#Clearwater Coffee Shops

[indecentpause]

Cafe Latte

Meara and Danny’s business is about to fold due to some construction blocking their usual customer traffic. Josselin, a regular customer, business student, and jack of all trades, hears of this and offers his help. There’s definite chemistry between Meara and Josselin, but can they get past the social barriers that keep them apart? A Sheraton Academy AU.

Contemporary Slice of Life Romance. Contemporary. M/M and M/F with one gay lead and one bisexual male lead in a Polyamorous Vee.

Ao3 || Wattpad

[queenie-ofthe-void]

A Desperate Fool - Part 4

Part 3

Eddie gets settled on his usual kitchen barstool and watches Nancy make a pot of coffee, which is great considering he showed up at the ass crack of dawn, too anxious to wait. Well, and a day early, but sue him, he missed her. 

Nancy and Jonathan’s house is just as cozy as he remembers, while also serving as a solid reminder he’s not the only successful Wheeler. Original hardwood floors complimented with arched entryways and wainscoting. Cream and sage fill the living space, dotted with drops of gold accents. Low, soft lighting illuminates every room with warmth. It’s clean and modern, yet comforting in a way The Harrington’s eggshell minimalism estate and his own dark industrial penthouse have always lacked. 

It’s quiet and domestic and everything he’s missed about having a home. The glow in his chest doesn’t outweigh the thread of tension thrumming through him, but it does ease slightly when she hands him coffee in his favorite Garfield mug.

They catch up for hours as she fills him in on everything he’s missed. Mom and Ted finally retired down to Clearwater after Holly moved out for college. Mike and Will’s adoption went through, after working on it for years– and jesus christ, he’s an uncle now. Will’s still publishing his YA fantasy graphic novels. Mike’s a happy house-husband now stay at home dad. 

El finally quit her shitty government research job and decided she’d rather work full-time at Argyle’s pizza shop learning the ins and outs of the business. She’s better suited for it, he thinks, she’s always loved being around people and working with her hands.

She tells him about her and Jon settling into their new posts at The Chicago Times. Nancy’s managed to make friends with people outside of the Politics department. Jon’s moved from photographing for tabloids to local events like concerts and festivals, currently out of town for the weekend at a festival in Rockford. She says he’s happier now, with a job more his speed, and Eddie has to agree. Although they apparently just missed each other last fall when he’d started the job only a month after Corroded Coffin’s concert at Wrigley.

As Nancy goes on, talking about the rest of the kids while they lounge around the house, moving from the kitchen, to the living room, to the snow covered balcony so he can smoke, he tries to listen– he does. But he’s close to snapping, forced to wait so long for answers. He needs to know everything that’s happened, and why she’s the one who has to tell him. Her and Steve dated in high-school almost ten years ago, and granted they stayed close, but she’s not Robin or Max. She’s one of the few people Eddie’s closest to, except for Dustin, who could easily give him more answers than Nancy probably could.

He’s spiralling. He’s biting his nails, picking his lips raw. His leg is bouncing erratically and the only thing that helps is pacing whatever room they’re in. Nancy’s still talking about Argyle’s newest pizza recipe when he finally breaks.

“Nancy, for fuck’s sake please just tell me what’s going on with Steve.” He reaches down for his smokes but his hand’s shaking, the pack gets caught on his pocket and falls to the ground. When he bends to pick them up, the lighter follows suit and bounces under the couch Nancy’s perched on. 

A manic laugh bubbles from the pit of his stomach as he drops to his knees. Eddie briefly wonders if he even wants answers or if he’s just punishing himself. He bends forward, letting his forehead rest against the hardwood floor, cool and grounding. 

Grabbing the smokes and lighter, he looks up to find Nancy’s eyebrows and nose all scrunched up, lips pursed. She’s looking at him exactly how he knew she would, full of pity and disappointment.

There’s something underneath the expression though that Eddie can’t quite pick out– anxiety, maybe. He wouldn’t have such a hard time reading her if he hadn’t been gone for almost a year. Another reminder added to the long list of his life-altering mistakes.

Eddie stands on unsteady legs, moving to the balcony for another smoke, with Nancy hot on his heels when there’s a knock on the front door. She shoots him an apologetic look, but he waves her off. He’s waited this long for answers, what’s another minute in misery.

When Eddie’s finished his smoke, he does his best to sneak back inside without being noticed. An unfamiliar voice calls him out.

“Oh, Nancy I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had company!”

Eddie pokes his head around the corner to find Nancy standing next to a petite woman with dirty brown hair and thick platinum highlights, who’s dressed in an uncoordinated riot of colors and textures. Knee-high navy blue socks, tucked into tan polka dot flats, end just below the hem of her corduroy skirt. It’s a deep brown, matching the polka dots on her shoes, and the material’s so stiff it moves around her like a hoop skirt. She’s layered a puffy-sleeved periwinkle button up underneath a teal sweater vest.

It’s an odd assortment of colors, patterns, and textures that’s not quite artistic enough to be considered eclectic or interesting. Just bizarre and– if he’s being bitchy about it– a little boring. Eddie’s worn enough dramatic getups in his life, but beige isn’t doing this girl any favors.

The petite woman is blushing, eyebrow cocked in question, and Eddie realizes she’s been holding out her hand to him in greeting while he’s standing her silently judging her, like an asshole.

“Hi, you must be Nancy’s brother Eddie,” she says. Her voice is a light soprano, tonally off in an overly polite, customer service way. “I’m Becky.”

“Nice to meet you.” He finally manages to shake her hand, noticing they’re both wearing rings on each finger topped with chipped nail polish: his black and hers a sparkly baby blue. But while his rings are chunky and silver, hers are delicate gold bands stacked to varying thicknesses. “Umm how do you know Nance?”

“Oh, we met at work,” Becky says, smile widening. “Nancy’s told me all about you.”

“Hopefully just the good stuff.” Eddie tries for a joke, but her eyes tighten for the briefest moment.

“Yeah, she told me you were going to be back in town for a little while, I just thought you were coming tomorrow, otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered you.” She glances toward Nancy, her smile straining further.

“No it’s alright, Nance and I were just catching up.” Nancy’s shuffling her feet, eyes darting between Becky, the floor, then Eddie, and back again. Becky is staring at her too, and Eddie’s not sure he’s ever seen Nancy this anxious. She looks completely checked out of the conversation.

He’s always suspected she’s been a bit embarrassed by him. Throughout school, he was the loud obnoxious troublemaker, and Nancy the wholesome straight A student. Every new school year, Nancy spent the first few weeks convincing her teachers that no, she’s not like her brother at all, thank you. Eddie played it off when he could, and has most of his life. But to see it now, so plainly written on her face, hurts more than he expected.

“She said you’re in a rock band?” Becky asks, attempting to fill the silence left in the wake of Nancy’s awkwardness. “Very glamorous.”

It sounds slightly sarcastic, but Eddie’s not sure if he’s just feeling overly defensive. “Playing and songwriting are by far the best part. The rest is just missing out on what’s waiting at home.”

“Mmm, so that’s why you’re in town then? Missing Chicago?” She seems genuinely sympathetic, but he can’t help puffing up like an angry cat at the drip of pity hanging from her lips.

“More like the people,” Eddie snaps. He takes a deep breath to steady himself. God forbid he has a panic attack in front of the first person Nancy introduces him to when he comes home. He’d really be living up to the nightmare older brother stereotype Nancy’s dealt with her entire life.

“Well then,” Nancy interrupts, clapping her hands together loudly causing both Becky and Eddie to flinch. “Thanks for dropping off my laptop, Becky, I really appreciate it.”

“Umm, no problem, Nance.” Becky eyes her warily, but takes the cue. She turns to Eddie to say their goodbyes as Nancy sees her out.

He heads towards the kitchen to get dinner started for the two of them. It’s almost ten minutes by the time Nancy makes her way back and her entire demeanor’s changed. Her spine’s straight with shoulders back, head held high, eyes steeled with resolve. A classic Nancy Wheeler I’m going to tackle this problem head on attitude, except it’s directed at him. Which is seriously not great.

But instead of saying anything, she pulls out the same kitchen stool Eddie had been perched on earlier and plops herself down, all without breaking eye contact. He assumes she’s got something to say, he can spot a Nancy lecture coming a mile away.

Once again, anxiety’s filling out space in his chest as he finishes cooking. They sit in relative silence on the living room couch while they eat, and all he can do is wait. Eddie wants to hear what she has to say, he wants answers, but he’s dreading it all the same. She’s upset with him, which he can’t hold against her. He deserves all of his family’s rage. That doesn’t mean he’s necessarily looking forward to it.

“Ok, ask me,” she states, setting the empty bowl down on the coffee table, turning fully face him. Leaning against the the armrest, she pulls one knee up to her chest while sticking her other foot right in Eddie’s lap. He matches her position, grabbing her ankle and plopping his own foot down beside her, hoping the small amount of contact will keep him grounded.

“Ask you, what?”

“Don’t play dumb, Eddie,” she says, “the entire reason you’re in Chicago isn’t to catch up with Jonathan or Mike or me.” Nancy’s chest deflates with a sigh, and Eddie’s heart breaks at the fact that she’s right. He hates himself for it, one more way he’s disappointed her. “He’s completely offline, the kids don’t post about him even though half of them have you blocked anyways. I know you probably did as much digging as you could and even though you hired a fucking private investigator– jesus christ Eddie–”

“That was only to find out where he lived, I swear.”

She scoffs, “Like that makes it any better.”

“I know, I know,” he sighs, lifting one hand from her ankle to rub his eyes. “I’m sorry, keep going. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“It’s ok,” she says, squeezing his leg. The small gesture loosens some of the building tension, and he relaxes his shoulders.

“The point is, you probably don’t know anything about what’s happened with over the thirteen months you’ve been gone. But, I just thought, if you’re going around looking for answers, it’s probably best for everyone if they come from me.”

She looks away from him then to stare out the window next to them, and Eddie can’t help but follow her gaze. The sun has long since set, the only light coming from the end table lamps on either side of them, and the street light across the way. Dark winter nights always left Eddie feeling a little hollow, a chill even the warmest blankets couldn’t chase away. A feeling only Steve could ease out of him. 

When he looks back at Nancy, she’s already looking back like she can read his mind. Except she’s chewing on her bottom lip, and when he meets her eyes, she can’t hold his gaze.

“Nance,” he says, confused at the sinking of his stomach, “why is it best if it comes from you? No offense, but you’re not necessarily as close to him as Max or Lucas, and they seemed pretty clammed up when they came around. Especially when they mentioned the fiance.” Eddie chokes around the word. Swallows around the dry bitterness coating his throat.

She squeezes his ankle again, except this time it’s too tight, her nails digging little moons into his skin. Like whatever she has to say will send him running, because everyone knows he’s a coward, will disappear exactly the same as before. It’s how he knows he’s still the same person as before– undeserving of the people he loves most– when her next words send a small shock through his system.

