Lea [she/her],Devlog for Love and Leases an 18+ interactive novel. Set in Chicago. With a focus on relationships, drama, and healing. Ready to sign your lease?
Prologue + Chapter 1 Released
I follow the tags Love and Leases, Loveandleases.
A loving fiancĂŠ, Chris. A wonderful older sister, Jade who understood you when others couldn't, a best friend who has been your ride or die since you were in diapers together. A beautiful apartment, not to mention the cutest dog you have ever dreamed of.
Of course, nothing stays good forever. In fact, that is when everything decided to come crashing down.
That fiancĂŠ, wonderful sister, perfect apartment. Gone within an hour. That adorable dog, stolen by your now former fiancĂŠ. That left you with one option.
You were intent on heading back home to pick up the pieces of your now shattered life. Your best friend had a different idea. What happened next is still a blur in your mind. Yet somehow you're stuck signing a lease and staying for another year.
This is your chance to start over, start your new career, stake your claim in the city that will be your home for the foreseeable future. Fall for someone, or make new friends? Get revenge/make amends with your past, get back your dog? Will you be going back home once the year is up? Or will you be signing a new lease with someone else?
Love and Leases is a slice-of-life interactive story. Where drama, romance, betrayal intertwines to create your story. Rate 18+ for language, optional sexual content, drug/alcohol use and more.
Features
⼠Customize your MC, gender, appearance, personality, and history with some of the characters.
⼠Start your new career, choose to work with one of the six RO's of your choice.
⼠Romance one or more character, will you find comfort in familiar gaze of a friend, pick up the pieces of a relationship of your past? Or do you just think the landlord is hot?
⼠Fix not only your relationships but those of the people around you.
⼠Get back your dog!?
Romances
⼠The Best Friend: Cameron âCamâ Clarke [M] â Cam has always been by your side; you have known each other since you were in diapers. Always clinging to one anotherâs familiarity. Some would say he dives headfirst without thinking, according to Cam it's always thought out. His "impulsiveness" is part of his charm. He could care less about others, but one look in your direction is all it takes to soften him up. Cam is confident, sarcastic, and some would say rude. Yet never to you. You canât help noticing how he looks at you, has it always been this adoringly? Cam works as a photographer.
Route â Friends to lovers. Childhood crush.
âĽThe Rival: Gage/Garnet Kim [M or F] â G was one of your closest friends/rival in college, now just a sore reminder of the bad choices youâve made. G was your educational rival in every sense of the word. You fought about everything. G has always had a sharp tongue, and stood out as a lone wolf. They're stoic, detached, and a bit closed-off. Regardless, Cam was able to soften their tough exterior. Getting close to one another was inevitable. Your chemistry undeniable. That was until a fight one night at the dorms. Now G barely looks your way. No witty comment, no stolen glances when they thought you weren't looking. Can you fix the fracture in your relationship? G works as a veterinarian.
Route- Enemies|Rival to lovers. One that got away. Second chance. You can decide whether G was just a friend or an ex.
⼠The follower: Kara Clarke [F] - Kara is the younger sister of Cam and Chris. She knows what she wants and how to get it. She got the best attributes of her siblings, loyalty and undeniable charm. She is spunky yet sweet, outspoken, confident, and mainly competitive. That could be the reason she's now vying for your position at the leasing office.
Route- Dark Secret
⼠The Writer: Markus | Melody Wilkens [M or F] â M is the ideal type to bring home to your parents, or to your friends, or anywhere. M is sweet, considerate, and extremely overworking. Always lacking sleep, that doesnât dampen their smile. Yet from time to time you notice a sadness that doesnât belong to their kind face. Not to mention that glimmer of mischief in their eyes. golden retriever cinnamon roll.
Route- Oblivious to love, Tragic Past.
