#can you imagine being a cashier working the night shift at a 24 hour convenience store

[wereh0gz]

My favorite thing is characters turning into monsters (horrifying)

My second favorite thing is characters turning into monsters but having to go on about their lives as usual, meaning they have to do normal things while looking like a monster (silly)

[starlightinhumanform]

24/7: Chapter One

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Ship: Romantic Loceit, Platonic Demus, Platonic Logicality 

Summary: James (aka Janus) works the graveyard shift at a open-all-night convenience store. Logan is a college student who stays up way too late, way too often. While pulling all-nighters, he often visits the store James works at. As time goes on, James begins to care about Logan as more than just a customer. 

Warnings: Moderate Language, Some suggestive jokes, Mentions of ignorant/negative sentiments regarding vitiligo, Mentions of intoxication— some implied to be underage (please tell me if anything needs to be added)

Genre: College AU, Coffeeshop AU but weird (that’s literally the best way i can think of describing it), Mutual Feelings, Fluff 

A/N: — Janus’ name in this AU is James (mostly because when I began planning this, his name hadn’t been revealed). I may still include his name by writing in a name-change but we’ll see lmao — I do not have vitiligo and do not personally know anyone with vitiligo; Janus’ experience with the condition is based entirely on my research. That being said, I did my best to give an accurate representation but I do not claim that it is flawless in anyway. If there are any improvements you think I can make in this area, please please let me know 🖤🖤🖤 Love you all 🖤✨

Ao3   Fic Masterpost    Fic Request Info

James’ first shift started normally. That is, as normally as he could assume 24 hour convenience store shifts could be. It’s not like he had much experience with it.

Being his first day, he had assumed that the manager would’ve at least stuck around for a while. Instead, the woman had pointed out the bathroom plunger— advising him to not let anyone steal it— told him how to use the slushie machine, and said that if someone tried to rob the store, let them take the money; she even showed him the quickest way to open the cash register. Then she left within the first hour of James’ shift.

James didn’t mind being alone but he couldn’t fight down the frustration at his manager for abandoning him without actually telling him anything useful. He kept worrying that someone would ask a question that he couldn’t answer. What if the customer got angry and then he got reported and lost his job on the first night? Not to mention every time someone walked in, he was ready to bargain for his life with the $225.67 and a random condom in the cash register.

The adrenaline was getting to his head, stirring up usually dormant worries. He couldn’t stop glancing down at his hands. They were warm tan, patterned at random with lighter splotches. He had a condition known as vitiligo which made areas of his skin lose their pigmentation. For the majority of the time, it wasn’t a big deal; the worst part was the weird looks people gave him and even then, he could usually brush them off. Still, there was always the occasional idiot who felt the need to say something rude or inform him that he showed signs of demon possession. He hoped beyond everything that one of those incidents didn’t occur while he was alone in the store.

Thankfully, the only customers for the next few hours were a couple groups of teenagers at varying levels of intoxication and a traveling family made up of two parents suffering from highway-hypnosis and a small child who tried to climb into one of the drink refrigerators.

By one in the morning, the flow of incoming patrons had completely stopped. By that point James had already thrown back an entire 5-hour Energy drink and reorganized the chip rack— twice .

When the entry bell finally rang again at around two, James’ head was buzzing so badly he wasn’t sure if he had imagined the sound or not. A young man walked in— college aged with messy hair and glasses. He disappeared into the rows of brightly coloured plastic bags without a word and so quickly it made James once again question whether or not he was hallucinating.

It wasn’t until the man had made his way back to the counter, setting down a bag of chips and a couple energy drinks, that James was sure he existed. The man’s hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in two days and his dark circles were so deep they could be seen from beneath his squared glasses. Yup, definitely a college student.  

Despite the obvious signs of exhaustion, the man was undeniably pretty. Counter to his tired scowl, his eyes were bright and alert, framing a sharp nose. The way he kept his strong chin tilted slightly upwards and walked with purpose gave him the appearance of someone who actually knew what he was doing with his life— so basically, the opposite of James.

James was hardly ever self conscious about his appearance but this man— this stupidly pretty, oddly perfect man— made James squirm just a little bit, made him wonder if he was living on one side of some scale while the customer lounged on the other side. James tried to shrugged it off, focusing on the items in front of him instead.

The man spent the entire interaction at the counter muttering to himself and never once making eye contact. It was a little strange, but he was cute and James was bored so he decided to just appreciate the entertainment while it lasted.

It wasn’t until James went to hand the man his receipt that he seemed to even become aware of James’ existence. James held out the thin slip of paper, apparently causing the man to flinch backwards. His reaction was strong enough to make James wonder if he was one of those people— the type that thought vitiligo was some sort of deadly, contagious disease.

His eyes darted up quickly, his gaze sharp as it scanned over James’ face, “You’re not the normal cashier.”

He was taken aback by the accusing tone in the man’s voice, “No, I guess I’m not? I just got hired; the other guy got let off… something about trying to steal the plunger.”

“Oh,” His face transformed into a noncommittal scowl that James simply could not read, “Expect me regularly.”

The man turned on his heels and walked briskly to the door as James stood frozen and mystified behind the counter, “Oh, uh… see you soon then.”

——————

James woke up to the smell of something burning. He didn’t even remember dragging himself home and collapsing in his bed but based on the smell bothering him he evidently had made it back. No one could burn food quite like his roommate.

“Remus what the fuck are you doing?” James shuffled out to the kitchen where his roommate was poking at something on the stove.

“Making lunch.”

Based on his bed head and near-complete lack of clothes (Remus always slept in booty shorts and nothing else) James could guess that he had woken up only a few minutes earlier himself, “Dude that does not smell like anything humans should eat.”

Remus gave him a wicked grin and James decided not to push the subject. He walked out of the room with a sigh and hoped that the smell would clear up soon.

