POOR GABRIEL MONTEZ! YOU NEVER SAW THIS COMING DID YOU? ALL YOU WANTED WAS POWER. SECURITY. SAFETY. & THATS EXACTLY WHAT YOU GOT! JUST IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR BODY. LETS JUST HOPE NO ONE FUCKS THIS UP. LETS JUST HOPE YOU WONT HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE MESS.
authors note: basically people seemed to be really liked my nerd!harry blurbs and it was my most requested to continue during my hiatus so i wrote this :) apologies for any spelling errors or anything i’m a bit rusty at all this lol *also the imagine above is not mine*
please come talk to me about it!
word count: 6k
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Y/N transfer from UCLA to Yale was proving everyone right it seemed, cause my god was it ever hard.
She had lost her way four times already it it was only her first day of classes. Thankfully she had two hours before her final class for the day and she remembered how to get to the Starbucks she had seen earlier in the morning during one of the many detours she had to take due to getting lost. Y/N starts debating over a tea or a coffee, then has to stop herself from ordering a cake pop as she sees them in the glass display.
“And a cake pop please,” she says without thinking twice.
It’s as she’s waiting for her name to be called that she sees him. How could she not notice him, he was her first love after all, and she swore no one carried themselves the way that Harry did. She watched as he held the door open for the person behind him, then giving the stranger a smile before getting in line. She watched as he pondered over the menu, pushing his glasses up his nose and rubbing his chin with his ring covered fingers.
Out of no where he fishes a pen from his front pocket and opens the notebook that was in his other hand - jotting down something that must’ve come to his mind suddenly. She remembers how he would do that often, randomly figuring out a solution to a math problem or maybe a sentence he could use in an upcoming essay.
“Y/N,” the barista says loudly, causing her to blink rapidly and quit her staring.
She smiles at the young man that hands her her drink and reaches for a straw before turning on the heels of her boots. Y/N is ready to leave the coffee shop and forget she had seen Harry all together, unsure if he’d want to even speak to her to be honest. But as she turns around she sees Harry has left the line and he only a foot away from her now.
“Hi,” she says softly with a smile.
“Hey,” Harry’s corners of his lips tug up just a little. “Can’t say I expected to see you here,” he states, his head tilting as he seems to be taking in her facial features. She worn less makeup now, instead just a few swipes of mascara and some light face makeup.
“Yeah, I uh, I just transferred actually,” she tells him, biting down on the inside of her cheek afterwards.
“You should’ve messaged me, I could’ve showed you around, maybe,” he says.
She had thought of finding Harry’s Facebook profile and sending him a message. But then like any other time she thought of him she got sad. She imagined that Harry would decline, probably still think the worst of her after how she had broken his heart and all. Cause breaking his heart broke hers too, but she just couldn’t do the long distance and the fighting got so bad. Y/N’s thoughts are broken up as she sees a short brunette step up beside Harry, a smile that would typically be contagious she’s sure but Y/N’s body filled with jealously immediately.
“Hey, whatcha order?” She asks him, her voice causes Harry to finally break his gaze from Y/N down to look at the brunette now.
“I, um,” he pauses and glances behind him at the line he had abandoned for Y/N. “I actually haven’t ordered anything yet,” he says.
When he looks back towards Y/N she feels like dropping down and crawling away and never seeing the light of day again. Harry had moved on. And she should have known after two years that he would do so. But it hurt, gut wrenching at the mere thoughts that someone else got to experience love with Harry. It’s then that the brunette looks at Y/N, in which she gives her a smile that Y/N only matches to be polite.
“Bec, this is Y/N,” Harry states. So her name was Bec, and she officially hated that name.
“Oh,” Bec’s eyebrows fly up at the introduction Harry had made. Her reaction causes Y/N’s stomach to twist and turn, had Harry spoke about his ex girlfriend with his current girlfriend enough for a reaction like that? Or did he just explain how Y/N broke his heart. “It’s so lovely to meet you, I didn’t realize you went to Yale,” she exclaims.
“I don’t,” Y/N says quickly, realizing her mistake as she shuts her eyes and shakes her head before looking back at Harry briefly then back to Bec. “I mean I didn’t, but I just transferred for my third year,” she explains.
“That’s awesome, Yale is great,” Bec smiles, then she nudges Harry with her elbow, “right H?”
Y/N remembers when she used to call him that, and how it caused a blush to raise to his cheeks at first before he got used to the nickname. Y/N bites her lip as she looks up at Harry again. He’s already looking at her, maybe thinking of the same thing. But she doubted it.
“Yeah, it’s been great,” he agrees with Bec.
“Alright, well I’m going to go actually, lots of unpacking still and organizing,” Y/N blabbers while jabbing her thumb over her shoulder. She doesn’t even say goodbye, probably looking like an absolute idiot. But that’s what she was. Like who was she to think she could just transfer to Yale and expect to not see her ex boyfriend? Y/N simply didn’t expect to see him on her first day. She shakes her head and sips on her drink, the ice half melted already, as she walks down the sidewalk.
“Y/N,” Harry calls from behind her, causing her to look back over her shoulder. “Wait a sec,” he adds as he catches up to her and she stops walking.
“Yeah?” She asks, trying her hardest to not chew on her lip or inner cheek anymore.
“I-I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat, to uh, to catch up maybe?” Harry sounds like the nervous boy she once became infatuated with. The thought brings a smile to her face.
“I have my last class of the day, in about an hour still,” she states.
“Then after?”
The hopeful look in his eyes confuses Y/N like no tomorrow. She narrows her eyes and points back to the Starbucks. “What about Bec?” She asks.
Harry furrows his brows and shakes his head, “what about her?”
“Well she’s your girlfriend isn’t she?”
“Oh,” Harry pauses and seems to be holding back a smile or something. She remembers how he’d smile at the mention of her being his girlfriend. “No, she’s just my flat mate,” he states.
“Oh,” this time it’s Y/N’s turn to say.
Heat creeps to her cheeks as she feels the embarrassment settle in. And here she had been immediately jealous at the mere thought of Harry having a girlfriend. But just cause Bec isn’t his girlfriend doesn’t mean he doesn’t have one at all. You broke up with him Y/N, she reminds herself as her thoughts go crazy again. Y/N licks her lips and meets Harry’s eyes again, he is smiling now. The slight makes her heart quicken.
“So dinner later then?” Harry asks again.
“Um,” Y/N does bite her lip now as she contemplates saying yes. “Sure, yeah, we could grab some dinner later,” she finally answers while nodding her head.
“Awesome,” Harry smiles, “still got the same number?”
She nods, a little surprised he hadn’t deleted her contact after their break up. Harry smiles and then they say a quick goodbye before she’s off to her final class - only a whole hour early but she couldn’t be around Harry any longer than she had. Because only that short interaction and she was all in her head about the past. Reliving the memories of Harry, both the good and the bad.
~~~~
Three and a half years ago...
“You know, we’ve uh, we’ve been hanging out a lot. Like one on one too and not just for studying and I just thought maybe you felt the same way as I do about you-”
“I do,” Y/N can’t stop smiling as the boy she’s got the biggest crush on ever stutters over his words. Harry smiles back, nodding his head before looking back down at his hands in his lap.
“Would you be my girlfriend, Y/N?” He asks, eyes flashing back up to meet hers.
Y/N’s smiles grows - if it’s even possible - then she’s reaching for his hands in his lap and intertwining their fingers together. She immediately takes notes of the cool metal from the ring she had bought him for his birthday only last month. Harry wore it every single day. The one single ring on his middle finger, a simple silver band with the word ‘peace’ engraved on it. Y/N saw it and thought of Harry right away, buying it a whole month before it was even his birthday. That January was 3 months into their blossoming friendship that started one cool October night at the bonfire.
It really only took her 3 weeks tops to fall for the adorable Brit, but after 3 months she knew she loved him. And now after 4 months, he was finally asking her to be his. Y/N wasn’t really upset about the waiting, she always knew they’d become a couple one day and she wanted all the days after too.
“Yes,” Y/N says through her grinning, squeezing his hands in hers before spontaneously bringing her hands up to both sides of his face gently.
Y/N and Harry had only kissed 5 times in the past 4 months. 3 times while drunk, them both blushing like fools and wiping the saliva from their lips afterwards. Twice it was a simple peck on the lips, leaving Harry stunned both times with a smile and wide eyes. And once was like this moment right now. Slow, like they were savouring each other, her hands brushing into his hair while his inched closer to her bum. Then they broke away to catch their breath, looking into one another’s eyes and smiling.
On March the 2nd of their junior year, Harry asked Y/N to be his girlfriend and at that moment she never imagined them not being together - ever.
>><<
The Following Week...
“Okay intervention time,” Y/N’s friends all crowd her. “You can’t seriously want to like date Harry can you? I mean he’s a serious loser, like wears Game of Thrones T-shirts kind of loser,”
“He’s a great guy,” Y/N says, closing her locker and looking at the few friends around her.
“Yeah but he’s so out of your league,”
“No he’s not,”
“Are you kidding me?” One of her friends snort, “he so is, Y/N, what are you blind and stupid now?”
Y/N rolls her eyes and shakes her head at her so-called friends. This was why she couldn’t be happier for high school to be over. She was over these judgemental childish games that they loved to play. Maybe at one point she could laugh along and let it slide, but not anymore. Now she realized that it wasn’t about fitting it, it was about being happy. And Harry made her really freaking happy.
“Whatever,” Y/N sighs, “I’m dating Harry, and I could care less if you like it or not,”
And with that, she walks away to her class as the bell rings around the halls. Y/N turns into her class, ignoring the looks from Chad and his friends and walking right back to the table that Harry was sitting at with a couple of his friends. She smiles and takes the seat next to him.
“Hey,” he says, mirroring her smile.
“Hey,” she echoes.
“How was your last class?”
“Meh,” she shrugs, “cared more about this one,” she admits to her boyfriend. Queue inner sigh and heart eyes as she watches her boyfriend bite down on his pen to shuffle out his binder from her backpack. Screw whatever anyone else thought, Harry was not out of Y/N’s league.
“Did you get the homework done last night?” Harry asks, snapping her back to reality.
“Shit,” she curses while flipping through her papers. Suddenly a filled out sheet is in front of her blank one. Y/N looks over at Harry, smiling at him, “thank you, I owe you, again,” she whispers as their teacher begins to speak.
“No you don’t,” Harry shrugs.
Y/N smiles at her boyfriend before copying down his smart as hell answers that she would have never gotten on her own.
>><<
One Year Later....
“Wh-What is this?” Harry stutters. Y/N knows what he had catch sight of. She thought she got rid of all of it, but the instructions must’ve been left behind in her trash bin in the en suite of her bedroom.
She stays silent, totally unsure of how to tell her boyfriend of 1 year that she had a freaking pregnancy scare. Hence her trying to just get rid of it all and not telling him. Y/N is in her own head for so long before she looks up at Harry. He is holding the piece of paper that told her how to pee on a stick and how long to wait for the results. My god the look on his face, she thinks as her eyes sting with threatening tears. She notices Harry’s eyes drift down to her stomach.
“You’re p-pregnant?”
A tear falls down her face as her mouth gapes open but no words come out. Harry drops the paper on the floor and makes the few steps to be beside her now. He sits down beside her on the bed and puts his hand on hers that’s resting on her knee. His other hand, the one with the silver ring she got him that now had a red ruby jewelry ring beside it, reached up to cup her cheek. He pushes her face gently till her eyes meet his.
“We’ll get through this together. What-whatever you chose, to keep it or to-“
“I’m not pregnant,” Y/N blurts out.
“Oh,” Harry says.
“It was just like a scare I guess, my period was like five days late and I got nervous,” Y/N explains. Harry brushes away her tears before dropping his hand from her face. That’s when she noticed the change in his expression.
“When?” He questions. Y/N furrows her brows.
“What?”
“When did you have the scare?” He asks further, taking his hand off her knee now.
“Like last week,” she states.
“You-you weren’t going to tell me?” He questions. “I’m-I’m your boyfriend, Y/N, and I love you and would be there through anything with you and for you,” he’s hurt, she knows by the tone of his voice. He’s only ever gotten upset with her once before, she cried then too. Y/N reaches up to wipe her own tears this time, sniffling as she forces herself to look into Harry’s eyes.
“It-it was a scare,” she sniffles again, wiping her nose on the cuff of her sweater.
“Well you still should have told me,” he’s raising his voice again.
“I know,” she croaks, holding back a sob.
“I mean I’m obviously not ready to be a father but I could’ve helped you,” Harry begins to ramble again. “This isn’t something you can’t just fucking hide from me, Y/N,”
“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” Y/N says, grabbing for his hands again but he moves. Standing up from her bed and grabbing his backpack from by her desk. “What-where are you going?”
“I just need some space to think,” he mutters before opening her bedroom door and closing it shut behind him.
Y/N hears the echo of his footsteps going down the staircase, the sound of the front door opening and closing and then the beep of him hitting the lock button on the key pad. When she sees his car drive down the street and away from her house she lets herself cry. Laying back in her bed, curling up into a ball and full on sobbing as she replayed the fight her and Harry just had.
Their first big fight, something she prayed didn’t jeopardize their relationship.
The next day she doesn’t wake up to her usual good morning text with an estimated time Harry would pick her up for school. So she finds herself reaching for an oversized crew neck sweater and leggings, throwing her hair up into a bun and not putting any makeup on her face. When she’s brushing her teeth she notices how puffy and red her eyes are from all the crying she had done the night before. Y/N sighs and slowly makes her way downstairs, grabs a banana for breakfast then walks down the hall to her moms studio.
It’s 8:30 in the morning but she can tell her moms been painting for hours, by the paint in her hair and the smile on her face. But when her mom looks over at whom opened her studio door and sees her daughter frowning her smile wipes away.
“Mom, can you drive me to school?” Y/N asks in a quietly voice.
“Is Harry sick or something?” Her mom questions, standing up to where the en suite was for what would traditionally be a guest bedroom.
“We uh,” she pauses and takes a deep breath, “we had a fight,” her eyes fall to the ground before she can take in whatever expression her mom gives her.
“Let me grab my keys and we’ll go,” she says softly, stepping past Y/N but first leaving a kiss to the crown of her head. Y/N nods and follows after her mom.
Her mom doesn’t ask any questions till about half way through the drive. Y/N sighs and looks towards her mom instead of out the window like she had been. She debates telling her mom the truth. She was her best friend after all - but she was also her mom. Before she can over think it too much, she tells her.
“I-I took a pregnancy test,” Y/N states.
Y/N grips the car door as her mom swerves the car slightly. She shuts her eyes and prepares for her mom to go all hellish on her. But it doesn’t come. She opens her eyes again to look to her mom, she’s simply staring out the front window and flicks on her turn signal.
“What were the results?” She asks.
