#m sad tonight so <3 connor comfort it is !!

[airbendertendou]

googles does hank comfort me so much bc he reminds me of haymitch?

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[haroldslovekitten]

Sign of the Times - Pink Series pt. 5

Hello lovelies! So sorry this is a day late! And I know people are freaking out about Harry’s first solo tour right now! I’m in the same boat - ie. so fucking in love with this man! But please, read this when you get the chance - I had a lot of fun with it! Enjoy, my loves! And always, “Treat people with kindness” :)

Word Count: ~5k

.xx -M

These last two months have been what Harry thinks of as the hardest two months of his life. Sure, he’s gone without speaking to you for long breaks before, but never because he’d hurt you, never because you didn’t want to talk to him, always because you couldn’t, were too busy, or he was off touring the world as an international popstar. So, this wallowing at home all alone knowing that the last thing you’d want was to hear from him was absolutely brutal. He’d tried to distract himself by hanging out with Grimmy, even went up to Holmes Chapel to visit family, but not even his mother’s cooking and Gemma’s constant teasing could take away the pain he was feeling. 

He knew he’d fucked up, and he also knew there was nothing he could do about it at this point. He’d pushed too far, felt too much, as he was prone to do though he’d never tell anyone that. And now he was stuck, watching reruns of Friends, and hating himself for feeling like for the first time in his life, he felt somewhat similar to Ross, who is the last person on the show he’d want to be compared to. But here he was, pining, feeling sorry for himself, full of anger and self-hate, but wanting nothing more to be curled up by your side like a puppy, wrapped in your arms and your love forever. He’s never felt this pathetic before, and he can’t stand it, he really fucking can’t. So, as he sits there watching Ross make the mistake of taking another woman to bed even as he’s trying to win Rachel’s heart, he gets an idea. Admittedly, it’s a terrible idea and he’d never even think of doing this if he wasn’t drunk and heartbroken. But with resolve, he picks himself up, and heads to the bathroom to shower and get ready to go out on the prowl, and find someone to assuage his pain, at least for the night. He knows that there’s a party happening at a friend of a friend’s and makes his way there.

The rest of the night is a blur, mostly, and he tries not to think too hard as he dances with a random stranger, her body feeling strange and uncomfortable as she grinds on him and does everything in her capabilities to seduce him. Little does she know that her efforts are really just putting him off, reminding him, even in his drunken stupor, just how unlike you she is. You’d never rub up against him this way, at least not as anything but a joke. You’d never beg and plead for him to want you, because you don’t need him to, and you (at this point he’s sure) know that he already wants you. You’d never get slobberingly drunk as he and this girl are doing, and be out in public making a spectacle of yourself. You just aren’t that type of person and he loves that about you. He loves the way you don’t feel the need to draw attention to yourself, how content you are in your own being, and how happy you are to be calm and at the sidelines. Your presence is calming to him, and humbling. Your simplicity is one of the many things that draws him to you, and well, this girl screams complexity, and not the kind of complexity that will have the two of them up till the wee hours of the morning having intense and stimulating discussions.

When he finally can’t take anymore, he does something that he’s far from proud of, but he’s never been a fan of confrontation, especially not in public. He leans down, kissing the blond stranger (who he’ll later find out is actually a model - of-fucking-course) on the cheek and murmuring that he’s going to get them more to drink. She nods excitedly and continues dancing, thrilled to have caught him in her snare. Quickly, Harry rushes towards the back of the club his friend rented out and calls his driver, knowing he’s just around the corner. It’s not 2 minutes later that Harry is safely in the back seat of his own car, breathing in and out and thanking his lucky stars he hadn’t made even more of a mess out of tonight.

When he arrives home, he heads straight to bed, not even bothering to check his phone or fully undress. At this point, he just wants to sleep for as long as possible and forget about the constant ache in his gut. That night, he sleeps soundly, not realizing that what he’d missed by not checking his phone was a very important text from you.

So, when he wakes the next morning, head aching and legs feeling strange after having been wrapped in tight jeans all night, he’s shocked to find a text message from you sitting on his home screen.

Hey, H. Miss you...still mad, but I want to see you. Can you hang out tomorrow?

He rereads your words over and over again, his brain slightly slow at processing the meaning of your text. You’re still mad, of course you’re still mad, he’d acted like a total dick, but you miss him and you want to see him...today? He messages back as quickly as his fingers will type.

