As you walked, your phone suddenly buzzed, a phone call. You pulled your phone out.
As I said, I don't have the energy for socializing.
"Dawn." You mumbled to yourself as you looked at the contact calling your phone.
You fought the grin threatening your lips.
Maybe I have 5 or 10% left of my battery.
You answered.
"Hey Dawn!" Your cheeks flushed. You internally blamed it on the frosty weather.
"I missed hearing your voice." He muttered, his microphone picked it up very well though.
You said nothing.
"Where have you been all day?"
"Um... with Zhongli. Are you oka-"
"Zhongli? Did you go on a date with him?"
Of course he's asking it so bluntly. He doesn't care. He wouldn't care if Christopher Hemsworth himself was my boyfriend.
You entered your appartment complex. "Um... yeah? Well kind of but not really."
He stayed silent.
"I see."
"Yeah. We babysat my little sister instead." You explained as you got in an elevator.
"You have a little sister?" He finally chuckled.
You dropped your shoulders, relieved.
How can a phone call have tense atmosphere?
"I do. You didn't know?" You chuckled too.
"You never told me about her. How old is she?"
"She's four, almost five." You opened the front door to your home. Closing it behind you, you took your coat and shoes off.
"I see."
"Dawn?"
"... Yes?"
"Why'd you call me?" You hung your coat on the racket.
"I... I don't know to be honest."
You desperately wanted to persist on asking, but decided to be patient. Sat on one of the bar tools of your kitchen counter, you waited.
"I felt lonely and I immediately thought of calling you."
"..." you truly didn't know what to reply.
"Was i wrong in doing that?"
You froze.
"I suppose I was. I'm sorry for bothering-"
"No!" You cut him off, in a panic. "You weren't wrong. I'm glad you called."
"... Really?"
"Yes. Despite how tired I am right now, I think talking to you is just what I needed."
"Even though we saw each other earlier?" He sounded like he genuinely wanted an answer.
"... It doesn't matter. If we feel like talking to each other right now, then we should. No?" You laughed lightly.
"I'm so happy right now." He giddily chuckled.
"Why?"
"Because that's exactly what I wanted to hear."
You blushed furiously. Why was he acting so weird?
"Do you know where I am right now?" He asked playfully, giggling a bit.
"At work?"
"No. Guess again."
"At home?"
"No."
"I don't know I give up." You smiled.
"I'm at a bar near your café."
Your eyes suddenly shot wide open as you stood up from your seat. "A bar?! Dawn what are you doing there? I-I thought you said you didn't like alcohol!" You ran to your door and put your shoes on.
"Well I ordered a virgin cocktail but I think they got my order mixed up... ha.. funny." He scoffed as his voice got unstable. "Funny how disgusting it tastes."
"Is the bar called..." you tried remembering the name. You were unfamiliar with it since you didn't drink. "High Heat!"
"Yeah! How'd you know? Well, I always knew you were smart..."
"Your replies are getting more and more... drunk."
"I think the alcohol's kicking in..." you could hear him trying to hold back a vomit.
"Oh god! Okay. Okay, okay, okay, okay..."
"I need help. I can't go home."
"Trust me, I can tell."
"Get your ass over here... I need help."
You froze, right before you could open your door.
Did he just...
You sighed and shrugged it off. Poor man was drunk.
"Yeah I'm coming don't worry."
"Sorry about that. I didn't mean it."
"I know." You laughed.
"Thank you. Seriously."
"You getting sober?"
"Not enough to go home i think..."
"Yeah okay." Hanging up abruptly, you ran down the stairs of the complex and rushed out of it.
You stood at your usual bus stop, arms crossed impatiently.
It finally arrived, and you got on. You didn't even take a seat. You were so impatient and worried that sitting would only aggravate it. You stood holding onto a pole.
Eventually, the bus finally stopped.
You ran down the street of shops, running right past your own in the process. You took a right and saw the illuminated and bustling bar. It was late in the evening, that's when they made the most customers.
"He'd better still be here." You panted as you got in.
You looked around frantically.
