SuperTuna

The lights from the chandeliers above you twinkle off of every sparkling, crystal glass and shining, ceramic dinner plate as you walk into the ball room. If you weren't so entranced by it all, you might've found it overwhelming, but awe is the only look in your eyes as your boyfriend guides you to your designated table for the night.

It took a lot of convincing from Joe to get you to even come to the gala. Tonight is a big night for the Bengals, as it's an event that highlights many of the player's foundations and is a way to get donations pouring in by the thousands. You know how much Joe's foundation means to him and his community, so you didn't want to take any of the spotlight away from it and shift the focus of its importance to the topic of yours and Joe's romantic relationship. The tabloids have been itching for more information on the two of you, and showing up with him at an event like this would be the perfect opportunity for them to start stringing some absurd stories together. It's the last thing you want, but Joe refused to attend if you wouldn't be by his side, and you wouldn't dare let him miss out on an opportunity like this.

A large part of you knows that if you truly didn't come, Joe still would've showed. He cares too much for his foundation and its programs to take a back seat with something like this, but the fact he still made a whole ordeal out of it just to get you to come warms your heart. Besides, Joe assured you that with an event this size and this prominent, it would be less likely for the press to butt in negatively on something like it. So far, he's been correct, and as you sink down into your pulled out chair, you feel a little of that uneasiness start to melt away.

Your boyfriend settles in the seat beside you and you smile over at him after he reaches out underneath the table and grabs your hand, squeezing it a few times before entwining his fingers with yours. It's a comforting, familiar gesture. One you're grateful to have as you take in the environment around you.

You thought you were in awe when you walked in, but that's nothing compared to what you feel now as you find yourself being able to take in even more details that you didn't notice before.

Along with the dazzling chandeliers, there are candles littered throughout the room to create a low glow, illuminating the expansive space. There are bouquets on every table and green, lush arrangements of ivy hang from the ceiling and line countless areas of the walls, making it seem like you're in a garden wonderland. You also notice the fact there's a band playing near the front of the room on a make-shift stage, the soft melodies they're playing truly tying everything together.

And as if the decorations and atmosphere weren't enough already, the beauty of the people in the room absolutely takes your breath away.

It’s not that you haven’t seen a lot of Joe’s teammates dressed up before, because you know they can go all out, but it’s just something in the way they all look so elegant with their partners that has you feeling wonderstruck.

Everything comes together to create this beautiful setting and you find yourself feeling like you stepped foot into a fairytale. This night is about so much more than the glitz and glamour, but it sure doesn’t hurt.

As your eyes flit back across the room, you notice some very prominent looking men and women coming your way. You can tell instantly they’re headed for the star quarterback beside you, and with that you know your night full of schmoozing for the greater good of the Joe Burrow Foundation has officially begun.

*****

Hours have passed at this point. You've all eaten, speeches have been given, and checks have most definitely been written. You feel so full of pride over these past few hours watching Joe put his all into promoting his foundation. His genuine care for its workers and the people his program helps is so heartwarming. You know a lot of people in his position don't automatically take to doing good with their power, but this quarterback sure does, and you couldn't be prouder of him for it.

You can tell the gala and its attendees are winding down, though. Only a handful of people have left so far—excusing themselves over talks of early morning commitments—but you're sure more will follow soon.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Joe's voice cuts through your stream of thought, and as you turn and find yourself being met by his crystal blue eyes you can't help but to smile at him and nod your head.

"Yes, I certainly did! I'm glad I came. It's been such a wonderful time getting to support and promote your foundation and to support your teammates' foundations as well. It blows my mind how incredibly hectic your life is, yet you never waver in your drive to help other people. It's inspiring and I appreciate you wanting me on this journey with you."

The apples of your boyfriend's cheeks turn a light shade of pink, and the sight makes you want to giggle in adoration. You don't get the chance to, though because in a second Joe leans over and plants a soft kiss on your own cheek, no doubt leaving that same shade of pink in its wake.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Joe whispers as he pulls away and begins to stand up. "I'll be right back, okay?"

This piques your interest, and you begin to wonder where he may be going. "Okay. Did you want to go talk to some more people? See if you can get some more donations?"

