summary: four times where you try not to be phased by your friend adapt’s new habit of buying you whatever you want and the last time where you realize maybe he does want to be more than friends
not my photo - creds to lindsluvss on pinterest
cw: very surface level friends to lovers (by my standards), mention of pills (medicine), fluffy but kinda cringy fluff, sorry i'm so bad at writing endings, i use adapt and alex interchangeably, it was fem coded in my head but tried to make it as gender neutral as possible using 2nd pov, 3.78k words
it started with small stuff. you remember how you met him a couple months ago. you were invited to the core house for a kickback through a mutual friend and had been having a blast but needed a little breather and a cup of water to bring you back to earth. you ended up in the kitchen finding that adapt happened to be in there for the same reason as you. you two spent time talking for way longer than you meant to, having such a fun conversation that you ended up swapping numbers.
fast forward to now, the months spent talking made adapt earn a spot as one of your closest friends since getting to know each other. currently, you were spending time waiting on alex to be back from whatever video shoot he said he was busy at. you had gone ahead and driven to the core house to meet him there so he wouldn't have to go out of the way to pick you up from yours. the two of you had planned to have a movie night and catch up on a tv series that you both had been planning to watch. your friends tried to convince you that it was a date but you promised it wasn't.
you are knocked out of your thoughts by a drink blocking your vision. you look up a little more and see a hand is attached to it. you grab onto the drink and turn around at the same time making eye contact with alex.
'just who i was thinking about'
"thank you," you say smiling at him. "no problem, we had stopped at in-and-out and i know you said you weren't hungry, but i just went ahead and got you a drink."
"thanks a lot! ooh and it's my favorite," you get up and start following him to the movie room.
"yeah i remember you had said something about it once so i just pulled it out of my brain inventory and was like this should be the right choice," he replied nonchalantly.
you simply laughed at his little metaphor and sipped your drink thinking nothing of it.
"ooh these are so cute," you say offhandedly looking at the lego flowers sitting on ron's nightstand. it was another day of you hanging with adapt which at this point started to feel more like you following him around the house. not that you were complaining.
ron and adapt look over from their chat to see what you're referring to. you point at the flowers. "i love these little builds. i haven't gotten around to buying one yet,"
ron nods, "oh yeah my girlfriend picked those out and we built it together. that's her favorite type of flower,"
you smile at his words and look back at the bouquet. "she has good taste, tulips are so pretty."
"is that your favorite flower?" adapt asks looking at you.
you shake your head, "no but they are a close second, my favorite are orchids," you reply with no hesitation, moving on to inspect some of the other figures in ron's room, oblivious to adapt's sudden quietness.
you don't realize the meaning of his quietness until a couple of days later when you're sitting in the kitchen eating with him. you're listening to him talk about some of his next streaming ideas when he stops himself.
"oh i forgot-" he says and jumps up, "be right back!" he states as he runs upstairs for a reason unbeknownst to you.
he comes back with his hands behind his back asking you to close your eyes. you laugh at his attempt to be secretive but listen to his request. you hear something get placed on the table.
"alright you can open them,"
you open your eyes and the first thing you notice is the lego logo. looking closer you realize that the box is for lego orchids. you feel your eyes widen with excitement.
"omg alex i was just talking about these the other day!" you say, picking up the box to inspect it more.
"i know," adapt says watching you fondly. "gilly and i were in target the other day and ended up in that section somehow and i had remembered your words."
'more like i spent twenty minutes searching target by myself to find these so i could see you happy', he thinks.
his wish comes true as he watches your smile brighten.
"thanks so much for thinking of me," you say. your mouth opens to say something else but you quickly close it again as your thoughts catch up to you.
'i want to build it with him but i don't want him to think that i'm trying to make our friendship more than it is'
"of course, you know i care about you a lot,"
you remain clueless to the fact that he did want you to ask if he wanted to build it with you.
'guess i'll try harder,' he thinks.
“about what time will you be ready do you think?” you hear adapt ask as you rummage through your closet for your swimsuit. he had invited you out to their pool party and offered to pick you up so you wouldn’t have to worry about driving since the party would probably end up going late.
you make your way back to microphone distance of your phone. “give me about two hours, i gotta take a shower and all that,” you reply throwing your clothes on the bed. you make your way back to your vanity where your phone is resting and see adapt moving around as well.
