I received this excellent prompt a couple days ago and at 1,200 words it is rapidly becoming more than a ficlet. I’m not sure when It will be ready to post, so here’s a snippet of what I’ve been working on:
Sad Dad continues to come by, always for just one cup of coffee, always an hour before closing. He takes his coffee and the stroller to one of the overstuffed chairs in the corner and drinks it while the baby sleeps. Sometimes he pulls a book out from the diaper bag he carries with him; other times he just stares straight ahead in a daze. He never asks for a refill, always respectfully gathers his things and leaves 10 minutes before the shop officially closes. Bitty desperately wants to ask him what his story is.
Finally, one evening two weeks into this routine, Bitty finishes all of his closing tasks early and takes a seat across from Sad Dad. “You don’t have to tell me anything,” he says, sliding a leftover slice of pie across the table. “But if you ever want to talk, I’m a good listener.”
Sad Dad startles at the sounds of Bitty’s voice. “Er, thanks.” He picks up the fork and turns it around in his hands like he doesn’t know what to do with it.
“I can box it up for you, if you’d rather,” Bitty says.
“This is the only place she’ll sleep,” Sad Dad blurts out.
In the stroller, the baby stirs but doesn’t wake.
The whole thing is now complete and up on ao3!
Tag check please
For those of you who don’t know, I am currently in the process of organizing my fanfic library on calibre. Here’s a cover for a short but hilarious fic by the incredible @bittlebunny
not the preferred kind of beard by bittlebunny
“The taddies are starting to figure it out. Me and Jack, I mean.”
“Well, to be fair, you haven’t exactly been subtle-“
“And I realize that now, but it’s too late to be more careful, so I just need you to pretend it was you all along!”
Check, Please! Fancast: Ryan Kennedy as Jack Zimmermann
“Eat more protein.”
far side of the sea
It’s done! If you’ve seen me rambling about the Spain fic (where Nursey takes Dex to Spain for Spring Break) it is now finished! Here it is! I hope y’all enjoy 🙂
Thanks to rhysiana and cresselian for their help in betaing this fic! They really were a big help!
Warnings for religious conflict and homophobia.
Nursey was waiting outside the lecture hall when Dex’s class ended. He had two coffees in his hands, one he was sipping from and one by his hip, ignored. Dex debated going up to him, but then Nursey turned his head and saw Dex, raising the forgotten coffee in greeting, and Dex was forced over. He held out the coffee to Dex as he got closer and it occurred to Dex that Nursey was there for him.
“Hey, man,” he said, and Dex took the coffee from him. “So, like, Spring Break.”
Dex took a sip of his coffee and raised his eyebrows over the cup at Nursey. The coffee was exactly how he liked it, with a shitload of milk, even though he always drank black anyway, ever since his brother used to make fun of him for needing cream. Dex tried not to smile over it and failed. “What about Spring Break?”
Nursey turned and began to walk, so Dex followed. They turned onto the familiar path to their building, though the space between them on the sidewalk was anything but normal. “My parents have this house in Spain, right on the water, and it’s empty.”
Dex nearly choked on his coffee. “You have a house in– no, never mind, not even surprised anymore.” He huffed at Nursey’s ridiculously large wealth and went to take another sip of his drink when he realized the rest of what Nursey said. “Wait– you want me to come with you to Spain?”
Nursey brushed his thumbs up and down his cup of coffee and didn’t meet Dex’s eye. “C and Farmer already said yes, if that helps. It’d only be a week, and because it’s my idea, I’d pay for it. Or my parents will. It’s kind of a birthday present.”
“A birthday present,” Dex echoed, dazed.
“I know we’re– but I consider you a close friend, you know.”
Dex swallowed, mind on the other night, all the things he couldn’t come back from. Things had been– not awkward, because they fit too well to do awkward anymore. But all the easiness that came with their relationship, knowing what the other needed and not hesitating to give that, it had dissipated with that night, and Dex didn’t know how to fix it.
“Sounds cool,” Dex said, because he had to start somewhere.
theproblemwithstardust 