Y/N, I miss you too. I’m so fucking sorry for what a prick I’ve been. Yes, I’m free today. When do you want to meet?

His breathing is erratic and pained as he waits for your response. He was honestly beginning to think you’d never contact him, that he’d have to get used to life without you, forever. He thought that he’d have to learn to stop loving you, to stop pining, and to finally move on. Now, with this text message, his hopes were repaired, though really, deep down he knew he should still learn to stop loving you, he really should move on, but maybe he won’t have to.

How’s 12 sound? We can get lunch near the park and have a picnic? It’s nice out today.

He checked the clock, it was only 10, he had plenty of time to get dressed and meet you at Regent’s park which had become both of your favorites recently. He tried to ignore the voice badgering him from the back of the head claiming that you only suggested a picnic so that you wouldn’t have to be in a private place with him, that you couldn’t stand the thought of being completely alone with him. He pushed the thought away and cheered up considerably.

Perfect. See you soon x

Two hours later, he was dressed, sobered up (thanks to the smoothie he’d made), and waiting for you outside the gate you usually entered through. Sure, some people were paying him odd looks obviously knowing who he was, but he didn’t care, he was going to see you soon.

He hadn’t been standing there more than 3 minutes when you arrived, pretty yellow sundress hugging your figure and a somewhat sad smile gracing your face.

“Hey, H,” you say quietly, still unsure how this reunion is going to go.

“Hey,” he breathes, as if he’s releasing all the tension he’d built up in his heart over the past two months. “Thanks for seeing me, Y/N, I’m so sorry for being an idiot. I don’t even know how to make sense of what I did, but I’m so sorry that I did it,” he finishes.

“I don’t know why you did it either, but I’m willing to forgive you. Life kinda sucks without you around,” you say sheepishly, running your hands through your hair nervously.

“I could say the same about you, love,” Harry laughs, much of his nerves now being put at ease.

“Do you want to grab some sushi and sit on the hill?” you ask, motioning down the road to the Wasabi restaurant that you like to frequent, though the sushi isn’t top quality - it’s super convenient.

Harry simply nods, ecstatic that you want to spend time with him. You walk down the street quietly, neither of you really making conversation, feeling slightly awkward after the very intentional distance put between the two of you. Harry can’t stand the silence, knowing that it’s anything but comfortable for either of you. It hurts knowing the discomfort is all his fault.

“I’m really sorry if I messed things up between you and Connor…” he trails off, not looking you in the eye.

“No, we’re good, it wasn’t that big of a deal, I was just shocked at your actions is all…”

“I know. So was I. I think I was just being protective. Got used to having you around, you know? Don’t want to lose you,” he says, the words completely true and heartfelt, though there’s more he could tell you.

“I know, and you won’t” you say, smiling at him now and it feels like a physical weight has been lifted from his chest.

“So how are things going? Well I hope?” he asks, these words much less truthful than the ones he’d just said.

“Well, yes and no,” you laugh nervously. Usually telling Harry about your relationship problems would be second nature, but it still feels awkward and strange talking to him about Connor.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. We can talk about whatever you want,” he says quickly, trying to ensure that you don’t feel pressured in the slightest.

“No, I want to talk about it. I need to, just in a little, okay? Once we’re settled?” you ask, obviously nervous.

Harry guesses what you have to say must mean a lot to you if you want to sit down and really take the conversation seriously. He mentally checks himself, reminding himself to not be an asshole, to treat you as a friend and nothing more, and even if he feels as if his heart is breaking with every word you say about Connor, to act completely happy and enthusiastic about the two of you. Once you’ve bought some sushi and made your way to Primrose Hill, the two of you sit down together, much farther apart than you would have two months ago and Harry realizes that though he’s making progress in coming back into your life, it’s not going to be all easy or even quick.

“So, talk to me, love,” he smiles reassuringly before taking a bite of his lunch.

“Ok, so we’ve been together for two months and it’s been great...ish,” you say, cringing at the end.

“What’s made it not so great?” Harry asks, his instincts as your friend overpowering his instincts as your would-be lover.

“Well, when he comes over and we sleep together, he never really cuddles or anything, and then he rushes off in the morning. It’s like he’s afraid to commit and I know it’s only been two months, but I really thought he liked me, you know?” you ask, your insecurities evident in your voice.

