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#someone help i’m supposed to be reading Shakespeare for tomorrow and i gotta read a whole act and i have Not started kabsjdndnd
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thinking about the “don’t worry, bae, I’ll protect you” scene from the beach episode of sk8 but zukka…
sokka as reki… zuko as langa… azula as shadow… toph as miya… jet or ty lee as joe… haru or mai as cherry…
sokka acting overly dramatic with zuko and then zuko playing along and clutching sokka (maybe with one arm wrapped protectively around the back of his head too…) and saying “don’t worry, bae, i’ll protect you”
and sokka internally dying because zuko called him bae and zuko internally dying because oh crap he just called sokka bae and azula and toph internally dying because they’re surrounded by lovesick fools and… yeah…
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armageddonouttahere · 3 years
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Consolation
Title: Consolation
Summary: Takes place after “Putting Others First”, in which Roman sinks into his room and doesn’t leave for a while. Logan is the only one not preoccupied enough to come and lure him out, but in this he has to face emotions he’s been putting on the backburner for a long time.
Pairings: Romantic Logince, background platonic Moxiety
Warnings: Crying, self-doubt, insecurity, negative thinking
Rating: General Audiences
Genres: Fluff, Hurt/comfort (with a happy ending)
Word count: 2,500
A/N:  Here we are, at last! I had cranked out the last couple paragraphs of this fic just an hour ago, and I’m very excited. This had gone from a little Logince comfort drabble to a fic of 2,500 words (exactly, though I didn’t do that on purpose). I hope anyone who sees this enjoys it, and everyone who’s been waiting for it likes it even more, after all this suspense. Taglist will be at the end, under the cut.
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Logan was at a loss. The aftermath of Janus’ name reveal left all the sides shaken and fragile. Especially Roman. Logan wanted to help, he wanted to be able to tell Roman with certainty that he will be okay, that everything will be alright. Logan needed to be able to look Roman in the eyes and know that the words that came out of his mouth are truths.
But he can’t. So, Logan focused on the problems he could solve. He endeavoured to keep Thomas in working order, though on the inside he may be struggling. Virgil seemed to have taken a backseat, focused on watching over Patton. The most he’d seen of the anxious side was weekly updates and reports on Patton’s condition, how he was feeling, which Logan appreciated greatly. He needed all the positive data he could get.
As the logical side, Logan was somewhat attuned with the other sides’ reasoning and thought process. He needed this information to be accurate in order to know how Thomas works, how he functions. He knew how the other sides try to solve problems, how they understand things. When something or someone throws a wrench in the system it’s one of the few things that affected Logan physically.
In the aftermath after Roman sank out Logan had migraines for weeks. Roman’s flawed logic- his flawed perception of himself- is the one thing that has caused Logan the most physical pain. Roman’s view of himself shifted so drastically to the negative end that Logan felt… sorry? For him? 
He felt… he- he felt. Roman made him feel. What did he feel, exactly? Empathy? It was true that Roman’s emotional pain gave Logan physical pain, but the shared anguish went further than that. Logan knew what it’s like to feel wrong, to feel unheard. He related to Roman. He knew what he’s going through. 
Their opinions may differ, but Roman still needed consolation. Logan won’t further his belief that Janus is the villain, but Roman doesn’t need a scolding or a lecture, skewed though his viewpoint of Janus may be. He needed someone to listen to him, someone to comfort him.
Logan was aware that he’s no optimal candidate for the matter, not the first choice for consolation (nor the second). He does not possess the endless cuddles and comfort food of Patton, nor does he have the quiet understanding and listening ears of Virgil. His only way of reassuring the prince is through data, probabilities, and chances. Inadequate. Unsatisfactory. Definitely not enough.
Logan made a plan. A plan to make Roman feel better. A plan to get Roman to open his door, something he hadn’t done in two weeks. He gathered things he believed he would need in order to cheer Roman up: the Sherlock screenplay Roman had gifted him at Christmastime, Logan’s book of Shakespeare’s plays (Hamlet being pre-marked with a red sticky-note, in case Roman is feeling increasingly dramatic and macabre), his journal for note-taking, vocab cards, and his laptop- which has a playlist compilation full of ‘cute’ animal videos at the ready. All of this was needed for Logan to get up the courage to knock on Roman’s door. He felt as if he’s putting on an armour of sorts. Preparing himself for battle. 
It’s quite funny- the logical side needs bravery and courage to step outside his area of expertise and comfort the prince of the group.
May 17th, 2020. 1830 hours. Attempt #1: Prologue.
Roman has not left his corner of the mindscape for 16 days, 6 hours, and 28 minutes. Virgil has just given an update on Patton’s condition, which is thus: Patton’s “room” has slightly lessened in its intensity of upsetting emotions. The picture frames’ rate of showing unfavourable memories has decreased. Patton has not cried yet today. The Dark Sides, Remus and Janus, seem to be keeping on the “down-low”. Thomas has not had any intrusive dreams in many days. Virgil has been too preoccupied in keeping tabs on Patton to give him anxiety over much.  Thomas’ motivation has gone down. His restlessness has gone up. Roman’s unconscious contributions to Thomas’ everyday life have gone down significantly. Thomas has stopped daydreaming. He has stopped thinking about the future, what he has to do tomorrow. He is becoming forgetful and apathetic.  As the logical side, there is only so much I can do to keep Thomas in working order without help from the others, that much I can admit. I have put off trying to help Roman in case things only become worse, but the stakes are too high at this point. Action must be taken. I will record the results of this 1st attempt later.
Logan steeled himself, books tucked under his arm. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. 
Around nine at night, he wrote down the results. Roman had been unresponsive to polite requests for entry, knocking, attempts to start a conversation, small-talk, even a referencing desire to build a snowman. He had not responded to propositions of reading from plays or poetry, or any of his favourite literature. In summary, it was almost like speaking to a “brick-wall” (almost, because the door to Roman’s room was made of mahogany).
“Really? Things must be bad,” was Virgil’s response as Logan recounted the events to him later that evening. It was late, almost time for Logan to get some shut-eye after organizing Thomas’ duties for tomorrow. Logan had entered the kitchen hoping that Thomas would get a good night’s sleep so he could have the highest level of productivity the next day, but judging by the Monster Energy drink resting in Virgil’s hands he supposed that was not the case.
“It is certainly concerning. I tried… if not everything, at least a substantial amount of options.”
“Yeah, and if Roman doesn’t answer to a Disney reference… I’m worried about him. Do you want... me to try?” he said, fidgeting. Logan realized he looked uncomfortable with the idea. Virgil must felt a little guilty for not showing up at all during the argument.
“No, I believe that more attempts should be made. To wear him down, in a way. I’m planning to try again tomorrow.”
“Same Bat Time, same Bat Place?”
“An interesting way of putting it, but that’s the idea.” Logan rubbed his eyes and began making a list of all his tasks once he returned to his room.
“Alright. I’m gonna go see Thomas.” Virgil said, getting ready to sink out.
“I assumed you were. And Virgil?”
He popped back up. “Yeah?”
“Please at least try to motivate him a bit, if through fear? I don’t want to deal with a gloomy, unproductive Thomas tomorrow.”
“You got it. I won’t screw him up too much. ‘Night, Lo.”
“Good-night, Virgil.” He was alone.
“Roman?” Logan knocked once more. “Roman, would you be open to company? I wish to speak with you.”
Nothing. He sighed, pushing his journal farther into his pants pocket. He decided to come with substantially less things this time around. To come as he is.
“I’m not entertaining visitors or guests at the present. Please come back another time, thank you,” came a weak and muffled response.
The sound of Roman’s voice gave Logan an ache in his heart which he didn’t want to name. He ignored it, for the moment.
“I just want to speak with you. You’ve been decidedly quiet these past few weeks. Your input, both in-person and in Thomas’ subconscious has dropped a considerable amount. As far as I am aware you have not made your presence known to me or any of the other sides in over two weeks.”
Silence was his response. Facts were getting Logan nowhere. Logan sighed, struggling with himself. Did he tell Roman what he thought in simple terms, what he was trying to say through his data? How could he bare himself to Roman’s listening ears, let himself be known?
“In all honesty, Roman, I’m- I’m…” He took a breath. “I’m worried about you.” He said this in a rush, letting it all out in one breath. Like a Band-aid, as Virgil had stated. The silence that still followed both frightened him and spurred him on.
“Roman, I- I haven’t spoken to you in weeks. I’m afraid of what will happen if you stay isolated for much longer. You’re a necessary part of Thomas’ life, for me to have things to maintain and keep in order. But more than that, more than duties of mine, I mis- I’m… finding your absence upsetting.”
Logan faintly realised his hands had begun to shake, and he clenched them.
“You… mean a lot to m- the Mindscape, to Patton, to Virgil… to everyone. No one means you harm. We need your input on discussions, and revel in your ideas and thoughts. We... miss you.”