He made his way into the living room, sitting down and flipping open his laptop. James groaned at the lack of new email notifications. No new emails meant no new job acceptions.

“Guess I’m working the night shift again.”

James was grateful he got the job at the convenience store— no question. Getting a job as a college dropout was both necessary and nearly impossible at the same time. He was lucky to get a job at all and being a graveyard shift, he got paid nearly double the normal wage for his position. For now, his sleep schedule would just have to suffer.

——————

The weeks drifted by and James fell into a dull, but easy rhythm. He would go to work every night, spend the hours rearranging chip bags, guarding the plunger, and— if he was lucky— the pretty college boy would come in for a few minutes to grab salty food and a caffeinated drink.

James wasn’t sure when it became “lucky” for the man to come into the store. Maybe it was lucky because he was entertaining, always preoccupied and wandering around the store like his mind was a hundred miles away. He had this odd sort of duality— somehow both spaced out and intensely focused at the same time. It was like he was concentrating on the dimension beyond the one James was living in. He floated through this world, always preoccupied with world in his head. It was endearing and intriguing and James found himself looking forward to seeing the man. James wanted to see the world inside his head, to know what was so captivating that he had no use or interest for what was outside of it.  

The student was quickly becoming his favourite customer— something James never thought he would have��� and he genuinely enjoyed having a chance to talk to the other guy. He was handsome, obviously intelligent, and, if given the chance, James definitely would’ve asked him out for a drink.

As it was though, James looked awful in his uniform so he would never have the confidence to make a move the only times he ever saw him.

James started to watch for him. The man came at least once a week, always between midnight and four in the morning. He must have lived nearby because he always walked over instead of taking a car like most of the other patrons. Either that, or he lived further away and walked all the way just for a bag of chips and an energy drink.

It was a Thursday like any other when he walked into the store and James’ curiosity got the better of him.

“So,” James leaned across the counter as the man sat his items down, “you come around here often?”

He tilted his head quizzically, “Yes? I do come here often? You’ve seen me.”

“No I— it was a joke,” James resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. This was… not going the way James would have hoped, “What’s your name? We might as well get on first name basis since we see each other all the time.”

“I’m Logan,” Logan seemed surprised by the question.

“I’m James.”

Logan gave a curt nod, “I know.”

“But— how? I—“

“It’s on your name tag,” And with that, Logan turned and marched out of the store.

——————

Logan laid on his back, arms and legs spread over the entirety of his bed. The only leftover space of the bed was occupied by Patton, one of his housemates.

“So how did the all-nighter go?”

Logan groaned, “Well… it sure as hell did go all night. I’m so fucking tired.”

“This is what you get for viewing the entire American university system as a challenge.”

He squinted up at Patton. With his blond hair and round, smiling face he looked like the direct inversion of whatever pale little zombie Logan currently felt like, “I gotta stop staying up so late.”

“I don’t know, you kind of seem to like it,” His housemate patted his leg and stood up to walk out of Logan’s room, “By the way, where do you keep going? I hear you leaving the house, like, super early all the time.”

Sunlight was streaming through his partially open blinds. It was probably quite pretty but to Logan it just looked like a headache-inducing glare. He threw a pillow over his face, muffling his voice as he answered, “Booty call.”

Patton laughed as he stopped walking, “Yeah right. The day you answer a booty call is the day I will shave my head.”

Logan shifted the pillow slightly to look at Patton again. The man’s hair was his prize possession, like a curly fluffy cloud that he kept as a pet on top of his head. Logan didn’t know how Patton could afford the time and money he put into his hair. What he did know, however, was that Patton would never risk its safety. Logan frowned in (mostly) fake insult, “You really think there’s not a single person who would send me a horny text at three in the morning?”

“Nah I think there are quite a few people who would do that. I just doubt there’s anyone you’d actually find worth answering.”

Was there anyone he would actually answer? Logan stared up at the dark fabric above him. The pillowcase was a deep navy blue and if he really squinted, he could see the weave of the thread, a thousand random threads coming together to make a greater whole. The way the individual pieces created something far larger than themselves was fascinating to Logan. He had never given it much before, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever find a random individual worth making something together.

In the darkness covering his eyes, a vision of the convenience store cashier flashed across his mind. The face he saw was light brown and across that warm canvas, lighter portions sprawled. For the first time, Logan began really thinking about that face. He had sharp features, tired eyes, and when he smiled with lips sloped upwards at a lopsided angle. His skin reminded Logan of the glossy photos of nebulae in his astronomy textbooks— bright splashes breaking up the sameness of the night sky. How had he never noticed that before? What was his name? James.

He heard the creak of their old floors beneath Patton as he walked out of Logan’s room. He probably thought Logan had fallen asleep as he lay there in silence. He was far from asleep, though. His mind was racing, trying to find the missed connections and continually finding new ones in the process. His eyes flickered as previously unrecognized thoughts began surfacing. And they didn’t stop. How had he never noticed?

“I’ve been going to that convenience store down the street,” Logan called as Patton walked away.

James.

Maybe there was someone for him.

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24/7 Taglist: @imma-potatoo

[midnighthyuck]

Painting Home | seungwoo!au

summary: the arts club made you feel home. But you’d discover later that in fact, walking home with Seungwoo, the quiet emo looking guy, was indeed... well, home.

words: 2.680.

pairing: you & han seungwoo. 

a/n: this is my first time writing something like this. slow burn? a bit poetic? idk BUT i promise i’ll write better stuff from now on.

requests are open!

Art Club. That was the only thing in your mind ever since you first heard about it from your new class mate. Moving hasn’t been the best experience so far, but in fact the new school was heaven (compared to your last and horrible experience, including arrogant girls and annoying ass boys). People were kind with the new student, always making sure you were feeling home. They were great. And the clubs as well.

