Lmao this chapter is just me simping for Drake ngl, sorry it goes so fast but im not really one for the slow burn kinda stuff, im way too impatient

Warnings: angst, fluff, swearing, jealous Drake (yep, that's what we like), non serious mentions of d*ddy (IDK WHERE THAT CAME FROM LOL)

Word Count: 1536

The kids stare at my split lip and the red mark on my cheek, but I hold my head high as we walk through town in silence until we get to Drake's house. He opens the door, and I step in, half expecting him to deny me access, but he doesn't, simply follows me in and shuts the door. I don't speak, just slowly walk up the stairs and practically crawl into my room, collapsing on my knees and running my hands over my tender face, trying to swipe away the tears that started falling as soon as I was alone. I bite down on my knuckles, squeezing my eyes shut, not quite knowing why I'm crying, just knowing that it hurts, inside and out. Christ, how long did we last without an argument? A few hours?

I don't know how long I stay there, curled up on the floor, feeling more alone than any of my solo days, but I almost don't hear the door softly open, the quiet footsteps that approach. I don't even try to struggle when a pair of strong arms scoop me up, instead pressing close to their warmth as I'm carried to the bathroom.

'I got you,' Drake whispers in my ear as he sits on the toilet seat lid with me in his lap, wetting a flannel and gently cleaning the blood off my face. A quiet whimper leaves me as he smooths back my hair and kisses my forehead, pulling me close. My fingers fist in his shirt, and he rocks me. 'I'm sorry,' he breathes. 'I'm sorry, Rebel. I know I'm not good at this. I'm sorry I hurt you.'

A little sob escapes me, and I bury my face in his neck. He rubs a hand over my back, and for a sadist, he's a good hugger. I smile against his shirt, moving my head so I can kiss the hollow of his throat.

'It's okay,' I mumble, getting to my feet and stretching my back out. 'I found out something new today.' I hide a smile.

'What?' He asks.

'Drake Merwin is a selective sadist.'

He chuckles. 'Only for you.'

I cringe. 'If you could hear yourself, you'd probably wish Sam Temple killed you a long time ago.'

'I - ' He protests, but I cut him off.

'I need a shower.'

'But - '

'Get out of here. So maybe you want to see me naked, but I don't want you to. Out, Merwin, out. Give a girl her privacy.'

The water's hot as it hits my skin, and I wince, touching my tender face. I'm going to have a wicked bruise tomorrow, but that's all it'll be. Drake made up with me, in a way I was least expecting, gentle, soft, like a normal boyfriend would, and, if he's anything, that he is absolutely not. I put down the soap and rinse myself off, trying not to aggravate my face by smiling too hard. Grabbing a towel, I dry myself off, pull on a baggy tee and some shorts for pyjamas and stumble to my bed. It's still pretty early, but if there's one thing I've learnt about the FAYZ, it saps energy like mad. I'm all cuddled up into my blanket, half asleep, when Drake busts into my room like a lunatic, still half wet from the shower and shirtless, but thankfully not pantless, and scoops me up.

'What's all this with the carrying me around shit now?' I ask, relishing the warmth of his skin.

'You're small,' he answers.

'Yeah, small and able to take you down, Mr Big Ass Ego.'

'You wouldn't,' he says confidently as he ambles down the corridor.

'Try me,' I reply cockily.

'Fine, I guess I'll drop you,' he answers, loosening his grip. I shriek and grab his shoulders, and he smirks smugly down at me.

'Bastard,' I mumble.

'What did you call me?' He teases.

'Daddy,' I snark, and he does almost drop me this time.

'Do not call me that,' he says. 'Or I will walk over to that window and throw you out of it.'

'Fine, don't get your pants in a twist, Drakey, I was kidding.'

'You'd better have been,' he mutters, using his shoulder to push open the door to his room and chucking me down on his bed. I raise an eyebrow as he gets into the sheets beside me.

'Was Mr Merwin getting lonely?'

