#it's not perfect. far from it. it's still a customer service job and comes with all that that entails

[onrainynights]

the fact that I might be about to go from being almost completely financially dependent on my parents to being able to support myself fully is unbelievable like. what. how did I get here. I'm not complaining by any means but part of me honestly thought I'd never get to be independent and if I get this promotion I WILL cry about it. oh my god.

[libby-for-life]

A Secret Santa I did on Discord. Here was the gift I gave! Hope you enjoy!

Coffee Date

Adam leaned against the worn wooden counter of the coffee shop, his shoulders heavy with the weight of yet another long shift. The bell above the door chimed softly as yet another customer drifted out, leaving behind only the lingering scent of freshly brewed coffee. He couldn’t help but sigh, the sound escaping his lips like a gust of wind. Working in customer service was far from his dream, and each departing customer seemed to remind him of that fact.

The hustle and bustle around him felt overwhelming at times; the chatter of patrons, the hiss of the espresso machine, and the clinking of cups created a symphony of chaos that only added to his frustration. Still, Adam understood the necessity of his position—this job was, for now, his lifeline. He pushed his discontent aside, steeling himself to smile as he took another glance at the screen where the next order flashed insistently.

“Cappuccino,” it read, and he grimaced slightly, knowing it would require his full attention. With a deep breath, he rolled up his sleeves and quickly moved into action. Mechanically, he ground the rich aroma of fresh coffee beans, measuring the perfect amount to whip up yet another frothy masterpiece. The routine was monotonous, but as he frothed the milk, he felt a flicker of pride in creating something that brought comfort to others, even if it didn’t bring him joy.

Adam stared at the name on the order slip, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. "Lucifer?" he muttered to himself in astonishment. Surely, this had to be a prank. Who in their right mind would name their child after the devil? A thought crossed his mind; perhaps the customer had just decided to have a bit of fun by adopting such an infamous moniker. Probably to cause a stir within the staff.

Shaking off his thoughts, Adam called out timidly, "Lucifer!" so the customer could claim their coffee. As he turned to the counter, he braced himself for whoever was about to come forward.

To his surprise, a strikingly handsome man approached, the kind of beauty that felt almost otherworldly. The man was on the shorter side and he had short blonde hair that framed his face like sunlight dancing on golden wheat. His piercing glacier-blue eyes seemed to hold a depth of emotion, sparkling with a hint of mischief. His skin was exceptionally pale, lending him an ethereal quality, resembling a delicate porcelain doll crafted by the finest artisans.

As he locked eyes with Adam, a playful smirk danced across his lips, making Adam's heart race unexpectedly. Time seemed to stand still as the man approached the counter, each step purposeful and magnetic. Adam felt his cheeks flush bright red, the heat blooming across his face as he tried to maintain his composure in the face of such captivating beauty.

"Thank you, Adam," Lucifer said, his voice resonant and deep, sending an involuntary shiver racing down Adam's spine. He couldn't shake the feeling of being both intrigued and intimidated. Adam's mind raced, briefly wondering how this striking man had known his name before he remembered the small, conspicuous name tag pinned to his apron. It was a simple detail, but in that moment, it felt like a moment of revelation.

Adam nodded in response, feeling slightly flustered as the blonde man turned and exited the bustling coffee shop, the door chiming softly behind him. He scrubbed a hand across his face, trying to dispel the flicker of thoughts that danced in his mind. He needed to gather himself; after four solid years of working here, he should have been used to the ebb and flow of regular customers. Surely there was no chance this striking figure would return again.

However, to Adam's astonishment, the man did come back the next day. And the day after that. Each time, he sauntered in with that same casual confidence, personally placing his order in a way that made it impossible for Adam to ignore him. The mere act of crafting the cappuccino felt charged with an electricity that made Adam blush fiercely whenever their eyes met. Each shared glance lingered, weaving an unspoken connection that both thrilled and unnerved him. No longer could he simply blend into the background of his coffee shop; this enchanting presence made him feel seen in a way he never expected.

The day arrived when Lucifer approached Adam with a playful glint in his eye, his voice smooth like velvet. "Would you like to go on a date with me?" he asked. The words hung in the air, and Adam felt a surge of warmth wash over him as if his brain had short-circuited. His cheeks turned a deep crimson, radiating an embarrassment that felt all-consuming.

A handsome stranger, one who seemed to exude confidence and charm, was asking him out. But why? Adam couldn't wrap his head around it. He had always considered himself rather ordinary. With tousled brown hair that fell just above his brow, a scraggly beard that hinted at a lack of concern for conventional grooming, and a sturdy, chubby figure that made him feel more comfortable in his loungewear than in the spotlight, he thought he didn’t stand out in any crowd.

The only aspect of his appearance that he thought might be deemed unusual, perhaps even striking, were his eyes. They were a mesmerizing shade of gold, reminiscent of sunlight glimmering on water, and they seemed to catch the light in a way that made them shimmer brilliantly during certain moments—especially when he laughed or smiled. But even that felt like a fleeting charm, overshadowed by his self-doubt. Still, there was Lucifer, with his enchanting aura, asking to take him on a date. Adam's heart raced at the unexpected attention.

"A date?" Adam asked, trying to process the words that had just escaped Lucifer's lips. He wanted to make sure he hadn’t misheard him amidst the bustling café sounds that surrounded them. The air was thick with the rich aroma of coffee, and the clinking of cups created a familiar rhythm. Adam glanced up at Lucifer, the shorter man’s smile widening as if he were pulling joy from some hidden reserve.

"Yes. A date. If that's alright with you?" Lucifer's voice was smooth and inviting, but Adam could feel a warm blush creeping across his cheeks, betraying his surprise and excitement.

Lucifer chuckled softly, the sound reverberating deeply in his chest, sending an unexpected shiver down Adam’s spine. It was both comforting and thrilling, making Adam realize just how much he was drawn to this charming man. "Then here's my number. How about we meet here this Saturday? I’ll take you out," Lucifer suggested, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Adam could only nod, his throat suddenly dry and his heart racing. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Lucifer as he deftly scribbled his number on a small piece of paper. As it was handed over, their fingers brushed momentarily, and Adam felt a surge of electricity between them.

Lucifer stood up, still wearing that captivating smile, then turned to leave with his cappuccino in hand, the aroma of coffee lingering in the air behind him. Adam watched him go, his mind racing with thoughts of their upcoming date, feeling a mixture of exhilaration and nervousness as he clutched the paper tightly in his palm.

Holy shit. He had a date.

XxX

Adam couldn't help but feel like he was having a wonderful time. Lucifer was so charismatic and kind to him coupled with the underlying air of intensity of their stares was enough to make Adam whimper in the back of his throat.

They had gotten their coffee and were now walking around the park for a while just learning about each other. When they got to Adam's apartment, Lucifer asked boldly, "Have you ever kissed anyone before?" Of course, he had kissed someone before! He wasn't some virgin! He said as much causing Lucifer to laugh. "Hmm...I think I can show you a better way." He grabbed Adam by his collar and brought him down to his level and...gold eyes widened as hot lips crashed on his.

Lucifer was right. He had never been kissed like this before. It was wild and animalistic, teeth pulling on his bottom lip to get him to open up and Adam didn't fight it, opening his wet cavern to Lucifer's invading tongue

He had never been so turned on before. Lucifer easily took control over him despite be so small. He grabbed hold of him on a firm grip and Adam even felt a hand travel to his ass and squeeze.

Adam moaned and couldn't be bothered to remember that they were literally in the hallway and anyone could just walk in on them kissing each other and pawing at clothes. Lucifer let go and Adam followed his lips with a dazed look. A finger was placed on his lips with an amused chuckle. Lucifer was looking at him with such adoration that Adam didn't know what to do with it.

"Well, I should let you go, Adam. Be a good boy and get inside." Adam nodded as Lucifer fished his keys from his leather jacket, opening his apartment door and guided Adam in. Adam was feeling far too fuzzy to care that he was being sat down and kissed one last time before he was told, "Go get ready for bed. And then, send me a text to know that you did what you were told. Okay? Unless, you need some help?" Lucifer asked. "Can you even talk right now?"

Adam simply tried to kiss Lucifer again. The smaller man laughed again and said, "Okay, I'll help you. Come on." Adam was pulled to his bedroom and Adam blinked when he saw that Lucifer rifled through his closet and pulled out his clothes to sleep in. It should have been awkward to have a grown man change him but it wasn't. He was still in that pleasant head space and Lucifer was taking care of him! It was so nice.

Lucifer gently tucked him into bed and Adam finally managed to whimper out, "Just one more kiss?" The smaller man blushed slightly but nodded before kissing Adam again in the same way he had enjoyed and Adam was once again in that pleasant head space. A fuzzy feeling that made him want to let Lucifer take the lead.

A hand grabbed his hair and yanked it, causing another moan to tumble out and Adam felt his whole body shiver. Lucifer finally let go and gave Adam a look. "Now, are you going to be a good boy and go to bed now? I have work in the morning and so do you."

Adam managed a tentative nod, his heart racing at the sight of Lucifer's infamously charming smirk. Despite the way that smirk seemed to exude an intimidating aura, warning him to tread carefully, Adam felt an unusual sense of safety when Lucifer was near. It was a peculiar contradiction he couldn't quite grasp.

The air between them was charged, and Adam couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be wrapped in Lucifer's strong embrace. The mere thought sent a rush of warmth through him, igniting a mixture of excitement and embarrassment that he knew would come crashing down on him in the light of day. But in this moment, under the dim light of his room, thoughts of being held by Lucifer consumed him.

“Good boy,” Lucifer murmured softly, planting a gentle kiss on Adam's cheek that lingered like a spark. With that, he stepped out of the room, leaving Adam with the haunting sweetness of the moment and the flutter of unbidden emotions stirring within him. Adam heard the sound of a door being locked and knew that Lucifer had locked his apartment door on his way out.

As Adam lay on his bed one thought seemed to consume him. What the hell just happened?

[lnwrcauli]

Edward/Edith The Blue Engine [NWR AU]

History

Edith was built in 1890 as LSWR No. 577 of William Adam's X2 Class 4-4-0s. She originally carried the name Edward, but as she made the choice to change genders, I will be referring to her as Edith throughout this post. She worked out of Nine Elms shed between 1891 and 1915 when she was purchased by the NWR to work their express trains. Upon arrival, she was stabled at Vicarstown with her colleague Thomas. By the end of the Great War in 1918, her parts were thoroughly worn out and the workload was far too much for her, so The Fat Director purchased an "Atlantic" from a relatively little-known works in England to run his premiere express trains while Edith went in for refurbishment. Unfortunately however, the engine he received (Henry) performed far worse than expected, forcing the refurbishment work on Edith to be halted as she was pressed back into service once again. She soldiered on until 1922, when the railway bought Gordon. After Gordon's purchase, the railway was strapped for cash, so she was left in the back of the shed until repairs could be afforded. Unfortunately, in all the postwar stress, The Fat Director forgot to schedule her repairs and she was left there until 1924, when a driver took pity on the already life-expired engine and offered to take her out for a run, after which she was sent for repairs where it was found that the tolerances on her motion had been worn down so much that there was near an eighth-inch of play. After the works had finished with her in 1925, she was practically in factory-fresh condition.

Her life following this was relatively uneventful, up until her re-assignment to the Brendam Branchline in 1936, soon after which she had to chase a runaway James along the mainline to prevent a derailment. During the Second World War, Brendam Harbour was constantly full to capacity and often got raided by the Luftwaffe, which once again meant that Edith was thrashed to breaking point. Her schedule was packed to the brim with troop trains from every corner of the island to Brendam Harbour. Being relatively fast as well as light, she was the perfect engine for the job.

After the war, she was once again worn out completely, which was not helped by the increase in traffic due to the completion of the Sodor China Clay Company's Bill & Ben. Due to postwar austerity, she wasn't overhauled until it was far too late. While on an enthusiast's special in 1959, she split her left crank pin, causing her con-rod to break free of her wheel, bending her frame and splashers out of shape. Never one to give up, she slogged the eight-coach train as far as Wellsworth before being relieved by Mark, who was working thunderbird duties at the time. After her exploit, she received a very hasty and very desperate apology from Sir Charles Topham Hatt II, who gave her a complete overhaul as soon as possible. After her overhaul, she met a lonely Trevor the Traction Engine while passing by Crock's Scrap Yard. After making her crew aware of him, the three decided to consult the local vicar, and after a few negotiations, he was bought for the vicarage orchard.

In 1962, The Fat Controller noticed that Edith was struggling to keep up with the workload alone, and so purchased a failed diesel locomotive design from British Railways. The pair first met when Bill and Ben decided to play a trick on the newcomer, having their crews remove their nameplates and pretend they were the same engine. After Edith scared them off, the two got to chatting. Edith and BoCo have been firm friends ever since.

In 1971, Edith (then still known as Edward) made the realisation that she did not and had never felt male. With the support of Sir Charles, she changed her name to Edith, Sir Charles even having new custom nameplates cast for her. It took the others some time to come around, but they eventually all accepted her decision. By 2017, Edith was 127 and was certainly feeling her age. She put in a request to Sir Stephen Topham Hatt to formally retire from revenue service. Her request was granted and she went on an island-wide farewell tour. After her retirement, she was purchased by Sir Robert Norramby II for his (formerly his father's) estate railway/museum, where she resides to this day.

Personality

Edith is a caring, sweet and thoughtful engine, often putting others before herself. Though admirable, her selflessness sometimes leads to self-neglect or damage. Though she's usually the go-to engine to talk about your issues to, she shares very little about her own. Despite her shortcomings, she is a joy to talk to and was an asset to the railway.

Thank you for reading, I'll see you in the next one.

Cheerio!

[appetite4savage]

City of Angels (Phil Collen)

-

@thiswatch-lepparddef-werehi and I were taking about how City of Angels by Demi Lovato reminded us of Phil and how it needed to be a one shot… so here we are. It also has a touch of Daisy Jones & The Six because I’ve been obsessed with that show lately!

Warnings: Sexual/Adult/Explicit Content!

-

Y/N’s POV

The City of Angels. What a silly name for city that is full of people who are far from angels.

I’ve lived here my whole life. I grew up going to Catholic school and being the perfect little girl my parents wanted to be. It all changed once I got to experience the wonders the Sunset Strip brought at nightfall.

The sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll scene changed me. I started staying out late and bringing home a different guy every night. Somehow my parents never knew it. Maybe they did, and just didn’t have the energy to care. That wasn’t an unusual thing for them. I think they forgot I existed most of the time anyway.

I live alone now, and haven’t spoken to them much over the last few months. I fill the void with whatever I can get my hands on, but still manage to function and maintain a job at the local music store.

I’ve seen all kinds of people in my shop. Guys in no-name bands to rockstars with number one albums. I treat them all the same. It’s always been about the music for me.

The bell over the door rings for the hundredth time today. I sigh and get up from my comfortable sitting position to greet them.

“Hey, welcome to Guitar World. How can I help you today?” I say in what I like to call my customer service voice.

The man takes off his sunglasses and I realize who it is. Phil Collen.

“Hello, love.” He smiles. “I’m just looking around.”

I try to pretend like I’m not absolutely fawning over him. Def Leppard has been a favorite band of mine for a long while. I watch intently while he strolls around, picking up various packs of strings and plucking the guitars that are on display.

Pull yourself together, Y/N. If he catches you staring, what will he think?

Almost as if he could hear this thought, he turns around and we make eye contact. I quickly pretend I was looking somewhere else, but I think he knows.

He comes up to the counter with the items he picked out.

I cough, nervously. “Will this be all?” I mutter as I scan everything.

“Actually, no.” He says. I pause, looking up at him. He’s leaning with one elbow onto the counter. “I’d like to know your name.”

Suddenly it feels my air circulation has cut off. Is this happening right now?

“Uh, Y/N.”

“Phil, but I think you already knew that.” He places money on the counter along with a note, winking before heading out the door.

I stand frozen for a moment before picking up the small sheet of paper and unfolding it. It’s his phone number.

-

I got off work hours ago, but still keep replaying that moment in my head. I hold the small piece of paper in my hand, tapping my fingers against the phone.

Without thinking any more about it, I dial the number quickly.

“Hello?”

“Phil! Hi. It’s-“

“Y/N. I’ve been waiting for you to call.”

He was waiting for ME to call?

“Um, right. What are you up to?”

“Not much.”

“Do you want to meet me back at the shop? I’m about to lock up, and well, I understand if you don’t want to.” My words run together from my nervousness.

His laughter rings throughout the phone. “I’ll be there in 20.” The receiver clicks and I’m left with silence, aside from my heart beating out of my chest at ten thousand miles per hour.

-

Sure enough, he arrives a few minutes later. He’s wearing the same outfit he had on earlier, but with a leather jacket added on top of it. I don’t think he’s ever had a bad look in his life.

We end up walking around town, taking in the night scenery. There’s not much light other than the moon shining down above us.

After a bit of walking, we reach a building that is all too familiar to me. The church I grew up going in. The one I went to school in. I stop in my tracks and face it.

His warm hand grasps my shoulder. “Are you alright?”

“I’m okay. I just… I just grew up in this church and went to school here. It saw the good, bad and ugly parts of my life.”

“I see.” He says. He starts to walk up to the doors and go inside.

“What are you doing?”

He turns around to look at me. “I’m going inside.”

“No, we might get in trouble.” I try to stop him, but he just laughs at me in response. He goes inside.

Looking around frantically, I go inside after him.

All the memories come rushing back.

“So you wore one of those little skirts, eh?” He smirks.

“Yes, sometimes much shorter than I was supposed to.” I sit in one of the back pews as he glances around.

“Oh, a rulebreaker.” He inches closer, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the back of the room.

“Gave the nuns hell.” My back ends up pressed against the wall.

“I believe it.” He closed what little space there was between us, pressing his forehead against mine and snaking his arm around my waist. “Want to break some more?”

I don’t respond, I just immediately latch my lips onto his. He meanders his hand inside my top, the sensation of his touch giving me goosebumps.

He picks me up, gripping my hips as he carries me back to the pew we sat at before. He starts to pull off my top, but I stop him. “No time, the night guard will be here soon.” I learned the routine of this church like the back of my hand. After all, this is where I lost my virginity.

“So you did break some rules.” He laughs.

“Frequently. With half of the graduating class.”

He scoffs before he moves down to unbutton my jeans hastily, sliding them off of me along with my underwear. Instead of throwing the black, lacy fabric on the floor, he tucks them in his back pocket.

“Saving those for later.”

“On with it, Romeo.”

“As you wish.”

He reaches and puts two fingers inside, making me gasp from the sudden intrusion. “Already so wet. You’ve been thinking about this all day, haven’t you?”

I can’t get out any words other than a slight “Mm.”

He removes his fingers and starts undoing his own belt, sliding down his pants and boxers in one swift move.

I barely have time to catch my breath after he bottoms out on the first go.

“Goddammit, Phil!”

“Be careful how you use his name.” He whispers, his breath hitting my neck as he enters me again, and again. The old wood of the pew is knocking around just like it used to.

