𝐁𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝, 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡?
Bosco Leroy x f!reader
request? yes!!
w.c: 3.1k.
summary: Bosco is hypnotized into believing he’s dating reader. What happens when the spell breaks?
a/n: i LOVE this request!! this is by far my best bosco fanfic (imo, humbly). it's a bit slow at first but… trust… keep on reading.
warnings: hypnosis. fluff. adorable idiots in love. swearing. mild suggestiveness.
Merritt McKinney was known for his incredible ‘mentalist’ talent. As in, worldwide known. From blackmailing men who cheated on their wife to making the police believe they were violinists playing a concerto, Merritt had many tricks up his sleeves. And though he had vowed to never use his talents to fool his peers, he couldn’t help pranking one of them every once in a while, just for the laughs. And truly, it was charity work that he decided to hypnotize Bosco Leroy into believing he was dating you.
You were reading a book, sprawled on the couch, in the cozy hideout you called home after many months of working with the Horsemen, when a tall figure approached you. You looked up from the enticing story to catch the brunette's hazel brown eyes locked into yours, a silly smile spread across his face. It wasn't his usual shit-eating grin, which was never good news. You narrowed your eyes in suspicion, peering around the living room, almost believing he was about to trick you somehow with the other Horsemen. Alas you didn't know that both you and Bosco were being tricked right now.
He sat next to you, properly invading your space, his shoulder brushing yours like it was the most normal thing in the world. He wore his 'let's dance' t-shirt you loved and a pair of blue jeans. You two were fairly decent friends, as the many laughs and pranks you've shared would attest. A part of you had hoped your friendship would bloom into something more for a long time, but Bosco had never made a move and you were far too shy to dare blatantly flirt with him. And any way, he would never like you like that, right?
You ignored the quickening of your pulse when you noticed his eyes hadn't left yours ever since he'd stepped inside the living room. You put your book on the coffee table in front of the couch.
“So… what's up?” you asked tentatively.
“Nothin', I just wanted to admire you from up close” he replied, voice low. It was devoid of any sarcasm, which made you even more suspicious. You searched his face for any malice or twitch of the eye that would reveal his ill-intention but he wouldn't give any hint away.
“What do you mean, Leroy?” you chuckled dismissively, ready to bounce back on any joke he was preparing.
He leaned in closer, narrowing his own eyes like he had any right to be suspicious of you. You pulled your face back a little, still looking into his eyes, trying to understand what he was getting to. His eyes seemed somewhat distant, as if he were on…
“Are you on drugs?” you asked, disbelieving, a smile growing on your face now.
“What? No! Why would I be?” he immediately quipped back, shaking his head vehemently. Seeing you smile sent heat creeping up his neck.
“Because you're acting really weird right now” you chuckled again, genuinely concerned.
You brought a hand to his forehead and he melted into your touch as his shoulders eased. He pulled back a little, finally giving you some space. You almost longed for his warmth now. He hummed in appreciation, his frown disappearing to be replaced by another warm and genuine smile.
“Wanna go to the cinema with me today?” he finally asked casually. He suddenly leaned in quickly to kiss your cheek and pulled back before you could protest or move away.
What the…
“What- why-?” you stuttered, incomprehension coloring your face in a funny grimace.
He stood up from the couch, taking your hand in his and pulled you off of it.
“Come on, we're going out!” he cheered.
You didn't mind his initiative, so you followed suit. But the main reason why you played along was because you were too abashed by his behavior. You were pretty sure he was pulling a prank on you. Why on earth would Bosco kiss you, otherwise?
When the two of you stepped out of the building and onto the streets, Bosco comfortably draped his arm over your shoulders. While the action did send butterflies flying in your stomach, your pride wouldn't let you enjoy it. For months he had never given you a hint at something more than friendship and now, this? You might be a fool in love but you were also a smart magician who hated being mocked.
