KEEP A PLACE FOR ME // Wilbur Soot X Reader

8

Unfortunately, his set was quite good.

He was a rather good performer - he knew his was around a guitar, and he seemed comfortable on the stage. His songs were kind of depressing - even the funny ones - but he sang with almost tangible emotion and it was clear that this music was his, written by him, for him to sing. It was a part of him, and he had turned it into art.

He didn't notice you until a few songs in, but when he did you saw it too. He had been scanning over the crowd when he'd locked eyes with you and there had been a look of surprise on his face before he had moved into the next song.

You had grabbed Jazzy's arm. "Jazz."

She'd hummed, dragging her eyes away from the stage and towards you, questioning.

"He's the guy from my office." You said.

Her eyebrows had shot into her hairline. "Actually?"

You'd nodded.

She'd grabbed your hands. "We have to stay and talk to him after the set!"

"No, I think-"

"We're staying." She'd insisted. And that was that.

You'd enjoyed the rest of the set of course, but now, as you waited for Wilbur to come back from behind the bar, you couldn't help but be nervous. You barely knew this man, and his first impression of you had been you telling him off for being loud. He probably wasn't going to want to talk to you-

"I didn't expect to see you here."

He took the extra seat at your table, nodding to Jazzy before his gaze turned back to you. "It's Y/N, right?"

"It is." You said. You hadn't thought he would know have known your name.

"I'm Jazzy." Jazzy said.

"Wilbur." He said. "But you already know that." He added on, sheepishly, like an after thought.

Good lord, even the way he spoke was attractive.

"So." He said. "What'd you think?"

"You're better than I thought you'd be." You said, cringing a little internally as it came out more brash than you intended. "I didn't know it was you when we sat down, but you're actually alright."

"I think you're quite good." Jazzy said, getting up with her empty pint. "I'll be right back." She said, winking not-so-discreetly at you before she headed over to the bar.

You watched her go. You really would rather have not sat with your annoyingly attractive neighbor who you barely knew while you made an absolute fool of yourself, but it seemed that Jazzy had other plans.

"So it that what you're doing when I'm trying to work?" You asked. "Writing songs and whatnot?"

"Sometimes, I suppose." Wilbur said.

"Wouldn't a recording studio be more appropriate for that sort of thing?" You pointed out.

"It's less expensive at the office." He said. "And I wouldn't really get cute journalists come to yell at me in a recording studio."

Whatever you had been about to say died in your throat as his comment hit you. He had said it so offhandedly, like it was just something that had crossed his mind in the moment.

You laughed, deciding to ignore that for the time being.

"I take it your friend listens to my stuff?" He asked, nodding to the seat where Jazzy had been sitting.

"I wasn't even going to be here tonight," You said. "It's Jazzy and her sister that are big into the local music scene, but Maddy couldn't come last minute so Jazz dragged me along. I'm, ah, glad I came though. It was nice. I liked that one song you played about Vienna."

Wilbur hummed thoughtfully, resting his elbow on the table. "That's one of my favorites. I'm glad you liked it. Do you want a copy of the album?"

"What?" You asked.

"Hold on, I have..." He reached behind him, to where he had leaned his guitar case against the chair and dug around in the pockets until he pulled out a CD, and laid it on the table in front of you.

You picked it up, watching the light glint off the plastic case. "A CD? And you just carry them around?"

"Yes, a CD." He said. "Old tech is kind of my thing."

You raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you have all your songs downloaded onto MP3 players too?"

He tilted his head and laughed. "No, but that's a good idea. I should think about that... for the brand, of course."

"For the brand." You echoed, turning the CD over in your hand.

Wilbur hummed, his eyes sweeping over your face once more before he lifted himself out of his chair, slinging his guitar over his shoulder.  "I've got to go, but it was nice seeing you. I'll see you around the office, yeah?"

"Sure." You said, watching him go. He glanced once over his shoulder and waved to you before  he ducked out of the pub and into the night.

The skinny jeans he had been wearing looked really good on him.

You spun the CD around on the table, your head resting in your hand as you waited for Jazzy to return. You didn't want to stay out too late - you had work tomorrow and Jazzy had class.

"Aw, he's gone?" Jazzy said, sliding back into her seat.

"Yeah." You said. "He left this though, here." You slid the CD across the table to her, watching as her eyes lit up as she examined this. "It's his album." You got up from your seat, pulling out your keys. "C'mon."

"We should listen to it on the ride home!" Jazzy said excitedly, getting up as well.

"We just listened to it live." You said, leading the way out of the pub and into the chilly autumn night. You unlocked your car as Jazzy all but skipped over, plopping down in the passenger seat.

As you were sliding into the drivers side, she was loading the CD into the player, and pressing play on the first track.

You rolled your eyes, but let the music play.