One Day - Adam Stanheight / Reader

One Day - Adam Stanheight / Reader

A/N I heard the song Gonna Love Ya - by Avicii on the radio and I thought of a story immediately. I know it’s an old song, idk what it was doing on the radio. Also this story is long!!

Winter was harsh this year. The snow was piling up outside the door, the wind was shaking the windows, and the thunder roared overhead violently. Your lights flashed and flickered every once in a while and the chill outside was seeping through your thin walls. You shivered, and clutched your blanket closer. Your hot chocolate was still sitting on the counter, where you had forgotten it a long time ago. It was probably cold by now.

Adam Stanheight was your roommate. He had left to get groceries about an hour and a half ago when the sky was still clear. You’d insisted on going with him, but he was determined to go by himself. You understood his need for alone time. He usually did the grocery shopping by himself.

But something was wrong. It never took him so long to get the groceries before. You were concerned. Shaking your head, you muttered something about being more firm with him.

Adam walked through the door at that exact moment. His arms were full of grocery bags, but that was the least of your concerns. Adam’s face was white, and his eyes were red. He was shaking from the cold as he dropped everything onto the counter, and slumped back against it.

You folded your lips nervously, as your heart started pounding a little. Leaning against the counter like that, giving you a side view, made Adam look so much more attractive than he already was. He huffed out in fatigue, and closed his eyes.

You had always had feelings for Adam, but you didn’t do anything about them. Mostly, you were too shy to make a move, but… you were also scared of ruining the good relationship you had with him right now. Hesitantly, you stood up and went to him. “Adam…” you whispered.

After the severe events of Jigsaw, you could understand his emotional issues, but it hurt every time you saw it happening. But Adam was recovering well from that due to the therapy and some extra precautions. You could guess that this was something else.

“Adam, what’s wrong?”

Adam didn’t look at you. Now that you were closer, you could smell the strong scent of smoke. He’d been smoking. That meant his life was really shitty right now.

“Would you like to talk about it?” You asked.

“What’s wrong with me?” He wondered miserably. “I thought the therapy would help?”

You looked at him up and down, stunned a little. “It is. It IS helping. You’re being helped.”

Adam looked into your eyes. “Then why do I feel like this? I’m not like you.”

His words hit you, and you frowned. “That doesn’t matter. If everyone was the same, life would be boring.”

“No,” Adam added instantly. “I’m not… normal… I’m not happy anymore. I was different before Kramer took me for his twisted game.”

You felt your heart break. Hastily, you replied, “You ARE normal. You’re just lost… Your therapist and I are trying to help redirect you.”

“ ‘Redirect’ me? You make it sound like a good thing.”

“That’s because it is a good thing. It’s okay to feel like this. You are okay.”

“No,” Adam insisted, glaring at the floor.

“Yes,” you assured Adam firmly. You grabbed his hands in yours.

“No.” Adam tried to get past you, but you blocked his way. “Why do you care?”

“Because…” Your mouth was dry, and your throat was tight. It surprised you how quickly the words, ‘I love you’ wanted to escape your lips. But… you weren’t even dating. That would be weird. “I care about you a lot…” you said vaguely.

Adam cast you a dubious look, and let out a scornful snort. “Yeah. Yeah, like I believe that.”

“It’s true,” you grumbled under your breath. Adam didn’t hear you, which was the point.

But this wasn’t about Jigsaw’s game, and you knew it. Adam was dealing with a difficult breakup at the moment. He had been with another woman, she hadn’t been one of the nicest people. She always tried to take advantage of Adam’s trauma instead of trying to help it. She’d lied to him all the time. She cheated on him.

That woman had never loved Adam and it had been painstakingly obvious to you, and to everyone else around you. Just not to Adam. She didn’t love him, not like you did.

“That’s not what’s bothering you,” you told him.

“How do you know?” Adam asked bitterly.

Because I study everything you do? Wait, that’s creepy! Not what I meant!

But it was partly true. Due to your little crush on Adam Stanheight, you had become very observant of him; you noticed things about him, and spotted patterns in his behavior. Not to mention, you’d been living with him for about two years now - things were bound to start calling out to you.

“Because,” you said quietly, unsteadily. “I know you.”

Adam sighed heavily, but didn’t answer your question.

“Is it about HER?” You pressed.

“Yeah,” Adam responded eventually.

“Want to talk about it? Have you talked about it with your therapist?”

“No,” Adam answered blatantly. “I mean, no, I haven’t talked about it with my therapist. But yes, I would like to talk about it.”

“Well, go on. You know I’m here for you, right?”

Adam looked out the window sadly. “I just thought… we had something…” he stammered halfheartedly. “I thought she was who I thought she was. And you know… I feel like I deserve what she did to me.”

“You don’t deserve that!” You exclaimed defensively. “Nobody deserves that. You of all people! There’s no need to be so harsh on yourself.”

“Then why did she leave me?” Adam shot at you. “It must have been my fault she’s gone. Probably my trauma scared her away. I fucking hate that about myself.”

You stared at him helplessly. You didn’t like hearing Adam talk about himself that way, but there wasn’t anything else you could think of to say. “That’s not true,” you mustered. “She was using you. She didn’t sleep with you because she didn’t love you, not because she was disgusted by you. There’s a difference, you know. But there ARE people who care about you. Many people care about you. You just have to look around.”

“Who?” Adam asked bluntly. “And saying my therapist doesn’t count. My therapist is SUPPOSED to care about me.”

“And do they?” You questioned.

“Yeah. I guess,” Adam said begrudgingly.

You gazed at Adam, your cheeks hot and your mind numb. Standing so close to Adam was definitely not good for your mental state, but… you were holding his hands… That was pretty big!

“Well, let’s see. Your friends care about you. Your doctors care about you… You know, the barista at Starbucks cares about you because you guys are like friends now.”

Adam stared at you miserably. “Is that all?”

“Of course it’s not all. I’m sure your family cares about you.”

Adam didn’t seem satisfied with those answers. He raised an eyebrow. “What about you?”

You felt very self-conscious, but didn’t look away from Adam’s curious gaze. You didn’t know what to say to that. “I care about you,” you said slowly. “Of course I do, because you're my roommate. You’re my best friend.”

“Hmm,” Adam grunted. “Is that it?”

“I-I don’t know… I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”

“You don’t want to talk about what you think of me? That must mean you don’t like me.”

“No,” you growled. “That’s not what it means. I just care about you, I don't have a reason.”

And Adam seemed to fill in the blanks. “Oh…” he mumbled. “Does this make things awkward between us?”

“If you think it does,” you said offhandedly.

It was dead silent in the room, and you stalked back over to the couch, and flipped on the TV. After some scrolling through the crappy shows and movies, you turned it off again. Adam was still standing by the counter, a distant look in his eyes. His face was still white, but at least his eyes looked normal now; not so much like he’d be crying.

