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Merry Month of Cohen fic
@what-happens-to-the-heart
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/2 Fandom: Gotham (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Leslie Thompkins/Jerome Valeska Characters: Leslie Thompkins, Jerome Valeska Additional Tags: Explicit Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Older Woman/Younger Man, Smut, Arkham Asylum, Porn With Plot, Feelings, Porn with Feelings, Wall Sex, Couch Sex, Doggy Style, Resolved Sexual Tension, Spanking, Hair-pulling, Passion, Face-Fucking, Face-Sitting, Denial of Feelings Summary:
Lee goes back to her old job at Arkham Asylum, where she reunites with a certain ginger.
Rock’n’Roll Spirit (Gary Garren x Reader)
Chapter 1/2
Chapter 2/2: Ever Fallen In Love
Summary: So, you’re not sure if it’s a date or not, but you agreed to go with Gary to a gig where he’s playing. Where is this gonna lead you? Are you gonna fall in love? Can Gary be trusted?
Warnings: mentions of alcohol consumption, jealousy, SMUT (not super graphic, but still... smutty :’D I mean it’s canon that Gary knows where the g-spot is and what to do with it, so...)
Words: 4 582 O_O; gif by me (credit if using)
A/N: Yes, it took me super long, but I’m actually quite happy with this story and even wish more people read it *sigh*. Anyway, for the atmosphere of the gig, here’s the playlist. Enjoy!
“So, you’re going on a date?”
“Yeah… No. Not really... I guess.” you stammered. “I don’t know. I mean, I wouldn’t call it a date.”
“Why not? You’re going out with that guy, right?” Even though you were talking by the phone, you could literally see your friend smirking.
“Well, I think he just still feels guilty about that lesson and is trying to make it up to me.”
“As he should! He’s been a real dick.”
“Yeah, but... We all have shitty days. He’s not that bad…I think. I forgive him.”
“So it’s a date then?”
“Because I forgive him?”
“Because you like him! Come on, y/n, you definitely do!”
“Ughhh shut up!” you groaned, rolling your eyes. “I’m not sure yet. We’ll see.”
“Hey, want me to come with you?” she suddenly asked.
“What?.. Why? You don’t even like this kind of music.”
“So? You don’t like spiritual resorts either.”
“Look, if you think I want revenge, you’re wrong. Well… At least not right now.” you added with a wicked giggle. “I think I can handle this on my own.”
“Alright, as you wish.” you were almost sure you could sense relief in her voice.
“I think I need to go get ready now, I’ve got less than an hour.”
“Sure. Have fun!”
You hung up, went to your room and opened the closet. Less than an hour until the event, and you still haven’t chosen what to wear. Thoughtfully, you observed your clothes. You’ve been to Frankie’s before and remembered this place as not a very pretentious one, which was good. You decided there’s no real reason to wear something too fancy and went on with skinny jeans, chucks, a t-shirt, and your favorite leather jacket.
“Nice,” you told yourself as you looked into the mirror. You really liked the way you looked. It was just… Very you. You remembered those couple of times you put on fancy dresses and high heels on dates. Both times you felt awkward, as if you tried to be someone else. But you were young, and it just seemed like a rule to go on a date like that. How silly.
Maybe that was the reason you’ve never been a fan of all this dating stuff. All the flirting, pretending to be better than you really are just to impress someone… You always found it kinda weary and even useless in a way.
But wait, what you were going to have tonight wasn’t really a date, right? Or was it?.. You shook your head. Date or not - who cares? It’s just a word. You were about to go to a nice place with good music and have a good time, it was all that mattered after all. And your company… Well, it wasn’t all that bad either.
After you were done with some light makeup, you sat by the window. Your apartment had a great view on the road and the porch, so you could see everyone who arrived. After a while a car showed up, and as it parked not far from the porch, you saw Gary. He didn’t look super fancy either: plaid shirt, worn out jeans and chucks, hippy-looking bracelets on his wrists, guitar on his shoulder. He lit up a cigarette, took a drag and fished the phone out of his pocket. You smirked when the message notification appeared on your phone screen.
“hey there! If the address is right guess I’m here”
“yeah i can see that :)” you typed back.
You saw Gary looking around, then finally lifting his head and noticing you in the window. He grinned happily and waved at you. You waved back, then grabbed your bag, took the last glance at your reflection in the mirror and headed downstairs.
──────── • ✤ • ────────
Since you really lived very close to the pub and the weather was nice, you decided it’s a good idea to leave Gary’s car next to your house and walk to Frankie’s by foot. Gary was in a very good and playful mood - he joked a lot, made you laugh, and soon you completely forgot about how embarrassed you felt after the night in the woods.
You entered the pub when it wasn’t very crowded yet - the band had to be there earlier to make all the necessary preparations for the gig. Gary introduced you to other musicians as “y/n, I teach her to play the guitar, she’s got excellent taste in music!” and they seemed like nice guys to you. Sitting at the nearest table, you watched the band tuning up the instruments and felt familiar, almost forgotten excitement. Damn, when did you attend a gig last time?.. Music used to be such a huge part of your life back in the days, and what happened now? Did you… grow up? Oh no. You shook your head and decided to enjoy today’s gig as much as possible.
“Hey there!” Gary approached and took a sit next to you at the table. “Sorry to leave you like that, you’re probably bored as fuck…”
“No, absolutely not!” you assured him. “I love watching this whole backstage magic… Or madness. Brings back memories.”
“Oh… Memories, you say? What’s that supposed to mean?” Gary cocked his eyebrow curiously.
