#romcom fic

It starts as a joke. Or maybe boredom. Or maybe both, with a hint of caffeine and poor impulse control. It’s two in the morning, your laptop screen glowing while you sip a too-warm Red Bull — because irony makes you feel powerful. You’re scrolling through TikTok, through dramatic Max Verstappen edits set to sad piano music, all with captions like “He’s not just a driver. He’s destiny.” Something in your brain snaps. You open CapCut.

Your video starts with the words “The Max Verstappen Fan Club (Unofficial)” and the voiceover of someone who takes documentaries too seriously. “This is Max Verstappen,” you narrate solemnly. “A man powered solely by caffeine, stubbornness, and the fear of losing P1.” Then you cut to a clip of him blank-faced in a press conference, add tragic violin music, and subtitle it: ‘he’s seen too much.’ Perfect. You laugh, post it, and forget about it.

The next morning, your phone explodes. Sixty thousand likes. Two hundred thousand. Comment after comment: “PLEASE MAKE MORE.” “He’s gonna see this and block you.” “Why is this so accurate???” You make another one. And another. “He doesn’t just drive,” you say in one. “He communicates exclusively in aggressive overtakes and slightly disappointed head shakes.” Another one goes: “Max Verstappen is the human embodiment of ‘are you done?’ energy.”

They go viral. Millions of views. Your DMs are chaos. People are tagging you in everything he does, begging for more commentary. You think you’ve peaked. You think he’ll never actually see any of it.

Then, one random Thursday morning, you wake up to a message you never expected to see.

@maxverstappen1 has duetted your video.

You freeze. You blink. You double-check. It’s real. You open the app, pulse racing.

It’s that video — the one where you called him the human form of “are you done.” And there he is, on the right side of the screen. Hoodie, messy hair, slight smirk. He watches your edit with a straight face for a full ten seconds before finally raising an eyebrow. Then he says, completely deadpan: “Pretty sure I asked that question yesterday.”

You scream into your pillow. The duet hits ten million views in five hours. The internet combusts. People are unhinged. “MAX FOUND HER.” “THE WAY HE’S FLIRTING??” “SHE WON LIFE.” You log off, convinced it’ll all fade. It doesn’t.

Two days later, your DMs light up. A message request from @maxverstappen1. Just a screenshot of your video and the text: “You forgot ‘doesn’t like interviews.’” You stare at it for a long moment before replying: “You forgot ‘can’t take a joke.’” He responds within seconds: “I took one. You just posted it.”

You almost drop your phone.

It becomes a thing. He likes random comments on your videos. You keep posting, pretending you’re unbothered but dying inside. One of your captions reads ‘he probably won’t see this one’ — he comments, “I did.” You tell your friends. They scream. The internet ships it before either of you even speak again.

Until he messages you: “You in Monaco?” You reply, “No, I don’t live on a yacht.” He texts back, “Unfortunate. We have good coffee here.” You roll your eyes so hard you can feel it, but somehow your heart does a weird little flip.

You finally meet him months later, during race weekend. You get a paddock pass through a friend, half-terrified, half-thrilled. You don’t expect him to notice you — until he does. “You,” he says, stopping mid-step, his accent soft but distinct. You blink. “Me?” “The unofficial fan club,” he says, and the corner of his mouth tilts upward. “Didn’t think you’d actually show up.” “Didn’t think you’d actually text first,” you shoot back before you can stop yourself. He laughs, quiet and surprised. “Touché.”

It’s strange, seeing him up close — not a meme, not an edit, not a punchline. Just a person. He’s calmer, warmer, less robotic than the cameras ever show. You talk for ten minutes before he gets pulled away by PR, but he manages to toss a “See you later?” over his shoulder, and for some reason, it doesn’t sound casual.

You do see him later. At dinner. Then in texts. Then in late-night calls that turn into inside jokes. He’s funny. Dry. Smarter than you expect, and just self-aware enough to tease you about your “documentaries.” One night, he says, “So, how does it feel to have ruined my reputation?” You reply, “Pretty good, actually.” He laughs. “Good. Because now it’s your job to fix it.”

Weeks pass like that — a slow, unexpected orbit. He posts a TikTok out of nowhere one night. Just him sitting in the car post-race, messy hair, tired smile. Caption: “The unofficial fan club president hasn’t posted in a while. Should I be concerned?” You’re tagged. You nearly drop your phone again.

You text him: “I hate you.” He replies: “You started it.” “Yeah but I didn’t finish it,” you say. “Yet,” he sends back. Then, after a pause: “Dinner in Monaco?”

You go. It’s simple — no cameras, no noise, just you, him, and the sound of the sea. He’s relaxed, teasing, less of the world champion and more of the guy who smirked into a TikTok camera at 2 AM. You tell him you never meant for it to get this far. He grins. “Neither did I. Guess you won.” “Won what?” you ask. “Me,” he says, and you laugh because he’s joking—except, maybe, not entirely.

By the end of the night, he walks you to your car. You’re both quiet, smiling, the kind of silence that feels like something starting. “So,” he says, hands in his pockets. “Still unofficial?” “Maybe,” you say, pretending to think. “Depends.” “On?” “If you’ll duet the next one.” He grins, eyes bright. “Try me.”

The next morning, your TikTok goes up. “Breaking news,” you announce dramatically. “The Max Verstappen Fan Club (Unofficial) has been compromised. Effective immediately, this is now a partnership.”

The last frame cuts to him sitting beside you, hood up, clearly trying not to laugh. “Finally,” he says. “She admits it.”

The video hits ten million views before lunch. And this time, you don’t scream into a pillow. You just smile, sip your coffee, and text him: “So when’s the next meeting, partner?” He replies instantly. “Tonight.”

All at once the world was completely different and you found yourself for some reason on a train even though you were certain that the last place you were was in bed. But maybe something happened and this was the next best thing, the life hereafter since that bed wasn’t exactly a good one. It was a hospital bed and the paper gown that you still had on was a bad item of clothing for a train ride and was adding to your nonenjoyment of the experience. The whole thing was a lot to take in, a lot to figure out when your brain still wasn’t all the way there and when the train announced you had made it, you chose to follow everyone out and see where this next place was. 

The next place turned out to be a larger train station with people everywhere and even ones exactly like you all walking around and looking worried to say the least. One was even advertising what sounded like a planet made of desserts to a woman walking by as another claimed that you could fish forever if you really wanted to. There was even a collection in nice suits who seemed to be welcoming people and you walked over to the closest one, hoping that they could shed some light on what was possibly going on. 

“Excuse me?”

“Are you Randy Habbard?” 

“Uh…no…”

“Sorry then dear, looking for Randy,” she said and moved aside but stopped and turned, placing a hand on your shoulder. “I’m sure your AC will find you soon.” 

“AC?” you asked but she was already gone and looking for someone named Randy somewhere else. “God…this place is weird.” 

You sighed and took a seat on a plush chair that looked like it belonged in a waiting room and decided to do just that, wait and and see if your so-called AC would eventually come to find you. Your mind was alight with the possibility of what this place could be and you assumed it was some kind of afterlife, hence the general confusion and all the people wandering around in various stages of where they were when they died. You remembered being sick, cancer and that it was bad and you were surrounded by family on what would turn out to be your last day. By the time the day had hit you were ready for it and eager to see what was awaiting you at the end since your husband had died about a month before in a freak accident. He was driving home and shouldn’t have been and veered off the road since it was dark and rainy, gone quick and apparently in no pain which made you feel like it was okay since you were both old. 

“Finally you’re here!” 

You turned and sure enough there was a woman standing behind you with a grin on her face and dressed in one of those suits everyone was in that was beige with a red tie. She was holding a clipboard and looked eager to see you to say the least which you didn’t think was a good thing since you were…dead. 

“Oh…hello.” 

“Sorry, I know this must be a lot.” 

“It’s a bit,” you agreed and she chuckled, wrapping you in a hug. 

“It’ll all be okay. My name is Julie and I’m your AC.” 

“And that is?” 

