#currently walking back from the shop for the second time because I forgot the one thing I went to get..

[dreamings-free]

yup, he’s still the funniest 🍌😆

3/6/24

[verstappen-cult]

Maybe a lestappen fic were Reader friends are the worst and they comfort her, thank you 💗

You were out with your boyfriends when you saw them across the street, walking out of a shop, talking and laughing without a care. You had texted them yesterday to ask if they were free today to hang out, since you haven’t seen them in a few weeks. The answer? I have to work. I’ll be out of town. I’m sick, just numerous excuses.

Max noticed the change in your demeanor in an instant. “What’s wrong, love?” 

“Oh, I just remember that I need to call mom, or she’ll get mad.” You smile, not wanting to worry him. 

“You can call her once we get home.” He kisses your forehead and holds your hand to keep walking. 

Being around them was enough to make you forget about what you saw and you actually ended up enjoying the day off. 

Until Charles decided that it was time to eat and walked into one of your favorite restaurants in town. A very exclusive but cozy one.

The host just gave your boyfriends a look and it was enough for her to rush to get you three a table. 

“Aren’t those your friends?” Charles asks you, looking behind your shoulders. 

You didn’t want to look but you also didn’t want them to know what happened. So, you simply turned around with a forced smile. 

“Oh, yes! What a coincidence.” 

“You can say hello to them,” Max gives you a little pat on your lower back, encouraging you to go to them. “We will wait for you.” 

You chew on the inside of your cheek before walking towards them. 

You notice the exact moment they see you, because they go from laughing to a complete silence. 

“Hey!” You try not to show how affected you are, how much you want to cry. “I thought you were busy today.” 

One of your friends gives you a once over before leaning closer to one of your other friends and whispering something before laughing.

They don’t even try to pretend. 

“Yeah. This was something last minute.” One girl says, taking a sip of her drink. “We forgot to tell you.” 

“Are you following us?” One of your male friends says, not hiding his smirk at all.

“Oh, no, I’m—” 

“Because that’s sad.” 

One of your friends, one you thought was someone you could trust, bursts out laughing before saying, “Even for you.”

You’re one second away from crying now, so you decide to excuse yourself and walk away, not hungry anymore and just wanting to go home. But Max and Charles are by your side in one second and you’re unable to do so. 

“Max, Charles!” 

Everyone’s expression changes just like it changed when you approached their table. The difference is that this time they’re all smiling, sparkling eyes looking up at them as if you are not even there, standing between them. As if you are invisible.

“Are you waiting for a table?”

“You can sit with us. We can make space for you!” 

It’s laughable, really. 

Charles looks at you, his hand on your waist. “You want to sit here, chéri?”

You avoid looking at your “friends” and Max notices immediately. 

“We just came for take out,” Max explains, a friendly smile on his lips. “she just wanted her favorite dessert and we can’t say no to her.”

Everyone on the table laughs. But it’s forced, anyone would notice. 

“Well, we should plan something, then.” A blonde girl you have never seen before says. She’s twirling her hair and everything, and you would feel disgusted if it weren’t for the situation you’re currently in. 

Max holds your hand, rubbing circles on your palm. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”

Silence. 

A beat. 

And then.

“Some friends you are.”

You are out of the restaurant in ten minutes. Charles carries some take out while Max doesn’t let your hand go, at least not until you’re in front of the car. 

“Are you okay?” Max cups your cheeks, and you finally let the tears fall. 

“We noticed things were weird when you stood in front of their table.” Your Monégasque boyfriend says, his free hand rubbing your back. “We just didn’t realize how bad it was until we heard them.”

“How long has this been happening?”

You sniff, feeling the pad of Max’s fingers wiping the tears off your face. 

“Now that I’m thinking about it,” You laugh, closing your eyes, thinking about how stupid and blind you were. “it has been this way since… forever.”

“Oh, baby.” Charles wraps you in his arms, Max joining the hug without a second thought. 

“You should have told us.” Max whispers in your ear, and you nod because he is right. “We could’ve done something.”

Charles rolls his eyes, giving his boyfriend a little push. “You don't need them, okay?”

“You are an incredible,” Max kisses your cheek, “and amazing person.”

“Most beautiful girl in the world.” Charles kisses your other cheek. 

Your Dutch boyfriend gives you a little peck on the lips before pulling away to look directly into your eyes. “Anyone would be lucky to have you in their lives.”

“Their loss.” You groan against Charles’ shoulder. 

“That’s my girl!” They laugh and you feel like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders.

“Now,” The blonde-haired boy says, opening the car door for you. “Should we go home to eat in bed while we watch some movie?”

“Can we watch Cars?” 

“Charles, she will choose the movie!”

“But she loves Cars too!”

[perfectsunlight]

VLOG MOMENTS FROM THE KIM VACATION

minjeong x reader (ft. jennie kim)

synopsis: the kim sisters go on their annual summer trip to hawaii, but this time around, y/n decides to bring her girlfriend, minjeong.

a/n: this is just an idea i had while writing something for my other series: the variable

THE FLIGHT

the video starts with y/n leaning against jennie’s shoulder in the backseat of a car. the blackpink member zooms in on her younger sister’s face, causing y/n to smile and hit the camera playfully.

jennie quickly turns the camera to herself and starts speaking. “we’re currently on our way to the airport, we’re going to be in hawaii for a week. are you excited?” she turns to her younger sister, who nods rapidly.

“y/n is taking her ‘friend’ with us this time, so she’s meeting us there at the airport.”  y/n’s lips curve into a small smile as she shakes her head at her sister’s remark and looks out the window. 

a quick cut shows y/n running up to another person in a hoodie. jennie chuckles lightly and zooms in on the two embracing. there’s a second cut and y/n is recording with her head against someone’s shoulder. “guess who's coming with us,” she says in a sing-song tone and shows the camera, revealing minjeong’s face. the aespa member smiles and waves, earning a chuckle from y/n behind the camera. “cute.” the younger kim whispers at the sight of her girlfriend. minjeong smiles sheepishly before jennie’s voice is heard in the background. 

“i’m sitting in between you two on the flight.”

SHOPPING IN HONOLULU

jennie points the camera at minjeong and laughs as she watches her carry several bags in her arms. “are you sure you can carry all of that?”

the blonde shakes her head quickly, looking over in the direction of where y/n appears to be somewhere off screen. the girls seem to be at a mall. “my arms are about to fall off. i think i need to get back to the gym.” minjeong jokes, earning a laugh from jennie. y/n comes into frame with two more bags in her hand shortly after.

jennie puts her little sister into the frame of the camera. “what did you buy?” she asked while minjeong can be seen adjusting the bags she was holding and stretching her arms.

y/n smiles and waves the bags playfully in front of the lens. “new bathing suits and a new charger because i forgot mine on the plane.” 

“i’ll hold them,” minjeong quickly says as she gently takes the bags out of the younger kim’s hands. the action causes the older kim to start laughing. jennie focuses the camera back onto herself and shakes her head as the trio began walking out of the store. before the clip ends, y/n and minjeong’s voices can be heard off frame.

“baby, you’re already holding everything, it’ll be too heavy.” “it’s nothing, now let me hold it.”

THE BEACH

y/n is seen filming this time, showing the scenery around her. she zooms in on jennie, who seems to be taking a small nap in the shade with her sunglasses on. “unnie deserves a good rest,” the younger kim whispers to the camera before it cuts to the next part, where she’s walking with minjeong as the sun sets behind them. 

minjeong waves to the camera quickly before pointing at the beautiful sunset behind them. “look how beautiful,” she gently takes the camera from y/n to show the sky better.

“more beautiful than me?” y/n says quickly as she jumps in front of the sm idol’s shot. both flustered and amused by the girl’s actions, all minjeong can do is chuckle. “midnight's album is out july 7th.”

“we’re on vacation and you’re promoting your group’s album?” minjeong teases as she gently shoves the other idol. “of course i am,” y/n replies with a smile. “i care about my stargazers.”

“do they know i’m the number one stargazer?” minjeong says quickly as she wraps an arm around y/n’s shoulder. the younger kim points the camera at the other girl again while laughing at her remark.

“you’re not, jennie is.”

THE HOTEL

jennie is seen in pajamas and laying in bed with the hotel tv on. “i’m so tired today, we decided to go snorkeling so we couldn’t film it.” the blackpink member snickered as she recalled an event from earlier that day.

“if you guys didn’t know, y/n doesn’t like snorkeling because the last time we went, a fish went up to her mouth.”

almost immediately, y/n’s voice is heard from off camera.

“jennie unnie,” she groans playfully before climbing into bed with her sister and laying on top of her. she was in a pj set exactly like jennie’s. “don’t expose me.”

jennie chuckles as y/n joins her in bed, wrapping her arms around her sister in a playful hug. “sorry, but it's too funny not to share,” jennie teases, affectionately tousling y/n's hair. 

y/n lets out a mock sigh, feigning annoyance. “i should tell everyone about your swimsuit incident,” she says, shooting jennie a mock glare before breaking into a grin.

jennie gasps dramatically, feigning shock. “you wouldn't dare!” she exclaims, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. the younger girl giggles, knowing she has the upper hand in this playful exchange. 

“oh, i think blinks would love to hear about the great swimsuit malfunction of 2024,” she teases, poking jennie's side. “so what happened was–”

before y/n could finish her sentence, her sister put her hand over her mouth. “we’ll see you in the morning,” she said loudly to the camera, struggling to keep her hand over the younger girl’s mouth. 

“goodnight!”

YACHT

“today we’re spending the afternoon on a boat,” y/n says as she leans against jennie’s shoulder. “minjeongie is taking pictures over there.” she points the camera towards the deck where the aespa member is taking pictures of herself. 

“i’m wearing a blue swimsuit today to match minjeong’s,” y/n takes the camera and shows a quick glimpse of her blue bikini. “yesterday we didn’t film it, but i was matching with jennie unnie at the other beach.”

a quick montage of the ocean, sky, and the trio taking pictures is shown before jennie is the only one in frame. she zooms in on the two younger idols who appear to be taking polaroids with each other.

“y/n always brings her polaroid everywhere,” jennie explains while the focus is still on the other two girls. “she’s always showing her pictures to lisa.”

suddenly, minjeong is seen leaning in very close to y/n’s face. “hey!” jennie shouts at the aespa member, causing her to immediately sit straight up and back away from y/n with her hands in the air. y/n rolls her eyes playfully and laughs at her sister’s antics. “she was moving something out of my face, unnie.”

“i’m sure she was.”

jennie said as she made her way over to the pair and sat in between them before waving goodbye to the camera with a blushing minjeong and a smiling y/n.

[bbina]

today was wonbin's birthday and all day you've been pretending that it was just a regular day

currently, you and wonbin were out and about in myeongdong just shopping with him

"are you sure you're not forgetting anything?" wonbin asks for the nth time today. giving you the side-eye as you two walk around the busy shopping district hand in hand

of course you didn't forget your beloved boyfriend's birthday. in fact, you even prepared a whole surprise party back at his dorm with the help of his best friends who were on decorating duty (you're hoping and praying it ends up well knowing how rowdy those boys could get..)

you pretended to think about what you could've forgotten before shrugging

"not that i know of. why?" you replied, looking at your now pouting boyfriend. his shoulders were now slumped as he walks in defeat.

she forgot about my birthday.., wonbin thinks to himself, slowly growing upset that you'd forget such an important date. you notice wonbin's mood has shifted and you tried your very best to not laugh at his cute pouting face. this was getting a little hard for you to hide

luckily for you, your phone vibrates. you checked your phone and saw a text message from shotaro that the dorm was all ready and you guys could head back now. with a giddy smile, you sent a quick reply that you two will be going home soon before pocketing your phone

wonbin notices you all happy and he couldn't help but question it. what was so funny to you that you were giggling like a little school kid when you barely even acknowledged his birthday?

"bin look! chrome hearts!" you point out one of his favorite brands just up ahead from where you two were at. "i want to buy something" you say, dragging him to the store

wonbin also wanted to buy something but his mood was a little ruined because he thinks you didn't care about him enough to remember his special day

"choose any ring you want, on me" you propose, pointing at the rings that were on display. for a second there, wonbin thought you finally remembered but you had to follow it up with, "i've been seeing people having couple rings so i wanted us to join in the trend"

at this point wonbin just wanted to go home and sulk. what was the point in celebrating if you didn't even remember his birthday

wonbin begrudgingly chooses a ring and you two go up ahead at the cash register to pay. you input your card information to the computer screen and whispered something to the sales associate who helped you pick your ring, promptly making wonbin a little suspicious

the sales associate nods and scurries off to the back to prepare your little gift bag.

you and wonbin sit by the complimentary chairs as you wait for your items to be packed.

"where to next, bin?" you ask, looking up from your phone. at this point, wonbin was full on frowning and being silent.

"home" he replies curtly, not even sparing you a glance as he scrolls through his phone. he just wants this day to be over with

okay that was weird, you think to yourself. maybe you overdid it. you reach for his hand to hold it but to your surprise, wonbin doesn't intertwine them like he usually does when you hold his hand. this was a telltale sign that he was actually upset. this was harder than you thought it would be, but you had to keep up the act until the surprise was revealed.

the sales associate comes back with a neatly wrapped box and with that you two were now on your way home with wonbin ignoring you the whole time

"bin" you call, hoping he'd at least look at you but of course he doesn't budge. wonbin has always been the silent type when he's upset with something

"wonbin" you call again, this time tugging on his arm, in hopes he'd actually look at your direction but he doesn't. you pout and let it go, it was bound to happen anyway knowing how wonbin could be especially when he wasn't in the mood

the car ride back to his dorm was quiet if you say so yourself. you texted the guys you're near so they should start hiding and prepping the cake

"wonbin why aren't you talking to me" you whine as you two ride the elevator up to their unit. wonbin rolls his eyes,

"you tell me" he hisses, slowly feeling irritated

you feel a little taken a back with the attitude but brush it off. you can't ruin the surprise

"what do you mean? we just spent the whole day together so why are you in a pissy mood?" you try to explain. you two were nearing the front door at this point

"you seriously don't know what day is it?" wonbin turns around to look at you with a sad look on his face. his eyes boring into your soul as he tries to look for any sign that you were just joking or something

your silence was just the answer he needed. with a defeated sigh, he opens the door to his shared dorm to be greeted with loud cheers and party poopers

the door swung open to reveal the party waiting inside, wonbin's expression transformed from one of disappointment to sheer disbelief

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY WONBIN!" the guys all yell

it took wonbin a few minutes to process what just happened. standing in front of him was all his friends, shotaro, eunseok, sungchan, seunghan, sohee and anton all carrying an array of party decorations like balloons, banners and the such. he turns around to see you smiling widely

"you think i'd forget my own boyfriend's birthday?" you grin

wonbin was speechless. he can't believe that you actually planned a whole birthday surprise for him. he was absolutely clueless. no wonder you were acting weird with him the whole day

"you remembered..." wonbin mumbles as the group all erupt in laughter at his reaction.

you wrap your arms around wonbin as you giggle, "duh! did you really think i'd forget your birthday?" you teased, ushering him inside. the sight of his friends and the birthday festivities seemed to erase all traces of his earlier disappointment.

"yeah! y/n planned this all week so it had to be perfect!" sohee interjects

"we got you good, bro" shotaro laughs as he high-fives wonbin who looked a little emotional. wonbin pinches the bridge of his nose in attempt to secretly wipe his tears

"oh, wonbin" you coo, pulling his head to your chest as you apologize profusely that you had to ignore him the whole day. the guys all laugh at you and wonbin

"i hate you guys" wonbin sniffles, pulling away as he harshly wipes his tears. "you love us!" anton counters

sungchan then lights up the two candles on his birthday cake before nudging the cake towards wonbin

"make a wish bin!" sungchan exclaims

wonbin takes a deep breath and looks at you and his friends. he closes his eyes and makes a wish

as he blew out the candles on the cake, surrounded by laughter and well wishes, wonbin couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for you and his friends. his wish was that he hoped for many more moments like this with you by his side.

happy birthday indeed

happiest birthday to my brightest superstar, park wonbin. you are so loved. ★

[impala1967dwinchester]

Sam Winchester: Fate

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Fem!Reader

Pov: Reader/Sam

Warnings: Monsters as usual (Dijnn), depression, pregnancy, fighting

Summary: With Y/n on the run, Sam's depression can't help but get the best of him while the fate of his relationship and child hangs in the balance.