“I used to volunteer at a couple of rock festivals in my hometown… When I was at high school. A good chance to watch all your favorite bands for free, you know…”
“Wow! You keep surprising me, sweetheart!” Gary winked. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure!”
While you drank your beer, the people started to arrive, and the place was becoming more and more crowded.
“Guess I have to go,” Gary smiled. “Time to rock’n’roll!”
“See you on stage,” you smiled back.
When the gig started, you decided it’s not cool to sit at the table, and sneaked through the crowd closer to the stage. Gary winked happily as he saw you and you waved at him. And then the madness started. The band played mostly cheerful punk and pop punk covers from the 90s, and you realized you still remembered the songs by heart. You jumped, danced, sang along and felt like you went back in time to those days when you were so young and carefree. You also realized you were still young and full of energy. Such a great feeling!
“Okay! For the next song I’d love to invite all the prettiest and bravest girls to come up here on stage! Come on!” the frontman exclaimed. A few girls in the front rows screamed and rushed to climb up the stage excitedly. You giggled at this, then turned your head and saw Gary extending his hand for you. His eyes were sparkling mischievously as he whispered with just his lips “Come on!”
You shook your head at first, but he kept looking at you, and suddenly you thought - what the hell? You grinned and grabbed Gary’s hand letting him help you climb up.
“And now… Let’s get a little crazy! You ladies, please help us! Don’t be shy!”
At this the band started playing All The Small Things. The girls on stage screamed, jumped and sang, you did too, as Gary played next to you. The crowd cheered, and it was absolutely amazing. In the end, one of the girls even tugged off her shirt and threw it into the crowd. You weren’t drunk enough for such things, but you felt almost drunk because of the whole atmosphere.
After the gig was over you went to the bathroom to fix yourself a little, and then returned to your table.
“Wooo! What a show, huh?” Gary laughed happily as he plonked onto the chair next to you and miraculously didn’t spill the beer he was holding.
“Yeah! You were great!”
“No, you were great! Look at you, girl! You were awesome on stage!” Gary’s excitement made you blush.
“Alright, we both were great!”
“Cheers to that!”
“Mmm,” you made after a couple of swigs. “Cold beer is always tastier after the gig.”
“Turns out I’ve really been mistaken about you not having the rock’n’roll spirit. Shame on me!” Gary stated.
“My rock’n’roll spirit was asleep for a while I guess,” you smiled. “Thanks for waking it up.”
“Anytime!” he smirked.
You took another sip, and when you looked at Gary again, you noticed his expression slightly changed. He didn’t smile any more and seemed a bit tense all of a sudden.
“Is anything wrong?” you asked as you followed his gaze to the opposite side of the room. You saw a couple at one of the tables. A brunette with pretty dark makeup and quite a revealing dress and a guy with spiky hair wearing a leather jacket. They obviously noticed Gary and didn’t seem very amused. And even from here you could notice a healing bruise under the guy’s left eye.
“Are these… Who I think they are?”
“Yup. That’s Jed over there, and that’s Pamela, my ex-girlfriend.” Gary shrugged.
“Oh… well, we can leave if you wanna…” you suggested.
“No, it’s fine I guess,” he shook his head and took another sip of beer. “I’m mean… He’s sure as hell not amused about me ruining his pretty face,” Gary chuckled a bit at the thought, “But I think he’s smart enough to understand that he deserved it. ‘Cause I would, if I were him.”
“Does it mean you could sleep with your... Colleague’s girlfriend?” you cocked an eyebrow.
“Well you know... I’m not gonna lie, when I was younger I did a lot of shit I’m not really proud of…Mostly being drunk or stoned or both. We all did. But now, getting older you see things a bit differently, you know…”
“Like how?”
“Like... Well, in my early 20s I was in a band, and we were all pretty much equal. And when some girl slept with the guitarist today and with the drummer tomorrow - it was okay, like, whatever. No one cared much, we thought that’s rock’n’roll. And now... Well, first - these guys are... Maybe not super stars, but still rather popular, they’ve got their fans and stuff. And here’s me, Gary fuckin’ Garren, the guy no one really knows or remembers. Already kinda hurts my ego, right? So obviously I can’t play with the band where the frontman fucked my girlfriend and everybody knows, the band knows... And they all look at me as if saying “what a goddamn loser”. Way too humiliating, huh?”
“Yeah, I see your point… I guess,” you nodded.
“But yeah, as I said, I’m just fine. Never mind them, okay?” Gary finished his beer and you followed. Even though Gary was probably right and there were no reasons for them to fight, you still could feel the tension in the air.
“Another one?” he asked, pointing at the empty glasses.
“You know what, I think we really should go. Tomorrow’s a working day, and I don’t wanna be a mess in the morning.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” you nodded. “I really enjoyed the evening though.”
“Alright, let’s take you home.”
──────── • ✤ • ────────
The night was lovely and the streets seemed quiet and peaceful as you walked to your house unhurriedly.
“Look, if we left because you think I’m heartbroken or something - I’m really not, I’m totally over it,” Gary went. “Haven’t taken that relationship very seriously anyways, and I bet she hasn’t either.”
“I wonder if you’re always like that,” you blurted.
“Like what?”
“Don’t take relationships seriously.”
“Well… Mostly. I mean, I kinda don’t see the point in holding onto a relationship if it clearly doesn’t work out. Like you girls often do. You try to “fix” the guy, but isn’t it way easier to go look for someone else who’d be a match without fixing?”
“Well, breakups are not always that easy. What if you’re really in love? Have you ever been in love?”
“Whoa, that’s a tough question, sweetheart.”
“Why?”
