#the one he got is not a cheap item either hence my doing some damn research

[elainemorisi]

holy god, you think you're used to the Reddit Enthusiast attitude and then you stumble into the coffee subs. holy god

[thevioletjones]

fic trope 60! 😋 congrats on 100k!! soooo deserved!!

Alright! So this is a ficlet I combined with a request from @yellowcerulean that was also for #60 + #4: 

Bookshop AU / Aroused by their voice

Mickey stared down at his phone with deep disdain. Was he really willing to go through with all this bullshit just because he lost a fucking bet? His sister’s sneering face and cutting voice popped into his head spewing the usual hateful, nagging bullshit she always directed at him, and he sighed heavily, knowing he’d have to bite the bullet and abide by the terms he’d agreed to or else never hear the end of it.

He pressed the telephone number link, then send, bringing the phone to his ear as it began ringing.

“Bargain Book Bin, this is Ian, how can I help you?” The voice that greeted him was deep and sexy, which momentarily threw Mickey entirely off his game.

“Uhhhh…” What was he calling about again? Oh right. “Yeah, you got any of those like GED prep book thingies? Like with worksheets and crap like that?”

The guy on the other end of the line audibly snorted, which immediately set Mickey’s teeth on edge. “Yeah, we have those.”

“That funny to you, asswipe?”

“Um, no sir, I just couldn’t help being amused by your phrasing.”

Dammit, the little teasing lilt was not helping Mickey stay angry.

“Well, maybe next time don’t laugh at someone askin’ for help and just answer the damn question,” he said anyway.

“Will do, sir.” Dammit. Why’d he keep calling him ‘sir’ like that? “We have GED prep books.”

“Great. So what’s the fuckin’ bargain like, then? You guys sell secondhand shit for cheap or what?”

“We sell both used and new items. It all depends. You can come down and take a look. But if you don’t mind my saying, I would also recommend the adult continuing education classes at the library. They can be really helpful.”

Mickey’s eyebrows quivered and shot up. “Yeah, I do mind you sayin’. You tryin’ to tell me to go back to school?”

“Um, no. I’m trying to tell you that the library has free classes that help people like you get ready for taking the GED.”

“People like me? Who exactly are people like me, asshole? Retards? Dumbfucks like me who had to drop out?”

“Uh, look, sir—”

“And stop callin’ me fuckin’ ‘sir,’ bitch! I’m gonna come down there and you can say that shit to my face!”

Mickey hung up the phone in a giant huff, wishing it was like the old days when you could slam the receiver down satisfyingly into the cradle. Or at least snap the fucking flip-phone mouthpiece closed. Smartphones were bullshit for ending angry phone calls. He couldn’t exactly afford to throw it at the wall though.

It wasn’t even a half hour later when he marched into the shitty little bookshop hole-in-the-wall a handful of blocks over.  There were a total of zero patrons in the store based on his cursory glance around, and only one tall redheaded fuck behind the counter with his back turned.

“‘Ey,” Mickey called out. “You the joker tryin’ to send me back to degenerate school?”

The redhead whipped around stiffly, and Mickey’s forward gait stuttered. If this was the melodious voice, then he was in serious fucking trouble, cuz the guy was hot as hell. Didn’t look like he belonged cooped up in some old musty bookstore at all.

“GED guy?” It was definitely the sexy voice. Dammit.

“Good guess,” he shot back. “So you gonna say it to my face, or what, tough guy?”

The tense shoulders sagged a little, and the dude’s handsome face softened. “Look, you were jumping to a lot of conclusions on the phone, man. I wasn’t trying to put you down or anything, okay?”

“Sounded a lot like you were,” Mickey replied, slowing his roll slightly, but crossing his arms in a small show of defiance. “Came off like an uppity prick, to be honest.”

Red chortled and looked down, and something inside of Mickey fluttered unwittingly.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret, Rumble Fish… I never graduated high school either, okay? I took the GED myself a few years ago. Hence my advice, cuz I know of which I speak.”

That took Mickey aback. This guy didn’t talk like some dropout. “The hell is a fuckin’ rumble fish?”

The guy snickered. “It’s a book about a young ruffian who fights a lot. They made a movie out of it too. Matt Dillon played you.” Now he was fucking smirking at him. The gall.

“Oh yeah?” Mickey asked, unable to stop himself from being charmed by this idiot. “I guess he used to be pretty hot back in the day.”

That titillating smirk blossomed into a full-on wolfish grin. “Yeah, he was.”

Was this fool looking him up and down now? Jesus.

“You checkin’ me out?” Mickey hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“Maybe I am.”

“What’s your name again?”

“Ian.”

“Right. Mickey.”

“Right. You wanna go check out the books you need then?”

“I wanna check somethin’ out alright.” Oh god, was this him flirting? He was pathetic.

But Ian just chuckled and motioned for him to follow him through the tall stacks. Mickey obliged, watching his ass the whole way.

[rpausandwhatifs]

Bastards of the Perfect|| Persephone and Isla

 @ledabunnie-rp @danhowell-rp

“Mom?! What are talking about?” Isla said when her mother walked by with bags.

“Don’t ask me that! You know we have to go! When it’s time to go, it’s time to go. Your father gets it. I dunno how many times I have to tell you this-”

“I DON’T WANNA GO!”