“Almost there.” I lock my ankles at the small of his back as a signal not to move. His movements get slower and slower until he fills me with his warmth.

He pants before leaning his head down on my shoulder.

“We have to go.”

He kisses my neck once more before pulling out of me, causing me to groan out of utter distaste.

We clean ourselves up and quickly get out of the building.

“Well, if there is a hell, we’re certainly going to it.”

“Oh well. I like the warmth anyway.” I wink, grabbing his hand and pulling him back down the sidewalk.

[heckosart]

Heya

Fellow (albeit novice) fantasy cartographer here

How'd you get into making maps for people?

Hi!

I've liked drawing and making maps for a long time, and I used to make up maps for fun as a kid. The things that inspired me originally were mostly books, I read fantasy extensively and I've always loved following the characters around by referring to the map as I read. From that I started to draw maps of places in books as well ones I made up. I drew a lot of magical islands for a while.

I also got really inspired by the natural forces of geology/plate tectonics/weather/etc and how they impact the land. I use all of that interest to try and create fantasy maps that have a sense of grounded believability to them. I'm by no means an expert, but I'm always learning and trying to improve.

Obviously for most maps I do professionally there's already a general shape and layout my clients have in mind, but even then I often include small additional islands, give borders and coastlines extra wiggle and variation, and look for ways to incorporate natural and geographic barriers that would help inform political ones.

As art of my thesis at art school, I made a map for a personal fantasy project. I also made a simpler map for a friend, and with those examples I put maps into my commission info. Since that time (2020) I've probably only done about five maps for clients, so I don't usually get as many as these last two jobs back to back might imply. It is always fun to work on though, and I'm thinking about doing some new personal pieces soon since it's been almost four years from the last time I did one for me.

My best recommendation for getting into map commissions would be to get a couple nice samples completed (at least one of a budget option and one big fancy one) and to decide on a clear plan for base pricing. Currently, I have maps broken down into two categories of price.

Simple: $90 - Includes lines, one flat color for land and one for water, mountains and rivers, and typed labels.

Complex: $180 - Includes lines, terrain color variation, symbols/terrain textures/landmark drawings/mountains/rivers, and handwritten labels.

I can also add on sea creatures and monsters and custom compass roses for an extra charge.

My pricing is based on knowing how long it takes me to do the work, how much effort it takes, and the expectation that short deadlines not be imposed. Extra complex requests and tight deadlines (for maps I'd consider anything less than three weeks to be tight) are fully welcome, but will come with an added price to account for those requirements. I would also charge far more for a commercial client, all of my prices here and in my commission info are for personal use jobs only.

You probably know this already, but I always have to say it! Make sure, whatever you're charging, you're making above minimum wage. Ideally, you should make more than minimum because custom art is luxury service. Your skills are valuable, so treat them like it!

I also can't recommend making a TOS to protect both you and your clients' safety enough. Mine are very much not perfect, but I'm always happy to offer them as something for other artists to reference or even just copy when making their own.

Personal Use | Commercial Use

On top of all of that, I'm very persistent with my self-promotion. I used to only use Twitter for art, but post-Elon I've branched back out to Tumblr and made a Bluesky because suddenly it was really scary to notice that all my eggs (clients and followers) were in that one volatile basket. I'm not famous or wildly successful, but my followings on here and Bluesky are still a tiny fraction of on Twitter and that's scary. I try to reblog/retweet/etc my promotional posts once a day to keep eyes on them (but I forget pretty often too lol) and whenever I have a little drawing or something I post it. I'm not the most prolific artist, but I try not to worry about that too much.

Hopefully this isn't too much stuff you already know and hopefully some of it was helpful!

[511digital]

Mastering Meta Ads: The Shifting Landscape of Ad Targeting in 20241. 1. Introduction

Hey there, fellow digital marketers! Remember when we thought we had Meta (formerly Facebook) ad targeting all figured out? Those were the days, right? Well, buckle up, because the times they are a-changin’, and we need to change with them.

As someone who’s been in the trenches of digital marketing for over five years, I’ve seen my fair share of platform updates and algorithm changes. But what’s happening with Meta ad targeting right now? It’s a whole new ballgame.

2. The Treehouse Steering Wheel Analogy

Let me paint a picture for you. Imagine a kid’s treehouse with a steering wheel at the top. The kids grab that wheel, spinning it with gusto, convinced they’re steering a mighty ship through treacherous waters. It’s adorable, right?

Now, here’s the kicker – that’s us. We’re those kids, and our detailed targeting options on Meta? That’s the steering wheel.

This brilliant analogy comes from Bob Hiler, and let me tell you, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Because just like those kids, we’ve been spinning our wheels (pun intended), thinking we’re in full control of our ad targeting. But are we really?

3. How Meta's Algorithms Have Evolved

Over the past few years, Meta has been quietly but dramatically shifting the way its ad delivery system works. Sure, we can still input our targeting parameters – age, location, interests – but the truth is, Meta’s AI is doing most of the heavy lifting now.

These algorithms are getting scary good at finding the right audiences for our ads, often in ways we might never have thought of ourselves. It’s like having a super-smart co-pilot who sometimes takes over the controls.

4. Case Study: Broad vs. Specific Targeting

Let me share a recent experience that really drove this point home. We were working with a client in the fitness industry, selling high-end home gym equipment. Traditionally, we’d target fitness enthusiasts, gym-goers, and people interested in home workouts.

We decided to run an experiment:Campaign A: Our usual specific targeting

Campaign B: Broad targeting (just age and country)

The results? Campaign B blew Campaign A out of the water. Lower CPA, higher ROAS, and it reached people we never would have thought to target – like new parents and busy executives who hadn’t shown explicit interest in fitness but were perfect customers for home gym equipment.

5. Strategies for Adapting to the New Meta Ad Landscape

So, what do we do with this information? Here are some strategies I’ve found effective:

a) Embrace broad targeting: Don’t be afraid to loosen those targeting reins.

b) Focus on creative: With less control over targeting, your ad creative needs to do more heavy lifting.

c) Leverage first-party data: Use tools like Custom Audiences and Lookalike Audiences.

d) Test, test, test: Run experiments comparing broad and specific targeting.

e) Monitor and adjust: Keep a close eye on performance and be ready to pivot.

6. The Future of Ad Targeting on Meta Platforms

Look, I’m not saying targeting is dead. Far from it. But its role is changing, and we need to change with it. The future of Meta ad targeting is likely to be a dance between our input and Meta’s AI, with the AI taking an increasingly leading role.

7. Conclusion: Embracing Change in Digital Advertising

Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting. By adapting to these new realities, we have the opportunity to reach audiences we never knew existed and to do so more efficiently than ever before.

Remember, at the end of the day, our job isn’t to be targeting experts – it’s to connect businesses with the right customers. If Meta’s AI can help us do that better, why not embrace it?

8. FAQ

Q: Is specific targeting on Meta completely useless now?

A: Not at all! It still has its place, especially for niche products or services. However, it’s worth testing broader targeting alongside your specific targeting to see what works best for your campaigns. 

Q: How broad should I go with my targeting?

A: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Start by expanding your usual parameters and test from there. You might be surprised at how broad you can go while still maintaining or even improving performance. 

Q: Won’t broad targeting increase my ad spend?

A: Not necessarily. While you might reach more people, Meta’s algorithms are designed to find the most relevant audiences for your ads. This can often lead to better efficiency and lower costs per result. 

Q: How can I measure the success of broad vs. specific targeting?

A: Focus on key performance indicators like CPA, ROAS, and conversion rates. Run split tests to directly compare the performance of broad and specific targeting strategies.

Ready to take your Meta advertising to the next level?

At 511 Digital Marketing, we’re experts at navigating these shifting tides. Let’s work together to create campaigns that don’t just spin wheels, but truly drive results. Contact us today for a free consultation and let’s steer your digital marketing in the right direction – algorithm changes and all!

Know More

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Team BCCPC Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs will execute the job smoothly and with precision… Plus the fact that we do it at the Best Pricing.

Carpets are akin to our ‘Life’… Philosophically speaking!

Those who look at it from a distance will find everything very clean and nice on the surface…

But deep within is where the trouble brews…

The Pests, Bugs and Critters are having a Party underneath the surface without us realizing it and that is exactly where DEEP CLEANING becomes a compulsion.

RECRUITMENT @ BCCPC…

BCCPC Recruitment Standards are set at a high bar, our Team BCCPC at Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs probe deep below the surface and flush out all the dusty & pesty particles thriving inside your carpet. When they finish, you will have a freshly aromatic clean Carpet!

The Team at BCCPC for Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs has undertaken a high level of Training Sessions and is well experienced; to carry out any Carpet Cleaning Job with complete perfection and when they are thru… our Customers have smiles on their faces.

So as far as Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs is concerned, make BCCPC your Only Choice…!

WE PROMISE… WE DELIVER… MUCH MORE!

COMMERCIAL CARPET CLEANING BRIDGEMAN DOWNS

As we all known Office means a Commercial Zone with a continuous flow of people, resulting in entry of foreign dust particles, bugs, critters etc…

Clean Carpets are an important feature for a Healthy Atmosphere and Regular Carpet Cleaning is a must for every Commercial Property.

It ensures Good Work Efficiency from all the people who work there.

So we @ BCCPC are deeply concerned about Clean Carpets…

BCCPC’s Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs Team of Bug Busters is well aware of it and sees to it that every Carpet is Cleaned under the surface and Sparkles like fresh and new. 

BCCPC Cleaning Packages @ Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs are Economically and Ecologically Friendly and are 100 % reliable…

Ensuring Repeat Calls from our Satisfied Customers!

We aim to provide Cleaning Support to all Commercial Businesses with our Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs expertise and ensure that all Commercial Work Premises have Clean Carpets.

Is your Commercial Premises in Bridgeman Downs?

Yes… then just Call BCCPC and leave the rest to our Bug Busters.

Commercial Premises such as:

Offices

Industrial buildings

Schools

Hotels

Commercial buildings

Accommodation

Retail spaces

STILL CAN’T DECIDE???

Then we suggest that you Call us @ BCCPC Carpet Cleaning Bridgeman Downs for One Job…

Then you can join our Cleaning and Maintenance Program and ensure that your Commercial Premises has Clean Carpets on a regular basis…

COME ON… DO IT NOW! 

[reprofessionals]

How To Thrive As A Property Management Professional In A Competitive Market

If you’re a property management professional, you know that there are both good and bad times to be in the real estate industry, but there are also good and bad times to be an agent in your market. Unfortunately, even if you work with great clients and do your job well, the market may not necessarily reward you as much as it should. Instead of focusing on how difficult it is to find success today, though, focus on these eight tips for thriving as an agent in this competitive market so that you can get ahead of the competition and make more sales than ever before.

Research: Know Your Target Audience

If you’re a property management professional, it’s important to know what your target audience needs. For example, if your target audience is landlords who are more interested in the process of selecting an agent than they are in the bottom line, then you should focus on presenting yourself as knowledgeable and trustworthy. If your target audiences are homeowners who need assistance with renting out their homes after a move or those who have properties that need repairs, then you should present yourself as attentive and responsive. Either way, always be prepared by knowing the answers to these questions: Who is my target audience? What do they care about? And what would make them choose me over another agent?

Efficiently Build Relationships With Property Owners

To excel as a property management professional, you must build relationships with property owners. To do this, there are several things that you can do:

1. Stick with the basics and always be prompt and friendly when responding. This will make sure that they know you care about them and their property.

2. Treat all tenants equally. Give them the same level of service whether they are long-term tenants or not. The one exception is if they are breaking any rules set forth by the lease, then it is okay for you to be sterner with them than with long-term tenants who have been good residents so far. However, remember to document every encounter and put it in writing for future reference.

3. Inquire about what is going on in their lives outside of work and see how you can help out whenever possible. Do your best to understand their needs better so that you can provide excellent customer service.

4. Keep it real with people and tell them what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear; this will earn your trustworthiness over time.

5. Educate yourself on trends within the industry: If you stay up-to-date on trends within the industry, then you will be able to serve customers better because your knowledge base is increased due to innovations within the industry. As an agent, don’t forget how competitive this market has become!

Practice Patience And Persistence

We live in a competitive world, so you must do your best and continue to improve on your skills. If you’re not happy with your performance, keep practicing! This can help make you more successful. Also, don’t be afraid of asking for feedback from others. You may be surprised by what people say about how you can improve. Feedback is a great way to get a sense of where you might need some work. For example, if someone tells you that they were confused by something you said or did then this is something worth considering changing in the future.

Perfect Your Pitch

It’s not easy being an agent these days. The market is always changing and there are more competitors than ever before. But, if you’re willing to put in the work, you can still thrive and succeed. Here are some tips on how to do just that:

1) Do Your Research

You must know all about the market and your competition so that you have the upper hand when it comes time for negotiations or marketing plans. Don’t be afraid of doing your homework! This research will help set you apart from other agents who may be less knowledgeable about what’s going on within their industry.

2) Network

Developing good relationships with potential clients is key to making money from property management services. Make sure you network at events and follow up with contacts after they’ve been made.

3) Maximize Your Time

Make sure that you maximize your time by focusing on one particular area of real estate at a time. You don’t want to spread yourself too thin when there’s so much going on. You’ll end up losing out on opportunities and things will become much more difficult for you.

4) Stay Up-to-Date With Technology

Technology is evolving every day; make sure you’re using social media, websites, texting, and emailing as often as possible to keep up with current trends in the field.

5) Check Yourself

You must take care of yourself so that you can continue thriving in this competitive market. Remember to get enough sleep and exercise, eat healthy foods and avoid procrastination.

6) Be Confident

Last but certainly not least, confidence is everything! Keep your chin up no matter what happens because everyone has ups and downs at different times in life. Know that it won’t last forever and use those moments as learning opportunities.

Get Comfortable With Change

We are often uncomfortable with change. This is not going to stop anytime soon. To thrive, you need to get comfortable with it. Change is happening all the time and we can’t just ignore it or hope it goes away. If we do, we’re going to end up getting run over by it. So let’s start by being willing and able to change and keep our eye on what our goals are for the future of our business so that we can reach them.

The first step is figuring out where your comfort zone is when it comes to change. For example, how does your job make you feel? Do you enjoy working independently or would you prefer more collaboration? What about trying new things? What would be too much for you?

Don't Judge Others' Opinions Or Experiences

It’s easy to get caught up in negative comments and feel like your business is falling behind. However, you can’t let what other agents say or do dictate your success. Use their input and experiences as opportunities for growth you never know when you’ll be able to help someone else who might need it. Be confident that you have the skills necessary for making it happen, and don’t be afraid of taking on new challenges! Make sure you’re reaching out to local businesses and telling them about your services; this will give you more opportunities for exposure than being stuck in an agent group chat with people who are already successful.

Contact Us:

Address - 10200 E. Girard Ave Suite B-230 Denver, CO 80231

Email - levent@professionalcolorado.com

Phone - (720) 229-2224

Fax - 720-294-0333

Website - RE Professionals

Blog - How To Thrive As A Property Management Professional In A Competitive Market

[npet-autos-clothes]

NPET belts are very popular in the worldwide

If you're on the job site, in the office, or just walking around the city, get a stylish look with our belts. NPET is available in many different styles, from belts, reversible belts and canvas belts. You are sure to find the perfect belt for your lifestyle. Leather strip, beautifully designed. Very durable and comfortable.

We sell tens of thousands of belts every year to popular in the USA, CANADA, EUROPE, JAPAN...

Our belts are very popular with our customers and many of them have left their positive comments.

NPET has a very good after-sales service to solve all kinds of after-sales problems for customers. Our belts are popular with people from all over the world and we are committed to providing even better quality belts.

“This belt performs way better than you would expect for 20 bucks. I am someone who gets down and works hard and needed a belt that would hold up to physical stress. Its really hard to find a tough reliable belt nowadays and i found this figuring if it sucks its cheap enough I wont care. I have been gladly suprised at how its been holding up. It has a weird chemical smell at first which I kinda expected as a remnant of the dye. The smell goes away after wearing it a few times you will never really notice if you don’t stick it in your face anyways. They say you should get a size 2 inches bigger than your waist but I like having a slightly longer flap at the end so I wish I ordered 4 inches larger than my size. Not a big issue though and I expect to continue to abuse this belt for years. The fact you can put any buckle you want is a nice bonus but the buckle it comes with is already great so I wont be doing that anytime soon.” 

We use genuine full grain cowhide leather. Genuine leather belt has cattle smell,so we add plant aromatic solvents to reduce that smell,no harm to people.

“I went online looking for a new belt because I’m allergic to every belt buckle I’ve ever owned. Someone told me try Brass. It’s been a week at work and there’s no rash! The quality is great and I got the belt with the buttons so you can easily remove the buckle just in case.. this is easily the best belt I’ve ever owned. So I thought I should write a review. The only complaint I have is it will leave a brown residue around your belt line. I use it for work everyday so it doesn’t bother me at all. Also I’m thinking if you just cleaned it when you first get the belt, it would probably take care of that problem. Otherwise great quality, affordable, no rash belt. I love it.”

The unique snap system makes it easy to change your favorite belt buckle, and our belts fit all kinds of 1.5inch belt buckles.

“I was looking for a belt to put a new found belt buckle on. This was great! Value for product is over the top. It fits great. Length and width matched my expectations. The description was also correct about the thickness, but I was surprised anyway. This is a dense leather belt, which is fabulous because thinner ones can easily be warped by how the fit pants when sitting. Not this belt. It holds its shape no matter what. The one adjustment I needed to make was to cinch a wee bit tighter to than i normally would so that the buckle would have the right tension to stay put. Still very comfortable and the belt offers enough buckle holes to make that step easy.”

Different waist sizes require different belt lengths, which means that the belt size should be chosen according to the waist size. Our belts come in a variety of sizes from 29 waist' to 46 waist' to fit a wide range of people. We recommend a belt that is two sizes larger than your jeans size.

“I've been looking for a belt like my grandpa had when I was a kid. He had one leather belt, and had it for years. I don't know much about fashion, so I wasn't aware this was what I needed. It's a simple, one piece of leather belt. It's been durable so far. No wear and tear like these other belts I get that are somehow stitched together. I'm using layman's terms because it's what I know. After a few months this belt had began to break in and loosen some of the new leather stiffness. It's becoming more enjoyable to wear. I'm going to get one more in brown.”

Made of genuine cowhide leather, our belts are durable and long lasting. This is extremely gorgeous and timeless with super function for for jeans, casual pants, Overalls, slacks

We continue to create quality belts and achieve the generation of quality belts

[good-beanswrites]

Okay wait I’m back to yell about this !!

I kept trying to fit Fuuta into some kind of job while working on normal aus and post-canon possibilities, but nothing ever felt right. Between canon characterization and some neurodivergent headcanons the fandom has come to, it’s tough to find somewhere he’d be genuinely happy. 

