Chapter Text
The setting was the 90s, Larry being a senior in college, and him trying to study for his upcoming finals. He sat at the desk in his dorm, chewing on the end of his pencil as he stared at a textbook. Unable to make sense of a paragraph he had read at least a hundred times over.
He then was snapped out of his frustrating thought process as the door opened and his roommate returned. Lunt let out a groan as he tossed his bag onto the floor.
"You're still sitting there? I think that's the exact spot I saw you at when I left" Lunt teased him, walking up behind Larry and shaking him slightly by the shoulders.
Larry waved off his hands as he set down his pencil.
"I need to pass this final, I put off studying for like a month-" he paused and looked at his calendar on the wall "-and suddenly the test is in 3 days." He finished as he realized how time seems to fly when you procrastinate.
Lunt laughed and looked down at his sketchbook. "Oh cmon, break time!"
He grabbed Larry's arm to pull him up. Larry slumped slightly, not wanting to give in to him. He definitely didn't want to be studying.
"Lunt! I need to study!" He tried to hold his ground. Keeping one of his hands holding onto his desk.
"But Larry!" That's when Larry's phone buzzed, the front of the flipphone flashed a notification from one of his contacts, 'Petunia<3'
Lunt's eyes widened and he grew a big mischievous smile reading the message pop up.
"I bet you'll take a break for her!" He laughed, trying to snatch Larry's phone off the desk. Larry reacted quickly, but not quickly enough, as Lunt held the phone up. Larry was taller than him, but geez was Lunt fast with keeping it away from him.
"That's not funny! Give it back!" Larry grabbed at it before Lunt quickly moved it to his other hand.
"Ah ah ah. Not so fast. I'll only give it back if you take a break" Lunt propositioned.
Larry didn't want to give it to that, but he groaned and went to grab his phone back "fine."
Lunt yanked the flipphone away again "ask her to hang out! That's two in one!! You take a break AND get to go on a date!" Lunt felt like a genius giving Larry that idea.
Larry took his phone back finally, looking down at it and then back at Lunt for a second. "Yeah yeah" he sighed before opening his phone, making his way to his contacts.
'Whatcha up to?' The text from Petunia read.
He read over it and then looked at his textbook. He thought about what Lunt said as well. Screw it, it's break time.
'Nothing much, you wanna get coffee together?' He sent it, sinking in his chair slightly before making himself get up. He headed to the restroom, looking himself in the mirror. His black curls a mess, he gave himself a confident smile. His dimples peeking through before he let out a relieved sigh while he grabbed his hairbrush.
He made his curls look neater, brushed his teeth, and washed his face. Allowing himself to feel refreshed as he felt the familiar buzz of his phone in his pocket.
He pulled it out and flipped it open as he stood in front of the mirror.
'Of course!<3 I'll head over in a minute!'
Larry smiled as he read the text, closing it and tossing it onto his bed as he dug through his wardrobe for something nice but not too nice.
He eventually settled on a nice green shirt and some blue jeans, and by time he was ready he got a knock on his dorm door.
Petunia smiled happily up at him when he answered "Larry!!" She gave him a hug around his shoulders. He stumbled slightly from nervousness but hugged her back with a smile of his own.
"I'll be back later, Lunt!" He called to his roommate, getting a wave in return as he closed to door.
Larry smiled down at Petunia, holding her hand in his own, his face slightly red due to nerves. They've been talking for a hot second but those nerves never went down.
"There's this nice place a few blocks off campus if you don't mind walking" he asked as he swung their arms playfully.
She shook his head "I don't mind at all" she looked down at his hands in hers before looking in front of them.
The walk was filled with chatting and laughter. Larry took every opportunity to make her smile or laugh, even if it sometimes resulted in him making a fool of himself by accident. He liked this girl, and he wasn't sure how else to deal with it.
Petunia laughed as he told stories of his childhood where he made a ruckus or accidentally made messes. She found him charming in his own odd, and silly, way. He had a way of treating her that was sweet and genuine.
"Look! We're finally here!" He interrupted himself as they arrived to a cute little coffee shop.
He opened the door for her, motioning for her to enter first and smiling. His gap toothed smile adding to his charm.
"What're you thinking of getting?" She asked as they stared up at the menu. Larry looked over everything there, thinking for a second.
"Maybe a water" he answered. She raised a brow and smiled.
"A water?"
"Oh uh- yeah. I don't do too well with coffee"
"You recommended this place!" She laughed, nudging his arm as he grinned. His face falling a deep red in embarrassment.
"Well I know you like coffee! So I just figured we'd do something you'd like!" He chuckled during his response, nudging her back.
She ended up getting just a mocha frappuccino while he got his water. They sat across from each other at a table. He took a few drinks from the bottle, Petunia giggled to herself.
"...what?"
"Oh nothing. How's the water?" She smirked teasingly, pointing to it.
"Rude, it's amazing I'll have you know" he smiled and set it down.
Petunia smiled up at him as they had fallen into a bit of an awkward silence. She didn't seem to mind though. He nervously smiled back at her.
"You know, I like your dimples. They're cute" she commented, motioning to her own face as she referred to his dimples. He was a constant smiler and she loved it about him.
"Thanks! I like everything about you" he nervously admitted with a goofy grin on his face. It was very much young love, slow and gentle.
Her face went a light pink at that "charmer!" She playfully hit his arm, making him snicker.
"When was your last relationship?" She asked curiously. Larry thought about it for a bit.
"Hm. Must've been 3 years ago?" He estimated. She nodded, listening as he spoke about it.
"She was nice, but her and my love languages were very different. I'm a very affectionate person, as you know. But she didn't like that so we only lasted about a month I think" he went on. Petunia frowned slightly but nodded.
"I like how you love everybody in your own way" she mentioned to him.
Larry fell silent, his face going red "thanks" he gave into a small smile. He watched her eyes, finding them beautiful. His eyes glanced at her lips for a second and then right back to her eyes. His face became an even deeper red as he realized she caught him doing that.
She had been watching his eyes as well. She smiled softly. "It's getting late, wanna walk me back to my dorm?" Larry nodded, snapping himself out of his daze.
"Yeah! Yeah absolutely!" He said as he threw away their trash and held her hand as they walked back to campus. He held the dorm building's door open for her. He counted the dorm room numbers, wishing their time together wouldn't have to end so soon.
"Well, here's me" she said as she pointed to her dorm room. Larry smiled down at her.
"Have a good ni-" his eyes widened as she stood on her tip toes and gently held his face. Tilting her head and pressed her lips to his. Giving him the sweetest kiss he'd ever experienced. She pulled back before he could even react fully.
She smiled up at him before heading into her dorm, quietly closing the door.
Larry was left in the hall, his eyes wide, his face fully flushed, and his legs weak.
He then cracked a big smile as he covered his mouth, stumbling slightly as he headed back to his own dorm for the night.
Silently thanking Lunt for making him take that much needed study break.