thank you all for your comments :c they make my day, always. please be safe and healthy wherever you guys are.

warning: sexual themes!

*

MJ grabs her hand. "See? That wasn't so hard! It was a walk in the park, bub. Told you it was going to be fine."

"Yeah," Andy mumbles, distracted, staring at the pack of pills in her hand before shoving it inside her bag. "This is...this is effective, right? No pregnancy scares?"

"You heard the doctor," the redhead singsongs, swinging their arms together as they step into the parking lot. "And as long as you take it every day, okay? Set an alarm on your phone. Oh, and use a condom first for the first week, it has to settle in."

Andy's heart is still racing, but she feels better after her appointment with the doctor. "Yeah, okay."

"What happened to my little angel?" MJ squeals, teasing and ruffling her hair. "God, you're so grown up now. Using pills and shit!"

"Keep it down!" Andy plants a finger against the older's lips, looking around wildly in panic.

"Oh, come on." MJ's still grinning, slapping Andy's hand away. "It's good to practice safe and protected sex, Andy. I'm so glad you asked me to come with you, it makes me feel like your mom or something."

"Technically, you and Sab are," Andy mutters, the heat in her face still evident. "Can you call her and ask if she's free for lunch? We haven't seen her since her shoot out of town last week."

MJ is already taking her phone out. "Good idea. That bitch hasn't been replying to our group chat, I knew when she promised that she wasn't going to follow through."

Andy giggles and opens the car door. "She's busy, MJ, give her a break."

"I'll break her leg if she doesn't answer me," the ginger grumbles, settling in the driver's seat. Then her face immediately brightens, and she yells, "Well, look who has the time to pick up her phone!"

Andy laughs again. Sabina is free for lunch, but she'll have to be quick as she has a meeting with a client at two o'clock.

On Valentine's Day, Rhysand picks her up at the school with a bouquet of chicken nuggets in his hand. Andy kisses him with a wide grin, and they go to dinner and they get a free pizza shaped in a heart because the manager apparently thinks they're cute. Andy asks that they have their picture taken, and in the picture, Rhysand is smiling.

Because they stop by the shelter after dinner, Andy is tired as soon as they get home. They brush their teeth and change into their pajamas and quickly get in bed, Andy's eyes shutting closed.

Rhysand smooths his hand down her hair. "Tired?" he murmurs.

Andy hums, buries her head further into his chest. "It was a good day. Thank you for spending Valentine's again with me."

"You don't have to thank me." Rhysand leans down to kiss her head. "Night, baby."

"I love you," Andy mutters sleepily.

He laughs once and whispers back, "I love you too."

*

Andy forgets to tell Rhysand about the pills.

In her defense, it hasn't been on her mind. Sure, she's been taking it every day as soon as her alarm tells her to do so, but when she's about to text Rhysand to let him know, she remembers he's at work, and he wouldn't be able to respond and it would be better to tell him in person, anyway.

But when they're together, Andy completely forgets.

It doesn't help that she's stressed about school, too.

"Where is it, where is it, where is it," she mutters, panicking, almost about to tear her hair out as she drops on her knees again, looking under the coffee table in case she missed it. "Motherchucker." She groans loudly in frustration and tosses out the papers and notebooks sitting on the surface.

Her paper is due in less than an hour and her copy is missing from Rhysand's studio.

It was here, she remembers, along with her binder and notes and laptop. When she went to school this morning, she thought she had been bringing it along as well, tucked safely somewhere in between her notes. But she emptied her bag, flipped through all of her pages, and found nothing.

If she could easily print it again there would be no problem. But Andy hadn't saved the file—too exhausted to even realize her mistake.

Rhysand's studio is a mess. Everything is on the floor, scattered and messy, like a tornado just passed by. Her paper isn't here. Neither is it under the couch, or behind the pillows, or on Rhysand's desk and drawers.

She's about to cry. She can't miss this submission—it would put a dent in her grade. As a last resort, she calls her boyfriend and prays to God that he knows where it is.

"Sunshine," he answers, distracted.