WC- 2.677k

A/n- @firefly-graphics for dividers, This is a part 2 of something I wrote nearly a year ago. "Sam Winchester: Running Away" I

Main Master List // Sam W. Master List

It's weird hiding from the Winchester boys. Weirdly, people are so much nicer to me now. The summer sun in Texas is hot on my back as I walk out of the grocery store. I tried my best to settle down and got a small job at a travel agency. I'm renting a small apartment from an old lady who helped me when I first got off the bus in Bay City.

In the past few months, my body has changed in many ways. I have a larger belly and more cravings than I've ever experienced. I talk to my belly almost every night after I calm down from work. I tell them stories about Sam and Dean. I tell them how their father is a hero, how he's saved the world, and how he has taken my heart with his bright, kind smile.

Like clockwork, every night, there's a message from Sam asking me if I'm doing alright, or begging me if I can just respond. It breaks my heart, but no matter what, I can't bring myself to type back a message. It didn't take long after I walked out of the bunker to know that I was walking away from the person that I love and that my home was disappearing into the background of the Kansas sunset.

Yet I couldn't bear to walk back into the bunker; somewhere in my twisted mind, it told me I had to go. I had to leave it all behind because I wasn't worth it. I wasn't worth the stress, the worry, or anything I might bring down on the Winchester boys.

I thought I had gotten away from it all—the grueling monsters, the death at every corner. I guess I was wrong because one second, I was shopping in a local baby store, and the next, I was somewhere completely different. Some places had air that felt lighter, and some places had my hopes and dreams feel like reality.

There's a warm hand wrapping around my middle. "Good morning, sweetheart." It's a voice I know, a voice I haven't heard in such a long time. One that makes my heart soothe from the racing it's currently doing in my chest. Then, I realize we aren't in the bunker but in a rather nice-looking bedroom. The sound of smaller feet pounding on the ground brings me to look at the doorway. "Anna must be up," Sam says in a whisper, his soft words brushing against my ear and giving me a round of shivers.

Anna comes busting into the bedroom, uncaring to knock on the bedroom door. You think you care but don't after you look at her. Hair as dark as Sams but eyes like yours. A gigantic smile on her chubby cheeks. "MOmmY!" She shouts as she climbs up the bed to get onto your body. You can see Sam out of the corner of your eye. It's a smile you only ever see reserved for you, and you don't know how you managed to be back in his arms and a kid you share together. You're lost in how you got from the store alone pregnant to here in his arms, in bed together with your family.

The feeling stays with you as the day starts, and you watch Sam shift from sweats and a white t-shirt to a pair of shorts and a hawwin shirt. "Aren't you gonna get dressed, baby?" He asks as he catches you staring at him from the bed still. "I… Where are we going?" You ask him, unsure still by the normality of this odd life. "Don't tell me you forgot about the barbecue that Dean invited us to?" He says, a knit-in his brow. You lick your lips and try to think, but there's nothing there, just white clouds that fog your thoughts.

"It's alright if you forgot, babe, just get dressed. It's warm out, so wear that pretty little sun dress you bought a few weeks ago." Sam says as he comes over, planting a kiss on your forehead. "I'm going to get Anna ready, I love you." You stare at the door for a few moments longer, waiting until he's left, and you can hear Sam and Anna talking down the hall. You get up feeling the carpet under your feet and the warmth that radiates through the window.

You do get dressed in the sun dress Sam mentioned. It still had the price tag on it, so you assumed it was the one he was talking about. It fits you perfectly, curved around your hips with ease, and giving everyone who might look at you a perfect display of your breasts. You find a nice pair of sandals and make your way towards the echos of voices.

"There she is," Sam says, happiness and warmth seeping from the kitchen. Anna turns around whipping her head in your direction, she too is dressed in a sundress pinks and purples mixed together with her hair up in braids. "You look good, Mommy," Anna says as she comes over, hugging your leg. You breathe it all in, getting deeper and deeper into it. You aren't sure still unsure how you managed to get here, but you can't say you're mad about it.

The ride to Deans is off, but everything is off for you. Sam can sense it; one hand from the wheel comes to the rest of your exposed knee. "You doin' alright, honey?" he asks, worry laced in his words. You shake your head, giving him more to worry about, but you don't know. All you can think of is the tiny giggles coming from the back seat.

Anna is watching something on a tablet, and her smile glows from whatever she's watching. "Come on, honey. You can talk to me about anything," Sam says, trying to trigger the conversation to continue. "I know, Sam. I'm just trying to be in the moment." You say, and that's the reality of it. Because this moment and the one this morning had been everything you were dreaming about.

"Dean, I just know something is wrong!" I say to my brother as I continue to stare at my phone. The text messages aren't even being read anymore. At least when Y/n was reading them, I knew she was safe; I knew that she was doing alright. I can hear the sigh of frustration fall from my lips as I put the phone back down the library table. "Sam, we can't do anything if she doesn't want us to," Dean says, trying to support both of us.

I lift my head, staring angrily at my brother. "I don't give a shit anymore. I don't care why she ran away. I don't care at all. I just want her back in my life. Now I'm pretty sure Charlie can figure out where she is." I huff out. With a grunt and shake of his head, he's got his phone beside his ear, calling our good friend Charlie.

I can hear the slight argument between Dean and Charlie as I sit, waiting for a quick answer. "I know, but can you just help us. Y/n hasn't been reading." Dean says, looking over at me. "She hasn't been looking at Sam's messages. Can you just give us a location so we can restart this?" Dean finishes. There's mumbling on the other side of the phone, but then I see Dean hidden. "Okay, text that to me, Charlie. Thank you," he says and then drops the phone from his cheek.

ASnxeity has set in when we get to where Y/n has been staying for the past few months. Her car is there, but the door to her apartment is cracked open; my blood runs cold, and just like that, I'm set on finding her. Dean tries to calm me and reminds me that not everything is terrible. She might just be doing something, like taking out the trash.

I glare at him and bring my gun from my hip to sweep through her apartment. Baby books and a few baby clothes are in the living room. Her bedroom is perfect as if she had never made it home. "Is she just taking out the trash now, Dean?" I snark at him, "I was trying to help. So… we have to work this like a case now?" Dean questions, I nod, and just like that, I'm searching for Y/n all over again.

Dean is wearing a Hawaiian shirt, and the kids run all over the house. His wife easily kisses his cheek, and he holds her close to his side. "Uncle De!" Anna screams, and Dean smiles broader and brighter than you've ever seen him. "Hey, kiddo," Dean says warmly as he picks her up and puts her on his hip. "You guys made it." Dean's wife says, and she comes over to give you a hug.

"What about us, baby girl?" a stranger asks. When I turn, I'm struck by the Winchesters' parents—happy, healthy, and very much alive. "Hey, Dad," Sam says happily, hugging his father and wrapping his mother tightly. You watch as the day goes on with absolute ease. Dean talks about adding a new portion to the Winchester auto shop; John lights up with joy at the idea of more business and growth for the business he's known since he was a young adult.

Sam holds you close to his chest as you two dance in the yard, the sky turning purple and orange. You rest your head on his chest and let the movement of your feet guide you into contentment. "You know I love you, right?" Sam asks you as his large hands hold your waist and back. You hum, but you are not willing to open your closed eyes. "And you know you are everything I've ever wanted, right? No matter what happens between the two of us, I'll always want you." Sam says you can feel the tears brimming in your lashes.

"I know Sam." Your voice cracks and gives away the way tears are threatening to fall. "I love you too." As you lift onto your tiptoes in the cool grass, you mutter back and press a needy kiss to his lips. You two are sadly interrupted by John. "Anna is sleeping; if you wanna, you guys can come to pick her up tomorrow." John offers, and Sam pulls me closer. "Thanks, Dad." He tells his dad, then turns to me, "Let's go home." You nod and take his hand in yours.

"What did I fucking tell you!?" I knew she was in trouble; I knew something was wrong. To be the cherry on top, she's pregnant, and she's been taken for whatever fucking reason. "It's just a dinner. We've dealt with enough of them to know the deal," Dean says. I slam the trunk of the baby shut, my molars grinding as I look at the depleted cave that's currently holding my girl and baby prisoner in a fake world.

Of her own imagination.

The silver blade drips all over the ground as I enter the cave. The dark walls hold secrets and horror that I hope and wish Y/n would never experience. It's all a blank somewhere between entering the cave and getting to Y/n. The only thing I feel is the splatter of blood onto my face and my eyes searching for that beautiful face.

She doesn't look like she's been there for too long, but her arms hang above her head, her belly prodding out. I'm stuck standing still over the djinn. Dripping its own blood back onto the dead man, Dean is quick to get over to Y/n, pulling the attachments out of her arm and pulling her down gently.

"Sam, get your ass over here. We… we are gonna have to take her to the hospital." Dean says, and somewhere in my frozen mind, my legs move to get a closer look at her. Her cheeks are a little sunken, but her face is still full of color. I know why Dean said we would have to take her to the hospital.

It's not too long before the large white building in Texas appears in the Impala's view. "I'm going to stop by the emergency doors to help your girl and that baby get some help. I nod and wait for the red letters to appear. A nurse is already waiting for us, and she takes a view of Y/n. "What happened?" the nurse asks, and for a moment, I think of telling the truth, but something else comes out. Something like, "She went for a walk a few hours ago, and then I didn't hear anything back from her." I say, my voice wanting to crack. The nurse nods, and I follow them for as long as possible.

Y/n is stuck in the cold hospital room for way too long. Fluids and IV being run into her system, the baby had been pretty much okay. Besides needing extra fluids, everything was fine, according to the doctors. They allowed me to stay in the room with her. The ICU has too many beeping machines, and there's constantly a team over Y/n making sure her and the baby's vitals are alright.

"Sam," A small voice calls out. "Y/n," I say, alerting half of the ICU floor that she's awake. She smiles slightly and then looks around her surroundings. "Where… why am I here, Sam?" She asks me. The happiness that was once there filters out and hits the bottom of my stomach. "You… Dean and I took care of what caught you," I answer her. "What caught me?" The heart machine starts to pick up speed. "Calm down, baby, please. I need you to breathe slowly and out before I tell you." I say to Y/n. She takes a few breaths and then squeezes my hand, wanting me to continue.

"You were caught by a djinn," I say, swallowing hard. It took Dean and me about three days to find you and another two beforehand to figure out something was wrong." There's silence from Y/n, and then she looks up at me with tears. "What about our baby?" she asks. I nod. The baby is fine; I did all sorts of tests to ensure everything was good," I tell her.

The silence continues until Y/n brings her attention up from her belly. "I saw a few things." "Did you?" I ask, wondering if she's going to explain. "I saw us, Dean, and your parents. I saw a life I so desperately wanted with you but thought I wasn't allowed to have with you because of our life." She says with a heavy sadness in her voice. "I thought I had to leave to take that burden away from you and Dean. I thought…" She hiccups, and tears roll down her cheeks.

"Baby, you will never be a burden to me, nor will our kid. I want nothing more than for you to come home so I can keep both of you safe and protected. I worried about you every single minute of every single day. It was hard to know that you thought you would be better off elsewhere." I say to her, wrapping her tightly in a much-needed hug.

"How'd you know where I was?" She asks when I release her from the hug. "I had Dean call Charlie," I say without a single ounce of regret. She giggles a little, "It wasn't funny; I'm pretty sure the next time we see the girl, she's gonna slap me across my face." Dean says, making us both look up at him.

"Thank you." Y/n says, "Of course, you're family, after all." Dean says from his spot in the doorway. When can I go home?" She asks, "Let me go get the nurse, and we will figure it out, baby." I say, letting go of her hand before pressing a kiss on her temple and running out to get a nurse.

Completed on: 03/15/24

Posted on: 03/15/24

[lxfinty]

┊𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

xavier thorpe ; wednesday

pairing: xavier thorpe x hispanic!normie!fem!reader

warnings: pure (probably excessive and embarrassing) fluff, like one curse word

request: Can you please write a oneshot for xavier where the reader is a normie and he keeps seeing her everywhere whenever they go out to the town :) he develops a crush and so does reader on the mysterious boy from nevermore until one day he comes to like work at a shop or soemthing??? and when he does reader is also there and they spend time together flirting and pining until one confesses to the other ! ALSO IDK WHY BUT I FORGOT TO ADD THAT READER IS FEMALE AND HISPANIC (i just sent an xavier request ! ) :))))

summary: a few of the instances in which you met xavier before actually meeting xavier

a/n: since the reader is hispanic, there are slight character descriptions to get that across, such as a mention of curly hair and a bit of spanish dialogue (though not a lot bcs I don’t speak spanish and don’t wanna butcher it…). also, this takes place in scenes/places seen throughout the show, but xavier never liked wednesday because it makes more sense in context.

character credit: wednesday series

w/c: 1.5k

part 2: the awaited interactions

Even though you were still a few yards away from actually entering, the area around the fair has 10 different aromas wafting through the air. Flashing lights could be seen in every direction; vibrant colors swatched along every ride and carnival game.

As you enter the fairgrounds, you look around at the people: adults, kids, normies…outcasts. You knew it was likely for them to come, as it is every year, but it’s still a shock to see the so-called “weirdos” of Jericho doing such normal activities.

Regardless, it’s nice to see everyone together for such events. You don’t completely understand the separation between the town. Sure, the outcasts were different, but they were still beings in their own right. They were freaky by nature, but even then you find their freakiness pretty alluring.

You walk around for a bit, grabbing some food as you pass by certain stands, and sit down at an empty picnic bench. As you eat, you watch the people around you as they talk and laugh and play games. You find this particular pair of people interesting.

They’re outcasts.

It’s pretty obvious by the girl’s all black attire and creepy nature, though you wouldn’t be able to tell the boy was one if it weren't for his association with the former. 

You can’t help but analyze their features. The girl is actually really pretty, if you put her gloomy aura aside. Her hair is completely black and straight, a contrast to your own curls, though it’s in pigtails, and you swear you haven’t seen her blink this entire time. She seems like she doesn’t wanna be here, almost like she’s in a rush.

After you’re done looking her over, your eyes drift over to the guy she’s standing with.

He is gorgeous.

His hair is pretty long for a guy, reaching to about his shoulders. He’s currently hunched over, his hands resting on a carnival game table, but you can tell at full height he's freaking tall. He’s wearing a dark gray trench coat, which is extremely simple, yet somehow he looks like a male model and-

‘¡Ay, Dios! I need to stop fangirling over this random boy right now’ you think and avert your eyes, focusing back on your grease filled meal.

After a few minutes, you can’t help but notice the pigtailed girl hurrying away from the stand through your peripheral view, leaving the long-haired boy all alone. You stare at him again, zoning out to the point where you don’t even notice him staring directly back at you.

You snap out of your trance, quickly looking down at the table for a few seconds before slowly creeping your eyes back over, where he is still assessing you.

He gives you a small head tilt and wave, to which you shyly smile back before cleaning up your mess and heading in the opposite direction.

‘I cannot believe I just got caught ogling at a guy like that…por favor mátame.’

–

After the last encounter with the mysterious long-haired outcast, you honestly didn’t expect to see him. He seemed like the type to pop up once and never show his face again.

You wish you were right.

Today, you’re heading into town to study a bit at a local park. You find the scenery relaxing and way less stuffy than working at home.

As you’re settling down on a picnic table, taking all your necessities out of your bag so you can get started, you notice the blue and black stripes of the Nevermore Academy uniform walking into the general store down the street. 

You think nothing of it, focusing back on your materials and figuring a student going into a store is definitely not your business and absolutely none of your concern. 

