Paint You Wings.

Alex walked out of the café, his hair falling into his face due to the rain that was still coming down from the sky above him. His hands were shoved into the front pockets of his skinny jeans as he walked away from the café - knowing that it could have damn well been the last time he ever saw Riley for awhile.

Riley. What that girl did to him was insane. It was ridiculous how one girl could change his life so much. So many songs on the upcoming record were inspired by the blonde haired beauty, and he honestly wouldn't have it any other way. He could only wish that he'd seen her that night, so that he could have ignored Tay's taunts and instead, be cuddled up in the bus with the woman that he'd fallen in love with.

For all he knew, though, Riley could hate him so much right now. She could be sat in the café, silently laughing at how stupid Alex was to fall in love with her - even though he knew that there was no way Riley would be doing that. Sweet, sweet Riley. There was no way.

His breathing became slightly laboured as he walked; and it wasn't due to how he was getting tired from the short, brisk walk. His thoughts had lingered over to his late older brother, and how he'd promised that they'd be together forever - the Gaskarth brothers taking over the world somehow. He promised that he wouldn't ever leave, but he left anyway.

What if Riley left? For good?

Alex wouldn't be able to take it if she did. He couldn't live without her. He couldn't stand the thought of having to watch her cuddled up to another man, getting married to another man, or growing old with another man. Any other man that wasn't him would never be good enough for her.

But then again, no man would ever be enough for Riley, so what made him think that he was good enough?

His vision started to get blurry; was it because of the rain or the tears that had formed in his eyes? He wouldn't know if one asked him. He found it harder and harder to breathe, clutching a hand to his chest - pressing down on his skin hard, as though that would aid him in achieving a regular breathing pattern.

Alex heaved another deep breath, staggering to the brick wall by his side, using it as a support. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed help. No, he needed Riley. She could calm him down with just her touch, no words needed.

But Riley isn't here, now is she?

His back slid down the red brick wall, the rain still pouring down from above; though it wasn't as heavy as before. His sat on the floor with his knees bent, brought up to his chest and head resting between them - something that Jack would be telling him to do had he been there.

Had he lost Jack too? Because of how stupid he'd been?

He should've just stayed with Riley. He shouldn't have gone to talk with Tay. He shouldn't have said those things about Riley - even if he was defending her. He should've just walked away, be the better man.

Alex recalled the blank face on his best friend's face. He'd never seen that look on Jack - directed to him, especially. Jack rarely got angry, but when he did, it was legitimately scary.

Alex took in deep breaths, silently counting to ten in his head and blatantly lying to himself - that everything was going to be alright. No one was walking the streets at the moment, so he was alone. All alone.

Someone pulled him into a side hug, but he couldn't look up. He was hoping that it was at least someone he knew, - he wouldn't even care if it was Lisa - but his mind was in a right mess. His breathing was still harsh and quick; like air couldn't get into his lungs fast enough and they were about to collapse. He let the person hold him, pull him into their body while they simply ran their hands along his shoulder in a comforting manner.

Alex took in deep breaths now, his eyes still screwed shut and head still ducked between his knees. He had to be calm before he could be embarrassed about his attack to the stranger who was comforting him.

When he finally got the guts to look up, his eyes widened. Riley smiled at him weakly, offering him a one-shouldered shrug. He caught sight of a single tear drop from the corner of her eyes and his hand hesitantly reached up, catching it and wiping it away - though it was disguised well amongst the rain drops. Her hair was wet, as though she'd just taken a shower when she was really only in the rain, and there were bits in her face, so he pushed it away, tucking it behind her ear.

Alex opened his mouth to speak but she shook her head, placing a hand on either side of his neck while her thumbs were placed on his cheeks. He placed a hand on her waist, drawing her in closer while the other hand was left tangled in her hair.

She let their foreheads touch as a smile came unto her lips. "I love you."

Alex blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but he couldn't. No words, let alone a sound, could escape his lips. He resisted the urge to pinch himself - to convince himself that this wasn't a dream. That she was in front of him, in the rain, telling him that she loved him, with words.

"How --?"

She let out a small laugh, and he was right about her laugh being the sweetest thing that would ever be heard by mankind. "You." She said simply, her voice raspy from years of disuse.

Alex tried to speak again, but he came up with nothing. It seemed as though the tables had turned and he was the mute one now. But he couldn't care any less, because she was speaking. Riley was speaking.

He let out a disbelieving, breathy laugh before he cracked the biggest grin he'd ever pulled his lips into, pushing his head forward so that their lips could touch. Lips connected, tongues tangled, hands roamed. They were like two teenage kids, young and in love.

He pulled away, breathless and a priceless smile upon his handsome features as he looked at the woman in front of him. He looked at her as though he was looking at her for the first time. He memorised the curve of her lips, the slope of her nose, the shape of her eyes - everything.

"I love you so much." He finally managed to get out, earning a smile in response. Alex pulled her into a hug, brushing soft kisses upon the skin that he had access to. "So fucking much." He mouthed against her skin.

Lips touched his skin, as did fingers gently run through his wet hair. "I love you, too, 'Lex."

Alex couldn't contain the cheesy grin that appeared on his lips. Though, if he was being honest - he wouldn't want to hide it, anyway. He loved the way the shortened form of his name rolled off of her tongue. He loved the way her voice was so raspy and yet it sounded like the sexiest thing, ever. He loved that he was the first person to hear her voice in years. And most of all, he just really fucking loved her.

"We should probably get out of the rain." He said after a moment, the rain subsiding slightly but still coming down on them, though he made no move to remove himself from her.

She nodded against his shoulder. "We probably should."

Alex eventually pulled away from her, snatching her hand up and tangling their fingers together. He was positively beaming as he leaned down to plant another sweet, short kiss on her lips.

As they jogged back to the café to seek refuge from the rain, he couldn't help himself from admiring the way she was smiling as she ran, every time he glanced back to look at her. She slipped her hand out of his just before they could enter the café. Alex furrowed his eyebrows together, but Riley only smiled, outstretching her arms from beside her and then spinning in circles - letting the rain come down on her face.

Alex laughed, pulling her into him by the waist. She giggled, and it was the cutest fucking thing that he'd ever heard in his entire life. Her fingers splayed out across his chest as he smiled down at her, kissing her nose lightly.

"You know... I could marry you." Alex spoke without much thought, since he already knew that he couldn't live without her, no matter how hard he tried to tell himself that he was moving too fast.

"Ask me again in a couple of years and maybe I'll say yes." Riley smirked, earning an eye roll from the man with the pink hair, though his grin was still so huge that Riley was starting to think that it was hurting his cheeks.

"God, I love you."

"As do I, love you."