"Babe. Come on!"

The sky's gray, heavy clouds threatening to rain—perfectly depicting Tyler's mood. As he drives, Taylor sits beside him, scrolling through TikTok with a nonchalant expression, turning a blind eye to his growing irritation. In between his rant, Cavill's stomach rumbles loudly, signaling his craving for—

"Burger Bros is all I ever thought about for the past week—and you still don't—can you just—show some compassion?!" he stammers as he glares at her, his eyes pleading helplessly. However, Taylor just scoffs and shakes her head firmly,

"Compassion—babe, I'm on a diet! I can't indulge in that kind of food."

"That kind of food?!"

Pausing, he stares at the road with a disgusted look, traumatized by the mere thought of his girlfriend.. disrespecting the Burger Bros.

The burgers that taste like the dancing baseball—ball, back and forth in the fields. The burgers.. which ingredients perfectly harmonize with the others—the juicy patty.. cooked to perfection with just the right amount of peppers.. and the melted cheese.. which adds a creamy richness—while the tangy pickles and savory bacon provide layers of contrasting textures..

The burgers.. which every. bite. is a burst of satisfaction. The burger.. that's not just a meal.. The burger.. that's an experience.. The burgers he loves so much. The burgers.. that help him get through everything. The burger.. which if he persuaded you—

...

You would've been very excited to accompany him—

He reminisces about the days when he used to do WEBBS with you.. and a nostalgic smile escapes his lips—until his stomach grumbles again.

Fuck this.

He hits the gas pedal to full speed—causing Taylor to instinctively drop her phone and tighten her grip on the handle!

"Ty what are you doing?!"

"Getting my precious burger, and you're very welcome. to hop off if you don't want it!"

"Tay, I'm gonna buy some sugarcane."

Taylor lifts her head for the first time as a look of confusion crosses her face. "Again?" she questions, only to be met with a subtle bounce of eyebrows. Acknowledging his firm decision, she nods wearily and goes back to scrolling through TikTok, again.

As they arrive at the sugarcane stall, the seller—the.. weird.. gruff looking man, gives Cavill a less-than-friendly glare. Especially when he notices some unknown girl standing beside him—that's when his glare turns into something more.. repulsive.

"Sir—uh.. 2 sugarcanes please,"

"Two? I don't—"

"Yeah, I know," Tyler confirms, already anticipating Taylor's unwillingness—and immediately shifts his focus to the sugarcane seller, clarifying, "two sir—"

But he's met with the seller's grumpy face looming in front of his nose. Tyler jumps in surprise, retracting his head like a turtle. With a nervous chuckle, he takes a step back, but the seller continues to narrow his eyes suspiciously and grumble something unintelligible.

Also retracting her head, Hill keeps her gaze fixed on the grumpy old man—reluctantly asking, "Do you have a.. problem with him..?"

Reluctantly casting a sidelong glance at Taylor, Cavill murmurs, "I.. don't think so.." his voice trailing off as he observes the man's expression in perplexion. As the man grumpily prepares their sugarcanes, they exchange confused glances but ultimately shrug it off.

"You drink two sugarcanes? Babe, that kind of drink is unhealthy," Hill remarks.

Typical. There. Again.

Categorizing food is probably one of her hobby, you know, besides bullying people out of nowhere—

Sorry—sorry! I'm so biased lol.

Tyler's jaw tightening as he fights the urge to roll his eyes. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath—trying to contain his frustration, but the words slip out before he can stop them,

"Yeah but this is my comfort drink," casually shrugging a shoulder, he trails off, "so.." Averting his eyes, he uncomfortably waits on the sugarcane. The tension hangs in the air for a moment before Taylor sighs, relenting.

"Fine, just don't drink too much of it."

Unease settles in his stomach, causing him to grip the steering wheel tighter than usual. Tyler finally arrives and parks his car, feeling the existing tension grows. The usual confidence in his movements is replaced by nervousness as he steps out of the car—heart pounding loudly in his chest. Grabbing the two sugarcanes from the passenger seat, eventually, he walks up to the front door. Hesitating.. he goes to touch the door—when it opens! Leaving Cavill's expression shifts to confusion..

