#pilgrim bar

[sushiisiu]

hope they get incurable diseases from this bathroom

[piningpercussionist]

Before my laptop screen cracked, I took a Fuck Load of screenshots from episode one (primarily of Kim, naturally.)

I'm not gonna post them all rn, or even queue them really, but I did want to post all the ones I got from this little shot!

[eopederson3]

¿Turistas o peregrinos? O Cebreiro, Lugo, 2011.

Stayed in a very pleasant room in the PR behind the people.

[teenyweenyeenymeeny]

I think Young Neil’s hair lightens to Almost blond in the summer if he spends any time outside and also he gets freckles

[revenantpark]

Boy what the hellll boy

[mochapanda]

wish i had a friend to go drinking with on my birthday.......

[opencommunion]

“'These are very dark days, very difficult days,' the Reverend Munther Isaac said, speaking to Al Jazeera from Bethlehem in the West Bank. 'I think the restrictions this year have definitely increased. Even for us here in Bethlehem – and Jerusalem is literally 20 minutes away from here – we don’t have access.'

'Jerusalem is very important for us, especially at Easter. We’re accustomed to … praying in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,' he said. 'This is part of our daily life under occupation. The war has added to our pain because of the magnitude of death and killing.'

... Rafi, a Christian youth coordinator, said Israeli settlers had made the Old City an almost no-go zone. 'Even before the war started, we saw the settlers attacking the churches and even the Christian cemeteries,' he said. 'They were attacking any priest or any nun walking inside Jerusalem. Even the pilgrims walking the Way of the Cross [Via Dolorosa] were under attack.'

Many Palestinian Christians from the occupied West Bank have been deprived of walking the Via Dolorosa this year. Even before the war, Palestinian Christians had to request permission to visit the Old City well in advance of celebrations. Last year, the Greek Orthodox Church slammed what it called Israel’s 'heavy-handed restrictions' on freedom of worship during Easter.”

[eternal-sunflowers]

There's a war in my head every time Don't Stop Me Now by Queen plays. Half of me imagines Shaun of the Dead, while the other half pictures Red, White, and Royal Blue. The images clash into some extravagant gay zombiepocalypse.

[maximumzombiecreator]

Since I've had a few people asking about megadungeon stuff recently, and I am an avowed megadungeon megafan, I thought it might be fun to walk through an actual example of megadungeon play that exemplifies what I like best about it.

This post is going to be the first in a series talking about a room from a megadungeon that I ran over 20 years ago (brushing past that fact quickly lest the horrors set in.) It was a major room, probably the most complex and important in the dungeon, and the players passed through it frequently throughout the campaign. In this post I'll introduce you to the room, and then in later posts I'll talk about what it does well and how to use that lesson more generally. Below the cut is a reproduction of the map as I remember it.

Without getting into The Lore too deeply, some dwarves accidentally dug into hell, as one does. Classic trope, nothing wrong with using them. They quite sensibly shut the mine down and sealed if off, but word got out. A human king heard about this, and took over the mine, expanding it into a temple complex to curry favour / barter with hell. It went badly, as such things do.

This concourse connects several wings of the dungeon, spanning several floors. An enormous devil face statue emerges from the northern wall, above the second floor balcony and below the fourth, and a column of light shines through a hole in the ceiling onto the center of the floor. Several floors of balconies overlook the chamber, though the stairs to the fourth floor balcony have long since collapsed.

This chamber was not too far from the main entrance, with the party first encountering it on their second delve into the dungeon, though it would take two more delves for them to gather the courage to enter it. At the time they first encountered it, it was swarming with imps and other little devils worshipping the big face.

I'll summarize the key:

A. Hallway from the Entry Chambers, the first and easiest section of the dungeon.

B. Doorway to the Pilgrim's City.

C. Doorway to the Unholiest of Unholies. Sealed and warded against simple spells.

D. Doorway to the Old Dwarven Quarters.

E. Doorway to the Nobles' Section. Barred from the far side.

F. Portcullis to the Pilgrim's City. The mechanism has rusted out and no longer functions.

G. Doorway to the Halls of the Clergy.

H. Doorway from the King's Inner Sanctum.

I. Doorway to the Archive.

J. Doorway to the King's Inner Sanctum, locked.

K. Doorway to The Indulgences.

Stairway from floor 1 to floor 2.

