Barbie, but not that Barbie (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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adventureic2024-02-07 10:27 am
bahbie) wrote in adventureic2024-02-07 10:27 am
Entry tags:
(no subject)
Who: Barbie and Broderick Best
When: Feb 6, late night
Where: The library
What: It's promposal season!
Warnings: n/a
When: Feb 6, late night
Where: The library
What: It's promposal season!
Warnings: n/a
It was once again late in the night when Barbie found her way into the library. But this time, Barbie had made sure to wear something suitably cute because she was on a mission. She had read up and watched enough prom-themed media to know that there was no right outfit but it would have been rude not to put in an effort.
The blind book date book in her hands had been a good read. She had gone through it fairly quickly she thought, and it was also the perfect Trojan horse for a little surprise that she had just made for Broderick.
Smiling brightly at the Head Librarian, Barbie deposited the book on the desk in front of him and waited expectantly. The bookmark — more of a card really — stuck out of the pages just enough to be noticeable.
Momentarily distracted by sorting through the stack of werewolf specific materials, Broderick nonetheless had a smile on his face before he even lifted his head to greet her. Just like he always did, each and every night he took the graveyard shift and his midnight companion appeared.
It had been an unexpected but not unwelcome event the first time, Barbie not needing sleep and not wanting to disrupt her roommate, wandering into the one other sleepless place for somewhere to be.
He’d walked her through each and every book he reshelved that night, like some strange jumpcut of night time stories. The next time she’d watched movies with his headphones plugged in, the next he’d given her a tour of the restricted section. It was becoming something he looked forward to.
(She reminded him, achingly, of his youngest sister in some ways).
“Well don’t you look nice. Was the date successful?” He smiled at her expectantly as he slid the book closer, thumb catching on the card edge.
"It was great. Not something I would have probably picked myself, " Barbie admitted, "But that's the point, yes?" Her eyes darted down at the book, unable to keep the knowing grin off her face. It was a good way to hide any nerves. Her first boy-girl date. (As friends).
"I am here to return it." she added, stating the obvious.
His smile twisted a little in amusement at her frank declaration and he pulled at the card, prepared to do exactly that.
The Library had a growing collection of odds and ends (notes, a ripped up piece of cardboard,etc) that people used as bookmarks and forgot about. He knew Barbie bedazzled hers though and it would be a crime to bin it. “Don’t forget thi—” his brow furrowed. “What’s this?”
Barbie's smile remained frozen in place, slightly stiffer than usual, "It's...for you!"
Oh. Broderick hesitated, like it had the potential to be cursed rather than something lovely and thoughtful as was Barbie's way. Old habits, he thought to himself, carefully running his index finger along the seam of the card which was nearly bursting with glitter, foam sticker, ribbon and 4 different shades of gel pen on a thick maroon cardstock.
The words "WILL YOU BE MY PROM DATE?" were scrawled across the card, and slightly smaller underneath (as friends).
Oh.
“You used the craft supplies?” He cleared his throat, unexpectedly pleased and almost bashful that Barbie would even consider asking him. For a man who rarely got embarrassed, his cheeks felt awfully warm.
Thank fuck it was only them and the haunted photocopier tonight.
"Yes, I hope you don't mind. There was so much leftover and it's the right theme." Barbie explained, wondering if maybe he did already have a date. It was certainly possible but she was willing to risk it since he was at the top of her list of potential candidates. Like she had said to Sharona, it was going to be something to add to her book of firsts one way or the other.
“No of course not, I coded those supplies in the budget for you. Promotional material,” he fiddled with the card a little, trying to gather what to say when Barbie is watching him so anxiously.
“You sure you want me to be your prom date?” Surely she had far better options.
The question made Barbie pause and her smile faltered a little before she mustered her will and nodded. "Yes, it is too much pressure to find any kind of romantic connection so quickly." She leaned in and attempted to whisper in a hushed tone, "I've only just met everyone!
You are a good friend and I think you would be a great date for my first prom." She pouted. "Unless you already have a date-" Asher? Bracken? "Then that's fine too."
Ah fuck, the pouting.
Broderick felt monstrous standing there with every intention of letting her down gently. Not because it was Barbie, of course, but because the past 48 hours had confirmed vehemently that his first instinct to avoid the prom was the right one.
And yes, maybe there was a part of him that was annoyed at himself for getting hurt feelings over something like a prom as a grown ass man, which he’d never had any intention of going to in the first place.
“I don’t,” he cleared his throat again, and set the card down on top of the book. “I wasn’t intending to go at all actually – not because I don’t think it’ll be a great night,” knowing just how much Barbie and the committee had put into it. “Just not usually my kind of thing,” he trailed off, feeling the full weight of how stupid it sounded in the face of Barbie’s hopefulness and gradually fading smile.