"Uhhh, am I in the wrong house?"

Revealing his dad, standing between the doorframe of your house. However, before Tyler could receive an answer, a loud voice from behind filled the room.

"Who's that?! Is it that brat?!"

And he knows damn well who it is..

Snapping his head to Mr. Winters, Greg shoots him a glare, "I'm the only one who can call him brat! Don't talk to my son like that—you brat!"

"What?! I'm the brat now?!" John's voice rises in indignation. Returning his head to face his son, Greg gives Tyler a tired expression as he tilts his head slightly, indicating the tension. "He's the one letting all this happen!"

Tyler exhales heavily at the accusation before finally mustering the courage to enter as his dad steps aside—allowing him to pass. However, as he steps into the house—with impeccable timing, he sees you—making your way down the stairs. Catching a glimpse of him standing awkwardly in the doorway, you immediately retreat back upstairs. Nevertheless, Mr. Winters' stern voice stops you mid step.

"Emilia Winters. Come here."

Tyler cringes guiltily. Taking a deep breath, you straighten your posture and continue descending the stairs—shooting the traitor a death glare as you pass by. You hesitantly take a seat in front of your dad—refusing to look him in the eye. Greg follows suit and sits on another chair, also encouraging his son to come join the judgment day. Finally breaking the silence, your dad fixes you with a serious glare before sternly asking,

"Does this week give you a lesson?"

You reluctantly nod.

John squints his eyes.. before he intensify his means, leans forward and roars,

"No more boys in this house?!"

Flinching at the firmness in your dad's tone, you nod.

Seeing the distress in your expression, your dad's demeanor softens. With a hint of concern in his voice he asks in a gentler tone, "Cry or no cry?"

You try to hold back your pouting, putting on a facade of strength.. and shake your head briskly.

...

But then you lower your head. And in this definitive silence.. everybody's eyes on you. Tyler could notice the way your mouth starts to quiver, making him whisper, "Winny.." and it's like a dam breaking. All the emotions—anger—shame.. frustration.. mix together. Unable to hold it in any longer.. you end up crying.

Your dad pouts and opens his arms as he calls your name, and you sob like a baby in his embrace. "Emilyyy~ It's okay to cry.. I'm sorry, okay?" he comforts as you sob in your dad's arms.

"I'm—sorry—too—"

Greg chuckles at the scene, joining the consolation by patting your back as he also checks on his son.. who's been watching the scene in tremendous guilt.

"I'm sorry—"

Both you and your dad turn your heads to him simultaneously—glaring, causing him to falter. Then you resume crying into your dad's shoulder as he pats you on the back.

"I brought sugarcanes!"

Once again, both you and your dad turn your heads to him simultaneously. But this time, only one maintains his glare, while the other one..

Rule #6: No matter how mad, you have to forgive them if they bring you sugarcane or burgers.

So.. yeah I was grounded for a week.

Because. of. Tyler! And yes. I didn't talk to him for a week either. Ok, ok—I know it's not entirely his fault, but—damn, we were doing so. awesome! But he just had to ruin my ongoing fairytale, huh?

...

But hey, he brought me sugarcane. Sipping these sugarcane feels like a fairtytale anyway.

Standing near the window, Cavill crosses his arms in front of him, silently watching you sip on the sugarcane on your bed. A small smirk forming on his lips before he lets out a chuckle. He marvels at how easy it is to lift up your mood. Well, almost as easy as breaking it down—

"What?" you ask naively, lips still embracing the straw, happily transferring the sweet liquids into your systems.

Between his long.. dark lashes, his gaze lingers on you—his almond eyes capturing every detail. A few strands of his jet black hair fall effortlessly across his forehead. Raising an eyebrow with a hint of mischief, he continues to chuckle softly, and the only word he could mutter under his breath is,

"Nothing."

Squinting your eyes, you finish the last drop of your sugarcane and sass, "If you think I've forgiven you already, you're terribly wrong."