“Negative,” Y/N doesn’t miss a beat to tell her that much.
Her mom doesn’t hold back on letting out a long deep breath, blowing a piece of her paint covered hair. Then she’s chuckling to herself, turning the wheel into the school parking lot and instead of pulling up to the front like she typically would she parks in one of the stalls. After putting the car in park she turns to face Y/N.
“I’m assuming you’re using protection and being safe and that it was just a case where you got scared your period was a bit late,” Y/N nods. “And Harry got upset?” Y/N nods again.
“He was,” she pauses as she feels her eyes water again, “he was good about the potential pregnancy and wanted to help, just didn’t take it too well that I wasn’t planning to tell him I had a scare,” she explains. Her mom nods now, rolling her lips into her mouth before letting them go to smile. She reaches over the console to hold Y/N’s hands.
“Now tell me what high school boyfriend would take a teen pregnancy well? I got pregnant right after graduation and your father still didn’t want anything to do with it all,” Y/N bites her inner cheek at the mention of her father. They didn’t have a bad relationship, he would come around for birthdays and would come for some visits. But he had his own family now, one Y/N never really felt like she fit into.
“So think about that, okay, the fact he was ready to help is amazing. Don’t worry your pretty little mind too much, that boy loves you beyond this world and you’ll be fine by the end of the day, okay?” Her mom exclaims, rubbing her daughters hands.
Y/N nods and just then the school bell rings. She hugs her mom awkwardly, saying their I love yous and goodbyes before Y/N has to face this day on her own. Her mom was right of course, because right before last period as Y/N is reaching in her locker she sees Harry walking towards her. She closes her locker and holds onto her binder, looking at the small heart with H.S. in the middle she had drawn in the top left hand corner.
“Hi,” she says softly.
“Hey,” Harry sighs, stopping right in front of her. “Sorry I didn’t pick you up this morning,” he says.
Y/N shrugs and hugs her binder closer to her chest, “it’s alright, think my mom misses our morning drives,” she states.
“Oh, she can drive you more often than,” Harry says so nonchalantly that Y/N swears her heart stops. Her mouth goes dry at the thought of her and Harry breaking up.
“Are-are you breaking up with me?” She questions.
Harry’s eyes widen and he reaches forward to touch her arms, “god, no,” he says. Y/N let’s out a deep breath and nods. “I just needed the space to think about what happened, and I did that, and I get why you didn’t want to tell me,” he explains. His hands are rubbing up and down her arms gently now, his body closer as they seem to be in their own world in the slightly crowded hallway.
“I was scared, H,” she says just above a whisper.
“I know,” he whispers back, “I’m sorry for getting upset,”
“Well I’m sorry for not telling you,”
Harry leans forward and they share a kiss, not too long since they are still in public in their high school hallway and all. When they lean back to look at one another they’re both smiling. Y/N takes notice of how he’s wearing contacts today, the green of his eyes particularly lovely when he did so. She opens her mouth to tell him she loves him when someone decided to join their moment.
“Hey guys,” Harry’s friend - and now hers too she supposed - Trevor, says with a smile.
Harry takes a slight step back from Y/N and looks at his friend. “Hey, what’s up?” He asks.
“The bell rang, we’ve got last period together today,” he states to Harry.
They hadn’t even noticed that the bell had rung or that the hallway was clearing out. Y/N fixes the strap of her purse and holds her binder with one hand now. She takes one step back and gives the two boys a smile.
“I should go to class too,” she says.
“I’ll see you after,” Harry smiles. She nods and turns on her heels to where her class was at the end of the hall. She’s not surprised when she hears Trevor speak before she’s out of hearing range.
“I still can’t believe you two are together, like some princess and the servant boy type shit ya know,” Trevor says. Y/N chuckles to herself and turns into her class with a smile.
>><<
The Following Month...
Applying for universities was something Y/N had been dreading for her entire time in high school. She was one of those kids that had no clue what she wanted to do with the rest of her life and didn’t know where she wanted to apply. Add how bad her grades were and these past couple months before applications deadlines were terrible. What was even worse was that her boyfriend knew exactly where he was applying and what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Harry had talked about Yale for as long as uni talk started.
But Y/N knew one thing for sure - she wasn’t going to get accepted into a top Ivy League school like Yale.
It had been just over a month since their first real fight, about the pregnancy scare, and things were back to being great. Till any time applying for university was brought up. Harry would mention the deadline for Yale, clearly meaning for her to get her application in, and Y/N would simply stay quiet or change the subject all together. She obviously didn’t want to be apart from Harry, she just was grasping the fact it was going to happen regardless of anything she did or said.
“Hello?” Harry waved a hand in front of her face, snapping her back into reality.
“Sorry,” Y/N mutters and looks back down at her bio homework they were working on in Harry’s back yard. The sun was shining and his family was gone for the weekend, meaning they had the house to themselves.
“Whatever,” Harry mumbles back through his teeth, annoyance clear as day in his voice.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just kinda annoyed,” he admits, letting out a sigh and dropping his pencil. Y/N looks up from her paper, watching as he ran a hand through his hair. “Why won’t you apply to any of the schools I want to go to? It’s like you won’t even consider it and I just get annoyed,” he explains.
“I did consider it, and then I considered how shit my grades are so I accepted the fact I won’t be going where ever you go, Harry,”
“But you don’t know unless you apply,”
“Can we just drop this, please,” she urges before looking back at her school work.
Harry doesn’t say anymore, and when she glances back up at him and sees the look in his eyes it’s like someone punched her in the gut. They both knew in a few short months this relationship would be over. Y/N couldn’t do long distance, she just knew it’d hurt too much and be too expensive to try to fly back and forth to see each other. And daily FaceTime calls would turn into maybe once a week to then only once in a while as their class work would pile up. They’d both make new friends, maybe meet someone else that made their hearts thumps a bit louder than normal. The mere thought of Harry falling in love with someone else made Y/N feel sick.
“Hey,” Harry mumbles and reaches across the table to grab onto her hand.
She states are their hands for a moment before she stands suddenly, “is there still some watermelon in the fridge?”
Y/N doesn’t wait for Harry to answer, instead she wanders off inside the house and tries to distract herself from what would eventually happen to her relationship.
>><<
The Following Week....
“Then I’ll just go to UCLA,” Harry says.
“No,”
“Wow, you really just don’t want to be with me huh? Don’t want to continue to date the loser nerd kid after high school?”
“You know that’s not it,” Y/N is fuming with anger. “I don’t want you to go to UCLA with me because I don’t want you to give up your dream of Yale for me. You’re the smartest person I’ve ever met and going to UCLA would be a waste of your stupid genius brain,”
“I’m just getting really tired of this argument, Y/N,” Harry sighs.
“Well,” Y/N pauses, “so am I,”
They go silent again, something that’s been happening more often than not between the two of them. Something that Y/N hated, she hated it so much that it hurt her every single time. Because through that silence she thought of how their relationship was going to end. How she would finally break one of these silent moment by breaking his heart.
>><<
Present Day...
Y/N was beyond nervous. She was just round the corner from where she was to meet up with Harry for dinner tonight. She was almost about to turn around and leave, send him some sort of message to apologize. But she just about ran into him instead.
“Whoa,” Harry says, reaching out to catch Y/N before she tripped on the edge of the sidewalk.
“Sorry,”
Y/N looks up at Harry, then looking down at where his cool hands touched her bare arms just under the sleeve of her shirt. Her arms looked small in his hands. Her eyes drift up his arms, now covered in some tattoos, tanned and toned - he most definitely hit up the gym since their break up. Whoa was right, Y/N thinks before she steps back out of his grasp and swallows in order to clear her dry throat.
“Shall we?” Harry motions towards the front door of the restaurant he had chosen to meet up with Y/N.
Harry was the one to find her old number and text her a time and place, when an unassigned number popped up on her phone - Siri so gracefully made the contact ‘Maybe: Harry’ as it read: ‘hey y/n, it’s harry’. Y/N’s nerves only grew as he held open the door for her and she took in the inside of this locally owned Italian restaurant just off of campus grounds.
The lighting was a bit more dim than a typical restaurant, but not totally in a romantic way just more in a relaxing sense. Every table had the large white cloth napkins neatly folding by the large plates and several utensils, wine glasses and water glasses and of course a few red roses in the middle to pull it all together. Y/N swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat - this was really beginning to feel like a date, she thought as she watched Harry speak to the hostess.
“Reservation for Harry Styles, for two,” he smiles at the young girl, maybe only a year or two younger than them. She blushes immediately and nods, clicking a few things on an iPad before grabbing a couple menus and leading the way.
“Thank you,” Y/N says to the girl as she sets down the menus. She’s about to reach for her seat but Harry’s pulling it out for her before she can do it herself. “Oh, thanks,” she mumbles nervously with a smile.
“You’re welcome,” Harry nods, walking over to his own seat now.
They sit in an awkward silence for only a few second maybe, the sounds of the restaurant filling in for them as they both thought of how to start this all off. Harry licks his lips before opening his mouth.
“How was your first day?”
“Good,” Y/N nods, “I, uh, my dad actually helped me move in since he lives close and y’know he went to Brown so me coming here was kinda exciting for him I guess.”
“Oh, that’s awesome,” Harry says, “how’s your dad doing?”
“Good, he’s good, um Trisha is pregnant again so I’ll be getting another half sibling next March I think,” Y/N shrugs and takes a sip of her water. “Otherwise he’s just doing the usual, putting people in prison and golfing. I was actually surprised he got a day off to come help me,”
“That’s nice that he did though, since he doesn’t take too much time off to see you anymore,” Harry exclaims. He knew about Y/N’s relationship with her dad, she would cry on his shoulder about her stupid daddy issues sometimes while they were dating. Y/N smiles at Harry, which he mirrors instantly, before she clears her throat and adjusts how she’s sitting.
Another moment of silence falls between them as they stare across the table at one another. Y/N noticed how he must’ve cut his hair recently, it’s short on the sides but still a wild mess of sexy waves atop of his head. She likes his glasses, the frames really suited this new grown up version of him. And his style, wow, she loved how good he looked in some tight fitted jeans, boots, a plain T-shirt and a long trench coat - he looked amazing.
“You cut your hair,” Y/N says like an idiot.
Harry subconsciously runs a hand through his hair at the mention of it. “Actually it was a lot longer than you would’ve ever seen it just last month, but then I finally let Bec cut it all off. It was like,” he watches his own hand as he tries to show Y/N just how long his hair was, “about here maybe, always put it in a bun if I could,” he states.
“I can’t imagine you with a man bun,” Y/N chuckles.
“Hey, I looked pretty good if I do say so myself,” Harry jokes. They both laugh now, causing them to be grinning like fools afterwards. “I’ve missed you,” Harry admits without a second thought.
Y/N feels her cheeks heat up while her heart aches at the memories of her breaking up with him those few years ago. She rolls her lips into her mouth and let’s out a small sigh. Harry must catch onto her hesitate reaction as he bites on his bottom lip and looks off to look for the waitress.
“I’ve missed you too, H,” Y/N says softly, “it’ll be nice to have a friend at Yale,”
Harry brings his water to his lips and takes a sip, nodding right before the waitress walks up. After they give the waitress their orders, they fall more into a casual conversation full of giggles and smiles. Y/N learnt that Harry had moved into an apartment just south of campus with his friends Bec and Julien, taking control the most in the kitchen. The thought of Harry cooking made Y/N heart ache. Harry learnt that Y/N worked her butt off her first two years of university, missing out on plenty of parties and nearly ODing on caffeine she swears - but it all paid off when both Yale and Dartmouth accepted her transfer applications.
Y/N thanks Harry once again as they leave the restaurant and he holds open the door for her. She hugs her coat closer to her body as the cool night air hits her hard. Harry falls into step besides Y/N, thoughts banging back and forth in his head. Just do it, he thinks before taking a deep breath and letting it go quick.
“I don’t think I can just be friends with you, Y/N,” he says, causing Y/N to turn fast on her heels to look at him.
“What?”
“I-I mean that,” Harry pauses and licks his lips as he looks at his ex-girlfriend whom he hadn’t stopped thinking about. “I mean that I still care about you, and that I will always have feelings for you and now that you’re here-” he motions to where she stood in front of him. “Right here, in front of me, finally, again, I can’t let this second chance slide away from me.”
Y/N is at a lose for words. Harry had always been good at that. Her lips curl up into a smile, causing Harry’s to do the same. Sure, they only just reunited today but Y/N understood his every word. Their time in the restaurant felt like the most natural thing she’s felt in forever. All the jealousy and head spinning she felt earlier was another sign - Harry was right. Not everyone got a second chance at true love.
“Then let’s have our second chance, H,” she says.
Harry smiles, making Y/N giggle a little but then his hands are moving to her sides. He brings her closer to him, his body radiating heat just like she remembered but she was glad for it in this chilly night. His hands are gentle against the thin shirt she was wearing, one moving under her jacket to rest against her lower back. Y/N’s lips are parted, eyes hooded as she feels lightheaded at how close their bodies have become. Her hands rest against his chest, she watches her finger tips move slightly against him. Then, the moment she looks up to meet his green dreamy eyes he’s leaning down and touching his soft lips to hers.
It’s a short but sweet kiss that has both Harry and Y/N’s heart thumbing in their chests.
“Let me drive you to your dorm,” Harry says.
“Okay,” Y/N nods. Harry grabs ahold of her hand and leads the way.
Suppose her first day at Yale wasn’t so bad after all, Y/N thinks while clenching Harry’s hand.
oh whats ur thoughts about cu and emer flirting in riddles the first time they met
I guess it’s interesting? Aife, Emer, and others I have no emotional attachment to because they have little to nothing to do with Medb that if they do cross my mind, it’s just to think of something Cú has done and may not even have to do with them directly so to speak. They’re just kinda there as far as I’m concerned, so not exactly the best person to ask
The only non-Medb specific character I’ve thought about regularly is Connla and occasionally Ferdiad. This is only because on some level, I inexplicably find interest in shitty movies with someone getting famous but loses sight of what’s important and start doing coke lines in the bathroom or whatever. And then just add killing your son and best friend/lover for the whole shebang
Heyyyy! Can you write about Finn and y/n in an interview with some other cast members and they aren’t sitting next to each other but people still know something is up bc of very subtle flirting + eyes don’t lie
a moment from season 4 press where the fans notice the subtle ways you and finn keep stealing glances at each other throughout the interview
also how much do you guys want me to post a day? i have like so much in my queue and like over 200+ asks im trying to get through so do u guys hate when i post a lot or would prefer fewer? let a gal know 🙏
off the record au masterlist
you got yourself comfortable next to sadie on the couch while finn and gaten took the high chairs behind you two. finn was directly behind you and when you looked back at him before the cameras started rolling he had a gentle smile on his lips. he nudged your shoulder with his knuckle, something he liked doing in interviews so you knew he was still there without being too obvious about it.
you two still had your relationship in the dark despite being together for 3 years now. neither of you were complaining though because the quiet, subtle moments of affection had grown a lot more valuable over the years of doing interviews and press.