You picked up your phone and turned on the pop radio. You didn’t know what it had in store. The first thing on the list was a song you didn’t recognize, but the heavy beat and the loud synthesizer were both very appealing.

Adam looked at you when he heard the music. “What’s this?”

“I dunno.”

He came to sit next to you, as the lyrics started, and you bit your lower lip nervously. This was the song that had to play, wasn’t it? This one. Among every song in the universe, this one was the coincidental song that decided to play? You listened to it anyway, letting the meaning resonate within you. It felt good. A little bit, anyway.

“I’m gonna love ya…”

You put your head in your hand, and looked the other way. Oh this is a love song…

“I know I could. I’m gonna love ya, like no one could.”

This song isn’t even that great… No… It’s alright… I suppose.

You were self-conscious of yourself suddenly. This wasn’t what you had been expecting. While the song wasn’t TERRIBLE it wasn’t AMAZING either, but what got you really feeling nervous was how much you related.

“Make your heart feel the way it should. I’m gonna hold ya, when no one would.”

Adam’s physical presence was making you uncomfortable. You could now feel him pressing against you. It was only lightly, but you’d been the one to start the cuddling thing between you both. You could remember that fateful day.

“ ‘Cause I swear you deserve so good.” That was the breaking point. You felt those words within you greatly, and you wished you didn’t. But Adam was wholesome, and didn’t deserve the things he’d been put through. You wanted the best for him entirely. You muttered aloud unintentionally, “Shit.”

Adam glanced over immediately. “What’s the matter?”

You didn’t answer though. The song was coming to a close, and you still felt very unsatisfied.

“I’m gonna love ya, I know I could. I’m gonna love ya, like he never could. ‘Cause I know you deserve so good.”

“Oh, shit…” You breathed, your mind feeling slightly overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts all colliding into each other all at once. It made it hard to concentrate.

It was like this song was MADE for this situation. It made you think of your relationship with Adam all the way. You did love Adam… or at least your feelings for him were strong enough to be love. And you believed that you were good for Adam, you hoped to be, you wanted to be; and you were certain you could love him much better than his ex did. And you also believed that he deserved a better life than he was living. He was worth so much more than this.

“What?” Adam asked, a smile on his face. “Are you okay? Are you going to tell me what’s up?”

You reached for your phone and stopped the music. That was enough. Your mind was fried now. “Y-Yeah. I think so. Why don’t we go to bed? We can do something fun tomorrow. I’m really sorry you had a difficult day.”

Adam nodded gloomily. “Yeah. I guess. But, you never answered my question-”

You shrugged him off of you. “-I am really tired. Sheesh.”

“You know we should put the groceries away, right?” Adam reminded you from behind.

You turned to look at the counter, and stared. “Uh… Oh yeah… Do you want me to help you with them?”

Adam sighed. “You want to go to bed, don’t you?”

“Do you want my help? I’ll help.”

Adam thought for a moment, then said, “No. It’s okay. You’re really tired, you should go to sleep. I don’t mind. It’s only one bag anyway.”

“Oh…” You wandered off to your bedroom, and closed the door behind you.

In a few quick sweeps and swooshes, you had a pair of your most comfortable pajamas on your body. You leaned back into the bed, feeling your heart beating heavily in your chest. It was slowly starting to calm down, but you still felt a little agitated from the earlier situation. You had leaned on your pillows and were getting ready to fall asleep, when Adam peeked inside. He appeared quiet and uncertain, with a look of worry on his face.

“Am I interrupting?” He inquired calmly.

You looked at him. “No. What’s up?”

He came to sit on the edge of the bed. “You never answered my question… I’m concerned about you, you know. You’ve seemed a little off lately.”

You listened thoughtfully, then said, “No. I’m okay. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“So, you’re allowed to pry into my life, but I’m not allowed to pry into yours?”

I never forced you to open up. You did that. I would have left it alone, if you said ‘no’. But you didn’t.”

“Well, talk to me anyway. I’m not the only one who needs support sometimes.”

You considered his words for a minute, then finally you mustered stiffly, “It hurts me to see you hurting. I like you a lot, Adam, and I want you to see that you deserve better than your ex. That’s why I’m acting different, because I don’t HOW to act.”

Adam’s expression was blank, which disconcerted you very much because you couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Was he going to judge you for your feelings? If he did, then would it be in a positive or negative light?

Your heart and nerves were starting to act up again. It didn’t help that Adam was sitting next to you. All you wanted was to cuddle up next to him, or hold him, just holding hands would be enough. But you didn’t know if you could handle the pressure.

“I understand,” Adam breathed somberly. His voice was quiet and empathetic.

You grit your teeth awkwardly. “So… what does that mean?”

Adam laid down next to you, so close to you that your bodies were touching. You let out a breath and closed your eyes. “You’re a really good person, Y/N. I’m glad you’re with me, but… I can’t be in a relationship right now. But maybe one day.”

You shuddered when you felt his words vibrate through your shoulders, but didn’t say anything. You didn’t know WHAT to say.

It got darker and darker in your small bedroom, as the light dipped away from your long window. Twilight had passed a long time ago, but everything was at peace. You didn’t feel hurried, or anxious. You didn’t feel worried or scared. You didn’t even feel happy or excited. You were just present.

For once you felt at ease. And for the first time the urge was being satisfied. The urge to be as close to Adam Faulkner Stanheight as possible was finally becoming true. But would it remain that way? That was the real question.

“Mind if I stay?” Adam’s low tone was gentle, and echoed a little through the dim room, setting a kind of metallic air to the situation but not quite unsettling it.

You pressed yourself into the mattress, pushing into Adam, and sighed contentedly. Nothing could be better than this. You calmly responded, your voice soft and full of emotion, “No. Please.”

And that was all he needed. He relaxed into you, warming you with his own body heat, keeping you secure against his chest and lulling you sleep.

It was silent after that, all for good reason of course, and encouraged a perfect sleeping atmosphere, allowing an unconsciousness to sweep you both away.

Love Me - Adam Stanheight / Reader

A/N So, another song-inspired fanfic, lol, someone help.

We Found Love - by Rihanna.

Yellow, orange, and purple black light, laser-beams fanned the entire room, making the crowd scream in excitement. The walls had some kind of glow in the dark paint or wallpaper on them - you couldn't tell which - but sure enough they were glowing pink and blue, and yellow diamonds flashed wildly across the ceiling and floor. People surrounded you on all sides, noise blasted you from every direction, smoke filled your nose, alcohol stung your throat and caused you nausea, your eyes were wet, your jeans were sticky, and your palms and forehead were sweaty. You stared into the dark, spacious, room drunkenly. The moon cast its light directly behind you, casting your shadow onto the dark floor. You watched as a second shadow - taller, thinner - moved across yours. Your companion came up beside you casually, his walking clumsy; he'd been drinking. You laced your fingers in with your companion's. He tightened his grip on your hand. Outside, it was raining, and the wind howled and gave you chills, you pressed yourself closer to him; he had his arm around your waist. Your head hurt from all the alcohol you'd been pounding earlier.

