#my eyes were blessed on my adventure to the dollar store today.

[nc-vb]

oh no a new kink has been discovered but not for me

[lovely-necromancy]

A Cure for Insomnia CH.2

Getting back to your little one story cottage, you can only manage to rush in and run about in a mad dash as you try to accomplish getting ready for work and getting something to eat. Running through choices in your head as you change and freshen up, nothing sounds good. There's not much time since your shift starts at nine and to make it to the store you need to leave by eight twenty. You got home at eight fifteen, and while Nate, your manager, has never seemed to give a fuck what you did at work you're still in your probationary period and would like to keep the easiest job you've ever had.

It's a really simple gig, seeing as the store you work at is actually a front for some illegal activity. The variety of crime you aren't sure of, but you are aware there's no way you guys do no business and yet they can afford to pay thirty dollars an hour. Thankfully just keeping your mouth shut and being nice to little Jo, the owner's daughter, is enough to keep you in the cushiest job in the world. The store's front is a regular old book store, all the books are real, the registers work, you're able to sell books and you've run to the bank to do the weekly deposits twice for Book & Nook. The front is very legitimate or it would be if the amount of customers ever equaled the sales made.

Again you don't ask questions, because for thirty dollars an hour you get to goof off for a couple hours a day, plus you get a bonus when you watch little Jo at the shop. She's a real sweet eleven year old, she's got tourettes and took a shine to you the first time she saw you tic. While you both might not suffer the same disorder she finds the common ground nice, like it's not just her. It's not even hard to watch her or enjoy her company, she'll come bouncing in with her excited chittering and hands clapping spilling all the latest gossip that comes with being in middle school. And boy is there a lot of gossip.

It's really nice seeing that Jo has friends at school and is even considered a “popular” kid. You remember how tough school was because no one understood you and teachers never cared enough about your personality to bring up the fact that it was clear to most faculty members that you had Autism. You excelled academically so what did it matter if you got picked on for oversharing information or for finishing assignments the minute they were handed to you. As bittersweet as the parallels are you're so glad Jo doesn't have to go through that. Never would have thought a southern school could be so accepting, much less a middle school at that.

Tearing through the kitchen you honestly can't find anything that you want to eat right now. And even after a long night of hiking/dissociating you don't think you're that peckish at all. Figuring it's best to at least take something to quell any future nausea you grab a Pedialyte Pop from the freezer. As fast as you entered your home you left, and not before ensuring twice that the door was locked and secured. While living on the outskirts of town saves you from many potential robberies, and worse salesmen, there's still the chance of some lunatic with an ax hiding out in a closet to murder you. Better safe now than sorry later.

Pulling into park behind the shop right at nine is a blessing. You run into the shop to clock in blurting out a quick 'Morning' to Nate, who was carrying a particularly large box, as you passed by him. In a flash you were back at your car retrieving your newly prized deer skull. Lungs burning a bit from the all out sprint you just did you took a little extra time to close the trunk and lock your car up to catch your breath, and avoid any light headiness you might get from the empty stomach workout. Eager to share the wonders of death with your best work friends, and by that you mean Nate your manager...and only other coworker, you rush back into the building.

The shop was quiet as usual as you made your way through the door though you were in the back room where only employees could roam you had the slightest suspicion that the front of shop was just the same. It's there you find Nate, now lugging a medium sized box around to a side table. He did this a lot you suspect some type of smuggling but hey plausible deniability and all those legal matters. The taller dark haired man sees you and just as he's about to wave you over, notices your prize with a raised brow.

“The fuck d'you bring in the store?” he doesn't seem amused by whatever it is he thinks you're up to. “Deer skull.” Lifting it up in one hand and pointing at it, “Found this guy on my hike last night...or rather this morning actually.”

“YN, we talked about this, you said you'd get some sleep last night. No adventures remember.” he's only two years older than you and yet he acts as if he's ten years. He must be an old soul, or enjoys the role of care giver...or you're making him go gray prematurely, anything's possible.

“Eh, I remember saying I'd 'try' and get sleep.” for someone who's body is running on fumes your cheekiness is astronomical, “operative word being 'try', remember.”

It's a long silence as Nate decides if he wants to deal with your bullshit at this moment. After a minute or so he concedes leaning back on the table behind him. “Let's hear it.” and you perk up immediately.

“Cool, so I was walking along the tree line and spotted him, tried to find more but seems there's only one piece. Judging by the size of his antlers I'd say he was nearly fully grown. Now my plan is to do whatever treatments taxidermists do to bones and,” you continue to word vomit at the tired twenty-six year old in front of you, about the joys and wonders of taxidermy and the likely hood of ever finding a skull so nicely preserved.

“I can do that in here right?” even though it's been phrased as a question, you aren't asking permission, you're just being polite and letting Nate know the storage room will house your creepy deer skull antics for today...maybe the week you need to find a taxidermist book to figure out what you need to do.

Nate gives up and leaves with his box of new books to let you have full run of the back to do your weird vulture culture shit. He figures he's just too old to understand the new obsessions with the macabre. He hopes his cousin won't take to shit like this, the kid's weird enough as it is, no need to put another target on her back. Nate sets off to take down the Harry Potter sets in favor of this new comic series little Jo wanted.