I know people see him as the Tech Guy but there’s no actual evidence he knows anything about computers or coding, just normal social media and internet use. Similarly, he likes sports but I don’t know if that’s something he’d be able to make a career out of. Given his ideals, I think he’d love a job that lets him give a hero and give back, but he seems like he’d be really critical of a lot of systems that could be used for change because of their corruption, (lawyers, politicians, etc.) He seems to really struggle with school and work, so intense education jobs like doctors are also ruled out. Low-education but high-extreme heroic positions would be too dangerous for a coward like him. Out of the mundane jobs, then, the options are also limited. Obviously retail/customer service jobs are out of the question – he’d never be able to hold one down without quitting or being fired. He’s not built for labor-heavy positions nor would he enjoy administrative workloads. 

WHICH BRINGS US TO THE NOODLE SHOP

As mentioned originally, this is the first job he’s actually shown enough excitement in to make it work despite any obstacles. It fits with his theme of enjoying/providing food. It feels rewarding to feed people, it’ll satisfy his need for purpose. It doesn’t require intense teamwork or people-pleasing customers, so the social strain is eased. He won’t need to travel or do anything too far out of his comfort zone. He won’t feel like he’s selling himself to some big company or boss. Rather than cog-in-the-wheel work, it’s something hands-on and expressive. He’s not an artsy person, but this provides a type of art form that lets him release his intense emotions in a productive way.

Not only does it fit his character perfectly, but from a writer’s perspective, it adds a lot of space for exciting connections and growth :3 It’s tough to sneak away on your phone while involved with cooking, so it’s a natural way to wean him off social media. Even though he doesn’t need to socialize a lot, it’ll create perfect opportunities to meet others and really connect with his community in a healthy way. Normal au, he gets to make/keep up with friends without going through the mortifying ordeal of asking people to hang out at his place. Post-canon, he’d be happy to find somewhere out of the spotlight to lie low, while still giving back to a community he’d hurt. 

For a one-off little minigram joke this put everything into place and I’m so happy with it ;--;

When the character who has no dreams for the future and has given up on putting effort into society has a pretty solid food theme going on and out of the blue expresses he has interest in opening a noodle shop

It was a gag but Yatsuki has no idea the extensive amount of canon/good end/au details they just clicked into place for me

[traumatas]

Trigger Warning: Customer Service

Rating: Teen and Up Audience

Category: M/M

Relationship: Reigen Arataka/Serizawa Katsuya

Tags: Reigen Arataka, Serizawa Katsuya, Friends to Lovers, Character Development, Jealousy, Sexual Harrasment, All of it very lightly but it’s there, Protective Serizawa Katsuya, Slice of life, In a sense, Pining

AO3 Link

Summary:

“Of course we offer several options with multiple varying guarantees of success - exorcisms aren’t as straightforward as most people like to believe and need a lot of professional skill, mind you - and I am certain we will find something perfect for your needs.” Falling into his little spiel is easy enough now that he has a jumping off point, the words slipping past his lips almost naturally. Still, as he speaks he begins to notice Serizawa’s eyes on him and somehow he can’t help but want to squirm a little at how intense the other’s look feels. “Our most popular service is the 99% guaranteed exorcism. Lucky for you, we are currently offering a ten percent discount on it - for our first time customers only.”

He waves the pamphlet in front of the client’s face before eventually placing it in his hands. The perfectly stiff smile on his face doesn’t fall as the man’s eyes scan over it, Reigen waiting for a decision to be made.

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

Reigen likes to consider himself a master at dealing with all kinds of people. However, that doesn't mean that they don't drive him insane sometimes.

Reigen finds himself suppressing one sigh after another in favor of keeping on his perfectly crafted mask of professionalism. The sun has barely reached its highest point in the sky and lunch break has yet to pass - meaning, it is far too early for him to lose his patience with their clients. 

For allegedly having spirit related issues, the young adult sitting on the chair in front of his desk seems surprisingly uninterested. Reigen has seen far too much of the gum the man is chewing and at this point he wants nothing more than to reach up to rub at his temples in annoyance. 

Instead, his eyes move over their client once more and he briefly wonders how much longer he had to poke and question before he got any kind of useful information out of him. 

When he had accepted this job over a quick phone call the person now sitting across from him had sounded rather serious. However, now that Reigen is trying to figure out anything substantial or useful, he wishes he had just refused - money for rent be damned.

“Do you know what kind of spirit you are haunted by?” The questions almost seem redundant at this point and keeping his voice neutral is taking more out of him than it should. He can’t deny that being able to keep the irritation out of his words might be his most impressive skill yet. Feigning interest, he leans forward and tries to pick up on any sign that he might be able to use to his advantage when it comes to making this client worth the time he is wasting on him.

Sadly, he is still out of luck because his question is answered with a mere shrug that perfectly mimics all the previous ones. Reigen wants nothing more than to throw up his hands in frustration and give up, but that is neither in line with his business practices nor a socially acceptable option. Firstly, he has a reputation to hold up and secondly, he needs to make sure to set an extra good example for Serizawa. 

The ESPer stands next to him painfully ridgid. His fingers are flexing and unflexing in what Reigen assumes is an attempt to relieve some of the tension in his body, and every now and then it’s followed by a nervous twitch that he does his best to ignore. 

He’s more than aware that the other is new to all of this and that simply cleaning up nicely would not help Serizawa to magically feel comfortable or confident around their clients. With how much time he had spent isolated, there’s still a lot he has to warm up to. Additionally, the environment in the office has to be vastly different from what he is used to and it’s even more reason for Reigen to want to get the other accustomed to it all. It is important for him to show Serizawa everything that he has to pay attention to in this line of work. After all, without Mob being able to stop by at his very call, it is essential that Reigen keeps the only ESPer willing to work for him from quitting - in the end, most of his income is rather reliant on having someone with psychic powers around.

The past few weeks he had done his very best to include Serizawa as much as possible and they had certainly made some progress. He had realized quickly how the other responds quite favorably to positive reinforcements and even if he is visibly anxious and never quite able to stop his fidgeting, he's nothing if not eager to learn. 

So when Reigen had accepted this client's rather straightforward seeming request, he had planned to dare and involve the ESPer a little more than usual to help him build some confidence. This, however, is far from how this is supposed to go and for a moment Reigen wonders if he isn’t the one being cursed or haunted. Maybe it is worth it to check in with Dimple sometime soon.

“You truly do not know what kind of spirit, then? Where you could have acquired it, what you did to offend it or how long it has been haunting you. Is that correct?” One of Reigen’s hands shoots up to count along with his points, raising a finger for each of them, and he hopes that it doesn’t translate as impatiently as it feels. 

Once more the man across from him seems to consider his answer and for the first time since coming through their door, he nods. Though, the simple motion is most certainly not as comforting as Reigen had hoped for and far from a good sign.

“Yes, that is correct.” The client confirms. “I didn’t want to believe it was a spirit at first, but you already said you can see its influence, haven’t you? So shouldn’t you know what kind it is?”

“Of course, of course.” Reigen’s extended hand begins to wave through the air, easily brushing aside any possible doubts their client might have. Out of the corner of his eye he can see how Serizawa shifts his weight from one leg to the other, hands now behind his back to allow himself to pull nervously at the fabric of his cuffs without being seen by anyone other than Reigen. “Serizawa, you can see it too. What do you think?”

Maybe it isn’t necessarily fair of him to push this onto the ESPer and he can’t help but feel a little guilty when he’s met with the other’s startled expression. To him there isn’t much of an option, however. When it comes to spinning stories along, he likes to consider himself quite good at bouncing back the information he gets with half truths and lies. Unfortunately, his wits are at an end when there’s little to nothing to work with. Without any insight or idea of the actual problem, his course of action is limited. So, while putting Serizawa on the spot like this doesn’t make him feel particularly great, there’s only so many things left for him to resort to. Desperate times call for desperate measures and he tries to soothe his conscience with the fact that it would be great practice for the other nonetheless. 

“I uh- y-yes, Reigen, sir.” Serizawa stutters eventually, standing so straight now that it has to be uncomfortable. Reigen decides that he would have to buy the other some lunch as an apology - depending on how much money this job is going to get them. “It’s rather weak b-but I do think we should exorcize it sooner than later…. Reigen, sir.”

For a brief moment, his eyes meet the ESPer’s but the other isn’t able to stand their eye contact for very long, snapping his head back to their client. After a few seconds, that seems to be too much as well and Serizawa opts for a random spot on the wall instead.

“I suppose you’re correct.” Reigen agrees and snaps his fingers loud enough to make the man next to him jolt in surprise. He desperately hopes his praise does make up for it at least somewhat. While pushing some of the hair out of his face, he stands up and motions for their client to do the same. “Spirits are an urgent matter and we shouldn’t waste anymore time. If you truly do not remember where you might have gotten stuck with it or how, you will simply have to avoid all ominous or concerning places, including but not limited to cemeteries, parking garages, parks at night and corporate office buildings. All that, additionally to our exorcism services, of course.”

Once the both of them stand, he slips a paper off the surface of his cheap desk and holds it up to the man’s face with a large and bright smile. 

“Of course we offer several options with multiple varying guarantees of success - exorcisms aren’t as straightforward as most people like to believe and need a lot of professional skill, mind you - and I am certain we will find something perfect for your needs.” Falling into his little spiel is easy enough now that he has a jumping off point, the words slipping past his lips almost naturally. Still, as he speaks he begins to notice Serizawa’s eyes on him and somehow he can’t help but want to squirm a little at how intense the other’s look feels. It makes him nervous enough for his hand to stop its gesturing for a split second. However, just a bit later, it continues to move along with his words again. “Our most popular service is the 99% guaranteed exorcism. Lucky for you, we are currently offering a ten percent discount on it - for our first time customers only.”

He waves the pamphlet in front of the client’s face before eventually placing it in his hands. The perfectly stiff smile on his face doesn’t fall as the man’s eyes scan over it, Reigen waiting for a decision to be made.

Everyone stands in silence for a good few moments and Reigen’s eyes dare to snap to Serizawa who looks rather uncomfortable in his position behind the desk. The fleeting thought that it might be his lies and act that made the ESPer feel that way crosses his mind and he prays to whatever is listening that that isn’t the case. 

“If you have an option in mind but are unsure about how to finance it, we also accept multiple payments.” He elaborates, unable to stand the silence in the room much longer. Just to make sure, he follows it up with an encouraging nod to their client, pressing for an answer now. This is taking more of his energy than what he usually has to deal with and the indecisive silence is downright deafening to him. “So is there anything that looks like it would fit your needs?”

Reigen’s smile begins to fall when he sees the client's shoulders pull up in another dismissive shrug and he realizes that he would have to put much more effort into this than he had initially anticipated.

~♥~

After the incident at the Ibogami Hotsprings, Serizawa had opened up significantly. If Reigen looks at him now, it is plainly obvious just how nervous the ESPer had been around him previously

While Serizawa is still trying quite hard to impress and prove himself as a part of Spirits and Such, he doesn’t jump out of his shoes whenever he is addressed or asked for his opinion anymore. Instead of simply nodding along with whatever Reigen is suggesting, he seems to truly consider whether he agrees or not and as it turns out, he has some rather useful and interesting insights that have come in handy more than once.

Over time, Reigen found himself thoroughly enjoying Serizawa’s company and he had realized that the ESPer had not only begun to relax around him, but Reigen himself had started to feel progressively less and less pressured to pose as some type of role model and mentor. 

Pretending and performing is what he is best at - however, being able to unwind a little between clients every now and then is a relief. Especially with someone he is considering a friend at this point. The air in the office had shifted to something different ever since they had started to treat each other more casually and neither of them seemed to want to go back to strictly professional after that. 

The first time one of Reigen’s off hand and snarky remarks had made Serizawa break out in laughter, it had completely caught him off guard. The sound had been surprisingly warm and genuine, causing some of the objects on the ESPer’s desk to lift off the surface. Of course it had been a matter of seconds before Serizawa had profoundly apologized to him - unaware of how Reigen still had to recover from seeing the other’s face pulled into a large smile that made his stomach flip.  

With every day that passes, working with Serizawa becomes easier and soon enough Reigen starts to invite him out for drinks after particularly stressful days. At first the other had politely refused, but Reigen is nothing if not persistent and had gotten him to agree eventually. 

Even on their nights out, the ESPer is incredibly pleasant to be around - maybe a little reluctant still, but weighing in with his own experiences and thoughts to Reigen’s many and endless stories. His own never ending gesturing and talking had dominated the first few times, but soon enough he had started to listen intently to what Serizawa had to say and at this point he is unable to deny that he is looking forward to what the other is willing to share. 

Slowly but steadily, Serizawa starts to think and act for himself and Reigen notices a feeling of pride swell in his chest at seeing the other open up - Pride and something else that he can’t quite put his finger on and would vehemently deny if anyone ever asked him about it. 

In the end all he allows himself to say is that there’s a certain charm about Serizawa - and it affects not only him, but their clients as well. 

While it is unintentional, there’s no doubt about how the ESPer seems to catch the eye of some of the people walking through their door. 

Serizawa is a rather handsome man and with the gentle tone of his voice, his polite smiles and his nicely fitting suit, Reigen can’t really fault anyone for being interested. He feels a little smug about it and likes to hand himself at least some of the credit for giving the ESPer such an incredible makeover. Once the hair was cut and the beard was shaved, he had known almost immediately that the other would attract some attention - certainly not because something had clicked in Reigen at that moment, mind you. 

Every now and then he wonders whether it would be worth it to print  promotional posters with Serizawa's face on it. However one look at how flustered the ESPer gets whenever someone steps too close to him is enough to know that it wouldn’t be the smartest idea - for now, at least. 

“- and you’re such a proper young man, you know.”

Of course - like everything good and fortunate in Reigen's life - even Serizawa’s looks have to come with a downside. Unsurprisingly, said downside takes the form of an elderly lady that keeps Serizawa anchored in a conversation that didn't seem to find an end. There seems to be something rather inviting about him that makes their older clients flock to him like moths to light and normally it results in a nice and pleasant little exchange. This time, though, it had turned into downright torture. 

The woman’s problem had been rather simple. Essentially nothing more than a barely cursed picture frame that caused the curtains in her home to randomly shut at times. It had neither been dangerous nor life threatening and with the ESPer’s help the actual exorcism had barely taken a minute. However, she is somehow still in the office almost half an hour later, keeping Serizawa hostage right where he stands.

His smile is frozen on his face and he keeps nodding along rather stiffly, his eyes showing just how exhausted he is from the conversation at this point. It isn’t as if he - or Reigen for that matter - isn’t trying, but it seems that their client is quite adamant about wanting to continue her one sided interaction with him as long as possible.

“My granddaughter’s fiance is nothing like that.” Her picture frame tightly clutched to her chest, she sighs deeply. The boney fingers of her hand gently rub over the worn looking corners and pick at a small splinter. “Ever since she met him she is not visiting me anymore. Can you believe that? You know, I’m sure it is her mother that did not teach her to respect and care for the elders in the family. My son should have never married her, if you ask me.”

“Th-that’s a shame.” Serizawa answers with his eyebrows knitting and his smile growing a little softer in an act of compassion. The gesture is nice, but it only encourages more words to spill from her mouth instead of cutting the conversation right there. Even if Reigen had been excluded from the beginning on, it is grinding at him unbearably so. In annoyance and disinterest, his eyes shoot up to the clock hanging on the wall and they widen the moment he realizes just how late it is. Suddenly, he is reminded of their next actually scheduled client. They were both expected to arrive within the next hour and considering how long it would take them to get there by public transport, that is a rather ambitious goal. 

“Crap-” He curses without  thinking about it and only when the woman finally pays him attention to give him a deeply disapproving glance he notices how loud his outburst must have been. Almost immediately his smile returns and sweat begins to build on his forehead. “I-I mean. Yes. It truly is a shame. Young people these days can be rather disrespectful, can they not?”

It’s an attempt at covering up his swearing mishap and if the harsh and judgemental look he receives is anything to go by, it is not a successful one. Even so, it doesn't change the fact that they had to find a way to make her pay and leave as quickly as possible. Their next appointment marks the start of a rather tightly packed schedule and they did not have the time for idle chit chat with some old woman. Being patient is important in any professional setting, but so is getting things done. 

“They can be.” The answer is slightly sharper than what Reigen expects from her and it makes him swallow down a lump in his throat together with the annoyance that begins to bubble in his chest. Her wrinkled features are twisted in displeasure and her idle smile only returns when she looks back at Serizawa. Said ESPer gives Reigen an apologetic and lost look. “Now you - Serizawa, was it, yes? - You seem like a fine upstanding man. I wish we had someone like you in our family. You remind me of my own husband when he was still alive. “

By the way Serizawa’s eyes widen, it is obvious that he doesn’t know how to respond and instead he reaches up to fidget with the collar of his button up. Absent-mindedly, he nods and without batting an eye she goes on with her story. Either she is unable to read the room or simply chooses not to and neither scenario is much of a comfort to Reigen. From where he stands he can see how Serizawa's adam’s apple bops when a hand with thin fingers gently reaches out to pat at his arm. The old woman is pushing them into a spot tighter and tighter, but Reigen wouldn’t be Reigen if he were to give up on this so easily. He often prides himself in being an expert in wiggling his way out of tricky situations and he promises himself and the ESPer that he would not disappoint this time.

Right before she opens her mouth again, Reigen takes a step closer, hoping to interrupt her and help Serizawa out. One of his hands finds its way to the other's  back to hit it with a playful slap and he puts on the politest smile he can muster. “I have to agree. Everyone would want to. I’m quite fortunate to have someone as skilled and incredible as Serizawa here with me and-”

“Yes, yes. I am sure you are, but we are having a conversation here as you can see.” 

He had not expected to be dismissed so easily. It isn’t often that Reigen finds himself stunned and at a loss for words, but the boldness of the old woman is certainly taking him by surprise. Usually, agreeing with a client works wonders when it comes to stirring them in a different direction, but this woman seems to be far more stubborn and rude than Reigen had given her credit for. “Now Serizawa, you wouldn't leave your poor, poor grandmother alone, would you? Unlike some other young men you are so considerate and talented as well.”

He can feel his eyebrow twitch in irritation at her jab and he blinks a few times, needing to recollect himself. She cares incredibly little though, her attention solely on Serizawa. 

“My cat was also such a pleasant little guy, but he passed away recently. It’s been so lonely at home ever since. Especially with no one paying me a visit anymore.” Her hand never stops her assault on the ESPer’s arm and he does begin to look increasingly uncomfortable. 

“I-I’m sorry. Losing a pet must be… hard?” It’s obvious that he is out of his element and he dares to look at Reigen once more. When their eyes meet, the look behind them is desperate - almost begging him to help. If this were any other day, Reigen would have considered this good practice for Serizawa, but with each second that ticks by more and more of their precious time slips away from them. He is flooded with a sense of urgency not only for their next client, but also for the ESPer's sake.

Slowly, his hand slips off of the other’s back and he opens his mouth, prepared to finally ask the woman to pay and leave their office.