Your heart hammered in your chest as you both huddled next to each other, shielding one another from the pouring rain. The heat wafting from inside reached you and helped to keep you warm. Your emotions were so laid back at the moment that you felt very underwhelmed, though at the same time, everything pulsed through you. You could barely form a single coherent thought. Was it the alcohol or was it HIS presence causing the blockage? You wanted to say something, but no words could be found; your mind was just blank. You allowed yourself to relax into your partner's caress. You were too nervous to be worried, all you wanted was to enjoy this. If only you didn't feel like you were walking on a tight rope above broken shards of glass; fragile, exposed. You clutched him closer and felt relief at the action; you waited to do this your whole life - or what seemed like it. Letting out a heavy sigh, you decided to come to terms with these feelings. There was no denying this.

You were head-over-heels for Adam Faulkner Stanheight.

Adam let out a long breath before leaning away. He stared into the sky and let the rain fall on his face. It was silent between you, but you didn't mind. Your voice would surely break from all the shrieking earlier. But the quietness was welcome; you liked it, wanted it. Eventually, you spot someone exiting. They looked familiar, an ex perhaps? As they approached, they greeted you wholeheartedly. "Y/N." The newcomer didn't even cast one look at Adam. "What are you doing all by yourself? I thought you weren't one for partying."

You glanced at Adam and shrugged happily. You'd attend anything if you were with him, even if it meant breaking the law. Still you didn't speak.

"Come on. Don't leave me all alone here." They stretched their arm out to you invitingly, and started to tread back into the building. "Join me. Don't spend it sadly looking in."

You turned your head away. "I don't need you," you found your voice. "I have-" You stopped yourself, suddenly aware of Adam watching you closely. There was a knowing, amused, glint in his eyes. You could feel your emotions spike dramatically with just one look from him. Your heart melted, and started to beat faster, harder, louder; you could almost feel it in your chest, hear it in your ears. A sliver of slithering adrenaline scalded you on the inside stirring up your stomach even more. You made eye contact with Faulkner, and held it for a long time. It was the best moment ever.

You couldn't stop yourself from drawing nearer, despite already being too close. You could feel heat rising in your cheeks, or was it the hot temperature coming from inside? It was definitely not the coolness from outside! Either way, the intoxicant was beginning to hit you hard now. You were losing control of yourself and your actions; being so close to Adam was probably not a good thing. You leaned in hesitantly, grabbing Adam's cheeks gently between your two hands and turning his head towards you. In an unconsciousness, you pulled Adam in. Your lips quivered, but not out of nervousness just out of bravery. It was like watching yourself from third view. Your body was moving for you, your mind was simply following along.

In a matter of seconds his thin, soft, lips, were on yours. They were tentative and unsure, but you kissed strongly, confidently; like you had nothing to lose. You found yourself pinning Adam up against the wall, shoving your hands in his hair and pulling his head back a little bit. As Adam wrapped his arms around your neck, you pressed closer. Now you could feel Adam's heartbeat against your chest. It was moving fast. So was yours.

Emotions weren't even thrilling through you anymore. All you could keep track of were your thoughts, which were spiraling wildly into chaos; pretty soon you wouldn't even have those to restrict yourself.

Love me, you thought. Love me, please. I need you.

Adam pulled away. "That won't be hard."

Panic pulsed through you immensely, realizing that you had spoken out loud. You blushed deeply and backed away, feeling super insecure suddenly. Adam pulled you back. "Where are you going?" Adam wondered.

You started kissing him again, unable to believe your situation. Holy hell, were you making out with Adam!? Your long-time friend? Maybe you were more than friends now? Maybe. Maybe.

If only you had the confidence to ask...

You pulled back as the laser beams started fanning the room again. You gazed at them tiredly, and let yourself rest your head on Adam's shoulder. Adam held you there and watched then lights flash with you. The yellow diamonds presented themselves once more. They spun, dove, and crashed into things right in front of your eyes, making you dizzy - or was it the alcohol? You sighed out happily, humming along to the song on the radio.

"I think I really like you," Adam mumbled.

"I think I love you," you responded almost instantaneously. You were far too gone now to care about your word choices. But it didn't matter, Adam was as well.

Adam's voice was so quiet you had to strain to hear him, but his words made you feel warm and fuzzy. You clutched his hand desperately. "Me too," he said seriously.

You leaned into him slowly, cautiously, and warily you began another make-out session. You were excited. It would be different this time knowing now that you both felt the same way. The beat started up, the lights flashed, and the diamonds spun crazily, but you couldn't care less about any of it. In fact, neither of you should even be here right now, seeing as you weren't even partying anymore. The alcohol was taking over your mind completely now, and you careened into Adam. The rush was overwhelming! You gasped then dove in; promptly, resolutely, with a strong amount of passion, you kissed Adam again. And this time, it was definitely more than just a kiss.

Wishful Thinking- Adam Stanheight/Reader

A/N, okay like a warning. I write on my computer so this is gonna be a long one. IDK if that's what tumblr's for but... this is for anyone who wants it.

You hadn't slept in days. It had been rough with the loss of someone so close to you and you often had to think back to a time when life wasn't so hard. It was difficult, seeing as you had lost two precious people right after the other. The thing was, you couldn't seem to remember who it was you had lost. Could it have been your mother? Could it have been your father? Or was it a distant relative? A second cousin? A third cousin? Maybe an aunt or an uncle? In any case, the fact still remained, you couldn't recall who had passed away. It was almost like, you chose not to remember.

But why would someone like you want to forget the people who had passed? Wouldn't they be special to you? Didn't you have a relationship of some kind with the deceased? It shouldn't be so blurry. This was... nonsense! You weren't that heartless of a person. At least, you hoped you weren't... And you certainly didn't srive to be. But it didn't matter anymore. You were home, a pie was baking in the oven, and your significant other was working in his darkroom.

You had moved in with your boyfriend six months ago. He was nice, but... he had anxiety issues. Not like it was easy to recover from one of Jigsaw's games, but... it was a work in progress. His therapist said he was doing well. You sat down on the couch, the smell of cigarette smoke filled your nose. It was a relaxing scent; it made you think of HIM: Adam Faulkner Stanheight.

Speaking of which, out of nowhere Adam appeared around the corner. He was setting up some pictures in his darkroom. It was nearly eleven thirty, but you didn't mind, you liked staying up with Adam. Although, he had kept you out of the room this time, claiming that he was going to surprise you with this new set of photos. You were suspicious. Not that you didn't trust Adam, but... mostly, you were concerned about what embarrassing pictures Adam had taken of you behind your back. You weren't looking forward to finding out.