“You WHAT?”

“Mommy, come here. Stop this. I don’t wanna leave again. I like living with my dad as a family. Why do have to leave?”

“You know why, Isla! Why are you being so difficult? I thought you like going on trips with mommy-”

“NO! I hate it just as much as I like it. You don’t plan them. You just pack our bags and we go. We’ve lived on the street. Daddy’s paid for hotel after hotel- and you still wanna live in these cheap motel-”

“Because he’ll find us-”

“WHO MOM?! Who the fuck are you running from? Dad told me that he’s dead. Like really dead. Like took me to his grave dead. Like we don’t have to run anymore dead.”

“Watch your mouth. Pack your bags...I need to know you’re safe..”

“I’m safe right here with Daddy and in this loft with you! I’m not going!”

“Isla Artemis Muir-Cyr...you know what?! Fuck it! You don’t wanna leave? Fine! I just better see you here when I get back! All I’ve ever done is keep you safe! All I’ve done is show you love and protect you and this is what you do?!”

“Leda, don’t try to guilt-trip me when you’re the one who refuses to go to therapy for your PTSD. I’m tired of this-”

“What the fuck? Isla!” Cyr called from the living room as he walked into the house, “What’s going on?” 

“*gasp* Vincent...Finally, he’ll talk some sense into you-”

“TALK SOME SENSE INTO ME?! Fuck you!” she blurted, getting her backpack and stuffing some clothes and putting on some clothes and storming into the living room into her father.

“Hey, hey. Honey bunch, what’s wr- woahh woah! Where’s the fire? Hey! Stop! Talk to me!” Cyr said as he grabbed her but spun them around gripped her harder and gave her a small shake to get her into the moment.

“Mom wants to leave again and I just can’t do it again. Especially since it’s for no reason,” Isla began, still huffing, “I’m not a kid anymore. Why does she do this? Why doesn’t she get treatment? Why do you let her go? Don’t you love her? Why won’t you make her stay?! Dad, she fucks people to get a place to sleep! She gambles, she steals! Moms aren’t supposed to do those things! I’m not supposed to see those things!”

“Isla...come here. It’s not her fault. That guy whose grave I took you to, right? He did a lot of fucked-up things to her and it’s hard for her to come to terms with all of it. You don’t have to go, it’s okay. She did protect you, and she took care of you as best she could. She loves you and she loves the company. Look. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll see if I can talk to her out of this episode.” The lanky man embraced his daughter, rubbing her back and kissing her cheek and forehead as he walked back into what is their bedroom. 

Isla sat and waited for a few minutes through the screams and yells back and forth. The usual thrashing and breaking of items in their room because Leda’s manic energy was so high. Then it died down a little and she heard little cries of her mother supposedly accepting that it’s over and that it’s ok. The walls in this loft are even walls. They’re like paper partitions with soundproofing and heavy curtains. She soon heard her mother, she heard the bed, and slapping noises and her father’s name...well let’s just say her parents are making up. Gross. She got up, wrote a note on the fridge and took something to drink and a snack before she grabbed her dad’s keys and left. 

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

Persephone/Persi had been at home and once again she was grounded. Go figure. She packed a bag because she knew she needed more time and space away from her family. They’d understand even though they don’t understand her as a person. Eh, maybe one day. Right now, she’s going to make the most of her 17 years of life so far and her underlying mental illness. She took her stash out and the prepaid card her grandparents loaded for her and used Dan’s ZipCar account to drive from Vegas to LA. 

She looked around to see where the other kids a little older than her were doing and she settled on the Santa Monica Pier. She walked the boardwalk and scored some weed and cigarettes from the other kids because she looked like them. She was having fun and drinking a little until she felt like she was no longer the kid with two gay parents and a twerp for a little gay brother with a hard-on for their oldest cousin. 

She was flying on the beach at the bonfire with everyone having fun. Her new friends were being awfully cool and they were just sharing weed and stories and bottles of various alcohols that she could get her hands on. Tonight it felt like her last night being in high school, her last night being this young. She wondered what would come of this experience until they said that they were going to the Sunken City.

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

The red haired girl offered to let her catch a ride to the Sunken City with her for no charge. The car felt and smelled like a rental. They shared cigarettes on the drive up and some stories about their lives. The brown haired girl felt something different about the girl driving, it didn’t feel creepy and it didn’t feel like they should be friends, either. She had feelings for a girl she just met and was giving her a free Uber to this location on a school night and they were both floating  

“Where do you go to school?” Persephone asked, “Just like location and if you like it. I hate school”

“Uhh..oh,uhh I got to someplace in the valley. Real casual shit. I hate everyone there and I hate school in general because I don’t like how they teach it’s so lazy and not personal to what I wanna do when I leave. Especially when I was in and out of school for as fucking long as I was-”

“You too?! Fuck I’ve transferred outta like 5 schools across 2 countries for fighting.”

“Woah..I just don’t be at school. I’m most of the time on the road, but it sounds way more badass to move schools for fighting..What happened?”

“No, no. You first, babe. I don’t like talking about something that I can’t explain myself...” Persi kept her eyes on the road.

