this was originally going to be an entry for another writing contest but I missed the deadline AND completely surpassed the word limit oops

anyways I hope y'all fellas enjoy this, it's VERY long and I'll admit I got a bit lazy with the ending so uhhhhh sorry

also lemme know if you spot any typos or errors because I wrote most of this very very late at night so there's PROBABLY a lot of mistakes and I honestly cannot be bothered to look for them rn lmao

***

word count: 3504
warnings: a little bit of swearing

***

"Welcome to Black Swan Bar and Grill!" The waitress chirped. "My name is Katori, and I'll be your server tonight. Can I get you started with anything to drink?"

"Yes, I'll have a beer, please." He said with a polite smile. He spoke with a British accent, which Katori found odd, seeing as they were residing in a small American town that tourists never visited, especially European tourists.

"Alrighty! And, are you ready to order, or would you like a minute to look over the menu?"

"I'll just have my usual, thanks."

Katori froze. She had never met this man, after all, she'd only been working at the restaurant for a couple of weeks, and still wasn't acquainted with all the local customers. She knew she had one of two options: tell him she was new, and didn't know what 'his usual' was, or go along with it and pray someone in the kitchen knew him. Katori went with the latter.

"Sounds good! I'll have that out for you as soon as possible." She smiled and strode back to the kitchen, cursing herself under her breath. How stupid could she get?

"Hey, Luc!" She called out to the head chef once she arrived in the kitchen. "Can you help me out with something?"

"What's the problem, cher?" He asked, poking his head out from behind the grill to address her.

"Well, um, there was this guy, and he, uh..." Katori stuttered, feeling nervous around her superiors. Luc owned the restaurant, and she always felt jittery talking to him. "He asked for 'his usual' and I panicked and didn't ask him what that was."

"Oh, that must be Mr. Langdon!" Luc exclaimed. "Blonde hair, grey eyes? Bit of a posh accent?"

"Er, yeah, that's him." She replied. "What's his usual order?"

"Fish and chips, but with cheese and garlic on the fries." Luc answered. "He's ordered the same thing every time he comes here for the past two years. All of the other staff members know him well."

"Oh, really? I've never seen him before. Does he live around here?"

"You know, cher, I'm not quite sure. Sometimes he disappears for a few months, or weeks, but he always shows back up again."

Katori felt intrigued by Mr. Langdon. For the remainder of the evening, she was unusually focused on him. It wasn't often that someone came to dine at a restaurant alone, let alone at a restaurant usually frequented by couples and families. For a while, she wondered if he was waiting for someone, but nobody ever came.

She wouldn't deny that he was incredibly handsome, too. After a few weeks, she began to wish that she could be the one to finally sit with him at dinner, to share a plate of fish and chips (with garlic and cheese, of course) with him. Katori knew he wasn't married, he didn't wear a ring, but that obviously didn't eliminate the possibility of a girlfriend, or fiancée. She knew it was weird for her to have developed a schoolgirl crush, and frankly she was a little embarrassed. It didn't make sense to her why she would lay awake at night and think of him when all he'd ever really said to her was "I'll have my usual."

"Good evening, Katori." He said to her one evening, taking her by surprise.

"Oh, uh, good evening to you, too, Mr. Langdon!" She sputtered, her face flushed red. Her name rolled off his tongue so smoothly, and as embarrassing at it was, she almost felt as if she had wanted to hear him say her name.

"Oh, please, call me Elliot." He smiled, shifting a bit so his whole body was facing her. "Only Luc calls me Mr. Langdon."

"In that case, what can I get you, Elliot? The usual?" She giggled, pulling out her notepad to scribble down his order. She already knew what he was going to get, but Luc made everyone write everything down for him anyways.

"No, I don't think so. What do you recommend?" He asked. Katori was taken aback by this, after all, people rarely ever asked her what she'd suggest, especially not the man who ate the same thing every time he came.

"Me?" She inquired, her brown eyes widening a bit.

"Yes, you." Elliot chuckled. "There's nobody else here, is there?"

"W-well, no, it's just..." Katori stammered, embarrassed. "Nobody ever asks my opinion on things. But, er, the caesar salad is pretty good!"

"I'll have that, then. And what wines would you suggest?"

"Wine? With lunch?" She teased. Elliot rolled his eyes. "I don't really drink wine, but the house red is popular, so it must be alright."

"I suppose I'll try that one. Thank you."

