#and later on he's so starry eyed about this guest lecturer in his photography class who talked about concert photography and he was so good

[innytoes]

Rulie + My Mom Sold You My Favorite Shirt During Her Garage Sale And I'm Torn Over Asking For It Back AU

It's not entirely Mom's fault, really. Carlos was the one who grabbed the wrong box from her room. The box marked 'dorm room' instead of 'garage sale'. So really, Carlos was the one who had to die for giving away her very favourite sweatshirt for two stupid dollars.

It was the yellow one with the smiley face on it, the one Flynn had given her ironically when her mom had been sick. The one she’d altered herself to make it cooler (and to hide the nail polish stain on the elbow from Everything Sucks Spa Night). The one she'd taken to wearing when she felt sad, even now that Mom was all better and throwing stupid garage sales that gave away all her favourite clothes.

Flynn had managed to rescue at least half when she stopped by and realised, but still, her summer coat, her Los Feliz hoodie, her coolest pair of jeans and her very favourite smiley sweatshirt were gone forever. Forever! Carlos had taken to running away whenever she entered the room, and he was right to.

She’d almost accepted the loss by the time she’d moved into her dorm room at the university. But when she went to her building’s laundry room late one night to do some laundry, and in the corner on one of the benches, she’d spotted a boy curled up with a book wearing HER sweater and the rage that washed over her was indescribable. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing with that?” she said, stomping over. The boy looked up, wide-eyed, clutching the book he was reading to his chest. 

“I mean, I know it’s not the right edition for the class, but I got it at this garage sale for a dollar and-” he started.

“Oh like the one where you stole my sweatshirt?” Julie asked, towering over him, hands on her hips, glaring. He shrank back, and his eyes started to fill with tears, and oh no. 

“The airline lost my suitcases,” he said in a small voice. “Which had literally all my clothes and most of my school books in them. I don’t have enough scholarship stipend to replace everything, so my roommate Alex took pity on me and showed me where the best thrift stores and garage sales were.” He swallowed hard, and Julie felt herself deflate. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was yours. It just looked so soft and comfy and it was only two dollars.” He fiddled with the hem of the sweatshirt. 

Julie sighed, plopping down on the bench next to him. He shrank back more, clutching a photography book that she was pretty sure had belonged to dad at one point to his chest. “I’m sorry I yelled,” she said. “My brother took the wrong box of clothes down to the garage sale, and I lost like half my favourite stuff. I wore that sweater a lot when my mom was sick, it has sentimental value.”

“I’m sorry,” the boy repeated, before quickly slipping off the sweatshirt. “You can have it back if you want.” He wasn’t wearing anything underneath, and Julie took a moment to appreciate his bare chest and toned arms. Except then he was shivering in the cold of the shitty basement laundry room, and she felt bad. 

“Put it back on,” she said, gently. “I mean, I’d like it back eventually, but let me at least get you a comfortable sweater in exchange.” He gratefully slid the sweater back on, blushing a bit when his head popped out and they made eye contact again. His hair was all mussed up, and Julie resisted the urge to fix it for him. “I’m Julie, by the way.”

“Reggie,” he said, smiling. 

[invisibleraven]

don't leave it in the tags, because this is gold: #and then they exchange numbers and become friends#and Julie gets him a very cozy sweater possibly with like a cute dog on it as a joke but he's so thrilled about it#and Reggie excitedly shows her what else he got at their garage sale#which is some photography books from Ray because he's doing a photography minor#and this really cool copy of a CD by Rose and the Petal Pushers do you know them they're soooo gooood#and later on he's so starry eyed about this guest lecturer in his photography class who talked about concert photography and he was so good#and Julie is like: lol okay so you have a crush on my mom AND my dad#and Reggie splutters and tries to defend himself but it comes out as: No I don't I have a crush on YOU#and then they date#(meeting the parents is the funniest most awkward dinner Julie has ever had in her life#because Reggie really is starry-eyed about both Rose and Ray)

Rulie + My Mom Sold You My Favorite Shirt During Her Garage Sale And I'm Torn Over Asking For It Back AU

It's not entirely Mom's fault, really. Carlos was the one who grabbed the wrong box from her room. The box marked 'dorm room' instead of 'garage sale'. So really, Carlos was the one who had to die for giving away her very favourite sweatshirt for two stupid dollars.

It was the yellow one with the smiley face on it, the one Flynn had given her ironically when her mom had been sick. The one she’d altered herself to make it cooler (and to hide the nail polish stain on the elbow from Everything Sucks Spa Night). The one she'd taken to wearing when she felt sad, even now that Mom was all better and throwing stupid garage sales that gave away all her favourite clothes.

Flynn had managed to rescue at least half when she stopped by and realised, but still, her summer coat, her Los Feliz hoodie, her coolest pair of jeans and her very favourite smiley sweatshirt were gone forever. Forever! Carlos had taken to running away whenever she entered the room, and he was right to.

She’d almost accepted the loss by the time she’d moved into her dorm room at the university. But when she went to her building’s laundry room late one night to do some laundry, and in the corner on one of the benches, she’d spotted a boy curled up with a book wearing HER sweater and the rage that washed over her was indescribable. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing with that?” she said, stomping over. The boy looked up, wide-eyed, clutching the book he was reading to his chest. 

“I mean, I know it’s not the right edition for the class, but I got it at this garage sale for a dollar and-” he started.

“Oh like the one where you stole my sweatshirt?” Julie asked, towering over him, hands on her hips, glaring. He shrank back, and his eyes started to fill with tears, and oh no. 

“The airline lost my suitcases,” he said in a small voice. “Which had literally all my clothes and most of my school books in them. I don’t have enough scholarship stipend to replace everything, so my roommate Alex took pity on me and showed me where the best thrift stores and garage sales were.” He swallowed hard, and Julie felt herself deflate. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was yours. It just looked so soft and comfy and it was only two dollars.” He fiddled with the hem of the sweatshirt. 

Julie sighed, plopping down on the bench next to him. He shrank back more, clutching a photography book that she was pretty sure had belonged to dad at one point to his chest. “I’m sorry I yelled,” she said. “My brother took the wrong box of clothes down to the garage sale, and I lost like half my favourite stuff. I wore that sweater a lot when my mom was sick, it has sentimental value.”

“I’m sorry,” the boy repeated, before quickly slipping off the sweatshirt. “You can have it back if you want.” He wasn’t wearing anything underneath, and Julie took a moment to appreciate his bare chest and toned arms. Except then he was shivering in the cold of the shitty basement laundry room, and she felt bad. 

“But it back on,” she said, gently. “I mean, I’d like it back eventually, but let me at least get you a comfortable sweater in exchange.” He gratefully slid the sweater back on, blushing a bit when his head popped out and they made eye contact again. His hair was all mussed up, and Julie resisted the urge to fix it for him. “I’m Julie, by the way.”

“Reggie,” he said, smiling.