how do you feel about some jerin first date shenanigans??❤️
i'm not gonna lie, i completely lost control of this, but i hope you love it anyways.
there's a lot going on, and it's not necessarily shenanigans, but they do go on a date.
as per usual, the characters have done what they want and i am simply the messenger!
please consider checking out my multi-chap Jerin fic on AO3 if you'd like! username: skyllianspectre <3
(brief trigger warning for canon-typical angst)
It was a cold morning in November when Erin’s phone rang.
The softer tone was something she had set for Jamie’s number, and hearing it this early made her anxiety spike just a little.
She usually called at night.
Had she been having those dreams again?
“Jamie?” Erin asked warily as she picked up the phone, setting aside the book she’d been reading. “Are you okay?”
On the other end of the line, Jamie’s heart dropped a little when she realized what Erin was thinking.
She’d definitely called her in volatile states before, when the nightmares had gotten too real.
Sometimes she’d have to hear Erin’s voice to calm down, no matter how many times she tried to convince her brain that she knew she was okay.
Luckily, this wasn’t that.
“Yeah! Yeah.” Jamie quickly responded, hoping she could allay Erin’s fears. “I’m okay. Promise. I’m sorry if I scared you.”
Erin let out a breath and took a second to listen to Jamie’s voice, relaxing when she found it steady. “I’m glad. I just...worry.”
“I know.” Jamie answered gently. “I just wanted to ask you something.”
“Okay.”
“Are you busy tonight?”
Erin’s shyness crept up on her immediately and her mind blanked.
“What?”
“We should go out. Like a date.” Jamie replied. “I pick you up…take you somewhere nice…”
Erin blushed.
Their relationship was still so new to her, and they’d sparingly seen each other since the hotel.
They were always in groups when they had, and the thought of them being together again, just them, made her a little nervous.
“You don’t have to do all that…” She began. “You could just come over...and we could stay in…” The offer was barely out of her mouth before she realized what it sounded like and tried to backtrack. “...Or something.”
Shit.
She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t been thinking about the way Jamie had kissed her in that hotel room, but that wasn’t what she meant to imply and she didn’t want to make her uncomfortable and -
There was a brief moment of silence between them, then a huff of amusement from Jamie, and Erin could practically feel the other girl’s smirk growing through the phone.
“Shouldn’t I take a girl to dinner first?”
She was clearly joking, but Erin was embarrassed anyways, glad that Jamie wasn't able to see her fluster.
Instead, she had broken into laughter, the first time Erin had really heard it in the aftermath.
It was contagious and warm, and before she died down, Erin tried her best to commit the sound to memory.
“Seriously though, Erin. I want to.” Jamie spoke again, assuring her. “You’re my girlfriend.”
Oh.
In theory, she knew that was true, but hearing it was…something else.
“I’m your girlfriend?” Erin echoed back, not even realizing she was saying it aloud, and God did Jamie adore her.
“I mean...I hope so. It’s kinda what I was going for.”
Erin smiled to herself, then couldn’t stop smiling at all.
“I’d really like that…” She nearly whispered. “A date. With you.”
Jamie’s heart fluttered undeniably in her chest. “Six then?”
Erin, surprising herself, barely hesitated. “I’ll see you then.”
---
When Erin stepped outside of her apartment complex and found Jamie, she couldn’t help but bury her face in her neck.
Every time she saw her was a resounding reminder that they were both alive, and tonight, the near consistent haunt behind Jamie’s eyes seemed a bit further away.
“Hey.” She breathed, wrapping her arms around Erin tightly, and a long minute passed before she let go. “You wanna hop in?”
Erin nodded and shortly, they were on the road.
Jamie didn’t say where they were going, but frankly Erin didn’t care.
She just liked to look at her, liked to know she was there, and maybe, just a little selfishly now, liked to know she was hers, even if she couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.
---
The restaurant Jamie brought her to had a little bit of everything.
It wasn’t overly fancy, nor was it too crowded.
It was small, homey, and it felt like them, and maybe that’s what Erin loved about it.
The hostess was kind and seated them quickly, and while small talk proved difficult thanks to the Du'Met-sized elephant in the room, it felt safe.
“I’ve been wanting to take you here since we got back from Topeka...Which is basically like...forever.” Jamie eventually said casually, and if Erin didn’t already know she was in love with her, she’d probably start right now.
With any other person, she'd care what other people thought if they saw them, care what they may perceive her to be, but after what they’d been through, it felt foolish not to follow the impulse.
She grabbed Jamie's hand across the table, intertwining their fingers, and even though she didn’t know what to say, it didn't matter.
She was comfortable with her, and if that meant figuring everything else out later, she was okay with that.
“I’m just happy to be with you. Wherever that is."
In response, Jamie rubbed her thumb across Erin's palm affectionately, and when their waiter returned with the food they fell into something comfortable, enjoying each others' presence.
Erin occasionally stole from Jamie's plate, delighted by the reaction it elicited, and Jaime would pretend to be annoyed.
They'd joke playfully about anything and everything, and the time passed nearly effortlessly.
When they finally returned to the parking lot, Erin couldn’t help but notice that the world felt lighter.
They walked back toward Jamie’s truck holding hands, and when they were close enough to be shrouded by the surrounding vehicles, Jamie pulled her in, kissing her soft and slow.
The warmth between them was profound in itself, but when they separated, looking each other in the eyes, something clicked.
“I haven’t felt like this before.” Jamie whispered, almost like it was a secret, and it took Erin’s breath away.
They were going to be okay.
