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willxmeyers · 11 months

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WILL + LEMIE

where: near the lighthouse who: @lemielewis x @willxmeyers what: first date

LEMIE:

Despite the awkward note they had parted on, Will had made good on his promise and had asked her out on an actual date. The giddiness of it all was enough for her to put aside the uneasiness that had plagued her after their last conversation, replaced by nerves as to what she should wear and what they would do. There was no way in hell she was bringing up the scars again, that was a given. Surprisingly, she chose to wear a dress again, albeit not one that screamed Lori this time around. It was more simple and, more importantly, black.

She met up with him at the cottage and they made their way together to the beach, near the lighthouse. It made for a romantic setting, there was no arguing that, but the proximity to the ocean did make her think this was a little nod to the confession she had made him a few days before. "Bringing me on a date right next to a huge body of water containing countless tiny fish, huh? Bold move," she told him, holding onto his arm as they walked in the sand to the little picnic area he had set up. "Don't get me wrong, it looks beautiful, but bold nonetheless."

WILL:

He'd been feeling particularly self-loathing in between leaving Lemie's house. Things were going so well, until the dark, grey cloud of his past loomed above them. But this date was a chance to set things right. As if the perfect first date was enough to put everything back inside Pandora's box. He'd dressed slightly more formal than the beach attire he usually sported, nothing close to a suit though. Those days were dead and gone.

They'd texted back and forth to arrange the date and he'd wanted it to be a little bit of a surprise. "We live in a bay," he lead her down the space he'd spent the better part of the afternoon setting up. "If there's not a fish within a 5 mile radius of anywhere in town, I'd be shocked. Besides, we'll stay firmly on the shore, I promise." When he was thinking through date ideas, everything that came up was somehow fish related. Dinner on a boat, at Neptune's — he knew the aquarium was out of bounds already. "Watch your step," he guided her to the laid out blanket with realistic faux candles flickering. The last thing he needed was this date going up in flames.

LEMIE:

"I hate it when you make sense," she muttered, shooting him a glare. It was incredibly ironic for her to have been born in Aurora Bay given her fish phobia. Whoever was in charge definitely had a sick sense of humor. "Just so you know, there are safer places when it comes to fish prevention than a beach." It was hard to deny that this was possibly the most perfect place in town for a date, though. The ocean sounds, the sunset, the complete lack of other people. It was perfect, even for someone who disliked romance as much as she did. Or someone who liked to say she did.

She stepped carefully onto the blanket, trying hard not to knock down the set up he'd obviously put a lot of thought into. After their last conversation, she had started to doubt how much Will wanted this, but this… well, it was giving her backlash. "When did you have time to do all this? I feel like we were just at work together… an hour ago." No one had ever done anything like this for her before and she wasn't sure what the appropriate reaction was. Just saying thank you? Sexual favors? This was all very new. "I can see you don't need any practice when it comes to date planning. This is straight out of a Hallmark movie."

WILL:

He chuckled lowly as she glared at him, keeping his eyes down on the sands so he didn't stumble and knock them both over. "Lucky for you, fish haven't grown legs in millions of years. I think you're safe," he reached over and squeezed her hand, which rested on his forearm. He hadn't considered her irrational fear of fish meaning she wouldn't want to sit on the beach, but they were far enough away that maybe it wouldn't matter too much. It had been so many years since he was nervous about a date.. or dated in general, outside a casual dinner and drink. This had required effort.

In the past, Will would have planned a more extravagant date. Something flashy and expensive, more a show of wealth than any measure of intimacy. But he wanted something small, thoughtful. He thought she'd appreciate it more than jetting off somewhere. "You thought I was working when really I was just stealing supplies." Did it count as stealing if it's your business? "You like it?" Will looked at her expectedly as he sat down on the blanket, settling in before he poured them both a drink.

LEMIE:

Right, again, which she had a feeling he would be when it came to her fear of fish. It was, after all, completely unfounded. Most people, when they thought of fish, thought of Nemo or Flounder, and here she was thinking of Jaws. It was nonsensical. "I didn't hear you say them growing fish was impossible, I just heard you say it was unlikely. The odds are still too great," she said dramatically before flashing him a playful smile. Right now, the fish thing was overshadowed by his presence and the setting, if she were being honest.

"I'm not that surprised, I've always known I work way harder than you do," she teased, the hand holding on to his arm giving it a small squeeze. She sat down next to him, their shoulders touching. "I love it. I've never been on a date like this. The nicest thing someone had done for me is probably bring me to the aquarium and you can guess how that went." She accepted the drink he'd just poured and held it out to clink it against his glass. "Thank you. This means a lot."

WILL:

Well, it had obviously happened before, otherwise they wouldn't be here. Depending on your school of thought. "I'll protect you—" he leaned over to her, raising his eyebrows in jest. He gave her a quick kiss before continuing getting themselves set up. A nice bottle of champagne to start, before he had small samples from the various places in Aurora Bay. Will wasn't sure what kind of food she liked the most, so he got it all. Just in case.

"If you consider yelling at people your full time occupation, you do." Lemie did work hard, there was no doubt about it. Will was just there to keep the lights on and pay the bills, or at least he thought so. It was significantly less stress than any other job he'd had, and that was all that mattered to him.

He chuckled. Will would have done the same thing had he not known how much she despised fish. Clinking his glass with hers, he took a sip. "Thank you for coming," he looked down, brushing off some sand with his free hand. "I thought maybe.. after the other day.." Maybe he shouldn't talk about it. "How did it go with Sunny?"

LEMIE:

Lemie grinned, leaning in closer as well until they were inches away. "You know what, I always thought I would hate it if a guy vowed to protect me, but in this particular instance? Kinda doing it for me," she admitted, the smile still on her face when he gave her a quick peck. Plus, there was no way in hell she wasn't hiding behind him if fish suddenly grew legs and invaded Earth.

