Eddie finally lets Jeff talk him into going on this blind date. It's not like he's against dating, he just doesn't expect fireworks from an hour of small talk over an overpriced dinner, y'know? Jeff swore by this guy, though, assuring Eddie that they would hit it off, but Eddie will never know because the guy doesn't show.
That's right, he gets stood up, Jeff texts him a string of apologies saying the guy chickened out. So Eddie’s just sitting there alone, trying not to sulk when the waitress asks if he's still waiting to order. Fuck it, he refuses to be the most miserable person in the restaurant, looking around to find someone equally as pathetic, and lo and behold:
Three tables away, there's a guy getting dumped.
Eddie eavesdrops because he has nothing better to do. It’s a pretty standard breakup. Sounds like they haven't been together long and things fizzled out. Neither of them seem to be invested enough to try and salvage it.
"Aren't you gonna say anything, Steve?"
No, Steve isn't. He just sits there while his former boyfriend leaves, doesn't try to stop him at all. Not in a hardened douchebag way, but in a dejected 'why do I even bother' way that Eddie knows all about.
And well, Eddie might be a cynic but his curiosity isn't dead. This Steve is far too pretty to be getting dumped in a seafood place and Eddie has to know what the deal is. It leads him right over to Steve's table. He looks up at Eddie, not quite dead behind the eyes yet, but maybe a little lonely. Just needs a spark.
"Alright well, something tells me that a stranger bugging you won't be the worst thing to happen to you tonight, so I'm just gonna take this empty seat and maybe we can help each other figure out why we're both alone on a Friday night. What do you say?"
Steve blinks, a little taken back at first, then he matches the nonchalance that Eddie's so good at faking with a smirk and a shrug, "Depends. Do you have all night?"
Turns out, Jeff was right about one thing, Eddie does hit it off with someone and it doesn't take all night. They leave the restaurant together, spend hours just walking the town and even breaking into a park after hours. It's the most fun Eddie's had in a while, and even though he doesn't get a goodnight kiss just yet, he gets a second date, which is even better.
He walks home with a skip in his step and a fire in his belly that he hasn't felt in years. He never thought he'd be so glad to get stood up before.
3K notes
·
View notes
ghoul im begging you please give us regency gaz and birdie please please please please ple
It is a wonder you've managed to avoid marriage this long. Your mother has tried, good lord she's tried, but to no avail. It seems like men only like you as long as you don't open your mouth, and you're not very good at being quiet and demure. Really you're a terrible lady, but you're not too broken up about it, you have no dreams of settling down. So it's really quite terrible that you run into Gaz.
Literally run into him. He catches you tight and keeps you upright as you flee from your most recent --and most determined-- suitor. It's his smile you notice first when you turn your attention full to him. No longer looking over your shoulder at your pursuer, but staring up at your apparent warden. He smiles at you, grins, and it doesn't feel polite or gentlemanly. It feels like he's sharing a private joke with you. He glances over your head and spins you to face your determined suitor. You're a little worried he's going to throw you back in until his lips touch your ear.
"Keep your elbow tight to your side, and twist with your hips-" His hand curls your fingers into a fist, "make sure to aim for the nose." You try to turn and ask what he's doing, but he gives you a firm pat on the ass, and on instinct you swing your fist. It cracks beautifully into your suitor's nose and he crumbles forward to hold the wound with shaking fingers.
Your eyes light up at the blood that drips from under his hand, the red ache on your knuckles. Adrenaline surges in your system. Holy Fuck that felt good. Your reputation is going to be ruined. Your mother is going to kill you. What else can you hit?
"Beautiful," The man behind you laughs, his hands smooth over your hips and you shiver, "Be keeping you." Your suitor glares and your savior makes a shooing motion with his hand. "Run away mate, save me some trouble."
Your former suitor leaves swearing, and you catch the end of a rude gesture from your savior. When he finally takes his hands off you, you turn to give him the same treatment. He catches your fist easily, and kisses your bruised knuckles.
"Kyle Garrick," He tells you politely, and you finally take in the neatly pressed uniform, the medals, the warm mischief in his eyes.
"Garrick," you repeat, he hums. Shit, you heard Goose talking about- "You're with the Captain's prodigy." Oh you could light yourself on fire for this. Kyle raises a brow, his smile growing.
"The very same," His eyes dart to your hand, thumb soothing over your red knuckles, "your husband too."
"What?" You must have misheard him, he meets your eye with the same determined mischief. Those are eyes you could happily wake up to.
"I'm going to marry you," He rephrases, leaving no room for error, or disagreement, "court you first, but by then-" he kisses your hand again, more purposefully, warmer in a way that makes your breath catch, "-hopefully you'll say yes."
"And what if I say no?" You should, but something in the way he looks at you makes you pause. Something in the way he coached you through your punch, like he was hoping you'd do it. Approving of it.
"Hadn't thought of that," Kyle laughs dropping your hand, you miss the warmth as soon as it's gone, "suppose I'll just have to keep asking."
You hardly think that'll be necessary, you don't think anyone, man or woman, can say no to Kyle. The same way he's sure he's never seen anyone like you, never felt this immediate spark to keep you close, to know you. You've got a mean right hook, and the prettiest smile he's ever seen. A smarter man might ask what sort of lady runs across the promenade to get away from a suitor. Well, perhaps a dumber man. A smart man wouldn't fall for someone he thought couldn't misbehave, and Gaz is a very smart man.
417 notes
·
View notes