Being in a bigger city offered uncountable new opportunities, from 24/7 stores to really interesting clubs in school.  

And for no specific reason the art club has been stuck in your mind. Of course, your dad opening an art gallery in the city did lean you to grow a bigger interest in the field, but it wasn’t the real reason that had you running to apply for the club before it was too late (and full of applicants). Maybe it was the feeling of ink in your hands. Perhaps the smell of wet paper and emollient that had always made you feel calm.  

In fact, painting always made you feel home.

But what got you shock in the second you arrived there was the lack of you exactly thought was going to be you worst enemy. People.

The club’s room for sure was not the biggest around school, you bet, but it wasn’t small. Or maybe it just seemed bigger thanks to the three boys in there.  

Three? Well, if your basic knowledge in math was correct, yes. Three people.

‘’Yes? Can we help you?” a guy asked from the back of the room, coming closer as he cleaned his hands on the already pretty dirty apron of his.

‘’Er, I'm here to apply for the club...’’ you said in a lower tone than actually expected.  

His expression got confused for a second, lightening up in next, opening the mouth in a honestly surprised smile. ‘’For real?’’ it only made the smile grow bigger once you mumbled a ‘yes’. You felt the warm touch of his hands on yours while taking you in the yet unknown place. ‘’Come in! Guys, we’ve got a new member”.

And now finally the others seemed to realize that you’ve been there.  

‘’I’m Wooseok! Those are Seungwoo and Eunsang. I’m the club’s president. You are...?’’ the friendly boy said, still grabbing on you.

“Y/N’’ you answered short, moving your gaze from your hand on his to his curious eyes, taking a barely audible ‘sorry’ from the guy. Once you felt free again, you took a while to observe the other boys in front of you.  

Eunsang, a weird guy with red hair. That was your first impression (the one that would change once you started spending time with the younger boy, becoming in fact one of your best friends).

Seungwoo, definitely a guy who didn’t speak much. And that followed from the next weeks, or maybe months, you weren't much sure.

[…]

The art club was everything you ever needed.  

You’d spend at least three hours, three times a week, in the place with the strong ink smell.  

As time passed your relationship with your colleagues had also started changing.  

Wooseok was a friendly person, that was clear from day one, but was also a moody one. Somedays he’d come to the (almost) empty room with bags of chocolates, ready to please his friends. On others, he’d come and go as silent as a ghost, barely seeming alive.  

Eunsang became a very dear friend. He’d act shy whenever someone praised him by his natural painting talents, but near you he’d be the annoying little brother you’ve in fact never had. He was a special boy, with a very sweet heart.

And there was Seungwoo, that even after all this long, had never started a conversation with you. Of course, you guys talked, it wasn’t as if you (or him) were stranger (yet you felt like it).  

‘’Today’s so hot.’’, ‘’Do you know where’s the yellow ink?”, “Wow it looks amazing!”, “Could you pass me the paint brush? No, no, the bigger one. Thanks.’’ and so on were the few times you had been brave enough to start a small (and when I say small, I really mean it) conversation with him.

But that was just fine. Some people don’t really talk as much as Eunsang does, you used to think.

Months had passed and you could say that for the first time you felt home.

The moody Wooseok, the annoyingly lovely Eunsang, the quiet Seungwoo. They were like family to you.

They were great to you. And for you.

[…]

Returning home late was not an usual thing, especially after school had closed. But you were up to the cleaning shifts on that day, and as Wooseok would love to point out, you can be very slow sometimes.  

Walking past the subway station where you stop by every day you heard a horrifying whistle, hurrying the pace, no daring to turn around and check if it wasn’t just your imagination.

‘’Hey, want me to take you home, princess?’’ a disgusting voice came from what seemed to be behind you, but not for sure. ‘’Why are you running, bae? Let’s just talk.’’

I’m not running, you thought, before you could think once again and maybe run for real, an almost unrealistic shaped shadow became solid right in front of you.  

Screaming was a great idea, but nothing was coming out. You tried to move, but your body just wouldn’t respond.  

‘’Get the fuck out of here, asshole.’’ the hard as rock shadow in front of you said, emotionless.  

Scream stupid, scream! Your mind shouted at yourself. And nothing. When you thought it’d be the end of you, a familiar voice whispered at you, making you finally relax after all.

‘’They’re gone. Why are you walking alone around here at this time?’’ Seungwoo asked.

Seungwoo talked to you first, for the first time, you thought, smiling without realizing.  

‘’Why are you walking alone around here at this time?’’ you made Seungwoo frown. How could she make a joke like that when she was shaking so bad 5 centimeters in front of him?

‘’I live near by.’’

‘’Well, same.’’ you smiled once again, trying to move forward to go home, but your legs were just shaking too much. ‘’I’m so scared’’ you laughed ‘’I’m so fucking scared I can’t walk.’’

Seungwoo helped you to seat nearby the convenience store, right next to your house, but that detail the boy didn’t know. He ran in and came out in what seemed like five seconds so far, bringing you some strawberry milk. For the first time Seungwoo was talking.  

He talked about the weather, about his family and how his sister hated the fact that he’d stain his uniform with ‘ugly ass ink’ at least once a month, he talked about Wooseok’s joke earlier that day, he talked about how he felt sorry for not talking to you enough to know that you guys lived close.

‘’Let’s walk home together from now on’’ he said at last, watching you finish the small milk box.  

[…]

From the next weeks you started finding yourself way comfortable around Seungwoo. Walking home, different from what you had thought, was not so quiet.  

Seungwoo did talked a lot when feeling like it. He was a good company.

And that was problem.

Seungwoo was a very good company, making you flutter sometimes.

You had always been aware of his good looks, but his personality was even... sweeter.  

That was just a thing in the first months, but after you found out by chattery Wooseok that a girl had confessed to him, you found yourself sulking, almost angry. Jealous.

That wasn’t right.

