𝕓𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔 𝕨𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟

casper choked on a laugh.  leave it to both of them to drop innuendos at the strangest times.  only the two of them knew the truth–everyone else was just an outsider in their world. “hell yeah, I wanna share a milkshake.  but only if it’s chocolate.  I think vanilla anything is an abomination.” he tried to relax–after all, Billie’s comment had most likely been meant as a harmless joke.  and anyway, they were still getting to know eachother.  why did the whole idea of a wedding make his head spin and his knees weak?

 mr. hall couldn’t leave fast enough, and casper let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.  the man was very grumpy, and apparently had no appreciation for human affection and interaction.  still, cas had seen him at the bookstore, so perhaps keeping his mouth shut (and keeping the man’s business) was his best bet. the way his gaze followed after the other man’s departing footsteps sure as hell showed how badly casper wanted to speak up.  but he didn’t.

“customers are weird.  you so much as breathe in their direction and suddenly, you owe ‘em your life.”  having dealt with customers most of his life, casper had seen it all.  he definitely knew when to hold his tongue, though most times it wasn’t easy.  he was suddenly hyperaware of billie’s presence next to him, and suddenly, his entire face was on fire.

how did this woman have such an effect on him?  casper was certain he’d never know the answer for sure.  he sighed softly, his posture relaxing.  the way billie made him nervous was so intoxicating and exciting.  he hoped those feelings wouldn’t go away, not for a long time.  “then I made an appearance at the perfect time.”  he leaned forward, pressing a light kiss to billie’s forehead, then pulled away with a sheepish grin.  “you got any preference on your dippin’ sauces?”

a hint of a smile tugged at the outermost corners of billie's lips at casper's request. she could've guessed a mile off that he'd want a chocolate milkshake; anything else just simply wouldn't be sweet enough for him. "alright, deal. we'll share a chocolate shake. i'm honored that you're prepared to share it with me, to be honest. i didn't have you down as a 'sharin' food' kinda guy." except there was far more to it than that. it came down to the fact that she was actually nervous for this -- what even was it? they hadn't labelled it as a date, but it definitely felt like it was going to be a date.

as casper watched mr. hall leave, billie's gaze was fixated on him and the way he visibly relaxed when the older man had left. "don't let him get t'ya," she offered absentmindedly, eyes still focused on the door that mr. hall had just exited through. "he's a grumpy ass. ain't never seen a smile from him in all the years i've been servin' him." of course, she was doing her job, doing what she got paid to do day in and day out, but a bit of gratitude from customers every so often wouldn't go amiss.

billie couldn't help but notice the soft sigh from casper, and a brow arched in wordless questioning. perhaps it was residual tension from mr. hall's joyous visit, she reasoned. it made sense - she was hardly a fan of the older man herself. "mm, sure you did. i think you'll find that any time is the perfect time when you're armed with a cupcake like that one."

the kiss to her forehead was so ridiculously sweet that billie couldn't help the slight dusting of pink across her nose and cheeks. she could feel the way her face was heating up, but she could only hope that casper didn't notice. instead, she heaved a sigh of her own and leaned her head on his shoulder. "hm, another reason why I keep you around. your shoulder is the perfect height for me to lean on." obviously it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she craved contact with the other, no matter how slight. "barbecue is the best dippin' sauce and I refuse to hear any arguments," billie declared,

casper’s head was swimming.  while part of him knew he should back off and let billie work, she was just…too damn electric for him to stay away.  “wow, you’re really stroking my ego here.  keepin’ you around is starting to sound better and better.”  strange, maybe, how easily they could just joke about it.  like being together was such a crime or something. casper did pretty well at remembering the most important things, like how during their first encounter, there had been a sliver of a smile, both in billie’s eyes and on her face.  over time, that smile seemed to become more comfortable and, he realized, only for him.  

“can we share a milkshake?” he asked softly, cocking his head to the side.  maybe that had been the thing to do years before casper was born, but hearing how such a small gesture as sharing a milkshake had led to his parents’ love story made him all the more eager to see just how magical the moment really was.  and somehow, he knew billie would appreciate it, despite how very not mushy she was.  it was why they worked so well, total opposites but still existing together beautifully.

he smiled warmly, a light laugh rippling through his body. “at least you said please.”  and he was soon doing the same, taking a bite off the fork and doing his best not to choke at the mention of a wedding.  joke.  it was a joke. though his eyebrow arched curiously, casper kept his cool, chewing tentatively. orange and chocolate was a weird combination, sure, but brooks could make anything look and taste good. casper made a mental note to later suggest a chocolate and strawberry cupcake. “you wish.”  he answered, clearing his throat.  was it wrong to wonder whether she really did, in fact, wish for that for them eventually? from behind him, there was an exasperated sigh, and he whirled around, smiling apologetically. 

