Chapter Text
Having just moved to New Zealand for school, Lily Greene was in the need of a place to get good food and to look at a map. She has asked the dean of students for her dorm where a good place would be to go. She spoke of a local pie shop and Lily really wasn’t one for pie. But hey, she thought, it couldn’t hurt.
So that is how Lily ended up with a slice of Key Lime pie and the map of the northern island spread out in front of her. The map had a lot of places labeled with various symbols but the one she was looking for she couldn’t find. The library.
“What are you looking for?” A man with caterpillar like eyebrows and short brown hair asked. He looked familiar to her but she couldn’t place where.
“Oh the library, but I can’t find it on here.” The last part was more of a mumble as Lily placed a bite of pie in her mouth.
“It’s right here actually.” The man leaned over to point at a symbol that she had been looking at for a while now. Lily looked up at him and her cheeks warmed as she locked eyes with him. He was softly smiling at her but not in a way that could be deemed creepy.
“Isn’t that just down the road from here?”
“Mhm, just down the street to the right when leaving from here. It’s a huge building, you can’t miss it.” He point out the window to the semi busy street outside.
“Oh well thank you.” Lily felt like a complete idiot for not noticing it; because she had walked right past it.
“Don’t worry most people miss it if they don’t live here.” He said with a small chuckle which caused Lily to laugh.
“Well thank you for the map reading and the wonderful pie.” Lily folded the map back up and placed it back in her bag.
“Of course, can I get you another slice? Key lime doesn’t always sell but Hannah convinced me to make one today.” The man grabbed her empty plate.
“Can I get it to-go because I gotta get to the library to study?” She pointed to the stack of textbooks sitting on the table.
“Of course-“
“Wait did you say you made that pie?” Lily interrupted with her eyes wide. The man just nodded as a blush spread up his ears, neck and across his cheeks. “Did you make all of these?!” There was a good 10-15 pies in various cases around the shop. And the man just nodded and smiled shyly. “I am amazed. You’ve got-just…I can’t even form a proper sentence right now.” Lily chuckled and the pie maker let out a hearty laugh. His whole face lit up when he did so. And the skin around his eyes crinkled adorably.
“Thank you, I’ll go get you your pie now. I’ll be right back.” Lily nodded and tried to get her chuckles under control before the other patrons looked at her weird. And just as the pie maker said, he was right back with her pie.
“How much do I owe you?” Lily grabbed for her wallet.
“Don’t worry about it. I couldn’t make an adorable girl pay.” The pie maker handed Lily the container with her pie as she blushed. She smiled at him as he was called to go help in the kitchen. Lily packed up her stuff and was about the leave the pie maker called to her.
“Can I ask you your name?” He was wiping flour onto his apron.
“Lily. And you?” She shifted the books in her arms and faced the pie maker.
“Lee.” And then Lily remembered where she had seen him before and she nearly dropped her books.
“Wait; are you who I think you are?” Lily asked quietly.
“Who do you think I am?” His eyes widened a bit in hopes that she wouldn’t scream or freak out on him.
“Are you the man that played my favourite Elf King of Mirkwood in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of The Hobbit?” Lily all but whispered. A smile slowly spread across the pie makers features.
“Stranger things have happened.” He said as he nodded. Lily wanted to cry and freak out at the fact that she was standing here with Lee Pace. But she didn’t instead she just giggled a bit and smiled a lot.
“Well it was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Pace. I hope that I can see you again sometime.” Lily said keeping her resolve.
“Quiet fans are always welcome here.” Lee said in a thankful tone. Lee was very glad that she seemed to be a big fan but didn’t draw attention to it. That he was actually very thankful for. The two of them smiled at each other as Lily left. She hoped that she could get her studying done before the shop closed and the pie maker went home.
At roughly 7pm Lily finished her studies of ancient languages. She packed up her stuff and started walking back to her dorm. As she walked past the pie shop, Sweeter Things, and saw it was empty she thought it was closed. But the pie maker was still there and the door was unlocked. She smiled to herself and picked up her pace so she could get to the dorm sooner.
When she got the dorm room, her roommate was sitting on her bed studying. They were polite to each other but weren’t really friends yet. With Lily just getting here and all. Lily stopped at her mirror to run a brush through her hair and grabbed her keys.
“I’ll be back later, you don’t need to wait up for me if you don’t want.” She said to her roommate as she left. Lily hoped that Lee would still be there. But had fleeting hope when she saw that many of the lights where off.
But Lily still slowed her walking to glance inside. The pie maker was still there, making pies. He looked up when he noticed the movement outside the shop. He gave Lily a smile and motioned for her to come in.
“I was wondering if you got lost in the library.” He spoke when she walked into the kitchen.
“Nope, I just had lots to catch up on.” Lily grabbed a strawberry and Lee nodded that she could eat it.
