#i was scrolling really fast and thought that was a bong
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12. Skydiving with no parachute
Genre: Min Yoongi x oc
Warnings: none
Word Count: 3.3k
“You’re all packed and ready to go, right?” Sebastian’s voice is loud and clear as I put him on speaker phone and place him on the nightstand.
“Just about,” I respond, folding another shirt and placing it in my suitcase. “I’m just wrapping it up right now. What time will you guys be here tomorrow?”
Bong-cha is out for a meeting at the Bighit building, she promised to come back as soon as possible so we could enjoy the evening together. I decided to make the most of my afternoon and pack everything up.
“Rhea said we’ll swing by at 6.”
Our flight leaves tomorrow morning at 9:30, sending us back over to Europe for another week of promos and then we’ll be off to the states. Home sweet home.
“Ok, sounds great.”
“See ya tomorrow.”
“Bye.”
For all that’s gone on over the past few weeks, today is too calm and quiet. I have the entire house to myself, nobody is blowing up my phone, and I have nowhere to really go today. Any other day, I would have been over the moon about my current situation...but I can’t help but feel a little restless.
Yoongi and I brainstormed yesterday for a long time, trying to figure out just how we were going to make this work. Living on opposite sides of the world and the both of us having busy schedules that just so happen to be in the spotlight isn’t exactly making this easy.
There was a point yesterday where Yoongi stopped mid-sentence and looked at me with bright red cheeks.
“Is this moving too fast? I mean, I know you said we’re on the same page, but I think we should try to make this as normal as possible, you know?”
That statement alone was enough to have me swooning over him all over again. “I’m with you on that. I think right now...should we just focus on the basics?”
To be honest, I still don’t even know what we are, but I’m just happy to know that we are something.
At least, that’s what I’m trying to entertain myself with now that I’m just sitting on the couch and staring at Bong-cha’s TV. I’m not even sure what I’m watching, the thoughts in my head are too loud to think around anyway.
There’s a lot that I end up doing within the confines of the apartment. I can safely say that I’ve completed 12 ½ squats, 3 pushups, and one thirty second wall sit.
I’ve also eaten approximately three meals in the past two hours, so yeah. Boredom can be a dangerous thing, can’t it?
The reality of the situation is this: I’ve completed everything I need to do for the day, and now I’m just trying to stop myself from marching back into my room and folding Yoongi’s black shirt for the fifth time.
Eventually I end up scrolling through the outlines my agent has sent me, mulling over each option. There’s one project that is especially calling my name, but from what I’ve heard there’s a couple of pretty big actresses going after it.
I’m in the middle of a very convincing monologue when Bong-cha walks in.
“Wow,” she chuckles at me while dropping her bag on the counter. “Looks like you’re having a great time.”
“Oh, yeah.” I shrug, putting my phone away. “I’m trying to memorize this monologue for an audition. It’s all about this forbidden love back in the 1700s, it sounds like it would be pretty intense. But people love that kind of crap, you know? Hey, how was your meeting?”
Bong-cha is slipping into her room to change into something more comfortable. “It was fine, pretty boring. Just wrapping up some final details. Jungkook said to tell you hello, by the way.”
We both know who I’m really itching to ask about, but I refrain from asking for the time being. “So what’s on the agenda for tonight? We can go out, eat at that one restaurant, you know the one by the park? That place never gets old. Or we can stay in, order takeout.” I quickly add once I notice the look of pure exhaustion on Bong-cha’s face.
Rolling her shoulders, she shoots me a tired smile. “Don’t you want to go out? I don’t want to be lame for your last night here.”
“No, I really don’t care. Sometimes it’s nice to just chill at home.”
It doesn’t take much more convincing before Bong-cha is on the phone and ordering up some food. We settle down in the front room, bickering over different movies and chatting about my promo schedule.
“So you’re going back to Europe? Why? Weren’t you just there?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Yeah, but we weren’t able to finish up everything that we wanted to because we came here. So we’ll be there for a week in Germany and Italy.”
“And then you’re heading home?”
“Yep.”
“When are you going to start bringing me souvenirs? I always-” Bong-cha is cut off by the sound of someone knocking on the door. “Oh, there’s the food. Anyways, like I was saying- oh!”
I jump up from my seat, heart pounding in my chest as I hope against hope that a certain dear friend of mine is at the door.
“Hi, I intercepted your delivery guy.”
Jimin holds up our food with a shy smile, giving me a little wave. Bong-cha takes a moment to recover, but when she does she invites him in and scolds him for doing the deliverer’s job.
“Are you packed now?” Jimin asks me from where he’s unloading our food on the counter. Bong-cha is moving about in a frenzy, pulling glasses from the cupboards and shooting me panicked expressions any chance she gets.
It’s all I can do to not burst out laughing at the situation. “Yeah, everything is ready to go. Actually, would you mind taking something back to Yoongi for me?” When Jimin nods I rush into my room and grab the black t-shirt from my bed.
“Wow, you stole his clothes? That’s pretty bold of you,” Jimin teases me before setting the shirt down where he’ll remember it. “Here’s your plate.”
I take the plate from him, making some lame excuse about needing something from the kitchen and sidling over to Bong-cha. “Invite him to stay for the movie,” I breathe out, hoping she hears me.
“Have you eaten?” Bong-cha asks as she stomps on my foot. I yelp, rushing out of the kitchen.
“No, not yet. I’ll eat later, though.”
“Well...Cara and I were just going to watch a movie tonight. You can stay if you want, we’ll order more food.”
Jimin’s smile could power New York City as he looks at Bong-cha. “Sure, that’d be nice.”
We fall into an easy conversation, the three of us lounging about and scarfing down our food. Jimin ends up ordering a ghastly amount of food and treats, so much that it looks like we’re hosting a party. I can tell that Bong-cha is one churro away from offering Jimin her hand in marriage as he laughs at a funny part in the movie.
7:06 ME: Soooo Jimin and Bong-cha?
It’s surprisingly easy to angle my phone away from their attention as the two of them are lost in their own little world. One watches the movie while the other watches the person, and then they switch.
7:09 MYG: What, the fact that he’s completely whipped for her?
“What are you over there giggling about?” Bong-cha asks me, wiggling her eyebrows. Jimin tries to do the same, looking like some evil experiment.
“What? The movie is really funny.”
“Cara.”
“Yeah?”
“The main character’s mother just died.”
“Oh.”
Jimin leans back, stretching a bit. “I bet she’s texting Yoongi. That’s all he’s ever doing these days, anyways.” My face burns which leads Jimin to give a triumphant shout.
“Has he confessed his undying love for you yet?” Bong-cha asks. Jimin jumps in next.
“He basically did yesterday, didn’t he?”
“No, Cara just said that they’re working through the basics. No ‘I love yous’ or anything yet.”
“Yeah,” Jimin rests his hands on his knees, angling himself toward Bong-cha. “But actions speak louder than words.”
Now Bong-cha leans forward as well, my own participation in this conversation long forgotten. “That’s true, but you can’t just rely on actions alone! Sometimes words are necessary.”
“So girls want actions and words?”
“Of course they do! Actions can be misleading, words at least offer a clear explanation!”
Jimin looks like he’s caught between telling Bong-cha he loves her or pulling her closer. “But words can be misleading as well! Why can’t people just connect the dots through someone’s actions?”
7:12 ME: Oh my gosh they’ve got it baaaad
7:12 ME: This is honestly the most fun I’ve had all day, just watching them. Are they always this oblivious?
“Because nobody should have to rely on that one thing alone! There should be a healthy balance between actions and words. Say what you intend, and follow up with your actions! It’s as simple as that!” Bong-cha is nearly panting, but there’s a hint of a smile curling around her lips.
Jimin scans her face for a moment longer, eyes lingering on the bridge of her nose and the way her hair falls into her face when she’s riled up.
“Huh. Interesting.” With that Jimin sits back, returning his attention to the screen. Bong-cha follows suit almost immediately.
“Idiots,” I mumble under my breath.
“What was that?” Bong-cha asks.
“Oh, nothing. Just reading out loud.”
🌙
12:17 MYG: Sorry, I just got out of a meeting. I didn’t mean to not respond. To answer your question, yes. They’re always like that.
I’m wide awake and staring up at the ceiling when Yoongi messages me. Snatching my phone from the bedside table, I scan the text.
12:18 ME: You just finished your meeting? Why was it so late?
12:20 MYG: I had to change some things with the mixtape, so there were a lot of things to go over.
Frowning, I hastily type out another question.
12:21 ME: What are you changing? I thought it was perfect the way it was before, but I’m sure whatever you changed will be good too.
12:25 MYG: It’s not as bad as it sounds. I just finally found a concept that I thought really fit. Now we’re just trying to make sure everything flows with the concept.
12:27 ME: What’s the new concept?
A while passes before Yoongi responds, and I try to trick myself into thinking that we’re done talking for the night so I can finally get some rest. Of course, once my phone lights up with a new message I’m just as awake as ever.
12:52 MYG: You’ll see when it drops in December 😌
12:55 ME: Rude.
12:57 MYG: Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping right now? What time are you leaving in the morning?
1:00 ME: Leaving here at 6, flight leaves at 9:30.
Sighing into the darkness I watch at those three little dots appear at the bottom of the screen. I can’t lie and say that I wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t even get to see Yoongi today, but it’s just now that I’m realizing I didn’t even get to say goodbye.
I’ve told myself a million times today that this is just how it’s going to be, and that I’ll just take what I can get. If it’s tired late night texts, then I’ll take it.
I think that scares me. It scares me, how little I want from him. How he has so much sway over my heart.
It’s a good scary, I think. Like the kind of scared you get before you jump out of a plane, your first time going skydiving. Right now I’m just hoping that my parachute isn’t riddled with holes, but as I stare at those three little dots, I’m wondering if I even remembered to put a parachute on in the first place.
1:02 MYG: You should go to sleep, Car. Let’s facetime tomorrow? Just shoot me a text when you land.
As my tired fingers text out a goodnight, I can’t help but feel like I’m an idiot for skydiving without a parachute, because the ground seems to be approaching too fast.
🌙
All I know is there’s an alarm going off, and I want to kill it.
“Whaaaat do you want from meeee,” I groan out as I fumble in the darkness for my phone. Once it’s silenced, I check the time.
5:15 am. I’m disgusted.
Stumbling around the room until I hit the lightswitch, I hiss as light fills the room. Through squinted eyes I can see my suitcase and the clothes I laid out for today. I’m ashamed to say that I nearly sustained a concussion while attempting to put my pants on, my tangled legs and the dresser being the main culprits.
I think it goes without saying that by the time I emerge from the room and finish brushing my teeth, I’m ready to go back to bed.
The sounds of Bong-cha using the toaster guide me, suitcase in tow. Now comes the hardest part: saying goodbye.
“Do you want jam as well or just butter?” A deep, tired sounding voice asks me.
Min Yoongi stands before the toaster, decked out in sweats and a sweatshirt. His hair is a mess, standing up on the ends. His eyes are still half-closed, his lips in a pout as he turns to face me.
I gape at him, taking in what I think might be his best choice of outfit ever. “Is this a dream?”
He shakes his head slowly. “It’s too cold outside to be a dream. Jam or just butter?”
Later I’ll cover for myself and claim that my tears were just a side effect of the early morning and the long day ahead of me, but right now I can’t think up any excuse as hot tears start falling down my cheeks.
“J-jam.”
Yoongi’s eyes widen as he notices my predicament, and he clears the kitchen in no time, leaving the toast abandoned. I think he must be tired as well, because he doesn’t even hesitate before pulling me into his arms and squeezing me tight.
My arms wrap around his back, hands getting lost in the fabric of his hoodie. He presses his lips to the top of my head, the action causing me to snuggle in even deeper and get his hoodie all wet with my tears.
“Y-you came...and made m-me toast?” The words are muffled, but it’s quiet enough in the house that he hears me.
“Should I not have?” Yoongi asks, and I pull away just enough to look up at him, scowling.
“No, I’m happy you d-did. It’s just…” I take a steadying breath, more tears flooding my eyes as Yoongi looks down at me with a soft expression I’ve never seen before.
“I know.” He pulls me back in, hands rubbing soothing circles on my back. “I know, Car.”
We stay like that for a long while, and it’s only when my sniffles have subsided that Yoongi gently takes my hands in his and leads me over to the kitchen island. I sit down, watching as he spreads butter and then jam onto my toast.
Setting the plate before me he reaches into the fridge for some orange juice and pours us both a glass.
“Sorry, it’s probably cold now.”
I shake my head, taking another bite. “Still tastes good. Thank you.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” Yoongi gets up, one hand tracing over my shoulders and he walks over to the couch. “This is for you.”
He hands me a small package wrapped in brown wrapping paper, a black ribbon tied around the middle. I raise my eyebrows at him.
“A present? Can I open it?”
“Open it when you get to your hotel tonight.” Yoongi looks a bit embarrassed as he sits back down, and I realize that he might be feeling a little out of his element here. After all, when was the last time he ever had a relationship?
I get up and put the package away in my suitcase, groaning when I check the time. Everyone should be here in about 5 minutes.
“Times up?”
Looking up I see Yoongi wandering over to me, hands pushing his hair back in an effort to tame it. I nod solemnly.
We don’t speak a word as I meet him halfway, fingers entangling themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck. He closes his eyes for a moment, and I take advantage of the situation, leaning up and pressing a peck to his jaw.
I can hear his sharp intake of breath, quickly followed by Bong-cha’s annoyed voice.
“Really? Get a room, losers.”
Blushing madly, I try to squirm out of Yoongi’s grasp but his gruff laugh has me stilling in his arms. “Turn around, Bong-cha.” Without waiting to see if she will, Yoongi leans down and presses a long, slow kiss to my lips.
It’s not nearly long enough as the sound of a car honking outside pulls us apart. Yoongi has a somber look in his eyes as he gives me an encouraging nod and a small peck to my forehead before stepping back.
Bong-cha skips forward, launching herself into my arms. “You two are gross, but I still love you.”
“Love you too,” I whisper, my tears threatening to make a reappearance. Bong-cha seems to pick up on it, shoving the handle of my suitcase into my hands and pushing me toward the door.
Yoongi beats me to it, swinging it open and clenching his jaw as a blast of cold air hits us. Without a word he takes my suitcase and heads out, leaving me with nothing to do but follow him and hope I have everything.
“Bong-cha?” I turn around to see my friend wrapping her arms around her middle.
“Yeah?”
“Keep me updated. Jimin...he really likes you.”
My friend doesn’t have it in her to roll her eyes, instead just nodding before waving me off. She’s never been one for goodbyes.
Yoongi is already at the car, handing my suitcase off to Ren who hoists it into the car. He looks like he’s freezing, but as he turns to wave me over I decide that freezing looks good on him.
“Be careful, call me, text me, have a safe flight-”
“You’ve got to stop worrying so much, Yoongs.”
Smiling down at me even as he shivers, Yoongi pulls me in for another embrace. There are so many words hanging between us, but I choose to sweep past them and opt to nuzzle my face deeper into Yoongi’s neck.
“See you soon.”
I sigh, hoping that I will. “Yeah, soon.”
🌙
The airport, flight, and car ride to the hotel pass in a blur of shapes and colors. I vaguely remember there being a mob at both the Seoul and Berlin airports, but I was stuffed so tightly between security that I could hardly see anything.
Now, sitting on the edge of my bed, I hold onto the little package from Yoongi. Holding my breath, I untie the ribbon and tear open the paper, chewing on my lip.
An audible gasp leaves my lips as I hold up Yoongi’s black t-shirt. As it unfolds, a small slip of paper flutters to the ground. Holding the shirt to my nose I grin as I realize Yoongi must have sprayed it with his cologne. I wonder who’s idea that was; my bet is on Jimin.
Grabbing the paper, I flip it over to see Yoongi’s handwriting.
It looks better on you.
Chuckling softly to myself, I hurry and slip the shirt over my head. It’s quiet in here, but soon the sound of my video call fills the room as I anxiously wait for Yoongi to pick up.
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Frigid (Chapter 3)
Genre: Horror, Angst, Enemies to Friends
Chapter Rating: M (Language, Underage Drug Use)
Word Count: 5,326
AO3 FFN
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear old Dad got home late that night while Wes and Kyle were tucking into a plate of pizza rolls. Wes heard the door open and his Dad's voice from down the hall.
"Tell Roger that it doesn't matter, whatever it takes, Mr. Masters expects it to get done." He walked past the living room without so much as a glance at the two of them. His voice faded down the hall punctuated by the sound of his door closing.
