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forasecondtherewedwon · 6 years ago

Note

May I request 1. 13. And 17. For Sweetbee I'm just in the mood to request them and feeling it tonight 😋🤓

Whoops, this turned into the longest drabble I’ve written yet. (Also, it was the final SweetBee pairing request in my roster. Maybe I was trying to hang onto them.) Hope you find it worth the wait!

1. “Do you want me to leave?”

AND

13. “I couldkiss you right now!”

AND

17. “This is all your fault!”

Jeeze Louise, when the Serpents celebrated, they celebrated. Betty dodged more than one swaying indulger on her wayto the storeroom to top up Toni’s supplies. The girl hadn’t asked for anythingor sent Betty to run this errand for her, but that was only because she hadn’thad a chance. Drink orders, both slurred and enunciated, had been flying sinceBetty had walked into the Wyrm an hour earlier. She couldn’t understand whyToni had decided to bartend on the night of her girlfriend’s acceptance intothe gang. Maybe Cheryl had requested to be thrown in the deep end, forced tointeract with her universally leather jacketed new extended family. Predictingher cousin’s eccentricities was a battle just waiting for Betty to lose it.

Another toast to the newest Serpent went up as Betty snuck down the backhallway, grinning. It was possible that Cheryl hadn’t quite known what she wasgetting into with this gang, but it was highly probable that the Serpents wereeven less prepared for Cheryl.

Now, she knew the storeroom was back here… Aha! A propped open door. Bettybounded to it, eager to return to the party and surprise Toni with herhelpfulness. She hauled the door open (it was heavier than she’d thought) andbegan to step inside. Abruptly, she stopped, her sneaker scuffing the oldlinoleum. She wasn’t alone: Sweet Pea sat on the floor across from where shestood, back against a shelf. Feeling awkward to be alone with someone she’dnever really had a conversation with, Betty faltered, twisting the doorknobbehind her back to channel her discomfort. He glanced sharply up at her.

“Do you want me to leave?” she asked, trying to be polite and not nosy,though she did wonder what one of Toni’s best friends was doing in, essentially,a closet on such a momentous occasion.

Sweet Pea shrugged, though he looked at her carefully. He’d gone off on heronce in the past, but Betty liked to think they could see a little more eye toeye now that the whole community had begun to be knit back together―Cheryl, asNorthsider as a Northsider could be, being admitted into the Serpents wassurely proof of that.

“Go or stay, just don’t―”

Betty stepped forward to hear him and lifted her hand from the doorknob.

“―close the door.”

There was a solid slam from directly behind her. Betty spun as Sweet Peahopped to his feet.

“Oh my god!” she exclaimed, rotating and tugging at the doorknob. “Is itlocked? Why is it locked?”

Sweet Pea shouldered her aside, trying the doorknob for himself. Even in themidst of her panic, Betty found strength to roll her eyes.

“It’s always locked, Girl Genius,” he replied sarcastically. “Room full ofbooze―” Sweet Pea gestured around them, “―bar full of alkies―” he thumped hisfist against the door, “―you don’t think they keep it locked?”

Not a particular fan of being condescended to, Betty turned to face SweetPea, ready to reply until she realized they were practically chest to chest,standing there between the racks of bottles and cans stacked to the ceiling.

“So, um,” she started, taking a cautious step backwards and swallowing hardunder the tall boy’s rather intense gaze, “how did you get in?”

“It was already open. Sometimes they keep the bolt fired and let the doorrest open so they don’t have to unlock it every time.”

“Then how did it shut?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sweet Pea joked meanly, letting his head fall to theside as he accused her in not so many words, “why don’t we ask the person whowas fiddling with the fucking doorknob right before we got locked in here!”

Betty scoffed, folding her arms around her sweater-ed middle.

“Fine,” he sighed dramatically. “I’m sorry. Somebody’ll be here any secondto rescue you.”

“Actually…” Betty shifted guiltily, “…I didn’t tell anyone I was headedback here and the bar’s a little too crowded to assume someone would’venoticed.”

“Toni?”

“Busy.”

“Cheryl?”

“Basking in the attention.”

“Jones?”

“Which?”

“The one with the stupid hat.”

“We’re not really on each other’s radar so much anymore,” Betty admittedweakly.

“Great,” Sweet Pea groaned, totally insensitive.

“Excuse me,” she demanded, taking a step back towards him, “but youshouldn’t have even been in here!”

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have been in the Wyrm!”

“Maybe you should’ve had a key!”

“Are you kidding me? This is all your fault!”

His volume startled her and Betty hastily retreated. Sweet Pea caught up inone stride, grabbing her arm.

“Don’t…” he began to admonish her, until his eyes went to her lips, “…knockanything over,” he finished more softly.

“Ok,” she promised. “Maybe we should just… knock on the door.”

Sweet Pea nodded once and turned, pounding it firmly with his fist. Theywaited, listening, for a good 30 seconds.

“Nobody’s gonna hear us,” he pointed out.

“Oh, they will,” Betty insisted, pushing around him this time. She noticed,passingly, that he smelled pretty good. She shook her head. For a Serpent who’dbeen sitting on the ground in a room full of alcohol, she clarified to herself.Before she could get half a dozen knocks in, Sweet Pea caught her wrist.

“You’ll break your fingers before they ever hear you.”

“Do you know from experience?” she huffed.

“Could be.”

There he was again, standing a little too close for normal, non-intimateconversation. Betty felt slightly dizzy and told herself it was just becauseshe was having to look up at him.

“It’s not so bad in here,” he offered with a shrug, then smirked at her.“You won’t go thirsty.”

Betty laughed.

“That’s why I came, actually. Some of your fellow Serpents are getting alittle rowdy out there. I was thinking I’d get some soda so Toni could make therum and Cokes a little less rum, a little more Coke.”

“No way,” Sweet Pea joked, more kindly than before. “You came in here to getdrinks?”

“Knock it off.” Without thinking, she whacked him in the chest with the backof her hand. He smiled like he didn’t mind… or he a little more than didn’t mind. Betty’s heart sped up like it had been theone slammed into.

He stepped away, leaning his back against the door and keeping dark, unreadable eyesfixed on her, smile still in place.

“What were you doing in here that I interrupted?” Betty asked quickly.

“Feeling sorry for myself,” Sweet Pea said, chin rising a little like he wasexpecting to get punched there for his vulnerability.

“Over what exactly?”

Sweet Pea gave her a searching look.

“I’m pissed about Cheryl,” he finally answered.

“You don’t like her?” Understandable, Betty thought. Even after discoveringtheir blood connection, it had taken time for her to really warm to her cousin.

“I don’t like her breaking up me, Toni, and Fangs,” he grumbled. Bettyfrowned sympathetically.

“Well,” she ventured, “this must have happened to you three before. Someother girl or guy―”

“There’s never been anybody this important. Toni wanted her in the gang.”

Betty nodded, getting that this was a big deal. From experience, she knew itwas a big enough deal that Jughead hadn’t wanted her in the gang when she’dtried to get closer to him.

“It’d be different, I guess, if each of you had someone.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “For a little while, I really thought Fangs and yourfriend Kevin, but, uh, no dice.” He scratched the back of his neck.

“And… you?” she asked tentatively, wondering at the feeling in her chestwhile she awaited his answer.

Sweet Pea only shrugged with a slight smirk, giving her nothing.

“So really… I’ve helped you out,” she concluded. Sweet Pea stared at her,confused. “It’s hard to think of an excuse for missing the celebration more legitimate than being locked inthe storeroom with no one to hear, um…” He was walking towards her. Bettylicked her lower lip. “…no one to hear you knocking.”

Breath a little shaky, she backed into a shelf that rattled onimpact.

“You sure you don’t have a key?”

Sweet Pea grinned down at her and made a show of patting his jacket pockets.His hands lowered to hover in front of the pockets of his jeans and her eyesfollowed. He caught her looking.