“Because I’m the one who set them up, Eddie. And I’m not sorry.”

~~~

Part 5

Tag List: @5ammi90

[whoahoney]

A Girl Called Honey

Eddie Munson x Reader

Summary: Eddie becomes enamored with the new family next door, especially the oldest sister and matriarch, Honey.

CW: 18+, fem reader, mature themes & language, mild(??) child abuse (spanking), parentification, Eddie’s pervy thoughts, reader goes by Honey, Honey is a lil ignorant, fluff, pining, possible eventual smut (we’ll see how this goes)

A/N: the brain child of me and my good ole buddy ole pal, @boomhauer

Boom, this is for you. 🫶🏻🤠🚬🌾

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Eddie and Wayne Munson had just come home from grocery shopping, unloading the cab of the pickup as they heard the low rumble of two trucks coming around the corner of Forest Hills. The two shared a look as the vehicles parked on the front lawn of the trailer beside their own.

The engines cut and the creaks of each door opening only kept Eddie’s eyes glued to the scene. In the truck closest to him, five boys clamored out of the cab and continued a loud conversation as they took in the sight of their new double wide.

“Jeez Louise, fellas—what’d I tell ya?—told ya it’d be nice here!” The driver asked in awe, looking to be the oldest of them. The other four nodded eagerly and mumbled their agreement before running up the porch.

A couple more car door shut from the other side, two girls, no older than 18 and 14 walked up the steps carrying a toddler and a baby on their hips as another child ran ahead of them with squealing laughter.

The older girl looked exhausted, but even in her tiredness Eddie couldn’t help but be taken with her. The younger girl resembled her greatly, but held brighter eyes than her sister.

“Go on, boy, you can gawk later.” Wayne mumbled on his way past Eddie’s frozen figure. Eddie scoffed before looking back at their new neighbors, their houses not even 50 feet apart.

He took in the loads their trucks carried, wondering how they would all fit inside. But he’d never had a double wide before.

Only two more trips out to the car and ten minutes spent putting things away, Eddie took to the porch to smoke while Wayne cooked dinner. The boy would be lying if he said he wasn’t hopeful to see all the new kids living next door, finding them intriguing, especially the oldest girl.

Their windows and doors were open, letting in the evening air and playing loud music. The general rowdiness of the young boys playing was audible from outside, though it wasn’t completely off putting. Eddie had a couple sets of neighbors live in that house, unsavory characters. Any ruckus coming from the house in years past hasn’t ever been good.

But this noise was nice. It sounded safe.

He could barely make out the Creedence Clearwater song as four sets of feet pounded down the steps. The younger boys kept their energy as they ran around the truck and jumped around, throwing playful hits and dodging them expertly while they waited for the older boys to open the tailgates and start handing out furniture to take inside.

“Terry! Tommy! Getchyer asses over here!” The older boy barked as another boy looking to be Eddie’s age set down all different kinds of chairs in the grass as he unloaded them.

The two younger boys, Terry and Tommy, ran on over and grabbed two chairs each to take inside. The older boy hopped up in the back to hand down a coffee table and then the beginnings of a bed frame.

Wayne stepped out onto the porch and took a seat next to Eddie on the worn leather couch, the boy holding out the carton of cigarettes to his uncle.

“S’almost ready,” Wayne said in his drawl, lighting the cigarette between his lips. Eddie nodded and looked back to the next yard to take a drag.

“Janie! Come help Aaron with this?” The boy in charge hollered over the top of the truck into the house.

“Why can’t you??” She asked as she trudged outside, wiping her hands on her paint stained shirt and carefully testing her bare feet in the grass before quickening her pace.

“Cause I gotta get the TV and I told you to, c’mon, now.” The boy grunted as he hoisted the television into his arms and hobbled to the house, slowly losing his grip on it before the oldest girl flew through the door and down the porch steps to pick up the bottom of it and help him up the steps.

“Thanks, hun.” He grunted, stepping into the house.

Eddie and Wayne looked at each other with quirked brows, eyes saying the same thing.

‘What the hell?’

The girl lingered on the small planked porch, leaning over the rail and using the collar of her tshirt to wipe her face. She grabbed her tits and looked down quizzically, Eddie flinching back in shock as she patted down the rest of her body.

“Junior! You gotta smoke?” She hollered with a drawl in her syllables toward the house, her sagging ponytail laying down her back and swaying as she turned. Her feet were also bare, her shirt similar to her sisters as it hit her mid thigh, her gym shorts visible under the hem that rested on the top of her ass.

Eddie’s eyes caught the part of her cheeks that peeked out of the bottom of the blue material, begging to be pinched. He shook his head, taking another drag and averting his eyes back to the bed of the pickup where Janie and Aaron were carrying two pieces of a long and short legged coffee table.

It resembled a dinner table in the way that it was long and rectangular, and it seemed to fit together in the middle to be put away. It was hand painted a sage green, one that made him think of the girl in search of cigarettes.

He heard a distant holler from further in the house, “Nope, quittin’!”

The girl in the doorway looked almost offended with her wide eyes and dropped jaw. She grumbled and turned around, dodging the younger kids coming through. After the boy named Aaron was past her, she walked over to the truck and hopped up in the back, pulling on something from the bottom of the depleting pile.

“Honey!” Janie called as she walked out of the house again with her brothers in tow. The girl in the bed of the pick up ceased her pulling and stood up to her full height.

“Yes?” She asked in exasperation, her hands on her hips like a tired mother. This made the Munson men chuckle.

“The baby shit again and I’m not gonna change him this time!” Janie said with her arms crossed, standing by the truck as Y/n began handing boxes down to the boys, stacking random objects that had fallen out on top.

She rolled her eyes, “You gonna do my job up here? You gonna go keep an eye on dinner? You gonna watch the way you talk to me??” She asked with an attitude and a quirked brow as she stared down at the girl.

Janie groaned and stomped back into the house, holler for her older brother to find her the wipes. Aaron looked up at his sister and shared a laugh. The corners of Eddie’s mouth tugged upward at the sound and the look of her smile.

“Who shoved the stick up her ass?” Aaron asked quieter.

She shrugged. “Aunt Flo?”

Aaron shivered in disgust, “I don’t like it when y’all talk about your lady problems.”

“I didn’t even say nothin’!” She laughed, handing him another suitcase and then opening the one she seemed to be desperate to get to earlier. She rummaged through the contents before groaning and cursing under her breath. She sighed and closed the case as the three younger boys came back out of the house.

“Jun!” She called, hopping down from the truck and walking to the porch, leaning in the doorway to speak to her brother. “You mean to tell me there aren’t any cigarettes anywhere in this place?”

“Jesus, woman, you need one that bad??”

“Yes! Where are they?”

“Don’t got any. Will you hang up the fly bags?” He hollered.

“Fuck you! I knew I seen you throwin them away!” She got louder and marched into the house, shoving past Aaron. The boy stumbled onto the porch stifling laughter as he looked to the next oldest brother and pulled the carton of cigarettes from his pocket.

The younger boy looked mortified as he began laughing in disbelief, surely knowing what his brother was in for. Eddie must have too, because when Aaron looked his way he laughed harder and shoved them in his pocket, “You’re not gonna rat me out, are ya?” He asked his brother and then shifted his gaze to Eddie like he was addressing him too.

The boy shook his head profusely, zipping his lips. “I know nothing.” he adjusted his grip on the box and hurried inside, hearing the clattering and shouting of the oldest boy getting chased down by the oldest girl, “I swear to God, Honey, I didn’t touch your freakin’ cigarettes!”

Eddie chuckled as Wayne smiled and squashed the butt of his cigarette under his shoe, heading inside to check on dinner, Eddie’s gaze going with him. When he turned back forward he came face to face with Aaron, standing a couple feet in front of his porch.

“Hi.” He said, his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans, a Black Sabbath muscle shirt on his chest. He had long dark shaggy hair, similar to Eddie’s but shorter.

“Hey!” He said in quiet surprise. There was a silence between them as they took each other in, Aaron catching the art on Eddie’s arms and Eddie eyeing the scars littering the boy opposite him.

“I’m Eddie—“

“—Aaron. But you prob’ly know that by now.” He chuckled as Eddie nodded.

“Yeah, yeah, that was pretty fun to watch, not gonna lie.” He chuckled, wiping his mouth and standing to his feet to walk down the steps and lean on the railing.

Aaron nodded and chuckled in agreement, “Yeah, she’s fun to mess with. She gets this angry face every time and she gets so wound up she thinks she’s gotta beat on someone—“

“Sounds like a lot of fun.” Eddie chuckled.

“Yeah, well, she’s too serious these days anyway. She used to be more fun but, uh, then she grew up. And we had to move. But, uh, Hawkins should be good, yeah?” He asked awkwardly, staring at his feet kicking pieces of gravel.

Eddie raised his eyebrows, “Depends on your last name.”

Aarons face fell. “Well, sheeit.” He tsked with his hands on his hips. “Guess we’re fucked then, huh? With a last name like Haller.” He shrugged carelessly before they both fell into laughter, Eddie nodding his confirmation.

“You, uh, going to the high school?” Eddie asked.

Aaron nodded. “Senior year, baby. You?”

Eddie nodded. “Yep! Senior year. Third times the charm, right?” He said almost bitterly.

“Hell yeah it is!” Aaron said in genuine support, reaching a hand out for a low five. Eddie raised his eyebrows in slight shock before slapping his hand down on his.

“Do you, uh, if you need a seat at lunch Monday, you can always come sit with us—me and my friends.” He said casually. Aaron seemed to light up a little at the thought. Before he could say anything, his sister was sticking her head through the door and hollering dinner was ready just as Wayne poked his head out the door to tell Eddie the same.

“Well, it was nice to meet you, man. I’ll see you on Monday.” He said before turning to go home.

Eddie smiled to himself as he scurried inside, grinning to himself at the prospect of a new friend and the thought of the girl called Honey.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

When night fell, Eddie was back outside, this time on the lawn in an old metal chair, his head laid back, staring up at the sky. He lazily puffed on a cigarette.

Just as he thought about going inside, the screen door creaked open and Honey wandered out. Their porch light was on, the faint glow of it cast across Eddie’s face. She plopped down on the step and sighed deeply, rubbing her hands down her face and hiding for a moment.

“Honey!!” Janie called.

“Jesus, fuck—what?!” She hollered, barely turning her head, her brow stressed and crinkled.

“Tell Aaron and Cal to stop hogging the garlic bread!”

“Tell Jun! I’m off duty for tonight, remember?” She wiped her hands symbolically. “I’m so close to running away, I swear ta God!” She hollered to no one in particular before sighing and finally meeting Eddie’s eye.

“Oh, shit. Sorry, wasn’t trynna be… loud.” She said quietly, her eyes wide and looking almost embarrassed. Eddie shook his head and the hand that held his cigarette, noticing how she eyed it and then shifted her gaze back up to his face.

“Don’t worry about it, really. You guys already seem like better neighbors than the last three before you.” He chuckled as she gave a weak smile and nod. Eddie took a drag and stood from his seat, walking to the corner of the porch and leaning his shoulder on it to talk to her. “I’m Eddie.” He nodded.

She stood and walked over to him, crossing her arms over her chest as she stopped a few feet in front of him. “I’m—“

“Honey!!!”

She closed her eyes and sighed before turning on her heel and taking a few quick steps to the house. “What is it now??”

“Nevermind!” The young boy yelled. Honey sighed and shook her head, walking back up to Eddie.

“I’m Y/n, but everyone calls me Honey.” She held out her hand, her eyes shying away from his though her face seemed hard.

He softly smiled down at her and took her handshake, her hand warm and a little rough for being so small and delicate looking in his.

“What do you want me to call you?”

This caught her eye and she cocked her head in confusion. “Wh—I mean, I guess it’d be weird if you were the only one to call me by my name.” She shrugged.

“Honey it is.” He smiled, their hands still clasped between them. She smiled, sparkles reaching her eyes as she did. Eddie hesitated as he thought of something else to say. “You wanna smoke?”

“Are you-are you serious?” She chuckled. Eddie blushed at her shock and he nodded. “Aw, shit, you must’ve heard me bitchin’ earlier—oh my god, did you hear—“

“You chase your brother through the house? Yep. And it was great.” He said with a laugh as he reached into his pocket and held out the carton for her to pick from.

She sighed a laughter of disbelief as she plucked one from the box and looked surprised as Eddie held out the open flame of his lighter, waiting for her to lean in. She did, her eyes wavering from his to the lighter as she hollowed her cheeks and puffed.

He couldn’t help but smile down at her. When she met his eye again as he put away the lighter, he smiled. “Thank you very much. The moves been—well. More than stressful. I prob’ly got a few gray hairs from it all.” She puffed again.