“Does he just generally stay over on nights when he has to work early?” Harry asks, giving Connor the benefit of the doubt.

“No...I wish. It’s always on weekends usually and I know he doesn’t have work in the morning because we work together. That’s another thing - he doesn’t really spend time with me at work, never shows me any affection in public or anything. Like, we have fun and enjoy each other’s company and the sex is fantastic, but I feel like he’s being intentionally distant,” you continue, frustrated.

Harry works to contain his anger - he can’t stand the thought of you being treated any less well than you deserve. But he knows that’s not his place right now, so he just scoots closer to you, finally feeling as if the friendship is mending.

“Have you tried talking to him about it? Asked him why he rushes off? Why he doesn’t pay you attention at work?” Harry asks.

“No, god no! That would make me seem clingy and desperate for his attention and we all know that’s a relationship killer!” you laugh, leaning in towards him until your sides are pressed together comfortably.

“Who told you that?” he laughs, knocking his body into yours as he teases, “Cosmo or summat?”

You giggle at that because yes, that’s exactly where you’d gained that information even as a fully grown woman and you weren’t exactly proud to admit it, but you knew Harry wouldn’t judge you.

“But it’s true, isn’t it?” you protest. “I mean, guys hate it when girls get clingy and needy for attention and then rather than give the women what they need, they ditch her. I don’t want that to happen,” you say, your smile fading slightly at the prospect of Connor just up and leaving. You hadn’t been together long, but he was such perfection, you knew you’d do anything to keep him with you.

“Listen, love, I hate to break it to you, but only boys get scared off by that kind of thing. Men who can handle a relationship, and who are mature and willing to communicate honestly and be supportive partners are not afraid of clinginess, as long as it’s not obsessive. A good partner, man or woman, will know that satisfying their partner’s needs is vital to the health of a relationship and they won’t shy away from that, at least not if they care,” he advises, taking his time to carefully choose his words (since speaking without thinking had gotten him in so much trouble before) and  trying to make it subtly clear that Connor either isn’t relationship material or doesn’t want you badly enough to be.

You just nod your head and process everything that he’s said. Though you don’t look angry, you don’t look entirely convinced either.

“Do you really think that’s true? I feel like pretty much all the guys our age are terrified of any sort of neediness or commitment. If a relationship isn’t easy or no-strings attached, then they want nothing to do with it. I don’t know how to live like that,” you whine, knowing that your voice is beginning to sound shrill and emotional, but you’re just so frustrated.

“Stop your crying, love. It’s really just a sign of the times nowadays...With online dating and hookup culture, a lot of people aren’t interested in the commitment, you’re right. So don’t start feeling all this self-pity or feeling as if you have to settle - it’s going to be hard, but not impossible. I don’t think that means that you should forgo commitment and affection just because it’s hard to find. As ‘perfect’ as Connor may be,” Harry says, doing air quotes around perfect, “he doesn’t seem capable of giving you what you want and need, and I don’t like to see you settling…” he trails off, shaking his head as he puts another piece of sushi in his mouth.

“How is being with a handsome, successful, talented, kind, interesting and fun man settling!?” you ask, completely taken by surprise. There are a lot of things you thought you were doing in a relationship with Connor - choosing responsibly namely - but settling was not one of them.

“He’s amazing, I’m not settling for him, he’s just afraid of commitment, like 99% of people our age - it’s not settling,” you continue, convincing yourself.

“Y/N,” Harry sighs, frustrated, “I know you. I know what you want and what you need and it’s definitely not a non-committal guy who is stingy with his attention and affection. You want the romance, the fairy-tale and it’s not fair to deprive yourself of that just because Connor is an impressive dude.”

“But Harry, I like him so fucking much!” you continue, knowing that Harry is probably right but refusing to believe it. “We’ve got to be able to make it work, right?”

“Only if he’s as invested in the relationship as you are and it doesn’t sound like he is,” Harry shrugs, placing a hand on your thigh in an attempt to comfort you.

Without second thought you grab his hand and squeeze it, the contact and reassurance that he will be here for you no matter what is intensely comforting.

“So, what’s going on with you lately?” you ask, trying to change the subject and brighten your thoughts.

“Not too terribly much if I’m honest, just writing a bit, went and saw the family a while ago. Been missing you a lot though,” he nods, not looking you in the eye.

“Yeah, I’ve missed you too. I’m glad we could do this, H, I really am.”

