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Chapter Text

Annie stared blankly at her latest Instagram notification, the movie she had put on twenty minutes before entirely obliterated from her memory as it continued to play in the background.

That night had felt momentous, worthy of a change and so, the 1995’ version of Pride and Prejudice was streaming on her TV instead of the usual rerun of Golden Girls. The room was dark, only the glow from the TV and her phone allowing her to make out any sort of shapes or forms. Before her on the coffee table, a bowl filled with popcorn was gradually turning lukewarm.

‘Tytownsend has liked your photo.’

It wasn’t even her newest one. In fact, she had kind of forgotten he knew about it in the first place. 

It was way back when herself and the boys were in middle school that her love for photography began to grow into something more permanent and dearer. She didn't remember actually voicing it, only that she had started sneaking around with her dad's old camera, taking pictures of her parents when they weren't looking, of the beautiful sunsets she could see from her window or of her Aunties Maddie and Helen.

And of Ty, Kyle and Katie. Mostly of them.

In any case, she supposed her parents had been paying more attention to her than what she had initially thought because when she finished her last year of middle school, they presented her with her very first camera.

On her last day as a middle schooler, Ty had stolen her camera and taken her photo. They were joking around but the photo had actually turned out pretty good. In that picture, Annie was smiling at the camera, her raven locks falling in soft waves around her face. She was wearing her favorite dress - red, with white flowers embroidered across its hem -, and her slender hands were clutching her diploma with nervous excitement.

Whenever Annie glanced at that picture, she got that same warm, fuzzy feeling she had whenever Ty did anything sweet or chivalrous for her. 

If you asked anyone else, they would tell you she posted that picture when she began highschool as a charm of good luck.

The truth was that she never wanted to forget how that moment - how he - made her feel.

It was the only picture Ty took of her.

Annie took a deep breath as she threw the phone back onto the couch. She tried to focus on Colin Firth’s passionate delivery but she couldn’t, not with her mind running a thousand miles per minute.

With a frustrated sigh, Annie paused the movie and stood abruptly from the couch, marching towards the kitchen in a hectic search for hot chocolate.

She didn’t need to feel this. She was avoiding feeling like this for a reason. After everything that had happened, after the way Ty had hurt her, she had come to realize she needed to widen her world a little bit more, hang out with other people, become more than the person everyone could count on. She wanted to meet - to like - someone who would make her feel as if she wasn’t a second option or someone who could be taken for granted. If she was to fall for someone again, she wanted it to be for someone who would actually catch her!

That’s why she needed to stop thinking about Tyler Townsend.

Annie carefully placed her full mug on the kitchen counter, going back towards the couch to grab her phone before settling on a stool.

Taking a deep breath, Annie rolled her shoulders in a poor attempt of calming herself. Tyler didn’t deserve her energy. If she was to create a life apart from the Townsend brothers, then she needed to stop overthinking. He had liked that particular picture, so what? What did it change? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

She smiled as she took a sip of her hot chocolate, distractedly unlocking her phone. She was going to be fine. Everything was going to be fine.

And then, the bell rang.

Annie looked at the door with distaste before glancing down at her clothes. She was wearing an oversize t-shirt over a pair of pajama shorts. Fluffy, purple socks completed the look. It was her outfit whenever she didn’t plan on leaving home for the rest of the day. It was her comfort outfit. 

And her comfort outfit was not meant to deal with unexpected visitors.

With a frustrated sigh, Annie plastered a kind smile onto her face and wandered over to the door, grabbing a sweater she was pretty sure belonged to her dad on the way. “Coming!”

She opened the door in an automatic manner, not even looking up at whoever dared to knock on her door so late at night until the door was wide open. When she actually looked up, her eyes widened just as much, her smile dampening onto something smaller, yet more genuine.

No matter what happened between them, Annie Sullivan would never be able to refrain from smiling whenever she laid eyes on Tyler Townsend.

And that dawning thought felt equally tortuous and blissful, all at the same time. 

“Annie,” Ty breathed, almost sounding relieved. He rested a hand on the door frame, right beside Annie’s head. “You okay?”

His other arm was protectively cradled against his chest, the blue cast keeping it secure. Annie glanced at it momentarily. She hated that cast, just as she hated the cast around Kyle’s leg. They reminded her that her friends…her home was slightly broken and that she hadn’t been able to prevent it.

Annie frowned, her arms crossing before her chest almost instinctively. She was so tired of feeling pain. “Of course I am. Why?”

“Ah.” Ty blinked. “Aunt Dana Sue said you didn’t show up for Margarita Night because you were feeling ill.”

Annie would have slapped herself hadn’t it been obvious. “Yes! I mean- I’m so sorry, Ty. Yes, I have a slight flu and I didn’t want you all to catch it. I’m okay though, just drinking a lot of soup and tea to recover.”

Annie chuckled slightly, her laughter growing weaker and more awkward when Ty merely looked at her with this look…this intense gaze that made her more nervous the more she studied it. 

As silence finally fell between them, Annie felt herself taking a deep breath, almost hurting from the way her heart was hammering in her chest.

This is why she hadn’t gone to Auntie Maddie’s, she reminded herself. This is why she needed to find herself away from him. 

This is why he had to go.

Annie interlocked her hands before her, quickly hiding them behind her back as she noticed how clammy they had become. When Ty followed her actions with his gaze, she smiled brightly, hoping that action would distract him. “Anyways, thank you for checking on me, Ty, but I’m okay. I would invite you in but I’m sick, as I said before, and you need to rest.” 

Ty gulped as he straightened, his gaze flitting between her and the floor before he bent, picking up the carton tray with two to-go plastic cups Annie was only now noticing. “I actually…I remembered you going on and on about this tea shop in Castlewood and I actually already knew drinking tea is good for the flu so I went to get you some…just in case you didn’t have any.”

Annie pursed her lips as she glanced at the familiar plastic bag with a printed logo depicting a green tea cup. She then raised an eyebrow at Ty, secretly hating and loving just how hopeful he looked. “What kind of tea is it?”

“Chamomile. They specifically recommended it.”

Annie cocked her head thoughtfully. Chamomile was her favorite. Darn it.

After a moment, she nodded at the plastic cups. “And those?”

“Well, I thought you probably needed a hot drink, since you were so sick you had to miss Margarita Night.” Ty stared right into her eyes, almost challenging her to contradict him. When Annie only met his gaze with an equally challenging of her own, he sighed and lowered his gaze. “The other one is for me.”

Annie raised her eyebrows at that. “Were you planning on drinking that on your way home?”

Ty sighed at that, yet was not surprised in the very least. “Annie…”

“I’m sick, Ty,” Annie repeated, this time much softer than before. She didn’t want to hang out with him but she also didn’t want to hurt him and so, she had to be very careful about this. “Thank you so much for this but I don’t want you to get sick. Please, don’t think there’s anything else into it.”

Tyler cocked his head, looking at her with a soft gaze. "I don't mind getting sick."

Annie scoffed. "Well, I do mind getting my-."

For a second, shocked silence filled the space between them. 

Silence because the change in their relationship had finally been addressed, even if it was in an implicit manner. 

Shocked, because Annie - who had been avoiding him - had been the one to address it, and not Ty - who had been clearly trying so hard to be close to her again. 

Finally, Ty managed a weak, crooked smile. "You have no idea how to finish that, huh?"

Annie looked at him almost pleadingly before she finally took a step back. "Come in."

Ty followed her silently, even as Annie moved further into the house. She turned on the lights with her free hand, the other one carrying the tray with the cups, the bag filled with the camomile tea hanging from her extended pinkie.

It was only when she made it back to the kitchen island that she dared look back at Ty. He was slowly wandering through the living room, his eyes carefully going from picture to picture. He was clad in his usual outfit: white t-shirt, jeans and blue sneakers.

Annie wished she didn't find him as attractive as she did. She really did.

Annie couldn't help but chuckle as she placed the cups and the bag on the wooden counter. "Those photos haven't changed in forever. Pretty sure you've seen them all a thousand times over, Ty."

Ty looked at her with a soft smile. "I suppose I haven't paid attention to them in a long time. You really haven't changed at all, huh?"

Annie laughed at that. "The nerve! What's that supposed to mean, Townsend?" 

Ty smiled mischievously as he turned towards Annie, his uninjured hand holding a frame. He joined Annie by the opposite side of the counter and handed her the frame before grabbing his cup. "Your eyes. They've never stopped being so bright." 

Annie's smile bled from her lips as her gaze fell on the picture. On Ty's picture of her. She then looked up at him, gulping nervously as she caught his gaze so filled with emotion. 

The Annie she used to be in that picture would have been able to reply so many things if the Tyler before her had been the Tyler that had taken that photo. Alas, she was no longer that Annie and he was no longer that Tyler and they… they were in a place neither of them recognized.

And so, this Annie, this Annie that had kissed Tyler, this Annie that had watched as the boy he liked dated the girl that had made her life so darn difficult, the Annie that had watched as he was hurt so deeply… this Annie had no words.

She only had anger. 

But she couldn't tell him that because for better or for worse, her anger was hers to carry. Her anger at him, at herself, at the world for making things as complicated as they were, it was hers to carry and to deal with.

With faux calmness, Annie could only grab her long forgotten cup of hot chocolate and turn towards the sink. "Glad you think so, Ty. Sometimes I doubt that myself."

When Ty spoke again, his pain was much louder than before. "And I'm to blame for that, aren't I?" 

Annie leaned against the sink, leveling Ty with a small, yet genuine smile. "I don't blame you for anything." 

Annie really hoped she meant that.

Ty apparently doubted her as well. "You mean that?"

Annie shrugged at that, frustrated that after everything, he still was able to read her so easily. 

And yet, even in the awkwardness of that moment, even as they slowly threaded through a conversation they should have had a long time ago but one neither was ready for, she still was at ease because she knew him and she knew that, no matter what else changed, they would always be safe with each other.

That comforted Annie. 

"I really try to," Annie was hesitant. When Ty didn't reply, she stood straighter, allowing herself to speak freely in order to fill the silence. "I mean, it's not even about what happened between us…about the kiss. Or maybe it was but it isn't anymore and even that was something I did."

Ty began rounding the table. "Annie-." 

"I was left alone," Annie cut him off, her gaze challenging, even as she raised her hands in a pleading manner. For the first time, she allowed herself to show him just how much he had hurt her because deep, deep down, she knew she could trust him with that. "I know that what you and Kyle went through was hell. Your dad, and then your mom and Coach Cal…and then the accident. But I was there for you through everything, until you didn't allow me anymore." 

Ty gulped, his eyes wide and his expression filled with panic. Annie almost felt pity for the poor boy. She never meant to bombard him with all of these feelings but the more she talked the more she realized how betrayed she had felt. Betrayed by what had transpired between them and betrayed by the way they had dealt with it- with her.

"Annie," Ty began after several seconds. He cleared his throat before trying again, his voice much more even the second time. "I'm so sorry, I didn't want to burden you with what I was going through, I didn't think you deserved that. I still think you don't deserve that!"

"You were hurt!" Annie raised her voice, shaken by the hateful memories of that night. She began to walk back towards the living room in a poor attempt of relieving herself from that pain, Ty hot on her heels. "You were hurt and I had to watch! That still haunts me, Tyler! How do you think I felt when that happened and I couldn't help you!? You didn't spare me at all!"

"And what could you have done!?" Ty snapped. He raised his arm in frustration, the other one still secure against his chest. "I had to give up baseball. I had to give up state! What exactly could you have done to help!?" 

"I could have been there for you! I could have suffered with you! I could have been around and know that you trusted me enough for that!"

"I was scared!" 

So far, they had stood facing one another, their faces red, their eyes wide and their postures agitated.

Those three words changed everything.

"Scared," Annie repeated, her voice a whisper. She lowered her arms, rooted to the spot as she tried to understand just how much weight those words held. "For your future?"

That didn't seem right and it was confirmed when Ty shook his head slowly, his gaze on anything but her. 

"Scared of what Ty?" Annie asked. She took an hesitant step towards him, relieved when he remained unmoving. She wrapped her arms around her middle to avoid doing anything foolish, like hugging him. "Please tell me? I promise you, you're safe. You can tell me."

Everything about Ty was frozen except for his gaze. His gaze - filled with an emotion Annie couldn't name but one she was growing comfortable with - was warm and felt like a homecoming. "I was scared of you." 

Annie felt as if she had been shot. 

Still, she endured. This was what she had asked for, what she had missed. Being there for him. 

Him. Ty is what she had missed.

"Why?" Annie managed to croak. "What did I do? Is this about the kiss? I'm so sorry, Ty, I-."

"No, no, no ." Ty stepped forward, his arm automatically reaching for her. He lowered his arm as soon as he realized what he was doing but didn't step back. "Please, don't apologize for that." 

Annie sighed. She ran a hand through her hair before going back towards the couch. She sat and covered herself with a blanket before she dared looking at him again. "How can I not? I kissed you and everything changed. This whole mess started because of that!"

Ty slowly joined her on the couch. He remained by the opposite end but his whole body was turned towards her, almost as if he was aching to be closer. "Do you regret that kiss Annie?" 

Annie rested her head on her hand, smiling even as she felt her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I don't, Ty. I know I said it meant nothing but you have to understand that it happened and everyone immediately knew about it. People made fun of me, as if they expected me to feel bad for kissing the boy I liked. And you…"

Ty nodded slowly, biting his lip as he rested his head against the couch. "I made everything worse."

Annie turned her body fully towards his, her shoulders slightly hung. She began to braid her hair, just so she had something to do with her hands. "I understand that it was a shock for you. You had no idea. I mean, I had processed those feelings a long time ago and still I was so shocked when I woke up the morning after and remembered it." 

Ty straightened. "A long time ago?"

Annie leveled him with an unimpressed look. "Tyler."

Ty raised his hands in surrender, laughing despite himself. Annie joined him and for a few moments, they could both revel in the release of the tension. That laughter allowed them a moment of respite but also, everything they had said made it easier for them to talk, for them to erase the weight of every decision they had made the last couple of months. 

And that relief, whether they knew or not, allowed them to find each other again.

"I didn't get why you were upset with me for a long time." Ty admitted after a long moment. At Annie's glare, he quickly added. "Of course I understood the obvious, that everyone heard what you sent me but…I couldn't understand how, after everything that had changed, you and I also did and so, so suddenly." 

"Of course, and I never expected you to understand." Annie whispered. She moved closer to him, stretching her hand towards him as she tucked her legs under her lap. "But look at it from my perspective. I kissed you and you stopped talking to me. Kyle stopped talking to me soon after. Everyone knew and made fun of me for something I didn't have complete control over. You began dating the girl that bullied me and you didn't give me a second glance. Stand where I stood and tell me, wouldn't you have felt alone, betrayed and unworthy too?" 

Ty slowly grabbed her hand with both of his, exhaling slowly when she didn't flinch or move away. "Yes. Of course, I…I would have felt that way too. I'm so sorry, Annie." 

Annie shrugged. "Thank you. And really, I understand why you felt so conflicted. After everything that has changed in your life-."

"It isn't an excuse," Ty cut in adamantly. "I should have dealt with it better. I think…you were always my closest friend because of our history but also because of how…safe I feel around you, I guess? Like, with everything going on, you remained this constant I could count on. And when that changed, it was like I was adrift. I… in a way I also felt alone because I didn't understand what that kiss meant for us and I didn't want to understand it with you and risk hurting you in the process." 

"That didn't change, Ty." Annie smiled when Ty clutched her hand tighter. "You can still count on me, no matter what."

"I should have known that," Ty whispered in return. "And I should have been better so you too knew that you could- can count on me. Always."

For a long moment, silence developed between them. This time, however, was an easy one, as if they had stepped into the calm after the storm. It felt as if the war was over and she could finally rest and heal.

As Annie slowly turned her hand in his, biting her lip when his hold only tightened, she couldn't help but be grateful her mom and dad were in Margarita Night and playing basketball respectively. 

The moment he left, Annie would have to stop herself from feeling anything other than friendship towards Tyler Townsend. Alas, that moment hadn't come yet and so, she reveled in the relief that came with regaining her oldest friend. 

And it was the easiness of that feeling that made her want to continue being honest. 

