hiii,
could i please get a fic for melissa schemmenti with this promt from the list that you reblogged:
"I still can't believe you fell in love with me." "Yeah, me neither."
with reader being the one saying that to melissa.
please and thank you so much.
So I couldn’t quite settle on one idea for this one, so it turned into a series of little ficlets (or are they drabbles?) Also, full disclosure, I do not speak Italian so apologies if the tiny phrase included feels out of place or is inaccurate (I used Google).
95% fluff (but with reference to drunk reader, so sorry if you’re not comfortable with that)
*
You’re sitting on the worktop in Melissa’s kitchen, a cup of tea cradled in your hands. It’s Saturday morning and with nowhere to be, and nowhere else you want to be, you’re being treated to the ever more familiar sight of the red head moving around her kitchen as she makes you both breakfast. She still sports marvellous bed hair, and wears nothing but a sleep shirt and her underwear. It’s a glorious sight to behold.
You’d offered to help, but didn’t put up too much of a fight when Melissa settled you on the worktop, pressing a kiss to your lips and cup of tea into your hand. Her kitchen is her happy place. Everything is set up just the way she likes it and when she cooks it’s like a well-rehearsed dance. It’s a joy to watch, and it warms your heart that she lets you.
“I still can’t believe you fell in love with me,” you say, barely registering you’ve said it out loud.
“Yeah, me neither, kid,” she replies, not even looking away from the cooker. “I mean, the unicorn onesie was one thing, but those…” she gestures at you with her spatula.
You look down at your pyjamas, grinning. You happened to like the rainbows, doughnuts and flying cats combo.
*
“I still can’t believe you fell in love with me.”
You turn at the softly spoken words, finding Melissa looking at you with a smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, me neither,” you smirk. “What with the warm, welcome reception I got when we first met.”
“You spilled coffee on me!” she shrieks. “What was I meant to do? Say thank you?”
You laugh, shifting to lay your head on her shoulder as you both watch Barb and Gerald dance slowly together. They were renewing their vows. It was a beautiful day dedicated to a beautiful couple. It was also the first formal event you had attended as Melissa’s girlfriend. “If I remember right I paid for your dry cleaning and covered your lunch duty for a week.”
“Yeah, you also asked Barb where my favourite coffee shop was and brought me coffee that whole week too,” she reminds you warmly.
“What can I say,” you smile, turning to press a kiss against her skin. “I aim to please. And I had to get into your good books somehow.”
“Hmmm, yeah, you’re just lucky you’re cute.”
You sit up, turning to look at her. “Did you think I was cute then?”
She raises an eyebrow. “When you were practically feeling me up under the guise of helping me get the stain off?”
At least you have the good grace to blush.
She smirks. “Yeah, I did.” She slides an arm around your waist, letting you lean into her as she drops her voice and speaks softly into your ear. “I would ask what you thought of me but I think we both remember that little slip of the tongue.”
“I said the coffee was hot!”
A filthy chuckle falls from red painted lips. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Hon.”
*
“I still can’t believe you fell in love with me,” you slur as you lean into Melissa, who at this point is supporting most of your weight in your drunken state.
“Yeah, me neither,” quips Melissa. “Hold these,” she tells you, waiting for you to take hold of the heels you were too drunk to walk in before she opens your handbag and fishes out your keys. She was already beginning to regret her offer to pick you up after a girls’ night out with your friends.
You smile at her adoringly as she unlocks the door and ushers you inside. With the door closed behind you she props you up against the wall as she relieves you once again of your shoes before setting to work on your coat.
She dodges your attempt at a kiss. “Kitchen. You’re eating something and getting a drink of water before you even think about going to bed.”
With her hands firmly on your hips, manoeuvring you in the right direction, you make it. “What would I do without you?” you ask as she folds you into a chair at your small kitchen table.
