Track Twenty-Six
The tour is over.
Those words still don't feel real.
For months it felt like her entire life had been packed into suitcases, buses, hotel rooms, backstage hallways, and stages. Every day had somewhere to be. Something to rehearse. Someone calling her name.
Now?
Nothing.
Just a flight back to New York.
And you.
Her phone lights up as the plane taxis toward the gate.
A smile immediately spreads across her face.
She rolls her eyes, some things seem to never change.
JFK is chaos like usual according to Y/N, people rushing everywhere. Rolling suitcases and families reuniting.
The familiar New York noise somehow found its way inside the airport itself. But thankfully the house is pretty close to JFK so can't complain much.
Daniela drags her suitcase through the terminal, exhaustion still sitting in her bones. Then she sees you.
Near the exit, a usual black hoodie with your beanie pulled low. Hands shoved in your pockets, trying to look casual. But kind of failing miserably. Because the second your eyes find hers, every bit of that fake composure disappears.
Daniela doesn't even realize she's smiling until your face mirrors it. Neither of you wave or scream each other's name. You both just start walking faster. Then faster.
Until you're standing in front of each other, and for half a second neither of you says anything. Just looking. Actually looking.
No screen.
No FaceTime lag.
Just you. You pick her up into a hug, wrapping her legs around your waist. Both breathing and taking each other in after what felt like a lifetime.
"Hi," Daniela says softly into your neck.
Your laugh comes out immediately.
Like you've been holding it in.
"Hi."
Your arms are around her, strong and instant. Pulling her completely against you. Daniela lets out a small breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
God she missed this. Not the calls. Not the texts.
This.
The way your arms feel. The way your heartbeat sounds when she's close enough. The way you always squeeze twice before letting go. A side of you that always does and will bring a smile to her face.
"You got heavier."
She immediately pulls back.
"What?"
Your grin widens.
"Your suitcase."
"Oh my God."
You laugh as she smacks your arm.
"There she is."
The entire walk to the parking garage is easy. Comfortable. Like neither of you are trying to impress the other anymore. You're carrying her suitcase despite her repeated protests.
"Y/N."
"No."
"I can carry my own bag."
"No."
"You're being dramatic."
"No."
She shakes her head realizing she missed this so much, how you haven't changed at all.
Then she spots the car. Immediately.
"Absolutely not."
Your grin appears instantly.
"What?"
"You washed it."
"I always wash it."
"You washed it today."
You look away. Which is answer enough. Daniela laughs.
"You are unbelievable."
"This is my baby."
"Uh huh."
"And you should feel honored."
"Sure." You open the passenger door with exaggerated politeness. "After you." She shakes her head but gets in anyway. The second the doors close, the city noise fades. Suddenly it's just you two. Again. The first few moments are quiet. Not awkward, just starting to settle.
Daniela glances over as you start the engine but to her surprise, you're already looking at her. You immediately look forward.
Caught.
She starts laughing. "Oh my God."
"What?"
"You missed me."
You grip the steering wheel.
"I saw you three weeks ago."
"On FaceTime."
"Same thing."
It's literally not."
"Dani shush cant you see im driving" you say dramatically, as you haven't even pulled out yet.
Traffic is annoying, very New York but it somehow makes the drive better. You spend most of it talking about absolutely nothing. Tour stories. Studio stories. Sophia and Megan both accidentally lock themselves out of the hotel room. Malcolm forgetting lyrics to his own songs.
By the time you're crossing into your neighborhood in Queens, Daniela realizes she's barely looked at her phone once. That alone feels nice. Eventually familiar streets appear.
Daniela watches them pass through the window.
"You really grew up around here?"
You nod.
"Pretty much, i think i mentioned before btu we lived in Brooklyn for a little bit but Queens; nah this really my home for real"
"You know everyone?"
"Unfortunately, that's what I've been told."
She laughs.
"Seriously."
"I'm serious."
When you finally pull up in front of the house, Daniela immediately recognizes it. Same as before. The same one that somehow explains you every time she sees it. Not flashy.
Not trying too hard. Just home. You kill the engine. Neither of you move immediately. The quiet settles around you. Then you glance at her and a smile genuinely appears on your face, "Welcome back."
The words are simple. But something about them makes her chest tighten. Because that's what this feels like. Coming back. Not to New York.
To you.
Your POV
You grab her suitcase from the trunk while she carries her backpack. The second she steps inside, the familiar scent of the house hits her. The same couch.
The same photos.
The same lived-in feeling.
And somehow it makes her smile.
You notice immediately.
"What?"
"I missed this house."
Your eyebrow rises. "You missed my house?"
"You know what I mean." A smug grin spreads across your face.
"Say it."
"No."
"Say it."
She drops her backpack by the couch. "I missed you."
The grin disappears instantly. Replaced by something softer.
Real.
The kind of expression you only get when you're caught off guard. You step closer pulling her into you.
Close enough that you can see the exhaustion under her eyes. The weeks of work. The same weeks you'd been missing her. Your hand settles on her waist.
Gentle.
Not possessive.
Just there.
"I missed you too." pulling her into a soft and calming kiss.
And for the first time in weeks, neither of you has anywhere else to be. No airport. No tour bus. No studio deadline for the next few hours.
Just a quiet house. And the feeling that maybe, finally, you get a little time together before the world starts pulling at both of you again.
"Wanna take a nap?" you ask.
" What nooooo. We just got in, i wanna talk and cuddle with you. And I'm hungry" Dani says leaving against your chest up at you with a slight pout.
"Alright alright, whatever the beautiful girl wants, she gets. What you hungry for?"
"Um can we get the tacos from that place last time i was here." she says
"You read my mind, ordering it now." placing a kiss on her head.