Wes snorted and stuffed another pizza roll in his mouth. Stupid Dad with his stupid government job. Why the hell bring them to Illinois just to ignore them? He curled his fingers into the upholstery of their new couch, gripping it until his fingertips ached and the smell from the Ikea warehouse threatened to make him sick. He forced himself to swallow the bite and shoved his plate onto the coffee table.
He got up and went to the kitchen for a capri-sun. If it hadn't been Kyle that bought them, he'd be pissed about that too. His Dad seemed to treat him like he was still in elementary school no matter how old he got.
Wes slammed the fridge door hard enough he heard the dressing and condiment bottles rattle inside. He went back to the living room, the TV illuminating the space in it's flickering light.
He flopped backwards onto the couch, pushing his back into the corner of the sectional, wishing it'd swallow him up. Kyle was watching some alien history documentary. How ghosts could be pure fiction but aliens were "science-fact" was beyond Wes. He rolled his eyes and got out his phone, pulling up his knees.
Instagram was a short reprieve, or it should have been. He scrolled past post after post of his old friends back in California, smiling wide in front of the beach, or the boys at the park playing basketball. Over there they hadn't even started school yet, and wouldn't until the end of the month. To say he envied them was a gross understatement.
"Are you gonna eat those?" Wes glanced up over his knees to see his brother pointing at his abandoned pizza rolls.
"Go for it," he said. Kyle scooped up his plate and went to town. Wes really should be doing his chapter reading for History, but the thought made him want to set something on fire. A part of him felt like he should be grateful for a fresh start after the divorce, but another part of him wanted nothing more than to dig his heels in. Just because his Mom was a liar and his Dad was an asshole didn't mean they had to move across the country, why didn't they get that? Maybe they did, and just didn't care.
He scrolled on his phone long enough for Kyle to watch another episode. By the end Wes had been sitting and refreshing his feed over and over again. He watched the buffer wheel spin, screen go white and the same post as last time take its most recent position at the top. He pulled down again, and watched the wheel spin for the millionth time.
"Dude, this is just depressing to watch."
He glanced over at Kyle, narrowing his eyes. "Got nothing better to do." It was a lie and they both knew it. Kyle flicked the TV off and stood up from the couch.
"C'mon." Kyle came to stand in front of him expectantly.
"What?"
"Let's go have roof time."
Wes made a face. "You're so weird, don't call it that. Cringy as fuck, man."
Kyle grabbed a pillow and swung it lazily towards Wes' head. "C'moooon lil bro! It's roof time!" He said it in a big brother voice that always pissed Wes off.
"No. Fuck off." Wes held up an arm to shield his head.
"C'mon!" Kyle insisted. "Don't you wanna spend time with your brother?" he pouted. He swung the pillow at him again.
"I'm gonna kick you in the balls."
"Weeeeesslleeeyyyy! C'mooooon."
"Oh my god, you're so fucking annoying." Wes kicked half-heartedly towards his brother. He held up both arms to try and fend off the onslaught of his brother's pillow attack.
"I'll stop if you agree to go sit outside with me, Wes! Surrender, you're out matched, kid!" Kyle picked up another pillow in his left hand, and continued batting at him. Wes tried to bury the beginnings of a smile behind a sour expression.
"You just—Ow, stop— You just wanna go get high, don't you?"
"Oh, absolutely. But you think I'm going to sit out there alone like some kind of loser?"
Wes anticipated his brother's next swing, and snatched the pillow from him. Now it was his turn. True to his word, he kicked a foot out directly into his brother's crotch. Kyle grunted and stumbled back a step, hands going down to grab his groin. Wes capitalized on his opportunity and lunged forward, springing off the couch to tackle his brother to the ground.
They hit the carpet with a loud thud, and became a tangle of limbs.
"Oh it's on, kiddo!" Wes couldn't hold back a laugh as he wrestled his brother. He attempted to push the pillow onto Kyle's face at the same time as his brother was trying to twist his arm around in a joint lock.
"Shut up, you're only a year older than me," Wes said, wriggling out of his brother's grip, and yanking his hat down over his eyes.
"A destined rematch to determine the stronger brother! A tale as old as time!" Kyle fought blindly to get a hold back on Wes. Wes whacked him on the side of the head with the pillow.
"You're a moron," he said without any real venom. Kyle flung his hat away.
"Don't make me purple nurple you like last time."
Wes hit him again with the pillow as Kyle tried to steal it from him. "Try it, bitch, I'll kick your ass."
"I did wrestling for two years!"
"Yeah, in middle school, now you're just lame and out of shape."
Kyle gasped. "Bro, take it back." He twisted the pillow hard to the right and broke Wes' hold on it.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. You're not out of shape, just the lame part." Wes tried to get out of Kyle's reach to escape retribution, but he wasn't fast enough. Kyle got a hold of his shirt, and yanked him into a headlock. It had no real pressure behind it.
"Hah ha! What have we here? Could it possibly be that I win again?"
Wes rolled his eyes and pushed up on his brother's arm to break the loop. "Shut up, stupid-ass," he muttered. They broke apart, and Kyle stood up, offering him a hand. Wes accepted it with a puff. Kyle yanked him to his feet and punched him in the center of his chest.
"Ow."
"Kyle : 1 Wes : 0!"
Wes stopped. "Hey, wait, our score was up in the hundreds! What gives? I was winning you asshole." He'd challenged Kyle to a game of Horse last month and it had been a slaughter to say the least. Kyle was walking towards the stairs.
"Nu-uh, new-state-clean-slate, bro, we're starting over!"
"That's stupid, and I didn't agree to that. You're just a sore loser." Wes trudged up the stairs after his brother.
"Guess you'll just have to wait till our next rematch." Kyle shrugged, pushing into his room with a shoulder. Their rooms shared a wall, Kyle's being the furthest down the hall. They both had north facing windows that had access to the brow of the roof which overlooked the pool in the backyard. Moving from a place with obscene living expenses to the armpit of Illinois had its perks he guessed.
"Pick the challenge then. How about MarioKart?" he offered.
"After last time? No way dude." Kyle went to his bedside table to retrieve a small baggie of weed and his pipe and lighter. Not that their Dad ever checked, but a pipe was easier to hide, and less hassle than a bong. Or so Kyle said. Wes didn't really mess around with the stuff if he could help it. The times he tried made him so paranoid it felt like the end was nigh.
"Ugh, fine, princess. What about Smash?" Wes slid the window open and popped out the screen.
"Best outta five?"
"Sure, tomorrow after school? You can't play worth shit while high."
"Bruh, I'm great at playing while high, makes all the distractions just—" he wiggled his fingers— "fall away."
Wes snorted. "Sure, keep telling yourself that. The AI Pikachu wiped the floor with you." Wes climbed out onto the roof, scooting to the side so Kyle had room to clamber out. Kyle handed him his pipe to hold and followed after.
"No, that's not what happened, okay?" Kyle pointed an accusing finger. "I let that adorable little rat fuck win, because what kind of monster would I be if I destroyed Pikachu?"
Wes rolled his eyes. Kyle settled next to him, hanging his legs over the side and reached for his stuff back. Wes looked up at the sky, leaning his weight back on his hands. It was another clear night, the stars bright and unblemished. He heard the flick of his brother's lighter, but paid it no mind. The lack of light pollution was nice, if there was one positive from this whole situation, it was that.
The wind stirred, a chill laced in that made Wes wish he'd brought his jacket. He was looking forward to the snow. He'd only seen snow once when was ten and his parents took all of them on a skiing trip to Lake Tahoe. He remembered biting it on the bunny hill, and how Kyle laughed so much while picking him up that he'd dropped him more than once. The memory felt brittle, like if he touched on it too much it might break into a million pieces. It always felt like that, remembering what it was like to be happy, to be a family. His parents had broken enough, he wanted this thing, this one little thing to stay whole.
Was it childish to want that?
He glanced at Kyle, who exhaled a plume of smoke, the slope of his shoulders loose and relaxed. For all his flaws and his seriously maddening, downright annoying personality, Wes was glad to have Kyle. After the divorce they'd gotten closer, and he wasn't really sure where he'd be right now without his brother.
Not that he'd ever admit something so fucking embarrassing out loud. Jesus, what was he? He sounded like a Hallmark card.
He rubbed an eye, and laid back, the shingles of the roof cold against his back. The two were in a comfortable silence, Kyle too preoccupied with making short work of the bowl he'd packed to make conversation yet. That was alright with Wes. He was tired and still a little freaked out after today. He knew better than to bring up his run in with the ghost at school to Kyle.
This place was weird, and he had so many questions he felt like he was going insane. First thing tomorrow he was going to ask someone what the hell was going on in this town. He could try and ask the Danny Fenton kid, since his parents were apparently the ghost experts. He rolled the idea around for a few seconds in his head. Maybe it'd be best to ask more than one person. Leave Danny as a last resort.
He was staring at the first stars of Orion as they peaked over the dark horizon. That's when he saw it. His brows furrowed and he sat up.
"Dude, do you see that?" He smacked the back of his hand against Kyle's arm.
"What?" Kyle looked up.
"That!" He pointed. In the sky and getting closer was a glowing streak.
It wasn't a star, or a comet, that was for damn sure. It was flying in a wide circling pattern. It was fast, whatever it was.
Kyle gasped next to him. "Holy shit, a UFO." Kyle fumbled around to try and get his phone, in his haste he sent his lighter tumbling down the roof and off the edge. Wes trained his eyes on the shape as it got closer, squinting. Kyle had gotten his phone and had started recording, feverishly commentating about the time, place, and the appearance of an "alien craft".
Wes leaned forward, straining his eyes. As the shape wound closer it looked… almost humanoid? It seemed to move in a thoughtful systematic way. Like it was covering specific ground.
"I'm so putting this on my Snapchat story," Kyle said. He turned his phone towards Wes. "Say hi! In case it goes viral."
"Dude, stop." Wes pushed his brother's phone away from his face and back towards the… well. UFO.
As suddenly as it had appeared, it sharply changed direction and flew away, before blipping out of existence entirely. It hadn't gotten close enough to identify, but Kyle seemed to only care about his video and nothing else. Wes sat there thoroughly confused, staring at the point in the sky the shape had vanished into thin air.
"Clearly this is evidence of alien superior technology. The fact it sped up and disappeared so fast means they've cracked flight speeds faster than light, dude!" Kyle buzzed. He was tapping on his phone, already sending the video to everyone he knew.
Aliens, really? Could this day get any weirder?
"Look, look, Hannah, snapped me back." Kyle leaned over so they could both see his screen. He opened the Snap, and Wes saw a girl with blonde hair and dark eye shadow. He vaguely recognized her from school, part of Kyle's new stoner group of friends. The video showed just the top of her face as she looked down at her phone. Her eyes were crinkled at the corners.
"Kyle, what the fuck," she laughed. "That's not an alien, doofus. It's clearly a ghost. Probably Phantom. He flies around almost every night." She leaned back and sprayed canned whipped cream directly into her mouth. " 'Aliens'! Oh my god I'm totally telling Jennie." She snorted as she laughed and the snap ended.
Phantom? That was Phantom? The image of the ghost boy from earlier lingered in his mind. Kyle was already recording a video to send back.
"Hannah, obviously you have very little experience with UFO's. I know an alien when I see one and that was an A L I E N. Okay? Don't buy into this ghost conspiracy, it's what people want you to think, but it's probably all aliens! Or beings from like the 4th dimension, I don't know."
His brother's voice sounded too loud. His eyes traced the place where the shape… the ghost had been. He rubbed at his temples with his fingers. Kyle continued arguing with his new local friends, protesting the idea of ghosts. Wes sighed, a headache building behind his eyes.
He nudged his brother with an elbow. "I'm gonna get to bed." Kyle gave him a distracted goodbye and Wes headed back inside, mind swirling with the image of white hair and glowing green eyes.
***
Joy.
His sleep that night had been fitful and interrupted. He didn't have any nightmares, or at least none he could remember, thank God. But there were a few times he could have sworn there was someone standing in his doorway, watching. He shook it from his thoughts by busying himself with his camera.
The final bell for first period rang and with it commenced the beginning of the school day.
Students with no cameras of their own were having some checked out to them for photography class. The teacher told them to check over everything and make sure all previous files were deleted from the memory card, and there were no cracked lenses. He ignored the majority of what was being said.
When he was young he would use his Mom's camera. Just to mess around really, it wasn't like he had the lofty goals of being a professional photographer. But his Mom didn't see it like that. She bought him lenses and his own high-end camera for his 16th birthday. That was before everything fell apart. Before he found out about Emily.
Once the class started going he hoped he'd enjoy it and actually learn something. He was ready to start taking pictures already. Unfortunately, the day's class was all about the different buttons and functions on the cameras, explaining exposure, aperture and manually managing the iso. Uck. Yawn.
Towards the end of class Ms. Fletcher let them have "free time" to explore the options on their cameras on their own. Learn by doing and all that.
"This is way too much all at once," complained the girl next to him. Mia, was her name, if he remembered correctly. She had brown hair, and light eyes, her tan skin suggesting a mixed heritage. She was turning her camera around in her hands like a kid trying to find the on switch on a new toy. He smiled, turning toward her.
"First time using a fancy camera?"
She let out an agitated sigh. "Yeah. I took this class because I thought it'd be easy and I could just, I don't know, take cute pictures of my dog or something." She put the camera down on the table, gently, like she was afraid of breaking it despite her frustration.
"Yeah, it can be complicated at first." He lifted his own to inspect it.
"You brought your own, right? That's not a shitty school one."
"Yeah, it's mine. Birthday gift."
Mia whistled. "Pricy, your parents must be loaded."
Wes shrugged a shoulder, "I wouldn't say that exactly."
"Don't be modest, it's okay!" She patted him on the shoulder. "Plus I'm sure however rich your family is, it's nowhere near the Mansons."
"The Mansons?"
"Uh...yeah." She looked confused for a second before understanding flickered in her eyes. "Oh, that's right you're new. Sam Manson, the spooky goth chick that hangs around Fenton and Foley. She's in our homeroom class." She held her pointer fingers up by her ears to mime bat ears.
"Oh, yeah, her."
"She says she doesn't like people knowing even though it's super obvious. Her parents are always in the news for making donations and stuff."
They fell into an awkward silence, and Mia shuffled her feet.
"Well, uh. Tell you what. If you help me with this camera crap, I'll…" She stopped to think. "I'll give you the inside scoop about the school. Help you get caught up and fit in, ya'know?" She held her hand towards him. "Sound good?"
Wes would have helped her out even if she hadn't offered to keep him in the social loop. It could be useful, especially for a few things in particular.
"Deal." He shook her hand, a little surprised by her grip strength.
"I'm not as popular as Paulina and Star but I still have an ear to the ground. So if you want to know who's single or who can write your english essay on the cheap: I'm your girl." She pulled her hand back to jab a thumb at her chest for emphasis.
Wes chuckled. "Thanks. I actually do have some questions."
"Shoot."
"This Phantom ghost, what do you know about him?"
She looked surprised, before she smiled. There was something in her expression that Wes couldn't place.
"Phantom? Really?" She shrugged. "Alright, I see you." She scooted her chair closer to his. "Phantom showed up freshman year, no one knows why, but since he popped up he's been saving Amity from all sorts of ghosts." She said it like it was the most normal, perfectly sane thing. "Not only is he hella cute but he's also basically a hero."
Wes frowned in confusion. That wasn't at all what Mr. and Mrs. Fenton had said. "Why would a ghost help people? What's he get out of it? Also, isn't he… you know. Dead? Isn't it kinda creepy to have a crush on him?"
"How should I know? And dead or alive, he's still a total heart throb around here, get used to it." She sighed, looking fed up with his lack of understanding. "Listen, all I do know is that if an evil ghost is breathing down your neck your only real hope in this place is Phantom. Really, ask anyone." Wes' thoughts drifted back to his brush with death yesterday..
"You shouldn't be telling people the fantasy version of things, Mia," came a cold voice. Wes jumped, turning to look at the girl looming over them. Her arms were crossed over her chest, curly hair back lit by the fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling. Fantasy version? What was Valerie talking about?
Mia's face went from warm and open to closed and stand-offish. She crossed her legs and sat back in her chair.
"Oh come on Valerie, we all know you're not a fan of him, but you could at least try and be reasonable."
"Reasonable? Don't listen to her new kid," Valerie jabbed a finger towards him, "if there's one thing Phantom is good at, it's manipulating the public perception. Don't be fooled like the rest of this school, Phantom will ruin your life without an ounce of remorse."