“You wanna help?”

Betty flushed and Sweet Pea’s eyes moved over her, probably picking up onthe ferocious thumping of her heart.

“Oh!” she said suddenly, planting a palm on his chest as she pushed pasthim.

“What the fuck?” he said, sounding mildly annoyed but willing to put up withher.

“I know how we can get out of here!” Betty probed her fingers into her hair,just below her ponytail, and plucked out a bobby pin. “I’ll pick the lock!”

“Yes!” Sweet Pea shouted, hurrying to the door to stand next to her. “Icould kiss you right now!”

Hand halfway to the lock, Betty paused. She looked at the bobby pin in herhand, then up at Sweet Pea, his muscular arm pressing into her shoulder.

“Well,” she offered slyly, “we could stay and do that instead.”

He met her gaze. Raised his eyebrows. Reached for her face. Bettypractically jumped into his arms as they came around her. In all the strokingof his neck and the running of her fingers through his hair while he kissed herdeeply, Betty forgot to hang onto the bobby pin. It took her a while to notice.

Prompts come from the narrowed down list here!

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wtfholland · 7 years ago

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hi! could i get like a protective peter or tom imagine with 6 & 14? 💛💛 love your writing!

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that!!!!😚💜

*requests are closed as of february 24th!* thank you so much to everyone who made requests❤️ they are in the process of being written, thanks for being so patient☺️

listen to this while reading♫

~Peter’s POV~

I was beaming as I skipped down the empty hallway. I was finished with all of my exams for this semester. An upbeat, repetitive tune was playing in my head as I shuffled down towards my locker to collect my jacket and backpack. To add onto my eventful day, I was planning on finally asking Y/N out on a date. I don’t know, for some odd reason, just the fact alone that I was done exams and didn’t have to study for anything for a good chunk of time, put me in such a positive mindset, boosting my confidence by a couple hundreds. I swung my locker door open, my face lighting up at the sight of the photo that greeted me. It was of Y/N, Ned, MJ and I at the Midtown Science Fair last year. Michelle and Y/N’s faces were covered in green splotches, MJ looking irritated, Y/N was laughing (and looking absolutely beautiful), Ned was mid-sneeze and I, well…was just staring at Y/N in awe.

She was quite frankly the most gorgeous creature in all of Midtown, Queens, New York, the whole goddamn world. She was my favourite person, my best friend, my safe haven; I was damn well obsessed with her. She knew everything about me, including my secret identity. “Ayo, Parker!” I heard someone shout at the end of the hallway, in an exaggerated gang accent. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the possibility of rejection or a punch in the face. I peeked out from behind my locker door to see Y/N juggling all of her textbooks, the ones on top of the stack nearly tipping over, already wearing her jacket. I rushed over to her and took them out of her arms. “I’ve got it. I feel bad for you because you’re not done all of your exams.” I chuckled as she playfully slapped my arm.

“Whatever, Petey. Don’t rub it in.” she scoffed. I gasped at the nickname and Y/N laughed at my stunned expression as I continued walking back to my locker, her beside me. I set the textbooks down by my feet and wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. Okay, Peter, here we go. You’ve got this, man. You’ve got this. I sucked in a big gulp of air and puffed my chest out. “So, uh…do you still need me to help you with Chemistry or do you think you have it under control?” I asked, trying to act cool and collected. I did one last scan of my locker before shutting and locking it. I turned back to Y/N, propping on arm against the metal, trying to look like a big shot. Her eyes were glued to her phone, thumbs frantically beating in the screen. “Y/N?” I chanted, attempting to steal her attention away. She averted her eyes from the glowing screen to look at me, as smile stitched onto her face. Her pretty face.

“Sorry, Pete. I was texting Duncan.” she said, the smile growing wider. Whoa, whoa, whoa…The blood ran from my face, my arm dropping down in an instant. My face meshed into itself and my entire demeanour changed; I knew I must’ve looked extremely uncomfortable. “Are you okay?” Y/N asked, examining my posture. This immediately shook me out of it. I cleared my throat and tried to ignore my conscience dying of laughter. “Who’s Duncan?” I whimpered, clearing my throat for a second time. Y/N giggled lightly and ruffled my hair. Before I could really absorb and enjoy the feeling of her gentle fingers in my hair, they were gone. “He’s that guy I went out with a week ago. Remember? The one with the Volvo? You and Ned were over when he pulled up in front of my house and I asked you guys to lock up before you left.” Y/N explained. What in the hell? That guy looked…off to me, from the way we watched his face when Y/N got in the car, the lack of expression to the sudden dirty look he was throwing in Ned and I’s direction all the way from the car before he sped off, not giving Y/N any time to put on her seatbelt and his tires leaving haunting black streaks on the road.

“W-what? You’re going out with that guy again?” I stuttered, looking unsure. She knotted her eyebrows as she bent down to pick up the leaning tower of textbooks. “Well, yeah! Our last date was pretty ‘dope’, as he had put it and that he wants to take me out again tonight to meet some of his friends!” Y/N gushed, the smile that could light fireworks never leaving her face. I tried to mask my disappointment. Of course I was happy for Y/N, but the selfish monster in me wanted me to be the one who was making her happy, not that creep Duncan. I mean, his Volvo is pretty cool, but it’s not that cool; And from what I saw that day, that guy has some stupid hair. “Well, alright…” I muttered, tugging on my jacket. Y/N touched my shoulder, my entire body jolted at her touch, wanting more of it. “I still need you to help me with Chemistry, by the way.” she whispered, grinning widely at me. I returned the gesture and zipped up my jacket. “We’ll go to that little café by your house and I’ll buy you that Pumpkin Spice hot chocolate stuff you love way too much.” I declared. I swung my backpack over my shoulder and shoved my right arm through the hanging strap. Y/N shot me a warm smile, looking more adorable than ever. “Oh, goodie, Peter Pan.” she teased.

We stood there for what seemed like a century, just looking into each other’s eyes. Her e/c orbs were so magical, they were like liquid lights; They pulled me in and god, I never wanted to escape. I saw a spark of some sorts, something I’ve seem a couple times with Y/N. She quickly cleared her throat and scratched the back of her neck. “I should probably get going. I have to give these back to the book room and get my textbooks for next sem’.” she stated, raising the pile of books a little higher. “Oh, yeah, for sure! Uh, I’ll see you tomorrow then? Be careful when you go with Duncan tonight. Make sure you give me a call when you get home afterwards and if you need anything, just signal your old friend Spidey.” I instructed, taking a few small steps backwards. “Aye aye, Mr. Parker. I’ll be fine, I’m a big girl. I’ll make good decisions and stay in one piece for you, baby.” Y/N sing-songed. That name shook me to my core. It sounded so…hot coming from her, even if she was playing around. Oh, god, Peter! Calm yourself, she’s going out with somebody else. I rolled my eyes, both at Y/N and my conscience. “Text me so I know you’re safe!” I called to her as we parted ways. She threw up a peace sign and a mouthwatering smile, her hand quickly shooting back underneath the books, bound to tumble over within seconds. She cackled loudly and disappeared out of the hallway. I dropped my head and sighed. “Great, just wonderful. Just fucking peachy.” I groaned. I started in the direction Y/N just marched down until I felt a vibration in my pocket. I tugged my phone out and opened a text from Ned.

“She’s being ridiculous! Going out with that guy again tonight? I don’t think so. I have such a bad feeling about that guy, Ned! You don’t understand. He looks like one of those guys who would follow you around the mall and try to sell you crack.” I gasped, snatching a bag of Jolly Ranchers of the shelf in front of me, some other candies falling to the floor in the process. “Isn’t he like…three years older than Y/N?” Ned asked, bending down to pick up the bags. I furrowed my eyebrows at him. “No, no, no. Y/N’s only 16 so I think that’d be against the law. He’s like…17, I’m not sure.” I reassured him as we made our way over to the Slurpee station. “This clown seems to have a couple of screws loose, if I’m being honest.” I chuckled. I grabbed two medium sized cups and handed one to Ned, immediately filling mine to the brim with a mix of Coke and Cream Soda.

