#psuzach

[staceyevanspsu]

Hi Professor Wilde. I know were in lockdown together for a little while and when I left I found a pair of sunglasses on the floor as we left and I'm trying to track down the owner, they're not yours are they? A little strange for sunglasses in October, but it still is nice weather in LA I guess. Sorry, I'm rambling.

@zachwilde

[corimmy]

TEXT 📲 ZAMMY

IMMY: Are you okay? Are you with your siblings? [UNDELIVERED] IMMY: Malea and I are okay. If you get this, please just take care of yourself. [UNDELIVERED] IMMY: I can't lose you again. [UNDELIVERED] @zachwilde

[addycorcoran]

TEXTS 📲 ZADDY

ADDY: Hey, bud. I'm at the studio. You safe? Midge is here with me, she's fine. I'm trying to keep things as afloat as possible here but there's some kid fucking with the tech. I'll see you soon. Be safe. @zachwilde

[mir-iamwilde]

TEXT 📲 WILDE ONES

MIDGE: I SWEAR IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO ANY OF YOU.... [UNDELIVERED] @zachwilde @gabewildepsu @abigailwildes

[corimmy]

You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress. Oh, Kiss me! || ZAMMY

TAGGING ➝ @zachwilde, @corimmy

LOCATION ➝ TABLE + ICE

TIME FRAME ➝ 10/09. Evening.

WARNINGS ➝ Possible mentions of childhood abuse, and csa, religious trauma - nothing mentioned super specifically or indepth.

NOTES ➝ Immy plans a first date for her and Zach, they discuss some deep feelings, and some fluff.

Immy CortesNervous didn't even begin to cover what Immy was feeling as she dropped Malea off with Haley for the night, she was verging on panic. It was silly, really, but she couldn't help it, she wanted this night to go well, she wanted every night with Zach to go well, and if this one went poorly, she worried there wouldn't be any more to come. Normally, one person picks another up for a date, but because she had to drop Malea off, and wanted to make sure everything was set up to her standards she asked Zach to meet her at her restaurant. 

Immy was upstairs on the rooftop patio, the restaurant closed on Wednesday nights to give the staff a night off, meant the place was quiet and private and hopefully not too romantic that she'd run them off, which is why she opted not to put candles on the table, and instead using the bars low lighting. The whole rooftop was cleared, with the exception of their table, and the place was empty with the exception of a few staff who she was paying double time for volunteering to work on their day off.

zach wildeZach didn't know what to expect tonight. He'd been nervous, pacing back and forth in his apartment only just an hour before. The conversation they'd had about taking things slow made complete sense, and Zach was glad to know that they were on the same page. But now, Immy was figuring out if she still felt the same way about Zach now, and not just teenager Zach. 

When they finally arrived on the rooftop patio, Zach was at a loss for words. One, because of the set up. And two, because Immy was the most beautiful woman they'd ever seen in their life, they were sure of it. They walked up to her, not being able to hold themselves back from just completely checking them out. Zach wrapped his arms around Immy, pulling her close. "Wow.." He pressed a kiss against her cheek before pulling away. They took her hand in their own, eyes locking onto Immy's. "You're absolutely breathtaking, Immy."

Immy CortesHer heart raced when she saw them step onto the patio and finally felt a bit of calm for the first time all night when Zach wrapped their arms around her. She was certain the way her whole body reacted to them couldn’t just be old feelings resurfacing. A deep blush rose on her cheeks when she heard their words, and she couldn’t stop herself from tugging on their hand to pull him in for a real kiss this time. 

“Sorry, I’ve been thinking about kissing you since the last time we kissed, I didn’t think I could wait any longer.” Immy grinned, and then motioned to the table, “we should eat, there’s a surprise later and I want to make sure we’ve finished eating and have everything cleared away when it’s time. The menu is smaller than a full menu since we’re closed and a lot of stuff gets made in batches but there are burgers, so I figured you’d be okay with the limited options.” She said, sitting down in her own seat and smiling as one of her servers came over with water and to take their orders.

zach wildeZach was more than happy to feel Immy's lips against his again. He couldn't help his somewhat dopey grin as he said: "You never have to apologize for kissing me, Im." The fact that there was a surprise later caught Zach's surprise, but not enough to quickly pull out the chair for Immy. 

Zach immediately ordered a burger, as they always did, and turned back to Immy. "So, back to this surprise.." They smiled, grabbing their water and taking a quick sip. "You're amazing. All of this?" Zach motioned towards the rooftop patio, and then towards her. "Amazing. I feel like I'm the luckiest person in the world now up here with you."

Immy CortesIt shouldn’t have surprised her when Zach pulled out her chair, and yet it did, just a small gesture like that was exactly one of the reasons she knew they were still such a good person after all these years. Immy ordered her own food, glad to hear Zach ordering his usual, and blushed again at his words. “I was worried you would think I was doing too much, but then at the same time nothing felt like it was enough for you.” She bit her lip, “I might be just a little smitten, and I’ve never really had a chance to plan a date like this, not a real date with someone I actually care about, so if anyone here is the lucky one, it’s me.” 

Immy leaned back in her chair, debating on telling him now what the surprise was, “Do you want to know what the surprise is or would you rather wait and see? I’m okay either way, but I think it will take a little explaining.” Another thought occurred to her, and she cleared her throat, then took a sip of water, hoping she didn’t sound to forward, “This doesn’t have to mean anything, but for the record, Malea is sleeping over at Haley’s tonight so, I guess I’m saying I don’t have a curfew tonight.”

zach wildeEverything between Immy had felt so charged. Even with them just sitting here with one another, Zach found themselves feeling so much. With Immy simply saying she was smitten with them, they felt their heart beat just a little bit faster. "How about we're both lucky?" Zach suggested, not being able to take his eyes off of her. In this lighting, she was absolutely breathtaking. "Just a little smitten?" Zach tilted his head to the side, smiling playfully. "I'll remember that. I'm a little bit smitten with you too, though." 

Zach was going to respond to Immy concerning the surprise, but was taken aback when she told him that Malea was staying the night at Haley's. He couldn't help the way he immediately thought of all the things he could do with her, provided that was what she wanted. Perhaps that was thinking too far, but they couldn't help themselves. Immy was intoxicating. "Okay. But, just to be clear. Are you intending it to mean something?"

