#eyes are Never visible and the hat is part of her and can't be taken off‚ but the brim can be as rigid or as flexible as needed.

[birthclod]

finally got off my butt and workshopped a design for mary and made this

[the-bar-sinister]

Deicide (2627 words) by thesavagesabretooth

Summary: Realizing something is very, very wrong after the fight with Kaidou, Luffy seeks out Robin for comfort and advice. What he tells her is unsettling.

Luffy is hearing the voice of a god, and he wants it out of his head.

-

The dust was settling, literally, on the end of the New Onigashima Plan– all of the lead-up and preparation culminating in one long night now already three days behind them. The Straw Hats had been resting in the capital all that time, and it was only earlier in the day that Robin had heard that their captain and his faithful swordsman had awakened.

She’d excused herself from chattering with Otama and Shinobu, smoothing her kimono as she stood and made her way through the familiar halls of their temporary residence deep within the Flower Capital.

She knew where the captain had been sleeping, though she hoped he hadn’t up and left already in his charmingly manic way. She entertained the idle thought of him hollering for meat as he raced through the capital streets, startling housewives and guards alike.

“Heheh…” She giggled into her balled fist “though it’s a pipe dream.” The battle three days prior had taken a lot out of him…even Luffy’s high spirits had a limit. 

In fact, she found him exactly where she had left him. Except instead of fitfully sleeping, having been attended by servants with damp clothes, he was voraciously eating as she imagined– attended by servants now laden instead with platters full of meat.

He paused mid bite to wave at her when he saw her approach.

“I see you found something to sate your voracious appetite, Captain.” Robin gave him a thin smile, her eyes briefly closing joyfully as she sat opposite him. “Good. They had to stop you from sleep eating three times according to O-Kiku.” 

Luffy swallowed and smiled, shaking his head. "I can't help it, I'm hungry, you know? It took a lot out of me!"

There was a twinge at the edge of the captain's bright smile that Robin didn't usually see.

“It was one of our toughest yet.” She agreed as a hand bloomed beside her captain to steal a piece of meat on the bone and pass it to herself, pointedly visible just out of the corner of his eye. “One of the most difficult too…I can tell you agree.” 

Luffy gave her an exaggeratedly betrayed look and his hand shot out to snatch the meat from her– stopping just short of 'managing'. He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Yeah, it was rough alright…."

The door slammed open at the back of the room, and Usopp hollered. "Luffy's awake!" More of the crew were behind him, too.

Luffy shook his head and smiled at Robin. "Maybe we can talk about it later?"

Robin raised the meat as several arms all shrugged at once, a long-suffering smile on her face “whenever we manage to peel away from the pack, Luffy. Let’s.”

Nami leaned in, the small ornaments in her hair jingling as she grinned from ear to ear. “it’s about time you woke up, you lazy excuse for a captain!” 

Luffy nodded to Robin quite seriously, and then his grin broadened, looking up at Nami. "Did you miss me that much? You could have come to nap with me!"

“And wind up a victim of your octopus arms? No thanks!” Nami teased back.

The party atmosphere really kicked off in the room, much to the servants' decorous surprise, and perhaps dismay.

Robin laughed into her hand, soft and pleased as she watched the chaos unfold. The Straw Hat crew never changed– and while she never reached quite the raucous heights her crewmates did, she was a part of the celebration all the same, even as her mind lingered on the raid on Onigashima and the difficult truths within.

-

It was almost a full day later– full of food and excitement and chatter about the upcoming festival that the capital was throwing for all the heroes– when Luffy finally came and found her alone. In fact, he took her by surprise as she was walking down a corridor taking a breather. The rubbery length of an arm snaked out from between sliding tatami doors, and tugged her toward the room.

Robin stumbled, skidding somewhat against the polished floorboards, before she allowed him to reel her in like a fish on a hook.

“Oh dear. I’ve been caught. I hope I’m not filleted.” she drawled in wry good humor.

Luffy beamed widely at her as he pulled her into a room full of cushions and low shelves that was probably someone's reading room and closed the door behind her.

"You know me, I just eat the fish whole," he teased. Whether or not he meant this suggestively, or just literally was unclear.

Three arms bloomed to loop around him as she let herself fall on the cushions by his side. “My, my. And here I thought that appetite would take a few more days to come back in force.” 

The captain wrapped his stretchy arms fully around her and more so, falling into the pillows with her. "I run on my appetite, you know?"

