Ferdinand and Daisy stood at the gates of the campus, the lingering words "You're my boyfriend" still echoing in Ferdinand's mind. It was surreal, hearing Daisy say that, and as they walked away from the university, hand in hand, the reality of the situation slowly began to sink in.
"You're serious, right?" Ferdinand asked, trying to keep his voice steady as they made their way back to his place. "I mean, about the whole... boyfriend thing?"
Daisy smiled softly, glancing up at him with an amused look in her eyes. "I wouldn't have said it if I wasn't serious."
Ferdinand felt a strange mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling inside him. The idea that he, Ferdinand, the guy who had spent most of his time buried in spreadsheets and trade analysis projects, now had a *girlfriend* was something he couldn't quite wrap his head around. And not just any girlfriend—Daisy, the girl he had admired from afar for so long, the one who had somehow managed to break through his self-imposed walls.
They reached his apartment building and made their way up the stairs in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but more of an unspoken acknowledgment of the newness of what was happening between them. Once inside his apartment, Ferdinand tossed his backpack onto the floor and turned to face Daisy, who had already made herself comfortable on the couch.
She sat there, legs curled under her, looking perfectly at ease in his space, while Ferdinand felt like he was stumbling through uncharted territory. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Should he sit beside her? Should he say something?
Daisy glanced at him and patted the seat next to her. "Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to sit?"
Ferdinand chuckled nervously and moved to sit down, leaving a small gap between them on the couch. His mind was racing with questions, uncertainties, and a thousand different thoughts about what being in a relationship even meant.
"So," he began, running a hand through his hair. "We're... dating now?"
Daisy looked at him with a mixture of amusement and affection. "Yes, Ferdinand, we're dating."
Ferdinand nodded slowly, processing the words. "Like... officially?"
Daisy laughed, the sound soft and light. "Yes, officially."
He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, sinking a little deeper into the couch. It wasn't that he didn't want this—he did, more than anything—but the reality of it was so different from the way he had imagined it. In his mind, everything would be smooth and effortless, but now that it was actually happening, he realized how much he didn't know about relationships.
"So, uh," he began again, glancing at Daisy, who was watching him with an amused smile. "What do we do now? Like... as a couple?"
Daisy raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying his confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Ferdinand said, his voice a little uncertain, "what do *couples* do? Do we... I don't know, go on dates? Hold hands? Kiss? What's the protocol here?"
Daisy laughed again, a genuine, full-bellied laugh that made Ferdinand's cheeks flush. She leaned over, closing the gap between them, and nudged him with her shoulder.
"Ferdinand," she said, her tone gentle but teasing, "there's no rulebook for this. We can do whatever we want."
He blinked, staring at her, his mind racing with a million different possibilities. "So... we're just figuring this out as we go?"
Daisy nodded, her expression softening. "Yeah, pretty much."
Ferdinand felt his heart rate slow down a bit, the nervousness starting to fade. He looked down at their hands, still intertwined, and the sight brought a small smile to his face. It felt right, even if it was all new and a little overwhelming.
"So," he said, his voice quieter now, "does that mean I can... do things?"
Daisy raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Do things?"
"Yeah," Ferdinand said, shifting a little awkwardly in his seat. "Like, you know, couple things. Hold your hand. Maybe... kiss you?"
Daisy's eyes sparkled with amusement, but there was also a warmth in her gaze that made Ferdinand feel more at ease. She leaned in a little closer, her tone playful but sincere. "I think you're allowed to do that, yeah."
Ferdinand swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "And... you'd be okay with that?"
Daisy smirked, leaning back against the couch. "I think I'd survive."
There was a pause, the air between them thick with anticipation, and Ferdinand could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had kissed Daisy before, sure—when she had been drunk—but this was different. This was *real*, and the idea of taking that step felt both exciting and terrifying.
He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing, but then Daisy's voice cut through the silence.
"Ferdinand," she said softly, her tone gentle, "it's okay."
Her words were like a lifeline, and Ferdinand felt the last bit of tension leave his body. Daisy was smiling, her cheeks slightly flushed. "See? That wasn't so hard."
