𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Lying on my couch, I scrolled through my phone, half-watching some random show I wasn't paying attention to. My group chat with JD, Carlacia, Drew, and Madison was popping off with something ridiculous JD was saying, but my attention kept shifting back to my messages with Y/n.

It had become a habit. A comfortable, easy one.

Even with my schedule picking up—filming, promo meetings, late nights on set—I always seemed to find time to text her. It wasn't forced, it wasn't something I had to remind myself to do. It was just natural.

And that was... new.

I wasn't even thinking when I tapped on her contact and sent her a meme I had just come across. It was a picture of a dog looking absolutely done with life, captioned: "Me pretending to listen when someone explains something I'm never gonna use."

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
This is you when JD starts talking about his fantasy basketball league, isn't it?

It only took a second for Y/n to respond.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
That man treats fantasy basketball like it's life or death. I respect the commitment, but damn.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
Also, bold of you to assume I pretend to listen. I just fully check out.

I grinned, shaking my head.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
Wow, and here I thought you were a good person.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
Listen, I put out fires for a living. I think that balances out ignoring JD's fantasy league rants.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
Touché.

I pulled my blanket up a little higher, biting my lip as I debated bringing up game night. I had been looking forward to it ever since Y/n mentioned it, but I hadn't been sure if my schedule would allow it.

Now that I knew I was free, I figured it was worth bringing up.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
We wrapped earlier today, so I can officially come to your game night, if that's still okay with you?

The typing bubbles popped up immediately.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
Of course. It's at my place, so you might have to deal with Storm getting a little too excited to see you.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
I'd be offended if she wasn't excited to see me.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
She might literally pass out.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
I'll try to be gentle when I revive her.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
Damn, trying to come for my job, Sarah Cameron?

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
Mmm, sure. I'll be the judge of that.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
Oh?

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
Relax, Cline.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
Not with you talking like that.

I laughed, locking my phone for a second before unlocking it again and typing out another message.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
What should I bring?

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
Nothing, just yourself. We already have everything covered.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
You sure? I feel like I should contribute something.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
If it makes you feel better, bring a bottle of wine.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
Done.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
But don't let Lili drink too much or she'll start talking shit and challenge me to a push-up contest.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
Oh, I need to see that.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
No, you don't.

Madelyn 🙂‍↕️♡:
I do. See you soon, Calloway.

Y/n/n 🚒 ♡:
See you, Cline.

I smiled at my phone, warmth blooming in my chest.

Yeah, I was definitely looking forward to tonight.

.  .  .

The second Y/n opened the door, I knew I was in trouble.

She was wearing the most effortless outfit—sweatpants, a hoodie, socks—and somehow, she looked better than most people did at red carpet events. It was so unfair.

Her smirk was lazy as she leaned against the doorframe. "Damn, didn't know we were getting a celebrity at game night. I should've charged at the door."

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Guess I'll have to make it up to you."

She hummed. "You bring that wine just to bribe me, or was it for everyone?"

I held it up. "Official contribution to game night."

She took it from me, eyes flickering down to my hand before shaking her head. "Guess we'll let it slide."

As I stepped inside, two people immediately got up from the couch and walked toward me.

Lili and Caleb.

I'd heard plenty about them from Y/n—both through our conversations and the way she casually mentioned them like they were staples in her life. But now, face to face, I felt surprisingly nervous.

Then, before I could even offer a polite handshake, Lili pulled me into a hug.

"Oh my God, I feel like I know you already," she laughed, squeezing me before pulling back. "Finally, we meet."

Caleb followed immediately, wrapping his arms around me in a solid, easygoing hug. "You're real," he joked. "Y/n's been hiding you from us"

I blinked in surprise but smiled. "I mean, I think I'm real."

Lili smirked, looking between me and Y/n. "And you didn't think to introduce us sooner?"

Y/n shrugged, too casual. "Didn't know I had to check in with you first."

Caleb smirked. "You absolutely do. Especially when celebrities are involved."

Madelyn tilted her head toward Y/n, raising an eyebrow. "You kept me a secret?"

