#heartstrings fic

"Now remember, we're just here for cat food." Jasper insisted, as much for himself as it was for Kyle. The sign was plastered up all over the outside of the pet store:

PUPPY BOWL

All Adoption Fees Waived! Sponsored by Royal Canin

"Right. Just cat food." Kyle repeated the same mantra. Jasper knew, realistically, that mantra would last about two seconds. They'd get inside, see all the little monsters galloping around on their too-big paws, tripping over floppy ears they hadn't grown into, spraining their tails wagging at everything that moved, and they'd end up walking out with a box of supplies in one hand and a puppy in the other. The only real question at this point was who would fall in love first: Kyle or Jasper.

"Just a bag of Purina, we'll be in and out."

Besides, getting another pet right now was a big maybe. They maybe could afford it, especially with that adoption fee waived, but that money could also be used to replace the air conditioner that was currently hanging by a thread. Columbia maybe would be okay with another animal in the house, she was a sweet cat, but she'd never been around a dog before. And maybe training would be a breeze, as both Jasper and Kyle had grown up with dogs, but one busy week at the hospital and suddenly Jasper was at work more than he was at home.

The maybes didn't really matter any more than the mantras. It was an inevitability at this point. If Jasper believed in fate, he'd have wondered if that puppy bowl (with waived adoption fees) was destined to fall on the same day Columbia ran out of kibble. They'd leave this place with another member of the family, and no attempt to convince themselves otherwise was going to work.

The doors slid open, and the two of them were immediately hit by a wall of sound. The center of the lobby had been cleared, and a temporary pen had been set up up in the middle of it all. At least a dozen puppies were tumbling around inside, chewing on the shoelaces of the store employee attempting the hopeless task of wrangling them all. Three more puppies had been pulled aside for the puppy bowl itself: a short mock-raceway where the pups pawed clumsily towards a soggy green tennis ball.

Kyle began to drift almost immediately.

"What about-"

"C'mon, Jazz, let's just watch for a minute."

This was the beginning of the end, Jasper thought. He hadn't even made it two steps in the door.

Amused more than he was really annoyed, he trailed after Kyle. There didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to the puppy bowl - the tennis ball had been caught by a gangly gray Great Dane puppy, and the other two were making their best efforts to get it back. One, a mixed-breed with mottled brown fur and a squished-up bulldog face, was having more luck than the other.

The third puppy was by far the smallest, though what it lacked in size it made up for in fervor. It was a dappled sausage-roll of a dog: long snout, long body, long ears, but stubby little legs like a living piggy bank. It seemed to be holding a wrestling match with itself, tripping over its own legs as it tried to snatch the tennis ball back from its much larger counterparts.

It was that puppy that drew Kyle's attention. He watched it bumble about for a minute or two, then bumped Jasper playfully with his hip. Bright sparks of pure, undiluted amusement popped in Jasper's chest- it was rare that he got anything so concentrated from Kyle these days, and it made him smile even before Kyle spoke.

"Aaaaaand here comes Ruff N' Tumble!" he crowed, doing his best impression of Jasper's roller derby announcer, "Weighing in at two pounds, three ounces, this dog is small but he is mighty! Just like someone else I know..."

Jasper snorted and nudged Kyle right back, inwardly reveling at the smile on his face. It wasn't that Kyle was particularly unhappy these days, but he was much more withdrawn in his second life than he'd been in the first. He was wearing a high-necked sweatshirt to hide the scars, but he still didn't like drawing attention to himself anymore. Let alone smiling. Let alone laughing. Let alone allowing his voice to carry through the store and draw eyes like it was.

They were bringing that dog home. It was certain. Jasper wasn't going to walk away from anything that made Kyle really feel alive again.

"Oooh, and a missed opportunity from the Grey Ghost as Ruff sneaks in!" Jasper jumped in as the little dachshund made a renewed pass at the tennis ball. The ball was just as quickly snatched away by the bully-mix, who tumbled away in triumph like an overgrown meatball, and the dachshund let out an indignant yip!

"Chunky takes control, and Ruff's down for now," Kyle said, as the dachshund sank down into a clumsy play-bow, "But I'm sure it won't be for long!"

Instead, a pet store employee promptly scooped up the dachshund and deposited it in the pen with the rest of the puppies. The other two dogs quickly followed - save for a brief standby as the employee pried the tennis ball out of the bully-mix's jaws.

"Oh, well... I guess that's the end of this week's match-up!" Kyle crooned, laughing to himself as he tried to pivot, "So let's hear a word from our sponsors!"

Then he dropped the act, and tilted his chin towards the back of the store.

"Gonna go get the cat food." he said, back to the quieter tone of voice Jasper had grown familiar with, "Be right back."

The cacophony of puppies had him out of earshot within about twenty steps, and Jasper seized the opportunity.

