#this is great actually people in my inbox are just doing identity fraud now

[valtsv]

idk who that other anon is but i actually sent the prose ask? i said i loved your prose why that be a hate ask

oh my god that's so funny??? stolen hate anon valour...

[chambersandfogg]

April 16th, 1933 

Well, that was a smashing success. Such a success, I’m still feeling woozy this evening, though it’s been nearly an entire day since I last imbibed. Immortality does not protect one from the dreaded morning head. 

And all this malaise and head-pounding caused by just beer and wine! It seemed appropriate to limit the party’s libations to those less potent alcohols given that is what the President has decreed legal to sell, but I suppose I’ve become accustomed enough to bathtub gin that the sweeter stuff went straight to my blood.

The pain of today was well-earned and well worth it - nearly fifteen years we’ve languished under this oppressive prohibition and now, finally, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Why, the first state ratified the amendment just the other day! I expect that California will be swift to follow. It isn’t as though myself nor anyone I know has actually stopped the consumption of liquor since the eighteenth was put in place, but it’s the principle of the thing. It will be a relief to no longer be breaking the law (in this at least; my identity continues to be a fraud). Not that I have such great respect for the law—at least, not all of them—but it does add undue stress to one’s life to break so many so brazenly so often. 

Even Charles was in excellent spirits at the news (pun very much intended). When I had first proposed a celebration in honor of the President’s announcement last month, he was immediately all aboard. Despite the fact that I encouraged him to partake in the burgeoning commercial flight business (as I have yet to do so), he refused to go up in the air, too afraid of falling right out of it.  But he made quick work of his train journey from Washington, D.C. and has been staying with me for the last week. I can’t recall when we last spent such frivolous time together and it has been extremely rejuvenating. Perhaps it is seeing each other in the Los Angeles sunshine, but I daresay we both appear lighter and younger than we have in decades. 

He’s become more of a social butterfly since I last saw him—perhaps all that politicking in D.C. has been good for him. Every one of my guests found him terribly fascinating (as he is) and were deeply curious once they discovered we’ve known each other for the bulk of our lives. I suppose I have some kind of mystique amongst my cohort here in LA and they were all eager to take advantage of Charles’ presence by peppering him with questions about what I was like as a younger man. Questions he was more than happy to answer, even if he had to bend the truth here and there. Seems that Charles’ penchant for teasing me outweighs any guilt he feels at lying to people. 

It is a burden I’m willing to carry. With every story he told of my antics, his smile would widen, his laugh would grow more robust, and a glittering spark would make its way into his eyes. I think there’s probably all manner of ridiculous things I would do to be responsible for that.

[from the personal diary of J.S. Fogg]

[to read the pre-1917 entries, join Atypical Artists and get access to the archive of 24 entries (5,000+ words), as well as ad-free episodes of Atypical's whole catalogue. to receive future monthly missives straight to your inbox, sign up for free here]

[nadisabug]

First Meetings

Prompt: kinda based off a little idea I had

Fandom: Daredevil

Pairing: Ben Poindexter x female OC

AU: No Fisk (aka not in the show's plot line/universe so spoiler free!)

Warnings: cursing

A/N: I tried to write this in an “x reader” format, but I do not have much experience writing in second person (I am more of a third person kind of gal) so I quick drew up an OC for this. If anyone wants an reader insert or actually wants their own OC in a fic, just let me know in my inbox! I can definitely do either (I need to practice second person at some point). Thank and enjoy!

****

Kira was getting ready for her morning walk with her dog when her phone began to ring. She was currently trying to wrestle Liam in his harness, but the mutt lab was too excited over the prospect of an outing to calm down. She sighed, dropping the harness, and turned to see who it was. If it was another one of those spam calls, she swore she was going to toss her phone out of the building. 

Luckily, it wasn't. It was Evelyn, her best friend, which was weird since she was never up this early unless she had a shift, but Kira swore she was off today.

"Hey Evie," she greeted her best friend warmly before setting the phone down on the kitchen counter on speaker. "You're up early."

"Yeah, Clay woke me up on his way to work. Lame, but I thought I could catch you before you head in to the office."