⼠The Delivery person [redacted] : Isaac Allen [M or NB] - I is the resident flirt/jokester. Are you having a bad day? Well, you better believe they have a well timed comment/joke ready to make you blush or laugh. They regularly forget things. Isaac is constantly working either their delivery job or their other job they keep secret. Though you've never met prior, you can swear you've seen them before. Will you be the one who finally gets Isaac to give love a chance?
Route- Fear of Commitment, Double Life
⼠The Landlord: Ardent Pine [M] - You know the last person on Earth you would ever want to be stuck with, yeah thatâs Ardent. He is rude, inconsiderate, self-entitled. Everyone has a bad word to say about Ardent. Even his cat (who is the cause of the scars on his arms). Since seeing you something about you has just rubbed him the wrong way, always quick to throw a snide comment your way. Ardent is the type who you could argue with about anything, wanting to pull his hair out afterwards. Surely, he canât be that bad right? There must be a good bone in him somewhere, are you willing to find it, and find what has hardened his heart? resident dilf
Route- Villainous Crush
Other Characters
The Ex-FiancĂŠ: Chris Clarke [gender selectable] - Chris is their parents golden child. Older sibling to Cam and Kara. They have a way with words always telling people what they want to hear with a charm that is unmatched. Many believe Chris is unable to do any wrong, well that was until...
MC's Sister-:Jade- Mc's older sister, Jade is very much what one would envision when thinking of a girl who can solely rely on looks. She is dazzling even you can't deny that. She comes across as quiet and reserved, but if Jade is close to you, she can make you feel like the single most important person in a room.
Rated 18 for explicit sexual themes, explicit language, drug and alcohol use, morally questionable behavior, violence, verbal/emotional abuse, cheating.
I just wanted to let you know that I had a family emergency last week and will be taking the next few weeks off to focus on my family.
Patreon/Ko-fi content is already scheduled, so that won't be affected. There is a devlog going up today it has a small glimpse of Chapter 2 (and the jealousy variables. yeah jealousy. that's right.) (also stuff for free tier, what? I don't remember. My brain is kinda fried right now due to everything/sleep deprivation.)
Thanks so much for your understanding/support. Iâll be back in a few.
How much of the wedding preperation goes? Imagine have to explain the wedding planer to cancel the whole thing because your ex fiance is cheating on you...
By the time MC found out about Chris cheating, several wedding details had already been decidedâthe date, location, bridal party outfits, and reception menu. MC and Chris still had their final fittings left, wedding invites were yet to be sent out. So, it was down to the wire.
Luckily, MC had people in their corner to help navigate the mess and fight for refunds. (Em was the MVP. Cam tried, but he has a habit of yelling when people try to screw over MC.)
(Continuing the trend. Cam's version is here. G's here.)
"Theyâll love it."
Kara balances her phone between her cheek and shoulder, taking a bite of leftover pizza. The taste is familiar, but her mind drifts to memories of youâhow you used to steal bites from her plate without asking, your laughter filling the space as if it belonged there.
âKara?â
Chrisâs voice pulls her back. Away from you. Back to where it should be.
"Iâm here, sorry.â She rubs the back of her neck, the ball of tension there never fully fading.
âI promise I'll keep Mom away from the wine. One more week, and you'll be marriedâno more worrying about her embarrassing you. Mhm, yeah. Talk soon. You too. Night."
The second she hangs up, the weight of her emotions settles in again, heavier than before. She exhales slowly, feeling the familiar heaviness in her chest as she drops the slice of cold pizza.
Iâm happy for them. She tells herself, moving to find a baking sheet. The next few minutes are spent remembering how to work the oven. "Too many buttons.â She grumbles, finally setting it to bake.
It does nothing to stop the thoughts spiraling in her head.
Chris is happy. Youâre happy. Thatâs what she tells herself. Over and over. But no matter how many times she repeats it, the truth eats away at her.
Youâd be happier with her.
She doesnât realize sheâs moving in a flurry, shoulders tight and her anger just building the more she thinks about it. The guilt along with it. When she sets the plate on the counter, it clattersâtoo forceful. A crack splinters along the edge.