Immy Cortes“Okay, we’re both lucky,” Immy agreed. “Maybe more than a little on my part.” She admitted. Her blush deepened at their words and she shook her head, trying to figure out what she did mean. “I just mean, we’re adults and I’m physically attracted to you and I think you feel the same and I’m not saying we definitely should go home and bone,” she said with a laugh, “I just mean, we can go wherever the night takes us, I don’t believe in rules about needing to go on so many dates, and we don’t have to worry about me needing to rush out to get Malea. But if you’re wondering if I want to sleep with you, the answer is definitely yes.”

zach wildeZach couldn’t stop himself from smirking just a bit at her last comment. He cleared his throat and took a sip of water, taking a second before he replied with something too inappropriate for a first date. Instead, they focused on the feeling that Immy had felt comfortable enough with them to want that. He reached his hand over the table and took Immy’s hand in his own. Zach locked eyes with her. “Whatever you want. Everything will be at your pace. Personally, I’m okay with kissing you all night long like we’re in high school again.” He laughed, thinking back on how nervous he’d been to kiss her back then. “But just to let you know, my answer is definitely yes too. Just thought you should know.”

Immy CortesShe gave him her hand happily, squeezing theirs back gently. “The kissing all night is definitely an option, too.” But she was glad to hear that they were just as interested as she was. She was pulled from her thoughts when the food arrived, grateful for a break in the tension because she wasn’t sure if she was about to climb into their lap right here in the restaurant. 

Immy thanked the server that brought the food and checked the time on her watch, they still had a decent amount of time before the sculpture instructor arrived. “Is your burger okay?” She asked, enjoying her pasta probably a little too quickly, but she was definitely a foodie and couldn’t help but dive right in. “Sorry,” she laughed as she pushed her nearly empty plate to the side, “I was hungry.”

zach wildeNo matter what, when there was a burger in front of Zach, he was going to inhale the thing like he'd never eaten before in his life. He looked up just in time for Immy to ask him if his food was good. He finished the large bite in his mouth and then nodded. "It's incredible. As someone who has eaten their fair share of burgers.. and by that, I mean, way too many fucking burgers.. this has got to be top ten." Zach wiped off their mouth, making sure there was nothing on their face. They looked at their finished plate and laughed. "Never apologize for eating. I'm sure it's incredible." 

They finished up their burger quickly after that, pushing it to the side. Zach started feeling somewhat antsy about the supposed surprise, so he couldn't help but ask. "First off, thank you so much for dinner and setting this whole thing up. It really has been incredible. And second.. The more time that goes on, the more I'm wondering about this surprise. What do you have up your sleeves, Im?"

Immy CortesImmy grinned as they finished their food as well, “Well, I’ll have to let the chef know that you approve.” She smiled, declining to order any dessert for herself when the server came back for the plates, waiting to see if Zach wanted any. 

Immy held her arms up at her sides slightly, “I have no sleeves,” she teased but didn’t want to keep him waiting. “Umm, hopefully this isn’t too strange but I saw you say that you’d like to try sculpting sometime. I hired someone from a local studio to come here and give us a lesson. She should be here soon, but if you’re not interested I can text her and tell her we’re all set.” She said, nerves suddenly taking over her.

zach wildeZach scrunched his nose, amused with Immy's little joke. However, he was stunned into silence when she explained that she hired someone to give them a lesson on sculpting. The whole idea that she'd seen their casual answer of a skill they'd like to learn, and made this happen. "I..." They started, not really knowing what to say. Sure, people had done some kind things for him before, but something about this felt different. It felt.. more. In a good way. In a really good way. 

"I don't know what to say other than thank you. That's so thoughtful." With every passing second that Zach spent with Immy, they were becoming more and more sure that their feelings were for Immy and not just because of what they felt when they were teenagers. "Of course I'm interested." He paused. "How long until she's going to be here? Because I really want to kiss you."

Immy CortesThe silence dragged on for long enough for Immy to feel self conscious about the date she’d planned, but she felt herself relaxed when they seemed happy by the surprise. “We have about ten minutes.” She said, grinning as she looked around, not really wanting to make out in front of her staff but wanting to kiss them just as badly. “I could show you my office, if you wanted.” She offered, taking his hand and leading him to the door that lead to her office. 

It wasn’t anything magnificent, just a desk and a couch pushed against the windows, but the view was almost as nice as the rooftop. “I just figured we could have some privacy for a few minutes and I don’t want to have to pay for therapy for my staff for forcing them to watch their boss come unglued on a date.” She smiled, stepping closer to them and resting her hands against his chest, “Zach, I just really hope you know how incredibly grateful I am for you, for believing the best of me even after all this time, for not believing your dad about me, for always making me feel safe, for so many things, really. I’ve never felt the same way about anyone as I have about you, and I appreciate you being willing to take things slow with me, but I truly can’t imagine that the way I’m feeling is all in my head. It’s not just feelings from when we were kids, not for me, I know that already.”

zach wildeZach was happy to be led into Immy's office. He took a look around, but soon thereafter focused all of his attention on her. He laughed. "Yeah.. That would be embarrassing for them and you, I think." When she stepped closed to them, they wrapped their arms around her waist and pulled them in closer. "There's nothing in this world that could make me believe anything that man says. And even then, I know you. I know you would've never done what he said." He took in a deep breath, just needing her to know that he was always going to feel that way. 

Zach leaned down and pressed their lips against Immy's, letting it linger for a long moment before they pulled away. "Sorry. I can't help it. But.. I'm really glad you feel that way. Because ever since I've seen you tonight, I've known that it's not just leftover feelings. I think it's you, Immy. I'm just... so fucking crazy about you. I want to get to know everything about you, and what you've been doing these last years. I want to know what's been going on inside of that beautiful mind of yours. It was you then and it's you now, babe."

Immy CortesShe just couldn’t understand what she’d ever done in life to get as lucky as she was. She was blessed with the most amazing child, a career she loved, and for a long time she had felt that that was enough. She knew she could be content in life with just that, she wondered about maybe one day falling in love, but didn’t really see it for herself. But she never could have dreamed up this, having Zach Wilde holding her in their arms and telling her they were crazy about her. Immy lived her life in pure misery as a child, and then one day there was Zach, and he changed everything. And now she was an adult, living contently and accepting of that, and then again, one day there was Zach and it felt like everything could be different. 

Immy felt a tear escape her but she quickly wiped it away, standing on her tip toes to press another kiss to their lips. “I don’t know how I ever got so lucky, between you and Malea I have to be the luckiest person on the planet to get to have you both in my life. I’ve never felt the way I felt about you with anyone else, not even Malea’s dad, and I truly didn’t think I ever would again until I saw you again.”

zach wilde Zach kissed Immy on one cheek, and then the other, and then moved to her forehead. He wished that he could kiss her everywhere right then and there, just to show her how much she meant to him. They cupped Immy's cheek in their palm, just looking down at her and admiring her for everything that she was. "You've got me feeling really special, Im." Zach's voice was quiet, and he rubbed his thumb along her bottom lip, just looking at her. 

