fandomtownies | Turtle & Canary; Monday [07/11].

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Turtle & Canary; Monday [07/11].

Summer was so glad to be working at the store today specifically.

SO glad.

"For the last time," she said, pointed to the big sign on the Squishy machine saying as much, "this is not a 7/11, these are Squishies, not Slurpees, they are totally different, especially from a legal standpoint, so no, you can't get a free one just because it's 7/11 today."

After a while, though, she just sort of sighed, wondered where all these random people were even coming from, and gave in.

"Fine," she decided. "If it gets you out of the store, then fine. It's not like anyone ever gets these things anyway, and I hope it gives you brain freeze."

And then there was some huffing about the horrible customer service and that they were going to complain to her manager, to which she could only response, "I am the manager!"

Today's SQUISHY Flavors
Blueberry Muffin
Rainier Cherry
Red

Turtle & Canary is open!

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Yes Liz had seen Summer on Friday but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to stop by and maybe she could also see if they did have any soft pretzels, she had really liked the one on Friday even though she was pretty sure Watts hadn’t meant to give her one.

Friday had ended up being a lot, going by the Trooper Station for the first time since last year but she hadn’t ended up being arrested again so the visit had been okay, all things considered even though she also hadn’t been listening to the radio either so she’d had no idea how her visit had been reported.

“Um...hi?” she said with a tilt of her head as she looked over at the squishy flavours sign.

"Please don't tell me you're here for a free Slurpee, too," Summer said, witheringly, reproachfully, because she was done, Liz. She was so done. Like, she was pretty sure some of those people had come from the mainland, where there had to have been actual 7/11s closer to them.

Liz blinked at that, “I thought they were squishes not slurpees?” even though it did explain the sign.

There was a pause.

"I was actually hoping you had soft pretzels but I will pay for those," she assured Summer.

"They are Squishies," Summer confirmed. "But try telling that to the morons who keep coming in thinking otherwise!"

She needed to slip one more eyeroll in there, a shaking of her head, and a frustrated sigh at the complete idiocy of humanity before focusing back on the task at hand.

"But, yeah, we have soft pretzels." They had almost everything! "Some over with the baked goods, some in the frozen section. And a lot of pretzel buns, too, people are still weirdly into that trend, although it's quickly being replaced with brioche."

Ugh. This job. Why did she know so much about hamburger bun trends??

“Why do they think you have slurpees?” Liz found herself wondering.

Then she listened to the rest of what Summer was saying about the soft pretzels.

“Oh,” she hadn’t realised there was so much involved in a pretzel, “I’ve never heard of brioche but then I’d never tried a soft pretzel until the other day either,” she admitted.

"Because they're dumb, Liz," Summer explained, simply enough, "and all slushed ice high-fructose flavored beverages are the same in the eyes of those on the lookout for a freebie.

"And honestly?" Summer then offered. "I think the only reason most people are into brioche is because it sounds fancy. But, hey, I mean, as far as cravings go, you could definitely do a lot worse than soft pretzels."

As previously discussed in class, for better or for worse.

Edited 2022-07-11 09:59 (UTC)

“oh,” Liz blinked at the explanation, “they’ve been trying to get them for free? Is this just something to do with today?” she wondered.

She paused, “I didn’t think it would be something I’d develop a craving for,” Liz admitted, but then she hadn’t expected to have eaten a soft pretzel at the police station either, since she had been expecting to get arrested, “but it’s something relatively normal right?”

"Well, yeah," Summer elaborated, "it's July 11. 7/11. So 7/11 which does have Slurpees does a big promotion where you can get Slurpees for free today."

There was a slight pause.

"I guess everywhere else in the world would celebrate today in, like, November."

Whoo! American exceptionalism!

"But, yeah," Summer assured her, with that faint bit of confusion as to why Liz would even be worried about something like that. "That's....totally normal, you're body is probably wanting to go into, like, mega-carbo-loading mode or something, you know? But even if it wasn't normal, who cares? At least it's not maggots."

If it were maggots, Summer would definitely insist that Liz take a moment to maybe consider other protein options instead, but what did she know? She wasn't a doctor. She was just very opinionated.

