Chapter Text
Phineas hadn’t really managed to sleep after his nightmare, and school the next day was really dragging. He struggled through his first couple classes, determined to at least put on a cheerful front for Isabella when he walked into third period, taking his seat next to her. She looked up from where she was resting her head on their shared table, giving him a tired smile as he pulled out his class materials.
“Hey,” she greeted.
“Hey,” he replied with a big smile, hoping to mask the unexpected wave of relief that swept over him. Feeling his composure slip, he returned his attention briefly in front of him, opening his book and straightening his papers.
“You okay?” she quietly asked after watching him for a moment.
“Wha…? Oh yeah, I’m just tired,” he replied with an apologetic smile. “Are you?” he looked at her more closely, noting how similarly exhausted she appeared.
“Yeah, just...couldn’t sleep,” she pushed herself up from the table, resigned at how easy it had gotten to hide her feelings. As she got out her own class supplies, she realized he was still watching her with a concerned look. Not entirely sure what to make of his attention, after a moment she decided to ask, only to be interrupted by the bell as she turned to face him. Covering her annoyance with a forced grin, she then returned her focus to the teacher.
Class went by surprisingly quickly, Isabella struggling to follow along, hoping her sleep-deprived notes would make more sense when she was better rested. Phineas seemed to be struggling as well, only keeping himself awake by continually adding to a sketch of an ever-growing Rube Goldberg contraption whose eventual goal appeared to be feeding Perry.
Lunch was next, the only time they had together with all of their friends, as they talked and joked around. Being together as a group helped a little as Phineas continued to mull over his neighbor, but other than a few pointed looks from Ferb, no further solutions presented themselves. He was loathe to admit it, but perhaps Ferb was right. Maybe it was time to talk.
The rest of the day was a blur. Phineas was pretty sure he went to the rest of his classes, but he couldn’t have told you anything about them, because now he had an idea. It tumbled around in his hazy thoughts, bringing with it memories both happy and frightening, all centered around a certain raven-haired girl. He didn’t know what the outcome would be, but in his sleep-addled state he talked himself through it, slowly growing more determined that he had to do this. And so, armed with a flimsy excuse, he caught up with Isabella on her way to the soccer field after the last bell had rung.
“Hey! So I, uh...Iwasgonnastudyifyouwantaridehomeafterpractice,” he blurted out.
She stared at him quizzically for a moment. “Either I’m more tired than I thought, or that really didn’t make sense. English?” she prompted lightly.
“Oh, sorry,” he began to blush. “I’m gonna go study in the library,” he carefully enunciated, pointing down the hall. “Would you like a ride home after practice?” He glanced down, a bit confused at his own reaction, as he suddenly realized he really cared about her response. Looking back up a second later, he broke into a relieved grin when he caught her smile.
“Sure! I’ll let my mom know. Thanks Phineas!”
He watched her walk away for a minute, pulling out her phone and sending a quick text before glancing back towards him, flushing slightly when she met his eyes. He gave her a little wave before then heading towards the library, getting about halfway there before realizing that he should probably have been embarrassed as well.
The library really wasn’t ideal, he decided after a couple minutes. The soft sounds quickly lulled him into an even more drowsy state, only countered by his continued apprehension about the upcoming conversation. Phineas had never been one to second-guess himself once he decided on a course of action, but he still couldn’t help but plan out possible scenarios as he sat there a while longer, not really getting anything done.
Eventually he packed up with a sigh, putting away his still clean paper, before slowly walking over to the soccer field. Taking a couple steps up the stands, he sat down in an empty section as he watched the girls finish practice. As they walked by he saw Isabella glance his way, a mixed reaction playing across her face, too quickly for him to really interpret before she had gone inside. Following a moment later, he waited on a bench in the hall as she showered and changed, eventually joining him as they started to head towards the entrance.
“So did you get much studying done?”
“Wha…? Oh, no, not really,” he admitted. “I couldn’t really concentrate.”
“That doesn’t seem much like you,” she observed.
“I’ve...had a lot on my mind.”
She watched him expectantly, giving him time to find the words.
“Like you,” he continued so quietly she almost missed it.
Everything went surprisingly still. He had been convinced that as long as he could actually say those words, that whatever came next would be the easy part. One way or another, at least he had said it.
“What do you mean?” she eventually asked, remaining surprisingly composed.
“I’ve been having these dreams…” he started softly before finding his voice. “Nightmares, really. Things from when we were younger. But now,” he stopped, taking her hand in both of his, “they don’t always work out.”
Watching him struggle for a moment, she led him over to a bench, sitting down beside him as she rested her free hand atop his. After staring at their hands for a few seconds he blinked back tears before continuing.
“I just...don’t know what to do,” he choked out. “Ferb said I should talk to you,” he managed a tired grin, “but I...didn’t want to worry you…” He looked pleadingly at her for some sort of reassurance. After a few seconds of silence he sniffled before continuing quietly. “Thinking back on our adventures, on all the what-ifs, it scares me. Because I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She stared at him for a moment, face unreadable. “Do you remember the vortex sprayer during the Pharmapocalypse?” she eventually asked.
“Yeah, kinda.”
“Did you...” she hesitated, “actually sacrifice yourself for me?”
