#bookstore!AU

[lilyan-art]

I am terrible at keeping the socials updated 🤣 I had issues with the size of this gif so I just…pretended this account didn’t exist for weeks 🫥

Basically my first attempt at frame-by-frame animation, I learned a lot doing this!

From the bookstore!AU, as always from @acrookedtouchofficial discord server, an amazing place filled with amazing people 🥰

[corameiwrites]

𖦹 searching for love pt. 2𖦹

pair: jason todd x gn!reader

plot: going back to work, you wonder if you'll see your handsome stranger again...

wc: 1.6k

For once, being forced to wake up and leave your warm cocoon of blankets and stuffed animals at nine in the morning didn’t seem so terrible. Your cat, however, thought differently. To her, it was routine to be awoken by your ruffling of the sheets and complaining about the day to come. 

There was none of that this morning, and she seemed to take notice. Rather than stay in bed scrolling until the absolute last minute, you sprang up and went to your bathroom. Meowing in some form of complaint and stretching, she jumped down soundlessly to join you. She watched as you did your normal routine from the toilet seat as she did every morning. Then it was off to the closet. Padding softly on the wooden floors, she went to her bed she rarely used situated next to a floor length mirror and got comfortable. With lazy eyes, she observed you sorting through clothes and digging in laundry baskets. 

Unknowingly, she had fallen asleep but was awoken by a scratch on her head. Looking up, she saw you fully dressed, smiling down on her. Meowing in content, she stretched and rested a paw on your outstretched arm. 

“Do you want breakfast, girl?” 

Her ears perked up at that, and in an instant she was up and across the room, meowing boisterously at you to follow. 

“Of course you do.” You followed your noisy cat into the kitchen, almost tripping over her when she circled between your legs. “Hey, watch it.” 

After pouring some kibble into her tray and getting no more than a mere meow in thanks, you double checked you had everything in your bag before sitting down on the couch to put on your shoes. 

“Do you think he’ll be there today?” 

Her tail swung slowly from side to side as she ate her food. 

“I hope he will.” You stood, running to the mirror for one last look at yourself before grabbing your keys and walking to the front door. Your cat followed, meowing insistently again. Leaning down, you scoop her into your arms and snuggle her. You walk to your room, cat still in your arms. 

“I'm sorry girl, but we can’t have a repeat of last time.” Her head lifts to look at you, and before she knows it you’ve thrown her on the bed and run out of the room all the way to the front door. She, again, meows loudly before rushing to the door only to catch it closing. 

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩  ♡  ✩˚｡⋆𖦹｡°⋆✮

For some unknown reason, everybody and their mother wanted to come to the cozy bookstore on a late Tuesday afternoon. This had kept you and your other coworker on your feet all day, alternating between stocking, running the register, and walking around asking kids to please not climb on bookshelves. Had it not been for the hope of seeing your “mystery hunk” (as your coworker lovingly named him), you probably would have looked dead on your feet. 

Your coworker was teasing you nonstop about volunteering to actually walk around the store and shelve in hopes of seeing him. You took it in stride though, because at least you were self aware of how insane and a little delusional you were being. 

With every ring of the front door, your head would instantly turn, checking to see if it was him. When shelving, you lingered around the Austen area in case he wanted to pick up another book. Constantly looking through the crowd, you hoped to find a wisp of white hair somewhere. The only white hair you saw was from one of your regulars, Agnes, an old lady who fit every stereotype of a fairytale grandma. You were chatting with her before your coworker asked you to take over the register. 

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩  ♡  ✩˚｡⋆𖦹｡°⋆✮

Jason had been sitting in the coffee shop across the street from the bookstore for more than twenty minutes, scared shitless for absolutely no reason. Maybe it was the fact that he still felt awful about keeping you thirty minutes past closing—unknowingly, but it didn’t take away the shame. You had been so nice about it too, telling him not to worry. But how could he not? It was the only thing on his mind the last couple hours. The least he could have done was make sure you got home safe, so he followed protected your walk home. 

Tim had given him so much shit about abandoning him for 40 minutes and purposefully leading Condiment King to him that Jason had ended up agreeing to take care of the dry cleaning and “trauma compensation” (Tim’s words, not his). Whatever that meant. 

That's what led him to this coffee shop after dropping off the ruined suit, which was conveniently across the street from your work, the little time-warp of a bookstore. He was watching people file in and out periodically through the window, but didn’t see you at the register. Not that he was looking for you specifically. He just wanted to thank you and apologize once more, that's all. 

It looked rather busy, and he didn’t feel like walking in to explain the whole lost wallet and books on hold thing to the worker. After some more internal shaming and nonsensical overthinking, Jason decided he wouldn’t go back to that bookstore today, and probably ever again despite his gut telling him otherwise. He couldn’t just stroll in with a clean conscience knowing he kept you so late past closing. It was a crime comparable to his nighttime-persona. 

Groaning as he got up from his table, he threw his empty cup away. He had taken a pretty hard fall this morning grappling back to his safehouse and bruised half his right side. He was just glad Tim wasn’t there to see it. Walking to his bike parked outside, he took one last look at the bookstore. The sight of you at the register made him do a double take. 

Stalling next to his motorcycle, his hand began to fidget with the ignition key in his pocket. You were checking out a mother and a little kid, who was practically bouncing on his feet. You were smiling and talking to the boy, and he must have said something cute or blunt in the way only little kids are, because suddenly you were laughing. 

The sight unconsciously brought a smile to his lips.

Bagging their books, you handed something to the kid. They walked out and you continued onto the next customer, and Jason watched as the kid plastered a shiny gold star sticker onto his chest just outside the store. 

 Sighing, he abandoned his bike and made his way across the street. 

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩  ♡  ✩˚｡⋆𖦹｡°⋆✮

The bell to the front door chimed, and mostly on professional training and only a little bit delusion, you looked up to greet the person. 

“Welcome—oh!” Realizing it was your mysterious hunk, you smiled a little brighter. He smiled back, a small one, but still there. Slowly, he approached the front counter, lingering a little awkwardly as you hurried to bag someone's books. After telling them to come again, he approached the register. 

“Hi.” he said, a little breathlessly.

“Hey.” Your smile widened at his stiff posture and shy demeanor. “Any luck finding your wallet?”

“Oh,” his eyebrows raised, and it was as if you speaking had broken him out of a daze. You found this far too endearing. “Yeah, I uh, actually left it at home—but I brought it today, so…”

“Yeah, I’ve definitely done that before.” You say, letting out an airy chuckle. Neither of you say anymore for a moment, both looking at the other. He’s dressed more casually today, his heavy cargo pants traded out for an old pair of baggy jeans. He’s wearing a dark green sweater under another leather jacket; black this time. Something about it makes his eyes pop just a little brighter you think. His eyes meet yours, and he looks away briefly, chewing his lip slightly. 

“You still have those books behind the counter?” he asks, breaking the silence.

“Um–yeah, sorry.” Quickly turning, you bend down, mentally slapping yourself for checking him out so obviously. The books are in the same place you stored them last night. Picking them up, you rush to stand back up. “Ow!” 

“Oh shit, are you okay?” He sounds very concerned. 

“Yep, just a little scratch.” There's no way you will ever recover from hitting your head on the counter in front of a hot customer. 

“You sure?” 

“Yes, I am totally fine. Um…” Trailing off and trying desperately to escape his piercing gaze, you ask if he wants a bag. 

“Sure, yeah.”