You gestured to the spot next to you all the same. It would take some time for the pictures to develop anyway, and Adam wasn't about to ruin the surprise. He had a grim look on his face. It worried you. "Is everything okay?"

Adam sat down next to you, and stared at the coffee table dully. His eyes were dark, and unseeing. After a long couple minutes, in which you started to wring your hands, he spoke at last. His words were slow and thoughtful, and his voice was hollow, but you could detect some kind of worry in it. "I just realized one day, you're gonna be gone. Then what will I do? Once you leave me and never come back, I don't think I'll be the same again."

You looked at Adam in alarm. What did he think was going to happen to you? You were completely fine and well. "Adam," you said soothingly, patting him on the shoulder. "Why are you worrying about that right now? I'm not going anywhere for a long time. I promise." You turned his head towards you, and he looked at you desolately. You leaned over and kissed him on the lips. You hadn't been expecting such a vehement reaction from Adam. Apparently he was eager to continue.

He lifted you from the couch and put you on his lap, never once removing his lips from yours. You started to smile at his affection, but Adam gave you no breathing time; he wanted more of you. So, you obliged.

Pushing him up against the couch, you kissed him harder, deeper, fiercer. You felt Adam sink into the couch willingly, tilting his head upwards in order to give you a better angle. You combed your fingers through his hair, tempting him to relax entirely.

There was no rush.

Everything was going to be fine.

You were right here.

Adam had his hands up your shirt in a matter of seconds, traveling up and down your body. You leaned into him, feeling him speed up the kiss. Your heartbeat was hammering, your cheeks were burning, and your head felt light. You loved the way Adam made you feel. But before anything could start, you pulled away. "I love you," you whispered.

"I love you more," Adam said softly and you chuckled.

"Undoubtedly," you agreed.

The oven blared loudly from behind you, and you stood up. "Hang on, baby. I don't want to burn the apartment down. Besides don't you want to try the blackberry pie?"

Adam gazed at the oven distantly. Fear flashed across his face, but it was gone so quickly you had a hard time believing what you saw. "Are you okay if I leave to go get the pie?"

The oven beeped again.

Adam didn't look at her. He leaned forward. "Don't go," he whispered to himself over and over. "Don't go, don't go, don't go..."

"I'm just getting out the pie, Adam. Where do you think I'm gonna go?"

Adam looked at her, a realization seemed to have sunk in. He seemed calm now, but dispirited. "Y-Yeah," he stammered slowly. "I guess I can't keep you here forever. I... hate this part... I wish... Oh, never mind I'm not gonna say that. You'll see for yourself any moment now."

Adam's words disconcerted you to an exceedingly far amount. You threw him a fearful glance. "Uh, what?"

"No, don't worry about it." Adam smiled. "Come on, I'll go with you." He brushed past you hastily, and began to open the oven.

Hesitantly, you turned around and stared after him. He was setting the pie on the stove now, allowing it to cool, but something didn't seem right. You now had less motivation to walk over and help him. You wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the smile he shot you. Surely, Adam was just being anxious. You approached him, your feet feeling heavy like stones.

As you neared the kitchen you could see the look in Adam's eyes. There was sadness, and a little bit of reluctance, but he didn't stop you from going. Finally, as your feet reached the tile of the kitchen floor, there was a wave of blurriness and you collapsed onto the ground.

You awoke with a raging headache, wet eyes, and a dry throat. You coughed a couple times and then raised your head. You found yourself in a busy bar. The lights were blinding you in streaks and the music blasted your eardrums. You gazed around dazedly, shuddering at the ache in your neck. It had formed from sleeping over the counter for so long. There was a glass of something next to you. It appeared to contain some alcoholic beverage, but you couldn't remember what it was you ordered.

You felt alone suddenly. Coldness seeped into your body, as the harsh reality sunk in. You turned around, not wanting to believe it, and called for Adam, but you were alone. Utterly and miserably alone. And then you remembered.

It came back in a flash so overwhelming you nearly fell off the bar stool. Your boyfriend hadn't survived Jigsaw's game. Your heart was ripped in half as you realized this. You almost couldn't move, and you burst into tears. You had been dating him for a year and a half, your lives had been going smoothly, and then John Kramer took him from you. You screamed and ignored the people who looked at you, that wasn't really something you were concerned about right now.

Halfheartedly, you began to trudge over to the door. You needed to get home, and clean up. There was something you hadn't done yet. You had been too scared to do it at first, but now you felt brave enough. Though your dream had mostly been wishful thinking, there was something true behind it. The darkroom had been left unattended for a while now, and Adam had been working on something for you on the day he had died. It seemed that your dream had given you a revelation.

Through a haze, you drove back to Adam's apartment. After his death, you didn't move out. You wanted to stay in the apartment because it was the last thing you had of him. That and the rest of his belongings. You couldn't leave this place, the thought gave you extreme anxiety. You bundled yourself into the apartment, and looked around the room.

Instantly, you had flashbacks to your dream. You glanced at the couch, and your heart felt heavy. You could feel Adam's hands on your body, and feel his lips on your mouth. The smoke had long ago been filtered out, but you could still smell and taste the dry flavor. You swallowed, and looked back in the kitchen. There was no pie baking there now, it hurt you too much to acknowledge this.

You lightly crossed the wooden floor and glided over to the darkroom. It had been three months since you had gone in there.

Three months since you had talked to Adam.

Three months since you had been WITH Adam.

Three months since the DEATH of Adam.

You gasped as you put your hand on the cold and dusty doorknob. The door creaked sorrowfully, as it pitifully gave in to your demands. It was dark inside, which was ironic, seeing as the purpose of the room was to be lit up. And the name made it funny, it was a 'darkroom' after all.

Unenthusiastically, you stepped inside. Your hand trailed the wall, like it had done many times before, and flicked on the red lights above. They came on with a light buzz, they were older than you had expected them to be. Had Adam even changed them while he was still alive? You let your eyes fall upon the photos that were all strung up in a row. They had developed nicely, it seemed.

You plucked one off the line and held it up to the light. It was a picture of you, in all your glory. You were in your best outfit, sitting in a patch of sunlight on the couch. The setting sun captured your face and darkened everything else, highlighting only your face. The rest was in dim shadow, so you could still see it but nothing was drawing attention to it.

The other pictures were similar but not the same. The majority was of you, but there were still a good number that were of you and him together. They were taking from interesting angles, with different lighting. Sometimes he was posing and other times you were posing. You couldn't help biting your quivering lip. This was all too much! Why hadn't Adam been here to see your reaction? Why hadn't he given them to you from the beginning? Why hadn't you looked at these before now? Why, why, why, why?

