starryseass - Tumblr blog

starryseass · 1 month ago

Text

this is so cuteeee i need to write something about him buying every pink, maybe and aoft red from the dior, chanel and lipstick collections 🥹🥹🥹🥹

Thinking about Caleb taking care of his girl - mc/ fem!reader - so much, that he won’t put up with her spending any of her hard-earned money

After shutting your door for you, Caleb walks around the front of the car into the drivers seat, shuffling with the seatbelt as he turns the key in the ignition.

You hum to yourself in the meantime and find your lipstick in your bag—your new lipstick, a little more luxe this time, just the right shade to compliment your skin, a treat for yourself after finishing up a project at work. Just a little gift you deserved. You flip down the sun visor and open the mirror, making a pretty o with your lips to carefully apply it, stifling a smile when you feel Caleb watching.

“Where’s that from, baby?” he asks, a hand smoothing up your back.

“Hm?”

“The—uh…” His hand lifts, fingers hesitating near his lips as his eyes linger on yours. “The lipstick. That’s… new?”

You smile, the corners of your mouth tilting up. "Yeah. Just tried it now." You wrap your arms around his bicep for a quick, soft squeeze, then reach up to cradle his face, pecking his cheek - leaving soft pink mark behind. "You like it?"

He nods, almost absently, like he’s still trying to find the right words. Then, softer—surer: “Yeah. It’s… pretty.” A small pause. “Looks good on you.”

But his smile falters, and it has you pouting.

“What?”

“Nothing…” He shrugs. “Just don’t remember buying it. You used my card, right?”

You shake your head. “No, I bought it myself. It wasn’t expensive, honey, I promise.” Half true, at the very least.

“Yeah?” He blinks, then gently shifts back just enough to reach into his coat pocket, fishing out the wad of cash that’s accumulated there. “How much was it, baby? I’ll pay you back.”

“Caleb, I didn’t ask you to do that.”

“Yeah, well, I’m doing it anyway.” He counts out one, two, three twenties—

“Caleb, put that away—”

He looks up at you, raises his brows, dishes out a fourth and a fifth. “What?” He doesn’t hesitate for a second, folding the bills in half before leaning over the console to slip them into your purse. As he does, he presses a quick kiss to your cheek—light and teasing, knowing exactly what it’ll do. He grins, just a little, watching the way your attention drifts. One hand rests casually on the wheel—strong, veined, just enough to make you pause—and the other gently holds your jaw, guiding you toward him. He kisses you again, this time softly at the corner of your mouth, careful not to mess up the lipstick. “Use my card next time, yeah? Doesn’t matter what it’s for.”

You frown. “But I feel bad . . . I make my own money, you know.”

“You’re not supposed to spend your money, baby, you’re supposed to spend mine.”

He lifts your chin with two fingers—gentle, but sure—guiding your gaze back to him when you try to look away. His eyes search yours, steady and soft.

“Let me take care of you, sweetheart.” He presses a kiss to your lips—slow and certain, like a promise. “That’s what I’m here for.”

And honestly… when he says it like that, it’s hard to do anything but let him.

4K notes · View notes

starryseass · 2 months ago

Text

decode. caleb from love and deepspace

very loosely based on/inspired by this edit and that one line where he says he won't get a gf.. i don't have the card just saw another edit :P

content warnings. mentions of a slow (slightly longer that walking pace) burn relationship- not a full-blown fic, situationship, one-sided pining, top tier yearning border-lining on obsession. this is lowkey like an extremely less toxic version of a situationship-esque fic and oneshot i have drafted with eren jaeger.

word count. 2.063k

note. caleb looks so pretty here i love him- not more than zayne tho.. i haven't been on lads for months til now holy moly ;-;

"my speech would've ended here. however, right before i went onstage, a person said something strange to me. it had to do with what's "important."-- "

it was snowing-- the first snow of the year in fact-- and caleb chose you of all people to meet him. it was odd, but you let it slide because, quite frankly, everything between you two was odd.