"Can I tell you something?" Annie asked, her stomach doing somersaults when Ty immediately locked eyes with her.

"Anything." 

Annie nodded slowly, processing that word and its meaning. Now that they were talking, in a much more open way than ever before, she had to come to terms with the fact that she could believe him when he said that.

"When I woke up the morning after…" Annie trailed off, gulping when Ty nodded his understanding. "I panicked at first, of course. It was really scary, you know? Waking up to that and not remembering it had happened… but I was so relieved that you knew. I had been carrying with that feeling for so long, not knowing whether to tell you and fearing your reaction…so being able to voice my feelings, to express them…it was like I could breathe a little bit easier you know?" 

Ty looked down for a moment, deep in thought even as he never lessened the hold he had on Annie's hand. After a few minutes, he chuckled bitterly. "I hated the text I sent you." 

Annie snorted. "The one in which you called me dude? Yeah, that sure was enlightening." 

Ty sobered at that. "It's so easy to think of everything I'd have done differently now that I've processed it but still…I regret so much of what happened and how I dealt with it. That text is pretty high on that list." 

Annie smirked at that. "What else could you have sent me Ty? You didn't like me and you wanted me to know that. Of course it hurts but I would rather have things be clear."

Ty frowned. "I'm not so sure things were that clear for me."

Annie actually gaped for a moment before she remembered herself. She inched a little bit closer to him yet sat straighter, as if preparing herself for a blow. "What do you mean?" 

Ty gazed into her eyes for a long moment before looking down at their joint hands. He began caressing the side of her hand slowly, almost fearfully. "I think the only thing I knew for sure when you kissed me was that I wasn't expecting it so it caught me by surprise. But this…you…I think I feel the same way you do."

Annie had to clear her throat in order to speak and even then, her voice was a whisper. "What?" 

"Annie, you are my oldest friend and in many ways, the one who knows me the most. I mean, not even Gabe knows some of the things you do. You have been there every step of the way and even when everything was a fucking hell, I knew you would be there and that I could trust you to be there." Ty shook his head as he slowly straightened. His eyes were shining with unshed tears and all Annie could do was stare. "I should have been there for you as well. I should have been a better friend, with this and with so many other things. And…I should have known that I didn't have to be afraid of what you were making me feel because I should have known you would be there no matter what."

Annie listened with sweet rapture, her heart breaking when the first tear rolled down Ty's cheek. After hesitating, she slowly wiped it with her free hand, her entire being aching with intense emotion when Ty rested his cheek against her hand. "What did you feel when I kissed you?"

Ty stayed silent, as if he was debating something internally. Then, he smiled. "I always feel safe with you and…when you kissed me…it felt like coming home." 

Annie drew a sharp breath at that, not expecting how much it would hurt to hear him speak like this. Almost in a daze, she stood up and made her way back towards the kitchen.

"Annie?"

"Why are you saying all of this?" Her question came without thinking.

Ty staggered to his feet. "What?"

"I get you regret hurting me," Annie began heatedly, grabbing her forgotten tea and heating up just so she would have something to do. "But that doesn't give you the right to say things you don't mean!" 

"Annie, I meant everything I've said!" It took him three long strides to stand before Annie and grab her face with both his hands. "If it takes you time to trust me, I understand. From now on I will work my ass off every day to be the best version of myself for you. And you don't have to accept me, I won't pressure you but-."

"But what?" Annie whispered, clutching his hands with her own. 

Ty's gaze softened. "I really like you, Annie. And I really, really want to be with you. Please believe me."

Annie's eyes brightened at that. She stepped closer, sighing in relief when his forehead rested against hers. "Very well, then."

Ty chuckled before leaning closer, their eyes closing.

And then, a car was heard entering the driveway.

Annie pushed herself away from Ty, already running for the window. "That's my dad, let's go!"

"Out your window!?"

Annie whirled to glare at him, her feet never slowing down. "You have a better idea!?"

By the time Ronnie Sullivan stepped into his home, his daughter was watching Pride and Prejudice with a small blush to her face, one she claimed Colin Firth was to blame for.

The to-go cups and the tea were safely kept in her room, away from anyone's sight and forever close to her heart. 

It wasn't until much later at night that Annie heard from Ty again. This time, however, she actually expected it.

tytownsend: kind of glad ur dad came home when he did

anniesullivan: Not sure how to feel about that.

tytownsend: I want to make you laugh, rather than cry, before I kiss you. Maybe on our first date?

Annie covered her face with her hands in glee before rushing to reply.

She should watch Pride and Prejudice more often.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Ty woke up feeling light. He smiled almost to himself even as his eyes remained closed, his body perfectly comfy beneath his bed' covers.

He had forgotten to close the blinds the night before so a soft, dancing golden light was seeping through the closed window, falling directly on him but not in a harsh manner that would bother his eyes.

Ty blinked slowly and heavily, slowly gathering his bearings as he revelled in how peaceful he felt. 

Then, he remembered why he felt so peaceful.

And then, he scrambled to his feet, fighting with his blankets in the process. 

After a moment, he finally stood and looked around his room wildly. His arm was throbbing from the sudden movement but he paid it no mind as he finally remembered where he had left his phone. Diving for the bed again, he threw his pillow to the floor and breathed in relief when he laid eyes on his phone.

Unlocking the screen, Ty rushed to his most recent Instagram chat and stared at the last message.

anniesullivan: Goodnight, Ty. :) 

Ty fell onto his bed again, staring at his phone as he thought of what to send.

'Hi? No, that was too little. Good morning? Wasn't that too formal? What if she didn't reply?' 

Ty growled with frustration, wondering why was it so hard to be open with Annie? Was it because he was scared? Was it because he felt things for her that he had never felt before? It had been so easy with CeCe, after all, but that was probably because he felt completely different with her.

And with Annie...Ty sat on his bed, his unlocked phone hanging from one hand. There, in the quiet of his room, when the world hadn't yet affected his day, Ty could admit he was halfway in love with her.

That was downright terrifying. 

His eyes flitting through the room for inspiration, Ty's thoughts went back on how he should start a new conversation. They had talked for hours on the phone the previous night but something about the next morning made things feel more real, more official. 

He had promised Annie he would work his ass off to be deserving of her and he planned on keeping that promise. 

Ty's gaze distractedly wandered over to a book Kyle had forgotten in his room the last time he had attempted of helping him with his literature class. 

After a moment, Ty smiled. If this had been a cartoon, a lightbulb would have gone off above his head.

When looking for inspiration, Kyle was always the answer. 

oOo

Kyle turned in his bed, his frame comfortable under his covers, his brunette waves falling across the pillow, his cheeks slightly flushed as he slept peacefully.

Or so he did, until a pillow fell on his head with gusto.

Kyle tried to cling to the remnants of his sleep, wanting to continue the dream he was having. When he couldn't, his eyes snapped open almost to his own accord.

And turned towards the culprit with a glare.

"What do you think you are doing!?" Kyle snapped, wanting to get up and cursing when his wounded leg throbbed in response.

Ty raised his hands in surrender. "You are going to like it, I promise."

Kyle frowned, his pillow ready to be thrown at his brother. "I have to like it very much to forget being woken up like this."

Ty sighed. He crossed the room to sit on his desk. "I need your help."

Suddenly, Kyle was wide awake. "You need my help."

Ty stared back at him, trying to gauge his reaction. "With a girl."

Kyle gasped, feeling in a much better mood than a moment before. "Never thought I would see this day." 

"Kyle." 

"No, really, can I record this? So I can hear it on a bad day and laugh?" 

"Oh my god, stop, don't make me throw you another pillow!" Ty moaned, smiling when Kyle laughed. "It's good to hear that. You laughing." 

Kyle leaned his back against his bedframe, his expression thoughtful. "It's nice to see you happy."

Ty crossed his arms. "I look happy?"

Kyle shrugged. "Happier than you've been in a long time for sure." 

Ty's gaze turned soft. He glanced at his phone before shrugging. "Well, good. I am happy." 

Kyle couldn't help but smirk, his eyes recovering some of the brightness he once had. "You went to see this girl yesterday, huh?"

Ty rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe."

Kyle's smirk turned bigger. "It's Annie, isn't it?"

Ty looked at his brother with wide eyes. "I never said that." 

Kyle laughed outright. "You didn't have to. It's always been you and Annie."

Ty sat by the foot of the bed with, his shoulders dropping. "I hate that I'm the last to realize that."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I hate it too. Annie deserves better."

"Do you still like her?" 

It was Kyle's turn to flush. "Was I so obvious?" 

Ty laughed as he raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm not one to judge, obviously. And I know that you like Nellie now but I was wondering-."

"It's different." Kyle's voice was soft, almost as if he was telling a secret. "I think I had a crush on Annie because she was the only girl I truly knew. Now that I have more friends other than you two, I know what it's like to truly like somebody and to be liked by somebody in return, you know?"

Ty nodded slowly. He glanced again at his phone. "Yeah. I do know that." 

"So? What did you need help with?" 

"I don't know what to say to her," Ty admitted begrudgingly. He glanced at his phone, confirming he had no new messages, before getting up from the bed. "We are not boyfriend and girlfriend officially but I really want to make things right, you know? Like you said, she deserves better." 

"Well, as much as I live for a passionate delivery, sometimes actions speak louder than words." Kyle wet his lips, doing his best to contain the glee he felt at seeing his brother so smitten. "Are you seeing her today?" 

Ty frowned at him. "We didn't make any plans." 

Kyle sighed. "Well, make them. Annie is one of your best friends, Ty. Use that comfort and trust to speak freely. Tell her whatever you want and show her what you feel for her. I promise that's going to be enough for her and much more than what you've been giving her so far." 

"That was harsh."

"Do you think I'm being unfair?"

Ty licked his lips before shaking his head slowly. "No."

Kyle nodded in return before throwing his pillow at his brother. "Go, then. Prove me wrong."

Ty ran a hand through his hair with a scoff before throwing the pillow back at Kyle and making it towards the door. Just before he opened it though, he turned towards his brother. "I'm glad you and I are friends again. You should work things out with Annie too."

Kyle grinned regretfully. He missed his friend, even if it was hard for him to admit it. "I know. I will. After you go a sweep her off her feet, of course."

"Oh my god, enough!" Ty moaned as he retreated back into his room, already opening his chat with Annie. 

Kyle laughed at his retreat before looking out the window, feeling a peace he hadn't felt in a long time. 

Maybe, just maybe, he was finally ready to make things right.

oOo

Annie was not a morning person.

Thankfully, her mom understood that…most of the time. On Sundays, she had to be ready for church but on the remaining days, unless she had a morning shift at Sullivan's, she was allowed to sleep in.

Oh, how she loved summer.

That morning though, Annie's sleep was not as deep as it usually was and so, when her phone beeped with an Instagram notification, her eyes snapped wide open. 

tytownsend: Hey :). U up yet?

Annie smiled at her phone, her fingers already flying through the keyboard.

anniesullivan: Barely. How did you sleep?

The answer came immediately, which made Annie's smile widen.

tytownsend: Really, really good. U?

anniesullivan: Same. I had a beautiful dream.

tytownsend: Oh, yeah? Was I in it?

Annie rolled her eyes, covering her mouth as this giggle attempted to leave her lips.

Since when did she giggle?

anniesullivan: Are you flirting with me Townsend?

tytownsend: I most certainly am, Sullivan. Is it working?

Annie left her bed as she laughed at his last message. She never wanted him to know just how much it was working. 

anniesullivan: I will never tell. What are you up to? 

tytownsend: At home, hanging out with Kyle. What are your plans for today?

Annie frowned at that last text. She was glad things seemed better between the boys but she missed her friend, even if she knew the distance between them wasn't one she had created.

anniesullivan: I have to work at 3. I'm free for the rest of the day. 

tytownsend: Can I pick you up? I want to show you something

Annie frantically opened her closet as she rushed a reply, trying to buy herself time. 

anniesullivan: Asking me on a date Townsend?

tytownsend: I want it to be a date. It would be a date only if you want it to be too

Annie sat on the floor before her closet. It felt so weird speaking to Ty like this and it was so obvious the effort he was putting on…whatever it is that they had. 

Annie looked up at her closet for a second with a smile, before she thought of a response. If Ty was ready to trust her enough to be open with her, then she could do the same.

And well, weird was also nice sometimes.

anniesullivan: Of course I want it to be, Ty :) Can I ask you to pick me up in an hour? I need to figure out an outfit.

tytownsend: Of course, Annie. See you soon :)

Annie liked the message, standing up again as she opened her chat Lily. 

This was a situation worth of a female intervention. 

Chapter Text

As Ty climbed up the steps to the Sullivan's porch, he couldn’t help but feel blessed by the day they had gotten. 

It was a normal Wednesday’ late morning right in the middle of summer. The sky was almost devoid of clouds and tinted with a deep hue of blue. The sun, almost at its highest, was bright and warm. There were more kids than usual playing on the streets but the noise they made was cheerful and fun, rather than downright annoying.

Ty took a deep breath as he stood before the door, his hands fidgeting with the sleeves of his shirt in order not to mess with his hair. 

He still felt as if he was living in a dream, getting to be like this with Annie. He was certainly traveling through uncharted waters, and not only with her. Now that he’d time to think about everything, he’d realized there was much that mattered beyond baseball, beyond his life at school. And so, he had slowly begun making his feelings known and truly minding the way he communicated to Annie and to everyone else in his life. 

As he knocked on the door, Ty couldn't help but think of his dad and what he would say if he saw this new side - softer, more genuine, happier - of him. With surprise, he realized he felt pity for his dad, a man that had never been taught nor had learned for himself that men were also allowed to feel and to express their feelings and that that led to better relationships.

It was fucking hard, that was something Ty had learned very fast.

But, as he glanced down at the sunflower he had been clutching in his hand, he couldn't help but smile. It was also very fucking worth it. 

oOo

By the time he knocked on her door, Annie was sitting on her couch, trying and failing to be calm. 

After a lot of deliberation and with Lily's essential assistance, she had chosen a light blue mini dress, her favorite pair of sneakers - white, with a blue stripe across its side -, and a pair of sunglasses were sitting on top of her head. 

Her hair had been the easiest, weirdly enough. She had been blessed with a particularly good hair day that Wednesday and so, her raven locks fell down her back in even, luscious waves, only two braids crowning her head. Her nails were navy blue and her makeup was light, just a touch of concealer and mascara. 

Lily had very smartly told her to avoid any sort of lipstick, as she had no idea where Ty was taking her, so if they kissed there was a chance she wouldn't be able to reapply the makeup.

Annie tried not to think about that. The butterflies in her stomach were already spinning like a whirlwind. She had enough feelings for the moment. 

It took her a moment to get to the door once Ty knocked, her smile already bright and her cheeks slightly flushed.

And, as they looked at each other, everything else seemed to stand still.

"Hi." Ty finally spoke, his voice slightly breathless. He rubbed the back of his neck as a small smile stretched his lips. "You look beautiful, Annie."

Annie took a moment to savor those words and, really, revel in the start of this new chapter. It had taken her a long time to appreciate her own beauty for herself, and rather because of someone else's remarks, especially those of a boy.

Still, this wasn't just any boy. This was Ty. Her best friend. 

And so, she allowed herself to appreciate it and him in return.

"You do too." Annie replied, feeling downright giddy when Tyler Townsend blushed. "Where are you taking me?"

"Ah, that's a surprise." Ty smirked before presenting her with a sunflower he'd been hiding behind his back. "I brought you this. Kyle said I should've bought chocolates but that kind of messed with our plan for today." 

Annie brushed her hand with his as she took the flower. Now she was the one to blush, much to Ty's delight. "Well, you were right. Thank you, it's beautiful."

"You're welcome," Ty replied, his hands in his short’s pockets as Annie locked the door behind her and put the key in her bag. "I'm gonna tell Kyle I was right later. He's going to be so pissed." 

That comment alone was enough to bring back the easiness of their bond and the trust they’d built over the years. Of course, both of them were completely nervous but with that remark, they were reminded they were safe with each other and so, if they were to be vulnerable, they were with each other, so they were also free. 

"I don't know how to feel about causing you boys to fight now that you are such good friends again," Annie laughed, her hand brushing his as they walked down the steps towards his car.

