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Soft Chapter 1 (AHS Freak show - Jimmy Darling)

(My first attempt at writing for Fandom's I enjoy. I hope you enjoy!) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Freak show never went to Florida, and therefor the awful events didn't occur. Jimmy deserves love, so here's a sweet little fic of getting the life he deserves...With a little drama in between. The wind whipped down Halsted Street in sharp, early autumn gusts, rattling diner windows and tugging at the edges of the yellowing leaves that clung stubbornly to the trees. Inside the diner, warmth and the scent of frying bacon wrapped around you like a comforter. Your shift had only just begun, but already you had smoothed your apron, checked your lipstick in the mirror, and buttoned up your cardigan to the top.

You took pride in how you presented herself, even in the clatter and bustle of the city diner. Your dress, a soft pink cotton number with white trim around the edges, supplied by your work, carefully measured to flatter your waist. Rag curls framed your face in neat waves, just as Mama taught you. You missed your family farm sometimes—especially the hush of early morning among the cows—but you didn’t regret moving to Chicago for school. You were almost done with your veterinary nursing degree. Just one more year, and you’d finally be working with animals full-time, not just daydreaming about it while slinging hash.

The bell above the door jingled as a group of people entered, dragging the cold in behind them. You looked up from wiping the counter. It wasn’t the usual crowd of steelworkers and office men. These folks were different. A tall, elegant woman in a dramatic fur coat led the way, her hair sculpted into a perfect platinum swirl. Behind her came a cast of characters that looked like they stepped out of a carnival poster—each one unique, each one striking.

Your gaze flicked briefly to the young man who held the door open for the rest. He had dark hair slicked back, a rebellious jawline, and a leather jacket that hung just right on his broad shoulders. But it was his hands you noticed first—unusual, large, with thick fingers that looked more like claws. He caught you looking.

You didn’t flinch.

Instead, you smiled. “Y’all brought a party?” Noting and near dozen people funneling into your section.

The man gave a short laugh, amused, maybe a little surprised. “Something like that.”

Elsa Mars—the woman in the fur—swept forward and claimed the largest booth. “We’ll have coffee. All around. And pie. Something warm. My darlings are chilled to the bone.”

You grabbed a notepad and moved to the booth, your heels tapping softly against the checkerboard tile. “We’ve got apple, cherry, and pecan today. The apple’s fresh from the oven, made it myself.”

“Apple, then,” Elsa declared. “And don’t skimp on the whipped cream.”

Everyone begin to run off their coffee and cocoa orders and you struggled to keep up. "Don' like coffee!" A sweet woman with an abnormally small head says to the glamorous woman. "Oh pepper, dear, don't be a bother, you can have juice."

"No, too cold!" She shook her arms in a chilly gesture. You smiled at the simple woman, "You know, I'm not much of a coffee person myself, honey." You leaned forward, like you were sharing a secret with her. "I'm quite partial to a warm cup of milky tea, would you like me to make you that instead honey?"

The simple women tilted her head, contemplating. "ya, milky tea, milky tea!" "Done" you smiled at her.

You turned to the man with the unusual hands. He had slid into the booth last, sitting apart from the others, close to the window. His eyes, a muddy hazel, were watching you with cautious curiosity.

“Coffee and pie for you too?” you asked.

He nodded. “Sure. Thanks.”

“You got a name, or should I just call you Mystery Man?”

That got a smile out of him—small, crooked, but real. “Jimmy.”

“Y/N,” you replied. “Nice to meet you, Jimmy.”

The orders went in, the pies came out, and you kept stealing glances toward Jimmy’s booth as you poured coffee and juggled plates. The others were chatting and laughing amongst themselves—you recognized the twins from old headlines, and the strongman had arms like tree trunks—but Jimmy stayed mostly quiet.

You found yourself hoping he’d linger after the rest left. And sure enough, once the others had paid and drifted out into the cold, Jimmy stayed behind, cradling his second cup of coffee.

You approached slowly, wiping down the table next to his. “You folks just passing through?”

“Setting up shop, actually. South Side. Elsa’s starting a new show.”

“A show, huh?” you leaned a hip against the booth divider. “You one of the performers?”

Jimmy raised his hands slightly, letting them rest on the table. “Yeah. These help sell tickets.”

You studied them again—not with revulsion, but with interest. “You ever have trouble working with animals?”

That caught him off guard. “Huh?”

“I work with animals. Veterinary nursing student. Those hands might make you good at calming horses, actually. Gentle but firm.”

He blinked at you. “Most people don’t get past staring.”

“Maybe I’m not most people.” You smile.

A slow grin spread across his face. “I’m startin’ to see that.”

The two of you talked until you manager tapped the wall with a spoon and called, “Y/N, you clocking out or moving in?”

Jimmy stood and pulled on his jacket. “Guess that’s my cue.”

“Walk me to the door, Mystery Man?”

He did. Outside, the wind had picked up again, curling around the corner and tugging your hair loose from its pins. Jimmy reached up instinctively, tucking a strand behind your ear, Hesitating just slightly, but your smile made him follow through.

“You know,” he said, voice low, “Chicago’s already better than Florida.”

“Why’s that?”

“Met you here.”

You blushed, tucking your chin down. “Smooth talker.”

“I got my moments.”

He turned to go, then paused. “You ever wanna come see the show, I’ll leave your name at the door. Free of charge.”

“I might just do that.”

As Jimmy disappeared into the night, You leaned against the diner’s brick wall and let the wind whip around your body. Something electric had passed between the both of you—something rare. You didn’t know what kind of life Jimmy Darling had lived before Chicago, but you had the feeling he was about to start a whole new chapter.

And maybe—just maybe—you'd be part of it.

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The relief when you crawl into bed at the end of a long day.

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Daisies thrive in the winter.

I'm enjoying the daisies in my garden until the warm weather kicks back in come September. It fills me q

With so much joy to walk out my front door to go to work, and see these blooming.

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I'm nearing 30, and I still require sprinkles on my ice-cream. Reminds my of my childhood.

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My house smells so good.

It's nearing the end of winter in Australia, and it's making me nostalgic for hygge comfort.

Feeling cosy on my random Monday off work. I've got a candle lit, a fluffy blanket over my lap as I sit on the couch; nursing a cup of green tea as I catch up on a new season of a show I enjoy.

Delight in these moments.

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I find that I've been asked by people in my life, why I post simple photos like this.

I believe in romanticising my every life. I think it makes the days so much more beautiful by surrounding yourself with beautiful things (cheap things can be beautiful too, budget-beautiful is just as valid if you don't have the funds for the fancy stuff).

It could be a boring little walk, a moment of sunshine in the middle of winter, lighting a new candle, or taking a photo of yourself when you feel cute; capturing those moments is letting yourself believe in their power.

Let the simple romance of your life in. It is very nourishing to your being.

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Don't forget to stretch.

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Read things that nourish your soul.

Book: Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

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If I was stuck in my phone while I was waiting for my green tea, I would never have noticed this.

Look up.

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Make time for the things you enjoy.

I feel like a new woman every time I get my nails done.

It's also good to use it as an opportunity to go device free. My hands are busy being pampered, so I can take time to be with my thoughts, people watch, listen to the music playing, etc.

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Value the early nights. You'll be happy for them in the morning

🌄

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Feeling lighter, dress lighter.

Dress for the person you want to be.

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Take in the little things.

The first smell of spring making its way into the air, the crisp breeze that makes you zip your puffer vest up a bit, the crunch of the leaves under your shoes.

Romanticise the little thing in your life. They are the things you remember.

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Made use of the lack of cold weather in Victoria today, and got the mat out.

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First peek of spring.