“okay that sounds good, do you need anything?” he asks stopping to look directly at his phone, at you.
you keep moving though, getting up to arrange your products for your shower in the bathroom. “uh no i think i’m okay-,” you cut yourself off with a gasp as your foot steps directly on an object on the floor, making a loud crunch sound. you remove the blanket covering the broken object and gasp again.
“omg i just stepped directly on my favorite pair of sunglasses, i was going to wear these today!” you say sadly, picking up the pieces to put on your vanity.
“oh no, what kind are they?” adapt asks still looking at you in the screen. you turn your camera around to show the glasses on your desk.
“they’re just turtle shell, i was gonna wear brown or black swim gear but i guess i’ll go find some other color.” you respond, turning the camera back around to face you.
“no i think you should stick with what you got. it was your first choice right?”
you nod at his words, “yeah worst case scenario if the sun is too bright i can just run to the dollar tree real quick to get an emergency pair,”
“great plan-”, he is cut off by someone yelling his name in the background.
“hey i gotta go but i’ll text you when i’m on the way okay?”
-
you smile at adapt as he stands outside his car waiting for you to walk up so he can open the door. he sees you coming and immediately smiles back.
“you look pretty,” you thank him and try not to blush or take to heart his kind words as he shuts your car door and makes his way to the drivers seat.
you are snapped out of your thoughts from adapt closing his own car door and turn to watch him as he buckles his seatbelt and checks his phone for any unread messages.
“just making sure nobody asked me to get anything before we head back,” you nod quietly and look around the car, noticing something at your feet. upon further inspection it seems to be a gift bag.
“oh are we celebrating someone’s birthday at the party?” you ask looking up at him. he sets his phone down in the cup holder and puts the car in drive.
you make a confused face but pick the bag up anyways. “what could you have gotten me?”
“gonna have to open it and see,” he says making a turn at a stop sign.
you open the bag and are met with an oval shaped container which you pull out. you open the container and the contents make you look at your friend in disbelief.
“adapt you did not need to get me new sunglasses. i told you i could’ve just went to dollar tree!” you say with a slight laugh.
he waves you off, “i had time to go before getting you and we have a sunglasses store near the house so i just stopped. those looked the most similar to the ones you showed me earlier. ‘didn’t want your fit to be thrown off,”
“you are so thoughtful! these look way better quality than the ones i had,” you say, pulling out the glasses and examining them.
“yeah they might be able to survive your godzilla foot,” he says, holding down a laugh as he takes a quick glance at you.
you respond with your own laugh and playfully hit him on the arm.
“oh sorry were you sleeping?” adapt asks as he struggles to make out your face in your curtain drawn room.
“no i'm just too lazy to get up. i woke up earlier with a headache and figured i would keep the blinds closed," you reply, reaching over to turn on your sunset lamp next to your bed.
“are you okay?” your friend asks and you see genuine concern on his face.
“i'm good don't worry! i probably just worked a little too hard, luckily it's my day off. i'm just gonna bed rot probably," you reply with a slight chuckle.
“the real answer to that question would be yes, a dozen cookies would heal me right now but that can’t really come true so i'm just gonna say no. i already have medicine and water. thanks though!”
adapt continues to look a little disturbed at your condition but tries to fix his face, "alright well i'm gonna be streaming soon but if you need anything text me or if it's an emergency call me,"
"just a headache but i appreciate it! have a fun stream,"
the two of you hang up and you continue to scroll a little bit more before feeling a little more of your headache which causes you to push past your laziness to grab some medicine and water. you check your medicine drawer for the correct pills and then make your way to the kitchen to fill up your water bottle.
suddenly your front door bell rings and you get a little confused as you were expecting no guests but walk to the door anyways. looking through the peephole, you spot no one but go to open it anyways.
as you open the door you are met with a bag on your doorstep. you bend down to read the tag because surely the driver got it wrong but the address does read correctly.
“okay…” you turn the bag around to look for a note and lo and behold there it is.