'Shut up, babe,' he responds, and I frown.

'Babe?'

He shrugs, curling his arms protectively around me from behind. 'Stop complaining and just shut up and go to sleep.' He pauses. 'Babe.'

---------------

I wake up with Drake all cuddled up to me, his head resting on my chest, hands fisted in my tee. I smile to myself at his cute little sleeping face, running a hand through his hair. One hand lazily unfists and swats at my fingers, his face wrinkling into a sleepy frown.

'If you're going to be like that, you might as well wake up the whole way,' I say.

'Mmf,' he grunts, burying his face into my chest. He tenses, realising that it isn't a pillow, then shrugs minutely and goes limp.

'Wake up,' I prod him, and when there's no response, I peel open one of his eyes. 'Who knew Drake Merwin was a cuddler?'

'Shut up,' he answers in a raspy morning voice.

'Well, if you won't get up, I will,' I reply, struggling to get out of his grip. He holds on tightly, but I wrap my fingers around his wrist and shove my finger in between the two tendons there. He yelps and lets go, and I scramble out of bed.

'Aww, have I made you go soft?' I ask, and he bolts upright.

'No way, I - '

I saunter out of the room, and he bounds after me. I duck behind him and slam the bedroom door shut.

'Go back into the bedroom, Merwin, and I'll have to put a forcefield around the bed.'

He sighs. 'Fine, you win. C'mere,' he says, grabbing the front of my shirt and giving me a kiss on the corner of my mouth, careful of the cut on the other side. I shove him off me.

'Go brush your teeth before that tongue goes anywhere near me, arsehole.'

He grumbles something intelligible and stumbles over to the bathroom. I grab my toothbrush and snatch the toothpaste from him, quickly doing my teeth and peacefully going through my routine until Drake wraps his arms around me from behind and spins me around fast enough that it takes me a second to register his lips on mine. I screw up my face.

'Minty,' I manage as he basically attacks me.

'Make up your mind, minty or morning breath?' He replies, pulling away, and I stick my tongue out at him, putting a palm on his bare chest and shoving him backwards.

'Go change, I'll make breakfast.'

I wander downstairs and root through the fridge until I find a suitable breakfast. Drake and I are halfway through, eating side by side on the countertop when the doorbell rings. We both get up and head for the door, and it's Panda. Drake's eyes narrow as Panda looks blatantly at places below my face, and Drake growls, stepping in front of me so he obscures Panda's view of me.

'What?'

'Caine needs you.'

'We'll be there in a second,' I say, bumping Drake with my hip and shoving him so he isn't shielding me.

'Why'd you do that?' Drake hisses once I close the door.

'Do what?' I ask, playing dumb.

'You saw the way he was looking at you,' he snarls.

'And you didn't like it?' I suggest coolly.

'No - I - Fine, I didn't!' He exclaims.

I smirk. 'Looks like my man's getting a little jealous?' He opens his mouth to protest, and I laugh, reaching up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. 'Don't worry, he can't steal me with just his eyes.'

'Rebel - '

'Uh uh, we have to go,' I sing song, and he huffs as I grab a hoodie, which is probably his, and pull it on.

We walk quickly to the town hall, and Drake enters first, me slipping in behind. I lean on the wall beside Drake as Caine explains to us what we're doing next.

'Andrew's going to poof soon and we need to be down in Coates to see him,' he says. 'Jack's filming it. I need to beat it,' he mumbles, then his eyes focus on Drake and I. 'Bring your guns. We need to threaten him so he does as we say. Panda's driving. You've got twenty minutes to prepare. Meet us back here.'

We head back to the flat, and I pack my backpack and sling it over my shoulder. I'm flexible like that, I can just up and leave, and I'm used to it, after living rough for more than a year. I might not be very book smart, but I'm street smart as hell, and for one, that definitely helps during the FAYZ.

'Babe?' Drake yells, and I push open the door.

'I'm here, let's go!'