“Me too. I’m thinking of auditioning for a film and wanted to talk to you about it,” he says somewhat sheepishly.

“Oh gosh, I don’t even care what movie it is, you should definitely do it!” you reply, obviously excited for him. “You’d be so good, I know it! And if you ever wanted to practice lines, I’d totally help you. What movie is it by the way?”

“It’s actually a Christopher Nolan film - a historical thriller or something. Think it’d be fun, and different.”

“Harry, my god, if you get the part do you promise to let me meet Christopher Nolan? Like just once? I just need to tell him how amazing he is, oh my god,” you say somewhat frantic now.

“Well that’s assuming I’ll be any good. You’re awfully excited,” he teases, but smiles down on you having missed this playful happy you  for so long.

“Well duh! You’re going to venture into my area of expertise! We can have so much fun talking about it. Maybe you can be in one of my films someday,” you say, eyes lighting up at the prospect of actually working with Harry.

“I’d love to do that, whether or not I get this part, love,” he says and you can’t contain your excitement.

You’d never realized that Harry was really interested in venturing into the film world, thinking he was completely content with music. But if he wanted to do this, you could actually be of some help to him and spend even more time together and it’d be great. You spend the next while telling him about all the characters you’ve dreamt up and how perfect he’d be to play like 90% of them. He can’t help but be flattered and equally as excited about his impending career adventure and the prospect of spending countless hours with you.

“I really hope I get the part, I’ll let you know when I get a script and have you help me, if you’d like,” he says almost shyly.

“Yes yes yes!” you say, bouncing on the blanket slightly. “I might have to ask a favor in return, though,” you say, a mischievous smile pulling at your lips.

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“Well actually, I might need you to do me this favor no matter what...So, I don’t know if you remember, but Alice is getting married in a few weeks…” you trail off hoping he’d fill in the blanks.

“And you want me to sing at the wedding?” he asks, laughing.

“Well no, I want you to be my date,” you mumble.

Harry’s breath catches in his throat and his mouth goes dry. He knows you probably mean nothing by it, but that sounds like both the worst and best thing he could possibly do in his current situation.

“What about Connor?” he asks, his voice tight.

“Well, I asked him, but he made up excuses. Really it’s because that’s too serious for him, but he claims it’s work or plans with friends or something. He obviously doesn’t want to go and I mean, I get it, we’ve only been together for two months and family functions like that are intense,” you finish, looking at him with big hopeful eyes.

“Y/N,” he whines, obviously frustrated with you. “Why are you dating him? Honestly, I’m just trying to be a good friend. If he were worthy of you, he would jump at the chance to go to the wedding,” he finishes, staring at you accusatorily.

“I know, I know. But he doesn’t...maybe he would eventually but the timing just doesn’t match up. He needs more time to commit and the wedding is too soon. So will you come with me?”

“Obviously,” he says, shaking his head and trying to hide a small smile.

Though he’s terribly excited to go to the wedding with you, not only because he’ll get to spend time with you all dressed up and happy and excited, but also because he hasn’t seen your family for ages and misses them almost as much as he’d missed you, he’s still slightly dreading it. The things about it that will make it so great: the family, you dressed up, the dancing, the drinking, the inevitable shows of affection will all be equally as torturous as they are fantastic. He knows in his heart of hearts that going to this wedding will not help get rid of his feelings for you, nor will it make you love him back because you’re so obviously taken with Connor. He knows that he is only digging his hole deeper and deeper - further from contentment and peace - and further in love with you. He can’t help the feelings of bittersweet anticipation of the night to come, and though he agrees happily, he fears that he’ll have yet another outburst of love for you that will be much harder to hide and disregard than his last.

“Harry, thank you so much. I know it’s kind of weird since I have a boyfriend and everyone will probably ask about him and all that, but honestly, I think I’d rather go with you. Everyone will be so excited to see you, and we can have so much fun, just like old times,” you say, smiling brightly.

“I can’t wait, love,” he agrees. “So when and where is it?”

“Well, it’s actually back in the states. Is that okay? It’s going to be quite a trip, I know, but it’ll be like a little vacation or something!” you say enthusiastically.

“Yeah, that’s totally fine, love, I’ve been meaning to go back there soon anyway. When is it?”

“It’s in three weeks. I know it’s super late notice, I guess I just really thought I’d be able to convince Connor to come and you might not want to.”

