#like if you're selling your car you should know if you have the title or not yknow?

[trans-xianxian]

hm I need advice. I was gonna go see a car today but the person just informed me This Morning that they don't actually have the title for the car and upon learning this esp so last minute I don't feel comfortable buying from them anymore but I don't know what to say 😭 does anybody have advice for how to be like actually I'm not interested anymore thanks for your time

[xhoneygirlxx]

We’re Not Friends

Best Friend!Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

summary: Eddie is just trying to help when he offers to be your date to your sister's wedding, but with all the love in the air will you and Eddie be able to stay friends?

warnings: lots of angst. reader's family sucks. reader's mom makes a comment about her weight. anxiety attacks. reader has low self esteem. fluff. best friends to lovers. fake dating. modern au. (this is titled after an Ed Sheeran song and I also use another one of his songs in the fic, sue me). slight smut. allusions to sex. alcohol consumption. swearing. minors dni!!!!!!!!!! reader and Eddie are both in their 20's. no y/n used, reader is referred to as Birdie. skin color/ethnicity/body type is not mentioned. spelling errors/shitting writing, just pretend you don't notice lmao. also the venue is completely made up and so is the location if you couldn’t tell, im not that creative.

*if I miss anything plz lmk*

a/n: hi my loves!!!! this is one of the last fics on my birthday fic list!!! I want to thank all of you for being patient and being so so supportive of my work. I love you all so much!!! also I do go back to work on Monday so I'm going to try to get as many fics pumped out by the end of the weekend.

And that's why friends should sleep in other beds

And friends shouldn't kiss me like you do

And I know that there's a limit to everything

But my friends won't love me like you do

The turning color of the leaves create the prettiest backdrop, tall trees blooming with orange, red, and a pinch of brown. The ones that have already fallen to the ground get swept up under the wheels of Eddie's car, lifting up and swirling around in a pretty dance, and falling right back into place waiting for the next car.

Although the crisp fall morning is peaceful you can't help but feel like you're living a nightmare. As he soft hum of Eddie's playlist flows through the speakers, you're coming up with a plan to turn the whole car around.

So far you thought about faking an illness, one that would stop the whole journey in it's tracks, only to dismiss it because you couldn't put your best friend through that stress. The idea of pulling the steering wheel also came to mind but you quickly threw that out of the window, not wanting to cause injury to the innocent man next to you or anyone else. Your final idea was one you're sure you could pull off as long as you used all the power within your being. If you pushed your feet on the floorboard hard enough, you could poke them out like the Flintstones and stop the car that way.

Between science and logic, you knew that wasn't possible no matter how hard you wished it would. Instead you'll stare out the window, watching all the pretty trees dance in the wind while you push down the rising anxiety that's forming in the pit of your stomach.

"You good over there, Birdie?" The deep voice next to you shakes you from your thoughts.

Turning your head Eddie's already looking at you with a lopsided grin. His demeanor matches the landscape outside, relaxed and serene. As you look at him you wish you could trade places, be as pleasant as he is.

"Yeah I'm just tired." Trying to sell him your answer, you smile lazily at him even though your response holds more tension than a game of tug of war.

Turning his attention back on the road, you watch as the pavement moves on the darkened lenses of his sunglasses. Eddie looks pretty like this, even though you always thinks he looks pretty. Usually he would be a grump having to be up this early, but today he wears his smile like a badge of honor. The dark curls of his hair cascade down his back, while some falls over his shoulders.

He's wearing the same red and black checkered flannel he always does this time of year, the same one you said was your favorite three years ago and it still holds that title. Underneath is a plain black tee shirt, the only one he has that's free of any band name, and a dark blue pair of jeans that have no holes.

He's still the same Eddie, his rings still sit on his fingers and his pick still hangs from the chain around his neck, but it seems that he only gets prettier and prettier as time passes by - like the turning leaves that still hang on the branches of the trees that you drive by.

"I think you're worried about this whole wedding thing," His voice is unwavering, screaming "I'm right" like it always does. "I don't get what's so bad about an open bar and free food."

Although his point is valid, Eddie couldn't be more wrong than that. This wasn't just an event to get drunk for free and stuffed to the gills at no charge. This was your older sister's wedding, the same sister that was the apple of your parents' eyes. Veronica was your arch nemesis since birth, a rival that you had no option but to defeat in order to survive.

You were the outcast of the family, the black sheep if you will, and you had to endure eighteen years of nonstop torture because of it. Your parents, Christine and Tim, were nothing but successful. The doctor and his trophy wife, the star couple in your small community, that had two beautiful and healthy children.

However you were the hardheaded child, the daughter that didn't have a bright future, you didn't carry as much promise as Vee, and your parents made sure to remind you of that every day. So when you moved out three years ago, you made sure to distance yourself as much as you could. But when you received a pristine white envelope with a glamorous invite on the inside, you were roped right back into the hell hole you worked so hard to leave behind.

You could've just ignore it, faked that you were on a trip and couldn't make it but your mother pretty much threatened you into showing up. So that's how you ended up in the countryside right outside of Chicago, driving in Eddie's Toyota Corolla to the Jefferson Manner on a Friday at eight am.

"You're right, Eddie, I should be so thrilled by that. Thank you so much for pointing it out to me." It's snippy with a hint of malice, and your eye roll held enough venom to injure an army of men.

Whistling loudly, Eddie chuckles lightly. "Woah, killer. Relax, I was just tryna help." He's still soft despite your outburst, sweet like your pumpkin spice latte that sits in the cupholder.

Hanging your head, you inhale a deep breath and release it slowly. "I'm sorry, Eds. I just really fucking hate my family."

He switches his attention from you and the road, taking in your saddened features. Reaching his right hand over the console, he places his hand searches for yours and laces his fingers through yours, which you gladly except.

"Don't apologize for that, kay? That's a valid reason for you to not want to go, I was just trying to make you laugh." The sincerity in his voice wraps around you, easing the nerves that go haywire in your body.

His palm is warm like the coffee cups that sit in the cup holders, his voice is as calming as the trees in the wind, and his smile is just as pretty as it was the first day you met him. You're safe with him, the safest you've ever been in your life, and here in the front seat of his car he reminds you of that.

"They just make me crazy, s'why I don't like seeing them." You feel shy being vulnerable, refusing to meet his gaze by focusing on tracing the back of his hand with your free one.

Eddie doesn't mind, instead he reassures you with a quick squeeze of your hand. "If it makes you feel any better, Birdie, I like you a little crazy."

Dimples deep as the sea and smile still as delicate as a flower's pedal, Eddie looks like a painting that hangs in the Louvre. You want to capture this moment of him to have for the rest of your life, so no matter what you can always remember him just like this.

"You say that now." You tease and he eats it right up.

Looking back over to you, he shines his smile onto you, filling you up with the light of a million stars. "And I'll say it till the end of time." There's no tease to it, nothing but truth in the way he says it.

It turns you into jelly, the feelings that swim through your blood stream, and now you've become too sheepish to answer. You decided to trust your touch over your words, squeezing his hand the same way he did to yours, trying your best to communicate the feelings you hold secretly in your heart for your best friend.

The cobblestone driveway leading to the entrance of Jefferson Manner is, for a lack of a better word, beautiful. It is a straight drive to the property, but once you get closer, a large fountain sits in the middle where the arch of the circle driveway starts.

Different colored cars are already lined up, some you recognize and the rest you have no clue who they belong to. Either way it's pretty evident that Eddie 2018 Toyota sticks out like a sore thumb.

The same dread that you left 45 miles back, is now running through you again. Unintentionally, you squeeze his hand harder as your heart begins to pound in your ear and if it hurts him he doesn't mention it. Instead, Eddie gives you one, two, three squeezes and then lets you continue your attempt to stop the blood flow to his hand.

Pulling behind the Mercedes Benz S Class, he puts his car into park and then shuts the car off. Reading your expression the way he always does, he sits in the silence of the car with you until your features loosen up.

"You okay, Birdie?" Even though he knows you're not okay, you still appreciate him asking anyway.

Breathe in. This is temporary. Breathe out. This is not forever. Breathe in. I am safe. Breathe out. I am here.

You repeat this to yourself a few times, eyes clamped shut as you focus on your breathing pattern. Once your head is above water and your heart stops racing, you open your eyes back up to the real world.

Relaxing your shoulders, you let go of the grip you're holding Eddie's hand in. "I'm okay. I'll be okay." Despite answering him, it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself of what you're saying.

Another brief pause goes by and Eddie continues to monitor you, sunglasses now removed so not only can he see you but you can see him.

Your gaze is unwavering, the thousand yard stare has fallen over you and you have yet to dig out of it. "Are you prepared for what we're about to walk into?"

The tone of your voice scares Eddie, the emotion being sucked right out of the words that you speak despite the feelings that battle in your mind that he doesn't know about.

"Honey, I'm prepared for anything as long as I have you." For a split second he winces, wondering if that was too cringy but when your face breaks out into a sweet smile he feels better.

The two of you get out of the car, retrieving your suitcases and dress bags from the trunk. When the door shuts you begin to count the steps it takes to get to the big wooden doors of the mansion.

You don't have to ask Eddie for his hand, he's already giving it to you and you gladly except it, gripping on for dear life the closer you get. Despite the beautiful landscape and the soothing sound of the running fountain, you feel like this is the soundtrack that plays before your imminent death.

The tall, thick, wooden doors sit menacingly in front of you, the skeletons of your past standing just right behind it waiting for your arrival. The ghosts that have haunted your dreams, the graveyard of your history, and the phantoms of your family, mingle and laugh right behind this door.

Eddie waits for you, not moving a muscle until you say so, and you silently thank him with a smile. Like a switch, he watches your face change from flight to fight mode. In a flash your looking over your outfit, brushing down the long black sleeved shirt that sits on your torso, and then straightening out the jeans that stick to your legs.

Your hair is the next thing you frantically fix, pushing it behind your ears and out of your face, letting it fall over your shoulders while doing so. Like a buzzing bee, you zone in on Eddie, fixing the collar of his flannel and then smoothing the material of his shirt. With out speaking, you pick off a singular piece of fuzz from his pants and then let it blow away in the wind.

Moving your hands back up to his chest, you center the pick on his chain. Then move his hair, fixing the ringlets that got blown around in the breeze. Once your satisfied, you move back to your spot next to him and sweep his hand right back into your hold. Releasing on more deep breath, you settle your pinched eyebrows and your determined eyes, and let the worst fake smile settle onto your lips.

The smile doesn't reach your eyes the way it usually does, your teeth push against one another so forcibly Eddie wonders if you'll shatter teeth, and you simply look like your in pain. Either way, you push open the big oak door and let yourself inside with him following right behind.

The lobby of the manner is everything you expected, high ceilings, a crystal chandelier, and every single family member of yours gathered around sipping champagne and speaking to each other like a potential client.

Even though it's magnificent inside with the beautiful décor and lively plants, the sight of everyone in their gaudy outfits and cheap laughter makes it feel like an eternal hell.

Eddie must feel the way your shoulders tense because he's quickly leaning into you, his voice just a whisper in the shell of your ear.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. You have me and I won't let anything happen." He reminds you, his smile is more sympathetic than anything.

Nodding your head you remain smiling, it's awful and it hurts even doing it but if you want to survive the whirlpool of piranhas, then you just have to fake it until you make it.

"If it isn't our lovely Birdie!" The sound of your mother's voice is like silk, smooth and confident, just like she always was. Walking over to you, she holds a champagne flute in her hand and you wonder how much the bubbling spritz cost your father.

The last time you've seen her was last winter, her million dollar smile outshining the Swarovski crystal tree decorations that sit behind her. Your mother has always been beautiful but her insides are rotten, ugly and maggot infested, all hidden behind the mask that she put on for everyone to see.

You gave up a long time ago trying to figure out her brain, finally accepting defeat to the maze that was her mind. Now when you look at your mother all you see is a shell, a hallow covering that has nothing to offer you other than it's pretty design.

Pulling you into a hug, you're hit with her scent. She smells like Dior and cashmere, the Chanel outfit that sits on her body scratches your skin, and the pearl necklace she wears jabs you right in your collarbone.

"Hello mother, thank you for inviting me to such a wonder occasion." You instantly revert back to your old accent, the same one your mother instilled into you from the time you could even under stand the English language.

A faux laugh comes from her bright red lips, "No need for that, darling, you're always welcome." Her manicured hand waves at you in fake genuineness.

The smile on your face continues to show and you hate to think it matches hers. Even with the sweet tone you use and the gentleness of your actions, the blood that runs through your body continues to boil the longer she stands there.

Eddie on the other hand stands next to you completely and utterly amused by your fake performance. The snort he lets out when you continue to use your "eloquent" voice is quickly covered up by a sniffle.

Like a vulture, your mother's eyes are quick to zero in on the curly haired man next to you. "Excuse my daughter for her bad manner of not introducing us, I'm Christine."

The minute her hand reaches out for a handshake, you're heart stops. This is the one thing that could make or break this whole trip and it was the only thing you didn't prepare your best friend for. Many years of your life, you were trained that a handshake is all it takes for someone to learn about you.

Without skipping a beat, Eddie simply picks embraces her hand like a prince out of a Disney movie and places a kiss to the back of her unwrinkled hand.

"What a pleasure to meet you, Christine, I'm Eddie. And might I say how beautiful you are."

He's all dimples and doe eyes staring at your mother, a true prince charming in his red flannel and jeans. His voice is like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day, it's smooth going down your throat and it warms your belly better than any blanket can.

That warmth is now tingling your body, a frenzy of butterflies flapping around in the walls of your heart. It clearly works on your mother as well but unlike you she doesn't hide it very well.

"You're really the charmer, Eddie." It's flirtatious and alluring, the same voice she put on for every pool boy your father ever hired.

Annoyance and anger floods through you and you know that your eyes would be shining green to anyone with a trained eye.

While she clutches her pearls and eyes Eddie like he's a four course meal, you intervene into the conversation before it can continue.

"Where's daddy? I'd really like for my boyfriend to meet him." You bat your eyelashes like a pageant queen and your arm acts like a python wrapping around Eddie's, making a mark on what is yours.

"Oh you're father's around here somewhere, you know how he is." She dismisses, taking a drink from her glass and swallowing down the golden liquid quickly. "So how long have you and Birdie here been dating?"

"It's going to be two years next month. Isn't that right, honey?" Eddie turns to you and gives you a playful smile.

Looking back at him you hope he can see the misery that hides being your eyes, a white flag of surrender.

Your mother on the other hand doesn't care about your answer, that's why she didn't ask you. She's reading Eddie, trying to see how much she can push your so called boyfriend until she gets what she wants.

"Well that's just wonderful, young love is a beautiful experience. You have to be careful with Birdie here, she's known to leave the nest quickly." It's a jab, a spiteful and mean comment headed right for your gut.

Eddie doesn't miss the way you're lips falter for a second, the flash of hurt in your eyes. It kills him watching you stand there and take all the comments from your mother like stray bullets.

Turning his attention back to your mother, he gives her a smile, one that you would know as a wicked one but to a stranger would seem kind. "I don't think that will be a problem. Birdie knows where her home is."

It's a direct warning, a clear sign to your mother to not mess with you or what is yours. Just him sticking up for you like that makes your stomach twist in excitement, a feeling you've grown so used to over the course of friendship with Eddie.

"Well, I'm glad she finally found her place then." Your mother responds coldly, clearly hearing the bite in his tone. "Why don't you two go find your room and get settled in, rehearsal dinner is in a few."

Before retreating into the large crowd of family, your mother turns back to you in one more attack.

"Oh and Birdie, wear something that will hide that stomach. Don't want anyone to assume you've been knocked up."

Once you've found your room, you all but rush Eddie inside slamming the door behind you. In the quiet safety of your suite, you can relax your shoulders that have been sitting high since you've arrive.

"Jesus Bird, you weren't lying." Eddie says as he flops himself on the queen sized bed.

You don't respond, instead you squeeze your eyes shut and try to calm the heaviness of your breathing. Behind the darkness of your eyes, little twinkles of stars flash from how hard you have them closed, the swooshing of your heart continuing in your ears like angry waves of the sea.

Breathe in. This is temporary. Breathe out. This is not forever. Breathe in. I am safe. Breathe out. I am here.

