#noreen’s asks
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Do you think the Smoke and Shadow comic foreshadows Zuko and Mai as future rulers of the Fire Nation? It showcases their strategy skills along with improving their communication as they strive to find a solution to save the children of the fire nation capital. Even though they are broken up, they work well together and shows their compatibility as rulers. Thoughts?
omg my first anon, hello and thank you for asking me this question !!
I talk a little bit about this in my video essay, actually. while I hate the comics and I think it’s stupid that they broke up, it does give them a chance to grow as people and into their positions in the world. the writer confirmed that they got back together 3 years later, meaning they’re young adults when they reunite, and they would have grown from their teenage selves.
in The Promise (2012) we already see their communication improving (well, Mai’s anyway) when she says that Zuko can come to her with any issues he has and he should be able to talk to her about his feelings because she’s his girlfriend. this already shows that he has someone he can rely on who is willing to listen to him, someone he’s known for a long time.
in Smoke and Shadow (2015), we see this communication improving. one thing that gene luen yang got right is that Zuko would absolutely be pinning over Mai, given how much that loser (affectionate) was obsessed with her.
although she is with Kei Lo at the time, Zuko expresses how much he misses her and that he wants her back, as well as acknowledging how happy she looks. he does this instead of repressing his feelings, and Mai talks about her point of view of the situation, being open and honest (despite it not being what Zuko wants to hear).
it is not only their communication improving that shows the potential they have at running a nation together, but also who they’re going after in Smoke and Shadow (2015). one criticism that people give Mai is that she doesn’t care about people, and in turn, the Fire Nation citizens. however, in this comic we see her and Zuko working together to take down a terrorist organisation. while part of it is to protect Zuko, she calls her own dad (who is leading The New Ozai Society) “insane” for his political beliefs.
not only that, but she sends him to prison in the end and says that he deserves to go.
this is after she helped free her little brother, Zuko’s little sister and gaggle of other Fire Nation toddlers (with Zuko) !!
so, yeah. while I hate the comics, I think they do show some potential of Zuko and Mai working well together as rulers of a nation (even though “Fire Lady” doesn’t seem like an active role in politics, but we can pretend or hope that changes with Mai).
#noreen’s asks#anon#txt post#atla#avatar the last airbender#a:tla#avatar: the last airbender#maiko#Mai#Zuko#mai&zuko#Mai & Zuko#prince zuko#fire lord zuko#smoke and shadow#the promise#atla comics#atla meta
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Remember to drink water kids!
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the phrasing "a pair of pants" implies that there are multiple pants, yet the phrase is only used to describe a singular piece of clothing. therefore, for the phrase "a pair of pants" to make sense, each leg hole would have to be a singular pant. this is just a glimpse into the depths of my dark and fucked up mind, noreen. also i know your like a college student but i cant get the notion of "noreen" being an old white woman name. like imagine meeting a college aged man named corneilius. wouldnt that be fucked up. anyways how are you doing.
Dear Anon,
Thank you for your wise words.. Gave me a lot to ponder. Which is why it took me so long to reply; I've had to deliberate with some correspondents of mine (irlies) on how to respond. I've thought about this ask every time I've put on pants since I read it.
And yes, Noreen is an old white lady name, especially in the context of me (white girl in white town). I would have to agree it is the equivalent of a college aged 'Cornelius.' I was also named after my great grandmother (that my family swears I am the reincarnation of despite the fact she died after I was born) so that does not help my case of being a 20 year old white girl named Noreen. Not to mention that my day-to-day activities more closely resemble a divorced grandfather than any other 20 year old I know.
I am doing.. Ok. I was enjoying my 3 weeks of peaceful solitude after the school year ended (playing games in my apartment) but now I'm employed for the next 6 weeks. This week I'm doing the closing shift at a place that closes at 3am, so I get home at 4am, which is. Something. I miss the unemployed life... I was looking for a job and then I found a job.. and heaven knows I'm miserable now or however the song goes. but also i need money so i cant complain lol
#lawls#this ask was so funny ty for sending it#in return u get a noreen lore dump i guess hahaha#ask
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Marge, hey, so, what is your opinion on the biscuits? I've heard you must have eaten one too many recently, is that the kind experiences that would put on hold your love for sweets for a bit or you'd have a biscuit right now if I offered one? Hehe
Marge said that cookies are a sometimes food so now I can only eat one sweet a day. I can't stomach dessert lately and it breaks my heart.
#ask marge blainey#hogwarts legacy#hogwarts legacy game#marge blainey#nurse blainey#noreen blainey#noreen blainey x marge blainey
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This Christmas - Prequel
Pairing: Benny "Borracho" Magalon x F!Reader
Word count: 8,219
Summary: This is a prequel of sorts to this from last year. It’s basically the how Benny and the reader met, etc
Warnings: Mostly Hallmark-style fluffy stuff, lots of pining, but brief mention of loss, guilt, some foul language. If I missed anything else let me know and I'll add it in.
A/N: I don’t know folks, I started writing this and was really chugging along and had a whole plan for how I wanted this to be. Then I got sick with everyone’s favorite illness from 2020 and lost a lot steam. I found, I think, a happy compromise with myself because I wanted to post this before Christmas (self imposed deadlines am I right?) and realized I can always I don’t know, post more parts of it later?? I am my own worst critic so if you read this and it isn’t your jam, please don’t say anything lol I’ve probably already thought it, so it would be redundant! Also, clearly, I do not know the proper use of a semicolon, or an em dash and I don't have an editor, so we'll all just have to deal. Anyways, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, all that jazz
-----------
It’s a little after six in the morning and they still haven’t rolled in. Usually, the five of them would have been here for an hour already; a few hungover, one still drunk, and the fifth one acting like an adult babysitter for the other four. It’s weird how this happens–people come into your little donut shop and after a while, instead of you becoming part of their routine, they become part of yours. Eventually they start to feel like stand-ins for the friends you hardly ever get to see. You’re busy with your business and they’re busy with their jobs and families.
It could feel lonely, but you have people like Noreen, who comes in every Friday to buy three dozen assorted donuts for her team. Noreen is kind and not the type of person you envision working at a private equity firm. When you were thinking about expanding into the small space next door, she looked at your plan and helped you figure out where you were being too aggressive and in some cases too shortsighted. She didn’t ask for anything in return, but you made sure her next three dozen donuts were on the house.
There’s Will, a retired teacher, who comes in every Sunday. He used to come in with his partner, Charles, and they would sit at the table you have set up near the front window. They traded off different sections of the newspaper while drinking their coffee and sharing one old-fashioned donut and one raspberry jelly donut; they never strayed from those. Charles passed away six months ago and it was unexpected. You didn’t expect to see Will for a while, but routine is hard to give up especially when it’s the only thing you have left. Every Sunday morning you set a 'reserved' sign on the table near the window.
There’s Stuart, who hangs out in the plaza your shop is located in. You’re not sure if he’s unhoused or just likes to spend his day outside, but it felt strange to always see him and not interact with him. One day you invited him to come by for coffee and a donut but he turned you down. You told him the offer was good for any time and that you hoped you’d see him in there soon. He came in a few days later and it made you feel like you were doing some good; and then you felt bad for feeling like that. Stuart’s reserved and not much of a talker so you just let him sit at a table while you go about your work. Some days he’ll start a conversation; it’s rare but it feels like you both trust each other enough to make more than small talk. If you don’t see him in his usual spot outside, you worry. He usually turns up a few days later, but you're concerned that at some point he won’t turn up and what are you supposed to do then?
There’s a handful of people that fall into this category of if they never came back you would notice. It’s because some of them are smart and kind like Noreen. Some because they sit in the same spot, newspaper sections still divided in two, like Will. Some because their silence fills your little shop, like Stuart. And some whose absence you would notice because they don’t fit into these boxes. Sometimes they can be loud or irritating; but they can also be entertaining. And they’re are always five of them, but only one that makes you feel like you’re thirteen and just saw your middle school crush.
