𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I swear, I'd never seen so many boxes labeled with variations of "fragile," "delicates," and "do not crush" in my life.

Our living room looked like a UPS warehouse—except instead of professional delivery guys, I had JD trying to balance a box on his head, Drew carrying two suitcases like they were filled with feathers, and Carlacia threatening to toss an entire garment bag over the balcony.

"Tell me again why she has three boxes just for candles?" JD asked, wobbling dangerously as he came down the hallway. "Are they made of endangered wax or something?"

"She has scents for moods," I deadpanned, glancing up from where I was screwing new hooks into the entryway wall.

"It's a thing. If the apartment doesn't smell like bergamot and sandalwood at the same time, she physically cannot sleep."

"I feel like you just made those words up."

"I feel like you're gonna get drop-kicked if you break one of those jars."

From the kitchen, Storm popped her head out like a little gremlin. "You better not break the pink one. It smells like cookies and I already claimed it."

Drew leaned against the doorframe with a tired grin. "Remind me again how Madelyn got us to do her heavy lifting?"

"Because she's hot," JD replied instantly.

"Because she bribed us with lunch," Carlacia added, dragging in a rolling suitcase.

"Because I asked nicely," came Madelyn's voice from the hall, sweet and innocent.

She walked in carrying two picture frames tucked under one arm and her giant tote bag in the other. Her hair was pulled into a loose braid, cheeks flushed from the heat, and she still looked like she walked off a damn Vogue shoot.

"You didn't even carry the heavy boxes," JD pointed out, eyes narrowing.

"I carried the vibes," she replied, dropping a kiss on my cheek as she passed me.

"Ma'am," I said, grabbing her waist as she tried to move past again. "You better not be flirting while I'm sweaty and emotionally compromised."

Madelyn just grinned. "You're always emotionally compromised when I'm around."

Storm let out a gagging noise from the kitchen. "Ew."

"You love us," I called.

"I love Madelyn," she corrected. "You're just attached to her."

The whole room broke into laughter. Even Carlacia cracked a smile as she rolled her eyes.

"Alright, alright," I said, standing up and stretching my back with a wince. "Let's finish moving her in before my shoulder decides to stage a protest."

Madelyn touched my good arm gently. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm good," I said, leaning in to press a kiss to her temple. "I've got strong friends. And a stronger girlfriend."

"Gross," JD muttered, hauling another box toward the bedroom.

.  .  .

Three hours later, after all the boxes were moved, Storm had officially claimed a shared hoodie from Madelyn's collection, and someone (probably JD) had eaten half of the cookies that were supposed to be for everyone, the apartment actually felt... different.

Warmer. Fuller.

I walked into the bedroom after tossing a trash bag of bubble wrap and packing paper in the hallway bin, and found Madelyn sitting cross-legged on the bed, flipping through a photo album she must've pulled from one of her boxes.

Her fingers were light on the pages, her eyes soft with nostalgia.

I leaned in the doorway. "This it? You fully moved in now?"

She looked up at me with a slow smile. "Feels like it."

"You mean besides the box labeled 'Mads' Secret Stash - Do Not Open' in the back of the closet?"

She narrowed her eyes. "That box is top secret."

"Oh, I know. I already opened it."

Her eyes widened. "You didn't."

"I didn't," I grinned, walking over. "But now I'm dying to."

She rolled her eyes and reached for my hand, tugging me gently onto the bed beside her. I groaned slightly as I sat, still sore but definitely milking it for sympathy points.

Madelyn leaned her head on my shoulder. "Thank you for today."

I kissed the top of her head. "For what? Letting you take over my closet and bathroom counter space?"

"Exactly that," she murmured. "And for making this feel like home."

"It is home," I said. "It's always been yours. I think we were just waiting to admit it."

She looked up at me, her gaze soft but teasing. "So what you're saying is... all those nights I 'accidentally' fell asleep here, and left my toothbrush and hair clips and twenty-five candles... that was you waiting?"

I laughed. "Listen. Denial is a powerful thing."

"You're lucky you're cute."

