#I will pay someone to draw the three of them wearing graphic tee shirts that say that istg

[therighthandofvengeance]

Ivanova: women want me and The State fears me.

Delenn: me too.

Lyta: me three.

[adorethedistance]

British. Handsome. Charming. - Harry Styles x Reader Retail!AU

Sorta requested.

Warnings: Swearing, suggestive situations, I say titties like once

Words: 2108

Summary: When your coworker calls out and leaves you alone for a graveyard shift, you unintentionally enlist the help of a certain British, handsome, and charming retail employee from next door.

A/N: Hello this is my piece for @meetmeinfleetwood​ ‘s “to lovers” fic challenge! I put my ‘to lovers’ trope as Coworkers Harry and Y/n but I’m kind of riffing off of that trope because I wanted to do employees at different stores in the same section of the mall.

“So, Ziva just called out...” I hear my manager Kelly break the news from behind me. A groan threatens to escape my lungs but I fight the urge as best as possible to save face in front of customers. This is the third time Ziva’s called out of her graveyard shift in the past two weeks. Tonight, we were supposed to unpack the new shipment of holiday tees, gag gifts, and decorations. On a normal night, I can handle floor set by myself, but the added challenge of holiday items and displays is a different story.

“If I take another lunch right now, I can stay and help with the floor set.”

“No,” I wave her off, already dreading the exhaustion that is bound to set in, “Go home. You’ve already done your full eight, I can fly solo for tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

“Go before I regret letting you!” Kelly smiles with the tip of her tongue peaking through her teeth. She thanks me for freeing her and I finish straightening the last of the yellow champion hoodies on the rack in front of me.

“The boxes are on the left side in the backroom.” Backroom… got it.

Working at Tilly’s was supposed to be my high school job. At the end of Junior year, I opted for a minimum wage position to earn some extra spending money. If I’d known I would be attending the most local university in this godforsaken town, I would’ve picked a better gig; one that pays more. Or at least one that doesn’t schedule me from 7:30PM to 3AM.

The store closes at ten but the other four ish hours are for rearranging the entire floor layout. I have to redistribute the table full of graphic tees strategically around the store to make room for the holiday items we just received. With someone else’s help I could expect to be finished by 12:30. Maybe 1. Ziva calling out wasn’t part of the plan however, so I don’t expect to be finished early at all. If anything, I might have to rush to finish before my shift ends.

Not to mention I have a prose analysis final draft due tomorrow by midnight. Ziva better have some damn good excuses when she gets back.

Readjusting the waistband of my favorite jeans against my body, I head to the dressing rooms to double check for any stragglers. Upon finding myself alone, I go lock the front doors and flick off the glowing “open” sign in the front window. Hopefully time will fly faster than it has since I got here. I should’ve asked Kelly to grab me a coffee or a coke to get me through the rest of the shift. Maybe I should do some coke to get me through the rest of the shift.

Okay. What did Kelly say?

Backroom... Was that all? I hesitantly prop the storeroom’s door with the small, tan, rubber wedge before trying to take in the overwhelming mess of the backroom. The room has painfully bright overhead LED lights illuminating my path; the brightness is mirrored off the polished concrete floors under my feet. Considering there’s no holiday bullshit directly in front of me, Kelly must have given me more directions than just ‘backroom’. Graphic tees, sunglasses, jewelry. Nothing.

In my most goddamn genius idea yet, I search the top of the self of the storeroom to see the holiday boxes sealed and intact. Lovely. I can graze the surface of the top shelf with my fingertips just enough to get them dusty, but not enough to pull down any boxes.

Fuck.

This is what we have a ladder for, but we lent it out to the Zara next door. I don’t know what time they close but intuition tells me it's soon. Figuring I have nothing to lose, I dash out of the back room and unlock the front door to round the corner into Zara. Right as I exit the store, I run into someone hard enough to lose my balance, but not hard enough to take the other person down, thank god.

“Woahhh, you alright there?” British.

I look up to the face of the person I collided with. Handsome.

“I’m so sorry, I need to get to Zara.”

“I’m afraid you’re too late for that.” The handsome stranger’s statement catches me off guard and the fog of my rushed mindset disappears. Charming.

“What?”