About 25 minutes into studying, you notice the stripes once more, but this time it seems as though they are walking towards you. As you focus harder on the person’s form, you recognize the tall body and lengthy hair you’ve seen once before.

You look down at the plastic grocery bag he is holding, and though you can’t see its contents from this far, you’re sure it’s not actually groceries and is more along the lines of something music or art related. 

He just gives off that vibe.

You realize that he has stopped venturing towards you. Actually, he’s stopped walking altogether.

Your glance shifts up to his face to find that he has, once again, caught you staring at him like an absolute creep.

You let out a tiny shriek before ducking behind your computer screen. 

‘The universe must hate me or something because oh my god,’ you think, internally panicking once more. You take a small peek past the lit up screen just enough to see him laugh to himself and shake his head before heading towards…the woods?

“I must have killed Mother Teresa in my past life,” you mumble to yourself softly before resuming your studies, “that’s the only possible reason my luck is at negative freaking eighty right now.”

–

Pilgrim World was…grim to say the least. It was mainly a plot to attract tourists and make money for the town. Young kids did always find entertainment in the, probably inaccurate, history of the town, so you guess it’s not all bad.

For the normal townspeople that is. 

The students from Nevermore were forced to work the grounds each year. Yeah…not exactly “town building,” but it was mandatory for them.

You sat at the Weathervane café with your computer and a warm drink. Learning about the same white people every year wasn’t your type of fun – no disrespect to them – so you opt to just watch others from the window seat, maybe get a bit of work done in the process. You watch kids chase each other; families share pieces of fudge; individuals enjoying their beverages while trolling down the center lane. You were so focused on watching others, you completely forgot about your previous, most important task: to watch the entrance.

Not that you just wanted to stare at townsfolk all day, but you were anticipating a certain outcast’s arrival. You wanted to make sure that you could watch the long-haired boy walk in so that you wouldn’t embarrass yourself by randomly staring like you did previously. But with your low attention span and professional ability to zone out at the worst times, you completely missed the fact that just who you were looking for had not only arrived at Pilgrim World already, but had walked into the café minutes ago.

“Do you want me to wipe down your table?”

That was the question that caused you to jolt in surprise, turning your head to meet the mysterious Nevermore boy.

“I wouldn’t want you to get your computer wet. You know, just in case you need to hide behind it again,” he finishes with a small smirk.

"Cielos, me asustaste,” you exclaim, more as an instant response than an actual reply, and giggle a bit while looking at your lap.

You look up at him after doing so, only to find him softly smiling at you. You open and close your mouth a few times before internally taking a deep breath and looking him in the eyes.

“Hopefully I won’t need to hide from anyone any time soon. But yeah, sure.”

You set your computer on the seat beside you as the boy gives the table a few wipes. Funny thing is, the table was completely clean before he wiped it. Even more so since you dusted it off a bit before sitting.

“No more hiding, huh? I like the sound of that,” he remarks. He finishes wiping the invisible mess off of your table and stands straight again. “Do you need a refill?”

You didn’t even notice that your cup was a few sips away from empty.

“Oh uh sure. It’s just hot chocolate,” you smile and he slightly nods before making his way over to the counter.

You start glancing back out the window, though this time there are Nevermore students roaming around in addition to the previous bunch. Some people are outside handing out fudge while in pilgrim costumes. You had to do that one year…it’s as boring as it looks. You notice the gloomy girl you had seen at the carnival enter the Crackstone house down the road. You could have sworn that it was closed off…

A bump on your table causes you to look away from the historical building and down at the cup that has been dropped off. You pick up the cup and take a sip as the long-haired boy walks away to clean off other tables. You glance at the cup holding the warm chocolate, which is when you see the black marker along the side.

‘Xavier…xxx-xxx-xxxx’

‘Oh,’ you thought as you realized what this was. His name…and number. Your whole face felt warm as your eyes searched for the boy, finding him behind the counter already looking at you.

You smile and tip your cup in his direction before taking another sip and going back to staring out the window.

Honestly, I used this as an excuse to gush over Xavier bcs oml there is no reason I should find this man as attractive as I do. Also, possible pt.2 with them getting closer ???

Another question: somebody asked me if I had a taglist for Xavier, so I was just wondering if y’all would want that? 

I no longer support Percy Hynes White and will no longer take request for Xavier Thorpe.

[spacegay-official]

Pain For Pleasure

(aka "Din Djarin has a piercing kink send tweet")

So, this was initially supposed to be part of a lengthier headcanon post with more characters inspired entirely by the time I got my nips pierced in July, but I got carried away with Din's, then immediately forgot I had it in my google drive and found it a couple days ago, so... here we are.

Also, I know in that poll I posted the majority running as of right this second is green for Din's favorite color, but I went with red for the color of the beads on reader's piercings just because it felt right (and also it was in second place, so)

Pairing: Din Djarin x afab!reader (no pronouns/gendered terms used, but this is a very tit-centric fic)

Warnings: SMUT, this is pure self-indulgent PWP, nipple piercings, blindfolds bc Din, nipple play (sucking, nibbling, that kind of thing), unprotected PiV sex, creampie, talk of other (namely, genital) piercings, also this wasn't well proofread so there might be mistakes.

Words: ~1k

Din was out on a long hunt. You knew it was going to be a while, and while you usually go with him on these sorts of things, he insisted it was a one man job. So, you stayed with the ship, in the port city you’d landed in. But, sooner than later, you got bored.

So, you put the ship in lockdown and started walking around the city. There were plenty of sights to see, and plenty of things to do, but it was a piercing shop with beautiful jewelry displayed in the window that caught your eye. You went in, initially intending just to buy some jewelry from them, but it turns out they were having a special sale. That was all it took to get you to give into the impulse and just like that, you had your nipples pierced.

As you pondered your jewelry options, a thought crossed your mind--what would Din think? He loved your tits and did not hide that fact. You figured he wouldn’t mind the extra decoration. With him in mind, though, you picked out jewelry with red beads on the end. After the quick (and somewhat less painful than you were anticipating, but it still definitely hurt) procedure, you went back to the ship and admired the new piercings in the mirror for a bit. Yeah, he was definitely going to enjoy this.

Several days later, Din came back from his hunt, successful. He was clearly exhausted, though, taking a deep breath and leaning against the hull in the hold once the quarry was in carbonite and unable to cause any more issues. You smiled and approached him, glad you were currently wearing a thin shirt without a bra underneath.

“How’d it go?” you asked.

He turned his head and looked at you. “I’m glad I’m back,” he answered.

He went to turn his head back, but seemed to double-take. You grinned wider, then started walking backwards towards the bed you shared. You sat down on the edge of it, and pulled the material of your shirt more taught over your chest.

“See something you like?” you asked.

Din walked over to you, and immediately got on his knees between your legs. His hands smoothed up your sides under your shirt, lifting it. You took it off the rest of the way.

“Fuck,” Din breathed.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” you teased.

“When did you get this done?” he asked.

“Couple days after you left. I got bored,” you answered, shrugging a little.

Din’s hands moved to hold your tits, then run his thumb over your nipples and the jewelry. You sighed at the sensation.

“So fucking good to me,” he mumbled, his hands gliding down your body again, this time to the waistband of your pants. He practically tore them off, then began backing you further onto the bed. “Probably hurt, huh? Going through that just to look pretty for me.” 

He reached for something in one of the storage compartments next to the bed, and soon your vision was completely obscured by a blindfold. You heard a quiet hiss, felt the bed shift, then hummed appreciatively as you felt Din’s lips wrap around one of your nipples, sucking, his tongue toying with the piercing. You ran your fingers through his curls, slightly damp from being in his helmet on his hunt. He practically purred as you gently scratched your nails against his scalp.

Din gently nibbled your nipple before releasing it and moving over to the other one. The jewelry added sensitivity you weren’t yet used to, and it went right to your core. You were dripping wet, though you were more than willing to ignore that in favor of letting Din take what he needed. And he kept taking for a while, switching nipples intermittently, occasionally pulling off entirely just to look at them, shiny with spit and a little swollen from his ministrations. At some point during this, you noticed he was grinding against your thigh, hard behind his flight suit.

You gently tugged against his hair, just to grab his attention, not to interrupt him. “You should take your armor off, baby,” you mumbled.

He hummed an agreement, leaning up on his knees to do just that. You heard shuffling and pieces of his armor detaching and being set down next to the bed. It was hurried, not the organized methodical way he typically removes it. After just a few moments, he was back on top of you, kissing your lips fervently as he pinched one of your nipples, making your breath hitch.

“I’m going to take good care of you, mesh’la,” he practically growled. You felt him reach between you and free his cock from his pants, and you grabbed at his shoulders as he pushed into you desperately. You moaned at the stretch.

“You’re perfect. All mine,” Din groaned, once again letting his mouth find one of your nipples.

“Mmm… if I knew this would get you this worked up I would’ve gotten it done months ago,” you said, moaning again as Din rutted into you.

Din made another noise. “Yeah?” he asked. “You’d do anything for me, wouldn’t you?”

You hummed, turning into a cry as Din’s thumb found your clit, your orgasm quickly mounting. “Anything, Din,” you breathed.

Din fucked you with a mix of desperation and purpose, never leaving either of your pierced nipples alone for too long. He knew exactly how to get you to fall apart for him, and he wielded that skill well. With how worked up he’d gotten you just from sucking on your tits, you weren’t going to last long in the first place, but you had a feeling he wasn’t either.

He easily brought you to a climax, and you cried out his name as you came. He followed moments after, spilling into you with a delicious moan before he collapsed on top of you, panting. Your hands cupped his face as Din kissed you gently.

An idea crossed your mind, and you grinned.

“That look usually gets us in trouble,” Din commented, though you could hear the smile in his own voice.

“You know,” you started, “there are other piercings I could get. Like… maybe a VCH piercing?”

“VCH?”

“Vertical clitoral hood piercing,” you answered. “It sits so one of the beads of the piercing is right on the clit, makes things more intense for folks sometimes.”

Din moaned at your words, then kissed you again. You made a noise of slight surprise as you felt his hips grind against yours again.

[mimisempai]

I wasn't expecting you 5/5

Chapter Summary - Belonging

The first date…

Notes

Here we go, the last chapter. 

Last chapter, but not the end of the story. I still have a few sweet oneshots in for our two lovebirds. After all, they're only at the beginning of their story.

On Ao3

Rating G -  1978 words

Chap 1 - Chap 2 - Chap 3 - Chap 4 - Chap 5

Crowley left the building where his apartment was and prepared to cross the street to Aziraphale's.

"So? Got a date?"

Crowley turned to Rosie, who had just stopped beside him, and replied in a challenging tone, "What if I do?"

She chuckled and replied, "There's no what if, the whole street knows."

"Then why are you asking?"

"Nervous?"

If there was one thing Crowley had realized quickly, it was that Rosie was one of the sharpest people on the street, and she had figured him out, which was why he didn't try to deny it.

Because he really was nervous.

Taking his silence as an acknowledgement, Rosie said gently, "There's nothing wrong with being nervous, it means you're aware that what's coming up is important. But don't let nervousness keep you from enjoying your date. And I'm going to give you some advice you didn't ask for. Just be yourself."

"What if he doesn't like who I am?"

Rosie shook her head and replied, "He wouldn't have invited you if he didn't. Aziraphale isn't someone who has struck me for his spontaneity when it comes to relationships, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. Come on, don't keep him waiting."

She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him toward the bookshop. Crowley couldn't help but laugh and walked on as she gave him a final "Good luck!" before walking off on her own.

But despite his new friend's pep talk, it didn't stop Crowley's heart from racing as he reached the door of the bookshop.

He ran a hand through his hair, brushed some invisible dust from the lapel of his jacket, and, after taking a deep breath, decided to knock lightly on the door.

He had only a few seconds to wait before he saw Aziraphale's silhouette through the glass door, which opened shortly thereafter.

He found himself standing in front of a bookseller with even more gloriously disheveled hair than the last time he'd seen him, and an even brighter smile on his face as he said softly, "Good evening, Crowley."

The barista's gaze was caught by the movement of Aziraphale's Adam's apple as he appeared to swallow several times. It made Crowley realize that he wasn't the only one who was nervous, which reassured him and helped him relax a bit.

He returned the other man's smile and greeted him softly, "Good evening, Aziraphale," before handing him a bottle of wine and adding, "Not knowing what we were going to eat, I brought a wine to go with it, and I hear your wine cellar is remarkably well-stocked, so I hope you won't be disappointed."

Aziraphale took the bottle, thinking that in his current state of mind, the wine could have been cheap and he wouldn't have noticed. 

However, he looked at the label and replied, "A very good wine, a very good vintage, and I don't happen to have any in my reserve. Thank you." 

He set the bottle down long enough to take the other man's jacket and hang it on the coat rack, then motioned for Crowley to follow him to the back of the shop where the kitchen was.

Crowley looked around discreetly, intrigued by the fact that Aziraphale's "apartment" was in the shop itself. He couldn't help his curiosity and inquired, "So this is where you live?"

Aziraphale turned to him before replying, "Sort of, downstairs is the kitchen and this sort of dining room," then pointing to the narrow staircase that wound up, he added, "And upstairs is the bedroom and bathroom, as well as another storage room."

As he followed Aziraphale into the kitchen, Crowley noticed the beautifully set table, lit by a candle, and this further reinforced his belief that Aziraphale saw their date tonight in the same light as he did.

Then, suddenly, he forgot everything as an absolutely delicious smell reached his nostrils.

"Holy moly, Aziraphale, that smells amazing!"

Aziraphale chuckled softly and replied with a half-smile on his lips, "Well, let's hope the taste is as good as the smell. A glass of wine while we wait for it to finish cooking?"

Crowley nodded as he leaned against the kitchen counter to watch Aziraphale open the bottle. He was fascinated by the bookseller's movements and the elegance with which he performed such a trivial task.

Then he broke the silence and replied, "Well, if the gossip on the street is true, I don't seem to have anything to worry about. I hear you cook even better than the chef at Justine's restaurant. Her words."

Aziraphale, cheeks slightly flushed at the compliment, poured the wine into two stemmed glasses and handed one to Crowley, saying, "In this case, I'm interested in your opinion, not the street - well, you know what I mean."

Crowley nodded and stepped closer, placing a hand on the bookseller's arm before saying, "I know, and you don't have to impress me. As one of the gossip voices on Whickber Street advised me, just be yourself. That's enough to impress me."

Aziraphale replied sheepishly, "Sorry, I'm a little rusty when it comes to relationships and dating and all that, I have no idea about...uh...standards or codes or anything..."

Crowley replied with a half-smile on his lips, "That makes two of us. As far as I'm concerned, there's no need for codes or rules other than the ones we set for ourselves. For me, the only rule is that we talk."

He realized he was entering uncharted territory, but he continued: "I don't want to guess what you're thinking or talk off the top of my head. I want us to be honest and sincere in this... relationship."

After a few moments of thought, Aziraphale replied quietly, "I quite agree. I've already told you that my family, if you can call it that, was nothing like a family. The stories from the past you told me, what you shared with your parents, I didn't know any of that before I came here to live with my grandfather. I want us to be open with each other." 

Then he suddenly stopped and gasped as if he had just realized something and said in one breath, "Did you just say relationship?"

Crowley chuckled softly, "You noticed? Do you have an objection? "

Aziraphale shook his head so vigorously that Crowley continued to laugh, then became serious again as Aziraphale asked, "Don't you think this is going too fast?"

Crowley took a moment to think and replied gently, "We're moving fast, no doubt, but too fast? I don't know, it feels like it's going at our pace. In a natural way."

Aziraphale nodded, "I agree," then raised his glass in Crowley's direction and said softly, a joyous sparkle in his eyes, "To us and this new... relationship. "

Crowley looked at him intensely and clinked his glass against Aziraphale's as he said in a low voice, "To us."

Then, no longer able to resist, he leaned forward and planted a light kiss on Aziraphale's lips before placing his hands on his shoulders and turning the bookseller around, pushing him toward the baking trays, "Mr. Bookseller, you promised me dinner, so don't make me languish, because this smell is an absolute torture."

