Chapter Text
Asha woke, bleary-eyed as her alarm blared from…somewhere.
“Ngh.” she muttered, peeling her eyes open, glaring around for her phone. Why was I asleep sitting like this? Such a stupid way to sleep… WAIT. NIGHTOWL.
Next to her, a sleepy blonde was staring at her with owlish eyes just as she feared.
“We fell asleep, huh?”
“Yeah. Guess we failed the movie.”
“But you’re so snugglyyyyy” he said, and she evaded his arms.
“Yeah, but my alarm was set for 9am.”
“OH.”
“Yeah, we gotta get moving, hon.”
“All I have is yesterday’s clothes.” nightowl lamented.
Asha dug into her closet and pulled out an oversized men’s cardigan. “Ditch your overshirt, put this on.” she said. “I can’t do anything about the pants… wait. Wait wait, maybe…” She dug to the bottom of her jeans drawer and pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans.
“These were way too long on me they MIGHT not look horrible on you…”
“They’re never going to fit my waist.”
“Trust me, they will.” Asha said, and scooped up some clothes before ducking into the bathroom to change.
The presentation went swimmingly. Exactly as they planned, smooth as butter. Not a single person commented on the change in owl’s style, like they’d expected it to change just for presentation day, or something.
As they watched through other presentations, an email pinged into Asha’s ‘professional’ account, and she tapped over to read it, and then literally had to cover her mouth to keep from making an excited squawk.
Owl > Asha: What?! What what what???
Asha > Owl: Preliminary offer for that job you recommended me for.
Owl > Asha: Preliminary meaning???
Asha > Owl: Unofficial until they call to confirm things like salary and start date.
Owl > Asha: OMG WE’RE GONNA BE COWORKERS!!!
After class, Asha got the call and confirmed her new job - they were going to start her with Owl, after the holidays, on 16 January. Asha had to go present her portfolio, but promised to meet up with Owl after, at the student-run coffee shop they both loved.
Asha expected to be anything but calm going into her portfolio review, but even with waking up later than anticipated, and having a socially-taxing day, she’d also spent that day with her boyfriend. She had a boyfriend!! Just the thought of that gave her the boost she needed to walk confidently into her portfolio presentation and review.
Asha was shaking leaving her presentation. They’d asked way more questions than she’d ever expected, but unlike poor Owl who had to wait until later to hear, they gave her the results of her review immediately - She’d passed, with full marks. Full marks!!
When she got to the coffee shop, it was packed, and she looked around for owl, not seeing him among the sea of students, but then suddenly she saw his waving arms, still in her sweater.
“Over here babe!!” he called, and she bounced over, realizing that while he snagged a chair, he’d only gotten one. But that said, it was one of the comically oversized armchairs, which had room for both of them, if she was willing to sit on his lap. Of course, she was, and she set down her portfolio case and carefully flopped into his lap.
“Sooooo….? how did it go?”
“Full. Marks.” she said, as quietly and clearly as she could.
“WHAT?!” he said, once again getting the attention of an entire room with his incredulity. “Seriously?” he said, at a more moderated volume.
“Yeah. I.. I can’t believe it.”
“I’m so proud of you!!” he kissed her then, not caring who saw.
“I need to call my mom, about this, and about the job. Do you mind if I just… call from here?”
“Nah, call away.” he said, wrapping his arms around her so she was stable on his lap. while she dialed her mom.
“Hey, pumpkin!”
“Hi ma! I um, I called because I have news!”
“News…Oh, your portfolio review is done already? Wait, give me a minute and we can do a video call, I want to see your face for news!”
Asha blinked and looked at owl questioningly. There was no way to do a video call that wouldn’t show him, too. He laughed and shrugged, tightening his arms around her middle, as if to say No, you’re stuck with me, get used to it.
Asha popped her call over to video mode, and got to see her mother’s surprise at her being curled into some blonde boy’s arms.
“Mom, this is owl. Owl, this is my mom!”
