, she’d said she was okay, and he’d believed her and thought she needed space. Maybe all of this would have come out long before now if he’d just done something differently.

He chuckled. He should have known when he finally said those three words to her; she’d want to hear them all the time. He didn’t mind in the least. He wanted to keep saying them now that he’d finally managed to get them past his lips. And he wanted to hear them from her more often, too. But he could wait. This wasn’t about him, not tonight; it was all about Ayden and now, getting her to sleep. He leaned further into the chair and tilted his head to the side so he could see her face. Even red and splotchy and what she’d probably consider an embarrassment, or most girls would, Caleb thought she was beautiful and brave. You had to be brave to deal with what she had for as long as she had by herself; and to admit she loved him back. He was elated about that, but he really couldn’t deal with those feelings until he knew the love of his life was happy. He sighed, “Well, I guess one more time tonight won’t hurt anyone; especially since you’ll be hearing it a lot,” he whispered wanting to race to the roof and yell it out for all of New York to hear. “I love you, Ayden,” he said, gathering her closer than she already was.

He could feel her starting to drift off, and the chair and great as it was, wasn’t exactly comfortable with the two of them sitting in it. They’d never lasted very long in the chair before because of the small space, but they’d managed for a while first. And now, he could feel it starting to be a problem, so he gathered Ayden up in his arms, in a sort of Princess carry like he had getting her out of the cab. It took him a single try to get out of the chair and just as quickly as he’d stood, he was across the small space to the couch and sitting down in the corner again. He’d weighed his chances and they were slim that he’d be getting to his room, and even slimmer than now that Ayden had spilled everything, she’d let him out of her sight for long. He sat on the couch, cradling her as he twisted and brought his feet up. They’d shared the couch countless times and he figured it was the safest thing for the night. He had planned on attempting to catch a few zzz’s on the chair, but then thought better of it. Carefully, Cal pulled the blanket over them both and tightened his arms around Ayden. As long as she was comfortable, he was okay; it wasn’t like he’d get much sleep anyway, there was just too much to think about and sort out.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 930!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden had dreamed of what life would be like if her and Caleb finally stepped over the line of friendship. And, really, how hard could it be? They were already inseperable now, and rarely, if ever, fought with one another. The only difference would really be the kissing and "lovey dovey" things, like holding hands or cuddling at night. Though, the last two they pretty much already did, especially the cuddling. She loved those nights, however, where they'd just sit at home together, her usually in his clothes, watching movies while snuggled into eachother on their favorite couch. They were perfect. And, if she was honest, not one other date she'd ever been on could amount to her nights spent with her best friend. And, now, quite possibly her boyfriend. Well, that is, if all of this went well and he really meant that he loved her. Not that she was doubting him; it was just, she couldn't believe it. Caleb, her Caleb, really loved her. And she loved him. It was no longer a deep, hidden fantasy; it was reality. And it was happening right now.

A heavy weight lifted off her heart as he confirmed his statement. Caleb wouldn't leave her; he couldn't. He really meant it. She wasn't alone anymore, not with him in her life. Ayden wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face in him and just holding him as close as possible. She'd missed him all week, missed everyone she'd pushed away. Especially him. And now, she finally had him back and he'd promised not to leave her. What more could a lonely, heartbroken young lady ask for?

Ayden cuddled into his arms even more, burying her face in his warm chest as he spoke. A tiny, weak smile toyed with her lips as her heart lifted more. Caleb loved her; really, truly loved her. "I love you, Caleb," she whispered back, nuzzling his chest before comfortably beginning to drift into a much needed, and wanted, sleep. She was out within minutes, both from the slight alcohol still lingering in her head and from the fact that she hadn't had a few good, solid hours of sleep in what felt like forever. But, now, curled up in Caleb's arms, Ayden had no problem zonking out and floating into a wonderful world of blackness. The only sound she could really hear was the faint beat of Caleb's heart, but it was enough for her. It proved he was still there, that he hadn't left her to the sharks like her parents had. He was there for her, and he loved her. That was all Ayden honestly needed to be happy.

