Gladys

Davey didn’t like that the thought of applying to the Ministry made it nervous, especially because the Ministry was the last place he ever thought he’d find himself. He still wasn’t even entirely sure it was what he wanted, but he liked the idea of working in the Department of Mysteries and applying seemed like the best step to finding out more. It wasn’t like that was something a bloke could just go up to an Unspeakable and ask about. They were called Unspeakables for a reason, after all. He chuckled at Gladys’s words, nodding his agreement. “Yeah, it is. Sort of makes it hard to know what they want, though.” Which was part of the appeal, to be sure, but Merlin did it make applying difficult. Much nicer to focus on whatever Gladys had been up to lately. Or not. Davey frowned slightly at her answer that didn’t feel entirely truthful, his eyes narrowing when she changed the topic to butterbeer. She was lying to him. And Davey opened his mouth to call her on it – but something stopped him. Maybe he deserved to not know everything about her life, when he only even knew she’d been coming home later thanks to his mum mentioning to him – at the same time she’d mentioned the fact Davey was rarely home anymore. Even more reason to get his own place. But the point was – he was lying to Gladys, too. Lying to his whole family. Who was he to demand Gladys be honest with him, when he couldn’t do the same? “Oh, um…yeah, probably,” he answered with a small, slightly tense smile. “Want me to go check? I could use a firewhiskey myself.”

“If it’s creative thinkers you’ve got it made!” Gladys replied with a large smile. Her brother had a very good point about what they were looking for. She had no idea what they might want for a future Unspeakable but if Dorcas thought he should apply then he must have something they were looking for. “Maybe once you look over the application you’ll have a better idea.” Given Davey’s current sneaking around with Dorcas he clearly had the ability to keep a secret. Something Gladys really wished she had right about now as Davey clearly didn’t believe her. She wasn’t even really lying, just omitting part of it. Still she felt super bad about it. “I really am studying, Davey. At the hospital or a coffee shop nearby.” Or trying to study but that had to count. Maybe. Except now she just sounded even more like she was lying. “A butter beer would be great, thanks.” Gladys looked down at the table not sure how to stop feeling so much like she was lying but really wishing they could talk about anything else.

While it was a relief when Gladys didn’t question his poor excuse that he’d been busy or the way he’d brushed off her (accurate) accusation that he’d been secretive lately, he also felt a pang of guilt. It was getting harder and harder to keep lying to the people he cared about, and Davey wasn’t even out fighting yet. It was only going to get worse. He was glad to brush that thought away in favor of thinking about Doe, even if Gladys was being sort of weird about it. Davey let out a laugh at her congratulations. “Thanks, I guess,” he teased her gently, though he did appreciate the sentiment. As he appreciated her enthusiasm about his job application, even if it sort of made him feel even more nervous about the whole thing. He’d spent so long wanting nothing to do with the Ministry, now he had to face the very real possibility that the Ministry wanted nothing to do with him. “Godric, Gladys, I’m not gonna fill it out right now,” he answered with a slightly nervous chuckle. “I haven’t really looked through it too much yet, I only just got it.” Well, he’d gotten it and then been distracted by Doe, which was a much nicer use of his time than filling out an application. “I er, I guess I’m probably gonna fill it out in the next couple days.” No sense in waiting, even if he was nervous. Davey just wanted to make sure he didn’t screw it up. But that wasn’t such a great thing to think about, so he turned the conversation back on his sister. “But enough about me, what have you been up to lately? You’ve been getting home a lot later, don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

Yeah it was weird but she was happy for him and it did seem like something that was good so she just smiled at his gentle teasing. It was a relief not to talk any more about it. Gladys needed some time to get more comfortable with the idea of Davey dating Dorcas. Not to mention too much talk of dating and he might find out she was dating someone. That wasn’t something she was ready to come out yet. Which made her feel guilty, like she was ashamed of Noah. In reality it was her brothers that she was… not ashamed of just not enthusiastic about them finding out about Noah. The application though was much better to talk about. Gladys’ enthusiasm softened some at his answer and she gave him a sheepish smile. As slight as the nervousness in his chuckle was she caught it because it was so unlike Davey to show any nervousness. Both her big brothers were always so self-assured but Davey was far more than even Galvin. It made her try and reign in her enthusiasm even more. “Oh right! Sorry, I’m just excited for you. The Department of Mysteries is just so….well mysterious.” Gladys let out a sheepish laugh. But her smile fell for a second when Davey turned their conversation on her and what she’d been up to. “What? I haven’t. I mean not that much. It’s just we’re moving into practical soon and there’s a lot of studying to do is all. We’re all working really hard.” Yeah that wasn’t bad. She had been studying, just with Noah. Gladys nearly pointed out that Davey was hardly ever home so how would he even have noticed but that felt wrong. Instead she decided to try and change the subject once again. “Do you think they have butterbeer here?” Smooth, not at all suspicious. She wasn’t doing anything wrong, she reminded herself in hopes that she wouldn’t look too guilty.