"I don't yell, I speak loudly at the people who irritate me. They usually deserve it," she argued, despite knowing that wasn't always the case. Sometimes she was just having a bad day and people just so happened to be standing in her way. "And I was talking about cooking for your guests, which I'm awesome at. You would know, you've had my food."

For a second she thought he was about to bring up the conversation they had about his scar, that maybe he decided to be honest about how he'd really gotten it. Her hopes were quickly crushed, however, when she realized he was talking about Sunny. Not that she didn't want to discuss her niece, she did, but above all, she wanted to know more about him. Because that's what this was supposed to be about. The two of them. "It went well. I was nervous, but I think she liked me. She's really cute and she reminds me a lot of Lucky when he was that age." What she didn't say was that she had practically raised Lucky, despite being a kid herself. Seeing Sunny had really stirred some memories she hadn't thought of in forever.

WILL:

It sounded like they were both finding out that they were maybe a little more romantic than they thought. For him, he just wanted to show that he was into this. His actions revealing what maybe his words could not.

Will knew first hand that most of the people on the receiving end of a rant most likely deserved it, himself included. She kept everyone accountable.. and borderline terrified. “You know I know that,” he rolled his eyes, a smirk on his lips. There were many reasons for keeping her around, some more relevant now than before, but her culinary skills were always on the list. “I can’t guarantee the food tonight will be as good as anything you can cook, but I tried.” And by tried, he meant he ordered. Will couldn’t cook to save his life.

She look expectantly and Will knew he shouldn’t have mentioned it at all. He just wanted her to know that he was glad she was her. Idiot, he scolded himself. But thankfully, the conversation swerved the way he intended, towards anything other than himself. “See? I told you you’d be amazing,” he had to take what she said at face value but he knew she had a tendency to see things through a pessimistic perspective. If she said that all went fine, it probably went better.

LEMIE:

He did know that better than just about anyone. She had been particularly harsh on him when he hadn't really done anything that offensive. Looking back and considering where they both were now, there might've been a reason for that. Lemie was basically the equivalent of a little boy on a playground with a crush.

She took a peek in the basket, moving a few things aside to get a better idea as to what he had gone with. Just about everything it seemed. "Here I thought you had decided to take a crack at cooking. Kind of relieved you didn't. I know I said I would judge less, but you look like you've never stepped in a kitchen," she said with a chuckle. She assumed he was more a take-out kind of guy. "These are great picks, though, don't worry. I know I'm a chef, but I'm surprisingly not picky."

Despite Will's quick change of subject, she couldn't help a smile when he pointed out he had been right (again). It was right to be annoyed about him basically saying I told you so when it was in regards to him thinking she was amazing. "You're kind of biased, though, which is odd given the number of times I've yelled at you. One would think you'd be at least a little bit critical of me."

WILL:

He made a non-committal sound, border-lining a chuckle, in regards to his misadventures in a kitchen. "Not a judgement, more of an accurate assumption. The kitchen and I.. we see each other very casually, but it always ends in disaster." The intention was there, he had thought about trying to make something but decided against it. "I thought it was more important that the food be edible." Not to mention the various accidents and possible fires that could have happened.

"So far, I'm not sure you've said anything about me that hasn't been right in one way or another," Will shrugged, taking another sip. Even in times when he hadn't wanted to admit it to himself, she'd been right. At least that's how he saw it. "Besides, I get the feeling you're plenty critical of yourself." And as she mentioned, he was completely biased about her.

LEMIE:

"If you tell me that's usually how it goes with women as well, I'm walking off right now," she said with a shake of her head before taking a sip of the champagne. "Maybe I can show you a few tricks one day. The basics, nothing too complicated. Wouldn't want you to burn down my kitchen. My landlord's been looking for a reason to kick me out ever since that one time I yelled at him… Again, totally deserved."

Lemie shook her head, fully willing to admit she was wrong this one time. He didn't even know half the things she had originally thought of him, and she wasn't about to tell him now, but he had proven most of her assumptions wrong. "I judged you too harshly. I can admit that," she said quietly, looking down at the hem of her dress with way too much interest. "You know, I think I was a little jealous… I saw you and I assumed that everything in your life had been easy and that you were showing up here, ready to boss me around. I was projecting." He was right about his last statement, obviously. She reserved her harshest judgements for herself.

WILL:

Unsure of how to answer, because that had been the way in the past, it seemed unwise to come out and say it. Not exactly first date talk. "No way, what the kitchen and I have is special." He gave her a cheeky smile, before reaching into the nearby basket to start laying out food. "I'd like that," he'd never had a chance to learn how to cook, or any other domestic skill, besides laundry. He'd gotten rather good at that. "If we make it through with all our fingers, I'll consider that a success."

Will didn't see it that way. In the grand scheme of things, life was plenty easy for him and he wasn't afraid to admit that. But there were a number of things he missed out on. Things he envied from others. The Meyers family sacrificed everything for greed and glamour, nothing else mattered to them except image. Will placed his glass down on the wooden board that served as a table. "I have been told that my hands do look like they've never worked a day in their life," he flipped his hands over to inspect them. "Is that what gave me away?"

LEMIE:

It was stupid to consider what she had with Will to what he said he had with a fucking kitchen, but she caught herself hoping he thought what was going on between them was special too. She sure thought so. "I never knew you had such a thing for kitchens. This explains why you're always pestering me at the cottage," she said, as if everything was suddenly much clearer. She nodded when he agreed to her proposition, trying not to smile like an idiot. It was hard not to when Will was doing everything right. "If you don't want to be forced to look for another chef, I'd advice being very careful with mine in particular."

Maybe it was because of how much pent up tension was between them, but the sight of Will's hands somehow felt erotic. Her desire to wait was clearly affecting her just as badly as it was him. "You do have very nice, moisturized hands," she said nonchalantly, looking up at him quickly and trying very hard to get her mind out of the gutter. "I think it was a mix of that, your dazzling smile, and the obnoxious charm." She helped him lay everything out in front of them, hoping to distract herself.