“Well, Y/N seems happy. How’d they meet anyways?” Ned commented, absentmindedly. “Dude! Not helping!” I screeched, my head whipping towards him. Ned recoiled, his hand halting on the pump for Orange Crush. “Sorry, man. I know how much you like her.” he said, his voice threaded with sympathy. I groaned, reaching for a lid. “I think I more than like her, Ned.” I admitted, keeping my eyes focused on the plastic tops. When I didn’t hear a response from Ned, I turned to look at him; His jaw was practically touching the floor, his cup overflowing with the frosty treat. I quickly manoeuvred his hand off of the pump and grabbed some napkins for his hands. “I knew it! I knew it! I—Michelle owes me thirty bucks!” my friend beamed before sucking some of the Slurpee off from the top of his cup. “You guys made a bet in regards to my feelings for Y/N?” I exclaimed, gawking at him in disbelief. “Well, actually, the deal was that you’d at least admit to one of us before or after Halloween. In my case, I said you’d crack before; MJ, after.” Ned explained. He pushed past me, dancing his way over to the lids. “I just got myself thirty big ones!”

I stabbed my straw into my drink and took a big gulp, being mindful of the possibility of a brain freeze. “Why Halloween? What relevance is that? I know it’s Y/N’s favourite holiday, but out of all times of the year…oh…I get it! It’s her favourite holiday and I know she loves having us all over for Fright Night!” I gasped. Jeez Louise, I really need to get Y/N away from this Duncan fellow, my feelings are eating me alive at this point. “There you go, Petey!” Ned teased, using the nickname Y/N gave me. I chuckled and bumped his arm. “Alright, I’ll figure out some way to tell her and since you are my guy in the chair, I need you to give me a hand with wha—��

“Give me all the money you have in the register or I’ll blow your brains out!” a groggy voice roared from the front of the store. Ned and I froze, our blood ran cold and our treats slipped out of our hands, collecting into a mess on the floor. Oh shit! There is no way this is happening right now! I gestured Ned to duck down and move quickly behind the farthest shelf from the register. I followed him and I cautiously peeked up over the top of the shelf. There is no way in hell this is happening right now! Over at the front of the cash register, holding Mr. Delmar at gun point, was Duncan. Y/N’s kind of-not really boyfriend. Of course it was him, of all people! What the hell was he doing? I got back down and stared at Ned with wide eyes. “Dude, that’s Duncan robbing the store!” I moved the palm of my hand towards the floor, signalling him to stay very quiet.

“No way! What?! This is insane! What are we gon—” Ned was cut off by the screams of a gun, the sounds of rounds going off, all around us. Rectangular black boxes fell from the ceiling and came crashing down on the floor, leaving them in smithereens. I could hear Duncan mumbling to Mr. Delmar, something about how his last visit to the store ‘didn’t go as planned’ and how he was ‘back for revenge’. Ned began tapping on my arm and I averted my attention to him. "You have your suit, right? You can fight him!” Ned pumped his fist in mid-air. “Right! Why didn’t I think of that myself?” I said, shrugging off my backpack. I tugged the zipper quickly, my hand shooting inside and fishing for my suit. My fingers grazed against a soft fabric and I knew I was in luck; I quickly pulled it out just for my face to fall. This has got to be a joke! “My gym shorts?! Where’s my su—ah, no!” I exclaimed, trying to stay as quiet as I could. “What? Where is it, Peter?” Ned gasped, his turn to carefully look over the shelf towards the activity at the front of the store. He dropped back down after a few seconds as I continued shuffling through my bag. “I think May took it out to do laundry. I told her I’d do it myself but, you know her. Shit, what am I gonna do?!” I frantically swivelled my head around. I looked down at my chest and unzipped my jacket, quickly removing my Midtown crew neck. “Look! You could wear one of these!” Ned suggested, thrusting floppy rubber in my face; I gazed at the hideous thing. It’ll have to do! No more wasting time! I slipped it over my head and Ned gave me a thumbs up. “Wait, the web shooters?” he asked as we crawled to the edge of the shelf. “I need to make more web fluid so they’re empty. Whatever, I can’t waste anymore time.” I amped myself up. Ned grabbed my arm before I showed myself to Duncan, whispering a quick ‘good luck’. I nodded in acknowledgement. I’m gonna need it, especially right now. Here we go…

“Hey, you! Stop right there!” I announced, thrusting myself in the view of Duncan and Mr. Delmar. Both of their heads turned to look at me, and almost like an alarm went off in the criminal’s head, he burst out laughing. I knew exactly what he was pissing himself at too: My make shift Spidey costume. I was sporting one of the cheap Halloween masks that were on display in the back of the store, leaving me in just my jeans and old converse. I just cleared my throat as he continued to laugh, his gun locked in the direction of Mr. Delmar. “You shouldn’t be stealing money, it’s bad.” I declared as bluntly as I could. I just…still couldn’t believe it was Duncan. The guy that Y/N is supposed to going on a date with tonight. I need to tell her, regardless of how it could hurt her. This guy will be the one who gets her killed and I will never let that happen; I’ll protect her with me life, no question about it.

“And who the fuck are you supposed to be? You fucking freak!” he cackled, hunching over a bit. To my horror, he turned the gun towards me and without having so much as a millisecond to take cover, he fired the gun in my direction. The bullet smashed into one of the refrigerators along the wall behind me with a loud smash. White liquid began to pool around my feet and onto the floor, which I assumed was milk. “Fuckin’ hell, I don’t have time for this bullshit.” Duncan said, almost too casually turning the gun back to Mr. Delmar. I had to think fast; the only things around me were bagged loaves of bread and instant mashed potatoes. “What the hell are you looking at him for? You should be loading up the bag—” Duncan began, gesturing at the large black duffel that was on the counter, “—with my fucking money! Now get to it or I’ll put a nice, clean hole right between your eyes, old man! Move it!” The sinister voice that erupted from Duncan’s throat frightened me.

Poor Mr. Delmar punched some buttons into the register and the cash drawer flew open. He began frantically scooping every single dollar out of the register and forced it into the bag. “That’s right, that’s right. Everything you’ve got in there.” Duncan swooned. I could see small droplets of tears flowing down Mr. Delmar’s face. Out of all days not to have my suit or my web shooters…Nice going, dumb ass. In the corner of my eye, I could see Ned waving his hand at me. I turned my head and he tossed me a can of extra strong bug spray. I caught it and glared at him. “What the hell is this gonna do?!” I mentally asked him. His fingers pointed towards his eyes and then in the direction of Duncan. I caught on quickly and without a second thought, ran up to Duncan. “Hey, Mr. Trigger Happy!” I called out before grabbing his shoulder and yanking him to face me and without a second to spare, I held the can up and lined it up with his eyes and let a rip. “Gah!” he exclaimed, his hand that held the gun came down towards his face, the back of it furiously rubbing his eyes. Blindly, he began firing the gun at me, but I dodged every single one of the bullets. Holy shit, I just did that! I quickly flipped in the air and landed on his hunched back and grabbed the gun with both of my hands and tugged the bastard out of his grasp.

I tossed it over to Mr. Delmar who stood there dumbstruck; Thankfully, he managed to catch it without accidentally setting it off. “Call the police!” I yelled, struggling as Duncan’s arms swung at me. He inflicted harsh blows on my stomach, ribs and legs. Suddenly, I was soaring through the air except not willingly. The beast threw me off of him and I landed in the puddle of milk and glass, the solid floor adding to the mix of the red hot pain I felt in all my muscles. I groaned in agony, feeling little shards of glass piercing my bare upper body while the milk soaked my pants; The masks eye holes were torn open wider. Duncan, who was still rubbing his eyes aggressively, snatched the duffel bag, three quarters full, and dashed out the door without looking back. I just tucked my head into my chest, groaning out in pain as I tried to get up. Dammit!