Elliot smiled at her, and Katori felt her heart flutter. He had never smiled at her like that before, typically it was more of a half-smile, but this time, it was wider, and more genuine. Before he could notice the blush beginning to dust her cheeks, she swiftly headed towards the kitchen.

"What are you so happy about?" Luc teased upon seeing her, noticing the dopey grin she kept trying to hide.

"Huh? Oh, nothing!" Katori retorted, leaving the kitchen nearly as quickly as she'd arrived. Luc smiled to himself knowingly. The entire staff knew about Katori's enormous crush on Mr. Langdon, she was terrible at hiding it. But she was too blind to see that he obviously returned her affections. She just needed a push in the right direction.

Later, in the early evening, Katori finished her shift, and, to her surprise, found Elliot waiting for her outside the restaurant. He was leaning against the brick wall, hands in his pockets. His face lit up when he saw her.

"Katori! I was hoping I'd catch you before you went home." He exclaimed, standing up straight and taking a couple steps towards her.

"Why? Is something wrong?" She questioned, cocking her head to the side, confused.

"Oh, no! Quite the opposite, actually." Elliot began. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I leave town tomorrow morning, for a few weeks. Before I go, I wanted to get to see you one last time, for more than just a few moments while you take my order. I want to take you out tonight, on a date."

Katori's eyes widened, and her mouth hung open in shock. Elliot's cheeks had flushed a deep crimson, and judging by the heat rising to her own face, Katori knew her's had as well.

"Like... like a date date?" Katori sputtered. "Like, a romantic date?"

"Indeed. I'm not going to lie, I've been quite infatuated with you for some time, and it would truly-"

"What time are you picking me up?" She cut him off, smiling widely.

"Six-thirty. If that's not to late?"

"N-no, that's perfect!" Katori hurriedly scribbled her address on a tissue from her purse, and thrust it into Elliot's hands. "I'll see you then."

"Wear something nice." Elliot winked before retreating to his car, leaving an utterly lovestruck Katori standing outside the bar.

When she arrived home, the first thing she did was phone her friend Alex. Katori hadn't ever been in a relationship, and it had been years since she'd been on a date, so she hardly knew what to expect. Fortunately, Alex and her current boyfriend had been going steady for three years, so Katori figured she was the best person to call for advice.

"Alex! Help me!" She cried into the phone, flinging her purse aside and flopping on her sofa.

"Why do you have your panties in a twist?" Alex chuckled sarcastically.

"I just got asked out on a date! And he's really hot!" Katori whimpered.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Alex inquired. "Why do you sound like you just saw a puppy get killed?"

"I'm scared! I-I don't know what to expect, and I-"

"Calm down. It's gonna be fine. If I weren't out of town, I'd come help you get ready." There was a pause, and Katori sat up, massaging her temples. "What's this guy like?"

"Well, he's British, which is odd considering foreigners never come to this goddamn town. He's definitely very polite, and charming, and he's more informal with me than the rest of the servers, considering he lets me call him by his first name and not Mr. Langdon. Also he's really, really cute, but like hot at the same time, y'know?"

"What'd you say his name was again?" Alex asked after an uncomfortable pause.

"Well, Luc and the rest of the wait staff call him Mr. Langdon—he's our most regular customer—actually, but he lets me call him Elliot."

"Elliot Langdon?!" Alex shouted, making Katori flinch.

"Yes...? Why is that such a big deal?"

"You mean to tell me the Elliot Langdon is a regular customer at your restaurant and you didn't think you should tell me?"

"What do you mean? Why is this such a big deal?"

"Oh my god, just google him!"

Katori hurried into her bedroom and grabbed her laptop off her dresser, sitting down on her bed, putting Alex on speaker phone as she pulled up the internet. Quickly, she typed in his name, but froze when she saw the sheer amount of results that popped up.

"Oh my god... he's famous?!" Katori shrieked. "W-why didn't anyone tell me?!"

"He's not just famous." Alex lamented. "His whole family is famous, too. He's like a British Kardashian."

"But why? Why's he such a big deal?"

"Well, to start, his brother is a singer, so that alone gives him some clout just for being related to him. And his dad owns a huge international company, or business, or whatever, and it's gonna be passed onto him someday. I think his mother used to be a model, too."

"Oh my god, oh my god!" Katori cried. "This magazine cover says he's the most eligible bachelor in Europe!"