"You're lucky I didn't start charging rent."

She smacked my arm lightly. "You're my rent now."

"Damn. That means you gotta pay with services."

"Like what?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Emotional support. Cuddles. Ass."

Madelyn snorted so hard she almost choked.

Storm opened the door, poking her head into the room just then. "I heard ass."

I pointed at her. "Out and watch your language."

She grinned and ducked away again and closing the door. "Love you, roomies!"

Madelyn dissolved into laughter, burying her face in my shoulder.

"You're literally the worst," she mumbled, voice muffled by my shirt.

"You say that like you didn't fall in love with the worst."

She pulled back, her eyes twinkling. "No, I fell in love with a sweet, soft-hearted, ridiculously hot firefighter who thinks she's a menace but is actually just a giant teddy bear with abs."

"Oh, so now I'm a teddy bear?"

"You're like the Build-A-Bear version of a heartthrob. Press your stomach and it says, 'Hey baby, wanna sit on my face?'"

I burst out laughing. "Stop! Don't say that while I'm healing, it hurts to laugh."

She grinned, clearly pleased with herself, then carefully curled into my side again, laying her head on my chest this time.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'll protect your fragile little body."

"My fragile little body? Excuse me—this fragile little body saved a rookie and a child from a burning building while taking a beam to the shoulder. Put some respect on my name."

Madelyn lifted her head, her tone mock serious. "You're right. I apologize, Captain Hero. Please, forgive my slander."

I tilted my chin proudly. "You're forgiven. But only if you give me ten forehead kisses, immediately."

She blinked. "Ten?"

"It's the price of forgiveness."

Madelyn grinned. "You're lucky I love you."

And then she did it—slow, exaggerated, dramatic pecks on my forehead. "One," she whispered. "Two. Three."

By the time she got to "six," I was laughing again, trying not to flinch too hard when my ribs tensed.

When she reached "ten," she stayed close, her lips barely brushing my skin. "Extra one for good luck."

I looked at her then, all warm brown eyes and sleepy freckles and a hint of lip gloss she forgot to wipe off from earlier. "You know you're my favorite person on this whole planet, right?"

She blinked, like it caught her off guard.

"Even more than Storm?" she whispered.

"Okay, she's my favorite little gremlin. But you're my favorite human."

Madelyn let out this quiet little laugh, the kind where she scrunched up her nose and buried her face again. "Why do you always say the perfect thing right before bed? You trying to make me cry or seduce me?"

"Little of both," I whispered, brushing my fingers along her spine.

She sighed, letting herself melt completely into me. "I like this version of you."

"What version?"

"The soft, cuddly, low-on-pain-meds version. You're like sleepy Y/N, but hornier and more romantic."

"I contain multitudes."

She giggled. "You contain chaos."

We laid there for a while, tangled up in each other, the TV humming softly in the background with some random doc neither of us were watching.

At one point, Madelyn sat up just to adjust the pillows and fluffed them so aggressively I thought she might be having a personal vendetta against down feathers.

"Ma'am?" I asked, staring at the pillow she'd just pummeled. "Do we need to talk about something?"

"No," she said, climbing back onto the bed with a dramatic flop. "It just offended me."

"Should I be worried about you living here full-time?"

She rolled over and flopped half on top of me. "Nope. You signed up for this when you fell in love with me."

"Honestly? Worth it."

"Even with my weird midnight tangents?"

"I live for your weird midnight tangents."

She propped her chin on her hands, resting it on my chest. "What if giraffes had anxiety? Like, real social anxiety. Is that why they're always off in the distance? Do they see other animals and panic?"

"...okay, I take it back. I don't live for all of them."

Madelyn snorted and smacked my stomach lightly. "Shut up and hold me."

"Always."

She snuggled down again, one leg tossed over mine, her hand sliding beneath the hem of my shirt to rest on my stomach like it belonged there.

And it did.

It really, truly did.

This was it. This was everything.

Not flashy. Not over-the-top. Just us. Just a regular day in a life I loved.

And for the first time in a long time, everything felt exactly how it should.

.  .  .

𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩

Sister days were sacred.

I didn't care how busy life got. If we had to cram it between shifts, errands, or late-night grocery runs—we made time.

Just me and Storm, like it used to be before everything started shifting, before Madelyn moved in and turned our world into something brighter, louder, more chaotic—in the best way possible.

Today, we kept it simple. We'd gone to the bookstore, walked along the trail by the lake with hot chocolate, and now we were on the roof of our building with a blanket, two slices of pizza, and a Bluetooth speaker playing some low-key R&B. The sun had just started to dip, painting the sky in soft oranges and lilacs.

Storm was tucked into my side, her head resting against my shoulder, her legs crossed over the blanket like she owned the sky.

"You ever think about how weird clouds are?" she asked between bites of pizza.

I snorted. "You mean how they're like, floating piles of mist?"

"Exactly. They're just sky cotton. But deadly."

"Deadly?"

"Think about it. If a plane hits one the wrong way—boom."

I laughed so hard I almost dropped my pizza. "Pretty sure that's not how clouds work."

"Agree to disagree."

We sat in silence for a few seconds, the good kind of silence, the kind you only get when you're safe. When nothing feels rushed. I glanced down at her, brushing a crumb off her sleeve.

She didn't know it yet, but I'd been carrying something all day. Waiting for the right moment. The right mood. I wasn't even sure how to bring it up. It felt massive. Like once I said it out loud, it wouldn't be just an idea anymore—it'd be real.

Storm beat me to it.

"You've been quiet," she murmured. "Weird quiet. Not 'I'm tired' quiet. Spill it."

I smirked. "You're terrifying when you get perceptive."

"Blame Madelyn. She said I should start calling you out more."

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "She did, huh?"

Storm looked up at me with a little shrug. "She's kind of smart."

"Yeah," I murmured, my gaze drifting up toward the skyline. "She is."

I let the silence hang there for a beat. Then I took a breath. "I've been thinking about something. A lot."

Storm's head tilted. "Okay..."

"And I want to tell you first. Because it's not just my life I'm changing—it's yours too. You deserve to be part of it."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You're not dying again, are you?"

I snorted. "No, dummy."

"Okay. Good. Continue."

I turned toward her, shifting so I could look at her more directly. My heart was thudding, but in a warm way. A certain way. The kind that only shows up when you know what you're about to say matters.

"I want to propose to Madelyn."

Storm blinked.

Then her face crumpled.

"Hey—wait—" I panicked slightly, but she was already wiping at her eyes with her sleeve.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she choked out, voice shaky. "I just—I've been waiting for you to say that for like... forever."

I laughed gently, reaching for her hand. "Yeah?"

She nodded hard, wiping again. "She's everything, Y/N. She makes this place feel like home. She loves you like... like mom loved dad. It's real. And she loves me too. Even when I'm annoying. And weird. And wear her boots without asking."

"She knows about that?"

"She definitely knows."

We both cracked up, our laughter rolling out into the golden sky.

"I'm proud of you," she said suddenly, voice quieter now. "For letting someone love you. I know that wasn't easy."

I swallowed hard, blinking fast. "It's still hard. But she's made it easier. You both do."

Storm squeezed my hand. "Do you have a ring?"

I hesitated, then smiled. "I was thinking... maybe I could use Mom's."

Her face lit up like I'd handed her the moon.

"You'd really use Mom's?"

I nodded. "Only if you're okay with it."

Storm sat up straighter. "Y/N, if you don't use Mom's ring, I'm running away."

"That's dramatic."

"I learned from the best."

I pulled her into a hug, both of us gripping each other tightly. Her arms looped around my waist, mine wrapped around her small shoulders.

"I miss them," she whispered.

"I know," I whispered back. "Me too. But they'd love her, Storm. So much."

"I know," she sniffled. "That's why I want you to do it. I want her to be your forever."

I closed my eyes for a second, my jaw tightening. "She already is."

When we pulled apart, Storm wiped her eyes one last time and grabbed another slice of pizza like nothing had happened.

"So, are we going dress shopping? Am I the flower girl? Or like, junior maid of honor?"