God damnit.
This would be another first for her, she’d told him all about it, and she deserved for it to be exactly what she wanted. He wanted to help make sure of it.
“Yes,” he smiled at her, feeling his shoulders relax with a kind of charmed resignation. “If you're sure I’m the date you want, I’d be honoured to go with you to prom.”
The rollercoaster of emotions that went unfiltered on Barbie's face —tenseness, despair, forced blankness, hope— ended with a deep exhale of relief and a return of her usual chipper disposition.
"Oh, goodness." she exclaimed, unlacing the crossed fingers she had purposely kept hidden behind her. "I am so relieved. How nerve-wrecking it is to ask someone on a date!" She took a brief moment to compose herself. "I'm also honoured to go to prom with you!"
Broderick chuckled uncomfortably, a little abashed to have put Barbie in such an anxiety-inducing situation to begin with.
“It’s terrible,” he agreed with her, “making yourself vulnerable like that makes you feel a little sick to your stomach doesn't it? But it's worth it,” always, no matter the outcome.
There were no words and Barbie only sighed dramatically, placing the back of one hand against her forehead.
It occurred to Broderick then, that in asking him there was another first she wouldn't be receiving.
“Just–can you close your eyes for a second?” His eyes flicked around the desk as though searching for something. He was hardly creative, his gestures more in your face than intricate, but…
Suspicious but in a good way, she complied easily, "Okay!"
She waited patiently, wondering what Broderick was doing. There was the sound of rustling paper and she tilted her head to listen as she caught a whiff of something pleasantly familiar in the air. Magic was so cool. Barbie squeezed her eyes closed and fought the urge to take a peak, until finally he asked her to open her eyes.
"Oh my stars!"
A few books flapped their covers (not that this made some part of Broderick die a horrific death inside or anything; it was Lord Byron’s poetry, it wasn't a loss) like birds around Barbie, swooping between the two of them as Broderick extended, awkwardly, a large paper rose. It even smelled a little like one.
It was flashy trick magic rather than true spell work, but it was one he’d used on his younger siblings when they were little to great delight.
“I think it's only fair that I ask you too; will you be my prom date?”
Barbie'sdream first promposal!
Without hesitation, Barbie did a curtsy and accepted the flower with utter delight, "I would love to! This is wonderful and so romantic, Broderick. What a wonderful surprise." She would have to find a nice vase to put the rose in. Maybe some kind of origami thing to fit the theme. Or would it work better as a bookmark like a pressed flower?
It didn't matter, she was going to keep it safe as a cherished memory and treasure.
The blind book date book in her hands had been a good read. She had gone through it fairly quickly she thought, and it was also the perfect Trojan horse for a little surprise that she had just made for Broderick.
Smiling brightly at the Head Librarian, Barbie deposited the book on the desk in front of him and waited expectantly. The bookmark — more of a card really — stuck out of the pages just enough to be noticeable.
Momentarily distracted by sorting through the stack of werewolf specific materials, Broderick nonetheless had a smile on his face before he even lifted his head to greet her. Just like he always did, each and every night he took the graveyard shift and his midnight companion appeared.
It had been an unexpected but not unwelcome event the first time, Barbie not needing sleep and not wanting to disrupt her roommate, wandering into the one other sleepless place for somewhere to be.
He’d walked her through each and every book he reshelved that night, like some strange jumpcut of night time stories. The next time she’d watched movies with his headphones plugged in, the next he’d given her a tour of the restricted section. It was becoming something he looked forward to.
(She reminded him, achingly, of his youngest sister in some ways).
“Well don’t you look nice. Was the date successful?” He smiled at her expectantly as he slid the book closer, thumb catching on the card edge.
"It was great. Not something I would have probably picked myself, " Barbie admitted, "But that's the point, yes?" Her eyes darted down at the book, unable to keep the knowing grin off her face. It was a good way to hide any nerves. Her first boy-girl date. (As friends).
"I am here to return it." she added, stating the obvious.
His smile twisted a little in amusement at her frank declaration and he pulled at the card, prepared to do exactly that.
The Library had a growing collection of odds and ends (notes, a ripped up piece of cardboard,etc) that people used as bookmarks and forgot about. He knew Barbie bedazzled hers though and it would be a crime to bin it. “Don’t forget thi—” his brow furrowed. “What’s this?”
Barbie's smile remained frozen in place, slightly stiffer than usual, "It's...for you!"
