“Take a Chance” - GertMylo fic
(in which Mylo attempts to talk to Gert by himself, fully aware there’s a high chance he’d screw up. Yet Gert responded with kindness, and it just made him fall deeper in love)
(This is actually kind of silly and funny and maybe the slightest bit ooc ngl buuut the charm is there. Mylo is a dork, and I feel like Gert is an absolute sweetheart. These two are so underrated I swear)
(ALSO is this a safe space for my pan Gert & bi Mylo hc…heuheurhe THEYRE SO SILLY)
(THIS WAS THE ONLY PICTURE I COULD FIND OF THEM TOGETHER STOP💔🙁)
Mylo tapped his finger anxiously on the wooden table in the spot him and his siblings had claimed, trying his best to fight off the exhaustion in his eyes.
The Last Drop was opening in a minute or so, and not a single other person sat around him. Even when it did open, it would usually take a whole hour later for people to finally wake up and head there.
A part of him was thankful for that—Powder and Claggor wouldn’t be there so he’d be spared of their endless teasing. And it was nice to hear the bar be full of so much silence compared to the usual loud noise of people talking.
Regarldess, all his attention was still set on those front doors, waiting, unblinking.
“Mornin’, kiddo.” Vander’s voice rang from the counter, making Mylo jump. He hadn’t even heard him enter. “You’re up early.”
“Oh-! Uh, yeah, I…” He narrowed his eyes to think of an excuse, embarrassed by the fact they nearly closed from how tired he was. “…I’m waiting for someone.”
“Ah.” Vander leaned onto the counter, a knowing look on his face. “Is it that “Chemsisters” girl who-?”
“Hey hey hey hey!” Mylo rushed his word out through gritted to silence his dad, waving his hands out in front of him in denial. “Dont…say it out loud…!” He crossed his arms. “…Powder told you, didn’t she?”
“Maybe.”
“I’m gonna kill her.”
Vander shook his head with a chuckle, rolling his eyes. “Gert had some pretty nice music that night, didn’t she?”
“Yeah. It’s…honestly the best.” He felt his face grow warmer at the thought of it, a small smile creeping onto his lips. He vividly remembered watching her perform at the Innovators Competition. “She’s so good at that stuff, you know? And she always looks so cool, and her smile, and that look in her eyes, a-and she has this…this hair.” It was just gorgeous and it made his heart pound faster every time. He loved seeing her so alive. Loved seeing her shine.
“Sounds like you’re her biggest fan.” Vander teased, to which the boy rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah.” Mylo waved his hand dismissively before pausing, readjusting his posture to look directly at his dad. “…Vander, you’ve been in love before, right?”
“Hm. Dabbled in it.” He explained, organizing a few of the glasses in the cabinets.
“Does it feel like…like your chest is exploding? Like every positive thing in the world is in that person? Like y-you can’t get your mind off them, and…you know?” He huffed in defeat, leaning onto his seat.
“Pretty much.” Vander shrugged with a smile. “You’ll figure it out, kiddo. It’s a journey.”
“…Right. Figured as much,” Mylo replied anxiously, opening his mouth to speak until he heard the little ring of the bell above the front door, his attention instantly turning to it.
It was her.
Gert.
His heart instantly picked up, slowly turning back and looking down at his hands. “Gert! Mornin’ to you.” Vander exclaimed.
“Morning, boss.” Gods, just hearing her voice made him nervous. Yet he could listen to it all day. It was all so effortless, but it was just beautiful.
Even if he couldn’t see it, even if his eyes were glued to the table, he knew Vander was looking at him. “I need to get some things in the back. Would’a mind settin’ up the tables ‘til then?”
Mylo screamed internally.
“On it,” She pushed herself off the counter, and he heard Vander walk out the back door.
Mylo took a deep breath, adjusting himself mentally and physically, sweat dripping down his forehead. He stood up, not another thought clouding his mind besides the girl and five words.
“Do not mess this up. Do not mess this up. Do not mess this up. Do not mess this up. Do. Not. Mess. This. Up.”
“…Hey, Gert!” An awkward, dopey grin made itself onto his face, instantly gaining the girl’s attention as she set down her tray.
“Am I smiling too awkward ? I’m definitely smiling too awkward. Do I look like a creep or just an idiot? Which one’s worse? She noticed, didn’t she? Damn it.”
“Hey Mylo,” She ran a hand through her hair. “Nice to see you this early.”
“Oh, yeah! Yeah, totally, um…” He cleared his throat. “…So, what brings you here?”