After what seemed like minutes, but what had really been hours, Ayden finally began to shake herself out of the heavy sleep she'd dozed into. She didn't dare to open her eyes yet as she awoke, but, instead, let the blurry events of the night before run through her mind. Within split seconds, her eyes were wide open in shock, horror, and slight amazement as she realized she was still cuddled into Caleb's warm embrace. And, she remembered him saying "I love you". And she remembered saying it back.

Well, shit.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Caleb's Lap. Mhm. ;3
WORDS: 570!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

What the hell was he going to do? It was the question that his mind kept racing back to. And for once, he didn’t know the answer. Odds were against Ayden remembering most of this night, and then backpedalling everything that was said; if she remembered anyway. He didn’t want her to backpedal out of the situation. Yes, she’d had a shit week because of her parents, but wasn’t them finally coming clean a silver lining? Caleb could have gone another dozen years without spilling his guts; though he wouldn’t put money on a bet. He was hotheaded sometimes and just let things slip. He knew it was better odds that he’d get in a mood and just break open that locked chest himself.

Of course, he had to keep the hope that she’d remember and wouldn’t be embarrassed for whatever reason or lie about it all, and kiss him in the morning, or say those three words again. He wanted to hold her hand while they strolled through the park and have it mean something; have the people who look at them and think they’re such a cute couple be right. They’d walked hand in hand through the park and the streets of New York a dozen times, but it had only been that; hand holding. It had never really meant more. At least, that was what Cal thought anyway.

His heart swelled hearing the words slip past her lips again. He didn’t care if it was “girly” or whatever, but he wanted to hear it again and again, until he was old in a home thinking back on all the good memories they had together. Caleb had noticed Ayden hadn’t gotten much sleep so it put some of his worries to rest when he heard the deep breathing telling him she was out like a coma patient. Good, hopefully she’d sleep through the night and things would be better in the morning. Cal made sure the blankets were wrapped around them for a second and final time before letting his head fall back against the arm of the couch. He reached out to grab the remote for the DVD player and hit play. They hadn’t even made it through the menu screen before it all went to hell and back. He didn’t make it through the first twenty minutes of the movie before he was out just as deeply as Ayden.

His dreams were fitful, and he woke up twice to make sure Ayden was still there and hadn’t run off. But she was still there, burrowed into his chest and sleeping soundly. He fell back to sleep almost immediately. And the third time he woke up, it took him a while for him to be coherent enough to realize it was probably morning. He wasn’t sure if it was his odd dreams or if it was Ayden stirring, but either way, he was fully awake; he just hadn’t bothered opening his eyes yet. “Give it a rest,” he mumbled. He knew she was freaking out, even though she was barely moving. It wasn’t like he was asleep, but he’d hoped they’d gotten over this; she’d gotten over it. Apparently there was the possibility he was wrong.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 539!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

She'd remembered.

Shit, shit, shit. Why the hell had she remembered? She shouldn't have remembered; that's what the alcohol was for, dammit! True, all the events at the club were quite blurry, but she could recall a few of them. Like the jealousy that had finally sky-rocketed when she seen her Cal flirting with those two bottle blondes. And, if she wasn't mistaken, she'd kissed him to fend them off. She couldn't remember getting back to the apartment; all she got was the feeling of clinging to Caleb's chest with her life when she tried to pin-point what had happened. Her eyes looked over the clothes she had on and, blushing softly at the realization, she understood why she'd put them on last night. And she remembered him saying "I love you". She remembered.

"Caleb..." she whispered back in response, now knowing he was actually awake. It was no use protesting that she wasn't entirely losing her mind; he knew her too well to try and even pretend for a second. It was an extraordinary wonder she'd kept this whole thing from him for an entire, and super long, week. Gulping down the fears that had now returned with her somewhat-cleared, though aching, mind, Ayden spoke again, her voice still a hesitant whisper. "Do you... do you still love me?" she questioned, turning her big, beautiful eyes up to look at him. Her eyes always got her what she wanted; but, they were also the one thing she knew he could read about her. If they even locked gazes for a split second, Ayden knew he'd understand if something was wrong, or he'd share in the joy reflected in the large oceans that belonged to only her.

Without a second thought or another hesitation, Ayden pulled his face down gently to hers. She brushed her lips softly against his, eyes closing as she moved even closer to him. "I love you," she murmured, lips moving against his as the words left her lips. "I love you, Caleb." Gosh, she loved him. She loved him with all her heart. And she wanted him to believe that, and wanted him to know he wasn't just her rebound because of the things that were going on with her own insecurities. She'd known she'd loved him for awhile. Now, it was just coming out and being displayed for the whole world to see. Not like her world didn't consist of him, anyways.