Y/n scoffed. "Secret? Please."

Caleb hummed, nudging Lili. "She usually only does that when she has a crush."

Madelyn's stomach flipped.

Y/n immediately turned to Caleb, glaring. "Do you want to die tonight?"

Caleb grinned, unfazed. "Just saying. The facts are there."

Lili chuckled, whispering to me, "She gets like this when she likes someone."

I felt heat rush to my face, but I refused to let it show.

Instead, I smirked at Y/n. "Guilty as charged?"

Y/n groaned, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."

Just then, tiny footsteps thundered from down the hall.

Storm came barreling into the living room, ready to pick a game—until she saw me.

She froze, mouth dropping open.

The room went silent.

Lili covered her mouth, already trying not to laugh.

Caleb whispered to Y/n, "Oh my God, is she breathing?"

Y/n smirked, watching her sister. "Storm, you good?"

Storm didn't move.

I smiled, kneeling slightly. "Hey, kiddo."

Storm let out a breath—then full-on sprinted toward me.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" She threw herself into my arms, hugging me so tight I almost stumbled back.

I laughed, hugging her back. "Good to see you again."

Storm pulled back just slightly, eyes wide. "You're actually here."

I chuckled. "I am."

She shook her head. "No way. Nope. I'm dreaming."

Lili snorted, and Caleb was already covering his face, shoulders shaking.

Y/n sighed. "Storm, let her breathe."

Storm huffed but didn't let go immediately.

I giggled, rubbing her back. "I think it's adorable."

Lili leaned toward Caleb. "We're gonna have to pry her off later."

Caleb grinned. "Oh, for sure."

Storm finally stepped back, but her eyes never left me. "I have so many questions about the new season."

Y/n groaned. "Storm. Give her a second."

Storm crossed her arms. "Fine."

I grinned, ruffling her hair. "We'll chat later, promise."

She beamed. "Okay."

Y/n sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Alright, come on, Cline. Let's put that wine away before she loses it again."

The kitchen felt quieter, separate from the teasing chaos happening in the living room.

Y/n set the wine on the counter, shaking her head slightly. "Not bad, Cline. You actually got a decent one."

I smirked. "What, did you think I was gonna bring something cheap?"

She shrugged. "You are an actress. Thought maybe you were a sucker for those overpriced, fancy bottles that taste like straight-up vinegar."

I scoffed. "Excuse you, I have taste."

She chuckled, leaning back against the counter, arms crossing over her chest. "Guess I'll be the judge of that."

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "So how's work been?"

She sighed. "Busy. Lot of late nights. We had back-to-back calls last week, and Caleb almost lost his shit because one guy tried to fight us while we were literally trying to save him."

I raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what?"

Y/n huffed a laugh, rubbing her temple. "Yeah. Dude was so high out of his mind, he thought we were kidnapping him instead of, you know, trying to get him into the ambulance."

I gasped, covering my mouth. "No way."

"Oh, it gets worse," she said, lips twitching. "He called Caleb a 'government agent in disguise' and tried to bite him."

I full-on cackled.

Y/n smirked. "And Caleb's been talking about it nonstop ever since. He's convinced he's officially entered his villain arc."

I wheezed, wiping a tear from my eye. "I love that for him."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "I swear, I could write a book about all the wild shit I've seen."

"You should," I teased. "It'd be a bestseller."

Y/n tilted her head. "Would you read it?"

I smirked. "I don't know. You'd have to make it interesting enough."

Her eyes glinted. "I'd make sure there's one special character in there, just for you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Who?"

Y/n hummed, stepping forward just slightly. "Probably a very persistent actress who thinks she tricked a firefighter into coming over."

I gasped, placing a hand on my chest. "Wow. I'm offended."

She smirked. "Are you?"

"...No."

We both grinned.

The conversation flowed so naturally, like we hadn't gone two weeks without seeing each other. It was so easy—the banter, the teasing, the way she looked at me with that stupid smirk.

I sighed dramatically. "You know, I almost missed you."

