Ahhhh second first date! Second first date! Of course i need to know how it goes!!
"And the server was definitely super jealous of me."
Thena laughed again. That was all she'd been doing since they left the house, she was quite sure. Since Gil 'picked her up', that was to say.
It was very sweet. He had showed up at her guest room door, dressed up and with a charming smile, even making an attempt to look nervous. He asked if she was ready, offered his arm; he was the perfect gentleman for their first date.
Her second chance.
Of course she had to know more about their first-first date. And Gil was happy to elucidate her once she insisted enough that telling her that much would not cause her brain to catch fire (as the doctor seemed to have implied in some way).
"But it was a nice dinner, then I walked you back to where you were staying at the end of the beach," he recounted, his eyes completely starry. "I had never gotten to actually have a romantic walk on the beach, before. Total bucket list stuff."
"It sounds lovely," she remarked mildly, without much choice with no memory of it for herself.
"The moon was out and everything, and it looked really pretty with your hair and your white dress, and the shawl thing-y you had on over it." Gil gestured vaguely to simulate the flowing garment she had worn over her bare shoulders. It certainly painted a picture, and she was quite sure she knew what he was referring to, having glimpsed a long white shawl in their closet.
She tried not to laugh too hard, mindful of the gentle atmosphere of the bakery. The tables were really just for people waiting for orders. They didn't have a fancy coffee machine, or an official barista. But Gil did bring out cups of real, boiled hot cocoa from the back--a secret only for their own, of course. They were waiting on their fresh baked pastries to come out and cool.
"I was so distracted by you that I didn't even realise when we were back at your doorstep," he sighed, but his comedic tone faded. He looked at her more softly, leaning his cheek against his hand. "I told you flat out that I was having such a good time I wished you were staying further away."
Thena attempted to laugh into her mug, this time.
"You laughed at it then, too." He sounded more wistful now. "But I told you I was serious and asked if I could see you again. I don't know why you were so surprised."
Probably because she had never been one to be asked out by someone like him. Men, sure, but not very sweet, very funny, very honest gentlemen like Gil. Just...men. She wasn't approachable enough for someone as sweet and charming as Gil.
She still thought that, to a degree.
"But you agreed, and I asked if I could kiss you too," he at least smiled at this part of the story, although his longing for the past remained. "You said I didn't have to ask, which wasn't a yes, but I guessed I was supposed to read between the lines."
Again, the Thena in the story and Thena herself in the present were different people. But she felt her stomach clench faintly at the idea.
"I did kiss you," Gil sighed, returning to his lighter, more jovial tone. "And it totally blew my mind. I mean if I wasn't in love with you already, that would'a done it."
"Gil," she admonished lightly, partly laughing and partly sheepish at the description of this passionate kiss she couldn't remember at all.
"What?" he chuckled before taking a sip of his own hot chocolate. "You wanted to know. And that date changed the rest of my life, sweetheart."
She liked it when he called her that. She nodded, looking down at her mug. "I suppose I did. It's a nice story."
"Yeah," Gil concluded, although his sigh felt a little heavier.
She still didn't have any memories of her own to contribute. But she attempted to jump over that wave of guilt, trying to put a smile back on his handsome face. "What was our second date like?"
He clearly knew what she was trying to do, but he kept quiet about it at least. He pulled himself up in his seat and started his next story. "Well, we were still on vacation. I asked a little more about you, and you at least told me you were an artist, and you were there on leave because you found teaching wasn't really your thing."
Thena winced faintly. She was sure that was an understatement. She did have memories of teaching before moving to their current residence, and none of them made her glad to have them instead of memories of Gil.
"I told you that I had been a boxer in college, and that I was just working some boring office job and also wanted," he paused to shrug and make a face, "a change of scenery."
They were both in the midst of becoming different people when they met. How fascinating, Thena mused. Although she was quite sure Gil had always been sweet and charming and funny. Just a feeling.