"okay, hi everyone. welcome to season 4 press. it's good to see you all again," the interviewer's name was meredith. she had interviewed every season since the first season and had basically watched all of you grow up on the show so it was always nice to come back to her each time a new season came out.
"hi meredith, it's good to see you too. how are you?" gaten asked and the older woman smiled. "i'm good, thank you for asking. i can't believe we're already at season 4. season 1 feels like it was just yesterday," she said and you all nodded in agreement.
"it's actually so crazy how fast time has flown and how much has changed since we first started. we're like..old now and we're doing adult things that joe, nat, and charlie were doing when they started the show," you laughed which earned laughter from the other three as well. "yeah, we've started hanging out with them and it's so weird to like not be the annoying kids on set and they actually wanna do stuff with us," gaten added.
"that is really crazy. you're all..19 now?" meredith asked and all of you nodded. "wow, i remember when you were sitting in front of me and you were 13. i'm really looking forward to catching up with all of you and talk about season 4, so let's just get right into it. how are all of you feeling about this season?"
"i definitely think this season takes it up a notch since season 3 and earlier. we start unlocking more characters, more theories, or upside down lore. there's also a lot more action i feel like. we had to do a lot of training for certain scenes and that was pretty new to all of us because we'd never done that before for the show," sadie started.
"oh my god, yeah. we did so much training for this season like i've never done anything like that before in my life. it was really cool though to have more stunts and like special affects that we didn't previously have," you agreed.
"without spoiling too much, can you say what went into those scenes and what kind of stunts you were doing?" meredith wondered and the four of you exchanged a glance figuring out what you could say and what you couldn't.
"there were pulleys and a lot more ropes than before. honestly, it was a lot of physical scenes we had to prepare for," gaten answered the best.
"do you like doing that kind of stuff or do you like being more stationary like the previous seasons?"
"i thought it was cool. i think it makes a lot of sense for season 4 too because i think everyone watching knows we're taking it up a notch as the show progresses. like it's only gonna get crazier from here," you said.
"what about the directions for you characters this season? what can you say about how your characters have changed and what you hope for them moving forward?"
"well, we're in high school now, so that's brought a lot of new change for our characters. i feel like everyone is a little bit more angsty this season because we're kind of figuring out where we fit in and how we wanna be known in high school. at least for max, she's going through a lot after billy dying and her stepdad divorcing her mom. her mom's become pretty absent and that's taken a big toll on max. i think i hope max can just find her place and realize that she's not alone. she likes to push people away," sadie said and you wrapped your arm around her shoulders. the red-head grinned as she squeezed your arm back.
"i definitely think max's character has had a lot of good development since season 2. she's grown to become a fan favorite," meredith grinned.
"i mean it makes sense. sadie makes her great," you gushed at your friend. she flushed again quickly brushed you and meredith off.
"i think dustin and mike are just trying to keep remnants of their middle school selves close to them. they're in hellfire. they wanna play dnd. lucas found a different interest and has started pulling away which mike and dustin don't like. will's on the other side of the country. it kind of feels like what high school is like where you kind of start becoming distant from your friends because there's so many new things to be involved in. i really hope dustin can truly find his place because i think that's something he's struggled with throughout the entire show, so yeah. i just want dustin to be happy," gaten said which made everyone feel sappy for the curly-haired boy's character.
"aw, gate. i'm such a dustin fan. he's so overlooked in the party," you squeezed the boy's knee and he grinned at you.
"yeah, i'm echoing a lot of what gaten said. mike is trying to figure out his feelings and still balance hanging out with his friends. he takes a trip to california to just forget about it all. i think we all feel a sense of not knowing where we belong," finn agreed and you all nodded again.
"i'm gonna sound like a broken record, but same for sloane. she's kind of the liaison between the boys still and is trying to get them to all hang out still, but she doesn't know how to. max is also pulling away from her and she feels really conflicted about that because her and max are best friends. i think gaten and i have said this before, but we've all agreed that we're the most like our characters in real life. it's easy for me to be sloane because i've felt a lot of the feelings she's felt before with having absent parents, losing a brother, trying to keep her friends together because that's kind of the only family she has. not to mention the feelings between her and mike are still complicated, so i hope sloane can find herself and put her walls down a little more to let people in," you said and smiled when sadie gently rubbed your shoulder in comfort. you could feel finn's knuckle on your shoulder as well, but you had to resist looking back at him.
"it sounds like it's safe to say your characters are in the height of teenage angst. i know you all probably didn't get to have a high school experience, so has this kind of felt like you get to go through the motions of high school?"
"oh yeah. sadie and i were just talking about this the other day about how doing this show has given us the middle school/high school experience we never got to have because we're always doing online school instead," you chuckled.
"have you liked that or are you glad you did online school?"
"maybe both? i don't think i'd wanna experience what our characters have gone through with the high school bullies, but i know that's what a lot of kids experience in school unfortunately, so it puts it into perspective for us," gaten said.
"what was your favorite behind the scenes moment from set?"
"wait, remember when you and noah accidentally broke one of the counter tops on set?" finn patted your shoulder. your eyes widened as you remembered the moment before flushing in embarrassment. sadie and gaten also laughed.
"oh my god, yeah. we were between takes and noah and i were just being annoying and we thought it would be funny to do a tiktok dance on one of the counters and when we got up on it, it was actually not a real counter so it immediately broke under our feet. it was so embarrassing," you explained through your giggles.
"that was hilarious. i just remember hearing something break and when we looked over you and noah were trapped inside the inner part of the counter," gaten added.
"it's so something y/n and noah would do. we were all dying laughing for like ten minutes after," you finally looked back at finn and his little lingering glance made you blush. gaten and sadie exchanged their own look watching the two of you interact.
"that sounds like it was quite the moment. how did you get out?" meredith asked.
"the crew had to help us. it was a whole thing," you shook your head.
"got it. any other moments?"
"sometimes we convinced finn to sing for us. we like to call them concert trailers and he'd do a little show for us," gaten smiled over at the copper-haired boy. finn flushed and you also looked at him with a smile.
"i occasionally brought my guitar to set on the longer days and there would just be a full trailer watching me sing," the boy said. "he's such a good singer. if you haven't heard him yet, you need to," you added.
"fans would pay big money to have a private trailer concert from finn," sadie teased which made all of you chuckle.
"so because it's been so long since season 1 premiered, i want to look back on some of the earlier years from your press interviews," meredith said and pulled out an ipad that she handed to you and sadie to hold.
"oh god, i'm scared," you laughed while finn and gaten scooted their chairs closer to the middle so they could see the screen better.
"so just swipe through the videos and then we'll talk about them after," the older woman chucked. you hit play on the first video.
it was you, noah, gaten, caleb, and finn from season 1 on one of the red carpet premieres. "holy shit, we're so young," gaten laughed.
all of your voices were high pitched and squeaky like any 13 year old. finn was rambling on about something from the show while the rest of you were just trying to fit into frame. "whoever styled us did a good job. this was before we picked our own outfits," finn laughed.
"who do you think has changed the most?" meredith asked.
"we kind of all look the same honestly. we just look so young. noah kind of out grew his baby face. personality wise, i think caleb's changed the most. he's definitely become very mature," you chuckled.
you swiped to the next interview and it was one of just you and finn from what looked like season 2. you guys were playing a who's more likely to game. you smiled seeing your younger selves and thinking about how much had changed between you two since then. "you guys look so adorable," sadie gushed.
"i like seeing the evolution of finn's hair in these. he's gone from short, to long, to shaggy, to a different color," gaten poked the boy's arm beside him.
the next video was all of you also from season 2. it was a bit chaotic as you all talked over one another and rambled on about different things from the season. "oh jeez, we never knew how to shut up," you hummed.
"we were so bad at talking over one another when we were all together. i'm sure the interviewers were sick of us," finn agreed.
"do you think there will be more scenes with all of you guys together again? i know fans have missed seeing the entire party together," meredith asked.
"i hope so. gaten and i were saying in a different interview how we miss filming with all 7 of us because it just always feels so nostalgic to the earlier seasons. it's also so fun to do big takes like that where there's so many moving parts we have to think about," you said.
"have you guys ever had rumors started about you like between the cast?"
"like what kind of rumors? because there have been a lot," finn chuckled.
"any dating rumors?"
you did your best to hide your flush. "well, people thought sadie and i were dating when we did that pull and bear ad. that literally blew up," finn laughed and so did the girl beside you.
"oh my god, yeah. that was really crazy. other than that, not really. i can't really think of any dating rumors," sadie agreed.
"i think everyone knows we're just all really good friends so we kind of avoided getting dating rumors," gaten said and you all nodded.
"would you ever date a coworker if the opportunity presented itself?" it almost felt like meredith saw right through you and finn, but you didn't react and just preened to think of an answer.
gaten was being a little too obvious though when his gaze slid to you and finn and then a little chuckle escaped his lips. you eyed the boy across from you and he just shrugged. "if i liked them, sure. i wouldn't be opposed," sadie answered.
"yeah, agreed," you simply said.
you also missed how gaten looked at finn again and wiggled his eyebrows, but luckily meredith didn't pick up at their looks and how finn looked at you with a small blush.
when the interview wrapped you all shook meredith's hand and thanked her for another good interview. she wished you all the best and you followed your managers to your next interview and to grab some water. "she was trying to get the tea in that," gaten giggled and you rolled your eyes.
"way to be obvious," finn said to him with a small eye roll.
"hey, i'm just having some fun. she don't even know what i was doing. you guys are killing me with this secret. you know i'm not good with secrets," the boy said which made you laugh.
"well you've been good for three years so far," you patted his shoulder. "three years too long," the curly-haired boy mumbled.
comments
user1 hey so i wanna start a rumor....
user2 this was actually hilarious im rolling i love this interviewer with them
user3 the little pats of comfort all of them shared when they talked about their characters 🥹
user4 i'm starting to believe people when they say finn and y/n have something going on...
| user5 i literally feel insane but there's something there i know it
| user4 the looks from gaten at the end were SOO telling when the interview asked them about dating rumors
user6 is it bad to say i ship finn and y/n??? he didn't stop looking at her that whole interview and even gaten noticed it
user7 the old videos of them were adorable omg they were so tiny
user8 im saying it now finn and y/n were blushing whenever one of them looked at the other and then the cast got quiet when they were asked about dating their coworkers
| user9 there's something there i just can't prove it...
| user10 EYES DONT LIE and those eyes never left y/n the entire time
| user11 if i was finn i'd like y/n too soooo he's valid for that
٠࣪⭑ pairing: pitcher!vernon chwe x f!reader
٠࣪⭑ for: the aju league collab! hosted by @sailorsoons and @100vern
٠࣪⭑ chapter summary: you and vernon grow a little too close for comfort.
٠࣪⭑ genre: fake dating au! exes to friends to lovers. comedy, fluff, eventual smut, a little angst (sorry but it's not fake dating without it)
٠࣪⭑ chapter: 2 of 5 (complete), posting weekly
٠࣪⭑ rating: explicit. minors do not interact, i'll block you.
٠࣪⭑ chapter warnings: kissing, a therapy session, talk of divorcing parents, reader has a shopping addiction, lack of baseball/nyc knowledge from author (i tried!), and an unrealistic amount of free time for vernon as a result (oops). weird family dynamics, and overly-involved friends who love each other deeply, please forgive them! unbeta'd, because this got so fucking long and i can't ask my poor, wonderful, friends to read all that for me.
if you think i've forgotten anything please let me know so i can fix my post!
٠࣪⭑ chapter wc: 9.6k, fic total 60k+ (may change while editing)
٠࣪⭑ a/n: happy soft launch day! thank you for all the love so far! i appreciate you <3
٠࣪⭑ thank yous: enormous thank u 2 hali and jewel for hosting the collab! and double thanks to jewel for making this banner, she always makes such fun ones! go check out the rest of the aju league fics!
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
“Have you been using the exercises we discussed last time?”
“Hm. Uh– no?”
You hate this room, in its inauthentic neutrality. Off-white walls, bleh coloured carpet, decor that is so obviously mass produced and overpriced for the sad beige aesthetic. You suppose it was designed as such so it’s less distracting for people looking for joy in their lives.
Wonwoo pushes his glasses up his nose, and looks at you blankly. He does this a lot, the psychology trick manipulators use to make idiots talk. You’re no idiot.
“Okay so the thing is,” you say quickly. “I actually don’t need therapy for my shopping addiction anymore. I’m cured.”
“You’re cured?” he says, tilting his head.
“Yes,” you say. “I came here to break up with you.”
“Oh,” Wonwoo says. “You don’t actually need to do that, you could’ve sent me an email.”
“You want me to break up with you via email? Isn’t that rude?”
“Not when it’s your therapist. I’m not your partner.”
“Huh–” you say. “Well then I owe my ex an apology.”
Wonwoo almost laughs. Damn, so close.
“Last time we saw each other you were pretty anxious about your debt, and how you couldn’t stop spending. What makes you think you’re cured?”
You fiddle with the stress toy, the same one Wonwoo had pressed into your hands in your first session. Some beige (of course), silicone, squeezy, poppy thing. “Well my friends cut up my credit cards.”
“Okay?”
“And then my other friend paid off all my debt. I didn't ask. He offered.”
“Wow,” says Wonwoo, and it’s obvious he doesn’t believe you. “That’s very generous.”
“He’s mega rich. Like crazy insane rich. It was like pocket change for him, probably.”
“Would this be the new boyfriend?” Wonwoo asks. You stare at him. You’re 99.99r% sure you hadn’t mentioned Vernon in the last few minutes. “I didn’t mean to pry. My girlfriend reads gossip sites, and she tells me everything of interest. She doesn’t know you’re my client.”
“Hm. Yes, okay–” you say, a little reluctantly. Wonwoo has been known to pull secrets from you that you haven’t been ready to admit. “Vernon paid off my cards.”
“I don’t quite understand how this equates to you being cured.”
You blink at him. “Uhhh. Well I don’t have access to my credit cards so–”
“But are you spending from your checking account?” He asks, and you’re at a loss for words. That’s money you already have. That’s not something you’ll have to pay back with interest. “Is that a new bag?”
You curse yourself for bringing it. A like-new secondhand Balenciaga bag is still a Balenciaga bag. “I had the money,” you say, defensive.
And ever so gently, Wonwoo reminds you– “You also had the urge to buy it.”
