Once again, inspired by @chesue00's art and AU.
(Yes, I will be writing for each of them, cause I love them that much.)
Right at the borderline, that's where I'm gonna wait for you
I'll be looking out night and day
Took my heart to the limit and this is where I'll stay
The table wobbled with every jitter of your leg, practically screaming your nerves for you. First dates always sucked—like, Hall of Fame levels of awkward—and this one was already well on its way. Honestly, what possessed you to trust your friend’s matchmaking skills? They couldn’t even pick a decent Netflix show, let alone your love life.
You reached for your glass of water just to give your hands something to do. That was when he arrived—late, but not obnoxiously so. Just enough to make your nerves spike again.
“Sorry,” he said, catching your eye as he slid into the seat across from you. “Traffic.”
You blinked, a little taken aback. Not because of his excuse, but because of him. He was… not at all what you expected. Young, a little rough around the edges, his ashy blond hair was parted on the side, mesmerizing blue eyes with and dark circles that suggested sleep and he were not on speaking terms—but his smile, though small, carried something disarming.
Your friend knew you a little too well. Apparently, this guy was a fellow student—majoring in psychology, wanting to become a cop, all that jazz.
Hard to picture him chasing down criminals, though. More like… gently convincing them to share their feelings in a safe, nonjudgmental space before slapping the cuffs on.
He did carry a bit of a no-nonsense type of vibe… maybe he'd talk about feelings on the ride to the police station…
“Leon,” he added quickly, offering his hand over the table.
Your pulse jumped as you shook it. His grip was firm but not overbearing, warm despite the chill outside. “Yeah. Hi,” you replied a bit awkwardly, clearing your throat to cover up the fact that you were basically profiling him like some rookie FBI agent. Maybe it's time to lay off the Criminal Minds marathon.
The silence that followed should’ve been unbearable. But instead, it stretched in a way that felt strangely… safe. He gave off that vibe. The “you’re safe with me” kind of vibe.
Unexpectedly comfortable, like finding out your Uber driver also has an aux cord and impeccable taste in music.
He noticed your restless leg and smirked faintly. “Nervous?”
Your cheeks warmed. “Is it that obvious?” you said, groaning inwardly. Great.
“Only because the table’s starting to get a workout,” he teased, nodding at the wobbling salt shaker.
You glanced at it, horrified. “Oh shi-” You caught yourself, biting your lip in embarrassment. Your knee stilled but the table continued to move ever so slightly.
He chuckled, the sound warm and easy. “Relax.” He glanced at you and you swear there was the faintest splash of color on his cheeks. “I’m doing the same thing under the table,” he admitted, a sheepish chuckle escaping him.
Sure enough, he had to scoot his chair to the side to avoid bumping into the table—he was taller, and his knees brushed the underside as he adjusted.
That broke the ice better than anything else could have. You laughed—really laughed, relief bubbling out of you—and he relaxed, shoulders easing like he’d been waiting for you to tell him to get lost.
Maybe he had been rejected before. You couldn’t fathom why, unless women were out here turning down guys for having ridiculously blue eyes and a smile that should’ve come with a warning label. Then again, knowing your luck, you’d probably manage to be the first purely on accident.
The waitress came by with menus, and Leon reached for his without even glancing. “Full disclosure,” he mumbled while looking at you. “I’m terrible at this kind of thing,” he continued, lowering his voice so only you could hear. He opened his menu but kept his eyes on you. “Dating, small talk… all of it. So, uh… feel free to call me out if I start rambling.” A soft chuckle slipped from his lips. Awkward but sweet.
You raised an eyebrow, curiosity tugging at you. “About?”
“College,” he said simply. His tone carried a weight he tried to hide, but his smile softened again as his eyes met yours. “I’m a psychology major.”
Right. Nicole's classmate.
“I know,” you replied a little too quickly, hoping it didn’t sound like you were trying too hard to impress him.
He blinked, then broke into a grin. “Ah, right… you’re Nicole’s friend.”
A short, awkward silence stretched between you.
You cleared your throat, trying to fill the silence without making it worse. “Yeah… that’s me...”
He tilted his head, amusement dancing in his eyes. “So I should be blaming her if this goes terribly?”
“Exactly,” you said, leaning back slightly and chuckling. “But in my defense, I’m fully prepared to blame you too if it all goes downhill.”
He chuckled, the sound low and easy, and it made your shoulders relax. “Fair enough,” he said. “But I have a feeling we’ll be fine. Or, at the very least, we’ll be spectacularly terrible together.”
You laughed, the tension in your chest loosening for the first time all evening. “Spectacularly terrible?”
“Yeah,” he said, leaning a little closer, still grinning. “It’s a skill. Not everyone can pull it off with charm.”
You blinked at him, a little caught off guard by how confident he sounded. But the corners of your lips lifted anyway. “Alright, Mr. Spectacularly Terrible… I’ll give it a try.”
For the first time that night, the awkwardness didn’t feel like a weight—it felt like a bridge.
First dates didn't seem so scary now.