heaven's on fire

WILL BENNETT // 30 It is always fatal to have music or poetry interrupted.

[itswillbennett]

noahfischcr‌:

[txt: Bicurious Babe] LOL how does a cutie like you not know how? [txt: Bicurious Babe] Here I’ll give you a list of things you can compliment [txt: Bicurious Babe] My eyes, my hair, my ass, my hands, my legs… [txt: Bicurious Babe] I’m purely joking btw [txt: Bicurious Babe] Probably [txt: Bicurious Babe] Do like the emojis though, those are as cute as you

[bartender guy] Hmm... okay, okay, I’ll give it a try.  [bartender guy] The first thing I saw were your eyes and they just brought me in, ya know? Not the color, it was way too dark for that, but just the way your eyes crinkled when you laughed, or the way they focused on me when I was wallowing, no judgment.  [bartender guy] And then you started talking, and your voice, sealed the deal. Hook, line, and sinker.  [bartender guy] I’m reading these over and I sound way cheesy. Like I’m writing a love letter in the fourth grade. 

[itswillbennett]

greta-mitchell·:

The fall colors were replacing the summer ones as Greta prepared the shop for the changing of the seasons.  Those days when Quinn was at school were the best days for her to focus.  While it had been hard to send her daughter to school before, now her it was a nice break.

Greta had just finished taking an order for a wedding in December when she heard the bell over the door.  She finished jotting down her thought before looking up from the note pad and seeing him there.  She smiled, a little surprised to find him back.  After all, it had been a year since the last time and now what?  A week? Two?

“Back already?  I guess those chrysanthemums did the trick?” she half teased him, a smile on her features.  Flowers were the best way to boost moods and brighten a living space.  She believed that fully and was glad he saw it.  She was also glad he was back.  She enjoyed it when he popped in, even if she had made a fool of herself last time.

“Have I fully convinced you to adopt fresh flowers into your life?”

Will couldn’t tell if she was happy to see him again, or if she was just kind and accommodating to all of her customers. It didn’t really matter in the scheme of things, but he was the type to worry about things like that. Ever since his wife left, he’d craved authenticity like a starved man craving for food. Passing interactions didn’t feel as if they were enough anymore. 

“Maybe,” he admitted, a grin inching on the edge of his lips. “They were lovely. Found myself just stopping and smiling every time I left the house.” Which was true, but he didn’t touch on the fact that as soon as he left he doorstep, an impending sense of dread would fill up again. 

At this point, Will paused, unsure and a bit afraid of what to say next. Should he reveal to her that when he’d seen the chrysanthemums, he’d been reminded of her as well, and her kind smile and soft voice? That perhaps, it hadn’t necessarily the flowers that brightened his day, but the thought of her? 

But it didn’t feel right. They had spoken for what, fifteen minutes, the last time he was here? It felt grossly over the line, and he was sure that she got enough of creeps popping in to “say hi” or whatever perverts did these days. 

So he lied. Lying by omission, but a lie nonetheless. “So I’m back for more. It’s a shame that they don’t last for very long — but then again, if they did, I guess you’d be out of business.” 

[itswillbennett]

noahfischcr·:

[txt: Bicurious Babe] LOL you’d be surprised how often I’m told not to stop ;P [txt: Bicurious Babe] Here, how about this: I promise if you get too clingy with me, we’ll talk and I’ll tell you to back off [txt: Bicurious Babe] No weird mixed signals or anything [txt: Bicurious Babe] Sound good, hottie? Should I go back to fluffing your ego again?

[bartender guy] I mean... yes.  [bartender guy] That’ll work [bartender guy] I think.  [bartender guy] Yes, please go back to doing that [bartender guy] I’d flirt back but I don’t know how [bartender guy] Oh! I know how to use emojis.  [bartender guy] 😉 [bartender guy] 😘😘 [bartender guy] 😜 [bartender guy] Okay, that one felt more creepy than flirty

[itswillbennett]

txleratkins·:

Tyler smiled at the man’s concern. “Don’t worry about that guy, I have him under control,” she said, whipping a rag around to clean up some spots on the counter. It was true–her relationship with Solomon was a good one, and besides, one free coffee wouldn’t close the business. He was cheeky about the cookie–she’d meant for that to be an upsale, but she was feeling generous today. She set a cookie on a napkin in front of him.

