Can I Call you baby?

Simon's P. O. V

We changed into warm clothes and ate the dinner I had made as eric kept complimenting the food.

We were currently staring at the bed awkwardly as eric nervously chuckled from time to time.

The rain had slowed down a bit but hadn't stopped making me insist eric stay over as we decided to sleep in the bedroom while it was the warmest.

"uhh so…. We should sleep" eric spoke snapping me out of my lingering thoughts as I nodded.

"y-yeah"

I climbed into the bed with eric following me. We laid beside each other as I switched off the lamp making glow-in-the-dark stickers glow on my roof.

"This is so pretty, strawberry" eric's voice was so calm and soft as he spoke.

"yeah?"

"yeah."

I turned to face him and noticed that he was already looking at me.

"I got these with Steffy," I said as he smiled.

"yeah?"

"I got them because I don't like sleeping in the dark"

ERIC'S P. O. V

"I got them because I don't like sleeping in the dark"

Listening to Simon opening up to me slowly felt great because I wanted him to trust me and rely on me. Whatever troubles he faces, I want to be there for him.

"Are you scared of the dark, strawberry?"

"no, just don't like it" he spoke softly and I moved closer to him holding his warm hand.

"I don't like it either, " I said as Simon smiled sleepily.

I closed my eyes only the sound of rain is heard as I felt Simon shift closer.

"you're warm, I'll hug you," he said sleepily making me chuckle quietly and pulling him closer to me.

Simon rested his head on my chest as I wrapped my arm around his back making him snuggle closer. In a few minutes, we were both out as a light.

STEFFY'S P. O. V

The rain doesn't seem to stop as I lay in the bed trying to find a proper movie to watch.

I wish the rain world stop so I could go out and get groceries. Also, I haven't met Simon for a while.

I had promised to go over but the rain seems to have different plans.

I scrolled through Instagram checking my follow requests as I accepted a few and declined the rest.

I accepted eric's request as I scrolled through his feed.

"let's see what his feed's like… wonder what Babyboy has in for--- HOLY COW THAT'S A HANDSOME MAN RIGHT THERE"

It was a picture of eric with another guy who looked like a PRINCE. Not kidding.

"This is a human version of all the Disney Princes combined"

I stalked through the gorgeous male's Instagram as I nibbled on the chips I had gotten a week ago.

I really need to go get groceries.

LARO'S P. O. V

I can never understand the deal with moms and their obsession with healthy food. It was raining cats and dogs and she still decided to send me out grocery shopping for vegetables which no one was interested in eating.

I was passing through the food aisle as I heard a voice grumble on and on about how rain should be banned.

I got closer to the voice and noticed that it was a girl who was angrily throwing food into her cart.

"I swear to god I will climb up there and break the damn clouds-

"um, excuse me?

"and they think it's easy to wake up at ass o clock in the morning-

"hey, um-

"who even invented rain bro that's so-

"Hello

"YES?

She turned around immediately making me recognize her as she calmed down wiping the frown off her face.

"you dropped your Doritos" she stared at me as I handed her the Doritos.

"Thanks."

"you're welcome. Steffy right?"

"Yeah. you're friends with eric" she guessed making me smile as I held my hand out for her.

"yeah, and you're Simon's friend," I said as she shook my hand giving me a small smile.

"I'm Laro by the way," I said as she grabbed her cart.

"Yeah. I know."

Does she know me? How?

"I'll see you around," she said snapping me out of my thoughts as I nodded before moving on with my list of vegetables.

Steffy. She's pretty.

SIMON'S P. O. V

"so you're telling me that you're dating anime boy?"

"well technically not yet"

"Okay you're dating"

I was telling Steffy about what had happened at eric's house as she listened patiently with wide eyes and a bag of chips in her hand.

Eric had left in the morning when the rain had stopped briefly. I remember waking up cuddled closer to him and it took me a whole 5 minutes to realize that it wasn't a dream.

He kissed my cheek before leaving saying he'll take me on a real date soon.

"I'm so proud of you Babyboy. Come here you chocolate ball" Steffy pulled me into a hug as I chuckled at her choice of words.

"by the way, do you know the gorgeous boy who's friends with eric?"

"Which one?" I asked curiously as I witnessed Steffy looking genuinely interested in a boy for the first time.

"the extremely gorgeous one, I don't remember his name… what was it… Oh! Laro."

"Laro, yeah. he's a good friend" I said as stef smiled while smirking.

"I ran into him at the store today," she said smugly and I raised my eyebrows as if asking her to explain.

"soooooooo I may or may not have stalked my way through his account when I saw a picture of anime boy with him."

"anddd??" I asked trying to press her further.

"and I think he's hot" stef replied making me nudge her playfully.

"Is this real or am I witnessing Steffy develop a crush for the first time"

"it's not a crush"

"oh, it is."

