#for anyone who read the whole thing props to you I understand I unloaded a lot of crazy onto you I'm sorry

[danwhobrowses]

nothing to see here just a crazy shipper guy going crazy over Callowmoore under the bit, if that's not for you then go about your business

So fellow Callowmoores how we feelin' this morning/evening? Because it's evening right now and I'm still bouncing off the walls in my mind

The one post could not keep me contained! No seriously the amount of tags I put in hit a limit and doesn't show them all

I mean yes we didn't get a kiss (yet) but goddamn we got so much, it has possessed me, deranged me, it's leaking outta my brain I gotta talk about it, so either jump out or buckle up because this overflow is gonna be long

First off I just gotta talk about how so many things almost lined up how I imagined them because it just makes it feel like they looked into my head and thought 'hey that's kinda good'. Like, I wanted Fearne to take the shard at Mori's, it was a safer space for her than the Ziggurat which is tainted by bad memories (this and other campaigns), I just didn't expect it so soon, thought they'd at least have a full rest first. In fact I had a whole scene in my mind where in a desperate gambit Delilah took over Laudna while she slept and just knocked on Ashton's door in a form of dread going 'where's the shard Ashton?'. It's key to this I promise not only because I enjoyed the idea of Ashton not taking any of Delilah's shit (plus for you Imodnas out there the mental scene involves Ashton whispering 'Imogen's in danger' to wake her, they also ask where Paté is because they still have that 'Paté is Delilah' theory) but it also expanded on the possible helplessness Ashton would have being unable to assist Fearne with taking the shard

'You're a child, Ashton. A blunt instrument that charges blindly into harm, would you really risk Fearne's life to earn her forgiveness? You know what it can do, what happens when you can't protect her from it?'

Of course, Ashton would never give Delilah the shard, which would frustrate Delilah since she can't manipulate them, but the comment weighs on Ashton a little. Which is when the whole waking Laudna happens and she leaves, but Fearne is in his room (the Vox Machina bathtub scene being inspiration), having asked to sleep there for comfort and asks them if it worries them. Which is where I often got to use this quote

'I don't believe in fate, but I believe in you'

And it sticks with me because it's super romantic, but also on-brand for Ashton, there were variations like the longer 'things only affect our path if we choose to believe they do; fate is complicated, the gods don't give a fuck, and I don't wanna even think about legacy anymore, I don't believe in them, but I believe in you' but then the next morning comes and Ashton gives her the ring, since I forgot about attunement there were instances where it was a sneaky sleight of hand thing, and Fearne completes the process. Of course, with weeks to go on there were a lot more scenarios like Fearne pickpocketing the Ashton doll to practice talking to and putting it back, Ashton seeking Mori for advice, herbal tea visions where Ashton entered their own mind and encounters the empress while on the outside Delilah possesses Laudna to try and drain the power from them, one where the shard having been reshaped through Ashton is less intense on Fearne for the first 4 rounds (since they blew up on the fifth) because Ashton's essence is containing and dissipating the hostile energy, and one where the group secretly vote against Ashton being there for Fearne taking the shard (Imogen, Laudna, and Chetney 3 to 2 against Orym and FCG) but Fearne as the decider pulls them over because she needs them there, stuff like that I'm sure fanfic writers could consume to their heart's content (and are free to, go nuts). But these scenes stood out because it had elements of stuff that are linked to or actually happened in the episode; Fearne does take the shard, Ashton endorses that Fearne is the only one who can take it, Ashton gives her the ring and Shattered Vigor is apparently a thing where Ashton is practically taking Fearne's pain to protect her, that alone is enough to go insane over.

And can we talk about the ring for a moment, because like THE RING. I'm not talking about generically either I mean that this ring has been significant to the shard saga ever since Ashton claimed it. It was found on the corpse of someone infused into stone, into the earth, right between the whole eidolons stuff where Ashton connected with an Earth elemental and then the Grau Dashari stuff with the crystals they merged with their hammer and then the Bor'dor incident, that could've easily been a titan-based punishment. Also, Ring of Volcanic Flesh, like Ashton's stone arm? And if that wasn't enough, what was the first thing Fearne stole from Ashton when they reunited? The ring, the act that broke down Ashton's walls as they let out a most heartfelt 'I missed you, so much' the ring that Fearne stole right off of Ashton's fingers only for them to willingly put in her hand to protect her, because just as they said at the clock tower, everything they have belongs to her. And while legacy and hubris had a part in the shard incident, part of it was also for Fearne. I don't believe there's any situation where if Fearne said she wanted the shard at the clock tower Ashton would've said no; Ashton knows that Fearne was key to the shard dislodging in the lava, they sensed it was in a way key to both of them, but there was no reality where Ashton was gonna force Fearne to take the shard if she didn't want it. And yes it blew up in their face, much like Fearne they saw an image of themselves they didn't want to be, their soul broke with the realisation that they hurt the one person they never wanted to hurt, but thanks to Percy they also realised that they had to change. It wasn't enough to see everyone else having someone at the reunion and internalizing 'if someone has to not come back it's gotta be me' they had to make steps towards being the person the Hells needs them to be, someone who can come back with them.

Which is where last episode started setting it up, and I didn't speak much about it at the time because other than the pretty plain 'I would've rather died than hurt Fearne' insinuation (which in turn was confessed to save Fearne from falling) there was only crumbs that could be interpreted other ways; for instance Birdie's tale with Athion and Olly being somewhat of a parallel to Tevan and Ashton, the formers wooing Birdie and Fearne with temptations of indulgence while the latters drawing their attention by being subjects of intrigue, defiance and kindness, plus they saved the latters (Birdie literally via escaping the prisons and Fearne emotionally and literally), or before the Orym conversation when Ashton takes 'one last look' Taliesin looks towards Ashley last. But I knew there was poetic significance to Ashton failing the communication trial, Marisha sensed the vibe too, but even though Fearne was nervous about guiding Ashton, the fault fell to poor dice rolls (and Liam not keeping shtum and summoning thunderwasps) and once again Ashton in an attempt to prove themselves falls flat on their ass in front of the person they most want to prove it to. And that did break my heart a little I must admit because as poetic as it was who hasn't been there? Ashton's journey of proving themselves has been laden with failure too; being unable to protect anyone from Otohan led to them almost being TPK'd, being unable to keep the group together at the Malleus Key led to the group being scattered, and then Team Trauma's stuff - Orym was despondent and Laudna's a wreck, got a random 'shepherd's boy', a powerful Cobalt Soul teen prodding about the solstice and all of Deni$e here added as mainly combat support, loners but no leaders, Dawnfather angel thinks them insignificant, dark spirits trying to consume their only leads about the Hishari - and the moment Ashton started to trust Bor'dor after the pipe vision what happens? Betrayal, Hunger of the Shadow and Delilah is let back in, Ashton couldn't even keep Laudna safe from herself, they reunite, try to sort out their shit with their past, discover that they might have a destiny to fulfill and end up being too willing to die in place of others, and unable to protect their new family from themselves, because of these recent failures it was important that Ashton proved themselves in the trust trial.

And thankfully they did, there was no way to prove that anyone was a Doppelganger and yet, Ashton still trusted Fearne; twice saving her from the flora even when told to leave her behind. And they were close to another failure when the branch was snatched - after their attempts to keep it safe by throwing it in the pool alone - but they trusted Chet and Orym (father/son duo) to cover more ground while they helped Fearne. And even when FCG told Ashton 'I think it's Fearne', and when Imogen was untrusting of Fearne, Ashton abandoned their held action to save FCG from the brambles because they knew Fearne could be trusted. They trusted Imogen to connect to Ruidus and as mentioned endorsed Fearne to take the shard.

And sure, in my mental scenarios Ashton gives her the shard, doing the same she did for them, but I did say almost like how I imagined. And Ashton still did everything they could, plus Imogen comforted their visible worry, but once it's complete they're just in awe, and then their own spark awakens through her touch, a touch they were unafraid of even at the threat of newfound fire, and now for the first time ever they feel whole. She saved them, and now they finally feel complete, and now this time Fearne is agape, Fearne is in awe, and everything she had hoped Ashton would gain from taking the shard before has come to fruition through her, and it's just, joy, pure incorruptible joy, a kindred connection that belongs to just them. Plus a big piece of paper for all the new powers they are excited to learn about from each other, with each other, and while Matt can talk about there being risks to them because you gotta balance the combat the narrative significance is still there.

But dammit they need to kiss, I've yelled it enough times in my head; like the lava, the clock tower, before and after Fearne took the shard, the only times they did kiss was before the solstice (the forehead kiss) and the ziggurat and both preceded bad times, they deserve a proper one, not one at risk of being a goodbye, something precious, irreplaceable and theirs to have, to share. And I don't know if they should use the patented 'can I kiss you?' or take a tip from BeauYasha and use 'I wanna kiss you so bad right now' or find something else to make their own but I desire it so much, had it happened this ep I probably would've melted out of my seat. They're awkward and nervous but they gotta take the leap, Ashton needs to realise they're loved and maybe even be told that they deserve it even when they feel they don't, and Fearne has to take a risk too, the shard put doubt to her decisions but that doesn't mean she can run from her strong emotions. It doesn't fix everything of course, but sometimes people heal better together than apart. As a currently vorbed half-elf once said 'drink the courage first'.

Curiosity continues to send me after the ep, and while some people are attempting to blemish or rain on the parade (I mean, I try not to speak ill of other ships in general, but if you're gonna be negative about it you can at least do it in your lane, your tags not ours) I am still just riding the high of the possibilities. True, the unknown can make me nervous, and I will admit the group has to give Ashton and Fearne space (they're just excited, and with the bloody bridge hinting to be a final moon-based battle there is that sense of urgency) Imodna had nudges sure but they have been a bit heavy-handed and kinda chaperoned around them, Fearne and Ashton seldom get time alone, one can hope they can get that time with each other next episode.

[sugarfreecapsicle]

old magic

A/N: well it is spooky time, my dudes. although this isn’t all that scary, it’s a little rattling. written for and with lots of support from @moonstruckbucky and her Halloween writing challenge!  As always, huge props to @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan​ for beta-reading and for this gorgeous moodboard!

prince!bucky x reader

warnings: implied sex, manipulation, poor witchery, kinda angsty?

DISCLAIMER: this is in no way a reflection of anyone who identifies, practices or otherwise affiliates with witchcraft. I bastardized some basics and ran with it. Please don’t come for me and correct my poor development of a fake magic system.

Owls, crickets, toads all sing their lullabies, croon their desire in the unseasonal warmth. Even the fish are unsettled, splashing about in the pond on the horizon of your window. Protective warding candles flicker with the larger flame in your hearth - a warning.

Trouble will come knocking on your door.

With a sigh, you open your eyes and absently gaze over your small cup of tea. Steam curls through your vision and blurs the orange light through your small hut. Trouble indeed.

The fire at your hearth crackles hungrily, so you feed it a handful of brittle twigs. If guests should come, preparations should be made.

In the midst of your hot bath, a team of five knights barge through your front door - those wards would need recharging, you note - and clear your long dining table to unload a limp body. All men except one gape at your nonchalance. Steam akin to that of your tea floats upward from the large tub, hot water decorated with herbs and petals of varying shape and color warping your naked form beneath the surface.