You repeat this to yourself over and over again, trying to erase the cruel words of your mother and the images of disgusted family member's faces out of your mind. You're not sure how long you've been standing by the door until a hand grasps at your wrist lightly.

"Birdie," Eddie's coax goes unanswered, "Come on, Birdie."

Warm calloused hands travel to the plump of your cheeks, lifting your face up just enough that he can see you. Finally opening your eyes, you're relieved to be looking into the golden whiskey pools of his.

Smoothing his thumb over your cheek he doesn't say anything, just lets your breathing calm down. Here you are, in the nice room behind the shelter of the locked door, and he's here.

Breathe in. It's okay. Breathe out. You're safe. Breathe in. You are here. Breathe out. So is he.

It's enough to let your feet move on the plush white carpeting, while Eddie leads you to the bed with the tug of your arm. Sitting on the plush mattress on crisp linen sheets you're grounded, and with the heat of Eddie sitting next to you and his hand in yours, you're anchored.

The rehearsal dinner goes over well enough, the Irish mule helping with every single speech that's given and every horror story of your childhood that is told. Luckily for you, Vee didn't ask you to be in her bridal party so you didn't have to attend the actual wedding rehearsal, and even better you won't have to deal with her for the real thing tomorrow.

Eddie does great at dinner, he talks to your father who surprisingly likes him, both getting along over their love for vintage cars. Your soon to be brother in law and his groomsmen also get along with Eddie, they laugh and cut up most of the time while clinking beer bottles together. Not to mention every single woman there wanted to get into his pants, swooning at everything he said and giving him the 'fuck me' eyes while doing it.

You hated it, every single minute of it. Like always you were ignored, simply looked over until some story was being told where you were ultimately the joke of. Any time someone asked you what you were doing with your life, you were met with cringing smiles and snickering laughs.

Four separate times your mother commented on your dress, the way it fit, the price value of it, and how it really wasn't a good color on you. All of your sisters friends rolled their eyes and whispered back and forth while staring at you, aunts and uncles acted dumbfounded when you told them that you were a freelance writer for a small music magazine back in Indy, and your cousins made comments about how badly you look since the last time you saw them.

It didn't matter anyway, even if your sister asked how you managed to get a stand up guy like Eddie to agree to be with you, in front of all of the guests. You had to remind yourself that you were there for the free booze and food or whatever the hell Eddie said in the car on the way here.

This wasn't a popularity contest for you, it was simply you being forced to do something against your wishes because your mother said so. You asked yourself why you even listened to her in the first place while letting the brown liquor burn in your stomach.

Why was it so important that you even showed up here? Why did you have to come to the awarding ceremony of favorite kid when you knew you weren't going to win? Why would you even set yourself up for such failure just because your mom said so?

Well, you're answer came when a flushed faced Eddie was laughing with your grandparents at one of the round tables in the corner. His eyes crinkled at the sides and his head was leaned back so you had a clear view of the neck you loved so much.

Then you looked over at your sweet looking grandparents who laughed loudly at whatever was said. Your grandmother had her hands on her cheeks, shaking her head back and forth, and beaming brightly. Your grandfather smiled around his cigar, big round belly jumping with laugher, and his cheeks smooshing up against the frames of his big glasses.

You didn't come here to win a competition. You didn't come here because your mother threatened you within an inch of your life if you didn't. You didn't come here because you thought it would be fun.

You showed up because you wanted to prove to the people who doubted you for so long just how happy you were. You wanted to prove that happiness doesn't come from the amount of money in your account or how many rooms sit in your house. You came here because you wanted to prove that they were wrong, that the grass on the other side of the fence could be green too, and that someone who grew up differently that you could still do amazing things.

Eddie was someone that your father would've had you kicked out over bringing him home in high school. Eddie was the boy your mother would tell you to stay far away from. Eddie was the kind of guy that your sister wouldn't look twice at because of who he was.

But right now, during the beautiful dinner the night before your sister's wedding, your best friend/fake boyfriend has them all wrapped around his guitar calloused finger.

-

Not much has been said between you and him, especially when he was the man of the hour. You're not really complaining though, you're happy that he made a good impression with them. When the night began to settle into your bones and the alcohol started to make you tipsy, you slyly walked up to Eddie and tugged on his sleeve to let him know it was time to go.

On the walk back to the room, you sway slightly with every step you take, balancing on the walls with one hand while the other holds your strappy heels. When Eddie stops and turns to the door of your room, you all but smack into him with clumsy steps.

While he fumbles with key, you're in blissful content with your eyes closed. The kick of the lock and the turn of the handle doesn't even pull you out of your daze, instead you hold your arms out like a mummy and feel around until you find Eddie's clothed back.

You can tell Eddie is laughing by the large breath that passes through his nose and the tell tale sign of him kissing his teeth. Large hands wrap around your wrists, guiding you into the doorway that you can't see.

Your cheeks are warm, the smile on your face is permanent, and the buzzing in your heart makes you feel light on your feet.

"Alright mummy, lets get you into bed." Letting go of his hold on you, you feel him slightly brush past you to close the door. His voice sounds like the way stars look, sparkling and bright, twinkling all around.

You giggle, eyes still shut and your nose scrunched up. "M'not a mummy but I could be if ya want."

Putting your arms out, you lean back and forth on your feet to mimicking what you think is a mummy but looks more like a zombie.

"Baaaaahhhhh, I'm a mummy. Be very afraid." You deepen your voice, dragging the syllables of every word to make them come out slower.

Eddie must be entertained because the sound of a loud raspberry comes from where he stands, the clear sign of him losing the grip on the laugh he'd been holding in.

Cracking one of your eyes open, you hope to find him with rose cheeks and dimples flashing, the look you love so much. Instead you see him, beaming at you without the shine of his canines. It's an admiring smile, one where your eyes go all gooey and your smile is simple yet dipped with so much love.

Opening your eyes all the way, you let your arms down slowly to rest by your sides, a meek look painting your face.

"Did I do good?" You ask, even though you didn't really want his opinion.

"I think you're perfect." It comes out even, smooth like the hilltops in December covered in a layer of the purest snow.

The two of you sit there for a while, soaking up the glow of each other and letting it sink into your souls. For a moment you wonder if he feels it too, the spark that you feel whenever he's around. You wonder if he feels like crying simply because he loves you that much. You wonder if he wishes this whole dating thing wasn't just a lie and that it was true, the same way you wish it was.

Once the moment ends for him, he's clearing his throat to clear any lovesick daze that's left. "I guess we better head to bed, huh?"

Scratching at the back of his neck, you try with everything in your power to not look down where his turtle neck rode up, where the patch of mouth watering hair trails from his belly button to underneath the waist of his pants.

A part of you wishes you stuck it out longer, stayed in your seat at the dinner table just to see him in his outfit longer. He asked you to help him pick it out this morning and when you think back to it, you get flustered with thinking how domesticated it felt. Making him try on different shirts and jumping for joy when he walked out of the bathroom wearing a turtleneck he swore he'd never wear. The khakis you pulled out of his suitcase was the cause of so much laughter and the pink tinge that sat on the rounds of his cheeks.

God, he looked so good, especially with his hair pulled back and the dangled earring that sat in his ear, but now it would all be a memory for you to file away in the back of your brain.

Eddie had already started taking off his dress shoes, sitting on the edge of the bed bent over and messing with the knots that kept the laces together.

The smile that once held your lips high and proud, now weigh down in a sad frown. Even after the success of the dinner and proving everyone wrong, you are now brought back to the reality of what you and Eddie were. Just friends.

"Since I'm a gentleman and I can't see to get these shoes untied, I'll let you shower first." His voice comes out strained from how hard he pulls on the knotted strings.

You don't say anything, quietly nodding your head before shuffling over to your suitcase that sits by the closet. Grabbing a sleepshirt and some shorts, you go to move around the lanky man that can't get his shoes off no matter how hard he tries.

Without a sound, you kneel in front of him, placing your clothes somewhere off to the side. Taking his calf in your hand, you place his foot on your thigh. Delicately, you remove the first shoe and then the next.

"Y'didn't have to do that." It's quiet but not enough to be a whisper, still you shrug.

"I didn't but I wanted to." It seems so simple when you say it, even though deep down inside you wanted that last piece of your fantasy before it goes away for the rest of the night.

"Will you help me with my dress?" You ask him, standing on your feet and turning so that the golden zipper is facing him.

In the mirrored closet door you can see him and how he hesitates for a moment, shaky hands lingering in the air before they close in on the gold slider.

The sound of the metal teeth unlatching from one another fills the room, clouding the unrhythmic beat of your heart. You try to remember the feeling of him on the sacred part of your skin, the way his light touch tickles you and makes goosebumps rise. You want to memorize it like your favorite song, so that when you leave this place and the fake nature of this whole thing goes away, you still have something to think about on those bad days.

It ends too soon for your liking, his hands retracting right back to the sides of his body like a measuring tape. With the fuzz of your tipsy has now wore off but the sting of everything still remains.

Giving him a small smile and muttering a thank you, you hide in the bathroom where the sound of running water hides the muffled cries that leave your throat.

Waking up felt more painful than any hangover you've ever had. The pain of Eddie's bare back facing you was heartbreaking. You force yourself not connect the freckles that litter his skin or trace your fingers along his spine and shoulder blades.

It's a sight you've seen plenty of times and sharing a bed is something you've done more than enough that you're not uncomfortable. Yet your heart squeezes, wrapping itself up in the tightest loop so that it hurts to even breathe.

The sound of his soft snores only makes it worse, imagining what he dreams about and if it's you.

You use all of the willpower that's left in your body, marching over to the small kitchenette that sits in the corner of the giant room. Pouring yourself a cup of coffee, you try to focus on the swirl of dark liquid mixing with the coffee creamer and how they mix together so perfectly. Without much of a peep, you slide the glass doors that lead out to the balcony and sit down in one of the plush chairs.

You look out over the mountains of colors, tracing over the lines of trees that go on for miles. Although pretentious, you think Veronica did an excellent job and choosing this location.

Sipping on the hot beverage, you watch the clouds in the blue sky go by, wondering what it would've been like if your sister asked you to be a bridesmaid. You imagine that the two of you would've actually gotten along and maybe even laughed together. You envision what it would've been like to have your mother compliment you in your gown and how it would feel to take a picture with your family where all the smiles were real.

Tears begin to burn the back of your eyes, falling rapidly like a fall rainstorm. The skin of your cheeks burn slightly from the heated trails of water that fall. You're sad and incredibly so. Within the first twenty four hours of being here, you remember how much of an outsider you really are to these people.

Even with the company of Eddie, someone that truly loves you, you still can't help but feel so fucking lonely. To put on the mask you wore for many year back on and pretend that the man standing next to you is yours to claim is harder than any other time you had to do it.

This time you weren't really faking it, the love that you showed to him, the happiness you felt with him was real, just the titles weren't. With the cool fall chill, your coffee has gone cold but your tears keep coming.

"You made yourself a cup of coffee but not one for me, and this is how I find out? That's just mean." Eddie's curly hair pokes out from the small gap in the sliding back door that he's created.

His eyes are squinted from the harshness of the morning sun but his cheeky smile is forever unwavering. Sliding a space big enough for him to go through, he stalks out onto the small space in his plaid pajama pants and a hoodie he must've thrown on.

Trying your best to cover up that you've been crying, you wipe the back of your hand across your cheeks, but Eddie still catches your movements.

Instead of embarrassing you, he sits down in the chair across from you and looks out over the balcony.

"You okay?" It's a simple enough question, one that you can answer with one word and he wouldn't pry for more information to not overwhelm you.

Sniffling, you shake your head yes and then move your gaze to where his is. "No, yeah, m'good. The view really does something for me." You say, chuckling just a bit at your own joke.

Eddie also laughs, only this time it's not as genuine as it usually is, just a hard exhale through his nose.

"Yeah, sure does." He agrees, letting his eyes follow the red and orange of the tree tops.

A calm silence falls over you two, only the sounds of the birds that fly and the ruffle of the leaves can be heard from where you sit. It's peaceful.

"You know, I really thought this weekend would be different." It comes out of your mouth as easy as the breeze that blows. Still your eyes stay trained out in front of you and past the mountains of trees.

Eddie doesn't respond but the hole that he burns through the side of your head with his eyes tell you he's listening.

"When I was little, I used to imagine the day Vee got married. I would fantasize that maybe one day we could be close enough that I could enjoy this day with her and we could be sisters for once." You exhale an uneven breath, moving your sights to the cup that still sits in your hand.

"I just wanted all of us to be a family for once. I wanted my mom to actually act like she liked me, for my dad to say that for once he was proud of who I was, and for Veronica, I just wanted her to say she's happy that I'm her little sister."

Just like that, every single thing you've carried since you were little is now out in the open, whipping around in the wind like the dead leaves. Even with the amount of burden that's been lifted, the pain still remains the same. It all hurts, stabbing you over and over again in the scars that you worked so hard to patch up.

Eddie doesn't say anything and for a moment you don't think he'll say anything at all. You watch him pull out the pack of cigarettes he had nestled in his pocket and place one in between his pretty pink lips.

Another second goes by and he's flicking the wheel of his lighter, shielding the flame away from the wind so he can light it. When the end of the smoke burns red, he takes a big inhale and then lets the cloud of smoke out.

"I know what I say won't matter," He starts before taking another drag of his smoke, "But these people don't fucking mean anything."

"They're you're family and I get that but they don't fucking deserve you, they never have. A fake boyfriend, a new haircut, or a cool job shouldn't define their love for you. They're shitty people who were blessed with an amazing person and they didn't even realize it."

Eddie looks at you the same way he speaks, with nothing but truth. You let the words settle in your mind, letting them soak in, in case you forget.

The tears that once ceased start to flow again, except this time it's from relief. It feels good that someone else sees your worth, to know someone actually holds value to you.

"It kills me that they treat you the way they do, that they can say all those things without batting an eye. I know why you asked me to come here and I know I have a job to do, but man do I want to rip them all a new asshole."

Although he speaks with fire behind the words, you have to laugh from the thought of the actions. The moment you giggle, his own smile forms.

"I hope you know that I love you and when everything is done and over with, we'll give them the bird." To make his point, Eddie raises his middle finger high into the sky.

Repeating his actions, you hold your own finger to the sky and smile happily while doing it.

Letting his arm fall back down into place, he pats the tops of your thighs and stands from the chair.

"That's my girl, now let's get ready for an open bar and free booze." Holding his open palm to you, he helps you up.

The wedding reception was what you thought it would be, drawn out and boring. The only saving grace of the whole thing was Eddie's commentary, the scruff on his face tickling you every time he leaned close to your ear.

A lot of the things he was saying was probably just to make you feel better but you did have to agree, the dress Veronica picked out was a bad rip off of Princess Diana's and it shouldn't have seen broad daylight.

You did however get choked up when the vowels started, not because you were happy with your sister but because you wish that were you and Eddie up there instead.

All and all it was okay, even though one of your brother in law's aunt's wore a hat so big you couldn't see past it most of the time.

The wedding reception though was beautiful. The décor of the manner looked exquisite against the maroon coloring of all the bridesmaids dresses. The tables had beautiful bouquets sitting in the middle and you can't help but laugh imagining your father cutting a check for all of them.

To much of yours and Eddie's delight, there is an open bar that is stacked high with pricey alcohol. Again you laugh thinking about your father having to pay the tab, which you and Eddie will be happy to run up.

So far this is the most the two of you had fun, both laughing and enjoying the company that's around you. The table you've been stuck at is also occupied by other family rejects that enjoy the titles they've been given.

Eddie's hand hasn't left your thigh, which you're more than happy about, and every so often he flexes his fingers squeezing the meaty flesh.

You feel good, the boost from the drinks and the feeling of your best friend makes you bloom like a flower in the spring. You watch as he talks to the people at your table and how his hand moves with enthusiasm. You trace the muscles in his neck and watch his adam's apple bob up and down when he speaks. Your chin sits in the palm of your hand as you watch him be himself like he always is.

He's so beautiful, he always has been, and in this moment he gets to be yours. You don't have to think about what anyone else thinks, you don't have to question how the two of you look from another's perception, because you know that your heart bleeds for him and it always will.

