Unlocked (Ida x female reader)

Chapter 5

"Yes, you can."

"Thank you" he turns back to me and I can't see his face anymore because of the head gear. It's a shame. He has a really nice face.

"Tonight" I say suddenly. "A late dinner tonight. I'll cook, you can get your helmet and I'll make sure Martac is at his home resting."

"It's a date" I can hear the smile in his voice. At least I think I can.

I walk him to the door and watch as he walks down the hall. Before he takes the stairs, he turns to me and waves. I raise a hand and watch him disappear down the stairs. His boots clinking against the metal steps, echoing in the stairwell until I hear the main doors at the bottom open and close behind him.

Back in my apartment, I use my phone to lock the door and move Ida's helmet to the counter. I sit in the only chair, watching Martac sleep.

"Yer going to end up in trouble if yer not careful with that one, lass" Martac mutters. He must have been faking sleep.

"Yeah probably." I sigh, stretching out on the chair to prop my feet up on the edge of the bed.

"Just be happy, lass. Mitch would want ya to be"

"Don't... don't bring him into this" I stand, defeatedly, getting on my phone to order groceries for dinner to be delivered. "I'll call a car for you"

"Send me to Chris' place"

"That still going on?" I raise an eyebrow at him. Chris has been his on again off again... person for awhile. To say boyfriend would be a stretch since Martac has assured me all they do is 'stress relief'. I didn't want to know any more than that.

"For now" he sits up with a grunt, testing his weight on his leg, but sitting back down. I have a spare crutch in my closet and retrieve it for him. He takes it and gets to his feet, heading to the door to wait for the car I ordered on an app. It'll be here in five minutes. "Be careful"

"You said that already" I joke and he pats my head as he steps past me to the door.

"Maybe ya will listen if I say it twice"

"Probably not"

He sighs "Figures. Lock the door behind me"

I roll my eyes at him but do as he asks. I know he wouldn't let me help him get down the stairs so I don't even offer. With my phone, I lock the door when I hear him get to the top of the stairs and I immediately start cleaning my place from top to bottom. It takes longer than normal since I want it to look spotless.

I don't usually clean when I have guests over, but for some reason, I want to for Ida. After I spend entirely too long making sure that every crevice of visible space is scrubbed, I grab the groceries that were delivered to my door and start putting together dinner.

There's not a specific time I told Ida, but thinking about his personality, seven would be a safe bet. This would be less of a guessing game if I could just call him.

While dinner simmers, I get my low folding table out and move some things around to set it up in the middle of the room. There's enough space that I can sit on the side and lean against my bed and I can put a pillow down for Ida so he doesn't have to sit directly on the hard floor.

By the time I get everything ready and change into not torn, blood free clothes, there's a knock at my door.

I rush to answer it, throwing my apron into the closet and smoothing out my clothes, fussing with my hair one more time.

"Welcome!" I fling open the door, only to be face to face with a bouquet of my favorite flowers. Ida is holding them out to me and I take them from him "thank you. How did you know I like these?"

"You have a picture of them framed" he gestures to the art in question. Honestly, I forgot I had that. Mitch gave that picture to me for my seventh birthday and it was the first thing I hung up. It doesn't even register that I have it anymore, I glance past it so often.

"Oh. Right" I gesture for him to come in and he locks the door behind him so I don't have to get my phone out.

I feel suddenly nervous as I put the flowers in a vase and put it on my bedside table. The only other spot for them would be the counters in the kitchen, but those are full of food right now. This might be the first time I've ever wished I had a bigger place.

Ida is dressed in dark pants and a button up shirt. I half expected him to wear a tie, but he keeps the top button open for a slightly casual look. I feel underdressed but we're in my apartment so I try to shake off that feeling.

"You hungry?" I ask, grabbing a couple plates so we can serve ourselves at the kitchen counter.

"Starving" when I turn back to him, his gaze trailed up from my feet and he takes the plate with a smile.