“Break your ankle in those shoes and fall asleep in the gutter?” she offers as she pours you a glass of water and throws some bread in the toaster. Coming back to stand in front of you she presses the glass into your hand. “Drink.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” you reply, throwing in a poorly coordinated two finger salute that gains you a raised eyebrow.
Shaking her head, Melissa leaves you to drink your water as she butters your toast before bringing it over to the table. She sits in the spare seat, her expression softening as she takes in the adoring smile being aimed at her.
“I love you,” you tell her as you put down your now empty glass.
“I love you, too,” she replies without hesitation.
“Even like this?”
A soft smile spreads across her lips. “Yes, il mio asinello, even like this.”
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First Meeting at Fennel Fields
AO3 Link
——————————————————————————————
Pairing: Adrian Chase x Agender!OC (Rue Iqbal)
Rating: 13+
Summary:
Rue Iqbal, who recently moved to the town of Evergreen, stopped by at Fennel Fields to enjoy a meal when they made a potential romantic connection with the cute busboy, Adrian Chase.
A/N: This is part 1 of the series, Star Blossom. Stay tuned for part 2
It was a cold, late afternoon, with light gray clouds and a glint of sunlight in the sky. Driving in a silver car, Rue Iqbal admired the quaint town of Evergreen, with rows of mom-and-pop shops attached together and small trees and shrubs planted in every corner of the sidewalks, their light green leaves slowly fading into dark orange, reflecting the beginning of the autumn season. Their face was drenched with sweat and makeup and their ribbons loose from both sides of their curly hair. Wearing a light blue knitted vest with a slightly crumpled shirt and flared midi skirt, their Mary Jane shoes that Rue polished early in the morning had lost its shine, along with their white stockings that turned gray.
Despite their favorite song, La Vie En Rose, playing on the radio, Rue’s head was throbbing with slight pain and their right eye felt heavy, their left eye covered with eyepatch. But with their last meal after their mid-afternoon prayer, Rue’s stomach rumbled for hours, forcing them to drive to a nearby restaurant and eat as much as their heart desired. If they had the option, they craved a large paratha with thick, spicy mutton curry and a side of pakoras, just like how their paternal grandmother made them years ago.
Unfortunately, grandmother isn’t here to cook their favorite food, let alone comfort their heavy heart and dried tears. They’re on their own, in a new place, without anyone by their side.
Parking their car in front of a restaurant called Fennel Fields, Rue stared at their reflection in their rearview and touched up on their makeup and hair, before spraying an ocean-scented perfume on their bare neck. Taking a deep breath, they emerged from their vehicle with their light blue handbag and approached the restaurant their co-workers raved about earlier. The interior of the restaurant was painted with warm yellow that harmonized with the mild lighting and toasty surroundings, and the scent of Bolognese sauce and fresh rosemary welcomed the only customer.
All the seats were vacant, with saucers and a set of forks and knives placed on top of serviettes. Rue noticed that there were only a few staff on duty, and focused their gaze towards the round clock hanging in the middle, which was half-past five. As Rue glanced at the freshly mopped wooden floor, the restaurant hostess approached them with a warm smile on her face and a menu in her hands.
“Welcome to Fennel Fields,” she greeted. “Are you here to dine in or takeout?”
“I’m here to dine-in,” they replied in a cordial manner.
“Alright, miss, right this way,” she said, as she led them to their seat, which was a table with only two chairs and a painting of a willow tree on their right.
“Thank you,” Rue said, as they sat down and hung their handbag behind them.
“You’re welcome, miss,” she responded, handing them the menu. “Feel free to take your time to browse through the menu and ring the bell once you’re ready to order.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” they said, browsing through the menu, hoping the restaurant had options for vegans and vegetarians, just like what their co-workers claimed. They were right, because there is a vegan section on the menu, which is completely plant-based. Five minutes later, Rue rang the bell and a waitress approached her table, with a notebook in her hands.
“I’ll have a Caprese salad with a strawberry Italian soda,” Rue stated, as the waitress wrote it down on their notebook.