At least she could be certain whatever was on his mind wasn't enough to completely take away his usual cheer.

Robin leaned her head against his shoulder, her arms looped around him as tightly as his were around her. It was comfortable, the strange– and often alarming to outsiders– way that they could embrace with their powers.

“That you do. Most would wonder if it was the only thing on your mind….but not me.” she winked. 

"Most people don't think I have much room for anything else," he laughed. "I mean, they're not completely wrong but I have a few thoughts bouncing around sometimes!"

He nuzzled his nose against hers, his bright smile again tempered by something deeper and distracted.

Robin’s sharp nose brushed gently against his, her bright and serious eyes glancing up to meet his distracted stare. She shifted, and gently kissed the edge of his lips. “I can hear a few of them bouncing around even now. Clonking around in there.” 

Luffy nodded almost seriously. "You can hear them, huh? Not surprised."

“Loud and clear. It’s like they’re playing tennis in there.” Yet another hand bloomed, and reached up to start petting his hair from its spot on his shoulder. “A lot of very strange things happened, didn’t they?” 

He nuzzled his fluffy dark hair against her extra hand and nodded, biting his lip. "Yeah, a lot of strange things." He paused for a moment, and his dark eyes were distant and unreadable. "You saw me while I was fighting at all?"

Robin nodded slowly as her fingers traced through his hair. “Mmhmm. After I was finished saving Sanji from Black Maria. There were holes in the ceiling from where you and Kaidou were fighting…I caught a glimpse of something I couldn’t quite believe.” 

His voice was soft, and his question more hesitant than any question that usually came out of him. "...What did you see?"

“A blaze of white and the bonds of the natural world breaking and warping…far more than a devil fruit should warp its fabric,” she mused. “I saw something that looked like you, but not…quite…handling the King of Beasts Kaidou as if he were a toy.” 

Luffy nodded, his usually grinning mouth a firm line. "Something changed. It wasn't like my gear transformations. I know what's happening when I do those. It's hard to remember what even happened…"

“You don’t remember?” Robin asked with genuine surprise. “...I didn’t see the whole fight, but I saw enough for it to be properly burned into my memory, Luffy.” 

"I remember parts," he said, his soft jaw held tense, and sharp. "A lot of it even but… Robin…"

She watched him run his tongue over his teeth as he hesitated to continue.

Her fingers cupped his chin, rubbing along his jawline as she watched him with the slightest furrow of her brow “....Luffy. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

He leaned into her touch, his whole body clinging to her, as tense as he ever got. "I know. But I want to make sure I say the right thing. Like, what I mean. It's… some of it didn't feel like me."

Robin’s expression grew tight. “...not…like you, Luffy?” 

"Like it was somebody else's ideas in my head," he said, the line of his mouth twisting and curling like he'd sucked a particularly difficult lemon. He seemed to grapple with exactly how to say what he meant. "I… it… they? It made me want to share the meat."

Robin knew what that meant. Her eyes widened as the implications bloomed in her mind. “They wanted you to be a hero?”

She’d heard of Zoan users slowly losing themselves to the will inside their devil fruits before. Upon awakening they’d be taken by the animal impulses and the metaphysical implications of the creature they had become. It was well documented– and a genuine threat if one didn’t have the willpower to control it.

But that was only the Zoan. Paramythia, Logia…they had no wills to overwrite you with. They were power, bringing you closer perhaps to a metaphysical concept, or in line with the metaphorical ideal of the fruit, but not changing who you were. 

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah. That was the feeling. And I think… it felt like I should kill Kaidou. That that was what would be…. best. Most heroic, I guess."

Robin shuddered against him. Kaidou was a man who had to be stopped, that much was true. His plan for taking over Wano–his ‘law of the jungle’ philosophy–the cruelties he perpetrated around the country of Wano in pursuit of his goals all spoke to that.

But she couldn’t help but imagine herself there, back in Alabasta with all she had done in the name of Crocodile, a man she still felt the twinge of fond feeling for, a man who she gladly helped up until the worst case scenario. She couldn’t help but imagine her Captain killing her and Sir Crocodile for their sins.

It’d be the heroic thing to do, perhaps.

“And this…presence…in you wanted to take the most heroic option and kill him? How strong was the urge?” 

He bit his lip. "I had to resit it. That was when I realized something was wrong. That it wasn't… me. It was like it was guiding me, but when it wanted to kill Kaidou, I remembered Speed telling us about his past, you know?"

