BLOOM • awsten knight

END

DECEMBER 2019

Ethan has informed Elle that he was planning on proposing in roughly the next hour; so, for that hour, she's sat on Awsten's couch, waiting anxiously for a phone call.

The two of them are watching The Office, mainly as a distraction from thinking about Ethan and Taylor, and how things are going.

But, midway through an episode, Elle's phone begins to ring.

"Oh my god," she jumps, scrambling to reach it, to see the screen lit up with Taylor's contact, requesting a FaceTime.

"I'm fucking engaged!" Taylor shouts, as soon as the call connect.

"You're fucking engaged!" Elle matches her energy.

"Wait... You don't seem very surprised,"Taylor raises her eyebrows, looking to Ethan briefly, who wears a guilty expression. "Did you know this was happening?"

"Yeah, we've known for a couple days.." Elle replies, smiling.

"We? Awsten, too?" Her eyes widen. "How the fuck did I not know?"

"What are you trying to say about my secret keeping abilities?" Awsten peers over Elle's shoulder, feigning a pout, earning an eye roll.

"Well, it's you guys next," Taylor shrugs, causing Awsten to sheepishly bury his head in the crook of Elle's neck.

"Give us a break," Elle laughs. "We only just had the balls to say I love you like, three days ago."

"You what?" Taylor gasps. "Fucking finally!"

Elle hums in response, unable to focus on much else, other than the way Awsten is smiling against her shoulder.

"Okay, now, as much as I love you, Tay," she begins, "I insist that you now go and spend some time with your fiancé, and quit bugging my boyfriend and I."

"Rude," Taylor frowns. "But fair. Gonna go spend some time with my fiancé," she repeats, enjoying the way the word sounds coming out of her mouth. "Love you, bye!" She waves, before the call ends.

Elle lets out a content sigh, tossing her phone beside her, and wrapping her arms around Awsten, who's now fully cuddled up to her.

"Hi," he mumbles, looking up at her through his eyelashes.

"Hey," she giggles in return.

"I love you," Awsten smiles, taking advantage of being openly able to say it now.

"I love you, too."

//

When New Year's Eve rolls around, Awsten and Elle go to a party.

It seems pretty out of character for the two of them, but it's being hosted by Awsten's good friend, Maxx, who Elle has also met previously, so the two are more than happy to go.

It's not a huge, but there's enough people for it to be a lively, Los Angeles New Year's party.

It feels nice for them to go out to a sort of, event now that their relationship is much more out in the open.