Okay, Gladys wasn’t gonna let him off the hook that easily. Davey couldn’t say he was all that surprised, but you couldn’t blame a bloke for trying. Still he wasn’t ready for the question he got from her. “What?” Did she just say dating? They weren’t – well actually, Davey wasn’t really sure what they were now. They hadn’t really gotten that far. “No, we’re just…” Davey wasn’t quite sure how to answer that, but fortunately Gladys’s next question saved him. “What? No,” he answered quickly, pulling a face at the thought that he was applying for a new job all for a bird. Even if he was maybe doing it because of one. “I – she gave me the idea,” he admitted with a sheepish smile, though it fell quickly at the next thing Gladys asked. He frowned, his eyebrows pulling together slightly. It was sorely tempting to agree with that and let Gladys think that was all that had been up with him, but he’d been lying too much as it was and he was sort of hoping Doe would be around for a while so he didn’t want this one coming back to bite him. “I haven’t been secretive,” he began, even though they both knew that wasn’t true. “I’ve just been…busy.” That was true, but it also wasn’t really an answer and Davey couldn’t quite meet his sister’s eyes as he said it. Suddenly talking about Doe was a hell of a lot easier. He let out a chuckle at Gladys’s question and shook his head. “We’re not hiding anything. It’s – that’s new. Really new,” he added, unable to resist glancing over his shoulder at her with a grin before he faced his sister again. “She didn’t wanna do anything until um –” Well fuck, where was he gonna go with that now? “Er, well, because of the classes and all. Since I’ve been going as a student.” That was close enough to the truth. “Guess she changed her mind,” he finished with a shrug that was meant to be casual, though the effect was ruined thanks to the huge grin on his face. 

Gladys didn’t believe his no. That was dating. Or at least it looked a lot like dating. She wouldn’t like some bloke put his arm around her if they weren’t dating and Dorcas seemed perfectly happy with that. But she had too many questions to call Davey on his answers. Dorcas had given Davey the idea, that sounded a lot like her. Maybe it wasn’t such an awful thing that Davey was dating Dorcas. He needed someone to give him some sort of idea. Not that she didn’t love her brother living at home but it would be nice if both of them weren’t at home so often. Plus Davey having a career would likely make him happier. He could claim to be happy all he wanted but Gladys knew he was bored. She could have laughed at his comment about not being secretive but she didn’t. Gladys raised her eyebrow at his next comment. Busy. Well now she knew what he was busy with. Ew, not a thought she wanted actually. Gladys looked down herself and missed that he couldn’t look her in the eye. Much better to find out why they were hiding, except not actually hiding. Maybe they hadn’t been dating then. But clearly they’d talked about dating. Wow. Gladys couldn’t help grinning back at Davey as he got that grin on his face. Her big brother clearly liked Dorcas a lot and while it was still really weird for her she wasn’t going to say so. “Well congratulations,” was that weird, that was weird. Time to change the subject. “And you picked up the application! That’s so great. Have you looked at it yet? When are you filling it out? I have a pen!” Things seemed to be looking up for Davey and Gladys was happy for him. Excited too.

theperfectdoe:

It wasn’t that Dorcas felt awkward as it was that Gladys definitely seemed to feel awkward and she didn’t want Gladys running off on her account. Her and Davey could just meet up after, maybe. Doe certainly hoped Davey took the hint of her heading home and didn’t wait till tomorrow or whenever. It was sort of cute what his answer was to her mentioning the application. Hopefully, he didn’t forget what she’d said earlier that it didn’t matter to her what his job was. Gladys started to say something again when Davey went to say goodbye and Dorcas shook her head at the younger girl. “No, really. You stay, encourage your brother about the application. I think he needs it.” She smiled at Gladys and then Davey. “Yeah, owl me,” she told Davey, squeezing his knee lightly. “I believe you had something to ask me, since you didn’t get around to that.” Right, not flirting in front of his sister. Bloody hell. Dorcas looked back over at Gladys with a smile. “It was great seeing you again, Gladys. I hope when the classes start back up next month I’ll see you there.” With that Dorcas got up giving Davey one last smile. She still had her friends to face because sadly she couldn’t just leave without saying anything to them. Might as well get it over with, kill a little time while Davey was having a drink with his sister.