They started coming in sometime in February. You only remember because the biggest one said he’s 'not eating a fucking, prissy, heart-shaped donut.' Some men are like that, afraid if they come in contact with something feminine that’s not a woman, that their dick will fall off. He was loud and obnoxious and only one of the other four looked truly embarrassed for the guy and for himself. He apologized for his friend and ordered five large coffees and a dozen glazed donuts.
“You sure glazed are going to be manly enough for your friend over there?”
You ticked your head over towards the table where his friends were sitting. He laughed and it was a surprisingly warm laugh for a man with neck tattoos.
“He won’t even remember being here, let alone what kind of donuts he ate.”
He sounded annoyed but used to the behavior. You remembered having friends like that, in your twenties, but you were well past that age and so were these guys by the look of it. You saw him eyeing an apple fritter so you grabbed it from the case, put it on a plate, and set it on the counter next to the box of donuts.
“On the house, since it doesn’t look like you’re getting paid for your babysitting duties.”
He smiled, said thank you, and then went to sit with his loud friends. You noticed he was quiet in comparison and thought it would be nice if they were all quiet like that.
When they were getting ready to leave you saw that the quiet one made sure all the trash was thrown away and all the dishes went into the right bin. At the door as they were leaving he gave you a small wave thanking you again. There was something about his smile that made it feel like flowers were blooming in your stomach. That feeling carried you for a week. You’d think of that moment of him at the door and a fog would enter your brain and the flowers in your stomach would grow larger.
The feeling would start to subside after a while and you would get caught up in your real life–your business, the rare time with your friends, the occasional bad date. It would slowly drift from the front of your mind to the back. Then they would show up and the cycle would continue.
The one who had the soft smile and neck tattoo, you learned his name was Benny. And that if you gave him a choice between the apple fritter and anything else, he would choose the apple fritter one hundred percent of the time. The loud drunk, that was Big Nick and he’s only been not drunk five percent of the time they’ve come in. There’s Connors, Zapata, and Henderson–you’ve only heard them referred to by their last names. A thing that you’ve only ever heard men do. They all come in once or twice a month–usually early, usually hungover. It makes you wonder what they do before they end up at your place. You never ask because to know would be to probably ruin your crush on Benny.
Benny always pays and there’s a part of you that hopes he’s doing it just for the chance to talk to you. When he leaves he always gives you a wave goodbye and a thanks again. The flowers in your stomach have bloomed and blossomed to an embarrassing degree by the end of May. And that’s when they stopped coming in.
—-
Benny shakes his head no at Connor’s who’s trying to hand him a beer, “Not feeling it tonight.”
Benny isn’t feeling it any night, but he keeps that to himself. The drinking, the cocaine, the women, none of it interests him and it hasn’t for a while. Since February if he’s being honest with himself.
They had ended up at your donut shop, Glazy for You under random circumstances. The usual place they would go to sober up after one of these parties had been closed down by the health department. He should have known it was bound to happen, the place was dim and oddly seedy for a diner. Benny was the designated driver that night, since he hadn’t been feeling well he didn’t drink and spent most of the night ushering random women out of a grim motel room. When he saw Glazy for You as he was driving by, it looked like the complete opposite of his evening; it was bright, there were Valentine’s decorations on the window. It looked comforting and warm, two things he felt like he was missing in his life.
Nick of course was an asshole and Benny felt like he spent a lot of time silently apologizing to you. His apologies must have entered you mind telepathically because you gave him an apple fritter–the best apple fritter he’s ever had in his whole fucking life. There must have been some kind of magic in because that moment lodged itself somewhere in his heart and reappears when he’s feeling low. Like now–sitting in this motel room, on this couch that probably hasn’t been cleaned in two decades, watching his friends lose their fucking minds over shit they should have outgrown.
Benny hasn’t seen you in months, ninety-seven days to be exact, not that he’s counting. They’ve been working on one case after the next and it’s left time for little else. No post drug test parties, no early mornings sitting in a donut shop waiting for everyone to sober up, no you. It’s been sleep and work for three months straight. Last time he saw you, it seemed like you were happy to see him. Maybe he imagined that feeling; misunderstood the warmth in your smile. Maybe that’s the smile that you’ve practiced in order to be able to perform it for everyone. Maybe everyone feels what he feels when they see you.
Benny sinks further into the couch and looks up at the ceiling. It’s a drop ceiling which brings back memories of a case he had worked on. While securing a crime scene, they were in the living room of a run down apartment. It had this same type of ceiling and a body fell right through it onto the floor. He thinks that maybe this is how it ended up being called a drop ceiling, because shit just drops right out. That thought, that memory makes him realize that he doesn’t want to be in this room anymore. He gets up, grabs his jacket off the back of the couch, and leaves. He hears Connors call after him as he’s closing the door but he doesn’t care. He only has one place that he wants to be right now.
—-
You’re putting a tray of bear claws in the display case when you hear the door open. It’s still early, the sun is barely up, pink and purple hues are still in the sky. You get a lot of municipal workers that come in at this time, barely past opening. So it’s a little bit of a surprise when you get a glimpse through the display case of Benny walking in, alone.
There’s a second while you’re crouched down, adjusting the tray that you let yourself be excited; allow yourself to give into the childish feeling of getting a glimpse of your crush. Your knees are wobbly as you stand up–unsure if it’s because you’re getting old or because he’s looking right at you.
“Oh hey, how’ve you been?” You wipe your palms on the front of the apron you’re wearing. “It’s been a while.”
You try to sound neutral, neither excited to see him or disappointed that it's been so long. He smiles and that familiar sensation of flowers blooming returns.
“We’ve been working on a lot of cases and it’s been hard to find time for anything else.”
You lean forward and rest your arms on top of the bakery case.
“Cases? You guys are lawyers?” As the words leave your mouth you realize how truly stupid it sounds. You’ve never in your life seen any lawyers that look like these guys.
Benny chuckles and rubs the back of his neck, something he does when feels embarrassed or self conscious.
“No, definitely not lawyers. Detectives. We work for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.”
You fail at suppressing a laugh, “I’m sorry. All of you are detectives? Even your friend Nick?”
Benny knows your laugh isn’t mean spirited and if he were you, he’d probably laugh too, knowing what he knows about the people he works with. He moves closer to display case and leans in.
“Even Nick. You seem surprised.”
“It’s just. I.” You pause, trying to choose your words with care, because you like Benny and you don’t want to insult him, “I mean, it’s hard to imagine being a victim of a crime or something and like Nick is the person taking your statement, trying to help you. That is my nightmare.”
You hope you don’t sound like an asshole, but the idea of Nick serving and protecting seems like a stretch. If you offend Benny, he doesn’t show it, he just laughs.
“The way that you’ve seen him, I can understand the sentiment. He’s not like that a hundred percent of the time. I promise.”
You give Benny a joking look, “Okay, but what percentage are we talking here?”
You’re both laughing when the rest of the guys walk in. The rowdiness is a shock to your system after not dealing with it for a while. You look at Benny and he’s no longer leaning in towards you and maybe you’re projecting, but you think he looks a little disappointed too.
Benny’s disappointed, but he tries his best to hide it. The guys may be drunk, but they are cops and they are perceptive. Benny already knows he has a reputation among them as being soft. It used to bother him, but it hasn’t for a while. He knows he would rather be soft than be the type of man that can’t feel anything other than bitterness and rage.
“Borracho, you fucking asshole, you left us.”
Nick, is of course loud and slurring his words. Benny hopes you can’t understand Spanish–he doesn’t want to be known as a ‘drunk’ to you.
Benny turns from you to look at the guys. Connors is propping Nick up; Henderson and Zapata are stumbling towards a table.
“I was hungry.”
Benny hopes it’s enough to shut Nick up. He knows it’s not because he sees Nick loosen himself from Connors and stumble towards him. He claps a large, drunk hand on Benny’s shoulder and the force almost knocks him backwards.
“Fuck, Borracho. You’re no fun anymore.”
Nick is a mess and that’s not really that surprising to you. What is surprising is how uncomfortable Benny looks. He has the look of a man who would give anything to disappear. You can’t really blame him, these guys, Nick especially, are exhausting to be around and you only deal with them for a few hours a month.
