The afternoon drifted in with the kind of gentle laziness that only comes after an unforgettable morning.
Hriva sat cross-legged on the couch, sipping her second cup of coffee while Jake moved around the apartment, cleaning up in that casual way that said he wasn't trying to impress her. It felt… comfortable. Domestic. Like something they'd done a hundred times, even if it was only their first morning like this.
Her phone buzzed once. Then again. She glanced at the screen and smiled.
Jake:You're in my hoodie, on my couch, drinking my coffee. You're officially dangerous.
She typed back without looking up from her cup.
Hriva: You're the one who gave me the hoodie.
Jake: You stole it with your eyes. I didn't stand a chance.
Her laughter was soft, spilling out like sunlight as Jake appeared from the hallway with a fresh shirt on and damp hair, tousled from a quick shower.
"You texting me while I'm in the same house?" he asked, pretending to be wounded.
"You started it," she teased.
Jake walked over, placed a kiss at the top of her head, and then sat down beside her, pulling her legs across his lap like it was second nature.
"Wanna do something today?" he asked, gently rubbing circles into her shin. "I was thinking of taking you somewhere."
She raised an eyebrow. "Somewhere as in another surprise picnic? Or are you planning to drive me off into the woods and make me your forest girlfriend?"
He grinned. "Tempting. But I was actually thinking… there's a small cookout happening at Ian's place. My cousin."
Hriva blinked. "Cookout? As in, family?"
"Yeah. Just a casual thing. Backyard, burgers, terrible playlist. I didn't plan to go, but he just messaged me and said if I don't show up, I'm getting disowned."
"Is it like… an open invite? Would it be weird if I came?"
Jake looked at her like she had just asked if the sky was allowed to be blue.
"I want you there," he said. "That is… if you're comfortable."
She considered it, tilting her head to one side. "Meeting family already? That's kind of serious."
Jake didn't flinch. "So is how I feel about you."
That silenced her. Not in a bad way. Just in a way that made her heart press harder against her ribs.
"Okay," she said quietly. "Let's go."
Ian's house sat in a quiet neighborhood just a short drive away. A low fence circled a large backyard, where people milled about under string lights already glowing in the soft afternoon sun. Laughter spilled into the air, mingling with the smell of grilled meat and the faint sizzle of soda being poured over ice.
Hriva stepped out of the truck, her fingers twitching slightly. She wasn't nervous about being judged. She was nervous because it felt like something more than just a cookout.
This was a peek into Jake's life.
Jake appeared at her side, his hand gently brushing hers before linking their fingers together. "You good?"
"I'm okay. Just....."
He kissed her temple. "I've got you."
As they walked in, Jake was greeted with loud cheers and playful insults. A group of guys tossed him a beer and smacked his shoulder like they hadn't seen him in years. Hriva hung back for a moment, taking in the scene.
And then she heard it.
"So this is the girl," a voice said behind her.
She turned to see a tall, lean guy with dark hair and a crooked grin. He looked like Jake, but not quite. More mischief in his eyes. A little more chaos in his smile.
"Ian?" she guessed.
"The one and only." He extended a hand. "You must be the infamous Hriva. I was starting to think Jake made you up."
She laughed, shaking his hand. "Infamous already?"
"Oh, absolutely. He talks about you like you descended from the stars. It's a little nauseating."
Jake appeared behind her, sliding an arm around her waist. "Ignore him. He was dropped as a child."
Ian smirked. "Dropped into charm, thank you very much."
The banter was easy. Fluid. And soon, Hriva found herself at ease. She helped flip burgers, laughed at old family stories, and watched Jake come alive in ways she hadn't seen before. He was relaxed here. Effortless. Surrounded by people who knew him beyond his guitar and his thoughtful words.
At one point, she sat at a picnic table with a lemonade in hand, watching him wrestle one of his younger cousins in the grass. The boy was maybe eight, full of chaotic energy, and Jake let him win with a dramatic flop that sent everyone into laughter.
He caught her eyes from across the yard and winked.
And just like that, her heart melted again.
Later, as twilight deepened and the backyard glowed under fairy lights, Jake returned to her side with two sodas and a blanket.
"You're quiet," he said, sitting beside her.
"Just soaking it in."
"How bad was it?"
She turned to him. "It was… beautiful, actually. Seeing you like this. With them. It's another version of you. But still you."
Jake smiled, brushing her hair behind her ear. "They liked you."
"Yeah?"
He leaned in, whispering near her lips. "I love you."
The words caught her off guard. Not because she wasn't expecting them someday. But because she didn't realize they were already so close.
Her lips parted. Eyes wide.
But Jake didn't look away. His gaze stayed steady, warm, like he wasn't afraid to say it first.
She swallowed hard, heart stuttering.
And then she whispered, "I love you too."
They sat like that beneath the lights. No fanfare. No big moment. Just two people tangled in the roots of something real.
And somewhere in the background, the music kept playing. The burgers kept sizzling. And the night carried on around them, unaware that two people had just crossed an invisible line.
From falling…
To belonging.