Eddie chuckled and shook his head, “I’ll bet! Gotta take two trucks to go anywhere, yeah?”

She nodded as she exhaled. “Yeah, but most of us are at school during the day so I can take the little ones to town every once in a while. I don’t have my license though.” She said the last party slowly, only realizing after that it wasn’t information she should share with a stranger.

Eddie chuckled, “I didn’t for the longest, either. I took my test when I turned 18.”

“That’s what I wanted to do! 18’s come and gone, though.” She shrugged.

“How old are you?” He asked.

“Just turned 20, you?”

“19.” He nodded. So did she.

The air between them was thick with silence as the smoked, the sounds of night emerging from the road noise of the evening.

“You go to school?” He asked, her eyes widening at the question.

“Like… college?”

He nodded, taking a drag and stuffing his hands in his pocket. She shook her head no.

“That’s alright! I don’t think I’ll go after graduation, either.” He shrugged.

She nodded but stayed silent. “Do you… like school?” She asked.

Eddie chuckled and hissed a deep breath in, “Absolutely not. But can’t get anywhere without a diploma, Y’know?” He shrugged.

Honey sighed and deeply inhaled her cigarette, her brow crinkling. He tilted his head as the creaky screen door of the rowdy house swung open, Aaron and Janie walking outside.

“It’s just Eddie!” Aaron hollered inside, Cal following after.

Honey groaned softly and turned around as her siblings approached.

“You’ve met my siblings?” She asked.

“Just Aaron—“

“I’m Janie!” The girl said brightly, her eyes soft and trained on Eddie. His eyes only flickered to hers politely and nodded his head with a tight smile, his gaze returning to Honey.

“This is Cal.” Aaron slapped the slim boys shoulder, knocking him forward a bit.

“Good to meet you guys. Where’d you move from?”

“On the southern border of Oklahoma.” Aaron answered before Honey could speak, Eddie catching her mouth open and close with a bite to her cheek and another drag on her cig.

“That explains the accents.” He smirked, meeting Honey’s eye and making her melt a bit no matter how bad she didn’t wanna admit it.

“They ain’t that bad, there’s some people back home you can’t even understand what the hell they’s sayin’ half the time, they talkin’ so fast.” Aaron shrugged, his vowels elongated and r’s hard with his drawl.

Eddie chuckled, thinking of some old men that hung around the gas station in the mornings, drinking coffee.

Honey rolled her eyes and took another deep drag. “Do you go to the high school?” Janie questioned Eddie with intrigue. “I’m in 8th grade!”

“She hasn’t been to public school in a while.” Cal sighed, clearly having had enough of her enthusiasm.

Janie elbowed him harshly in the ribs with a red face. “It’s farther than Honey got.” She muttered, hoping to get the heat off of herself.

Honeys eyes widened as she took her last toke of the cigarette. She clenched her jaw and then exhaled, throwing the butt harshly on the ground and turning on her heel to stomp back into the house.

“Oh, now you done it.” Aaron sighed in annoyance, rubbing his eyes. Cal followed after his sister, concerned or maybe just getting away from Janie.

Janie crossed her arms and brushed it off as she headed back into the house with Cal, “She had it coming, she’s been on my ass all week about the freakin move, I mean, what’s the big deal—“

Cal shut the door behind them, leaving Aaron with Eddie yet again. “I better go make sure Honeys not getting the wooden spoon after her.” He chuckled nervously.

Eddie nodded though he looked serious, “She okay?”

“Who, Honey? Yeah, she’ll be alright, always is. See ya!” Aaron jogged away, calling his last words over his shoulder.

Eddie held a hand up in farewell, glancing to the end window of the double wide, a glowing orange room behind a floral linen sheet that jerked closed as if someone had been peeking.

He sighed, biting his lip and waiting for any other sign of her. Taking one final drag through a sigh, he threw the butt of his cigarette down on the ground, the filter of the camel bouncing right next to the one that had belonged to Honey.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Monday morning, Eddie heard the clamor of his neighbors climbing into the truck belonging to the oldest brother. Junior, Aaron, Cal, Janie, Terry and Tommy made a fuss about their bags and lunch money and sack lunches, the younger kids whining about the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Doritos they’d had every lunch for the last two weeks.

Aaron, Cal, and Janie each received $5 from Junior, coming up short when it came to Cal. “Fuck—Honey! You got 75¢?” He hollered, fumbling with his bill fold.

Honey rushed outside, three coke cans wrapped up in her hair on top of her head and fasted with clips and pins. She wore her large shirt from yesterday and a tattered and faded violet robe.

She held her purse and dug around for quarters and dimes, dropping them in Cals waiting hands as everyone else hopped in the truck. Honey looked at Cal with sincerity and cupped his cheek to get him to meet her eye.

Eddie continued to watch from the front door, waiting to make his exit to avoid bothering them on yet another vulnerable moment.

Honey nodded her head and Cal nodded with her, holding his hand on her wrist as she kept her grip on his jaw. He could see her lips say “I love you, be good.” Before she kissed his head and pushed him away to the waiting truck. He hopped in, and Junior took off hastily, as if he were late.

Eddie checked his watch and found himself late, too, darting out the door in a similar fashion as Honey lingered on her lawn.

The girl jumped at his sudden emergence, clutching her chest in a gasp. “Mornin’, Honey!” He called, shutting his door and starting the rising engine. She couldn’t help but chuckle as she watched him speed down the street.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Honey had been mortified, being embarrassed in front of the cute neighbor boy not only once, but twice in the last 24 hours. She’d wanted to look presentable and take a shower that morning but the alarm clock didn’t go off and she had to see everyone off properly while running a half hour behind.

By the time she’d reached outside, she’d completely forgotten about her state and worried only about her siblings' first days in their new place, out and exploring new parts of the world she’d never see.

When she heard Eddie’s door slam open and caught the sight of his long legs booking it to the dark van parked in front of his home, her heart lurched up into her throat, embarrassment clawing up her cheeks and tainting them red when they made brief eye contact as he leapt inside.

“Mornin’, Honey!” He’d called, his smile making her forget all about the cans in her hair and her ratty old robe.

She replayed the moment over and over in her head all day as she stayed home with the two little ones. Frankie managed to convince her to set up the kiddie pool, filling it with dirt as quickly as his little shovel could.

After he'd spent almost an hour filling the small pool, he asked for the water hose to turn it all into mud, and who was she to refuse on the warm August day?

By the time the sun began to set, Frankie and Randy were slathered in mud, as was Honey. She sat back in her lawn chair, her bare feet buried in the mud that hit her at her mid calf. The cool mud felt amazing on her feet after unpacking and chasing the babies around all day.

She held a Sixteen magazine on her stomach as she slouched in the flimsy chair, listening to the rowdy boys make sound effects with their mouths as they played monster trucks in the muck.

It wasn’t until she heard the familiar rumble of Juniors truck that she realized she hadn’t started dinner. She jumped up at the thought, her heart pounding in her chest as she hurriedly sprayed her legs off with the cold hose.

“Randy, Frankie, we gotta cook dinner, let’s go!” She plucked up the baby Randy and grimaced as he started kicking and screaming, flailing his little limbs at the idea of going inside. Frankie didn’t hesitate to holler his protests as she washed off Randy’s naked and mud corroded body.

Junior pulled up carefully, watching Randy and Frankie as he stopped and cut the engine, all the tired and loud children hopping out of the truck with moans and groans of hungriness and homework, discussing supplies for projects and where to get a trifold presentation board.

Junior walked up to Honey with a hard look on his face as he eyed the two young boys giving his sister such a hard time.

“Gimme Frankie.” He sighed, nodding to the boy still refusing to leave the mud pond he created.

He shook his head profusely, grunting “mm-mm!” as he did. Honey looked the other way when Junior jerked the 4 year old boy up and smacked him once on the butt, shoving him almost roughly towards the hose Honey held flinchingly. “Get yourself washed and get in the house.” He said lowly, the little boy sniffling but nodding in agreement anyway.

Honey washed the boys in silence before hoisting them on each of her hips with a strained groan, “Aw, shit, y’all are too big for this now.”

Frankie laughed as Randy fussed, still not giving up his fight. Honey sighed, using her foot to kick open the door, making it swing and hit the side of the house so she could step in, carefully. As she turned, she noticed the parked van next door, the driver door swinging open and a smiling Eddie stepping out, his eyes already on hers.

Her first thought was her head, thankful for the high ponytail it was in now. She fought a smile as the door shut behind her and she set down the two boys to go start dinner.

Janie and Aaron sat that the small table with their books open, their homework set out in front of them as they stared at it intently. Cal sat at the coffee table, the tv remaining off in front of him as he busied himself with finding the right page in the textbook. Terry and Tommy were already in their play clothes and outside to play, abandoning their shirts and shoes along with their backpacks.

Honey made her round to check on each kid as Junior washed up. She stuck her head back outside and took note that the two boys were in the side yard that separated their property from the Munson’s.

They fought each other with sticks, their chests and faces already having some mud smeared across them in the five minutes they’d managed to be outside alone. “Hey!” She hollered at them, the two unseen Munson men on the neighboring porch turning their heads in alarm as the boys ceased their playful sounds.

“Y’all better stay outta that mud, dinner won’t be long.” She pointed at them, fighting the urge for her eyes to flicker to Eddie. Terry and Tommy whined, asking why Frankie and Randy got to play in the mud and they couldn’t as she ignored them and walked back inside to fix sandwiches and chips for everyone who could bear to eat it yet again.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The stars had come out, the smallest children were in bed, and the older children had finished their homework after two grueling hours of helping Aaron read his English homework and reminding Janie the tenths have to go somewhere in math.

Cal always had an easy time in school, skipping a grade when the rest of his siblings were lucky enough they only got held back once.

Except for Honey.

As the rest of them gathered around the glowing tv set, watching Doctor Who (Cal’s choice), Honey excused herself for a well deserved shower.

Halfway through washing her hair, the water turned cold, though she was used to it at this point. She hurriedly rinsed the rest of the soap from her hair and hopped out to seek the warmth of her room.

She tiptoed across the floor and scolded herself for not grabbing clothes before her shower since the babies were tucked in their little beds next to hers and Janie’s.

She selected some sweatpants and a crew neck sweatshirt that used to belong to her brother, and tugged them on, keeping her hair wrapped in the towel and walking out the door.

Junior sat with his arms crossed at the counter, his hair wet and combed straight back just like the rest of the remaining children. “Where you goin?” He asked as she walked past him and to the door.

She groaned and turned to him, “Outside! I can only take being in a house for so long, June. Or do you forget I don’t get to go anywhere or do anything!” She spat before stepping outside and shutting the door behind her. Honey regretted her outburst but couldn’t take anymore of being checked on like a child when she wasn’t allowed to be one.

She plopped down on the steps, foregoing her chair still parked by the mud pool she’d inevitably spend her day at tomorrow. The towel tugged at her hair as it came unwound. She sighed and pulled it off, scrubbing her nails against her roots to loosen it up and relieve the tension.

“Ahem.”

She jumped and turned to the Munson trailer, the small porch light flickering as Eddie sat on the brown couch that occupied his porch. He smiled warmly and waved, a blush pinching his cheeks when she chuckled and ran a relieved hand over her face.

“Sorry, I was hoping I wouldn’t scare you.” He chuckled as he stood and leaned against the porch railing.

Honey shook her head dismissively, “it’s okay, I’m just jumpy anyhow.” She shrugged.

They shared a silence, the noises of night filling the empty space. Crickets and frogs from the creek in the woods chorused around them, rushing winds from the main road barely audible.

“Care to join me?” Eddie asked, hoping she didn’t hear the light waver in his voice and holding up his half full carton of Camels as he stepped off his porch. Honey smiled and nodded, hoping she hadn’t responded too quickly as he strode over the property line and took a seat next to her on the narrow porch steps.

Honey’s heart vibrated in her chest at being so close to him, so close she could smell him. She could smell something skunky yet earthy coming from him, mixed with the aroma of cigarettes and some spicy cologne, and she couldn’t say the combination was bad. Not bad at all.

And for some reason she found her mouth watering yet feeling prickly with dryness.