Already taking his silence as the go ahead you place your found skull on the table and rush off into the store front to find a book on taxidermy and hopefully more specifically about bones. The set up and organization of the store reminds you a lot of the scene in Brendan Fraser's The Mummy 1997 where Evie is on the ladder and somehow causes all the book shelves to fall like dominoes. So unsafe, yet all book stores and libraries seem to have this set up. With the tall shelves it makes it difficult to accurately get a read on the spines. You don't even know what section taxidermy actually falls under, education maybe?

“Nate, where do you think a book on taxidermy would be?” you called out as you passed by him.

“...hobby?” that didn't sound right but you'd give it a shot anyway.

This should be fun, the hobby section was so disorganized and it took up nearly half the store too, Book & Nook had everything from fishing, to crochet, cooking, the art of film making, hell even had a cryptid hunting book a book that you may have to look into a bit later. You closed your eyes and let your intuition guide you, when you looked up you saw a thin black...vine, no whisp? It undulates in less than rhythmic movements nearly like a snake but it has no head, and not unlike a tentacle but without suckers. It's another hallucination so you were keen to ignore it until it stretched past your head, giving you an added auditory hallucination where you swore you could hear wind rushing past your ears, it swirled around you until it flew to the shelf and tapped on a book. Cautiously you walked over to it, it's never good to play into these delusions. Once you got close enough the black shape was gone but on the shelf was a creme colored paper back titled “Manual of Taxidermy: Complete Guide of Preserving Birds and Mammals.”

Walking to Nate with the book in your hands you asked him to read it and make sure you weren't having an episode and making everything up right now. You'd have to try harder to go to sleep tonight if that were the case.

“Oh you found your book huh?” he said looking down at the title.

Well this is getting weird fast, but you nod nonetheless. Might as well thank the weird hallucination gift right. Leaving him to do whatever it is he plans on doing the rest of the day, you go to the back. And just as the book instructs you set to cleaning the skull by setting it in some water and changing it as many times as the water runs murky. The book is quiet helpful to a beginner like yourself but it does seem a bit outdated from the bits of information you know from taxidermists blogs and vulture culture posts on the internet. Reading it in between water changes is a great way to pass the time though, not like you guys get any real customers anyways.

The bell rings as the front door opens and closes alerting you to someone's arrival on your third water change. Needing a little bit of mental stimulation you walk out into the front where Big Jo and Little Jo are talking to Nate. Little Jo sees you and skitters away from her father to rush you, she stops about a foot away and holds her arms wide open. She's a hugger but upon meeting you had never even thought people could be touch adverse so keeping in mind that you might not want to be touched she's learned to invite you into hugs and it's your choice to allow it or not. Placing a hand on your bicep you give a squeeze, checking your tolerance you find the thought bearable. Placing your arms outstretched at your sides Jo rushes your torso for her hug.

After she nearly body slammed you into the wall, and  let her death grip go she was off on a tangent about so many things. Her excited rapid blinking tic, one she developed after meeting you, triggering your own.

“Ok so you remember how last week I told you that Jessie Kinsleton said that Micheal Saleisa told Gigi B, not Gigi S. that Meghan,” you had no clue the lives of eleven year olds had gotten so complex, from the gossip you heard from Jo it seemed that the school's sixth graders were plotting for a war with an ice cream parlor up the street. No clue why, maybe just to fuck the system, kids are weird, preteens are weirder...and angry.

But you nod to Jo listening to her every word, and trying to calm your eyelids so you could actually open your eyes. After being told the sequence of events that would happen in the Tween Armageddon, something to do with Marco Salvator ordering three dozen donuts and a flock of geese, your eyes finally gained their ability to see back. Black whisps, much like the one from earlier, wandered all around your vision, it looked like a  dark smoke had settled eye level within the shop and was snaking through the isles.

Catching the movement of your eyes Jo looked around the shop too. Seeing nothing she turned back to you concerned, “Hey it's okay, nothin's there.”

Hearing the drop in volume of the normally chatty tween, Big Jo and Nate pause their conversation to turn their attention to you and follow you're gaze.

“Kid, you ain't sleepin' again?” Big Jo can already gauge by the bags under your eyes but he's a polite man so he feels the need to ask rather than state his assumptions.

“Day 6.” You answer simply, ever since you've started at Book & Nook the whole Cowell family became acutely aware of many of your disorders. By their record your longest time spent awake was ten days, you however adamantly say that you were an hour's mark away from ten full days so the longest you've been up is nine days in a row. And those are just the cases they know of since you've moved to Kepler.

Big Jo shook his head as a stern father would, which he is, “I have half the mind to send you home to rest.”

“That won't work.” you really don't mean to sound so coarse but it's so irritating having to go over this at least once a week.

“What about those gummy things Dia got you?”

“Long term that kind of stuff has no effect, sure it'll make me drowsie for an hour or two but even if it made me sleep one night I can't use it all the time. And before you ask the same questions again, caffeine has no real effect on me so limiting my intake will do nothing and weed doesn't do a thing for me either.” you state plainly, monotone as you present facts that everyone in the room already knows.

Looking at the stern face of Big Jo's and the exasperated face of Nate you continue, “I know it must be frustrating for you to not be able to help, but I'm content living like this. I like my late night adventures and when I do sleep it's really pleasant.”you threw in a smile for added comfort.