having grown up with him, you two were inseparable. aside from whenever zayne came over to play- then the ice-cold prince, as caleb liked to call him, would have all your attention. looking back, caleb seemed to have formed a one-sided animosity towards him for it. it was funny, cute even.

high school came around, and as the three-year secondary education commenced, cheek-pinching became hair ruffling became hand-holding. everyone in school was confused by you two. every "are you dating her?" brought a smile to the older's lips and confusion to yours. caleb never answered them. he wouldn't give others the satisfaction of thinking they had a chance with you.

when you two had been separated for almost a year and found your way back to each other, you didn't know how to continue the relationship with him. you had just begun to get over the fact that you lost the only one who truly knew you only for him to be there, standing in front of you a few days later. caleb, being caleb, just wanted everything to go back to how it used to be, that dog tag you gave him still being worn all these years was a testament towards that, as if you claimed a part of him he wants-- no, needs-- you to have.

you didn't take too kindly to it in the beginning. he had completely disappeared. died. you'd gone to his grave for god's sake. you mourned him and your grandmother with no one to assist you when your life went to shit. so it took a few weeks to get used to having your best friend, whom you really only saw for the holidays after high school, and, to the public, died via explosion, find his way over to your city often just to see you. he was.. overbearing to say the least like he had to make up for his "death." he was also different.

you have a job and you do it well but ever since caleb came back into your life, he was more against your choice in joining the militia than ever. you didn't know why and he wouldn't tell you, often changing the subject to obstruct your train of thought.

the first few days when you saw him again, he was almost obsessive, deranged. you had a mission, one you originally had planned to use to block your mind from all things mourning before caleb crash-landed into it, ironically, being one of the main subjects to watch out for. he was the damn colonel. you never told him in entirety what your objective was but he had an idea-- he was smart like that-- and almost completely barred you from gaining any information-- barred you from leaving his home.

it scared you. the way he looked at you with those unstable eyes, the way he grabbed your wrist and whispered promises of not allowing others to hurt you whenever you tried to walk away from him, the way he'd play with your hair. it all scared you. it felt unnatural. every single action he did held some sort of difference in comparison to when he did it back then, and yet sometimes you felt yourself almost accept it, almost reciprocate.

he wasn't the caleb you knew but still, you let him into your life again after doing your job. you gave him the opportunity to be with you again even if he couldn't recall what exactly that entailed. you did all this because, deep down, you knew something happened in those ten months of his "passing". hell, he had a bionic arm. and whether you liked it or not, he was always going to be a part of your life so, out of love for the boy you knew, you made it work.

and things did progress. he did open up to you more, just not enough but you were willing to work with that.. it was still an advancement at the end of the day. and above all, you missed him-- you missed him so much-- so whatever he gave you, you took it kindly (with a little frustration).

as months flew by, you two frequently found yourselves at the other's house, cuddling on the couch as he read, him back hugging you as you prepared meals, sharing your bed and sleeping better than you two ever had alone even if you were ill at the moment. and at the end of the day, you would always find yourself standing in between his legs, his hand grazing your wrist as he begged you to stay a little longer. sure, those things were normal when you were younger but lines were blurred, crossed now. you're in your mid-20s. adults don't do those things unless..

still, you welcomed them like you couldn't get enough because he was caleb. he was your caleb.

he seemed to be dissociating by the time you got there. frosted-over water decorated his hair beautifully while his thumb grazed against the dog tag raised to his lips. a frown had painted his face. he wasn't dressed properly, the cold seeming to not bother him but you wouldn't stand for it. you didn't care if he was "different" now.

"caleb..." you were soft-spoken so as to not scare him.

as if you could ever, but he appreciated the gesture-- appreciated how you cared for him.

you broke his spell the moment you said his name. his eyes were unreadable, elusive the moment he found yours, but he was happy to see you. he always was. his phone was on but you hadn't noticed until he quickly turned it off, the screen going from white with a few hints of pink and blue to black in a few seconds. you were going to ask about it in an amused-- and deep down, curious-- tone but you decided against it. you already had caleb as your personal prober and you were not about to have him think prying was an okay and constant thing to do. he was already so interrogative.