Pulling back from the kiss, Ayden rested her head back on his shoulder, face buried in his neck once more as she attempted to calm herself. Her heart was racing so fast, it was scary. But she didn't care. All she cared about was Caleb, and that he loved her, that she loved him back. They were all that mattered in this one moment.

This, this was their moment.
And she had every intention of not letting it go.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Caleb's Lap. Mhm. ;3
WORDS: 529!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Who knew everything would end up like this at the beginning of the night before? Caleb wouldn’t have guessed, and he was usually good at taking shots in the dark. If someone would have asked him the night before what he hoped for that night after his shift, or what his plans were, he never would have said, spilling his guts to Ayden, nor would he have said he’d find himself waking up with her curled into him. But he couldn’t lie; he was feeling pretty damn good, all things considered. He would have enjoyed it better if the events of last had transpired differently. He would have preferred something a little more romantic, but what could he say? The result was the same, even if there were way too many tears for his liking.

And now, when they should be laughing and happy, or sleeping, she was having a minor panic attack. He hoped she wasn’t nervous and wanting to take back what happened the night before. Although sad, it was probably one of the happiest days of his life so far. “Hmm,” he said, “What’s wrong, Ayden?” he asked, opening his dark eyes to look down at her. Cal didn’t know what to expect really. In the second it took to say his name, and he could hear something in her voice, he’d come up with a million different things that could be wrong. She didn’t love him the same, she wanted to take it back, now that she confessed to him that she loved him back, she was going to tell him that she was leaving him, she was going back to Seattle to deal with her parents, thoughts raced through his head so quickly, he was starting to get a headache from it all.

But the autobahn in his head with the thoughts as cars stopped, like a ten car pileup on the FDR once her question fell on him. He was shocked, sure, who wouldn’t be? Or maybe the word was stunned. Cal had hoped Ayden would remember some parts of the night before, and forget others. This was one he was having mixed emotions about. Because, although he’d wanted to say those words for so long, he had wanted them to be said under different circumstances. But he also couldn’t turn back the clock to change what had happened, so he was ultimately glad that he’d said them when he did. And they had also cemented, hopefully, in Ayden the promise that he wasn’t going to leave her.

He’d managed to tilt his head to look into the pools of blue; his own chocolate orbs wide with surprise. His eyes held the truth and before he realized it, he was nodding his head, “Absolutely,” he said in a whisper. He still wasn’t sure where all the insecurity was coming from, but he didn’t mind. Caleb loved Ayden, everything about her, and this was no different. He started to say something more, but caught himself, because, well, he didn’t know what else to say besides ‘I love you’ again and again. Probably good because no sooner had he pouted his lips out slightly, Ayden pulled him down into a soft, sweet kiss. Cal wrapped his arms around Ayden, holding her tightly against him.

He’d wanted this for so long that now that he had her in his arms, it felt surreal. Like a dream he was going to wake up from any second. But it was real, and the words she spoke were the truth, she loved him. He was elated; his heart swelled knowing she felt the same way. When she pulled away, Caleb almost wanted to pull her back up and into another kiss, but held himself in check. With everything else going on, pushing it now would just be too much. He waited until she was settled to loosen his hold on her and lifted his hand to play with his loose hair. “I love you, too, Ayden Steele,” he said, feeling like using her last name put more weight into his words. In a minute, he’d suggest getting up and making breakfast; in a minute. But first he just wanted to hold Ayden in his arms and know it had a whole new meaning now.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 714!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

They had all been right after all. Their families, their friends, everyone. Ayden couldn't recall a day where she hadn't been asked "Are you going out with Caleb?" by at least one person, and, up until now, it had seemed like a surreal idea. Sure, they were best friends, which was one of the biggest parts of a true romance, but it just hadn't seemed like a risk to take. Until now. Now, Ayden was kicking her own butt for not saying this sooner; being curled into Caleb's arms like this, having him say he loved her... it was perfection. She was the happiest she'd been in a long, long time, even since before all this parental drama. He made her more happy and content than he could ever know and, honestly, it surprised Ayden just how much she was realizing she'd craved all this, craved him in general. Right now, it'd take a world disaster to pry her out of his comforting, strong arms.