Ferdinand chuckled, a little breathless. "Yeah, I guess not."
They sat there for a moment, the atmosphere between them shifting from nervous to something more comfortable, more relaxed. It was strange, how quickly things could change. Just a few hours ago, Ferdinand had been worrying about spreadsheets and trade analysis, and now here he was, sitting on the couch with his *girlfriend*,
Girlfriend. The word still felt strange to him, like it didn't quite fit yet. But at the same time, it felt right, like something he had been waiting for without even realizing it.
"So," Daisy said, breaking the silence, "what's going through that overthinking brain of yours right now?"
Ferdinand smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly? I'm still in shock. I mean... I have a girlfriend. That's kind of a big deal for me."
Daisy chuckled. "It's a big deal for me too, you know."
"I know," Ferdinand said quickly. "It's just... I don't know. I've never done this before."
"Done what?" Daisy asked, tilting her head.
"This," Ferdinand gestured between them. "Dating. Being in a relationship. It's new to me."
Daisy nodded, her expression softening. "It's new to me too, Ferdinand. We're figuring this out together."
He sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I guess I just... I don't want to mess it up. I like you, Daisy. A lot. And I want to make sure I do this right."
Daisy smiled, her eyes warm. "You're not going to mess it up. We'll have awkward moments, sure, but that's part of it. We're just two quiet kids trying to get comfortable with each other. It's going to be weird sometimes, but we'll figure it out."
Ferdinand nodded, her words reassuring him. It was true—they were both navigating uncharted territory, but they were doing it together, and that made all the difference.
"So," Daisy said after a brief pause, her tone turning playful again. "What kind of 'couple things' do you want to do, now that we've established that we're dating?"
Ferdinand chuckled, glancing over at her. "I don't know. Go on dates, I guess. Maybe... watch movies together?"
Daisy grinned. "That sounds nice."
"And, uh," Ferdinand continued, his voice a little more hesitant, "maybe hold hands. Kiss. That kind of stuff."
Daisy's grin widened. "You're allowed to do that, you know."
Ferdinand blushed, but he smiled, feeling a little more confident now. "Yeah, I guess I am."
There was a comfortable silence between them for a moment, and then Ferdinand's curiosity got the better of him.
"So," he said, his tone a little more serious, "what happens now? I mean, now that we're a couple. What do we do? How does this work?"
Daisy shrugged, her expression thoughtful. "I guess we just... keep doing what we've been doing. Spending time together, getting to know each other better. And now that we're dating, we can add some of those 'couple things' you mentioned."
Ferdinand nodded slowly, thinking it over. It made sense, but there was still a part of him that felt unsure, like there was something more he needed to understand.
"And what about... the future?" he asked, his voice a little quieter. "Like, where does this go?"
Daisy looked at him, her expression softening. "I don't know, Ferdinand. I don't think we need to worry about that right now. Let's just take it one day at a time and see where things go."
Ferdinand nodded, her words reassuring him once again. He didn't need to have all the answers right now. They had just started, and there was plenty of time to figure everything out.
"So," he said, his tone lighter now, "does this mean I can, you know, call you my girlfriend officially? Like, introduce you as my girlfriend?"
Daisy smirked, leaning in closer and playfully nudging him with her elbow. "I'd hope so, considering I already called you my boyfriend. I think that's how it works."
Ferdinand smiled, feeling the warmth in his chest spread. "Good to know. I've just... never been here before."
Daisy softened, her eyes locking with his. "It's okay, Ferdinand. Neither have I. We're figuring it out together, remember?"
He nodded, feeling reassured again. He let his hand reach out and intertwine with hers, their fingers fitting together naturally. There was a comfort in the silence that followed, both of them just sitting together, basking in the newness of this connection.
But after a few moments, Ferdinand couldn't resist asking the question that had been tugging at the back of his mind. He glanced at Daisy, his curiosity getting the best of him.
"So, uh... are there rules to this?" he asked, almost sheepishly. "Like, what am I allowed to do? What am I... not allowed to do?"
Daisy chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ferdinand, we're not in some formal business deal here. We don't need a contract of rules."
