#swynjun

In which Vixey makes an announcement to her friends...[takes place: idk closer to the middle of November]

@alzcomicbarn, @truitt-story, @moon-yeongjun

[cw -- none <3]

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[link here]

@moon-yeongjun​

“Did you see this?” Vixey said, sitting cross legged in a rickety chair in the Moon Market office, her salad bowl in her lap, holding her phone out to Jun. It was open to Instagram. Alana Triton’s Instagram and her stupid announcement for her stupid shoppe.

“They’re doing this whole promotional thing where they’re giving away tickets and everything. There is no way I can compete with that.” She turned her phone back around before Jun could really get a proper look at the post, scrolling worriedly through the #SwynlakeQueenBee tag while munching on her salad. “Their opening is going to have twice as many people as mine. And, probably like, Dom Perignon.”

@moon-yeongjun

Alright, so Vixey was curious. Damn Tiana, honestly. This was all her fault. Vixey had been perfect content to leave Jun to his own romantic mistakes. (Okay, not really, but she was trying to be a good friend by...not being nosy. Plus, Jun was so stubborn, she knew he was just going to piss her off if he brought it up.) But, since her conversation with Tiana, she had more questions than answers and that just wouldn’t do.

After all, Haru was sweet and respectful. It didn’t make any sense why Jun’s mum wouldn’t like her. And Haru saying she was someone ‘important’, what did that even mean? Not to mention, Jun had been so cagey about the whole thing and had even fired her! (That, Vixey had already yelled at him about but it hadn’t gone anywhere.) 

The curiosity had grown and grown, but Vixey was biding her time before she could ask. The opportunity came a few weeks left til Christmas, when Jun and Vixey were the only ones working at the market. It was the early morning, so not many customers yet and they were working on a display. This was always a nice time for the two of them. They worked well together, could exist in silence or share some gossip with each other.

Vixey decided to start easy. She would close the trap on him after she had lured him into a false sense of security. “Do you have any petitions you are thinking about for the new year, new board?” she asked innocently. 

@moon-yeongjun​

Vixey was not working today, but that was alright. She hung out at the market enough and knew roughly when Jun took his lunch break most days, if he took one. (If she was on shift with him, she would purposefully sit in the office with her own lunch and stare him down whilst eating until he caved.) As it was, she didn’t have a lunch today. 

She only had her annoyance and she was about to take it out on him.

Without announcing herself, Vixey barged into his office and plopped down so hard on one of the desk chairs that it groaned as if it was going to give out. 

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this!” Vixey accused, waving a hand in Jun’s direction. “I knew this was a bad idea and you were the one who was supposed to tell me that I was right so that I’d give up on it! And now, we’ve spent all this time on a petition and budgeting and some rich asshole is just going to throw money at a vacant lot and poof! The hottest place to shoppe in Swynlake. Some silly little thrift store can’t compete with that.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back, pouting sullenly. 

“And don’t start with the whole ‘oh it’ll be fine, it’s so different’ bull crap. Tiana and Barbie have already tried that.” And it had worked...for a little bit. “But, I can’t compete with her prices if she’s going to be giving good deals! No way people go to a thrift shop over an affordable boutique and you know it.” 

@moon-yeongjun

Vixey needed someone to talk sense into her. 

There was no one better to do that than Jun Moon. He was level-headed, like her, and did not jump into things, like her. He would understand why this was a horrible idea and she shouldn’t do it. That she should go back to the hospital after a period of time. She had the luxury to do that. Her siblings were here to take care of the farm. Hamish actually enjoyed it, so she was not in change. Plus, both her parents were still alive. There was nothing stopping her from returning to her career and her little flat in London...

All morning, she had been uncharacteristically quiet. She was usually rather chatty by the time she got to the market and they settled into their shift. It was just idle chatter. Usually Vixey bothering Jun with whatever thoughts filled her head. Sometimes, they worked quietly too, which was just as nice. Both of them minding their own business

...So it wasn’t that unusual. 

It just felt unusual because the silence was not easy to Vixey. She kept wanting to open her mouth, but closed it just as fast. It was funny, because she wanted Jun to talk her out of it, but--she also didn’t want to tell him about it in the first place. It was silly. Frivolous. Something to talk about over wine with her girls...