“Jus’ locked up, I’m afraid.” I look at the completely dark storefront, and then back at the stranger. His gleaming green eyes catch mine and, cliché-ly, I’m rendered breathless by the exquisite nature of his face. Employee.

“You work at Zara,” I state dumbly.

“That, I do. And you work…?” Dropping my eyes to my worn work shoes, I’m suddenly overwhelmingly shy about working at Tilly’s.

“Tilly’s, next door. We lent you guys our step ladder and I need it back.”

“Shit,” the man smiles softly, nervously scratching the back of his neck. “I have the key to the store, but I don’t have the key to the supply closet where we kept it.”

“Dammit.” When I pull out my phone to check the time, I groan at the loss of another ten minutes. “By any chance do you guys conveniently have a step ladder that isn’t in an inaccessible closet?” The beautiful man laughs at my question and shakes his head no.

“We don’t, but I am pretty tall, maybe I could help?”

“You’re not that tall.”

“Taller than you.” My teasing is cut short by the man’s quip and I lead him into the store with conviction.

“Basically, I’m supposed to reconfigure the entire floor layout around the table for all the holiday merch, and the shipment came in but someone brilliantly placed them on the top shelf of the back room.”

“Which is why you need the step ladder from the closet that I can’t open. Gotcha.”

“If you could just get those three boxes from the top shelf right there that’d be wonderful.” After clocking the boxes in question, he nods wordlessly, and slips off his nice coat, no doubt a piece from the store next door. Underneath, he’s wearing a grey button up of which he begins rolling up the sleeves to. The action made me stop breathing for a second. His forearms are littered with tattoos of various drawings, one in particular catching my eye.

It’s a two dimensional mermaid figure with no seashell-bra, her skin transitioning into scales only after exposing her pubic bone. In the fluorescent lighting of the store, it’s clear as day that this is quite possibly the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. What’s he doing working at an outlet mall?

Zoning back in, I see he’s already hard at work. With a box no doubt full of gag gifts on his shoulder, he speaks again.

“I’m Harry by the way.”

I return the gesture and he smiles when he hears my name.

“Pretty.”

Returning his attention to the second box, he reaches up to slide the box closer to the edge of the shelf. When he does so, the hem of his grey shirt rides up to reveal a tiny strip of his toned abdomen, where two mirrored stems of fern leaves are tattooed in strikingly black ink.

I blink quickly a few times to redirect my focus, and divert my attention to the floor where he’s set the first box. This leads me to notice the brown suede chelsea boots he’s wearing. Black coat, grey shirt, brown shoes. Interesting.

“Oh shit!” I hear him mutter in a hushed voice. Looking up to the top of the shelf, I see that the last box has already been opened. Harry is balancing it between both limbs, his shoulder, and his head, but any movement would cause the contents of the box to fall out.

I rush forward to help. Moving the flaps of the box back over the top, I reach across Harry’s body to move them. Then, to keep them shut I place one palm on top of the seam, and use the other hand to support the bottom of the box. It isn’t until I stop moving that I notice the position I’ve put us in. I’m reaching up as far as I can to secure the top of the box which has placed the entire front side of my body to the back of his. I’m painfully aware of how my hips are pressed against his ass, and he must be painfully aware of the way my titties are pressed against his upper back.

“I’m gonna move backwards so it’s off the shelf. Just hold the top in place until I have it right side up again, yea?” I nod dumbly in response before realizing he can’t see me.

“Yeah, got it.” And with that he begins to back up little by little, moving at a pace slow enough for me to consistently adjust. The box is almost intact, but I’ve run out of space from standing behind Harry, and I have to maneuver myself around him whilst keeping the box shut. I cringe before doing what I have to do, and shuffling around the side of Harry’s body, my frontside pressed against him the entire time.

Finally, it’s over and we can set the box down on top of the other two. Harry stands up straight again and dusts off his hands. He adjusts his jeans, pulling them back up his hips, and I have to keep myself from staring once more.

“Anythin’ else I can do for you?”

“I don’t think so? That’s pretty much all the heavy lifting I have to do tonight.” He nods understandingly and… dare I say disappointed? I’m probably just projecting.

“Are you alone tonight?”

“Yeah, my coworker called out, but it’s fine. My boss Kelly got most of the work done earlier when she unpacked a lot of the boxes and folded the shirts into piles, so…”

“I could help.”