It had been more than a week ago. Luffy had been the one to ask, and Speed had answered. Afterward, Robin had seen Luffy skipping stones on the pond quietly with Zoro standing nearby, neither of them speaking.

She knew exactly why. There was a sort of dark mirror in King and Kaidou, one that Luffy most assuredly knew well. She’d learned enough about the early days of the Straw Hats to see that. She’d watched the two for a long while before she gave them their privacy to interrogate the former Beast Pirate herself much to Otama’s frustration.

“And you were able to fight it off.” It was most assuredly an it. Whatever it was, the devil fruit or some kind of hideous possession from a yet unknown power, if Luffy had to fight it to finish the battle his way there was something deeply wrong. 

He nodded again, pressing his cheek heavily against one of her arms, squishing himself to her. "Yeah."

“Can you hear anything now trying to get you to share the meat?” She pet his hair, lovingly and tenderly as her many arms held him close. 

He nuzzled her arms again, shaking his head. "No, it's not there any more, I can't hear it. I think it was… whatever happened. The white stuff. Gear five."

“Gear Five.” she mused “which seems to be phenomenal power at a steep price.”

Her head rested against his “...Luffy, I’m concerned about what might happen if you use it again.” 

Luffy pressed his face into her neck, and twisted so that he could barely get his muffled reply out. "Me too."

Her arms squeezed him tighter. “I don’t understand why you’re starting to feel it, either…do you think it’s tied to your devil fruit like gears two through four?” 

"I don't know." He chewed thoughtfully on one of her arms for a moment. "If it was, I never noticed it before. And I practiced them a lot."

She let him chew all he wanted, soothing him with her fingers as her eyes narrowed in thought. “but this washed over you?” 

"Yeah," he nodded. "I was at my limit and it just… kind of came over me."

In a moment of weakness, when his willpower was eroded by the long and brutal fight…it took him and tried to turn him into a hero. Robin’s lips grew tight. 

“....” Her fingers dug a little into Luffy as she took several soft, sharp breaths. 

He clung to her tightly, his own fingertips digging into her in return. "I don't wanna be a hero, Robin. You know?"

“If you were a hero, you wouldn’t be our Luffy, captain,” he whispered back, clinging tighter. “...the man who saved me from my darkness wasn’t a hero– he was a pirate. A wonderful, silly pirate in a ridiculous straw hat…who understood that sometimes you have to be selfish...” 

Luffy looked up at her with his wide, dark eyes and nodded quietly. "I knew you'd understand. I don't… want to scare anybody with this stuff, but I'm worried, Robin. It scared me."

She kissed his forehead firmly.

“It’s scaring me too. But we’ll figure it out. I’ll see if I can research it, Luffy. If anything like this came up in my research into the past, or any of it.” She smiled down at him “...you know me. I’m hard to scare. I’m the scary one, right? ..I won’t let whatever this is take you.”

His bright smile returned to his face only slightly shadowed with worry, and he pressed his forehead to hers. "You're my scariest friend. And that's saying something."

“I’ll take it as a compliment then, captain.” Robin chuckled richly, her fingers finally loosening on him. “Maybe I’ll scare this thing out of you.” 

He squeezed her tightly once more and then loosened his own stretchy grip. "I bet you could. But… thank you. Just for listening."

Robin could guess why it had been her that he told, and not the rest of the crew. Luffy wasn't someone who liked to admit fear, not as a man, and not as a captain. She was the one that he trusted with that fear, and trusted that she wouldn't say anything to the others.

It reminded her in a way of someone else who had once trusted her with some of his fears– though he wouldn't have used the word trust. Rather, he probably would have said he allowed himself the risk of burdening her with his thoughts.

Crocodile.

She gently thumbed Luffy’s nose, playfully as she smiled. “You know you can talk to me any time, Luffy. Your secrets are my secrets, after all.”

Nostalgia…that was the feeling that filled her chest as she smiled down at him. Nostalgia for those days in Alabasta when Crocodile ‘burdened her with his thoughts’. His concerns, doubts and anxieties about the plans to come…in some ways, Luffy and Crocodile weren’t as different as their conflict made it appear.

And just as she felt during those hot Alabastan days, so too now did she feel the warm swell of affection as she took her Captain’s anxieties to hold and help him carry their weight. 

"I know." 

Finally, Luffy's smile had returned to full strength, worry departed as it was shared.