“Because… I don’t know,” he shrugged with a soft chuckle. “I had crushes, yes. Really intense ones sometimes. But love… Like real big love? I don’t know. I mean, I would know if it happened to me, right? So no, I guess, I haven’t. Have you?”
“Me? Uh... I think I had, once. But it didn’t work out.”
“Did you try to fix him?”
“I tried to fix the relationship, yes… But no, I’ve never tried to fix him. You can’t fix anyone against their will after all.”
“Exactly! That’s very smart of you to say, y/n! The thing is, most of us men are like teenagers. I personally hate it when someone tries to dictate to me what to do, to… Change me somehow. Makes me wanna riot! Like… If I’m not okay for you - fine then, go find someone else, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.”
“You know, when people fall in love, sometimes they want to change. For someone they love.”
“Well… guess I’m even more convinced I haven’t fallen in love than. I’ve never wanted to change,” he shrugged again.
“You know what? I like your honesty,” you confessed.
“Really? Usually honesty is a huge problem,” Gary chuckled.
“I think it’s a good thing. You seem very real.”
“You too seem very real to me, actually… Oh hey, that’s your place!” he stated as you reached his car, parked next to your porch.
“Yep,” you nodded. “We’re here. So uh... Thanks again for tonight, it was really cool and I enjoyed it so much you have no idea!”
“Yeah, that was fun! We’re playing again in a week, you should come.”
“I probably will.”
“Yeah? Cool! Oh…Wait a second. Almost forgot.”
With this Gary opened the trunk of his car and revealed what was inside.
“Ah yeah... My jacket.” you instantly felt the heat on your cheeks at the thought of how you lost it. “Thanks for uh… Bringing it back.”
“Welcome.” Gary was standing in front of you, smirking cheekily.
“You know what I’m thinking about right now?” He suddenly asked.
“What?” you smiled.
“Are you gonna freak out again if I try to kiss you?”
“Uh, what?” you let out a nervous giggle. “Why… what makes you think I’d freak out?”
“You literally ran away from me the other night, remember?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Well that was just very… Unexpected. And… It was going too far, I wasn’t ready to take my clothes off... I don’t do that with someone I hardly know…”
“Okay…” Gary smirked again, throwing the jacket over your shoulders and pulling you a tiny bit closer with it. “I’m not asking you to take off your clothes right now, but a little kiss could work, how ‘bout that?”
“That could… work,” you heard yourself saying without even thinking first.
His beard tickled your chin as he leaned in. The kiss was softer this time, more gentle, yet still deep and passionate. The way he held you, the way his hand moved up to cup your cheek made this kiss somehow intimate, and you felt weak in the knees as he drew back a little.
“Hey um… Did you think of guitar lessons, by the way?” Gary asked in a slightly hoarse voice.
“Guitar… Oh um... Actually not really,” you mumbled, still getting back to your senses.
“You know it’s not... Okay, not gonna lie, actually it is a reason to see you again… But not only! I also promise to really teach you, okay? Come on, y/n!..”
“Fine. I’ll give you a chance.”
“Awesome! Wanna start tomorrow?”
“Uh… Yeah, sure. Why not?” you shrugged. “So… Around 7 p.m. like last time, yes?”
“Perfect! Now... Before I go, do you mind one more kiss good night?” Gary grinned and you smiled back at him.
Everything was crazy. It wasn’t even supposed to be a date, and here you were, snogging at your porch. But... Apparently your best knew you too well, because she was right - you liked him. It was a strange attraction, but you couldn’t deny or escape it… Frankly speaking, you didn’t really want to.
“I don’t mind that at all,” you whispered before he captured your lips again.
──────── • ✤ • ────────
Unlike your very first lesson, your second one went very well. This time Gary tried hard to demonstrate his best teaching skills, and you really managed to learn some basics and felt way more confident. The lesson ended up with a long makeout session on Gary’s couch as a pleasant bonus.
You had to leave the city for the weekend, so you haven’t seen each other for the next couple of days, but Gary called you on Saturday, and you were talking for more than three hours about nothing and everything at once like two teenage lovers. On Sunday you talked even more.
On Monday you finally met for another lesson, which was also quite productive and the makeout session was longer and even more heated. Gary could actually be a good teacher if he wanted to. He was a good kisser as well. His kisses made you feel dizzy, hot and bothered; they were both tender and wild at once and you left his apartment on shaky legs, letting out a deep sigh in the elevator to come back to senses. On Tuesday it happened again.
Things haven’t gone further than snogging yet though. For some reason Gary decided to be a gentleman this time and didn’t push on you even though on Tuesday you clearly felt it wasn’t that easy for him. You both were already on fire, and you weren’t quite sure how your next lesson was gonna end.
You and Gary were different in many ways, you could tell he wasn’t your type at all, but you liked him more and more. He was funny, crazy, he was real. You didn’t think about any possible consequences of this relationship - for now you were just enjoying every minute you spent together. Basically, you were on cloud nine most of the time and nothing could bother you... Until Wednesday.
On Wednesday you were going from work, as you usually did, by bus. You were busy scrolling through Instagram on your phone, but raised your head to look out of the window for a moment. The next stop was yours, and now the bus was going past Frankie’s Pub. You smiled to yourself - Gary probably was there right now, rehearsing for tomorrow’s gig.
Suddenly you frowned. You saw Gary at the pub, he probably went outside for a smoke, but… He wasn’t alone. You recognised the dark haired lady immediately. Pamela? The next second you saw her leaning against him, and…Wait… Did they kiss? They obviously kissed! You turned your head desperately trying to see more but the bus turned the corner and you lost them.
