#francis lionel delbuchi x reader fluff

[melis-writes]

My Way Home is Through You [Francis Lionel Delbuchi x Reader Oneshot].

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18+ fluff and smut read.

“If this is any indicator for how our future is going to go, then I want it." / "I learned how and when to let go of things I loved even that much."

Pittsburgh, 1973. Never would it have occurred to you that you'd meet the now love of your life–Francis Lionel Delbuchi–out of pure chance at work. Bringing a new sense of vibrancy and light to your life, you get to know the ex-sailor and new carwash co-owner, and can't help but find yourself falling in love with Lion and the world around you all over again. As you come to learn more about the man whose all smiles, his intentions pure and his behavior always joyful, your relationship blossoms further and the two of you are unable to stop seeing each other. This is your story of how you met your boyfriend Lion, and where the two of you would take one another and your relationship after years of loneliness, and with Lion wanting to give love a chance with you and you only.

[WARNINGS]: Heavy fluff / miscarriage mention / lovemaking smut.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE]: My very first Scarecrow fic is finally here!! 🤗❤ A loving, fluff filled, romantic oneshot of Francis Lionel Delbuchi x Reader! 😍 This is first of two more oneshots continuing on your love story with Lion and dedicated to my lovely mutual @rosesloveletters who not only inspired me to write, but to me is always Mrs. Delbuchi. 🥰🙏🏻 I love the film and love Lion so much and just he knew deserves to be in a romantic, fun and loving oneshot that the reader gets to experience with him. 🥺🤞🏻 It's worth mentioning in this fic the AU is that six months have passed since Lion and Max opened up their carwash business in Pittsburgh (they reside there as well), and that this fic continues after all the canon events of the actual film. The only difference is that Annie (Lion's ex-wife) actually had a miscarriage, and Lion wasn't beaten by Riley. I can't wait to hear everyone's feedback on it!! Enjoy! ✨

June, 1973, Pittsburgh.

You met your now-husband Francis Lionel Delbuchi on a day that would otherwise be just a normal routine for you. 

It was just past the three-year mark that you’d been working as a waitress at Sunrise Diner since you moved to Pittsburgh. 

Before you met Francis there,the guests and families you were used to seeing and serving consisted of just about everyone except kids since the 24/7 open diner also meant an open bar too.

Most of the those who came to eat at Sunrise Diner were those working in the city, but the occasional handful of tourists, sometimes whole families, and lone stragglers but Sunrise Diner has always done very well, serving homemade comfort food and the most variety of alcohol you’d find at a diner, to begin with.

As a waitress, you make $3.60 an hour, and other than taking orders, bringing out food and drinks, and taking payment, your duties also include cleaning up tables and any other housekeeping chores that may be needed to lend a helping hand around the diner.

Working at a diner wasn’t exactly your end goal since you moved to Pittsburgh in hopes to attend university, but once you arrived and fully settled into your new apartment, you found yourself deciding to continue saving up.

Maybe you’ll travel first and enjoy yourself a little before really sitting down to figure out what you want to do—no rush included. 

It’s also convenient for you to live just ten minutes away from the diner from the cozy sublet you rent.

Work has otherwise always been a breeze almost exclusively due to your coworkers; for once compared to the other jobs you’ve had in the past, your coworkers are like family in the sense they’re compassionate, selfless, and easy to get along with; not to mention that Sunrise Diner is a family-owned business after all.

Your family lives back in Detroit where you were born and raised—pretty much lived in your entire life, so being able to work for six to eight hours a day amongst folks you’d also call your second family with good pay has always had you grateful.

Working just like you would any other day, this Saturday afternoon is a rare one to go by so slow, so you preoccupy yourself by polishing some shot glasses by the bar.

The little bell on the front door of the diner chimes, signaling new guests have entered but you usually don’t raise your gaze until you can sense they’re either walking directly towards the bar to day drink or they find themselves at an empty table and are ready to order.

Of course, when a loud, rambling drunk guest comes in or someone whose clearly there to make trouble, that’s a different story, but this time you can’t help but look up out of boredom from your shift.

Across from you are two gentlemen; one in his mid-twenties and the other in his late thirties from what you can tell.

The younger man is dressed in a lightly knitted, navy sweater pulled over the top of an otherwise wrinkled-looking blue dress shirt. He wears flared, brown corduroy jeans and black and white sneakers with a black beanie over his tousled hair.

The older man next to him wears a brown beret, a matching wool overcoat, and at least three more layers of multi-colored clothes from what you can tell over a pair of black trousers.

From what you can tell just by observing the new guests for a few seconds, the two men look to be good friends with one another.

Just as they’ve entered, Lion and Max were still laughing through a joke Max cracked on their way to the diner about how hungry he’s been—grinning and chuckling as they push through the doors.

The diner today is in normal capacity with average guests otherwise, just making small talk and enjoying their meals amidst Lion and Max basically being a breath of fresh air and not so dull and quiet.

“Hey, how about this one?” Max points to an empty table by the window to your right. “Not too far from the bar and I can finally avoid the sun’s damn rays. I know I’ll need a drink in just a second.”

“Yeah, that looks like a good spot.” Lion agrees with him, following Max and sitting down across from him at the empty table.

Noticing the new customers sitting down and getting ready to order, you set down the shot glasses you’re polishing back underneath the bar counter.

You pick up two menus next to the shot glass stack and walk out from behind the bar and over to the two gentlemen’s table, approaching them with a warm smile. “Hi, welcome to Sunrise Diner.”

“Hello,” Max says back to you politely as you set a menu in front of him and Lion at the same time.

“Hi.” Francis greets you with a smile. 

You reach into your apron, pulling out your notepad and a shortened pencil. “My name’s Rose and I’ll be your waitress today. Can I get you gentlemen started off with some drinks?”

“Yes, please.” Max lets out a drawn-out sigh, leaning back in his seat. “Let me get the best beer you guys got.”

“Me too, with a glass of water, please.” Lion orders as well.

“Absolutely.” You nod, jotting both of their drink orders down as Lion and Max redirect their attention back to their menus at hand.

You slip your notepad back into the pocket of your apron, returning over to the bar, and pulling open the minibar fridge. 

You take out two cans of the best-selling beer the diner has and set them down next to an empty tray on the bar counter. You take three tall glasses from the side of the shot glasses, emptying the beer into them before disposing of the cans in the recycling bin and filling the third glass with ice cold water—adding a few cubes of ice.

With two glasses of beer and one of the water ordered, you set them over the tray at hand before returning back to Max and Lion’s table.

You notice Max has put down his menu and is ready to order already, but Lion continues to take a closer look.

“Here you are, two beers and a glass of water.” You set down a glass of beer in front of Max then Lion’s beer with his water—catching his attention.

“Thank you.” Francis beams up at you from his menu, causing you to blush a little.

“You’re welcome.” You smile back shyly, holding the empty tray between your arm as you grab your notepad and pencil out again.

“Alright, I’m ready to order.” Max pats his hand over his closed menu, “Lion’s gonna take a little while longer if that’s alright.”

‘Lion?’ 

“Hope you don’t mind.” Francis’ eyes still haven’t left yours.

“Not at all, please take your time. We have a lot to choose from.” You reassure him, gesturing down to the menus.

“In that case,” Max clears his throat. “I’ll have the steak and eggs with a side of bacon, please.”

“Oh—hold on.” Lion chimes in before setting his menu down. “I think I’ll just have a slice of shepherd’s pie, please.”

“Sure, of course.” You write down both the order for steak and eggs with bacon and Lion’s order of shepherd’s pie. 

“Here…” Francis takes Max’s menu, stacking it on top of his neatly before handing them up to you.

“Thank you.” You beam, taking the menu as you put your notepad and pencil back into your apron, balancing it overtop of the empty tray. “The food should be ready in about ten minutes.”

Max and Lion both thank you as you walk off with the menus and drink tray, setting them at the back of the bar counter before tearing off the sheet in your notepad with their order.

You make your way to the back of the diner and into the kitchen, sliding the note over to the cook with a smile. “New order.”

“Comin’ right up.” The cook calls out, taking the piece of paper.

You check the watch over your arm, noting the time as you turn back on your heel and head back towards the bar while the food cooks. 

‘Other than these two coming in today, it’s been kinda slow.’ Then again, you’ve always liked it this way.

You sigh softly in relief as you lean your back against the bar counter, listening to the faint sound of slow country music playing over the nearby jukebox. 

Although you’d normally be doing something else by now to keep yourself preoccupied or just remain distracted in general, you can’t help but peek back over to your new table and specifically at Lion.

‘Lion, huh? Must be a nickname.’ You find him attractive without a doubt, cute even with his politeness adding to it. 

You don’t even know him or the gentlemen eating with him, to begin with, but even with such a basic interaction as taking their orders, you can already tell Francis and Max are a world apart from each other in personality and behavioral differences.

‘He’s definitely cute.’ You finally force your eyes off of Lion whose busy in a conversation with Max, noticing Max is chugging down his glass of beer as if he’s in a rush.

It’s a common sight you’ve seen before regardless of the time of day and there are no strict rules against guests wishing to get drunk in the afternoon either—not with the alcohol sold this cheap at Sunrise Diner.

“Ahhhh, that’s more like it.” Max wipes the foam of the beer off his mouth with the back of his hand before setting his empty glass down. “And you’re still taking baby sips.”

