Summary: You continue to bake for Dex as a way to show your appreciation for him, yet he still seems closed off, however you are surprised when Dex takes up your offer to patch him up.
Tags: Bullseye’s identity is hidden/No one knows he is Dex (slight AU), Reader doesn’t understand social cues, Reader is empathic, Blood/Violence/Murder, Age gap (mid/late 20s reader), Stalking/Obsessive Dex, Jealous Dex, No use of y/n
Notes: I meant to post this sooner, but I have been picking up a lot at work and procrastinated going through and editing. Also thank you for the likes on the first part, I didn’t think it would get much reads. :D I am going to try to have part 3 up a little sooner hopefully 😖
Two days later, you open your apartment door to leave for work and nearly step on the plastic container sitting on the floor outside. It’s cleaned and taped to the lid is a small yellow sticky note.
You stare down before crouching and picking container up.
I guess he liked them enough to finish them that fast.. you think to yourself
Over the next few days, you try to make more of an effort to say hi whenever you see Dex. Not that you see him often.. well… actually, you barely see him at all.
Sometimes you hear footsteps late at night down the hallway or the distant sound of a door opening, but most days it’s just silence and it makes you wonder if maybe he works strange hours.
…or maybe he’s avoiding people.
You hoped to actually speak to him though. At least try to. He saved your life and all you did in return was bake him… cookies.
No one had ever done something that important for you before. Even if he used to be FBI and it was second nature to him… or if maybe he didn’t think it was a big deal. It was a big deal to you. You owe him your life.
The next week you find yourself back in the kitchen again with the thought that maybe you should do something more.. The cookies disappeared quickly, after all.
So this time you bake him a cake. A red velvet one with enough frosting to almost equal the amount of cake used.
You spend longer on it and it doesn’t look super professional, but it’s as nice as you can get it.
When you knock on Dex’s door this time, you almost feel less nervous and a strange comfort sits with you. There’s a minute of silence before the lock clicks open and the door swings inward.
Dex looks mildly confused to see you standing there again, but you smile immediately when you see him.
“Hi.” The word comes out brighter than the first time you spoke to him. You’re relieved he actually answered the door again.
His confused expression shifts to a forced unsure smile.
“I baked you a cake.” You hold the container out toward him.
Dex glances down at it, then back up at you. “I don’t think I’ve done anything to deserve it this time” he says sarcastically.
You shake your head. “Oh- no, it’s not that.” You adjust your grip on the container, pulling it towards you. “I still owe you from the other night. I just..” you sigh, “wish there were more I could do.”
Dex watches you silently, then nods.
“I see… well, that’s not really necessary.”
“To me it is.. the least I can do is bring desserts.” You hold container back out quickly.
Dex notices the way you wait there expectantly like before. He finally reaches forward and takes the cake from your hands.
“Well, I guess I can’t really argue with having my own personal bakery, can I?”
You smile again in satisfaction that he accepted the cake. “How were the cookies?”
Dex leans slightly against the doorframe, one hand resting loosely on the container while a small smirk forms at the corner of his mouth. “Delicious.”
You feel warm at the answer. At least he liked your baking. You still don’t think desserts properly equate to someone saving your life, but if it made him happy that could work for now.
You remain standing there, looking up at him and Dex shifts.
“Well,” he says, straightening from the doorframe, “I should probably get ready for.. work.. soon. But thanks again for this.”
Your smile falters for a second, Dex notices this, but you force one back on before stepping back. “Oh. Okay. See you later.”
The moment his door shuts, his smile drops.
He sets the cake container down on the kitchen counter before going into his bedroom to his closet where a large safe is kept.
Inside the safe was a collection of knives, firearms, ammo, and bullseye suit.
He begins preparing and attaching the weapons one by one. He suits up and lastly a knife spins between his fingers before attaching to his holster.
He opens the window in his living room, but stops to look at the cake container once more.
It wasn’t really a problem. You weren’t interfering with anything, but still… he wasn’t used to these interactions. Nor was he used to being given something.. especially if it becomes a frequent thing.
The AVTF was still circling too close and becoming a problem that needed to be handled before it escalated further. Having someone constantly knocking at his door could become inconvenient.
Depsire this thought, Dex opens the cake container anyway. Red velvet. At least it’s something he likes, he thinks to himself. He cuts himself a piece and finishes it. and before exiting out the window he cuts one more to take with him.