But how to take away feelings you’ve got no control in?

Perhaps painting. And so you did.

You expressed all yourself on those fabric canvas. For the next three months you secretly cried your heart out on those, hoping that’d take away that feeling you had never wished for.

One day, walking back home, you suddenly felt like crying at a specific scene.  

Seungwoo was smiling at you, screaming ‘hurry’ while pointing at a couple of stray cats on the other side of the street. The traffic light was red. You had to wait. And for a second, like a light bulb exploding inside your mind, you were sure.

You were in love with Seungwoo.  

But just like that red light, you were stuck.

You knew you could never reach him.  

[…]

‘’Are you ok?’’ Eunsang asked, taking a sip of his milkshake.  

That day you didn’t go home with Seungwoo. You said you felt like spending time with your fake little brother. And so you did.

‘’I will be ok’’.

‘’What’s up? You might think that I and the other guys haven’t realized, but we did. Your paints have gotten so... different?’’

“What do you mean by that’’

“I mean we know there’s something going on in this pretty little head of yours.’’

“I just need some time, ok?”

“Yes, ma'am.’’ Eunsang laughed. “But you know I’m here for you, don’t you?”

“I do.” you caught up yourself smiling. It was good having friends like him.

[…]

‘’You seem better today.’’ Wooseok pointed, passing by you and taking a look at your current work. “Wow, we even got color on it this time! I don’t know what Eunsang has done yesterday, but it worked.’’

‘’Shut up’’ you laughed, being followed by Eunsang in the corner of the room.

Later that day you and Seungwoo stopped by a furniture store, it was your mom’s birthday soon and you had started looking for a nice gift.  

‘’I know we’re not that close, but, you know, if you need help you can always ask me.’’ Seungwoo said out of blue.

‘’Er, I guess I know and that’s why I dragged you in here’’ you laughed.  

‘’That’s not what I mean.’’

“What do you mean then?” you asked robotically while running your fingers on the shelf in front of you, taking a better look on those decoration mugs. Your mom would probably like it, you thought.  

You’ve got no answer, but it was ok. That was just Seungwoo, he’d hang up in a conversation once in a while, perhaps lost in his own thoughts.  

You thanked the cashier before leaving the store with the burgundy classic shaped mug hanging on a plastic bag.  

‘’I mean... I care about you. I really do.’’ Seungwoo said before you entered home.

You didn’t sleep that night.

Canceling the once daily ‘home walks’ with Seungwoo became so frequent you didn’t have to even cancel anymore. He just wouldn’t wait for you in the entrance door.

A part of you was happy that you succeeded in pushing him away, other part always held a small spark of hope deep inside your heart, hoping he’d be there, waiting for you while checking something on his phone, and that he’d smile once his gaze met yours. That part of you died daily once he wasn’t there.

Instead, Eunsang was on your company almost every day.  

[…]

The first time Seungwoo missed club activities you felt something was off.

The second time you couldn’t keep your mind straight.

After two weeks of skipping activities you couldn’t help.

When conscience hit you, were standing on his front door, knocking like crazy.

‘’Why are you he...’’ he couldn’t finish. You didn’t let him to do so.

“Why are you missing club activities?’’

‘’You could’ve just messaged me, you know.’’

‘’Can’t you just answer me?’’

“What, do I own you answers now?”

You froze.

“I’m just worried. That’s what friends do.’’ you said, holding you tears down your throat trying to cover up your voice as well.

A hint of guilt made itself present on Seungwoo’s face. He really wanted to be mean, to send you away because looking at you now was painful. But seeing how much reaction he caused on you the stupid melting side of his could let him go on.

‘’Sorry... I just need to be alone for a while.’’

“Can’t I be with you?’’

He blinked twice, swallowing his words down his throat. “No.’’  

“Wooseok misses you. Eunsang too.’’ you mumbled. “I miss you.’’

Now Seungwoo was finally looking at you. In fact, it was as if he was looking through you, trying to find out something you didn’t know what.

He said nothing else. Neither did you.

Another week had passed by and no sign of Seungwoo’s lovely aura in the art club.  

[…]

After what seemed an entire month, but actually were just two weeks, he returned. No questions, no news, no nothing. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

[…]

The end of the year was close, three months exactly.  

Wooseok was giving instructions to you, who’d be the new president of the club while Eunsang and Seungwoo were finishing cleaning the floor.  

Seungwoo and Wooseok were graduating from high school and although the president appeared excited with the idea of College, your (yet) secret crush didn’t seem as happy.

The next week were based in taking off the seniors' paintings of the room.

That was when you found a very curious one. ‘’Home’’ you read out loud. For no reason the image of a child with light colored clothes walking around the flower field running to a shadow stuck in your mind for the past days.

‘’I guess Seungwoo painted about death, what do you think?” you could still remember Wooseok’s question.

But that was not it. Not death.

[…]

You tried to smile in the picture, but acting was definitely one of your poorest skills.  

You would miss them.  

You would miss him.

And maybe telling him how you felt was a good idea, but you didn’t.  

When Wooseok and Eunsang left to buy some popsicles to you all, you sat next to him, feeling alive one last time.

‘’Will we see each other again?’’ you asked. That would be the last time you’d start a conversation with him.

For a while Seungwoo made himself quiet. ‘’Perhaps.’’

You smiled sadly. So that was it. No happy endings. No final kisses. No happy forever.

“I’ve got something for you’’ he said once again before you could think about crying.  

And so he handed out, the beautiful yet mystery painting. Home.

“What’s home for you?’’ he asked.

You.

“I don’t really know.’’ you said, taking the canvas as if it was glass. “What’s home for you?”

You.

“I don’t know either.’’

“I’ll miss home’’ you felt a tear dropping by your cheeks. “I guess I will really miss it.’’

That day for one last time you walked home together. Feeling the heart ache each step you’d take.  

