Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You were looking for some entry level work that would help you pay your bills. After all, you lived in the expensive city of London and you were also a uni student. You were hoping to find a job that had flexible work hours and decent pay that would be enough to at least cover a part of your rent. 

With not much luck, it seemed like each job search you did felt hopeless. One job didn’t have flexible hours that would work with your university classes schedule, another one didn’t pay quite well, and one had requirements you couldn’t meet. 

You gave up for a bit, you figured you’d have to search later or find another way to make some extra cash. 

That was until you stumbled upon an appealing offer. You were scrolling through Instagram and just clicking through stories, mostly of your friends but some celebs here and there. You were looking at an Instagram story that was offering an editing position in London. You checked the profile of who posted. 

willne

You had forgotten you still followed him. Now, you just passively followed the content he made and it had been a while since you’d seen a post by him on Instagram. 

The offer seemed appealing. It was almost perfect. You were familiar with editing, you used to edit videos and stream highlights for your friends; you wished you had more opportunities to edit videos but school took up most of your time. 

“Reach out if you are interested or have questions”-- attached was an email address. 

You wanted to reach out for more information. You lived in London. You had experience. It was like fate. You began drafting an email, attaching a portfolio, and questions to get some more information about the position. 

A couple days after you sent the email, you received a response that included more information and that you were being considered for the position. You went through some type of interview, gave some information about yourself and your situation. 

After a couple weeks you were now going to be working as an editor. You were thrilled that you got the job. Will contacted you to let you know the location of the office and that he’d meet you there. 

It was the middle of a frigid London winter when you met Will for the first time in person. You walked into the building, the heaters and Will greeting you warmly from the chilly afternoon as you both shook hands. He walked you through the office to a room that would be your own to work in since the other spaces were being taken up for other reasons. You noticed that he seemed a little awkward, maybe nervous, as you both talked. You didn’t think much of it, but it was different from what you saw of Will in videos or on camera. 

You eventually met the other people on the team, and you had settled into your office after a few days of working. 

You often worked during later hours in the office, going straight home after your uni classes and working to make yourself food before going to the office to work. You started packing baked goods you made at home to bring with you to work to have something while you edited. After a week you started bringing more to share with your fellow coworkers as they were preparing to go home or continue working. 

You grew closer to Mikey in particular, mostly because he was also an editor and both of you had to communicate often for working on videos. You didn’t expect to click so well with Mikey of all people but you did. You and Mikey would often share your breaks together, since you lacked company while working in a room separate from everyone else. You worked better while alone, but you knew you needed to be social. 

As you slowly grew closer with your coworkers you took notice of what baked goods you’d make and bring that each of them liked. 

During one of your breaks you and Mikey were in the office kitchen. You took the opportunity to show him how to bake something easy. 

Mikey began brewing some coffee. “You want me to make you one?” 

You shook your head. “No, but thank you. I'm actually allergic to coffee.” 

“Allergic?” 

“Yeah. I'm fine with caffeine, that’s why I drink multiple cans of Monster a week. But coffee does something weird to me.” 

After a bit Will began joining you and Mikey on your breaks after he finished filming second channel videos. You noticed Will seemed quieter and aloof around you, probably because you were new to the team. 

There was one day in particular where you had brought some mini tarts after seeing a recipe online that looked easy enough. You remembered handing some out to the few people who were still in the office by the time you arrived for your later shifts, having enough left to spare for yourself and Mikey to have a snack while you edited. 

That was until you spotted Will walking into the office. You maybe had baked a couple special ones, flavoring and decorating them a bit differently specifically with Will in mind. You noticed the bags under his eyes from afar, and how his eyelids fluttered like he was adjusting to the light in the room. You figured he was tired and had a long day, might as well offer something to cheer him up a little bit. 

You dropped off the remainder of the tarts in your office and on Mikey's desk and left the special ones for Will in the container, which you brought with you as you walked back into the main area of the office, hoping you’d encounter him again. 

And encounter him you did, seeing him walking to his desk. 

You walked up to him, ignoring the butterflies in your stomach that fluttered up to your throat as you got closer to him. Nothing to be nervous about. He's just one of my coworkers like everyone else. You swallowed down your nerves and somehow got out a clear and coherent offer to him, holding out the special mini tarts you had saved for Will. 

You remembered the way he seemed to light up when he saw you walking towards him, presenting an open container with a smile on your face. You saw how his eyes stayed focused on your face for a bit as you spoke to him before acknowledging the treats held out in front of him. 

You remembered the way he smiled and thanked you in a soft tone that you hadn’t heard before. “Thank you, lass. These look lovely.” He spoke in a hushed voice as if he wasn’t meant to be caught talking with you. 

You remembered giving him one last smile and closed the lid, “Just figured you need a bit of something. I'm off to editing now.” 

You turned around, headed in the direction of your office. Will's eyes lingered on you until you were out of sight. He finally looked down at the little pastries in his hand that were from you. From Y/N. The thought stayed on the front of his mind for a bit before he finally took a bite, something he was slightly hesitant to do because the mini tarts looked so cute. 

The first bite he took was heavenly. The mixture of the crust and the filling and the tiny chopped up fruits on top that were arranged to look like a dog head, cute, hit his taste buds that left him digging for more. He quickly gulfed down the rest of the pastry, taking in every flavor and texture. 

He knew to not disturb you while you were working, resisting the urge to walk into your room and ask you if you had more. Instead, he pulled his phone out and sent a quick text to you just complimenting the treat. He knew that you’ll see it and reply later since you kept your phone on silent while you worked. He remembered when you mentioned it while talking to Mikey. 

As you worked in your office, you could hear a loud whirring and popping sound in your office through your slightly noise-canceling headphones. You temporarily took one side off your ear to check that you weren’t going crazy. There was, in fact, a lot of strange and slightly worrying noise coming from the A.C. in your office. 

You sighed to yourself, not the first time. And probably wouldn’t be the last. It’s been happening for the past few weeks you’ve been working here. You thought about bringing it up to Will for a while but either forgot or got too nervous. 

The A.C. also would randomly shut off at random times, which was good during colder days but the heater in the whole building was still going strong. You found yourself taking off layers and sweating a bit as you worked, your room a little too warm for your comfort. Instead of actually solving the problem by telling Will or anyone else about it, you just brought in an electric fan into the room to turn on when you felt it was getting a little too warm. 

After the introduction of your temporary solution of the fan, you had pushed the task of telling Will aside. Why bring it up when you’ve solved it yourself? The temperature in your office was no longer a problem. 

But the strange noises persisted which finally pushed you to work up the motivation to finally bring it up to Will. You knew you had to tell someone about it in case there was something actually wrong with the A.C., but you pushed it to the back of your mind until you were laying in bed at home after working on a second channel video. 

The chore of contacting Will about the air conditioner issue had plagued your mind all day, and you made yourself promise that you would contact him about it before the end of the day. You mentally scolded yourself for putting it off for so long, and it was now definitely outside of business hours. You’re probably bothering him from whatever downtime he’s having at home. 