WILL:

The kitchen was always meant to be the centre of the home. A place where parents cooked dinner and families sat around and enjoy it. Siblings squabbled and everyone had their place. Will didn’t have that. Most of the food he ate was served to him by strangers. Nothing hearty, all unnecessarily pretentious deconstructions of food or what have you. Maybe he did have a thing for kitchens, or at least the notion behind them.

“Thats not about the kitchen,” he replied quickly and sincerely, offering a plate for food. “I just enjoy pestering you.” It was true, ever since he bought the cottage, he’d found a way to be near her. It seemed so stupid now, how much he longed to be the object of her attention. Even if that attention wasn’t always good. “I’d sooner cut off my own finger.”

She was looking at his hands awfully intensely, he pursed his lips to stifle a smirk. But his thoughts turned elsewhere, to the three things that mixed together resulting in her contempt from him. Cocking his head to the side, he looked back at her. “You find my smile dazzling?”

LEMIE:

Lemie’s smile turned bashful and she averted her gaze quickly before he could realize what a lovesick fool she had turned into. “I don’t mins the pestering all that much,” she admitted, accepting the plate he held out for her and muttering a quiet thank you in return. The days he hung out in the kitchen were fast becoming her favorite days, in fact. “How about no one loses a finger? That’d be the best outcome, I think.”

She started nibbling on the food in her place, far too distracted to really focus on eating or the taste of whatever was in her plate. “Your teeth are freakishly white, what can I say?” Even that wasn’t fully an insult. She had walked right into that trap, there was no saving herself. At least she wasn’t thinking of his hands anymore. Much. “This food is pretty good.” A diversion was her next best plan.

WILL:

He knew she didn’t mind the pestering so much now, but when he first started— if looks could have killed, Will would have been dead ten times over. It made sense after her confession why she'd reacted that way. "No promises," he joked, hoping that there would be no knife accidents at any point. But he also didn't have full faith in his own culinary skills.

Will put a few items of food on his plate, taking a small bite, watching her before giving a small shrug. “I like your smile better,” he said casually, ignoring the backhanded compliment she sent his way. Hers was rare, not at all like his own which was too frequent and most of the time not that genuine. If you made Lemie smile, it felt like a personal triumph. You had to earn it. "I'm glad," he took another bite. "What's your favorite thing to eat? Just so I can remember for next time." Assuming there was a next time.

LEMIE:

Unlike his, Lemie's smile was a little rarer. Smiling felt like letting her guards down, so she didn't do it with just anyone. Lately, she'd been doing it a whole lot around him, though. His smile, though… it was charming, yes, but it put people at ease. It made them comfortable. It was a skill she wished she had. "I think we've established you're a little bit biased," she said with a grin, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

She thought of his question for a few seconds. Despite being a chef, it was a question she always struggled to answer. "I have a sweet tooth. Probably because I'm not that great a baker," she admitted with a chuckle. She usually delegated at the cottage to her sous-chef when it came to pastries and desserts. She was probably better than most people, but it still was her weak spot. "What about you? So I know what to cook for you next time you come over."

WILL:

"Completely biased," he agreed. "But I think we've also established that I'm right a lot of the time." Recalling that he had promised that for every compliment, he had to give an insult for her to accept it, but none came to mind. His mind was only full of sweet nothings, endless compliments and maybe some other riled up thoughts.

It was obviously hard for her to choose and sweets wasn't specific enough for him. "Like chocolate sweet or candy sweet?" he asked curiously. There was too very different kinds of sweet tooth. Indulgent and sickly, neither tempted him. Will knew his answer already, right off the bat. "It's a pretty basic answer but nothing beats a perfect medium rare steak."

LEMIE:

Lemie rolled her eyes playfully, groaning in annoyance at the pattern that was rapidly emerging. She was irrational most of the time, so it was easy for him to be right. "Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in. I'm gonna have to make it a bit harder for you and then you won't have anything to hold over my head anymore," she threatened, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to make good on such a promise. Her irrationality was firmly engrained in her, unfortunately. Truth be told, it was nice to have someone to bring her back down to earth.

"Both. My favorite ever would have to be anything with the word funfetti in it. I know it's not technically a flavor, but sprinkles make me kind of happy." It was probably related to some sort of childhood trauma, her therapist would say. She didn't get cakes when she was younger because her parents forgot birthdays, so now she indulged. "If you really want to go fancy, I like tiramisu." Lemie could've guessed his answer, but she didn't say that. As hard as it was for her to choose, she was good at guessing what kind of food people liked. "I make a mean steak."

WILL:

The usual cadence of things. Him saying something dumb, her rolling her eyes and he naturally found it all so amusing. He couldn’t stop smiling even if he tried, she had that effect on him. “Where’s the fun in that?” If he was honest, Lemie had always made things hard. Now in more ways than one.

“Funfetti,” he repeated, a slight chuckle. It wouldn’t have been his first guess. Fancy schmancy, he thought to himself. If sprinkles were her favorite, fanciness didn’t matter. “Adding sprinkles to something seems achievable for my cooking skill level. Much more than tiramisu.” He had no doubt she could cook a steak, probably more perfectly than a lot of people. “It seems silly for you make something just for me,” he replied. “Unless you like it too.”

LEMIE:

Lemie didn't say anything this time, not wanting to point out that this was yet another thing he was right about. Of course, it was more fun this way. The banter was part of the reason she was so fascinated by him. He took everything she threw at him with that cocky smile of his and dished it right back. It was infuriating, but also one of the main reasons she was so attracted to him. They were on equal grounds when most people were terrified of her. “I do get weirdly turned on when you piss me off. I'm worried about what that says about me,” she said jokingly, despite it being the full truth. If there hadn't been other people in the kitchen when he came to pester her, she would've given in a long time ago.