“Ma’am-”

“-and you see whenever he jumped onto my bed, he’d meow at me and-”

Once again his attempt to interrupt is shot down immediately by her voice rising over his at an almost uncomfortable volume. It makes the rest of his words die in his throat at the audacity the action holds. He decides then and there that he would rather be faced with multiple cockroaches than this one woman - maybe. When Serizawa realizes that even Reigen is unable to break through her determination, his usual friendly demeanor and brave openness to chat with their clients is completely replaced by an anxious expression he hadn't worn in a while. 

“-my granddaughter actually loved to chase him around our backyard! Would you believe that? We would-”

At this point, Reigen can’t fault Serizawa for being trapped by her, because he feels equally at a loss on how to stop her. His skill at convincing people is reliant on them listening to him and all of his previous confidence is out the window by how aggressively she is about ignoring him.

When it had been just him and Mob, clients usually didn’t wish to stick around longer than necessary and even the rather chatty ones would leave them alone within a few minutes or so. He had never truly witnessed someone who seemed to make it their whole purpose in life to waste his time specifically and he finds himself missing the quiet loneliness of the train to Ibogami all of the sudden. 

There’s truly nothing he wants to do more than push the lady along, but he knows better than to make himself known as the business being rude to the elderly - not a smart move if a large part of your income is dependent on superstitious old people.

So instead, he helplessly watches her step even closer into Serizawa’s personal space to continue her rambling about this and that and with a heavy heart filled with disbelief, Reigen has to admit defeat this time. One of his hands rubs over his face and he uses it to slap the ESPer on the back once more afterwards, earning a conflicted and confused expression that makes his chest twist a little. 

“Serizawa, you can take it from here, yes?” He asks, but doesn’t wait for an answer before he reaches deep into the pockets of his suit pants, pulling out his phone and flipping it open in the process. Unrelenting, the hands on the clock keep moving and at this point he knows there’s no way they’ll make it in time. “I’ll have a few phone calls to make, so if you’ll excuse me.”

As he steps away, he gives Serizawa a last apologetic look. His hand moves to give the other an encouraging thumbs up and he mouths an apology, praying that he would be able to pull through just a little longer. 

~♥~

Considering his line of work, danger isn’t something Reigen is unfamiliar with. By running a business that deals with a variety of evil spirits and curses, there is a rather high chance to get scraped and bruised every now and then.

At this point, Serizawa isn’t necessarily shy about telling him that he needs to be more careful, scolding Reigen more often than not whenever he gets himself into danger without thinking - which happens more often than he'd like to admit. What bothers him most, however, is that there’s always a barely hidden distress in the ESPer’s voice. 

The first time he had pulled Reigen aside after one of their jobs, he had looked so serious that Reigen’s chest had tightened almost painfully. 

He can’t help the anxiety that spreads in his gut whenever Serizawa sees the need to remind him that he had promised to be more careful on multiple occasions and at this point Reigen has run out of barely believable excuses to reassure him. Without fail he would see Serizawa’s eyes wander over him to check for any sign of injury and it allows an unfamiliar warmth to sneak its way into his heart. It’s odd for Reigen to know that someone cares enough about him to see the need to be upset at his own stupidity.  Conflicting is probably the best way to describe the feelings swirling in his chest whenever he catches a glimpse of the ESPer’s disappointed expression.

On one hand, he feels ashamed about causing Serizawa so much trouble, but on the other - and he doesn’t dare to dwell on it too long - there’s an almost overwhelming pang of happiness at having someone around him that wants to make sure he stays unharmed. With the way Serizawa looks at him, scolds him and tries to keep him out of harm’s way almost frantically, Reigen indulges in the sensation of feeling taken care off. It satisfies him in a way he can't explain and while the happiness he feels is accompanied by a sizable amount of guilt, he still allows himself to revel in the other's caring but short touches. Having someone right at his side that he feels comfortable with, causes him to feel content in a way that he has a hard time accepting. 

Still, it doesn’t change Reigen is used to the dangers that come with the job at this point - that is, if they are of the evil spirit or falling-apart-building kind. He’s rather unfamiliar with hostility from people, as long as said people are not part of a terrorist organization. It’s not as if clients never yell at him, call him a fraud or throw a fit, but most of the time he manages to smoothly talk his way out of any risky situation with impressive ease and a good chunk of luck. Almost everyone that storms through the doors of Spirits and Such in a fit of anger is usually pretty easy to handle. It’s no secret to Reigen that he has a knack for stumbling his way through conversations without clients necessarily realizing what he’s doing. With a business such as his, it is most certainly an essential part of how it functions.

Even before he had decided to dabble into independence, dealing with an angry and furious client is nothing he would have considered new to him. His way with words and his ability to deflect every accusation thrown at him had gotten him pretty far.

However, that did not mean that he never found himself confronted with people he couldn't get a grip on.

“Sir, please. I understand that you’re upset, but I promise you that all of our exorcism oils are one hundred percent authentic and-”

“Oh shut up!” A loud slap on the surface of Reigen’s desk accompanies the client’s booming voice and it makes him jump out of his chair a little. At the other end of the room, Serizawa looks equally startled. He is still drying his hands and if Reigen had known how quickly this would escalate, he would have not asked the ESPer to handle this particular massage on his own. “No way in hell this was an exorcism! What kind of stupid fraudulent place is this? Should have known all those reviews were fucking fake-”

“Now, now. No need to get this…. aggravated.” Reigen dares to interrupt their client, careful about his choice of words. Reluctantly, he stands up from his chair to get a little closer. His hands feel clammy and the man’s face is colored in a deep and maddened red, trembling with anger. There’s no doubt that he would rather avoid this from getting any more out of hand and as confidently as he can he smiles at the client, ignoring the cold sweat that builds on the back of his neck. “I assure you my associate is more than qualified and physical exorcisms are just an advanced form that take a long time to master, you see.” 

“Physical fucking exorcism, my ass! Listen up you asshole, I don’t buy it.” The man takes a few steps forward, his eyes now narrowing in on him. “Like some backrub will get rid of being possessed!”

“But you are feeling better, do you not?” The room suddenly feels much heavier. There’s a pressure in the air that Reigen is unfamiliar with and for a second he wonders if this man truly is possessed after all. However, he opts to trust Serizawa’s earlier judgment of him not being affected by any type of spirit whatsoever, rather than his own instinct. He does prefer to leave the ESPer work to the actual ESPer - which means he had more or less assigned himself the talking portion of this particular job. Though, as it turns out it is much trickier than it would be on their average day. 

Suddenly, the man in front of him grabs him by the collar and pulls him closer. The tug on his shirt is painful and causes fabric to dig uncomfortably in the back of his neck. Almost immediately, his body responds. His heart beats rapidly and his hands shoot up to feign innocence, his smile has lost a good part of its fake confidence and he prays that the man wouldn’t notice how nervous he is at this point.

“Listen, Sir. There’s- there’s no need to do anything anyone might regret. I am sure we will be able to resolve this without the need of any of this?” His hands gesture widely now and eventually end up on the client’s arm to carefully push at it in an attempt to get some space. The action quickly backfires and causes the hand around his shirt to tighten even more. Reigen swallows roughly and as unbelievable as it may seem, dealing with the 7th division had been far less nerve wrecking.

“I don’t know who you fucking think you are-” At this point, the excessive use of swears is certainly getting old, but Reigen has far more important things to worry about. “- but don’t you think I’ll let you scam anyone else out of their hard earned money.”

With how much force he is pushed backwards, he is sure that his body is about to hit his desk rather harshly. Out of instinct, his eyes screw shut and he expects the unavoidable impact. However, there’s neither a large crash nor any sharp pains or aches to complain about and once he realizes there would be none at all, one of his eyes opens hesitantly. 

Instead of on the ground, he finds himself with a steady and large hand on his back that digs into the fabric of his suit to keep him upright. 

The pressure and stuffy feeling of the air makes a shocking amount of sense now. While he can not see Serizawa’s aura, it is rather obvious that it must be his powers spreading into every nook and cranny of the office. With how the tips of the ESPer’s hair are floating and with how his hand is wrapped around their clients wrist tightly enough to make his knuckles turn white, it is plain to see that Serizawa is angry. Angrier than Reigen has ever seen him for a fact. 

Saying that he feels fortunate to not be on the receiving end of the furious stare on the ESPer’s face is an understatement. Reigen has never considered Serizawa particularly scary looking and to him he’d been nothing if not great company. His bright smiles never fail to make him feel something he probably shouldn’t and his incredible kindness and interest had only made Reigen realize how much he had needed another adult to consider his friend. 

Now, however, Serizawa looks downright terrifying, his eyes filled with an intensity that would make everyone’s blood chill in a moment - with the exception of Reigen, of course, who has to deal with a sudden burst of emotion including but not limited to awe and amazement. Still, he dares to tear his eyes away from the ESPer in favor of looking back at their client. His previous anger is replaced by fear and for a moment Reigen worries that Serizawa grip would tighten further. There’s no doubt that it would be followed by a most likely sickening crack if he did.

Not wishing for any lawyer costs, Reigen’s own hand moves to carefully and gently push at Serizawa’s shoulder. Trying to not be too loud, he clears his throat.

“Serizawa-”

“Sir. I think it’s time for you to pay and leave.” When he speaks, none of the usual warm kindness or determined enthusiasm is left in Serizawa’s voice and his tone is dangerously low. The pencil holder on Reigen’s desk begins to rattle slightly and he realizes that the ESPer is doing a rather incredible job at holding back his powers despite everything. Even so, he is suddenly aware that to him there’s no reason to worry about it either way. It hits him like a ton of bricks, but he realizes right then and there how safe he feels with Serizawa this close and how oddly comforted he is by the steady pressure on his back.

With his voice now lost, their client nods after a moment of silence. He’s shaking now, eyes blown wide and shrinking under Serizawa’s stare. Not only the man’s but Reigen’s attention as well returns solemnly to the ESPer. Though, he has the sneaking suspicion that his own reasons for starring are vastly different from their client’s - that is, if his extra clammy hands and the warm feeling in his stomach are anything to go by. 

One of the drawers of his desk creaks concerningly when the sheer force of Serizawa’s powers pulls it open. The hand on his back lets go almost hesitantly and the ESPer roughly drops the wrist in his grasp to pluck the in-office wallet that is floating closer out of the air. 

Considering the previous attitude of their client and his insistence of not wanting to spend a single yen on them, he seems rather eager to pay now. There’s a significant amount of fumbling with change and in the end Serizawa ends up with a bunch of extra bills and coins being shoved into his hand. 

With his metaphorical tail now tucked between his legs, the man bows deeply before turning on his heels and the door to the office falls into its lock behind him rather loudly. In the now silent room, Reigen can hear just how heavy Serizawa is breathing. There’s a few angry intakes of air, but eventually the pressure in around them gradually dissipates and the other’s breath evens out. 

Reigen’s own heart is still pounding violently in his chest and finds himself wanting to reach out. For now, he hesitates, though, unsure about what the ESPer needs right now. Instead it slowly dawns to him that the reason Serizawa had reacted this strongly is most likely because Reigen had gotten himself into trouble once more and he can’t help and curse himself silently for causing the other to lose some of the composure he had worked so hard on. Whatever he has felt up till now is replaced with shame, but Serizawa doesn’t give Reigen time to beat himself up even further when he turns to face him more properly. 

For a split second Reigen is prepared to be scolded for being reckless and irresponsible. Yet, when their eyes meet, Serizawa’s face is no longer twisted in anger. His eyebrows are knitted now and the crease between them is deep with concern. The hand that had wrapped around their client’s wrist in a death grip is incredibly gentle when it lands on Reigen’s upper arm. 

“I-I’m so sorry.” Serizawa’s panicked tone catches him a little off guard just as much as the sudden proximity of the ESPer when he steps a little closer. For a moment, his lips are pressed into a tight line and his eyes jump over Reigen’s features, causing his heart to skip a beat. When Serizawa continues to speak, his voice is filled with embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to be- to lose control like that.” 

His expression changes rapidly and he shakes his head as if to take back his words, not quite allowing Reigen to open his mouth to respond just yet.

“Are you okay, Reigen? He didn’t hurt you did he?” Within an instance, he brings distance between them again, his second hand moving to rest on Reigen’s other arm. He doesn’t catch on immediately, but Serizawa is obviously waiting for an answer now. 

“I-I’m okay-!” He says, sounding so out of it that he follows it up with an embarrassed laugh. The other’s worry is suddenly far too overwhelming and needs to take a step back. With how much warmth Serizawa’s simple touch makes him feel, he can’t help but feel a completely different kind of worry that makes itself known. “All- all fine as you can see. Still in one piece, unharmed. Splendid, really.” 

As if to emphasize his point, he gestures at himself from head to toe. Even if his smile isn’t necessarily genuine, he still tries to look up at Serizawa reassuringly. However, one look at the ESPer lets him know that he can tell that Reigen isn’t unscathed by the encounter - though, he truly hopes that Serizawa doesn’t know what exactly is bothering him. 

“Are you... sure?”

“Yes.” The answer comes so quick that it is barely believable. Reigen is unable to face the other any longer and he turns around to run a hand through his hair, taking the chance to wipe over his forehead while he’s at it. “Not the first time I had to deal with a complicated client.”

Once again he clears his throat and he dares to turn back again, Serizawa’s hands  now nervously playing with each other in front of his chest. It’s plainly obvious that he isn’t satisfied and is considering how to ask his next question. Reigen, however, doesn’t want to give him the opportunity to dig deeper, scared that he might reveal too much of what he’s feeling right now. 

Before anything more can be asked, he adds, “Thank you.” There’s a second in which he hesitates, his fingers flexing and unflexing much like Serizawa’s often did. Eventually, though, he reaches out to gently slap the ESPer’s arm. “Saved the day once again, did you? Great job.”

A small laugh escapes his throat and he knows that it’s not necessarily making anything better. He reaches into his pockets afterwards and pulls out his key to jingle it in front of Serizawa’s face, not wanting to give the other a chance to think about his words or behavior all too much.

“I think we should close up a little earlier today. I’m certainly ready for a drink or two.” He licks his lips and finds himself asking something he might be regretting later on. “Want to tag along?”

~♥~

“No, it was over there! How would you even know where it was when you’re barely home?”

“Because I definitely saw it there! Our daughter said so as well. You might call me a liar, but you should at least believe her!”

“She’s seven! How would she even know know what she is-”

Even long before opening Spirits and Such, Reigen had experienced just how exhausting most clients could be. However, the kind he has to deal with these days are oftentimes much more eccentric than your run of the mill housewife or fellow business man. They range from old people taking advice from their know-it-all children, over groups of friends all the way to his least favorite category: bickering couples.

A single person usually is able to explain their problem rather well but when it comes to people that are dating - or married for that matter - they always seem concerningly out of sync with one another. It’s either that one of them falls into Reigen’s net of sweet talk and half truths while the other is much harder to convince, or they simply can not decide on who’s version of the problem is the correct one. 

Worst of all, those aren’t even the biggest issue Reigen has with them these days. What bothers him most is that, even with all their bickering and complaining, they do nothing but remind him of how single and pathetic he is himself - and of course his helpless and ever deeper growing crush on the man standing right next to him. 

Almost a little cautiously, Reigen allows himself to look up at Serizawa. The ESPer looks just as much at a loss as him and listens to their clients' exchange with a deep frown. His arms are crossed and his fingers drum nervously on his upper arm that Reigen is focusing on for a moment longer than is appropriate. Only when Serizawa looks back at him does he notice his own staring and he hopes his cheeks aren’t as red as they feel. To his relief, the other doesn’t seem to have caught it. 

“Arataka, should we…” Serizawa’s sentence stays unfinished and it doesn’t seem like he had known what he wanted to ask in the first place. Reigen understands his sentiment. Dealing with people that are actively fighting without much care for who’s witnessing them isn’t his favorite thing to do, but sometimes their line of work requires to get involved with things he’d rather leave alone. 

In response to Serizawa’s unfinished question, he waves his hand and leans a little closer. His voice is only loud enough for the ESPer to hear, though, he doubts either of their clients would have listened to him anyways. “Leave it to me.”

Breaking up disagreements is not far up on the list of his preferred parts of the job. It takes expertise and care to not accidentally make things escalate any further and most of the time it is best to simply let one of them tire themselves out and give in. However, with how this one is going, Reigen isn’t certain that either of them would be able to let go of their pride any time soon.

“You didn’t even want to hire anyone in the first place!” The wife huffs and her arms are crossed tightly over her chest, her foot angrily tapping on the floorboards. Eventually, one of her arms unlocks and she points right at Reigen. “If it weren’t for me we wouldn’t even have anyone here at all and now you’re just wasting their time!”

With their presence now acknowledged, he sees the perfect chance to interrupt, “There’s no reason to worry. We at Spirits and Such know just how to-”

“Oh is that so? Well who is going to pay for this service then? You?”

The utterly offended gasp that fills the room is everything but a good sign and the rhythmic tapping of her foot stops with a rather loud stomp. In response she earns a glare and a cock of her husband’s head. In Reigen’s opinion, this is getting rather ridiculous and he realizes that this situation requires a gentler hand than he had initially anticipated.

“Actually, there’s no need to worry about the payment. I am sure we can figure something out that will sit right with the both of you.” This seems to grab the couple's attention and Reigen finally feels confident that he can turn this around - as long as one of them would be willing to listen to him. A large smile spreads on his face and his hand accompanies his words effortlessly from there on. “First and foremost we are here to prioritize any and all of your otherworldly problems.” 

The husband sighs at his words. “I apologize. This isn’t about payment. We certainly do have the money.” There’s a sense of relief that floods Reigen and with how Serizawa straightens next to him, he must be feeling the same. Finally, it feels like the end of their headache might be getting closer. However, both of them have to face the harsh reality a few seconds later. “This is actually about how my own wife doesn’t believe me when I say, that-”

Within a split second, they resume their arguing as if Reigen had never intervened in the first place. His expression must have been quite miserable, because the ESPer slides up next to him to gently bump his elbow against Reigen’s arm. It’s obvious that it’s supposed to be a gesture of comfort and while he appreciates it, he knows for a fact that Serizawa is much more uncomfortable than him. The ESPer is familiar with the ups and downs of the job at this point, but there’s still a lot he doesn’t know how to deal with and feels more comfortable with Reigen handling. Knowing that quite well, Reigen gives him a questioning and partly worried glance, silently asking if he’s still okay. 

Though, one proper look at Serizawa is enough to figure the answer out himself. The discomfort is almost radiating off of him and he finally gives Reigen an uncertain shrug that turns into a small shake of his head. It fills Reigen’s chest with a sense of accomplishment to know that the other trusts him enough to let him know about how unsure he is feeling with all of this.

“Well, it’s not my fault that you constantly have to deal with that!” At this point, the argument is completely irrational and it makes the ESPer’s face contort in a way that doesn’t sit right with Reigen. It makes his chest feel tighter and in an attempt to lighten the other’s mood he bumps him back a little, hoping the gesture brings him some kind of relief. When he has Serizawa’s attention on him, he moves his hand to signal the ESPer to lean down.

