Belly Conklin x Male Reader
For @deafeningsharkslimeempath
You werenโt sure how you would tell your younger self how you got to this point.
If you were to tell your younger self that you wouldโve boarded a plane bound for Paris with the girl you originally saw as your rival at Finch College, you wouldโve thought yourself crazy.
But she wasnโt your rival. She was your best friend.
Sure it started out as a rivalry. But banter gave way to friendship. You even met her boyfriend then fiancรฉ Jeremiah. You never quite liked him.
You always felt that there was some sort of petty rivalry between him and his brother with Belly caught in the middle. As if she was part of the competition.
You tried to deny it but as you spent more time with Belly, your heart fluttered. You felt it childish, silly even. How could you go from academic rivals to this? Friends.
It came as no shock when Jeremiah ended up cheating on her. If he wasnโt confident in his relationship, then he was bound to preemptively ruin it.
But what happened surprised even you. You ran after Belly Conklin. You chased her down to the airport as she bought a ticket to Paris. The one place she always wanted to go.
Without even a second thought, you put down your own money for a ticket to go with her.
โWhat are you doing?โ She asked thru her tears as you sat beside her.
โWhat are you doing, Conklin?โ You asked, โgoing to Paris by yourself? Thatโs a recipe for disaster for someone as brilliant as youโ
Belly couldnโt help but laugh thru her tears.
โIโm coming with you, Bellyโ you said softly. โDonโt try to sway meโ
Belly leaned her forehead against your shoulder as the plane took off. Somehow being with her former rival made her feel safer than she did with her ex-boyfriend.
That was a few months back. You and Belly had settled into a surprisingly nice little routine in your little apartment on the edge of Paris.
You found yourselves growing closer. Belly found herself healing from her heartbreak and exploring the city she dreamt of. Sure it wasnโt always easy but she had you.
Neither you or her went on dates with anyone. Sure Belly had a few guys interested in her when you and her visited a club but she always rejected them. A few gals approached you but you turned them away.
You only wanted her. And you didnโt know it yet but she wanted you.
One night it all came to a head as the two of you walked the city streets of Paris.
โHey, please donโt hate meโ Belly found herself saying.
โWe were once academic rivals,โ you chuckled, โI canโt go back to hating youโ
Your heart briefly stopped. Was it true? Did she really like you?
โOur story is weird. We hated each other. We became friends. I wanted to spend all my time away from you and nowโฆโ she looked at you softly, โnow I just wanna spend my life with youโ
โI like you too Conklin.โ You said softly. โYouโre sarcastic. Idealistic. You get on my nerves sometimes. You challenge me. And thereโs nothing I would change about you. Youโre perfect to meโ
Belly began to tear up, she never thought you could feel this way for her.
It was like magnetism, the two of you practically launched yourselves into one anotherโs arms under the glowing streetlights.
As you held each other under the lights of Paris, Belly couldnโt help but laugh.
โWhat?โ You asked back with a smile on your face.
โNo better place to confess our feelings, huh?โ
โWell you know what they say,โ you smirked before dipping her, โParis is for the loversโ
You kissed her softly. Her lips softly pressed against yours, no better feeling.
To this day, your children still cringed when you and Belly relive those moments.