"Looking at you like this, right now, I feel like the luckiest fucking person in the world." They took in a deep breath and smiled. "I struggle a lot, simply put. With my anxiety and ..just everything with my dad. Sometimes I swear I can hear his boots stomping down the hallway and straight to my room. I'll be up for hours trying to convince myself he's not in my house. Things feel really dark a lot of the time. But you're this bright light, allowing me to finally breathe just right."

Immy CortesIt was the way Zach seemed to really see her that had made Immy fall in love back then and it was the same thing that was making her fall so hard now. He didn’t just think she was hot, or want her body, he truly saw her and wanted her. There were still things they didn’t know about her past, and now wasn’t the time to bring them up, but somehow she knew that even if they did know, theyd still choose to be here with her. “You are special, Zach.” 

She felt her heart breaking for them when they spoke, wishing she could take that pain away. She’d go through all of the pain she’d been through and then some if it meant sparing Zach from the pain of their own past. “I don’t know how but if you say so, then I’m glad I can do that for you. You know, you can call me. If you’re having a night like that, please call me. Or just come over, I don’t care what time it is, I’m a light sleeper, I’ll wake up and if I can’t make you feel better then at least we’ll be up together.”

zach wilde

Zach smiled. Of course she'd invite him over when he was having a particularly bad night. Most times, he found himself awake in the middle of the night and painting. It was the one thing that seemed to calm his nerves. But going over to Immy's sounded much better. Zach already knew he was going to take her up on that offer. "Just by being here again. That's how you do it. And I'm definitely going to be coming over. Any excuse to see you." 

Not wanting to continue thinking about his dad, Zach opted for something better. "Now, I believe we came in here for a reason.." They trailed off, small smile playing on their lips. They pressed their body against hers, pulling her as close as possible before kissing her. He kissed her hungrily, wanting to capture the taste of her. Zach hummed happily into the kiss, and then pulled away after a couple of minutes. "Is this okay?"

Immy Cortes

She was more than happy to let him kiss her, enjoying it maybe even more than she should. If they weren't in her office she'd consider moving things beyond kissing, but was grateful for the break in her thoughts when they pulled away. "More than okay," She grinned, and then let out a sigh, "But unfortunately I think our instructor will be here soon, we should probably make our way back out there and save the rest of this for later."

[mir-iamwilde]

Text || ZACH + MIDGE

MIDGE: I need a family dinner, stat. @zachwilde

[corimmy]

Pocketfull of Sunshine || Zammy

TAGGING ➝ @zachwilde, @corimmy

LOCATION ➝ Immy's house.

TIME FRAME ➝ 9/25. Evening.

WARNINGS ➝ Possible mentions of childhood abuse, and csa - nothing mentioned super specifically or indepth.

NOTES ➝ Zach comes to Immy's house for dinner and gets a surprise when he finds out she has a daughter, then a little bit of fluff and cuteness.

Immy Cortes

It was pretty rare that Imogen would be nervous to cook for anyone, she knew what she was doing in a kitchen, especially her own, but Zach coming over had her nervous. She knew it was mainly about them meeting Malea, but for some reason the food part was getting to her. She knew what he liked as a teen, but was it silly to be assuming that was still his favorite? It didn’t matter, if he hated it, she’d make something else, but she couldn’t stop feeling like a nervous fool. 

Immy made her way to the living room and turned the TV on to Malea’s favorite show while cleaning up some of her toys. “Okay, when this episode is over it will be time for dinner,” she said, placing the toddler on the couch to relax while she finished preparing everything.

zach wilde

Zach was brimming with excitement and nervousness. Having Immy back in his life was an absolute whirlwind, and something he still couldn’t wrap his head around. He’d made an “emergency” appointment with his therapist to talk about everything — he needed to talk about the fact that he’d felt guilty about everything, even though he knew it wasn’t his fault. He’d dressed up in a nice pair of pants and a button up shirt, and found himself in front of the door that Immy told him was hers. 

Zach knocked on the door, chewing on their bottom lip. Back then, Immy and Zach had been.. something. Of course, they’d been with several people since, but Immy had always been in the back of their mind no matter what. She was flipping their world upside down, and they were pretty sure they didn’t care at all.

Immy Cortes

Even though she was obviously expecting him, she jumped when she heard a knock at the door. Immy took a second to settle herself, smoothing out her shirt and jeans before opening the door. Seeing Zach standing at her front door was so surreal, he looked so much like they did all those years ago, but their face had matured, had become even more handsome if that was even possible, and she found herself just staring for a few seconds before stepping back to allow him into her entryway. “I’m glad you found it okay,” she said as she shut the door behind him. 

Immy licked her lips when she realized the moment had come to fess up about Malea. “Uhh, maybe I should have told you this before, I DON’T know why I didn’t really, it’s …There’s someone else who lives here, too.” She smiled nervously, “Someone really important to me.” Immy stepped back, grabbing their hand to lead them down the hall to the entrance of the living room. Somehow Malea sat in the same spot on the couch, her thumb in her mouth and naked little toddler toes sticking straight up in the air because her legs were too short for her feet to dangle off the couch, but all of the toys Immy had just put away were strewn about the room again. “This is Malea,” she gestured toward the couch, as the girl barely noticed anyone else in the room, not while her favorite show was playing.

zach wilde

Zach smiled at Immy when she opened the door, stepping onto her home. She was beautiful, and it was rather distracting for him. He was taken out of his thoughts when she mentioned that someone else lived with her. His brows furrowed in confusion as he followed Immy. A wave of shock rolled through him when he saw a child sitting on the couch — one that looked so much like Immy. “This is your daughter?” He asked, almost breathless. 

“Malea,” they repeated after Immy, and nodded. The young girl looked up at them and they couldn’t help the grin on their face as they walked over to her. It took their breath away — to them she was truly a mini-Immy. Zach slowly sat next to her, looking up at the television. Malea seemed curious, and she turned towards them and asked: “Who are you?” Zach laughed, looking over at Immy. They were already in love with this little girl. “I’m Zach. I’m your mom’s friend from when we were kids.” They pointed to the TV, and then looked back at Malea. “What’re you watching? This looks awesome.” Zach looked back at Immy, and smiled at her, feeling so incredibly full of love.

Immy Cortes

Immy didn’t know why she’d been so nervous, knowing Zach she knew he wouldn’t take the news of her having a child badly, but seeing the way they automatically moved to sit next to Malea felt like something clicking right into place in her heart. Immy stood back, watching the interaction rather than interfering. She has always been vigilant about never leaving her baby alone with anyone, especially men, but she never had to question Zach being a safe person for Malea. “I’m gonna go finish dinner while you two talk, be nice, Boo Boo.” She said, knowing her daughter could be a ball of sass. “We’re having burgers, I hope that’s okay.” She added as she headed to the kitchen. She could still hear the duo in the other room and grinned when Malea spoke. 

