summary: reader goes out on a walk with her dog, leading to a meet cute with Ryan!
warnings: none
For the first time in forever, Dublin was sunny. You had taken the opportunity and clipped the leash on your dog, Poppy, preparing for a long stroll around town, to the park, and about any place as long as the sun was out. The sun brought out good moods and graces as you watched couples stroll along. But in seeing this, a jealous pang struck you in the heart. People seemed so happy and content all around you, but your loneliness only grew. How many years were set up of just you, Poppy, and your work?
However many bad thoughts permeated your mind, you tried to stay happy. Poppy sure was delighted, so be like her. Walking along the paths in the park, the shade brought you a much needed break from the bright rays of the sun. You were sure you had gotten a sunburn. As you were lost in your thoughts, Poppy’s barking broke you out of it, as she chased toward a tattooed brunette man. He was, just as you were, soaking up the sun. The only difference is he was wearing headphones, likely listening to music or some audiobook. “Poppy!” You called out after her, trying to tug her away from the stranger.
“Oh, hi puppy,” the man cooed after seeing your dog run towards him. He had reached up and taken off his headphones, before crouching down and petting her. Poppy enjoyed all the attention she got, unfortunately she was quite the diva. “Is this your dog?” He asked.
“Ah, nah, I just walk her and feed her and take care of her, whatnot,” You replied sarcastically. You felt awkward as he didn’t respond. Your joke did not at all land how you wanted it to.
Ryan, on the other hand, was too preoccupied with the cute dog to even hear your response. A cute girl with a cute dog that ran up to him during a sunny day? Was this heaven? “She’s really cute… It’s a girl right? What’s her name?” He peppered you with questions. The dog was small, a mix of a variety of breeds likely, tan with fluffy fur. It reminded him a lot of his own dog, only that his dog was white.
“Yeah, she’s a girl,” You giggled, “Her name’s Poppy.” The tan dog was started to get all too comfortable, laying down on the dirt to have the man stroke her belly. “Well, it was nice to meet you, we should get a move on,” You proposed as you tugged gently on Poppy’s leash to get her to sit up.
“Ah, well if you insist,” the brunette said, gesturing you off, “Great to meet you too, I really hope to see you around.” He immediately mentally cursed himself as you got Poppy up and attempted to walk off. How could he let you walk off? Strangely enough, Poppy refused to move. He could see your frustration, by now the sun was setting and pretty much everyone was wrapping up their time outside. You still wanted to walk the entire path and had to walk back home and Poppy was stuck on her butt, trying to get this man’s attention. “I could walk with you two, if you wouldn’t mind,” He offered to solve Poppy's attention issue.
And that’s how you ended up taking a stroll at sunset with a stranger and your dog. You learned his name was Ryan, and he was a drummer. "Well, there's a lot that goes into it," He says when you ask about the band, "It takes a lot of work. I have to stretch before I play... Does that make me sound old?"
"Definitely."
He sighed, "Most days on tour I feel a sneeze away from death."
You giggled and moved your arm to rub his back in a joking way. He took the moment in a different way, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. You decided to keep your arm around him and he did the same. The feeling of his skin on yours was lighting fireworks underneath your skin. Poppy seemed to be very happy by this development, skipping along ahead of you guys and soaking up every last bit of sun.
Ryan found himself, instead of looking at the foliage, looking at you. He wondered how a mind as beautiful as yours could be behind a face as life changing as yours. He felt a flower inside of him blossoming, a light shining in his soul as you two talked. For once, he felt uncomfortable being anyone but himself.
"So, with tour, that's gotta be lonely right?" You asked.
"Yeah, but not at the same time. I mean, I'm lucky enough to be friends with my bandmates, so I always have them. And the crowd, sometimes they feel more like your family than your family does. I think music just connects people in a way nothing else does," He spoke.
You nodded. "When you find something you love, it feels like breathing to do it, to live in it as you do," You replied.
"Definitely," He spoke, "Can I bring you home?" Your eyebrows shot up. "No- I-, I am so awkward. I am so sorry, I didn't mean to word it like that," Ryan very anxiously corrected himself, "I meant like, can I walk you home?"
"Ohhh!" You giggled, "Of course, I'd prefer it if you did. And for the record, your awkwardness is adorable." You meant it. His awkward charm had you tripping over your words, cheeks blushing, and making you totally head over heels for him.
By the time your walk through the park was over, Poppy was completely exhausted and the sun had fallen. She had begun to walk right by you two, on Ryan's side of course. You felt content, like you could stay here with the brunette's arm around your shoulders forever. You'd be fine giving up the sun if it meant staying with him forever.
As your flat approached, dread bubbled up inside you. You didn't want him to leave. Ryan felt the same. He didnt want this moment to go to waste, to watch you slip out from under his arm into the dark of your flat and never see you again. "Do you think I can get your number?" He found himself asking.
"Of course!" You responded cheerfully. Poppy laid down at the feet of Ryan as you two exchanged contact information infront of your flat's building. He squeezed your shoulder softly before taking his arm off you. The feeling lingered, up your neck and down your arm. It made you so fucking giddy. This guy was dangerous with how he made you feel.
"Alright, well, I'll see you," He said pointing at you with a very determined face. He wasn't gonna let a girl as beautiful and amazing as you slip away. "And..." He crouched down to Poppy, "I'll see you too!" He ran his hand over her side. She was very happy about her successful plan to get this
previously strange man to give her attention. Only he gave you attention too, it was an all around win. He gave you an awkward smiling before turning around and heading towards his own place. Poppy was too tired to try and run off after him, which you were thankful for.
As Ryan walked off, he noticed how dark it really was. He supposed your light kept the world around you bright and warm, and in being beside you, he was encompassed by your light.
Your body was vibrating, mind racing and your smile was as wide as the Amazon river. You felt changed and somehow just the same as yesterday. "Alright Poppy, we should get to bed," You told her, opening up the building's door and bumbling upstairs with your dog.
a/n: title taken from Orange Moon by Erykah Badu which inspired this fic! theres a serious lack of ryan fics out here so i hope the ryan girlies are pleased!!