Davey turned to his sister in surprise when she started to speak up again, bemused though mildly sorry he’d managed to make his little sister so clearly uncomfortable. Maybe he could have paid a little better attention for when she was coming in, but it was bloody hard to think about much of anything when Doe was – yeah, best not to think about what she’d been doing right now. Davey was trying to get away from that. He gave Doe an appreciative grin when she told Gladys to stay, though it quickly turned sheepish when she mentioned the application again. Except her words also set off a weird fluttering feeling in his chest. Davey knew Doe had meant it when she said she didn’t care if he had an impressive job. But since they’d gotten to know each other, she’d sort of made Davey care. Not about whether or not other people thought his job was impressive – but about doing something that was actually interesting. Though he did also sort of think Doe deserved to be with a bloke who had his shit together. Or at least had his own place. He was working on that one, too. His grin widened when Doe squeezed his knee and pulled him from those thoughts to the much more pleasant one of owling her later, his eyes staying on her until she left to join her friends. At which point he turned back to Gladys, trying to school his grin into something a bit more sheepish but not entirely succeeding. “Uh – sorry ‘bout that. Want me to get us drinks?” He offered, hopeful that maybe Gladys just wouldn’t ask him too many questions. 

That was awkward. Not that she’d never seen either of her brothers flirt before but it was always awkward and weird to sit there while it happened. Weirder now that Davey was flirting with someone Gladys was starting to look up to. Or where they more then flirting. They certainly seemed it. Gladys sat there awkwardly as Davey watched Dorcas walk away. Ew! She looked at Davey with an incredulous look. Really? That was what he chose to say. “Are you dating Dorcas?” Gladys didn’t want to watch the pair all loved up or know details but she had to ask because that had seemed a lot like dating. Wow! “Oh Merlin! Is she why you got an application?” That would certainly explain Davey’s sudden interest in doing something rather then waiting for something to happen to him. And it explained some other things. sort of. “Is that why you’ve been out so much lately and sort of secretive?” As much as she loved Davey it was surprising someone like Dorcas Meadowes would be dating him. Or that Davey would want to date such a successful, busy bird. Not his usual type. “Why haven’t you said anything? Clearly you two aren’t keeping it a secret if you’re cuddled up in a bar in front of her friends.” Gladys would have thought Davey would have rubbed it in Galvin’s face that he was dating a bird like Dorcas. She might have had some hope that not doing that meant Davey was finally maturing some in that regards but the pair of them had fought over the last helping of potatoes last night at dinner so maturing in that area wasn’t something either of her brothers seemed interested in.

Oh. Gladys was nodding. Okay. She really thought he was a good kisser. Wow. Okay. So maybe he really was gonna get another kiss, then. Just like it seemed he really was gonna get a date. Noah’s grin widened at the adorable giggle she let out, still slightly in shock that this bird was going on a date with him. A second date, even! “That’s great, thanks,” he answered with a smile, thrilled that she was interested in the date enough to want to contribute something. He also couldn’t help the thought that it suited her, because her eyes made him think of hot chocolate and she made him feel all warm inside. But Noah kept that to himself, because it was probably a weird thing to think. Speaking of. Was it bad that she didn’t want him to pick her up? Probably not, Noah decided. He didn’t know how these things worked but Gladys did seem excited about the date. “Yeah, okay. We could uh, meet at the Leaky Cauldron?” That was a good meeting place, right? Bloody hell, Noah didn’t know what he was doing. Obviously, or he would have known better than to get caught snogging by his boss! Luckily Mr. Tipping was nice and Noah was normally a very good employee or that likely would have ended worse for him. As it was he couldn’t stop his cheeks flushing as Gladys looked over at Mr. Tippins. But of course she was sweet about the whole thing. “Nah, it’s okay,” he answered with a soft shrug. “Keeps me busy.” Although now he was talking about dates with Gladys suddenly that was sounding like less of a good thing. That was probably getting a little too far ahead of himself, though. “Anyways, you’d be worth getting in trouble for.” Wait, did he say that out loud? Shit. Noah’s cheeks flushed a darker shade of pink and he let out a nervous chuckle, glad when Gladys suggested he help her out. It would probably be good for him to be just a touch farther away from her before he lost any more brain cells. But he definitely didn’t want her to leave. “No, you don’t have to go,” he answered quickly. “But um – yeah, I can help you, that’s a good idea.” He smiled and reluctantly took a small step back, hopeful this wouldn’t be the last time he got to be that close to her. “So um, what are you looking for?”