"Not exactly," he begins, a small smirk playing on the edge of his lips. "I just wanna go check on something. It'll be quick."

The blonde pushes in his chair, walks away, and in an instant you lose him in the crowd. You're confused on what it is he might be doing, but you chalk it up to him just wanting to chat it up with his teammates or maybe he just plain needs to use the bathroom. You shrug it off and use the time to admire the couples out on the dance floor and the soft music being played by the band.

The melodies of the song and the low light really sets the tone and you feel yourself falling into a comfortable trance, the conversations around you dulling to a low murmur.

Sudden movement catches the corner of your eye and you chuckle as you glance over and see Ja'Marr attempting to dip his girlfriend. It's a little less smooth than what you're used to seeing from the wide receiver, but it's sweet nonetheless. At the other end of the dance floor you spot Sam and his wife moving slowly side to side, looking every bit of the happy couple they are, and the sight melts your heart.

Before you get the chance to fawn over any more cute couples or chuckle over any more less-than-stellar moves, Joe comes into focus, and you can tell immediately by the look on his face that he's up to something.

"Are you ready?" He says the second he's reached your table.

"Ready for what?" You inquire.

"Your surprise," he smiles as he stretches his hand out towards you.

"My surprise?" You chuckle. "How could I have a surprise at a party that isn't for me."

"Trust me, you can and you do." Joe doesn't give up anything else and you accept it for what it is as you take his hand and let him lead you out onto the dance floor.

The quarterback stops about halfway through the small crowd, landing you both somewhere in the middle of it all. Couples and friends float around the two of you, swaying to the final notes of the song currently being played.

It's silent for a moment and as people begin to drift away from the dance floor, your find your brow quirking up at your boyfriend, wondering what in the world he's up to and why he's brought you out here.

"Joe, what's—" your question gets cut short when suddenly a familiar string of guitar chords begins filling the space around you. It only takes you a second to place the melody and your hunch is only further confirmed once the frontman of the band starts singing.

"I, I just woke up from a dream..."

Warmth fills your chest as you realize what your boyfriend has done. You meet his eyes and notice he's already staring lovingly at you, a knowing smile plastered on his face as he begins to sway you both to the music.

'Die with a Smile' has been one of your favorite songs since it dropped and after catching on to that fact, Joe made it his mission to learn to play it on piano for you. It's quickly become your guys' song and you'll often find your boyfriend playing it when he uses the piano for his wrist exercises. To think he concocted some plan to get the band to play it tonight for you does nothing but make you fall even more in love with him.

"Joey, you sneak, sneaky man," you joke as you lean into the blonde, savoring your closeness to him right now and loving the way your body always seems to fit so perfectly against his. "How'd you pull this off?"

Joe shrugs, trying to play it cool, but you can tell by the look on his face that he's so happy you like the surprise. He knew you would, but actually seeing your reaction makes it even better. "Surprisingly it didn't take much. Turns out you don't actually have to bribe the band, they'll play your request if you just ask. It's a pity 'cause I actually had some good bribes picked out."

The two of you laugh and you shake your head at the man before wondering how in the world you got so lucky.

The end of Lady Gaga's intro in the song comes to an end and as the beat begins to pick up again you and Joe find yourselves fully immersed in the song. The two of you have danced together before, but in a setting like this—and with this song—it feels like you're in a movie. It feels like you're Cinderella dancing with Prince Charming at the ball, only you don't have to worry about running off when the clock strikes midnight. You've already got all you wanted right here in front of you.

"So I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. Like it's the last night..."

Suddenly, Joe lifts you up off the ground, his hands firmly grasping your hips as his spins you in the air. The move takes your breath away in the best way possible.

"If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on Earth was through..."

Your feet touch the ground once more but your boyfriend wastes no time in continuing to move you both around the dance floor, spinning you under his arm at all the right moments. He leads you in such a certain way that it doesn't make you feel like he's being demanding or controlling with his movements. The two of you are so in tune with each other you're practically floating. It all feels like such a dream, but you've never been more grateful that it isn't.