"You're twelve."

"Okay, so I'll run the playlist. I call first dance. I'm doing a solo."

"God help us."

"Also, if you do the proposal thing in a lame way, I will physically intervene."

I grinned. "Noted."

The sun was almost fully gone now, the sky dimming to soft blues and purples. I looked out across the city, thinking of all the ways I could tell Madelyn she was it for me. How none of them would ever really measure up to what I felt.

But I'd try anyway.

Because for the first time in my life... I knew what forever looked like.

And I was ready to plan it.

.  .  .

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The smell of garlic bread and roasted rosemary chicken hit me the second I stepped into my parents' house, and I was immediately swarmed by two of my younger cousins—Leila and Avery—who both practically tackled me in a hug before I could even get my shoes off.

"Madyyyy!" Leila squealed, clinging to my waist like a koala. "You never come around anymore!"

"Yeah," Avery chimed in with a pout. "We thought you were too famous for us."

I laughed, hugging them both. "Never. You two are literally the only ones who keep me humble."

Leila narrowed her eyes. "Because we roast your acting?"

"Exactly."

My mom's voice rang out from the kitchen. "Is that my daughter I hear being tackled by the under-ten squad?"

"In the flesh!" I called, ruffling Avery's hair before making my way toward the kitchen.

My mom peeked her head out and immediately wiped her hands on a towel. "Come here, baby."

I went into her arms easily, letting her hug me tight, and for a second, I just rested there—cheek against her shoulder, feeling like I was fifteen again and coming home after finals. Safe. Warm. Known.

"Finally got a day off, huh?" she murmured, squeezing me.

"More like forced one," I muttered. "Y/N threatened to sedate me if I didn't take it."

She chuckled. "She sounds smart."

I grinned. "Terrifyingly."

As we pulled apart, my dad stepped in from the patio, grill tongs still in hand. "There's my girl. You want anything to drink? You know we've got that fancy sparkling stuff you like."

"Is it the watermelon one or the passionfruit one?"

"Why not both?"

I laughed. "You spoil me."

"And yet you still never visit," he deadpanned.

"Okay, guilt trip number twelve. Noted."

The afternoon was easy, familiar. My cousins bounced between games in the living room and drawing at the kitchen island while my mom cooked and my dad supervised the barbecue.

I helped chop vegetables, stole bites of garlic bread straight from the oven, and let myself sink into the calm of it all.

It had been a while since I had a day like this—no work, no events, no press junkets or scripts to memorize. Just family. And, okay, yeah, I kept glancing at my phone every ten minutes waiting for a text from Y/N like a complete simp, but who could blame me?

Speak of the devil.

My phone buzzed, and I immediately wiped my hands on a napkin and grabbed it.

Lover girl 💞:
hey baby, i'm gonna be home later than expected. Lili picked up storm and said she'll drop her off whenever you're heading back, so don't worry about it.

I smiled, already typing back.

Madz ♡🤤:
okay thats fine ♡

Lover girl 💞:
miss me yet?

I bit my lip, cheeks warming instantly.

Madz ♡🤤:
maybe.

Madz ♡🤤:
depends. how many ridiculous puns do you plan on making when you get home?

Lover girl 💞:
depends. are you gonna greet me in those tiny pajama shorts you wore last night?

My face flushed immediately. I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh out loud.

Madz ♡🤤:
you're disgusting.

Madz ♡🤤:

Lover girl 💞:
lies.

Lover girl 💞:
you're too obsessed with me to follow through with that threat.

Madz ♡🤤:
😐

Madz ♡🤤:
do not test me, firefighter.

Lover girl 💞:
oh no, she used the "firefighter"

Lover girl 💞:
okay okay i'll behave.

Lover girl 💞:
(but also... seriously, the shorts. wear them.)

Madz ♡🤤:
Mmm no but here is me Post-beach Olympics. Your girl is winded.

Madz ♡🤤:
The kids had us running sprints and playing tag in sand. I deserve a trophy or a massage... or both...

I barely had time to sit down again before the typing bubble