“Oh, I guess that makes sense,” Liz nodded, she had not been to a 7/11 in quite a while.

She grimaced a bit at the idea of eating maggots, “I hope I don’t start wanting to eat maggots, I mean I don’t think I will but then there’s a lot of things that I never thought would happen so …” her voice trailed off a bit, “I know I never thought I’d be in my current situation that’s for sure,” she said quietly.

"Oh, what?" asked Summer. "Being knocked up by an absentee boyfriend gone off to war wasn't filling the pages of your childhood dream journal? I know fending off idiots with the finer points of corporate branding on a regular basis was definitely in mine, so at least one of us are clearly living up to all our hopes and aspirations. As a matter of fact, everything in my life has definitely gone exactly to plan..."

Liz paused, as she took that in, "I guess I can't really control everything in my life huh?" she said quietly, "as much as I would like that ..." she placed a hand on her stomach. "I mean I'm not in jail or a psychiatric hospital so an unplanned pregnancy isn't that bad right?"

Summer....was not sure she would ever be able to follow this woman's logic, and wondered how much of it was baby brain and how much was just Liz.

"I mean, yeah," she agreed. "If those are your three options, then you definitely got the best deal with that one."

But Summer wasn't so blase and jaded that she hadn't heard what she sounded like, so she sighed a little and apologized.

"Sorry," she said, "but as an oops baby myself who only exists on the merits of my dad's shitty car breaking down in the way to the clinic, I'm maaaaybe just a little sensitive to the whole 'woe is me, woe my life!' narrative because it's all I've heard from my mother for the past 22 years of my life."

It was a little bit of both … but some of it was definitely just the way Liz tended to be on a day to day basis.

“Oh, I’m … I’m sorry,” Liz wasn’t sure what else to say, “about everything as well…I know I haven’t been the easiest person to get along with either lately,” which was not exactly new information, “I’m … I’m trying to work on fixing that, it’s … it’s taking a bit of time to adjust,” she admitted.

"Which, I mean," said Summer, "fair, but also, if every other conversation with you winds up needing a pity party, this is going to be a long nine months.

"On second thought," she added, a beat later, "maybe it is good that you just try to get it out of your system now, because, so help me, once that kid's here, you sure as shit better drop it, because, believe me, that kind of thing sticks."

Another beat.

"But at least yours won't constantly have to have it held over her head that you could have been a real surgeon, not just some hack horse surgeon instead, I guess."

Liz nodded as she listened, “I won’t do that to my daughter,” she knew she could promise at least that much, “I - i know what it’s like being blamed for circumstances that are out of your control, heard a lot about it from my parents - I mean not directly but they used to argue loudly all the time, it didn’t take long to figure out that they blamed me for everything,” she admitted.

She placed a hand on her stomach, “I do want her and will do everything to make sure she knows that she is loved and wanted,”

"Well, you know," said Summer, "no better time to start than now, then, right? Instead of focusing so much on how this isn't where you thought your life would have gone....focus on the fact that, well, this is where it's going, better make the most of it."

“I - I can do that,” Liz said quietly, nodding as she did, “focus on the future I mean, I do have a lot of preparations to make still so there’s plenty I can be doing for that right?”

Summer made a look that seemed to suggest that that sentiment could not be understated.

"Yeah, right?" she said. "Who's got time to wallow when you've got a baby to focus on? Not to mention taking care of yourself, Liz. Like, you should totally be out there living....I don't know....your best pregnant life, or whatever."

No, Summer had no idea what that meant, but she was running with it, okay?

"When you start to show?" she offered. "I'm totally dragging you out to go shopping for some cute as hell maternity clothes. Fucking bedazzle that bump like Rhianna or something. It's the least I can do, for pretty much giving you a lecture when all you did was come in here for soft pretzels. But you know how it is. Trauma triggers gonna trigger, I guess."

Liz smiled at that, “I would like that,” even though she had no idea who Rihanna was since she wasn’t very up to date with her music, “I’m not going to get away with my leather outfits for much longer,” well between Summer and Dr. Lecter she was going to have a very stylish maternity wardrobe at least?

