Stalker's Tango | Bartolomeo x Reader

Lifestyle Insights

The loud ping of your phone interrupted your conversation midway. Both you, Koala and Sabo looked over at it as the screen flashed - your hand reaching out as you picked it up.

Meo the Punk - Hey beautiful, I'm coming through the area. I can pick you up if you want.

"Law?" Sabo asked inquisitively, to which you shook your head. Law was too busy to even look in his phone's direction.

"No, It's Meo." Your lips subconsciously curled. "His lecture must've finished."

"Ooh, look at you with your boyfriend and all that!" Koala exclaimed, wiggling an eyebrow in a cheeky fashion. You looked her dead in the eyes, dissolving into a sigh while she started to laugh loudly and drew the attention of a few others inside of the cafe.

It had been more or less a week now since you and Bartolomeo mended the broken bond. Or rift, should we say. Like you had asked, neither of you ever brought up what had happened and it was like nothing ever changed. Well, except from the fact that the two of you were officially together now instead of being in the awkward date-mates area.

"So, is everything okay?"

You nodded and looked up at Sabo, right before casting your eyes out onto the road. This specific cafe was in quite a busy area of the city and there were a lot of different people who came by in passing.

It was perfect for people-watching.

"He's saying he can pick me up if I want because he's coming this way."

"Oh, did you tell him we were going to be here?" Koala quizzed, wondering only because this whole thing had been very last minute.

Your smile flickered.

It was obvious that in her mind, she thought you probably willingly let him know where you were because that was a pretty normal thing for a couple to do. You, however, knew that wasn't the case and you hadn't said a word; but you glazed over that. There was no point in starting something from nothing.

Besides, you had already chosen to forgive whatever came your way.

"Yeah I did." You lied easily with a smile. You didn't want to lie to your friends, but you felt like that habit was slowly ingraining itself into your mind. "Don't want him tearing up half of Grand Line because he thinks I've been kidnapped."

"He'd do that?"

You didn't look Koala in the eye but laughed. "Yeah, he would."

He would.

"Sounds like a great guy." Sabo mused, earning a nod from you.

He... was.

The three of you continued to talk away, getting lost in conversation. It had been quite some time since you had spoken to either of them - all of you had been extremely busy. Honestly though, you weren't complaining. Between university work, friends and Bartolomeo, everything was going as smooth as possible. You were loving life.

Just as the hour turned, you could hear the prominent rumble of a car coming closer and closer even through the glass of the cafe. Your head turning also caused your friends' heads to turn and the lot of you looked out onto the street.

Pulled up to the curb was a familiar, sleek, silver Audi, stalled and ready for you to up and go.

"Wow, that's a nice car."

Laughing, you gave Sabo a raise of your eyebrow just as you stood to your feet. "Sabo, it's just as nice as yours."

He paused for a moment, shrugging. "Fair."