“my bad.  she was just savin’ me from a blood sugar crash.” did he have diabetes? no.  but that was honestly (sadly) the best excuse casper could come up with.  “i’m gonna take my things and sit in the corner, I think.  maybe I could be an unofficial security guard, if not for the fact that I’m a human marshmallow.”  he leaned in to kiss billie’s cheek (leading to another grumble from the person behind him) and made his way over to the corner, giving billie a little salute as he went.

internal turmoil wasn't even close to describing the feelings that billie was presently experiencing. she had a job to do, the very job that put a roof over her head and food in her mouth and yet here she was, being fed a cupcake instead of actually doing said job. they'd been quiet all day, though. that made it justifiable, right? "what can i say? i'm good at strokin' egos when needed... amongst other things." there was that smile again, the one that only casper could ever pull from her.

his sudden question caught her off guard, and she stared blankly at him for a second as her mind processed what he'd said. "sorry, what?" and then not a moment later, "yes, of course we can share a milkshake, if you're really sure you wanna share. we both know how much you love sweet stuff. i'm sure ya could easily demolish one to yourself, but i'm honored that you wanna share one with me," she mused, heart melting at the sight of him with his head cocked to the side like a confused puppy. she wondered if he appreciated the significance of the fact that she was willing to share one with him. billie was not a sharer, especially not when it came to food and drink. she was sure she could make an exception though, just for casper. her mind flashed back to all of those times during the fifites and sixties when she'd done exactly that, and witnessed many others doing the same; sharing a milkshake on a date. yet, she had a feeling that this time around, with casper, it would be an entirely different moment altogether. she was, suddenly, increasingly nervous. though she couldn't put her finger on why, exactly. they hadn't even labelled it as a date; it was two friends having dinner together, that was all.

casper might've done his best to hide it, but billie could see his startled reaction to her teasing mention of a wedding and it had her mind working overtime. was he entirely repulsed by the idea, or was he, too, considering it in the way that she was? rather than make anymore of an idiot of herself, billie just moved on as though that part of the conversation had never happened.

almost as though they'd been sent to save billie from embarrassing herself even more, a customer huffed a sigh behind casper and she leaned around him so she could see them. "i'll be right with you, mr hall. is it the usual for you?" she quickly settled into what she knew best - doing her job - which, thankfully, involved absolutely no personal feelings on her end. she watched casper retreat to the corner, before quickly wrapping up with the customer and handing him the bag of medication. "see ya soon, mr hall," she called to the man as he finally stepped out of the pharmacy door. "customers, huh? the absolute nerve of them to interrupt us and expect me to actually do my job," she joked, moving over to where casper was sat in the corner, taking a seat beside him. "luckily for you, i finish in..." she glanced at her watch, "ten minutes. and then i really am all yours."

casper’s heart leaped in his chest, and he felt a twinge of guilt for putting a damper on the moment they had goin’ for them.  the reassurance was nice, of course it was.  and then billie said i’m all yours and casper realized, for probably the first time, just how far gone he really was. “aw, shucks.”  he shook his head, letting out a low chuckle.  

he knew better than to fight billie on her words. he’d never understood why she felt the way she did, but at least she seemed to be warming up to the idea of letting herself go completely. casper would never ask her to change a single thing about herself.  in fact, he found her all the more enticing because of how guarded she was. 

“oh, come on. a stunner like you? i’d be shocked if you told me I was your only friend.  but also, if that was true,  I might have a hard time sharin’ you.”  he ducked his head sheepishly.  it was never that he intended to skip lunch–today, he’d just so happened to get caught up in paperwork, and then by the time he’d left the bakery to go meet billie at work, lunchtime had come and gone. plus, nobody could resist a pick-me-up. “guilty, I guess.  at least I didn’t forget how to tie my own shoes, though, huh?”

a laugh rippled through his entire body as he sliced right through the cupcake.  “okay, okay, jeez. nothin’ wrong with building the suspense.”  he lifted a bite carefully, offering it up to billie’s lips.  “i don’t even like oranges, but brooks could probably make a beet cupcake look appetizing. tell me what’cha think.”  

it was amusing to billie, the way that casper had essentially ruined what was proving to be the sweetest moment that the pair had shared, in true casper style. she was almost relieved, however, being that she'd pushed herself well out of her comfort zone by being so open with him. that was quite enough vulnerability for one day. as he ducked his head bashfully, billie breathed a light chuckle, though she couldn't help thinking that he had no idea just how she really was all his. it was something she didn't think she'd ever be able to put into words, and even if she could, she wouldn't for fear of ruining whatever the hell this was between them.

as he called her a stunner, she laughed and nudged him playfully. "bein' pretty ain’t everythin', y'know? you generally have to be a nice person as well. hate to break it to ya, but looks like you're stuck with me for the foreseeable. you ain't gotta share me anytime soon." of course, she did have other friends, but none that she wanted to spend time with the way that she did with casper, none that she felt this way about. "you, on the other hand, are certainly too pretty and nice to say I'm your only friend. yet, i can't seem to get rid of you–" not that she wanted to get rid of him. In fact, she could hardly think of anything worse. "you just can't seem to stay away, darlin'. careful, people might get the wrong idea," she teased, a playful wink accompanying her words. would that really be such a bad thing, though?