You took forever to walk out from the subway station that day, and took even longer to arrive home. Arriving home but leaving home. What a funny story. When preparing to wave goodbye, you felt it.

Warm.

Annoyingly comfortable and warm.

“When I said I cared about you, I meant it. And when I said I don’t really know what’s home like, I also did. But strangely I think I’m almost there when I’m with you.’’ Seungwoo held you like there was no tomorrow. And there wasn’t. “I’m gloomy and shy and quiet and I’ve got a short temperament, I also hate myself for being jealous of you. Especially about Eunsang... I hate that I can’t control this feelings. I hate that I feel so good when I’m with you. But... I do like you. So much.’’

“Why did you take so long to tell me all this?” you felt the tears running. ‘’We could’ve walked home every day. We could’ve spent more time together. I could’ve confessed to you. I could’ve... given you so much love.”

“Is it too late to be home?” Seungwoo smiled at you, running his fingers on your face, getting rid of those tear drops.

‘’It’s never too late to be home.’’

And yes, the kiss. The so waited final kiss.

“Welcome home.”

[melonkooky]

spontaneous adventure [park jimin]

requested

word count: 2036

genre: fluff. that’s it

author’s note: this was a request about the reader being an extremely good driver, and i tried my best to include that element into this one shot, but it needed other interesting details or else it would’ve been too short, so this is what was produced. i had to include spring/summer details since the days are getting warmer and they’re my favorite seasons. anyways, enjoy this quick and fluffy one shot with jimin!!!

please do not copy my work. but please like and reblog it. thank you!!!!

“pst.”

“pst.”

“baby.”

“jimin!”

jimin groaned, rolling over and pulling the covers over his shoulder and up to his chin, wanting to get away from whomever was attempting to interrupt his beauty sleep.

you pouted, this time climbing on top of him. you straddled his waist and leaned forward, poking his cheek. “jimin.” you whined again, growing impatient.

he turned, laying on his back. his hair parted on either side of his forehead, causing you to lean down and place a kiss on it. he smiled slightly. “what?” he asked, his voice quiet and hoarse. he didn’t even open his eyes.

“let’s go somewhere.”

at your suggestion, jimin’s eyes opened. they were groggy and slightly swollen. he stared at you, his eyebrows drawn together with confusion. “what?”

you smiled, excitement laced in your voice. “i said let’s go somewhere.”

jimin turned and reached over to the bedside table where his phone was laying on. he turned it on, flinching at the sudden bright light that temporarily blinded him. you grinned, looking at the time. “it’s three o’clock. why are you even up this early?”

you shrugged. “i don’t know. i just woke up and had a feeling. i felt energetic and so i thought, let’s go on an adventure.”

jimin eyed you tiredly. he adjusted his head on his pillow before lifting his arms out from under the blankets to wrap around your lower back. “can’t you wait until morning?”

you sighed. “but where’s the fun in that?”

jimin didn’t reply.

“you know, i always wanted to go on a spontaneous road trip. couples do it all the time. although, typically it’s the guy that wakes up the girl, but that doesn’t matter. that’s just a cliche. it’s not like it’s a rule in the dating rulebook.”

jimin blushed slightly. he knew you often admired cliches and typical love stories, despite how much you tried to hide it. he stared at you. you didn’t seem tired at all, in fact he wondered if you had even slept at all, despite you saying that you had woken up a little bit ago. your eyes were bright, glistening slightly from the moonlight coming in from the window. the moon was slowly disappearing, making room for the sun to rise in just a few hours.

“so, what do you say? will you go on one with me?”

“who will drive?”

you scoffed playfully. “me of course. you don’t even have a driver’s license.” you replied, gently poking his chest with your index finger.

jimin was beginning to wake up at this point. his eyes were growing lighter and all his sleep was leaving his body. the more he thought about it, the more this spontaneous adventure without a destination sounded fun. besides, you and him hadn’t had an actual date in a while. “alright.” he said smiling while pretending to be annoyed.

you grinned, squealing loudly. you being loud felt illegal, seeing as it was completely dark, the city was quiet, and it was three o’clock in the morning. but jimin laughed.

you got off of jimin, apologizing when you accidentally punch your boyfriend in the stomach. you and him got up, turned on a few lights, and began packing for a whole day, maybe more for just in case.

as jimin packed his bags, he grew more excited. he caught himself sneaking glimpses of you while you were busy packing. you were already dressed for the day, your pajamas having been thrown into a messy pile, only a few centimeters away from the laundry basket itself. you were very excited. your cheeks were rosy, your eyes were wide, a small smile on your face. jimin was glad that he agreed. he couldn’t imagine how sad you would be right now if he had said no. he could imagine that you would ignore him for a hot minute.

finally, after you and jimin checked to make sure you had all that you thought you would need, you and him left towards the parking garage where your car was. you and jimin shoved everything into the back of the car, a few bags being left in the back seat for quick retrieving.

as jimin slid into the passenger seat, putting on his seatbelt, he suggested, “we should hit up the store and get food. or at least get breakfast.”

you agreed, putting on your own seatbelt in the driver’s seat. “yeah, or we could go driving until we find somewhere cool to eat. it’s still really early. i doubt anything breakfast-y is open right now.”

jimin had forgotten how early it was. he was growing hungry and began to wonder if he would get sick for putting off eating for long. you started the car, “but let’s get snacks. the convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, or else they wouldn’t be convenient.”

jimin nodded. he watched you quietly as you adjusted your mirrors, even though there was nothing to adjust. then you put the car into reverse, checking all your mirrors as well as the camera that appeared in the middle. then you slowly began to back out. jimin wondered what it would be like for him to have his own driver’s license, he sometimes wished he had one.