“I’m not in a rush,” Lion shrugs his shoulders, taking a small sip of his beer and then his water.

“Hey,” Max leans into the table, lowering his voice. “Then would it be rude if I bothered the waitress for another glass of beer just now?”

Francis raises a brow, looking at Max as if he’s just been offended. “But she just served you your drink.”

“I know, I know.” Max nudges his empty glass aside, growing impatient. “It was damn good too but I’m not going to bed sober tonight.”

“Maybe you should have been over at the bar.” Lion points towards the bar which you mistaken for you—making you blush furiously and immediately look towards the kitchen instead. 

“After dinner, I sure will.” Max pats his chest, letting out a burp. “And you?”

“Nah.” Lion shakes his head, staring at his beer. “If the beer is as good as you say, I’ll be fine with just this.”

“Suit yourself.” Max stretches out his arms before looking at Lion with expectancy. “Are ya gonna call that pretty waitress over here or keep eyeing me?”

“Don’t bother her, Max.” Lion sighs, beginning to rise from his seat. “I’ll go ask her instead.”

Little do Lion or Max know you’ve heard the majority of their conversation over by the bar just from how loudly they’ve been talking, but you remain inconspicuous by smoothening out your apron, pretending to be interested in the shot glasses under the bar table and checking your manicure right up until Lion walks up to you.

“Hi again.” Lion peeks up at you, careful not to put his hands on the bar counter he saw you wipe down earlier. 

“Hi.” You blush, noticing Lion’s beaming smile towards you.

“Sorry to bother ya again but,” Lion gestures back towards Max with his thumb. “My buddy over there chugged his beer down in about thirty seconds if you didn’t notice.”

“I almost wish I hadn’t,” you joke as the both of you laugh. “Yeah, no worries at all. Refills are always on the house. I’m happy to serve.” You lean back off the counter, popping open the fridge and grabbing a beer before handing it to Lion.

��Thank you.” Lion takes the beer from you, “I don’t want ya walking back and forth with a dozen more beers if you can help it.”

“That’s thoughtful, thank you.” You blush again. “How about we do a full bar service at the table so you can enjoy your meal and your friend can enjoy his drinks without a hassle?”

“Please.” Lion’s eyes light up. “If that won’t be too much trouble, of course.”

“Not at all.” You shake your head. “Just let me know.”

Lion mouths an ‘okay’, growing ecstatic before he returns back to his table with Max. “There ya go. Take it easy with this one, eh Max?”

Lion slides the can of beer across the table to Max who’s quick to open it up and pour it all into his glass—grinning at the frothy liquid. “Don’t count on it.”

“See,” Max looks back up at Lion as he pulls his glass of beer over to himself. “You gotta thank me.”

“Why’s that?” Lion takes his seat, getting comfortable.

“I got you to talk to the waitress at last, didn’t I?” Max takes a sip of his beer, savoring the taste on his tongue. “Wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t get me another beer.”

“You’re funny.” Lion remarks, “I don’t want us to bother her.”

“Maybe you should if you know what I mean,” Max suggests, resting his arm on the table. 

Ding! Ding! You hear the bell ring in the kitchen, signaling that Lion and Max’s orders are ready to be served.

Having not heard the continuation of their conversation from how loud the banter has grown in the diner closest to you, you grab your serving tray and head back to the kitchen.

You carefully place Max’s order of steak and eggs with bacon next to the plate of Lion’s slice of shepherd’s pie before walking back over to their table to serve it.

The scent of the delicious, hot-cooked meal reaches Lion and Max’s noses before they catch sight of you—not withholding back how obviously hungry the two men appear.

“One order of steak and eggs with a side of bacon,” you place Max’s plate in front of him before taking Lion’s, “and a slice of shepherd’s pie. There you go.” You put Lion’s plate before him as well. 

“Thanks.” Max eagerly picks up his fork, moving his glass of beer closer by his side.

“Thank you.” Lion thanks you again politely, this time with a warm smile and a more familiar tone. 

“You’re very welcome. Any bar service needed, gentlemen?” You pick up your tray, mostly directing your question towards Max.

“Mm, please.” Max holds up his hand. “Say… Uh, how about a round of tequila while I eat? Is that allowed?”

“Sure,” you chuckle, “not much that isn’t allowed here. And you?” You turn your head to face Lion.

“No, thank you.” Lion shakes his head and raises his glass of beer. “That'll be enough for me tonight.”

“You’re very welcome,” you say again to tease Lion a little from how polite he’s been to you since he and Max have arrived. 

Throughout the entirety of Lion and Max’s stay, you spend more time bringing over tequila shots, more beer, some vodka, half a glass of rum and any other alcohol Max can coherently speak out until you realize his orders are just going to get more insistent, so you bring a bottle instead.

The entire time while Max takes shots throughout his meal, Lion sips his beer and water quietly while digging into his shepherd’s pie—eating normally while Max is more than ready to get drunk for the night.

While you serve Lion and Max, a family of four also came in halfway through so you began to balance serving two tables and also cleaning up after leaving guests or those who needed some refills from time to time.

Of course, even if you didn’t want to listen in, you again couldn’t help but overhear Max and Lion’s regular conversation about a so-called carwash business they own.

“Good thing we ain’t open on weekends.” Max sighs loudly. 

“Yeah, but is it gonna be that way forever?” Lion asks.

“Forever?” Max hiccups, clearing his throat. “Might as well be. I don’t wanna see cars seven days a week, and the way we’re going now is fine.”

“Beats the sea any day for me.” Lion shrugs his shoulders, carefree. “Now I’m seasick permanently, on and off the water.”

‘They both work and own a carwash?’ 

“And you…” Lion eyes Max’s drunken state towards the end of their conversation. “Don’t seem sick of anything yet. Uh, you did bring enough to pay for all of this and the bar service, right Max?”

“Don’t worry.” Max burps, not bothering to cover his mouth. “Of course I did.”

“Alright.” Lion relaxes in his seat but keeps a cautious eye on a drunken Max. “Take it easy, man. Take it easy.”

Another five minutes barely pass before you turn your head back towards Lion and Max’s table, hearing the scraping of a chair against the floor signaling someone’s getting up.

Just as you look over, you see Max’s legs wobbling as he clears his throat as if to speak out or order something halfway across the room.

Instead, still trying to balance on shaky knees, Max clutches onto his beret with a groan and slumps to the fall—collapsing unconscious.

“Aww, man.” Lion whines, practically jumping out of his seat.

“Oh—is he alright?!” Alarmed, you quickly rush over to their table, but it’s your boss’ attention Lion and Max have pulled as well when he walks out of the kitchen appearing more than just annoyed at another drunkard passed out on his floor for the second time in a week.

“Yeah, yeah, he’s fine. Don’t worry.” Lion remains to be in a rather cheerful mood despite his friend remaining slumped on the floor. “He just had a loooot to drink from thanks to that great bar service of yours.”

“Believe me, I wish I could say no.” You can’t help but chuckle, hearing Max snoring. “But it is what it is.”

“Don’t ya worry.” Lion grins up at you. “Max is always like this. I was just surprised it didn’t happen earlier. That’s so like him.”

“Is it?” Your boss’ voice chimes in as he walks over to Lion and Max’s table with his arms crossed. “What exactly happened here now?”

“Oh, nothing sir.” Lion blinks, appearing a bit intimidated. “My buddy here just had too much to drink.”

“Clearly.” Your boss notes, staring at Max by his foot in disgust. “Hey, Stanley!” Your boss calls out towards the back entrance.

Minding your own business and just remaining there, Stanley—the rather burly, cowboy wannabee bouncer of Sunrise Diner enters the restaurant through the back door, searching for sight of your boss.

“We got another drunkard here, you see?” Your boss points down at Max, showing him to Stanley who in truth, couldn’t even harm a fly. “At least take him outside to rest under the tree or something before he ends up chokin’ on his own spit. Sun would do him good—it always does to these types.”

“That’s a good idea,” Lion agrees sheepishly.

You and Lion both step back, remaining side by side as Stanley picks up Max like he’s nothing but a dainty sack of flour. 

Carrying Max over his shoulder, Stanley walks back out the entrance he came from without another word as if he’s done this a million times already.

“Well?” Your boss eyes Lion, still ignoring you as he knows you’re not involved in the drunken shenanigans but rather just did your job. “Looks like your friend’s wallet seems empty and there’s still a tab to pay, my boy.”

“Empty?” Lion’s eyes widen. “Ah, no way. Max must have brought his wallet for sure.”

Just then, the back door opens again as Stanley pops his head out—holding up Max’s empty wallet. “Nothin’.”

“Seems your both out of luck.” Your boss grins.

“No worries, no worries.” Lion holds up his hands in surrender, “I can definitely pay for it. Here—” As Lion begins to search through his pockets, you can’t help but feel an immense sense of dread from the second-hand embarrassment of this whole ordeal.

Lion quite literally empties out his pockets, finding nothing but a quarter. “Well… I can try to pay it off some other way with my body if that’s okay with you, sir.”

“Rose.” Your boss’s eyes flicker onto yours. “Whaddaya say? You served these gentlemen, right?”

“Yes, sir.” You answer.

“How do you think they should pay up if they don’t have the cash on them?” Your boss asks you.

“Well…” A smile begins to grow on your face as you look over at Lion. “We could always use some help in the back with the dishes. A second hand would definitely be helpful.”