"Is the dachshund puppy still available?"

"You wanna take him home?"

"Yes. Please." The words came out so quickly they almost sounded desperate- but in a way they were desperate. Animals did Kyle a lot of good: they didn't care about the scars, they didn't care if he spoke or not, they didn't care if he was something different than he used to be. And this here, today, that was something special. It brought him out of his shell more than Jasper had seen in months- maybe even more than he'd seen since the accident. He'd hold onto that. He was bringing this dog home.

"Alright. I'll have the paperwork up at checkout for ya. And we've got a starter package, food and a bed and a leash and all that, twenty percent off."

"Perfect. Can I carry him?"

"Sure, man. Just don't take 'im outta the store until you sign the papers."

The employee (probably extremely underpaid for the amount of dog slobber on their shoes) picked up the dachshund and shoved it into Jasper's arms, where it promptly tried to wiggle its way free. Jasper adjusted his grip, careful to support the dog's torso and back legs with his arm, and beamed as he walked off in Kyle's wake.

"Finding everything?" Jasper asked, wanting Kyle to turn as they approached. He just shrugged, his eyes still trained on the shelves.

"They're out of the Purina chicken and rice," he said, "Do we want the Purina salmon? Or the Rachael Ray chicken and rice instead, do you think?"

"Get the Rachael Ray chicken," Jasper replied, "Salmon'll give her death farts for days. Oh, and grab a bag of puppy food while you're at it."

That last line finally made Kyle look over, and his face lit up like the sunrise when he saw the dachshund in Jasper's arms. He immediately held out his hands for it, a bloom of warmth cresting through Jasper's chest as he passed the dog over.

"He's ours?"

"Yeah- well, he will be, they've got the papers up at checkout for us."

"Oh, Jazz..."

The dachshund twisted in Kyle's arms and unleashed a volley of slobbery licks to his cheek. Kyle laughed so loud it echoed through the store. Jasper's smile only widened. He felt more and more assured of his decision by the second.

"You got a name for him?"

Natalie had been attempting to peak through her lashes at her best friends, but dutifully snapped them shut again at Laila’s admonishment. All three were packed into Laila’s cramped bathroom, the typical meeting place for their girls nights out. Natalie felt almost like the tiny studio apartment was her home away from home, despite her own apartment that she shared with Kristi being a mere three blocks away.

“Sorry, sorry. Kristi just does the best pouting face, its adorable,” Natalie grinned a bit at the indignant noise Kristi made. “C’mon, Kristi, it’ll be fun! Ladies drink for half price, right? At least the booze will be cheap!” Natalie chirped, attempting to raise her friends spirits. It was rare that all three of the friends were able to get the same day of the week off, and Natalie had been quick to seize the opportunity and try to make a plan for the three to see each other. Going to a bar to listen to music had barely beaten out taking in another movie on Laila’s couch, much to Kristi’s disappointment. Kristi huffed, swiping at the faint smudge of eyeliner that had already started to form beneath her eyes.

“Okay, I think that’s as good as I can possibly make it. Check it out,” Laila said, a hint of self-satisfaction coloring her voice. Laila stood from her crouch and flexed her knees, returning her brushes to the small vanity that sat on the bathroom sink and smoothing her black stockings back into place. Laila’s black dress was patterned with spiders, the skirt falling loosely from her waist to the middle of her thighs. Natalie bounced up from her spot from the lip of the bathtub, wiggling between her two friends for a spot on the bathroom counter to admire her reflection in the mirror. A sharp wing of eyeliner gave her an alluring look, and the red pop on her lids surrounded by black shadow made the green of her eyes shine brighter. Natalie grinned at her reflection, somewhat marring the sultry look her makeup painted on her face. Her red tank top shimmered under the harsh bathroom light, and the black skirt clung to her legs, scarcely managing to reach past the halfway point on her thighs.

“Laila, this is amazing! I can’t believe it’s me, I look so cute!” Natalie preened in the mirror, putting a hand under her hair and lifting it into an updo. Laila smirked at her in the mirror, carefully applying her black lipstick.

“Anytime, McAllister,” was the easy reply, and with a final flourish, Laila capped her lipstick and grabbed her bag from the edge of the tub, ushering her friends out of the apartment.