“Just pay it forward,” she said with a wink, giving the man his space as he set up his laptop. Definitely some kind of academic.

She stretched out her arms, ready for the silence to begin before the man interrupted it. Not at all unpleasantly, but a bit unexpectedly. She smiled at him, at his nervous energy, doing her best to soothe it with her own calm demeanor.

“Not creepy. It’s a small town, it’s perfectly fine to get curious,” she said knowingly, “And yeah. I’ve only been here for a few months but I practically just started this job. It’s pretty nice, much better than any barista gig in the city.” Even if Lakeham wasn’t quite a small town, it was still a big difference from the other cities she’d lived in.

“And what are you up to there, on your computer?” she gestured to it. She figured if he knew her job, she was allowed to know his.

The free cookie took him by surprise, but nevertheless, he was thankful for the gesture. Sometimes he’d forget that the world wasn’t filled with shit people with shit intentions, and he was grateful for the kindness during such a stressful day. On another day, Will would’ve refused profusely, but today — today, he’d accept it graciously. “Thanks,” he said, biting into the sugary goodness. 

“Really?” He asked, his voice lightly curious. “The city as in New York?” 

Looking down at the sizeable stack of papers, he sighed a bit. Will loved his job, of course, but grading English 1 papers was possibly his least favorite part of it. There was something about reading unproved thesis statements and half-formed arguments and grammatical errors that irked him beyond recognition. Perhaps it was because he had to endure them one after the other. Or maybe it was because he found it utterly depressing that most of his class was taking it because it fulfilled a requirement. 

As he straightened the papers out, he decided that he’d put them off a bit longer. Unlike his students, he could make his own deadlines — well, at least he’d have until midterm grades were due in three weeks. “Well, it’d be easier if I just told you what I do for a living.” Leaning on his hand on the counter, papers and laptop abandoned, he gave the barista an impish grin. “But it’ll be way more fun if I give you three guesses.”

[itswillbennett]

noahfischcr‌:

[txt: Bicurious Babe] Too old? Are you kidding me? [txt: Bicurious Babe] Since when do gorgeous professors have an expiration date? [txt: Bicurious Babe] With eyes and a smile like that? Fuck I’d never listen to a single lecture, just get lost in the melodic lilt of your voice [txt: Bicurious Babe] (psst am I coming on too strong, I can back off)

[bartender guy] At the risk of sounding clichéd... [bartender guy] I bet you say that to everyone.  [bartender guy] .....Annnnnnd, maybe I like it????? [bartender guy] Which means you should probably stop.  [bartender guy] I’ve been known to get... clingy.  [bartender guy] (Actually, don’t stop.) 

[itswillbennett]

greta-mitchell·:

It wasn’t hard to see that something she had said had upset him momentarily.  The way his expression darkened and smile briefly faltered.  She wondered what she had done and said, but she didn’t want to pry.  Perhaps she had mentioned his wife’s favorite flower by accident?  It truly wasn’t any of her business, but she couldn’t help the sympathetic look she gave him.  If he wanted to talk, she would listen, but she didn’t want to pry.

“Yes, I think chrysanthemums would look lovely there,” Greta reassured him.  “I’ve found flowers in an entrance often softens things?  It makes people feel a little more comfortable.  At least as long as they don’t have allergies.”

Will was a bit relieved that she didn’t bother to comment — he wasn’t sure what he would’ve said to her, honestly. At her soft reassurance of his choice, he nodded, striding over to the register as he pulled out his wallet. “Chrysanthemums it is then.”