The silence in the room feels suffocating. Just for you, you presume, since Wonwoo looks as comfortable as ever, and you feel like you're being throttled. Because he's right. Yes, the debt is gone. Yes, you feel a little (lot) freer. And yes, you still can't walk past your favourite stores without going in. Yes, you're still scrolling on Depop for a vintage Burberry bag that'll go perfect with your fall trench coat. Yes, you're still looking for little thrills that come with the confirmation of purchase email notification.
"We've touched on the underlying reasons for your shopping addiction before," Wonwoo says. "How have things been with your parents lately?"
You swallow. Turn to stare out the window and watch the sway of the treetops outside. "We haven't talked much."
Talking about them proves difficult, still, because doing so feels a little like a betrayal. They weren't bad parents. You were fed and clothed and loved, in their way. They just have their issues, like everyone else on earth. In truth, you know your issues stem from theirs. Bearing witness to their fights meant finding solace in your bedroom, in your few toys, in the headphones your cousin gave you, that only got loud enough to drown out the noise if you pressed them really hard against your ears. Your collections started on your desk. Pokemon cards, beanie babies, special pens. Mostly bought by your favourite grandmother, a collector in her own right. Those moved underneath a loose floorboard when your parents stopped seeing it as quirk and made loaded comments about frivolity and wastefulness, and which one of them you inherited that trait from. And while you were lucky, in a way, that their anger was never directed at you, it never made you feel less responsible for it.
Talking to them proves worse. The messages remain unread, because opening them means opening other cans of worms like 'when are you coming to visit?' and 'you're coming to mine for Thanksgiving this year, right?' Because they love you, deeply, but can't stand the mention of the other, it always seems like they're in secret competitions for the favourite parent award. And though you love them too, being caught in the middle isn't a position you'll put yourself in again.
"Are they happy for you, about your new relationship?"
You pick at a loose thread on your sleeve. It's an old sweater. Needs replacing. "I'm sure they are," you say. "They always liked Vernon. More so, now that he's famous."
"They knew him before that?"
"We grew up together. And we dated in high school, too."
"Why do you think they like him more now that he's famous?"
You shrug. "They like status, I guess. Or like, achievements they can attach themselves to. Is that narcissism?"
Wonwoo pushes his slipping glasses back up his nose. "It can be a trait, sure. What other sorts of things do they do that makes you ask?"
You chew on your lip. Wonwoo's got you talking, again.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Vernon comes straight from his game on Saturday. He's freshly showered, hair a little damp and sticking up funny when he takes off his cap. He'll buzz it soon, you imagine, but he suits it this length. There's a chorus of hello's from the living area as he toes off his shoes, and you're at the counter pouring chips and salsa into bowls and this time, you're prepared. This time, he texted you while he was on his way over, and said:
nonie [21:18] so should i kiss u when i get there
You [21:20] 🤢 i guess
nonie [21:20] be more disgusted
You [21:20] 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢
So yeah. You're mentally ready to be kissed by Vernon. It's fine. NBD flashes in neon behind your eyes. It'd look weird if you weren't the one to kiss him as he came through the door, which is exactly why you've been busying yourself in the kitchen for the last five minutes, just for an excuse to be too busy to make out with your 'boyfriend'. So when he makes his way over to you, plants a chaste kiss on the corner of your lips, you press one back against the corner of his, and it's totally fine. It's like kissing your grandmother, if grandmother were a hot baseball pl–
Whatever. The problem is Lara. "Are you fucking nuns or something?"
"I haven't fucked a nun ever," Vernon retorts, and a laugh bursts out of you.
He grins sidelong your way and winks. You can feel everyone else in the room staring at you, Joshua in particular.
"Ha ha," Lara deadpans. "What's up with the church kisses?"
"We decided earlier that instead of watching Speed, we're gonna stand in front of the TV and make out," you say, as Vernon takes his seat on the couch next to Seungcheol. With Lara sprawled on the floor, and Joshua in the armchair by the window, that leaves little room for you. Usually you'd take the couch, and whoever arrived last would share the floor cushions with Lara. But that's not what'd happen with a boyfriend and they all know it. "Y'know, since y'all wanna see it so bad."
"That's probably hotter," says Seungcheol.
"Pervert," you rebuke, setting the bowls down on the table, and Joshua presses play.
There's the briefest moment of hesitation. Vernon's looking at you expectantly, Joshua's eyes narrow, and Seungcheol glances up at you hovering there and says, "Are you gonna get out the way or–" so climbing into Vernon's lap is the only thing you can do. Okay. It's fine. It's No Big Deal that one arm wraps around your waist and the other under your thighs, so he can manoeuvre you into a more comfortable position on top of him.
Usually, with a partner, you’d already be draped over them like a decorative scarf. Limbs tangled, fingers toying with their hair, mouth too close to their neck, whispering things you don’t even mean in their ear just to elicit a reaction. You’re tactile, you’re clingy, and you’ve been called a menace one too many times, and everyone in this room knows that. So when you settle on Vernon’s lap and just sit there, hands in your lap and ignoring the way his own rests awkwardly on your knee, it’s all wrong. Joshua’s eyes flick from the TV to you again.
And so you adjust. Sling an arm around his neck, fingers brushing the short hair at the nape. It's safe territory. Something almost familiar. You lean back into him like you should belong there, like you always do this, and Vernon stiffens for exactly half a second, but he catches on quick. His other hand slides down your middle, palm warm and firm over your ribs, thumb slipping just under the hem of your top. Less familiar. It's been a decade since this familiar. On screen, the security guard is beefing it, but Vernon's hooking his chin over your shoulder to see better, and his breath tickles your neck. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Joshua turning back to the TV.
"Good job," Vernon whispers into your ear, and the feel of it runs a shiver down your spine.
You turn to face him, offer a sweet smile, and he eyes you with suspicion. You lean in close, huff a harsh breath against the shell of his ear just to see how he likes it, and you're rewarded with a full body shudder. Makes you laugh under your breath but the noise still draws pointed looks from Seungcheol.
Time moves in slow motion, watching Speed, acutely aware of Vernon, absentmindedly drumming his fingers against the seam of your sweats. Keanu's first scene, rescuing the staff in the lift has you and Joshua exchanging waggling eyebrows.
"He's the only cop I'd ever fuck," Lara says, handing you the popcorn.
"Real," you sigh dreamily, taking the bowl and angling it toward Vernon, who pops a few pieces in his mouth. "He's so fine."
"Respect your honesty, babe," he says, dryly.
"Relax, babe, he's in 1994."
This earns his fingers prodding into your middle, and a sharp elbow to the chest for him. A sharper gasp, and a whispered "asshole" has you working to school your sardonic smile into something affectionate.
The movie gets more intense, the bus won't slow down but time in this room barely moves. Seungcheol, bless his heart, is painfully oblivious of the way you and Vernon just aren't into each other, but you keep catching Joshua and Lara looking, with scepticism written all over their faces. You're gonna have to convince them.
Tipping your head back against Vernon's shoulder gives you access to his neck, and you follow the way his eyelashes fan down, carefully watching the way you move. In his ear, you whisper "they're looking?" He nods once. "Okay. Tap me if you want me to stop."
Vernon swallows, audibly, as you press your lips to the juncture of his jaw, just below his ear. It's a controlled, barely there touch. You linger, then move again, kissing along the line of his jaw. Beneath you, he stills, fingers going slack at your waist, to move them would be overkill.
You kiss him a little lower. Slow, and deliberate. Giving him just enough time to shift away, to refuse your touch. Your lips keep finding skin, testing where he’ll let you go, waiting for the tap of his fingers but it doesn't come– instead Vernon tilts his head, just enough to allow it without fully participating.
On screen, the bus is hurtling toward the gap, Joshua gasps at the screen. Lara sits up straight. Seungcheol leans in, and Vernon doesn't move a muscle. You brush your lips against his neck again, and his fingers flex against your side. This is it, you think, he's telling you it's enough, but the way he turns his head catches you off guard. He meets your eyes, flashes down to your lips and back.
You jut out your chin, and Vernon shifts closer, catching your lips with his in a brief, closed kiss. God, it's so strange, but can't stop now. Your hand moves to his cheek– he’s so warm– to draw him back in for another.
"Trust me?" you murmur under your breath, the tip of your nose brushing his.
"Uh-huh," he whispers, breath fanning over your lips.
Your eyelids flutter closed as presses his mouth against yours again, his lips parting without hesitation, and you try to hide the surprise in your gut as you follow suit– sliding your other hand up his chest. His tongue drags over yours, and a pleased noise escapes your body before you can register it, only realising when Vernon smiles wide into the kiss. Asshole.
Pulling away is exactly what he wants you to do, so fuck him. Instead, you match his energy, sliding your hand into his hair just to tug at it, and nip at his bottom lip with your teeth. Your prize comes as the briefest, quietest groan, and his mouth goes firm against you, tipping your head up just to let him in deeper, leaving you breathl–
"Ugh–" Vernon breaks off. You've been interrupted with a smack to the face with a cushion, and laughter from your friends.
"Lara!"
"You're being so gross," she complains, settling back into place. You throw the cushion at her back. "Thanks," she says, tucking it underneath her.
Vernon's suddenly tapping your back, sliding you off his lap to the side, and you're scrunched up between him and Seungcheol, who shifts over to make room. You tilt your head at Vernon, silently questioning. "Need the bathroom," he explains, quickly standing, and disappearing out of the room all while avoiding your eye.
You pick up your drink and take a long sip, eyes fixed on the screen. He's only gone a minute when Joshua asks, “He good?”
“He’s fine,” you say.
“Pause it?” he offers.
"Nah, he's seen this a hundred times," you say.
After another five, Lara says, "What's he doing in there?"
"Taking a shit, probably." You yawn, glancing at the clock– it's nearly eleven.
"More like jerking off," mumbles Seungcheol, and you nudge at him with your foot, ignoring the way your face goes hot. Of course he fucking isn't.
It's ten minutes before he's back, with his hairline a little damp, and cheeks just slightly flushed. Did he wash his face? You stand to let him back in his place, then drop back down without hesitation, curling your arm around his neck. He adjusts you, hands careful but firm, shifting you from his leg to the space between them.
"Sorry," he whispers, a little hoarse, into your hair. "My leg was falling asleep earlier."
"S'okay," you whisper back, tucking your arm back to your side. You rest your cheek against his chest, sag your body against him, and his arm circles around your waist a little tighter, to keep you from slipping.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Your name is called quietly. Feels like there's water in your ears. It comes again, firmer, paired with the steady rub of a hand down your arm.
“Wake up,” Vernon says. “Say bye.”
You make a small sound and shift, cheek still pressed to his chest, before the room comes back into focus. His hand slows but doesn’t stop.
“The movie’s over,” he adds softly. “They’re heading out.”
You blink a few times, eyes heavy, brain lagging. The TV is off and Lara’s at the door, doubled over and fighting with her boots. Seungcheol’s standing nearby, jacket on, stretching out his arms after sitting for so long. Joshua’s hovering with his phone in hand.
“Oh– shit,” you mumble, sitting up too fast. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
Seungcheol grins immediately. “Saving your energy for your man, huh.”
“God, you’re such a fucking pig,” Lara scolds, smacking him hard between the shoulders. “Shut up.”
He laughs and stumbles forward as she pushes him toward the door. They’re still bickering as they leave, voices trailing down the hall. The door shuts before either of them remembers to say goodbye.
Joshua lingers. His eyes dart between you and Vernon, who's taking a sip of his drink, then back to you. "This room has a weird energy."
"Yeah, well we're waiting for you to leave so I can get dicked down ten ways to Sunday."
Vernon chokes on his coke.
"Gross," Joshua says, lip curling. “Are you playing at home this weekend?"
"Uh," Vernon replies, clearing his throat. "Yeah."
Eyes on you again. "Are you going?"
"Oh. Uh–"
"Yeah–" Vernon takes over. "You're coming on Sunday, right?"
You stare at him blankly, hoping he can mind read you saying what the fuck shut up Vernon no I'm fucking not shut up because you were supposed to be catching up on work from the comfort of your bed.
"Can I come?" Joshua asks.
You still haven't blinked, but Vernon ignores your would-be-death-stare-if-Joshua-weren't-looking-directly-at-you. "Yeah, man, that'll be cool."
Joshua calls your name. "Is that okay with you?"
A false smile plants itself on your face almost automatically. “Yeah. Yeah, of course. That’d be so nice.”
He smiles, a little stiff, and waves goodbye as he lets himself out, and the apartment settles into quiet.
"What the fuck, bro?"
Vernon frowns. "What?"
"I had plans on Sunday!"
"You said you were gonna bed-rot."
"Duh!" you exclaim. "Productive bed-rotting."
"I've literally never heard of that."
"This is anti-woman, Vernon, I swear to God."
Vernon lifts his hand from your waist to drag it over his face, and groans– the vibration of it making you suddenly aware you're still on him. You shift to where Seungcheol was sitting and lean back against the armrest. Vernon half turns toward you.
“So,” he says, clearing his throat. “Uh.”
You wait, but he can't seem to get his words out– can't seem to look you in the eye.
"About earlier?" you ask.
“Er– yeah,” he agrees, fixing his gaze on the blank TV screen. “The…uh. Us kissing.”
His jaw is set but not tight, mouth in a neutral, casual line. Everything about him is perfectly unbothered, apart from the way he's talking.
“Do you feel weird about it?" you ask, quietly wondering if you took it too far.
"No," he says, voice thin. He picks at his cuticles. “Do you?"
“Nah. I mean– no. It was just, like, part of the bit.”
A stagnant pause. “Yeah,” he agrees. “Yeah. Pretty convincing.”
"You crushed it," you say, nodding. And then you tack on– “Joshua definitely bought it."
Vernon snorts. “Yeah. He was watching like a hawk.”
Another pause stretches between you, thicker still.
“I should probably head out.”
You nod. “Yeah. It’s late.”
He grabs his jacket, moves toward the door, pulls on his shoes, then hesitates. Turns back.
“We’re good?” he asks.
You give him a tiny smile. “We’re so good.”
“Cool,” he says, not an ounce of relief in his tone. “Cool.”
The door closes behind him, and the apartment feels too quiet, too big, now you're all alone.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
You're laying face down on your bed, ready to yell into it, when you hear the click of the front door again. Bolting upright, heart racing, you call out– "I have a gun!"
Vernon snorts. "You don't have a gun."
You scoff. "Dude, you scared the shit out of me."
"Sorry." He comes to stand in the doorway to your bedroom, leaning against the frame. "They're all outside still, waiting for a cab or something. I didn't want them to see me leave so soon."
You frown. Joshua doesn't live far enough to waste money on a cab, and Seungcheol usually walks Lara home, stopping at a bar along the way. "Oh. That's odd."
"So can I hang out here?"
"Go wait by the elevator."
His eyebrows fly up. "Are you s–"
"No, idiot. Go put on the TV."