I heard the sound of tires screeching and that’s when Ned was by my side, taking hold of my arms gently and standing me up. I hopped on my leg that hurt a lot less than the other until I could put weight on my other, trying to overlooking the throbbing in my calf. “Shit…” I mumbled, “that really hurt. Thanks for the bug spray though, that definitely did some damage.” I turned to look at him, his face full of concern. “I already called the cops when I was hiding. I just spoke as quietly as I possibly could.” he described. A whimper broke the both of us out of our trance. Mr. Delmar was silently sobbing, which struck something in me. Mr. Delmar was one of the nicest men I’ve ever met; He was selfless, kind hearted and just overall didn’t deserve this. I needed to stop Duncan. I needed to warn Y/N and tell her what he was doing. I need to keep her away from him.

“Ned, I need you to stay here and calm Mr. Delmar down. If the cops ask, tell them that you didn’t know me a-and that the suspect fled.” I instructed desperately. Ned just nodded blankly. “Dude, there’s security cameras. Your plan is garbage.” I grumbled, trying to think of something that the cops would buy. “Ugh, nothing’s coming to me right now! I need to go save Y/N! Just…keep Mr. Delmar calm.” I concluded before I made my way to the store. “I’ll get your money back, sir. All of it.” I vowed. Just when I was about to run out the door, I turned back the sobbing man. “I’ll, uh…also pay for this mask a bit later.” And with that, I booked it out of the store to save the girl I loved.

I’ll just swing around the city until I see Y/N. That’ll work, right? I made a pit stop to the apartment, busting in through the door. Good thing May wasn’t home because I was still cut up, shirtless, and wearing the stupid Halloween mask. Why am I still wearing it? I tore it off my head and threw it to the floor, leaving it there to be forgotten…until May sees it and scares herself half to death. I grabbed all of my materials I needed to make the web fluid and set them down over the papers and study guides on my work desk, not giving them a second thought to whether they’d get ruined or not. I rapidly combined the chemicals, still being careful to get the formula precise. While I let it set, I stood in front of my mirror and carelessly plucked out the tiny shards of glass out of my skin, wincing at the slight sting. I was sure I missed a few but I discarded what I got into the trash, tugged off my jeans and changed into my homemade suit. Nearly tripping over one of the legs of my bed, I snatched my web shooters and brought them to my work space. I looked back and forth between my cell phone and the beaker holding the web fluid, hoping Y/N would text me. Call me. Anything.

But still nothing. I felt a bead of sweat run down the side of my face as I carefully poured the web fluid into the slots built into the web shooters. After I gave it a test, I was good to go. I’ll clean this mess up later. I shoved my phone into the pocket of my blue sweatpants and made my way to the window. I opened it up and quickly checked around to see if anyone could see me swooping out. Nope, we are good to go! And without looking back or bothering to close the window, I threw myself out, spinning my first web, setting off on my mission to find Y/N.

“Hello?” a silky voice greeted cheerfully. “Y/N! Why weren’t you answering before?! Whatever, thank god you answered now! I have to tell you something really important!” I sounded frantic and almost completely out of breath from all the swinging, climbing and running. “Hang on, I’m gonna leave the room so I can have a little more privacy.” she said. I could hear shuffling in the background and a loud cackled of laughter coming from someone there with Y/N. I was resting my legs, and arms, and my entire body on the roof of the school, using it as some sort of temporary sanctuary. Ned texted me not too long ago and told me it turns out that Duncan ended up shooting the security cameras; That was what those block boxes were. We didn’t have to worry about the footage but the police informed Ned that this guy had been in custody previously but was released for a false report. Ned didn’t hesitate to mention that his friend was supposed to be going on a date with Duncan later on. The police promised Ned that Y/N would be safe and brought home and that they will catch Duncan. But not if I can first.

“Hey, Petey. What’s up? I can’t talk for very long, I’m out with Dunc—”

“He’s a criminal Y/N!” I yelled into the phone, scaring a couple of birds that landed on the roof away. “What? What the hell are you talking about, Peter?” she replied. I could hear the aggressive house music booming through the phone which scared me a little. May always told Y/N and I to stay away from people who made us uneasy and ever since I laid eyes on Duncan for the first time, I’ve felt uneasy. I didn’t know how Y/N couldn’t see his true motives. I didn’t want to get off the phone with her in case something happened.

“I was in Mr. Delmar’s shop today with Ned after school because you told me that you were going out with Duncan so I lost my chance to ask you out, and then Ned and I were talking about how much we…well actually it was more of me…how I didn’t trust this guy, and then we were getting candy and Slurpees and snacks to binge watch Star Wars, and then all of a sudden, someone busted into the store and started yelling at Mr. Delmar to give him all the money that was in the cash register, but it wasn’t just anyone, it was Duncan! And he had a gun! A-and a duffel bag! And he was pointing it at Mr. Delmar a-and then, told him to give him all the money, and then—”

“Peter, slow down! Shut up for a second! Take a breath, would you?” Y/N cut me off abruptly. I took shaky breaths, realizing that I was talking pretty fast. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, just…please. I need you to believe me. Where are you? I’ll come and get you!” I proposed, my voice uneasy. “Petey, you…you were gonna ask me out?” she whispered. My god, I couldn’t catch a break today. “Is that all you got out of what I told you?” I asked, chuckling nervously. She was silent for a couple seconds before I heard a whimper. “Peter…you dummy! You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask me out! I…I was really just with Duncan to make you jealous.” she admitted. It was like someone slugged me with a bag of bricks. No way! “Does that mean…you like me too?” I tested. “Yes, of course. Who wouldn’t like Peter Pan?” she giggled. I smiled in absolute relief and bliss. Yes, yes, yes! This is the best. I took in my surroundings, forgetting for a second why I was here. I immediately snapped back into focus, grasping the situation at hand.

“Y/N, I need you tell me where you are right now. I’m coming to get you.” I instructed sternly. I was already getting up, dusting my legs off and moving my phone to my right ear. “We’re by that creepy warehouse that’s by the school, you know the one right?” she asked nervously. My eyes lit up, I knew exactly where that is. “Yes, I’ll be right there. Just hang tight and I’ll be th—”

“Peter, when Duncan picked me up from my house, his eyes were kind of red so I asked if he was smoking weed or something and he…pulled a gun out of his glove compartment…a-and when we got here, all of his friends were either drunk or stoned out of their minds. Duncan kept talking about killing someone slowly and he…he wouldn’t put the gun away. He kept waving it in my face, basically threatening me. I’m so scared. I can’t leave or anything, there are people everywhere. Please, cal the cops and get here quickly before somethi—”

“Talking to your little Peter now, are yah? You might as well say buh bye to your little lover boy, bitch!”

Duncan.

“Don’t touch her! Don’t you dare hurt her! I’ll kill you! I won’t hold back, I’ll kill you!” I growled into the phone, almost scaring myself at the words that came out of my mouth. The last thing I heard was Y/N’s ear piercing, horrific scream and the line went dead.

I didn’t waste a second; I soared through the sky, hanging tightly onto the webs. My skin was cold, my eyes glossy, my heart pounding out of my chest. What did he do to her? Why did she scream? I’ll kill him, I swear. If he touches one hair on her head, he’s a dead man. I briskly shook the thought of ending his life out of my head. As much as I wanted to hurt him, I could never kill someone. I’m only a kid, but he had Y/N. I wouldn’t kill him, no. I’m a hero, I save people, I kick asses of villains and this guy was gonna get the worst beating of his life.