Just gotta rip it off.
“I- I miss you, Roman.” Logan shut his eyes, forcing out the idea that he had become emotional enough to begin producing tears. Logic does not cry. “We bicker sometimes and both of us are wrong on occasion, but I would rather have arguments with you than nothing without.”
“Seeing your vibrance and excitement in brainstorming, your happiness in Disney movies and romances, watching your brilliance when creating plays and stories and… being you, I- I find myself… swept up- metaphorically, of course- in every emotion you give off when you’re around me. Seeing you productive and happy gives me more of a reason to work to the best of my ability.”
“It’s… it would be difficult for me to ever say these things in the hearing of the other sides, but… I miss the feelings you bring me when you are around. It is something greater than a job well done, Crofters, or puzzles and murder mysteries being solved.”
“The emotions I feel when you are around are something more than a simple pleasure in watching, in the aesthetical enjoyment of seeing things fall into place. When I’m with you, I feel… spurred into action.”
“Roman, I- I can’t… I can’t bear your absence any longer. I’m worried about you, but more than that, I’m worried that should you keep to yourself, I’ll never… I- I won’t…” Logan swept aside a few tears that had run down his face. His throat ached so much that he feared he wouldn’t be able to get any more words out. The words he spoke next came out in a hoarse whisper.
“Without you I’m afraid I’ll never feel anything again.”
A shuddered gasp tore itself from Logan’s throat as he took his first proper breath in a few minutes. Tears slicked their way down his face freely now. This was, Logan supposed, because such a long drought of emotion had rendered him virtually unable to control any that did overcome him.
“However,” Logan began once more after a few more minutes of silence, his voice quieter now. If anyone else had heard it, they might have said he sounded ashamed. “Should you wish to remain alone for… whatever period of time, I won’t stop you. Asking you to open your door for my sake is extremely selfish of me. I’m… I’m sorry, Roman.”
Logan took one more breath before turning around to leave. He had no idea what the effects of his speech would be, and that scared him. He was in an entirely new territory. This was an unprecedented event, with no similar experiences to compare it to. He had ‘boldly gone where no man had gone before’, so to say.
Logan was so wrapped in his own panic, for that is what it was, he almost missed the imperceptible click of Roman’s door opening as he walked away. Every muscle in Logan’s body tensed, and he prepared for angry words and scathing insults. Logan would face it, however. He turned around, and was met with a sight for some very sore eyes.
Roman held open his door an infinitesimal amount, peering through the crack. Through the small open space Logan could see the prince out of his usual outfit, the beautiful swath of his hair, and one very tearful eye. Logan opened his mouth without knowing what would come out, but the air was knocked out of him.
Roman flung the door open wide and his socked feet ate up the steps between them as he flung his arms around Logan, the force of his embrace almost tipping Logan over. An embarrassing ‘oof’ escaped him at the impact and his hands went up to grip the back of Roman’s jumper after only a second of hesitation.
Logan’s mind filled incredibly fast with all sorts of information: the scent of Roman’s hair, the warmth of his body, how Roman buried his head in Logan’s neck and the slight wetness that came from tears. The way Roman’s nose jutted into his neck, the almost imperceptible touch of Roman’s lips on his shirt collar. Logan’s body betrayed him in an audible catch of his breath as Roman clung to him harder.
“Roman, I-” Logan began in a faint whisper, but Roman only shushed him and tightened his grip, rocking them from side to side ever so slightly.
They stayed like that for Galileo knows how long when the prince peeled himself from Logan. Roman looked upon Logan with eyes so bright from unshed tears Logan would have believed there were stars in them.
“You never said anything. Not a word.”
Their conversation was as hushed as could be, the Mindscape and the world beyond it ceasing to exist and zooming in on the two of them, in this moment.
“I’m not good with words. When it comes to talking about feelings, I mean. You know this.”
“Don’t lie, Specs. That was one of the most eloquent and beautiful things I’ve ever heard.”
Logan scrambled to find a breath within him as Roman smiled up at him. For one of the few times in his life, he found himself with nothing to say.
“It was moving, and heartfelt-” Roman continued, taking Logan’s hand and stepping back, towards his room. He paused in his motions and looked at Logan once more.
“-and it was incredibly romantic.” He said softly.
“I’m- I’m glad.” came Logan’s strangled reply. Roman smiled at him again and led him into his room. There they would sit and talk for hours, and Logan would hold Roman to his chest. They would confess to things bothering them and their hopes, dreams, and fears for the future. It would grow late, and Logan would give in and begin to card his hands through Roman’s hair as the prince drifted off to sleep.
There, in the black-blue of the sky of Roman’s window, scattered with stars and the slanting rays of the moon, Logan would look down upon the prince’s sleeping head and realize, though he had first doubted his abilities, he had been enough. Enough for Roman and for himself. He had been enough.
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Taglist:
@count-woe-laf @psychedelicships
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dontshootmespence · 4 years
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Random Chance
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Summary: Y/N yields to peer pressure and Spencer loses a bet. Did fate bring them together or was it random chance?
Words: 1,689
Warnings: Gross fluff.
A/N: My next entry for @cmbingo​ 2020! This fulfills my meet cute square.
This was the fifth outfit change.
“Why did I let you talk me into this?” You screamed, glancing into the mirror before ripping off your shirt and pants for a sixth outfit. “Speed dating? Fuck my life. This is peer pressure. You suck.”
Under pressure, filled with nervous tension, you tended to run your mouth, and right now Piper was at the opposing end of your razor sharp sword. But she still had a smile on her face. “You need to get out there and you won’t do it yourself, so I had to push you,” she laughed, pushing passed the mountain of packed boxes and pulling one of your favorite dresses out of the closet. 
“A dress? Really? For speed dating?”
Dating sucked. It was the most horrible thing ever. All you wanted was to fall into the perfect relationship and then cuddle on the couch. Was that so much to ask? 
Piper laughed and stood behind you, holding the dress over your body. “Yes, it’s not an evening gown or anything. And it’s you. Just because you’re going speed dating doesn’t mean the guys you meet shouldn’t see exactly who you are.”
As much of a pain in the ass as she was, Piper was still your bestie, since you were in diapers. And she wanted the best for you. She’d pulled out your Harry Potter dress, the one with the first chapter’s words written all over. “Pair that with your cute red flats and the guys will be falling over themselves to get to you and the ones that don’t are stupid.”
You snorted and stepped into the flats, taking yet another glance into the dreaded mirror. “You know you couldn’t have picked a worse time for me to go speed dating,” you said, finally content with your outfit. Within the week, you’d be moving and starting a new job at the local community college. “Next week, dude.”
“Life’s too short to wait,” she said, playfully smacking your butt. “Plus, at least it’s at that kitschy bookstore you love. Now go take a nice relaxing walk and breathe. You’ll be fine. I gotta go to work.”
“Text me when you get there so I know you’re safe,” you call, hearing the thud of the heavy apartment door close behind her.
After grabbing your red sweater, you headed down the stairs, locking the door behind you. The bookstore was only a few blocks away and it was a beautiful day out, so you decided to take advantage of the sunny weather.
A breeze brushes through your hair as you walk and the sun beats down on your skin. There are a few other people around, but mostly people are at work. You would be too if it weren’t for the whole “new job, new place, new life” kick you were on. Decided to take a few weeks off before starting your new job. 
The entrance to the Old Fox bookstore was as obnoxious as could be, at least when compared to the rest of the stores on the block. The door was painted a bright red, but it was somewhat worn by age. The store opened up during the 60s and it was still just as popular today.
Like the three bears, the store wasn’t a giant chain or a teeny tiny hole in the wall, it was just right. The walls were a muted turquoise, which you’d alway loved. Everyone seemed to think that neutral was the way to go but you’d always been a fan of in your face color - at least after your goth teen years. 
Noise filled the air - not normal for this place - it was always on quiet side, but given the event you weren’t surprised. Seemed to be an equal amount of men and women, which made you feel a little better, not wanting to be outnumbered.
Since there was still a little time to waste before everything started, you figured there wasn’t any harm in looking for another book or two...or five. One of the first things you planned to put up in your new apartment was this scratch-off list, kind of like a lottery ticket, the listed nearly 200 classics. You'd read a lot of them before, but there were still some that you hadn’t, so maybe you could find one and pick it up before the nausea-inducing speed dating began. 
After reading Good Omens, you’d been hankering for another Neil Gaiman book, so you slithered between the masses in the store toward the section in question. American Gods, Anansi Boys, Eternity’s Wheel, you weren’t sure which one to pick. 
All - all was a good choice, right?
The colorful spines of the books called out to you, another one of Gaiman’s works. Your hand crawled along the edges of the nearby books, your hand just brushing up against someone else’s as you reached for The Graveyard Book. “Oh, sorry,” you said, staring up into the face of a beautiful stranger. He was thin and tall with delicate features, but he had a sharp jaw and deep set hazel eyes that were complemented by wavy brown hair. “I’m apparently on a Gaiman binge. Have you read any of his stuff before?”