Isla blushed at the endearment, and it that feeling wasn’t going away. Strange. “My mom is fucking trash. See? When she was a kid, she dated this guy and he was crazy and she got away from him and got kidnapped again so she got away from him again and then my dad said that she was there when one of her friends killed him for her when he found her again, but she’s used to being on the move and on the road, which was fun when I was a kid, then my dad forced us to settle down and I’ve been living in LA and tonight she was trying to leave again..I couldn’t listen to my parents fight and makeup again so I heard that some kids were going to hang out at the pier tonight and here I am.”

“Wow..that’s fucking deep. And gross. You’ve had to hear your parents fuck?” she asked, her American accent slipping, “I get that. My parents fight about what to do with me and my dad was quite the man’s man in their day so my pussy of a dad needs talking down because my mom’s crazy. I was basically planned by her but not by my dad. It’s mental. Like really, this apparently had to do with his mental and Daniel is so vetted about it but then again he went and fucked Bryonny and she had my baby brother..ugh..you’d think they’d learn but nooo! They fuckin fight and so I fuckin fight bitch boys at school and birds who try me.”

“How are you in school but you’re driving a rental? Don’t you have to like..be older to drive these?” Isla asked, deflecting from the drama. She really didn’t want to ruin a great night.

“I snuck out, got a hotel room with my money from my grands, and rented the car in Dan’s name. I still got money for like four days, so I’ll go back when that money runs out or I feel like going home, but I just can’t stand it,” Persi explained, “You sound like you’re not trying to see the sunrise in your bedroom either.”

“Damn, how long have you been English? I thought you were-”

“My mum is American. My dad’s from Northern England, Dan’s from like London, I think? And Bryonny’s from Brighton. I have dual citizenship. Hence, being kicked out of primary and secondary school as well as elementary and middle schools around here. I didn’t want to do Sixth Form. So I came to high school in the states. I live in Vegas,” Persi explained, “I hid my accent as best I could because..I didn’t want all the hard-ons and wet panties simply off of my accent. It’s so northern and rough and mixed up. I don’t see how anyone would like it, and it slips...”

“I like your accent..” Isla says, a little quieter, not intending to stare at the girl so long, but she smiled when she saw the girl smile a little. 

They parked a little further up on the beach and followed the crowd to the water. Both Isla and Persephone stripped to their underwear and splashed in the moonlight. They settled as they lit the bonfire and broke out the entertainment of sparklers, weed, and little games of touch football. Persi had gone to use the bathroom and left Isla for a few minutes, claiming that she could hold her own. While the redhead was coming back from the port-a-potties, she spotted her new friend being shuffled off and accosted by some chad and she didn’t know what came over her. 

“Yo!” Persi called as she saw the girl trying to fight the man off from touching her. When nothing happened she started running and felt herself slipping away even though she had been drinking. On the way she grabbed an empty bottle out of the trash and came crashing into the two, bashing the big bottle against his head and yanking him back, throwing him to the sand and stomped on his head. “Stay away from her, you fucking creep!” she yelled and then realized she had knocked him clean out. It was a fairly large guy, and Isla was stunned. She hadn’t really been in too many situations like this, which is something she can be thankful her mom did, but it was so unlike her to not react to something she felt was coming out of her control. When Persi came up, Isla looked at the girl and their panting matched. Persi couldn’t see the girl, but the girl who stood in front of her liked what she saw. 

“I know this is creepy as fuck but you look kinda cute when you’re scared,” she said with an unwavering English accent, “Persi tell you about me?”

Isla was so confused a little scared, “Uhh I don’t even know her name...and thanks?” 

“Ah, she’s bad at that sometimes. I’m- well we’re Persephone. I like being called Persephone. Ya know, like the greek person. The one that made a deal with Hades to save her boyfriend and he straight left her and she ended up fucking Hades anyway. That one,” Persephone said, putting her hands in her pockets and flipping her hair over one shoulder, “She usually goes by Persi, like Percy Jackson, like the books? It’s nutted, anyway. I think she likes Greek Mythology or gender-neutral naming, but eh..Either way it’s nice to meet you sweetie.”

Isla was shocked, but she wasn’t too concerned. She had a mother who would just phase out, and she remembers her talking about a guy she went to school with who had a condition like this. Her father backed this up, so it’s gotta be true. She liked how the shift in her accent and her hair placement presented a completely different girl, who she had a harder crush on. Her legs rubbed together and she bit her lip, trying not to smile to big, “Uhmm..I’m Isla..Not Lila, Isla...Like Isla Fisher, like that crazy red-he-oh...sorry.” The girl blushed so hard and played with the dirt with her shoes.

“None taken, cutie! Isla is such a cute name. And yes I know she was the girl Shaggy liked in Scooby Doo, and yeah the crazy chick from Wedding Crashers. Gingers don’t get a good wrap, but it is true we’re amazing in the sack,” Persephone explained, smiling and giggling watching the other girl trying not to meet her gaze. She knew she was fighting with herself, but Persephone was willing to play ball, “So..you wanna get outta here? I think they’re bouta go home or something. I’ve already smuggled enough hooch, grass, and drugs that we can hit up a hotel now.”

“Can we go to a Wal-Mart, first? I wanna pick up some provisions,” Isla explained, “Is there a pool or a spa at the hotel?”

“Yeah I think so. It’s a homestay suite, so I guess I’m gonna cook for the next few days,” Persephone said, pulling the car keys out of her pocket and walking towards the car.