“Yeah, of course.” Francis agrees enthusiastically. “I can do that.”

“Good.” Your boss’s timid expression relaxes. “That'll pay off the full debt for the table, including your friend’s orders who I doubt will be awake by the time Rose’s shift is done, but I leave it to her.”

“You sure you can manage two hours of dishwashing?” You tease Lion.

“Dishwashing?” Lion chuckles, “I wash cars for a living, that'll be a piece of cake.”

“Then be our guest.” Your boss gestures over to the kitchen. “Stanley and I will handle the rest of the tables.”

“Alright, come on—” You’re just about to lead Lion to the kitchen when your boss interrupts.

“Wait a minute.” Your boss holds up his hand, pointing to the empty plates on Lion and Max’s table. “Don’t forget these ones too, huh?”

You and Lion exchange looks with one another, grinning before you say, “don’t worry, we got it.”

With your boss returning back to his office space and Stanley watching over a very drunk and passed-out Max just outside, Lion and you walk back to his and Max’s table to pick up the two plates.

You both reach out to grab the same plate at the same time, causing your hands to bump into each other.

“Oh.” You and Francis both exclaim out at the same time through laughter. 

‘That day I never thought I’d met someone who was so easy going and fun even to make mundane mistakes with.’

“Alright, alright. One for me,” you take Max’s plate and glass, “and one for you,” you let Lion take his own.

“Gotcha.” Lion grins, stacking his glass of water and beer on top of his plate before following behind you over to the kitchen. “Love my first day on the hob, but am I balancing the cups and plates, or are they balancing me?”

“Good question, how about both?” You say back, walking into the kitchen with Lion.

You set your plates and cups down into one of the kitchen sinks next to Lion already filled with bubbling soap water. “Excuse the mess. It’s not much of a proper diner kitchen sink, but it’s got a feel of home to it.”

“Cleaner and cozier than any kitchen I’ve seen recently.” Lion comments, carefully putting his dishes into the second sink next to you before rolling up his sleeves. “Especially on a ship.”

“A ship?” You raise your brows, handing Lion a bottle of dish soap and a pair of new gloves. “Are you a sailor?”

“Ex-sailor.” Lion corrects, putting on his gloves as you do the same. “I used to love the sea as a kid, it carried on me with me to my adulthood and my work. I thought I’d never get enough of it, ya know? But oh boy.” Lion grabs a clean sponge from the counter next to him. “When you’re out there for weeks and weeks on end in a smelly ship with men who haven’t showered in weeks, reeking of piss and cigarettes, then catching dozens of octopus twice your size, you’d get sick of anything.”

“Fair enough,” you’re instantly fascinated with Lion, adjusting your gloves over your hands. “How long did you do that for?” 

“Too long.” Lion chuckles sheepishly. “Seven years. Just one of my odd jobs from boat to boat.” Lion begins to lather up the dish soap over his sponge. “My work always had something to do with the sea.”

“A love that lasted a long time, huh?” You ask, taking your dish soap and squeezing a good amount of the liquid over the center of the sponge.

“Oh, yeah.” Lion replies. “But I learned how and when to let go of things I loved even that much. Now I just have a bad habit of doing so spontaneously.”

“If you ask me, that’s the best way to do it.” You tell him. “That’s actually inspiring to me. I’ve never really understood the whole ‘do one job for the rest of your life and then die’ thing.”

“Right!” Lion exclaims, happily beginning to wash the dishes. “Especially when you come to realize it doesn’t make you happy, it just brings you a paycheque. Are you happy?”

“Am I happy?” Your eyes widen as you repeat the question. “Well, yeah, I’d say I’m happy.”

“Really?” Lion smiles at you. “I don’t know a lot of waitresses who would say that. That’s inspiring to me.”

You giggle, beginning to wash a plate. “Depends on who you ask then, doesn’t it? I know it’s different for everyone but I can only speak for myself.”

“And you’re happy.” Lion points out. 

“I am.” You blush, reaffirming. “I’ve been working here at Sunrise for about three years. My coworkers are like a second family to me; that’s the majority of the reason why I like it so much. It’s good, honest work. I don’t have any complaints, but…” You smile to yourself, shaking your head. “I mean, some customers could be more polite and not so judgemental, but that’s what happens when you work for people all the time.”

“Believe me, I know.” Lion agrees with you. “Octopus can’t judge you, though. Not really.” You both burst out laughing as Lion continues. “As soon as I began washing cars and meeting all these interesting rich people in their sports cars, I then realized how much I missed having an octopus smack me in the face.”

“Oh, you wash cars?” You pretend as if you haven’t been listening to Lion and Max’s entire conversation over lunch earlier today.

“Yeah.” Lion beams, very proud to admit so. “Me and my buddy Max own a carwash business called Maxy’s Carwash.”

“Your friend getting his well-needed rest over all that alcohol.” You chuckle.

“Yep,” Lion wipes his forehead with the back of his arm. “That’ll be Max, alright. He had the dream and the idea for our business and then that was it. We were both there, saying goodbye to our old lives.”

“Sounds like something right out of an adventure novel, huh?” You begin to rinse off the plate in your hand.

“Right, something like that.” Lion laughs softly, causing you to feel butterflies in the pit of your stomach. “So much hitchhiking and traveling that it might as well be. We’re here now for good though, in Pittsburgh.”

“You just opened up shop then?” You ask, curious to know more about these two.

“Mhm, about six months ago.” Lion answers. “So now we’re just steadily building a clientele list. Trying to get new customers in all the time but also repeat customers too.”

“So, then it must pay well.” You assume.

“Something like that.” Keeping a smile on his face, Lion continues washing his share of the dishes. “You should ask Max about that for sure. Before we even started, he had all of our finances planned out for years for the business. Just kinda funny to me now how he didn’t have any money to bring for his plan to day drink.”

“Maybe it was a blessing in disguise,” you hold back your laughter. “I have a car and it can definitely use a good wash at a reputable place.”

“Then come on over to Maxy’s Carwash.” Lion beams at you. “Your car will leave looking brand new.”

“I actually will come on by.” You tell him. “I’ll say this kind gentleman named…”

“Francis.” Lion says, surprising you a little after you’ve been hearing the nickname ‘Lion’ all day being used to refer to him. “Francis Lionel Delbuchi.”

“Wow.” You feel the blush double in your cheeks. “Francis Lionel Delbuchi…”

“When I told Max, he was just as surprised.” Lion grins, nodding. “He said he had a little trouble with it, so he nicknamed me ‘Lion’. Kind catchy, huh?”

“Lion,” you repeat, blushing again as you make eye contact with him. 

“I love it,” Francis tells you. “You can call me either or. Now that’s a pretty name. Pretty name, pretty girl, pretty neat place ya got here.” Lion gestures around the kitchen with his soap-covered gloves. 

“Thank you,” you wonder to yourself if Lion can already tell how obvious it is you’re blushing. “Having fun here, I see.”

“With the dishes?” Lion looks back into the sink, reaching his hands in before gasping loudly.

“What is it?” Your eyes widen.

“Oh no.” Lion murmurs, “oh no, no, no!” He attempts to yank his finger out to no avail, grunting. “A little sink goblin’s got my finger!”

“A little what?!” You laugh as Lion pulls his hands back out, causing bubbles to fly everywhere around the two of you from the sink. “Oh, you’re ridiculous!”

“Works every time!” Lion grins up at the bubbles surrounding him.

‘This was someone I had fun with doing what’s otherwise a chore I rush through because I can’t stand it, to begin with. Who would have thought I’d ever have fun washing the dishes with somebody and laughing that hard too?’

It was then and there with you and Lion washing dishes in the back of that Lion struck a realization inside of you that you’d never seen from other men before; liveliness and thoughtfulness. 

Of course, it hadn’t meant you gave up on men in Pittsburgh in general, but Lion had a vibrancy to him like none other that you didn’t see from other people. 

Whether Lion’s aware of it or not, he makes other lights up around him with his carefree and lighthearted nature, except Max (he’d have to work harder on that).

Lion’s presence is comforting even if the two of you just met and don’t know one another all that well. That’s why it felt almost ethereal washing dishes with him, like a different experience altogether.

You’d been so used to seeing your friends obsessed with the whole ‘bad boy’ on a motorcycle cliché and turned down one too many hookups yourself out of just not being interested in a drink and a quick fuck from time to time.

If anything, Lion feels like a breath of fresh air, but the question you can’t stop asking yourself now is: why does a stranger I just properly met make my heart race like this?

‘I have to know more about him. I have to get to know this man.’

Once the dishes were all thoroughly washed, dried, and put away, there’s no need to confirm it with your boss as your shift has come to an end.

You and Francis throw off your gloves and walk out of the kitchen together, still in the midst of a conversation like you’ve been talking together forever.

Lion can probably talk to you about paint drying at this point and you just know you’d listen to him and that soothing, smooth voice of his go on all day. 

Lion’s tone of voice, his mannerisms, and the way he speaks out, in general, can’t ever be mistaken for someone else’s, and you’re pretty sure you could easily discern it through writing too.

“Two hours of dishwashing for nothing on us, huh?” Francis puts both of his hands in his pockets as you walk out to the back of the diner with him.

“Not on a day like this.” You sigh in relief, giving him a warm smile. “Our regular dishwasher has called in sick for the past week—down with a bad cold.”