“How about you go and check if there actually is a problem, Katsuya.” Reigen says, his voice lowered. It is less of a suggestion and more of an opportunity for Serizawa to excuse himself. His own eyes drift back to their clients and it makes him click his tongue, one of his hands moving to rub the bridge of his nose. Whatever these two were arguing about is something that had to be bubbling under the surface for a long time and he wonders if he should start adding disclaimers about scenarios like this in the fine print of their pamphlets. “Meanwhile, I’ll make sure to babysit.”

Serizawa’s shoulders relax a little and one of his hands finds their way to Reigen’s shoulder. His smile melts into something so genuine that it makes Reigen’s heart hammer against his ribcage and the sudden squeeze of his shoulder makes it skip a beat. Before he has the time to get too lost in the touch and expression of the other, he reminds himself that there’s still clients to deal with. He has all the time in the world to pine and lament about Serizawa once he is back home. Right now it is more important to have the ESPer’s back and to get the job done. 

“Thank you.” Serizawa says, his voice filled with relief. Reigen can’t help but to return the other’s smile with one of his own, all of his annoyance making way for something different almost in an instant. The warm hand gets removed from his shoulder and Serizawa gives him a determined nod. “I’ll try to be as fast as possible.” 

“Good luck.” One of Reigen’s hands waves through the air a little while his other digs deep into the pockets of his suit pants. He gives the ESPer another once over, his cheeks heating up yet again. “And call if you find or need anything, yeah?”

A soft and sweet laugh escapes Serizawa and he gives Reigen a playful salute in agreement. “Same goes to you.” Though, he looks a little more serious right after, his voice a little quieter now. “Especially if things escalate.”

“Don’t worry, I think I can handle this.” Reigen mumbles reassuringly and the ESPer seems to judge his words for a moment before deciding to believe him - for now at least. 

Without wasting another second, Serizawa politely excuses himself even if nobody but Reigen is listening to him. He gives him one nod before slipping out of the room and Reigen realizes that it’s time to pull his part of the weight now. Whatever the couple is fighting about at this point, is beyond him and he braces himself for the inevitable headache. All that’s left for him is to do his best and de-escalate the situation with as much finesse as he can while Serizawa finds the root of the problem. 

Fortunately for Reigen, his pleas seem to be heard, because the ESPer manages to track down and locate the spirit quite quickly. Considering how much chaos it seems to have caused for these people, it’s no surprise that it’s a rather feisty one. It slips through the house with trained ease and gives them somewhat of a difficult time, but sooner than originally anticipated, they find themselves back in the small rental car on their way home.

Despite finally nearing the end of the day, Reigen can’t deny that he feels incredibly stressed out at this point. He’s glad to finally be out of that place. The constant arguing had never truly stopped and if it were not for Serizawa’s presence he would be completely frazzled. It’s comforting to know that the ESPer is right there with him and at this point he wouldn’t know what to do without him. The thought that the other might leave one day had struck him before but every time he had pushed the idea into the very back of his mind to confront it another time that would probably never come. 

For now, he has to be thankful for having the other at his side and every little bit of self doubt that tries to force its way up is ignored in favor of concentrating on the comfortable silence between them. The sound of the motor is all that fills the space between them, Reigen having gone as far as to turn the radio off to have a moment of peace.

The quiet is interrupted only when Serizawa decides to speak up after a heavy sigh 

“I really hope they won’t ask for compensation for the cupboard I broke.” There’s honest concern in his voice and for a split second, Reigen’s eyes shift from the street towards the ESPer. His cheek is resting against his palm and his gaze is fixated on the road, while his free hand is casually drumming on the fabric of his pants, only stopping to play with ironed in fold every now and then. “Or any of the possible water damage to the walls.”

His lips turn up into a small smile then and with the evening sun hitting him through the window of the car, Reigen can’t help but admire how beautiful he is. When he finds himself getting lost in how nice Serizawa’s hair looks now that it’s a little grown out and with the curls returning, he finally forces his eyes back on the road. There were better times to admire the other in secret and most certainly better places than the middle of the street, even if there is a surprising lack of traffic. 

“I don’t think they will.” Reigen says with a shrug, his fingers tightening around the tacky plush covering on the steering wheel as he speaks. The texture of it is absolutely disgusting. “They might have completely different things to figure out than broken fixtures. Really, I was losing my mind. How can two people who fight like that even be together for that long - and have a daughter! I’m glad she didn’t have to witness that disaster. ”

One of his hands moves to emphasize his point, but he quickly forces it back down when he notices the car drift too close to the side of the street. Talking reminds him of how he’s exhausted not only mentally, but physically as well. It isn’t often that he’s left this drained after a job and he’s quite glad that there isn’t any other waiting for them today. He’s only slightly invigorated when the idea of asking Serizawa to grab some dinner strikes him. Maybe if the other still felt up for it, they would be able to spend the rest of their evening together and there’s no doubt that it would be filled with countless complaints about their clients. 

“There’s nothing worse than to spend that much time of your life with someone you only disagree with. Having a fight is one thing, don’t get me wrong, but this was ridiculous. I mean, shouldn’t a partner be someone that actually enjoys being around you?” Reigen can’t help the amusement in his voice and now that he’s able to talk about it a little more freely, he goes on without thinking. “Kinda like us, right? We spend all our time together, basically, and I’d say we are doing much better. Actually, I’m really glad we aren’t fighting like that, Katsuya.”

Instead of receiving a response, Reigen is met with another short stretch of silence that is long enough to make him realize how strange his statement must have sounded. The wave of embarrassment that hits him also fills him with anxiety. Suddenly, he wonders if that little mishap is enough for the other to see right through him. 

“I mean- I didn’t want to imply that we were together like that. A-a couple or married or anything.” One of his hands leaves the steering wheel once more to move through the air wildly in an attempt to distract from how flustered he is. The plush of the wheel cover comes in quite handy as he absent-mindedly begins to wipe his other hand on it to get rid of some of the clamminess. “I just mean in the office as coworkers. N-no, as friends, obviously-”

With his body switching to autopilot almost immediately, Reigen loses focus of his driving and without him noticing the car slowly begins to swerve dangerously close towards the middle of the street and to the other lane.

“Arataka-”

“I didn’t mean to imply anything or make you uncomfortable, we are strictly professional-” No, that isn’t right either. “Friends. Professional friends and-”

“Arataka, eyes on the road!” The volume and panic of Serizawa’s voice makes Reigen’s attention snap back to the road immediately and once he realizes what is happening, his free hand shoots back to the steering wheel. Maybe a little rougher than is needed, he pulls the car back to where it should be, breath a little heavier now, knuckles white with how tightly they hold on.

“Sorry. I just-” He laughs nervously, hunching closer to the windshield now than necessary and forces himself to focus forward almost obsessively. Partially for their safety and partially because he can’t bring himself to look at Serizawa right now. “Just meant to say I’m glad we are on the same page.”

“I know.” The ESPer sounds equally out of breath and strained, his body shifting to sit up straighter now. It takes some moments of Reigen keeping the car where it’s supposed to be for him to relax again. Though, he doesn’t sink back into the seat the same way. Serizawa takes a deep breath before he speaks again, obviously trying to sound as casual as possible. “I’m glad too, but- how about we stop talking for a little while?”

~♥~

There’s nothing more rewarding than a job well done. Not only does it fill Reigen with a sense of having done something good - at least when an actual spirit has been involved - but the rest of his afternoon is much more rewarding when it feels earned. At the end of the day, he always looks forward to being able to unwind.

A small and genuine smile tugs on his lips and he looks over to Serizawa, who’s standing a little ways away with their last client of the day. The old woman is fumbling with her wallet while the ESPer is busy writing her a receipt for the job. At this point, he is running Spirits and Such as much as Reigen does and it’s something that he had never thought possible when a fumbling and nervous Serizawa had accepted the offer to work for him. Even when he had started to entrust the other with more and more tasks, Reigen still hadn’t expected him to stay for very long. He has a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact that the ESPer had no intention to leave and admittedly, thinking about it too long makes it seem too good to be true. Serizawa makes an incredible effort to let him know that he isn’t going anywhere, though. 

After all, they weren’t only coworkers anymore and neither were they just friends. A bold moment of weakness was all it had taken Serizawa to cross the line they were tip-toeing around and it still makes Reigen’s heart race to think about what they were now. Just a few months ago it had seemed impossible and ridiculous for him to even hope that the other returned his feelings and to now know that he truly does is a realization that keeps overwhelming him every time.

The giddiness and excitement spreading through him as he considers what they would get for dinner tonight feels almost childish and yet, Reigen allows himself to simply enjoy it without doubt just this once. With neither of them having much planned this weekend, he tells himself that there might be enough time to indulge in Serizawa a little without listening to the voice in his head that still tries to convince him that this wouldn’t last. There are more than enough things he can think of that would most certainly distract him and each makes him more eager to get back to one of their homes than the last. Truly, if anyone had asked him what he had thought his future would look like, he would have not in a million years expected that he would run a somewhat questionable exorcism business with his psychic boyfriend. Now that he has it, though, there’s nothing he wants to change.

“You did a pretty impressive job today.”

His little moment of watching Serizawa help the woman count her change is interrupted by her son. He was about their age - maybe a year or so younger than Reigen - and had been around for most of the day. He had assumed that it was to make sure they weren’t trying to scam her, but now that it had come to actually collecting the payment, he had slid up next to him instead of keeping a close eye on his mother. 

“Thank you. We at Spirits and Such are always here for any of your needs concerning hauntings, possessions and the like.” Reigen says and it’s accompanied by a confident snap of his fingers. He reaches inside of his suit jacket, pulling out one of his business cards to hand over. It’s never too late for a little bit of self advertisement and if he had learned anything over the past few years it’s that one haunted family member usually resulted in a few more. “If you - or any of your acquaintances for that matter - are ever in need of any of our services, do not hesitate to give us a call. We pride ourselves in being flexible to your every need, though, short term out of office appointments do come with a fifteen percent price increase.”

The man looks down at the business card, turning it over in his hand a little. When his head pulls up again, he gives him a look.“Oh is that so?” Something about the dip and infliction in his voice makes Reigen shift where he stands and he starts to play a little with the cuff of his sleeve. There's something about the tone that strikes him as strange. He’s heard people trying to be sleazy before, and something about this is far too similar. “I’ll certainly keep that in mind. It’s not bad to have someone skilled and smart like you around in an emergency, is it?”

“Well- y-yes of course. Mind you, our services are for issues of the supernatural kind only. They come in a large variety from in-office physical exorcisms to on-site operations. However, we will gladly refer you to places that fit your needs in case your problems are not related to anything spiritual.” As he talks, he feels the other’s eyes roam over him from head to toe. The response he gets is a short intrigued humm and he doesn’t like the way he’s being watched. A smile tugs at the man’s lips and Reigen can’t help the way his eyebrows knit in confusion when he sees him pull a pen from one of his pockets. There’s a moment in which he scribbles something on the card and just a few seconds later he steps quite far into Reigen’s personal space to hand him back the little piece of cardstock.

Out of reflex and in hopes of the man stepping away after, he takes it and squints at the series of numbers messily added under the office’s contact info. A phone number, Reigen realizes.

“I’m sure physical exorcisms aren’t the only thing you’re good at - especially not with that amount of energy you have. I’m rather interested in those flexible services you mentioned.” Reigen’s head snaps back up from the business card and he notices just how close they were now. When the man has the audacity to wink at him, he allows himself to take a step back as politely as he can. While he is used to being the center of attention, he prefers it being of the professional variety rather than the personal. Blatant flirting isn’t something he’s familiar with and while at some point he might have been desperate enough, he can’t say he is now.

At an arm’s length, he holds out the card to return it and clears his throat.

“I … apologize for the misunderstanding, but my business is not the type to give you a hand in such things.” It’s a horrible choice of words on his part, but with how tense and sick he suddenly feels there’s no time to reconsider them. His free hand flies through the space between them dismissively and he hopes that is enough for the other to get a clue. At this point his forced smile grows painful and the smirk he gets in response makes anxiety curl in his gut.

Throughout the day, there had been a few rather impressed whistles and huffs that Reigen had assumed were meant for the flawless job Serizawa was doing. Now, however, he’s certain that if he had paid even an ounce of attention, he would have realized that they were most certainly not aimed towards any display of psychic powers. It takes him a sizable amount of willpower not to shudder in disgust and to keep up the professionalism. All he has to do is decline the other’s intrusive offer and move on with the rest of his day as planned. Though, it doesn’t seem to be as easy as that - it rarely is in Reigen’s case.

“Oh no. I think you’re misunderstanding my intentions.” He most certainly isn’t with how clear the other’s intentions are. ”I’m not asking for the services of your business. I’m far more interested in what you have to offer. I’ve been told I’m rather skilled at showing people a good time and don’t you think I haven’t noticed the way you look at that associate of yours. So no reason to deny yourself. Actually-”

Reigen’s extended arm is pushed out of the way in favor for the distance to be crossed again and the other rummages through his pockets once more. He pulls out a few spare bills and gently shoves them into the exposed front pocket of Reigen’s shirt. The unwanted touch makes him jolt. “A little tip for today. Enjoyed having you around, Reigen. Make sure to think about it.”

Reigen does not consider himself a particularly angry person and while he tends to get rattled if unprepared, he’s usually able to brush it off at the end of the day. This, however, is going too far even for him. While it certainly isn’t the first time one of their clients had gotten up close and personal with him, this oversteps far too many boundaries. 

“Excuse me, Sir, but who do you think-”

He doesn’t get much further than that before the man suddenly gets pulled back. Not even a second later an all too familiar arm slides around his waist and pulls him close to Serizawa’s side. So lost in his utter disbelief about the advances towards him, he hadn’t realized that the ESPer was done with collecting the payment and had joined them. He looks up at Serizawa in confusion and by the way the other’s forced smile doesn’t reach his eyes, Reigen can tell that he is absolutely furious.

It would most likely be possible for him to count the times he had seen Serizawa this upset on one hand and he realizes that the ESPer must have used his powers to bring some distance between them and the other man. In most instances, Reigen might remind him that this isn’t necessarily up to company policy, but considering the circumstances he’s rather glad for the intervention. With how protective the hand on his waist is holding onto him and with how close he is pressed up against Serizawa, he can’t help but feel a little flustered It isn’t unknown to him that he finds himself incredibly affected by the other’s protectiveness, but it still catches him off guard each and every time.

He’s so distracted by how inappropriately warm he feels under his collar, that it takes him a moment to realize that the ESPer has plucked the business card from his fingers. He reads it over for a moment and his eyes grow a little darker before he uses his powers to crumple it up midair and tosses it to the side right after. 

“We won’t be needing that.” His voice is level but cold and Reigen, despite how in awe he is, still hopes that Serizawa isn’t too affected by his own anger. He knows him well enough to be aware that the ESPer doesn’t particularly like to lose control of his emotions. However, this isn’t his normal protective behavior either and the sudden realization of what it is makes Reigen gasp quietly, his pale cheeks most likely a dark shade of red. Serizawa is jealous. 

“Taka, I think we should be going.” The ESPer’s voice is more demanding than Reigen is used to, but he finds himself too caught up in his revelation to care. While jealousy isn’t necessarily the most elegant way for him to find out, it still finally dawns on Reigen just how serious Serizawa is about him. The thought makes his head spin and all he can do for a moment is nod.

“Ah- Sure. Yes. It is quite late.” His answer is more of a breathless laugh than anything and he knows full well that his expression must be dumbfounded. Even if he would never admit it out loud, he finds himself finding an odd sense of fulfillment in the other’s possessiveness. It may just be for a moment, but he truly feels important. 

Serizawa gives the man across from them a last sharp glare and tightens his hold around Reigen even further. The only answer to the action is an audible swallow and without giving anyone else another chance to speak, Serizawa finally pulls him along. His guidance around Reigen is surprisingly gentle and all he has to do is keep up with the ESPer’s quick and long steps.

Only when they make their way off the premises does the pressure in the air around them fade. Carefully, the hand around his waist slips off in favor of moving to intertwine their fingers, a thumb brushing gently over his knuckles. He gives himself a moment to mourn the loss of contact and warmth and Serizawa a moment to collect his thoughts. 

Eventually, the ESPer sighs deeply, his shoulder sinking and his eyes firmly locked onto the ground. 

“I-” Serizawa’s words die in his throat immediately and his hand squeezes Reigen’s apologetically before he tries again. “I’m sorry. I know that wasn’t called for and I know you can take care of this stuff by yourself. I shouldn’t have- I just- ah. I just really didn’t like the way he was touching you. He was…”

His words drift off and once Reigen knows that Serizawa won’t continue, he allows himself to be the one stepping closer this time, their shoulders brushing ever so slightly.

“He was going too far.” He states matter of factly, huffing a little in annoyance. It’s obvious how nervous and guilty Serizawa feels about losing composure. His free hand is nervously rubbing his fingers together and his eyes are looking anywhere but Reigen. From where said man stands, he can see the ESPer worrying the inside of his cheek. He hopes that his almost casual tone is able to take some of the edge off and keep Serizawa from beating himself up too much. For a moment, he closes his eyes and concentrates on the warmth of the other’s hand in his. “Not only inappropriate, but right next to his mother as well. People these days. Every alleyway behind any old bar would have made for a better place to hit on someone. Really, what nerve that guy had. Is it too much to ask for just one normal client every now and then?”

 One of his eyes cracks open to glance up once more. His smile is encouraging and when he sees Serizawa smile back sheepishly, he is flooded with a wave of relief. The simple gesture is enough to make the last bit of Reigen’s work demeanor melt away and he exhales softly, fully relaxing now. 

When he speaks up again, his words are filled with honesty and much gentler than his previous attempt at being funny. “Trust me, ‘Suya. I don’t think there’s anyone that could ever begin to compare to you. Certainly no one I’d rather have here with me than you.” 

Reigen himself isn’t prepared for the amount of adoration his statement is laced with and faintly he wonders when he had started to lay his emotions out in the open like this. It makes him a little nervous but the small blush that spreads over Serizawa’s cheeks makes saying it worth it. 

Eventually, both their steps come to a halt and for a few seconds they do nothing but study each other’s expression, Reigen taking in the ESPer’s beautiful smile and any wrinkle that it comes with. 

The intimacy overwhelms him soon enough and he feels silly for not being used to it at this point. They had gone much, much further than just holding hands, but Reigen still isn’t able to feel so seen by someone else for longer than just a few moments. Though, if it’s for Serizawa, he is nothing if not determined to work on it.

“E-either way. Next time let’s try not to scare potential future clients to death. That isn’t good for the business.” His lecture is a weak attempt at distracting from how hot his face is and how fast his heart is beating and without much of a second thought, he adds, “Even if I have to admit that I didn’t mind it all too much. So don’t worry. With- I mean you looked-”

Serizawa looks at him with wide eyes and curiosity now. With the redness of his cheeks it is almost the complete opposite of his furious expression from earlier. Reigen can’t help but feel a little awkward now, not quite sure where he had expected himself to go from here. In the end, they still had a lot to learn about each other and he isn’t exactly sure what his words mean to the other. His free hand busies itself with flailing through the air when he continues, trying not to embarrass himself any further, “I-It’s good to know that you care that much. A-about me, I mean. Not that I doubted that or anything.” 

