#freddieh

The smells of freshly made apple fritters, warm coffee beans and a hint of chocolate filled the small coffee shop that you were sitting at, sipping at your mug. It was a gorgeous late autumn day, before the skies started to turn gray and everything became dull and sludge-like. The perfect day for your favorite warm beverage while wrapped up inside your favorite sweater.

You looked down at what you were reading on your phone during this nice little break of yours, indulging to the point where you didn’t notice that there was someone taking the seat that was right behind yours. It bumped into yours, not harshly. “Sorry,” A friendly enough voice said, and a shadow came over you. “I didn’t make you spill anything did I?”

“Oh, no, you didn’t,” You said, kindly, looking up and meeting a pair of blue eyes that were nearly hidden beneath bushy brunette brows. He looked familiar in a way. Perhaps he’d been in one of your classes? But you couldn’t place the face.

“Okay, that’s good,” He chuckled. “I would have bought you a new drink if you did. But again I’m - sorry.”

“It’s okay,” You nodded with a smile. “Just try to be a little bit more careful.”

“I will,” He said enthusiastically, and then took the seat behind you. You looked back at your phone, sipping at your drink, wondering why this coffee shop had so many tables jammed in close together anyway. It just seemed like a bad way to utilize the space.

It hit you a couple of minutes later. Of course! Of course you knew who he was. You watched Bates Motel - and there were commercials for The Good Doctor all the time on TV. You started to turn around in your chair to try to get another look at him, and you found that he was looking right at you, both of you becoming startled since you had turned at the same time.

“Hi,” Freddie Highmore said. It was definitely him.

“Oh - hi,” You said, a little embarrassed at being caught.

“Uhh - my friend isn’t showing up, I guess,” He said, sheepishly. “Would it be okay if I sit with you? I kinda hate sitting alone.”

“Sure, yeah,” You nodded. “By all means.”

He smiled at you as he got up and circled around to the other side of the table that you were taking up. His hair was a bit messy, covering his forehead, but his eyes shone crystal clear. “I’m Freddie, by the way.”

You decided not to make things awkward by telling him that you had figured that out already. You introduced yourself after he had, and instantly, a conversation started to flow, feeling as warm as your drink.

“He’s amazing,” Freddie said, smiling against the microphone when the interviewer asked about the birth of his first child, his son with you. “All of those sleepless nights are totally worth it!” He looked straight towards the camera, knowing that you were watching, knowing that you were smiling along with him while at home, taking care of that bouncing baby boy.

“Sounds like you’re enjoying fatherhood then, do you think it’s going to get in the way of your career?” The interviewer asked, surprising you since that was a question that was usually only asked to the women - how progressive.

“Well, it helps that y/n is the most amazing, most understanding person in the universe,” He said, keeping up that grin. “But we’ve talked a lot about it, and once The Good Doctor is over, I’m going to be taking some time off. I don’t want to miss a thing.” Even though this was no surprise to you, it still warmed your heart how much he loved you, and how much he loved your little boy. “The most that I can say is that I’m the luckiest guy in the world, no doubt, no doubt.”

All of those months of work had lead to this moment - the premiere of your first movie. You were excited, you were nervous, you were a bundle of anxiety and happiness all in one - so thank goodness that your boyfriend Freddie was by your side throughout all of this.

“You feeling alright?” Freddie would whisper to you as photos were being taken of the two of you, flashes of light just upping the anticipation.

“I’m great. Honestly,” You said, which was the truth, even if you were a bunch of other things at the same time. You turned your body slightly to look towards some of the other photographers, and then took Freddie’s hand, walking side by side into the theater.

“Okay,” He’d say, the smile coming off of his face as soon as you were both in the safety of the theater where the paps weren’t allowed. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy, it just got exhausting smiling all of the time. It had remained in his eyes, shining through those big baby blues when he looked at you. “I’m proud of you. But you know that,” He’d say with a slight nudge to your arm with his long elbows.

Once your film was finished, having been presented to the cast, some of the crew and a few precisely picked critics, he would repeat that as you were walking out. “I’m not just saying that because you’re my girlfriend either,” He’d add on. “I really think you did amazing. This is just going to be the first of many.”

“And you’ll be there for me for all of them?” You implored.

“Every single one.”

The knife came down, and the blood went splattering across the tiled wall of the shower.

“And cut-” The director of the episode of Bates Motel that you were in shouted. You laughed in relief - you had been a little nervous that you hadn’t pressed the button for the blood splatter in time.

“Do you need some help?” Freddie, your co-star in the scene asked you. You nodded, and he took hold of your hand and helped you out of the tub. The water at the bottom combined with the blood was a bit slippery - as you had demonstrated the first take, where you nearly fell.

“Thanks,” You said, once you were steady on your feet on the mat. The people around you - the cameramen, the director, their assistants, went back to work on trying to fix it up for the next couple of shots, while you stood there, waiting for direction on where to go. And - you noticed - Freddie hadn’t stopped holding your hand. “I think I’m alright now.”

“Right, sorry,” Freddie said, taking his hand back. He was still holding the knife that he just used to slash at you, and you had to admit, it looked pretty realistic. “Do you want to hold it?” He asked, seeing you look at it.

“No, it’s too creepy. I’d rather hold your hand again than that thing.” You said, seeing the blood that was on it. That looked real as well. It was odd enough that you were remaking one of the most famous scenes in movie history, but touching the props too - it seemed too eerie.

“Okay,” Freddie said, taking your hand again. You laughed, your cheeks flushing, and gave it a little squeeze.

Much better than a knife anyday.

When you started to approach, Freddie suddenly felt like he was the one who was participating in a meet and greet, but as a fan. No, no, it was a crazy thought ... or was it?

“Hi,” You said with a smile, nearly melting his heart instantly. “I’ve been a big fan since you were Charlie. I still watch that movie a couple of times a year, it’s one of my favorites, though maybe it’s a little weird since you were a kid then.” You were rambling on, while Freddie stood there with just a goofy smile on his face. It took him a second to remember that he was supposed to be greeting, as well as meeting.

He cleared his throat and took hold of his water bottle in case he choked. “I’m flattered - I loved doing that movie.” At least you didn’t say that his killer character was your favorite. “I - I think I’m a fan of yours too.”

“What does that mean?” You asked with a laugh.

“Well ... aren’t you a model?”

“Definitely not.”

“Oh. Well. You could be,” He admitted.

“Is that a corny pick-up line I hear?” You questioned, the smile slowly sliding off as you realized that he might be being serious.

“No - I mean, it might be, but I genuinely thought...” He stammered. The butterflies that had started in his stomach were rising to his throat. “Do you want to meet up for coffee sometime?”

Definitely really good friends. They have the odd flirt but you can’t just put Alaska as one of Freddie’s ‘flirting victims’, especially because she flirts back or sometimes instigates it. They treat each other the same and even if they did decide to be romantic, I’m still convinced it wouldn’t be as comfortable as their friendship they have now.