"I know, I know," Ferdinand said quickly, smiling a little at his own awkwardness. "I just... I want to make sure I do this right."
Daisy tilted her head, looking at him thoughtfully. "How about we keep it simple? Be honest with each other. Communicate. And most importantly—don't overthink everything."
Ferdinand laughed, though he couldn't help but notice how spot-on her last point was. "Okay, I can try that."
"And as for what you're allowed to do," Daisy said, her voice taking on a more playful tone, "you can hold my hand whenever you want, too—if you ask nicely."
Ferdinand raised an eyebrow. "Ask nicely, huh?"
"Yep," Daisy teased, her smile widening. "Manners matter, althoughyou'reprince Ferdy."
Ferdinand laughed again, feeling more relaxed as the conversation went on. There was something about Daisy's sense of humor and the way she approached things that made it easier for him to loosen up.
"So," Daisy continued, her voice a little softer now, "what about you? Are there any things you want to set as rules or boundaries?"
Ferdinand thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "I think I'm good with the no overthinking rule. And, well, just... maybe be patient with me? I'm still figuring all this out."
Daisy smiled warmly, her hand squeezing his. "Of course. We'll figure it out together."
They fell into another comfortable silence, and for the first time in a long time, Ferdinand felt a sense of peace wash over him. He had spent so much of his life caught up in his work, his studies, and his responsibilities that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to simply *be*—to enjoy a moment without worrying about what came next.
As they sat there, side by side on the couch, Ferdinand found himself glancing at Daisy, his mind wandering back to the earlier part of their conversation.
"So," he said, his voice playful, "are we going to do couple things now? Like, go on cute dates and take cheesy pictures together?"
Daisy laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Is that what you think couples do?"
"I mean, isn't that what we're supposed to do?" Ferdinand teased. "Go on long walks, hold hands, maybe even share ice cream?"
Daisy grinned. "If that's what you want to do, I'm game. But let's take it slow, okay? No pressure to do all the cliché couple stuff."
Ferdinand smiled, feeling a wave of affection for Daisy. She really did understand him—his quirks, his awkwardness, and all the things that made him overthink. And yet, she was still here, sitting beside him, ready to navigate this new chapter with him.
"Slow sounds good," Ferdinand said, his voice softer now. "I like that."
Daisy leaned her head on his shoulder, and Ferdinand felt his heart skip a beat. It was such a small, simple gesture, but it meant the world to him.
They sat like that for a while, the comfortable silence stretching between them. It was new, but it didn't feel awkward anymore. Instead, it felt like the beginning of something good—something worth holding onto.
As the evening wore on, Ferdinand's thoughts drifted back to his work, his projects, and the trade analysis he had left unfinished. But this time, the stress didn't weigh as heavily on him. There was something different now—something that made him feel like he didn't have to carry everything alone.
Daisy's voice broke the quiet, bringing him back to the present. "Hey, Ferdinand?"
"Yeah?" he replied, glancing down at her.
She lifted her head from his shoulder, her eyes meeting his. "I just wanted to say... thanks."
Ferdinand blinked, surprised. "For what?"
"For being you," Daisy said simply. "For not being afraid to be a little awkward. For caring so much about doing things right. I like that about you."
Ferdinand felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words. He had never really thought of himself as someone worth appreciating in that way, but hearing Daisy say it made him feel... seen. Understood.
"Thanks," he said softly, his heart swelling with affection for her. "I... I like you, too."
Daisy smiled, her eyes softening. "I know."
And with that, the two of them sat together, content in the quiet of Ferdinand's apartment. There were still a lot of things to figure out, a lot of unknowns ahead, but for now, they had each other. And for the first time in a long time, that felt like enough.
As the night stretched on, Ferdinand's mind wandered once more, but this time, it wasn't filled with worries or doubts. Instead, he found himself thinking about all the possibilities that lay ahead of them—the dates they could go on, the conversations they would have, and the moments they would share.
But most of all, he thought about Daisy. And as he glanced over at her, still sitting beside him on the couch, he realized something important.
He wasn't alone anymore. He had Daisy by his side.
And that was more than enough.