Jily Oneshots (pt2)

Ice to Meet You

by PetalsToFish on archiveofourown.org

There was nothing quiet about the dive bar she’d wandered into. There was screaming over the music, the sounds of glasses clinking together under neon lights, and an insistent hum of the bass every time the music got a little too loud. She’d used it as an escape from the boy she’d spotted in the street on her way home, and thankfully she no longer saw him on the icy streets. It was safe to continue her way home.

She put her coat back on and wrapped her scarf around her neck, focused on the door, her grand escape. The bar was filled to the brim with people her age. Lily much preferred the company of her old senior friends back at the retirement home. They came with less expectations and more free food than anyone in this bar could offer.

A handsome boy with jet black hair and purple wire specs smiled at her over his beer as she passed. Lily gave him a kind smile back and an awkward wave…that ended up smacking his friend in the face with a good backhanded swing.

The friend leaned away from her hand, narrowing his eyes at her, “watch where you’re swinging that thing.”

“I. Am. So. Sorry.” Lily brought both hands to her own mouth, feeling mortified as everyone's eyes fell on her.

The handsome one wearing specs said, “oh, he’s just being dramatic.”

“Maybe she knocked some sense into him,” a brunette suggested over her whiskey on ice.

“As if anyone could knock sense into Sirius.” Another said, making everyone in the group burst into laughter.

“I swear I didn’t mean–” Lily stumbled over her words, reaching out her hands only to retract them as everyone around them laughed. It was like something out of a sitcom she would watch on Sunday afternoon shifts at the old family center, only this was real life and she was the idiot who smacked a stranger in the face. Lily felt a little sick from all the attention placed on her and squeaked a quick goodbye before rushing to the door.

Get to the door. She repeated over and over in her head, like a mantra. Get to the door.

Lily was so focused on making her escape that she forgot about the rough patch of ice right outside the bar. Her right foot caught on the slippery surface. She wobbled, trying to fix herself, but it was too late as she felt herself slipping. It was like slow motion, falling backwards with no time to grab onto anything for support. She could see the hard cement floor of the bar, where she was destined to fall if she didn’t twist a little more to catch herself.

Break her neck or her hands…neither seemed convenient for a woman who made a living helping others. It was a hard choice she’d never been prepared to make. She supposed if she got a concussion, the plus was that she’d never remember the embarrassing interaction that happened previously.

Memory loss.

What a perk of slipping on ice.

Suddenly, two strong hands caught her under her armpits and lugged up, against the force of gravity. It was like coming to a complete stop on a roller coaster in the middle of the biggest twist. Lily’s hair hung down, her eyes looked up, and she stared into the hazel eyes of the boy who had unknowingly sent her on this series of embarrassment. The boy tilted his head at her, offering her a very toothy smile.

“Ice to meet you.” He said, a hint of humor evident in his voice.

Lily didn’t answer, she was still mortified. How could she have ended up falling into his arms. She knew he’d been at least ten feet away, and then Lily realized stupidly that he must’ve been following her out. If he was following her out it meant that he'd wanted to talk to her. Alarms went off in her head as she realized he must fancy getting to know her.