Light from the hole in the ceiling.

Broken stairs from floor 2 to floor 4.

Big ole devil face. Its eyes are a one-way illusion, allowing anyone within the face to view the room below.

Okay that's a lot, thanks for sticking it out. While I don't want to wander too far off topic into the rest of the dungeon, I'll just briefly note that the Pilgrim's City and Old Dwarven Quarters are easier sections of the dungeon, the Nobles Section and Halls of the Clergy are slightly more difficult, the King's Inner Sanctum, Archive, and Indulgences are very dangerous, and the Unholiest of Unholies is, as one might expect, where the worst things (and best loot) in the dungeon are. This was 2nd edition AD&D, so there was not a presumption of fights being balanced, and traipsing through more dangerous sections of the dungeon at lower levels wasn't uncommon. The players also understood the varying levels of danger fairly implicitly, since the custom at the time was that any time you went a level further away from whatever the ground floor was, things got more dangerous. The only exception to this is the Unholiest of Unholies and I think we can agree that when it's beyond a magically sealed door under a giant devil head the danger is telegraphed.

Next post I'll start talking about what made this room work so well in practice.

[piningpercussionist]

..

Girl drummer

I am, former girl drummer

Hi.

- Noel Welsh 💥🎶🥁

ooc: despite the setting I have chosen, Kim is Not Drunk here; she's just gotten to the bar as you've approached her, in my mind

Stellar opening. Five of five stars. Congratulations, I guess? You've narrowly avoided a very harrowing encounter.

*Kim's voice is dry as she sets down her bottle, rubbing the bridge of her nose before she spins around on the bar stool to actually look at who's approached her.*

*She looks him up and down for a moment, brow raised.*

I have a name, you know. Suspect you do, too. Generally what people offer, in an introduction.

*Grabbing her bottle back off the counter behind her, she takes a long swig from it before resting it in her lap, tapping her fingers along the neck of it.*

It's Kim. Kim Pine. And you are...?

[apricops]

if you're a GM for a DnD or DnD-adjacent game and you need a quick and dirty way of bringing a group of player characters together, don't have them meet in a bar. Have them meet on a pilgrimage.

Pilgrimages are pretty universal - people from everywhere at every time have made a big deal about going to visit holy places or relics.

Pretty much everyone can have a reason to be a part of a pilgrim caravan: martial-types can be hired guards, rogue-types can be guides or on the lookout for marks, wizard-types can be there out of scholarly curiosity or piety, etc.

You can literally putting the party on a line leading directly to your first plot point.

If you have any interesting ideas you want to show off, you can put them on that direct line to the first plot point.

[robot-roadtrip-rants]

The Reunion of Lion and Guilliman

It’s a big deal, of course. The primarchs, resplendent in their armor, formally greet each other and shake hands on a dais. Lights flash around them as pict after pict is taken, servo skulls hovering close as they furiously record the occasion. Thousands of their sons stand to attention, organized by chapter in perfect parade formation, a rainbow of colors and heraldry buffed to an exquisite sheen. The great and good of the Imperium fill the audience, each weighed down with garments and jewelry worth whole planets. Speeches are given, glorious words about brotherhood and friendship and strength in the darkest hours. Outside, pilgrims swoon in ecstatic frenzy at the glory of the moment.

The real reunion takes place after the festivities die down. The primarchs remove their armor and retreat to a room that has been hastily cleaned after millennia of disuse for just this purpose. It is a humble room, no more than a lounge, made for casual conversation and socialization. Its unique quality are the dimensions of the furniture, for this room was made for a very specific group of brothers—brothers who, bar two, are now gone.

Lion sniffs at an arrangement of bottles on one of the tables. “Mjod,” he growls.

“The Space Wolves were generous,” Guilliman says.

“Is this really necessary?” Lion frowns.

