Reverie - Slimecicle x Reader

chapter ten.

It was odd how empty the islands suddenly got. It was bliss for you, as you didn't need to worry about getting hit by a driver from New Jersey or Florida, but it was also just... eerie.

The news of the hurricane seemed to spread rather rapidly, and almost everyone vacated their beach homes. It was almost as empty as when the gas line got shut down a few years back. Sure, you were enjoying the silence and ability to go anywhere without a huge line, but it still felt off.

"Cal, I dunno how I feel about the emptiness," you said uneasily as you walked alongside your friend, "is the hurricane supposed to hit us?"

"I really don't know," she admitted as she opened up the SPC Outlook site on her tablet, "everything is still saying it's gonna go further south more towards Myrtle Beach, but it could still come up further north. Weather is unpredictable."

You could tell she felt uneasy about this whole situation. She had every right to be, since her house was beachfront. A powerful hurricane like Ophelia could decimate it instantly.

"If you wanna move valuables to mine, you're welcome to," you offered, "and y'all could stay at mine. We're pretty far inland, so we should be alright."

"I legitimately might take you up on that offer," she said, "I have a very bad feeling about this."

You knit your brows together as she started making a list of things, as well as a couple notes to take pictures of the house and its interior for insurance. She very rarely got this worried with hurricanes, so you figured it'd be good to listen.

"If you need to evac to your parents in Raleigh, do you want me to take Nittany? He isn't a big fan of car rides, so he could stay with me."

Calico looked legitimately grateful when you asked. She already felt like she was burdening you with heirlooms to keep track of, but taking her dog was something she couldn't just ask you to do without you bringing it up first.

"Would you? That'd be wonderful, Y/N, really."

"Hey, he does nothing but sleep, I'm happy to take him," you grinned, "heck, maybe we could all stay at mine. I know Charlie and his group are all also beachfront, so we could all stay at mine. My parents might stay at the restaurant anyway, so it isn't a big deal."

"Oooh, sleepover? With boys? Come on, Y/N, we're supposed to be good God-Fearing women, we can't sleep with boys until we're married!"

The two of you busted out laughing, breaking out the tote bags as you entered the farmers market. You needed produce for your parents' restaurant, and Calico was attempting to try a new style of eating. She wasn't the biggest fan of land meat, so she decided to just cold turkey it all and go for pescatarian. Good for her, you thought. She always was the healthier one of the two, not being a big sugar fan and reserving any sweets for special events. 

"The strawberries look super good," she mused, "I'll be back. I want those and raspberries for sorbet and to freeze."

"Go for it," you said absentmindedly, "I gotta find onions and vegetables anyway."

The two of you broke apart, intent on finding what you needed. Luckily, you found the onions and other root vegetables fairly quickly, which you bought and stowed away in the reusable produce bags you had. You vastly preferred them to plastic, but also the islands had banned the usage of plastic a couple years back. It was a choice you were very happy with.

As you continued through the market, you heard another familiar voice. How did Charlie and his group constantly show up where you were? Sometimes it was unsettling, how would they of known that you were at a farmer's market?

"The berries here are super good," Ted mused as he bought some, "the berries too. I guess this is peak fruit season for July... Schlatt, can you get a pint of blueberries?"

You were mildly irked as you bought some cherries to have as a snack, also buying some snow peas from the same vendor for your parents. You just wanted to spend a day with Calico, talking girly things like boys and the hurricane. Oh, the hurricane... You forgot about that.

"I should stock up on non-perishables and disinfect tubs," you said softly to yourself, quickly disappearing into the crowd so you wouldn't be bothered. Normally you'd say hello or tag along, but today you just wanted to focus on your tasks.

"Get everything ya need?" Calico asked, catching up to you, "Kevin and Sadie both had some super good mushrooms, I dunno if you wanted any-"

"What kind?" you asked, raising a brow, "because mom's requesting King Trumpet and Lions Manes."

"They have both!"

Calico watched as you booked it, and checked the SPC again. Still no updates.

Sighing, she followed you, nervousness consuming her being. Sure, hurricanes were a valid thing to worry about, but why was she so anxious? She didn't know, nor was she a massive fan of dealing with things. Focusing back on the present, she heard you happily cheer as you got the mushrooms your mom wanted, and she forced a smile, heading back your way.

"Y/N, want to go get other stuff from the grocery store while we're out?" she asked, ignoring her jitters, "I think we should look at non-perishables-"

"Cal, just breathe and focus on the present," you frowned as you left the market, "what's the matter?"

"I don't know," she admitted, sitting on a bench, "I'm just nervous. Very nervous."

"Yeah, I can tell," you rose a brow, sitting by her, "it'll all be okay. Really. Just focus on the here and now. Want to go to Ortega'z? Get something there?"

"Maybe I'm nervous from low blood sugar," she mused, standing up and stealing a cherry from your bag, "so yes. I'd love to have something to eat."

The two of you just got your food to go, since you were going to just eat at your place. It was easier that way, since sitting with produce that could expire easily would not be the most ideal.

"So, how are things with you and Charlie?" Calico asked idly, picking the tacos apart to eat with a fork, "and I know this is weird. Remember how braces fucked my jaws up? I can't bite down on these, which suuucks."

"That does suck," you admitted as you enjoyed your quesadilla, "but we're good. He actually asked me to be official yesterday morning. I said yes."

Calico stared at you, pausing in her bite, "actually?"

"Yeah, why-"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

You knew she wasn't mad, she was just playing it up for the dramatics.

"Because I wanted to-"

You got cut off by alarms blaring from both of your phones. You knew immediately it was the emergency systems, so of course you checked, just assuming an Amber Alert or test of some sort.

No, it wasn't that. Not even close.

It was a warning to prepare to evacuate.