“Afterlife consultant, my job is to help you pick your eternity,” she said and swept a hand towards a large exhibit hall behind you both. “This place is the junction and is the in-between for the transition between life and death and all you need to do is pick your forever.” 

“What about my husband?” 

“Oh yes, him, he died a bit ago but decided to stay around and wait for you which is so horribly romantic, we were all so excited to see that, most people just move on and hope that their love will follow.” 

“Bucky stayed, that’s great,” you said and she frowned at you. 

“Bucky…” 

“My husband…we were together for 65 years, had a few kids as well, they were all so upset when he died but it was a hell of a funeral.” 

“Oh…yes…the second one,” she said and you eyed her as the said second husband finally caught your eye and he grinned before running over and pulling you into a tight hug. 

“Bucky!” you said and he nodded, pulling back as you grabbed his cheeks, looking him over since he was different to say the least and much younger than the nearly blind 89 yr old that died a month back. “God…you’re so young.”

“They said we choose when we’re happiest and end up looking like that.”

“When is yours?” 

“I don’t know…it comes back to you,” he said and grabbed a nearby display for some eternity all about mirrors so you could see yourself. “You look absolutely amazing.” 

Bucky was correct and whenever you were happiest was when you were much younger than 87 and still had a lot of thick hair, always pulled back away from your eyes. You also felt younger, hips worked more than they didn’t ache and there was none of that horrible cancer smell on everything like it was back in bed all day for that long and annoying month. You felt like a completely new person and were grateful that he waited for so long, to guarantee that you two could spend your eternity together. You glanced back at Julie and she didn't look all that thrilled, as if she was meaning a different man who sat and waited to guarantee your eternity wouldn't be spent alone. You were about to ask who was on her mind when it felt like the entire crowd had parted and there at the edge of them all was someone you thought you'd never see again. 

“Hun?” Bucky asked and you ignored him, moving aside and staring wide eyed as the new guy walked forward and Julie suddenly looked a lot happier.

“Finally…we finally have the star of the show here to stay.”

“It's you,” you said when he came to a stop and placed a hand on your cheek, blue eyes misty and as if he couldn't believe the moment was real. “You're here…but you died…”

“He waited seventy years,” Julie said and you nodded since it really had been that long.

“I did, I did wait,” he assured and had the same voice that haunted you like a ghost.

“Who is this?” 

You turned to a man whose nametag read Eli and assumed that he was the AC for Bucky and hadn't been informed that he technically was your second husband. Way before when you were young and thought the world was neverending you married a man you assumed you'd be able to have forever with. But then the war hit and he was drafted and kissed you goodbye a little too long on a dock in New York and suddenly everything was different. You worried he'd never come back and never expected that he wouldn't and died across the pond in France. It shattered you for a long time and the only thing that eventually made the hurt better was Bucky. He became a distraction and a new love to look forward to and someone that could make the pain that would never go away a little bit better. 

“You waited,” you said and he nodded. 

“Who is this??? Sorry I keep asking,” Eli said and Julie turned to him with a massive frown on her face, likely upset he ruined the moment. 

“This is Steve Rogers of course, the first husband who died in the war and then spent seventy years in the junction awaiting his one true love.”

“Is that true?” You asked and Steve nodded, keeping a firm grip on your shoulder.

“I couldn't move on and find my eternity without you. We never got a life and now…now we can have one,” he said and smiled as Bucky cleared his throat from behind you both. “Oh…who is this?”

“This is James…or Bucky,” you said and pulled away from Steve as he stepped forward and eyed him. “We married after you died.”

“I gave her a life,” he said and smiled at Steve. “We've been married sixty five years and had three kids and lived full lives and I've been waiting a month to spend the rest of eternity with you. This guy ruined it and I trusted him, he was my bartender on the first day.”

“Can we drink here?” You asked and Julie nodded.

“Drink and get drunk.”

“Good…I need that,” you said and sat, sighing as she walked over and moved Bucky aside since you were starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. 

“Look…how about we leave the men behind and you can get changed and really think about this…okay?”

“Think about what?”

“Choosing an eternity,” Julie said and you glanced at Bucky and Steve who were standing next to each other, waiting as if the decision could be made instantly.

“Hun…you're picking me right?” Bucky asked and smiled, that familiar smile that you had been enjoying for an entire lifetime. 

“I did wait for a very long time,” Steve said and you glanced at him and his new face that you missed like it was air.

“Uh…”

“Come on…let's talk and then you can think about it,” Julie said and you nodded as Eli took care of the boys and ushered them away as you blinked, not sure what to think.

“Come with me and I can show you the room you'll be in for the next week.”

“Week?”

“Everyone gets a week to choose and you're no exception.”

“But Bucky and Steve…”

“They sacrificed a lot to wait so long and will probably tell you all about it but for now you need to be out of that gown and given some space to actually breathe,” Julie said and you nodded, breathing deep and trying to calm your racing heart. 

You didn't want to think of both your dead husbands and the impossible choice of choosing which one to spend forever with. One you got an entire life with and enjoyed all those years and the kids and the life you built in New York. But Steve was a big unknown, he was supposed to be your forever and died long before you could see where it would go. Maybe there was something worth exploring in that and a forever could be on the horizon. But you only had a week to choose, a week to see where your heart would go and at the moment it was so confused you could barely breathe. Seven days of thinking just for one lifetime, a hell of a trade off and one you could worry about when the entire world stopped spinning.

Julie didn’t let you speak the entire journey to the room which you thought was fair since you had a lot on your mind, a lot to think about and needed a second to reflect and figure out what the hell you were going to do. There were two men somewhere in the junction who both wanted the same thing, forever and you needed to choose which forever was worth more. One that had already lasted for almost seventy or the one you wished could have. Bucky gave you a life that you dreamed of with his big ideas and bigger displays of affection from the small moments to the grand. it was perfect and you loved it. He was an incredible father, an even better husband and made every day feel like it was a new adventure and worth all that heartache you had to get through to meet him randomly one day in a diner. 

Steve on the other hand was that great unknown, he was the guy that could’ve done exactly that and a part of you wished that he was the one that got those sixty-five years of perfect moments. He was full of unknowns and you spent so long dreaming of him and how your life could’ve looked if he came home from the war but he didn’t, he died and you were left to look for something else and were glad to have found it. Bucky gave you the chance to make something of a life you thought was over and thinking of him and the way he made you laugh during those early years really added to the heartbreak of the choice as you slipped off the hospital gown. Julie nodded in approval at the baby blue dress with some white polka dots all over it as you sat and sighed, loud, leaning back on the bed with a wistful look on your face. 

“I know it’s a lot.” 

“Really…” 

“Yes, I’ve never seen this before but I get it, it’s a lot to take in and a big choice to make.” 

“How do I make it?” you asked and she shrugged. “I spent my entire life with Bucky, we have kids and you can’t just throw all of that away because the first guy waited for seventy years.” 

“This place is also a shot at getting what you never got with Steve and you already had that perfect life with Bucky, maybe the afterlife is a shot at being selfish.” 

“You’re on Steve’s side?” you accused and she shrugged. 

“I am on no one’s side,” she muttered and you frowned. “Okay fine…I met Steve a long time ago and he told me all about you and how he was going to wait for you to come back and he could get his shot at love. He got a job as a bartender to stay in the junction and hope that one day, far off into the future, you would appear and he could finally move on.” 

“It was selfish of him to assume I wouldn’t have,” you muttered and she nodded. 

“Steve dabbled with other people, trust me, but he also waited and waiting is a hard thing to do.” 

“So is moving on,” you muttered and she nodded. 

“Tell me about Steve and Bucky, maybe that’ll make the choice a little bit easier.” 

“I knew Steve in school,” you said and smiled. “He was always smitten with me and when the war broke out we were eighteen and I offered to marry him in case he was drafted so he wouldn’t have to leave as a single man. It was also mutual, he loved me and I was in love with him but we were young and crazy, acting out because we thought the world was ending. I just never expected him to die and when an officer knocked on my door holding a flag and said he was sorry, the entire world around me had shattered. I was so broken and didn’t want to move on, I wanted to wait for just as long as he did.” 