~

The bar was, as Kristi had predicted, gross and dingy. Natalie carefully stepped in, enveloped by the music that she had been able to hear from three doors down, and she felt the bass of it thrumming in her chest, unable to really identify it beyond fast and loud. Most of the lighting came from the neon signs that were propped behind the bar itself; ancient things that promised Bud Lite and Corona. The bartender stood off to the side, taller than Natalie was in her heels, a towel thrown over his shoulder the only way to distinguish him from the back wall. The neon lights cast his face in darkness, but Natalie thought she could see a beard highlighted against the light. Turning her attention away from the bar, she was suddenly aware of how short her skirt was as she tried to adjust to the dim lighting of the bar. The bar felt packed, groups of people surrounding most of the tables, with more pressed against the walls, drinks in hand. A few of the overhead lights still worked, the dirty light that filtered down being dimmer than the streetlights that had illuminated their way there made it difficult to pick out any features of the crowd beyond their silhouettes. The back of the bar had blue and purple lighting illuminating a small stage, and Natalie finally spotted the origin of the music. Natalie could see the band was already in full swing, and from the sweat shine she could see on the lead singer, she would have guessed they had been there for awhile already. She quickly turned to Laila, who had passed her and was settling into a barstool.

“Did we already miss some of their set?” Natalie half shouted, fidgeting on her heels. From how full the bar looked, she would have guessed they’d been playing for awhile.

“I don’t think so, Felix said they wouldn’t start until 10:30,” Laila said, and motioned to a clock above the bar that Natalie could barely see. Squinting, she realized it read 10:26. “Relax, McAllister, sit down and have a drink.” Natalie nodded, and went around to Laila’s other side to take the open barstool next to her. Kristi folder her arms over her chest, annoyance clear on her features as she checked her phone. Natalie patted the edge of her barstool, scooting over to make room for her, and Kristi grimaced slightly as she perched on the edge.

“Can I get a jack and coke, please?” Kristi asked the bartender, who nodded to her.

“Can I get a Guinness, please?” Natalie asked, and the bartender shook his head.

“Need ID,” he said, voice gruff.

“Seriously? You didn’t ask them for any ID,” Natalie whined as she fished for her wallet in her bag. After a moment, she felt the familiar canvas and pulled it out, flipping it open to show her driver’s license. The bartender studied for a moment, then nodded at her.

“It’ll be three dollars for the beer,” was his only reply, pulling out a tall glass and yanking back on one of the bar taps, handing the glass to Natalie once it was full. He turned his back to the girls, and when he turned back around he had a glass of dark liquid and pushed it towards Kristi. Natalie and Kristi pushed back their dollars at the same time, and Natalie noticed that the bartender hadn’t bothered to tell Kristi what her total was for her to slide an acceptable amount over the bartop.

“I didn’t figure you’d be into this kind of place, Kristi,” Natalie teased, taking a short sip from her drink.

“I didn’t say I’ve never been here, I said I didn’t want to waste my only night off here,” Kristi huffed, nose in the air as she sipped her own drink. Natalie grinned wide at her friend, but her teasing was interrupted when Felix’s voice cut through the idle chatter of the bar.

“Alright, are you guys ready for the real entertainment of the night?” Felix practically yelled into the microphone, to a smattering of applause from the rest of the crowd. Natalie cheered from her spot, raising her arms and nearly knocking Kristi off the stool.

“Watch it!” Kristi hissed, “I almost spilled my drink!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Natalie stage whispered, and she swore she saw Felix sneer back at them.

“Here they are, the best thing to ever crawl up from the depths of this shitty town, I give you the Hell Raisers!” Felix really was shouting now, the feedback from the mic causing several people to wince, including Natalie. Still, trying to give the band the best welcome possible, Natalie was the only one in the bar still clapping and whooping when the band strode on stage. The bar fell back to idle chatter as the band took the stage. There were four of them; three guitars and one without anything, who quickly settled behind the drum kit. Natalie watched as one guitarist, who wasn’t wearing a shirt, was trying to steal drinks from the table of women closest to the stage, who shove him off with a little more force than necessary. One of his bandmates, the one with a mohawk, grabbed him back by the neck and pulled him back to the stage, smiling and throwing an exaggerated wink to the table before sauntering quickly back behind the drum kit. The only girl in the group walked up to the front of the stage, following the final guitarist, her hand outstretched and searching for the mic stand. Natalie watched him move, one hand resting over his guitar with an easy confidence. Even as far away as she is, she can see the sharpness of his features, that his skin is tanned, even under the blue lights. His hair looks almost blue in that same light, and it shines brighter than the rest of the lights in the bar. He smiles to the crowd, and the light catches off the white of his teeth, giving him an almost predatory look. Natalie let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, and took a long drink from her beer.

“Welcome to Oasis everyone, I’m Sheila and we are the Hell Raisers. Are you ready to kick off this Friday night right?” Her voice was lower than Natalie had expected, her eyes were drawn toward the wicked grin the guitarist still has painted on his face. He strums his guitar and a chord, low and soft, reaches her all the way across the bar and Natalie felt herself returning his smile. Cheers erupted from the tables, and Natalie clapped along too, adding her voice in. “We’re gonna get you going all night long, get ready for it cause we’re gonna jump right into it.” The band, who had been playing with their instruments almost absentmindedly, started to come together as a unit. There was a purpose to their sound, and they slipped into time with each other with a practiced ease.