He isn’t able to keep their eye contact for much longer than that, but the last look on the ESPer’s face had already told him that trying to save himself had long gone out the window. Serizawa is already turning Reigen’s words over in his head and by the way  his hand squeezes once again, it is obvious that he starts to catch on. With the last of his dignity and his voice dropping into a slightly more serious tone, he tries to cover up at least some of the humiliation, “Still, try not to do it again.”

“Oh. I-I see.” The infliction of his words makes Reigen’s stomach twist in sudden excitement and he isn’t sure whether that’s a good or a bad sign. He has the feeling that his last statement hasn’t necessarily been taken seriously and he has the sneaking suspicion that Serizawa is working on his own plans now. Soon enough, the ESPer’s hand slips out of Reigen’s own sweaty one, just for an arm to find its way back around his waist.

“Won’t do it again, ‘Taka. Promised.” Considering the urgency and eagerness in Serizawa’s steps, he isn’t inclined to believe him. However, with how quickly he is matching the pace, he shouldn’t be allowed to point any fingers. “Let’s head to my place for today. It’s a few stops closer.”

Even from this angle, Reigen can see the way the other bites his bottom lip in excitement, his cheeks a few shades darker than normally and they just had to look ridiculously in love to everyone they pass. He finds himself not caring all that much, though, as long as he wouldn’t have to think about any other clients for the rest of the weekend. 

[rocksinmuffin]

Hello. Can I ask, batter/reader/Zachary? You can play with it as you like: it could be something cute or vulgar~ To your taste

“Do we have to?” The Batter asks, teeth grit. He already knows the answer.

“We’re running low on tickets and meat,” you tell him as you continue towards Zacharie’s shop. “We can’t rely on save points to refuel your health when we’re in the middle of fighting a guardian.”

The Batter follows, cleats dragging into the dirt. “I don’t like the way he looks at you.”

You look back over your shoulder, eyebrow raised. “How does he look at me?”

“I don’t like the way he looks at me,” he continues, ignoring you. “It’s slimy. Perverted.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“And you’re naïve.”

You don’t continue arguing with him. No point when you’re already at Zacharie’s shop. You let the Batter see your rolling eyes before immediately schooling your expression into a pleasant smile as you step into the shop.

“Ah, the Batter and his Puppeteer!” Zacharie perks up from behind his counter, changing from a slouch to perfect posture. His arms stretch out wide to welcome you inside. “My two favorite customers!”

You nod your head politely in acknowledgement before browsing through his wares.

As you are perusing the list of available items, you feel fingers—warm and calloused—gently interlock with your own. You look up to find Zacharie’s painted smile directly in front of you. His thumb rubs gentle circles into the back of your hand.

Out of the corner of your eye you see the Batter mouth something that looks like you see this shit? but you just hum as you continue picking out items. You don’t mind the contact even if it is a little overly friendly. As far as you know, you and the Batter are the only people Zacharie interacts with. Maybe he’s a little touch-starved.

When you finish selecting your items, Zacharie gives your hand a little squeeze before letting go to duck beneath his counter and grab your purchases, though not before blowing a kiss to both you and the Batter.

“See?” The Batter says through gritted teeth, back stiff as he comes to stand by your side. “Didn’t I tell you?”

You tilt your head to the side. “What are you talking about?”

“Are you serious?” When you simply tilt your head to the other side he lets out a deep exhale that has his back hunch and his shoulders slumping. “He hasn’t stopped flirting since we got here.”

“Have you ever worked customer service before? He’s just being friendly. He wants to make sure we’re returning customers.”

“What kind of customer service jobs have you worked? And, besides, he doesn’t have to do that. He’s the only merchant in all the zones.”

“I dunno,” you shrug noncommittally. “Maybe he wants a tip.”

Batter scoffs. “I doubt he would be satisfied with just the tip.”

You blink. “Did you just—?”

“Here you are,” Zacharie interrupts, popping back up from behind the counter. He gives you your selected items and when you place the credits in his hands his fingers linger longer than it takes to collect his payment. The credits are swiftly pocketed yet somehow your hand still remains in his.

“Thank you for the patronage, amigos!”

He brings the back of your hand to the painted on smile of his mask, making an over exaggerated smooching sound. He does the same to Batter who immediately yanks his hand away, wiping it against the shirt of his baseball uniform as if the mask was capable of slobbering on him.

Zacharie doesn’t seem to be offended. You might not be able to see his face but you can hear the smile in his voice. “Come back soon!”

You offer a polite nod and a wave as you leave Zacharie’s shop, the Batter practically stepping on your heels in his haste.

“So?” he asks.

You glance towards him. “Yes?”

“You don’t think there was anything weird about the way he interacted with us? Nothing at all?”

In answer, you shrug your shoulders.

The Batter squints at you.

You raise an eyebrow. “What?”

“I think you might be stupid.”

[plus-size-reader]

Brainiac

12 Days of Christmas 2021

Robin Buckley x Plus size!reader

Word Count: 2600 words

Warnings: Robin’s the love of my life, that’s all. 

Summary: The reader desperately trying to find the perfect gift for Robin, because she deserves it. 

—————————————————————————————————

“Have you guys noticed Y/N being weird lately?” Robin hummed, addressing the question to both Dustin and Steve, who had made themselves at home, sitting around a giant Sunday.

Unsurprisingly, they didn’t have anywhere else to be right now, even though Steve’s shift didn’t start for another two hours.

On any other day, you would have been there with them, fighting over the last cherry, but not today.

Today, you were nowhere to be found which your girlfriend found incredibly strange. She had her break in seven minutes, and it wasn’t like you to miss out on it, even by a minute.

In fact, now that she was thinking about it, Robin realized that you’d never ever missed a break. You two got off at relatively the same time, with your shift at the Journeys across the way letting out a few minutes before Scoops.

Then, from there,  you two always went down to the food court and got a hotdog on a stick or something, just to get away from customer service for a while.

It was the one thing she looked forward to above everything else, which only made it that much more of a bummer that you hadn’t walked through that door yet.

“I guess so” Steve answered first, sharing a look with Dustin that may have given him away if the brunette hadn’t been too distraught to notice.

She liked to think that if there was something going on with you, you’d come to her directly so that the two of you could work through it but given what had been happening lately, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

All she could do now was hope that maybe, you’d reached out to one of these two chuckleheads for some kind of advice.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Dustin chimed in then, doing a pretty good job of covering up for his far less subtle friend, that caring look in his eyes that practically pried the truth from Robin.

Obviously, something had happened to have her so distraught, and even if he already knew what it was, that didn’t mean she could know that.

“I don’t know. Everything was fine until the other day. We were supposed to spend our whole day off watching Christmas movies” Robin explained, still racking her brain trying to figure out what had happened.

It wasn’t like you to shut her out in the first place, especially without any warning or explanation, but that wasn’t even the worst part.

The worst part was that when she asked you about it, you told her that you forgot and wouldn’t be able to make it. That was the only explanation you gave, and then she didn’t see  you all day.

It was odd, and it made sense that Robin would be worried.

It was like, out of nowhere, something had completely clouded your head and you couldn’t focus on anything else other than whatever it was.

For the last few days, you had just been distant, and weird, even with her.

Of course she had to wonder what had gotten into you.

Something was going on, and no matter how hard she tried, Robin couldn’t figure it out.

Most of the time, she could read you like a book, but right now, she felt like she was staring at a brick wall instead of the loving woman she’d always known. It was odd for her, because it wasn’t like you.

It wasn’t like you to keep things to yourself, and it certainly wasn’t like you to keep secrets from her.

Still, it wasn’t as if you’d been keeping secrets all this time. Both Dustin and Steve knew that perfectly well, considering you’d already filled them in on your plan, several days in advance.

For the time being, you had to keep Robin in the dark, but that didn’t mean you wanted to give your friends a reason to worry.  You just had a monumental problem that you couldn’t find a solution for, and it was taking all your energy searching.

Searching, and then hiding.

It was Christmas, time again and like last year, Robin had made a huge deal about the two of you not needing to exchange gifts.

You were two broke kids, working every spare hour you had just to put gas in your cars and feed yourselves, so naturally, buying extravagant gifts for one another wasn’t in the cards.

It wasn’t practical, and she didn't mind skipping it. Besides, Robin had never been the kind that wanted to be spoiled.

She didn’t want to put that pressure on you.

…but you felt differently.

You knew that the woman you loved deserved the moon on a string, and in all honesty, you would have happily given it to her. Which, of course, made every gift that you were considering pale in comparison, and the idea of no gift at all unthinkable.

There was no way that after everything Robin had done for you, you were just going to turn a blind eye to the best excuse you could have had to shower her with gifts.

Though, showering may have been the wrong word.

Because, as it would turn out, Robin was right. The two of you were, for the most part, broke and everything that looked good was vastly more expensive than what you’d managed to scrape up.

So, rather than spend your day off with her, you took an extra shift to make up the difference.

It wasn’t ideal, but you knew that once she found out the truth, Robin was bound to forgive you for your secrecy and sneaking around.

At least, you hoped she would.

There was never really a grey area with Robin, so she was either going to be thrilled and forgive you right away, or she’d be upset you went against her direct ask to avoid gift giving.

There was no way to know before finding out, and in all honesty, you wouldn't have had it any other way.

As stressful as it could be at times, that passion and boldness was one of the things you loved most about her.

You just had to hope it would work in your favor today.

~

This was it.

This was exactly what you’d been waiting for all this time, and now that it was finally here, you couldn’t have been more nervous.

All you could think about was everything that could go wrong.

What if Robin didn’t like it? Or what if she thought the whole thing was dumb and just didn’t want to tell you? You weren’t sure how you’d handle that after everything you’d done to get here.

Still, you knew that you couldn’t not give her the present you’d bought. It was far too good to keep to yourself, even if you were a little anxious about how she’d react to it.

It would have been a lie to say that the whole ‘no present’ thing did make you a little worried now that there was no hiding away from it.

The only thing left to do was to give her the gift and see how she reacted, because you knew that if you waited outside Scoops any longer, you were going to go out of your mind with nerves.

The small ice cream shop greeted you as soon as you entered with the chiming of the bell above the door, and the welcome scent of waffle cones and sugar in the air.

By this point, it reminded you almost exclusively of Robin, and all the time that the two of you had spent here together.

Though, today, it was hard to focus on anything more than the questioning, pointed stare you were getting from the brunette behind the counter, trying to work out what could have been going on behind your eyes.

It could have been anything.

Anything at all, and she didn’t even want to think about it anymore than she already had.

“I almost thought you forgot about me” she teased, trying to act more upset than she really was. This whole thing was confusing for her, of course, but it was hard not to be glad to see you.

Normally, the two of you didn’t even go two days without spending every spare moment you had with one another and after so much distance, she did miss you.

Even if maybe she didn’t want to admit it.

“Never! Quite the opposite actually” you laughed, thinking about all the days, and nights you’d been stressing over the perfect thing to get her for the holiday, and then working to afford it.

It would have been impossible not to think about her, every hour of all those days, with or without Christmas fast approaching.

“Well you haven’t been acting like it” she shot back, leaning over the counter to get even a tad bit closer to you as if that was going to make any kind of difference. She thought that if she was going to catch you in something, she would have by now.

…but you had just been acting so weird.

You knew that was coming, and in all fairness, you deserved it.

If she had just fallen off the face of the earth like you had in your pursuit of a gift worthy of the woman you loved, you would have been just as upset and confused as she was right now.

Thankfully, you were about to make it all worth it.

“I know, I just had something I had to do” you explained, not even giving her a second to argue like you knew she would before you produced the gift box you’d had hidden behind your back.

Even Robin couldn’t be upset in the face of a beautifully wrapped mystery box that she hadn’t been expecting.

“Surprise” you grinned, setting the box on the counter with as much grace as you could possibly muster with all the excitement behind it. You had been waiting all this time, just for this moment right here.

For the perfect gift to meet the perfect woman.

Robin was quiet for a second as she considered the box in front of her, putting all the pieces together.

Naturally, she hadn’t seen this coming but before she could say anything at all to you, she caught Steve’s eye from over your shoulder and saw the way he and Dustin were muttering back and forth.

That told her everything she needed to know.

“You got Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum involved?” she questioned, this time it was her turn to laugh, thinking about how poorly Steve had kept it together earlier. She should have seen this coming.

Still, you did a really good job of hiding it. Robin didn’t even consider a secret Christmas present as an option in all that time she’d spent wondering what you were doing without her.

“I didn’t want them getting sneaky on me” you giggled, knowing full well that if you hadn’t told them ahead of time, you would have caught the two of them stalking you around the mall wearing poorly conceptualized disguises and hiding behind clothing racks.

That would have been a disaster.

“Now, are you gonna open it or not?” you prompted, starting to get ansty the more the box sat on the counter, just resting there between you, completely unopened.

It almost felt like if Robin didn’t open it now, something was going to just come and snatch it right out of her hands, and you couldn’t have that.

Not after everything you’d put into it.

“Okay, okay” she gave in, her hands up in fake defense before she busied herself, digging in the box until she found the treasure waiting inside.

There was no telling what it was from the outside, and knowing you, it was just as likely to be the hope diamond as anything else.

You practically held your breath as she pulled the smaller box from it’s cheerful prison, and surveyed it in her hands for a moment or two.

It was heavier than she would have thought, and given the presentation, she began to find herself a little worried that you had gone way overboard from her initial ask of no Christmas presents, but still, Robin opened it.

She carefully plucked the lid off the smaller box and revealed its contents to not only herself, but to you as well.

It was perfect, even now, tucked away in its little jewelry box.

“So, what do you think?” you asked, subconsciously picking at your fingers as you’d been known to do when the anxiety started to really get to you.

You couldn’t help it.

Ever since you set your mind on getting something for her, you had only been able to think about that, and now that you had finally gotten to share it with someone, you felt like you may actually explode.

All those same anxieties rushed to the surface again, even though you knew that the gift you’d chosen for her was the most Robin piece of jewelry you’d ever seen.

“Oh wow, this is great” Robin hummed, removing the silver chain from the box first, before focusing far more on the pendant dangling from it.

It was a small silver heart, which wouldn’t have been much to look at if it hadn’t been for the small engraving on the back that simply said Brainiac.

As soon as she saw that, it was all over.

She had a huge grin on her face and everything, which was rare for your clinically cynical partner.

“Did you have this made?” she asked, immediately going to put it on without a second thought. It was an inside joke between the two of you, and one that had never stopped being funny.

It wasn’t your fault.

Robin was the one who had learned four languages at the drop of a hat, picked up Russian on a whim, and had learned to play half the band’s instruments in high school. She was smart, and she didn’t get enough credit for it.

From anyone but you, that was.

You had made it your own personal mission to never let her forget how absolutely brilliant she was.

“Of course I did” you grinned back, more proud now than perhaps you should have been. Now, that extra shift seemed like a cake-walk, considering it let you get her such a personal spot on gift.

Robin took one more second to admire the way the chain hung loosely around her neck before turning to you with that knowing smirk you couldn’t ever get tired of seeing.

“Thank you” she smiled, leaning over the counter once again to capture your lips in a sweet kiss before abruptly pulling away, much too quickly for your liking and turning her attention to something else.

To what, you couldn't be quite sure of yet.

“I did say no gifts” she reminded you, ducking under the counter for a moment before returning with a bright red gift bag, with a caricature of Santa printed on the front.

“But I lied” grinning again.

You had never seen such a wide, genuine smile on the gorgeous girl’s face, and in that moment, everything else faded away.

You didn’t have to care about making sure the present you got was the perfect thing that was most deserving of her, or that she didn’t want you to buy her anything in the first place.

All you had to do was be grateful that you had the most amazing girlfriend in the world to spend the holiday with.

[dazenightmare]

I really just want to make a grocery store AU but all I have worked out is:

George as security cam boy that sleeps and only seems to wake up when something interesting is happening

SBI taking over the deli section, with Techno handling the meats, Phil making the food, Tommy serving people at the counter, and Wilbur who does literally nothing but just vibe and talk and nobody knows how he’s managed to keep his job

Tubbo as the roller-blade help boy who has a headset and roller skates, and does whatever task needs to be done (mainly restocking shelves). He is summoned if his name is even uttered into the walkie-talkie system

Sapnap as security near the doors who flirts with timid cashier Karl and goofball janitor Quackity, and somehow gets in a relationship with them both

Dream as the manager who’s always doing paperwork in his office, but always knows exactly what is happening in his store and takes over the store’s intercoms if need be

Eret as the receptionist at the help desk who every customer loves

Niki as head baker with the help of Ranboo and sometimes Fundy (god help them when Fundy’s in the kitchen)

Fundy and Awesamdude as the dudes in the back of the store who’s always unloading the trucks and keeping everything organized in only a way they and Tubbo can understand. Trust them, Dream and Techno tried.

Purpled as a cashier who if is encountered with something without a tag, will just silently put it in the bag depending on what it is

And Schlatt as the drunkard who buys drinks from the store and is always entertaining when he comes in

And the only scenarios in this AU I’ve worked out so far is:

1. If aggravated at someone(s) who works on staff, Tubbo will just say into the talkie system they have five minutes. When that five minutes is up, Dream goes onto the intercoms and says “Attention all customers and staff, be cautious, as rollerblade-boy Tubbo is now hunting (insert name) for sport around the store. Stay clear if you hear shouting or screaming, and cover minor’s ears in case profanities are used. I repeat, Tubbo is hunting (insert name) for sport. Teens, I suggest you get your cameras out.”

And sometimes, about ten seconds later, he comes back on with, “ATTENTION STAFF MEMBERS, TUBBO HAS THE CELERY STICK, I REPEAT, TUBBO HAS THE CELERY STICK! IF YOU WANT TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY, DO NOT HELP (insert name) IN ANY WAY!” And all staff members are just filled with fear, because only they know how painful it is to get smacked by Tubbo with The Celery Stick

2. The first time Schlatt stumbled into the store, he was high off his ass, and just looked at Quackity and Tubbo who were talking nearby and decided mine, proceeding to pick them up like sacks of potatoes and running towards the doors like a madman while the two teens screamed. This event continued as such: Schlatt being chased around the store at first by only Sapnap, but gains more chasers the more departments they stop by. This ends with him being chased by Sapnap and Karl (for their boyfriend), SBI (for their adopted brother), and Sam (for his unofficial son). It only ends when Purpled drops down from the fucking ceiling to crash Schlatt into the ground yelling “BEDWARS!!”

3. Sometimes, an absolute Karen will just be yelling at a bored looking Purpled for how “disrespectful” he was being, demanding to speak to the manager. He tells them he should be here in five minutes, but then the Karen goes “you haven’t even contacted them! Contact them right now!” After this, Purpled just smiles bitterly at them before going on to the intercom, saying in the perfect customer’s service voice, and I quote, “Attention all shoppers, there is a Karen on Aisle Five. Please stay clear if you see an angry tall man in a green hoodie walking to said aisle. Don’t want anyone unsuspecting to die. Again, if you see an angry tall man in a green hoodie walking towards Aisle Five, stay out of his path. Fellow teens, I suggest you get your cameras out.”

