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✧∘ଂ࿐ཾ✧∘ଂ࿐ཾ
after the lax incident, opehlia and timothée became more protective over their friendship. less social media interaction, more care when it came to visits and keeping it out of the public's view— in a way, it was sad. both knew that people did like seeing them interact in public ways and that many adored their friendship, but they were also people and it was a real relationship. of course they still shared enough to keep rumors of any issues down but overall, if the friendship needed to be more private to survive, so be it.
hanging out with timothée, ophelia realized, hadn't changed at all since she was younger. it was easy and things just seemed to flow. there didn't even need to be words; just the presence of each other was enough. they didn't really leave timothée's small apartment all that much-- anything could be delivered in new york and the amount of music and movies and stories they had to swap that had cumulated over the past four years were more than enough to keep them occupied. in reality, the whole thing was pretty much a prolonged and much over-due sleepover like the ones of their adolescence.
it slowly came to opehlia just how much she was beginning to value timothée in her life again, and in the back of her mind, the thought scared her a little. it didn't matter where they were— they could've been in paris, or toronto, or la or new york, timothée was beginning to feel like home again. ophelia felt fifteen all over, the summer when butterflies started to form in her stomach whenever timothée hugged her or held her hand or even looked at her in a certain way.
perhaps she had her own selfish reasons for steering clear of the internet. as fun as it was sharing things, part of her wanted to keep it all to herself. people didn't need to know that she was the first one up, and because of that, she knew exactly how timmy liked his coffee. people didn't need to know exactly how many times they'd seen each other. people didn't need to know that timothée's eyes always somehow seemed brighter in the morning and how his voice sounded when he woke up. people didn't need to know everything that went on in their lives between them. people didn't need to know how quick she was falling for him again.
their goodbyes got easier each time, mostly because each time somewhere in their goodbye there was a promise that there would be another time, and as soon as they were both able to they would plan their next visit. it was as if a long distance relationship, without the actual relationship.
opehlia always managed to make sure she booked her flights as late as possible. she would rather force scarlet to pick her up in the early hours of the morning than have to leave timothée any earlier than she had to. timothée hugged her as the day faded into night. she clung to him as she stood in his hoodie— half from not wanting to leave him, half from knowing she was going to have to and she wanted as much of his scent to stay on the hoodie as long as possible.
he held her just as tight. she was just short enough that her head naturally fell right into his neck, and timothée could feel her trying not to cry as she swallowed back tears that fell on timothée's bare neck. if he could, he would've never let her go. just standing there for eternity, her body pressed into his as the sun set over new york; that could forever be enough. timothée could die a happy man like that.
he knew better than to try to step back and dry her tears before she did. one look into his eyes before she was ready and she'd only cry more, he probably would too. when they were young, they never used to cry— but perhaps, after four years apart, they knew just how permanent goodbyes could feel; they had a way of feeling just solid enough to stab a little knife through your heart. not enough to kill you, but enough to give you a slow, indefinite aching pain.
he managed to pull her more into his arms, running his fingers through her dark hair. "shh, it's alright. you're gonna see me soon, i'll be flying out toronto in a few weeks time. and until then, you've got constant access to me. you're not gonna get rid of me anytime soon." he felt a small chuckle from her muffled voice against his body, "ophélie."
ophelia finally pulled back from the hug, drying her own tears. she placed her hands on either side of timothée's face, her thumbs drawing circles on his cheek as to memorize how his presence felt, "timothée."
from inside the hoodie pocket, ophelia's phone buzzed. she didn't need to even look at it for either of them to know what it was. her aunt was there, she needed to go. timothée placed his hand over one of hers and gently guided it off of his face, holding her hand until they were at the door. she had one bag thrown over her shoulder and a small rolling carry on at her side. timothée remained inside the apartment as she stood on the other side of the entrance, half hidden by the door, half in the hallway.
ophelia threw her arms around timothée's neck for one last hug, holding on as long as she knew she could get away with as his arms found their way back to her her waist, his hand rubbing along her back to comfort her.
neither bothered to speak as she pulled back, their was no reason to say anything— no reason to try to mumble out words to try to even came close to replicating the way they were able to just know with one another.
ophelia placed a fleeting kiss on timothée's cheek, and then she gathered herself as she made her way down the hallway to the elevator. timothée waved as the elevators ding! sounded through the hallway and she disappeared behind it's door.
he didn't look away until he heard the corresponding sound that signaled the elevator had made it to the first floor. within seconds, the void which he had tried to ignored for four years returned; once again, she was gone. it only took a moment alone— a moment to collect his thoughts as he stood in his apartment that now seemed so empty— for timothée to realize that perhaps, he was falling back in love with his ophélie.