 âSeriously? Get a hold of yourself.â She mutters, tossing the broken pieces into the trash.
Then comes the knock.
âComing,â She reaches for the pants she left draped over the armchair, pulling them on as another hurried knock sounds.
âJust a second.â Fastening the button, she strides toward the door and yanks it open.
âIsaac, I swear if you came here only to tell me to cheer upââ The words die in her throat.
Of course itâs you. Standing there in rain-drenched clothes. Your chest rising and falling in quick succession. And those eyes⌠Eyes that see through every fake smile sheâs plastered on since the wedding date was set.
âCan I come in?â
She should turn you away. Tell you to leave. Go to your fiancĂŠ. Leave her here to rot in her thoughts.
Kara tries to shake her head and make an excuse. Instead, she nods. ââŚCome in,â she whispers as you walk by, the door clicking shut behind you.
âI thought you were Isaac.â
Itâs a weak lie, and both of you know it. Your hands clasp together, fingers trembling as you lace them.
 Ignore it. She tells herself, begs. The look in your eyes, the one sheâs noticed more than once. The one she lies and says is meant for Chris.
 Not wanting to admit how hollow you look when youâre with them, and the sight of joy, missing.
 âDoes Isaac normally come by this late?â
 She doesnât answer. She doesnât have to. No one comes this late.
 Only you.
âLet me get you a towel. Youâre dripping all over the place.â As Kara walks by you, your rain-stained touch, cold and shaking, grasps her wrist.
âIâm sorry.â
 âDonât be, itâs just a little water.â She jerks her hand awayâtoo forceful, because if she doesnât, she wonât be able to walk away.
Her phone begins to ring.
Great timing. Chrisâs familiar ringtone, as if to remind her to keep herself in check.
 âDonâtââ You start, but her hand is already on the button. Turning on the speaker.
âHey Chris,â she points a finger at the phone, a small smile on her face. As if to say, âItâs your fiancĂŠ.â
ââover. They called it fucking off. Off, Kara!â Chrisâ words come out in a flurry, full of anger and disbelief.
 Her mind blanks. The words should mean something. They should bring her relief, clarityâsomething. Instead, she just stares at you.
Chris is saying more, whispering now, their voice tight with frustration. âJust finish getting your dress tailored. This is probably some damn test. Just⌠if you see themââ
Youâre still looking at her. As you always have. Like, you never look at Chris.
Her reply is quiet, as if it takes every ounce of energy in her to speak. âI said Iâll call you back.â She ends the call quickly, not waiting for Chrisâs reply.
Then, she takes a hesitant step towards you.
âWhy?â A flicker of anger bleeds into her words, into her gaze. Sheâs never raised her voice at you before. Never had to.
She knows itâs only there now because sheâs scared. She already knows your answer.
âWhy did youâŚâ She swallows hard. âChris isâChrisâŚâ
Chris will hate her. Just like they hate Cam. Theyâll turn their back on her the moment they realizeâ
That she canât turn her back on you. She never could. But your hands are already in hers, grounding her.
âYou called off your engagement?â
âI had to. Kar⌠Keeks.â The nickname is a slap and a reward all at once. The guilt should be drowning her. But when her hand finds your cheek, itâs not guilt that settles in her bones. Itâs something else. Something far more dangerous.
âWhy?â she whispers. âChris loves you.â
 âThen tell me why Chris keeps ending up in Jadeâs bed.â
Youâre met with silence, a frown on her face and her lips quivering as if she is trying to find something to say. A reason⌠but she canât.
âTell me why Iâm standing here with you, instead of with them.â
Kara searches your face for somethingâdesperation, maybe hesitation. Doubt. Anything that might make this easier. But all she finds is you. Unwavering.
The oven dings, loud and shrill in the heavy silence. She doesn't move.
 For once, she doesn't rush to take care of something else and use it as an excuse to avoid what she wants. The pizza will burn like it always does. But right now, it doesn't matter.