You sighed, clicking on Will’s contact and pressing the call button. Fuck. You immediately regretted your fingers working quicker than you can process the options. Who the hell calls people these days? You felt your stomach drop to your ass and bit the inside of your cheeks. Should’ve just sent a text. Or an email. Unfortunately there was no going back on what you’ve done as you sat on your bed and listened to the dial tone coming from your phone, waiting for Will to pick up. 

Each second and ringing felt like torture to you. You hated making calls, like most people. But especially with people you weren’t super close with. You inhaled sharply, rehearsing the script in your head, gulping as you felt your throat dry up. 

After a couple of seconds you heard a northern voice. “Hello?” Will. 

“H-hi, Will. It’s Y/N. I– um, I know I probably could’ve just sent you an email or a text about this, sorry if I'm bothering or interrupting anything.” You mentally cursed at yourself for stumbling over your words. I probably sound so stupid right now. 

You quickly swallowed your nerves and continued. “But, um, I just wanted to tell you about the air conditioner in my room in the office? It’s– it’s just making a lot of really weird and loud noises and I don't know if there’s something wrong with it…” You had more you needed to say but you heard him interject. 

“Oh, thank you for telling me. It’s not a bother at all, I'll check it. Has it been shutting off?” 

“Y-yeah, it shuts off randomly sometimes. And it does get a bit warm but I have a fan in my room now so that’s kinda not much of an issue anymore.” You fidgeted with your free hand, fiddling with your bedsheets between your fingers. 

“Well, how ‘bout we check it out tomorrow morning? How does 7 sound?” Will clarified, “7 am.” 

7 am? On a Sunday? “The office is open at 7?” You questioned, though you weren’t expecting a response. “I mean, alright. yeah, I’ll be there at 7.” You knew you’d have to reschedule your day and figure out the bus route for the early morning since it would be too cold for walking, but you’d make it work if Will thought it was necessary for you to be there. 

“Okay, perfect, I'll see ya tomorrow morning.” 

“Okay, see you.” You said quietly. “Thank you.” 

You hung up first, letting out a breath you didn’t notice you were holding the whole time. you laid back on your bed, staring at your ceiling. 7 am tomorrow. Sighing, you made a mental routine for the early morning you now had the next day. 

“Hey, um, where is everybody?” You peeped into your office, seeing Will standing next to your desk. 

“Oh, no one’s here yet— I came in a little early, to see you.” 

“Oh, okay.” You closed the door behind you, a little confused at the situation. If he wanted to come up here early then it has to be something important. “Well, I made you some more mini fruit tarts. A test run for a new recipe.” You sat down in your chair and handed him a small tupperware containing the pastries you had baked the night before. 

“God, thank you…” He gratefully took them and didn’t hesitate to take the lid off. “So, we, uh, spoke on the phone yesterday. And you said the A.C. in here was randomly turning off and making weird sounds?” You watched him grab one of the mini tarts you made, you recognized it as the one you topped with just strawberries to look like a flower. 

“Yeah, but it didn’t really bother me much other than the one time it got a little too warm for my liking.” You spun back and forth in your chair slightly, still facing Will. 

“Oh, okay. good. then you’re fine.” Will took a bite out of the mini tart. “Oh my god.” He let out a small sigh and he leaned back slightly. 

You breathed in, looking at Will with confusion. “Well, aren’t you gonna do an examination? or call someone?” 

He didn’t bother waiting to finish chewing, speaking with a mouthful. “Oh, no need. These are unbelievably delicious! De– delicious isn’t even a good enough word for what they are.” Will's voice was muffled, stuffing the rest of the mini tart into his mouth. “What you do with food is… unearthly.” 

“Thank you.” You fidgeted with your fingers a little as you watched him finish taking the last bite out of the mini tart and reach into the box for another one. “Then is everything okay? There’s nothing wrong with this room or the A.C.?” 

“No, nothing’s wrong in here,” Will reassured you. “The A.C. is perfectly fine, this is what it usually does in here.” Will took a bite out of another mini tart. “Holy shit.” 

You stared at him again, your hands gripping the edge of your chair. “Is that all you have to say?” 

He paused for a second, staring directly into your eyes. Will’s train of thought broke for a moment, then scattered as he tried to figure out a cohesive thought to put into words out loud. He struggled to untangle the mess in his brain as he stared into your dark eyes, getting lost in them. He found himself staring into your eyes more than he probably should, they were like black holes so dark that he couldn’t see your pupils. He got lost in them often, it was like staring into space. and suddenly, his mouth moved out of sync with his head before he could formulate something that wasn’t blunt and made sense. 

“No.” He blurted out. He clenched his jaw and held his breath for a second. 

“Then what?” 

He waited for a second again before responding. “Nothing.” He said slowly, now suddenly looking down and swallowing nervously. “You can… you can go, Y/N. I'll see you again at your next scheduled work hour.” 

He looked away from you, and in a second he attempted to switch his demeanor. A flustered smile plastered on his face as he tried to steady his voice– though you could tell something was off. “You know, don’t hesitate to call if you any—“

“Questions or concerns,” you cut him off, immediately standing up. 

“—any and all.” Will added, his casual and unaware attitude contrasting with how your blood was simmering inside you. 

“Then why’d you have me come all the way in here if all you wanted to tell me was that the A.C. in this room randomly turns off at times?” You fully stood up and stepped towards him, your words spilling out with annoyance. “I had to get up early, take a bus, walk five blocks– just to hear that the A.C. randomly turning off is normal?!”

You waited for him to respond. Will stood there, mouth agape. “I have no response to that,” he said finally. 

“And what time does this office normally open, boss?” You checked your phone to look at the time. “8:30–?” 

“—9 o’clock,” Will quickly corrected you. 

“9 o’clock? So you came in here two hours early, on a Sunday, just to tell me that the A.C. is being perfectly normal?!” 

Will took a breath and spoke calmly. “Well it seems that way—” you waited, crossing your arms. He sighed, “…yes.”

You walked towards the door. “Goodbye, Will.” You were silently fuming, inhaling sharply. So much for the long journey here this morning. 

He sighed, “Goodbye, Y/N.” 

You instantly whipped back around to face him. “No! You know what?” You threw your phone and wallet back down on your desk. 

Your fists balled up as you fidgeted under Will's confused gaze. If you didn’t already have his attention before you certainly caught his attention now by snapping. “I think you’re strange.” You said, seething, finally finding the words and looking him in the eyes. 

He looked at you confused and shocked, eyebrows raised but he didn’t say a thing. Not that you would let him in that moment. There was a look of hurt in his eyes, but you were too angry to sugarcoat anything. 

“And I’m not sure if I wanna keep working for you anymore because you make me uncomfortable!” You let the last sentence rush out your mouth, your voice breaking slightly with the last word. It was probably a bit more loud and heated than you intended, too irritated to care about not hurting Will's feelings. 

You didn’t even think about how Will would react, or was prepared to get a response from him. 

He instantly stepped towards you, frantically apologizing. “Y/N, no! I'm sorry! I am so sorry! Whatever I do that makes you uncomfortable—“ his hands flailing towards you as he spoke, unsure if he should physically comfort you. 