Trying your hardest to not shrivel up and die of embarrassment, you carefully put his books into a paper bag, watching as he whips out a leather wallet and handing you a twenty dollar bill. Noting his clear affinity to leather, you get his change before turning back to him, $5.67 in your hand. His own brushes against yours slightly as he takes the change, and you're a little ashamed at how much that small contact made your heart soar. 

Instantly, he puts the extra money into a small tip jar. You smile, and as you're about to thank him, Old Agnes puts her books down on the counter. Noticing, he grabs his bag and steps back, looking at you. 

“Thanks for holding these back there, and sorry for keeping you up late last night.” You decide to ignore the look Agnes gives you. 

“It's alright. Come back soon?” 

He hesitates, glancing around the store and back at you. He smiles, nodding. “I’m planning on it.” 

You watch as he leaves, walking recklessly across the street (a car honked at him) to a red motorcycle. You gape a little, eyeing him as he puts on a helmet and leaves. You focus back on checking out Old Agnes’ books. 

“...so what were you two up to last night?"

[ladykailitha]

You're a Dream to Me Part 1

I've been really struggling with Dragon Slayer and trying to get it so that it makes sense, so I'll be cycling in some of the other WIP I have in the wings until I can get it sorted out.

I thought I had another week to try and get the kinks ironed out, but I didn't.

And it ends on a bit of cliffhanger, though not the cliffhanger I original had. Which means that the NEXT chapter will ALSO have a cliffhanger. Once I get the kinks worked out of that chapter.

I hate it when stories fight me. I haven't had one this bad since the first soulmate story "Batshit Soulmates". But I will not abandon it. It just will take longer to come out then originally planned.

So! You're getting this one instead! It has a very lovely backlog and it's a great time to start putting it out because it's Valentine's Day month!

The title comes from The Cranberries song of the same name.

Summary: In a world where dreams show your true soulmate when you need them most, Steve has been having his for years but because his soulmate isn't ready yet, he's never seen what his soulmate looks like. Eddie has been having dreams about Steve Harrington since high school but more in the vein of wet dreams rather than soulmate. But when Brian's soulmate turns out to be a sweet girl who hadn't heard a heavy metal song in her life, suddenly Eddie realizes he needs to stop expecting his soulmate to look a certain way.

~

Soulmates. The world was filled with them, but only when you needed them. So there were people who went about the world without a single dream or vision. That was how you knew who they were. You would start dreaming of a person and that would be your soulmate. But only when both of you were ready.

Which meant that sometimes one soulmate went without for awhile, but the knowledge of their soulmate being out there was enough to keep them going. Sometimes they married other people or dated around. There was none of this “waiting” for their soulmate. People lived their lives as normal.

People who were married when they discovered their soulmates had a lot of options, including polyamory. Because sometimes the soulmate was platonic.

Steve had been so sure his was platonic because he started having dreams of his soulmate right out of high school, around the time he started working with Robin at Scoops Ahoy! but she knew her soulmate. Vickie Cameron. They were super sweet together.

Steve had seen all his friends get their soulmates, the hardest had been Nancy and Jonathan, because Nancy hadn’t told him she had been dreaming of her soulmate. She just told him in a drunken slur that their love was bullshit and then proceeded to sleep with Jonathan before Steve and her had even officially broken up.

Then he met Robin and for all their connectiveness, they weren’t soulmates. A thought that vexed Robin greatly. She thought it was the universe’s greatest sin that it didn’t see the chaotic potential of the two of them.

Dustin had come home the summer Steve had met Robin all rosy-cheeked and smiling. He had met his soulmate, Suzie Bingham and she was everything bright and beautiful in the world. Steve had patted him on the back, grateful that he hadn’t been left out of his friend group. And while the others hadn’t soulamated yet, but it was a pretty sure thing that Max and Lucas were soulmates and that at least two points of the Mike, Will, and El love triangle were soulmates.

It would be a year before it shook out that it was Will and Mike, as El didn’t seem to need a soulmate. Mike had had some internalized homophobia he had to battle first before he could accept that his soulmate wasn’t El, but Will.

It would be another two years before Max and Lucas sorted it out. It was their senior year and Max realized that the only person she wanted to spend her life with was Lucas and the universe confirmed it for them. Lucas had been having his dreams since they met, but they only solidified when she accepted that their love was real.

Steve’s dreams of his soulmate had always been hazy. He would dream of them curling up behind him in bed and pressing kisses to his neck or just star gazing. Those were his favorite, when they would just lay on the top of some, he assumed trailer or RV, and just talk for hours. He couldn’t hear their voice, or see their face, but he was almost 98% sure they were a man.

When he had told his parents they had scoffed. Gay soulmates were a myth made up by degenerates and deviates trying to push their agenda down everyone else’s throats. But as his father ranted and raved, Steve watched his mother. She would nod and agree, but the light behind her eyes was gone.

He strongly suspected that her soulmate was a woman, but she didn’t dare toe the line. Steve honestly felt sorry for her. And whoever her soulmate was, waiting her not to be homophobic.

It was a stormy night when his first clear dream happened. Steve’s job at the bookstore had kept him late and he had fallen face first into his pillow, with only kicking off his shoes and removing his belt.

It started out like it normally did. Steve was in a large bed in the trailer/RV snuggled up into the piles of blankets and comforters. The rain had carried through to the dream and pounded against the metal roof of their home. His back was to the door.

The front door opened and Steve could hear the sound of rain intensify and then return to its soft pattering as the door closed behind whoever had come in. Steve could hear the jangling of the guy’s belt and chains, he supposed, as the man undressed.

Then he slipped under the covers and pulled Steve close. “Hey, Stevie,” the warm voice murmured and in Steve’s drowsy state in the dream he didn’t even realize he understood what was said for the first time.

Kisses pressed against the back of his neck and Steve smiled fondly. He turned in his dream and snuggled in close. He buried his head into the soft curls at the nape of his soulmate’s neck and sighed happily.

“Someone is snuggly tonight,” the man rumbled.

But before Steve could raise his head to press a kiss to the underside of his soulmate’s jaw, suddenly there was a blazing alarm going off in his head and he was jolted awake.

But just like every other soulmate dream he had the memories of which came flooding back in the moment he could think straight.

“Holy shit!” He dove for his phone and immediately called Robin.

“Steven Abernathy Harrington,” she groused groggily into her phone, “you better have a good reason for waking me up before dawn on my day off.”

“I heard my soulmate in my dream last night.”

Then he counted down in his head, bobbing his head with it. Five, four, three, two, one...

“What?!” she screamed. “Are you fucking with me right now? No, don’t answer that. This is too important for you to lie about. And it’s definitely a guy?”

Steve hummed in the affirmative, biting on his thumb. “He sound so super sweet, too. It was warm and rumbly and I almost want to say familiar.”

There was silence on the line for a beat or two. “So maybe someone you already know?”

“That’s what it felt like,” Steve confirmed. “It was like I finally came home at last. I just wonder what happened in his life to be ready for a soulmate when he wasn’t before.”

Robin tsked. “There is no need for that kind of talk,” she huffed. “That will just lead down a dark path. It doesn’t matter why it took him so long. He’s ready now. Or at least more ready than he was before. But you’ll just have to keep dreaming of that lover boy of yours.”

“Thanks, Rob,” he murmured. “You’re bestest friend a guy could hope for.”

“And don’t you forget it,” she teased. “Now, excuse me while I go back to bed and sleep.”

“Sleep well.” He ended the call and pressed the phone against his lips. He wanted to go back bed and dream more. But he had store to open and a job to do. One he loved, no less. So reluctantly he got out of bed to start his day.