"wear a proper jacket next time, yeah?" you held his neck and carefully manoeuvred him to bend towards you. the height difference you two had was sickeningly seductive. it was something passers-by took notice of whenever you were together. it was alluring to see and even more alluring to be a part of it.

caleb, being caleb, let you do anything to him and this was no different.

he allowed himself to relax into your touch, almost fluttering his eyes shut with a deep breath, as you guide him to where you need him to be.

you unravel your scarf, looking deeply into his eyes as you normally do, "why did you want to meet?" a mumble. the cold bit you as soon as you removed the article making it hard to speak.

"can't i see my.. best friend?" you wrap the woolly scarf over the boy's head as he spoke.

"i mean.. yeah, but it's the first snow. i know how important it is to you. you would always go on about how it cements the fact that two people are meant to be. isn't there anyone more.. important to see today?"

you always seemed to remember everything he said. he loved that about you. he also adored how oblivious you were.

caleb almost sighed, licking his lips.

what wasn't clicking for you?

"who could be more important?" he whispered amusingly as if he couldn't fathom being with another person today.

he, in fact, really couldn't.

"we talked about this, already." he says your name with such gentleness it makes you shy. you last spoke about this topic at his graduation. you remember it like it was yesterday. he had suddenly included the "meeting more people and experiencing new things after graduation" talk you had with him that same day into his ceremony speech, mentioning that people yearn for the future because they haven't found something to cherish in the moment, but that was so long ago. before he "died". people change. they feel differently as they grow.

you smile as you push against his chest, straightening his back, "things change as time goes on, caleb.. someone's gotta tie you down eventually. when we first saw each other, the nurses on the ship were all over you. we aren't getting any younger.. maybe-"

he stiffened, eyes fixed on you as he tilted his head, "do you i have to say it again for you to understand?" his bangs leer over his eyes as he pushes his nose down into your scarf- your warm, soft scarf.

"but-"

"i won't get a girlfriend."

"caleb.." you feel winded.

"i won't.. get a girlfriend." his words were almost a bit harsher. firmer.

a beat.

"okay.. fine. it's.. it's up to you." you winced, looking down at the snow beneath your feet before taking a few steps. caleb follows you a few seconds after, a little bit distracted.

he had turned on his phone once more to see your social page. the phrase "you visited this page several times over the course of two days" stared back at him, as if it was begging him to stop. he was just about to, really, he was, but just below the phrase sat the picture of you and a guy he'd never met that kept searing into his mind. his arm was wrapped around your shoulder and you were smiling as gleefully as could be. it irked the aviation soldier terribly. he hasn't even been able to make you smile like that yet, but there you were, handing them out like candy to your other friends. caleb sighs, picking at his cuticles before he looks up at you again. his fingers, once rapidly moving, stayed in place. your hair was covered in snow and, for some reason, it made him smile.

everything about you made him smile.

everything about you was so easy on the eyes.

he didn't want anyone else.

not when he has you.

you were his gorgeous girl, whether you knew it or not, and he wasn't going to lose you again.. not while the strain put on your relationship when you first saw each other again was burned into his memories. you two were basically strangers once you left skyhaven. he didn't know how to be "your caleb" then but he was willing to try-- still is-- and sure, he has his tendencies but you two make it work.

because he was willing to do anything for you and you would do almost anything for him.

still, he needed everyone to know that you were his. he needed everyone to confidently know you two had something. something no one else could replicate with you.

his phone camera shutters. it was quiet, almost going completely unnoticed by you. you turn around, eyebrows furrowed, a small pout gracing your lips just before you open your mouth, "caleb-"

you're interrupted.