“The lecture’s still a good reminder to what I should be focusing on though, I do get caught up in my own emotions though so I don’t always see the bigger picture,” that was a huge understatement Liz, “I guess it’s just the idea that I even have a future that I can get overwhelmed after everything,” she admitted, hesitating slightly, “I thought I was going to get arrested again, I stopped by the Trooper Station on Friday, it’s why I’m having a bit of a craving for soft pretzels actually,”

"Ohmygod," said Summer, because she felt it needed to be, "leather while pregnant sounds so uncomfortable, but if you can pull it off, I say just work it, girl, but also, I'm sorry, what? What did you do that would have gotten you arrested recently, and what does that have to do with soft pretzels?"

Suddenly, Summer was struck with a realization.

...oh, god.

Is this what it felt like for people when they talked to her sometimes?

Liz blinked a bit, “oh I never told you told that I got arrested did I?” she paused, “um…it happened twice last year,”

Summer would have remembered that detail Liz.

“Um…I sort of …well I ended up confessing to arson and murder on Friday,” Liz but her lip, “ and broke down crying in front of Watts and he gave me his soft pretzel, well I don’t think he meant to it …I just ended up with it in the process,”

There was....definitely a paaaaaause there.

"Okay," said Summer slowly, "when did you manage to squeeze arson and murder into your busy sighing-over-my-pregancy schedule?"

Like, Summer could easily squeeze that into a weekend back home, so....

Her brows lifted. "Your trip home a few weeks back?" she guessed.

“Um…it was before I came to Fandom,” Liz hesitated, “well except the time I got arrested in Fandom for burning down the fire station and killing Travis in the time loop,”

There was another pause, “I’ve not had the greatest control of my powers, even when I was a child, and no one at home has my powers and they can’t know about the BPRD so my record reads like I’m a serial arsonist,” it was here she paused, waiting to see what the reaction to that much information would be before she continued.

Summer's brow, as she listened, was furrowed, and, once she realized Liz was finished speaking, she opened her mouth to say something, lifting a finger as well, and then seemed to stop, closed her mouth, and then furrowed her brow in even deeper confusion.

Finally, though, she managed, "So....it's, like, not even recent arson or anything? I mean, okay, fair, I guess. The cops on this island are probably, like, really bored, so they might have arrested you just to have something to do for a change, but still...

"But, hey," she added, looking mildly impressed at this point. "Free pretzel out of it. All I get when I admit my crimes to someone is, like, judgement."

“No, December was my last episode and technically I was never released after I was arrested last time, I thought I might have been locked up again…” she paused, “I… I was worried about how my powers would go with the pregnancy, that I could have another episode and I ended up confessing to 38 deaths, including my parents and brother,” she admitted quietly.

At least she hadn’t broken down crying again?

That definitely did feel like an improvement! Especially since Summer's particular brand of levity in these kinds of things would have made it super awkward, probably.

"Oof," she said, wincing a little at that last part in particular, and, giving a moment to actually think about it, her expression turned a little sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Liz. But, I mean...look at this way. I guess at least now they know, so that when we get closer, if anything does happen, people can be prepared."

There was a pause.

"But I can totally see why a pyrokinetic with mega labor pains could be a bit of a....concern. Like, what's their strongest epidural? Also? C-Section? Proooobably not the worst idea!"

Liz nodded , biting her lip but she managed to stop herself from crying, it was the first time she’d managed to talk about any of this without bursting into tears …which felt a bit strange, especially after Friday.

“I was going to stop by the clinic and ask, I thought since there’s a good chance I’ll end up giving birth there that it would be a good idea to start preparing,”

She paused, “a c-section would probably be the best idea all things considered, especially when I can lose control of my powers when I’m extremely scared or under considerable stress and there’s so many unknown factors…” her voice trailed off awkwardly.

Edited 2022-07-11 22:10 (UTC)

Summer was just going to look at Liz for a moment.

"Girl," she said, "how is it that we are somehow not constantly on fire?"

Because Liz had been mostly nothing but stress probably the entirety of their friendship.

Like, Summer wasn't even sure that was really a baby Liz was going to have, and not just, like some big massive ball of stress and anxiety.

(But, don't worry, she'd definitely have gotten some of that from the father's side, too).