The first song was loud and fast, and Natalie can feel the beat of it grabbing her heart and pulling it along to the rhythm they’ve set. His fingers fly along the neck of his guitar, his shoulders hunching and his foot pounding in time with the beat of Natalie’s heart. Natalie feels herself flushing as she played with the glass in her hand, pretending that it’s really the condensation that’s got her palms sweaty the way they are. Natalie is startled by the sudden movement on her stool as Sheila talks into the microphone, asking patrons about their night and introducing their next song.

“What do you think, Blondie? ‘S pretty good, right?” Natalie jumps at the voice that comes behind her, almost knocking Kristi off the stool they were sharing. Felix had materialized behind them, and he shouts over the new song, a similar energy but there’s more promise in this one, Natalie thinks. She sneaks a glance again to band, and watches as the shirtless guitarist- Pax, she thinks she heard him introduce himself as during the first song- slams his back against the other guitarist, and they share the energy of the song before he breaks away again. Natalie picks up her glass and finishes it, the loud clunk it makes on the bar top scarcely audible over the pounding on the drums. Natalie turns to Felix, somewhat off balance, and shouts back, “They’re amazing! Do you know all of them?”

“Oh, who the fuck invited the lightweight champion?” Felix groaned, which earned him a sharp look from Kristi and a sharper jab from Laila. Natalie stuck her tongue out at him, giggling as he hunched over from the blow Laila landed on his stomach. She was about to repeat her question when Laila cut in.

“I did, Felix. And they are pretty decent; that’s that new guy you work with, right?” Laila asked, completely ignoring the daggers Felix was currently glaring at her.

“Yeah, that’s Lucifer and his band. He’s fucking cool,” Felix huffed, hoarse at the beginning but getting stronger as he went on, “unlike some losers who either don’t know good music or won’t remember it in the morning.” Kristi rolled her eyes at the dig, but Natalie pouted.

“I will so remember! I’ve only had one beer so far,” she protested, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back, nearly falling off the stool when there wasn’t a back to catch her on. Felix only raised an eyebrow at her.

“Anyway,” he went on, smirking, ”they’re the fucking best, and Anthea’s been trying to help them get more gigs and shit. Have you seen her yet tonight?”

“No, we haven’t,” Laila said, “but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out.” Natalie tuned out of the conversation at that point, her focus shifting back to the stage. The song shift again, something a little slower this time, and she could feel her heart pounding along in time to the bass as she watched his fingers dance along his guitar.

~

It was almost an hour later when Anthea came into the bar. Natalie noticed her first and jumped off her stool to pull her into a hug. Laila and Kristi snickered to themselves at the shocked expression on Anthea’s face, before it shifted to something warmer.

“Anthea! You finally made it! This band is amazing, have you heard them before?” Natalie said, leaning into her friend. A smile tugged its way onto Anthea’s lips as she patted Natalie’s back.

“Yes, I try to listen to the bands I manage as often as I can. How are you, dear? Your makeup looks nice,” Anthea murmured in Natalie’s ear, making her giggle and push away from Anthea.

“Laila did it, she’s so talented. Felix was looking for you awhile ago, dunno where he went though,” Natalie yelled a little louder than was strictly needed. “This band is soooo cool, Anthea, I can’t believe you get to hang out with them,” Natalie continued, her hips swaying slightly in time to the music.

“You could meet them if you wanted to,”Anthea said, and Natalie abruptly stopped moving.

“That would be pretty cool,” Laila mused, “it would have to be quick though, I have to be at work early tomorrow.” Kristi nodded, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

“We’ve been the Hell Raisers, and that’s it for our set. You’ve been fucking wild tonight and I appreciate it, we’ll see you back here next week!” Sheila cut in from the stage, and Natalie’s eyes immediately fell on Lucifer, shining under the lights with sweat, his arm braced on his guitar. With that, they filed quickly off stage, and house music clicked on from the speakers near the bar. The crowd had thinned a bit since the start of their set, but since it was now approaching the early hours of Saturday morning, Natalie figured this was a normal development.

“Jesus, finally, how you stand that kind of music is just beyond me,” Kristi wondered aloud, rolling her neck around her shoulders and smoothing the edges of her dress. “Let’s just find Felix and say goodbye and go, I have to work a double tomorrow and I’d like to see my bed before the sun comes up” she added, already walking towards the door. Laila trailed her, a grin playing on her lips as she followed her roommate.

“Strong words for someone I saw dancing in their seat,” Laila teased, nudging Kristi’s shoulder while the blonde rolled her eyes. “Real quick, Lange, I promise,” she told her, making a large X across her chest while Kristi huffed and followed Anthea out of the bar, Natalie trailing behind them. The cold air hit her immediately as she stepped out of the bar, making her shiver in her thin tank top. She followed Laila closely as they rounded the corner of the building, towards the back entrance of the bar. Natalie saw Felix first, hefting a long case into the back of van with a huff, before leaning against the bumper of the car.