“Witch.” The title seethes through his pink lips, but your smirk and nod. 

“Well met, Captain.”

“Fix him.”

“He’s the only one of you with any decency,” your words are laced with mischief. “Shield your eyes, men! Save your precious innocence before your eyes burst aflame at the sight of a bare witch!”

Your cackles fill the room, chiming echoes sparking off the walls as you dare to stand at attention from the pool of water. All but the captain turn away - his blue eyes glare murderous at you. A wink over your shoulder before pulling a long, black robe from its nearby perch brings a sneer over the leader’s face.

“By order of the king-”

“Yes, yes,” you interrupt loudly with an exasperated roll of your eyes, your voice lowered to mock that of the looming man. “Perform your rightful duties as a registered hag and fulfill as the royal guard wishes.” 

Your bare feet tap across the floor, wet prints left behind intentionally - each dissipates quickly into the air. “Tell me, Steven - how many other witches have you brought to their knees with such a command?”

His right shoulder twitches, but his hand never raises. Your eyebrow quirks up and you nod - how unbecoming of the Captain of the Royal Guard to be accused of lewd behavior in the name of the King. He’d passed your teasing - the icy tingle of a ward at work had not pulled at the back of your neck. The captain willed himself not to strike you. Commendable.

“Fix him,” the Captain grits out, pointing at the pallid body on your table. An inhale on approach allows his spirit to feel welcomed in your home - any chaos or anger in the room would only hinder your work - and you smell chamomile. 

Of all the foolish things you’d imagined could happen, resurrecting a martyred prince hadn’t crossed your mind. Your eyes roam over him, assessing. Deep laceration framed by a dark brown bloodstain at his abdomen. Left arm at the shoulder dangling by red, thin threads. Muck and debris spattered over what shreds remained of his tunic and trousers. Even his face, sculpted in beauty, bore minor wounds in comparison to your initial findings. 

“Captain, I’m no miracle worker,” you purr. “I’m a witch.”

“I know damn well what you are,” the Captain rushes you and all but pins you against your worktable, looming as a cloud in the sky. “And I know what you’re capable of.”

He can’t disguise the fear, the love, in his eyes. None of it belonging or intended for you - for you, there’s rage and desperation pouring from the sea blue. 

“Is this a price you wish to pay?” Your gentle words do nothing to deter his tears that brim and tumble onto his dirty cheeks. “There is a price for all magicks - not all can be purchased with gold and crystals.”

His jaw sets, his body retreats enough to give your feet purchase on the ground. 

“Do what you must.”

Sweat beads on your brow, your skin flushes with salty dew as you murmur and call and command, breath swelling in your chest, tingling sparks ignite beneath your skin - 

And there’s a clatter of iron by your fire. Shaking hands slam onto your table.

“I need space to continue my work.” Your eyes dart from each knight to their captain who leers.

“Shall we move him-”

“Absolutely not!” The slender knight recoils into the corner at your bark. Your tired eyes wander to the captain. “I need your men outside. I cannot be interrupted.”

“You cannot be trusted,” he spits, arms crossed over his plate armor.

“Trusted enough to bring your prince back from the dead, no?” 

Unhappily convinced, he ushers his men outside and gives them orders to stand guard until your work is complete or he commands otherwise. The wooden door creaks and whines as he slams it shut against the stonework threshold. Steven perches his hips against one of your many storage cabinets, his arms folded neatly once again, and you return to your work.

This magic drains. Your focus is split between replenishing your own reservoir of power and awakening the silent body of the prince. Divided attention rarely served any witch, least of all one interrupted while in ritual to prepare herself for the impending trouble. Knees bent against the rotting wood, your body shielding his as your hands spread your spell like paint. 

Hours later, you need rest. The Captain demands an explanation before he allows you to sit in your favorite chair. With exhaustion in your voice, you give him the simplest explanation available - the prince is stable, but your powers are not. Without your full attention, he could still die, or worse, lose his soul somewhere between the ethereal plane and the tangible one.

You fall into your seat with a melting sigh of relief. From your position you survey the progress: his skin still lacks color, though your poultices and wards appear to hold fast to your will. The missing left arm troubles you, though your faith in a solution after more work warm your soul.

“His left arm cannot be revived, but the rest of his body...perhaps. I need rest to replenish what I’ve lost. An hour at most.”

“And in that hour-”

“Yes, your prince is safe. When I am ready, I will continue.” 

Beginning the ritual from your seat, your eyes close gratefully. For a quarter of an hour you will meditate and ask for guidance. Then, you will submerge yourself naked into the pond to recharge your spirit until full once again.

The hour drags for the captain. Understanding a witch proves impossible - these otherworldly machinations serve nothing in battle. No witch would even consider aiding the armies of the King - though he strictly commanded none of them should die for their obstruction. 

After all, he’d said, they’ll just come back to life and kill me for ordering their death.

He shivers, a hand calming his chest. Steven had promised his life for James’ - and he failed. He failed his prince, his king, his country. And the failure stares at a rippling pond where a witch likely drowns herself as he broods.

A bubble floats on the surface then quickly bursts. Then another. And a cluster. 

And the moment Steven moves to stand, your head down to your eyes emerges from the water. Your movements are slow, deliberate, intentional. The pond water glistens in the moonlight, translucent pearls over smooth curves. He gulps down a knot of lust in his throat on your approach.

Cold and soaked, you grin devilishly up at him through dripping lashes. “Bring me his armor. I may fashion an arm for him yet.”

The work isn’t easier, but with your renewed strength comes potency. No blacksmith could match the functional metal arm fashioned in hellfire, a marbling of dark gunmetal and gold that pairs in shape with his left. The weight of it couldn’t be helped even by magic.

Finally, almost at sunrise, you can complete your ritual. The captain watches intently, breath hitching with every change in the air, puff of smoke, flicker of candlelight. These spells are extremely delicate, and with good reason - witches who meddle in life and death often end up mangled beyond repair.

His first inhale, chest lifting with a dragged gasp, rattles like a child’s toy with an exhale as rough. His captain eyes you, worried and questioning.

You nod shortly and repeat your charm - another inhale and exhale but smooth. The third repetition eases the tension in the room when he breathes as if in a deep sleep.

“Give him a day,” you sigh, wiping sweat from your brow. “It’s difficult readjusting to this material plane after death.”

The men make camp outside your front door, but never bother you for food or wares. Not that you’d have heard anything - you’d managed to sleep the better part of the day away. A mid-afternoon tea appeals to your weary mind, and as you’re brewing, the body on the table rustles.

You turn, smirking, and wait for his eyes to flutter awake at last.

Blue as the sea on a cloudless day, lashes dark and thick as pitch. No wonder maidens far and near begged you for love potions with him as their target.  

How unfortunate that they didn’t have your skill.

A small enchantment in his arm sealed his fate in more ways than one.

“Well met, brave prince.”

Of course his men swarm him with excited congratulations and greetings, eager to have their beloved prince back from the dead. Steven takes his time to communicate the new arm and new life as clearly as possible - even including your contribution to the whole endeavor. 

Pupils dilate when the prince kisses your hand in a low bow.

“May I deliver my payment to you in person?” His voice is deliciously low, hungry, raw.

“Whatever pleases His Majesty,” you answer, meeting his eyes in a promise. The troupe clambers out after a short protection spell you’d offered freely. 

In a week - that’s all it’ll take for the prince to appear before you again, in the dead of night, pupils blown out. 

“Madam, I don’t know what you’ve done to me, but you’re all I think about. I can’t bed my wife, I can’t hold court, I can’t travel without passing by and the urge to stay-“

You’re laughing behind a delicate hand. “Your Royal enchantress should be ashamed, your majesty. What witch cannot detect a love spell?”

The prince’s face twists in confusion. “You...you’ve bewitched me?”

Again, grinning, you recite the simple incantation: 

Though a beauty your bride may be

Your heart and soul now belong to me

The prince swallows, can’t stop himself from drinking in your body from toes to head. So full of desire, so wanting, needy, desperate for touch. “You’ve ruined me.”

“I feel I’ve made quite a vast improvement, in fact,” you giggle. “Aren’t I a better vision than your betrothed?”

You let your robe slip from your shoulders and pool at your feet just as the door to your home slams shut behind a wanton man.

[plumoh]

all pain, all smiles, became a magnificent tale (1)

Word count: 5580

Summary: Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are both too aware of their feelings, but it is never the right time. / CQL 'verse

Note: AO3 link. Canon compliant, retelling of CQL with huge pining from the start. Elements like controlling corpses will be taken from the novel/donghua but the timeline and characterization are all CQL.

01.

The rumors and stories about the Twin Jades being as beautiful as the moon and as graceful as the wind didn't lie. The concept of beauty is one that Wei Wuxian understands on all levels—if something is pretty, then why not appreciate it and say it out loud? Compliments also have the benefit of making people happy.

Most people, anyway.

“Second Master Lan, you're really incredible!” he laughs. “Handsome and skilled? So many girls would swoon if they had a glimpse of such an amazing sight.”

Lan Wangji's grip on his sword tightens and his gaze seems to convey all the contempt towards Wei Wuxian that is currently boiling in his blood, and it doesn't stray away from the jar of Emperor's Smile that Wei Wuxian is protectively keeping against his side. It's almost comical, to see two people standing on a rooftop well after curfew, in such a strict and rule-abiding place like the Cloud Recesses; Wei Wuxian just set foot inside today and he already feels it will be a long year.

He props up his leg and carelessly uncaps the jar, sporting an amused smile.

“But once they realize how cold and inflexible you are, they'd run away!”

He takes a long sip of the alcohol, suddenly feeling extremely entertained by Lan Wangji's quiet outrage. It's kind of impressive Lan Wangji can say so much with his eyes alone—never mind silencing people with a spell, his gaze does the job perfectly. Wei Wuxian has seen different shapes of eyes in the past, but even if Lan Wangji's are small, there is an intensity in those clear and gorgeous eyes that makes him unable to look away. He could give orders or convey an entire message with one look.

Wei Wuxian tilts his head, playing with his jar of alcohol and jostling its content. “That's right, you're unreasonable and rigid, but it doesn't matter. Once I return to Yunmeng—mhh?!”

As Wei Wuxian chases after him to cancel the spell, he believes that Lan Wangji really needs to do something about his awful personality.

02.

Jiang Cheng tells him that he's ridiculous and stupid for wanting to catch Lan Wangji's attention whenever he sees him, but in all honesty, if Lan Wangji truly hated him, would he still respond to his calls?

“Ji-xiong!”

Wei Wuxian enthusiastically waves his hands, never missing the way Lan Wangji's face closes at his sight, like an invisible spirit forcefully makes him narrow his eyes and exude an untouchable aura. It's kind of cool, actually.

“Do you want to get punished or what?” Jiang Cheng hisses, pinching his side, while Nie Huaisang attempts to conceal his entire body behind his fan.

Wei Wuxian keeps smiling and waving, until Lan Wangji turns on his heels and ignores him, once again. The white robes are fluttering in the wind and his silhouette is as graceful as always, although his steps seem to be a bit stiffer. Must have been slightly more irritated than usual.

It's really, really fun.

03.

He wouldn't say there is a spark, or an explosion of stars, but he does feel something pleasant settling in his stomach when Suibian clashes with Bichen as he carefully moves on the cliff. He didn't realize who he was fighting at the beginning, but once he took in the immaculate robes and the impassive face his lips curl upwards in a mischievous grin.