Isla was now very concerned, “Wait, cook for us? That’s romantic, and efficient...how..how old are you?”

“We’re 17. We turn 18 in a few months. I didn’t think it woulda mattered cus you look as old as me. Also I think I have some clothes that might fit you, we look about the same size, as cute as your outfit is, those desert nights aren’t kind,” she said, unlocking the car and opening the door for the girl. She takes some time to get her duffle bag out of the back and brought it to the back seat, pulling out a large heavy hoodie she had from Reiner- which is funny he hadn’t asked for it back yet after their rather interesting night on their field trip- and tossed it to the girl. She pulled about $100 and handed it to Isla to put it to the side for gas. 

“Wow..you’re so organized..Have..have you done this before?” she asked, putting on the hoodie and smelled it, catching the tones of cologne and sweat and her body spray and deodorant. It made her melt into the passenger seat, but she wondered who’s cologne she smelled in the fabric of this comfy garment.

“Eh, sorta..I’ve thought about putting this little getaway together for about 6 months. You’re a nice add-on. I’m gonna go back after about 4 or 5 days, because..I just felt so trapped and I needed space to calm down. My parents are usually too busy with work and their own infidelity to give me time and attention like I should get, especially with..ya know..this..” she said, getting in the car and starting it, pulling out, “Where am I dropping you off when this is over, babe?”

Isla’s chest had a resounding bang again and she looked at Persephone. Why does she like this? She doesn’t even know if she likes girls. The GPS on the screen and the soft music in the background gave her time to think. She looked at her phone and saw a few missed calls from her dad then a simple message telling her to be safe and be careful, and that they love her. She swiped away the notifications and opened her phone, playing some game to take her mind off of abandoning her parents. She didn’t feel like a bad kid, she just felt like her mother steals her spotlight. This sweatshirt around her made her think of all the casual relationships she had on the road and how if they would have lasted, maybe she wouldn’t be so unfamiliar to love. Maybe she wouldn’t be so hesitant with her feelings for the girl driving them to a getaway. Even when the guy was simply a jerk, it felt like it was her fault. Watching her parents were no help either. It caused her to panic that she possibly didn’t know how to love or what good love looked like. She was a broken girl and never fit in anywhere. She blanked out when that guy grabbed her, her body barely fought him when his hand snaked up her torso while he pressed together. Coming to and seeing the ginger girl beating him down was so relieving. She’d usually come back and she’d be sore, emotionless, and alone. There, she wasn’t alone. The same girl who gave her a ride had saved her from something she didn’t know about. Her own mother had the same problem and couldn’t explain. Why can’t she fight? Isla now felt like she owed Persi. However, she’s not making it seem that way. She hasn’t even asked for any money; if anything, she gave her cash. What kinda rich kid reject is she, anyway? “You said your parents are gay, right?’ she asked, looking at her, “That’s still a new thing.”

“Yeah, gay. Two different surrogate mothers, AAND English immigrants. Well, I’m actually American. My brother isn’t. I was born in the States and my brother’s mum had her across the pond in Camden. My dad and Dan went to school in Montana, then they wanted two places for us to live-”

“Wait you said Montana?!” Isla jumped up, leaning over the center console “As in the high school and college in the Montana mountains, Montana?”

“Yeah..for YouTubers,” Persi looked at the girl while they stopped at a red light, a little wide-eyed and very surprised that she met someone who knew what she was talking about, “Wait..”

“My parents are Vincent Cyr and Leda Muir...who in the hell are your parents?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Dan Howell and Phil Lester-”

“yOUR pARENTS...Wait wait wait...Hang on. You share biological DNA with Amazing Phil? The Amazing Phil?! Who the fuck is your mom?”

“Cat Valdez...”

“Catrific?! Wow..you’re the heiress of YouTube royalty!”

“And you’re the heiress of YouTube controversy...As am I...So that means-”

“That we both have a base level of a fucked up family. I’ve heard stories about Phan being super toxic and so crazy!”

“Same..I remember when..uh..Cameron? Right? He stormed the campus and someone fucking took him out. It was amazing. Everybody thinks it fucked her up more-”

“It did. It really did. She’s still in denial.”

“She still move around a lot? They used to tell me that they never knew when she was on campus because she would run-”

“Uhh well, when my dad got her pregnant with me she was still running around and then around the time when she had me my parents lived together in the valley in a loft- we still live there now, but my mom would still leave and for a few years and sometimes I’d stay with my grandparents and sometimes I went with her until my dad put his foot down and I said I didn’t wanna move around anymore. So I’ve lived in Carmel Valley for the past 7 years going to school and shit, then tonight happened. My mom just snapped and told me to pack because we’re leaving. I didn’t wanna leave and we fought and I left.”

“..So, fuck I’m sorry, I’m Persi, by the way I forgot to introduc-”

“Persephone filled me in already. You have the same personality disorder your dad did...My mom told me about it before. Phil didn’t use to be the best guy in the world and Dan is dumb enough to be with him this whole time,” Isla said, not moving from the center console as they started on the road again, “No offense but I didn’t know they had kids in the mix.”

