club going up on a Tuesday

It was almost midnight when Von's phone lit up with your name on the screen. He'd been the one telling you to call him earlier, claiming he was bored and had nothing better to do. But when you finally called, he answered after several rings, sounding far too casual for someone who'd been waiting.

Von: "what took u so long?"

He was sprawled across his bed, one arm tucked behind his head, trying to sound like your call was no big deal.

Von: "i was finna go to sleep."
Von: "but what's up wit u?"

There was a brief pause before he added, almost immediately. The conversation wandered from one pointless topic to another. He made fun of your answers, interrupted you just to disagree with something ridiculous, and kept asking questions even after claiming he wasn't interested. Eventually, you glanced at the time and decided you'd let him get back to his precious sleep.

I glanced at the time on my phone, then shifted onto my side, getting comfortable.

“damn, it’s almost midnight already?”
“ight, imma let u sleep before u start blamin me for keepin u up.”

I let out a small yawn, smiling faintly as I listened to him on the other end. On the other end of the line, there was a short, dry laugh—the kind that sounded more amused than annoyed.

Von: “man shut up, i ain't never gon blame nobody for nottin... maybe”

He trailed off, and for a second, the playful energy dipped into something quieter. You could hear the rustle of sheets as he adjusted himself again, probably sitting up now instead of laying flat.

Von: “hold on though... where u at right now? u home or sumthin?”

His voice was lower, less performative than it had been five minutes ago. It wasn't quite serious, but it wasn't joking either. Just... curious. The kind of tone that meant he wanted to know exactly where you were without outright saying why.

I raised an eyebrow at the sudden question, a little smile tugging at my lips as I shifted against my pillow.

“why? u tryna see where i’m at so u can come get me? 😭”

I paused for a moment before adding, my voice turning a little more teasing.

“what if i’m not home, huh? u gon come find me, von?”

There was a beat of silence on the other end—just a second too long to be accidental. Then you heard him chuckle, that low rumble that vibrated through the receiver.

Von: “Man, don't play wit me lol. U think this a game?”

You could practically hear the smirk in his voice. He sat up fully now, the springs of his bed creaking under the shift in weight. His tone sharpened just a fraction, losing some of that sleepy edge.

Von: “And yeah, I would. Find out exactly where u at. Check every place u might be posted...”

He paused, letting that hang in the air for a moment. There was a confidence in his voice that felt effortless, like he didn't even have to try to make the threat sound real.

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing at how serious he suddenly sounded. I glanced around my room, then looked back at my phone, already committed to the lie.

“LMFAOOO why u sound so pressed”

I waited a second before sending another message, making sure to sound as casual as possible.

“relax, i’m out wit a friend rn. we just chillin, i’ll be home later.”

I leaned back against my pillow, a mischievous little smile spreading across my face as I typed one last message.

“what, u jealous or sum?”

The silence on the other end stretched out. For a few seconds, you could only hear his breathing—slow, steady, deliberate. Then came that sharp exhale through his nose, like he was fighting back whatever reaction was bubbling up inside him.

Von: “Jealous? Man, please. Who told u I was jealous?”

His voice was clipped, defensive in that way that usually meant the exact opposite. He paced for a second—you could hear the soft thud of his feet against the floorboards—before he spoke again, slower this time.

Von: “Out wit a 'friend,' huh? What kinda friend? Where y'all at?”

Then, almost as if he realized he was digging a hole, he tried to pivot, but the damage was done. The jealousy was leaking through the cracks of his tough exterior. I had to bite back a laugh at how quickly he started asking questions. He really expected me not to notice how his whole attitude had changed.

“damn, why u askin so many questions? I’m busy rn”

I let the silence linger for a moment before sending another message, playing along with the lie.

“we at a club… just vibin. the music loud as hell tho, i can barely hear u.”
“don’t tell me u finna pull up just to make sure i’m behaving, von. 😇”

I paused, imagining the look on his face, then added one last text. Another pause. This one lasted longer. Through the speaker, you could hear him huffing—that frustrated, half-annoyed noise he made when he knew he was being played but couldn't figure out how to stop it.

