Brawl Stars x Reader

Never Too Late (Barley x Reader)

"What you rushing for, Y/N?" Britney, your co-worker, asked you as you hurriedly packed up all your things, desperate to get there on time. "Our meeting literally ended at 10 because of that late idiot. Where are you even going to go?"

"I'm going to Barley's," You rushed out. "Something big happened, and I need to comfort him."

"Oh, I see," Britney winked. "You gonna confess?"

"No, it's not like that!" You protested. "I'm just...going to...help...a friend."

Britney sighed and asked, "When are you gonna admit you like him?"

"It's too late anyways," You muttered. "He probably likes someone else. And he probably closed the bar, too."

"Y/N," Britney clutched your shoulder, "It's never too late for love."

She literally dragged you down to the carpark and said, "C'mon. I'll give you a ride, Y/N."

You gladly followed her-you didn't have a car of your own anyways, so this would be much faster than taking the bus, which had terrible frequencies this time of the night.

Soon enough, you stopped outside the familiar scene of Barley's bar, which was currently devoid of customers, with only Barley inside cleaning stuff.

You came here everyday to talk to him, missing him after long days of work. And today, he needed you more than ever, and you...You were probably ready to start something new.

It had taken this long to build up the courage, so you hoped you wouldn't be shot down. Hopefully, it really was never too late for love.

Britney waved goodbye as you entered the dark shop, the jingle of the bells cutting through the otherwise silent atmosphere. 

Barley looked up and gave you a small smile when he saw you.

"Hi, Y/N. I'm...glad you came today. I really needed the company."

"Hi, Barley," you said with a happy tone, trying to cheer him up. It had been a tough day for him, which was why you just had to accept his invitation for you to come over.

"So...what happened?" You asked lightly as Barley passed you a martini, your usual.

"Well..." Barley murmured.

At first, when Selene and I got married, we were so happy, so blissful, so joy-filled. We had great times together, we shared passion for bar-tending...in the beginning, we were both down to play, then somehow she went astray. From there, everything took a downwards spiral, leading to chaos, fights, and eventually...she told me she loved someone else and had cheated on me. So we had a bitter, tough divorce. And now...I lost everything I ever had.

You had no idea what to say to that, so you stuck with a simple, "I'm sorry."

Barley assured, "Don't worry, it has nothing to do with you. But thanks for letting me unload my feelings on you. And...while we're on this subject, I'm actually...okay. I realised...Selene and I have no other things in common apart from bar-tending. And honestly, I think I didn't love her anymore. Now, it's so obvious to me...I like another person now."

And there it was. The only possible window for you to join Barley had been closed again by another person. Which was why it was impossible to be with Barley-everybody liked him.

But then you remembered what Britney told you. It was "never too late for love".

So you told Barley, "Look, barley, I've never told you this, but..."

"For a long time, I've had feelings for you. And only recently, I realised those feelings were love. I know it may be too late for you to have a change of heart, but I just needed you to know this."

Barley grinned slowly as he whispered, "I was just about to say, the person I like is you, Y/N. And as for your worries...it's never too late for love."

And then, under the romantic yellow light of the bar, the stars shining outside brightly, he pressed his lips against yours.