“Don't judge me. It just tastes better when there are sprinkles and it's so easy to pull off that you could definitely manage something edible. Just don't go and put sprinkles on top of risotto or something,” she said with a chuckle, hoping he knew that already. If not, teaching him anything might prove more difficult than she thought. “I like it. Even if I didn't, I would make it for you. I wouldn't mind at all actually.” It was, after all, an easy way for her to show love.

WILL:

Her silence spoke louder than anything she could say. Instead, he quietly nibbled at some food, mouth tight from trying to keep a smile from showing. “And I get weirdly turned on when you yell at me,” he replied cooly, which definitely said something about him. “But I already knew I was fucked up so I’m not that concerned.” It would be funnier if it wasn’t so true, but it didn’t stop him some laughing.

“Ah fuck, that was going to be my first dish-“ he replied sarcastically, eyes rolling. “I may not be able to cook food but I have tasted it before. Even I know that sprinkles and risotto don’t go together, chef.” Just in case that needed clarifying.

Will felt a sense of guilt at her willingness to do something, just for him. Like he didn’t deserve it in the slightest, even if it was just a meal made by her. He sat with it for a moment, hiding his silence by chewing slowly on a piece of bread. No one had ever cooked for him before, unless they were getting paid. Will couldn’t understand why it felt so meaningful to him, but eventually, once he’d finished eating, he responded. “It’s a date then,” he said, looking at her with a warm smile.

LEMIE:

Lemie couldn't help but chuckle too, only allowing herself to do so because she too was pretty fucked up in the grand scheme of things. This would be a good time to ask exactly what had made him this fucked up, but the last thing she wanted was to ruin this date like she had last time. As much as she wanted to really know him, she wouldn't achieve much if she chased him away with questions every time they were together. "Does this mean I should stop yelling at you when we're at work? This information gives our kitchen screaming matches a whole new meaning," she pointed out, looking at him knowingly.

"I don't know what goes through your head. I didn't want you to think a savory and sweet pairing would work here," she said with a roll of her eyes that mirrored his. "Gives me a little bit of hope to learn that you wouldn't go there, though. Maybe you're not quite as useless in the kitchen as I thought you were."

The blonde leaned closer to him, forgetting all about the food she had been absentmindedly nibbling on since he started taking things out of the basket. "We're not even finished with our first date and you already want to go on a second one? It's the dress, isn't it? Much better than the one from the festival," she said with a playful smile, her smile wide as her eyes slid down to his lips.

WILL:

Watching her laugh always brought a smile to his face, but everything time they were together, it was all he did anyway. The real, genuine smile that was somehow reserved for her. “Are they considered foreplay now?” he joked. “Because I think we’ll have to set some kind of boundary about work at some point.” If their sexual tension was anything like it was now, everyone would know soon, if they didn’t already. Will didn’t anyone to think this was some weird power dynamic, it didn’t feel that way to him and he hoped Lemie didn’t. They’d have to work through that in time.

“What an endorsement,” Will chuckled. “Good to know that I’m not a complete lost cause in the kitchen.” He did still have flashbacks to a recent egg cracking incident that resulted in him having to pick out shells.

He caught her movement and instinctively put his plate down. “I like to plan ahead,” he said simply, as though he didn’t want to spend nearly every minute with her. Date or no. His hand went to the fabric of her dress. “Black is definitely more you,” he broke their gaze to look down at his fingers on the material. “You look beautiful,” he felt like he could compliment her more frequently now. Not having to hide his intentions. “In case I didn’t say it before.”

LEMIE:

He had read her mind, using the exact word she had thought of when referring to their work fights. Especially now, it felt like everything that had led up to this relationship could be considered foreplay. It was clear in her mind, she had been particularly aggressive with him because she felt drawn to him almost instantly. "I think they might be, which means they can now be considered very inappropriate workplace behavior," she said with a chuckle, not feeling as sorry as she should. "How about we agree to mostly avoid each other when there are other people around? I, personally, think that anything that happens after hours should be considered fair play."

In her own way, Lemie was making plans as well. Offering him to teach him how to cook was something that would take more than a few hours. It was a long-term thing, not to mention the meaning behind it. She was offering to share with him one of the things she loved the most in this world, something that made her happy. "You've said it a few times, but I don't mind hearing it again," she admitted, making herself vulnerable in a way she didn't very often. Compliments usually made her skin crawl because she didn't believe them. She looked down at his hand on her momentarily, looking back at him with eyes that conveyed that she wanted his hands everywhere. "You did so good on this date that I'm inclined to indulge you with that stupid skinny dipping in the ocean idea." She must be insane. He was making her insane.

WILL:

He wasn't having doubts, per say. But rather, he was thinking of how this must look from an outside perspective. Will was her still boss, although he had never really felt that way with her. If anything - she tended to boss him around a lot more than he ever did to her. But in the interest of at least attempting to stay professional, she had the right idea. "I like your logic," he agreed reluctantly. "How about my office and your kitchen are out of bounds, but the garden is free reign.." It was their spot, after all.

"You're beautiful," he repeated as she dipped her head to glance down at him playing with her dress. Another loose strand of blonde hair covered her face, and he tucked it back behind her ear. It was hard to keep himself in check, especially when she looked at him like that. But her offer caught him off guard, eyebrows raising. "What? Are you sure?" Will didn't want her to do anything she wasn't completely comfortable with, even if it was her idea. "You don't have to do that."

LEMIE:

Lemie was tempted to say that both those places could be utilized as long as other people weren't around, but weren't people always technically around? Even if said people were old people who wouldn't hear them do all the things they wanted to do when they were together. "I like that you picked the only place without a door. Did I just unlock another kink of yours?" She asked playfully, knowing that this was mostly about the garden having a special significance to them. It was where they first bonded, where they still spent late nights whispering secrets to each other.

Her smile turned bashful, eyes twinkling when he reiterated his compliment and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. This was sickeningly romantic, but she couldn't find it in her to come up with something snappy and sarcastic to bring them both back down to earth. She liked it here. Reluctantly, given the hand on her dress, she got up from the blanket and looked down at him. "The offer will expire in about thirty seconds, so you better get up and start removing clothes." She turned her back to him and started walking towards the water, her slip dress falling right into the sand a second later. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to at least appear a little modest despite her current state of undress. "Hurry, I need protection from the fish."

