𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄, xolo maridueña

five. a digital footprint rivalled by only that of medusa

xolo wouldn't go as far to say things changed after they filmed the first kiss, but the air wasn't full with as much hostile electricity as a lightning storm anymore. maybe just a down power line between them, sparking away during every interaction.

they kissed a lot. and like, sure, it was a romance film to some extent. but they kissed a lot. and every time, maeve would make sure her breath tasted like coffee. xolo was starting not to mind it.

a couple more days in, xolo decided to give making friendly conversation another go. there weren't many times he had ever wished he'd taken haven's advice on how to talk to girls, but this was definitely one of them.

          "so, uh, why mav?"

          "excuse me?"

judging the way maeve's eyes narrowed as she looked up at him from her phone, xolo swallowed thickly.

          "i mean, your nickname is mav, right? it says so on your instagram. and it feels like, i don't know, not the most immediate nickname for the name maeve."

maeve put down her phone, turning in her chair to face him incredulously.

"xolo, have you been staking my instagram?"

"you already know the answer to this," he pointed out, blushing slightly. "you followed back my friend haven."

"well, i like haven."

"you've never even met haven. but that isn't the point. why mav? it's like you're calling yourself a maverick. you don't get to decide for yourself if you're a maverick."

despite her usually cold expression, maeve looked as though she was about to laugh.

"maybe i'm just a big top gun enthusiast."

"are you?" xolo's eyebrows furrowed in surprise.

"no. what do you take me for?"

he laughed at that, tipping back in his chair, grinning in a way that maeve didn't think she'd ever seen from someone of the likes of him. it wasn't a smirk or a grimace, and it wasn't anything cocky, just genuinely full of joy. the furrow of her brow softened slightly as she smiled back.

"seriously, though, what do you take me for?"

xolo's smile dropped a little, afraid he'd done something to reverse all the progress he'd made.

"i mean, you've stalked my social media. what do you think? do i come across as cheery and approachable?"

"not at all." xolo exhaled through his laughter. "you have a digital footprint rivalled by only that of medusa."

"you flatter me." maeve actually grinned this time, emptying the coffee cup sat beside her as hair stylist felicia entered and began to neaten up the braids in her hair.

"does this mean you'll follow me back?" xolo dared to ask.

"no it does not," maeve clarified, not even glancing back at him, but xolo could see in the mirror that she was smiling.

☆☆☆

MAEVETANNER