"Rhys, where did you leave my paper this morning? The one that you offered to print," she asks frantically, running her fingers through her scalp. "I can't find it, I'm supposed to submit it in half an hour."

"I left it on the table in my studio," he says slowly. "On top of your binder."

"It's not here," she almost yells, almost on the verge of tears. "You said you'd print it for me and leave it here, it's not here."

"I did, Sanford," Rhysand counters calmly, but Andy can already hear the edge in his voice and she doesn't need a fight but she's panicking and desperate and she doesn't know what to do. "It was on top of your binder, I stapled it together and shit, did you not put it in your bag this morning? Check it again."

It's stupid and it's completely childish, but Andy almost stomps her foot in irritation. "I did, ten times over, did you really leave it on the table? You didn't place it on your desk or your drawers or—"

"Did you touch my shit?" he snaps. "I told you not to—"

Andy wants to pull her hair out of its roots. "I just checked if my paper was there! I didn't mess it up, I barely even touched anything—"

"I left it on the table," he says through his teeth, exhaling heavily. "Don't blame me for losing it, Sanford, it was on top of your fucking binder. I'm working, I'm sorry, is there anything I can do—"

"It wasn't!" Andy yells. "Fine, go back to work."

Rhysand pauses. And then, "Sanford—"

Andy hangs up and tosses the phone on the carpet, taking a few deep breaths, shutting her eyes.

She'll feel bad about taking her anger out on Rhysand later. She'll apologize to him, it's not his fault, she knows. She just needs to find it and submit it so she doesn't go out of her mind.

Standing up, she runs downstairs again, where she left her bag on the couch before raiding the studio. Andy turns it over, dumping its contents on the sofa, eyes frantic and wide, chest tight. She grabs her laptop bag, too, and zips it open, even though there's nothing she can find—

Oh. Oh, no. The paper's—it's all here, inside her laptop bag.

In her rush to get to school this morning, had she forgotten that she put it inside?

Andy almost cries tears of joy. She grabs all her stuff, barely able to shoulder it before she's running to the bus station.

Seated in the bus, she takes it out and checks her pages, but there's a sticky note barely sticking onto its first page, and Rhysand's handwriting reads You're so smart what the fuck. I read it after I stapled it. Proud of you, baby. Have a good day in school :)

Andy wants to beat herself up for yelling at Rhysand. Her boyfriend didn't deserve that.

As soon as she submits her paper, almost running to the faculty to make it on the submission time, panting and sweaty with her hair sticking to her forehead, she heads back to Rhysand's place, ordering in dinner for the both of them (and Jenner) to apologize.

Slumping on the island stool, she bites her lip and sends him a message. Hi, I found it. I'm sorry I was mean. Can you come home early for dinner? Or no can do? :( I'm sorry.

Rhysand's reply, surprisingly, comes within a minute. I'll be home for dinner. Were you able to submit it on time?

Yes. :( I'm sorry. I was mean. :( And thank you for the note :(

Make it up to me when I'm home. I'm leaving Sterling now.

Andy almost smiles.

Rhysand isn't mad. He pretends to be, only for Andy to be completely at his will, but he kisses her hard on the bed when they're done with dinner and done showering.

"Does this mean you forgive me now?" she asks, pouting, letting him take off her skirt.

"Shut up," Rhysand mumbles, not meaning it, slipping her underwear down her legs. He bends down to kiss her again. "You yelled at me."

"I did," Andy says against his lips, feeling guilty, but also becoming so winded with her want and desire of him.

He tilts her head to the side to kiss down her neck, while his hands make quick work of the buttons in her blouse.

"I'm sorry," Andy says, but Rhysand ignores her.

He tosses her blouse somewhere behind him. She's almost bare, and he's still fully clothed. Something about that stirs her lower belly. "You were being a brat. And mean. When I printed your shit for you and even stapled it together."

He takes off her bra.

Andy pulls him down for another kiss. "I'm sorry," she says again, hooking her legs around his waist.

Rhysand hums and shifts down the bed, breath fanning her torso when he asks, "You are?"

"Yeah," Andy breathes, looking down at him. "Baby, please."

"Please what?"

