[TEXT]: Stop making fun of me! / [TEXT]: He told me what happened. I’m sorry. / [TEXT]: Why won’t you reply to any of my texts? / [TEXT]: Did you think I wouldn’t find out? / [TEXT]: What else are you lying about?
[text]: Stop making fun of me![text]: PLEASE I’m an older brother???[text]: Comes w the territory, Gem.
[text]: He told me what happened. I’m sorry.[text]: Tell Will to go fuck himself.
[text]: Why won’t you reply to any of my texts?[text]: Bc I don’t have anything to say to you.
[text]: Did you think I wouldn’t find out?[text]: I didn’t think you’d care.[text]: Isn’t that sort of your thing? Not caring?
[text]: What else are you lying about?[text]: You’re a fucking hypocrite, Gemma.
[TEXT]: I’m drunk and upset and I miss you. / [TEXT]: Why won’t you reply to any of my texts? / [TEXT]: You’re unbelievable. / [TEXT]: What is wrong with you? / [TEXT]: I’m here for you if you want to talk to me. / [TEXT]: Did you think I wouldn’t find out? / [TEXT - WRONG #]: i hate Will.
[TEXT]: I’m drunk and upset and I miss you.
(text): don’t move(text): ill be there in five
[TEXT]: Why won’t you reply to any of my texts?
(text): I thought you had the wrong number?(text): why are you texting me?
[TEXT]: You’re unbelievable.
(text): at least I’m not a coward
[TEXT]: What is wrong with you?
(text): nothing(text): until I fuckin met u
[TEXT]: I’m here for you if you want to talk to me.
(text): read at 10:15pm(text@2:22am): Im durnk and im gnna do somthni stupid(text@2:25am): i need u (text@2:26am): please
[TEXT]: Did you think I wouldn’t find out?
(text): its none of your business who I fuck(text): we’re not a thing(text): remember?
[TEXT - WRONG #]: i hate Will
(text): you just can’t keep my name outta ur mouth(text): can you princess?
They’re only been dating for three weeks. They’ve known each other for years, have been awkwardly running into each other, fighting, and sometimes kissing for months, but as far as dating goes? Three, short weeks. It doesn’t stop Will from walking across campus in his pajamas or knocking on her door. Gemma answers, confused, and Will just shoots her an apologetic look.
“I can’t sleep.”
Gemma’s face lights up in recognition and she just opens the door. Her roommate is already sleeping, and Will doesn’t pay her any mind. He’s not here to get lucky. Not tonight. It’s one fifty-three in the morning, he has class the next day, and he really, really just wants to sleep.
Will settles in on his back, arm looping out and inviting her over. She moves towards him, her arm and leg slowly creeping to lay on top of his body. They don’t have this down yet, cuddling. In fact, it’s miracle they’ve been here this long without an argument. But Gemma seems at peace with him there, too, and Will doesn’t have to shift much to find comfort.
“Thanks,” he mutters, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. Gemma tenses up - this is still new and dangerous and unfamiliar - but Will can already feel himself lulling to sleep. He smells Gemma’s shampoo. He can feel her breathing as she curls into him. Will’s enveloped in Gemma, all of his senses, and it puts his mind to rest. He lets it happen, lets her wash over him and cover him. Like a soft, soft blanket Will feels at peace, like he can finally rest.
They’ve only been dating three weeks. It’s still new, fresh, and shaky territory. But when Will drifts off to sleep, the “I love you, Gem,” that falls out of his mouth is soft and genuine. Will’s too tired to see the fear on her face and the tensing of her limbs. He just holds her close and breathes in deep, knowing he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.
[Text] We need to talk. Call me. / [Text] Where do you hide your spare key? / [Text] Are you seriously standing me up or are you really that late? / [Text] Where are you? And why do you never tell me where you're going?
[text]: We need to talk. Call me. [text]: Yeah, sure, I’m almost done with class. Five minutes.[text]: Gem, are you okay?
[text]: Where do you hide your spare key?[text]: Uh, Dom’s got it, actually! But he’s with me right now so… I guess the spare key is technically also with me.[text]: So that wasn’t helpful. Did you need something from my room?[text]: Is it the second Harry Potter book Gem is that what you wanted did you finish the first one did you like it?????
[text]: Are you seriously standing me up or are you really that late?[text]: God, you sent that hours ago. I am so sorry??? I got knocked out in combat class. Apparently when your head is slammed against the floor hard enough, you pass out.