-

Note: This is very much meant as the beginning of a longer piece, but it stands on its own for the moment as a one-shot. Thank you for reading! <3

[lunarflux]

"i felt your arms reach for help, and not a muscle in my body could keep me from holding onto you so tightly"

lee felix x reader

genre — fluff!au

tw: suggested abusive relationship

suggested background music: x

note: i like to put a bit of my life into my writing - i had a dream the other night that i saw my abusive ex and hid behind a member of skz lol

You never usually went out on the weekends. It's always been that way. Maybe once a month, you'd entertain the occasional invite out for dinner and drinks, but it had been a while since you'd gone out so casually with your small group of friends.

Clubs were always dark, and you were never the type to run into the crowd. So there you stood by the bar, watching your friends as you nursed your beverage, the sweat from the glass dripping down to the floor. You wanted so badly to have fun, but this just wasn't your scene anymore.

After the departure of your ex-boyfriend, you realized just how much you missed out on. Your friends no longer waited for you because they'd just expected you to say no. It took over a year to realize your relationship had grown toxic, and no partner should ever keep you from experiencing life. Being in a relationship meant sharing a life - not becoming someone else's.

The need to be alone washed over you, remembering the last argument with your ex over reprioritizing your life. To him, friends came second. You just couldn't live like that anymore.

You're free now - and you still haven't adjusted to that feeling.

Club patrons would stand next to you and try to strike up a conversation, but as cold as ever, you avoided their gaze and sipped from the now watered down beverage, still dripping down your hand.

One in particular didn't try to talk to you. In fact, he stood at the bar much like you did, checking his watch, his phone, whatever he could to seem occupied. He glanced at you every now and then. Through the chaotic lights, he'd catch your eye, and he'd smile.

All you could see were the faint hints of the freckles scattered across his cheeks.

After about the fifth time noticing him check his phone, you leaned over. "Did your date bail on you or something?"

He chuckled. "No. I'm just killing time, so my friends stop bugging me about hanging around their apartment so much."

The conversation died as soon as it started, but you two stayed in place. You'd toast with him to every new glass, and then you'd go back to how you were - standing by the bar, killing time.

"y/n - "

Steadying yourself, you looked past your freckled partner only to find a familiar - unwelcome - face.

Staring your ex in the face for the first time in three months, the only thing you could do was stare. Your legs locked in place, and it felt like this club was just another nightmare.

"What are you doing here -" The familiar stranger took a step towards you.

It was a reflex.

All at once, you dropped your glass and found yourself gripping onto the denim sleeve of your drinking partner.

The blonde looked down at you, noticing the vice grip on his arm. He swore he could feel the tension built up within you as you just stood there, holding onto him like a scared child even though he was nothing but a stranger for the night.

Your view changed, and now you were looking at his back. Your drinking partner stood in front of you, his hand holding yours protectively.

"Can I help you?" He said to your ex who merely examined the sight before him like it couldn't possibly be happening.

"You her boyfriend?" Your ex spat with a matching sneer.

"I said, can I help you."

Trying to maneuver around your shield, he laughed, and it was a cruel sound. "So two years just in the fucking trash, and now you've moved onto this guy?"

You whispered into your protector's sleeve. "Please leave."

"Go - " The still nameless blonde nodded his head towards the crowd. "Before I call security for harassment."

"No need." Your ex took a swig of his drink. "You can have her."

The interaction only lasted a minute, but you swore you couldn't breathe. They never tell you about this kind of aftermath from a bad breakup. You were supposed to feel elated that this villain was out of your life after years of over-controlling behavior and manipulation tactics. This was supposed to be your new life.

Still stuck in place, you followed robotically as your protector pulled you up the stairs and out into the street. It was only then that he let go of your hand to cradle your face, wiping away the tears from your cheeks with his thumb.

"Are you okay?"

"I -" You let out an uneasy breath. The fresh air almost hurt to inhale. "Yes, I'm fine. I just didn't.... expect to see him so soon."

"What's your name?"

"y/n"

"y/n, my name is Felix. Have you eaten yet?" He took off his hat and placed it on your head, securing it tightly like it was a new shield to keep you safe.

Shaking your head, you let him lead you down the street to the closest night market. It was a little past midnight, but it was still crowded. Bumping into patrons, Felix grabbed your hand again and led you through the crowd.

Stopping in front of a dessert cart, he guided you to stand next to him. "Well?"