You instinctively stepped back, your shoulders hunching at his sudden movement and his rushed speech. “You should not feel uncomfortable working here—“ 

“That thing! You’re doing it again!” you pointed at Will. 

“What?” 

“That thing! That you do—!” 

“How—? What is it that I do?” 

“I don't know! You– the nice-guy-talky-thing that you, just— do! You just–” You and him were now standing right in front of each other, and you felt his eyes stare into you. But you couldn’t bring yourself to look him in the eyes right now. Your eyes settled for his chest. you were looking at him, just not in the eyes. How could you? When you made eye contact you felt something strange in his stare. 

You tried for a couple seconds to muster up any more words to him, but gave up, you were too frustrated with the entire situation you were currently in. 

Your body tensed up as you looked Will in the eyes and huffed out through your teeth, “Forget it.” 

You turned on your heels and marched your way to and out the door of your office, slamming it behind you. After taking a few steps you remembered. “Dammit,” you whispered to yourself. I forgot my phone and wallet. 

Reluctantly, you marched back to your office, hoping to get in and get right back out, not wanting to face Will anymore. 

Meanwhile, after you slammed the door shut, Will sighed and his shoulders dropped. He didn’t expect things to escalate like this. He fucked it up. Was it that bad that he just wanted to see you a little more often? Maybe he thought about you a little too much. 

Should’ve just stayed professional. The two of you were technically just coworkers after all. Coworkers, Will thought to himself. You’re just another one of his coworkers. 

Pondering what he could do next, he glanced at your desk, seeing your phone and wallet that you had thrown down. 

He wasn’t planning on following you out, he figured you needed some time and fresh air, but he picked up your belongings and turned towards the door to give them back to you. 

Before he could even step towards the door, you barged back in, stomping towards Will seeing that he had your belongings. 

Will calmly handed your phone and wallet towards you, “Y/N, you forgot your—“ You cut him off by pulling him down to your level by gripping the front of his sweater and roughly making your lips meet. 

That certainly caught him off guard. And you. It was impulsive, yes, but it somehow felt so right having his lips against yours in that moment. It was rough and stiff at the beginning but slowly both of you melted into the kiss, enjoying every second of it. Your grip on his sweater tightened before loosening as you both slowly pulled away, catching your breath and your eyes still closed from the bliss you felt in those few seconds. 

You slowly opened your eyes to see Will looking down at you, his eyes soft and sincere. During the kiss one of his hands had found its way on your shoulders, then down the sides of your arms. It felt such a gentle gesture, his hand barely brushed your skin like you were made of glass and a touch too rough would break you. It had been forever since someone had made you feel this way, or had done something like that. 

You were able to take in Will's features. you always thought he was attractive, though you pushed your attraction to him into a deep dark corner in the back of your mind to withhold a sense of professionalism in the office. So much for being professional. You were able to catch the color of Will’s eyes, a dull blue that you never had the opportunity to get a glimpse of from a distance. 

You admired the way his eyes relaxed, instead of his usual intense gaze you were so used to. Within the close distance you could smell his cologne, tickling your nose as it brought you back to when you shook hands with Will for the first time. Or when you both stood next to each other at the coffee counter when Mikey left to grab something from his desk. Being in such close proximity to Will made you suddenly conscious of every little move you made. 

You breathed in steadily and held your breath, afraid to break the tension. 

For Will, it really didn’t help that you were exactly his type. 5’2. Dark hair. Tan. Asian. He admitted to feeling quite lonely the last few months. He knew he probably wasn’t subtle with how he felt about you, despite his weak efforts to hide them within the short amount of time you’ve gotten to know each other. He never intended to let his desires take action– like explicitly hit on you, but this was pure bliss for him. This was heavenly. 

Will’s type had been mentioned a couple times offhandedly in a couple recent videos, but you hadn’t put much thought into it until you realized it now. The prolonged eye contact, the seemingly-random glances, the way he looked at you when you weren't looking, or when his eyes lingered on you a bit longer than they should. It all made sense now. 

He admired the way you looked up at him through your eyelashes, barely tilting your head up to make your eyes meet his. Fucking doe eyes. You looked so curious, so endearing, so divine, like you finally let your guard down around him. He wasn’t blind to how short-lived eye contact was with you. He always noticed how you avoided eye contact with most people, but especially him. Will figured it was you simply being nervous and still getting used to the new environment. He secretly adored how flustered you’d look after breaking away when you locked eyes, like you were guilty of something. 

Then reality suddenly hit you again. I just kissed my employer. “…Shit.” Your eyes widened and looked down to snatch your phone and wallet from Will’s hand before sprinting to get out the door. 

“Woah! Woah! Woah!” Will reacted instantly, flailing to race you to the door, tripping over his feet and standing in your way of the only exit. Both of you stopped and he paused to look down at you, his hands out. “Wait.” 

“What do you want?!” you blurted out, irritated again. Just let me leave, goddammit. I don't want to see you right now. 

“Look. I– I wanna see you again. Talk to you–” he rambled, trying to keep your attention as you focused on the door handle to get past him to leave. “Somewhere outside of here— can we have, like, coffee together? Or something?” 

You stopped and looked him dead in the eyes. “I can't have coffee. I said I'm allergic to coffee on the paperwork. What kind of employer are you?!” 

“W— do you want, like, a— a smoothie or something?” Will stutter out. 

You sighed, walking back to your desk and throwing your belongings onto your chair. “This is wrong. We shouldn’t be doing this.” You spilled out whatever rational thought you had left, hoping neither of you were going to do something you would regret later. 

But there was no rationale in what happened next. Any logic and rationale had vanished. Because you and Will were back to holding each other, bodies flushed against each other, lips locked. 

You were right: everything about this was wrong. You both knew it was a bad idea. But it felt so damn good to be bad. 

You were pushed up onto whatever free space was on your desk and Will stood in between your legs that dangled on the edge of the table, your lips never separating. Your arms wrapped about his neck and his hands found its way to your waist. 

Eventually there were clothes on the floor, fingers interlocked, and two people lustful and hungry for more. You held onto him like your life depended on it, and he gripped your thighs like you were made of gold. 

You had long forgotten the implications of the situation you were in, the fact that Will was technically your co-worker/boss and you were an employee, but instead focusing on satisfying your desires and the way Will made you feel. 

Both of you finished what you had started that morning, committing sins that were better off being left unmentioned later. 

Now, you are back at your flat before your scheduled brunch with Mikey. You both had agreed to meet up to hang out and discuss editing and work. Before you left the office you fixed your makeup in the bathroom and said your goodbyes to Will. 

Your brunch with Mikey went as you’d imagined: discussing videos, editing, baking, your uni experience, mundane things happening in your lives. 

You spent the rest of the day catching up on homework that you didn’t do yesterday and went to bed thinking about what you and Will had done. The realization hit you that you would have to see him tomorrow at work. Fuck. You hoped that you both mutually agreed to not bring it up and pretend like nothing happened, because that’s absolutely what you wanted to do. 

The thought of having to see Will and discuss whatever complications were created made you uneasy. 