Sadness tugged at your heart and you sat down on your knees, clutching the photographs to your chest. You wouldn't be giving these up. They were too precious for you. You couldn't think properly; your mind felt like it had lost all of its abilities. The only thing you knew how to do was cry. You missed him. You missed him so much. The world was lifeless and hopeless, nothing would ever be the same. All you wished was to be back in that moment within your dream, outside was too gruesome. But alas you could not go back to then, and you were trapped in this miserable hellhole. You wondered why your life was so unfortunate. What had you done to deserve this?

In your fit of sobs and whimpers, you lost yourself to the grief. A long time passed after that, and you spent it all on the floor, but as the light peaked over the horizon and spilled through the living room window, your crying was put to a stop, and you yourself were dragged down by something stronger, and certainly much more necessary; slumber held you close and refused to let you go but something more was there, hidden under the photos that were pressed firmly to your bosom. There was something familiar about the warmth though, almost like it was Adam's loving embrace. It wreathed around you, and in the darkness it soothed you into a fitful burrow of sleep from which you did not know if you would even awaken.

Quietus - Adam Stanheight / Reader

You felt like you had just woken up from a nice, long, nap in the bath, during the summer. There was nothing to be worried about, nothing to be excited about, nothing to be angry about, and nothing to be sad about; it was just a quiet evening, and you felt peaceful and calm. Your skin felt warm, and your hair felt clean, and as you crossed, you felt a tingling in your hands and feet.

The carpet was soft on your feet as you walked over it, it's smoothness was gentle on your skin and you liked it very much. You had never thought that the feel of carpet would please you so much, but this texture was truly exquisite. You took slow, savory, steps just so that you could have a reason to remain standing on it. The light over head was pale, almost like that of the dawn when it breaches your window frame and sets your bedroom aglow. There was something picturesque about how the dull light appeared; phantom like and basically transparent. It was an odd white color, not one that would usually be used for lighting; you didn't quite understand it but you proceeded down the dark void all the same.

Around you, there were black walls, above you blue-white lights, and below you gray ground, that could possibly be clear if you thought about it too long; you could make out, just slightly, hardly anything really, movement of some kind underneath the grayness of the floor. As you walked, you let your thoughts take a hold of your mind. There was something not right about this place, something unusual, something concerning. Was it all the blacks and greys strewn about, or the dark atmosphere? How about the way the lights flickered ever so slightly but just enough to notice, or the way that they warmed up the place just by being on? Perhaps it was the walls that misted when you touched them and the way they felt like liquid when you got close? Maybe it was simply a reality, and you were too tired to figure it out?

It was natural though, the manner in which you moved along. It was almost like it was meant to be; so overpowering you HAD to keep going. You didn't know how far you had come or how long you had been here, all you knew was that this is where you were now, and where you would be for a long while.

Forwards was the only way to go. Forwards would take you to your destined destination. And who was to know where backwards led. That, unfortunately, was not for you to discover.

By now you had left behind the carpet, but that was already such a long time ago you just hadn't realized it when it happened. The tile floor was cool and liquidy. It was like placing your foot on the top of water. You could feel the coldness on the bottom of your foot and in between your toes, it confused you completely.

Finally, before you noticed the opening in the hallway, you heard voices. Two of them were unfamiliar but one of them was so recognizable, so impalpable, it frustrated you. Where had you heard it before?

The lights flickered randomly then, as if trying to give an incapacitated answer to your question. You didn't try to understand it, in fact you didn't try think about it at all, and you went right back to your meandering. When you reached the clearing, which was nothing but a room filled with black walls and grey floor, you could hear the voices more clearly. They were coming from inside. You peered into the small, plain, room almost halfheartedly. It was now that you were starting to feel concerned. You hadn't before, mostly just exceptionally laid back.

What felt like hours was probably only a matter of seconds, but your pumping heart and adrenaline made it seem like longer. You trailed into the room finally, it was the first time since entering this dank place that you had gotten somewhere. As you crept inside, you could smell a familiar smell, and taste a familiar taste. You could hear a familiar sound, and feel a familiar feeling. In front of you was a young man, probably about twenty, in his usual attire. Of course you knew who this was, but what the hell was he doing here? Or maybe a better question was: what were you doing here?

The warmth that had been with you this whole time left now, encasing you in bitter cold. You shivered, hoping to get warm by such an inefficient gesture. It was stupid, pathetic, and didn't work anyway.

You tiptoed over to the man, who was waiting for you in the middle of the room. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and his head tilted back slightly. There was a thin, white, cigarette in the corner of his mouth. You fell instantly, like you always did. The sight reminded you of a picture you had at your apartment. It was of your boyfriend with his head leaned back on the couch, and a cigarette - much like the one in front of you now - in his mouth. Adam Stanheight stood before you in all his glory, making you heart stop. You couldn't find words to explain yourself; the silence was deafening.

However, it wasn't for you to reply, Adam had that covered; he had planned this for a while now. Of course your death was entirely up to fate, he couldn't have had chosen that if he'd tried, but all the same, he'd planned out what to say when you arrived. "F/N L/N." There was a small smile on his lips. The one you'd seen many times before. It always presented itself when he was going to be smug. There was a different kind of smile he gave you when he was happy, this was not that smile. "What have you done to find yourself all the way up here?"

You could feel yourself smiling back. You knew he was joking, but you still smiled at him. You couldn't find words to say anything, you didn't know what was worth saying anyway. You remained silent, and Adam was unbothered.

"I guess it's been a while," he sighed. "I was confused, too, at first. But that's the strange thing, all of us are different. It just takes longer to adjust than it does for others. Maybe I was more fortunate? There's really no way to tell yet, not since you've only just arrived. We'll see how you're feeling in forty eight hours. A lot can change over the course of two days here, you might be surprised. But you'll see what I mean. It's been like a year since that day, so I've gotten pretty used to everything. I am still surprised it only took a year. I thought I would never get over it."

You stared at him for a long time, but still didn't speak.

"Can you remember anything?" Adam asked you lightly.

You thought about his question, but eventually you found your voice. "No."

Adam seemed impressed. "I'm glad to see you warming up, Y/N. Most people don't recover quickly."

"I think..." You stammered, your voice cracking along the way. "I think it helps that you are here."

Adam nodded briefly. "That was the intention. Do you remember anything now?"

You shook your head. "Remember what?"

"How you died."

You considered his words gravely. "Do you?"

"I was watching," Adam informed you. "The accident was... brutal... The car-" he interrupted himself. "Well let's just say, 'it exploded.' Shards went everywhere." He shuddered. "It's no wonder you came to join me. There was another person with you, and neither of you survived it."