“Ji-xiong, that's you! Wow, you really are skilled.”

He quickly unsheathes Suibian, gaze still trained on Lan Wangji's that stares down at him like he said the most absurd thing in existence. He's used to it, now, so it doesn't dampen his mood, it even lifts his spirits a little bit (it's always a delight to see the Second Jade, despite his ignoring). Wei Wuxian takes his time to admire the fine and delicate traits on Lan Wangji's face, which he probably will never tire of; he thinks about the stories and the female disciples gossiping, and he chuckles at the thought he's possibly the only one who gets to see him so up close. The waterfall and the green of the trees frame this face gently, making him look like a painting.

“I'm telling you a secret,” Wei Wuxian whispers, taking careful steps towards the other man. “I'm not the only one who wanders in the back of the Cloud Recesses, do you think it has anything to do with the spiritual consciousness stealing—hey!”

For someone so proper Lan Wangji doesn't hold back as he grabs Wei Wuxian's wrist and drags him all the way to the Library Pavilion, deaf to his burden's whines and complains that can be heard all over the Cloud Recesses.

Spending so much time in his company would have killed anyone of boredom, but Wei Wuxian managed to distract himself from his punishment by staring at Lan Wangji. In-between two lines of copying he looks up and stares at his companion, who sits still like a statue, diligently learning from books he's probably already read. Wei Wuxian ends up doodling rabbits, jars of alcohol and clouds in the corners of his papers, then decides it would be a waste not to exploit the infinite source of inspiration standing right in front of him.

Lan Wangji doesn't react at the portrait of himself.

“Come on, you must have something to say except for ‘boring’ and ‘pathetic’. Lan Wangji? Ji-xiong? Wangji-xiong?” And then, overtaken by sudden bravery, “Lan Zhan!”

Hearing his birth name shouted so casually draws a whole new expression on his face that Wei Wuxian can't decipher. He frowns.

“You didn't answer when I called you Wangji, so I called you Lan Zhan. You can call me Wei Ying if you want.”

He offers him his biggest grin for good measure, gleefully basking in the Second Jade's disbelief at such boldness.

Thinking back, he was already spending too much energy and time to commit to memory someone that was only supposed to be entertainment.

04.

“Lan Zhan, give me back my alcohol!”

So maybe he shouldn't prance around and being noisy with a jar of alcohol in hands, which break three of Gusu Lan's rules, but they're not in the Cloud Recesses and he is only trying to help a case during a nighthunt. What's wrong with speculating and attempting to dig up clues in the wildest theories? Discoveries are made because people are curious; Wei Wuxian would be very much surprised if none of his ideas turns out to be right. And in any case, Lan Zhan had no right to dump his alcohol!

He chases after him, ignoring Jiang Cheng's yells, and grabs Lan Zhan's shoulder. There are many cultivators trailing behind them, but Lan Zhan doesn't seem to care since he stops dead in his tracks and turns his head without uttering a word, like a warning. Wei Wuxian presses his lips together and slowly releases his shoulder, the loss of contact freezing his body with disappointment.

“Lan Zhan, why are you looking at me like this? You look more mad than me, and you dumped my alcohol. I should be the one feeling wronged.”

“I dislike physical contact,” Lan Zhan states firmly. “Stop fooling around. We are on a nighthunt.”

“Yes, yes, Second Master Lan, so professional...”

Lan Zhan sends him one last glare before walking away, and Wei Wuxian is left staring at his back, wondering why talking to Lan Zhan feels as frustrating as exciting. A voice sounding suspiciously like Jiang Cheng tells him that he's stupid.

“You're stupid or what? Stop bothering him.” Jiang Cheng snorts next to him, and Wei Wuxian groans.

“I wasn't even doing anything!”

Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes and urges him to follow the Twin Jades.

05.

When Lan Zhan lands on his boat, he expects a reprimand, but he simply gets an inquisitive look, albeit mildly annoyed.

“I didn't splash you on purpose, those ghouls are smart so I had to find something not to alert them. Are you recognizing I'm not completely useless?” Wei Wuxian asks with a smirk, delighted by Lan Zhan's lack of criticism.

Confident and reinvigorated after showing he's at least half serious about this case, Wei Wuxian takes a few steps forward and peers at Lan Zhan's face, smiling at his reddened ears and his inability to look him in the eyes.

“Stay away,” Lan Zhan snaps, gaze fixed on the water.

Wei Wuxian pouts but complies, seeing that he won't get much entertainment if Lan Zhan is focused on fulfilling this mission, especially with the other cultivators and their brothers around.

They take care of the waterborne abyss easily enough, if Wei Wuxian doesn't take into account their almost death. He would have much preferred being grabbed by the arm instead of his collar, but that's asking too much from someone who stated only minutes ago that touching people is absolutely out of the question.

“We're already so close, touching even my arm wouldn't be too bad, right?”

“We are not close.”

These words, more than anything, drive a knife into Wei Wuxian's guts. Lan Zhan's tone hasn't shifted from his usual monotone one, but his clipped words and adamant refusal to so much as look at Wei Wuxian, even as they're speaking, unload a new uncertainty in his mind.

On the way back to the Cloud Recesses, after offering loquats and failing at making Lan Zhan look at him again, he comes to the realization that when he does get Lan Zhan's attention, it brings him immense joy.

06.

“Lan Zhan, your forehead ribbon is crooked.”

Wei Wuxian's thoughts flicker for the briefest moment, imagining Lan Zhan's wife tying the ribbon around his head every morning, as ridiculous as it is. That rule of Gusu Lan sect is among the most bemusing ones, dictating a way of living that seems pretty extreme. Can a simple piece of cloth be that important to someone? Wei Wuxian discards the knowledge altogether (like most of the other rules he's copied) when the conversation turns to the topic of family. In that instant, he feels there is a special understanding that passes between them; there is a longing and sadness that Wei Wuxian has long tucked in a corner of his mind, far away from the thoughts that make him go through the day as seamlessly as possible.

Wei Wuxian has the fleeting suspicion that maybe, Lan Zhan doesn't like showing his emotions because there are too many of them inside his heart. It took a few weeks and a cup of alcohol to start unearthing the mystery that is the Second Jade, who looks as vulnerable as anyone else in his current drunkenness. His carved beauty remains, but he looks less unattainable. Wei Wuxian smiles, a sudden warmth spreading in his body as he lifts his jar of Emperor's Smile.

“A toast to us, who found companionship in unexpected misfortune. Let's drink while we still can, alright?”

He downs the jar in one go, knowing full well they won't share another drink together.

07.

Wei Wuxian's respect for Lan Zhan shoots up when he realizes he's taking the punishment without the slightest twitch, but it also confirms that he is a madman.

“Who willingly gets punished like that?”

Lan Zhan barely acknowledges his presence, focused on the rulers that beat and cut into his back. It's surprising Wei Wuxian doesn't forget his own pain while staring at Lan Zhan's impassive face that is almost a model to follow.

“The Cold Spring will relieve your pain,” Zewu-jun says when he meets him, a soft but knowing smile on his face.

Wei Wuxian has no idea why Zewu-jun is showing so much kindness towards him, but he won't refuse help. Even if Shijie tells him to take it easy, he runs as fast as he can despite of the stinging to the Cold Spring. He absolutely doesn't expect the person already inside the water, back turned to him with his hair spread at the surface. Wei Wuxian pushes down the astonishment and the onslaught of eagerness that pools in his stomach, blinking once then twice before leaning against a bamboo tree and grinning.

“Lan Zhan, were you going to keep this place all to yourself?”

Lan Zhan doesn't startle, but it's a near thing as he hastily pulls on his robes, unconcerned about making them wet, then glares at Wei Wuxian.

“Do not come closer,” he hisses.

The events in Caiyi city with their hurting words are all but forgotten, even if the similar situation plants a seed of doubt for a second before going away. However, Lan Zhan should know by now that Wei Wuxian doesn't follow orders, and finds pleasure in doing the opposite of what he's told—and even more so when it involves Lan Zhan.

“Come on, I told you we're already so close, why are you so distant?”

Wei Wuxian proceeds to take off his boots and gets into the spring, shivering at its low temperature, and makes his way towards Lan Zhan. He never stops grinning, feeling he shouldn’t think too much about the situation, and his amusement increases tenfold as he notices the tips of Lan Zhan's ears reddening (it's quite an occurrence, certainly because he's unused to physical proximity, and that's kind of adorable).

“Admittedly you're harsh and sometimes boring, but we've sparred and we're evenly matched, so I honestly think we can become friends!” Wei Wuxian extends Suibian, remembering that Lan Zhan dislikes touching people. “I mean, that's the first step of any relationship, right?”

There is something incredibly wild in Lan Zhan's gaze when he looks at him, like he's trying to discover what sort of nonsense is hiding behind his words. It's not the disdain and wariness that usually underlie his unspoken words, it's more disbelieving and, if Wei Wuxian reads it right, with a tinge of fear. He blinks, then tilts his head.

“I know you don't really like me, but becoming my friend can't be that bad? Lan Zhan, you're hurting my feelings!”

He lowers Suibian and crosses his arms over his chest, wondering. Lan Zhan is clearly lost in thoughts if he isn't reacting to his teasing, which shouldn't be as concerning as Wei Wuxian feels it is.

“Look, if you become my friend...I will pick lotus seeds for you when you come to Yunmeng!” He gets closer to Lan Zhan, who surprisingly doesn't step away and simply eyes him with his unchanging attentive gaze. “Yunmeng is fun, we have a lot of food, and rivers to cross. Come visit!”

“I will not go,” Lan Zhan finally replies.

Wei Wuxian sucks in a breath. “Fine, killjoy. I'll eat lotus seeds on a boat all by my lonesome.”

He tries not to think too much about this rejection since he should have anticipated the cold answer, but it still stings. He's just trying to be nice. He huffs, and deciding that he should as well enjoy the spring, he starts fiddling with his robes to shrug them off. This mere action calls for Lan Zhan's fastest reaction so far, eyes wide.

“What are you doing?!”

“Taking off my clothes to heal, obviously.” Wei Wuxian smiles, laughing at Lan Zhan's scandalized face. “What, is undressing in front of other people forbidden too?”

Perhaps he's said the wrong thing again, because Lan Zhan seems determined to leave the spring, and Wei Wuxian backtracks immediately.

“Wait, wait, don't leave! I'm keeping my clothes on, okay?”

Lan Zhan stands a few feet away from him, and if he wasn't so stiff and upright, Wei Wuxian wouldn't have noticed the way his fists are trembling, clasped behind his back. Is he really that upset about the situation?

Wei Wuxian doesn't have the time to ponder on the question as a burst of a strange energy hits him. He surveys his surroundings, eyes narrowed; something is clearly off but he can't pinpoint its origin.

“Lan Zhan, there's something strange here.”

As soon as the words leave his mouth, he gets dragged underwater.

08.

Whoever invented such a complex and ingenious spell that recognizes specific people based on an item is admirable but also extremely bothersome in their current predicament.

Swallowing water and spending the next minutes sputtering isn’t fun, dodging the attacks of an ancient guqin is even less so. Wei Wuxian is ready to do anything to get out of this cave alive and unscattered, but when he yells for Lan Zhan’s forehead ribbon, he truly didn’t expect Lan Zhan to comply to his order without a word.

