helping hands // drew starkey
drew starkey x neighbor!reader
synopsis: you just moved to the big apple for your dream job alone. Thankfully a kind neighbor offers to help you out ;)
a/n: hey guys...long time no see :))) I have been SWAMPED with school, but to make it up to you (and to celebrate my muse's birthday) here's a short little one shot! I'm considering making this a mini series, so let me know if you like neighbor Drew!!
permanent taglist: @kekeupnaround @jaasworld @1800-yourgay @starkeyjoseph @gf4lwt @greeneartth267 @amterasuu @r0binsparkles @rafes4 @sunflouer04 @lynst91 @highladyofhogwarts @prettytheyswag @folklorelover888 @midnightalbatross @emeloyy @str4wb3hrry @braincellfugitive @justmywalls
You sigh deeply as you drop yet another bag on the stairs. Moving apartments by yourself in New York City was probably not the best idea, but with no friends or family close by it’s all you have. The small stairwell is so stuffy it’s hard to breathe, your hair is sticking to your neck, and your arms are starting to get sore from all the back and forth from the moving truck.
You groan out loud, the sound echoing around you, and bend down to try and grab the aforementioned duffle bag.
“Need help with that?” A deep voice calls from somewhere below you. You try to maneuver the bags out of your eyesight, but it’s no use. You eventually give up and reside to respond while staring at the cardboard box in your arms.
“Hi! Sorry, am I blocking your way?” You know you are. There’s no possible way to scoot around the massive piles of shit you’ve somehow managed to drag this far.
“Kind of…but I can help you? You look like you need it.”
Your cheeks burn, but you can’t really find it in yourself to refuse. You do need help.
“If it’s no trouble, I’d really appreciate it…”
“Yeah of course! What can I grab that’ll be helpful right now,” he lets out a light laugh. He sounds handsome. Something about him oozes a confidence you can only find in a man that knows he’s hot.
“Um, I’ve got the box if you could somehow detangle these bags from my arms?”
You wait as he assesses how to best start the process––at least that’s what you think he’s doing, your vision’s still obstructed by overly-taped cardboard. Then, smooth large hands are pulling your arms through straps, supporting the weight of the box where needed, until you’re no longer holding a hundred things at once. Your breath catches and you feel ten times lighter than before.
“Thank you so much, my apartment’s just on the next floor. Not too far.”
“Lead the way,” he responds, voice closer than before. You move up the stairs with a newfound ease, and can feel the man’s presence behind you. You don’t look back in fear of losing your balance, but the curiosity is slowly eating away at you.
Finally you reach your front door, setting the box down as you fumble with your keys. After a second, your hand wraps around the cold metal and you use it to unlock the door. You catch a glimpse of him in your peripheral as you pick the box back up.
He’s tall, possibly with buzzed hair, and he looks very muscular. Your heart starts to beat a bit faster with anticipation. You walk through the entryway, dodging more discarded boxes on your way to the living room. Finally, you find an empty space and drop the box with a sigh of relief.
“You can just drop those any–” You start to speak as you turn to face the kind stranger, but your words catch in your throat when you catch sight of him.
Drew Starkey is in your apartment. Standing in front of you. Smiling a dopey smile with a million of your bags in his big arms.
Be cool. Be cool. Be cool.
“Sorry, you can just throw those wherever…thank you.” You cough awkwardly, hoping you didn’t make it obvious you recognized him. That would not be cool. The last thing you want is to embarrass yourself in front of a celebrity, let alone your celebrity crush.
Drew carefully places all your things on the couch, making sure nothing falls on the floor before standing back up straight. He moves towards you, holding his hand out with a smile.
“Y/N! Nice to meet you,” you take his hand and shake, looking into his crystal blue eyes. “Thank you so much for helping me, I’ve been struggling with the solo move.”
He crosses his arms over his chest nonchalantly. “It’s no problem, Y/N, I’m glad I could help and welcome you to the building. Where are you moving from?”
“North Carolina! I just got a job as a senior editor up here, hence the move.”
“Wow, that’s so cool! How’re you liking it so far?”
“It’s amazing, and so far the people are really nice.” You smile cheekily at him, which earns a laugh.
You just made Drew Starkey laugh.
“Well, can I help with anything else?”
“Oh, I don’t want to screw up your day. You’ve done so much already.”
“It’s no trouble at all, I have nothing but time on my hands today.”
“Well…if that’s true maybe you could help with the rest of the truck? Only if you want!”
“Who wouldn’t want to help a pretty stranger move into her apartment?”
You blush and move towards the door. “Come on, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
“Yes ma’am, lead the way.”
Something that would have taken you all day takes the both of you two hours working together. Granted, by the end you’re both sweating and laying exhausted on your apartment floor, but it’s done.
You grab the water bottle you stole from the lobby and gulp it down. “Thank God that’s over.”
His chest rises and falls beside you, and you try your best not to stare.
“I think that’s the most manual labor I’ve done in years,” he jokes.
“Yeah, I could hear your knees popping from the moving truck,” you laugh, earning a poke in the side from Drew.
“All jokes aside, I should pay you for this… Maybe lunch?” You almost choke on the words as soon as they come out, but Drew’s head falls to the side as he grins at you.
“Lunch?” he echoes, eyebrows raising.
“Yeah, I mean… only if you want! No pressure or anything. I just––uh…”
“Relax, Y/N,” he laughs. “I’d love to get lunch.”
You breathe a sigh of relief, mentally facepalming yourself for stuttering like an idiot.
“Perfect! Maybe we should clean up a bit first? Say, meet in an hour?”
Drew nods, pushing himself up and reaching his hand down. I grab it gratefully, letting him tug me into the air.
“Sounds great, I’ll see you soon, Y/N.” He squeezes your shoulder before walking out the door, throwing a wave behind him as he goes.
A smile tugs at your lips. Moving to New York seemed impossible and incredibly lonely a few hours ago. Now you have a feeling it was the best decision you’d ever made.
And because of Drew Starkey no less.