He smirks and takes a small sip before offering you his sugarcane—and your eyes light up at the sight of the future second dose of sweetness. However, just as your left hand is about to reach for the cup—he grabs your forearm midway and pulls you! Instinctively, you make a fist as if you're about to Karate Kid him.

"If—"

Even just hearing the word 'if', you roll your eyes in annoyance. "Disappointed but not surprised, there has to be a condition when it comes to you—"

"—you forgive me."

And as he lays the condition on the grass, he lifts his right hand—teasingly lifts the second dose of sugary sweetness just out of your reach. That smirk.. oh how you want to slap it out of his gorgeous face. Calculating the height between you—especially with his lifted hand.. you pout in defeat and rant, "You haven't even said sorry!"

Raising an eyebrow, he wonders aloud, "I already say it downstairs—even in front of your dad—" but seeing your eyebrows knitting harder—with your pout now resembling a downward crescent moon—he exhales a sigh. Tilting his head in weariness, Tyler clarifies, "I'm sorry, but I don't regret—"

That's it! If I hear one more ego bullshit from him, I'll Karate Kid him—and jump from this window.

Your annoyance reaches its peak—and you take a sharp inhale, preparing to release yourself from his grip. However he tightens his hold for a moment—before squeezing gently, firmly keeping you in place. You were so ready to fight along with squinted eyes glaring up at him—but instead, you're surprised to find his eyes softening. At the once in a lifetime sight, you cease moving, and instead—

You're lost in his eyes.

Those.. light brown eyes.. How does one sparkle so beautifully once they get kissed by the evening sunlight..

Unconsciously, you let out a little gasp—overwhelmed by the sudden intense emotion he laid bare on you. Slowly.. he moves his hand from your forearm.. to your hand.. squeezing it gently..

"What I'm sorry for is.." he whispers softly under his breath. Pulling you closer, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down your spine. His hand gently cupping yours.. his hazel eyes never leaving yours..

Feeling a rush of emotions, you crease your forehead and avert your eyes from him, unable to meet his gaze. Your heart pounding in your chest as your left hand hesitantly squeezes his shirt, a silent plea for him to.. stop?

Uncertain of the strange feelings stirring within, a sense of confusion overwhelms you. Torn between wanting to embrace this moment.. or wanting to push it away—but all you know is that.. this weird.. feeling..?

Gives you a sense of peace.

Reaching for your cheek, he notices strands of hair that have been falling across your face. Gently, he tucks them behind your ear, fingers trailing softly along your skin. As you look up at him, still wearing a slight pout and a furrowed brow.. he can't help but let out a slight side smile. Subconsciously, he lowers the hand that had been holding the sugarcane away from you.. letting it fall to his side—to circle them behind your waist. Like protecting you. Like how he always did.

The sugarcane. Come on, Em you can grab them behind you and just end—whatever this is—

...

Screw the sugarcane. All I want—

"I didn't mean to get you in trouble with your dad like that.." he murmurs softly, still cupping your cheek with his hand. Holding your gaze, he sees you unconsciously lean closer to his touch. Squeezing your right hand and reluctantly resting them on his chest, you close your eyes and exhale slowly as he whispers, "I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry.." and that's when you open your eyes.

And it's like time stands still. Every flutter of his eyelashes.. every subtle shift of his expression.. every unspoken.. emotion swirling between you..

You feel your heartbeat drums a little faster.. how the temperature is rising.. the feeling of your cheeks as it starts to burn—impulsively, in an attempt to end this weird moment, you slap his left cheek! Sending him to jolt in surprise, eyes widened! Cringing at the absurdity of your own action, you decide to hide your face—

In his chest.

It's too late to back out now. You end up wrapping your arms around him tightly, closing your eyes with furrowed brows. And right now.. cringe is too underrated.

Great. Bravo Emilia Winters. You just won the Nobel Prize for—constantly, and successfully, embarrassing yourself.

...

