#so close to accepting my fate since no one was in the aisle. customer or employee until he came around & asked if i needed assistance lmaooo | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

tvdversefanfiction · 5 years ago

Text

The Originals: Always and Forever (Season 6)

Episode 2 - Yesterday is Gone

Warnings: I do not own the original content to “The Originals”, “The Vampire Diaries” or “Legacies” or any of the characters from the television shows.

15 plus, displays of Violence, Gore, Torture, M/M, F/M, F/F.

Klaus stormed into the magic shop within the French Quarter which had been renamed under the new management as Hocus Pocus Magic Shop to find the store owner Xavier Frost stood behind the store counter with an eager smile on his face greeting the original vampire/werewolf hybrid, clearly blissfully unaware that his customer was none other than Klaus Mikaelson.

“If you wish to remain amongst the living, I suggest you say yes to casting a locating spell for me straight away.” Klaus snapped at Xavier.

“You must be new around here,” Xavier scoffed. “I will be doing no such thing vampire if you wish for me to do a spell for you then take it up with the city’s vampire representative who will then take it up with me.”

Klaus went to vamp speed in Xavier’s direction who held his hand up causing Klaus to fall to his knees.

“You should probably think twice before trying to attack the new regent of New Orleans that will only wind up getting you killed.” Xavier told him as he walked out from behind the counter to face him. “I’m willing to forgive your ignorance if you promise to leave now however if you choose to try and attack me again, I’ll have no choice but to end your undead life.”

“I can’t die stupid witch!” Klaus snapped at him while rising back on his feet. “I’m Klaus Mikaelson no witch whether regent or not is going to kill me.”

“That can’t be right Klaus Mikaelson along with his brother Elijah died years ago.” Xavier said in shock. “You can’t be him.”

“It’s hardly the first time I’ve escaped death.” Klaus boasted before vamp speeding over to Xavier and grabbing him by the neck. “Now perform the spell before I rip your head off.”

Xavier looked into Klaus’ eyes intensely before Klaus felt a piercing pain in his head growing more and more agonizing until he fell to his knees in pain by Xavier’s magic.

“Mikaelson or no Mikaelson I will not accept rudeness from anyone.” Xavier told Klaus as Klaus continued to scream in agony by Xavier’s doing.

“Please forgive my brother Niklaus he never did learn his manners.” Elijah said after vamp speeding into the Hocus Pocus Magic Shop.

“Very well.” Xavier replied before closing his eyes and releasing Klaus from his magical torture only to reopen them and say to the noble Mikaelson brother. “If he really is Klaus Mikaelson and your apologizing for him you must be Elijah.”

“I guess my reputation proceeds me.” Elijah responded with a smile as Klaus rose back to his feet looking furious at the magic shop owner. “We have had a horrendous afterlife and all we want is to be reunited with our family.”

“Hold on a moment.” Xavier told them both as he pulled out his phone, began dialing a number and waited for an answer. “Rebekah you’re not going to believe who just came running into my shop.”

Klaus and Elijah looked at each other in shock confused why their sister would ever give a New Orleans witch her number especially one taking up the role of regent.

“Oh, my blood god!” Rebekah said in shock after vamp speeding into the dining area of the compound to see Klaus and Elijah sat around the table drinking glasses of whisky only for them both to stand up upon her arrival rushing to hug their sister. “How is this even possible?”

“Esther and Dahlia believe it or not.” Elijah replied as the three of them broke away from their hug. “It seems they’ve grown some kind of remorse a thousand years too late.”

“Our mother and her psychotic sister are the ones that brought you back?” Rebekah asked. “It’s about bloody time they stopped trying to kill us I suppose.”

“They told me about Hope.” Klaus said still torn by his daughter’s death. “What happened?”

“I’m so sorry if only I was there to protect Hope and Josie,” Rebekah responded with a great sadness in her voice. “I only found out after it all happened poor Kirby found Josie’s body and as for Hope well, I’ll spare you the awful details that I wish I never knew.”

“I don’t understand how I could’ve failed her so miserably.” Klaus admitted with tears in his eyes. “All I did was to save her from such a fate.”

“Niklaus you can’t blame yourself your sacrifice gave her a great and wonderful life.” Rebekah told him as she placed her hand on her brother’s should trying to comfort him. “She had an epic love with Josie, was walked down the aisle by me and Freya and had the most beautiful baby girl.”

“She should’ve grown old and had years of living to do.” Klaus snapped as he brushed off Rebekah’s hand. “I got a thousand years and she got a few decades that’s not right.”

“I know,” Rebekah responded with a sad sigh. “She was the most wonderful mother Hayley would be so proud at least she’s reunited with Hayley now she never did quite get over losing her mother or her father.”

“Where’s Kirby now?” Klaus asked, trying to stop himself from breaking down over his daughter’s death.

“She’s around very hard to track down consider her immunity to all kinds of magic but she’s most definitely around.” Rebekah revealed. “Last time she checked in with me she was deep within the Himalaya's.”

“What do you mean she’s around?” Klaus snapped furiously at his sister. “Has nobody been caring for anyone since we died?”

“We all lost Hope and Josie then we all lost Freya and Keelin and Davina was the finale straw for Kol I’ve been trying so hard to keep what remains of us all together but Nik is busy avenging his parents no matter the cost, Kol is god knows where and Kirby’s never recovered from losing her mother.” Rebekah snapped back at her brother. “Our family has fallen Niklaus and I’ve been the only one fighting and failing for years to keep what’s left us together.”

“This isn’t what I wanted for us I wanted us to be better to do better.” Klaus cried before Rebekah gave her brother a hug.

“I presume Damon Salvatore is still alive if you’re still a vampire Rebekah.” Elijah said to her, hoping to change the subject to something less heart breaking for them all.

“He’s gone and with it the cure,” Rebekah admitted to Elijah as she broke off her hug with Klaus. “The bloody idiots went on some cruise were lost at sea and have never been found despite my endless tries.”

“So, the world quite literally went to hell while we were gone.” Elijah replied.

“And I was just about to close shop too.” Xavier proclaimed after Rebekah vamp sped into the Hocus Pocus magic shop, knowing she was there because she wanted something from him.

“Well luckily for you I would’ve just broke through the door if it was locked.” Rebekah replied to him with a sly smirk on her face.

“You know that’s exactly what I would expect of you.” Xavier laughed as he walked towards the female original. “I’m guessing notifying you of the sudden resurrection of your two brothers wasn’t enough of a favour for one day’s work.”

“I know I’m supposed to go through Marcel…” Rebekah began to say.

“But your avoiding him like the plague which I suppose you literally avoided.” Xavier butted in before taking a deep sigh. “I suppose considering it’s you Rebekah I can stretch to one more favour.”

“I need you to locate my great niece Kirby Mikaelson I would get any random witch to perform a locating spell but considering she’s part phoenix most magic doesn’t work on her.” Rebekah revealed to her witch friend.

“I know my magic is different to what your used to, but it does have it’s limits too like you said she’s immune to magic just because mine is different doesn’t mean it’s better.” Xavier explained to her. “However, if I have a strong enough connection to the girl instead of locating her, I could take that connection to her.”

“How exactly would that work?” Rebekah asked generally interested in what little she knew about Xavier’s type of magic.