I pulled my phone out showing her the picture we had taken at the ice cream parlor and Stef's eyes lit up upon seeing it.

"holy cow! You know him?"

"Yeah, he's a friend and a very good guy," I said already thinking of ways to set my best friend up with my hero friend.

I got an idea in my mind as I watched Steffy go on and on about how laro was blessed with nice eyelashes.

Eric's p. o. v

I was lying on the bed like a lovesick puppy remembering the events of last night as my mind wandered to how hot and innocent Simon had looked at the same time.

It took everything in me to not go ballistic and cover his entire body in hickeys.

My phone dinged as I checked my messages to see that strawberry had texted. God, I might lose my mind thinking about him.

Simon_strawberry: hello o｜◕ˇ▽ˇ◕｜

Eric_theninjaboy: hi strawberry

Simon_strawberry: what are you up to?

Eric_theninjaboy: me? I'm just thinking about you...

I fought the urge to smile like a creep before I sent the next text.

Eric_theninjaboy: and how beautiful you looked yesterday

There was a pause for a few seconds before Simon replied.

I could imagine him blushing beet red at the message.

Simon_strawberry: did you have lunch?

I chuckled at his attempt to change the topic.

Eric_theninjaboy: why so shy strawberry?

Simon_strawberry: I'm not shy

Eric_theninjaboy: really?

Simon_strawberry: really.

Before I could type the next message Simon called making me stare at my phone is surprising.

"h-hello?"

"yes, strawberry?"

"I'm not shy a-and.. and I m-miss you too," he said making my heart skip a beat at his words.

"Okay baby, I won't tease you. I miss you" I said trying to calm my heart.

"b-baby?" I heard him stutter slightly as I smiled.

"Yeah. my baby" I said as I heard him shift and heard a muffled sound in the background.

Is strawberry okay?

"Eric.."

"yes, baby?"

" did you eat?"

"not yet strawberry. What about you?"

"not yet. Steffy is home. We'll cook something."

"Oh. Have a fun time strawberry."

"Yeah. a-and practice the dance routine."

"will do. And Simon?"

"yes?"

"come over tonight?"

SIMON'S P. O.V

"come over tonight?"

He sounded sweet and desperate as he said those words. something about the tone he spoke in made goosebumps appear on my body.

"s-sure," I said after a moment of silence as he said bye before saying bye.

"I'll pick you up. See you soon strawberry"

I felt my heart race at his words as I lay on Steffy's lap as she laughed maniacally at the horror movie she had been watching.

We decided to order take out for lunch and watched horror movies as Steffy made each and every one of them funny by making comments about the ghosts.

We lazily watched movies and ate food as Steffy decided she would head home leaving me alone to get ready before eric arrived.

I took a warm shower before dressing up in warm clothes and spraying green apple scented perfume.

Eric had texted saying he would be there by 6. The rain had started pouring again in the evening making me drown in the blankets for warmth.

I decided to text Laro as I waited for Eric to pick me up as I sent him a message. Soon after a few minutes, eric arrived as I locked the door and followed him to his car.

Eric's P. O. V

Simon smelled like heaven the moment he opened the door as I decided to act civil and not scare the shit out of him.

He was texting someone on his phone as I drove through the road enjoying the sound of rain.

"Who are you texting strawberry?" I asked curious to know why he looked like a kid as he smiled dorkily at his screen.

"I'm texting laro," he said making my heartburn in jealousy.

*you have been replaced*

"oh"

"it's been a long time I haven't talked to him," he said softly and I smiled forcibly.

"I see"

There was silence before Simon looked up to me.

"Eric?"

"yes?"

"do you think laro and Steffy would make a good couple?"

I grinned wider than the moon at night at his statement.

*haha dumb bitch*

I felt relieved knowing that Simon wasn't texting laro because he thinks I'm completely useless and waste compared to laro and that he was bored of me.

*he's not Katrina from middle school*

we reached our house soon as I kept grinning at him from time to time only for him to smile shyly and look away.

I led him upstairs to my bedroom as he looked a bit nervous?

"strawberry? You okay?"

"y-yeah. where is everyone else?"

"they're at my aunt's. my little sister just started her break so they decided to visit. They'll be back before Christmas"

"o-oh." I felt worried as he looked timid and nervous.

"Simon, babe are you okay?" I asked inching closer as he nodded looking flustered.

"y-yeah. it's just t-that..

"This is my f-first time staying over at y-yours and i-I'm new to this"

I smiled at his innocence as he struggled and fumbled to explain. Seriously how is this beauty inexperienced? He literally looks like an angel.

"that's totally alright, strawberry. Just be yourself" I said trying to calm him down.

"Okay," he whispered making me kiss his forehead.

Simon says he's not shy. I say he's breathtakingly adorable.