WHO: Finn and Mary Campbell WHAT: Two friends meeting up. WHEN: A week or two ago? WARNINGS: None STATUS: Closed and Completed GDoc
Finn smiled as he stepped in and looked around, looking for Mary, and a table, both. Meeting her, and having someone else to call friend here, was a thing that was really helping him settle in. And… she was nice, and kind of cute, too. He grinned, flushing to himself as he shook his head. Not that he was going to do anything about that. He liked her, was attracted to her, but she, like him, had left people behind. He didn’t want to be her regret.
Finding a table, he settled and waited for her, hoping he was not in the wrong place.
***
Meeting Finn, someone who was as new, if not newer and more unfamiliar, with this time and place than Mary had helped the blond settle in better. Knowing there was someone who felt out of place and like a stranger made Mary feel less alone and that meant a lot. When she saw Finn at the light's celebration, distant and dazed, she knew that this place and the holiday were starting to overwhelm him. It was overwhelming to Mary and Christmas was something she celebrated all of her life. She hoped talking to him a bit and meeting him for a burger tonight would continue to keep him grounded. He was definitely becoming a friend to her and there was a part of her, deep down, that noticed he was good looking and liked being around him in ways that were more than simple friendship.
Would she act on that? It was complicated more so because her two sons were here as well as John's other son with a different woman. She couldn't go far without seeing remnants of her future husband and it was good, but it was also bad. It made Mary feel as if she could never move on because yes, John had been here before, but there was no guarantee he would be here again. Then again, there was no guarantee Mary would stick around this time either. Was it worth forming relationships? Mary knew many people did, but there was no doubt they suffered when someone they cared for was sent back. Could she do that to Finn? He was already dealing with so much, but it wasn't as if she could control it either.
Arriving, Mary opened the door and stepped inside, scanning the area for any sign of Finn. Luckily, she spotted him quickly and a smile automatically formed on her face. "Hey," Mary greeted, taking a seat on opposite him. "How are you doing?"
***
Finn smiled as he saw her and waved, then held out a menu to her. “Hi! I’m doing good. How are you?” He inhaled, the scents driving him a little crazy.
“This place smells amazing. What is that smell?” He had no idea what exactly hamburger or fries or any of that was, yet. He had had little bits of stuff, but was still fairly new to everything here.
***
Mary accepted the menu eagerly. “I’m good. Looking forward to trying a good burger today,” she replied with a smile. “It does smell amazing.” It had been some time since Mary had tasted a decent burger and her last experience had been in the 1970’s. Things were obviously different now and from what was learning, everything was a tad better made to cater to a better health status for individuals. In this time, they knew more about what was bad for you than what they knew back then. It was a good thing, but it also took the pleasure out of a lot of the foods she use to enjoy.
Flipping through the menu, Mary decided on a mushroom swiss burger because everything tastes better with mushrooms on it and a diet Coke. “I’m going to go with the mushroom swiss burger,” Mary said, closing her menu. “What about you? Any ideas yet?”
***
Finn listened as he read the menu, completely unsure. “Uhm… can you order? I’ll take whatever you think is good. I have no idea what most of these words mean.” Back home had had nothing on these!
“Except a shake! I know those. I want a chocolate shake.” He nodded.
***
Mary gave him a sympathetic smile. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to not know what any of these descriptions were actually trying to explain. For her, most of the issues revolved around the technology and she wasn’t sure if she would ever completely grasp all of the advances that had been made in the last century. “I am by far no hamburger expert, but I think you’ll like the bacon burger. No one I know does not like bacon,” Mary replied, unable to keep from laughing at his excitement over a chocolate shake.
“Those are really good in any case,” Mary agreed, still giggling a bit.
***
“Thank you, Mary. have I mentioned that you are awesome?” He grinned at her and nodded, enjoying this, and glad she was here. “I dunno what I would do without you.”
He chuckled at her giggles. “I like them a lot. I had them the first day I was out of the hospital, when the fair was still here.” he forgot for a moment that she possibly was not there when he first got there.