Aziraphale chuckled slightly, glad Crowley didn't see him blush slightly. 

The bookseller inwardly admonished himself for acting like a teenager on a first date, but at the same time he couldn't help but revel in the sensations he hadn't felt in so long that he'd forgotten.

"The gossips didn't lie, it was absolutely delicious, Aziraphale".

The little chat before dinner had cleared the air between them and the meal had flown by easily, the conversation had been very natural, and now they were sharing a cup of coffee on the bookshop sofa in the little nook next to Aziraphale's desk.  

Although the sofa was quite wide, they sat quite close together, so close that Aziraphale could feel the warmth radiating from Crowley's body. 

Although pleased by Crowley's compliment, Aziraphale found it hard to concentrate on the conversation, so strong was the urge to hold Crowley's hand, which was only inches from his own, to close the distance between them, to touch him, even just a little. 

But at the same time he had a kind of restraint, not daring to try anything for fear of breaking the charm and ease with which the evening had unfolded since Crowley's arrival.

He looked down at his cup on the coffee table when suddenly Crowley's hand covering his made him jump slightly and turn his head toward him.

Crowley gave a crooked little smile and said quietly, "I hope I'm not presuming?"

Aziraphale shook his head.

"Not at all. Quite the contrary."

"Why don't you tell me what's on your mind, Aziraphale, I'm no fortune teller, but I can see that something is troubling you."

Aziraphale twisted his hand under Crowley's and their fingers intertwined as he took the time to get his thoughts in order before answering. 

A few seconds later, he said softly, "I told you, I haven't done this in a long time. I'm sorry to be like this, and you may find it ridiculously straightforward, but... but I can't do this..."

Aziraphale paused, sweeping the air between them with his free hand, back and forth, then continued, "I can't do this if it's casual."

Fighting the urge to close his eyes, he forced himself to look into Crowley's.

An incredibly gentle expression had appeared on the other man's face as he replied softly, "It's also because I can't stand casual anymore that I wanted to settle down. And I don't know about you, but even more so after tonight, I feel that this... relationship has great potential. I don't want to spoil it."

Aziraphale stifled a small sigh of relief and nodded slowly as Crowley added, "And there's nothing ridiculous about being direct, as we said at the beginning of the evening, we just have to be honest with each other."

Aziraphale immediately replied gently, "I... I want to take my time. I don't want to waste this potential either."

"The important thing is that we agree on what we want or don't want. We have time, I'm not going anywhere and neither are you, as far as I know."

Then Crowley raised his hand and placed it on Aziraphale's cheek, bringing his face close to his and saying softly, "You can say stop whenever you want."

Aziraphale laughed lightly against his lips and replied, a mischievous gleam in his eye, "I don't intend to stop you, but if you don't kiss me right now, I will."

No sooner had he finished his sentence than Crowley closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to his.

At first it was a gentle touch. Just lips and breath meeting. A gentle kiss that lasted a few seconds until Crowley pulled away, but Aziraphale wouldn't let him, and taking the other man's face between his hands, it was he who pressed his lips against Crowley's. 

The kiss had the same sweetness and went on and on, the two men only pulling away to catch their breath until one pulled the other to continue.

Both gently exploring this new bond at their own pace.

Later, when they parted for a longer time, they looked at each other in silence, without embarrassment, until Crowley's arms were around Aziraphale's waist, the bookseller's head resting on the barista's shoulder.

Crowley immediately closed his arms around the his lover, then, resting his chin on his hair, exhaled a contented sigh.

As he felt Aziraphale's breathing steady against his chest, his arms tightening around his waist, the warmth of his body against his own, the softness of his hair under his chin, Crowley felt, for the first time since he'd lost his parents, that he belonged.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here

[amiishinzou]

❀ Mothered Once Again ❀

Summary: Upon doing his usual wandering, Wanderer meets you. But to his surprise, you greatly remind him of the person who had mothered him 400 years ago in Tatarasuna. Because of that, he finds himself wanting to stay with you. (part one here)

Wanderer x fem!Reader (platonic)

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 2,001

Notes/Warnings: implied reincarnation, Reader owns a tea shop

Author’s notes: i currently have 3 requests, so i’m still open for at least 2 more (again, must be scara or kazuha). After finishing one request, i’ll work on an nsfw scara fic.

Wanderer remembers the years of countless abuse he faced when he was in the Fatui. Being sent to expeditions in the Abyss and having his body experimented on multiple times by Dottore, he had initially thought he grew stronger. He thought that he was able to scrub away every human emotion in his being when he was known as Scaramouche.

And yet every pain that he endured, he wishes that his mama was there to make him feel better. 

He misses the feeling of her comforting embrace and soft kisses that was bestowed upon him whenever he feels sad and hurt. The feeling of her fingers wiping away his tears whenever he cried and the sound of her gentle voice to tell him that she’s always there to love him.

Here he is now, wandering alone in the roads of Sumeru. Wanderer needed some space after being dragged to lectures in Vahumana at the Akademiya yet again. After all, he didn’t need to socialize and make friends with people, much to Nahida’s dismay. She truly wanted someone that Wanderer could trust, but alas he was a stubborn being.

Besides, why would he need companionship when he knows that his sins are far too great to be deserving of such a privilege? Nahida and even the Traveler shouldn’t need to care about him. In Wanderer’s mind, a relationship is about borrowing and returning, and he intends to not to feel indebted for their care. 

His mind lingers back to the memories of his mama. Even after accepting the fact that his attempt to fix his mistakes back when he tried to erase himself in Irminsul didn’t give him the result that he wanted, Wanderer still felt a sense of disappointment that he couldn’t give his mama a better chance at life. All he wanted was for his mama to be happy and safe-

His thoughts were interrupted when someone bumped into him on the road, eliciting a “tsk” sound coming from his mouth. “Watch where you’re going-”

“Oh, my apologies!” His breath hitches at the sound of the familiar voice. Wanderer peeks up from his hat and his eyes widen at the sight of the stranger who had bumped into him. 

It couldn’t be… Could it?

“I guess I shouldn’t be carrying so many things at once, it obstructed my view.” You let an awkward giggle, propping up the numerous boxes in your arms as your gaze meets his. The same kind eyes and warm smile, as well as your overall appearance was extremely similar…

No, it can’t be his mama. Wanderer already knew that she died because of Dottore when Nahida showed him the truth of the second betrayal. Snapping out of his wishful thinking, he regains his composure.

“You shouldn’t. You’ll get yourself hurt.” He says, but instead of his usual cold tone, he speaks in a softer voice. It’s as if he was afraid of disrespecting the person that reminds him of his mama. 

You sigh softly, giving Wanderer a small smile. “I know… it’s just that I got so excited about receiving these products that I forgot to hire a carriage. But I’ll be more careful on the way to the city, I apologize again mister.”

“Wait.” Wanderer stops you as you turn on your heel. “I’ll carry some of them.” Before you could even react, he took some of the boxes from your arms. You were surprised by his kindness, but he was even more surprised of himself. He doesn’t normally help people out of mere kindness, so he asks himself why he is insisting on doing so.

Perhaps he was just deluding himself.

“Well… thank you, mister.” You responded politely as the two of you walked together on the road. It was awkwardly silent, and you could feel Wanderer glancing at you from time to time. Deciding to make a conversation, you spoke out. “What’s your name?”

“It’s Wanderer.” The name makes your head tilt in confusion.

“That’s more of a title…”

“I also go by Hat Guy at the Akademiya.” Wanderer adds, frowning slightly when he heard you giggle. 

“Now that’s just a nickname… but it’s cute. I’ll call you Hat Guy then!” You grin at him, and he can’t help but smile a tiny bit at your bubbliness. 

“My name is [Name], pleased to make your acquaintance Hat Guy.” Wanderer’s eyes widened again. Not only do you look extremely similar to his mama, but you even share the same name. After a moment, he shrugs off his thoughts again, nodding in reply.

“Likewise.” And with that, you and Wanderer walked together towards Sumeru City, unknowingly blossoming a new friendship between the two of you.

. . .

It has been two months since that encounter, and Wanderer grew to be fond of you. He visits your shop every few days, to every other day, and now every day. He has even gone as far as to help you with tending your store and sell your tea products. 

It pleasantly surprises Nahida when Wanderer talks about you to her like it was his hyperfixation. Upon hearing his reasons why he seemed to be attached to you, the Lord of Dendro understood his familiarity with you to his mama. She knew that his mama made such a deep impact on him back when he was a young puppet.

“But, she isn’t her.” Wanderer said, looking down upon the streets of Sumeru City with Nahida. The small archon looked at him with curious eyes. “[Name] may look like her, share the same name as her, and even act the same as her… but she isn’t my mama.”

Nahida saw the solemn expression on the puppet’s face as she nodded in understanding. “That is true, no two beings are exactly the same even if they are extremely alike.” she then held onto Wanderer’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to which he responded the same way.

“I guess this is my punishment for the sins that I carry.” He scoffed at himself, “The world is mocking me right now, making me ache for the person who isn’t even the one I long for.”

“Is that so?” Nahida tilts her head, her mind deep in thought before she continues. “I think the world is giving you a second chance.” she gave him an encouraging smile at Wanderer, making him raise an eyebrow at her. “You’re able to give [Name] something that you couldn’t do for your mama.”

The puppet sighed, averting his eyes away from the small archon. “I’m giving her the safety that she needs.” he says quietly. Nahida nods, feeling proud of Wanderer that he was able to find someone who he can truly trust and care for.

“Well, I think it’s time for you to meet up with her, Hat Guy.” she giggles, making him groan at the nickname that he’s going to be stuck with for quite a long time. As the small archon left to tend her duties, Wanderer then flew down to the streets of Sumeru City to pay you a visit.

. . .

“An extra sweet blend for me.” You say, placing a cup of tea on your side of the table. “And an extra bitter blend for you, Hat Guy.” you smiled at Wanderer, giving him his cup of tea as he took it from your hands. The puppet blew his cup to make it cool down a little before sipping it slowly, savoring the bitter taste of the tea. 

Wanderer lets out a sigh of contentment, looking at the half-empty cup in his hands. “Thanks, mama.” “...Huh?” Your eyes widened at the sudden familial term that left his mouth, and the puppet too just realized his little slip up.

“I said ma’am-”

“You called me mama?” You grinned widely as you watched him tilt his large hat down to cover his flustered expression. How could he be so stupid, he thinks to himself, feeling his face grow warm from embarrassment.

“Look, just forget about it.” He quickly snaps, unable to look you in the eye. With a quiet giggle, you decided not to pry further and let Wanderer calm down for the moment. To the puppet, the silence was awkward, but to you, you found it endearing as you took a sip from your teacup.

“Hat Guy, if it makes you feel a little better… I’m flattered that you see me as a mother figure, or that I reminded you of her.” You reassured with a soft voice, and soon, Wanderer peeks up from his hat but he says nothing. It’s not like you needed a reply from him, you’re just simply happy that he’s starting to open up little by little.

“Is she… no longer here? Your mother?” You asked gently, trying not to sound intruding. He gave you a single nod in response.

“Yeah, for a very, very long time now.” Wanderer replied, his eyes trailing off to find any sort of distraction. 

“I see, I’m sorry to hear that.” You quietly said, and for the next moment, you were deep in thought. “You know… this feels a little familiar.” The puppet looks at you, wondering what you meant.

“What do you mean?” You gaze back at him with a warm smile.

“I’ve had dreams about taking care of a son.” You answered, closing your eyes as you recall them. “Although… They seem to be memories rather than made-up dreams.” Wanderer’s sense of longing grew even stronger upon hearing your reply

“...What was the son like in your dreams?” He asked, hoping that maybe, just maybe, it was him.

You let out a sigh, opening your eyes and gaze at him with a sad smile. “I wish I could tell you.. All those dreams used to be so vivid, but for some reason, I could no longer remember who I dreamt of.” you take a sip of your tea, finishing the rest of your cup. 

Of course, Wanderer had erased the knowledge of his existence to the world, and now he was truly regretting his actions. Maybe this was the real punishment, being denied a second chance at family. The puppet’s hope started to fade away once more as he spoke in a solemn tone. “I see… that’s fine.” 

You notice his sullen expression, and for some reason, your motherly instincts kicked in. You stood up from your chair and approached him, crouching down until you were face to face with Wanderer. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the answer, but after hearing you call me “mama”... perhaps we can fill in the void in our hearts, if you want to, that is.”

Despite lacking a heart, the puppet felt a warm feeling in his chest, a feeling that he hasn’t experienced for the past centuries. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to be selfish for such an opportunity. But the kindness in your eyes convinced him.

“Alright… I suppose I can accept that.” Wanderer tried to play it cool, however, the eagerness in his voice betrayed him.

Without warning, you enveloped him in a hug as his hat fell off from the sudden action. Normally, he would scold someone if they were to do something bold, but not with you. Slowly, Wanderer melted into your hug and closed his eyes to relish the feeling of this motherly affection.

“Thank you, darling.” You spoke softly, the term of endearment slipping out of your tongue naturally. Although you couldn’t see it from how you were positioned, the puppet’s eyes turned glossy.

He pressed his head against your chest, hearing the soft sound of your heartbeats. It wasn’t his mama’s, and in no way you are taking her place. Just as Nahida has said, this was a second chance. Wanderer had long abandoned his search for a heart since he gave up on wanting something that was out of his reach. 

But maybe, he can be a little bit more selfish and protect your heart as his own.

likes and reblogs will be highly appreciated!

[oddinary4bts]

Hey!!!

Do u think u could make an JJK FF about two people falling in love bc of fate and coincidences?

I received this before my follower milestone but it works for the celebration I’m hosting so you are in luck hahaha

The Coincidence of Fate | jjk

☆pairing: Jungkook x reader

☆rating: 18+ (no smut in and of itself, just mention of oc and jungkook making love. Minors please DNI)

☆genre: slices of life!au, fluff

☆warnings: OC slips because of a mask, one mention of characters making love

☆word count: 1.3k

☆☆☆☆☆

You weren’t supposed to be here. You still can’t believe the series of events that led you to be standing here, in this coffee shop, drenched with water from the heavy rain outside.

First, you woke up this morning with an inexplicable yearning for your favourite cappuccino from that café you used to go to when you were in college. Literally, you woke up craving the taste of it, and the aromas that swirled on your tongue whenever you studied at that café, by the window overlooking the park on the other side of the street. So you elected to make a pitstop there before going to work, as your first meeting is only at 10:30 am anyway.

Second, you forgot to look at the weather before you leave – which mind you you never do. You usually look at the weather every morning to prepare yourself for the day – what you’ll wear, if you need to put boots or shoes, if you need to bring an umbrella. This morning you forgot, and your trustee red umbrella is still on its hook, in the wardrobe next to the apartment’s door. It’s probably laughing at you from where it hangs, warm and dry.

Third, you took the wrong metro line, which is entirely because you are so used to be going to work directly from home that you don’t even think when you do it, you just let the flow of the crowd guide you. It took you three stops to realize you took the wrong line, and you pull out your phone to figure out the most efficient way to get to the café. It turns out to be a bus, so you get out of the metro and wait at the stop two streets down.

Fourth, the bus drops you off a good seven-minute walk away from the café. Which you reckon isn’t a lot, you’re usually the kind of person that always walks if it’s less than a thirty-minute walk. But the rain starts then, just a small drizzle that doesn’t worry you all that much. It’s summer, so it’s warm anyway, and the drizzle is a good relief from the heat.

Fifth, the café is closed due to renovations, but another one a few blocks down the street took over their menu – of course the café knows how important it is to the university students, so it didn’t want to betray its loyal clientele. But that means a longer walk, yet it still doesn’t scare you.

Sixth and last, the drizzle turns into a full-on shower by the time you make it two blocks down, and you run the rest of the way, trying to avoid your designer clothes getting all wet. Which obviously doesn’t work, because you’re currently dripping on the floor of the coffee house, looking like a lost puppy in the rain.

You’re still adamant about the cappuccino. In fact, you crave it even more now – you’re going to need its warm comfort.