Eddie's your home, he's your best friend, and he's your person. You think back to what he said to you this morning and how he called you a blessing but you think he's wrong. Eddie is the true blessing. He's sweet, he's smart, and he's so fucking caring it's disgusting. Behind all the jagged features and dark clothes, he's nothing but a giant teddy bear that wears his heart on his sleeve.

"Birdie." He smiles at you, all goo and mush it makes your heart skip.

You hum in response, still sitting in the same position, looking at him as if he were a painting.

"You wanna dance?" He blushes, embarrassed by the request and you feel like you're back in junior high.

"You, Eddie Munson hate dancing." You say, scrunching your nose cutely.

Laughing loudly, he nods, "Yeah, I know, but I'd dance with you."

That breaks you out of your daze, breath catching in your throat. "O-oh, yeah. I'll um dance."

Again he stands, holding a palm out to you so he can help you up. Leaning you to the dance floor, you can't help but feel jittery despite the wine that you've consumed.

Once out on the floor, he pulls you into his chest. Strong hands grip your waist through the silk fabric of your red dress and you desperately try to fight the need that rises in your guy.

You stand stiff, unsure of what to do with yourself and Eddie's quick to help you, placing your hands around his neck where they lay contently.

He looks good tonight, even better than last night, and you hate how it makes butterflies flap around in your stomach. The black button up shirt sits nicely on his torso, wrapping his arms so deliciously you want to take a bite out of them. The black slacks he wears fit nicely and you wonder if he had them tailored and you have to ignore the want to undo the sleek black belt with a bright golden buckle that holds them up. Again his hair sits in a low bun and that silver chain peeks out at you from underneath his collar.

"I can't believe you asked me to dance to Ed Sheeran." You say breathlessly, still nervous with being this close to him.

Eddie snorts, lopsided smile forming on his lips. "What, a guy can't like Ed Sheeran and metal? That's gatekeeping, sweetheart." He teases.

Rolling your eyes, you try to ignore that tingle that settles in your cheeks. "Whatever you say, Munson."

"I'm serious, Thinking Out Loud was in my top ten last year." The two of you hold eye contact until you can't take it anymore, both bursting into laughter at his admission.

"That's something you shouldn’t repeat." You sputter at him and he laughs even harder.

"Hey, I like this song, okay?" He defends, still swaying back and forth with you.

Raising your hands in defense, you pull back on your clowning for the sake of your friend. Placing your arms back around his neck, you lean your head on his chest and try to hear the beat of his heart.

The scent of him floods your nose, cologne and smoke, whiskey and linen, and you wish you could bottle it to keep forever.

"Why do you like this song anyway? It's kind of basic." You mutter at him.

His shoulders lift in a shrug, and he takes a moment to respond. "Honestly, I like it cause it reminds me of you."

Your eyebrows furrow in confusion and you remove your head to look up at him.

"Wha'do you mean?" You mumble, eyes searching his for some sort of answer.

Looking bashful again, red tints his cheeks and ears in a blush. Sticking his tongue out to wet his lips, he hesitantly answers.

"I always felt like he said everything I couldn't, ya know? Everything I ever wanted to say to you, he put in a song."

It feels like the whole world stops, that time freezes and it's just the two of you. You're in shock and for some reason you can't wrap your head around anything he's saying.

"What?" You say harshly and again he shrugs, shying away from your burning focus on him.

"Reminds me of you and everything I ever felt about you. I always wanted to call you mine but if you hadn't noticed, I'm a chicken shit."

You don't say anything, instead you stare at him with your mouth wide open. Eddie starts to loose his cool, frantically flexing his fingers against the material of your dress, looking around at anything but you.

"Sorry, I - shit, I really fucked this up," He doesn't get to finish his sputtering apology because you quickly smash your lips into his.

His lips taste like brown liquor and chapstick, like love and forever, and you can't believe you waited this long to experience it. Two heart sync as one, two people fall together like the leaves outside, and anxieties are finally laid to rest.

You hate that you pull away first but the need for air is too much. Eddie bends enough so that his forehead leans on yours, both looking into each other eyes living in the moment of your blissed out hearts.

"Tell me if I'm being too forward but do you wanna get out of here?" He flirts and you respond simply by pecking his lips once more.

"Thought you'd never ask."

thank you all for reading!!! love you guys <3

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[msookyspooky]

Fours a Franchise

Chapter 1

wordcount: 9,188

  

"What? No, I'm not doing it Rebecca! I told you already that I changed my mind-" 

"Yn, it's your last stop for the year! Do you know how insightful and inspiring it will be for the survivor to go back to where it all happened? Think of the book sales!" 

You paced your hotel room with your phone in hand. "I'm thinking of more than book sales, Rebecca…Like my sanity, my life, my-" 

"Okay, okay." She interrupted you over the phone. "But as your publicist, your assistant, the head coach of your career AND your number one cheerleader-" You rolled your eyes as she continued. "I'm HIGHLY suggesting you do this book signing." 

You blinked at the window. A huge high rise overlooking a bustling city, a far cry from your humble dwellings you were used to. "Are you suggesting this as my assistant or ordering me as my publicist?" You could hear the edge to your own voice as you felt your mouth twist into a frown.

"Hey, now. I work for you, remember? Bbuuttt, I know what sells. I mean…Let's face it, your um…Side novels were not what people wanted, sweetie. I've been right this far and look! Enjoying a cup of tea before Good Morning America last week! We even got you on Larry King, YN! Life is good so why mess it up over a town that has been a complete bore for over a decade?" You sighed and shifted your weight as she continued. "People love a survivor! They don't want to read a campy fantasy; they want reality. Out of Darkness. YN. The survivor. The fighter. 15 years of horror she faced. 18, 20, 23 were the tender ages she faced down homicidal maniacs some of which were betrayed friends. Trauma, guilt, hatred, fear and she faced it all-"

"Tone down the sales pitch. I'm aware of what I went through, just…Why this town? I've been traveling for weeks on end! Why do I have to go back THERE?" 

"And you can take a break after this one!…Now, it doesn't look very convincing that you're 'Out of Darkness' if you're not willing to go back to the place that Darkness came from to sign some simple books, hmm? It could plummet book sales, appearances, and your followers if you tell them you refuse to go back to Woodsboro…Oh, that reminds me; I need to update your Facebook page for tomorrow." 

Silence stretched on as you stared out your hotel's huge glass window at the world around you. Rebecca Walter's continued with what you could only describe as her customer service voice. Aka her 'We're done talking about this' voice. "...Okay! Your plane leaves at 6 tomorrow morning and I'll pick you up in the rental car to get to your hometown." 

You exhaled in exasperation. "It's not really my hometown. I wasn't even there a year." 

"Right, right. Anyways, get some beauty sleep and I'll call you in the morning. By-ee!" She sang out as she hung up. 

You sighed deeply, staring out at the big city around you. It should be exciting, new, wonderful but all it did was make you feel small and out of place…

Focusing on your reflection staring back at you; You still looked the same that you did 10 years ago as far as aging went but your hair was more modernized for 2011 millennial input. Recommended by who else but Rebecca. You didn't hate it but you felt out of place sometimes. Same with the bandage style bodycon dresses or pleated skirts or peplum tops and not to mention the too high stiletto pumps or the clunky jewelry all in colors you didn't like. It wasn't you. No matter your original style, this style was just to appease the masses that you had your shit together. 

You frowned at your own reflection. It had only been a little over a year ago that you were 'highly suggested' by your publicist to write 'Out of Darkness'. The title wasn't your idea, the photo on the front made you look like a damn Céline Dion CD cover and the lies that you had everything figured out enough to help others overcome trauma made you nauseated. Rehashing your worst times in life endlessly with a forced smile to a bunch of eager listeners with hopeful eyes in your direction that everything gets better…It really didn't; not for you. You just made the best of it. It felt like you were lying to them even if it was white lies to help others feel better.

You watched people walking on the busy street, the entire city lit up as you reminisced…You sometimes wondered if Sidney or Tatum had taken your place; what would they do? You knew Tatum would adore being a minor celebrity and probably get on some reality show or do interviews willingly to fit the lifestyle even more. You could hear her saying "If I'm gonna be traumatized; I'm gonna be traumatized with Gucci." 

Sidney probably would have genuinely believed in what she was doing and would move on. She would feel a purpose to help and inspire others. You wanted to be like that, be like Sidney would be. Hell, even be like Tatum. But the fact was; you weren't Sidney or Tatum. Your mom wasn't murdered by those two. Even if Sid and Tat were your friends…You had to accept the fact that Stu was partially right all those years ago in his own fucked up way. It was horrible what happened to them and to you and you will never forgive Billy and Stu for what they had done but the resentment you had for them wasn't comparable to Sidney's hatred after she found out who had killed her mother and best friend. Her Mom being made into a massacre that poor Sidney and Neil had to find was enough to make her ready to bludgeon her boyfriend to death with a lamp had you not stopped her… Sidney WOULD feel a great sense of duty to her mom and herself to help others overcome these types of situations. You wanted to as well but something in you didn't feel it…Maybe it was guilt? Or maybe what you lacked in life because of it? Mark wasn't here and you never got to find out if it could've worked with him or anyone else for that matter, friends outside the Woodsboro Survivors were nonexistent, and you felt alone in all of this. The secret felt like the heaviest burden on your shoulders you just couldn't shake.

With a heavy sigh; You pulled the curtains on the window to stop the bright city lights from pouring in. 

You walked to the bathroom to shower. Stripping off and looking at your body in the mirror. A scar on your left shoulder and your upper arm was the first to catch your gaze. One on your right forearm and one on your right hand where Neil stabbed you a decade ago. You went to make a fist and your right hand's middle finger and the ring finger trembled to form a fist fully. Not tightly closing as you clutched it in your other hand and looked away. Stepping into the hotel's shower and closing your eyes under the water. You let the water wash over your body as you thought of the last 10 years…How the hell did you end up here?

You faced the wall and leaned your head forward and let the water run down your back. Going from a normalish girl wearing what you wanted and no one knowing you as long as you didn't say your name; to trying to keep up with the kids and the Kardashians and EVERYONE recognizing you... From an isolated cabin to tv appearances nationwide.

'God, I can't believe Stu's ass hasn't barked up my tree after seeing me on TV….' You thought. Even if the malice you should have just wasn't there. You didn't even know if Stu or Billy were even alive or not.

You eventually turned off your water the more your mind wandered to places you didn't want to dwell on. Drying off before doing your nightly routine and getting ready for bed. You checked your phone to see no texts or missed calls from Randy or Dewey and your heart sank a little. Especially since you had to text or call them more often then they did you these days. You knew life was busy. God, did you ever know how busy life could be flying across the country routinely. However, you went from nightly calls from them both, to now, you were lucky to get a call once a month and even then that was usually phone tag with you calling them or them calling you. All of you are just too busy with life now.

You sat your phone down on the nightstand and laid your head down on your pillow. 

'I guess that's a part of growing up…People drift. It's like the trauma was what held us together and the more they move on; the less we need each other.' 

You felt your throat burn a little just thinking that thought before tightly closing your eyes. 

'Or the less they need me like I do them…'

———————————–—–—––––––––––

It was almost afternoon as you sat in the rental car's passenger seat. A picture of your aging Cherri on your screen. Your childhood cat that lived with your family passed away a few years back but you still had Cherri. A trusted family member was happy to take your extremely elderly dog in while you traveled. You swore to yourself you'd spend her final year or two with her instead of traveling for this dumb book signing. This was the last stop and then you were having a little chat with Rebecca.

 "Just text. I mean, you have a Droid. It's not 2005 anymore." Rebecca muttered as she eyed you.

"I know, I love this thing. But I still like calling." You admitted. It was SO much nicer than clicking each number anywhere from 2 to 4 times to get the letter you wanted. You hardly ever texted until you got your phone with an extended keyboard…You still kept the model Mark gave you as a keepsake at home. But a flip phone just wasn't going to cut it anymore.

"That's nothing, you'd die of overload with an Iphone." 

You huffed while calling Randy. "Who wants a phone with a touch screen you have to protect? And the screen is tiny too. I say it's just a fad and they'll die out in a year or two…"

"So, who are you calling up?"

You faltered as you heard Randy's voicemail after multiple rings. "…Well that sucks."

"What? Something wrong?" 

 You frowned as you looked at your phone. "Well, I tried calling Randy but he didn't answer and I don't want to call his house phone and bother his family this early…. There's Dewey." 

You pressed speed dial for him. Just to frown when it went straight to voicemail after a few rings as well. "...Which is apparently on duty." You drew out with a breath of air past your lips in exasperation. "So now, it's Gale." 

"Who?" 

"Gale Riley." You glanced at Rebecca. "Maiden name; Weathers." 

Her face lit up. "Oohh, god yeah! She was such a boss back in the day! Kid me had, like, starry eyes seeing her on tv." 

You smiled and held up a finger as Rebecca nodded while driving. Just when you saw the interstate sign pointing West to Woodsboro. 

It rang one time before she picked up.

"Hey, Gale? Everything okay? Kind of picked up real quickly there." You mumbled.

"What? Oh yeah, just…Writing my next book! I'm so busy with it. Halfway there. And my phone was beside me so… " 

"Oh, totally get it." You smiled to yourself knowing that the computer screen was blank and she was desperate for a distraction. You continued. "I tried calling Dewey but he didn't answer." 

"Oh, yeah…Sheriff Dewey is a very busy man." She muttered. 

"Yeah. So, if he panics later just let him know I was just reminding him I'm visiting Woodsboro today." 

"Today?" 

"Book Signing. " You felt uneasy as the 'Welcome to Woodsboro' sign came into view. "I'll be doing the signing at noon and was wondering if I could visit? I haven't even seen your place yet. It's only been what? 9 years of owning it?" 

Gale released an amused huff on the other line. "Yeah, something like that. I'll text you the address." 

"Thanks. And could I get Randy too? You know he only brings the family my way. I know it a little but I need a refresher because it's just a street away from his parents but I swear to god all those houses look alike." 

"Yeah, I'll send it your way…Listen, it's fine if you're too busy. So am I, obviously, but maybe we could get coffee? I've been dying to shit talk to somebody about this one pushy tart deputy at Dewey's work that keeps buttering him up with treats. Guess what? They taste like cardboard…" She was silent a moment before saying. "...Well…Unless you're running out of here as soon as you can. Been a long time since you stepped foot in this town." 

You sighed as houses came into view. "...No, I'm staying at least till the first kill." You deadpanned, no real humor in your voice.

"Yeah right. I'll see you later. Dewey's going to be over the moon when he finds out his surrogate sister's in town." 

You didn't know if that was sarcasm or genuine. You and Gale were not best friends by a long shot. Not even good friends. Honestly, sometimes you fight like two divorced parents trying to play nice while sharing custody of the kid aka Dewey. And yet, sometimes you both were the only company you had these days.

You listened to Rebecca talking aimlessly about nothing in particular as she drove. You sat in the passenger seat and suddenly it was like you were a 17 year old girl again…

 The memory played out in your head. Your family tried engaging with you as you sat there solemnly in the backseat. Torn up at leaving your old life behind for this place. You could just reimagine the view from the back window; looking at the town you only visited for your grandparents every so often. You dreaded being at a new school at the end of your Junior year. But your grandparent had a health scare and it was closer to your parent's work so you really had no choice in the matter when your folks decided to move there. Any other issues in life pertaining to you or your parents lives just sealed the deal for them even more.

You shook your head slightly with a forlorn expression when you both passed the school…Still the same after 15 years. In your mind's eyes, you could picture Tatum laughing and walking beside Sidney out of the bustling building. You closed your eyes a moment, imagining them waving at you as you passed by before opening them again. An ache in your chest slowly formed…You truthfully hadn't thought of your old friends in a decent amount of time but coming back here just seemed to resurface old wounds. It was so easy to be back in time to 1996. Preferably the Summer before your senior year. You were young and carefree as any teen could try to be. James being a new boyfriend that wasn't abusive yet. Sidney and Billy seemed in love and Tatum was freshly dating Stu. Randy making you laugh or roll your eyes at him at the video store, chilling with Tatum and Sidney at their houses or yours. Watching movies with Stu and Billy who at the time seemed like normal guys that genuinely loved their girlfriends and were just good friends with you…

You glanced at the car's mirror. Your sad face staring back at you and suddenly reality was crashing into you that most of your memories of that group weren't as real as you wanted them to be as far as Billy and Stu were involved as well as what followed just a few short months later. From James, to the strain on your group's friendships, to the very obvious reason why the tension was happening being revealed at the party that night…Those moments of naive bliss you had prior you would never, ever get back.