Y/n arched an eyebrow. "Almost?"

I smirked. "You spill one drink on yourself, and suddenly, I don't know if I can take you anywhere."

Her mouth dropped open. "I—okay, first of all—"

I laughed, leaning against the counter.

Y/n shook her head, stepping closer, eyes glinting. "You wanna test me?"

I tilted my head. "Test you how?"

She reached out, gently tugging at the edge of my hoodie. "You ever played flip cup?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Do I look like someone who's played flip cup?"

Y/n grinned. "No. But I'd love to destroy you at it."

I huffed, crossing my arms. "You're so competitive."

She shrugged. "I like winning."

I smirked. "Good to know."

A beat passed.

We were so close now.

Her eyes flickered over my face, warm, familiar.

I bit my lip, feeling my stomach do that stupid flip thing again.

God, I really liked her.

And before I could stop myself, I reached out, wrapping my arms around her in a hug.

Y/n didn't hesitate for a second.

Her arms circled my waist, strong, steady, holding me like she meant it. Her thumbs brushed small, slow circlesagainst my back, like she wasn't in a rush to let go.

I sighed, melting into the warmth of her. "I really did miss you," I murmured, just barely loud enough for her to hear.

I felt her smile against my shoulder. "Yeah?"

I nodded.

She pulled back just a little, just enough for us to look at each other.

Her hands still rested against my waist.

My fingers were still curled against her back.

I didn't even realize I was leaning in, inching closer—

"Madelyn!"

We both jumped slightly at the sound of Storm's voice from the living room.

Right.

I pulled back fast, clearing my throat, but my face was definitely red.

Y/n just smirked, shaking her head as she stepped away. "Guess we're being summoned."

I huffed, brushing my hair behind my ear. Damn.

"Madelyn! Come pick a game before Caleb cheats and picks for you!"

Y/n chuckled, shaking her head. "I swear, you're like a tiny dictator."

Storm grinned. "And you love me."

Y/n sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately."

I laughed, still feeling a little... off-balance.

Y/n motioned toward the living room. "C'mon, Cline. Before Storm loses her mind."

As I followed her out, our hands brushed briefly.

She didn't pull away immediately.

Neither did I.

.  .  .

By the time we made it back to the living room, I felt much more at ease. Y/n had a way of doing that—making things feel natural, easy, like I wasn't stepping into unfamiliar territory but instead just... fitting in like I belonged.

Halfway through the game, Caleb and I were fully in sync, double-teaming Y/n in every round while Lili cackled.

"This is bullshit," Y/n muttered, narrowing her eyes at Caleb.

Caleb grinned. "No, this is teamwork, baby."

I smirked. "I think you're just mad we're better than you."

Y/n gasped, placing a hand on her chest dramatically. "Wow. Et tu, Brute?"

I blinked. "Did you just—did you just quote Julius Caesar?"

Lili snorted. "She did. And I hate that I understood it."

Caleb shook his head, laughing. "This is what I have to deal with, Madelyn. She bullies me with intelligence."

Y/n smirked, leaning back in her seat. "That's a you problem."

Caleb rolled his eyes, tossing a piece of popcorn at her.

I laughed, reaching for my wine glass when I felt Y/n's leg press against mine.

It was subtle, barely there, but it lingered.

And the crazy part? Neither of us moved away.

Y/n kept playing, completely unfazed, but I felt hyperaware of how close we were.

I exhaled, shaking the feeling off. Focus.

. . .

Y/n glanced at the time on her phone before sighing.

"Alright, Storm, it's bedtime."

Storm whipped her head around, looking utterly betrayed. "What? No! I wanna play another round."

Y/n gave her a look. "It's already late, munchkin. Go get ready."

Storm pouted, arms crossed. "You're so annoying."

Y/n smirked. "Mmmhmm."

Storm grumbled the whole way to her room, and Y/n followed behind her, giving me a quick glance. "Be right back."

Lili smirked, sipping her drink. "Oh, don't worry, we'll keep her company."