"well, since you skipped lunch, i definitely need to come to the diner with you to make sure you don't skip another meal." like that was the only reason she was going. "but if you did ever forget to tie your own shoes, i'd be happy to help. can't have you trippin' up and damagin' that pretty face of yours." to emphasise her point, she leaned in for a quick kiss, smiling against his lips.

of course casper wanted to build up suspense around eating a cupcake, one of the most simple acts a person could probably do. the thought alone drew a soft laugh from the woman, accompanied by a shake of the head. she requested, "less suspense, more cake, please," before taking the bite of cupcake held to her lips by casper. she chewed, nodding her approval as she did so. "it's actually amazin'. even better than it looks and smells, honestly." with that, she grabbed one of the plastic forks and mirrored the action, taking a chunk of cupcake onto the fork and holding it up to casper. "are we gonna do this on our weddin' day, too?" she joked, though she hated the part of her mind that actually considered that moment.

denying his rudeness to most people would have been a hopeless case. because most people branded him as rude five minutes into knowing him. she was right. he did have very little patience for people. years ago, he was known as a patient man, someone who you could go to about anything and get an empathetic ear. but now? things had changed. life was cruel and short and he had very little patience for people, whether it was bullshit or genuine. “i can’t even argue with it. i don’t entirely hate you and i think i’d even tell you to quit it if you were talkin’ shit.” he hummed in thought, looking at her with slightly lifted brows. “you? not judging? that’s sure as hell a first,” he remarked, “i was born this way, leave me be.” the pat to his cheeks earned her a glare, one that lingered for moments before twisting into a scowl. she just wasn’t scared of him like some people tended to be. “don’t touch the goods, prettier than quasimodo or not.”

he lifted a hand to try and stop her for a moment in between. “except! this wasn’t just your average raccoon. this raccoon was huge. giant. clearly had been eating whatever went in the trash yesterday because i don’t even think it was hungry. ‘cept maybe hungry for laces.” he made a disgruntled noise which soon eased a little at the suggestion of alcohol. like he didn’t get trashed every single night just to get a few hours of sleep. “i gotta say that does work. however, can’t exactly drink on the job. done that before and either passed out in here with all the doors unlocked or i went home and forgot to lock up. but i’ll keep your solution in mind.”

cal was billie's kind of person, in truth. he was someone that she knew would always be honest with her, whether or not she liked it, and that was a quality that she valued in a friend. whether or not cal viewed her as a friend was a different question entirely, but she certainly valued his company enough to label it as a friendship, though she doubted she'd ever verbally admit it to him.

if she was completely honest with, billie would agree entirely with cal's attitude towards people. of course, she was marginally better at hiding her distaste for idiots than cal was, and she was perhaps slightly more tolerant of people, he was entirely within his rights to be so antisocial and she understood it completely. “you don't entirely hate me? shucks, I'm flattered. and i’d expect you to tell me if i was talkin’ shit, since it happens so rarely,” billie mused, allowing the lightest hint of a smirk to play on her lips. “anyway, you know i ain’t gonna get offended by it – not that you’d care if someone did get offended by somethin', i doubt its ever stopped you before." she did, however, have to agree that it was essentially unheard of for her to not judge. he knew her far too well.

whilst most people would've been put off by the glare as she patted his cheek, billie just laughed in his face, the look doing very little to intimidate her. she wasn't, in the slightest, afraid of cal. "careful, i might change my mind about you bein' prettier than quasimodo if you keep scowlin' at me like that," she warned, though she was all too aware that cal couldn't care less what she thought of him. instead, she just arched a brow as he explained about the raccoon, rolling her eyes. "and you're telling me you really have no way at all of getting rid of this racoon? nothin' whatsoever?" her eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. she had her thoughts about cal, but she wasn't certain enough to question him outright about it. "so, you don't wanna drink on the job in case you forget to lock up or somethin'? what's the alternative? knock out some customers if they piss ya off? my solution is a solid idea, and you know it is."

quincy just nodded to that, agreeing to leave it there. this is why he was never any good when it came to gang negotiations. if he had to say something in a succinct way and it came out rude, he felt the need to explain himself. which apparently wasn’t all that appropriate when one family was threatening to wage wars with yours over territory. it was embarrassing though when it was someone you would have to see on a semi-regular basis and you were just stood talking and talking. he did recognise her, after all. she was quite close to casper so it wasn’t exactly unusual for her to be here. 

the whole situation was baffling to quin. he’d never been a guy to be particularly sick or complaining so this was unusual. “maybe… i guess sometimes i feel a little light-headed, yeah? like… if i’m not focusing i’ll feel a little light and it takes me a moment to get the focus back again.” he nibbled at the edge of one of his nails for a moment as he tried to figure out some sort of answer for them. “might be a good idea. i’ll have to get some plastic cups so i don’t risk the glasses any more.” he agreed, a light nod moving his head despite his expression still lingering with concern. “no, no, i feel fine. just a little… i don’t know, weird? like my hands are just kinda… fuzzy. you know?”

though they were certainly a long way from being best friends, billie had definitely had enough conversions with quincy to know when he was feeling a little sheepish and uncomfortable (which was most of the time). "quin, try and relax. i know it’s easier said than done but you ain't said anythin' outta turn," she tried to reassure him, though whether or not it worked would be a wholly different matter. he was clearly unsettled by the matter alone, without stressing because he thought he'd offended billie. "look, just take a moment to chill. sit down, have a drink or somethin'. if you were anyone else I'd suggest a whiskey on the rocks but uh, you strike me as more of a tea or coffee kinda guy. plastic cups are definitely a good plan, though.”