"y'know, there's this park that opened recently. maybe we could make a new secret base." he skips to you, resting his arm over your shoulder to pull you into him. he was as childish as ever, always wanting the two of you to make a mark in every space you encounter.

you're mind goes blank, completely losing your train of thought. still, you nod, trying to remember what you wanted to say , "huh? alright, alright, but after we have to go to this cafe.."

"--i consider myself lucky. i already have someone who's very important to me, someone i can't live without."

the sun finally sets and just as caleb leaves, you get a notification on your phone. it was a post from caleb. he'd tagged you in it.

you click the link almost instantaneously to see the back of your head covered in tiny snowflakes from earlier this morning.

you bite your lip to fight back a smile as you look down to see the caption.

"first snow with her."

note. let's pretend i haven't been gone for an entire year. i have something for xavier that has been sitting in the drafts since '24 if thats any consolation - lei <3 (started writing: may 3, 2025)

99 notes · View notes

starryseass · 2 months ago

Text

THIS IS SO HOT!!?!?!!

𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞! ➢

3, 2, 1, go! love and deepspace boys become street racers (while possibly romancing you in the process)...

𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫: slight angst (?), drabble. street racer!Caleb x reader. they're estranged childhood friends with inconsistent communication, he's not abusive btw... bear with me on this one, there IS hope at the end of the tunnel!

𝐗𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 / 𝐙𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞 / 𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐥 / 𝐒𝐲𝐥𝐮𝐬 / 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐛

𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠…

➢ killing me; conan gray

➢ closer to you; jungkook, major lazer

➢ sour candy; lady gaga, blackpink

"...in the streets of Linkon City. Our experts agree that it has become a rather serious problem. Who is going to protect us from such dangerous activities when we don't even know who to look for?"

The evening discussion panel you'd turned on mixed with the vinyl record you put on in your bedroom, creating the perfect background noise for you current endeavours. Humming absentmindedly at Tara's words, you flipped through the pile of clothes growing dangerously with each rejected outfit.

"Yes. Well... It is best to remember that we, as Linkon citizens, are being thoroughly protected by police forces. We shouldn't act rashly here, especially when it comes to such important matters as illegal racing, oftentimes held purely for monetary gain. Such environments could be dangerous to those who have no experience in the matter. However, when it comes to the identities, there are a couple of things to look out for. Most racers have unique aliases and codenames, ones we can be wary of in our day to day lives. Some of the most infamous ones are, for example, Onyx, Orion, Malamute..."

You returned to the living room once again, this time wearing a different top, twisted phone cord trailing behind you like a puppy with attachment issues.

"I just don't know, Tara, this doesn't look... Ehh, I don't know." You sighed, holding up two skirts in front of you while your friend tried her best to advise you over the phone. "What's that? Oh, just the TV. Hold on, let me switch it off. Yeah, so, like I've been saying..."

Suddenly you paused, turning away to face your front door.

"You're here!" You smiled brightly, already halfway there, but then stopped abruptly at Tara's words. "Oh... I hope it's not another noise complaint..."

Not expecting much, since it was, in fact, a late Thursday evening in a building full of the elderly and families with young children, you took a half-hearted glance through the peephole.

But what you saw, who you saw, on the other side of the door, made your blood run cold.

"It's... It's..." you attempted to give Tara an explanation, but then the person standing in the corridor spoke up, voice muffled by the barrier between you.

"Hey, Pipsqueak..." He cleared his throat and you pressed your forehead to the door. "I... I came to talk. Yeah? I'm sorry about last time, it was never my intent to upset you."

"Well, too bad," you replied before you could stop yourself, already full of annoyance. "Because you did, Caleb. What do you want now?"

You didn't look through the eyehole again, you couldn't make yourself to do so. But you saw him in your mind, shoulders relaxing slowly at the sound of your voice, that you decided to respond to him, even like this, even angry.

"Just to talk. I couldn't call or text you for some time. I just want to... see how you're doing."

Still on the phone with Tara, you placed it carefully on the shelf next to you, not hanging up. Just in case.