It was weird that she didn’t want him to pick her up. Except she did want him to it was just her brothers. What if they were being weird when he came? What if Noah decided she was weird? Gladys wanted to believe her brothers wouldn’t be mean to Noah but it was hard to be certain. Normally they were only mean to each other but Gladys had never brought a boy over. She smiled when he agreed, slightly worried he might already be thinking she was weird for requesting that. “The Leaky Cauldron sounds great. It’s just sometimes it’s pretty crazy at my house. My brothers are….energetic. I just don’t want anything to spoil our date.” Like Gwen turning Noah into a ferret. Would she? Oh Merlin. He was going to have to meet them all eventually, though. “Maybe you could come to dinner, to meet them. Sometime.” That way both her parents would be there and there would be less chance of someone ruining things for her with Noah. Was that mean of her to think her brothers, and Gwen, would do that? She could have probably worried on that for a while if not for a new worry. Getting Noah into trouble with his boss. And the fact that they’d just been kissing in front of a whole store of people. Her cheeks were never not going to be red. She smiled at his answer about his job. Noah had such a great attitude towards things. She really liked that. And him. Her smile grew at the next thing he said. “Really? I… Thank you.” Was that a weird thing to like? “But um still I’d rather you not be in trouble.” Gladys didn’t want him thinking she was the type of girl that liked trouble. Another worry pushed away by Noah’s answer. Gladys let go of him and moved too. It wasn’t quite as nice as being that close to him was but at least they were still talking. And had a date!!!! “Wha? Oh!” Gladys laughed nervously because she’d started thinking about the date again and forgot she was supposed to be getting things for her mum with his help. “Sorry. Um, I have a list.” Gladys handed over the list that hadn’t seemed embarrassing till she started realizing it was full of things for the bumps and bruises her brothers inflicted on each other. As well as headache potions for their mum. Please don’t let him think she was weird. “My mum asked me to find out if you have a larger jar of dittany cream because we keep running out weirdly quick lately. Probably my oldest brother, he’s a quidditch player.” Right.

Oh, wow, was Noah going to remember this moment for a long time. His first kiss. With Gladys. And it had been amazing. It was still amazing, with her standing there so close to him, grinning back at him just as wide as he was grinning at her. Noah was half-convinced he was dreaming, except he didn’t think he could have dreamed this. And he probably wouldn’t have dreamed the stupid words that tumbled past his lips. Only – Gladys didn’t seem to mind them. She seemed surprised, though, which Noah couldn’t understand. How could anyone not like kissing her? Noah didn’t get a chance to tell her that before she was surprising him even more, his eyes widening slightly. “I am?” Fuck, he sounded like a dork. Except Gladys had been surprised too. Noah let out a nervous chuckle and grinned at her. “I uh, I’m glad you think so.” He was really glad, especially because he really wanted to kiss her again. Just maybe not here, at work. Maybe he could do it on their date. Their date that she’d just said yes to! “Really?” Bloody hell, could he sound like more of an idiot? Yet even as he beat himself up internally Noah couldn’t help the grin that stayed on his face. Gladys had never been ice skating on a date before. Maybe that was just because it was a dumb idea, only she didn’t seem to think so. In fact, she actually seemed excited about it. Merlin! “Oh, uh – yeah, that’d be great!” He agreed enthusiastically at her offer to bring hot chocolate. Bloody hell, she was sweet. And pretty. And going on a date with him! Only – Noah still wasn’t totally sure how this worked. “Um. How about Saturday afternoon? Maybe, uh, 2 or 3?” That would give him enough time to get home from work and make himself look presentable. Speaking of work – Noah was still at work. Fuck! Quickly he cast his gaze around the shop, looking for anything out of place or any customers in need of help – only to lock eyes with the shop’s owner. Double fuck! Noah’s eyes went wide, but before he could do anything the kind older man gave him a wink and a smile. Oh. Okay. Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding Noah looked back at Gladys. “Er – sorry. I’m sort of supposed to be working right now but Mr. Tippins doesn’t seem to mind.” Noah let out a sheepish chuckle, his cheeks flushing slightly at having been caught more or less slacking off to talk to a cute bird. The last thing he’d ever have thought he would do, which was probably why Mr. Tippins seemed more happy for him than anything else. Bloody hell, he was a loser. 