wordlessly, she studied his face for a few moments, finally exhaling a slow sigh. “i don’t know, quin. i wish i could help more but i’m just the pharmacist, not the doctor.” she paused briefly, before continuing with a shrug. “if cas is overworkin’ ya, be sure to tell him, okay? an’ if not, tell me and i’ll tell him to go easy on you. maybe you’re drained and need a bit of a break. y’know, some me-time or whatever. he’s a good guy, as you know. i’m sure he’d be happy to give you some time if you needed it. just...” she trailed off, chewing the inside of her lip. “just take care of yourself a bit more. make sure you’re restin’, stayin’ hydrated and stuff. all that borin’ stuff that pharmacists always tell ya, even though y’already know it.”

“oh, yeah?” casper’s eyes brightened. the way billie spoke put him more at ease than he had been lately.  the absolute worst thing was to pursue someone and then be shell-shocked later upon finding out they weren’t interested.  his shoulders sagged, no longer tense with stress and worry. at least now he had verbal confirmation that he wasn’t crazy, that there was something keeping the two of them tethered.

“well, I won’t be obnoxious about it.  I promise.”  he gave a little salute, practically melting into the woman’s touch.  “I do, however, like to believe there’s good in everyone, even if there isn’t.  and I believe that about you, with no intention of stopping. so good luck trying to convince me otherwise.”  

maybe that was a fault, and maybe casper was too trusting.  but at his core, he was a hopeless romantic, and to lie and say he didn’t get chills or butterflies around billie would be a moot point.  his poker face wasn’t very strong, anyway.  he felt anything and everything all at once.

“i don’t have a knife.”  he realized, glancing down at the cupcake, which now reminded him that he definitely skipped lunch.  regretfully, he pulled back from billie (though not before stealing another kiss) and quickly gathered the aforementioned shampoo and a container of plastic cutlery. if they were going to share, he might as well save them from digging in with just their hands–and besides, it would save billie from receiving a complaint from HR about how her hands were dirty or something like that, from anyone who decided to pop in at that particular moment.

chewing on his lower lip, casper met billie’s eyes.  “you doin’ anything after your shift?  could come with me to the falls diner and grab some chicken strips and fries.” 

the glint in casper's eyes was plain to see, and it warmed billie's heart to think that a simple reassurance of her feelings had clearly had that effect on him. perhaps she should do it more often - the last thing she wanted was to give him the wrong idea, make him think that this meant nothing to her. it meant everything. "you ain't got it in you to be obnoxious, cas. a lot of other things, absolutely, but not obnoxious." and as much as tried, she couldn't help but laugh at his salute, fingertips lightly tracing shapes against his neck absentmindedly. "but you're wrong about me, cas. i don't wanna disappoint or anythin', but you're wrong. you should quit while you're ahead, spend your energy convincin' yourself that someone else is a good person, not me." her smile faltered briefly, gaze shifting to the desk between her and casper. she needed something else to focus on, anything other than her kryptonite standing right in front of her. watching as casper pulled away, billie let her hand fall back to her side and she hopped up to sit on the edge of the counter, relieved for the brief moment to recompose herself. she was billie sanders, and billie sanders didn't feel. not like this. casper just made it so difficult to not feel. she was a lot of things and heartless wasn't one of them, no matter how hard she tried. and lord knows, she'd tried. she'd tried so hard to push him away in the same manner that she pushed everyone away, but he was unrelenting. she was pulled from her thoughts as casper returned mere moments later, and her gaze rested on the plastic cutlery in his hand. "full of bright ideas, aren't ya?" billie would've been more than happy to dig in with her hands, but she supposed cutlery was more logical if they were going to be sharing. the last thing she needed was to be serving customers with chocolate orange frosting beneath her perfectly manicured nails. "have you ever known me to have plans after work, cas?" she hesitated, allowing him to think over the question and then, before he could interrupt, she continued, "no, exactly. so, lucky you, i'm all yours. " little did he know how true that statement was. casper had her wrapped around his little finger and he didn't even realize it. "chicken and fries sound amazin'. lemme guess, you skipped lunch again?" billie flashed the slightest hint of a smile at casper, a hand settling on his cheek once again. she leaned in as though she was going to kiss him again, lips ghosting over his cheek, before murmuring, "now, are you gonna cut this damn cupcake or am I gonna have to savage it with my bare hands?"

to say quincy was a gentle soul was… well, accurate. he had always been a disappointment in that way to his family, never quite capturing the strong, stubborn essence that supposedly made up a wren. instead he was soft. tried to avoid offending or hurting anyone. far different to the gang lifestyle of his family who often got by by hurting people. so he just smiled in apology once the book was down, lifting his hands in a show that he wouldn’t pick anything else up and risk her toes once more.

