"I'm just saying, I'd totally smash if he was real."

Sitting cross-legged on the floor with a bottle of wine in her hand, Cassie journeys through her drunken ramble.

"Bart Simpson?"

Thalia scoffs, facing the light-haired girl and leaning back against the couch, taking a large swig from her bottle.

The clock silently announces the late hour— 3AM. While Finn is sound asleep in his room, Thalia and Cassie have opted for a sleepover in the living room, seated on the soft carpeted floor.

"Yes!" Cassie stands her ground.

A sigh escapes Thalias lips as her gaze falls on the couch behind Cassie, lingering there for a moment before meeting her eyes.

"Cass, can I ask you something?"

"Hit me."

"Did you and Finn ever like... date?"

Cassies eyes momentarily widen at the inquiry. Two heartbeats pass before she emerges into laughter, emitting chortles that resonate through the apartment.

"Oh, you didn't?"

"No, we did." Cassie speaks through her drunken giggles. "It was just a fling, I forgot it even happened."

Thalia nods, choosing to let the subject pass as she swigs at the wine. Reading the slight uneasiness on her face, Cassie clears her throat and speaks again.

"It was nothing, really."

A smile plasters across the brunettes lips, and she simply shrugs her shoulders as to brush it off.

"I know."

The two souls lie on the carpeted floor, gazing up at the ceiling with four bottles of wine lined up amongst them.

"I actually do have a question for you though." Cassie murmurs.

Thalia hums. "Hit me."

"Are you ever gonna move back here?"

"I'm not sure." Thalia sighs, "I can't tell you what the future holds. I love Paris and all my friends back there, but Finn..."

With her trailing off mid-sentence, the room evaporates into a silence which is pierced within a few moments.

"Finn is home."

Cassie can't help but smile, humming under her breath. "You love him?"

"Always have, always will."

"Nice reference."

"Thanks."

The moon retires before they know it. Thalias eyes flutter open, adjusting to the newfound luminescence seeping through the curtains.

She grasps her phone, viewing the time — 6AM.

Sitting up on the velvety cushions of the couch, she glances over to the other sofa to behold Cassie, snoring in deep slumber.

Thalia releases a weary sigh. Whenever she jolts awake in the dead of night or at the break of dawn, slipping back into slumber proves to be an arduous endeavor.

Thalia tiptoes past the bottles of wine adorning the living room, heading for the balcony.

She slides the glass door open, feeling the cool marble tiles against her feet.

Leaning toward the railing, she casts her gaze upon the rising city. The warm hues of the sun accompanied by the subtle breeze of dawn wraps her in serenity.

With nothing else to do, she shuts her eyes and thinks about him.

And a smile instantly graces her lips.

The audible turn of a knob catches Finns attention, his gaze landing on the familiar silhouette standing at the door.

He smiles. "Did you randomly wake up as well?"

A light snicker escapes her lips as she shuts the door behind her. "Yup."

Thalia pauses for a moment, a mischievous grin etching onto her features before she swiftly darts toward the bed, throwing herself onto Finn as an attempt to crush him beneath her.

The brawl match lasts about a minute or two before they find themselves in the inevitable position.

Finn looms above her, pinning her wrists on either side. Their eyes meet in a keen gaze, hearts pounding in synchrony.

He swallows hard, eyes flickering to her lips before he leans in to kiss her. It doesn't take long for things to escalate, Finn sliding his hand further up her shirt than the last time he did so.

The previous pattern continues as he trails delicate kisses down her jawline and neck.

The soft breaths escaping Thalias lips fill the room. She shuts her eyes as he lets go of the grasp on her wrists, instead opting to intertwine their fingers.

Finn gently pushes her shirt up, exposing a black bra trimmed with lace. His face flushes a shade of crimson as his gaze meets hers.

"You're so beautiful, Lia."

"I know."

He lightly chuckles, eyes filled with nothing but love. "Can I?..." he motions at her bra, earning a swift nod.

Keeping their eyes locked, he undoes her bra and tosses it aside. Thalia observes as his lips string along her chest.

As his lips reach her lower abdomen, their eyes lock once more.

She can't help but melt at the sight of him, bathed in the soft glow of dawn that reflects perfectly in his desirous eyes.

The obstacle provided by her shorts is soon vanished, and they're tossed to the floor to rest alongside her bra.

Thalias mind races with keenness as he holds her legs apart, leaving kisses on her thighs yet refusing to reach the spot which she desperately yearns for him to.

"Finn," she breathes out in a much more impure manner than she'd hoped.

Finns heart races at the sound of his name leaving her lips, even more so once she entangles her hands within his hair.

"Can I?" He whispers, tugging at the waistband of her undergarments.

"Please."

Smiling at her words, he doesn't let a heartbeat pass before acquiescing.

Thalia and Finn roam into the kitchen, instantly spotting Cassie there, greasing the frying pan with a smug expression as she glances at the couple.

"You know your walls aren't soundproof, right?"

Their eyes simultaneously widen, eliciting a snort from Cassie.