“Yea,” he replied, eyeing the stack of books already in your hand. “American Gods, Good Omens and Eternity’s Wheel. I tend to read textbooks most of the time, but I’ve been told I should delve into more fun reading, so-”
He cut himself off and took the book off the shelf, offering it to you. “You saw it first.” Aw, gallant, too. “I’m Spencer by the way.”
“Y/N,” you said, extending your hand. “What brings you here? You live around here?”
Spencer glanced toward the tables set up for speed dating. “No, actually I lost a bet to two friends of mine and if I lost I had to go speed dating. Can’t say I’m all that comfortable with it.”
“Me either,” you laughed. “My friend Piper peer pressured me into it. I don’t drink but somehow she got me to agree to this.”
The owner of the store gave a five minute warning that speed dating was about to start. “So how long will it take you to read those?” He shifted on the balls of his feet, probably nervous, which you understood. 
“Well, I have a few weeks off while I move apartments and start a new job, so these...probably four, five days.” You laughed, feeling every inch the nerd you were. “Been an avid reader since I was a kid. Why do you read textbooks though? Fiction is so much more fun.”
“I can read 20,000 words per minute and I’m always trying to absorb as much knowledge as I can. Helps with the work I do.”
“Which is?” He was cute and intriguing.
“I’m an FBI profiler for the Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico.”
And smart. Shit. There had to be something wrong with him. Dream guys like this didn’t grow on trees. “Impressive, Spencer. What’s your background in?”
He looked down at the ground, almost like he was embarrassed, speaking softly. “I have BAs in psychology, sociology and philosophy, as well as PhDs in mathematics, chemistry and engineering.”
“Oh my god,” you laughed. Really smart. Like stupid smart. “That’s amazing.”
“Really?”
“Of course!” How could that not be amazing? “Why?”
“It’s just that people normally think I’m a freak for having so many.” 
You wanted to punch whoever made him feel that way. “Definitely not a freak, just insanely impressive considering you’re so young.” He couldn’t have been much older than you. Maybe five years at the most.
“I started college when I was 12.”
As the owner called out to start the most awkward dating experience known to man, you turned to Spencer. “Hey, would you maybe want to get out of here? Go grab a cup of coffee? I mean, we both had friends insist we come here, but we never said we actually had to go through with it.”
Tension fell from his shoulders, like he could finally be at ease. “I’d like that. I’m really not good at this whole date thing,” he said nervously. “Just a heads up.”
Both of you shuffled over to the register, so you could pay for your books. “Neither am I, don’t worry. I’d prefer to just magically be in a relationship and not have to work for it, you know?”
“Absolutely, so Y/N, what do you do for a living? What’s the new job?”
Now it was your turn to be embarrassed, well not embarrassed, intimidated. “It’s definitely not as fancy as FBI profiler. I have my master’s degree in English literature. I’m going for a PhD too, but to pay for the half of my doctorate that scholarship won’t, I’m teaching. First, it was an online course through a University in New Hampshire where I’d travel occasionally, even though I live her, but now I got a job at the local community college.”
“That’s awesome,” he said, seeming genuinely interested. “What’s the focus on your thesis?”
So few people asked you that. Most people’s eyes glazed over when you talked about books. Everyone except your mom. “Analyzing Othello through the lends of racism as it relates to the Elizabethan period.”
After handing the cashier your money, you and Spencer walked out together, talking about your favorite Shakespeare plays, when he bumped into someone. A muscular, equally tall black guy. “Hey, kid. Funny meeting you here. Aren’t you supposed to be fulfilling your end of the deal? You lose, you speed date?”
He was one of Spencer’s friends. That much was obvious. But Spencer looked 1001% done with his bullshit - whatever it was. “Y/N, this is my friend Derek Morgan. We work together at the FBI. Morgan, this is Y/N.”
“Well, hello, Y/N.” A charmer. 
“Good to meet you,” you replied on a laugh. “Technically, he didn’t go speed dating. Neither did I and I promised my friend Piper I would, but...he is leaving with a date.” You grabbed Spencer’s hand, a jolt of something awesome moving through you at his touch. “We’re going for a cup of coffee now actually.”
“Yea, so as you see, I’m the one busy with a woman right now.” Morgan seemed quite the ladies man and Spencer looked mighty proud of himself right now. “See you tomorrow at work?”
“See you tomorrow,” Morgan replied, a note of surprise in his voice. “Nice to meet you Y/N.”
“You too. I sense we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
When you both walked away, you pulled The Graveyard Book out of your bag and handed it to Spencer. “You read this first. I think this date might go pretty well, but if you have this, then you have to return it to me and I’m guaranteed to see you again.”
Spencer smiled, his fingers tightening around yours. “I’ll have to thank Morgan for being a pain in my ass.”
“So, you lost a bet?”
“Yea, he bet I couldn’t go a day without spouting statistics and I lost. I couldn’t stop myself.”
“Piper just peer pressured me. Guess I’ll have to thank her too.”
The strong, heady scent of coffee began to fill your nostrils as you approached the cafe. When he opened the door, he seemed to finally catch a glimpse of your dress. “Wait, is that the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on your dress?”
“Yup. I’m a Slytherin by the way.”
“Oh, you definitely won’t need a guarantee to see me again, as long as you want to, I think I’m smitten.”
Piper was going to get a big hug later. Maybe dinner. And lots of wine.
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zoeykaytesmom · 5 years
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What is Life (Chapter 3)
We meet Lauren Sullivan and unfortunately, Rafael’s father as well...
January 1991
@lyssa1385 @sweetsummertime99 @gibbs274 @esparza-army @thatesparzacrush @tropes-and-tales @jramirezblogs @xemopeachx
“Uh, hey,” a blond girl said to Izzy as she walked to her AP English class.
“Hey?”
“I’m new here and I’m completely lost. I’m looking for Mrs. Fuentes AP English II class and I can’t make heads or tails of this map.”
“I’m on my way there now, actually. Come on.”
“Thank you. I’ve tried to ask some of the other girls but they just walk passed me like I’m not even there.”
“Trust me. I know exactly what you mean. I’m Izzy Rossetti by the way.”
“Lauren Sullivan. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Watch it, Rossetti,” Dawson laughed as he tried to knock her books out of her hands.
“And this fool is Antonio Dawson. Antonio this is Lauren Sullivan.”
“What’s up?”
“He has no manners. Ignore him.”
“Excuse me. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I gotta go. I’m gonna be late for French,” he told her as he practically ran off.
“Your boyfriend?”
“No. Just my friend. We’ve known each other all our lives practically.”
“Oh. He’s cute,” she giggled.
“Yeah, I guess he is,” Izzy agreed as they walked into the class. Izzy took her seat next to Rafael, behind her brother while Lauren took the empty desk behind Rafael.
“I hope everyone finished reading ‘Romeo & Juliet’,” their teacher announced as she walked in, shutting the door behind her to which most of the class rolled their eyes. “Oh, come on. Shakespeare isn’t that bad.”
“I just don’t get why people think that story is so romantic,” Rafael started. “If we have to read Shakespeare, then why not ‘Hamlet’ or ‘Macbeth’? Those are much more interesting than a story of teenagers whose families don’t get along and they end up killing themselves in the end. There’s nothing romantic about that.”
“What do you consider romantic, Mr. Barba?”
“You’re asking the wrong person,” he answered with a chuckle. “My parents are far from happy.”
“But I asked you the question.”
“Fine. To me, a romantic story would have an ending where the couple happily grows old together, maybe they go to sleep one night in their 80s, and that’s it. The end.”
Izzy didn’t know why but she started laughing to the point she had to cover her face with her book. Maybe it was his inflection but she could hardly contain herself.
“You find him entertaining, Miss Rossetti?”
“No, ma’am,” she said with a cough to curtail her laughter.
“You know, I sort of agree with Rafael,” Lauren quietly spoke up. “I mean Romeo killed himself for no reason because Juliet wasn’t actually dead. I understand he didn’t know that but honestly, my life is worth more to me than a forbidden love.”
Rafael looked back at the girl that sat behind him and sort of nodded with a smile.
“Okay, moving on,” Mrs. Fuentes laughed.
*****************
“So, what’s the story with your new friend?” Rafael asked as he and Izzy sat at the kitchen table in his parents apartment while they studied for their upcoming Geometry test.
“Lauren?”
“Yeah. She’s in our English class. I’ve seen her hanging out with you and Erin.”
“Uh, she just moved here from Philadelphia. One brother, one sister. Lives in Riverdale. Why?”
“No reason,” he shrugged.
“Liar. We’ve been friends for a year. I know better.”
“I mean, she’s cute. She seems nice.”