The Karens never come back to the store after listening to an angry Dream teach them common manners while a handful of youth were recording the interaction from a safe distance

4. “Bakery. Cashiers. Deli department. Management. My older sibling used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace when Tubbo kept balance between the bakery staff, cashiers, deli department, and management staff. But that all changed when Tommy of the deli department attacked. Only Tubbo mastered all four departments. Only he could stop the ruthless staff of the deli department. But when the store needed him most, he called in sick. A hundred hours have passed and the deli department is nearing victory in the Helper War. Two minutes ago, my sister and her friend journeyed to the cash registers to help fight against the deli department, leaving me and me alone to look after the bakery. Some people believe that Tubbo may not return within the next week, and that chaos will reign until then. But I haven’t lost hope. I still believe that somehow, Tubbo will return to save the store.” -Ranboo, during the Helper War

5. For months Quackity held a grudge against George because he somehow got locked in the supplies closet and the only person that would notice was, you guessed it, the person manning the cameras. But of course, THAT MOTHERFUCKER STAYED ASLEEP, LEAVING QUACKITY STUCK IN THE GODDAMN CLOSET FOR NEARLY FIVE HOURS BEFORE ERET FOUND HIM BECAUSE THEY NEEDED A BROOM

6. One day, nobody noticed that Wilbur wasn’t in the deli department until the intercom clicked on, followed immediately by, “Hello shoppers and staff! Welcome to another episode of Why Haven’t I Been Fired Yet? I’m your host, Wilbur Soot of the deli department. Today, we’re going to fill the manager’s office with as much glitter as possible before he gets back from the local Taco Bell, when I will be inevitability killed. Teens, I suggest you get your cameras out, because today will be a fun episode.”

[boldlyvoid]

Amethyst you so much

Summary: Spencer has had a crush on Y/N since she started working at the bau. She only ever works the night shift after a case, handling all the aftermath gracefully. one night, Spencer stays back and they strike up a conversation about rocks, causing their feelings to dig a little deeper.

Warnings: pure fluff, weed mention, hurt/comfort, grief and mourning

Word Count: 6.4K

Read on Ao3

Late nights at the office had become his thing since Gideon left.

He couldn’t bring himself to go home some nights without a game of chess, a cup of coffee, and the ambiance of the post case staff working. He would’ve had no idea about what goes on after they close a case if he didn’t stay behind most nights.

The phone rings almost every 10 minutes, and it’s always answered by the sweetest voice. The fax machine never turns off, and the most beautiful girl in the world is always running around placing papers in different places.

He’s been smitten with her since she started here, 2 years ago. Never seeing much of her since she was switched to the night shift, always wanting to just watch her from afar, never speaking to her unless he needed to.

“Yes, again we are so sorry for the door,” he can hear her voice from the back corner of the room. “Agent Morgan will be paying for that out of his paycheck, don’t worry, Mr. Kennings. We’ll be sure to remember your hotel when we’re in the area again. The FBI has a very generous budget for overnight cases. Of course, you have a good night too.”

She hung the phone up harshly and let out a deep sigh. He turned around to see her face in her arms, resting against the desk. She looked done, completely fed up. He would be too.

She looked up then, noticing that he was making eye contact with her. She awkwardly smiled and waved at him, “sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Spencer replied. “We asked for the key, I should have stopped him from kicking it in.”

She laughed then, walking over to his desk so she didn’t have to yell across the room. She sat on the corner of his desk lightly, “why do you stay every night?”

“Oh, um,” he wasn’t prepared for this. She had never talked to him before. She was barely able to even look at him when she used to place papers on his desk 2 years ago, now she was on his desk.

“I don’t like to bring the work home with me, it’s better to destress here before I go to my apartment,” he answered, half honestly.

She nodded slightly, “I get it. Luckily I go home in the mornings so the sun helps me feel better.”

“Going home in the dark isn’t fun,” she lightly smiled up at her.

“Do you want a coffee or anything?” She asked softly, “seeing as I am still your assistant as long as you’re here?”

He laughed lightly, “I would, but I’d like to join you in the staff room for it?”

“Okay,” she stood, straightening out her shirt as he stood as well.

He held the doors open for her, letting her walk out first, still smiling as she waited in the hall for him. Never being anything less than 1 foot from him for some reason, and he didn’t mind in the slightest.

“Do you like your job?” He asked lightly.

“Oh yeah,” she laughed. “It’s like customer service on crack. Have you ever had to explain to someone why you can’t pay for the cracked foundation after Agent Morgan’s ransacked a place?”

“I honestly never thought of who has to deal with the aftermath,” he awkwardly admitted to her. “I’m so sorry.”

She couldn’t stop laughing as they entered the kitchen, “it’s fine. I never have to apologize on your behalf, it’s everyone else who seems to be reckless. Sometimes I feel like it would be better if I came along to babysit.”

“That would be helpful,” he smiled softly as she entered the staff room.

He watched as she took a new coffee filter out of the cupboard. Emptying the coffee pot with ease, rinsing everything before adding the water and scooping in the grounds. He was mesmerized by how fast she was able to do it, then again it was sort of her job.

“What mug would you like?” She turned to him with a smile that made his heart skip a beat.

“Um, the purple one, if it’s there?”

“You really like purple, huh?” She teased him, standing on her tippy-toes to reach the mug for him.

She placed it on the counter before grabbing a white mug, it had a bumblebee on it, “bee happy” written along the top. It was perfect for her.

“Purple is a stress-reducing colour,” she explained. “When I was a kid my parents painted my room purple so that I’d sleep better.”

“I’ve always been drawn to it.”

She leaned against the counter while the coffee pot started to percolate, “Probably because of your anxiety, coffee doesn’t help that.”

“It’s in my DNA to be like this,” he tried to joke, knowing he succeeded when her smile crept back onto her face.

He was on a mission to keep seeing it.

“For someone who spends a lot of time with dead bodies, creepy places and bad people, you sure are a mousy little thing aren’t you?” She teased him.

“I also love Halloween, go figure.” He’s not sure where the confidence came from, being able to make light-hearted jokes like this was only easy with the team.

Which she technically was a part of. He’s seen her almost every single day for 3 years, slowly being able to get comfortable enough for this very moment.

“What else are you into, outside of here?” She asked honestly, making his heart swell as no one else had ever asked him before.

“Lots of things,” he sighed. “I love to read, I’ll read anything. But mostly I enjoy far-off worlds. Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Sherlock mostly.”

“No supernatural?” She gasped. “Sacrilege, honestly. What kind of nerd are you if you don't support supperwholock?”

“That's the show with the monster hunting brothers right?” He tried to recall it to his mind.

She nodded with a pressed-lipped smile, “it’s bad but in a way where I can’t stop watching every Thursday, they just introduced an angel who is pretty gay. Star Trek is cool too, I guess, I was raised by Trekkies.”

“My mom was into Doctor Who.”

“Mamma’s boy,” she teased him slightly, returning her focus to the coffee as she poured the now finished brew into their mugs. “She was nice when she came in that one time, I made her a very sweet coffee just like yours.”

He reached for the sugar then, poring a generous amount into his mug with a grin, “how much do you like?”

“the same amount,” she couldn’t help but laugh. “I hate the taste of coffee, but it keeps me awake.”

He poured the sugar into her mug as she places a spoon in each. Allowing him to stir his own before picking it up finally. Holding the warm ceramic in his hands, it was almost as warm as the feeling in his chest when he looked at her.

He’s felt it for a long time. He’s been caught staring at her by Derek, JJ even tried to get him to give her his number. Which she already had for when she calls him into work in the middle of the night. They knew he had a crush, he did too. He just didn’t know what to do about it.

“Come to my desk, I want to show you something?” She asked softly, avoiding eye contact as she walked towards the door.

He followed, like a lost puppy, all the way back to her desk. It was always neat, he always looked at it when he made his way up the stairs to the briefing room. He could even see it from where he sat at the table sometimes. Always wanting to see her leave in the mornings.

She had a collection of rocks that always changed, he loved the blue one the most but it wasn’t there currently. She had all new ones since the last time he looked.

“Here,” she hands him one. It’s brown and gold, the colours moving and shifting as he turns it with his fingers. The gold running through it like a beautiful wave.

“what’s this for?”

“It’s a Tiger’s eye, for good luck and happiness,” she smiled. “Keep it at your desk and maybe it’ll be easier for you to relax when you come back?”

The butterflies in his chest were swirling then as she looked up at him with pleading eyes. Wanting him to take it, wanting him to feel better. Caring for him.

“Thank you,” he barely whispers, clearing his throat softly. “It’s very nice of you.”

“You’re always nice to me, so,” she shrugged.

They sat down then, he dragged his chair from his desk over to hers. Sitting in close as she explained all the meanings to her rocks. He listened carefully, getting to examine each one as she spoke.

“This one is Jade, it’s for balancing emotions and allowing compassion so I don’t scream at everyone on the phone,” she laughed as she placed one in his hands. Her fingers brushing his palm softly.

It was a beautiful green stone with a thin white line running through it, separating into 3 directions as he flipped it over, “it’s beautiful.”

“I know some people don’t believe in this stuff,” she started to get embarrassed as she placed them all back on the shelf. “But I’ve always thought; if the moon, which is just a rock, can control the water, and humans are 70% water, then who’s to tell me the moon cycles don’t control my emotions and these smaller rocks can’t help problem areas?”

“You’re not wrong,” he shook his head softly as he thought her words over. “People depended on the stars and planets for guidance originally, as well as rocks and herbs for healing, just because it’s outdated doesn’t mean it doesn’t work?”

“Thank you,” she smiled. “No one has ever agreed with me that easily.”

“Anytime you want to talk, I’ll just be over there,” he pointed at his desk. “And I’m a phone call away?” He swallowed sharply at his boldness, trying to stay calm as he awaited her answer.

“I do have your number,” she smiled, reaching out to place her hand on his. “But you should go home, I’m sure you’re chilled out now.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, staring at her hand as they touched. He lightly wrapped his hand around hers, holding it slightly, running his thumb over her knuckles. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“And every day after,” she whispered, tilting her head as she smiled at him.

This was going to be interesting.

—

Penelope was always dragging him out. She would take him shopping, to dinner, to the movies. She was like his big sister, dedicated to making sure he wasn’t always cooped up or trying to retreat into a fantasy life.

She kept him busy.

She had 4 bags in her hands as they walked down the street, peering into the store windows to see what else she could possibly be interested in taking home for someone. That’s when they passed the natural health store.

He stopped in his tracks, seeing all the different rocks on the wall accompanies by little cards that described how they could help. He opened the door and rushed inside before Penelope even noticed he stopped following her.

“Good afternoon!” The shop owner called out to him. “How can I assist you today?”

“Um, the girl I like has a rock collection,” he says softly, knowing Penelope is behind him listening. “Crystals more specifically, I’d like to get her some?”

“Well, you came to the right place,” the man beams, escorting him to the wall of rocks. “What is she like?”

“Wonderful,” the words are carried out of his mouth on a sigh as he thinks about her. “She’s confident and nice, and caring. She’s always positive and just so lovely.”

“I’ve got you,” the man starts picking rocks off the wall and placing them in his hands.

Spencer follows him to the desk where he lays down a handful of rocks, Penelope is shockingly quiet as she stands beside him, staring at the collection. She’ll be full of questions later, all of which he is terrified of.

“This is a rose quartz, pretty basic love, beauty, anti-depression stone,” he pushes the pink and a green rock towards him. “Serpentine is for new adventures, observation and insight. I have a feeling you’re up for an adventure with her?”

Spencer nodded enthusiastically, “I like that one. It would be better to get her some rare ones, some that have to do with friendship, new beginnings, or opportunities?” He tried to explain his feelings as best as he could. Not knowing if he sounded dumb for a change.

The man smiled wide, “here,” he dipped below the counter and dug out a box. “Chrysocolla is literally for new beginnings, love and opportunity.”

He hands Spencer a vitreous, raw blue stone with small green marks running all through it, it’s beautiful like her. “This is perfect.”

“I’ll throw in a Kiwi Jasper as well, it’s for being by someone's side, support and trust. As well as a Ruby in Zoisite it symbolizes finding the joy in life with someone,” he hands Spencer two equally beautiful stones, prepping a bag and wrappings for all of them.

Spencer lays out the 5 stones he picked out, watching him wrap them with care before placing them in a bag. He rings everything up, Spencer pays and before he’s even out the door Penelope is pouncing on him for answers.

“Who?!”

He can't help but blush and stutter, trying to brush past her and continue walking down the street. “You can’t hide forever Spencer, who is she?”

“How do you know it’s a she?”

“You literally said so?” She looks at him like he’s an idiot. “Come on? I won't tell anyone!”

“Y/N.”

The gears are turning in Penelope's head as she tries to place a face to the name, knowing she’s seen her somewhere, “From the office?”

He nods softly, “the one Derek bullies me for staring at?” He clues her in more as they walk.

“He also bullies her for staring at you,” she adds with a smile. “She’s going to love those, when are you going to give them to her?”

“I was thinking about just leaving one on her desk every day? Maybe with a note for why I picked it?” He really wants to woo her, she’s too special to just flirt with.

“She’s going to love that.”

—

Sure enough, he walked into work every day for the next week, placing a rock on a sticky note on her desk. He was never around when she was able to see it, only knowing she got it when he'd arrive at work the next morning with a note reading 'thank you ♥︎ ' on top of his files.

He thinks about her all weekend, planning how he'll give her the last rock as he takes the elevator up that morning. Only to see her sitting at her desk, phone pressed to her ear as she tried to talk someone out of suing the FBI, she looked absolutely miserable. Just a casual Monday morning for her, almost at the end of her shift.

He rushed over to his desk, putting all his stuff down to dig one of the rocks from his satchel. Picking the Kiwi Jasper for today, he grabbed a pen and a sticky note and wrote her a little note.

“Always here if you need to talk, -Spencer ♥︎”

He walked over to her desk, she was still talking so she didn’t notice him until he was right there, she looked up at him with a thankful smile.

“Yes sir,” she answered the person talking to her. “Can I call you back after I speak to the chief? thanks.” She hung up on him, turning all her attention to Spencer.

“I know you know it's been me leaving these, but I brought you in another one,” he says softly, placing the rock in her hand and sticking the note to the shelf where it would end up.

“oh my gosh, Spencer?” She placed her free hand on her heart as she looked at the rock.

“You looked upset?”

She stands and pulls him into a hug, he can feel all the eyes on him as he holds her back, letting his chin rest on her shoulder as she squeezes him.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she pulled back, awkwardly smiling at him as she also noticed everyone staring.

“Always,” he smiled back, hand still resting on her arm. “Um, I have a case I need to get to.”

“Of course, good luck,” she smiled.

He pulls the tiger's eye out of his shirt pocket, showing her that he still had it, “kinda hard not to have good luck with this.”

She bit back a smile, her eyes gleaming as she took a deep breath through her nose. Releasing the same feelings he was keeping inside, allowing both their butterflies to swarm out together.

—

He loved when they had cases in Virginia. Being able to stay in the bullpen and work was relaxing, it was easier to think where he felt safe.

He was working on the geo profile all alone, a huge map stretched across a clear case board as he laid a yardstick across it. Drawing a thick red line with marker over it, in his own little world as he worked away.

He doesn’t realize she’s standing there too until she’s lightly pressing her hand on his back.

“Hey,” she whispers softly. “It’s 10 pm, thought you’d like a coffee?” She places the purple mug on his desk with her purse, turning her attention back to what he’s doing.

“Thank you, I’m almost done here,” he says softly, finishing the red triangle he was making on the map.

“I’ve always found it fascinating how you do this,” she complimented him. “You’re so careful.”

“Like baking, it’s an exact science,” he smiled softly.

It made her giggle slightly, placing her hand back on his back as she moved in closer to look. He wanted her to stay there forever, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to focus. He tried his best to steady his hand as he finished the line.

Putting the yardstick back down and turning to her, she doesn’t move her hand, instead, softly moving to rest on his arm as she stands close to him. “How are you?”

He feels nervous for some reason, it’s not like she hasn’t been this close to him before. It’s just that she’s close and she smells wonderful and he wonders if her lips would be a better wake-up call than the coffee she brought.

He realizes he’s staring at her lips when he licks his own, “I’m good,” he furrows his brow and clears his throat with a nod.

She smirks at him, “how come you’re the only one still here? Hotch said it could wait till tomorrow?”

“I was waiting for you,” he admits, “but I got carried away setting this up, I never heard you come in?”

“Cause I didn’t,” she scrunches her nose slightly as she straightens her stance. “I saw you working hard and went right to get you a coffee.”

“You’re wonderful,” he blushes as the words slip out, trying his best to keep eye contact when all he wants to do is kiss her.

She pats his arm slightly as she backs up a little, grabbing her bag from where she set it on his desk. “I’m going to set up for the night, come talk to me before you leave?”

“Of course,” he says as she walks away, letting out a small sigh as he realizes just how badly he wants her.

He never gets to talk to her before he leaves, she’s on the phone when hotch comes storming in. Saying something about another body and making Reid leave with him. He’s busy for 3 days straight, thinking about her with every free thought he’s able to squeeze in.

He carries the rock from her in his pocket everywhere he goes; in his pants beside his keys, in his bag with his books, in his breast pocket, over his heart, behind a bulletproof vest. Feeling it press against his chest, a part of her keeping him safe where ever he went.

They finish the case with minimal damage, Spencer specifically making sure that Derek leaves all the doors on the hinges for Y/N’s sake, cleaning up any messes they make so she won’t have to hear about it over the phone. They all notice that he’s doing it for her, quietly appreciating the fact that Spencer is happy for a change, that there’s a glimmer of hope in his eyes again.

He arrives back at Quantico 30 minutes before her shift starts. Everyone else is packing up for the day while he sits at his desk, reading to occupy the time before she comes in.

Only she doesn’t.

30 minutes pass and she’s nowhere to be seen, it’s only 9:02 by the time he starts to panic. Wondering if she’s okay, hoping she’s just in the elevator or grabbing a coffee that’s actually good, somewhere outside of the office.

“Reid,” he hears Hotch calling him from his office door. “She just called in, her grandmother passed away last night so she won't be in.”

“Oh,” he furrows his brow, looking at him with confusion. “How did you know?”

“Penelope,” he smiles. “She’s still here too, and she knows where Y/N lives.”

“It wouldn’t be weird to go see if she’s okay?”

Hotch just smiles at him again, “go see her, Reid.”

Getting her address from Penelope felt a little weird, but she writes it on a sticky note for him and he’s out the door before she can even pry into what he’s going to say. Which is good, because he doesn’t know yet.

It’s late, but he stops by the little rock store on his way to her house. Seeing the lights still on and the same man from before behind the counter.

“Welcome back,” he’s overly cheerful for it being so late. “How did she like them?”

“She likes the ones I’ve given her so far,” he smiles, looking over the wall himself this time for the right one.