This is embarrassing. Still, Andy's desire wins, so she swallows her embarrassment and shyness and says, "Please touch me."

"I already am," Rhysand teases, fingers all over her skin. "How many?"

Andy blinks at him. "For what?"

"For yelling at me today."

Andy bites her lip. "It hurts."

Rhysand laughs. "That's the point, sunshine." Then, gentler, he says, "If you don't want to, it's fine. You don't have to, you know that right?"

She nods, thankful he isn't trying to pressure her into something she doesn't want to do.

Still, she remembers the first time it happened. She looks up at him and says, "Five. Just five, and then you make love to me."

"Okay." Rhysand nods, flipping her on her stomach.

When her skin's absolutely sore and red, and there are almost tears in her eyes from the delicious pain of it, Rhysand soothes her, asks her if she wants to stop.

"No, no, want you," she says, turning on her back, pulling him down to her.

Rhysand takes his time, making up for the sting on her bottom.

When he goes to get the condom, Andy catches his arm and blurts out, "We don't need one."

Rhysand stares at her. "What?"

"I mean." Andy takes a deep breath. "I...went to the doctor's a while ago. With MJ."

Her boyfriend stares at her, waiting for her to elaborate.

"I got pills," she says quietly. "And I've been taking it for more than a week. So it's—we're good. To go. Without a condom. If you want."

Rhysand's head drops in her neck, and he groans, and the sound goes straight to Andy's lower belly. She squirms under his weight. "Jesus Christ, are you serious?"

"Yes," Andy says, almost whining, hips grinding up. "Rhys, please, now, please—"

"Fucking hell," he hisses, pushing up on his palms, one hand gripping her hipbone so hard it might bruise tomorrow—"Why didn't you tell me?"

Andy inhales sharply. "I keep forgetting—"

"Fuck," he breathes. "You're sure? You've been taking it every day? We only need a week?"

"Yes, yes, yes—"

"Good."

Andy's throat, neck, and whole body is sore the following day.

*

They do it a lot.

*

On Andy's birthday, Rhysand shoves his surprise in Andy's face.

He bought extra tickets to Disneyland—MJ, Sabina, and Jenner are invited.

It's probably one of the happiest days in Andy's entire life—they get Mickey Mouse shaped popsicles, and except for Jenner and MJ, they go on all the rides, and Rhysand's arm probably feels like it's going to fall off its socket by the way Andy keeps pulling at it. They share a drink with two straws, and their friends holler at them and Jenner throws fries in Rhysand's face, and they take lots of pictures with Sabina's camera and Andy kisses Rhysand on the ferris wheel and he squeezes her fingers and whispers, "Happy birthday, sunshine."

Her dad calls her in the evening, in the car on the way home. Everyone is tired and ready to go to bed, and Rhysand, Andy, and Jenner are dropping them off first. Andy thanks her father for the money transferred to her account and the flowers delivered to her doorstep earlier this morning.

During the long drive, Andy kisses Rhysand's wrist once, twice, too many times to count, and Rhysand doesn't mind, keeps his eyes on the road, but his lips are turned up at the corners as he drives with one hand.

Her other friends send her texts of greeting, and Andy replies to them with smiley faces and hearts (except for Bash's, she doesn't want him to get the wrong idea again).

She spent her birthday with the most important people in her life, and she couldn't have been happier.

*

It's true that Andy's grown pretty confident of her body since being with Rhysand.

She wouldn't get in bed with him if she didn't feel this way.

It's a different type of liberating and exhilarating—to not feel so crushed by insecurities and things and features her face and body don't have. She used to be so envious of MJ's curves, of Sabina's legs and waist, the natural, sexy way they carry themselves with absolute beauty and grace. While Andy's not anything like that, she knows she can at least stop worrying about what she looks like to Rhysand—because she knows he finds her beautiful. If he doesn't say it enough all the time, he makes sure to do so, worshipping every inch of her skin, in bed.

When before, she couldn't even wear something so short around him without feeling self-conscious, Andy walks around his room naked and Rhysand doesn't mind one bit. Loves it, even.