“Well this show is my mermaid show. I’m a mermaid, too! But this morning we watched another show about a girl who was really sad and then she became a superhero and learned how protect herself from things that make her sad and she had a purple cape and boots.” Immy shouted back into the room “that was yesterday, Bug! She says this morning when she means anything happening in the past.”

zach wilde

Zach couldn’t help the smile on his face upon hearing that Immy was making burgers. “Okay? That’s more than okay! I could eat a million burgers, but I’m sure yours are going to be the best I’ve had,” he called out, and then turned his attention back to the mini-Immy. 

They were about to comment on Malea being a mermaid, but he was taken aback as she started talking about an episode of Mindscapes. They weren’t sure if she could understand the concept of him making it, but they still wanted to let her know. They laughed, noting that ‘this morning’ meant in the past. “You know…” Zach started, a proud smile on their face. “I actually made that show about the superhero! I drew it and wrote the story.” Malea whipped her head towards him, seemingly apprehensive. “No you didn’t,” she told him, and they couldn’t help but throw back their head and start laughing. Zach already loved her so much. “No, I did! I promise. Do you have any markers and paper? I can draw her for you.”

Immy Cortes

She was thrilled to hear he still liked burgers, glad that some things really did never change. Listening to the conversation in the living room over the sound of the burgers sizzling on cast iron she had to stop herself from having day dreams of a lifetime of evenings like this. Her cooking dinner while Zach and Malea played in the living room, that would basically be her dream life handed right to her. 

“MOMMY!” Malea shouted, stomping into the kitchen and shaking Immy away from her thoughts. “Where are my markers?” Immy grinned at the girl as she opened a childproof drawer to pull the box of markers and some blank paper out. “You don’t need to shout, you’re inside, remember?” She said, though she knew Malea hadn’t heard a word she said as she bounded back to the living room to deliver the materials to Zach. “So…if you made the show about the superhero then do you know her?” She asked, her voice tentative but hopeful.

zach wilde

Zach was amused with what a spitfire Malea was, and immediately took the markers and paper and set them on the coffee table. He sat on the floor so he could have more control of the marker. “I don’t know her! I made her up all in my head, actually. Have you ever made anything up in your head?” He grabbed a few of the markers and immediately started drawing the character that she’d been thinking of. It meant a lot to him that this character had stood out to her, which made him want to work on his new show even more than before. 

After a few minutes, they finally finished drawing the character. Zach lifted it up to show Malea, and watched her eyes go wide. “See? That’s her! Her name is Masie, that’s why she’s got an M on her chest. But.. Now I’m thinking I need to create a super hero with the name Malea. What do you think?” Zach could sit here and talk to her forever. He hadn’t been expecting this, of course, but it was everything - especially because Immy seemed to trust him with her.

Immy Cortes

Malea watched quietly, it was probably the longest she’d ever been quiet while awake in her whole life, not that she realized that, as he drew the same superhero from the show. “Sometimes I make up songs in my head and then Mommy always sings them wrong.” Her eyes widened as she looked up at Zach! “That IS her!” She said, a loud giggle bubbling out of her. “If you draw a superhero named Malea can she be a mermaid?” She asked, her voice filled with excitement at the idea, as she walked to where Zach sat and whispered in his ear just as Immy returned to the room. Luckily Malea hadn’t quite mastered the art of the whisper yet so Immy could hear quite clearly as she said “Is drawing your superpower?” 

Immy grinned at the girl, “Come on, time for dinner.” She said and watched in part amusement and part embarrassed horror as Malea simply held her arms up at Zach as if expecting them to carry her to the table like the little princess she was. Immy felt like she should remind the girl not to be so bossy, but part of her wanted to see how Zach reacted, so she remained silent.

zach wilde

It was official — Zach was definitely in love with this little girl. “I think I might just have to make a superhero named Malea..” He told her, already a million ideas bouncing around in his head, starting with making a character based on her and having the character in an episode for her to watch. He was about to answer Malea’s question with her “whispering”, but Immy told them that dinner was ready. They nodded, and pushed themselves up off of the floor. Zach noticed Malea holding her arms up and he couldn’t help the smile on his face. 

“Come on, Malea the Magnificent.” Zach scooped her up in his arms and carried her over towards the kitchen. He set her down in her seat, not being able to help himself as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He finally turned towards Immy. “First of all.. I’m obsessed with her. Second, the food smells amazing. You’re incredible, Immy.”

Immy Cortes

Immy knew that Malea was easy to love, it wasn’t biased, she was a fun kid to be around, and she knew it was equally impossible to dislike Zach, but seeing them together and getting along truly was a testament to the wonderful person Zach was. Coming for dinner and having a toddler sprung on you and winning them over in a matter of minutes was no easy feat. 

She beamed at them when they spoke, partly from pride but mostly with admiration. “I think she’s obsessed with you, too.” She grinned, squeezing his forearm gently before making her way to serve Malea her burger and the side of broccoli that she’d be accidentally dumping on the floor any minute. “Mama, after dinner is it bath time and then bed?” She asked, Immy nodding in confirmation. “Okay, Zach is going to read me Go To Bed, Snugglebug.” Immy couldn’t help but laugh, “That’s funny, that sounded an awful lot like a demand and not some asking nicely and saying please.” Malea frowned and rolled her eyes and she facepalmed herself. “Zaaaaaaaach, will you read me my goodnight story? But you have to do all the voices!” She said and then looked at Immy before quickly adding, “Oh, please?”

zach wilde

Dinner was full of good conversation and giggles from Malea, and the next thing Zach knew he was laying in bed with her and finishing up the book that he'd been reading her. They turned to look at Malea, but she was fast asleep, and they couldn't help the put as they watched her sleep. He knew at that moment that she held a special place in his heart, and it would always be there - just for Malea. Zach quietly made his way out of the girl's room, and gently closed the door. He turned to Immy and laughed quietly. "I know I've already said it, but she's incredible. Thank you so much for letting me meet her tonight, Im. It really means a lot to me."

Immy Cortes

It was entirely foreign for Immy to be doing dishes while Malea was falling asleep. She hadn't gone a day in the girl's life without putting her to bed herself, and yet, she felt at peace know that it was Zach taking care of her. Turning to grin at him when she heard him speak, she nodded, "Sorry, I know I sprung her on you. It's just that when you asked me the other day if I was happy...I just wanted you to see what I meant when I said my life is full of happiness." Immy leaned back against the kitchen counter, crossing her arms over her chest, "Can you stay and hang out for a while, or do you have ot get going? I have wine. Or...Milk and cookies, whichever you prefer."

zach wilde

"And I'm so thrilled that it's full of happiness. It's all you've ever deserved, Immy. Truly." Zach moved himself across from Immy, just taking her in. She was so beautiful. Just as beautiful as they'd remember, and perhaps even more beautiful. She was completely magnetic, and on one hand, it felt as if no time had passed between the two of them. On the other, there was so many things that the two of them didn't know about each other. Who was Malea's father? Was he still in the picture? Was Immy in love with someone? "I'd love to stay, if that's alright with you. And... I wouldn't say no to wine and a cookie," he grinned.

