Roach approaches you in a bar, but he's painfully shy and is mute. So, between sharing drinks, talking through notes on a napkin, a little love blossoms…
gary 'roach' sanderson x f!reader ˚ ۪ ୨୧⊹.
warnings: Shy Roach my baby, little bit of kissing and cuddling, Soap and Ghost being older brothers to Roach, people interrupting him, he's like very anxious and stressed bless him, f!reader
a/n: I love this anxious man so much, he needs soo much more appreciation!! I wrote this on my lunch break yesterday so it’s a short one, but maybe more Roach to come in the future.
Roach’s trembling fingers gently clasped his beer, his shy eyes watched you singing along to the song playing in the bar and dancing with your friends. You seemed so confident and beautiful, he was completely below your league. But, as he gazed, your soft eyes caught his and his breath hitched.
“Oi, lad wha’ you starin’ at?” Soap asked softly as the other boys talked and laughed, he shifted closer and spoke like an older brother would. He's completely startled Roach, who tore his gaze from you to look at the older Scottish guy.
Roach blushed shyly as he tore his gaze from you and shyly sighed: ‘The pretty girl at the bar’
Soap grinned and looked over at you, before wrapping an arm over Roach’s shoulders and whispering, “Go talk to tha’ lassie,” with the biggest grin.
Roach shook his head and took another swig of his beer and looked at Soap, a look that said 'yeah good joke' or 'you're totally insane MacTavish' . Soap sighed and shifted back to look at him and raised an eyebrow, “Why no’ lad?” he asked quietly before nudging Ghost next to him, “Roach’s too scared to talk to tha’ lassie.”
Ghost took his turn to look at you and then to Roach, “She seems nice,” He mumbled before adding, “Worst she’ll say is no.”
Soap just grinned and ruffled Roach’s hair (which earned him a nudge and a glare) and muttered, “Go on, Lad.” Soap and Ghost were like older brothers to him, he knew they were right and he should go and speak to you, but nerves were eating him alive.
Roach reluctantly stood up, smoothing his t-shirt shyly and ran a hand over his hair. He quietly approached the bar and ordered a beer before sitting next to you at the bar.
Shyly clearing his throat, he signed 'hey' with trembling hands, ‘I’m Gary…I was sitting over with there with my friends-’
You cut him off by gently touching his arm and murmuring, “I’m sorry, honey…I don't know sign language, I’m so sorry,”
He blushed deeply and awkwardly fumbled with his beer, he chewed his lip anxiously as he shifted to stand up. The pure humiliation and embarrassment washed over his face, he was a genuinely sweet and attractive guy, but now he was about to get up and leave.
You instantly shook your head and rubbed his forearm, “No, no honey you don't have to leave…hang on I’ll get you a piece of paper…” you rambled softly and shyly.
You shuffled awkwardly and rooted through your handbag, pulled out a metal pen and leant over the bar to grab a napkin which you slid across the bar to him and smiled. A warm and inviting smile that made him feel seen, made him want to just lean over and hug you tightly.
He gently took the pen from between your fingers and scribbled: ‘I’m Gary, I was at the booth, I think you're so pretty (not in a creepy way)’
He smiled at you shyly as he looked up from the napkin, his fingers gently curling around one of your bracelets.
“Thank you, Gary…you're really handsome,” you replied softly as you decided to hold his hand instead of letting him cling to you, “I’d noticed you too, but I thought you were way out if my league…”
He squeezed your hand gently and scribbled: ‘Can I buy you a drink?’ which earned a nod from you.
He shyly signed his order to the bartender, who knew him and the taskforce as they were regular patrons at the pub near the base, who nodded and gave him a wink.
As your new drinks were poured, you squeezed his hand and murmured, “So…who are you, Gary?” in a comforting tone, which caused him to shift closer and start scribbling again.
‘Military sergeant (boys in the booth are my friends), mute (if it wasn't obvious already), 6’2 (I promise), call sign is Roach (i know stupid right?)’