“Well I’ll need an image of the girl in question so I can picture her in my mind and something or someone close enough to her to serve as an anchor.” Xavier divulged to his immortal friend.

“Would a grandfather be a strong enough connection?” Klaus asked after vamp speeding into the magic shop to find himself standing next to his sister.

“Oh it’s you again,” Xavier sighed while rolling his eyes at Klaus before turning to face Rebekah once again “I thought this favour was for you I don’t tend to do favors for men who try to kill me.”

“You’re still alive so clearly I didn’t try hard enough.” Klaus replied to him with his signature smirk.

“Xavier the favour is for us both please we need this.” Rebekah pleaded with the male witch.

“Very well show me a picture and I’ll get to work.” Xavier reluctantly agreed.

“Thank you.” Klaus said to him sincerely.

“This world is so different it’s positively exciting.” A more modern dressed Tatia proclaimed while walking through the woods within the bayou with Elijah. “The fact I get to see all this is beyond incredible and to know I have descendants that my son must’ve grown up and had children of his own is a true blessing Elijah.”

“This world is also very dangerous Tatia especially when you’re in the company of the Mikaelson’s. I would hate for anything to happen to you again and I know it will.” Elijah replied with a sense of sadness in her voice.

“Elijah you needn’t worry so much over me I can more than handle myself.” Tatia told him as they stopped walking. “I see this as a second chance for us all and I love getting to have my second chance alongside you.”

“You’re right,” Elijah admitted as he kissed her lips before looking her intensely in her eyes, beginning to compel her. “You will leave New Orleans go as far away from this city as possible never to return. You will start a life, live happily and forget all about myself and my siblings. You will leave straight away and never know how much I really did love you.”

Tatia vamp sped out of sight the minute Elijah had finished his compulsion following the orders from the original vampire unable to resist his demands leaving Elijah stood in the bayou completely and utterly alone.

Elijah vamp sped from the woods down to the hut by the water standing beside the tree in which Jackson Kenner, Mary Dumas and Hayley Marshall’s names were chiseled into as he gently touched Hayley’s name with tears forming in his eyes.

“Are you ever going to stop self-sabotaging yourself Elijah?” Hayley asked him as Elijah turned around shocked to see Hayley standing there.

“How is this even possible? You’re meant to be at peace.” Elijah wondered as he struggled to take in his deceased love’s appearance from out of the grave.

“Freya knew you would go down this path and I figured I’d be the best one to talk you out of stopping yourself from being happy once again.” Hayley revealed to him. “I know you blame yourself for my death Elijah, but you weren’t yourself and I never once blamed you. You’re not too blame for my demise or anyone else’s all you’ve ever done is tried to hold your family together and that’s the most noble thing anyone can do.”

“I was ready to be at peace I was ready to be with you again.” Elijah explained to her as tears fell down his cheeks. “Being here without you is incredibly painful.”

“I know it will be for some time but I’m at peace I’m happy I’ve got all I could want in the afterlife and all I want is for you to be happy. That’s all we all want for you and even Klaus.” Hayley admitted while walking towards Elijah. “My granddaughter needs you as much as she needs Klaus, but you can’t just live out of duty to your family you need to live for yourself too.”

“I’ve had a few loves over a thousand years on this earth, but you were and always will be the love of my life Andrea.” Elijah cried.

“I know,” Hayley said with a soft smile before kissing Elijah on the lips. “I believe you owe me a dance.”

Klaus and Xavier appeared within a gust of wind arriving deep within a forest hand in hand breaking off their touch after teleportation successfully to an undisclosed location.

“Funny I don’t see no granddaughter in fact I see nothing but bloody trees.” Klaus snapped at the male witch while looking around the forest for any sign of his granddaughter.

“Clearly she moves quickly,” Xavier began to say before noticing a rustling within a bush not too far from them both. “Or maybe she doesn’t.”

Suddenly a werewolf jumped from out of the bushes, but this werewolf wasn’t like normal werewolves this werewolf was on fire with flames covering its entire body without it seeming to burn or effect the werewolf.

“What the bloody hell is that?” Klaus asked in shock as the werewolf on fire began moving closer to him and Xavier growling at them in the process.

“That would be your granddaughter or as I like to call her the original hell-hound.” Xavier revealed to the shocked original hybrid.

Suddenly the hell-hound launched itself towards Klaus and Xavier jumping mid-air only for Xavier to hold out his hand and freeze the hell-hound mid-flight.

“I thought she was immune to witchcraft?” Klaus wondered as he watched as Xavier continued to hold the hell hound with his magic clearly begin to struggle to hold it back for much longer. “Why is she attacking us?”

“My magic is a bit more complicated than the average witch’s but clearly still not strong enough to hold her for long.” Xavier revealed waving his hand sending the hell hound back on to the ground on the other side of them before he decided to shout. “Kirby Saltzman-Mikaelson I know you’re in there!”

“Kirby, I know you don’t recognize me but I’m your grandfather, your mother Hope is…was my daughter.” Klaus said to the hell-hound hoping to appeal to the human within.

Suddenly the hell-hound painlessly transformed into a young 18-year-old woman without a stitch of clothing to her name.

“Well don’t just stand there,” Xavier told Klaus. “Give your granddaughter your jacket.”

“I’m sorry about the whole plunging to attack but last time I checked my grandfather died a long time ago.” Kirby told Klaus as the two of them walked through the woods in a different area to the one they had left Xavier in. “How the hell aren’t you dead?”

“It’s a long and frankly confusing tale how are you well how are you what you are?” Klaus asked his granddaughter awkwardly.

“My biological father is a phoenix that mixed with mum’s DNA made me some kind of burning werewolf immune to what I presumed was all magic and considering I’ve not died yet I’m not sure about the vampire side.” Kirby explained to him.

“If your immune to magic does that also mean you can’t practice it?” Klaus wondered.

“Seemingly so yes.” Kirby replied. “What’s the story about the witch you took with you?”

“He’s a friend of your great-aunt Rebekah’s as for his strange kind of magic I’m yet to work that one out.” Klaus admitted. “I’ve come back to be there for you I want to take you back to New Orleans with me I hate the idea of you being out here all alone.”

“The thing is Klaus I don’t know you I mean sure both my mums talked about you but that’s all you are to me, a story.” Kirby stated. “I know aunt Bex, aunt Lizzie and I knew Aunt Freya and my grandfather from my other mum’s side, but I don’t know you and I’m not sure I want to. People tend to wind up dead when their around me and considering you’ve just returned from the dead, we probably shouldn’t be tempting fate.”

“I don’t fear death and I’m certainly not taking no for an answer!” Klaus made himself clear. “Your mother would want me to take care of you and I won’t be letting her down again.”

“You’re not to blame for what happened to my mums if anything I am because they were killed on my watch and I can’t even avenge them as nobody seems to know anything about their deaths.” Kirby revealed. “The day I lost them I lost my family and I’m not interested in getting to know the extended.”

“You can’t blame yourself either you were a kid Kirby there’s nothing that you could’ve done.” Klaus said as he put his hand on his granddaughter’s shoulder trying to comfort her.

“I figured you’d say that.” Kirby said before quickly snapping Klaus’ neck with her bare hands causing the original hybrid to fall to the ground unconscious.

“Aren’t you tired of all this running?” Xavier asked Kirby as he found her walking in the woods, after Kirby had just snapped her grandfather’s neck.