“I’m assuming owl is a nickname?” she said, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes ma’am, my given name is—“ owl started to explain, but wasn’t given the chance.
“—Irrelevant.” Asha’s mom interrupted. “Asha calls you owl, then I call you owl. Done.”
He was blushing, and Asha couldn’t help but giggle.
“Anyway mom, my cute boyfriend is not why I called.”
“Well, boyfriend is news, and you called about news, but sure. We’ll skip the obvious in favor of…?”
“Two things! First, I passed my review. Full marks.”
“FULL MARKS?!” her mother yelled, and owl grinned.
“Congratulations are in order, pumpkin! But what else? You said two things!!”
“Yeah. Aaaaand….I got the job!!”
Her mom paused, and then grinned so big, Asha thought her face might break.
“Asha, I am so proud of you!”
“Thanks mom.”
A phone alarm sounded, and Asha’s mom made a face. “I hate to cut this congratulation party this short, but I have to run and pick Rory up, but we’ll see you tomorrow, and we’ll celebrate for sure. Have a good day you two. Be safe!”
Asha blushed. “Yes ma’am.”
Owl waved, and the call cut.
“She called me owl.”
“She already loves you.”
“Fake.”
“Well… I get it.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Asha said, but snuggled into his shoulder anyway. “Full marks!” she said quietly but energetically, and he hugged her. This day just couldn’t get better.
Asha laid back on her freshly made bed and sighed happily. Who’d have thought she’d actually be dating nightowl. And like, he watched Coraline with her. He was a keeper. She had a feeling her brother was going to make a big deal out of his existence too.
Nightowl himself had headed home, ostensibly to do some cleaning he’d been procrastinating on in favor of studying. He promised to return her clothes to her once he’d washed them, and knowing how determined he was about it he was probably planning to do laundry right away, too. She, of course, didn’t mind in the slightest. Goodness knows she’d probably steal some shirt from him at some point just for girlfriend reasons. Maybe she’d keep his iconic balloon shirt just for sleeping in.
After a few minutes, she realized she should probably check in on the Bloomic server. As much as she didn’t want to deal with onion… she needed to.
—Raven is now online—
June: @Raven
June: you there?
Raven: Yes, I’m here!
June: So… how are things
June: with nightowl
June:
Raven: it was good! he was way more apologetic than he needed to be
Raven: also we… talked about some things…
June: You did? I mean he hasn’t been online since…
onionthief: Do you believe him?
June: believe him?
onionthief: That he’s actually sorry.
Raven: Of course I do.
onionthief: You’re free to believe what you want, I suppose.
June: onion…
Raven:
Raven: What about you? Are you sorry?
—nightowl is now online—
nightowl: hello!!!! helloooooooo!!!!
Raven: omg nightowl!!! You weren’t gonna come online until you got the call!
Raven: Did you get the call about your results??
nightowl: i did!!!
nightowl: I PASSED!!!!!
Raven: oh my god!! congratulations!!
Raven: i knew you could do it!! I TOLD YOU!!
nightowl:
June: OMG good job!!
Quest: Nice work. Proud of you.
nightowl:
nightowl: THANK YOUUUUUUU
onionthief: Well, well. You did it.
nightowl:
June: not again…
Raven: Nightowl… should you…?
nightowl: oh
nightowl: yeah…
nightowl: @onionthief
onionthief: What?
nightowl: I’m sorry for snapping at you the other day. And all those other times.
nightowl: I know you were just trying to look out for me, in your own way.
nightowl: Can you… try not to be such an ass about it, though? It’s… hard.
onionthief: Oh.
onionthief: Sure, don’t worry about it.
onionthief: Uh
onionthief: I suppose… I’m sorry as well.
onionthief: I could have been a little more kind in my criticism.
onionthief: I let my frustration get the best of me.
nightowl: We both did.
June: whooaaaaa what’s this???
June: You two are making up???
nightowl: HSDHJSKDHF
onionthief: June.