WILL:

A solid, hearty laugh erupted through him. “In this scenario, we both have homes to go to as well, you know.” He realised that she hadn’t even been to his house yet, the realisation dawning on him. “I know I’m irresistible to you and everything,” a cocky grin emerging. “But maybe we just try and keep our hands to ourselves during work hours, as a general rule.” However, rules were made to be broken.

He hadn’t planned on getting naked on this date, at least not while they were still outside. Despite Lemie’s thinking of whatever kink he might have. “This woman is going to kill me,” he mumbled under his breath in sexual frustration as he watched her undress on her way to the water. Naturally, Will did as he was told, standing from the picnic blanket and removing his shirt. It wasn’t quite summer yet, but thankfully the weather wasn’t too cold. Removing the remainder of clothes with a little too much ease, he was thankful they were the only ones on this part of the beach. God forbid that Ms. Goldbalm wants to go for a twilight walk along the beach.

LEMIE:

Again, she omitted saying that she hadn't been to her house yet, nor had he shown any inclination to have her over there. She preferred thinking it wasn't a deliberate choice on his part, that things were happening organically between them and that he would have her over when the timing was right. "Ugh, you're so uptight," she said with a dramatic groan. This was where Lemie's love for trouble came into play. There was a reason she spent more time in detention than in class back in high school, after all. "I'll do my very best, but you should probably stay away from the kitchen as much as you can. I seriously lack self-control and I don't exactly love rules."

There was definitely a little chill in the air that caused little hairs to raise all over her body. She hopped from one foot to another, glancing back to see what progress Will had made with his clothes. "I've really thought me being naked would make you go a little faster," she told him, voice loud enough for him to hear her over the waves. She dipped a toe in the water, immediately regretting her offer. "Maybe this wasn't my best idea." The temperature paired with the fish she knew lived in there made everything about this seriously unappealing. She took a few steps until the water was up to her calves, stopping to look at Will. At least the sight of him half-naked brought a little bit of warmth to her body. "What part of this did you think was going to be fun?"

WILL:

Never in his life and he been called uptight. Even with her teasing tone, Will felt like taking her in the garden just to prove a point. “Never did I think that I’d have to be the responsible one of us.” She said she didn’t love rules like he wasn’t fully aware. Even the ones she did follow, begrudgingly, she had to be a smart ass about it. Will couldn’t deny that her complete lack of respect for authority wasn’t something they shared.

“I was admiring the view,” he admitted, knowing that he’d felt a little dumbstruck by how quickly she’d abandoned her clothes. He’d had to think very calming thoughts as he approached the beach until he was in hidden by the water. “No chickening out now,” Will teased, a hand running along her forearm. When she asked what part was fun, he quirked an eyebrow. “The part where we’re both nearly naked in the moonlight,” he admitted, in his cheesiest tone.

At a moments notice, Will dived into the water, not wasting any time. He was used to swimming in the ocean, doing so nearly every morning so it wasn’t difficult for him. Pushing back through the surface, he shook his wet hair out of his face and he made his way back to her. “Come on. You’ve just gotta get through the first plunge.” Will reached out to her, taking her hands in his and slowly guiding her into the water. “I’ve got you.”

LEMIE:

"Am I making you feel like the old, boring one?" Lemie asked playfully, obviously not thinking he was either of those things. She wouldn't be here if she did. Part of what was appealing about him was how similar they were in this aspect. How he made her feel like a teenager again, in a good way. "Plus, who's gonna enforce the rules? You're the boss. Well, on paper you are." She had never actually done a good job at respecting his rules in particular, had she? Why start now?

Her eyes followed him as he walked past her, his hand leaving a trail of goosebumps down her arm. "I'm no chicken," she said defensively, taking another step and stopping again. The water felt like a block of ice, but that didn't seem to stop him. He looked completely in control as he took a sudden plunge and came out a few seconds later completely wet. "I do like the naked part."

She looked down at him as he swam closer, his hands extended out of her. The water was almost to her waist now and she had yet to see anything fishy, so she was pretty proud of the progress she was making. She let him drag her further away from the safety of the beach, her teeth gritting as the water reached past her stomach. "How do you do this on a daily basis?" She froze when she thought she felt something graze her ankle, horror washing over her face as she suddenly forgot about the cold and closed the gap between her and Will. "Something definitely just touched me, William," she said, alarmed, as she gripped his arms and debated how helpful it would be to literally get on his back.

WILL:

“Oh, fuck off-“ Will laughed, showing that despite his words, he wasn’t actually offended. It technically was his birthday the next day, but this night wasn’t about just him. He hated birthdays at the best of times, so why spoil a lovely evening by bringing it up now? “I expect it’ll go like every other rule I tried to enforce on you. You ignore it and end up doing whatever you want.” He didn’t mind all that much. Will had a feeling that if he really needed something from her, he could ask her seriously and she’d respect that. Maybe roll her eyes or something insulting, but she’d follow through in the end. Luckily, he hadn’t needed to test that theory yet.

Will chuckled in response to her question. “Well I’m not shit scared of fish, so that makes this actually enjoyable for me.” And just as if he manifested it himself, she stilled in the water. The full first name meant trouble, but his face still held a grin. “It’s just seaweed, Clementine.” He wasn’t actually sure if it was or not, but the likelihood of it being a fish were slim. “Come here.” In a swift movement, Will picked her up so she could wrap her legs around him. Hands rested on her under thigh, keeping her up. “Is that better?”

LEMIE:

This is how she knew Will was right for her. No matter what she said to him, he could take it and even laugh it off. She had always been a little clumsy socially, but she didn't feel it when she was around him. She just felt funny and appreciated for what, who she was. "Don't we both win if I ignore this particular rule?" Lemie pointed out, her brow raising suggestively. "Don't worry, I can be a little reckless, but I'm not stupid. I know the cottage is our place of work, so I'll fuck with you at very strategic moments. Does that ease your mind a little?"