It’s absolutely astounding. He stares at the ribbon that’s binding them together like it’s a foreign object, then lifts his gaze to meet Lan Zhan’s. Wei Wuxian has an inkling of what makes his heart so light yet so heavy, having Lan Zhan willingly stand so close to him when he vehemently objected to it earlier. It’s maddening to keep these feelings at bay, letting them take a form of their own without the means to control or even understand them.

He did not mean to stare, but Lan Zhan quickly averts his eyes and tugs him forward. Wei Wuxian follows silently, the lull of the water the only sound his ears are registering. It feels inexplicably intimate to simply have a strip of cloth tying their wrists together, considering how attached the Lan family is to the ribbon. He doesn’t dare saying anything for fear of breaking whatever spell they’re currently under.

Instead, he takes a deep breath and lets his actions speak for himself, as usual. He gets scolded for wanting to approach the sacred guqin, is glared at for misbehaving, and suddenly he’s breathing easier, gradually forgetting what he was so agitated about in the first place.

The oath they pledge to stop evil from spreading makes his core vibrate with anticipation and his heart sing.

08.5.

His entire body is set aflame when there is contact of skin against skin, his face mere centimeters away from Lan Zhan’s, and he tries to contain his shock and bubbling panic by laughing, even if it sounds awkward to his ears.

“You can’t say we’re not close, after that.”

“Get off me.”

The arrival of Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing, staring at them in disbelief, also prompts Wei Wuxian to scramble up with energy before he further digs his own grave. He quickly unties the ribbon, not paying attention to the stillness of Lan Zhan’s hand or the way everyone is looking at him. It’s a miracle he can string two sentences together to explain what happened with his heartbeat thundering and the distinct sensation of Lan Zhan boring holes in his neck, but when he looks at his face, somehow he finds less anger than expected. In the crease of Lan Zhan’s eyebrows and his lips pressed downward, he finds instead an uneasiness that is almost painful to look at; and in these clear eyes, Wei Wuxian doesn’t let himself see hope.

09.

“It seems that the events in Caiyi and the spiritual consciousness stealing are related after all, Wangji.”

It’s becoming harder to hide his excitement whenever Lan Zhan says or does something surprising, and in this case, Wei Wuxian thinks it deserves a proper reaction.

“You told Zewu-jun about my theories? You really are my confidant, huh?”

From the corner of his eye he notices Lan Xichen smiling at his comment, and he could have chosen to pretend he didn’t, but it’s such a rare opportunity to shamelessly tease Lan Zhan for something that’s not out of Wei Wuxian’s imagination. It fills him with so much joy and satisfaction to know he has at least his trust.

“I’m sure we can solve great mysteries together,” he offers pleasantly. “You don’t even need to talk, we understand each other already pretty well! And we seem to both value righteousness a lot, considering what we said to Ancestor Lan Yi. Aren’t we a perfect match?”

He nudges Lan Zhan in the side with his elbow, grinning from ear to ear. Nothing he said is false, which is all the more exhilarating. He might be cheesy, but he sincerely thinks there is a connection he can form with that boy that doesn’t speak more than four words to him but still puts up with his antics and listens to what he says, however relevant or stupid the topic is. Calling him a confidant is well-deserved and shows just how much effort Wei Wuxian is willing to put in this bond—it’s well-deserved but it feels more than that.

“Do not be ridiculous,” Lan Zhan mutters, turning his head his way but not meeting his eyes. “This Yin iron issue is not to be trivialized.”

“I’m not trivializing it! I mean it, we’d work well together, and our cultivation level is similar. You should be honored to be offered this chance to work with the great Wei Wuxian!”

Wei Wuxian hits his chest once with the hand holding Suibian, an easy smile accompanying his words that are immediately met with the usual unimpressed stare. Given the lack of rebuttal, in the Second Jade’s language, it’s a positive response.

“Focus,” he simply says.

Wei Wuxian’s heart soars.

09.5.

“A-Xian, you are good friends with the Second Master Lan.”

Wei Wuxian coughs. “Do you think so? It’s not like he often talks to me.”

Jiang Yanli’s smile could make flowers bloom with how gentle it is. “That’s true, but the two of you seem to understand each other better than most. It has only been a few months and you know him very well, it’s rare for people to be so close in a short time.” She squeezes his arm, still as soothing as always. “Treasure this kind of encounters and relationships.”

Wei Wuxian has no idea how to react to his shijie’s words, but they lift his spirits considerably.

10.

“Is this some kind of tradition?”

“I guess so, the other Lan disciples were saying it helps us keeping our mind stable. You’re making a promise to yourself or something.”

“So it’s just a simple wish, then?”

Jiang Cheng shrugs, not that much interested in the specifics of the release of the lantern, and Wei Wuxian isn’t surprised; being the Jiang sect heir has drilled him into thinking ahead long ago, and to always pursue the goals he’s set for himself. Securing the future and protecting the sect—that’s what he ought to do, and what he wishes for, with no need to verbalize it.

Wei Wuxian wishes for something else. There is no doubt he wishes for the prosperity of the sect that took him in, but there is another wish that lies under it, stronger but quieter. He hums to himself as they climb the hill where they are to gather, his lips curled upwards as giddiness fuels every one of his step.

As soon as he has all the materials needed in hand, he leaves Jiang Cheng’s side and drops everything next to Lan Zhan’s. He gets comfortable and starts working on his lantern, ignoring the way his companion is looking at him with most certainly confusion, even if it doesn’t show on his face.

“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, do you often make lanterns like this? With Jiang Cheng and Shijie we like to make them during festivals, and we let the disciples decide which one between mine and Jiang Cheng’s is the best. Guess who always wins!”

He doesn’t actually expect a reply to his question, he’s only filling the silence like he always does whenever he’s with Lan Zhan. His presence makes him warm and more eager to share whatever thought is crossing his mind, as if filters don’t exist and he’s free to rveal every aspect of his personality. He can literally hear Jiang Cheng’s disapproval.

Wei Wuxian is happy, when he is with Lan Zhan.

The Second Jade ever so slightly glances his way, hands poised on his own lantern tracing delicate characters. His shoulders aren’t tense and he seems content, like he’s really enjoying his time despite the noise surrounding them.

“I would not know,” he says plainly.

“That was a rhetorical question, of course I’m the best!” Wei Wuxian laughs, and finally lifts his head to look at Lan Zhan’s face.

His heart skips a beat when he finds clear eyes directly looking at his. But the moment vanishes as if it didn’t occur and Lan Zhan resumes his writing, a flush spreading over his cheeks and ears, which is completely unexpected and Wei Wuxian feels his own face heat up at this sight. The implication behind what just transpired would have gone unnoticed to his admittedly blind eyes were it not for the fact he’s already entertained some ideas of his own feelings for a while, now.

It’s scary, to think about the what-ifs and the would-bes, though he feels there is a right time for everything. There always is.

With renewed vigor and satisfaction, he keeps painting his lantern, every one of his strokes assured and precise, aiming at pleasing.

“Look Lan Zhan, I drew rabbits for you.”

Lan Zhan has been steadily more willing to look at whatever Wei Wuxian is pointing at without being coerced into it (he has been observing). And it’s only because Wei Wuxian is on the lookout for any changes that he catches the shift of his expressions so easily.

“You smiled!” he exclaims gleefully, leaning forward to get a good look at this smile.

Lan Zhan’s expression immediately schools back into one of indifference, although his eyes are still telling another story.

“Ridiculous.”

Wei Wuxian grins. “Don’t be like that, I know you like it!” And with a burst of adrenaline and impulsiveness, he says: “Since we risked our lives together, let’s release the lantern together.”

Oh, he knows what people are saying; they’re impatiently waiting for Shijie and Jin Zixuan to release their lantern as a sign of love, the gesture seen as one of the most romantic to exist. Wei Wuxian doesn’t care about the peacock and the so-called romanticism, but he does admit that touching the lantern and letting it fly up, with someone, renders their wish more concrete, more valued; a silent witness to this private moment.

To say that Lan Zhan is shocked would be an understatement, and it would have been amusing if the situation was a bit less intimate.

“Never mind, I was joking,” Wei Wuxian backtracks, averting his eyes.

“No. I will do it.”

Lan Zhan reaches for the lantern, careful not to wrinkle it, and when their eyes meet Wei Wuxian thinks he’s found a whole new purpose in life. There is unparalleled determination and fervor, naked and genuine, unable to deceive whoever getting a glimpse of them. It’s beautiful.

The curve of his lips is gentle. “Okay.”

The world is reduced to the two of them, working on the lantern without a word. Wei Wuxian sometimes glances in Lan Zhan’s direction and is delighted to see how at ease he seems in his company; there is tranquillity that calms his mind and brings him comfort. Wei Wuxian can’t afford to voice his thoughts about the warmth and the elation that pool in his stomach, but he can still accept them and decide what to do later, when the right time comes.

He misses every look Lan Zhan casts him.

Wei Wuxian lights the fire, fingers firmly grasping the edge of the lantern. Their hands aren’t touching but Wei Wuxian feels his fingertips ever so slightly get warmer as they wait for everyone to get ready. He shows none of his turmoil as he brightly smiles at Lan Zhan, who oddly contemplates their work, something akin to satisfaction written on his face.

“Looks like we can really accomplish something when we do it together, doesn’t it?”

Lan Zhan looks up, gaze fixed on Wei Wuxian, but doesn’t answer. There is no small nod or word of acknowledgment, but the way he gets a better grip on the lantern is enough for Wei Wuxian.

They release it in the sky. A white dot joining many others, soon to be lost in the vast and infinite blue. Wei Wuxian’s gaze follows the lantern drifting away; he has been part of many events and has produced many lanterns, but this one irrevocably stirs something deep inside him. He’s choking on a wish that’s as much as a promise. He clasps his hands together and closes his eyes.

“I, Wei Wuxian, wish to stand by justice and righteousness. I wish to live a life free of regrets with a clear conscience.”

A full life—that’s what he wishes for most ardently, and he will endeavor to live by it. When he opens his eyes and turns his head, Lan Zhan is looking at him with a complicated face, like he is unsure he’s allowed to show vulnerability in front of others. Wei Wuxian’s heart swells at the sight, and he softly smiles.

“The words were hard to find, but I think I did good,” he jokes.

Wei Wuxian knocks his shoulder against Lan Zhan’s without thinking, remembering too late about his dislike of physical contact, but he doesn’t get rebuked or shoved away. He blinks at Lan Zhan, and when he opens his mouth to apologize, Lan Zhan looks up.

“I, Lan Wangji, wish to stand by justice and righteousness. I wish to live a life free of regrets with a clear conscience.”

He turns his attention back on Wei Wuxian, who stares at him in wonder. It’s startling and unexpected, but absolutely not unpleasing; words have such a way to don devotion once they are pronounced by someone cherished. Wei Wuxian can’t help but laugh, shaking his head.

“You never cease to amaze me, Lan Zhan. I’m happy to hear you approve of my wish.”

Lan Zhan offers a nod. “You know what you want, Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian pauses, chewing on his lips. He gazes at the sky while he gathers his thoughts, surprised by how unprepared he was to that statement. He lets out a chuckle, nervous on its edges but cheerful enough to be convincing.

