loser stories

Customer service was the worst. Caroline had been on the phone practically all day and she just couldn’t handle being left on hold any longer. “I swear to God, you better put me through!” She yelled, before she felt her body bump into another’s. “I’m so sorry!” She yelled, her face falling into a frown. “Are you alright?” / @frostfordstart​

As always, his eyes were glued to his phone. This time he was messing around with the settings, trying to get the one earbud to reconnect to the bluetooth. He heard a woman yelling, but paid her no mind until they bumped into each other. He snapped his head up from his phone, turning startled wide eyes on her. “It’s okay!” he yelled back, unsure who had bumped into who. “I’m alright. Why are we yelling!” he yelled again, also unsure about that.

He was in the middle of searching for his lighter —why did he always lose his?— when he heard Daniel down the hall. How could he tell he wasn’t unpacking? “Uh, I might be,” He called back. Where was his damn lighter? His stomach growled at the mention of garlic. He sighed placing the blunt behind his ear as he walked out of his bedroom. 

“Oh, really? Sumo told you that,” he teased coming down the hall to sit on the arm of the armchair next to the couch. “Too bad he isn’t getting any. Not since last time.” Noah made a disgusted face thinking of the night of the never ending throw up. Who knew giving a dog some garlic would not settle with their tummy? The dog just looked at Noah slightly wagging his tail. “Look, he remembers! He loves to remind us who the real boss of this house is.”

Sumo looked innocently at Noah, who laughed pulling the blunt from behind his ear rolling it between his fingers. “I’m fine with pasta, by the way. Anything sounds great as long as I don’t have to cook it or clean it.” He looked sheepishly up at Daniel. “You got a light, babe? I can’t seem to find mine. I’ll share,” he offered. 

Daniel seemed to complete Noah in that way. When he was lacking, Daniel made up for it. It wasn’t even just lighters, it was everything they had. When Noah didn’t have a home, Daniel offered his. When Noah struggles to make some ends meet, Daniel meets them. Noah normally didn’t compare the two of them like this, but after spending over a week, back to back, with each of their parents, Noah couldn’t help, but feel like a loser. He needed a smoke.

“But also, we should order soon because I will be ravenous after this and if I recall, we have nothing in our kitchen.”

“Might be?” Daniel said incredulously, grimacing as he settled back comfortably on the couch. “Whatever! You’re weird,” he called back, toeing his shoes off as he continued scrolling through the pasta options on the menu. Noah joined him soon after, Daniel snickering as he remembered the incident. “Look, he just wanted a little taste. How was he to know garlic rolls wouldn’t agree with him?” And they really shouldn’t have gotten so fucked up and left so much food within Sumo’s reach, but that was a whole other thing.

Daniel acknowledged him with a hum, having already selected several options off the menu. He rattled off the order: two pasta dishes, and three orders of garlic rolls— some for now, some for later. “We really should get groceries at some point though,” he mused, finalizing the order. “We won’t survive on leftovers forever.” He reached into his back pocket without a second thought, reaching for the lighter he always carried. But this one? This one was new, and Daniel didn’t remember that fact until he got it out of his pocket. “Check it out, I got it at the gas station on the way back from the airport,” he said with a laugh, sitting up as he handed the lighter over. It was pink and purple with a cat wearing shades. “It’s my new favorite until it gets lost,” Daniel said, patting the spot next to him for Noah to join him— but Sumo took it as an invitation, and hopped on the couch instead.

“Sumo!” Daniel laughed, throwing an arm around the giant of a dog. He held up his other arm, waving for Noah to come over. “I already did! It’ll be here in thirty-four minutes— and you’re wrong. We definitely have frosted mini wheats, and at least three slices of Kraft singles.”

@loserstories​

Coming through the door of their home, Noah felt exhausted. He greeted Sumo with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, which wasn’t as much he usually had when greeting his dog. “Hey, Sue. Did you have a nice vacation from us?” Sumo just wagged his tail and sniffed Noah’s legs as he patted the Saint Bernard’s head. He smiled down at the dog before moving past him into the home. He turned adjusting the backpack on his shoulder towards Daniel. “I’m going to go unpack. Are you hungry? We can…make something or order out?” The mere mention of actually doing something made him groan internally. “Whatever you want to do.” He smiled slightly at Daniel before heading to his bedroom. 