[text]: Where are you? And why do you never tell me where you’re going?[text]: I’m fine, I’ve just been busy.[text]: You don’t have to worry about me, I swear, I’m okay.
[Text] I'm sorry, okay? An apology is what you wanted, right? / [Text] We need to talk. Call me. / [Text] Can you come pick me up? May have been drinking and may have also punched out a guy for talking shit. / [Text] I am never drinking that much again. / [Text] I... think you sent that to the wrong person.
[Text] I'm sorry, okay? An apology is what you wanted, right?[Text]: save it West[Text]: im not drunk enough to deal with u rn
[Text] We need to talk. Call me.[Text]: I’m tired of talking Gemma15 minutes later[Text]: meet me @ the lake in 10
[Text] Can you come pick me up? May have been drinking and may have also punched out a guy for talking shit. [Text]: is this a prank?[Text]: Princess?[Text]: I don’t even know where u are...[Text]: Gemma???
[Text] I am never drinking that much again. [Text]: what, u mean your 2 wine coolers?[Text]: u left your sunglasses [Text]: answer ur goddamn door princess
[Text] I... think you sent that to the wrong person.[Text]: Fuck[Text]: well now u know I really am a big dick
Andrew’s lost about five games of Mario Kart to Gemma when his eyes start to get heavy. By the seventh game he’s lost, he’s yawning, and by the tenth, Gemma’s setting her controller down, narrowing her eyes at him.
“You’re tired,” she observes as Andrew picks Rainbow Road for their eleventh game in a final attempt to win just one game against Gemma. “You said you slept.”
“I may have exaggerated the amount of hours I slept,” he admits, turning to face her. “I’ll just rest for a while, I’ll be fine.”
With that, he stretches out on the couch and unceremoniously dumps his head in her lap. Just when he’s about to tell her to pick her controller back up, she yanks his out right out of his hands.
“You’re going to sleep,” Gemma commands, “right now.”
She might be a year younger than him, but Andrew’s not dumb enough to argue with Gemma West once she’s decided something. Especially not if he gets to sleep. It’s just for a while, anyway. He’s not that tired. Just a little.
Five minutes, tops. That’s how long he’ll nap.
“Five minutes,” Andrew mumbles, letting his eyes slide shut as he shifts over onto his side, his head nestled into Gemma’s lap, “then I’ll get up.”
It’s a few hours later when he wakes up to Gemma stroking his hair absently, her voice a soft murmur as she talks to someone else — Roman, he thinks, when he hears a reply — and he’s about to say hi when Gemma says, “Go back to sleep, Andrew.”
“Davis,” she growls out, enunciating every single word with a poke to his chest. “Get. The. Hell. Away. From. Me.”
“I’m trying princess,” Will growls, giving her a dirty look. Like he wants to be stuck in a goddamn broom closet with her after successful weeks of avoiding her. The door is stuck, and Will throws his shoulder into it hard enough to make it shudder. The door isn’t wood, it’s solid goddamn metal, and Will knows he’ll wind up popping his shoulder out of place before he gets the door open.
There isn’t enough room for Will to keep from touching her completely. When Will shifts left, his chest is pressed against Gemma’s arm. When he shifts back right, he can feel her warm breath on his neck. It drives him crazy, and when Will slams his shoulder into the door again he lets out a low whine in pain.
“That’s obviously not helping,” Gemma scoffs. Will tries to rub his shoulder but his arm gets awkwardly tangled around Gemma and the look she give him is hard enough to cut through diamonds.
“Do you have a better plan?”
That leaves the room in an awkward silence, with Will and Gemma just barely pressing against each other. Will tries not to look at her. He doesn’t want to be here. Lord, if he could be stuck with anyone else, including Jonah he would take it. After their thing at the lake, Will’s done such a good job at pretending like she doesn’t exist. Will can’t stand Gemma West. Not her stupid, stuck up nature. Not her cold, ice queen exterior. Not the way she talks so poetically about the stars and definitely not about how soft her lips were, and how her pretty eyes fluttered closed, and now right now he could just-
“You’re staring,” Gemma barks out at him, and Will realizes he’s been looking at her lips for the last three minutes.
“In your dreams,” he scoffs. “I’m not into frigid, emotionally warped, control freaks.”
Gemma’s arms go to push him and there’s not enough space for her to get real purcahse. Will’s arms wrap around her wrists, to stop her so that his back doesn’t break the two dozen mops behind him. Gemma look at him with spite and anger and something else that Will’s not sure he wants to identify and suddenly they’re kissing again, but sober this time, and neither one of them are pulling back.