"I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you..."

The two of you are so engrossed in each other that you don't notice surrounding couples begin to leave the dance floor, choosing to watch you both in awe and cherish this sweet moment.

"Right next to you. Next to you..."

The song slows and Joe brings you in close, his intoxicating scent—expensive cologne and something so inherently him—enveloping you fully. Your breath is uneven and your heart is hammering lightly in your chest at this impromptu dance routine, but it feels perfect, this moment feels perfect.

"Are you ready for this?" Joe whispers, his breath cool against your warm cheek as he leans his head against yours. You know immediately he has some big finish planned and you can't wait to follow his lead.

"I'm always ready for anything as long as I'm with you," you whisper back, smiling as you feel him squeeze your waist and brush his lips against your cheek in response.

"Right next to you. Oh-oh, oh..."

Joe grasps your hand in his own, twisting you towards himself before unraveling you from his grip and letting you spin forward and away from him, your dress flaring out perfectly around you at the movement. The lead singer's voice rings throughout the ball room with the guitar solo quickly following, and goosebumps break out along your skin as the sound practically travels through your veins. You can't help the laugh that escapes you as you throw your head back, giddiness overtaking you. Then, in no time you're back in Joe's arms as the song begins to come to a close.

"If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on Earth was through. I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile..."

Joe holds you firmly at his side as his lifts you at your waist with one hand, one of your own arms wrapped around his neck as he spins the two of you around. In this position, with both your heads turned towards each other, you can't help but to lock eyes with the blonde, cherishing the way you can see how evidently he loves you. You only hope he sees the same reflected back at him because boy, do you love this man.

"If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you..."

The star quarterback sets you back down on the floor, the two of you facing each other fully once again as the song begins to fade with only one lyric left to play.

Joe pulls you closer to him before suddenly you feel yourself being leaned back, your boyfriend dipping you towards the ground without a single struggle before leaning down with you and looking you in the eyes.

"I'd wanna be next to you," Joe surprises you yet again by singing the final line of the song right to you. It's loud enough only for you to hear and you wouldn't want it any other way. You feel yourself starting to get emotional over this whole grand gesture, but before your emotions get a chance to bubble over, you feel Joe's lips lock on yours and suddenly everything fades away.

Joe pulls you both upright, but never once does he break the kiss. It's only once you begin to hear people hooting and hollering do the two of you finally break apart, instantly remembering where you are.

You start to feel a little shy at the sight of some of Joe's friends and teammates making their way over to the two of you, so you lean into joe's chest, suddenly feeling the urge to hide. Joe laughs above you and you find yourself chuckling right along with him, not believing all of that just happened.

"Yo! Nine, I don't know where in the hell you pulled that out of, but I need whatever you got to do all that," Ja'Marr laughs as he comes over and smacks Joe playfully on the arm.

"My feet and I can definitely vouch for that. Whatever you two got going on when it comes to the dance floor I'm gonna need ya'll to express ship it because my feet are killing me and it isn't because 'Marr and I danced the night away," Ja'Marr's girlfriend smirks and you can't help the laugh that escapes you. You definitely feel for her, especially after witnessing their attempt on the dance floor earlier.

"Baby, I wasn't that bad!" The wide receiver pouts and soon enough the two of them are trailing off towards the front doors bickering—lovingly—about whether or not the two of them will be taking another shot on the dance floor at the next gala.

"You guys did look really beautiful out there, in all seriousness," Sam says as him and his wife, Jessica, begin to follow you and Joe back to your table to collect your things.

"Yeah, if that's what you guys do at a regular event, I can't wait to see what you come up with for your future wedding," Jessica chimes in, winking at you. You had helped her plan her own wedding to Sam and now she's dying to start planning yours and Joe's. The two of you aren't engaged yet, but something tells you it won't be like that for long.

"Thanks, guys," you smile, appreciating the compliments and excitement from your friends. "It was definitely spur of the moment, but I'd say we didn't do too bad out there."

Looking up at Joe, the two of you just take a moment to smile at each other, reveling in this feeling. You and Joe might not be trying out for Dancing with the Stars anytime soon, but you appreciate the fact other people thought it was good and entertaining. Even if they didn't, you wouldn't care because it was special to you and Joe, and honestly? That's all that matters.