“I was a wedding gift, my mom says..then again my mum turned out to be a real psycho when it came to my dad. So yeah, like Persephone graciously explained, my dad does have the same thing, but it went away once he got my mum preggos. She told me his name was Zack. And it will usually tell you how they want to be addressed, but she usually doesn’t talk when she’s around...she just screams and causes havoc which leaves me in trouble..” Persi explained, “My baby brother only came around because Dan was being petty and got Bryonny knocked up. However, it’s way sweeter of a time being around her than Dan or my mom.”

“Oh, then the holidays must suck for you, huh,” Isla commented, “My parents were young and dumb and my mom had this crazy delusion that she couldn’t have kids because of what Cameron did to her or something..When in all reality her reproductive system had healed enough for me to be born. My dad tells me all of the time how she would freak out and stop taking care of herself because she was ‘scared to death of having to stay in one place in case he found her.’ And I’m just like-”

It just sounds like a fucked up way of saying they couldn’t get rid of me.

Persi and Isla had arrived at the store and looked at each other when they had said the sentence, they had looked away into their respective windows, but quickly turned heads to see they felt the same way. They were mistakes. Tactfully set upon this earth to make things worse for their parents regardless of their feelings. They didn’t feel like they belonged, and at the end of the day they didn’t even have the loving comfort of their parents. Just themselves. 

“Let’s hurry up and get what we need so we can get to this room,” Persi said quickly, backing off and getting out of the car. 

Isla was still frozen. She felt so much at once from once sentence than she ever had with anyone else. Someone who understood. Someone she could stay close to and trust because they were all they had. It made the pang in her chest take her breath away and she sat staring into the center console until Persi jolted her out of it with a hand on her shoulder, “Earth to Isla...Come on!” She hurried along, holding the girl’s hand. They were around the same height, Persi maybe a little taller. She wasn’t sure that the ginger even noticed that they had linked until they walked into the automatic doors and saw that she meant to do it, “Uhh, why are you holding my hand?”

“Because this is like the second time you’ve just spaced out on me. I can’t afford to bring you back to your family if I lose you. Also, remember I am somebody’s older sister, so habit I guess?” she said quickly, then let go but walked close to the girl.

Isla looked ahead again and blushed, snaking her hand into Persi’s again, and feeling a squeeze. 

“Did you wanna ride in the cart?” Persi asked with a playful smile, “It is weird Wal-Mart hours, so nobody’s gonna care.”

“Actually, I don’t think we need that much stuff, let’s go for the scooter!” she jumped up and ran to the station, unattached one and hit the horn for Persi to hop on. 

“Uh-uh, you sit in my lap and steer!” she blurted, pushing her and fixing it as they traversed the store.

They fooled around and had their fun, grabbing their essentials and some supplies for the room so they can eat and live from the suite for at least the first two days. The staff at the store gave them weird looks and didn’t say much, but told them to make sure to put the scooter back when they were done and let them know if it ran out of battery. They didn’t spend too long in the store and bought (almost) everything and left.

They finally pulled into the suite and went to the front desk where Persi gave the receptionist Dan’s name and remembered the hotel had his card on file from previous travel. This was a bonus. She could stay out longer on her parents’ dime. Only thing is that he would see that she went here and stayed so he’d be tempted to track her down. She sneaks out enough they know she’s coming back. 

Once inside, she was pretty impressed with how homey the suite was, complete with all the works and one sofa bed and a large California king sized bed in the other room. Fits because her Dads’ are both 6 feet tall and over. “Fun fact: I almost never travel with my parents unless it’s the mandatory trips to see my grands. When they’re on tour they don’t even fly us out to a certain cluster of cities to watch them work. Given, it is a lot to fly your family around and worry about our safety and shit, but whatever,” Persi said as she put everything down and started to unpack.

“Wow..I’ve never been in a hotel room this nice,” Isla said, doing laps around the suite and checking everything out. She could hear what the girl was saying and felt for her. Even though she wanted to stay and have a more stable life like hers, but she could get used to these trips. She caught herself thinking about seeing her again and planning how their about to spend their summers and maybe even do more getaways with just them. She would love the air and the space- well the individualized attention. She remembered and thought of the first times she would run away with her mom and how this would feel. It feels more like the times they would all go as a family, instead of just her mother. Mostly because of how much fun she was having with the both of them and no tension of the constant worry of someone going to find them or even her mom’s manic energy. Those are the moments where her parent’s love doesn’t bother her and it feels like the love that she was made from. 

“You want the soup first or do you want the spaghetti? Or do you wanna just pop one of these pizzas in the oven?” Persi called to the girl, where she had heard her loading up the dressers but didn’t know what she was doing. She waited and still didn’t hear anything, deciding to put the cheese pizza in the oven and started sifting thru the drinks they put in the refrigerator, cracking open a fresh bottle of whiskey and grabbed the cola and a glass with some ice, making the drink and sitting over in the common area to set up her PlayStation so that she can watch TV. 

Isla strolled out of the bedroom, wearing some clothes that Persi recognized from her own duffle bag. She looked at Persi setting up the television on the couch and sat with her, taking a sip of her drink, “Mmmh! What is this?”

“Jack and Coke. I’m sorry if I drink a bit, I’m used to being able to drink in the UK, and I know the age to drink is 21 over here.”

“Wait, seriously? You can drink at 17 there?”

“Yeah in some places they let you at 16. But 17-18 is the age where you develop a drinking problem around there. Especially if you look like you’re old enough they don’t even card you-”

“Oh my god,” she gasped, curling up and crossing her legs on the couch, “That’s absolutely insane to me.”