“Kid tha's not the point, there's somethin' wrong with you, medically I mean.” he's pinching the bridge of his nose, probably counting to ten to calm himself from raising his voice.

“Tons of people suffer from insomnia and there isn't anything a doctor could do for me except look for underlying conditions.” Big Jo's about to retort when you continue with, “Plus my dad and uncle both have insomnia as well so my case is due to the genetic lottery I lost.” You say with a hint of finality of your situation, you had to come to terms with this condition all the way back in high school. Having a decade to get used to your strange condition and the limitations it places on you from time to time. Whereas the Cowell family's only had two months to process this information, and you understand it'll take awhile before they stop being concerned. Same thing happened with you parents and friends back then too.

For now you're only met with more head shakes as if they were saying 'what are we going to do with you'. Leaving your medical issues aside Nate and Big Jo continue to talk shop, when the set up Nate just put on display catches Jo's eye.

Like lightening the tween was away from your side and by the new display shelf it looked like it held graphic novels. That's a first since you've been here, you walk over to join Jo knowing the second you do she'll start on about what's got her so excited. Most people might say you over indulge the child and coddle her but you actually just think it's really important to take interest in what makes kids happy. It helps them find their voices and also shows them that it's normal to get excited and like things.

“We got the TAZ graphic novels in?!” you hate rhetorical questions but smile and nod at her anyway.

“Have you read them? No, well you've listen to the podcast...what omg! Ok so there's these three brothers and their,” Jo begins regaling you with tales from the podcast known as The Adventure Zone and how fun they've made dungeons and dragons seem with their amazing story telling and funny characters.

You aren't sure if a show where the main group of heroes being called Tres Horny Bois is exactly age appropriate but when you look to Big Jo he kind of just shrugs it off. Turning you attention back to Jo who's now monologing about mongooses you just smile at the weird family you've found yourself in.

Let it be said that a tween with a slightly unhealthy fixation on something can find anyway to drag it back to that fixation. The day flew by with Jo explain the inner workings of dungeons and dragons, fifth edition, to you, her father, and her cousin after you mentioned why she didn't play. Apparently she'd love to but wanted a story fitting for her friend's to adventure. So being the good older cousin, father, and weird family friend you all were you came up with a story plot for her to use with her campaign.

The Jos had a lot of fun bonding over this little workshop and you guys even had food delivered so you and Nate could stay later. What was meant to just be a quick workshop turned into a mini family game night after you made several nearly impossible puzzles that wouldn't be used in Jo's campaign due to no one at the current table understanding how to solve it even after you showed them several times.

Overall it was fun and you think you might actually be tired enough to go to sleep tonight. You tried to stay and help clean up but Big Jo put his foot down and told you to go get some rest, he'd seen the way you occasionally look around the room as if something was moving behind them all. You may have started off as a cashier two months ago for him but his daughter has opened up a lot since meeting you and discovering that tics aren't so uncommon and there are people who wouldn't care or make a big deal out of them. Because of that you've earned your keep in his family, he already has you down on the list for Christmas cards.

Knowing you can't fight the six foot four man you roll your eyes and bid everyone good night, little Jo coming in to steal another hug from you and thank you for helping with her game. Checking on your skull you see the water's clear and dump it in the sink of the break room before leaving the skull to dry overnight, it's for sure gonna make Nate scream tomorrow, you can't help but chuckle at that.

Leaving through the back door and into the dusk colored parking lot you notice your trunk is popped open slightly. You definitely heard it shut earlier this morning. You blink before your head jerks to the right, unsettled by possibility of a break in and not risking it you head back inside.

“Hey, I think my car may have been broken into.” you stand awkwardly in the door way unsure of how to proceed.

Big Jo and Nate are out of the door as fast as they can. They find your car unlocked with the trunk popped, you know they weren't trying to brush you off when they asked several times if you did in fact lock your car this morning. After hearing your affirmative response each time, they began to inspect your car checking to make sure all wires are properly secured under the hood, Nate even retrieved the jack out of his own car to take a look under the car, ensuring the brakes hadn't been messed with. They started the car up just fine and it didn't appear tampered with. Even though nothing looked out of place and Nate's car, sitting in the same parking lot, hadn't been touched you appreciated them checking to make sure you were alright.

Knowing you're perceived as a woman by most, even outside of this small town, makes you uneasy when it comes to terms of abductions and violence. You know the chances and hear the stories whether it's from the victim's mouth or a podcaster's telling the story the dead can't. Nate offered to follow you home and make sure you were ok but you declined and said you'd call them both when you got home. Big Jo said to just call his home phone because Nate would be coming over tonight anyway, and if they didn't make it there before you called Dia was already at home and would pass the message along. You'll probably still try and give the shop a call if Dia answers, it wouldn't sit right with you if you wound everyone up just to not and at least try to settle their nerves.

With one final check of you car, the men even going so far as to lift seats up and feel under them, they sent you off. You drove carefully on the road tonight, ready to pull off into the shoulder at the slightest hint that something was wrong. Not even the radio was on something that you really didn't like driving without, but if there was the chance for you to catch a shift in tone of the machine you wanted to. Eventually you did end up making it home in one piece and you had called the Cowell family home, from the safety of your car, and got a spazztic eleven year old asking if you'd made it home alright. It took a little bit of coaxing but Little Jo calmed down and shouted to her parents that you were on the phone and alright.