You sighed to yourself as you closed your eyes and hoped that you would be able to face the issue later, like you do with any other inconvenience in your life. 

Chapter Text

You woke up the next morning with your alarm blasting in your ear to wake you up for uni. Your classes were a breeze, though the thought of seeing Will weighed on you throughout the day. 

Once you came back home to your flat you practically fell onto your bed, exhausted somehow. You flipped over onto your back, now noticing the headache you had all day and the growing pain in your stomach. 

I ate throughout the day, I don’t know why my stomach’s been growling all day. You sat up and reached towards your water bottle that you always kept on your nightstand. 

As you took a big sip you continued wondering to yourself. I drank a decent amount of water today. You closed the lid and placed your water bottle back on your night stand. Why have I been feeling queasy all day? 

You laid back down, hoping that the pain would eventually go away, closing your eyes to ease your headache. 

Suddenly, you began feeling an intense wave of nausea hit you. You felt your mouth watering. The feeling was too familiar. I think I’m gonna throw up. You sat back up again, your legs dangling over the edge of your bed. You reached for your water bottle again. You stood up and walked to your desk to grab a trash can as you couldn’t be bothered to go to your bathroom and sit at your toilet. 

You pulled the mini bin lined with a plastic grocery bag out from underneath your desk and placed it near your bed. Placing your water bottle next to you, you kneeled down and sat on your knees, slightly hovering over the bin and waited. 

After a few minutes your mouth watered significantly more and you opened your mouth over the bin. Your jaw locked and you felt your abdomen tighten as your stomach contents rushed out. You closed your eyes and exhaled, though only feeling slightly better. 

This continued for a bit, until after you threw up a couple more times before feeling the nausea go away (mostly) and poured water from your water bottle to clean your mouth from the aftertaste. 

You contemplated going to the office as you stared at the bin, thinking about the possibilities of working in the current condition you were in. Eventually, you figured that you couldn’t risk taking the chance that you wouldn’t puke again later and the potential of spreading your illness if you were contagious. You quickly pulled your phone out and drafted an email to Mikey, explaining that you were sick and throwing up so you couldn’t work on editing one of the videos that you both had discussed during brunch. 

After sending the email, you stared at your trash can that you threw up in, wondering what could’ve caused this. 

Food poisoning? Food allergy? You hadn’t eaten anything unusual, and you had eaten at the cafe you and Mikey had brunch at the day before. You had ordered your usual, made your usual lunch for uni, you went grocery shopping recently so the produce in your fridge was fresh. 

Period? No, it wasn’t that time of the month. For you, throwing up from time to time was normal while on your period. You had tried seeking medical attention for it but nothing really came from it, though you were recommended birth control a few years ago and it definitely helped a lot. 

Anxiety? Very likely. This had happened before, where you got so anxious that you threw up. It happened multiple times in high school, and it happened during your first two years of uni. 

One final option went through your mind. Pregnancy? That was the scariest possibility by far. You were in no way capable of raising a child. Yes, you had very recently had sex, but you were being safe. You’re on the pill, too. It was a possibility, but the chances were low. 

Must be anxiety. You were very anxious all day, thinking of Will. The idea of going to the office and seeing him made you feel dizzy again, your stomach dropping at the thought. Definitely anxiety. 

You spent the next couple of days at home, catching up on your school work, occasionally feeling nauseous but you only threw up twice after Monday. You were feeling better, but you began staying home “sick” out of avoidance of the office. 

You knew you needed to help Mikey on the behemoth of footage he needed to cut down for Will’s main channel. During brunch you had promised him that you would help. It was now Wednesday and you were feeling guilty about staying home an extra day when you were now perfectly fine. 

Mikey had texted you earlier to rest and take it easy, but you still felt bad. Will had texted you a few times after Sunday but you avoided checking his messages at all costs. You also figured that Mikey told Will that you were sick. 

You went to the office the next day after your last class of the day, realizing that you couldn’t keep avoiding your job (or Will). You even brought a grape pie you made to make up for it. 

As you entered the building you went up to your floor and brushed past everyone as quickly as you could to get to your office room. Fortunately for you, they were in the middle of filming a video for Will’s second channel so you slipped into your office without notice. You caught a glimpse of Will’s voice as they were reviewing what you could assume was products from some random website. Hearing Will’s voice made you yearn for it more but also awoke butterflies in your stomach that made you uneasy on your feet. You sighed as you threw your stuff down and kept the pie in your hands. 

You stared at the grape pie, contemplating how you were going to give it to Will. Your stomach turned at the idea of having to look him in the eyes and speak to his face after what happened the last time you were at the office. You looked down at the pie in your hands, questioning what you plan even was with bringing it as an apology for Will. You bit your lip, scolding yourself silently. This whole situation is stupid. Stupid dumb me for getting caught up in this mess. 

You sighed and set the pie down on your desk. You turned your computer on and sat down, preparing yourself for work. 

Mid-editing, your office door suddenly burst open. “You’re back!” You turned around. It was Mikey. He smiled at you, “The office has been so boring without you, glad that you’re feeling better.” He must’ve seen that the lights in your office were on. 

You smiled softly at him, taking your headphones off. “Yeah, sorry about that.” 

“No, no! You’re fine!” Mikey reassured you. He walked up behind you, looking over your shoulder at your monitor. “What’re you up to right now?” 

You turned your chair back around towards your computer. “Just getting back to cutting the footage down like we discussed at brunch.” 

That’s when Will walked into your office. He looked at Mikey first like he was about to say something to him, but then he saw you. 

You felt butterflies in your stomach when you met his eyes, fidgeting a bit under his gaze. You both seemed to hesitate upon seeing each other. Seeing his cold blue eyes brought you back to your last interaction with him as you began getting flustered having his attention on you.  

He broke the second of silence first. “Hello, Y/N.” 

“Hey, Will,” you greeted back. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice stiff. 

You felt your shoulders tense at the sudden tension in the room. “Fine,” you answered bluntly, the familiar uneasy feeling building up as Will kept his attention on you. 

Though Mikey broke the tension briefly. “You brought a pie!” He gestured at the grape pie on your desk with excitement. Meant for Will. You turned your chair towards the direction of the pie. “What kind is it?” 

“Oh, um, it’s just a grape pie.” You glanced at Will as Mikey reached over to pick up the pie. “Oh my god, it looks delightful!” Mikey held the pie in his hands with a bright smile. You opened your mouth to tell Mikey to not touch the pie (or that the pie was for Will), but you didn’t have the heart to tell him as Mikey was too distracted and paid no more attention to you as he cut you off. “How thoughtful of you, always bringing us treats in the office. You’re keeping us fed.” 

Will was quick to chime in, like he knew the pie was for him, and in a frantic manner started speaking to Mikey. “Mikey! I- uh, need you to…” Will paused to think. “to… go help Orla… organize and count how many packages have come in for the next second channel video!” 

Mikey looked at Will, confused. “But I just did–?” 

“Please?” Will cut him off. “Please? Please?” He continued to ask Mikey desperately to get him out of the room. 