Von: “A club? At midnight? On a Tuesday?”

He spat those words out like they tasted wrong. You could picture him pacing his room, jaw tight, probably checking his location app or wondering which clubs she might be at. The nonchalance from ten minutes ago was completely gone.

Von: “And nah, I ain't gotta pull up to make sure u behavin'. I trust u.”

That was a blatant lie. Even you could hear the lack of conviction in his voice. I stared at my phone, practically hearing the disbelief in his voice. A quiet giggle escaped me as I pushed myself up from my bed, already glancing toward my closet.

“on a tuesday? damn, u know my schedule better than i do”

I got to my feet and wandered over to my clothes, pretending to consider what I should wear while typing with my other hand.

“and aw, u trust me? that’s so sweet”

Through the phone, you could hear him scoff—a harsh, disbelieving sound that nearly drowned out the faint hum of whatever was playing in the background of his room.

Von: “Don't gimme that shit. Don't act like I don't know u. I know exactly how u move.”

His footsteps stopped abruptly. The silence that followed was heavy, charged with that restless energy he always carried. When he spoke again, his voice had dropped into that dangerous register—low, calm, and entirely unconvincing.

Von: “And don't hit me wit that emoji shit neither. U know what I'm talkin bout.”

There was a brief pause, and then he added, his tone shifting slightly—less aggressive, more insistent, like he was genuinely bothered despite everything he was saying. I pressed my lips together, trying to keep a straight face as I listened to him. He sounded so convinced that he knew me better than anyone, and honestly, that only made teasing him more tempting.

“ohhh, so u DO know me that well?”

I got up and walked over to my closet, pulling out an outfit just to keep up the act. Then I leaned against the doorframe, typing with a little grin.

“don’t worry bout me, von. i’ll be fine. u can go to sleep if u want.”
“unless u wanna come get me yourself? Pick me up then”

I waited a moment before sending one last message. For a solid three seconds, there was absolutely nothing on the other end. No breathing, no shuffling, just dead silence. Then you heard it—a chair scraping harshly against the floor, followed by the unmistakable jingle of keys hitting a nightstand.

Von: “Hold on.”

His voice had lost every ounce of its previous hesitation. Gone was the fake dismissal, replaced by a cold, decisive clarity. You could hear him moving fast now—zipping up a jacket, grabbing his shoes. Footsteps were pounding toward a door.

Von: “Send me yo location. Right now.”

He didn't say 'please.' He didn't even frame it as a suggestion. It was a command delivered with the absolute certainty of someone who had already made up his mind. I couldn’t help the little smile that crept onto my face when I heard how quickly his tone had changed. He really was coming to get me. I opened the map, copied the club’s location, and sent it to him without another word.

“there. happy now? ”
“drive safe, okay? i’ll be outside when u get here ♡”

I glanced at myself in the mirror, then grabbed my jacket, finally getting ready to head out. The notification pinged on his end, and you could hear the engine of his car roaring to life through the open window on his side. The bass from his speakers was already rattling the dashboard, but underneath it, his voice cut through clear as day.

Von: “Yeah, I'm happy. And don't be sendin' them hearts neither, u know how I feel about that shit.”

Despite the rough words, there was a tension in his voice that suggested he was already halfway there. You could hear the blinker clicking rhythmically as he pulled out of his driveway, tires catching the asphalt hard.

Von: “Stay right there. Outside. Don't be goin' nowhere else and don't be actin' up wit anybody while I'm drivin'.”

I bit back a laugh, practically glowing at how quickly he’d reacted to the little heart. If he truly hated them, he wouldn’t keep bringing them up.

“you talk about my hearts more than i do, von”
“and i’m behavinggg. promise ♡”

I sent him one more, just to be difficult, then slipped my phone into my bag and headed toward the door. I paused for a second before sending one last message.