Wes blinked, caught off guard by her ferocity. In chemistry she seemed like a perfectly normal, kind girl. He made a mental note not to get on her bad side.
Mia made a dismissive sound in the back of her throat. "He wasn't asking you Valerie, he was asking me. Butt out."
Mia and Valerie glared hard at each other, neither backing down. It went on for what felt like ever. Wes was afraid he was about to end up right in the middle of a cat fight. But eventually, Valerie let out a sound of disgust then turned and stalked off back to her table. Mia watched her go, gaze steady. Once Valerie sat down, Mia relaxed and let out a breath.
"God, she really needs to get that stick out of her ass."
"What the hell was that about?"
"Apparently freshman year her Dad lost his job and she's convinced it was Phantom's fault." Mia uncrossed her legs, sitting more casually again.
"Was it?"
Mia looked annoyed. "I don't know, I wasn't there." She ran her fingers through her hair, taking a small swatch and braiding it absentmindedly. "Listen, people have different opinions... but Phantom saved my life." It was small and serious the way she said it, like it was a confession. "And not just once but on several occasions. It's fine to ask questions, I don't blame you. But just wait and watch, then decide for yourself." Before Wes could say or ask anymore, the bell rang. Mia started collecting her stuff.
"See you tomorrow, Wes," she said brightly, as if the seriousness from before was just a figment of his imagination.
Sixth period rolled around and Wes was ready for the day to be over with already.
In his previous classes he'd asked other students here and there about the ghosts, and even if he didn't directly ask about Phantom, the conversation eventually led there anyway.
"Uh, yeah. Tomorrow." He watched her go, getting up and gathering his own belongings.
***
He did regret asking Star during lunch, which seemed to have summoned Paulina from the aether. She went on almost the entire lunch period about how her and the ghost boy were "meant to be" and how cute he was, with his snow white hair and tanned skin. Wes was debating faking a family emergency to get away from her. Talk about obsessed.
He shook his head at the memory and closed his locker.
He started walking down the hall, daydreaming about whatever gourmet frozen dinner him and Kyle would have later for dinner. He was about to turn the corner down the hall towards the chem room when he heard a raised voice.
Next up: Chemistry. At the thought he deflated further. He'd totally forgotten about the quiz today. Damnnit, Fenton.
He started walking down the hall, daydreaming about whatever gourmet frozen dinner him and Kyle would have later for dinner. He was about to turn the corner down the hall towards the chem room when he heard a raised voice.
“Hey Fentina, watch where you’re fucking going.” He turned towards the sound to look. The halls were clearing, there being only a minute or so till class, but that didn’t stop the few scattered people from stopping to idly watch Dash Baxter slam Danny Fenton against a locker. Wes couldn’t help but wince. From the sound alone he’d guess that was going to leave a bruise.
“You might be taller now but that doesn’t mean I won’t still flatten you, got that?” Dash announced. He was clearly making a show of it. Wes wondered why. Fenton was definitely the lowest on the social ladder, why would someone like Dash need to establish his power over someone who had none? Wes shifted his weight, remembering that trying to apply logic to bullies was a losing battle.
Danny though… He seemed completely... unfazed. He looked at Dash like an overworked retail employee looked at a raving customer. The dark bags under his eyes and the uncaring air he had coupled with his black hoodie and torn jeans made him look like an emo band's wet dream.
“Got it, now can we all get to class, please? I’m trying not to be tardy as much this year,” Danny said. Dash leaned further into Danny’s space.
“Dream on, Fenton,” Dash leered. He leaned back and let Danny go. He made to leave, or at least Wes thought he was. Danny seemed to think so too. Which meant he was caught off guard when Dash turned and punched him in the stomach. Even from a few paces away, Wes heard the air rush from Danny’s lungs. He staggered a bit, arm wrapping around his midsection.
Dash laughed and walked off, flexing an arm to his football team buddies who joined in as they made their way down the hall like a pack of hyenas.
As if that was the cue, everyone that had stopped to watch went back to their own business, as if nothing happened. Wes didn’t know what to think at that moment. He knew everyone called Danny a loser, and he hadn’t exactly gotten along with the guy himself but… That felt like a step too far. He couldn’t help but pity the poor dude a bit.
It had been a long time since Wes was the one pushed around the school yard. He remembered what it felt like though, and he had never been in a rush to expose himself to the kind of treatment again. In fact he’d done just about anything to keep himself from the bottom. He’d done his fair share of looking down on losers and saying cruel things to be accepted into the throng of popular kids in California. He wasn’t proud of it, as he got older he realized that. It made his stomach clench with guilt and shame.
He’d have never done what Dash just did though.
Wes watched Danny lean a shoulder against the wall of lockers and catch his breath. He glanced around, and when he was satisfied that no one was still watching, he straightened, took a breath and rolled a shoulder, nonchalant.
Wes felt his brain stutter and stop.
Uh. What?
Just a second ago Danny was writhing in pain the way someone just punched in the gut would, and the next he was acting like he was fine. Like he’d just got done with a leisurely jog.
At this point Wes was starting to wonder if he was being gaslit by this whole school, what the fuck?
He watched Danny put a book into his locker, and then lock it up. He started down the hallway, no evidence he was in any pain or struggling for breath what-so-ever. Wes turned and walked towards the classroom. He didn’t want Danny to know he’d been watching from around the corner.
Wes sat down, spreading out his stuff, trying to make it look like he'd been there for ages. A few seconds later the tardy bell rang. Another few seconds after that, Danny walked in.
“Mr. Fenton, you’re late—”
“Uh-huh.” He didn’t make eye contact with the teacher, just made a beeline for their desk and slumped into his seat. Mrs. Merriweather looked ticked.
“Pick up your tardy slip at the end of class young man.”
“Yep.”
Even Mrs. Merriweather seemed taken aback by Danny’s odd energy, but she said nothing else. Instead she jumped into the lesson plan for the day.
Wes wasn’t paying attention. He was looking at his lab partner, still trying to figure out what he’d just seen. Maybe Danny had just been acting like it was worse than it was to… what, get sympathy? Have Dash back off quicker? Both seemed likely, logical. It must have been, what else could it be?
Danny seemed to feel his eyes on him. He turned to Wes, his blue eyes sharp and angry.
“What?” he snapped.
“Nothing. Sorry.” Wes disengaged, looking down at his blank notebook page. He heard Danny sigh, but he didn’t know what sort of emotion drove it.
Class dragged on, and they didn’t say another word to each other the entire period. But that wasn’t too surprising, considering Danny left in the middle of class.
They’d just got done taking their lab safety quiz, and were handing them back when out of the corner of his eye Wes saw Danny shiver. He also saw a flash of… what looked like smoke? Vape? Was Danny seriously vaping in class?
“Fuck,” Danny muttered under his breath and his hand shot straight up into the air. “Mrs. Merriweather, can I use the bathroom before we start the lab?” Danny’s typically tired and slouched posture had gone ramrod straight, and the air around him felt desperate and panicked. Mrs. Merriwether studied him seriously for a second, before she relented.
“Alright, don’t take too long.”
Danny scrambled from his seat and out the door. It left a weird silence in the classroom.
O….kay? That was weird, super weird. He looked around the class. A student adjacent to him caught his confused look and shrugged.
“He just does that, always has. Some people think he has some sort of chronic illness or something.”
“Quiet please, everyone. I’m passing out the lab instructions and then we’ll be getting started.”
Wes couldn’t help but look towards the door where Danny had disappeared seconds earlier. He felt pretty safe in saying not only was the town weird, but everyone in it. But maybe Danny more so than the others.
#Danny Phantom#danny phantom fanfiction#Danny Phantom fic#phanfic#wesley weston#kyle weston#my writing
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Newest Manager - Six
When you and Asuka arrive at your house, you tell your dad you're going to spend the night at Asuka's house. He doesn't question you about it since Asuka's already with you.
There's no way I'd want to come back around my dad tonight if I'm drunk. I'd probably never live it down if I did something stupid. Asuka's parents are way cooler about it anyway, so it's better to say I'm there.
In your room, Asuka begins going through your clothes.
"Damn, Y/N, you really never go out, do you?"
She knows me so well it's embarrassing.
While you wait for Asuka to find clothes for the pair of you, you plop yourself down on your bed. Your mind begins to wonder.
"You okay over there, Y/N?"
"Yeah, I just remembered I've gotta pee."
After arriving back in the room from washing your face with cold water, Asuka is trying on some of your more revealing clothes.
"What are you trying to do Asuka?" you chuckle, shaking your head at her behavior.
"You already know the answer to that," she hums, pushing her boobs together and staring at herself in the mirror.
Asuka has always been the one who acted more interested in her appearance. I mean she is gorgeous. I've always hated being the one who's the less attractive out of the two of us.
"Oh, I picked something out for you, by the way. Try it on!"
Your friend turns around and hands you some clothes which you quickly slip on.
"Okay, how do I look?"
"Damn Y/N, look in the mirror!" she gasps.
Woah. I actually look kinda good. You check yourself out and Asuka watches carefully, nodding proudly behind you.
"I'm glad you like it," Asuka beams, "I see you checking yourself out."
While you're doing just that, you see Asuka slip something in your bag.
"What was that?" you question innocently.
"Huh? I just borrowed a pen, sorry..."
You walk over to your bag and pull out two condoms.
"What the hell, Asuka?!"
"Oh, come on Y/N," she scoffs, "Iwa's going to be there!"
"For the millionth time, I've told you I'm not going to do anything with him! In fact, I won't do anything with the whole team. It's too weird" you tell her, brushing off chills that flow down your spin as she walks behind you.
Asuka sits on your desk chair, pulls out her phone, and scrolls for a bit.
"Okay fine," she says enthusiastically, "then pick one of them!"
She holds her phone out to you. On it is a team photo of the Johzenji team.
"How did you find that so fast?" you ask in awe.
"I'm a phone genius. Now pick!"
"Okay fine."
You take the phone out of her hand and begin zooming in and out on a few of the guys.
"Okay, number one is probably the hottest but-"
"Let me see!" she says while taking the phone out of your hand.
Asuka holds the phone really close up to her face and looks through the picture examining each guy in the photo.
"I agree!" she says.
"You didn't let me finish," you sigh, "he kinda looks like a douche."
"Hm. I can totally see how you would think that. Maybe he's friends with Oikawa!"
Both of you burst out laughing. This is one of the only few times you've both enjoyed having a conversation about guys.
"Who do you think is the hottest on the team then?" she asks you again.
"Probably number two. He's cute," you shrug.
"Okay. Then use the condoms on him," Asuka teases.
"Come on Asuka! No way!"
"Fine, it's not like you'd enjoy him anywhere near the amount you'd enjoy Iwa!" she shrugs.
"Asuka!!"
"Y/NNNN, we've been over this. You need-"
"Dick," you say sarcastically "yeah, I know."
You flop back down on your bed and thoughts of Iwa flood your head. Why can't I get him off my mind?
"So you admit it?"
"Yeah," you sigh "I admit it."
Asuka giggles and then asks you to come help her with her makeup. A little while later, you're both ready to go and you text Yutaro letting him know you're on your way.
YUTARO'S P.O.V.
"Seriously Terushima, you're a creep" Futamata calls to his teammate.
As Terushima passes the bong to Oikawa, I look down at my phone and see that Y/N texted me.
Y/N: Hey Yutaro, Asuka and I are walking over from my house now. See you soon!
While I reply to Y/N, Watari asks who I'm talking to.
"I bet it's his hot cousin," Oikawa interrupts.
Oikawa's great at volleyball and all but damn, he pisses me off so much when it comes to Y/N. He always picks on her for no reason.
"Not cool," I grumble.
"Let me have her number, and I won't bother you again" he replies smugly.
"No way! If you want it then ask her yourself."
"No fair," Oikawa whines, "she'll probably only give it to Iwa-chan!"
I look over at Iwa but he does not react. When Oikawa passes the bong over to Iwa, he glares at Oikawa for a second before looking away; it was subtle but I could tell. I'm not really sure what Iwa's problem is, but that asshole Oikawa better not get any ideas.
"Man, I hope your girls are hot," Terushima says a bit disappointed, "Hana never wants to come hang with us outside of school. And this is a total sausagefest!"
After Iwa finishes with the bong, he passes it to Matsukawa who immediately begins to cough after his second hit. He runs inside to get water and passes the bong to me as he goes.
Y/N'S P.O.V.
You and Asuka have finally reached Yutaro's house. Asuka skips to the door and rings the bell. As you approach her, she sighs dramatically.
"If Matsukawa isn't here, I'm gonna die."
Just then, Matsukawa opens the door with his eyes half-closed. The three of you awkwardly stand in the doorway for about a minute until some of the other guys walk over and ask what's going on.
"I'm not sure," you tell them, a bit confused yourself, "come on, Asuka, let's go in now, okay?"
"Mhm," she replies blankly.
"Damn Oikawa, you weren't kidding! They're both are pretty hot!"
What the hell? Oikawa!?
Newest Manager Masterlist
#haikyuu#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu self insert#y/n#Iwaizumi hajime#hajime Iwaizumi#haikyuu x female reader#x reader#fanfiction series#hinatastinygiant#ao3#Wattpad#newest manager
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Hazy Blazy Days
A/N: Image is not mine, if its yours tell me and ill slap some credit but until then, thanks photo owner! I have been working on this baby for weeks guys. I hope you like it, its literally like The Dream for me, so dont judge me too harshly, I just wanna smoke with my boys! Anyways, Happy 420 to my fellow smokers, I wish you all a good day during this lockdown. Stay safe and I love you all!
Pairing: Ben Hardy x Reader
Word Count: 6.6k
Warnings: Swearing, Illegal activities [recreational marijuana use]
Songs used: Idolize Stay Afloat Free Your Mind All three of these songs are Immortal Paradox, linked to Spotify. These songs are explicit*
When she woke up she knew it was a hibernate day, shuffling to the kitchen quickly, filling her arms with the things she deemed important. Bottles of water, granola bars and a bag of chocolate chips, various snack cakes, and a large to-go mug of coffee all tucked in her arms as she tried to hurry back to her room.
“Y/n?” Joe called from their shared living room. “Where are you running off to?” She could hear his footsteps getting closer. Joe let out a loud laugh at the sight he was met with.
Y/n stood with her hands full of her haul, smiling as best as she could with the bag of chocolate chips between her teeth. Joe leaned forward and grabbed the bag as she dropped it. “Thanks! It's a hibernating day, would you like to join me?” She chirped happily, smiling at him.
Joe’s face broke into a wide grin and he nodded his head quickly, “I will grab the blanket and be in momentarily!” He spun on his heels, taking off towards his own room. Y/n skipped back to her room, depositing the pile of snacks on her small wheeled coffee table. Quickly making her bed, minus her giant fleece comforter, moving things around when Joe slid into the room. “I even changed for maximum comfort!” He spun around quickly, flashing her a dramatic smile at the end.
“Impressive, Mazzello.” Y/n clapped her hands just as dramatically. “Pull that over and let's get this thing going!” She climbed onto the bed, pulling her blanket close around her. Following her orders, Joe pulled the small table over until it was against the bed, climbing on top and curling himself inside his own blanket beside her. “Alright, Mazzello, pick your fighter.” Y/n waved her hands around, wiggling her fingers as she reached to the floor pulling up a medium sized wooden box covered in stickers and marker drawings.
Joe smiled at the box, reaching over and pulling it closer to him. Opening it carefully, laughing loudly. “You know, this box reeks of pot.” He chuckled, Y/n stuck her tongue out at him.
“You know, I think that may be a requirement for a pot box, Joseph.” She rolled her eyes at him playfully, reaching into the box and pulling out the bag of the sweet smelling greenery. “If you don't pick, I will.” Y/n warned him, Joe putting his hands up in defense before digging into the box’s contents. His choice was a small but thick bong, swirled with blues and yellows. Joe presented his choice to her proudly and she nodded her head. “Daisy,” She cooed, taking it from his hands, “Good choice!”
Once it was packed, Y/n pointed at a bottle of water, Joe handing it to her blindly as he scrolled through Hulu on her TV. Pouring in some of the water, she handed it to Joe along with a lighter. Joe cleared his throat, straightening his back out causing Y/n to chuckle and he glared at her. Covering her mouth with her hands, she directed her attention to the TV, taking over for Joe as she heard the bubbling sound of Joe hitting the bong.
For as long as Y/n could remember, she and Joe had been close friends. Finding each other quickly on their first day of high school, being the first two to be busted smoking marijuana behind the building and making fast friends in detention. She fondly thought back to that day so many years ago.
