#b) yeah I think that might be in the neighbourhood of the initial reaction. but oh my god.

[marypsue]

30, 33?

[from this meme]

30. Describe a fic that almost happened, but then it didn’t.

Oh, there've been a few. I'm going to give this airtime, however, to one I actually wrote the first part of but never shared, back when I was writing fic for the CW's Supernatural. The premise was that, at some unspecified point during the first three seasons, through a series of hilarious and only occasionally deadly mishaps, Dean Winchester catches the attention of the goddess Diana and gets zapped into a female body. Conceptually, I had a lot of stuff I liked going on - the cover for Diana's hunt was an MLM! they were turning abusive men into deer and hunting them for sport! her 'temple' was part of a golf course! - but I genuinely just don't know enough of the show's Lore, and so the explanation for getting to the premise never quite gelled for me. There were several smaller casefics I had planned under the larger arc of the story, and I only ever finished the first. (Which is too bad, because the second one had a killer mascot, a robot-programming Nice Guy, and a cursed sorority in it, and I was really excited about how it was all going to shake out.)

(And yes, it was going to get weird and complicated about gender and Dean's many, many issues surrounding it. It wasn't entirely an excuse to imagine young Jensen Ackles as actually a beautiful butch lesbian. Not entirely.)

33. Give your writing a compliment.

Personally, I think I do a good job of giving characters distinct voices and personalities, and letting them have perspectives on each other that are also distinct from each other and informed by what they actually know about each other.

And I think my fics are very atmospheric. (Yes, I do reread my own stuff sometimes. That author writes all my favourite tropes and shares exactly my sense of humour.)

[this-is-freeridge]

The Air Between Us

Chapter Four: After an uncomfortable encounter, Mari and Spooky become friends.

Warning: this fic deals with dark themes, including but not limited to teen pregnancy, rape, drug abuse, murder, abortion, underage drinking and underage sex.

Find all chapters here

I got a bit carried away with this chapter, oops.

Mari glanced around, but she didn’t see him. There were a few other guys there, most were smoking, a couple were lifting weights and there was one boy, around Ruby and Jamal’s age, sitting on the same sofa that Mari had been high and lazing over just a few hours earlier.

It felt like a lifetime ago now - meeting Spooky and spending time with him. She could chalk it up to a saviour complex, but she felt something for the man. Friendship, attraction, a crush, she wasn’t sure yet. All she knew right now was that he was nice to her and she felt comfortable around him amongst a life that was so unknown.

He was attractive, there was no denying that, and a little older and he definitely had an alpha male aura about him. What nearly-eighteen year old wouldn’t like a guy like that? Mari knew it was more than that though. She may have been young but she was forced to grow up at a young age. She knew herself, and she was quick to understand other people - there was more to Spooky than he was allowing her to see; that just made her want to see it even more.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, he appeared from inside the house with two beers in hand. He passed one over to the boy on the couch (Cesar, Mari assumed) and took a seat before either of them noticed Ruby, Jamal and Mari.

Spooky saw them first. His eyes met Mari’s but he didn’t say anything, only took a swig of the beer and nudged Cesar with his elbow. Mari didn’t say anything either. Though she felt comfortable with Spooky, she wasn’t comfortable with all these prying eyes.

“Cesar,” Ruby said, “you busy?”

The boy on the sofa, Cesar, looked happy to see Ruby and Jamal, almost relieved, but in less than a second as an arrogant smirk took over his face. Cesar leaned back into the cushions casually, looked Mari up and down, and asked, “who’s the hyna?”

“She’s my sister,” Ruby said with a wave of his hand, as though it were old news, “Jamal’s coming over; mom’s cooking dinner. You in?”

“How about,” Cesar replied with a smug look on his face, “you leave her here and I’ll eat her out for dinner,”

Mari froze as the Santos erupted in laughter - including Spooky.

Staring down at her feet, face beginning to burn red, she had never wanted to suddenly disappear so desperately. Mari felt stupid - to have a reaction this strongly to some words, but she didn’t want those words; she didn’t want that attention from anyone, especially a young boy and his cholo friends. She was embarrassed; objectified and singled-out with no way of escape. They may have just been a few words, but words fuelled actions. What if they were to act, against her will, on the desires they expressed? What could she do to stop them?

Buried beneath the fear and embarrassment, anger started to bubble to the surface at the sound of Spooky’s laughter. Being the only sound she was familiar with, his deep laughter seemed infinitely louder than the rest. He had gone so far out of his way just earlier today to stop those other guys from cat-calling her, but when it was one of his own making those comments it was fine? She thought they were beginning to be friends, and though she couldn’t expect him to speak up against his own, he could’ve at least pretended he didn’t find it that funny.

What Mari didn’t know, was that he didn’t find it funny at all. In fact, hearing his own little brother make those comments about her had made him feel uncomfortable, even a little annoyed. He didn’t know why, and he didn’t want to think too hard on it, so he laughed along. Still, he noticed her reaction. He had seen the shade of red that coloured her face and the way her shoulders tensed. It had made him feel a little sad, the kind of sadness that washed over him and settled in his stomach, leaving an unexplainable discomfort within him.