Scanning past every emotion and affirmation known to man as he looked around, picking out a beautiful pink Rhodonite for healing grief, supposedly acting as a hug from emotional troubles. And a Rainbow Moonstone for inner peace, harmony and strength.

“She’s lost someone recently?” He asks as Spencer places them on the counter.

“Her grandmother,” he says softly. “These are good, right?”

“They’ll be perfect, we also have amethyst bracelets, they’re good for healing and drawing in positive energy,” he points towards the small display of bracelets. Small purple stones separated with small gold beads.

He picks up 2 of them, placing them on the counter as well.

“Is she still just a crush?”

Spencer laughs lightly, “unfortunately.”

“She might be more after this,” he smirks, ringing him up. “I’ll give you a 2 for one deal on everything, I have a feeling you’ll be in a lot.”

Spencer thanks him as he pays, picking out a small purple bag for the rocks and bracelet. Placing one on his own wrist before leaving. Also picking up some cookie dough ice cream and a card at the corner store just beside her apartment. Remembering all the times Penelope, JJ or Emily has mentioned it being the best ice cream for crying.

He takes a very deep breath before knocking on her door, hoping to every god out there that she doesn’t find this incredibly inappropriate and weird.

“Spencer?” He hears her voice before she even opens the door, looking out the peephole at him.

She whips the door open, eyes puffy and swollen as she looks at him in shock. She’s in a big sweater and shorts, tears dripping down her cheeks as she shakes her head at him.

“I thought you could use some cheering up?” He awkwardly smiles, holding the ice cream up for her to see.

She wraps her arms around his middle, burying her face against his coat. Still crying as she holds him, he holds her with his free hand, shushing her as he presses his cheek to her head.

She pulls back with a sniffle, “come in,” she offers with an arm out, ushering him inside the small room as she closes the door.

He takes his shoes off, handing her the ice cream so he can take off his coat and satchel too. “This isn’t weird right?”

“Not at all,” she laughs slightly through the awkwardness. “You don’t know how much it means to me that you care this much.”

“I brought something for you,” he says as he struggles to dig everything out of his pocket.

He hands her the card and the little purple bag, seeing the overwhelming glance grow on her face. Her eyes grew wide as he mouth opened, speechless.

She opened the card first, reading the passage about grief that was already provided. Dealing with grief was something Spencer knew too well, adding something a little special to the bottom of the card.

“To live in hearts we left behind is not to die,” -Thomas Campbell. As long as you remember her, with a smile on your face and love in your heart, she will always be with you ♥︎ Spencer

She wipes her tears with her forearm, placing the card on the counter beside the ice cream before she opens the bag. She pulls out the bracelet first, absolute shock on her face.

“Spencer?” Is all she can say, in a high squeak as she shakes her head at him.

“I didn’t want you to be sad,” he says softly, stepping into her space and placing a hand on her arm. “I love seeing you smile, and I thought this could help.

He takes the bracelet from her grasp and places it over her hand. Resting it on her wrist softly, straightening it out against her sweater as she notices the matching on over his shirt sleeve.

“Oh this is so cute,” she swoons. “thank you, really Spencer.”

“And there are some rocks for grief healing in there too, one is supposedly like an emotional hug which should heal the grief and sorrow, and the other is more for inner peace and harmony,” he rambles away, not wanting her to miss anything.

She pours the rocks from the bag, into her hand, looking them over silently with a smile, “they’ll look great on my desk.”

“The purple looks nice on you too,” he compliments her, watching her eyes drift up to him.

She places the rocks on the counter before wrapping her arms around him once more. This time he’s able to actually hold her back, tight as possible as he rubs his hand over her back.

She smells like home, clean laundry and happiness. She’s soft and warm, he holds her perfectly against his chest, like she was a missing puzzle piece that someone finally found under the table, she fits into his life like she was supposed to be there.

She kisses his cheek softly before she pulls back, causing him to pull her into a real kiss on impulse. Connecting their lips as she sighs into the contact, melting into his grasp as she kisses him back.

Her lips are soft, fitting between his own gently as she breathes him in. Her hands reach up to grip his cheeks, kissing him again and again, placing pecks to his lips and cheeks with her eyes closed as he giggles.

“Thank you,” she whispers against his lips, “for everything.”

“I’d do anything for you,” he whispers back, kissing her one last time before she pulls away.

“I was actually about to smoke some weed on the fire escape and probably cry some more,” she laughs lightly. “would you like to join me?”

“I’ll stick with a bowl of ice cream,” he smiled awkwardly.

“Nice one,” she laughs as she opens the ice cream.

“What?”

“Oh, you didn’t even get the reference you made,” she laughs lightly, “to get high you smoke a bowl, so…”

It makes him smile, “I'm a comedian part-time.”

He makes her laugh again, loving the sound of her giggle replacing the tears. “Why aren’t you this funny at work?”

He thinks about it for a little, watching her scoop the ice cream into two bowls, “it’s a little hard to make jokes when people's lives are on the line, I know everyone else does but I get too focused.”

“They probably wouldn’t appreciate your jokes even if you did make them,” she says as she handed him a bowl with a spoon. “They’re kind of mean to you, in a family way but it still sucks sometimes to overhear.”

She walks into the living area then, grabbing a few blankets and opening the window to the fire escape. Crawling out to sit on the ledge, waiting for him.

“I don’t mind it,” he says as he finally sits down beside her.

She places the blanket over their laps, both of them sitting criss-cross applesauce as they ate.

“Do you like your job?” She asks him, just like he once asked her.

“Most of the time,” he nodded as he got brain freeze. The cold air, the cold ice cream, everything that was catching up to him as he scrunched his face up at the feeling.

She laughs at him only a bit before she’s also attacked by the brain freeze, holding the vein in her neck as she chokes out another laugh, trying to warm up the blood going to her head so the pain would stop.

They’re both just a mess of giggles together, unable to say any words as they let it all out. She leans her head on his shoulder lightly as they calm down to just soft chuckles. He presses his cheek against her head.

“Thank you, Spencer,” it sounds like she’s crying a bit. “My grandma was a lovely woman, she’d be glad I’m laughing right now.”

He reached out a hand for her to hold over the blanket. She interlocked their fingers softly, both cold from holding their ice cream bowls.

“If she was anything like you, I’m sure she was the most wonderful woman,” he says softly, not intending to make her cry but having a feeling he might.

“Would you be interested in holding me on the couch while I cry?” She asked softly, tears in her eyes as she looked up at him.

“Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”

—

He’s late for work the next morning.

Waking up to the smell of coffee, opening his eyes to a strange view. He’s on a couch he doesn’t recognize in a room he doesn’t know too well.

Then he remembers, they ended up cuddled up on the couch. He wakes up to the memory of her on his chest, crying softly as they listened to some music, he ran his hand over her back while she went through it all, blessed to have his support.

He fell asleep under her at some point, waking up alone with a blanket laid over him. He sat up to see her in the kitchen, pouring coffee into a travel mug.

“Good, you’re awake,” she smiles at him. “Coffee is ready, I uh, I have this button-up shirt from a guy friend, if you wanted to wear that to work today? So they don’t think you stayed here?”

“That’s smart,” he replies as he rubs the sleep out of his eyes.

Getting up, he uses the bathroom, changes and takes that coffee from her. He’s not expecting her to kiss him on the lips at the door, but she sends him off to work like an old housewife.

He doesn’t want to pull away from her, keeping her pressed against him as he leans in for 4 more kisses before she finally pushes him out into the hallway with a laugh, “get to work!”

“Fine,” he sighs, “are you going to be in tonight?”

“Yeah,” she smiles, “funeral is in West Virginia next week, so I’ll be in until then.”

“I’ll see you later?”

She nods slightly with a soft smile, “you’ll be seeing a lot of me soon, Spencer.”

“Good,” he winks at her before heading down the hallway and towards the street entrance.

He sighs as he walks outside, resting his back against the apartment complex door, taking a moment to think about everything that just happened, the night of company and the wonderful send-off.

It was something he could get used to.

He rushes into the briefing room when he arrives at Quantico, sitting down with his coffee and pretending he wasn’t late. Listening carefully to JJ’s presentation of the case as he flips through everything he missed already.

“Wheels up in 30,” he heard Hotch say as he zoned back in. “Nice of you to join us, Reid.”

“I know that travel mug from somewhere,” Derek said as he stared at Spencer, who was taking a sip to avoid the awkwardness.

“Hmm?” He played dumb.

“That’s Y/N’s. She washes it every morning when she leaves to go home, I see her do it every morning,” his eyes open wide. “Holy shit.”

“Isn’t that the same tie and slacks from yesterday?” Emily teased him as well.

“Her grandma died, I brought her ice cream and slept on the couch okay?” He all but yelled, flailing his arms slightly so they’d all back off.

Derek reached his fist out for him to pound it, “good man.”

Then Penelope noticed the bracelet, “did she get you that?”

He sunk his hand into his pocket then, “no.”

“What?” Emily and JJ asked in unison, straining their necks to try and get a good look at what she was talking about.

He nervously held his arm out for them, showing them the purple bracelet resting over the sleeve of his shirt. “I got one for her too, it’s for healing and peace. It’s what she needs right now.”

“Oh, so you love her,” Derek smiles as he teases him. Making everyone else in the room swoon slightly.

“Okay and?”

“Oh my god!” Most of them shout at him, embarrassing him to no end. He was so glad she wasn’t at work this morning or else she would be able to hear this from her desk.

“Did you kiss her?” Rossi pries, asking what everyone else was thinking.

He scrunches his face, pushing his glasses up slightly as he clears his throat, “a few times.”

“Is she your girlfriend?” JJ kept the questions coming.

“Not yet,” he said softly. “Kinda weird to walk into her apartment while she cries to say ‘hey sorry about the death in your family, want to date me?’”

“Yeah,” Emily agrees, shrugging lightly. “At least she knows you like her now, it’s been what? 2 years?”

“2 years, 3 months, 17 days and 43 minutes,” he confirms with a small nod and pressed lips.

“Gross,” Derek teases him.

“The plane is leaving in 10 minutes,” Hotch cut into their fun.

Making them all gather their things and continue the interrogation in the elevator, and eventually on the plane, and in the police precinct. Even Penelope called him in the middle of everything to bug him about her.

The questions were never-ending, everyone wanted to know how they even started talking, who made the first move, how he plans to ask her out. They were relentless, he almost regretted admitting to anything.

They bug him all throughout the day, all the way until they’re arriving back at the BAU late that same night. He almost doesn’t want to go back to the bullpen and see her with all of them, knowing they were going to follow and say something.

She’s waiting in the hall when the elevator doors open, a pressed-lipped smile on her face, “bad news.”

“Another one?” Hotch sighs, “have Garcia send us the info. Be at the table in 10.” He pushes his way out of the elevator, passed them all as they stare at Y/N.

“Hi?” She awkwardly waves at them all, showing off the bracelet on her wrist.

“See ya, Spence,” JJ and Emily say as they matt his shoulder, dragging Derek and Rossi towards the bullpen doors.

“Sorry,” he apologizes for them softly, stepping into her space.

She wraps him up in a quick hug, keeping one arm around his waist as she guides him towards the bullpen, “it’s fine, they’re going to have to get used to us being together.”

“Together?” He repeats her words.

“I only cry on my boyfriend's shoulders, if you're up for the title?” She teases him softly, pinching his side as they walk towards the doors.

“Can I frame “Dr. Spencer Reid, Y/N’s boyfriend” beside my Ph.D.’s?” He keeps his hand on her shoulder, holding each other slightly as they walk towards her desk. He felt like one of those kids who wouldn’t let go of their girlfriend's hand in the school hallway, attached to her at the hip.

“I’ll make one for you while you’re gone,” she laughs lightly.

They stop at her desk where he sees all rocks he got her collecting on the shelf, as well as a cup of coffee and his favourite kind of donut.

“Thought you deserved something nice too,” she says as she nudges his side.

He kisses her on the cheek as a thank you, “you’re welcome,” she smiles to herself. A feeling of pride growing in both their chests.

“See you later?” He asks as he picks up the coffee and donut, walking away slowly as she smiles at him.

“Come home to me safely, Doctor Reid,” her voice is just loud enough for everyone in the briefing room, where everyone is waiting at the window, watching them, deciding to put on a show in return.

He stops on the steps to look at her softly, “I’d fight a thousand unsubs to come home to you.”

“I’ll leave the light on,” she blows a kiss at him, making him blush a deep red.

He waves, making his way up the steps and into the briefing room. A smile on his face, heart thumping in his chest, all the support in the world swarming around him as everyone patted him on the back.

That tiger’s eye really did bring him good luck and happiness, and her name was Y/N.

[hannahhsolo]

High Heels, Hips, and Lace for the banned words prompt 🥺💛

oh come on…it’s gotta be fem;)

(it’s so long im so sorry)

—

It had always been Stevie’s dream to be a counter girl at the department store in the mall. Sure, her dad would have loved her to have gone to college or become a secretary at his firm or pretty much anything but this, but this had always been what she wanted to do.

Ever since the first time her mom dragged her little hand behind her across marble floors, the smell of powdery perfume in the air; jewellery twinkling under glass casing; soft lace brushing her tiny shoulder, it had all hypnotised her. The pretty lady behind the Lancôme counter had smiled at her and let her try some pink lipstick and Stevie saw who she was going to be.

When she first started, it took her a while to settle in. It was less about looking pretty, which Stevie was good at, and more about math and making sales, which Stevie was not. She worked on commission, which created a few hard months at the start, where she took home measly pay checks and worked long, hard hours.

Eventually though, she settled in. Knew all the buzzwords that would get the rich old ladies flashing cash, the right ways to flirt with frazzled husbands looking to do anything to make their wives happy. And soon enough, she was being promoted. Stevie pinned her new, shiny ‘Stephanie - Personal Shopper’ badge to the lapel of her pressed blazer and relished in the sound of her heels clicking on the polished floor on the way to her new office. The office was all plush furniture and wooden desks and two rooms off the side which posed as dressing rooms for their clients. Stevie loved it.

Her clients were mostly a steady stream of bored housewives with too much money and not enough to do. The job was far easier than selling perfume on the counter and the customers spent a lot more, with Stevie’s new higher rate of commission, it wasn’t long before the cash came rolling in.

It was a pretty nondescript Wednesday afternoon when, along with cash, a familiar face came rolling in too. It was a face she hadn’t thought about since high school and a face she certainly never expected to see here.

Billie Hargrove, Hawkins High’s resident bad girl with a ridiculous perm and constant split lip, was swaggering into her office. The 3 years since graduation hadn’t changed her all that much, she was still all acid-washed denim and studded leather, still scowling and terrifying.

Herself and Billie had run in very different circles at school. She was a cheerleader, popular, with a hot jock boyfriend and purity ring (that was swiftly removed on Friday nights at the quarry). Billie was the distant cool girl, who nobody was brave enough to be friends with but also not stupid enough to pick on. She didn’t give a fuck and Stevie steered clear.

There was no steering clear now though, Stevie looked at her agenda and sure enough ‘Wilhelmina H’ was her 3 o’clock. She plastered on her perfect customer service smile and came stiletto to boot with Billie.

“Harrington?!” Billie’s blue eyes grew in diameter and jaw dropped open, revealing chewed up bubblegum, when she realised who was about to serve her.

“Good afternoon, Miss Hargrove. Would you like some coffee?” Stevie continued with her usual schtick. Billie completely ignored it.

“Holy shit! So this is what the princess did after high school, huh?” It was kind of unsettling how much delight Billie seemed to be finding in this. Stevie brushed her pencil skirt for imaginary lint.

“Yes, Billie.” Her composure was cracking a little.

“Damn.” Billie flopped down on a chair and put her dirty boots up on Stevie’s desk. She was playing with a branded pencil from the pot.

Stevie repeated the customer is always right, the customer is always right in her head.

“What can I do for you?” Stevie had a feeling the usual pretences weren’t going to work here, so she got straight to the point.

“Daddy dearest has some fancy dinner planned with my grandparents,” She started to chew on the pencil, “and apparently none of my clothes are good enough so…if you could make me a little less…” she waved a gesturing hand to herself, “and a little more…” she waved the same hand at Stevie, “that would be peachy.”

She grinned, “He said ‘A pair of heels and a little lace can do wonders for a young lady.’” Her eyes cast over Stevie.

She said it as if it would be easy. Billie was that kind of mess that was ingrained into her bones, it definitely worked for her, but it wasn’t going to come out easy. Stevie straightened her back and remembered her Nonna’s tips on removing red wine stains from lace before she said,

“Okay, let’s see what we can do.”

—

Billie felt stupid. Her tits were all trussed up in some ridiculous contraption this store called a bra, she was in a silk blouse and pale pink slacks — at least they were pants, she thanked the Gods for small blessings. The cherry on top of the shit sundae was the pain in her feet. She’d had the pointed stilettos on for less than a minute and she already wanted to saw off her feet with a complimentary nail file.

Stevie Harrington, she was still tripping on that, knocked on the dressing room door before pushing it open. Billie wondered why she knocked if she was just going to come in anyway, 30 seconds earlier and she would have gotten a show. High school Billie stirred somewhere inside her and cursed the fact that hadn’t happened.

Stevie stood behind her, looking at her in the mirror, with that same annoying, stoic, robot face she’d had on since she got there. It was pissing Billie off.

“Lovely, it all fits well.”

That was bullshit. It didn’t ‘fit well’, it didn’t fit her at all. And it sure as shit wasn’t lovely.

“Oh thanks, sugar. I feel ready for Sunday service and tea at the country club.” Billie put on her best southern belle voice and bat her eyelashes at Stevie’s reflection.

A reflection that consequently cracked like glass.

She was laughing, goddamn howling in the department store dressing room, the door banged as she fell back against it.

“Sorry!” Tears we’re streaming down Stevie’s face, Billie was confused but perplexedly smiling, “I’m so sorry, you just look completely absurd.”

Her words disappeared into another bout of laughter. And Billie wasn’t expecting it, but she started laughing too. She did look absurd, this whole thing was absurd. The girl she was secretly obsessed with in high school was helping her pick out an outfit to impress people she didn’t even like anyway by squeezing into some debutante nightmare.

They were both laughing, Stevie’s mascara smudged and Billie doubled over grasping at her middle. As she did so, the stupid slacks finally gave up on their fight against Billie’s wide hips and split right on the seam that traced the crack of her ass. Billie couldn’t even think about it, because it just made her laugh more. Now, her frankly incredible ass, trussed up in expensive lace, was revealed to her high school crush and the absurdity was dialled up to 11. Since she was 17 years old, Billie wanted to show Stevie Harrington her underwear, she just never though it would happen like this.

Billie threw her head back, momentarily forgetting about the heel situation, and lost her balance completely. She stumbled backwards and would have gone crashing to the ground if it weren’t for Stevie’s long fingers wrapping around her hips, holding her steady. When she met Stevie’s eyes, they were close and they weren’t laughing anymore. The insane situation suddenly seemed a whole lot more serious as those fingers pushed Billie’s hips into the wall and Stevie’s lips pushed into Billie’s.

Maybe Billie’s dad had been right, heels and lace really can do wonders for a young lady.