Danny Walker (Pearl Harbor) x fem!reader - Set in a modern AU
You live in a Navy port town and Danny (24) meets you (23) in the local bookstore where you work.
Danny keeps flirting with you but you never seem to understand. You genuinely think he's just being nice, which is unfortunate considering you really like him.
“…You know I flirt with you, right?”
The first time Danny Walker walked into the bookstore, you barely looked up.
Not because he wasn't attractive.
Unfortunately, he was.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Easy grin. The kind of face that made people forgive him for things before he'd even done them.
You just happened to be trying to shelve an entire cart of new arrivals before closing.
So when he appeared at the counter carrying a military history book and a coffee he definitely wasn't supposed to have inside, you only offered your standard customer-service smile.
"Find everything okay?"
"Actually," he said, setting the book down, "I found something way better than what I came in for."
You glanced around.
"Oh. Did someone help you find the section?"
For a moment, he simply stared.
Then he laughed.
A loud, surprised laugh.
"No."
You smiled politely.
"Oh."
And that should have been the end of it.
Instead, he came back two days later.
Then three days after that.
Then the next week.
Then twice in the same week.
Then every week.
Then so often that your coworkers started recognizing him.
"Your boyfriend's here."
You looked up from sorting returns.
Danny was entering through the front doors.
"Navy guy?" you asked.
"Yeah."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Sure."
"He isn't."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
You rolled your eyes.
People were ridiculous.
Danny was just friendly.
Very friendly.
To everyone.
Probably.
The thing was, Danny never seemed bothered by your complete inability to understand what he was doing.
In fact, he appeared to find it hilarious.
"Morning, sweetheart."
You smiled.
"Morning."
His eyebrows lifted.
That was it.
No reaction.
No realization.
Nothing.
He handed over a stack of books.
"You work tomorrow?"
"Yep."
"Good."
"Why?"
"So I can see you."
You blinked.
"That's nice."
Danny closed his eyes.
Actually closed them.
Like he was praying for patience.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You made a face."
"I make lots of faces."
"Okay."
He stared.
You stared back.
Then you handed him his receipt.
"Have a good day."
Danny walked directly into the display by the door.
His friends found this situation incredibly entertaining.
Especially his best friend, Rafe.
"She doesn't know?"
Danny groaned.
"No."
"At all?"
"No."
Rafe laughed so hard beer came out his nose.
Danny considered leaving him there.
"Brother, she might be the only woman on Earth who doesn't know you're flirting."
"I'm aware."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"What exactly have you said to her?"
Danny began counting on his fingers.
"Told her she's beautiful."
Rafe nodded.
"Reasonable."
"Told her her smile makes my day better."
"Okay."
"Told her I specifically rearranged my schedule so I'd be free when she got off work."
Rafe blinked.
"What?"
"Told her she's my favorite reason to visit downtown."
"What did she say?"
Danny looked toward the ceiling.
"She thanked me for supporting local businesses."
Rafe nearly fell out of his chair.
Meanwhile, you were having your own conversations.
Mostly with your coworker Emma.
"That Navy guy likes you."
You nearly dropped a stack of novels.
"Danny?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Absolutely yes."
"He's just nice."
Emma stared.
"Sweetheart."
"What?"
"He literally waits for your shifts."
"So?"
"He only comes in when you're here."
"Maybe he likes books."
Emma made a noise that sounded physically painful.
Months passed.
Danny became part of your routine.
Your favorite part, if you were honest.
Though you'd never admit that aloud.
He'd stop by after training.
Or before.
Or during lunch.
Sometimes he'd buy books.
Sometimes he'd wander around pretending to browse while talking to you.
Sometimes he'd bring coffee.
Always your favorite order.
Always without asking.
Which should have told you something.
But somehow didn't.
"You remembered."
He handed over your drink.
"You've ordered the same thing every Wednesday for six months."
You smiled.
"That's sweet."
His expression softened.
Dangerously.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
His gaze lingered.
Long enough that your stomach did an odd little flip.
"You have no idea what you do to me."
You laughed awkwardly.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Danny fell first.
Hard.
Hopelessly.
The kind of love that sneaks up and then completely wrecks you.
He loved your laugh.
Your kindness.
The way you remembered customers' names.
The way you got excited about books.
The way you rambled when you were passionate about something.
The way you looked at him like he was important.
Even when you apparently didn't realize he was trying to date you.
Which honestly made him love you more.
Because there wasn't anything manipulative about your attention.
You genuinely liked him.
He knew that.
You just didn't seem to understand why he kept showing up.
One rainy afternoon, the bookstore lost power.