“Will that be all?” she asked. “A Caprese salad with a strawberry Italian soda?”
“That will be all,” they affirmed, handing her the menu. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem, miss.”
As the waitress left, Rue leaned against their seat and as they listened to the tranquil music in the background and turned to a simple willow tree painting on their right, sinking deep into their thoughts. They couldn’t help noticing the yellowish-greenish colors that were used for the leaves, along with the shadow that casts underneath it with light gray colors. Rue remembered the willow tree in the park one sunny day, where they used to sit whenever they felt like their burdens were too heavy for them to carry on their back and weeped without shame and guilt from people around them. With orange butterflies fluttering and the scent of nectars in the air, it was the perfect way to feel home.
But they weren’t home anymore. They’re in Evergreen, where there’s no sight of enormous skyscrapers and the mysterious green forest loomed at the edge of the town.
Before delving further into the new town, the waitress returned with their Caprese salad and a glass of strawberry Italian soda, bringing them back into the present. Rue thanked the waitress and glanced at their meal, which consists of fresh tomato slices, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and a hint of black pepper. It may not be vegan, but last they checked, mozzarella cheese did not contain rennet, hence, it was safe for them to eat. As they took a bite of their meal, they tasted the tanginess of the tomato and mozzarella slices mixed together with the pungent taste of basil. With the balancing flavor of the olive oil and black pepper, Rue’s eyes widened as they glanced at their meal, taking another bite and stuffing it in their mouth, satisfying their hunger.
They then took a sip of their strawberry Italian soda with a red-striped straw, and sighed in relief at the sweet taste of the fresh strawberries that were mixed with the bubbly club soda and the cooling ice cube that refreshed their body, despite the cold mist fogging the restaurant’s window. Despite the fog, however, Rue pictured the golden leaf that blew towards their bedroom window early in the morning, resembling the ones that were scattered near the willow tree. The street sweeper usually piled them up into a mini mountain, and Rue used to jump towards the pile and let the leaves rain towards their giggling face, until the sweeper showed up and cursed at them.
That was years ago when they were still in high school. As their mind flies towards their past, they did not notice the busboy approaching their table, who had been admiring their beauty since the moment they stepped foot into Fennel Fields.
“Excuse me, miss,” a busboy asked, carrying a jug of strawberry Italian soda. “Do you want a refill of your drink?”
Rue focused their attention towards the busboy who was standing in front of them and traced their eyes from his head to his toned forearms, all the way to his leather black shoes, which looked almost worn out. Wearing a red cap with matching shirt and a beige apron, his bespectacled eyes reminded Rue of a forest at night, which complimented with his porcelain skin and dimpled smile. Rue could only sip their soda as they admired the handsome busboy sitting in front of them, who resembled one of those main leads in a Korean drama, except for the fact that he was clearly a white man whose age they could not guess. But if they had to bet, the busboy looked like he was either in his late 20s or in his early 30s, though not more than 31.
Their eyes then moved towards his name tag on his apron before nodding in response. “I would love that, Adrian, thank you.”
He rapidly blinked at Rue’s response, gripping on the jug’s handle. “How did you know my name?”
“It’s on your name tag,” they pointed out, much to his relief.
“That makes sense,” he chuckled, as he poured their drink into their glass. “Though it feels weird that a customer would refer to a busboy or a busgirl or a busser by their names, since we mostly do the dirty work that the waiters don’t dare.”
“Yeah, bussers have to carry stacks of dirty dishes and refill drinks, which is really tiring. Like, I remember carrying 15 dirty dishes from one table and both my arms and legs were super sore.”
“Wait, you were a busser as well?”
“Yeah, it was my first job back in high school. Whenever school finished, I worked from around 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and then woke up for school at 6, and then the pattern repeated.”
“I know that feeling,” he empathized with their experience as he leaned closer to their ears to whisper. “Not to mention you’re underpaid, a lot.”