The coffee shop is mostly empty, save for a group of girls studying in one corner, though they seem like they’re gossiping more than anything else. They don’t look at you, and you don’t look at them, walking towards the counter.

There is no one behind it, and you glance at the double doors that probably lead to a kitchen or something of the sorts. What you miss then, is the surgical mask left on the floor by a careless client, and damn you the tiles of the coffee shop have been polished recently.

The moment you step on the mask you fly, and your back hitting the floor has you feeling far too dizzy for your own good. You shut your eyes for a few seconds, wincing in pain. When you open them again, you wonder if you hit your head.

If you hit your head real good and died, because someone’s kneeling next to you, and you’re pretty sure he’s the most beautiful man you’ve seen in your entire life. He’s got big doe eyes, a soft gaze that holds so much kindness you think he can only be an angel. Strangely, what your eyes focus on is the mole under his mouth though.

His lips move, distracting you from the mole, and you notice light glinting on a piercing before you realize he’s speaking. And he’s speaking to you, with a concern-filled voice.

“Are you okay?” he repeats.

You blink a few times. “I think so.”

He helps you to sit up, and you’re painfully aware of his hands on you. They’re large, warm, and they hold you for a time, making sure you’re as okay as you say you are. His eyes don’t ever waver from yours once your gazes connect, and you’re pretty sure you’re hearing bells.

You are. It’s the bells from the door, and you let out an embarrassed chuckle as your eyes fall, and he moves his hands off of you to glance at the new client.

“Why don’t you sit while I take care of their order?” he suggests, motioning to the nearest empty table.

You blink again. “Oh.” You glance at the two guys that walked in, before nodding your head. “Yes, sure. Good idea.”

He chuckles, and you think it’s the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard in your life. It has your pulse racing, in that good way you usually only see on a movie screen. Your gazes catch for a moment again, and it feels like the moment is stretching into its own little eternity.

Then the guy is helping you to stand, and you notice the sleeve of tattoos. They look out of place, on this sweet innocent-looking man, yet they fit perfectly. You gulp, before sitting at the table as he moves back behind the counter to serve the two customers.

His eyes keep darting to you. You know because each time he catches you already looking, and he sends you a small, secretive smile that has you think you have to know him from somewhere. The way he moves feels familiar, the stretch of his shoulders feels like you’ve seen it a thousand times before. You almost remember holding that large hand of his, almost remember the sound of his voice as he whispers against your skin…

You blush then, and your eyes obstinately fall to the table, boring a hole there.

You’ve never been a big romantic. Never believed in love at first sight… but when he puts your favourite cappuccino down in front of you, before sitting in the chair across from yours, you think maybe fate is just a series of coincidences.

“How did you know…” you trail off, motioning to the cup in front of you.

He smiles. “Intuition. I’m Jungkook, by the way. I’ve never seen you around here before.”

Blush dusts your cheeks again. “Y/n.”

He nods, as if he knew anyway.

It’s no wonder you fall in love. No wonder the puzzle pieces meet and form art, because it was meant to be. At least that’s what you think the first time he kisses you, after a Narnia pub quiz date that had both of you sharing two pints of beer, because you both don’t want to leave after the first one. That’s what you think the first time he makes love to you, forehead pressed against yours as you breathe the same air and he tells you he thinks he knows you from a past life. That’s what you think when he makes you dance amongst the falling leaves a late October evening, and that’s what you think when he kisses the top of your head first thing when he wakes up on Christmas morning.

And a year later, when he proposes in that same café you were never supposed to go to, you think he’s your favourite coincidence as you say yes, yes to an eternity next to him. Because you know, you know now your life was just a series of coincidences, all of them leading to him.

[takenbypeter]

Could I request prompt number 15 with Peter Maximoff? He meets the reader when he’s about to get in trouble for something he almost certainly did, and the reader just rocks up unasked and out of nowhere to provide him with a plausible alibi. The reader has somewhere else to be, so they have to rush off, but it’s pretty obvious to everyone in the vicinity that they’ve made quite the impression on one Peter Maximoff.

Convenience Store Crush

Peter Maximoff x reader

Words: 1102

Number 15: “they said my crush on you is obvious.”

Authors note: I totally forgot bout the running off part and the end of your ask so I do apologize for that but I hope u still like it

“How are you?” Asked a frequent buyer. She was an older lady who would come into the small corner store where you worked every week.

It was always the same faces in this small town. The same faces asking the same tired questions and you were honestly over it.

“Eh, same old, same old,” you replied scanning her few items.

“Sometimes that’s not so bad,” she said and as you were about to politely counter the doorbell went off signaling new customers entering.

You watched as a small group of people, seemingly around your age walked in followed by a gray haired guy. The guy looked in your direction for a mere moment before nonchalantly following his friends. He was another of your regulars…well sorta. He’s been coming in every week just to roam around but as always you let it go because you truly did not care.

They looked like a strange and colorful bunch together, it was obvious they were mutants. But you didn’t mind, personally you thought the whole idea of having powers was unique, sometimes you even wished you had some but alas you didn’t. Pushing that thought out of your mind you went back to your business cashing out your current customer.

“Have a good day,” you said as you waved with a cheesy smile, although you didn’t necessarily enjoy this job you considered all your smiles to be genuine. You waited bored as this was typically one of the dead hours on your shift.

As you laid there hunched over the counter you heard a commotion close by.

Growing curious you left your post and head to the noise and as you neared you began to pick up your manager's voice.

“I don’t know how you’re doing it but I know you’re doing it,” said your manager.

“I’m sorry, is there a problem here?” Asked a woman's voice. You peeked out from behind the next aisle as you began to match voices to faces.

“You bet there’s a problem! Every time this young man comes in, something goes missing! At least ten snacks go missing and a sign always goes missing.”

The red haired girl turned to the gray haired boy, while he automatically put his hand up in defense, “I have never stolen anything from here in my life, I swear.”

“Oh I don’t believe that for a second you’re out! You’re all out!”

“Actually, he’s telling the truth,” the group’s eyes fall to you as you come out from your hiding spot, “when he came in last week, he bought something. I cashed him out.” Now was that the truth? Not necessarily. The fact is he’s actually only bought something twice from your store and was that last week? No, but you didn’t care.

Your manager turned to him still accusingly but you continued before she could start again, “are you going to throw out a whole group of paying customers just because you think one guy is stealing? You don’t even have evidence!”

Your manager's hand went down into a fist as she glared at the group and she walked up to you before stopping, “if I catch him stealing, you’re outta here with them,” she whispered before pushing past you.

With your nightmare manager gone you turn back to the small group of friends, “sorry about that, please continue shopping,” you said leaving them be and returning to your post.

It wasn’t that long before they came up to you to get rang up. You went through them one by one and honestly every one of them seemed genuine.

Then came the last one.

The gray haired one.

He only had three items in his hand, “is this all for today?” You asked.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Picking them up you began scanning them. He took the opportunity to talk to you, “and thanks for what you did…earlier.”

“It’s no problem,” you respond, without taking your eyes off the scanner and his items.

“Do you believe me?” He asks.

“Nope. I know you did it,” you said, tone stating it in a matter of fact manner. “And I know you all are a part of the X-men. You? You’re the speedy one.”

“Quicksilver,” he corrected and you finally looked up at him, meeting his eyes which widened in the slightest.

“…But other’s know me as Peter Maximoff.”

“Am I "others "?"

Peter’s lips tug a little beginning to shape into a small smug little smile, “you can be, yes.”

“Well Peter Maximoff, is that why you come every week? To loot?”

Peter’s eyes looked up and to the side while his lips stuck out in thought, “mostly, I also come to see you,” he looked confident for just one second before he immediately made a face, “was that as creepy as it sounded because hearing it out loud sounded very creepy. If it did I most definitely am sorry.”

A smile now pulled on your lips, “…yes it was definitely creepy…but also weirdly sweet.”

“Ahem,” you heard a cough from behind him, no doubt coming from his group of friends that have been watching the whole thing. You watched as his friend, who wore red-tinted glasses nodded with his head in your direction. While you two stared at the group you failed to notice Peter’s hand behind the counter that was so obviously waving them off and at that signal you watched the red haired girl pull the guy with glasses’ arm before the rest followed after. You watched as they all left the store leaving behind just you and Peter.

“Right, so my friends…they say my crush on you is obvious, so I figured I’d come in here and just ask you out.”

“Oh…so is that your way of asking me?”

His eyes squinted as he let out a drawn out, “yeeesss?”

“Well if that’s your way of asking me out then no I will not go out with you.”

Peter’s lips pressed together as he put cash on the table and put his items in his hand.

“But, my shift is done at seven. if you come back then with a real way of asking, then maybe I’ll go out with you.”

Peter’s lips spread into an honest smile.

“But take it easy, some people need their jobs.”

“Right, sorry bout that.”

“Oh not me, I’m planning on quitting anyways but some other people.”

He let out a light chuckle, “right! Okay, see you at seven,” he said, almost dropping one of his items before he shoved the door to leave.

Suddenly this job just made your life a little bit more interesting.

-

Dialogue Prompt 2

[void-ink-studios]

Oh Glob, He's Been Kidnapped

A silly romp through Ooo, with a touch of bitter sweet at the end. I hope you enjoy y'all!

A few sidenotes:

I've started picturing the Organizer's voice like Agent 47's handler, Diana Burnwood, in the new Hitman games. No idea why, just felt like it fit her.

Random thought that might end up as it's own post, but I find the idea funny if Scarab's species had no real concept of gender, and Scarab just accepted he/him pronouns because that's what everyone in the pantheon used for him and he just shrugged and accepted it.

Next time, as suggested by @scumbkat I think it's about time Scarab gained his own Nightmare aspect.

Fun fact, this was the instalment to push this series over 100 pages in the google doc.

Word Count: 2,500

Of all things Scarab had expected on this "field trip" (as Prismo put it) to the land of Ooo, this was not one of them.

Where in Glob's name did Prismo go?

Seriously, Scarab had turned his back for, like, maybe 10 seconds. And when he turned back, the human shaped mage Prismo was disguised as was just... up and gone.

At first he thought he had wondered off to another shop in market or something, but Scarab had scoured this place top to bottom at least 3 times, and no sign of the Wishmaster anywhere.

He climbed the tallest stall he could find, earning him some choice curses, and nothing.

It wasn't as if Scarab was nervous or anything. Prismo was a god. One of the most powerful in the multiverse. Just because he was currently human shaped did not make him as vulnerable as one.

But, well, this trip was kind of off the books. If Prismo got his body killed somewhere, they'd have the Organizer to answer to, and Scarab was not particularly looking for a scolding next time she visited for tea.

"Prism!" He called the fake name the Wishmaster had given himself, trying to shout over the chaotic crowd. "Prism, where did you go? We're supposed to be heading back soon! Prism!"

All that got him was annoyed looked from the people trying to pass by him.

Great.

"Hey, big knight dude" a voice called. Scarab momentarily forgot what he looked like, confused at this address. But, yes, he recalled now. He looked much more like a knight, his shell conveniently passing for armor with a bit more flair. He turned in search for the voice. "Over here, man!"

A human. Or, Scarab was pretty sure he was human, he looked enough like Prismo's body to be somewhat confident. He was tall, muscular, with a mess of blond hair spilling out the back of his hat. A mechanical arm waved him over.

Scarab shook off his frantic edges, striding over with an air of confidence.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"You need help, man? Heard to yelling for someone, and I saw you pacing around the place. What's going on?"

"Oh, I seem to have lost my traveling companion. I turned my back for a few seconds, and poof, gone."

"What's he look like?"

Scarab examined the human a little closer. Big smile, sword on the hip, an attitude similar to a happily suicidal puppy. Hmm.

"And how do I know you don't have something to do with his disappearance?"

"Nah man, I'm super good! I'm the hero in these parts."

Scarab decided that, if worst came to worst, he could take him.

"...I'll choose to believe you for now, hero. Short stature, brown skin, long curly gray hair and beard, most garish pink wizard robes possible? Enough jewelry to be mistaken for a treasure chest? Old?"

"Hmmm..."

"Hey, didn't we see someone like that walking around with those weirdo wizards" a new voice chimed in. Scarab's head snapped to the new comer, spotting a... dog? Rainicorn? Both? She didn't have discernable eyes, but very long almost platinum blond hair that had been fashioned into a hammock in the tree.

The hero thought for a second.

"Oh yeah, that's right Junior! Man, I knew those creeps were trouble!"

"You know these characters?"

"They're quick to sniff around anyone with a hint of magic junk" Junior supplied. "Tried cutting my hair for rainbow powers of whatever."

"What for?"

"We're not sure" the hero sighed. "They keep harassing wizards and stuff, but no one's really gone with them before. You guys new here?"

"You could say that, yes. We're passing through."

"Man, sorry about that. But, if they dragged your bud away, I think I know where they went!"

Scarab released a long-suffering sigh, rubbing his hand under his helmet.

"Glob, Prism, of course, of course you'd get yourself accidentally kidnapped the second I turn my back."

"You don't sound to worried" Junior said.

"I'm not. Prism is more than capable of taking care of himself. But, it is... inconvenient. He probably thinks this is an adventure or some nonsense."

"Hey man, anything can be an adventure! Even kidnappings. C'mon, we'll find him together. What's your name, stranger?"

"Ruby Knight is fine. And you?"

"I'm Finn! And this little lady is Jake Jr. but I just call her Junior."

Scarab was thankful for both his helmet and remarkable poise. If either failed him, he might've started choking on air.

Finn. This was... Prismo's Finn. He finally noticed the tattoo on his chest, a smiling dog cradled in forget-me-nots. Of course. Of course he'd happen to run into the one human Prismo might know.

And... Jake Jr. A daughter, most certainly. Did Prismo know? Most likely, Jake had to have told him if they were as close as he believed, but he made know indication of having ever met her.

Okay... Okay, this is fine, probably. And, it's not like he had much choice right now.

"A pleasure to meet you, Finn the hero. Let's go find my idiot wizard friend, shall we?"

"Alright, let's do this! Adventure time!"

And with that, the human went charging off in a direction through the market. Junior seemed unsurprised, casually standing up.

"We should probably try to keep up. Can't let him have all the fun to himself."

Scarab nodded, quickly catching up and keeping pace with Finn.

"Hey, dude, I don't see a lot of new knights around here! Which princess you work for?"

"None of them. Technically, I work for Prism, but I am my own agent."

"Ooooh, I remember meeting a few of those. They were jerks, way to into their own armor. One followed me around, like all day, trying to embarrass me. You seem cool though."

"A knight obsessed with armor is a lousy knight indeed. I've met a fair share who seem to think the weapons and costumes are replacements for skill."

"I know, right? I got skills though, skills to pay the bills. At least, that's what Marcy and PB say."

Scarab found himself relaxing at least a little bit as he followed this human hero.

"...How you know your buddy would be fine? You sounded really sure about it."

"He's one of the best mages I've ever met. He is more than capable of helping himself if he feels his in actual danger. Problem is he is very bad at telling what is and isn't dangerous."

"Man, that sounds like me. I once jumped into a dungeon without backup, got my ass kicked. By a cat. And another knight, the Bucket Knight. Scarier than he sounds."

Scarab didn't talk to mortals very often, but this he felt was a good one.

One of the fun ones.

--------------------------------------

"Ooooh, what's this do?"

Prismo, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. When three dudes in black cloaks put an arm around his shoulder and offered magic beyond belief, well, he was hooked.

No, Prismo was not an idiot. Everything in there was very clearly cursed, destined to attach or leech or possess the user the second they walked out of the spooky tent with it.

But, no harm if he didn't leave with it.

"That, sir, will amplify your powers into a brilliant burst. You'd be untouchable."

Prismo could tell the goons were getting impatient. He knew he looked like a fat, easy target with his jewelry and demeanor, but he was much trickier than most assumed.

Money's paws were fun, after all.

He could hear them whisper.

"He gonna buy anything or just waste our time?"

"Patience, brother. We'll have him soon enough."

"Can't we just stab him and be done with it?"