“What’s it got to do with you?” Kirby snapped at the male witch.

“I had to grow up without parents from a young age too in fact I never properly met my parents.” Xavier revealed to Kirby.

“Save your sob story for someone who cares we’re not going to bond over being orphan Annie’s.” Kirby replied bluntly.

“Our stories are far from the same Kirby because your parents loved you mines dumped me like I was nothing. I can’t begin to understand the pain of losing your parents, but I can tell you running from it won’t help anyone.” Xavier told the hell-hound. “I’d kill to have a family to belong somewhere but that’s not my fate whereas you have an entire family wanting to be there for you and you just want to run from it.”

“I’m scared,” Kirby admitted as tears formed in her eyes. “I haven’t been around people in a long time and I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

“Everyone’s scared Kirby,” Xavier told the youngest Mikaelson as he walked towards her. “We may never show it but deep down everyone is terrified of something strength comes from facing your fears.”

“What if he gets to know me and doesn’t like me?” Kirby cried. “My mothers had no choice but to love me, aunt Bex, uncle Kol, aunt Lizzie they all have known me since birth that man only knows me as the daughter to a daughter he loved and died for and I can’t live up to my mother.”

“Nobody would expect that from you,” Xavier told her before pulling her in for a hug neither of them noticing Klaus vamp speeding to a tree nearby and stopping to spy on them both. “You’ve been alone far too long, and nobody deserves to be alone.”

“What if I can’t control my rage and people get hurt?” Kirby asked.

“Do you know anything about your grandfather not that I condone violence whatsoever, but something tells me you could slaughter an entire village and still have his love to be honest he’d probably love you even more.” Xavier replied making Kirby laugh before Klaus vamp sped over to them both making his presence known.

“You were very sly breaking my neck like that.” Klaus told his granddaughter before smiling letting her know he wasn’t mad. “Clearly you got that from my side of the family.”

“Well I would’ve used a dagger on you, but rumor has it that only works on your siblings.” Kirby responded with a sinister smirk like her grandfather’s.

“So, a little birdy told me you compelled a recently returned from the dead doppelganger to get the hell out of town.” Rebekah said to Elijah after vamp speeding into his bedroom to find Elijah sat on the edge of his bed looking lost. “And when I say a little birdy, I mean the doppelganger herself well she didn’t so much as tell me as I caught her.”

“Rebekah tell me you didn’t harm her.” Elijah wondered as he stood up from his bed, clearly worried for Tatia’s well-being.

“I was planning to kill the bitch until I realize it wasn’t Katherine Pierce and looks far too young to be Elena Gilbert so I compelled her to tell me everything and I must say compelling your conquests away is rather stoic Elijah even for you.” Rebekah revealed to him. “I compelled her to stay to ignore everything you said and to start taking vervain to avoid any further stoic acts from you.”

“You had no right in interfering with this Rebekah.” Elijah snapped at his younger sister.

“Perhaps not but it was bloody good fun and it’s not often women want to stick around your doom and gloom, so I thought I’d help a girl out.” Rebekah replied with a smile on her face. “You’re back from the dead again brother don’t waste yet another resurrection on ruining your own happiness yet again.”

“And what about you dear sister? I’ve quickly learned that you and Marcel have come to yet another end.” Elijah stated and by doing so claiming his sister to be hypocritical.

“Losing the cure when Elijah and Damon disappeared had me spiraling for a while but I’m Rebekah Mikaelson and I found my feet like I always do without a man holding me up.” Rebekah revealed to her older brother. “I’m going to be gone for a while I have another brother’s mess to clean up so please try your best with Tatia in the meantime you were once very happy with her.”

“That was a long time ago Rebekah.” Elijah told her.

After a long day Xavier was in his magic shop wiping down the counter when Klaus vamp sped into the store once more to demand his attention.

“I have something for your granddaughter,” Xavier told Klaus as he pulled out a potion vile from his pocket and placed it on the counter. “It should help to calm her more supernatural side as she settles into being human again after a long time of being a hell-hound.”

“Thank you,” Klaus said with suspicion as he picked up the potion. “Why are you acting so kind and why did you help me today?”

“Because Rebekah asked me to, and I consider her a friend.” Xavier replied.

“She only asked you to take me to my granddaughter, yet you went out of your way to convince her to come home with me, why?” Klaus questioned the witch.

“Kirby needs her family right now and you clearly need someone to keep you from becoming the Klaus you once were.” Xavier admitted to Klaus. “For what it’s worth I reckon she’ll be in good hands with you.”

“I’m not too sure about that one.” Klaus said with a worried tone in his voice. “It’s a pattern of mine to ruin things.”

“Well the first step in changing a pattern is recognizing the pattern.” Xavier told him, trying to reassure the original hybrid.

“If only it was that easy,” Klaus responded with a sincere smile as he placed the potion into his jacket pocket. “Thanks for today Xavier it really did mean a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome,” Xavier replied with a smile of his own. “I’ll see you around Klaus.”

“What the bloody hell are you doing here Elijah?” Klaus asked as he vamp sped into his bedroom to find Elijah stood waiting there. “It’s been a long day and an ever longer after life I need some peace go and see your great-niece if your lost for time, I’m sure you maybe able to bore her to sleep.”

“I saw Hayley today Niklaus.” Elijah admitted leaving Klaus completely shocked before going on to reveal more. “Hope’s not a peace.”

“Esther and Dahlia lied.” Klaus said feeling the fury from inside him build instantly. “Where the hell is my daughter Elijah?”

“Nobody knows brother but what I was told is that she’s alive somewhere.” Elijah revealed leaving Klaus with mixed emotions, thrilled to know his daughter was actually arrived but horrified to think of where she might be.

3 notes · View notes

kiliinstinct · 6 years ago

Text

Like a Trojan: Prt 2

Small funny Fairy Tail One-Shot. Modern AU. Pairing: Nalu, Gajevy Rated: T for .. questionable shopping items.

The Little bit of Humor I wanted to get out of my head is getting a little bit expanded. But this time, around- I’m making it interactive! This is part two of the little funny I wrote, but for my next part- I want YOU lovely readers to help me decide what comes next!

If you reblog- please put in the tags, or send me an ask/im the form below. Based on what is submitted will decide what happens next in Prt 3! Sound fun? I hope so!

So, to help be a part of this stories’ fate- just tell me these following things:

Character Perspective: (1st chapter was in Natsu’s and the second in Levy’s- who’s next?)

Event: Describe an idea that you think should happen in this chapter. I.e. Lucy and natsu’s first phone conversation? Natsu runs into Lucy at HER work? Come up with your own!

Yes Or No, should Natsu: and Lucy interact next chapter?:

If answered yes, how?

Other: (if you have any other ideas/requests for this story that wasn’t mentioned above- put here)

There is only one rule for this: No tragic/heavy angst ideas. This story is meant to be a comedy!

Part 1 | Part 3

“The Grocery store? You went and dragged me here?” The voice was agitated, laced with a sense of incredulity and disappointment. “This ain’t what I was expecting when you said you needed my assistance, Shrimp.”