Immy Cortes

It was silly, the way she couldn't seem to wipe the smile off of her face when they were around, she could feel herself blushing as they stepped closer to her, wanting to burst out of her skin at his words. Immy pushed herself away from the counter, moving close enough to squeeze their forearm gently, "You can have whatever you want." She said, her voice a bit more serious than she'd intended it to be, "After all, you took bedtime duties off my hands, that deserves a thank you." She joked, trying not to say something that would get her in over head. "Here," she reached for two wine glasses off the rack and handed them to him, "If you go sit down, I'll open a bottle and meet you in there with the cookies, deal?" 

She waited for them to leave the room and allowed herself to catch her breath as she opened the bottle of wine, wondering for just a second if it was a bad idea, she already felt like she was floating around them, who knew what would happen with wine thrown in. It didn't matter, she was already propelled all the way back to her teenage years, the wine wasn't going to change that. Immy entered the living room, a bottle of wine in one hand and plate with cookies on the other and poured them each a glass before sitting down next to him. "You know, you told me about work, and it seems like you really enjoy it, and I'm so thrilled to hear that but...you're happy, too, right?" She asked, wanting to make sure.

zach wilde

Zach plopped themselves on the couch with the wine glasses and happily waited for Immy to return to the living room. His thoughts were swimming all over the place, but mostly on one thing: how distracting it was that Immy was so gorgeous. He was a simple person with eyes, and it would be crazy not to notice it. Absolute madness. He was shaken out of his thoughts (somewhat) when she arrived back in the room, and he took a sip of the wine before giving her a smile. "I am happy. Fulfilled? Not completely. There's a lot I still want." 

Zach took a cookie and took a couple of bites. This was Immy, and he could tell her anything. "I'm working on myself. I struggle really badly with anxiety and PTSD. I go to a therapist once a week. I take Xanax and smoke weed like my life depends on it, because if I didn't, I probably wouldn't be able to get out of bed. But I do love my show, and my students. I really enjoy it. And of course, being around my siblings and friends." He washed down another bite of cookie with the wine, which wasn't necessarily the best pairing, but he didn't care much.

Immy Cortes

She knew plenty of people had anxiety for all kinds of reasons, but that didn't mean she didn't fully blame Aaron Wilde for what Zach had just said to her. There was no way to get around him being responsible for their PTSD. It hurt to hear how he suffered and how he didn't feel fulfilled, even if he was happy, and she was glad he was happy, she wanted him to never have to feel another second of sadness in their whole life. 

"Well, I'm not exactly a stranger to therapy myself, so I'm glad to hear that you've found what's working for you. I wish I could take all the pain away for you, you deserve to have everything you've ever wanted, and the things that you haven't even thought of wanting yet." After her childhood, she knew she'd need to seek help, and she had for years, but she got much more intense with her own therapy when she found out she was pregnant, wanting to take every step she possibly could to not pass on her trauma. 

Immy slid the sandals she was wearing off and brought her feet up onto the couch in front of her, wrapping her arms around her knees before taking a sip of her wine, and allowing herself to stare at them, maybe for longer than she should have. "It's just so surreal having you, all grown up, sitting on my couch. My Zach, in my living room." She shook her head, letting out a small chuckle and refusing to be embarrassed for calling them hers.

zach wilde

Zach couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips when he heard Immy call him her Zach. He took a few more sips of his wine and then scooted closer to her, feeling weird not being as close as he possibly could to her. "Let me know if this is okay," he told her, stretching his arm along the back of the couch. "Just so you know, I am your Zach. I was your Zach then, and I'll always be your Zach." 

Was that weird to say? He wasn't entirely sure, so to make himself feel better, he took another long sip from the wine. Liquid courage always helped him feel like not so much of an idiot. "Seriously, looking at you right here? I feel like no time has passed. I know it has. We're older. You have a beautiful daughter. Nothing's different except now we have wine rather than the Whiskey we'd steal from my dad, and no Gushers or Doritos. I'd say it's an upgrade."

Immy Cortes

She felt her entire body grow hot when he moved closer to her, his scent wafting over to her as if she was in a cartoon and could see it coming off of them. "It's okay," she nodded, her voice a little shaky as she met their eyes, and to prove her point she let herself move closer too, her knees now brushing against them as she rested her head against his upper arm. "You shouldn't say things like that to a girl after spending the night doting on her daughter and reminding her how just how wonderful you are, you might just take her breath away." Immy smiled. 

"I'm sure Malea would share her Gushers if you wanted." She laughed, but took a sip of her own wine, her face growing more serious. "I feel the same. I feel like we should be holding hands under a blanket so your siblings don't see while we watch a movie." Immy cleared her throat, looking down at her knees for a few seconds before gathering the courage to look back up and speak again, "I feel like I'm back where I belong."

zach wilde

Zach looked over at Immy, not being able to hide the emotion in his face. From when he was a teenager to right now, he always felt a magnetic force bringing them together. Them being in each other's life again was further proof. They thought back to when they would grab her hand underneath the blanket, their heart thundering just because of the feeling of her palm pressed against their own. He was always worried that she would pull away, but she never did. 

"Me too," they replied quietly, taking a quick sip of their wine before sitting it down on the coffee table. He turned his body towards hers, and his heart was thundering in his chest just like it used to. "Those times when I was laying there with you, Immy.. that's when I always felt the most at home. I forgot what that had felt like until now."

Immy Cortes

As much as she tried to tell herself this was all in her head, that they couldn’t be feeling the same, the way they looked at her sent chills down her spine. In a good way. She watched as they put their wine down and then looked back at their face, holding eye contact while she listened to him speak. Immy put her own glass down and reached out to rest a hand against his fave, her thumb stroking his cheek gently. 

Maybe it was entirely stupid, she’d just gotten him back in her life and could be doing something to lose him all over again but she couldn’t stop herself. Immy leaned forward, pressing her lips to theirs for just a few seconds before pulling away. She stayed close, her eyes still closed and her forehead pressed to his. Immy let out a shaky breath before finally daring to open her eyes to see if she’d ruined everything all over again.

zach wilde

Immy kissing him had felt so right that Zach didn't even question it. He kissed her back, and it felt exactly as he remembered. Perhaps, even better. It was over far too soon, and he was hoping that she wasn't regretting it. They finally dared to open their eyes and looked at her. She didn't seem to regret it. In fact, she seemed to be gauging exactly how he felt about it. 