“Can I get you guys something or are you just going to loiter?”
Benny looks towards you and you give him a sympathetic smile. He shakes Nick off of him and is about to order when Nick lurchers towards the counter that you’re standing behind. You step back as he unsuccessfully tries to paw at you.
“I know what you can get me, sweetheart.”
Benny groans and runs a hand over his face, “Jesus Christ, Nick. Shut the fuck up.”
You step closer to the counter and lean forward, putting a hand on Nick’s shoulder.
“What did I tell you about calling me ‘sweetheart’?”
Nick tilts his head to the side and mutters, “That the next time I do it, you’ll put my head in the deep fryer.”
You pat his shoulder, “Good, you remember.”
You hear Zapata, Henderson, and Connors–who’s joined them at their table laughing and chanting do it, do it.
You gently push Nick away from the counter, “Go sit down unless you’re willing to see if I’m serious.” You look over at Benny, who no longer looks like he wants to disappear. “Benny, five coffees and a dozen glazed, right?”
Benny nods his head, “Yeah, that’s good.”
Nick turns around and starts walking towards where Connors, Zapata, and Henderson are sitting. He jerks his thumb back towards you, “She’s no fun either.”
Benny feels awkward standing here, watching you gingerly place twelve glazed donuts in a box and then pour five large coffees. It’s calming though, watching you do routine things, like you’re slowly rooting out the anxiety of being around drunk idiots. You put the coffees in a tray and place it down on the counter next to the donuts.
Benny pulls out his wallet to pay, “Uh, sorry,” he pauses, he’s sorry about a lot suddenly, “sorry about Nick. He was acting like an asshole.”
You shrug and hand Benny his change, “Don’t worry about it.”
Benny is sitting with the guys and can’t help feeling like he’s messed something up. You didn’t give him an apple fritter like you normally do. He wonders if you’re mad that he didn’t do something more when Nick was acting like an asshole. Maybe he’s overthinking it–he can’t expect you to give him a free donut every time you see him. It’s possible he’s misread the situation entirely, that you’re just friendly and nothing more. He watches you behind the counter adjusting things, bagging up donuts for customers that have come in. When Benny checks his watch for the time, he misses seeing you slip an apple fritter in a bag and write 'Benny' in a tidy script.
You watch the guys start filtering out of your place; Nick and Connors are first and from the store window you can see them getting into separate cabs. Benny is still throwing trash away as Henderson and Zapata leave. They share a cab and you imagine that maybe they rallied enough to start drinking again at 7:30am. You see Benny heading towards the door and it looks like he’s leaving without giving his usual wave goodbye. Your stomach sinks a little–maybe he’s mad at you for not joking around more with Nick or the other guys. Or it could just be that he’s tired and wants to go home and you’re creating feelings that aren’t there.
You grab the bag with the apple fritter from below the counter and hold it up, “Hey, you forgot something.”
Benny looks at the bag with his name on it–it’s the nicest handwriting he’s ever seen. He walks over to the counter and takes the bag from your hand, your fingers overlapping for a fraction of a second.
“So this means you’re not mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad at you? Wait, you think because of Nick?” You look at him strangely as he nods his head yes, “He’s the idiot, I’m not going to hold that against you.”
Benny smiles, “That’s good to know.” He starts walking away, but stops when he gets to the door, holding up the bag with the donut, “Thanks again. I’ll see you later.”
“Take care, Benny.”
—-
“You like that girl at the donut place?”
It sounds less like Connors is asking you a question and more like stating a fact. Benny’s a little caught off guard and pretends to start looking for something on his desk.
“What?”
Benny tries to sound confused, like he’s never even heard the word donut before.
“At the donut place. The girl who runs it, are you into her or something? You always act fucking weird when we’re in there.”
Benny thinks back to all the times they’ve been at Glazy for You, trying to remember his behavior. Did he look at you for too long? Say ‘goodbye’ in a way that sounded like he didn’t want to leave. Benny opens the bottom drawer of his desk and pretends to look for something.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Benny knows he doesn’t sound convincing and Connors must hear it too because he keeps going.
“Really?” Connors sounds incredulous. “You’re always lingering at the counter. She’s always giving you free donuts. Any of this ringing a bell for you?”
Benny can feel Connors staring at him. He closes the desk drawer and goes back to looking at the file on his desk.
“Maybe she likes giving away free donuts. I really couldn’t tell you.”
Connors crumbles a piece of paper into a ball and lobs it at Benny’s head, hitting him just behind the ear.
“Whatever you say asshole.”
—-
The summer goes by quickly–it’s one of your busier seasons. School is out, the weather is nice–there are day camps, company off-sites, and sleepovers. All the types of occasions where the people in charge don’t want to make breakfast but need to provide it. Benny and the guys come in a few times throughout the summer. It feels a little different from before. Benny doesn’t linger at the counter as much anymore and sometimes one of the other guys pays. It’s stupid little things that you shouldn’t notice, but you do, because they used to be part of your routine. It’s embarrassing thinking you let this crush on Benny become such a big part of your life that you’d notice he didn’t pay last time or the time before that. It’s that embarrassment that makes you start building a wall around that garden in your stomach so the flowers can’t reach your heart.
It’s the end of October when you’re opening up one morning and it registers for you that you haven’t seen Stuart since some time around June or July. His absence gnaws at you. You feel like a bad person for not noticing sooner; that feeling that you failed someone even though they weren’t your responsibility. You don’t know what to do or if there’s anything you actually can do. So when you see Benny a few weeks later it feels like a little bit of a last resort when you ask for his help.
—-
You were hoping that Benny would be the person paying this time when they all came in, so you could mention Stuart without having to pull him aside. But he doesn’t and it makes you a little anxious trying to figure out the best way to talk to him about something serious. So it’s a relief when it looks like he’s going to be the last one to leave. He’s behind Connors and when Connors makes it out the door, you stop Benny who’s close behind.
“Benny, hey. Do you have a second?”
You come out from behind the counter, nervously smoothing the apron tied around your waist in short downward strokes. Benny stops and lets the door go from his hand. You look upset and he hopes it’s not because he’s been acting standoffish lately. Ever since Connors asked about you, he’s been trying his best to act normal–whatever that means–around you.
“Did Connors’s card get declined again?”
You let out a small laugh, “No. Um, I was actually wondering if you could help me with something.”
Benny steps a little closer to you. You have some powdered sugar on your cheek and he has to stop himself from brushing it off.
“Yeah, of course. What’s going on?”
“This is probably going to sound weird, or stupid. Maybe both. But there’s this guy who h—”
Benny cuts you off; his voice is a little rougher, “If someone is bothering you, I’ll take care of it.”
You laugh awkwardly, “Oh no, it’s nothing like that. It’s this guy, Stuart. He usually hangs out around here and I have him come in sometimes for coffee or donuts and I haven’t seen him in…since maybe July, I think? I’m just a little worried.” You pause and try to read Benny’s face to see what he’s thinking, “Sorry, this probably sounds stupid to you. I don’t even know what I’m asking.”
Benny scratches his jaw piecing together what he thinks you’re getting at, “Do you know his last name?”
You notice that Benny’s voice has gone back to the soft tone that you’re used to. He’s looking at you with compassion and not like you’re stupid or some kind of burden. Benny is the kind of person that you would want helping you in a crisis and it makes you wish there were more people like him in his line of work.
“I don’t, but I printed a photo from the security camera I have.” You walk over to the counter and lean over, grabbing the photo from under the register. “I don’t even know if you can do anything with that. I watch a lot of crime shows. Don’t judge me.”
Benny laughs and shakes his head as you hand him the photo.
“I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Yeah of course. It’s…I don’t know. I’d feel like a bad person if something were to happen to him and I could have helped.”
Benny feels bad because he knows how these things generally end up. Usually there are no happy endings.
“You can’t put that on yourself.”
You nod your head, “I know, but still, you know?”
Benny understands the feeling and also understands it’s easier to tell someone something isn’t their fault than to know it yourself.
As Benny leaves you start to feel a bit lighter. Like someone has taken some of your worry, some of your concern and is carrying it for you; so you aren’t so weighed down.