“Yeah, it’s important to know what we want.”

He wants a lot of things—becoming strong, eating delicious food and drinking exquisite alcohol—and some of them require effort and perseverance to be obtained. He won’t disappoint as the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang sect; he won’t let injustice dictate his actions.

Wanting Lan Zhan’s attention and wanting something else completely from him aren’t under his control. So he keeps smiling, under Lan Zhan’s observant eyes.

“Some things are just harder to get, you know?”

“Mn. I suppose so.”

Wei Wuxian swallows the thickness in his throat as he hears familiar longing in this deep voice, but his eyes never betray and he doesn’t know what Lan Zhan sees when he looks at them. Something unrestrained flashes on Lan Zhan’s face and hope flares again in Wei Wuxian’s heart.

11.

It’s cute and almost a relief when Lan Zhan stops by and attempts to comfort him when he’s not feeling bad at all. Jin Zixuan only reaped what he sowed and Wei Wuxian would have liked to land another punch or two to make sure the message got across.

“You are ridiculous,” Lan Zhan scolds him when he sees the ants Wei Wuxian is observing on a stick.

“Yes, yes, I’m ridiculous,” Wei Wuxian chuckles, waving the stick around. “Wait Lan Zhan, don’t leave, don’t leave!”

Lan Zhan aborts his step when he’s called, looking quite flustered after his display of hidden concern, but Wei Wuxian is for once sparing him of his teasing as he stands up. The reprimand immediately comes.

“You should be kneeling.”

“I know, but I don’t fancy kneeling in front of a rock when I want to talk to you,” Wei Wuxian explains with a smile.

Lan Zhan’s eyes are beautiful. He’s described as cold and unwavering, indifferent to everything happening around him, but this is clearly wrong. He might not be as expressive as most, but his eyes are the window of his soul, and right now Wei Wuxian is certain they are softening, just like when he saw the rabbits on the lantern. It’s subtle, it’s quick, but Wei Wuxian still noticed it.

“Thank you for releasing the lantern with me,” he says warmly. “That means a lot to me. Really.”

He doesn’t feel much embarrassment for saying it out loud, but it does tickle his stomach and make his face burn, just a little, and seeing as Lan Zhan is pressing his lips together he probably caught the sincerity of the words.

“There is no need to thank me.” He pauses, slightly shaking his head. “It is what I wanted.”

Wei Wuxian beams. “I’m glad.”

“Try not to be too reckless next time.”

“Ha, no promises this time!”

There is a sliver of exasperation on Lan Zhan’s face, though he doesn’t pick up on Wei Wuxian’s comment and simply walks away, most likely not wishing to be seen conversing with someone who is supposed to think over his actions. It’s already quite a feat they exchanged so many words in such a short time.

Wei Wuxian kneels again, a grin on his face playing with the ants until Uncle Jiang arrives and discusses with Lan Qiren and Jin Guangshan.

[harley-sunday]

The Draw (02)

Summary: The whirlwind starts at the 2018 ACE Comic Con in Phoenix but you’re not sure where it will end...

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x reader

Warnings: Language.

Word count: 3336

AN: For those of you have been around a little longer - this story was originally published on my secondary blog Leijona Writes, but then taken down again, so you may have already read it :) Either way, please let me know what you think! I don’t have a taglist, but if you follow Harley Sunday x Sebastian Stan you should see any update I post. Masterlist

Your heart starts beating a little faster and you wonder if it’s really him, and just as you’re about to tap the notification to open the email, your boss calls and all of a sudden you find yourself trying to solve a shitstorm of epic proportions because one of your colleagues forgot to submit a document due this morning. You work your ass of trying to make things right so that by ten-thirty you get to call your boss to let her know that the problem is solved and that you’re heading out. She praises your work and promises she’ll cover your overtime, but she’s made promises like that before and you have yet to see any compensation so you shrug it off and tell her you’ll see her again on Monday.

At least the drive home is quick this time of night, with almost no traffic, but by the time you get home you’re so tired that you head straight to bed, completely forgetting about the email you were supposed to read and the presents you were supposed to order.

When you wake up that Saturday it’s close to noon, but you feel a bit better and decide to make the most of your weekend, treating yourself to a breakfast downtown before hitting the shops to spend some money on things you don’t really need. You even manage to find two presents for Jake at the local comic store, one of them a Winter Soldier figurine. It’s then your mind flashes back to yesterday and you mumble a quiet “Shit” when you realize you haven’t read the email yet.

You decide to head back to the same place you had breakfast at this morning, but this time you order a cappuccino and find a quiet table in a corner somewhere, turning your phone over in your hand absentmindedly as you wait for the waitress to bring you your drink. You smile at her once she does and take a deep breath, unlocking your phone and pulling up your email app, your finger hovering over the subject line for a second before you press down and the email opens.

Dear (Y/N),

First of all let me apologize for taking such a long time to reply. It’s been almost three months since Comic Con and while your email was forwarded to me shortly after I wanted to sit down and write a proper reply rather than a rushed and meaningless ‘Thank you for your email’.

But honesty, thank you for your email :)

And of course I remember meeting Jake and you, I think your photo shoot was the most fun I had that day - so thank you for that! You two seem to have a great bond and I think any kid would be lucky to have an aunt like you. I feel bad for the kids who bullied him, because they missed out on having a great friend. Will you please tell Jake that the Winter Soldier has his back no matter what?

Anthony and I both think Jake was the real superhero of that day, helping us out when Captain America bailed on us, and we would therefore like to invite both Jake, his parents and you to the premiere of Infinity War in Los Angeles. Someone from Marvel Studios will contact you by email later this week to send you all the information.

I really hope you can make it, maybe we even get to take another picture for your wall ;)

Thanks again for reaching out, I’ll see you in L.A.!

- Sebastian

You stare at your screen, letting out a breath you didn’t know you were holding before a smile creeps on your face. You read the email again and you let out a quiet “Oh my God,” when you realize Sebastian just made sure you get to give Jake the coolest birthday present ever.

You want to call your brother to tell him the news, but you make yourself wait until you get home, just to calm yourself down enough that you won’t be rambling when you talk to him. You order another cappuccino, the smile not leaving your face and you’re sure the waitress thinks you’re a little strange but honestly you don’t care.

“Hey loser,”

“You’re the loser,” you counter automatically and you smile when you hear your brother chuckle on the other end.

“What’s up?” he asks. “You find anything for Jake’s birthday yet?”

“Yup,” you answer with a smile, letting yourself fall down on your couch, propping your feet up on the coffee table, “Once again, I am the best aunt ever.”

You hear your brother sigh, “What did you do now?”

“Hey,” you say, a little offended. “But ok, listen, after we went to Comic Con I sent an email to Sebastian Stan’s agency, just to thank him for taking the time for us that day, you know?” You wait for your brother to say something, but he stays quiet so you continue, “Well, he emailed back yesterday and invited the four of us to the world premier of Infinity War!”

“Huh,”

“Huh?” you echo, sitting up now because you can feel an argument coming.

“I’m not crazy about this idea,” your brother says.

“Why?”

“Ok, don’t get mad, but last week Jake asked us why we never take him anywhere fun,” he clears his throat, “Sarah took it pretty hard when he said that it’s always you he gets to do fun stuff with,”

“Nate-” you try, but he continues before you have a chance to say anything else.

“I just think that maybe taking him to Comic Con was enough for a while, you know? I mean, it was Legoland last year, SeaWorld the year before that, the kid’s not even eight yet, I think it’s all bit much, and flying to Los Angeles just for a premiere, I don’t know,”

“But it’s all of us, Nate,” you argue, “You and Sarah get to come too, we could make a weekend out of it-”

“Don’t.” He sighs. “Listen, we haven’t told Jake, but things aren’t going great at work right now, ok? Money’s kind of tight and I just, we can’t go.”

You know better than to offer to help out financially, because he nearly bit your head off that time you suggested you’d pay for a trip to Disneyland for all four of you. Instead you try to change his mind one last time, “Can’t I just take Jake then? I promise I won’t plan anything else until he’s at least ten.”

“No,” he says in a way that tells you he’s not going to give in, “and I would really appreciate it if you would just let this go. I’m using my older brother card for this one.”

“Fine,” you grumble, knowing you’ve lost this round. “I’ll see you next weekend then?”

“Yeah, party starts at two,”

“Alright,” you sigh, “See you then.”

You hear him mumble a quiet “Bye,” before he ends the call and you lean back, tapping your phone against your chin as you try to understand your brother’s point of view. And honestly, you know he’s making a valid point, because you do spoil Jake, and it’s not just with these annual trips but also with movie nights and whatever else you can think of that a seven-year old would want to do. Now guilty about making Sarah feel bad you remind yourself to talk to her next Saturday, because you really don’t want to let this come between your sister-in-law and you.  

You send your brother a text then, telling him he was right and that he can have his older brother card back for another argument that’s no doubt bound to happen some time later this year and he sends you the peace-sign emoji in return and you smile, knowing that you two are good.

You decide to answer Sebastian that same night, not wanting to drag this out any longer. Plus, it seems like polite thing to do.

Dear Sebastian,

Thank you so much for your email and for inviting us to the Infinity War premiere. It was really nice to read you had fun during the photo shoot, I know Jake had the time of his life!

Unfortunately Jake and his parents won’t be able to make it out to Los Angeles. Thank you again for your kind offer, and please know that the Winter Soldier will always been the one we’re rooting for over here in Charlotte!

All the best,

(Y/N)

The better part of your Sunday is spend doing all sorts of chores you’ve been putting off all week, and so you find yourself at Whole Foods right in the middle of the Sunday afternoon rush, with kids running up and down the aisles and a bunch of babies crying in a weird sort of symphony that make it almost impossible for you to remember what you wrote down on the shopping list you conveniently forgot at home. An old lady has run her shopping cart into your ankles twice over the course of the last minute, making you want to turn around and yell obscenities at her, because fuck lady, watch where you’re going, but you know that would be frowned upon by the other shoppers so instead you wait for her to pass you and then run into her once on purpose, a fake smile plastered on your face as you shrug at her when she turns around and gives you that old lady look filled with disapproval.  

You’re feeling miserable and you think about just leaving your shopping cart right here, in the middle of the store, while you escape this hellhole and live on takeaway the rest of the week, but then you wouldn’t be the responsible adult that everyone expects you to be, now would you? So you suck it up and make your way down the aisles, grabbing everything you think you might need at a steady space.

After unloading all your groceries onto the belt you take out your phone, while you wait for the cashier to ring up the lady in front of you, and your heart skips a beat when you see you have another email from Sebastian. You can feel your cheeks heating up and you quickly look around to see if anyone’s noticed, but Jesus, of course no one cares. You quickly put your phone back in your pocket, not wanting to read the email just yet. Slightly distracted you load your groceries into your shopping bag and pay for everything, answering the cashier’s, “Thank you for shopping at Whole Foods,” with a cheerful, “You too!”

You throw her an apologetic smile but she’s already onto the next customer and so you hurry back to your car, quickly putting the bags in your trunk and returning the shopping cart to its designated area. You take out your phone again and sit down on the driver’s seat, pulling up your email app.

Have to keep this short b/c I’m in between takes, but am sorry to hear Jake and his parents can’t make it. You’re still coming right?

