#shoutout to Mya 🫶🏻🩷

[evolnoomym]

Gosh that was a wonderful first date 🥹🥹🥹

I love older!boyfriend Joel soooooo much 🫶🏻🫶🏻

you mentioned that older!boyfriend joel is more of a traditionalist and wants to know you more before doing anything, and i'm genuinely curious about the first date. what's your lore on that?

p.s. you ate with older!boyfriend joel <3

the first date!

no content warnings, pure fluff. it is recommended to read the meet cute installment prior to this one!

older!boyfriend joel masterlist.

older!boyfriend joel whose been budgeting meticulously all week—you’ve finally set a night to go out, and he’s promised to take you to the newest restaurant in town. it’s way out of his usual range, but he wants to make a good impression. a little splurge every now and then won’t hurt anyone.

older!boyfriend joel who feels a little insecure when he puts on his nice black slacks for the first time in god knows how long. they’re a little snug around his tummy once he tucks in his green button up, but they’ll have to do.

older!boyfriend joel whose running product through his curls (the tub may as well be brand new despite sitting in his bathroom cabinet for a few months), spritzing cologne on his neck, trimming his scruff. they’re certainly not daily habits, but the nagging anxiety in the pit of his stomach has him going above and beyond.

older!boyfriend joel who insists on picking you up. you’re out of the way, and he would have had a straighter shot to the restaurant directly from his place, but he doesn’t tell you that.

older!boyfriend joel who stares at the bouquet of roses in the backseat of his truck after he pulls into your driveway, and worries they may be too much for a first date.

older!boyfriend joel whose heart is beating out of his chest when he sees you skipping down the front steps, and it’s too late, so he panics and snatches the bouquet up to meet you halfway. he has to swallow down hard to keep himself in check at the sight of the dress you’re wearing, the smile beaming across your face, the pretty way you’ve done your hair and makeup.

older!boyfriend joel who feels all the stress leave his body as soon as you’re gushing over how pretty the flowers are, telling him he didn’t have to do that, and leaning up on your tip toes to press a chaste kiss on his cheek. he gives you a proper embrace, and leads you to the truck with a hand at the small of your back and a giddy little grin on his face—you like his flowers.

older!boyfriend joel who’s too gentlemanly for his own good: opening each door for you, pulling out your chair at dinner, letting you order first. he’s attentive to you, learning about your life and asking appropriate questions. he’s enamored with the aura you give off, this sort of freedom and liveliness—he could benefit from some of that around.

older!boyfriend joel who’s so amused by the way your laugh gets a little louder and your smile a little brighter after your second drink. if he weren’t driving—and weren’t so damn nervous—he would’ve ordered another. but he doesn’t mind being around to let you let loose. in fact, he feels a sense of pride at your willingness to let your inhibitions down around him so soon.

older!boyfriend joel who notices the way you keep leaning your elbows closer and closer to him across the table, your pretty face propped up in your palms as he tells you about something much more boring in comparison to the stories you’ve shared with him. but you listen nonetheless, and happily so. and it’s nice to feel seen, heard.

older!boyfriend joel who snatches the checkbook right out of the waiter's hand before it even touches the table, slides his card into the slot, and hands it back before you even begin your protest. and when you tell him you don’t mind covering your half, he tells you neither do i.

older!boyfriend joel who suggests an after-dinner stroll and forgets what he was so worried about in the first place when you loop your arm around his and rest your head on his shoulder while you walk.

he tells you he knows another place nearby he wants to check out. there’s momentary confusion on your face when he leads you to a convenience store, but joel just smirks.

“thought we could grab a pint of ice cream,” he says. “make up for the one that melted in your car.”

you throw your head back with laughter, and it’s arguably the sweetest sound.

“you’re quite something, joel miller.” you tell him, and his chest squeezes tight.

and so, you sit together outside of the store on the curb, flimsy spoons battling each other in a pint of ben & jerry’s (cookie dough, he let you choose). and when you finish, he drives you home, windows cracked and the soft sound of the radio in the background. you’ve taken his hand on the center console, and he fights the urge not to squeeze yours every few minutes out of sheer excitement.

when you reach your apartment complex, he walks you to your door and blushes when you tell him you’ve had a really, really nice time—double really.

the anxiety returns when you start to reach for him, but he’s pleasantly put to ease when you simply wrap your arms around his neck and hold him tight. he returns the embrace, this time, looping his arms a little lower, letting his face press into your neck a little more snug.

he’s worried when you pull back, and peer up at him with those sweet eyes, that you’ll be disappointed by what follows. he gets a glint of something, a green light as if to say it’s okay if he wants to kiss you right now.

and he does. fuck, he does. but he also feels eons out of practice. he doesn’t want to come on too strong. he wants to do this right. and if it’s real, this glimmering in his chest, he’s certain you’ll understand. that you’ll feel the same way, too.

instead, he brings a hand up to cup your cheek, tilts you forward, and presses a lingering kiss to your forehead. he hears you breathe out a soft chuckle, and the grin spread across your cheeks when he pulls back is enough to tell him you do, indeed, understand. you do feel it too.

“i’ll call you tomorrow?” you whisper, though it sounds more like you’re asking him permission.

he’s more than happy to reassure you.

“i’d like that.”

<3