Rebecca rambled while you were in your own world. "So anyways, I told him he's a complete tool. Because, come on. How can this not be a good sales pitch, am I right?...YN? Hellooo?" 

You jolted slightly as you realized she was directly talking to you and not herself. "Huh? Sorry, just…Getting lost in thought. I haven't been here in 15 years. I literally moved away not even 2 weeks after…Well…You know what happened." 

"Okay, speaking of which. I know your character in Stab was with them-" 

"Right." 

"And you were not, based on your court case I read about." 

"Yes." 

"Sooo…"

"Yes?" You asked with a raised brow.

"Okay, don't take this the wrong way but both of those guys were kind of hot for freaking seniors. I'm not a pedo or cradle robber, I'm just saying! I mean, if I had two guys that cute that were obsessed with me in high school? Murderers or not, I'd think about it…So, did you ever think they were attractive? Ever?" 

You felt the silence in the car. You wanted to be normal. To just admit that yes, they were attractive, their shitty personalities and selfish choices were what sucked but you were attracted to them. Who wasn't at the time? They were two of the most popular and arguably better looking guys in school that hung out with you. You got hateful looks your way just as much as Sidney and Tatum did. It's why the rumors about you were so easily spread. One day when you were talking to Stu in the hallway, him leaning over you with his arm on the locker as you tried to move away from him flirting because he was just recently dating Tatum but you know Casey saw it. Her locker was just down the hall. You were sure even if she broke up with him; seeing him so hyper fixated on you instead of still being hung up on her bruised her ego enough to spread the nasty rumors about you. James was threatened by them as well for the same reason…They were sought after in Woodsboro. So finding out they both were secretly in love with you had you so shocked it ALMOST rivaled the shock of them being the Woodsboro killers…Almost. You wanted so badly to just admit it and have girl talk you didn't get with anyone else.…But considering your trial in the past and the people online trying to dig up your case again; you trusted no one with that info. Especially a fame mongerer like Rebecca. 

"They were alright looking, I guess. " You lied with a nonchalant shrug and redirected it. "Nothing to excuse them from being monsters." 

Rebecca scoffed. "Well duh, they were! Please, they may have not been the nicest but that Billy looked like Johnny Depp and the other guy-" 

"Stu." You knew he'd just about shove Rebecca out of the moving car if he was here.

"- He wasn't bad looking either, I guess. Not my type but apparently he dated some of the most popular girls of Woodsboro High so he had something going for him." 

"Yeah, he was charming and popular and used it to manipulate people." 

"But you seriously didn't want them at all before the murders?  You had to have at least looked or thought about it. I mean, these two guys were obsessed-" 

"With getting their way no matter what." You interrupted her. "Besides, they were dating my best friends and I had a boyfriend at the time. I had no interest in them.

She gave you a once over from her seat. Looking like she wanted to say something before her mouth dropped. She pulled up to the bookstore and your heart sank.

 "Oh crap." Rebecca grumbled. Pulling in as you froze in your seat 

A handful of people with signs screaming at you with signs. Your picture is marked out on a few or 'guilty' written in bold red letters designed to look like blood. You even saw a few of Tatum, Sidney, Casey or Steven with their names and the word 'justice' written on them.

"Okay, just hold your head high and ignore them…You'd think the least they could do is have police here. What else do these small town feds have to do but shovel donuts in their mouths and bust some crack heads here and there?" She grumbled while undoing her belt.

You swallowed, slightly taken aback yourself that Dewey wouldn't be here to rally them away. Looking up to see rows and rows of Ghostfaces on the pole lights near the store. "I'd say damn kids with that-" You pointed, letting your finger fall as you gave a wary look to the small angry crowd. "But…The adults are acting kind of ridiculous too…Isn't this welcoming." You sarcastically mumbled, feeling your anxiety creeping in.

Rebecca shoved her door open. "Screw this, I am NOT having these frigging freeloaders hogging the media attention I-…We worked for!" She slammed her door shut as you gave a shaky sigh. 

Rebecca made a wide gesture to the angry crowd trying to boycott your book and you. Still convinced in the conspiracy theory that you actively helped Billy and Stu and you just got away with murder and were now profiting off of it. 

You were scared of crowds like this just as much as Ghostface. Especially after you almost died from a crazed conspiracy nut seeking 'justice' more than a decade ago. Despite that, you sucked in a breath and got out of the car.

Rebecca grabbed you and led you by the shoulder as you just prayed no one had a gun. 

You heard "Murderer", "We don't want you here", "Leave Woodsboro" as you walked by the 8 to 10 people protesting. Rebecca said a nasty remark back as you said nothing. Numb to it at this point as your assistant slammed the door shut.

"I'm gonna rip the owner a new ass for not handling that. Wasn't me threatening his cat over your set up not enough?!" She marched away as you saw the people still holding up signs, chanting at your picture on the store window. Rebecca slammed a door to a backroom looking for the owner.

You ran a hand over your face, already eager to get the hell out of this town. It wasn't like you didn't have naysayers in other towns but this one felt different…It felt worse.

 An orange cat eyed you curiously from the desk across the room. Leisurely lounging and looking rather plump and content with itself but watching your every move. You walked over to pet it but it jumped off the desk and ran behind a bookshelf.

'You too, huh?' You thought before you went over and sank into a seat at the table you'd have your books signed at.  Staring down at yourself on the cover. You wanted to go home already. YOUR home. Away from people and bullshit like this. Be with your very small inner circle, your aging dog, your small comforts. Anything but this.

Your thoughts were interrupted as a man cleared his throat and you flinched in response. Fearful a protestor got in and could be holding a gun to your head for all you know.

"YN, I'm such a big fan...So hey, can I get some special friends discount or something? By that, I mean, free?" 

You faltered, slowly looking up to see a man's belt and white button down shirt…Your eyes roamed higher to see a green sweater over top of it near your white table in front of you. Your eyes traveled more as a relieved smile slowly stretched over your face. 

"Ray." 

He grinned down at you. A light stubble on his filled out face. A few pounds gained since you were in your early 20's but still some muscle there too. You were sure he still worked out even after physical therapy just not as much with his busy schedule. His hair was in the same volumized, fluffy swept back style he had in Hollywood, just shorter or thinner with age.

He grinned as you stood up. Not having seen him face to face for almost a year as awful as it sounded. 

Randy remarked. "I never thought I'd see you back in this shithole. I mean, you're star status now." 

You gave a chuckle and walked over to hug him. He hugged you back, holding onto you for a few moments before you gently pulled away a bit. "Yeah, whether I like it or not." You replied unable to help looking at the crowd and he put a hand on your shoulder to look back at him instead.

"Hey, screw them. You've came a long way and they don't know what the fuck their even yelling about…" His eyes trailed down with raised brows as he fully pulled away. "And then there's…You." He huffed with a bemused smirk.  "Wow, you in heels is an eerie sight from your usual woman of the woods get up." 

"Oh, shut up." 

"No, seriously. Did you raid Gale Weathers closet?" 

"Ugh, do not compare me to Gale. " You grumbled with a huff.

"Or what? You can't give me pain anymore, Mistress. My wife will have a say in that." He showed his wedding band for emphasis.

You rolled your eyes playfully. "I think if you annoy her as much as you annoyed me in the past; she'll make the exception."

"Not if you're dressed like your going to Fashion Week, she won't. She wouldn't even recognize you if she walked by the window." 

You shoved away from him lightly. "Oh God, stop. Seriously, it's just heels…Your just mad it makes me taller-" 

You went to measure your height with a devious grin, doing the same thing you did at college before that party until he smacked your hand away with a small puff of air escaping past his lips.

He took you in again, his smile fading before shaking his head slightly with a smile. "Seriously though, you look good! Really! It's just so…So-" 

"Different?" You asked with a raise of your brow before your face fell ever so slightly. "Yeah. It's not exactly what I wear on the regular…But…I'm a product and the packaging is what sells. " You gave with a bitter smirk.

His mouth parted as he stared at you. The teasing gone from his face as looked at you. "...Is…Is everything okay? Are you happy with all of this?" He gestured to the table with all the copies of your books. 

You almost told him the truth but quickly forced a smile and shook your head. "No, I'm okay. I'm just…I'm grateful. I mean, I'm privileged with the opportunities given to me from very less than ideal circumstances. I guess…Just wish I could wear a comfortable dress boot with the leaves turning soon." You lost your smile to ask him the same question. "And you? Are you happy with everything?...It's been awhile since we talked. Like, really 'talked' talked face to face." 

He faltered as well before giving a 'pssh' noise between his lips and an outrageous smile. "Of course! I have a beautiful wife that is way out of my league but still stuck it out with me. Two wonderful kids that are everything to me. A house right here in my hometown, I can walk and move like I was never in a coma from being stabbed over a dozen times, I'm freaking alive for god sakes!…No…Life threatening Incidents in a decade. Life is good!" 

You didn't believe that as he folded his arms and closed himself off as he spoke to you. Your brows rose slightly as you softly asked. "Well…And the video store? Everything okay?"

"Yeah! Y-Yeah so great that I now have two businesses in town." 

"Really? Which one?" 

He gave a big gesture to the bookstore with a tight smile.

You gawked at him.  "...This? YOU'RE the bookstore owner Rebecca talked to earlier?!" 

"Yep. She is a very unpleasant woman, by the way." 

Your face scrunched as it dawned on you. "Wait, why didn't you tell me you owned the store I was scheduled at? Why didn't you tell me about the bookstore in general??" 

He sighed heavily. "I was going to but I've been so busy lately. Seriously, I hope my kids remember I'm their Dad at this point." He faltered before his shoulders sagged. "And…I guess I just didn't exactly want to brag I own not one but TWO pieces of shit businesses now. Thank God for Karla's job at the bank." 

"What? Ray, is everything okay financially? Are you and Karla okay?...I know life got away from us but you know you can still tell me anything…Right?" 

Randy stared with a harsh swallow and frown. A protester got extra loud outside enough to break the silence as Randy rolled his eyes, walked to the store's window, and  jerked down a curtain to hide you both from view. He continued as he walked back towards you, arms falling at his sides. "We're okay but it's not…What I want for my family…I know you called and I missed it and I apologize for that. I almost called you back but I just decided I wanted to surprise you instead. I mean, you certainly surprised me with your Assistant putting your face on my store window!…Those assholes out there were not a part of the surprise, obviously. They just arrived 10 minutes ago... I'm sorry, I tried to threaten them with the police but they're not leaving until police arrive and APPARENTLY Woodsboro's finest have more important matters to attend to because dispatch will send an officer when they're 'available'." He rolled his eyes. "Thank fucking god no ones dying her or anything." 

You sighed. "I'm sure Dewey has a good reason for the lack of officers available. He's worried about my safety too." 

Randy nodded. "Yeah, I know…It's just we barely talk as is and then your welcome wagon is that? He couldn't have made sure to be here or send a deputy no matter what?" 

 "Don't worry about it. I've had worse…But back to you. If you're struggling then why do you own this too? What about the video store?" 

"It's…Tanking." He sighed out with a frown as he looked to the ground in shame. "I just came to look over this place instead of my employee Jenny because you were in town…AND she didn't show up to work today or call in. It's weird for her though; she's usually a pretty good employee…. But trust me, any other time, I'd love to be surrounded by films…People just don't rent movies anymore; not like they used to. When I bought the store from my older than dirt boss years back it was like a dream come true. 'Yes! I have something to rely on instead of some pencil pusher job for a boss somewhere!'." He mimicked excitement before dropping the act and slumping his posture. "… But I'm starting to think being my own boss isn't worth the hassle." 

"Was it really doing that bad?" You asked with a grimace. You looked around and saw Rebecca outside through a back window, stalking the yard. Still looking for Randy. Having gone out a back door, apparently.

Randy continued with a frown. "Yeah. The video store really did feel like something and…It's just fading to nothing. I mean, even Blockbusters are shutting down so how does the little man stand a chance? People are relying on that Netflix thing more and more every year. And this place feels like I invested in a steaming pile of crap too. I'm only supplying mostly romances to middle aged suburban housewives wanting to spice up their marriage. Seriously, none of these kids pick up Stephan King anymore. It's fucking sad." 

"Be honest. Did you read when you were a teen?" 

"ACTUALLY, I did." He gave with his arms folded and a smug look.

"Oh yeah? Comics don't count." 

"I'm telling you, I read! I was wise beyond my years." 

You released a huff of laughter at that. "AND reading for school projects doesn't count…Or Stephen King and Clive Barker's 3 books circulating in the library." 

He opened his mouth then closed it. "Ookkay, maybe I wasn't the biggest bookworm compared to my love for cinema but I did read. These kids today don't read books at all! I swear to god, if it's not on their phones or tablet; they don't look at it." 

You shrugged. "I think they read blogs and …Fanfiction online?" You drew out. Unsure if that was even the right term.  

Randy raised a brow  "What the hell is that?" 

You gave an exaggerated shrug.  "I don't know, I just know it wasn't popular when I was their age. I heard Rebecca talking about it with a friend. Something about someone made an erotic fanfiction of Twilight and Rebecca was trying to get a hold of the writer to get her to make a bdsm book about it next year?? I have no idea what the two have in common but I kind of want to look it up later out of morbid curiosity." 

"Weird. What? Is Bella gonna finally punish Edward for being a stalker? Or is a threesome finally gonna happen-" 

You cut him off, silently kicking yourself for bringing it up. "Randy, please. No Twilight rants. I KNOW you hate it." 

"It SUCKS, Yn. It's just some Mormon women's secret wet dream disguised as her inserting herself as Bella, I mean, what the fuck does a 100 something year old man want to do with a teenager anyways? What the hell could he have in common with a kid that doesn't even know what Zima is? And why is he so emotionally constipated with the personality of a rock? Isn't he trying to blend in with his alabaster marble like skin and bright fucking golden eyes? Furthermore, why is he at highschool? People graduate early, who the ever loving hell wants to be in high school forever? Worst years of my life aside from Middle school. And don't even get me started on the fucking sparkles and no drinking human blood!" He ranted a mile a minute.

You groaned softly to yourself and hung your head. "Oh god..." 

"Salem's Lot was a classic, Fright Night a masterpiece of 80s vampirism, The Lost Boys is still enjoyable to this day, John Carpenter's Vampires was kick ass, Near Dark which no one mentions despite it being one of the first western vampire films and having 3 great actors from Aliens! Alien was tremendously better, sequels suck, but that's besides the point!…And most of all, Dracula.. Don't even have to elaborate on that one. Okay, they were all vampire movies. Cold, undead, fanged up assholes that loved being a vampire. They LOVED drinking blood! What the fuck is the point-" 

"RANDY." You snapped before giving him a look. "I know, okay, I know!…Besides, why do you know so much about it if you hate it?" 

He wore a scowl on his face and looked away. "Because Karla's made me take her to see all 3 movies so far and guess what we're seeing this November?" 

You raised your brows with an amused smirk. "...Twilight Breaking Dawn?-" 

"Fucking Twilight Breaking Dawn" He answered before you could even get it out. 

You rolled your eyes playfully. "After all the cheap horror movies you probably have had her watch; it's the least you could do." 

"Yeah, yeah." He sighed out.

"THERE YOU ARE!" You both flinched at Rebecca's voice. "What half brained, idotic, little man are you that you can't do one simple thing; KEEP. THE POSITIVE SHINE. ON. YN. Do I gotta skin that cat or what?-" 

Randy held up his hands. "It's not even my cat, Lady! He just waltzed in one day and never left." 

You raised a brow. "So it IS your cat then?" 

Rebecca went to yell again and you held up a hand. "Rebecca! This is Randy!...Randy Meeks. The other Woodsboro survivor and my friend! Turns out, he's the owner." 

Randy gave her a sarcastic smile and wave as she faltered.

"...Oh." She straightened herself up. "Well then, you can still do something about that outside. Where are the cops?" She pointed to the protesters.

"I already called the cops and they're busy. What more do you want?" 