-S

You whisper a quiet, “Holy fuck,” and read his message again, your heart beating just a little faster than usual. Closing the email you tap the icon for the texting app and send your best friend a quick note.

You home?

She replies within seconds saying that she is and so you start the car and head over to her place.

“Shut. Up.” Lauren says, eyes wide in shock, after you’ve told her everything that’s happened since your trip to Phoenix. She lets herself fall back against the couch and shakes her head, “This is crazy!”

“I know,” you agree, half laughing, half in shock as well, because somehow it seems even less real now that you’ve told your best friend.

“You are gonna go though, right?” she says, throwing you a look that tells you  she’s going to kick your ass all the way over there if you even dare to say no.

Still, you just shrug, because you’re not completely convinced it’s such a good idea.

“Oh come on,” she groans, rolling her eyes, “Not only is the man ridiculously good-looking, but he’s inviting you to the premiere of one of those superhero movies you like so much-”

“The Avengers,” you mutter quietly, because for as long as you have been friends she’s never understood your fascination with comic books.

“Yeah, whatever,” she says, waving her hand dismissively, “Listen, honey, you’re going. End of story.”

“Yeah, but,”

“Ah, ah, ah,” she holds up a finger to silence you, “No buts. Not this time.”

“Laur, come on,” you whine, but really it’s for show because yeah, you’re going.

She knows it too because she just shakes her head at you, taking another sip of her tea before she continues, “So, when is this premiere exactly?”

You’re about to say you don’t know, but of course you’ve already looked it up online, “The 27th.”

“Alright, so here’s what you’re going to do,” Lauren sits up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She starts ticking things off on her fingers, “Tomorrow you’re going to request some time off from work, preferably two weeks, with some time before and after the premiere,”

You nod, because so far you’re liking where this is going.

“Then, you’re going to email Mr Smooth, saying that, yes, of course you’ll still come,” she sticks out her tongue at you after you’ve rolled your eyes at her, “Next, we’re going to go shopping next Saturday, because you need to look fierce as sh-”

“I can’t,” you interrupt, “Jake’s birthday party is on Saturday.”

“Ok fine,” she sighs, a little too dramatically, “I’ll clear my schedule and we’ll go on Sunday. I suggest you take at least,” she pauses for effect, “at least two days off before they have you fly out to L.A., so we can do some last-minute shopping, get a haircut, a mani-pedi, you know the drill.”

“This all sounds surprisingly similar to our prom prep,” you laugh, “minus the flying to L.A. part, of course.”

“Well yeah,” she states matter-of-factly, “the ultimate goal is the same, isn’t it?”

You just stare at her, not sure what she’s getting at.

“Getting a hot guy to take you back to his hotel room at the end of the night. No?”

Once you get home and your groceries are unpacked and stored away you take out a crumpled up piece of paper from your back pocket, because your best friend is the kind of person who fiercely believes in to-do lists and has written everything down for you. You stick it on the fridge and decide to tackle task number one and two right away, grabbing your laptop from the kitchen table and nestling yourself on the couch right.

You login to your work email and write a short message to your boss, asking for two weeks off starting Wednesday two weeks from now before you then login to your private email and type a quick reply to Sebastian.

I’d love to.

(Y/N)

On Monday your boss tries argues that she can’t really miss you for two weeks, wanting you to take no more than a week, but then you remind her of all the overtime you’ve worked without ever writing it down and she’s quick to give you the extra week.

And even though Sebastian hasn’t replied yet, you do get an email from Julie from Marvel Studios that afternoon, asking you for your personal details. You reply to her that same evening, letting her know that you are more than happy to pay for your ticket because you’re adding an extra four days in L.A. after the premiere but when she sends you your itinerary on Tuesday you see that everything is taken care of and you send both her and Sebastian an email to thank them for their generosity.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Jake exclaims once he’s opened your presents, the biggest smile on his face. He carefully takes the Winter Soldier figurine out of the box and examines it thoroughly.

You plant a kiss on his head before you head to drinks table for a cup of coffee. Sarah’s just filling the tray of cupcakes and you bump hips with her, “Congratulations on with the kid,”

“Thanks,”

“Listen, I uh,” you clear your throat, figuring you might as well get this out of the way, “I’m really sorry if I went a little overboard with taking Jake on trips the last couple of years. Nate told me it was all a bit much and I just want you to know that I’ll tone it down from now on.”

She nods, but doesn’t say anything right away, her gaze landing on Jake, who’s trying on the roller-blades you got him, not paying much attention to the new backpack his parents gave him.

“Shit,” you mutter, turning towards her, “I’m sorry, Sarah. I promise it won’t happen again.”

She smiles then, “Listen, I’m not sure if Nate should have made such a big deal out of it, but I do appreciate what you’re saying. I mean, Jake just turned eight, you know? There’s plenty of time to take him on trips once he’s a little older.”

“Yeah,” you agree and give her a hug, “thanks, sis.”

She nods and walks back to the kitchen, probably getting some more food.

Your brother joins you then, grabbing a cupcake and taking a big bite, following up with a sip of his coffee, “Great party, huh?”

You look at him in amusement, because if there’s one things your parents taught you it was not to speak with your mouth full, but both of you have long foregone that rule. You take a deep breath, because after discussing this thoroughly with your best friend, you and Lauren decided it was best to be honest with him, “So, I’m flying out to L.A. in two weeks.”

He just nods.

It’s making you a little uncomfortable and so you try to explain, “I told Sebastian you couldn’t make it and then he asked if I would still come and I figured I might as well, right?”

“Of course,” Nathan offers, and he’s smiling now, “I just wanted to make you feel bad, loser.” He laughs, “I’m all for my little sister going to this fancy premiere with this handsome movie star. You get it, girl,” he mocks, clicking his fingers.

You smack his arm, but can’t help but laugh, “Asshole.”

“Ugh, no,” Lauren wrinkles her nose in disgust at the dress you’re wearing and hands you two new ones to try one.

Looking at yourself in the mirror you can’t help but agree with her sentiment, the pink dress your wearing doing nothing for your skin tone or figure. You decide to go with the floor length dress Lauren’s handed you, which looks remarkably like the Elie Saab dress you’ve been obsessed with every since you saw it on Elizabeth Banks a couple of years ago.

Lauren audibly gasps when you step out of the changing room, “Wow,”

You turn around, your mouth dropping when you see yourself in the mirror.

“It’s like it’s made for you,” Lauren stammers, as she stands next to you and grabs your hand, giving it a squeeze, “You look gorgeous.”

[ekebolou]

The Tenor Group: Doors

If we were all Seth, we could all use a little Firmament in our lives.

Sadly, I think we all have a Bosh or two.

Part One

Firmament had been gone for almost ten minutes before Bosh realized he had zoned out, and zoned back in. His abilities crowded back in like paint ringing the edge of a glass of water.  For a minute, there, he had forgotten he wasn’t using them.  It almost felt loud.

That was annoying; he hated having to punch down his abilities, but he hated even more than when they came back all of the sudden it was like… leaving a show and getting used to the quiet outside and then stepping back in and having your ears hurt at the noise.  It ruined the fun. 

He didn’t want to get pulled apart by a mad crowd in Krakow.  Or anywhere.  Maybe Fir was just making shit up to scare him.  It didn’t feel like it, though.  If he had been using his abilities, he could tell for sure whether Fir had been making shit up, and he got mad all over again.

Maybe he was a little scared.  It wasn’t really being brave that made him get up and walk over to Decon’s room, but because he was a little scared.  That was one thing; his abilities made it impossible to lie to himself.  At least, not for long.

Decon was sitting on the bed, reading, pillow cushioning his back against the wall.

“God, everybody here reads a lot,” Bosh said.  “’S fuckin’ weird.”

Decon smiled – not at the comment, but at him – and put his book down.  It had robots on the cover; looked like something Bosh would’ve seen passed around his homseschool group in sixth grade.  He moved to the edge of bed and stuck a hand out, offering his desk chair for Bosh to sit in.

“Hey, Bosh.  What’s up?” Decon asked.

Bosh sat.  He couldn’t think of what to say.

Decon just waited, the thick, warm current of his patience undercut by the cool, sharp scent of pleasure. It was literally like drinking lemonade by the lake, and Bosh felt like the only goth kid at the picnic.  Decon worked his heels over the side support for the mattress so he could lean forward, elbows propped on knees.  He smiled again when Bosh looked up.

“Why the fuck do you always have your door open?” Bosh asked

Decon cocked his head, not mystified, but considering.  “Why do you ask?”

“I just wanna know, man,” Bosh said.  “I don’t get it, and I wanna know.  It’s not like I never wanna know stuff, you know?”

Decon nodded solemnly.

“I don’t know where he gets off accusing me of, like, not investigating stuff.  I mean, I help!  When Seth asks me to go on ‘missions’ or whatever I go, and I do what I’m supposed to.  I’m not like Julie, I don’t just bitch the entire time and hide behind shit and never help out.  How am I supposed to not use my powers for that shit?  I just… how was I supposed to know what happens when I use my abilities? I’m not even using them like that unless somebody’s, you know, trying to kill me… or is kinda annoying, or whatever. I was just a kid, then, anyway, like, how was I supposed to have some deep understanding of the lasting effects of my abilities.  It’s just shit I can do, you know?  I can do it, so why wouldn’t I do it?”

Decon nodded again, then knit his brows.  “You’ve been talking to… Fir?”

Bosh nodded.   “Yeah, man, I don’t see what his problem is!  I don’t get why he’s always fucking with everyone!  He’s always, like… making an example of people and getting in their shit and stuff.  Seth doesn’t do that shit, and she’s the one that’s got, like, the leadership position or whatever it is.”

“I mean,” Decon said, punctuating himself with a little shrug, “he probably does it so she doesn’t have to.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean that he’s got the most real-world experience, so he’s taken it upon himself to make sure that everyone is learning stuff that he knows will be useful to them.  He’s taken up the position of being, like, the team trainer.”

“That’s Wes – Wes knows all that combat shit.”

“Yeah,” Decon said, “but that’s all he knows, and he’s got a lot to learn about everything else. Plus, man, can you imagine Wes trying to get everybody to go to weekly training?  Wes trying to make everyone feel better after they’ve fallen off the obstacle course for the sixth time?”

“How in the fuck does Firmament make anyone feel better.  Dude’s a gold-plated asshole.”

Bosh could feel the delicate creep of sympathetic embarrassment over his skin, but he wasn’t embarrassed. 

“He’s a lot different in the weekly training.  I mean, he’s still pretty hard on people, but he’s really great to spar with and things. He won’t let you quit if he thinks you can do more, and he always thinks you can do more than you think you can. It really encouraging.”

Technically, that’s exactly what Firmament had been saying – that Bosh’s abilities did more than he thought they did – and it rankled. 

“All dude does is say I’m useless.”

“No,” Decon said, as careful with his denial as a sommelier with a two-hundred year old wine.  “He says your abilities are useless.  He says that to me, too.”  Decon’s chuckle genuinely surprised him, and the unalloyed taste of his amusement made Bosh’s tongue curl in his mouth.  “He’s actually said that Seth, of all people.”

“How the hell are Seth’s abilities useless?”