Levy Mcgarden, local known ‘shrimp’ and bookworm, certainly wasn’t having it. Not with that attitude. Eyes scanning her list of items to grab, the blue-haired woman shuffled through her bag for a pen, ready to tick off any item she acquired and swiftly began her trek through the store with cart in both her hands. Her companion, a much taller man with metal studs covering his face, followed with exaggerated stomps in his steps. He may ACT as if he didn’t want to be there, but oh, she knew better. She could ask her boyfriend to take her to an Ice Rink wearing a pink hat and mittens and he’d do it; grumbling all the way. “The sparkling water I need is always on a high shelf, can you get the raspberry flavor for me?”

“Why would I- “ Gajeel, grunting his agitation while a thick arm moved to do just as asked, lifted a studded brow and stared at her. Was she ignoring his first question? “Whatever, you owe me for this, shortie.”

“Quit calling me names and I’ll buy you a treat!~” Was her answer, fingers tapping a rhythm on the handle as she thanked him. Always eager to help no matter what was said. It was one of the many reasons she enjoyed her time with him. Gajeel’s actions had always spoke louder than his words, after all. Winking, she continued to push her cart along to find the rest of her list. “And no, I don’t mean whatever you’re perverted mind was thinking of- I’m meaning a snack!”

“Hey! I wasn’t thinkin’ a damn thing!” He barked, sounding offended despite the telltale marks of red crossing his cheeks. Levy sighed, grinning at her tiny win as she crossed a box of tea leaves off her list. “Uh huh-” Levy monotoned, ticking a few more items off, “Then what WERE you thinking when I called you to come meet me at my apartment, hmm? You certainly looked WAY too disappointed by the sight of Lucy answering my door to be expecting anything else you pervert.”

“Oh please, I just thought you dyed your hair and suddenly grew a foot, easy mistake.”

“Ah!” A pause, the cart squealing to a stop as Levy grit her teeth and turned to face the man. Did he seriously just- she couldn’t believe she’d allowed herself to walk into that. Just when she felt she was getting the upper hand too! “Supid, stupid, Gajeel- are you trying to say I magically got HAIR Extensions too?!”

“Stranger things have happened.” The smug smirk was enough to make her stomp her foot in consternation. How dare he! Fixing him with a stern stare, Levy’s ire only grew when he chuckled, clearly not intimidated.

“You’re impossible.” She grumbled, returning her attention to her grocery list. Focus, focus- they didn’t need to cause a scene with his brand of flirting right in the middle of the aisle, did they? A squeak of surprise erupted from her when Gajeel’s arm suddenly wrapped around her slender waist, pulling her against his back as he hunched over her.

The smaller woman couldn’t deny how the sudden action had made her heart jump into her throat and cheeks flame as bright as a traffic light. Especially when his annoying laughter lowered a few octaves and rumbled against the shell of her ear.

“Gihee- I might be, but maybe I can show ya’ JUST how impossible I really am once I get your ass home-” A suggestive squeeze along her hip and a nip to her ear put Levy immediately into a mode that certainly wasn’t made for public spaces. Swallowing thickly, she wriggled herself from his arms and lightly tapped his stomach with her elbow.

“Gajeel! Not in public, you jerk!” She hissed, putting space between them. The roar of his laughter called forth many a stare and Levy was certain her body had warmed up to producing steam. “B-besides, -” She managed while pulling her crumbled nerves back together again, “Lucy’s staying the night: we can’t.”

The dark-haired man’s laughter died off, jaw dropping as he stared, “What?! Then what was th’point in bringing me along if you were having one of yer damned girly nights?!”

“Maybe I wanted to spend some time with you, stupid!” “Oh.” His face reverted right back to its earlier bluster and Levy took a mental moment to celebrate. That’s right, big guy- you can make your pervy innuendos all you want, but the moment I say something sweet, you’re PUTTY in my hands so EAT IT.

Obviously, he couldn’t read her mind, but he definitely got the point when she smirked imperiously and began her trek back through the aisles again. Some onlookers might think they were arguing, but the banter was all part of their dynamic. She had fun with it. So did he. It was just how they worked. Though, the offsetting silence that followed only made the both of them all too aware of the elevator type music echoing through the small store.

How do the cashiers not fall asleep here? She wondered to herself, not for the first time. Levy had been coming to this corner store for years, ever since she had moved in the apartment complex a few blocks down. It was nearby and hardly ever packed by other customers. Absolutely perfect for when she needed to just get in and get out with her groceries.

Although, the last time she needed items, her best friend Lucy had gone to get them instead. Quite the questionable material, in fact- and the moment her blonde friend had returned, cheeks bright red and chest heaving from a lack of air, the blonde had quickly informed Levy that she would never, ever, go out and buy a thing for her ever again.

‘Oh, come on Lu, it wasn’t THAT bad was it?’ She had asked- accepting her bag of items with ease. It wasn’t as if she had asked for the condoms for a fun romp with Gajeel, after all- (No seriously, it hadn’t been!) They were needed for a prank, a PRANK! … .If said prank so happened to be against the very man she often slept with anyway, well- that was merely coincidence.

‘It wasn’t bad, it was HORRIBLE. You can’t make me go there ever again, Levy!’ And still, not three weeks later, the smaller girl hadn’t learned the true story of what happened that day. Save a few, small details.

“So, why’s blondie over at your place again anyway?” Ah, casual conversation- a great way to break through those pesky silences. Levy mentally decided to buy him his favorite cookies for that. (Then again, she already had those on the list.) Shrugging, she ticked the last of her items and began the process of weaving her way back to the front of the store.

“She’s convinced the police will be knocking on her door any day now.” She replied, nose crunching together as she thought it over. “I keep telling her she’s fine, but she gets oddly paranoid about those things.”

Gajeel’s confusion was clear- as well as completely understood. “Ya’ wanna provide context for that, shortie?”

A huff and a glare was sent his way, only to be met by a smirk and Levy threw a hand into the air to wave his question off. “Something about stealing some woman’s groceries and a stolen twenty? I don’t know, she got all flustered and embarrassed and didn’t give me all the details.”

“Huh, never thought she’d have it in her to steal something…”

She paused, brows scrunching together before her gaze slid back towards her boyfriend, “You’re still at the academy, no threatening to arrest her.”

“Pfft, don’t take my fun away.” It looked like an entirely new banter was about to start, with Levy lifting a finger to prod it into Gajeel’s arm, frowning in mock consternation, but no further words could escape her mouth. Stepping out towards the registers seemed the equivalent to a gate opening and letting forth a whirlwind the two of them had not been expecting.

That whirlwind being in the form of a pink-haired Cashier, fists slamming down his ‘register closed’ sign as he practically leaped over the bagging area and stomped his way straight towards them; the employee apron slipped off in a smooth motion, quickly being flung over his shoulder like an old, forgotten towel. Levy took an instinctive step back as his intensely focused eyes drilled into hers and barely noticed her boyfriend tense up and immediately move on the defensive.

“Hey, pal, the hell do ya you’re doing-” the cashier ignored him, pointing towards Levy with wide eyes.

“You’re Levy, right?! Blue hair, talking about stolen groceries and a twenty?!” Brown eyes widened and the stunned woman stared, unsure of how to respond. How did he- how did he know her name?!

“Don’t you ignore me, twerp- back off from my girl!” Muscles bulged as Gajeel moved to step between them- eyes narrowed and voice turning into a dangerous growl. One that meant business, but the boy merely leaned his head over to keep his eyes trained on her with a stubborn curiosity that matched her own when she found a book she adored.