“I assume college work.” He didn’t look up from kneading the dough but he did raise an eyebrow. Lily hummed a yes.
“What are you majoring in?” Lee asked her.
“Creative Writing.”
“Oh really?” Lee looked up slightly shocked. Lily smiled and nodded.
“What did you think I was majoring in?” Lee shrugged and pressed the dough ball into the pie pan. He reached for another when he finished. “Can I help you? I don’t want to be a bother.” Lily asked after a small moment of silence.
“You aren’t a bother, honestly. But if you would like to help you can knead the dough for me.” Lee motioned to dough that was sitting big bowl.
Lily removed her jacket and went to wash her hands. Something her father taught her to do whenever she was cooking. Then she grabbed some dough that looked to be roughly the same size as the one that Lee was working with. Lee noticed that Lily was working with it like she had been doing this her whole life.
“Have you done this before? Make pies I mean.” He asked.
“Not pies specifically but my dad and I used to bake bread together.” Lily lost herself in her memories of when things were simpler.
Lee noticed that Lily had left for a moment and spurred the question.
“Did something happen between the two of you?” He was hesitant.
“Oh god I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” Le said immediately after. He flustered about as Lily smiled at him.
“It’s alright. To answer your question, he and I just haven’t talked properly in a while.” Lily looked up to see Lee still fluttering about like a confused butterfly. “Lee, calm down, it’s okay. Seriously.” Lily took one of his hands in hers and rubbed circles on the back of it with her thumb. She never really realized just how tall he was until she was standing next to him. “How the hell did they get you fit in any of the frames?” She muttered.
“There were a lot of wide shots.” Lee whispered. They looked at each other for a second before they burst out laughing. “You’ve got flour in your hair.” Lee spoke through the laughter. Momentarily forgetting that he had flour on his hands he when to brush it away.
“Shit.” He muttered.
“You just made it worse didn’t you?” Lily rolled her eyes but was still smiling at him. She went to check the time on her phone. “Shit my curfew is soon. I gotta get going.” With the last part she looked up at Lee.
“What time is it?”
“10:45, my curfew is at 11. That sounds really childish but it’s true.” Lily whipped the flour off her hands and went for her coat.
“It’s alright, would you like me to walk you back?” Lily glanced outside and took in how dark it was.
“If it wouldn’t be of any trouble.” Lily blushed and looked down at her shoes.
“If it was going to be then I wouldn’t have offered.” As Lee walked past her to grab his coat he lightly pinched her chin which made her blush more.
“How far is your dorm?” Lee asked as they were leaving.
“Not far, I just don’t know the streets well and its dark and stuff and yeah.” Lily rambled. They walked down the side walk and their arms brushed every couple of steps.
“I get it; don’t worry. Though I don’t know what protection I can give you. I’m just a tall, lanky, don’t-know-what-I’m-doing-with-my-limbs man.” Lee looked down and pushed his hands in his pockets.
“Yeah but you’re also a graceful as fuck Elf king so. That’s gotta count for something right?” Lily nudged his arm with a smile on her face. She never really stopped smiling around Lee.
“I’m glad that’s my legacy.” Lee grinned at her.
“Mm I wouldn’t say just that role has created your legacy. I’ve seen most of the stuff you’ve been in and you’ve made every character. They seem like different parts of your personality almost.” Lily rambled again then shrugged. “That sounded better in my head. I’m sorry.”
“No that was actually great. Thank you.” Lee pulled a hand out of his pocket and wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a quick side hug. They shared a smile as her dorm came into view.
They reached the door and paused for a moment.
“A handshake seems too formal but on the other hand I don’t want to cross a boundary with a hug.” Lee said standing there like he was 15 again and had just brought a girl home after a date.
“I think I could handle a hug.” Lily said as she took half a step towards him. Lee closed the rest of the space and wrapped his arms around her. Before Lily could wrap her arms around him she was pressed to his chest. Arms pinned between them. It was warm and made Lily feel safe. Which is saying something. “I should go.” Lily mumbled into his chest; inhaling his cologne.
“Yeah you probably should.” Lee said into her hair as he inhaled the smell of her hair products. But still neither of them let go.
“Hey Lily! Get up to your room or I’m locking you out.” The dean yelled from the door. She must have been locking up when she saw the two of them. Lily felt Lee’s chuckle before she heard it.
“Now I really gotta go.” Lily pulled away and smiled at him. Again. “I’ll come by the pie shop tomorrow after my classes. I promise.” Lee said okay and smiled. He planned to wait until she actually got into her dorm to leave. He felt her tense and then relax as he hugged her. And from that he knew that there was something from her past that made her nervous. Lily had turned to leave but then she turned back. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down. Placing a kiss on his cheek; she thanked him and then bounded back to the dorm door. She was giddier than a school girl.