Guilliman says nothing, only raises an eyebrow at him. Him, and the rest of the galaxy, and the state of humanity, and the crumbling Imperium. Lion considers his life and the future awaiting him. Then he seizes a bottle and downs it in one go.

Hours pass. There is laughter, and there are tears. Stories old and new are shared. There is considerable commentary on the current Imperium—commentary that, should it have come from lesser men, may have been described as complaining. A full ten minutes are devoted to cherubs alone. (“I spent a week shooting them down until someone told me what they were.” “I swear by Terra herself, I thought they were Chaos abominations.”)

There is no fighting. That will come, eventually; tomorrow, or in a week, or a month. They are very different people, with different ideas and plans, and both are proud men disinclined to compromise. Conflict is inevitable. But not tonight. Each has lost too much to sacrifice this rare moment with his only surviving peer.

The night winds on. Bottle after bottle is consumed. Lion’s tabard lies discarded on an armchair. Guilliman’s laurels hang from a lamp. Both are flushed with mjod, hair flying free of carefully coiffed hairdos. Lion is lying on the floor, hands folded neatly across his chest, staring into the middle distance at the ceiling. Guilliman is facedown on a couch, muffled muttering emanating occasionally from his body.

A thought dawns on the Lion. It is a joke he heard once from M’kia. Lion is ambivalent on the topic of jokes, but this one fits the current situation too well to be ignored.

“Brother,” he says, “I have realized something.”

A grunt issues from Guilliman, signaling him to continue. Lion begins the joke.

“It occurs to me that if I had a throne for every time the galaxy was split by a warpstorm, and you asked me for help running the Imperium, I would have two thrones. Which isn’t much, but it is strange that it happened twice.”

Silence. Guilliman’s shoulders shake as muffled sobbing emits from the couch.

[apoemaday]

When You Are Old

by W.B. Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep, And nodding by the fire, take down this book, And slowly read, and dream of the soft look Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep; How many loved your moments of glad grace, And loved your beauty with love false or true, But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, And loved the sorrows of your changing face; And bending down beside the glowing bars, Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled And paced upon the mountains overhead And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

[callie-the-creator]

and they were roommates

sfw. warnings: reader is gender-neutral, mild scott pilgrim vs. the world spoilers, mentions of alcohol/alcoholism, migraines, hangovers, angst, a sad wallace, etc.

author’s note: scott is my least favorite character, so expect some jabs to be thrown at him in here. anyway, sorry if this is trash or too cringeworthy. i tried my best, y’all ✌🏻

• you’ve known of wallace through a few stories your closest friend, stacey pilgrim. you mainly just listened to her rant about him stealing a few of her boyfriends.

— sadly though, wallace ended up breaking things off with other scott…and jimmy…and that other guy that he can’t remember the name of. the good thing is that scott finally moved out since he is planning on living with ramona. still…it did get a little lonely at times.

• because of how sad and isolated he felt, wallace began to drink. well, more than usual anyway. every night he could be seen lounging at his favorite bar with a generous of empty beer bottles/cans in front of him.

• it wasn’t until the fourth night of this repetitive cycle is when wallace met you: [name: y/n l/n. occupation: bartender. 24 years old and he’s never seen you until tonight which is surprising since wallace practically knows everybody.]

— right off the bat, you two hit it off right away. there was an underlying tension there but for the first few occurrences when you either bumped into wallace in the street or found him at the bar, it goes untouched & unmentioned.

• that was until wallace asked for you phone number when he is drunk. it was really sappy, but he was still nice about it. it makes you happy that wallace isn’t an angry drunk, like whatsoever. he’s just happy to be there and very sleepy. there were a few times where you had to give him over to his place because you didn’t trust him to get there on his own.

• you were always so kind to him, always treating him better than he probably deserved.

• needless to say, it didn’t take long for wallace to think of you in the highest regards. you two even started hanging out outside of the bar where you work at. if he needed something to be picked up, you’ll do it with no questions asked or you would sometimes pay for his coffee if you were out to get yourself a drink too.

— just after a few weeks of knowing you, wallace fell head over heels. and he had it bad.

