Hangman X Fem Reader - Blog Posts

Maybe We Can Be Friends (Part 2)

Since you all liked the first one so much, I decided I'd write another one! Hope you enjoy this one too.

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Autistic!Fem!Shy!Reader

Summary: You thought you'd more or less made your peace with Jake, and you were hoping that there would be no more drama, but it turns out that Fate loves to go against your wishes, which is something Penny and Jimmy won't let you forget in a hurry…

Warnings: Obnoxious roommates, mentions of autism, mentions of sensory overload, a bit of angst, some fluff, soft Jake, Penny and the reader are besties

A/N: Sorry this one's got less Jake in, I promise there will be more of him in future!

"Hey, Y/N!" calls Penny, as you enter the bar. "How was your date?"

You blush. "It went well. And it wasn't a date."

Penny just gives you a knowing smile, and slips you a Coke. "Just as a heads-up, it'll probably be busy tonight, so you don't have to stay, okay? Like I said last time, I'll pay you the full amount no matter what time you leave, and I won't be mad if you need to leave early - or if you just want to skip it."

You bite your lip, remembering what happened last night. Although it turned out well, you really don't want to go through another sensory overload. But at the same time, you don't want to leave the bar to just two people, especially if it's busy.

"I'll stay, and just test the waters a bit," you reply. "But if I start looking scared, or agitated, or something…"

Penny nods. "I'll keep an eye on you, just so something like last night doesn't happen again, okay?"

You nod. "Yeah, that's fine."

"And I have a feeling that a certain aviator will be looking out for you, too," she adds, with a teasing smile.

You blush. "It was just the once, Penny. He's probably going to be back to his old self tonight."

"I wouldn't be so sure, hon. He's not exactly the type who'd do that for just anyone, you know."

You blush again, wishing your heart wouldn't jump about whenever you talk or think about him. What's wrong with me? I literally just stopped hating him last night, and now I'm feeling weird about him again?

"Bar's open!" calls Jimmy, as he flips the open/closed sign.

You hastily get behind the counter, and pour yourself another Coke.

Fortunately, while it's busier than usual, it's not as busy as it was last night. And you're getting pretty caffeinated, so things are looking good.

As you start taking orders, you find yourself watching the doorway, wondering if there are going to be any Navy pilots tonight.

Well, until you catch Penny grinning at you.

"Penny!" you groan. Realising how stupid that sounds, you hastily add, "It could be anyone, you know." Why's my voice so high-pitched?

"Right, Y/N. Right."

"Well, it could be-" You hastily try to think of a pilot who you can actually put a name or callsign to.

And then you realise - and grin.

Turning to Penny, you say, "You know, I noticed you fancied one of them - Matthews, was it?"

Penny rolls her eyes. "Mitchell." She chuckles. "Alright, you got me there."

"So you do like him?"

Penny blushes. "I guess. But don't tell him, okay?"

You nod. "Sure. But why?"

Penny smiles. "I guess you don't know what the word 'maverick' means." She's about to explain, but just then, the Dagger Squad walk in.

You stare at them, looking for Jake, and trying to ignore Penny's grinning.

"Hey, Y/N."

"Hey, Penny."

You and Penny both jump, and let out squeaks of fright, before turning around to see Jake and Mav grinning at you.

"Peter Evan Mitchell!" Penny scolds him.

"Hey, I didn't know I was gonna make you jump," protests Mav.

You notice that Penny's blushing, which would normally make you giggle - except for the fact that Jake's standing right in front of you.

"Hey, sweets," he says.

Your face burns as you stare at him, every rational thought immediately leaving your head.

Jake chuckles. "What's the matter? You suddenly bowled over by my good looks?"

You open your mouth to protest, but nothing comes out.

"It's okay, sweets. I'm just teasing. I'll have a Jack and Coke, by the way."

You try not to spill anything as you make his drink, pretending not to notice Jimmy grinning at you.

Jake's fingers brush against yours as you hand him his drink, a small thing that makes your heart jump much higher than it should have.

That, and his soft, "Thanks, hon."

Fortunately, Penny's busy with Mav (something you'll tease her about later), but Jimmy's trying to catch your eye.

Unfortunately, it's not quite time for the evening rush, so you don't have anyone else to get drinks for, which would help you get your mind off Jake - and be a perfect excuse not to chat.

You don't really want to talk about Jake tonight, though, so, for once in your life, you're positively delighted when the evening rush starts, and you don't have any time to chat.

***********************************************************************

You're woken up by your phone buzzing.

Groaning, you reach over, grab it, fumbling the unlock feature a couple of times until you manage to open it.