"I'm doing fine," you quipped back, but your resolve had already begun to falter. You missed Caleb terribly, the tone of his voice, that roguish glint in his eyes. How he brought you cute keychains from his travels and let you crash at his place when you didn't want to be alone. How he held you in his arms when you cried, gentle and reassuring, yet still at some sort of distance. Even if shortly afterwards he didn't text you back for ten days.

"I'm– I'm glad, Pips." Pause, brief. Then, "Will you let me see you...? Just for a minute. Please."

You glanced over at your phone, laying screen up on the shelf. Tara had texted you, mindful not to make herself known by speaking up, and asked if you'd be okay. Biting your lip, you replied, promising to give her a call as soon as he leaves. You hoped that'd be soon. You hoped she'd come over soon too.

"Okay..." you muttered cautiously and then ended the call. "Just... give me a second."

Hurrying back to the living room, you grabbed one of the skirts that were thrown on the couch, hastily putting it on so Caleb wouldn't see you basically half-naked. He waited patiently until you opened the door for him and scooted to the side to let him pass.

"Hi," he muttered breathlessly, hands twitching at his sides as he took in your figure. "You... going anywhere? I hope I'm not an inconvenience."

There was a gentle smile on his lips, one you felt you hadn't seen for centuries. Aside from that, Caleb looked as Caleb-ish as ever; broad shoulders, bright, attentive eyes and messy hair, now slightly overgrown as you were always the one to cut it. His arm brushed yours when he entered your apartment and he tensed.

"No, it's fine." You closed the door behind him without locking it. Just in case... "So...? Are you going to tell me where the hell you were last time we were supposed to hang out?"

"Pipsqueak..."

A single laugh escaped your chest, more akin to a bark. "Don't 'Pipsqueak' me, Caleb. It's a simple question. I would like to hear a simple answer."

He leaned against the built-in closet, respecting your privacy and not moving from the spot by the entrance. As his head hit the wood with a dull thud, you noticed a wide stripe of gauze sneaking past the hem of his jacket, right at the base of his neck. If Caleb noticed you staring, he decided not to mention it.

"It's... not as simple as I'd like it to be." There was a certain amount of defiance in his voice, one you knew almost too well. "I can't– I couldn't contact you. The matter was out of my hands."

"Caleb, you stood me up!" you pointed out, refusing to meet his eyes, even when he slightly bent over in order to see you better. "Do you even know how long I waited for you back then? I've always known you were busy but this? And then you wouldn't answer my calls, wouldn't text me back? For a second I... I thought something had happened to you."

It seemed like your sudden confession made Caleb, in some wicked and unexplainable way, more upbeat than just mere seconds before. He reached out, but not even to touch you, just to hover. "I wish I could tell you more, so you wouldn't worry..."

"Worry?!" Now, that pissed you off. How would someone who clearly didn't give a damn about you make you worry for him? "You worry about yourself for once, Jesus fucking Christ. Where the hell were you, where you couldn't find two fucking minutes to send me a text?!"

"Pipsqueak–"

Waving him off, you stormed off into the living room, not wanting him to see how emotional it all made you. It took Caleb a moment to follow, quietly and cautiously, as though he was approaching a wild animal. The couch dipped slightly when he sat down at its edge.

"You used to be different," you whispered, more to yourself than to Caleb, really. "We used to be different. There wasn't a single thing we wouldn't talk about. You know there wasn't. And now... It feels like I don't even know you anymore, Caleb."

You looked up to face him, now wide eyed and tense as he stared back. A speck of dust flew in between you, illuminated by the cabinet lamp.

"I don't even know you."

There was a long moment of silence after that. Caleb appeared to be thinking about what to tell you and you, well, you were done talking. You couldn't keep wasting words on those who wouldn't give you any in return.

Suddenly he stood up, shoulders slumped forward, like a long forgotten puppet. Not even looking at you, let alone saying anything, he turned around yet again and made his way to the door.

You sighed. Deeply, unashamedly. With relief.