"BUSY?" She snapped before adjusting herself with a glare while marching out. "Want something done right…" She slammed the door as you both grimaced. 

Randy gave you a sideways glance. "I'd lecture her for slamming my door but I'm kind of afraid to." He looked at you. "Uh…Should we go help her? I mean, I'm the man here and she's just a tiny thing-" 

You chuckled sarcastically as he gave an offended look your way. "What? Okay, What YN?" 

"Sorry but you don't know Rebecca. She's like a fake splenda version of Gale; she'll be fine." You gestured to the door. "But I mean, go out there if you want. Since you're the man here and all."

He looked out the door of his shop and grimaced slightly. "Uhh…Nah. No, you need someone to protect you here more than Gale Jr. out there." 

You tilted your head with a smirk. "Oh, that's good. I feel so much safer with someone to protect me. My hand that was stabbed from fighting a man twice your size gives me trouble making a proper fist. And I get dizzy sometimes after another man punched me in the mouth and smashed my head into a bar. So, I'm so glad THE MAN is here to save me." 

Randy gave you a deadpan expression. "Bitch please, I was stabbed 14 times."

"And yet…What's your kill count? And who saved your ass multiple times? And remind me how many times you were the main target?" 

He rolled his eyes with a sigh. "I fucking held my own, smartass." 

" I know, just screwing with you for old time sake. Don't be mad, I know if a protester came in you'd be the first one to hit them." You chuckled and shook your head as you saw a bin of books on a nearby table. You picked one up and showed him. "We got at least 20 minutes till the book signing…What are these?" 

He huffed with folded arms but walked over to join you. "Those? Oh, books that aren't doing so hot. There from some lesser known authors that apparently aren't exactly best sellers." 

"Yet. It just takes one." You gave and Randy nodded. You picked a few. "Juliette Morris…J.R. Whitney…Summer Raine. Never heard of them." You picked one up and eyed the dark cover. "Robert Gray." You mumbled.

Randy gently took it from you to examine it. "Yeah, I was eyeing that one. Seems like a psychological thriller. Not my type of horror." 

You rolled your eyes. "I know, no blood or boobs, huh?" 

He put the book down. "I take offense to that. I'll have you know, I enjoy plot." 

"Uh huh. The plot of a big set of lungs running from some guy in a mask?" 

"Uh those are Classics; show some respect! "

"I don't have to respect shit when I lived through it." 

"Fair enough. But besides that, you know I actually do like plot to my movies. I'm not Stu-" He faltered. Both of you paused as he said it. You turned around and he shook his head with a bewildered expression. "Jesus, where'd that come from?" 

You stared a moment too, a bit of fear ran through you at the Randy even saying his name before you sighed with a shrug and a tight smile. "Well um…Bound to happen eventually, I guess. Me being back here, talking about horror movies with you like we were in high school again…It feels like we're at the video store and Stu's gonna come by any minute knocking over the vhs tapes just to irritate you while sticking his tongue out at me." 

He gave a look of disgust, a bit of uneasiness in his expression. "Can we please not talk about that reject? Slip of the tongue and it won't happen again." 

You parted your lips to say something but it died in your throat as you curtly nodded in response, looking back down at the book bin before he took it for you. 

"Anyways, I better let you get set up. People should start pouring in within the next 20 minutes. Let me just put these in the horror section. Yell if you need me." He gave a quick smile to you before walking away. 

You sighed and nodded to yourself. "Can do." 

—————————————————

The protestors died out. Well, some stayed but a few left after Gale saw some woman threaten to release personal info after she found out one's identity through a private facebook account that still had their pfp as their face and full name. Then, she threatened to post  them on twitter. A few promptly left but just as many stayed. Holding up the signs that Gale stared at; trying to chant over what you had to say.

Gale eased back from the small crowd gathered inside; eyeing you talking to everyone. A protester tried going in with a sign but she stopped him. "Lloyd, don't you have anything better to do? What would your kids think?" 

He glared at Gale, sign still raised with your picture marked out in red. "They'd be proud knowing I'm defending their cousin Steve's death from the likes of her." He pointed, raising his voice as you kept talking and tried to ignore it.

"Stu and Billy did that and you know it. She was proven innocent." Gale mumbled. "I have the lawsuit and half a million dollars lose to prove it." She mumbled the last part.

"And you proved yourself a coward too. Judge could have been paid off for all we know. You started this, you brought it to everyone's attention, you showed the facts… Just to be a quitter. Out of my way-" 

Gale jutted a hand out as he went to march past her. "I wouldn't do that, Lloyd. This is private property owned by my dear friend Mr. Meeks. You step one more inch of your fat foot in here and my husband the goddamn Sheriff will charge you. You want to yell out there like an idiot that's your American right but don't bring it in here." Gale hissed out. "Now get your fat drunken ass out of here or maybe that lawn that was wrecked coincidently after that bar fight you had with the homeowner will be coincidently reopened?…Everyone has cameras now. I'm sure if I used my old reporting skills; I could find out just who did that…Got it?" 

The man huffed, looking at her in disgust. "One day, your mouth is going to get you in trouble." He pointed at her in a warning as he walked backwards.

"It already has." She muttered back. Focusing back on you as you seemed to handle the protestors with more restraint than she ever gave you credit for. Unbeknownst to you that she was even here let alone defending you from people like Lloyd.

She just…Stared a moment. Taking you in. It was crazy to her. 

 'How did you go from a kid that was shaking over your own shadow to a professional woman selling these schmucks books like they were lined with Jesus's freaking toilet paper?' She thought.

She huffed softly at the thought, tilting her head to watch you. She swallowed as she saw you engaging with everyone in the middle of Randy's newfound shop she knew wouldn't make it, but then again, she didn't think you would either.

She couldn't help feeling…Cast out. A frown on her face. Once youthful skin now bore thin lines near her mouth and eyes. Seeing you up there in your prime, a professional dress and high heels on that looked like something she might have worn, a crowd eager to hear from you and your book…Meanwhile, she couldn't seem to even write her own. No one stopped her on the street anymore, no autographs or photo ops…She closed her eyes a second as she listened to you…You were all grown up now…She was aging too. A part of her could easily see a younger version of herself in you as you gave your speech…She hated it.

She still had her doubts about Tim and James not being Billy and Stu but after a decade of peace; she'd be an obsessed fool to harp on it now. Dewey was Sheriff of Woodsboro like he always wanted, Randy had a happy family and owned a few businesses in town, you were a national treasure…It seemed like everyone was doing something but her. She was so lonely she even was looking forward to coffee with you; coming clear down here just to see you. That's just how pathetic it felt that she was having coffee with the girl that technically ruined her career and yet she had no one else…

You finished talking, Rebecca talking for you to have people buy book copies of the New York Times Best Seller while they lasted.

You walked away before your smile fell, eyes landing on Gale. Gale stepped away from the entrance and gave a curt smile as you forced one on yourself. 

"Gale…I'm glad you came." You said. Not very warm but not outright hateful either. Both of you hadn't seen each other in a long while. You never were very close…A punch in the face at Windsor followed by a lawsuit that made headlines didn't exactly scream 'besties'.

Gale slinked over, taking her time to take you in before forcing out. "Congratulations, YN." Her cool eyes gazed at the table. "I haven't had a chance to read it yet but…" She trailed off. It was a lie. She had read it but something in her didn't want to admit it.

"Oh, well, you can have a copy or I can send you one if we sell out." You replied as Gale gave you a humorless smile at the comment. So similar to what she had told Sidney Prescott 15 years ago outside the police station. 

You gave an awkward shuffle, raising your arms then lowering and raising before stepping forward. Gale was never one for hugs and she knew you didn't exactly want to hug her either. It was all a big, curt, polite show in Gale's eyes that she played along with. For Dewey, for Randy…Even for you. She wanted to hate you but you made it hard proving her wrong over and over. She surmised eating crow over and over makes you more…Tolerant of the person feeding it to you.

You both pulled away with forced smiles as quickly as you hugged. Gale saw Randy standing in the background watching. Observing your exchange as Gale forced a smile his way over your shoulder. He gave a nod with a small polite smile as well.

You completely stepped away with a genuine happy expression as you exclaimed. "Dewey!" You quickly rushed over to hug him tightly. Dewey pulled away sooner than he normally would. Gale frowned at her husband. After all, he hadn't seen you in so long so why not savor the moment? 

"Hey YN. Gale you made it. Good." He breathlessly gave. 

He seemed frazzled as Gale eyed her husband.

You spoke up. "Dewey, I tried to call you." 

"And I tried to call too, SHERIFF!" Randy chimed in, standing next to you. "Those protestors are probably running for the hills now with your cop car about..." He checked his watch. "...45 minutes later." 

Dewey gave a remorseful grimace. "Oh, God. Are you okay?" You nodded before he continued. "Do you recognize any of them?" 

Randy and Gale exchanged glances as Randy nodded and Gale replied. "Yeah, a few. Lloyd Oarth was one of them." 

"Good, good...I'm sorry. Something really important came up…I gotta do something here." He took off his hat and anxiously ran a hand over his hair.

Gale raised a brow. "Dewey, what's wrong?" 

"Just- YN, I need to do this here…I am really sorry." He moved you out of the way and addressed the room right as Judy came barreling in. Police cars speeding down the block to get to the bookstore. A few protestors on the sidewalk scattered but police instantly got out of their cars and forced them to stay. Gale could hear that much and see it from the window.

Meanwhile, Dewey addressed the room. "Excuse me. This will only take a minute! I need you all to stay where you are and remain silent." 

A woman went to leave and Judy pushed her back inside. "Nobody leaves. You heard the Sheriff. Thank you." Even her voice had Gale side eyeing her.

Gale watched some mouthy woman with brown hair and a blue shirt tell her husband. "Can't this wait, Barney Fife? I'm running an event here!" She guessed the event runner was your assistant.

Gale felt a tinge of guilt having said the same thing about him in her book years and years ago. It was pushed aside as she listened to Dewey and more cops came in. Randy put a hand on you as he pulled you towards him. 

"Ma'am, this is a police event now." Dewey replied back.

Gale came to Dewey, blinking repeatedly and whispering to him. "WHAT is going on??" 

All before Judy stepped in between them to tell Gale. "Gale, this is police business. If you could just let us handle it." 

Gale instantly felt that familiar rage filling her at this woman having the audacity to use her little badge as leverage to disrespect her in front of her husband. 

Gale's eyes zeroed in on Judy. "I am talking to my husband, Deputy Judy." Gale used deputy like an insult as you watched.

———————————————————

You felt Randy pull you closer and out of the way of police rushing into the building as you watched Gale getting heated with some blonde deputy near Dewey. You weren't positive but you were pretty sure this was the infamous Judy she talked so fondly about.

Your eyes scanned the area, glancing at Randy as he wore a nervous expression. You were sure you had the same look on your face.

Gale spat at the deputy overstepping. "I am talking to my husband, Deputy Judy." 

Dewey turned to Gale, you and Randy. "Listen. There's a phone we believe may have been taken from the scene of a crime. Deputy Hicks has traced its coordinates back to this location." He hissed out low to not alert anyone but your group.

Randy blinked at Dewey, eyebrows scrunching. "W-What crime?..." Dewey didn't answer and Randy asked again more forcefully this time. "What type of crime, Dewey?" 

Dewey shook his head and walked a few paces. "It's…Need to know for now." 

Gale shoved her hands out in outrage. "And I'm not need to know?!" 

"SHH!" Judy ordered with a finger to her lips and you thought Gale looked ready to smack her right then and there. You watched on with Randy as Dewey held up a cellphone…All before a ringing sounded out.

Everyone in the room looked around before an officer outside shouted for Sheriff Dewey. Dewey and Judy ran out followed by Gale. You and Randy followed close behind with a small crowd behind you out on the street. A few protesters were held up by officers as well. 

You looked confused as the officers circled your rental car. Judy got out her gun and pointed to the trunk as Dewey came towards it.

You stared with wide eyes as you came forward to get their attention.

Dewey held up a hand. "Not now, YN." 

You gave him a dumbfounded look. "Dewey, it's my rental car." You felt eyes on you as you said that. Rebecca gave Dewey a sassy look before tossing the keys to him to open the trunk up.

He did just that, forcing it open as a collection of gasps escaped everyone. Rebecca stared with her mouth parted, Randy's jaw clenched as he held a tighter grip onto your shoulder, Gale gasped and stood closer to you as well, gripping onto your other shoulder…And you…You just stared with wide eyes as a bloody mess was revealed. Posters of your face littered the trunk of the car drenched in blood smears over your image. A knife, gloves and the ringing phone lay on top. Staring back at you in a taunting manner.

Dewey quickly recovered, almost angered at what he found. "Damn it! This is an official crime scene now. Let's lock it down." 

You stood near the trunk staring in absolute shock as someone pushed you away and you just allowed it. Spacing out as your heartbeat was thumping in your ears and your stomach sank. 

You numbly stared at Dewey and asked. "...Tell me this is a prank, Dewey." 

Dewey rolled his lips, looking remorseful before shaking his head and walking closer. "I'm afraid not, YN." He shook his head and placed an arm on your shoulder to lead you. "Come on." As he led you to a police car. 

Gale stayed back and so did Randy as Rebecca got on the phone and called someone. You looked back at Randy one last time before stepping into the cop car. He had a worried expression with a tight frown. Not even looking at you; only the evidence in the trunk…You had to wonder…Whoever did this; how did they unlock it without the keys?…Who's blood was that?

You saw the protestors that stayed behind glare at you in the police car. That trunk makes you look like what they always thought; a killer.

[lostfirefly]

You’ve Got the Same Dream as Me (Ch.4)

Hello, kiddos! The idea for this fanfic came to me from a dream (again) I had about a month ago. Тhe main characters were Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill (don't ask me why), but with a light hand they have been replaced (sorry, guys). The main action of the dream took place somewhere in the sands. Аlthough this fanfic will feature Sir Crocodile and our beloved Buggy, the action shifts to the desert. No marines, ships etc. Sorry, not sorry :) The devil fruit's abilities are preserved. Catch the Mummy and Indiana Jones vibes :) I have no idea how many chapters there will be. Different titles and names from the original source material will be used to emphasise the general OP's vibe.

Since English is not my native language, errors may occur. As always, feel free to share your thoughts :) 

And thank you to my dear @yujo-nishimura and @laurasoretta for believing in me :)

Description: Catherine, a librarian who is searching for the trail of her sister who went missing on an expedition. Notes in books and diaries lead her to Cairo. There she finds a retailer from an artifact shop who, in exchange for selling her a map and equipment, insists that Catherine take her along. They get into a little (or maybe a big) adventure.. 

Warnings: 12+, I think. As always, no smut, angst, violence. Adventures and fun only. Buggy x OC, Sir Crocodile x OC.

Words: 1236

The title is taken from «You've Got the Same Dream as Me» (Sonya Belousova & Giona Ostinelli) (One Piece, Netflix)

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Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

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"A car?" Catherine looked in amazement at the big black jeep. 

"What did you expect?" Buggy asked, leaning back on the bonnet, taking off his striped bandana. 

"Well, I don't know. We’re in Cairo… But.. You got people around town who look like fish. And there's… just a car", she said, glancing at his long blue hair.

"Sorry, cotton candy, my personal flying dragon is at home. I can take you for a ride next time", he replied with a sneer in voice, wrapping his hair into a ponytail.

"Ew, jeez", Catherine pursed her lips.

"If you keep yucking, I'm not taking you with me,. You can go to the nearest rental shop and book yourself a magic carpet if you want". 

"Tell me, were you born to be such an asshole? Or did it come with age?" Catherine drilled Buggy with her eyes. 

"Stop it, both of you. Save your love quarrels for later!" Rika said loudly, locking the shop door shut. "By some completely idiotic irony, we all need to get to the same place. Let's focus on the case. Cathie, get out your maps and records".

"He started it first!"

"I don't care! I'm not going to be your mom or dad. I said, get out your maps and records now! Here's your book by professor Alabasta", Rika put it on the bonnet.

It was a large book, in a brown cover with golden monograms on it. The pages were a little yellowed in places, but fortunately the text was legible.

"Woooow", Catherine whispered and gently ran her hands over the sheets.