you and jimin were off to the store. the parking lot was empty with the exception of one car, which most likely belonged to the employee that was working the night shift. when you and jimin walked in, the bell rang, and you noticed that it scared the employee. you chuckled quietly, turning towards jimin. “i don’t think he was expecting anyone.”

jimin laughed alongside of you, grabbing your hand and leading you over to the candy and snack aisle. you and him browsed, throwing suggestions. you were focused on the candy, having a slight sweet tooth, while jimin was going over the chips and snacks. once you and him felt like you had enough, meaning your arms were almost full, jimin grabbed a few drinks, and then you followed him to the cashier.

the cashier was evidently tired. she had dark circles under her eyes and her eyelids were droopy. she also didn’t sound so happy. she eyed you and jimin weirdly, as if judging the amount of food you and him were getting. “we’re going on a road trip.” you informed her, feeling a little awkward.

she simply replied with the total, before taking jimin’s card and swiping it. after she handed jimin’s card back to him, she began packing all the food into plastic bags and then handed them to you. you and jimin hurried out of the store, eager to start going.

jimin had a plastic bag in his lap, it was some of the snacks. he was hungry after all. “hey, we should listen to music.”

you agreed and let him connect his phone. music began to play, and he turned it up. “wait,” you said laughing, “don’t turn it up too loud.”

he rolled his eyes, opening one of his snacks, “why not?”

“because it distracts the driver. your life is in my hands.”

jimin understood, but continued to be annoyed. you laughed at him, “you will understand when you start driving. loud noises ruin your concentration.”

jimin fed you some of the snacks while you drove. he claimed that was just an excuse to be babied by him, when really it was because two hands were supposed to be on the wheel. while music played, as you and jimin continued on your adventure, the dark morning began to brighten. more and more people were waking up and joining you and jimin on the roads. soon, the sun was rising, and you and jimin had a great view of it on the highway.

after an hour of driving in no particular direction, jimin turned the music down.

“what?” you asked.

“has anyone told you that you’re a good driver?”

you laughed. “how would you know?”

he rolled his eyes. “i’m not totally clueless. i know the basics and rules and all that, i’ve just not practiced a whole lot. anyways, i noticed that you’re constantly checking your mirrors, you always turn on your signal and wait before changing lanes, you come to a complete stop at stop signs and red lights, making sure not to go past the little pedestrian lane things…”

you blushed, shrugging. “it’s just a habit, i guess.”

“i feel so safe with you.” jimin sang suddenly, leaning over to press a kiss to your cheek.

“hey! you’re distracting the driver.”

he laughed, pulling out another snack and offering you some.

the road trip continued. seeing as it was a nice day, you had rolled down the windows and allowed jimin to turn the music up. he loved singing, obviously, and did not hesitate to sing all his favorites. and you couldn’t help but join him.

finally, as late morning rolled around, you asked jimin to look up a breakfast place. both you and him felt like the snacks weren’t doing enough. jimin had found a really popular one in a nearby city, that city also happened to have a beach.

“i think this should be our destination. we can stop by the beach.”

“shout out to you for suggesting to bring out swimsuits.” you said to jimin.

he grinned.

so, leaving the highway and turning onto the road that jimin told you to go on, you safely merged with traffic. jimin applauded you for your turn. this was a little weird to you, because you were just driving, but still, to have jimin compliment you was an honor. even if he was your boyfriend…

you and jimin ate at the restaurant. and then you and him went to the beach. the day brought warmth and sunshine, and a light spring breeze. it was a perfect day.

you and jimin played and splashed each other in the water. you climbed onto his shoulders and tried to pull him underneath the water. he easily knocked you off of him. you and him laughed and made jokes. you and him played volleyball, you and him weren’t the best but that was what made it funny. and then, you and him sunbathed and talked into the afternoon.

you sighed contently, enjoying the sun’s rays on your back. jimin was laying next to you, reapplying sunscreen. “what if we don’t go home?” he suggested.

you opened your eyes, squinting slightly. you flipped onto your back, listening to the ocean waves and the seagulls as they flew by. “what do you mean?”

“i mean, let’s find a hotel. let’s make this a small vacation.” jimin was staring at you, his cheeks slightly red, whether it was from blushing or he was getting a sunburn.

you sat up, smiling. “that sounds amazing.”

he grinned and leaned over, pecking your lips. “but we’re getting sleep because i’m tired.”

you playfully scoffed, “did you think i had any other ideas?”

jimin eyed you, playfully pushing you. you laughed and leaned over, cuddling into his side. his skin was warmer than normal, but it was comforting. just being in his arms was the best place you could ever be.

soon, you and jimin were finding a hotel and ordering a bunch of food. you and him were starving and having only eaten a late breakfast, everything sounded delicious on the menu. you and him watched movies and made comments about it, ate everything that you ordered, did some other things that will remain a mystery (but involves a bed), before falling into a deep sleep in each other’s embraces.

it wasn’t long before you and jimin were heading home. both you and him felt rejuvenated, as if both of you needed a day or two just to get out and take a break. going on this trip was unexpected, but it had come to be your favorite date, or rather vacation, ever. jimin even suggested doing it again, but somewhere else, perhaps taking a plane to go somewhere.

of course, you would be the one driving around during this vacation, but you held no objection to that idea. you would be with the love of your life after all...

[an-escapism-blog]

TWO IS EQUAL TO ONE

Two years after getting kicked out of the place she once called home, Arian Adams still struggles to get back on track. Being the sole person that she can rely on, Ari finds it difficult to survive in a city like New York. At the age of 26, maybe a little too old to be still attending university, all she wants is to finish a degree, get some high-paying job and prove herself one thing, that she can stand on her own feet without the helping hands of her twin brother.