“Here you are,” he mumbled as he handed her a pre-lit cigarette and stuck a new one in his mouth for himself. She thanked him quietly and puffed, a sigh escaping her as the nicotine released the tension from her shoulders. “Rough day?” He asked as she leaned her forehead in her palm.

She nodded, chuckling dryly. “No tougher than yesterday or the day before, so that’s nice, I suppose.”

Eddie chuckled this time, thinking she sounded like Wayne. Honey breathed deeply, listening again to the nature of Hawkins at nightfall. She could feel Eddie’s gaze on her as she hollowed her cheeks to inhale the smoke, savoring the woolen taste and rolling it around in her mouth before puffing it out into the cool night air.

“H-How was yours?” She asked. She looked over his face now that she had the opportunity, she’d always been told it was rude to look away from people when she spoke to them. The stubble on his chin and upper lip made her wonder if it was rough, the same question posed to his unruly hair that seemed to frame his face perfectly.

His plush lips curved into a smile before he took a quick toke, the smoke excreting as he spoke. “It was pretty good, actually. Got to hang out with your brother most of the day, showed him his classes—gave a few teachers a heart attack by my attendance alone.” He chuckled. “It’s always nice making new friends.” He added.

Honey blushed and bit the inside of her cheek to conceal her smile as she tore her gaze away. She was too hopeful. Eddie was now her little brother's friend, and she should respect that, right?

Eddie still looked at her, a smirk on his face as he took another drag. “So, Honey—can I call you hun?” He asked, nudging her arm as he turned his body to look at her better. She chuckled and nodded as she smoked. “Okay, hun, what do you like to do for fun?”

Honey mirrored him and propped her back up against the railing, their knees touching and not bothering to move. She shrugged, “I don’t really, uhh, well—sometimes, back home, we’d go swimmin’ in the pond behind our house… there’s a place around the bend—where we’re not allowed to go, it’s surrounded by brush and there’s a small shore with hundreds of little rocks and critters and wildflowers… and a gorgeous tree to climb…I like swimmin’” she nodded when she wanted to roll her eyes at her vowels and her sudden lack of thoughts.

“Swimmin’” he quietly echoed in her voice before a warm chuckle escaped him, “Sorry—s’just cute is all.” He shrugged and took another hit from his cigarette. The compliment heated her cheeks and cleared her thoughts.

“What else?” He asked, his brown eyes back on her.

Honey tried not to melt at the sight, “Uh, well—I just, I haven’t had a lot of time to—“

“Hey, Ed!” Aaron’s chipper voice rang quietly from the screen door as he made his way outside.

Honey sighed and took an extra drag on her cigarette instead of finishing her sentence, her explanation boring enough anyway. She didn’t see Eddie’s curious and lingering stare as she looked at the grass below the last step and the chipped red polish on her toes from the last time Janie painted them.

Adam sat at the top step between them, his Iron Maiden shirt paired with flannel pajama bottoms was similar to what Eddie normally found himself wearing to bed. “Fueling sister’s bad habits, huh, Munson?” Aaron asked as he snatched the cigarette from Honey’s mouth and took himself a generous hit as she scoffed incredulously.

Eddie chuckled and turned more towards Aaron. “Hey, I saw a lady in need, who am I to deny her a smoke?” He said in an accent from a long time ago, like the way Aaron spoke when he talked about the stories he always had his nose in.

Aaron rolled his eyes, “She smokes like a chimney, I’m sure she can go one day without a cigarette.” He chuckled, taking another drag off the stolen cigarette.

“Well when a smoke is the one thing I get to myself around here, I don’t fuckin want to, Aaron.” She grumbled as she snatched the half gone cigarette from him and stomped up the steps and into the house.

Aaron sighed as she thwacked him on the back of the head as she passed, rubbing the sore spot as the door swung shut. “I’m sorry, man, was that like a thing… going on between y’all or somethin?” He asked, leaning to the side to look at Eddie better.

Eddie offered a cigarette out to his friend and shrugged his shoulders. “Nah, I don’t think so.” He said doubtedly. Aaron eyed him suspiciously as he lit the cigarette.

“Yeah, alright. I may be dumb but I ain’t blind.” He snorted, handing back the silver zippo.

Eddie's cheeks heated as he shook his head and poorly repressed a smile. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Honey didnt bother to go out on the porch the next night, or the night after that. In fact, two weeks would go by before Eddie caught her by herself again. The sun was setting and she was taking down the fresh laundry from the day, a small radio playing Janis Joplin sat on a tv tray nearby with her lemonade and nail Polish.

She had a cigarette in her lips, her brother having brought her some home from work, surely. Her shorts were like normal, too small and adorable peeking out from under her large shirt she wore like a smock at a job.

Her nails were painted a cherry red that matched her hair clip. She was struggling to fold a bed sheet when he strolled up to offer a hand, spooking her as he ducked between the flowing, floral and stained sheets on each line, feeling awfully separated from the rest of the world like this.

“Need a hand or two?”

He chuckled as Honey jumped out of her skin and turned to him with a gasp. Her shock melted into amused annoyance before she nodded. Eddie eyed her over the length of the sheet as she matched up the corners a couple times and walked to meet him in the middle.

“There ya go.” He mumbled as she took the rest of the sheet from him and folded it in front of her. Eddie wished to tilt her chin up with his index finger ever so delicately. But he didn’t.

“Thanks.” She said quietly.

“Any time.” He said, more meaning in his eyes than his voice.

“You, uh, got more cigarettes.” He shrugged as she uncoupled the other sheet, handing him a side without a word. They flicked the cloth, a rolling wave snapping through it before they folded it once in half, then twice before meeting again.

“Jun came through. He always does eventually.” She shrugged as he nodded thoughtfully, the golden hues in his eyes jumping out in the fading orange light.

“Well it kinda took away my excuse to talk to ya, so...” He shrugged like she had, a glint in his eye that told her he’d missed her.

She felt the longing pull in her chest as she hugged the sheet. “Y-You don’t need an excuse to talk to me, Y’know… could just… come knock on the door...” She looked to the ground at her worn bare feet.

Eddie ducked his head to search for her eyes, “Yeah?” His eyes seemed shinier now that the sun had sunk under the horizon and the only traces left of it were pink against perriwinkle.

She looked back up at him, her whole face flushed as she wrung her lips against each other in nervousness and eventually nodded and smiled. “I’d like that. I haven’t had a friend in a long while, Y’know?”

Eddie’s smile faltered for only a second before he fixed it and nodded. “Well, Honey, I’m interested in becoming very very good friends.” He leaned closer and quirked his lips into a teasing smirk.

She sighed dreamily and looked to his lips unknowingly, his smile stretching into a wolvish grin as he got the inkling of a feeling that he may have this girl wrapped around his finger already.

He glanced down at her own lips as she was distracted, noting how pink they were, maybe a little chapped but he longed to know what it was like to kiss every inch of her. His gaze dipped to her chest, the mounds jutting out from her chest and allowing the cotton tshirt to fall straight down and conceal any semblance of a figure.

But Eddie knew better.

He knew she was hiding an ethereal secret underneath that shirt.

His eyes snapped back to hers as she took a breath to say something when she was interrupted by Janie yanking open the last sheet separating them from the inevitable world.

-

-

Taglist angels 🦋

@loving-and-dreaming @newshade

[milkywaygg]

The Cosmas REWRITE (Chapter 1)

Disclaimer: The FOP, its content, and most of it's characters belong to Butch Hartman. I do not claim ownership of the show or intend to use it for monetary purposes. The is purely fan work.

“GET OUT OF HERE YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! AND DON’T YOU DARE LET ME CATCH YOUR STUPID, PATHETIC ASS BACK IN THIS HOUSEHOLD!’

Nora Cosma’s mother’s words echoed in her head as she rushed down the blizzarding, December streets as the wind rushed harshly down her cheeks. Trying to keep the tears from spilling, Nora reached out of her letterman jacket’s pocket and grabber her phone out, frantically texting her boyfriend as she sought temporary shelter.

Arthur, are you awake??? Having an emergency right now.

Hoping to receive an answer within a few moments, Nora felt floating until she left her neighborhood and crossed the street onto a city center, where several café’s illuminated the streets. Though most of the shops were either closed or beginning to close down, Nora was thankful that the one closest to her block, After-Stars, stayed open until 3 AM most nights. Walking inside, she took a seat in a booth with velvet, purple seats, longing for food as this was the 3rd night in a row she was deprived dinner, before settling for a cup of black coffee, unable to eat.

She took out her phone once more in hopes to get a response, but was disappointed to find nothing other than a text from her mother, sending her a picture of the last family photo they had taken before her father, Warner, had passed in a magic accident that Nora was somewhat involved in. Ever since then, her mother, Mary, had somehow transformed from the person Nora wanted to be like most, into an empty shell of a woman, so pathetic that she was almost solely dependent on beer bottles to even get out of bed in the morning.

 Most days, Mary wasn’t so intolerable. She’d often hide herself in her room while Nora was at school, and would sometimes cry as he looked through Warner’s things and photos. Some nights however, much like tonight, it seemed as if all the alcohol rushed through her body as she lost control, screaming and cursing as Nora had to dodge her attacks, only succeeding sometimes.

Fifteen minutes flew by as she sipped on her black coffee, not even a typing bubble from Arthur on Nora’s message. Sighing, she dialed his number and held it up to her ear, barely getting by 3 rings before the automated voice told her to try again later. In a failed attempt to keep all her emotions bottled up, she couldn’t help but let out a small whimper as small tears fell on her face.

“Excuse me? Nora?”, a soft, male voice asked, making Nora jump slightly. She quickly wiped her face and looked up to see a green-haired boy holding a few Child Development and Psychology textbooks stand near her table, his matching eyes looking down at her with a sorrowful expression. He also wore thin, square-lensed glasses, and the green sweater and tight black jean-pants outfit helped Nora identify Linnie Clearwater, one of her classmates in Advanced Literature. He smiled gently as he held a comforting hand out, only drawing back as he saw Nora’s shoulders square up and her body push itself somewhat backwards.

“Um…I-I just couldn’t help but notice you here by yourself. I-Do you mind if I sat with you? O-Of course if not, that’s fine I mean. I’m sorry, Nora. I know I shouldn’t be disturbing you like this.”, Linnie stuttered softly as he twiddled his fingers nervously, “I-I just…I’m sorry dear. I just wanted to see if you were ok.”

“I-I don’t give a damn.”, Nora sniffed, after one last call to her boyfriend failed once more, this time barely past the second ring. “Not like anyone does these days.”

“Well…do you want to talk about it? Maybe I can help..”

“Help? There’s not jack shit you could do for me!’, Nora snapped, earning a squeak from Linnie. Seeing his cower back a bit however, Nora sighed slightly, “Look, I’m…well I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you’re not who I was hoping for tonight. Quite frankly, I’m surprised you’re even here at all. I mean, this doesn’t seem like your kind of place.”

“Well, I don’t come often.”, Linnie smiled slightly, “I didn’t get any babysitting calls tonight sadly, so I’m only here to catch up on some homework and have some coffee as a treat haha. I’ve had a bit of a rough day myself.”

“What happened to you?”

“The little girl I mentor in my child development class accidentally shrunk me with Mr. Langston’s wand. You know how he’s always losing things. A-and right before he turned me back, I got cornered by the big roach.”

“And you’re still taking that class? I would’ve beat that child’s ass and gotten kicked out.”

“O-Oh goodness no! Why would you say something like that?”, Linnie squirmed, frowning deeply at Nora. Nora shrugged.

“I mean if I was acting a fool, that’s what my folks did to me, and I turned out fine.”

“Well I personally don’t see what that solves. That just makes the poor dear afraid of you.”

“Well if I recall, I don’t remember asking you.”, Nora snapped, taking another sip of her drink, “Listen Linnie, I know you’re just looking out for other people but I really would rather be alone right now.”

“Well..alright then, but can I ask what’s wrong first.”

“It’s not really any of your business is it?”

“Of course not, but I-I don’t know. I’m sorry. It just seemed like you needed some help.”, Linnie shuffled through his lime binder and grabbed out a pencil and sticky note, making Nora raise an eyebrow. Didn’t I tell this bitch I wanted to be alone? So why the fuck is he trying to study here right now? Upon future inspection however, Nora saw Linnie write his name and a collection of numbers on the sticky note.

“Here, for whenever you’d like to talk. I-I’m so sorry to have disturbed you tonight, but I just want you to know that I’m here if you need anything.”

“Yeah yeah..”, Nora mumbled as she took the note while Linnie got up from his seat, collecting his textbooks. After Linnie had waved goodbye to Nora for the evening, she saw a small, blue glow in the corner of her eye; Arthur’s name finally appearing at the top of her phone screen.

Sorry Nora. Was asleep. U ok?