“…yes.” he spoke with a short nod, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his jumper and folding his arms. “oh no, you don’t look delicate. i mean! you do… don’t? you look good. great even. but not uh… delicate in a bad way. feminine but not uh… okay, i’m diggin’ myself into a hole either way here. let’s just leave that thought on you look great and i’m glad it didn’t break your foot.” he could feel himself getting flustered, surprised his face wasn’t flushing a dark shade of red. mind you, not that he was aware, being dead hindered that somewhat. “it does, actually, come to think of it. sometimes it’s a book, sometimes it’s a fork or a glass of juice. maybe it’s a concentration thing? seems to happen when i’m not… thinkin’ straight. i’ll be not concentrating and the next moment, whatever was in my hand is on the floor.”

hearing confirmation that quincy was done apologizing, billie couldn’t hide her look of relief. he was sweet enough, incredibly gentle, but how much did one person really need to apologise? it was mildly unnecessary, to say the least. just when she thought he’d done rambling, he was at it again and she resisted the urge to put her head in her hands. “alright, alright,” she gently interjected, worried of offending the other. “i get the point; you’re real sorry for droppin’ a book on me, and you think i look great. let’s just leave it there, huh?” she offered a half-hearted smile, hoping that was the end of it.

“maybe it is a concentration thing,” billie agreed, shrugging. “you been feeling light-headed or anythin’? under the weather at all?” she could definitely think of one thing that would probably be the cause of it, but if quincy didn’t know that he was dead, it was hardly her place to tell him. “maybe just try... not stressin’ too much and keepin’ a clear head. and perhaps not carrying anythin’ fragile or breakable for a while. y’know, just in case.” she paused, then. “how’re ya feelin’ now? do you need to sit down, have a drink at all?”

“oh, constantly. every middle aged lady that wants to whine about the skates pinching or the vending machine prices tells me that i’m in the wrong industry. that rude people have no place in customer services. but-” he sat up, pointing a little to emphasise his point. “i’m not rude. i just have a very small tolerance for bullshit.” he remarked. and it was true. like hell he was going to sit back and let anyone walk in and treat them however they felt, even if it was like something they stepped in. he was too hardheaded to let that slide. it got to the point where people knew there was no point asking for a manager in this place since he would just tell them straight if it was a stupid problem. “anyway, i am serving. people pay money, i give ‘em the skates. if their problem is genuine, i sort it. i do my job, technically.” he smirked a little, shrugging and picking up the pencil from the counter to let it play between his fingers. “fuckin’ winds. but hey, if quasimodo can do it, so can i.”

“of course you can handle yourself, i know that.” cal responded, stabbing the end of the pencil down against the counter before dropping it. “okay, so first thing. whoever worked last night didn’t lock the back door. so now i gotta deal with a raccoon in the old skate store bag. lil’ bastards like to chew the laces. then the delivery company who stocks the vending machines called to postpone but they’re already running low. then i’ve just had a few customers whining about stupid things. the music not being good enough, not having their size in the right colour and blah blah. stupid shit that adds up.”

with visible amusement, billie watched cal try to vehemently deny his rudeness, humouring him for the time being. "so... you're not rude, no?" she echoed, arching a brow in what was clearly disbelief. "rude people have no place in customer service and I dunno what part of you thought this place would be a good idea because you're worse than me," she laughed, shaking her head. "you don't have a small tolerance for bullshit, you just have a small tolerance for people in general." arms folded across her chest, she knew she was right. she couldn't blame him though; people could be pretty rude, and rudeness deserved rudeness in return. "hey, I ain't judgin'." maybe she was, just a little. "i don't blame you for being as grumpy as you are. but don't be so hard on yourself - you're at least a little prettier than quasimodo." to emphasise her point, she patted cal's cheek with a smirk, clearly unafraid of getting on the wrong side of him.

glad that cal was well aware that she could handle herself, billie let him list his problems, listening and nodding periodically. "so to summarise; raccoon, vendin' machines and customers," she clarified, counting the problems onto her fingers. "customers are always gonna find somethin' to complain about but the way I see it, ain't nobody forcin' 'em to come here. and, what, you can't get rid of a little raccoon?" she paused briefly, as though in thought. "i got the solution to all of your problems." another pause, this time for dramatic effect. "have a few whiskeys an' you'll be too tanked to give a shit."

“now that’s just cold.”  casper recoiled playfully, mirroring the motion billie had done not five minutes ago, hand to his chest.  “nah, you’re right, y’don’t need me or anyone, but…”  he paused, brushing his fingers across billie’s cheek, not daring to break eye contact.  “sue me for wantin’ you to want me.”  

he couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew the truth.  it was clear as day, and anyway–casper very rarely played with peoples’ feelings.  he wouldn’t dare string billie along if he felt nothing.  “you want me to hide in the condom aisle? I can do that–shrink all 5′10 of me behind the condom boxes.  i can’t even give you the names of five people practicing safe sex. y’won’t even know I’m here.”

but she knew.  she had to know how far gone he was for her.  casper hadn’t bothered to put a label on things just because he could tell it wasn’t billie’s style, and he didn’t want to risk fucking things up.  “or maybe i’ll squash myself underneath you and find a way to make myself useful.”  one eyebrow quirked up, eyes shining as he pressed another quick kiss to billie’s lips. “totally up to you, really.”