"It's fine, I should go."

Felix squeezed your hand. "Come on. It's late. You're clearly shaken up. I don't think anyone should be alone like that."

He was right though it pained you to admit it. Your fun Friday night went from decent to shit in less than five minutes, and now this handsome freckled stranger was the one to try to comfort you.

"I have a thing about sweets." Felix looked up at the selection of ice cream. "Brownies and ice cream - it's like my comfort food."

"Mine, too." You finally noticed how warm his hand was.

He held up two fingers to the part-time worker before letting go of you to grab both of the treats.

"I can pay you back." You took a spoonful of vanilla. "I'm sorry. I think I ruined your night out."

Felix shook his head, clearly enjoying the frozen treat. "You didn't ruin anything. I'm just sorry your night got cut short because of... your ex, right?"

You nodded quietly. "I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Well, I - "

"I've only known your name for ten minutes, and you've apologized to me twice already." Felix's freckles were much more visible now, and it suited him. He looked kind, and his smile was bright before softening to concern. "Did he make you feel like you had to apologize for everything?"

Poking your spoon around your ice cream, you couldn't find the words. Felix took your silence as a 'yes.'

"That doesn't seem like any way to treat your girlfriend."

"I mean, some of it might have been my fault - "

Felix interrupted your excuses with a spoonful of chocolate. "Stop."

"But I -"

"- am single now. And I am not him." He grinned again. "So just erase everything he made you feel like you needed to do, and just be in the moment with me. Okay?"

"It was just," you tried to find the words. "I don't know. I haven't done this in a really long time, and I know not everyone is like that. But I don't even really know you."

Felix placed his hand on your head, his smile still comforting and genuine. He pulled you close to him. "Well, I guess we're going to have to change that."

**

It was another Friday night, but now these nights were taken up by Felix dropping by your apartment with freshly baked brownies and a new movie.

He never passed the boundaries of holding hands and hugs. It almost made you wonder how you ended up here with this person who was nothing more than a fellow bar patron at some point.

"Can I ask you something?"

Felix was scooping ice cream onto the brownies. He offered you a spoonful, "What's up?"

The words got caught in your throat again. It's only been two months. You hadn't returned to the club since, and you were finally sleeping well again. It was almost like having Felix kept the nightmares away. Simply knowing he was there did more healing than anything else ever did.

You didn't want to ruin it.

"Never mind." You grabbed your bowl and settled in front of the TV.

Felix looked back at you. Lately, it was like you always started out tense in front of him, and he was dying to know why.

An hour into the movie, Felix finally noticed that you weren't paying attention. Your dessert was left half unfinished which was unusual. You just sat there beside him, staring at the floor.

He poked your cheek before reaching over to pause the movie. "What's on your mind?"

"It's nothing."

"y/n, come on." Felix sighed. "What is it? Are you having nightmares again? Did you see him again?"

It shouldn't feel odd, but you didn't expect him to find you so predictable. "No, I just have a lot on my mind."

"Okay, so tell me."

The silence filled the room again.

"Is this something you can't tell me?"

"That's not it, I just don't know how to tell you -"

"Try!" Felix laughed. "I haven't seen you this speechless since the night we met."

Thinking about that night brought so many mixed feelings. It was like seeing the evil witch and meeting your prince charming all at once. After your ex said those things, it was like something just held you back. It just always seemed too soon to say anything - no matter how much you liked Felix, no matter what he did you help you heal and just be happy. If this is what a relationship is supposed to be like, you didn't know how to operate. This was a book on love you'd never dared to read before.

"It's nothing." You said quietly.

Felix almost looked disappointed. He looked down at the floor, shuffling his feet together. "Should I leave?"

"What? No -"

"I just feel like I'm bothering you."

"You're not bothering me!" You grabbed his hand. There it was again, one of the two romantic gestures that wouldn't be pushed any further.

Felix held your hand gently, stroking your thumb with his. "So do you want to tell me what's on your mind?"

You leaned forward, resting your head against his arm so he couldn't see how flustered you were.

"I just don't know when the right time is."

"Meaning?" Felix had every right to be confused.

"How long is long enough to be over someone and move on?" You kept your head down. You didn't want him to see you crumble like this. You felt so weak and tired at the thought of exposing yourself like this.

You and Felix sat in silence for a moment. His grip on your hand was tighter than usual, but his demeanor was difficult to read.

"Is that what's been bothering you? You don't want me to think you've moved on too quickly?"