• of course, he tried to suppress his feelings and tried his damn best to not make it obvious. so, what did our dear wallace do to ensure that? he started to ignore you, partially at least, and became awkward. like…scott pilgrim-level awkward. it’s weird since wallace has always been known to be the complete opposite of his ex-roommate. he’s very easy going, calm, and the voice of reason to many.

• he’s a flirt too. so, why are you having this effect on him? he just couldn’t understand why he suddenly became a bumbling idiot.

• you were worried that you did something to push wallace away, but all your questions were answered when you returned one night to find that he left a drunken message in your answering machine.

— “hey, you know, hic, i've been thinkin', like, a lot. (long pause) and, um, i just wanna say, you're, like, really somethin' special, ya know? (slight slur) i feel all mushy and stuff, but yeah, i kinda, sorta...love you, maybe? (awkward pause) yeah, that's it. hic”

[edelfie]

#𝓣𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘! seven evil exes.

in a cruel twist of fate, you appear to be living a trashy 2010s movie plot. your life seems like a bad knockoff of scott pilgrim vs. the universe, but it really wasn’t your intention! if you knew your exes would near-unanimously turn out to be selfish, narcissistic assholes, you wouldn’t have dated them at all…maybe. hey, what can you say? you stayed so long for a reason (and it wasn’t their mediocre personality).

or, a collection of all your exes, affectionately nicknamed the “seven evil exes” by tendou.

the pseudo-playboy, miya atsumu!

atsumu miya is as charming as he is finicky—which is to say, quite. you met him at an upscale bar in tokyo in the months leading up to the olympics. you don’t keep up with sports drama, much less volleyball drama, so how were you to know he was being flamed by the internet for breaking up with his on-and-off nepo baby influencer girlfriend, lia handa, just a few weeks prior?

even if you knew, it wouldn’t have changed anything. they were broken up now, and atsumu is so handsome and wild and vibrant. you both knew what it was going in—a few months of blissful provocations, and you’ll awake to your bed cold, number blocked, and a rumor of lia handa’s engagement. you knew he was no good, so why does it sting still?

“i heard you’re back together, and if that’s true—you’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissing you”

the wild card, oikawa tooru!

of all your exes, oikawa tooru may be the only one you don’t have problems with. unlike atsumu, who failed to mention your apparent open-relationship, you and oikawa both knew from the start that it was only short, blissful fun. having met him while you both were in brazil (you on vacation, him competing), you came to an agreement—one month, no strings attached, and absolutely no feelings.

after all, neither of you were successful yet, and neither of you were willing to budge on your dreams to be with the other. so as he dropped you off at the airport, he gave you a teary kiss and sent you away, never to meet again. so now that he’s an olympian, and you’re moving up in the world, the brunet flirt decides the time is now to shoot his shot again. and who are you to deny him?

“who’s the cute boy with the white jacket and the thick accent? like…maybe it’s all in my head, but i bet we’d have really good bed chem.”

the introverted entrepreneur, kozume kenma!

you were, quiet literally, at your lowest. it was during that time when you met kozume kenma—a friend of a friend, lev. while you began as acquaintances, you had made your intentions of pursuing him obvious from the start. it was only a matter of time until you were moving in with him and making nightly appearances in his videos and streams.

you can’t pinpoint an exact reason where it all went wrong. perhaps it was when you realized how empty you felt, or when you convinced yourself you needed to be alone to fulfill your dreams. either way, years later, you attempt to self-soothe by saying your lifestyles—you, really—were incompatible. it doesn’t ease the aching in your chest as you read another comment from a fan pleading you to get back together. how is it that you felt nothing then, yet everything now?

“don’t smile because it happened, baby, cry because it’s over”

the not-boyfriend, sugawara koushi!

after a slew of failed relationships and bad press, you desperately needed someone to “soften” your public image. it just so happened that sugawara koushi was just that person. a humble elementary school teacher, with a kind face and funny, affable personality, and no problematic past. surely there was no way you could mess this up right? and you won’t! you’ll successfully date for roughly 7 months before calling it quits shortly before the launch of your album—to focus on your career, of course.

if it were truly that easy, he wouldn’t be on this list now would he? except for once, it really isn’t a burden on your own conscious. for sugawara, he knew faking a relationship with his childhood best friend would be hard. what he didn’t know was that you’d leave him feeling like this. so as he watches you flirt with other guys, he can’t help but wonder if he’s on your mind. and as he goes to sleep in a cold bed once again, he has to wonder just what you’re getting up to—and who you’re getting under.

