ex!daniel + “Cause we work so well and we don't even know why”
“Can you pass me the-” Daniel was cut off by the paintbrush that was shoved into his vision. “Thanks, princess,” he said softly, bring a painted covered hand over to pat your head before retracting his hand when you glared up at him. He added more green to the canvas, pausing his ministrations every now and then to tilt his head, trying to get a better picture of what exactly he was trying to paint. Letting out a low hum, he stuck out his hand. You placed the jar of black paint in his open hand, along with a little gummy. He subconsciously places the gummy in his mouth before opening the jar, mixing the black paint with the bright green.
“I don’t like that color,” you said, wrinkling your nose.
“Well, I do. It completes my picture,” he replied, smearing the dark green onto his canvas, turning the bright summer day into something colder, something darker.
“But it’s not happy anymore,” you said, “It’s not warm.”
“It’s not supposed to be warm,” he said matter-of-factly, continuing to work.
“If you added a deeper shade of blue to the top right corner it would look good,” you said idly. You dug into the bag of gummies and plopped one into your mouth.
“But that’s just- Wait a minute, Y/N, you might be on to something there!” Daniel digs his brush into the jar of blue paint that sat at his feet and quickly added it to his canvas.
“Look at how pretty that landscape is!” your friend gushed as she dragged you around the art exhibit, “Ugh, I wish I was talented.”
You kept your eyes trained onto the painting in front of you. It’s rolling dark hills and turbulent navy sky brought a sudden sense of melancholy. However, you found yourself unable to look away.
“Do you want to try?” Daniel asked as he offered you a paintbrush. You looked at him as if he grew another head.
“Are you crazy? This is the painting you’re putting into the town’s art showcase, and you want me to ruin it? Try again, sweetheart.”
“You’re not going to ruin, princess. You’re going to give it character.”
“By ruining it.”
“Take the goddamn paintbrush.”
You begrudgingly took the brush from his outstretched hand and dipped it into a pot of light blue paint. Taking in a deep breath, you pressed the tip of the brush to the canvas and made one tentative stroke. Daniel took your hand into his and guided your movements, adding some brightness to the once stormy sky. Once you finished, the painting that once depicted a turbulent rainstorm now showed the calmness that came after the storm.
“Wow,” you let out softly, amazed at what Daniel was able to do.
“And it was all you, sweetheart,” he said before pressing a kiss to your shoulder.
You rolled your eyes at his comment. “Uh huh, whatever you say.”
“It’s different,” you said primarily to yourself; however, your friend overheard your comment.
“Different?” she questioned.
“Oh, that’s Daniel’s piece. It’s just different from the last time I saw it.”
“When was that?”
“Oh, just before we broke up, that’s all.” Bitterness crept at the back of your tongue. “I’m going to the restroom, don’t wait up for me,” you said to your friend. Moving swiftly through the exhibit, you tried your best to distance your thoughts from the past.
“Y/N?”
Your heart seized at the sound of his voice. Your feet stilled, keeping your body frozen in place. You counted to three in your head, inhaled, and turned around to face him; you could practically feel yourself falling for him again. Warmth suddenly filled your shoes, moving up through your whole body, yet, the ache stayed within your heart. You plastered on a small smile before acknowledging him.
“Hi, Daniel, nice painting,” you said, almost robotic-like.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” he replied; his eyes wandered from your shoes to your hands and finally to your face. What was he searching for? A sign of forgiveness? Or a sign of you moving on?
“I made a promise a long time ago I’d come. I don’t break promises,” you retorted; you were surprised at how strong your voice was coming out considering inside you were practically shaking.
“You’ll come to the art exhibit right? It’s-”
“In three months, I know, sweetheart. That’s all you’ve been talking about for the past months,” you said. The two of you were standing at the sink, washing paint off of your hands.
“It’s just, I’m doing something with my life that isn’t destructive, and it’s because of you, and I just want to make sure you’re there becau-” You had cut him off with a kiss. When you pulled away, Daniel looked down at you starry-eyed. “Because I love you, princess.”
“And I love you too, Daniel,” you said, rolling your eyes at your boyfriend’s cheesiness. It still surprised you to this day how sentimental the supposed bad boy was. “And I promise I’ll come to the art exhibit.”
“Pinky promise?” he asked in all seriousness. You giggled when he lifted his still paint-covered hand. He intertwined his pinky with yours and you pressed your thumb against his.
“Pinky promise,” you said, “Do you promise to behave while I’m State Champs?”
It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Ever since I started dating you, all I do is behave.” You glared up at him. “Fine, princess, I promise, and our pinkies are still intertwined, so it’s an official pinky promise.”
“Not even if the person you made the promise with broke their promise first?” he asked, a sad smile now painting his face. You tried not to linger on it too much, knowing full well he was aiming for a second chance, something you coached yourself into never giving him.
“Yeah,” you replied softly, choosing to look at your shoes, “even if they break their promise first. Now if you can excuse me, I have to look for my friend.” With those final words, you brushed past Daniel, choosing not to look back.