***
“Maybe, but it’s always good to hear it again,” Mary replied with a wink. Mary put the order in for the two of them, glad to see that he was enjoying himself. He seemed so out of it at the light’s festival. It was good to see him smile. “Well, maybe crash and burn,” Mary offered with a shrug, teasing.
“Hospital? What happened?” Mary asked, a frown upon her face. ***
Finn flushed and smiled. Awesome and pretty, both. Damn. He rubbed his face and concentrated on just hanging out. “Probably.” He grinned at her. Kurt was awesome, but Mary was, or seemed to be, more experienced and put together., which was not Kurt’s fault. But Mary was helping him feel more at peace. What he and Kurt had was more like a building friendship where they helped each other.
He smiled again at Mary, then facepalmed, having forgotten she did not know.
“I came in from a fight, bad burns on my back, inflicted by Kylo Ren, that damn kinslayer.” He spat the name and the epithet, both. “Took me several weeks to recover enough just to walk, and more to recover enough to move freely.”
***
“Oh my God. That’s awful,” Mary replied, shocked. No, she had no idea the state that Finn was in when he had arrived here. She figured everyone arrived in perfect health,, but apparently that was far from a trend with Madison Valley. At least he had been taken to a hospital quickly and his wounds treated before things could have become worse. Being a hunter, Mary knew a bit about burns and how to treat them. The recovery process was painful and she felt bad that he had to go through it and probably alone.
“I’m glad you made a full recovery. I wish I was here sooner to have been there for you at least,” Mary added, giving a small smile to him from behind her blond curls. Kinslayer was a term she’d never heard before, but being as he was from a far different universe than her own, it was not surprising. Though, Mary had some of idea of a simple definition she decided to ask anyway. “Kinslayer?”
***
Finn flushed and smiled gently. “Thank you. And I would have liked that, I admit.” He glanced at her for a moment with something warmer in his eyes before ducking his head and shaking it,telling himself to stop that. “I met some people while there and they helped me finish recovery, even met my current roommate in the doing.”
Finn chuckled. “He saved my life.”
His face darkened as she said that name. “Kylo Ren killed his father, Han Solo, right in front of my eyes. Told him he needed his help then ran him through and dropped him off a bridge. Did it while smiling.” There was nothing but rage in Finn’s face.
“Then he came after me and my friends, and hurt Rey, maybe killed her, before he turned on me. When we were fighting, he pushed me hard enough to make me stumble and turn my back and that was when he struck.”
He sighed out a long breath, closing his eyes. “And then i was here.”
***
“I’m not surprised. There seem to be a lot of good people here,” Mary replied with a smile. “I guess if you had to end up anywhere injured, this would be the best place.” Mary was grateful she hadn’t shown up in any sort of questionable or wounded state. If she’d come before making the deal, she might have been in worse shape from her wrangle with Yellow Eyes. As it was, her body had hurt somewhat after coming here for a few days. Demons were sons of bitches and they had no intention of ever fighting fair.
Finn’s story pulled Mary from her own depressing past and she frowned deeply. “That’s...disgusting,” the hunter replied, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, Finn. I hope he didn’t get to your friends. I hope they got away. I’m sorry you had to see that happen.” Mary reached out and gently touched his hand in an attempt to offer some comfort. “I’m sorry.”
***
“There are. People here are amazing.” He smiled at her. “Like you.’ She was a good person, and she made him smile.
He sighed and nodded. “He’s the only person I have ever hated. My commander, Commander Phasma, she was pretty bad, but she never inspired hate, just dislike. But Ren? I’d kill him even if I had to do it with my bare hands.” He shuddered, hating that Kylo Ren inspired such rage.
He reached up to squeeze her hand. “Thanks. I’m okay. I’m getting better, anyway. I rarely have nightmares about it anymore.”
** Mary flushed a bit at his compliment. If he knew what she was back home, would he still think she was amazing? Or would he think she was a freak or worse, crazy? Being that this town was filled with the supernatural, Mary believed he would not think either of her, but having experienced so much before, she found herself always rather paranoid about it. “Well, it goes both ways,” Mary replied quickly. “You’re a good person too.” She’d thought he was a good person the moment he sat next to her and had a meaningful conversation at the bar and again in the woods. He genuinely cared about what she had to say and her feelings. It was a rarity in most people or Mary had come to believe till she met Finn.