“Well, she is coming to stay the night with me Friday.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. And you’re going to call her.”
“I am?”
“8:00 sharp.”
“I won’t be interrupting a pillow fight, will I?”
“Shut up.”
“What are you two doing?” They heard his dad say as he sort of stumbled into the kitchen.
“Just studying,” Rafael answered without looking up from his book.
“You ever gonna tell this girl you’re in love with her?”
“Dad!”
“What? Izzy, can you not tell my son is head over heels in love with you and has been for a year?”
“Why don’t you have another drink?”
“Don’t talk to me like that, Rafael.”
To say Rafael’s father was an asshole was an understatement. He had never went into detail but Izzy knew they constantly fought. Rafael liked to read, liked to learn, and he was horrible at sports as a child. His father had told him over and over again he wasn’t the son he wanted because of that reason alone.
“You know what? I just remembered I’m supposed to pick up Erin.”
“Yeah, okay, Izz. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She gathered up her books and things, said a small good-bye to Rafael’s dad, and left.
“Did you really have to do that?”
“Do you even like girls?”
“What’s the supposed to mean?”
“Izzy, Yelina…you’ve never made a move on either of them. You took Izzy to a dance a year ago but couldn’t seal the deal.”
“There was no deal to seal.”
“I bet you’re still a virgin, aren’t you?”
“I’m going to my room.”
“I’m not done talking to you, boy,” his father told him as he pinned him against the wall.
“I have nothing to say to you,” Rafael told his dad as he pushed him away.
He went to his room and shut his door. “One of these days,” he thought to himself as he sat at his desk as his hand curled into a fist. He hated the fact that his dad was right, though. He had been crazy about Izzy since the day they met.
He wanted to kiss her at the dance he took her to and even after but Erin had made that practically impossible. Sure, they spent a lot of time together, especially during the summer and he could’ve made a move but he was afraid she wouldn’t welcome it.
Just like Yelina, he thought Izzy was too pretty for him and would never be interested in someone like him.
*********************
June 1991
“So, when will Lauren be home?” Tony asked Rafael as they sat on the couch in Bensonhurst, playing Super Mario Brothers 3.
“Next week. Wednesday, I think.”
“Things going pretty good there?”
“Yeah seem to be,” Rafael smiled. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.”
“Seriously, man?”
“I just thought…I figured you and my sister would’ve ended up dating by now.”
“Your sister doesn’t see me like that. She never will. She’s got Antonio after all.”
“They’re not really dating. They just hang out.”
“Oh, I didn’t see him kiss her the other day when they got back from the movies?”
“But they’re not really…I don’t know.”
“I like Lauren. Anything I felt for your sister or Yelina is gone.”
“Okay. I won’t mention it again.”
“Where is she today anyways?”
“Her and Erin went swimming. They both had the day off from our uncle’s pizza place so they’re taking advantage.”
About an hour later, Izzy and Erin came in. Erin was sunburned from head to toe basically.
“Hey, Rock Lobster.”
“Fuck off, Tony.”
“Language, Erin,” Stella teased as she came downstairs.
“Sorry, Stella. I don’t just tan like your sister.”
“Yeah but they make this stuff called sunblock that you’re aware of, right?”
“Ha, ha, Barba.”
“Hey, I’m just saying. I mean this could’ve been avoided.”
“He’s right.”
“I’ve heard enough from Izzy, thank you both.”
“Erin go into my kitchen, get a bottle of vinegar, and then go upstairs, run a cool/lukewarm bath, put the vinegar in the water and get in it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And stay upstairs afterwards. We don’t want to smell pickles all over the place.”
“Leave her alone, Tony,” his sister scolded.
“I was only kidding.”
Rafael couldn’t help but look his best friend up and down, albeit discreetly, as she stood in her shorts and very soaked tank top.
Yeah, he had feelings for Lauren, there was no mistaking that, but he still kicked himself for not making a move their freshman year after the winter formal.
“So, what do you two have planned for the rest of the day?”
“Just playing video games,” Tony answered his sister.
“And I would for the two of you to move it upstairs please. Your dad will be home any minute and very tired. Izzy, I’d like you and Erin to keep it down tonight as well. After the fire they had to deal with on 86th, he’s going to be very exhausted.”
“No problem, Ma,” the twins answered in unison.
“I mean it. All of you.”
Erin’s parents were out of town while her older brother Steven was in the police academy and they didn’t really want Erin at home alone so she was staying with Izzy while they were gone.
The guys unhooked the Nintendo to take to Tony’s room while Izzy went up to her room.
“I might smell like a pickle but I’m not stinging as bad as I was,” Erin said as she walked in the bedroom with pink walls that held a “Ghostbusters” movie poster, a Beastie Boys poster, a RUN-DMC poster, and a Duran Duran poster.
“I still can’t believe you didn’t use the sunblock,” Izzy laughed as she flipped through “Seventeen” magazine. “When you’re 30, you’re gonna look like a 30-year-old handbag.”
“Kiss my ass. What are the moron twins doing?”
“I resent that. Oh, you meant Tony and Rafael. They’re playing video games I suppose.”
“Why don’t we go to the movies or something?”
“I am not going to see ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ again, Erin.”
“How many times did I go watch ‘Lethal Weapon 2’? Besides, you know Kevin Costner is hot.”
“That may be true but we’ve seen it twice. Plus, you know who’s really hot? Christian Slater.”
“True story. Ooh, let’s watch ‘Pump Up the Volume’.”
“Works for me. I’ll see if Mom will let us order a pizza.”
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Text
That One Night (Shawn Mendes x Reader)
Summary: Y/N and Shawn are both friends of Y/F/N (your friend’s name) and are each in a serious relationship they’re unhappy with. On one night, they are both invited to Y/F/N’s beach party and…
“For I have never seen true beauty till this night.” William Shakespeare
+
Shawn sighed as his girlfriend of two years was complaining about something again. Today, it was about the public transportation.
“I mean why can’t they just stop in front of my house, it’ll take one minute? Don’t bus drivers have one minute of their lives to spare?”
Her name was Emma. She was the same age as him, she was a model. They had met online through various flirtatious Twitter encounters and soon began to date.
A beautiful appearance did not mean a beautiful inside.
They got along well, they cared for each other. Shawn would be able to tolerate marrying her and spending every day of his life with her.
But that’s not what a relationship was supposed to be right? A relationship was beyond tolerance, and compromise. Hell, if he had to choose a girl to spend the rest of his life with he would choose Aaliyah over Emma. Because Shawn loved Aaliyah and their sibling bond was unfortunately stronger than whatever relationship he and Emma had.
He did not hate Emma, of course no, but he did not love her. However, he stayed with her, because it was comfortable and it was familiar.
+
“A BREAK?”
“Yes… a break.” Y/N said slowly, stretching out each letter of that last word.
“Why the hell would you want to take a break from us?” Brandon, Y/N’s boyfriend said aggressively.
“Seriously Brandon? You can’t see the reason? Our relationship is far from perfect, hell it’s far from happy!”
“Is this about me cheating on you last spring because I already apologized.”
Y/N bit her tongue, blinking the burning in the back of her eyes away. Cheating was regarded so normal nowadays in relationships, when it should be the opposite. It has become common and easier to forgive, even though it is the biggest act of infidelity. And Brandon did it, not even under the influence.
“Noo. It’s not about spring break last year. I just feel we need some time apart to, rethink how our relationship really is.”
“C’mon babe. I know we have our downs. but we’re okay yeah?” Brandon said, exiting the room.
Y/N sighed. She wished she felt something for him like she had in the beginning of their relationship. But whatever love there used to be, was gone.
Her phone beeped. It was Y/F/N, Her best friend since high school.
Y/F/N: Hey, down to hit the beach tomorrow night?
She typed vigorously: fuck yes.
+
Shawn’s phone beeped. It was a text from a good friend from work who was into journalism.
Y/F/N: Hey, down to hit the beach tomorrow night?
Shawn: please.
Y/F/N: Do you mind not bringing Emma? Nothing against her, we just a little tired of your bickering lol
Shawn: haha you’re not alone my friend.
Y/F/N: Feel free to invite other guys 😉
+
The next day, Y/F/N went over to Y/N’s with the whole gang of old high school friends. They spent the day chilling, telling old stories, binge-eating and binge-watching.
Afternoon rolled around and they climbed into Y/F/N’s car to drive down to Y/F/N’s beach house, which was about a half-hour away.
“We gotta pick up some guys by the way girls.”
“Noo problem.” All the single friends sing-songed. Y/N swallowed guiltily at the fact her stomach tingled with excitement at the idea of meeting new guys as well.
They drove down to a house and Y/F/N went out to knock on the door.
Shawn answered the door and he, Niall and Geoff came out the door.
Y/F/N whispered in his ear: “Niall too? Dang thanks Shawn.”