Before Mikey could get another word in, Will leaned out into the hallway outside of your office. “Don’t worry Orla! Mikey’s on his way!” He stepped back into your office, looking at Mikey expectedly. 

Mikey began walking out of your office, grape pie in hand, confused and mildly annoyed. “I don’t know what the hell he’s on about,” he muttered quietly, glancing at you. He didn’t close the door behind him. Now it was just you and Will left in your office. 

Will stepped towards you, keeping his voice low. “Don’t ever do that again.” 

You looked up at him confused. “What? Bring a pie?” 

“No, no! Of course not that! I mean go away for three days and not contact me!” 

“I didn’t have any questions or concerns!” You said defensively, pulling your headphones up, itching to put them back on. You wanted to end your interaction with him there, embarrassed to be near him again. You forced your eyes back to your monitor and looked at whatever footage you were helping Mikey cut down. 

“Well don't do that.” Will said, almost teasing. Almost. 

You pushed your headphones down again, holding them in your lap. “This is crazy, Will!” You turned your chair fully towards Will to glare at him. 

His cold gray eyes bore into you. “Well you could’ve told me yourself that you were sick! I had to hear it from Mikey.” 

You panicked. “I didn’t wanna talk.” You spun your chair back around to face your monitor. 

“Okay, that’s fine.” Will sighed, you could feel his gaze resting on you. “I guess we are… officially forgetting everything that happened between us.” 

You glanced back up at him, staring at you with a soft expression, his arms crossed, his head hung low. You tore your gaze away from him, biting the inside of your cheeks as you fidgeted with your headphones. “Y-yes,” you said nervously, "We officially are.” You held your breath, feeling the tension between you and Will. 

“Look, I just wanted to apologize.” You heard him move closer to you. “I sent you multiple texts telling you to take care of yourself.” You set your headphones down on your desk, turning your chair to face him again but kept your eyes on your hands in your lap. “I- I almost called you, just to apologize. It’s never going to happen again. Our relationship is strictly pr–” 

“Mmh–!” you cut Will off by grabbing his sweater to pull him down towards you, making him lean over you and smashing your lips onto his. Of course, he was completely caught off guard by this, once again, and honestly so were you. So bold and forward you were being right now. 

Your hands loosened their grip on his sweater and you reached to cup his face, holding him right against you. His hands went to hold your face as he melted into the kiss, until he gently grabbed your wrists to take them off his face and he pulled away abruptly. 

“Y/N, no!” He scolded, he stood back up with a finger pointed at you like you were a misbehaving dog. You looked at him disappointed and confused. Regret and embarrassment started washing over you as you struggled to catch your breath. Shit! 

“Not with the door open.” 

You whipped your head around to see Will frantically closing your office door that Mikey hadn’t closed on his way out. 

Will practically leapt back to you, making you jump in your seat. He quickly crouched back down to you, putting his hands on your knees. You smiled as you went to reattach your lips onto his, your hands wrapping around his neck and his sliding up your thighs. 

You felt his lips moving against yours with desperation and hunger, clearly still not over your last interaction together. You smiled against his lips as his hands moved erratically over your body. 

Though the moment was short-lived as you both heard your office door open abruptly. 

You and Will immediately pulled apart at the sound of the door opening. Will pushed your chair away from him and stood right back up, trying to act as if he had fallen or tripped while still facing away from the door. You wiped your lips with one of your hands, attempting to play off the shame you felt in getting walked-in on and getting caught. Will readjusted himself and cleared his throat, before finally turning towards the direction of your office door. 

Mikey looked deadpanned at Will, plate in hand with a slice of the grape pie. “There’s still the same number of packages in our inventory.” Mikey poked at the pie with a plastic fork as he spoke. 

“T-thank you, Mikey.” Will cleared his throat again. “Uh, Y/N.” You looked up at him, shifting in your chair still flustered. His gaze shifted to your monitor. “You’ve been working on that main channel video?” 

You nodded, looking at your monitor with the project file still pulled up. “Faithfully.” 

“Faithfully, my arse,” Mikey mumbled with a full mouth of pie. 

You and Will froze before locking eyes with each other, trying to hold back awkward laughter. 

“Well then,” Will continued. “I’d like to check back in about this video tomorrow.” 

“Tomorrow?” Mikey questioned.

“Yes, tomorrow,” Will said with a sigh. “Are we on the same page?” He continued to hold eye contact with you. 

You smiled softly at Will. “We’re on the same page,” you affirmed. 

“We’re all on the same page!” Mikey quipped, walking back out your office again, this time closing the door behind him. 

Will waited for a second until Mikey’s footsteps were too faint to be heard before he crouched back down in front of you again, his hands resting on your thighs. 

“Where were we, again, darling?” he smirked, looking up at you. And the butterflies in your stomach fluttered again. 

You played with your hands anxiously as you walked the streets of London in the direction of the pub that Will had invited you to this evening. Your stomach flipped, not because you were spending time with your coworkers outside of work– you had already done that with Mikey, but because you were meeting some other content creators in London that Will was friends with. Will mentioned Chris, George, both Arthurs, Becky, and a few more were going to be there. There wasn’t anything wrong with them, you knew of them and watched some of their content, but you couldn’t help but feel anxious meeting a lot of new faces and in the presence of Will. 

Will. You both were still hiding whatever you had going on. And in a way, hiding it felt like you and Will weren’t exclusive. But you were going to have to keep quiet and act normal around Will while drinking– another thing that made you anxious about tonight because you were a lightweight. Yet, the tiresome workload uni put on you made you yearn to unwind tonight. 

You eventually made it to the entrance of the pub, surviving the cold walk in your heeled boots. The warmth of the building welcomed you, the chill from outside now leaving you. You spotted Will, Mikey, Orla, Aby, and Ieuan near the entrance of the pub, about to walk in. Orla and Aby waved you over as you walked closer to them. Will’s eyes immediately found you, a small smile settled once he saw you approaching. 

“Y/N! Glad you could make it!” Orla greeted you. 

The group entered, finding a booth to all sit at. Will’s production team would have an hour together before any of Will’s friends would arrive. You sat between Aby and Orla, while Ieuan, Mikey, and Will sat opposite of you. Drinks were ordered and the conversations flowed easily between the six of you. 

You sipped on your cocktail as you listened to Orla discussing something regarding the second channel with Ieuan. Mikey mentioned something about main channel footage needing to be edited as you listened absent-mindedly, you were focused at how Will would glance at you often while he spoke to Mikey and Aby. Soon, you found yourself caught up in a conversation with Aby and Orla. 

“So, Y/N,” Aby looked at you. “You have anyone you’ve been seeing, lately?” The question fully brought you out of your thoughts. 

“H-huh?” You were unsure if you had heard her correctly. 

“Are you seeing anyone at the moment?” Aby asked again. “Surely you’ve got someone wanting a piece of you.” 

You shifted in your seat nervously, your fingers playing with the hem of your skirt. “Oh, umm,” you looked down and tried to think of an answer. “I mean, yeah. Kind of? It’s complicated.” 