I thrusted my body in the air, the overwhelming amount of wind being thrown in my face and punching me in the gut was almost too much to bear but I eventually made it, landing on top of the roof. I quickly ducked behind an old air vent when I saw some of Duncan’s “friends” walk not too far from me. When the coast was clear, I leaped into action. I sprinted towards the doors on the roof, sure in my mind that they would lead to the root of the building and eventually to Y/N. I dug my phone out of my pocket and punched in Ned’s number.

“Hel—”

“Ned! I need you to call the cops and tell them to come to the old warehouse by Midtown as soon as possible. That’s where Y/N, Duncan and all of his friends are! I’ll call you when this is over but just call the cops now!” Without giving Ned a chance to answer, I hung up, slipping the device back in my pocket. I turned back to the doors and braced myself for the outcome of all of this, only wanting Y/N to be okay and get out of here alive.

I quickly found my way to what seemed to the main area of the building; The stench of garbage and fuel invaded my nostrils. The walls were covered in graffiti and there were cigarette butts everywhere. I did one last check behind me before averting my vision back to the crowd in front of me. I was sure everyone was here, perfect. My eyes trailed over every single crook that was standing on the stained, concrete floor, unaware, only to be met with Y/N, a terrified look plastered on her face. She was sitting down on a couch, Duncan beside her with a different gun from Mr. Delmar’s store, pressed snuggly up against her abdomen.

To my horror, just like the incident in the Deli, a bullet flew past my face, puncturing the big metal drum behind me. My head whipped around to examine the damage until I heard footsteps approaching me. I shot up from my squatting position and stood my ground. “Wow, you really delivered, didn’t you? Coming to save your girl? Well…” Duncan turned and gestured to his henchmen. They all began to slump forwards, coming right for me; Cracking knuckles, punching palms, twirling guns. “You’re gonna have to get through all these tough sons of bitches to get to yours.” he cackled, turning on his heel and walking back towards Y/N. Her eyes were locked onto the bulky lenses of my mask, mentally telling me to be careful. That was it.

Without a warning, one of the henchmen lunged towards me; I dodged quickly and he ran into two of the other crooks. Some of them set their guns but I quickly webbed them up. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to bring a gun to a fist fight?” I taunted, encasing the weapons and webbing them to the ceiling, way out of reach. Eight of them ran towards me at once, all ready to throw punches. I ducked, swung, kicked, dodged, flipped, webbed, swung, taunted, kicked, and webbed; I was satisfied with my little system. Alright, ten down, five more to go. Three of them drew knives from their belts while the other two settled on using their fists. “Really guys? Those tiny plastic forks you’ve got are no match for my…” I blasted three of them in the face, skewing their vision heavily. They walked aimlessly around, bumping into each other. My Spidey sense tingled, the two others were right behind me. I quickly flipped in the air, grabbing ahold of the top of their heads and smashing them together, knocking them out cold. The rest of them that weren’t trapped anywhere were webbed down to the closest surface. I looked around, admiring my work until something blunt came and hit the back of my head, juggling my brain and I’m pretty sure, giving me a minor concussion.

I collapsed, the aches from my last encounter with a hard floor still fresh and not the least bit healed. I raised my head to see Duncan standing over me with a rotting plank of wood. He threw it to the side carelessly, before coming up and booting me in the stomach. I hunched forward and shrieked in sizzling pain.

“Well, this is it, you idiot. Why would you waste time trying to save that little slut, huh? She doesn’t think I know that she used me. Man, you have a bad taste in woman. Unfortunately for her…” he trailed off, raising his gun, pointing it directly to my head. “…nothing slips past me.”

BANG!

I had my eyes squeezed shut, only to hear something fall to the floor in a loud thud. I slowly opened my eyes to drink in my surroundings. Y/N stood before me, hovering over Duncan’s now unconscious body. She held a plank in her hands, identical to the one Duncan used on me. Y/N dropped to her knees, letting go of the wood, tears running wildly down her face but smiling. “Peter! You did it! You saved me!” She pulled me into her, being mindful of my head. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you, Peter. I swear I do and I’m so, so sorry I did something as stupid as try to make you jealous. Duncan isn’t worth jack shit. You’re nothing like him, you’re perfect.” she concluded.

“Hey, look at me.” I whispered before pushing her away a little but still holding my grip on her arms. “You’re safe. Everything is gonna be okay. I’m here, Y/N. You’ll never have to see him again, not after today. I love you, I’m here. I love you, Y/N. I’ll never let anything happen to you.” I pulled her back into me and rocked her back and forth. After about a minute, Y/N pulled away from me and tugged my mask off, and she wasted no time in pressing her lips against mine. I was on cloud nine; She was so sweet. The feel of her soft, plump lips was something I could definitely not part with, ever. “C’mon, beautiful. Let’s get you home.” I said, tucking her into my side, her arms instinctively wrapping around my torso as we both stood up.

I quickly webbed Duncan up to a metal beam in the middle of the room, he was not waking up any time soon. Y/N and I limped out of the building and back onto the roof. She kissed me one last time before handing me back my mask. I slipped it over my face, before snaking my right arm around her waist. She took hold of my sides, locking her arms into place as I hopped off the edge of the warehouse. We swung swiftly through the air. Y/N’s grip on me had my heart racing, I’ve never felt so high. Knowing now that she had feelings for me from the very start made me feel the upmost happiness I’ve ever felt. I loved her and she loved me, it was perfect. With her, I felt at home; She was my home.

A while later, our feet came in contact with the Earth again. A hero never breaks his promises. “Where are we?” Y/N squeaked. “I had to make a pit stop.” I replied as I knocked on the door, placed the bag on the step before scooping Y/N back up and swinging into the night.

Mr. Delmar opened the door, confusion twisting up his features. He stuck his head out of the door frame and looked around; No one was in eye sight. He took a step out, his feet colliding with something soft. He dropped his head down and was taken aback when he saw a duffel bag with a note attached to it. Hesitantly, Mr. Delmar kneeled and slid the zipper down, his eyes meeting with the sight of the money that was stolen from him earlier that day. He smiled brightly, bursting with happiness and thankfulness. Mr. Delmar picked up the note that had fallen onto the pavement and read out loud:

“I promised I’d bring back your money, didn’t I? There’s an extra thirty in there for the Halloween mask, the snacks, the bug spray and the busted jug of milk. You will be hearing from Tony Stark soon in regards to fixing up the condition of your store. Thanks for the great sandwiches.

Courtesy of your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man”

this is not my best writing and i’m really sorry about that. i’ve been having some major writers block lately but i really wanted to get these requests filled. it’s going on 2am right now, i hope you all like this one :)

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phandomsecretvalentines · 7 years ago

Text

The Evening Glow

Words: 5k

Genre: Fluff, (very) light angst

Rating: G

Summary: Dan hasn’t had the best luck when it comes to blind dates, so when Louise recommends he date her friend Phil, he’s skeptical. But even when he begins to fall for Phil, he can’t shake his crush for the attractive cashier at ASDA who he knows only as Lester.

Author’s Notes: This fic was written for @dont-tell-them-i-write-phan for phandomsecretvalentines 2018! I tried to incorporate everything you said from my ask, friend! I hope you love it!

Dan snapped the lens cap back on the large camera in a huff. He began the process of packing up, a familiar routine. The delicate balance of the weight on his shoulder so he didn’t drop thousands of dollars of equipment that didn’t belong to him, and the meticulous packing in the padded bags.

“I swear this panda will never be born,” he complained. “What is this, the third time we’ve been out here? And nothing.”

Louise rolled her eyes at him, running her fingers through her hair for the first time all night. It was absolutely forbidden while she was in front of the camera, after all the work the crew puts into hair and makeup.

“Come on, Dan. You know that the first time we were out here it was at the beginning of the story to announce the pregnancy, and last time they really thought the cub was coming!”

