Sebastian and Bethany were out wandering the mall. Bethany was trying something on in the dressing room and Sebastian was continuing to browse when his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's Andy. I can't believe I'm actually about to ask you this, but could you make sure Bethany stays at your place tonight?" Andy asked. "I mean, she basically lives there now, but just in case she decided to come over here tonight, don't let her?"
"Uh, probably. Why?" Sebastian answered his question with a question.
"Our parents are coming into town tonight to surprise her for her birthday tomorrow so I need her out of the house until tomorrow night."
"Ah. Alright. I will do my best to keep her away."
"Thanks."
"No problem." Andy ended the call and Sebastian put his phone back in his pocket.
"Hey, you." Bethany said, walking over and linking arms with him.
"Hey. Dinner?"
"We should probably eat it, yes." She nodded and smiled up at him. He rolled his eyes good naturedly.
"Are you ready to eat it?"
"Yeah."
"Great."

———

"Bumblebee?" Sebastian asked while they were waiting for their check. She hummed in response while digging through her purse for something. "I was wondering if you wanted to come back to my place." She finally looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "I can give you your birthday present." He smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Sebastian!" She gasped, eyes wide, as she processed what he'd just said.
"What is that look for? What are you insinuating?"
"What am I insinuating? You're the one being all . . . like that!" He laughed.
"You came to that conclusion all by yourself, baby girl. I actually have a gift for you. Not "that"." He put the word that in air quotes. Bethany could feel her cheeks heating up.
"Fuck you." He laughed again. "Stop laughing at me." She pouted.
"I'm sorry, baby girl."
"You don't sound sorry. You don't sound sorry at all." They way she said it made it sound like she was quoting something.
"Is that a quote?"
"Yeah. It's from a lego Batman movie."
"Huh."
"That movie actually has some great lines." She smiled then laughed. Sebastian smiled.
"I love you so much, baby girl." It slipped out before he could stop it. He froze and looked at her with wide eyes.
"You-you love me?" She asked softly. He nodded.
"I do. I love you a lot."
"I love you back." He smiled.
"Can I kiss you?"
"Please." He leaned forward and gave her a short, gentle kiss.
"Does it bother you that I always ask?" He seemed embarrassed.
"Absolutely not." He smiled and she grabbed his hand.

———

When they got back to the apartment there was a bouquet of faux white and yellow tulips laying on the table and a small wrapped box.
"I've never had so many flowers in my life as I have in the past five months." She said as she examined the flowers.
"Would you hit me if I said something really cheesy right now?"
"I dunno. It's depends."
"I'll love you until those flowers die." He grinned and Bethany groaned.
"That is so cheesy. You're lucky I love you."
"That I am, baby girl. That I am." She rolled her eyes then pushed herself up onto her tiptoes so she could give him a kiss.
"Can I open my present now?" She asked, eyeing the small box on the table.
"Sure." He slid it toward her. She grabbed it and carefully undid the bow. "Sorry about the wrap job." He smiled sheepishly.
"I love it." She ripped the wrapping paper off. She lifted the cover and found a single key inside.
"Is this-?"
"A key to my apartment. I want you to move in with me."
"Oh."
"You don't have to. I just thought we've been together for almost six months and we've known each other longer and you practically live here anyway." She turned the key between her fingers.
"Yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and gave him another kiss.
"Uh, I also have this," He pulled a box out of his jacket.
"You didn't have to do that."
"I want to." She took the top of the box and pulled a jewelry box out of it. Inside the jewelry box was a necklace. Heart shaped honeycomb with a little bee on it.
"It's beautiful. Thank you." She moved her hair and put it on. "I love it. How's it look?"
"Beautiful."