"Chris will hate me," she says, barely above a whisper.
"And Iâll..." You see the pain in her eyesâone that wonât fade, only fester the longer you hold back. You take a slow, steady breath. "Iâll keep loving you."
Kara's lips parted slightly as if she hadnât expected to hear those words. Like she never thought sheâd be allowed to have this, to escape the guilt threatening to consume her.
"My parentsâ" Her voice shakes.
"Donât own you."
 Thatâs all it takes. A sharp inhale, a flicker of something wild and desperate in her gaze, and then she kisses you.
 Itâs slow and time-consuming. Her tongue traces your lips like sheâs memorizing you. The press of your lips, the broken sigh you release. Like she knows sheâs wanted this for so long, and now that she has it, she doesnât want to rush.
 Her hands slide into your hair, gripping like sheâs afraid youâll slip away.
Kara pulls back just enough to look at you, her thumb tracing along your jaw. "And Cam?" she breathes against your lips.
"Will tease the hell out of us," you say, lips still tingling from the kiss. "The same way Isaac will."
 A small chuckle escapes her, soft and breathy, before she pulls you in again, fingers curling at the back of your neck. "Let them."
You barely have a second to think before her lips are back on yours, more certain this time, more claiming
A faint smell of something burning reaches your nose. "Uh⌠KaraâŚ" you mumble between kisses. "The pizza is kind ofâ"
"It can wait," she murmurs, dragging her lips along your jaw. "Iâm hungry for something else."
The oven beeps againâa distant sound, easily forgotten as her hand finds the small of your back. You shiver against her, your damp clothes clinging to your skin as her warmth sinks into you. You can hear the smile in her laugh before her lips find yours, moving with purpose.
Kara tastes you like a forbidden fruitâone sheâs denied herself for too long.
Speak Now by Taylor Swift yâall! THIS IS SO CAM CODED IF THE WEDDING WAS ONGOING
It does. Except Cam doesn't care to cause a scene. He'll get the getaway car, decked out with "just married" on the window and walk MC right out the front door. Probably bring a big container of food from the reception hall. Always need a good snack.
"Get in Red, we've got a honeymoon to get to."
Finished writing Ardent's smut, now I'm off to sleep~
"Ooh, someone's eager." He grits out, ignoring the fact that he's just as ready as you.
"Stop talking and startâ" Your words stick in your throat as he slowly grinds into you until every inch, is enveloped.
Ardent stills, his teeth worrying his lips, breathing heavy.
The grip on your hips tightens, fingers digging into your soft skin as if the touch will ground him. Help him fight the urge to move too soon.
Slowly, his hand trails down your arm, fingers brushing over your knuckles before he laces them with yours on the counter.
The tenderness of his touch is a contrast to the hunger of his movements.
"I've got you," he murmurs, pressing a lingering kiss to your shoulder.
Then, finally, he moves.
His head dips into the crook of your neck, strands of his hair slipping to cover his face as his hips roll into you. The sharp sound of skin against skin echoes through the bathroom, mingling with the soft, needy sigh that escapes your lips when he pulls out â taking his warmth with him.
Sometimes you just have to write a scenario to get it out of your head.
Even now, when you werenât together anymore, Chris still had this habit of seeking you out.
"$p_name?" Chris called from just outside the room, $ch_hisher voice dripping with impatience. "Are you coming back?"
You barely had time to register the words before Camâs lips brushed against the shell of your ear, his fingers picking up their pace.
"Answer $ch_himher," he murmured, still working you open with slow, deliberate thrusts. "Tell $ch_himher youâre coming."
You donât have to look to know who it is. Itâs evident in the way he walks, his boots echoing against the wood flooring. The crinkle of his leather jacket as he pulls it off and sets it on the empty seat beside you.
Then thereâs the warmth of his hand on your lower back, the brush of his lips against the side of your neck as he sighs. He wraps his arms around you, his large hands settling on your thighsâlike they always belonged there.