“And today?” Dan said, a hollow laugh following quickly as he knew the answer was ridiculous. He also knew that Louise knew.

Dan was just sick of it. His first anniversary at the local news channel had been a couple months ago, and he was still being put on the fluffy stories. It had been six months at least since they promised him better gigs, and they had yet to deliver. He was craving something, more.

“Well, today we had to cover how inexplicably long this panda cub is staying in the mum,” she trailed off, defeated but trying her best to keep in light spirits. “Anyway, you can’t be so pessimistic all the time! So many people would love to be here at the zoo before opening.”

“Name one!” Dan said as the pair shuffled out of the vet center.

“My friend Phil,” she snapped her fingers and pointed at Dan as she realized. “He loves animals, pandas in particular.”

“Oh, not this again!” Dan laughed. The conversation was nearly as familiar as the camera he carries at work every day.

“You’d like him, I swear to you!” Louise quipped. She batted him playfully on the arm, and wrapped a hand around it, shaking him back and forth.

“Louise, the last time you set me up on a blind date, the jerk bailed on me halfway through it!”

“He hadn’t told me his daughter was due to be born any day! What could you expect from the poor man? He had to be there.” They went through their practiced dance. “Besides, that was two months ago, and Phil isn’t expecting a child so no need to worry.”

Truthfully, Dan had been considering getting out in the dating world again. While Louise’s suggestions weren’t always perfect, it would be, well, convenient. He sighed.

“How did you meet this guy again?”

“He was in my uni program! Trust me, you’re just his type. He loves the gloomy, self-loathing thing,” he teased.

“Hey!” Dan nudged her shoulder to shoulder and sent her balance off-kilter. She stumbled around the pavement looking drunk with giddiness and late nights.

“I’m joking with you, of course!” She said. “Listen, just take his number. It doesn’t mean you have to marry him, jeez.”

Dan considered this for a moment. He could refuse Louise again, but though she was sweet, she was also stubborn. He’d never hear the end of it. Or he could take the number and give it a shot. His shoulders slumped with resignation as he pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it over.

Louise gleefully took out her own and copied the number into his, under the name “Phil 🖤”

Dan rolled his eyes as he examined his new contact. Louise pulled him into a soft hug before they parted ways.

“Remember to answer my calls Dan! We need you when this cub finally does make an appearance,” she said over her shoulder as she walked away.

Above the contact screen, Dan could see the time shining 6:15am. The news team called him out earlier than ever before. He reminded himself that this was what paying dues is all about, but somehow that didn’t help his eyes stay open or his brain to work properly. Too late to get back to sleep, he thought.

The dreaded sun was already peeking out from behind the historic buildings of London, spreading oranges and purples across the horizon. Disgusting. He’d need coffee if he was going to make it to the evening broadcast. Lots of coffee.

Dan turned into the nearest ASDA, the desperation overtaking the laziness. The artificial lights were all too bright and unwelcome for six in the morning. He squinted as he walked through the store between aisles of cereal until he finally found a refrigerator full of drinks, a single shelf dedicated to sickly sweet iced coffee in plastic bottles. He stared blankly, deciding between French Vanilla and Mocha.

He wondered which this Phil guy would pick. He had no idea what this man was like. Dan already had his fair share of bad blind dates to look back on. The last time, when he was ditched because his date’s ex-wife went into labor with his child, was not actually the worst of them.

Dan grabbed a bottle without really looking. Mocha it is.

He wanted to date, sure. It’s just that he was over being set up. Dan could get someone on his own; he was sure of it.

As he meandered to the check out line, he glanced up for the first time. The cashier stood quietly, his hand crooked awkwardly in his pocket, his uniform top bunching up behind his wrist.

The man was tall, and slender built. His black hair cut into a fringe that tapered down to just above the edge of his eye. It framed his face well. The color accented just how blue his eyes really were, and Dan took a moment to catch his breath.

He set his drink on the conveyor and watched as it scooted away slowly. Dan followed his gaze up to the cashier’s nametag. It read Lester.

“Is that your real name?” Dan asked. Lester’s face contorted, his eyebrows pulling together in offense. “Not that it’s bad or anything,” he saved himself. As the man’s face relaxed, Dan let a cool smile grace his lips.

“It’s my last name,” he said. “Big mix up. Lives were lost,” Lester said with a grin as he flipped the coffee across the laser scanner.

Dan giggled at that. He was cute, the way he bit his lip gently after such a sarcastic quip. A blush creeped up Dan’s neck. He could do this. He had plenty of experience flirting with attractive men.

“Well then, Mr. Lester,” he said with a wink, “that sounds like quite the disaster. I’m glad you made it.”

Dan watched a blush spread from his new friend’s cheekbones all the way to his nose as he averted his eyes.

“Would you like this in a bag?” Lester asked, reverting to a very professional customer service voice.

“No, thanks,” Dan said, accepting that it was time to leave the poor guy alone.

“Pound fifty,” Lester responded kindly. Dan gave him the cash and a friendly nod before leaving.

“So did you text Phil?” Louise said as she fluffed her hair, to the dismay of the director standing just behind Dan. Dan adjusted the eyepiece and hoisted the camera to his shoulder, checking the angle of the shot.

“No,” he said flatly. He kept his eye focused into the lens.

“Are you going to explain that at all or will I be left hanging?” Louise replied.

“Look,” Dan started, “I just don’t want to text a total stranger, okay? I can do this on my own.”

“Sweetie,” Louise answered, “I know you can do it on your own, but Phil is a great guy! And it’s not like you’re seeing anyone else.” Louise checked her teeth for lipstick in her compact.

“I might be,” he said, scuffing his foot against the pavement. Louise’s eyes magnified.

“Spill!”

“It’s nothing,” Dan brushed it off. “It’s just this really cute guy. He works at an ASDA close by me.”

“Oh, Dan!” Louise’s shoulders slumped. “Be honest, when have you ever gotten a date with a random cashier?”

“Places!” the director called. “We’re on in five!”

Dan shuffled around to perfect the shot.

“I could definitely get a date with this guy,” Dan promised.

“Darling, what do you even know about him?”

“Well, just his name, and where he works. And that he’s so, so cute. And sexy. And funny.”

“You got all of that, huh?” She asked, a smirk on her face.

“Well, no, I only know his last name.” Dan sighed. He knew Louise was right.

“Listen, Phil is amazing. He would be so great for you. He likes Muse, and anime, and video games. He’s really sweet. Just give him a chance.”

“Okay,” Dan said, gesturing to her to step a bit to the right while he looks into the camera again. “I’ll text him tonight.”

“You will?” Louise confirmed. Dan nodded.

“Five,” the director called with her fingers up. “Four. Three.” She continued counting down on her fingers as Dan hit the button the begin the broadcast.

Dan fidgeted with his phone, clicking the home button twice rapidly and closed the Messages app. He reopened it and typed out a quick “hey” and deleted it.

It was stupid. He didn’t need to be nervous. In fact, he didn’t really need to be doing this at all. But at least it would get Louise off his back. He was going to give it a shot.

Hey I got this number from Louise

She wanted me to text you. My name is Dan

He waited only a moment before he saw an ellipsis appear to tell him that Phil was responding.

Hey! Yeah, this is Phil. Louise told me you’d be messaging me sometime. :)

I heard you like Muse too. Lol.

They both shared their experiences at the Muse shows they went to as teens. Dan could feel the tightening of his chest as his phone lit up with another message from Phil. It was familiar and exciting all the same, a feeling he remembered from high school.

Dan flirted unabashedly.

If you were an anime character who would you be

Phil replied.

Kirito all the way. Not really, but a guy can dream, right?

Dan couln’t help but think Phil would be a great Kirito, despite how little he knew about him.

Can I be your Asuna

But like without the breasts

The response came quickly.

You can be my Asuna even if you’ve got the breasts. I don’t judge.