"what can i say? i'm a cold person. it's nothin' new." billie hesitated though, leaning slightly into casper's touch on her cheek. had it been anyone else, she would've instantly recoiled at the touch. it wasn't just anyone, though, it was casper. "just because i don't need you, doesn't mean i don't want you," she admitted, voice softening. it was, perhaps, the first time she'd admitted it out loud to either casper or herself, and it was refreshing. unsettling, to a degree, but refreshing. casper, despite his tendency to show up and try and irritate billie as often as possible, deserved the reassurance that she wasn't just 'putting up' with him.

she laughed lightly as he suggested hiding in the condom aisle, shaking her head. "i wouldn't wish that on my worst enemies. some of the conversations that happen in that aisle are best left unsaid. even you don't deserve to suffer like that," she teased, nudging casper lightly with an elbow. "anyway, what makes you think i don't want to know you're here? perhaps i actually enjoy your company." then, before he could interrupt, she continued, "i know, i'm as surprised as you are."

except it wasn't a surprise. not to her, at least, and surely not to casper either. of course, she'd refused to admit the fact to herself for as long as she'd known casper, but it certainly wasn't a surprise. despite her enchantress abilities, the one thing billie had never had an affinity for was hiding her emotions, especially when it came to a certain casper diamond. as best as she tried, she was sure he could see right through her, catching the slightest quirk at the corner of her lips whenever she spotted him approaching, or the way she instinctively leaned into his touch, no matter how slight it may be.

realising she'd been distracted by her own thoughts, billie offered a half-hearted chuckle at the remark, arching a brow. "oh, will you, really? listen to me, casper diamond, and listen well," she started, fingertips moving to brush against his cheek lightly. "i am a professional, and professionals don't do things like that." a pause. "at least, not at work." she continued with a smirk, the hand on casper's cheek moving to his shoulder. "no, you're stayin' put, where i can keep an eye on ya. i'm enjoyin’ the view."

“you compared me to a freakin’ splinter, bil.  I hardly think you have any room to talk.” casper pressed his forehead to billie’s, lingering for a moment as he pushed a stray hair away from her face.  “i’m aware, miss i-don’t-need-anybody. however, I thought we were way past the point of just keepin’ eachother around, y’know?”

he leveled his gaze with hers, shrugging.  “I got bored.  plus i’m–uh, out of shampoo as it turns out. beats hanging around home, you know?”  he felt lighter, giddy almost as he looked into her eyes. casper had little to no game back in high school, so the fact that he was doing well for himself in pursuit of billie was more than satisfying.  didn’t mean he understood what she saw in him, though.

“was kinda hopin’ i could stick around regardless. i mean, obviously you can do your work, and maybe i’ll do a couple laps around town like I have a life.”  he beamed at billie, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder gently. “enjoy that cupcake, yeah? if it’s good, i’ll beg brooks to keep it in the rotation.” 

“what’s wrong, did i hurt your feelings?” billie teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes. she let casper lean in again, this time resting their foreheads together. it was ridiculous how easy this was with cas, and she knew that was dangerous. she’d sworn to never let anyone this close again and yet, here he was. then again, it was just a bit of fun, right? she wasn’t about to get on one knee and propose or anything, so why was she getting herself worked up and nervous about it all? “you know i don’t need anybody. i’m an independent woman, sweetheart. i coped perfectly fine before you came along and i’ll manage after you’ve gone, probably to get more sweets from brooks – it just so happens to be a little more fun with you around, hm?” as he met her gaze again, she pressed a light peck to the corner of his lips, avoiding the question of whether they really were past the point of just keeping one another around.

after a brief moment, billie was struck by the feeling of overwhelming vulnerability, and she glanced away. “so, i’m stuck with you ‘cause you’re bored?” she clarified, clearly amused. “lucky me. what if the pharmacy had been super busy, full of sick folk? am i worth riskin’ illness for?” she pondered aloud, meeting casper’s gaze again now that she’d rebuilt part of her wall and recovered from her feeling of vulnerability.

she supposed it was sweet, the way casper was so willing to hang around, whether or not she had time to actually spend with him. “since you brought me this delightful smelling cupcake, i’ll let you stick around. it’s not like we’re exactly swarmin’ with customers. you’ve saved me from an afternoon of boredom. i suppose i should be thankin’ you.” a smile tugged at her lips as cas squeezed her shoulder, one that she fought by lightly chewing on her lower lip. let him see that his presence made her happy? never, at least not without a fight. instead, she leaned on the desk again, pressing her forehead to casper’s once more. “i need you to stick around anyway. you’d better help me eat this cupcake. have you seen how much frostin’ is on it?”

everyone was certainly on edge since the fair. he’d noticed a few people looking at him strangely, or old friends of his family gawking when he stepped into a store. he just assumed it was because they moved away and he… well, he was still here. so he just sort of learned to expect customers being a little bristled when they spoke to him, or being particularly antsy when coming into browse. it had most certainly boosted the sales of supernatural thrillers and horrors. 