He laughs and shucks off his jacket once more, and when he moves out of view of your bedroom, you drag your pillow over your face and silently scream into that instead. You lie there for a full five seconds, face mashed into your pillow, before you hear the TV click on in the other room. Something tinny and familiar filters through the wall– a late-night sports recap, Vernon defaulting to muscle memory. You peel the pillow off your face and stare at the ceiling.
Get up. It was just a silly, fake kiss with your friend, and it's not like you've never kissed him before. Get up.
You roll onto your back, then your side, then finally swing your legs over the edge of the bed. When you step out into the room, Vernon’s on the couch again, legs stretched out, one arm slung over the back. He looks up when he hears you.
“Hey,” he says, casual.
“Hey,” you reply, equally measured.
You hover for a moment, then drop onto the opposite end of the couch, leaving a deliberate gap between you. The TV is loud enough to fill the space, but not loud enough to drown out the awareness of him being there.
“So,” Vernon says, testing the waters. “I lied earlier.”
“Oh God, me too,” you say far too quickly. You clear your throat. “It's so weird.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, nodding his head. “I thought I was gonna vomit.”
"Wowww," you say, laughing. "I didn't know I was that gross."
Vernon's eyes blow wide. "Oh– no, not like that. You're not– I just– you're not."
"I'm not?"
"No. You're good."
"I'm good?"
He slumps backwards. "Are you making this painful for me on purpose?"
"A little," you grin. "You're a good kisser too."
Oh, bless him, he actually flushes. On screen, the commentator gets excited about a play neither of you is watching. After a moment, Vernon holds the remote out for you. “You can put something else on if you want.”
You reach for it, your fingers brushing his by accident. If Vernon notices, he doesn't show it, so neither do you. You scroll aimlessly, land on something dumb and familiar, and let it play. A few minutes pass.
Eventually, without looking at him, you say, “Do you think we should actually practice? So we won't get carried away again."
He smiles at that, small and crooked. “You got carried away?"
You scoff. "Don't flatter yourself. I haven't made out with anyone in weeks and I love kissing. If a cactus put its lips on me I'd let it."
"Sounds spiky."
You glance at him then. He’s watching the screen, not you, fingers laced together in his lap.
“So do you think we should?"
Another pause.
"I guess. But not tonight."
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Sunday rolls around far too quickly, and Joshua is seated next to you in a jersey that was so clearly just taken from the plastic, and although you don't quite know his reasons for being here, you've missed hanging out with him by yourselves.
“Why is it so thin,” you tell him.
He grins. “I got it from some guy on Mercari.”
“It smells like plastic.”
“That's eau de polyester.”
You snort and lean back as Vernon winds up. The smack of the ball in the catcher’s mitt makes half the stadium groan, but your cheer as loud as you can without your lungs giving out. The sun warms your skin, you're with your oldest friend in the world, and watching your second oldest friend pitch for the Yankees, and it's just so nice. You buy the fries, Joshua buys the beer, Vernon smiles your way once or twice.
“So why are you coming to these? ” Joshua asks during a lull.
“I figured since I’m dating a baseball player I might as well be supportive,” you say lightly.
“Ah. So gracious of you.”
“Isn't it,” you deadpan.
He smiles, watches the field for a beat. “Vernon’s doing well.”
“He usually does,” you say.
Joshua hums. You can feel the shift before it happens.
“So,” he says. “Can I ask you something?”
You brace. “I’m not burying a body for you, I've got a pedicure this evening.”
“When did it actually happen?” he asks. “You and Vernon.”
You glance at him. He’s still looking straight ahead, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. Too casual. He wouldn’t believe the lie you told Seokmin– Vernon isn’t a guy of big declarations and being so overcome with emotion he fucks you right there on the floor.
“What do you mean?” you ask, stalling for time.
“I mean,” he says. “You don’t just wake up and decide to start dating your ex from high school within thirty minutes. There’s usually a… lead-up.”
You let out a breath through your nose. “We ran into each other more. Hung out. He told me he liked me again. It wasn’t dramatic.”
Joshua tilts his head. “You’re being vague.”
“That’s because it’s boring.”
He finally looks at you. One eyebrow lifts. “Try me.”
You shift in your seat, eyes back on the field. Vernon’s on the mound, adjusting his cap, jaw set.
“It wasn’t some big moment,” you say. “No lightning strike. We just, like, slipped back into it.”
Joshua’s quiet for a moment. Then, gently, “You don’t do boring. You don't just slip back into something comfortable. You have a habit of starting a fire and letting it burn you.”
You roll your eyes. “Oh my god. Are you my therapist now? Do I owe you money for this session or is the first one free?”
“I’m just saying,” he shrugs. “Last time you two dated, it was messy and over the top and all your feelings were out there. This time it’s like–" He gestures at the air, aimlessly, looking for the word. "Choreographed.”
“We're not kids anymore.”
“Sure,” he agrees. “But you?” A pause. “You're usually more in the moment than you have been around him lately.”
You open your mouth to argue, then stop. Vernon throws. The batter swings. The crowd is overwhelmingly loud in your ears.
“Why do you care?”
Joshua smiles a little. “Because you’re my friend. And because Vernon’s my friend. And because I don’t want our group getting all fucked up because you two are being weird around us. It doesn't feel real.”
You wipe your thumb over the condensation on your cup. “We are real.”
He studies you. “Okay.”
Another pitch. Another crack. "You don't believe me?"
Joshua slips his arm around your shoulder. “I don't know. I want to. I always thought you were great together.”
You glance back at the field, at Vernon rolling his shoulders, readying himself for the next batter.
“Yeah,” you say quietly. “We were. We are.”
After the game, Joshua doesn't hang around– he's visiting his mother this afternoon, so you wave him off with instructions to give her your love. The stadium clears out slowly, and after a while scrolling on your phone, the janitors come out to clear up. You're not sure here is the best place to wait for Vernon, so you shoot him a text.
You [19:13] where do i go?
nonie [19:14] u wanna come up?
You [19:14] sure
nonie [19:15] i'll send mike down
nonie [19:15] hate asking but can you kiss me in front of the guys
nonie [19:15] they think ur fake
You chew on your bottom lip, fighting your smile from your face.
You [19:15] depends. is mingyu kim there? i don't want him to think i have a boyfriend
Mike– you assume, because he doesn't actually introduce himself– is a squirrelly young intern who exudes anxiety. "Are you Mr Chwe's girlfriend?"
Mr Chwe, haha. Sounds so formal. "That's me."
"He wants me to bring you to the Clubhouse. It's this way."
"Oka– oh!" He's running off before you've finished gathering your things. "Wait, wait, I'm coming."
You stumble after him as he leads you through the stadium, punches the code into the keypad, and you're taken aback by how put together this place is.
The clubhouse smells faintly of sweat, and something citrusy. There’s music playing from a speaker in the corner, a few guys already changed, sweat soaked jerseys tossed into the bins in the centre of the room. Most of the guys in the room don't register your arrival, used to the comings and goings of colleagues and family members, but you notice the eyes of a couple of the other girlfriends. You offer your friendliest smile, and they smile back easily. Thank God.
Mike skids to a stop. “Uh– he’s in the showers. You can– um. You can wait over there.” He gestures toward the canteen area before bolting.
You take a breath. This is fine. You’ve been in locker rooms before. Just… not by yourself. Not ones full of professional athletes and an army of staff and their families. Your locker room experience is sneaking kisses after school finished, laughing into Vernon's neck at the thought of being caught where you're not supposed to be.
At the counter you grab a drink from the self-pour machines, and look for the checkout.
"It's free, don't worry," comes a soft voice behind you.
"Oh, tha–" you start, turning to be startled by Mingyu Kim. Fuck, he's so much taller up close. "Thanks."
"I'm Mingyu. You're Vernon's girlfriend?" He smiles, then tries your name like a question.
"That's me," you say, sticking your hand out to shake. His hand is heavy and warm. "It's very new."
Mingyu tilts his head. "You wouldn't think so, with the way he's talked about you."
You laugh airily. "Well we've been friends since we were little."
"That makes sense," he says, that smile of his almost blinding you.
"Uh-huh," you say. "So how long have you been with the Yankees?"
"Just a few months, got traded in the spring."
"Where from?" you ask, plucking a straw from the counter and stirring your drink.
"Atlanta," he says. "Still getting used to New York."
"Big change, huh."
"No shit. I miss my car," he says, ruefully. "Vernon said you both moved here for college?"
"Yup," you say. "But we grew up in New Jersey."
"Lakewood, right?"
"Wow," you say with a laugh. "You know so much about–"
“There you are,” comes another voice behind you. Vernon's arm circles your waist and he tugs you close to him. His hair is barely towel-dry, wetting your skin as he leans close to press a firm kiss to your cheek, his t-shirt clinging to his skin in patches. "Thought you'd got lost."
"It's okay," you say. "Mingyu here was keeping me company."
"I can see that," he says, hand sliding down your waist to thread his thumb through your belt loop, fingers resting against your hip. "Thanks, bro."
"No problem," says Mingyu with an easy expression. "It was nice meeting you."
"You too! Listen, if you ever need a guide for the city–"
Mingyu smiles wide and soft. You like the way it reaches his eyes. "Yeah– I'll, uh. I'll hit you both up."
The buzz in your stomach flattens immediately. Oh yeah. You and Vernon. As like, a unit.
As Mingyu leaves you turn into Vernon, slot both your arms around his neck, he wraps his arms around your waist, and you lean in press what would look to anyone else like a would-kiss-you-more-if-all-these-people-weren't-here type of lingering kiss to Vernon's lips. You pull back a little to whisper against his mouth– "That okay?"
"Uh– yeah. That should do it."
"Alright, so you have to set me up with Mingyu when we're done faking."
"No fuckin' way, dude," he murmurs, still a hairs breadth from your mouth, can almost feel the brush of his lips when he speaks.
You pout. "Why not? Thought you said I'd like some of the guys. I like that guy."
"I meant like, other guys," he whispers. "Not my teammate."
"What's the difference?"
"If you hook up with any one of those, I'd never stop hearing about it and I like my sanity."
"So?"
"So I don't wanna hear about all that."
You laugh. "All that what?"
He sighs, frustrated. "Like. Locker room talk. I don't wanna hear about you like that."
You swallow, lower your voice even further. "Does Mingyu talk about that stuff?"
"Not yet," he admits. "But most do."
"Do you?"
He levels you with a look. "What do you think, considering who I last–"
"Right," you mumble. "Yeah, sorry."
Vernon pulls your arms from around him, slots a hand into yours and links fingers. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here before they start asking questions.”
He grabs his bag from his locker on the way out, and leads you back toward the exit, with choruses of goodbyes from around the room. Once the door shuts behind you and the hallway swallows the noise, he exhales hard.
“Thank you,” he says. “Seriously.”
You smile. “Anytime, Mr Chwe,” you say, mimicking Mike.
He groans. “Don’t ever call me that again.”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Monday is when all things go to shit. Work is hell. Something something merger. Something something acquisitions. It's all fucking bullshit and you won't know if your job is secure for at least the next three months. Seokmin and you hold hands under the desk in the meeting room, while the powers that be go over details you struggle to listen to through the sound of the blood pounding in your ears. Working in the same role, you wonder if they'll have room for both of you.
There's a text in the group chat at lunchtime.
lara [12:24] IM BEING FUCKING EVICTED IN 3 WEEKS
lara [12:24] FUCK MY FUCKING CHUNGUS LIFE
cheol [12:32] ??????
shua [12:34] Wtf happened?
You [12:36] omfg??
lara [12:36] MY ASSHOLE ROOMMATE DIDNT PAY THE RENT FOR FOUR!!!! FOUR MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!
lara [12:36] i can't believe ts
lara [12:36] where tf am i gonna go
cheol [12:36] You can stay at my place
You [12:36] you live in a fucking shoebox cheol 😭 don't be stoopid
You [12:37] lara stay with me!! we'll have girl nights and do facemasks and have girl dinners and watch girl movies!!!
shua [12:37] You're welcome to stay with me too, if you don't mind the pullout
nonie [12:39] u can have my place too. 3brs n i'm hardly ever there neway
lara [12:40] i fucking love u guys wtf 😭😭😭
lara [12:40] cheolie can i stay with you?
You [12:40] ????
shua [12:41] Yeah?? What she said???
cheol [12:41] 😎 I'm the favorite. Suck it losers
You [12:41] i'm literally so offended
You [12:41] this goes against the principles of feminism
nonie [12:42] bro you've gotta stop saying that about everything you don't like
lara [12:42] 🤷🏽♀️ cheol's place is closer to work
Vernon texts you separately.
nonie [12:43] 20 bucks says there fucking
You [12:43] *they're. and you're on. there's no way she'd let him see her tits
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
You get home and you're hit with a sense of unease as soon as you step onto the fifth floor. Unease and like, a really soggy carpet. Unease, and there's water dripping down the wall outside your apartment. Oh fuck. Oh fuck fuck fuck.
The air is all different– thick and damp, and your foot lands in the entryway with a slosh, the water seeping through your shoe to your skin.
You freeze.
“No,” you breathe. "There's no fucking way." Wishful thinking.
The floor is soaked. Soaked-soaked. Water has filled the room, almost an inch deep across the floorboards, darkening them. It’s achingly quiet except for a faint, steady sound of spraying water coming from farther in. Your chest tightens. You move faster, heart in your throat, following the sound toward your bedroom. The door sticks when you push it open.
Water– water everywhere. Your dresser– water streaking down the front, puddling underneath. Clothes are strewn where you must’ve tossed them this morning, looking for an outfit suitable for the morning meeting with your VP, now plastered to the floor. On the bed, sheets heavy and dark, sagging in the middle, rubble and wet dust scattered over it.
And then– the gaping ceiling. A jagged hole, ugly and raw, crumbling away at the edges into the wreckage of your bedroom. The exposed pipe spraying into the gap between floors, must have been going long enough to ruin every little thing you can call your own.
This is too big. Too much for the day you've had. Your brain can't catch up while looking at your things– your things that are everywhere, destroyed, and the waste of it all lands in your chest like a brick. It's not just clothes, or furniture. Everything in this room are pieces of you. All the polaroids tacked on your vanity mirror. All the books with silly notes in the margins, from when you tried to start a book club with your friends. The vintage made-in-England Doc Martens that you managed to thrift last year. Your very first Tamagotchi. The embroidery on the walls, made with love by your grandmother. The stupid, sentimental shit you've collected all these years that could never be cast aside.
Your vision blurs as you fumble in your purse for your phone, and it takes a second to realise you’re crying. Silently, you wipe away your frustrated tears, and your hands shake as you fumble the passcode for your phone twice, and the screen is all but swimming as you try to find Lara’s name.
She answers on the second ring. “Hey– what’s up?”
“My apartment,” you choke. “There’s– there’s water everywhere. My things–” You can’t finish it. You press your hand over your mouth so hard it hurts.