—-
“What was that about?”
Benny is surprised to see Connors waiting for him in the parking lot.
“Nothing. Well, I guess there’s some guy, homeless, I don’t know. He usually hangs out around here. She hasn’t seen him for a while. She’s worried.”
Connors flicks a cigarette on to the pavement, “Figures she’s one of those bleeding heart types. What did you tell her?”
Benny pats his jacket and then his pants pockets feeling around for a pack of cigarettes, forgetting briefly that he’s trying to quit. Connors pulls his pack from his pocket and tosses them to Benny.
Benny pulls a cigarette out, “I told her I’d look into it.”
Connors laughs and hands Benny a lighter, “Chump.” He waits a beat for Benny to light his cigarette, “But, if you want. We can start looking into it now.”
Benny’s grateful it’s Connors out here and not one of the other guys. Benny and Connors go back further than just Major Crimes and he’s someone Benny would trust with his life.
—-
Benny’s worried that he’s going to have to deliver you bad news. Best case scenario seems like Stuart is in jail. Not great, but it would mean that he’s alive. Worst case scenario is that he can’t find Stuart and that usually doesn’t mean anything good. Benny is suddenly hoping for some kind of miracle for a person he doesn’t even know.
The photo you gave him does turn out to be useful. Connors is able to find him in the system through facial recognition. Stuart Morton has a record; a few arrests for driving while under the influence and some time in a county jail. Benny is able to get a last known address but it’s over a year old. It’s a sober living house that’s not actually that far from Glazy for You. He doesn’t have much hope that going there will bring him any closer to finding Stuart.
It takes a couple of weeks, but Benny is finally able to meet with David, the director of the sober living facility. He finds it’s better to meet with people in person. Talking with people over the phone, he’s learned, makes it easier for them to not give you the information you need. David of course is a little guarded at first with Benny; not wanting to share anything that could get Stuart in trouble, which Benny can’t really fault him for. Benny explains the situation, that the owner of a donut shop near here is worried because they haven’t seen him in a while. When Benny mentions your name to David, he lights up.
“Her glazed old fashioneds are the best ones in this entire state.” He pauses and to Benny it looks like he’s getting lost in the memory of a donut, a feeling he knows well.
“I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
David turns away from Benny to look through a drawer in a filing cabinet, “Just this year we got to talking and she’s been generous enough to donate breakfast here every month. And recently she’s been working with us on a job training program at her bakery.”
Benny thinks back to Connors calling you a ‘bleeding heart’ and is glad he came here by himself.
“She didn’t mention anything about knowing Stuart lived here.”
David pulls a folder from the cabinet and thumbs through it, “Stuart is the type to not overshare, so that doesn’t surprise me.” He pauses to write something down on a piece of paper and hands it to Benny, “Here. This is his sister Noreen’s information. When he left, he was going to be staying with her for a while. Might still be there.”
Benny barely makes it to his car before calling the number that David gave him.
—-
“Wait, so you’re saying that Noreen, the Noreen that comes in here, is Stuart’s sister?”
It’s late in the day, near the time that you close up. You and Benny are sitting across from each other at the table near the window. It’s hard to believe what he’s telling you, that Stuart used to be a resident at the sober living facility, the one where David works; that Noreen is Stuart’s sister and somehow all these dots never got connected for you.
“She didn’t realize that you two were,” Benny pauses looking for the right word, “friends. She feels terrible that you didn’t know he had moved out of the state and were worried. She said he’s doing well.”
You’re quiet for a moment, trying to take in everything Benny has been telling you. It’s a lot to process, considering you had been preparing yourself to hear bad news. You can feel your eyes fuzzy with a few tears and feel a little embarrassed to be getting so emotional over the good news.
“It’s such a relief to know that he’s doing okay.” You feel a tear slide down your cheek and quickly brush it away hoping that Benny didn’t see it.
Benny can tell you’re trying to keep yourself from crying and he wants to tell you that it’s okay, that there wouldn’t be any judgment from him. He has the overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around you, but he knows it would be wildly inappropriate. He feels awkward sitting here, looking around, trying to figure out what he should say.
“I like the Christmas decorations you have up.” It’s lame and he knows it, but it seems better than freaking you out with a hug. You smile at him and that feels reassuring.
“You do?” You look over at Benny, nodding his head, “I know it makes me basic, but I love Christmas. The lights, the decorations, the movies, the music. Expect to see a lot of green and red frosted donuts until December 31st.”
Benny laughs, “I’m looking forward to it.” He looks at his watch and starts to get up, “I should probably leave, so you can close up.”
You get up and follow Benny to the door, you put your hand on Benny’s forearm to stop him for a second and he feels a little spark through this jacket.
“Thank you, again, for everything.”
“I’m glad I could help. And that everything turned out okay.”
You’re not sure what it is that compels you to hug him, but you do. Maybe it’s the gentleness of his voice, or how he’s looking at you in a way he hasn’t before. It feels intimate and dreamy and it’s hard for you to recall the last time anyone has looked at you like that. It happens so fast that Benny barely has time to register what happened.
It hits him as he’s walking to his car–the delayed feeling of your arms around him. It strikes Benny that maybe there’s a chance you like him, that maybe you’re both kind of stupid and clumsy, and afraid to ask the other one out. There’s the realization that one of you will have to make the first move or it will go on like this forever. That he will see you every few months at your job, that he’ll get a free donut occasionally. It’s not enough for Benny and he knows that he can’t be stupid about this much longer.
—-
It’s the last piss test party of the year–the week before Christmas. The concept is idiotic–sure it made sense at one point when Benny wasn’t wading into the deep end of forty. Going to a cheap hotel to get drunk and high, have sex with women that Nick found God knows where. It was never appealing to Benny but he used to understand the idea of celebrating after your mandatory drug test. Now he usually just sits, drinks a beer or two, and tries to avoid contact with everyone. There’s something especially depressing about it during this time of year.
Benny’s spent the last few days mulling over the best way to ask you out. He regrets not asking you when he was giving you the news about Stuart. Although there’s a part of him that thinks maybe you would have felt obligated to say yes given the circumstances. He thinks about asking you tonight, if they end up there, but he doesn’t want to do it in front of the guys because you might feel obligated then too, maybe even feeling sorry for him and not wanting to embarrass him in front of everyone by saying no. If you say yes, he wants it to be because you actually mean it, he doesn’t want there to be any room for doubt.
His decision is made for him, because when they get to Glazy for You, you aren’t there. Benny can’t remember if there’s ever been a time when you haven’t been there, behind the counter, greeting him warmly. It’s a little bit of a shock to his system to see a middle-aged man in a goofy Christmas sweater in your place. Benny’s good at thinking up doomsday scenarios and imagines one in which you’re trying to avoid him, so you no longer work this early in the morning. But then he thinks of when you hugged him and that even though it was quick, it was like your touch had gone directly to his heart. He doesn’t stay much longer, opting to go home, lay in his bed, and try to figure out what he’s going to do.
—-
You used to hate working during the holidays. Maybe it’s because you were working for other people and not yourself. Maybe it was because the work you were doing felt unimportant and people expected you to care even when everything else around you was winding down. Five years ago the thought of working on Christmas Eve would have made you want to walk into traffic. Now it feels different, like maybe you’re contributing to the holiday experience versus missing out on it entirely. You’ve always loved Christmas, but Christmas Eve is your favorite day of the year. It just feels more special somehow. There’s anticipation and excitement in the air. It’s possible it’s a product of all the Christmas movies you’ve watched over the years where there’s the idea that anything seems possible on this day. There’s something about the idea of your life changing for the better, surrounded by twinkle lights and ornaments that you find very appealing.
The morning is kind of slow–you spend most of it watching holiday episodes of tv shows on your phone. Around 11am you start cleaning up–taking trays out of cases, boxing up the donuts that are left to drop off at the comic book shop next door. You’re looking forward to going home and laying on the couch the rest of the day, queuing up your standard Christmas Eve movies. You’re ready to watch Scrooged and feel abnormally homesick, but then put on Christmas Vacation and remember why it’s never a good idea to spend Christmas with your entire family.