“Are you or are ya’ not the chick who sent a blonde here a coupl’a weeks ago to buy her TROJANS?!”

The whirlwind suddenly turned into a loud echo that left every person in the store turning to look back at the trio and Levy felt her entire body grow still while all her blood focused on her face. Traffic lights paled in comparison. Gajeel, just as stunned, turned his head to look back at her and raised a brow.

“He talkin’ about those condom balloons you filled with glitter all over my apartment?” He asked numbly.

Levy Mcgarden had a realization in that very moment. “W-wait a moment- you can’t just, erm- eh?!”

Lucy was right! I’m never coming here AGAIN!

#Like a Trojan #Nalu Fanfiction #Fairy Tail Fanfiction #Mira's Fanfiction #Gajevy #Nalu #surprise!#i'm making more to this little thing #was going to try working on flame's desire #but after the mental blocks i've been having #i decided to work on the comedic one first #to help me out #anyway #i wanted to try something a little different with this #so i hope people participate in the event above and send me their ideas!

72 notes · View notes

wickedbananas · 6 years ago

Text

Getting Real with Retail: An Agency’s Guide to Inspiring In-Store Excellence

Posted by MiriamEllis

No marketing agency staffer feels good when they see a retail client getting reviews like this on the web.

But we can find out why they’re happening, and if we’re going above-and-beyond in our work, we just might be able to catalyze turning things around if we’re committed to being honest with clients and have an actionable strategy for their in-store improvements.

In this post, I’ll highlight some advice from an internal letter at Tesla that I feel is highly applicable to the retail sector. I’d also like to help your agency combat the retail blues headlining the news these days with big brands downsizing, liquidating and closing up shop — I’m going to share a printable infographic with some statistics with you that are almost guaranteed to generate the client positivity so essential to making real change. And, for some further inspiration, I’d like to offer a couple of anecdotes involving an Igloo cooler, a monk, reindeer moss, and reviews.

The genuine pain of retail gone wrong: The elusive cooler, "Corporate," and the man who could hardly stand

“Hi there,” I greeted the staffer at the customer service counter of the big department store. “Where would I find a small cooler?”

“We don’t have any,” he mumbled.

“You don’t have any coolers? Like, an Igloo cooler to take on a picnic to keep things cold?”

“Maybe over there,” he waved his hand in unconcern.

And I stood there for a minute, expecting him to actually figure this out for me, maybe even guide me to the appropriate aisle, or ask a manager to assist my transaction, if necessary. But in his silence, I walked away.

“Hi there,” I tried with more specificity at the locally owned general store the next day. “Where would I find something like a small Igloo cooler to keep things cold on a picnic?”

“I don’t know,” the staffer replied.

“Oh…” I said, uncomfortably.

“It could be upstairs somewhere,” he hazarded, and left me to quest for the second floor, which appeared to be a possibly-non-code-compliant catch-all attic for random merchandise, where I applied to a second dimly illuminated employee who told me I should probably go downstairs and escalate my question to someone else.

And apparently escalation was necessary, for on the third try, a very tall man was able to lift his gaze to some coolers on a top shelf… within clear view of the checkout counter where the whole thing began.

Why do we all have experiences like this?

“Corporate tells us what to carry” is the almost defensive-sounding refrain I have now received from three employees at two different Whole Foods Markets when asking if they could special order items for me since the Amazon buyout.

Because, you know, before they were Amazon-Whole Foods, staffers would gladly offer to procure anything they didn’t have in stock. Now, if they stop carrying that Scandinavian vitamin D-3 made from the moss eaten by reindeer and I’ve got to have it because I don’t want the kind made by irradiating sheep wool, I’d have to special order an entire case of it to get my hands on a bottle. Because, you know, “Corporate.”

Why does the distance between corporate and customer make me feel like the store I’m standing in, and all of its employees, are powerless? Why am I, the customer, left feeling powerless?

So maybe my search for a cooler, my worries about access to reindeer moss, and the laughable customer service I’ve experienced don’t signal “genuine pain.” But this does:

This is genuine pain. When customer service is failing to the point that badly treated patrons are being further distressed by the sight of fellow shoppers meeting the same fate, the cause is likely built into company structure. And your marketing agency is looking at a bonafide reputation crisis that could presage things like lawsuits, impactful reputation damage, and even closure for your valuable clients.

When you encounter customer service disasters, it begs questions like:

Could no one in my situation access a list of current store inventory, or, barring that, seek out merchandise with me instead of risking the loss of a sale?

Could no one offer to let “corporate” know that I’m dissatisfied with a “customer service policy” that would require me to spend $225 to buy a whole case of vitamins? Why am I being treated like a warehouse instead of a person?

Could no one at the pharmacy see a man with a leg wound about to fall over, grab a folding chair for him, and keep him safe, instead of risking a lawsuit?

I think a “no” answer to all three questions proceeds from definite causes. And I think Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, had such causes in mind when he recently penned a letter to his own employees.

“It must be okay for people to talk directly and just make the right thing happen.”

“Communication should travel via the shortest path necessary to get the job done, not through the 'chain of command.' Any manager who attempts to enforce chain of command communication will soon find themselves working elsewhere. A major source of issues is poor communication between depts. The way to solve this is allow free flow of information between all levels. If, in order to get something done between depts, an individual contributor has to talk to their manager, who talks to a director, who talks to a VP, who talks to another VP, who talks to a director, who talks to a manager, who talks to someone doing the actual work, then super dumb things will happen. It must be ok for people to talk directly and just make the right thing happen. In general, always pick common sense as your guide. If following a 'company rule' is obviously ridiculous in a particular situation, such that it would make for a great Dilbert cartoon, then the rule should change.” - Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla

Let’s parlay this uncommon advice into retail. If it’s everyone’s job to access a free flow of information, use common sense, make the right thing happen, and change rules that don’t make sense, then:

Inventory is known by all store staff, and my cooler can be promptly located by any employee, rather than workers appearing helpless.

Employees have the power to push back and insist that, because customers still expect to be able to special order merchandise, a specific store location will maintain this service rather than disappoint consumers.

Pharmacists can recognize that patrons are often quite ill and can immediately place some chairs near the pharmacy counter, rather than close their eyes to suffering.

“But wait,” retailers may say. “How can I trust that an employee’s idea of ‘common sense’ is reliable?”

Let’s ask a monk for the answer.

“He took the time...”

I recently had the pleasure of listening to a talk given by a monk who was defining what it meant to be a good leader. He hearkened back to his young days, and to the man who was then the leader of his community.

“He was a busy man, but he took the time to get to know each of us one-on-one, and to be sure that we knew him. He set an example for me, and I watched him,” the monk explained.

Most monasteries function within a set of established rules, many of which are centuries old. You can think of these guidelines as a sort of policy. In certain communities, it’s perfectly acceptable that some of the members live apart as hermits most of the year, only breaking their meditative existence by checking in with the larger group on important holidays to share what they’ve been working on solo. In others, every hour has its appointed task, from prayer, to farming, to feeding people, to engaging in social activism.

The point is that everyone within a given community knows the basic guidelines, because at some point, they’ve been well-communicated. Beyond that, it is up to the individual to see whether they can happily live out their personal expression within the policy.

It’s a lot like retail can be, when done right. And it hinges on the question:

“Has culture been well-enough communicated to every employee so that he or she can act like the CEO of the company would in wide variety of circumstances?”