But then, just when you thought it would all end like this – with Caleb letting you have the last word. Leaving you behind, finally, for good.

He spoke.

Quietly, utterly devoid of emotion.

"I was in jail."

Your breath hitched. "I... I– W-What...?"

"They didn't have any usable evidence," he continued, still turned away, still at a distance (just in... case?). "So they let me go. I didn't want to call. You'd know. You'd know where it was coming from."

"Caleb..." You didn't even notice when you got up from the couch and walked close enough to feel the faint smell of gasoline lingering around him. "What have you done...?"

He glanced at you above his shoulder, smirking. "Don't worry 'bout it. Soon all of it will be gone. Everything will be just how it used to."

And before you could think of anything suitable enough for a reply, he left, closing the door behind him so delicately, you didn't even hear it click.

The air seemed hot that night, sticky. The fact that it was so horrendously crowded too, obviously didn't help and if it weren't for his height, Caleb wouldn't even have anything to breathe with.

He wanted to go home.

Real home, not the college dorms or even that cold, rigid apartment he was renting. You. He wanted, no, he needed to be where you were, see what you saw, hear what you heard. There wasn't a day he didn't spend cultivating the slightly blurred image of you he kept safely in his mind.

But what you told him just a few days before...

Caleb shook his head, as if to physically get rid of whatever resided inside of it at that time.

The past was just that – the past. For a reason, too. If he was to be present in your life still, he would have to earn his spot.

And he was willing to do anything for that to happen.

His racing team was almost finishing up, so Caleb decided to take a quick stroll through the garages. Being observant came naturally to him, so he oftentimes used those moments to spot his rivals' weakest points. That, plus the change of scenery helped him clear his mind, at least a little.

That night he would be up against five other drivers. Plenty of people to beat, but Caleb wasn't exactly a newbie, so he had calculated his chances as pretty high. High enough, he hoped at least. He was also competing with Sage and that was something he wasn't anticipating in the slightest.

Leaning against the garage doors, he observed, taking notice of anything out of the ordinary or potentially dangerous. Sage's Mitsubishi, a Toyoya, two Hondas. The last one was apparently a Mustang but Caleb was yet to see it with his own eyes, so he recoiled from making any rash assumptions. The crowd was vibrant and ever-present, adding to the unique flavour of Linkon's underground scene. There were also many teenagers, something Caleb had noted with confusion, as those who were underage had a way harder time getting in. And right next to a couple of school kids, stood a group of people not too much older, talking excitedly and trying to appear seasoned.

Caleb smiled to himself.

A part of him wished hypocritically that cops would swarm the place that night, making a whole show of cuffing people left and right, just to make those who didn't belong stay away afterwards. It was horrible of Caleb to think that way, considering he had to start somewhere too, but in all honesty he didn't wish his life on anybody. So, in a way it was justified, at least to some extent.

The start of the race was approaching and Caleb was almost about to go back to his trusted Subaru, when two more people with colorful drinks in their hands joined the group he previously observed.

The guy was relatively tall, a little lanky and wore a hoodie with a giant bird on the back, a raven maybe, or a crow. His eyes would shine whenever he looked at the girl beside him and it was clear as day that he was waiting for the right moment to make a move. She was chatting, gesturing animatedly and making him laugh in the process. He bent down to hear better, resting his hand on her hip.

And the girl... The girl was you.

94 notes · View notes

starryseass · 2 months ago

Text

as I psychologist i really love when people write about caleb’s actual mental state, although I do not excuse some of his behaviors, i like to see how people explain how traumatized his mind really is and no, i don’t think he really is a yandere 🥹

#love and deepspace #love and deepspace caleb #caleb x mc #caleb x reader #i think he is a very complicated man but nothing so extreme #his attachment issues lack of parental care and his brain development are results of being a human experimentation #like I don’t think being erased from your very essence and therefore ego would make anyone normal

36 notes · View notes

starryseass · 2 months ago

Text

not lads related but korean skincare is truly so wonderful?!!?!!? i bought the centella soothing cream and my skin is flawless?!?!?!! like the glow, the soft texture I’m impressed!!