People around you begin to disperse in different directions, heading to their own tables to gather their items and say goodbye, the night coming to a definite close.

you never thought you'd find yourself in a situation like this. it almost sounded cliche. buried in debt from your studies, drained, and expecting death at any moment. the 'mingle' game had you frightened and traumatized you to no end, but left you with new alliances formed. 'young-il,' the man who saved you during the last round, helped comfort you back at the dormitory. the older man welcomed you into his group, promising to protect you and get you out of this place safely.

unknown to you, inho young-il had been observing you the whole time you were there. he watched every single move you made, infatuated with you. the way your pretty lips pouted as you listened to the ai voice explain the rules of the game, how you slowly ate your food all alone on your bed, how quiet and observant you were, he watched it all. he spent most of the time wondering; what’s a pretty, young, innocent thing like you doing in a place like this?

now, you laid in your bed quietly, the soft glow from the piggy bank being the only thing illuminating the room. the sound of rustling sheets and footsteps was the only thing you could hear. however, and you quickly learned this, peace isn't a forever thing in here. low noises and slow footsteps quickly turned into chaos and violence as everyone around you started screaming, bed frames falling and people being attacked left and right. scared and confused, you bolted out of your bed, trying to quietly make your away to a corner.

you practically jumped out of your skin when young-il grabbed your hand, turning you around quickly and guiding you to the front of the room. you weren't sure what his intention was, but the thought of him saving you kept replaying in your mind, so you followed along.

when you got to the door, he gestured to a guard to use the restroom. the guard suspiciously instantly opened the door and young-il ran with you through the halls and into the restroom, shoving you into a stall and locking the door.

you breathed heavily as you leaned against the stall wall, making eye contact with young-il. his hair was ruffled and messy, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, and his breathing was heavy. you took a moment to take in the way he was looking at you. a lustful, yet loving look adorned his face as he stared at you, eyes running up and down your frame.

“are you alright?” he finally spoke, his breathing slowing down as he walked towards you. you nodded softly, a blush creeping up on your face as you looked down. “it’s crazy out there. you could’ve gotten hurt, y/n. you should’ve come to me.” his tone sounded genuine and you lifted your head to look at him, nodding softly again. “i, i know mister. thank you” you whispered softly. young-il could have sworn you were an angel the way you spoke so softly to him, your pretty eyes never leaving his face. a small smile spread on his lips as he nodded, sitting down on the toilet.

you watched as you picked at your fingers nervously, the chaos outside of the bathroom becoming louder. young-il spoke your name softly, barely a whisper. your eyes met his as he patted on his thigh, a nod of encouragement following. “c’mere. sit with me.” he said, his eyes scanning your face for any hint of discomfort. a blush crept up your face as you obliged, walking towards him and lowering yourself onto his lap. his arms wrapped around your waist as you straddled him, your soft hands resting on his shoulders.

“young-il” you gasped softly as you felt his bulge in between your thighs, slowly rocking your hips back and forth. “it’s inho” he says, “my name, it’s inho.” you stop moving and look at him, confusion evident on your face. “w-what?” you whisper, your eyebrows furrowing. “i used a fake name in case anyone tried to hurt me.” he said. you nodded slowly, not entirely convinced but too aroused to care. you repeated his name, the word foreign on your tongue as his warm hands move onto your ass cheeks. you let out a whimper as you feel him squeeze, encouraging you to keep moving. you felt your arousal soak your underwear as you moved against his bulge, hands creeping up to his hair.