“But then you met Bucky…” 

“He cornered me in a diner,” you said and chuckled, thinking of that perfect day. “I was sitting and drinking coffee and he made this big show of dropping his wallet and I bent down to pick it up and he was there, smiling and telling me he was grateful for a guardian angel. I saw right through it but I let him have it, he needed the ego boost and was charming in his own little way. We talked for hours that first day and even more the next until Steve was a distant memory and the days were brighter all because of him. He made me feel like I wasn’t selfish for moving on, like I was allowed to feel again and I’ll forever love him for that.” 

“But you still think of Steve?” she asked and you nodded. “God…what a predicament.” 

“Maybe I can share them, hop between the eternities.” 

“No, when you pick one, that’s it, you’re locked away for life.” 

“Maybe I should just pick no one and spend life alone,” you said and sighed, louder as there was a knock at the door and you nodded to Julie. 

“It’s them,” she said and pulled it open to reveal Steve and Bucky who looked intrigued to say the least and were likely expecting an answer. 

“Hun, how are you?” Bucky asked and ran over, sitting on the bed and grabbing your hand as you gave him a smile. 

“I’m okay, just…it’s a lot.” 

“I say, it took me a while to realise what was even happening,” Steve said and you glanced at him, frowning at that blonde hair, exactly as it was. 

“I managed to figure it out, right away,” Bucky said and you glanced at his AC who shook his head. “Well…sort of fast.” 

“He spent the first day convinced he had slept too long on the bus,” Eli said and you chuckled, giving Bucky a pat. 

“But I did figure it out and knew I needed to wait for you, we got sixty five years but we need more.” 

“Hey…I got nothing.” 

“Yeah well you’re just you,” Bucky shot at him and you sighed, moving away from them. 

“I married her too,” Steve said and glanced at the gold band on his hand. “We married young and were going to make the best life we could.” 

“Oh and then you died in the war,” Bucky snapped and you glared at him. “I got drafted as well pal and I made it, I made it back to spend my life with her.” 

“My death was horrific, I was a POW who was starved before I was led into a field and shot in the head. I’m assuming you spent half the war brown nosing for your own safety.” 

“Nope, a pilot who crashed and had to be rescued, almost fucked up my left arm during it but I was still man enough to get back and meet this lovely lady that you abandoned.” 

“STOP!” you called and they both did, turning to you. “Stop peacocking to each other. It’s not going to make me pick one of you faster, it’s just making my head hurt. This is a big choice and sure we got those sixty five years and had our kids and made our life but now…Now I can see what could’ve happened.” 

“So you’re picking him?” Bucky asked and you sighed. 

“No…I just need time.” 

“We might have a solution,” Julie said and you turned to her since she seemed to be on the phone. “We can allow you to spend one day in a chosen eternity with each man and it might make the choice easier. You can see what it would be like to spend forever with either Bucky and get more of those years or what could’ve happened with Steve.” 

“And then I have to choose?” 

“You always have to choose,” she said and you sighed but gave her a nod and turned to Steve and Bucky who looked less than thrilled with the idea. 

“Alright, one day each and then I can see what I want.” 

“I’m okay with that,” Steve said and turned to Bucky who nodded. 

“Yeah…sure.” 

“Perfect, who’s first?” Eli asked and looked between the two men as Bucky moved aside and pointed to Steve. 

“He did wait.” 

“Great, we’ll go tomorrow and I can show you what could’ve been,” he said and kissed your cheek as Bucky glared and looked almost pleased to watch the guy walk out the door. 

“Julie, Eli…can I get a few minutes?” he asked and you nodded as they followed Steve out the door and you turned to Bucky who sat on the bed with a loud sigh. “God…it’s been a month but it feels like a lifetime.” 

“I know,” you said and sat next to him, snuggling against his side. “God…I thought I was dead that day when you died, I couldn’t believe it and was also angry you were so stupid. Your eyes were horrible and you refused to give up your license.” 

“You needed to go places,” he said and you glared at him. 

“That need got you killed.” 

“I was dead soon anyway, I was an old man.” 

“Still…you at least had a few more years, I was the one on death’s door.” 

“How did the family take it?” 

“They were mad that I didn’t say but never left my side and Georgia basically moved in, she was always around and waiting on me, I felt like I had a butler for that last month.”

“I’m gonna miss them.” 

“They have their entire rest of their lives ahead of them and as much as Owen claims that he’s old, he’s not and is a spring chicken who has his own grandkids to terrorise him. We were lucky to see so much and now we get a chance to slow down and get back to our roots.” 

“If you choose me,” he said and you frowned at him for ruining the moment. “Look…I get that it’s your choice and you want to make the best one and I shouldn’t influence it but we have so much history. So much life is behind us.” 

“I know.” 

“And we’re young and dumb here. Do me a favour,” he said and stood, dragging you with him. “Squat.” 

“Really?” 

“Trust me,” he said and did just that, bending much further than he could in years and you rolled your eyes before doing the same and they widened when you could bend down, all the way down. 

“Oh wow.”

“I know, I feel like a new man.” 

“Good to know I could bend at my happiest,” you said and he chuckled. 

“Have you figured out what age you are?” 

“No, it hasn’t come back to me and I also haven’t really looked. Have you?” 

“Eh I was happy a lot so it could be anytime,” he said and you looked over his face, saw how young it was, barely thirty and knew that it was during the early years when life could make a little less sense. “I wonder if Wanda will be here soon.”

“I spent so long dying that I forgot she was as well.” 

“Should be soon, maybe you’ll be able to see here before you decide.” 

“Maybe…” 

“I should go though and let you get some rest.” 

“I’m surprised, you don’t want me to be all tired so I don’t enjoy tomorrow.” 

“No I want you to be wide awake so you can see why it would be a shit afterlife,” he said and you chuckled, placing a hand on his cheek as he leaned into the touch. “I love you no matter what you pick and I’ll be okay, I’ll find a good forever.” 

“Really?”

“I can try,” he said and kissed you, deep, deeper than he had in decades and you wanted him to stay but knew that that wouldn’t help the agony that was making a decision. “I’ll see you soon for our date.” 

“Make it a good one,” you said and he nodded. 

“Always and forever for you,” he shot back and stood, wandering over to the door and leaving without another word as you sighed and sat there, lost to say the least but eager to see what Steve had in mind. 

Maybe his eternity would be horrible and something that he discovered during the seventy years that you spent growing apart as you found your future and your happiness away from the memory of him. Or maybe it would be perfect and show you exactly what you had been missing down to the very last second and the choice would be made before it even began. 

Much to your surprise, Steve chose to go home for his eternity and you found yourself on a train to one that was all about New York but specifically one in its heyday when the cars were still old and diners still lined the streets. It was a New York that you hadn’t seen in years and were pleasantly surprised to see it again when you grabbed his hand and stepped out of the train. 

“You went home?” 

“This place has been calling my name,” he said and you looked up, spotting the skyline that felt so familiar because you were just there, just looking up at all those tall buildings and marveling at them. 

“We never left the city, never could, it just felt like home.”

“I was going to ask about that, you settled in New York?” 

“We bought a small house on the outside of the main part of the city and I made the commute every morning for work, it was a lot but we made it work and Bucky stayed home when the twins were born because I loved my job too much to give it up.” 

“Twins?” 

“Yeah, Georgia and Winnie, they were a surprise,” you said and chuckled. “We only wanted one more and had waited until our son was eight and we were ready for a commitment and sure enough there were two in there. It was a big adjustment but he dropped a couple shifts at the garage and I got to keep my teaching job.” 

“You got that job,” Steve said and you knew that it had been pretty up in the air when he left. 

“I did. They got back to me about a month after you left. I was so excited to tell you,” you said and he sighed, rubbing a hand along his neck and dropping yours. “I’m sorry that you missed so much and had it all cut short because of some dumb war.” 

“It was my fault for going.” 

“You were drafted just like Bucky was, you just ended up not making it back,” you said and sighed, moving closer and squishing yourself against him. “I was pretty beat up for so long and didn’t want to move on but knew that not killing me and Bucky was so sweet, he really made me feel like all of this could one day get better. But I didn’t forget you.” 