June:
June: I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME
Quest: glad it did, though
Quest: It was rough to see you two fighting
Quest: Nice to see that we might be able to get back to some kind of normal now
nightowl:
nightowl: btw, Raven
nightowl: your turn, babe
Oh nightowl… Asha’s heart fluttered in her chest, but then she realized that he’d gone and called her babe in the general chat. She shut her eyes against the questions she knew were coming. She had to tell them her news before they got completely derailed, but.. she needed a minute, okay?
June: BABE?!
nightowl: Shit.
nightowl:
nightowl: you saw nothing.
nightowl: uh, Raven?
Raven: Right. Uh. My portfolio review was today, too!
Raven: Full marks!!
June: FULL MARKS?!
Raven: That is exactly what my mom said. Don’t worry, I’m shocked too.
nightowl: not that you should be because you’re BRILLIANT
Quest: Nice job, Raven.
onionthief: Ah, yes. Good work.
June: I’m sorry to downplay this momentous news, but… BABE?
onionthief: I would also like an explanation about the pet name.
Raven: ALSO
Quest: LOL Raven’s got blinders on.
Raven: I got a job!! I don’t even have to start until mid-January so I get a nice vacation too!
Asha was distracted from the chat by her phone ringing… it was owl?
“Hey, what’s up?” she said, confused.
“Um. Sorry for calling you babe in chat but… can I tell them?”
“What, that we’re dating?”
“Yeah. and that we go to the same college?”
“Go for it. I’m proud to be your girlfriend, owl. Besides, I want to see their metaphorical faces.”
“Okay okay, bye.”
He laughed as he hung up, and her heart warmed at the sound of it.
nightowl: SO.
June: nightowl you had best start explaining, or else…
onionthief: My patience is wearing thin.
nightowl: Raven and I are dating.
Raven:
nightowl: that’s why the pet name.
Quest: Really? Congratulations, you two!
onionthief: Long distance relationships rarely work out.
nightowl: UGH I know.
Raven: Good thing we’re not long distance.
nightowl:
onionthief: What?
June: Wait, what?
Quest: ?
nightowl: Raven and I go to the same university.
nightowl: We’ll be graduating together tomorrow
nightowl:
nightowl: and then i get to do dinner
nightowl: WITH HER MOM
onionthief: Raven, is this all true?
Raven: Every word of it.
onionthief: Hmm.
Raven: We actually had a group project together this semester.
Raven: I was way too scared to talk to him though
nightowl: until that server call.
nightowl: she sat there and pretended not to recognize me
June: How did you not know it was her right away??
nightowl: i am such an idiot
Raven: I wear a full face of makeup to classes, and not at night so…
nightowl: see: i’m an idiot.
June: omg lol
Quest: Wow, to think our server would help a love bloom.
onionthief: Too sappy, Quest.
June: It IS blooming panic…
nightowl: anyway I need to talk to Raven urgently, so…
Raven: apparently it’s call o’clock?
nightowl: YES!
Raven: I’ll be right there!
nightowl:
Raven tapped into the channel, and was unsurprised to see Owl there, being cute as heck, as usual.
“Hey!”
“Long time no see!”
“Haha yeah, I just.. I couldn’t wait! I need you to know a very important and very urgent fact!!”
“Huh?? What is it??” Asha looked at him, her brows drawn together in confusion.
“I LOVE YOU!!!” he said, suddenly, at the top of his lungs.
“Oh! Oh my god, N-nightowl!”
“I LOVE YOU!! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I. LOVE. YOU.”
“You are too cute. I’m dying, owl.”
“I just… I can’t calm down about it. When I’m not with you I keep thinking about seeing you and holding you and—“
“Stop! Stop! Stop!”
He laughed, but he stopped, and Asha fanned her face.
“I just needed you to know. I love you so much.”
“I-I think I love you too—” she said, and watched his face light up.
“REALLY? WOO!”
She was never going to stop blushing, was she?
“Nightowl, your neighbors!!!”