"Immy, I..." Zach started, but then he cut himself off. It didn't matter. Now, all he wanted to do was kiss her again. So that's exactly what he did. He cupped the back of her neck and brought her closer, pressing his lips to hers, this time a bit harder than before. It was perfect. She was perfect.

Immy Cortes

Hearing them say her name she worried she’d overstepped, but then she felt him pulling her in even closer. She kissed them back, and felt like something inside her was bursting open, something she’d locked away years ago and forgot even existed. Immy’s knees were still up near her chest so she straightened her legs, laying them across his lap, not wanting anything to be between them in this moment. 

Kissing them was perfect, and she knew how easily things could push forward into more than kissing, and she knew she wanted that, too. Still, she pulled away, a giggle escaping her, “I’m sorry,” she said lightly, apologizing for ending the kiss, but not for it happening. “I think if we keep kissing I won’t be able to stop and then before we know it we’ll be doing a lot more than kissing, and I’m a big fan of casual sex, but I don’t think there’s anything that will ever be casual about you for me.”

zach wilde

Zach couldn't help the smile on his face after she pulled away giggling. He wanted nothing more than to pull her in again and kiss her until the two of them couldn't breathe anymore. "Now, Immy.. That's not fair to tease me like that," Zach teased, almost breathless from the kiss, but then pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It's okay. Those are your boundaries and I expect them. Even though I'm pretty sure I could kiss you for hours, just like the old days." 

They took her hand in their own. Zach couldn't believe that all of these feelings - ones he had felt so strongly when he was a teenager - came up again, and just as strong. "We could just talk if you want, but you're going to have to keep holding my hand. And not under a blanket this time."

[corimmy]

And Here You Are, By My Side || Zammy

TAGGING ➝ @zachwilde, @corimmy

LOCATION ➝ PSU food court and Zach's classroom.

TIME FRAME ➝ 9/20. Afternoon.

WARNINGS ➝ Possible mentions of childhood abuse, and csa - nothing mentioned super specifically or indepth.

NOTES ➝ Zach and Immy were best friends as teens, but haven't seen each other since, until they pump into each other getting lunch.

ZACH 

Having at least three hours in between his classes and no meetings with students, Zach decided to make his way over to the food court. The plan had been: get at least two burgers to eat, and then plan out the newest episode of Mindscapes. It had been a good day with zero anxiety, which was a feat in itself. As he was making his way over to grab some burgers, he stopped dead in his tracks. His heart started thumping wildly against his chest, and he couldn't help but stare for a far too long. Immy Cortes. He would recognize her absolutely anywhere, even after all of these years. 

"Im? Immy?" Zach called out, making his way over to her, his steps quick. "Immy..?" He said again, breathless and hopeful. It'd been a long time and he hoped that she would be happy to see him. "My god.. It's been forever." IMMY

It wasn’t often Immy found herself with alone time, but having Malea in daycare meant her time at school was her own. It was a welcome change from the constant business and she’d decided to explore the campus a bit, maybe grab something to eat and read a book somewhere quiet. She was surprised when she heard someone call her name, there were a few people around who knew her, sure, but it was a big school, she didn’t expect to run into anyone, and yet the voice was familiar, and while she couldn’t quite place it, she felt her heart skip a beat, as if it recognized it before her brain could. 

Immy turned around, searching for a familiar face to match the voice, and as her eyes landed on the man in front of her? She almost dropped the soda she had in her hand. It felt like her heart was beating so hard it might explode as he approached her. “Zach,” she let out in a breath, the shock of seeing him there evident on her face. “I-…” she trailed off, not knowing to say. She wanted to laugh, or maybe cry at the sight of him. She was certain she’d never see him again, and yet here he was, so familiar after all this time. Before she could stop herself she had launched herself into his arms, her own arms wrapping around his neck. “God, Zach, I can’t believe it’s you!” 

Immy pulled away suddenly, fear gripping her as she realized that maybe this might not be as happy of a reunion for him. After all, she’d had taken off, disappeared from his life without a word, after all he’d done for her over the years, being her only safe place, and who knew what his dad had told him about her, if he believed it, if he hated her. “Shit, sorry…i shouldn’t have done that, I’m sorry. I-“ she stammered, not knowing how to act around him, “Should I go? You must hate me.”

ZACH 

Zach grinned as soon as she wrapped her arms around him, and before he could reciprocate the hug, Immy was pulling away and apologizing. He was confused for a moment, tilting his head to the side as he thought about why she would even think that he would hate her. And then he remembered exactly what Aaron had told her and their family what "she'd done". He never believed a single word that came out of his mouth. "Stop that," he told her, and pulled her in for another hug. 

He held on tight, holding her as close as possible, and not really caring that they were just standing in the middle of the food court. "I could never hate you, Immy," Zach finally said as he pulled away from the hug. "I've never believed anything from my dad's mouth, okay? I know you. He's a fucking asshole. I don't know why he lied, but I never believed him."

IMMY

It felt like a lifetime had gone by as she waited to see if he’d send her away, but when he pulled her into another hug instead, she felt like she could just crumble, like her body could just melt right into his, or maybe like a puzzle piece clicking right into the perfect place it was meant to be after being lost for years. 

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and stinging with the threat of tears as they met his, and his words washed over her. She had spent years missing being seen the way Zach saw her, especially since losing Julian, there was no one else who knew all of the dark parts of her and still looked at her with care. It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that Zach simply chose to believe Immy wouldn’t do the things Aaron said she did. “I didn’t.” She whispered, “I would never have done what he said I did.” The night was still so clear in her mind, as much as she wished she could forget it. “Can…can we go somewhere and talk? Do you have somewhere to be?”

ZACH

Zach had already known that she didn't do anything that he'd said, but hearing her say I didn't, and the way she'd said it, made him feel like there was something more that he didn't know about the whole sitatution. He knew that whatever it could be, Aaron had done something awful. That was always the case with him, and Zach felt anxiety brewing again at the thought of his dad doing something - anything - to hurt Immy. 

"My next class isn't for another three hours. We can go to my room," he told her, and pointed towards the door that was behind them. "This way, come on." It was a short walk to his class room, and he opened the door and let Immy walk in before him. He closed and locked the door behind them, not wanting anyone to disturb them while they were talking about something so serious. As he turned to look at her, though, he couldn't help himself. Zach took another step closer. "Can I hug you again? It's been so long and I've really missed you, Immy."

IMMY

Immy followed him to his room, stepping in and watching has he locked the door. Being alone with him, the rest of the world literally locked out, was the safest she’d felt in a long time. She stepped forward when he asked for another hug, wrapping her arms around him again happily. “I’ve missed you, too.” She whispered, just standing with him in silence for a few minutes, amazed by how familiar he still felt against her. A single tear escaped her and she quickly wiped it away as she pulled back from the hug and let out a soft laugh. “That’s a happy tear, I promise.” Immy whispered. 