Or to put it another way, would Amazon owner Jeff Bezos be powerless to get me my vitamins?

The most accessible modern benchmark of good customer service — the online review — is what tells the public whether the CEO has “set the example.” Reviews tell whether time has been taken to acquaint every staffer with the business that employs them, preparing them to fit their own personal expression within the company’s vision of serving the public.

An employee who is able to recognize that an injured patron needs a seat while awaiting his prescription should be empowered to act immediately, knowing that the larger company supports treating people well. If poor training, burdensome chains of command, or failure to share brand culture are obstacles to common-sense personal initiative, the problem must be traced back to the CEO and corrected, starting from there.

And, of course, should a random staffer’s personal expression genuinely include an insurmountable disregard for other people, they can always be told it’s time to leave the monastery...

For marketing agencies, opportunity knocks

So your agency is auditing a valuable incoming client, and their negative reviews citing dirty premises, broken fixtures, food poisoning, slowness, rudeness, cluelessness, and lack of apparent concern make you say to yourself,

“Well, I was hoping we could clean up the bad data on the local business listings for this enterprise, but unless they clean up their customer service at 150 of their worst-rated locations, how much ROI are we really going to be able to deliver? What’s going on at these places?”

Let’s make no bones about this: Your honesty at this critical juncture could mean the difference between survival and closure for the brand.

You need to bring it home to the most senior level person you can reach in the organization that no amount of honest marketing can cover up poor customer service in the era of online reviews. If the brand has fallen to the level of the pharmacy I’ve cited, structural change is an absolute necessity. You can ask the tough questions, ask for an explanation of the bad reviews.

“But I’m just a digital marketer,” you may think. “I’m not in charge of whatever happens offline.”

Think again.

Headlines in retail land are horrid right now:

The mall crisis is secretly morphing into a full-on Armageddon - Business Insider

America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning - Bloomberg

Retail Wreck? Over 1,000 Stores Close in a Single Week - NBC

8 Companies Amazon is Killing - Investopedia

These major retailers have closed more than 5,000 stores in 2017 - Clark.com

If you were a retail brand C-suite and were swallowing these predictions of doom with your daily breakfast, wouldn’t you be looking for inspiration from anyone with genuine insight? And if a marketing agency should make it their business to confront the truth while also being the bearer of some better news, wouldn’t you be ready to listen?

What is the truth? That poor reviews are symptoms smart doctors can use for diagnosis of structural problems. What is the better news? The retail scenario is not nearly as dire as it may seem.

Why let hierarchy and traditional roles hold your agency back? Tesla wouldn’t. Why not roll up your sleeves and step into in-store? Organize and then translate the narrative negative reviews are telling about structural problems for the brand which have resulted in dangerously bad customer service. And then, be prepared to counter corporate inertia born of fear with some eye-opening statistics.

Print and share some good retail tidings

Print your own copy of this infographic to share with clients.

At Moz, we’re working with enterprises to get their basic location data into shape so that they are ready to win their share of the predicted $1.4 trillion in mobile-influenced local sales by 2021, and your agency can use these same numbers to combat indecision and apathy for your retail clients. Look at that second statistic again: 90% of purchases are still happening in physical stores. At Moz, we ask our customers if their data is ready for this. Your agency can ask its clients if their reputations are ready for this, if their employees have what they need to earn the brand’s piece of that 90% action. Great online data + great in-store service = table stakes for retail success.

While I won’t play down the unease that major brand retail closures is understandably causing, I hope I’ve given you the tools to fight the “retail disaster” narrative. 85% more mobile users are searching for things like “Where do I buy that reindeer moss vitamin D3?” than they were just 3 years ago. So long as retail staff is ready to deliver, I see no “apocalypse” here.

Investing time

So, your agency has put in the time to identify a reputation problem severe enough that it appears to be founded in structural deficiencies or policies. Perhaps you’ve used some ORM software to do review sentiment analysis to discover which of your client’s locations are hurting worst, or perhaps you’ve done an initial audit manually. You've communicated the bad news to the most senior-level person you can reach at the company, and you've also shared the statistics that make change seem very worthwhile, begging for a new commitment to in-store excellence. What happens next?

While there are going to be nuances specific to every brand, my bet is that the steps will look like this for most businesses:

C-suites need to invest time in creating a policy which a) abundantly communicates company culture, b) expresses trust in employee initiative, and c) dispenses with needless “chain of command” steps, while d) ensuring that every public facing staffer receives full and ongoing training. A recent study says 62% of new retail hires receive less than 10 hours of training. I’d call even these worrisome numbers optimistic. I worked at 5 retail jobs in my early youth. I’d estimate that I received no more than 1 hour of training at any of them.

Because a chain of command can’t realistically be completely dispensed with in a large organization, store managers must then be allowed the time to communicate the culture, encourage employees to use common sense, define what “common sense” does and doesn’t look like to the company, and, finally, offer essential training.

Employees at every level must be given the time to observe how happy or unhappy customers appear to be at their location, and they must be taught that their observations are of inestimable value to the brand. If an employee suggests a solution to a common consumer complaint, this should be recognized and rewarded.

Finally, customers must be given the time to air their grievances at the time of service, in-person, with accessible, responsive staff. The word “corporate” need never come into most of these conversations unless a major claim is involved. Given that it may cost as much as 7x more to replace an unhappy customer than to keep an existing one happy, employees should be empowered to do business graciously and resolve complaints, in most cases, without escalation.

Benjamin Franklin may or may not have said that ��time is money.” While the adage rings true in business, reviews have taught me the flip side — that a lack of time equals less money. Every negative review that cites helpless employees and poor service sounds to my marketing ears like a pocketful of silver dollars rolling down a drain.

The monk says good leaders make the time to communicate culture one-on-one.

Tesla says rules should change if they’re ridiculous.

Chairs should be offered to sick people… where common sense is applied.

Reviews can read like this:

And digital marketers have never known a time quite like this to have the ear of retail, maybe stepping beyond traditional boundaries into the fray of the real world. Maybe making a fundamental difference.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