“you better hurry, i might start missing you”

The response was immediate—almost violent. You could hear him slam his palm against the steering wheel, a dull thud echoing through the phone.

Von: “Missin' me? Girl, stop playin' games. I'm two minutes away.”

The GPS was running hot; you could hear the automated voice reciting turns between his breaths. He was driving fast—too fast for a Tuesday night—weaving through traffic with that reckless precision he always seemed to have. Every corner he took resulted in a slight groan from the passenger seat.

Von: “And I told u about dem fuckin' hearts! Why u gotta push my buttons like that?”

He vented it out, but beneath the irritation, there was something else—something warmer, something he'd never admit to anyone but himself. I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing, glancing at his messages with a ridiculously pleased smile. He was so easy to tease, especially when he tried so hard to pretend he wasn’t affected.

“okay okayyy, no more hearts”
“but you think i’m cute when i’m annoying, don’t you? ♡”

I slipped my phone into my pocket and stepped outside, looking down the street for his car. The moment I spotted it approaching, my smile widened, and I lifted a hand to wave at him.

“two minutes felt like foreverrr.”

As soon as he saw her standing there on the curb—small, pale skin glowing under the streetlights, long black hair catching the breeze—he slowed the car down, but only because he needed to actually see her properly. His grip tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles turning white for a split second before he forced himself to relax.

He rolled the window down, the cool night air rushing in alongside the muffled thump of his music. He looked her up and down, taking in the outfit, the expression on her face, and that infuriatingly pretty smile.

Von: "See? That's exactly what I mean," he muttered, pulling up to the curb beside her.
"U standin' out here lookin' like that, waitin' on me... u tryna give me a reason to lose my mind?"

I tilted my head, looking at him through the open window with the sweetest, most innocent expression I could manage.

“but you still came to get me.”

I smiled a little wider, opening the passenger door and slipping into the seat beside him. I turned toward him, resting my chin in my palm as I studied his face.

“you could’ve stayed home, you know. but you didn’t.”
“so you must’ve missed me too, huh? ”

My eyes flicked down to his hand on the steering wheel before returning to his face. Von gripped the wheel tighter, refusing to meet her gaze directly. He threw the car into gear, pulling away from the curb with a sudden burst of speed that pressed her back into the leather seat. The city lights blurred past the windows in streaks of neon gold and white.

Von: “Keep dreamin', I just didn't want u out there by yourself makin' everybody uncomfortable wit dat look.”

He shot her a quick glance—sharp, dark eyes scanning her face before darting back to the road. He reached over, adjusting the volume on his stereo, cranking it just enough to drown out the possibility of any awkward silence settling between them.

Von: “And quit studyin' me like that. Ain't nothin' to see.”

I let out a soft giggle, sinking comfortably into the passenger seat. Instead of looking away, I turned toward him with a fond little smile, clearly entertained by how hard he was trying to ignore me.

“mhm, sure. you just didn’t want everybody else looking at me.”
“you’re so sweet when you pretend you aren’t.”
“but okay, i’ll stop staring.”
“can’t promise i’ll stop thinking you’re cute, though. ”

I paused for a second, then added in a quieter, teasing voice. Von let out a dry, short laugh, shaking his head as he navigated a sharp turn. He kept his eyes glued to the road, but the corners of his mouth twitched, betraying the stoic mask he was trying so hard to maintain. The bravado was slipping, piece by piece, under her constant teasing.

“Von: Cute? Man, u trippin'. I'm a grown man, Stop callin' me cute.”

He reached over, his large hand briefly brushing against her knee as he adjusted the climate control, a touch that lingered just a second longer than necessary before he pulled back. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.

Von: “And since u so worried 'bout me missin' u... what we doin' now?”

I glanced down at the spot where his hand had brushed my knee, then slowly looked back up at him with a small, knowing smile.

“oh? so you actually wanna spend time with me?”
“i dunno, von. you came all the way to get me, so i thought you had something in mind.”