***

Two long weeks had passed before Will found himself standing in front of the little entrance to the flower shop, half-surprised that he even made it back to the place at all. Not that he didn’t enjoy the flowers per se, and in fact, he did find himself to be a bit more cheerful when he’d left in the morning and came back in the evenings, but the effects were neither life-changing nor long-lasting. After all, if the flowers had been the key all along, he would have drowned his home in petals a long time ago. 

But despite this, there was something that drew him back, something that he wasn’t sure of, and wanted to test out. He’d surrendered science as a viable career years ago, but some of the scientist was still left in him. The logical part, he supposed. 

As he strolled back into the shop, it was like deja vu without the irrationality — everything seemed the same since he last visited, and the familiarity soothed his prickling nerves. Would she recognize him again — but of course she would; she’d recognized him after a year. Two weeks was nothing. 

“Hi,” he started, smiling a bit sheepishly. “I’m back again.”

[itswillbennett]

noahfischcr·:

[txt: Bicurious Babe] Oh shit a smart professor and everything! [txt: Bicurious Babe] I admittedly never went to college lol so my only frame of reference is trashy teen shows [txt: Bicurious Babe] Which means I’m required to ask if it’s all real and like you have students drunk and high in class or hitting on you all the time for better grades or some murder that your students are trying to cover up once a year [txt: Bicurious Babe] Maybe not that last one lol

[bartender guy] Couple of kids who were high, or under something. Honestly, as long as they don’t cause a ruckus, I can’t really call them out. [bartender guy] Girls did try to hit on me when I was a TA, but I think that was because they were all in a sorority and had to hook up with a TA or something as a part of a list? I don’t know... [bartender guy] Oh, another person did try to offer me a BJ once for a better grade. [bartender guy] That’s it though. Maybe I’m too old now. [bartender guy] And no murders yet... 

[itswillbennett]

droliviabloom·:

Olivia merely nodded at his job title, honestly she wasn’t truly interested in the whole thing, she’d merely asked because it seemed like the polite thing to do as he had mentioned her job. Olivia avoided dates as often as possible, she found the whole first meeting thing to be mindnumbingly boring. If she did go on dates she tended to pick things that would give them a conversation, like some kind of sport or activity. Drinks were for getting drunk and potentially hooking up with a stranger, though that wouldn’t be appropriate in this scenario. 

She was surprised when he flipped the whole thing on it’s head and was totally on board skipping all the boring bit. She was however surprised by how he decided to switch it up. A secret, well that was a loaded question. “Oh god, none of my secrets are light hearted conversation,” Olivia admitted, before pausing again. “Let’s just go with interesting, I just found out that I have a sibling that I’d never met,” she stated, “and she has a daughter so double whammy, a sister and a niece all in one go.”

When Will had asked the question, he hadn’t really been fishing for secrets — hell, he had plenty of dark places that he wouldn’t dare share with another soul. So he wasn’t much surprised when she refused his initial offer of a secret. By nature, perhaps, secrets were supposed to be dark. If you could tell it, it wasn’t much of a secret. 

However, her answer didn’t disappoint. “A long-lost sister?” He widened his eyes, in genuine amazement. “Wow, I thought those things only happen in books.” Shaking his head, he chuckled a bit. His mind always framed events in terms of his writing, and all he could think about was how that would’ve been a perfect plot-twist in a novel. “So, what’s the deal there? How did you find out? Did you always know, and you just had never met her?” He leaned in to her a bit, the idle chatter around him in the bar muted out. “Man, I forget that people actually have lives sometimes, you know? Crazy things happening and stuff. You pass by people everyday and you wouldn’t even know.”

[itswillbennett]

txleratkins·:

Tyler didn’t have to look at the guy long to clock that he was on edge–thankfully he was the type to internalize his struggle instead of take it out on customer service. It made Tyler feel a bit bad for him, but she’d also seen a lot of folks in his exact condition, considering she was the coffee supply for half the town.

“Medium coffee,” she repeated back, turning and pouring it quickly. Tyler was a get-it-done-now kind of person, if only because it meant she could relax immediately after. She slid it across the counter to him.