“i know you’re not the sharpest tool in the shed. we had sex, i met your best friends—then a bird flies by and you forget.”

the girl, so confusing, alisa haiba!

as far as the world is concerned, you and alisa haiba are friends and occasional coworkers. to your devoted super fans, however, there is a strong conviction that there is…something between the two of you. the gentle petting, sweet nicknames, and romantic gestures left many speculating. despite being labeled overzealous conspiracy theorists, they hold strong in their convictions of your secret relationship.

unfortunately, they will never receive an answer either way—you had long blocked alisa years ago. the details of it are murky, even to you, but one thing you know for certain—alisa haiba, for all the millions she’s worth, is a coward. so afraid of herself that she kicked you out of your shared apartment, stole your clothes, and ruined your life in one fell swoop. if you were to see her again, you may have to be restrained one way or another.

“it’s slim pickings, if i can’t have the one i love i guess it’s you that i’ll be kissing, just to get my fixings.”

the ordinary ghost, akaashi keiji!

the man across from you reminds you of someone. maybe it’s because of the blue hue of his eyes, or his introverted, soft-spoken demeanor. your brain scrambles to figure out just who he is, but that’s the thing—he’s a nobody. he is not someone back from the dead to haunt you, nor is he some clout chaser feeding off you for his 15 minutes of fame. he’s just…a guy. and you are so into that.

akaashi keiji, you learn, is a humble manga editor. he has many interests, including games, volleyball, and…you. but not you, as in the rising pop star, but you the stranger he met in a coffee shop. when is the last time you have been truly desired for who you are? there’s a thumping in your chest, a dangerous thing for a woman like you. you know it’ll only be a matter of time before he finds out—the fame, the controversy, the relationship you are already in. but you don’t seem to care that much, you just want to chase this feeling, and you’ll be damned if you have to let go.

“i know you want my touch for life, if you love me right then who knows? i might let you make me juno.”

the amateur rockstar, semi eita!

you loved semi eita once. it was when you were sixteen and high on endorphins, blood rushing to your face every time he glanced in your direction. you confessed during your graduation, and by uni you were officially an item. the two of you had amazing synergy, both in your relationship and work ethic—with his instrumental mastery and your vocals, you could’ve taken on the world.

you loathe semi with all your being. it started with small, petty disputes over the future of your little garage band. you wanted to feel more grown-up than your dingy two man team. semi vehemently disagreed and opposed all others getting involved. the tension was so strained it became hard to tell whether the two of you held any love for each other, despite never saying otherwise.

that was, until you caught semi with his pants down and fondling one of the maybe 3 groupies you had, in the backseat of your car nonetheless. that was the day semi eita died in your mind, and so you do not look at the billboards the plaster his face or answer prying questions about your previous relationship. you don’t say things like how he was your first boyfriend, the man you believed you’d marry, the one you still sometimes dream of. instead, you smile curtly and decline to answer.

“and you’ve lost all common sense, what a coincidence”

BLIND ITEMS! —

## during their brief fling, the newly gold-medaled athlete and the controversial singer had a very public blowout at an izakaya because the athelte’s brother was being too friendly with the singer. now that the two are separated, the fly on the wall wonders if that friendliness will amount to anything. [revealed: miya atsumu, Y/N L/N]

## according to close sources of this home-born, now foreign olympian, he was not pleased about the news surrounding another olympian in his sport dating and old flame of his. apparently, he was hoping to woo her over once more at the 2021 olympics, but her relationship stopped him in his tracks. now that the games are over and she was suddenly broken up with in favor of his on-and-off influencer ex, the foreign olympian is furious. [revealed: oikawa tooru, miya atsumu, Y/N L/N, lia handa]