“You don’t need to do that. You’re already off and I’m sure you’re exhausted and-”

“I want to.” I guess I wasn’t projecting.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. That way you can go home earlier.” His smile is soft and lopsided until we connect eyes, in which case it brightens to reveal his pearly teeth. I fall shy under his gaze and avert my eyes to the concrete floor below us. My cheeks are radiating at about 1000° and I hope he doesn’t notice.

“Thank you,” I say, more flustered than I would have liked. Why am I getting so nervous? He’s just a retail employee at Zara.

A gorgeous employee at Zara.

“I don’t mind staying back... Spending more time with you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Since I already know what you do for a living, what are your hobbies?” He ignores my question.

“I don’t have much time for hobbies. I’m only part-time while I’m in uni.”

“No way, what are you studying?”

I proceed to tell Harry all about my major and my career aspirations post-graduation and post-retail. I enjoy telling people about my dreams and yet, Harry’s the first person I’ve met in a long time that’s shown any interest in me and my dreams. The way he nods attentively despite having to fold misconstrued t-shirts and holiday sweaters, ignites a fire in my stomach that warms my heart. They way he asks hyper specific, prompting questions to learn more about my plans contrasts the fire inside me by sending chills down my spine.

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What are your dreams?” Harry stops folding for a moment and exhales a conflicted sigh.

“I’m not too sure at the moment. I’m content at Zara for the moment, and I haven’t decided what’s next. I do write music though.”

“You do?”

“A bit, yeah.”

“What kind of music?” He stops to think again, a bit less conflicted than before.

“It’s like, indie-folk-pop-rock ish.”

“Indie-folk-pop-rock ish?” I can’t contain the laughter spilling from my lips over the mountain of folded t-shirts.

“Yeah. A good bit of variety, really.”

“Well, it’s nice you have something to be passionate about.”

“Judging by how you talked about your dreams for an hour, I wouldn’t say I’m as passionate as you are about your studies.”

“Passion isn’t a competition. It’s what moves you forward as an individual.” It’s Harry’s turn to laugh at me.

“Okay, Gandhi.”

“Hush! I’m allowed to be philosophical.” His laugh draws into a closed-mouth smile, from humor to an adoration of sorts.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered.” I unintentionally mirror his affectionate smile.

“Promise?”

***

A/N: This was absolutely one of those fics that, the longer I stared at it, the more I hated it and cut it down so here’s what’s remaining before I destroyed the whole thing. It’s def a puff piece and not an in depth fic but nuance is not my friend right now so, sorry about it :(

Taglist: @curlybrownhairedboys​ @meetmeinfleetwood​

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #158

nsfw warning, there’s quite a lot of sexual questions in this one.