“This one’s on me. You look like you’ve been through it today,” she said with an easy smile, eyeing the man up and down. They weren’t far from the college, an dhe looked about the type to be involved with academics. She couldn’t be sure, though.

“Sure you don’t need a cookie, too?” she smiled again.

Will widened his eyes a bit, his hands reaching hesitantly for the coffee. “Are you sure? You won’t get into trouble with your boss or anything?” He’d met the guy once before, the one who owned the place. Didn’t seem to be much of the type to be all touchy-feely, giving away free coffee to the poor, over-stressed individuals who walked into it. He unloaded his bag off his shoulder, haphazardly stuffing the stray papers back into the bag while taking out his laptop, hopping onto the barstool right up in front of her. He figured while he was here, he’d get some work done. “Only if it’s on the house,” he joked, opening up his laptop. Will reached into his bag again, this time uncovering a large stack of papers neatly bound by a large binder clip, and placed it right next to his laptop. 

“So,” he started, as he began to unbind the papers, “are you new here then? I have to say, I come around here a lot and I haven’t seen you around.” After he asked the question, he hoped it didn’t sound too intrusive or creepy. The barista probably had plenty of men coming in and hitting on her all the time. He wanted to be able to come back, after all. They really did have the best coffee in town. 

[itswillbennett]

henry-francis·:

Hank tried to process the comment. He wasn’t a teacher, this man wasn’t a child. Surely he could understand that Hank existed outside the library. He did his shopping and went out to drink like everyone else. Though, maybe not as frequently as others. Hank did like his quiet time. 

“Is it? I’ve not really thought about it. I run into people all over town who I see at work. Really hard to have to play nice to people I know do things in the library one shouldn’t. But I suppose that’s the problem with living where I work.” 

The answer felt diplomatic enough, Hank was proud of himself for it. Even if he was trying to think of the best excuse to politely get himself out of this conversation. Leave the man to peace and lack of conversation he wanted and not have to force small talk. 

Hm. So the guy hadn’t taken his joke well — which should’ve been an indication that Will should have left the guy to his own devices, but he was still feeling jolly over the beautiful night. “Maybe I’m the one that should leave the house more then,” he joked, giving the guy a light nudge on the shoulder. It was friendly, playful, and perhaps a bit over the line for someone who he wasn’t buddy-buddy with, but again, his mood surprisingly wasn’t going to be soured so easily over a prickly attitude. “Do people really do things in the library other than read and study?” The question was genuine. A town as earnest as Lakeham didn’t seem to house the type that would cause a particular racket in the local library, and besides, there were plenty of bars where people were allowed to be rowdy.

[itswillbennett]

greta-mitchell‌:

He was sweet about it and Greta was grateful.  She knew firsthand how awkward it could be having to remind people a marriage was no longer existing, no matter the reason.  It was heartbreaking no matter why it happened.  She did feel bad for him.

But as he spoke she smiled a little.  “Hmm,” Greta pondered.  What sort of flowers would impress her if she walked into his house?  “Honestly, I think most women would be impressed that a single man would even have fresh flowers,” Greta admitted with a laugh.  “But for me?  I’d want to avoid the cliches.  You don’t want roses.  Then it seems like you’re trying too hard, but they can be a hearty flower.  Lilies are a fun and colorful option, but if anyone has pollen sensitivity it’s a bad idea.  Chrysanthemums are beautiful.  Sunflowers and Gerber Daisies are also a good option.  I’d suggest tulips if they were in season, but they aren’t.”  

Will could see the small smile teasing the edges of her lips as she spoke about the flowers and he couldn’t help but grin at her authenticity. It was always refreshing to see someone speak about something they had a clear passion for. It was a trait that he found himself constantly drawn to — seeing someone light up at a topic they clearly loved. 

At her mention of tulips however, Will’s expression visibly darkened. Years ago he’d gone to the Netherlands to see the tulips blooming, but now, that was a memory soured by what he’d lost. The moment passed, and he recomposed himself, eyes darting around the shop briefly, as he settled back into reality. “Um — sorry, chrysanthemums. Would look on an entrance table, yeah?” He gave her a large smile, although it’d lost some of its initial spark.