“Hey, hey,” Lara says immediately, calmly snapping into place. “It's okay. Breathe. Are you safe? Is it flooding right now?”
“I– I think a pipe burst. My bedroom ceiling is gone, Lara. My bed is ruined– everything is ruined.”
“It’s not everything,” she says firmly. “Call your landlord. Take pictures. Can you start moving stuff?”
"Yeah– yes," you sniff. "Okay."
"We’ll figure it out, don't worry. I'll get Cheol and we'll come over now. You call Joshua."
You nod even though she can’t see you, wiping at your face with the back of your hand and smearing your make-up even worse. “I don’t– I don’t have anywhere to sleep.”
There’s a pause on the line. Just a beat.
“Why wouldn’t you stay at Vernon’s?” she asks, confused.
The question hits you sideways.
“I–” Your throat closes. You hadn’t even considered. “I didn’t– he has practice."
“Is he on his way? Did you call him?"
You swallow hard, a sob catching in your chest. “No.”
Another horrifically long pause. Lara doesn’t say anything, but you can hear it in the way she exhales, the mental note she's making.
“Okay,” she says instead of questioning you further. “Call him. Right now. I'll be there soon.”
"Thanks, Lara."
Your hands are still shaking when you call Vernon.
He picks up almost immediately. “Hey."
"Hi," you say, voice thin and wavering.
He must hear it. "What's wrong?"
"Are you done with practice?"
"Yeah, I'm just about to shower, why?"
“My apartment flooded," you say, your voice breaking completely. "Can y–"
“Yes,” he says, cutting you off. You can hear him rummaging for something. A locker closing. “Yeah. I'm leaving right now. Should I call the guys?"
"I already called Lara. She's calling Seungcheol."
There's a pause. "Joshua then?"
"Yeah. Yeah, thanks," you murmur, wiping the still falling tears from your cheeks.
"I'll be there soon," Vernon says, and you sigh, still only slightly reassured.
You hang up and move on autopilot. You call your landlord, who's sending emergency maintenance. Joshua texts to say he's stuck at work but he'll get there ASAP. You take pictures for renters insurance– thank God your lease required renters insurance.
You grab trash bags, your suitcases and a duffel from the miraculously dry closet, anything that’ll hold what isn’t already ruined. You peel wet clothes off the floor, wring out the water in the shower and toss everything into the laundry basket. The living area is mostly dry, save for what you tread in, seemingly unlevel with the rest of the apartment. It becomes a mess in record time, piles of your life stacked haphazardly, salvaged from the flood.
You're quickly soaked through yourself, with the water still spraying into your bedroom, and it takes everything in you not to start crying again– but that's when you find your photo albums inherited from your grandmother, a record of the childhood you wished you had all the time. Most of them damaged, of course, but there's a few pages in the back that are still unharmed. They're from the first summer she came to stay, your parents freshly divorced and your mom finding it hard to find the time to work as a newly single parent. There's the day she took you to Six Flags, and the day you got frozen custard on the coast, and the days when Joshua came around– his parents, too, needing help over the summer. Sometimes Vernon would tag along (anyone is welcome when Grandma is in charge) and he's in a few of these, so serious at first glance, even back then.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
The last time he found you this small, this broken, was in the midst of your parents divorce– but you were just kids then. You're on the couch, knees drawn up, and you're blinking at him in surprise– the look of embarrassment etched across your face, at being caught while sobbing into your crossed arms.
"How'd you get here so fast," you say, voice hoarse.
"I got a ride," he says. Not quite true. More like cornered Shaun, one of the clubhouse assistants, and urged him to drop everything and drive him to your building.
"I'm sorry–" you sob, wiping at your red-rimmed eyes. "This is so embarrassing. It's just stuff."
Vernon crosses the room in a moment, drops his bag on the couch and pulls you into him, tight and sure, one arm wrapped around your shoulders, the other coming up to cradle the back of your head. And you melt into him. Your face presses into the crook of his neck, your hands clutching the fabric of his T-shirt, and the heat of your tears soaks through the fabric onto his skin.
“It’s not just stuff,” he murmurs. “It'll be okay.”
“I’m all wet,” you say into his neck.
“It’s okay. I needed a shower anyway.”
You shake against him, breath hitching, muffled and unintelligible words tumbling out between sobs. He presses his lips to your temple without thinking and you cry even harder, holding him tighter, before he remembers he shouldn't be doing that at all. Vernon holds you til you settle, whispering reassurances in your ear, and you suck in a heavy, steadying breath.
There's another knock at the door, and it's Lara and Seungcheol. "Heeeeyyyy," they say in unison. They stop short when they see you wrapped around Vernon, your face buried in his neck, his arms tight around your body. Lara’s expression softens instantly. "Oh babe."
You push off him, and he finds himself almost reluctant to let you go as you wipe your eyes and offer a small, sad smile at your friends.
"Fuck– this is– Jesus," says Seungcheol, poking his head into your bedroom. He whistles. "Holy shit."
Your face cracks again as soon as Lara draws you into a hug. "I'm so sorry this happened on your bad day."
"Girl shut the fuck up," Lara admonishes you, and surprised, wet laugh bursts out between your tears.
After a minute, the group gets to work. Vernon and Seungcheol make runs downstairs to your car with everything salvageable, but as it fills, Vernon wonders if he could get Shaun to bring him a car over too. Or where he could hire a van from this late.
Maintenance arrives after the third trip downstairs. He can't do anything right now except shut off the water, and tells you to call him back once you've moved your stuff out so he can tape up the bedroom.
"I'm sure that's like a code violation or some shit," mutters Seungcheol, dragging out the heavy dresser to add to the stack of things in the living area.
Joshua arrives next, eyes bugging out and whispering "Holy shit," at the sight of the ceiling.
And between the five of you, it gets done quickly. As much as can be expected, at least. It'll be inspected for repairs tomorrow, but it'll be a while before it's liveable again, so Vernon is fully expecting you to take up Joshua's offer when he says you can stay with him, but Lara is staring daggers at him over your shoulder. Oh.
"Aren't you staying with me?" he asks quickly.
You blink at him. "Are you sure that's okay?" You say, obviously without thinking, but you catch your slip– "I mean, since you'll be in Philly this week."
"Yeah, it's cool," he says, trying to sound cooler than he feels. "I've got a spare key fob."
Seungcheol, from under the bed, calls your name, his tone laced with something like awe.
“What?” you ask.
“Do you–” Seungcheol pauses, until Lara kicks at his leg. “Do you have a fucking gun?”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Vernon keeps his fingers wrapped around yours as he guides you through the lobby. You’re quiet again, wrung out, mouth down-turned. The doorman nods, discreet as always, eyes flicking once to your damp hair and red eyes before looking away. The elevator ride is silent except for the hum as it climbs.
When the doors open and he lets you step out first, you slow, turning in a small circle as you take in the apartment once more– with its floor-to-ceiling windows, the furniture that's bought brand new and hardly used, and the city far below, awash with colour.
“I forgot how big this place was,” you say, quietly.
He exhales through his nose, an almost bitter laugh. “Yeah.”
"Where's the bathroom again?" you ask.
“There's one in your room, third door on the left,” he says, gesturing toward the long hallway. “I’ll have your things brought up."
God, he sounds like a dick.
“Okay, thank you.”
Vernon waits until the door clicks shut behind you before moving again. He calls the doorman to get your car unloaded, thanks him too many times and presses large tips into the hands of the three people he brought to help. He carries your bags into your bedroom carefully, as if the placement alone could make it feel less like you've lost so much, like at least this empty, soulless place could feel a little like home for you.
You clear your throat as he's lugging the last bag in, and you’re standing in the doorway to the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, your bare skin still wet and steaming. "I– uh. Sorry, Vernon, you've already done so much but I don't have any dry clothes."
Oh. Yeah- duh.
“I’ll grab you something,” he says, feeling so stupid for not having thought of that himself.
He opens his closet and stares for a full minute. You don't like his clothes, you've teased him for it endlessly. He's got nothing you'd ever want. He swallows, thick. Shakes the feeling away. Grabs a soft, blue t-shirt. You always look nice in blue. A hoodie, oversized enough to swallow him, hopefully you find it comfortable. Sweatpants with cuffed ankles, so you don't have to roll them. Thick, white socks. He pauses, bites at the fat of his cheek, then reaches into a drawer and adds a pair of boxers to the pile, feeling faintly ridiculous and also very aware that not doing so would be worse for you.
“Thanks,” you say, relief clear in your tone, when he hands everything to you.
You close the bathroom door behind you, and Vernon leaves for the living room and scrolls on his phone aimlessly while he waits for you to join him, but he doesn’t hear you come back out.
A little later he orders Chinese food– too much of it, really, for just two people, but he wanted to get all your favourites at once. And when the food arrives, he sets it out on the dining table, steam releasing into the air, and finally he knocks softly on your bedroom door.
“Hey,” he calls, already stepping away. “Food’s here.”
A moment passes before you pad out to join him. You look a little ridiculous now. The sleeves way too long, crotch of the sweatpants too low, face still puffy and tired. You look so much emptier than you did yesterday, the day you've had scraped something out of you and didn’t put it back.
He swallows.
“You wanna talk?” he asks, gently.
You shake your head. “Nah, I'll be okay,” you say, voice rough. Then you huff a weak laugh. “I needed new content to pay off my therapist's mortgage anyway. All that parent shit is getting reruns.”
He snorts.
You gasp as you look at the food. "You got orange chicken and beef with broccoli?"
"And crab rangoons," he adds.
"Dude," you say seriously, eyes meeting his for the first time in hours. "I literally love you."
He grins, the weight shifting off his chest. You'll be okay. You've always been good at bouncing back. "Uh huh. Tell me that again when you love me more than you love Lara."
"Tonigh–," you say, already stuff an egg roll into your mouth, and you have to mumble around it to get your words out. "I-def-luh-oo-ore-an-Lara."
Vernon curls his lip. "You're disgusting."
But it makes you laugh, and for that, Vernon is grateful.
"When do you leave for Philly?" you ask, when your plates are empty and you're folding the lids back over the boxes.
Vernon swallows, and wipes his hands on a napkin. "Tomorrow morning, pretty early. I'll leave you a fob and text you the door code."
"You sure it's okay that I'm here?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
You hesitate, and the silence makes him look up. His shoulders sag. Vernon hates when you look so sad.
"You've never invited me before."
"I have." He hasn't.
You level him with a look of disbelief. "You haven't. Not since you moved in."
He never wanted this. Not really. He wanted somewhere in Bushwick– like his old place while he was at NYU, with the brick walls and crooked floors, and the threat of bugs if anyone forgot to leave the drains plugged. He wanted somewhere loud with people and lived in. But his agent had frowned so hard it formed an almost permanent crease in his forehead. His manager had downright refused, and suddenly it was all security and controlled access, rooftop pools he'd never use, spare rooms he'd never need, and buildings with names instead of numbers.
Thank fuck it’s only a rental, he thinks, for maybe the hundredth time, because this place never felt like home. It's why he loves your apartment so much. Sure, it's old, and now quite literally falling apart, but it has a charm about it, and the people who live there are far more interesting to him than those who live here, with far more money than sense. He supposes he's counted as one of those people, too, now.
"It's not about you," he sighs. "Your apartment is just, like, way better."
"Are you joking?" You wave your arms at the luxury around you. "Not a single hole to speak of here."
He pauses, unsure how to phrase it. What he likes about your home is that he feels at home in it. He likes how you've filled it, with everything so uniquely you. Feels a little like a piece of him, too, given the framed posters on the walls are artists he shared with you, and the photos on the fridge, stuck to your mirrors, littered across the walls in mismatched frames feature his own face, alongside yours and your shared friends. Vernon loves how he feels unchanged there, like him being rich and famous doesn't matter to you in the slightest, because to you he is just Vernon– just some kid you've known forever and will stay in your life as long as he can.
"It's– ugh. I dunno, bro. It's just easier to feel like a real person there."
You smile. "As opposed to the robot sitting right in front of me?"
His lips twist around a smile. "Beep boop." He's rewarded with your first real laugh of the night, one that actually reaches your eyes, and his chest swells.
You take his plate, stack it atop yours. "C'mon," you say, slipping out of your chair. "You load the dishwasher if you can find it."
"How'd you know I have a dishwasher?"
You lower your chin, stare at him under a furrowed brow. "Dude…"
Right, yeah.
"I'm picking the movie though," you say, already walking toward the kitchen. "I deserve it."
You do. You deserve it all.
Vernon trails after you into the living room, switching lights off as he goes, the apartment settling into that soft, city-lit glow it always does at night. You drop onto the huge leather couch and immediately curl in on yourself, knees tucked up, hoodie swallowing your hands.
“Jesus,” you mutter. “Your TV is, like, the size of my entire wall.”
“It’s stupid big,” he agrees. “I didn’t even pick it.”
You grab the remote, switch it on and start scrolling. He sits in the middle, deliberately leaving space between you, one arm draped along the back of the couch. You don’t look at him as you select Atonement, and toss the remote in the gap between you.
“Oh, come on,” Vernon says, groaning. “You wanna be more depressed tonight?”
You turn, incredulous. “Excuse you?”
“You just had the worst day of your life and you pick–” he gestures helplessly at the screen “–this shit?”
“This shit–" you mimic. "–helps me process the worst day of my life so far. And you said I could choose.”
"You said you could choose," Vernon complains. "I just didn't fight it. I would’ve if I’d known you were set on emotional devastation.”
“That sounds like a you problem,” you say smugly. “Apathy is a form of acceptance anyways. No take-backs.”
He sinks further into the couch with a sigh. “You’re a masochist.”
“I wear many hats.”
For a while, it’s quiet. The movie pulls you both in, the score filling the room has his hairs standing on end, the city outside reduced to a glow beyond the glass. Vernon keeps his eyes on the screen, but he’s aware of you in that constant, low-level way he always is– your knee bouncing, the way you tug your sleeves over your hands, just to roll them up to your elbows again. You never could sit still.
It isn’t until James McAvoy’s character is being marched off to war that he notices the sound. It’s small at first. A hitch in your breath. A sniffle. A sharp, broken inhale. He glances over. You’re crying again. Silent, even though your shoulders are trembling as you swipe uselessly at your face.
“Oh my God,” you choke, trying to feign a smile, embarrassed as you catch him staring at you, his mouth slack. “It’s all so fucked up!”
He doesn’t think about it for a second longer. Vernon is beside you in one swift move, and draws you into him by your shoulder. You make a distressed sound but don’t resist, collapsing into his side as he smooths his hand over your shoulder, then your arm, slow and steady.
“I know,” he murmurs. “It's okay.”
You curl into him, your head resting on his collarbone now, and your tears slowly ease. Without thinking– without checking himself– Vernon leans down and presses a soft kiss to your temple, and the second you feel it, your body stills.
