𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

i've never been one to overthink things. i mean, life's too short to sit around analyzing every little move, right? but somehow, imogen has me doing exactly that. it's ridiculous, really—how much space she's taking up in my head.

i leaned against the counter in my kitchen, phone in hand, scrolling through some pointless app, but i wasn't actually paying attention. instead, my mind kept drifting to her. the way she smiles like she's seeing the world for the first time. the way her voice softens when she talks about things she loves, like her art or her mates. and don't even get me started on how sweet she is. she's like sunshine in human form.

it's maddening, honestly. i've always been the sarcastic one, the one who doesn't take things too seriously. but imogen? she's got me rethinking all of that. she's got me rethinking everything.

"fuck," i muttered, tossing my phone onto the counter.

i needed a distraction, so i grabbed a cup of tea and sat on the sofa, staring out the window. it wasn't long before my thoughts wandered back to her. to her laugh, to the way she leans into me when she's comfortable, to the way she made me feel something i hadn't let myself feel in a long time.

commitment.

the word alone used to scare the shit out of me. i've always struggled with it, always kept people at arm's length. but with her, it feels... different. like maybe it wouldn't be so bad. like maybe i could actually do it.

my phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. it was a text from phoebe.

pheebs
so how's bluey?

i groaned, running a hand through my hair. leave it to phoebe to wind me up.

lou
don't call her that

pheebs
but you do!

lou

she sent back a string of laughing emojis, and i rolled my eyes, but i couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. my sisters loved imogen, and honestly, that made me like her even more.

before i could spiral further, my phone buzzed again. this time, it was her.

bluey💙
hey, are we still on for tomorrow?
no pressure if you're busy :)

i stared at the message for a moment, a grin spreading across my face. she was always like this—so considerate, always giving me an out even when she didn't need to.

lou❤️‍🩹
of course we are
wouldn't miss it

she replied almost instantly.

bluey💙
okay! can't wait to see you :)

"shit," i muttered to myself, running a hand down my face. this girl was going to be the death of me.

the next day came faster than i expected, and before i knew it, i was standing outside her door, waiting for her to answer. when she finally did, she looked up at me with that bright smile of hers, and it felt like the wind had been knocked out of me.

"hi," she said, her voice soft and warm.

"hi," i replied, a little breathless.

she stepped outside, and we started walking toward my car. i opened the door for her—something i didn't normally do, but with her, it felt natural.

"you didn't have to do that," she said, her cheeks turning pink.

"yeah, well, don't get used to it," i teased, smirking at her.

she laughed, shaking her head as she climbed in. once we were both settled, i started the car and pulled onto the road.

"so," she said after a moment, "what's this song you're working on?"

"ah, you'll see," i said, keeping my eyes on the road. "it's a work in progress. might not be any good."

"i doubt that," she said, her voice full of that unwavering kindness that always caught me off guard.

i glanced over at her and noticed the way she was looking at me—like she believed in me more than i believed in myself. it was unsettling in the best way.

"you're too sweet, you know that?" i said, shaking my head.

"and you're too hard on yourself," she shot back, smiling.

i didn't know what to say to that, so i reached over and rested my hand on her knee. it was meant to be a casual gesture, but when she placed her hand over mine, it felt anything but.

we spent the rest of the drive in a comfortable silence, the kind that only happens when you're with someone who gets you. when we finally got to the studio, i showed her the song, and the way her face lit up made all the late nights and self-doubt worth it.

but even as she praised the track and encouraged me to keep going, all i could think about was how lucky i was to have her in my life.

and how much i didn't want to screw it up.

after the studio, we decided to grab some food. nothing fancy, just a quiet little diner where the servers knew me by name. imogen insisted on paying, but i wasn't about to let that happen. she gave me a look,a playful one, but still determined, and i couldn't help but laugh.

"bluey, sit down. i've got it," i said, pulling my card out before she could argue.

"you always do this," she said, crossing her arms as she slid back into the booth.

"yeah, well, you'll survive."

she rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, and it hit me all over again just how much i liked having her around.

when we got back to my place, she kicked off her shoes and curled up on the sofa like she'd been doing it her whole life. it was so natural, so easy, and it made something in my chest tighten.

i sat down beside her, and she leaned into me like it was second nature. for a moment, we didn't say anything, just watched whatever was playing on the telly. but then she broke the silence.

"can i ask you something?" she said, her voice soft.

"you just did," i teased, smirking when she nudged me in the side.

"i'm serious," she said, looking up at me.

"go on, then."

she hesitated for a moment, her brows furrowing like she was trying to find the right words.

"do you ever think about... us? like, where this is going?"

the question caught me off guard, but i didn't let it show. instead, i leaned back, trying to look as casual as possible.

"all the time," i admitted, my voice low.

her eyes widened slightly, and i could see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"you do?" she asked, her tone surprised but hopeful.

"yeah," i said, nodding. "i mean, it's not like i planned for any of this, but... you're kind of hard to ignore."

she laughed, and the sound was like music to my ears.

"you're not exactly easy to ignore either," she said, her cheeks turning pink.

for a while, we just sat there, the unspoken feelings hanging in the air between us. eventually, she rested her head on my shoulder, and i wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer.

"you know," i said after a while, "i'm not great at this stuff. relationships and all that."

"i know," she said, her voice soft but steady. "but i think you're better at it than you give yourself credit for."

i didn't know how to respond to that, so i just pressed a kiss to the top of her head and held her a little tighter.