LAST MINUTE CH. 2 - AUSTIN BUTLER
SingleDad!Austin x reader
Warnings: Fluff, unedited writing
Word count: 1,605
Summary: The day has finally come, and Austin is over the moon.
The week leading up to the date crawled by like a snail on Valium. Austin found himself humming along to love songs he hadn't touched in years, meticulously trimming his beard every other day, and even attempting a new, slightly less disastrous hairstyle (thanks to Liam's enthusiastic, if questionable, hairstyling skills).
Liam, surprisingly well-behaved in a new shirt and gelled hair, declared himself "official chaperone" and spent the afternoon "preparing" for the date. This involved constructing an elaborate fort out of blankets and pillows in the living room, complete with a stash of snacks for "emergencies."
Austin stared at his reflection in the mirror, the knot in his stomach tighter than the button-down he was struggling with. This wasn't just a Saturday night with you. This was, he dared to believe, the start of something more. His heart thundered a nervous rhythm against his ribs, echoing the pounding of miniature fists on his bedroom door.
"Daddy, Daddy! Are you ready?" Liam bounced excitedly, dressed in his best superhero shirt and a mischievous grin. Austin forced a smile. "Almost, bud. I shouldn't keep her waiting, should I?"
His grin widened. "Nope!" He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm almost finished. Now go wash your face, little dude. Auntie Ashley should be here in a few minutes," he tells his son. With Liam occupied, Austin took a deep breath. He could do this. Y/n was just another person, right? Just incredibly kind, intelligent, and beautiful. Okay, maybe not just another person. But still, he could be charming, could he not?
He straightened his bowtie, a last-minute addition courtesy of Liam's enthusiastic rummaging in his dress-up trunk. It was slightly crooked, adding a touch of endearing awkwardness to his attire. Taking one last look, he grabbed the bouquet of peonies they'd picked earlier, a vibrantly colorful reminder of their afternoon adventure.
The feminine voice he knew and loved filled his ears as he made his way to the living room, where Liam and Ashley stood. All of the attention was now on Austin and his appearance.
"Austin, you look… dapper." Ashley's eyes twinkled with amusement. "And Liam, your bowtie is magnificent!" Liam puffed out his chest, grinning proudly. "Daddy helped!" She smiles at the boy, who was shaking his tie frantically.
"Sorry I'm late; Jupiter would not eat for the life of him. Did I miss anything?" Austin managed a weak smile. "Just an Injustice League attack on Metropolis, nothing crazy." Austin teased, bugging his son.
"It was crazy! Batman and Superman almost died!" Liam shouts, dramatically throwing his face in his hands. He ran back to his "lair," his attention solely on the architectural marvel before him. The laughter died down, snapping Austin back into reality.
Ashley's grin widened. "Relax, Aus. You're a catch. Y/n's gonna be smitten." She says, throwing her hand on his shoulder. Her words were reassuring, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of inadequacy. He wasn't the charming, smooth-talking type. He was just Austin, a single dad with Lego-covered floors and a permanent stain on his favorite shirt.
The butterflies in Austin's stomach did a synchronized tap dance as he stood at your doorstep. He'd dreamt of this moment for months, replaying it in his mind a thousand times, each iteration ending in a different shade of awkwardness. Yet, here he was, the setting sun painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, and a first date with you, his charming next-door neighbor, stretching before him like an uncharted adventure.
You, however, radiated warmth and ease. Your smile, as bright as the string lights adorning your porch, instantly calmed his jitters. He stared, his heart leaping into his throat, as your figure emerged. You, bathed in the soft glow of the lighting, looked breathtaking. Hair was loose, cascading down your shoulders, along with a white sundress that hugged your body in all of the right places.
"Hey," you said, your voice as captivating as the fall foliage swirling around the two of you. "Hi," Austin stammered, suddenly self-conscious about his button-down and slightly wrinkled jeans. "Sorry I'm..."
"Late? Not at all," you interrupted, your smile widening. "I was just cleaning up the house a bit before you came." He nodded, revealing the bouquet from behind his back.
"These are for you," he says, his voice slightly deeper than usual. Your cheeks flushed. "Thank you, Austin; I love them."
He stumbled over his words, "No problem. I, uh, thought pink peonies would be... bright, like you." Cringe. He mentally smacked his forehead. Your tickled laughter, however, quickly chased away his embarrassment.
"That's sweet," You smile, taking the flowers from him before setting them in an open vase that was on your counter. The platform sandals that gave you no justice with your height difference between you and Austin were slipped on as you walked back to your door.