âRough day?â
âMph.â He groans, the sound vibrating through your back as his fingers gently squeeze your thighs. âBetter now.â
Also like this.
His left arm locks around your front, fingers digging into your shoulder as he pulls you back, forcing you to meet his thrusts. The shift in movement drives the edge of the sink into your hips, your hands gripping the countertop for stability.
There's a dull ache where the counter presses into you, blending with the pleasure coiling in your gut. The peak of your pleasure so close you can barely breathe
Ardentâs grip on your hip is firmâjust shy of bruisingâbut it only makes you crave him more. Your eyes flick up to the mirror, heat crawling up your neck as you take in the scene: your flushed face, parted lips, the bruises along your skin where his mouth had claimed you.
"Hey boss. Listen, I know you've been sitting here all damn day. But you really, really want to come see this."
More like all night and day â not that G bothers to correct them. No one needs to know theyâve been toiling away the hours, trying to ignore what today is. Not that the ache in their chest lets them forget.
Maybe thatâs for the better. Means they arenât devoid of emotion, unlike some people they much prefer not to think about.
"Boss!" Ara yells again, louder this time.
"I'm coming!" G snaps back.
Their parents always warned them against hiring childhood friends, but honestly, it was nice having people around whom they could trust.
Theyâre half-tempted to grab their coat to look the part, but the weight pressing on their shoulders is already unbearable. Instead, they settle for a half-smile as they head into the lobby.
G reaches for their cup of tea resting on the receptionistâs desk, fingers curling around it. Their eyes flick to Ara, standing with an imperceptible smile on their face and G follows their gaze.
The moment their eyes land on you, their fingers go slack. The cup slips from their grasp. Porcelain shatters against the floor, the green tea seeping into the cracks between the marbled tiles.
The sound pulls your attention.
You. Here.
There's a sharp throb in their skull, a twisting in their gut. Nausea creeps up their throat. They tried so hard not to think about today, about you and...
Here you are.
Looking the same as you did then. Except this time, youâre wearing your wedding attire.
The realization feels like theyâve been punched, the air escaping their lungs. Youâre wearing that, standing in their clinic, looking at them.
G quickly glances at Ara and Kai, motioning for them to make themselves scarce.
âBut â â Ara starts, only for Kai to wrap an arm around his fiancĂŠ and steer him toward a nearby door.
Ara grumbles under his breath, glaring as heâs pulled away. âYou really need to get that stick out of your ass, G.â
Kai sighs, covering Araâs mouth with his hand. âPlease donât start, and stop being so nosy.âÂ
The door clicks shut behind them.
Then silence. Just the two of you.
You, very overdressed.
G stands in a puddle of tea, pretending their hands arenât shaking. That their eyes donât sting. That their heart isnât trying to claw its way out of their chest.
They crouch, moving to clean up the mess. You move too, reaching for a shard â only for Gâs hand to wrap around your wrist, stopping you.
âYou shouldnât,â they murmur. Their grip tightens slightly, thumb brushing against your pulse. âYou donât want to cut your hand before⌠your wedding.â
âI-â
âIâm not sure if you were aware,â G interrupts, their voice unusually tight, âbut weâre closing early today.â
They press paper towels against the spill, mopping up the liquid before carefully picking up the broken pieces. âSo, unless you have an animal somewhere I need to-â
âIâm not getting married.â
G stills.
âWhat-shit!â They hiss a sharp sting along their finger. Blood begins to bead up.
âIâll get some-â
âNo.â Gâs voice is firmer this time as they place a hand on your elbow.