“i am so sorry, so so so sorry.” quin found that the words were tumbling out before he could even get a better grip on the book. “honestly, the chances are slim with the hundreds of books in here. but uh. i think the only one bigger than this is the one with all the maps in. i don’t even put that on the shelves, it’s always on a display table. too big.” he rambled, setting the book down gingerly. almost as a show that he would try not to drop it again, to save any further injury to her toes. “but uh.. i really am sorry. do you need an ice pack or anything? cause i think we have one in the back. and first aid stuff, if… you know, anything’s bleeding. or you need a bandage. i don’t even remember losing grip on the darn thing, one second it was in my hand and then it just.. slipped maybe?”

billie watched in amusement as quincy repeatedly rambled his apology, arms folded across her chest. he was certainly a far more gentle soul than her – for starters, she wouldn’t be caught dead (or alive) apologizing that much for something as minor as dropping a book on someone’s toes, no matter how heavy the book might’ve been. in true billie style, she’d more than likely blame them for being stood so close to her. quin set the book down and billie mentally breathed a sigh of relief that her toes were safe once again. 

“are ya done apologizin’ yet?” the question came a few beats after quincy had finally stopped speaking, taking the opportunity to interject before any more words of apology could tumble out. “i’m fine. really. i ain’t anywhere near as delicate as i look, darlin’. i’ve dealt with far worse than a book being dropped on my toes. no first aid necessary, honest.” she took a moment to look over him, eyes narrowing slightly, almost suspiciously. “it slipped, huh? lost ya grip on it or somethin’? must’a happened pretty quick if you don’t even remember how it happened.” another pause. “that kinda thing happen often, or...?” she left the question open-ended, intrigued to delve into quincy’s knowledge of the situation, or lack thereof.

magic or not, nothing ever seemed to cure the headache to callister that was customers. all kinds of customers that just seemed to enjoy making his life a living hell. requesting a specific colour skates that just so happens to not be in their size, complaining about the music, trying to give him advice he didn’t ask for. either way, it all came with some new fresh hell that he attempted, at all times, to solve with simply a resting bitch face.

the scoffed laugh was his first signal that this wouldn’t be solved with a resting bitch face but it also wasn’t your average customer. it was billie. “you’re lucky if you get service here, nevermind service with a smile.” he huffed, propping his chin against his hand instead so he could look at her. “well, thankgod for that. cause i aint getting up to go in the back and search for your space, i can’t be bothered enough for that.” he just looked at her for a long moment. “nothing in particular. my mother told me if the wind changed, my face would stick like it and she was right. the wind changed. grumpy forever. tada.” he sat upright to roll his shoulders a little. “if i needed you to have a word with every customer who’d annoyed me today, i’d have to just give you a list of all the entries.”

“outta interest, has anyone ever told you that you’re in the wrong industry?” billie quizzed, mirroring cal’s stance with her chin propped in her hand. “you kinda gotta, y’know, serve people if you’re gonna work in a place like this. that’s sorta the point. ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed though, are ya?” her smirk came as an assurance that she was joking – mostly, at least. she took a moment to study his face, head tilting to the side slightly. bless him. “this is why you should’a listened to your ma, cal. look at you. stuck like this for the rest of your life. cursed winds and their damn audacity to change. but it’s okay, i’m sure there are other people out there with faces just as grotesque as yours who manage to live a relatively normal life every day.”

she paused for a long moment, staring blankly at cal. “alright, so gimme the list. what, you think i can’t handle it or somethin’? c’mon, we both know that firstly, i’m more than capable of handlin’ myself, and secondly... i’m the only one who’s allowed to annoy you and get away with it.”

casper hadn’t been doing much with the rest of his day now that he’d finished at the bookstore and was left to his own devices.  despite the fact that he lived in a small town, he appreciated how busy he almost always felt.  a break was nice, though.  so he might as well heed quincy’s advice and take the time for himself.and really enjoy it. enjoyment came in the form of dropping by brooks’ bakery and scooping up whatever looked good. it was definitely fun to see how agitated his friend was on a given day

apparently annoying people seemed to be a common theme, but with billie, it was just…different.  the banter never crossed a line, he never felt offended, and he knew billie well enough to know she felt the same.  so this…whatever they had going? it was nice.

“i would appreciate your metaphor if not for the fact that I got you a thing.”  he gently set the bag on the table, stepping back as if it’d explode right out of the wrapping.  “a chocolate orange cupcake. it made me think of you.  y’know, ‘cause you’re weird.”  he flashed a warm, knowing smile, leaving the rest unsaid.  it gave me an excuse to see you.

blue eyes darted around the pharmacy, where (big surprise) it was not at all busy.  so, cas found himself leaning, forward, boldly planting a kiss on billie’s lips.  when he pulled back, a dazed, sly grin lit up his face.  “gonna call security on me? i fed you, and then I fed you, if you catch my drift.”

"you got me a thing?” billie echoed, brow arching inquisitively. “do i even dare ask what said thing might be?” she watched as casper set the bag on the table in between them, pausing for a moment to study it. “you went to brooks’ again, huh? you’re gonna turn into a damn sweet if you ain’t careful,” she mused, though her curiosity got the better of her and she couldn’t resist opening the bag to take a look at the cupcake within. it did look and smell amazing, but she wasn’t about to admit that to casper. “chocolate orange, hm? interestin' choice.”

at his weird remark, billie feigned being hurt, a hand moving to clutch at her chest over her heart. “i’m weird? how could you say somethin’ so cruel to me?” her act didn’t last long however, and a chuckle escaped her lips as she recognised the knowing smile on casper’s face. he just wanted an excuse to see me. 