“Took you fucking long enough to get here, Anthea. Did you even get to see any of the set this time?” He called to them from the entrance of the alleyway, moving his arms to cross his chest.

“I got the last song,” Anthea said, “I had to work later than I planned to. I trust that everything went smoothly?” Anthea reached the van, smiling at Felix and placing a hand on his shoulder. “I really appreciate you coming through for me like this.”

Felix huffs at her, shirking out of her reach and rolling his eyes. “Yeah, well, you owe me then. Not even you can get free favors from me.” Anthea’s smile didn’t waver as she let her hand fall back to her side.

“Wouldn’t have dreamed of it, Felix,” she said, warmth in her voice. “Laila and her friends came to say goodbye, do you think Sheila and the others would mind meeting a few fans for a moment?” Laila and Kristi settled against the building wall at the edge of the light, waving at Felix. Only Natalie came closer, hovering near Anthea by the bumper of the car, fingers picking at the edge of her skirt. Felix made an irritated noise in his throat and shrugged, climbing into the back of the van and starting to arrange boxes and wrap up cords.

“Always, Anthea, we love meeting new people, especially lady fans,” a voice came from the other side of the van, making Natalie jump and turn towards the source. The shirtless guitarist was standing behind her, backlit by the light of the bar’s back entrance. “I’m Pax,” he purred, eyes running up and down Natalie’s frame as he slinked closer, and Natalie had to force herself to leave the edge of her skirt alone and not flinch. Oblivious to this, Pax continued, “Enjoy the show, red? It’s okay to be starstruck, baby,” putting his own case in the trunk and cornering Natalie against the van. “I bet you’d make some beautiful music if you got the right guy to play you,” Pax leaned in, leering at Natalie. Up close, she could see the black ink tattooed into his dark skin, a pin up girl smiling demurely at her from his bicep.

“From how you sounded tonight, I really think you need to hammer down the basics before you try anything more advanced,” Natalie said, smiling sweetly as Pax’s leer dropped and shocked colored his expression. Behind him, Natalie could hear Felix sniggering, and saw Laila’s shoulders shaking a bit as she hid her mouth behind her hand.

“Hey, now-” he started in, but was cut off by a large hand landing squarely on his shoulder and yanking him back, making Pax yelp as he stumbled away from the band.

“She’s one hundred percent right, you little shit. There’s a fucking point to practicing together before shows, you know,” the drummer said, pulling Pax away from Natalie. “Sorry about Pax, he’s a gigantic asshole. I’m Ipos, glad you came out,” Ipos said, sharing a smile with Natalie, before turning his head away, “How’s it going, Anthea?”

“It’s good, Ipos,” she said, smiling at him. “These are some of Felix’s friends, Natalie, Kristi, and Laila,” Anthea introduced, “they wanted to let you all know how much they enjoyed the show. I hope you don’t mind hanging out for a bit, I need to see to some details with the bar owner over your shows,” Anthea said, pushing herself off the van bumper and disappearing inside of the bar. Ipos leaned up on the bumper where Anthea had just been, crossing his arms and turning his attention again to Pax, who had recovered from his earlier episode and was now going after new targets.

“So, what did you think of the show, baby?” Pax had already moved onto Laila, leaning up against the building wall between the other two girls. Laila raised an eyebrow while Kristi scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“I’m not drunk enough for you to be even remotely interesting,” Laila replied, voice cool and nonplussed, and Natalie and Ipos sniggered together from their spot up against the van at the sight of Pax’s indignant look.

“C’mon baby, I may not be a drummer but I know exactly how to hit it,” Pax pushed on, the leer coming back onto his face as he heard Kristi choke from behind him. Ipos made a move to go and grab him again, but Felix beat him to it, jumping down from the van and striding over to Pax.

“Pax, if you don’t leave them the fuck alone, I’m going to kick your ass,” Felix snapped at him, grabbing his elbow and pulling him back towards the van. “Fucking help me with these, seriously, I’m not your bitch boy.”

“You sure, Felix? You do kinda whine like one,” a female voice said in sing-song way, and Sheila came from around the side of the van, her cane skittering along the ground in front of her. Felix jumped out of the back of the van and stalked past Sheila, grumbling what suspiciously sounded like ‘get fucked’ as he disappeared back into the bar. No sooner had the door closed than it was thrown open again, and Natalie watched as Lucifer stepped out of the bar, carrying the last case. Natalie felt the her face start to flush again as he into the light, and from this close, she could see that his hair was flecked with white streaks, and the light from the door made it look like a halo surrounding his head. He towered over her, an imposing presence, and Natalie felt her stomach clench as she sucked in a breath through her nose. Natalie could feel the heat rising to her face again, and she shifted against the van, trying to seem more casual than she felt. She smoothed her skirt down again, not noticing how his eyes flicked down to her for a moment, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Like anything you see, kid? Looking’s free, but touching’s gonna cost,” he purred to her, that same predatory grin ghosting onto his face as he crossed his arms, biceps flexing.