"Lead the way." You say, extending your arm. A laugh bubbled up from his chest, genuine and unrestrained. This wasn't the stuffy conversation or awkward greeting he'd envisioned. This was Y/n, unique and unexpected, just like you'd always been.
The autumn leaves crunched under the tires as Austin navigated the winding road, the headlights painting fleeting shadows on the trees. Beside him, your laughter filled the car, a melody sweeter than any radio station. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, his knuckles white under the light filtering through the car windows.
Dating again felt like driving a stick shift blindfolded after years of a reliable automatic, Austin thought.
"Is everything alright?" Your voice broke through his reverie, concern lacing your tone.
He swallowed, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just... remembering how bad I am at parallel parking." You chuckled, your hand reaching out to squeeze his arm briefly. "Relax; we can always find a garage." Your touch sent a jolt through him, and he fought the urge to glance at you.
As you two entered the warm, bustling restaurant, the aroma of garlic and herbs embraced your nose. The air was filled with the gentle chatter of families and couples, creating a cozy atmosphere.
Austin led you to a secluded table by the window, offering a breathtaking view of the valley bathed in the soft hues of twilight. The flickering candlelight cast a warm glow on your faces, creating a sense of intimacy that sent a shiver down your spine.
"This is so cute," you murmured, voice barely a whisper.
His heart rate quickened. "I'm glad you think so."
The waiter arrived—a friendly man with a thick Italian accent who immediately took a shine to you. As you ordered, Austin found himself captivated by your animated expressions, his eyes not tearing away from you once.
When the food arrived, the conversation flowed effortlessly. You talked about everything and nothing. With each bite, with each shared laugh, it was clear that Austin could get used to this.
He spoke of Brooke, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he described the situation. You listened intently, eyes filled with warmth.
Your hand reached across the table, the touch sending shivers down his spine. "Sometimes," you said, your voice low, "you gotta learn to let things go, even if it isn't what you want." The air crackled with unspoken desires, the space between the two of you shrinking until it was barely there.
Then, the spell broke as a loud toddler scream erupted from the table next to you. The moment, fragile and precious, was shattered, leaving a bittersweet longing in its wake.
"Well, if that isn't Liam in another form, I don't know what is." Austin deadpans, rolling his eyes. You burst into a fit of laughter, taking another long sip of your wine.
"Oh, not Liam." You say, throwing your hand over your heart. He picks up on your sarcastic tone, "He's pretty perfect, alright."
The city lights blurred past Austin's windshield, mirroring the kaleidoscope of emotions swirling within him. The restaurant's warmth had faded, replaced by the crisp autumn air and the never-ending fluttering in his chest.
Silence stretched in the car, comfortable yet charged. Austin stole a glance at you, in awe of the way your hair framed your face, the moonlight casting soft shadows on your features. Does she feel what I'm feeling? He thought. As he pulled up in front of your house, a pang of disappointment shot through him.
He walked you to the door, the silence once again charged with hidden emotions. He stopped, hesitating, unsure of what to do next.
"Austin," you say, "thank you for everything tonight." For a breathless moment, your eyes locked, desires simmering in the air. Then, he leaned in, his lips brushing against your ear. "No, thank you, Y/n."
Austin leaned closer, your faces mere inches apart. The tension was unbearable, the air thick with anticipation. Then, he closed the gap, softly grasping each side of your face as your lips met in a kiss that was slow, tender, and filled with promise.
It was everything you had imagined. Austin went above and beyond for you tonight, and it made the kiss well worth it.
When you finally pulled away, breathless and smiling, Austin's eyes were noticeably darker as he caressed your cheek.
"Good night," he whispered, his voice deep.
"Good night," you echo, lingering for a moment before reluctantly stepping back.
As he watched you disappear into your house, the warmth of the kiss lingered on his lips. He made his way back to his abode and met with Liam, who was probably looking forward to this date more than Austin had been all along.
"Daddy! Did you kiss her?"
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Loving me takes patience.
Hello, here it's the third part nobody asked for, but it's here anyway!
if you like, please let me know, it means a lot to me, besties <3
Read the previous parts: one, two
This is a dad!harry x oc character, it's all about Latinas girls, babes!
PART THREE
At least one month since they closed the contract with Ms. Sabino's company, the website project was progressing. In the meeting where they'd discuss the project, Harry was the co-leader. The interface that Ms. Sabino requested must need three prior things: 1) An assistant who is always online - not a robot though - 2) A simple and clean layout where the topics could be easily found 3) the website must contain at least three idioms in case the customer needs it. A lot of things, don't you think?