from The Moz Blog https://ift.tt/2sqwV4W via IFTTT

#The Moz Blog #Moz #seo

1 note · View note

chrispy-pancakes · 7 years ago

Text

Thrift Town

The day I worked up the courage to ask Janice for her number she was working the night shift at the corner thrift store. A close friend of mine convinced me to start shopping thrift after flaunting his cool vintage knick knacks. One Sunday morning while browsing the toy section I had stumbled upon an old Luke Skywalker action figure from Episode IV: A New Hope still in its original boxing. Blown out of my mind, speechless, staring down at Luke, Janice creeps up behind me looking as cute as can be asking, “big Star Wars fan eh?”. There are no words to describe, even until this day, how lucky I felt to be talking to such a gorgeous human being. Anxiety taking over I could only manage to mutter back, “yes”. We stared at one another for what seemed like a lifetime until Janice smiled curiously and at walked away. Days to come I wanted to shoot myself in the foot for not saying more than YES. For fuck sakes I could have responded a hundred different ways and I chose one out of two basic words to reply with. Weeks later I became a regular customer at Thrift Town. Although, I had not seen Janice around after a few visits I had it in my mind that I wouldn’t give up. By chance, It was a friday night, my shift had just ended and I decided to drop by the thrift store on my way home, Janice was working. Pulling up to the store I could see her walking around the store through the front windows. I didn’t want to come off as a creep so when I stepped inside the store I walked towards the opposite end of Janice. Surprisingly, she noticed me walking in and smiles at me but in a WELCOME TO THRIFT TOWN sort of way. At first I was confused as to whether or not she was smiling at me because she remembered me or it was her job to be overly polite to customers. Either way she was headed in my direction so naturally I panic and stop walking where I stood. Janice taps me on the shoulder asking, “are you shopping for a girlfriend?”. Instantly blood rushes to my head turning my face an apple red. I hadn’t realized I was standing in the women’s clothing area. Hesitantly, awkwardly smiling, I say, “oh no, I didn’t realize what section I was in.” Janice chuckles sweetly easing my anxiety. After Janice breaking the ice we continue to walk around the store talking until worked up the courage to ask Janice for her number. It was great, everything happened like I pictured it in my head. Soon enough we were texting daily which lead to going out for coffee which then turned into dates to the movies, restaurants, bookstores. After weeks of hanging out we decided out of the blue that we liked one another’s company so we started we made it official and started dating. Janice had turned my life around and everyday my feelings for her were growing beginning the first day she walked up to me in the toy aisle of Thrift Town.

The first time I met John I was working the floor shift at Thrift Town. He was wandering the store aimlessly, which is not abnormal for a thrift store, but something about Tom made me curious to meet him. Honestly, my first impression of him was sad and depressing, I sort of felt bad for him. When I walked up to Tom in the toy section he was holding a Luke Skywalker action figure so I had asked him if he was a Star Wars fan. I may have surprised him or something because it took what seemed like forever for him to respond. He was just staring at me with a blank look on his face that was creeping me out. When Tom finally replied I think he said that he was a Star Wars fan. He said it too low I could barely make out exactly what he said. Trying to think of what he just said without asking we both stared at each other awkwardly for way too long it was a little concerning. To break the awkwardness I walked in the opposite direction slowly until I saw a pile of clothes on the floor needing to be sorted. Three weeks later I had just made it back to work from using up all my vacation time mostly sleeping in and watching t.v. It was a typical Friday night, nobody coming into the store since there are better things to do on a Friday night than going to the thrift store. Well that goes for the average person at lease and not to my surprise Tom walks in while I was making my aisle runs. My first instinct was to avoid him after the turnout of our first meeting. Then I thought what the heck lets see what fun I stir up from the boredom lingering around the place. as soon as he looks over at me I smiled at him and walked over to him. Tom was acting like he didn’t notice me and turns his back facing me. While I was walking over to Tom he gave me this look of confusion and looked behind both of hiss shoulders as though confused I was looking at him. Tom was a total goofball back then. As I reached closer to him I noticed he was in the women's wear section so I automatically assume he had a girlfriend. Then I noticed he didn’t look like he knew what he was looking for, or anything at all for that matter. Turns out he was just using his peripherals to see if I was walking over to him. Arriving at his back I tap him on the shoulder and as he turns to face me he was my favorite color, cherry red. Tom was very nervous and I am pretty sure I made matters worse by asking him if he was shopping for his girlfriend. Tom was not the kind of guy I would go for normally but something about him was attractive this time around. After walking around aimlessly talking about Star Wars and other nerdy topics Tom asked for my number. At first I didn’t want to give him my number but I felt like he was harmless enough so i gave it to him anyways. Plus, unlike other guys Tom got to know me a little before asking which was a nice change of pace. He texts me about a week later and it doesn’t take long for it to become routine. Guys always do that, they text you for so long and forget about asking you out on a date. If Tom hadn’t asked me out for coffee at the time he did we wouldn’t be talking now cause I lost interest way before he asked. We went out for coffee and sure enough I sink right back into whatever it was that attracted me to Tom. We start hanging out more and more until Tom started acting weird. He started smiling at me uncontrollably and texted me randomly about how lucky he was to have a person like me in his life. It was nice having company all the time but I think Tom was getting the wrong idea, I even think he assumed we were dating. Not that I didn’t like Tom but he was making it way too easy. There was no flare with us, no spontaneity. He must have been crushed the days that followed me no longer returning his texts or his phone calls.

Tom and Janice started out building something nice. Although, their ideas of what a relationship consist of clashed in the end the both of them could not neglect the connection that had formed between them. Janice may have been the one reluctant to get fully involved with Tom but in her defense Tom was starting to get clingy. It is general knowledge that clingy people are the worst. Shortly after they parted ways Tom went through the biggest depression in his life. Janice on the other hand met someone else the day after she decided to ghost Tom. Anthony was his name. Janice will forever regret that she let Tom get away. Just like with Tom and Janice’s relationship Anthony walked into Thrift Town and swooped Janice right off her feet. Anthony was the typical guy Janice went for. He was toned and was up to date with hairstyles and the latest fashion. Ant, as Janice would later learn to call him, was an abusive alcoholic. Janice learned to love Anthony with flaws and all never able to get Tom out of mind. Tom became a saint she would turn to on the nights Anthony would be at his worse. Years later Tom and Janice would meet again at the local grocery store. Janice will be holding a pack of beer and Tom the hand of a beautiful woman. It was at this point in Janice’s life when she accepted her fate. Janice had always hoped she would run into Tom again, maybe share a conversation about Star Wars or Thrift Town. Maybe all Janice wanted was to spend some quality time with anyone else and have a quite conversation. Janice was not bothered by her situation and what could have. To Janice, life was a bunch of choices you have to make and one slip you are in shit. It was the last time Tom and Janice would ever see each other never to find out what became of one another. Eventually, Tom did go to back to the Thrift Town and asked a cashier about Janice. The cashier had no clue who he was talking about and Tom was fine knowing he tried and left Thrift Town for the last time.

#lific #fiction #shorts #shortstories #shortreads #my writing #writers on tumblr #story #spilled thoughts #thursdaynight #relationships #relatable

4 notes · View notes

sunshinexxrayne · 8 years ago

Text

Those Were Tea Days|| 👑☀️️

Sunshine: made her way through the cold streets, pulling her jacket closer to her body. Canada weather was finicky now, one day being warm and the next being freezing. And just so happened that today was one of the cold ones. But she had run out of her favorite tea so she decided now would be a great time to get some more, and to visit Prince. She enjoyed his company a whole lot, one of the few people that tolerated her happy go lucky attitude. She walked into the store, taking a deep breath as the aroma hit her, a smile coming to her face. Looking around she spotted Prince quickly, but he seemed busy with customers. Instead of being rude and interrupting just to say hello, she started to bounce down the aisles as she pushed her headphones into her ears, observing people and browsing the selections, waiting till he was free.

Prince: had been a bit swamped lately. Which, unfortunately meant that spending a lot of time with Sunshine was out of the question. Between her having school and him trying to keep up with the school year rush of customers, they didn't see as much of each other as they would've liked. In turn, this meant he hadn't had the time to tell her how he felt about her. The flirting had been there for a while, but they'd both been too shy to confirm a relationship.

He wasn't expecting to see her, but after a particularly busy afternoon at the shop he finally tore himself away from customers, nearly tripping over his own feet when he saw her between the tea aisles. Straightening his shirt and grimacing at how many stains were on his entire outfit, he walked up to her and grinned. “Sunshine!”