~

Eddie woke up that morning feeling like he’d been hit by a truck. He wished he could blame it on a hangover from partying all night, but no. He had crashed face first into his pillow from the long ass drive they had taken to get into Dayton the second he had gotten checked-in.

He rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He had dreamed about Steve Harrington. Again. This crush was getting wildly out of hand. But then it had been since he watched Billy Hargrove and him playing against each other in a skins game. Steve was on the skins team and hooboy.

Those shorts sat a little too low on his hips to be decent and the towel tucked into the back of them sought to bring them even further down. It was fucking sinful.

The dream had started as they always had, him slipping into his bedroom in his Uncle Wayne’s trailer and taking off his clothes. But then the dream changed from the usual hot sex to Steve cuddling up under his chin.

Eddie had gotten breathless from the idea of Steve initiating the sex for the first time in the dream when suddenly there was a knock on his door jolting him awake.

The knocking persisted, forcing him to his feet. He shuffled over to the door and swung it open, rubbing his eyes.

On the other side of the door was his manager, Chrissy Cunningham. He raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

“Just what the fuck do you call this time?” she hissed at him, pushing him into the hotel room. “We have to be at sound check in an hour. Hurry and get your shower, I’ll have clothes ready for you when you get out.”

Eddie hurried to do as he was told. He must have forgotten to set his alarm before pillow diving. He scrubbed his face in the shower, trying to get the dream out of his head. But it lingered in a way the didn’t normally.

He dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist. “Sorry, Chris. I must have either forgot to set the alarm or I slept right through it.”

Chrissy pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “I know. You’re usually so good at it. So I’m not mad, just frustrated because we’re running late.”

Eddie nodded and then turned around to drop towel and scrambled to put on the clothes she had laid out for him and then ducked back into the bathroom to do his hair. With his insistence to keep it long, it was a bit of hassle to keep it from frizzing out. Then he was ready.

Once they were in the car that would be taking them to the venue, Chrissy leaned over and asked, “Hey are you okay? You aren’t usually late.”

Which was true, despite all of the ADHD-ness of all of him, he was stickler for being on time, early if he could help it.

He shook his head. “Dreams, man. Some dreams just knock you out until they’re done with you.”

Jeff rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Meaning he was too embarrassed to answer the door because he had another wet dream of...” his voice went falsetto, “Steve Harrington!”

“Fuck off!” Eddie snarled. He knew that it was a long running joke with his other bandmates, but today it felt like it crossed a line.

Jeff blinked at him for a moment. “Okay, definitely didn’t come if he’s that grumpy. Shit, dude, no need to rip my head off.”

“I’d have to attest to the not coming,” Chrissy said with a gentle elbow in Eddie’s side to show that she was joking, “he looked all cute and sleep rumpled this morning. I know the ‘no longer horny’ look, and this wasn’t it.”

“But it’s still obvious he dreamed of Steve,” Brian huffed with a barely suppressed smile. “He’s got that far away look in his eyes that he only gets when he thinks about his loverboy.”

Eddie just rolled his eyes and pulled out his earbuds. He stuck them in his ears and turned up his music as loud as he could, staring out the window.

Jeff and Chrissy glanced at each other and grimaced. Whatever this was with Eddie, it wasn’t usual Eddie drama.

“So is your soulmate coming to the concert, Bri?” Chrissy asked, choosing to ignore the brooding Eddie for the moment. “I can have the box office comp a couple of tickets if you wanted.”

Brian brightened up. “That would be great! Sophie was saying that she’d never been to a live concert before.”

“Man,” Gareth groaned throwing back his head roughly against the seat cushion. “You really lucked out on the soulmate department. Sophie is sweet, hot, and bakes like a fucking pro!”

Brian shook his head. “It’s not my fault your soulmate is a diva. Like the real lucky one is Jeff who got his like right after we got a record deal. She’s been his ride or die like the whole time.”

Jeff sighed happily. “I really, really did. I wish she could have made it out this tour, but gestating twins isn’t easy being in one place, I can’t imagine doing it on the road.”

Gareth kicked the seat between Chrissy and Eddie. “We all thought it was going to be you and Eddie for sure.”

Eddie just sneered and went back to gazing out the window. He had too. Chrissy was everything he thought he wanted in a soulmate. Yeah, she was a former cheerleader, but she liked heavy metal and was a perfect mix of sweet and sassy. She never put up with his bullshit but was there when he hit his lowest point.

But then Chrissy met her soulmate and Eddie was forced to reevaluate his whole life choices. Chrissy’s soulmate was a bassist for an all female metal band called Lilith’s Little Monsters. Georgia was a perky blonde in three inch heels and ripped denim.

That was when he realized he was gay. That liking the same gender was okay. So he went into the whole homosexuality feet first and swinging. He was so sure that the reason he hadn’t gotten his soulmate dreams yet was because he had thought it was a girl, but when Georgia came screaming into their lives at Hellfest last year, he still didn’t start receiving them.

But that was before sweet Sophie came into their life. She wasn’t a metalhead like Miranda or Georgia nor a musician like Leon, Gareth’s soulmate. Leon played violin in an alt rock band. Which was still pretty badass. He was also a bit of a bitch, but that’s what happens when your soulmate was Gareth Hughes. Sophie would absolutely be mistaken as a soccer mom and president of the PTA. She radiating wholesome vibes, which Brian absolutely needed in his life.

That his soulmate could be anyone really opened Eddie up to the endless possibilities. And fuck wasn’t that a kick in the head.

~

Part 2 Part 3

Tag List: TEN SLOTS REMAINING

1- @itsall-taken @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @sadisticaltarts @dolphincliffs

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @irregular-child @cryptid-system @kultiras

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji @dreamercec @blondie1006

5- @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @genderless-spoon @fearieshadow @thesecondfate

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

[spaceman-earthgirl]

Supercorptober Day 28: Book

ao3 fic link. ao3 series link. - Thanks to @itistakingover for this idea!

Kara knows she’s in trouble. She can see it as soon as she walks into their apartment and sees her sister sitting at the dining table, book closed in front of her.

“We need to talk.”

There’s no preamble, Alex getting straight to the point, which means Kara’s in even more trouble than she thought.

It also means there’s no getting out of this.

“I can explain,” Kara starts, even though she can’t. Or, well, she can, but Kara knows Alex won’t be taking any of her excuses, not this time.

“Kara, this has to stop,” Alex continues, ignoring her. “We can barely afford rent and food and all the bills that are piling up and you brought another book. You promised you wouldn’t.”

Kara swallows. She thought she’d hid the book better, but Alex must have found it as it’s sitting on the table between them.

Kara’s glad she took a bag to the bookstore today, Alex would be extra upset if she knew that in Kara’s bag is a new book she bought less than half an hour ago.

Kara opens her mouth but Alex cuts her off. “And don’t you dare tell me you had to buy it.”

“But Alex, I did!” It’s really not her fault, she wishes Alex could see that. “I was at the bookstore and Lena was there and I had to buy it or else she’ll wonder why I was in the store again.”

“Oh my God, Kara,” Alex groans, head falling forward, knocking against the table.

Kara, alarmed for a moment, rushes to her sister’s side. “Are you okay?”

Alex sits up, levels Kara with a glare. “You have to stop spending all our money on books. We all know you have a crush on Lena, we all know that’s the only reason you go to her store so often. So please, for the love of God, just ask her out so you’ll stop buying so many books.”