Why is this place so huge? Are all bars this big? And why is it so hard to find him?! He has red hair!
Suddenly, you saw a red-haired man with his face on the table he was sitting at. Catching your breath, you slowly made your way to him and put your hand on his head.
"Whew, I really made it! Come on let's go."
He slowly raised his head back up. "You... you really came."
You picked him up and took his stuff, dragging him out.
"Of course I did. You thought I wouldn't?" You got out of the noisy bar and sat Dawn down at a bench on the sidewalk.
"I don't know. I thought I bothered you. When I told you to... get your ass over here." He looked away, shameful.
You sighed and sat down next to him. "It's fine, seriously. I know alcohol can really mess people up in the head. That's why I don't drink."
"Yeah that's why I don't drink either."
You narrowed your eyes at him.
"I told you they got my order mixed up with someone else's." He rested his face in his hands.
"Oh. I thought you were joking."
"I'm not. I genuinely hate alcohol. You heard and saw me five minutes ago."
"Are you actually sober now?" You poked your head down to try to see his face.
"I can finally talk without embarrassing myself every five minutes, but I don't think I can walk in a straight line." He groaned in pain.
"Headache?"
"I think so."
"You're going through all the stages."
"Spare me." He chuckled.
How come I feel so happy with this drunk mess of a man within the span of ten minutes, when I spent almost 3 hours with Zhongli and still wasn't this giddy?
"Thanks again. And I'm really sorry you had to see this side of me. I'll repay you I promise."
"You already did by showing me how funny you can be."
"Funny to laugh at. Not funny to be with."
"You're both." You shrugged.
"And what am I now?" He looked back up at you, the streetlight above you perfectly casting shadows on his face.
"Right now you're... romantic."
He furrowed his eyebrows, amused. "Romantic?"
"Yeah. You're drunk, your cheeks are rosy, your hair is a bit messy, and the lighting is flawless." You laughed.
He only smiled as he maintained eye contact with you.
"Does uh... does your head still hurt?"
"Yeah, I feel like it's going to explode." He held it.
"Then let me shut up and bring you back home. I'm sure I have a pill or two that could help." You stood up.
"Please don't shut up." He practically whimpered.
Maybe he should drink more often...
"Keep talking to me."
"Alright then... get up we're going home."
"Home..." he grinned to himself as he leaned against your shoulder, his eyes closed.
You held his arms.
"Am i too heavy?"
"You're just fine."
"Then why are you panting?"
"I ran here."
"You ran? To come get me?"
"Of course. Why do you keep getting surprised by me doing the bare minimum as a friend?" You chuckled.
"No one else I know would come running to my rescue before I can even hang up."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be. I've got you."
Your face turned red as you stayed silent.
"I told you to keep talking to me. Please, I like hearing your voice." He mumbled.
"I told you you were romantic."
"I'm not romantic, I'm just being honest."
"Alright Romeo. Where's your car?"
"In the parking space."
You found his car, grabbed his keys in his pocket and opened it. You gently sat him down on the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt.
"Done." You pulled away. "Are you comfortable?" You stared at him, waiting for a reply.
"..."
"Dawn? Does he sleep with his eyes open?"
"Have I told you how beautiful you are tonight, Juliette?"
"I see what you did there." You closed his door and got in the driver's seat. "Funny."
He groaned in pain as he held his waist and adjusted himself in his seat. He turned his head to you, leaned against the seat. "I'm not being funny. I'm being romantic."
You ignored his swoon-worthy comment and buckled your seatbelt.
"Wait. You're going to drive?" He snapped out of it. He seemed to switch from drunk to sober in between five minute intervals.
"I know how to drive. I just don't have a car."
"So why have a license?"
"Nor do I have a license." You pursed your lips.
"Y/N! This is dangerously illegal!"
"And you're dangerously drunk! Come on trust me, I swear I can drive. I wouldn't even be sitting here if I didn't. You know I'm a cautious person. Besides, my apartment complex isn't far from here."
He finally agreed.
"Careful. Don't hit your head on the coat rack behind you." You looked through your medicine box. "I have some Advil if you want."
