⋆•°.🤍*࿐LOVE IS BLIND!⋆౨ৎ˚⟡🫧🕯️˖ ࣪

DUGAN'S APARTMENT
new york, new york
march 1990, 11am

annie nervously fidgeted outside dugan's apartment door, the weight of her decision weighing heavily on her shoulders. she took a deep breath and gathered her courage before lifting her hand and knocking firmly on the door.

after a moment, she heard footsteps approach the door from inside and it swung open to reveal dugan, surprised to see her.

"annie, what a surprise." he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "what brings you here?" annie opened her mouth to speak but he didn't let her continue, "come. let me show you this."

dugan led annie through his opulence apartment and into his living room.

"i got this armchair just today." he told her, gesturing towards a new antique mahogany armchair. "it's a beauty, isn't it? obviously, it's no african utile but...it'll do."

annie studied the armchair, noting the intricate carvings and polished finish. she had to admit, it was a beautiful piece of furniture.

but it didn't hold a candle to the african utile armchair that john now had.

"it is...beautiful." she said.

dugan smirked, pleased with her response. "i knew you'd like it." he said as he ran his hand over the smooth wood. "but i've always had good taste. that's how i knew to pick you up, too."

"well, about me. i wanted to talk about me...about well." she paused. "about us."

dugan's expression darkened slightly, sensing what she was about to say. "what about us?" he asked, his voice tense.

"i want out." she choked out.

dugan's jaw visibly clenched at her words, the muscles in his face tensing. he turned to face her fully, his eyes narrowing. "excuse me?" he asked, his voice low and tight.

"i know that i'm a writer, but right now i'm at a loss for words." she said as she took a seat on his couch. "i just can't see myself continuing on with this relationship, dugan. i'm unhappy."

dugan's expression darkened further, fury building in his eyes. "you're unhappy." he repeated, his voice cold. "so you're just going to throw away what we have because you're unhappy."

annie nodded, feeling a sense of relief in having finally said it out loud. "yes, dugan. that's exactly what i'm doing." she said forcefully. "i'm sorry, but this isn't working for me anymore."

dugan let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "you don't get to throw away everything we have just because you're having a crisis."

"i'm not having a crisis." she refuted. "i'm making a decision to prioritize my happiness."

dugan stalked closer to her, anger radiating off of him. "your happiness?" he sneered. "that's the problem, annie. you're too focused on yourself. you don't care about anyone or anything else."

annie flinched at his words, feeling the sting of his accusations. "that's not true." she protested. "i do care. i just care about myself more."

dugan let out a scoff in disbelief, "you're selfish is what you are."

"so i'm selfish for putting my mental over everything else?" she retorted. "well then call me a self-loathing bitch, because i will gladly take care of myself. and i'm sorry that it offends you."

dugan's face twisted in anger at her defiant tone, "you're unbelievable, you know that?" he seethed. "you're willing to toss aside everything we've built just because you're feeling some kind of way."

"some kind of way?" she repeated, her own anger rising. "i'm not feeling some kind of way. i'm feeling unhappy, dugan. can't you understand that?"

dugan gritted his teeth, "you know, i was unhappy that i didn't get my utile african antique armchair! did i throw our relationship out of the door? no!"

annie's face reddened with anger, "you're equating a relationship with a piece of furniture?!"

dugan shrugged, "it's the principle of the matter." he leaned against the back of his couch, studying her for a moment. "and here we are. you're ending the most stable relationship i've ever had. do you think that won't come back to bite you?"

annie rolled her eyes at his statement, annoyance clear in her expression. she quickly got up to leave, not wanting to continue arguing.

but as she was making her way to the door, dugan called out to her.

"wait, annie." he said, his voice laced with irritation.

she turned to face him, watching as he sat down heavily on the new mahogany armchair. the armchair let out a worrying creak as dugan settled into it.

annie winced, sensing something was wrong. "dugan, i don't think that chair can handle-" she tried to warn him, but before she could finish her sentence, the armchair collapsed beneath him.

dugan let out a cry of surprise as he fell to the ground.

annie watched in shock as dugan landed on the floor, the broken pieces of the armchair surrounding him. "are you alright?!" she asked, her concern overruling her annoyance.

"this damn thing isn't even real mahogany!" he exclaimed.

"it wasn't real mahogany from the entire get-go? wow, dugan. i'd expect you to have known that." annie said, repeating his words from the charity event. "if you'd excuse me." she said before leaving.

annie felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she walked down the stairwell, her emotions threatening to spill over. she reached into her pocket and took out her cellphone. her hands trembled slightly as she dialed john's number, listening to it ring.

after a few rings, she heard john's voice on the other end. "annie?" he said, his voice laced with concern.