“Well tonight we’re gonna drink like English sailors, love,” Persi said as she took the glass from the girl and sipped it again. She looked at the girl who was staring at her lips while she drank and took down the glass, “What’s your type?”

Isla blushed faster than the alcohol allowed her, “My what?!” she sputtered and before she could try to blubber her way out of the question, her face had a finger in front of it.

“I’m out, hold that thought and follow me into the kitchen, I’ll make you one of these too,” Persi interrupted, getting up and taking the girl’s hand with the glass in the other and then continued, “I don’t mean to be that gal, but you’ve been giving me stares all night and your face loses colour every time I called you out of your name out of respect for not knowing it. So is it your first time liking a girl or is it just unprecedented?”

“Uhh well when you put it that way, unprecedented, I guess,” Isla shrugged, “I think I just had stronger feelings cus I’m like plastered and here I am still drinking,” she giggled.

“It’s called a nightcap, but I’ll put Bailey’s in yours instead Coke, but if you want a smoother drink, remember creme is key so you can use vanilla flavours and coffee flavours. It softens alchy burn but keeps the potency, even masking it,” Persi said, dropping cubes into another glass and starting on the other girl’s glass, “Also the caffeine in Bailey’s or Kahlua liqueurs will help you sleep and regulate dehydration when you get up, staying off a monstrous hangover.”

“Wow I never thought about how drinks work because I usually am just grabbing what I can. It sounds like you’ve like sat down and thought about it,” Isla said, relaxing a little and taking the drink when it was complete, sipping it lightly and loving the taste, but tried to focus on the topic at hand, “Why’d you ask me about my sexuality?”

“Conversation mostly, but honestly I’m bi and I don’t want you to be uncomfortable and I can give you the option of sleeping on the bed bed, and I just pass out on the sofa,” Persi said leaning against the counter, making light gestures, “I know I like took you along with me on this adventure, but from what I saw, I’d just want to make sure you know I’m not some creep or something.”

“Uhh oh wow..I don’t mind! T-The bed looks big enough for the both of us to sleep comfortably. I like how...old fashioned you are, and you’re not afraid to share your wealth. I think that’s really cool, but I think I had never heard of someone in our day and age doing stuff like this. And- I’m just realizing that you have freckles on your cheeks. That’s really cute oh my god I’m sorry I’m so distracted. And it’s not your fault I think I might have had too much-” Isla’s rambling was halted by Persephone’s lips

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After their first night of kisses and cuddles, games, and Isla actually getting too drunk and throwing up most of her pizza, they woke holding one another on the gigantic bed, the TV blaring in the background. Persi stretched pulling her hair back with a hair tie and felt something hug her torso tighter. She looked down and saw the brunette, smiled and started to slide out of her grip. 

Isla stirred, feeling a little lost, but watched the girl walk into the bathroom. She was so confused. What happened last night? Where was she? Why was this feeling like she went along with her mother anyway? But it wasn’t? She sat up in the comfortable bed and saw how ornate the room was and could hear that the room didn’t just end in those walls. She was so hungover. The sun was being blocked by the curtains, which helped her sensitivity to light. The girl in the bathroom was still foreign to her, but familiar as she looked through their social media. Clearly, she and the girl had hit it off. That’s a relief. She had seen her phone was fully charged, meaning that she had blacked out well before the other girl, who had been smart enough to charge it for her. She usually doesn’t use her phone or post when on the run just because her mother taught her about vigilance and stopping to look down at her phone means you’re giving someone an opportunity to sneak up on you and take your shit. Also, the mother feared the man who was no longer after her, meaning she had to reduce her presence in the one area where he could track her down or use a lot of sourcing to track her location. Her father, bless his heart, allowed her to have a phone. On her birthday a few years ago, the man had hidden the device in her suitcase, and left her some money for a case and a note informing her not to let her mother know he had given it to her, to take a picture of the case she chose, and send it to him. It allowed her and him to remain connected to his not-so-little girl anymore.

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Cyr had seen her posts that night and smiled: she was having fun. Leda was still an entire mess that her little girl wasn’t home. She had barely remembered her (almost) husband had given their daughter a cellphone until she remembered seeing the girl use it once before, she took a picture of the motel they were staying at. The girl rose from the bed and walked into the large room and was greeted by Cyr playing a video game. She didn’t really want to bother him but she had to make sure. “Vincent,” her voice was unable to reverberate through the loft, but the man looked up and paused the game.

“Yes honey bear, what’s up? You hungry or something? Do I gotta turn down the TV?” he started, pulling his headphones all the way off. The woman cringed at how much he still guesses what she wants and is right about 85% of the time.

“N-no...Vincent, do you know where Isla is?” she asked, staring at him carefully because the man she loved had a way with lying, it was almost pathological and giving him this look usually worked.

“Maybe I do...maybe I don’t. All I know is that she’s a smart girl, she can handle herself. She’ll be back. She wouldn’t leave us forever like that,” he explained carefully folding his hands and then spreading them, palms up. He’s not lying, he’s gas lighting. She felt her body heat up, rage building from his dismissal. She was Isla’s parent, too, goddammit, she had a right to know! He knew exactly where she was and he wasn’t going to tell her that easily.