You moved away from his hold, hurt and wariness getting the best of you. Bosco's eyes snapped towards his empty arm then back at you, surprise and incomprehension on his face. He had the cutest little frown on his face but that didn't deter you.
“What's up?” he asked, disappointment evident in his tone.
“I don't freaking know, Leroy, what are you playing at?” you huffed, tone angrier than you thought it would come out.
“Playing at? What are you talking about? Can't I show my affection for the girl I'm dating?”
You stopped in your tracks. Bosco walked two more steps ahead of you before he realized you weren't by his side anymore.
“Did you just say dating?” you repeated. You must have hallucinated the last part of his sentence, there was no other way.
“Uh, yeah” he mocked like it was public knowledge that you two were dating.
You stepped closer to him, scrutinizing his face and body language. You observed him longer than you had ever had the luxury of doing so before. Your neck was beginning to hurt from looking at his face, tall as he was. He seemed convinced of what he had just said. That you two were dating. As in, lovingly dating.
The realization played on loop in your mind and you silently cursed your heart for fluttering so much at this realization.
“Have you seen Merritt today?” you asked, suspecting he had something to do with Bosco's insane belief.
“Yeah, briefly before he went out with the others, why?” the brunette spoke fast after a beat.
Bastard, you thought. You should've known he had something to do with this.
Oh well, since there probably was a keyword to make Bosco snap out of this, you decided to play along until you put your hands on the god forsaken mentalist. You had spent months hiding your true feelings for the boy, certainly you could put your acting talents to pretend you were dating. Right?
Surprisingly, the two of you had a lot of fun at the movies. You watched a comedy, and you noticed Bosco's face snap towards you to watch you laugh every single time you did. The proximity had become more natural, his hand nonchalantly laying on the back of your seat, taking any opportunity to touch your shoulders or graze your hands when you both reached for the popcorn.
Under any other circumstances, you would've found this cringe. Oddly enough, however, you didn't today. You found yourself yearning for the next physical contact, each one sending a jolt of energy and excitement coursing through your body. You safely assumed Bosco felt the same. For one, he was hypnotized into believing he loved you, so there was that. But there was also the fact that he multiplied the contacts whenever he got the chance, so much so that by the end of the movie, you two were holding hands like a proper couple. He even brought your knuckles to his lips before you left the cinema, prompting your heart to make leaps in your chest.
His hand engulfed yours and you enjoyed the warmth that spread to you, shielding you from December's cold winds. He was so gentle with each touch, each look, each smile he sent your way, which was a stark contrast to his usual nonchalant-too-cool-for-you boyish attitude. This sent your heart into deeper frenzy, your mind aware of the hypnosis, your heart confused at the displays of affection.
When you stepped inside the apartment and made your way to your room, relieved to be through with this decoy, Bosco's hand held you back. His expression was anxious, but he managed to twist his lips into a fake confident smile. You almost felt sorry for the boy. Almost.
“Come hang out with me” he subtly tilted his head towards his room.
You froze. Now, what could a young man like Bosco Leroy mean by this? You understood the backhanded insults his compliments meant, as a friend. You didn't know the subtext of what he said as a… boyfriend. You had seen him unabashedly flirt with the Horsemen's victims so many times before, you knew he was quite bold when it came to taking action. That, along with the few times he had been asked out by girls from your shows. Those few times, when he hadn't come back to the hideout until the day after the show, had been very hard for you.
However, now, you were the subject of his attention, full and undivided. His eyes were almost pleading, and his hand was tracing patterns on your own that lulled you into wanting to comply. God, you wanted this day to never end. Of course you wanted to spend more time with him. But you couldn't go all the way, that was for certain. Plus, you didn't even know if this is what he was implying by inviting you over.
“Sure” you complied, smiling to hide your growing nervousness.
The other Horsemen, and most importantly Merritt, weren't back yet from whatever mission they had, so you couldn't really avoid Bosco for the whole afternoon if he was just two doors and a knock away.