He had known her longer than anyone else here; more intimately, in some ways, too. He had found her when she was alone, showed her where she was trying to go, spent time with her when Ruby’s family had initially rejected her, got her high for the first time and cared for her afterwards. She was nice, and she was naive, so Oscar didn’t like that Cesar had made those comments about someone so lost and innocent…right?

Oscar tore his eyes from where Mariana stood, still frozen in place. He mentally willed Ruby or Jamal to take notice, but they were too consumed by their own reactions to their friend talking like that in the first place. He wanted to get her out of there. If they were anywhere else - or anyone else - he would’ve been the one to do it.

“Ew, Cesar, that’s my sister!” Ruby exclaimed, scrunching his face in disgust at his friend’s language. Sure, they had all talked about girls and sex before, but they were never so crude - especially not in regard to those close to them. Ruby may not have known her yet, but Mari was family.

“She’s not my sister,” Cesar replied, resulting in more laughter.

“Man, you’re lucky Monse isn’t here to hear you talking like this,” Ruby said with a shake of his head, “you know how she gets about objectification,”

“And when is Monse getting back?” Spooky asked. His mind was begging him to get her out of here, and Mari’s eyes were begging to leave - so he would give her a reason, “I’ve been thinking ‘bout that hyna. Wouldn’t mind getting at her when she comes home, bet she’s looking good now,”

“I’d think twice about hittin’ that, bro,” Cesar said, “unless you want my sloppy seconds,”

You could basically hear the sound of Ruby and Jamal’s jaws hitting the floor.

“Shit,” Spooky grinned and took a long drag of his cigarette, “you saying you hit that?”

“Oh yeah,” Cesar said, “we smashed, real hard,”

Anger took over Ruby, possessing him in a way that Mari didn’t think was possible. Judging by the look of shock and fear on Jamal’s face, he didn’t think it was possible either. He marched up to Cesar and got right in his face. Jamal made a small squeaking noise and motioned forward as though he wanted to pull Ruby back but couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“You take that back!” Ruby growled. Cesar just shook his head. “I swear to god you take that back or...”

“Or what?” Cesar challenged, leaning forward with his forearms on his knees, “go on; you’ll what?”

The moment Ruby clenched his fist and went to pull his arm back, Jamal sprung into action. He raced forward and grabbed Ruby by the back of his shirt, pulling him away. The Santos laughed, Cesar included. The look of anger on Ruby’s face had slightly lessened, morphing into one of sadness and disappointment. This guy before him wasn’t his best friend.

As Jamal pulled Ruby toward the street the Santos moved in closer, forcing the three of them closer to the street. Oscar started barking, making Mari flinch and jump back, and soon all the Santos were barking and enclosing the group of friends. It was an intimidation tactic; a warning that meant they weren’t likely to cause any physical harm to the group today, but it did it’s job well. Ruby, Jamal and Mari were definitely intimidated and they couldn’t seem to leave fast enough as they fled down the street back toward the Martinez house.

“He’s dead to us,” Ruby said, and while he was speaking to Jamal, the glance he shot Mari told her the statement was meant for her, too.

Mari wished they had never come - Ruby and Jamal had lost one of their oldest and closest friends all while defending another, and the only person she thought might be her friend had just purposely made her feel unwelcome in the first place she had felt comfortable. She didn’t understand his game, but she decided she didn’t want any part of it.

.

Mari didn’t see Spooky for the rest of the week. Not until now, that is.

She was going for a walk around the block - she needed to clear her head. Ruby was out, Mario and Ruben were barely home and she couldn’t stand the ice she got whenever she entered a room Geny was in. Things at the house were simultaneously hectic and lonely, too loud but too quiet. So she tried to spend a bit of time each day just walking, familiarising herself with the block. She never strayed too far, going just a street or two further each time.

That’s what she was doing when a shiny red low rider pulled up beside her, driving slow to keep up with her pace. She stole a glance and the moment she saw that Santos cross and teardrop tattoo, she sped up. She didn’t have the energy for him or his mood swings today - not to mention Ruby had made it clear that Cesar, and all other Santos by association, were dead to them. Mari had no intentions of giving Ruby any reasons to distrust her.

The car sped up to match her stride once more. Spooky stuck his head out the window to speak to her, a dangerous manoeuvre that had her concerned for his safety where he certainly wasn’t.

“Where you going, hyna?” He asked.

She ignored him and kept walking. She had come to hate that word. It’s not one that she had ever put much thought into previously, but after her first day here, both with the Prophet$ and then Spooky and the Santos looking at her like she was just something to fuck, she had grown to despise it. She had seen other Santos around the neighbourhood throughout the week, and even some other, non-gang related strangers had called out to her as though hyna was her name, and she was sick of it. Starting today, she was going to acknowledge her self-worth, and screw anyone who didn’t know what that worth was.