“Oh, please, they’re definitely used to it by now.” He laughed, and went back to being the loudest owl. “I LOVE HER AND SHE LOVES ME. YESSSS!!!!”
Asha froze as she heard through his microphone a banging through the wall, and a muffled angry voice asking him to ‘keep it the fuck down’, followed by owl calling out an apology and then covering his mouth with both hands awkwardly.
Asha cackled. “I told you!!!”
Owl laughed, and shrugged. “Whoops. I probably need to go apologize to him.”
“Maybe you need a new apartment.”
“Ooh, yeah… One closer to work? Those are expensive.”
Asha shrugged. “I bet it’d be doable if we split the rent. Anyway, go on. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Promise?” he said, suddenly seeming like he thought she might evaporate if he didn’t hold tight.
“Mhm. Promise.” She blew him a kiss, and got to watch his cheeks redden. “Love you, owl.”
“Love you too, cutie.”
Dinner with her family went just as well as she’d hoped, with her younger brother and owl hitting it off immediately. Her mom seemed happy, and definitely didn’t have any complaints about her daughter seeing an architect, either.
“So, what sealed the deal, pumpkin? You’re not usually all-in on dating like this.”
“Oh, well…” she said, looking awkwardly at owl, who laughed.
“…I watched Coraline with her.” he said, and shrugged.
“YOU WHAT?!” Rory said, launching out of his seat in shock, gathering the attention of the entire restaurant. Owl just looked at her with wide eyes.
“I told you.” she said “You didn’t believe me, but I told you.”
“Hold on though.” Rory said, spearing owl with a look. “Did you…like it?”
“It’s a really good movie, actually. I felt a lot of parallels with Coraline and my parents…”
Rory turned at looked at their mom, and all but whispered, “He liked it.”
“Should I ask again if you’ve shown him your ravens yet?” her mom said, and Asha felt her face heat up, all the way to the tips of her ears.
“M-mom!” Asha managed to stutter out, but was saved by Owl’s energetic silliness.
“Oh, you mean the stuffies she keeps in her room? I’ve met Huginn and Munin! They’re so soft and adorable, just like Asha.” nightowl said, pulling her into a hug.
“Yeah, he’s a keeper.” her mom said, and Asha laughed.
“Good, ‘cause… I love him.” she said, planting a kiss on nightowl’s cheek.
“…and that’s why we’ve chosen the solid for the walls, instead of the stripe that you’re suggesting. I could look into other materials for the floors, or a different layout, but I do think this is the best choice for the room.” Asha said, flipping through the design materials they’d prepared.
“Let’s just go with your initial design. Your joint portfolio meets my expectations, I can only hope my space exceeds them. Thank you both, it’s so nice to have a married couple for our Architect and Designer on this project. It’s the smoothest communication we’ve had in a long time.”
“Oh but we’re not married…” Asha said, and across from her, owl shifted awkwardly at the table.
“…but thank you for the praise, sir.” he finished, when her sentence trailed off.
“Ah, well, you got my point.” He shrugged off his mistake. “I look forward to your results.”
As the client walked away, nightowl fidgeted with a bit of paper, and then turned to her.
“You know what, Raven, I think he’s right.”
“Right about what?” she said, raising an eyebrow at him. “Because if you’re going to tell me we should actually go with a striped wallpaper—”
Suddenly, her adorable partner was on a knee, holding up a twisted scrap of drafting paper.
“Miss Asha - will you marry me?”
Asha blinked. Was he really…? The slightly anxious look on his face told her yes, he really was proposing right now.
“Of course, baby. Of course I’ll marry you.”
“YES!!!” He leaped up and wrapped her in a hug, lifting her off of her feet and spinning her in a circle in the process. “BEST. GIRL. EVER.”
Asha laughed, but just held on for the ride. “I love you.”
“SHE LOVES ME!” he yelled, and Asha was sure she was going to go deaf from the amount of joy he was projecting. Or at least the volume of it.