You nodded against his arm, still hiding your face.

He pulled you up and into his arms again, holding you securely. He smelled like vanilla and musk today. He hid his face in your neck, and you stayed like that. This was the safest you've ever felt, and being here with him finally stopped that awful feeling of not knowing what it was to want to share your mornings with someone. Felix wasn't a burden. He was the sunshine, and his warmth was your safety.

Taking a deep breath, Felix finally sat upright nodding to himself. "Okay, so let's talk."

"Talk away." You almost giggled at the flush on his cheeks.

He brushed the hair away from your face, keeping hands cupped on the sides of your neck.

"There is no time limit for being ready, okay?"

Felix's eyes stayed on yours.

"If you're over him, then you're over him. Fuck that guy, he was awful. And I know you think that with the timing - meeting me that night - it was a burden, wasn't it? Because there was no way you could ever tell if you were ready or if you'd just found a distraction." Felix smiled softly. "Do you trust me?"

You nodded quietly, eyes feeling awfully heavy.

"Well, I trust you. And I trust you know that this burden of never knowing will go away on its own, okay?"

"I just don't want to hurt you." You tried to pull away with no avail.

Felix released another heavy sigh.

He searched for something in your eyes before making his decision.

His kisses were like his hugs - warm and comforting. He was gentle, rubbing the edge of your face with his fingers. The small pitter-patters of his breath against your cheeks tickled.

Felix kissed you sweetly in silence. The moonlight had already set on the apartment, but he just stayed with you in the moment, feeling like if there was ever a time, it was now.

Leaving a final kiss on the tip of your nose, he sat back.

"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

[pacificwanderer]

This is a complete crack anon post, but... every time I see a GIF of Ben from TLJ turning around shirtless, I have the Diet Coke Break commercial (available on YouTube but I can't include a link) from the 90s playing in my head. Tell me that Rey wasn't one of those women gawking at him before she turned her head. I dare you. :D

LOLLLLLLLLLLLL

It’s been a while since I last thought of that commercial. Readslike a modern fanfic AU. In case anyone has no idea which commercial this is, here’s a video.It’s probably the most 90s thing I’ve seen in a while hahaha but hey, nice tocater to that female gaze a bit.

I remember thinking this commercial was so dumb when I was a kidHAHAHA NOW I’m like, shit I want a diet coke.

Ahahaha this made me laugh and inspired me haha.

Up on Ao3 for housekeeping purposes (I don’t trust this site notto delete my work). Best read while listening to this song by Selena.

