This definitely isn't her bed; the sheets don't smell like her's. It smells like cheap laundry detergent that a confused father would buy when tasked to grocery shop. That, and the faintest hint of cigarette.

Grace didn't get the delicate Disney Princess-esque rise and shine. Her head reboots with a loud pang from the tangles of her neurons, her mouth and tongue felt dry, her eyes red and tired; basically, she'd rather not wake up. Her blue eyes peered behind its fleshy curtains just to meet the blinding rays of morning sun- or rather, midday sun. It caught a glimpse of beautiful murals on the wall, apparently hand drawn, though she wasn't awake enough to make out any of it- let alone appreciate them. Through her blurry lenses she could make out a head of blonde hair shutting the curtains, apparently understanding the basic needs of someone experiencing hangover. Or at least understanding one's sensitivity to light and loud noises. The person opening the door, however, does not.

"Hey Adam, prep up, we're opening in twen-" Todd froze, staring at the mess that is currently Grace Lindale. He pointed a finger at Jimmy, summoning the blonde to come by the door. The blonde reluctantly obliged, though his eyes rolled where Todd could see it.

"Mind telling me what the fuck is going on? That's the girl Adam's stalking, right? I know he's fucking psycho but I didn't think he would kidnap the girl-" He whispered, only allowing Grace to hear the useless fragments of his sentences.

"She got drunk and passed out."He whispered before a sly smirk danced on his lips. "Oh, That's really nice of you to offer us breakfast, Todd." Jimmy spoke in a calming voice that could put any ASMR artists to shame- not wanting Grace to experience discomfort or be tempted to leave. His voice was loud enough for Grace to hear, but not loud enough to disturb her. If he does a good job, maybe Adam would pitch in another fifty.

"Fucking prick-" Todd cussed, though he doesn't see any way out of it now. "Right, so what's for breakfast?"

"Peppermint tea," He spoke before his eyes darted back at Grace and winked. "Cures nausea and stomach pains." The girl smiled, sitting up properly on the ink bed as she watched. "And could you also get us eggs? She needs some amino acid and taurine to help her liver process the high amount alcohol."

Cough, "Smartass," cough. Todd turned away just to feel Jiminy's tiny figure wrapped around his lower back. This is by far the weirdest thing that's happened here in Lucky Hobo, and they've had their share of experiences with all the eccentric people who want tattoos. And some are hardcore weird; but god forbid any of the Lost Boys hugged him and stopped with the degrading nickname.

This only happens once in a blue moon- "Thank you, Todd." He spoke, releasing the teenager from his impromptu-awkward hug. He closed the door, making sure Todd could see the middle finger he put up as the door is closing- Grace obviously not aware of it.

"You're clever, aren't you?" The girl started, giggling from where she is.

Jimmy shook his head humbly, laughing. "I try to be."

"I hope I didn't cause any trouble. I didn't even know what came over me last night-" Grace sighed. "Thanks for taking care of me though. Here, let me give you a little something to express my thanks."

The blonde smiled and again, shook his head. "I'm really flattered but I'd rather not take it. I helped because it's the right thing to do; Adam said so. You should keep it; besides, you slept like a baby. No trouble for my part at all."

Puke.

------x

"Hey- Yeah, Adam? There's that girl in your office; the one you stare at everyday in some weird-ass trance. Do I need to call the cops? Get your ass here; you got explaining to do." Todd spoke on his phone with impeccable speed that it almost sounds as if he was rapping. "And one of your weird kids just called me 'Todd'. What the fuck is going on?" He genuinely sounded concerned and disheveled- as if jet lag after crossing an alternate universe.

------x

Twenty minutes later when Adam arrived, the little blonde was already waiting for him, sitting on one of the chairs.

"You owe me a hundred, shitrod." Mr.I'd-rather-not-take-it alleged before Adam even had a chance to speak. "Bitch was puking everywhere, who do you think cleaned that up? I ran to the fucking laundry just to dry-clean the sheets because she projectile-vomited on everything within a one meter radius." Jimmy spoke, not amused. "It was three fucking A.M and people were offering to take me to the police station because 'where are your parents?' So yeah, cough up."

Todd watched. "Shit. Swear to god I thought I slept through a wormhole or something when he's acting nice and shit. Do you wanna claim your Oscar for best actor now, or..?" He joked.