"You see?" Rika opened one of Cathrine's diaries and pointed her index finger at one of the entries. "The numbers here and here match. I think that old man Alabasta knew something. I don't know if they point to the location of the treasure or not, maybe it's just one of the dots, but I'm more than sure that this is where we should be heading".

"But if he found treasure, for example, why didn't he take it? Maybe it's not there anymore", Catherine asked, "and why did my sister go there? She and I are both adventurers, but I still don't understand".

"Maybe she didn't go looking for the treasure. Maybe your sister got so tired of your endless whining that she decided to join a caravan and hide from you forever. That's what I would do", Buggy said, leaning between the two girls, glancing briefly at Catherine and putting his hand on her back.

"You're pissing me off already", she whispered.

"Well, I don't know your sister, so her motives are unclear to me, - Rika said, shaking her head, "but I know what I want to find there".

"And what is that?" Catherine asked with surprise.

"It doesn't matter".

"Look, there are several routes", Catherine ran her finger along the lines on the page. "I think we should take the shortest route so we can get there faster. The less time I spend in the car with this clown, the better".

"No, no", Buggy shook his head negatively. "You see, this short cut is guarded by Baroque Works men. We can't make two steps out there. We'd be quickly captured and sent to some underwater prison. Believe me, you won't like it there. We'll take this way", he pointed down the long road, "sorry, you'll have to bear with me".

He started to put the bags in the boot of the car.

"Trust me, you'll be happy to be in those places with me. Because if we meet a man with a hook there, I'll be your best bet for salvation".

"A man with a hook? Have you been drinking since this morning?" Catherine moved closer to his face to test her hunch.

"Where the hell did you come from, cutie biscuit?" he whispered in her ear.

"Loguetown, why are you asking?"

"Oh, just curious. Alright. Hop in, girls. Rika. And my cotton candy", he said with a wink, getting into the car.

"Stop calling me that!"

⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥫⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭⥭

The journey to the coordinates indicated on the map took about two hours. The car stopped somewhere in the middle of a hot desert. There was only a small building, which looked more like an old barracks.

"Well, where are we? You said you could read maps", Catherine got out of the car and looked around, "I thought we'd be in the right place on time".

"Can you stop nagging, I'm getting a headache", Buggy said, looking for something in the boot of the car.

"Don't tell me what to do and what not to do. You're the one who brought us here", Catherine walked briskly over to Buggy. "Fuck, if I'd known you didn't know anything, I wouldn't have messed with you in life".

"Listen, pie", Buggy grabbed her arm and hissed, glaring at her with his green eyes. "I'm sick of your hysterics. If you don't stop acting like this, I'm gonna leave you here in the middle of the desert to be eaten by the local sand creatures. And drive back. Believe me, I'd rather be in a bar than stuck here with you right now".

Catherine felt his warm hand squeeze her arm with force.

"Okay, people, break", Rika said, getting closer to them. "According to the coordinates, we're in the right spot now. Catherine, anticipating your question, no, we're not at the final point of our journey yet. While you two were arguing the whole way, I was trying to get a good look at the map. But it was difficult, with your love dialogues distracting my attention".

Catherine rolled her eyes.

"And? What's next?" she asked.

"We should go into that building over there. There must be something important in there, since it's marked on the map. It looks like a shop or a small hotel. I don't know. At least it's on the map and in the diaries. You see it?" Rika pointed her finger in the notebook.

Catherine noticed Buggy re-hiding a small black, oddly shaped box.

"What's that in there?" she asked, placing her hand gently on his back, peering over his shoulder.

"It's nothing special".

"Okay… We'll go to that building then, see what I can find out".

Catherine took two steps forward and stopped. She turned round and was about to take half a step back.

"Buggy…"

"What?" he sounded annoyed.

"I'm s... You know. Never mind".

Catherine and Rika walked into a small building together. Inside, there were shelves with some bags of herbs and jars of oddly coloured water. The place smelled of coriander and lavender for some reason.

"What can I do for you, young girls?" a hoarse voice came from the corner of the room. A grown big-boned man with a grey beard and long grey hair sat in a chair.

"Good afternoon, sir. We seem to be a little lost. We need to go to the Sab...", Catherine didn't have time to finish her sentence because Rika stepped on her foot, silencing her.

"Rayleigh, I bet they're going there for the same reason I am", a low voice came from the front door.

"Sab... what? The Sabaody Desert? Why would you want to go there?

" the man asked, rising from his chair.

The tall man slowly began to approach the counter.

"Well, lassies, tell me what you're looking for there?", he asked, placing both hands on the table.

Catherine whispered in Rika's ear.

"Do you see that too? Does he have a… a hook instead of a hand?"

[nowoyas]

Edible Arrangements: The Final Bite: Thirst

First - Prev - M.list - Read on Ao3

A/N: hey grae, why don't you include the chapter titles in the titles of the actual chapters when every chapter has a title on both the master list and on ao3? I don't know, grae, let's start doing that with the actual final update to edible arrangements. that makes sense, sure.

A/N, TWO!: let's have a little chat about what's next here in the notes of the final update to the last three years of my life. for starters, every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end etc. etc. SO!

announcing!

EA: OnlyFangs!

I intended to have a banner here to announce OnlyFangs but I, uh, didn't make it. oops. but the sequel to Edible Arrangements will launch October 31st!

in the time between now and then, I will be pre-planning, pre-drafting, and largely doing prep work so that OnlyFangs can operate on a consistent update schedule. tentatively, I am aiming to have enough backlogged that I can consistently update once a week. I am fully aware that shit happens, however, and this may change. no matter what, Halloween will mark the start of the sequel, and I am committed to that! in the meantime, I plan on revisiting each chapter of EA to make small edits for consistency and include chapter titles on each installment rather than hiding them. there will be no major changes, only to things like grammar and formatting consistency in the early chapters, so no need to reread, it's just something I'm doing!

thank you to everyone who has stuck around, whether it was from the beginning or partway through. y'all really made this worth it. <3 without further ado, I give you our epilogue!

Summary: You wake up.

Warnings: blood

Word count: 1400+

You are cold when you wake. Worse than that, you are alone.

Worse than that, you are thirsty.

You know where you are, but you can't bring yourself to think about why you got here.

So, you slip out of bed in search of a drink. It's late, but you don't want anything in the house. You know that already.

There's this vending machine on campus that sells weird sodas. Not particularly strange ones, but not the kinds you find in your average vending machine. Coke Vanilla. Shit like that.

You want to go to that vending machine. You're thirsty.

Your wallet is on the vanity. You grab it, find your keys, and slip outside.

It occurs to you, then, that something is strange—the carpet is torn up and half-melted. The room has a strange scent to it. The couches are gone, too.

You're thirsty. You'll ask Izuku about it later.

This is not the right time of day to hang out on campus. It's perfect. You get in your car and drive, and it's only now you realize you're not wearing shoes.

Oh, well. You're just running to the secret vending machine behind the KUC, and it's not like you haven't seen weirder shit on campus than someone buying a soda in—you pause to glance at what you're wearing, having not thought about it until you were already driving and felt the gas pedal under your bare toes—extra baggy basketball shorts and someone else's t-shirt, sans shoes.

And so you drive, on autopilot, until you find parking close to the KUC, and then you walk on autopilot the rest of the way.

The first cool sip of vending machine soda has you sighing into it. Like a man who's walked the desert, you drink it down and don't stop drinking until you've drained the bottle.

As the bottle makes its way into the nearby recycling drop, you find that you are still thirsty.

You've still got change, so what's another bottle?

And yet, as that bottle, too, finds itself immediately emptied and dropped in the recycling, you are still thirsty.

Another.

Still thirsty.

You are nauseous now, from thirst and overwatering yourself. It occurs to you that you should perhaps just drink water, given the level of thirst you're at, but vending machine water is expensive, and you're almost out of loose change to spend on bottles of things as it is.

A clattering nearby. A girl on a skateboard. She's trying to do a kickflip. She's not doing a very good job, based on all the clattering and stumbling and complete lack of kickflipping she's accomplishing. She's swearing a storm as she tries. Again. Again.

You're so thirsty.

Fuck it.

You buy a bottle of water.

Why are you so thirsty? Why isn't anything working to—

She falls this time. Really falls. This time, her swearing is not frustrated but pained, and you're rushing to her, dropping to your knees as she hisses in pain. Her jeans are torn at the knees now, ragged holes that reveal bloodied, reddened skin beneath.

"Are you okay?" you blurt. You're already uncapping the bottle of water you had been honestly two steps away from biting into like an apple and drinking that way, already holding her leg still to rinse away the blood and gravel from her knees. "Here, let me help you clean those. That was a rough fall.”

"Ah, I'm fine. Nothing hurt but my pride, you know?" She grins good-naturedly as you rinse it all away. "I'm starting to think kickflips are bullshit, though."

You laugh softly. "Maybe they are."

You move on to her other knee with the rest of the water, but your gaze lingers on her exposed knee. Distantly, you think she gives her name, and you mumble yours back before your mouth begins to water something fierce.

The scent reaches your nose beautifully, stronger than you ever remember blood smelling. Come to think of it, you'd smelled this rich scent back at the house. Less the scent of metal and more something intoxicating and sweet.

"Uh, [name]? You good?" she says. You've already forgotten her name, barely caught yourself leaning forward too close.

You stare at her blankly.

You're thirsty.

"[name]!"

The voice snaps you out of your trance, and you turn to see Izuku bolting at you at breakneck speeds. He comes to a stop next to the both of you, barely panting. "I'm so sorry, they've been undergoing this test for a psych study and they haven't slept in a solid 24 hours and I think they forgot to take their iron pills and they always get a little weird when they're low! Are you okay? You're not hurt too bad, are you?"

"Uh, no, I'm fine. Are they going to be okay...?"

Izuku has you pressed firmly into his side with one arm, an ostensibly supportive gesture. "They should be. I should probably get them back, though! They need to get some proper iron in their system and maybe get their brain away from the whole spacing out thing."

"Um, okay. Thank you. Both of you."

You give her a loopy grin, eyes still fixed on her bloodied knees. "You'll get that kickflip."

She nods, smiles, and collects her skateboard. "Thanks again."

She boards away, and when she's finally gone, Izuku takes a cursory glance around. The rest of campus is abandoned, it seems, or at least abandoned enough that he's satisfied with the room to speak.

He drags you into a tight hug that has the both of you sighing. "You need to be careful," he mumbles into the top of your head.

As though that's fair to ask of you. You hardly know what's happening.

"Careful?" you reply, muffled in his shoulder.

You feel the telltale shifting of a nod. "You need to feed. Come back with me, we'll get you handled, and then you can rest."

You wriggle out of his hold, stare longingly at the spot on the concrete where the stranger fell and smeared her blood on the ground. Something in you is overcome—the urge to drop down, to lathe tongue against concrete just to get a few tainted drops of the blood she shed there. The other, somehow tamer, part of you wants to give chase. To follow the distant sound of her skateboard against concrete and take her down and sink teeth into skin. It's all you can do to hold back.

(Now, let’s not kid ourselves, here:

It’s not you holding you back.

It’s Izuku, physically holding you in place as you thrash unknowingly, holding you back.)

You stare at where the girl had been a moment longer, and then you turn away, running your tongue over your teeth in a desperate attempt to make your mouth feel less dry with thirst. When you do, you yelp. Flavors burst on your tongue amid the pain—you’ve cut it on your teeth, on canines sharper than—

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, how you are suddenly putting the pieces together.

“Izuku?”

“Yeah?” He seems relieved that you’ve stopped trying to struggle out of his grip.

“What the fuck happened?”

He blinks slowly. “You don’t remember?”

“You would not believe how completely tired I am of not remembering anything.”

Suddenly, everything feels wrong. Your canine teeth are fangs in your mouth, the weight that had made every motion feel just a touch sluggish dissipates to leave you feeling lither than you recall, and, come to think of it, there’s a tight feeling across your neck like a scar. Beneath your fingertips, you confirm that it is one—long and thin.

There’s a kiss to your forehead.

Oh. You remember that.

“I’ll refresh your memory, and we’ll talk about… everything we didn’t get to talk about… and we’ll sit down and we’ll get it all sorted out. But first, I need you to come home, okay? I’ve got a blood bag with your name on it, and a kitten that has missed you just as much as I have except that he actually had the right to miss you, and we really need to decide on the new furniture and carpet for the living room.”

“Do I remember it all right?” you whisper.

“What do you remember?”

You pull away only to swoop back in, only to press a soft kiss against his lips. He reciprocates with a gentle hum, holds you tight.

“That, for one thing.”

“What else?” He mumbles against your lips.

You smile softly, although it is twisted with emotions you cannot yet name. You open your mouth to speak. And you begin to make sense of it all.

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[aheckinmess]

(One-Shot series 3/3. Toshinori fanart used in title card was created by @yokkisu! You should go follow! There's great stuff over there!)

Read on AO3.

Tags: Toshinori Yagi, All Might, Toshinori x OC, All Might x OC, Smol Might, Spooky Season, Decorating for Halloween

Word Count: 1,304 words

Summary: As Halloween creeps closer, Ichijiku decides it’s time to decorate! However, after the confrontation with Catfish, Toshinori brings up a scary possibility due to his continued worry for her wellbeing.

Author's Note: This prompt didn't go how I expected to, but what can I say? My characters like to keep me on my toes, so I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Spooky Conversations

Ichijiku (Tigress)

It's nearly impossible to keep Toshinori away from me after the Catfish incident, and I can't say I blame him. The weeks pass with anxiety and hypervigilance as my constant companions. I find it hard to sleep out of fear that every bump and thump from my cat is actually a trespasser in my house.

A month passes after my brush with death before I have a different reason to be afraid; it's the season of spooks and screams. Weeks leading up to Halloween, I've started sleeping better and feeling less paranoid, but Toshinori still tracks my every move while he's around.

We're meeting up to shop for Halloween decorations when he saves me from a petty criminal trying to rob me. We get the cops to take care of it and continue our shopping trip afterwards. I'm rattled, but with Toshinori close by, I find myself quickly calming down. We shop for a few hours and I think he's also getting back into the swing of things.

Turns out, he isn't.

We get home and I leave him to take out a few of my purchases at the counter. Instead, l find him standing guard outside the bathroom when I walk out.

"Toshinori," I chuckle as I open the door. "You don't have to stand watch. Everything's okay."

"That's what I thought before and you were stolen from me." His jaw clenches and he glances down the hall before taking my hand. Abruptly, he pulls me against his chest like I'm his last chance at breath.

"Toshinori, what's going on?" I soothe, pulling back to cup his face in my hands. For a moment, his hands hold mine there and tears wet my thumbs. "Do you need some tea, love? Some couch cuddles?"

"No, no." He responds shakily. "We need to talk, Ichan."

Immediately, my mind blanks and my heart sinks. Childhood trauma feeds the anxiety sinking into my skin and the cold fear gnawing at me. Worry mingles with doubt as I wonder if he thinks I've been a poor girlfriend, or too much trouble. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm.

"Am I in trouble?" I ask.

"No, love, you're not in trouble." He assures with a smile. It doesn't reach his eyes. "But, what I have to say isn't pleasant."

I wait and fidget until he speaks again.

"I think it's too dangerous for us to be together, Ichijiku."

Everything stops. Even the never-ending activity in my mind comes to a standstill.

"Are you breaking up with me?" I choke out.

"Ichan..." Toshinori whimpers.

"No." I snarl through gritted teeth. "No. If your only reason is to protect me, then no."

"Ichan, what happens when another villain comes after you? And not just a petty thief like today? Now that it's public knowledge that we're dating, you are a target. Even petty criminals hold you in their sights like today. And when Catfish took you..." He trails off, knuckles turning white as he clenches his fists.

I step up, leaving no space between us as I grip his chin.

"Toshinori Yagi, look at me." I demand, and only continue when he listens. "Do you think I'm not worth the trouble of protecting?"

"What? No! You know that's not–"

"Then why let them dictate your life?" I cut in. "Why let a villain scare you like that? Do you sell all your possessions because you're afraid of being robbed?"

"No, but–"

"Do you stay at home all day because you're scared of being hit by a car?"

He sighs as his expression relaxes.

"No."

"Do you walk outside naked because you're scared you'll overheat?"

"Do you want me to?" He winks, lightening the mood.