Ari dragged herself to West 82 to grab her usual cup noodles and a can of cola. Wednesday nights meant night duties at the small coffee shop near her confined apartment. Being a cashier is not as difficult as being the delivery girl of a famous pizza place in the city, so during wednesdays, at the end of her shift, she treats herself at the convenience store. Excluding the half-awake and grumpy cashiers at the store, Ari loves everything about the place. People at that store are mostly in a hurry and usually keep to themselves and so they would not really give her weird looks for always eating alone. Not that she doesn’t have friends, but the realization that she has no family to eat with is what hurts her the most. Gulping the rest of her drink, she heads to Quad Cinema, a 24-hour movie theatre where she got her third part-time job as the operator of its snacks and popcorn booth. She works at the most ungodly hours of night until dawn but she doesn’t mind as long as it doesn’t clash with school hours. Imagine working three jobs and being a Psychology student at the same time. Ari barely has time for herself, but at least this is better than her old life, when everything she did with her twin was unlawful and illegal.

As she returned to her crummy apartment that she shared with a fellow struggling schoolmate, she took her shoes off and immediately succumbed to deep sleep for it was a Thursday which means it’s her day-off from all three jobs. She was awakened by a voice belonging to her roommate, Janise.

“Ari!” Janise screamed on top of her lungs as she called for her friend.

“You’re not seriously going to let yourself rot in this stupid apartment on Thanksgiving day, are you?” Janise nudged her in the shoulder and pulled her upwards.

Ari blinked in disbelief. How could she forget that it’s Thanksgiving already? School and work has taken too much attention from her that she did not notice all the turkeys and pumpkins that were being sold at the market. She came out of her room and saw Janise preparing a little feast for the both of them with wheat and sunflowers to match the occassion. Ari wanted to tear up. Thanksgiving day’s sole purpose is to give gratitude, but now, she can’t seem to figure out what exactly she should be thankful for. It’s been so long since she last shared a bountiful meal with someone. She missed her dad, her brothers, her whole family.

_ _

Two years ago

“Ari there’s a man behind you! Be careful! This is the most important job Dad has ever given us. Don’t mess it up, sis.” Kyeran shouted through the earpiece. Ari dodged as if expecting the man to have a knife in his hands. “Alright, there are two more incoming. One a man of my own size, the other is buff as hell. Knock them down and go straight to the alley, fight a few more guys, escort Dad personally to where the package is then our job is done.” Ari nodded at that. She loved her teamwork with her brother. They worked in complement. Maybe because of the fact that they were twins. Kyeran worked on the boring tech and genius side while she worked on the exciting stuff like throwing punches and knocking down men bigger than her size. Snapping out of her good thoughts, she slid down the alley and threw punches here and there. She signalled her Dad to come out of the car. She was ready to grab the package until she heard a deafening gunshot. She stopped for a moment, hearing incoherent shouts of her brother from the earpiece. She turned, and saw her Dad lying on the floor, chest covered in blood. Ari fell on her knees. She could not feel anything. She didn’t know how long she sat there until she was ushered away by her cousin, Bronwyn as the police sirens grew closer and forced her to leave the crime scene. They could not be possibly seen where the murder took place since everything that happened there was illegal. No matter how badly she wanted to pay respects to her father, she couldn’t.

_ _

Feeling lost, Ari just wanted a big hug from her twin. Maybe that way, it would hurt less. However, she came back to their hideout with Kyeran tossing bags full of clothes to her direction. Not understanding the situation, Ari shouted, “What is wrong with you?" 

“What is wrong with me?” Kyeran yelled back. “Shouldn’t you ask yourself that? You’re the reason why Dad is gone! Arian, I gave you solid instructions! Didn’t I tell you to personally escort Dad to receive the package? All you had to do was follow it!” He screamed as he jabbed an accusing finger to Ari’s shoulders. Ari was in tears now realizing that her brother was blaming her for their father’s death. Kyeran sighed and told her calmly, “I don’t want to see you. You’re a reminder of Dad’s death. Just.. just get out of this house.” At that, Ari lost it. “Are you out of your mind? It was a mistake! It’s not as if I wanted something bad to happen!” She told in a furious tone.

“If I’m gone, who’s gonna take care of our brother?” She asked in a mad tone. She was their 17-year old brother, Archie’s mother figure. If she left, she would have to leave Archie in Kyeran’s hands. Kyeran finally answered, “Don’t you get it? We’re not a family anymore, so you don’t have to worry about Archie. He’s staying with me, not with a killer like you.“ At that, Ari lost it, “Fine! If leaving this house would give you peace then I’m leaving. Rot in your own guilt, dumba*s.” Pain and anger were all she felt at that time, so she just left the place she once called home and left the people she once called her family.

It’s a Monday morning, holidays are over and Ari is on a bus ride on her way to school seated across a lanky man in a black hoodie. She was still feeling a little down. She misses her brothers a lot, specially Archie. Archie always looked up to her sister as a hero but now, she wonders how he thinks of her.

At lunch time, she sat with Janise in the cafeteria. Ari was feeling uneasy. She knows when she’s being watched, thanks to her sharp senses that she developed from breaking in and stealing in the past. The tall man in black hoodie was standing by the door who seemed to be watching her. However she couldn’t recognize him for his face was mostly covered.

On her way back home from her shift at the pizza place, she still felt eyes watching her so she slipped in to a narrow alley in hopes of cornering the man until her wrist was grabbed followed by a big hand covering her mouth. She let out a gasp. She turned and almost thought she was looking at a mirror. It was Kyeran. He was the guy with the black hoodie. Suddenly feeling the pain of seeing her brother, the embodiment of all the awful things on earth, Ari tried to turn the other way. Kyeran stopped her with his long arms.

“What do you need from me, stranger?” Ari asked in an irritated voice.

Kyeran sighed, and responded. “Ari, you need to come with me.”

She scoffed. “In case you need to be reminded my dear brother, you disowned me. And I can’t be with you, whatever it is that you need. I stopped doing illegal stuff years ago.”

