THIS CONTAINS NO SPOILERS! reminder that starting April 3rd, i will be posting imagines with major onward spoilers in them bc it'll be released onto Disney+ that day :-)

requested by Melonhead15

/ / /

Ian sat on the bench across the street, sipping on his black coffee that was loaded with sugar packets. It was one of the few things he had in common with Barley --- he would only drink coffee if it was at the sweetest it could be. As he sipped, he stared ahead at his school, dreading going inside. He had three tests today. 

How was it that all teachers assigned them on the same day? Did they plan it during their meetings? Ian was convinced they did this only to make their students as miserable as they possibly could.

He sighed. Ten minutes until first period. He stood up and turned to the right so he could cross at the crosswalk. 

"Hey, Ian!"

He turned, recognizing the voice right away. It was his best friend --- and if he was being honest with himself --- his crush. He held his arm up and waved as you jumped up onto the curb. You turned and waved goodbye to your mom, who smiled at you and Ian before pulling out. 

"Hey, ___," he said.

"Morning," you said, breathlessly. You wiped away the hairs that had been swept across your forehead. "Oooh, coffee?"

"Yeah, but you aren't gonna like it---" He didn't speak fast enough, because you took his coffee from him and took a drink. 

Your face twisted and you handed it back, shaking your head in pure disgust. "Holy... what is that?!"

"It's just sugar," he said, laughing. 

"Yeah. Just sugar. No coffee?"

"There's coffee," he said, swishing it around in his cup. "It's in there somewhere."

"Bleh." 

"Look, I needed a major boost. We've got three tests today!" You two walked into the school together. 

"You aren't stressed again, are you? Look, I know you struggle with learning Old English, but you've got this! Not only did I help you study, but your brother did, too. He's really good at that stuff."

"I know," he said, "but it's still stressful. I-I just want to, you know, make him and my mom proud."

You nodded. "I know you do. But I can promise you that you do make them proud. I see it in the way they look at you. You shouldn't doubt it for even a moment."

Ian's eyebrows raised and pulled together. "Aw, thanks, ___," he said, voice softer. 

"I mean it." You took his cup from him again. He gave you a look. You shrugged. "Maybe it's growing on me."

After a single drink, you had the same look on your face. 

"Nope, definitely isn't growing on me," you said. "Wow, that is horrible."

Ian laughed loudly, almost too embarrassing. But you were his best friend, and he never felt embarrassed around you. He knew without a fraction of doubt that you genuinely cared about him, and he wondered if you cared about him as much as he cared about you.

"Hey, I gotta get to class," you said. "I want to study as much as possible. I have one of the tests first period."

"Good luck," he said. "You'll do great."

"Thanks." You handed him the cup back. "I'll let you know how easy it is."

"Or hard," he corrected as you backed up.

"Nah, how easy it is. We both know that Ian Lightfoot is going to pass this no problem!" 

You grinned and he shook his head at you, laughing under his breath. He watched you walk down the hallway before he turned to head the opposite way to his history class. 

You know what, Ian, he thought to himself, you really should just go ahead and ask her out. She's bound to say yes, right? She hangs out with you every day, she never gets tired of you. That doesn't mean she likes you though. What if you scare her away? What if she gets creeped out and suddenly you don't have a best friend anymore? Maybe you shouldn't ask her out. You can't do this. Why did you think you could do this!?

He sighed as he turned into his classroom and sank down into his seat. "I can't do this."

He sighed and placed his phone on his desk. He sank all the way down in his chair until his legs were sprawled out in front of him. His arms hung limply at his sides. He frowned deeply.

His phone lit up. He slowly squirmed back up into a somewhat straight position and checked the notification in front of him. Against a lockscreen wallpaper of you and Ian together, Blazey squeezed in between your faces, was a text from you. 

maybe it's that coffee, but i think i'm gonna pass this test without problem!!!!

and i know that you are going to too

you got this, lightfoot

i know you do

He smiled and picked up the phone. Of course you were talking about the test he was about to take, but in his mind, he imagined that you were encouraging him to gather up his courage and ask him out. He had the courage in him, somewhere. If even you saw that, then he didn't really have an excuse to not ask you out. He laid his chin down on the top of his arm as typed. 

Do you really think I do?

there's no doubt in my mind

Thanks

Ian turned his phone screen off and dug into the pocket of his sweatshirt. He fiddled for a moment before he pulled out his spiral notebook pad. He flipped open the cover and through a few pages until he came across a clean sheet. 

He began to make a list. 

Get flowers

Come up with a clever pick-up line

Find out if ___ likes those first

Be brave!!!

Be like Dad

Be like Barley

Be like ___

He nodded, content with what he had made. As his teacher called for everyone to quiet down and prepare for the morning, he stared at his list. He was nervous, but he was excited. He had the three greatest role models in the world. 

He could do this. 

/ / /

i also will be making Shoreline into a short series! i want to do more mermaid!readers x Ian or x Barley, so feel free to request those !!!

(seriously, send in as many requests as you want. i have a ton of time bc quarantine)