“I’m kind of surprised myself that I haven’t had more episodes,” Liz admitted, “especially after everything last year and now with the baby and Prompto not being here..”

She paused, “I suppose at least doing regular therapy has helped? I’m staying with Dr. Lecter now as well, that’s been helping,” she added.

The morning had started with another walk around the island (it was getting hot for running even for him) and on the way back toward his apartment, Dwight decided to stop by the T&C for some supplies.

"Hey, Summer. How's it going?" he asked as he walked in.

"Ohhhh, you knoooow," Summer answered with a sigh that she felt did a pretty good job of communicating that it had been a bit of a day already, "same old, same old. How 'bout yourself, Dwight?"

Dwight gave a bit of a knowing nod at that. It had been a bit of day...week... couple months... anyway, he knew that feeling.

"Hanging in there, so can't really complain. I mean, totally could but, wouldn't do much good right?"

"Well," said Summer, "I don't know about that. A good rant can be very cathartic. I love complaining. Letting it out is probably way better than keeping it all bottled up. Gotta let that pressure out sometimes, right, or else it'l just explode.

"Which is to say," she now smiled sweetly at him, "if you've got some pressure to release, I am so totally all ears."

She was more than willing to receive as well as she gave on that one!

"Ha," Dwight snorted slightly, not in a cruel way but more the 'oh you have no idea how much I've got' sort of way. "You might regret that offer. I'm sure you have better things to do than listen to a middle-aged man ramble about family issues and a near identity crisis." He shook his head and gave a bit of a dry laugh. "It's more complicated Hendrickson stuff really."

"Literally nothing you've said has dissuaded me from wanting to know more," Summer pointed out.

"Well then" Dwight said with a slight pause before continuing. "Basically trying to figure a way to get my sorry ass brain to accept that the one thing I want, the one thing I have always wanted, will most likely never happen. And that a large part of the reason for that is exactly what my old man said when he said I deserved to be alone."

Dwight looked at Summer and added with a soft sigh, realizing he still hadn't really said what that 'one thing' was. "A family. Just a nice, simple, happy little family."

"I'm pretty sure 'happy' and 'family' are mutually exclusive terms," Summer offered, dryly.

Helpfully!

"But, I mean, if that's what you want in life, I don't see why you couldn't. If anything, I'd do it just to stick it to your old man and prove him wrong."

"History isn't exactly on my side it seems" Dwight said simply. "There's more to it than just doing to spite the old man."

He paused for a moment and took a breath before continuing. "I have daughter I lost due to my family's Trouble. I was afraid to have a family after losing Lizzie, because if the Troubles. But then Kristoff came that one week..." Dwight said, not stopping to consider if Summer even knew or remembered who Kristoff was. "And I have thought maybe, it was possible that I could have a family without the Trouble passing on to them. But seems that reality is very much another alternat one entirely and not just a possible future for this one."

Dwight shook his head and gave a dry chuckle. "Like I said, complicated Hendrickson stuff."

It didn't take much to deduce when a term like 'came that one week' was dropped in there, really.

Summer tilted her head as she listen to Dwight and gave it a moment of honest, sincere thought.

"Could always adopt," she pointed out. "Kid who needs a good home would get one, not blood-related so you don't need to worry about passing the Trouble on. Plus? Big, burly guy like you, being all Single And Ready To Mingle Hot Dad? All the DILF hunters'll come flocking. Ovaries exploding all over the place!"

Dwight had to give a small chuckle at that. Not just for the DILF comment, even as he felt the faintest touch of heat spread on his face. But also because that had been something he had considered... here and there... but never out loud to anyone.

"Do have experience with the single dad thing..." he allowed with a small nod.

"So see?" said Summer, gaining a little bit of a smirk of her own. "Not completely hopeless after all. You got options, don't even worry about it. Definitely don't have an existential crisis about it."

"Ever the voice of wisdom" Dwight said with a nod. "Think I might actually owe you a drink on Wednesday."

"I really need to start charging people for my advice," Summer noted, once more, with a shake of her head, but her grin was amused. "But I guess a drink wouldn't be too bad. Make it night when I'm not actually working, though, and you've got yourself a deal."

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Turtle & Canary; Monday [07/11].

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NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

Re: NFB from here please!

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