"Quiet!"

Prismo chuckled to himself, standing up straight. Scarab had probably noticed he was gone by now, he should probably go back before he split his shell.

"Well guys, this was nice, but I think I should be going now. Lots of neat stuff you got here, but I don't think I'm interested."

He turned with a big smile to see three hooded goons who looked like they wanted to rip him apart.

"...Now?"

"Now."

Two of them surged forward to hold Prismo's wrists, dragging him to a very fancy looking chair.

"Woah, friends, what's the harsh treatment for?"

"Oh shut up, old man. We listened to you prattle on about nonsense for the past hour! We're bleeding you dry of magic, with or without your cooperation!"

Prismo was suddenly very aware of a knife to his neck as he was strapped down.

"Fellas, fellas, you don't wanna do this" he crooned.

"Oh, trust me, it's no trouble, you doddering old fool. It's our pleasure."

"No, no, that's not what I mean. My bud, he's probably looking for me. Not the kind of guy you want to get on the bad side. So just let me go and we pretend none of this ever happened, right?"

"We're not scared of some over dressed, pompous knight! We're wizards, wizards rule fool! Kin, get the bowl, it's gonna get messy."

Prismo rolled his eyes.

Well, this went poorly quickly. He was not gonna hear the end of this when Scarab showed up.

"Yeah, wizards rule, but guys, I'm telling ya, he's not someone you underestimate. I keep him around for a reason, you know?"

"Oh just shut up already! Whatever pitiful little magic you've got won't be worth more than you finally shutting up!"

"Wow, harsh dude."

There was a cold blade against his neck again, making him squeak a little. Okay, he might have to break himself out of this one...

"Uh, guys-"

BANG

There was a loud, grinding bang outside the tent, a yell, and suddenly light.

Everyone groaned at the sudden harsh light, but Prismo smiled at the glittering red armor.

"Prism! You Glob forsaken idiot, you better be here!"

"Ruby, hun, I seem to be in a bit of a pickle."

Prismo giggled a little at the utterly exhausted groan Scarab let out. There was a scream, a warm splatter, and a thud. The knife wasn't on his neck anymore, now kicked far away across the floor.

"Man, this is some serious dark junk." Prismo's eyes widened. He craned his neck, spotting the long blond hair and robotic arm. Oh Glob.

"These are definitely cursed, Finn. Like, the aura in here is toxic."

Jake Jr....

Oh Glob dammit. Don't cry, don't cry...

"Prism, dear, are you okay?"

Prismo blinked, trying to shake away the tears, smiling at Scarab's helmet covered face.

"Yeah, I'm okay, no biggie!"

He felt the straps around his wrists loosen, then him get tugged into Scarab's chest.

"I'm okay, I'm okay Ruby, promise. Sorry for wandering off, I know I'm not gonna hear the end of this, I know..."

Finn seemed to stop moving, slowly turning his head toward Prismo.

"Wait a second..."

Prismo took a deep breath, slowly emerging from Scarab's chest to face him.

"Oh my Glob..."

Prismo expected a lot of things could potentially happen. Yelling about being in Ooo, maybe anger for not being able to bring Jake back, maybe even annoyance for having to save him again.

But he did not expect a hug. A big bear one, that lifted him off the ground, feet dangling an undignified foot and a half off the grass.

"PRISMO!"

Finn laughed as he swung the Wishmaster around, now hugging back both out of respect for the hug, and to not go flying if the human's grip slipped.

"Wait, is that... like Prismo Prismo? As in Prismo the Almighty Wishmaster that dad kept gushing over, that Prismo?"

"The one and only! Man, I didn't know you could leave the Time Room! I'd have invited you on adventures a long time ago!"

"This is a new thing, first time on Ooo, I promise. Finn, you're kind of crushing my ribs here."

Finn carried him outside before finally placing him back on his feet.

"Prism, hm?"

"We didn't wanna attract too much attention. So, disguises!"

"So, wait, then who's that" Junior asked, pointing her thumb toward Scarab. "Is this guy some poor schmuck you hired, or something else?"

Prismo collected himself a moment before holding Scarab's hand in his own. "This is Scarab. He's a coworker of mine and... well, my partner." He placed a soft kiss on one of Scarab's knuckles.

"And you're lucky for it" Scarab sighed. "Who else would I run halfway across a city for?"

"Oh, rad, good for you, man. I know we haven't talked much since... well, we haven't talked much. But, y'know, it's good to see you okay and stuff. And that you've got someone looking out for you."

Junior seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, before she strolled up and tapped Prismo's shoulder.

"I'm uh... I'm Jake Junior." She extended her hand in an offer to shake. "Dad... Dad liked talking about you. It's nice to meet you."

Prismo's smile wobbled, but it was wide. He tried to rub the tears from his eyes, but soon gave up and accepted the hand shake.

"It's nice to finally meet you too. Jake... Man, every other sentence was him bragging about one of you. He really loved you guys a lot."

Junior had a sad smile on her face, nervously rubbing the back of her head.

"Pris, now that I know you can come here, we gotta go on a proper adventure sometime, yeah? And, like, a proper one, not one where you just get kidnapped but some shifty wizard dudes."

"Seriously, they're like, the shiftiest guys I've ever seen and you just... went along with them? No questions asked?"

Prismo giggled nervously as he felt everyone's mildly judgmental stare on him.

"I don't know, it just looked... interesting. Not like they could actually hurt me or anything."

"That might be the case, but if you got discorporated, you would get to me the one to explain to the Organizer why we were walking around with unauthorized bodies."

"Hey, you didn't need to come with me!"

"Clearly, I did."

Prismo groaned, half embarrassed, half strangely happy at the day's turn of events.

He looked at Finn, and noticed the same sad smile Scarab often described the Wishmaster having. "Hey, Finn? If you... wanna hang out, in the Time Room, I can give you my number, or something... I'd like to see you. Same to you, Junior. You and any of your siblings are welcome to the domain of the Almighty Prismo."

Finn slapped him on the back, firmly gripping his shoulder.

"C'mon. Let's head to the Candy Kingdom, there's a bar, drinks are on me."

The two gods walked behind the mortals. Prismo could feel Scarab looking at him, a question trying to push past his mandibles. The Wishmaster didn't answer. He opted instead to tuck his hand into Scarab's and walk in comfortable silence, listening to these two mortals talk.

Maybe things would continue to be better.

Maybe Prismo's heart could take this.

[veysxrge]

My Sunshine (M.R)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Word Count: 1334

Warnings: None

Pairings: Thomas x Newt (romantic)

AU: Barista x Tattoo Artist, Modern AU

-

The next time Newt saw Thomas he was at the register. He definitely didn’t expect the brunet to be here this early but he definitely wasn’t upset at the fact. It was a Thursday so Newt was currently doodling on one of the cups, barely registering the bell ringing. He placed the cup on the counter, grabbing another one without looking up.

“Morning Sunshine.” Newt looked up to see Thomas, the guy that had been plaguing his mind for two days. He blinked a few times before smiling at him.

“Good morning Thomas, how are you doing?” He asked, quickly scribbling Thomas’ name on the cup before placing it down.

“Didn’t think you’d remember my name if I’m being honest, but I’m doing good. How are you?”

Newt laughed a bit, “Well, I don’t get called Sunshine every day, so safe to say you made an impression.” He said, leaning on the counter a bit, “Doing as good as I can during a slow shift.”

Thomas seemed to beam when Newt said he made an impression which made Newt smile a bit, “You getting that cappuccino again?” He asked, and if Thomas could smile more he did. He almost reminded Newt of a dog, if he had a tail it would most definitely be wagging.

“Yes please, almond milk and 3 pumps of vanilla.” He said, letting Newt write it on the cup before continuing, “Can I also get a medium iced toffee nut latte? With oat milk if you have it.”

Newt nodded, grabbing the second cup without questioning it and typing the order into the computer. “Is that all?” Thomas nodded and handed Newt his card.

They stayed silent as Thomas’ card processed and for once Newt wished it didn’t stay silent. When Newt handed his card back he spoke, “So is it safe to assume you may be a regular now?”

Thomas grinned, putting his card back in his wallet before giving Newt a onceover, “I think it’s plenty safe, Sunshine.” He said and Newt still wondered where that nickname came from, but it made him smile anyways.

He was working with Jeff today, and he grabbed the cups and handed Newt the cappuccino, subtly saying that there aren’t customers and he should make it. But Newt knew he just hated making cappuccino because he always messed up the cream. Newt cracked a soft smile before giving Thomas a two finger salute and went to make his drink once again.

He could feel Thomas’ eyes on him the whole time but he tried to ignore it. An incredibly handsome guy who gave him a nickname and might be flirting with him is staring at him? Normal everyday things, he was fine and definitely wasn’t fighting a smile at the thought.

After a few minutes, Newt heard Jeff call out Thomas for the first drink so he quickly finished up the design he always did and went to put a lid on his other drink. He walked over to the counter and made it there when Thomas did, giving him a smile before handing him his second cup, “Thomas.”

Thomas chuckled a bit, grabbing the cup from him and standing there for a second, “Have a nice day, Sunshine. Hope your shift is easy.”

Newt smiled a bit more, “Cheers, you too Thomas.”

They stared at each other for a second before Thomas smiled again and went to leave the shop. Once the bell dinged signaling his exit Newt let out a soft sigh.

“That was the most gay tension I’ve seen in a hot minute.” Newt almost forgot that Jeff was there, whipping around with his eyes bulging out of his head as he fought the embarrassment that was creeping up his sides.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.” Jeff rolled his eyes, putting down the rag and placing a hand on his hip as he looked at Newt with a look on his face that screamed he was done with Newt’s bullshit.

“Bro, that dude was looking at you like you were an angel sent from heaven. He calls you Sunshine. Look I know you are a literal ball of sun, but if that’s not gay tension then you must be crazy good at keeping a secret boyfriend from us.” Newt bit his lip, holding back a giddy smile.

“He doesn't know my name, Alby still hasn’t gotten my tag remade.” Newt said, scratching his neck a bit, “Just being a friendly customer.”

Jeff shook his head in astonishment, “If that’s a customer-barista relationship then maybe I should give Miss. Jones roses next time she comes in.”

Newt barked up a laugh but he couldn’t say anything back, instead opting to greet the customer that walked in and pretending like he wasn’t thinking about his new favorite regular.

-

This time when Thomas walked in, Minho wasn’t there. He was a bit confused seeing as his friend never said he wasn’t coming, but it didn’t damper his mood. Thomas walked up to the front desk and placed the drink down in front of Teresa, who was the receptionist for today, “Hey T, why is it unusually quiet?”

Teresa looked at the drink as if it was an offering from heaven and gratefully downing half of it before she answered, “Had a last minute doctor appointment, said he’s gonna try to make it back before 3.” It was obvious she knew he was wondering where Minho was.

Thomas hummed, looking over at their coworkers who were currently working. Gally was intently tattooing the back of a woman’s calf, only having glanced up to shoot Thomas a nod when he heard the brunet walk in, but he was obviously busy now.

He turned his attention to the other station. One of the tattoo apprentices was sitting on the table as she doodled in her notebook. Thomas was pretty sure she was Aris’ friend, her name started with an S or something. Aris was sitting on the chair next to the table, scrolling on his phone as he waited for his next appointment.

He shook himself out of his thoughts before turning his attention back to his friend, “So, has the day been slow?” Thomas asked, noticing how there were only three artists in today and only one was working.

Teresa glanced up from the paperwork she was going over, “Wouldn’t you like to know, loverboy.” Thomas, having been in the middle of taking a sip of his coffee, ended up choking on some of it out of shock.

After coughing his lungs out for a minute straight he looked at Teresa with worried eyes, “What has he told you?”

“Oh nothing much, just how you came to work on Tuesday super chipper and looked like a kicked puppy when you came in yesterday.” Teresa’s eyes flicked up to him again, her bright blue eyes analyzing his face, “And it seems you’re back to chipper, care to tell me about this ‘Sunshine’? Or were you planning on keeping him a secret for a while?”

Thomas felt his face heat up at how she was calling him out, sputtering a bit as he tried to figure out the words he wanted to say. “I wasn’t keeping anything from you, just haven’t seen you much..”

Teresa raised an eyebrow as she eyed Thomas skeptically, “Texting is a thing, Tom.”

Thomas fiddled with the flap on the lid of his coffee, “I know, I just knew you’d give me shit for it. And I’m already dealing with Brenda and Minho’s teasing.”

Teresa rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her coffee, “I don’t think that’s it.” Thomas hated how well she could read him, “But, I’ll let you off the hook for now.”

He raised an eyebrow, there was no way she’d let that go so easily, “What’s the condition?”

A wide grin appeared on her face, “You tell me everything about him and keep me updated on him.” Thomas couldn’t hold back his smile.

[moonchildreads]

small town

Chapter 6 - Walking on Sunshine

IN THIS CHAPTER: A surprise birthday lunch, a shitty but perfect Polaroid, and Chrissy gives advice to a friend in need [2.7k]

WARNINGS: vague allusions to former shitty friends, eddie being insecure, author not knowing how GPAs work

masterlist - prev - next | playlist

I used to think maybe you loved me, now, baby, I’m sure And I just can’t wait ‘till the day when you knock on my door

Monday, April 21st - 1986

Dottie spent the entire morning feeling like she was gonna throw up. She’d seen Mike and Dustin at the school entrance and both boys had simply waved at her before going back to their hushed conversation. Gareth and her delivered their joint report during Political Science and he spent the rest of their time together talking about how his sister had gotten a part-time job at a coffee shop while she was in college in Arizona. Jeff had crossed paths with her in the hallway and barely said hi before he hurried into the boys’ bathroom, catching his shoulder on the door frame as he went in. Donny had returned the latest tape he’d borrowed without much fanfare and promptly disappeared for the rest of the day. It seemed that the only person at school who remembered her birthday was Ms. Kelly, and that wasn’t even as comforting as one might think; she had obviously read it from her file before the start of their weekly check-in.

When the bell rang signaling lunch was starting, she felt the urge to hide in a bathroom stall and cry until her next class but even that was making her stomach churn; she shared English Literature with Eddie and he was nowhere to be found. She didn’t know what would be worse: him showing up having forgotten her birthday or not seeing him at all. Swallowing her own anxieties, she grabbed her little lunchbox from the back of her locker and hid away the birthday note her dad had stuck to it in the front pocket of her jean overalls. They are just stupid boys, she thought, trying to school her disappointed expression. They probably think my birthday is on Saturday. It’s not like they don’t care anymore or hate me all of a sudden. Taking a deep breath once she saw her friends sitting at their usual table at the cafeteria, she put on a calculated smile and pretended everything was fine. She’d done this before. She could do it again. They’d never have to know.

“Hey-” she hadn’t even finished greeting them when suddenly they all jumped out of their seats with party horns between their lips.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” they screamed, making a lot of noise and attracting attention from nearby tables.

“This one’s for you,” Dustin said, putting a paper party hat on her head, being careful to not snap the elastic on her chin.

She stared at them for a few eternal seconds, Dustin handing out more party hats and Donny accidentally letting go of the elastic as it was passing his nose. Even Eddie was wearing one, his wild hair flattened by the colorful paper. They didn’t forget, she realized. They planned this because they care about me. They didn’t forget. It was like the coil that had been tightening all morning had suddenly snapped inside her, and even if she was hyper aware that she was currently being watched by a lot of people, she couldn’t stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks.

“You assholes!” she yelled at them, hiding her face, crying and laughing at the same time. “You made me think you forgot!”

There was a flutter around the table as the teens looked at each other in panic with the knowledge that they’d gone a bit too far with their nonchalant act before they surrounded her, soothing palms on her back and offering a million apologetic hugs.

“I knew it, I knew this was a terrible idea,” Dustin was saying. “I told them you were gonna get upset if we ignored you all day.”

“We’re so sorry, fuck, we didn’t mean it, please don’t cry,” Gareth was stuck to her side like velcro.

“I totally thought you had figured us out when I ran into the bathroom door, shit,” Jeff said.