Her eyes shot daggers at him, hating that he was right about this. Normal people who didn't think fish were evil little creatures probably loved the ocean. "Is that supposed to make me feel better, William?" She said a little too loudly, glad to be scooped up despite knowing the fish could probably still get to her. Her arms and legs wrapped around him, clinging tightly to his body. "Slightly. It's a little distracting, which is helpful." It was a lot distracting actually. One of her hands moved to the back of his neck, her face inching closer towards his. "I like you. A lot." Coming from her, it might as well have been a declaration of love.

WILL:

Again, she was right. It was a win win for both of them if she did ignore this rule, but they’d put it in place for a reason. He was just about to say so before she spoke again, asking if it eased his mind. “Only a little,”

Will usually hated the sound of his full name, but it sounded different rolling off her tongue. “Hey, you asked–“ he chuckled in response. Will had always loved the ocean. Well, he loved this ocean in particular. He chosen to come back to the one place in the world where he felt peace, and he had found so much more.

Distracting her was definitely a nice side perk, but mostly he just wanted her in his arms. Holding her tightly to him, Will stood firmly in the sand. He didn’t mind when seaweed drifted past him, brushing his leg as long as Lemie wasn’t uncomfortable. The moonlight lit up the side of her face, making her eyes shine. It was breathtaking, and he should have said as much. But he may have already filled his compliment quota up for the evening. “Good to know you don’t just get in the ocean for anyone,” he replied lightly, knowing that definitely wasn’t the case. “I like you too. A lot.” It was so profoundly obvious to him how much he felt for her, but maybe he didn’t say it enough. Will believed his word to not mean much, it was cheap and easy to come by. But his actions was where his heart lay. “See? I told you this could be fun.” Maybe it was his hands on her, how close she was to him but he could have stayed in this moment forever.

LEMIE:

Her mischievous smile said everything she didn't say with her words. They both knew she would manage to stir up at least a little bit of trouble sooner or later, but not in a way that would jeopardize his job. The other employees couldn't find out about them that way. She figured they would have to tell people eventually, but she was okay with this being just theirs for now. If they started telling people, her family would quickly find out about it and this was one thing she didn't want them to have just yet. "You should've just lied to me and said it was your damn foot," she argued, freakishly relaxed for a girl who probably just had skin to scale contact with a fish.

"I most certainly wouldn't. For completely non-violent reasons too? You should consider yourself to be very special," she said nonchalantly, giving him a quick peck. He had to know this was a big deal for her, he'd seen how she acted around other people she didn't like. She was terrible. She watched him as he repeated her words, adding a too at the end. She wanted so badly to believe him, but the walls he had built around himself made her doubt. If he liked her so much, why wasn't he letting her in the way she had him? She chose not to question it, leaning in to kiss him instead. Nothing would ruin this date, not even her. "I still think pools are superior, but this isn't so bad. I'm mostly enjoying the shirtlessness going on. The swimming you're doing is clearly working for you."

WILL:

“I could have,” he agreed with a slow nod. It wasn’t like he was above lying, but it was better not to. “But then I wouldn’t get to carry you like this. And that was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up.”

“Oh trust me, I do.” He did find himself special. Maybe that was why he worried so much about letting her in deeper. By his own design, Lemie only knew a fraction of him. The better parts, the parts that weren’t broken beyond repair, the only parts of him that was somehow still whole. Sure, some things had slipped through the facade – if she was paying close enough attention, which he didn’t doubt she was. But saying too much was asking for trouble. If she knew all the demons of his past, if she was wise, Lemie would run. But he wanted her here, in his arms, kissing his lips.

Feeling a little vulnerable under her gaze, he held her up a little higher. “Are you objectifying me?” he joked before he took a deep breath, looking at her. Mischief in his eyes. “I think you’re nearly ready..” he said ominously.

LEMIE:

Even she had to admit that getting in the water had been worth it. She wouldn't have ended up in his arms if she had stayed on the shore and that totally made up for the fact that her entire body was touching water that contained fish and other gross, slimy shit. "I'm glad you didn't. This is the perfect compromise. I've followed you in, but I'm also not getting brutally murdered by sea creatures."

For once, she didn't mind the cockiness Will was displaying because she had brought it on. Was this what it felt like to be in a healthy relationship? Well, as healthy as two people who considered yelling foreplay could get. By her standards, though, this was as good as it got. "I've been objectifying you since the moment we met. In fact, I remember telling the receptionist that your only redeeming quality was your ass," she said with a chuckle. "Don't worry, I've found you other qualities since then."

Lemie watched him with confusion as he lifted her up slightly, her arms tightening around him. "Nearly ready for what? I swear, William, don't get any funny ideas or else…"

WILL:

Her reveal of just how long she’d been objectifying for was another thing that only she could say. Of course, he found her stunning from the moment he’d seen her. But she was so much more than just a pretty face. He’d known that from the beginning too. Never did he’d imagine they’d end up here. “Only a couple, I’m sure-” he replied sarcastically. “My ass still better be top 5 things you like about me. I don’t do all those squats for nothing.”

Her warning of or else didn’t phase him in the slightest, only making his smirk evolve into a grin. In a fluid motion, he moved her petite frame into a bridal style cradle. “Under we go,” was the only he gave as he moved backwards, submerging them both under the water. Hands still held onto her tightly, not wanting her to feel as though he’d thrown her to the wolves.. or fish, in this case. As he stood back up, holding her again, he shook his head and opened his eyes. “Refreshing, no?”

LEMIE:

"Maybe more than a couple. Just barely, though," Lemie shrugged, smiling mischievously. There were a lot of things on her list of things she loved about Will, but admitting she had been checking him out for so long would have to be enough for now. "Why do you think I yell at you to get out whenever you walk into the kitchen? Watching you walk away is one of the highlights of my day."