Your mouth fell open as memories flashed through your mind. The car, the leaves, the wind. The driving, the spinning, the screaming. The final, abrupt, moment in which your life was taking away from you. You turned your head away dismissively, letting out a calming breath. "Meh," you found yourself saying. "It's alright that it's over. I don't mind the quietness or tranquility. It's nice, like..." You trailed off, and didn't say more.

Adam pulled you into a side hug. "I know the feeling."

You stared at the ground dully, letting Adam's presence sooth you. "So," you asked. "Now what?"

"Now," Adam replied. "I take you through there." He glanced over his shoulder. There was another opening behind you, leading out of the room. A long void stretched away from it.

"There?" You asked. "Where's it go?"

Adam only looked at you sadly, but didn't answer you. He guided you to the entrance and you followed slowly, feeling numb. Adam kept his arm around your waist as you walked. You could sense his urgency, but you didn't know why. You didn't know where he was going, or what was happening, but you trusted Adam. You pressed yourself closer as you continued down the dark, liquid, hall.

As the time passed, you started to relax. You felt really safe here, in Adam's warm and comforting embrace. Finally, you reached another room that was just as dim, and just as tiny, as the last one. By now, you had identified the feeling you were trying to explain before, only this time it was much more severe, overwhelming. You clutched Adam's hand tightly, and spoke up at last. "Adam, it's like..."

Adam ushered you inside. "I'll see you on the other side, baby. But unfortunately, I can't go with you for this part. Don't worry, you'll see me again, I promise. I'll be waiting for you."

"Wait," you whispered, and Adam smiled at you. He looked so reposeful and patient, like he had all the time in the world, and maybe he did; it was like he knew all the answers to life itself. You gazed at him. "It's like..." Your voice sounded melodic. "It's like," You repeated for a third time. "Like, I'm finally coming home..."

Adam let out a breath. There was a gleam in his eyes, one that told you he was content, and he said, "Yes, you are. It's such a scary place to call home, but it's almost terrifying how lovable a place can be once you start to live in it."

"Don't go," you mumbled desperately.

"I won't," Adam replied happily, and closed the door in front of you, leaving you all alone and in your impending doom. Unbeknownst to you, Adam was waiting in the room over. Neither of you knew how long it would take you to find him again but you knew that you would; and when you did, home would be right around the corner.

Figmentary Feelings - Adam Stanheight / Reader

A/N Another one of Melanie Martinez’s songs, called Haunted, inspired this. Omg, I think I need help with this addiction.

Spirals spun in the walls, the air smelled smokey, the atmosphere was crisp, and the scenery was foggy. You sat in Adam’s apartment dazedly, not fully awake, and tried to solve the crossword puzzle that was displayed on your phone. You had found three words.

It had been a month since you had gotten proper sleep. Tiredness tugged at your eyes, but you kept them open. You didn’t want to sleep, but you were lucky; you couldn’t sleep - not anymore.

Adam Faulkner Stanheight was supposed to come home four weeks ago. The newspapers had announced him dead two weeks ago, but you didn’t want to believe it. Adam’s belongings were still situated in their proper places, it was as if he was still here. There couldn’t have been a way that he wasn’t ALIVE anymore. You refused to believe it.

But alas, four weeks was a long time. Adam still hadn’t come home, something that occurs when a person dies, the evidence couldn’t have been more clear.

You ignored the bright lights flashing in your eyes, or the ringing in your ears, and focused on finding the next word. It was ‘lightbulb,’ and you discovered this after about twenty failed attempts.

You put the phone in your pocket. You had a visitor coming over today. You didn’t know who it was, the landlady only said you had someone coming over. You wondered why the said ‘visitor’ hadn’t given you a heads up on their supposed arrival.

You got to your feet numbly. Immediately you spotted the black couch in the living room, and your heart sank low. You could remember when you would watch horror movies with Adam on Friday nights. You could remember when you would come home and find Adam smoking a cigarette after a shitty day ATTEMPTING to take good pictures of his clients but his camera’s lens had been dusty or misty, making it difficult. This was a common case.

There were also the moments when you would find yourselves laughing and joking with one another on the couch. Sometimes it would lead to tickling, other times it would lead to making-out. The mood decided it.

You turned harshly, hearing Adam’s voice in your ears. You flinched, but you could hear his words so clearly, so… real. You groaned in agony. “I love you.” But your words were met with silence.

You turned around and made for the kitchen, but this was also a bad idea. Adam’s presence was here, too. You could sense him standing by the oven, leaning on it with his back, and gazing at you while you tied an apron around your waist and walked over. There were many times when you would bake together. Adam had never liked cooking or baking but he seemed to have fun when he was with you.

Usually you made pies or cakes, but sometimes you would make dinner together. Those were the best nights. It was always inspired by the thought that you would play a game together. You had plenty of cards and boards in the gaming cabinet, it was more thrilling to cook dinner together first though. It helped to ripen the mood.

Right now you swore you could almost smell a baking pumpkin pie, but you knew that couldn’t be true. The oven was off, and you hadn’t gone to the store in at least two weeks.

You left the kitchen then, hurriedly, and headed for the bedroom. It was dark, and though most of your time spent here was sleeping, you still got a lot of memories. Memories you would have preferred to have left untouched. This was not because they were bad memories. In fact every memory you had with Adam was beautiful, even the bad ones, but that only spelled out the problem. You didn’t want to remember them because they were good, way too fucking good. And you couldn’t stand that.

The first thing that came to your mind was the time when you got locked out of the bedroom. The lights were off, and all you had was the sunlight shining in from the living room window. It was bright enough, but now that you thought of it, why hadn’t you turned on the lights? In the end, you ended up having to take the door off its hinges because you couldn’t find the key. But because neither of you could reach the last hinge on the top, you had to stand on Adam’s shoulders and use the screwdriver to undo it. You had felt really unsteady in that moment. The noise the door made when it fell to the floor was so loud, it was memorable. You shuttered.

You stumbled forward a little as a barrage of more images went through your mind. They were different from the last one. All of them were of Adam sitting patiently for you on the bed. Either he was sitting or laying but in some way or another there was something quite risque about his positioning. You grit your teeth hard, trying not to feel…

Well that was just it. You didn’t want to feel. You were trying not to. The statement was fine as it was, but… what you had been thinking was more like: ‘I don’t want to feel sad anymore.’

Both sentences were true.

Those weren’t the only things you recalled. You could still see Adam by the dresser as he picked out a dress for you to wear. And you could see him reaching for his camera on the bedside table.

He was staying up all night with you when you couldn’t sleep.

He was holding you tightly as you cried into his shoulder in the dark.

He was stroking your hair after a long, late, night.

He was pushing you to the mattress very dominantly - it wouldn’t have lasted very long though.

He was kissing you.

He was caressing you.

He was making you feel something, you know the kind.

And he was touching you, feeling you.