“I thought you were about to pee yourself, dumbass,” she retorted, her tears finally drying up, a smile on her face.

“Okay, okay, chill out, guys, let her breathe,” Eddie said, carving a little path between the boys to get to her. He pulled her into a hug and she instantly hid her face on his chest.

“You fucking idiot, I was so sure you were skipping class today,” she slapped his back softly with open fingers.

“And miss my favorite girl’s birthday? I would never,” he muttered into her hair.

Dottie nuzzled his chest, a warm feeling spreading all the way to her feet and a grin growing on her face. Eddie chuckled as he threw his head back slightly, the tenderness of the moment fully on display for everyone to see embarrassing him to the bone, but he didn’t have enough willpower to let her go yet. Thankfully for him, the boys began singing Happy Birthday loud enough for her to get curious and unentangle herself from his arms. Mike was holding a rather large chocolate muffin with bright pink frosting and a lit candle on top, waiting for her to make a wish.

“Mrs. Nelson! Mrs. Nelson!” Dustin waved to a teacher who was watching the scene unfold with a pleased smile on her face. “Can you take a picture for us?”

He pulled out a Polaroid instant camera from his backpack under the table and positioned the woman to take what he thought was the perfect shot. The gentle Geography teacher waited for them to get situated; everyone huddled up around Mike and Dottie, who was thinking very hard about the most important wish she’d ever made. She nodded at Mike to let him know she was ready, and he brought the candle up to her face. I wish for all of us to always be friends no matter what happens, she thought with as much will as she had in her heart and blew out the flame, the boys cheering around her.

“Happy birthday, princess,” Eddie said, lips dangerously close to her ear.

As she turned to look at him, the pet name making her already very sensitive stomach do somersaults inside her, she heard the familiar click of a picture being snapped. Dustin thanked the teacher and retrieved the camera, flicking the sticky paper wildly for it to develop faster. Once they finally settled down at the table for lunch, a few kind people and teachers who had seen the celebration go down approached to wish her a happy birthday and, for the first time since she moved in, Dottie felt really, truly comfortable in Hawkins, Indiana.

“Son of a bitch,” Dustin said, finally looking at the Polaroid, Dottie making grabby hands in his direction immediately. “We aren’t even looking at the camera!”

“Lemme see,” she said, grabbing the picture and bringing it to her side of the table.

Dustin was right, literally none of them were looking at the camera but all of them had been caught in various states of happiness and celebration. Mike looked very panicked about dropping the muffin as he was being shaken from behind by Donny’s hand on his shoulder, the rest of the older boy’s body barely visible behind Jeff who had a party horn dangling from his mouth, and Dustin himself had been caught either singing or talking, his eyes closed and hands coming together in a clap. Gareth was standing to Dottie’s right, one arm around her waist, laughing while looking at Jeff’s general direction, and Eddie was on her left, hands in his pockets, looking straight at her with puppy eyes and what was perhaps the most unguarded smile she’d seen on him yet. Dottie’s body was pointed towards Mike, one hand grabbing his arm to help stabilize him, but her head was turned towards Eddie, her eyes landing on him with a smitten expression and a shy smile on her lips.

“It’s perfect,” she declared, committing the memory to the Forever drawer in the part of her brain that kept her most precious moments safe.

She was sure that she’d have time to analyze why she felt giddy every time her eyes landed on the way Eddie was looking at her in the picture, but not today. Today was her birthday, and she was the happiest she’d been in a very long time.

Wednesday, April 23rd - 1986

“I thought what you guys did for Dorothy’s birthday the other day was really sweet,” Chrissy said, putting away the small bag of weed she’d just bought from Eddie.

“You only turn 18 once, right?” he smiled, remembering their lengthy argument about how to cut the muffin in enough pieces for everyone at the table. She’d given the biggest piece to Mike. “She deserves it for putting up with us.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s the only reason why you went full out.”

Eddie looked at Chrissy intrigued by what she was saying. By now, he’d already realized that what he felt for Dottie was more than just a simple friendship or even a short-lived crush. He could be rather oblivious at times but he wasn’t that dumb, even he could tell something was different here when he actually started looking forward to going to school every morning. But truth be told, Eddie Munson simply wasn’t very experienced in matters of the heart. He’d gone out on a couple of dates with people he’d met at gigs and fooled around here and there but still, he was no Steve Harrington. In his most honest moments, he had to admit that Mike Wheeler probably had more moves than he did. At least he actually had a girlfriend, which is something Eddie had never really had. Hell, even Dustin had a girlfriend if all his talk about Certified Genius Suzie was real.

No, he had to admit, if not to anyone else but to himself, that him being inexperienced had been his own fault. There had been no shortage of out-of-town drunks throwing themselves at him after shows, but deep down, Eddie was insecure and that had been a running gag with former Hellfire Club members and Corroded Coffin bandmates that still weighed heavily on his mind. He’s just bad at picking up chicks, one of his old friends had said back when he was on his very first run at being a senior. He’ll learn. And yes, he had learned the theory but therein lay his second problem: he was too aware of his own reputation to put those things in practice seriously. It had been easy to make out in the back of his van with people who saw him as their shot at feeling like real groupies, and he certainly had indulged in those moments from time to time; he was, after all, a hormonal teenager.

But just as he was all too conscious that he had the necessary charm to be a playboy if he really wanted to and the knowledge that his infamy as “the freak of Hawkins High” attracted a very particular kind of crowd to him, he was also painfully cognizant that he had never really felt, well, love. Or at least not even the kind of infatuation that could have led to love if nurtured right. All his high school crushes had been on people that had been so far away from what he considered his own league, and it certainly didn’t help that the only time he had actually had the courage to ask someone out (two weeks before his Junior prom, he remembered the day like it had been yesterday), the girl in question had laughed at him for a solid minute. And told her friends. Who had also laughed at him.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Chrissy asked, interrupting his journey down sad and jilted memory lane.

“Would you date me?”

“What?” she laughed, but there was no malice. That was the thing about Chrissy Cunningham: she would always laugh with you, never at you. “You know I have a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, and he’s a douche but that’s beside the point,” he paced in front of her, his sneakers crunching leaves on the grass. “I’m asking if you as a girl, not as Chrissy, think that I could be… dateable,” he cringed as soon as the words left his mouth.

“Wow. You really got it bad for her.”

“Chrissy, come on,” he said, dragging the Os for effect. “I don’t know what I’m doing here, okay, cut me some slack.”

“Okay, alright,” she sighed. “Do you want the hard truth or do I… soften it for you first?”

“Just give it to me,” he draped himself dramatically on the picnic table where he usually did all his drug deals.

“I think you’re a great guy, Eddie. You’re funny, you know who you are and what you want,” he made a face but she continued anyway. “You are really genuine and you care a lot about your friends. It’s just that… well, I don’t really know Dorothy but-”

“You’d love her,” he muttered, hiding his eyes with his arm. He felt entirely too vulnerable in this conversation.

“You’re not exactly the kind of guy the good girls get to take home to their parents, you know? Even if we want to.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not saying she wouldn’t do it, like I said, I don’t really know her but it’s complicated for girls like us. There’s… expectations and rules.”

“God, could you imagine,” he chuckled darkly. “The 3.74 GPA girl with the guy who got held back two years in a row. Now that’s a fantasy story.”

“You know her GPA by heart?” she said, incredulous.

“It’s projected. She said it should be 3.92 if it was weighted, whatever that means.”

“Jesus Christ, Eddie.”

“I feel like I’m losing my mind,” he rolled over and let himself drop to the grass.

“Yeah, well, welcome to the club.”

Chrissy watched him throw a mini tantrum on the floor and felt truly bad for him. He had been so kind to her all this time, and he was actually so far removed from the terrifying image some people liked to pretend was the real him. It was in these moments that she was aware that they were both equally lost kids, just tryharding their way through high school, making mistakes they’d probably regret for the rest of their lives. She tilted her head to the side as he sat down again and began picking greenery out of his hair.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think you are completely hopeless,” she rested her head on her hand. “You just gotta clean up a little bit.”

“I showered this morning,” he said, and smelled his shirt just in case.

“I meant, you gotta clean up your act! Get your grades straight, graduate, be more… I don’t know… this Eddie,” she made a circular gesture at his general direction with her hand. “Not the standing-on-tables-angry-at-the-world Eddie you put on to scare everyone away. The real you.”

“I’ll have you know that my table monologues are 100% the real me, thank you very much.”

“Eddie.”

“Alright,” he sighed. “I get it. I gotta be more like Jason.”

“Fuck no.”

“Chrissy Cunningham, saying a bad word,” he put his hand to his chest, always a drama queen.

“Look. Jason is my boyfriend, and I love him,” she stopped him before he could interject with a wave of her hand. “But I don’t think he’s what Dorothy is looking for. She already likes you enough to be your friend, you just gotta… help her out a little bit! Be a version of you she can bring home to her grandparents’ for Christmas.”

Eddie stared at his metallic lunchbox, running scenarios in the back of his mind. He was going to her house on Saturday for her birthday party, and he was going to meet her Dad there. It was incredibly important to make a good impression; he feared that he wouldn’t let her hang out with him anymore even if she insisted that he was “a cool Dad”. In his experience, there was a limit to how understanding parents could be when he was around. A light bulb turned on in his brain, a mischievous grin spreading on his face. Chrissy tilted her head at him, curiously.

“If you had to guess, what would be Dot’s clothing size?”

[nicsalazar]

Haunted languages || Lil & Nicole

TIMING: End of June LOCATION: Fully Booked PARTIES: @the-lil-exorcist & @nicsalazar SUMMARY: Lil stops by Fully booked, Nicole is there to help. CONTENT WARNING: Nerds

As an occasional worker at Fully booked, Nicole’s approach was certainly more laid-back than her girlfriend’s, the owner of the store. It was her own introverted experience, which made it impossible to enjoy any sort of shopping interaction pulling her back from subjecting others to the same fake, unsettling politeness.  

Leah and Fabian had their hands busy with other people, so it was up to her to keep an eye on the first person to walk through the door. She had her own set of rules. Rules she was ready to follow when the doorbell jingled and a new customer entered. Firstly, Nicole never approached anyone in the first minute of roaming around the aisles. Tons of people came and went in that first minute. By her own logic, if they left so soon after entering, it was unlikely she’d ever be able to sell them on anything anyway. Which led to rule number two. If the customer stayed, then Nicole began a subtle stalk. Paying attention to where their eyes kept drifting to, the sections they strolled.  

Only when she was positive the customer needed help— usually in the form of a furrowed brow, or a raised gaze— then Nicole felt free to move into their space. Less subtly, she didn’t want anyone to jump scared at her. She stood in the woman’s peripheral vision, waiting one final beat before taking a gentle step forward. “When in doubt, you definitely judge by the cover. I won’t tell anyone” she nodded, keeping her voice low. “Or... I can be the one judging, if you need a second opinion” do you need any help? Was implied. “Interest topic, though,” she pointed at the shelf she had been looking at. 

Lil liked little bookstores, especially - and probably ironically- in Wicked’s Rest. After all, most of the books Lil wanted to buy were weird ones. The ones that she could theoretically learn something new, as she had been cut off by the Ghostbusters from learning anything more by their society. She used to be bitter about it - having to glean new knowledge lopsidedly by picking up a book here and there - but now she couldn’t help but love the feeling of finding something new now. So, as a bit of a reprieve from the chaos her life currently was Lil decided it was a good day to get a new book to translate and read. Maybe something in Sumarian this time - if they had any. 

She hadn’t heard the other approach until a moment before she spoke, looking at the books about languages intently, excited to see something like that here. She hadn’t been expecting it exactly, but figured that the bookshop might have it. Her eyes were practically glittering as she was looking through the books, not touching them yet. Hearing the words Lil stilled herself not to jump and instead looked at the other and couldn’t help the chuckle speaking in a soft tone matching the other figuring she must be one of the workers here if not the owner.  “ Fair enough. I’m actually trying to decide between a few of these - I’m afraid my bank account wouldn’t be too happy if I got too many, you know?” Lil said looking back at the books, “ I - just didn’t expect so many language books here. Do you guys have any books about Sumarian? I’ve been wanting to brush up on it, and well you guys look well stocked.” 

“I’m sure we could find you a discount somewhere. Have you signed up for the rewards program?” Leah would never forgive her if she forgot to plug that in. “Think it’s… 10% off on the first book if you are. Would have to check with the boss” Nicole pressed her lips together, concealing a grin as her gaze drifted the adult fiction section, where Leah was currently immersed in a deep conversation with a couple.  

She almost wished they would have swapped places, had her help this woman instead. Not because Nicole didn’t know her way around the store by now— granted, she could still improve— but because she knew her girlfriend would find a way to make this conversation a lot richer than she could for the client. She was just finding out Sumerian was a language. It rang a bell, but barely. As if it was something she should’ve known. Where do they speak it? “Okay. Ye— I can look that up for you” from the top shelf, she pulled up a clipboard filled with a bunch of colorful lists and graphics. Leah’s guide. It would’ve been faster with the computer inventory, sure. But the colors were a lot easier to for her to navigate. She was just lucky Leah was passionate about organization to keep physical and virtual inventory. “But yeah… Leah’s got a pretty wide variety of topics— you know, to cater to…” She flipped it to the foreign language section, index finger tracing along the page. “The town’s… unique interests. Oh!” found it. She left the board tucked at the end of the section,taking a few steps before crouching by the bottom shelf.

“Is this… like a school thing?” It used to be a lot more intimidating, interacting with customers. Nicole still feared she’d be rendered useless, but had managed to losen up when it came to casual conversation. Most times, people were eager to speak about their passions. “How do you get interested in…” she grabbed a spine and pulled up the first book, handing it to the woman above her, diving back to the shelft. She knew Leah kept a solid collection on ancient languages mostly because the population’s tendency to age past what was normal. She grabbed a second book and stood up. “Sumerian? What’s the story there, are you translator or something?” 

“Oh no I haven’t. I would be interested in signing up,” Lil said thinking that 10% off would be at least a little helpful. She figured a book like the ones she was interested in were probably expensive. Mostly she borrowed and bartered for her books, but now that she finally had a room again she figured maybe she could actually own some now. She also knew that no exorcist here would lend her any books anymore. It was something that had stung in the beginning, to be so rejected from her own society, but Lil had decided a long time ago she just had to acknowledge the pain and leave be. 

“Oh it’s no worries if ya’ll don’t have any either - It’s just I can see you have a good range here,” Lil said a little embarrassed now that the other was having to search for it, but fascinated by the bits of colored text that she had. They must have been helpful because the other lady seemed to be able to find the text and Lil eagerly opened up the text to look at the book. She hadn’t expected the question, and for a moment she wondered if she should lie and say it was for school. It would make it easier than the truth. 

Still, Lil figured if she wanted to come back she probably shouldn’t lie. “No, not a school thing - well not like a college thing,” Lil said at the question. “I’m just pretty interested in translating and it’s helpful for my job to be able to translate different ancient languages. I haven’t had much luck with Sumarian and I’ve wanted to see if a new book would make it more fun for me to do.” Lil gave a little shrug and said, “I guess I’m a bit of a language nerd. This book looks awesome by the way. This store is really special.”  

“Great. We’ll do that at the check out. It’s pretty short, anyway… an email will do”. Nicole flashed her most professional smile, which felt so fake the muscles on her cheek began hurting in protest. The things she did for the business. 

Nicole wiped her hands on her jeans after standing up, giving the woman some time to get familiar with the text in her hands. She tapped the cover of the second book, letting out some of her anxious energy. “Oh, I see. What do you do?” What job required her to translate ancient languages? Besides the obvious one of translator, but that didn’t seem to be this woman’s thing. Whatever it was, it was definitely something nerdy and smart. She was once again struck with the idea that Leah would’ve loved to pick this customer’s mind. Her gaze flickered back to her and the two people she was talking to. She could tell, by the very small twist of Leah’s mouth, that something about her current interaction was bothering her. 