"It was actually you, on that date, who asked what I liked to do for fun," he admitted much more quietly. He looked down at the table, picking at a chip in the lacquer. "I told you I liked baking and you said I could try working part time in it, just to see if I liked it enough to make it my job."
"It sounds like something I would suggest," she agreed. It was hard to imagine the man she knew now doing anything else, really. Although it was almost funny to imagine him stuffing those muscles of his into a regular office suit.
"I said I'd give it a try," he chuckled, reaching for her hand. She gave it reflexively, sense memory knowing Gil much better than her own mind. He kissed her knuckle. "And now I have the best job in the world."
She smiled down at their adjoined hands as well, feeling as if the weight of the world were on top of them. "The date, Gil?"
"Right, right," he chuckled, allowing her to move the story away from the more emotional of the topics. "Well, you suggested that, and I asked about your art some more. And since the restaurant looked kind of full, and I didn't think that was your scene, I asked if you wanted to walk along the boardwalk a little first."
"We walked by a bakery there, and you asked me what everything was, since I was 'the expert' and all."
That also sounded like something she would say; Thena attempted not to roll her eyes at herself.
"I pointed out the regular stuff," he shrugged and even looked at the pastry cases in front of them in the moment. "Croissants, cupcakes, they had some tarts. You asked about one in particular."
Thena tilted her head as he paused, but she leaned back as he did, having been so sucked into the story that she didn't even notice Ajak coming over with two small plates.
"Thanks," Gil smiled at the petite woman, obviously familiar with her.
"Thank you," Thena added, keeping her eyes on the woman who only smiled and waved in response. Ajak knew her, Thena was aware, but Gil had been determined that they could meet formally when Thena felt more ready to reintroduce those parts of their life to herself.
"This is called a petit four, just a small cake," he chuckled, turning his own plate so she could admire the little dessert from all sides. "It's pretty old school, but you asked me about it when I pointed it out to you. I bought one so you could sample it, even though you told me not to."
Thena eyed the little dessert. It seemed to be vanilla, small and glazed completely white. There was something on the top of it.
"I add just a little sea salt to mine. Call it a secret ingredient."
It was just a hint of salt, but it sank into the sweetness immediately. Just like on that day five years ago, she had tasted the saltiness of the ocean air around them as she took a bite. She could remember the wind on her skin, and how warm Gil's hand was in contrast. The smell of the little shop and the breeze around them, and Gil's cologne wafting gently over to her.
Thena whipped her head up at him. He blinked at her sudden movement but didn't say anything. He was trying to read the expression on her face.
She didn't have any other memories of it. Just that one moment had jumped out at her as she had tasted that same taste--perhaps an improvement upon it. She could remember Gil's smile as she had told him that she liked it.
"You promised."
"Hm?"
She blinked, trying not to cry over a silly little cake. "You promised you would make me one sometime. I told you I expected it to be better, since you were indeed, 'the expert'."
Gil teared up immediately. Of course he did, the gentle hearted giant. "Y-You-"
She looked down at her cake again, the pressure immediately mounting. "It's just that one moment. I can't remember past that. But-"
Thena startled as he launched from his seat across the tiny cafe table from her. He caught her lips at a funny angle, but they both tasted like chocolate and vanilla and sea salt. Her eyes fluttered.
"Sorry," he chuckled, offering a sheepish grin as he seated himself, ignoring the worried glances of other bakery patrons. "Couldn't help myself."
"Hm," she pursed her lips faintly, and he returned to his cake, unable to keep himself from staring at her. She dabbed at her lips, resisting the urge to fan herself. She still had her coat on, but it felt far too hot now in their little corner by the window. "Whatever happened to asking?"
"You told me I didn't have to ask."
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What songs make you think of your faves?
Ooo this is difficult because my brain is basically a big jumbled mess of songs and story/character relations, and I haven’t made a proper character playlist in a while, but I’ll do my best!!
These are just for my current or very recent faves, and the songs are just the ones I know off the top of my head have correlation in my head.