“Really?” 

“Our son,” you said and Steve raised a brow. “We named him Owen Steven Barnes.” 

“After me?” 

“It was the least I could do,” you said and smiled as he did the same. “It was also a way of remembering what I had lost since it was a lot all at once and I was only twenty and worried that that was it, life was over.” 

“You never thought that you’d move on?” 

“Well…most people don’t expect to lose their husband at twenty.” 

“That is very true,” Steve muttered and you trailed after him as led you through the busy streets of New York and stopped on the edge of Central Park. “It's been forever since I've seen this place, the sky is just as blue and the people are just as happy but there's something different about it.”

“Yeah, it feels a bit happier,” you said and sat beside him on a park bench, watching a young man walk around with a dog. “The park in the living world is so drab sometimes, it lacks life but this one is so free…no one has any reason to be unhappy.”

“My bar customers had reasons,” he admitted and you raised a brow. “They always came looking for a drink to ease their pain, to make their death feel better and sometimes what they really needed was someone to listen to.”

“You've heard a lot of stories,” you guessed and he chuckled.

“God…too many. Dead people suddenly have all the time in the world so they're not afraid of wasting it. I've had people spend their entire week in that bar, just telling me their entire life story before they choose some random eternity. It gets easier when you realize that as much as people want to help you, they're also willing to listen, to hear all that you've been up to.”

“Steve? Did you finally pick an eternity?” 

You both turned to find a woman standing behind you with a small dog at her feet and a second one behind her, bundled up in a large red wool coat with a bright smile that Steve returned. He stood and wrapped her in a hug before leaning down and patting the small white dog on the head who looked intrigued to say the least and sniffed his legs when he stood back up. 

“No, I’m just spending the day here, new program because my wife remarried and now needs to decide who she wants to spend forever with,” he said and you wandered over as the woman stared at you as if she was looking at a ghost. 

“Oh my God, it’s you,” she said and ran over, grabbing your arms as you nodded. “Steve’s been talking about you since he got here.” 

“I’ve heard…who are you?” 

“I’m Carrie, I met him shortly after I died. I was pretty upset about it but Steve was there in that bar to hear my story and he made it better, made that week feel less scary.” 

“Carrie was shot during the Stonewall protest in 1969,” he said and your eyes widened as she shrugged. 

“It’s been okay, I’m here and I love it, my eternity is complete but I wouldn’t have done it without Steve, he made it better. Still waiting for the love of my life but maybe she’ll choose here as well.” 

“He helped?” you asked and she nodded. 

“He’s helped a lot of people move on, the bar is lucky to have him.” 

“Yeah but now it’s my shot, I finally get my eternity,” he said and you eyed Steve and Carrie, seeing how disappointed she looked that he was going to move on from the junction, see the next life. 

“That bar will miss you, all those people will.” 

“I’m just a guy who makes it better.” 

“You’re a guy who listens,” she said and patted his shoulder before walking off with a small dog trailing behind her. 

“People really like you at the junction.” 

“I’ve been there so long it’s become a part of me,” he said and grabbed your hand, wandering down the street and towards a building that looked almost like a museum. “But I’m eager to move on, go to the next place.” 

“You could stay,” you said and he eyed you. “If I don’t choose you.” 

“Stay in the junction?” 

“I don’t know, it seems like you enjoy it, maybe that could be your eternity,” you said and eyed the building as Steve got quiet, thinking it over as he asked for two tickets and ushered you inside. “What is this place?” 

“The Archives, it shows you your memories,” he said and wandered down the hall as what looked like paintings came to life and showed memories of back when you were both teens and first meeting each other. 

“God we were so young.” 

“Feels like a lifetime ago,” Steve said and watched as a young you dragged him though Central Park as if your entire life was perfect and it was, back then. 

“I’ve changed so much,” you said and noticed that even your hair was different as you felt the locks on your head which were longer and a memory of when you had them started to come to the surface. 

“I think you’re still you,” he said and moved down the line, smiling as he kissed you in the dark back room of a courthouse during your shotgun wedding. 

“I’ve had three kids, countless grandkids, great grandkids and a lot of other various life happenings,” you said and sat on a bench, sighing at the scene of a you that was so young and careless. “You fell in love with a me that died when you did.” 

“Really?” 

“I was broken when those officers knocked on my door, it felt like the entire world had ended and I was powerless to do anything about it, I thought I was dead too.” 

“You can’t get back to that?” he said and glanced at the memory as you sighed and watched it shift to the moment the knock echoed throughout your small home. 

“Steve! You’re back!” you said and smiled but it dropped when the officer removed his hat and looked somber to say the least. “What happened?” 

“Sorry ma’am…Steve Rogers was pronounced dead about a week ago just outside of Paris.” 

“What?” 

“We’re sorry for your loss,” he said and handed over an American flag with a medal resting on top of it before he left and you sank down, resting your head against the door and letting out a sob. 

“I didn’t know.” 

“It hit hard,” you said and moved so the painting would stop and it did, leaving the memory in darkness where it belonged. “Bucky helped.” 

It was as if the archives were listening and the next memory was of that faithful meeting in the diner when he pretended to lose his wallet just so he could find an excuse to talk to you. You stared at the memory, almost transfixed and your eyes widened as Steve saw it too. He saw what made you pause and a part of him could guess that you had already made up your mind.

“I’m glad that he was there.” 

“Thank you,” you said and Steve sat next to you, pulling you against his side and the scene shifted, leaving the diner behind and pausing on a scene in your old living room as the two of you slowly danced to a song off a record player. 

“May I?” 

“Always,” you said and stood, placing a hand on his shoulder and one on his hip as you mirrored the dancing in the memory, letting it wash over you and paint the archives in a brilliant glow. 

Maybe if the world was different that could’ve been your life, slow dancing with Steve to every song that came on the old record player that never used to sound right. You still danced but not with him and thought of the man that was supposed to be there, the one waiting for you to make up your mind and it suddenly got a whole lot easier. Steve knew you were leaning towards one side over the other and you were grateful that he let you have that moment of reminiscence, of seeing a life that could’ve been.

For some reason, Bucky refused to tell you about the eternity that he was planning to spend forever in and it was starting to annoy you. He claimed that it was a surprise and you kept your eyes closed for the entire train ride since the people going to spend their actual forever were dressed in a way that would reveal it all. So you sat on a train with your eyes closed like a crazy person as he basically vibrated in excitement from beside you. 

“I can feel how excited you are.” 

“Really?” 

“It feels like you're humming,” you said and bumped his shoulder as he chuckled. 

“I just know that my eternity will be a lot better than whatever Steve had in mind.” 

“Bucky…”

“What…it’s true, he probably took you somewhere boring but this place has been chosen specifically, it makes sense and it will make a great location for what could be a final date.” 

“It’s not always a competition.” 

“It literally is,” he said and you sighed, hating to agree that he might be right. “Where did he take you anyways?” 

“He took me home, to New York but specifically the one in the 40s.” 

“Really?” 

“We got a chance to see the archives as well, this building with all these memories, we should go see it.” 

“He took you to New York.” 

“Yeah, why?” you asked and felt Bucky as he pulled your hands away from where they were blocking your vision. “What? I thought it was a surprise.” 

“Look out the window,” he said and you did, smiling when you saw it and understanding why he was so annoyed.

“You had the same idea,” you said and caught sight of New York in the 40s, exactly as it was yesterday, down to the cars driving along. 

“Being here makes me happy,” he admitted and you smiled. “Aww man…now it’s gonna feel like I copied him.” 

“Why are we here? You must have chosen a different reason.” 

“I did and it involves a different surprise,” he said as the train stopped and you followed him off and through the streets as he kept a hand tight in yours. 

He led you between people, dressed in proper regalia but talking about all different decades, a true mixing of different life paths that all stopped on the same Eternity. It was a good one for sure, one to be proud of and you smiled as Bucky stopped in front of a building that was so horribly familiar. Too familiar even and you felt a pang of guilt at being here yesterday and not showing Steve a spot that meant so much to you. But it didn't mean anything to him, the place opened the year he died and you needed a place to feel less lonely, a chance to get out of the house. That chance led you right to the man currently holding your hand and your heart swelled as you realised what that surprise was, what he was so eager to show you. 