I wouldn’t have been trying to blow up ur damn phone if I was

Woah, someone’s in the mood tonight. Where are u? Are u home?

I’ll explain in the morning. Right now, I just need a place to crash.

Right now.

No, in like 10,000 fucking years, Sherlock. Yes, now. Would your folks mind if I spent the night?

Well, they’re asleep right now so I dunno if they’ll know you’re here, but they are pretty light sleepers. Wouldn’t want to disturb them.

Trust me, I’ll be quiet. It’ll be fine. I’ll just leave extra early for school in the morning or some shit.

Once again, Nora felt the lingering delay of Arthur’s text, except the response bubble would occasionally pop up. Nora felt her heart race every time she saw it, but disappeared after two minutes. Finally, tired of the waiting game, she sent another message.

Please Arthur? I don’t have anywhere to go tonight and I’m struggling, bad. I wouldn’t be asking this of you if it wasn’t important.

You know what, sure. How long until you get here?

Prob about 15 minutes. Damn, I wish I would have paid more attention in teleportation. Wouldn’t been useful right about now.

Hehe well..gives me a chance to straighten up. See you in a few then.

Nora tossed back on her leather man jacket and pocketed her phone, making the way towards Arthur’s house past the city center, and into one of the neighboring areas. Though not by much, Arthur’s subdivision was nicer than Nora’s; litter didn’t plague the sidewalks like her street and the houses seemed slightly better kept. Finally, towards the end of the street, Arthur’s double-floored house stood cozily in front of Nora; the navy-blue roof complimenting the matching door and white walls alongside the neatly trimmed yard. Hoping that Arthur was wise enough to unlock the door for her, Nora jiggled the brass doorknob before entering the house, closing it gently behind them as the darkness engulfed her. She slowly made her way up the stairs, drowning Arthur’s parents’ snoring as she found his room, barely able to see.

At long last, Nora felt her eyes get heavier and heavier as a bed was closer in the reach. Finally allowing her eyes to shut, she threw off her letterman jacket and blue jeans off to the side; throwing them onto a pair of pink, women’s underwear with the name, Willow, written on the back.

[the-woild-is-y-erster]

haul-ish from goin antiquing w @elliott-smelliott

buncha cool stuff i saw but didnt get, thought the "shalom, yall" and the "as a man Thinketh" were funny

the brown thing on the upper right is a 1970's donut phone wich i thought was cool

the teacup on the bottom right is a mustache cup, the little barrier thing on it was to keep a gentleman's mustache out of his coffee or tea

the chicken dishes i just thought were cute

stuff i actually bought!!!

kansas and creedence clearwater revival vinyls!!! supes excited abt them even if they were overpriced (20$ each :/)

and

last but not friggin least

a cane!!!!!!! my knees have been hurting super bad all day because we've been out shopping since abt 11:00 tjis morning so when i found it it was like god shone her mercy upon me

honestly it actually helps me walk a lot ngl which i am so happy abt

my ma hates it, so even better <3

[spaciousreasoning]

Garages & Walking

My blood sugar was back down to 160 on Wednesday. It was chilly enough to put on sweats first thing. After morning coffee and brain games we made breakfast sandwiches with brioche buns. We need to go shopping for more meat ingredients.

Tired of waiting for the rental agency to even respond to our message about the garage, we called the repair people, and someone showed up around 1 p.m. He took about 20 minutes and managed to take care of the problem, which was so simple we could have done it ourselves if we had known what the heck it needed. It was worth the charge.

We had noticed the neighbors (the other half of our duplex) had left their garage door open a foot or so for some time now, so I stopped by to see if they were having trouble, too. The wife said the rental agency was supposed to replace the whole door, and their remote did not work, but they were leaving it open to ventilate the garage. It appears theirs is full of stuff.

During our walks around the neighborhood we have observed that most people park on their driveways, and whenever a garage is open it appears to be occupied by something other than cars. In fact, we’ve seen a couple of garages that look like they have been turned into some kind of workshops.

Clearing out our garage was important for us, because we wanted to be able to park inside, particularly when it is hot or cold enough to warrant the protection. It took us a while, after moving in, but eventually we started parking the car inside all the time. Which is why we wanted it repaired as soon as possible.

Close to 2 p.m. we went for a walk on the Middle Fork Path from Clearwater Park to the junction with Mill Race Path. Headed back to the trailhead we followed a beaten path through the woods to the shoreline of the Willamette River. There were four rafters on their way past. The walk totaled about 3 miles.

On the way home we stopped at Albertson’s and picked up some bacon, ham and sausage for use with our breakfast sandwiches. Also on the list were a couple of kind of cheeses, butter, and a nice Pinot Gris for Nancy.

New glucose test strips I ordered from Amazon arrived in the mail. At the RiteAid a box of 50 cost about $100. The box of 50 from Amazon cost $40. Sure, they’re free by prescription, but since that currently involves a little complex negotiation, it’s worth spending the $40 to have more strips available. By the time I need another box, we will have had the first meeting with our PCP and, hopefully, straighten out the prescription mess.

Given the blood sugar levels, we passed on having any pie, even in the afternoon. Dinner was a combination of leftovers and sautéed spinach. It opened up a little room in the fridge.

After the meal, I got out and walked 1.9 miles around the greater neighborhood area in just under 34 minutes.

For the evening’s entertainment, we watched episodes from “The Sommerdahl Murders,” “Under the Vines,” and “Bad Monkey.”

[aydann-runs]

For B--

This is the first year I didn't text you Happy Birthday, never knowing where you were, or whether I'd hear back.

Sometimes, you'd reply, days or months later. Sometimes, you'd reach out to me on my birthday, and mention that you'd gotten my text.

Some years, there was silence.

Then, two years went by without a reply, delayed or otherwise. I looked for you, but you'd never been great at social media, and so your un-updated Facebook page wasn't anything surprising.

Two years turned into three. "Happy birthday, thinking of you and hoping you're doing well."

I went looking again, and came up empty again, but I think I knew. It took me another year, and finding your other Facebook profile, the one that someone had turned on the memorialized account setting.

"Remembering F. S." Which wasn't even the name I knew you as, but maybe it was the parts you liked best of the name you were given.

I remember our last conversation, when you called me out of the blue after years without contact. It was a pleasant July evening, twilight, and I stood in my backyard while we talked. You'd had an especially rough couple of years, but it sounded like you were coming out the other side. You were starting triathlon training again, and sounded hopeful about the future.

It wasn't long after that call, under five months, though I've never been able to find a date. But not enough time to train for a triathlon.

I remember us curling up on my bed one Sunday, wondering how we were going to face the week.

I remember bus rides downtown, wandering around the market, FAO Schwartz and coffee shops.

You trying to teach me to drive stick shift in your old Corolla with no power steering in the stadium parking lot at 2 am. The way you drove that car up all the hills without hesitation.

Rollerblading, that one weekend at the lake, the pet rats we kept in the apartment against the rules.

I still have the Dick's Drive-In T-shirt you gave me when I first moved to the city 25 years ago.

The pictures from my wedding, you standing next to me as my maid of honor. My mom's mild horror upon discovering me wearing the sneakers you'd smuggled into the reception for me.

Driving over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, white-knuckled, making the 5 hour round trip to spend an hour with you in Clearwater.

Driving you to the middle of nowhere, Oregon, because someone had a spot for you, had accepted you in their program. I don't know how you got home when it was done.

The blanket you made me. I still use it every night.

We lost touch for a lot of years, and I can't undo that, or make up for the time we lost.

But I miss you and I remember.

[indecentpause]

Sunflowers and Ink

In the year Meara and Josselin have been working next door to each other, Meara has never worked up the nerve to say hello. But one afternoon, closeness and chance bring them across each other and it leads to a somewhat embarrassing first date. But Meara has problems and secrets, lots of them, and Josselin seems so nice, but can he understand? Will he stay? A Sheraton Academy AU.

Contemporary Slice of Life Romance. M/M with two bisexual male leads.

Ao3 || Wattpad

[rebuildeds]

𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐗𝐓𝐌𝐒 : five wanted connections !

since i very very recently submitted exactly five wanted connections to the main, i'm going to use this day to promote them <33

ALL of these are absolutely open to current characters if you think that they would fit into the mold!

DUDLEY DURSLEY is looking for their RUGBY FRIENDS :

can be any age, any fc, anything at all & absolutely open to multiple characters filling this - they could be muggles, muggle-borns, or even very adventurous wix!

i imagine that dudley has a local team that he’s with - so practice once a week on an evening, matches every other weekend during the season etc.

there’s also a huge social aspect to it as well, with the club having its own bar & food served after the game, and the younger guys going out drinking together afterwards when they’ve had a good win. there’s also room here for those who maybe were a part of the team when they were younger, and are now just there for the social stuff & to support / yell from the sidelines, or are a part of the board that sort of thing.

( i’m thinking of the player in the scrum who i SWEAR i saw kiss another player on the forehead before going into scrum. i’m thinking of my brother yelling “LOVE THAT BOY!” at a game after someone else on his team did a magnificent throw-in. )

DUDLEY DURSLEY is looking for their FRIEND(S) WITH BENEFIT(S):

what it says on the tin! i think for dudley it probably makes more sense for these to develop out of friendships, but i can also see it working from a one-night-stand awkwardly transitioning into a friendship that transitions into a friends-with-benefits type situation. dudley’s getting pretty good at talking about his feelings, so it’s unlikely that this will have any miscommunication from his side, but i’m also open to any ex-fwbs where he’s been honest about wanting more but the other char hasn’t been (in which case, i think he’d try to keep the friendship going, however unsuccessfully) or vice-versa.

TEMPEST CLEARWATER is looking for their EX FRIEND WITH BENEFITS / OPEN TO MULTIPLE:

very very specifically this:

i’m imagining this FROM tempest, but i think it could be fun to have a dynamic where the other character is the one sending this TO tempest.

open to most variations of this dynamic - whether it’s tempest or the other character who broke off the arrangement, whether it was because of jealousy (because tempest is not gonna stop fucking around with other people), or anything else you can think of.

could be fun to do something with someone who’s concerned about how tempest takes losing penelope, tries to help, and gets pushed away violently!

TEMPEST CLEARWATER is looking for their CODEPENDENT TEENAGE BEST FRIEND(S) TURNED STRANGER(S):

i’m thinking hetty and byatt in wilder girls. i’m thinking arms tucked around each other in hogwarts’ corridors, whispers in each other’s ears, sleepovers over the summer at each other’s houses. i’m thinking probably a slytherin in the same year makes the most sense - for the most codependent possible vibes.

i’m thinking they grow apart very naturally when hogwarts ends - not being forced by circumstance to be in the same proximity and the ties that bind them are much looser, much easier to walk away from. i am open to either they are both being devastated, but unable to do anything about it - they keep trying to meet up for coffee or drinks and there’s a distinct awkward air that leaves one or both ducking out early to go home.

either that OR they’re both / one of them at least has made their peace, and they’ll bump into each other at the shop and have a good old natter and catch up, then not think about each other for months on end.

i just want something that’s. look at that woman across the bar. once i knew all of her scars and all of the reasons they were acquired. i knew all of the secrets that were kept close to chest. now i don’t know what her favourite drink is. i don’t know what she does as a job.

DOESN’T necessarily have to be same age, slytherin, or a woman - i’ve only gone with those vibes for hogwarts convenience to set the stage for that kind of friendship. i am willing to work around anything if you’re up for the same !

TEMPEST CLEARWATER is looking for their CURRENT FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS:

life is too hectic for anything serious, is the excuse that they’d give if anyone asked. they just like having fun, and they don’t want it to stop any time soon. people just don’t like putting up with the schedule of a quidditch player. all excuses - it’s only gotten harder since penelope to justify letting anyone get close enough to hurt.

& it’s easy, it’s fun, there’s a dance and game and a rhythm to the fwb relationship that is FUN to toy with.

bonus points for a character who embodies i let them hit because they’re goofy.