———
Kinda NSFW
(If that makes you uncomfortable or you just don't wanna read my sad attempt at NSFW skip the rest of this chapter)

A short while later they were sitting on the couch watching the Umbrella Academy. She was pressed against his side with his arm over her shoulders. He was dragging his nails along her arm gently and she was only half paying attention to the show. Suddenly she pulled away from him and smiled.
"Where are you going?" He asked. She resituated so she was on her knees and from there moved so she was straddling his lap.
"Nowhere. I want a kiss." She said before leaning forward and placing her lips against his.
"What are you doing?" He asked, eyebrow raised.
"I thought it was kind of obvious." She said, placing another kiss on his lips before placing more along his jaw. "Was I wrong?"
"Nope. Just making sure I knew where this was headed."
"And where do you think it's headed?" Instead of answering he gave her a kiss and then kissed down her neck, stopping at the spot between her neck and shoulder where he nipped gently at the skin making her moan softly. "Guess that answers my question." She tilted her head to the side to give him better access to her neck.
"Can I make a request?" She asked, trying not to moan again as he continued to suck a hickey onto her sweet spot. "It is my birthday after all." He stopped what he was doing and met her eyes.
"What do you want, birthday girl?"
"Can we move to the bedroom?" He smiled.
"Sure." She started to get up, but he held her tightly. Then he stood and carried her to the bedroom. In the bedroom he dropped her gently onto the bed and started working at taking off his shirt. While he did that she grabbed the hem of hers and pulled it off. Finally free of his shirt he crawled onto the bed and leaned over her.
"Have I told you how absolutely breathtaking you are?" He asked. She blushed and turned her head to the side. "Look at me, please baby girl?" She met his gaze and smiled shyly. This was very different to how it had been with Luke. It was always fast and messy with him. This was so much better. "You're beautiful." He said, "I mean it. You're perfect."
"Liar." She said softly. He shook his head.
"I'm not. Perfection is perception. You're perfect to me."
"If anyone's perfect here it's you." He smiled and shook his head again. "Kiss me?" She asked. He leaned down and gave her a long passionate kiss before kissing down her jaw and neck and going back to the hickey he'd been leaving on her sweet spot. She giggled breathlessly as his nose brushed her neck and then moaned softly.
"I love you." Sebastian said as he kissed back up her neck and jaw.
"I love you back." Bethany said before pressing her lips firmly against his. Her hands were tangled in his hair and his were planted on bed on either side of her. His lips trailed down her neck again, but this time didn't stop till they reached her chest. He looked up at her and stopped what he was doing.
"Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't have taken my shirt off if I wasn't." Then she smiled. He pushed his hair back off his forehead and while he was unsteady Bethany flipped them over. She peppered his face with kisses and he laughed as her hair brushed against his chest. She smiled and kissed down his jaw, down his neck to his collarbone where she set to work leaving a mark. He laughed softly again and put his hands on her hips. He rubbed gentle circles with his thumbs before running his hands up her sides and to her back where he undid her bra. She sat up and let her bra straps slide off her arms. She let her hair fall in her face, a bit self conscious. He brushed it back. She bit her lip and wouldn't meet his eyes.
"Fucking beautiful." He said softly and brought her back down for a kiss. "I mean it, baby girl. Breathtaking." He flipped them back over.
"I love you." She smiled softly, cheeks dusted pink. She was absolutely breathtaking. Sebastian wasn't lying.
"I love you back." He replied before he kissed her again. He placed a hand behind her neck and lifted her head a bit to make it easier to kiss her. While he did that she fumbled with his belt buckle, trying to undo it. Soon all clothing was discarded. And Bethany had never felt so self conscious. No one had ever looked at her the way Sebastian was. Hands were touching everything. No holds barred. Lips were moving. Against each other and everywhere else they could get to. And every movement was gentle and caring. Skin was red and purple. The air was filled with moans and sighs, grunts and groans. Every sound that fell from her mouth drove him crazy and vice versa. Bethany was by no means a virgin, but she'd never experienced sex like this. It was slow and gentle. Loving. He loved her and she knew it. She loved him and he knew it. And neither Bethany nor Sebastian had to wonder if this was what love felt like. They knew.

I'm aware that wasn't very great, but it was kind of important to the plot. Y'know 'cos she decided she's ready and they really do love each other. But that's the most smut I'm doing.

And for the first time in a very long time I'm gonna do a shoutout! This time to DisneyFandomLover! Your support means so much to me! It's so encouraging to know people actually read and like my books! Much love, darling!

Avery L.