Hard work and dedication – Aone x reader wc 942 – gn!reader requested by @ark-stars for A blast from the past, workplace romance edition<3
“If there’s anything you need, anything at all, you can always ask Aone,” the leader of the construction crew told you on your first day. You had recently graduated and already had your first job leading a big project with a team of construction workers.
It made you nervous. Even though you knew you were more than qualified, there was something so intimidating about the construction workers and how they looked at you like they were still in control of the situation. You weren’t their supervisor per se, but you had every right to be there. Therefore, when an obstacle arose, you followed their leader’s advice.
During lunch, you clutched your project notebook tightly and looked around where all the workers had settled in different spots, seemingly either with the ones they were more friendly with or the ones they were working most with that day. Clearing your throat, you managed to gain the attention of a few. “I would like to have a word with Aone, is he here?”
Your eyes moved to a man who got up from a little dirt hill where he sat with an intern and the only guy who had smiled at you that day. Aone was tall and his expression didn’t give you much, so you diverted your eyes to the notebook again and opened it on the relevant page. “Hello,” he said, his deep voice almost startling you.
“Hi,” you greeted before clearing your throat and holding the page visible to him. “I’ve been a bit worried about the delayed materials. How long do you think you need on this other part of the project? If that could be done before the other materials arrive, we would still be on time.” You drew a large breath, looking up at him with worry.
Now, Aone was a simple construction worker. He was no planner. Equally as worried, he straightened up and went through a plethora of expression changes like you’d never seen from him, before answering. “We can do it.”
The feeling of uncertainty in Aone’s stomach was apparently just butterflies in waiting, and they took flight when you showed him a sweet smile and tucked the notebook to your chest. “That’s great!”
Aone still wasn’t sure why you had picked him out from the lot, but gave you a stoic thumbs up to confirm he had indeed claimed they could work much faster than planned.
“I knew there was a reason your leader told me to go to you if I had any issues,” you praised him, not noticing how his face nearly matched his hair before ultimately fluttering with patches of pink.
No, Aone thought. It’s because the boss clocked my crush on you the second you arrived.
Instead of telling you that, he bowed politely and quickly made his way back to where he put his lunch, packing up the half-eaten rice ball before pulling his friend and the intern with him. They had no time to lose.
Every time you checked up on their progress, you noticed Aone working extra hard. While some of the others would cooperate two and two to lift one heavy metal bar, Aone would easily heave it up on his shoulder. When the others took a break to grab some coffee, Aone would keep working. You admired his hard work, despite worrying about him overworking himself. This admiration had nothing to do with the inevitable realisation that he was incredibly handsome. It was just the hard work and dedication to his craft.
When the other materials arrived, Aone happily stood beside you to bring them to the right areas. You looked around excitedly at what started to look like a building, when a firm touch fell on your shoulder. Looking up the arm, it was Aone staring at you strictly. “Be careful,” was all he said, moving you to the side so he could pass by carrying materials. Somewhere, someone whistled at you two, making you look away from each other awkwardly.
Clearing your throat, you moved away to help with the new window measurements, bowing quickly to Aone before you escaped the tension. Aone looked after you and sighed, only getting back to work when the intern clapped him on the back.
It wasn’t until the project was finished and the construction workers were no longer scheduled to come help you that Aone realised he had missed his chance. He woke up in the morning and got ready for work as usual, only to draw a sharp breath while making himself a cup of tea at the realisation that he wouldn’t see you that day. Or any other day, possibly.
He trudged to work, head hanging and lip dangerously close to pouting as he dreaded being assigned a new project. The morning meeting went as usual, looking over some feedback from the last project, even some from you, before ultimately handing out the next one. Aone sighed and flipped carelessly through the pages before laying everything on the desk and listening to the chatter around him instead.
They moved to their cars and reorganised the equipment before heading out, ready for a new day in much less pleasant weather. It was raining, and Aone couldn’t help but let himself wallow a little in how well it matched his mood.
That is, until he stepped out of the car and his heartbeat spiked. There you were, holding tightly onto an umbrella and smiling happily at them.
“I’m so happy to be working with you again!”
You said it to everyone, but they knew who it was really for.
“You too,” Aone answered. He got another chance.
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