Ty jogged the few feet between them and the car, opening her door with a flourish. "I won so you should feel proud." 

Annie stopped beside him, looking up right into his intense gaze as he took a step forward, towering over her. "This time." 

Ty smirked, his gaze dropping to his lips before he locked eyes with her again. "Get in, Sullivan." 

Annie laughed as she did, going straight for the speaker as she unlocked her phone. "Do you have any issue with me connecting my phone to your speaker?" 

Ty sat behind the wheel, swiftly turning on the car and pulling away from the driveway. "Go ahead. What are you listening to this days?" 

"Well, Taylor Swift, for the most part," Annie looked up momentarily from her phone to roll her eyes. "Don't worry though, I'm not putting her on. Already opening the playlist we started last summer."

"No, play Taylor." Ty shrugged when Annie looked up in shock. "I listen to her sometimes, kinda like it." 

Annie stared at him for another moment before wordlessly pressing a few buttons on her phone, nodding when Look What You Made Me Do began blaring from the speakers. Then, she straightened, her body turned towards him. "You like Taylor Swift." 

Ty nodded, glancing shortly at her with a lazy smile spread across his face as he turned his direction back towards the road. "Is that too much of a shock?" 

Annie began shaking her head before thinking better about it and nodding. "Yes, it is. I tried for years to convince you to even give her a chance, a couple of months go by where we don't talk as much and now you like her music ?" 

"Full disclosure?"

Annie rested her head against her seat, still looking at him. "Please." 

"You know how my room is right next to Katie's?" Ty began, biting his lip slightly when Annie nodded. "A few weeks ago, you guys went for ice-cream and she came back telling mom all about how she loved Taylor Swift. Then, just before bedtime, she was listening to this song with Kyle, one of the slower ones she recently released. I guess I started listening to it too because I missed you and I wanted to feel closer to you."  

Annie looked away for a moment, truly fearing she might burst into tears or jump him if she didn't control herself. Once the silence had managed to wash away some of the intensity, she looked back at Ty with a bashful smile. "I didn't know you had missed me so much."

Ty was completely serious as he looked back at her. "I didn't realize how much I would miss you until I did. But…yeah, I missed you. Very much." 

Annie reached for his free hand, linking it with hers. "Thank you, Ty."

Ty raised his eyebrows, even as a smile brightened his expression. "You're welcome but what're you thanking me for?"

"For making such a huge effort with…all of this." Annie explained as she caressed his hand. She had the urge of covering her face with her hair as she felt herself blushing but she held on, smiling when Ty looked at her. "This is so weird, in the best way possible and I know it must be like that for you too. When we talked yesterday, you listened to what I had to say and to how I felt. I can see that you're really trying to show me that you listened. Not many people make that effort with me, Ty, and it makes me feel really appreciated. Thank you."

Ty took a deep breath, his hand clutching hers. "You deserve it."

Annie took a deep breath as well before reaching for the speaker. She laughed as Ty began bobbing his head to the rhythm of 22 . "And what you deserve, Ty, is to really feel the Swift Effect."

"Oh, you want me to sing along, Sullivan?" 

“I’m feeling rather competitive, Townsend. I bet I know the lyrics more than you do.”

Ty laughed. "I warn you, I'm on a winning strike."

"Just sing, Townsend." 

Annie laughed as Ty began singing really off-key, his head bobbing wildly to the beat of the song. Her gaze drifted out of the window for a moment, marveling at the greenish landscape flying beside her, the sky radiant above her and the heat certainly present, but not overpowering with both windows completely down. Annie closed her eyes blissfully, feeling as the wind danced through the waves of her hair freely. She then looked to her other side at Ty, who was already looking at her.

As he winked and yelled the first verses of the chorus , Annie realized one of the first things she'd come to love about this new relationship between her and Ty were the road trips and the freedom it gave them to be carefree and fun.

So, in the spirit of being carefree and fun, she stopped thinking and began to sing along with him, both of them breathless as they tried to see who could sing more off-key. 

Sometimes, just sometimes, it’s better to live in the present for those kind of moments we want to hold closest to our hearts for eternity.

oOo

“I can’t believe this was also your place.”

Annie laughed as she reached for another brownie. “And I can’t believe you had my mom prepare all of this food with such short notice.”

They were by the north edge of Jeremy’s garden, a place that was yet to be used in a productive manner and so, Annie and Ty pretty much had the space for themselves. Ty had brought a full, gigantic picnic basket filled with all the picnic essentials - chicken sandwiches, beef empanadas, Panzanella salad, lemon bars, brownies and chocolate chip cookies -, plus several choices for drinks, such as lemonade  and sweet tea. He’d even brought the essentials for any picnic, such as napkins, a cooler, and even bug spray.

Ty had set a huge, cream blanket on the grass right under an oak tree, a clear pond a few feet to their left. The car was parked right beside them to their right, its doors open so they could hear the music blasting through the speakers. 

“I actually went to Sullivan’s as soon as it opened. Dana Sue was very suspicious but I told her we’d been talking on the phone a lot recently and that I was trying to be a better friend. That sold it for her.” Ty was sitting on one end of the blanket, his elbows resting on the blanket behind him. He closed his eyes and stretched his neck slightly to the side, feeling as the wind cooled him off from the summer heat. “I think she was very eager at the idea of us being friends again.”

Annie bit into her brownie thoughtfully, studying the sight of Ty in his peaceful zone before looking around, becoming acquainted with a place she had missed more than she’d thought. She was sitting cross legged by the other side of the blanket, the basket between them. Her sunflower laid beside it.

“Yeah, she’s been worried. I’m pretty sure she’s been dying to make me talk but it was so clear that I didn’t want to and for once she respected my wish.” Annie shrugged before smirking, grabbing the last sandwich before Ty could. At Ty’s pout, Annie guffawed before splitting it in half and offering him one. “I was very surprised but thankful for that. Here you go, you baby.”

“I managed to plan this whole thing in roughly three hours and you call me a baby!?” Ty scoffed playfully as he bit on his sandwich proudly. He glanced haughtily at the girl beside him before rolling his eyes playfully when Annie dissolved into laughter. “At least some things never change, Sullivan.”

Annie was aghast. “And whatever do you mean with that, Tyler Townsend!?”

“The summer before your tenth grade?” Ty began, raising a hand when Annie straightened, her eyes wide with outrage. “You and Kyle spent the entire day running outside in the garden, pretending you were in some fantasy land, but when our parents came back home from Miss Frances’ birthday party, you two said you’d been the ones to do the dishes when I actually did them all by myself!”

“Oh you poor baby!” Annie mockingly reached for his chin, sobering up as soon as her skin touched his. Feeling Ty just as trapped as she was in the moment, she took a deep breath before running her hand through his cheekbone just like she’d done the night before, marveling at how his skin seemed to be on fire under hers. “Whatever can I do to make it up to you?”

Ty grabbed her hand the next time it traveled up his cheek, kissing the pulse point in her wrist before he could think twice about it. He smirked as he caught her blush, lowering her hand but inching closer to her so they didn’t have to let go. “Play twenty questions with me?”

Annie raised an eyebrow. “Like when we were kids?”

“When did you stop coming here?” Ty asked in return, sitting up when Annie sobered up.

“When my mom broke things off with Jeremy,” she admitted. Noticing they had already eaten most of what they’d brought, Annie took it to herself to put everything back in the basket.

“Here, let me help.” Ty sat as well, the basket open between them. He glanced at her before looking back at the basket. “Are you upset she is no longer with him?”

“Oh, no! I mean, I like Jeremy just fine but I want my dad and mom back together,” Annie shrugged, fidgeting with a rogue strand of hair as Ty finished cleaning everything up. “It’s just…ever since my dad came back, I’ve been having a hard time understanding what’s going on between them. Like, the other day, we went to this fair and it was like everything was back to how it was when I was a kid. I just…I wished they were clear. If they want to get a divorce, okay, it’s going to hurt but just tell me about it, you know?”

Ty nodded as he took the basket back towards the car, leaving only the brownies and the cooler with the drinks with them. Once he made it back, he sat just like before, but much closer to Annie. Ty grabbed her hands, playing with them as he spoke. “I started coming here when my mom and dad first told us they were getting a divorce. Soon after, my dad wanted us to meet this woman that’d come out of nowhere and was the mother of my half-sibling…I was so angry at how he’d dealt with everything, you know? So, I began training farther away from home. I told my mom I was with Gabe but I was actually running all the way up here to sit and just think about things.”

“You must have been so angry at them,” Annie softly replied, her heart melting as Ty started drawing random figures across the palm of his hands with his fingers. “I was very angry on your behalf and I didn’t go through what you guys went through.”

Ty was thoughtful for a long moment. 

“It took me a long time to understand who actually deserved my anger.” Ty admitted finally. “If my dad didn’t love my mom anymore, if he wasn’t happy, if he had fallen in love with Noreen, he could have broken things off with my mom. He could have shown the respect my mom and us deserve, and he could have told how he was feeling. My dad was always my hero, you know? He was always this strong, independent man that took care of us the way no one else could. Now, he and mom are divorced, he barely sees us, he and Noreen broke things off…if adults want to teach us how to deal with things, then they need to start doing better themselves, right?”

“They also teach us from their mistakes. Maybe I’m being harsh but after everything,” Annie trailed off with hesitation, nodding slightly when Ty nodded encouragingly at her. “I guess that if they can’t be our heroes, then they can be an example of what we don’t want to be.”

Ty took a deep breath, leaving his hands still as Annie began to play with them instead. “You’re right. After seeing how Coach is with my mom and how much happier she is, I can see how I can be better you know? I want to be better, for Kyle and Katie, for my mom, for my friends…and for you.”

Annie gulped as Ty grabbed a loose strand of hair and put it behind her ear, running his fingers down the side of her face. She lay on the blanket, smiling at the sky when he laid beside her, their arms touching, their hands interlocked.

“You are,” she promised. “My turn to ask a question…how are you actually doing with the whole baseball thing?”

“It changes from day to day, I guess?” Ty sighed before turning his head to look at her. “I’m trying to do other things I like. The other day I started playing the guitar again.”

“That's amazing!” Annie turned on her stomach, resting her head on her arms. “Can you play something for me?”

“I didn’t bring my guitar.”

“I didn’t mean now, Townsend.” Annie rolled her eyes playfully. “Seriously, though. I’m glad you’re doing better.”

“Don’t be so sure. I could wake up with a sore arm tomorrow, be reminded of everything and cry the entire day.”

“If that happens, promise you’ll let me know? I can come over and distract you.”

Ty wiggled his eyebrows. “And how would you distract me, Miss Sullivan?”

Annie laughed, pushing Ty away in a playful manner just as Falling by Harry Styles began blasting through the speaker. “Oh my god, I love that song!”

She ran towards the car to turn up the volume, missing Ty getting up and tidying up his shirt as he sang along.

And there's no one to blame but the drink in my wandering hands

Forget what I said

It's not what I meant

And I can't take it back, I can't unpack the baggage you left

Annie turned back towards him slowly, her stomach fluttering with a million butterflies as she extended her hand towards him. “Dance with me?”

Ty looked up at her hand, then at her face, before staring back at her hand. “Are you sure? I’m not much of a dancer.”

“I’ll teach you.”

Nodding to himself, Ty grabbed her hand, pulling her closer. He placed both her hands around his neck, before wrapping his arms around her waist. “What should I do?”

“Don’t look at the floor or at our feet,” Annie put a finger below his chin, raising so he would look at her. “Look at me. Do you trust me?”

“Always.”

Annie couldn’t even smile, the closeness to him and the intimate moment being almost too much to her. Right then and there, in his arms, with no one to bother them, she felt so safe, so cherished. She really hoped more moments like this would come, for she didn’t want to forget this feeling.

She felt infinite.

“Then follow me,” Annie whispered, gulping as his forehead rested on hers. Slowly, she sunk one of her hands in his hair, chuckling when Ty closed his eyes with a sigh. She could feel his heart hammering against her chest, just like she was sure he could feel hers, and she never, never wanted this to end. 

“My turn to ask a question?” Ty whispered after a few minutes.

Annie forced herself to open her eyes, wanting to see him like this as much as she could. “Shoot.”

“Can I kiss you?”

Annie couldn’t even voice an answer. The butterflies in her stomach must have traveled towards her throat because she couldn’t talk, she could just revel in their current situation, in their closeness, in the fact that they had managed to deal with the issues between them and come up stronger. So, as her eyes filled with tears, she nodded.

“Hey,” Ty muttered, kissing her cheek as the first tear rolled down. “I promised I wouldn’t make you cry right before I kissed you.”

“I’m very happy Ty, let me cry.” Annie whispered with a breathless laugh. She stood on her tiptoes, leaning up towards Ty. “And, please, kiss me.”

Not another word was said between them for a long time.

But that night, after Annie’s shift at Sullivan’s, Lily facetimed her and demanded to know everything about the date.

And when asked about the kiss, Annie could only say one thing:

It also felt like coming home for her.

Chapter Text

Because of some strange twist of fate, when the next Margarita Night arrived, the Sweet Magnolias found themselves almost on their own at Helen’s.

Kyle was actually at Sullivan’s, having dinner with Noreen. Maddie was yet to fully accept that the woman she had such a complicated relationship with was spending considerable time with her son. At the end of the day, though, what mattered was that whenever Kyle got home from one of their outings, he was calmer, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

That was something Maddie couldn’t nor did she want to ignore.

Maddie had long ago stopped blaming Noreen for ruining the family she once had. That responsibility was all Bill’s. And, if she was to be fair, she had to admit that the family she had now was better and happier than what she could have ever dreamt of. She had long ago stopped missing the home she had with Bill, but rather began looking with tender hope at the one she was building with Cal.

And, most importantly, she loved her kids utterly. More than anything, she wanted them to be happy, safe and satisfied with their lives. If Noreen was responsible for helping her son feel better and supported, then she was a friend, not a foe.

Katie was actually at Bill’s in Castlewood, an activity Ty had skillfully avoided without giving much explanation. Not that it bothered Katie, though. For an entire night, she would be the sole focus of her dad. She had left that afternoon feeling rather confident in her ability to convince her dad to use the pool in his building. 

It was pretty much the definition of heaven for the youngest Townsend. 

As the three Magnolias gathered around Helen’s kitchen island, Maddie glanced towards the living room, where she could make out her oldest son’s head, partially hidden by the couch. Ty had been almost eager at the idea of joining her with Margarita Night but, as he munched chips happily, his gaze on his phone and his head bobbing slightly as it followed the beat streaming through his airpods -, Maddie couldn’t quite fathom why .

Following her eyesight, Dana Sue smiled slightly before taking a sip of her margarita. “I was surprised to see Ty with you, Maddie. I love that boy dearly but I expected him to make plans with Gabe or one of the other boys.”

Maddie turned towards her friends, shrugging with a slight smile. “Tell me about it. I was really happy that he wanted to tag along, of course, but I expected him to make other plans or even stay at home, especially after I told him he was going to be alone.”

“Where’s Annie tonight, Dana Sue?” Helen asked softly, her eyes glinting with a suspicion she wasn’t ready to share with her soul sisters just yet. “Working?”

Dana Sue nodded slowly. “Yes, although she asked me permission to leave early today. She was awfully vague about the reason, too. All she said was that she would tell me in due course.”

“I’ll say, what happened with our kids?” Maddie laughed, her left hand moving vaguely as she spoke, her right one reaching for her margarita. “They used to be so open, so…easy to read. Now, my oldest son practically begs me to tag along to Margarita Night, even knowing he would be on his own…and my youngest….”

“I don’t know how you're able to deal with this so wonderfully, Maddie. Having Noreen around, even with everything she’s doing for Kyle…” Helen trailed off, shaking her head slowly as Maddie took a deep breath, hiding her anguish by taking a sip. Helen then reached for her hand, clutching it tightly, as if she could gift her all of her strength simply through touch. “You’re thinking of your son first and foremost, even at a moment in which is no easy feat. I’m very proud of you, my dear.”

“Yes, well, I just have to trust that he’ll let me in. Eventually. Whenever he’s ready.” Maddie scratched a point above her right eyebrow before nodding towards Dana Sue, her voice dropping to a whisper. “At least my oldest is doing much better, apparently, thanks to your daughter.”