--hope this heals you.. need you to have maximum hp--
you do happen to know someone who loves to talk in game metaphors. laughing aloud, you pick up the bag to bring it inside. placing it on the countertop, you pull out the decent size box and open it.
your jaw drops as you are met with a dozen of your favorite cookies, just as you had mentioned earlier. you pick up your phone off the counter and immediately open your message threads.
alex i was literally joking, no way you sent these - you
like i said i need you to have max hp let me know when you’re healed - adapt
you grab a cookie out of the box and take a bite, instantly falling in love with the taste. turning the camera around, you hold it up and take a selfie with the treat in your hand.
you send the picture with one line, healed <3
#5 - the party and the after (shopping) party
once again, you find yourself sitting on the couch in the core house yapping with jason about nothing while waiting for adapt to end his stream.
"wait, you know about my birthday party on friday right?" jason asked as you two had found a break in the conversation.
you nod at his question, "yeah alex told me that you told him to invite me, so i'll be there!"
"yeah it's gonna be here so i don't wanna hear anything about you having to go home early or nothing. you know you'll just end up in adapt's room like you do after every other function," he says matter-of-factly.
you swat him with one of the throw pillows after hearing his words. "shut up! i already said i was going!”
jason blocks your hits with his hand, "alright just wanted to make sure," he smirks and continues, "can’t wait to see my favorite couple,"
you roll your eyes, "shut up we are not a couple. adapt does not like me like that,"
"oh so you like him like that?"
"jason!" you yell in a scolding tone, this time aiming to throw the pillow at his head.
"alright! i’ll stop trolling," he gets up to start walking towards his room probably to escape before you think about throwing anymore furniture at him.
"text me gift ideas!" you yell after him, rolling your eyes again with a smile.
"you look so comfy," you say to adapt, who is dressed in a oversized tan hoodie. you had just arrived at the party which seemed to be in full swing judging by the size of the crowd and the volume of the music. you texted adapt as soon as you made it through the front door and found him waiting for you by the staircase.
"yeah i was laying upstairs until you got here so i could have my first shot with you. 'might have accidentally taken a nap but you know," he says with a sleepy smile.
"aww that’s sweet. c'mon, let’s go take one then," you grab his hand to lead him through the throng of people. you catch the eye of the birthday boy jason, who judging by his color and slight sway, seemed to be a little lit already.
"jason come take a shot with me and alex!" the boy follows your duo happily causing you to laugh as you realize that your assumption about his tipsiness might be true.
five shots later and you find yourself in the same inebriated position as jason, laying with your head at the end of adapt's bed while he sits at his desk chair, both of you on the cusp of drunkenness.
the two of you scroll on your phones in a comfortable silence. you felt yourself getting a little dizzy so adapt brought you upstairs to get out of the crowd but now you’re bored and will probably fall asleep soon.
feeling your eyes start to get heavy, you close them and shut off your phone, laying with your hands underneath your head.
"hmm?" he responds half asleep himself.
"can you get me a blanket?" he doesn’t respond verbally but you hear him walk towards his couch and the next thing you know your body is warm. you feel the bed dip again and figure that he’s laid down as well, probably the correct way. you are almost fully asleep before your drunken mind convinces you to talk more.
"someone had on the cutest shirt downstairs..."
"yeah?" alex responds, sounding just as sleepy as you think your brain feels.
"mhm and they told me they got it from the mall. i have to go tomorrow," you sigh and turn over, not even listening for your friend's response, and finally fall into slumber with the faded music providing white noise.
you wake up to water and headache medicine next to your head and groggily take it. right as you finish your sip of water, in adapt walks, shutting the door behind with his foot. he notices you are awake when he looks up.
“oh hey, the guys ordered food and i put your order in,” he states, placing the food on the bed for you to grab.
"thank you," you reply grabbing the meal.
"no problem. i also put towels in the bathroom so whenever you’re ready you can get showered and we can go," he says casually sitting down at his desk to mess around with his pc.
you wave him off, "oh it’s okay, i’ll just get an uber home,"
alex turns around in his chair to look at you, "oh i didn’t mean home. i was gonna drive us to the mall,"
"the mall?" you reply, confused.
"yeah, you said you wanted to go last night."
you pause for a second before responding, "i do vaguely remember that but i can go by myself, you’re probably busy today,"
you watch as he shakes his head, "no it’s okay. i gotta go too i just figured we’d make a trip out of it," he explains nonchalantly.