Where was the very first kiss you had with the last person you kissed? My back porch. Do you have a best friend?  If you don't count Sara, no. As a kid, did you ever get in trouble for drawing on the wall?  No. What are your #1 priorities in life?  My mental health. Have you ever had your mouth washed out with soap as a kid?  Been threatened with it, but no. Do you believe in a lot of conspiracies?  The only one off the top of my head that I believe may have some credence is the "our world is a simulation" theory.  It sounded ridiculous to me before I learned more about it.  If you're into this stuff, I totally recommend reading about it, it truly is interesting.  I lean more towards that it's false, but.  Possible. Being told to eat more is as offensive as being told to eat less?  Hm, not sure.  I guess it depends on the situation the person is in. Have you ever seen a ghost?  I believe so. What emotion are you most likely to hide?  Jealousy. Explain why you last ‘had to lie’.  Because I knew she'd be mad if I told her the truth, she called me out and I sincerely apologized, told her why I lied, and, as expected, was mad about it. (: Feeling guilty about anything?  Not really. Have you ever been through a phase of thinking emo guys were hot?  That phase never ended lmao. How old does someone have to be to be officially an ‘adult’ to you?  18. Anything you find gross that no one else does?  Probably... but nothing's coming to me.  Oh, actually ear gauges. ^ what about attractive?  Well I know some people hate most piercings besides ears. Have you ever dated someone that could play an instrument?  Well Girt played in high school band, but I doubt he still knows how to play. What makes you nervous?  Um everything????? Weirdest picture you’ve ever taken of yourself?  Who the hell even knows, but probably those pictures I took with Summer years back. Any bridges near where you live?  I mean, no *big* ones.  But I mean bridges are everywhere? Do you have a Gameboy?  Yeah, old as fuck. What do you do when you feel alone?  Most likely talk to Sara. Have you ever traveled by train?  No. Do you have a dirty mind?  Not especially. Ever had to have someone help you walk before?  Yes, after I fainted or when I've been very dizzy. Ever been kicked out of anywhere?  No. Do you truly HATE anyone?  Not anyone I personally know, but like rapists, abusive people, etc. Most historical/famous landmark/building you’ve been to in your country?  No clue. How long does it take you to apply your makeup?  It depends on what I'm putting on, but not too long regardless. Favorite flavor for most things?  Strawberry or chocolate, depending on what it is. Do you care what people you don’t know think about you?  Maybe a bit too much. Ever taken pictures in a photobooth? Who with?  Yeah, friends, ex-boyfriend. When was the last time your computer had to be repaired?  Now lol.  I've been using my sis's old one for months. Do you know how to knit? If so, do you do it often?  No. Have you ever flown before? If not, do you ever intend to?  Yesss, learned to love it.  If I have the window seat. How annoying are your neighbors?  The old woman to the left is super nice, according to Mom.  Don't know much about the ones to the right, other than my initial judgment is kinda negative just because of how they kept filthy yard sale shit in the front yard for literally months.  It's probably very shallow to judge over that, but like.  It doesn't make you look very good to keep couches and such sitting out in the elements with the intent for someone to actually buy that. Have you bought anyone their Christmas presents yet?  No. What are three of your favorite songs to sing?  Hmmm, not sure.  Lately I guess "This Is The House That Doubt Built" by AD2R, "High Hopes" by P!ATD, aaaand.  I should know this.  I sing in the car quite a lot lately.  OH maybe "LA Devotee" also by P!ATD, Brendon's just great to sing along with. What is your favorite ride at the fair?  Ahhh ferris wheels.  But I also love carousels my fat ass will still ride them. Would you ever marry someone who was lower class?  I usually delete purely stupid questions, but????  Honestly fuck you if that's a deciding factor???????  Work together to climb out of the lower class, the fuck?????????????? What color is your recliner?  We don't have one. Who do you write letters to the most?  I don't really write letters, but I've sent Sara a few lovey-dovey notes. Who is a singer that has given you chills?  Amy Lee. Do you get carsickness?  No. Which style of wedding dress is your favorite?  BALLGOWN. What’s a good boy’s name that starts with the same letter as yours?  The name that immediately came to mind is Bryson. Name 5 things you don’t believe in.  Horoscopes, soulmates, tarot cards/fortune telling, prayer doing absolutely anything, and the fucking outrageous anti-vaxxers.  A fucking disease that hasn't been seen in forever came back recently because of their bullshit.  Vaccinate your damn kids, for the love of god. If you had all the money you needed and didn’t have to work, what would you do to fill your time?  T R A V E L Do you ever get nervous about where your future is headed or are you just going with the flow?  Both.  Don't know which I lean more towards. Have you ever received a hickey from the last person you kissed?  