I leaned back in my seat, getting comfortable as I watched the city lights pass by. I tilted my head, giving him an innocent little smile.

“take me somewhere you like. i just wanna be with you.”
“unless you only came to lecture me about my hearts.”

Von snorted, a genuine, deep laugh escaping him this time. He shook his head, finally allowing a proper smirk to break through his tough facade. He swung the car into a different lane, heading away from the bright, noisy center of the city and toward the quieter outskirts.

Von: “Lecture u? Nah, I ain't got the patience for that tonight.”

He glanced sideways at her, his dark eyes softening just a fraction. The intensity was still there, but the jagged edges of his temper had smoothed out, replaced by something much more grounded and focused solely on her.

Von: “I know a spot. It's quiet. We can just... sit. Talk. Without all this extra noise.”

I blinked at him, a little surprised by his answer. For once, I didn’t immediately have a teasing remark ready. I just watched him for a moment, a small smile slowly spreading across my face.

“just sit and talk? with me?”

I leaned a little closer, resting my elbow against the armrest. Von didn't answer immediately. He kept his focus on the road, but he didn't pull away from her proximity. In fact, he seemed to lean into it ever so slightly, his shoulder almost brushing hers as he steered the car through a quiet intersection.

Von: “Yeah. Just us.”

His voice was lower now, stripped of the performative toughness he used when they were texting or when people were watching. It was raw, honest, and held a vulnerability he rarely showed anyone. He reached over, his fingers grazing the fabric of her sleeve before he rested his hand firmly on the center console, close enough that their hands were inches apart.

Von: “Sometimes it's too much, ya know? All these people, all this hype... I just need somethin' real for a minute. Somethin' quiet.”

My teasing smile softened as I listened to him. For once, I didn’t interrupt or try to make him admit anything. I glanced at his hand resting on the center console, then gently placed mine beside it, letting our fingers brush.

“yeah. i get that.”

I turned toward the window for a moment, watching the city lights fade into the quiet darkness beyond the glass.

“must get tiring having everybody wanting a piece of you all the time.”
“you don’t gotta entertain me, you know. we can sit there in silence for all i care.”

I looked back at him, my expression warm and uncharacteristically sincere. A little smile returned to my lips as I nudged his hand lightly with my pinky.

“but if you fall asleep, i’m drawing a little heart on your hand. just so you know.”

Von stiffened for a heartbeat when her fingers brushed his, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he turned his hand over, sliding his palm against hers, lacing their fingers together in a silent acknowledgment of the sincerity in her voice. He squeezed her hand gently, his thumb tracing small circles over her knuckles.

Von: “Mmm. Try it and see what happens.”

He said it with a mock sternness, but the warmth in his eyes gave him away. He was leaning into the peace she offered, the quiet understanding that didn't require him to be 'King Von' for a few hours. They drove in a comfortable silence for a while, the roar of the city replaced by the gentle hum of the tires on the pavement and the soft melody of a slow track on the radio.

I looked down at our intertwined fingers, my expression softening as his thumb traced little circles over my knuckles. For once, I didn’t have the urge to tease him. I simply squeezed his hand back, letting my thumb brush gently across his.

“you’re actually really sweet, you know that?”
“don’t worry. i’ll keep your little secret.”

I turned toward the window, hiding the little smile that crept onto my face. A few moments passed before I glanced back at him. I lifted our joined hands slightly, pressing them against my cheek for a brief moment before settling back into my seat.

“the world gets king von. i get this version of you.”
“i think i got the better deal.”

My smile turned shy, and I gave his hand one last gentle squeeze. Von went completely silent at that. He didn't scoff, he didn't roll his eyes, and he didn't make a joke to deflect. He just stared straight ahead at the road, his jaw tightening as he processed the weight of what she just said. The interior of the car suddenly felt smaller, charged with a heavy, unspoken tension that had nothing to do with the music or the city passing by.

When they finally arrived at the spot—a secluded overlook that sat high above the valley, offering a view of the distant, twinkling lights of the city far below—he killed the engine. The sudden absence of sound was deafening. He didn't move for a long moment, his hands still gripping the steering wheel, before he finally let out a long, shaky breath.

