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[trvelyans-archive]

28 for ezra and poppy tho......... pls

“well, i’m pretty irresistible.”

-

Poppy’s never been good at the whole “crush” thing.

The first boy she liked, Micah, was the boy that every girl had a crush on. Poppy was no exception. He was tall, and wore cool shoes, and had cool hair, and would come up in the hallway and wrap his arm around you when he wanted to talk to you before class...

He did that to Poppy, once, before he asked her to tell her sisters - who were two years older than them - that they were invited to his birthday party. Not Poppy, though - he reminded her of that several times with a casual smile, the same smile you’d use if you were telling someone that you were invited to their birthday party. But she wasn’t. Just Nora and Ophelia.

Yeah, that was probably the last time she ever interacted with a boy she liked.

That was also the last boy she ever admitted to herself that she did like. Every single one after that was avoided mercilessly until her feelings for them went away. Like Eddie, the handsome guy from her first year uni English course. He had blonde hair and always asked smart questions and wore tweed blazers that were always too tight on his arms, and she could’ve fallen in love with him if she didn’t drop the course.

(There were extenuating circumstances as to why she did. Eddie was just the cherry on top.)

Ezra’s the first boy she’s liked in a long time, and what’s worse is that there’s no getting away from him. He’s there giving her rides to work in the morning, and always putting his arm around her after work (without using it as a way to ask out her sisters), and always inviting her over to play video games and then stay the night when it gets too late...

She couldn’t avoid Ezra if she tried.

(She doesn’t.)

A couple weeks ago, when she was picking her way through one of the town’s only thrift stores, she spotted a sweater in the men’s section that would look perfect on Ezra. It was blue and gray fabric with little hints of green running through it, and it looked incredibly comfy. It also reminded her of what a British fisherman would wear to work, but that’s only part of why she bought it. She mainly bought it because she thought he’d look handsome in it.

And then, for some reason, she gave to him in front of everyone after work. Without buying gifts for the rest of them.

(This is why she’s never been good at the whole “friends” thing, either.)

He texted her that night afterwards, thanking her for it, but she didn’t see it because she went home and planted her face into a pillow for 2 hours and then ordered herself some pity poutine to eat before going to bed at 9 with her phone shut off. She was certain that she’d walk into work the next day and everyone would laugh her right back out.

But they didn’t. They just smiled and greeted her good morning - well, except maybe Alma - and didn’t even laugh when she walked past them. They were just... normal.

But nothing is normal, because Ezra’s wearing the sweater.

She can’t stop looking at him. He looks so good in it - which she knew he would, of course - but she wasn’t ready! She thought he’d send a text or something to warn her about it so she could prepare for the inevitable heart palpitations, but he didn’t, which feels completely unfair before she remembers that she’s had her phone off since she got home from work last night, so she really only has herself to blame.

He’s said nothing since ‘good morning’, but every once in a while, she catches him glancing over and smiling. And that smile - his stupid, handsome smile - is more than unfair.

After noon, when the lunch rush is over and they have a couple minutes to take a break, Poppy’s leaning against the counter and flipping absently through a book when he comes up and plucks it out of her hands. (He doesn’t put it down without placing her bookmark in between the pages she was reading, though, which makes her want to pass out.) “You okay, Pops?” he asks, grinning.

“Yep!” she answers, grabbing the book again and opening it. “All good!”

“You sure?” He bends down a little so he can look her in the eyes while she tries to read and grins even wider. “You seem a little nervous today. Well, uh, more than usual, I mean.”

“I’m good!” she repeats. “All good!”

“Poppy.” He stands up straight and braces his hands against her shoulders. “I’m serious. Are you okay?”

See, this is why she should never leave her house. She’s so bad at this, at all of it. She doesn’t know what to say that isn’t going to make her sound like a giggly teenager, so instead she shakes her head and closes her book again, finally looking up but careful not to look at him. “I’m good,” she says for what feels like the hundredth time. “Just... um... I don’t know. I think I’m just, uh, embarrassed.”

“About what?” 

Poppy sighs, placing her book down on the counter again. “Is it weird that I gave you a present?” 

Ezra reels back, smiling again. “What?” he asks. 

“The...” She gestures towards the sweater. “It’s... I mean - I like it, it’s really cute, but -”

“Hang on... Did you just say I’m cute?”

Poppy stares at him for a second before giggling, covering her face with her hands. She has a feeling that that was the plan, because she hears him laughing after a couple seconds, too, and drops his hands from her shoulders. “I wouldn’t say cute,” she responds finally, pulling her hands away from her face and crossing them tightly over her chest. 

“No? Not cute?”

“Nope,” she says, shaking her head firmly. 

“No? What else am I, then?”

“You seem like you have some suggestions.”

“Well, I’m pretty irresistible.” He leans on the counter beside her, trapping her against the other side with his arm. (What is it with her and boy’s arms?) “And I’m present-worthy, too, apparently.”

“Oh, gosh.”

“I’m just kidding, Pops.” Ezra smiles at her, his eyes roaming over her face (which she’s certain is beet red). “And it’s not weird, for the record. Well, I don’t think it’s weird. I hope it isn’t, because I already have a gift for you.”

She looks up at him with wide eyes. (He calls it her deer-in-the-headlights look.) “Really?”

“Of course I do! You’re gonna love it.” Before she can say anything, he glances over at the clock and sighs. “We should probably get back to work, but... if you come over later, I can give it to you then. You promised me to wait until you were there to start the next part of the game, remember?”

She didn’t think he’d remember that. She was kind of half-asleep when she said it. “Yeah, I remember.”

“So that’s a yes?” he says, smiling. “Dinner, games, present?”

Poppy nods. “Yep,” she replies, smiling back. 

“Great.” He reaches up and tugs one of her braids. He always does, whenever she wears them - that’s mainly why she does it. “And thanks for the gift, Pops. Really.”

“You’re welcome.” All of a sudden, it feels like a weight’s been lifted off her shoulders, and she breathes a soft sigh of relief when he finally turns away.

Sure, maybe Poppy’s not good at the whole “crush” thing, but Ezra’s different, and not only because he hasn’t tried to ask out her sisters through her. Yet. There’s still plenty of time for that to change, of course, but maybe the difference is that she doesn’t think it will.

-

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