“Ah.” Lion nods understandingly. “I hope they get well soon.”

“I hope your buddy Max does as well.” You giggle, pointing over to Max still snoring loudly underneath an oak tree next to Stanley who smokes a cigarette. 

“Oh well.” Lion snorts, “let him sleep it off. Max’s gonna freak out when he wakes up anyways.”

“You gonna hang around, kid?” Stanley asks Lion.

“Yeah, if you don’t mind me talking to your pretty waitress.” Lion replies, his gaze darting back to you.

“I’m off work now, so absolutely and nobody can say a thing.” Blushing, you gesture for Lion to follow you. “Come on, we won’t bother Max if we sit on the other side of the tree here.”

You and Lion cozy up on a soft patch of grass on the other side of the oak tree, sitting side by side with one another and enjoying the shade under the branches. 

“So,” Lion looks up at you with hope in his eyes. “Will you come and visit me at the carwash?”

‘He wants to see me again.’ You force yourself not to make it look obvious you’re flustered and beginning to crush on this man already.

“I’d love to see you again ya know, even if you just come by to wash your car or for a chat.” Lion continues as you can swear to yourself your heart just skipped a beat.

“Of course, I’m off work tomorrow so I can definitely come by.” You assure, “does Maxy’s Carwash happen to be open tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” a half-truth on Lion’s behalf just to see you again because he knows he’s going to be working on maintenance this Saturday while Max might just pop in to see how everything’s going every now and then.

“Good thing we ain’t open on weekends.”

“Promise?” Lion looks at you expectantly.

“Of course.” You force your eyes off of Lion’s for the sake of not appearing as flustered to him as you really are here. “Here…” You reach into the pocket of your apron to grab your notepad and pencil again, scribbling down your phone number and ripping off the sheet to hand it to Lion. “There’s my number. You can call me too.”

“I will, then.” Francis takes the note, carefully folding it before putting it in the pocket of his jeans. “That’s a promise.”

Just as your eyes meet with Lion’s, before the two of you can say anything further, your heads turn to see Max stirring loudly from his sleep.

Max coughs, wiping the drool off the corner of his mouth before clutching his chest and jolting up from the ground. “Lion!”

“I’m right here, you bellyaching rhinoceros!” Francis shouts back, laughing with you.

“What the hell happened?” Max clutches his beret over his head for dear life.

“You drank a lot and didn’t bring any money.” Lion states, “pretty simple.”

“And you…?” Max stares at Francis and you in utter confusion.

“No worries.” Lion shrugs his shoulders loosely. “Me and the pretty waitress are spending some time together.” It’s then and there that Lion places his hand over top of yours that was just resting on your thigh. 

That’s when you realize: ‘oh no.’ 

Nothing was supposed to happen, was it? At least not like this, not too soon, and not with Lion of all people. 

There’d be less panic in your heart if you could comprehend the rush of feelings flowing through you with Lion’s gentle touch—practically a gesture meaning nothing, so was is all of this? What you’re feeling?

‘We just met.’ It feels inappropriate almost, too sudden, too soon, or perhaps you’re convincing yourself of it all to avoid letting your emotions consume you.

You’ve had boyfriends and romance in your life in the past, but feeling butterflies swarming inside of your stomach and driving you crazy over someone you just met is something else altogether.

Your eyes drop to Lion’s hand but not in such an obvious way that he’d notice and think he’s made you uncomfortable so he’d pull away since that’s the last thing you want him to do.

‘Great…’ You find yourself attracted even to the shape of Lion’s slender, large hands, but with the way your heart throbs in your chest, you’d think you’ve been crushing hard on Lion for weeks now.

Of course, you can’t deny your physical attraction to Lion either and you haven’t seen you first saw him enter the diner, but also seeing how gentle and sweet Lion’s been with you has you seeing stars.

Even the gentle touch of Lion’s hand over yours isn’t being too forward or even making you uncomfortable, but soft, inviting—like the warmth of the sun over your face after being out in cold weather for so long.

‘Why does this man make me feel this way?’ You can neither understand how your heart feels nor do you much want to at this moment.

All you hope to yourself now is: ‘I hope he calls me. I want him to, badly. I want to speak with him and see him again.’

You’ve already found yourself doing things you’d normally never even think of doing, such as staying back at work after you’ve clocked, as mundane as it may be to anyone else.

And when Max and Lion finally left, straggling over and repeating apologies all over, you suddenly felt a tinge of loneliness wash over you that was otherwise completely alien.

You set your apron off in the back, having spent an additional hour back at the diner just to be with Max and Lion until they finally left home.

Swallowing up your feelings, you grab your purse and sling it over your shoulder, thanking your nearby co-workers for a great shift as you always did before welcoming Margaret by the door, a middle-aged woman who’d be taking over as the waitress for the rest of the day.

Once you’re on your way to walk back home does the realization hit you that you’ve basically made plans with Lion and Max to see them again tomorrow, but you don’t know that Lion mentioned the same thing to Max on his way home too.

“Listen, I was planning to get drunk, but not that drunk.” Max points out, but even he’s not sure whether to remain stern about it or laugh instead.

“Not that drunk.” Lion repeats with a grin, keeping his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah,” Max reaffirms, “but damn did those drinks have a kick to ‘em.”

“Maybe you’re just a lightweight.” Lion jokes, laughing.

“Ah, come on.” Max nudges Lion with his elbow, chuckling. “Definitely not my first time having a heavy drink or two, ya know. Just for that reason, I’d go back there to eat in a heartbeat. Food’s delicious.”

“Yeah, next time bring the money to pay for your meal though.” Lion laughs harder, “otherwise that big cowboy will throw your ass back outside.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Max mutters to himself. “Guy smells like piss. I knew I must have slept like a damn baby but could smell the guy’s pits from a mile away. Did you seriously wash dishes for two hours to make up for all that food and drink?”

Max and Lion come to approach the lobby of their apartment, walking inside.

Since Max and Lion made the move to Pittsburgh, they’ve been renting a two-bedroom apartment and equally splitting the rent with each other.

It’s not the most luxurious apartment around, but it was renovated shortly before the two moved in, relatively clean and with enough cozy space to truly call it home.

Maxy’s Carwash can still be called relatively new by Max and Lion, so until both of them begin to pull in bigger paycheques, serve more customers or start getting serious about a lady friend, renting together saves an immense amount of money for the time being.

“Well, yeah.” Lion answers. “I did all of that with the pretty waitress.”

“Damn.” Max appears impressed, “next time I’ll keep it in mind if two hours of dishwashing pay for all that food.” 

“Don’t get any ideas, Max.” Lion snorts, standing in front of the elevator and pressing its button to call it down. “Next time, they’ll kick our asses for sure.”

“Nah, listen,” Max begins as the two get on the elevator. “I could have sworn I brought some money. I ain’t the swindling type to go in and do that sort of thing.”

“I’ll bring some money next time just in case, no matter how sure you are.” Lion presses the fifth-floor button, watching the elevator doors slide shut.

“Just in case,” Max repeats, rubbing over his stomach and burping as the elevator begins to go up. “Damn good food…”

“Ah well.” Lion steps out of the elevator first when it reaches the fifth floor, walking to their suite number #501. “Nothing like home sweet home now, huh?”

“You betcha.” Max sighs, unlocking the front door with his keys. “Both my ass and back are sore from sleeping on that damn hay.”

“As comfortable as it gets, Max.” Lion grins playfully at him, entering the apartment together and kicking off their shoes.

“Think you had it for the pretty waitress, you know.” Max throws off his hat, closing the door behind him and Lion. 

“Something like that.” Lion blushes a little, making sure to lock the door. 

“I mean, you spent two hours with her. Maybe more when I was snoozin’.” Max brings up the conversation of you again to Lion as he walks towards his bedroom. “There’s gotta be a whole other story you can tell me.”

“Nothing to say, Max.” Lion chuckles quietly. “I told her about our car wash.”

“Oh yeah?” Max speaks louder from his bedroom so Lion can hear. “She got a car or something? Otherwise, you’re just braggin’.”

“Yeah, considering she’s coming by tomorrow I’d say she has a car.” Lion plops down on the couch in front of the television, getting comfortable before taking the folded piece of paper with your phone number written on it out of his pocket.

“Tomorrow?” Max pops his head out into the hallway, unbuttoning the first layer of his clothes. 

 “We’re closed tomorrow.”

“We’re never closed, Max.” Lion takes off his beanie, running his hands through his unruly hair. “If we go back and forth to check things out every Saturday and Sunday, are we really closed? And besides, she could be a customer.”

“Ooh, smart.” Max points out. “Well, that’s alright with me then. A customer is a customer. That’s why you were talking her up back there, huh?”

“No, actually.” Lion makes eye contact with Max across the hall. “I was talking to her because I like her.”

“Oh.” Max raises his brows at Lion in disbelief. “So you like the waitress.”

“Yeah.” Lion feels his cheeks heating up with blush. “She was nice to me, sweet, not just washing dishes back there like any other chore. We talked too.”

“Hmm.” Max ponders, “yeah, you know this is good for you and all, especially after that witch of yours yappin’ about that baby being in limbo.”

A frown crosses over Lion’s face almost immediately. The topic of his miscarried son is still a bit of a touchy topic, but Lion understands what Max means and agrees with him too.

“Uh, sorry.” Max notices the look on Lion’s face, walking into the living room. “I don’t wanna talk about that if you don’t.”