I smack his chest with a laugh and a smile.

"No. I want that sexy body all to myself. But that's not the point! Do you give up every fight you're in because you're scared you'll die?"

"No, Ichan. I understand the point you're making. But it's a lot different when your life is the one at stake." He takes my hand and plants a kiss on it, allowing me a moment to get lost in his eyes.

"I know you're afraid of losing me, Toshi-kun. I fear losing you, too, and not just from hero work." I twirl a lock of his hair and gently stroke over his injured side. "But I'm more afraid of living my life without you beside me. Because I'd rather live happily with you even if only for a short time, than live my whole life afraid without you there with me." I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek before turning towards the dining room to go unbag my Halloween decorations. "So...will you stay with me, too?"

There's a long pause as I pull out an orange and black wreath, a few bags of candy, and several boxes of spooky lights. Take a deep breath. Respect whatever his decision is.

"Yes I will." He answers, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Maybe it's selfish of me, but I don't want to leave you either."

"That mean you think I'm selfish?" I giggle.

"Of course not! Though I often think you're a little crazy since you have to put up with me." He laughs, laying his head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ichan, for scaring you like that."

"I forgive you. Although, I mean, it is Halloween, I guess."

Together we spread out a smorgasbord of Halloween fright from my purchases. It's not until I look at my table that I remember I have a ghost table runner up in the attic. I think there's a few other things too.

"Toshi-kun, can you go grab the ladder to the attic?" I ask as I start grouping items.

"Sure thing. You got some more decorations?"

"Not many, but I know I have a few things up there if I can find them." I chuckle, making the trek up the ladder once it's in place.

Toshinori follows and it takes a little scavenging. There's no air flow and sweat clings to my skin. We both groan as we search various boxes with no luck. I squeal when Toshinori swats at my butt playfully when I bump into him.

"I don't think it's up here."

"I know I put it up here," I pout, looking around again. "But I guess it's hidden somewhere that I thought I'd remember. Silly ADHD brain."

Toshinori heads down first and I give one final, stubborn look. That's when a familiar black and white pops out at me on top of the Christmas box way in the back.

"Aha!" I dart over and grab the table runner, smiling in victory as I return to the ladder. "Found it! Past Ichijiku figured I wouldn't be able to find it...so it was on top of the only other decorations box up here...Christmas! Good job, me!" I pat myself on the back with a giggle before heading down the ladder, where Toshinori shakes his head at the bottom with a laugh.

Halfway down, my foot misses a rung on the ladder and I fall straight into his arms.

"This I can get used to." He kisses my lips. "You fell straight into my arms. You know, if you'd wanted my attention, you didn't need to go through such extremes."

"Oh, hush."

I wrap my arms around Toshinori's neck. Warmth sizzles among our mouths and travels to the pit of my stomach. A familiar need blossoms that seems to be mutual as Toshinori backs me against a wall, his body pressed against mine.

"You come here often?" I tease when I pull back.

"Of course. What say you and I find a room?" He presses his forehead to mine.

"There's one down the hall."

[mejomonster]

My question is how is justice in the dark going to indicate/hint the sexual tension though. (Yes suspend disbelief for a second I know it's likely it's just thoroughly cut or minimized to get to air period)

Just like. So far in the 8 eps it's stuck super close to all the elements of their connection besides the part of fei du making sexual jokes/come ons and Luo wenzhou eventually responding. Like, super close, to the point I'm quite satisfied and happy and over the moon they feel so much like they Should feel. Luo Weizhao is literally depicted as Pei Sus light in the abyss (like the title! Which is named after this), Luo Weizhao is literally his Home, his most emotionally intimate connection, that's very clear in the show.

I'm just. Curious how they'll either rework the sexual tension flirting to be Showable OR replace it with something? Because like take Tao Ze for example. Pei Su's flirting from the book is pretty much taken entirely and put on the show, except the one sexual implication joke "inviting me up to your house already isn't that moving a little fast." For all intents you can assume Pei Su IS courting Tao Ze. In retrospect, for a "straight audience" you can say pei su was just worried he'd lose his only stable emotional relationship but like... 1. That is actually true to book canon anyway so it's not necessarily wrong, 2. It's really hard to... not see Pei Su's specific treatment of Tao Ze as romantic pursuit moves, even if the reason is just "I don't want to lose my ge to his changing life leaving me behind." He asks him to get food, he gets Turned Down specifically by Tao Ze, he gets him a coffee machine and Very Pointedly says the girl should like Tao Ze which is him letting go and implying she should date him (and he'll let go of Tao Ze). Like I guess you could read it straight if... you're biphobic and think his flirting with girls rules out him courting Tao Ze?? But like except for cutting a line with sexual implications, so far Pei Sus been about as bi as I expected him to be. (Actually that seems the main thing cut - ALL of Fei Du's more sexual playboy inclinations are absent or only left implied in the show, which again makes me wonder how they'll handle that significant-chunk aspect of his and Luo Wenzhous interactions in the show).

If by luck the show can do as much as Guardian can (oh Zhao Yunlan asking Shen Wei if he's married cause he's such a catch, that did so much to set him up as into men and specifically shen wei framing their relationship interactions as with a flirtatious lean moving forward). Then I'm curious what they'll do? Since every bit of their relationship except a piece of it, so far is being handled fairly faithfully. Like... will they make Pei Su more romantically mushy inclined instead of "you want to try out sleeping with me?" Like is Pei Su gonna ask Luo Weizhao out to dinner, give him flowers, (I imagine bringing him food to station will be somewhere in show cause it's ambiguous enough), tell him he's pretty? Idk. The joke in the show in the car when Luo Weizhao says he's gonna sell Pei Su off and Pei Su says at least let me pretty up lol is the closest to their book sexual-leaning back and forth one ups that I caught so far. But I'm curious how the script writer adapted it more later? Because Tao Ze/Pei Su??? Definitely did get included in the show, but it had less of the sexual jokes in the book. Also just generally a cdrama might choose to tone that down, especially given its already dealing with heavy topics of drugs, prostitution, child abuse, family abuse, Pei Su being him (you almost kill a guy on screen as a cdrama protagonist? Color me surprised), police corruption. Oh and you know being a censored gay romance. I wouldn't be surprised if it wanted to tone down the sexual comments on its main characters.

On a mildly related note. I have a print copy of 默读 and I desperately wonder now if I got the uncensored print copy or the censored one. Because I have 2 copies of 镇魂 one simplified and one traditional, and both are uncensored, the simplified one actually has all the extra stuff too (it's my favorite version), the traditional is like the webnovel version with no Shen San extra. So like wherever I was buying my chinese print novels I got lucky with somehow getting the uncensored simplified edition before. I'm curious if my modu copy I also got lucky with.

Also reading modu in chinese has been a bizarre experience for me lately. I'm mainly reading the English translation right now. But on weibo I'll see fei/Luo excerpts and it'll be fine to read. But when I listen to the audiobook my brain feels fried with a lot of unknown words. And I remember reading it literally 6 months into learning with a machine translation next to the original text and I was absolutely drowning it'd take a week to read 1 chapter. Now I feel moderately drowning when it's description time in modu, but when it's character focused it's a very doable read. It's Harder to read than zhenhun. Also... to be fair, even in the English translation it uses a decent number of English words I don't know like maybe 10 a chapter. Which is pretty surprising as I usually am well read. So I suppose it's not surprising if I am confused by some words in English, I'm definitely confused about a few dozen words in the chinese version.

[lawrencecashforcars]

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Before you can junk your car in Ottawa, Kansas, you'll need to gather some important documents. The vehicle's title is the most essential, as it proves your ownership and right to junk the vehicle. If you've lost the title, you must apply for a duplicate from the DMV before proceeding. Having these documents can sometimes increase your vehicle's value, even if it's just being dismantled for parts.

Assessment of Vehicle

Assessing your vehicle’s condition is the next step. You must assess whether the vehicle is indeed irreparable. At times, a problem that appears significant may be solvable, potentially increasing the car's value once fixed. However, should the repair expenses surpass the car's worth, or if driving it poses a safety risk, then it may be time to consider scrapping the vehicle. It is wise to sell the car to someone who specializes in dismantling and selling car parts.

Choosing the Right Junk Car Removal Option

One straightforward option to junk your car is to sell it to a cash for Junk cars Ottawa! Junk or salvage service providers frequently purchase vehicles in any state. They can repurpose the components and materials. To get started, look for a trusted cash-for-cars service in Ottawa Kansas. It can be financially rewarding.

Environmental Benefits

Junking or disposing of an aged car involves more than just freeing up space or earning a bit of cash. It also has significant environmental benefits. When you junk a car, especially in Ottawa Kansas, you’re contributing to recycling efforts that can greatly reduce waste. Automobiles contain an abundance of recyclable and reusable substances, including metals, plastics, and rubber. By entrusting your vehicle to a trustworthy salvage yard, you're making certain that the materials are handled and recycled properly. Older cars often lack the advanced emissions-control technology found in newer models, meaning they can emit more pollutants. Removing old, inefficient vehicles from the road can also improve air quality.

Avoiding Scams

When you’re looking to junk your car, it’s important to stay alert to potential scams. A frequent trick involves quoting a higher price initially and then drastically reducing it upon vehicle collection, under the pretext that the car's condition is poorer than anticipated. It's crucial to demand a definitive price before finalizing any agreement. Additionally, it's prudent to verify the junkyard's or service provider's online testimonials and scores. Remember, if an offer seems overly favorable, it's likely deceptive. Always use trusted services and avoid any arrangement that requires upfront payment before the service is rendered.

Compliance with State Laws

Complying with laws when junking your car is not just a good practice. It’s a requirement. Make sure you complete all the necessary paperwork and steps required by the DMV. Skipping these steps can lead to legal complications.

Sell Your Junk Car for Cash

Now you know how to cash for cars in Ottawa! The above content will cover everything from the benefits of each method, to the legal requirements. The mission of Cash for Cars Lawrence is simple. They help you sell your car for top dollar and do it faster than others. Stay away from the hassle of arranging troublesome viewing, investing in advertisements, or spending on maintenance or fixes. Cash for Cars Lawrence is ready to purchase your vehicle at a favorable price. Cash for Cars Lawrence will buy your car at a good price. Get in touch today to find out how they can help with your junk car!

[carbuyersbrisbane]

The Ultimate Checklist For Selling Your Ute To Wreckers In Brisbane

 Selling your utility vehicle (ute) to car wreckers Brisbane can be a easy and profitable way to dispose of an unwanted vehicle. This blog will guide you through every crucial stage of the selling process in ute wreckers. By adhering to these steps, you will secure a fair price and ensure a stress-free and efficient transaction.

Steps To Follow For Selling Your Utes Wreckers in Brisbane 

Everyone looks for the best possible ways to sell their utes or other used vehicles. However, to ensure you get the best possible deal & handle the process smoothly. There are several essential steps you should follow. 

Know the Value of Your Utes

Before you start approaching wreckers, it's essential to determine the fair market value of your ute. This will give you a benchmark to negotiate from and ensure you're not taken advantage of. Consider factors like the ute's make, model, age, condition, mileage, and any accessories. Online resources like Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds can provide you with a reliable valuation.

Gather Essential Documentation

As you prepare to sell your ute, you'll need to gather essential documentation, including:

Proof of ownership: This could be your ute's registration certificate or title.

Service history: This will demonstrate the maintenance records of your ute & its overall condition.

Keys: Ensure you have all the keys, including the spare, as this may affect the value.

Removable accessories: If you have any removable accessories, such as a bull bar or tow bar & gather them together.

Clean and Prepare Your Ute

First impressions matter, so take the time to clean and prepare your ute before approaching wreckers. Give it a thorough wash, both inside and out, to make it look its best. Remove any personal items, trash, and unnecessary clutter from the interior. Address any minor repairs or cosmetic blemishes to enhance its appeal.

Choose Reputable Ute Wreckers

Do your research and select reputable ute wreckers in Brisbane. Check online reviews, ask for recommendations, and verify their licensing and credentials. Look for wreckers that specialize in your ute's make and model, as they may offer better pricing.

Request Multiple Quotes

Don't settle for the first offer you receive. Contact several ute wreckers and request quotes for your ute. Provide them with the necessary details, including the ute's condition, mileage, and any accessories. Compare the quotes to identify the most competitive offer.

 Negotiate with Confidence

Once you've received quotes, negotiate with the wreckers for the best possible price. Be prepared to discuss the condition of your ute, any repairs or modifications, and your expectations. Don't be afraid to walk away if you're not satisfied with the offer.

Understand the Payment Terms

Clearly understand the payment terms and conditions before finalizing the deal. Determine the mode of payment, such as cash, cheque, or direct deposit. Clarify the timeframe for receiving payment and ensure it aligns with your expectations.

 Arrange for Ute Removal

Most ute wreckers will arrange for towing your vehicle to their yard. If you prefer to deliver it yourself, ensure you have the necessary transportation and documentation.

Complete the Sale Paperwork

Once you've agreed to the terms, complete the necessary paperwork, including a bill of sale, transfer of ownership documents, and any other relevant forms. Ensure all information is accurate and signed by both parties.

 Receive Payment and Confirmation

Upon successful completion of the sale, receive the agreed-upon payment from the wrecker. Keep a record of the transaction and ensure you have confirmation of the ute's ownership transfer.

Conclusion

Successfully selling your ute to ute wreckers Brisbane involves more. Than just finding a buyer & agreeing on a price. It requires careful preparation, from understanding your vehicle's worth to ensuring all necessary documentation is in order. By following this comprehensive checklist, you can navigate the process with confidence and efficiency. These steps will maximize your profit and allow you to enjoy peace of mind, knowing that you have handled the sale of your ute professionally and effectively.

Reference URL - https://www.qldcarwreckers.com.au/ultimate-checklist-for-selling-your-ute-to-wreckers

[sellurcar]

Selling Your Electric or Hybrid Car in Toronto: What You Need to Know

As the demand for electric and hybrid vehicles continues to rise, many Toronto residents are considering selling their eco-friendly cars to make room for newer models or various other reasons. If you own an electric or hybrid vehicle and are looking to sell it in Toronto, there are several important factors to consider. In this blog, we'll explore what you need to know about selling your electric or hybrid car in Toronto, and we'll also introduce SellUrCar.ca, a service that can simplify the process for you.

Know Your Car's Value

Before you decide to sell your electric or hybrid car in Toronto, it's essential to understand its current market value. Various factors affect your car's value, including its make, model, age, mileage, condition, and any additional features or modifications. You can use online valuation tools or consult with local dealerships to get an idea of your car's worth.

Gather Necessary Documents

To sell your electric or hybrid car in Toronto, you'll need to have certain documents ready. These typically include the vehicle's ownership title, service records, warranty information, and any additional documents related to the car's history and maintenance. Having these documents readily available will help streamline the selling process.

Prepare Your Car for Sale

Just like any other vehicle, your electric or hybrid car should be well-maintained and in good condition before you sell it. Make sure the battery is in good shape, clean the interior and exterior, and address any mechanical issues. A well-maintained car is more likely to attract potential buyers and fetch a better price.

Decide on a Selling Method

There are various methods for selling your electric or hybrid car in Toronto:

a. Private Sale: This involves listing your car online or in local classifieds, dealing directly with potential buyers. While you may get a higher price in a private sale, it requires more time and effort.

b. Trade-In: Some dealerships in Toronto accept trade-ins for electric and hybrid vehicles, making it convenient if you plan to purchase a new car.

c. Sell to a Specialist Buyer: There are specialized companies, like SellUrCar.ca, that focus on buying electric and hybrid vehicles. This can be a hassle-free and quick way to sell your car.

SellUrCar.ca is a reputable service that specializes in buying electric and hybrid vehicles in Toronto. Our expertise in the eco-friendly car market ensures a smooth and efficient selling experience. Here's why you might consider SellUrCar.ca:

Hassle-Free Process: We streamline the selling process, eliminating the need for private listings and negotiations.

Competitive Offers: SellUrCar.ca offers competitive prices for your electric or hybrid car, ensuring you receive a fair market value.

Convenience: We offer convenient pick-up and payment options, saving you time and effort.

Expertise: With a deep understanding of the electric and hybrid car market in Toronto, we can provide accurate valuations and insights.

