A Ground Rule or Two. (1/1, Glee, Rachel/Mike)
Title: A Ground Rule Or Two.
Fandom: Glee.
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Rachel Berry/Mike Chang; Brief Mentions of past Rachel/Finn.
Rating: G.
Word Count: 1,143.
Spoiler(s)/Warning(s): General Spoilers aka anything is fair game.
Author Notes: All mistakes are my own as I don't have a beta. Written for gleeverse's Tell Me A Story Challenge. Also written for 10iloveyou, Prompt #3-Rules. [ Table]
A Ground Rule or Two
Mike smiled sheepishly at the tiny brunette. He played with his hands underneath the table, a habit he had picked up years ago whenever he was nervous and sitting across from the diva-esque brunette was more than playing on his nerves. He liked Rachel, he really did. She was sweet when she was not being overbearing. That is one of the reasons he had wanted to ask her out to begin with. It was not because he felt sorry for her, as she had originally accused him of.
Now here he was, sitting in a booth at Breadstix with the tiny brunette staring at him as though he were going to suddenly reveal to her that this was all a joke and that he had the football team on standby in the parking lot. Her fingers where clasped together as she rested her chin on the bridge her hands made.
“Now, Michael, as honored I am that you have requested a date with me I believe we should begin with a few…ground rules before we start on any sort of romantic relationship.” He blinked in response, wondering how a first date warranted a set list of rules. Apparently, she took his silence as an okay to continue. “First, as you well know, Finn and I broke up just a few months ago. If we are to proceed, we are to take things slowly. I do not wish to have a repeat of last year’s disaster.” He nodded and she smiled slightly before continuing. “Second, I am whole-heartedly trying to save myself for a future husband, if that should be you than so be it. However, I will not appreciate being forced to do something that I am not ready for.”
Again, Mike nodded, though he was not going to lie and say he was thrilled over the whole “No Sex Rule”. She did say she was trying to save herself and if things worked out maybe, he could change that. He was not Puck, so it was not like he needed sex to live or anything. Besides, he was always a pretty laidback guy. Then his thoughts went to the mention of possibly being Rachel Berry husband material. How did that happen? They had not even really started on their first date and there was already some sort of talk of marriage. What did he just get himself in too?
“Finally, I would appreciate it if you did not try to change me. I rather like how I am and I will not change for anyone.”
Mike focused on Rachel. Somehow, she had gone from rule number two to rule number ten and he had missed them all. However, that did not matter. What mattered was that horribly sad look in her eyes that had appeared the moment she had stated that last rule. He felt something in his chest at the realization that maybe Finn had tried to push her to change who she was. The expression on her face didn’t settle well with him and before he knew it, Mike had slid out of his side of the booth and slipped in beside Rachel before she could utter another word.
He wrapped his arms around her, a small squeak of surprise leaving the brunette when he had pulled her close to him. “I’d never change you. I do not want you to change. I like you the way you are, that’s why I asked you out Rachel.”
For once, she did not have a reply; instead, she pressed her face against his chest as her hand fisted around the fabric of his shirt. They sat in each other’s arms for a while. A waitress came and went quickly the moment he had looked up at her with a soft glare.
“How about we skip lunch and go watch a movie instead?” he offered.
Rachel pulled away from his first, quickly wiping the few tears that had managed to slip from her eyes. She giggled softly and gave a slight nod, “I think I would prefer that.”
He gave her his brightest smile and he could not deny the way his heart skipped a beat when she had returned it with one of her own. They left Breadstix, after he left the waitress a five-dollar tip even though they had not ordered anything.
When Rachel asked why, he shrugged, “I feel bad. I think I scared her when I glared at her. You know I’m not a glarer Rachel.”
She giggled again and the sound only made the butterflies that had somehow settled in his stomach go into a frenzy. Despite it being the first date, he was beginning to think everything would be worth it just to hear her laugh and be happy. She deserved that, especially after everything that she had been through.
So, when he let her pick the movie and they sat through Adam Sandler’s Just Go With It, he thought he hit the jackpot. Rachel laughed and awed at the sweet moments in the film. She had even let loose a little when he had tossed a piece of popcorn at her, teasing her for being a hopeless romantic. She had giggled and retaliated, throwing three pieces one right after the other. He had caught her hand when she tried to reach for another piece. The look he received, cutest thing ever. She blushed and quickly turned back to the screen, but he figured it meant something when she did not bother to take her hand away. God, how he could not stop grinning.
“Thank you, Michael,” she stated as they stood on her front porch, “I appreciate what you did for me.”
He bumped her with his shoulder, “You’re making it sound like I took you on a pity date or something Rachel,” he hated to see the way he face feel at his words, “And this was not a pity date. I had a lot of fun Rach. See how much fun you can be when you let loose a little.”
She giggled, “I suppose it doesn’t hurt to have fun every once in a while.”
Mike grinned and she leaned in to kiss his cheek. He knew there had been a rule of some kind about no kissing on the first date but he could not stop himself. Mike turned his head just in time to catch her lips. It was sweet and he lips tastes like grapes. He wondered if she minded that he probably tasted like butter after he had eaten that large bag all by himself.
Again, she was the first to pull away, licking her lips when settled back on the ball of her feet. Brown doe-eyes stared up at him, “I suppose it also doesn’t hurt to break one or two rules.” He smiled, stealing another kiss after promising another date.