The whole cake is gone within a few days and he leaves the cleaned container outside your apartment door early in the morning with no sticky note this time.
As Dex comes and goes, you don’t cross his mind much and he rarely crosses your path like always.
The few times you do see him you try to smile and wave, brightening a little the second you recognize him. It’s painfully obvious to Dex how your expression falls when all he gives back is a short nod before continuing past you without stopping. You clearly want to make a conversation, but he doesn’t think much of it. He has other things to focus on.
At work, you try not to dwell on it. It makes sense that Dex is busy. Plus you barely know him. He has his own life and honestly, you’re probably lucky he tolerated random desserts showing up at his door at all, but it’s difficult not wanting to know the person who saved your life. It’s hard not to feel attached to someone after that and even harder not to feel safer knowing he’s nearby.. it’s like your brain automatically associates him with safety now, even if the thought itself feels strange considering what you saw him do.
..But you also don’t want to bother him. The thought makes your stomach uneasy as you distract yourself with organizing another stack of paperwork.
You glance up to see your coworker Katie leaning against the edge of your cubicle while Rhett stands nearby holding two coffees.
“We’re going out tonight,” Katie says casually. “You should come.”
Rhett smiles. “Yeah, come on. You always disappear straight home after for… especially this past month..”
“That’s not true.” You say in defense, even though it was.
After what happened that night, you have been more closed off than you normally were. You guys have gone out a couple of times in the past so it wasn’t uncommon for them to ask again, despite how many times you turned the offer down. They were probably the only two friends you actually had even though the only thing they usually spoke to you about was office gossip.
Maybe staying inside your apartment every night and obsessing over a stranger you hardly know is only making it harder to move on from that night.
“You don’t have to stay long,” Rhett adds quickly. “Just one drink.”
You look between them for a moment before sighing. “Ok fine.”
“Perfect, see you guys after work then.” Katie says while heading off to her desk.
Rhett lingers before walking back. “Nice. I was starting to think you secretly hated us.”
The bar you guys head to is the one you’ve all gone to on other nights and luckily for you it isn’t too far from where you live. Tonight it looks different though, silver tinsel hangs above the shelves behind the alcohol and Christmas lights hang along the ceilings. You hadn’t even realized it was the first week of December after isolating yourself from fear.
Katie is complaining about someone at work, while Rhett keeps leaning closer when he speaks. “You clean up nice outside of work.”
You furrow your eyebrow and smile. “I’m wearing the exact same thing from earlier..”
Katie snorts into her drink.
“Oh. Right.. I just that meant seeing you out of the-..”
His voice fades out as something on one of the televisions mounted above the bar catches your attention and a red banner flashes across the screen.
The volume is low, but one of the bartenders turn it up as someone requests, then everyone at the bar top is focusing up at it.
Onscreen, footage flashes of police vehicles surrounding a damaged diner downtown and officers pushing back protesters and reporters behind barricades.
The reporter speaks rapid, “Earlier today, the vigilante known as Bullseye carried out what authorities are calling a coordinated attack targeting members of the anti-vigilante task force. At this time, at least eight officers are confirmed dead.”
It was the same name from the lobby… the same name the officer demanded before putting a gun to your head.
Rhett lets out a whistle beside you. “Jesus,” he mutters. “They need to get these vigilantes off the streets.”
“That’s like six blocks from here.” Katie says, anxiously taking another drink.
Your fingers tremble around your glass as the footage continues playing. You don’t make any comment or respond.
“I’m sure they’ll catch him eventually,” she says quickly. “People like that always slip up eventually.”
Rhett leans back a little. “Well.. the AVTF has my support now.”
Katie gives him a subtle look, enough to remind him about the officer from that night in your apartment, but Rhett seems to realize it a second late.
“Oh,” he says awkwardly. “I just mean- not every officer specifically.. just the ones that know what they are doing-..”
The atmosphere shifts quieter around the bar and people start heading home. You don’t really want to be there anymore.
By the time the three of you leave the bar, it’s colder and wind has picked up. The Christmas lights continue to glow from the storefront windows as you tuck your hands into your sleeves.
“I can walk you home,” Rhett offers once you reach the corner.
“You don’t have to. I don’t want to trouble you.”
Katie jumps in. “Rhett’s already going that direction anyway..”