Gert blinked in surprise, a snicker of confusion leaving her mouth. “I…work here?”
“GOOD GOING MYLO YOU LITERAL IDIOT WHAT KIND OF QUESTION WAS THAT OF COURSE SHE WORKS HERE WHAT ARE YOU DOING.”
Mylo snapped his fingers with a nervous laugh. “Right! Right, yeah, I knew that. I was just…testing you.”
They looked at each other in silence until Gert began to laugh, making his heart sink to his stomach. But it also fluttered from the beauty of the sound, and the way her lips adjusted with a smile. He could stare at it for hours, eyes sparkling with pure admiration for the girl.
Yet he knew it was over then. He screwed up, and-!
“Sorry, sorry,” Her laughing died down, a smile now on her face. “I’m not laughin’ at you. You’re just funny, Mylo.”
“Did. Did she just. Say I’m funny. Me. Mylo. Gert thinks I’m funny.”
His cheeks turned a bright red, stammering as his eyes darted anywhere except directly at her. “Me—I am? Oh, that’s, I mean, thanks!” He quickly regained his composure, clearing his throat. “I-I wanted to say that I really liked your show the other day. A-At the Innovators Competition. You’re really good at what you do.”
Her entire demeanor seemed to shift in seconds. “Really? Thanks, ‘Lo.” Gert gave him a small, comfortable smile. “If you want, you could come over someday to listen to a new song we’re working on. We’ve been looking for an outside perspective on it, anyways.”
“She wants to hear my opinion. She wants to see me later. Gert’s actually talking to me. Oh my gods.”
“Y-Yeah! I’d like that, yeah, anything for you…!” He gave her a flimsy attempt at finger-guns. “B-But uh…I was, well…just kinda wondering if, um…”
Her smile slowly dropped, face shifting with curiosity. Mylo shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to find the right words to say to her. For her. The right way to form his thoughts into intelligible sentences while also not coming off as too weird.
But he just couldn’t.
No words—at least coherent ones—could encapsulate what he felt for the girl. None that would impress her, anyways.
He felt stuck. As if his body was telling him there wasn’t any other way out of this except to respond in one way.
His tense muscles loosened in defeat, letting out a breath he’d unknowingly been holding. “…Okay, this isn’t working. I just—listen Gert, you’re like…the coolest person I know, and really pretty, and I get if you don’t wanna, but I-I was just…wonderin’ if maybe you’d wanna hang out more? Maybe?” Her eyes lit up with surprise, yet judgment wasn’t clear in them. “I-If you have the time, don’t force yourself! Not sayin’ you want to, I mean like force yourself, which I mean, if you do, don’t. But if you don’t, still don’t, but I guess…I-I mean, just if you want to, it would be really cool. To me. And maybe you, if you think so. It won’t be anything like, official, just getting to know each other if that’s cool with you? I-I know I sound-!”
Gert put a hand on his shoulder, instantly shutting him up. She had a knowing yet caring smile on her face, leaning in close to plant a small kiss on his cheek.
His heart leapt out of his chest, brain buffering at the small gesture. His eyes grew distant as his mind desperately attempted to processed what just happened.
“…I’d really like that, Mylo.” She chuckled softly, giving his shoulder a reassuring pat. “How about we get some lunch together at Jericho’s? See how things go?”
He blinked in surprise, trying to control the way his head was spinning with all these overwhelming emotions. “…Yeah.” A small, albeit shaky smile built up on his face.
She let out a hum of amusement before grabbing her gray once more. “You’re cute when you’re blurting stuff out like that. It’s charming. But it’s stupid-cute, you know?” Her teasing tone shifted with kindness. “…But at least you’re bein’ honest with me. Putting yourself out there—not a lot of people can do that. I really appreciate that. Seriously.”
His eyes sparkled with a sense of relief and vulnerability he hadn’t remembered feeling in a long time.
Everything he’d been constantly reminding himself of—his posture, his face, his tone, his attitude—seemed to fade, and he found that whatever remained, Gert seemed to like.
He didn’t hate it, either.
A small smile built itself onto his face, but not one he’d forced up before. It was genuine, and comfortable, and perfectly captured what he was feeling.
He didn’t know it was possible to fall deeper in love than he already was.
Everything about Gert was gorgeous. Hand-crafted by the Gods to make a perfect person. She was kind, and cool, and pretty, and fun, and understanding, and everything.
And someone so great like her managed to find some good in him.
That meant more than he thought it ever would.