“I can understand your hate. I know that feeling very well.” Mary kept her reply vague because she wasn’t sure she was ready to recount losing her parents and damning her future family yet. Sam knew so it was impossible to escape, but Finn didn’t yet and Mary wasn’t all too sure about how she wanted to go about telling him any of it yet. “It builds up and sometimes you just don’t know how to stop feeling it or think you ever can,” she added. Mary’s hate for the demon that had stolen her life and her parents was real and raw most days. Being in Madison Valley, these feelings did not change nor did the dreams not come. She understood how Finn felt about those as well.
There food arrived and Mary pushed her straw into her Diet Coke before taking a sip. “That’s good, “ she offered his hand a squeeze in return. “You’ll be alright. Better after you taste the burger I got you.”
***
“Thanks. I haven’t always been, but I am trying.” As good came, he smiled at her, listening to her words. His cheeks were a little darker as he thought of how she thought of him. It was nice. No matter what this was, having someone believe in you was nice, and it made him feel happy.
He smiled and nodded, managing to push some of it away. “I try not to let it get to me, but sometimes I just can’t stop letting it out.” he listened to her and nodded at her words. “Exactly. You understand.” That was amazing.
Food! He grabbed his burger and smiled, and squeezed her hand, smiling. “Yeah. Definitely.” And then he started in. And groaned. This was amazing! He ate like a starving man for he had never tasted anything this good. “This is incredible!” he spoke around the food, then started in on it again.
***
Mary couldn’t help, but start laughing as he dug into the food like a starving man, obviously loving every bite of burger he took. The blond took a bite of her burger and nodded in appreciation. It was good. When she first arrived, she’d been wary of a lot of the food in this place, but after attending a few parties and now tasting this burger, she was starting to think maybe food in the future did not go downhill after all. Another bite and Mary reached for her Diet Coke, taking a long sip. Swallowing, she watched him for a moment, finding herself feeling a kinship with him despite his world being so obviously different from hers.
“Thanks for coming out with me tonight,” Mary said suddenly, flushing a bit at the admittance. “It means a lot.”
***
He enjoyed the food, okay? After he was partway in, he slowed down, mmming, and wiped his mouth with a napkin, grinning at her, and feeling very good. “This is amazing and I like it. And I think you are awesome too.” He nodded, feeling bright and full of bounciness. He had never tasted food like this. Even pizza did not match it.
“I never knew pizza came in so many flavors as it does here.”
He smiled warmly at her words.
“I like being around you, and frankly, needed to get out of the house. This place still throws me off a lot with how different it is. But… it helps to be around someone I trust, you know?” He flushed himself, but he meant every word.
*** “Well, if you keep calling me awesome, I might just have to hang out with you again,” Mary replied lightly. She couldn’t blame him for scarfing down the food as quickly as he had. She took another few bites of her burger and sipped some of her Coke. She could not imagine what it would be like to be surrounded by so many unfamiliar things. Mary was much the same, but it was more so like things had become more advanced. Some things remained the same like food and television, but technology had advanced big time and that was where Mary often found herself struggling. It was nice to have someone that was sort of in the same boat.
“There are flavors that did not even exist back in my time,” Mary agreed, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe she’d come from over a decade ago into the future. Thinking about it, it could be overwhelming and that was why Mary tried to keep herself busy and try not to let her mind wander too much. It usually never ended in some place good anyway. “Likewise,” Mary replied simply, a bit of a flush filling her cheeks with the word. “I trust you and yes, this world can be overwhelming to me too.”
***
“Is that all it takes? Because then i will have to keep calling you awesome, and i don’t mind doing that, oh awesome one. Because you are awesome to me, anyway, and its awesome to hang out with you.” He grinned, his cheeks a little darker, but still. He was enjoying eating and talking to her and the food. He sipped his shake and smiled warmly, feeling relaxed and just plain enjoying himself.
This was nice.