The entire building went dark.
Customers groaned.
Employees scrambled.
You were standing on a ladder trying to reach emergency supplies when the ladder slipped.
You yelped.
Then suddenly strong hands caught your waist.
The ladder clattered away.
Your heart nearly stopped.
Danny.
Of course it was Danny.
He'd come in ten minutes earlier.
He still had one arm around your waist.
The other braced against the shelf behind you.
You realized with startling clarity how close he was.
Very close.
"Oh."
His eyes flicked down to your mouth.
Then back up.
"Oh," he echoed.
Neither of you moved.
Your pulse hammered.
Something strange and warm spread through your chest.
Danny swallowed.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
His hand remained on your waist.
"Good."
Neither of you stepped away.
Until your manager appeared.
"Everything alright?"
You practically launched yourself backward.
Danny looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.
That night you couldn't stop thinking about him.
The way he'd looked at you.
The way his hand felt.
The way your stomach kept doing strange things.
It bothered you enough that you texted Emma.
Do friends usually stare at each other like they're about to kiss?
The response came instantly.
Emma:
OH MY GOD.
You:
What?
Emma:
OH MY GOD.
That wasn't helpful.
A week later, Danny finally snapped.
Not angrily.
Not dramatically.
Just exhausted.
Because he was standing at the counter.
You were smiling at him.
And somehow you'd just thanked him for being such a good friend.
Friend.
Friend.
Friend.
Danny laughed.
A slightly hysterical laugh.
You frowned.
"What?"
He rubbed his face.
Then looked at you.
Really looked at you.
"...You know I flirt with you, right?"
Silence.
The entire world seemed to stop.
You blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"What?"
Danny stared.
"You know I flirt with you."
"No you don't."
His jaw dropped.
"Yes I do."
"When?"
"When?"
He pointed at himself.
Then at you.
"All the time."
"No."
"Sweetheart."
Your eyes widened.
His eyes widened.
The bookstore around you suddenly felt very small.
Danny stepped closer.
"I bring you coffee."
"Because you're nice."
"I remember your schedule."
"Because you're observant."
"I call you beautiful."
You froze.
"...You do?"
Danny looked moments away from screaming.
"Yes."
"Oh."
"OH?"
You replayed approximately eight months of interactions.
Every conversation.
Every smile.
Every lingering look.
Every excuse to visit.
Every coffee.
Every compliment.
Every single thing.
The realization hit like a freight train.
"Oh my God."
"Thank you."
"Oh my God."
"Yes."
"Oh my God."
Danny laughed.
This time genuinely.
Because your face was turning red.
Rapidly.
"You're serious."
"Very."
"You've been flirting with me this entire time?"
"Yes."
"And trying to ask me out?"
"Repeatedly."
"Oh."
He folded his arms.
"Well?"
Your heart felt like it might explode.
Because suddenly everything made sense.
And the worst part?
You liked him.
So much.
Had liked him for months.
Possibly since the beginning.
You just genuinely hadn't realized.
Danny's expression softened.
"Sweetheart?"
You looked up.
He looked nervous now.
Actually nervous.
Which seemed impossible.
"I really like you."
Your stomach flipped.
"I really like you too."
For a second he simply stared.
Like he wasn't sure he'd heard correctly.
Then he laughed.
A beautiful, relieved laugh.
"You're kidding."
"No."
"You like me?"
"Yes."
"Since when?"
You considered it.
"Probably around the fourth visit."
Danny covered his face.
"Unbelievable."
Their first date happened two days later.
Mostly because Danny refused to wait any longer.
"You wasted eight months."
"I didn't know!"
"You thought I just liked bookstores?"
"Apparently."
"You are so lucky you're cute."
Dating Danny turned out to be surprisingly easy.
He was affectionate.
Patient.
Protective without being overbearing.
The same man who spent months flirting without success somehow remained completely smitten once he actually had you.
Six months later, everyone in town knew.
Especially because Danny looked at you like you hung the moon.
And because he still visited the bookstore constantly.
Now with a legitimate excuse.
One afternoon, Emma watched him wrap an arm around your waist while you organized displays.
She shook her head.
"What?"
She pointed at Danny.
"That man spent nearly a year trying to ask you out."
You laughed.
"I know."
Danny kissed the side of your head.
"I still haven't recovered."
"You survived."
"Barely."
You leaned into him.
He smiled immediately.
Like it was instinct.
Like loving you had become second nature.
Maybe it always had been.
And as he pressed another kiss against your temple, holding you close among shelves and stories and the bookstore where everything started, you decided some people were worth taking a little longer to understand.
