Vern is only cool and collected when he's around Billy. They play off each other's personalities PERFECTLY, but when he's on his own? He's awkward 😂
And seeing you? A pretty little city kitty? HE'S A GONER
"Excuse me, I think I'm lost? Can you help me, please?" looking up at him with those big ole doe eyes all sweet and soft, HIS HEART!!!!
He coughs and clears his throat WAY too much for it to be normal (he's trying to distract from his blushing)
"Y'all city folk don't know how to read a map?"
He thinks he's being cool but the moment your eyes widen and water up at his sarcastic tone, he immediately regrets it
Makes it up to you by showing you where his favorite places in the small, backwater town are
Takes you to a greasy spoon ass diner that serves the BEST pancakes
He insists on paying even though you protest (you have literally NEVER met this man before and now he's pulling out his wallet)
AND HE WANTS YOU (he will not admit it)
Eventually you start seeing him around more. He offers to help fix your tire (he literally could not even get his own truck to start, so ???) But it's what a man is supposed to do.
Doesn't hurt to watch his arms flex as he works 🤭
Vern takes you to the diner every Sunday morning for pancakes and coffee
He's fine until you bat your lashes at him and then he's coughing and beating on his chest
He cannot flirt to save his life (small town with a shallow dating pool)
Billy is the catalyst to Vern finally growing a pair and asking you out because Billy thinks you're easy on the eyes and Vern is about ready to piss on your porch to mark his territory
You have to make the first move and even then he's a bit skittish. He's had hookups before but that's just it: a hookup
You're the real thing. You make his heart sing, his palms sweat
You give him grasshoppers in his tummy 😂
After the initial awkward stage, you come to find he's very handy with outdoor work. He hunts, he fishes, and you learn he loves woodworking.
He learns your favorite flowers and will stop on the side of the road to pick any wildflowers he sees. Wraps them up in yesterday's newspaper and everything 🥺
Shoves them into your hand and grunts out "here" but behind the newspaper bouquet, his cheeks are PINK
Y'all's first kiss is a disaster, I'm just gonna be honest. He's jumpier than a jackrabbit on hot asphalt so when you lean up to give him a kiss when he walks you to your door, he jolts back and smacks his head on your front porch latern
OWWCHIE!! But now you get to be all soft and hold his face and coo at him to let you see
He grunts and grumbles that it's nothing but he's secretly loving the way you hold him like he's so precious
When you kiss his temple, he damn near jumps off the porch again
Mwuah! You lean up on your tiptoes and gently peck his lips and his Adam's apple bobs in his throat as he tries to get his heart rate under control
"...can we try that again...?"
Vern isn't used to someone being all soft and gooey with him (you're down bad for him as well and make it very well known to the point even Billy can see it) and admittedly it takes a while to bring him out of his shell, but he's legitimately so tender with you
He opens the doors for you, stands at the bottom of the stairs and holds your hand as you walk down, stands in front of you while you adjust your top or bottoms so nobody can see, kneels down to help you tie your shoe or latch the strap on your sandal around your ankle again
He's awkward but deep down he's loverboy coded to the MAX!!!
He prefers cooking meals with you as opposed to going out as there isn't a whole lot of places to eat in town, but he will drive you to the city every once in a while for an actual date
Will cook and plan a picnic and take you to his favorite scenic spot
Takes you fishing so you can work on your tan while he catches dinner (he's totally checking you out in your little bikini top)
Shows you how to properly scale a fish and even kisses your finger if the knife slips (that gives him an excuse to stand behind you and guide your hands with his own)
Not too big on lots of PDA, but he will hold your hand anytime you're in town and will kiss the back of it on occasion
LOVES GIVING FOREHEAD KISSES
Loves making out with you even more (even though it runs his heart rate sky fucking high when you sit on his lap and your soft lips are on his and just UGHHHH)
He thinks you deserve more than a simple life in the country with an equally simple man like him
It takes some convincing for him to believe you want HIM, crickets and all
At night when you're asleep, he watches you and gently brushes your hair out of your face and kisses your cheek and thanks whatever higher being out there for bringing you into his life
Little mushy gushy moment 🥺
Calls you baby, darling, doll, pretty girl, "my girl"
He commits HARD, YOU ARE HIS PERSON NOW!!
Thinks about the future, about buying a farmhouse with you, about raising kids with you
He's a simple man and he wants a simple life with you 🥺
He makes your engagement ring. Learns how to smith and everything (he's had your measurements for a while now) so it's perfect.
Takes you to the scenic spot and it takes him over an HOUR to propose because he keeps getting nervous and losing his train of thought. You saw the outline of the box in his pocket and knew what was coming so you were smiling the whole time which made him even more nervous because who gave you the right to smile so pretty???
Finally spits it out and you tackle him to the picnic blanket with an enthusiastic yes
Admittedly, he tears up. He never thought he would find someone, let alone be able to share and build a life with them
For the Hive 🐝🐝🐝 @rainbowraii @ambyspooks