âYouâre kind of bleeding all over yourself right now. Let me-â
âNo.â
Your gaze flickers from their hand on your arm to the slow drip of blood trailing down their skin. âYou dislike me so much you donât even want my help?â
âI- thatâs not-â G exhales sharply, their gaze hardening as their shoulders rise and fall. âStop changing the subject.â
âWhen did I-â
âYouâre not getting married. Thatâs what you said.â
You nod, gaze dropping as you use your sleeve to try and stem the bleeding. âThatâs what I said.â
âWhy?â
You shrug. âI⌠you werenât there.â
G shakes their head, fingers tugging at the bloodstained fabric of your clothes as if needing proof this moment is real. âWhy⌠why are you here?â Their voice wavers. âYouâre supposed to be getting married, going on your honeymoon with Chris. But youâre not. Youâre here. In my clinic. With me.â The words sound more like theyâre speaking to themselves, trying to make sense of it.
You donât think when you reach for them, fingertips brushing their cheek.
G flinches, but they donât pull away. Their breath is unsteady, eyes flickering from yours to anywhere else. âWhy?â they whisper, voice cracked.
âBecause I couldnât spend my life with Chris.â You inhale sharply. âI was standing there, saying my vows, and⌠I couldnât. I couldnât promise Chris forever.â
G releases a shaky breath. Their hand, bloodied and trembling, presses against your waist like they need something to hold onto.
âI-I didnât want to promise Chris forever,â you continue, your voice softer now as they inch closer. âNot when I had already promised my forever to you.â
Their eyes widen, their mouth parting as a broken sound escapes them.
When they do finally speak, their voice is barely audible.
âWhat youâre saying⌠if Iâm not utterly exhausted and having some weird dream⌠is that youâre not marrying Chris because of me?â
Your hands tighten into fists at your sides, forcing yourself to swallow. âIâm not marrying Chris because I love you.â
A breath. A pause. Then â
âI never stopped. Not then, not now. Iâve always loved-â
No matter how many things have changed, some remain the same. The way G stares at you, the color of their eyes nearly swallowed up by their pupils. The way they shift your head, just a fraction. The look on their face, right before they kiss you. Just like they did then, just like that night before everything changed.
They kiss you like theyâre drowning, like if they let go, theyâll sink beneath the weight of everything left unsaid. A single tear slips from their cheek to yours, their shoulders shaking as a quiet sob escapes them.
Their breath is warm against your skin when they whisper, voice raw and unsteadyâ
(He's not crying, you're crying! (Cam was tasked with walking MC down the aisle/ being their best man, either way he was meant to get them to the altar, but he hasn't budged.) @mjw1995 (Thanks for the ask that is causing such scenarios :D)
He's still in the dressing room; his tie was torn... something he did himself. It might have been done in hopes of postponing the wedding if it had mattered at all.
He doesnât register the footsteps pounding toward the door until itâs flung open, slammed shut, and locked. His headâs been in a fog all day, everything bleeding together. He barely has time to process before he turnsâand youâre there. Your face flushed, your breath uneven, like you just ran a marathon.
"Did you really just run in here to rush me? I'll be done in a minute, Red. I need a bit of time alone."
He can't look at you, turning quickly. So quickly he misses the way your body trembles as you walk to him, barely able to hold yourself up when you grip onto him. Moving your arms around his waist with your head pushed against his back.
A sob escapes you, raw and uneven, breaking in a way that tightens Cam's chest. He turns - or tries to - only managing once he loosens your grip.
"What's wrong?"
You swallow hard, your voice trembling. "You're such an idiot." A shaky breath. "Such a fucking idiot."
"Wha... I'm sorry. I was just - my tie-"
You flick his forehead, glaring at him through a flurry of tears. God, you probably look like a mess right now. But you don't care. You can't care about that, not when you have to tell him.
"Hey, I said I was sorry. What's with the hitting?"
Your hand thumps his chest, wrapping in the fabric of his suit squeezing tight.
"Stupid, jackass. You stupid, stu-stupid-" Another sob racks its way out of your body as you sink to your knees. And Cam slides to the ground with you.
"Yeah, you said that. But what the hell did I do? If anything, the wedding would have been like two minutes-"
"I'm not getting married, Cam."
