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cosmic-kaden · 1 month

Text

Well this is new.

Ship: Ronnie x Kaden

Words: 2,084(OHMYGOD WHAT!? No pressure to read holy shitttttt)

cw: Ronnie's pov, oops Ronnie doesn't know how emotions work! D: Mindy and Cliff being goofs lol (No real CWs)

summary: Bobby's sibling is new in town- Place your bets! :3

Quiet, it was always quiet. Maybe that's why they say this is a nice place to be. No excitement of the good or bad variety. Not much to do either, wasn't a bustling city with malls and movie theatres, no concert halls or nightclubs, just a quaint little town.

Ronnie sat, arms crossed over his chest at his desk, staring at the clock as it ticked by, every so often checking his cell phone, reading news from other more exciting places in the world. It's not that he hated it here, he liked that it was quiet, fewer people, fewer crimes but sometimes he wished for something to change. Anything really.

"Hey, did you hear?" Mindy broke the silence in the station as she pulled up a seat at her desk. She pushed up her glasses and sat back in her chair.

"Hear what?" Ronnie asked flatly, his brow raising slightly.

"Bobby's got family living here now." Mindy smiled.

That was the one thing about such a small town, nothing was ever kept private and if it was it didn't stay like that for long. Everyone knew everyone and gossip was a pretty common thing.

"Is that so…" Ronnie glanced up from his phone to look at Mindy and Mindy smiled.

"Yeah- some of us are taking bets."

"Taking bets? On what?" Ronnie asked, once again drawing his attention back to his phone.

"On if whoever has moved here ya know…" Mindy gestures vaguely and Ronnie looks at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Looks….like him"

"That's sort of rude don't you think?" Ronnie is looking at her a little more seriously now, he was never one for gossip and not to mention the subject right now had him wildly uncomfortable.

"I guess it kinda is but hey, what else we got going on. Want in?" Mindy grinned.

"No."

"Do yoooou at least want to go with Cliff and me to introduce ourselves?"

"You mean go and see who won the bet?" Ronnie raised a brow and Mindy sighed.

"….yes"

"Fine." Ronnie simply said, standing to his feet and grabbing his jacket.

The drive to Bobby's shop wasn't far. He owned a little gas station comic shop hybrid, all the local kids went there for junk food and to get their sci-fi kick. Already something was different, there was music loudly blasting from the shop.

"Someone likes it loud," Mindy mumbled as they pulled into the shop.

Cliff, Mindy, and Ronnie got out of the car and trailed inside the tight little store, a quaint, slightly run-down storefront, full of of nostalgia and a holdout against the creeping decay. The shop's sign, "Centerville Comics," flickers with a vintage neon glow, inviting those seeking escape into worlds beyond the unsettling quiet of their own. Inside, the shop is a labyrinth of towering shelves, each one groaning under the weight of comic book history, from dog-eared classics to the latest issues. The lighting is dim, with sporadic beams of sunlight filtering through dust-speckled windows, illuminating the colourful covers

The music was usually some twangy country but today was more instrumental progressive rock… that was new. Ronnie bobbed his head a little as Mindy and Cliff glanced around the store before someone came out from the back of the shop and everyone's eyes landed on them.

Mindy grinned, subtly holding her hand out towards Cliff who Cliff, reluctantly handed her $20. The person emerged to the counter, they had black-blue hair about shoulder length, and long bangs that swept across their eyes, when they brushed the hair from their face their eyes were green.. light green with a darker green ring around it. They adorned an eyebrow piercing in their left eyebrow with purple studs that matched the same ones that were in their lower lip.

Ronnie's mouth went agape for a moment as he sucked in a breath of air. Why did it feel like he had suddenly run a marathon? His heart was beating wildly in his chest? The regular musk of ink and paper scent of the shop was replaced by something else…Flowery? Fruity? Mocha? it was a combination of the three that filled his nostrils, no doubt it was whatever this person was wearing. It was alluring. Ronnie had to swallow thickly and try to compose himself despite looking calm on the outside, his stomach was doing backflips and it only intensified when he saw them flash a toothy smile.

The smile on their face changed to one of concern, however. "Oh shit! Am I too loud!?" They reached for the remote to the sound system and turned it down a bit.

"No, no you're good. We just wanted to stop in and say hello, we heard Bobby had some family visiting and--"

"and ya'll had to rush over to see if I was a skinny-haired nerd too?" They interjected, grinning widely and Ronnie cracked a little smirk that didn't go unnoticed by Cliff.

"I-- we---" Mindy stammered in shock and Cliff looked rather embarrassed.

"It's alright, Bobby told me that it might happen. So who won?"

"Mindy." Cliff thumbed towards her and she shyly smiled.

"So Mindy.." they turned their attention to the older gentlemen.

"Cliff."

"Cliff…" They echoed as they turned towards Ronnie and their eyes flicked up to him.

"Oh, R-Ronnie-" He stammered, a small hitch in his voice as he reached over the case to shake their hand. Why was he so nervous? Again the stammer didn't go unnoticed this time by Mindy and Cliff.

"Kaden, nice to meet you Ronnie~" They smiled sweetly at Ronnie and he felt like his heart was going to explode in his chest yet on the outside he remained his calm and cool self or at least he thought he was.

"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you. Tell Bobby we said hi" Cliff smiled and turned on his heel.

"Coming Ronnie?" Mindy raised a brow, taking note of how his gaze seemed to be lingering on Kaden.

"Huh?" Ronnie broke his gaze and looked at Mindy.

"Are you coming?"

"Oh- uh-"

"Actually…" Kaden pressed their palms against the glass case as they leaned on it. "Can I borrow him for a bit? He has something I need."

"He does?" Mindy looked at Kaden curiously.