You’re in the back when you hear the bell on the door jingle, letting you know someone is out front. You consider just staying where you are, pretending no one is here so you can wrap up your day. You don’t want to have to tell anyone that you can’t help them with their donut emergency–getting yelled at on Christmas Eve is not something you’ve prepared yourself for today. So it’s a pleasant surprise when you make your way back out to the front and you see Benny.
“Hey, this is a—hi.” You’re not sure why you’re suddenly unable to put together a decent sentence.
Benny rubs the back of his neck with his hand, “Is this a bad time?”
“No. No, well. I mean, unless you were looking for a few dozen donuts. Then it definitely is.”
Benny smiles, “Actually, I, um, was,” he pauses and tries to collect himself, he can suddenly feel his heart beating in his ears, “I wanted to ask you out. On a date.” The feeling has spread to his skull.
When he says it, it’s almost like the words traveled through your brain and you can’t comprehend what’s actually happening. Benny, the guy you’ve been harboring your fragile middle school crush on, is here asking you out. It makes little, if any sense to you.
“Are you just trying to get more free donuts?”
Benny shakes his head no, “I promise I’m not.”
You’re quiet as you consider what he’s asked–trying to reprocess the information in your mind so that it makes sense. When all the words are finally in place and you repeat them in your mind, you feel some of those flowers that you’d walled up in your stomach starting to push through the cracks.
“Yeah, okay.” You grab a business card from the counter, write your number on the back, and hand it to Benny.
Benny’s not sure he’s ever heard anything better than yeah, okay in his life, it’s like a bolt of lightning right to his core. He puts the card with your number in the chest pocket of his jacket, the safest place he can think of.
“Great. Amazing.” Benny laughs nervously. “I need to get back to work. I’ll text you.”
“Okay. Well, have a good Christmas, Benny.”
“You too.”
Benny gives his standard small wave as he leaves and you lock the door after him. When he’s out of sight you let out a squeal and excitedly dance in place. Your phone vibrating in your back pocket interrupts you mid-happy dance.
Hey, it’s Benny. Are you free for dinner on the 27th at 7?
Benny watches dots appear and then disappear on his phone. It feels a little bit like torture as he sits in his truck waiting for you to respond.
Dinner on the 27th at 7 sounds great
Benny releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, Let me think of a place and I’ll text you the address
Sounds good. And you meant Dec 27th right?
Benny laughs to himself, Yes dec 27. I’m not going to wait until jan to take you to dinner
Just making sure 🙂
You read his last text at least ten more times before finally going back into the kitchen like you had intended. Each time you read it, there’s a sensation in your stomach like bricks dissolving and flowers blooming again.
—-
Benny texts you on the morning of the 26th with a restaurant name and an address. You already have the sense that he’s different, the type of person who has follow-through. You try to temper your excitement about dinner with him, not wanting to do that thing you sometimes do where you make something out to be more than it is. You keep telling yourself that it’s just dinner, nothing more. But as you pull up to the restaurant a few minutes late and see Benny standing outside, looking nervous in dark denim and a green flannel, you let yourself think that maybe it could be a little more than just dinner.
“Sorry I’m a little late, I hope you weren’t waiting long?”
Benny smiles when he sees you standing in front of him, “I just got here a few minutes ago.”
It’s a lie; the last one he’ll tell tonight; but he doesn’t want you to know that he was so amped up about this evening that he got to the restaurant thirty minutes early. On the way in, when you pass in front of him, your perfume delicately floats by him. It’s earthy, but slightly sweet, with cinnamon and vanilla blending neatly in–he’s sure it’s the most beautiful thing that he’s ever smelled.
It’s a French restaurant, one that you’ve never been to before, but it’s cozy and still in the Christmas spirit. There are multicolored lights strung up and silver tinsel hanging from the ceiling.
“Have you been here before?” Looking at Benny from across the table and you can see flecks of silver in his facial hair catching the light of the candle on the table.
“My sister and her husband had their tenth anniversary party here last year. Most of my restaurant choices come from wherever she has an anniversary party.”
You laugh, “Nice. Do you just have the one sister?”
Benny has just the one sister, you learn, among other things. You find talking to Benny is easy, he doesn’t give one word answers to questions like some men you’ve gone out with. Where trying to get to know them is like trying to get to know a slab of pavement. He’s funnier than you thought, something that you didn’t expect, but is a nice surprise.
“Did you always want to be a detective?”
Benny butters a piece of bread, “To be honest, the only thing I wanted to be growing up was a magician. I guess I saw one too many David Copperfield specials as a kid.”
You start laughing, “Do you know any magic tricks?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know. What about you?”
“I don’t know any, no.” You shrug jokingly as Benny laughs. “But, yeah, I guess I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to be doing. I’m lucky that things have worked out how they have.”
Benny’s curious now, “You didn’t always work in a bakery?”
“Nope. I actually used to work in tech. It’s kind of a long story.”
“Well, I’m not in any hurry to end the evening.”
There’s something about Benny that puts you at ease, that makes you comfortable enough to want to open up to him. Something that you would never normally consider doing on a first date. You don’t feel the need to downplay that you made a lot of money when a company you worked for in New York was bought out. He doesn’t flinch when you tell him that the reason you moved to California was because of your now ex-husband. He tells you about his own divorce and for the first time in a long time you don’t feel so unlike yourself on a first date. It doesn’t feel scary telling him that you felt insignificant in your own life because of your work and your marriage. That every conversation with your husband made you feel like a burden.There’s a moment when you start to apologize, out of habit, but he stops you. He smiles when you say that the divorce was the best thing to happen to you because it–and you hate to say it like this–gave you your power back.
“I always wanted to own my own business and I love donuts, so when the divorce happened, I just said fuck it, and went for it. Just threw myself into it.”
“I’m glad you did, I don’t know where else I’d get an apple fritter that good. And for free.”
“Yeah, about that.” You smile playfully, “I’m going to have to start charging you before you put me out of business.”
Benny makes a show of looking at his watch, pretending to want to leave, “I guess we should probably call it an evening then?”
He likes the way you laugh, how it’s kind of loud and fills the room. It makes him feel good, to hear you laugh, to see you smile; like he’s responsible for some bit of happiness you’re experiencing.
“See, I knew this was a scam.”
As the waiter clears the table and they wait for the check, Benny asks you what your favorite donut is.
You don’t even have to think about it, “Definitely a maple bar.”
Benny watches as your eyes light up, telling him how you first had one when you spent the summer between fifth and sixth grade visiting your aunt in Seattle. He listens to you describe how your mom was, in the nicest terms you can find, an extreme dieter, who tried her best to pass all of her food issues down to you, and never let donuts in the house. But your aunt didn’t care and the first thing she did once she would pick you up from the airport was take you to her favorite bakery. It was the highlight of every summer after that until you graduated high school. It was the first donut you learned how to make because on the east coast they’re hard to find. You laugh when you say the best part of moving to the west coast is that every donut place has maple bars, but you’d like to think that yours are the best. Benny can’t help but think it’s cute.
Benny doesn’t want the night to end; he knows that you took a cab to the restaurant so he offers to drive you home. You try not to sound too eager in accepting his offer, but fail.
“Yeah, I’d love that.”
You ask him if he wants you to put your address into google maps for directions, but he doesn’t need them. Benny spends so much time driving all over the city that he knows every street, every highway, every interstate. The map exists in his head; he can get anywhere without really having to think about it. Benny drives you through some unfamiliar, but beautiful neighborhoods. The homes are still decorated and lit up, it’s like driving through the set of a Christmas movie–the only thing missing is snow.
You ask him more about his job, the guys he works with. You like hearing the stories that Benny has about them. You can tell by the way he talks about him, that he’s closest with Connors. You finally learn everyone’s first names and how Benny got his nickname–which you had previously googled out of curiosity. You ask if it bothers him to be called a drunk.
“Knowing the shit they all get into, not really.”
He says that it doesn’t matter what they call him because he knows that in any situation they’ll have his back and he’ll have theirs. That’s what he cares about.