There's a text from Penny: Hey Y/N, I know you probably won't read this right now, but was wondering if you'd like to have a girls' day out?

That's enough to wake you up immediately. Do I want to go on a day out with Penny? Stupid question - of course I do!

You immediately reply with: Yes! I'll be ready and down to the bar as quick as I can!

Penny's reply comes through a few seconds later: I was actually going to come around to your place with the car. Figured it'd be more convenient.

You smile, type out a thank-you, and then start getting ready.

It's been ages - years, actually - since you and Penny have had a proper day out. Sure, you met at the beach about a week ago, but that wasn't really a designated day out.

Despite your indecisiveness over what to wear, you're ready in record time, and actually have time to do a bit of scrolling before you hear Penny's car pull up outside.

"Hi, Penny," you say, as you get in.

"Hey," she replies. "Figured I'd take advantage of Amelia being away this Saturday."

"How is she?" you ask. You've met Amelia a few times over the years, and you've always liked her.

"Pretty good. She's settled in well at school, made some friends, and she's getting pretty good grades, too."

"That's good. She's a nice girl."

"Of course you'd say that to me!" laughs Penny. "I'm her mother!"

You blush. "But I do genuinely think that."

"I know you do, hon. You two always got on well."

You both fall into silence after that, just taking time to enjoy each other's company.

After a while, Penny says, "You know, for our day out, I was thinking we go shopping, get some clothes, skincare stuff, maybe some lunch…"

You smile. "Sounds good." Penny mentioning skincare stuff has put an idea into your head. "You know, I was thinking…"

"Yes?"

"What if - you don't have to agree, of course - but what if we bought skincare stuff - like spa kind of stuff, and had a girls' spa night?"

Penny's face lights up. "Now that's an idea!"

Then you remember. "Oh, but - what about Amelia? Will she mind?"

"She's having a sleepover tonight. And even if she wasn't, I'm pretty sure she'd be happy to join in."

"She wouldn't think it's a bit weird or cringe? You know, because I'm friends with you, and you're her mother?"

"You're closer to her age than I am, and anyway, she loves you, hon. She'd do anything for you."

You're not used to getting compliments like that, and now you're blushing. You try to think of something else to talk about, but just then, your stomach growls.

You blush again. "Sorry."

Penny chuckles. "It's fine, hon. Looks like our first stop'll be breakfast, then."

You start to protest. "Oh, no, Penny, you don't have t-"

Penny cuts you off with another laugh. "I'm not dragging a hungry, grumpy Y/N around the shops, okay? You're getting breakfast, whether you like it or not."

"Okay, but just a sandwich or something. I want to save my appetite for lunch."

"Sure thing. We'll stop in at the convenience store on the way."

You do feel better after you've had a sandwich and a drink. Penny ends up getting something to eat as well, even though she's had breakfast.

After you've finished your sandwiches, Penny says, "Should we go look at some clothes, or go get the skincare stuff?"

"I don't mind," you reply, truthfully, since you really don't mind.

But Penny's having none of it. "That's not an answer, hon."

You groan. "Okay, how about we explore the secondhand shop, see if we can find anything nice?"

Penny smiles. "Sounds good to me!"

Unfortunately, despite looking around for quite some time, you don't find anything really good in the secondhand shop. There are a few items that are decent, but you don't really feel like spending that much money on something you could get new at the same price.

Penny does find a nice-looking vase, but it's a bit too pricey, so she decides to leave it.

Soon after that, you both decide to go and get some lunch at a cafe.

Over lunch, Penny asks you how uni's going.

You sigh. "Well, I like my classes, and I like what I'm studying - and I'm managing to keep on top of deadlines - sort of…"

"How about the other stuff?" asks Penny. "I remember you saying that your roommates weren't exactly - understanding."

You chuckle, shaking your head. "You'd be right."

Penny leans slightly forward, a worried look on her face. "What's going on, exactly?"

"Well, they're forever hosting parties. Loud ones, too. Seriously, like, the neighbours threatened to file a noise complaint. And this is when I'm supposed to be sleeping! Then, because I'm so tired from uni and socialising, and then losing sleep because of their obnoxious partying, I legitimately can't do stuff like my laundry, or the washing-up, so the apartment's now littered with dirty laundry and dishes. Then they have the nerve to tell me to pull my own weight! I literally warned them before we all moved in together that I was autistic, and so I might need help with that sort of thing if I start to burn out, you know?"

"Gosh," mutters Penny, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry, Y/N, I had no idea. I should've thought to ask earlier."

"You don't have to be sorry," you reply, suddenly realising what an awkward position you've accidentally put Penny into. "I shouldn't have ranted so much. And I mean, it's not all bad-"

"Hey." Penny cuts you off. "Look at me. It's not your fault, okay? If anything, it's mine, for not giving you a chance to speak up earlier. You shouldn't have to deal with that sort of stuff, especially when you need to rest."

"I guess it is kind of my fault," you admit. "I didn't want to tell the uni that I'm autistic. I felt like it would - I - I don't know. I guess I just didn't want to be seen as different, you know? Like I was in school."

"You felt like the other kids treated you different?" asks Penny.

You nod. "Yeah. And I didn't want that to happen again."

Penny doesn't reply. She seems to be wrapped up in her own thoughts, so you try to wrap yourself in yours, too.

"Careful you don't pull our dishes off the table," says Penny suddenly.

You're so surprised by this that you start giggling - and then blush when you realise that you've been pulling at the tablecloth. Penny's laughter breaks the awkward silence, which makes you feel a bit better.

"You sound like such a mum, you know," you tease.

"I am a mom," replies Penny, chuckling. Then, looking over, she adds, "I think they're going to want us out of here, now."

"Wha-" Then you realise that you've both finished eating. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, we should probably get going."

***********************************************************************

"Right, Y/N, you're the skincare expert," Penny says, as you pull up.

"I'm not that good," you protest. "I mean, I know the basics, but I have no idea how to set up a spa night."

Penny chuckles. "Then let's call it our own take. Now, what are the basics?"

"Er, if I remember right, it's exfoliant, moisturiser, primer, cleanser - not in that order, of course…"

Penny holds up a bottle. "Serum?"

You shrug. "I guess." Then you have a brainwave. "Oh! Face masks, of course."

Penny laughs when she sees all the different types of face mask there are. "How do you know which one to go for?"

"I was thinking the exact same thing!"

You and Penny don't talk about the roommate situation while shopping for skincare, and while you appreciate that Penny probably wants to keep the rest of this day out a light-hearted one, you can't help feeling like you overshared a bit too much.

While you're driving home, after paying for your stuff, however, Penny turns to you, and says: "You know, I've been thinking about the roommate situation, and - you don't have to agree, of course, but I was wondering if you'd maybe like to move in with me and Amelia. We've got a spare room, the house isn't too far from your college, and I promise the neighbourhood is a lot quieter than what you're putting up with right now."

Your heart immediately jumps into your throat, which consequently tightens. Penny's prepared to have me move in with her?

"I'd love to," you reply, your voice a little thick. But then you realise. "But - surely - will Amelia mind?"

"I don't think she'd mind," replies Penny. "Anyway, she isn't really in the house much now. But you can talk with her, if you want."

"And what about things like laundry, and cooking, and stuff? I'm not very good at remembering those…"

Penny laughs. "You seriously think that'd be a dealbreaker?"

You're surprised at this reaction. "My roommates get super mad at me whenever I don't clean up their mess."

"Well, I'm not your roommates, and I'm fine with helping you remember to do your laundry - and doing it for you if you forget. For dinner, Amelia and I don't really eat together, so you're pretty much fine to just eat when you get hungry."

"Well - I really don't know what to say," you remark. "You're sure, though? About me living with you?"

Penny just smiles. "If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have offered, sweetie."

"Well, in that case, I just want to make sure Amelia's fine with it. If she is, I guess I move in."

***********************************************************************

To both yours and Penny's surprise, Amelia's waiting for you at the house.

"Amelia?" Penny goes over to her. "Is everything okay?"

Amelia sighs. "Riley got sick, so the sleepover was cancelled. And I couldn't find the spare key."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie. You should've called. I'd have come home sooner if I'd known. Have you had dinner?"

Amelia nods. "Yeah. At the diner."

"Well, Y/N and I haven't had dinner yet, so we're going to get some now. I know you just ate, but do you want anything?"

"No thanks, I'm good."

Once you're all inside the house, Amelia turns to you. "Hi, Y/N. You staying to dinner?"

You nod, smiling shyly. "Yeah. If that's okay with you, I mean."

Amelia nods. "It's fine by me." Then she spots the shopping bags. "What did you buy?"

You let out a nervous giggle. "Er, it's skincare. Penny and I were planning to - er, have a spa night. If-"

Amelia giggles. "It's fine by me." Then she turns back to Penny. "I'm gonna go do my homework now. I got a lot of it, and it's all in for tomorrow."

"Looks like schools haven't changed much," you remark, which makes Penny laugh.

"They sure haven't."

