“So what if we move things around in your office?”
Liam pauses, throwing a skeptical look at Veronica as she adjusts a few books on the shelf across the room. They’ve toppled over onto their sides due to the extra space on the shelf, but with lithe fingers assisting, they’re right back where they initially rested.
“You mean spending time undoing everything I’ve done to make this room appear professional?”
Incredulity blossoms across Veronica’s brow like Liam’s just lied through his teeth.
“I think you mean keeping the same setting you’ve had in here since you moved in,” she corrects. “And you’ve been complaining about stuffiness. I think it’s time for a change.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Liam lets out a sigh and settles back into the leather of his chair. Veronica’s not wrong to some extent. Work’s been busier than ever, and being stuck in his office for hours finalizing business deals and contracts has left him to his wit’s end. A break would be nice, but Liam knows better than to complain because it could be worse, and he’d rather not think of what that worse might actually entail.
“’m afraid something like that would have to wait anyway,” he murmurs, tone dropping like he’s letting out all of the fight within him - that fight being resentment towards his schedule and the fact that nowhere in there is a set time for him and his bed. Sleep’s always been elusive, but Liam thinks he’s been up for nearly two days straight.
And besides that, he misses Veronica the most.
In the meantime, Liam glances forlornly at the stack of papers on his desk. The pen he’d been using sits on top of them, a pinnacle of success and progress he’s made through each signature that’s been dotted across numerous lines. Vaguely, Liam thinks he can feel his hand ache from overuse.
“We’ll find the time,” Veronica says softly. She’s leaning against the edge of the bookcase before she pushes off of it. Light on her feet, her shoes make no distinct sound even though she’s chosen boots over heels today. Liam’s mind absently flickers through a memory of watching her dress every morning, sitting at the edge of their bed and slipping her feet onto soles that would carry her throughout the day. It’s so normal, such a routine at this point, but Liam’s fallen in love with the simplicity of them coexisting together.
When he blinks, Veronica’s there with a kind smile, looking down at him with a look she reserves only for the two of them. Liam feels that feeling he gets in his chest, the one that bubbles and flips and reminds him that every time he’s near his partner, he’s lucky. Liam’s the lucky one.
And god, he’s missed her.
“C’mere,” he practically pleads, gently tugging Veronica down onto his lap. Liam buries his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling the gentle sent of clean skin and perfume she must’ve put on this morning. Immediately, he feels her fingers dancing at the nape of his neck, a soothing touch that drains away any tension Liam knew was beginning to build up within his body.
“You should come home.”
The statement is simple enough, and Liam’s first reaction is to argue. He’s slept on the couch in his office plenty of times, but lately it’s become of the bane of his existence.
But now with Veronica so close and the gentle touch she thinks he deserves, all of his reasonings to oppose her demand die on his tongue. How can he argue with such a simple request? Liam’s never wanted home to feel more tangible than in this moment right now.
“Okay,” he whispers, pulling back to catch the brown of Veronica’s eyes. “I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I’ll finish the rest tomorrow.”
Veronica nods, and that’s most likely not in agreement but more of an assessment that Liam has given her the answer she wanted, maybe even needed, to hear.
“Good,” she replies, ready to slip away from Liam’s grasp. She’ll probably head back to her desk to gather her things before leaving the office without Liam, and it’s with that thought Liam’s guilt hangs over his head.
The thing is, it’s not like Veronica’s complained of his absence. This is the first time in their relationship the company’s been this busy - which isn’t to say they normally aren’t, but at least it’s never an influx of interest from consumers back to back. Of course the company he works for is pleased, and Liam’s pleased, and well, everyone is pleased, but it did mean taking on a few more after-office hours to prepare paperwork and meetings with other department heads.
So, Veronica knows it’s not his fault; she’s not said a word, and rather be angry about not seeing each other as much, she’s understanding to a degree that Liam knows he can’t keep this up for much longer.