“Come on,” Spooky tried again at her silence, “get in,”

She shot him a frown, definitely not the look he was hoping for, as she continued to disregard his orders. Suddenly, the car sped up before her and swerved hard, stopping across the middle of the street ahead of her and blocking the pathway.

“Get in,” he said again. His voice was deep with frustration and she knew there was no ignoring him this time.

She didn’t know where they were going, but honestly, she was too scared to ask. His mood swings were giving her whiplash; one second calm but teasing happy with a cheeky smirk, the next second he was angry and intimidating, sometimes literally looming over her.

He pulled a long, thin cigar from behind his ear and held it out to her in an effort to warm the ice between them.

“Want some?” He asked. Mari shook her head. Spooky sighed in frustration, stopping at a red light and lightning the cigar for himself. “Still not talking?”

“I just don’t have anything to say to you,” she said with a shrug.

The light turned green, but the car didn’t move as Spooky stared Mari down.

“Yo, what’s your problem, hyna?”

“That is!” She snapped, shooting him an angry glare. A smile played at Spooky’s lips; she may have been shouting but at least he got a reaction. “I don’t get you. When we met, you were stopping those guys from catcalling me but you suddenly don’t care when it’s your Santos. You’re so hot and cold, I don’t know what to expect and I hate it,”

“It’s just a few comments, man. Cesar didn’t mean nothin’ by it. He’s a good kid,” he said. “So are the rest of the hermanos,”

He took a puff of his cigar and turned away from her as he spoke next. If Mari didn’t know any better she’d say he was acting almost shy.

“We’re having a party at my place tomorrow,” he said, “you should come, make some friends your own age, y’know,”

Mari snorted a laugh.

“Spooky I may be mature but I’m pretty sure Ruby is closer to my age than you are,” she replied. “I can’t, anyway. I’m making dinner for the family tomorrow night,”

He turned back to face her then, brow furrowed. He wasn’t angry this time though, just contemplative. Mari wondered if he just had resting grump face.

“Come over during the day then. I’ll help you out with a recipe,”

“No, thanks,” she said, shifting in her seat and tugging at the seatbelt as it suddenly felt too tight.

“Now it seems like you just don’t wanna come around, huh? You didn’t seem to have a problem with my place last week,” he argued, “or me?”

Mari sighed. “That’s because the cholos weren’t there then. You’re...different when we’re alone,”

Spooky growled and raised his hand, bringing his palm down hard against the steering wheel. Mari flinched back. She had a feeling he wasn’t going to hurt her, but she couldn’t help the way her body tensed at the loud bang and violent act.

“I didn’t choose this!” He yelled, and somehow that helped ease her fears. He was raising his voice, yes, but he wasn’t angry at her. In fact, he seemed to be opening up. “I’m their leader,” he continued, quieter, calmer, “I may keep them in line but they’re still cholos. When they fuck up, I clean up the mess and fuck them up. They’re my responsibility but I can’t lead if they don’t respect me, and they won’t respect me unless they see me as one of them. So, when they laugh, I laugh,”

She looked at him and it was like she was looking at a new person. She got it. She didn’t agree but she understood that he had to do what he had to do for his family.

“They’re just thinking with their dicks,” he added, “I thought a hyna like you would be used to it,”

She was, but that didn’t mean she liked it. Spooky noticed the way she squirmed, and the tint of red adorning her cheeks.

“What?” He asked with a raised brow. His grin broadened as he teased, “are you a virgin?”

Her blush deepened and she considered getting out of the car while they were still stationary. She didn’t owe him an answer. She didn’t owe him anything!

As though he sensed her thoughts, the car started rolling again.

Stuck, she replied, “yes! Okay? Not that it’s any of your business. And I’m sick of being called hyna! I’m not just a piece of meat,”

Spooky nodded.

“I’m sorry,” he said as they turned into Mari’s street, “I shouldn’t have let Cesar talk like that about you, you’re my friend,”

She smiled at Spooky. Friends. She liked the sound of that.

They pulled up outside of the Martinez home but Mari didn’t get out just yet. Spooky ordered her to hand over her phone and she did so. She unlocked it and watched as Spooky struggled to work it through all its freezing and crashing.

He gave a lighthearted laugh, a sound Mari realised she loved, and handed the phone back.

“You need a new one of those,” he joked, “I didn’t like not hearing from you. I got worried, y’know. Text me,”

“I will,” she said with a smile, and she meant it. They really were friends, now she could only hope he wouldn’t revert to an asshole the next time they weren’t alone. She thanked Spooky for the ride and got out of the car.

“Stay safe, mamita,” he said, ducking his head to look at her from the passenger side window.

She rolled her eyes but smiled at the sentiment nonetheless. “How can I not be when I have you to drive me around, even though I was like, a street away from home,”

Spooky smiled, “it was the only way to get you alone,”

Before Mari could respond, he was gone. That didn’t stop the warmth that started in her stomach and spread throughout her whole body at his words. She smiled like she was possessed, a giddy feeling settling deep within her.

Excitedly, she opened up her phone and scrolled through her contact list in search of the extra name. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the latest contact: Oscar.

.

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