“Annie?” Helen breathed, the glint in her eyes growing slightly brighter. “Should I take this for confirmation that those kids are no longer fighting?”

Dana Sue shrugged at that, though her smile grew softer, her eyes creaking slightly as she gazed again in the direction of the living room, where the oldest Townsend was smiling softly as he texted with someone. “I didn’t even know they were fighting to begin with but you should have seen my Annie after that picnic she went to with Ty. I kid you not, my beautiful girl was soaring for two days straight.”

“Those two need to have each other in their lives,” Maddie interjected. “Annie gets along wonderfully with all of my kids, praise the Lord, but it’s different with Ty. Kyle and Annie have always been best friends and our girls see each other as the sister they always wanted but-.”

“Ty is different,” Helen finished, her voice soft, her smile intimate, as if withholding secrets only she was welcomed to know. “It has been an immense honor watching them grow up together, most importantly because I love both of them dearly - and all of my nieces and nephews -… but they have always been equals, constants in each other’s lives. They are at their best when they are a team. If they are starting to see that as well, I’m absolutely ecstatic for them.”

Maddie clutched Helen’s hand affectionately before reaching for a chip. She bit into it distractedly, her chin resting on a slender hand as she allowed herself to be drifted away in the blissful thoughts regarding her oldest. Feeling the inquiring gaze of her girls, Maddie straightened, her voice growing even lower. “Can I tell you guys something I noticed?”

The effect was instant. Dana Sue moved her cup slightly to a side so she could lean forward, her arms resting on the spotless island. Between them, Helen crossed her arms with interest, her eyebrows resting as she cleared her throat. “You most certainly can, my dear. Go on, pour it out!”

Maddie laughed, taking a sip from her Margarita dramatically slowly before leaning forward as well. “Since Ty came back home from that picnic, it’s like he can breathe again. He is happier, sure, but it’s more than that… he’s had such a hard time lately you know? Bill, the accident, his arm, all of this fighting between him and Kyle, even getting used to the idea of Cal and me! And still…suddenly, it’s like everything is easier for him to carry. It doesn’t seem as if he’s allowing life to drift him away but rather, he’s swimming along. More than that, he seems happy to swim along, as hard as it can be some days.”

“My Annie too.” Dana Sue took a deep breath. “My girl is so independent, so content in her own little, blissful world, you know? I sometimes worried because I wanted her to be content in her own little world if she’s truly at her best there, not if it is because she’s afraid to expand it. I never said anything to her because I assumed it was something she would deal with in her own time. This last couple of weeks, she’s been hanging out a lot with Lily and Simon, who are almost as sweet and genuine as she is. From what I gather, Ty and her are closer than ever. She still has her own little world, but it’s one she goes back to whenever she needs to recharge, not one she is reluctant to leave in the first place.”

Helen shook her head slightly as she laughed, her drink forgotten on the counter. “Those beautiful kids. I didn’t know they had it in them.”

Maddie widened her eyes, an amused smile threatening to break through her lips. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Helen looked at her wordlessly before turning towards Dana Sue. When Dana Sue only returned her exasperated glance with one of her own, she raised her arms in resignation. “Are you serious? Do you actually mean to tell me it isn’t obvious to you!?”

Dana Sue placed her hands on her hips, frowning at Helen in the manner reserved for the moments Helen pretended she knew more about the other two. Meanwhile, Maddie poured herself another glass of Margarita, her gaze flitting between her friends with interest. “Please, Miss Lawyer, do enlighten us. What aren’t we seeing?”

“Will you two speak lower?” Maddie hissed, her gaze on her blissfully ignorant son before she turned towards her friends, her copper waves gracefully dancing along. “If my son hears we’re gossiping about him, he’ll never talk to me again.”

Dana Sue nodded immediately but Helen scoffed as she reached for the Margarita pitcher. “Oh, please, he’s obviously texting Annie. We’ll be lucky to get more than two coherent words from him, judging by the lovesick expression on his face.”

Dana Sue gaped, stammering as she looked between her friends, her eyes widening the more she processed those words. One of her hands remained on her hip, the other gestured vaguely as she opened and closed her mouth. After a few more moments, she finally shook her head as she pointed at a rather smug Helen. “Annie? Lovesick? Did you just actually use those two words in the same sentence?”

“Did you just actually use the word lovesick when talking about my son?” Maddie turned towards Ty again before looking at Dana Sue with wide eyes even as her lips stretched into a smile, genuine smile. “Ty and Annie?”

“One of the best advantages of being godmother to those lovely kids,” Helen couldn’t help but taunt, her smile growing soft as his gaze too wandered towards the boy sitting on his own. “Is that I’m able to read them in a way none of you can. Nothing to worry about though, it’s my utmost privilege to tell you about every single one of my findings…and to mock you for not noticing yourselves.”

Maddie and Dana Sue looked at each other with pursed lips but before any of them could retaliate, Ty jumped to his feet, dropping his airpods on the couch in the process.

“Shit!”

Maddie turned towards her son instantly. “Tyler Townsend, I taught you better than to speak like that!”

Ty looked at his mom and his Auntie Helen with wide eyes, his neck reddening when his gaze fell on Dana Sue. “I’m sorry mom. Sorry, Aunt Helen…Dana Sue…I just, ah-.”

At that moment, the bell rang, effectively cutting off the poor boy.

And Tyler Townsend actually jumped slightly before rushing towards the door. “I’ll get it!”

Helen couldn’t help but snort as she left her glass on the counter. “He’s going to get the door to my own house?”

“Did I actually say he’s doing better?” Maddie began as she stood, heading towards the front door with interest. “Never mind that. My son is actually rather unhinged.”

Dana Sue laughed as she followed, Helen hot on their heels. They slowly crept onto the corridor, intending only to see who was at the door. After all, Ty’s life was his own and none of them intended to overstep any boundaries.

When they reached the corridor, the first thing they noticed was that Ty’s frame was completely covering whoever was at the door. 

Ty was wearing shorts, a sensible idea considering the summer heat but, for some reason he had decided to wear his nicest shirt for the occasion - navy blue with white stripes. He was resting a hand against the door frame, his wrist sporting a leather bracelet none of the Magnolias had seen before. 

“It’s usually the boy that speaks to the parents, Annie, you shouldn’t be here!”

“And since when am I some princess that cannot speak for herself?”

“Don’t even try, you know it’s not that. Can’t you just allow me to do this? Come on, Annie, I need to make sure I do this right.”

“I appreciate that but we’re a team, Ty. It doesn’t feel right unless the two of us do this together. I want to be here with you. Please let me in?”

Having heard enough, Dana Sue stepped before Maddie and cleared her throat. “Consider the three of us utterly interested. What did you want to tell us?”

Ty jumped in fright, revealing a pleading Annie for the first time. Annie had ditched Sullivan’s uniform in favor of a blue dress with white flowers painted across the hem that reached just below her knees, her hair falling down her back in perfect waves. 

Both teenagers looked at the three women by the other side of the hallway with wide eyes, Ty blushing and Annie losing all of her color entirely almost at the same time. 

“See? Now they heard us,” Ty finally mumbled frantically. “Good job.”

“Shut up,” Annie replied pleasantly, glaring at the boy beside her. When he didn’t continue the banter, Annie sighed before brushing his arm tenderly as he moved into the house. “We…I know it’s Margarita Night but we were hoping we could speak with you.”

Ty cleared his throat, taking a deep breath as he stood straight, almost protectively, behind Annie. “Yes, I - I mean we…we have something to tell you.”

Helen locked eyes with the two teenagers and, after winking subtly at them, she turned back towards the living room. “Why don’t we sit?”

As the group followed her, Helen couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. She’s definitely wearing orange to their wedding.

Chapter Text

As the following week went by, people in town turned out to be surprisingly respectful of their new relationship.

Having reached the conclusion that neither of them wanted to hide themselves from the town, Annie and Ty had decided to act cool. They would act cool, go on dates and people would figure it out as time went by.

After all, their moms knew. Kyle sort of knew as well. The rest, well, neither Ty nor Annie saw it necessary to worry as to how they would break the news to them.

Of course, at first they dreaded what people would say about them. After all, Annie was the golden girl of Serenity, the straight A student, a girl who looked as if birds helped her get dressed every single day. And Ty, whether he liked it or not, was seen as the Prince Charming of Serenity with his easy smile, mesmerizing gaze and manners that would win anyone over. 

More than that, they had been friends since before they even knew how to talk.

And now, after what some would deem too long, they were dating.

Even they could see how it was a story worthy of a good gossip session. 

Alas, a week had passed and nothing had happened.

They were on the verge of panic at first, of course. After all, they were in Serenity, home of rumors. 

Soon enough, though, they decided not to place their energy in whatever anxiety the rest of the world caused them, but rather in themselves and in their own lives.

Which brings us to Sullivan’s, where Erik and Isaac were currently working in amicable silence, taking advantage of the mid morning lull at the restaurant to keep an eye on the Sullivan’ girl as she sniffed over a steaming wok filled with chopped off vegetables. Dana Sue was at the church helping Pastor June and most of the remaining staff didn’t come in until half past eleven, so the three of them were left to their own devices, which they cherished more than they cared to admit.

“Do we even want to know what she’s doing?” Isaac mumbled as he walked past Erik, his hands busy with a tray filled to the brim with spotless clean cutlery. 

“I asked her ten minutes ago,” Erik whispered in return, mouthing dramatically so Isaac would understand him as he walked away. “She only said she was cooking and to leave her alone.”

“She can hear you!”

“Ah, Annie,” Isaac began charmingly as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a brotherly manner, huffing when she slapped his arm away. “Are you sure we cannot do anything to help you?”

“Thank you but I’m more than alright. I just have to be done with the onions, I hate how they make my eyes all teary.” Annie replied distractedly, her gaze on her wok. After a moment, she stepped away from the oven, her gaze flittering towards the ceiling as she blinked the brimming tears away. “Anyways, why were you whispering? You’re aware I was able to hear all of it, right?”

Erik and Isaac stammered as they exchanged a gaze filled with panic. Finally, the first one raised his hands in an appeasing manner. “Of course, Annie. We just didn’t want you to think we were doubting you.”

“What are you making anyways?” Isaac asked, standing on his tiptoes in order to take a peep of the mysterious recipe. When Annie shushed him away with a glare and a gesture of her hands, Isaac retreated back towards his station with a grumpy scowl. “Everyday you’re turning more into your mother, I hope you know that.”

"So I'm stronger?"

"More like terrifying." 

“Thank you,” Annie replied easily. After taking a deep breath, she wiped her face with her apron and turned back towards the oven. Under it, the uniform for Church Camp could be glimpsed. “And I’m making lasagna, not that is any of your concern.”

“Ah, lasagna,” Erik replied, his eyebrows rising as he and Isaac exchanged amused looks. “That is quite…fit for a romantic comedy, right Isaac?”

“Right,” Isaac agreed with an innocent smile. He blinked noncommittally when Annie threw him a dark glare. “Especially for one with one of those boys with…how do I say this Erik? A charming smile? A knack for baseball? One good arm?”

“Will you two stop?” Annie snapped, turning off the oven once she confirmed the filling for the lasagna was done. She turned around to face the older men, her hands on her hips. “In what world is that funny?”

“In many, I’d say.” Isaac couldn’t help but snort, raising his hands in surrender when Erik threw him a warning look.

“Annie,” Erik began once Isaac was done with the taunting, smiling reassuringly at the young woman, even when she wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Seriously. Is there anything you would like to talk about?” 

Annie looked up at Erik, her face reddened from embarrassment as she took a deep breath, placing her hands on her hips in a way reminiscent of her mother. “Ty is my first boyfriend, Erik. And he’s been so amazing and I’m really worried I’m not good enough for him.”

“Oh Annie,” Erik laughed softly, enveloping the young brunette into a warm hug. “You know I do not like to play favorites but that boy certainly has to thank his stars everyday for being with an amazing kid like yourself. I promise you, you are more than enough for him or anyone lucky to have you.”

“Hey, what's the lasagna for?” Isaac asked. He sniffed the smell coming from the wok with interest before nodding approvingly. “It smells really good.”

“Could you try it, please Isaac? I want to make sure the filling is good before I move on.” Annie bit her lower lip before shrugging in a nonchalant manner. “Ty signed up for Church camp, since he isn’t able to join Baseball Camp because of his arm. Today he’s singing songs and playing music with the kids and, since I have to be there after lunch, I thought I would bring over some lasagna.”

“Which is his favorite, I assume?”

Annie rolled her eyes with exasperation at the undiluted glee in Isaac's expression. “Yes Isaac, which is his favorite.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Erik intervened then, gently ushering Annie back towards the oven. He shook his head at Isaac, completely unimpressed with his antics as he tried the filling with gusto, before tightening the apron around Annie’s waist. “We’ll finish this lasagna together and you can tell us all about how it is going with this young man.”

“But you guys need to work, I cannot-,” Annie began, clamping her mouth closed when Isaac raised a hand.

“No buts,” Isaac tutted before placing his hands on her shoulders. “Besides, you know how I found out my biological dad is also Ty’s dad?”

Annie nodded mutely. She hadn't told anyone but Ty had been more distraught by the news than what she'd expected. 

Of course, he was completely shocked by the revelation, as he would have never been able to guess his dad had another kid. And really, his disappointment with his dad could only grow. He understood that his dad didn't even know about Isaac until Isaac himself told him but yet again, there was his dad, altering the lives of everyone he knew and loved. Maybe he needed to pay more attention, or to be smarter about things, or to just think of someone rather than himself. 

Whatever it was his dad had to do to fix things, Ty had told Annie he thought his dad had to do it sooner rather than later and Annie agreed completely. 

And still, Ty welcomed the idea of having another brother. Of course, it would take him a while to process the new order of things, but Ty was even grateful of having an older brother he could talk to about things he couldn't necessarily talk to with Kyle, for instance. As such, if Ty was to see about finding a place for s new brother in his life, he would do so willingly.

“Well, this is usually the moment in which I would be all protective of my younger brother.” Isaac smirked, his gaze growing playfully. “But I met you first and I liked you before I liked him. If he does anything you don’t like, you let me know and I’ll deal with him.”

Annie snorted. “But he is your brother.”

“And you’re like my little sister. You win.”

“Well, now that that’s been said,” Erik interjected, grabbing a knife before rolling his shoulders in order to relieve the tension after remaining standing for so long. “Let’s get on with the cooking, shall we?”

The next few minutes were spent in a peaceful lullaby, Annie listening closely as Erik offered her instructions and tips with that soft, velvety voice of his.

And then, Isaac suddenly stopped chopping the vegetables necessary for the special dish of the day. After a beat, he raised his head, his gaze narrowed. 

“Wait, is Ty the secret jock you were telling me about?”

Annie dropped her head onto his hands with a frustrated groan. “I’m never telling you anything ever again.”

oOo 

Ty would be lying if he said he hadn't been thinking of how to tell his dad about Annie.

Not because it was difficult or embarrassing in any way, but because of the complicated relationship he had with his dad. Because of the many ways his dad had hurt him, his mom and his siblings. Because, if he was being honest, he wasn't sure he wanted to share such wonderful news with someone who had made such dubious decisions when it came to the people he loved.

And still, he loved his dad. Once upon a time, Bill Townsend had been his idol. He wanted him to know about this and to be happy for him, just like his mom was. 

So, yes. Ty could say he was before a conundrum.

As he walked outside, past the groups of kids shouting and laughing gleefully as they played while they waited for the food to be served, Ty could finally admit to himself that it was a problem that was weighing him down. 

After all, it was one of his favorite days, climate-wise. The heat was rather intense, sure, bit there, under the shadow of the old oaks providing them with a refreshing shelter. Above them, the sky was of a deep blue and birds could be heard chirping away as the carried on with their routine. 

He sat down at one of the empty tables, stretching his good arm across the wooden surface. Having nothing to do but wait until Annie could join him, he began flipping his phone in his hand as he closed his eyes wearily.  

"You okay, dude?"

Ty looked up, laughing as Gabe patted him in the back. He left his phone on the table and raised his hand to do the sacred greeting he and his best friend had had since they were ten. "Hey! Thought today was a fulltime day at baseball camp?"