❥
“He just sort of passed out on the way back to his room,” Roman says with a shrug, looking down at Will. The mission was ridiculously long, and Will had one of the quickest finishing times in the group. But the head wound - who would have guessed that having a chair smashed against your head would hurt so badly - means that he shouldn’t be sleeping. If Will has a concussion, he has to stay away. Roman looks lost, and so tired, and Gemma look around for anyone else to do the job. It’s just the two of them with a passed out Will on the park bench.
“I’ll do it.”
Roman quirks an eyebrow at her, a questioning look all over his face. Gemma’s no-nonsense look keeps Roman from asking questions, but this is Will, Will Davis, one of the two men that Gemma claims to hate more than anything else. Roman tucks his hands into his pockets, giving Gemma half hug before leaving.
She just stares at him. Will’s out cold on the bench, and Gemma sighs, sitting next to him. It’s a cool night, still a couple of weeks before any real summer weather, and she shivers. Gemma’s tired too. Will’s an idiot, passing out and making others take care of him when they’re tired too. Moron.
“Are you awake?” She asks but it’s futile. Will doesn’t response, and Gemma watches the heave and fall of his chest. His shirt is coated with blood, probably his own, and there’s a bandage on his head from the wound. Gemma’ jaw clenches. He looks like he could have been hurt badly, even killed. Will’s a lot of things - she call him an idiot all of the time - but he shouldn’t be so reckless. The heavy breathing is comforting, and Gemma crosses her arms over her chest in an effort to keep warm.
“Davis, wake up.” She nudges him, and Christ Will is warm. Gemma’s hand raises to his forehead to check if he’s got a fever, but he’s not sweaty and it’s not focused. Will sleeping just radiates warmth and Gemma slides closer to him unconsciously?
“Will?” The anger is out of her voice. She’s tired and sore and wort of all, worried. Worried over an idiot. She tries to shake Will and he doesn’t respond, too deep in his sleep. Maybe, if he has brain damage, no one will notice, she tells herself. He seems okay in his sleep, and she’s suddenly just too tired to try to wake him. Her fingers lightly graze over the bandage, touch paper thin. He’s not bleeding through it, which is good. He looks okay.
“Please be okay,” she practically whispers, laying her head on his shoulder. The steady lull of his breathing rocks her to sleep and Gemma cuddles into his side, pretending like she still hates him.
♢
“That was fucked up Will,” Andrew yells out as he trips his way back to the log they’re sitting on. Will throws an arm over his shoulder, leaning slightly against Andrew. They are both so incredibly drunk, and Will’s smile is big and stupid on his face.
“I told you Cora was a good kisser.”
“Shut up dude, it’s my turn. Truth or dare.”
“Dare,” Will challenges him back, and Andrew looks kind of lost. He’s awful and picking good dares. The last one was for Will to chug a beer, which is basically just water at this point in the night
“I dare you...” Andrew looks around the bonfire. His vision swims as his head jerk around, looking for a good dare to think up. His eyes light up with mirth and Will feels his stomach drop when he follows Andrew’s gaze.
“Oh Drew, fuck not.”
“I dare you...” Andrew repeats, talking over Will like he didn’t hear him. Fucking asshole. “... to kiss Gemma. On the mouth.”
“What if I don’t.”
“Then you gotta strip down to your birthday suit and give a lap dance to someone.”
Will considers it for a minute, chugging back the rest of hi beer. Naked and humiliated... or dealing with Gemma. He weighs out the pros and cons and sighs.
“I’m not drunk enough for this shit.”
“Go get her, tiger.”
Will works up his nerve with a jello shot. he approaches Gemma careful, feeling the world spin around a little before it centers. With the fire behind her, it looks like Gemma’s sort of glowing, which mean her dumb, beautiful face looks even prettier. How annoying.
“Hey there princess.”
“What do you want, Davis?” She’s not drinking. Will remembers how much of a lightweight she is, and he’s not surprised. Will doesn’t know how to get her to agree, so he just lean forward and does it. It’s a brief kiss, not lasting for more than two seconds, and she pulls back violently right after.
The hand that snaps around is vicious. Gemma’s slap echoes out and a couple of people actually look over at them at it’s intensity.
“Idiot.” Gemma’s face turns away, but Will can see the scarlett brush on her cheeks. He holds his hand up to where Gemma slapped him, watching as she turns away with a stupid grin on his face.
