Chapter Text
Billy was sitting on his bed, flipping through a notebook, when the knock on his door came. It wasn’t tentative, and it wasn’t a question—just a sharp rap before the door swung open and Daisy stepped in. She looked agitated, her damp hair clinging to her neck, and she didn’t wait for an invitation.
“My shower’s broken,” she said, eyes flashing. “Something with the plumbing, and now it’s a disaster in there. I have to use yours.”
Billy blinked, caught off guard by the abruptness. “Uh, okay,” he muttered, watching her as she stood there, her chest heaving slightly from whatever frustration had driven her here. There was something electric in the air between them, the kind of tension that had been building for months.
Daisy, clearly impatient, didn’t give him time to think about it further. “I’ll make it quick, don’t worry,” she said, already moving toward the bathroom in his room. But before she stepped in, she turned to him, her eyes catching his in a way that made his pulse quicken. “Unless you’ve got a problem with that?”
Her tone was challenging, as if daring him to say no, but there was something else beneath it—something that made Billy’s throat go dry.
He shifted in his seat, clearing his throat. “No problem,” he said, though his voice was rougher than usual. “You can use it.”
Daisy paused for a beat, studying him with an intensity that made the air feel heavier. Then, without another word, she turned and closed the bathroom door behind her.
Billy exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the closed door. The sound of the water turning on a moment later felt like an intrusion, his mind racing with the image of Daisy on the other side. The tension in the house had been bad enough lately, but this—her in his space, just feet away, water running over her skin—was a different kind of unbearable.
He tried to distract himself, his eyes flicking to the notebook again, but the words blurred as his mind drifted back to Daisy. This wasn’t the first time he’d been alone with her, but tonight, everything felt sharper, more dangerous. The months of unresolved arguments, the constant push and pull between them—it all seemed to come to a head in moments like this.
The door opened after what felt like an eternity, steam billowing out as Daisy stepped back into the room. She was wrapped in a towel, her hair wet and dripping onto her shoulders. Her eyes found his immediately, and for a split second, the room felt too small.
“Thanks for that,” she said, her voice softer now, but still carrying that edge she always had. She leaned casually against the doorframe, the towel clinging to her body in a way that made it hard for Billy to focus on anything but her.
Billy stood up, his heart pounding in his chest. “No problem,” he said, though the words felt thick in his throat.
Daisy didn’t move, just stood there looking at him, and for the first time in a long while, neither of them seemed to have anything sharp to say. The air between them was heavy with something neither of them was ready to acknowledge, but it was there—palpable, undeniable.
“You’re staring,” Daisy said, her lips curling into a small smirk.
Billy blinked, feeling heat rise in his neck. He forced himself to look away, trying to regain some control, but his voice came out strained. “You’re in a towel, Daisy. Hard not to.”
She tilted her head, that smirk still playing on her lips, but there was something more in her eyes—something that made his stomach twist. “You gonna stand there and pretend like that’s the only reason?”
Billy swallowed, unsure of how to answer. The air between them felt like it was crackling, the space shrinking even though neither of them had moved. He could feel the pull, the magnetic force that had been drawing him toward her for months, and for the first time, it felt like neither of them was resisting it.
Daisy took a step closer, her bare feet padding softly on the floor, her eyes never leaving his. “Billy…” she said, her voice low, almost teasing, but there was a vulnerability there too.
He held his breath, every nerve in his body on edge. She was so close now, close enough that he could see the droplets of water still clinging to her skin, feel the heat radiating off her body. His hands itched to reach out, to close the distance, but something held him back. The line he’d been drawing for so long—between his feelings for Daisy and the reality of his life—was getting harder to see.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” he finally said, though even he didn’t believe the words.
Daisy’s smirk faded, replaced by something more serious. She was so close now that he could feel the warmth of her breath. “Why not?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes searching his.
Billy’s heart pounded so loud he was sure she could hear it. He couldn’t think straight, couldn’t find a good reason—other than the fact that this was dangerous, that it was too much, too soon, too everything. But he didn’t move. Neither did she.
And for a moment, it felt like the choice wasn’t his to make.