Heaven // NASCAR Oneshots

Superhero // Ryan Blaney

"What a dork. Who comes into a coffee shop to read comics?" I took a deep, steady breath and pretended I didn't exist as I hid in the furthest corner of my favorite coffee shop.

This was my escape from reality, my safe haven from the real world, and now the one place I always felt safe at, was now tainted with comments and dirty looks.

"Doesn't she know she looks so stupid? I mean, look at her faded red hair, chipped nail polish. I bet those are knock-off Docs. She's clearly a wannabe. I could look better in that outfit." I sunk a little further in my seat, trying to turn my back to the girls snickering but it was no use.

Tears stung my eyes as they went on and on, picking apart my outfit and then starting to say horrible things about my family like they would even know them.

"Excuse me? Is this seat taken?" I look up to see a guy my age smiling at me with two iced coffees in his hands. He had a bright smile, unruly brown hair that stuck out of his hat that curled a little bit. He had on jeans and cowboy boots and a shirt with a cool faded logo I've never seen before.

"Um..." My voice was lost in my throat as he took the initiative and sat down next to me. I was on a small bench seat with a tiny table in front of me but there was plenty of room for two people. This man was tiny, but his presence took up the whole space, making my head dizzy with how amazing he smelled and those blue eyes of his...

"My name is Ryan, I asked the barista what you were drinking. I saw your comics, I'm a huge fan myself. I even have some Star Wars tattoos. I was thinking of getting an Iron Man one, but I wasn't sure." I blinked at him as he started to ramble off, a slight twang to his voice.

"Addie," I offered, unsure of what to say as I looked at him and he gave me a soft smile.

"Sorry, my friends tell me I overshare and invite myself into personal spaces when I shouldn't, but I saw you had the new issue of Spider-Woman, I love Gwen."

"Holy. Shit."

Those two words brought me back to reality. I groaned when I looked and saw the girls who were saying shit about me now staring blatantly at Ryan and I.

"Ignore them, they've been talking shit about me ever since they came in."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, look at me. My hair isn't perfect, I'm wearing second-hand clothes and I'm a nerd with glasses who's spending her Friday night reading comics."

"So? I think you look great. Your hair color is the same as one of my cars. I'm wearing a shirt that's at least 30 years old and this is the first time in months I'm not working on Friday and here I sit, talking to a cute girl I want to get to know better." My heart dropped into my stomach when he said those last words. A blush rose to his cheeks and I knew he wasn't kidding me.

This Ryan character was too good to be true and yet here he sat, speaking nothing but the truth. I could see it in his eyes and the way he would smile at me shyly.

Movement from the corner of my eye made me move closer to him, automatically wanting to hide behind him as the girls who were just taunting me were now walking over to us.

"Blaney? Can we get your autograph?" I blinked in surprise as the girls approached our table and then looked at Ryan whose face was even redder now. However, that sweet smile from earlier was gone and was replaced with a straight line.

Wait.

"Autograph?" Ryan looked sheepishly at me and then looked up at the girls.

"No. It is my understanding that you have been harassing my new friend Addie here. You owe her an apology. I'm not going to give you my autograph or take a selfie. If you were a true fan of mine, you'd know that I love comics and yet you sat there on the other side of the coffee shop and made fun of the one thing that I absolutely love. Why is that okay?"

"I.. um.."

"I mean, we were just joking."

"So, it would be totally okay if I made fun of your outfits, joked how your coffee is so white it probably doesn't even have coffee in it. Pointed out that the quote tattooed on your arm is actually from a comic book, but yet you probably got it because it was cool and trendy, am I right?" I chuckled when my eyes went down to the girl's arm and saw the famous quote from Batman. 'It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.' She quickly hid it behind her back and her face went stark red. "Totally cool, right?" Ryan gave them a look that actually scared me a little bit, but it was all in my defense.

This gorgeous man, who, I'm realizing is famous in a way, is defending me!

"Ugh, I'm sorry."

"Yeah...," The girls looked down at their feet and then stumbled into each other before cursing and jetting out of the coffee house as quickly as they could.

"I can't stand girls like that. I see it all the time. Are you okay, Addie?" Ryan moved in closer and rested his hand on my thigh.

"I've never had anyone stand up for me before."

"Then I'm glad I was able to do that for you."

"Why, though? I'm nobody when you're clearly someone." Ryan scrunched his nose and took away the hand that was resting on my thigh and waved his hand in the air. I immediately missed his warm touch.

"I drive a racecar for a living, it's not that special."

"Clearly it is if someone is asking for your autograph."

"It's not worth anything, anyways."

"If I asked for it, would you give it to me?" Ryan looked at me for a moment and then smirked. He reached for my notebook I had on the table and a pen. I carefully watched as he held the notebook away from me, writing something quickly, and then laid it down on the table. I looked at it and just laughed.

"What in the world is this rubbish! I can't even read your name." I picked it up and laughed at how I saw an R and the number 12. Then my heart melted when I noticed underneath it there was a phone number.

"Go out with me? I want to take you out. There's this place downtown that you'll love. Its elegance meets old school. There's a murder mystery-themed dinner, I think you'd enjoy it."

"Famous racecar driver is asking me out?"

"No, your superhero is asking you out, because I did just save the day." Ryan pursed his lips and sat up straight, expanding his chest, and did a stupid superhero pose.

"Ry." I couldn't help but laugh but then suddenly his lips were right there, mere inches from me. I could smell the coffee on his breath as he looked into my eyes.

He shifted, tilting my chin up slightly, and then whispered, "please." I nodded my head, suddenly forgetting how to speak when he leaned forward and gave me such a tender kiss that melted away all of my insecurities from earlier before.

Ryan tasted amazing and it took all I had to fight the urge of fisting his shirt to pull him into a deep kiss. Unfortentually, he pulled away as quickly as he leaned in and gave me one of those smiles that made my stomach flip.

"Text me your address and wear your favorite comic related shirt and I'll do the same. I can't wait to see you tonight." With that, Ryan took my hand in his, bringing it up to his lips, and kissed it. "Until then."

I watched Ryan leave the coffee shop with an extra bounce in his step as he walked out the door. I watched as he bent down to do something and I realized he was untying his dog.

It hit me then that Ryan didn't plan on staying while he grabbed a coffee. He saw the whole scene unfold in front of him and wanted to make sure I was okay. I sighed, picking up my phone, and quickly texted him my address with a little note attached knowing if I wasn't careful, I was going to fall head over heels for this man.

Thank you for saving me today <3