“That’s fine, I’ll make some calls, yeah?” he asks, wanting to do everything he can do to make this easy and good for you - he wants you to enjoy spending time with him as much as he does with you.

“You really don’t have to do that, Harry, I’ve been saving up, we can just buy some last minute tickets or something,” you say dismissively, never one to take advantage of Harry and his wealth or connections.

“Come on, you’re the one who said to make it like a little vacation! So let’s do that! I’ll get a plane and a place to stay and we’ll go all out!” he says, knowing that he really shouldn’t treat this as a romantic getaway but can’t really help himself.

“Are you sure, H?”

“Absolutely,” he says sternly.

You simply nod and continue eating your lunch, content with the sunshine on your face, Harry by your side and the view of the London skyline all around you. Harry’s a bit more conflicted as he sits beside you doing everything he can to keep himself from holding your hand or trying to kiss you. His mind is reeling with all the possibilities of the next few weeks - the wedding would provide so much opportunity - opportunity to push Connor from your mind, to make you see how much you actually want to be with Harry, to prove to you that he’s the one you’ve been waiting for all these years. And yet, these ideas reek with the possibility of ruining your friendship forever. He wishes that he could just tell you, tell you how he feels and that he understands that you might not feel the same, but he needed to get this off his chest. But as close as the two of you are, your friendship is on rocky grounds. You two really don’t talk enough - you talk about everything really, from work to school to friends and romantic partners, but never about feelings towards each other. He’s sure, absolutely positive, that you’ve had a thing for him before, that you wanted him almost as badly as he currently wants you, and you had to suffer and push it all away because he was so busy and unavailable. And now, your feelings are gone and his are here in full force, but he’s incapable of communicating that to you, and honestly you’d be incapable of hearing it, at least without making a silly decision and possibly ruining everything. Real emotions have never been either of your strong suits and there’s no reason you’d start now.

We never learn, we’ve been here before.

Why are we always stuck and running from

the bullets? The bullets.

No matter what Harry wishes were true, the truth is that the two of you are constantly shifting back and forth between miscommunications and ‘almost’ chances of being together. And instead of capitalizing on your wish-washy feelings for each other, one or the other of you will make a mess out of it, say something stupid and cruel, and send you both back to square one. Something tells Harry though, as he’s sitting here admiring the city with you, that this time, he won’t be able to contain his feelings much longer. That he’s going to say something to you that is either going to make him the happiest man in the world or ruin him.

We don’t talk enough.

We should open up.

Before it’s all too much.

Will we ever learn? We’ve been here before.

It’s just what we know.

Harry’s tired of it, tired of the confusion and the pain and having to restrain himself. He knows that he’s going to break at the wedding, he just knows it, but he doesn’t know how or when or if he even wants to end this game and find out the truth. It might just hurt too much.

We gotta get away from here.

We gotta get away from here.

Stop your crying, baby.

It’ll be alright.

They told me that the end is near.

We gotta get away from here.

As the two of you sit in silence, Harry’s mind continues to wander, up and away. He imagines the 12 hour plane ride from London to your small west coast town. He imagines being there with you next to him, looking down on the world as if none of it matters and it’s just the two of you. He imagines a world in which the two of you are together and content - that’s the kind of world he could happily live in. In that moment he makes a pact with himself to tell you everything at the wedding. The thoughts of the potential benefits of laying everything out on the table are too enticing to ignore. Having recovered from your last fight well enough, Harry thinks that maybe, even if you don’t feel the same way, time will fix the wounds that telling you would inflict. The rejection, the loss of you, it would all be impossible to bear, but eventually he might be alright. And if it goes well, the rest of his life could be made - this could be the key to his happiness, and hopefully yours as well, and he’s at the end of his rope - he can’t hold back any longer. He nods to himself as he makes this personal resolution, eyes drinking you in while yours are closed enjoying the warmth of the day. His days with you like this may be numbered and he’s sure as hell going to enjoy them.

Just stop your crying,

Have the time of your life.

Breaking through the atmosphere,

And things are pretty good from here.

Remember everything will be alright.

We can meet again somewhere.

Somewhere far away from here.

“What you thinking about?” you ask abruptly, shaking him from his daydreams of a perfect life with you by his side.

“Oh nothing, really, just how fun the wedding will be!” he says, not entirely lying.