“Is it hard to get the white streaks into your hair like that?” Natalie asked, not being able to stop herself from saying the first thing she could think of.

Lucifer blinked at her. “What?”

“I mean it looks kinda pretentious, ya know? Do you do it yourself or do you go to a salon for it?” Natalie persisted, leaning up towards Lucifer, thankful that her heels closed the gap at least somewhat. There was a beat where the alley was completely still, until Pax let out a bark of laughter that broke the spell. Lucifer stalked past Natalie, and Natalie felt her face heating up from embarrassment.

“We almost ready to go yet? Or are you gonna insist on trying to fuck every groupie that shows up after our set?” Lucifer moved past Ipos to put the last case back into the van, and Natalie’s eyes shifted away from him, staring at cracked pavement. From across the alley, Kristi made an indignant noise in the back of her throat, and Natalie could practically hear her eyes rolling in her head.

“Seriously, Lucifer, is that any way to greet fans? You’re gonna have to excuse him, right?” Ipos said, and Natalie glanced back towards Laila and Kristi, who were starting to edge out of the light and back down towards the street. Lucifer elected to ignore him, instead moving to shut the van doors.

“No, I mean really, it’s fine. It’s late and we should probably get going anyway, we just wanted to come by and say goodnight to Felix,” Natalie said, her grip on her purse tightening somewhat as she sidestepped away from Ipos. Lucifer eyed Natalie, his eyes lingering on her legs, and Natalie resisted the urge to pull down her skirt again, shifting on her feet in her heels.

“Lucifer, if you keep scaring away fans, were just gonna have to ask you to leave the band,” Sheila gave a long suffering sigh, and turned to the general direction of where Natalie was standing. “Seriously, thanks for coming out to see us play. I didn’t realize Felix even had any friends other than Anthea,” her tone was light, a smirk playing at the edges of her lips. “Will you be here the next time too? It’s always nice to have a familiar face in the crowd, even if I can’t see them.”

“I doubt it,” was Kristi’s deadpan reply, “I barely wanted to be here tonight.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to make it either,” Laila added in.

“Well, we can still count on you, right Natalie?” Ipos prodded, eyes shining in excitement. A smile twitched at Sheila’s lips.

“Uh, sure, I guess, I think I’ll be free next Friday,” Natalie said, smiling back at Ipos, his face splitting into a grin.

“Here, you can get my number, text me to let me know when you show up,” Ipos held out his hand for Natalie’s phone, and she took it out of her purse and handed it to him, letting him put in his number. Ipos handed it back with a grin, and Natalie stepped back to Laila and Kristi.

“We’re gonna head out now, it was nice to get to meet you all,” Laila said, and with a final wave, the three turned and headed back toward the street.

“We’ll see you next week, Natalie,” Sheila said, waving in the general direction of the group.

“Great,” Natalie said, tucking her phone back into her purse and giving Ipos a bright smile. “It was really fun to meet you all, even you, Lucifer!” With that, she started walking with Kristi and Laila, heading back towards the street. Kristi grabbed her hand to pull her along faster, and Laila quirked an eyebrow at Natalie. They quickly disappeared from the circle of light by the back door, becoming outlines against the darkness.

“Feeling’s not mutual, girl,” Lucifer called after her. He could barely make out that she turned back around to give him a wave. Lucifer watched as she disappeared, and turned to Ipos.

“What the fuck was that?” He asked, arching his eyebrow.

“What are you talking about, Luce? She brings a good energy to the crowd, she’s cute, good sense of humor; I can’t want to get to know her better?” Ipos asked, grinning at Lucifer as he walked over to Sheila, leaning next to her against the van.

“I know I sure would,” Pax singsonged, poking his head out from the front door of the van.

“Seriously, Luce, I think you’re reading too much into the situation,” Sheila laughed, her grin matching his.

“I saw how you were looking at her; you never could resist a redhead, Luce. I think it’s time you learn a thing or two about how to actually function around other people.” Ipos laughed as Lucifer walked away, shoulders slumped with irritation at being ganged up on.

“Whatever, dude, just don’t let her become a constant fucking presence,” Lucifer muttered as he stalked towards the van and climbed in.

~

“Are you seriously gonna go see them again?” Kristi asked Natalie around her toothbrush. They had walked Laila back to her apartment, Natalie dodging the questioning expression on her friend’s face as they said their goodnight. Laila didn’t press the issue, which Natalie was eternally grateful for, but that didn’t spare her from Kristi’s questioning in the privacy of their own apartment.

