(Closed to Joel and Spencer, backdated to earlier in the week)

[freefromsin]

If Caleb is staying in Siren Cove, he needs to find a job as soon as possible. He's already dug into his emergency fund, which is pretty sad to begin with, and he doesn't want to be a burden on Rian and Sophie forever. He also doesn't want to rely on or borrow money from Gabe, who's crashing with someone else's family too. Between the both of them if they can save enough money, they could get a two room apartment and split the rent. He hasn't exactly brought it up yet, but it seems like the most logical thing to do.

But first, a job.

Back home he only found work through friends; here he's going to have to rely on himself. And the library. Thank god for libraries and free resources. He uses google to help write up a resume, and prints out a dozen copies. He looks up job wanted ads in the paper and starts applying to anywhere he has a chance getting hired to. And some that he probably doesn't.

On his way back to Rian's, he passes the bookstore. He didn't see that they were hiring or anything, but it can't hurt to ask, right?

He ducks inside and looks around, hoping Joel's working right now.

Comments

[just_another]

Joel gives a soft little laugh at the question, wondering how to position it to someone who might not necessarily know all the intricacies of this strange little town he's found himself in. Meeting over a Hydra isn't exactly a normal story, but he rather likes it as theirs.

"There was a... a wild animal loose in the city," he says, figuring that's as close to the truth as he can get without revealing a good number of magical details. Caleb will find out eventually, Joel is sure of that, but he isn't sure he wants to be the one telling him all about it. "I found Spencer near the library just sort of staring at it, so I may have manhandled him into the library for safety, which might not be the most romantic first meeting in the world, but I think things turned out okay."

[doublethepain]

Spencer has to fight to look at his husband with skepticism because he knows the explanation is as good as it can really get without saying what that wild animal had actually been.

He remembers that day vividly, the sheer recklessness of being out on the steps of the library as he'd watched the Hydra wreck its way through the town, and it's so not like him to actively put himself in harm's way but that day, he'd stayed out long enough for Joel to find him. That day, Spencer had been saved from getting caught in the debris of the crumbling building across the street and even though he hadn't known it yet, he'd already fallen in love.

"A wild animal, yes," Spencer repeats, risking a glance at Joel as the corners of his mouth twitch. "And maybe 'romantic' isn't the proper word for it, but he saved my life and it led to this." He gestures at the baby, unable to resist the urge to reach out to rest a hand gently against Dane's back. "We could have done worse, as far as first meetings go. We actually knew of each other long before that, it's a small town and I'd certainly stopped in the store a few times." Nudging Joel playfully in his side, Spencer chuckles. "I suppose we just never found a reason to have an actual conversation until that one day."

[freefromsin]

"No, that's really sweet," Caleb says, voice warm, and maybe a little envious. He's young, and even though his parents had been on their way to arranging a marriage for him, it's not like he thinks about domestic bliss or anything too often. Still, who wouldn't want a relationship as loving as theirs clearly is? "I mean, it makes for a better story than, well, son, I met your dad at the grocery store. Instead you can even embellish a little, because I'm pretty sure that's a parent thing."

[just_another]

Joel laughs then and looks down at Dane against his chest, the little head of dark hair peeking out of the carrier. One day they will be able to tell Dane that story, though they'll be able to include the Hydra, because being the son of a witch means he's not going to be able to avoid the magic in this town.

"It is quite the story," he agrees. "Then a few days later I found myself outside Spencer's house for no good reason and instead of asking me what the hell I was doing creeping around like a stalker, he invited me in."

And for the first time in a very long time, Joel had been really happy that night. Very little of that had had to do with the whiskey they'd consumed and all of it had been Spencer's doing.

[doublethepain]

Spencer can feel a flush creeping over his cheeks and neck, not because he's embarrassed--when it comes to his relationship with Joel, he never feels anything less than proud--but because he's pleased by Caleb's apparent appreciation of the story.

Perhaps Caleb is right and one day, they will embellish the story for their children but the beauty of it is that they really wouldn't need to do such a thing. Their entire relationship has been unique from the start, and Spencer wouldn't have had it any other way. The day he'd fallen in love with this man who'd saved him from a Hydra had been one of the very best days of his life.

"A very handsome stalker," Spencer corrects, grinning at his husband, "who gave me an entirely new appreciation for being in our home library." Not to mention a new appreciation for whiskey, though Spencer thinks now that he might have even as affected by being in such close proximity to Joel than he was by the alcohol.

Turning back to Caleb, he lets out a sheepish laugh. "Sorry, we're over here reminiscing like a pair of lovesick fools and keeping you in a limbo over whether or not you have a job. We're not making the best professional impression, are we?"