When Harry was invited to join the project he was a bit confused about how things work, so let's refresh a little bit. Harry works for Jonah in a small IT company, Ms. Sabino heard about them due to their potential work even though they are a small company, and Sabino made an agreement with Jonah on behalf of his client. So, mathematically speaking it goes like this, an IT company contacted Sabino, then Sabino contacted Jonah, then Jonah reached Rebecca, and finally, the company who contacted Sabino first made a deal with Harry's team. Easier, right?
How Harry wishes it was that simple, the company that contacted Sabino first, is named after the owner's mother, so it is called Proyecto Julieta. It belongs to Max. The project Max wanted was the following thing, a platform of Real State Plans, so every single person who was searching for a place to live, with accessible prices could find it on their website. Nice huh? Well, not for them.
Harry and Jason, his leader, spent hours of meetings, calculating, designing, and getting tired to death. Harry wasn't even graduated for sake! How did he suppose to know of all this shit? They both agreed it was better to go home, it was a very long day.
Getting home, Lisa was still there, he told her she could go home now since he is here. As usual daddy duties were calling; after a long session of hugs and kissing and maybe some tickles was bath time, right after that they had dinner, then Harry after reading her some fairy tale book Cassie fell asleep. Harry took the chance and very quietly get off of her bed and moved to his room. It was his time for a relaxing bath, now. The shower wasn't too hot nor too cold. After that, he lays in his bed and tried to study a little more about programming and how to create a website with so many features. From his nightstand, he felt his phone vibrates, it was a message. A message from Rebecca.
Rebecca Rojas: hey you, a little bird told me you are officially on Sabino's and Max's project. YAY. I'm happy for you!
He didn't expect that, but it came at the right time. He studied a bit more then put it all away and went to sleep, with a smile on his face may I add.
The next day in the office, Jonah dismissed Jason and Harry from their duties to focus on Julieta's Project. Jason was the lead so he arrange another meeting with Harry and other members who were allowed to participate, all friends with Jason from his college. When Harry entered the room he felt happy, and finally felt seen and appreciated, his hard work was doing perfectly fine.
The meeting was great, to say the least, he was heard, and he said all of his thoughts and ideas. When the meeting ended he sigh with relief, they are almost halfway there. Harry was leaving the conference room while texting his mother to keep her updated when suddenly he bumped into someone. Their cellphone fell straight to the ground, and both kneel to grab them, when he looked up, Rebecca is standing up with him. Duh, of course. It would be her, of all people in that room, right? It was mathematically possible, for sure, you see, if both of them were working on the same project so and in the same building for sure, they would stumble into themselves at some point.
Harry and his silly face kept staring at her until he said, ''I'm sorry, I did not mean to" He didn't but man, he was glad!
"There is no problem, Harry" she smiled, composing herself ready to leave when Harry had a deep breath and let out "Hey" Rebeca turned her attention to him again "Wanna grab something to eat? I mean, it's almost time for lunch, right?" she smiles nodding "Okay, let's go"
There were they, sitting at a table outside the little restaurant nearby. He ordered salmon and salad, Rebecca went a little further, she request a ceviche and sparkling water with a slice of lemon.
"So, tell me a little bit about yourself, yeah? he said while taking a bite of salmon.
"What do you want to know?" she asked.
He shrugged "I'd say everything, but feel free to tell whatever you're comfortable with" she sighed.
"Well, I'm Rebecca, 27 years old, I'm actually Brazilian just like my mom, my father is from Guatemala, so I was raised with both languages. I earned a scholarship program to study Italian and English in college, so I went to Italy to study abroad, wasn't the easiest thing to do, but I don' regret it, you know?" she said
So you see, Harry was only 5 years older than her, that was nice. So along with the lunch, he was getting to know her better. So far, he knows she speaks 6 languages, he remembered she something about romance languages he had no idea what that means, so he asked.
"Oh, romance languages are the ones that come from Latin. The major languages include French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian. But I don't speak Romanian" she laughs.
"You mentioned you speak German, right?"
"Oh God, no. I'm trying to but it's kinda hard" Hard? he thought, you speak six languages and German it was hard? No way.
"Why languages? Where did you learn all that?" Harry asked wiping his mouth and leaving his food aside.
"Well..." she started to say, but her phone started to ring, she picked up "Oh, hey. Okay, I get it. Yeah I will be there in a second, I'm not so far from the office. Okay, bye" she looked at him leaving her money to pay her part "Dutty calls, let's go?"
They rushed their way and when they got there, they notice both were going to separate ways. Harry was calling the lift when Rebecca turned around, called his name, and said.
"Hey, we should do this again. I like talking to you" the lift rang warning he was there and opened the doors, Rebecca waved goodbye. Harry did not have the chance of saying anything, but that boy was smiling like a fool.
part four
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