One of her hands clutched gently at his shirt, pulling herself as close as truly possible to him. And, yet, she wanted to be even closer. Her other hand slowly slid up his chest, then his neck, and into the hair she loved. Ayden ran her fingers through it, smiling softly against Caleb's lips as his arms kept her pressed tightly against him. But, really, she wouldn't have this any other way.

Tilting her head up a bit after her heart had clamed, Ayden couldn't keep her lips from raising into even more of a smile as his words reached her ears. She shook her head at him gently, fingers tracing his cheek, as she answered, "Mm, no. 'Little Fire'. Always your Little Fire," she whispered. Ayden closed the distance between their lips once more, not caring if he thought she was pushing it. She wanted to kiss him, to smile and laugh with him, to play with his hair. Ayden wanted to enjoy this, their new-found love. She didn't want to remember anything else; it was just them from here on out. Just them, just like it should be. The outside world didn't matter anymore, not for right now. Only they did. Later, when she was slightly over this love-drunk experience, and the hangover teasing her head, she'd focus on the life outside of the apartment. But, for now? Now, all that mattered to her was Caleb.

She buried her face in his chest once more, closing her eyes and drinking him in. If it had been up to her, Ayden would've stayed like that for quite some time longer. But, the distant sound of her cell phone ringing back in her bedroom had her groaning. She kept her eyes closed for a second longer before pulling away from Caleb slightly. "I'll be right back, okay? Don't move," she sighed, giving him a very quick peck on the lips before entirely untangling herself from his warm arms and rushing to grab her phone before it went to voicemail. It had taken her until now to recognize the ringtone that was playing on repeat for the third time. It was the one she'd assigned for her father way back when.

Ayden gulped, taking one deep breath before clicking "Answer" on her screen. "H-Hello?" she stuttered, sitting down on the edge of her bed nervously. She'd been waiting for this phone call since Monday; but did it really have to come now?!
Her father's slightly slurred voice came through the other end in response. "Ah, the girl who ran her parents bankrupt. How are you, sweetheart?"
If she hadn't been holding her breath before, it definitely stopped now. "W-What did you say?" she said, partly out of shock and partly because she could hear the words ringing in her head once more.
A snort of disgust, then a terrible laugh that Ayden knew she'd never forget. "Only telling it as is, little girl. Your spending finally drove us over the edge, that whore and I. Finally made us realize how stupid we were for having a kid. Any idea how much your idiotic schooling costs us, let alone how much you've taken over the years?"
Her heart was breaking, tearing into two. Ayden could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks, the depression from before engulfing her as his words answered every fear she'd had since finding out about the divorce. It was all her fault. "D-Dad, I d-didn't... I-I..." she stammered weakly, hiccuping.
"It's not your fault you were raised by a self-centered bitch who trained you to be just like her, honey. Don't worry," he mocked with that haunting, terrifying laugh again.
"I'm not a bitch!" she shouted back into the phone, slamming her finger into the "end call" button before collapsing onto her bed in heartbroken sobs.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Caleb's Lap. Mhm. ;3
WORDS: 881!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

This was quite possibly the happiest moment of his life; lying on the couch with Ayden wrapped up in his arms. He’d never thought it would get to this. Sure, they cuddled on the couch before, but it never had so much of a profound meaning as it did now. Now, though, now he could surprise her with breakfast in bed, and have her know what it really means; besides that he was up all night sewing together a new pattern. He could walk up behind her and wrap his arms around her in a fierce hug and just shower her with kisses. And he can finally say yes to those never ending questions about his and Ayden’s relationship. "Always my Little Fire," he said with a grin. Caleb was pretty sure there was a couple of his friend who had money on the answer to that question; not to mention the date. He might just wait to tell them about it, until after he found out who had what date; and then lie so the one who needed the money most would get it.