You turned away from the window and just gazed into space for a few seconds. It was like a punch in the gut. You were so shook that you missed your stop.
You walked home, head full of heavy thoughts. Well, but what did you expect after all? Gary told you from the very start - relationships weren't something he ever took seriously. You should’ve been prepared for something like that. This man just wasn’t a boyfriend material, that’s all. Someone you could occasionally have fun and then part without any hard feelings. Take things easy... Yeah, right. But you just couldn’t. It was hard to tell the exact moment when it happened, but somehow your feelings for Gary became more serious than you expected.
As you got home, you tumbled down on the bed, face into the pillow, and groaned. No, you didn’t want to cry, but you felt really shitty and also stupid.
An hour passed. Gary called. You switched off the sound. You didn’t want to see him or hear his voice. Your first intention was to skip tonight’s guitar lesson, but after a bit of thinking you decided it was childish to just ignore him like that without explaining the reason. So you got up with a sigh, grabbed your bag and left your apartment.
──────── • ✤ • ────────
“Ah, there she is!” Gary beamed as he opened the door. “I already started worrying… Would be nice if you answered the calls sometimes, you know...”
“Gary,” you stopped him as he leaned in for a usual kiss and he frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“I… Well you see… On my way home from work I saw something… Somebody, I mean. And I just… Sorry, but I can’t ignore it.”
“What… The hell you’re talking about, y/n? Hey, I’m a simple man, I hate it when you girls start playing all those guessing games…”
“Fine, no games. I saw you with Pamela.”
“Oh?.. Well yeah, she did come over to explain herself, ‘cause you know, we didn’t have a proper talk since the uh… accident. And since Jed dumped her she felt guilty all of a sudden…”
“So I assume she's now forgiven? Because you kissed her.”
“What?.. Y/n, look, I…”
“Gary, please. There was a kiss, I saw it with my own eyes. Don’t try to deny it.”
“I don’t, but…”
“Wait, let me speak first, okay?” you cut him off decidedly. “Look, I’m not gonna make a scene, I don’t even blame you, because you never really promised me anything. You were honest, thank you for that. You said it from the very start that you don’t take relationships very seriously, and it’s fine! It’s your choice. It’s just that… I don’t think we should keep seeing each other, because we just… We don’t match. I’m not like you. Like… Even if I try I don’t think I’m able to not take it seriously if I like someone. I saw you and it hurt me. So… I just think it’s better to stop before I get hurt even more.”
You took a deep breath in the end of your tirade, trying to figure out what else to add.
“You’re done?” Gary suddenly asked. “Can you listen to me now?”
After a split second of hesitation you nodded. That seemed fair.
“You saw the kiss… From the bus, right? But apparently you didn’t notice it wasn’t me who kissed her. She kissed me.”
“That doesn’t change much.”
“You also apparently haven’t seen that I pushed her away... Which is not normally my thing to push a girl away when she kisses me…”
“So why would you do it this time?” you asked, tone still harsh.
“‘Cause apparently I started taking something seriously. Or someone. And that someone is you.”
He looked straight into your eyes, and your voice betrayed you this time.
“Why should I trust you anyway?”
“Because I didn't lie to you so far? I might be a fuckhead but I've never lied to you, since the moment I met you, actually… Jesus fuckin’ Christ, y/n! I’m fuckin falling for you, can’t you see that?”
“Wh…”
“Yeah, I’m falling in love with you. There, I said it, okay?”
You only opened your mouth to say something, but Gary didn’t give you a chance to reply. He just pulled you as close as possible in one swift motion, and his lips crushed on yours with such fire and desperation that you forgot how to breathe for a moment. There was something feral about it, something you couldn’t fight. Clenching the fabric of his shirt in your fists, you gave in, surrendered, and it felt like the right thing to do, because...
“Gary,” you gasped breathlessly, as your lips parted, “I... I think I might be in love with you too.”
Green eyes stared at you for a second before he grinned happily and kissed you again, and again. Your lips, cheeks, the delicate curve of your neck. As if he was a starving man, he couldn’t get enough, but you couldn’t get enough of him either.
You could hardly tell at what point you both tumbled down on Gary’s old couch, how his shirt was pulled away and tossed aside, how yours followed. More kissing, biting, skin on skin, warmth of his body...
“Hey, hey, wait a minute,” Gary hushed against your lips as you reached his jeans to undo the belt with shaky fingers. Another deep kiss and he slid down, kneeling at the couch, his lips tracing gentle patterns around your navel as he tugged down your pants.
“What are you…”
“You won’t regret it.”
And he didn’t lie, again. Once his lips and tongue made contact with your most sensitive parts, your back arched uncontrollably, a whimper escaped your lips as you instantly gripped onto his hair. He seemed to like it, you could tell by the way he chuckled between your legs before dipping his tongue once again into your heat, drawing another moan from you.
You could hardly register what was happening any longer. All you could focus on was his mouth, hot, greedy and teasing. You were impossibly close to the edge when he paused for a moment. The clutter of metal against the floor as he took the rings off his fingers, and…
The spot he found inside you made you see the stars almost instantly. Only a few moments and you were gone. You didn’t know what magic he used, but you could tell without doubts - this climax was the most intense in your entire sex life. It left you gasping and shuddering, yet still craving for more.
“You okay?” Gary asked, coming up to face you again. “I mean if you’re ready to keep going, I’m totally up for it, unless you…”
“Get over here,” you whispered, pulling him into another messy kiss.
──────── • ✤ • ────────
“Guess next time we better do it in bed. I’m afraid this couch won’t survive another round,” Gary stated.
