Work Text:
"Hey, actually- I’m sorry if this is weird, but- are you an actor?"
"What?"
What kind of pick-up line is that?
It's definitely not a pick-up line!
"I uh- it's just- every time you come in you have like a different accent? Like sometimes you’re British, sometimes you’re american. Sometimes you even speak some spanish?”
Do you speak spanish?
I can ask where the library is.
Why would you speak to them in spanish?
You think I came here and ‘donde está la biblioteca’d them? Why the fuck would I do that?
“... So I thought maybe you’re doing those method acting things or something."
"Uh, no. I'm not. Not an actor."
"Oh, okay. Sorry for being nosey, but it was eating me alive!” You joke.
"I work at a museum!" Steven blurts out.
"Oh. You do?"
He nods.
"That's so cool! What do you do there?"
He averts his eyes to the floor in some sort of embarrassment. "I uh. I work at the gift shop right now. But I give tours sometimes! That's- that's what I actually want to do. Uh, teach people about… things."
"So you must really know your history then.”
"Enough to give tours about it. Not that I’m trying to be… you know. Presumptuous. Or anything.”
Is it even possible to be ‘presumptuous’ about that?
Shut up.
Who even uses the word ‘presumptuous’ anyway?
Shut up!
"Sounds like you have fun with it."
"Yes- Yes. I really like reading about these things- especially ancient Egypt. That's- that's actually what I give tours on."
Stop rambling.
I don't ramble!
"Really? I've always been more of a greek-roman kind of person, so I don't really know that much about Egypt."
I cannot believe they liked the rambling.
You think so?
"You- oh. Do you want to- would you like to come by the museum some time?"
Yes, Steven! We gotta work a bit on the delivery but that's what I'm talking about! Make sure to put in a good word for me!
Don’t be stupid.
“What?”
“What?”
“You, uh-”
Oh, fuck, did he just say that out loud?
Idiot.
Fuck, he did. “Oh, I’m sorry, I was- I was talking to myself. Sorry.”
"Oh. Okay. Well, sure, uh… shit, I’m sorry, I never asked for your name."
"It’s Steven. With a ‘V’."
"Okay, Steven-with-a-V. I would like to come by the museum sometime."
Steven looks absolutely shocked, like the fact that you could say yes hadn't even crossed his mind. "You would?"
After what you just pulled, I’m surprised too.
Or perhaps you’re just mean.
"Yeah, why not? Then you can teach me more about those things."
"Yeah. Of course. That would be… good. Great! It would be great. I'm- I'm giving a few tours tomorrow. Covering some shifts. If you- if you want to come by."
"I have the morning shift tomorrow. But maybe in the afternoon? What time are you out?"
"I'll be there until six, actually."
"On a saturday?"
"I switched with a colleague. Got both their shifts for tomorrow."
You smiled, finally ringing up his order when someone else entered the place, cutting the interaction short. "6.99."
"What?"
"Your order."
"Oh. Right. Here."
He gives you a ten pound note, and you try to give him his change.
He just smiles at you. "Keep it. As a tip. It's… for being nice to me. And showing up tomorrow?" He hoped he didn't sound cocky. Or like he wanted to buy you with a sorry three fucking pounds or something of the sort or-
"I'd need to know exactly where I need to be for that to happen."
"What?"
"There’s not exactly one single museum in this city, Steven-with-a-v."
"Shit. Right. It's-"
No, dumbass! Don't just tell them!
What else do you want me to do?
Holy shit.
"Steven?"
"Sorry, can I borrow that?" He says, pointing to your notepad… with that american accent, again. You then realize he never did explain anything about that, only saying he wasn't an actor, like you thought he was- which made this whole accent situation a lot more intriguing. You'd ask him about it again, but he'd just invited you to the museum and you weren't about to be nosey and ruin things.
Steven-with-a-v-and-an-american-accent grabbed the notepad and pen from the counter and quickly wrote his number on it.
"Just text me and I'll send you the address."
Eh-dress. What was this man’s deal? "Okay. Yeah. I will."
Did I just ask them out?
Yeah and I got their number. Clearly a team effort.
Can’t you let me have this one?
If you put in a good word for me.
Ah, yes, of course I will, that definitely won’t scare them off.