Dan bit his lower lip. It was an instant connection with Phil. He didn’t want to put his cell down.

So Louise says you were in the same uni program

What do you do

He rubbed the edge of his phone as he waited, eager to learn more about this man.

I’m trying to break into the radio business. Maybe as a DJ.

But it’s tough.

He smiled.

I believe in you… and we all know that a strangers faith is the most reliable right

Hours later, he fell asleep feeling dizzy and light. This Phil guy was something, he’d give Louise that much.

By the time he walked into ASDA the next morning, Phil was still on his mind. They texted for hours, yet somehow he still felt like Dan’s mystery man. Sure, he knew his favorite song, and he knew all of his anime senpais, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing out on something important. Something good.

He put the same coffee on the conveyor belt as last time, only in that moment realizing that he’d walked right into Lester’s aisle again.

“Oh, Mr. Lester,” Dan teased. “Fancy seeing you here again.” He enjoyed how the man held a chuckle back from his soft lips, a pale pink just barely off his fair skin tone, but they complimented it well.

“I work here,” he said, and Dan watched his lips form every beautiful word, pull up into a more genuine smile.

If Dan were being honest with himself, he wanted to pursue whatever he could with this Lester. He enjoyed his little mannerisms. The way he caught his tongue between his teeth when he laughed made Dan’s heart flutter.

He scanned the bottle, clicking the keyboard of the computer to his side.

“Pound fifty,” he said. “Those are gross, by the way. It’s like the worst coffee in the world.”

“Well maybe you’ll have to show me better coffee sometime,” Dan said without thinking. Lester froze, his eyes growing wide and Dan hated himself for a split second. He made it weird. “Or maybe not, whatever.” Dan tried to smooth it over. He didn’t even know if Lester liked men.

“Perhaps,” Lester said. His long slim fingers carded through his hair, pulling his fringe up into a slight quiff, but Dan only found it more attractive on him.

He thought it best to leave it at that for the day. After all, Dan knew Louise was right. He didn’t know anything real about Lester. Maybe his quirks were cute, but he wasn’t vetted. Maybe Phil was a safer bet.

He paid graciously and muttered a polite goodbye. As he walked out of the store, Dan cringed at the thought of choosing the safer option for the sake of it. It wasn’t that, not really. He liked Phil, that much was clear. He really liked Phil.

He told Louise as much as they walked to the Underground after their broadcast across the city later that day.

“So, how did it go?” she said with a teasing wiggle in her voice that matched her squirming eyebrows.

“I think it went really well, actually,” Dan said as he slid his hands into his pockets. His pace slowed as he thought of their last conversation.

“I knew it!” she cheered, her hands clapping quickly and she hopped a bit. “When’s the wedding?”

“Oh, shut up,” Dan nudged her with his elbow. “It’s not like that. He’s just, really cool.”

Dan couldn’t help the blush on his cheeks, so he angled his face to the ground.

“I’m kidding with you, you know that.” Louise picked his face up by the chin until she could see the redness spreading further. “I’m so glad you like him, dear.”

“I looked him up on Twitter,” he admit, “but he doesn’t have any pictures of himself.”

The two made their way down the steps into the tunnels below to wait for their respective trains.

“Ah, yeah. Phil is very self conscious,” Louise explained.

“Really?” Dan asked, surprised. “But he was in your program in uni? Wasn’t that broadcasting?”

“Yes, and then he went over to radio,” Louise shot him a look, as if that should explain everything. It didn’t. “He’s not the most confident of guys, with his looks. Used to dream of being a weatherman, but he just couldn’t get comfortable in front of the camera.”

They stopped in front of a platform. Louise double checked the light up sign that read the arrival time of the next train.

“Is he like,” Dan thought of the best way to ask without offending Phil, “not conventionally attractive?”

“Oh, he’s attractive,” Louise answered easily. “He just doesn’t see it himself.”

“I wish I could see him,” Dan said, his voice dropping low.

“Then ask him out on a date!” Louise responded. Her perky voice made it all seem so easy.

“Maybe soon,” Dan said. He hadn’t even gotten him on the phone yet. He wanted to talk with him, hear the tone in his voice as they flirted. He wanted some kind of human experience that wasn’t just text.

Louise kissed Dan on the cheek when the train came flying by them. Dan watched her step over the gap and she called back to him.

“Do what you’ve gotta do,” and she waved.

Dan moved to grab his phone as he walked to his area of the Underground, waiting for the train that would take him home.

Hey I was thinking about you today

How have you been

A few minutes later, Phil’s name lit up his lock screen.

I’ve been well! I saw a cute dog today.

Dan giggled. Phil was the type, it seemed, that got joy from the littlest things. He thought about how nice that would be, to have someone in his life like that.

Can I call you

Dan knew Phil had seen the message. He waited for the ellipsis to appear, but it didn’t. He stepped onto his platform. Dan tried to ignore the tightness in his chest as he waited for his phone to buzz.

A few minutes later the vibrations tickled against his leg.

I would, but I’m just-

I’m really shy.

Dan answered immediately.

I like shy

His hands flew to his hair and he swirled his fingers through the curls. He did like shy guys. He bit his lower lip expectantly. His mind wandered, imagining what Phil looked like with a flush of coyness up his neck.

Yet, when he thought of demure boys, all he could really think about was how Lester sticks his tongue between his teeth to hold back his laugh.

But okay no phone calls yet

When will I get to meet you

Dan arrived at his stop and began his walk to his flat.

Eventually. :p

Despite his eyes being glued to his phone, he could feel them drooping. He held his phone to his chest as he fell asleep.

When he awoke in the morning, all Dan could think about was blue eyes.

It was driving him insane, if Dan were being honest with himself. He liked Phil, so much. When they texted it felt like the whole world melted away. But Dan couldn’t shake this crush on Lester, his mysterious ASDA man.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed at the ungodly hour of seven in the morning. Way too late to not have a reason to be up, but he had a feeling that he had to go buy a coffee. This infatuation wasn’t going away until he truly acted on it.

It’s not like he and Phil were exclusive or anything, he reasoned. In fact, they haven’t even explicitly stated their relationship was a romantic one.

Dan knew that logic wouldn’t hold up. It was a technicality at best. He shook the conflict from his mind as he pulled his black skinny jeans over his legs and a grey color blocked jumper over his head. The door behind him slammed shut as he barrelled out onto the pavement and down the street.

Car sped past him in the road and Dan barely stopped to look both ways before running across it. The morning light was still golden, blinding him as he turned the corner to walk the ten blocks to the grocery store.

Dan could feel his pounding heart. Exercise was never his strong suit, but he couldn’t stop. If he stopped jogging, he may have time to rethink his actions, and he didn’t want to do that.

As the automatic doors parted before him like the Red Sea, Dan felt anything but magical. A tall pale figure with dark hair was stepping into a separate room at the back of the store, seeming to pull his smock over his head.

“Lester!” Dan called from the entrance. “Wait!”

He summoned what little energy he had left and speed-walked to where Lester stood.

“Yeah?” Lester asked, his eyes skimming up and down Dan’s body, assessing the situation. He seemed bewildered, but not unhappy to see him.

“I was wondering if you wanted to show me some better coffee?” Dan asked, less than dignified.

It was out there now, he’d asked for the date, and now he felt unsteady, as if he stood on a tightrope and Lester was at the other end, with the power to reach for his hand or shake the rope.

“Oh, ummm,” Lester said. His hand flew to the back of his neck, rubbing some tension out of it. “It’s just that-”

“Oh no, you’re not,” Dan interrupted. He was falling.

“No!” Lester corrected. “It’s not that. I do like men, and I do think you’re attractive, but,” Lester said as he dropped his hand to his side and lowered his eyes to meet Dan’s, “I’m sort of, speaking to someone right now. I wouldn’t feel right about it.”