Rue’s eyes widened as Adrian whispered in her ears, though they understood that he could not say it openly at his workplace since it might get him fired, or worse. Speaking of the workplace, Rue realized that they may have been taking loads of Adrian’s time, since he was still on duty right now.
“You should head back to work,” they reminded him. “I don’t think your boss would be happy to see you mingling with a customer.”
“Please, you’re the only one here,” he snorted, as he took a seat and placed the jug on the table, facing Rue. “Besides, I was really bored and there’s nothing much I can do anyway, aside from wiping the table, which I’ve done that for like a hundred times.”
Rue burst into laughter. “You talk to customers when you’re bored?”
“Nah, I usually would be sitting in the back and listening to music, but since you’re here all alone, I thought you could use some company anyway, since you look lonely and all.”
“I appreciate that,” they replied. “So how long have you worked here?”
“Pretty long, I guess,” he shrugged, looking upwards. “Probably around a year or two. Or maybe three. I don’t know. I’m bad at math. Anyway, let’s talk about you. What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a high school chemistry teacher. Today’s my first day of teaching at Evergreen High School. Ever heard of it?”
“Oh my gosh, yes, of course I heard of it. I used to go there, along with my older brother and my best friend, who’s close with my older brother,” his eyes brightened, reminiscing his past to Rue. “If I could remember, Mr. White was my chemistry teacher, until he got killed by a drug lord, which I’m not sure how to feel, since chemistry isn’t my favorite subject and also the fact that I zoned out at every one of his classes.”
“So you and your older brother and your best friend, who’s close with your older brother, were alumni of that school?” they recapped, feeling goosebumps on their skin on Mr. White’s death. “Well, that explains why the superintendent hired me immediately after the interview.”
“I’m not surprised,” he shrugged. “A lot of teachers are leaving the profession, which I don’t blame them, since the pay is low and students can be dickheads sometimes. Are your students a bunch of dickheads?”
“So far, they seemed fine,” they laughed with amusement. “Though it’s too early to judge, since it’s only the first day.”
“That’s totally understandable,” Adrian let out a pleasant laugh, before proceeding to dig through their history. “So if you don’t mind me asking, where are you from, cause I’ve never seen you around town before, so yeah…”
“Well, I was born and raised in Malaysia, but I came to America when I was fourteen,” they explained, releasing a shallow sigh. “I lived in Kane City for eight years, which was famous for their willow trees, until I decided to move to Evergreen, where I’ve only been here for two days.”
“That’s a lot of moving,” he remarked. “So you must be a city girl, right?”
Rue chuckled in response, much to his confusion. “Did I say anything wrong?”
“I’m not sure how to say this, but I’m not a girl,” they clarified, pressing their hands together. “I’m actually agender, which means I don’t identify with any gender at all. Basically, I’m genderless, so yeah…”
“I am so sorry about that,” he babbled, aghast at his own behavior. “I should have asked before assuming your gender, which I did, and now I think I made things awkward between us.”
“No worries about that,” Rue assured him. “I get that a lot.”
“It’s still not an excuse to misgender you, though,” he looked down on the table, avoiding their eyes, before clearing his throat. “Anyway, to make things less awkward, what pronouns do you use?”
“I go by they, them, ze and zir,” they answered. ‘What about you? What pronouns do you go by?”
“I go by he and him pronouns, and I’m also a cis male, just to clear up the confusion between the both of us.”
“Alright, looks like we’ve cleared up the air,” they clapped their hands once. “So, how long did you stay in Evergreen?”
“Since I was born, which was practically my whole life,” he answered, gazing at Rue’s right eye. “I never left Evergreen, and I don’t think I ever will. I mean, I know it can be boring and all, with nothing much happening in this town, except for the fact that we were almost invaded by a bunch of butterflies, which I obviously have nothing to do with, but otherwise, there’s nothing much here except for a few crimes here and there.”
“Honestly, I would rather be almost invaded by a bunch of butterflies than to deal with corrupt cops and some billionaire who tried to poison our rivers,” Rue chortled. “Besides, butterflies are beneficial to the ecosystem since they contribute to our food production.”
