Joseph Quinn Rpf - Tumblr Posts
Crossed Paths- Joseph Quinn
Description: Joe's stressful day at LAX takes an unexpected turn when he reaches out to (Y/N), a flight attendant, but most importantly, the girl he has been in love with for so long.
Warnings: None, RPF Fic
Word Count: 2434 (A long one!)
————————————————————————
Joe was going through a particularly rough day. He had been at the Los Angeles airport for hours, desperately trying to find a flight to London. With cancellations, fully booked flights, and limited options, it was looking increasingly unlikely that he’d make it in time to be with his family for the birth of his godchild. His frustration was palpable, a gnawing sense of urgency mingling with helplessness.
In a moment of desperation, he pulled out his phone and hesitated before typing a message to (Y/N), the woman he’d been trying so hard to forget over the past month after their last interaction.
Joseph Q.
“Hey (Y/N),”
The message felt strange and awkward as he tapped away, but he pressed on.
“Sorry to text you out of the blue, but I think I might need your help.”
“Is there any way you can help me get a flight to London? Ashley’s labor started a bit earlier than expected, and I’ve been stuck at LAX for hours with no luck finding a flight.”
“I’m really sorry to bother you with this, but you’re my last resort.”
Meanwhile, (Y/N) was in the middle of a private flight to her next destination, fully absorbed in her responsibilities. It took nearly two hours before she could check her phone. Seeing Joe’s name pop up made her heart skip a beat, but she quickly set her emotions aside and decided to respond setting her feelings aside.
(Y/N) ✈️🖤
“Hey,”
“I’m on a flight right now, but once I land, I’ll see what I can do to help. I’ll let you know once I have news.”
Joe’s sigh of relief was almost audible as he read her reply. His fingers fumbled a bit as he typed his thanks.
Joseph Q.
“Thank you so much. We’ll be in touch.”
As soon as (Y/N) landed, she dove into the post-flight procedures with a sense of urgency. With only an hour before her next flight, she made her way to the airline’s ticketing desk. Despite her efforts to expedite the process, the options were grim; no flights available for several hours. Frustrated but undeterred, she moved to a VIP lounge and began making calls, hoping for a miracle.
After about fifteen minutes, her persistence paid off. An operator managed to secure a seat for Joe the following day at noon. As soon as she had the details, she shot Joe a message requesting his passport number and payment information. The minutes felt like hours as she awaited his response, but soon enough, Joe’s details arrived. Moments later, she was on the phone with him.
“I got you the flight,” she said, navigating her way to her next gate. “It’s private and at noon tomorrow, but at least you’ll get there.”
Joe’s smile was wide, the tension melting away from his shoulders.
“You’re literally the best. You don’t know how much this means to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“No worries. I know how important it is for you to be there with your family. Listen, I have to go, but I’d suggest you go back to where you’re staying, take a shower, eat something, and get a bit of rest. There are quite a couple hours left before your flight. Make the most of them.”
“Yeah… Yeah, for sure, I’ll do that. I’m going to let you go now, okay? I know you’re still working. I’m sorry and once again, thank you so much.”
“Okay, Joe, I got it,” (Y/N) laughed softly, the warmth in her voice evident. “Take care.”
She hung up and quickly transitioned to boarding her own flight. Meanwhile, Joe grabbed his suitcase and backpack and called an Uber to head back to his apartment. Despite his exhaustion, his mind was a whirlwind of anxiety and lingering thoughts about these last months events. That night, sleep came reluctantly, interrupted by worries about missing out such an important moment with the people he loved and the memory of that last conversation he had with (Y/N). Suddenly, his mind transported him all over again to that late afternoon of the 8th of January.
A warm sun cast glow stood over the park as Joe and (Y/N) settled onto a bench after Joe ditched an event he had been invited to. They’d both decided it was worth stealing a couple hours for them to spend time together before (Y/N) needed to leave for work again. The conversation flowed easily at first, punctuated by comfortable laughter and complicity. Yet, beneath the surface, there was an undercurrent of tension that neither of them could ignore after some of the last situations that had been occurring.