-
“Mr. Mazzello and Miss Taylor.” The science teacher grunted out, shoving the slip onto the desk. “Smoking on school property.” He turned around and glared at the two, both of them stifled a laugh. The grumpy man shook his head as he walked out mumbling something about ‘these damn teenagers’.
“Caught smoking on the first day?” The detention teacher looked at them disapprovingly over her glasses.
The two glanced at each other and both started laughing, Joe reaching his hand across the aisle. “Joe Mazzello.” He gave her a smile, she reached out taking his hand and shaking it with an awkward laugh, “Y/n Taylor.”
Once the final bell rang, Y/n stood up, stretching her legs, kicking Joes chair and making his jump awake quickly. “Sorry, Joey.” She yawned, stretching her arms high. “Time to get outta here,” She smiled at him, swinging her backpack over her shoulder. “Walk me home?”
Joe smiled at the girl sleepily. “You got it, babe.” Joe winked at her and she barked out a laugh.
“Save it, Romeo.” She winked back at him and Joe trailed out the door after her.
Joe lived on the other side of town, but he knew in that moment, he would follow Y/n anywhere, as long as she would have him.
They spent most afternoons at a park by the school, waiting until dark before finally heading home, Joe always walking her home before going himself.
One evening, senior year, the two laid in the grass in Joe’s backyard passing a joint back and forth and staring at the sky. “You gonna ditch me in college when you get a girlfriend, Joey?” Y/n asked, putting her arms behind her head.
“I promise to stick with you forever, y/n.” Joe passed the joint over to her, “The best buds stick together, remember?”
The two were absolutely inseparable through the years, even choosing the same college, which they rented an apartment together.
-
Y/n smiled at him, here they were, almost 13 years later, still the best of friends. Joe was staring at her, she shook her head clear of the memory. “Y/n? You still there?” He waved the bong in front of her face and laughed. “Where did you go?” He chuckled, as she took the bong from his hand.
“High school, actually.” She nudged him with her shoulder, Joe bumping her right back. “Detention that first day. How you made me a promise senior year to always stick with me, and here we are, over ten years later. Still hibernating and watching tv for the day.” Y/n hit the bong, coughing lightly before waving a hand in front of her face.
“Calm down, I'm here cause you always have the best weed, alright? Don't get all mushy on me.” Joe snatched the piece away from her, “It's been ten years, I don't have time to find another weed connection.”
“You love me and you know it, Mazzello.” She stuck her tongue out at him, swatting his chest and making him cough loudly.
“You wish, Taylor.” Joe made a kissy face at his best friend and she returned the gesture mockingly, both of them laughing deeply.
Three episodes of American Dad later, the pair of them sat atop Y/n’s bed laughing lazily, Joe munching away on a fudge round. Y/n flopped around, restlessly moving across the bed. Joe laughed at her, “Just open the window, it'll be alright.” He laughed louder as she scrambled off the bed and over to the window quickly, shooting him a bright smile.
Opening the window and taking a deep breath of the crisp air, sitting on the window seat and pulling her legs to her chest tightly. Y/n pulled out a pack of Newports and fished around the seat for a lighter, Joe tossing one to her from the bed and lighting the tip. She blew the smoke out the window but it just blew right back inside, looking back to Joe with a shrug.
“I'm gonna pack this up again, ‘kay?” Joe pointed to the bong and Y/n nodded her head slowly, the smoke curling up around her trying to make a smoke ring. Joe chuckled as he watched her, knowing that after all these years, she was bound to get one eventually, though she had failed this far. As soon as Y/n threw the cigarette out the window and made her way back to the bed, Joe’s phone started ringing a familiar tone. Joe’s face lit up like a kid on christmas as recognition passed over his face. “Ben!” He shouted into the phone, a deep laugh coming through the other end.
“Hey buddy,” Ben's accent came loudly through the speaker. “What’s going on?”
“Having a hibernation day with y/n,” Joe replied, Y/n shouting a happy hello. “What are you doing?” He handed the bong to the girl and she took it happily.
“Are you really hitting a bong while on the phone?” Ben whispered, chuckling softly. “I've got nothing planned, you wanna get together?” Ben was obviously asking Joe, so Y/n stayed quiet, picking at her nails when Joe tapped her leg and gave her a questioning look. “Joe?” Ben asked again, Y/n nodded at Joe with an exaggerated sigh and a smile.
“Sorry, was just waiting for confirmation from the boss, do you want to come hibernate with us?” Joe asked hopefully, even though he had seen Ben since he was in town, Joe was always desperate to see his best friend.
“What does that entail, exactly?” Ben chuckled lightly, a car door could be heard closing and starting.
“Well it starts by you stopping at the store and grabbing provisions, first of all.” Y/n piped up, Joe cracking a smile, before she continued, “Second, you must wear something of the cotton variety, there is no denim allowed in hibernation. Last but certainly not least, you must be prepared for copious amounts of marijuana consumption.” Y/n laughed out, counting on her fingers though only Joe could see. “That’s it, that’s all there is to it!”
“You in, buddy?” Joe asked tauntingly, staring at his phone intently like he could change Ben’s mind through the phone.
“Text me a list of things you need, and give me a half hour.” Even if neither of them could see his face, they could hear the smile in his voice. “Let you know when I'm on the way to you.” The line clicked off and Joe and Y/n smiled, rearranging the room once more to accommodate another.
Forty five minutes later, Ben texted back saying that he was leaving the store, headed to them, five minutes at most. “Stretch break until Ben gets here?” Y/n asked, already kicking her legs out from her blanket, stretching her arms over her head. Joe groaned as he stood, squatting over and over. As the both shuffled towards the door, they could hear a soft knock. “You get him, I'm gonna go find him a big blanket so he can probably hibernate.” She chuckled, tapping Joe on the back lightly as they seperated down opposite sides of the hallway.
Y/n could hear the two boys talking excitedly to each other as she poked her head out to the living room. “Got the last blanket from the closet, Joe you better check to make sure he's following the rules!” She hollered out as she walked back to her room.
“Sweat pants, no denim!” Joe called back, grabbing a bag from Ben’s hands. “Come on back, man!” Joe ushered his grandly down the hall, his best friend following with a chuckle.
When Ben walked into Y/n’s room, he looked around, “I would expect nothing less from you, Y/n.” He chuckled, fingers playing with the strings of fairy lights on the wall. “Smells like pot in here.” Joe chuckled, picking the bong up from the side table and waving it around, Y/n gestured to it grandly.
“If it didn't, Joe and I shouldn't be allowed to smoke anymore, cause we are doing it wrong.” Y/n giggled, patting the bottom portion of her bed. “Pop a squat, Benjamin, we gonna get you stoned.” She grinned up at him, pulling the blanket closer around her shoulders, snuggling inside. “I even brought you a cuddle blanket!” Her voice was muffled from the fluff around her face but she kicked a leg out and pushed the blanket around.
Ben chuckled at her, kicking off his shoes and dove onto the bed, making Y/n squeal and Joe lift the bong high in the air. “I cannot believe that I am a 29 year old man,” He started, burying his face into the soft blanket, “that has a designated ‘cuddle blanket’.” Chuckling and reaching his hand under the pile to poke at her leg.
“You simply cannot hibernate without a pile of blankets, man.” Joe added, leaning into the middle of them holding the bong out. “Who lives next door?” He asked, and when both of their hands shot up at the same time, he pointed to his ear.
“Neighbor!” They shouted in unison, causing Joe to laugh loudly and shove the piece into Ben’s hands. “Ha!” Ben stuck his tongue out at Y/n and she snatched the lighter out of Joe’s hand.
“Ha, that!” She wrapped her blanket over her face and squealed loudly when, after handing the bong back to Joe with an eyeroll, Ben jumped onto her pile, tickling and poking all over until an arm reached out of the top, waving a lighter in defeat. Ben snatched the lighter up and dug his hands into the pile once more, earning a giggle before he sat back on his knees and took the bong back from Joe.
“You two are nauseating, you know that?” Joe commented, and once Y/n emerged from her hiding spot, hair a mess, Joe grabbed at her and pulled her over until she was laying with her torso on his, and wrapped her in his large arms. Y/n flailed a little but ultimately accepted the affection, returning it as best as she could in her blanket prison. “Just remember Ben, she was mine first.” Joe kissed the top of her head.
“She’s still yours, mate.” Ben choked on the smoke, eyes wide.
Joe rolled his eyes at him, looking down at Y/n who had gone still against his chest. “You are both idiots if you think that I don't know.” The two of them looked at each other, the blush apparent on both of their faces. “Oh so we are pretending this isn't happening?” Joe raised his hands in defense, snatching the bong from Ben’s hands. “Whatever you guys want to do.”
Hours later, after a decision to switch to horror movies, the three of them were piled on top of each other. Joe was resting against the headboard, Y/n laying her head on his chest and Ben with his head resting on Y/n thighs. As soon as the credits rolled on screen, Ben rolled himself over, completely trapping Y/n’s legs and groaned loudly.
“What’s up, Benny?” Y/n yawned, her hand finding his head and running her fingers through his blond curls, earning a grumble of satisfaction from the man.
He stretched his arms out, wrapping them around her legs tightly, leaning his head father back into her hand. “Well I was going to suggest going for a ride,” He mumbled into her thigh, “but I may not be able to function if you keep that up, love.” His eyes closed and Y/n switched to running her nails along his scalp, pulling another happy groan from him.
Joe looked down at the two of them, shaking his head lightly. Y/n saw the gesture and smacked her other hand down onto his chest, Joe making an oof sound and laughing when she pulled herself off of him. “A ride actually sounds fantastic, as long as I don't have to drive and” She raised her finger to both boys, “I ride shotgun.” As soon as the words left her lips, Joe and Ben both sat up, voices raised in argument but Y/n just covered her hands over her ears smiling wildly.
“You can have shotgun, only if you roll on demand!” Ben offered, sticking his hand out in her direction, Y/n cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at him.
“You’ve got a deal, Jones.” She slapped her hand to his and they shook vigorously, both laughing. Joe picked that moment to stick a freshly packed bowl in between them. Y/n cooed happily, taking the offered piece from him. “Oh, Joseph, what would I do without you.” She leaned back and kissed his cheek.
“You would perish, surely.” Joe smiled down at the girl, booping his finger on the tip of her nose.
“My hero.” She swooned dramatically against her pillows.
“And you said we are nauseating.” Ben mocked them, rolling his eyes. He smacked his hand gently on Y/n’s calf and she yelped in surprise. “Hit that, get it rolling so we can get rolling.” Ben stood, stretching his arms high in the air, Y/n totally did not notice the way his shirt rode up just a bit with the action.
Passing the bowl back and forth, the three of them slowly gathered all of the items needed for the ride and by the time the bowl was empty. Y/n pushed them out of the room and changed into shorts and then they were ready to walk out the door. “I'll drive, if it can be Ben’s car.” Joe raised a hand in the air and Ben shot him a glare. “Hey man, I'm offering to drive.” Ben growled at him playfully, digging his keys from his pocket and tossing them to Joe.
“I can't believe I’ve got to ride in the backseat of my own car.” Ben grumbled, reaching for the door handle. Y/n stuck her tongue out at him, sliding into the front seat. “Oh stop at the station on the way, we didn't bring our provisions with us.” He leaned forward between the front seats as Joe pulled out of the driveway, nodding his head in acknowledgement. Y/n pulled the aux cord to the back seat and offered it to Ben with a smile.
“You can at least have music choice, since you gotta ride bitch.” She winked and Ben rolled his eyes, plugging his phone in and hitting shuffle before tossing it up to her. “You better have good burn run music, Jones.” Y/n playfully warned him.
Joe pulled up to a gas pump, offering to fill Ben’s tank fully for this ride if he went in to pay. Ben agreed happily and Y/n offered to go with him, getting Joe’s order of gummy bears and a Pepsi as she skipped to catch up to him. “I've got tiny legs, Ben, move slower!” She shouted and he turned around with a laugh. He crouched down ever so slightly but Y/n understood.
“Hop up, small fry.” Ben chuckled, grunting softly when she launched herself at his back, wrapping his hands under her thighs and bouncing her up higher. She wrapped her arms around his neck loosely and planted a loud kiss to his temple. Ben shook his head with a smile. “You are spoiled, you know that right?” He glanced up at her and she grinned back down at him, nodding happily.
Ben and Y/n were in and out of the store quickly, Ben chasing a squealing Y/n as they crossed the parking lot. He collided with her when they reached the car, Ben trapping her squirming form by locking her in place with a hand on the car on either side of her, leaning his head down to her ear. “Got you.” He breathed and she shivered, but playfully pushed against his chest. Ben backed away with a smirk on his face.
“Get in the damn car, lovebirds.” Joe whined, leaning in the roof of the car. Y/n shot him the finger before turning her back to Ben to get into the car. “Seriously are you guys just fucking with me or are you both seriously that niave?” Joe chuckled dryly, leaning down to get into the driver's seat. Once all three of them were inside, Joe grinned wickedly and looked to Y/n. “Get ready to roll, babe, we taking the scenic route.” He winked and patted her thigh.
Y/n kicked off her shoes and pulled her legs onto the seat under her, smacking a hand on her legs. “I'm ready, boss.” She smiled back at him, holding a hand out expectedly. “You know the drill, gimme the bag for the ride.” She turned her head back to Ben. “If you got any, give it to me, Benny.” Ben barked out a laugh and shook his head, Y/n looking at him strangely. He winked at her and Joe shook his head with a sigh. “You wish.” She rolled her eyes.
“We want some rap or some rock?” Ben asked, changing the subject quickly and plugging his phone back into the aux cord. “I found this new rapper that I’ve been really enjoying lately.” Y/n nodded her head enthusiastically as he pressed play. “His name is Immortal Paradox, he's pretty good!” He grinned from the backseat as the rapper started talking softly over the speaker.
“You kids gotta find somebody better to Idolize..”
“Did he just say Drug Abuse?” Joe cocked his head to the side with a chuckle.
“It's a key element of the song, Joe.” Ben smiled back at his friend. He leaned his head back and sang along to the song with a grin. “Please oh please don't Idolize me, I'm a egoistic narcissist who lacks empathy, a judgemental bastard with insecurities, imma free spirit who's never been free. Long days longer nights in a mental cage, and I bottle massive amounts of rage, never meant to be a leader on the stage cause my lyrics seem lethal when they hit the page.”
“Wow Ben, this song really speaks to you doesn't it?” Y/n stuck her tongue out at him but bobbed her head along to the beat. “It's pretty good, you pass this test.” She winked and turned herself back around and pulled out Joe’s bag and began breaking it up and sprinkling it into the folded paper. Ben scooted himself over in the back seat so he could watch her fingers work over the green bud, rolling it into the paper gently. He leaned forward, sticking his head between the front seats. Y/n caught the movement and smiled softly before licking the edge of the paper.
“Anyone ever tell you that you look absolutely lovely rolling a joint, Y/n dear.” Ben sighed dreamily, eyes not leaving hers. Before she could respond, Joe’s arm was flying towards her and the car was being tanked back into the other lane. Y/n and Ben both gasped slightly, Y/n gripping tightly onto the still open bag in her lap,
“Joe!” She screeched as her drink rolled onto the floor.
“I'm sorry! We’re good!” Joe gave her a weak smile, straightening out the car easily. “I just got a little distracted is all.” He reached over and laid his hand on her leg, squeezing comfortingly.
“Don't wreck my car, mate.” Ben grumbled from the backseat. Joe raised his hand from Y/n’s leg in defense before dropping it back to her leg. Ben watched the movement carefully, seeing the two best friends share a smile and Joe squeezing her leg again before they both changed their attention, Joe’s on driving and Y/n’s on the almost finished joint. Ben leaned back in the seat and smiled at the scene. He really lucked out in the friend department when he met Joe, and with Joe came Y/n and he couldn’t have asked for better people.
“Fire in the hole!” Y/n shouted happily and both boys joined in on her cheering. She put the joint up to her lips and fished a lighter out of her pocket, lighting the tip and inhaling softly as she spun the joint around gently. Once she was satisfied it was burning evenly, she passed it back to Ben who took it with an approving nod. Y/n watched him close his eyes and took turns hitting the joint and mouthing along to the lyrics.
“How ‘bout you, what’s your vice? Let me know, do you have any advice? Drink and Smoke help me stay afloat. Not a single fuckin thing gonna sink by boat.” Ben sang as he leaned forward and passed the joint to Joe over his shoulder, continuing the song as he nodded his head along to the beat and shooting Y/n a smirk when he caught her eye.