You read his notes and giggled softly at his little remarks, squeezing his hand every time to silently communicate to him.
He smiled shyly and scribbled on the napkin again:
‘You're so pretty when you smile’
You smiled even more and blushed as he chuckled slightly, the song in the bar changed and you squeezed his hand.
“I love this song,” you murmured to him and looked over at a few people dancing in the corner of the pub. He noticed you looking and gently tugged your hand to dance with you, it felt like a bold move - the type of move Soap would make, but he wanted to impress you tonight.
He gently steered you to the small area where others were dancing and swaying, he wrapped an arm around your waist and swayed shyly. His cheeks were flushed a deep pink, his fingers trembled slightly.
He looked up and caught Simon and Johnny’s gazes and blushed even deeper, before he looked back at you and smiled.
You smiled back, causing his heart to hammer in his chest before he gently squeezed your waist. With a soft giggle, you gently wrapped your arms around him and swayed softly.
As the lights dimmed slightly in the pub, you hummed along to the song as Roach swayed you both. He grew slightly more confident as he started to gently hug you as he swayed, as if trying to convey his affection through actions rather than words. He felt overly forward, but he knew he had to be brave and affectionate so you knew what he was thinking and feeling.
You hummed softly and hugged him back, gently running your fingers through his messy hair. With a soft sigh, his shoulders relaxed and his eyes closed as he surrendered to your touch. A dorky smile graced his lips as you petted his hair and hummed along to the music, for once he felt like one of the other guys - confident, content and shyly wanting to kiss the girl he'd met at the bar.
As the song ended, he hugged you a little tighter before guiding you back to your seats at the bar to finish your drinks.
He gently leant in and tucked your hair behind your ear, grinning and blushing as he planted a gentle kiss on your cheek. Then another on the tip of your nose. Then another in the corner of your lips. Then a final one in your bottom lip.
You smiled softly against his lips as you gently stroked his cheeks as you held his face. He smiled so nervously and gently rubbed his cheek against your palm, before wrapping an arm around your waist to keep you close.
“So, do I get your number then, baby?” you asked softly as you gently held his face.
He nodded shyly, gently pulling you closer and kissing you again - a little shy peck to your lips. He’d do anything to hear you call him baby again, and my god did he want to give you his number.
He settled you against him before shyly pulling out his phone to push into your hands for you to dial your number in for him. He typed your name with one hand as the other gently stroked your hair, clearly he was an overly affectionate man behind his nerves.
The same dorky grin graced his lips as he watched you tap the numbers into his phone and look up at him with those pretty eyes. He gently stroked your hair from your face and smiled even brighter, it felt as if you were already making up for all the times girls had ignored him or chosen the more vocal boys in the group before.
So, he leant in to give you another kiss with a smile and a soft groan, a subtle way of trying to show you his feelings. His fingers gently tracing your back before he gently hugged you again, a quiet way of saying ‘thank you’.
You noticed, you felt his nerves radiating off of him, you felt his need to comfort and affection. So, you looked up and smiled, gently stroking his hair just as you had realised he liked, and murmured, “You're okay, baby…” to which he blinked quickly and hugged you closer, not wanting you to go.
He looked up tearfully at Soap, who smiled and bought over his jacket that he’d left at the table.
“We're leavin’ lad, back ta base…” Soap murmured softly, so as to not disturb you back. You heard Soap’s uttered words and looked up at Roach, smiled sadly before whispering, “Are you going now then?”
Roach nodded softly and stroked your hair before signing to Soap:
‘Tell her I’ll call, please…and that she's so sweet for wanting to spend time with me, she didn't have to and-’
But Soap gently settled him and turned to you, “He says he’ll call, lass…and he had a nice evenin’ w’a very pretty lassie like y’self.” You giggled softly and kissed Roach’s cheek, a soft confirmation that he had stolen your heart completely with his shy nature.