"Coach Maddox let us go early, said something about the heat being too much for the exercises we had planned for today. Thought I would come down here and hang out with you guys instead." 

Ty shook his head, his smile nostalgic. "You guys are so weak." 

"Not all of us have the privilege of spending the full day under the cover of the trees, gawking at our girlfriends."

"I do not gawk."

"Ty, you've been gawking at Annie ever since you stopped believing girls were gross." Gabe scoffed before looking around. "Where is she anyways?"

Ty nodded his head in the direction of the church. "She's inside, helping Dana Sue organize lunch before bringing it out here. I wanted to help but Dana Sue is now the overprotective mother of my girlfriend, so she kind of terrifies me."

"And you call us weak. Unbelievable," Gabe rolled his eyes good-naturedly. When Ty chuckled lightly, his gaze going back towards his phone, he cocked his head inquisitively. "Something on your mind, dude?" 

Ty looked up, startled by the question. When Gabe merely raised his eyebrows, he sighed. "I don't know how to tell my dad."

"About?"

"About me and Annie."

"Ah."

"It's just, he's been making such a mess of things lately." Ty rushed to explain. "Treating my mom and Kyle like crap, even how he dealt with the Noreen' thing, and now Isaac is apparently my brother…he's been messing up everything that's good, and Annie and I...that's the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. I don't want to let him mess that up."

"Maybe don't let him."

Ty scoffed, gazing at Gabe as he continued flipping the phone in his hand. "You've been here through everything, you think I can stop him?" 

"I get what you mean, dude, but everything else was related to your dad. What he did to your mom, how he treated you and Kyle and Katie, the thing with Noreen-." Gabe snorted as he shook his head. "Even this Isaac thing, all of those things happened in association to his relationship with all of you." 

"He's always liked Annie but he was never close with her, like Ronnie was close to us for instance." Ty ran a hand through his hair, his neck reddening as he thought of his dad. "But he always has opinions about everything, you know? And he's always been at his happiest when I do whatever he wants. I don't want him to say even one word about Annie that I'd dislike and I don't want to allow him the chance." 

"Look, I get it Ty and I'll support you whatever you decide." Gabe leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "But you've loved Annie your entire life and you're finally with her. What you have with Annie is hers and yours and no one else's. Leave your anger with your dad away from this. Tell him and if he says anything, then tell him his opinion isn't welcome, that you won't stand for it and that he needs to respect that."

Ty merely stared at his best friend. "I never told you I love her."

Gabe scoffed. "As if you had to. I'm your best friend, remember?" 

"Hey guys!"

"Annie!" Gabe called with a smile as both boys turned towards the Sullivan girl. "What do you have there?" 

Annie stood between both boys, leaving the silver tray on the table before flipping his braid onto her back. She rested her hand on Ty's shoulder before shrugging shyly. "I didn't have to come early today so I decided to make lasagna for lunch."

Ty straightened, resting his hand on hers on top of his shoulder. "You made it?"

Annie shrugged again, a small smile pulling her lips upwards. "Erik and Isaac helped but…yes, I thought I'd do something nice." 

Gabe bit his lip, willing himself to refrain from laughing as Ty looked up at Annie with what could only be described as adoration.

Quickly realizing that he wasn't about to get any other coherent words from either of them, Gabe stood up with a small laugh. "Well, kids, I'm going inside, should probably ask Pastor June where she could need me. Also, I really hope she has no trouble with me not wearing the uniform. Behave, alright?"

"Do you want some Gabe?" Annie asked as she sat by Ty's other side, her hand interlinked with his.

"Save me a piece will you?" Gabe replied, rolling his eyes as Ty and Annie were already completely ignoring him. "Have fun you wild kids." 

As he retreated, he could hear the two of them whispering to each other.

"You guys looked pretty serious. Is everything okay?" 

"Yeah, everything is great. You look beautiful today, have I told you that?" 

Gabe shook his head as he reached the food stations. Had he known his best friend would become so smitten, he would have forced them together sooner. This had to be the most hilarious thing that had happened in a very, very long time.

oOo

That night, Bill Townsend parked before his kids' home at exactly 8 pm, already looking forward to spending time with the three. Homemade pizza was waiting for them back at his place in Castlewood, as well as the kids' favorite desserts.

Ice-cream for Katie.

Chocolate cookies for Kyle.

Chips for Ty.

Remembering those details relieved Bill more than what he cared to admit.

As he got out of his car, patting his short's pockets to make sure he had his car keys, his gaze remained downwards on the floor. After all, he had lived in that house for almost two decades so he knew every detail, every quirkiness as well as he knew the back of his hand. 

It's safe to say that when his oldest kid suddenly greeted him from the stairs leading to the porch, Bill almost tripped over his own feet in fright.

"Ty!" Bill called, a hand against his heart as he took a deep, calming breath. "You scared me half to death! I'm not late, am I?" 

"Don't worry, dad. You're just on time," Ty replied, his gaze serious as he remained sitting on the steps leading to the porch. "I actually wanted to speak to you while Kyle and Katie get ready, if that's okay."

Bill slowed his step, nodding slowly as he furrowed his eyebrows with concern. "Of course, Ty. Is everything alright? Can I…help with anything?" 

Ty shook his head with a slight smile. "Not that kind of talk, dad. I wanted to tell you I'm dating someone…I wanted you to hear it from me before the town starts gossiping."

Bill sat down on the steps as well, making sure there was respectable space between him and his son. "From the look on your face, I thought you had bad news! Why, Ty, this is great. Do I know her?"

"It 's Annie." 

"Ronnie's kid," Bill shook his head as he chuckled lightly. "Well, I can't say this surprises me at all." 

Ty snorted at that. "Yeah, it seems I was the last one to figure it out."

"What matters is that you did, no matter how much time it took you," Bill reassured him, his smile widening when Ty rubbed the back of his neck nervously. After a moment, he glanced towards the closed front door before turning back towards his oldest. "You seemed upset before telling me this. Was this it or did you have anything else you wanted to share?"

Ty rested his arms on his bent knees. "I realize a lot has happened between us, dad. I won't lie, I'm so angry at you for so many reasons so sometimes, it's hard to separate what happened from the rest. I was worried you would say something against me and Annie being together…so thank you for being cool with this."

Bill sat in utter silence as he processed his son's words. His first instinct was to demand respect from his son. His next instinct was to express his disbelief at Ty's concern.

But what his heart told him, deep deep down, was that Ty's fears weren't unfounded. Maybe Ty had no actual reason to believe he would be against his new relationship but Bill had still dropped the ball so many times. Ty, and Kyle and Katie, had stopped trusting in him.

Maybe for the first time, Bill could put himself in his son's shoes. Why would he feel about telling his dad about his relationship, that dad being someone who had ruined their family, someone who had such a hard time expressing any sort of vulnerability, someone who had had such erratic behavior in the past?

More than that, Bill could only feel grateful for Ty's words. As hard as it was,Ty had sat there and told him about his feelings, giving him the opportunity to prove him right or to give him evidence that he could be different.

Bill had been asking for another chance. This was it. 

"I understand you and I have many things to talk about and work through," Bill finally replied, his eyes heavy with the weight of the pain he'd caused his family. "I am more than ready to wait until you and your siblings are ready for it. It's the least I can do, after all."

Ty sniffed, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt as he looked away in embarrassment. "Thanks, dad."

"Son, I know I'm probably the last person you'd want to take advice from," Bill continued with hesitation, looking down so he didn't have to deal with the sight of his boy crying and him being unable to comfort him. "But Annie has loved you without restraint for many years now. Don't ever let a love like that go. If there's something you can learn from me is that there is a better way. Discuss everything with her and allow your relationship to grow from it as the two of you grow as well."

Ty nodded as he turned to look at his dad. In his eyes was no accusation, anger or grief. There was only the truth. "You should have done that too."

Bill took a sharp intake of breath, his heart hammering in his chest at the blunt words. He couldn't stop now, though. Not when he had gotten so far. "I should have. Not a day will pass in which I won't regret what I did instead."

"Daddy!" 

"Katiedid!" Bill exclaimed, catching the ray of sunshine that was her youngest daughter as she leapt towards him enthusiastically. "How are you ladybug?" 

"We're eating pizza tonight, right?" Katie asked in return, throwing Bill the same challenging gaze her mother used to give him a long time ago.

"We sure are!" Bill replied cheerfully before turning towards Kyle, who was limping towards the stairs with the aid of his crutches. "Hey Kyle, do you need help with those?" 

"I got it" Ty interjected, his arms shooting forward to help his brother as he hesitantly walked down the steps. "Are we eating out?"

"I actually cooked…hopefully it's half as good as the one your mother makes," Bill chuckled as he walked around his car, unlocking the doors as he did. "Ty, you should bring Annie sometime." 

It was Ty's turn to barely avoid falling on his face. "What?"

"Castlewood is a fine city, certainly with more activity than Serenity." Bill shrugged as he watched how Kyle carefully stepped into the passenger seat, sitting with his back against the car door so he could rest his injured leg on Katie's lap, his crutches carefully placed on the floor. "Two young people such as yourselves should be able to find plenty of activities to do while there. And, of course, she's welcome at home anytime."

Katie frowned as she looked between her father and her brother. "Why would Annie come with us?" 

"Because she's Ty's girlfriend," Kyle interjected mockingly. He smiled beatifically when Ty turned to glare at him from the driver's seat. "So now they have to be together all the time."

Katie wrinkled her nose. "But I thought boys have cooties."

Kyle sighed dramatically. "I don't think Annie minds, Katie."

"Want to continue that?" Ty snapped, moving to unbuckle his seatbelt and groaning when Bill chastised him with a look. "Because I'll fight you right now!" 

And as the kids continued to bicker, Bill couldn't help but smile. There was a long journey ahead if he was to regain the trust his children once had on him but this certainly seemed like a step in the right direction.

Chapter Text

Something CeCe learned very early on is that impressions make all the difference. 

Her mom and dad were the perfect example of that. Her mom had to constantly travel for work, and so the distance from her family and the general exhaustion of the neverending travelling put a toll on her. Alas, she was passionate about her job and had a lot of ambition where her career was concerned. As such, she was one of the best flight attendants in the field. 

If CeCe had learned early on that impressions made all the difference, then her dad had learned that if he was rough towards the outside world, then the outside world wouldn't be as hard towards his family. 

His dad had perhaps a more exhausted mindset, clearly consequence of how hard had life been towards him. CeCe had secretly always compared his dad to a wolf. Threatening, yes, but not to his kin. To his family, he was a hard-working man, a kind husband and a loving dad. He was someone who aimed to give his kids all of the opportunities he couldn't have for himself.

If anyone asked her who her hero was - and if she trusted that person - she would have to answer her dad was her hero. He had given her everything, after all. 

Miss Helen was also high in that list. She was grateful for the inspiring woman not only because of the encouragement she granted her as she decided to pursue a career in law, but also because she had allowed her to be open with her dad and in return, her dad had accepted that his oldest was ready to conquer the world without him protecting her every step of the way.

It was a month before the beginning of her senior year when CeCe decided to talk to her parents about giving her an afternoon free of baby-sitting once a week so she could look up possible colleges, organize herself in regards to scholarships, and so on.

And so, every Wednesday' afternoon, his siblings stayed at their neighbor's for a few hours and CeCe made her way to the new quaint, edgy coffee shop by the tourist side of Serenity. 

Sometimes, CeCe had to wonder whether she lived in some type of fairytale land. Everything just seemed so perfect in Serenity.

Take for instance that afternoon. CeCe was sitting by a table right next to the large window that encompassed the entire wall, her laptop slightly turned towards the shop in order to avoid having the sunlight cast directly on it. 

That day wasn't nearly the hottest of the summer but it was still rather warm. There was not a cloud in the sky, which was slowly leaving giving up its intense blue hue in favour of a pinkish shade that added to the perfect feeling of that small town. 

Even that quaint coffee shop carried on a feeling of fairytale. Ten or so tables were placed along the quaint establishment, all of them made of wood but painted with different designs. Behind the wooden counter, a large blackboard had the menu written out. By the wall across from CeCe, large bookcases stood, all of them filled with vinyl records. The wall behind her was filled with paintings by local artists. Beyond the counter, a small hallway gave way for the bathrooms. Heather, by Conan Gray, was blasting through the speakers. 

CeCe was in the midst of browsing through Harvard's website - because a girl could dream, alright? - when the bell on top of the front door chimed, signaling the entrance of another costumer.

CeCe paid it no mind but then, she heard the order.

"A caramel macchiato and an iced oatmilk latte with caramel and lavander."

And that made CeCe look up.

If she had to be honest, CeCe Matney didn't hate Annie Sullivan because of Ty. In truth, CeCe didn't hate Annie at all.

It all went back as to the way people're raised, about the hardships that made an impact on how she, or Annie, or anyone else's raised.

That's not to say that CeCe would ever change her life. She would go through everything she had gone through all over again, even knowing everything she knew right in that moment. She loved her parents. She adored her little sisters; she'd do anything for them. More than that, she's grateful for everything she'd had endured, because it meant she'd survived it all. It meant she would be able to survive anything her adult life brought her way.

And yet, girls like Annie Sullivan existed. Girls that were so nice, even as shit just kept happening.

CeCe had first noticed Annie when the whole drama with her parents erupted. Since they lived in Serenity, it didn't take too long before everybody knew. 

She remembered Annie looked sad and quiet during that time their peers gossiped not so subtly about her. She now understood, from what Ty told her, that Annie wasn't as shy and quiet around the people she knew and loved. And so, she was sad and quiet around her gossiping peers because she couldn't trust them, because she didn't want to gather the energy necessary to fight what they were all putting her through. 

Maybe, at that moment, Annie didn't have that energy.

CeCe couldn't understand that. If her parents had screwed up things that utterly, if they had altered her life so irrevocably, if things had been so out of her control, CeCe would have never stayed silent. She would have burnt down the world.

And still, Annie had survived. She had remained her kind, sweet self and time had proven that she could make it so far without changing any of her core values. And so, in her way, she had fought after all.

CeCe had felt competitive towards Annie for sometime now. She was almost grateful people believed it was because of Ty because the real reason, the real difference between the two of them, was something deeper, heavier and too much for CeCe to care to comprehend when she had so much going on.

When Annie finally turned around, holding both plastic cups carefully, she automatically scanned the shop for the best table. After many convincing - in the form of kissing, of course - Ty had finally agreed on teaching Annie how to drive. 

Both of them knew the truth, though. Ty didn't need any convincing at all. He just didn't want the kissing part to end. Annie didn't want that either, of course.

And so, Annie had made it a little bit earlier to the coffeeshop, which was probably one of their favourite hangout places, in hopes of getting their coffees before Ty arrived.

As Ty's love language was acts of service, he was dead set on paying for everything they did on their dates. Annie, being a strong-willed woman and daughter of another strong-willed woman, was dead set on having an equal relationship with her boyfriend. That involved the economic side of their relationship.

Who ever said love was easy? 

The shop around her was relatively empty. Since it wasn't overpowering hot outside, the recurrent customers had probably chosen to engage in outdoor activities or to walk down the road to the ice-cream shop, instead of drinking hot coffee. That left most tables by the window free, which also happened to be Annie's favourite spot.

And then, Annie Sullivan noticed CeCe Matney staring right at her in her trademark outfit - which consisted on a Jean jumpsuit above a white t-shirt and sneakers - and for once not in the suits she'd been wearing as of late when working for her Auntie Helen.

For a long moment, both young women frowned at each other, almost in confusion at finding themselves in that spot.

"Your coffee order," CeCe finally began, not quite smiling but not really wearing her usual scowl. "How did you even come up with that?" 

"Years and years of experience," Annie replied after a moment, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. She nodded in the direction of the laptop. "Already preparing for senior year?" 

"Not quite. Doing the mock trial with Miss Helen was so interesting that it made me want to study law," CeCe shrugged in a nonchalant manner before gesturing with her hand towards the vacant seat at her table. "Wanna sit?"

"Are you sure?"

"I don't bite, Sullivan. Not often, anyways."