Gladys’ smile only widened at his surprise, her head bobbing slightly in a nod. It was good she’d told him, he should know that. Especially because she really wanted him to kiss her again. Something that seemed likely since he was glad she thought it. And because they had a date now. Or at least closer to having a second date. She giggled when he seemed surprised that she said yes. Merlin, he was cute. “Yeah, I’d love it.” This would be great. Ice skating. Hot chocolate. Maybe another kiss. “Wonderful, I’ll bring some then.” If only she could stop sounding so dumb. Hard to worry about that when he was setting a day and time. Thankfully Galvin didn’t have a match this Saturday, Gladys wasn’t sure how she’d get out of going if he did. “That sounds perfect! I can meet you somewhere.” It wasn’t that Gladys didn’t want to tell him where she lived. Or even have him over. It was just thinking of Galvin reminded her that one or both her brothers might be there on Saturday. They, to her knowledge, where unaware that she’d ever had a date. Something she wasn’t keen on changing just yet. As much as she loved them both they were not exactly normal. Or at least Gladys didn’t think that was normal. Dora’s brothers didn’t seem to fight at all any of the times she’d seen them. Gladys was worrying over her brothers scaring off Noah and remained blissfully unaware of the reaction Noah had gotten from his boss. Noah’s voice brought her back to the conversation and she smiled at his words, her cheeks growing pinker as she noticed the older man. Oh wow. “I’m glad he doesn’t. I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble because of me. I didn’t realize you worked here. That must be a lot, what with training too.” Gladys knew she had it lucky not having to work while in training. It was just something she forgot occasionally as none of her friends in healer training had to work either. If she got Noah in trouble at work because of flirting with him she’d feel just horrible. “Would it help if I got you to help me find what I came for while we talk, or do you need to go?” It would be nice to continue talking to him at least, and nothing she had to get was embarrassing thankfully, but Gladys really didn’t want to get him into trouble.

For a split second Noah was terrified Gladys was going to pull away from him, that he was going to end up kissing nothing but thin air. Or that he was going to miss and somehow end up kissing her nose or something. Was their height difference a normal one? What if he leaned down too far and hit her chin? Or what if their noses bumped together? Or – oh. She was kissing him back. He was kissing Gladys. They were kissing! Bloody hell! And wow, the kiss was nice. Soft and sweet and warm, just like the girl he was kissing. Who was tightening her grip on him, and wow was that nice too. A rush of warmth flooded over Noah, but before he could figure out what to do with his hand that wasn’t on her waist she pulled back, Noah only registering the noise that caused her to do so a second later. Oh. Right. They were in the shop, still. In fact, Noah was at work. And yet that thought seemed incredibly far away as he looked down at Gladys, eyes slightly wide because he’d just kissed her! And she was – glad!? Merlin! A goofy grin tugged at Noah’s lips, replaced the slightly dazed look he’d been giving her. 

“Me too,” he answered her maybe a little too enthusiastically. But she was glad he’d kissed her! That had to mean she liked it, right? “I uh – you’re really good at that,” he added with a slightly giddy chuckle, his cheeks flushing pink as he realized a second later how dumb that probably sounded. “Um.” He let out another laugh, this one a bit more flustered. But she’d kissed him! He could do this! “How do you feel about ice skating? With me, I mean,” he tacked on quickly, just in case that hadn’t been clear. “There’s a um, pond near where I live. But if you don’t like that we can do something else. I mean if you still wanted to,” he added in a rush, unable to stop the nervous words flowing past his lips despite the fact that they’d just kissed. Noah had never asked a girl out before, unless you counted the fact that he’d sort of already asked Gladys out. And she probably hadn’t changed her mind given that they’d just kissed and she was glad they had. Fuck, he was a moron!