“Apparently so,” you huffed, looking up at the ceiling and trying to catch your breath.
Gary was lying on the floor next to the couch. He didn’t want to collapse on top of you in fear of both hurting you and breaking the goddamn couch which already started making dangerously creaking noises in process.
“You good up there?” he asked, reaching out to stroke your hand.
“Yeah… You?”
“Pretty great for someone who’s lying on the floor with his pants down,” he chuckled. “That was…Intense, huh? Not really how I pictured our first time but… that felt awesome.”
“Indeed,” you agreed. “Gary?”
“Mhm?..”
“What you said before we… you know. Did you really mean it?” you turned your head to look at him.
“Yeah, I did. I mean like... I’m not sure if I know what love really is, but it’s just... I kinda want it to last, you know. I don’t wanna lose you, that’s what I know.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Good to know,” he smiled, bringing your hand to his lips to kiss your knuckles. “I think I could even change for you.”
“You don’t have to change much.”
“That’s also good to know,” he smirked.
“Hey, Gary.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m cold. Do you think this couch can survive some cuddles?”
“Let’s… Find out…” Gary grunted as he got on his feet. You shifted, letting him lie beside you and pull you into his arms. “Oh gosh, I’m too old for this shit. My back is killing me.”
“Where’s your rock’n’roll spirit, Gary Garren?” you giggled softly, snuggling closer to his frame.
THE END
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Thanks so much for reading! It was a bit longer than I expected, and a bit like a teenage novel, but I hope you had fun with it! Confession: I particulary enjoyed writing the last part of the fic, make up sex and Gary on the floor, I really can see this happening xDDD Tell me what you think?
Hugs, Lucy
Rock’n’Roll Spirit (Gary Garren x Reader)
Chapter 1 / 2: I’ve Just Seen a Face
Summary: Your first meeting with Gary Garren didn't turn out very well and you were hoping you won't see each other again... But the destiny decided otherwise. (It’s a very vague summary, but I really don’t have much inspo atm)
Warnings: mentions of alcohol consumption and smoking (the reader is a bit too shy for smut in the first chapter so I’m saving it for part 2)
Words: 3 915; gif by me (credit if using)
A/N: This chapter is basically just an almost 4k words conversation, but I really love how the story just develops in my head effortlessly and just out of nowhere. It’s supposed to be a little one-shot but it just goes on and on... Maybe it’s a good thing that a character has very little screen time - I don’t know much about him, so I’m free to imagine whatever the hell I want :D Somehow I see Gary as a nice guy (he can be a bit of dick like all of us, but most certainly would regret later), he also seems passionate and driven by instincts (I think he’s more adequate in my fic than he is in the movie, but who cares - AO3 doesn’t even have A Case of You among the fandoms) Once again Sam makes me see the entire world behind such a small performance, and I’m loving it.
You were not supposed to be here. You didn’t want to be here and didn’t feel at ease. Well, maybe you would feel better if you were among friends; because the romance of the forest, the bonfires and the sounds of music were actually quite nice and you could really enjoy it… But not with so many drunk and stoned strangers around. On the other hand what else did you expect?
“Fuck, y/n. You really should learn to say no, do you?”
The reason why you were here, in this hippie kind of a camp, was your best friend’s new crush. They’ve been dating for less than a week, and the guy invited her to join him here, in a fancy spiritual retreat.
“Please, y/n! Please, please, I really wanna go, come on! It’s gonna be fun!” she practically begged.
“I don’t really get it… Why do you need me there? I’m just gonna be a third wheel, that’s all…”
“You won’t, I promise! It’s just… I don’t know him well enough, so… I’d really feel much better if you were around. Please?.. I really like him, y/n…”
In the end, needless to say that now your bestie and her crush were god knows where (well, maybe just in his tent, but you really didn’t feel like checking, as they apparently didn’t play dominoes there), and you were here, surrounded by the crowd.
The best decision would be going to your tent and trying to sleep, but there was a huge problem: you felt absolutely disoriented. Being a third wheel especially in an unknown environment was kinda stressful, so you drank a bit too fast and a bit more than you expected… Although it wasn’t the worst thing. The worst thing was that you smoked. Just a tiny bit, to put yourself at ease - what could go wrong? Only you didn’t smoke weed (or anything else, really) since you were a teen. And even when you were a teen, the experience was far from being enjoyable. Basically, it was your second try, and well… It didn’t become any better. Okay, maybe a little bit - at least you didn’t feel like throwing up. But as you got on your feet, you realized the world was spinning around a bit. Your vision turned blurry, and everything just felt weird. The air was muggy from the smoke of bonfires and joints, and it made the situation even worse.
“Okay, find your tent. Concentrate, y/n.”
Stumbling on your feet, you made a few steps away from the bonfires and the main crowd. All went well, until you looked back for a reason you couldn’t explain, and then you probably turned your head too fast and lost your balance. You gasped but suddenly someone’s hands saved you from falling.
“Whoa, hey!.. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” you nodded, tilting your face to meet the stranger’s gaze.
“Wait a second… Is that you?” The guy blinked in surprise. Apparently your state wasn’t completely hopeless, because even though he was wearing one of those ridiculous hippie-looking sweaters and a weird knitted hat, somehow you recognized his green eyes and a bit patchy ginger beard almost immediately.
“G-Gary?”
“Damn… You’re… y/n, right?” his face lightened up. “Wow! W-what are you doing here?”
“I… Better go,” you mumbled as you really had no intention to speak to this man. You met only once, but… Let’s say that meeting didn’t bring you much joy. The memory of it was still quite bright.