Shawn smiled and walked out the door as well.
Y/N stared at her phone inside Y/F/N’s car, not daring to peer at the guys Y/F/N invited.
The guys climbed into Geoff’s car and tailed behind Y/F/N’s car. Soon they arrived, and the whole gang pulled towels, umbrellas and coolers out of the cars.
The girls found a spot in the warm sand as they waited for the guys to carry the heavier stuff over.
Y/N was happy. She was positively glowing. Thinking to herself, she decided to have fun for the first time in a long time today.
She pulled off her shirt and shorts to reveal a strappy red one-piece. She didn’t care Brandon forbid her to wear it.
Shawn held the umbrella and its stand in one arm and his bag in the other. Spotting the gang, he walked over to them, his feet brushing the warm sand. His eye landed on a girl in a bold deep red swimsuit with flowy (your hair color) name.
His eyes wanted to look at her but at the same time he didn’t let himself to, thinking he was not deserving to witness such a venerable piece of art without asking.
Instead he dodged her and set his towel beside Niall’s.
He played it cool, but he secretly sneaked glances at Y/N every few seconds to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He watched her splash around in the waves with Geoff and a couple of other girls.
“Hey Y/F/N.” he said, sitting down beside her on her towel.
“Hey Shawn, how’s it going? By the way did you read our interview on Billboard?”
“Course I did, it was wonderful. So um say who’s the girl in red?” he said in what he hoped was an aloof casual tone.
“Oh yeah! My bad I didn’t introduce you to anyone. Well I see Geoff and Niall are already getting to know them. One in red’s Y/N, and the two on her right are Cloe and Veronica.”
Shawn, not having asked for the names of the other two and who was not remotely interested in them to be honest, turned deaf after hearing the name of the girl in red.
Y/N.
Y/N swam in the waves, having a couple laughs with her girls and the guys she just met. Deciding to dry off and sunbathe a little, she left the four others and ran back up to shore.
She nearly tripped in the smooth sand when she saw the guy sitting beside Y/F/N.
She made eye contact with him for a second and immediately looked away. With pink cheeks, she took a seat on her towel, which was on the other side of Y/F/N’s.
Shawn, in alarm, having never felt so infatuated with someone, got up rashly and ran to the water. Best he not say anything to her without thinking about it first if he didn’t want to embarrass himself.
“Holy shit Y/F/N who is that?” Y/N exhaled as Shawn ran out of earshot. It’s not like she was holding her breath or anything, it was more like she forgot to breathe so much she thought about him.
“Haha that’s Shawn, he helped me get the job at Billboard.”
“HE’S the pop star that got you that job?”
“Yeah, I’ve told you a thousand times about him!” Y/F/N exclaimed shaking her head.
Y/N merely shrugged. How could she not pay attention to that! She gazed at him. He looked like a Greek god. There was no other way describing his chiseled jaw, and his beautiful tall body.
“I’m going into the water.” Y/F/N said, taking Y/N out of her reverie.
“Hmm oh yeah kay.”
Y/N watched from a distance. Shawn was an angel. He smiled at Y/F/N, splashed her playfully, and didn’t even mind holding the huge seashell Y/F/N found.
If THAT’S how he treated a friend, imagine how the hell he would treat a girlfriend… No, don’t go there Y/N, those thoughts are trouble. Were these even normal thoughts to have on a complete stranger?!
She was in such a daze that she didn’t notice Shawn running up to her and putting the huge ass seashell on Y/F/N’s towel.
“Hi.” He said.
“Hey.” Y/N turned around, and nearly had cardiac arrest when she saw who it was. “Nice seashell.”
He laughed. “Yeah Y/F/N found it and said she wanted to use it as a decoration or something. It’s Y/N right?”
“Right-o.” Well this is a good time to use that term for the first time. “And you’re?”
“Shawn. Whatcha reading?”
“Hmm oh this is only the best book in the universe. Not counting Harry Potter of course.”
“I LOVE HARRY POTTER!”
“ME TOO!” Y/N exclaimed, the way a potterhead does when they recognize another one. ( A/N: a potterhead is a huge Harry Potter fan. I, you can guess, am one.)
They both laughed.
“Well um anyways, this is Les Miserables.”
“You speak French?”
“Yeah I grew up in Canada.”
“No way me too! Pickering, Toronto.”
“Me Montreal.” Y/N smiled. Wow they had way more in common the she thought they would. “Anyway yeah, it’s a French classic, it talks about the June rebellion. The main character is an ex-prisoner who changed his view on life from hate to love because he adopts a girl named Cosette- Sorry I must be boring you.”
“Wha- no not at all!” Shawn said. Really, he meant it.
“Sorry, it’s just people don’t read as much as they used to because of cell phones and stuff, and books are now viewed as boring and long and only meant for school.”
They spoke to each other as if they have spoken to each other two thousand times before. Before they knew it, they were both talking about their relationships. They were both saddened when they heard of each other’s dissatisfaction with their current partners. They were both unaware however that their sadness was also caused of the other not being romantically available.
Shawn was hypnotised when Y/N talked, his ears being filled by only her voice, and his vision being filled by only the way her mouth moves, her hair in the ocean breeze, her body language. And Y/N was the same for him.
It was soon sunset and Y/F/N pulled cans of beer and Palm Bay (its like a Canadian cocktail drink with vodka). Y/N drank fast, wishing to leave her boring tied down regular life.
Shawn decided not to indulge and kept his eye on Y/N.
The lifeguards came down to them and invited them to a party that night. They happily agreed and set off for a bite to eat first.
The whole time, Y/N and Shawn were inseparable. They acted like long-time friends, chasing each other down the boardwalk, and trying on silly accessories at open boutiques along the way.
Shawn collapsed in laughter as Y/N was screamed at by a shop owner, for she accidentally walked off still wearing a fuzzy orange hat Shawn put on her head.
They had never laughed this much in their lives. They sat down beside each other at the restaurant and shared their food with each other.
“Jesus Y/N and Shawn seem to be getting along.” Y/F/N muttered to Niall.
“Yeh really looks like it!”
They then all drove to a drugstore, the girls all needing gum, and elastics and other toiletries. Y/N and Shawn raided all the magazines to find one Harry Potter themed. Y/N shivered in the cool AC and Shawn quickly lent her his hoodie.
On the way to Y/F/N’s beach house, the duo finally separated.
It was the boringest quiestest fifteen minutes of Shawn’s life. He missed Y/N, he actually missed her even though he was gonna to see her again in a couple minutes.
They all got to the house, and began pre-gaming for the lifeguard party. All except for Shawn of course, who wanted to think crystal clear with his limited hours with Y/N.
Y/N however went hard, wanting to forget and forget about life at home. By the time they got to the lifeguard party, she was wasted.
They all danced and moved to music, and Shawn the entire time, had eyes only on Y/N.
He had never seen anyone so pure, so majestic as her. He watched out for her, since there were a couple guys on the lookout for pretty drunk wasted girls. Toward the end of the night, it was only Y/N and Shawn standing. The others were all sitting, half asleep on chairs.
Y/N and Shawn swayed together to the beat of the music, and by the way Y/N looked at him, she was intoxicated, but no longer of alcohol.
They looked at each other and locked lips.
Two days later
The idea of each other tormented each other. The morning after when they all had to leave, Y/n and Shawn hugged goodbye and exchanged phone numbers. Five minutes after parting ways, Y/N wanted to text him.
Shawn felt the same way, and he let a couple hours pass before calling her.
They texted and called each other non stop. There was no stopping them from keeping in touch with each other.
One week later
The idea of each other tormented them.
Two weeks later, they finally decided to meet up. The sight of each other lit their already on fire insides. Y/N ran to him and they held each other tightly in a hug.
« hey » Y/N beamed up at him.
«  hey best friend what’s up »
«  I broke up with Brandon »
«  Are you okay?? »
« Yeah »
«  Well I remember you telling me you were unhappy about him back at the beach, but what led you to it in the end? »
« I think I love someone else »
« Really? »
«  yeah »
« I think I love someone else too. Actually, I’m sure of it. I was somehow sure of it the moment I met her. »
« Me too. »
« I love you Y/N. »The two kissed. The fact that in that one night, they met each other and fallen in love each other was pure magic. It was a very rare thing that happened almost never. Love at first sight is very unbelieved nowadays because of the overuse of it in Hollywood, but it remains existent. Shawn and Y/N were like Romeo and Juliet, but they were going to have a happy ending.
 what do ya guys think??
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themurphyzone · 6 years
Text
Secret Santa Ch 3
I can’t believe how random the last chapter turned out to be.
Ch 3: Zack
Zack could have easily bought Mort a bag of rocks and the guy enjoy it. But he was a lot more thoughtful than that. Maybe he wouldn’t go to the same lengths as Melissa was with her gift, but surely there was something he could buy that was better than a cheesy Christmas card with a candy cane taped inside.