They give each other a knowing look that you don’t seem to catch.
“My uber is pulling up now.” Katie responds, waving you both off as she steps into it.
Katie lived further from the two of you so she always took an uber, but this was the first time Rhett offered to walk you home. You shrug and accept the offer.
About halfway back, Rhett speaks. “You know, I’m glad you came out tonight.”
You glance over at him. “Oh, okay.”
He laughs softly. “That sounded less enthusiastic than I hoped.”
“I’m kidding.” He says quickly.
Rhett stays close beside you, occasionally brushing shoulders with you as he talks. The cold breeze hits you and you shiver, pulling your sleeves further over your hands.
“I guess I should’ve worn a bigger coat.” You glance down at your jacket.
Rhett laughs under his breath at your pouting.
You finally reach your apartment building and Rhett walks you inside. The lobby glows warmly with white lights wrapped around the front desk and a Christmas tree near the corner.
You’re halfway listening to whatever he’s saying when the front entrance opens behind him and Dex steps inside the lobby.
The sight of him brightens your expression. “Oh- hi, Dex!”
You lift your hand in a wave and Rhett pauses mid sentence to look over toward him. There’s an excitement in your voice that catches even you off guard.
Dex slows slightly at the sound of your voice and you barely notice Rhett anymore.
“How did you like the cake?” you ask causing Dex to pause next to the two of you.
Excitement fills you because it’s the first time he actually stopped to talk instead of rushing past you.
Dex’s gaze flicks between you and the man standing beside you. Dex instantly notices the way the other man’s expression subtly dropped the second your attention shifted away from him.
Whoever he is, he likes you. He notes to himself.
He can’t help but feel satisfaction growing because of it. Dex’s attention stays on you, forcing a smirk at the corner of his mouth. “Just as delicious as the cookies.. I’ll be waiting to see what you bake next.”
You can’t even play it cool, you visibly brighten at his comment and heat starts to rush to your face.
He wanted you to bake for him again.
Beside you, Rhett shifts. He is trying not to look too bothered and failing just enough for Dex to notice.
“Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Rhett.” His tone was casual, “what was your name again- Dex, right?”
It was like a subtle reminder that he knew you well enough to know who you did and didn’t talk about, but to Dex it only landed insecure.
Before he could answer, you interrupted. “Dex is my neighbor, he moved in not too long ago.”
Dex barely spared him a glance. He didn’t particularly care who Rhett was or about introducing himself properly. The only thing remotely interesting about him was how embarrassingly transparent he was about you.
Rhett then began to brag, or bore, about you guys working together, but your eyes caught on a dark red spot slowly spreading through the fabric near Dex’s upper arm. It looked like blood and it began pooling more by the second.
“Oh no-” Without thinking, your hand lifted and hovered near his arm. “Dex.. you’re bleeding?”
Dex glanced down as though only just noticing it. The diner hit had gone cleanly enough, but one of the officers must have managed to nick him at some point.
He shrugged like it was insignificant. “I scratched it on a branch on the way back.”
You stared at him confused.. judging by the way blood continued soaking downward into his sleeve, it didn’t seem like a small scratch.
“You should at least bandage it,” you said with uncertainty. “You don’t want it to get infected. Actually… I have supplies in my bathroom. I- um could do it really quick.”
You didn’t know what had come over you, but it was the least you could do for him after that night.
“I’m sure he can manage,” Rhett said turning to you, “Besides, I hoped to walk you up.”
Normally, Dex would’ve declined without hesitation. He wasn’t interested in interacting.. but then he looked at Rhett. He was clearly uneasy, and Dex no longer wanted to decline your offer.
Dex’s glanced back toward you. “Actually,” he said sarcastically, “if you’re offering such exceptional medical care.. who am I to say no?”
Honestly you didn’t expect him to agree, you smiled. “Well.. don’t get your hopes up..” you turned to Rhett, “Dex actually lives on my floor so I will go up with him.”
Your attention was now mostly on Dex, but you turned back toward Rhett with a small wave.
Rhett opened his mouth to say more, but you had already started walking. “…yeah. Goodnight.”
Rhett remained standing near the lobby tree beneath the Christmas lights, watching the two of you disappear.
The only sound up to the fourth floor was hum of the light above you. The elevator felt much smaller than you remember because of how close Dex was standing beside you.