Nicole returned her attention to what mattered, genuinely touched by the compliment. She hadn’t been there when Leah built this passion project of hers from scratch (though there were pictures of her tiny self holding a sledgehammer, which Nicole loved) but she knew how important it was for her. Still, she didn’t exactly know how to reply to it, so she settled for a laugh and pointed at the shelves to deflect. “Might be one more down there. But if you wanna decide between those two…” she narrowed her eyes, expression turning serious. She had covers to judge, after all. Pointing at the one in the woman’s hand she tried, “I like how brown this cover is. Gives me… the idea of... a serious book” as if some old, bald guy with the thickest glasses ever made sat down to write it. A beat later, she waved the one in her hand. “But the golden letters on this one… feel more… ancient?” solid professional advice from a wildland firefighter turned makeshift bookstore clerk. “Unless you recognize any of the authors, maybe? Could help you narrow it down”. 

Lil nodded at the thought, glad she’d made a gmail that wasn’t her old email, and instead just her name. Maybe Jude had been right to make her do that after all.  “Sounds good.” 

At the question Lil rubbed the back of her neck, thinking about exactly what she did. “Oh - I work as a cashier at my family's bakery. I - uh also ghost hunt I guess.” Lil wasn’t exactly embarrassed about being an exorcist - and it would go a long way to explain why she needed the books- however it seemed odd to admit to the bookseller. After all, there were plenty of fraudsters, and Lil wasn’t about to prove that she wasn’t. It did occur to her that she could lie, that she could have made up that she was a translator, but Lil had done a lot in her life to not have to lie and she wasn’t going to start now. 

Lil smiled at the other, glad to have made her laugh and looked carefully at the two books. She had to admit she liked the casualness the other had in talking, even at Lil’s strange requests in books. Part of her wanted both of them -they would provide hours of entertainment for her at the very least - but most of her recognized that she shouldn’t do that. After all, she might not be the only person looking for books on ancient sumarian languages - and even if she was she couldn’t justify it. “Huh. I don’t know either author, but - this one looks like one of those professor types would have right? I wonder if that’ll make it easier to understand,” Lil said, picking the brown book, flipping it in her hand and nodding. “I think this one would be good. I appreciate your help. Would you be able to help me check out? I think it’ll be too dangerous for me to look at other sections.”

“Oh”. Nicole blinked slowly, like an idiot. She wasn’t following. Instead of clarifying things, the woman’s answer had invited more questions. How did Sumerian and baking correlated? Was it all a hobby? Or was the interest in the language related to the ghost business? Which— She had recently met another baker who dealt with ghosts. Was that… a requirement? 

More importantly, it was that final tidbit of information that had Nicole’s smile dropping from her face. She felt safer here than when she met the other baker/ghost hunter. At least Leah was around, her smaller counterpart the most dangerous of the two. In case she had to step in. Not that she had to worry about where Leah was… because— nothing was going to happen in the middle of a bookstore. Still, fear grew beneath her sternum. Fear that —she knew now— wasn’t her own, per se. I’m good, she thought, hoping the message would be delivered to the beast within.

Besides, what were the chances of two bakers being actual ghost hunters? One had to be a fraud. “Ghost hunting, huh? pretty interesting… hobby, I’d say” she nodded, eyes flickering to the woman, wondering if she was going to expand on it or drop it. Nicole wanted to know, but she wasn’t dumb enough to push and risk… being exposed. Or worse, kill the friendly dynamic they had going on. If her priorities made sense, that was neither here nor there.

Nicole rubbed her chin, in mock consideration as the woman supplied her own judgment. “I see it, yeah— Harold Hinchliffe, don’t know a more… professor sounding name” her lips curved into a smile. She waved the other book in her hand, the name ‘Kyle’ flashing in gold, despite having lost the battle for this woman’s attention. “See you Kyle, you don’t sound…smart enough” she crouched and placed the book right where it was, before standing up with a firm nod. “Can do that, sure. But you know… there’s nothing wrong with looking around?” she retrieved the book from the woman’s hand, tucking it against her chest. “I’ll talk you out of any impulsive buys, promise. So— besides ancient languages, what books are you into?”

“Yeah kinda weird,” Lil said with a red in her face that wasn’t all that common anymore. Normally she didn’t really care what people thought of her - well that wasn’t exactly true. After years of being odd, it was more so that she just accepted it as she would be moving on soon enough. Right now though, she was stuck here and meant that she should care more about what other people think about her. 

Lil hadn’t really noticed the shift in the other, more focused on the prize that she had in her hands and somewhat hopeful that she might have found a nice bookstore. It was a relaxing place, and it seemed to have books that Lil wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. All in all she’d have to tell Jonas about the good day. At the question Lil shrugged and said, “Ah - it’s not exactly a hobby but I guess I wouldn’t call it a job. Mostly I just help people who have problems with spirits and help spirits move on. Hobby feels more like I go out just to do it I guess, and I don’t.” She figured other people found it more interesting than she did but wanted to be vague enough to not disturb people. “I doubt you’ll have any problems here though - I know that’s a common question people ask.” Lil said with a smile looking at the other now realizing that her face had dropped. “Even here most ghosts are perfectly fine so I wouldn’t worry at all. If you ever see one though, I can help them move on if they are ready. Sorry, it probably sounds pretty spooky.” After all, poltergeists were still rare enough even here that Lil never led with that. She’d much rather Jonas come and talk to them and have something positive happen.  

Lil laughed at the other’s astute observation and waved a little at the book that was put back. Maybe next month she’d be back for it. She also let Nicole take her book easily enough. “I mean I think you’re also right. I really like science fiction, especially about other worlds, so I wouldn’t mind looking there.” 

“Uh huh” Nicole offered, dumbly. Because what else was she supposed to say to someone who admitted hunting ghosts? In the middle of a bookstore? She could almost feel her grandmother grabbing her by the ear and pulling her away from the very thing that could destroy her species. But her grandma wasn’t here (and wasn’t that an awful reminder?) so she could talk to an exorcist, or whatever. She was 28, not 15 anymore. She tapped the spine of the book in her hand, mouth opening and closing a few times before she schooled herself into being a normal person again. She nodded, “ well that’s a… uh, that’s— good that you…do that for spirits. Not spooky, no. When did you— how do you end up becoming…that?” No, Nicole chastised herself internally. She shouldn’t be asking more questions. Poking the metaphorical (figurative? Nicole forgot which was which) beast. Instinctively she pulled the book tighter to her chest. Though, actually, in the guise of a friendly conversation… wouldn’t it be better to know about her enemies? 

Alleged enemies, her family did a number on her. 

“Right, let’s do that” Still reeling from the spirits conversation, Nicole took advantage of the silence as they wandered to the Science fiction shelves to gather her thoughts, vowing to be better and normal (again) once they got there. “Science fiction. Leah’s got a thing going this month about showcasing…uh,” she clenched her jaw, testing the word in her mouth before speaking, “queer writers in general, so— in case that’s of your… interest?” that had to be the weirdest way to ask someone if they were gay. Her brow was furrowed, ashamed of herself as she stepped aside to let the woman roam. “I’ll let you look, there’s no rush” and she meant that, opening the sumerian book in her hands instead of staring at the other woman.

“Do you speak a lot of languages?” she mumbled absently two minutes later, squinting at the scribbles in front of her.

Lil tilted her head a little at how the other seemed - to find her odd now. It wasn’t the first time that people found Lil herself spooky after talking about ghosts. Even with the new ghost hunting shows being more popular - she was still off putting. Still, she hoped the other wasn’t to put off by her. She rather liked talking to her, and it would be sad to find a bookstore with a fun person to not be able to come back here. “I was born seeing ghosts and - I guess trained at it like a job. Sort of something I had to do,” Lil said slightly vaguely. She didn’t mind being an exorcist, but it certainly wasn’t her choice to make. Her dad had made it very clear that she was going to do it. 

Lil nodded, a little more wary now wondering when the other was going to ban her. Usually it happened because a ghost was there - wanting her attention and causing chaos, but she wasn’t sure it wouldn’t happen anyway. Still she tried not to look like she had noticed and walked behind the other to the book shelves carefully - at the question though Lil glanced and couldn’t help but laugh, tapping a pin on her bag of the Lesbian flag. “That’s awesome. I might end up with another book anyway.” 

With that Lil did carefully look at the books, letting Nicole glance over her book as she noticed titles here and there. Maybe it was calmer now, as the other didn’t seem to want to run her out of the bookstore yet. Perhaps she was just a little spooked about ghosts which was natural. At the question, Lil glanced over and said softly, “Yes. I apparently have a knack for them, but only six of them are still spoken. Mostly with the others it's a ‘ I just know how to translate a lot of languages and say phrases and things in them’ kind of thing. I wouldn’t actually be able to hold a conversation with them.” 

 It was something Lil was somewhat proud of. She had always wanted to know as many languages as possible so she could talk to people and calm them down during exorcisms - that and the fact she needed to know some for exorcisms. While most exorcists probably wouldn’t have to diversify that much, Lil often had to use weird rituals because of the supernatural individuals she helped so she learned how to translate them. 

“Ah” So eloquent. Riveting commentary, Nicole scolded herself internally. “It sounds…” lonely, scary? Had she found herself empathizing with this woman? After all, she had been born with this — she shouldn’t, wouldn’t call it a gift (at the risk of sounding like her parents)— burden, much like Nicole was born with an ancient spirit or whatever the fucking legend was. Her eyebrows twitched into the faintest frown, uncertain. “It sounds kinda heavy,” her lips twisted into a frown, and maybe she shouldn’t have been so honest, but in spite the beliefs she was supposed to support, she felt confused. Just unsettled enough to bypass her usual filter. “But uh,” she winced, giving the spine another tap, “well, I— I hope you’re enjoying all… that” she finished with a nod.

Her ears grew hot as the woman signaled her bag, the colors on her pin all too familiar to her now. Yeah, Nicole knew that one pretty well. She let out a nervous laugh, but hoped the tentative smile was enough for the woman not to think she was a bigot or anything. Like that one little troll on the internet. She let her pace around, grab and flip through some copies, all while keeping her promise to leave her be. 

Nicole did look up after she realized a question had left her lips and the woman was replying to her. She really had to stop thinking out loud. “Only six? You’re…” her eyes widened, “that’s—” insane, really, but as much as it sounded like a compliment in her head, this woman might see it differently. “I don’t know how I’d keep my mind straight. I struggle with English and Spanish in my head at all times” she shared, amazement written all over her face. For a third —fourth?— time she wished she would have offered a better service to this clearly brilliant woman. She nodded at her, “so which ones?”

Lil shrugged slightly at the others' observations on her own life. It wasn’t the first time she’d ever heard of exorcists having a heavy life and she doubted that Nicole would be the last one to suggest it. It wasn’t even a wrong observation, Lil wouldn’t have chosen to be an exorcist if she hadn’t been made to be one. However it never really did much good to think about all of that. After all, she wasn’t sure what else she could be. She spent so much time learning to be one, that the idea of learning some other way of life had slowly faded away before she knew it. Her soul was tied to it now, and like a shadow it was going to loom over her. She might as well accept that and make the best of it. So instead she gave her a smile and said, “ It is what it is you know?” 

Lil couldn’t help the small chuckle and the hopefully assured nodding that she wasn’t offended as she went back to the books.With the questioning with her knowing languages Lil blinked a little, realizing that it was probably abnormal. The only thing she had ever grown up liking was learning languages though. She’d begged her dad to let her learn more - uh alive ones. He’d only relented because she had a knack for translating - something that was more important for demonologists at least according to him.

“Ah - I mean, I don’t think I’m as great at them as you might think. You’re probably much more fluent but - I speak English, ASL, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Italian, and French.” Lil knew more than that - but it didn’t seem right to say she was fluent in them. Knowing enough to know death rituals and translate them wasn’t really the same as communicating or understanding. She couldn’t understand Ancient Greek like the people that had spoken it to each other.  “I’d say the only one I don’t have to think anything about is ASL. I’m trying to learn Spanish, but we’ll see how far I can get on that one.” Lil offered a smile and continued, “I should probably check out now, before I end up with Spanish workbooks too.” 

Nicole tilted her head, unsure whether to agree or disagree with the woman’s statement. These days, she was a lot less resistant to the ‘it is what it is’ mentality, in fact she might have said it herself at some point, but still, hearing it come out of someone else hurt her chest. A mix of anger and sadness and a whole lot she couldn’t verbalize. Not while chatting with a customer. Life shouldn’t be like that. “Right,” she chuckled dryly, moving on from a potentially hard discussion. 

She quirked an eyebrow, listening to the other list her many spoken languages. “Don’t think you can say you speak six languages and expect me not to think you’re great” she argued, tapping the back of the book to punctuate her argument. Nicole smiled softly, fixing the woman with a look of admiration. “It’s impressive”. She did notice the lack of Spanish among said languages, but any question she might have had about it died in her tongue when the woman revealed she was trying to learn it.

“Oh, got something better than books” she breathed in, realizing what she had said, and where she had said it. With her girlfriend within earshot. It was nearly blasphemy. “I can help with Spanish” she corrected herself, shooting the back of Leah’s head a look. She was safe. Turning back to the woman, Nicole tried to  ignore every alarm going off in her head as she prepared to double down in her offer. Her ancestors were probably having a fit wherever they were. But century old legends couldn’t dictate what she could or couldn’t do in the present. Fuck them. (Respectfully). “I mean it. I’m sure books will help you with the…uh, vocabulary and stuff. But— they get a lot wrong too. None of that vosotros shit flies in America” she explained, letting out a scoff. 

When the woman was ready to check out, Nicole nodded silently toward the register and motioned for her to follow. “Yeah, c’mon. Will sign you up for that rewards program too… gotta make sure you come back” she smiled, quick and easy (surprising herself in the process) before walking behind the counter to wrap things up. 

[bootycallofcthulhu]

I haven't really engaged with a whole lot of fandom stuff aside from just liking fan art/memes on here and twitter. Anything beyond that is usually just not within my boundaries because this old man still has war flashbacks from superwholock and homestuck (and also danganronpa but thats a whole other can of worms).

But I especially don't really talk comics with people because they're usually just the most gatekeepy motherfuckers and I can't vibe with that. All I can ever think of is the guy in college at best buy, looking for a mythical 3ds port of Undertale that was never announced who immediately ended a conversation and walked away because I thought the GotG movie was mid. I didn't even say I disliked it. I just said it was fine.

For the most part, that hasn't really changed and the introduction of Miles Morales kind of just made it worse (read: racist). Back at A&M, there was a hispanic heritige group in the student union that were having a study session around the time Miles started getting better story arcs (a few years before secret wars for those of you familiar with his comics). I as a mixed hispanic guy was pretty into it, despite Bendis not really having an identity for Miles just yet. This group of dudes called it pandering (which like, yeah could be valid who am i to tell the otherwise but they were also asked by someone if they even read it and they just said nah Mexican spider-man is dumb theres only one) which was about the tamest I ever heard it get because man if you ever go on twitter and say Miles Morales is Spider-Man, you run into some people really desperate to prove theyre not racist by getting really racist.

And to be completely honest, I have never seen that community agree on a damn thing until the current run of Spider-Man when MJ got married to some dude named Paul and stayed with him after their lives turned out to be fake or something idk I'm still catching up, but its one of the funniest things to see from the outside.

But then the previews for Ultimate Spider-Man #1 dropped a few months ago. Great art, an adult, married Peter Parker with a whole new dynamic. I preordered this issue 2 months ago, everyone, reviewer and reader alike loved this take. It was the second time I've ever seen anyone in this space agree on something.

But my local shop forgot to include mine. I was pretty bummed, because I ordered it months ago, didnt show up day 1 and my issue was gone due to a database error. Then the cashier looked at me, said hold on, went back and grabbed one of his own personal issues, readded it to the inventory and sold it to me.

Now, its not uncommon for people to buy one issue to read, one to preserve. He will probably get reimbursed. But he didn't have to. He acfually could have sold it for a tidy profit since its around $60 USD on ebay right now. His only reason was I looked like a fan. And honestly this stupid community needs more people like him.