it’d also be cool to have at least one where it’s the exact same situation for the other character, no feelings are attached other than the vague fondness that comes naturally.

and it’d ALSO be cool to have another where the other character perhaps wants something more. throw ‘em at her!

[iloveclearwater]

Savoring Sweet Delights: Exploring Bakeries in Clearwater Beach, Florida

Clearwater Beach, Florida, renowned for its pristine shores and vibrant atmosphere, offers not only sun-kissed sands but also a delectable array of culinary delights. Among its hidden treasures are the charming bakeries dotting the coastline, enticing visitors with their aromatic pastries and mouthwatering treats. Meanwhile, for those seeking retail therapy, Clearwater's shopping outlets provide a haven for indulgence and discovery.

Indulging in Sweet Temptations

Clearwater Beach isn't just about soaking up the sun; it's also a paradise for food enthusiasts. Nestled amidst the bustling streets are several bakeries ready to satisfy every sweet craving. Whether you're in the mood for a flaky croissant, a decadent cake, or a traditional Key lime pie, these bakeries deliver perfection in every bite.

At the heart of Clearwater Beach

The Bakery on Clearwater Beach: stands as a beacon of irresistible delights. From their freshly baked bread to their intricate pastries, every item exudes craftsmanship and passion. As you step inside, the aroma of cinnamon rolls and freshly brewed coffee envelops you, inviting you to indulge in a moment of pure bliss.

Venture a little further, and you'll stumble upon

Sunset Sweets: a quaint bakery offering a fusion of flavors inspired by the Gulf Coast. Here, you can savor their signature Key lime pie, a zesty symphony of tangy lime and buttery crust that captures the essence of Florida's culinary heritage.

Clearwater Shopping Outlets: Retail Therapy Redefined

After satisfying your sweet tooth, embark on a journey of retail therapy at Clearwater's shopping outlets. Just a short drive from the beach, these outlets beckon with an array of shops, from designer boutiques to budget-friendly stores, ensuring there's something for every shopper.

Clearwater Mall: stands as a premier destination for those seeking a diverse shopping experience. With a mix of well-known brands and local vendors, it offers a treasure trove of fashion, electronics, and more. Whether you're hunting for the latest trends or searching for unique souvenirs, this mall delivers an unforgettable shopping spree.

Meanwhile

Clearwater Plaza: caters to bargain hunters with its outlet stores offering discounted prices on top brands. Here, you can score unbeatable deals on clothing, accessories, and homeware, making it the perfect destination for savvy shoppers looking to stretch their dollar further.

In Clearwater Beach, the allure extends beyond its sun-drenched shores, encompassing a culinary and retail landscape that captivates visitors from near and far. From the delectable offerings of its bakeries to the enticing array of shops in its shopping outlets, Clearwater promises an unforgettable experience for all who wander its streets.

To find out more, check out our website.

Bakeries In Clearwater Beach Florida

Attractions In Clearwater Florida

[whereareroo]

A SPONGE STORY

WF UPDATE (1/20/23).

What did you learn yesterday? I learned about sponge fishing.

Sponge fishing jumped onto my radar screen because we biked, along the wonderful Pinellas Trail, from Clearwater to a town called Tarpon Springs. The ride is about 15 miles.

The story doesn’t begin in Tarpon Springs. Like many other stories, it begins in Greece.

Before we get to the story, you need to know something about natural sponges. Before the invention of the synthetic sponges that we use today, all sponges came from the sea. Most varieties of sea sponges are useless because they’re too rough and rigid. There are only two varieties that are soft enough to be used as actual sponges. They only grow in very specific locations.

Luckily for the Greeks, the useful sponges thrive off the coast of several Greek Islands. Before the invention of modern diving equipment, Greek free divers made a good living by harvesting sponges. To get down to the sponges, they would tie a big stone to their waist or foot. It was a dangerous business.

Around the late 1880s, word spread in Florida that the sea bed off Tarpon Springs was filled with the useful varieties of natural sponges. A few sponge fishermen from Key West and the Bahamas started to run small sponge businesses in Tarpon Springs. Because synthetic sponges didn’t exist, there was a big need for natural sponges.

In 1890, two businessmen from Philadelphia decided to capitalize on the growing sponge industry in Tarpon Springs. They started a big sponge company. Instead of free diving, the workers grabbed the sponges off the bottom with long hooks or spears. It wasn’t very efficient, but it worked. The sponge industry in Tarpon Springs began to solidify.

Back in Greece, the sponge divers had developed new “diving suits” that allowed them to gather sponges at a much quicker pace. Remember the bulky diving suit, with the heavy metal helmet, that “Diver Dan” wore in the old television show? That was the “new” innovation. The diver could walk on the bottom and breathe air that was piped into the helmet from the surface. With the new equipment, the divers could walk through fields of sponges and pick them like vegetables. It was a new era in sponge fishing.

In Tarpon Springs, the Philadelphia businessmen heard about the new diving suits and they recruited some knowledgeable sponge divers from Greece. The first Greek “diving suit” team arrived in Tarpon Springs in early 1905. Immediately, word of the fertile sponge fields off Tarpon Springs spread through the Greek Islands like wildfire. It was like the Gold Rush. By the end of 1905, more than 500 Greek men had arrived in Tarpon Springs to dive for sponges!

Before long, the guys from Philadelphia were pushed aside and the Greeks were running the sponge industry in Tarpon Springs. Thousands of Greeks came to America to work in Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Springs became the “Sponge Capital of the World.” The town itself took on the look of a Greek village. It was filled with Greek restaurants, Greek coffee shops, and Greek taverns.

Until the mid-1930s, sponge fishing was booming in Tarpon Springs. In the late 1930s and into the 1940s, an invasive algae infected the sponge fields. The boom times ended. Eventually the sponge fields bounced back, but soon there was competition from synthetic sponges. The sponge industry in Tarpon Springs rolled with the punches. Even today, the docks in Tarpon Springs are lined with boats that harvest sponges. The locals call the area the “sponge docks.”

The street alongside the sponge docks is filled with Greek business establishments. On a percentage basis, Tarpon Springs has the biggest Greek population in America. Almost 12% of the population is Greek. Almost 9% of the population speaks Greek at home. We had a great lunch at a Greek restaurant, and we bought some tasty pastries at a Greek bakery.

All over the world, the Greek Orthodox Church hosts major celebrations on January 6th to mark The Epiphany. The celebration in Tarpon Springs is legendary. It attracts the senior leaders of the Church in America, and more than 30,000 visiting Greek Americans. It must be quite a scene. We missed it by a few weeks.

We enjoyed our day in Tarpon Springs. We will return. You should visit the sponge docks if you are ever in this area.

[kahwacoffeeusa-blog]

When you want to taste the best coffee, you can search for Coffee Shops in Clearwater to provide you the best Breakfast Catering near Me options on the search engine so that you can taste the best coffee at Kahwa Coffee.

[renegadepack]

mr. clearwater

seth became a teacher and you can’t change my mind

Seth was one of those who always knew what he wanted to do, what he wanted to be when he grew up. He always liked reading, learning about the world around him, and, most of all, sharing what he learned with anyone that would listen. Leah, Sue, especially Harry and Colin, Brady - his friends from school- were always ready to hear something new. It was only natural he would find his way into education.

He went to college in Seattle, wanting to stay close to home. Leah, who had already been there for a few years, was happy to let him into her spare bedroom and show him around town. Seth loved the city, but he missed where he had grown up. He struggled the most with picking an exact major; he knew education but couldn’t nail down the specifics. After a year of general education classes, his love of the world went out and he went with Geography.

To help pay for books, supplies, and food, Seth started looking for a part time job. After a week or two of looking, he applied at a local coffee shop and was hired on the spot. They only gave him a couple of shifts a week, but it was perfect for him. He loved the slow, methodical task of pulling espresso shots and steaming milk; it was a welcome reprieve from rushing between classes and observations and study groups. His favorite thing was “surprise me” drinks, where he would mix up a few different syrups and see how the drink turned out. The employee discount didn’t hurt, either. Especially during finals week.

As much as he had always loved school and sharing knowledge, Seth always grew anxious about tests, and the ones to certify his teaching degree were no different. He needed all the help he could get. His school friends formed study groups, meeting in parks or over pizzas to quiz each other on educational theories. Leah ran through every geographical flashcard they had made over the years with him, and was always down for Golden Girls marathons or yoga sessions when a break was more needed than perfection. In the end, it surprised no one when the envelope arrived with all passing scores inside.

After graduation, he moved back home, into a little house with his girlfriend from college, and both got a job at school on the reservation. Before the school year began, he spent weeks organizing and decorating his classroom. His friends had gotten him plenty of gifts to do so: Rebecca had painted maps and portraits for him to hang on the walls; Leah had carved figurines, pencil cups, and other items he could use as storage or decorations; Brady had gotten him a bunch of mugs; and Collin had loaded him up with school supplies like pencils, notebooks, and glue. His favorite gift, though, was a nameplate for his desk from Sam, Emily, and Jacob: “Mr. Clearwater” was carved in deep brown wood, next to a carving of a wolf, and “newest, brightest, slowest” etched underneath.

Seth loved being a teacher, and it wasn’t long until he was adored by his students. His door was always open when students needed a chat, he was at every performance and game, and he did his best to share his love of learning with all his students.

On free weekends, he helped Emily at her cafe when she or Kim needed a day off. He still loved  it, and was happy for the chance to brush up on his barista skills. His students would come in for a muffin and to hang out, and he was happy to answer questions or help with homework between drinks. Seth had been many things in his life, but being Mr. Clearwater to the kids of La Push was his favorite.

more fic // request fic

[wayward-dreamer]

Life’s Lessons - Part 1

Title: Life’s Lessons - A Lesson in Settling In

Pairing: Mechanic!Dean x Female!Teacher!Reader (eventual)

Word Count: 3,362

Part Summary: Y/N settles into her new house, in a new town. Right off the bat, she meets her gorgeous neighbor, finding an instant connection with him. As she goes to work on Monday, she starts to think that she could get used to Lawrence, Kansas.

Warnings: some swearing, first day of work nerves, Dean being cute (yes, that’s a warning lol)

Music: Lookin’ Out My Back Door, I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Creedence Clearwater Revival (Setting up the house scene).

A/N: The first part is here! I’m so excited for you all to read it! Please let me know what you think, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and feedback! P.S. I have a full playlist for this series coming soon, just finalising some selections! Happy reading and I hope you guys like it! :)

Dividers by the wonderful @firefly-graphics​! Check her out for all your AU needs!!! 

Y/N leaned against her car, a content smile on her face as she looked up at the house that she was about to call her new home.

The house was clean white, with a grey tiled roof. White wood railings encased the front porch, that had a porch swing in front of one of the windows. The front yard was freshly mowed, with the flower beds on either side of the porch steps. It was a modest, two-bedroom house, with not a whole lot of backyard space, but it was the most rent she could afford with her previous salary. It didn’t matter though; you could make a house a home no matter how big or small it was. Her job as a teacher wasn’t just rewarding when the kids did well, but it was able to put a roof over her head, and that was all she could ask for.

Y/N started with her bags before she opened the large U-Haul trailer attached to her car, and started taking out the boxes. It had been a long journey from Rhinebeck, New York, stopping off overnight in Ohio and then Missouri, but she made it to Lawrence, Kansas that morning, giving her enough time to start unloading her things. Considering it was just her, she knew it was going to take some time, but she was hoping to finish by lunch time so she could explore the town a little.

Luckily for her, complicated things to move like a couch and a bed, weren’t things that she had brought with her. Those things were reminders of what she had done on them with her ex-boyfriend and the last thing she needed in her new house were memories of him. He was the reason she had searched for teaching jobs outside of New York, and luckily, she got the furthest one. She missed her family already, but she needed to get as far away from the memories of him as possible.