“Let me take you home,” he says before she completely pulls away from him. Liam ignores the flutter of paper on his desk to watch Veronica’s face pull a select set of thoughts before settling on curiosity.
“You don’t want to stay and finish?”
Rather than answer, Liam sits up straight, fingers gently squeezing at Veronica’s side as if she’s an anchor in a sea of letters and office furniture. Liam gently taps the line of her jaw with his free hand before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers.
His gesture isn’t subtle, not with the two of them here alone, but he waits for her to move, to curl into his action by pressing up against him with a longing Liam hopes won’t ever be replicated in the future.
Veronica’s the first to pull back, eyes a little brighter and chest heavier until she seeks enough breath. She hums quietly and nods, finally shifting away from Liam to toy with her skirt given its ridden up a few inches above her knees. Once she’s done, she holds her hand out for Liam, a silent request for him to take it and follow her.
“We’ll get something to eat on the way home then,” she says, the arch of her brow pointedly telling Liam that she knows he skipped lunch to sit in his office.
Sheepishly, Liam takes her hand, curling his fingers in between hers. He thinks he ought to feel the tension slide right off his shoulders, but he’s surprised to find that there’s none there at all. Maybe that has to do with Veronica’s presence the moment she stepped into his office a few minutes ago, aimed at tackling the overall stress littering his second home.
Together they leave Liam’s office, him trailing behind just a few paces and admiring the fact that despite Liam’s rough appearance, it never ceases to amaze him that Veronica’s clearly put together in all the ways he will never be. She’s on time, and she dresses beautifully, and generally, she takes time out for herself often enough that Liam thinks he should take a page out of her book. But he’s used to stress and long hours and relationships that were more like flings than they were serious, and he tries not to blame himself for not being who he ought to be for Veronica.
Then again, if he said as much out loud, she’d tell him he worries too much, and she likes him the way he is just fine. After all, she hadn’t spent months pining over a man she didn’t know.
“I love you,” he hears himself say, a surprise that isn’t bad. He means those words every time he says them, loves the way they feel warm and light on his tongue.
They walk in silence until they reach the elevators, and Liam’s never bothered when Veronica keeps him waiting. More often than not, it’s worth it, and just as they step onto the elevator to take them down to the first floor, Veronica shuffles closer to Liam and smiles. “I love you, too.”
-
Liam’s break turns into a full-fledged weekend off. It’s no surprise, however, given Veronica’s persuasive when she wants to be and that thing with her tongue is, well, Liam clears his throat before opening his office door and flipping on the light.
While his office has a beautiful view of the city, letting streams of sunlight into his stuffy office, it takes a moment for Liam’s eyes to adjust to the room.
And then maybe a little bit longer than a minute because when he looks around, everything is out of place.
Everything’s been moved around - his bookshelf, his table, the couch, the desk. It’s all been rearranged, looking just as neat and professional as it had been before except the layout is different.
Liam cautiously walks to his desk, removing his jacket and draping it over the back of his chair. It’s then that he notices the post-it note. It’s taped to the front of the computer screen on his desk, yellow with black ink scribbled across the page. Liam pulls it off the desktop only to rub the pad of his thumb over the text.
Veronica’s signed it like the superstar she is along with leaving a smiley face that winks back at him knowingly.
Unconsciously, Liam smiles before returning the note, leaving it on the edge of the screen where it won’t hinder his vision. It’ll serve as a reminder that Veronica still surprises him, and that always makes Liam happy.
Looking around the room again, Liam already feels better. It’s new despite the furniture being familiar, but he’ll have to learn where to walk and not stub his toe, and he’ll have space to walk in front of the windows when he needs a view of life other than his own.
“Sometimes I hate how right you are,” he says to himself. Liam knows he’d be saying it to Veronica if she were in at the moment, but even though she’s not, Liam realizes he probably wouldn’t have to say a word anyway.
Veronica already knows, and just like always, it’s taken Liam a little longer to catch up. And either way, Liam’s not complaining; he’s definitely okay with that.