"I'll take it."
You handed him a pill and a glass of water.
He swallowed it. "Thank you. I seriously can not even begin to imagine what would've happened if it weren't for you."
"Neither do I. You'd be swarmed with pretty ladies! Ah, misery..."
"I'm serious."
"So am I, Romeo."
"Don't call me that." He blushed.
"Don't call me Juliette then."
"I didn't call you Juliette."
"Yes you did, when you were drunk again earlier in the car."
"I wasn't drunk." He put the glass of water back on the counter and slightly inched closer to you. "And if you don't want me to call you Juliette, then fine."
Your heart rate increased significantly. "Good then..."
"You really do look beautiful tonight Y/N." He faintly smiled.
"I-"
And he fell on top of you.
Perfect timing. You thought to yourself.
"Alright big guy, let's get you to the-"
Living room? On the couch? Won't that be uncomfortable for someone who's drunk, has a headache and is gonna have a heavy hangover?
You sighed and dragged him to your bedroom.
He flinched slightly as you set him on the bed. "Sleep, you deserve it." You tucked him in and walked away to close your curtain blinds.
You went back next to him to turn off the night lamp on the night table. "Please don't have a bad hangover, okay?" You turned around to walk away.
"Sit next to me for a while."
"Oh. Did I wake you up? Sorry."
"Sit next to me."
You hesitated for a bit, but finally sat down. "You can't sleep alone?"
"I live alone. I sleep alone."
"That's not what I asked."
His eyes widened.
"I asked if you can't sleep alone."
"No I... I can't really."
"How come?" you turned to face him, resting your head against the palm of your hand.
"Well, I used to have a father, and a girlfriend who'd spend the night over almost everyday and if it weren't the case, I was the one going to her house. And even though my dad and I didn't sleep in the same bed, I could sleep knowing I had family in the house." He looked up to the ceiling. "Now I'm just alone."
"When was the last time you spent time with your girlfriend again?"
He hesitated on answering. "Eight years ago."
"Woah. That's... something. So have you been alone for eight years?"
How is she so... oblivious?? He asked himself.
"Seven actually. My dad died a year after she left me."
"And you haven't heard of her since then?"
"I did actually."
"Oh... really?" Your heart dropped.
They'll probably get back together and he won't be able to hang out with me anymore.
"So... why didn't you call her instead of me?"
"She uh..." he turned around, his back facing you. "She... she didn't want to talk to me last time I saw her again."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
No I'm not.
"It's fine."
"Didn't you say you had a brother though? That guy with blue hair. You can't be that lonely surely."
"We don't get along."
"Really? Didn't look like it."
"How? We were bickering the last time you saw us in the same room together."
"Well, that's what siblings do. They bicker."
"Not the way we do."
Silence filled the room.
Right. I should ask him.
"Dawn?"
"Mhm?"
"I know you said I should be patient, but I really can't stop thinking about what you wanted to tell me yesterday."
"Taking advantage of a poor drunk man to get him to spell his secrets, huh?"
"Don't take it out of context."
"Y/N, listen."
"I'm listening." You adjusted yourself and properly faced him
"I really can't tell you."
"Come on!"
"I'm serious. You'll hate me."
"No I won't."
He stared at you, unconvinced. His eyes narrowed.
"Fine. Don't tell me."
"It's better this way. Just wait please."
"Yeah okay... It's getting late. I should leave you be." You stood up and headed towards the door.
"Wait."
"Yes?" You turned around.
"Can you..."
"... Yes?"
He sighed. "Can you leave the door open?"
"Of course. I'll probably take the day off tomorrow which means I can stay up all night. So call me if you need anything."
"Thanks."
You smiled and left.
"Imagine telling someone you can't sleep alone because of trauma and they still leave you alone." He sighed.
You went to your kitchen to get yourself a glass of water.
Suddenly, you choked while drinking.
"SHIT! He just told me he couldn't sleep alone! How am I so stupid?!" You ran back to your bedroom.
"So you realized?" He chuckled.
"Please don't tell me you heard that."