Noah wasn’t sure whose idea it was to go to his and Daniel’s parents house back to back. He was pretty sure it was his own, stupid one. “It makes the most sense, Daniel. We could just get it out of the way.” If only he could go back in time and shake his past self. Noah knew visiting his parents was going to be rough, but he wasn’t prepared for Mrs. Kim’s dislike of him. Noah felt her disapproval more than his own father’s. He was usually great with parents, especially mothers, but Daniel’s mom was a completely different story. Daniel had told Noah about Mrs. Kim and her standards, but Noah didn’t think it could be that bad, but he was deadass wrong. Noah felt self conscious leaving the Kim household and the trip to his parents didn’t help that one bit with his dad. He needed to smoke.  He dropped his backpack on his bed then walked over to his dresser opening a jewelry box pulling out one of his last joints.

Visiting two sets of parents turned out to be twice as emotionally exhausting as visiting just the one. Daniel should have known, but on the flight back home, Daniel felt like he was ready for a vacation from his vacation. Walking through the front door, Daniel took a deep breath and sighed, a small smile curving his lip as Sumo came to greet him after Noah. He never wanted to leave this house again.

He closed the door behind him and dropped his bag on the floor, petting Sumo real quick before heading into the living room. “Okay,” he called back to Noah announcing he was going to unpack. So soon? No thanks. Daniel flopped face down on the couch, making himself comfortable and reaching to get his phone out of his back pocket. “I’ll order us something!”

Daniel searched for options, wondering why neither had suggested grabbing something to eat before going home. Noah must be tired too, after putting up with his father’s passive-aggressive remarks for days. Anger simmered inside him as he thought about the way Noah’s mother brushed them off, trying to keep the peace, and the way Daniel himself tactfully changed the topic of conversation rather than telling the man to shut the fuck up. Noah had said not to confront the guy, but still. Daniel should have said something. And his own mother? Oh god. Daniel groaned, the thought of her making him want another drink. Sumo came to sit by the foot of the couch, distracting Daniel from the memory.

“How’s pasta sound?” he called, petting Sumo as he kept scrolling. He glanced down the hall Noah had disappeared into, suddenly tired of shouting. “You’re not really unpacking, are you? Come sit with us! Sumo says the garlic rolls look good.”

“I mean, they’re good, don’t get me wrong. If I ever want peanut butter anything it’s definitely one of these cookies but the best ones?” She grinned, “The best ones are oatmeal chocolate chip.” Laughing at his quick change of order, “This place is the reason I’ve continued to gain weight every year instead of losing, I’m convinced. All of them are so good.”  

"The best ones,” Daniel insisted with a sagely nod. “Those are really good like around Christmas time? Don’t ask me what it is about Christmas that makes me crave oatmeal chocolate chip cookies though, cause I don’t know.” His order was filled rather quickly, Daniel paying for his cookies and taking the box. “Tell me about it! I always stop by here every time I walk by. The smell draws me in.”

@dankimkong

“It’s supposed to be really good for you. Full of, uh… antioxidants.” But Willow is still a little skeptical as she peers into the glass. It takes a moment of courage before she takes a sip, and hands it off to Daniel.

It’s not horrible… but it’s not good either. “Yeah. You try.”

Daniel eyed the drink suspiciously, his mouth twisting with disgust as she took a sip. He took the drink anyway when she handed it to him, his expression remaining the same as he looked into the glass. “Why does it look like that?” he asked, of the color. Nothing that shade of muddy green could be edible, but Willow seemed okay. He took a tentative sip, smacking his lips to get a better taste. “Huh.” That look of revulsion slipped off his face as he glanced back at the glass, but he still looked uncertain. “I don’t know how I feel about this. Where did you get it?”

He watched as Daniel searched blindly in the bag Noah could have just looked himself if Daniel didn’t know so he could focus on the road! “You can have it.” He grabbed the bag searching through it for a snack. He grabbed the pack of beef jerky opening it grabbing a piece. “So, how much farther out are we?” He feels like he’s asked this ten times already, but the scenery wasn’t much to comment on. “What kind of arcade game are you getting? Is it Dig Dug?”

"Awesome, thanks!” Daniel rest his wrist atop the steering wheel to keep the car going straight while he opened the cheese stick. He glanced at his phone on the dash with the map open. “Why? You tired of being stuck with me?” Daniel grinned. “I think like two hours, is that what that says?” He had to squint a bit to make out the numbers, but he was almost sure that’s what it said. One hand back on the steering wheel, Daniel used the other to eat his cheese. “Donkey Kong Junior. I kind of want to keep it?” He glanced at Noah out of the corner of his eye, to gauge his reaction. “I have nowhere to put it, I’m never gonna play it, and I’m not even sure if me and Alvaro will get it to work, but it’s Donkey Kong.” And it was only costing him three hundred dollars? Amazing.