It was about forty-five minutes later when Joe swerved back into the left lane again, Y/n shot him a glare. “Joseph, if you kill me right now I will be so mad at you.” She raised a finger and poked him in the shoulder. “Maybe it’s time for Ben to drive.”
Ben nodded his head happily, tapping Joe on the shoulder quickly. “Yes, let’s do that. You’ve probably raised my insurance in the last hour.” Joe gave another squeeze to Y/n’s leg before pulling into the first parking lot he came across. “Let’s get some fresh air and stretch a little before we head back out yeah?” All agreeing, Joe went to turn the car off when Ben stopped him. “Leave it, we will just turn up the music, it's not like anyone is around here to complain.” He gestured around the empty church parking lot, not seeing another building in the area.
The three of them found themselves all laying on the trunk of Ben’s car, Y/n sandwiched between the two of them. “Why aren’t we smoking right now?” Joe piped up on Y/n’s left and both she and Ben turned their heads towards him. “Like here we are, just laying here and staring at the dark sky. We should be smoking.” He spoke with one hand behind his head and the other wildly gesturing around. Sitting up quickly and sliding off the car easily. “I shall return.” He bowed deeply, pulling laughs from the other two who settled back into staring up when he sat in the passenger seat, pulling the bag and papers from the center console.
“Turn it up!” Ben shouted as he heard the song change. When the music got louder, Ben started singing along, y/n turning her head to look at him. His eyes were closed, lips moving quickly to keep up with the lyrics. “If you flirt with me I'll be nervous but never hesitate, I'm so in love with you and life and that is always relevant.” His eyes stayed closed, but y/n watched his eyes crinkle up in a smile, turning his head towards her as he kept going, “hypothetically if we both got amnesia, I’d ask you for those digits when our spirits meet up.” When he finished, he opened his eyes and his cheeks heated when he saw that Y/n was staring at him with a soft admiring smile on her face.
“Thanks for inviting me today, love.” Ben used the hand that wasn't under his head to reach down and pat her knee that she had pulled up on the trunk. “I would have just ended up smoking by myself and probably falling asleep on the couch watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” He laughed and she turned her head to face him, looking at him seriously.
“You are welcome any time to join us, Ben, you know that.” She gave him a genuine smile and he grinned back. “I'm serious, you're at our place almost as much as we are, plus you make a perfect third for Joe and I.” Y/n patted his chest a few times before settling back into her position.
“That sounds..” Ben laughed deeply and shook his head, “..very raunchy.”
“In a perfect world, maybe.” She winked at his shocked face, “But alas, you both suck too much.”
“Who is sucking what?” Joe popped up beside the trunk with an eyebrow raised, presenting the fat rolled joint to Y/n.
“You, if you ask nicely.” Ben blew a kiss to his friend and Joe winked back. Y/n snorted loudly, reaching a hand out to Joe, who helped pull her into a sitting position. Ben looked at the window where Y/n was sitting. “Hell of a time for me to decide to get out of the back seat.” He waggled his eyebrows at Joe who laughed and pointed at Ben with a nod.
“You are both gross.” She lit the joint and crossed her arms, letting the joint hang from her lips. “I hope I leave an ass print on the window and then you can't see out of it.” Y/n ended the sentence with both her middle fingers up, causing both men to chuckle.
“I will happily give up my line of sight for your ass print to be on my window, love.” Ben elbowed her in the side and dropped his head onto her shoulder. “You should know that would be my choice.”
“He’s right, you should know that he would choose your ass over just about anything by this point, right buddy?” Joe extended his fist towards Ben who responded by bumping his own fist against it and nodding his blond head quickly.
“You are correct, good sir.”
“I hate you both.” Y/n grumbled, rolling her eyes and blowing the smoke out harshly, handing the joint to Joe. “Honest.”
Ben and Joe stared at each other for a second before they turned to her, both leaning towards her in sync. “No you don’t.” Ben whispered close to her face and Joe was close behind him, inching towards her face.
“You love us.” Joe laughed and the two of them alternated tickling and peppering little kisses all over her cheeks. Y/n squealed and wiggled, but neither man let up.
“Honestly, I cannot stand either of you.” She squirmed, flailing her arms and legs as much as she could without actually injuring them. “You are both awful humans.” Y/n finally huffed out, pushing them away and crossed her arms again, blowing a few stray strands of hair on her face from the struggle.
“Yes,” Joe agreed, “But we are awful and you love us anyways.” He reached forward and ruffled her already messy hair.
“Can we just get back on the road? You are both awful company.” She huffed out, shooting Ben a small smile when she noticed him staring at her.
“Yes, your highness,” Ben sighed dramatically and looked at her expectantly. Joe barked out a loud laugh and Y/n dropped her head to her chest.
“That was awful.” Joe shook his head and swatted at Ben.
“Truly awful.” Y/n agreed, using Joe’s outstretched hand to pull herself off the trunk. “I'm thinking I'll roll one more and we take the super long way home.” She grabbed the joint back from Ben and placed it between her lips as she adjusted her shorts and pulled her hair tie out, flipping her long hair over and pulling it back up quickly. When she stood up, both boys were looking at her with lazy smiles. “What are you looking at?”
“Just you, babe.” Joe reached for her, wrapped her in his arms as she accepted the hug right away. “I'm glad you're my best friend.” He smiled at her as she wrapped her arms around his torso.
“Oi, what about me?” Ben put his hand to his chest in mock offense. “Am I chopped liver now?”
Joe threw one hand out and grabbed Ben’s sweatshirt and pulled him into the embrace. Y/n yelped as she was once again sandwiched between them. “Both of you. I'm glad you're both my best friend.” Joe mumbled into the pile. Y/n pushed her hands against Joe’s chest and her back against Ben’s chest to break up the weird hug.
“Great, now we are all nauseating.” Y/n playfully jabbed at the two of them before she raised her hand in the air, circling it around. “Let’s wrap this up, I'm getting cold and my blanket is calling me.” She pumped her fist in the air and stomped over to the passenger side door.
“You heard the boss.” Joe clapped his hand on Ben’s shoulder as he rounded the back of the car. Ben smiled at them both before opening the driver door and slid inside, adjusting the seat with a glare at Joe. “Not my fault you're shorter than me.” He shrugged and Ben flipped him off.
Once they were back on the road, the joint burnt down to a stub, Y/n threw it out the window and pulled her legs up to begin rolling the last one. “Left, Right, or Straight.” Ben would ask randomly, turning in whichever direction was chosen. Y/n and Joe took turns answering him until they were happily lost. Ben kept fidgeting with his right hand, moving it back and forth between the shifter and his lap before Y/n grabbed his hand and set it on her leg. He smiled at the girl and she grinned back at him.
“It helps Joe drive calmer,” She shrugged and turned up the music, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the seat. Ben caught Joe’s smile in the rearview and looked away quickly. Ben relaxed in the seat a little more, holding the steering wheel loosely in one hand and the other hand tracing small circles where his hand touched Y/n.
Another 20 minutes of driving and Ben smacked his hand on the steering wheel happily, “I know where we are, maybe 35 minutes out.” He tapped Y/n’s leg lightly and she lifted her head sleepily. “Are you ready to smoke one more before you get to go to bed, lovey?”
“I'm ready.” She yawned and Ben smiled fondly at her. Pulling the joint from behind her ear, and lit the tip. Sighing contentedly as she let the smoke curl out of her mouth. “I am also ready for bed.” She stifled another yawn, and hit the joint once more before handing it back to Joe. Weaving her arm under Ben’s, she rested her hand on his leg too. “This ok?”
Ben looked at her hand and back at her face quickly, “It’s perfect.” He smiled at her and the way she smiled back, Ben could have died happily right then and there. She bobbed her head to the music and the rest of the joint was passed between them without words. Ben tapped his elbow on the center console, “Smokes in there, could you light me one?” Y/n nodded, tossing the roach out of the window and grabbing the pack. Soon they were back in Joe and Y/n’s neighborhood.
“You should probably just crash at our place, buddy. Better than you falling asleep on the ride home.” Joe offered, covering his own yawn. “My couch is your couch.” Y/n nodded her head in agreement, gathering the supplies and shoving them in her pockets. “‘Cause I know I'm beat.”
“I will take you up on that offer, I think.” Joe chuckled as Ben fought his own yawn back.
All three of them slid out of the car and shuffled back to the apartment. Y/n went straight to the kitchen, putting on a kettle for tea before going back to her room and changing back into her leggings. Walking over to the window seat again, she pulled a cigarette out from her pack, a soft knock on her door pulling her attention back to earth. “Can I grab my cuddle blanket real quick?” Ben’s soft voice floated through the barely opened door.
“Yeah, come on in. Hey I'm making tea, if your british self would like some before bed.” Y/n grinned at him, and he smiled brightly back at her with a nod. “I'm glad you are our third.” she added after a minute. Spending a lazy day with Ben, she realized, was one of her best days in a while.
“Yeah, I am too.” Ben grabbed his blanket up and wrapped it around his shoulders. Instead of leaving like she expected him to, he sat across from her and snatched the cigarette out of her hand. His leg bounced lightly and he looked anywhere but at her. “Was Joe right earlier?” He breathed out with a cloud of smoke.
“What do you mean?”
“Are we just being naive?” Hitting the cigarette again and handing it back, blowing the smoke out in a huff and looking back at her. “Are we not seeing what's going on here?”
“What’s exactly is going on here, Ben?” Y/n tilted her head to the side with a small smirk. Could he be serious? Y/n hoped that Ben wouldn't be able to hear her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She kept his gaze as she brought the cigarette to her lips, tilting it to the other side when Ben smiled and looked away and back quickly.
“Well I don't know about you,” He started, grabbing the cigarette from her again. Blowing out the smoke slowly, like he was trying to calm his own heartbeat. “But I spend a lot of time thinking about kissing you.” His eyes flicked to hers and he sucked in a deep breath and held it as he studied her face.
Y/n’s cheeks flushed and she chuckled. “Is that so?” Nodding her head softly. “Now what would you say if I told you, that I spend a lot of time thinking about kissing you as well?”
Ben’s smile was so wide that Y/n couldn't hold back a soft giggle. Hitting the cigarette once more, Ben crushed it out in the ashtray and within seconds he had one hand cupping her chin, brushing his lips over hers gently. Y/n responded instantly, bringing a hand up to the back of Ben’s neck and sinking her fingers into the soft curls, both of them letting out happy sounds at the contact.
“I would say that this is going to happen a lot more often now.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek and she leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed. “But right now, your couch calls my name.” He kissed her forehead quickly before standing up and pulling his blanket closer. “And the water is calling yours. Let’s go have some tea before bed.” He held his hand out to her and when she took it, he interlaced their fingers and traced circles with his thumb.
While y/n busied herself in the kitchen, the boys settled into the living room, and when she walked back into the room she noticed her favorite spot open, the center of the couch, right between her two favorite humans. Three cups of tea and one final bowl packed and passed between them as they relaxed on the couch. Y/n smiled at the two boys, her two best friends. “Alright boys, I think that this is it for me.” Draining her tea cup and standing with a groan, Y/n walked behind Joe and grabbed his face with both hands, planting a kiss to his forehead while Joe wrapped an arm around her tightly. When she walked over to Ben, she repeated the gesture of grabbing his face with both hands but she pressed a kiss on his lips instead. “I'm off to bed, love you guys.” She yawned once more and gave a small wave as she disappeared for the hallway. Both boys muttering their goodnights before Joe swatted Ben’s arm playfully.
“It’s about damn time.” Joe threw his hands in the air happily.
“You may have been right.” Ben huffed out a laugh but smiled anyways. “But I’ll never tell you that.”
x
#ben hardy x reader#ben hardy#ben hardy fanfiction#ben hardy fanfic#joe mazzello#joe mazzello fanfiction#joe mazzello fanfic#stoner fic#HAPPY 420 GUYS#recreational drug use#pot smoking#my writing
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South Park High School Jokester
Chapter ~ 1
“Butters, there is no way the new kid did that. You probably making shit up,” Stan muttered with a sigh walking with his group of friends towards the new kid’s house. Butters, the young blonde man who had visited your house just the day before was stammering and looking nervous.
“I’m not making it up! I could feel the base in my bones while the music was being blasted, and they had, t-they had these huge bongs while screaming at us!” Butters cried in agony, doing his best to convince his friends what he had seen. All the others just rolled their eyes, there was no way someone like that just moved in. Sure, South Park was known for the unknown showing up but the people were normally, well, normal.
You quietly poked your head out from behind your curtains and could see a bunch of boys making their way down the street. Seeing the young blonde boy from the day prior, you gave a hum of happiness and closed your curtains. This time, you decided, you’d play another joke on all the new guys. This one would be more tame, as to not scare away some of your new probably friends. Your room was still littered with plenty of boxes you needed to unpack, but all you had pulled out was a bunch of your gag gifts you’d gotten from friends. You pulled out the iconic horse's head and starred at its black, dead eyes before slipping on the mask.
Since yesterday, your mother had taken the stereo and moved it downstairs, though it was yours, she liked to use it to play music for the company when they were over. Before the boys could get there, you grabbed your phone and raced downstairs, quickly plugging in your phone and letting it connect before search through your music library and finding the folder that said “Ironic Memes” on it. Scrolling through each song, you finally found “Trapped in the Drive-Thru” by Weird Al Yankovic and fast forwarded it, keeping it paused at just the right timing. You looked at yourself in a nearby mirror and adjusted the horse mask appropriately and stood at the front door. Your mother, coming in from the backyard stared at your back for a while, trying to figure out you were doing before shaking her head and deciding it wasn’t worth the time of her day to figure out what you were doing.
Soon enough the knocking on the door sounded and you couldn’t help but hold back your giggles, taking in a deep breath and holding it to hold back your laughing before answering the door.
Stan looked around at the top of the house with a hum, hearing the door open, he opened his mouth to speak before looking at who answered the door and froze. There you were, standing in some oversized pj’s your favorite band scrawled all across the pants and a boring, plain grey t-shirt with a horse mask on. The silence seemed to go on forever, all of his friends standing quietly behind him, questioning the situation and what was going on. Just as Stan opened his mouth, you hit the play button on a little remote in your hand; the song picking up you had set it on.
“But he looks at me.” You paused it again, watching the boy startled by the sudden music. Watching him move and about to say something again, you started it back up again, inching closer to him.
“And I look at him.” Pause.
Stan took a nervous step back; you could the blonde shaking from where he stood. He truly did not understand what the hell you were doing.
“And he looks at me.” Pause. Another inch closer.
“And I LOOK AT HIM!” The rubber plastic of the horse's open mouth was now kissing Stan’s face as he and all the other boys looked at you like you were crazy. Soon enough your mother came running over and shoved you backward, muttering and begging for apologies as she unplugged the stereo and kept you shoved behind her. You couldn’t help but fall on your butt and laugh, rolling around with the horse mask still on.
“What the absolute fuck,” the green hated one yelled in confusion.
“I’m SO SORRY, about this you see, they… Ugh! Damn it (y/n) introduce yourself normally for once!” Your mother demanded as she turned back to your rolling around figure. You sat up and sighed, blowing a raspberry at your mother before standing up and pulling your mask off and tossing it onto the couch. The guys all seemed to stare at you, no longer in shock but mostly in confusion.
“My name is (y/n) and I live here now. I’m kinda gonna go to your high school unless you guys go to a different one. I like to mess with people if you couldn’t tell,” you smiled.
You could hear one boy in the back losing their shit, and a sudden wave of embarrassment ran over you. Maybe they were laughing at how you looked? Or maybe your joke was really lame? You rubbed your arm nervously, growing embarrassed as the laughing in the back continued.
“S-Sorry if that joke was really lame,” you muttered. God, you hadn’t even been here for a week and these guys probably thought you were really lame now. Your image at school was going down the shitter faster than you thought it would. Though, it wasn’t like you really cared about your image at school. All you cared about, was not being bullied or picked on, and you were chill with that. If word got around your jokes were old, washed out, or even lame? Well, guess it was time to just yeet back home to where dad lived.
“Lame? Are you fucking kidding me? That was hilarious! All of their faces? Like ‘what the fuck is going on?’ and then you kissed----pft HAHAHAHAHAHA.” The largest boy in the group was almost doubled over laughing, stopping his feet and holding his stomach as he laughed his heart out.
“Sorry for our shock we just um.. We didn’t know you would greet us like this, nor did we really know that you were um.. A girl?” Green hat spoke up again, looking around confused.
“You see, our friend Butters here told us about his run-in with you the other day--.”