0 notes

starryseass · 2 months ago

Text

doing some resources to finish this fucked up fanfic for caleb and mc and THEN watching the new multi banner feels like such a fever dream but I’m so happy they are finally happy together that I almost forgot this probably isn’t the current timeline I’m so confused and sooo happy at the same time

#love and deepspace #love and deepspace caleb #caleb x mc #caleb x reader #also he looks younger happiness really is essential to his skincare LOL #saw someone speculating this was some kind of afterlife and I agree like ever wouldn’t let them be happy this way #anyways I’m still happy there’s nothing I love more than Caleb fluff content 💜

30 notes · View notes

starryseass · 2 months ago

Text

NEW CALEB CONTENT WITH FLUFF OMG I’M LOSING MY MIND 💜🩷💜🩷💜🥹🥹💜🥹💜💜💜💜💜🩷

#love and deepspace #love and deepspace caleb #caleb x mc #THEY ARE SO CUTEEEEEEE

19 notes · View notes

starryseass · 2 months ago

Text

sober | caleb

pairing: college au caleb x mc/non mc reader

prompt: -

summary: he wished you'd been sober when you'd done it.

words: 1,425

warning(s): slight angst? but not really?

a/n: i was relistening to this and got inspired so here it is. and slight fluff bc i need to reset before finishing the sylus angst ive been working on lol reblogs, comments and feedbacks are much appreciated <3

masterlist

“Can you come pick me up?”

The moment those words left your mouth; Caleb was already rushing towards the door despite still being in his sweater and sweats. He took his jacket off the coat hanger and shrugged it on before walking out the door.

You told him a few hours ago that you were going out with a few of your college friends and that you had planned on going to dinner and having a few drinks after. Caleb had already expected that you would be inebriated by the end of the night and that he would have to pick you up.

It was mid-spring so it wasn't that cold anymore, and he figured that dashing over by foot would be faster than taking his car. So, that's what he did. He may or may not have chosen the former so he could have you closer to him, but you probably shouldn’t know that. He eventually got there in a few minutes since it wasn't far from the apartment two of you shared, somewhere off-campus but close enough.

He eventually got to you and saw that you were sitting on a bench in front of the restaurant, alone. You had your hands outstretched upwards. You had one eye closed and the other squinting at the streetlight peeking through between your fingers. He swore you’d never looked so endearing.

He saw you turn your head at the sound of his footsteps and flashed a wide grin at him.

“Oh? It’s Caleb!” Your cheeks were flushed and words slightly slurred.

Caleb stood in front of your sitting form, “Yes, it’s me.”

“You came.”

“Of course. You called.” Caleb shrugged off his jacket and draped it over your shoulders then proceeded to crouch in front of you.

“Thanks. How did you know I was cold?” You had your forehead scrunched in confusion.

How cute.

“You’re always cold, Pip-squeak.”

You laughed, “I guess I am. But I’m glad I have you to always warm me up. You’re the bestest friend anyone could ever ask for.”

Ah.

Caleb would be lying if he said it didn’t sting every time he was reminded of where he stood in your life. As your friend. Your best friend.

He used to be so proud of that title. Being your best friend meant the world to him. After all, you had been the center of his world ever since you grew up together. But at a certain point, the title he once was so proud of having felt like a stab in the chest.

He knew he had feelings for you. He didn’t know when it started, but it was pretty much a given since you had always been the center of his world, the only one who kept him going.

There had been a few times where Caleb almost acted on his feelings. Keyword being almost. He wanted there to be something more between the two of you, but he couldn’t even fathom the thought of losing you if things went sour. So, he didn’t want to risk it, which led him to make a promise to himself that he would never be the one to make the first move. You had to be the one to make the first move.

So, for now, all he could do was stay by your side, trying to be content with the title he’d always held.