Moving her bags and the boxes from the trailer had been the easiest part. It was moving the furniture – dining table and chairs, armchairs, record player, coffee table and two bookshelves – that was going to be the hard task on her own. She started with what she could do on her own, moving all the dining chairs into the house. When she got back to the trailer, she sighed heavily. There were too many things to move.

Y/N stepped into the trailer and started to shift one of the armchairs but growled in frustration as it got stuck on the edge. She couldn’t get the right hold on it to get it off the edge, her legs shaking as she tried to keep it steady.

“Whoa, hey. Let me help you with that” a male voice said behind her. She didn’t turn to see him yet, but watched as he grabbed the other end of the armchair and helped her put it down on the pavement.

“Thanks” she smiled, relieved.

“No problem” he said as he turned to face her.

She almost wished he hadn’t because now her legs were shaking more than they were when she couldn’t hold the damn chair. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen, handsome but incredibly hot at the same time. The black and white plaid shirt he was wearing was tight across his arms, and she couldn’t help but get lost in his gorgeous green eyes and sinfully pouty lips.

She smiled politely, keeping the thoughts she was having suddenly, at bay. “No, really, thanks so much. I probably would’ve ended up trapped under this chair if you hadn’t stepped in.”

He laughed, laughter lines appearing near his mouth and crinkles around his eyes. “Well, I would’ve hated to see that happen.”

She smiled, not knowing what else to say to him. This was the first time she had ever been this flustered with a man. The sound of his laugh and the way those lines appeared around the creases of his eyes made her heart flutter.

“Can I help you with rest? I mean, I gotta get to work but I can be a little late” he asked, as he looked between the chair and the rest of her stuff.

She looked at the rest of the things and frowned. “You sure? I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble.”

“I’m positive. Helps to be the boss, so…” he smirked, as he shrugged.

She nodded, impressed. “What do you do?”

“I’m a mechanic, I own the auto shop on Main street. Winchester’s. I’m Dean, by the way” he said, as he offered his hand.

She took his hand in hers and tried to ignore the spark she felt radiate through her when their skin touched. “Y/N Y/L/N.”

“Good to meet ya, Y/N” he smiled.

When she smiled in return, Dean was completely floored by her. She was beautiful; dressed in loose boyfriend jeans, a white t-shirt, red converse sneakers and a red bandana around her head with her hair in a messy bun. She really had the girl next door vibe going on. That was dangerous with the situation he was in, so he had to tread lightly. When he saw her from across the street, he was reluctant to help because one look at her, even from a distance and he knew he was in trouble. His mother raised him to be a gentleman though, so he couldn’t hesitate to help a person in need.

With Dean’s help, moving the furniture she did have into the house only took about 20 minutes. She was incredibly thankful for him helping and hoped that it wouldn’t have been too forward to ask if he wanted to grab dinner with her, that night. She straightened out the medium sized, round dining table and chairs with Dean, and sighed in relief once it was done. Her furniture was now in place in all the appropriate rooms. She had to unpack now, which was almost harder than this, but at least she could take her time with it.

Dean looked around her house and nodded, noticing how many boxes had “BOOKS” written on them in black marker. He had only been in this house twice, when the previous owners still lived there before they moved to be closer to their children.

“Big reader?” he gestured towards the boxes.

“Definitely, but I’m a teacher too, so it’s an abundance of books” she laughed, as she looked at them. “It’s a little ridiculous, really.”

Dean laughed quietly to himself, trying to get the teacher fantasies out of his head. She really had to be a teacher.

“Well, I should head out” he said, as he made his way to the door.

She followed behind him and leaned against the doorway. “Thanks for the chivalry.”

“You’re welcome. I guess it’s not dead, after all” he smirked.

She laughed; it felt like the millionth time in the last 20 minutes. He was carefree and had made the tedious process so much easier with his humour.

“I’ll see ya around, Y/N” Dean said, shoving his hands into his pockets as he turned away from her.

“Thanks again” she called out.

Dean walked down the porch steps and turned back. He gave her wink before he walked across the street. She sighed to herself as she watched him walk away, his dark blue jeans doing wonders for his behind, though the black and white plaid was hiding his back from the looseness. She thought against asking him for dinner just yet, at least not on her first day in town. She would give it a couple of weeks, enough time for her to settle into her new job and into the town.

Y/N closed the door and walked back into the main room. Looking at the boxes, she knew it was better to return the trailer to the Lawrence location and then explore the town a little. Get some lunch, do a little grocery shopping. She picked up her bag and keys, heading out of her new house. She would start on the boxes when she got back.

Before she got in the car, she fired off a quick message to her family, telling them she had gotten there safely. It had been text after text and call after call asking if she was okay when she left Rhineback to drive to Lawrence. She reassured her family that all was well, and then drove into town.

The next day, Y/N was thankful that it was a Saturday. It would give her some more time to set up the house but also start getting ready for the first day of school on Monday. She was nervous about meeting the staff and the students, but she was excited about the new experience. She had walked through town the day before, grabbed the essentials like bedsheets and towels, plus some grocery items for the immediate need. She was already beginning to like Lawrence.

The first thing she did was set up the record player her dad had given to her. Once everything was plugged in where it was supposed to be, she put on one of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s records. She bopped her head along to Lookin’ Out My Back Door as she started to unpack the other records, before starting on the other boxes.

About 15 minutes later, as I Heard It Through The Grapevine played, she stood on the front porch, watching her furniture delivery unload from the truck. Before she even got to Lawrence, she had bought a new bed frame and mattress, couch, office desk and chair online, and thank goodness the place had Saturday delivery. She had made a makeshift bed out her new sheets and pillows last night, and with the way her back clicked and cracked into place when she woke up that morning, she was incredibly fortunate that her new bed was here.

She followed them inside and instructed the delivery guys on where to put the items. As she was helping them, she heard a loud knock on the open door. She turned around and saw a woman, maybe her age or a few years older, standing at the door. Next to her, stood a young boy, probably about 13 years old. Y/N smiled as she walked to the door, seeing a plate of something in the woman’s hands.

“Hi, we saw you moving in and wanted to welcome you. I’m Lisa Braeden, and this is my son, Ben” she introduced themselves, with a bright smile.

Y/N shook her hand and smiled in return. “It’s great to meet you, guys. I’m Y/N Y/L/N.”

“These are for you, I hope you like chocolate chip” Lisa said, handing her the plate of cookies.

“Maybe a little too much” Y/N laughed. “Thanks.”

“Listen, if there’s anything you need, we’re right across the street” Lisa gestured behind her to the house across the street.

Y/N nodded as she looked at the place. It had darker features, but the lawn was equally maintained. “I appreciate that.”

“So, Ben. What grade are you in?” Y/N asked, wanting to engage with Ben a little, who looked quite bored.

“I’m starting 8th on Monday” he mumbled.

Y/N smiled, looking between him and Lisa. “Well, I’m starting work on Monday. Maybe I’ll have you in my English class.”

“Cool.” Ben didn’t seem to care. “Nice choice” he said, gesturing to where the music was coming from before he turned away, walking to the porch stairs and waiting for Lisa.

Lisa looked at him with a “we’ll talk later” look, before she turned to Y/N. “He shouldn’t give you too much trouble, but if he does, you know where I am.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine” Y/N shook her head.

“Anyway, we should go. Welcome to the neighborhood” Lisa said, smiling again.

“Thanks” Y/N smiled.

She watched as Lisa and Ben walked across the street, clearly waiting to be behind closed doors before she talked to him about what just happened. Hopefully she wasn’t too harsh on him; no kid would want to meet their new teacher outside of a school setting. Y/N walked inside the house and saw that the delivery guys were done. She signed off on the delivery and the guys left. She picked up one of the boxes still in her living room and walked to the second bedroom she was using as an office. She was excited to set it up and get started on some work for Monday.

Y/N sat in her car in the parking lot of the school. She had gotten there a little early, just trying to calm herself down before going in to meet the principal. She had spoken to him for her phone interview and again when she got the job, so she was familiar with him. He seemed like a nice man and she just hoped that the rest of the staff were the same way. She was more nervous about the students. Moving schools wasn’t just hard as a kid.

She checked her make-up in the mirror and then got out of the car, walking towards the entrance. She fixed her white top and smoothed down her brown skirt, thankful that she had chosen brown sandals with a small heel instead of something higher. She didn’t need anything to go wrong today. Once inside, she walked over to the administration office, as guided by the signs. At the very first desk, sat a red-headed woman, the name plate on her desk reading: Anna Milton – Receptionist.

When Y/N approached her desk, she looked up from her computer and smiled.

“Hello, how can I help you?” she asked.

“Uh, hi, I’m Y/N Y/L/N. I’m starting here today and need to meet Mr. Shurley first” Y/N replied, trying her best to keep her nerves at bay.

“Oh of course” she picked up the phone and pressed a number.

Y/N waited a minute or so before a short man with greying hair and a beard, walked out of an office at the back of the room. He saw her and smiled, extending his hand as he approached her.

“Miss Y/L/N, wonderful to meet you” he said, shaking her hand.

“You too, Mr. Shurley” she smiled, as confidently as she could.

“Alright, let me show you around before your first class” he walked ahead of her, not leaving her too far behind.

It took Chuck, as he insisted on being called by his first name when it was a one-on-one basis, a few minutes to show her around the main parts of the school; the staff room, the library, the gym and the cafeteria. After that, he took her to the classroom she’d be using, just before the students came in. They watched as they came in, sitting down at their desks. Ben walked in and she smiled at him, but just received a little twitch of his face back. They all looked scared to see the principal in the room.

“Class, I’d like you meet Miss Y/L/N. Your new English teacher. So, make her feel welcome” he said to them in a commanding voice, before he turned to her. “If any of them give you any trouble, just send them down to my office.”

“I’m sure I won’t need to” Y/N looked between him and the students.

“Alright, take it away” he smiled before he left the room.

As soon as he was gone, the class erupted into loud voices as they began chatting away. Y/N sat on the edge of her desk, her legs and arms crossed as she waited, patiently. She would give them a few seconds before she got their attention. Before she could do that however, Ben looked at her and then at the rest of his classmates.

“Guys” he called out. The noise level didn’t go down.

“Last one to be quiet has to tell their next teacher why they were late” she called out.

The noise level dropped instantly.

Y/N smiled, happy that worked. “Alright. As Mr. Shurley said, I’m Miss Y/L/N. We’re going to start off with the role. As I call out your names, you’re going to tell me what you read over the summer and a short answer about what you liked or didn’t like about it.”

For majority of the class, things went well. Most of the students were well behaved except for one group of three boys who kept talking and disrupting the others around them. They were rude and weren’t listening to her when she asked them to stop several times. She would have to keep an eye on them. To say that her first lesson had been difficult would be an understatement, but she got through it. That’s what mattered.

Y/N had a break in which prepared for her class with the 7th graders. They were a breath of fresh air and exactly what she needed after the previous class. They were much more engaged and a lot softer spoken, so while she would have to get them out of their shells a little bit, they were pretty well behaved.

At lunch, Chuck introduced her to a few more of the teachers. She shook hands with everyone and engaged in conversation. The usual chatter about where she was from and how she got into teaching. As she sat down to eat, she looked over some of her messages. She smiled as she saw one from her sister, sending off a quick reply to tell her she was doing okay.

“Mind if I join you?” a voice asked.

She looked up to see a man with brown short hair and blue eyes smiling at her. He was adorable, looking cute in his white shirt with rolled sleeves, black pants and blue tie to match his eyes.

She smiled in return and nodded. “Sure, of course.”

He sat down across from her with his lunch. “I’m Castiel Novak, history teacher. Everyone calls me Cas, though.”

He offered up his hand and she shook it. “It’s great to meet you.”

Just as he was about to say something, a red-headed woman, not Anna, walked over. “Hey, you must be the new English teacher, I’m Charlie.”