“I really can’t wait, H! It’s going to be so much fun seeing Alice get married, and spending all that time with you, it’ll be perfect - just what I need. I need to get away from here for a while and I’m so glad I get to bring you with me,” you smile, leaning your head on his shoulder and taking in the view.

He leans down, pressing a chaste kiss to your forehead before resting his head upon yours and already rehearsing exactly what he’s going to say to you in a few weeks time. He’s piecing together all the best ways to tell you he loves you. He reminisces on the way you’ve always been there for him the past couple of years, the way he’s completely himself when he’s around you. He’s thought about admitting that Sweet Creature is really written about you, not Gemma. He’s convinced that he should make a big elaborate plan to confess his feelings, because sometimes he’s just a big and elaborate guy. But he knows you like simplicity, and intimacy, and honest and open communication no matter how difficult that is, and he reins himself in, knowing he has the time to plan all this out perfectly, to win your heart the way he always should have. Only time will tell if his plan will work, or if ultimately, life will get the better of him.

[la-sorciere-fleur]

Picture this: Reader works at the lokal bakery where Ratohnhaketon gets his bread every week (I dunno man). Achilles knows damn well of Ratohnhaketon crush and one day decides to put him on the spot. fluffy fic request

Forelsket

WARNINGS: None

WORD COUNT: 1508

A/N: Sorry for the delay, Anon. I hope this is fluffy enough 😊  The title is a Norwegian word, which means: “the overwhelming euphoric feeling you experience when you’re falling in love with someone.”

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It was a time in your week that you always looked forward to - the days when Connor Kenway would come in to buy some bread from your bakery.

It seemed simple enough, but really those moments were incredibly precious to you. He came every few days and always he was kind and sweet, but also shy. At first he hadn’t shown much emotion at all, but over time you’d learnt to recognise the little signs that he was quite an adorable man.

You’d quickly grown fond of him and always tried to engage him in conversation. His responses were brief and quiet, but you didn’t mind at all. You knew that’s just who he was as a person.

It was a Friday afternoon and you were expecting him. He usually came on Fridays, to get enough bread for the weekend. It was a ritualistic tradition, so you waited patiently, serving the other customers that came through.

You’d just finished serving a customer when you looked up and saw both Connor and Achilles walk through the shop door.

“Achilles!” You greeted the older man with a kind smile. “I haven’t seen you here in a long time.”

He returned your smile with a warm one of his own.

“It has been a while, Y/N,” he replied. “But an old man needs to get out of the house sometimes.”

“Of course,” you agreed with a nod. “Though, I wouldn’t call you all that old. You’ve still got some fight left in you yet!”

You said it light-heartedly, not realising the truth of his and Connor’s heritage and skills.

“Indeed,” Achilles agreed with a light chuckle.

“So,” you continued on. “What can I get for you two today? Just the usual?”

“The usual will be fine,” Achilles nodded in assent. “But throw in half a dozen rolls and maybe some sweets too.”

You nodded, moving to collect the items he’d requested. As you did so, you continued to chat to the older man.

“Are you having some guests over?” You asked conversationally.

You didn’t fail to notice the puzzled look on Connor’s face as he regarded Achilles. However, the older man seemed completely at ease, a twinkle in his eye as he replied.

“Well that depends,” he said.

“Depends on what?” You asked, perplexed.

“Will you accept the invitation?” He queried, his lips turning up into a smile.

“M-me?” You stammered, completely shocked.

You turned to look at Connor, as though he could confirm whether or not Achilles was being serious. However, he was simply staring at the older man as if he’d done the worst thing imaginable.

You noticed that his face had gone slightly red in anger and you felt your heart sink. You genuinely liked Connor and it felt disappointing to realise that he clearly didn’t feel the same - to the point that he didn’t even want to have dinner with you.

“Uh, Achilles,” you began nervously, turning your attention back onto him. “Thank you for the invitation. It’s a really kind offer and I would love to accept -”

Before you could actually get to the point of turning his offer down, Achilles cut you off with a knowing grin.

“Excellent,” he said in his husky voice, weathered by age. “We’ll see you at 7 o'clock tonight. Does that suit you?”

“Well, I’ll be finished work by then, but -”

Again he cut you off, seemingly aware that you were trying to get out of the invitation.

“And how much does it all come to?” He asked, gesturing to the baked goods he’d ordered.