Sunshine: took another deep breath as the mixture of cologne and tea hit her nostrils. A smile came to her face because she knew who it was before she even turned around. As she did she pulled the earbuds from her ears, Backstreet Boys blasting from them. “Prince! Hi.” She said, taking her phone out of her pocket and stopping the music; old nineties pop music was always a guilty pleasure for her. “How are you? It’s been quite some time, I see you’re rather busy today. I just came in for more of that elderberry tea you suggested. It’s becoming one of my favorites.”She rambled on, shoving her phone into her pocket. She couldn’t seem to not ramble whenever she was around Prince, even in a calming area like the tea shop.

Prince: grinned at her rambling, as always, finding it endearing. “Hey! I’m doing well.. Er, as well as I can. It’s been a bit hectic, but that’s good for business so I can’t complain too much.” He paused, perking up before plucking a tin of Elderberry from a higher shelf. “I’ll make you a fresh pot and you can take this tin home when you go. How about that?” Upon noticing that people seemed to be heading towards the register, he bit his lip. “How about I put your pot on and then.. If you’d like to stay.. As soon as everyone leaves I’ll turn the sign onto closed and we can have some tea and catch up? It seems like it’s been ages and I need a bit of a break anyway.”

Sunshine: grinned, looking around at everyone milling around. “I see! It seems like a good thing though. You’ll never get bored during the day.” She joked, looking back at him. “That sounds wonderful! I don’t have much left and it is a bit chilly out.” She trailed off, looking towards the register area. She thought for a moment, before voicing the question that was at the front of her mind. “Do you need any help here? I don’t mind lending a hand, making it easier on you.” She said, a smile on her face, whatever helped to getting them alone quicker.

Prince: bit his lip, hesitant to accept her offer. His parents had run the place by themselves without hiring anyone or even accepting help from people outside him, but even then.. It had been the two of them to do it. He was drowning by himself and even though her offer was just until they could clear the place out, his pride nagged at him a bit. “I, yeah. That’d be great. I’ve got an extra apron, you can put your stuff in my office and we’ll get this taken care of quickly.”

Sunshine: bounced on her toes, nodding her head. “Awesome! I’ll be right back.” She said, turning towards the back where she assumed his office was. She found it, walking in and slipping off her coat. She placed on his chair quickly, making sure her phone was safely in the pocket before walking back out. On her way to the front she put her hair up, making sure it was out of her eyes.” Apron please.” She smiled, hands out as she approached him once again.

Prince: fumbled for a moment, but handed her a simple gold apron bearing the shop’s logo, a small teacup at the end of a little patch of road. Then, trying not to keep her busy too long, he sprang into action and gave her soft orders regarding what to do. The two of them worked fairly in sync, the shop only taking about forty-five minutes to empty completely. Once he’d checked that there was no one left but them, he walked over to the front door and locked it, turning to her and giving the blonde a tired smile as he rested his back against the door. “Hope you’re not ready to run screaming after all that.” He teased.

Sunshine: took the apron from him, slipping it on quickly as he put her to work. She didn’t mind it, a smile on her face the whole time as she did what he told, helping customers all the while. The time seemed to go by quickly for her, letting out a sigh of relief as she wished the last customer a happy day, watching as Prince walked over and locked the door. She let out a laugh, untying the apron and lifting it up and over her head. “Not a chance.” She grinned, letting her hair out of the ponytail, not realizing she had knocked the flower crown sideways on her head. “It’ll take much more than that to get rid of me.”

Prince: grinned at the sight of her flower crown askew on her head, walking over so that he could gently straighten it back. “I wouldn’t want to get rid of you.” He admitted, voice soft now that they were only a few inches apart. “I really love having you around.” His cheeks flushed a bit at his admission, hoping she wouldn’t be upset at what he was starting to tell her. His feelings had grown over the past several months and he couldn’t hide them as he had in the past.

Sunshine: looked up as if she could witness him fixing the flower crown. “Good. Because I would be very upset if you did.” She smiled, rocking back and forth on her heels. “You do?” Her eyes lit up as if that was the best thing she heard all day. She didn't move, the smell of tea and cologne surrounding them once again with how close he was. “I really love being around.”

Prince: was faced with a decision that was both easy and difficult at the same time. On one hand, he could kiss her and if things went the way he wanted, she would feel the same and they’d take the next step in what he hoped would be forming a relationship. However.. There was always the fear that he’d misread what was between them. She could reject him, effectively ruining their friendship due to any awkwardness that might follow and.. He didn’t want to lose her. “Sunshine, I..” He trailed off, deciding to ignore all the bad outcomes that shot through his mind, and kissed her like he’d been wanting to do since they’d met.

Sunshine: stood there, looking up at him, not able to take her eyes off of him. He was just too handsome to look away from. It looked like he was having an internal debate about something and slightly worried her; but his stare made her unable to say anything. Which was good for when he kissed her she was rendered speechless. She immediately kissed back, something she had been hoping to happen. After a moment she pulled back, a dreamy smile on her face. “I.. wow. “ she muttered, a short giggle following after.

Prince: couldn’t help the goofy grin that came to his face as well, following her happy reaction. “I’m.. Not very good with words. That seemed easier than rambling about my feelings for ten minutes. But, now that you seem to get it.. Um, well… Be my girlfriend..? Or, uh, shoot. If that’s too forward, go on a date with me?” His cheeks were pink, but the smile remained despite the nerves that lingered.

Sunshine: grinned. “I thought I was the one who rambled in situations like this?” She joked, enjoying the flustered look on him. It was always her that was flustered around him. She looked down, taking his hands in hers. “Well, how about both.” She said, looking up at him with a smile on her face, one that seemed to not go away the whole time she was there. “Girlfriend and a date.”

Prince: laughed, also enjoying the turnaround in their normal states. “It was my turn today, I suppose. But for good reason.” Hearing her accept both his offers, he picked her up and spun her around, kissing her again. “Deal.” He murmured when they pulled apart, voice breathless. And to think, he’d nearly closed the shop this morning. Fate had a funny way of working out.

#AHHHHH

2 notes · View notes

tainghekhongdaycomvn · 6 years ago

Text

Getting Real with Retail: An Agency’s Guide to Inspiring In-Store Excellence

Posted by MiriamEllis

No marketing agency staffer feels good when they see a retail client getting reviews like this on the web.

The genuine pain of retail gone wrong: The elusive cooler, "Corporate," and the man who could hardly stand

“Hi there,” I greeted the staffer at the customer service counter of the big department store. “Where would I find a small cooler?”

“We don’t have any,” he mumbled.

“You don’t have any coolers? Like, an Igloo cooler to take on a picnic to keep things cold?”

“Maybe over there,” he waved his hand in unconcern.

“Hi there,” I tried with more specificity at the locally owned general store the next day. “Where would I find something like a small Igloo cooler to keep things cold on a picnic?”

“I don’t know,” the staffer replied.

“Oh…” I said, uncomfortably.

Why do we all have experiences like this?

Why does the distance between corporate and customer make me feel like the store I’m standing in, and all of its employees, are powerless? Why am I, the customer, left feeling powerless?

So maybe my search for a cooler, my worries about access to reindeer moss, and the laughable customer service I’ve experienced don’t signal “genuine pain.” But this does: