Swell.
Pairing: Reader x Jackson Wang [surfer!Jackson] Genre: Fluff
for all my Jiaer stans out there including @yeol-stole-my-soul, @baebae-goodnight, and @igot7bangtanbaes ♡ ♡ ♡
The sun is barely starting to rise when you switch on the lights in the surf shop.
Suppressing a yawn, you instead run your hands through your hair, patting your cheeks quickly in hopes of becoming more awake.
You’re jealous of your roommate, passed out in bed upstairs in your shared apartment, still damp from the shower she took after her surf.
But it was Friday and Friday was your day to open up, sleep be damned.
Shuffling in the back storage room, you grunt under the weight of the new surfboards that came in last night, pushing them together to make more room. You’re so focused on your task, you don’t hear the front bell ring, signaling a customer even though there was at least an hour before business hours began.
“Need an extra pair of strong manly arms,” a voice asks, causing a shriek from your mouth as you turn to face Jackson Wang. You’re about to yell at him, an insult on the tip of your tongue, but he surges forward and throws both hands out as the surfboards start to fall.
He pushes you back, arms braced on either side of your body, as the boards bang against the wall instead of crushing you underneath their heavy weight.
“You really should hire someone to help you with the bigger inventory Y/N,” he whispers, carefully grabbing your wrist with one hand to move you aside, “you could get seriously hurt and no one would know until opening time.”
You’re blushing, a deep red, as you mumble a quick thank you and dart out of the room. You can hear his chuckle and you silently groan.
Jackson Wang, one of the seven most popular (and handsome) surfers on the island, started coming to the shop the first week it had opened. You and your roommate, best friends since childhood (with a shared passion for surfing), had made the decision to run a business together after graduating college. Your store was right on the beach, nestled in the sand just a few feet off shore. Adjacent with the resident smoothie shop, Beach Break became a local hot spot for anything and everything surf.
Jackson’s presence helped as well, he and his friends causing quite the stir around the newly opened shop. Now, five years later, they were still coming, now as regular customers.
Ever since that first day, he had come in with a smoothie in hand, coupled with a smile and some sort of flirty remark.
It wasn’t until recently that you discovered the flirting affected you.
Scampering behind the counter, you watch him out of the corner of your eye as he fixes up in back before rejoining you. Trying to calm your racing heart, you lean against the counter and pray your voice comes out normal.
“...thanks again. It would’ve been such a sad start to the weekend if I had gotten squished under the new boards.”
He shrugs and chuckles, sliding your favorite smoothie towards you, “That’s what I’m here for. But seriously, if there’s stuff that big and heavy you can call me...any of the guys really. We’re up catching waves by four in the morning anyway. One of us can assist. Not...not that you’re not capable or whatever. It’s just I don’t want you getting hurt and...”
You laugh, playing with the straw, “Jacks, I know. I got it. I’m strong but even I could use help once in awhile. It’s fine, I’m glad you were there.”
He visibly relaxes, elbows leaning him forward, “So. The swell was sick today. Please tell me you were out there this morning.”
Groaning, you swing your head back before facing the register, “Don’t even start with me. Jaebum texted this morning and told me to get my ass out there but I was up late doing inventory and knocked out until a few hours ago. Tell me, how beautiful was it?”
“Fucking fantastic,” he whispered before cackling at your crestfallen expression. You whine, smacking him on the arm as he unsuccessfully tries to dodge your attack. Grinning, he tries to catch your wrists again, twisting you to try and get a better advantage.
But you lose your balance, legs tangling with his as you fall, slipping on the water he tracked in from his swim, roughly falling to the floor.
“Jackson?! Oh no, are you alright?”
He winces, trying to shift to alleviate pressure on his back, “Yeah...yeah no I’m fine. You’re just so heavy, damn girl.”
Sighing in relief, you lightly smack him again before your forehead falls to his chest, a grumble that sounded like ‘asshole’ muffled against his dark shirt. You both stay like that, you on top of him as his arms wrap gently around you. You can hear his heart beating, can feel it against your skin, and you wonder if he can hear how loud yours is moving.
Before either of you can say anything, someone from above you clears their throat and you make a mad dash to get up and off each other. Creating a bit of distance, you turn to find Mark at the door, board tucked under his arm as he stares at you both with an unnervingly amused gaze.
