amongxthexcrowd

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• • Frankie • • 

"Oh I didn't say I wasn't clumsy sometimes. I've eaten pavement more times than I care to admit." There was a cheeky smile on her face with her confession, but she'd been skating for years and that sort of came with the territory sometimes.

"Yeah man, that sounds good to me." Frankie gave the bag a shake to mix it up before she shook a good handful into the cup of his hand. "There, sugar top up."

"Balance," he repeated, eyeing the Starburst bag again, debating whether he should take a few more. "Yeah, I don't have a lot of that. I have two left feet so I'm clumsy. Sometimes."

Lang nodded. "Uh, yeah. I appreciate that. I think just the grocery store this time but I'll see if I need anything else before then." It sounded like a solid plan.

He waited for a few seconds before asking, "Uh, can I get a couple more of those?" He gestured to the bag.

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• • Frankie • • 

She could handle the iron grip- this was familiar territory for them. Once more, she pressed her fingers against the tight fists enclosed around hers, a subtle reminder she was here, and he was not alone.

"You're doing so good, Lang. Let's try and take as deep a breath as we can- then find one more thing you can see."

The grip he had on Frankie's hand was tight and it didn't seem he would let go any time soon. What else could he see? What else? Brown eyes left her face, searching, searching.

"The--the lamp." It was right behind her, glowing with yellow light, ugly opaque flowers on the lampshade.

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• • Sparrow • • 

This was a refreshing conversation- not that her sister didn't have a way with plants, but Sparrow connected to them on another level, and it sounded like Vinnie did too.

"I mean, I think you're funny. But honestly flowers don't even care if they are good jokes. They don't really understand the context of a lot of jokes, but they like you tell a joke that makes you laugh. Like you know when you're trying to read something out loud that's like, really funny but you can't get through it without craking up? Stuff like that. Flowers love it."

Vinnie found herself smiling as she thought of Sparrow telling jokes to the plants. She didn't think it silly at all but... really touching and beyond cute. And maybe a little silly.

She bit her bottom lip a moment trying to hide that smile but failed.

"I talk to my plants too. And sing to them." Admitting that to someone, finally, felt really good, even though it brought fresh heat and color to her cheeks. "But I've never told them jokes. I'm not really funny."

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• • Frankie • • 

Feeling the way he gripped her one hand, she brought the other one down. Her fingers gently curling around his hand. Both hands gave a soft squeeze, a reminder that she wasn’t going anywhere.

  “That’s great. You’re doing great. What’s something else you can see?”

Lang didn't realize he'd dug his nails into palms until he unclenched his fingers to grab her hand. He tightened his hand around hers.

"Nothing," he said immediately. The tears in his eyes made it hard to see anything. He blinked rapidly a few times. Frankie was a blurry shape at first, but then her features too shape. "I see you."

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• • Sparrow • • 

    Text sent, and the phone set into her lap, Sparrow thought that over. Big pop, ooo and big slushie too? Definitely good ideas. “Candy too. I need something gummy to gnaw on.” She’d have to wear a hoodie; she’d need the pocket space for more snacks.

“Is there anything playing you wanna go see?”

CJ wrinkled her nose again, but made no comment. While Sparrow texted her girlfriend, CJ stretched her arms up, and to the right. She held the pose a couple of seconds, then stretched to the left. Her shoulder popped, which made her wince though it didn't hurt much but her ears.

"I'd love one of the cherry slushies. And also a pop." She needed a lot of sugar.

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• • Sparrow • •   

[txt] someone's FULL of it. luckily she’s cute tho.

It was partially Sparrow’s fault she got her niece this riled up in the first place…but she wouldn’t entirely admit that. With Lisa still in tow, she went to the closest mirror, and shot a selfie of herself and the preschooler dangling like luggage from her arm and sent that to Vinnie. AND then also to Emma.

 Sparrow managed to coax the kid to go bother Ana, then let her go like a wind up toy, racing through the house. In the quick moment of peace, she started with her sisters friend first, knowing she was the least likely to have actual plans. Then she popped open the menu. Seeing all the photos of food- Sparrow’s stomach gurgled.

[txt] OMG. I’m going to eat freaking ✨everything.✨

While she waited for Sparrow's next reply, Vinnie's quick fingers opened up the browser and soon had a link ready to go.

She sent it at the same moment a video message came through. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she hit play. What she saw and heard was pure chaos, a little girl's laughter, Sparrow trying to wrangle her. Vinnie had to bit hard on her bottom lip to keep back her laughter. She began to type back as fast as her fingers could.

[text]: you have your hands full lol

For a second, she thought of asking if Sparrow was absolutely sure she could slip away, but ultimately decided not to. If she gave her an out, Sparrow might take it and Vinnie would kick herself for suggesting it.

Realizing she was way overthinking this, she instead typed out:

[text]: i sent the details

[text]: uh yeah okay that sounds good. I'll text back.

Oh, she was gonna be a mess of nerves until then.

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• • Frankie • • 

As he spoke, she picked at the pile of pretzels in her hand. Gaze completely fixed on him as a smile crept on her face, trying to picture it in her head. There was a part of her that wished it were intentional.

