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August just wanted to get some coffee from StarBucks on a Thursday. Xe didn’t expect a fucking crowd of goddamned paparazzi to block xem off. And then someone pushed xem.
“FUCK!” Nobody heard August when trying to get fucking pictures of a popular ass girl. August didn’t even know who they fucking were, but damn. No wonder people hate the paparazzi.
“AH!” August heard someone else scream. Trying to push past everyone, xe finally found the cause of the shout. There was a kid on the floor hyperventilating.
‘Fuck, are they okay?’ That was August’s only thought as xe was pushing through the crowd. He could only see the kid now. The paparazzi was tuned out as xe pushed them out of his way. Sure, xe got a couple of ‘Fuck you’s’ and ‘watch where you’re going, asshole’s’, but that didn’t phase xem. Xe had to get to that kid.
“Are you okay?” Xe asked as xe picked them up onto stable feet and pulled them out of the crowd.
“I-I c-can’t-t.. C-crowds.. Th-they.. I-I can’t-t” The kid almost started hyperventilating again, but August rubbed soothing circles on the kids back.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me right away.” Xe sat down and offered for the kid to as well. He sat down hesitatingly. “How about this, we start with our names and pronouns? My name is August Sandy, and my pronouns are Xe/Xem”
“I-I like y-your name..” The kid said, still trying to calm down from his panic attack. “My.. My name is C-Charlie Smith.. And my pr-pronouns are he/they..”
“Nice! Hmm.. How about our favorite colors? I really like misty green.” The kid giggled at the funny voice xe made for xir color.
“M-my favorite color is dandelion yellow..” Xe smiled at their answer.
“Oooh, the dandelion crayon was AWESOME! I cannot believe they discontinued it..” Xe said, wiping a fake tear away. The kid giggled again, beginning to become more comfortable with xem.
“Okay.. How about.. Favorite car? I think I like the cybertucks the best!” Charlie scrunched his face when August pronounced such confidence with that.
“Ewwwww…” August gasped dramatically. “I like Subaru’s. They’re the best!”
“Ugh, I mean I guess you’re right..” The kid laughed again.
“Alright, now I wanna talk about what happened earlier, if that’s okay with you? And after, we can talk about more things we like!” Charlie kind of froze up again, but relaxed a little when he saw the reassuring smile on Augusts’ face.
“W-well.. I’ve never been a fan of crowds.. And one time.. My sister thought it was okay to take me to a mosh pit.. Without me knowing.” August nodded along, not interrupting. “U-um.. My sister also thought it was okay to put us in the very front.” August gasped.
“What? Isn’t that the most dangerous spot?” Charlie nodded.
“Yeah.. It is.. Anyways.. Some random guy picked me up, and I was thrown back away from my sister.” Charlie took a second to breathe in.” I was thrown to the floor and broke my arm and fractured my foot.”
“What the fuck!?!” Charlie nodded again, solemnly.
“What you saw was me having a flashback to when I was on the floor crying while Pantera kept playing stupid ass songs that now haunt my dreams.”
“How’s your relationship with your sister now?” August asked with a sad note to xir voice.
“We don’t really talk anymore.. After that, she never apologized, but my mom said that everyone in the family knew about my fear.. So.. yeah..”
August looked at the kid and asked him in the most serious tone ever, “Do you need a fuckin hug?” Charlie chuckled, wiping away his tears.
“Hell yeah, I want a fucking hug.”
They both then continued to talk about all their favorite things and August has mentally adopted Charlie as his brother. Charlie didn’t oppose that.
And now, every Thursday, August and Charlie meet up at Starbucks and have the time of their lives for the rest of the day.