Von: “...u talk too much”

turned toward him, blinking at his response before a small, amused smile crept onto my face. I could tell I’d gotten to him, and somehow, that only made me want to be a little sweeter.

“and yet, you keep listening.”
“c’mon, grumpy. you brought me all the way up here just to sit in the car?”

I gave his hand a gentle squeeze before finally letting go, reaching for the door handle. Von grunted, a low sound in his chest that was half-annoyance and half-resignation. He pushed the door open, stepping out into the crisp night air. He stood tall, his silhouette cutting a sharp figure against the backdrop of the distant city lights. As he rounded the front of the car to meet her, he shoved his hands into his pockets, looking everywhere except at her face.

Von: “Man, shut up. I ain't grumpy. I'm just tired of all the bullshit.”

He gestured vaguely toward the edge of the overlook, where a weathered wooden bench sat facing the horizon. There was no crowd here, no flashing cameras, no fans shouting his name. Just the wind whistling softly through the trees and the faint smell of pine.

Von: “Sit down.”

I looked at the bench, then back at him, pressing my lips together to hide a smile. He really did have a way of making even the simplest things sound like an order.

“come here, then. you look like you need a hug more than you need a nap.”
“don’t worry, i’ll take good care of you. somebody’s gotta.”

I tilted my head, my expression turning sweetly mischievous. I reached for his hand again, giving his fingers a gentle tug toward me.

“now sit with me, pretty boy.”

Von hesitated for a long moment, his body tense and resistant. But the gentleness in her voice, the playful tug of her hand, something in him just... let go. With a heavy sigh that sounded almost like relief, he allowed himself to be led to the bench. He sat down heavily, the wood creaking under his weight, and immediately hunched forward, elbows on his knees, face in his hands. Like this, he looked smaller somehow. More vulnerable. When he spoke, his words were muffled but clear.

Von: “I ain't no pretty boy. Don't go spreadin' rumors like that.”

But even as he said it, he shifted, making room for her on the bench. An unspoken invitation. I scooted closer to him, taking the little bit of space he’d left me as an invitation. I glanced at his hunched posture, and my teasing smile softened into something much more affectionate.

“mm, okay. not a pretty boy.”
“my pretty boy, then.”

I paused, pretending to think it over before gently resting my head against his shoulder. Von tensed as she leaned against him, every muscle in his body going rigid. But he didn't pull away. Slowly, hesitantly, he lowered his hands from his face, revealing the conflicted expression etched into his features. He stared straight ahead at the glittering expanse of the city, his jaw working silently as he struggled with some internal battle.

Finally, with a shuddering exhale, he relaxed incrementally. His arm moved, heavy and deliberate, until it was draped around her shoulders. Not pulling her close, but not pushing her away either. A tentative gesture, like he was testing the waters of this newfound intimacy.

Von: “Yours, huh?” His voice was low, rough with emotion he couldn't quite suppress. “Careful what you claim. Might not let you go after that.”

I looked up at him, my teasing smile fading into something softer as his arm settled around my shoulders. For a moment, I simply watched his face, as if I were trying to decide whether he was joking or if he meant every word.

“…my pretty boy…”

I murmured it again, quieter this time, letting my head settle against his shoulder.My fingers slipped between his, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

“then keep me around”

Von's breath caught in his throat. For the first time all night, he didn't have a smartass reply. He just sat there, his arm wrapped around her, the weight of everything—the noise, the pressure, the expectations—finally feeling lighter. He didn't say anything, but his grip on her hand tightened, a silent promise buried beneath the quiet hum of the city below them.

He finally looked down at her, his dark eyes searching hers, unreadable but steady. Then, without a word, he pulled her closer, just slightly, enough that their bodies aligned. No words. No jokes. Just a moment that wasn't about being King Von or Ice Box or any of the roles he played for the world.

Just him. And her.