“No, man, it’s fine.” Lion leans back on the couch, trying to relax. “It just didn’t come to mind for a while, you know? I forgot, like I was at sea again, or in the hospital.”

“Believe me, pal.” Max lets out a deep sigh, “a woman who isn’t right for you will make you feel like you’re holed up in a hospital your whole damn life. You’re twenty-seven. You’ve got better shit to do. There are girls out there, Lion, and damn, if you like this waitress, then keep seeing her. You think she got the hint from everything you talked about today?”

“I hope so.” Lion smiles shyly. “It was kind of obvious.”

“Sure was.” Max crosses his arms, leaning the side of his body against the wall. “I think she got it, alright. Just give it a go. Plenty of waitresses in this city.”

“Okay, Max.” Lion laughs softly, beginning to cheer up. “I’ll take your word for it,” he finds his eyes dropping back down to the note with your phone number in it in his hands.

~

[ 1 AM ]

Lion and Max have long been in bed before this hour of the night—both sleeping soundly right up until Lion begins to stir in his sleep from the disruptive noise coming just outside his bedroom window that looks down on the street.

Still drenched in sleep and barely half awake, Lion can make out faint hollering outside.

Occasionally having a drunkard roaming the area isn’t news to Lion and he’s usually been able to ignore it and sleep through it just by throwing another pillow on top of his head to block out the noise, but not tonight.

Lion groans softly, clasping his hand over his ear to no avail, still hearing shouting and the sounds of trashcans toppling over.

Practically wide awake, Lion squeezes his eyes back shut for a moment in hopes the noise will all come to an end momentarily, but the fuss outside only gets louder and more insistent.

Letting out a soft sigh, Lion blinks his eyes open to clear his vision—looking around his dimly lit bedroom before his eyes land over his nightstand and on the note with your phone number written on it.

Remaining still and quiet, Lion stares at the note from afar, knowing now that he’s wide awake he may as well call you—and he wants to instead of waiting until the morning—but of course, there’s the possibility you aren’t even awake at 1 AM.

‘Still worth a try.’ Lion kicks off his blankets, rising up from his bed and stretching his arms out before him.

Lion rises to his feet, adjusting his pajama slacks and taking the note off the nightstand, walking off to the living room.

As Lion steps out of his bedroom, he notices Max’s bedroom door down the hallway is shut and soft snoring can be heard; of course, no amount of clashing noises or alarms blaring can easily wake Max now trying to sleep off an inevitable hangover.

In the living room, Lion turns on the lamp nearest to the telephone as he comes to approach it. Lion picks up the telephone and holds it up to his ear, keeping his eye on the numbers you scrawled on the note and dialing them in.

You, on the other hand, aren’t asleep just yet and spending your Friday nights staying up late as you’ve always done in front of the television, enjoying a good film over cheese, crackers, and a little bit of red wine.

Completely absorbed in the exciting, thriller film you’re watching, you flinch when the telephone next to the couch begins ringing at this hour of the night.

“Geez,” you murmur to yourself, embarrassed you almost spilled your wine over you.

You set down your wine glass and stare warily at the telephone, knowing a call this late at night can’t be about anything good and may be concerning, but then you remember: ‘Lion!’

It gives you little to no relief thinking it’s Lion who might be calling you just now as your heart begins to race in your chest out of excitement.

You quickly grab the television remote, turning down the volume of the film before grabbing the telephone and holding it to your ear. 

“Lion?” You speak out quietly, knowing you’re going to be utterly humiliated if it’s just about anyone else calling.

“Hey, Rose. It’s me.” You’re relieved to hear Lion’s soft voice on the other end of the line. “Guessed right, huh? I guess a lot of people don’t call at this hour, do they?”

“Not at all.” You chuckle, sighing in relief. “Then again, I’m still awake at this hour.”

“That makes both of us.” Lion says, “I said I’d call you, right? But see, I didn’t wanna wait until the morning to do so. I hope it’s not too late or I’m not interrupting anything important.”

“No, no, not at all.” You tell him, relaxing back against the couch. “It’s a Friday night, no work tomorrow so no way I’m going to be in bed early.”

“Fair, fair.” You can practically sense Lion grinning to himself based on his enthusiastic, breathy tone. “I’d probably be in bed if it wasn’t for the drunks outside of our apartment making enough noise to wake up the entire complex but ahhh, what do I know? Anyways,” he clears his throat quietly, “I just wanted to ask you… You’re coming to the carwash tomorrow, right?”

“Of course, I am.” You reassure, “I promised. As long as it’s okay with Max I’m coming on a ‘day off’. I couldn’t help but overhear earlier today.”

“Max always says we’re ‘supposed to this’ and ‘supposed to do that’, when has it ever stuck? Nah, don’t you worry. I even told him so he knows what to expect. He won’t bother us. I’ll show ya around and maybe you can get that car cleaned and taken care of by us. Oh! By the way, you mentioned you had a car but I forgot to ask, what’s the make and model? Max will want to know too, he’s curious about cars.”

“It’s a Ford Pinto.” You answer, smiling to yourself. “Last year’s model—a gift from my uncle whose a retired car mechanic.”

“Oh wow.” Lion murmurs, “nice! Max will wanna see that for sure—me too, though. You know, I’m just washing cars and all so I don’t know much about them. Don’t mind me.”

“I don’t know anything about them either.” You giggle back. “I just know how to drive one.”

“Perfect, so we’re the same.” Lion can’t wipe the giddy smile off of his face. “So you’re definitely coming by tomorrow.”

“I am.” You beam, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. When I got home I already found the address in the telephone book. Can I come at…say, 9:30?”

“For sure. We open at nine anyway.” 

“Okay.” You blush, “I’ll see you nice and early in the morning then. 9:30.”

“Perfect.” Lion answers. “See you then. Goodnight, Rose.”

“Goodnight, Lion.” Your hands shake from excitement, almost dropping the telephone before you can set it down properly. 

As you plop back down onto the couch, taking in a deep breath—feeling your heart about to burst from your chest and unable to focus on the film on the television even if your life depended on it, you can’t help yourself from smiling and blushing. 

‘This could be a new chance for me, right?’ The one time you’ve genuinely found yourself actually interested in a guy who seems to be directing mutual feelings towards you, someone so easy to get along with, and it just happens to be Francis Lionel Delbuchi; some guy you served at the diner earlier today.

‘I want to see Lion again.’ You can repeat this to yourself a hundred times in your head again and again and yet you’d still feel giddy about the idea.

As Francis puts down his telephone, he feels a sense of relaxation in the sense he didn’t embarrass himself while talking on the phone to you considering how he was blushing and feeling his butterflies get the better of him, but also excitement equal to yours knowing he made official plans to see you again tomorrow. 

‘Aw, man. Maybe I can’t sleep at all tonight then. I’d wait until the morning if I could.’ Lion glances at the note with your phone number on it set next to the telephone and upon picking it up, he runs his fingers over your handwriting.

For a split second as Lion’s thinking of you by admiring your handwriting, his last real relationship—his ex-wife Annie—comes to mind and so do the thoughts of hearing her screaming at Lion over the telephone that she miscarried their son also flood Lion’s mind.

After being pushed away by the woman he loved with no return, no forgiveness of Lion’s absence despite sending every coin he worked hard to earn at sea, Lion was still seen as dead by the only woman he claimed to ever be in love with since he met her during his high school years.

‘At least Rose doesn’t treat me like I’m dead.’ At sea to Annie, Lion was dead to her and their unborn child, and she preferred to think that way even though Annie knew it hurt Lion.

Just a mere phone call to you lasting a few minutes taking Lion’s breath away is enough to show him that he’s more than willing now to give himself another chance when it comes to relationships—when it comes to you.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t speak so soon, right?’ Lion neatly folds your note, careful not to crumple or fold it.

After all, Lion’s known nothing in his intimate and romantic life outside of Annie. Every woman he’s come across since hitchhiking all over the country with Max has gone straight to Max like a moth to a flame and Lion’s just now realizing how lonely he’s been that entire time.

Intimately speaking, both you and Lion haven’t had sex in a few years, and Lion has forgotten the touch, love, and affection of a lover.

This time, Lion hopes you’re the one meant for him.

~

You can probably count the number of times you’ve almost jumped out of bed in the morning out of excitement on your fingers, and knowing you’re going to see Lion in half an hour just adds to it.

As he did last Saturday, Lion would usually be relaxing at home or going out to the city to spend his day off just as you or anyone else would, but even Lion’s unable to hide his enthusiasm about returning to the carwash just to see you.

Max has decided to come along after all, especially once Lion awoke him in the morning by peeking his head into Max’s bedroom and hollering, “did you know Rose has a Ford Pinto, 1972 model?!”

Of course, Max also knows the only reason why you’re bringing your car to Maxy’s Carwash is just to see Lion—an elaborate yet romantic excuse if you will—and so Max knows he won’t be getting “involved” in any conversation so you and Lion have as much alone time getting to know one another as possible.

Though if you do need some advice or tips regarding your vehicle, Max would then be more than happy to sit back and tell you what he knows. 

[ 9:26 AM ]

Having been at the carwash since 9:15 AM, Lion’s busy getting unraveling a house and turning on the water supply; grabbing a large bucket, some liquid soap, a sponge, and a squeegee like he’s about to work a regular shift.