He wanted to laugh thinking about it but the world didn’t revolve around those people, the world, at that moment, revolved around him and the woman held snug in his arms. Caleb felt like everything was finally falling into place. He savoured the moment, the taste of Ayden’s kiss before the far off sound of a cell phone ringer going off. He was so close to telling her to forget it; if it was important they’d leave a message and call back. But, he knew better and kept that to himself. Besides that, if she didn’t get up to answer it, they’d probably spend the entire day stretched out on the couch, making out and cuddling. He laughed as she untangled herself from him and the blankets still partially around them. He rolled over onto his stomach with his hand outstretched, but only grazed her calf as she raced down the hall to her room, to catch the phone before whoever was calling so bloody early hung up. He thought that’d be better, but who was he to say so. He stayed on the couch for a second longer, the widest grin on his face possible, hidden in the arm of the piece of furniture.

He couldn’t promise he’d stay on the couch, because his stomach was growling and he wanted something to eat. The bowl of popcorn was still on the table, untouched, so he grabbed that after rolling himself off the couch and headed into the kitchen. He tossed the popcorn in the garbage and set the bowl in the sink. He’d do the dishes later, when they were finished eating. At the moment, he was digging through cupboards to find the pancake mix. He could make them from scratch if he couldn’t find any, but they wouldn’t be as good, unfortunately. He found the box he was looking for and was digging a mixing bowl out of another cupboard when he heard Ayden’s voice. It was muffled and he couldn’t make out the words, but if he could hear her in the kitchen, she had to have been yelling. Caleb shook his head, thinking he was just hearing things and went to work mixing the batter.

Before he started up the stove top and went about creating a breakfast fit for the Gods, Caleb just had to check on Ayden. He thought he’d probably misheard, but it wouldn’t hurt to check just in case. Cal left the bowl on the counter and headed through the living room, down the hall to her bedroom. She hadn’t shut her door; at least not all the way and he could hear the sobs coming from behind the door. Concern immediately washed over him, followed closely by anger. Whoever was on the other end of that call really got to her and he didn’t like it. Caleb pushed the door all the way open to see Ayden on the bed, crying into her sheets. He stepped into the room and sat down on the floor against the end of the bed. “Who was that?” he asked in a whisper, knowing the answer to that gave him the reason she was crying. The angle was awkward, so he couldn’t pull her down into his lap, but he could twisted around to look up at Ayden, and hope she was okay; or at least going to be okay.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 750!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

Ayden curled up on her bed, slowly letting her icy tears turn into ones of boiling anger. How could her father be blaming her for this? How? True, she had been blaming herself all week and she still felt that it was somehow her fault, but not because of spending, never because of that. Her parents had pushed her to go to college and pursue her music, they'd wanted her to go to New York with Caleb and chase her dreams wherever they may have led her. And, they'd always been open to helping her out of tight spots when it came to money. It wasn't like they were short on it; quite the opposite, actually. With the paper that had been successful for as long as she could remember, the Steeles had plenty of cash to keep them comfy and cozy. But, apparently, they'd somehow hit a snag while Ayden was off in New York struggling through college and emotional rollercoasters.

Her sobs softened minute by minute as her anger began to grow. She could tell her father had been drunk; and the first thought that had gone through her head was that she'd done the exact same thing: bury her problems in alcohol. But, no, she'd not done it recklessly. She'd known someone would be there to take care of her, Caleb. Her father, though? Ayden didn't think he had anyone left to look after him, not if he kept calling his daughter and soon-to-be-ex wife bitches.

As she heard the soft creak of her door opening, a feeling of calm edged through Ayden. She knew it was Caleb and that alone made her feel better. He wasn't going to leave; he'd promised. And he loved her. That was enough for her to feel more secure in the world. As long as she had him, not everyone on the planet hated her or was getting divorced because ofher. "My dad," she sniffled back, climbing off of her bed and wiping at her wet cheeks. Ayden moved down onto the floor, cuddling into his lap once more with her arms wrapped tightly around her neck. "It's my fault... He... he said it's my fault," she mumbled weakly into his neck, her eyes closed but tears still brimming in them. Ayden could still hear the slurred words of her father ringing in her ears, no matter how much she told herself he was wrong. It was all her fault; he'd even said so now. And he thought she was a bitch. Who called their own daughter a bitch? She still couldn't believe that. Part of her wanted to call him back and ream him out. The other part didn't know if she'd be able to take being called more names again.