“Mort, you keep forgetting to check your signs,” Bradley frowned, handing the math worksheet back.
Mort shrugged. “Not really. I know I’m a Libra.”
“I meant on the homework,” Bradley scoffed. “I could care less what zodiac your birthday falls under. That stuff isn’t even true.”
Mort never seemed to be affected by Bradley’s sour mood. At least, not outwardly. Besides Melissa, he was probably the only other person with the ability to hold a decent conversation with Bradley for an extended amount of time.
“Oh. Well, thanks. I was wondering why half of these problems had no solutions,” Mort said as erased his answers.
Bradley rolled his eyes, throwing his backpack over his shoulder. “It’s the stupid mistakes that net you a less than perfect score.”
He left the library, slamming the door behind him, much to the librarian’s disapproval.
“Wow,” Zack said. “Who spit in his milk?”
“Anyone would be upset if they were cursed with a bad hair day because Jupiter was in the third house,” Mort replied. He glanced up, licking his finger and sticking it in the air. “Do you feel that? Suddenly the atmosphere doesn’t seem as doom-and-gloomy as before.”
Unfortunately, Zack was not nearly as adept as reading the atmosphere.
Zack leaned over the large posterboard, carefully tracing over the title with a blue marker. Melissa reviewed her notes over Macbeth, highlighting certain lines in the book that she’d carefully picked out.
“This is torture,” Zack groaned. “How is anyone supposed to understand Shakespeare? There’s too many thees and thous and thys!”
Melissa recapped her highlighter, setting it aside. “Did you buy a copy with the modern translation next to the original text?”
“No, I checked mine out from the library,” Zack muttered.
“And there’s your problem,” Melissa replied. “But getting back on track, we’ll start with the hallucination of the dagger. What’s taking Milo so long with the snacks?”
Five minutes later, Milo came up with two large bags of chips and a pretzel bowl. He was covered in scratch marks from head to toe. “Sorry it took so long,” Milo said. “A squirrel got into our kitchen, and boy was it hungry. Good thing I always keep some pistachios nearby!”
“You didn’t miss much,” Melissa said. “Zack’s still copying the quotes. His handwriting is larger than mine.”
“Not nearly as neat though,” Zack said, moving on to the last quote. “And I was thinking of getting something like fortune telling for Mort. He has that weird thing about chakras and zodiacs.”
Milo glanced over what they had so far. “Can I do the drawings?” he asked.
Melissa tossed him the pencil. “Do it with pencil first. I want this to look good.”
“No problem!” Milo said, his tongue sticking out slightly as he worked on the rough sketch of a dagger dripping blood at the bottom. “Fortune telling, huh? Maybe I can do some fortune telling to give you an idea of what to get Mort!”
“You know how to tell someone’s fortune?” Zack asked.
Milo nodded. “My dad’s coworker’s sister’s friend’s barber’s cousin’s mother is a psychic! Dad took me to visit her once and she gave me a crystal ball so I can practice on my own!” He pulled a crystal ball and a bandana with hoop earrings attached out of his backpack.
“I guess a break couldn’t hurt,” Melissa said, moving the posterboard and snacks aside. She closed the blinds, which dimmed the light in the room.
Milo tied the bandana around his head, setting the crystal ball on a stand between the three of them. He lifted his hands, but was interrupted by a loud scream from downstairs.
Zack didn’t understand what this was supposed to accomplish.
“MILO!” Sara screamed, the door bursting open as she stumbled into the room. “Oh thank the gods of Yalkelvik, you have your fortune telling equipment out.”
“Hey, Sara! I was just about to help Zack decide on his Secret Santa gift to Mort!” Milo exclaimed. “What’s up?”
“You have to help me! It’s a crisis!” Sara begged.
“You don’t mind me helping her first, right?” Milo asked.
Zack waved him on. “Go right ahead. So what’s wrong?”
“Well, you know how the new Dr. Zone Funko Pops were released yesterday?” Sara chewed her lip nervously. “Neal was going to buy me one for Christmas but then Kris wanted me to go to the mall with her so we’re meeting up in two hours and we’re definitely heading to one of the small stores in the main area of the mall where they sell the Funko Pops and I have zero self-control so I’m probably gonna end up buying one-“ she took a deep breath “-and I don’t know which one Neal is going to buy me and I don’t wanna unwrap his gift and say ‘oh I already have this one’ and I just need to know ahead of time which one he’s buying so I know not to purchase it!”
“That does sound like a conundrum!” Milo hummed.
Zack leaned over to Melissa. “He understood all that? She lost me after Christmas.”
“Now gaze into the mists of...” Milo threw his arms out for dramatic emphasis. “…THE CRYSTAL BALL! MWAHAHAHA!”
Milo’s evil laugh was very unconvincing.
“Wait, no that’s the Saturday morning cartoon villain voice. Should I try again with the mystical fortune-teller voice?” Milo asked.
“Just help me decide,” Sara begged.
“Moment’s gone anyway. First, the spirits require something of value. They accept electronics,” Milo said.
Sara handed her cell phone over, and Milo hid it under the tablecloth. “Spirits, I ask you to reveal the Dr. Zone Funko Pop that Neal is planning to buy for Sara Murphy! I must ask all of you to scoot back. They like personal space.”
Sara and Melissa moved back. Zack leaned closer, trying to see what Milo was looking at, but Melissa yanked him away from the crystal ball. “It’s not like anything was there,” Zack said.
“The spirits have decided!” Milo exclaimed. “They’re sending their spooky spiritual waves into our world to link me with Neal!”
Neal appeared in the crystal ball, looking incredibly confused. “Wait, Milo? Where’s Sara? Nice hoops, by the way.”
“Thanks!” Milo exclaimed. “Sara-“ Sara made wild hand gestures. “Er-I wanted to know what Dr. Zone Funko Pop you’re buying her for Christmas so I don’t accidentally get her the same one.”
“Princess Shirazi,” Neal replied. “She kinda reminds me of Sara. You know, with how excited she gets when there’s something she’s really passionate about. Um, you aren’t going to mention that to her, right? Cause it’s kinda embarrassing when I say it out loud.”
Sara blushed, stifling her giggles with one hand.  
“By the way, Sara mentioned she was going to buy me one of the new figures that got released from Space Adventure. And I’m going to the mall in a few hours with Wally and I really need to know which one she’s getting me because Wally’s gonna pressure me into buying me one and I’ll give in like always so…yeah. I need some help,” Neal finished lamely.
Sara wrote a name on a piece of paper and passed it to Milo. Milo grinned. “That’s funny! My sister says she was going to the mall with Kris in a few hours too! What a coincidence! Oh, and she was planning to buy you the Lump Sharkboard figure.”
“Thanks so much,” Neal sighed. “I was worried for a second-wait, did you say she was going to the mall with Kris? Gotta run, I am totally not finding my trenchcoat from my last cosplay to go incognito so she doesn’t recognize me!”
“Bye!” Milo exclaimed.
“So the crystal ball actually worked?” Zack gasped.
Melissa rolled her eyes. “Gullible. He put Sara’s phone in the crystal ball. It was pretty obvious.” She reached inside the tablecloth and extracted the cell phone, giving it back to Sara.
“Sara?” Zack asked, waving his hand in front of her face.
“I’m going to put on oversized sunglasses and a floppy hat so he doesn’t recognize me,” Sara said as she hurried to her room.
Was this what teenage romance looked like? In that case, Zack decided he wanted to maintain his sanity for a while longer.
“They’re made for each other,” Melissa quipped.
“I know right!” Milo exclaimed. “Okay, Zack. Your turn now. Same procedure as before.”
Zack emptied his pockets, only finding a penny inside. He sheepishly offered it to Milo, who refused to take it.
“They have bad inflation in the spirit world,” he said as if that explained everything.
Starting tomorrow, Zack planned to refuse all offers to connect to spirits and psychics.
Zack took off his shoes instead, which Milo accepted. “So what do the spirits say about Mort?”
“Tarot cards,” Milo replied. “They say you need to give him tarot cards so they can tame his moles. I can’t tell if they mean the animal or the spots on skin though. Oh, wait a moment. Sorry, claim his soul. Maybe this was a bad idea.”
“How about I just get Mort an 8-ball instead?” Zack asked. “That’s probably a lot safer and soulsucking risk-free.”  
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docholligay · 7 years
Text
Under the Sea
The commission for @yamadara87 this month! I hope you like it! If you’d like more of my writing, including a new Mystery and Shadow to be dropped tomorrow, check me out at my Patreon! 2012 words. 
Michiru Kaioh, whenever asked what she would like for her birthday, smiled and said she was too old for anything too dramatic, and that she would very likely go to dinner with Haruka, perhaps take in a play.
What she did not say was that mostly, she simply wished to be left alone.