"Oh shit- no way! I wonder if he has a collection of dolls he crocheted and a cat named Dr. Bojangles?"

A little laughter left her lips, which made her nose crinkle the wider she smiled. "Come to think of it, this show has plenty of good costume opportunities."

Lang couldn't believe he hadn't already told Frankie this, considering Bob's Burgers was a favorite show of theirs. The episode they were watching had sparked the memory of the other day.

He scooted in his spot to sit up more. "Okay, this guy came in. He's like, almost a regular, so I've seen him before. Normal looking guy with glasses." Lang gestured to his face, making circles to mime the lenses. "Nothing to write home about, right? So he comes in and I swear it was Mr. Frond."

Right at that moment, the character appeared on screen and Lang gestured. "Him. Right there. Same exact outfit. It was freaky." Too bad he didn't have his phone to snap a picture. He hadn't even thought of it until too late anyhow.

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• • Frankie • •   

“Oh yeah, a backpack, and some strategically placed carabiners will do wonders. It’s all about balance.” Frankie smiled wide, taking a couple more starbursts from the bag. “Alright, whole car it is. But I’ll shoot you a text when I’m on my way. And we can hit up anywhere you wanna go.”  

"No, no. I believe you," he said, shaking his head and laughing a little. "If anyone could pull off a grocery run on a skateboard, it's definitely you." He ran his hand over his face, smile on his face, the laughter still in his words. "Yeah, bring the rest of the car too. It might be easier."

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• • April • • 

After she clapped her hands together, she pressed her hands over her heart. "See I knew you were my favourite for good reason." A light chuckle shook her body. "Or shit ectoplasm. Both would be great."

Aaron didn't need to consider it any further. "I see this dead fucker on the side of the road, I'll run him down. I'll do that for you." Another half-smile pulled his lips. "Oh, you'll hear about it. Every fucking detail. I hope he pisses his ghost pants." If that was even a thing.

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• • April • • 

She laughed - clearly someone hadn't heard enough ghost stories or it had been too long since his last one. "Well then, if that's the case, I'd like to swear on my own grave, that you will get your coat back."

She didn't need to be told twice; April quickly made her way after him until she was walking alongside him.

Aaron hadn't known what to expect when she talked about having a bit of life back, but once she put on his jacket... there it was. She looked lively, rosy-cheeked. And there was a warmth he could sense. April seemed just about as alive as a person got.

"It better fucking stay," he said with a smirk and a chuckle. "That's my favorite jacket." Then Aaron gave a jerk of his head toward the gas station and began walking toward it. "C'mon."

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how beautiful

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• • Sparrow • • 

She smirked as she drove the truck, completely agreeing. She did not want this to be overly hard. Quick and simple was the easiest way to pull this off. Go in, unplug, grab and poof out. And it wasn't like they were going for like a full huge 7-11 set up.

"Perfect. Yeah, this'll totallllly work. OOO and we can put it in the kitchen. There's room. Then, slushies always."

"Oh, thank God." For all the plans she'd laid out, she in no way wanted to do any of that. "I did not want to work that hard." But a slushie machine would be worth it, Casey thought. "Magic is a whole helluva lot easier." Or so it seemed to her.

She nodded along with Sparrow's words. "Yeah, I can do interference. No problem." Probably wouldn't even be difficult.

"Okay. That could work. I think we have a plan."

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Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing IRON FIST SEASON 2 (2018), created by Scott Buck

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• • Sparrow • • 

"Oh, yeah. We talked a lot and I would tell them jokes and sing with them. Then I was like, "Wouldn't it be so funny to take over my sister's whole garden?" Sparrow shrugged, apparently, the sunflowers liked being cheeky. "They loved it. So kept encouraging it. I'm hoping they come back. If not- I get my nieces to yeet seeds everywhere."

It was funny that once she really tapped into her fae side, she started actually understanding plants. Crazy.

Already, Vinnie was plotting out where to grow them. Some would go in the Kindheart Coven's garden, probably in the back of the garden, in that empty spot by the fence. It would definitely add some color to the drab space. The rest of them she'd plant in her magical garden. And the rest--

Her thought cut off immediately. "You told them to grow? And they did?" Why did that surprise her? Maybe because of all the witches she knew in and out of the coven, very few of them held an affinity for plants and nature the way Vinnie did. And here was someone else who talked to their plants, encouraged them, love them...

Vinnie chewed her bottom lip in an attempt to hide her smile but found she couldn't.

"That's so cool."

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• • Jocelyn • • 

“Oh that’s great. Thank you. The call didn’t say anthing bout it being aggressive, just skittish. But I got extra bite guard gloves in my van if you want.” She offered before continuing. “I want to try and block this way from the alley, to limit exits if I can.” Jocelyn reached behind her, and got a bag of dog treats out, and offered it to her. “Also here, just in case.”

Kat wasn't the sort to help people, generally, unless she wanted to. At the mention of a stray dog, though, she made up her mind. She loved dogs.

"Sure. I'll help."

Seemed easy enough. Plus, there'd be a dog.