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Characters: Bobby & you

Setting: neighbours to lovers au

Genre: fluff,  slice of life

Words: 1.5k

Summary:  A.k.a what happens when you ask your cute neighbour to babysit your pink-obsessed cousin for a while.

“Hi!“

You wave awkwardly when you see the hooded figure of your neighbour at the opening door. Fluffy, locks of his dyed hair are peeking out under the soft, grey material as he stares at you sleepily. Gosh you hope you didn’t wake him up. But come on, it’s already half past nine.

“Sorry to bother you but I have a favour to ask. Are you busy?” you bit into your lower lip while anticipating his answer with a loudly beating heart. It’s not an everyday thing of you to go around asking people to do anything for you. You’re usually on the other end of the question but today, you really need help and you dare to hope that the handsome neighbour guy won’t turn your request down.

Bobby moved into the apartment right next to yours a few months ago and the first time you saw him, he knocked on your door at 10pm asking if you had any extra chopsticks because he forgot all of his at his old place. But ever since then he occasionally stopped by asking for coffee or a match, once even fire-extinguisher which no, you didn’t have and you didn’t dare to ask why he needed since the apartment wasn’t burning or anything. He always promised to pay you back but you pushed his worries away. It’s nothing, you tend to say and you mean it. After all, he’s the one saving you from throwing out so much food!

One thing about your cooking skills is that you cannot measure properly, like at all, you always end up making way too much for yourself and while your best friend has a very peculiar taste, Bobby is always up for free food. Even if it’s terrible. He even complimented on your burnt lasagne that you originally wanted to throw out but he didn’t let you. So yeah, you interacted quite a bit in these last months despite not knowing each other too well. But you know him well enough to trust him. He’s a very kind person, always helping grandmas carrying their stuff and listening to grandpas talking about the war. Not to mention you might have a tiny bit of a crush on him ever since you saw him play with the fluffy golden dog on the ground floor. It was adorable. The little labrador even stole the envelope from his hands and Bobby chased the wiggly tailed dog around to get it back. Or was it maybe since you saw him trying to get into his house while balancing eight cup of noodles on his arms while getting out of his house keys?

“Uh… no, I’m not busy,” Bobby mumbles rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and your shoulders relax immediately.

“Can you come over and keep an eye on my cousin while I’m gone to get this paper from my workplace real quick? I swear I will be back before you know it and I will supply you with food for a month. I know she can be a heathen for real. Please, it would save me,” you’re rambling – and you know it – while putting your hands together staring at the half-awake guy with big puppy eyes. You’re pretty sure he didn’t process half of the stuff you said but he nods anyway.

“Yeah, sure,” he shrugs and you feel the sudden urge to hug or kiss him. But you do either because you don’t want to get on his wrong side by jumping on him just like that.  

“Oh my gosh, thank you!” you sigh and walking him to your apartment, you try to get him ready for the pink mess your cousin is. Why did you think it was a good idea to help out your aunt and uncle to babysit their daughter for the entire Friday while working from home office when you should write tons of paper before the month ends? Anyways… “You don’t have to do much, she’s seven, so she can play games by herself or just  put on some Barbie movie for her on Netflix. I just don’t want her anywhere near my kitchen or getting hurt or anything.”

“Okay, I can do that,” Bobby nods with a determined look on his face and takes off the hoodie from his head to ruffle up his hair that has gotten longer since you know him. It looks really good on him though.

“Hey Mina, this is Bobby, he will be here with you while I’m gone. I will bring chocolate and then we can make brownies, okay?” You sit down next to your cousin once you make it into your apartment. She looks up from her colouring book, acknowledges Bobby’s presence then goes back to her colourful pencils.

You turn back to Bobby and lower your voice.

“You have my number, right? Just call me if she’s being too much trouble or…”

“Don’t worry, we will be ok,” the boy smiles gently and it warms your heart. You try your best to believe him and you really do but the what ifs make you go insane. You grab your coat and bag, then leave quietly after glancing at the awkward pair of an overgrown guy and a little pink princess next to each other.

Please, let him be wanting to see you even if Mina cracks him up, you pray.

It takes almost an hour to get to your workplace, getting the papers you need and then the ride back to the apartment with the detour of the corner supermarket for the promised chocolates. Well, on the bright side you didn’t receive any panicky calls, so you’re kind of hopeful when you open the door to your apartment. However, nothing could ever prepare you for what you were going to see.

“Unnie, do you wanna join our breakfast tea time?” Mina is beckoning you closer with a beaming look on her face but it’s not the change in her mood that makes you halt at the doorstep of the living room.

Sitting on the floor by the coffee table, ‘drinking’ from empty tea cups is Bobby with his hair braided back in two neat lines and his nails are pink just like your cousin’s. Your jaw drops and your heart swoons.

“Hey,” he greets you with a shy smile playing on his lips and you find it very much adorable.

“So I guess, you had fun?” you walk closer slowly after kicking off your heels and joining them on the floor.

“The best of fun. You didn’t tell me you had so fun neighbours. Can Bobby come over next time too when I visit you?” Mina is jumping up and down with so much enthusiasm you rarely see on her.

“You won’t even come because of me but him?” you fake pout which makes Bobby laugh next to you.

“No, I will come because of you. Bobby is just extra!” Your cousin tries to make up for you quickly but it makes Bobby put a hand over his heart. She dig a hole for herself with such a statement.

“Oh you wound me, young lady. But next time I will teach you how to play video games like a pro,” he promises then they start a childish wrestling that make Mina burst out in fits of giggles. Oh what a sight to watch! You can’t get enough, you’re literally melting.

Bobby ends up staying for lunch and even for baking the brownie. He’s still there when your aunt arrives to pick up Mina who can’t shut up about Bobby. (She might have a crush too but your family will definitely hear rumours about you getting yourself a boyfriend after this.)

But when they finally leave, the apartment suddenly feels too quiet and you don’t know what to do or what to say.

“Uhm… thank you for today,” you awkwardly blurt out fumbling with the sleeves of your shirt and glancing up at the boy who looks so at home on your couch.

“No it’s okay, I had fun,” he beams at you, eyes sparkling. Absentmindedly you poke at his braided hair questioning what he actually meant by fun and both of you laugh. “You know we could do this more often. Hanging out and stuff.”

“With my cousin?” You furrow your brows and the corners of the boy’s mouth twitch.

“Well, not just with her. Like the two of us. Do you maybe wanna grab dinner tomorrow and watch a movie?” he asks straightforwardly and you feel warmth bubbling in your chest.You’re suddenly aware how close you sit and how nice it is.

“Like a date?” you ask to confirm in a hopeful voice and Bobby’s smile is just getting wider. “Yeah, I would like to.”

You would have never believed your cousin will help you score a date with cute neighbour guy but you don’t complain. Not at all.