Wait.. am I.. hearing this right? Does—is this—

Despite his calm demeanor, you're surprised to hear his heartbeat drumming rapidly. Seeming reluctant when he puts his left hand behind your back, eventually, he returns by squeezing you tighter. And his familiar embrace brings you so much comfort it makes you forget any awkwardness you felt. Closing your eyes, you exhale softly, feeling a sense of peace wash over you.

"Thank you for the sugarcanes, Tyty. I know how sorry you are,"

Pulling away slightly, a small smile playing on your lips. "Especially after getting them from my doorstep for a week straight," you add with a teasing tone.

"You have no. idea. the tremendous effort for enduring the man's glare. What's his problem, seriously."

At the mention of your favorite old man, you beam, "OMG how is he?! I miss him so much!"

"I wish I could say the same," he impales, rolling his eyes in disagreement.

"Why you always haatiiinnnn~ why you always haaatiinnn~" you sing teasingly, playfully swaying your shoulders to the rhythm of the song.

His eyes widen in surprise—yet he can't help but chuckle. "Oh you can laugh now?"

With a mischievous grin, you playfully squeeze his waist in a hug, eliciting another chuckle from Tyler. He reaches over to ruffle your hair in a playful, messy manner—causing you to squeal. Giving him a playful pout, you shoot him a glare, only to be met with his charming lopsided smile. Suddenly, without warning, he blurts out,

"Cute."

Suppressing a big grin, you purse your lips and quip, "What—did you get struck by a lightning?!" his wide grin only encourages your playful banter as you tease him, "Am I really cute or is your love life just that boring?"

"Rude—" retracting his head, he starts with a disgusted expression, but then his eyes dart to the corner as if he's pretending to ponder. With a smug shrug, he blurts out, "It's you."

Startled, your eyes widening in surprise at his sudden praise. But you quickly regain your playful facade, and roll your eyes teasingly. "Obviously. Here's a tougher question," you cheer before asking, "me or.. Lily Collins?"

"You."

You hold your breath before letting out a nervous laugh, "You're too desperate for my forgiveness aren't you?!" and he smiles sheepishly, trying to contain his grin.

There's a moment of silence as he looks at you intently.. observing you. You find yourself meeting his gaze—and the tension builds, making your heart race again. By now you're unsure if this is quite healthy—

What the heck is happening right now—why look at me like that—Shitshitshitwhattodowhattodo—oh right! The sugarcane—!

In panic, you do a quick 180-degree spin and lock eyes with the sugarcane behind you! Without thinking, your mouth finds the straw and you take a big sip—completely oblivious to the fact that it's still in his grasp! As you enthusiastically suck on the straw, Tyler's expression shifts from surprise to utter bewilderment as he watches from behind your back—and when he finally grasps what's going on, unfortunately, his cup is already drained in seconds.

"Hey! My sugarcane Goddammit!"

You immediately spin around with a mix of guilt and disgust plastered on your face. "Bro, you gave it to me?!"

He gives you a disgusted glare. His eyes wide, staring at you while you glare back guiltily but defiantly—before he bursts into laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. You pout in shame, and the only word you can muster is a sorry.

Finally finishing his laugh with a chuckle as you groan in irritation, he invites you to sit on the floor on top of your carpet. Still cackling, he expertly flings the empty cup into the dustbin in the corner of your room. And when he turns his attention back to you, his eyes soften at your sheepish grin—before his expression turns serious, eyes narrowing with curiosity before he blurts,

"SMASH and WEBBS with me again?"

Your eyes widening in surprise. Processing his invitation, a sense of shock settles in—before a smile slowly spreads across your face, turning into a grin of genuine amusement. However.. someone comes to mind. Imagining his girlfriend's reaction, your expression shifts.

"But.. what about Taylor..?"

"It's just two days. She'll understand."

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to vote, comment, and add to your library!

Check out some additional content on social media💖

Cecylia Costania @rcpcswrites

You can elevate your experience by also listening to songs I added to this story's playlist! Full Playlist on bio💖

The song that matches this Chapter's vibe:

Standing near the window, Cavill crosses his arms in front of him,

https://youtu.be/gK5_miUldrk