“let me make you feel good sweetheart.” he whispered into your ear, listening to your soft whimpers and in pure bliss at the way you tugged at his hair. you let out a soft moan in response, leaning in and closing the distance between you. inho wasted no time in kissing you back, tongue slowly forcing its way into your mouth to tangle with yours. he smiles into the kiss, pre cum leaking onto his boxers when he feels you grind harder. you gasp into the kiss when you feel inho lift you up and place you on the ground, breaking the kiss and tugging at your tracksuit pants. you look up at him, the desperate look in your eyes telling him everything he needs to know. he slowly lowers himself onto his knees, taking your tracksuit pants and underwear off in the process. you step out of the pile of clothes on the ground and inho gestures to your shirt, watching silently with lust-filled eyes as you slowly slid your jacket off. you shakily grabbed the hem of your shirt and lifted it, sliding the sweaty material off your body and onto the floor.

you closed your thighs together, feeling embarrassment wash over you. inho let out a low laugh at how sweet you looked. "let me see you baby." he said, carefully lifting one of your legs and placing it over his shoulder, his slow movements leaving you aroused with anticipation. he groaned at the sight of your glistening pussy, pupils dilated and mouth watering. "you've got such a pretty pussy sweetheart, you've really been hiding this from me all this time?" inho teased, a small smirk on his lips as he looked up at you. he licked his thumb and brought it to your clit, rubbing soft slow circles and he could've sworn he could die happily just hearing the noises that left your lips. he placed soft kisses along your inner thigh and your breathing became heavier. "inho p-please" you managed to whimper out, hands tangling in his hair and his eyes never leaving yours. "please what baby? use your words." he groaned softly, taking in your scent and how wet you were. "please do something" you pleaded, attempting to push his head into your pussy

inho took his thumb off your clit and replaced it with his tongue, flicking and kitten-licking at it. your hands tugged at his hair as whimpers and moans left your lips, feeling his left hand move up your body and settle on the sports bra you had on. he tugged it down, freeing your breasts as his other hand crept up your thigh and he prodded his middle finger at your entrance. you felt his finger slowly enter you as he wrapped his lips around your clit, sucking then licking. you couldn't contain the moans that left your lips and how your legs shook as inho sucked on your clit, the sensation unlike anything you've ever felt. inho moved his finger in and out of your pussy, your tight and wet walls sucking him back in. he added another finger in, his movements speeding up and he tugged and pinched at your nipples with his other hand. your eyes rolled back as you brought a hand up to your chest and placed it on top of his, guiding it to your other breast. "inho oh fuck- d-don't stop" you moaned, feeling his tongue and fingers move faster. his eyes never left yours as he continued his assault on your pussy, the sinful sounds of your wetness echoing through the bathroom walls.

"m'gonna cum" you moaned, hands gripping inho's hair and your legs shook violently, his tongue now slowly circling your clit. "go on angel, cum for me." he said, immediately dipping his head back down to suck on your clit, eyes never leaving yours. he continued to tug and roll your nipple between his fingers, and with one final lick to your clit, the coil in your stomach snapped. stars danced in your vision as you loudly moaned, grinding your finger-filled pussy on inho's face. he placed one last kiss on your now sensitive clit, and retreated his fingers from your pussy. inho got up off his knees and stood in front of you, bringing his cum-coated fingers to his mouth. he sucked at his fingers, cleaning your arousal off of them and inhaling sharply at your taste. you watched him with half-lidded eyes, trying to catch your breath. "you taste so fucking good princess." he said, lips ghosting over yours. he pressed a small kiss to your lips, a smirk never leaving his. he broke off the kiss, wiping his now-clean fingers off with toilet paper. you slowly bent over and grabbed your discarded clothes, quietly dressing yourself as inho watched.

when you walked out of the bathroom, inho's grip on your hand could practically cut off your circulation. he led you through the halls until you stopped in front of a door. he turned to look at you, an unreadable expression on his face while a confused one appeared on yours. as if on cue, you felt a hand come up behind you and press a cloth against your face. your surroundings blurred as your body became limp, the last thing you were able to see being inho's cold, unreadable, face.

He thought it was a little silly, but he still couldn’t say no. Definitely not when they finally had time to act like a regular couple, up in Oregon in the middle of the off season. And if that wasn’t enough, the look in her eye and the excited grin she had when she asked him if he’d go would’ve made him do anything at all to make her happy. Going to IKEA was a small sacrifice. 

Before they even got there, as he drove to the store, he made her promise not to go overboard. “Promise you won’t get too much this time? We still have so many napkins and candles and stuff just lying around.”