“I mean, yeah, why not? It was a pretty good show tonight,” Natalie replied, tugging on a pair of sweatpants and flopping back onto her bed, rubbing her feet. “They all seem pretty nice, expect maybe Pax, but if he stopped hitting on anything for like three seconds I’m sure he’s probably tolerable?” Natalie continued as Kristi washed her spit out of the sink and walked into their shared bedroom, pulling the covers back on her bed and climbing into bed.

“Not really, one of them is literally named after the Devil and looks the part,” Kristi said, wiggling down under the covers. “I honestly can’t believe you gave that Ipos guy your number. He’s a total stranger, but I guess whatever you wanna do is fine, but I don’t want to go again. You owe me big for this, Natalie, I swear next time I get to pick and we’re seeing the sappiest romcom I can possibly get my hands on,” Kristi said, the threat somewhat muffled by her pulling the covers over hear head before continuing, “can you get the light please?” Natalie chuckled and reach for the switch on her side, the room going almost completely dark, save for the small night light plugged into the far corner.

🟡 Something Happy/Energetic

This was a bad idea, he'd thought as he strapped the skates onto his feet. He'd fallen on his ass enough the first time he'd tried this. And now he wasn't even sure who his legs and feet belonged to anymore.

This was a bad idea. He'd eat shit, if he could even stand up to begin with.

This was a bad idea. But Jasper had asked if he'd join them, and he just couldn't say no to that smile.

And by the time they dragged him up to his feet, fucked-up coordination or not, he couldn't help but grin.

🟣 Something Soothing/Domestic

Her fingers pressed firmly into his temples, easing the tension that had gathered there. He always held so much tension. Too much.

Even now, relaxed as he ever was with his head in her lap, there were traces that remained. His temples. His upper back. His hands-still curled restlessly around the hem of his shirt.

She pressed in a little harder, and ran her fingers in small circles. Abner stirred, a faint noise escaping from the back of his throat. Nikoletta drew back at the sound.

"Should I stop?"

Abner reached up, fumbling for her hands.

A Love Once New (Rae's Story): TV show - and I'm actually thinking an animated show might be cool, and would cut down on CGI costs. Her story is too long to cram into a movie, and the pacing would be weird to make it a series of movies, so I think a TV show would work best.

Symphony in Silver (Robin's Story): I could see this as either a movie or a comic book/graphic novel! It's more encapsulated than ALON, but still needs to capture that blown-up superhero vibe.

Smoke and Mirrors (Madison's Story): Probably also a TV show. It's a similar story to ALON - a very beefy story to tell, and an animated show would be best for the budget and the pacing.

Catch and Release (Ophelia's Story): Most of her story just follows No Way Home with Ophelia's inclusion (and a few flashbacks/interludes), but I'd see everything that comes after as a sort of spinoff show similar to Hawkeye or Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where it continues the story with the same actors but isn't paced out like a movie.

Gia's Story: I'm honestly not sure! I think I'd need to write more before I can determine what it would best translate into!

Heartstrings (Jasper's Story): This mainly follows AHS Coven, but with some additions before and after canon. I think this would work best as a book, since we really need Jasper's internal thoughts and perspectives to make the story work

Taking Flight (Kestrel's Story): It's based on a book series and roughly follows the events of the books, and I do see it as a book or book series itself

Who Waits Forever Anyway? (Katherine's Story): Ooooh this one could really work as a graphic novel!! I think it could really work for all the magic and the fact that Katherine's an artist, it could be a nice stylized take on the story.

Desert Song (Quinn's Story): Big-budget action movie, for sure! That's what 6 Underground is, and it was meant to have a bunch of sequels but didn't get high enough ratings and they were cancelled - I write my 6 Underground fics as my ideas for those cancelled sequels, basically

Eris' Story: Anthology-style live-action show! Since their story is a compilation of assorted scenes, I could see a show where each episode captures a distinct moment or scene from their story (with Let Us Prey being a double feature or multi-part episode)

Nikoletta's Story: Similar to Eris, her story is mostly staggered scenes, and could work well for an anthology TV show.

Heart in Your Hands (Jimmy's Story): His story really just follows the events of Frozen Empire, so I mainly just see it as an altered version of the movie.

Vivienne's Story: Gothic-style novel, or a horror movie with a lot of practical effects! I may be writing its story as some more scattered scenes, but the general vibes I'm trying to put together are certainly of Gothic horror, so I'd want to play into that.

Spider's Story: Oooooh wait I could see this as either a podcast or an audio-focused indie game! Spider's perspective is VERY sound-focused, and I think it would be neat for the medium itself to reflect that and force the audience to process it in a similar way

First off, this one's very blatant, but my IndiHux fic The Working of My Hands is all a running reference to Hozier's De Selby (Part 2) music video... featuring Domhnall Gleeson, who plays Hux. That one's definitely the most obvious, since the title comes from the song and I even mention the music video in the author's notes.