“In that case, we were learning about subduing people – like, capturing someone we needed information from.  If Seth concentrates too hard on doing the moves, her abilities flare up and she can really burn someone; if she concentrates on subduing her abilities, it slows down her moves.  Her abilities are useless in this situation, and, in fact, hinder her.  It would be better if she did the moves as if she had no abilities.”

“How the fuck is supposed to do that?” Bosh asked, thinking of the pain of pushing down his powers while he talked to Fir.  For Seth it had to be even worse, right?  Her abilities raised her body heat, made her like a battery; she was prone to literally spit fire if she wasn’t keeping things tied up.

“You know those burn-guard suit things Mr. Tenor had made up?  We each put one on and just drilled the moves with her, one after another, so nobody was in contact for long enough to get burned.  Did that until she felt like she really had it, and Wes said her form looked good, then did it without the suits and Fir said her hold was basically just a little like sitting in a sauna – hot but not damaging.  If suppressing the ability requires attention, then it’s the action she wants to learn that needs to the become second nature. She doesn’t need to work very hard to not set the building on fire when she’s sleeping, for example, or when she’s walking down the hall for breakfast – it’s the sense of division in her attention that lets the ability out the bag, so to speak.  Basically, she gets nervous, flares up, makes her nerves worse the second time.  So he took away the thing that was making her nervous, problem solved.”

Bosh paused, dubious. “Wes didn’t think of that?”

Decon’s brows knit a second time, this time accompanied by the ebullient, engulfing bubbles of concern. “Wes was going to just let her burn him until she got it.”

“Ugh, dude,” Bosh shivered, “I forgot Wes was so creepy.”

“It’s not creepy, really…” Decon began; if Bosh didn’t sidetrack him, they would be wandering down the rabbit hole of ‘just needing to understand’ for at least five minutes.

“Whatever, so Fir is, like, training guy.”

Decon nodded.  “I guess, yeah, more or less.”

“And that’s why he’s a dick to me.”

“Ehh…”

“What?”

“Well…”

“What, dude?”

“I mean, I don’t know if you noticed, but he’s also kind of a responsible, take care of business kinda guy.”

“What?” Bosh reared back in his chair, and not just due to the cloying smell of Decon’s attempt at delicacy.  “Like I’m not a responsible guy?  I don’t get things done?”

Decon looked at him sheepishly.

“Man, don’t I do what I’m asked?  My room is my room, but I, like, contribute to the group tasks and stuff.  I go when Seth asks me to go and I do stuff.”

“Yeah,” Decon said, “yeah, but, like… would you say you do that well?  Or, you know, of your own volition?  Without Seth or Fir having to, like, run you down and ask you a lot and give you a whole lot of shit and then re-do whatever you’ve said you’ve done because you only, like, half did it?”

“…Whatever, man,” Bosh said, because even to him it felt a little mean to tell Decon to fuck off.

“Also, you know, maybe you should consider taking on an even number of tasks to everyone else?  Or tasks that aren’t only part of tasks, like starting the dishwasher after you load it?  Maybe unloading it, too?”

“Dude, get off my nuts about the dishes!  Christ, I didn’t know everyone was so damn particular about how the stupid dishwashing machine works!”

“Okay,” Decon said, nodding along.  “…But one way the dishes actually get cleaned and one way they stay all dirty, I’m just saying.”

“Fuck, man!  Jesus!”

“…Julie doesn’t even like coming out of her lab and she vacuums the rug in the living room once a week. Moves all the furniture off and everything.”

“Lay off, would you! Fine, whatever, I get it!  Holy shit, dude!”

Folding his arms, Bosh threw himself against the back of the chair.  Decon was unpleasantly unperturbed and bobbed his toes for a minute while Bosh stewed.

“So you want Fir to like you?”  Decon asked, scratching an eyebrow innocently.

“No, fuck him, who cares what he thinks,” Bosh said.  He waited in the infernal blankness of Decon’s complete calm.  “I just want him out of my asshole, you know.  He doesn’t have to give me all this shit.”

“I mean, he kinda does,” Decon said.

“What?  No way, man, you’re not on his side!”

“No,” Decon said, a little flash of alarm showing under the fog of placidity.  “There aren’t sides to take.  But if Fir’s taken responsibility for training everybody, you know, keeping them on task…”

Bosh could feel his expectation, kind of like walking into a stiff wind, but couldn’t think of what to say.

“…he’s responsible for everyone’s safety,” Decon said.  Something was off between the anticipation, which deflated like a popped balloon, and the grim acceptance now rolling off Decon like boulders, but Bosh couldn’t quite tell what. 

“You should try maybe coming to the weekly combat training,” Decon said, sweeping all grimness aside with optimism.  “You know, you might actually find that kind of fun.  Plus, you can learn to defend yourself, and that’ll make you safer when you go out with the team, and that’ll probably get Fir off your back at least a little bit.”

Bosh sighed.  “Dude, he’s so lame.”

“I mean, safety’s important.”

Bosh sighed again.

“We get shot at sometimes.”

“We wouldn’t if we just stayed in our sweet penthouse, or did the PR stuff Tenor wants us to do.”

“…Yes,” Decon said, and Bosh could feel the way that agreement was a rough drop away from what he was really feeling, but it didn’t seem important.  Decon, after all, was all about that help-the-helpless horseshit.

“I guess I’ll come,” Bosh said.

“Cool.”  Decon’s happiness was sure pure it made Bosh’s cheeks hurt.  “I think it’ll help.  Fir has kind of a point; we are pretty lucky to be being trained for free by a literal, uh, ninja.  As literal as it gets in our neck of the woods, anyway.”

Bosh was sure it wasn’t an ‘uh’ there when Fir said it.  He stood up, turned towards the door, then turned back.

“Oh, yeah, so, uh, the door. I’m serious, why’s your door always open?”

Decon smiled.  “Well, if it wasn’t, you might not be coming to training next week.”

Part Five

[benjamingarden]

10 Tips For Selling At Craft Shows & Farmer's Markets

So you've likely read the last post recapping the first 5 years of our business, Cobble Hill Farm Apothecary.  You've learned that it's been a crazy ride with a business that (thankfully) has truly taken off.  You've also learned that we've never worked harder in our lives. It's true! Please know that it hasn't all been lollipops and rainbows.  We have had many many struggles.  Certainly some financially, but also in so many other ways, as all businesses do.  But we've pushed through them.  I've been at wits end and declared that I don't care if the business succeeds or fails (I was sleep deprived.....), we've had issues with products or packaging, or setting up at a show that has sent us over the edge (temporarily).  But this happens with any profession. And those moments always pass. We've made a lot of sacrifices, we've certainly made mistakes, poor decisions, etc.  But we've survived.  And even thrived!!  And we've met some amazing people through it all.  We have also learned just what it is to be grateful.  It's not just a word, it's a feeling that goes through your whole darned body, right into your bones and comes out in a huge smile. We've done our fair share of markets and craft shows.  I really enjoy them.  I enjoy getting to know the other vendors, touching base with customers we only see at those shows, and getting to meet new customers.  Here are a few things I've learned about selling at craft shows through our last few years: 1. Figure Out Your Space BEFORE The Show.      If your application does not tell you what size of space you will have, email the person putting the show together to find out.  Then, spend some time figuring out your space to best display your products as well as for the flow of traffic.  Customers must be able to have enough space to spend time at your booth.  If not, they'll likely pass on by without making a purchase. Figure out how many tables, chairs, etc. you will need to bring.      We used to find out the space size and then lay out our tables in our yard to figure out product placement and flow.  Now we've been in just about any type of space and worked them all out so we keep photos on our phones.  Once we're at the show we pull up the photo and we're good to go!

2. Keep Your Product Pricing True To Your Company      At every single show/market you do, unless you have a very unique item, you will have some sort of competition.  It's very easy to walk around, looking at the competition, and then question your own pricing.  Keep it the same show to show.      I cannot stress enough how critical it is to the success of your business to figure out your pricing early on.  Changing it once you've created a following can be very difficult.  Trust me, I know.  When we first started, we offered much smaller bars of soap.  When we decided to go larger with our bars, we knew we'd also need to increase costs.  This made sense to customers.  But we were also still trying to get customers to purchase our soap over a competitors.  We knew that if they would just use our soap, they would feel the difference and purchase ours again and again.      So, we only adjusted our pricing by $1.00, although we should have adjusted it by $2.00 per bar.  We went for 1 year before increasing to where we needed to be.  Because the bar size had not changed with the second increase, we had a few negative comments.  And I completely understand that.  It was a decision we made and then we had to stick with.      Always display your prices.  Think from the viewpoint of a consumer.  There's nothing worse than entering a booth, admiring the items in it, and then realizing you'll have to ask the person for pricing of every single thing.  You will lose sales if this is the case. 3. Make Connections With Your Customers & Don't Let Negative Nancy's Get You Down      We have the best customers.  We truly do!  I will tell you that 99.6% of the people we meet are supportive, kind, gracious with their feedback, and are the best darned customers anyone could ever have.  We make true connections with them.  (They actually sell our products for us many times which is amazing that they believe in them, and us, that much!!) And then there's the .04%......  You will always have someone who isn't so gracious with their feedback.      --You must have thick skin if you're going to deal with the public.--      The thing that the .4% forget is this.  Your products, those things that you pour love, blood, sweat and tears into, is an extension of you.  You take it personal.  How could you not?  People who lack tact or who are just plain mean will come into your life.  Thankfully, not frequently.  But they will.  Learn to let it go.  What we try to do is to weed through the nonsense (making faces, condescending remarks, etc.) to see if there is any value at all in their (very poorly delivered) message.  If not, let it go.  If there is, we let go of the manner in which they provided the message and try to just deal with the message.  The good thing is that this is so very rare, in the grand scheme of things, it's easy to let go of.      Be kind and not used-car-salesman-y.  Think about how you like to be treated when you shop and provide that same experience to your customers.  Every.single.time.

4.  Presentation Is Everything      I know this seems obvious, but it can easily be overlooked.  You need people to want to enter your booth.  You have seconds to make this happen and it all comes from what they can see from the aisle.  Think about aesthetics and use props that fit your product to evoke a feeling (comfortable, warm, friendly, decadent, etc. - whichever fits your product).  Don't think of it from an "I'm standing in my booth and this is what I see", rather from an "I'm walking by in the aisle and this is what I see".  It's a bit of a different perspective.      Build your display up, not just out.  Use risers for your tables to get products in better view of your customers, and use shelving to help get your products higher, at eye-level.  Your booth automatically looks fuller and customers don't have to squat to see something.      And keep it clean.....not too much clutter. 5. Go To The Right Venues For Your Products      Obviously, this can be hard when you first start out.  You'll do a lot of trial and error.  But often, if you've been to the show or market in the past as a consumer, you get a sense of whether or not it's right for your product.  Don't return to (or go for the first time) to a show that's not the right fit.  It's a waste of time and money.      We have a show that we've done for the past 2 years because it's near our home.  We do "ok" at it.  But the reality is, it's not the right fit.  We had to admit that to ourselves after doing it this year.  It's a nice show, great venue and well organized, but we won't return.  There are too many others out there on the same weekend that will likely be a better fit.      Another part of what makes that decision for us is sales.  We've set a dollar amount that we must do per show in order to continue it.  Again, there's just too many shows out there to waste time settling for less.  We do override that rule if there's a show that seems a good fit but we aren't making what we'd like.  We'll give it a few years to see if we can tweak our booth to increase sales.  If it doesn't happen, we cut it from the schedule. 6. Offer Products In High And Low Price Points      If you can do this, it's the one thing that can make a huge difference in making a sale versus not making a sale.  Many small sales will amount to as much, or possibly more, than a few big sales.  Additionally, you get your products into more hands which means there's a better chance at building a larger following of repeat customers.      Think about when you enter a store that you are just in love with.  You love their look, you love their products, you love everything about them.  You want to bring something home from that store to remember it by.  If you can't find anything within your price range, you likely don't buy anything at all. 7. Be Prepared      So this category is very broad, but it's the little things that can make it much easier for you.