"I'm pretty sure he was labeled 'sexiest single businessman' or something crazy like that, too."

"Alex, I'm going on a date with Europe's most fuckable businessman! How the hell am I supposed to prepare myself for this?!"

"Pretend you don't know who he is." Alex instructed. "Obviously he wants you to treat him like a regular dude, otherwise he would have said something, right?"

"Yeah, I guess I can do that. I mean, I don't want him to think I'm just using him for money, or something."

"Exactly. Just pretend everything's normal. And wear that sexy silver and back dress, he'll totally dig it."

"Don't you think that's a little... bold?" Katori muttered, heading over to the closet to pull out said dress. It was a sleek, shimmery black and silver dress that hugged her figure and accentuated her hips. The tightness of it, and the plunging neckline, never failed to make Katori feel insecure about every part of her body, even though people always said she looked nice whenever she wore it.

"Katori, with a guy like Elliot, you need to be a little bold! Don't make yourself easy to forget, I'm sure there's tons of girls in his life, given his fame, so you don't want to be just another pretty face he had a couple drinks with, right?" Alex exclaimed

"I mean, I guess, but... it's kinda too sexy for me, isn't it?" She murmured

"Absolutely not! You look great in it! Now shut up and get ready, I expect to hear all about your date tomorrow, okay?" Alex hung up the phone, leaving Katori alone. She glanced at the clock, and panicked when she realized it was already 6 o'clock (6:04, to be precise).

Hurriedly, Katori put on the silver and black dress, deciding she didn't have time to look for another outfit. After struggling to zip it up all the way, she rushed into the bathroom and tried to put makeup on, and do her hair. She had barely finished brushing her wavy brown hair when a knock on her apartment's door startled her.

"Shit! He's early!" She hissed, darting to the door. Elliot stood in the hallway, wearing a sleek grey suit.

"Sorry I'm a bit early, I expected traffic to be worse at this hour." Elliot chuckled. "I got you these." He pulled a bouquet of colorful roses out from behind his back.

"Oh my goodness! These are gorgeous!" Katori gushed, forgetting for a moment that she sort of looked like an utter disaster. "Let me put these in some water real quick, oh, come inside for a minute!" She nervously ushered him inside her apartment, already feeling herself grow more and more nervous around him. She could hardly fathom the fact that someone so famous was in her pathetic little apartment.

Katori grabbed a vase out from under her sink, filling it with enough water for the roses to sustain themselves. Elliot stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Your home is lovely." He said after a moment.

"Oh, thank you!" Katori replied, smiling nervously. "Uh, let me get my purse, and we can head out!" She grabbed her purse off the counter and headed towards the door, locking it once she and Elliot were in the hallway. "So, where are we going tonight?"

"There's a restaurant I've been wanting to try, and it's supposed to be rather romantic, so it seemed fitting for the evening." He explained, blushing slightly.

"Oh, wow! I've never really been to a fancy restaurant before, at least not recently." She chuckled.

"I'm sure you'll love it. I've heard their champagne is wonderful."

Elliot led her to his car, and she took a seat in the passenger seat, her mind racing. How the hell was she supposed to handle herself around a guy who drank champagne regularly? She hoped he wasn't just taking her on a date so he could bang her in the backseat of his car, later, or in her crappy apartment. It seemed like everything she'd thought she knew about dating, which wasn't much, just became false, and she suddenly had no idea how to handle herself, or what to do. What was she supposed to say if he tried to spend the night with her? She couldn't just say no, could she, after all, he was a celebrity for goodness sakes!

"Are you alright?" Elliot asked after a few minutes, noticing Katori's silence.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, just a bit nervous. I haven't been on a date in a long time." She lied.

"Well, I suppose I'm fortunate to be the one to take you somewhere, then."

"So, where is this place, anyways?"

"Actually just outside of town. Luc knows the owner, I think. He actually recommended the place to me."

"Oh, that's nice. I'm sure it's lovely."

Soon, the two arrived at the restaurant. Elliot took Katori's hand in his own and led her inside.

"Good evening!" The hostess chirped when they entered. "Table for two?" Elliot nodded, and she led the two of them to a secluded table near the back.

"This place is really nice." Katori lamented.

"Well, a nice girl like you deserves a fancy place like this." Elliot mused.