Thanks for the ask, Nonnie! Cheers.

 ~~~~ 

“What are you staring at?” Rose whispers in her ear, which scaresthe absolute shit out of Rey.

“Me? What? Nothing. What are youstaring at?” she sputters.

Rose rolls her eyes. “Save it. You really thought you could keep ‘Mr.Hot Construction Guy With a Shirt Problem’ to yourself?”

“No, but I kind of hoped to,” Rey replied. “But I’ll share himwith you, and only you. Tell anyone else, and you’re dead to me, Tico.”

“Deal. Lunchbreak time starting now?”

“Looks like it,” Rey murmurs, words trailing off as he comes into view. Construction has been going on for what feelslike forever on the building next to them, but Rey won’t complain. She’s beentaking her breaks early for months just to keep catching a glimpse of the devastatinglyhot construction worker in the lot next to her office.

Selena’s I Could Fall In Love plays softly somewhere in theoffice as Rey stares while he sits, legs spread, sandwich in hand, as he eats.It really is so unfair that someone she didn’t even know could have such animpact on her life, especially considering the main show had yet to start forher.

At first, he didn’t take his shirt off. At first, he just satthere on the rigging, long legs dangling in the air, as he ate his lunch andread. Same book for months, looked like a doozy, and Rey had stopped just shortof getting some binoculars to find out what book it was so she could read ittoo.

Because that would be weird and obsessive and she was definitelyjust taking her lunch break at the same time, every day, in the same spot,because it was a cosmic coincidence and not because she wanted to keep watchingthe hot construction worker from afar. Not like she didn’t have a thing for tall,dark, and handsome, or anything.

Not like it hadn’t been forever since she’d last been out on adate. And, really, who needed dates when you had your own construction workerto lust—erm, lunch date with?

He was tall. So so tall in those work boots, but he moved with akind of grace that could only come after many, many years of working inprecarious situations. He didn’t seem to notice the danger, but he definitelynoticed the change in weather. As spring moved into summer, his flannel wasstripped away to reveal t-shirts that were just a tiny bit too small for him.

Which was convenient for Rey because she’d been trying to decidewhether it was the outline of his abs against the fabric or a trick of herimagination—it was his abs. Definitely. She could see that now.

Until that fateful day came. It was an unseasonably warm day, sohot that even Rey had foregone her normal pantsuit in favor of something alittle lighter and breezier. She’d taken up watch at her normal lunch spot,casually leaning and watching while trying not to look like she was casuallyleaning and watching but then it happened.

He stalked over to his spot, big feet striking against the beam ashe effortlessly balanced that big, broad body. T-shirt today with his workpants—white,thin. Hardhat—horrifically orange, which is the first thing to go. Lunchbox andsoda—probably a Diet Coke. He runs his fingers through his hair before sitting,but it wasn’t necessary. Hat or not, his hair is stupidly and unfairly perfect.

It was like clockwork. He’d eat his sandwiches—sometimes subs,sometimes what looked like pastrami, always two—an apple, break into his sodaand down the entire can in one go before turning to his book.

It was almost Diet Coke time, so Rey popped the tab on hers, andpressed it to her lips. Definitely not because she was imagining what it wouldfeel like to press against his lips. No, of course not. She also definitelyhadn’t picked up a Diet Coke habit either because of him. Of course not. He didn’teven know that she existed, so the idea that she’d do anything because of himwas laughable. She was laughable—her life was laughable—but at least shehad a nice view.

Rey looked away for a moment, contemplating all the ways in whichher life sucked as she sipped from her Diet Coke before she turned back to lookout the window and very nearly spat her soda out. He was sitting there, justlike always, but now his shirt was off. Definitely not like always.

Rey took a hard swallow and nearly choked on her drink as her mindreeled. He was stupid fucking ripped, just casually sitting there, ruining herlife with those broad shoulder and visible pecs. His arm flexed as he slowly liftedthe soda to his lips and Rey had never wanted to be a soda can more in herlife.

She sat, mouth open, eyes glued, pulse racing, as she watched. Shestopped short of leaning against the glass, but it was a challenge. HotConstruction Guy rolled his neck and stretched, almost as if he knew she waswatching, before reaching for his book, but instead of sitting and having aread, like always, he shifted around.

Legs spread on either side of the beam, he leaned back, book inhand over his head, as he lay and read in the sun. Rey looked around as if shewasn’t eating lunch alone and could ask someone whether her mind was playingtricks on her. It was not. He was laying there, sun shining down on hispale skin, as he read on his lunch break.

Shirtless. A little sweaty. Gleaming, even. Okay, glistening. Itwas unfair. Absolutely unfair. Could he see her? Did he know? Was there a god?Should she be embarrassed? Was this real? Rapid-fire questions ran through hermind until she settled, took a sip of her soda, and just stared.

Rey couldn’t be certain, but she thought it must have qualifiedfor one of the best days of her life. And then it happened again. And again.And again. And basically every day the sun was out and high in the sky.

Sometimes, he’d absently brush sweat from his neck or, evenbetter, his chest, while reading and Rey would imagine how it felt to be alittle bead of that sweat, pearling against his bright skin before drippingslowly before drawing his attention. There were all sorts of things she’d liketo do to him. Slowly. Sliding down the length of his big body just likethose obscene little drops of sweat.