No. Have you ever held hands with the same sex?  Yes. What is your mom saved as in your phone?  "mama bear." Ever made out in a pool?  Maybe very briefly??  I don't remember. Do you change your phone background a lot?  Nah. Have you ever made someone so mad that they broke something?  No. Do you tend to fall for people who don’t return your feelings? History says not usually. Who is someone you aspire to be like? Does anyone??????  Who reads these?????????  Not know??????????????????????? Do you believe in fate? No.  You make it.  What would honestly be the point of living if fate was true?  You're just walking through a story instead of writing it. Do you believe that humans are inherently good or evil? I lean more towards mostly good, judging by how we have a natural conscience. What turns you on? VERBALLY EXPRESSING YOU LOVE ME, sarcasm wars, "make me"/that kind of shit, playfighting, do not grab my hips or it's over, neck kisses, lip bites. What is your favorite type of foreplay?  Don't play with my boobs or it's also over. Do you believe in the death penalty?  For extreme offenses like rape and murder with no sign of guilt or wanting to heal, fuck yes I do.  I'm not even sure if you should give them a chance at rehabilitation. Do you use sex toys? By yourself or with a partner, or both?  No, but being with a girl now, I would. Have you ever done role-play?  Not irl/sexually because FUCKING AWKWARD, but I'm a serious forum meerkat RPer, in other words it's not a silly/playing around thing, but literally writing a story with others. Favorite sex position? If you’re a virgin, which position interests you? Uhhh no clue of the name, but probably where I'm pretty much sitting on his lap with my legs around him. Favorite dessert?  Hmmmm probably cake. What quote or mantra do you live by? Mark's "life hard, shouldn't you be too?" because it's the best inspirational innuendo I've ever heard. Where is the craziest place you’ve ever done it? Uh I guess the floor, nothing really notable. Do you judge people for what they wear or how they express themselves? It depends.  Definitely not by what they wear.  If how you're expressing yourself is harmful to others, yes, I will judge you. What was the best orgasm you’ve ever had? I've never had one.  I was right on the verge once, but panicked and stopped because I was actually kinda fearful with how extreme it felt.  And my family was home so I was worried about crying out. Do you shave or trim your pubic hair?  Trim a bit, yes, but I don't pay much mind to it. Have you ever/would you ever do anal? Nononono noooot into anything going up my ass. Biggest sexual fantasy?  Don't really have one. What’s more important- length or width?  Why?  I'd imagine length because depth, but I've only done one guy, so I wouldn't really know.  There are so many dirty questions in this one. What are you known for by your friends and family? The meerkat-obsessed, very reclusive and quiet weird one. What is a dish you are dying to try?  Nothing, really. What political affiliation do you associate yourself with?  Independent.  I'm such a mix. What is the worst experience you’ve ever had with food? Diarrhea to the point of blood AT MY GIRLFRIEND'S HOUSE FOR MY FIRST STAY after I tried a way rarer steak than I enjoy.  My stomach is seeeensitive to "different" food. Do you talk dirty during sex? Not very much, I'm shy. My relationship with my siblings: Not real impressive.  I'm not as close as I wish I was to any of them. My relationship with my parents:  Good.  Mom is everything. What I find attractive in girls:  I will find good tattoos attractive on.  Anyone.  ESPECIALLY SLEEVES. Favorite video game series?  Silent Hill. Favorite video game hero?  Spyro.  Duh.  I'm getting a small and adorable tat of him some day. Favorite video game villain?  Pyramid Head, if you consider him a "villain." Favorite video game boss?  Hmmm as far as fighting goes, most likely Avion from SotC.  Phalanx is my favorite in general, but getting on it two-three times is so tedious. Least favorite video game boss? I hate the Cenobia fight also in SotC so much.  Takes forfuckingever to get its armor off, anyone who's played that game knows the amount of flailing/losing your grip is horrendous, and if it knocks you down once you're most likely fucked. Do you like t-shirts with text on them?  Yesyesyes I'm a sucker for geeky graphic tees. Have you ever had foreign candy?  I don't believe so. What’s a candy that you absolutely can’t stand?  Twizzlers. Is there any piece of technology you want to buy?  PS4, drawing tablet, new phone. When is the last time you bled?  Now because being a woman is fun. Would you rather use hand soap or hand sanitizer?  Soap.  Feel cleaner. How many video games do you own?  Lots. Have you ever been to a casino? If so, which one(s)?  No. Have you ever visited a sex shop?  No. Have you ever had a scary encounter with a wild animal?  No. What do you normally do while waiting for your food or drink to arrive?  Talk to those with me. Describe one of your most emotional farewells.  Me and Jason's final talk. How have your tastebuds changed since you were a child?  Used to love peas.  Hated mashed potatoes.  I was crazy about Sprite, now I hate it.  