Ayden pulled her head out of Caleb's shoulder, gently turning his face down to hers. She pressed her lips hungrily against his, pressing as close as she could to him in his lap. Her fingers teased through his hair, running down his neck and tracing over his chest. The sparks were racing through her body, breathing fresh sunshine into the darkening place of her mind and heart. She wanted him. And she wanted him now.

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Caleb's Lap. Again. ;3
WORDS: 570!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

How was it ten minutes ruined a perfectly good night? Ten minutes and they turn upside down on the rollercoaster of hell that was her parent’s emotional turmoil. What next? A phone call from the other one, because he knew it had to be one of her parents, claiming that it was her fault, the other parents useless, that they wished she’d never been born? Ayden was a strong girl, she always had been and it was one of the countless things Caleb loved about his Little Fire, but even she had her breaking point, and Cal had a feeling it was coming up at top speed. No one was going to like the crash and burn that was going to follow; especially her parents.

And as soon as he asked, she rewarded with the answer. He’d been hoping against it, but deep down he knew it was inevitable. He had always loved Mr. and Mrs. Steele like his own parents; a second set when his own got too out of hand for him to deal with. Ayden’s house growing up had always been his safe haven. If someone had asked him even yesterday afternoon about the Steele’s, he wouldn’t have thought twice to say they were the most wonderful, grounded, successful and loving people around. They had always made him feel welcome and at home whenever he was over. But now, now he wouldn’t hesitate to turn in the opposite direction. After all, how loving and wonderful could they be if they were acting like this, saying horrible things to their only daughter, who is trying her damnedest to get through College with her own Drama; she didn’t need theirs, too.

Caleb knew later, when he got the chance, he’d be making a quick long distance call to his own parents, to talk to them. See what they knew about it all; get their take on the situation. After all, his and Ayden’s parents had all been friends, mostly because of the two of them, but they’d been close nevertheless; surely they’d have some secret information that Caleb and Ayden didn’t have. He wrapped his arms around Ayden’s waist as she cried into his shoulder and not for the first time. It was already something he didn’t want to happen again. Wait. What? Her fault? No, absolutely not, Caleb thought. His eyes narrowed with anger. The affection he’d felt for the older man vanished instantly.

While he relished the impromptu make out session, he knew the reasoning behind it; and he didn’t like being used that way. He pulled back, gasping once for breathe. It almost physically pained him to say what he was about to, but it needed to be done. “Whoa, no, Ayden, that’s not happening right now. I admit to being your security blanket more than I probably should but not this time. We’re going to work it out. What did he say exactly?” He loved her, and he didn’t want to see her in pain, but he also wasn’t about to let either of them get distracted again. They were going to sit down and sort through everything. This was one problem that Caleb couldn’t play blanket to.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 533!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}

[Ayden Karissa Turner]

HOLD YOUR BREATH BECAUSE TONIGHT WILL BE THE NIGHT
• that i will fall for you, don't make me change my mind •

It was true that Ayden used Caleb as her buffer for a lot of things. Hell, she was partially doing it now, kissing him like the world depended on it. But, for her, it did. Kissing him meant that she still had someone there for her, that at least one person wasn't blaming the end of the world on her. And, yes, she was slightly counting on him letting her use him, as horrible as that sounded. She just wanted him to make her forget everything else other than the love that was quickly sparking between the two of them. Apparently, however, her plan would be crumbling around her very feet.

As Caleb pulled away from her, Ayden could feel the rejection wash through her system. Vaguely, it felt like she'd done this already; thrown herself at him only to have him push her away and say "no". And, even if she could barely remember the first time, it still stung worse than she'd ever let onto. "He called me a bitch," she mumbled stonily in response, yanking herself out of his lap and standing up. She went over to her dresser, pulling out a pair of sweats that were more than likely his. Her back was to him for a reason; more tears had sprung into her eyes now, though whether they were full of fire-y anger or pain was a wonderful question to ask. "Might as well call me a whore now, too," she grumbled under her breath, tugging the pants on over her short-shorts and smoothing her tank top over them. Ayden continued to keep her back to him, shoving her unruly curls back into a pony tail and pinning the fly aways down with bobby pins. Anything so he couldn't see her face; anything so he couldn't see the tears still fighting to roll down her cheeks.