Today, Lion’s dressed in the same, light blue loose dress shirt he wore the other day except with more buttons undone revealing a peek of his chest hair and collarbones, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black slacks, and rubber boots to avoid getting soaked in the soapy puddles that form on the ground.

“Think she’s coming for real?” Max asks, leaning back in a lounge chair and enjoying his morning cigar.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Lion looks up, putting his bucket down. “Ya see anyone else driving a mint green Ford?” Just then, Lion gestures up to the driveway to point out your vehicle driving up.

You beam behind the steering wheel, waving with one hand before honking to catch Max and Lion’s attention but the cigar almost drops out of Max’s mouth from the dumbfounded way he stares at your car.

“Hi, Rose!” Lion waves back, taking the bucket filled with water up and scurrying aside before gesturing for you to come park in the middle of the carwash.

You give Lion a nod, slowly beginning to park your car where Lion indicated before you shut off the transmission and hop out, putting the car keys in your purse. “Hi, good morning.”

“Good morning.” Lion blushes, smiling at you. “To you and your nice car. Can’t believe this—nope, I definitely don’t know anything about cars but I can say this is definitely a nice one.” You both laugh in unison before Lion adds, “pretty car, prettier owner, right Max?”

“Yeah…” Max continues to stare at the vehicle like it’s the first car he’s ever seen in his life.

“Thank you.” You blush at the compliment. “My uncle put in new interiors and everything before he gifted this to me.”

“A birthday gift, right?” Lion’s eyes light up. “How old are you?”

“That’s right.” You confirm. “I’m twenty-four. You?”

“I’m twenty-seven.” Lion answers sheepishly. “When was your birthday, exactly?”

“Just about a month ago.” Blushing, you brush a curtain of your hair behind your ear.

“Is it okay if I wish you a late ‘happy birthday’ then?” Lion gives you a beaming smile.

“Yeah, why not?” You giggle back.

“Happy birthday, Rose.” Lion almost kicks over his bucket, gasping dramatically which causes you to laugh again. “Let’s wash that car, huh? Max, come on! Quit your starin’ and lollygagging!”

“I was under the impression you were the one wanting to wash the car.” Max clears his throat, holding his cigar between his lips firmly before giving you a wave. “Hi, there.”

“Hello.” You politely greet back.

Max already has a feeling he’s only left a bad impression on you as a drunkard yesterday, so as awkward as a formal meeting you’re having with him now (if one can call it that), Max just relies on your body language to tell if he’s weirding you out.

“Thanks for getting us out of that uh—predicament.” Max smiles at you. “Really appreciate that. Ain’t that right, Lion?”

“That’s right!” Lion squeezes some liquid soap into the bucket of water.

“Nice to see there’s no hard feelings.” Max grunts, rising from his seat and extending a hand to you. “My name’s Max. Nice to meet you, Rose. Welcome to Maxy’s Carwash.”

“Likewise, thank you.” As you shake Max’s hand back, you can’t help but think to yourself that he’s looking at you as if he knows something very obvious that you don’t.

“Think I can help?” After you let go of Max’s hand, you turn to face Lion. “Two hands are better than one, you know.”

“Aww, come on.” Lion laughs, holding up a soap-covered sponge. “I was gonna wash your car, not have the customers tire themselves out by doing it too!”

“Not taking no for an answer!” Grinning playfully, you rush by Lion’s side and pick up another sponge. “I’m not afraid of hard work, you know.”

“Me neither!” Lion exclaims, handing you a bottle of soap.

Yet again, something so mundane and routine as getting your car washed became a romantic outing for you and Lion getting to know one another better and making it more obvious you two are interested in each other.

“Safe” is one of the first words Lion uses to describe how you make him feel. He’s safe to be loved, safe not to be judged, to be forgotten or blamed for something out of his control—like an absence for work. 

Lion can already tell you enjoy his company and want more of him—to see him always, to be by his side and enjoy his silly jokes, his rants, and all of his cute antics.

You and Lion don’t make excuses for one another and nothing is forced. Everything flows together so perfectly with an instant connection and chemistry that you still have to remind yourself that this is neither a joke nor a dream.

You’re not a customer at Maxy’s Carwash today, you’re a friend, and even Max sees that. 

Although throughout the entire time you and Lion tackled washing your car Max remained quiet—choosing to sit back and admire your car over a cigar—his ears have been listening in on your conversation with Lion the entire time.

Max himself has no trouble with women nor has he ever been married like Lion or gotten a woman pregnant, but he wants the best compatibility for his best friend and nothing less.

Max didn’t honestly care too much about the interactions you and Lion had at the diner the other day at first, but when Lion simply wouldn’t shut up about you and then told Max about your 1 AM phone call at breakfast, Max’s perspective changed immediately.

Max couldn’t get the image out of his head of seeing his best friend in a cathartic state for two weeks at a hospital; broken, defeated, lonely, and now Max can hardly believe his ears hearing Lion laugh and smile twice as much as he used to. 

It’s not that Lion lost all of his light-hearted nature but you definitely brought out another light inside of him that Max can very much be grateful for, thinking the two of you match well. 

You and Lion already spent half of your time at the carwash giggling at the hose squirting over the window of your car than actually cleaning it—constantly bursting out in laughter every few minutes.

“I did that because you made me laugh!” Lion shakes the hose in his hands wildly, “you made me laugh!”

Max may as well be hearing wedding bells seeing the two of you interact and after all, you don’t remind Lion at all about anything to do with Annie.

If anything, now you mark a new chapter in Lion’s life to start fresh when it comes to love and companionship. This is, was, and will forever be your story with the love of your life, Francis Lionel Delbuchi.

~

[ 3 Months Later ]

Three months later and it all became official. You and Francis were dating and all it took was for him to show up at the diner you worked at by the end of your shift just as he had first come and met you, then asked you with the utmost confidence if you “wanted to go out with him”.

You’d been on plenty of dates with Lion throughout the past months, still getting to know one another and spending as much time with each other as you both possibly could.

Being asked out on a date was a very different question than Lion asking you if you wanted to go steady with him as his girlfriend.

You lost your focus at work almost instantly, blushing like mad and accepting. The two of you marked the occasion with one of your best and most romantic date yet; at a much fancier restaurant downtown where Lion greeted you with a bouquet of twenty-four, red roses.

It didn’t take until you and Lion became officially boyfriend and girlfriend for you to accept and realize that Lion’s brought such a beautiful light and vibrancy to your life.

Chores and otherwise tedious tasks became the most fun activities you thought you could ever do in life with someone you loved and in order to replace the sad, gloomy feeling inside of both of you after you’d returned home, a month later Lion moved in with you.

In terms of running the household, nothing changed. You both split bills half-and-half like Lion did when he was living with Max (who then came to appreciate having all that extra space left), but Lion never recalled a time when he had fun washing dishes with Max in the kitchen.

Lion even learned a few driving tricks and tips just to impress you and take you for a spin in your car—everything constantly laughs and smiles with one another.

Lion feels open and free with you, like his lungs are now breathing in new, fresh air after not truly realizing how suffocated he was all that time before.

‘Is this what it’s like to be in love?’ Even when your shifts at Sunrise Diner grew hectic and busy, the thought of Lion makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, and you can’t resist thinking about kissing his plush lips again and snuggling up to him as soon as you get home.

“If this is any indicator for how our future is going to go,” Lion looked up at Max with a smile, “then I want it. I want it all with Rose, ya know? What’s not to want? She’s perfect.”

You yearned for Lion the way he yearned for you, and you never could have thought to be caught in bliss like this in your life.

[ Relationship: 6 Months In ]

Having grown so ridiculously comfortable with one another it was like home in someone’s arms. Lion ishome for you and you are home for him.

Tonight would mark the first time the two of you would get intimate with each other, and nothing set a soothing, romantic scene like sitting up in bed at night next to one another one summer night—listening to the crickets chirping outside, feeling a warm summer breeze flow through the curtains over open windows.

Snuggled into bed wearing a satiny, mini nightgown and Lion wearing one of his loose, wrinkled dress shirts just enough to hang off his arms and shoulders—otherwise fully shirtless—you look through a handful of old childhood photos of you and Lion next to him.

“Would you look at that?” You giggle quietly, comparing two photographs of you and Lion side by side making almost similar, silly poses before pulling up a more recent photo of you taken at the diner.

“Still so beautiful, huh?” Lion grazes his thumb over the sides of the photograph. “And look at that pretty smile,” he points to your face in the photo, “yeah, this picture here is of that pretty waitress Rose who works at Sunrise Diner and as you can see, she’s normally always smiling and happy like this right up until two idiots walk in with no money in their pockets and—”

You both burst out into laughter before Lion can even finish his joke, setting the photographs aside. “Yeah? I’m right, though!” Lion kisses your cheek, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. “You’ll never let Max or I live that down, huh?”

“Hmm, how could I?” You blush, leaning over to kiss Lion’s lips. “It’s how we met. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Neither would I.” Lion rests his forehead against yours, pecking yet another kiss onto your lips. “And I think I’d definitely just keep comin’ back to see you again and again even if things didn’t end up this way.”

“This way?” The blush on your cheeks doubles as you feel Lion’s hand resting over your bare thigh. “That’s a very cute thing to say, to want it to come out to this.”