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“Look, Gary... With all due respect, you’re making me feel kinda dumb right now… Which, I believe, I am not. So uh… Could you please explain to me once again, more, you know, precisely…”
“Geez, what are you even doing here?” Gary Garren rolled his eyes as if you were the most annoying person he’s ever met. You were sitting in front of him, guitar in your hands, the pads of your fingers already hurting, and he actually was supposed to teach you. But in fact, it seemed like he didn’t want to teach you at all. Since the very start he didn’t look very enthusiastic.
“Excuse me?” you blinked in confusion.
“Why are you here, why do you want to play the guitar?” he asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if he was exhausted.
“Well um… Just wanted to, you know… Learn to play some of my favorite songs maybe,” you shrugged.
“Listen, sweetheart, it sounds pretty cute, but I’m not gonna teach you to play Taylor Swift or something, I am sorry.”
“What?” you frowned. “What do you mean Taylor Swift? I’m actually more into classic rock or punk…”
“Punk?” he scoffed. “ You and punk? Are you kidding me right now?”
Okay, this dude started really pissing you off at this point.
“Hey, what’s wrong with you?” you snapped. “You think if a person is quiet they can’t love rock music or what? Do you know how fucked up is that?!”
You didn’t curse very often but this time you just couldn’t find any more appropriate word to express yourself.
“No offence, sweetheart, but look at yourself. I just can’t see any kind of… Rock’n’roll spirit in you,” he was talking with you as if you were a child, and it pissed you off even more. “Probably that’s why it doesn’t work out…”
“You know what? Maybe it doesn’t work out just because you’re a shitty teacher?” you got up abruptly, shoving the guitar onto Gary’s lap. “I’m done.”
“Hey, where are you going? You’re not just gonna leave without paying for the lesson…”
You fished a crumpled banknote out of your pocket and put it on the table next to you.
“Here. Hope I won’t see you ever again.” You said sincerely, turned on your heels and left his apartment.
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“I… Better go,” you said, but your legs betrayed you, and you tripped again.
“Whoa-whoa, slow down… You don’t look good…” Gary frowned as he grabbed you by the waist, keeping in place.
“I just… Need some fresh air…”
“That’s a great idea, sweetheart, come on.” he quickly placed your arm over his shoulder and started guiding you away from the bonfires.
“Hey, I actually can walk!..” you protested.
“Course you can. Just giving you a little helping hand,” he chuckled.
A part of you really wanted to push him away, but to be completely honest you had to admit - you really could use a little help right now. Also seeing a familiar face here, even if this face belonged to this dumbass, was weirdly comforting. So you let him.
With Gary’s help you soon found yourself at the lakeshore. It wasn’t really far from the main crowd, you could still see the lights and hear the sounds of music and mantras, but the air was significantly fresher here. You could smell the forest, not the smoke, and it felt good.
“There,” Gary landed on the ground next to you and sighed. He wasn’t quite sober either, you noted, but it most certainly wasn’t his first visit, so he seemed pretty much adequate. “How’re you feeling, sweetheart?”
“Better… Would you please stop calling me sweetheart though?” you muttered. “It’s really annoying.”
“No problem,” he raised his hands jokingly. “Hey uh… y/n. Are you still mad at me?..”
“Well, how do you think?”
“Look… I’m… I’m really sorry, okay?” He said after a pause, looking you in the eye. “I realize I’ve been a huge asshole, and I actually wanted to call you and apologize, believe it or not, I just…didn't save your number, so… ” he let out a helpless laugh.
“You know, what you did was really discouraging,” you told him. “I mean… I wanted to play the guitar since like… high school? But just… When I had time I didn’t have money, when I had money I didn’t have time or was too lazy, or something else, you know how it happens. And finally I find enough courage to make this teenage dream come true, and what do I get?..”
“Fuck, I know, I know,” he rubbed his face for a second before looking back at you. “I was just… having really shitty times, you know what I mean? It’s not an excuse for being a dick, I know, but it’s just… That’s just how it was,” he shrugged.
“What exactly happened to you anyways?”
Normally you would probably not ask someone you hardly know such a thing. Everyone has their good and bad days, and it’s their business not yours. But tonight you weren’t hundred percent in control over your emotions and gave way to curiosity.
“Oh man, that's a hella long story.”
“Seems like we’ve got plenty of time.”
“Alright, that’s fair,” he nodded, clearing his throat. “Damn, where to start… Okay. So a friend of a friend introduced me to some guys from a local band… You know, they play in the pubs. Rather popular, actually, they even have an album. Maybe you heard them…The name's Jed & The Riots.”
“Nah, I doubt that,” you shook your head. “I’m mostly into older stuff, and I’m not really familiar with the local bands.”
“Well, anyway… They planned to go on a small tour, but something happened to their guitarist so they were looking for someone.”
“Sounds quite cool.”
“I know, right? I played a couple of gigs with them and all seemed great. Man, I missed being on stage! But then some real big shit happened. You see, the girl I've been dating at that time - turned out she was pretty much into that Jed, the frontman. I took her to a couple of rehearsals because why not, what's the point in being a rockstar if you can't bring your girl backstage, right? Damn I was really excited about this job and didn't even realize what was going on… So… One day I get to their rehearsal base a bit earlier, and guess what I see? That's right, Jed banging my girlfriend.”
“Oh… Shit, that's… Not good,” you had to admit.
“Right?! I mean, she wasn't the love of my life or something, but I was angry as fuck! And it was, you know, humiliating…”
“I can imagine…”
“So in the end I lost a really cool job and a girlfriend as a bonus. Well, at least I punched the fucker in the face, that made me feel a bit better,” Gary shrugged with a bitter smirk. “But I still wasn't in the best of moods when you came over, and… You know the rest.”