So Andy's grateful. Because she's with him, because he make her feel that she's beautiful...Andy thinks she's confident, pretty, sexy.

So when she sends the picture, she doesn't overthink it. Just hits send right away.

Her heart is pounding so loudly she can hear it, and Andy hugs the phone to her chest, shutting her eyes and taking deep breaths to calm herself. She's never done anything like this before—never done anything close to it, never even thought about it—but strangely, she doesn't feel anxious, or scared, or terrified out of her mind. There's just...excitement from waiting for Rhysand's reaction.

It doesn't take long.

When her phone buzzes, Andy almost hears her hear jump out of her skin. She takes a peek with one eye.

Jesus Christ

Andy laughs. She laughs out loud, and the sound fills her dorm room. It's so—it's so Rhysand. She grins and texts him back. Were you working? :)

The three bubbles that appear when he types are dancing. Jesus Christ, sunshine

She laughs again. I take it you like it :D

You're fucking beautiful fuck I'm at work. You can't just send something like this while I'm working baby that's not fair

Andy turns around in bed and squeals in her pillows. I'm sorry I just wanted to send you a gift :c for your motivation today so you can go home early :D

I'm going home fucking early. I can't stop staring holy shit I'm going crazy.

She giggles and sends her reply. You always tell me I'm pretty so I felt like it for once. Thank you <33

You are. Don't care if you have clothes on or not. Makeup or not. I'm going to make you feel pretty all the fucking time.

Andy sighs. She doesn't deserve him. I love you.

Show me later.

Her grin grows wide. I will. You always make me smile

You make me smile, too. And also very hard

Andy laughs again. She laughs so loud. OKAY when you're done staring please delete it <333 it's for your eyes only. Only you. Have a good day at work, baby :D I love you so bad.

Will do. You're a menace.

Andy frowns. I don't see an 'I love you too, sunshine' >:(

She imagines that he's smiling. I love you too, sunshine. Love you so bad. Have a good day in school, you're smarter than all those fuckers.

Andy laughs. She gets out of bed, humming, and skips to the shower to get ready.

*

After work, Andy visits Sterling with food, knowing Rhysand is working late today and would want to see her for a bit and eat. But she doesn't expect seeing a heart-shaped note in bright yellow on his desk.

The handwriting is in small, cursive letters. Andy drops the takeout on the table and reads it. Mr. Harton, here's everything you asked for. Please let me know if there's anything else you need. :) - Sophia

The door opens. Andy straightens and plasters a bright grin on her face. Sage's eyes are wide and he smiles, too. "Andy, hey! Good to see you back. Is that food for us?"

"For Rhysand," she corrects teasingly, still feeling a bit uneasy about the note, but she opens the bags, anyway. "But I also got some for you, of course. And Embry, Celine, and Derek if they're here."

"Yes!" Sage skips over to her and gives her a one-arm hug before he's reaching for food. "You're the best, Andy. You're better than Braeden."

Andy raises an eyebrow and leans on Rhysand's desk, crossing her arms. "Is feeding you part of our job description as your girlfriends?"

Sage stops mid-bite to say, "Partly. Comes with being a Sterling girl. We don't eat here."

Andy doesn't know how true that is. She sits on the sofa across from Sage. "He still smokes?"

"Lesser now, I think. He has a drawer full of lollipops."

She smiles. "Where is he, by the way?"

"Concept meeting. Want me to call him? He'll be done soon, though."

"Let him finish his meeting." Andy takes a sip of the milk tea she brought and shakes it. The bright yellow note on the desk is bothering her. "Sage, who is Sophia?"

Rhysand's friend doesn't miss a beat. "VP's niece," he answers, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "She's new. An intern, sort of. And very friendly. Why?"

Andy doesn't know if she's being nosy. Hopefully, Rhysand won't think so. She shrugs and plays with the lid of her cup. "She likes Rhysand?"

A scoff. "Like is an understatement."

Andy blinks at him. "What do you mean?"

"The girl admires him," Sage says nonchalantly, keeping his attention on his food. "Was ecstatic when she met us—him, I mean. Everyone knows Rhysand now, he's kind of a big deal. His first project was more of a success than ours ever were."