Her smile turned quickly to a frown when she remembered why she asked to be alone with him and she bit her lip, not really sure where to start. “I, um-“ she cleared her throat, stepping back and sitting on one of the desks in his room silently noting to herself to remember to ask what he taught later. “I don’t really know what to say, I was so naive when it came to your parents, I guess. Or maybe I was just desperate to believe that they cared about me, that they were who they pretended to be, I think I refused to see the truth. Being at home was so terrible and my brother was so busy, he couldn’t come and rescue me all the time, being at your house was such an escape and I just …I wanted it to all be real.” Immy stared at her feet dangling below her, afraid to meet Zach’a eye for the first time ever. “Your dad used to always make these comments when you weren’t around, but I convinced myself that it was all in my head. I told myself he was such a good man, he couldn’t mean anything …it had to just be innocent comments that I took wrong. Like, telling me I looked good in my new shorts, or …one time he asked me if I was wearing a new bra…I-I don’t know how I talked myself into believing it was nothing, but I did. I didn’t want to jeopardize our relationship.” She took a breath, daring to meet his eyes again and see his reaction before continuing. ZACH

Zach sat in a desk next to Immy, intently listening to every single word that she said. He balled his hand into a fist, hearing the way his father used to speak with her. Zach had always known how terrible of a man Aaron was, but this was truly the icing on the cake. He felt anger bubble in his chest, and a part of him wanted to go straight to the church and beat the ever living shit out of him. He bit down hard on his lip to keep him from saying anything in the middle of Immy talking, and when she looked up at him he couldn't help himself. "Fuck, Immy. I'm so sorry. He's a piece of shit. I had no idea.. If.. I knew.." They trailed off, and then shook their head. Zach leaned over the desk to take Immy's hand in his own, squeezing it gently. "Keep going," he nodded, wanting her to feel as comfortable as possible. "I'm listening." IMMY

It was rare for Immy to see a full grown man get angry and not be overtaken by fear. In the years that she’d grown into an adult she had learned to keep herself safe, and gained confidence, she needed to in her line of work, dealing with customers and employees, she had to have backbone, but under the surface was a scared little girl anytime she saw a man with anger in his eyes, except for now. Watching as Zach’s body tensed with anger, she only felt guilty for having to be the one to tell him all of this. “You couldn’t have known. I didn’t even let myself see it for what it really was.” She said, squeezing his hand back. Thinking back to how her stepfather treated her, even if she did see the truth under Aaron’s mask, she probably still would have thought of him as the lesser of two evils at the time. Now? She knew they were both evil men. 

Pausing a beat, she debated if she should tell Zach the rest. She wouldn’t lie to him, but maybe him never knowing was the best option. Immy shook her head, knowing she couldn’t just leave things there. “One night when I was sleeping over I got up in the middle of the night to get a drink and your dad was in the kitchen. I tried to just grab some water and sneak away but he kept blocking my way and wanted to talk and I was too afraid of seeming impolite so I just stayed there, talking to him. But then he tried to kiss me.” She let out a shaky breath, knowing that Zach wasn’t likely to take this part well. “I dodged him, and I tried to laugh it off, like pretended that he was just giving me a hug and he looked mad, but he laughed it off with me. I thought that was the end of it, but the next day he had told your mom that I had tried to seduce him. They told me I had to leave, to never come back. They told me never to talk to you again, that I was a sinner and I was going to corrupt you more than you already were and that if they found out I was talking to you they’d…” She had rushed through the end of the story but paused at this last part, afraid to show him the depth of pain his parents were willing to cause. “They told me that if they found out I contacted you that they would send you to one of those conversion therapy camps to keep me away from you. To keep you safe. So I left, and I just let you think that whatever your parents said about me was true because I didn’t know how else to protect you. I knew that you’d either not believe me and hate me, or you’d believe me and hate them and I didn’t know what would happen to you, so I figured you hating me was better.” ZACH 

Zach was absolutely floored. They watched as Immy recounted everything as they tried their best to stay calm. By the end, though, he had to get up to walk off the anger. He felt tears prickling his eyes as he found out yet another way Aaron Wilde ruined someone life. Zach walked back and forth for a moment, needing to let out the energy as much as he possibly could. After a few minutes of walking back and forth, he sat back down in the same desk next to her. “I don’t even know what to say. I don’t know how to say it,” Zach started, but his voice cracked just as a few tears trickled down his face. “I can’t imagine the type of pain you’ve been living with since then,” they said quietly, thinking back to the day his parents told him everything about Immy. 

The fact that they’d been willing to send him to conversion therapy was the last thing that was surprising to him — his dad regularly called him slurs, and even recently did so at his birthday dinner that, for some reason, Zach had showed up to. “You didn’t deserve any of that. Not after what you’d already been through. Fuck. I’m just sorry, Immy.” One thing Zach knew was that he was going to be having a conversation with Aaron, and he most likely was going to be walking away with a black eye and split lip once again.

IMMY

She watched quietly as Zach processed what she’d said. Her heart broke for him when she saw his tears, and stood from her seat to stand in front of him. Immy cradled his face in her hands, wiping his tears away with her thumbs before pressing her forehead to his, trusting that Zach would tell her if she was crossing any boundaries by being so close to him. 

“You don’t ever have to apologize to me, not for him, Zach.” She pulled away just enough to see their face and “I’m sorry you have to hear all of this, I wish I could tell you something happier. But you and I were kids, and we shouldn’t have to keep apologizing for the pain caused by grown men who were supposed to protect us.” She couldn’t help but think of Malea and how from the moment she was born Immy would never let her be hurt the way she was, she couldn’t understand any parent allowing their child to go through the things her or Zach had been through, let alone being the one to cause that pain. ZACH

When Zach felt Immy cradle his face in her hands, he felt something in him crack open. It wasn't often that he let people take care of him, but with Immy? It felt right. It felt safe. With their foreheads pressed together, he took in a deep breath, letting the feeling envelop him like a safety blanket. 

"You're right, and I know that.. But the thought that he wouldn't have been in your life if not for me kind of just scratches at the back of my mind, you know?" They ran a hand through their hair, hating the way that Aaron always had a way of finding to make him upset. Zach was sure that he would never be able to rid himself of his father, and that truly haunted him. "Can you tell me something happier? Please, Im. Tell me something good about your life. Tell me you're doing better. You are, right? Are you here at PSU as a student?" IMMY

She didn't know how to explain to them that while everything with Aaron had been awful, it was just one small piece in the pain of her past, and she'd have never sacrificed her relationship with Zach to have it not happen. "You were worth it." Was all she said, before stepping back to sit back down. A genuine smile formed on her lips when he asked her to tell him something happier. There had been more pain after leaving home, but there was so much happiness in her life now. 