“I promise,” she smiled, giddy. She was lying, of course, they both knew it. But the little song and dance before was still unavoidable.

Despite his home on the ranch being a beautiful, fully decorated house that needed no new furniture, she insisted on going through all the rooms in IKEA to get “the full experience” as she called it. He already knew where things were headed by the second living room in the gallery of furnished rooms when she gasped and tugged at his hand to pull him along into one of them.

“Oh this is so cute! It’s so cosy and homey,” she gushed, her hand running over the back of the couch and over the pillows. Then her eyes wandered to the walls, painted a calm, neutral light green. “And we should paint our walls! We have too much white at home, some more color would be nice.”

“Well, we can’t buy paint here,” he chuckled, letting her drag him along to the next room where she began pulling out all the drawers and fiddling with the light switches, changing the LED lights from stark white to a warm glow. “But we can paint some of the walls, if you want to.”

She smiled widely, reaching up to place a kiss on his cheek, mumbling, “Thank you, honey,” in a sweet tone before walking off to the next room. 

He blushed, bowing his head and squeezing her hand once in return. 

In the fourth living room, what Justin had expected to happen at some point, finally happened.

“This armchair would be perfect for the living room, in that awkward empty space between the window and the coffee table,” she excitedly said, already looking at the price tag and taking a picture of the storage number so she wouldn’t forget it. “Don’t you think?”

He didn’t want to buy any furniture today, it was an unnecessary hassle and they didn’t really need it. But he couldn’t deny that the armchair would be pretty perfect for their home and that it did look very cozy. 

“It’s nice,” he admitted, nodding in approval when he ran his hand over the fabric. “Nova might scratch the legs to hell, though,” he joked, already imagining his mischievous cat taking on the wooden legs the second they brought the chair home. “But I like it, we should get it.”

They managed through the rest of the showroom without any other big purchases. Of course, Y/N made sure to stop in at least half of the rooms, at least just to take a peek inside, and Justin happily tagged along. 

It felt like something normal couples did; go shopping at IKEA without a care in the world. He felt normal, just like he usually did with her by his side. It meant more to him than he could explain in words. 

He dreaded the sight of the kids’ section almost as much as he felt his heart warm at the thought of what was to come. She tugged on his hand a little harder again when her eyes caught the wall lined with plush toys, an excited gasp escaping her and letting her feel like a little kid again, even for just a few seconds. 

“Oh we definitely have to get something for Nova,” she grinned.

“Just for Nova?” he teasingly asked, knowing she wanted a stuffed animal just as much for herself. 

Shrugging with a smile, she said, “Yeah for Nova. And if one extra just happened to make its way into the cart at some point then it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.”

“You’re ridiculous,” he laughed lightheartedly. “Nova doesn’t need any more toys, she already has plenty.”

“Yeah but…” she trailed off, letting go of his hand for a second to grab a pale gray rat plushie. “She’s a cat, she should get to chase rats, even fake ones – especially since she can’t go outside to do so.”

Justin rolled his eyes, still laughing, and nodded. “Yeah alright. But just the rat, okay?”

She looked like she was considering her options for a minute, not so subtly eyeing the blue shark plushie in the metal bin beside them. “Okay,” she sighed, “Just the rat. Promise.”

He reached for her hand again, taking the rat from her to carry and entwining his fingers with hers. He squeezed her hand, then, seeing a small smile make its way on her face as she looked up at him. 

Walking through the rest of the kids’ section brought with something he hadn’t seen coming. All the kids’ rooms, the nurseries, bunk beds and toys made them both think of the future. In one particularly adorable room, he said, “We should get one of these when we have kids,” while fiddling with the light switch of a green turtle shaped wall light that dimly lit up the wall beside the small bed. 

“When?”

Justin blushed and smiled to himself, shrugging like it was obvious. “Yeah, when.”

She smiled, unable to keep it to herself, and held his arm a little closer to her torso. “Okay,” she nodded. “But only if we get a rug like this, too,” she continued, motioning to the solar system themed rug under their feet. 