End.
Fandom: Glee.
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Rachel Berry/Mike Chang; Brief Mentions of past Rachel/Finn.
Rating: G.
Word Count: 1,143.
Spoiler(s)/Warning(s): General Spoilers aka anything is fair game.
Author Notes: All mistakes are my own as I don't have a beta. Written for gleeverse's Tell Me A Story Challenge. Also written for 10iloveyou, Prompt #3-Rules. [ Table]
A Ground Rule or Two
Mike smiled sheepishly at the tiny brunette. He played with his hands underneath the table, a habit he had picked up years ago whenever he was nervous and sitting across from the diva-esque brunette was more than playing on his nerves. He liked Rachel, he really did. She was sweet when she was not being overbearing. That is one of the reasons he had wanted to ask her out to begin with. It was not because he felt sorry for her, as she had originally accused him of.
Now here he was, sitting in a booth at Breadstix with the tiny brunette staring at him as though he were going to suddenly reveal to her that this was all a joke and that he had the football team on standby in the parking lot. Her fingers where clasped together as she rested her chin on the bridge her hands made.
“Now, Michael, as honored I am that you have requested a date with me I believe we should begin with a few…ground rules before we start on any sort of romantic relationship.” He blinked in response, wondering how a first date warranted a set list of rules. Apparently, she took his silence as an okay to continue. “First, as you well know, Finn and I broke up just a few months ago. If we are to proceed, we are to take things slowly. I do not wish to have a repeat of last year’s disaster.” He nodded and she smiled slightly before continuing. “Second, I am whole-heartedly trying to save myself for a future husband, if that should be you than so be it. However, I will not appreciate being forced to do something that I am not ready for.”
Again, Mike nodded, though he was not going to lie and say he was thrilled over the whole “No Sex Rule”. She did say she was trying to save herself and if things worked out maybe, he could change that. He was not Puck, so it was not like he needed sex to live or anything. Besides, he was always a pretty laidback guy. Then his thoughts went to the mention of possibly being Rachel Berry husband material. How did that happen? They had not even really started on their first date and there was already some sort of talk of marriage. What did he just get himself in too?
“Finally, I would appreciate it if you did not try to change me. I rather like how I am and I will not change for anyone.”
Mike focused on Rachel. Somehow, she had gone from rule number two to rule number ten and he had missed them all. However, that did not matter. What mattered was that horribly sad look in her eyes that had appeared the moment she had stated that last rule. He felt something in his chest at the realization that maybe Finn had tried to push her to change who she was. The expression on her face didn’t settle well with him and before he knew it, Mike had slid out of his side of the booth and slipped in beside Rachel before she could utter another word.
He wrapped his arms around her, a small squeak of surprise leaving the brunette when he had pulled her close to him. “I’d never change you. I do not want you to change. I like you the way you are, that’s why I asked you out Rachel.”
For once, she did not have a reply; instead, she pressed her face against his chest as her hand fisted around the fabric of his shirt. They sat in each other’s arms for a while. A waitress came and went quickly the moment he had looked up at her with a soft glare.
“How about we skip lunch and go watch a movie instead?” he offered.
Rachel pulled away from his first, quickly wiping the few tears that had managed to slip from her eyes. She giggled softly and gave a slight nod, “I think I would prefer that.”
He gave her his brightest smile and he could not deny the way his heart skipped a beat when she had returned it with one of her own. They left Breadstix, after he left the waitress a five-dollar tip even though they had not ordered anything.
When Rachel asked why, he shrugged, “I feel bad. I think I scared her when I glared at her. You know I’m not a glarer Rachel.”
She giggled again and the sound only made the butterflies that had somehow settled in his stomach go into a frenzy. Despite it being the first date, he was beginning to think everything would be worth it just to hear her laugh and be happy. She deserved that, especially after everything that she had been through.
So, when he let her pick the movie and they sat through Adam Sandler’s Just Go With It, he thought he hit the jackpot. Rachel laughed and awed at the sweet moments in the film. She had even let loose a little when he had tossed a piece of popcorn at her, teasing her for being a hopeless romantic. She had giggled and retaliated, throwing three pieces one right after the other. He had caught her hand when she tried to reach for another piece. The look he received, cutest thing ever. She blushed and quickly turned back to the screen, but he figured it meant something when she did not bother to take her hand away. God, how he could not stop grinning.
“Thank you, Michael,” she stated as they stood on her front porch, “I appreciate what you did for me.”
He bumped her with his shoulder, “You’re making it sound like I took you on a pity date or something Rachel,” he hated to see the way he face feel at his words, “And this was not a pity date. I had a lot of fun Rach. See how much fun you can be when you let loose a little.”
She giggled, “I suppose it doesn’t hurt to have fun every once in a while.”
Mike grinned and she leaned in to kiss his cheek. He knew there had been a rule of some kind about no kissing on the first date but he could not stop himself. Mike turned his head just in time to catch her lips. It was sweet and he lips tastes like grapes. He wondered if she minded that he probably tasted like butter after he had eaten that large bag all by himself.
Again, she was the first to pull away, licking her lips when settled back on the ball of her feet. Brown doe-eyes stared up at him, “I suppose it also doesn’t hurt to break one or two rules.” He smiled, stealing another kiss after promising another date.
End.