“I…” he searched her eyes. “Yeah, I think so…”
Her eyes flashed between anger and disbelief. “How could you do that! Do you know how I’d feel if it hadn’t worked out?!” She saw him flinch, clutching his hands together in his lap as he withdrew from her touch.
“Yeah,” he eventually managed, meeting her gaze, “I think I do.”
“Really?” she scoffed. “Because I’m one of your friends? Because we’re all important to you? You have no idea how I’d feel,” she growled, her mind desperately trying to reign in all her tired frustration before she said something she truly regretted.
“Isabella-” he pleaded, reaching out a hand.
“No,” she drew back, “I don’t need your help. You need to stop acting this way.”
“Well, how else am I supposed to act around the girl I love?” he demanded, not having intended to actually say that, but feeling strangely liberated now that it was out in the open. They stared at each other in shocked silence for a few seconds before she managed to recover.
“You...love me?”
“ Yes! And the thought of anything happening to you terrifies me,” he admitted, his voice losing its prior confidence.
Isabella didn’t know how to respond, in her tired haze she was halfway convinced this was all just a dream. Her eyes sparkling, she watched his indecision as he hesitantly reached out a hand. Scooting closer, she nestled under his arm, beginning to cry into his chest as he carefully rested his arm around her. She felt him exhale, holding her tightly for a minute before slowly relaxing as she leaned into him.
“Phineas?” she said quietly, shifting in his arms a few minutes later.
“Hmm?”
“I love you too.”
And that was all it took. The tears he had been holding back poured out as he pulled her closer. The sudden relief at no longer keeping their fears to themselves overwhelming, they spent the next while cuddled together until they both eventually stopped crying. Looking up, he glanced at a nearby clock before returning his attention to her.
“We should probably go.”
“Yeah,” she agreed softly, continuing to lean against him, “in a minute.”
They untangled eventually, walking hand-in-hand to his car. After opening her door he walked around to his side, tossing his bag in the back before getting in and starting the car. The drive home was spent in comfortable silence, and after what seemed like only a few minutes they had pulled into the Garcia-Shapiro driveway.
Unbuckling their seatbelts, she rested her hand on his, enjoying another quiet moment together before then leaning over and pulling him into a hug. As they contended with the center console she managed to work her way into his arms, cuddling together as she rested her head against his shoulder, with his atop hers. The plan, if there was one at all, was to only stay that way for a minute. Yet the comfort of being in each others’ arms overwhelmed any prior adrenaline, and after only a minute she was fast asleep. Rapidly fading himself, he only had a moment to drowsily observe, “Oh, so that’s what her sleeping sounds like,” before he drifted off as well.
They woke up as the sun was setting, carefully untangling as he reluctantly let her go. Holding her hands he watched as she smiled shyly, flooding his heart with a peace he hadn’t felt in years.
“Thank you, that was really nice” she offered, giving his hands a squeeze. “It’s too bad you can’t spend the night.”
“At least not yet,” he joked, before blushing when he realized that it wasn’t really a joke. “Yeah,” he glanced over, “I guess that wouldn’t really work…”
Her cheeks flushed, she managed to meet his gaze. “I know it’s not the same,” she considered, “but you should text me if you have any more bad dreams, no matter what time it is. Besides, I just might be awake too, and I’m sure I’d feel better hearing from you.”
“Sure,” he agreed with a smile. “As long as you will too.”
With a happy nod she gave him another hug. Loosening her hold on him a minute later, she was surprised to find his arms still around her as he leaned closer, lightly kissing her cheek before letting her go. Watching him in surprise as he settled back in his seat, he gave her a contented smile as she then grabbed her backpack and opened the car door.
“Bye,” she said with a big smile.
“See you tomorrow,” he grinned back.
She walked to the front door, still in a bit of a daze, before turning and waving once more before going inside.
“So how was today?” Vivian asked once the door had shut.
“It was…” Isabella trailed off, touching her cheek, “nice.”
Phineas waited until she got inside before driving across the street, parking in the driveway, as he grabbed his bag and went into the house. Putting his backpack up in his room, he came down to an expectant-looking Linda perched on the couch, Ferb lounging on the other end looking disinterested.
“So how’s Isabella?” she started almost immediately.
“She’s...fine?” he answered warily.
“So are you two finally dating?” she continued, exceedingly happily.
“Wha-? Why would you think that?”
“Oh I don’t know,” she chuckled, handing him her phone. Looking down at it he saw a picture from Vivian of him and Isabella asleep in his car.
“Sorry,” he managed, beginning to flush as he handed her phone back. After staring intently at a spot on the floor for a moment he ventured a glance, and found that his Mom didn’t have the stern look he was dreading.
“It’s okay honey, we knew where you were. Besides, we always expected you two to end up together,” she teased.
Something finally clicked in his tired head. Rooted in place he played back over the day’s conversations, as he started to panic. “Oh,” he mouthed a moment later before glancing between his Mom and step-brother, suddenly full of adrenaline. “Sorry, gotta go, I’ll be back in a minute!” he called out, as he dashed out of the house and across the street.
He knocked on the door, lighting up when Isabella opened it, looking puzzled. “Isabella!” he exclaimed, almost laughing at her surprised look. “I forgot to ask you something. Will you be my girlfriend?”
She broke into a grin, taking a step forward as she pulled him into a hug. After staying that way for a moment, she happily replied, “Yes, yes I will.”