“It’s the happiest I’ve been.” Lion laces his free hand with yours, kissing your knuckles. “I promise. I thought happiness was just something I’d get to experience when I was workin’ as a sailor. All day every day out at sea, ya now? Kind of stupid to say.”

“Not at all.” You pout at Lion, cuddling him to lay back down in the bed with you. “I can understand that because it was like a home to you, and the more you tell me about it, the more apparent it gets.”

“It really was.” Lion lets out a deep breath, resting his head on his pillow and facing you. “I think of it from time to time, but not like before. With you, my perspective has changed.”

This time you can’t help but smile through the next kiss you share with Lion, and when you both pull away you two expect one another to speak, to say something else, and continue the conversation, but you and Lion melt into one kiss after the other.

The next kiss changes everything, deepening with passion felt between the both of you as you snuggle against Lion’s body over the bedsheets.

You inch your body close to Lion’s until there’s no space remaining between the two of you, essentially making the first move.

Then and there, Lion continues kissing you without breaking or parting from the kiss like before—instead letting his lips collide with yours softly with love, not insistence and greed.

As if your heart wasn’t thundering in your chest enough, another wave of excitement hits you as Lion begins to slowly move over top of you.

You wrap your arms around Lion’s shoulders, pulling him in closer while being unable to ignore the swarm of butterflies rushing inside of you.

Your cheeks are hot with blush and one part of you can only wonder if Lion can feel how hot your skin has grown in reaction to his movements.

Towards the move to intimacy, you feel safe and loved, not nervous, but also just as excited for what’s to come.

You let your hands roam through Lion’s dark, silky hair—tugging gently. You let out a soft whimper in his mouth—still continuing to make out with him before Lion begins to slowly part his lips away from you.

Now with your hands on his shoulders half pulling off Lion’s shirt and Lion hovering over top of your body, you both share an intimate look with one another that confirms his and your comfort to continue.

Slowly, you inch Lion’s dress shirt down his arms until you can throw it off him entirely, admiring the shape of your boyfriend’s arm muscles and his supple, soft skin.

Lion leans in, breathing softly, and kisses your neck gently, aiming to trail his kisses downward.

You let out a soft exhale, tilting your chin up to let Lion continue kissing around your neck as your eyes flutter shut.

Each kiss sends fire through your body and you’re already beginning to feel your knees feel weak and tingle with arousal.

Heavily aroused himself, Lion ignores his growing erection and lets his firm, large hands roam down from caressing your face to the straps of your nightgown.

Your eyes slowly open as you give Lion a small nod, watching him pull the straps down your shoulders before working to nudge your nightgown down your thighs completely—leaving you only in a pair of panties.

“Rose…” Lion murmurs against your skin as he kisses around your collarbones—his voice ushered and soft. 

“Yes, baby?” You breathe out, taking Lion’s hands and placing them over your breasts.

“Only if you’re comfortable.” Lion whispers to you.

“More than comfortable with you.” You tell him back quietly.

A smile crosses over Lion’s lips before he leans down to kiss you again; this time the excitement inside of you doubling and hitting hard.

Before either of you know it, Lion is taking off the rest of his clothes and you’ve kicked your panties off your ankles; now completely naked with your bodies pressed up against one another.

Neither you nor Lion has had sex in years, and the closest the two of you have been sexually is heated makeout sessions while touching one another so far.

Now fully naked and vulnerable with each other for the first time, you and Lion gaze at one another lovingly.

Lion gently squeezes your breasts—his hands still over them—before letting his touch trail to your stomach and your hips.

You can tell just by the way Lion touches you that his only goal and intention is to tease and please you, admire you, and worship every inch of your body.

“You’re so beautiful,” Lion breathes, planting kisses between your breasts and down your chest.

Growing shy from the compliments and touching, you bite down on your lip and can’t help but admire Lion’s naked body over top of you too. 

“I have protection,” Lion moves his hand back to gesture to his nightstand.

“Oh, really?” You tease, cupping his face with both hands. “Came prepared?”

“More like Max did for me, just in case.” Lion jokes, leaning his body to the side to pull open the drawer and rummage inside before grabbing a condom out. “There…”

“Perfect.” You giggle quietly, watching as Lion blushes before you, opening up the condom wrapper and pinching the tip of the condom to let the air out.

You can hardly deny any longer just how severely aroused you’ve grown being naked with Lion, let alone watching him slick the condom over his cock with a soft grunt.

The sight of Lion’s length is enough to deepen the butterflies forming a knot in your gut, and it’s then when you see Lion pump himself for a brief few seconds that you already find yourself spreading open your legs. 

Positioning himself between your legs, Lion maintains eye contact with you—the tip of his nose brushing up against yours from how physically close you are to one another.

You softly breathe over one another as you begin to wrap your thighs around Lion’s waist; a spike of shyness you’ve otherwise never felt before surging through you as Lion begins with a kiss first.

Finding yourself increasingly drawn to Lion’s seduction by the moment, you shiver against his touch and let yourself take at the moment as Lion’s hand makes its way between your legs.

A breathy “oh” escapes your lips to feel Lion’s slim fingers parting open your dewy lips, slicking your wetness over them.

Your clit throbs desperately against Lion’s fingers, desperate to be touched so much so that you writhe underneath him. 

“L-Lion,” you moan, eyes half open and feeling your boyfriend’s fingers rub around your clit in lazy circles.

For one thing, even during the heated makeout sessions and touching, you’ve never had any troubles becoming easily aroused when it comes to Lion.

The yearning, the passionate sexual desire, and insistence to love one another blocks out all and any other emotion entirely.

Lion breathes against your neck, feeling how increasingly wet his fingers have become. “Ready, baby?”

“Yes,” you whimper out, gazing down to see Lion positioning himself closer to your entrance.

As Lion slowly begins to penetrate you with the tip of his cock, he runs his hands down your inner thighs gingerly, continuing to plant kisses over your jawline.

You relax your body against Lion, grunting softly as you feel a slight burning sensation as Lion enters inside of you inch by inch until your body grows accustomed to him.

“Everything alright, baby?” Lion whispers breathily to you, looking at your expression for a green light to move his hips.

“M-mhmm,” you whine, nodding.

Feeling very full inside, only pleasure begins to rack through you as Lion begins to thrusts his hips back and forth to meet yours.

“God,” you hear Lion moan softly against your neck, pushing every inch of himself into your tightness.

Shaky moans spill out of your mouth until you get accustomed to Lion’s slow, lovemaking pace—now craving to feel him back inside of you with each and every thrust.

Lion intertwines both hands with you, keeping yours gently pinned down on the bed and his lovemaking to a passionate and deep pace.

You bury your face into Lion’s shoulder to muffle out your moans, exceedingly turned on by hearing him moan which only makes your body beg and cry out to feel him make love to you again and again.

“I love you,” Lion kisses your cheek, dazed by all the pleasure hitting him at once. “So much, Rose.”

“Francis,” you moan out his actual name, digging your nails into Lion’s back but not enough to hurt him. “I-I love you more—ooh!”

Lion chuckles, pleased to see how turned on you are and enjoying the way he rocks over your body. “Just like that, baby… Yeah, yeah…”

Lion hits every sweet spot inside of you that you didn’t even know you had one at a time, teasingly beckoning you to a slow but sure buildup of an orgasm. 

The feeling alone is overwhelming in the most erotic way possible and you feel it through every inch of your body captivated by the way Lion makes love to you.

Sharing several, sloppy and loving kisses with each other, Lion’s able to tell you’re close to your orgasm by the way your thighs begin to shake against his waist.

“Please, please,” you whimper, clutching onto Lion’s back as if you’d break if you let go—consistently feeling your pussy contracting around his cock as your orgasm is about to release.

“Baby,” Lion holds back his own climax, gazing into your eyes and attempting to catch his breath amidst his thrusts. “I’m close, baby, I’m c-close.”

“Do it already,” you push your hips back against Lion’s eagerly, wanting to feel him release his own orgasm inside of you. “Do it, baby.”

Lion gazes down to watch his cock thrusting in and out of you, now doing so agonizingly slowly as he slicks in and out of you with ease.

Safe day or not, it’s another level of intimacy altogether you’ve never experienced before, and it’s when Lion releases inside of you that you lose grip of your own orgasm and let out a filthy moan—cumming around his cock.

Sparks of pleasure wash over your entire body from head to toe—the orgasm having built from perfect momentum, hitting all the right spots and angles.

“Oh, baby,” Lion moans before he muffles himself out by kissing you over the mouth.

Lion’s thrusts slow before they come to a complete spot, and still inside you, the two of you continue to kiss until your thighs no longer quiver around Lion’s body.

“Oh my God,” you groan, clutching onto Lion’s arms as he slowly begins to pull out of you.

“Come here, baby, come here…” Lion’s hands caress over your thighs as he yanks the blankets towards the two of you, throwing it over his back and snuggling it over top of you.

Feeling every inch of your body grow hypersensitive from the aftermath of your explosive orgasm, you gaze at Lion as if you’re in a dream-like state, still relieving all the pleasure you felt.

You can feel Lion’s hot, sticky cum slowly beginning to ooze out of you as Lion pulls you into his arms; your hot, sweaty bodies against one another.

“You’re absolutely perfect, you know that?” Lion kisses over both of your cheeks. 

“That was…” You smile weakly at him, biting down on the corner of your lip. “Mm, that was so, so good… You’re…” 

But your words are cut off from realizing the afterglow of sex hitting both of you with all those hormones released. Instead, all you and Lion can do is gaze at each other like two new lovers who can’t get enough.

