Work Text:
Flashback to her first day in the office
He'd hear her name drift through around the hallways but he hadn't had the chance to meet her. Lindsay. He knew that much. It was a fleeting thought and then it was gone, he had work to think about now.
Skip to the end of the week
He still hadn't met the new girl. Although he wasn't exactly going out of his way to look, he still was curious. However, work came around once again and soon his thoughts were elsewhere.
“Hey Michael, bring this beer upstairs to Gus for me ya?"
“Sure thing Barb.”
He grabbed the beer off the desk and headed down the hallway to the stairs. A body swiped by and he turned to look. He turned his head to see a smiling red head looking back at him, holding a cup of tea.
"I like your tattoos.”
First time I saw you, I knew right away
Made up my mind, you would be mine someday
You know I need you, so don't turn away
'Cause at the end of the day, I'll be alright
This had to be her. It was definitely a face he didn't recognize. And he would have remembered seeing this face if he had. She had straight across bangs that fell into her face, slightly hiding her eyes, and when she smiled her cheeks seemed to release their own brightness, her blush reaching her twinkling eyes.
Before he had a chance to reply, he was stumbling into the stairs. Releasing a flurry of low volume curses, Michael caught himself before doing any real damage, to himself or the beer. The girl laughed loudly and turned back to walk into the office across from his.
From his place at the bottom of the stairs, Michael couldn't help but smile.
Skip forward to the next week.
Michael had had this planned out since Saturday. He needed to ask her out, but he needed to come off cool as well. He didn't want his hard ass reputation being stomped on by people thinking he had a crush right?
Seated at his desk, Michael watched the clock tick towards lunch. At ten minutes 'til twelve, he pushed back his chair and stood. Taking a deep breath, he walked out of his office across the hall. Luckily the door was open and Lindsay was seated inside, headphones on, working on a video.
Leaning on the door frame, Michael put a smirk on his face and rapped his knuckle on the door. Lindsay made no sign of noticing him. Michael's smirk faded a little but he attempted to maintain hiscomposure.
He cleared his throat louder, and a little longer, than necessary. Finally, Lindsay noticed him and removed her headphones.
Head cocked to the side, with a small smile on her lips she answered, “Yes? Can I help you?”
“Uh yes, I mean, I don't have...uh yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to come get lunch with me?”
Her smile widened. “Oh sorry, I can't, gotta lot of work to do so probably going to stay in for lunch.” Michael's smile faltered. “What about a raincheck?”
Michael pushed through what hopefully looked like a genuine smile, “Yeah of course. Don't worry about it...I just ask..Gavin or something yeah.” Without meaning to, his voice caught and he ducked his head down quickly to hide his blush.
Lindsay's smile widened and she did a quick exhale of breath from her nose, chuckling. She gave Michael a small wave and returned her headphones to her head, turning back towards her desk to resume working. Michael slid out of the room, embarrassed but not yet discouraged.
Still I'm praying that you'll change your mind
I'll be okay
'Cause you'll come around eventually
Flash foreward to Christmas in Jersey one year later.
Hey-hey-hey
When I love someone, I'm loving all the way
Hey-hey-hey
You know I'm the one to take you all the way
Michael had been waiting for this moment for a long time. He felt the lump in his breast pocket on his suit jacket and took a deep breath.
They were in the living room of his parent's house, drinking after-dinner coffee. Lindsay was reading and Michael had been pretending to watch TV. He could feel the stares of his parent's in the kitchen from over the dividing counter.
Reaching his hand into his pocket, he pulled out the box containing the ring and placed to to the side where she couldn't see. He watched Lindsay for a moment as she continued to read. He smiled to himself, thinking about how lucky he was to find someone just like him, who took him for his screaming and cursing, who loved his boyish curls and dimples, who loved videos games as much as he did.
He grabbed the remote and switch off the TV. Lindsay glanced up at the sudden lack of noise, and then looked at him. They stared at each other for a moment, her face growing more and more confused.
I know you hold back but just let it go,
'Cause I just won't stand to watch you walk alone,
Don't be afraid, you're not on your own
“Lindsay.. I..”
“Oh no. Oh gosh” Lindsay dropped her book, instantly blushing.
Michael smiled. “Lindsay, from the first day I saw you, with no exaggeration, I knew you were it. I was determined to get you to come to lunch with me. You turned me down 5 times, did you know that?”
Laughing, with a twinkle of sarcasm, “Oh really, that was it?”
Michael shoved her gently, smiling softly. “For some reason, you had something against lunch.” Lindsay laughed. “But still I offered it to you and then finally, you said yes. From that very first lunch date, I felt like I knew you. Because I did. I was looking at myself, but in a woman's body,” Michael said with a wink.
Lindsay looked down and away, no longer laughing but blushing and smiling to herself. Michael reached across and grabbed her chin in his hands. He guided her gaze back to his and smiled at her.
“Lindsay Tuggey, when I love someone, I'm loving all the way.” his other hand reached to the side and grabbed the box.
Lindsay gasped softly and watched as Michael slowly made his way to the kneeling position. Her hand automatically fluttered to cover her heart and her smile widened. He opened the box.
“Lindsay Tuggey, will you marry me?”
“Michael Jones, of course I will.”
Michael placed the ring on her finger and flew up, gathering Lindsay into a hug and spun her around. When they had slowed, they stood there staring into each other's eyes, each one's smile bigger than the others. Michael could just barely hear his mother crying in the next room.
Flash forward to the present.
The music starts and everyone stands.
Michael almost freezes but forces himself to turn towards the doors that are now opening.
He smiles as he sees Millie skipping down the aisle, throwing flowers left and right. His gaze follows her down and then instantly flies up when he sees a flash of white.
His breath stops as he sees her.
She looks beautiful. The dress is strapless and floor length. Her hair isn't too done up and exactly how he loves it, with a beautiful headband to match. Although barely aware of it, he knows his smile is just as wide as the one he sees on her face.
He feels so proud that everyone at the company can see how beautiful she is and know that she is his, and he is hers, and no one elses.
He reaches out his hand as she gets to the end of the aisle, helping her up the step in front of the preacher. They stare at each other, hardly containing the giggles that needed to come out.
Michael is aware that the preacher was saying words, how much he actually heard is another story. He could hardly stand the need to kiss her, to finally begin their new lives.
Michael started at the words, “Do you, Michael Jones, take this woman to be your lawfully wedding wife?”
“Hell yeah I do.”
Lindsay rolled her eyes and smiled, looking back at the preacher for her line. “Do you, Lindsay Tuggey, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“Bring it on.”
“Then I now pronounce you man and wife, you may now kiss the bride.”
They both leaned in, smiling into the kiss softly. When they parted, the crowd roared with cheering. Michael looked out at all of his family and friends and then glanced back down to his now-wife.
“To think, you were just a cute, angry boy with tats working in an office a few years ago.”
“Yeah, well, time flies when you've found the love of your life.”
Hey-hey-hey
When I love someone, I'm loving all the way
Hey-hey-hey
You know I'm the one to take you all the way