"Hear what? I don't know what you're talking about." He grinned.
"Seriously!" You sat on the bed.
"What? I told you I didn't hear a thing."
"... really?" You glanced at him from the corner of your eye.
"Do you talk to yourself that often?" He whispered.
"Dawn!" You threw one of your pillows at his face. He held it against his face, like a shield. Ready for any more possible attacks.
"Whatever." You slid under the cover.
He finally lowered the pillow from his vision and looked at you. "Your pillows smell like you."
"I have a smell? And you know it?" You blushed.
He did too. "Sorry. I didn't mean it in a weird way. But yeah, you smell like... like walking in a library when you need to clear your mind, or a flower shop when when you're in a good mood. Or finally coming home after a hard day. I can't really explain it."
"That's oddly specific. Maybe it's a perfume i wear that you smelled in a library and a flower shop?" You rationally explained, in contrast to your heart pacing.
"No. I'm talking about your natural scent. You smell like the perfect thing that happens to you at the perfect time." He looked into your eyes, not stuttering at all.
Your cheeks turned pink. "Well, you also have a natural scent."
"Really?"
"Yes. You smell like firewood with a little bit of vanilla."
"I have a fireplace at home. It's pretty big."
"That's cool. You should bring me over to see it some time."
"I would love to-" he suddenly froze.
I can't bring her home. She'll automatically know who I am.
"What about the vanilla smell?"
"Pardon?"
"You explained the firewood smell but not the vanilla one."
"Oh, that one I don't know."
"You're so lucky. I'd kill to have vanilla as my natural scent."
"Then stay closer to me more often. Maybe it'll rub off on you."
Is he even aware of what he's saying right now...
"I never, ever, ever thought you'd be this talkative." You stated.
"What?"
"I don't know. Our first conversations were so tense and awkward. And now you're literally half drunk in my bed talking about firewood and vanilla." You laughed.
"I'm surprised you're not as mean and scary as I thought you were."
"ME?! I could never!"
"I'm not sure about that."
"Dawn!"
"I mean, when you want to..."
"Alright that's enough. Just go to sleep already." You reached to turned off the night table lamp, hovering over him in the process. "Oh my god, I forgot to change. Whatever, it's fine. I'm not going to sleep right now."
"You're not?"
"Nope. I'm going to bore you to sleep with my rambling and then go back to the couch."
"Oh. I thought you were going to... nevermind."
"Dawn, I understand you may have trouble. But I can't sleep in the same bed as you. That's just... that's just too-"
"Weird?"
"Kind of. But not in a rude way. It's just that I don't really feel comfortable sleeping in the same bed with a man who I'm not romantically engaged with." You explained.
"Yeah. I... I understand." He sighed "But you said I was romantic earlier didn't you?"
"Oh, not this again!" You laughed again.
You talked him to sleep. It was almost the contrary because you struggled to stay awake.
"Goodnight." You adjusted the blanket on him.
You staggered on your way out of the bed.
As long as I don't fall asleep in the same bed.
"Y/N. Please sleep with me."
"You're still awake?!" You abruptly turned around.
But his eyes were closed. Sleep talking? Half-consciousness? Alcohol side effects? Whatever it was, your heart was racing at his scandalous request.
"I can't..."
"Please sleep next to me."
I'll just sit for five minutes.
"Alright. Not too long though."
He stayed silent and went back to sleeping.
You layed down.
Please don't fall asleep. Please don't fall asleep. Please don't fall asleep.
So, uh, you fell asleep.
Your eyelids fluttered open slowly.
"Good morning sleepy head." Dawn sat on the bed, his back facing you. He turned his head to the side to glance at you.
"Oh my god! I fell asleep here. I'm so sorry. I didn't do anything weird right?!"
"Y/N... you..." he clicked his tongue.
"I WHAT?!" You shouted.
"You look like a baby when you sleep." He chuckled.
You sat up and slightly shoved his shoulder. "You're not funny! Seriously."
"Did you sleep like that?" He scanned your upper body, his back still facing you and his head still peeking from the side.
You froze and slowly looked down.