Unlike most people, Will didn't seem too worried about her threats. Didn't he know they were rarely empty? Rarely because, of course, he seemed to be the exception to that rule. "Don't you dare," she shrieked as he moved her around easily, her arm wrapped around his neck in a death grip. He did dare and a second later she was fully under water, the cold water giving her what felt like an electric shock right to her brain. She gasped when he pulled her back out of the water, her blonde hair sticking to her face. "I'm going to kill you," she said, breathless, as she moved out of his grip and attempted to shift her entire body weight on his shoulders in an attempt to dunk him under the water. "I just drank sea water, William Meyers!"

WILL:

He gave a small 'mm', narrowing his eyes playfully. Will could think of endless things he liked about her, could name them all off by heart. Time would most likely uncover more. "I should have known there is a horny double meaning to everything you do." He made a mental note to add an extra swagger into his step the next time she banned him from the kitchen.

Will barely got a laugh out she attempted to push him beneath the water, his feet still firmly planted on the ground made that difficult in the moment. But he did stumble a little. It was payback, but it was worth it. "It's good for you!" He laughed, a wide smile. Leaping back into the water, he swam to the side, circling back around her. "Come on, show those fish who's the boss."

LEMIE:

Lemie realized Will could probably tell there were more than just a few things she liked about him and, for once, she didn’t mind that he did. “Don’t judge me, it’s a nice ass!” She managed to say through her laughter. “You’re one to speak, you got a boner because you saw me wearing a bra like a high schooler.”

Her poor attempt at drowning him obviously didn’t work out for her as he was standing and she wasn’t. Not to mention he work on his upper body strength more often than she did, which was not ever. “How is it good for me, asshole?” She said through gritted teeth as he swam around her. “I’m sure the fish will love me after I leave your body in here for them to snack on.” She splashed water in his direction, her speed obviously not a match for his.

WILL:

Again, she wasn’t wrong. He had felt very much like a nubile teenager, all full of lust and longing. Deciding to wait had put a new kind of excitement to it all. “I can’t help that I fancy you,” he shrugged, not ashamed at all at how she made him feel. It wasn’t worth being embarrassed about it now. Plus he knew she was just as hot and bothered as he was, even if it didn’t show as easily.

Her attempts were pitiful but it only made him laugh harder. Will hoped she wasn’t actually upset. The pint was to show that she was safe in the ocean, even if she wasn’t attached to him. He continued to circle her like a shark, grin beaming. “The fish would never eat me,” he replied confidently. “I’m one with them.” So many mornings he swam here and Will actually hardly saw much wildlife. He was grateful for it now. They were one krill away from disaster.

Tipping his head back, Will lay belly up in the water, floating among the waves and looking up at the moon. Utterly at peace for a single moment. “This is my happy place, I think.” He added the I think as though he wasn’t completely sure but he was. There was a reason he came back here, as opposed to all the other places in the world. “I’m glad I got to share it with you.”

LEMIE:

Lemie had tried to embarrass him a little, to make him blush, but he ended up turning the tables on her and making her blush. “You fancy me,” she repeated, her tone playful. She swam closer to him, stealing a quick kiss. “I must be doing something right. Doesn’t happen too often.” In love, it was usually the other way around. She was both abrasive and aloof—the makings of a terrible girlfriend.

She wasn’t getting anywhere with the murder attempt, so she gave up with a long sigh. Swimming lazily, she still circled him with narrowed eyes. “I don’t know if I can date a fish man,” she told him with a quiet chuckle, suddenly picturing him with gills. Not a great mental picture.

Lemie followed his lead and let herself float on the water, taking a moment to look at the stars and the moon. This was peaceful, despite the fish and the cold. She wasn’t willing to say she would join him on his morning swims, but she wasn’t opposed to doing this with him again. “I’m glad you did. Even if you made the wet rat look I have going on happen,” she said playfully, her arms reaching out towards his, her fingers grazing the tip of his.

WILL:

Will hadn’t thought that he’d said anything particularly kiss worthy but he wasn’t going to complain. As she swam over for a surprise kiss, he had the temptation of scooping her back up in his arms and not letting go. However, she seemed surprisingly at ease. Swimming around with the confidence of a person who wasn’t terrified of the ocean or the creatures that inhabited it. Fancying her seemed too simple a notion for what he felt but it was only their first date, better to keep it to himself. “It’s not about doing anything. As I said, I like you just as you are.”

He mirrored her light chuckle. In another life, maybe Will was some kind of ocean creature. It would explain how at home he felt. Lemie followed suit, floating on the current beside him. She outstretched her arm, and he lightly held onto it. “The drowned rat look works for me,” he smirked, returning to slowly stand in the water. With her arm is his hand, Will gently pull her towards him, chest to chest. “It really works.” Not so much the wet look but just her in general.

LEMIE:

Someone liking her just the way she is was a foreign concept for Lemie. She had always needed to make herself less in order to make the people around her feel comfortable. Less blunt, less abrasive, less honest. She didn't feel the need to tone herself down around her siblings, but that was because they had grown up around her. They knew her. Not that she tried that hard to censor herself, but she also didn't expect people to see the worst of her and still want her. Will did. "I know. It's odd. The way I treated you… it usually keeps people far, far away. Not that I'm trying to victimize myself, I don't blame people for not wanting to be around anger and bitterness."

The surprise underwater excursion left her mind entirely when he pulled her back towards him, the idea of drowning him significantly less appealing when they were this close to each other. She wrapped her arms around his neck loosely, her gaze meeting with his. "Right, so your type is angry wet rats. Noted," she said with a shake of her head, knowing it had less to do with her current look and more to do with her. It was a hard thing to admit for someone as self-deprecating as she was. She moved her hands to the side of his face, pulling him down to her lips to say what she couldn't say with her words. That she wanted to be around him all the time, that he made her feel good, that she felt seen in a way she never had. The list could go on forever.