With wide eyes at his sheer determination, you decided to just let it go. You felt bad for Connor and a little bit sad for yourself (considering the glare he was giving Achilles), but it seemed like you would have to go to the homestead for dinner that night.

You told Achilles the total sum and he handed you the money over. He said his thanks and once again reiterated that they’d be expecting you at 7pm, before disappearing out the door. You stared after him with wide eyes before turning your attention back to Connor.

“Connor…” you began quietly.

He turned his focus onto you, looking more aggravated than you’d ever seen him.

“I’m very sorry,” you continued. “I realise you don’t want me to come tonight, but I just couldn’t seem to get a word in with Achilles…”

In an instant, Connor’s expression changed entirely. He very clearly conveyed his confusion at your words, which in turn left you a little stunned. Had you interpreted his reaction in the wrong way?

He crossed over to you, his expression now softened and his eyes showing a slight sign of distress.

“Why would you think I don’t want you to come?” He asked softly.

“Well, you just looked so angry with Achilles…” you replied hesitantly.

“That’s because the old man is always sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong,” Connor revealed indignantly.

“Oh?” You asked, before the meaning of his words finally sunk in. “Oh! So you don’t mind if I come tonight?”

“Of course not, Y/N,” he answered gently.

Happiness and relief flooded through you at his words. It seemed that you had misinterpreted his reaction after all and you couldn’t be more grateful for the fact that Connor actually did want to spend proper time in your company.

“Should I wear something nice?” You enquired.

“I…” Connor’s face went that light shade of red again and you realised that it was a blush and not fuelled by anger, as you’d originally thought.

“I would like that…” he said eventually.

“Perfect,” you smiled at him. “So I’ll see you tonight then.”

He gave you a small smile, but it was his eyes that spoke volumes. The sheer intensity within them honestly took your breath away and in that moment you just knew. There was no denying that your feelings were mutual.

It was only the blossoming of possibility. You were both fond of each other, feeling the first stirrings of attraction and affection. The anticipation for that night hung in the air around you, but it was a pleasant feeling.

***

The dinner went well and although you mostly spoke with Achilles, there were several moments throughout the evening where you and Connor got caught in each other’s gaze.

It was late when you decided to return home and Connor offered to walk you. A content feeling of warmth spread through you at this gesture and your fondness for him only grew.

“Thank you for a lovely meal, Achilles,” you smiled at him.

“You’re very welcome, Y/N,” he replied, before turning to Connor. “Make sure she gets home safe.”

Connor merely nodded and the two of you walked out into the cool night air. Silence fell between the two of you at first, though it wasn’t awkward. You were both comfortable to simply be in the others presence.

“I…” Connor said eventually. “You look really nice tonight.”

His voice was quiet and hesitant, but you merely smiled at him. You were perfectly aware that he wasn’t the type to say such a thing lightly, so you fully appreciated his words.

“Thank you, Connor,” you replied happily. “You look very handsome yourself.”

He blushed, causing your warm smile to only grow. Before long you had reached your home, which was attached to the bakery. He stopped outside your front door, appearing unsure of how to proceed.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” you said to him. “I really enjoyed myself and it was very kind of you to walk me home.”

“It’s nothing,” he brushed it off. “Thank you for coming… I had a nice time.”

You grinned, your feelings for him rapidly growing at every moment you spent with him like this.

“Should we do it again, sometime?” You suggested. “Maybe at my house?”

His gaze was soft and affectionate as he regarded you.

“I’d like that,” he agreed.

“Well, I should get inside,” you told him, aware of the chill in the air.

He nodded, turning to leave, but you reached out and gently took hold of his hand, preventing him from doing so. He looked at you in confusion, but you only gave him a reassuring smile.

“Good night, Connor,” you said softly, leaning up and pressing a tender, lingering kiss on his cheek.

His eyes widened at your action and it seemed for a moment that he was frozen from shock at your action. Eventually, though, he snapped out of it.

“Good night, Y/N…” he said quietly, seemingly still in a daze.

You repressed a chuckle and opened the door, stepping into the warm comfort of your house.

“Get home and into the warmth,” you advised lightly. “I’ll see you next week.”

With one last smile at him, you closed the door. Walking into your home, you were unaware of the dazed smile that spread across Connor’s face, as he left to go back to the homestead, feeling happy and content and the first stirrings of love.