Gladys had never been kissed in a way that stopped her train of thought, or train of worries that was. The few times she’s been kissed before had always been accompanied by a steady stream of fears and doubts, worries that she wasn’t doing something right, that it was going on too long, or not long enough. There hadn’t been any of that with Noah. Not even after they pulled apart. It was sweet, just like Noah. No hands trying to move places that Gladys definitely didn’t want them. There sadly was still the fact that they were around people. A fact that she never could get past the times she’d kissed other boys. Only today she had forgotten that. Was still having trouble remembering they were in a shop, in public! Except Gladys really didn’t want to move. Not just yet. Especially not when Noah was grinning at her like that. Her own lips pulling up into a matching grin. Growing even wider when he enthusiastically answered her. Helga, he was cute! Gladys flushed at his compliment, one she’d never received before. “Really?” Her surprise showing in her voice. “So are you,” she added softly.

Hopefully that meant there would be another kiss. Only maybe not just yet. Gladys laughed a flustered laugh of her own when he did, assuming it was thanks to the fact that they weren’t alone like hers was. Her eyes grew wide when he started talking again. The date! Gladys had forgotten how concerned she was that the date wasn’t going to happen. But he had a plan. A good one. “No, it sounds great. I’d love to! I’ve never been ice skating before. I mean with a boy on a date that is.” Her cheeks flushed again at how dumb she sounded. Still an ice skating date sounded so cute. Maybe the girls would help her find a cute outfit to wear. It’d been a while since they’d gone shopping together. And she could use her cute thermos! “I can bring hot chocolate for us, if you’d like.” Ice skating. They were going ice skating. On a date. Their second date. Wow! This was even better then getting a drink after class.

Everything in Noah was screaming at him that he probably sounded like a stupid loser for not kissing Gladys and calling her pretty instead, but it was hard to pay those thoughts too much attention when her cheeks were flushing like that. Salazar, she was pretty when she blushed, especially when Noah knew it was because of him. And it was, wasn’t it? It had to be. And – oh. He was pretty too? Okay. That was…good, right? Noah didn’t have too much time to dwell on that worry because Gladys was way too cute crinkling her nose up like that. And – oh. She thought he was – wait, did she just say he was hot? Or – handsome, okay. 

He was? “I am?” The question was past his lips before he could stop it, his own cheeks growing darker a second later. “I mean –” he stammered out quickly, unsure how to fix that. Bloody hell he was a loser. Only Gladys saved him having to say anything more because then she was suddenly tripping slightly, Noah’s hand moving to her waist to steady her at the same time that she grabbed onto his shoulders. “Oh,” he repeated, wide eyed and breathless. His hand tingling where it sat on her waist, every nerve in his shoulders suddenly come to life in a way he hadn’t known was possible until now. Wow. He could kiss her, he realized once again. Right now. All he had to do was lean a little bit closer…. But did she even want him to kiss her? Maybe, he realized. She’d just called him hot. And she wasn’t moving even though she was very, very close. And touching him. It was hard to think over the sound of his racing heart, so loud he was certain Gladys must be able to hear it. She smelled really nice, he realized as he stared down at her. He’d been standing there too long, hadn’t he. He should kiss her. He should do something, only his brain couldn’t come up with any options other than kiss her. She was so close. Slowly Noah dared to lean just a little closer, his eyes on hers until she was too close and he dared to let his own eyes slip closed as he pressed his lips softly, hesitantly to hers. 

Yeah, he thought she was lame. Gladys wasn’t sure how to answer his question. Didn’t have time to before he was stammering out the start of something else. Something he didn’t finish because Gladys had lost her balance in all her flustering. And now she was close to him and touching him. More importantly he was touching her. Her breath went in a sharp intake of air as his hand went to her waist. This was nice. Really nice. Maybe he’d kiss her. Maybe she should kiss him. Birds could do that. Daisy did that. Dora had too. But Gladys wasn’t Daisy or even Dora. She was lame Gladys Gundgeon who could barely tell the bloke she liked that he was hot. Helga, was he hot. His shoulders were surprisingly strong feeling. Noah always seemed so unassuming and yet being this close to him she didn’t understand how he hadn’t gotten noticed more. How she hadn’t noticed him more. Gladys felt herself holding her breath as Noah started to lean closer. He was going to kiss her! She didn’t have to worry about trying to find the nerve to do it herself. For a moment her eyes widened but then she slipped them closed. Had it been too soon? Gladys always worried about kissing. Not that she’d been kissed a lot. Oh…