"I'm doing better." She confirmed, "I'm a student, just started my freshman year, better late than never, right?" She grinned, "And I own my own business, it's a restaurant in the city with a rooftop bar, it does really well, it's called TABLE + ICE. I'm also the head chef. I'm happy, my life is very full." She added, hoping he knew that she meant it. "What about you? A teacher, right? You said this is your room, what do you teach? I want to know everything I missed." ZACH

Zach felt a weight lifted off of him when Immy confirmed that she was doing better. "You own TABLE + ICE? I've heard of it, but god.. Immy. That's fucking incredible. You're incredible," they grinned, feeling their chest almost swell with pride. After hearing what his father had done, Zach couldn't imagine a happier ending for Immy. "I'm going to have to ask you to cook for me at some point, I hope you know that." He laughed, and then looked around at his room, proud of the teacher that he'd become. "I am a professor of animation, and I love it. I turned my art into something digital, and then.. it just kept progressing. My real passion, though? I have an animated series that I created - it's called Mindscapes. It's just on YouTube, but it's genuinely the proudest I've ever been of something. I put a lot of work into it, and I don't know. I think people seem to like it." IMMY

"Yeah, I own it." She answered, her smile faltering just for a second as she explained, "I lost my brother a couple of years ago, but he left me some money, so I used it to start my own place, it's what he would have wanted. I would be more than happy to cook for you, whenever you want!" She shrugged a shoulder, her happiness returning as she thought about Malea, but decided to save that bit of happiness for another time, a surprise for later. She stared in awe as he spoke, their face radiating with pride as they talked about their work. "Zach, that's incredible." She said softly, feeling almost speechless as she took him in again. "I'll have to watch it later, I can't wait. I'm sure it's incredible, your art has always been incredible, and if it came from your mind then ...I know I'll be blown away." There were so many things she wanted to say to them, to ask them, but she knew that if she let herself get carried away they'd never leave this room again. 

"Zach, I-" Immy stopped herself short, wanting to choose her words carefully. "I'm so happy to see you again, I can't believe my luck that we ran into each other, I hope that this isn't the last time we see each other. I don't know if I could handle losing you all over again. I understand if you don't want me hanging around, or don't want to see me. I know that it's not fair of me to expect you to just let me in again, especially not like back then but...I hope you'll let me be your friend again, at least." ZACH

Zach paused when he learnt that Immy's brother had passed away, and he wanted to ask more questions, but it felt like now perhaps wasn't the best time to ask it. He made a mental note to ask her what happened later. They couldn't help the goofy smile on their face as Immy told them if it came from their mind, she'd be blown away. 

He took Immy's hand in his own again, intertwining their fingers. They fit together just as he remembered, and he locked eyes with her, wanting to make sure that she understood that what he was going to say, he meant it with his whole heart. "I love you, Immy." He watched her for a moment, wanting her to take that in, before he continued speaking. "If you think I'm going to lose you for a second time... I can't. I can't do that, Im." He thought back to when they stopped talking, and he remembered how heartbroken he'd. felt. "I'm not going anywhere. Okay? I can promise you that." IMMY

Her breath caught in her throat when they took her hand again, wondering if he felt like he was being transported back to nights when they'd lay under the stars and everything felt like maybe one day they'd be okay, or if it was just her. When he spoke, it was the last thing she'd expected to hear, and as her eyes met their's she could feel her cheeks turning hot with a blush, as a tear escaped her eye at the same time. 

Immy shook her head when they spoke again, "You don't have to, I'm not going anywhere, either." She confirmed, knowing that nothing in this world could tear her away from the man in front of her again. "I love you, too. I've always loved you." ZACH

Zach reached forward and brushed one of her tears away with his thumb, just like she had done for him. He had always hated to see her cry, but especially now, after everything. “Don’t cry. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, his voice low. 

No matter how many people they’d met, Zach always remembered Immy and kept a space for her locked away in their heart. It felt as if it was cracking right back open, and he couldn’t stop it. And he didn’t even want to. “I’ve never stopped. I hope you know that,” he told Immy, eyes still locked on hers. A part of him just wanted to hold her close to him and never let go, so he did just that. He got up from his seat and tugged Immy out of her chair gently. “And if I say I can’t stop hugging you?” Zach smiled, and then pulled her closer, running his hands through her hair. “Sorry. I just want you close. It’s been too long. I’m afraid we’ll just have to walk around with our arms around each other for the rest of our lives.” IMMY

She didn't know what she'd ever done so right in her life to deserve to be cared for like this, they'd both lived through hellish things, but she'd always felt like a lot of her troubles were her own fault. Immy didn't know what could possibly make a person like Zach care about her, let alone love her, but she was too happy to question it. 

"I hated myself for leaving without saying goodbye, even if I thought it was what was best for you, I worried all the time that you'd think you'd done something, and more selfishly, I worried that you'd hate me." She admitted, meeting their eyes again as he pulled her from her seat, she practically melted into their arms, "I could live happily just like this." Immy laughed, knowing that even if she meant it, they'd have to part ways again at some point, if only to go about their days. "How about a promise, to never go another day without at least one hug from now on?" ZACH

Zach didn’t want to tell Immy that he did think he’d done something wrong. It wasn’t the time, and truthfully, he didn’t think it would ever be. All that mattered was that they were here together now. “I could never hate you,” he murmured against her neck, and then just slightly pulled away from the hug so that they could see each other properly. His arms were still around her waist, holding her close. 

“I like this promise a lot,” Zach nodded, giving her a small smile. “You can come into my room at anytime, you know? Even during class. We always have a couple of empty seats. If you just need to be somewhere comfortable and away from people… Or just to study, you can come here too.” IMMY

“So, what you’re saying is you want me to come and hang around so you can keep an eye on me?” She asked, a small smirk playing on her lips, beyond elated to feel like she was in a place she could joke with them again. “I can do that.” She added, knowing that if she could she’d spend every moment in this room with him.

Immy had been so caught up in the moment she hadn’t noticed the time, but as she glanced down at the watch on her wrist, she realized she needed to go pick up Malea soon. A small frown formed, though it wasn’t filled with sadness, just disappointment that she had to leave the perfect little bubble their room had created around them. “I have to get going,” she whispered, though her feet refused to move from her spot, her arms still resting against their chest. “Here, this has my number on it, call me or text me whenever, please!” She said, handing Zach her card, not caring that it sounded like she was practically begging. “You should come over my place for dinner, soon, okay? Whenever you’re free, just let me know! I’ll be back on campus tomorrow and I’ll come see you.” She felt like her words were rushing out of her, but she wanted to reassure Zach that she wouldn’t be disappearing again. Finally, she stepped back from him, but not before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. Immy made her way to the door, unlocking it, but turning worked to say one last thing before leaving. “I can’t possibly explain to you how happy I am to have you back in my life, I hope you know that.”