“I remember seeing her with a phone. Don’t fucking talk to me like a fucking mental patient, Vincent! You went behind my back and gave her a phone, didn’t you?! She never had any money for her own and I barely had one so I know it had to be you. Where is our daughter?!” Leda asking more seriously, her cheeks going pink. Cyr was cornered, he had to let her baby she never knew she could have was alright. The man motioned the woman over and pulled her daughter’s Instagram and showed her story and all posts since the account was created. “The-These...These are so beautiful,” she referenced the pictures and cracked a warm smile at her daughter’s story of her prancing through a Wal-Mart, the bonfire, and the girl. That girl looked so familiar. She recognised the bright orange hair and little freckles. “Who’s phony.persi?” she asked towards the man, who shrugged.

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Phil had gotten smart about his daughter running off over the years. He follows her on social media just in case they have cute father-daughter time or people don’t believe that he’s her father. He went to her story and saw that she had been reposted in someone else’s story by the name of earth-name-isla. He didn’t want to pry, but he had a feeling about the girl that was pictured with his daughter was familiar. He got up and went to his husband, who would know which one of their ex-classmates this girl looked like. “Hey babe..can you come here for a second?” he asked into his ear, running a hand down his arm. 

“What?! What’s going on? You know where Persephone is?” the other asked quickly, whipping his head around and followed his husband back into the office. 

“Yes, but something is weird,” Phil said, handing him the phone and looked at the story and the pictures with her daughter and the mystery girl, “The girl she’s with...does she look familiar to you?”

Dan took a few moments and went through the girl’s profile and happened to find a little rare picture of a hard copy of a picture of Cyr and Leda when their daughter was a child and they had taken her to Universal Studios. He squinted a little so that he could see her parents and upon recognizing the girl’s father, his cheeks flushed. “Oh my god...Phillip,” he gasped and quietly called for his husband, “Look at this! Look who her dad is!”

Phil looked on and raised his eyebrows at the man he hadn’t seen in years, next to a girl he equally hadn’t seen in a long time. The memories flooding back to their days at the Institute and few in the Youniversity and how their relationship- similar to their own- was akin to that of a firecracker. “Her mom is Leda Muir..And that’s-”

“Vincent Cyr- yes! I didn’t know they had a daughter! And that she’s...she’s..! Making out with Persephone?! I c-can’t! Babe, I’m literally done! Bring her home. Right now. Where is she?!” Dan fussed and shoved the phone back into Phil’s chest and he began to pace in the office.

“She’s in LA. It must be where she lives,” he explained calmly, setting the device down on his desk.

“Yo-you-you don’t think that-”

“I doubt it. There’s no way that she would have known who she was.”

“You hope,” Dan said, “How did she even get all the way to LA from here?”

“Persi is a resourceful and smart girl. I’m surprised she’s not alone. When I find her, she’s usually been by herself for a few days..She’ll be back. Especially if she took a trip,” Phil said before hearing their son come up to the door to the office and saw their son looking a little worse for wear. 

“Oh my god! Elliot, baby, what happened?! Come here,” Dan shrieked, running to embrace his son and gave him excessive love, only to be pushed back and Dan could feel tears forming.

“Otosan, I’m fine..really..Jareth and I-”

“Jareth had something to do with this? Did he hit you?! Oh, I knew I should have sent Harlan to go-”

“Otosaan! Stop! I’m fine. Harlan didn’t need to be there. We fought them off ourselves. They were these huge sophomores and they almost broke his camera, and I jumped two of them and then he helped me out...We took out 4 of them dad! I’m just like Persi!” the boy beamed as his fathers looked over his body, “We ended up rolling down the hill and...I got dirty, but I hope you don’t mind, I told Jareth he could clean up here..so..”

The men were so distraught to hear the words that came from his mouth. They looked at one another, sharing a soft chuckle at their fierce family. Phil pushed the boy’s hair back so he could check for anymore injury and seen all of the hickies on his skin, which he quickly let go of his hair and put a hand over his mouth and grabbing Dan, “You should call Sean or Charlie, let them know where their kid is,” he says to him, “Ellie, go ahead...is he staying for dinner?” When the boy nods, Dan gets up and returns to the kitchen to finish cooking.

“Awh, Otosan is cooking?!” Elliot whined, “Why didn’t you cook, Papa?!” 

“I was busy with locating your sister and meetings until the time for dinner, so I trusted Otosan with some fish and shrimp noodle dish. It cooks too fast so it’ll work with his short attention span. Now...I know he can be dramatic, but can I inquire about those blotches on your neck?” Elliot had gotten nervous, “Look, I don’t mind you growing up and dating, but I just need to know you’re safe, okay? I don’t need you growing up too fast...Now go on, tend to your guest..And also, for next time: Ice seals up those bursted capillaries faster and prevents blood from staying in the dermis.”

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“Ugh..I don’t think it’s working!” Isla whined, holding the paper towel full of ice to her neck while Persi hung out on the counter, who also was holding ice to her own body.

“You kinda have to freeze that part of your skin,” Persi said, patiently holding ice to her own neck, “Why are we doing this again? I don’t really think it’s all that necessary.”

“Because, I feel better and I’m ready to go home and I don’t wanna show up with hickies on my neck and an older girl that I found in the desert. My parents will flip. They’ll think I purposely left for two days to go and party and be gay I guess. I wanna make a good first impression,” Isla said.