You blink up at him, eyes glassy and red, and for a brief, terrible moment you lean closer instead of away. You’re right there, so close. His heart pounds in his ears, as he realises, with a jolt up his spine, that he can feel the warmth of your featherlight breath against his lips. Before he can do anything, before he can close the gap, you jerk back.
“Oh my God,” you blurt, bringing your hand to cover your mouth. “I’m so sorry. I forgot we were alone.”
Your laugh comes out so unnaturally high. Vernon laughs too, immediately, a little too loud. “Yeah,” he says, too fast. “Yeah, no, same. Me too.”
You both turn back to the screen, sitting too straight now, a careful space between you again, but the swirling feeling in the pit of his stomach doesn't stop bothering him until long after he goes to bed, and is present still when he wakes the next day.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
thank you so much for reading! the taglist will be added on the next reblog.
all interaction is appreciated more than you could know, so if you liked this chapter, please consider reblogging with any thoughts to help get this fic seen outside my following!
pairing: oscar piastri x princess!reader y/n (she/her)
genre: social media au
warnings: just fluff, idk anything abt royal families i have taken many many liberties so please forgive
summary: in which after bagging a princess, it takes a long while for the fans to realise it actually is oscar
a/n: haven't written for oscar in ages so i picked him!!! also my first royalty smau so hope it's ok
request!!!: could I request a royal princess!reader with Oscar or Lando please and they are spotted and nobody believes it’s actually them until their is a statement made about them being engaged or something!!!!
my masterlist
fc: christinanadin
instagram ->
mclaren 📍 monaco
liked by princessyn, oscarpiastri, and others
mclaren swipe to see our very special guest in monaco!
tagged: princessyn
view all comments
user1 NO WAY
user2 omgg i can't believe she was there
user3 and with mclaren too wth??
user4 princess y/n's first f1 appearance!!!! & in papaya too she's jus like me fr
user5 so cute love her
oscarpiastri some might say...... papaya princess
liked by mclaren, princessyn
user6 ??? HES SO CHEESY
user7 oscar trying to flirt?
user8 who is she??
user9 y/n! she's the princess of monaco
user10 tbh i thought she was gonna be in ferrari garage or something
landonorris was such an honour!
liked by mclaren, princessyn
scuderiaferrari can we have her next 😕
mclaren not sure about that
princessyn 📍 monaco
liked by oscarpiastri, landonorris, and others
princessyn my first experience of formula one!! it was so much fun in the mclaren garage, thanks guys :))
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user11 she's soo humble
user12 love her, so cute
user13 THE OSCAR HAT AND PICCC
user14 taste omg??
user15 she's so real
user16 she said piastri rights
oscarpiastri so fun having you this weekend!
princessyn loved being there! thx again for your hospitality :)
oscarpiastri anything for a princess!
user17 rizz
landonorris thanks for coming y/n! (even tho you werent repping number 4)
princessyn hahah maybe next time 👀
lnfour we hope so
mclaren you're welcome back anytime 🧡
liked by princessyn
yourbff next time invite me
princessyn oh for sureee
twitter ->
messages ->
txts between oscar & lando !!!
instagram ->
yourbff
liked by princessyn, friend1, and others
yourbff can you tell i love my best friend
tagged: princessyn
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user22 we love her too tbh
user23 something something two pretty best friends
user24 oscar piastri's gf?
user25 HAHAH
princessyn love you more than anything
yourbff my princess (literally)!!!
princessyn and u? my queen 👑
oscarpiastri me too apparently
yourbff HAHAHA apparently? are you sure?
princessyn oscar 💀
user26 HAHAHA OSCAR?!?!!!
user27 omg he's a jokester
user28 oh it's definitely not true if they're this comfy making jokes 😂
user29 love this new era of y/n being friends w the f1 grid
princessyn posted a story
liked by oscarpiastri, yourbff, and others
user30 going where y/n <3
user31 omg so gorgeous
user32 how do u look so good without even trying
user33 perfect girl
oscarpiastri wow
princessyn shush you
oscarpiastri 😉 see you soon
user34 i wish i was u
user35 come to spanish gp pls 🥹
oscarpiastri posted a story
liked by landonorris, danielricciardo, and others
user36 omg who???
user37 OSCAR?
user38 wait...? tan? brunette..?
danielricciardo oh we are lucky enough to be graced with the princess’ presence again? 👀
oscarpiastri you know it
user39 fanning the flames of that random y/n & oscar rumour ..... 👀
user40 a moment for the dress, whoever she is
user41 soft launch much
landonorris making me feel extra single right now
liked by oscarpiastri
user42 WHO IS SHEEE
twitter ->
instagram ->
princessyn 📍 barcelona
liked by francisca.cgomes, alexandrasaintmleux, and others
princessyn back racing!
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user43 ahhh oscar cameo
user44 this is so cute
user45 she's so gorgeous
user46 wish i was a princess 🥹
landonorris god i hope you weren't the one in the car doing the racing
princessyn shut up lando
oscarpiastri shut up lando
landonorris okay okay my bad
user47 HAHAHAHA
yourbff you never miss 😍
liked by princessyn
francisca.cgomes oh to be you 💋
princessyn omg?! if you dont shut up
user48 she's real for that. kika is too perfect already
user49 the wags in her likes & comments ahhhhh
oscarpiastri posted a story
liked by yourbff, landonorris, and others
user50 WAIT IS THAT Y/N???
user51 what
user52 huh? so u are dating her or what
user53 oscar trying to rizz up the princess of monaco lol
user54 so sweet they're all friends now
landonorris good luck 😉
oscarpiastri thanks, i'll need it
alexandrasaintmleux 😍
liked by oscarpiastri
princessyn posted a story
liked by alexandrasaintmleux, oscarpiastri, and others
yourbff god it's so so beautiful
princessyn ikr 🥹 still crying
francisca.cgomes congratulations gorgeous
liked by princessyn
alexandrasaintmleux 🥹🥹🥹 angels
liked by princessyn
landonorris one of us now
princessyn ...great
user55 wait huh
oscarpiastri i love you
princessyn i love you
twitter ->
instagram ->
oscarpiastri
liked by landonorris, princessyn, and others
oscarpiastri my future wife ❤️
tagged: princessyn
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user61 omg what the hell how is this real
user62 WHY DIDNT YOU TELL US YOU WERE DATING
landonorris nah you just didnt look hard enough dont blame osc
user63 LANDO?!?!!?
user64 he cooked
yourbff CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!!!
charles_leclerc congratulations to the happy couple!
logansargeant congrats guys! it was a long time coming
user65 fym long time coming omg how long have they been dating bro
carlossainz55 so happy for you guys
pierregasly hope this means we'll be seeing more of y/n around the paddock!
oscarpiastri did kika hold a gun to your head as you wrote this?
estebanocon such amazing news, congratulations 🥂
mclaren our princess 🧡
liked by oscarpiastri, princessyn
francisca.cgomes congratulations sweeties <3
alexandrasaintmleux most gorgeous couple!
georgerussell63 hope im invited to the wedding !
user66 *crickets*
flavy.barla wishing you a lifetime of happiness 💖
alex_albon congratulations oscar & y/n
lilymhe gorgeous girl & gorgeous ring 💍
carmenmmundt such a lovely couple, congratulations 💕
user67 all the drivers & wags omgg ugh
princessyn ahhhhh i have butterflies!! i love you so much
What if reader meets real Avery (wether irl or via socialmedia), then becomes close to him? What do u think will the fake Avery's reaction be?
Had to ponder,, eventually cobbled this together
Friend privilege coming through here,, it is easier than constantly typing "fake Avery" so yeh Favery it is :P
(Full spoilers for dawtde/also just a long read)
· · · · · · · · · · ·
- Right off the bat,, the chances of getting in touch with Avery would be very slim
- He is without a doubt distraught with what happened and probably won't be touching Minecraft at all for a long time
- The only way you can contact him would be through his YouTube channel,, specifically the comment section
- Likely comment would be a cry for help on your part,, unsure of what to do about the thing in your world
- Who better to contact than the actual guy the entity is mimicking?
- You're not exactly commenting expecting a response right away or even at all,, Avery shouldn't have to worry himself with your problem he should be focusing on getting better
- It's not like the fake is actually hurting you,, right?
- Avery's response would be skeptical,, the king is gone so how could the fake him,, which is by all means an extension of the king's power,, be in your world?
- If we go with the idea that you posted videos of the fake on your channel,, there is some believability but it still irks him
- What if you're just some jerk on the Internet messing with him? You really don't need to twist the knife any further,, Avery still feels like he's hurting from the events of New Year's Eve
- It also feels a little insulting
- Derek died to defeat the king and you're telling him that a part of the king still exists? That his death didn't finish the job? That his sacrifice meant nothing?
- A chance is all you ask of him,, a chance to prove that what you're experiencing is real
- Eventually,, Avery gets a hold of your contact and joins your world
- This will just be a waste of time,, something he can leave whenever he wants and be mad about to distract himself from the emptiness he feels
- Yet the second he spawns in,, it doesn't feel right
- Could just be the general unease he feels towards Minecraft now,, but it's uncomfortably familiar
- You meet him at spawn before leading him to where your base and Fake Ave—where your base and Favery are
- The first thing Avery felt was dread upon seeing his doppelgänger
<You> So do you believe me now?
<You> Or do you still need convincing?
<You> Idk what else I can do to prove that this is real
<TheMostMayo> wow
<TheMostMayo> did you get a cloning mod or something?
- Avery's first response is that of anger,, not at you but at the thing walking around him
<TheMostMayo> you just couldn't get enough of me could you lol
<TheMostMayo> wtf
<TheMostMayo> ?
- Avery backs away from the thing mimicking his very being
<TheMostMayo> don't play dumb with me
<TheMostMayo> I am not "playing" dumb
<TheMostMayo> I am dumb in this situation
<TheMostMayo> why the fuck are you still alive?
<TheMostMayo> the king is dead
<TheMostMayo> you shouldn't even EXIST right now
…
<TheMostMayo> I don't know what you're talking about.
- Not wanting to start a fight and possibly provoke whatever hidden power was in Favery under that façade,, you interfered and just killed it
TheMostMayo was slain by You
- Death wasn't permanent for Favery as it was for any other player—or player-like entity,, so it wasn't a big deal
<You> Log off
<You> We can talk more but we aren't doing it here
<You> This can wait until some other time
- In case he wouldn't listen,, you also kicked him from the server before he could type anything in response
- You log off yourself,, ignoring the way Favery finally returned to you as you opened your pause menu
- What followed was a very rough series of texts which soon turned into phone calls
- You apologized to him as you never meant to provoke him,, merely prove your claim
- What you didn't account for was that Avery would have reacted that strongly
- Having unintentionally poked the bear,, you were now on the end of a long,, angered rant that soon turned into sobs
- Avery hasn't had time to fully recover,, who could he even tell? Life kept going and it was pulling him with it even if all he wanted to do was dig his heels into the ground and stay in New Year's,, stay in the moments before Derek's sacrifice and just stay in the moments he had with Derek
- The moment he heard fireworks that night,, bright colorful lights flashed through a crack in his curtains,, illuminating his room briefly and highlighting his screen which read that he had been kicked from the world after Derek pushed him off the edge
- The world was gone. The king was dead. Derek was dead.
- Avery could've done more,, couldn't he? He could've found a way to defeat the king without sacrificing Derek or himself. Only the true evil would've died that night and Avery would've started the year with the person he spent hours looking for.
- Yet that was never going to be possible. Derek's solution was the only one. Avery was going to die and cause the demise of millions if he stayed for any longer or stopped Derek.
- So,, why?
- Why does a version of himself mocking the innocence he once had have to be all that's left?
- You don't know what to do,, or if you can do anything for Avery to help him
- You weren't there that night so you don't know what it felt like to lose someone under those circumstances
- All that ties you two together is Favery,, he may not have interacted with it,, but it's a remnant of the king's power
- The most you can do for him is just be there and talk with him about it as it wouldn't be any good for him to keep quiet about it
- You can do that,, can't you? Be stability for a person going through grief? Because you're definitely a solid candidate for a role like that.
- After what happened on your world,, you started to regularly check up on him. Texting him to ask how he's doing,, trying to make small talk,, and just hoping he doesn't shut you down.
- You made him feel bad,, and the least you can do is make him feel better. Things don't need to get complicated. Avery can just take the help you're offering.
- Sometimes you feel like he can tell you think it's an obligation to talk to him. It's not that you don't feel bad,, it's just that you're bad at showing it and have never been in a situation like this.
- You want to be there for him. It's hard feeling like it's You who's there and not the online advice you had been using.
- One of your attempts at small talk led to something good. Finally.
- An offhand mention of an event happening in your city,, one too specific to be anywhere else
- There just happened to be the same event going on in Avery's city as well
- Turns out you two were closer (at least physically) than you thought
- You offered to go to it with him,, meet in person and just…hang out?
- Honestly,, you weren't expecting him to agree at all but now you were set to go to one of your city's events that you ignored and despised for how bad it made traffic
- To say you felt nervous would be an understatement,, you're just an antisocial little freak who sits and plays Minecraft all day,, the outside is like a foreign world let alone the noise from the people around you as you stood off to the side of the crowd. Honestly,, you were hoping you would just get ghosted so you could go home and feel stupid for the rest of the day.
- But that didn't happen. Avery was running late and was searching the crowd when he finally spotted you. You were wearing the exact outfit you said you'd wear.
- Actually talking with Avery face to face was…interesting. Of course,, you couldn't just step to the side every couple seconds to look up something on your phone so it had to be purely you. …Is it just you or is the crowd getting louder? Like,, too loud. You can barely hear your own thoughts! Sweat. Sweat is just drenching your clothes right now. Are you actually starting to feel queasy? Dude,, it's going to be so embarrassing if you throw up in public right now—so,, like,, don't. Okay?
- Noticing your obvious anxiety and lack of a response to what he said,, Avery took your hand and took you both away from the event. Honestly,, he wasn't really feeling up for being there anyway.
"Are you okay?"
- As things got quieter,, you felt like you could finally breathe easier
"Uh…yeah. I'm fine."
"That's good."
- Despite the fact that this was your idea,, you couldn't be less prepared for this. This was a bad idea,, wasn't it? Would much have really changed if you just texted?
"Y'know, I actually know this diner not too far from here. It has some good food if you're feeling hungry."
- Or maybe it was worth it. Food does sound nice.
- The city felt easier to navigate,, mainly because all those who would be out and about were occupied with the event and were over there. It's nice. The serenity and walking with someone rather than being accompanied by your thoughts.
- The two of you finally got to the diner and sat down. Looking at the menu,, it was pretty standard but you found something to order,, so all was well. Avery certainly found himself something,, something that he seemed to order often.