(Y/N) shifted nervously, her fingers tracing the patterns on her coffee cup. “Joe, there’s something I need to talk to you about,” she began, her voice tinged with hesitation.
Joe looked at her with a mix of curiosity and concern. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about this.. I mean, us.” she said, struggling to find the right words. “I just don’t see how our lives can really be together in any way beyond what we have now. I mean, we’re in such different places, and it feels like we’re trying so hard to fit puzzle pieces together that are never going to be meant for each other…”
The words hung heavily in the air, and Joe’s heart sank. He had feared this moment but hearing it out loud made it feel more real than ever.
“You think we can’t make this work?” Joe asked, his voice barely masking the pain he felt. “I can’t accept that. Not after everything we’ve been through, not after all the time we’ve spent together. I don’t want to see you as just a friend. I can’t.”
Joe’s heart dropped at her words. He leaned forward, his voice cracking slightly. “I can’t accept that, (Y/N). We’ve built something real here, something worth fighting for. This can’t be over before we’ve even had a real chance…”
(Y/N) looked away, her own heart feeling like it was about to explode. “Joe, I care about you more than you know, but sometimes that just isn’t enough… You know I’ve tried. But our realities just seem too far apart. I don’t want us to get hurt. It’s just not real.”
The park grew quiet around them as the sun began to set, leaving the two of them in a silence heavy with unspoken words. Joe was mad. It wasn’t fair to him to be denied the one person he wanted most. He felt frustrated and helpless, knowing that even though she faced her own grueling work demands, he their own needs and desires were being overshadowed by the reality of his status in society and of the amount of pressure that came with that. The world seemed to stand still for a moment, and Joe’s voice broke through the quiet with a final, resolute statement.
“If we’re not willing to fight for this, then what’s the point of all the effort we’ve put in?” Joe’s voice trembled with conviction. “I’m not willing to just settle, (Y/N). I refuse to let everything we’ve shared be for nothing.”
But he did settle. He let it go, and the weight of that decision still felt like a crushing blow, one of the deepest regrets he’d ever harbored. The echo of his own words haunted him as he lay in bed, wrestling with the sting of lost possibilities and unspoken promises. Despite his restless mind, he managed only a few fitful hours of sleep before his alarm jolted him awake. He hurriedly prepared for the day, his movements automatic. Once he reached the airport, the check-in and security process went smoothly. He slumped into his designated area, waiting for his flight to depart in three hours. An hour into his wait, Joe’s phone buzzed with a new message, interrupting his music.
(Y/N) ✈️🖤
“Are you still at the gate?”
Joe paused the music and leaned forward, eager to respond.
Joseph Q.
“Yeah. Still got an hour of waiting left.”
(Y/N) ✈️🖤
“Have you eaten anything?”
Confused, he quickly replied with a no.
(Y/N) ✈️🖤
“Okay. Remind me of your gate number.”
Joe’s heart raced as he read the message. He sent his gate number and then scanned the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of (Y/N). Just as he was about to give up, he saw her approaching, her suitcase in tow and a few items in hand, and he couldn’t help but smile. He stood up and waved, trying to make his presence known.
They met in the middle of the bustling terminal. (Y/N) greeted him with a warm smile, and Joe took some of her bags, their hands brushing briefly.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, though he was already half expecting the answer.
“I work here,” she said, raising an eyebrow, causing Joe to chuckle.
“I mean here as in literally here… Like right in front of me.”
“I don’t know,” she shrugged with a hint of playfulness. “I figured you hadn’t eaten with all the nerves, so I wanted to make sure you had something in your stomach. You have a long flight ahead of you.”
Joe shook his head, a smile spreading across his face.
“You making this so hard for me, you know? Doing all these things when you don’t have to… I don’t even know what to thank you.”
“You don’t have to say anything. It’s just how I am…” She glanced away, then looked back at him. “I’m supposed to be done for the day. I could stay a bit while you wait for your flight if you want some company.”