"Thanks," Annie replied as she sat, carefully placing her cups on the table but at a respectable distance from CeCe's laptop. Her bag was dropped daintily on the floor immediately after. "What colleges are you looking for?" 

"Mostly those near Serenity. It doesn't feel right to leave my family behind."

"You're not leaving them, though." Annie cocked her head thoughtfully. "You're choosing to look out for your future. It's not the same thing."

"How does your mom feel about you going to college?" CeCe asked in return. She closed her laptop before reaching for her latte. "How much input does she have in your choice?"

Annie straightened, her jaw clenching. After glancing in the direction of the door, she reached for her cup of coffee. "She wants me to choose a college close to home. I guess that if it comes to be a money-wise decision, then I will. Otherwise…I've always wanted to leave Serenity, explore the world, see who am I away from everything I've always known." 

CeCe nodded impressively. "Never thought you'd want to leave."

"Being close to my mom doesn't mean I don't want to leave her." Annie shrugged. Her gaze, however, was challenging, as if she understood what was going through CeCe's mind. "I felt guilty for a long time, of course. The way my mom and I butt heads about this, it seemed almost as if I was rejecting the town and the people my mom loves completely."

"I get that," CeCe leant back against her seat in surprise. "It's like that for me too. In my case it's more about the responsibilities I have with my family…but yeah, I really get what you mean."

"It took me a long time to understand my decision isn't about them. I get to decide where I want to go considering what I can actually afford, what do I want to do and where do I want to go." Annie bit her lip nervously, even as her eyes shone with excitement. "I understand we all have different pressures. You and I are an example of that. But, in any case, you and I care about our family so much. If they care about us just as much and in the right way, then they will understand this is about us and only us." 

CeCe took a deep breath, her heart constricting as she thought about not seeing her younger siblings regularly. "And we have a lot of time to make a decision, right?" 

Annie smiled. "Thank god we do. I would be panicking if we had to make a decision right now."

At that moment, Ty entered the coffeeshop, his lips already stretched into a eager smile as he twirled his car keys in his good hand. As he looked up and noticed the two girls, however, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hey," Ty finally greeted Annie, leaning down to kiss her temple. He then straightened and nodded at CeCe. "CeCe." 

"Townsend," CeCe nodded in return. "How's the arm?" 

"Almost back to new," Ty replied before looking at Annie. "I was actually late because my doctor called me. Apparently I can go to his office next week. They're going to take off the cast and set me up for PT." 

"Ty, that's amazing!" Annie leapt to her feet, throwing her arms around his neck. "When's the appointment? I can go with you, if you want?"

"I do," Ty replied instantly, bending down to grab her bag from the floor. "Ready to go?" 

"Ready to go," Annie nodded before turning towards CeCe. "Let me know if you need help with anything. I'm taking some AP classes this year so maybe we'll be classmates."

"Nerd," CeCe replied but not as harshly as she would have done a few months ago. Annie smiled in return. "I will. Now go, enjoy the afternoon."

"Bye CeCe," Annie waved before retreating, Ty hot on her heels.

CeCe watched them as they exited the coffeeshop and faced the warm afternoon. Ty rolled his eyes good-naturedly when Annie offered him his cup of coffee, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in the same motion. Annie laughed before wrapping an arm around his waist, leaning her head against her shoulder in the process.

With Ty wearing s pair of shorts and one of his nicest t-shirts and Annie clad in a red mini dress, sandals and Ty's jean jacket tied around her waist, CeCe could see how they were Serenity's current it-couple. Those smitten idiots almost seemed as if they had stepped out directly from a magazine.

CeCe took a deep breath. As she exhaled, it felt as if it was a cleansing motion, almost as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. 

Ty had never been the issue. 

Annie had been. 

The differences between them had been the issue. 

Now that CeCe felt she knew Annie better, CeCe had to admit it was way more useful having her as an ally than as an enemy.

After all, Annie was also strong. She was also someone who was ready to fight for her life. Annie, even, was someone she could trust because they were the same in their core.

Strong.

Brave.

Intelligent.

And, in a world where men are given everything in a gold platter, having women be competitive with another only paved the way for men to acquire even more power.

As Ty's car pulled off the driveway, what seemed to be Taylor Swift streaming through his speakers, CeCe shook her head before unlocking her phone, swiftly going to her Instagram and looking up Annie's profile.

After sending her a follow request, CeCe opened her laptop again, clicking to the scholarships' tag on Harvard's website right away.

It couldn't hurt to dream, right?

Chapter Text

Ms. Frances passed away in late August.

Known by some, loved by most, respected by all, Ms. Frances was a founding stone in the pillar that were the core values of Serenity.

Ms. Frances had always aimed for her life to be her own legacy, for it to speak for itself. And she truly had accomplished it. With her passing, all of them mourned one of the kindest souls in that small town but most of all, they all cherished the honor of having met her in the first place. 

Ms. Frances lived a life without regrets. Not without any mistakes, of course, but filled with the peace that came with knowing she’d done anything in her power to be the best possible version of herself. Her life had been filled with love, grief, puncturing sadness and golden, overpowering joy.

It’d been a life well lived. 

And Serenity made sure her life was honored in a way that would respect her memory. Ms. Frances had been a kind, gentle, loving woman. She had also been a strong woman, a spirited one, and someone who never hesitated before voicing her opinion loud enough for everyone to hear. 

Everyone’s personal drama was put on hold. The call for a re-election was paused. Even the Lewis’ family decided to keep a low profile for the next couple of days, so as to not divert any attention away from the beautiful soul they had lost, but that they would always remember.

And, with the Magnolias in the lead, the town prepared itself for a celebration worthy of the honoree. A party to cherish Ms. Frances, to honor her, and to bid her goodbye. 

When Annie arrived with her parents, the party was already in full swing. Everybody had made sure to wear their most colorful, over-the-top outfits, and so the front yard of her mom’s spa seemed as if it had experienced an explosion of intense, joyful color. The day was once of the warmest yet in that summer, with its clear sky and reigning sun, but the gentle wind dancing through the guests made it possible for them to stay outside without suffering the overpowering heat. 

“What a magnificent turnout,” Dana Sue breathed as she stepped onto the lawn, her smile wide as she studied the crowd. 

“One fit for a magnificent woman such as Ms.Frances,” Ronnie added, wrapping his arm around Dana Sue’s shoulder. 

Annie studied them for a moment, almost in disbelief of her parents finally having managed to figure things out. 

Dana Sue was wearing a lilac jumpsuit with spaghetti crossed back straps and an accentuated waist. She had her favorite brown purse with her and black heels complemented the look. Ronnie was wearing a pair of pants with one of his nicest shirts. His favorite suspenders and his trademark hat completed the look.

As Dana Sue wrapped her arm around Ronnie’s waist, closing her eyes blissfully when Ronnie kissed the top of her head, Annie refrained herself from pinching her arm. What she’d hoped for for so long was happening right before her eyes. Sometimes, it was difficult to trust that it was, and that it would last, no matter how hard it was for her to admit that.

Annie knew why she didn’t trust her parents. But also, she knew that they were trying really hard to make things right with them, and with her. And so, if she couldn’t trust her parents just yet, then she had to trust that they were trying and that the last thing they wanted to do was to hurt her.

“I wish I had known her better,” Annie finally interjected, feeling more emotional the more she took in the display of love across that lawn. Perhaps, Ms. Frances hadn’t been the most active figure in her life, but the amount of people that were gathered in that lawn, all of them ready to celebrate her and to show their love for her, was very moving.

Frances had lived her life without regrets, without fearing pain. Annie intended to live exactly like that.

Dana Sue cocked her head before throwing a look at her husband. Immediately, Ronnie nodded before hurrying off, muttering something about taking a look around to make sure everything was in order.

“Is everything okay, sweetheart?” Dana Sue asked softly, interlocking her arm with Annie’s as they headed towards the party.

Annie nodded instantly before rolling her eyes when Dana Sue threw her an unimpressed look. “Yes, mom. I just…so much has happened this last couple of months. So much has changed in my life. It will take me a minute to process it all, that’s all.”

Dana Sue tightened her hold in her daughter’s arm. “Are you talking about me and your dad? Or is this about Ty?”

Annie shook her head, taking a deep breath as she felt her thoughts beginning to pile on top of each other, feeling her mind in a chaotic, overwhelming manner. “Neither. Both? Not in a bad way though, it’s just-.”

“That boy didn’t do anything to you right?” Dana Sue stepped in front of her daughter, effectively ending their stroll a few feet from the rest of the party. “Because you know that I love Tyler Townsend with all my heart but that won’t stop me from having a serious conversation with him if he thinks he can hurt my little girl.”

“Mom!” Annie exclaimed, laughing despite herself as Dana Sue scoured the lawn for Ty with a murderous gaze. “He’s done nothing wrong. He’s…have you ever dreamed of anything in particular only to find out the reality is much, much better?”

Dana Sue’s gaze softened. She brushed Annie’s hair away from her face before smiling the sweet smile she reserved for her kid. “Yes. I do know what that feels like.”

“I keep waiting for something to happen that will snap me out of this dream but it just keeps getting better.” Annie bit her bottom lip unconsciously. “Like, you know how he’s been teaching me how to drive? He picks me up every day with coffee, and he's so patient and careful with me. And I…”

“You what?” Dana Sue asked gently, already preparing her numerous arguments should she say she didn’t feel deserving.

“And I keep thinking of what we talked about the other day. About the love we deserve and how we recognize it.” Annie continued, taking a deep breath as she felt her stomach filled with butterflies. “I look at you and dad and I want to have that. I want a love like that. And Ty…I really think he’s that love. I just really hope he…and all of this… stays.”

“My love,” Dana Sue replied, clearing her throat as she placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry for the pain we caused you, your dad and I. We promise we will do everything in our power to fight every day for our family. And I know I’m not the easiest person to talk to, but I promise you can ask me anything, and that we will never leave you out of any decisions that affect our family, ever again.”

Annie wrinkled her nose as she felt tears gathering in her eyes. “I’m sorry if this is weird to talk about, mom.”

“Oh no,” Dana Sue shook her head as she brushed her hands through Annie’s hair so that it fell down her shoulders. “I just marvel. My baby has suddenly become a wonderful, beautiful young woman who I’m so proud of. You really are my greatest gift, Annabelle.”

Annie wiped her eyes before hugging Dana Sue tightly. “Thanks mom.”

“But if that boy tries anything you don’t like, you let me know right away.”

“Mom!”

“Should I come back later?”

“Ty!” Dana Sue exclaimed, whirling around to smile at the young man. “You clean up really well. How 's the arm now that the cast’s off?”

“Thanks, Dana Sue. It’s on the mend, thankfully.” Ty stretched his arm before smiling at Annie. “I would have probably dealt with it in a much poorer way if it wasn’t for Annie, of course. Hi.”

“Oh please, all I did was get you coffee and talk so you didn’t get bored. You didn’t need me there.” Annie scoffed, smiling sweetly when Ty merely looked at her. “Hi.”

“I did need you there,” Ty retaliated softly, smirking when Annie blushed from the root of her hair down to her neck.

Looking between them, Dana Sue almost snorted. If this was how Ty was with her daughter in public, then she didn’t need to worry. That boy loved her passionately. 

“I’m going to find Maddie, see how’s everything going.” Dana Sue squeezed Annie’s arm affectionately before nodding at Ty. “I understand Annie is invited to have dinner with y’all?”

Ty nodded. “If that’s alright with you, of course.”

Dana Sue smiled at that. “You are a good boy, Ty, so I know I do not need to warn you to stay out of trouble, right?”

“Of course,” Ty straightened immediately, his eyes wide. “I’ll have her home by ten.”

Dana Sue pursed her lips before shrugging. “Eleven. After all, today is a special day.”

And with that, she retreated towards the party, leaving two stunned teenagers behind. 

But, as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Dana Sue turned around, finding her daughter almost immediately.

When Annie laughed, throwing her head back at something Ty had said, their hands linked as they made their way through the party, Dana Sue smiled.

Annie didn’t need to be worried. 

Many people would agree that for Annie, Ty had always been the sun.

Dana Sue would argue that in Ty’s eyes, Annie had hung the moon.

And it was in that moment, that precise image, that finally made Dana Sue approve of Ty.

Not because she knew him since he was an infant but because he was the one that would love her beautiful daughter in the passionate way she deserved.

oOo

 “So, how long has that been going on?” Trotter asked.

Cal stood beside him on the deck of the spa, nodding with understanding when his gaze fell on Ty and Annie down by the lawn. “You know how long it’s been. The town was buzzing with the news when they first started dating.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’ve never seen them in action.” Trotter frowned as Annie led Ty by the hand towards the corner Lily, CeCe and Gabe were standing. “I’ve seen them a few times when Annie came to visit Ty while he’s helping around the spa but they knew to behave in front of customers. I never expected them to be so…cute.”

Cal snorted at the expression in his best friend’s face. “Are you worried about them or something?”

“Oh please,” Trotter scoffed, throwing Cal a disbelieving glance. “As if I had to be worried. What I can’t believe is that I didn’t call this sooner. The two seem to be meant to be.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Cal crossed his arms, leaning against the railing. “And I’ve seen the happy Ty when he’s dating CeCe but that Ty doesn’t even begin to compare with this one.”

“And you know him more than I do,” Trotter shook his head mockingly. “You really have no excuse.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“What are we watching?” Helen asked as she suddenly stood by the pair, the orange skirts of her maxi dress flowing gently with every step she took. As she took notice of the couple talking with their friends, she smiled lovingly. “Ah. The couple of the moment.”

“I was saying I’m surprised by how good of a match they are,” Trotter explained. “They are really good friends, sure, but they are so different.”

“But the three of you weren’t surprised, right?” Cal asked, cocking his head when Helen smiled secretively. “When Ty and Annie talked to you girls, I mean.”

“Oh, I believe there was some surprise involved,” Helen admitted, chuckling to herself as she rested her forearms on the railing. “Maddie and Dana Sue were certainly surprised. The…maturity the two of them showed that night, especially with how nervous they clearly were…it is a rare blessing when you get to see someone you love grow up before your eyes. When Annie and Ty stood before us that night, they were young adults, not the babies we wanted to hold onto.”

“And you?”

Helen’s smile widened. “When Maddie rushed to the hospital to deliver Kyle into this world, Dana Sue went with her and I stayed home with Ty and Annie. Ty was almost three, and Annie was two months away from turning two so she was sleeping in a much more frequent manner than Ty at that time. And yet, Ty refused to continue playing when she fell asleep, choosing instead to go to sleep too. At that moment, I knew that if they had to choose, they would choose to stay with one another.”

“So you’ve been expecting this.” Cal stated.

“I don’t know if I expected it. I just know that I love those two completely and that I’m so glad they get to be happy together.” Helen laughed after a moment. “You should have seen them when they talked to us. Ty began to sweat the minute Dana Sue threw a withering stare in his way. And Annie, my beautiful goddaughter was beet red the entire time they were sitting with us. And yet, they never, not for one second, let go of each other’s hand. They had my blessing instantly, since the moment they decided to confront a conversation with the three of us together, as the team they were always meant to be.”

The trio fell into silence as they stared at the couple, who by then had been left to their own devices by their friends, not that they minded. 

And suddenly, Trotter smirked. “Is it too early to start thinking of their wedding?”

“Dude!”

“Trotter!”

“I’m sorry but you can’t blame me!” Trotter raised his hands defensively. “Not when I just heard the cutest story ever! Like seriously, I’m fully invested in this relationship and I’m a full grown adult!”

“He’s way out of line,” Cal intervened, shrugging when Helen turned towards him. “But he kind of has a point. They are very cute. And I know Maddie’s also thought about it, not that she’ll admit it to me.”

“Come, you two.” Helen interlocked her arms with Trotter’s and Cal’s, chuckling despite herself. “Let’s stop gawking at the kids and I’ll tell you whatever story you want to hear. Just promise me you won’t bother the kids with this gossip.”

“Do I have your permission to secretly think about what I’ll wear?” Trotter asked with an innocent smile. “For the wedding, of course.”

Helen sighed frustratedly for a moment, before looking away. “Yes…only because I’m wearing orange. So try not to clash with me.”