Noah’s smile just widened when Gladys repeated his ‘hi’ back to him, his brain not functioning well enough for him to notice they’d both already said that. Fortunately he managed to stop himself from saying it again, if only because her smile was so distracting. Not distracting enough to stop Noah putting his foot in his mouth again, unfortunately, but he found a small smile tugging at his lips in spite of himself when she giggled at his words. With someone else Noah might have worried she was laughing at him, but Gladys was far too nice to do that. And then she was saying more only Noah wasn’t sure he quite followed it. What he did know was that he was very familiar with having a sentence derail as he said it, and he quickly nodded when Gladys finished speaking. “Okay,” he answered with a kind smile, not fully realizing what he’d just agreed to until she was moving closer to him. Oh. Oh, Merlin, she was getting awfully close. Noah was vaguely aware that he ought to duck or crouch or something so she could actually see the top of his head. In fact, he started to do just that. And then her face was right in front of his and his brain short-circuited. Noah’s eyes widened slightly as he took in her brown eyes, warm and inviting like a mug of hot chocolate. And her lips – fuck, don’t look at her lips! Quickly Noah looked back at her eyes, swallowing hard. He should say something. Only he couldn’t remember any words. He could barely even remember how to breathe. His heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest. If he were a braver, bolder bloke maybe Noah would have just gone for it and kissed her. But he wasn’t. Also he wasn’t sure he even knew how. What if he missed? What if their noses bumped together? “You’re really pretty,” he finally managed to breathe out, a nervous chuckle following his words. 

Noah was so kind. Gladys felt certain she could melt just from that smile of his. But his head, he’d hurt it. Only now that she was closer to him she was having trouble remembering that he’d hit his head. Instead thinking about his warm eyes and his very close lips once he’d crouched down some. Gladys wondered what kissing him would be like. Her cheeks warming up from the thought alone. Maybe he’d kiss her. She’d definitely let him. What he did instead of kiss her had her cheeks growing darker. Her smile grew. He did still like her like that. “Thanks. So are you.”

Oh bloody hell, Gladys thought he was disgusting now. He was disgusting, dropping slimy toads eyes all over himself and still trying to talk to her. He should probably just leave now, except he was on the clock and she was a customer so running away wasn’t even an option. So he was stuck here, looking like a disgusting idiot who she definitely wasn’t going to want to go on a date with. Except she wasn’t leaving. In fact – she was smiling widely at him. Wow, she was pretty. “Hi,” he repeated softly, his embarrassment momentarily forgotten as his own grin widened. Just as quickly it returned, however, when she offered to look at his head. His head that he’d only just covered in toad’s eyes. Bloody hell. “Oh, um – no, I’m alright,” he answered, cheeks darkening again. “I mean – you can take a look if you want,” he added quickly, letting out a nervous chuckle of his own. Bloody hell, how was she even cuter when she blushed? “I uh, I got all the eyeballs out, I promise.” Fuck, why had he said that? Noah let out another nervous laugh and ran a hand self-consciously through his hair, relieved to find that at least that had been true and he was eyeball free. 

Wow, Noah had a great smile. “Hi,” she found herself breathing out despite already saying hi. Gladys took the fact that his cheeks were getting red to mean he definitely still liked her. She giggled at his words. “Good, I’m glad.” Oh wait! “I mean not that it was er I would have…I’m sure I’ll see worse…I mean it wasn’t that…I’m gonna just look at it now.” Gladys’ cheeks got even redder as she stumbled through that. She was an idiot. Thank goodness none of her friends were here to see this. She almost wanted to just turn around and leave except that would be rude. And she’d promised to look at his head. Oh right! Finally pulling her eyes off her toes and back up to Noah she move closer to him. Goodness. Standing on her toes she tried to see the top of his head but he was so tall. Instead she found herself standing way too close and a lot closer to his eyes and lips… Gladys gave him a nervous smile. “I um…” What was she doing again?