He didn’t look surprised by what she said. “I know,” He confessed. “I- I’ve been keeping up with you all these years.”

It was Ari who was surprised by his statement. “You what?”

“You heard me.”

“Ari, Archie is missing.”

“Archie is what?” She questioned for the second time.

“Archie is missing.. Well, not technically missing. I know where he is, but-” He was cut from his explanation.

“After banishing me from our home, this is what happens? Dad’s only command was to never have Archie get involved with these things, he’s just a teenager. You did the exact opposite!”

Kyeran tried to defend himself, “It was a mistake! It’s not as if I wanted something bad to happen!” She found it ironic. Those were her exact words when he was trying to throw her out of their house.

“Do you hear yourself? Those were the same words that I told you two years ago..”

“It’s not really the right time for us to argue. Just listen to me first, Ari. It’s dangerous.” She waited for him to continue. “I got into a sticky situation with a CEO.. and he discovered my connections. Archie, our cousins, Bronwyn and Matt, even you who I stopped contacting years ago. That’s why I’ve been following you, to reach you.”

Ari almost laughed at that. “Couldn’t you have just called me?”

“Would you have answered if you knew it was me?” Kyeran asked back. He was right. She wouldn’t have answered.

Kyeran suddenly softened. “Look, Ari.. I- I need your help. We can get Archie back if we work together.”

Setting aside her anger and indifferences with her twin, she got into the car and agreed to work with him to get their brother back. She did not feel so comfortable wearing her black suit, the outfit that she used to wear during their missions. It was the suit that she wore the day her father died. An awkward silence surrounded the car ride until Ari decided to break it. “Do you even know where we’re going?” She asked. “Of course. Archie’s been taken to Albany. I tracked him a while back.” Ari just nodded at that. As expected, Kyeran was fast with information.

Arriving at the location, the twins surveyed the surroundings and looked for spots where they can break in. The building was surrounded by a dozen or so security guards. A number that Ari can easily knock down. After an hour of studying the building, they came up with a solid plan to get their brother out of there.

Kye handed Ari an earpiece. She gets to action while he gets to the tech stuff, just like how they did in the past. Ari entered the building through the rooftop, easily hitting one guard to make him fall unconscious. Kyeran had successfully gotten the softcopy of the building’s blueprint. Entering a few codes to his laptop, he instructed Ari where to go. “Ari, there’s an armed man at the other side of the wall. Throw him a knife. Don’t use your gun in that area, it’s full of metals and the sound will resonate.” Ari nodded to her brother’s instructions. She was feeling a lot of pressure at that moment. If she messed this up, she might as well just kill herself. If she makes one mistake, it was just like proving Kyeran that he was right about her being a reminder of death. Ari shook her head. She was not going to let that happen. She still wants to finish her degree and possibly, get back to her family.

Kyeran spoke from the earpiece, “Ari, stop right there. See the metal door on your right? I think that’s where Archie is.” She tried to open the door and obviously it was locked. “Can I shoot the door knob? It has passcode.” She stated. “No! You can’t just shoot things, sis.” Kyeran went silent for a while, probably figuring out what the code is. As to how Kyeran figured out these things, it was still a mystery for Arian. Perhaps it’s the result of Kyeran spending hours with their Dad down the basement to learn some nerd stuff. After a few seconds, he was already reciting a series of code from the earpiece.

The doors opened, three muscular guys were ready to fight her. From Kyeran’s earpiece, he could hear sounds of metal clicking, gasps and shrieks of pain. As to how Arian fights off guys larger than her, it was still a mystery for Kyeran. After knocking the guards down, Ari told Kyeran to come over where she is now. At the corner, there sat Archie with eyes closed, mouth covered in tape, his face full of bruises and cuts. Ari rushed to his side and hugged him tight.

The twins spent a few weeks at Archie’s hospital ward to guard him from any harm. In the midst of the room’s silence, Kyeran decided to speak. “Arian.. I-uh I’m sorry.” His eyes were darted to the floor, not wanting to meet his sister’s eye. Ari reached out to her twin’s hand. The gesture surprised Kyeran, he was not expecting such warmth from her sister, the sister that he kicked out with no pity. “You know, it wasn’t really your fault,” He admitted. “Dad’s death, I mean.” There was a long pause.

“Th-there was a sniper. I just discovered a week after the incident. It’s partly my fault, Ari. I missed that detail and failed to inform you.”

“I know, Kye.”

“You knew?” Ari just nodded.

“Then why didn’t you tell me? Why did you just leave like that?”

“Maybe partly because I wanted a normal life. After Dad died, I didn’t want to touch weapons anymore.”

Tears were threatening to run down Kye’s face. “I’m sorry,” He repeated.

Ari smiled at him and said, “I was always ready to forgive you, Kye. So long as you said the right words.”

“I was going to get you back, you know. It’s just that.. I figured you started going to school again. Getting a degree was your dream and I didn’t want to get in the way.”

“How’d you even know I got into the university?”

“I’m not a tech savvy for nothing, Ari.” They both laughed at that.

Months went by as Archie’s wounds were healing faster. The complementary twins, now as free as birds from their felonious acts and dark past, are starting anew. Kyeran, with the help of their cousin, Bronwyn, is now starting a business focused on high-tech gadgets. While Arian, as ecstatic as she could be, still could not believe that she’s just a few months away from getting her diploma. Her initial goal, to stand on her own feet without her brother’s help was put aside. She realized that they were twins for a reason. The two of them were a package after all, and hopefully, their Dad is watching them from above with a smile on his face.

//

About the author:

Lanceleine Dizon, 17, a Humanities and Social Sciences student. She’s a lover of humor, cartoons and amusement parks. With her free time spent on movies, dramas and novels, she has developed a liking to stories with female characters as the lead. She looks forward to a lot of possibilities like getting herself a Pembroke Welsh Corgi as a companion.