He smiled at her words, cheeks darkening that little bit more, but he smiled at her, and just soaked it in. he was making a few friends at least. Between her and Kurt, he just might survive. “Thank you, Mary. That means a lot. Especially coming from you.”
He nodded. “Now I just have to find a job, and maybe I will feel vaguely settled here.” he paused, sipping his shake, then chuckled. “Or not.”
***
“Oh awesome one. I could get way too use to that,” Mary laughed. His blushing was adorable and she was glad that he seemed to be enjoying himself and settling down some. Mary was also feeling better by being here with him. He made her feel less alone and like a stranger in this place. He kind of gave her hope that she could survive here, too. At the mention of finding a job, Mary looked down, obviously guilt written on her face.
“You and me both, Finn,” Mary admitted with a soft sigh. “I just have no idea what to do here. Like all my skills are like outdated.” Or they just didn’t fit like any normal occupation.
***
Finn grinned at her. “I wouldn’t mind calling you that, Awesome Mary.” He chuckled, glancing at her and glad she was smiling. She was a good person and she made him smile. And he was glad to see her smile as well.
“I know that feeling. I was a soldier and a sanitation worker, but everything is different here, from policies to equipment. I have no idea how to do most jobs that even exist here.” He shook his head.
“I’m still looking, but, ah, it is weird.”
***
Mary could get use to being called “Awesome Mary” and it definitely made her smile. Being with Finn, she felt she’d given more genuine smiles than she had in a long time. She felt genuinely happy with him even if it didn’t change the fact that she was in the future in some small Midwestern town. Though, he made it so that she didn’t mind that too much either. Madison Valley seemed more bearable with him and obviously, knowing she had family here made things better. It didn’t change the fact that finding a job would still be a challenge.
“Me either. I mean everything is so advanced and I don’t even know where to start,” Mary admitted, sighing heavily.
***
Finn nodded. “We’ll figure out something. And until then, we will find ways to get by.” Finn nodded. “Tell me more about when and where you come from?” He smiled at her, while nibbling a lip, curious, smiling. This woman had managed to make him laugh and smile and relax like no other.
His roommate Kurt was awesome, but somehow, Mary managed to make him grin like nobody else could. And he was having fun, which he wouldn't have thought likely, even two weeks ago. But now? He was definitely planning on this again.
“We should keep meeting up. Like, weekly or something. I like hanging out with you.” He nodded, grinning.
***
“We will,” Mary replied, feeling better despite unemployment hovering over her head. Finn was right; they would make it somehow. After all, Mary knew they were both survivors and this was far from the hardest challenge either of them had faced. They would get by someway and Mary just had to have some faith and for her, this was far easier said than done. Faith was something hunters lost early on in their career. You dealt with enough bad and you stopped thinking there was any point in faith and hope even in the very humanity you protected.
‘We definitely can,” Mary agreed quickly. “We can try some other place next time.” The blond was trying to figure how to exactly explain where she came from while avoiding the hunter stuff. Then again, she had a feeling Finn might understand and better than most outside of the life. “Well, it’s Earth, like this, but it’s in the past,” Mary replied. “As you know I’m from 1973 and some things are the same, but more advanced and some things just didn’t exist back then which makes it hard for me to settle in.”
***
Finn smiled at her, and he hoped they would both find jobs, and soon. And also, of course, be able to hang out. He liked this. There was something about it that reminded him of how Poe and Rey made him feel back home. Like he had a home, like he belonged. She made him feel that way.
He listened as she spoke, and nodded, sitting forward. “I can imagine. That is how it feels for me. Like… like it is both familiar and alien, both at the same time.” he nodded.
He raised his shake to her in salute.
“To friends, and to finding our peace, together and apart.”
***
At the toast with the shake, Mary couldn’t help, but laugh a bit. “Well, I’ve never done a salute slash toast with shakes and cokes, but what the hell,” she said, chuckling to herself a bit and she raised her coke, tapping his shake lightly. “Yes, to friends, to finding peace, together and apart. And the potential for a new, different, but brighter future hopefully,” she added and still smiling, she took a sip of her coke.