Convenience
I got the sudden urge to write this crazy story last night. It's intended to be a one shot fic, but I left it open ended, so we'll see.
Title: Convenience
Author: draculadeeda
Pairing: Daniel Radcliffe/Elijah Wood (Danlijah)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU. Elijah works at a convenience store when he meets Dan.
Disclaimer: I don't own Elijah or Daniel, and I sure as Hades am not making any money off of this.
A/N: cross-posted to my journal
“Alright, miss, that’s five dollars worth of gas, and a pack of cigarettes. Will there be anything else?”
“No thank you. That’s all.”
“Ok. Your total is $8.09. Have a nice day.” He handed the woman her change then closed the register drawer.
“Kid, you work way too hard for someone your age. You’ve been here all day, and you haven’t even had a break yet. Will you at least take fifteen minutes?” pleaded his manager.
“Well,” Elijah sighed, a slight sadness in his blue eyes, “This money isn’t going to make itself, and I really need it. But if you’re going to keep beating me over the head like this, then yes, I will take a break.”
He took off his hideous, burnt orange smock as he walked out and flung it over the back of a chair. He walked over to the small window and cracked it open a bit. Fumbling with the lighter he pulled from his back pocket, he lit a tiny, clove cigarette and settled into the chair with his smock on it.
He really had no idea what to do with his break. He usually didn’t take them, and when he did, it was only because he was desperately hungry. But today just wasn’t one of those days. He hadn’t been hungry all day. He could have taken a short nap, but he wasn’t tired either. So he sat flicking open the cap of his lighter repeatedly. He hadn’t quite gotten the part down
where he was supposed to light it at the same time it opened. But he could try, couldn’t he?
After about two minutes of sheer boredom, a shaggy haired kid stumbled into the break room. He was all shifty eyes and nervousness.
Elijah cocked his head to the side and stared at him. “Um, may I help you?”
“Well, I…I…I was just looking for the loo…” He answered in a rather affected British accent.
“Well, we don’t have public restrooms here,” Elijah said while poking his head out through the door scouting around for the manager, “But if you’re quick about it, I’ll let you use the employee one.”
“Sure. Sure. That’s great. Thanks, mate,” the boy stammered, eyes fixed on the door. “Uh, say…where is it?”
“Oh, sorry about that. Through there,” he gestured at a door in the corner with his cigarette. “My name’s Elijah by the way. I work here, so if you need anything, just tell me.”
The kid nodded and shuffled quickly into the restroom. The lock clinked loudly after him.
Elijah could hear a slight commotion in the store and pressed his ear to the door.
“You might want to keep an eye on that ruffian that just walked back there. I work at the market over on Kingston. He was caught trying to shoplift there about a week ago. Well, almost caught I should say. The bastard got away. I have half a mind to turn him in now…”
Elijah’s eyes widened. “Shit…”
He threw open the door and walked straight up to the manager. “Something wrong?”
“Yes, there is. What is that kid doing back there?”
“Oh, I…let him use the bathroom,” he sighed heavily.
“Elijah, you know you’re not supposed to. I’m going in there right now, and I’m going to give that kid a piece of my mind…”
“Wait. I’ll do it. I’m the one that let him back there; I should be the one to handle it. Just give me a minute.”
He walked back into the break room and paced for a minute. He had no idea what he was going to do. Heck, he had no idea what he was supposed to do. So, he just walked up and knocked on the door. No answer.
“Hey kid.” He knocked again. “Kid, open up, will ya?”
The lock clinked again, and Elijah heard the distinct sound of someone slumping against the wall. He opened the door, and there he was sitting on the ground, sandwich in hand.
“Uh, hey. I hate to have to ask this, but they’re talking out there…” Elijah started as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Something about a market and cops and chasing. And, uh, you didn’t pay for that, did you?”
He cast a downward glance toward a puddle on the floor where the sink had been leaking and whispered softly, “No.”
Elijah walked over and sat down next to him. “Well, why couldn’t you just wait until you got home? I mean, your parents do feed you, don’t they?”
The kid shook his head as the tears began to roll down his cheeks. And in an even softer whisper than before, he said, “I don’t have any parents. I don’t have anyone…”
Shit, Elijah thought, Here I was feeling sorry for myself because I don’t make enough money for my own liking. I pay my bills, my rent. Hell, I even have cable, and this kid has nothing. Nothing.
“Get up.”
With fearful, watery blue eyes that were finally averted away from the puddle, the kid looked up at Elijah. “Why?”
“Here’s what we’re gonna do,” Elijah said pulling his lunch bag from the employee icebox, “You’re gonna take this bag…”
The kid nodded and watched as Elijah took some stray newspaper and crumpled it into the bag.
“This is my lunch. I want you to take it. Wrap that sandwich back up and put it in here. Now, they already think you took something, and they’ll have your hide if they find out that you really did. We have to make them think that nothing’s wrong. You got it?”