Selling your electric or hybrid car in Toronto doesn't have to be a complicated process. By understanding your car's value, preparing it for sale, and choosing the right selling method, you can have a smooth and efficient experience. If you're looking for a hassle-free way to sell your eco-friendly vehicle, consider SellUrCar.ca. Our expertise and commitment to customer satisfaction can help you get the best value for your electric or hybrid car while making the selling process more convenient and straightforward.

[ourjapanesecarremovals]

Get Instant Cash For Your Commercial & Private Vehicles in Auckland!

Our society is so dependent on cars that it would be difficult to imagine living without one. But, so many cars in our society are being scrapped because they have reached the end of their useful life. Unfortunately, these scrap cars are not recycled, and the metal is sold to the highest bidder for top dollar. If you want to get rid of your scrap car in Auckland for a reasonable price and make money off it, consider selling it to car wreckers.

If you're looking for an easy and quick way to get top cash for your junk car in Auckland, then look no further than CarRemovals. We offer cash payments for all types and makes of vehicles, regardless of their condition. With our quick and hassle-free approach to car removals Auckland, you could be making money within days of your call.

Car Removals Offer Top Dollar For Your Junk Car

A lot of people think that their aging or broken-down cars are only worth a scrap metal price, but this isn't always the case. Professional Auckland car wreckers companies like us know the current prices of various metals used in manufacturing cars and can provide fair prices based on those current rates. Furthermore, if your vehicle contains certain parts or materials that can be reused, such as catalytic converters, the car wreckers company might even pay more for it.

Our car removal service is one of the most valuable resources for anyone who has a junk car in Auckland. We will pay top dollar for your old car and will tow it away free of charge. If you're not in the market for a brand-new car and don't want to put money into your old car, then you should look into getting rid of your old car. We'll pay you top cash for old car, offer free towing services in Auckland, and even help with the paperwork.

You Won’t Need Your Title When Selling Your Vehicle To Car Removals

You may be nervous about the process when you decide to sell your vehicle. What if Auckland car wreckers don't buy my car? What if they don't pay me enough? Unlike when selling to a junkyard or an individual buyer online, with a professional car removals Auckland service, you won’t need access to either the title or registration of your vehicle to get rid of it legally. It’s simple enough that you’re the owner and confirms ownership by presenting valid identification at the time of pickup.

The car removals Auckland company in New Zealand wants to sell your vehicle to make sure that your vehicle is in pristine condition. In addition, the title is clean and clear. Once we have verified the information, we will ensure that the title is transferred to us. We will then take care of all the paperwork so that you don't have to worry about anything.

It’s Simple & Stress-Free

The process is simple and can usually be completed within 2-3 days of initial contact with a reliable Auckland car wreckers company like CarRemovals. We’ll come to pick up your vehicle free of charge and have it removed in no time – plus, we’ll pay you cash on the spot! And because we remove any metal components for reuse elsewhere at our licensed recycling facility - there's no need to worry about hazardous waste disposal fees or cleanup afterwards - so there’s never any mess left behind when we leave!

Gain Peace Of Mind From Knowing You Did The Right Thing

Say goodbye to your junk car worry-free, knowing that your vehicle has been safely recycled responsibly while also earning some much-needed funds in return! Plus, you can take comfort in knowing that every part or material extracted from our recycled vehicles is being refurbished and reused - creating an eco-friendly value chain out of older models while giving them a second life at the same time!

Source URL:- Get Instant Cash For Your Commercial & Private Vehicles in Auckland!

[carsforsaleaus]

How To Get The Most Out Of Buying Cars For Sale?

When it comes to buying a car, there are so many things to consider. You want the right color, the right size, and the right price. One thing that you might not have thought about is how easy it is to get financing for a used car. If you're looking Best Price Orange Cars For Sale and don't have money saved up for the purchase, this can be an exciting opportunity—but also one that can lead to stress if you don't plan ahead. Here's what you need to know about financing your next used vehicle:

Make sure you understand how the financing works.

When you're buying a car, it's important to understand how the financing works. You may have heard that there are loans available for just about everything these days, but this isn't always true. If you don't have good credit and/or can't get approved for one, then there's no point in even trying to buy a used car from an individual seller or dealership without considering other options first (like selling yours).

You want to make sure that any loan terms are favorable before signing anything--and even then, it pays off in the long run if you can pay cash up front and avoid paying interest rates on top of everything else!

Have your mechanic look at the car before you buy it.

Before you buy any car, you should have it checked out by a mechanic. A mechanic will be able to tell you if the car is in good condition and safe to drive, as well as give an estimate on how long it will last. They can also advise you on whether or not the vehicle has been involved in an accident or had previous repairs done that may cause problems later on down the road.

A clean title means that there are no liens against the vehicle (which could make it hard for you to get insurance). It also indicates that there aren't any outstanding payments due from previous owners of this used car for sale--this includes both taxes and registration fees.

Don't forget about service costs and maintenance.

You should always have a budget for service and maintenance. This is especially true if you're buying a used car, since it's likely that the previous owner didn't take very good care of it. Before buying any vehicle, ask yourself: "What are my plans for this car?" Will it be your daily driver? Are there long road trips in its future? Or will it just sit in the garage most of the time while being used only occasionally as an occasional driver or backup vehicle?

If you plan on using your new ride frequently (or even daily), then make sure to ask about how often the seller has had their car serviced at what types of shops--this will give clues as to whether or not they took good care of things like oil changes and other routine maintenance tasks.

Conclusion

As you can see, buying a Orange Cars For Sale is not as simple as it might seem. There are many things to consider before buying any vehicle, but if you want to avoid some of the pitfalls and get the most out of your purchase then following these tips can help.

Source By : How To Get The Most Out Of Buying Cars For Sale?

[usedcaryards]

Why Should You Get A Vehicle History When Buying A Car?

When you're looking to buy a car in Newcastle, there's plenty of information you can use to make an informed decision. But when it comes to deciding whether a used car is worth buying, there's one piece of information you should always check: its vehicle history. 

A vehicle history report can help you determine whether this specific car was ever involved in an accident or stolen and if the title was ever transferred more than once. 

If so, it's likely that someone else owned the car before selling it to you — which could mean trouble down the road when repairs need to be made.

Reveals accident and damage history 

A vehicle history report can reveal what type of accidents have happened to the car, how many times it has been in an accident, and if there is a history of damage. The severity of these accidents will also be revealed in this report. 

If you want to buy the best car in Newcastle from someone who doesn't know much about cars or is trying to hide something from you this information could be very useful for your purchase decision.

Uncovers ownership and registration details 

The vehicle history report will also show you who the previous owners were, whether the car was ever registered in another state and if there are any outstanding liens against it. 

This can be important information if you're buying from a private seller who doesn't have clean title to their vehicle--if there's an outstanding lien against the car, it may complicate your ability to register it in your name (and may even prevent you from doing so).

Helps identify possible odometer rollback 

When buying a car, you should always get a vehicle history report. It helps identify possible odometer rollback and other issues that could affect the value of your vehicle.

If the seller doesn't provide this information, ask for it before proceeding with negotiations or signing any paperwork. If they refuse to provide one after repeated requests (or if you discover signs that indicate that their mileage has been tampered with), walk away from the transaction immediately; chances are good that there are serious problems with this car.

Indicates whether the car has been salvaged or rebuilt 

A vehicle history report will indicate whether the vehicle has been salvaged or rebuilt. A rebuilt car is one that has been in an accident and repaired, while a salvaged vehicle is damaged beyond repair and cannot legally be driven on public roads.

Both of these statuses can be identified by checking the VIN (vehicle identification number), which you should do before buying any used car.

Conclusion

If you're looking to buy a car Newcastle, it's crucial that you know its history. A vehicle history report can tell you about past accidents or damage, as well as whether there are any outstanding safety recalls on your prospective vehicle's make and model. 

This information can help you make an informed decision when buying a car--and save yourself from buying trouble down the road!

Source By: Why Should You Get A Vehicle History When Buying A Car?

[cashforcaradelaide]

Best Way to Sell Your Junk Car For Top Cash in Adelaide

If you're looking to sell your junk car in Adelaide for top cash, here are some steps you can take:

Get an accurate assessment of your car's value: Before looking for buyers, you should know how much your vehicle is worth. You can check online car valuation tools to understand the price range.

Find a reputable buyer: Look for reputable car buyers in your area who specialize in buying junk cars. You can find them online or through recommendations from friends or family.

Get multiple quotes: Don't settle for the first offer you receive. Get multiple quotes from different buyers to ensure you get the best possible price.

Have all the necessary documents: Make sure you have all the required paperwork, including the car's registration, title, and any other relevant documents.

Prepare your car for sale: Before you sell your car, clean it thoroughly, and remove all personal belongings. If you can make any minor repairs, do them as they can increase the car's value.

Negotiate: Feel free to negotiate with the buyer for the best price. Be prepared to walk away if you're not happy with the offer.

Finalize the sale: Once you've agreed on a price, sign over the paperwork and receive the payment. Keep a copy of the bill of sale for your records.

By following these steps, you can sell your junk car in Adelaide for top cash. Just make sure to take your time, do your research, and choose a reputable buyer like Metro Car Removals.

[the-firebird69]

OnSite Home Package Construction

We sell these kits, and they are complete DIY houses. This is just the frame and enclosure and some interior wall stuff it's not the whole house by far when we sell you a penalized house kit the panels are stacked vertically because the finishes are on them exterior and interior and they click together and when they click together you're locking the electrical and water systems together it's a positive connection and It bolts together right at the connection and we try and make fewer walls but really you need some Leo to lift it so they're 10 ft maximum in the wood frame I have the utilities in them and the concrete floor is cast in place most often but we do have a panalized system, in most states you're required to put a footer in and it's easier to pour than a floor but you still have to be precise a lot of people decide on poured concrete and we have companies that do it in conjunction with our home kits. What we drop off is the panels for the walls the roof system which comes assembled in pieces and yeah you can lift them up it's half the roof and you bolt it together and it comes with finishes on it and repair kits and it comes with cabinets and it comes with appliances and trim and everything trim is installed mostly so if you pieces to put in at the end of the day you only have like a day's work to pass and fix everything up and our son can do it in half day most can do it in the day with a couple people and it is really slick and real fast and saves everybody and it's a lot less work than you think you have a full house and you're giving all the ceilings and all the cockings and instructions you could ever want I hope she'll rent a low or a crane to put in the roof and it's suggested and there are points that you attach to and you take those bolts out in their eyeballs and used to use a spreader like a 4x4 and we send that too there's a few things you should know about this house it is not our house it is not the name of our company and they're using our company our name in vain as the company and he's trying to sell houses by having us I mentioned it which is fine but they probably won't feel your order cuz they're not us it's more important for them to try and be smartass than it is to fill orders because of the gift of people that are standing in the way of everything. And required to do the yard work and the pavement for the driveway and stuff like that we do have packages for those but it's not including the base price the base price for the house delivered without the foundation and slab in Florida is about $18,000 that is appliances insurance and windows deciding the walls the insulation the piping the electrical wiring the panel all sorts of things that you need to do the foundation and underground work connections and get free title and usually ends up to me about 25,000 with all that stuff in Florida if you use our services to do the hookups in the concrete and the underground if you use someone else's it goes from 18,000 to 35,000 easily and usually more but that's extremely cheap do we have containers

Thor Freya

Is a huge deal I'm probably buy one if I can figure out how to find them there's a huge number of things they want to hold from me and they probably will and it's awful, but it's worth sticking around that's for sure I got to do it and work at it right now there are huge numbers of warlocks being rounded up because of what they're doing with cars and trucks and more and I need them out of the way and they're being executed very fast

Zues

Huge numbers it doesn't mean talk and be an a****** and easy you get killed if you talk and it shouldn't be because it's rude and it doesn't help you get anything from Tommy f which is your plan

Hera

Were sinking a lot of money into this investment and we're going ahead with it, we're building a lot of kits right now and we have a lot of orders and a lot of them are in Florida and therefore lots that already have a foundation and they just order the custom size and we build it and we send it it takes like a day to get it no it takes like a week or two that's been a few down there there's about 20 and it went up real quick and they're in this person's version they cost $58,000 you don't have appliances and they don't really instruct you that well and they don't have utilities and on and on when they don't have roofing it's a nightmare and cost more than stick building it and in some cases it takes longer but I was real fast really easy ball together and you're done with a shell in one day

Olympus we're going to do a promotional down here then we're going to bring down the housing system and we're going to install a bunch and we're going to do it at shows we're going to take it apart and put it together a few times and they love seeing it inside and have a crane inside the electric one they want to see that too

[used-cars-sales]

How to Finance a Second Hand Car During Car Buying Process

Financing a second-hand car is similar to financing a new car, but there are some differences to keep in mind. Here are some steps to follow when financing a second-hand car during the car buying process:

Determine your budget: Before you start looking for a car, figure out how much you can afford to spend on it. Consider your monthly expenses, including your rent or mortgage, bills, and other debts.

Research car prices: Do some research to determine the market value of the type of car you want to buy. Look for similar cars for sale in your area, and compare prices to get an idea of what you should expect to pay.

Check your credit score: Your credit score will affect the interest rate you get when you apply for a car loan. Check your credit score and make sure it's in good shape before you start applying for loans.

Get pre-approved for a loan: You can apply for a car loan from a bank or credit union before you start shopping for a car. Getting pre-approved will give you an idea of how much you can borrow and what your interest rate will be.

Find a car: Once you know how much you can afford and what type of car you want, start looking for a car that meets your criteria.

Negotiate the price: When you find a car you like, negotiate the price with the seller. Use the research you did earlier to make sure you're getting a fair price.

Finalise the financing: After you've agreed on a price for the car, finalize the financing. This may involve applying for a loan from a bank or credit union, or working with a dealership to finance the car.

Sign the paperwork: Once you've secured financing, sign the paperwork and take possession of the car.

Remember to read the fine print carefully before you sign any loan or financing agreement, and ask questions if you're not sure about anything.

There are several benefits of buying a second-hand car, including:

Lower Price: One of the most significant benefits of buying a used car is that it is typically much cheaper than buying a new car. You can save a considerable amount of money by purchasing a used car, especially if you are on a tight budget.

Lower Depreciation: New cars lose a significant portion of their value in the first few years of ownership, whereas used cars have already experienced this depreciation. This means that you can buy a used car and sell it later without losing as much money as you would with a new car.

Lower Insurance Costs: Insurance costs for used cars are typically lower than for new cars, as the value of the car is lower, and the repair costs are often lower as well.

Wider Selection: When buying a used car, you have a wider selection of cars to choose from, as you can look at older models and brands that may no longer be in production.

Established Reputation: Used cars have an established reputation, as they have been on the road for a while. This means that you can research the car's reliability and performance before making a purchase, making it easier to make an informed decision.

Lower Registration Fees: Registration fees for used cars are typically lower than for new cars, as the fees are based on the value of the car.

Overall, buying a second-hand car can be a smart financial decision, as long as you do your research and choose a car that is in good condition and has a good reputation for reliability.

Here is a checklist for buying or selling a second-hand car:

Check the Car's History: Before buying or selling a used car, obtain a vehicle history report to check for any past accidents, repairs, or title issues.

Inspect the Car's Exterior: Check for any damage to the car's body, including dents, scratches, or rust.

Inspect the Car's Interior: Check the seats, dashboard, and carpets for any signs of wear and tear or damage.

Check the Car's Mechanical Condition: Test drive the car to check for any unusual noises, vibrations, or other mechanical issues. Look under the hood to check for any leaks or signs of wear and tear.

Check the Car's Safety Features: Make sure the car has functioning airbags, seat belts, and other safety features.

Check the Car's Title: Verify that the title is clean and in the seller's name.

Check the Car's Registration and Inspection: Verify that the car is registered and inspected up-to-date.

Negotiate the Price: If buying a used car, negotiate the price based on the car's condition, history, and market value.

Sign the Sales Agreement: Once you have agreed on a price, sign a sales agreement that includes the price, payment terms, and any other relevant details.

Transfer Ownership: If buying or selling a used car, transfer ownership by completing the necessary paperwork with the DMV.

By following this checklist, you can ensure that you are buying or selling a used car in good condition, with a clear title and all necessary paperwork completed correctly.