You glanced at Will, catching a knowing look from him. You noticed that Mikey’s attention was on you as well. Is Mikey onto us? You played with the straw of your drink, taking a sip. 

“Oh?” Orla leaned forward, intrigued. “Care to spill the beans a little? Tell us about him.” 

You tapped your fingers against the edge of the table, trying to play your answer carefully. You were afraid to expose too much, since Will was definitely listening into your conversation, but also what your other coworkers’ reactions would be if you said too much. 

Aby caught onto your nervousness. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But this is a judgement-free zone. Perhaps you could tell us why it’s complicated.” 

You bit the inside of your cheeks a little before settling on an answer. “He’s… he’s kinda the man of my dreams. It’s just…” 

Your eyes bounced around, as if you were searching for a satisfying answer. You caught Will’s intense stare, feeling the way his icy blue eyes bore into you. 

You went back to playing with your straw. “I’m worried about how other people around us will react to us being together,” you answered honestly. “That and I don’t know if this is something more or just a fling.” 

An hour had gone by and more people started to show up. You and Chris greeted each other first, already somewhat familiar with him from working in the same building. Same with Chip and Calfreezy, who greeted you with excitement. You were quickly introduced to George, Harry, ArthurTV, Arthur Hill, Bach, Liv, and Becky. More drinks were ordered and you felt yourself loosen up more, smiling and laughing freely as the conversations continued. Your entire group stood up, some of them making their way to the dancefloor while the rest stood around the pub. 

George leaned in towards you. “So you’re a uni student?” 

You nodded, swirling your drink a little in your hand. You couldn’t lie, you could see why George was such a heartthrob. Being next to him in-person was a different experience, and you couldn’t help but admire his soft blue eyes, his soft brown curls, and how his mullet suited him so well. You found yourself easily enamored by his voice, how gentle it sounded with his posh-sounding accent that gave you little butterflies. Any woman would be lucky to have him as her man. 

“How’d you start working for Will?” 

You explained your story to him, how you saw the instagram story about needing editors, how you used to edit videos for your friends, and then when you finally secured the job. As you explained your story, your eyes landed on Will, who was deep in conversation with Chip and Calfreezy. He was facing your general direction, leaning against the wall and drink in hand, looking as casual as ever. But the way he eyed you with George didn’t go unnoticed by you. 

You paid no mind to Will as you kept talking to George, realizing that you had a lot in common with him. You’d occasionally catch at glance at Will, who eyed you like you were doing something you weren’t supposed to. The alcohol in your system definitely made the conversations easier as you laughed at his jokes and leaned a little closer to him as you spoke. 

All of which, Will noticed. He was practically staring daggers at you and George while Chip and Calfreezy discussed something about their podcast. He was well aware of how you and George were closer in age, and how George was basically every woman’s dream man. He caught the way you were leaning closer to him, seeing how easily he made you smile. Why couldn’t Will make you smile like that? 

His hand tightened a little in his pint before he took a sip, finally tearing his eyes away from you and George. His mind wandered to what you had said to Orla and Aby earlier. “I don’t know if this is something more or just a fling.” 

Once you finished your drink you were dragged onto the dance floor by Becky. “Come on, I heard from Aby that you used to be a dancer!” You laughed as you let yourself move freely, finally unwinding from the stress of the past week. 

A couple men attempted to flirt with you, but you happily turned their advances down. 

“Pretty thing, aren’t ya?” a drunken man slurred at you. You tried to pay him no mind but he continued to follow you. “Lemme buy you a drink, on me. Pretty little thing like you needs a sweet drink in your system.” 

You attempted to decline him, but he persisted. You ended up at the bar, getting a good look at him. He was a bit of an older guy, a bit of gray peaking out on his hairline. He was dressed in a black polo and jeans, his hand was callused and slightly wrinkled. 

You tried to decline his offer again, a little on edge from being pursued by someone much older than you. “No, thank you. I’ve had enough to drink tonight.” 

He stepped dangerously closer to you, voice low. “If you’ve had enough to drink tonight, why don’t I take you home? I can treat you very well there, sweet thing.” 

Your body tensed up at the close proximity, taking a small step back. “I’m sure you’re a nice gentleman, but I’m not interested.” 

“You never know unless you try. Come on, I’ll give you a good time.” 

“No, thank you. I’m fine.” You sensed that he would continue escalating the situation. You looked around, trying to find a familiar face. 

“Bet a pretty little thing like you needs someone to take care of ya.” 

“I already told you, I’m not interested.” You said dismissively, weaving through the crowd as he followed on your tail. 

You perked up when you spotted a familiar group consisting of Will, George, ArthurTV, and Bach. Will noticed you as you approached. “You alright, pet?” 

You got closer, feeling safer in his presence. Then the man appeared behind you, “Reckon you’d like being a little submissive, do anything to ya and you’d take it.” 

You whipped your head up at him, eyes wide and mouth dry. The guys’ attention shifted from you to the man. Will seemed just as bewildered at his advances on you. 

The man continued, “I like ‘em small and innocent. You look like you’d be nice and tight.” 

You felt your head spinning, disgusted. Will stepped forward, gently pushing you behind him as he stood between you and the drunk man. You could barely hear what Will was saying to the man as your vision started blurring, fear and shame taking over your body. 

After a bit, you felt a hand on your upper arm, then it moved to your back. Will looked down at you, quietly whispering in your ear. “He’s been dealt with. You’re safe, love. It’s fine.” 

Will’s words anchored you as you felt yourself coming back to your senses. He rubbed light circles on your back and your hand subconsciously grabbed onto the front of his shirt. 

He sighed, the softness in his voice leaving a bit. “C’mon. I’m taking you home.” 

You looked up at him, surprised. “What?” 

Will looked at the guys and said his goodbyes as he guided you towards the door. 

“Will, it’s fine,” you tried to insist. “I don’t need to go home right now.” You shivered a bit as you stepped outside, the cool London air biting your skin. The thin layer of sweat you had built up inside was disappearing. 

Will wrapped his jacket around you. “I’m going home, too. C’mon.” 

You didn’t say anything after that, gripping Will’s jacket over your shoulders as you were clearly not dressed for the weather. The two of you continued to walk in silence, the sounds of passing cars creating ambience. 

Once you reached your apartment, you turned to look at Will. “What’s been up with you tonight?” 

Will stared at you, his expression hardened. 

“You’ve been giving me cold looks all night, staring daggers at me!” You finally let out your frustrations. “You’ve barely talked to me. What’s up with you?” 

He closed his eyes and sighed. “It’s complicated? That’s what you said?” He was referring to your earlier conversation with Aby and Orla. 

“What else is it, Will?” You gripped his jacket around you tighter. “We’ve still yet to see each other properly alone outside of work.” You said bluntly, “All we’ve done is hide that we’ve been shagging in the office.” 

He looked away, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t act like you didn’t want to keep it a secret. Hell, you didn’t come into the office for days after the first time. You’ve been avoiding it, too. We’ve barely talked about it because you don’t want to. Don’t forget that you’re the one who started this.” 