## the alliterate youtuber and ceo has turned down many offers from other creators to appear on dating shows such as “love or host”. fans believe this is because he has sworn off public dating, if not dating entirely, after the breakup between him and his anonymous girlfriend three years ago. [revealed: kozume kenma]

## the close circle of the rising pop girl have been seen cohabitating with a total normie, leading some to speculate if he is a friend or significant other of the star. [revealed: Y/N L/N]

## word of mouth says the half-russian model is in a queer relationship with her coworker. after briefly starring on the same show together, the two were spotted cuddling on a couch at the after party. [revealed: alisa haiba, jenna moreau]

## the editor of this famous manga and close friend of the mangaka is looking towards writing their own work within the next year.

## the faux-rockstar and his guitarist seem to be covertly flirting through songs and social media posts. whether it is genuine or just promotional for their upcoming album remains to be seen. [revealed: semi eita, kanna matsumoto]

jujuondatbeat. a love square between two olympians, lia, and some girl is not what i expected in my 2021 bingo card — nesayah. “some girl” put some respect on my queens name bro — jujuondatbeat. i think i’d die before i ever did that, sorry <3

cowsallover. am i the only one who wants to know who the editor is ??

junebuggg. it’s been 3 years (5 since they started dating) and the people NEED a kodzuken gf reveal! — devilishtears. orrrr you could leave him alone and mind your business ! they’re exes for a reason babes

sera_pent. PLEASE tell me it’s a pr relationship like i CANNOT cope with my husband semi being taken </3

elmosupremecy. miya atsumu when i catch you…

read more…

NOTES! —

As a college student and avid learner, education has always been a huge pillar of my life. That's why I take great personal interest in promoting this fundraiser. Ola is a graduate student from Al-Azhar University in Gaza. Before October 7th, she had graduated from her school with a Bachelors in Mathematics, a grade of distinction, and first class honors. She then began work as a seventh grade math teacher and took great pride in her work. However, in the midst of war, Ola has reached out to ask for support for her students, her family, and herself. Even sharing her story is enough, so please take some time out of your day to donate here or share Ola's story online and in person.

In a similar vein, I've started my own higher education. Thus, I can't promise any fast or consistent updates. I am blessed enough to have a flexible, light schedule this semester though, so I am hoping to write as much as I can for you guys! I'm a bit disappointed since I won't be able to take any English or Creative Writing classes in college unless I want to shell out the extra money and time wkwkwk, but I suppose it's for the best so that I don't get burnt out or overworked.

If I ever stop updating this fic before it's complete for, lets say about a month, feel free to yell at me through DMs or asks and I'll bust my butt to get something out! I work best under pressure LOL. Also plsss nobody mention how Kenma’s spam was made two years in the future 😭 I was tired and wanted to get it over with, tryst it will be fixed tho.

BUMPIN’ THAT? + MASTERLIST + ZERO

© all rights reserved—edelfie (2024) // do not plagiarize, modify, copy, use, translate, or repost my work on other sites without permission

[bunchesofoats]

Proximity.

Feat — Tyler Galpin x Nevermore!Reader

Contains — Slow Build, Playful Flirting, No Established Relationship, etc ALSO SOME VERY LIGHT WEDNESDAY SPOILERS!! (Set before show in canon)

Length — ~1.8k Words

Notes — Reader’s powers/species not specified (just considered an Outcast). This isn’t proofread, moves a little fast, and was written at like 2 am so proceed with caution I guess. ALSO, I ACTUALLY WORK IN A CAFE SO I WILL INFO DUMP GRRRRBARK BARK WOOF WOOF Also, if you have any input just drop it to my inbox !

“Welcome to the Weathervane staff.”

Your new manager welcomed you with a smile, to which you replied with a nod as she left you to do paperwork. You made your way out of her office, remembering her instructions to be training with Tyler. Your feet shuffling up the stairs slowly, paying no mind to the creaks that came with it. You knew Tyler Galpin, not well, but you knew of him enough to know he was the son of the sheriff. The sheriff who didn’t seem keen on Nevermore students. Though you were pretty sure they only hired you for Outcast Diversity, you were at least happy to had gotten a job that wasn’t Pilgrim’s World.