“Oh, hell yes. Come on,” he said, already pulling her suitcase. “Let’s find a spot to sit.”
They found a quieter corner of the terminal, a small oasis amidst the chaos. (Y/N) pulled out a coffee she’d picked up for herself and took a sip, her eyes softening as she watched Joe. He was hunched over a sandwich, his exhaustion evident but still somehow striking.
“So…” Joe ventured, his attempt at casual conversation tinged with nervous energy. “How have you been?”
(Y/N) flashed him a warm smile, her gaze lingering just a bit longer than usual. “I’m good. Just the usual grind. How about you?”
“I’ve been well,” Joe said, his tone casual but his fidgeting betraying him. “I’m wrapped up in a project for the next few months. Back in LA soon, though. You know how it is—work.” He hesitated, glancing at his coffee cup as if it might offer some solace. “It’s been a while, and I…”
(Y/N) couldn’t help but laugh softly, a sound filled with affection. “You’re really nervous, aren’t you?”
“Am I?” Joe asked, trying to sound nonchalant but clearly failing. “I guess I didn’t know how things would go after we hadn’t talked for a while.”
(Y/N) leaned in slightly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Chill out, Joe. We’re just catching up. It’s not a performance.”
Joe chuckled, looking both relieved and sheepish. “I guess I’m a bit rusty at this whole ‘casual conversation’ thing.”
“Oh, come on,” (Y/N) teased, her grin widening. “You’re an actor! If you can handle dramatic monologues and intense scenes, surely you can handle a simple chat with me.”
Joe raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing. “True. But I’ve always had a weakness for certain people. I turn into a bit of a mess when I’m around you. You know that, right?”
(Y/N) playfully rolled her eyes, but her smile remained. “Well, that’s good to know. At least I can still make you nervous. It’s nice to have that kind of power, don’t you think?”
Joe’s smile softened, and for a moment, the weight of their complicated past seemed to lift, leaving behind a shared sense of ease and familiarity.
After chatting and sharing a few laughs, Joe glanced at the clock and realized it was almost time for him to head to his private flight area.
“Well, I guess it’s time for me to go,” Joe said, looking a bit reluctant. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
(Y/N) stood up, smiling softly. “I’ll walk you to your gate. It’s the least I can do after all the trouble you’ve been through.”
Joe smiled gratefully. “I’d like that.”
They walked together through the bustling terminal, heading towards the private flight area. The conversation remained light, filled with easy laughter and casual comments about the absurdities of airport life.
As they reached the entrance to the private flight lounge, Joe stopped and turned to (Y/N), his expression a mix of gratitude and something else—something deeper.
“Well,” he said, his voice softening, “I guess this is where we part ways for now.”
(Y/N) nodded, her eyes meeting his. “Yeah. It’s been really nice catching up. And, uh, good luck with everything.”
Joe hesitated for a moment, then took a step closer, his gaze lingering on her lips. “You too. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.”
There was a brief silence as they both seemed to hesitate, unsure of the next move. Finally, Joe gently cupped (Y/N)’s face with his hands, his touch tender but uncertain.
(Y/N) looked up at him, her heart racing. “Joe…”
He leaned in slowly, and (Y/N) met him halfway. Their lips brushed in a soft, lingering kiss—hesitant but filled with a quiet, shared longing. It was brief, but it held the weight of their unspoken feelings.
When they finally pulled away, both were a little breathless, their eyes still locked.
“I should go,” Joe said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah,” (Y/N) replied, her voice equally soft. “I’ll see you around.”
Joe gave her one last, heartfelt smile before turning to enter the private flight area. (Y/N) watched him go, her heart aching with a mix of warmth and sadness. She took a deep breath, turning to walk away with a sense of bittersweet contentment.
As Joe disappeared into the private lounge, he glanced back one last time, catching (Y/N)’s gaze. He gave her a small, appreciative nod before disappearing behind the door.
(Y/N) stood there for a moment longer, then turned and walked away, her heart full of a quiet hope and the lingering echo of their tender farewell.