“Yeah, got it.” He carefully put the cellophane back on the sandwich and put it in the bag. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because if you get busted for this, they could send you to some juvenile facility or something. How do you think I would feel if I was the one that got you landed there? I don’t think I could live with that hanging over my head the rest of my life. Now, c’mon, hurry up. If we stall too long, my manger will automatically call the cops.”
Elijah guided the kid through the break room by the small of his back and made to open the door when a small hand reached out to grab his wrist. He looked down at the kid questioningly, but all the kid did was stare back.
With no explanation, the kid leaned up and gave Elijah a small peck on the lips. “Thank you.”
Elijah was left breathless. He wasn’t sure if it was from shock or not, but all he could do was nod as he led the kid into the store. The name “Daniel” was printed on the back of his sweatshirt. I wonder if that’s his name…
The kid looked up the manager still slightly teary eyed, and quickly shuffled out the door.
“So?” the manager prodded.
“Nothing. The kid had nothing.”
“Nothing? Then what the hell was in that bag?”
“Well, he felt so bad for causing trouble, he asked if there was anything he could do. Now, I didn’t want to give his some big task, so I just asked if he would mind putting that trash out, and he didn’t.”
“Oh. Well, that doesn’t explain the tears. People don’t cry for absolutely no reason at all.”
“He’s a kid! How would you feel if you were his age and you got accused of something like stealing? Hell, I’d have been crying worse than that!”
“Dammit, Wood. Now you’ve gone and made me feel bad. I hope I can catch up to him. I want to apologize.”
“Yeah, you do that. It might make him feel better.”
The manager walked out the door and jogged briskly, albeit in the wrong direction, to try and catch up to the kid. Elijah just shook his head. And when he was certain that no one was looking, he dug some change out of his pocket and paid for the sandwich the Daniel had taken.
I hope I see him again, Elijah thought, Just not for the same reason.
* * *
Daniel settled into an alley not far from the convenience store. He pulled out his sandwich and finished what was left. He took out the rest of the food and placed it into the pocket on the front of his sweatshirt. He was about to throw everything else into the dumpster when something in the bag caught his eye. In bright blue ink on the corner of a piece of newspaper
was:
Hey,
Hope you find this. Come see me sometime.
Elijah, 1512 Torrington
All the sadness had disappeared from Daniel’s eyes as he folded the paper and tucked it neatly into his pocket. I
wonder when he gets off work…
Title: Convenience
Author: draculadeeda
Pairing: Daniel Radcliffe/Elijah Wood (Danlijah)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU. Elijah works at a convenience store when he meets Dan.
Disclaimer: I don't own Elijah or Daniel, and I sure as Hades am not making any money off of this.
A/N: cross-posted to my journal
“Alright, miss, that’s five dollars worth of gas, and a pack of cigarettes. Will there be anything else?”
“No thank you. That’s all.”
“Ok. Your total is $8.09. Have a nice day.” He handed the woman her change then closed the register drawer.
“Kid, you work way too hard for someone your age. You’ve been here all day, and you haven’t even had a break yet. Will you at least take fifteen minutes?” pleaded his manager.
“Well,” Elijah sighed, a slight sadness in his blue eyes, “This money isn’t going to make itself, and I really need it. But if you’re going to keep beating me over the head like this, then yes, I will take a break.”
He took off his hideous, burnt orange smock as he walked out and flung it over the back of a chair. He walked over to the small window and cracked it open a bit. Fumbling with the lighter he pulled from his back pocket, he lit a tiny, clove cigarette and settled into the chair with his smock on it.
He really had no idea what to do with his break. He usually didn’t take them, and when he did, it was only because he was desperately hungry. But today just wasn’t one of those days. He hadn’t been hungry all day. He could have taken a short nap, but he wasn’t tired either. So he sat flicking open the cap of his lighter repeatedly. He hadn’t quite gotten the part down
where he was supposed to light it at the same time it opened. But he could try, couldn’t he?
After about two minutes of sheer boredom, a shaggy haired kid stumbled into the break room. He was all shifty eyes and nervousness.
Elijah cocked his head to the side and stared at him. “Um, may I help you?”
“Well, I…I…I was just looking for the loo…” He answered in a rather affected British accent.
“Well, we don’t have public restrooms here,” Elijah said while poking his head out through the door scouting around for the manager, “But if you’re quick about it, I’ll let you use the employee one.”
“Sure. Sure. That’s great. Thanks, mate,” the boy stammered, eyes fixed on the door. “Uh, say…where is it?”
“Oh, sorry about that. Through there,” he gestured at a door in the corner with his cigarette. “My name’s Elijah by the way. I work here, so if you need anything, just tell me.”
The kid nodded and shuffled quickly into the restroom. The lock clinked loudly after him.