When you entered his room, you were pleasantly surprised to find it exactly as you had envisioned it (yes, you had imagined it before). While it wasn’t particularly tidy, it wasn’t chaotic either. A few t-shirts were scattered on the floor, his desk was cluttered with papers, magazines, lone cards, and magic objects. His bed was made, which indicated some level of discipline. But most importantly, the room was filled with the comforting scent of his cologne.
You fidgeted in place, not knowing where to sit. Sitting on his bed was not a good idea, obviously. You opted for the desk chair. Friendly, normal, no mixed signals. As you peered at the cards on the desk, you gathered some to distract yourself from your shaking hands. That’s when the idea struck you.
“Hey, why don't you teach me that trick I've always begged you to?” you tempted, a sly smile growing on your lips.
Hell, if he could benefit from the perks of believing he was dating you, you sure as hell could benefit from some too. You had always wanted to know how he did that specific trick and he had always refused to tell you his secret.
He removed the t-shirts on the floor to tidy up a little before he sat on the bed, facing you.
“Under one condition” he stated.
Ah, there it is, the shit-eating grin. Had you accidentally said the keyword to end the hypnosis? Was he finally back to his usual self? His normal, not in love with you, self? Your heart sank in disappointment at the thought.
“What?” you breathed, voice betraying your inner turmoil.
“Kiss me”.
You almost dropped the cards in your hands.
Mouth slightly agape, you looked at him in shock, your mind failing to come up with a decent comeback before it started racing through all the different scenarios that could happen.
Option A, you kiss him and risk losing all self-control if he tries to turn it into a make out session (let alone more).
Option B, you refuse, get up, get out of the room, and kill Merritt the minute he steps inside the hideout.
Option C, you distract him from his request-
“You've been acting distant since this morning” he explained when he saw your stunned expression. “Did I do something wrong?”
Oh, Bosco, you thought. Merritt did. Something very, very wrong. And I'm going to kill him when I see him.
“N-no” you stuttered, looking at the cards in your hands to avoid peering into his inquisitive eyes.
“Then what is it? I know I'm not the best at expressing myself but you know I love you, right?”.
And this was your final straw.
Fake dating him had been fun. But a fake love confession just hurt you. The tears welled up in your eyes. You couldn't do this anymore. You couldn't endure someone's fake feelings playing with your very real ones.
You stood up, gathering all the courage needed for what you were about to do. Break the illusion. He sprang up in your wake, frown deepening. He raised his arms, meaning to grab your shoulders but you moved past him quickly.
“I can't do this, Bosco, I'm sorry”
When you opened the door of his room and stepped inside the living room, June, Charlie, Henley and Merritt were back. They had been whispering, hoping the two of you were too busy to notice they were back. Merritt stood up from the couch, a wide grin spread across his face. Bosco trailed behind you for a few steps before stopping.
“I am waiting for my thank you” Merritt stated, palms facing the ceiling in expectation.
His face fell, however, at the sight of your tears.
“Fuck you, Merritt” you said before slamming the door to your room with a loud bang.
He turned to Bosco in confusion.
“What happened, there?” he asked.
Bosco stayed quiet. June stepped closer, trying to meet his eyes.
“Well, she obviously found out you hypnotized him” explained June in Merritt's direction, her eyes never leaving Bosco's figure.
She frowned as her observation deepened with concentration.
“And you obviously haven't told her you're not hypnotized anymore” she concluded, realization hitting her, raising her arms in desperation.
Bosco's face fell like a puppet's, eyes fixed to the floor.
“She said the trigger word? She said my name, and you pretended you were still hypnotized?” Merritt asked, voice an octave higher in disbelief.
“I didn't want her to leave!” he choked out. “If I told her I wasn't hypnotized anymore, she wouldn't have said yes to the cinema”
“So you tricked her into dating you on the pretense you weren't fully yourself, knowing damn well she would've accepted if you had just come clean?” scolded June.