The cold hands cupping his cheeks brought him back to the present.

You brought your face closer to his, which prompted his eyes to widen and his cheeks to heat up, “I love your eyes. They look like…” You paused as if to think of the right comparison, “A universe.”

Caleb opened his mouth to say something but you continued, “But you’re my universe, Caleb.”

You then proceeded to lean forward to press a gentle kiss on his lips and lingered for a while. Caleb’s brain immediately short-circuited and the heat that rushed up his cheeks were now also felt on his ears, along with the sound of his pounding heart. He was over the moon, but it would be a lie to say that it your actions did not catch him off guard.

He felt you pull away too soon, before he manages to deepen the kiss. You were smiling as you were looking at him whilst also still keeping your palms against his cheek, “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Me too.

The words were about to roll off his tongue, but he stopped himself as he noticed the slightly hazy look in your eyes. You were sobering up, but you still probably won’t remember this in the morning. He could’ve taken advantage of the moment, but he didn’t. No, he opted to slip into the role of the kindhearted boy from your childhood instead.

The words that actually came out of him next were soft and slightly murmured, “I wished you’d been sober when you’d done that, Pip-squeak.”

When you didn’t respond–as you didn’t actually hear what he said–he took your hands off his cheeks and held on to them for a moment, “C’mon, let’s get you home.” Caleb tugged the hood of his jacket over your head and turned around, motioning for you to get on his back.

You stood and wrapped your arms around his neck, resting your head on his shoulders, your hair spilling out of the hood of his jacket and brushing over his shoulders. He stood, placed his hands on the back of your thighs for support and started walking.

The night was relatively quiet, aside from a few cars passing by every few minutes or so. It was peaceful and it felt like it was just the two of you under the streetlights as he carried you on his back. He could feel your heartbeat against his back, and he could only wish that you couldn’t hear or feel the pounding in his chest, which eventually made its way to his ears too.

At some point, Caleb felt you shift and nuzzle your head on the crook of his neck.

“You good?”

You hummed in response before mumbling, “My nose is cold.”

“Hang on. We’ll be there soon.”

You proceeded to murmur something, which he couldn’t really decipher.

“What was that, Pip-squeak?”

“You smell like soap.”

“Yeah? Well, I got your call not long after I just got out of the shower.”

Your response came a bit later, sleepiness evident in your voice, “Thanks for coming to get me.”

“You know you’ll always have me.”

He felt your breath evening against his neck and figured you fell asleep. He eventually reached the apartment building and carried you into the elevator. After struggling for quite a bit, Caleb managed to punch in the code to the apartment whilst still carrying you, but his struggle had awaken you from your short nap. He walked over to your bedroom and laid you down gently on your bed. You kicked your shoes off and tossed them on the floor before pulling the covers over yourself.

He walked over to the cabinet by the window and grabbed an aspirin, along with a glass of water before handing it to you.

He sat on the edge of your bed, “Here. So, you won’t come complainin’ tomorrow about how your head hurts.”

You groaned and turned away from him, shutting your eyes, “I don’t want it.”

He sighed and opted on putting them on the bedside table instead, “Alright. I’ll just put them here in case you change your mind.”

“I don’t want it. I have you to take care of me if it does hurt.”

“That you do, Pip-squeak.” He chuckled as he brushed a stray strand of hair away from your face, “Sleep tight, Y/N.” He added as he headed towards the door.

“Caleb?”

He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at you, “Yes?”

“Can you stay with me tonight? I’m still cold.”

Caleb walked back over to the side of your bed to have you gazing up at him and saying, “Please?”

He sighed, not because he doesn’t want to do it, but because the fact that what happened earlier probably didn’t mean as much to you as it did to him was already too much for him to handle. But he was never strong enough to go against you, wasn’t he? So, he relented.

“Alright, scoot over.”

You buried your head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around you, “Better?”

“Much. Good night, Caleb.”

“Good night, Y/N.”

taglist: @mayooness

185 notes · View notes