“if i’m so weird, why are you still here?” she asked after a moment, leaning on the table slightly as though daring casper to give her an answer. she hadn’t, however, been anticipating the kiss that followed. it was a surprise to say the least, although certainly not an unpleasant one. she found herself reciprocating the kiss, before pulling away after a moment or two. best to always leave ‘em wanting more, right? "that was awfully brave of you. do you really think i need security? darlin’, i could take you on – and win – single-handedly. don’t tempt me.” as much as she tried to resist, the grin on his lips was infectious and she couldn’t help the slight quirk at the corners of her own lips. “y’know... if ya keep bringin’ me cupcakes like this, i just might have a reason to keep you around.”

the book had been in his hand, he was sure of it. it was a thick book of poems, beautifully bound in a green hardcover with gold writing printed into the front. it had definitely been in his hand. except then it wasn’t. and he wasn’t alone in the bookstore. he watched as the book seemed to just tumble from his hand, right onto the foot of the other person in the aisle.

a gasp caught in his throat as he ducked down to grab it, struggling a moment before he focused and lifted it from the floor. “i’m so sorry! oh my gosh, i’m a total clutz lately. if it’s not books, it’s a glass or keys or pencils and paintbrushes.” he grimaced a little and looked up at the other. “is your foot okay?”

she’d been wandering through the bookstore for a while, at least; billie had lost track of time a few aisles ago. she wasn’t sure what she’d been looking for, not entirely. dainty fingertips trailing over the spines of books that lined the shelves as though she’d sense what she was looking for. it was plausible, she supposed. the next surprise was always just around the corner, especially in relation to her abilities. there was only so much her mother had been able to teach her, and she was continuing to surprise herself every day. that was, perhaps, the predominant reason for billie’s seemingly aimless wandering through the store – she was always on the look out for a book she hadn’t read before, anything that could give an insight into what she was experiencing. 

the store was, under normal circumstances, relatively peaceful and certainly harmless. then again, nothing in the town recently had been what billie would describe as normal circumstances. the clattering of a book falling to the floor jolted billie from her thoughts, and it was a few seconds later that her foot began to throb slightly from the impact of the book hitting it. “i gotta be honest – after all that carnage that went down over at the fair, i really didn’t think i’d have to worry about a darn book takin’ me out,” billie quipped. “i mean, christ, what are the chances that the one book that drops on my foot is probably the biggest damn book in the whole place?”

as the door to the pharmacy swung open, billie suppressed the urge to heave a sigh. she was, however, all too aware of her inability to hide her facial expressions and so kept her back to the customer for a few moments longer. “this is my first quiet moment all day so this’d better be good,” she called over her shoulder, a smile audible in her voice, albeit a forced one. as soon as she’d finished rifling through the papers on the desk in front of her – a poor excuse to avoid the customer for just a few moments longer – she turned to face them and instantly rolled her eyes.

“well, if it isn’t the very thorn in my side. actually, worse. like a uh-- a splinter. Y’know, the ones that are buried real deep in the tip of your finger and you can’t get rid of ‘em unless you really dig ‘em on out?” as malicious as her words may have sounded, billie was at least slightly convinced that casper would know she was joking. the pair had a fascinating dynamic. casper was one of few people who, no matter how horrid billie’s words to him may be, he stuck around. it was simultaneously endearing and incredibly frustrating, and yet billie didn’t think she’d have it any other way.

“what’s goin’ on with you? missing me already or somethin’? nobody would blame you.” her words were accompanied by the merest hint of a smirk, a slight shrug of one shoulder. she paused. “but seriously – and i mean this in the absolute nicest way possible – why in the hell are you here?”

cal was tired. he’d already been yelled at by one woman for not having the right colour skates for her and then the delivery company for the vending machine called and postponed the delivery. so all in all, it had been a long day and he was ready to shut himself away in his house and shut out the rest of the world. however, that wasn’t all that easy to do when you had a business to run.

he didn’t even lift his head up from his hands when he heard the doors open, just huffed out a greeting in response, “welcome to letum skate. what size d’ya want?” 

billie had spent the week rushed off her feet at the pharmacy – she was overworked and understaffed, and the aftermath of the sheer chaos at the fair was doing nothing to help matters. her morning had been occupied with frantic townsfolk searching for remedies for their varying ailments, accompanied by lengthy and unnecessary tales about aforementioned ailments. billie? well, she wasn’t really cut out for customer service. it was this thought that occupied her mind as she scoffed a laugh at the less-than-enthusiastic greeting from cal as she pushed open the doors of letum skate.

“you’ve never heard of service with a smile, then?” she moved to lean against the counter, arching a brow. “let’s be honest, darlin’ – have you ever seen me skate? no? let’s keep it that way.” she folded her arms across her chest, studying cal closely. “what’s gotten you all worked up today, anyway? you need me to go have a word with a few people or somethin’?”