“But you continue it! You let it happen! And I’m afraid of what other people will think! The rest of the production team, friends, onlookers!” Your voice ended up getting louder than you intended. “You’re supposed to be my boss.” 

“I saw how you were with George,” Will stiffened. “I saw you get flirted with.” 

“So? We’re not exclusive,” you shot back. “I’m not your girlfriend, Will. You haven’t even taken me out on a date–”  

“I tried to ask you!” 

“And that’s all you did!” you shouted. “I don’t know what you want from me. I work for you. And we’ve fucked a couple times. That’s all it is! You have no right to act possessive of me!” 

Will didn’t say anything, just looked at you with an unreadable expression. 

“Just–” you balled his jacket up in your hands and shoved it into his chest, glaring at him. “You don’t make it easy. I see the way you look at me. I can’t believe you’re trying to have this conversation with me outside my flat after we’ve had drinks. It’s like you don’t even see me.” 

You huffed, turning on your heels and walking into your apartment. You made sure to slam the door behind you. Inside, you attempted to swallow your tears and let out a choked sob. 

Will stood there a bit longer, his jacket in his hands, before turning to walk home. 

The next time you walked into the office you felt a shift in the air. Despite your last interaction with Will, you brought another grape pie– you knew he liked grape-flavored things. You were a bit unsure why you continued to bring specific goods for him, perhaps an apology? Something to ease the tension? You huffed as you made your way to your office, expecting to see an agitated Will waiting for you. Instead, you were greeted by Orla. 

“Orla,” you greeted her, surprised. “Where’s Will?” You looked at her expectedly, since she was the main producer for Will’s second channel– which you would be editing most of the videos for. 

“Will had to go back to Newcastle for a funeral,” she explained.

“He went back to Newcastle?” you asked. You felt a ghost of Will’s presence haunting you as you continued to grip the grape pie in your hands. Your last interaction with him was an argument. 

“Mhm,” Orla confirmed. “So you’re stuck with me!” She laughed and nudged you a bit. 

She seemed to sense your uneasiness. “...I’m just kidding.” 

You sat down at your desk, sliding the covered pie to the side and turning your computer on. You wrote whatever notes Orla had for you regarding the footage for two upcoming second channel videos, what needed to be cut and other minor edits that needed to be made. 

“That’s all we took note of during the recording session, but I’m sure Will’s got some things he’ll go over with you once he’s back.” 

The mention of Will made you shift in your chair, thinking back to your last interaction with him. The argument replayed fresh in your mind. 

Orla noticed a shift in your mood. “You look like shit, girl. You feeling okay?” 

You just nodded, not trusting yourself to speak. 

She could see your discontent but decided to not pry. She shifted her attention to the pie on your desk. “Oh you brought another pie, what kind is it?” 

You shrugged, “Grape.” 

“Hmm, must’ve been for Will,” Orla noted, sliding it closer to the edge of your desk. “We know he loves grape-flavored things.” 

You sighed quietly, “Yeah. You can… share it with the rest of the office. I’m not hungry.” 

She picked it up with delicacy. “Well, thank you, Y/N, it looks delicious. You always keep us well-fed in the office.” Orla smiled at you, though you could tell that she caught up on your lacking enthusiasm today. “If you need anything, feel free to ask.” It was an invitation, but you knew she was trying her hardest to not push you. 

You let her leave and you turned your chair back to facing your monitor. You reread Orla’s notes and your mind wandered to Will. 

As you were editing, you found yourself paying close attention to Will in the footage. Orla off-camera had mentioned your name, and you caught the way Will’s attitude shifted. 

“Editor Y/N is such a lovely lass,” Will said, putting a product in the Bad Bin. “It's been great to have another person editing videos while we’re working on the main channel.” You swallowed, jaw clenching. “She’s much better to have around than Mikey.” 

Some banter ensued with Mikey coming on-camera and James joking about you and Will having an office hookup with how much Will would praise you. 

The viewers knew of you, since you’ve been on camera before and you’ve been mentioned before. But this felt like it was too much. 

You decided to cut all of it. 

The week passed and you had been laser focused on completing your uni assignments while the office was quieter without Will filming. You spoke to Chris a couple times, as mentioned getting Ieuan to film a couple videos for him. 

It was a quiet Saturday evening. Instead of going out to a pub, you found yourself sitting in your living room. You still had on a hoodie and jeans from running errands earlier in the day. You let a show play on your TV in the background as you worked on your laptop, reading and writing emails from your uni account. It was a peaceful evening, something you needed for the weekend to unwind. 

Then you heard a knock on the door. 

Odd. You thought to yourself as you paused your TV and stood up, setting your laptop aside on your couch. 

You walked up to your front door, wondering if maybe it was one of your neighbors complaining to you about the noise (yes your TV wasn’t that loud but it’s happened before). 

You opened your door to a familiar face. 

You felt your stomach drop to your feet. “Oh my god, what are you doing here?” You don’t even let him answer. “Will, you can’t just show up here unannounced!” 

“It’s been a whole week, I couldn’t go so long without seeing you. I kept thinking about you, and I needed to know if you’re alright.” His eyes looked tired. He’s holding a bouquet of flowers, and a white box. 

“Will, we have to end this,” you announced, no anger in your voice this time. 

“Why?” 

“Because,” you hesitate, your throat closing up on you. “...because I’ve been thinking a lot, while you were away and I can’t live with myself–” 

“I’m not going to have this conversation about how bad my judgement is and how sorry I am–” 

“Then just go! Don’t say anything else, don’t talk me out of this.” you spat. But there was no malice in your voice. Just desperation. 

You sighed, about to close your door on Will but your body refused to move. “I don’t know how to do this,” you blurted out, looking at your feet. “I haven’t felt this way in a really long time.” 

You heard him shuffle, “Neither have I.” And you finally looked up at him.

“So what now?” You asked, your hands falling to your sides. 

“Maybe you can teach me how to bake a pie?” he suggested. 

“Really?” your voice lighter. You searched his face, seeing how it softened at the sight of you. 

He looked at you with such sincerity that you didn’t realize you missed. “Really.” 

You moved to the side to let him in. “Shoes off,” you reminded once he was inside. He followed you into the kitchen, setting down the box on your counter as you took the flowers from him. You searched in your cabinets for a vase, eventually finding one. As you put the flowers in after filling the vase with water, you inspected the arrangement. There were no specific types of flowers, but they were pretty and pastel colors– light blue, pink, yellow. It felt fitting for you. 

“I know you don’t have a specific type of flower you like,” Will shrugged. “But I remember you saying how you like soft colors for most occasions. Thought these ones suited you.” And he was right. The thought made you giddy. 

“They’re perfect, thank you.” You turned to face Will, who gestured to the box. 

“I got something for you while I was back home,” Will said sheepishly. “A present.” 

“For me?” you looked up at him, unsure. 

“Yes, for you,” Will assured, “Go ahead and open it.” You pulled the box closer to you, tugging on the gold ribbon wrapped around it. Will added, “Just… thought it’d be something you’d like.” 

You undid the bow, setting the string on your counter and opened the box, gasping when you pulled out a gold-tinted pie tin. “Oh my god… it’s beautiful.” 