The last party she remembered having was her 16th, thrown by her parents to fete her burgeoning womanhood, or so the story goes. It had been the same as all her parents’ other parties, with lavish decor, champagne flowing, a cake decorated in the most lavish and expensive way possible, floral arrangements with crystal details, live music, and all the empty fineries of the world.
The first party she remembered wanting was when she was four. She had wanted a Little Mermaid party, and her parents had agreed. For weeks, she had looked forward to seeing the bright haired singing mermaid atop her cake, with her loveable yellow and blue friend, and the grumpy crab that always made her laugh.
When the day came, her 4th birthday party varied precious little from her 16th, the only nod to Michiru’s request the decor on the cake, mermaids singing on the shoreline and even they invoked Waterhouse in smooth lines and soothing colors, with none of the technicolor glow that entranced Michiru’s little heart.
And so, on that day, she learned that birthday parties were never for her, and always for others, and she dropped them as soon as socially permissible.
“Anyway that’s why I’m not throwing her a birthday party,” Haruka said, weaving some version of the above tale, “I never do. She hates it.”
“Okay, but I love an excuse to use Michiru’s black card,” Mina leaned over on the couch and grabbed a chicken strip from Haruka’s plate, “you never do what I want to do.”
Haruka withdrew her plate. “Get your own!”
“All this lesbian selfishness.” She shook her head as she gnawed on the chicken strip. “So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” Haruka dipped her strip in ketchup thoughtfully, “You know, Michiru’s the reason I stopped hating my birthday. I wish--I wish I could do that with parties for her.”
“Ah well,” Mina slumped back into the couch. “She’ll like whatever you do.”
Haruka shrugged, disappointed. “Yeah.”
___
One of Mina’s finest strengths was her own control of her element. Other people might not have said this of her, but, then again, others were not available of what her element really was. But she had seen it clearly the day she began to swing a chain made of other people’s hearts, and few people realized that Rei was not the only one with a deft skill and a subtle hand at her trade.
A normal person might have simply bought festively colored plates, commissioned a cake, and set about buying invitations. But Mina had often observed that most people did not live with the idea of a challenge, and, in any case, perhaps the greatest act of kindness she could bestow upon Michiru was not forcing her to thank Mina for anything.
Also she couldn’t see any of the senshi helping out of the goodness of their hearts, unless she played it off just right.
Luckily, again, her element sparkled.
And so it took her very little time to set the events of her triumph in motion.
“Did you know Michiru’s birthday’s coming up?” Mina looked over at Usagi halfway, then turned back to her magazine.
“Yes!” Usagi answered brightly, and then puzzled. “Wonder what we should get her.”
“Yeah,” Mina turned the page disinterestedly, “Just gotta find a good time to give it to her. Because she never has parties, she got too disappointed when she was a kid. Broke her heart.”
“I’m not sure I think that’s physically possible, Mina.” Ami did not look up from her homework.
“Oh Ami, it’s an expression! She doesn’t mean her PHYSICAL heart!” Usagi laughed brightly, but Ami did not correct herself, and Usagi turned to Mina. “What happened when she was a kid?”
“Oh, she never talks about it,” Mina set down the magazine she had never been reading, “But when she was a little girl, she adored the Little Mermaid. It makes sense, doesn’t it, each of us remembering our past lives, each remembering how we would be drawn to you? It was something she didn’t know yet but her heart must have seen,” she touched her fingers to her chest, her eyes far off, and Rei huffed heavily and rolled her eyes, “must have known she was connected to the water. She was promised this party. Oh, she was so excited, Usagi! Imagine little Michiru, clutching a stuffed Flounder, waiting for her own magical tale under the sea!” She gripped Usagi’s hands in her own, as Usagi’s eyes grew wide.
“But?” Usagi nodded
“The day came,” Mina’s voice grew sad, “and for all the glitter and glitz...it was never meant to be her party. No Ariel, no Sebastian, No Flounder. They didn’t even invite any of her friends, just her parents associates and Michiru, poor little Michiru, OUR OWN little mermaid, was so filled with anguish that she cried under the stairs, HER OWN OCEAN against her cheeks.”
If she could have seen the look the other three girls were giving her, she might have been ashamed.
But probably not.
Usagi snapped to attention, the perfect soldier Mina knew she could be, when the battle was aligned to her unique abilities. “Mako!”
Mako looked up, already knowing her fate.
“Your food is the best! I know it’d make Michiru so happy if you made a Little Mermaid cake for her, so that’s your job!” She nodded crisply, and then leaned toward Mako and smiled as if apologizing for becoming the terrible general. “I’ll let you pick the flavors, because everyone knows you know flavors best, and everyone will love it but especially Michiru, I know you’ll do great!”
It was impossible to disappoint Usagi in the face of such a compliment, and so Mako simply nodded, and could not help herself from mentally arranging a perfect party spread.
“Minako!” Usagi whirled and pointed to her. “You know parties, and drinks! You get all the punch and maybe a little champagne but not too much!”
“Aye aye, captain.” She saluted, with every intention in her mind of getting too much champagne.
“Genius Ami!” Usagi jumped toward her, bursting with excitement. “You figure out a SUPER clever way to get her to come to Mako’s apartment!”
“Are we using Mako’s apartment?” She asked cautiously.
“Of course we are!” Usagi smiled brightly. “Where else would we go?”
Ami did not answer, simply shrugged and shared a knowing glance with Mako.
“And Rei!” She was most excited now of all. “You know Michiru really well, so you can help me decorate elegantly!”
Rei crossed her arms. “Then you should just let me do it, Usagi, you think elegance is tinsel scattered all over the tables with a bunch of fake rose petals.”
“Michiru loves roses, REI!” Usagi scowled.
“Not ugly fake ones from the craft store.”
“You’re so mean to me and I’m just trying to do something nice for Michiru!”
“I’m trying to help you do it RIGHT.”
“I know things Rei! It’s supposed to be a Little mermaid party not a fancy thing, didn’t you hear Mina’s story!”
Mina smiled and leaned back against the wall of Usagi’s room. All according to plan.
____
Michiru was not easily touched. The sea was a cold thing, she had often reflected. She wondered, often, if she had been born this way, or if she had built this this stone wall around the garden of her heart, brick by brick, protecting herself from the many slings and arrows of a fortune so outrageous Shakespeare knew not of it.
And yet. With the brightly colored banner, Usagi’s renderings of Flounder and Sebastian framing Michiru’s name, the imprints deep in the paper from where she had pressed so hard as she drew, putting such effort into it. The food was beautiful, dumplings arranged beautifully with thematic fillings, a cake with her technicolor mermaid, no deep oil colors to be found, framed in the middle of the table.
Usagi set a rhinestone tiara on her head, glittering with teal and purple jewels, a purple glittering cameo set in the middle of it, framed by enamel shells.
“It’s the fancy Little Mermaid crown! I went to DisneySea to pick it up for you, Michiru!” Usagi clapped her hands together with delight.
“I’m sure that’s the only reason you went, and not to get pizza spring rolls.” Rei snapped, a glass of teal fizzy punch in her hand.
“It was!” Usagi protested loudly.
Michiru was ever so grateful for their bickering, which kept her from thinking too deeply on the subject of all the effort that had been laid out for her, that kept her from dwelling too much on the tiny girl inside of her that jumped for joy at seeing the green tulle and fake fishnet against the wall, the brightly colored party hats on the table, of feeling as if someone had listened.
Haruka put an arm around her, and popped a crab dumpling in her mouth. “Shebashtain’s delischious.” She swallowed. “This is really great, guys!”
Michiru looked up at her. “You didn’t do this?”
Haruka shook her head. “I rented us a sailboat for tomorrow afternoon. There’s cake there too, though.”
Michiru looked up again, unable to imagine that these girls who were quite stuck with her more than anything, by an accident of fate, had pooled together their resources and wherewithal simply to make her happy. She had never been overly expressive with them--she was a creature
who lived by the checkbook more than the heart, she often thought, and that was all she knew how to do.
But somehow these girls had seen what she meant, when she offered them concert tickets or dinners out.
“Thank you so very much.” She looked around, pretending to survey the party once more, but pointedly meeting no one’s gaze. “I,” she adjusted the tiara on her head, “I am not certain what I should say.”
“Do you like it?” Usagi asked, for a moment seemingly worried she might not.
“It is the birthday I’ve always wanted.” She gratefully took a cup of punch from Mako’s hand. “I cannot believe the effort you put it.”
“Well, you’re one of us, Michiru!” Usagi grabbed a plate from the table. “So we had to make sure you had a good birthday!”
She smiled honestly, a small band of white showing at her lips. “I cannot express how grateful I feel. Truly.”
She made a note in the back of her head, however, that Mako seemed to need a new stand mixer, that Usagi would very likely enjoy a box of the fine imported chocolates her parents got, and Rei seemed to be in need of a fine evening out.