Lester’s hands made their way to his pockets and he slid them inside. The guilty look on his face may have been cute if Dan wasn’t felt embarrassed as hell.

“That’s alright,” he said. “It’s fine, it’s good.” Dan stood still, hoping to turn the conversation around somehow, regain some pride.

“I’m really sorry,” Lester said as he pulled at his smock again. There was a tinge of regret in his voice, and sadness. “I was just about to head out, maybe I’ll see you around though.”

“Yeah,” Dan said and Lester entered the employee lounge and shut the door behind him.

Dan left the store, feeling awkward leaving without buying anything. He dialed Louise immediately.

“Hello?” she answered happily. “Dan, you never call!”

“I asked him out,” Dan nearly shouted. He fast-walked down the road without a clear destination.

“Phil? That’s great sweetheart!” Louise cheered.

“Not Phil, the guy from ASDA,” he said. Shame now wracked his own voice.

“Dan, no! I thought you were going to ask Phil out!” Louise prodded.

The day was too bright outside. It was stifling. Dan narrowed his eyes against the sunlight.

“I was going to, he didn’t want me to call him. And today all I could think about was my crush on the grocery man.” He tried to justify his decision, mostly to himself. “I knew that I could never move forward with Phil if this guy was in my head all the time.”

“So what happened then, love?” Her voice was more gentle.

“He turned me down, Louise. And now I just feel so shitty. He’s seeing someone else. Not a big deal, I’ve been rejected before. But how could I have done that to Phil? He’s-” Dan paused to think of the best way to describe Phil. How could he explain all the emotions he was going through, over simple text messages? “He’s amazing.”

“Dan, you haven’t even been on a date with Phil! He’s an understanding guy. Just call him, tell him what happened.”

Dan hailed a taxi, still not sure exactly where he wanted to go, but knowing that he wanted to get away.

“He doesn’t want to talk to me on the phone,” he responded. The driver asked for an address and Dan just asked him to be taken to the London Eye.

“Just call him! He likes you, he won’t refuse your call.”

Louise was making sense. Buildings and cars were flying across Dan’s line of vision and he already regret getting into a car. It just made everything feel like it was going faster. He was panicking.

He politely let Louise off the line and dialed Phil.

“Dan?” he heard on the other line. His voice almost sounded familiar, he liked it.

“Phil! I’m so glad you answered.” He said without giving Phil much time to speak. “Listen, I have to tell you something.”

“Oh, go ahead.” He sounded concerned.

“I sort of asked someone out this morning,” Dan rambled on. “I’m sorry. I’m going to sound so rude right now, I just really feel like I can tell you anything. Anyway, I’ve had this crush on this guy from my ASDA. And I couldn’t help but ask him out this morning. I feel so stupid.”

“Dan,” was all Phil said. There was a catch in his voice. He’s hurt, Dan figured. He smacked himself in the forehead.

“I’m really sorry, Phil. I just… I really like you, and I couldn’t move forward with you without some sort of closer with him. He turned me down, so I got that. But now,” Dan took a moment of pause to check his phone, which buzzed at his ear. Louise was calling. He ignored it. “Now I just want to give this a chance for us, and I couldn’t do that without telling you about it. I couldn’t lie.”

He heard a faint giggle through the line. Dan thought it might sound empty, a facade.

“It’s fine, Dan,” Phil said, before, “Oh! Louise is calling me.”

“No, please, just don’t hang up the phone yet. Can I meet you? I really want to meet you, in person.”

Dan felt strange. He wasn’t used to pleading. The cab stopped on the side of the street near the Ferris Wheel.

“I guess you’ll meet me very soon,” Phil said, a clear smile in his voice which only confused Dan further. “Louise just texted me. The baby panda is being born! I’m going to meet you both there!”

Phil was eager about the panda. Dan could almost see the way he would dance around in excitement. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he must be angry.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Dan said to the driver, “but can you bring me to the London Zoo instead?”

It all happened so quickly. Half an hour later, Dan had finished broadcasting about the birth of a healthy new panda cub.

The mother was licking the cub on the back, cleaning it up while the vets looked over it. They had an exclusive view as press. He wrung his hands together as he anxiously waited for Phil to arrive.

“Don’t be so nervous! He’s going to love you,” Louise reassured him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Dan turned to face her, leaning against the railing that protects the panda enclosure. His elbows resting on the bar casually, he could feel the ache of pressure against his bones and the cold metal on his skin.

Across the vet center, the double doors swung open and he saw someone enter. He’d recognize that face anywhere, it was Lester.

“Fuck!” Dan said beneath his breath. “How did he find me?”

“What?” Louise asked, looking around. “Who ‘found’ you?”

“It’s the ASDA guy. How did he know I’d be here?” Dan wondered. He faced into the pandas again, hiding his face. “He can��t be here, not when I’m supposed to be meeting Phil.”

“Sweetie, that is Phil. Who are you talking about?” Louise waved the man over.

Dan stared at Louise’s face in astonishment. She gave him a hug when he reached them.

“Dan, Phil. Phil, Dan,” she said. Phil’s face turned red and he rubbed the back of his head.

“Hey,” was all he said.

Dan’s head was spinning.

“You’re?” Dan said, dumbfounded.

“Phil,” he said, extending his hand forward. Dan met it with his own and their skin finally met. It was warm, and the electricity in his nerves moved in waves from his hands all over his body. “Phil Lester, actually.”

“This whole time,” Dan said, tone flat, not sure if he was asking or stating.

“I only just found out,” Phil . “When we were on the phone.”

Dan brushed his explanation aside, in favor of leaning in the place a wistful kiss to his lips.

They moved together, with Phil sinking into it despite his nerves. He was shy, after all. But with Dan taking the first step, he felt free enough to lace his fingers through Dan’s curly hair. The short buzzed sides lightly scratching his palm as he ran it up and down to get Dan closer.

When they broke apart, Dan spoke first.

“Can you stay here with me?” the vulnerability peppering his tone.

“You mean like a date?” Phil said, and he bit his bottom lip in the way Dan always adored, back when he was simply Lester. Dan nodded his head furiously.

“Of course!” Phil enthused. “Who says no to a zoo date?”

“I don’t know,” Dan reasoned. “Someone who doesn’t like the person who’s asked them?”

Phil ran his hand down the outside of Dan’s arm, an innocent enough gesture, but meaningful all the same.

“I like you,” he said.

“Wait, Dan said. “It thought you were in radio? But you work at ASDA!”

Phil laughed.

“I’m breaking into it! Give me time.” Dan shook his head, taking in the absurdity of it all.

Dan and Phil spent the rest of the day at the zoo. When they were finally kicked out of the panda enclosure, they spent over an hour with the llamas, two with the lions, and made sure to hit every exhibit in between.

Dan watched every mannerism Phil made, soaking in the way his hand crooked in his pocket when he was idling, and the way he bobbed his head when he was happy. He noticed how he used all fingers to gesture air quotations and Dan had to catch his breath.

How could he be so lucky.

When Dan finally felt the adventure of the day wearing down on him, and his eyes began closing slower and slower, they made their way to the exit.

The sun was setting in front of them, and Dan reached to pull Phil’s hand into his own.

“I’m really sorry that I asked you out. Well, Lester out, when I was already texting you,” he said, the remorse still weighing on his shoulders.

“You don’t have to apologize to me, for asking me out,” Phil replied.

“But you showed some loyalty in turning me down,” Dan said regretfully.

“Okay,” Phil said. “But then can I say I’m sorry for turning you down, just because I was already talking to you?”

“That’s silly,” Dan said. He felt Phil kiss the side of his head as they looked out at the sunset.

“Exactly,” Phil answered, and squeezed his hand tighter.

They both looked out over the horizon, and how the oranges faded to pinks, and purple, and black. The evening glow warmed their bodies. The day had set, but it felt like a beginning.

#submission

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