"I do?" Ronnie also looked to Kaden and why was he suddenly feeling nervous?

"Yeah. His height. Can you help me out with those.." Kaden pointed to a stack of boxes "Up there?" They pointed to the shelf that was closest to the ceiling. "Bobby wants to put up some of the new arrival comics but he clearly doesn't believe in owning a step ladder or at least one that I can find in this cluttered mess back here. I know it's an odd request but it seems like not much goes on here so can you spare your deputy for a moment?"

"I dunno, Ronnie? Can you be spared?" Mindy's lips pulled into a half smirk and Ronnie felt his heart sink into his stomach.

"Y-Yeah, no I can absolutely help out if you need it." Ronnie stammered again and Mindy shot him a knowing look.

"Great!" Kaden smiled.

Mindy and Cliff left and as they were outside Mindy offered Cliff another little bet..

"He's smitten."

"I see that."

"I give it a month tops before he crack."

"you're on."

Back inside Kaden motioned Ronnie to come around the counter. "Thanks for the help~" Kaden hummed softly.

"Oh, it's no problem." He replied softly. the look on his face was stoic and he offered a small smile to Kaden and noticed the way they soon followed suit, giving a small smile themselves and there were those butterflies again, slowly fluttering in Ronnie's stomach. He swallowed thickly again.

"Here you are sir~" Kaden chuckled as they went into the box and grathered a pile of comics in their hands. Although they didn't have the greatest grip on them within moments they were scattered across the floor. "Shit!"

Ronnie moved on instinct, squatting down to help with the mess as well as Kaden and within moments their heads collided with one another. Kaden hissed and held their head as did Ronnie.

"Ow!" Kaden exclaimed a small laugh coming from them as they glanced up at Ronnie who was also holding his head.

"Sorry..are you alright?" Ronnie asked as he looked over to see Kaden already staring at him. He took relief in the fact that Kaden was laughing and the sound sent a spark of warmth through his chest that he had never felt before.

"I'm okay..heh are you okay?" Kaden chuckled softly as they stood to their feet, handing Ronnie a bunch of books from up off the floor.

"I'm okay." He spoke softly, just above a whisper.

As Ronnie and Kaden finally straighten up, each holding a portion of the spilt sci-fi comics, the last few books find their way back onto the shelf. The slight bump on his head from their accidental collision is nothing compared to the rapid thumping in his chest. Ronnie can't help but replay the moment over and over in his mind, the soft surprise in Kaden's eyes, the brief touch of their hands. It's ridiculous, he thinks, how a simple accident feels like it's rewired his entire day—

"Thanks for the help," Kaden says, their voice pulling him back from his daze, a smile playing on their lips. It's casual, the way they say it, but to Ronnie, it feels like a scene straight out of one of these comics—unexpected allies meeting in a twist of fate.

"No problem," Ronnie manages to say, hoping his voice sounds steadier than he feels. "Guess we made quite the team, huh?"

"Yeah, we did," Kaden agrees, their smile broadening, oblivious to the feelings that they've flamed inside Ronnie.

As they stand there, amidst the quiet hum of the shop and Kaden's music that was playing in the background, surrounded by tales of intergalactic adventures and time-travel mishaps, Ronnie finds himself wishing they were characters in one of those stories. It would be easier, maybe, to express how he feels if he could blame it on some cosmic anomaly or a twist of fate written into the stars. They just met after all and it would be weird to just blurt out that he found them attractive, plus that wasn't Ronnie. He was calm and collected at all times…..right?

He takes a moment, watching Kaden's enthusiasm for the comics, the way their eyes light up at certain titles, and he wonders if maybe, just maybe, there's a universe out there where he's brave enough to say, "Hey, I know we just met, and we might be nothing more than two strangers who bonked heads over a pile of comics, but I feel like there's something here. Do you feel it too?"

But he doesn't say any of that. Instead, he tucks those words and feelings away, a secret storyline that no one else gets to read. For now, he's content to bask in the aftermath to hold onto the spark of something new and thrillingly unknown.

"See you around?" he ventures, a tentative offer to extend this moment into something more a chance to see them again hopefully, less head-bonking encounters though.

"I'd like that," Kaden responds softly, the smile on their face ever-present. If Ronnie was paying more attention to Kaden than to his own inner thoughts and feelings he may have noticed the faint tint of pink that spread across Kaden's cheeks.

"Okay, well…see you later then."

"Bye, It was nice to meet you, Ronnie."

"Y-You too.." Ronnie stammered and was mentally kicking himself, he wasn't like this. He wasn't someone who allowed strong emotions get the better of him and yet here he was, heart racing and words faltering. He turned on his heel and headed out of the shop and allowed himself for the briefest moment to feel what he was feeling. He smiled fully to himself, something new and exciting was finally happening in this quiet little town.

Tag list: @ama-ships || @heatobrienswife || @kylars-princess || @roboraindrop || @lysandreslittlechatot || @dragonsmooch

Absolutely NO PRESSURE to read this. I didn't think I could make a 2000 word fic but hi? hello????? If you read it fucking thank you!? you're literally a rockstar and I'd die for you??? <3

#ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT THIS UNDER A READ MORE WHAT THE HELLLLLLLL!?!??!?! HELLLOOOOO WHATS HAPPENING TO MEEEEE #Did I make a fic about nothing? possibly.. well ig not nothing.. its ronnies pov but I feel like shit so idk how this is going to come out #dlfkjsdlfkjds #but whatever its here and I'm sorry if you fell asleep lol #HE'S SO FRIGGIN CUTE! [shakes him]#LOOKIT THAT SUBTLE LITTLE SMIRK ON HIS FACE! LOOK AT IT! FUCKING CUTE LITTLE SHIT /affectionate #those who slay together stay together #my writing #ronnie 💞

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