“Do you remember what table you were at?” 

“Third from the back wall,” you said and he nodded. “And I was wearing this exact dress…light blue with the white polka dots.” 

“Do you get it now?” 

“I do,” you said and he chuckled as he ushered you towards that very seat and you rolled your eyes before taking it, sitting back and looking as lost as you felt on the day. 

It was six months after Steve died that you first met Bucky in the diner and he dropped his wallet by accident and leaned down to pick it up before accidentally banging his head on your table. You knew it wasn’t an accident, he admitted it the night you got married, it was all planned and he’d seen you there before from afar, too chicken to say anything unless it looked like some unplanned happenstance. You found it endearing, were willing to hear him out and you talked for close to six hours over coffee, lunch and eventually dinner about everything and nothing all at the same time. You smiled at Bucky standing outside the door, fixing his hair in the reflection so it looked just so and feeling your own, feeling the length and highlights and smiled when the realization of when you were happiest came flooding back to you. 

“Coffee?” a waitress asked and you shook your head. 

“Can’t…That part happens after,” you said and she smiled. 

“Of course, I’ll be back around,” she said and you nodded, smiling as he walked through that door and stumbled his way through the diner, dropping his wallet on the ground, leaning down to grab it and banging his head on the underside of the table. 

“Oh!” you exclaimed and stood to help him up. “Are you alright?” 

“God…I gotta be more careful, got a bit blinded,” he said even after so many years it was like he was reading a script, the words were exact like no time had passed at all. 

“By me or the chrome?” you asked and he chuckled as he took a seat across from you.

“Of course you and that radiant smile, it’s like a beam of sunshine.” 

“Well, aren't you slick.” 

“I try,” he said and held out a hand that you grabbed and shook. “James Buchanan Barnes, call me Bucky.” 

“Hello there Bucky,” you said and told him your name, resisting the urge to use Barnes as your last name out of habit. “God…that was perfect.” 

“I remembered,” he said and you smiled. 

“It’s like I’m back here, sitting and waiting for my life to change.” 

“And it did,” he said and you nodded. “God…I remember seeing you in here every day for like three weeks but I was too chicken to say anything. Rebecca called me a loser, she told me to man up and talk to you but I was worried, didn’t want to get rejected.” 

“And look at us now,” you said and he nodded. “I spotted you before the wallet.” 

“God…really?” 

“Once,” you admitted and he groaned. 

“Oh I remember that…I was standing outside talking to a friend of mine, I think it was Dugan and he pointed right at you, made the creepiest face I’d ever seen and then tried to shove me through the door. God…I nearly killed that guy.” 

“I thought it was cute, you looked terrified.”

“I was a 21 year old who hadn’t had much luck with women, I was damn terrified.”

“I still don’t believe that…you…bad with women.” 

“I was just scared of commitment.” 

“And with me?” 

“I was scared of never getting the chance,” he admitted and you grabbed his hand, running a couple fingers over the gold band. “I saw you that first day and was crazy about you and I had no idea why, just that I wanted to get to know you, wanted to learn everything about you and all you did was sit in a diner.” 

“All I came here for was an escape, a chance to forget about what happened and maybe end up feeling a bit better about myself and then you drop your wallet and make a big show of it and suddenly life was better.” 

“This sounds like you’re choosing me,” he said and you rolled your eyes. 

“I still need a bit more time, there’s still so much there with Steve and you remember what it was like all those years ago, how uncertain I was to start something with you. I thought that I could never get rid of him, that he would always be there in the background, lingering.” 

“Is he still?” 

“A little bit,” you muttered and thought of that memory, of Steve leaving and the officers at your door, telling you the worst thing that ever happened. “I bet you get it…the thought of a what if.” 

“The only what if I ever got was about you, what if you didn’t fall for my stupid joke. What if I put in all that effort to get this beautiful woman to notice me and it all failed, all crashed and burned like some kind of ironic twist of fate.”

“But it didn’t,” you said and he smiled. “We spent close to four hours talking and then a movie after and then dinner after that and by the time I kicked you out of my house it had been like 14 hours.” 

“I loved every minute of it,” he said and you chuckled, brushing a hand along your hair to tuck it back, smiling when you remembered the time when you were happiest and couldn’t help but agree. 

“Did you ever remember when you were happiest?” you asked and he grinned. 

“I just did, I think it was you being here that made it click,” he said and smiled wide. “I am 29, we have been married for two years at this point and I just got fired from my job, it’s like that period when I kept looking, right before you had the insane idea to buy a garage and run it myself.” 

“We were miserable during that time,” you said and eyed him. “I remember I had canned veggies only for dinner for like a week. We were so broke. But then you got that job with that rich guy to fix his fancy car because he didn’t trust anyone else and instead of investing it, you bought the garage.” 

“Yeah but you made it better, you told me it didn’t matter that I didn’t have my job, I still had you.” 

“And that’s your happiest?” 

“I think it’s my happiest because it’s the first time I felt like me, I felt like I had someone who’d always be there for me and sure I married you but I was worried you’d leave and you didn’t, you stayed and made it better.” 

“I said those vows for a reason,” you said and he smiled, looking out the window and frowning because the sun was starting to set and your day was almost done. “We should head back.” 

“This was nice,” he said and you nodded in agreement.

“Maybe it could be forever.” 

“Maybe it could,” he agreed and grabbed your hand, holding it tight and never letting it go all the way back to your room in the junction. 

“Thank you for this, it was nice.” 

“Thank you for talking to me sixty-five years ago,” he said and you nodded, wrapping him in a tight hug and following it with a kiss and it was deep and you could feel he didn’t want to pull back. “I’ll see when you decide.” 

“That you will,” you said and let him go, lingering in the doorway before you sighed and fell back in the bed, mind pretty much made up but it was a hell of a choice, one forever over another. 

One full of uncertainty and what could have been and one full of what made life worth living. 

You awoke to a knock on the door and was certain it was Steve or Bucky, begging for you to make up your mind and choose one of them so their Eternity could start. You sighed and pulled open the door, eyes widening when your best friend smiled wide at you, eyes bright and you wrapped her in a tight hug, still half in the doorway. 

“Oh my god.” 

“It’s been too long,” she said and you nodded since you had both been sick at the same time but hers was a bit worse, she was in a coma close to 6 weeks.

“God…Wanda,” you said and she smiled. “I can’t believe it.” 

“My AC is also yours, Julie and she told me what’s been going on,” Wanda said and you took one look at her before bursting into tears as her eyes widened. “Come on…we need some girl time.” 

“It’s a lot,” you said and she nodded before leading you through an exhibition hall of possible Eternities and grabbing some free wine for one all about it. “I have this amazing man who’s loved me for literally most of my life but then there’s also that worry that I need to brand and see what could’ve been, what I could’ve had if he didn’t die.” 

“This is Steve right?” she asked and glanced at a newspaper in an Eternity ad that looked like a Parisian cafe as you nodded, drinking way too much wine for one afternoon.

“I married him first,” you said and finished off the glass before grabbing another. “I was young and wild and he was going away and I didn’t want him to die single so we signed some papers at a courthouse. It’s not like I didn’t know the guy, I met him in college and he was a sweetheart but we weren’t dating, not even engaged, I just didn’t want him to go over there all alone.” 

“You married a man you weren’t even engaged to?” Wanda asked and you nodded since she never knew Steve, you met her waiting for Owen at his daycare one afternoon. “Wow…how’d you know he wasn’t a weirdo?” 

“He dated a friend and she broke his heart after he got drafted so I took pity on him. It was a nice little relationship for the seven months we had. He was damn good in bed and had a lot of ideas for the future that I never thought of, it was like I married him and just assumed he would die.” 

“That doesn’t sound like a picture perfect arrangement,” she said and you nodded with a sigh. “You’ve actually met Bucky…what do you think of him?” 

“He’s…okay,” she admitted and you rolled your eyes. “Look…the guy is a lot, he’s weird.” 