"What do you mean- of course you are. Did Chris do something? Do I need to go hit them?" Cam's hand pushes back a strand of hair, his thumb catching the tears that continue to fall.
For the first time today, you notice just how red his eyes are. A familiar shine, as if he too is about to cry. Had he been like that all day? Ready to cry at a moment's notice... he looks so sad. Dark circles under his eyes hint that he barely slept, if at all.
He thinks you want to marry Chris, and thinks you're mad because of some dumb tie. He's an idiot... your idiot.
Before you can catch yourself, you lean forward. A startled sound in his throat you ignore as your hand finds the back of his neck and you pull him closer. Tighter, holding onto him as if your life depends on it. And maybe it does.
It doesn't take long until he's over the shock and kissing you so desperately. Practically stealing the breath from your lungs. "Red... I-we-"
"I love you. I love you and you were going to let me marry Chris." The words tumble out of your mouth, the second he pulls back, lips swollen and eyes heavy.
That's when the tears slide down his cheeks, his eyes shut tight as he tries to wipe them away. "What?" He mutters.
"I love you."
"I thought that's what you said." Cam grins, wiping the tears from his face as he nods to himself.
âAnd you were just going to stand there and let me go through with it?â
"I was. I... maybe? I donât know. I figured Iâd decide once I saw you up there."
"Idiot."
He snorts, reaching to brush a knuckle against your cheek before pressing another kiss to your lips. "An idiot who's been in love with you for years. But letâs be realâyou're the bigger idiot for taking this long. I mean, look at me."
Cam motions to his suit, a deep green that causes his hair to pop. Funny really, you chose the wedding colors... and somehow this color suited no one more. As if you were thinking of him the entire time.
He's about to pull you into another kiss when the sound of footsteps and Chris' voice stops him. "Where the hell did they go?"
"You don't mind if I'm the one to tell everyone the wedding is canceled right?"
"I mean, I should -"
"Can I tell Chris first? I mean I would love to let them see us all loved up and everything. But the less time you spend with them, the happier I'll be."
"I guess it's the least I can do, ya know for not falling for you sooner."
Cam presses a soft kiss to the tip of your nose, "I think just loving me is enough to make up for that."
been listening to Short n' Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter on loop rn and whenever Juno plays, all I can imagine is MC performing this during idk a karaoke session maybe whilst maintaining eye contact with Ardent or Cam and i'm just ghinking how funny their reactions would be andâ GRAAAAGGHHH frothing in the mouf will be suing you bc your characters have me in a chokehold /lovingly
I hadn't listened to the song until I saw this ask... and yeah it's perfect for those two. Here's Cam's react (Ardent's will be added shortly.)
(poor guy can't sing but at least he can play guitar.)
It never fails - even on stage, with the lights beaming down on him and sweat causing his hair to cling to his face, Cam still makes you feel like the only person in the room.
In a new bar, that will eventually become familiar, where the two of you will soon be regulars, he sings his heart out, his attention never straying.
Other patrons cheer him on, some heckling when his voice gets offâkey. But it doesnât faze him. A few people at the table nearby crack jokes about how he must be good with his hands, watching as he strums an acoustic version of Everlong.
At least one thing is certain - his guitar lessons werenât going to waste. Something you know Em would be happy to know as you pull out your phone to record him.
His cheeks are flushed, rosy from the alcohol and attention, so close in color to his hair, but heâs locked in as he finishes the song. âIf everything could ever feel this real forever. If anything could ever be this good again.â
Cam winks at you, holding the pick between his fingers as he croons the last line. âThe only thing Iâll ever ask of you. You gotta promise not to stop when I say when.â
The playful flick of his voice, the way he winks at you like heâs saying something private, earns some wolf whistles and raucous laughter from the crowd.
He grins, standing to remove the guitar strap from around his neck. âAlright everyone, Iâm done for the night. I think you've heard this pretty face long enough.â
You werenât sure what you would sing when you got up there, but the way Camâs lips curled into that crooked, knowing smirk gave you an idea. The question was â would he pick up on its meaning?