Oh. Broderick hesitated, like it had the potential to be cursed rather than something lovely and thoughtful as was Barbie's way. Old habits, he thought to himself, carefully running his index finger along the seam of the card which was nearly bursting with glitter, foam sticker, ribbon and 4 different shades of gel pen on a thick maroon cardstock.
The words "WILL YOU BE MY PROM DATE?" were scrawled across the card, and slightly smaller underneath (as friends).
Oh.
“You used the craft supplies?” He cleared his throat, unexpectedly pleased and almost bashful that Barbie would even consider asking him. For a man who rarely got embarrassed, his cheeks felt awfully warm.
Thank fuck it was only them and the haunted photocopier tonight.
"Yes, I hope you don't mind. There was so much leftover and it's the right theme." Barbie explained, wondering if maybe he did already have a date. It was certainly possible but she was willing to risk it since he was at the top of her list of potential candidates. Like she had said to Sharona, it was going to be something to add to her book of firsts one way or the other.
“No of course not, I coded those supplies in the budget for you. Promotional material,” he fiddled with the card a little, trying to gather what to say when Barbie is watching him so anxiously.
“You sure you want me to be your prom date?” Surely she had far better options.
The question made Barbie pause and her smile faltered a little before she mustered her will and nodded. "Yes, it is too much pressure to find any kind of romantic connection so quickly." She leaned in and attempted to whisper in a hushed tone, "I've only just met everyone!
You are a good friend and I think you would be a great date for my first prom." She pouted. "Unless you already have a date-" Asher? Bracken? "Then that's fine too."
Ah fuck, the pouting.
Broderick felt monstrous standing there with every intention of letting her down gently. Not because it was Barbie, of course, but because the past 48 hours had confirmed vehemently that his first instinct to avoid the prom was the right one.
And yes, maybe there was a part of him that was annoyed at himself for getting hurt feelings over something like a prom as a grown ass man, which he’d never had any intention of going to in the first place.
“I don’t,” he cleared his throat again, and set the card down on top of the book. “I wasn’t intending to go at all actually – not because I don’t think it’ll be a great night,” knowing just how much Barbie and the committee had put into it. “Just not usually my kind of thing,” he trailed off, feeling the full weight of how stupid it sounded in the face of Barbie’s hopefulness and gradually fading smile.
God damnit.
This would be another first for her, she’d told him all about it, and she deserved for it to be exactly what she wanted. He wanted to help make sure of it.
“Yes,” he smiled at her, feeling his shoulders relax with a kind of charmed resignation. “If you're sure I’m the date you want, I’d be honoured to go with you to prom.”
The rollercoaster of emotions that went unfiltered on Barbie's face —tenseness, despair, forced blankness, hope— ended with a deep exhale of relief and a return of her usual chipper disposition.
"Oh, goodness." she exclaimed, unlacing the crossed fingers she had purposely kept hidden behind her. "I am so relieved. How nerve-wrecking it is to ask someone on a date!" She took a brief moment to compose herself. "I'm also honoured to go to prom with you!"
Broderick chuckled uncomfortably, a little abashed to have put Barbie in such an anxiety-inducing situation to begin with.
“It’s terrible,” he agreed with her, “making yourself vulnerable like that makes you feel a little sick to your stomach doesn't it? But it's worth it,” always, no matter the outcome.
There were no words and Barbie only sighed dramatically, placing the back of one hand against her forehead.
It occurred to Broderick then, that in asking him there was another first she wouldn't be receiving.
“Just–can you close your eyes for a second?” His eyes flicked around the desk as though searching for something. He was hardly creative, his gestures more in your face than intricate, but…
Suspicious but in a good way, she complied easily, "Okay!"
She waited patiently, wondering what Broderick was doing. There was the sound of rustling paper and she tilted her head to listen as she caught a whiff of something pleasantly familiar in the air. Magic was so cool. Barbie squeezed her eyes closed and fought the urge to take a peak, until finally he asked her to open her eyes.
"Oh my stars!"
A few books flapped their covers (not that this made some part of Broderick die a horrific death inside or anything; it was Lord Byron’s poetry, it wasn't a loss) like birds around Barbie, swooping between the two of them as Broderick extended, awkwardly, a large paper rose. It even smelled a little like one.
It was flashy trick magic rather than true spell work, but it was one he’d used on his younger siblings when they were little to great delight.
“I think it's only fair that I ask you too; will you be my prom date?”
Barbie's
Without hesitation, Barbie did a curtsy and accepted the flower with utter delight, "I would love to! This is wonderful and so romantic, Broderick. What a wonderful surprise." She would have to find a nice vase to put the rose in. Maybe some kind of origami thing to fit the theme. Or would it work better as a bookmark like a pressed flower?
It didn't matter, she was going to keep it safe as a cherished memory and treasure.
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