"Oh yeah," she nodded as she reached down to grab the harness again. "I'm not in until nine, so I am taking Liam on a walk." Eve was referring to her job where she worked as a therapist. It was a government job, so she wasn't paid too well, but she got to help a lot of people in need and that is all that really mattered. She got a good mix of clients, from hyperactive children to adult addicts, so no day was ever the same. She had a few regulars though, one of which she was supposed to see today at one. She was on the schedule for new patients until then today.

"Aw, okay I'll make this quick then. I will pick you up after my shift ends at seven. Be dressed nice. Kay?"

"That is a solid no from me. Evelyn, you know I do not want to go on another blind date. The last one turned out so bad!" Kira turned to Liam and told him to sit. The mutt barked and ran off into her bedroom. Kira sighed and gave up on the harness for the time being.

"Oh, come on Kiki. It wasn't that bad," Eve groaned. "And the worst part wasn't even your fault."

Eve had somehow managed to convince her to go to some crazy fancy restaurant to go on a double date with Eve's boyfriend and one of his coworkers. Early into the night, Kira managed to knock a wineglass into her date's lap and then later the waiter accidentally lost their grip on the platter and dumped all of the food onto her date. While the second part definitely was not her fault -the waiter had said something hit their had and made them lose their grip or something- she still felt awful about the wineglass part. The worst part was she didn't remember touching the glass, or feeling the impact that caused it to tip over.

"Eve, I still feel bad about drenching the poor guy."

"Kira, like a little wine mattered once our dinner was all over him. Besides, dinner was free and he gets to go again without the klutz of the century, on the house."

"Eve," Kira groaned.

"It's a different guy who has no idea about your last stunt. There is no reason not to, unless you have finally asked out Mr. Benjamin Poindexter, which would be the only way I would let you out."

Kira was glad  that Eve was not there to see her, because her face instantly flushed. Needing a moment to collect herself, she picked up the harness again and called over Liam, pretending to be too preoccupied to answer. Once she felt like the charade had gone on long enough, she finally bit out a tired response. "Uh, and if I say I have?"

"I would call you a liar and a stalker because your dumb ass hasn't said a single word to him. Ever."

Eve technically wasn't wrong. About the talking to Ben part; she never had actually spoken to which honestly was the only abnormality she would admit to. She was used to the tight knit community back home, so the curt nods they shared seemed odd to her at first. Then again, this was Hell's Kitchen. It wasn't like Ben had something against her, it was just normal here for people to ignore each other. So again, it wasn't like it was her fault that she had never spoken to her next door neighbor, that was just the norm here.

But Eve was wrong about the stalker part. Kiara McKinley was not stalking Benjamin Poindexter. She just had a healthy interest in her impossibly attractive next door neighbor. How could she not? With a jawline that could cut glass and a body that rivaled most others, no one could blame her for staring every once in a while, and it wasn't her fault that she just happened to see him relatively often. He would go on a run when she normally walked Liam, he just so happened to go to the same restaurants and coffee shop where Eve worked, and they had almost identical work schedules. Besides, they were neighbors. Of course they would see each other often. Those parts she explained away easily. However, Eve gave her grief about them when Kira learned the problematic man's name.

"I am not a stalker." Liam seemed to sense her attitude and came to a rest at her feet. She quickly slipped the harness under him while he gave her the chance.

"You committed mail fraud to learn his name!"

"I did not! The mail man just mixed our doors up and I gave it back to him! We are neighbors, it's bound to happen." A simple mistake from an over worked postal worker was the proverbial nail in the coffin for Kiara. After she began referring to Ben by name, Eve would not let it drop. That and the fact that she knew he worked at the FBI, also something that also not her fault. He came home in a uniform that had the bold letters plastered across it, it didn't take a genius to guess his occupation.

"Likely story. Just how you seem to see him everywhere and just happen to know where he works." There is was. Kira sighed. "Likely story, but makes more sense if you are totally following him everywhere he goes." Her tone was light, and they both knew she was joking. Besides, stalkers were so uncommon, weren't they?

"This is all besides the point Eve. I am not going." Kira finally managed to get a hold of Liam's leash and made her way to the door, picking up her keys on the way out.

"Well, I wouldn't have to set you up like this if you would just ask your victim out."

"He is not a victim, let alone my victim," Kira groaned and threw open the door. She locked it quickly behind her, fumbling with the keys. "For the last time, I am not stalking Ben!" Because of her frustration, she dropped her keys onto the ground, which was an opening Koda did not hesitate to take. He darted away, the leash slipping through Kira's fingers. Kira cursed and hung up on Eve. She could explain later, she had to catch Liam first.