The rest of the evening seemed to drawl on forever. Katori talked about work, and how she wanted to travel the world someday, and Elliot didn't say much. For a guy who acted like he knew all about how to treat a lady, he sure didn't know how to make conversation. But it didn't change the fact that she was incredibly nervous, and almost felt like she forgot how to be human.

"Katori, are you sure everything's alright?" He asked her after they payed for the meal, finishing the last of their drinks before leaving.

"I told you, I'm just fine!" She giggled, taking another long sip of her cocktail.

"No, something's wrong." Elliot shook his head, frowning. "If something's bothering you, you know you can tell me, right?"

Katori paused, unsure of whether to lie. She could say she was just tired, or maybe that she'd had a bit too much to drink, even though she'd only had a drink and a half. Perhaps she could make up some excuse for being so stressed out, like maybe her sister was dying of leukemia? But she knew lying about having a sister, let alone one who was about to die, would only get her into trouble later.

"I know." She blurted after a dreadful moment of silence.

"P-pardon?" He frowned, confused, but Katori noticed a hint of realization in his gaze.

"I... I know who you are." She looked down at the table, ashamed. "I-I swear I didn't know until today! I-it's just, after you made plans with me this afternoon, I called my friend Alex, and she basically said 'dude you're going on a date with a super famous guy' and I googled you and-"

"And you didn't know how to act anymore after you realized I was famous?" Elliot finished her sentence for her. She looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I tried so hard to pretend I didn't know, because I really, really like you, and I didn't want you to think I was using you for, like, money or something."

"Oh, Katori... you should have just told me. I wouldn't treat you any differently, you know."

"I guess I just didn't want to lose you. I've never had, like, a boyfriend or something, so I guess I just hoped this would work out."

"Who says this can't work out?"

"Reality. You're famous, I'm a waitress who can hardly pay rent. It won't work, I-I just don't think the world would approve of Elliot freaking Langdon dating some common girl." Katori attempted to joke in order to hide the fact she wanted to burst into tears and cry forever.

"Well, in that case, fuck the world." Elliot states firmly. "My mother and father always try to set me up with girls, hoping I'll get married to someone famous. Nobody gives a damn about my feelings back at home, but with you, I truly feel, for perhaps the first time, that I matter to someone, in more than just a superficial way. The fact that I'm famous shouldn't get to determine who I can love."

"What do you mean?" Katori questioned, stirring the ice in her now empty drink. Elliot took the final drink of his champagne and stood up, reaching for Katori's hand. He held it tightly, but not too tightly, and led her out of the restaurant.

"I'm saying that if I love you, then I bloody love you, and I'm not going to let my social status change that." Elliot turned to face her when they stepped outside.

"You love me?" Katori asked softly, her heart racing. Elliot pulled her close to him, looking down at her lovingly.

"Maybe it's too soon to say so, but... I think I do." He muttered.

Elliot brushed a lock of Katori's hair behind her ear before gently leaning towards her. He pressed his lips to hers, but after a fleeting moment, pulled away ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry." Elliot murmured, noticing her lack of response, thinking perhaps he'd overstepped the boundaries.

"Don't be sorry!" Katori exclaimed. "I was just... taken aback, I guess. T-that was my first kiss, you know." Elliot's face lit up, and he smiled widely.

"Really? How is it that a girl as beautiful as you has never, ever, been kissed before?" He chuckled. Katori blushed as his stormy grey eyes gazed into her chocolate brown ones.

"I guess... I guess nobody's ever liked me enough to kiss me." She replied.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to make sure you don't forget that I like you enough." Elliot kissed her once more, and this time, Katori kissed back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her as close to him as physically possible as they deepened the kiss. Pulling away for just a moment, Elliot leaned down to Katori's ear, his breath sending chills down her spine as he whispered to her. "The first day I saw you in the restaurant... I knew I wouldn't be able to get you out of my head. I knew I had to make you mine, sooner or later."

"Oh, Elliot, I-" Katori swooned, but was cut off by the loud chatter of a few women passing by.

"Is that Elliot Langdon?" One of them shrieked. Katori and Elliot glanced over at them, still embracing each other.

"Oh my god! Who's he with?" Another gasped loudly. Katori bit her lip and turned back to Elliot, trying her hardest to tune out the strangers.

"I think they're taking pictures of us." She giggled nervously.

"Ah, let them take pictures, it'll only piss my parents off if they ever get sight of them." Elliot chuckled, kissing Katori passionately once more, not caring who saw him with the only girl that mattered to him.