Cam takes your seat, ushering you to the front while stealing your drink and downing what was left of it. âYou better do me proud up there.â
âYeah, yeah. Just finish my drink and order me some fries when Iâm done.â
That was always the deal â he got whatever swill they called the drink of the night, and you got a free appetizer.
Groans ripple through the bar when the opening notes of a pop song play over the speakers.
âHey! Shut up, theyâre trying to sing.â Cam tosses pretzels at the hecklers with one hand, shoving another into his mouth with the otherâever the supportive menace.
Then you start.
âDon't have to tell your hot ass a thing. Oh yeah, you just get itâ
It takes half a verse for Cam to lean back in his chair, mismatched eyes narrowing slightly. You see the exact moment it clicks.
He mouths the word, âJuno?â
Someone at the nearby table leans towards him, swirling the alcohol in their glass as they inch closer to him, their arm brushing against his. A Cheshire grin on their lips like theyâre in on a joke he isnât.
They whisper something, and Camâs easygoing smirk falters, his eyes widen a fraction. His fingers tighten slightly around your glass as the person presses a hand to his forearm and squeezes as their gaze flicks to you.
Oh.
That touch and Camâs reaction send a spark of something hot and possessive curling in your gut.
You try to push it down, ignore it as you nearly fumble a verse.
âAdore me, hold me, and explore me.â
The next line comes out just a little slower, a little more deliberate as Camâs eyes lock with yours.
âIâm so fucking horny.â
A chorus of whoops and whistles erupts from the crowd. A few people laugh, some murmuring, and the same guy who whispered to Cam smacks his arm, shaking his head like âDamn, bro.â
You must give credit where credit is due. Cam doesnât fully choke.
Instead, he stands, grabs the basket of nachos from the nearby table, and unceremoniously dumps them on the guyâs head.
âDude, what the hell?!â
Cam ignores him, marching towards you his steps full of determination as he grabs you by the wrist and pulls you straight off the stage.
âWhat- Cam wait. What the hell are you doing?â you laugh, stumbling slightly as he practically drags you to the exit.
He doesnât stop until you're outside, where the wind is chilled and erases the heat of the bar, the noise and music fading behind you. Only then does he turn, glaring at you with the kind of exasperation thatâs barely covering up something else.
He presses a finger to your forehead, pushing you back.
âYou cannot sing about that!â
You canât help but feign ignorance. âSing about what?â
 Cam makes a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, tapping his foot along the sidewalk, and runs a hand down his face. âOh, donât you dare act like you donât know. You canât sing about⌠that. And look like-â Cam motions to you, grabbing you by the shoulders to turn you around and then towards him once more. âThat! In a room full of people. Drunk people.â
His overreaction makes it hard to bite back a smirk as you tilt your head. âThen where am I supposed to sing about it?â
Cam opens his mouth. Closes it and then rubs the back of his neck, visibly flustered.
â⌠You couldâve just sung it to me. At home,â he mutters, his eyes scanning the blinking Open sign on the glass window leading into the bar.
âOh.â
Cherry red, you think. Noticing how that one word has made his ears blossom with color. He clears his throat, grabbing your fingers instead of your wrist this time.
âCâmon. I promised you fries.â
You follow, lips pulled into a grin as your eyes trace his back as he walks a step ahead of you â still holding your hand, head tipped down, chewing his lip.
The sound of your footsteps on the damp sidewalk nearly keeps you from hearing what he mutters under his breath.
Something about âbeing bred.â
A sharp nervous laugh slips out of him as he bites his thumb, clearly spiraling.
Then he swipes his hand down again and sighs, glancing at you cautiously. A hint of determination and something else in his eyes.
âSooo.â His voice is almost too casual. âWhat were you, uh⌠yâknow. Thinking. When you chose that song?â