When he pulls up to your house; a small, one-story home, string lights along the frame and around the windows; it looks exactly like he’d imagined. You both sit quietly for a few minutes unsure what to do next.
Eventually you unbuckle your seatbelt, “I had a really good time tonight, Benny.”
“Me too. Come on, I’ll walk you to your door.” he looks over at you, “protect and serve, you know.” Benny knows it’s a dumb joke, but you laugh anyway.
When you get to the top of your steps, you find it hard to say goodbye. His face is illuminated by the Christmas lights and you can tell he doesn’t want to say goodbye either. You start to say something, you’re not even sure what, but no words come out because Benny’s mouth is on yours, his hands gently cradling your face. His lips are soft and you can feel the warmth of his tongue asking for permission. You drop your keys onto the porch and pull him closer to you by his belt loops.
It feels like hours have passed when Benny finally pulls away, “Sorry. I’ve been wanting to do that for months.”
You rest your hands on his chest, “Next time,” you gently tug on his shirt collar, “don’t wait so long.”
Benny smiles as he watches you crouch down to pick up the keys you dropped. When you stand back up, he reaches towards your face, his fingers grazing behind your ear, “Hold on, you have something in your—” Benny sweeps his fingers against your hair and when he brings his hand in front of you, he’s holding a small, folded piece of paper.
You take it from him, unfolding it. When you see the words ‘what are you doing for new years?’ written down you start grinning, “So you do still know some magic tricks.”
Benny places his hand on your neck, his thumb stroking your cheek, “A few.”
#benny magalon x reader#benny magalon x f!reader#benny borracho magalon x reader#benny borracho magalon x f!reader#borracho magalon x reader#den of thieves fic#christmas fic#holiday fic#this christmas fic
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Ive been meaning to get into the Hotel.. whats the speedrun guide? If you dont mind sharing
Anon I am kissing you on the forehead I am SO glad you asked, bestie! Please also feel free to come into my DMs and go "WHEN THE LOBBY BOY!!! AND THE MANAGER!!! AND THE OWNER!!!" so I can be like "Oh bestie I KNOW!!!"
THE HOTELPOD SPEEDRUN GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUSY LIVES
(written by Kwiyatsi, who has some form of Hotelpod Cordyceps)
SEASON 1:
really you just need the first two episodes and then owner i-iv. the rest is flavor text. jenny range HIGHLY encouraged but not needed. also noreen highly recommended but not needed for trespasses.
SEASON 2:
burger baby and cracker man are the only episodes that matter, emotionally. we love burger baby and cracker man. but they are flavor text. really just skip to echo box and then return.
SEASON 3:
look man i'm gonna be straight with you this whole season is the most "plot" it gets. if you really want to run it you should do "a guest checks in" and then jump to avoid and finish the season from there.
SEASON 4:
the only "plot" is the owner v, x-x, and judy blashy. the rest you can skip. i rec carl larpe because madam is there and so is the manager. GIRL'S NIGHT [explodes into gore]
SEASON 5:
again, this is plot-heavy but you can skip down to we are watching and listen through to The Auditor and then skip until you get to the NYE double whammy of it's new year's eve + reaper's envy.
And then you should be current! Feel free to roam through the episodes. As I understand it the Bonus episodes like "The Pets" are more soft-canon goofs than Plot Required Episodes. Also Trespasses is soft-canon? I think? But it's tasty.
#The Hotel Podcast#Anon. Bestie. Come join me. Come off Anon and into my DMs and howl#we are in this TOGETHER friendo!!!
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Day 6 - Sharpuary (Kneazle)
My last few prompts were a little angsty so have some more fluff for this prompt, enjoy! ❤️
“You’re clock-watching again.” Nurse Blainey teased you, making your face turn bright red.
Every Thursday, around five o’clock, you’d find yourself getting embarrassingly excited about Aesop's routine visit. He had made a habit out of visiting you in the Hospital Ward to top up your supply of potions.
“I can’t understand why you don’t just tell him how you feel” she continued with a soft chuckle.
“Noreen!” you exclaimed, hitting her arm playfully. “I told you, it’s not like that.”
Who were you kidding? It was exactly like that.
Noreen let out a hearty laugh. “Yeah, ok, if you say so.”
You tried to busy yourself but quickly fell idle, twiddling your thumbs as you leaned against the desk, watching the minutes tick by.
It was ten past five.
“Do you think he’s ok?” You asked Noreen. “He’s never been late before.”
Noreen was busy at the far side of the room but you still managed to see her eyes roll at you. “He’s got a life you know, he’s probably busy with work.” She called out.
You turned back to face the clock, letting your mind wander and overthink. You were so deep in thought you didn’t hear Noreen creep up behind you.
“Maybe he’s on a date” she whispered in your ear before erupting into laughter.
You tutted at her, shooing her off as you desperately tried to busy your mind.
The next time you glanced at the clock it was twenty-past-five which caused you to panic. Aesop had many qualities but tardiness was definitely not one of them.
“Noreen, I’m just going to check on him. My shift’s over at half past and I’d like to sort out the potions before I leave.”
She chuckled at you once more, as you proved to be a great source of entertainment. “You need to work on your excuses, but go ahead.”
You quickly pulled your coat over your shoulders and scurried out of the hospital wing. As you descended the stairs you eyed the door to Aesops' chambers. You’d never actually stepped foot in there, but you had shared many late-night conversations with him as he towered in the door frame. You started to walk past it, heading for the potions classroom but stopped abruptly in your tracks as you heard a kerfuffle and a high-pitched squeal from inside his room.
“Aesop?” you called out as you approached his door.
Once again you heard a loud bang and started to panic, instantly going to the worst-case scenario, worrying he’d fallen over and was lying on the ground unconscious. You tried his door handle and slowly opened it when you found it to be unlocked.
Nerves flooded your body as the door crept open, knowing you were about to cross a boundary by entering his private chambers. His musky scent of sandalwood and fire whiskey hit you immediately, bringing a strange sense of calmness to your nerves.
As the door fully opened you stood in awe at the sight in front of you.
His room had been completely trashed, but more concerning than that, a large Kneazle was wandering freely around the living space and Aesop, the stern, well-put-together professor who towered over any student, intimidating them with a simple glare, was standing on top of a table cowering from the beast in pure terror. Needless to say, you burst out laughing.
“Don’t just stand there!” He shouted at you. “Help me.”
���Help you?” You questioned him, wiping a tear from your eye as you managed to stop laughing.
“Yes! My wands on the side, I’m trapped.”
You watched Aesop flinch as the Kneazle completed another lap around the table he remained standing on. Out of kindness, you shut the door to his chambers, shielding him from any prying eyes, but you couldn’t help but laugh and admire the sight that presented itself in front of you.
“So, you’re afraid of Kneazles?” You asked him, leaning against the door with your arms crossed.
“I’m not afraid,” He corrected you, trying to appear brave. The Kneazle sat down looking up at Aesop and let out an enormous yawn, making him nearly fall off the table in a panic. “They’re just unpredictable beasts… I’m not a fan.”
You chuckled at the sight, making no attempt to help him. Aesop grew frustrated.
“Ok, fine! I’m afraid of them!” He shouted. “Just please, help me.”
You meandered over to the Kneazle, scratching its head as it rubbed against your leg.
“Well, I don’t think you’re scary,” you said in a baby voice to the oblivious Kneazle. You looked up at Aesop once more, letting a snigger escape your mouth before you conjured the nab-sack to remove the beast. “Better?” you ask him, offering your hand for him to get down.
Aesop rudely, but understandably, disregards your hand and climbs off the table, trying desperately to hold on to his last little shred of dignity. You both stand in silence for a minute, staring into each other's eyes, waiting for the other person to speak.
Suddenly your eyes widen and once again you burst out laughing. “You screamed!” You manage to state breathlessly. “I heard a high-pitched squeal! It was you!”
Aesop’s face turns bright red and he begins to protest. “No. It wasn’t me. It must have come from somewhere else.”
You somehow manage to compose yourself after choking on your full-bellied laughs. “Your secret is safe with me,” you assure him with a gentle pat on his arm. “How did it get in here anyway?”