“You scared the Jesus outta me and my parents! I thought I peed my pants,” the blonde cried.
“You looked like you did when I saw you and your parents run outta here,” you muttered with a small laugh.
You rubbed the back of your head before sighing, your mother grabbing and pinching your ear out of nowhere caused you to cry and whine, grabbing her wrist and begging her to let you go.
“Apologize,” she demanded.
“Ow, FUCK! Okay, I’m sorry!”
“For what?”
“For making you make out with the horse mask!” The pudgy one began laughing harder.
“AND?!”
“Gah, fuck this hurts! And for scaring you and your parent's blondie, those were fake bongs! It was a MEME—FOR FUCKS SAKE LET ME GO WOMAN IT HURTS!” Your mother sighed, letting you go before making you face her.
“You will go over there and apologize to his parents. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes ma’am,” you groaned. You turned to the boys and hummed.
“It’s cold out there. You can come in and sit in the living room till I’m dressed and then we can get the old introductions outta the way. As you know, my name is (y/n), have fun waiting for me.”
You galloped upstairs with a sigh as the boys entered the home and took a seat in the living room or kitchen. You quietly entered your room and hummed, going over to the half-open box of clothes and pulled out whatever was on top. You lazily tossed on a plain t-shirt that wasn’t used for sleeping in, your pair of favorite jeans, and a jacket meant for going out in cold weather. You slipped on a pair of fuzzy and thick socks before grabbing your shoes and slipping them on. You looked in the mirror and lazily fixed your hair so it was presentable and made your way back downstairs. Your mother was quick on her feet to present warm beverages and snacks. You rolled your eyes and shrugged on your coat quickly before stopping at the end of the stairs.
“Now, you be nice to those people okay? We just got here and I, as a grown adult, would like adult friends not scared off by their kid,” she smiled. You hummed, smiling back and giving her a quick hug as she kissed the top of your head and shoved a plate wrapped in plastic too you. Looking down, you hummed, moms famous baked goods. These won over just about anyone.
“I promise I will, I love you, I’ll see you when I get home if these guys don’t win me over and show me around town.” You nodded your head toward all the boys who, visibly, looked quite uncomfortable, except for the tubby one. Your mom gave you one last hug before you moved and opened the door, staring the boys down in your own way to tell them it was time to go. As they quickly emptied their cups and thanked your mother for the drinks and snacks, they ushered themselves out before stepping out into the freezing cold.
As the last one out of the door, you shut it carefully and checked your pocket it for your phone, reaching back inside and jack it form the stereo before declaring you were now ready to go.
“So, who first? I guess the blonde kid since I made him almost pee his pants in my house,” you smiled. Watching him grow embarrassed and uncomfortable, he rubbed the back of his head nervously while smiling.
“Everyone calls me Butters, my parents' names are Stephen and Linda. They aren’t angry at you for what you did, but they were, concerned,” he muttered. As you reached up to the front door, you knocked on it softly, quietly tapping your foot and waiting for an answer, deciding it would be a polite thing to do instead of asking Butters to waltz you straight into his home and up to his parents.
As his parents opened the door, you gave them a shy smile and gave a slight shrug of your shoulders.
“Sorry Mister and misses….?”
“Stotch and it really is no problem at all dear. We were just, quite spooked,” Linda spoke with a gentle laugh. Stephen sighed softly before carefully taking the case and looking it over.
“What is this,” he asked.
“Oh, those are my mom’s famous baked goods; there are a couple of different ones in there. The cookies are the best. Please, don’t be afraid to come over and talk to my mom, she gets lonely without any friends,” you said with a smile. The two adults simply smiled and thanked you for the apology, explaining that they just had been spooked and wanted to make sure their son wasn’t about to become friends with someone who was an actual drug user. You explained to them the only drug you used was life, and you got mega high off of it. That and your anti-anxiety medication.
After accepting your gift, everyone turned around and backed themselves onto the sidewalk, the sound of an occasional car going back caused you to shiver at the extra cold wind you didn’t need feeling.
“Right, so my name is Stan. You know, the one you made make out with the horse mask,” Stan mused with a smile. You gave a few chuckles, apologizing to him now for having that happen before he waved his hand dismissively, explaining how it would be a first meeting he wouldn’t forget.
“Green hat is Kyle, the tub of lard over there is Cartman, and the orange parka is Kenny. He’s a lady killer, not literally though. He likes to girl hop.”
“I’m not fucking fat!”
“Please tell me you aren’t going to do the freshman fifteen,” you muttered while pointing at Kenny. His only response was a smirk and you could only roll your eyes. He suddenly moved in close, grabbing your hands and starring you down with a coy smile on his face.
“You wouldn’t want to be my first victim, would you,” he muffled. You laughed, easily slipping from his hands and pointing at him.
“Good joke, but I’m a junior. Soon to be senior my guy,” you hummed. Butters seemed to smile a bit.
“Well, then that means you’ll be in our graduating class! Oh, I hope that means we can be friends,” Butters spoke. You looked at him confused, suddenly feeling a weird spike of nervousness shoot through your system. You hummed, looking down at the floor and looking at the cracks and holes in the cement beneath your feet. You gave a little kick to some snow before glancing up at all five boys before you before smiling nervously.
“D-Does this not make us friends..? I’m sorry, I’ve been friends with the same people for so many years,” you blabbered. Oh god, word vomit. You hated it when you began to word vomit. Quickly trying to shut yourself up, you chewed on the zipper on your jacket, grinding it painfully in your mouth to keep yourself from talking again. Stan looked a little surprised before chuckling, suddenly play-punching your shoulder.
“Of course dude! Oh, that is, if you don’t mind me calling you dude.”
“Not at all, as long as none of you mind me calling you weird things that relate to the internet and the memes it produces,” you shrugged your shoulders.
“No, I don’t think we’ll mind at all.”
“Great, now show me around this dump. Or maybe even new people.”
Okay, so maybe getting to know people wasn’t going to be such a pain in the ass after all.
#South park#South park reader insert#reader insert#Stan Marsh#Butters Stotch#kyle broflovski#kyle brovlofski#Eric Cartman#kenny mccormick#fanfiction
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take the risk - chapter 3
Archie Sutton wants to be a professional surfer. Gorillaz is a garage band that plays on the beach. Archie’s infatuation with one of the members makes everything so much better. But will a little rock in the ocean halt him from achieving his dreams?
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2
Au by @putinsstepdad
Read it on ao3 here
There’s a song for every chapter
This fic has gone further than I expected but it’s getting to those good goods yknow also I don’t edit so hhhhhhsorry
6k words/over 17k in total so far
some and then a cut
-
Archie stared at the floor of his van and how clean it was. Well, as clean as he could get a slab of carpet that was mostly taken up by his bed, television, and record player. It’s been so dirty for the past few days, which usually it doesn’t bother him, but it started to because there was chocolate melded to it and it wasn’t easy to walk around every day. He’s been working a little more recently and between that, surf practice, and plans to hang out with 2D, he hasn’t gotten to it in a few days. So he busted out his very few cleaning supplies and fixed it up because tonight he was going to hang out with 2D after a long couple days without.
Sitting on his creaky futon, Archie pulled out his phone and scrolled mindlessly on it, waiting patiently for ten thirty to arrive. 2D got off work late today but finally for once he wasn’t staying at Russ’s to work on new songs or performance prep. Archie set down his phone on the bed and stared at the wall. It’s been a busy week so far, for everyone he knew actually. He didn’t really know why, but Surf’s Up was on its way in two weeks and Archie has been taking up a few more shifts to cover the entrance cost. It wasn’t much, but he also wanted to get his board done and that was a pretty nice cut out of his wallet. As Archie sits and waits for 2D to arrive, he reminisces about the busy week everyone’s had, starting with the first day.
The summer sun was nice, warm, brought in lots of customers and increased productivity for everyone. These were the perfect surfing days, great weather to ride the waves and get those little pink sunburns below your eye bags that would turn into a bronze blush in a few days. It was always hot in Florida year round, but now that it was midsummer it was blazing every day. This is a good thing. Sometimes, though, it was irritating as hell. Quite literally. The burning sun turned Archie’s van from a cool hang out spot into a sauna as early as eight in the morning, awakening him from his deep slumber covered in a sweaty shirt from his vehicle that decided to turn into a Jiffy Pop.
Archie opened his eyes and viewed the ceiling of his van with a dizzy glare. Fragments of his vision were still black and hazy but they adjusted to the white ceiling quickly. He can practically see steam coming off of him and he feels like he just got out of a shower with how wet his back and hair was. Tiredly, he leans to his right and focuses on the floor of his van that was currently covered in candy, junk food, and accidentally-spilled weed atop Archie’s already dirty and stained carpet. It was normal for the floor to be a mess the morning after hanging out with someone, especially 2D, who was actually a moderately clean person but with the way him and Archie hang out, it never ended clean.
The relationship between Archie and 2D was quite different since their first hang out over a month ago, yet the same in a lot of ways. They shared laughs and stupid jokes like normal friends would do, adding in the frequent nights either getting high or drinking while hanging out with friends or spending time alone with movies in Archie’s van. The activities that the two partook in together were normal, regular things that best friends would do, but it was different. The familiar smiles and random glances matched with pairs of eyes averting in response was no strange occurrence, along with subtle knee touches, maybe a shoulder brush or a hand casually laying on the other. But it wasn’t strange. To Archie it wasn’t weird or different or out of the ordinary. Every single move and every day him and 2D spent together felt...normal, yet so exhilarating. Adrenaline rushed through Archie’s veins the same way it did the moments leading up to a competition or when he successfully rides a giant wave, even when he was laying down the most relaxed way possible. As long as he was with 2D, that feeling remained with him and frankly, it kind of drove him crazy.
Despite it all, the passed six or seven weeks have been the most fun Archie has probably ever had. He met up with 2D, Russ, Murdoc, and Noodle often after concerts and, if schedules lined up, hung out with everyone for movie night or beer and stories at Russ’s house. Lindsay was invited a couple times too after Archie mentioned his relationship with her and by that time she’d actually already met 2D a few times. If Lindsay ever worked later than Archie she’d stop by his van to hang out for a few minutes before heading home to study or sleep and once 2D began coming around to hang out in Archie’s van, it was inevitable for him and Lindsay to meet. She even joined in on a few beer nights at Russel’s. Noodle took an immediate liking to Lindsay because she’s no longer the only girl of the group and the two girls are pretty good friends at this point, strangely close, like Archie and 2D.
But this hanging out was not often. They all had jobs, Archie included, and that was hard to match up in itself, let alone a band schedule with practices and performances, but it was fun. Four months ago Archie would have brushed off any person that said he could be friends with one of the band members from Gorillaz. Now he was going to party stores at midnight to buy foreign alcohol and junk food with his favorite blue-haired singer that had chocolate cravings like a teenage girl on her period, just like the night before.
The night before. As Archie examined the floor of his van, all he could see was last night with 2D. Candy, melting from the heat and stuck to his floor, his bong, still left in the wide open next to his futon, (not like he’d get caught anyways, being in his van and all), The Evil Dead title screen playing on loop on his television still, and the blanket covering most of his floor that he gave 2D last night to sleep with. There wasn’t a lot of floor room between the futon and the television, Archie invited 2D to just sleep next to him on the futon but he wouldn’t comply, even though it’s not like they haven’t slept in the same bed a few times before. Archie doesn’t even understand how 2D laid comfortably on his floor with that little room, but he did some way or another.
Regardless, 2D wasn’t there anymore. Archie checked his watch and saw that it was only nearing ten in the morning but remembers 2D mentioning previously that he had to work early to take over the third shifters at some crazy hour of the morning.
Archie groaned and sat up to lean across his van and grab the door handle to pull open the slider and let in some air. Immediately the entire van was filled with cooler air, though it was still well over seventy degrees, it cooled the sweat on his back. Archie searched his hips through his pockets for his phone, noticing he must’ve slept in his jeans last night. Archie found his pockets to be empty and began rummaging around his van for his phone, lifting his blankets and looking under, then lifting the blanket he gave 2D and finding something, but not his phone. It was a white tank top that surely wasn’t his and after picking it up and straightening it out, it was evidential to be 2D’s white tank top with grey writing, the same one he wore when Archie first met him.
Squinting in thought, Archie pondered why 2D left his shirt in his van. Yeah, it got hot in the night a lot of the time so he probably just took it off, but how did he leave without it? Did he just leave with only wearing his jacket, not noticing he didn’t have a shirt at all? Archie smiled fondly at the thought and set the shirt down beside him and glanced to where the top was placed previously on the floor, there laying Archie’s cell phone. He quickly scooped it up and turned his screen on and opened his messenger.
Want to hang out later?
The question was repeated exactly from both Archie and 2D maybe thirty times in their earlier messages. It was a pretty frequent one, pretty much daily. Archie lays back on his futon and lets out a sigh. 2D was at work and that meant he’d have to wait forever for a reply. He lifts up 2D’s tank top again and examines it before a vibration averts his attention again. His phone.
Possible, don’t know yet. P.S please come save me. It’s deafeningly quiet in here.
Archie grins at the message and shakes his head, formulating a reply.
A: Maybe. Got any munchos yet?
D: No but if you come here I will literally buy you every bag of chips on these shelves.
A: How about I come on your break and you can drive me somewhere that has munchos?
D: 10:30?
A: I’ll be there.
Archie sat up again and stretched his arms above his head. To catch up with 2D he’d have to leave pretty soon, but first he needed to get out of these sweaty clothes. Archie looked to his side back to the white tank top. It was so thin and light, 2D wouldn’t mind if he wore it, would he? Archie fingered the material smoothly and sighed out his final decision. It wouldn’t harm anything to wear the shirt. Besides, 2D smelled good.
“Why Munchos?” 2D asks and takes a drag from his cigarette. Archie is sitting beside him on the cement curb, enjoying his personal size bag of Munchos while 2D eats the lunch he brought from home. Pineapple and cheese on wheat bread. 2D was strange.
“They’re crispy.” Archie replies and eats another chip. “Taste better than potato chips. Why pineapple and cheese?” He asks back. 2D was still in his red and black work tee, the one every employee at 7/11 was forced to wear. Archie wondered if the employees working inside the Fast Stop they were currently residing outside of on their curb were wondering why a 7/11 employee was at a different gas station. Little do they know that the 7/11 that 2D works at doesn’t have Archie’s favorite chips, which was a big turn off.
2D examines his sandwich with a puzzled face and hums.
“I don’t...remember. I just know I’ve eaten it since I was a kid. Only thing I really know how to make.” 2D speaks back and Archie chuckles.
“That why you still like with your parents?” Archie asks. 2D looks at him with a brow raised.
“Hm?”
“So they can make you sandwiches for lunch that actually taste good?” Archie smirks and 2D looks at him half-offendedly, except he wasn’t offended at all.
“I’ll have you know, I make all my food and I like eating my pineapple and cheese, thank you.” He remarks back and Archie rolls his eyes. 2D takes another bite and almost immediately starts talking again with his mouth full of bread, cheese, and pineapple. Archie didn’t care. “Speaking of parents. My mom wants to take me to the dentist tomorrow morning and that will take an hour or so. Then I’ve got work until six and after that Russ wants to go over a different set list and make a new song.”
Archie nodded in confirmation to 2D, knowing that his description of his day tomorrow meant that he was going to be too busy to hang out. It was okay, normal even, but what Archie struggled to admit was that the days he and 2D were too busy to see each other he really missed 2D. It was a weird feeling, missing someone you’re only friends with and only after knowing them for a month, but Archie felt in deep in his chest.
“That’s okay. We can hang in a couple days, yeah?” Archie asked and 2D shrugged.
“I honestly don’t know, my schedule is weird this week, but I’ll text you when I’m free definitely.” 2D said and looked at Archie who smiled and nodded back. 2D grinned and took another bite of his sandwich, the two sitting and staring at the cars filling up their gas tanks in front of them until Archie decides to speak up again.
“Why are your parents taking you to the dentist? Aren’t you like, twenty three?”
“And counting.” 2D sighs. “They want to get some kind of exam done, maybe see about fixing my twisted teeth. They say it looks really bad for work and stuff.”
Archie fixed his gaze on 2D for almost a straight minute until 2D took notice and looked back at him. Archie looked confused.
“I don’t think it looks bad at all.” He confessed. 2D smiles widely, showing his teeth completely like he was showing off. “I like your smile.”
“Thank you, Arch.” 2D says sincerely and Archie gives a smooth “you’re welcome, D.” Archie checks the time on his watch.