“I’m Y/N” she said, shaking her hand.

“Charlie teaches Math but she’s a computer whiz too. Helps out the I.T. guys every now and then” Cas told her as Charlie settled into the seat next to him.

Y/N smiled approvingly. “Wow, that’s amazing.”

“Thanks. They ask me because I think they secretly know I’m better at it than them. I was in the corporate line for a while, but then I moved back home to help my mom” Charlie explained, between bites of her salad.

Y/N liked her already, her nerdy vibe with colourful plaid shirt and band t-shirt suiting her chirpy personality. Cas was a little quiet, but there was a calm presence to him. Though she had no doubt he had the ability to get kids to listen to him straight away.

“Yeah, we’re all glad she came back and stuck around” Cas smiled at her.

When she smiled in return, Y/N had to ask. “So, you two…?”

They both laughed as they looked at each other and then back at Y/N.

“No, we’ve just been friends for a really long time. I have a girlfriend, Meg. She’s a nurse at Lawrence General. She’s tougher than nails and I don’t know how I got her” Cas replied, laughing slightly.

“Yeah, and I’ve just started dating a few weeks ago. Her name’s Dorothy and she’s a writer for the Kansas City Times. She’s really cool” Charlie smiled softly.

Y/N nodded, understanding. “They both sound amazing. I can’t wait to meet them some time.”

They continued talking over lunch and Y/N couldn’t have been happier to have met them. They were both incredibly kind and lovely people, and she was really starting to get along with them.

As lunch finished and they went their separate ways, Y/N smiled as she walked to her next class.

Hopefully moving to Lawrence, Kansas was going to be the best decision she’d ever made.

-x-

Tags: @flamencodiva @deanwanddamons @winchest09 @katehuntington @akshi8278 @hobby27 @michellethetvaddict @spngirl05​ @kyjey​ @halesandy​ @440mxs-wife​ @stoneyggirl​ @deanswaywardgirl​ @wonder-cole​ @that-one-gay-girl​ @redbarn1995​ @marianita195​ @babypink224221​ @deans-baby-momma​ @parinarain​ @thoughts-and-funnies​

[brn1029]

On this date in music history….

May 6th

1965 - The Rolling Stones

In their Clearwater, Florida hotel room, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards worked out the opening guitar riff of ’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ following Richard's purchase of a Gibson fuzz-box earlier that day. The song is considered to be one of the all-time greatest rock songs ever recorded. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine placed 'Satisfaction' in the second spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

1971 - Dickie Valentine

British pop singer Dickie Valentine who enjoyed great popularity in Britain during the 1950s (No.1 with 'Christmas Alphabet'), was killed outright in a car crash on a single lane bridge near Crickhowell, Wales at the age of 41, together with pianist Sidney Boatman and drummer Dave Pearson, aged 42. The coroner's inquest revealed the car in which the three were travelling to have been driven in excess of 90 mph at time of impact.

1972 - Tyrannosaurus Rex

The Tyrannosaurus Rex double album 'Prophets, Seers And Sages And The Angels Of The Ages / My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair But Now Their Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows' went to No.1 in the UK. The longest title of an album ever at the time!

1973 - Paul Simon

Paul Simon set out on his first tour without partner Art Garfunkel, using The Jesse Dixon Singers as a back- up group on stage. Simon's tour of America and Europe was recorded and released as 'Live Rhymin'.

2002 - Otis Blackwell

American songwriter and producer Otis Blackwell died from a heart attack. He wrote the classic songs ‘All Shook Up’, ‘Return To Sender’, ‘Don't Be Cruel’, ‘Great Balls Of Fire’ and ‘Fever.’ Over the years, Blackwell's songs have sold more than 185 million copies.

2002 - Queen

'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen was voted the UK's favourite single of all time in a poll by the Guinness Hit Singles book. 'Imagine' by John Lennon was voted in at No.2 and ‘Hey Jude’, The Beatles No.3, 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA was fourth and Madonna 'Like A Prayer' was in fifth place.

2004 - The Beatles

A sale at Christie's in London, England became the most successful pop auction in the company's history after Beatles memorabilia sold for a record £788,643. The auction included a leather collar worn by John Lennon which sold for £117,250. A signed copy of a management deal with The Beatles and manager Brian Epstein sold for £122,850. A Vox Kensington guitar used by Lennon and Harrison went for £100,000. Also sold - a coloured felt-pen drawing by Lennon (£10,000), a letter with his signature (£5,500), and a pen-and-ink drawing called Happy Fish (£9,500).

2005 - Bruce Springsteen

US coffee shop chain Starbucks banned the sale of Bruce Springsteen's latest album Devils and Dust over concerns about its adult content. The retailer - which stocked CDs at its branches in the US - said it would be promoting other albums instead.

2015 - Evolution of Western Pop Music

The results of the evolution of western pop music, spanning from 1960 to 2010, was published in The Royal Society Open Science Journal. The scientists who looked at more than 17,000 songs found three music revolutions - in 1964, 1983 and 1991. In 1964 the invasion of British bands introduced a radical new rocky sound. Synthesisers, samplers and drum machines, drove a second major style shift in 1983. The third, in 1991, came about when rap and hip-hop went mainstream. The team also refuted claims that pop music was starting to sound the same.

2020 - Florian Schneider

Florian Schneider, co-founder of the highly influential electronic pop group Kraftwerk, died at the age of 73. The German quartet set the template for synthesiser music in the 1970s and 80s with songs like 'Autobahn' and 'The Model'.

2020 - Brian Howe

English rock singer Brian Howe died of cardiac arrest age 66. He is best known for replacing Paul Rodgers as the lead vocalist of Bad Company. Howe's career was jump-started in 1983 when Ted Nugent recruited him to handle lead vocals for his Penetrator album and front its subsequent world tour.

[icecoffeesimpwriting]

Hey so I was thinking. Super angsty Edward x reader where the reader is upset about how he up and left like in new moon. we still go to volterra to save him, right? but as soon as he's safe you walk away. you're like "my work here is done" and eddy boi is like "what? you don't want me?" and you argue bc he's a dumb boy who you can't trust? I know you wanna see eddy boi get his feelings hurt. I support this, so hurt. his. feelings. i guess you can end it fluffy and cute too if you want :* <3

OHHHHH I LOVE HURTNG PEOPLE’S FEELINGS NGL I MIGHT MAKE MYSELF CRY WRITING THIS ALSO WARNING IM CALLING OUT ON SOME OF THE TOXICNESS I SAW WITHIN EDWARD IN THE MOVIES

Edward Cullen x Reader but plot twist the reader ends up someone else 

~When Edward left you felt so broken and betrayed he had left to protect you but that didn’t make any sense 

~You had given him everything, you stopped hanging out with the wolves it hurt but you had still texted them without him knowing, the wolves were pissed they saw how toxic Edward was and they knew he had under his thumb but still it wasn’t healthy for you

~After staying in your room and thinking about what had happened you had locked yourself away from the world just needing time to think 

“Hey dumbass open your door”

“Go away”

“Y/n open this door or I’ll break it down you know I will”

~The voice of Leah was behind your door you knew she would keep her word and so you got out of your bundle of blankets and opened the door Leah came and looked around there were cups and plates around your room 

“Damn it Y/n come on go take a shower I could smell you outside your house”

“Leah, fuck off”

“Hey you shut the hell up go shower and get ready we got somewhere to be”

“What the hell are you talking about Clearwater?”

“You need to get soooo me and you are going to go have fun and then hang out with the pack at Mom’s house plus they miss you”

~You huffed and did what as she said the shower had felt good and getting out and brushing your teeth for the first time in a while felt even better.

~When you got back into your room you saw that all the dishes and trash were picked up as well as your bed being made,

~You knew Leah had done it she always looked out for you when life was kicking your ass, you had gotten dressed and done your usual routine coming down stairs to see Leah waiting 

“You ready slow ass?”

“Clearwater shut up”

~You two stared at each other and then busted out laughing you had forgotten how easy it was to talk to Leah unlike the Cullen’s you felt like you didn’t have to hold back the Cullen’s were nice and had their fun moments but most of the time you felt like you were stiff around them

~You two walked out and got into Leah’s truck as you drove around town just talking and catching up you felt emotions stir inside of you, you had feeling for Leah before you met Edward but you always pushed them away scared that she didn’t feel the same and when you met Edward it made the feelings disappear slowly but they were still there and now seeing her and talking you made you remember them and they were just as strong maybe stronger than what you felt for Edward

~As you drove around you stopped at little coffee shop in town you had came here with Leah a lot but when you dated Edward you had stopped going it felt wrong to go without her as you two pulled in you felt your mouth thinking about the amazing drinks and cakes they had when you two had placed your order you two had sat down and talked,

“So about Edward”

“What about him Leah?”

“I know you don’t want to hear this but Y/n listen to me he wasn’t good to you he was toxic and kept you away from us”

“Leah please”

“No listen, please Y/n we’ve known each other for years I know you and when you dated Edward you were not you. You were stiff and kept in a cage basically he kept you away from us”

“Leah,,,”

“You know I’m right Y/n”

~You felt like crying she was right and you hated it you hated knowing she was right Edward had kept in you in cage and hearing her say made reality hit you felt the tears spill over

~Leah reached over and grabbed your hand took you outside when outside Leah wrapped her arms around you holding you as you cried 

“Y/n listen to me I know it’s hard and I want better for you I wished you could see it someone out there could love you and give you what you need, I could- I mean someone else could give you that”

~Wait what had Leah just almost confessed?

“Leah did you just say you could be that person?”

“Y/n I’m sorry I know you don’t like me like that but I-”

~You kissed her you wrapped your arms around her and kissed her

“Leah Clearwater I love you, I loved you before Edward and I was so scared that you didn’t feel the same and when I felt some feelings for him and started dating him the feelings were still there and then he took me away from you and that hurt more than anything”

“Y/n you’re a dumbass”

“Huh? I just confessed to you and you me a dumbass?! What the fuck Leah?!”

“Listen L/n I called you a dumbass for thinking a a vampire could replace me I love you more than anything but damn you think someone could replace me?”

“Pftttt Leah shut up and kiss me again”

~And she did it felt right and better than it ever did with Edward it felt passionate and warm and loving

“Alright we gotta go or else the pack will be mad at us”

 ~When you had gotten to the house the pack welcomed you back and they were happy to you and Leah together finally Seth had joked around that if he had to hear Leah talk about you again he would fling himself off a building and Embry jumped in and soon the rest did too all joking and picking at you two Leah was to happy to care at the moment but then when she took you home things changed

~Leah stood on guard in front of you 

“Wait there’s someone in your house”

~The said person came out and there stood Alice with a shocked look on her face

“Alice what are you doing here?”

“What I am doing here is seeing what you are doing, why are with the wolves?”

“Why do you care?”

“Y/n please Edward is going to Italy to see the Volturi he wants to kill himself”

“What?! Why?!”

“I saw you get into a car with someone and get hurt and a bunch of other things and Edward saw thinking you were dead”

“Shit, Alice we have to do something”

“Wait Y/n don’t this isn’t your problem”

“Stay out of this wolf this none of your business”

“It actually is my business cold one me and Y/n are in a relationship now”

“What, Y/n tell me it isn’t true?”

“Yes Alice we made it official tonight I love Leah and I always have even with Edward and no offense but your brother is an asshole and treated me like shit! He kept me away from my friends and that’s not healthy! Leah has always treated me good I will go with you to save Edward but then I’m done I don’t care anymore I’m happy now and it took me being treated like shit from your brother to realize that Leah will always be the only one for me”

“Y/n,, I had no idea I’m sorry okay let’s go”

“Alright but Leah’s coming with us and don’t try to argue with me”

“Damn right I’m coming”

~When you two had made it there you and Leah had raced out of the car towards Edward Leah using her nose to help you to him you had finally found him and when you did he was about to step out into the sun you tackled him just in time.

“EDWARD DONT”

“Y/n you’re okay, you’re alive”

“Yeah no thanks to you”

“What?”

~You stepped away from him went back to Leah back to where you belonged

“Y/n why is she here?”

“Because Edward I’ve moved on I came here to save your sorry ass and now I’m going back to Leah and the pack I’m sorry but we weren’t good together you treated me bad and kept me from my friends I’m sorry but I can’t do this anymore I’m going back to Forks with Leah and I’m going to forget about you”

“Y/n please”

“Please nothing goodbye Edward I hope you treat partner better than you did me”

~When you two left you felt no guilt you were with the love of your life and and were finally happy and that’s how it should be

~fin~