“Deal,” he grinned, already excited to walk to the next kids’ room to imagine their future once more, maybe with twin girls, a girl and a boy or three boys. He’d be okay with any combination, really, as long as he had them with her. 

Finally having walked through the entirety of the second floor, they walked downstairs to the place where he knew his girlfriend would do the most damage. By the last step on the stairs, a pretty set of plates had already caught her eye. They weren’t expensive enough for him to argue against her getting them, not with the way her eyes lit up when she placed them in the cart he’d just gotten for them, right beside the silly rat plushie. 

Next she saw a couple of mugs that she thought would be perfect for her morning tea. When she explained why she wanted them, he put them in the cart for her. Then came the napkins with the pretty blue flowers, almost the same pattern as the plates had. She threw them in the cart before he could say anything else. 

Everything combined was exactly the type of life he wanted, a slow Saturday morning when he was tolerating drinking green tea, snuggled under a blanket on the terrace with her, their new mugs in hand, their new plates for whatever snack she was feeling like in their laps, and the matching napkins ready for when she inevitably spilled tea on herself going in for a kiss. 

And while it was completely out of character for him, he couldn’t help but pull her in for a quick kiss, hidden behind a shelf of pots and pans. “You’re affectionate today,” she remarked when he pulled away, an easygoing smile on his face. He looked so lovesick. 

“I’m happy,” he shrugged, letting his hand linger on her back as they continued walking. 

It was enough of an answer for her, despite knowing there was probably more to be said. Nothing bad, of course. But the same slightly distracted look in his eye returned and she could see his mind racing. She was sure he’d tell her on his own time, not knowing it was all from him imagining himself being this happy for the rest of his life.

They managed fairly well without buying too much until they neared the warehouse and got to the plants section, shelves full of candles right before it. Begrudgingly he let her grab a few apple scented candles – though they did smell pretty amazing, if he was honest. 

For once, he was the one to pick out something when they walked through the rows of plants. He chose a few different potted plants and a small indoor greenhouse to protect them from Nova’s vengeful paws. Maybe he’d replace them with some herbs once they grew out of their pots.

With their cart half full – despite having told his girlfriend that wouldn’t be happening before they stepped foot in the store – they walked into the warehouse and tracked down the armchair. Just their luck, the package was high enough up on a shelf that Y/N sighed when she realized, shoulders slumping as she started looking around them for a worker that could help them out. “Maybe we should–”

“I got it,” he told her, easily grabbing hold of the package and lifting it from above his head with ease that she couldn’t even grasp. He didn’t make a single move or noise that would indicate that it was hard for him in any way, smoothly lowering to a comfortable position for him to hold. “Let’s go to check-out,” he said, walking off. 

She shook her head at her boyfriend with a laugh, watching him carry the package in his arms when a cart made for pushing around packages just like it stood right beside him. But he was determined and even waited for her to catch up with their cart before he continued walking. 

He only put the package down when they got to an empty self-checkout. “Wait here,” he said, turning on his heel and walking to one of the metal wire bins by the checkout lanes. When he turned around to walk back to her, he had a blue shark stuffed animal in his hand and a proud smile on his face. 

He said nothing as he scanned it and put it in the blue IKEA plastic bag before continuing to scan the rest of their things, but it didn’t make the gesture any less kind. Somehow, it made it better. Because him doing something nice for her wasn’t a big deal, it was just part of who he was. 

When they finished loading all their things into the car and closed the trunk, she placed a hand on his chest and leaned up to kiss him. “Thank you,” she mumbled against his lips before pulling away and falling back down to her normal height. “Getting me that shark was very sweet of you.”

He shrugged and waved it off, but she noticed the small twitch in the corner of his mouth, something he tried to hide. 

“Let’s stay here and eat,” she suggested, grabbing his hand.

“Why?” he asked, eyebrows furrowing. “We have food at home.”

“Yeah but… it’s part of the IKEA experience. And it wouldn’t be a real date if we didn’t get food.”

“This wasn’t a date,” he shook his head with a laugh. 

“Come on,” she threw her head back. “Humor me,” she asked him with a smile, taking steps backward until she was practically dragging him back toward the entrance.