“We should get back. You gotta be working in ten minutes and we’re at the wrong gas station.” He mustered and stood to throw the most empty bag of Munchos away, 2D following to throw away his paper bag that had his sandwich. 2D was the one now to nod back and smoothly grip Archie’s hand in his own.
“Right, let’s go.” 2D says and guides Archie back to his car to return to 7/11. This was the little feeling. The little things that he and 2D shared that was different. The different that made his chest numb and the world feel more gloomy when he didn’t have it for a while. But the feeling when it was happening was indescribable to Archie.
“Nice shirt by the way. I think I’ve got the same one.” 2D comments once inside his car. Archie considers for a moment on whether 2D was being serious or not before simply rolling his eyes. How could Archie be so infatuated with a guy so oblivious to everything.
Those two occurences, the texting and the lunch break was the last time Archie saw 2D. Until tonight. 2D was coming over after work to hang out in Archie’s van again, but this time would be different than the junk food and chocolate crazed first time they decided to hang out in the van. No, Archie had an idea this time.
2D was lounging across Archie’s couch mattress like a starfish, groaning about work and how this is the first time all week he’s laid down without immediately falling asleep. Archie was listening from his seat next to 2D and they talked back and forth about their schedules and how tired they were. Archie would usually be tired by now, being so late after his long day surfing, doing dishes, and serving plate after plate of greasy beach burgers, but something was keeping him up. More like someone, but it definitely was not the first time 2D has left him sleepless in bed. There was something about 2D that made Archie’s mind crazy. Something that made his nerves spike when he saw him. He really didn’t know if it was good or bad.
“Arch?” 2D asks and Archie’s internal thoughts halt to snap his eyes to 2D’s. He must have been in a subconscious daze, Archie doesn’t remember what they were talking about.
“Yeah?” Archie questions back, hoping 2D will repeat whatever he just said last again.
“What are you thinking about?” 2D speaks sitting up to lean on the back of his hands. Archie watches as 2D’s blue hair goes from draping behind his head to flowing down just above his black eyes. Again with the blue hair, black eyes...thin lips. “Archie?” 2D asks again. Archie shakes his head to try and physically shake the thoughts out of mind.
“Sorry, must be tired.” He lied and looked in 2D’s eyes with an unconvincing look.
“Well wake up.” 2D answers and playfully slaps Archie’s upper arm. Thankfully the lie flies right over 2D’s head, not like it’s that surprising, he was an oblivious man. “I just got here, ‘n I’ve been wantin’ to see ya all week so don’t fall asleep on me just yet.”
2D wanted to see Archie. Those words stung into Archie lightly, like a little bee sting to the center of his chest, but without the pain.
Maybe he was tired.
“Do you want to go out on the water?” Archie asked bluntly but in all seriousness. 2D looked back a bit worriedly and shifted to sit more on his bottom with his legs crossed.
“This late? Are you sure we’d be able to?” 2D replied, as if that was the thing he was really concerned about. Archie knew 2D didn’t care about the time, it was the water that bothered 2D.
“I know it seems scary, but trust me.” Archie begins. “I go on these exact waters every day at the highest tide. At this time of night it’s calm and almost impossible to get dragged out unless I drag you myself. It’s even more safe at this time, rips aren’t even out at night.”
“What’s a rip?” 2D asks and Archie stand up off the futon.
“Well now I can’t tell you or you won’t come with me.”
“But now I don’t want to go even more!” 2D exclaims and begins to pout. Archie looks at him consolingly.
“C’mon, you’re come so far with you fear.” Archie sits next to 2D again and takes one of his hands in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze. 2D fixes his gaze down at their hands. “We’ve been swimming together for weeks now, and I wouldn’t take to out somewhere that I knew wasn’t safe.”
2D looked back up at Archie, his face still unconvinced. Archie musters out a “Please?” and 2D glances down quickly but beams his eyes back up to meet Archie’s. He nods.
“Yes!” Archie cheers and stands back up, pulling 2D with him. “Okay, come on. There’s something I want to show you.”
Archie found out the first day he spent with 2D and the rest of the Gorillaz in the garage playing cards that 2D had a bad history of getting hurt. When he was sixteen years old, he got in a car crash that dented one of his eyes and fractured it, filling the iris with blood and putting him in a coma. Two weeks later he woke up and was nursed back to regular health. Four months later and almost the same thing happened with his other eye, except instead from a car crash, he accidentally got jabbed in the eye with a power tool. How that happened is unknown to Archie, but nonetheless is the reason for 2D’s black eyes.
The other major accident that 2D faced was much more traumatic and caused deeper scars both physically and mentally inside of 2D. When 2D was five years old, he was maliciously attacked by a shallow shark. Nobody really knows how or why he was attacked but he was and that’s all that’s needed to scar someone. 2D endured weeks in a hospital until his wounds were healed enough for him to use his limbs again and deep red gashes turned into stitched up flesh, then turned into the purple, pink, and skin colored divots in his skin that he has now. His arms and legs are the ongoing sign telling 2D to not go back into the water. That is, until he met Archie.
Archie would never force 2D to do something he didn’t want to do, or at least not go as far to shove him in the water and tell him to get over it. Archie helped 2D little by little with encouragement and reassurance. They started with getting closer to the water until 2D could touch it with his toes, but the feel of the first wave hitting his ankles sent 2D into a flashback and he stepped out of the water instantly, Archie by his side comforting him the whole time. A week down the line and Archie was able to walk 2D into the water up to his hips. Another week and he could do everything besides swim on his own, and that’s the stage he was basically at now. Though it wasn’t all an easy perfect transition. There were many times where 2D had to be taken out of the water and sat on the beach with Archie until he stopped shaking violently and could speak and breathe normally.
Tonight Archie didn’t plan to go swimming with 2D, but he wanted to take him out deeper than he’s ever been before on his board. There weren’t waves at night like there were during the day, if there’s any at all, but waves or not Archie knew that 2D didn’t like the water. But surprisingly enough 2D agreed to be taken out on the water and Archie was going to do everything in his power to make sure 2D didn’t feel unsafe out there.
So Archie quickly grabbed his board from the employee locker room and dragged 2D out onto the beach by his thin fingers, worn and callused from instruments through the years. Archie dropped his board in the sand near the water and the two undressed, taking off their shoes, then their socks, followed by their shirts but both keeping their casual denim shorts on. Once undressed and ankle hooked up to the cuff connected to his surfboard, Archie paused and looked up over the ocean. It was dark out. The lights on the pier were the only things keeping the ocean visible and not looking like a pitch black abyss, much like the sky in the very moment. The air was crisp and clean, a bit salty smelling but nothing Archie wasn’t used to. The sand was cold beneath his feet, much like a desert changes from burning hot in the day to freezing at night. Music could be heard in the distance, something that was a little softer than Archie’s preferred taste, but it set the mood for a late night surf session.
Archie was about to pick up his board but he heard a barely audible moan from behind him that drove his eyes to 2D, who was looking a little unsettled at the sight of the ocean. He can’t blame 2D for thinking the ocean looked intimidating at night, because it really was a scary look the first time Archie saw it, yet Archie had a strong feeling that he could get 2D to enjoy it.
“Are you okay?” Archie asked 2D and they exchanged glances. 2D looked nervous more than anything and Archie wishes he could take away every shed of a bad feeling 2D was having right now. The image of 2D standing in front of him with his shirt off, lightly shone on from the dim pier lights showed Archie the full extent of 2D’s scars. There were a few more along his torso that weren’t nearly as bad as the ones on his arms and legs but still easily visible.
“Hey.” Archie reached out his hand slowly to gently grab 2D’s again. “It’s okay, I promise.”
2D and Archie shared a look similar to the one they had a few minutes ago in the van, one that Archie always gave 2D when they would work to get 2D over his fear. The look that made 2D feel twice as safe in a short few seconds. 2D squeezed Archie’s hand lightly and gave a small nod to signal that he was ready to go out on the water.
The water felt warm in contrast to the colder air. It warmed Archie’s body from his feet through his body while he kicked through the saltwater beneath him. Archie was sitting knees-to-knees with 2D at his normal forty yards out, deep enough to be well over either of their heads and too deep to bring 2D out just by swimming, but they made it work. The music could still be heard from where they were but it was more faint. They were so far away that they could only hear the echoes of everything in a sort of hypnotic tone, the deep sounds of a guitar and a voice so far away that the words being sung came out like a foreign language. 2D was staring out towards the amphitheater, only visible because of the stage lights shining down on the crowd in front of it. Archie glanced at the amphitheater for a moment, but turned his eyes to look at the boy in front of him.
2D. Scarred from shoulder to toe, thin silhouette sitting only a few inches in front of Archie, toes barely visible through the dark saltwater. Mussed blue hair, beautiful black eyes, thin lips curled into a small subconscious grin. Archie felt his heart beating into his chest, blood pumping through his veins in each limb and making his body almost numb with a kind of comforting feeling. Archie smiled and turned his eyes downwards to the red stripe on his board between his legs.
“You know, I used to come out here sometimes to watch you guys play.” Archie spoke, grabbing 2D’s attention. Archie shifted one of his legs to place both on one side and gaze out over the water back to the amphitheater. “Even though it’s pretty far, it feels really close. Like a private show.”
2D chuckled at him. “Fanboy.” He remarked and Archie laughed back at him. “Kidding. I think that’s really cool.” Archie’s lips remained in a smile that pushed his cheeks up below his eyes. Praise from 2D drove his head half crazy.
“It’s one of my favorite things about surfing. The, well, non-surfing part of it.” Archie continued. “Sitting out here, day or night, alone. I like night better because it’s calm and quiet and I can just lay here and not worry about being home or having a curfew or anything. It’s nice.”
“Did you get back to your family?” 2D asked, suddenly remembering the conversation they’d had in 2D’s garage about how Archie hadn’t seen his family in a while. Archie gave him a puzzled look. “You said a few weeks ago that you’d visit them soon. How’d that go?”
Archie turned his face down to the water below his knees, his feet becoming much more interesting than they were twenty seconds ago. He didn’t want to tell everyone about his family problems back then in the garage, not after knowing them only for a couple hours, but he and 2D were closer now. Maybe it’d be okay to tell him why he can’t--shouldn’t--go back to his family. He took in and exhaled a breath.
“I haven’t seen my family in about five years. I got kicked out when I was sixteen when I dropped out of school, but they didn’t even care about that. They only cared that I was young and gay and apparently that alone meant that I was rebelling against them, like I’m gay just to get back at them for being Christian or something, I don’t know. I just know that I don’t want to go back.” Archie kept his eyes focused down while he explained the situation with his family. He didn’t really care that his parents didn’t want him. Of course, at the time it was different, but because of it he was able to learn how to live from a young age and actually start life the way he wanted to once he quit school. It was a bittersweet transition.
“I’m...I’m sorry that happened, Arch.” 2D said softly and Archie’s eyes snapped up to meet his.
“Oh, no don’t be. I’m kinda glad it happened. I’m not worried about it.” Archie responded and 2D’s face lightened a little, yet the slight pit in his chest remained at the new information he just learned about Archie. “Really, D. I don’t care about it anymore.”
2D was still unconvinced but he let the thought go. “You can call me by my real name, you know. Not that I care if you call me 2D or D or whatever, just saying that you can call me Stuart if you want. Or Stu is the more common one.” 2D mentioned. He brought his name up partially to change the subject, which he doesn’t think Archie took notice of.
“I was wondering who you had sex with to earn the nickname 2D.” Archie smirked.
“Actually it’s because-”
“I know it does, dummy. I was making a joke.” Archie laughed, finally looking back up at 2D after his long session of staring down at his feet and blankly up at the amphitheater. 2D’s face turned from confusion to happiness and he laughed with Archie, the two falling silent only a couple seconds later. 2D lifted one of his legs to move both to one side and sit next to Archie but the weight of the surfboard began wobbling beneath him and 2D started to lose his balance. His heart froze, his body not ready to go into water this deep yet, but before 2D could fall in he felt an arm snake around his waist and hold him firmly up on the surfboard until it stopped moving. Archie instinctively grabbed 2D in fear of letting him go into the water, let alone by himself, and held him until the board was steadied again. 2D’s arms were around Archie’s shoulders in fear and Archie could feel the trembling coming from him and he immediately started rubbing 2D’s back to soothe him.
“It’s okay, I’ve got you.” Archie said as 2D’s shakes and breathing started to slow down. Once he was able to speak again, only a minute later, 2D’s grip loosened from Archie’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah…” 2D nodded and let his arms fall away from Archie. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologise.” Archie said back, keeping his arm around 2D. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down until he was back to normal, then Archie releases his grip around him and rest it at his side but immediately bumping it into 2D’s. He started to move away but he felt fingers intertwine with his and instead of pulling away, Archie melted into the touch. His fingers curled around 2D’s without a single look up or thought of hesitation, he just molded into the feeling. 2D scooted closer to Archie and leaned his head on his shoulder. At this point Archie felt like his heart might actually pop out of his chest.
“I don’t think I ever realized you had tattoo’s.” 2D voice spoke after yet another minute of silence that they shared that night. It took Archie out of his previous train of thought and he coughed nervously.
“Oh, yeah.” He responded so un-enthusiastically. “I mean yeah, I’ve gotten a few over the years. Mostly bands I’ve fancied. Sex Pistols, Ramones Eagle, the skull for Misfits, and a couple others.” Archie explained, pointing at the respective tattoo’s along his shoulders and right forearm. “Also got a few on my back. A li’l surfboard on my side. I even got your logo a while back but it’s fading ‘cause I got it in color. Shit never stays.”
2D grazed his hands along the tattoos, stopping at the one on his right shoulder blade of the Gorillaz’ very own logo. 2D could barely see it because of the fade, it just kind of looked like a light watercolor version of a tattoo. Still, 2D was speechless that somebody actually got a tattoo of his band’s name, he thought that came when you were much more famous than they are right now.
“Those are amazing, Archie. Serious, I can’t believe you put our name on your skin. Permanently.” 2D said, still very mesmerized.
“Semi-permanently.” Archie corrected. “It’s nearly gone and it’s been three months. This one here was my first one.” He said, pointing to the surfboard that went down his entire right side. “Same board we’re sitting on. I got it when I was fifteen after I bought the board. Held sort of a sentimental value to me, it’s the only one I own and the one that I’m taking to the competition next week.”
Competition.
“Are you ready for it?” 2D asked. “The competition, I mean.”
“I dunno.” Archie shrugged. “I’ve never felt not ready for a competition before. They’re always just practice runs in my head but this one...I could actually get something this year. This one competition could change my life. If I manage to win, at least, but who knows if that’ll happen.”
2D looks at Archie sorrowfully in his forlorn expression. He would never take Archie, his confident and somewhat cocky friend, to be so unencouraged with his own amazing skill that 2D thought was undeniably incredible.
“I think you’re going to be amazing. I’ve never seen someone surf like you and frankly, it’s the coolest thing I’ve probably ever seen.” 2D confessed to try and lift Archie’s spirits, giving his hand that he was still holding a gentle squeeze. Archie stared up in 2D’s eyes with an almost gazing expression, wondering if 2D knew that Archie felt the same exact way about him. “I’ll be at the competition, too, cheering you on from the sidelines just to let you know that you’re doing great, ‘cause I know you will.”
The words that 2D was saying to Archie felt like a snap to his heart, in a good way. But the snap made his mind go blank for a half a second and he didn’t realize what he was doing until he felt the click of his lips pressing against 2D’s in a firm, but kind of sloppy kiss. 2D kissed back for the brief moment their lips were connected, until Archie realized what he just did and quickly pulled away.
“T- uh, I’m s-” Archie started to muster out but was cut off when 2D swiftly released his hand from Archie’s and held the side of his face to press their lips together again. Archie was surprised at the action but he let his eyes flutter closed and allowed his face melt into 2D’s. 2D didn’t pull away for a while, and when he did, he just came right back to Archie’s lips. Archie’s hand raised to cradle the side of 2D’s face and kiss him even more deeply. It was simple and sweet, Archie never wanted the feeling to go away but after a short minute, 2D pulled his face away.
The two stared at each other, letting their hands fall limp and move away from each other’s faces and fall back down into their laps or onto the board beneath them. Neither knew what to say in this moment. It was quiet, the band no longer playing and the waves hardly audible from where they were. Eventually Archie looked away and they both stayed silent. 2D was the first to speak up.
“Do you, uhm,” 2D began slowly and softly. Archie’s heart started to race again. “Do you want to go back? The waters starting to feel a little cold.”