But when she turned to go after him, she saw that there was no need to rush in the first place. Liam was not making a beeline for the stairwell, he had his paws on the shoulder's of  man, happily trying to lick his face. Once Kira processed who the man was, she nearly died on the spot.

"I am so, so sorry," she quickly sputtered, rushing over to grab Liam. "Liam, down boy, down!" She went to grab the leash when she realized that she didn't have to. It was already in Ben's hand.

"No worries," Ben laughed, nervous twinge to his voice, handing the leash over to her. Once his hands were free, he scratched Liam behind the ears with a heart melting grin. Kira was so fucked.

Kira laughed nervously and shifted her weight back and forth on her feet. "Sorry," she repeated for the second time. "He's a really friendly guy. It feels like he wants to go home with everyone except for me sometimes, the way he acts around strangers."

Kira thought that Ben frowned at the last part, but his smile was back before she could really be sure. "I don't know why he'd wanna do that, with an owner like you," Ben said softly, almost as if he was talking to Liam.

"Um, thanks I think?" Kira laughed nervously and tugged Liam away from Ben. Liam finally released Ben and flopped down on the ground next to Kira.

"Sorry, that probably sounds so weird cause I don't know you, well I mean I know you're my neighbor but like I don't know you like that-"

"Hey, it's okay," Kira laughed. Ben was pretty cute when nervous. However, Kira's laid back nature and words must have not reached Ben because he still looked a mess.

"I just meant cause you're pretty."

Wow. Well Kira wasn't expecting that.

Kira looked away from him, her face flushed an practically tomato red. "Uh, wow... thanks... I um..."

"Sorry," Ben groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. "I did not mean to say that out loud. Or at all. Now it's all weird and all I wanted to say was-"

"Take me to dinner," Kira blurted.

Ben blinked, as if unsure that he heard her right. Kira mustered all of her confidence and smiled at him, looking him right in his eyes. "You wanted to ask me to take you to dinner as an apology for my dog jumping all over you." Kira lifted up the leash as if to remind him that the dog was still there. "You free tonight? I can take you somewhere just so that Liam here doesn't crash the party again. We can talk, actually get to know each other since we do live right next door to each other."

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, that would be nice, actually." Ben smiled. "I get off at six."

"I'll see you here at seven then, sound good, Ben?"

Ben's mouth twitched and he cocked an eyebrow. "Ben?"

Kira's stomach dropped. Fuck. Shit fuck shit. "Uh..." She mumbled, immediately losing all the confidence she had before. "I am so sorry, I just the mailman gave me your stuff one day and your name was on it that must sound like such a shitty excuse I swear I am not stalking you or anything..." Kira winced. She said the word before even he could accuse her of it. Great. Fantastic job Kira. Way to go, you get idiot of the year award.

But then something insane happened.

Ben laughed.

"It's okay, I just thought it was weird. I usually go by Dex. That makes sense though, I mean we are next door neighbors."

Kira let out a huge sigh of relief and looked up at him sheepishly. "You don't think I am some sort of creepy stalker?"

Ben laughed. "No of course not."

"So the date's not off?"

"Date?" Ben smirked.

Kira flushed bright red again. "I am just putting my foot in my mouth over and over I am so sorry, I said it was a get to know you dinner now it's all weird-"

"No, it's okay. It can be a date."

Kira squinted up at him. "Really?"

"Yeah," Ben nodded again, still smiling, somehow even brighter than before.

Kira nodded. "Should I call you Dex too?"

"Nah," he waved her off. "I was just thrown off. I think it's cute that you already have a lil stalker nickname for me."

Kira furrowed her eyebrows and puffed out her cheeks. "I though you said you didn't think I was a stalker."

"I don't," Ben grinned and started walking backwards towards the stairwell. "I just think it's fun to tease. I'll see you tonight Kira!" And with that, he was off, presumably to start off his jog.

Kira stepped into the elevator with Liam, she smiling about her new date with her unbelievably cute neighbor. She pulled out her phone to call Eve back, both to explain why she hung up and what just happened, but something stopped her. Then she realized.

She never gave Ben her name.