“It’s deep-dish non-stick.” 

Holding the pie tin, you smiled up at him. “Thank you. You really shouldn’t have.” You tapped your fingers against the pie tin, “I have some fresh grapes I bought earlier today.” 

“I like glape.” 

You stifle a laugh at the reference, and so did he. 

You set the pie tin down and rummaged through your cabinets. “They should be in my fridge,” you said to Will. 

He opened your fridge, pulling out the bags of grapes you bought from the supermarket. “These it?” 

You glanced up. “Yeah.” You set two bowls on your counter, then a rolling pin, and then a bag of flour from under your sink. You went ahead and grabbed two sticks of butter from your fridge. 

“Alright,” you started opening the bag of flour. “Dry ingredients for the crust first. We’re gonna need two cups of flour in one bowl,” you open one of your drawers for measuring cups. Will pushed his sleeves up and you did the same. 

You scooped flour into a bowl, then gave Will a chance to add a tablespoon of salt, and finally two tablespoons of sugar. Will watched and listened to you with intent. “Not too much salt or sugar, since the butter’s gonna add more flavor.” 

“Now, I like to grate my butter. Makes it a lot easier to add the butter evenly.” 

Will stood back and watched you work, mesmerized. He’d watch and you’d let him have a try. You occasionally glanced at him, catching the way his eyes seemed to sparkle with admiration, fully entranced by you. 

“Now we knead the butter in until it’s evenly distributed.” 

“Add a little bit of water at a time and mix until the dough forms.” 

You let the conversations between you flow. “I should show you how to cook, since you seem to always order take out. Probably put some relief on your bank account.” 

“I don’t think it’s that bad.” 

“Didn’t you mention spending a thousand on takeout last month?” 

“Well,” Will hesitated. “Yeah…” 

“Mh-mm,” you teased. You dusted your counter with some flour and separated the dough into two balls. 

You used your rolling pin to roll out one ball enough to line the pie tin. “This one will be the crust.” You assisted Will in rolling out the other ball of dough, “This will be the top crust.” 

“What would you teach me to cook, anyways? Some gourmet dish?” 

You laughed, “Preferably not. Maybe something simple to start. You should really invest in a rice cooker, rice always goes with anything.” 

“Could probably show you how to make some good homemade pasta,” you continued as you sliced up some grapes. “I know you like Indian food, but I could maybe show you how to make some dishes my mom used to make when I lived at home.” 

“I’d like that.” 

“If you’re ever craving a homemade asian meal, my door’s always open.” 

You showed him how to make the grape filling, using some of the grapes you cut up. You used your rolling pin to pick up the rolled out dough and rolled it over the pie tin, then used your fingers to help mold it. 

“Now, I use a fork to poke some small holes at the bottom so the crust doesn’t rise while it bakes.” You grabbed a fork and demonstrated, then passed it to Will to continue. 

“I’m gonna grab some crushed graham crackers crumbs for the bottom layer. Then add a layer of the diced up grapes, then the rest of the filling.” 

You and Will worked back and forth, taking turns, and you caught yourself feeling at ease with how natural it felt to be in the kitchen with him. You did some final touches and slid the pie into the oven. 

In the time the pie took to bake, you and Will cleaned up your kitchen. You occasionally checked your oven as you washed bowls and utensils in the sink as Will wiped down your counter. 

He eventually found his place by your side, helping you wash some dishes from the other night. You felt it again, your mind now focused on how natural it felt to have Will standing right next to you, washing dishes together– like it was a routinely occurrence. 

“What show were you watching before I showed up?” He was referring to your TV, which was still paused. 

“Hmm? Batman The Brave and the Bold. It’s a comfort show.” You shrugged. “Just needed to have something on in the background while I was reading emails.” 

You finished putting aside the dishes to let them dry and your oven beeped. You pulled out a metal cooling rack and grabbed your oven mitts to take the pie out. You placed it onto the cooling rack, the sweet smell tickling your nose. 

“How’s this, for a sexy work-hookup?” You turned to face Will after you closed the oven door. “How domestic this is.” 

“Y/N, you’re more than just some sexy work-hookup,” Will leaned against the counter you were just working at, a small smile on his lips. “I’m not used to domestic– honestly, I haven’t felt truly domestic in a while.” He moved closer to you, “I tend to be neurotic. But you… somehow, you calm me.” 

He continued, and something in the air had shifted. “You make me feel peaceful– needed, even. You’re so beautiful. Like right now, I like whatever we’ve been doing. I could get used to this. I haven’t felt this way about someone in ages.” 

“Will…” You suddenly felt vulnerable under his gaze. You realized it then, things felt easier with Will. You felt his confession weighing on you. 

He was now standing right beside you. “Let me make this something more.” 

“I’m scared, Will,” you admitted, looking away. Will stood still, watching as you fidgeted with your hands. He waited, as if he knew something that you didn’t. 

Then he spoke again. “I realized that I don’t want to lose you.” He gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “I wanna keep this up with you, I want whatever we have to be something special, have you just for me. I don’t just want an easy fuck. I want to love you, I want you to let me in.” 

You let yourself take in Will’s presence. His hair was a little messy from just coming back from Newcastle, his eyes tired but loving. He looked at you so adoringly, his voice always a little softer when he was with you. You focused on how his arms were wrapped around you and you could hear his heart beating in his chest when you leaned in. You could feel the sincerity in the way he held you, how he carefully ran his fingers through your hair. You could feel him tearing your walls down. 

And it hits you. Will felt the same about you. He feels giddy when your name gets mentioned, or when you walk into a room, or when he spots you in a crowd of people, the same way you do. 

Maybe it’ll be okay. Maybe you can let this happen. Maybe you could have more with Will. 

You pull Will closer to you, wrapping your arms around him. 

Your forehead is pressed against Will’s, his hands on your waist and your hands on his upper arms. “Don’t worry about what anyone else says or thinks. Just you and me. I want this to be something special, worthwhile.” 

His hands moved up to caress your face, “You’ve mattered so much to me in the few months we’ve known each other.” He gently grabbed both of your hands, holding them to his chest. “I wanna make this work, however it goes. Whatever happens, let it happen. Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” You squeezed Will’s hands. “We’ll make this work. And for the record, you always mattered to me.” 

“This may be a bit forward right now, but…” Will paused. “Will you be my girlfriend?” 

You smiled. “If you promise to take me on a date sometime this week.” 

He chuckled. “How does tomorrow sound? I know you can’t drink coffee,” Will reminded himself. “I’ve been eyeing up this boba place nearby.” 

You shifted, looking him in the eyes. “Boba place?” He nodded. “You know me well.” 

“Grab some lunch and head over to grab some boba tomorrow, then?” Will straightened his posture slightly. 

“Sounds good to me.” 

You wrapped your arms around his neck, his hands finding your waist again. You leaned in to press a soft kiss against Will’s lips, feeling him smile against your lips. Your fingers moved to play with his hair. 

You pulled away, both of you beaming. “Care to keep me company while I work on some assignments?” 

“Of course, love.”