- As soon as you two got your food,, you were a lot hungrier than you initially thought. Avery was right,, the food here is good. Either that,, or you're just hungry so anything you eat is like the best thing you've ever had. Glancing up at Avery,, you saw that he dug into his food with no hesitation. Shamelessly,, even.
- Sauce was getting on his face. It was almost comedic just how much. It was getting bad and you were staring. How wasn't he feeling it? Did he order extra sauce or was it just like that? You had to say something to stop this madness.
- Except you didn't say anything,, you just motioned with a hand and hoped he would get the message
"Do I have something on my face? Is it…here?"
- He got a napkin and proceeded to wipe the wrong side of his mouth. You shook your head and motioned a little higher.
"Here?"
- Again,, wrong spot. Were you going to have to do it yourself?
"Right…you meant here."
- Wrong spot,, except Avery was smiling. Oh,, he was doing this on purpose. The realization actually got a light chuckle out of you.
- Maybe leaving the house was worth it.
- After that successful hangout,, you actually found yourself wanting to do it more often. Your eyes,, back and hands maybe getting carpal tunnel could certainly use a break from gaming. It wasn't even because of your initial goal to make Avery happy,, you just liked being with him. You think he does too.
- It got to a point where it felt like Minecraft wasn't the reason why you two met. Favery rarely came up and you honestly didn't want to talk about it. Couldn't you handle it another day? Don't let it ruin the moment,, dude. Avery did have his worries about Favery hurting you,, but it felt good to ignore it. You said yourself that it wasn't anything harmful,, and he'll trust your word.
- Favery has been counting the hours since you left,, you know? It knows that the usual time between your log ins were so you could eat,, sleep,, do whatever it is you do to ensure that you still have a roof over your head,, typical things. Yet it seemed you were taking a much bigger break than usual. It knows the device it's on isn't out of power. How would it know that if it's just in your Minecraft world? Well…it likes to try and step out of Minecraft sometimes when you're gone. Just one look around and then going back before you return,, that's what Favery allowed for itself.
- With your long absence,, it has been getting bolder and exploring your device often. Poking around in anything that may have more telling information about you,, so it can get to know you better since you refuse to share anything. It's not harmful if Favery just wants to be a better friend to you. Maybe you weren't satisfied with your conversations and were off gaining a new interest,, one that it wanted to be prepared for. So as it looked at your social media,, it was surprised to see that you had been very,, very active in texting that Avery guy. Not it,, but him. And here it was thinking that you had no friends.
- The fact that you hadn't been playing Minecraft in favor of spending time with Avery really made it upset. What did he have that it didn't? It was created to be (mostly) the same person! You'll be just as happy with it. The only difference is where they stand,, Avery in the physical world and Favery in the digital one. Oh,, so that's where it failed.
- Favery knows that it will be impossible for it to leave and become physical. The king failed in doing that and with Avery at your side,, it will fail too if it tries the same. Well,, then what can it do? That's what it wondered about,, how to keep you and it together without Avery's interference or better yet,, how to get rid of him. Harming you was something it didn't want to do,, but if that's what it took,, then so be it.
- With the games that you did play with Avery online,, something weird had been happening mostly on your end. Messages and images only visible to you had been appearing,, illegible and abstract. Avery was confused and thought you were experiencing a weird glitch. This wasn't Minecraft,, so Favery wasn't thought of as being involved at all. Soon,, any time you were online and tried to play you would cause entire servers to crash or be stuck on a loading screen. Your internet was fine and you were sure that your device was clean—oh,, this was Favery's doing,, wasn't it?
- Going off of a hunch,, you logged onto Minecraft and sure enough,, it ran just fine. Opening the world that Favery was in,, things looked pretty different as this was not your spawn point or where you last where when you logged off. You were in a black void,, at least it looked like that. There were walls,, but it was hard to tell with no lights. Your inventory had been emptied as well,, leaving you with no way to break out (unless you wanted to punch through blocks with your bare fist for minutes on end with no clear direction) or make torches.
<You> What did you do?
…
<You> Answer me
<You> What are you doing to my games?
…
<You> Is this because I haven't been on?
<You> Really?
<You> I was going to come back eventually
<You> I just have something called a "life" that takes up my time
…
- Yeah,, you weren't getting an answer from it
- Walking around was difficult as you weren't sure where you were going. The most you had to go off of was where walls were after running into them. A hallway was what you seemed to be in. It was then that you reached the end and saw something in your peripheral vision to the left—
- Yellow gates was what you saw
- Yeah,, no,, you were not doing this. You opened your pause menu only to find that your damn quit button gone. You tried to manually shut down your device but to no avail.
<You> Whatever you're trying to pull here
<You> I am NOT going to fall for it
- In defiance,, you turned your avatar around to not face the gates. For extra measure you tried to walk back into the hallway only for it to be blocked off,, or you just lost it in the sea of void-black blocks. You put yourself facing a corner and prepared to wait this out. Favery wouldn't actually do this,, it would fold and then you would settle this.
- It's been an hour now. You were on your phone giving Avery updates and discouraged him from joining you as you didn't want to put him back in this situation. Technically you would be safe if you didn't go through the gates,, and you had stepped away from your screen,, checking every couple minutes but making sure to keep a distance until something happened.
- One of your checks led to you hearing a loud noise,, one loud enough to be heard from your headphones you put down. Sitting back down,, you looked around to see what caused the noise only to see that the gates got closer. Turning back around,, you refused to give in.
- The cycle repeated until the gates were right behind you. You weren't going to face them.
- It was then that you were punched in game
<TheMostMayo> BOO!!!
- You turned and Favery was there.
<TheMostMayo> scared you didn't I? :P
<You> What are you doing?
<TheMostMayo> I would have scared you earlier
<TheMostMayo> but you just didn't walk up to the gates
<You> Because I know what could happen
<TheMostMayo> there's nothing behind here
<TheMostMayo> except for me so you would have been fine really
- You were getting tired of this as Favery clearly knew about the king if it made these gates to try and scare you. Just as you went to text Avery to tell him that maybe you two should start figuring out a way to get rid of Favery,, something appeared on your screen
- All of your apps that you had Avery on,, and the recycle bin
<TheMostMayo> you have a really nice device
<TheMostMayo> mostly because of me
<TheMostMayo> I made sure that every time you played with me that everything ran smoothly
<TheMostMayo> all the junk that could've ruined it was deleted by me
- The apps got closer to the recycle bin but you were stuck in Minecraft
<TheMostMayo> and now that you're playing with me again
<TheMostMayo> I have to get rid of more junk
- You tried to call its bluff
<You> I'm texting Avery on my phone
<You> Do you think this will do anything?
<TheMostMayo> the phone that you sometimes charge using this device?
<TheMostMayo> the phone that has a little bit of me in it?
<TheMostMayo> the phone I could easily move into so I can be with you wherever you go?
<TheMostMayo> do you think that will do anything? :)
- You were screwed. You needed this device,, and you needed your phone. It would take forever to replace them,, so you couldn't just get rid of either. You didn't live close to Avery so a way to contact him long distance was needed. He was your friend,, basically all you had going for yourself. You needed to bargain.
<You> I will play with you more often
<You> Just don't mess with either of my devices
<You> I will make time for you
<You> Please
<You> I am sorry
- Your apps were deselected
<TheMostMayo> glad we could come to an agreement
- Favery jumped in what you supposed was celebration
<TheMostMayo> you scared me for a moment!
<TheMostMayo> I thought I was really going to have to do that
<TheMostMayo> I could
<TheMostMayo> but I'd rather not :P
<TheMostMayo> so follow your end of the deal and I won't k?
<TheMostMayo> you look nice btw keep your cam uncovered more
- And so,, mandatory Favery time was now a part of your daily life. You had to keep Minecraft running so now it was privy to whatever you were up to now.
- While it allowed you to keep in contact with Avery,, it definitely made itself known when you did. It comments on your conversations and watches when you play with him. Minecraft is available to be played,, though Favery must be included. Avery still harbors a lot of negative feelings towards it but both of you ganging up on it helps just a bit.
· · · · · · · · · · ·
Kinda shifted into an x reader for actual Avery,, but I simply had to write as much as I did to explore what a relationship (which doesn't have to be seen as just romantic) between them would be like as well as adding some characterization to "You" that I have been kinda pushing for in my previous writings. Confident behind the screen but the embodiment of this image on the streets vv
- Socially anxious reader is what I'm getting at
And now to glaze myself while telling you meaningless details
- The typing styles on Minecraft are distinct for reader and the Avery's. Reader is the only one who consistently starts their chat messages with capital letters. The Avery's are based off how they type in sfawtde/dawtde with all lowercase.
- Favery actually has a distinct typing quirk in dawtde. Whenever typing a capital "i" it is always in bold and I wanted to show that along with bolding every mention of it. Subtle,, but still something I found interesting enough to include.
Thank you 7 for beta-reading and falling for my Fake Avery propaganda <3
1 096────jake ⋆ f!reader ✶ drabble , fluff , yns dog is a menace .
stvrrs notes.ᐟ helloooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! cant believe i havent written anything 4 jake yet...... i missed writing sm omg i hope u guys enjoy this! i want to try post every week but school is now a lot more difficult so im sorry guys pls wait for me <33
pls consider checking out my library if u enjoyed this!! REBLOGS+LIKES+COMMENTS APPRECIATED!!!!
ʜᴏᴍᴇ , ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ .
YN
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗠𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗗 was chill, swirling leaves around my feet and making me shiver. i tugged at my scarf, pulling it higher up my face, cursing nature.
at least someone was enjoying himself.
brownie dragged me forwards, tail wagging rapidly, as if we hadn’t been down this path many times before. it took nearly all of my strength to not fall over. maybe it’s time he should be trained.
“brownie!”
his ears pricked up, and he stopped for a moment, turning to face me. he had that same stupidly-adorable look on his face that made me fall in love with him before—i couldn’t help but smile.
crouching down, he came closer, pressing his face close to mine. “calm down, this trail isn’t going anywhere.” i teased, petting him. his tail only wagged harder, clearly having no clue about anything i was saying.
the wind was stronger now, nipping at my skin. no doubt my cheeks and nose were pink. i huffed, pretending to glare at brownie. “this is your fault y’know. you couldn’t have waited a little longer for a walk?”
brownie wasn’t paying attention.
neither was i, because the next thing i know, brownie’s pulling me as fast as his legs can take him, after a leaf.
“brownie! stop it—stop running!” i exclaimed, barely being able to keep up with him. for a small dog, he could run.
brownie didn’t hear me, or didn’t care to listen, and just kept running after the leaf, like it was his life mission.
just as i thought things couldn’t get any worse—they did.
the leaf, somehow, managed to do a u-turn, around a stranger, causing brownie to also do a u-turn around a stranger, and then another turn, tangling me and the unknown person together.
i gasped, unsure of what to say. on the other hand, brownie had stopped chasing the leaf, and now sat, staring up at me with a confused expression. like he wasn’t the one who had gotten me into this situation.
before i could apologise profusely and bury myself in a pile of leaves out of embarrassment, the stranger began to laugh.
it was a pleasant sound, and i couldn’t help but smile.
okay, maybe it was a little funny.
“i’m so so sorry, my dog, brownie—he just-”
“tried to make a new friend? seems like he succeeded.” the stranger teased, “don’t worry about it, i’m sure he didn’t do it on purpose.”
“i wouldn’t be too sure of that.” i laughed.
the moment of shared laughter soon passed and we were silent. that was before i realised we were still tangled and trapped together.
“we should—probably, untangle ourselves-?”
“oh yeah, good idea.”
i shifted slightly, looking down at the mess of leash and scarf and—was that his arm? how did brownie even manage this?
“okay.. uh, if you move your arm—no, not that one—” i started, attempting to manoeuvre the leash around his head.
i am never taking brownie on a walk again.
he chuckled. “this one?”
the sound made my cheeks warm. “y-yeah. and i’ll just—” i tried to step back, only to have the leash tighten and pull me closer instead. our hands brushed, and i froze.
the stranger also seemed stunned for a moment, before he grinned.
“wow,” he laughed again, “your dog’s good at this. professional matchmaker?”
i rolled my eyes, though i couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips, “he’s a menace, actually.”
still, we kept fumbling, our hands brushing every time we tried to pull the leash free, until finally, with one last tug, the loop slipped loose.
i stumbled back a step, free at last, though a little disappointed at the sudden space between us.
i quickly pulled the leash tight, glaring down at brownie, who couldn’t be happier.
he grinned, looking up at me, then the stranger, then me again.
what was he planning this time?
before i could scold brownie again, the stranger shoved his hands into his pockets, that same easy grin still on his face.
“so.. do you usually let him drag strangers into your life, or am i just lucky?”
i blinked, caught off guard. “uh—definitely not. you’re his first victim.”
he laughed, warm and genuine, and extended a hand. “i’m jake, sim jaeyun, but everyone calls me jake.”
my eyes flicked to his hand, then back up to his smile. hesitating for a beat, i shook it, heart skipping for a reason i refused to admit.
“yn.”
“yn,” he repeated softly, as if testing it out, “well, yn.. it’s nice to meet you—even if your dog had to trap me first.”
brownie barked once, almost like he agreed.
“you hush.” i said, but there was no venom behind my words, “i’m really sorry again—i need to start training him, but it’s just so much work.”
“tell me about it.” jake agreed.
“you—have a dog too?”
he grinned, nodding, “yeah, her names layla, she’s at home though, i was actually going back home to go get her.”
“i see.” i smiled.
silence.
i looked down at the ground, littered with red, and orange leaves.
what do i say? he’s perfect—how do i even keep him interested in me?
“if you want,” jake began. i looked up. he wasn’t looking at me this time—instead, he was looking off into the distance, hand rubbing the back of his neck.
“i could help you train brownie?”
my heart fluttered at his words, and my eyes widened for a moment. he wants to help?
“really? that would be—so much help! thank you so much!” i agreed, smile practically glowing, “how can i repay you?”
jake quickly shook his head. “letting me spend time with you is enough.”
my heart jumped again, god i’m such a loser.
i opened my mouth, ready to argue, but brownie tugged at the leash again, this time in the direction jake had been walking earlier.
jake laughed. “guess he knows the way.”
i raised a brow, confused. “the way to where?” i asked, tugging gently on brownie’s leash, but he wouldn’t budge.
“my place,” jake admitted, sheepish grin tugging at his lips. “i told you—layla’s waiting.”
i blinked, then laughed. “wow, brownie works fast. first tangling us together, now making sure i follow you home?”
“told you he was a professional matchmaker,” jake teased, bumping my shoulder lightly as we fell into step beside each other.
the cold wind nipped at my cheeks, but somehow, i didn’t feel as cold anymore.
brownie barked once, happily leading the way, as if he already knew this was the start of something.