     Think about sales - do you have a way to record them?  A calculator?  Do you know the county sales tax amount?  Did you bring enough change and will you keep it in a cash box?  What if someone wants a receipt?  

Will you take credit cards?  Will your credit card reader work without internet connection? (some spaces have limited or no connection)

Think about food.  You'll need something to eat.  Is there a snack bar?  Will you bring your own food and drink?

Think about bringing a second person.  This will allow you to run to the restroom, take a quick break and/or eat without being at your booth.

What will you package purchases in?  If you're going to purchase paper bags, why not also purchase labels that you can print your website and business name on as well?

What about "down time"?  Is there anything productive you could do if you have the time to do so?  For instance, I always bring soap to wrap.  It's easy to do in a small space and I bring a limited amount so I'm not packing excessive items that may not get completed.

What about if it rains?  Can your products get wet?  If you're outside, what will you use if your tent leaks?  If you're inside, what will you use to cover your products while loading and unloading?

8. Advertise Your Business      Purchase a banner so that customers know right away who you are.  Think about where/how you will hang this.  If you are inside and don't have a wall behind you, will you be able to bring something to hang it from?  What about a banner that goes on your table instead?  (the only downfall is if people are standing in your booth, it may not be visible)      Bring business cards, brochures, post cards, etc. that people can take with them.  We've also created "thank you" cards that go into every single bag.  This way they have our online store address (even though it's on our products and bags, it's sometimes more obvious on a card) and we've thanked them yet again for their purchase. 9. Streamline Your Process      If you're planning to sell at multiple shows/markets throughout the year, keep basic things that you may always need packed in totes.  i.e. clips, string, scissors, pens, notepad, credit card reader, napkins, silverware, business cards, brochures, price signs, tablecloths, banner, etc.  Replenish it after every show (literally the same day you return) and then you're sure to not forget to do so before the next show. 10. Make Connections      You can find out a wealth of valuable information regarding other craft shows and farmer's markets from the other vendors.  Do keep in mind that their experience is not necessarily what your experience will be, but what they share will still be very beneficial. I'm hoping a few of these ideas come in handy to those of you just starting out.  The next business post will be tips for starting a home-based business.

10 Tips For Selling At Craft Shows & Farmer's Markets was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)

[benjamingarden]

10 Tips For Selling At Craft Shows & Farmer's Markets

So you've likely read the last post recapping the first 5 years of our business, Cobble Hill Farm Apothecary.  You've learned that it's been a crazy ride with a business that (thankfully) has truly taken off.  You've also learned that we've never worked harder in our lives. It's true! Please know that it hasn't all been lollipops and rainbows.  We have had many many struggles.  Certainly some financially, but also in so many other ways, as all businesses do.  But we've pushed through them.  I've been at wits end and declared that I don't care if the business succeeds or fails (I was sleep deprived.....), we've had issues with products or packaging, or setting up at a show that has sent us over the edge (temporarily).  But this happens with any profession. And those moments always pass. We've made a lot of sacrifices, we've certainly made mistakes, poor decisions, etc.  But we've survived.  And even thrived!!  And we've met some amazing people through it all.  We have also learned just what it is to be grateful.  It's not just a word, it's a feeling that goes through your whole darned body, right into your bones and comes out in a huge smile. We've done our fair share of markets and craft shows.  I really enjoy them.  I enjoy getting to know the other vendors, touching base with customers we only see at those shows, and getting to meet new customers.  Here are a few things I've learned about selling at craft shows through our last few years: 1. Figure Out Your Space BEFORE The Show.      If your application does not tell you what size of space you will have, email the person putting the show together to find out.  Then, spend some time figuring out your space to best display your products as well as for the flow of traffic.  Customers must be able to have enough space to spend time at your booth.  If not, they'll likely pass on by without making a purchase. Figure out how many tables, chairs, etc. you will need to bring.      We used to find out the space size and then lay out our tables in our yard to figure out product placement and flow.  Now we've been in just about any type of space and worked them all out so we keep photos on our phones.  Once we're at the show we pull up the photo and we're good to go!

2. Keep Your Product Pricing True To Your Company      At every single show/market you do, unless you have a very unique item, you will have some sort of competition.  It's very easy to walk around, looking at the competition, and then question your own pricing.  Keep it the same show to show.      I cannot stress enough how critical it is to the success of your business to figure out your pricing early on.  Changing it once you've created a following can be very difficult.  Trust me, I know.  When we first started, we offered much smaller bars of soap.  When we decided to go larger with our bars, we knew we'd also need to increase costs.  This made sense to customers.  But we were also still trying to get customers to purchase our soap over a competitors.  We knew that if they would just use our soap, they would feel the difference and purchase ours again and again.      So, we only adjusted our pricing by $1.00, although we should have adjusted it by $2.00 per bar.  We went for 1 year before increasing to where we needed to be.  Because the bar size had not changed with the second increase, we had a few negative comments.  And I completely understand that.  It was a decision we made and then we had to stick with.      Always display your prices.  Think from the viewpoint of a consumer.  There's nothing worse than entering a booth, admiring the items in it, and then realizing you'll have to ask the person for pricing of every single thing.  You will lose sales if this is the case. 3. Make Connections With Your Customers & Don't Let Negative Nancy's Get You Down      We have the best customers.  We truly do!  I will tell you that 99.6% of the people we meet are supportive, kind, gracious with their feedback, and are the best darned customers anyone could ever have.  We make true connections with them.  (They actually sell our products for us many times which is amazing that they believe in them, and us, that much!!) And then there's the .04%......  You will always have someone who isn't so gracious with their feedback.      --You must have thick skin if you're going to deal with the public.--      The thing that the .4% forget is this.  Your products, those things that you pour love, blood, sweat and tears into, is an extension of you.  You take it personal.  How could you not?  People who lack tact or who are just plain mean will come into your life.  Thankfully, not frequently.  But they will.  Learn to let it go.  What we try to do is to weed through the nonsense (making faces, condescending remarks, etc.) to see if there is any value at all in their (very poorly delivered) message.  If not, let it go.  If there is, we let go of the manner in which they provided the message and try to just deal with the message.  The good thing is that this is so very rare, in the grand scheme of things, it's easy to let go of.      Be kind and not used-car-salesman-y.  Think about how you like to be treated when you shop and provide that same experience to your customers.  Every.single.time.

4.  Presentation Is Everything      I know this seems obvious, but it can easily be overlooked.  You need people to want to enter your booth.  You have seconds to make this happen and it all comes from what they can see from the aisle.  Think about aesthetics and use props that fit your product to evoke a feeling (comfortable, warm, friendly, decadent, etc. - whichever fits your product).  Don't think of it from an "I'm standing in my booth and this is what I see", rather from an "I'm walking by in the aisle and this is what I see".  It's a bit of a different perspective.      Build your display up, not just out.  Use risers for your tables to get products in better view of your customers, and use shelving to help get your products higher, at eye-level.  Your booth automatically looks fuller and customers don't have to squat to see something.      And keep it clean.....not too much clutter. 5. Go To The Right Venues For Your Products      Obviously, this can be hard when you first start out.  You'll do a lot of trial and error.  But often, if you've been to the show or market in the past as a consumer, you get a sense of whether or not it's right for your product.  Don't return to (or go for the first time) to a show that's not the right fit.  It's a waste of time and money.      We have a show that we've done for the past 2 years because it's near our home.  We do "ok" at it.  But the reality is, it's not the right fit.  We had to admit that to ourselves after doing it this year.  It's a nice show, great venue and well organized, but we won't return.  There are too many others out there on the same weekend that will likely be a better fit.      Another part of what makes that decision for us is sales.  We've set a dollar amount that we must do per show in order to continue it.  Again, there's just too many shows out there to waste time settling for less.  We do override that rule if there's a show that seems a good fit but we aren't making what we'd like.  We'll give it a few years to see if we can tweak our booth to increase sales.  If it doesn't happen, we cut it from the schedule. 6. Offer Products In High And Low Price Points      If you can do this, it's the one thing that can make a huge difference in making a sale versus not making a sale.  Many small sales will amount to as much, or possibly more, than a few big sales.  Additionally, you get your products into more hands which means there's a better chance at building a larger following of repeat customers.      Think about when you enter a store that you are just in love with.  You love their look, you love their products, you love everything about them.  You want to bring something home from that store to remember it by.  If you can't find anything within your price range, you likely don't buy anything at all. 7. Be Prepared      So this category is very broad, but it's the little things that can make it much easier for you.

     Think about sales - do you have a way to record them?  A calculator?  Do you know the county sales tax amount?  Did you bring enough change and will you keep it in a cash box?  What if someone wants a receipt?  

Will you take credit cards?  Will your credit card reader work without internet connection? (some spaces have limited or no connection)

Think about food.  You'll need something to eat.  Is there a snack bar?  Will you bring your own food and drink?

Think about bringing a second person.  This will allow you to run to the restroom, take a quick break and/or eat without being at your booth.

What will you package purchases in?  If you're going to purchase paper bags, why not also purchase labels that you can print your website and business name on as well?

What about "down time"?  Is there anything productive you could do if you have the time to do so?  For instance, I always bring soap to wrap.  It's easy to do in a small space and I bring a limited amount so I'm not packing excessive items that may not get completed.

What about if it rains?  Can your products get wet?  If you're outside, what will you use if your tent leaks?  If you're inside, what will you use to cover your products while loading and unloading?

8. Advertise Your Business      Purchase a banner so that customers know right away who you are.  Think about where/how you will hang this.  If you are inside and don't have a wall behind you, will you be able to bring something to hang it from?  What about a banner that goes on your table instead?  (the only downfall is if people are standing in your booth, it may not be visible)      Bring business cards, brochures, post cards, etc. that people can take with them.  We've also created "thank you" cards that go into every single bag.  This way they have our online store address (even though it's on our products and bags, it's sometimes more obvious on a card) and we've thanked them yet again for their purchase. 9. Streamline Your Process      If you're planning to sell at multiple shows/markets throughout the year, keep basic things that you may always need packed in totes.  i.e. clips, string, scissors, pens, notepad, credit card reader, napkins, silverware, business cards, brochures, price signs, tablecloths, banner, etc.  Replenish it after every show (literally the same day you return) and then you're sure to not forget to do so before the next show. 10. Make Connections      You can find out a wealth of valuable information regarding other craft shows and farmer's markets from the other vendors.  Do keep in mind that their experience is not necessarily what your experience will be, but what they share will still be very beneficial. I'm hoping a few of these ideas come in handy to those of you just starting out.  The next business post will be tips for starting a home-based business.

10 Tips For Selling At Craft Shows & Farmer's Markets was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)