“Why?” 

“He loves cars more than anyone on the planet besides you. He talked to me for four hours about this stupid car he owned when I came by to pick up Henry one day. Four hours, hun.” 

“I know,” you muttered and remembered that car and his obsession with it but it was one that was shared and you loved it almost as much. 

“He was a damn good dad though.” 

“God…I lucked out,” you said and chuckled. 

“Barry was shit,” she deadpanned and you nearly choked on your wine. “I was in love with my other best friend, Carrie and he was just there, a sperm donor.” 

“Wow…I guess you won’t be looking for him.” 

“Probably not. He didn’t care, I was pretty sure he had a thing for his boss. It was basically a lavender marriage.” 

“Is Carrie gone?”  

“She died in 1969, shot during the Stonewall Protest, I cried for months,” Wanda said and your eyes widened as you put a few things together. “I had this hope that she would wait as well when I heard about Steve but she didn’t.” 

“He knew her,” you said and Wanda eyed you. “Steve met Carrie at the bar and I met her during our date in New York, she’s been waiting for you. Steve helped to move on, to get her Eternity and hope that you would follow her, he’s been doing that to a lot of people, like some extra AC.” 

“She went home,” Wanda said and you nodded as her eyes welled with tears. “God…Steve shouldn’t move on with you, he should stay right there and keep doing that.” 

“I don’t see what’s stopping him.” 

“Love,” Wanda began and you looked at her. “What’s stopping him is you.”

“You’re right,” you said and sighed. “I think I just made up my mind.” 

“You’ll have to tell the unlucky guy,” Wanda said and stood as you eyed her.

“Where are you going?” 

“I’ve waited a generation for Carrie and I’m waiting any longer,” she said and ran off, calling back something about trains and that she hoped you’d choose wisely as you sighed and polished off the rest of the wine. 

“One man is not going to like me,” you muttered and sighed, deciding not to wait, you wanted to be like Wanda, eager to see the Eternity you chose. “Maybe he’ll forgive me.” 

You made your way through the junction and asked someone where the bar was and they pointed to a busy looking place near the front and you sighed before pulling open the door and spotting Steve behind the counter. He was mixing drinks for a guy who looked depressed to say the least and poured him a martini before his eyes caught yours and he grinned, gesturing to the seat next to the man and you took it with a sigh. 

He was the unlucky one, the forever you had to reject but you didn’t want him to go and pick one at random, you wanted him to stay right there in that bar, helping people find their forever for the rest of his. Maybe one day he’d find a nice girl or guy and want to see someplace else with them but for the moment you knew he belonged here, being that attentive ear and your heart belonged with Bucky. When you promised him forever back in 1950 you meant it and this was a part of that and the talk with Wanda made you remember why you married Steve, to not have him be alone and a part of you married Bucky for the same reason, that need to not be lonely but it turned into love. Maybe with Steve it would have eventually but it didn’t start that way and while you had a lot of admiration for him and were even grateful that he waited, he didn’t deserve to do it any longer. 

“Hey.” 

“Hi,” you said and he smiled. 

“I don’t think I’m gonna like why you’re here.”

“Nope,” you said and he sighed. 

“I figured.” 

“Really?” 

“Your hair, you never wore it like that with me.” 

“It’s the hair I had the day I met him, I guess I really was happy for that second chance.” 

“He was your first,” Steve said and you raised a brow. “You didn’t marry me for love, you married me because you’re an incredible person and were scared for me. We had a great run but it was never a love story, more of a convenience.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“No, don’t be, I’m thrilled to have been a part of it. It kept me going overseas and in that camp, all the way until the end.” 

“What are you going to do?” 

“Maybe I’ll find a dumb little Eternity, like one all about cheese or boats.” 

“Or you could stay,” you suggested and his eyes widened. “People need you here Steve, they need someone they can chat with and get out their frustrations about this new existence and you’ve been that ear for close to seventy years. This is your Eternity, not one out there but in the junction as a secondary AC.” 

“I never thought of it like that,” he said just as Julie joined the both of you and ordered a beer with a smile on her face. “Julie.” 

“Hello Steve,” she said and turned to you. “I’m told that Wanda found her forever.” 

“She found Carrie,” you said and Steve grinned. 

“That was the love of her life?” 

“It was,” you said and he smiled.

“We talked for hours about her, I don’t think I slept the first night she was here.”

“See that’s why you need to stay and keep being that for people like Carrie who need someone who’s not an AC to listen to.” 

“What did I do?” Julie asked and you chuckled. 

“You have an ulterior motive, Steve knows what it feels like to be uncertain, especially for the people whose lives were cut short like Carrie’s. She wanted to wait for Wanda but he convinced her that maybe her love would choose to follow her anyways and now she can and you remember them all.” 

“I do,” he agreed and smiled. 

“An employee of the junction, we don’t tend to have those,” Julie said and his face fell. “But we could make an exception, make this your Eternity, I’m sure my boss won’t mind. It would come with a better place to live for sure and you wouldn't have to feel like you're waiting, you’d already be here.” 

“All that waiting and I had already made it,” he said and chuckled as you smiled and Steve reached out, grabbing your hand. “Thank you for loving me.” 

“Always.”

“Tell Bucky that he’s a lucky man.”

“I will.” 

“And also tell him that I might’ve given you love for a short time, made it so that you got your heart broken and I’m sorry for that but I don’t regret it, you gave something to live for and I regret not getting the chance to see where it could’ve gone, see what we could’ve named our kids but I’m grateful Owen has my name. You tell Bucky that while I’m grateful for the love we got, we only got it for a short time and I’m glad he could give it to you forever.” 

“I will,” you said and he smiled, leaning over the counter and giving you a kiss and you let him. “Enjoy your forever, Steve.” 

“You do the same,” he said and you nodded, slipped off a gold chain around your neck that you always wore and contained the ring he gave you, bought for a dollar or two at a store in town, but at the time it felt priceless. 

“For you.” 

“I get it,” he said and grabbed it, putting it on and giving you one last smile before he made Julie another drink. 

“Have you chosen?” 

“I have.” 

“Does he know?” 

“No,” you said and she pulled out a cellphone, sending off a text. “He’ll be at the station.”

“Thank you,” you said and wrapped her in a tight hug before blowing Steve a kiss and running out the door in search of your forever. 

You found Bucky on the train platform with Eli just like where Julie said he’d be and smiled as you walked down the stairs before running over and wrapping him in a tight as the guy grinned, realising it was getting more and more likely that you chose him. You confirmed his suspicion with a kiss, a deep one and he dipped you as Eli stood back, looking uncomfortable to say the least but glad that you both finally got your forever. 

“Me?” 

“Always you,” you assured and kissed him again. “I know why I look like this, when I was happiest.” 

“There was a reason I took you there.” 

“You knew?” 

“I remembered all of it,” he said and smiled. “Same hair.” 

“I was happiest the day we met,” you said, just to make sure he was on the same page and of course he was. “I guess I held onto that hope that I could find another forever, someone who loved me as much as Steve and you were him, with your horrible pick up line but it worked and it kept working. Sure we got all those years but I want more, I want you forever.” 

“We can find it,” he said and looked around as Eli nodded in agreement. “But I want a different one.” 

“What?” 

“A different place. I found an ad for it, somewhere better and sure Wanda won’t be there because she chose New York but I think it’ll be worth it.” 

“I trust you,” you said and he smiled before handing over the brochure to Eli who produced two tickets and handed them over. 

“These will take you to the chosen Eternity.” 

“Thank you Eli,” Bucky said and he smiled and pulled him into a hug. 

“Enjoy it,” he said and you nodded before grabbing Bucky’s hand and getting on the train, scanning the tickets and taking a seat and trusting that he chose right. 

“Where is this forever,” you asked and he smiled. 

“Home,” he said and you eyed him as the train started forward and you left the junction and in a way Steve behind, the life before this one when everything felt so much simpler. 

Steve taught you that love was out there but Bucky showed you it could last forever.

***

The Eternity Bucky chose was so familiar you almost laughed as he assured that the homes came fully outfitted and even though you didn’t pack anything, it would be fine and you two could be happy. 

