Rowaelin One Shots

Neighbors AU: Living right next to my boyfriend

Aelin's POV

I lied in my bed, contemplating. If I left for the night, it wouldn't be that awkward around Lysandra and Aedion. They'd been dating for a month or two, and they were acting kinda strange. They got a real babysitter for Ev tonight. They never got real babysitters. I was very suspicious of them. I didn't really want to hear anything through the thin walls. But if I didn't leave, I could make them all flustered tomorrow morning. Decisions, decisions. The decision was hard. I could stay with Rowan, I doubted he would mind. I smiled, he wouldn't mind at all.

We'd been dating for even longer than Lysandra and Aedion. It had taken them the third date to become 'official'. Rowan and I were boyfriend and girlfriend since the first date. It was like we were meant to be, like somewhere deep down I knew he was the one I was supposed to be with. He and I were a match made in heaven. We had bonded immediately and it just clicked, I knew that I wanted to be his girlfriend. But I wasn't sure because of others. I thought I loved him, but the idea scared me. My relationships usually failed, and I didn't want to hurt him like that. Maybe he was my redemption from all of those failed relationships. The only one that wasn't failed was my first. 

Sam had been murdered while trying to stop a rape. I knew it was how he would've wanted to go. He went out heroically. He gave the woman just enough time to get away. We lived in the same apartment, and I didn't see him for twelve hours before I contacted the police. Twelve hours. I had always felt partially to blame for it. I didn't call it in. He bled out from multiple stab wounds. The woman came out and told his story. I admired him for it, and hated myself. 

I hated myself for not saving him. I hated myself for taking him for granted all of those years he loved me and I didn't realize. I hated myself for not telling him I loved him one last time. I hated that I didn't hold him closer in our last night together. I hated that I didn't savor our last kiss. I hated that I didn't fully take it in every time he told me he loved me. I hated that I couldn't remember the exact color of his eyes anymore. I hated that the sound of his voice was barely a remnant in my mind. I hated that his face had faded from my memory. I hated that I wasn't there for him, one last time. I hated myself for not helping, even though I was only seventeen.

Rowan had been redemption. Rowan had been my atonement for all of the failed relationships. I hoped that Chaol could accept Rowan as I accepted Nesryn. I'd seen her around and had secretly become her friend. She was awesome, and sweet, and really cared for Chaol. I was glad he found someone like I did. I had also hung out with Dorian quite a bit in secret. We were getting along again. I'd introduced him to Rowan, and they seemed to get along, though Rowan was a bit territorial. I just went with it. He was like that a lot. Sometimes it was cute, sometimes it was annoying. It depended on the day.

I heard a soft voice coming from the room beside mine. Not Aedion's side, Rowan's apartment side. I approached the wall, trying to hear it better. I didn't know yet what kind of music he enjoyed. It wasn't something we'd discussed yet. I hoped he wasn't into something ridiculous. I seriously hoped it wasn't country. (no offence country lovers) I put my ear to the wall and sighed in relief. Fall Out Boy. I loved Fall Out Boy. I knew it was them, but it was hard to remember the song.

"Sometimes before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger. The person that you'd take a bullet for is behind the trigger, oh,"

I decided I knew how to handle this. I joined in.

"We're fading fast, I miss missing you, now and then,"

He didn't notice, so I got a bit louder on the next line.

"Making eyes at this musk around my heart,"

He seemed to hesitate before the next line.

"I see through you when we're sitting in the dark,"

I waited for him to start the next line, but he didn't. I smiled, he noticed me.

"Aelin?"

"Yep?"

"Were you just-"

"Yes, I love that song!"

"Come here,"

"Aren't you naked?"

"I winked, but you couldn't see it,"

"I rolled my eyes but you couldn't see,"

"Just come already! I'll put on some clothes,"

"Coming," 

I ran out of my room to find Lyssa and Aedion kissing passionately. Yep, I was glad to go. I ran out the door, not even bothering to grab a key, I had my phone. I didn't worry about knocking, and just walked in. Rowan was on his bed, wearing clothes, but very minimal. Just some shorts. That's literally all. But then I realized I was only wearing pajama shorts and a tank-top, so I guessed we were even.

"Thank you for saving me,"

"Lysaedion?"

"You made a ship name for them?"

"Yep, and we're Rowaelin,"

I raised my eyebrows, "Nice one,"

"You know you were thinking it!"

"Sure,"

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

"Yeah, what do you have?"

"Avengers: Age of Ultron?"

"I like the way you think,"

He put in the movie and pulled me into his lap. I held one of his hands while his other stroked my hair like a cat. I rested my head on his shoulder. It was only eight o' clock. Sometimes I'd look up at him, just to find him staring at me and not the movie. He was perfect, and I didn't care about my other relationships, I loved him. I could sense it strongly now. I finally knew for sure. The movie ended and the credits began to roll, who watched those? I got up and turned the TV off.

"Could I stay the night?"

"Yeah, if you stay in my bed,"

"Deal," I said, "Did you know that deals used to be sealed by kisses?"

"Well now I do, would you like to seal the deal?"

"It would be my pleasure," 

I stood on my tip-toes to try to reach his face. He was more than a head taller than me, so it was hard.

"Ha! You're too short!" I got him in a choke-hold and flipped him onto his bed and stood over him.

"Who's the short one now, Buzzard?" I didn't know why I'd called him Buzzard, but it was a thing now. I called him Buzzard, he called me Fireheart.

"Okay gosh-" before he could finish I kissed him, but soon pulled apart.

"Deal is sealed, so get into bed, it's almost ten! You need to get to work tomorrow, so do I!"

"Yes ma'am,"

"Good." I climbed into bed next to him. And cuddled up next to him.

Rowan's POV

She was probably long asleep by now. It was almost midnight, but I was distracted by her. I thought I loved her. The thought was scary, but lovely. I wanted to love her. I was pleased with my love, I just wasn't sure she returned it. We'd only been dating two months. I just really felt happy when I was with her. Happier than I'd felt in a very very long time. I didn't know how to tell her that. I wasn't poetic, so I had that disadvantage. Maybe I'd just tell her some other time.

I drew little circles on her back. She'd flipped, her back facing me, sometime during her sleep. I looked at her, and felt her steady breathing. She was so peaceful. I wrote the words onto her back. I told her I loved her, though I knew she couldn't understand. I wrote it over and over, I guessed it released the stress. It felt like I was actually saying it. I felt her move a bit, then stopped. She turned to me and said,

"I love you too,"

I held her in my arms that night, and I didn't let her go until morning.