Andy feels proud that Rhysand is so respected and well-liked in Sterling. Still, she feels a little...uneasy. "She flirts with him?"

"Don't be so worried, Andy," Sage says with a grin, catching her facial expression. "It's just admiration. She thinks he's her mentor or something, she just wants to learn from him. Besides, Rhysand is crazy about you—there's no way he'll look at someone else. It's sunshine this and sunshine that, I'm tired of hearing him talk about you."

Andy takes a deep breath and gives him a small smile. He's right. She's got nothing to worry about—it's just admiration and respect for his work. "Right," she says, nodding. "Okay."

When Rhysand enters the room with Embry in tow, he pauses by the door and blinks. "Sunshine. You didn't tell me you were here."

"Surprise?" she says with a laugh, jumping up to hug him. Rhysand catches her easily and presses a kiss to her hair. "I brought food. You said you were working late."

"Yes!" Embry opens the bag.

"Hands off," Rhysand snaps, curling a hand around Andy's waist. "Thank Sanford first."

Andy giggles in his neck. "It's fine, let him eat."

"Thank you, Andy!" Embry shouts somewhere behind her, and then he sits on the sofa next to Sage and digs in.

"You didn't have to," Rhysand whispers, squeezing her hip.

It's not the first time she made a visit with food, but Rhysand is thankful whenever she finds the time. That's why she does it. "I was done with school and work, anyway," she tells him with a grin, kissing him on the lips. "Come on, you need to eat."

Andy keeps her hand on Rhysand's knee while he eats.

Sage notices. "Can you tell Andy she's got nothing to be worried about?"

Andy stiffens and glares at him. "I'm not worried."

Rhysand is already looking at her. "About what?"

"Sophia."

"Sage! I was just asking!"

Rhysand raises an eyebrow. "She's an intern. Why?"

Andy's cheeks heat. She takes her hand away and lowers her head, clearing her throat. "It's nothing. Say another word, Sage, and I will never bring food for you again."

Sage keeps his mouth shut.

But like always, Rhysand doesn't let it go. "What were you asking about Sophia?"

Andy turns over in bed with a groan, back facing him. "Nothing."

Rhysand clicks his tongue and pushes her on her back so he can see her face. His hair is wet, and they're sticking to his forehead. Andy wants to reach out to push them back. "You can ask Sage but not me?"

"Because it's ridiculous. And I was just curious."

"About?"

Andy grits her teeth and sits up. "You're not going to let me off, are you?"

"No."

"The—note. The heart-shaped note. I was just asking about that," she grumbles, finding his fingers and pulling at them one by one. "And if she flirts with you."

Rhysand is smiling when he says, "She does."

Andy looks at him. "And?"

"And nothing, I don't give her the time of my day if that's what you're asking."

Andy bites her lip. "Is she pretty?"

"Don't ask me that," Rhysand says, dropping the smile. "That means you're worried. And you have no reason to be worried, sunshine, Christ."

"Then that means she is."

"Stop." Rhysand's eyebrows draw together. "I didn't say that. It doesn't matter, anyway. It shouldn't matter to you. She's only an intern. I don't give her attention. Okay?"

"She's not just an intern. She's your VP's niece."

"And?"

"And that means you have to be nice to her."

"Being nice to her doesn't mean I'm flirting back." Rhysand's jaw twitches. "Are you really going to fight with me about this? Are you that worried over someone giving me heart-shaped notes and shit? It's work, Sanford, nothing else."

You didn't tell me there was someone flirting with you, a small voice in Andy's head whispers. You didn't tell me she likes you.

But. No. She trusts Rhysand. He didn't tell her because it wasn't—it's not a big deal. He's right—she's worried about nothing.

She sighs and snuggles closer to him, hooking her leg over his waist. "Sorry," she whispers in his chest, tightening her arms around his body. He's still tense, but he rubs his hand over her back, and Andy relaxes. "I trust you, you know that."

Rhysand exhales heavily. "Don't be worried, sunshine," he murmurs. "You're the one in my head all day."

Andy believes him, and doesn't question it anymore.