"let me know when you’re ready. no rush,"
and here the two of you are walking through the mall. a comfortable distance between as you scan the stores.
you turn to adapt, "you wanna just separate and go to different stores and then meet back up for food?"
adapt tilts his head like he's thinking, "nah, i think i’ll just tag along with you, if that’s okay?"
you try not to think too much about it and shrug, "okay,"
you lead him to the first store, "well let’s get what i wanted most,"
you look around the store flipping through the hangers of clothes and looking at the walls before widening your eyes when you recognize.
"ooh the top!" you move to the section, feeling alex walking behind you. you pick up two colors which you feel look the best and hold it up to your body.
"hmm, which color looks better?" you ask, turning to alex while holding them out in front of you.
"hold them up in front of your body again?" you do as he asks and he tilts his head.
you nod and smile, "correct answer,"
you put the other back and continue to walk around the store. you’re amazed at how adapt seems to not be bored at all as he watches you pick up and place things down.
you become a little indecisive with a particular pair of shorts before adapt speaks up.
"really?" you confirm, sneaking a glance at him.
"yeah i think they’ll look really good on you,"
you narrow your eyes at the garment, "not what i would usually get but i’ll trust your word,"
with that, you figured you looked around enough so you lead adapt to the front register. the two of you wait in line for a little bit before you finally get to the front and are able to set your items down on the counter.
the cashier gets to scanning the items and it takes you a second to pull out your card. you’re looking through your wallet but get confused and pause when you hear ‘transaction approved’.
looking up, you confirm on the screen that it was in fact paid for. adapt looks nonchalant as you turn to him.
"did you just pay for that?" you say with an ounce of distress.
"you wanted it so i just figured you can save your money cause i have it,"
you continue to stare at him unable to form any words. he laughs at your facial expression.
"don't worry about it. where do you wanna go next?" he asks, picking up the bags of items to carry for you.
you’re so taken aback but try to get over it quickly, “um thanks. i guess we can go to your store next,”
and that’s how the trip continues. every time you do so much as mention that you want something in a store or even stare at it a little longer than usual, adapt seems to be ready to buy it. he won't even let you stand near the register, instead hurrying up and tapping his card before you can even think about it. he walks out of every store carrying all of the bags because he refuses to let you do it.
the two of you end up in the food court after you get tired of shopping. you figured that you can eat there and save from having to stop on the way back to dropping you off home, adapt drops the tray on the table as he returns from retrieving the two of y'all's order. you start eating but your brain is so overloaded that you can't stop yourself from speaking.
"so elephant in the room, why'd you buy all this stuff for me today?"
he shrugs at your words, "i don't know. i just like taking care of you. when you're happy, i'm happy."
you pause for a second, drinking your drink as you think, before just letting it rip, "like in a friend way?"
he pauses too, causing your heart to drop. he looks up at you and watches your expression as he speaks.
"would you be upset if i said no?"
you smile a little bit sadly, "no because i was trying to ignore my feelings so you wouldn’t be upset,"
he looks genuinely confused, "why would i be upset?"
"i thought you were just being friendly this whole time but now i realize you were basically trying to court me with gifts," you reply with a little laugh.
he laughs at your words, "sorry my love language is gift giving," he says before making a scared face.
"not that i've reached love, its just the saying-"
"-i know alex," you say cutting him off with another giggle. you place your hand on top of his across the table.
"i really appreciate your thoughtfulness towards me and i enjoyed this day out with you," you finish, squeezing his hand with a shy smile.
he squeezes your hand in reciprocation, "of course. you deserve it. ever since i met you all those months ago i knew we were meant to be together. i just had to build up the courage to leave the friendship stage. i’m glad you were able to catch on because i didn’t know how much more i could buy without seeming suspicious," he concludes with a laugh.
"i mean you basically tried to buy the whole mall for me today so i would say mission accomplished," you joked, pointing the bags sitting next to him.
he waves you off, "just wait for my gift when i ask you to be mine for real."
a/n: thanks for the request! i enjoyed writing it was very fun to play with, i hope you enjoy feel free to request more, barely proofread if i missed anything pls spare me , also thanks for all the love on the page so far, this one took way longer to write cause i got distracted by the finals lol
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