Angelina was not at all surprised by Daniel inviting himself onto the vacation she was planning, laughing softly with shaking her head. Since the two of them had gotten close in high school, he was almost like an extension of her. The fun side she wished she was allowed to have even though in hindsight he didn’t really live an abnormally exciting life. “I’m pretty sure mountains have snow on them year round, no? I’ll look into it..” Angelina hated the cold, everyone knew that, but if Daniel wanted snow, he was going to get some damn snow.

“I mean, I think so, but who knows, with global warming. I don’t! I haven’t kept up with the latest global warming horrors, who knows what else has melted.” Daniel hadn’t meant for that to sound so flippant. It was just a joke, but it was too late to take it back now. “Or we can go surfing,” he suggested as an alternative. “I don’t know how to surf, but I bet it’s similar to snowboarding.” He drank from his glass again, his eye still wandering to the inside sitting area. “You think they have those little apple tarts today--? I’m gonna go check.” He set his glass down and stood up, unable to resist any longer. “You want anything?”

“Because imagine Teresa letting me wear a pants suit to my fucking wedding…” she was clearly annoyed with her mother acting as if this was her own wedding. In a way, it was her wedding because she and her father had planned this elaborate marriage out in the first plans. Her family had ways of controlling her but thankfully she still had a mind of her own, even if her actions didn’t always show that. “Nope, he didn’t eat it all..” Clearly happy, she pulled the container of rice out, as well as a foil wrapped piece of pernil, a roast pork. Because she was someone who didn’t really believe in the use of microwaves, she immediately went to her stove top where she went into the lower cabinet, pulling out a pan and turning the heat on high, she took the rice and placed it into her rice cooker, turning the ‘heat’ setting on. Making her way back to Daniel, she let out a sigh. “Gonna be a long year..”

"Yep, that would be why.” Daniel didn’t need to imagine it. Having grown up together, Daniel was plenty familiar with Teresa’s controlling and manipulative ways. Those little judgmental looks, the passive-aggressive comments... It as no wonder she and his own mother got along so well. In spite of all that, Daniel perked up when she said there were so leftovers after all. “Great! He must have suspected I would be coming over, so he saved some for me.” Daniel grinned, knowing very well that Arturo had done no such thing. It was more likely that he just hadn’t been hungry, but whatever. His habit of dropping by unannounced, or very short notice, hadn’t changed in all these years. “When’s the big date, again?”

“i think you’re wrong,” she stated, quickly adding, “sorry.” ( @frostfordstart​ )

"And I think you’re wrong, so we’ll just have to agree to disagree,” he said with a shrug and ordered his cookie dozen. “The peanut butter cookies here are the best. What are you getting? The sugar cookies?” Daniel scoffed, then suddenly his expression changed. “Actually, I don’t know why I’m talking shit, those are really good too.” He quickly changed his order, asking for half sugar and half peanut butter cookies in his dozen.

“Doesn’t the quiet ones and the harmless ones go hand in hand? Like, they’re both pretty unassuming people and either way, you’ve gotta watch out for them.” Noah closed the bag looking in another one seeing tablecloths. Will it never end? “Yes!” He looked at Daniel with a laughed. “She was appalled I got rid of it like I should have known she wanted it.” Noah grinned as Daniel moved closer to him teasing him right back. “Oh, you caught me. I just wanted a better view of that ass.” Noah grabbed two bags, one for each hand, as he followed Daniel out of the room and down to the basement. “Well, it’s not as creepy as Mae’s,” he commented looking at the dusty boxes and items on one side of the basement. He lifted the bags up. “Where should we put this stuff?”

"Uh, no! Harmless people are harmless. Like you ain’t ever run into a big biker dude at a bar and someone tells you, don’t worry about him, he’s harmless! So no, it’s not the same.” Daniel rolled his eyes, shaking his head a bit at the comment Noah made about his mom. Why was it that all mothers had the worst things in common? He had just walked out the room, ahead of Noah, when he made that comment about getting a better view of his ass. Daniel laughed and looked at him over his shoulder, telling him to get a good look then, but to come along. He showed him the way to the basement, hitting the light switch at the bottom of the steps, which he still thought was poorly placed, and couldn’t stop himself from bitching about it as he wandered further into the basement. “That’s cause it’s not full of haunted old shit like your aunt’s house! You can just dump them over here somewhere,” he said about the bags, as he set his box on top of an already existing stack. “Lets keep that area over there clear though, I might need it in a couple months for a project I’m looking at.”