Archie bit his lip and nodded, and without looking or talking, Archie and 2D made their way back to shore on the board. The feelings Archie was having right now were so conflicting. On one hand he wanted to keep kissing 2D into the next day, and on the other he was feeling regretful, like he shouldn’t have kissed him in the first place. Everything was so confusing now.
They didn’t talk again until they made it back to the van and Archie opened the side door.
“What time is it?” 2D asks and Archie checks his watch.
“About twelve thirty.” Archie answered and turned around to face 2D. “Do you wanna stay tonight? It’s kinda late.”
“I would but I have to be up really early for work. Plus I have to take a shower to get the salt water off me and stuff too.” 2D says back and Archie nods.
“Well I’ll uh, see you soon?” Archie responds, nearly convincing himself already that 2D isn’t going to come around for any reason.
“Yeah, totally.” 2D says back and starts walking back to his car. “Night, Arch.”
“Goodnight.” Archie calls back softer than he meant to. He’s not even sure if 2D heard him, but he also didn’t think he could manage to talk any louder with how loud his thoughts were inside his head.
Fuck. Did he just fuck everything up?
-
I fucking love munchos alright get off m’dong
#this took too fuckign long#starchie#surf au#ur welcome seb#for trAsh#take the risk#chapter 3#eeeeesorry
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Walker: Hey, tit head. Wake up. I'm on my way, if you're still asleep I am eating your oreos!
Yeah that sounds about right. Too bad for him, I'm wide awake (with my Oreos safe for another day). Even thought it was 11:36pm on a Tuesday, we had plans. Nothing out of the usual, it's actually become pretty routine by now. A few nights a week Walker picks me up when he gets off work, and we drive to a local park. Its called Birch Woods, but everyone calls it B-Woods. Walker keeps his bong in the backseat and I bring my weed. We usually sit in his car, his playlist quietly humming, just smoking and talking.
The sound of my phone pinging again snapped me out of my thought process as I realized he was waiting for me in my driveway already. With my family all asleep, I tiptoed quietly to the front door. I silently slipped out of the house, slipping my black Converse shoes on, folding the heel down.
"There you are, I was starting to think of the sneakiest way to break in," he groaned smugly, starting the engine once I buckled myself into his Chevy Cruze.
"Yeah because that won't concern my neighbours," I shot back at him, already scrolling through his Spotify account to find my go-to playlist of his. The car slowly fills with comfortable silence, aside from A Day To Remember harmonizing.
"Aaalright we are here. You got everything?"
"Yes sir," I retort, "this ain't my first rodeo."
"Yeah yeah, you say that, but you /have/ forgotten before."
I roll my eyes, grinding the herb to a finer consistency as Walker empties his water bottle into his medium sized bong.
We lock eyes quickly, but just as fast as our eyes meet, they pull away. This has been happening for a while- him returning my looks. Me looking at him... well that's been happening for more than a while.
I can't help myself. The way his hair catches the sunlight on a summer night. The way his freckles melt perfectly on his face. His eyes... There aren't enough cliche words for his eyes.
"Mind if I go first? Work was a bit of a shit show," he informed me.
"O-oh, uh, yeah! Go ahead," I blabbered, fumbling to string a sentence together.
"Cool, thanks."
He lights the bowl, while Say Anything chimed in the background. The flame from the lighter matches his hair, vibrant and breathtaking.
He inhales slowly, pulling the smoke into his chest. Then he exhales, seeming to have a weight lift off his shoulders. I'm mesmorized. I don't know why or even how, I've watched him do this hundreds of times. Yet he never fails to make the simplest of actions look graceful, poetic.
"Here you go," he coughed out, passing the bong to me. I mirror his actions, taking in the substance. We both have high tolerances, so it mostly just mellows us out.
"So what happened at work?" I questioned.
"Meh, same old bullshit. Ian no-showed, and next week we're getting inspected. No way in hell we pass," he explains, as he reaches to take back the paraphenelia.
"Fuck, that's stressful. I'm sorry," I respond.
He looks at me and shrugs, saying "It's all good. How was your day?"
Well to be frank, a lot of my day was spent thinking about being wrapped in your arms, or you pinning me against a wall.
"Fine, just got ready for work tomorrow and cleaned the house. God, being an adult is boring sometimes," I expressed.
"Yeah I agee. We just need to make some sort of fun future plan to look forward to!" he suggested.
"Okay, okay. Any ideas?" I say after exhaling another breath of smoke.
"Whaaat about... A weekend at a cottage with the friend group?"
"Wait, that's actually a really good idea! Walker, you are a genius," I rave, beaming at him.
"Why are you acting all surprised?! I've always been a genius," he gloated.
I rolled my eyes at him again, laughing.
We locked eyes again, but held our glance for just a second. I could feel my face revealing my truth, that I was mega crushing on my best friend and could barely look at him without turning red.
"... Hey Ash?"
"Yeah?"
He paused.
"I, um... I forgot to bring a drink. C-could I borrow yours?"
I laughed, replying, "Yes doofus, here."
We continued to bicker in the safe space of Walkers car, until we were clearheaded enough to head back home. He dropped me off, and saw me off with his typical line:
"You're my favourite person, bye!"
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W: Worlds Apart - Volume 4: Worlds Estranged
Kang Chul X Oh Yeon Joo - Fix-It Fic (T)
Read from beginning or find previous chapters here: Stories
Rediscovering each other doesn’t have to be all discomfort and hesitance. Yeon Joo just has to find her footing in the good things she’s missed.
Chapter 124 - Oh Yeon Joo Is Trying To Feel Something (799 words)
She found herself scrolling through the webtoon, trying to remind herself of where she'd been. That it was real. The cost of how fast it all had been, how uncontrollable, was that now it felt like another life.
Every familiar page, though, bore something else on it she had forgotten, the part that stained every image with a warmth that she couldn't ignore. There had been joy, there. Of seeing someone so truly remarkable turn to her like she was remarkable, too. And however unreal some of his accomplishments were, his mind and talents were real. That face. The way he stood by his ideals, and was willing to sacrifice himself for what he thought was right.
The hard certainty that she was never going to be with him again had almost melted away, but the softness underneath felt so vulnerable. She'd fall in love with him despite herself twice already, and she wasn't sure she could face any more hurt.
Except the delight had been missing, too. And it was right there, if she could just step forward.
The next day she texted him at lunch: Let's go on a date tonight. We've never really gotten to do that before.
He was by her car again when she came out from the elevator. The fluorescents laid over him like screentone, his unreal proportions and celebrity-beautiful face standing out against the grimy environment. And she felt like she was walking back into a story--an unknown one, where she was blessed with the part of an unlikely winner. She kept her pace slow, deliberate. But as she came close, she walked into his arms, and buried her face in his shirt.
He smelled different, but not of Soo Bong's cheap body wash. She had an image of him picking out his own soap in the market, puzzling over unfamiliar brands, with a strange surge of affection. After a moment, she lifted her head and opened the collar of his shirt, lifting out the chain she'd felt underneath.
Matching wedding rings, one slightly bigger than the one she'd worn, hung from it.
A sob that was a laugh burst out.
"I consider myself an engaged man," he said softly. "Do you want to wear yours?"
"Hold onto them for now."
It was both intimate and a sort of distancing to tuck the chain back inside his collar.
They went to dinner, and she could barely eat or drink anything, because she was just gazing at him. It was probably very embarrassing to those around them, as he did the same. But she was seeking assurance.
His hands were a little rougher, holding his utensils, touching her hand. As if he'd done more fighting and it had left him a little beaten up once his hero's time ended. The lines of his face were subtle, but were clear when he smiled. And the smile--that was part of it. She had to reconcile that sweet smile of the newly-awoken Chul with the etchings of pain and wariness present. She tried not to look into his eyes too long, partly because she was afraid she'd start giggling. Partly because the expression in them was not really an in-public sort of feeling. They talked about some of the people he'd met in his misadventures after that last panel of the comic. She told him about restarting her career again. How they'd dealt with the comic's strange continuation and abrupt end on the publishing side of things, her and Soo Bong and even her father.
"How are you going to live here?" she finally asked.
"I had Soo Bong help me create some paperwork, in case I made it back. So I exist, officially, though I don't think my English will quite stand up to my purported origins. And I have money. So it's really just a matter of settling here. Of finding an occupation. I'm afraid I only have the most cursory of skills in anything, but I'm quick to learn."
"Then you might do well in media. You can always say you're interested in changing careers, or have it be that overseas you learned a different system and need to start over."
"True."
"Well, it's good you have a start on that."
Chul finally frowned slightly as he looked at her.
"Why are you angry? I can see you're glad to see me, but you're upset, too."
"Are you not? About what we had to go through? About having to wonder if we could ever work it out? About the time we've lost, in so many ways?"
"I see. That makes sense."
The conversation faltered. They were back to looking at each other, unable to just talk lightly. Soon they left the restaurant, walking out in the city with no particular purpose.
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10 LEGIT Cannabis Email Marketing Tips You Can Start Using Today
So you’re here for some LEGIT cannabis email marketing tips, huh? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
You must already know that email is one of the most powerful outreach tools available. I mean, look at these statistics!
105 billion emails are sent each day, and this amount is projected to reach 246 billion in 2020.
For every $1 spent on email marketing $44 is made in return, according to a study by Campaign Monitor.
73% of millennials polled prefer to keep communications with companies through email
If you have heard of these statistics – good! If you haven’t, now you have. Whatever the case, keep these numbers in mind because…
Email marketing takes patience, learning, and quite a bit of set-up.
Having these in mind are for keeping your mentality where it needs to be to really pull in this cash cow. Plus, if you’re working in the cannabis industry, it could be all that much more powerful and ROI-rendering because there are so few cannabis-related companies that successfully do cannabis email marketing, if any at all.
One thing is for certain: there is a big, big pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.
3 Principles for Successful Email Marketing
Before I can get to any tips, we have to understand what aren’t tips – meaning: what is expected of you as an email marketer. Here, I outline 3 principles that we should all carry into cannabis email marketing.
If you ignore these 3 things, it’s like you’re hitting the “unsubscribe” button for your audience.
Do Only
Permission Marketing
Email is primarily thought of as direct communication and anything that falls outside of permission-based communication is suspected of being spam.
Simply put, those on your email list should know and even expect your emails. They opt-in and stay subscribed of their own volition.
“Permission” should be thought of in more expansive terms than just avoiding having your customer database hit the “unsubscribe” button. As Seth Godin puts it:
Real permission is different from presumed or legalistic permission. Just because you somehow get my email address doesn’t mean you have permission. Just because I don’t complain doesn’t mean you have permission. Just because it’s in the fine print of your privacy policy doesn’t mean it’s permission either.
Real permission works like this: if you stop showing up, people complain, they ask where you went.
Don’t Run Afoul of the Spam Filters
This is common sense, but I want to dig a little deeper here.
Internet service providers (ISPs), such as Google and Yahoo!, use spam filters to weed out unwanted messages.
What this means is that your messages are vetted and either stamped ‘go’ or ‘no-go.’ And if you’re unaware of this, you can seriously waste time, money, and effort (and maybe a little bit of sanity) doing bad cannabis email marketing.
You may simply want to push a couple more THC cartridges this month, maybe introduce a new marijuana strain to your peeps, or answer some questions about CBD. – But if you’re using specific “red flag” wording, you’re hitting the spam folder every time.
This is a huge, huge topic, so I will defer to Fulcrum Tech’s article, entitled “7 Key Strategies for Avoiding the Gmail Spam Filter,” which does a great job of summing up what you need to know about this.
Segmentation is a Must
“Segmentation” is an intimidating word to some, especially if they are new to cannabis email marketing.
For this reason, I will use an example to show what segmentation is and what it can do.
Imagine you’re selling your TV because you want a new one, and – just to make it feel a little urgent – you want to sell it fast so you can watch a boxing match (*or something you like) within 3 days.
Now, you know your grandmother and sister both have shown interest in your TV, but that was a while ago. So you have to pitch them the idea that the TV is exactly what they need, and fast since the boxing match is so close.
Do you say the same thing to each person when you know that a more informed message would do much better? For example, your sister is a gamer. Your grandmother loves to watch cooking shows but her TV is too small and the one you’re selling is much bigger.
Knowing this, do you say, simply, “This TV is exactly what you need! I’ll sell it for $300 if you act fast!”?
No, probably not. You would talk about how your sister’s games would look so much doper than on her old TV to your sister, and you’d probably talk about the size of the TV to pitch to your grandma. If you do this, you’re using targeted messages.
Now – you see! – that wasn’t so hard. Now, you get the point, but the more hands-on part of this is knowing what information to use to help you make targeted messages, where to find that information, and how to sort and tag your email list so that you can target accordingly.
Here’s what you do:
Keep reading because I drop some important insights about segmentation throughout this article, and
Read “Create and Send to a Segment,” an article by MailChimp.
And now the cannabis email marketing tips you’ve been scrolling for…
Without further ado, here are those tips you’re here for!
1. Make subscribers feel like they found the hookup.
Your goal should be to use your knowledge of “what’s out there” on the internet, your relationships within the cannabis industry, and self-generated ideas to build lists of deals and value propositions.
What’s more is that every value proposition you push to your email list should make you money.
Basically, give them the impression that you know what’s good to know (especially about weed), and that’s what they’ll think. This is all the more powerful if you’re leveraging your website SEO to go after reviews of products in the marijuana industry.
A good place to start compiling your list is by searching for affiliate programs (both in and out of the cannabis market) that will give you good commissions based on your referrals.
Push your and your affiliates’ deals all the time.
Check out these lists to get started!
“The Best Cannabis Affiliate Programs to Join for Passive Income” – Jane Dope
“Top 10 Medical Marijuana Affiliate Programs for a Smooth Ride to Online Income” – One More Cup of Coffee
“The Best and the Worst Cannabis Affiliates” – Cannabis Research A- Z
2. Personalize your emails
So, the beauty of using content management systems (CMS) is their ability to help you personalize your emails. MailChimp, Convert Kit, and other email marketing software even has preset campaigns that use coding that give you all the capabilities for any email personalization you may need.
Here are some bong-dropping stats about how email personalization can improve your campaigns:
Emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. – Campaign Monitor
Personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates. –Experian
When asked to prioritize one capability that will be most important to marketing in the future, 33% of marketers answered: “personalization.” – Adage
Personalizing your email and segmentation go hand-in-hand. The same rationale for targeting people with the same issues is the same basis for why you would have their name show up: catering the outreach to the reader so that they feel as if the message is meant for them, which, if you look at the stats above, really make a difference in how customers/readers/customers perceive messages and outreach – and ultimately your brand.
3. Remember: People buy solutions, not products. (The high, not the pot)
One thing that can be quite easy to forget is that it was your customers’ problems that lead them to find your articles or website. They typed their inquiry into Google and bam! there you were.
To know that a potential customer came to you with a specific problem isn’t really that helpful in itself, but having ideas about what that problem might be is a definite advantage for segmentation and writing email copy.
One way to take advantage of this is understanding from which page or article a customer got on your email list from. If you understand that, you have the topic of the article, which then becomes an idea about what they were searching for which led them to find you.
Another advantage this can bring comes in the long-run. Selling solutions instead of products requires a shift in mindset and is quite challenging, but it’s for the better – and more profit. Here’s what
” Selling a solution requires that companies fundamentally change how they do business: Instead of pushing products, they must create genuine connections with other people. The solution-selling methodology requires lasting relationships with clients in which the goal is always to find new ways to help. “
4. Make Your Writing Scannable
According to Jakob Nielson, author of Homepage Usability: 50 Websites Deconstructed, people do not – that’s right, I said “do not” — read online. They scan.
This is true for emails also, especially since mobile has become such a de facto consideration in web development and email marketing.
Use the following tactics to optimize your “scanability”:
Reading intimidation is real. Wall of texts intimidates readers. Break your paragraphs into “chunks” so that each “chunk” is easily consumed. Another way of saying this: use white space rhetorically to cut down on intimidation from text walls.
Paraphrase and summarize the gist of the paragraphs in the title that precedes them. In other words, make the reading of each paragraph (almost) completely useless.
Use colloquial language. Colloquial simply means the language you would use in your everyday life, not some language you would use – say – in a courtroom. It makes your content far more approachable and understandable.
Use bullet points like it’s your job.
Hyperbole is memorable when it’s not misleading.
Present one idea per paragraph.
5. Use the Word “You” in Your Email Copy
Common colloquialisms are used in web copy and email marketing to evoke a feeling of closeness, familiarity, and ease. And the use of the word “you” does the same thing, only a little more since it hails the reader.
See the original blog post.
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