“Kid,” looks like Big Jo took the phone away from Little Jo, “Everything ok on the drive.” Big Jo could hear the movement and shutting of your car door, he'd have to say he was relieved you waited until you were on the phone before exiting. He knew you lived out past the quiet zone in Old Lydia's house. A fact that did little for the unease he felt when he thought you were being watched.

“Oh, yea drive was fine, too quiet but fine.” you said simply as you began circling the cottage. Nothing seemed out of place on the outside, even looking above eye level where people tended to get sloppy in stalking or home invasion cases, everything seemed fine.

“Hope you don't mind if I keep you for a bit.” You had just unlocked your door and stepped in.

“Nah, kid 's fine.” you give a hum of acknowledgment as you look through the kitchen in cabinets, under cupboards, and even under the table.

“You're a smart kid.” he's taken that fatherly overtone that makes you roll your eyes. You understand the sentiment of parents and parental figures having pride in their child or ward but it's always been so weird to you when they feel the need to bring it up. Especially when they bring it up in situations that are dangerous, like can you not make it sound like someone's about to die.

Finding nothing in the living room, hall closet or bathroom you make sure all the windows are locked and dowels are in place to keep them from opening. And you double check that both the back and front doors are secured. You can hear the hushed whispers on the other end of the line, Dia must have just found out about your car, as you rustle through your kitchen utensil drawers taking out two forks before you make your way to your bedroom.

Once in your room you checked your closet and under your bed. Finding nothing you  went to the window in your room, the one right by your bed, you checked the lock, secured it in place with two dowels, and then covered it throwing a thick blanket over the curtain rod to ensure no one would be viewing you in your sleep or the precautions you were about to do. Turing around and locking your bedroom door you then jam one fork into the closed door crease, right below the locking mechanism, and jammed the other fork perpendicular through the prongs. You attempted to open the door with all your weight but only could get an inch in before the forks would stop more movement.

“Kid you alright over there?” it's rushed, he probably heard the commotion with your make shift lock.

“Yea, just had to add another lock to the door.” you trust the Cowell's but you understand how stupid it'd be to let them know exactly how you were defending yourself. Even if it wasn't them there's no telling if the person who broke into your car was outside and just good at hiding. You could also be too jumpy from your true crime shows but you figure it's better to be safe.

“I think everything's good Big Jo.” taking a final glance around your room eye's landing on the bed, “Think I'm even ready to go to sleep tonight too.” a small half laugh leaves your mouth.

“Alright kid, you call if you need anything got it.” it's an order not a request.

“Got it, good night.” Big Jo might think that'd been rude coming from anyone else but from you he can only roll his eyes at the brevity and the dial tone he's met with. He has his own sweep to do, if they were targeting his employee there was a reason. He hasn't had any problems since coming to Kepler but someone always eventually comes along who can't take a hint.

Even combing through your home with Big Jo on the line you didn't feel safe having your bed by the window anymore and moved it away and in front of the closet door. You'd rearrange your room later but for tonight this would have to do. By some grace of god you were actually able to shut your brain down tonight and rest. Maybe it was the excitement and merriment from hanging out with the Cowells or more likely the situation you find yourself in of perhaps being a target for something insidious.

Whatever the case may be you are off to the land of dreams before you know it. And unbeknownst to you the same eyes from this morning watch your home. They may not have seen what you did in there but they'd be sure to catch you when you come out. They'll wait all night to catch you if they have to.

[hops-hunny]

Distance Makes the Heart Grow

CHAPTER 1

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Mafia Boss!Neville Longbottom x Reader

Pronouns: She/Her

Word Count: 1.8k

Summary: (Y/n) lives a normal life. But that’s the issue, it’s normal, it’s plain, and it’s growing boring. Everyday she wishes for something, anything to spice up her life. But, when her old school friend (and crush) shows up at her bakery with a new look (and what looks like a new life), what will it bring for her? Will their puppy love grow? Will his big secret lead to the end of them or will it spark a new beginning?

Warnings: None for this chapter!

A/N: Nothing major happens in this chapter, this is sorta just like the beginning stages.

(Y/n) let out a load groan, hand searching aimlessly for the alarm clock on her side table. “Where is it?!” she continued to slap her hand around on her table, many objects falling to the floor before her hand finally landed on the right one, the rooster noises ceasing as her hand collided with the big snooze button. She rolled over, sighing as she stared at her speckled ceiling. “Perhaps I really should take the time to learn how to use the alarm on my phone.” it wasn’t that she was bad with technology persay. It’s just if it was produced after the year of 2008 you could forget it. Could you really blame her though? During all her years at Hogwarts, she had never made the switch her fellow classmates made with modern technology. Sure she had a smart phone but the only thing she could manage to do with it is call, text, and make notes in the notes app (something she had just recently learned as well).

Unwillingly, she crawled out of bed, stretching as she let out a large yawn, bones snapping and cracking like a New Year’s firework. She made her way to the bathroom, looking into the same mirror she always did, watching the light in the center flicker the same way as always. Life for (Y/n) was seemingly unchanging. Day after day, month after month, was spent exactly the same. She’d wake up, get ready for work, and then travel a few blocks down the street to open the bakery. Her bakery.