She would simply tell Haruka to go have fun with Mina, on her credit card.
She sat at the table as a lit cake was put in front of her, and somewhere deep under the sea, Michiru felt warm.
In the corner, Haruka grinned brightly and poked Mina in the shoulder. “You did something nice for miiiichiiiiruuuuuuu.”
Mina looked away from her and sipped her punch, which was mostly just champagne, by her own pour. “The fact that we managed to separate your heart crystal from the talisman itself is really inconvenient for me, have I mentioned that?”
“You did something nice for miiichiiiiiruuuuuuuuu.” Haruka leaned onto her shoulder.
“I did something nice for you, you homosexual ingrate. Michiru was just my pawn.” She swatted at her face.
“I love you too, Mina.” Haruka leaned against the wall and popped another dumpling in her mouth.
“Fucking lesbians.” She shook her head.
But she smiled, just shaded enough so no one could see, at the glisten of Michiru’s eyes in the candlelight.
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pen-masta · 7 years
Text
Let’s Play Pretend Part 1
[Prologue]   1    2
His eyes open to the sound of his alarm going off near his head. Slamming his hand down on the alarm clock halting it’s annoying sound. He rubs his eyes and sits up seeing the sun rays beating against his window blinds determined to burst into his room. He runs his hand through his hair and stretches seeing the clock reads seven thirty--his standard time for starting his day.
He slinks out of his bed and scourers the floor for a clean shirt...or one that didn’t have too much of an odor. He finds one that is somewhat satisfying and pulls it on before looping a belt around his jeans. He sighs looking around his messy room, he really needs to do his laundry this weekend. He sprays a little cologne on his neck, pulls on his NASA hoodie and heads out to the bathroom. He brushes his teeth and looks back as his reflection.
College has really put a lot of weight on him the past two years and it is clear on his face. Dark circles rest under his eyes--the evidence of many sleepless nights. His facial hair has been left to its own devices covering his chin and slowly stretching upward planning to grow into a goatee combo--his sideburns are long as well hanging just in line with his earlobes. His hair is in need of a trim as the curls stand in all directions bending and twisting on his head. A comb couldn’t tame his beat of a mane.
He splashes some cold water onto his face waking himself up more before he grabs his white baseball cap with the purple bubble letters of UW on the front. Moving at the speed of a snail he slinks down the little hallway to his mini-living room/ kitchen. His watch beeps that it is now eight o’clock and he has thirty minutes left before he needs to run to class. Silencing the watch on his wrist he makes his way over to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water and a yogurt.
“Morning dude,” a voice says behind him.
Castel jumps and falls into the fridge before turning in the direction of the voice. His roommate, Nathan, smiles at him at their tiny kitchen table.
“Sorry bro didn’t mean to scare ya,” Nathan chuckles sipping his coffee.
Castel sighs and smiles tiredly, “Nah it’s cool I’m not fully awake yet.”
“I can see that,” Nathan smirks and turns back to his notes. “Your light was still on when I got back from the lab at midnight. How long were you up for?”
Castel purses his lips and pouts slightly. He really likes Nathan, they’ve been roommates for three years running. Nate’s a cool guy and he’s in the engineering program just like him. They like a lot of the same movies and video games and foods, he couldn’t ask for a better roommate! But Nathan sometimes acts like Castel’s dad when it comes to sleep and eating regular meals and that kind of stuff. It doesn’t bother him that much, frankly he finds it kind of endearing that his friend cares about him, it kind of has an annoying charm of it’s own. Nathan is a little older than Castel--only by a few months, but still--and Nathan is the oldest of four, so he guesses that’s where Nate gets his little nurturing side from. Castel’s the youngest of three so he’s kind of used to having someone watching out for him...but still.
“I don’t know,” he shrugs his voice sounding raspy and hoarse. “I needed to finish my work and wasn’t gonna stop until I did.” He grabs a spoon from the drawer.
“How long did you sleep for?”
Another shrug, “I don’t know a good five hours I suppose.”
Nathan eyes the young man with a disgruntled expression.
“Cas,” he starts before shaking his head and smiling. “There’s coffee in the pot.”
Castel smirks and helps himself to the rest of the liquid energy. Taking a seat next to his roommate he drops a few sugar cubes into his black coffee and scoops some yogurt into his mouth.
“TGIF hm Cassie?” Nathan says reading over his chemistry notes.
“Preach it brother,” Castel chuckles and stirs his coffee. “Looking forward to relaxing a bit this weekend.”
“No big plans then?”
“Not unless sleeping until noon counts as a big plan,” Castel grins and sips his mug of joe. “How about you Nate?”
“Autumn and I are going to a party tonight,” he smiles back. “And tomorrow there’s a movie in the park so we’re gonna have a little picnic and then watch the film.”
Castel resits urge to roll his eyes at the name Autumn. Nathan has been going steady with this girl for a few months now, it must have been late March when they officially started dating. Autumn was alright Castel didn’t absolutely hate her, but he wasn’t too keen on getting all buddy buddy with her. She has a very abrasive personality, she’s very pushy and bossy and she’s kind of turned Nathan into her own personal Ken Doll.
She took him shopping and had him buy himself a whole new wardrobe that was up to her standards. She’s got his hair cut super short and he always has to be clean shaven. He’s not allowed to watch cartoons or play video games when she’s over, instead they must watch documentaries and go to Shakespeare in the Park. Don’t get him wrong, Castel loves going to the Oprah and plays rather than the movies from time to time--having a little bit of culture in your life adds color--but geez Nathan can’t be himself around his girlfriend! Don’t you date someone because you like them for who they are? Not who you can change them into.
“Sounds like fun,” Castel forces a smile.
“You should come with us bro,” Nathan smiles happily.
Castel laughs, “I’m not third wheeling on your date dude.”
Nathan’s smile softens, “You won’t be third wheeling Cas. Autumn loves hanging out with you, she likes when it’s the three of us.”
She’s got a funny way of showing it, he thinks to himself as he remembers all the times the three of them have hung out. Autumn was always fussing with not only Nathan but with Castel as well, trying to fix his messy curls, or talking about his not-ripped-on-purpose-jeans, or his car grease and oil stained t-shirts. She always complained when he made suggestions for playing Smash Bros on the Wii together, or watching some cheesy 70s horror film, or even just going to Walmart to play in the toy section and see how long it takes to get thrown out. Castel didn’t understand how none of his suggested sounded appealing to her, that’s all the stuff he used to do with Joy and she always had a blast.
“I really want to just relax this weekend and sleep,” Castel smiles downing the rest of his coffee.
“Well then will you at least come to the party with us. Get out of the house, have some fun,” Nathan says looking at his friend. “You haven’t been anywhere in weeks, come to the party with us.”
Castel sighs and smirks at his roommate, “You’re just gonna keep riding me until I say yes, right?” 
Nathan grins, “That’s the plan.”
Castel smiles seeing it’s time for him to leave, “Well I’ll cut out the middle man and just agree to go.”
“Oh yeah?” Nathan grins eagerly
Castel nods, “Yes. I’ll go with you two tonight.”
==============
“So your first college party huh C-bear?” Joy voice jubilant voice says through the phone.
Castel chuckles as he dries his hair with a towel, “I’ve been to parties before Jo-jo.”
“Oh what with your little honor society group?” Joy barks a laugh, “That is not a party Casper.”
He laughs and pulls on his jeans, “I’ve gone to some frat parties.”
“Uhuh I’ll believe it when I see it,” Joy teases.
“What about you hm? What are you doing tonight?” Castel asks pulling on his Star Trek t-shirt.
“Oh nothing much,” Joy sighs. “Just relaxing maybe catch up on some sleep. I don’t have any work to do for once.” She laughs.
Castel smiles, he misses Joy so much. It’s been so long since he’s seen her, and even the sound of her voice calms the waves of anxiety in him. He wishes he could be spending this evening with her and not at some random party with a bunch of strangers.
“When was the last time you slept Cassie?” Joy asks with an underlying tone of worry.
“Last night,” Castel says pulling on his purple flannel shirt.
“How long?”
“A decent amount,” he says combing his messy curls.
“So like three hours,” she says and he can practically hear the eye roll.
He chuckles, “Actually more like five.”
“Cassie,” she whines. “You’re gonna burn yourself out if you don’t get enough sleep.”
“Don’t worry about me Jo-jo, I’m taking care of myself.” He smiles feeling kind of fuzzy at the fact that she’s worried about him. Of course he hates making her worry, but he can’t deny it makes him feel kind of good that she cares so much about him.
“Cas you ready to go?” Nathan calls from their living room
“Yeah just about,” Castel calls back and sprays some cologne on his neck. “I’ve gotta go Jo-jo.”
“Have fun Cassie,” Joy says.
“You too J-bird,” he says. “Talk to you later, aligator.”
“In a while crocodile,” Joy giggles before she hangs up.
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