“There's also a whole bunch of new houses around here so we’ll get some neighbours and there’s a small town, not as big as New York but I think it will work.” 

“And the house?” 

“Everyone gets to pick a custom one.”

“It’s ours,” you said and smiled up at the small home, the very same you bought all those years ago, the one your kids grew up in and where your little family became something more than just the two of you.

“I missed it,” he said and smiled at the car in the driveway, the very one he told Wanda all about all those years ago. “We grew old here, made a family here and now we get to enjoy it as us for the rest of time. Our home.” 

“Our home,” you agreed and smiled, turning to him and kissing him deep. 

“Eager to try it out?” he asked and you chuckled. “I’m serious, we must have more stamina.” 

“Eh…you could never last.” 

“No…But I don’t mind,” he said and you rolled your eyes. “You made me come undone at just a touch, it felt like a privilege.” 

“God…How did I marry such a simp?” 

“Did Cass teach you that word?” he asked and was referring to your 22 yr old granddaughter who had too much free time. 

“She did and she’s right, you’re a simp.” 

“And what is that really?” 

“A man so in love he acts like a fool,” you said and he chuckled. 

“I’ll take it.” 

“It’s not a bad thing,” you assured and he smiled, walking up the steps and pulling open the door to a home you missed. 

“Welcome home, hun.” 

“I always was,” you assured and he chuckled.

“It was always me?” 

“For a moment it wasn’t but then I remembered it all and it was you in seconds, from that pick up line to your horrible driving to the coffees that used to wait for me on the counter every morning before work.” 

“Every little thing for sixty five years,” he said and you nodded.

“Every little thing for now and forever,” you assured and Bucky smiled. “We do have Eternity.” 

“I like the sound of that,” he said and stepped inside the house, claiming they got it perfect and it was exactly like the one you left behind as you stayed back, looking out onto the neighbourhood. 

Eternity.

It sounded so long and it was but you knew that it would never be enough time and hoped that your kids would be okay and they could pick a good one when they eventually got there, years from now. You chose him once and you were choosing him again like the two of you had been tied together with a string of fate.

“Hun?” 

“Coming!” you called and smiled, letting out a sigh and stepping through the doorway. 

CHAPTER 2

The Bludhaven Bulletin, 10:20 am

"There has been a problem in the work place lately" Henry said as he looks at the camera, the interviewer asks "what has happened henry?"

Henry sighs as he drinks his iced black coffee with no sugar, "our work muffins keep on disappearing by the time lunch comes."

Reader's POV

3rd Floor of The Bludhaven Bulletin, 11:55 am

Now most of the time everyone is busy at work, and I usually look around to see what everyone is doing when I'm bored. After finishing article on the fact Bludhaven's vigilante Nightwing has saved another day and posting a pole on The Bludhaven Bulletin 'Should Nightwing model.... and I look at the sticky note paper I got during one of the morning meetings.. shaking my head to read it again. "Should Nightwing Model For The New Calvin Klein Ad?" I hear a familiar voice as I turn around and look at Dick who was leaning on my desk looking at the yellow sticky note stuck on my desk. "Important question really" he says as he looks at the camera and nods, "but I think I should be the next model" he winks at me with his annoying smile, "yeah right, as if you haven't modelled for them already" I say as I look back at the computer screen, "It's just a thing the social media manager asked me to put on the pole on twitter since our followings is less than Gotham Gazette" I shrug as I type it down and post the pole.

"wait why are you doing the social media teams job?" Dick asks

--------------------------------------------------------------One on One interview

"Why am I doing the social media teams job when they are supposed to do this stupid pole thing?" you look into the camera, "Well, I am glad you asked.." letting a breath in and out in the hurry tone you say, "Samantha our social media manager, has been making me do these stupid side quest Twitter pole quest ever since.. and let me tell you this... ever since I was an intern!" you let a breath out and pat your thighs gently, "sorry I lost my cool there" you give a teethless smile. "It's okay, well how long had you been interning" "for six months" "and then you became a Junior Journalist?" you nodded at the question, "and how long has that been" "Almost a year now" "Well, why is Samantha still asking you to do the pole thing" "since I am a..."

"Since she is a junior journalist now and not some will minded lousy intern anymore, I thought I could just keep giving her this silly job she could do" Samantha shrugs, "not like a Junior Journalist has anything to do anyway, I didn't even think she would last here" she giggles covering her mouth "excuse me" she sighs and gives her best camera smile.

"oh well, Henry had mentioned something about this issue at work you're having" Samantha nods as she looks at the camera smiling, "there are muffins that you guys get to have everyday at lunch and they have gone missing now?" the interviewer says, Samantha lets out a gasp "Oh yes, I just thought Mr. Williams cut it out for daily lunch because he was on a diet?"

"They serve muffins at lunch here?" You ask as you give a deadpan look at the camera.

--------------------------------------------------------------

"Look I don't know why she gives me all this stupid work load, I just want a good piece" you groan, pushing back from the table and turning in circles with your rotating chair, "well DJ are you stealing our poor sweet hearts ideas" Dick asks as he turns to Khadija, who was tapping the pen on the table and looking at her notes "seriously?" she responds "who's idea would be to write" she reads off the topic on her notes, "Is Polka Dot The New Chic?" "okay rude" you say creasing your polka dot skirt as the camera zooms into your skirt, "but seriously we are the only two junior journalist, and they give us the stupidest stuff to write." you say taking a pen and drawing hearts on the doddle pad Khadija keeps in the between both of your desk, before Dick could say anything Henry comes rushing from the elevator and dabs up Dick "Yo bro" he says as he dabs up you and then reaches to dab up Khadija but she just pushes his hands gently with her note pad and he shrugs "your loss dj cutie" he says in his finance bro tone which makes Khadija look at the camera with distraught "Guys the muffins are empty again and it's-" he checks his watch, "12pm oh god, lunch is in one hour" he groans, "I have a theory on who might be eating them" Dick says conspiringly telling the others to come closer, "I think it's Terry" he nods proud of his theory, "what no, my man Terry is on a diet, he declared it on the group chat!" Henry speaks up as he nods folding his arms, "Well. it's clearly not showing" Khadija adds her two cents and scoffs going back on her laptop "I didn't even there were muffins at lunch" you say feeling left out, "oh they are good muffins too" Dick adds, "hella tasty" Henry says going along with Dick "Blueberry too mmhm" Dick says closing his eyes, "Okay enough, you guys are bunch of assholes" you say as Dick and Henry look at the camera and give a high-five.

"It's okay princess, I will make you home-made muffins" Khadija smiles and wraps her arm around your shoulder, "you're a sweetheart Khadija" you says melting into her arms "well, would you give us any" Henry says pointing at him and Dick making Khadija raise her brows, "I'd poison the ones for you" she says, "I'd eat it" Henry says with a smile before their sales team member calls both of them to come back. Henry jogs towards the member, while Dick looks at you "wanna have lunch together?" he asks, "hm, yeah sure!" you say giving him a smile as he smiles back and turns to walk away. "God, he is soo obvious" Khadija says shaking her head, "what do you mean?" you ask, "and you're really stupid for someone so smart" "rude" you nudge her and smile.

Dick walks back towards the elevator and bumps into Terry, he backs away and smiles "Sorry Mr. Williams" he says before looking at him, "Nah boy, it's okay" Terry says as he pats his shoulder about to walk away, "hey Mr. William, you got a lil" he gestures to the corner of his lip, "crumb" he completes his words. Mr. William hums in a questioning manner and acknowledges it and brushes the crumb off the corner of his mouth "thanks buddy" he says walking away as Dick looks at the camera with a raised brows.

Lunch Break , 1:00pm

I have lunch with Dick, so I waited for him down the company building. Samantha walked past me, and stopped as she gave me an up and down look. "Nice skirt" she says making eye contact with me, I squint my eyes slightly and reluctantly respond "thanks..." "well, who are you waiting for here?" "oh well, me and dick are having lunch together so I am just waiting for him" I say with a nod "oh? he makes you wait? usually I don't have to wait" "wait for what" "wait for him" she smiles as she walks away.