I'm sure there's more. Who was the last person you cried in front of?  Mom. What was the worst mistake of your life?  Letting someone be my whole world. If you were pregnant, would your parents make you keep the baby?  Um, no????  I'm an adult???????  I would only keep it if my life wasn't endangered though.  And even then I wouldn't wanna be and the child would be put up for adoption. Have you ever donated blood?  Yes. Have you ever been to SeaWorld?  As a child, yes.  Would never go again because it's fucking animal cruelty. Do you like avocados?  asdkjfaowj no. Is your Facebook profile private?  Yes. Do you remember your locker combinations from high school?  I didn't have a locker in high school, but middle school, nope. Who were your best friends in high school?  Jason if you count s/os, Hannia, and Girt. Who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend? Aaron was the first with the title. What insects are you afraid of?  Get roaches away from me.  And beetles. Who was your first best friend (apart from a sibling)? Brianna. What was your favorite thing to do at sleepovers when you were younger? Hm, I dunno.  I guess just talk and play together. What time of day were you born?  Noon. What is the best hairstyle you've ever had?  I like what I have now I tell you hwat. Do you think you look better with dyed hair or natural hair?  DYED. Do you think your look better with curly hair or straight hair? Straight. Do you think you look better with bangs or without? Everyone looks better without bangs tbh. Do you think you look better with long hair or short? Short. When you look at your baby pictures, do you recognize yourself?  Not always. What is your favorite thing to do in the pool? Swim around. Cacti or seashells?  Ohhh that's hard.  I think seashells, but if you include all succulents, them. Dreamcatcher or wind chimes? Dreamcatchers. Have you ever taken a picture at the perfect moment? Hmmm maybe? What color(s) eyeshadow do you wear the most? Black is all I wear. Beyonce vs Rihanna? Probably Beyonce?  She has a better voice to me, dunno whose songs I like more. What’s your favorite horror movie? Both of the The Blair Witch Project movies. Would you say you have a high sex drive or not so much?  I'd say it's pretty average.  I've noticed leading up to my period though I'm usually a horny mess. How do you feel about swallowing pills? Doesn't bother me.  I do throw my head back if it's a larger one, though. What animal is the scariest in your opinion?  Hmmm.  Probably the most dangerous animal, surprisingly the hippo.  They charge fast and suddenly and those teeth are fatal.  Now if I saw a hippo and I was far from it, I wouldn't be too concerned because I believe if you keep your distance they're good, I wouldn't be too scared.  Fear on sight though... probably sharks?  Quick and so toothy, plus they might mistake you for prey.  I'm aware how rare shark attacks are, but I still wouldn't be out in the open with one.  Visually scary, giant squids are just a big 'ole nope. A band or an artist you liked when you were younger, but not so much anymore.  Ummm... I dunno.  Probably something pop.  Or country (I know right, surprising). Come with an unpopular opinion.  Don't spank your fucking kids.  You're teaching them hitting others is sometimes the answer, gg. What’s fake about you? Like extensions, fake nails, botox etc.  Nothing. What’s considered cheating in your opinion?  As soon as you're flirting in a clearly non-playful way. What about favorite person to stalk on Instagram?  Mark, who knew. What’s the cheesiest thing you’ve ever experienced irl? Idk. Something you feared as a kid but don’t anymore? Needles.  The first time I understood I was getting my blood drawn, I deadass bolted, screaming and crying, to hug a pillar thing.  Multiple people had to help Mom to pull me away from it lmao.  Then when it actually happened, I was just asked, "... That's it?" Who was your favorite teacher in high school? Coach Collie. What are five of your favorite stores at the mall?  HotTopic, Spencer's, I would love Victoria's Secret if I wasn't a FAT FUCK, and that's... like it. What is the best gift you have ever given someone?  I'unno. What is the best gift you have ever received?  My dog. Has anyone ever spread lies about you? Jason's ex spread a rumor we had a baby.  Even though it was obvious through all of high school I was never pregnant???? Do you have an alarm system on your house?  No. Who do you tend to get in fights with the most? Mom, as far as people still in my life. Would you prefer a small, intimate wedding proposal, or a big-scale, over-the-top proposal?  The former, definitely. Do you know how to properly eat food with chopsticks? No. Have you ever gotten rid of something you shouldn't have and then really regretted it later?  Not really regretted. What's the best pizza place in your town? Domino's is Daddy. Which planet is your favorite, besides earth?  Saturn! Have you ever seen a double rainbow?  Ye. Did you win any scholarships as a senior in high school?  No, I don't believe so. Skeletons or scarecrows? s k e l l y  b o y s Do you like candy corn? Omg no. What seasonal candy do you think is gross? ^ What's one social media site that you're not on? Snapchat. What is your favorite wild animal?  Meerkats.