WILL:

“Well, your attempts to drive me away have failed, I’m sorry to tell you.” They both knew that he was not sorry at all. But she had been less bitter and angry with him these days, and even when she was, it felt empty or with a side of affection. So he didn’t mind all that much. But he never had. Her aggression towards him had been a catalyst of his pestering. “You’ll have to try harder to keep me away.”

She couldn’t take the compliment outright, always diverting with a self deprecating joke. If it meant that internally, she registered that now he found her breathtaking, that was all that mattered. Will was about to reply with a witty retort when she pressed her lips to his, and he sunk into the kiss like a stone in the ocean. Completely. Hands went to cradle her neck, not wanting to get tangled in her wet hair. They came together and Will had no intention of tearing them apart.

LEMIE:

"Yes, I can see that. I've gotten used to having you around." Would it really come as a surprise to him to hear that she didn't want him going anywhere? That she trusted him more everyday and that she could see this actually lasting more than a month? Despite all the bickering, they barely fought, they made each other comfortable, but also brought each other out of their comfort zones. Something had clicked for her. "Or maybe I should just stop trying."

It was both incredibly inconvenient and disgustingly romantic that all of this was happening in the ocean, under the moonlight. Her legs wrapped around him once more, her fingers curling in his short hair as the kiss intensified. This felt right now, there were no worries lingering in the back of her mind. No one was this good a liar, no one could fake the look he got when he was watching her. She didn't want to put a stop to anything this time.

WILL:

Usually someone saying things like that to him would trigger fight or flight in Will. An echo from a past where he didn’t want to be tied to anyone or anything. No expectations, no disappointment. At least on his end, anyway. He never stuck around long enough to witness the aftermath. But there was something about this made him feel eerily comforted by her words. Could it be maybe he was finally growing up? Or was it because he knew how special it was for her to open up this way? There was a small nagging voice that made him wonder if he truly deserved her trust when all Will had ever done is let people down. “As long as you don’t stop bickering with me,” he warned. That was his favourite part, after all.

He pulled her closer once again. Always the feeling that close wasn’t close enough. The cool ocean breeze nipped at his bare back, the salt water droplets falling down his skin. It was perfect. She was perfect. He wanted nothing more to be perfect for her. As they wove together, the world goes soft and dark, everything shrinking down to the points where their bodies met. Will had to physically remind himself to come back to Earth, he had gotten so swept up in her that he felt wild, fraying at the seams.

LEMIE:

Even if she wanted to stop the bickering, her desire to constantly contradict everyone wasn't something she could turn off. She might be halfway in love with Will, but she would still find a way to debate every word that came out of his mouth. "Of course. It's all about balance. I have to find a way to be a pain in the ass without going right for the jugular." She had done it before and, even though it had been what had ultimately brought them closer, she hadn't enjoyed the look of hurt on his face.

Lemie couldn't tell how long they had been very heavily making out in the middle of the ocean, but the mix of the wind and the cold water eventually pulled her back to reality and she pulled away just barely to catch her breath. "Not that I'm not enjoying kissing amongst the fish like I'm the freaking Little Mermaid, but… would you like to, maybe, spend the night? At my place?"

WILL:

"That might be tough for you but you have my full support," he jokingly encouraged, as though it wasn't his jugular on the line. Will had made it abundantly clear how much he liked her, just as she was. Sharp edges and all. The last thing he wanted was for her to change for him. Will knew that she had the ability to rip him to shreds if she so pleased, and right now, Will would gladly let her.

He had been so caught up in the taste of her, the feeling of her touching his skin, that he'd almost forgotten they were just standing in an ocean. Will chuckled at the realisation, and her comment about the Little Mermaid. He moved a piece of wet hair from her cheek as she put forth her invitation for him to stay over. The answer was obvious. Will thought about extending an offer to his own house, but she might be more comfortable at her own. "Not sick of me yet?" he asked, teasingly.

LEMIE:

He was right that it would be quite the task to soften her blows, she was quite impulsive when anger came over her. Even when she wasn't angry, her words could sting. She had grown up with three siblings that didn't get along, so she'd had plenty of practice when it came to insults and low blows. It was part of who she was, but she didn't relish in hurting the people she loved either. "I appreciate the vote of confidence," she said sarcastically, knowing he didn't really believe she would ever be soft-spoken and docile. Despite her tone, she liked that he knew that and didn't mind it. Who wanted to be either of those things?

Lemie looked at him like he was insane for even suggesting she could be sick of him as if she would ever say such a thing right now while she was in his arms and still trying very hard not to kiss him. "Definitely not," she told him immediately, tilting her head to rest in the palm of his hand. "I was thinking we could continue what we've been doing, but if you don't feel like it…"

The look on her face was something Will wished he could bottle. Like he was an idiot for even suggesting she might be sick of him. It was hard to imagine, Will was pretty sick of himself most of the time. "Well, that's a relief." The feeling was mutual, he only just kept himself from pulling her close once more. He was unsure if he'd ever stop and she offered up such a tempting offer.

If she was worried about his eagerness to continue exploring each other, she needn't. "Let's get out of here," he replied too quickly, a cheeky grin on his face. To emphasis his point, Will lifted Lemie up from her straddled position and placed her over his shoulder, beginning to carry her out of her water.

LEMIE:

Truth be told, Lemie was tempted to go right back to what they had been doing, public setting be damned, but she couldn't forget their proximity to the cottage and the chance of some poor old grandmother seeing them do ungodly thing in the middle of the ocean. Probably not a great idea business-wise. "I don't usually let people I can't stand do the things I let you do," she said with a grin, trailing her finger down his chest as she swam further away.

The giggles that left her mouth as he threw her over his shoulder to drag her back to the beach were fucking embarrassing. Everything about this was quickly turning her into someone she would've scoffed at a few weeks prior. "So eager," she said a little too loudly, getting carried away by the excitement of it all.

#∘₊✧────── will meyers. ( interactions )#( clementine lewis. )#nsfw-ish

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