It wasn’t that (Y/n) didn’t enjoy what she did. She happened to enjoy her job very much. All her friends at Hogwart’s had encouraged her, giving her the push she need to travel the journey of opening her own business. It was something she had always wanted to do but her parents begged her not to. In their words they didn’t want ‘an over zealous and unrealistic’ daughter on ther hands. However, their rude words simply were fuel to the fire. During her 5th year, she began to busk tables at various shops in Hogsmeade. It was hard work, balancing long shifts at 3 different shops and still maintaining decent scores in each class. But, she knew if she couldn’t handle that then there was no way she’d be able to handle running a bakery. So day in and day out she’d work, and work, and work and by the end of her 7th year she had a decent amount of money saved up! 

The first issue had been finding a place in a good area that would gain traction and attention while the second one was finding someone willing to sell to someone fresh out of school with no prior business experience. She’d spoken to many people in various different places, some good, and some bad before she finally had been blessed with the chance of meeting Mary and her wife Denise. It was a miracle really. (Y/n) was short on the money, exponentially so however, Mary had sold to her anyways. She said she saw a passion in the girl that she hadn’t seen for a very long time and that it was something she wanted to help foster considering she had had her time to live her dreams and explore passions of her own. So with that, a handshape was exchanged for a beat up envolope filled with the entirety of the girl’s life savings. She had invested every nickel and dime she had ever earned into the place and she prayed it wouldn’t blow up in her face.

Which brought her to where she was today: a proud owner of a highly successful business. And of course, with great business comes a nice chunk of money which caught her parents’ attention. They had began to call her everyday but when that they didn’t work, they showed up at her shop unannounced. At first, she had felt warm inside. Her usual cold and distant parents had come to visit her! However, when they started crunching out numbers and percentages, that short lived happiness was replaced by irritation in which she quickly kicked them out, placing a charm on the building that when they’d attempt to enter (if they really, truly, had the balls to come back), their bodies would be flung right back onto the sidewalk into the heaping piles of trash on the city side walks. Now, (Y/n) was by no means wealthy, but she made a nice amount of money to be engaging in something she enjoyed so heavily, which is why she was confused where they had gotten the idea she had money to share with the main two people who were the cause of her insecurities. Plus, every extra dollar she had she put right back into the shop. Paying her workers, building maintenance, ingredients. She wasn’t a fan of having too much money, her family had shown her what that could cause (and how easily you could lose it all). 

Yet still sometimes she found herself wishing she could live the lavish lifestyle her parents once did. She mainly dreamed more so of the more engaging parts instead of the status and power that came with it. As she frosted various different cakes with thick buttercream, her mind would wonder to vivid imagery of beautiful hotel rooms, with breath taking views. Michelin five star meals, coated in delicious cream sauces. Endless adventure waiting to be discovered.

And yet here she was, sitting at a table as she stuffed her face with a raspberry marzipan cupcake. It was a Wednesday, first one of the month and as per usual, her and Twyla were set together, sampling cakes, chocolates, and other treats for the upcoming days. Wednesday had been the official day  they had chosen due to the slowed flow of people that would come in. (Y/n) liked to have a different theme each day of the week. The customers lived for it and she had massed a group of frequenters who came each day, wondering what the theme would be that day.

“You know boss, I’ve gotta say it. Working here and sampling all these cakes with you is giving me quite the ass!” Twyla said, turning around as she wiggled her ass in the girl’s face for emphasis. (Y/n) giggled, rolling her eyes as she swatted at the girl, missing as she jumped away from her last minute. “Hey! You gotta take me out to dinner first for that.”

“Just because we’re sampling cakes doesn’t mean that the store is closed! Anyone could walk in at any moment and would you really want that to be their first experience here?” she asked, eyes scanning the silver platter in front of them. She decided on the new dessert flavored chocolates she had been working on. Popping it into her mouth, she let out a moan of approval.

“I mean, I dont’ see why not! We’d definitely make a lot more money with a cake like mine!” the blue haired girl said, sitting down as she grabbed a chocolate as well. “Besides, I don’t think those little noises you’re making would help the scene.” she stated, snickering as the girl across from her tensed up.

“It-it’s not like that! The chocolate- it just- I just- ugh!” she stuttered out, huffing as she crossed her arms over her chest, pouting at the girl. “If you’re gonna keep being mean we can end this process. Just tell me what you think of the blueberry pie chocolate so I can know if we’re adding it to tomorrow’s spread.”

“Oh come on (Y/n) it’s good! Every first Wednesday we sit here, you overly critique yourself, then me and Tiana end up picking out our favorites for the next day!” Twyla was right, even their patterns for trying new things remained the same. (Y/n) wiped her messy hand on her aprons, sighing as she stood up to go back to her position behind the counter. Her employee followed, grabbing the platter to put back into the kitchen before joining her boss behind the counter.

“You’re right. I swear everyday is beginning to feel the same.” She opened her notepad, beginning to take inventory of the sweets they had in the display counter. “I’m grateful for everything I have, I really am. But sometimes I just wish I could have something, anything….”

“New?” the green eyed girl added, catching the (h/c) haired girl’s attention. She nodded, looking at the girl who had snuck a cookie out of the glass case. “I feel ya, girl. Everyday feels the same. Sometimes even when new people come in, I can already tell how they’re going to be. How they’ll act, what they’ll order, what method of payment they’ll use.” (Y/n) eyed the girl up, raising a brow.