She kept throwing herself at him, kept trying for something she was beginning to think he didn't want. True, she had been slightly drunk last night but now? Now she wasn't. Now, she just wanted to forget about everything and everyone else in the world and live in bliss for a few hours. Ayden couldn't figure out why he wouldn't give into her, and it was furthering that idea that maybe she was a selfish whore. She knew she was using him, she knew it. But, was it really that bad of a thing? Ayden loved him with all her heart; what would be the harm in expressing it, even if it was partially to help her temporarily erase the pain her parents were causing with every word they spoke to their daughter?

"Everything's my fault," she breathed, closing her eyes tightly. "I have to call work and ask for... for extra shifts," she said, more to herself than to him. Ayden had a list of things to do now; things that would keep her away from Caleb and from throwing herself at him once more. Maybe he didn't want her after all... Shaking the thoughts off, Ayden reached for her music folder, then froze. No, she needed to get out of here, get away from Caleb, from everyone. But, then again, was the risk of her own thoughts better than the guy her heart and body were longing for in ways they never had before?

I WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, I SWEAR IT'S TRUE
• because a guy like you is impossible to find •

TAG: The Adorkable Roomie <3
LOCATION: Caleb's Lap. Mhm. ;3
WORDS: 590!
MUSIC: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade
OUTFIT: Check!?
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Caleb Sebastien Turner]

Stunned. That was exactly what he was; utterly and completely stunned. Who the fuck called their own kid a bitch? Caleb wasn’t the type of guy to get angry easily. In fact, out of all his friends growing up, it took him the longest to lose his temper. More often than not, he had all of his friends offering to beast this kid up, or punch that kid in the face because of useless words and things said that won’t help anyone. No, he wasn’t an angry person, but Ayden’s father was making it very difficult for Caleb to live up to that title. He didn’t register Ayden’s dismay at him stopping their wonderful, albeit misguided make out session but he felt it as she climbed out of his lap. He tried to stop her but he just wasn’t fast enough.

He knew her well, and knew she needed to keep busy so he just stood up from his seat on the ground and stayed where he was, giving her the space he thought she needed. Now though, he wasn’t sure what, or rather who she was pissed at; him or her father. He wanted her so bad, but he didn’t want them to go at it like rabbits just to ease the pain. Maybe all of what she said to him was a lie, maybe she was already taking back her words, her love, but Cal couldn’t believe that. They couldn’t have spent the night sleeping blissfully, then kissing, cuddling and affirming their feelings that morning and already feel like taking it all back.

He needed that time himself, so he wouldn’t go off his rocker at Ayden. She didn’t deserve any of this, and adding to it wouldn’t help either of them, but especially her. Everything was so fragile right now. Turning her down the way he had was probably already taking its toll on the usually strong woman. “Alright, that’s enough! We’re done with this,” he said, finally moving to stand behind her. He didn’t care if she fought him, or tried to fight him off; he was going to stick to her; like glue if he really had to. So, taking another step closer, he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close and placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder before setting his chin there.

“You are an amazing person, Ayden. Anyone can see that. Clearly your father was either heavily medicated or heavily intoxicated to say such fucked up things,” he said, swearing; something the young designer rarely did. “I love you and want to be with you so badly, and if you can’t see that, or want to think everyone in the world hates you, go ahead but you’ll have to deal with the fact that I will be right here, waiting for you until then, and even after that and so will your friends. You don’t need a rocket scientist to see that I want in your pants, as much as you apparently want in mine,” he said, hoping a light joke would help him out. To cement his feelings, he slipped the tips of his fingers into the waistband of her pants just at the hip.

He wanted so badly just to yell at her that none of this way her fault, but it would take an army to get through that thick head of hers. Stubborn as a mule that one was. But God help him, he loved her wholeheartedly. “I’m still going to be here when you get home from those extra shifts, and I’m going to keep telling you the same things over and over again until you finally hear me,” he whispered. He didn’t know what to say, other than the truth, so he just kept repeating himself. And he would keep repeating himself until she finally heard what he was saying and believed him.

_{TAG// Little Fire <3
WORDS// 648!
LOCATION// Their Wonderful Living Room
CLOTHES// I Mean Daaamn...
LYRICS// Obvious//Faber Drive
NOTES// <3 <3 <3}