"Oh. I forgot to change out of my clothes."
"Do you mind if I take a shower quickly?"
"Go ahead but please lock the door this time."
"And please knock." He stood up from the bed, ruffling his hair while yawning. "I'll be back." And he closed the door.
"No way. Is this... what it feels like to be a couple living together?" You put your hand over your red face.
I could definitely get used to it...
You headed to the kitchen to make yourselves something to eat.
As soon as you finished, you knocked on the bathroom door. "You done yet? I need to take a shower too."
"Almost. Just give me a moment."
"Alright."
I swear to god he'd better not be jerking off in there or anything.
You drew your mouth closer to the door crack "No funny buisness-"
The door swinged wide open and you were met with his exposed pectorals.
"Your robe is a bit small but it fits me, no?"
You slowly looked up.
"No funny buisness? I can't believe you'd think so low of me."
"You never know."
"Alright. That's... enough." He put his hand over your mouth and looked down, his face red.
You just stood there and stared at him.
Your black robe was a bit small on him- shorter sleeves, shorter length overall- but it surprisingly fit him very well.
And since it was quite small, the arm he had extended to cover your mouth was pulling on the robe quite a bit. Which meant that... you know...
You stared at his pectorals.
He looked down quickly and realized. "I'm... sorry."
"Relax. It's just your chest."
"Your robe is a bit small on me so it just-"
"It really does fit your small waist huh."
"... small.. waist?"
"Yeah, you're ripped but you have a small waist. Have you thought about modeling?"
"I already model." He dried his hair off with a white towel.
"Really?! That explains why there were so many girls chasing after you the day we met!"
"I'm surprised you still remember that."
"Of course I would. It's the day we met." The corners of your mouth quirked up.
He stared at you, lips parted and eyes widened.
He cleared his throat "Okay, well... you can take your shower now."
"No I can't because you took my robe."
"Can't you use another big towel?"
"That's... embarassing." You looked away, flushed. "I can't do that."
"Relax. It's just your chest." He imitated you and walked into your bedroom to change.
"YOU-! It's not the same for a woman."
"I'm all for gender equality." He chuckled.
"That's not how it works!"
"Yes it is." He closed your door behind him.
"Wait why are you going in my room?!" You tried opening the door. "Change in the bathroom!" You shouted in the door crack.
"Too late." He whispered back.
Too late? Does he mean that... NO!
"Do not tell me you're naked right now."
"..."
"Good god I have a naked model in my bedroom."
"Your lucky day."
"How lucky can one truly be if they can not profit of their luck?"
"Fine. You got me there. You win." You heard him twist the door knob.
"WAIT NO!-" you put your face in your hands.
He swung the door open.
"Close the door! You're getting way too comfortable." You turned around and crouched, your face into your knees.
You could hear him laugh.
He picked you up swiftly. "AH!" You shouted, squeezing your eyes shut.
Wait... fabric?
You slowly opened your eyes.
"So? Have you profited of your luck yet?"
"Put me down! You really scared me. I thought you were butt naked for a second."
"Why? is there a problem with that?" He grinned.
"Yes there is. Now put me down."
"Yes ma'am." He put you down.
"Now come on, I made breakfast."
•
•
•
"Thank you so much again."
"After that whole thing you pulled, this might just be the last time you come here."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to force you to sleep in the same bed as me."
"Oh. No that's not what I'm talking about. I was talking about you changing in my room and making me think you were naked."
"Oh, then I'm not sorry."
"WHAT?!"
He fixed your hair. "You are incredibly lovely when irritated."
"Ha ha." You mocked. "Now leave already."
"Alright, alright. I'll leave now."
"Bye!"
"Wait one last thing. Is your café open today?"
"No. Day off. Why?"
"Perfect. I'll call you later so I can give you more tips on business managing."
"Sounds good. But I'm afraid that might not be until very late because someone decided to use my robe and it needs to dry."
He sighed while smiling. "Goodbye. See you later."
"Yeah. Bye." You closed the door.
Since when was he so playful? Has he gotten more comfortable with me...?
You smiled at the thought.
-♡-