“Are you sure you’re not just using legilimens?” she questioned, watching as the girl shifted on her feet, scratching the back of her neck.

“Okay so maybe I do sometimes. But a lot of the times I don’t! Like the other day this weird guy came in and- woah. (Y/n) I don’t wanna freak you out but I have a feeling those hotties in suits across the street are going to be walking in here soon.” Twyla said, in an uncharacteristically quiet tone. The shorter girl followed her friend’s gaze, looking out the glass doors across the street. Three unfamiliar men were crossing over, all in suits that she could only assume cost as much as four months of rent. However, the one in the middle really caught her eye.

Before she knew it, the bell chimed and the three of them made their way in. They looked very out of place in the brightly decorated shop. The one in the middle looked the most important, towering over the other two men. He had dark slicked back hair, an eyebrow piercing, and tattoos that were visible on his neck and hands (which had a few beautiful looking rings on them (none of which were a wedding band…)), yet his hazel eyes held a soft look to them. To his left was a redhead boy, freckles danced all along his face. His eyes were bloodshot from god knows what. He had tattoos as well (not as many as the middle man) and a few unique ear piercings. The guy to the hot tall guy’s right was attractive too but not nearly as serious looking as the other two. In fact, he was humming a song under his breath, a smile causing the tattoo on the right side of his face to crease. 

As she went to open her mouth to greet them, the man in the middle eye’s grew wide, his mouth gaping as he stared at her. He walked closer, examining her face closely which caused her to grow confused.

“I’m...I’m sorry. Do I know you?” she asked.

“(Y/n)?” she gasped at the sound of the familiar voice, her notepad and pen dropping from her hands. She made her way around the counter, staring up at the tall man.

“Neville?!”

NEXT||

TAGSLIST: @vayeya11 @pink-hufflepuff @clancyscookies @beewitchedlou @nevillelongbottomsgirlfriend @redpanda-poetry @vibingaesthetically

[mischa-auer]

Screenland magazine, July 1938: What Makes You So Funny, Mr. Auer? By Margaret Mary Jolsyn

Transcript of article:

As is the inescapable fate of office girls, Jane and I were doing our shopping in the Saturday afternoon whirlpool of the Loop, buffeted by determined females with hats askew, and mad, bargain-hunting eyes. Above the roar of traffic, our trained ears discerned the harsh croaks of women with parched throats who had staggered from drug-store to drug-store in vain search of a stool and a coke.

Heads down, we rammed our way through the mob, until our eyes were caught by as soothing a sight as one could hope to see. It was a large poster of Mischa Auer in front of the Palace theatre. Above his high hat appeared the legend, “Today, In Person.”

Blessed Mischa Auer, who no matter how dry and cracked the creek of your spirits, can cause it to overflow with laughter like the Ohio river in floodtime! Mischa, the Thief, who steals every picture in which he appears!

“I think,” I said to Jane, “that I will drop around back-stage and interview Mischa Auer.”

“Why, hello, Louella Parsons,” she said. “Fancy meeting you in on old lapin coat! Rehearsing for a character role, I presume?”

“Want to come with me?” I asked, shaking her shower of sarcasm off my back, like a dog.

“You’re not really going to interview him?” she asked. “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but I phoned back-stage this morning. The man in the office said Mischa is a good guy; he’d probably talk to me if I caught him before his number. Come with me. If he won’t talk- at least we’ll see him.”

Jane looked down wistfully at her rubbers. “Mmm, I’d love to see him. But I only have a half hour, and Fields, has a sale on piqué blouses- a dollar ninety-eight. And I want to return the cologne I bought last week. Besides, the sidewalks are bone dry and I am wearing rubbers. How can a girl embark on high adventure wearing rubbers? I’d quail before those great liquid orbs of Mischa’s. What would he think? ‘There’s a clod,’ he;d say to himself.”

“OK,” I said. “Get your piqué blouse. I am going to see Mischa Auer.”

She hesitated uncertainly, as though to follow me, then glanced once more at her rubbers, and shook her head. “Report every detail. Don’t miss a twitch of his eyebrow,” she said, and waved goodby.

The doorman admitted me without question and waved me into a reception room overflowing with school children. Plump little girls in bowler hats and clean bright hair curling Deanna Durbin style, sat on the davenport. Their hands clenched autograph books and their eyes were tense and excited.

“When’s he coming?”

“Why doesn’t he hurry up?”

“Aw, this is nothing,” preened a child-about-time, evidently an old-timer at the autograph game. “Last summer the kids waited four hours for Martha Raye.” She looked disdainfully at me as though I were a big bully, waiting to snatch autographs from the hands of babes.

“Four hours?” exclaimed a small boy, striding up and down the room, his hands in his leather jacket pocket. “Then the kids were suckers. I like Mischa Auer, but I wouldn’t wait four hours for any man.”

And then Mischa appeared, tall, lively-eyed, and far more handsome than he is on the screen. The children loosed themselves against his knees, proffering autograph books. I managed to shout over their heads that I wanted an interview. “I have no time now,” he said. “I tell you what. Go inside and see the show. When the acrobats appear, come back here again, and I will give you an interview.” I cast a haughtily triumphant glance at the know-it-all child-about-town, whose mouth was agape, and disappeared into the movie palace via the “strictly-private” route.