“I'm sorry that happened to you. This situation really sucks,” you said.
“Nevermind. That’s supposed to be a temporary job anyways. And the girl… Also not the end of the world.” He fell silent for a moment, then snatched a cigarette from behind his ear. “You mind if I… I'll try not to smoke in your direction.”
“I don't think it'll make my condition any worse at this point.”
“True,” he lit up the cigarette and took a deep drag. “Anyway, this whole story didn't give me the right to be such a dick.”
“It's okay, I forgive you. In fact, maybe you were right,” you sighed.
“What do you mean?” Gary furrowed his brow.
“Maybe playing a musical instrument is just not my thing,” you shrugged. “‘Cause I mean, look at me. I just drank some beer and smoked only a tiny bit, and I'm a complete mess. I don't feel comfortable here at all. Guess there's really no rock'n'roll spirit in me.”
“No, come on, stop that! Look, what I said is just bullshit, okay? You can do anything, if you really wanna.”
“Yeah, right,” you scoffed.
“Hey, look at me.” Gary's voice sounded suddenly firm, convincing. “I'm being serious right now. I really mean it, you can do anything. Do you trust me?”
“Y-yes,” you replied, and you weren't lying. Gary's sparkling green eyes seemed absolutely honest as he looked at you. You could feel it.
“Okay,” he smiled softly and took another drag. “Now may I ask you, what are you even doing here if you feel so uncomfortable?”
“Oh, um... My story’s not as dramatic as yours. My friend’s boyfriend invited her, she’s totally crushing over him so she wanted to go. But since they’ve only been on a couple of dates before, she needed me for moral support.”
“Looks like she doesn’t need moral support anymore, huh?” Gary smiled, but his tone was rather friendly than mocking. “Classic. Why are you girls always doing this?”
“Road trips are a serious matter, so if you don’t know the guy very well… What if something goes wrong? You’re alone and far from home - who wants that?”
“So if you were her, would you do that too? Would you ask her to go with you?”
“I…Don’t know, really,” you mused. “To be fair, I think I just wouldn’t go on such a trip with someone I hardly know. I’m usually very careful when it comes to new relationships.”
“But what if you were really into them? Like your friend.”
“I can’t tell, because I don’t know. I’ve never been in such a situation. Like... Yeah, I had feelings for guys, but never uh... Lost my mind over somebody,” you explained.
“No offence, but... You know what I think?” Gary breathed out a wisp of smoke and it faded into the night air.
“Shoot.”
“You look like a kind of a person who is always here to back you up, but never really asks for help when they need a backup. And that’s not cool, because people might use it...”
“Well, that’s not about my friend. I know her for ages and there were situations when she helped me a lot, even though I didn’t ask for it. So…You really shouldn’t judge her.”
“Sure, you know best. No judging.”
For a while you both remained silent. You watched the stars and the reflections in the water of the lake, he smoked unhurriedly. You finally felt that your anxiety, which you couldn’t fight neither with alcohol nor with weed, started to fade and you were able to relax. You glanced at Gary. His face looked peaceful and the smoke was giving almost a mystical impression in the moonlight. Suddenly, you caught yourself thinking that he was quite handsome despite all the scruffiness. There was that kind of natural, effortless charisma in him. Unlike you, he seemed to be at ease with this place. You realized you were staring and shook your head, turning your gaze back to the stars.
“What the hell is going on with you, y/n?”
Thankfully, Gary didn’t seem to notice, deep in his own thoughts.
“Actually it’s not that bad here,” you said, mostly just to say something. “A bit chilly, but it’s fine. And the lake is beautiful.”
“Wait a second,” Gary rummaged in his pockets and pulled out a small scuffed flask. He opened it and took a sip first before handing it to you. “Here. It’s whiskey. One sip won’t hurt, but it’ll warm you up.”
“Thanks.”
Your breath hitched for a second as the alcohol hit your throat. A wave of warmth reached your stomach, spreading slowly over your body. You liked the sensation.
“You know what, I’m glad I met you here,” you confessed. Gary raised his brow. “Really?”
“Yep. I feel anxious around strangers. It’s nice to see a familiar face. Comforting. Plus… Turned out you’re not that bad.”
“Oh yeah?” Gary chuckled, “Good to know. You’re not bad either. And also you’re pretty.”
“Pretty? Me?” you scoffed in amusement, “Not now anyways. Now I’m a big mess.”
“So?” He stubbed out his cigarette and took another sip from the flask, “You’re a beautiful mess.”
“Stop,” you groaned, hiding your face in your palms. You couldn’t even tell if your cheeks were burning because of alcohol or because of his words.
“I won't, 'cause I mean it… Hey, what are you doing? Don't hide, look at me.”
Laughing softly, he reached your hands to gently pull them away from your face.
“Fine, I’m pretty,” you smiled, meeting his gaze.
“That’s it,” Gary winked and suddenly brought his fingers to your face and brushed away a strand of hair so casually, as if you knew each other for ages and he did it every day. This unexpected gesture confused you with its sudden intimacy. Normally you’d hate someone interfering into your personal space like that, and you’d immediately back off or push this someone away, but... Tonight was a weird night, and you didn’t move, just froze in place, your eyes locked with his, lips slightly parted...
And then, as if something clicked, he leaned in, and his lips captured yours before you could even realize what was going on, because this kiss was different from those you were used to. Those kisses usually started with a gentle touch of lips before getting deeper and more heated. Gary’s kiss was like a tidal wave ripping through everything in its path. His mouth was hot and demanding as he practically devoured you with a blissful hum somewhere from the back of his throat.