Y/n narrowed her eyes before heading down the hall, disappearing into Storm's room.

I sighed, relaxing into the couch.

Lili grinned. "So."

Caleb smirked. "Yeah, so."

I blinked. "What?"

Lili leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. "You and Y/n seem awfully close."

I huffed a laugh, sipping my wine. "She's great."

Lili tilted her head. "Yeah, we know that. But you?" She smirked. "You like her."

Caleb raised an eyebrow. "She's been smiling a lot tonight."

I felt my face warm. "She's fun."

Lili smirked, eyes twinkling. "She's something, alright."

I rolled my eyes. "You guys are relentless."

Lili shrugged. "Can you blame me? If I was gay, shit, I'd probably be dating Y/n and not Caleb."

Caleb, mid-sip, choked on his wine.

I burst out laughing.

Caleb coughed, shaking his head. "The hell, Lili?"

Lili smirked, completely unbothered. "I just can't get into the eating pussy part."

Caleb groaned, rubbing his temple. "Jesus Christ."

I was crying from laughing so hard.

Lili grinned at me. "See? You get it."

Caleb sighed, setting his glass down. "Look, Y/n can require a bit of patience, but she's amazing. And she must be, 'cause I've been putting up with her for twenty-four years."

I smiled, warmth spreading through my chest.

Lili leaned back, eyeing me knowingly. "Yeah. She's a good one."

I exhaled, heart pounding a little too hard.

Yeah. She really was.

. . .

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

After tucking Storm in, I headed back out, grabbing a water from the fridge.

Caleb caught me immediately.

He smirked, arms crossed. "You like her. Just admit it."

I groaned. "Not this again."

Lili grinned from the couch. "Oh, it's this."

I rolled my eyes, taking a sip of my water. "She's a friend."

Caleb huffed a laugh. "Uh-huh. Right. And I'm a billionaire."

I pointed at him. "That's the first true thing you've ever said."

Lili laughed. "Come on, Y/n. We see it. You and Madelyn vibe."

I sighed, exasperated. "Y'all are so annoying."

Caleb smirked. "You love us."

I shook my head, heading for the door. "I hate you."

Lili called out. "Tell Madelyn goodnight for us."

I flipped them both off on my way out.

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The games eventually slowed down, and we found ourselves just talking. No competition, no teasing—just easy conversation that felt... right.

Caleb told a ridiculous story about Y/n getting stuck in a department store dressing room when they were younger. Lili went on a whole rant about people who say "expresso" instead of "espresso," which somehow spiraled into a heated debate about what the best breakfast food was.

Y/n, lounging on the couch next to me, grinned. "Pancakes. No question."

Caleb scoffed. "Wrong. French toast."

Lili nodded in agreement. "Oh, he's right."

Y/n frowned. "Y'all are on crack. French toast is just soggy bread with a superiority complex."

I gasped, clutching my chest. "You take that back."

Caleb cackled. "Ohhh, you hit a nerve."

Y/n smirked at me, eyebrow raised. "What? You a French toast girl?"

I lifted my chin. "Obviously. It's elite."

Lili pointed at me. "See? She gets it."

Y/n shook her head, amused. "Nah. You guys are just weak."

I rolled my eyes but was smiling.

The conversation continued—talking about random childhood memories, worst first dates, and Y/n roasting Caleb for once thinking that Alaska was an island because it was in a little box on the U.S. map.

It was seamless. Comfortable.

Like I had been part of this group forever.

I almost didn't want to leave.

But reality snapped back when I glanced at the time.

I sighed, stretching my legs out. "I should probably head home."

Y/n, still relaxed in her seat, gave me a glance. "You sure? You look pretty comfortable."

I smiled. "Tempting. But I gotta be on set tomorrow."

Caleb smirked. "Oh, so you have a real job."

I laughed, standing up. "Unlike you freeloaders."

Lili grinned. "Hey, we provide entertainment."

Y/n chuckled, pushing herself up. "I'll walk you out."

I nodded, smiling, before Y/n disappeared into the kitchen for a second.

I started gathering my things when