As the three souls eat breakfast in silence, Thalias mind wanders off with her gaze unwaveringly fixed on Finn.

The moment they shared together was unlike any other. All those previous one night stands had always left her with a sense of loathe. Never before has the aftertaste of sex been delirium, until now.

Yet, beneath the surface, a seed of doubt begins to take root.

What if this newfound intimacy alters their dynamic? Could it potentially complicate their relationship, introducing unspoken expectations or shifting their easy camaraderie into something more complicated?

Gazing at Finn, she searches for any sign of unease or apprehension, but his expression remains unreadable.

In the wake of Cassies departure, an air of quiet descends upon the two as they wash the dishes, accompanied only by the gentle sound of running water.

After completing the mundane task, Thalia sits up on the kitchen island as Finn stands before her.

A smile graces Finns lips as his gaze remains on her.

It seems as if the world turns, and a supernatural phenomenon takes place. Thalia finds herself feeling nervous from the lingering eye contact.

Noticing her rush to avert her gaze, Finn chuckles and takes hold of her hand.

"I don't want things to change between us now that we've uh..." he clears his throat, "you know."

Thalia smiles. "Yeah, I don't want that either."

"Then let's make a pact."

"A pact?"

"Yup." He grins. "That we'll always be best friends. No matter what we label ourselves as, nothing has to change."

Thalias face lights up with a broad smile. "Deal."

How is it that Finn always seems to effortlessly grasp her thoughts? It's as if they share one brain, and he intuitively knows the right thing to say at just the right moment.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

Thalia sits in the passenger seat, her eyes fixed on the midnight cityscape outside the window.

It's their second date, and for reasons unbeknownst to Thalia, it's happening in the dead of night.

Finn sprung the plan on her last minute, instructing her to get ready without revealing where they're headed or why.

"No way."

Thalias eyes light up as she steps onto the polished lanes, the vacant bowling alley stretching out before her.

With a gasp, she turns toward Finn and beholds the sight of his beaming grin.

"Since you love bowling and hate people."

"No way." She repeats.

"Yes way. I rented it out for the night."

Thalia engulfs Finn in a hug before placing a kiss on his cheek, eliciting a giggle from him.

She picks up a bowling ball, feeling its weight in her hands while he examines the racks of balls nearby.

Thalia approaches the lane, adopting her stance with laser focus on the pins ahead. With a fluid motion, she releases the ball, tracking its path down the lane.

"Come on, strike!"

The ball swerves slightly, knocking down a few pins but leaving the rest untouched.

"Nice try." Finn mocks. "Let me show you how it's done."

He chooses a ball and strides confidently to the lane, concentration evident in his focused expression. With a practiced swing, he sends the ball rolling down the lane.

"Strike!"

Thalia scoffs at Finns triumphant display as the pins scatter, toppling over all at once.

"Whatever, show-off." She rolls her eyes, an inevitable smile tugging at her lips.

As the clock strikes 2AM, the two officially retire from the bowling alley, reckoning the initial portion of the date complete.

"Wait— there's more?"

"Yup. We're doing something you've always wanted to do. I have everything we need in the truck of the car."

Thalia narrows her eyes, observing Finn as he drives with one hand on the wheel.

"Are we murdering someone?"

"Maybe. You'll just have to wait and see."

She sighs and leans back in her seat, the hum of the engine lulling her into a relaxed state as they enter the darkened countryside.

Glancing out the window, she catches glimpses of towering trees and star-studded skies, her anticipation building with each passing mile.

As they pull into a clearing in what seems like a forest, Thalia can't help but chuckle.

"Wait, am I the one we're murdering? Did you bring me to the woods to kill me, Finn? If this is your idea of romance, you are seriously fucked up."

"Just wait here." He turns off the engine, unbuckling his seatbelt. "I'll be right back."

Thalia observes as Finn disappears into the darkness, before amping up the volume of her playlist and partying in his absence.

A couple of heartbeats later, Finn returns, his silhouette outlined against the starlit sky.

"Okay, close your eyes."

Thalia obeys, her heart pounding with anticipation. "Alright, murderer."

She feels his hand gently guiding her out of the car, the cool night air brushing against her skin.

As they stray further and further away from the car, she can hear the faint rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets.

"You can open them now."

Thalias eyes flutter open, revealing a scene straight out of a fairytale. She stands within a serene clearing, encircled by towering trees.

Nearby, two tents stand proudly, their fabric gently swaying in the breeze.

In the heart of the clearing, a fire cackles, reminiscent of what you'd see in movies. Makeshift benches crafted from sturdy logs surround the fire.

Her eyes widen in awe as she takes in the scene before her.

"Oh my god, Finn! I love it."

She throws her arms around him in excitement, nearly knocking the both of them over as if they were the pins from earlier.

"It's exactly how I always imagined it, thank you."

"I'm glad." Finn giggles, the sound muffled by her hair.

Thalia clings to him, unwilling to break the embrace. They stand amidst the forest, locked in, both figuratively and literally.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Lia."