Your eyes stretched wide at the recollections. You backed away tensely, not even glancing at the master bathroom, and slammed the door closed. You were cursed to feel Adam’s hands and mouth on your body. Desperately, but failingly, you tried to ignore it.

You ran out the door, but it felt wrong. It was like Adam was still inside calling you to come back. And you clasped your hands together tightly. What the hell were you still doing here? You should have left long ago, like your therapist had told you.

You began to make moving plans. Hopefully you would be out of here by next week.

I’m sorry, Adam. I’m leaving you here. But just know that I will always love you. I would never stop. I just… need to get away from here, you thought miserably. It was about time you moved out anyway.

You got into the car and started driving. All you needed was some fresh air, and a long drive with the windows down. This was your escape.

When Adam had been with you he had always insisted on driving. But you hadn’t seen his car since he went missing. You only had yours now.

You connected your phone to the blue-tooth speaker. Your car speakers had died a long time ago, so you had bought a blue-tooth speaker. It worked well enough but it wasn’t like the car speakers, unfortunately.

You shuffled the playlist, and let it play. You didn’t have the energy to care about listening to your favorite songs first; whatever song played, played.

This was one of those times. The first song that played was a song you had forgotten about. It was Melanie Martinez’s song, “Haunted,” and you listened to it intently. Your heartbeat started hammering anxiously once you heard the lyrics again. It made you feel cold on the inside, and a little bit daunted by the real world. You wanted to crawl into your bed and feel nothing ever again.

This song was depressing! You realized it morbidly as the lyrics started.

“I could pull the sheets over my head and never get out of this bed. But what would that do?”

You rounded a corner quickly, but not too sharply.

“I avoid all mirrors ‘cause I’m scared to look into my eyes when I only see you.”

You inhaled painfully.

“It’s like you're always creeping on the walls and in my feelings. All those stories about ghosts are really true.”

You slammed on the brakes suddenly as the light changed red. You didn’t know where you were going.

“I put one foot in front of the other, in front of the other.”

You gazed around. There were people walking with their families on the sidewalks, there were cars with people laughing in them, there were stores with happy customers, there were children waiting at the bus stop together. But your life seemed so excruciatingly low right now, you didn’t even know how to comprehend it.

“Slowly, I turn every corner, turn every corner. Even when you’re nowhere in the room, I’m haunted by you.”

You tried not to relate, but the deeper meaning was too pressuring.

“I light all my candles, light all my candles. The darkness is too hard to handle, too hard to handle.”

You were losing your mind, listening to this. What the fuck, this song hit way too close to home, you needed out of here.

“Sleeping is just something I can’t do. I’m haunted by you.”

You were crying by the time the light turned green.

“I can hear your talking in the distance, your persistence is so cruel. And all your words pull at my feet and I fall back in love with you.”

Your hands trembling, you crashed them against the dashboard, thrashing and searching for the volume. You found it and twisted it violently to the right. The music got louder, and you screamed in shock. You could feel Adam’s arms around you still as you tried to breathe. Honking erupted from behind you, and other drivers started going around. You fumbled with the volume again, after your shock had worn away, and turned it off completely. That was enough for today. Now it was time to go home, and try to get some sleep.

You made a U-Turn at the intersection, and drove home in the silence. Your heart was the only sound you could hear, or even concentrate on. It was so loud you thought everyone could hear it.

Once safely inside the apartment, you grabbed a blanket, and a hot cider, and laid down on the couch. You had made it about a quarter of the way through your cider when you rested your head on the pillow. It was soft and squishy, and perfect. The spirals in your vision disappeared finally, and the atmosphere warmed up. Your mind was getting the sleep it needed at last.

Hopefully in the morning you’d be able to round the corner to the bathroom without getting lost in memory lane. That was something you had yet to accomplish, but right now you had achieved sleeping. Your therapist would be thrilled.

Coffee Date - Adam Stanheight / Reader

A/N this story was inspired by the song Here With Me by Marshmello. Lol I know I'm old school...

It had been a year since the tragic events of Jigsaw. Adam Faulkner Stanheight was recovering decently, at least it appeared. There were less nightmares occurring, and almost no more mental breaks. But this didn’t make life any easier. Your feelings for each other were one of the biggest problems to be resolved, if only one of you could start the conversation.

It was a quiet, misty, Saturday morning, as you waited in the cafe for Adam. He had agreed to meet for coffee at eleven. You were on time, and it didn’t surprise you to see that Adam was late. What did surprise you was how late Adam wasn’t. He could have been ten minutes late, or maybe even five, but not today. He was only one minute late, and that didn’t seem like it was that bad to you, though it was a first.

Adam walked through the double doors smoothly, the wind blowing his flannel back and whipping his hair into his eyes. The sunlight was behind him at an angle, casting shadow over the entire front of his body.

You shifted in your seat to gaze at him. He went striding confidently over to the counter, put his elbow on it casually, and ordered something quietly, then looked around the room.

His dark, searching eyes found yours and he pushed himself away from the counter, to you.

You spun your stool around to face him. You looked up into Adam’s face timidly. Adam was a very nice guy, who didn’t give a fuck about opinions or whatever you were like on the inside, but some how you got all shy around him anyway.

Adam’s air of boldness seemed very natural, like he didn’t have to think about it at all. But his demeanor always changed whenever he was near you. You weren’t sure the reason for it… or perhaps you didn’t want to be sure.

The barista called his name, and he went to retrieve his coffee. You hadn’t ordered anything; all you wanted was some quality time with Adam.

Faulkner sat across from you, and tipped his coffee to you. “Greetings,” he said formally.

Heart beating and lungs collapsing, you felt an adrenaline rush. Just hearing his voice made you enlightened. You felt like ANYTHING was possible!

You nodded respectfully back. “Greetings.”

He gazed out the window. “It’s a beautiful day for a walk.”

You shuddered. “No. Too cold.”

Adam fixed his eyes on you. “So, how’s the morning going for you? I heard there was traffic on the way.”

“Oh yeah,” you huffed. “Road work. How ‘bout you?”

“Tired. Was up ‘til three producing pictures. I think they turned out pretty good.”

There was delight on his face, as he thought about last night. That smile on his face was perfect. You loved seeing it. Sighing happily, you put your cheek in your hand. “I’m sorry it’s been so long. Family business got in the way. But I’m glad we could see each other today,” you informed him.

“Ah, the damn family!” Adam exclaimed sarcastically. “You gotta watch out for them.” He bopped your nose.

You laughed, Adam seemed thrilled by that. He smiled at you in amusement. “But I do suppose they aren’t that bad,” he added, and took a sip of his coffee.

He examined you while you gazed out the foggy window. You were aware of his gaze traveling down you, but you WANTED him to do it. You lifted up your arms a little bit so that he could get a really good view of your side profile. It was working.