As soon as the picture was over I returned back-stage. Four young and tender little girls- reporters for their school papers- sat patiently in the reception room. Mischa appeared, and beckoned to all of us with a wave of his long arm.

“Follow me,” he said.

He led the procession, executing a few dance steps, and waving an imaginary baton. The four schoolgirls and I followed after him, single file, through the wings- pausing when he paused to chat to a stage-hand, and then onward, up the stairs to the dressing-room.

There were only three chairs in the room. He placed them all together and said, “Now, two of you can sit in the cracks. This is a mass interview, so fire away. But one question at a time, please.”

He began to divest himself of his shirt, and his broad chest gleamed before five pair of startled, quickly lowered eyes.

“Oh, Jane,” I thought, “what you missed!”

Silence answered him. Neither I, nore the four representatives of their school papers, pencils poised above notebooks, could think of a thing to say.

“What is it?” he demanded, his eyes widening in hurt surprise. “The chest? But you see the same on the bathing beaches, do you not? In a dressing-room, one undresses. That is logic, is it not? Ah, well!” He disappeared into the bathroom and poked his head around the door.

“We came to find out what makes you so funny, Mr. Auer,” said one of the little girls in a high, intense treble.

“Call me Mischa,” he sho

[tommygunhazard18]

EuroTrip 2018 Day Four: Farewell Iceland

Before I went to bed last night I video called my parents just to check in and see how things were at home. At this point I was starting to get really hungry, but with it being close to 10 P.M. here in Reykjavík I needed something to take my mind off of it. It was so nice to see my parents and the dogs, I miss them a lot but I know that they are in good hands with my parents.

I woke up close to 8 A.M. and laid in bed for about an hour; I know I was lazy. Today was a final adventure day, so I decided to walk to the Perlan. It was the dome that I saw on the first day, so I figured why not leave it out of the list of things to see.

It took about a half an hour to walk there, and when I arrived the building was closed for renovations. There was a sign saying the viewing point was still opened so I went up to the top. From there you can see all of Reykjavík, and I come to realize that it was the perfect way to end my stay in Iceland.

On my way back to downtown I stopped off at the same gas station where Subway was at, but I bought a cheaper sub from the convenience store part. A six inch sub at subway was close to $11 dollars, where as a sub bigger than that and a Gatorade was the same price. Go figure.

It was close to 1 P.M. when I walked through the beautiful park called “Hljomskalagardur Park”. It had a huge pond called “Tjörnin” which was so beautiful, especially with the sun beginning to come out from behind the clouds.

Vilborg told me about the “Settlement Museum” so I decided to check it out. It was so cool because the museum was built around an old foundation of a building dated back before the 1000’s. Reading about how Iceland was first discovered to how they lived and survived, the history was very fascinating. They also had a spot where they talked about Norse mythical animals, like Odin’s horse “Sleipnir”. The myth has it that when Sleipnir touched down on Iceland, it’s good created the horse shoe mountains called “Ásbyrgi”.

As I walked back I decided to take one last walk along the waterfront and see all the beautiful mountains for one last time during daytime. I sat there for a good 20 minutes just taking in all the sights and sounds, the waves calmly hitting the rocks, the birds chirping, the cars driving behind me on the roads. It won’t be final time I’ll be in Iceland, I’ll be back for sure.

I got back to the hotel around 2:45 P.M. just to rest my feet for a little bit, and on my way to the elevator I noticed a couple who were struggling to figure out the buttons. It was funny because I had the same troubles too, so I promptly showed them how to work it.

On the ride up I asked them where they were from, and they said they were from Denver, Colorado and flew from Dallas, Texas. It was a 7 hour flight for them, which was crazy because it was just over 5 hours for me.

From there I relaxed for a couple of hours until Vilborg came to pick me up for dinner. I was so excited to eat, as I was very hungry at this point in time, but also excited to meet her girlfriend Kara.

When I got there I remembered that they have three cats, so of course I instantly attached to them. Two of them were bigger than my cats, and one was a small little one, although three years old. Before I went to eat the meal, I decided to taste the fermented shark in front of Kara and Vilborg, and honestly it wasn’t as bad as I thought (as I can still smell it on my fingers typing this out). It had a really chewy texture, but at the same time the taste hits you all at once. Overall, I’d probably not eat it again, but I’d love to get my friends back home to eat it.

For the meal, it was cooked lamb, small potatoes and corn, with a pepper cheese and cream sauce. This is normally a traditional Christmas meal, and to be honest It was so amazing because I’ve never had lamb before. After the meal, the three of us sat at the table with the cats and just talked about different things in life, from haunted stories to medical issues, to Icelandic history and learning some more words (can’t tell you those either).

As a parting gift, Vilborg gave me two chocolate bars that were black liquorice flavour, and the letter she wrote for me at the start of the year. I in return I gave them both a bottle of maple syrup and some buttons from Canada, and her sister a gift as well for driving around Iceland.

In the end, as me and Vilborg drove back to my hotel, we ended up talking for another hour and a half. It was great to get to know her better, along with different people in her life, and likewise with me.