"i'm ready to talk about it. now." she said.

there was silence on the other end for a moment, and then she heard the sound of shuffling as he got up from his desk.

"meet me at the park. i'm on my way." he said, his voice firm yet gentle.

"central park." annie confirmed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"yeah. at our bench." he added.

"okay, see you soon." annie replied.

CENTRAL PARK
new york, new york
12pm

annie sat on their usual bench in central park, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. the park was nearly empty due to the chilly weather, but she didn't mind.

she looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching, and saw john walking towards her.

he sat down beside her on the bench, his body close but not quite touching hers.

"were you busy when i called?" she asked him.

he shook his head, "kind of. i was in a study group...for the bar exam." he explained.

"right, that's coming up." she said with a nod.

"so you wanted to talk about it, about dugan, the things i said, all that jazz." john said.

annie nodded, her heart still racing. she took a deep breath and began, "i broke things off with dugan." she confessed. "i just- i could take it anymore. i wasn't happy."

john studied annie's face as she spoke, sensing the weight of her decision. "i'm proud of you." he said softly.

"yeah?" she responded, looking over at him.

"yeah." he replied. "i'm proud of you for prioritizing your own happiness. and not settling for something that doesn't fulfill you."

annie felt her heart clench at his words. she had been expecting some reaction to the news, but his support was unexpected.

"seriously?" she asked him, eyes slightly wide.

he nodded, "of course. you deserve to be happy, annie. you deserve more than what dugan had to give."

"i deserve you, right?" she said.

john inhaled sharply at her question, the words hitting him right in the chest. he looked into her eyes, seeing the vulnerability there. "yeah, you do." he said, his voice low. "you deserve me. that is, if you'll have me."

she paused, not talking about it and instead looking around. "where's your camera crew?" she asked referring to the random paparazzi crowds that always followed john around.

john let out a light chuckle at her question, the first genuine smile he's had today. "nowhere in sight." he said. "today's a quiet day, thankfully."

"a miracle, some would say." she joked.

john smiled wider at her joke, admiring her quick wit. "it's a blessing, that's for sure."

there was a beat of comfortable silence between them, neither of them speaking but both of them aware of the weight of their conversation.

"i agree. i deserve you, john." she finally agreed.

john felt a wave of relief wash over him at her words. he had hoped for this outcome, but hearing her say it made it real.

"you don't know how long i've wanted to hear you say that." he said, his voice cracking slightly.

annie smiled faintly at his words, heart thumping in her chest. "me too." she admitted. "i've missed you."

john reached over and took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. "i've missed you more."

"i think that i was looking for you in dugan." she admitted. "it's sad, but it's true."

john squeezed her hand gently, his grip firm yet comforting. "i get it. i was looking for you in cecily." he said. "i think that sometimes we try to fill a void with something new, hoping it'll be the same." he looked at her, expression intense. "but nothing will ever compare to us, annie."

annie felt her cheeks flush pink at his words, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "nothing will ever compare." she echoed. "you're all i want, john. i don't want something new, i just want you back."

john looked into her eyes, seeing the truth in her words. his heart was pounding in his chest, the weight of her words settling over him.

"you're all i want too." he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "you have no idea how badly i've wanted to hear you say that."

"what happens now?" she asked him.

john smiled slightly at her question, his mind racing. he knew what he wanted, but he also knew that things weren't going to be that simple.

"now, we start over." he said, his grip on her hand tightening. "we take it slow. we figure things out. we prioritize ourselves and each other."

"well wait a second." she halted. "we have to really take things slow, and be on the low. if the press got an understanding of us being back together, they'd run wild with all kinds of stories!" she exclaimed. "not to mention how terrible it'd look because we're back so soon after ending our relationships."

john nodded in agreement, knowing that she was right. "yeah, you're right. the press would have a field day if they got wind of this." he mused. "but trust me, i'm more than willing to stay on the down low for a while if it means i get to be with you."

annie chuckled at his words, touched by his commitment. "you're willing to sneak around just to be with me?" she teased, her eyes sparkling.

"i'm willing to do anything to be with you." he said, his voice gruff.

a wave of emotion washed over annie as she looked into his eyes. she had never imagined that she would be sitting on this park bench, having this conversation with him.

"i don't want things to be like they were last time." she said, her voice low. "i don't want us to lose each other again."

john tightened his grip on her hand, the weight of her words hitting him hard. "we won't." he said, his voice firm. "we won't lose each other again. i promise." he lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against her knuckles.

housekeeping notes !

they're backkkkkk!!!!!!! who's pumped??