And you... Instead pushing him away and maybe slap him in the face, you... Responded to that. You let him grab the back of your neck to pull you closer, you parted your lips even more, letting your tongue meet his halfway, and it felt so, so damn good!.. Your brain seemed to switch off completely, hands flew to his head, dragging away the ridiculous hat and burying your fingers into the softness of his hair. His soft grunt and your quiet moan as his tongue gently massaged yours, sending waves of arousal down your core; his hands tugging your jacket off your shoulders and pulling you closer against his chest, into his warm embrace; electricity between the two of you - all of these made your head go dizzy with some primal, feral lust you haven’t experienced before.
He let go of your already swollen lips only to move further and nip on the tender skin right beneath your jaw, and one of his hands finally found its way underneath your jumper. And then, all of a sudden, as you felt his hand against the bare skin of your back, your brain switched on again.
“What the actual fuck are you doing, y/n?!”
“G-Gary, stop,” you mumbled breathlessly, pushing him away, “We… need to stop.”
“Uh… yeah… sure. I got it,” he pulled away reluctantly and looked at you through half closed eyelids. “Are you… anything wrong?..”
“I… Just think I should go now,” you said hastily, getting on your feet. “Thanks for… the company and all…”
“Whoa, wait... What are you doing? Look, I’m not a maniac, okay? Just thought we both were enjoying…”
“I know. You’re not a maniac. I just really need to go.”
“Do you need help? Are you able to find your tent?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Really, Gary, I feel much better. Almost sober. Good night!”
With this, you waved at him awkwardly, and headed to the camp without looking back.
Fresh air really did help - your vision wasn’t blurry any longer and this time you quickly found the right direction. There was your tent, you recognized it easily because you put a flag with a smiley face emoji on top of it. As you got in, you fell on the sleeping bag and let out a deep sigh.
“Okay, everything’s fine now,” you whispered to yourself.
Why were you freaking out so much? It was just a kiss. People make out with strangers at parties all the time, no big deal. In your case, it wasn’t even a complete stranger. Nothing to feel guilty or embarrassed about, right? Ain’t that the rock’n’roll spirit, huh? You snorted a laugh and shook your head. No, really. All is fine. It was just too much. Too many new impressions for one night, and you panicked. Now you should just relax and try to sleep. Yep.
You got inside the sleeping bag and curled up, trying to find a comfortable position. Actually you always found sleeping in a tent weirdly cozy. After such an eventful night your eyelids were already heavy and you started drifting off almost immediately.
In a hazy state, somewhere in between the dream and reality, the image of Gary’s soft lips and hot breath, his stubble against your skin and the warmth of his body pressed to yours popped up in your brain again, making you shiver for a moment.
And then you fell asleep, and slept soundly until your best friend woke you up in the morning and started to apologize.
──────── • ✤ • ────────
A couple of days have passed since your trip to the retreat. You were reading in bed after a long working day, and was already thinking of turning off the light when your phone rang.
“Whoever you are, you’re lucky I didn’t switch the sound off yet for the night,” you murmured to yourself as you picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Uhh hey... y/n! Is that you?”
“Yeah, guess that’s me,” you frowned. The voice seemed familiar but you couldn’t completely recognize it. “Who’s that?”
“It’s Gary. Gary Garren! Remember me?”
Your eyes widened for a second.
“Gary? Oh hey… It’s... Nice to hear you,” you made an attempt to sound normal. “Where did you get my number?”
“Oh! I just went through the incoming calls on my phone… Couldn’t remember the exact date you called me, so... It took a while. But here I am!” He sounded really proud of himself.
“Wow. That’s uh… Impressive. So... Why are you calling?” you asked, hoping you didn’t sound too rude.
“Okay, so first of all - you forgot your jacket.”
Damn! You almost groaned out loud. Freaking stoned Cinderella with the jacket instead of a shoe.
“And second - when are you planning to continue the guitar lessons?”
“Oh, um... Gary, I’m not really sure I still want to…”
“Ah, y/n, come on! If you give up on this, I’ll feel guilty forever!”
“It’s not your fault…”
“Of course it is! Y/n, really…It’s your teenage dream. Give it one more chance. Give me one more chance. Next lesson is for free, because I really owe you. You basically paid me for nothing. Come on!”
“Fine,” you sighed. “I’ll think about it, okay?”
“Okay. And while you’re thinking…Are you busy Thursday night?”
“I…No, probably not... Why?”
“I’m playing with one cover band. Good old songs, exactly what you like. At Frankie’s Pub...”
“Oh, I know this place,” you blurted. “I live nearby.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, just around the corner.”
“No way! So you’ve been to Frankie’s before?”
“Only once. My friends are not very much into this kind of music, so…”
“Shame. Well, now since you have me, you can go there more often,” you heard him chuckling. “So, you wanna come? It’s gonna be fun.”
“I…” you hesitated for a moment. But then again, what the hell?
“Y/n?”
“Yeah. Yeah, why not.” you replied.
“Awesome! So... Where exactly do you live?”
You told your address, and Gary promised to be at your porch on Thursday at 7 p.m. Then you wished him good night and hung up.
You were lying in bed and thinking how weird it was. You absolutely didn’t plan to meet Gary Garren ever again. And yet…Were you looking forward to this meeting? Rather yes than no.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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Please leave a comment if you read it - I’m curious how many people are interested in such an unpopular character. Thank you :)
Hugs, Lucy