“Medium Iced Chai Latte with a Chocolate Croissant.” A voice pulled you from your thoughts.

Trailing the voice to the source was easy considering he was the only person behind the counter before you came along. There he was, Tyler Galpin, with the usual mop of brown curls that stopped just above his eyes and the crease of concentration upon his forehead as he moved to fiddle with the espresso machine. You’d been dragged here enough by Enid to know the details, especially considering she kept tabs on everyone.

“You’re looking at the wrong end of the machine, Galpin.” You called out, causing him to jump. A smile crawled its way onto your face at his expression. It didn’t take long for him to register who you were outside of the Nevermore uniform, he had seen you enough and he knew there was a new applicant coming in.

“Do you make a habit of scaring the hell out of people?” He gave you a pointed look.

“More of a hobby,” You shrugged before making your way behind the counter. Taking a closer look at the machine, you had been right. The source of the never ending steam was a valve issue. “I’m gonna need a tri-wing screwdriver and 4 millimeter Allen wrench.”

Tyler handed you the screwdriver with no hesitation, he couldn’t understand the Italian instructions anyway and he wasn’t about to resort to Google Translate.

“You have a valve issue,” You began screwing the bits back into place, careful not to direct any steam towards you or your new coworker.

“You have one of these temperamental beasts with a mind of its own?” He quirked a brow at you, causing you to roll your eyes.

“Not exactly.” Thankfully, Nevermore had quite the class in engineering and you had fairly decent grades. The steam stopped spewing, and the machine was fixed to the best of your ability. Tyler began gathering the pieces of the pipes, filters, and other parts back into place resounding in a satisfying click.

“Thanks…” He stopped for a moment.

“Y/N.”

“No, yes! No, I mean, yes I know! You come in here a lot, and I recognize your name from your application.” He mumbled on and on.

“You’re supposed to be training me and yet you can’t remember my name?” It was your turn to point questions now. It wasn’t like you couldn’t work a register or understand the difference between a cortado or a cafe au lait, but you needed to know your way around Weathervane at least. Plus, it was fun to tease him.

“I just mean, you’re unforgettable.”

What.

“What?”

“You know what, why don’t we start off with a tour? You know the main area, but let me show you the back room.” Tyler abruptly turned away, leaving with tinted cheeks. He lead you to the small storage room on the opposite adjacent end of the bar counter. The length of it was long, but the width of it could just barely fit one person with the shelves so close on either end. He allowed you in first before following in after, showing everything from the closest to the farthest at the back wall.

With Tyler explaining everything in broad detail, it was easy enough to understand considering everything was ordered neatly from the coffee beans and food products being separated from cleaning chemicals. What was hard, on the other hand, was trying not to pay attention to the way the dim lighting reflected in his eyes. Something about it seemed familiar, almost supernaturally captivating. If you didn’t know any better, you’d assume he was a Vampire or Siren or even something else entirely luring you in.

“…And if you have any questions then just ask me.” Tyler finally turned back to you, catching your gaze. He hadn’t realize how close in proximity you were, you awkwardly pressed against the wall as he had just been reaching over to point out which coffee beans were which. You hadn’t been paying attention, not with him so close. You weren’t usually the nervous type, not with Vampires and Telekinetics and Werewolves etc constantly being around you. But this newfound flip of your heart was concerning considering he was 1) a normie you hadn’t actually fully conversed with before and 2) you were still unsure of his standing with you as an Outcast.

“Yeah, I’ll call for your help when I need to fix the espresso machine.” You snort. He huffed with a lingering smile you managed to catch. Maybe his stance wasn’t as bad as his fathers.

“I’m definitely sure you don’t need to call me just for help with that, you can call me for other stuff.” Tyler shrugged.

“So you want me to call you?” Your gaze met his again, forgetting the close distance between you both. This was a different start to your new job than you were expecting. Flirting with your coworker in the back of the cafe was probably against all types of normal work ethic and morals. But when was Jericho ever normal?