Sometimes, he’d run his fingers through that dark, shaggy hair, andRey would wonder whether it was soft, or kind of coarse from the elements. Or whatit would feel like when she pulled him in for a kiss. Did he like having hishair touched? Would he like having his hair touched by her?

And then reality would set in, he’d finish his break, she’d finishher peanut butter and jam sandwich, and go back to work.

She debated going to talk to him, but what was she going to say? “Hi,I’ve been staring at you during your lunch break for months and, also, are yourmuscles as hard as they look?” Yeah, sure. And besides, the rest of the constructioncrew were kind of lewd to the office girls whenever they walked by and that wasthe last thing she wanted to voluntarily deal with. But watching? From afar? Noone could be disappointed by a hot man from afar, especially a hot man who likedto take his shirt off.

The weather started to change, and as summer rolled into fall, theflannel returned—except for those rare, unseasonably hot days where his shirtwas off, and Rey was all hot and bothered under he oversized pantsuit. Reyloved those days. But she also appreciated hot construction guy in flannel too.She contained multitudes.

A few weeks into September, Rey got a nasty case of the flu and wasoff work for nearly a week which was terrible because her benefits didn’t coversick days, so it meant working overtime for the foreseeable future. But theworst part, the absolute worst part? She misses her daily lunch breaks, whichmakes he feel almost as terrible as the flu.

Back at work and still a bit under the weather, she slips into theoffice, waves to Rose who is typing away, before immediately coming to a fullshop about six feet from her desk.

There. There is something on her desk. Something she’d only everseen through the panes of a window.

Big. Thick. Dark. And sitting right on her desk. She’d have knownthat book anywhere, evenif she didn’t know the title. Rey stalks closer to her desk, mistrusting herown eyes until it is in her hands—solid, heavy, well-read. The edges of thepages have been worried so much that she knows he’s read this story more thanonce.

Rey takes a look at the cover and cannot believe what she sees.The title stares back at her and she realizes she’s underestimated just howfucking hot this construction guy really is.

Wuthering Heights. Gothic romance. He’s been readinga gothic romance, over and over so frequently that the pages are worn. Howcould he be any more attractive to her? He was literally reading one of herfavorite novels and for some reason had left it on her desk.

Rey quickly snatches the book up and thumbs though the pages. Theysmell a little bit like gasoline, leather, and book—probably from being on theworksite. She realizes quite quickly that he must smell similar, and thethought overwhelms her so much that she has to take a seat at her desk.

“Fuck,” she whispers and Rose chuckles without looking upfrom her typewriter.

“He came by the other day,” she says while typing along.

“He came by? To see me?” Rey squeaks.

Rose fixes her glasses before answering and Rey just knows she’sdrawing out her answer to drive her nuts. “I didn’t see him come in, but Kaydeltook the book and the note for you—says he was really polite and kind of soft spoken,and dusty, totally dusty.”

“There’s a note?” Rey stammers.

“Oh yeah, she stuck it in the first page. I read it because I’m asnoop—nice penmanship too…” Rose says something else about big hands andtalents, but the blood is pumping so hard in Rey’s ears that she can’t hear athing.

There’s a fucking note and now I have to read it! She canbarely make her hands work as she flips to the front page. A piece of paper slipsout and falls onto her desk.

It has her name on it. He knows her name.

“How does he—?” Rey starts, but Rose interrupts.

“Know your name? Apparently, he’s come in before to ask about you.First time he left anything though.”

“And Kaydel didn’t think to tell me?”

Rose shakes her head. “It wasn’t Kaydel that took the messages—heralternate, Hux. And you know he’d just be jealous. So, are you going toread it, or just let it sit there forever?”

Rey takes a deep breath, and the letter flutters a little as she breathesout. “Okay. It’s fine, right? Only a letter from the guy I’ve been staring atthrough the window for months. Totally fine, right?”

 Dear Rey,

 We’re putting up the wall, so we won’t be able to take our normallunch date together for much longer. I was wondering if maybe you’d like to getcoffee? But maybe not. I had to try. Couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing youthrough the window any longer.

 No pressure. I’ll wear a shirt. Maybe Sarge’s Deli? The pastramiis out of this world.

 Call me?

Ben

 “His name is Ben,” Rey murmurs as Rose nods while watching herreaction. He’d also left his phone number on the paper, which meant she couldactually call him and not just stare at him from her office.

“I think he took his shirt off to get my attention,” Rey marvels.

Rose nods sagely. “I’m beginning to get that impression too. Ben,though? Little name for a whole lotta man. Gonna call him?”

“I don’t know? Should I? He’s known that I’ve been watching him! Thisis so embarrassing!”

Rose rolls her eyes. “Look, hot construction guy just gave you a handwritteninvitation to get to know you town, and you’re worried about looking dumb?He has been watching you too, you know?”

“When you put it that way…”

“Call him. Go out for lunch. See how things go. Tell me all aboutit—spare no details. And then you can thank me later.”

“Thank you for what?”

“For covering for your ass when you come back late from lunch.”

“You really are the best. I don’t deserve you,” Rey starts, butRose waves her off.

“I am and you do. Just do one thing for me?”

“What?”

A devious grin worked its way onto Rose’s face as she demanded, “Lemmeknow whether his lips taste like Diet Coke.”

Rey blushed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

And she was definitely, definitely, going to do her best tofind that out for herself.