“Isla, I think I’m the least of your worries. Your dad and my Dan used to fuck, so if they have to speak to each other after such a long time I think they’ll be more worried about that, or when they realize that my baby brother is definitely fucking that rugged bad boy loner he found in the woods.”

“Ew,” Isla said, dropping the cloth and playing with it, listening to the ice clack, “You have a point. I did this to show that I’m growing up, but I guess if I’m gonna go for it, I should commit.”

“Also, you’re an only child, it’s not like you can avoid it. I’m not an only child, so I can always point out what goes on with Ellie,” she mentioned, throwing her ice in the sink.

“You call your brother Ellie?”

“Short for Elliot, duh,” she looks at her sitting on the counter when Isla touches her arm.

“You’re so mean...” Isla cooed, trying to hide her smile.

“That doesn’t sound like you hate it,” she looked bit her lip and nudged closer, pulling her in for a kiss then pulled away quick, “But for real? Like real shit? Only I can call him that. He’s Elliot to you at all times. Got me?”

“Yeah, I gotchu, babe,” she nods.

“Good!”

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*phone rings*

“Babe answer it!” Phil exclaims from downstairs.

“Do I have to do it?”

“Yes! It might be our daughter and my hands are wet, just hurry up before it goes to voicemail!” 

“Fine!” Dan goes to the phone in the studio and picks up the phone, “Hello?”

“Daniel James Howell...As I live and fucking breathe,” Vincent laughed, sounding mature and relaxed with age, “Uhh, so your daughter brought my daughter to me and I just...wanted to thank you for raising her so well..She is so sweet and generous.”

“Are you...wait..Cyr, you talking about my daughter? Persephone?”

“That’s her whole name? She told me it was Persi. That’s a beautiful name-”

“Enough! Where are you? Where is she?!” Dan snapped, “Also my last name is Howell-Lester nowadays. I haven’t been just Howell in a while..”

“She’s with Leda and I at my place in the valley. Carmel Valley. I can have her send you the address. The girls wanted to hang out, so we all thought we can take the time and catch up,” Vincent said a soft wind blowing into his phone, “Uhh yeah I figured, but you’re still a howler nonetheless-”

“Cyr I’m fucking married!” he snapped.

“I’m kidding, kidding. You have a whole family and I just want to show you how our little girls are having so much fun together. They’re inseparable. So yes I called to invite you up here, but to also thank you because I haven’t seen my little angel this happy in years. She made a real friend in her-”

“Hmph don’t speak so soon, she’s a force. She’s only like that now from therapy and her father being here. I couldn’t raise her on my own if I tried,” Dan replied, leaning against the desk.

“Daniel, is it her?” Phil asked in the doorway, causing Dan’s body to heat up a little as though he had been engaging in something wrong, but they were just talking about being dads.

“Yeah, it’s the girl’s father. I’ll put it on speaker,” he moved the phone from his face and pressed the button, “Say hi, Cyr.”

“Cyr? As in, Vincent Cyr? I haven’t heard that name in ages, how you been, sir?” Phil asks.

“I’ve been well, I’ve been well. I was just thanking Dan here about your daughter bringing my Isla back in one piece and they’re really good friends. Like it’s like she brought back a different girl. She’s so happy and they get along so well!” Vincent said, blowing smoke from his cigarette, “Leda and I are inviting you down to our place to come and get her, but why don’t we all go out to lunch or something? My treat.”

“Oh that sounds amazing! I’d like that just tell Persi to send me the address and we’ll be out tute-suite!” Phil beamed, looking at Dan with a playful smirk, which caused him to smile more comfortably.

“Alright, we’ll see you then!” Vincent said before hanging up.

“Only you Daniel. Only our daughter would seek out a girl who just so happens to be the spawn of your old flame,” Phil teased.

“Shut the fuck up, Phillip! That was really fucked up for me~” Dan whined, “Like I’m actually, literally sweating all over the fucking place!”

“Ooh sexy,” Phil said, then heard the notification on his phone and looked at it, “Oh wow we gotta buy these tickets...Elliot!” He exclaimed walking out of the room, “Sweetie you wanna go to LA for a day? We gotta go get your sister!” 

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Elliot was startled by his father’s raised voice and quirked an eyebrow, “Why is she in LA?”

Jareth looks over at him and shakes his head, pointing at his bed and Elliot gives him a look, “My sister would tear up a town if I went missing. I wanna see that she’s safe...” The other boy sighed and shrugged, gathering his bag and putting on his shirt slowly, wincing quietly, causing Elliot rushed to him and helped him put his shirt on but gave him very pleading eyes, trying to bring the other boy closer to him and he didn’t respond. He winced again when the boy was touched in an area where it hurt and he swiftly, yet gently, firmly grasped his boy and looked in his eyes, cupping his jaw. He laid a soft, long and deep kiss on his lips biting his lip a little as he pulled away as he struggled to get out the room through the window. 

“Elliot!” the voice came from behind him and caused him to whip around and he gasped, “Did you hear me?”

“Y-Yeah..LA..we leaving soon?” he asked, his body tingling at the boy’s kiss.

“Uh huh..Pack a bag for like a night just in case. You get to see who your parents grew up with.”

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