KEEP A PLACE FOR ME // Wilbur Soot X Reader

5

You kicked your shoes off as you walked in the door of the flat, letting it swing shut behind you. You could hear the television running in the living room, and you hung your bag and your coat on the doorknob on the door to your room before you walked in and flopped onto the couch next to Maddy.

"Hi Y/N." She said, glancing away from what she was watching for a moment. She had always been a fan of medieval dramas, and this program was no different, you had arrived in the midst of a bloody battle.

"What are we watching?" You asked, watching armor clang as the armies met in the middle of the field.

"It's about King Henry V." She said. "It's not as good as the one we were watching about Queen Victoria, but I like it."

You hummed and settled into the couch, letting your body unwind from being hunched over your computer all day. "Where's Jazzy?"

"It was her turn to do dinner tonight, so she's out getting some Nandos." Maddy said.

"I could go for some Nandos tonight." You said.

Maddy raised an eyebrow in interest.

You dismissed it with a wave. "I'll tell you when Jazzy gets back, she'll want to hear about it too."

"It's not to do with that one neighbor again, is it?" Maddy said.

You nodded, and she clicked her tongue sympathetically before refocusing her attention on the television. You watched the battle progress with her, past the field skirmish and all the way to the execution of the opposing monarchs. You closed your eyes when their heads were sliced off, but Maddy loved every bloody detail.

You heard Jazzy when she opened the door, and the rustle of takeover bags as she dropped them in the kitchen. "I've got food!"

Maddy switched off the television and you both headed to the kitchen where Jazzy was taking out all the food.

"Did you get my order?" You asked, scanning over the boxes.

Jazzy slid a container towards you, and a little rub of sauce. "Did you get my order, she asks." She tutted, rolling her eyes.

You grinned, taking the food and sitting down on one of the barstools. "Thanks Jazz."

Maddy took her order and sat down next to you, letting Jazzy take the remaining barstool on the other side of the island. You cracked open the box in front of you and popped some of the food into your mouth, savoring the taste.

"Just what I needed." You sighed as you chewed.

"Good takeout always eases the soul after a rough day." Maddy said sagely, eating some of her own.

Jazzy's eyes flicked between you and Maddy. "What's this about a rough day? Do tell."

You sighed. "It was my office neighbor again."

Jazzy frowned. "I thought you went and told, uh... what's his name?"

"Oscar." Maddy supplied.

"Yeah, Oscar, that he was being noisy?" Jazzy said.

You took another bite. "I did, and he was fine for about a week, but then he was screaming and carrying on again today."

Maddy frowned. "Even after you told Oscar?"

"Dickhead." Jazzy said. "You should've gone and said something to him. Told him to shut up."

"I did. Well, not that exactly, but I told him that he was being loud." You said.

"And?" Maddy prompted.

"He was..." You said. "Not what I was expecting."

Jazzy quirked an eyebrow. "In what way?"

You paused, tapping your fingers on the grantor top of the island. "He was proper fit."

Maddy's eyebrows shot up into her hairline and Jazzy giggled, leaning forward slightly. "Describe him!"

"He was really tall." You said. "And he was wearing a beanie - just a few curls stuck out the side. And he had big round glasses. He looked like the sort of guy you would find in a coffee shop reading a book."

Jazzy grinned. "You should bring him a tea or something when you go in tomorrow."

"No, no." You said. "None of that."

Jazzy pouted. "Why not?"

"He's annoying, and I've already told him off." You said. "Just because he's fit doesn't mean he's not a nuisance."

"If you're nice to him, he'll probably be less of a nuisance." Jazzy said.

You paused at that, rolling the thought over in your head. There was an argument to be made for that - and she was probably right - but your pride was not about to let that happen. He had been bothering you for months, you weren't going to go drool over him just because he was attractive.

"No." You said.

"Y/N!" Jazzy whined. "You're wasting a perfect opportunity!"

"We're not living in one of those sappy romance novels." You said. "He's annoying, and I'm trying to do my job. That's not an opportunity, it's something I have to deal with."

Jazzy sighed, gathering up the empty bags and boxes. "But it could be." She dumped them into the trash before heading into the living room.

You turned to Maddy, looking for support, but she just shrugged.

"You're supposed to help me." You said.

"You should take me to your office Christmas party this year so you can introduce me." Maddy countered, getting up and bringing her empty boxes over to the trash.

You made a face at her, but she just smiled, pausing before she went into the living room. "Jazz and I are going to finish that episode, do you want to watch?"

You shook your head, finishing up your dinner. "Cant."

Maddy frowned. "Working again?"

"The deadline is at the end of the week." You said apologetically. "I would really like to, but-"

"You don't have to be sorry." Maddy said. "We know you're busy... I just thought I should ask." She smiled thinly. "We'll be in here if you need us." She disappeared into the living room, and you heard the television turn back on, the sounds fo swords clanging and armies shouting filling the space.

You looked down at the empty containers in front of you and sighed. Time to get back to work.