“No, that’s not-“

“Kara, please, just don’t. Yes, I know she’s pretty and I know she’s smart and funny and whatever else you have to say about her. That’s no reason to spend all our money. All you need to do is ask her out and then you’ll get to see her whenever you like and we won’t get kicked out of our apartment because we can’t pay the rent.”

“I...” Kara bites her lip. “What if she says no?”

Alex looks surprised because yes, maybe it is rather obvious that Kara has a crush on Lena, but this is the first time she’s admitted it. Or is close to admitting it anyway.

“Trust me,” Alex says. “She won’t. You’ve both got it as bad as each other.”

Alex has said this before too but Kara has never listened, because there’s no way it’s true. Kara is in way too deep with a girl she only knows because she visits her bookstore so often. To Lena, Kara is probably just another customer who spends a lot of money, which means being nice to her is good for business.

“So,” Alex says, pulling Kara from her thoughts. “You promise you won’t buy any more books? And this time actually mean it?”

“But what if she-“

“No.” Alex cuts her off. “That’s it, come with me.”

Kara is alarmed as Alex abruptly stands and grabs onto her arm. Kara stumbles a little as she follows her sister.

“Where are we going?” Kara asks as Alex drags her out of the apartment.

“We’re going to the bookstore so you can ask Lena out.”

Kara stops on the spot, pulling Alex to a stop too. “No.”

Alex turns and tugs on her sisters arm again. “Yes. It’s either this or we’re going to starve because I know the next time you see her you’ll want to buy another book and we just can’t afford that.”

Considering that that’s exactly what happened this morning, Alex might be right.

“But,” Kara starts, except that only excuse she can think of not to do this is because she’s terrified. Which is a pretty good excuse in Kara’s opinion.

“No buts. Please, we need that money.”

Kara sighs, Alex is right.

“What do I even say?” Kara asks, starting to walk again on her own, surprising Alex again.

“Hi Lena, I’ve been in love with you forever and I want to have your babies.”

This time, Kara glares at Alex.

Alex laughs. “Ok fine. You just say, ‘Hi, I really like you, do you want to go out for coffee sometime?’”

“That sounds too easy.”

“It is that easy,” Alex agrees, though Kara still doesn’t believe her.

Kara stops again once they arrive at the store, standing outside, too scared to go in knowing what Alex wants her to do. And she wants to do it too, has dreamed of this, of actually telling Lena how she feels, or Lena asking her out, any version that it goes well and she gets to be with Lena.

Kara sees Lena through the window and despite the fact that Lena is talking to a customer, she happens to look up and catches Kara’s eye through the window. Lena gives her a small smile and wave and something in Kara’s chest loosens.

This is Lena, who always makes time to chat with her in store, who is always nice and friendly and is kind to everyone she meets. Lena, who is always willing to help Kara with any book request, no matter how silly it is and always makes her feel so warm and welcome.

Lena, who she is in love with and maybe does want to have her babies, but she’ll never admit that out loud.

“Go on,” Alex urges and Kara takes a deep breath before she steps through the door. The bell jingles above her head and even that is comforting in its familiarity.

Alex follows her in and Kara is glad her sister is here, even if she’s probably just going to embarrass herself.

Alex wanders off, making herself look busy looking at books but Kara stands awkwardly in the middle of the store, unsure what to do.

It’s a few minutes before Lena is finished with the customer and then she immediately makes her way towards Kara.

“Kara, what a nice surprise. Was one book not enough for you today?”

Kara shoots a quick look at her sister and finds Alex glaring at her, so obviously she’d heard and hadn’t figured out Kara had already bought a book today.

Lena catches the look, glancing between them. “Is everything okay?”

Kara shakes her head, and then just goes for it. Honestly is good, right? “No, Alex is upset I keep buying books.”

Lena looks confused. “Is that a bad thing?”

Kara bites her lip. “Yes, when I’m spending all our rent money on books.”

Lena still looks confused. “Oh I-“

Kara cuts her off. “Let me explain?”

Lena pauses and nods.

“It’s not the buying books part that is bad, it’s that I’m buying books I don’t need because I come in here just to see you but use the books as an excuse.”

Lena’s eyes widen. “Oh.”

“And I have genuinely enjoyed all the books I’ve brought from you, but the main reason I come in here most days is just to see you.”

Lena smiles. “I know.”

“What?”

“I mean, I did think you wanted the books and I wouldn’t have let you buy them if I’d known you were spending your rent money. But I did know you were coming in here just to see me.”

“Oh.” It’s now Kara’s turn to not know what to say. “Is that okay?” Kara finally asks when the silence stretches too long.

“Is what okay?”

“Is it okay that I come here just to see you?”

Lena nods. “I look forward to your visits. Every time the bell jingles, I hope it’s you.”

Kara bites her lip, her heart skipping in her chest. This isn’t how she saw today going at all. “Does that mean if I ask you out for coffee, you’ll say yes?”

Lena presses her lips together, her cheeks pink as she nods. “I’d really like that.”

“I really like you,” Kara replies, the words tumbling from her mouth without much thought but as soon as she’s said them, she regrets it immediately. What if that’s not what Lena meant, what if she-

Kara’s thought process is derailed when Lena reaches out and takes her hand, warm fingers slipping between her own.

“I really like you too,” Lena says, voice soft and eyes bright.

Kara could spend forever looking into Lena’s eyes, trying to figure out exactly what colour they are.

“Thank God.” 

Both Kara and Lena startle at the interruption, Alex suddenly beside them.

“Sorry to break this up but Lena, you have a customer.”

Lena’s cheeks go properly red this time as she turns and sees a customer at the counter.

Lena turns back to Kara. She takes her hand, pulls a pen out of her pocket and scribbles something on Kara’s hand. 

“I have to go, but text me?” Lena asks, shy again like they didn’t just both admit they like each other. Of course, Kara isn’t going to say no.

Kara nods as she watches Lena go and help the customer. She looks down at her hand and sees Lena’s number written in blue ink, a little heart beside it.

Alex bumps her side. “Told you.”

Kara grins. “Thank you.”

“It was entirely selfish, I just wanted you to stop spending money,” Alex says but Kara knows that’s not true. It’s definitely partly true but by the way Alex is smiling at her, Kara knows her sister is happy for her too.

Kara links her arm with Alex’s. “Donuts to celebrate?”

Alex laughs. “At least now you can go back to spending all your money on food.”

Kara waves at Lena as she leaves, Lena sending her another small smile that makes Kara warm from the inside. She can’t wait for their first date.

[charlesemersonwinchesteriii]

if Crozier had a nickel for every time someone close to him kept a mortal wound secret from him he'd have two nickels which isn't a lot but it's definitely enough to give him some very specific trauma for the rest of his life

[rookinthecrownest]

Listen pals enamoured as I am by Rookanis Coffee Shop AU i am equally if not moreso enamoured by Rookanis Tiny Library/Bookstore AU

Let me explain

The Rookery is a little niche bookstore run by Madeleina Mercar. She inherited the business from her late father. It has all kinds of books from around the world, some rare, some really rare, - things you won’t find in a regular library.

The DAVG cast come in for different reasons.

Taash maybe wants to explore literature related dragons.

Harding wants books on archery.

Neve loves her mystery novels

Davrin comes in to get research material on different monsters for the book he’s writing

Bellara comes in for Romantasy

Emmrich for the occult/ecclectic

The DAVG gang are Rook’s regular customers. Until one day a stranger shows up- intriguing and somewhat aloof.