“Well… when you put it like that…” he muttered.
“Go apologize. Now!” commanded Merritt, pointing his finger at your door, behind him, warningly.
You heard three hesitant knocks but didn't answer. You had been reading the same page of your book for the last five minutes, your mind unable to make sense of the words written. Bosco's faint request, the vulnerability when he asked you to kiss him, played on loop in your mind. The sight of him sitting on his bed, staring at you with an anxious expression was burned into your retina.
The door opened, and you were about to rise and shout at whoever had disturbed you to leave you alone when you recognized Bosco's curls. He closed the door behind him and stood next to it, as if he wouldn’t dare come any closer.
For a few seconds, you just stared at each other. The mere sight of his hair, eyes and lips made you want to run to him and hug him. You wanted to go back to pretending the two of you were dating. You wanted to maintain the illusion for as long as possible. And honestly? you would have if it hadn't been so painful.
“I'm sorry” he breathed, looking around your room to avoid meeting your eyes.
“You're sorry?” you scoffed. “Merritt should be the one apologizing!” you hissed.
“No, no, it's my fault”.
He finally turned to face you and took a tentative step closer. He settled down next to you on your bed, fidgeting with his hands and staring straight ahead, as if your Pulp Fiction poster on the wall was the most captivating thing in the world.
“I wasn't hypnotized”. When your mouth opened in a big 'oh', Bosco added: “Well, at first I was. But when you asked me if I'd seen Merritt earlier in the morning, I wasn't anymore”.
The bastard used his own name as a keyword to break the hypnosis? You should've known.
“So… everything that happened after that conversation… it was just you? Really you?” you inquired, trying to make sense of what he was telling you.
He sighed. His face slowly turned away from the poster to stare at you.
“Yeah” he breathed.
His hazel brown eyes held the same vulnerability as when he had asked you to kiss him.
Wait. That means…
“So… the cinema, your room, your… confession… it was all you?”
You had to be wrong. This has to be wrong. Surely, he is still hypnotized. There is no other-
“Yes. If anything, I should thank Merritt for giving me an excuse to finally confess”.
Finally confess? Thank Merritt? Does it mean what you think it means?
He wriggled closer to you, your shoulders now touching and grabbed your hands in his. He leaned in closer, searching for your eyes. When you finally looked at him, he said:
“I didn't know you had feelings for me too. If I'd known, I would've asked you out sooner. Well, obviously the others noticed. I guess they grew tired of my pining. So Merritt tricked me into finally asking you out. The hypnosis didn't make me fall in love with you. It gave me the push I needed to finally make a move…” his voice trailed off. like he was realizing this wasn't the best way to start dating someone.
So this whole time he was also into you? The irony of it all hit you so hard you burst out laughing. Bosco's face turned from anxious to concerned, waiting for your fit to die down. You slowly tried to catch your breath, a few laughs escaping your beautiful lips here and there. Bosco was so mesmerized by the sight he leaned in and kissed you before he could think better of it.
That calmed you down immediately. You returned his kiss happily, following him as he lay flat on his back on your bed, his arms holding you in a tight embrace. When you broke apart, noses touching, you were taken by a surge of shyness.
Bosco, the boy you had had a crush on for months, was on your bed, had kissed you (willingly, not under hypnosis), and stared at you like you hung the stars and the moon. He pulled you in for a tight hug, relieved that you weren’t mad at him. He planted a soft kiss to your forehead and when you moved, he was worried you were going to leave his side and burst the wholesome bubble you were in.
Luckily for him, you only readjusted your position to rest your head on his chest, your left arm wrapped around him, playing with the hem of his t-shirt. You listened to his heartbeat, and the rise and fall of his chest lulled you into a peace you had never known. His hand traced patterns on your hair.
You felt safe. You felt happy. You felt loved.