I got back to the hotel around 11:30, but when I tried to open the door my key wouldn’t work. I tried both doors and neither would work, so I was panicking really badly. Thankfully a couple from Portugal were arriving late, and they got their hotel to open the door for me. Phew that was a close one!

From now, it is the long wait from 11:50 P.M. until 3 A.M. so I can catch my bus to the airport.

As I reflect on my time in Iceland, I could honestly say without a doubt in my mind that it is my most favourite place I’ve ever been to. The natural beauty of it all, alongside with the tiny city of Reykjavík, has really left a huge spot in my heart. From doing the golden circle to meeting such amazing people along the way, I am so blessed to have the chance to do things like this. I am just so happy that I can share my stories and memories with people that I love back home, and let them have a chance of travelling through my eyes. I hope this is the first of many amazing stops along this amazing trip.

More to come...

[healthymomzone-blog]

Money Saving Secrets to Save on Groceries Now!

If you are ready to save real money on your grocery bill and put that money to better use; if you want a surplus of groceries and products for your family to enjoy that stays well within your budget, then this will set you in the right direction. Saving on groceries has become a passion that has been not only helpful in our personal family finances, but also a lot of fun! I do not know about you, but I love it when I get a whole lot more for a whole lot less.

You will be able to use these money saving tips to begin saving today!

Stay-at-home mom = Work!

As a stay-at-home mom, one thing that I know is that anyone who says, "Oh, so you don't work..." does not have a clue! Staying home with your kids can be a huge blessing, but it is definitely work.

I started coupon shopping several years ago so I could do more to help our finances without sacrificing the choices we made to home school our children and keep our family a priority.

I found a way to help with our finances and still stay at home for my family

Now you might say, everyone knows about coupons. I use coupons. They have been around for years. I know... because I have heard it and I used to even say it myself! I would hear about people saving all this money with coupons, so I would look and find a few that I might use, but it just never seemed to amount to much or to really make much of a difference. I would even tell people, " I just go to WalMart or whatever discount store and buy the generic store brand. It's always less than it would be if I use the coupon for the higher priced brand." So I finally gave up on coupons for the most part. My routine would be to plan a week of meals, make a grocery list for only the items that I needed, and not let myself be swayed from off my list because I knew from experience that all that did was make my grocery bill skyrocket!

I worked very hard at meal planning and having well balanced and economic meals, but it seemed like the cupboards and 'fridge were not ever very exciting to look at. Then there were always those dreaded non-food items. I always thought, "Yeah, that toilet paper might be soft and oh so gentle, but it costs $1.97 more than this one!" Needless to say, grocery shopping was not on my Top 10 list of fun things to do.

Couponing 101

Then something happened that peaked my curiosity. My son would come home from his friend's house talking about the smorgasbord of delectable treats he devoured from their overflowing fridge and pantry. He would tell me how his friend's mom shops with coupons and hardly spends any money. He would tell me that I had to talk to his friend's mom! Well, I did just that, and my eyes were opened to a totally new way of grocery shopping. No more would I be keeping meager supplies just to cover that week's meals, but now I would be maintaining a surplus of stocked goods that makes me smile every time I open my pantry. I found out that it is not just about the coupons, but matching them with an already great deal at the store that week. When you shop the deals WITH the coupons, then you have the surplus. And that is just the beginning.

Wow! Free Groceries!

I was genuinely amazed at my immediate savings. Not only that, but instead of only occasionally patronizing those really nice, clean, expensive stores with the fresh, green, pretty produce displayed so pristinely, now those stores are my regular destination. The best part... at the checkout when the cashier hands me my receipt and says, "Wow! You have a savings of $48.63!" And I only spent about $40.00. It's still a regular occurrence on the way home from grocery shopping to call a friend and tell them about the 10 bags of free cat food and 4 boxes of cereal I got for 2 bucks! We have been so blessed and excited with an overabundance that it is common for us to help needy families with enough dry goods, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. to last them at least 4 months! And most of it was free or cost us very little.

How to have a happy pocketbook

This whole adventure did more for my family than save money. I was able to finally relax and not worry so much about how much I was spending. I am able to buy enough food for my ravenous teenage sons and their hungry friends and not be terrorized by the grocery bill. There are even weeks when I do not even need to buy groceries. If I know there are things I can get for free or ridiculously cheap then I will go, but I know if I miss the bargains that week, I still have my coupons for the next one. It has been really nice to go ahead and buy those nice steaks to slap on the grill and know that with my savings in other areas, it will not affect my checkbook how to grocery shop cheap .

There is a pattern to grocery store sales and the coupons the manufacturers run. There are stores that will double and triple your coupons and matching sales with available coupons is a gold mine! The discount stores do habitually offer lower prices on most items, but the sales at the other stores along with your coupons makes the item you purchase rock bottom and quite often, free! The stores aren't surprised about what coupons come out. A lot of times when there is a really good sale, certain items will be gone before you have a chance to shop. But even if you get to the store and they are all out of the item that was on sale, you can get a "rain check" and pay the sale price when you go back next week or the week after when the shelves are restocked! I literally have not had to buy dishwasher soap for 9 months, and when I did get it, it was free! And I am not talking the cheapy stuff you get at the dollar store either. It is the nice Powerball tabs and pre-measured packets you just pull out of the box and put in the door of the dishwasher. Pay a dollar for Softsoap? Not when I can get it for free!!"