And Lucanis… he doesnt know what he’s doing there. He just ends up in this small bookshop after a bad day and maybe he explored around a bit, and finds a book on wyverns

The book Caterina didnt let him have when he was a kid

Maybe…

[thesongistheriver]

The blond bloke in the suit swallowed heavily. “I’m looking for a Mr. Gaius White.”

Merlin’s mouth twisted. “That was my great-uncle, but he passed away. I’m the shop proprietor now.” He straightened to his full height and held out his hand. “Mer—”

Blond Bloke cut him off. “I’ll need some proof of that.”

Face scrunching up in distaste, Merlin snapped, “Why? Who the hell are you, anyway?”

Reaching into his breast pocket, Blond Bloke pulled out a business card. “My firm—er, my father’s firm—handled all the business legalities for Dragon Egg Books. My father has sent me to this ridiculous backwater to ensure our association continues.”

“It’s basically a suburb, not the bloody hinterlands, you posh tosser,” Merlin muttered, looking at the card.

The bookstore Merthur AU has begun!

[jameskinniesrise]

@jegulus-microfic | april 29 | prompt: fixate | words: 237

Remus couldn't understand why James had suddenly become so fixated on books. He was in and out of the bookstore almost every day. It first started on Lily's birthday. James had forgotten to buy her a gift and just went to a random bookstore near her house. Since then, Remus has noticed James buying a new book every week. James hated reading, so why would he go to a bookstore so often?

James was late for his shift again, so Remus decided to text him. Then he realised he could see James' location on Snapchat. Sirius had forced Remus to download it, but it had one good use. He could track Sirius and James.

Upon checking James' location, he realised that James was at that bookstore. Again. Remus decided to go to this bookstore himself. What was so great about it?

Remus reached the bookstore and peeked through the window, and there was James, chatting with the cashier. The cashier had short black hair and grey eyes, kind of like Sirius'. He smirked at something James had said. Remus then realised what was going on. James fancied the cashier. No wonder he's been emptying his wallet on books for the last three weeks.

Just as Remus was about to leave, he noticed James lean in for a kiss. He sighed with a smile and walked back to his car. James probably wasn't going to make his shift that evening.

[scholliski]

the genuine upset I feel when I remember that andrew is described as being ‘allergic to books’ … like wdym he’s not a glasses-wearing, tea-drinking bookworm?

[fiapartridge]

so that fic about another guy flirting with hazel got me thinking…. let’s turn it up a notch 😌

somebody from another team flirts with hazel WHILE she and beckett are officially dating 🤭

robbers -> beckett + hazel 🏹🦢💌

"she says, babe, you look so cool..." robbers, the 1975

pairing: beckett sennecke x hazel summary: when one of the players from the san jose sharks tries to flirt with hazel, beckett goes haywire... warning(s): lots of cursing LOL, fighting, blood (brief) author's note: i feel like beckett wouldn't hurt a fly but anything for his girl 💋 wc: 1.12k

Beckett didn’t like a lot of things in life: long division, beans on toast, spam calls from stupid telemarketers, and, oh, yeah, guys trying to take his fucking girl. 

It was a Friday night and the Anaheim Ducks were face-to-face with the San Jose Sharks. The score was 0-2 after the first period. The Ducks hustled down the tunnel, anger laced in their blood as they tried their hardest not to break a twig. It was the first game of the fucking season and so far, they were blowing it. The cheers from the crowd died down after the first Sharks’ goal, and even more so after the second. Everyone’s energies were draining—their confidence, too.

And the cherry on fucking top? Quentin Musty was flirting with Hazel—Beckett’s Hazel. He watched them talk outside the locker rooms; the way he stood next to her, his arm beside her head as she nodded along to something he said. It made Beckett’s blood boil. It should be him who’s all over her right now; who’s receiving her attention, her tiny smiles, and blushy cheeks.

He wanted to bash Quentin into a wall—especially when he watched the boy’s hand slowly move to her hair, sweeping a strand of hair from her face.

“Bro, get the fuck off of her!” Beckett shouted, walking towards them as Hazel immediately stepped back. 

To be honest, Hazel was tired of Quentin talking to her the entire time, only standing there so she could see Beckett before the intermission was over. She nodded absentmindedly to all of his stupid advancements, hoping that he would take a hint and leave her the fuck alone. And when his hand touched her hair, she immediately felt her body recoiling, moving to step away from the guy. 

The boys from both teams rushed out of their locker rooms to watch the scene, Mason scrambling to grab Beckett before he could throw himself at Quentin. Mason’s arms wrapped around Beckett, Trevor coming in to help as they dragged him away from the other boy.

“Chill, bro,” Mason said, throwing Beckett into his stall. “Leave that shit on the ice, okay? You want to fight him? Do it over there.”

Trevor stood in front of the fuming boy. His hands rested on his hips. “What the fuck even happened, man?”

“He was fucking out there flirting with Hazel,” he exclaimed angrily. Now he was upset over the terrible period and this stupid ass situation. “I’m not gonna let him talk to my fucking girlfriend like that.”

Trevor shook his head. “Take the high road, alright? He’s just tryin’ to get under your skin. Just—don’t get mad at Hazel, okay? She looked a little shook up after that.”

Becket sighed, resting his head back against his stall before closing his eyes. “Fuck. D’you think she hates me?”

Leo joined the small crowd forming around Beckett’s stall, a cool towel wrapped around his neck as he shook his head. “Nah. For some reason, that girl could never hate you,” he chuckled.

Before everyone knew it, intermission was over, and they were back on the ice for the second period. Beckett stood on right wing, Trevor center, and Ryan Strome on left wing. And luckily for Beckett, Quentin Musty stood right next to him as a left winger. 

“Got a little heated back there, huh, Becky?” Quentin smirked during the faceoff. 

“Just get off my girl,” Beckett said, brushing him off. The only thing he cared about was that fucking puck. He wasn’t going to let a guy named Musty get to him.

“Your girl?” Quentin chuckled. “Not what she was saying when I was on her a couple minutes ago.”

Beckett shook his head, his grip tightening on his stick. Take the high road, alright? He’s just tryin’ to get under your skin.

“Maybe next time,” Quentin looked at Beckett. “Put that bitch on a tighter leash.”

Throwing his stick, Beckett lunged at Quentin. His fist striking directly at his jaw as the crowd gasped, not expecting a fight to happen before the puck was even in play—especially not a fight from Beckett fucking Sennecke.

Hazel stood up from her seat in the media room where she was working on graphics for the Ducks’ Instagram story. She watched from the TV that hung in the corner of the room, Beckett’s fist repeatedly hitting Quentin’s bloody face as the referees tried their best to break them apart. Her heart beat rapidly as she ran out the room and towards the tunnel. Everyone watched her run through the halls, trying to get to Beckett.

And when she saw him, a bloody lip and a stupid smile on his face, she wanted to rip him to fucking shreds. “Beckett,” she called, his head whipping to face her. “What the fuck just happened?” 

He walked slowly to her, grabbing her hand as she rolled her eyes. “He was talking shit about you, okay?”

“Yeah, well now you’re thrown out of the game,” she scoffed. “This is the first game of the fucking season. Now everyone’s gonna think you’re fuckin’ Matt Rempe or some shit.”

“Hey, I’m tall, but I’m not that tall,” he chuckled.

“Beckett—”

“I know, I know,” he sighed, rubbing his forehead. “It was just—the fucking things he was saying. I couldn’t let him get away with it, okay? Not when,” he stammered. “Not when they’re about you.”