But then you remember, and hastily call, "Hey, Amelia, could you wait a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

But then you can't find the words to ask her. Fortunately, after you give her a look, Penny understands, and adds, "Y/N and I have something we'd like to talk to you about."

"What's it about?"

Again, you can't find the words to say it, so you leave it to Penny.

"Would you mind if Y/N moved in with us? She's been having a hard time where she's staying, roommates partying late at night, and all sorts, and so she hasn't really been able to get a break."

Amelia doesn't even hesitate. "Yeah, sure. That's fine by me." Then she goes upstairs.

You stare at Penny in surprise. "She didn't even bat an eye!"

Penny just smiles. "So, are you going to move in?"

You nod. "Yes, absolutely. - Oh, but - when would I pack up and move? I don't have that many things, but I will have to notify uni, get the paperwork done, arrange transportation…"

"We'll sort that out tomorrow," replies Penny. "For now, let's just have our dinner, and then enjoy our spa night."

***********************************************************************

Penny's better than her word. The next day, after you've had breakfast (Penny insisted that you stay the night), Penny takes you back to the uni accommodation.

You're kind of nervous on the drive yet, even though you know that your roommates will probably be out shopping or something. You're not even sure why your nervous. After all, it's not like you have to be in class, either. It is a Sunday, after all.

It's only when you open your apartment door, that you realise why you were nervous.

The place is a tip.

And a lot of it's your mess. Your mess, that you were supposed to be cleaning up, on Saturday.

"I'm so, so sorry," you gasp, your cheeks burning. "I'd completely forgotten - I was supposed to clean it up yesterday - my roommates are going to be livid when they see this…"

Penny just chuckles. "It's not that bad, hon. Let's just pack an overnight bag plus a few extra bits of stuff for now, and move the bulk of your stuff next week, when I can get some help from Pete."

You breathe a sigh of relief - before remembering your roommates. "Oh - but what about my roommates?"

Penny takes a quick look around. "Well, I don't see any food here, so I think you can just bundle your stuff into some carrier bags, and we'll deal with it at my place."

"Ok." You're pretty happy with that idea, mostly because it means you won't have to deal with your roommates for a while longer. "Actually, I was wondering if we could, you know, pack the light stuff, like clothes and toiletries, and move it out over the next week or so? I'm just a bit worried that the others might accidentally take my stuff, 'cause I forgot to label it."

"That's a good idea," replies Penny. "It also means that we might not need Pete's help next week," she adds, under her breath. You have to hide your smile at the disappointment in her tone.

"Of course," continues Penny, this time more audibly, "we could have asked Jake to help. I'm sure he'd be very happy to."

Now it's her turn to hide a smile at your blushing.

"Shut up," you mumble, trying to hide the grin that's somehow appeared on your face. "I'll - er - just - grab a few things for now, and come back for anything else later."

***********************************************************************

"Hey, pretty girl!"

Smiling as you recognise Jake's voice, you turn around to face him. "Hi."

He returns your smile. "How was your week, honey?"

Your heart jumps into your throat at his question. "Oh, uh… it was good, I guess? Uh - how was yours?"

"It was okay," replies Jake, leaning a little further forward, "but I missed you, darlin'."

You turn away so he doesn't see you blush. "No, you didn't."

"Oh, but I did."

Normally, with your poor social skills, you'd pass it off as flirting. It wouldn't be exactly out character for him, after all.

But something in his tone makes you turn around, and look at him in surprise. It sounds like he actually means what he's saying. That he missed you.

"Uh-"

Jake cuts you off before you can finish. "I'll have a Jack and Coke, by the way."

"Oh - uh, sure…" You turn to get it for him, secretly feeling a bit hurt at his sudden abruptness. Maybe you misread.

But he still manages a small smile as you hand him his drink. "Thanks, hon. See you around."

And then he's gone, before you can reply.

As the evening wears on, your eyes keep turning in Jake's direction, so much so that you accidentally forget to give someone their drink - twice.

And then you see Jimmy grinning at you. "He likes you, you know," he says suddenly.

You blush. "Shush! He'll hear you."

Jimmy shrugs. "So? It's pretty obvious. Haven't you seen the way he looks at you?"

"It's your imagination," you reply, rather shortly. "I'm not pretty enough to attract attention, especially from him."

Jimmy just smiles. "Oh, you'd be surprised."

You shake your head, trying to brush it off, but deep down, you have a feeling that he's right. And you're not really sure how to feel about that.

**********************************************************************

Part 3

As always, I do not give permission for anyone to copy my work, post it elsewhere, etc.