You kept your eyes fixed mostly on the glowing floor numbers, occasionally glancing toward him before looking away.
Why was this making you this nervous?
He was just your neighbor.. who happened to save your life… and who also happened to be very good looking.
You tried to think of something to say. Anything to start a conversation.. but you didn’t know what to say. Dex stood quietly as well, but with ease, silently observing you.
The elevator finally chimed and you stepped out first, trying to ignore the strange warmth growing on your face.
He followed behind you and then embarrassingly your fingers fumbled with your keys and you hated that he probably noticed it..
You step aside awkwardly after opening the apartment door wider for him.
Dex walked inside without hesitation, his eyes scanning the apartment as the door shuts behind him. The area is fitting for what he would expect for you, he thinks. There is a pile of blankets folded around the couch and headphones resting on the table next to it. The lighting is warm and inviting, not bright or headache inducing.
You suddenly wish you had more warning. It wasn’t necessarily messy, but you felt oddly exposed about someone seeing your space unexpectedly.
“The bathroom is this way.” You mumble quickly.
You lead him toward your side of the apartment and into the bathroom. You move toward the cabinet beneath the sink, kneeling as you search around for the first aid kit somewhere in the back. Beside you, Dex leans casually against the bathroom counter and watches you. You can feel his stare without looking, but you try not to think about it.
The cold from outside still lingered on you and a small shiver runs down your body as you finally find the box.
“Your boyfriend didn’t give you his jacket. The temperature is starting to drop low these nights.” He said it casually as if it was just a blunt observation, but the comment catches you off guard and you blink up at him in confusion.
“The guy from downstairs.”
You let out a awkward laugh. “Oh. Rhett’s not my boyfriend.” Then you pull the first aid kit onto the counter while speaking openly. “We are coworkers.”
You clearly hadn’t picked up on the guy’s interest at all, he thought.
Your attention shifts back toward his arm as you pull out disinfectant wipes and bandages. The blood stain has spread further now causing your stomach to turn.
“Um…” You hover your hand awkwardly near his sleeve, unsure whether to touch it or not. Thankfully, Dex spares you the decision and rolls the sleeve up himself.
The cut is deeper than you thought. It probably doesn’t need stitches though, at least you think it doesn’t but then again you had no real medical experience. One thing you were skeptical about was that it was worse than a scrape from some random branch.
Then your eyes wander up, noticing the rest of his bicep below his rolled sleeve. You immediately force your attention back to the injury before your face can get warm.
“This… might sting a little.” You warn quietly, but Dex barely reacts as you wipe some of the blood away.
You try focusing on conversation instead of how aware you suddenly are of his proximity.
“So… are you gonna do anything fun for the holidays? Like ice skating.. thats my favorite or.. visiting family?” You try to sound casual, but your excitement shows through.
The holidays were important to you so it was easy to talk about. You always had plans like decorating, baking, ice skating and other things. You haven’t had the time to decorate your apartment yet, but you made a note to do it soon.
Dex hesitates before answering. “I don’t really celebrate.”
“Wait really?” You pause for a second before you pull a bandage from the box. “Why not?”
“Never really did growing up.” His voice stays calm and detached. “Besides, I don’t have family to visit.”
Now you felt guilty for asking. No wonder he didn’t celebrate Christmas. The sadness on your face must be obvious because Dex sees the way you soften. Before you can say anything else, Dex’s eyes drift toward the bandaid in your hands.
“I had a feeling you were the one who left one of those under my door.”
You glance down at the snoopy bandage in your hand and you feel embarrassed, but you try to play it off anyway.
“What?” You defend weakly. “Snoopy is cool.”
A small smirk curls at the corner of Dex’s mouth.
You carefully place the bandaid over the cleaned wound. “There.”
Dex rolls his sleeve back down afterward and straightens from the counter.
He moves toward the bathroom doorway before lingering and looking back at you. “That’s probably the first time a Snoopy bandage has been used to treat a life threatening wound, huh.”
The sarcasm in his voice catches you off guard. At least he was trying to joke with you, that’s a good sign, right..?
You smile awkwardly and nod, then he turns and heads toward the front door.
“Goodnight.” You say softly.
That night you struggle to sleep. You can’t stop imagining Dex alone on Christmas. Even if you don’t really know him that well… You start wondering what you can do to change it.
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