Sighing, Hazel anxiously met his gaze. “What’d he say? ‘Cause I swear to you, I didn’t say anything to him, okay? I didn’t even want him next to me! He just kept getting closer,” she panicked, thinking he would be mad at her.

“Hey, hey,” he smiled. “I’m not mad at you. I know you didn’t do anything. Thank you for not doing anything,” he whispered. Pausing, he sighed again. “He called you a bitch. ‘Said I should hold you on a tighter leash.”

Hazel gulped, her heart plummeting. “Oh.” No one’s ever said that about her. Did he think she was some sort of slut?

Noticing her pull away from him, he held onto her tightly, pressing her against his chest. His chin rested on her head as they swayed side to side. “Hey, no one thinks anything bad about you, especially me, okay? It’s okay.”

Looking up at him, Beckett held her cheeks, his thumbs wiping the tears from her eyes. “Thanks for sticking up for me” she smiled softly. “You looked really cool by the way. I kinda dig the cuts,” she smirked, brushing over his wounded face. 

“I should get into more fights then, huh?”

“If you get into another fight I will personally beat your ass,” she grinned before sighing. “Thank you.”

He smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to her hand. “Anything for the princess.”

taglist! @bunbunbl0gs @crazy4smitty

[lilyan-art]

Clothes swap 🥰

from A Crooked Touch bookstore!AU

(as always, from @acrookedtouchofficial ‘s discord server)

This one is very fluffy and makes me extremely weak

[bucktommyscones]

Obsessed with this idea: “Bookstore (hallmark AU)” please tell me more 🙏🏽

yay! Here's another little snippet! First one here.

"Hi," a slightly harried voice says from behind him, though Buck recognizes it as the one that had greeted him when he first stepped in. "I'm so sorry about that, new stock just came in." Buck turns to tell him that it's really no problem, but when he does, he stops short. Because, wow. The guy in front of him is tall, broad, slightly curly brown hair frames an angular face with high, sharp cheekbones and a straight nose. Buck's only just begun to question his sexuality, but he's beginning to think he might just be getting a handle on it really quick. "Can I help you?" The guy is looking at him, clearly slightly confused, but a warm smile is still curling the corners of his mouth. Buck shakes himself from his thoughts. "Wow, God, sorry, hi. I'm Buck. Uh, Evan. Buckley. I'm Evan Buckley. Chimney, I mean, Howie Han sent me?" Buck throws out a hand awkwardly, but the guy's face lights up as he takes it. "Howie sent you! Great! Hi, Buck, Evan Buckley," he says, eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm Tommy."

[strnilolover]

ditzy!reader and player!chris first date 😔

i could definitely see player!chris taking ditsy!reader to a place she’s been wanting to go to for a while because he just likes seeing her happy.

(i suck at writing in third person, so y’all are getting second person)

Your hands nervously smoothed over your outfit, your frame standing in front of your mirror. Earlier in the day, chris had asked you if you wanted to go somewhere with him. And you hesitantly agreed, but were happy he asked you to go somewhere.

When you felt like you were ready, you made your way out your front door — quickly locking the door. When you turned back around, chris was already there. His body leaning against his passenger side door.

“There ya are angel — thought you bailed on me last second.” He said, smiling as he opened the car door for you. You laughed nervously, ducking your head as you tucked yourself into his car. “Sorry… I just… um…” your words tampering off.

“Relax,” he said, leaning down in the doors frame as he watched you buckle yourself. “no need to be nervous, you know me.” he stated before closing your door and swiftly making his way to the drivers side.

Once you were on the road, you couldn’t help but wonder where he was taking you. You wanted to ask, but every time you opened your mouth, your nerves got the best of you. After a few minutes of silence, chris glanced over at you, grinning.

His hand reached over, placing it on top of your own before giving it a gentle squeeze. “You can ask where we’re going, you know.” You flushed, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “Oh… right. Where are we going?”

He chuckled, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “It’s a surprise. But I think you’ll like it.”

He drove a little longer, the city lights giving way to quieter streets until he pulled up to a cozy little bookstore nestled between two cafes. You eyes widened in surprise, a small gasp escaping your lips as you recognized it.

“This… this is a place i’ve been wanting to come to for a while.” you exclaimed, turning to him, your eyes sparkling. “How did you…?”

He shrugged, trying to look casual, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You might’ve mentioned it once or twice. Figured it was worth checking out.” he said, getting out of the car as he made his way to your side, opening the door for you.

The bookstore was small and dimly lit, shelves packed tightly with books of all kinds, from fantasy novels to historical memoirs. The smell of old paper and coffee filled the air, instantly making you feel at home. You glanced at him, still in awe, and he just nodded toward the door.

“After you, darlin’”

Inside, you wandered through the aisles, fingers brushing over the spines of books. You stopped at a shelf lined with fantasy novels, picking up one you’d been wanting to read. You turned it over in your hands, momentarily lost in the synopsis.

When you looked up, chris was leaning against the shelf, arms crossed, watching you with a smirk. “You’re seriously just going to read? Didn’t know you’d ditch me for a book.” he said, faking a pout.

You blushed, hands fumbling with the book. “No! I just… I really like this one. I’ve been wanting to read it for a while.”

“Then get it,” he said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. When you hesitated, he rolled his eyes and snatched it out of your hands, heading toward the counter. “Consider it a gift, yeah?”

Your cheeks flushed a deeper pink. “Chris, you don’t have to—” He gave you a look, cutting you off. “I know. But I want to.” and you stopped, figuring he probably wouldn’t budge.

While he bought the book, you wandered toward the small coffee shop section at the back, feeling her heart race. You weren’t sure if it was because you had never been here before or if it was because he had brought her here. Chris, who you thought barely listened when you rambled about books, had actually remembered something you’d mentioned in passing. It was more thoughtful than you’d ever expected.

When he returned, book in hand, he nodded toward the coffee counter. “Go on, order whatever you want.” you opened your mouth to protest, but he gave you another ‘don’t start’ look and quickly dropped it.

So you picked a simple drink, something warm and comforting, and you sat down in the corner by a small round table, surrounded by shelves of books on all sides. You took a sip, feeling the warmth spread through you, and looked up to find chris already looking at you.

“So,” he said, leaning back, his arms folding behind his head. “have you been wanting to come here for a while? i know you mentioned it like, oh i don’t know, a billion times.” He teased, smirking.

You nodded, glancing around. “I saw this place on a post a friend of mine made… it looked so wonderful and it honestly doesn’t disappoint.” You admitted.

He chuckled. “I can tell. You look like you’re in heaven.” You looked down, blushing. “I just… really like books. They’re like… little worlds, you know? Places you can escape to.”

“Can’t say I get it, but… I don’t mind seeing you happy,” he said, his usual teasing tone gone. You glanced up, “So, what’s that one about?” he asked, nodding toward the book he’d just bought you.

You started to explain, describing the plot with growing excitement, your nerves forgotten. You were so absorbed in telling him about the story that you didn’t notice the way he was watching you. His usual smirk was now a smile. Something that only you really did to him.

As you finished, you glanced up, catching his gaze, and felt your face grow warm again. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to go on like that.” He shook his head, a faint smile still lingering. “Nah, it’s cute. Always seeing you get so excited over some books.”

You looked down, biting you lip to hide your smile. “I’m just… really happy you brought me here. I didn’t think… I mean, I didn’t think you’d even remember.”

He shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Just because I don’t spend all day reading doesn’t mean I don’t listen. Besides,” he added, leaning in closer, “I like seeing you like this.”