“Yeah, of course,” he laughed nervously, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “Those butterflies are definitely beneficial to the ecosystem, alright. Anyway, let’s talk about your home country, Malaysia, since I’ve never heard about it before, so yeah, what’s it like down there?”
“From what I remembered, I would hang out at the esplanade with my friends while admiring the ocean up close, along with the blue sky above. I also remembered the alleyways with artworks of children riding on the bicycle and playing on the swing. I also remembered enjoying swimming in the river near my grandparent’s house and the water would be freezing cold, despite the immense heat outside. Oh, there’s also a rice field nearby as well, and it’s a beautiful sight when it’s being harvested.”
“It sounded like paradise.”
“It did, actually,” they smiled sadly. “If only I could stay there forever.”
“Do you miss your home country?”
“Yeah, I do miss Malaysia a lot,” they sighed. “I could come back there, but I’m not sure whether I would recognize it since everything changed for the past eight years.”
“Well, you know what they say, if you’ve been away from home for too long, you end up becoming a foreigner when you return home.”
Rue nodded as they stared distantly at their drink, contemplating Adrian’s words. Their memories of their eight years old self enjoying a strawberry ice ball replayed in their mind like a rolling film camera. They were sitting all alone in an open-air shop and counted every trishaw that rode past them on the quiet streets. The shopkeeper knew their parents well. Whenever Rue came to his shop, he always smiled and talked to them in their native language. Rue would love to go back to those moments, but they no longer live there anymore, nor speak their native language that their parents and teachers from her old school had taught. Even if they go back, they would no longer be the same little girl that everyone recognized.
“Everything alright, Rue?” Adrian interrupted their thoughts, his brows wrinkled. “You seemed sad.”
“Yeah, I’m alright,” they insisted, grinning from ear-to-ear. “I was just taking a trip down to memory lane, that’s all.”
“Is it something I said, cause if it is, I’m really sorry about that.”
Rue shook their head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Adrian. It’s just that I realized that I forgot how to speak Malay, which I used to be super fluent along with English, but since coming here, I could only converse in English, Japanese and Korean, which is embarrassing, cause I made an effort to learn Japanese and Korean but somehow I didn’t do the same with Malay, which was the language my parents and my grandparents and the rest of my ancestors have spoken, even during the colonial eras. So yeah, you’re right. If I returned to Malaysia, I’ll feel more like an American tourist instead of a Malaysian who returned home.”
Adrian can’t imagine losing the ability to speak his native tongue, but listening to Rue’s cries on forgetting the language that their ancestors have spoken made his heart ache. They would insist that everything seemed fine, but he noticed their suppression of tears through their right eye, since the other eyes were covered with an eye patch. He wondered how they lost half of their sight in the first place, though it’s not the right time to ask about it.
“It must be painful forgetting a language you used to be fluent in,” he empathized in a softer tone. “And I’m sure it hurts to feel disconnected from your home country and its culture. But I’m confident that it is never too late to re-learn the Malay language and reconnect with your culture. It definitely won’t be easy, but I’m sure it will be a healing journey for you and your family, if you’re still in touch with them, of course. Are you still in touch with your family?.”
“Unfortunately, no, but you’re still right,” they smiled at Adrian. “It’s never too late to re-learn the Malay language and reconnect with my culture. After all, we persevered through the colonial era and the Japanese occupation during World War II, so I don’t think I’ll give up anytime soon.”
“That’s the spirit,” he cheered, as he noticed their blue handbag hanging on the chair. “Is that a Kate Spade you got there?”
“How did you know?” they gasped, grabbing their handbag.
“It’s the leather for me, cause it’s made of crossgrain calf leather, which is the least expensive kind of leather and also more durable than the regular soft leather, perfect for carrying loads of stuff like files and books, since that’s what teachers usually carry all the time.”
