Robert didn't particularly like this neighborhood, and he certainly didn't care for the pressed-shirt types that populated it. But, the house wasn't expensive, and it suited all of his needs. The way he saw it, as long as he kept his distance from all the white picket fence type of people, he'd do just fine.
He was working on a shitbox car in the attached garage—another cheap purchase, but it did just enough to carry him this far. The summer sun was cooking him in the un-air conditioned space, even with the garage door pulled up to allow the occasional breeze to come in.Robert cursed upon catching his finger on a poorly placed hole near what he was sure was the carburetor. He jerked back, tossing an oily rag back against the ground in a huff before nursing his sore finger.
He tried to take a breather, wiping his clean hand over his neck. Better to clear away the sweat that had built up on his skin before stepping away from the mess. He went into the driveway to catch that bit of breeze that rolled past the house, and it didn't come alone.
You were riding past the house on your bike, hair blown back in the wind and the sun kissing your exposed skin. It was the first thing that caught his eye, with the last being your cutoff denim shorts tightly hugging your ass.
You had ole Robert turning his head just as you passed his trash bins. It wasn't until you rolled your pedals back to brake, coming to a solid stop as your shoe hit the pavement. He quickly averted his eyes the second they connected with yours, leaving him to miss the small and mischievous smile that pulled along your lips.You caught the moment he dared to look back at you, giving him a friendly wave. He stared back for a second, confused by any actual neighborly behavior, let alone from someone like you.
He waved back before you turned away, watching as you kicked back off the road and cycled away. You left him with just the short memory of your shapely figure working over a blue cruiser bicycle.
He tried to clear his mind by putting his focus back on the car, but he never made much progress. He was quickly admitting defeat after an hour of fucking around with it.
Tossing his tools back in their box, he reached for the pull cord to yank the door to the garage closed when he heard a familiar spin of bicycle spokes. He spared a glance out at the road and was surprised by a familiar face.
You were off your bike this time, choosing instead to roll it along the road.
He offered another wave, much like you had upon your first passing, only this time you spoke back to him in return.
"Hello"Your voice sounded sweet, even airy, and it easily caught Robert off guard. "Uh, hey there."
"What's your name?" You chirped back.
"Me?" He mouthed back, barely audible. You recognized the gesture all the same.
"Is there someone else in there with you? You laughed.
He scoffs before answering the previous question. "My name's Robert."
"Do you have a bike pump, Robert?" You asked.
"What?" It was all he'd given back as a response, somewhat dumbfounded as to why the hell you were even talking to him in the first place.
"Do you.." you began to repeat, only to be cut off midway.
"I heard you; I just...why?" He finally spit out the question. Why?
Why were you smiling at him, battering your lashes in his direction? Why were you even giving him a second glance, let alone asking him for anything?
"My tire went flat." You say as you roll your bike closer, crossing onto his concrete driveway and overstepping an invisible boundary.
Robert didn't answer again, standing mostly agast with the garage cord still in between his fingers. He doesn't know how to talk to gentle young things like you, and he gaped at the absurdity of the conversation like a fish out of water.
"You don't want to help me, Robert?" You said with a soft pout as you dug the toe of your shoe side to side on the concrete.
He counters back quickly, although his words end up being fumbled. "No...I." He had to think for a second, "I can help; just give me a second," and with that, he pushed the garage door back up and turned back to look for the needed bike pump.
You follow him inside, rolling your bike alongside you as he disappears behind the car. It annoyed him a little bit that you didn't just stay put; in fact, you seemed to linger just a little too closely for his own comfort.
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Oneshots
FanfictionAll my one-shots (because separate ones were getting pulled off by wattpad)