Which is exactly why she had to rip the plaster off. She sat, watching Jun walk back and forth across the shoppe. They had a few customers in so early, so every time she saw him, she was checking someone out and couldn’t catch his attention without being rude. 

@moon-yeongjun

It was only Vixey’s second day at the Moon Market, but she already knew that it was the right decision for her at this point in time. Jun was quiet, good company in the early morning. The work was simple, but good work. She liked shelving things and helping with organizing. Checking people out at the register was probably her least favourite, considering everyone was surprised to see her and she’d had to explain no less than ten times her last shift why she was back. (Though, skirting around the truth as much as possible.) 

The mornings were usually calm and she enjoyed trading off shifts with Tae and the triplets when they came in from school. It was shocking seeing how much Tae had grown and the girls too. They’d all been so little the last time she’d spent any significant time with them. And, despite herself, she quite liked getting to know them, now, as little adults. 

Jun too. They didn’t talk much if it wasn’t about work, but Vixey was used to that. She had a feeling Jun was too. When you worked at a hospital, it was your entire life. She wondered, sometimes, if he felt as lost as she did.

Of course, she wasn’t going to ask him. Especially not right off the bat. Maybe that would wait for the second week of work. (Kidding.) For the moment, she was just glad to have found a place that felt...nice. That made her feel like perhaps this exile wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

She was thinking this, as she wiggled around the computer mouse on the ancient computer attached to the register, waiting for it to wake up. They’d been open for about half an hour, but Vixey had been running about, making sure she remembered to do everything for opening and had forgotten...possibly the most important part. It had just been her luck no one had come in yet. (Though, people usually did not grocery shoppe at 8:00am.) 

The bell above the door rang and Vixey jumped to attention from where she’d been slouching, chin in hand, looking toward the door.

“Uncle Waldo!” Vixey barked in both--surprise and delight when she recognized the man who had just come in. He had been around even when Vixey was a child, of course. 

“Hullo, m’dear!” Uncle Waldo said with a little hiccup, then a wave, and then, quite promptly: he crumpled to the floor.

For just one second, Vixey blinked. Then, like a jolt of electricity down her spine, her training kicked in and she ran towards him, dropping towards her knees and putting her hand beneath his nose. 

“Jun!” she called, her voice calm but measured with alarm. 

Her fingers moved to Uncle Waldo’s wrist. His pulse was steady and then--he made a horrible, wretched noise and Vixey blinked again. 

@moon-yeongjun​

Vixey was standing outside Moon Market--though, just a little to the left so no one could see her outside of the glass front doors. She knew exactly where to stand to avoid being spotted, having sat out on the curb many a summer afternoon, eating popsicles and waiting for a ride home. 

And, standing there, she was trying to talk herself up, feeling utterly ridiculous.

“Alright, Vixey, you can do this. Why wouldn’t Jun hire you? You’ve only known him basically your entire life. And besides, you’re great. You even know CPR. Jun will appreciate that you know CPR...ugh.” 

Vixey smacked her head against her notebook clutched in her hands and then took a deep breath. There was nothing for it really: she was going to ask a childhood friend for a job because she was basically blacklisted from the hospital until she “got her head on straight.” (Insert a bisexual joke here to alleviate the stress and pity.) 

“Okay, okay.” Vixey shook her curls over her shoulder and strolled into the shop, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. 

Gosh, it’d been years since she’d been here last. It still smelled the same. It still looked the same, except it was decorated for the holidays now. Little bits of green and silver tinsel was lined along the register counter. And, behind the counter was someone she didn’t know. She asked where Jun was and was directed to the back office. 

That was a bit different. Usually, it was Jun’s appa sitting in the beat up rolling chair, back hunched over as he squinted at the computer. 

But, well, Vixey knew life in Swynlake hadn’t just been on pause for her. Even if she wished that was the case. 

“Hi, Jun,” she greeted, knocking on the open door and smiling. “I hope I’m not disturbing you...” 

In which Vixey finally comes clean about what happened with Drakken and the crew comes up with a plan...[takes place: idk like March 12]

@moon-yeongjun, @alzcomicbarn, @truitt-story

[tw -- mentions of threats, all the stuff with Drakken]

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