Summary: MC (Dani) realizes the toll her busy schedule is taking on her relationship with her live-in boyfriend, James.
Dani glanced around the living, trying to remember everything she needed as she shoved her papers and laptop in her bag. Books, articles, notebook, computer … she silently chanted to herself. Crap, what was it that Zack needed me to bring? Dani racked her brain, but couldn’t remember. Was it a CD? A movie? A book? Dani shook her head. Oh well. She didn’t have time to text him before she left, she was already late as it is. She’s just have to get it later. Dani slung her back over her shoulder and hurried for the front door of the apartment. She grabbed her jacket and flung open the door, where she smacked straight into James.
“Whoa!” James exclaimed as he caught her before they both went crashing to the floor. “Where’s the fire?”
“Sorry, hi, I’m just late, I have to go,” Dani said quickly, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Hey, hold on a second,” James said as he caught her arm.
“I’m sorry, I can’t, I have to go,” Dani said.
“Go where?”
“James, I’m busy! I’m sorry!” Dani said as she turned to leave.
“We had plans tonight, remember?” James said.
“What are you–” Dani started, and then stopped. Oh, shit. “Oh my god. I totally forgot, I’m so sorry.”
James sighed, exasperated.
“Seriously, Dani? We made these plans a week ago. You promised we’d spend some time together.”
“I know, and I’m sorry, I’ve just been–”
“Busy. Yeah, I know,” James finished for her. He turned away and headed into the apartment. “I guess I’ll see you later.”
“James, wait,” Dani said, following him into their apartment and closing the door behind them. “Look, I’m really sorry.”
“I know you are,” James said. “You’re always sorry, but that doesn’t make this any easier. Dani, I never see you anymore.”
“James, we live together,” Dani countered. “We work on the paper together, how can you say we never see each other?”
“You’re never here!” James exclaimed. “You always get back late, you leave early, and it feels like whenever I see you, it’s just in passing while you’re running off to somewhere else. You’re always tutoring Zack or helping Kaitlyn with her band or taking on yet another article for the paper–”
“For you, my editor,” Dani interjected angrily.
“–and it feels like you’re constantly babysitting Becca,” James continued.
“She’s going through a really rough time!” Dani said. “She doesn’t really have anyone else!”
“Did it ever occur to you that that’s her own fault?” James asked. “She pushes away everyone away!”
“All the more reason why she needs someone to stick by her!” Dani yelled, her voice growing louder in the apartment.
“What’s the point of us living together if you choose everyone else over me?” James yelled back. Dani stared at James, really looked at him for the first time in … what, days? Weeks? She saw the crease in his brow, the hard line of his mouth, but most of all she saw the hurt in his eyes. Without thinking about it, Dani dropped her bag to the floor, she wrapped her arms around James, and she kissed him.
He didn’t respond at first and for one horrible second, Dani thought he might push her away. But then he kissed her back, pulling her close. Dani pushed all other thoughts from her mind and let herself sink into the kiss in a way she felt she hadn’t really done in ages. His mouth was warm and familiar and as she kissed him, Dani realized exactly how much she’d been missing him too.
“I’m sorry,” Dani whispered into his ear when they finally broke apart, still holding him tightly.
“No, I’m sorry,” James said. “I shouldn’t have yelled, I just … I love you so much and I miss you. I’m proud of you for being such a hard worker and I think you’re an amazing friend–even to Becca. I guess I’ve just been feeling … I don’t know. Left out.”
“James, I don’t ever want you to feel like that,” Dani said. “You’re my favorite person and I love you. And I’m really sorry I forgot about our date night tonight, I really am.”
“I know you are,” James said softly, kissing her forehead. “And it’s okay. Really.”
“Hey, I’ll tell you what,” Dani said. “I promised Zack I’d help him with his paper and that I’d help Kaitlyn’s band set up tonight. But as soon as I help them load their stuff into the club, I won’t stay for the show, I’ll come home.”
“No, it’s okay, you promised Kaitlyn you’d help her,” James said. He pulled back so he could look her in the eyes. “Really, I mean it. It’s okay.”
“And I’ll help her set up, but I won’t stay. Kaitlyn will understand,” Dani insisted.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, absolutely,” Dani said, tracing the curve of his jaw with a fingertip.
“Okay,” James said, a smile spreading across his face. “Want me to cook?”
Dani shook her head.
“Nope. Why don’t we just order pizza, open a bottle of wine, and watch a movie here?”
James gave her a sly grin and raised an eyebrow at her.
“Are you proposing we … Netflix and chill?” he asked. Dani laughed.
“Maybe,” she said innocently. Dani kissed James again, his hands in her hair, and she reached for the buckle on his belt.
“Hey, now,” James said. “I thought you were going to be late.”
“Oh, I’m already late,” Dani said. “But I think Zack can wait an extra fifteen minutes.”
James grinned and picked her up, kissing her deeply. She wrapped her legs around him and he carried her into their bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them with a decisive bang.
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