Status: Open Location: Salgado Cidery

@frostfordstart​

Angelina decided to unwind by having wine with her friend at the Salgado Cidery, sipping from her glass and looking off into the open space. In all honesty, Angelina had been nothing short of utterly stressed out from her impending wedding, work and family issues that were piling up one after the other. “I need a fucking vacation..” Holding her head up in a hubristic manner per usual, the broker flicked a bug off of the arm of her chair and rolled her eyes, clear bilious expression on her face prevalent.  

Daniel, unlike his friend, had very little to stress about. That being said, he would be stupid to turn down an invitation to Salgado Cidery, and even more stupid not to encourage her to take a vacation. “Yeah, you do! Where are we going? I want to go skiing-- but like, not bad enough to figure out if that’s even a thing I can do anywhere this time of the year.” They had decided on outdoor sitting, which was fine, except Daniel kept glancing inside. He did it again, sipping from his glass.

Noah was a little surprised when Daniel immediately answered his question. What about him? The last time they spoke, Noah was under the impression they wouldn’t talk again until Daniel came to a decision about what he wanted. The week had been hard for him too because he didn’t want to talk to anyone else, but Daniel about his Dad and how much he hated cutting his hair. Just stupid shit. The amount of times he opened Daniel’s messages to type out something was almost ridiculous, but he didn’t want to influence him in anyway. He wanted to make sure the decision Daniel came to about them was Daniel’s alone. 

Noah gave Daniel an encouraging smile as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say. His nervous energy pulled at Noah’s heartstrings wanting to reassure him that they didn’t have to do this right now, but he didn’t get the chance to because once Daniel started speaking, he didn’t stop. Noah was hanging on to Daniel’s every word as he explained what this past week was like for him and how he felt about Noah. Everything Noah wanted to hear last time was being said to him at this moment. He couldn’t look away from Daniel as he heard his own heart beating rapidly in his ears. This was really happening, wasn’t it? 

Noah opened his mouth to say something when Daniel asked, but he was still so shocked that Daniel wanted to be with him, he didn’t know what to say. Instead, he moved towards Daniel grabbing his face kissing him eagerly. His heart was elated kissing his lips after what felt like an eternity. His hands shaking a little from the adrenaline. He pulled back looking him in the eyes. “Yes. Of course!” He laughed slightly. “Of course, I want to be with you. A couple weeks aren’t going to change how I feel about you.” He chuckled out of disbelief. “You’re all I want, Daniel. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. I just—” He licked his lips, his eyes wide. “I’m just glad you feel the same.” With another grin, Noah leaned into Daniel kissing him again.

Seconds ticked by without a spoken word, with Daniel trying to read Noah’s thoughts when all he had to go on was that smile. Was he laughing at him? Even if that was so, even if it was too late, Daniel still wouldn’t take it back. Then Noah opened his mouth, seemed to reconsider, and suddenly Daniel did too. Maybe it was too late, maybe it was stupid to think that Noah would still want this, after the way Daniel had treated him. God, he made him cry, Daniel suddenly remembered, the memory still making him sick with guilt. He had to get out of here. No words came to him as he sat up, Daniel unsure how to extract himself from this situation, but he didn’t have to. Noah sat up at that exact same moment, making a move for Daniel, stunning him into silence when he grabbed his face. Oh.

Every doubt evaporated the moment their lips met, Daniel holding on to him and kissing him back just as eagerly. His eyes were big and hopeful when Noah pulled back. “Yeah?” He touched a hand to his face, his smile growing wide, matching his. “I do. I do, I really fucking do.” And how lucky was he that Noah felt the same? Daniel laughed, kissing him again and again. “I want to do this right. I want to make up for--” For everything. They had been hooking up for almost a year, how long had Noah felt this way? How much time had they wasted because he was too stupid to see it? “For all of it.” Daniel kissed him one more time, erupting with laughter when Sumo whined loudly and shoved his head in the space between them, demanding attention. 

“Okay, but I really don’t remember the question. I’m old, you gotta help me out here.” 

"Shut up, you’re like, what? Four years older than me? Way to make me feel ancient.” Daniel fell silent, as he suddenly realized, “I don’t remember the question either. Shit, we really are old!”