Adam rummaged his backpack for a wallet, handing over the money with a defeated look. "Is she still in there?" He asks, agitated. Adam might- for the first time- actually have a chance to talk to the girl he spent so long studying; and maybe she's still hangover enough that it's okay if he fucked up more than his allowed quota.

"Mhm." Jiminy nodded. "Sure you wanna come in there without insight from the kid who listened to her drunken ramblings all night?" He continued, somehow developing mad infomercial-king level advertising skills.

"Son of a fuck." He grumbles, taking out another hundred and watching it go. "Spit."

"Her name is Grace Lindale, 19, worked for a library until she got fired yesterday; I saw her ID and paycheck. She's having a break from college because I found a student ID that she hasn't been using- it was inconveniently placed between pages as a bookmark. Wait, so I guess she is using it. She likes space and astronomy- I could make out 'I wanna be a theoretical astrophysicist' between her drunken slurs. Oh, but she doesn't believe in star signs. Birthday; 20th of March. I don't think I'm forgetting anything-" Jiminy spoke, somehow conveying it with no difficulty at all despite his young age of twelve. He doesn't have trouble remembering- a fact Adam learned years back when they first met-, and thank fuck for that.

"Of course you're not. Bless that beautiful eidetic memory of yours." Adam spoke, now ready to enter.

"Aye, praise be." Jimmy commented, placing a hand to his heart sarcastically. Adam opened the door to his office, and Jiminy Cricket's guidance ended right there.

"Do you rust when it rains or something?" Todd spoke, eyes squinted.

"Do you absorb water when you're dry or something?" Jimmy replied, though Todd apparently doesn't understand his brilliant rebuttal.

"Sponges are the dumbest animal- they're literally in a vegetative-ass state that they show no signs of intelligence. Cretinous dimwit." His blue eyes rolled.

------x

"Sure you still want that tattoo?" Adam spoke as he walked in the room, door closing behind him. Grace looked away from plate of omelet on her thighs; the scent peppermint tea and warm eggs wafting along side air in the room.

"Which?" The girl asks with her mouth full.

Adam snorted a laugh. "Fabian is a satanspawn bald racist or something."

Grace laughed along after swallowing a big gulp of her breakfast. "Did I actually ask for that? Fuck, how drunk was I?"

"Pretty fucking." Adam shrugged, dropping his backpack on the floor as he steps closer. "Anyway, I'll hook you up with a sick ass tat. No charge; I think my friend Jimmy likes you. He stayed over to take care of you- I had to leave, duty calls."

"Not sure what tattoo I want to get. And I'm fine with paying, thank you very much." She started, spooning her mouth full of eggs once more. Adam watched, sitting on the padded stool next to his ink bed. She's so pretty up close, easily beauty in its purest form. Grace parted her lips to speak again,"And he's a great kid, by the way. Yours?"

Adam exaggerated an offended look. "Geez, How old do you think I am? Nah, I just house homeless orphans and he's one of them."

Grace's eyes actually lit up with interest. "Really?" She stared, obviously thinking be made a joke. He wasn't kidding.

"That's really cool. I hang around hippies who talk about saving kids, but none of them actually stepped in like you." She smiled; genuinely impressed once she received no clarification that it was a joke. Still, she's not taking it as a fact yet. Jimmy could be a kid he was babysitting for all she knew.

"Enough about me, let's talk about that tattoo." He spoke, taking a notebook and pencil out of his jean pocket. "I think I kinda get your vibe." He spoke, to which Grace only responded with a skeptical grin. His hand is an expert at what he does, sketching the design he thought would suit her best. Just sketching something that will forever stay on the skin of the girl he's been trying to impress for months- no pressure. Finally, the pencil tip inched away from the surface of the paper.

Adam revealed his design.

"Moon phases?" She smiled, raising a brow. Adam chuckled.

"Not you?" He shrugged, hand scratching his faded turquoise hair that doesn't itch. "I could see that you really like Astronomy.. You give off that vibe, you know?".

Grace admired it, in her head already knowing where she'd like to be inked.

"I like it. First love, best love?" she asks, in other words giving consent to him doodling on her skin with permanent ink.

"First tattoo, best tattoo."

------x

First thought, Best thought.

Not a reference to Kill Your Darlings or anything- uvu