Rue raised their eyebrows as they leaned towards him while still clutching on their handbag. “You have such eyes for details. Does anyone ever tell you that?”
“No, people just call me stupid and clueless, which is actually true, since I can’t tell who’s being sarcastic and I also don’t feel emotions like people do.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
Adrian shook his head. “No, it’s true. People always tell me that I’m dumb and that I talk too much, which is also true as well.”
Rue blinked at his statement, wondering whether he was pulling their leg. Surely, a man who accurately guessed the brand of their handbag would not be stupid, clueless, and dumb. As for the emotion part, Adrian makes them feel like they’re talking to a close friend that they’ve known for years instead of a stranger they just met an hour ago.
“What makes you think that you’re stupid and clueless?” they asked, tilting their head to their right.
“Well, one time, I noticed my best friend was really occupied with work and all, so I decided to help him do his laundry. Unfortunately, I may have used the wrong detergent, so his clothes pretty much turned pink. Understandably, he got mad and he wouldn’t allow me in his trailer for two weeks, so yeah.”
Rue burst out laughing that they almost choked on their saliva, before clearing their throat and straightening their posture. “I don’t think I can consider you being stupid, since I also accidentally turned one of my white dresses pink. But honestly, at least I could wear that dress, since most of my clothes are blue and white.”
“I threw my best friend's phone out of the car, thinking it was trackable, but his dad found him anyway because of his helmet. I realize now that it was a dumb thing to do.”
“Wait, helmets are trackable?” Rue bit their cheeks in thought.
“Well, my best friend’s helmet was trackable since his dad specially built it, and his dad is a racist nutjob, which you shouldn’t worry about, since he’s dead and I definitely have no part in his death, so yeah.”
“Okay then, that’s good to know,” Rue nodded. “So, you mentioned you have an older brother, right?”
“Yeah, I did,” he replied with a grin. “His name is Gut, and he’s like way older than me, like 13 years older, and he was alright. We only see each other during the holidays, since he has his own life and all.”
“Huh, it must be nice having a big brother. How about the rest of your family? Are you close with them as well?”
“Kind of, I mean, I only see them during the holidays, so yeah, it’s all good, I guess.”
Rue hummed in agreement as they stole a quick glance of the time. It was already 6.30 p.m. It dawned on them just how swiftly the past hour and a half had flown by, their conversation flowing seamlessly and effortlessly. Yet, Rue was hit with their most important part of their everyday obligations, which was their daily prayers. In 20 minutes, their next prayer would start, though they can’t bear the weight of leaving Adrian all alone, despite their short but captivating connection they had shared earlier.
Letting out a resigned sigh, Rue took out a piece of a blue memo pad and a Sharpie from their handbag, puzzling Adrian with their unexpected action.
“Everything okay, Rue?”
“I would love to stay and chat with you longer, but I just realized that my next prayer starts in 20 minutes, which I can’t be late to, so will it be okay if I give you my phone number instead?
Adrian’s eyes sparkled as Rue handed him their phone number on a blue memo pad, which had an ocean scent attached to it. It’s not every day a pretty person like Rue would give their phone number to him. He felt like floating in the air as angels surrounded him with their soulful opera.
“Of course you can,” he grinned, folding the piece of paper inside his pocket. “I would definitely call you, after you’re done with your prayers. By the way, what time is your last prayer, cause I don’t want to disturb you while praying, you know.”
“You can call me at 9,” they suggested, getting up from their seat. “I’ll be done by then.”
“Sure thing, I’ll definitely call you at 9,” he got up with them. “I can’t wait to continue our conversations together.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Rue winked, before realizing that they only had one eye, prompting them to turn around and ignore his soft laugh behind them. “Just don’t be late.”
“See you soon, Rue,” Adrian waved as he watched them leave Fennel Fields. Looking down at the phone number that they gave earlier, he paced out of the restaurant through the back door and performed his signature dance move at the empty alleyway, not giving a fuck whether his co-workers were staring at him weirdly.
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