Still, you’re not about to forget what just took place in your own bed for the first time in years, and it causes you to blush furiously and easily become flustered just thinking about it seconds after.

Lion notices how shy you’re beginning to grow after sex, and he remains quiet—simply enamored by your beauty and appreciative of the loving silence between the two of you as he strokes your hair.

“I love you, Rose.” Lion tells you again, breaking the silence.

“I love you more, Francis.” You smile at him shyly, lacing one hand with him and keeping it close to your chest. 

The rest of the evening is a blur, but a dream-like blur you and Lion are eager to get lost in and fall asleep curled up in each other’s arms after letting one last, soft conversation come to an end.

All you can hear is Lion’s soft breathing as you cuddle onto his chest, picking up on the scent of his fragrant body wash, feeling warm, calm, and safe right where you want to be, and right where Lion’s always wanted to be.

~

When you awake still in Lion’s arms, you expect to be greeted by not just the kisses of your beloved but also the rays of the sun shining against your face—signaling it’s the morning.

Instead, as you blink your eyes open weakly, you feel Lion’s hands gently stroking through your hair; definitely not a rude awakening.

“Hi, baby.” Lion whispers to you as you tilt your head to face him. “Hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Mmm…” You squeeze your eyes shut, realizing you’re in the exact same position cuddled up to Lion naked under the covers. “Not at all…” Your hands find Lion’s chest as you pull him closer to you—feeling wide awake within your lover’s embrace. “You’re up early…?”

“5 AM.” Lion chuckles softly. 

“What…?” You furrow your brows, quickly turning around to face the alarm clock on the nightstand. “5 AM?!”

“I’m so used to waking early, I can’t help it.” Lion grins, snatching you back in his arms by your hips. “This time you woke up with me.”

“Always?” You giggle quietly, “but why?”

“I like to watch the sunrise.” Lion smiles, shrugging his shoulders. “I used to at sea. It’s a habit I can’t shake off.”

“Lots of bad habits in this world.” You lean up and kiss Lion’s lips. “Mm, but not this one.” You raise your head towards the window to peek out at the warm glow of orange and pink melting in the sky as the sun begins to rise slowly over the horizon.

“See?” The smile over Lion’s face grows wider. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? Now if only you were a morning person, maybe you wouldn’t miss it.”

“I’ll be an anything person for you.” You laugh softly, sitting up in bed. “Well? You said you love to watch the sunrise every morning, so let’s not miss it today.”

“Not especially if you want to come to see it with me.” Lion’s eyes light up. “But first…” He gestures to the blankets covering both of your dignities.

“Oh, right.” You wink at Lion playfully, getting up out of the bed naked first.

Lion’s eyes admiringly gaze over your body as you pick up your panties and nightgown, slipping them back on yourself.

He gets up from bed too, shrugging his now wrinkled dress shit over his shoulders again and pulling over his briefs and slacks.

Neither of you are concerned about appearances, to begin with, but summer mornings in Pittsburgh can be chilly ones.

“Come on,” Lion grins, extending out his hand to you. “The balcony has the best view.”

“Alright,” you blush, taking your boyfriend’s hand and letting him lead you out of your bedroom and over to the balcony just by the living room.

Lion unlocks the sliding door and you both step out, sharing a lounge chair together as Lion lovingly wraps his arms around your hips and keeps you on his lap.

“I’ve never been up this early before,” you admit sheepishly as Lion rubs warmth into your arms.

“It’s a sight I’d wanna get used to with you if you want.” Lion kisses the nape of your neck.

“If I want?” You feel a rush of butterflies hitting you again. “Always. If it means I get to share another moment with you, I’ll never say no. Otherwise, it has no meaning to me.”

“No meaning, huh?” Lion spends most of his time gazing at you in awe than he does at the sky. “I like that.” He smooches your cheek before turning his attention to the hue of colors mixing with one another upon the horizon.

Enjoying each other’s silence and the view as you hold a hand with Lion, a few minutes pass before he speaks again.

“Ya know…” Lion’s eyes wander around your balcony, knowing it’s the most spacious one he’s ever seen so far but he’s much more fascinated with the fact you garden little berries and fruits in small pots on the balcony too. “Since you grow all these here, I think we should get a scarecrow.”

“A what?” You burst into a fit of giggles. “A scarecrow? Like a real one.”

“Oh, yeah.” Lion nods, barely able to keep his own laughter contained. “Not those cheap makeshift ones you find at a craft store. I mean like a real goofy lookin’ guy—a real scarecrow you see on those farms. We should get one riiiiight, here.” He points to the center of the balcony, envisioning a scarecrow would protect all of the berries. “It would be nice! That way the crows don’t eat all of our berries.”

“And we can share the view with Mr. Scarecrow?” You suggest with a grin.

“For sure, for sure.” Lion nods, stealing a kiss from your cheek. “It would make the crows laugh. They always do when they see a scarecrow.”

“The crows are laughing?” You ask, not even doing so intentionally as Max had before in Lion’s little inside scarecrow joke with him.

Lion’s eyes widen a bit at your response—surprised in the best way possible as he laughs with you, saying, “the crows would definitely be laughing,” before kissing you again.

#melis-writes #scarecrow #scarecrow 1973 #francis lionel delbuchi x reader #al pacino x reader #francis lionel delbuchi x reader fluff #francis lionel delbuchi x oc #scarecrow x reader #scarecrow x oc

[melis-writes]

Happy 2023 to all of my beloved followers, readers and mutuals!! 🥰❤️ Wishing you guys all the best in everything this year!

This year (like any other 😏) will be filled with more fics than ever—both new and continuing!! Here's what I plan to write this year!

❤️ CONTINUING FICS ❤️

-> Moth to Flame: Part II continues Michael and Victoria’s story. Things are getting more intense than ever. Revenge, lies, grudges, and skeletons in the closet. 😅

-> Eyes Like Stars continues Bobby and Emily’s story in Needle Park. The need for change, the impacts of addiction on their relationship, a needy and bruised love will lead the two elsewhere. 🥺

-> The Other Woman continues Marina and Michael’s story in Lake Tahoe. A governess to many, a mistress to one. Attraction, yearning and desire will overtake what’s right and what’s wrong. 🥵 Marina can’t resist Michael and he wants her more than ever.

⭐️ NEW UPCOMING FICS ⭐️

-> ??? A new canon based multi-chapter fic set in Corleone, Sicily on Apollonia (who is 25) and Michael’s brief but intense relationship. 👀

-> ??? A new canon based multi-chapter fic of revolving around Kay and Michael’s relationship from college days to marriage and everything in between. ❤

-> ??? A new multi-chapter smut fic beginning the AU story of reader Victoria Ferrari (from Moth to Flame) as a corrupt lawyer in the late 1970s beginning her intense affair and romance with attorney Arthur Kirkland. 🥴

-> ??? A new multi-chapter smut fic beginning the story of the famous racecar driver Bobby Deerfield and the Reader. 😏

-> ??? John Milton x Reader (The Devil's Advocate) rough smut oneshot.

-> ??? Pre-Don Michael Corleone x Reader smut/fluff oneshot.

-> ??? Michael Corleone x Reader smut oneshot based on Part II.

-> ??? Michael x Kay angst-hurt/comfort and fluff oneshot.

-> ??? Michael x Kay angst-hurt/comfort oneshot.

-> ??? Young Vito Corleone x Reader smut and fluff oneshot.

-> ??? Sonny Corleone x Reader smut oneshot.

-> ??? Tom Hagen x Reader fluff/romance oneshot.

-> ??? Serpico x Reader smut/fluff oneshot.

-> ??? Francis Lionel Delbuchi x Reader fluff/romance oneshot (continuing from the events of the fic My Way Home is Through You). 🥰

-> ??? Francis Lionel Delbuchi X Reader hurt/comfort oneshot.

2023 will be filled with fics, oneshots, and even more fics and oneshots. ❤ Looking forward to writing them all!! 😍 These are not necessarily in any order, just something to look forward to this year!

#melly talks #updates

[melis-writes]

New fic is coming, and it's coming tomorrow, August 19!! 😏🥰🙏🏻 Finally finished writing my first Scarecrow fic, a fluff (and lovemaking smut 👀) filled Francis Lionel Delbuchi x Reader!! 14k words and a whole lot of chemistry, love and the most fluff you can think of! 😍 Look forward to it very, very soon!!

And for all the Moth to Flame girlies anticipating the next oneshot... Firstly, I don't blame you. 😂😂❤ Secondly, that's what'll be upcoming next. Promise. 😏

#melly talks

[melis-writes]

🍦

🍦 What's the sweetest fic you've created so far?

I think I would definitely say it's the new oneshot/fic I'm working on right now! 😍 It's a very heavy fluff/romance fic of Francis Lionel Delbuchi x Reader and I can't wait to finish it and share it with you guys!! 🥰❤

#delbuchi fic #delbuchi fanfic

[melis-writes]

Due to popular request (and getting an idea from rewatching ‘Scarecrow’ 1973!! 😍😍) I’ll be writing a Francis Lionel Delbuchi x Reader fic in the very near future!! 👀🙏🏻

Something with lots of passion and fluff is all I can hint for now but it’s going to be filled with love and affection true to Lion’s character! 🥰

#melly talks