I was confused when she walked away before I could process a thought, Dick pat my back gently and smiled "hey" he said, "hi" I respond back "sorry to keep you waiting, had to pack something" he says waving a brown bag, "oh you carry lunch?" "nope, just something for you" he says, "I thought we were having lunch at the lunch room" he scoffed almost offended, "what kind of gentle man would I be if I asked such a beauty for lunch and it's at a work place lunch room, pfft who do you take me for" he says shaking his head jokingly in disappointment, "hey I was kidding" you playfully punch his arms as both of you walk out of the company building "you think I'm a beauty" I say as I bat my eye-lashes in a dramatic manner, "the most" he says in a quiet tone and looks ahead.

My heart skipped a beat, what the hell.

We were having lunch at this cafe near the company building, the thing Samantha said bothered me for some reason "hey quick question" "ask away" he says, "I don't mean to pry, but you had something going on with Samantha Adams?" I say curiously, "well, that is prying" he jokes before shaking his head "no, not really why?" "not really?" I replied back, it tasted bitter to say but I mask it with playfulness, "So, there was something" I wiggle my brows, "No, actually nothing ever happened" he says with a shrug, now this made my pasta taste bitter, why was I feeling like this? "She would just constantly ask me out during college" he adds on now nervously (which you don't seem to notice) "I mean she is beautiful" I smile, as I take the last bite of the pasta, "hey, I swear nothing is going on. This was like way back during college" "what? why would I care?" I smile, "I'm your friend dude, it's good to share things" I say to not sound bitter which I was feeling... no no... maybe I just need a girls night.. maybe my luteal phase is hitting, "oh wow, the lady who did not even acknowledge me in college is now saying we are friends?" he makes a shocked expression, "hey, I was busy in college" "right, what about high school" "I was ...busy-" "busy bunking?" "hey!" I say before I could protest, he takes the brown paper bag he had on his side of the table

"Oh wait, I forgot to give you this" he slides the bag towards me, "for you m'lady" he says as I reach out for the bag and open to see what was inside it "muffin?" I say, "no way, are you the muffin thief" "what! no! blasphemy!" he adds on dramatically "I ordered it for you" he says with a gentle smile, "aw thank you dick" I say as I break it in half and give him the other half, "no way" he says as he gives me the bigger piece.

Grayson's POV

After dropping her off at her floor, I go up to mine. "How'd ya date go" Henry pats my shoulder, "friend-zoned" I say jokingly as I sit on my chair rotating it side to side "yo, that has to be a joke" "no dude, it was not a date you know just friendly lunch" I say, "yeah right, and I am bezos" he says, "you both have known eachother since high school and you never pulled a move, you could've been high school sweethearts man!" henry says as he plays with the tennis ball in his hand, "Well, our paths never passed that often and she had a little gigs that she would join, like presidential campaign and stuff" I shrug, "we were just mutual friends" I complete before snatching the ball from Henry's hand and him bickering with me.

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One on One Interview

"How long have you both known each-other?"

"Well, I have known her since High School or maybe way before that" Grayson says, "there are some pictures in the album I see, and some of them are from elementary school and I see her few rows away from me or randomly in some corner during a school event but we mutually knew each-other properly in high school because we were in the same science class and she was my lab partner" he gives a knowingly smile, "and you guys got close?" "sort off, we went to the same college which was GSU but yeah that's pretty much it and she was and probably still is Gotham's prodigy, she won contest and stuff and was the school president and the in college she became the head of the journalism team and she graduated as valedictorian" he shrugs, "would you say it's fate that brought you guys in the same work place too" "yeah.. yeah maybe" he smiles as if he was dreaming off.

"oh, I've known Dick for a while but honestly I called him Richard I don't know why that guy kept on insisting I should call him 'Dick'? who would want to be called dick?" you say as you look at the camera with a question mark on your face, "so, dick said you've probably been in the same elementary, high school, and university. Now you guys are in the same workplace, is that a coincidence or fate" "hmm.." you thought, "good question, I just think it's all a coincidence. I mean Samantha was in the same college as me and him too so I just think it's just a small world" you shrug with affiliative smile.

"Have you figured out who's the muffin thief?"

"you know I have a suspect and I know I am not crazy..." dick says before he leans closer...

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"Hey Dick" Samantha says with her practiced smile, "hey Samantha!" I say as I look at my computer for the sales digital advertisement, "I was just wondering if you could check the digital marketing ad thing and if it is approved to post" she says leaning into the desk "uh yeah well I sent an email for the approval" I nod with a smile, "oh" her smile drops but before it does she smiles again, "well, how about a dinner" she says, "im good" I look at her and the around the room "have plans you know" "mhm" she nodded, "not even for an hour or more" she smiles in a flirting manner "look Samantha" "sammy" "Samantha." I look at her "everything that happened was back in college and it's been years since we graduated and I think it's just inconvenience and I'm not looking for anything or something, I'm sorry to say I wasn't interest then nor now" Samantha straightens herself and lets out a breath, "well, since you got eyes on a new candy" "she is not a candy" "yeah, well she's been in your eyes for a long time" "what do you-" "you know what I mean" she walks away as I look at her disappear.

End of POV.

"You know it's 3pm now" Henry says as he stands near the water filter area leaning against it talking to the camera, "and I still need to figure out who this muffin thief is" Henry looks at the workers walking past him suspiciously. "wait" he says as he gestures the camera man to follow him and looks at the frosting on his co-worker Julian's shirt, "hey Jule, mind explaining this" he asks, as he looks at the camera with his one brow raised "oh" Julian smiles sheepishly, "my wife made some lemon cake with purple frosting for our 6 months wedding anniversary" he says, "would you like some? I still have some saved" "that's fine buddy, happy anniversary" he says as he pats his shoulder and walks away to his desk, and sighs "I forgot bros have marriages and stuff" and pops a zyn on his gum, "Would you like some" he asks the camera man and the camera gestures a no, "cool... cool" henry says

The Bludhaven Bulettin , 3:40 pm

Mr. Williams Office

"Hey Mr. Williams" Khadija says before she pauses mid way entering his office, "right" she says as she looks at him shove down a suspicious muffin looking thing down his throat.

"I'll get back with you later" she says, as the camera pans to Mr.Williams stuffed mouth and then henry enters with some paper work "Oh my fucking-" he says out loud making the usual three called to his office peep at his door, "I can't believe you!" henry says in betrayal. Mr. Williams wipes his mouth with a napkin, "well pass me the files" as if he didn't do anything.

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"So, how do you feel now that the muffin mystery has been solved?"

"Betrayal" Henry said with a disappointed look

"what did I say? I always knew it was him" Dick smiles with a champion look

"I told you, he didn't look like he was off muffins or pudding" Khadija says shrugging and nodding at the camera leaning back on the chair with her arms crossed

"I seriously didn't think lunch muffins were real" you say with a confused look

"Well, I bet my wife could make better muffins" Julian says with a shy smile

Terry just shrugs, "well, they shouldn't keep them in my room all the time. A man like me is always hungry"

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Hey guys, chapter two posted! :p

Meow?

Meow.

Her eyes shifting looking around to see the source, and a small kitten popped up from behind the mad tie man.

She sighed

"I'm your next door neighbour, and she's elly, and did she melt your ruthless heart? Perhaps now you'd help me wear this tie? Pretty please?" he said while pouting a little

She noticed his sky blue shirt, and took the black tie from his hand. He came to her height so she could tie it.

Do I have any idea why he isn't tying his tie by how own self? No.

Do I know him? No.

Did he ruin my sleep? Yes.

Do I hate him? Hell yeah!!

And when I was done, and looked back at him as he said something, "You didn't heard my thanks did you, well that's better cause I still could use onemorefavouryk."

He said all the words in such a hurry, that my sleepy mind could barely process what he said. He picked up his cat, giving her into my arms, as I just confusingly stared at what he was doing.

"I don't haveanyonetotakecareofher& you'reamazing,thankssss."

And he just STORMED out, and WENT?

He..

HE This guy..