[itswillbennett]

noahfischcr·:

[txt: Bicurious Babe] Haha! That works. It’s who I am! [txt: Bicurious Babe] You’re in my phone as a Babe, so I hope you feel flattered - I don’t call everybody that [txt: Bicurious Babe] Maybe I can make your night a little more exciting :) [txt: Bicurious Babe] What do you do for a living, anyway?

[bartender guy] Oh! Okay, definitely flattered :) [bartender guy] I think the last time someone called me babe was like... in college.  [bartender guy] Exciting is good! I definitely need some of that.  [bartender guy] The most excitement I get nowadays is when I find out that one of my students plagiarized a part of his essay... directly from my sample essay. [bartender guy] Which leads to my answer. I’m an English Professor at the college. 

[itswillbennett]

droliviabloom·:

Olivia was often late, not when she was working, but definitely in her social life. When it came to dating Olivia didn’t really take it very seriously. She didn’t see herself as someone in a long term relationship, she just preferred short term flings, it was easier that way. Olivia liked to believe that shorter term was more fun, but really it was just less complicated.

She shook her head as he asked if she minded, “as long as you’re not fucked off your face already then we’re good,” she said. As the bartender arrived Olivia ordered herself a vodka soda. “Yeah, I’m a Psychologist,” she answered, “I work at the hospital.” Her drink arrived and Olivia thanked the bartender before turning back to her ‘date’. “What do you do?” she asked, hoping to get the boring part out of the way. 

“English Professor at Lakeham U,” he replied promptly. It was automatic at this point, the way he responded to these questions. It was always a combination of oh, what do you do, do you like it, how long have you been here, and frankly, he was sick of it. Although, it was his fault he started the conversation with such a boring question, or an affirmation of one, but again, it was like he was on autopilot on these dates. Sometimes he’d go on one and completely forget the entire night, almost as if his long-term memory decided to go on a convenient nap during it. 

But there was something about this woman that Will found more interesting — maybe it was just the blunt way of speaking, or that she’d strolled in late, without an obsequious apology tumbling out of her lips. So he made the decision to be present, to make an effort; after all, what would make the date worth it was in his control. He thought of strange questions or situations for the characters in his fiction all the time. 

After a beat of silence, he pursed his lips, giving the other a curious look. “Sorry — let’s just scrap all that boring small talk crap. You know, I’ve been on so many dates since I — well, anyways, the fact of the matter is that I’ve been on a lot of dates where this monotonous shit is all we talk about. So tell me something interesting. A secret.” 

[txleratkins]

open starter location: talk is cheap cafe, 12 pm

Tyler was having the most boring work day imaginable. Even the morning coffee rush had been mild, and now the store was empty except for the two regulars who came to work on their “novels” that they’d never finish (Tyler had only been working here two months, but she knew the type when she saw it).

This left Tyler with two options, either read her book with eyes that were getting tired, or fuck around on her phone with the abysmal battery life. At least the busker kid was outside, that was nice, but Tyler needed a little something more to get her through the rest of the day. Hopefully one of the nicer regulars would come in and have a longer chat with her, but she knew she couldn’t rely on that to save her.

She leant on the bar (always nice, a cafe with a bar) and doodled aimlessly on a napkin, listening to the music outside and brainstorming ways to rearrange her apartment when she finally heard the bell jingle.

“Thank god, I was about to lose it,” she said to the presumed customer without looking up, “What can I get for you?”

[itswillbennett]

Will needed coffee. He’d been running on fumes for the last couple of hours, even almost falling asleep in his senior seminar — which wasn’t a good look when you taught it. Of course, not any coffee would suffice, certainly not the bitter muck that Lakeham U’s campus center served, or the watered-down piss that the national chain liked to promote, so he walked the ten minutes off campus to one of his favorite coffee shops downtown. 