Your breath caught, heart pounding as you managed a soft, “Thank you… really.” He reached over, taking the book from your hands and flipping through the pages casually. “Guess I’ll have to read it, see what all the fuss is about.”

You laughed nervously, unsure if he was serious or just teasing. “I… think you might actually like it.” He smirked, setting the book down, his gaze steady on you. “Maybe I will. Maybe you’ll just have to tell me more about it.”

You stayed a while longer, sipping coffee and talking in quiet voices, surrounded by books and the warm, cozy ambiance of the shop. When it was time to go, he held the door open for you, walking you back to his car. You hugged the book close to your chest, a smile lingering on your face as you drove back in comfortable silence.

When you got home and reached your doorstep, he turned to you with that familiar smirk.

For a second, you thought he might lean in — and when he did, you froze. Quickly putting your hand up to rest on his chest. He stopped, a puzzled look coming across his face — but he just smiled. Opting to take your hand and press a small peck to it.

“s’okay angel.” he said as he pulled back. When he turned to walk away, he looked back at you. “see ya tomorrow, yeah?” and at that, all you did was nod.

[ladykailitha]

You're a Dream to Me Part 2

Woohoo! I love the response the first part got for this! Keep it up! I loved every like, comment, and reblog!

In this one we have the only chapter without a dream at the start, but we get see Eddie and Steve's lives without each other.

Part 1

~

To say Steve hadn’t ended up where he thought he would when he was in high school was an understatement. He had imagined working for his dad at the consulting firm he owned. But when he hit college and met Robin working at the on campus ice cream shop. The school’s mascot was the Buccaneers and so the place was called Scoop’s Ahoy.

They hadn’t started off as friends, but after being locked together in the back of the shop when a bomb threat had been called into the school, they came out of it as best buds.

He had decided after that that he didn’t want to do work for someone else, he wanted to own his own business and like the universe was looking out for him, after he had graduated from college he had come home and learned that the local bookstore was looking to sell.

And as much as Clint Harrington would have preferred his son with him, owning his own business was still in line with what he wanted for his son, so he didn’t think anything of it. That was until Steve turned it into a liberal arts bookstore with a strong leaning toward the LGBTQ+ community.

That was the final straw for the elder Harrington, cutting Steve off without a thought or so much as a backward glance. But what Clint hadn’t realized was that the trust fund had been setup by his grandparents and that the only access Clint had to it was to put money in and not take anything out, so Steve took the money from the trust fund and built the bookstore to what it was now, a thriving hub for the lost souls of Hawkins.

So when he said he loved his job, he meant it. But it wasn’t easy. He had a constantly revolving door of high schoolers who worked for him in the afternoons. But the mornings were tended to by Robin or him. Today it was him.

She would be by around ten coffee and donuts in hand. Vickie was a fifth grade social studies and band teacher. Which is why she hadn’t been grumpy with the wake up call this morning. She had already been at work for an hour by the time Steve had called.

He got to work opening up his store, happily humming some tune that was always playing in the background of his soulmate dreams.

The bell above the door rang out signaling his first customer. Steve looked up and died a little inside. It wasn’t a customer, because that implied the person might make a purchase and this one never would.

“Mrs. O’Donnell,” Steve said warningly. “I’m pretty sure that Chief Hopper told you to stay out of my shop, so don’t make me call him.”

The old English teacher had retired the year prior and made her mission to terrorize the bookshop about the books they sold. She stopped in her tracks when she saw who was manning the shop today. “Where’s the girl?”

A sudden chill slid down his spine. “If you aren’t out of my shop by the time I finish dialing the cops, you’re going to regret that statement.” He picked up the phone and started dialing from memory.

She continued to stare him down. “This is public property, I can come and go as I wish. You can’t stop me.” She gathered her purse to her chest like a shield and stepped further into the store.

Steve raised an eyebrow. “One, stores are private property and two, you started throwing books off the shelves the last time you were here, and that’s destruction of property.”

The old bat stopped in her tracks for the second time and turned to him with an evil grin. “They’d be my property if I bought them, right?”

Steve snorted and ignored her. If she was really that stupid, he wasn’t going to correct her. “Hello, yes, this is Steve Harrington from Coming of Page. Yes, I’d like to report a trespass. That’s right. Kathleen O’Donnell is back. Mhmm...of course I’ll wait.”

He waited, but Mrs. O’Donnell did not. But according to Officer Callahan, they had picked her up only a couple of blocks from the shop.

“Are you really going to press charges against an old woman?” he asked when Steve brought it up.

“It’s either this or you find another way to keep her out of my shop,” he snapped. “Because it’s a bookshop. It’s not even the only bookshop in town there are three other small bookshops and a Waldon’s Bookseller in the mall. I’m not making bank and it was lucky insurance paid out for the damage she did last time. An actual fucking crime, no less!”

Callahan grumbled but was duty bound to arrest her. So when Robin came in with her coffee and donuts he was already ready to throw in the towel.

“I’m sorry, Steve,” she murmured after she heard about his morning. “I should have told you she was harassing me when you weren’t there, but I didn’t want to make a bid deal out of it.”

Steve gave her a hug. “I understand that, but with you not telling anyone it just gave her permission to keep doing it, okay?”

She nodded sadly. “I’ll be sure to call you the next time it happens.” She wrapped her arms around him and settled into the hug.

“Hopefully there won’t be a next time because the old bat will be in jail,” he said fiercely. “People are just so bigoted these days.”

She raised her head. “That certainly true. Let’s eat these donuts and drink this coffee and you can tell all about your dream hunk.”

Steve laughed. Then they did just that. They talked about the sound of his voice and the feeling of his broad chest pressed against back.

“Well it sounds like he’s finally coming around to the idea of you as his soulmate,” she said when he had finished telling her about every detail of the dream.

“Yeah,” Steve sighed wistfully. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

Later that day, Steve was humming a little tune and bopping to the music in his head when Dustin came in. Dustin still worked at the bookstore during his breaks from school for what Dustin called D&D money.

“Hey, I didn’t know you knew Corroded Coffin,” Dustin said as he clocked himself in at the computer. “That’s one of my favorites.”

Steve stopped what he was doing and turned to him. “I hear it in my soulmate dreams. My soulmate must be a huge fan.”

“Your soulmate is a metal fan?” Dustin said brightly. “That’s so cool!”

Steve just shook his head. Now that he knew the band his future soulmate liked, he would have to look them up to see what other songs might have been playing during his dreams.

“I’ll send you a link to all my favorites,” Dustin was saying. “And some other bands too, so that when you two finally meet, you aren’t totally a fish out of water with his tastes.”

“Thanks, bud!”

All the kids knew that Steve strongly suspected that his soulmate was a man. It made things easier for Mike and Will to get together as Mike had Steve to help work out his internalized homophobia.

He pulled out his phone when it went off to see that Dustin had done what he said he was going to do. He smiled fondly. Yeah, Mrs. O’Donnell could go kick rocks for all he cared, because he had his people.

~

Eddie was a professional above all else, especially when it came to his music, but there were days when he didn’t feel the music. Like he had been disconnected from the mainframe or like a puppet with its strings cut.

Jeff noticed it first. But that was because being on rhythm guitar he took his cues from Eddie so when the energy didn’t match their opening song he knew something was up. Brian and Gareth didn’t notice until about halfway through the third song when Eddie actually fucking missed a chord.

Gareth called a halt with his sticks, crossing them like an X to get the techs to stop, too.

“Okay, man,” Brian huffed, “what is with you today?”