Elijah could hear a slight commotion in the store and pressed his ear to the door.
“You might want to keep an eye on that ruffian that just walked back there. I work at the market over on Kingston. He was caught trying to shoplift there about a week ago. Well, almost caught I should say. The bastard got away. I have half a mind to turn him in now…”
Elijah’s eyes widened. “Shit…”
He threw open the door and walked straight up to the manager. “Something wrong?”
“Yes, there is. What is that kid doing back there?”
“Oh, I…let him use the bathroom,” he sighed heavily.
“Elijah, you know you’re not supposed to. I’m going in there right now, and I’m going to give that kid a piece of my mind…”
“Wait. I’ll do it. I’m the one that let him back there; I should be the one to handle it. Just give me a minute.”
He walked back into the break room and paced for a minute. He had no idea what he was going to do. Heck, he had no idea what he was supposed to do. So, he just walked up and knocked on the door. No answer.
“Hey kid.” He knocked again. “Kid, open up, will ya?”
The lock clinked again, and Elijah heard the distinct sound of someone slumping against the wall. He opened the door, and there he was sitting on the ground, sandwich in hand.
“Uh, hey. I hate to have to ask this, but they’re talking out there…” Elijah started as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Something about a market and cops and chasing. And, uh, you didn’t pay for that, did you?”
He cast a downward glance toward a puddle on the floor where the sink had been leaking and whispered softly, “No.”
Elijah walked over and sat down next to him. “Well, why couldn’t you just wait until you got home? I mean, your parents do feed you, don’t they?”
The kid shook his head as the tears began to roll down his cheeks. And in an even softer whisper than before, he said, “I don’t have any parents. I don’t have anyone…”
Shit, Elijah thought, Here I was feeling sorry for myself because I don’t make enough money for my own liking. I pay my bills, my rent. Hell, I even have cable, and this kid has nothing. Nothing.
“Get up.”
With fearful, watery blue eyes that were finally averted away from the puddle, the kid looked up at Elijah. “Why?”
“Here’s what we’re gonna do,” Elijah said pulling his lunch bag from the employee icebox, “You’re gonna take this bag…”
The kid nodded and watched as Elijah took some stray newspaper and crumpled it into the bag.
“This is my lunch. I want you to take it. Wrap that sandwich back up and put it in here. Now, they already think you took something, and they’ll have your hide if they find out that you really did. We have to make them think that nothing’s wrong. You got it?”
“Yeah, got it.” He carefully put the cellophane back on the sandwich and put it in the bag. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because if you get busted for this, they could send you to some juvenile facility or something. How do you think I would feel if I was the one that got you landed there? I don’t think I could live with that hanging over my head the rest of my life. Now, c’mon, hurry up. If we stall too long, my manger will automatically call the cops.”
Elijah guided the kid through the break room by the small of his back and made to open the door when a small hand reached out to grab his wrist. He looked down at the kid questioningly, but all the kid did was stare back.
With no explanation, the kid leaned up and gave Elijah a small peck on the lips. “Thank you.”
Elijah was left breathless. He wasn’t sure if it was from shock or not, but all he could do was nod as he led the kid into the store. The name “Daniel” was printed on the back of his sweatshirt. I wonder if that’s his name…
The kid looked up the manager still slightly teary eyed, and quickly shuffled out the door.
“So?” the manager prodded.
“Nothing. The kid had nothing.”
“Nothing? Then what the hell was in that bag?”
“Well, he felt so bad for causing trouble, he asked if there was anything he could do. Now, I didn’t want to give his some big task, so I just asked if he would mind putting that trash out, and he didn’t.”
“Oh. Well, that doesn’t explain the tears. People don’t cry for absolutely no reason at all.”
“He’s a kid! How would you feel if you were his age and you got accused of something like stealing? Hell, I’d have been crying worse than that!”
“Dammit, Wood. Now you’ve gone and made me feel bad. I hope I can catch up to him. I want to apologize.”
“Yeah, you do that. It might make him feel better.”
The manager walked out the door and jogged briskly, albeit in the wrong direction, to try and catch up to the kid. Elijah just shook his head. And when he was certain that no one was looking, he dug some change out of his pocket and paid for the sandwich the Daniel had taken.
I hope I see him again, Elijah thought, Just not for the same reason.
* * *
Daniel settled into an alley not far from the convenience store. He pulled out his sandwich and finished what was left. He took out the rest of the food and placed it into the pocket on the front of his sweatshirt. He was about to throw everything else into the dumpster when something in the bag caught his eye. In bright blue ink on the corner of a piece of newspaper
was:
Hey,
Hope you find this. Come see me sometime.
Elijah, 1512 Torrington
All the sadness had disappeared from Daniel’s eyes as he folded the paper and tucked it neatly into his pocket. I
wonder when he gets off work…