“You’re the worst of us, Helen!”

oOo

“Did you expect people to still be talking about us?” Ty asked as he parked his car in his house’s driveway.

“I thought it classified as old news. It’s been almost two months, after all.” Annie shrugged, her body turned towards Ty. “But this is Serenity, so people tend to hold onto any piece of gossip for as long as they can. Maybe we should have expected this.”

“I almost regret not canceling dinner tonight. I swear, everytime I catch my mother looking at us, she has this weird twinkle in her eye.” Ty rested his back against his seat, turning his head so he was looking at Annie. “I apologize in advance for whatever she might say in there.”

Annie laughed. “At least she’s still nice with me. Unlike my mom.”

“Your mom is nice,” Ty defended instantly, rolling his eyes when Annie scoffed. “Okay, fine. She’s very intimidating but that’s because she’s protective of you.”

“As if she needs to protect me when I’m with you.” Annie interlinked her hand with his almost unconsciously, a big development from the start of their relationship, when both of them blushed whenever they held hands. “Looking at it logically, she’s known you your entire life. She’s loved you your entire life.”

“But it’s different,” Ty shrugged when Annie glared at him. “Of course it’s frustrating but we were just friends before. Now I’m your boyfriend. It 's different. Dana Sue just doesn’t understand that I’ll protect you now as much as I did before.”

“I don’t need you to protect me.” Annie immediately announced, looking down shyly after a second. “But I welcome it nonetheless.”

“I know,” Ty declared. He brushed her hair away from her face in a gentle caress. “Hey, you look very beautiful today.”

Annie looked down at her yellow dress and brown sandals before covering her face with her hands. “Stop.”

Ty straightened, a playful smile on his lips. “Stop what?”

“That, the compliments.” Annie uncovered her face slightly so only her eyes were visible. “Your mother is going to take one look at my red face and assume something I do not care about putting into words.”

“You are really cute,” Ty informed her in a nonchalant manner, laughing when Annie groaned and sank into her seat. Finally deciding to give her some respite, Ty looked in the direction of his house, frowning when his gaze fell on the deck. “Kyle?”

“Kyle?” Annie repeated as she took her hands off her face. She also looked towards the direction of the deck, frowning when Kyle began to stand up. “Is he waiting for us?”

Ty nodded slowly. “I think he might be ready to talk to you.”

Annie looked at Ty in surprise before looking at Kyle. “I don’t know if I am.”

Ty turned towards Annie. “Do you want me to talk to him? Tell him to wait?”

Annie remained frozen on her seat, her gaze fixed on her best friend. Because, even after everything that went down between them, he remained her best friend.

That fact alone made the decision for her. “I’ll talk to him. I just…he said some things the last time I talked to him and I don’t want a repeat of that.”

Ty shook his head immediately. “No, I don’t think it’s like that. I think he’s missed you a lot. I went through that same thing so it’s easy for me to empathize.”

Annie clenched his hand affectionately. “Save me a seat around the table?”

“Always.” Ty kissed her hand before opening the car door. “Shall we?”

“Hey guys,” Kyle called as Ty and Annie finally exited the car. He limped his way towards the stairs. “Hope you didn’t mind me waiting for you.”

“Hey nerd,” Ty greeted him first, ruffling his hair before helping him sit on the top step of the stairs, his injured leg stretched before him. He then kissed Annie’s cheek before heading towards the door. “I’ll be inside. Don’t strain that leg.”

“Hey Kyle,” Annie began once the two of them were left alone on the deck. Her face remained expressionless but she was wringing her hands nervously. “How’s the leg?”

“Better with each day,” Kyle replied easily, his gaze on his leg as Annie sat beside him. “I almost don’t want it to get better. It’s an excellent reminder of everything I’ve done.”

“Don’t say that,” Annie immediately ordered. “No one blames you for what happened.”

Kyle played with the bottom of his t-shirt, his eyes downcast. “But I still ruined everything. I treated mom horribly, I was an idiot to Ty and with you…I was an asshole to you.”

Annie shrugged. “You were going through a lot, Kyle.”

Kyle looked up then, his gaze pleading. “That isn’t an excuse.”

Despite herself, Annie laughed at that. “Ty said something very similar when he came over to my house that night I said I was sick. Do you Townsend boys rehearse your apologies together?” 

“We both missed you a lot,” Kyle admitted, his eyes wide when Annie finally looked at him. “I guess that has something to do with it.”

Annie sighed. “I never wanted to leave you. I wanted to help, in any way I could. You were the one who didn’t let me!”

“I know,” Kyle bit his lower lip sorrowfully. “I was just so humiliated, I was so afraid of how things would inevitably change after what… what happened.”

“I never meant to hurt you,” Annie rushed to interject. She turned her body towards his. “I never expected you to feel…anything other than friendship towards me. I really didn’t see that coming and Kyle, I love you but-.”

“Oh, I know, you love me like a brother.” Kyle scoffed despite himself. “Don’t worry, I moved on. Besides, I think it’s very clear who you are meant to be with.”

“You’re an idiot,” Annie replied pleasantly, laughing when Kyle snorted. “Has anyone called you an idiot while I was gone?”

“You know I reserve that privilege for you and you alone,” Kyle smirked, sobering after a moment. He studied Annie as he mentally prepared himself to continue. “You’re my best friend, after all.”

Annie studied Kyle for a long moment, putting him through a test only she knew the basics of. Kyle remained frozen, his eyes wide, his features pleading for her to believe him.

“I’m going to tell you what I told Ty,” Annie finally said, her voice soft. “Watching the two of you get hurt was torture. Watching you struggle and not being able to help because you wanted me far, that was hell on Earth.”

“I know,” Kyle whispered. “I’m so sorry, Annie. I never wanted to hurt and everything I said, I didn’t mean it. Please believe me.”

Annie nodded seriously. “I need you to promise me you will never treat me like that again. If you’re angry with me or if you’re tired or if you want me to go away, then you talk to me. I need you to respect this because I refuse to go through that pain again.”

Kyle nodded solemnly, his heart fluttering with hope for the first time in a while. “I swear.”

Annie nodded silently for a few more moments. And then, she stood, offering him her hand. “Shall we go inside then, best friend?”

Kyle stood up slowly and clumsily, dragging Annie into a tight hug as soon as he could stand upright. “I missed you so much.”

Annie hugged him back, tightening her hold around him and closing her eyes after a moment. “I missed you too. I felt as if a part of me was missing, Kyle. We can never go through this again.”

Kyle shook his head, shedding two tears of relief as the weight on his shoulders finally seemed to get manageable. “We’ll never go through this again.”

When they sat on those stairs, they’d been strangers, people who once upon knew each other better than everyone else.

When they left those stairs, they did so as best friends, as the family they were always to each other.

oOo 

"Can I ask you something?" 

Ty distractedly reached and brushed a hand across Annie's cheekbone, smiling contentedly when she blushed. He then placed her legs across his lap with a gentle pat. "Shoot."

After dinner, the two of them silently wandered towards the deck, looking forward to spending some time alone before Ty would have to drive Annie home. The dark sky was completely covered with stars for the first time in a while, as if they had also come to show their respects for Ms.Frances. It was a typical warm summer night and yet, the wind had picked up a little bit since the sun had set, so Ty and Annie felt completely comfortable as they sat side by side on the little couch. 

 "When you stopped by the other day… Was it just because you thought I was sick?"

Ty shrugged. "Isn't that enough?"

Annie nodded immediately. "Of course it is. I loved that night but…I guess I'm just wondering because I didn't expect how clear things were to you. I was used to things being clear to me because I had a long time to figure out my feelings for you, but I wasn't expecting you to figure things out too."

Ty nodded slowly, resting his head against the couch, his right hand caressing Annie's ankle. His gaze remained downwards even as he started talking. "Well, at first I didn't want to think about how much I missed you. The accident was still so fresh and all of a sudden, I had to deal with my arm…but then the shock wore off and everything kind of settled down and it became so clear how important you are to me, because of this huge gap in my life where you once were." 

"I didn't want to make that gap," Annie softly interjected. She inched closer towards Ty so her legs were still dangling across his lap but she could also hold his hand. "I never meant to leave. I wanted to respect you and this space between us but I should have fought harder. I'm so sorry." 

"Don't you dare," Ty kissed her forehead before staring into her eyes, willing her to believe him. "You did absolutely nothing wrong. I put that space there and I think… I think I always had very strong feelings towards you but all of a sudden, they were becoming too big for me to ignore. I was so afraid I would lose you so I wanted to protect myself…and I ended up losing you anyways."

Annie shook her head, brushing Ty's hair out of his forehead as her voice dropped to a whisper. "You could never, ever lose me. Please believe that." 

Ty took a deep breath, relieving himself from the sudden ache in his heart, from the pang in his throat that stopped him from speaking normally. 

Everything was developing just like he had dreamed of and in a much better way than what he could have ever hoped for. Sometimes, it was so hard to believe that they were real, that they were ready and happy to build something… a life together. And so, whenever Ty got this overwhelming feeling in his chest, this fluttering sensation that made him feel as if he was soaring, he had to remind himself that he could trust that and them. 

Nothing had ever felt as real as what he had with Annie. That was overwhelmingly terrifying.

And still, he knew he could trust.

They weren't going anywhere. 

They had all the time in the world to explore what they had. 

If he wanted to love her the way she deserved, the only one who could stop him was himself. 

"I told you that I wanted to feel close to you, right?" Ty continued, nodding slightly when Annie merely looked at him with those bright eyes of hers. "So, that's when Taylor Swift came in. I would listen to her songs late at night, whenever I couldn’t sleep. When that wasn’t enough, I would find myself hanging onto every tale Katie told us at dinner of what you guys did in your playdates. And then, I began scrolling through your Instagram."

"Which is when you liked the photo you took of me when we were kids." Annie grabbed onto both his hands, flustering when Ty wrapped an arm around her waist, therefore keeping her close.

"I remember we were joking around, waiting for our parents to say goodbye to the other adults so we could go to Dana Sue’s and have lunch. And you did let me use your camera but you were so terrified I would drop it or mess with it somehow," Ty chuckled, watching as Annie played with his hands. "I remembered almost pretending to drop it just to mess with you but it was your day and you didn't deserve anyone or anything ruining it."

"Thanks for that, I guess." Annie quipped dryly.

Ty laughed loudly at that. "Relax, the camera was alright at the end of the day and you had a nice photo to remember the end of 12th grade."

Annie giggled as well, her head hung. "I really like that photo, you know? I remember I was very nervous then so it kind of gave me the confidence I needed? Also, you took it. I wanted to remember how I felt, even then. That's why I posted it."

Ty laughed nervously. Sometimes, it was very hard to deal with the way his heart beat wildly against his chest whenever his girlfriend was cute. Which was most of the time. "Can I tell you something?"

Annie straightened instantly. "Always."

"That was the first time it was so clear to me how beautiful you're."

"Oh," Annie could only stammer, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed as she stared at a sheepish Ty. She then sank her face into his chest, her voice muffled against the fabric of his shirt. "I hate you so much, that's so sweet, what the fu-."

"Annabelle Sullivan!" Ty guffawed, managing to kiss the top of her head even as a smile threatened to break his face in half. "What would your mother say about hearing such foul language!? God, what would she say about you speaking like this with me !?"

"Oh please, as if she would blame you for my actions." Annie scoffed, slowly raising her head. When Ty reached for her hair, brushing it with his hands, Annie sighed contentedly. "My mom is terrifying but she's also fair."

"I beg to differ. You are not the one dating you."

"Oh, you poor baby." Annie mockingly glared at him before rising from his seat. Ty, made a move to follow her, already missing her warmth, but she stood between his legs with her arms crossed. "How much must you be suffering with me, Townsend!"

"Oh, I am," Ty rose to his feet, a smile pulling his lips as Annie remained defiantly in her spot. He slowly wrapped his arms around his waist, bringing her closer. "Since you and I got together and everybody found out, I've been threatened by five different people. I suspect the remaining ones didn't threaten me only because they know you would kill me if I ever hurt you." 

Annie raised an eyebrow in an inquisitive manner. “Lily and CeCe threatened you, didn’t they?

Ty sighed dramatically. “And Kyle. And Katie. And Isaac.”

Annie smiled at that. “So all of your siblings basically want to protect me over you?”

“I know,” Ty looked up in mock resignation. “You are their favorite.”

“Of course I am. I’m the best.” Annie scoffed playfully. “In any case, I don’t need anyone else to do the dirty job for me.”

“The dirty job being my murder.”

“Of course.”

"That's my girl." Ty smirked proudly. As Annie smiled at him, her eyes the brightest yet, he sobered up, reaching to caress her cheekbone as he took a deep, encouraging breath. "Like I said before, I'll work my ass off to make sure I'm at least slightly deserving of you. You deserve everything Annie. I really want to give you everything that’s in my power to give, and stand with you as you accomplish the rest." 

Annie sobered up as well, almost studying Ty as she processed those words. It was in that moment that she was finally sure that the love he had for her was the kind of love she wanted to experience her entire life. It was at that moment that she was finally sure of how deeply she had fallen in love with the beautiful boy that stood in her arms. And it was so frightening, in an exhilarating way.

If she had learned anything from Ms. Frances was to live her life without regrets. It was with that thought in mind that she stood on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him deeply, her stomach fluttering when Ty took a sharp intake of breath.

"I need to be open with you more often," Ty whispered after several minutes, his eyes closed as Annie retreated slightly. He instinctively followed her trail, pecking her lips repeatedly and grinning when Annie giggled. "I'm really, really fucking lucky you gave me a chance." 

"I'm really, really fucking lucky you asked for it." Annie replied, her voice soft as she waited for him to open his eyes. When he did, she smiled. "Would I terrify you completely if I tell you I love you?" 

Ty beamed. "I love you, Annie."

“Are you guys about to make me puke because of this tooth-rotting sweet conversation? Yes. You absolutely are.”

Annie gasped at the sudden interruption, jumping in fright as she turned towards the owner of the new voice. Behind her, Ty glared murderously at the newcomer. "Do you mind? We're kind of busy over here." 

Kyle smirked as he made himself comfortable in the seat across from them. "I actually do mind, since you're asking. I wanted to go outside, to my own deck, and breathe the nocturnal fresh air. Yet, what do I find? My brother and his girlfriend, who happens to be my best friend, sucking faces. So much for having some peace in this house."

Ty took a step forward, fuming as he kept his gaze fixed on his brother, but stopped immediately when Annie patted his stomach. She turned her body around fully before smiling weakly at Kyle. "We didn't hear you Kyle, we're very sorry." 

"I'm not," Ty grumbled. He crossed his arms across his chest, still towering over Annie.

"You know how I have a cast in one leg, right?"

"What? Are you asking for me to break the other leg?"

"Tyler!"

"What I'm saying," Kyle managed to gasp, his face red and his body shaking with laughter. "Is that I'm not silent and still you didn't hear anything."

"I was preoccupied kissing my girlfriend. Sue me." 

"Oh my god," Annie moaned, hiding her face in Ty's chest, her groaning muffled by the laughter of the two boys. "Stop. The two of you. I'm begging here."

Kyle smiled easily at her. Now that the two of them had solved things between them, it had been rather easy to go back to the easy, comfortable dynamic they once had. "Of course, Annie, I only blame the heathen that is my brother. You are not capable of doing anything wrong."

Ty rolled his eyes. "Of course you two would gang up against me."

Kyle smirked, mockingly bowing his head. "Some things never change, brother."

Annie raised his head then, her gaze almost timid. "You think things are going to stay the same between us?" 

All three sobered at that, looking between each other as it dawned on them that their dynamics would be different. Not in a negative way of course, but it was still new. Exciting but scary. 

Alas, the three of them had always been a team. That wasn’t about to change. And that was enough for all parties involved. 

Finally, Ty intertwined his fingers with Annie's as he took a deep breath. "Some things will be different but not everything. Not us, at least." 

Annie looked down at their joint hands before looking at the Townsend Brothers. "I like that." 

Kyle nodded slowly before sighing dramatically. He then stood up, holding up a hand when the other two tried to help him. "Me too. Especially since you will now be able to help me with next year's play. When I tell you the two of you are downright smitten, we should do Romeo and Juliet just so you get the chance to be absolutely disgusting." 