“‘Cause if this about us teasing you about Steve,” Jeff said, gripping the body of his guitar, “we’re sorry. You are usually right there with us laughing about it.”

Eddie let out a long shuddering sigh and rubbed his chin. “It not just that. Because yeah, today I wasn’t in the mood to be teased about my long standing crush, but it was sleeping through my alarm, too. Getting yelled at first thing in the morning is exactly a recipe for a good day, you know?”

“Yeah,” Gareth said, “I’d be in a pretty shit mood, too.” The other two members nodded. “So why don’t we take a break, grab a smoke and clear our heads a bit?”

Eddie ran his fingers through his hair and let his eyes flutter shut. A cigarette did sound really good right now. “Yeah, and have one of the PAs run and get us some burgers. I didn’t have time to eat, so that might be affecting my mood too.”

So they took a break, had a smoke, got some food in their bellies and cleared their heads. They were all feeling a little better as they got on back on the stage to finish the sound check.

As Eddie was plugging in his guitar, Chrissy came up to him.

“Hey, you got a minute?” she asked. Eddie half shrugged, so she took that as sign a to continue. “I wanted to apologize for this morning. I heard a couple of the guys talking about how much it upset you and I shouldn’t have came in like a bull in a china shop, no matter how late you were.”

Eddie half shrugged again. “I’m an adult, Chris and you treated me like a child who was late for school. And I checked, no one had even tried calling me or texting me to see where I was. So yeah, I think I have a right to be pissed.”

Chrissy sighed. “I know. When I arrived and saw that you weren’t there I just stormed up on the war path and that wasn’t fair to you. So this me apologizing for it and I promise it won’t happen again, okay?”

Eddie nodded and then turned to Gareth and jutted his chin up to indicate that he was ready to go. Gareth counted out time on his sticks as Chrissy stepped back, chewing on her thumbnail.

She had royally fucked up this morning because she had a fight with Georgia this morning about how the two tours were going on at the same time and that it had been a deliberate choice for Chrissy to join Corroded Coffin instead of Lilith’s Little Monsters.

Which of course it had, Chrissy was their manager, but she wasn’t the one who had set the touring schedule that was the label, but no amount of explaining that did any good. So she had taken Eddie being late as a personal attack and went up there guns blazing. Which she really, really shouldn’t have done no matter what her own morning had been like.

She had known that the boys had gotten in super late and literally crashed into their beds and slept like the dead. She should have set up morning calls for all of them to make sure they were awake in time. But she hadn’t because she relied so heavily on Eddie’s need to be on time.

So she had set the tone for their morning and while their playing was vastly better than it been before the break, it wasn’t their best.

It was time to do some grovelling and not just with her band, but with her soulmate too. Since her boys were currently playing, she was going to start with her soulmate. She pulled out her phone and dialed Georgia.

“Hey, babe,” she murmured softly. “I’m sorry. You were right. I could have pushed a little harder so that the two tours wouldn’t line up, especially with Corroded Coffin having way more control with that sort of thing then most bands.”

“Oh, wow,” Georgia said, “I wasn’t expecting an apology, like ever. Thanks.”

Chrissy winced. “I know. I’m such a bitch. But I’m your bitch and I love you so much.”

“I love you too, honey,” Georgia laughed. “And I do know that it’s your job that you have to be there, I just rolled over in bed this morning and you weren’t there, so I chose violence.”

“I would have too,” Chrissy admitted. “We’re going to be in the same city at the same time for Boston, so I thought I would come woo my pretty wife and bring her flowers and the whole nine yards. How does that sound?”

“Sounds great,” Georgia breathed. “I’ve got to get to my sound check, but I love you.”

“Love you more,” Chrissy replied.

And then they said their goodbyes and hung up. Now to figure out how to make it up to Eddie.

She was going to have to do a lot of groveling to start. but she would figure it out.

~

Part 3

Tag List: FIVE SLOTS REMAINING

1- @itsall-taken @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @sadisticaltarts @dolphincliffs

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @irregular-child @cryptid-system @kultiras

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji @dreamercec @blondie1006

5- @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @genderless-spoon @fearieshadow @thesecondfate

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

9- @themoonagainstmers @eyehartart @tartarusknight @chaotic-waffle @dotdot-wierdlife

[deancaspinefest]

If I Loved You Less

Author: one_more_offbeat_anthem | Artist: TFWDuke

Posting on Monday March 24

Dean Winchester-Singer is, objectively, living his dream life. After getting a degree in English Literature, he headed back to his dusty Kansas hometown to take over his Uncle Bobby's bookstore. Living in the tiny apartment above the store, Dean spends his days running the store's book club, keeping tabs on his brother out in California, organizing bookshelves, and mooning over local author (and one of his best friends) Cas Novak. But things start to take a tumble when Dean realizes that Cas's fame is starting to outgrow the town, and then something happens to Uncle Bobby that truly challenges Dean's carefully-built dream life…

Keep reading for a sneak preview!

Singer’s Book Supply is located at 874 Ninth Avenue and opens promptly every day (except for Monday) at ten in the morning.

Well, it opens promptly if whoever is running the shop that day actually wakes up on time.

Luckily, Dean Winchester-Singer, nephew of owner Bobby Singer, lives in the walk-up above the shop and can tumble downstairs with a yogurt and a coffee if he oversleeps, which is exactly what happened to him today. Outfitted in yesterday’s jeans, a worn t-shirt with the Singer’s Book Supply logo on it, and beat-up Converse, Dean arrives behind the counter with his hair mussed and glasses sliding down his nose.

“Two minutes,” he says to himself; the clock next to the register is three minutes slow, so he always has to do the math in his head.

Today is a Thursday, so it’s no surprise that Dean overslept. He was up late last night baking (oatmeal chocolate chip cookies this week) because Thursdays are his favorite day to work at the bookstore: it’s book club day.

The book club had actually been Uncle Bobby’s idea back in the day. Most people wouldn’t look at Bobby Singer, gruff and grouchy, and imagine him running a bookstore, but in a way it was a perfect career path for him. For years, Bobby had owned a junkyard and fixed up cars, but then he’d had an injury that forced him to sell off the junkyard. He couldn’t stop loving forgotten things, though–he took his sizable secondhand book collection and turned it into the store. Now, Singer’s has both new and used books, records, and a small cafe with tea and coffee.

In a way, Dean was one of Bobby’s secondhand finds. In a literal sense, Bobby isn’t his uncle; once upon a time, as they say in the storybooks, he was Dean’s father’s best friend. That was before Dean’s mother died in the process of his little brother Sam’s birth and his father…had some issues. Bobby got custody of the boys, and Dean hasn’t heard from his father since.

He and Sam turned out okay, though. Sam is in law school out in California, well on his way to, in Dean’s completely unbiased opinion, becoming a hot-shot lawyer. Dean, meanwhile, got a degree in English Literature and is now living out his dream: sharing literature with other people.

Keep reading on Ao3 after Monday March 24

[ekingston]

Would you rather have you art or your fic go viral?

gosh golly anon going viral doesn't carry the best of connotations, but as much fun as creating art might be my heart will always be more invested in the things i write. so allow me to ply my wares here for a shameless moment:

Multi-chapters

You & Me & Holiday Wine (M)

The Shape of Soup (M)

One-shots

By Way of Wit (M)

Be Still My Beating Heart (E)

Penne for your Thoughts (G)

Oh Oh Oh (I’m on Fire) (T)

Liar Liar Plants on Fire (G)

Tickled Ink (T)

Falling Is Like This (T)

Likewise (T)