Alex Summers:
- X Men
These are on vibes alone, not as much storyline
I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
Leaving On A Jet Plane - John Denver
Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen
I Know Places - Taylor Swift (shut up I know 😭)
Cough Syrup - Young the Giant
I’ll Stand By You - The Pretenders (this one is specifically a Charles and Alex father-son esque song.)
Monster - Caissie Levy
No Surrender - Bruce Springsteen
Teenagers - My Chemical Romance
The Way I Loved You - Taylor Swift
We Built This City - Starship
Iris - The GooGoo Dolls
I have a lot more on hc based storylines but I haven’t introduced that version of Alex to the public very much yet.
Shout out to You Belong With Me as that makes me think of Alex simply because of Lucas Till, and You Are My Sunshine for being the main plot point in my first Alex fic.
Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr:
- X Men
Andante, Andante - ABBA (Mamma Mia version) (CE)
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand (C)
Can’t Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon (CE)
Confrontation - Jekyll and Hyde (mostly E but could be CE depending on the AU)
Dos Oruguitas- Sebastián Yatra (CE)
Evermore - Dan Stevens (CE)
From Now On - The Greatest Showman (C)
History Has Its Eyes On You - Hamilton (E)
How To Save A Life - The Fray (E/CE)
If This Was A Movie - Taylor Swift (CE)
Just A Man - EPIC: the Troy saga (E)
Knowing Me, Knowing You - ABBA (CE)
Make You Feel My Love - Sleeping at Last (CE)
On My Own - Samantha Barks (C)
Our Last Summer - ABBA (Mamma Mia version) (CE)
Pieces - Ella Henderson (CE)
Slipping Through My Fingers - ABBA (Mamma Mia version) (C)
Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye (CE)
To Sir, With Love - Lulu (C)
Treacherous - Taylor Swift (CE)
Turning Tables - Adele (CE)
Wild Uncharted Waters - Jonah Hauer-King (CE)
Writing’s On The Wall - Sam Smith (E/CE)
Sebastian Smythe:
- Glee
Some of these will be KB labelled
All You Wanna Do - Aimie Atkinson/SIX
Applause - Lady Gaga
Bad Reputation - Joan Jett
Bad Blood - Taylor Swift
Bejewelled - Taylor Swift
Blackbird - Beatles
A Boy Like That - West Side Story (KB)
Candyman - Christina Aguilera
Crazy What Love Can Do - Ella Henderson + more (KB)
Delicate - Taylor Swift
Gee Officer Krupke - West Side Story
Glad You Came - GCV
How To Be A Heartbreaker - Marina and the Diamonds
I Never Dreamed Someone Like You - Katie Irving (KB)
I See The Light - Tangled
I Want You Back - GCV (KB)
King Of My Heart - Taylor Swift (KB)
Make Me Feel - Janelle Monráe
Paris - Taylor Swift (KB)
Shut Up And Drive - Rihanna
Speak Now - Taylor Swift (KB + B)
Patricia Thornton:
- MacGyver
I don’t think you people understand the chokehold she has on me. She’s barely in the show and yet she has me by the neck with those manicured fingers.
Literally so many songs from Reputation by Taylor Swift
Ready For It?
I Did Something Bad (this one is the most Thornton song that’s ever written)
Don’t Blame Me
Delicate
Look What You Made Me Do
Getaway Car
Dancing With Our Hands Tied
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Okay other than Reputation:
No Body, No Crime - Taylor Swift
Rabbit Heart - Florence + the Machine
Skyfall - Adele
Thumbs - Sabrina Carpenter
Trust In Me - Scarlett Johansson
Yours - Ella Henderson
AHS: James March and Kit Walker:
- Asylum + Hotel
No don’t worry I don’t ship these two. They’re just the only characters I care about besides Sister Jude.
Until I Found Her - Stephen Sanchez (KW)
Insane - Black Gryph0n & Baasik (JPM)
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