"You're an idiot, has anybody told you that?" Ty snapped, reaching forward to help his brother as he neared the door. 

Kyle shot a smile in Annie’s direction. “Once or twice.”

Ty rolled his eyes. "Let's go inside, I know I can still beat the two of you at League of Legends."

"Oh please," Annie scoffed. She reached forward, opening the door for the two of them. "You two haven't been able to beat me since the tenth grade."

"Big words from the girl who used to cheat everytime we played!"

"I still won, didn't I?" 

Closing the door behind them, Ty took a moment to delight in the scene before him. 

Annie back in their lives. 

Kyle happy and once again his friend. 

His home, his family, was back to normal.

And then, Annie's gaze danced towards him and after a moment, she smiled that small, genuine, loving smile reserved just for him. 

Ty allowed himself to bask in that smile before winking at her. 

Some things were different, after all.

And thank God for that. 

Unbeknownst to them, Maddie watched the three of them from the kitchen, her hands holding the first picture they had taken of the three of them after Kyle was born. 

Maddie was proud of all her kids. Katie, her creative, witty, beautiful ray of sunshine. Kyle, her artistic, slightly dramatic, enchanting and sweet theater star. 

As her gaze fell on her oldest, she couldn’t help but feel a nostalgic pang in her heart when her son wrapped his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders. The last couple of months had seen Ty turn into a completely different person. He was now more open, more vulnerable, more willing to make his feelings known and to care for others’ feelings as well. 

Maddie knew better than to believe Annie was the cause of that. Maybe Ty had started making all of these changes because he thought it would make him more worthy of her but really, Maddie knew that if he had progressed so much it’s only because he'd had it in him all along. 

And she knew that, if he had wanted to fight for Annie, that was because she brought up the best in him, more than anyone else. 

And that exact moment was when Maddie approved of their relationship without a doubt. Because experiencing a love with which you could also grow was a rare blessing indeed. 

Like Helen had said, they were at their best when they were together. And what a sight that was for the people who loved them.

Chapter Text

Coming back to Serenity was…weird.

Of course, he could describe that feeling in a lot more words and it would be a better description but he'd never been that good at identifying his feelings. Annie would have probably done an amazing job at it but alas, she wasn't there for him to ask.

Tyler Townsend woke up at his childhood home with a sort of nervous, impatient expectation. It'd been roughly two months since he finished college, having managed to get his degree in education with flying colors. Annie, of course, was Valedictorian of their class, majoring in journalism with all the honors. 

Ty woke up that day thinking of time. It'd been five and a half years since he and Annie became a couple. Roughly four years since the two of them moved to New Haven to attend Yale. Two months since they graduated. 

Forever since he fell in love with Annie Sullivan. Or at least, it seemed like it. If anything, he wasn't interested in an alternative measure of time when it came to her.

The sunlight was gently seeping through the opened window, birds chirping merrily in the distance. For a second, Ty paused, gazing at the room around him as his stomach slowly knotted with nerves.

The boxes. The empty bookshelves. The backpack filled with his most priced, breakable possessions. Nothing more to be done. 

It was a random Tuesday. Nothing special about it.

Except that it felt like the beginning of the rest of his life.

"Oh, brother of mine!" Kyle screamed as he threw the door open, in a manner so like him that Ty couldn't even get mad. "Time to rise and shine!"

Ty threw him an unimpressed look, sitting up on his bed as he rubbed his eyes. "Seriously?"

"I know it 's hard. After all, not everyone can be like me," Kyle continued as he entered the room, handing Ty a mug filled with coffee before taking a sip from his own. "But we have a lot of work today and I'm not about to do it for you." 

"Hilarious," Ty deadpanned, nodding his thanks as he took a sip from his mug. Then, he frowned at its inside. "You brought this from the café?" 

Kyle shook his head. "Annie did. She was running late, apparently, so she couldn't stick around, but she wanted to bring you something to start the day."

Ty chuckled as he shook his head, reaching for his phone at the night table so she could text her. "Sometimes, I'm not sure what I did to deserve her."

Kyle rolled his eyes "Don't be like that, no one could deserve her more."

Ty looked up from his phone, his gaze blank as he realized his brother was being serious. "What?" 

Kyle sat on Ty's desk and nodded at the enormous pile of clothes beside him. "Why isn't this packed yet? I don't know who will kill you first, mom, Annie...or Dana Sue. I can drive the getaway car if you want, brother."

"I'm donating that pile, asshole." Ty got out of bed with a groan, reaching for the pile of clothes and leaving it on the floor between them. "C'mon then, help me fold this."

For a few moments, silence reigned between the two brothers as they worked, the sips they took from their mugs and the folding of the clothes the only sounds emitted from that room.

Finally, Kyle cleared his throat. "Do you remember that morning you woke me up in a complete panic because you didn't know how to ask Annie out on a date?" 

"I woke you up because I didn't know how to talk to her."

"You didn't know how to say what you wanted to say to her, which was to ask her on a date."

Ty threw a hoodie straight at Kyle's face. "Your point being?" 

Kyle laughed as he ran a hand through his hair, making sure Ty hadn't messed with his hairstyle. "What I mean is, I told you then that I didn't think you deserved her because you'd been a complete idiot towards her. And I asked you to prove me wrong."

Ty remembered that moment. There were few things that brought him more shame than how he'd treated Annie. He looked down, suddenly determined in making sure his old clothes were folded just right. "I remember."

"Well, you proved me wrong. Congratulations, brother." Kyle smiled reassuringly when Ty looked up at him in shock. "Annie has always been my sister, which is why I've always been really protective of her. With you, Annie just comes alive, she's…iridescent. With you, she doesn't just survive she…she thrives, you know?"

Ty thought of the secret smile Annie reserved for him whenever he picked her up after class with her favorite coffee. He thought of the way Annie would laugh wildly whenever they watched Twilight together, making utter fun of the plot. He thought of the way she would hug him extra tight when she made it back home after her hardest, longest, most stressful days, only to find out he had cooked dinner and cleaned the house, chores' schedule be damned. He thought of the first time they made love, and how it felt as if a piece of his soul had been intertwined with hers.

Ty knew what Kyle meant.

He knew because he felt exactly the same whenever he was with her.

"And I know that you're older than me but I'm really protective of you too, you're my best friend after all." Kyle continued after a moment, his gaze on the shirt he was folding. "And with Annie…you have always strived for people to approve of you, you know?. You were liked by everyone, admired by everyone and a lot of the time, I really wondered if you actually liked half the people you hung out with. With Annie…it's like you calm down. You take a second, and you breathe and you become someone more…genuine, you become this person you usually are only with Katie and myself. It's like you are so comfortable and you're so sure you're loved and appreciated that you lower down your barriers." 

Ty snorted. "The therapist of the family strikes again, huh?" 

"Shut up, I have one more year left before I become one."

"Really, how much do I owe you?" 

Kyle crumpled the pants he had just folded into a ball, throwing at Ty immediately. "You know what? Forget everything I said. You're still an asshole."

It was while the two brothers were laughing so hard they couldn't breathe that Maddie appeared by their doorstep clad in a pink t-shirt and leggings, her hair tied up in a ponytail and her sunglasses on the top of her head. 

She took one look at her two oldest, still clad in their pajamas, their hairs a complete mess, their eyes bright and their cheeks flushed as they laughed and sighed inwardly. At that moment, all she felt was loving pride. All she could pray for was for her children to be as happy as they were that morning. 

"Hey mom," Kyle finally greeted as he wiped the tears of his eyes.

"Glad to see y'all having fun," Maddie began, her voice soothing and her smile sweet. She turned towards her oldest. "Cal's starting to load the truck, is there anything else from this room you want to take?" 

Ty sprang to his feet, looking around with focus. "The movers are taking the furniture, right? The bookshelf, the desk, all that?" 

Maddie nodded, "That and the couch and all the other stuff we're giving you." 

Ty shook his head. "You didn't have to give me so much." 

Maddie entered the room, throwing a subtle look at Kyle. Once the younger Townsend brother had left the room, she rested her hands on her son's shoulders, still in awe that he'd grown so much taller than her. "We wanted to. You're my oldest baby, Ty. It's hard to believe that you've grown up so much, that you're a man now…and I'm so proud, so happy for you and so sure that you're going to conquer this new stage in your life."

Ty laughed as his eyes filled with tears. "It's hard to believe I made it here but…I'm proud of myself as well. It 's so crazy." 

Maddie hugged him tightly, blinking away tears herself. "You're one of my biggest blessings, sweetheart. Never forget that. Never forget that I'm here for you. Always." 

"I love you, mom." Ty whispered. "Thank you so much for everything." 

"Hey, Ty!" Kyle called suddenly from downstairs. "We need you here for some major oldest brother' task!"

"Leave me alone Kyle!" 

Ty pulled away from his mom with a tearful laugh. "Why is Kyle bothering Katie?" 

Maddie rolled his eyes as she wiped her tears off. "Katie brought her boyfriend to help carry boxes."

Ty straightened at once, his gaze dark as his lips were pulled into a smirk. "I get to meet the boyfriend, huh?"

Maddie raised her hands in alarm. "Tyler Townsend, don't you dare threaten the poor boy, he gets enough of it from Cal and your dad." 

"Really?" 

"One of the first times they've agreed on something, actually."

"Huh," Ty nodded slowly. Then, he strode out of his childhood room, his arms crossed before his chest. "I'm coming, brother! What do you need assistance with?"

"Aw, Ty! Enough already, not you too!" Came Katie's whine, slightly muffled by her brothers' slightly evil laughter.

Maddie stood on her own for a moment, eyes closed as she tried to memorize that moment. The laughter of his children. Their bond. The happiness that had settled in their lives in the past years. 

There were few moments in her life she would describe as golden. She was very exigent after all. 

That moment, that morning, those people downstairs, they were all golden.

She would miss that. But she was excited for what was to come.

Chapter Text

The first thing Annie noticed was the silence.

Here, the reader must realize that Annie and Silence went way back. Before Cece and Lily, before her dreams and nightmares, even before Kyle and Katie, even before Ty, she’d always had silence.

Silence had been there in the middle of the night, when she was too caught up in her latest novel to realize she only had a couple of hours left to sleep. Silence had comforted her during that horrible period of time in which her parents’ relationship had been bent almost without any hope for salvation. Silence had been her friend through her hardest moments, her comfort when her heart broke for the first time.

Silence had changed its meaning and its weight in her life as she grew up, became an adult and built a life and a world filled with light, colour and love. But it was still there, her oldest friend. Annie had never feared her, never would, but now…now silence felt like her safe place.

Well…not quite. 

Slowly, Annie blinked her eyes open, immediately rubbing them when they started to burn from the lack of sleep. How many hours had they been asleep for? She remembered they went to bed early - they wanted to get an early start of the morning to finish unpacking -, so they had opened one of the wine bottles Auntie Helen had gifted them, opened the lasagna her mom had cooked for them and they were very giggly and in love and couldn’t let go of each other and…oh.

Oh.

Annie couldn’t help but snort. Yes, it had definitely been worth the few hours of sleep they’d gotten.

A weight tightening around her waist brought Annie back to the present and, more specifically, to the man deeply asleep beside her. 

Annie had fallen asleep next to Ty, woken up next to Ty, falling asleep with Ty, countless times. She was so so grateful she had no way of knowing how many times had any of those activities happened in the five years they’d been together, let alone throughout their entire lives. And still, she never failed to be in awe of the different side of Ty she came to know, the side of Ty only she knew.

His features were absolutely calm, his mouth slightly open, his exhales warm and comforting against Annie’s skin. His hair was an absolute mess (and the activities of the previous night had nothing to do with it, thank you very much) and fell onto his forehead in tangled, slightly golden waves. One of his arms was curled tightly around Annie’s waist, as if he couldn’t bare being apart from her, while the other was bent under his pillow. 

Annie slowly ran her fingers across Ty’s cheekbone, feeling the slight stubble her boyfriend had grown during the last couple of days. Ty had told everyone he hadn’t had time to shave with all the chaos and stress of moving back home only to immediately move in with your girlfriend. Annie knew otherwise, of course.

Ty didn’t have to worry, though. He would very much look handsome with a beard. Then again, every version of himself was handsome and would always be, so that one was maybe a moot point. 

There, laying in bed, with the warm presence of her utterly asleep boyfriend, the new sheets tangled between their legs and the sun gently pouring through the window and colouring their life even more technicolor, Annie took a moment to reacquaint herself to her oldest friend. Silence had been her companion, her protection, her comfort and her friend. 

It brought her much comfort to know that, no matter how much life changed, silence would still be there. 

“You’re staring.”

Annie focused again on the man laying beside her, a smile slowly stretching her lips as Ty furrowed his brow, his eyes still firmly closed. “I mean, it’s hard not to, sweetheart.”

Ty smiled at that, moving closer to rest his head on Annie’s chest. “It’s been five years and I’m still not used to you calling me sweetheart.”

Annie giggled softly, her hands slowly caressing his hair. “Do I make your heart flutter, Townsend? Your stomach feels as if it's filled with butterflies? Am I making you blush?”

“...Shut up.”

Annie laughed, her eyes crinkling happily. “I’m not gonna lie, I really love that I still make you feel like that. You make me feel exactly the same.”

Ty slowly raised his head, his gaze still blurry with sleep, but his smile was filled with life as he rested his chin on Annie’s chest. “You know, everyone was really emotional yesterday. Our moms and dads, Cal, I even had a heart-to-heart with Kyle…but all I kept thinking was that you’ve been my home for my entire life and this…yes, we’re starting a new chapter and we’re building our life together but, even before I knew I loved you, you were my home and my safe space. Not much is changing, now. We’re just building up.”

Annie cocked her head, staring at Ty even as her eyes filled with tears. Finally, she moved down the bed until she could press her lips to Ty’s over and over. “You’re such an asshole.”

“That was not the reaction I was expecting,” Ty laughed in between kisses. “You’re truly puzzling, woman.”

“You’re the love of my life, Tyler Townsend.” Annie sat on his lap, bringing him up with her. She grabbed his face reverently, her smile soft as Ty wrapped his arms around her waist and gazed at her with that adoring look he reserved just for her. “I’m so excited for what life has in store for us, for all the big decisions and the changes and the movements we make as we continue creating our life. But I’m even more excited for this. For the slow mornings, the hours we spend together just the two of us, the moments in which life slows down and allows us to just be. I can’t wait for everything to come, sweetheart, and I’m so happy I get to experience it all with you.”

Ty rolled his eyes playfully. “You just had to make a better speech than mine, huh?”

Annie smirked. “And I’m not the musician of this duo. Highly embarrassing for you, to be honest.”

Ty nodded slowly, his gaze narrowing as he took in the woman sitting on his lap. He only needed to notice the playfulness in her gaze to make a decision. 

“Tyler!” Annie screeched as Ty threw her over his shoulder and got out of the bed in a swift motion. “Put me down!”

“Oh no, you’re staying right there, my love!” Ty called in a sing-sang voice as he threw their bedroom door open and made his way through the corridor and towards their kitchen. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“But we’re naked, Townsend!” Annie giggled uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking as she tried to grab any surface that would allow her to escape his boyfriend’s arms. 

“Haven’t you realized, Sullivan?” Ty lowered Annie down only to grab her by the waist, his smile carefree as Annie valiantly tried (and failed) to glare at him “This is our new house. Just for us. Which means, we can do - and wear - whatever we want, if we want to wear anything at all.”

“Oh!” Annie cocked her head thoughtfully as she rested her hands on Ty’s chest. “Interesting proposition, sweetheart.”

Ty forced himself to ignore how that name made his heart flutter, choosing instead to grab one of her hands and hold it closely against his chest. “Thank you, my love.”

Annie narrowed her gaze, nodding slowly, only to then stab her finger into his chest. “You’re it!”

Ty watched her go, his laughter joining hers even as she disappeared into their new home. “Oh, you’re so done.”

“Big words coming from a man who still hasn’t caught me!”

(Spoiler alert: he caught her. Then again, one could argue they caught each other years before. We won’t make that argument, though, the sweetness overload would be too much for the author. The reader, on the other hand, is much welcome to make any arguments they might desire.)