“Weasley.” He grumbled. “If you’ll excuse me, I have an eternity of detentions to hand out.”
AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53448181/chapters/135602269
#hogwarts legacy#hogwarts legacy fandom#professor sharp#aesop sharp#professor aesop sharp#daddy sharp#hogwarts#sharpuary 2024#sharpuary
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STWG Prompt: Accidental Confession
CW for MCD
It wasn't an unusual morning for Wayne, sitting at the counter of Benny's Burgers in early November. It was early in the morning, just before sunrise, and the diner was near empty, just him sitting at the counter and doing his best not to nod off. Benny refilled his coffee cup to keep it hot and Wayne curled his fingers around the ceramic to let it warm his hands. He wouldn't be able to stay and enjoy the quiet company for as long as he'd like to, he'd have to be getting home to make sure his boy was up for school. Sometimes he needed an extra nudge to get himself up.
"Good night for you?" Benny's voice was low as he leaned against the counter, looking up slightly to meet Wayne's gaze.
"Few power surges, they've been getting more frequent." He took a long drink and sighed. "Seems no one knows what's causing them, or if anyone does, they sure ain't saying anything. It sure makes the night more hectic."
Benny clicked his tongue. "Seems something strange is happening. It's the right time of year for it."
"How do you figure?"
"Days are getting shorter, nights are getting longer. More time for whatever lurks in those woods."
Wayne chuckled. "That right? Don't tell me you believe that nonsense." He admired Benny as much as he dared and his gaze dropped as the other man stretched his arms. "Nothing's in those woods except deer and the odd bear. And those damn opossums that keep getting into the trash."
"That's all you've seen in those woods, Wayne. Doesn't mean there isn't more out there." Benny patted the counter and turned away to grab a rag. "How's that boy of yours doing? Staying out of trouble?"
"He tries his best. Doing alright, though. Can't seem to keep him on the straight and narrow, but it ain't like I wasn't getting into trouble at his age." He chuckled. "Just gotta get him through this last year of high school, then we'll see about getting his future figured out."
"I could always use a hand around here. I'll have him washing dishes and wiping tables. Noreen and the girls'll keep an eye on him."
"God bless you, Benny, don't know what this town would be without you." Wayne sighed, face warming in a way that had him feeling like a teenager himself. "Not sure what I'd do without you."
"That right?" Benny glanced over his shoulder and Wayne took a long drink of his coffee to hide his grin, even though it burned his tongue. "Not sure what I'd do without you either, Wayne. You make these early mornings worth it."
"Careful there Benny, you might give a guy the wrong idea there."
"Wouldn't want to give you the wrong idea."
Wayne was sure he was blushing now and stared down into his coffee. When he looked back up, Benny was facing him. Wayne had never considered himself to be particularly brave, he kept to himself and lived a quiet life. The most excitement he tended to see was when Eddie got picked up for one thing or another by the chief of police and he had to go bail him out. But maybe he could be brave now. He'd never gotten a chance like this before, not with someone he admired like he did Benny. "And what might that wrong idea be?"
"Feels like I'm the one who should be asking." Benny chuckled and a warm palm pressed against the back of Wayne's hand. "You're the one who brought it up, aren't you?"
"You know how small towns can be. A guy's gotta be careful about what he says and to who." Wayne licked his lips nervously. "Wouldn't want you to think I'm making a pass at you." He looked down at the large hand and the way it pressed against his. Hands rough with age and time, similar to his but so different at the same time.
"And if a guy wanted you to be making a pass at him?" Benny blew out a slow breath. "...probably shouldn't have said that." He went to pull his hand away, but Wayne let go of the mug to catch it.
Wayne let out a low chuckle and laced their fingers together. It felt dangerous, doing this in the open. It had been a long time since he'd been allowed to touch another man like this. Even if the restaurant was empty, he knew how risky this was. "I'm glad you said it. Wasn't sure I'd be brave enough."
"C'mere," Benny murmured. He let go of Wayne's hand and waved for him to follow. Wayne's hand felt cold without the contact. He thought this might be what young love felt like. The kind of experience he might have had as a young man if he'd been the kind of person the world had wanted him to be.
His breath caught as he followed Benny into the pantry, the space just small enough to feel crammed with the two of them in it. "Are you sure about this?"
"I'm sure." Benny's hand felt even better when it caressed his cheek. Then he was leaning in and warm lips pressed against Wayne's. It was chaste, but it was the best kiss Wayne had ever gotten. Not that there had been many to compare it to, but that didn't make it any less wonderful.
"Wish you would've said something sooner," Wayne murmured, blinking up at him. "Could've been doing this longer."
"You weren't saying anything either." Benny chuckled and leaned in for another soft kiss.
They shared soft kisses until, after losing track of time, the bell on the door rang. "Shit," Wayne breathed.
"You come back tomorrow morning, alright? I'll be here waiting for you." Benny pressed one more short kiss to his lips before hurrying out of the pantry.
Wayne wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and chuckled softly. "What a man," he said softly.
He went home to the trailer park, woke up Eddie and made sure he was off to school, then laid down to get some sleep, dreaming of a future he'd never truly considered for himself. One where the occasional fishing trip was a little more than what it had once been.
He went to work that night in high spirits, though the news of a young boy in town going missing sobered the mood a bit. The following morning was worse. He found blood, so much blood, a gun laying on the table near-
He called the police from the diner's phone and with a little self control, kept himself from breaking until he could get home.
#stwgdailyprompt#stranger things#wayne munson#benny hammond#wayne/benny#i don't think they have a ship name damn
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SephGen want to build some ikea furniture for Angeal for his birthday, how does it go?
This takes place in four parts:
In IKEA:
Genesis loses Sephiroth within thirty seconds of entering the store. He proceeds to spend the next three hours looking for him. He ends up finding him in the office section holding six Blahaj sharks
Genesis, not wanting to cause a scene, lets Sephiroth hold the Blahaji (Blahaj? Blahajes?) for the time being
Angeal had mentioned needing more shelf space for his plants, and he needed a new tv stand/media console anyway
So, having done his research, Genesis immediately goes to find the LAIVA/BRIMNES combination
Sephiroth insists on buying two because he knows they’ll screw SOMETHING up
After Genesis agreed to this, Sephiroth spent fifteen minutes using his cutest sad kitten eyes to convince Genesis to let him buy all six Blahaji (I have decided this is how I will say Blahaj pluralized)
It finally worked
After spending forty five minutes wandering around in the garage looking for their car only to realize they were on the wrong level, the pair finally make it back to Shinra HQ
Getting the many boxes —each one comes in like five different boxes—and six Blahaji up the seventy four levels to their apartments:
The combined weight and size of the boxes is too much for the regular elevator
so they take the cargo elevator
Problem is, the cargo elevator is slow as hell
Sephiroth spends the entire time naming his Blahaji
They are now Norbert, Nola, Noreen, Nelson, Nadia, and Benedict Bertram Bradford the thirty fourth
Genesis was reciting LOVELESS in his best approximation of a Swedish accent
This was how Sephiroth learned Genesis can’t mimic a Swedish accent for shit
The elevator ride from hell/heaven/somewhere in between finally ends
In a panicked last resort, Zack, who has been tasked with distracting Angeal, decides to eat the key to Angeal’s office with Angeal locked inside (his office was a refurbished storage room; it locked from the outside)
Sephiroth and Genesis manage to get the boxes into Angeal’s apartment with minimal difficulty
Constructing the shelf/media console:
Two hours, one set of burned instructions and one mangled IKEA prefab furniture set that now resembles modern art layer, it is constructed and set up
The tv is set up on it, and they even put some plants on the shelves!
Some highlights from the construction include:
Genesis screaming at the instruction booklet because it didn’t tell him one painfully obvious thing
Sephiroth almost drilling a hole through his hand with an electric drill
Genesis spending five minutes searching for a screw that he was sitting on
Genesis almost throwing one of the metal bars through the window because he accidentally bent it in another separate fit of rage
Sephiroth using the Masamune to cut open the boxes, almost slicing a hole in Angeal’s ugly yellow carpet he bought for five dollars at a garage sale in the process
and finally…
Angeal’s reaction!