“Tyler?” A voice called out from the front, breaking the tension between you two. You both recognized that voice, Tyler knowing it more than you did. You both tried to scramble out of the storage closet in an orderly manner. Tyler emerging first, Sheriff Galpin perking up to see his son from the other side of the counter. You followed suit not a second after, barely halfway out of the closet before you could see Sheriff Gallon’s face drop. Suddenly realizing how incriminating the situation seemed, you quickly grabbed a random can from the shelf within arms reach before fully exiting.

“Hey, uh, dad.” Tyler coughed out, clearing his throat from the situation you two were in. “Just showing the new hire around and restocking.” To which you maneuvered the can to one hand to give the man a small wave.

“Condensed milk? I swear you stocked and dated that one when I came by yesterday.” His dad raised a brow. Shit.

“This one’s long expired, found it on the back shelf with a manufacturing issue puncture in it.” You laughed dryly, moving the can to your side hiding it away. Tyler glanced wide eyed as his father’s expression creased.

“You want your usual?” Tyler moved towards the bar, moving his father’s attention with it. You managed to slip the can back on the shelf before closing the door and following the boy.

“Large Americano. Two shots. Hot.” The sheriff’s gaze never left, studying you closely as you followed Tyler to input the order on the register. You knew how to work a register, but you didn’t want to stay within his dad’s eye sight for long. The setup was as easy as the storage closet, everything labeled from Hot Drinks, Iced Drinks, Specials, and more. Clicking onto the hot drinks, you found everything quickly.

“Did you want to add anything in there like milk or cream?” You asked, knowing already what his answer would be.

“Black.” Like your soul, you thought. The order went through and Tyler thankfully already had it done. Reaching past you on the register to hand it to him, the sheriff gave his son a nod and you an unreadable look before leaving.

“Don’t worry about him,” You heard Tyler assure. “He’s too ‘wrapped up in work’ to care about me being in some closet with someone. Nice save, though.”

You turned to make eye contact with him, his arm resting upon the register counter by your waist and yours almost hitting his chest at the movement. Again finding yourself in close proximity.

“Does that mean you’re often caught doing who knows what in closets with people?” You raised a brow. His face flushed at the question, glancing aside and for once probably happy the cafe was emptier than usual.

“Calm down, lover boy. We’ve skipped a few steps, I still don’t even have your number to call you when I need help.” You flicked his forehead away with a smirk. He let out a small lopsided smile as he fell away from you. You were sure his number would be lying around somewhere on file or you could contact him through the employee app, but where was the fun (and consent) in that? You had no time to think about that as customers had come in.

“Ms. Thornhill, what a surprise to see you!” You couldn’t say you were shocked, Jericho’s a small town and being the only cafe around this would’ve happened eventually. You were surprised you hadn’t seen Enid out and about “blogging” despite it being a weekend.

“Y/N, lovely to see you. Why didn’t you tell me you got a job at the best cafe in town?” She gasped.

“It’s the only cafe in town, Ms. Thornhill.”

“I kid, I kid. Now what should I get? I usually get a double-cap, no foam, with two pumps of sugar free vanilla. But now that you’re my new favorite employee, I’d like your recommendation!” Favorite? Had Tyler been her favorite before? You weren’t sure what she had meant by that.

“You know me, miss, I love a good London Fog.” She knew full well of that too, you bring one into her class every other day.

“Alright, get me one of those!” You rung her up For Here and handed the item receipt to Tyler who was already steaming the milk. The next customer just wanted a warmed up Pain au Chocolat which you got out of the way quick enough.

“Here,” You heard Tyler call to you. Facing him, you noticed him holding a to go cup for you and Ms. Thornhill’s mug on the counter. Had he made two whilst you were busy?

“London Fog with an extra pump of vanilla syrup, that’s how you usually order yours.” He sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

“Now what’s this then?” You grabbed the cup.

“Just think of it as a welcome to Weathervane.” Tyler left with Ms. Thornhill’s order before you could question any further. You note a black smear on your hand, confusion riddled— you turn the cup.

— “(xxx) xxx - xxx

Call me outside of work?

- Tyler”