“Did I...interrupt something,” he questions smugly.
“If you had, it’s a little creepy that you were just standing there watching hyung,” he fires back.
“Oh no, please continue. You were moments away from sucking face, I’d hate to be the reason you can’t get any Wang. My girlfriend still passed out upstairs Y/N?”
You nod, “Uh...yeah. She said to wake her up once the store opened.”
He grins, “Perfect. I could use some breakfast, I’ll get her ass up. You guys can...keep doing whatever it is you were doing.”
He turns to make his way out, both you and Jackson simply staring at his retreating form. Before the door swings shut, he seems to find his voice, cheeks slightly pink as he yells, “We weren’t doing anything, we just fell okay?”
Mark’s laugh is loud, even so early in the morning, “Whatever you say. Safety first, alright?”
And then he’s gone.
The store is quiet, you both don’t know what to say about Mark’s teasing, so you to lighten the mood you ask, “Do you wanna take a walk by the water? The store won’t be open for a bit.”
Smiling, he agrees and you head out, smoothie in hand with him by your side.
The water is calming, even with people out on their boards. Sand moves between your toes with every step and the breeze is cold against your warmed skin. Jackson is staring out at the ocean, only stopping to say hello every few minutes, surfers and locals alike coming up to greet him. You can see the boys in the distance, Jinyoung cheering Youngjae on as he catches a particularly difficult wave and Jaebum laughing at Yugyeom before shoving him off the board and into the water. BamBam is talking up some pretty girl next to a cluster of palm trees, shorts hanging low and silver hair wet and dripping onto his exposed torso.
He sees you both, makes a move to invite you over, but changes his mind and just waves. You both wave back, continuing against the outline of the sea in silence. It’s after maybe twenty minutes that you ask him what’s wrong and the reason for his lack of conversation.
“Just enjoying the view,” he said, dragging you along.
Getting closer to where the guys had set up their stuff, he invites you onto a towel, no doubt Jaebum’s from the Bart Simpson pattern all over it. Sticking your feet into the sand to escape the slight chill, you turn to him, shoulder shoving his.
“What’s up with you? Ever since Mark came in, you’ve been all silent and I don’t know...it’s freaking me out.”
He chuckles, “What...I can’t be the silent type?”
“No. You’re Jackson Wang. You’re bright and loud and always energetic. I think the only time you aren’t is when you’re sleeping.”
“I’d be offended if you weren’t right.” He smiles suddenly, getting up and hollering with his friends as Youngjae slots himself perfectly inside a barreling wave.
You forget about his suddenly weird mood, both of you cheering as they come out of the water, boards stuck in the sand before they all collapse in a heap onto the towels. You hug Youngjae, not caring that he was still wet, “Congrats, you looked stellar out there.”
“Thanks noona,” he grins, shaking his hair out.
You spend the rest of your time with them, laughing and sharing stories, even when BamBam joins back up with your best friend and Mark. When it’s five minutes before opening, you head back, surprised when Jackson follows.
“You okay,” you wonder, unlocking the door and turning the ‘open’ sign on.
“Yeah. No, I’m good. I just had a question, real quick and I’m out of your hair.”
“Alright,” you reply, laughing.
“Do you like me? And if the answer is yes, you wanna grab breakfast tomorrow after a surf? Just us?”
“...like a breakfast date?” “...like a breakfast date.”
You stare at him because, of course you like him. You’ve liked him for quite some time and thinking about every minute you had spent together since you had first met made your heart flutter in your chest. When he was around you, you swore butterflies were trying to consume your stomach.
So the answer was simple really.
“I do. And sure. Let’s go on a breakfast date tomorrow. First person to wipe out pays.”
He stutters, smiling widely, “Shouldn’t the boyfriend pay?”
You walk up to him, placing a quick kiss on his cheek, “You’re just afraid you’ll lose.”
“I am the best surfer out there, excuse you. I’ll win. You’re so on.” “Good. Keep that attitude up, it makes it better when I crush you. Now get out, customers are coming.”
You shove him away just as a family comes in looking for paddle board rentals. Jackson is left by the front door, this happy look on his face.
“I’m really glad you said yes,” he calls out.
You chuckle and race over again, another kiss to his cheek, “Me too.”
A/N: the thought of surfer!got7 frazzles me lol