Angeal finally gets someone to unlock him from his office and is told by a beaming Zack to come to his (Angeal’s) apartment for a birthday surprise!
He is delighted to see his two closest friends holding a banora white apple pie from a local bakery and some streamers taped crookedly to the walls in random places
The pair lead Angeal into the living room, where he is met with the sight of the glorious shelving unit
Angeal is very happy because it combines the tv stand and shelving! It’s efficient!
After celebrating for a little bit, he notices the mangled wreck that is the failed attempt, which Sephiroth and genesis had pushed into the corner in the hopes that Angeal wouldn’t notice the SEVEN FOOT TALL COALESCENCE OF TWISTED METAL AND BROKEN WOODEN PANELS
”Guys, what is that pile of junk in the corner?” Angeal asked
Genesis quickly came up with a story
”They were doing a two for one, so we decided to take the deal and turn the other into modern art to donate to the local gallery in your name! Isn’t that nice? We decided to call it ‘My house reeks of failure!’”
Angeal is skeptical but allows Genesis and Sephiroth to be proud of themselves for doing something nice for a friend, doing it successfully, and doing it without causing severe property damage.
#ff7#ffvii#final fantasy#final fantasy 7#sephiroth#genesis rhapsodos#ffvii crisis core#angeal hewley#final fantasy vii#zack fair#answering at midnight
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A silly idea that came to mind.
Basically my MC lived like a Victorian street urchin for a good part of his life and obviously the medical and health conditions were not the best.Set before Hogwarts where Mc lived the first days with Fig to recover his years of studies. Fig notices something strange both in MC and subsequently in him, itching...It doesn't take long to realize they were fleas.😅How would he react?Ps. Sorry for the mistakes but English is not my language
Hey no worries~ english isn't my first language either and I see no mistakes 😌 I got it just right:
Here's to MC and Fig having fleas
Fig never noticed. How could he? He didn't have experience with girls like this one. Most of his students were pureblods or halfblods who grew up in a magical or halfmagical house. And those who didn't... Well, they learned pretty quickly that Hogwarts had baths and water.
MC wasn't unclean per se. But she could definitely improve her habits. Like washing her hair.
Now, fleas were curious creatures. Many people thought they appeared on dirty heads, but actually, fleas, like most living creatures, liked clean homes. Maybe if MC didn't spend her time with her former friends... But who was Fig to blame muggles for uncontrolable things. No, he would blame hinself for not noticing sooner.
MC didn't hide the itching. He found her scratching her head more than once while studying and learning her abcs and numbers. He chalked it up to her scalp being dry. It could happen, he thought, after spending so much without much more than a brush.
And then he found himself scratching too. He didn't notice. Of course he didn't notice.
Not until he actually felt something moving between his fingernails.
"Oh f*ck," he muttered. "I'll owl Noreen."
As luck had it, Noreen was out of potions, and her lovely discretion was lost the moment Aesop hears he nodded an anti-flea potion.
"Fleas, Eleazar?" Aesop asked, smirking at his colleagues suffering. "Where did you say you found her?"
Fig glared at him. MC was washing the potion off her hair, brushing off the nasty bugs in the process.
"It's not her fault," he defended.
"Of course not," Sharp grinned. "As her guardian, you should have noticed and guide her. There's a charm, you know? My mother used to cast it on me when I was like 7."
Fig rolled his eyes at his noisy friend. He never had children. Why would he know about those tricks?
"Don't forget to tell me it before you leave."
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Give me a Hogwarts Legacy Character and one of my main OCs in an ask and I’ll tell you what they think of each other!
Send as many asks as you want
My Main OCs
Phineas Hearst
Marie McKay
Zsuzsi Schröder
Characters (Students)
Adelaide Oakes
Arthur Plummly
Charlotte Morrison
Evangeline Bardsley
Poppy Sweeting
Sacharissa Tugwood
Lenora Everleigh
Cressida Blume
Eric Northcott
Garreth Weasley
Lawrence Davies
Leander Prewett
Natsai Onai
Astoria Crickett
Amit Thakkar
Duncan Hobhouse
Everett Clopton
Mahendra Pehlwaan
Samantha Dale
Anne Sallow
Sebastian Sallow
Ominis Gaunt
Imelda Reyes
Grace Pinch-Smedley
Violet McDowell
Characters (Teachers)
Phineas Nigellus Black
Matilda Weasley
Eleazar Fig
Aesop Sharp
Dinah Hecat
Mirabel Garlick
Abraham Ronen
Cuthbert Binns
Bai Howin
Chiyo Kogawa
Mudiwa Onai
Satyavati Shah
Noreen Blainey
Agnes Scribner
Gladwin Moon
#hphl#Hogwarts legacy#Harry Potter Hogwarts Legacy#Phineas Hearst#Marie McKay#zsuzsi schröder#Adelaide Oakes#Arthur Plummly#Charlotte Morrison#Evangeline Bardsley#Lenora Everleigh#Poppy Sweeting#Sacharissa Tugwood#Cressida Blume#Natsai Onai#Garreth Weasley#Leander Prewett#Lawrence Davies#Eric Northcott#Amit Thakkar#Samantha Dale#Astoria Crickett#Duncan Hobhouse#Mahendra Pehlwaan#Everett Clopton#Anne Sallow#Sebastian Sallow#Imelda Reyes#Ominis Gaunt#Grace Pinch-Smeldy
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I saw the person you responded to reiterating that the Water Tribes were never colonized.
https://www.tumblr.com/zauncomeon/747921571188015104
hey, thanks for sending me this. I’m pretty sure I’m blocked so I can’t respond, but tbh they don’t seem like they want to hear what I have to say anyway, even though that post ended with “even if they were a coloniser x colonised ship (which they are) I’d still ship them”.
like, cool. no one’s telling you not, but to deny that the SWT didn’t experience colonisation just because there weren’t any settler colonies or to dismiss genocide as if that isn’t a tool of colonisation/isn’t as bad is crazy.
they’re just in denial of the realities of their ship and are trying to sanitise it when they could just acknowledge it to try and avoid any distasteful fan work but they don’t.
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As the summer holiday approaches, I beseech you to stay hydrated! Avoid long-term exposure to the sun and remember to take breaks in these sweltering months.
Friendly reminder that a dementors kiss, while quite chilling, is not a healthy way to beat the heat.
Marge dearest, I am looking at you.
#nurse blainey#hogwarts legacy#hogwarts legacy game#noreen blainey#marge blainey#ask nurse blainey#noreen blainey x marge blainey#noreen x marge#marge blainey x noreen blainey
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Nice to meet you, I'm Marge Blainey!
For those of you who don't know, I'm married to [the cutest most adorable] Nurse at Hogwarts, Noreen Blainey. I work at the Three Broomsticks bussing tables and I meet with my best friends Char Sallow [@rypnami] and Richard Jackdaw [@ask-richard-jackdaw] every Saturday to play Gobstones. My hobbies include writing, thinking about my wife and sneaking into Hogwarts to visit her. If you happen to catch me on one of my incognito visits, don't be afraid to say hi! But also don't tell anyone or I will hex you.
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I’m on the names AGAIN
Some of you may know, name etymology is a perennial hyperfixation of mine, so every once in a while, I burrow down and get lost in the name sauce. If you want more information about the history of a name or are looking for some name variation options to trans or translate a name, send me an ask!
Here’s a list of names I’ve done in the past:
Alice
Angie/Angela
Ann/Anne/Anna/Hannah
Benjamin (feminine version?)
Brooke
Byron
Candace
Carrie/Caroline
Catherine/Katherine
Cecile/Cecilia
Cynthia
Declan
Derek/Dirk
Elliot
Gregory/Greg
James
Janine
Judith
Hadrian
Harriet
Kara
Lee/Leigh
Lewis/Louis
Lillian
Linnea
Marian
Megan
Nathaniel
Noreen/Nora (masculine version?)
Reabetswe
Rebecca
Renee/Rene
Ridge
Sanne
Sophia/Sophie
Suzanna/Suzanne
Xeni/Xenia
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