As he strolled in, it was obvious that he was positively frazzled. Papers were sticking haphazardly out of his half-unzipped crossbody bag, his hair stuck up in a million different places, and his shirt looked wrinkled, even though he’d had them pressed the day before. The first thing he noticed was the woman leaning on the counter was new; or at least, newer than when he entered last. She had a funky look about her, like most indie coffee shop baristas did, and could have been anywhere between eighteen and thirty-five — although, Will was never very good at sussing out other people’s ages.

“Um — one cobbee, uh, I mean, coffee. Medium.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. He could feel his brain pounding against his skull, screaming for any little bit of caffeine. 

[itswillbennett]

noahfischcr·:

[txt: Bicurious Babe] Hey there! [txt: Bicurious Babe] This is your friendly neighborhood bartender ;) [txt: Bicurious Babe] How’s your night going?

[bartender guy] Hey! [bartender guy] Pretty good, not having as exciting of a night tonight. Very boring. [bartender guy] BTW - you’re in my phone as bartender guy. 

[itswillbennett]

droliviabloom·:

Olivia wasn’t really one for dates. She tended to meet people out drinking, take them home and then move on, or if they were particularly skilled she would go back for seconds. Dating was just not a normal occurrence for her, it was a just too much of a faff and ended up tied up in messy strings. All that aside, Olivia was on her way to a date. The date was drinks, which wasn’t exactly out of the box thinking but Olivia was new in town and the guy was cute, so she’d found herself saying yes. 

She hadn’t put a lot of effort into her appearance, a pair of skinny jeans and a shirt, tucked in at the front with her hair in messy waves. Sure she wanted to get the guys attention but she also wasn’t keen on working too hard for it, she knew her own strengths. She arrived a little late, leaving the guy to sweat a little. She walked in to the bar and her eyes roamed, spotting him at the bar. She walked over to him, sitting down without waiting to be invited, “started without me? Bad start,” she said before laughing softly, getting the bartenders attention.

Ten minutes into their decided meeting time, a woman plopped into the seat beside him, an easy smile on her face. He had been unsure about the whole thing when he asked her out — it certainly wasn’t Will’s style — but he wanted to be a bit more spontaneous in his life. Dip his toes into new waters. 

At her comment, he chuckled, fiddling with the glass in his hand. “Oh — sorry, hope you don’t mind,” he said. She was confident, assured; more than he could ever exude himself, which was slightly intimidating. As she called over the bartender, he requested another drink, this time going for something harder than beer. “So,” he began, “you work with kids, right?” He remembered her saying something about children, although he wasn’t exactly sure what it was that she did. 

[itswillbennett]

📲🍻🌧

📲- Talk about someone/something you dislike, but only pretend to like

“Controversial opinion — salty and sweet things at once. Chocolate-covered pretzels, trail mix with M&M’s… I guess I don’t pretend to like it, but I definitely don’t talk about how much I hate it. People would probably come after me with pitchforks and torches if they knew.”

🍻- For something bad/mischievous you did as a child or teen that your parents don’t know about

“This is going to be the nerdiest thing ever, but I joined the literature club in high school without my parents knowing. And you’re going to say, wow Will, what an awful thing, you joined an academic club at school! — but seriously, my parents were so gung-ho about me being a doctor, they would have thought it was an absolute waste of my time. I told them I was just studying at the library, so it came as a huge surprise when I had to tell my parents I wasn’t going to med school after undergrad, and that I majored in English. They were honestly pretty upset for a couple months.” 

🌧- For a heavy, emotional secret

“Uh — okay, when I was like ten or eleven, I caught my parents fighting in the middle of the night. I was just getting up to get a glass of water and I overheard them in the living room. My dad had apparently cheated on my mom with someone, I don’t know with whom. I kind of just ran back upstairs to my room and didn’t sleep for the rest of the night. The whole time I was thinking that in the morning, when I’d get up, either my mom or my dad would be gone, or they’d announce a divorce or something, but when I did get up, everything was back to normal. It was so weird, seeing my parents act like nothing had happened. They’re still together now, but it’s always been something I’ve thought about in the back of my mind.”