“Sooo,” you drawled slowly. “Any exciting plans for next week?”

Adam stirred his coffee gently, and said, “I was thinking about getting coffee on Saturday.”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “That’s specific. Why are you planning things a week in advance?”

“I want to go with someone.” He looked directly into your eyes.

“Oh…” Your heart sank into your stomach. “Do I know them?”

“I’d hope so,” Adam replied wittily. “It’d be pretty hard to do anything if you didn’t know them.”

“Who are you talking about? My guardian angel?” You shot back.

Adam smirked. “Not your guardian angel. Mine.”

“Huh?” You asked dumbly.

Adam gave you a disbelieving glance, as if to say ‘are you shitting me?’

In a nicer tone, he asked blatantly, with a hint of sarcasm, “Will you get coffee with me on Saturday, dumbass?”

Your eyes stretched wide as the breath was knocked from your body. You gaped at him. “W-What? You’re not serious.”

“Hey,” Adam suddenly changed the subject.

Fuck, you realized miserably. My chance is gone! I should have just said yes! Now how do I tell him I want to go? It’s his time, so it’d look inconsiderate, if I asked to JOIN him during his weekend.

But then on the other hand, if I don’t bring it up he might think I’m not interested. Maybe he’ll ask SOMEONE ELSE!? But what do I do?

Adam nudged you in the ribs softly with his elbow. “ ‘Can I tell you somethin’ just between you and me’,” he sang clumsily.

You chuckled, confused. “Marshmello?”

Adam shrugged, and pointed to the ceiling. “What? I’m not the radio station.”

You realized then that it was the song playing above. “Oh. Yeah, I guess I’m not really observant,” you mocked yourself self-consciously.

Adam didn’t like that. “Not funny. You are observant. And smart. And beautiful. And that’s why this song is PERFECT for us.”

You stared at him. Adam had a good voice for singing, but he always dismissed it self-consciously. “How so?”

“ ‘When I hear your voice I know I’m finally free’,” Adam said with a smile. Slowly, he got up from the chair he was sitting in, and made his way over to you. “ ‘Every single word is perfect as it can be. And I need you here with me’.” He straddled you, and you leaned into the chairback.

You pushed Adam back embarrassedly. “Stop,” you grumbled.

“Come on, sing the next part.”

“No. Not with everybody here.”

“Hurry up. You’ll miss the line!” He insisted.

Before you knew it, you had the words out of your mouth in an instant. “ ‘When you lift me up, I know that I’ll never fall’.”

Adam brushed a hand through your hair. You loved the tingles it gave you. “A-Adam-”

“-What? Does that feel good?” Stanheight interrupted. “I know it does.”

Alarmed, you asked, “Wait, but…How-”

“-Didn’t have to know. I just… knew you liked it.” You blinked at him in astonishment, but before you could say anything, he added, “I’m way too cool, you can say it.”

“ ‘I can speak to you by sayin’ nothing at all’.” You thought it was appropriate to finish the lyrics. “ ‘Every single time I find it harder to breathe. ‘Cause I need you here with me. Everyday’…”

Adam leaned in, and started singing along with you. “ ‘You’re saying the words that I want you to say. There’s a pain in my heart and it won’t go away. Now I know I’m fallin’ in deep. ‘Cause I need you here with me’.”

You grinned at him. “What are you doing?” You asked him eventually.

“What do you mean? I’m falling in love. That’s what I'm doing.”

“ ‘F-Falling in love’? With who?” You stammered incapably. You were unable to believe your ears.

“With you,” Adam told you softly.

You narrowed your eyes. “What are you on about?”

Adam only tilted his head at you in disbelief. “ ‘I think I see your face in every place that I go’.” He winked at you. “ ‘I try to hide it but I know that it’s gonna show’.” He gave you a worried glance and an apathetic shrug. “ ‘Every single night I find it harder to sleep. ‘Cause I need you here with me’.” He lifted your hand up to his lips, and looked at you over your knuckles. You got goosebumps. “ ‘Everyday’.”

Extreme embarrassment flooded you, you didn’t know where to look except for back into Adam’s eyes. You forced yourself to sing with him, but it was only out of nervousness more than anything else. “ ‘You’re sayin’ the words that I want you to say. There’s a pain in my heart and it won’t go away. Now I know I’m fallin’ in deep.‘Cause I need you here with me’.”

“There you go,” Adam whispered quietly, a small smile of approval on his face. “Now you’re getting it.”

You gritted your teeth and glanced at your lap. You laughed awkwardly. “I’m just… singing ‘cause you are… It’s not like… I would be usually, or anything…”

“I like it.” Adam cast a glance at your lips briefly, and you felt your heart start up. Excitement sparked in your stomach, and rushed through your brain as Adam leaned in close. He pulled his fingers through your fingers.

The cool air coming from an open window helped you to concentrate on the situation. You were burning up from the blood rush. You focused on the smells of chocolate and coffee in the background, and tried not to think about how close you were to Adam Stanheight.

Adam brushed his thumb across the back of your hand slowly. You gasped and looked back at him. “What were you thinking of, off in dream land? Whatever it was, it got you really far from here… From me.”

“S-Sorry,” you mumbled.

Adam only leaned back, and said calmly, “ ‘Can I tell you somethin’ just between you and me’?” His voice was low and seductive. “Can I? Would you allow that of me?”

You squirmed underneath him. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I’m really, really… fond of you…” His warm breath slunk past your sensitive lips.

You squeaked. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Woah,” you breathed. “W-What do I even-”

Adam continued on as if nothing had happened, interrupting you casually, but not rudely. “ ‘When I hear your voice, I know I’m finally free. Every single word is perfect as it can be’.”

“ ‘And I need you here with me’,” you finished his sentence carefully.

“What about that date?” Adam asked you after a little while of silence.

Excitement rushed you. You couldn’t believe he was asking again! “Yes!” You blurted; you were not about to lose this opportunity. You put all the emotion you could into your voice. “I’ll be there!”

Adam stood up then, leaving you feeling sweaty and nervous. And not to mention, a cold place on your thighs. “So,” he said. “You have a friend coming over tonight?”

“Uh…” you stared at the table. “I was supposed to but they canceled at the last second. How did you know that?”

“I overheard,” Adam shrugged. “But I was hoping you’d come over to my place tonight.”

“I don’t think I should. I don’t want to bother you, you know…” you stumbled over your words hastily.

Adam put his arms over his chest, and looked at you condescendingly, with one eyebrow raised and glint in his eyes. “I need you here with me,” he repeated seriously.

You scrambled to your feet. “Alright. I’ll go. I’m excited.”

Adam took your hips and pulled you close. His breath was drifting past you, making you fidgety. Ominously, and very enticingly, he whispered into your ready ear, “Oh, I’d sure hope so, Y/N.”