But while we're talking about my Star Wars fics...

“Where did you get this?” she asked, tilting her head in a strangely birdlike gesture. “I-” he stopped himself, finally working his way back towards lucidity, “I found it. Buried in the sand.” “Lie.” “Excuse me?”

There are two references here - one that's more of a literary device, and one that's just a pure reference. The pure reference is her saying "lie." in response to his question, since that's a reference to Ava in Ex Machina. The literary device is that "strangely birdlike gesture", since this character turns out to be Bo-Katan - a member of the Nite Owls.

Next, from Desert Song:

“Little bit.” they said, sounding amused even as the words were punctuated by a series of pained hitches and gasps, “Y’sound like… you’re on a soap opera.” “I do not!” Billy insisted, though he felt a flash of gratitude at the teasing. Humor was good. He knew Quinn well: if they could still find it within themself to rag on him for the littlest things, all was not yet lost.  “Yeah. EastEnders.”  “Piss off, Q.”

This is one of the most overt outright references to another actor's roles... but it's a very specific role to reference. Ben Hardy (who plays Billy), actually got his start on EastEnders before he made it big in the wider acting scene.

Oh, and you know there are loads of X-Men references in my 6 Underground fics, given the cast includes both Ben Hardy and Ryan Reynolds. In fact, one of my running jokes is that One's real name (unrevealed in the movie) is a reference to one of his X-Men rivals - in Nom De Guerre I name him Logan (like Wolverine), and in Desert Song he's Nathan Christopher (like Cable).

Speaking of X-Men references, here's another one from Desert Song:

She expected a wink, or one of those infuriating half-smirks of his, but his expression was nothing but genuine. 

This is a reference to a line Psylocke thinks towards Archangel in Uncanny X-Men #1, 4th series: "give me something... a twitch, a wink, one of those infuriating half-smirks of yours...". I also reference this line in Icarus Drowned!

Then here's one from Heartstrings:

“Django!” he blurted, out of the blue, “You should be Django!” Jasper blinked, abruptly pulled from their thoughts. “I am not naming myself Django. That’s even worse than Hieronymus.”

This is during a lighthearted discussion between Jasper and Kyle after Jasper realizes they never actually picked out a new middle name for themself. Kyle's suggestion here is another X-Men reference, because you know me: Django is Quicksilver's middle name, and Evan Peters plays both Kyle and Quicksilver.

Here's a sneak peak to an upcoming one, with Terra and Pluto...

But he knew he loved her. In one way or another, he was tethered to her. She was the other half of his brain, the only person who seemed to have something beneath those outer layers, the person he’d seek out even if he were on the other side of the world. She’d been lying in the grave since he met her, scrawny and thin and nearly buried alive, and he’d keep scraping away the dirt with his fingers until the day he died if it meant she could breathe. It was all he could do and it was all he wanted to do. Behind his sternum was Terra’s heart. He wanted to keep it there.

This whole fic is filled with references to I Saw the TV Glow, since Justice Smith is one of the leads in that and is my faceclaim for Pluto. Even the title is "My Imaginary Friend Terra", which is a play on a line that's said in the Pink Opaque TV show in the movie (with the character there being Tara, phonetically the same).

Here, there are two main references. The whole "buried alive" imagery is a big reference to the movie, since that drives a lot of the third act plot. And the "behind his sternum was Terra's heart" is a reference to the last scene of the movie, in which Justice Smith's character physically cuts his sternum open with a box cutter and light spills out instead of blood (makes more sense in the context of the movie). I play a lot with language in this piece, and most of the metaphors I dive into are references to the movie.

And a few more, in quick succession

Alex giving Madison a multitool/Swiss Army Knife as a gift in Smoke and Mirrors is a reference to Lucas Till also playing MacGyver

Ophelia and Peter choosing to go see Rent as their promised Broadway show is a reference to Andrew Garfield's role in Tick, Tick, Boom! - Jonathan Larson wrote both shows

There are of course copious Queen references in my 6 Underground and NATM fics, since those movies have actors who played members of the band in Bohemian Rhapsody

I know there are a few Black Mirror references in my IndiHux fics, including two instances where Hux says "be right back" (the title of Domhnall Gleeson's Black Mirror episode) to Indie after she's had heart troubles (once in the main fic and once in Rallentando). It's a common phrase, so I don't know how much of a reference that really is, but it made me chuckle to include

In Symphony in Silver, there's a tense conversation between Peter and Sean that ends with Peter insisting that Sean "Get out. Get. Out." ... which is effectively the only other movie I know Caleb Landry Jones from, lol