Emily (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
iluvroadrunner6) wrote2021-12-13 05:33 pm
iluvroadrunner6) wrote2021-12-13 05:33 pm
Entry tags:
- canon: leverage,
- canon: original,
- canon: the old guard,
- canon: uncharted,
- canon: vampire diaries universe,
- canon: wynonna earp,
- prompts: get your words out,
- ship: chloe/nadine/sam,
- tvdverse: freya mikaelson,
- uncharted: chloe frazer,
- uncharted: nadine ross,
- uncharted: sam drake,
- wynonna earp: wynonna earp
get your words out { 2022 } challenge tracking
Directory:
PERSONAL GOALS:• Yearly Goals IN PROGRESS
• Clear the Queue IN PROGRESS
OFFICIAL CHALLENGES:• 1/16/22 Five Minutes Challenge COMPLETE
• 1/31/22 January Challenge: Tarot Prompts COMPLETE
• 2/22-23/22 Roll the Dice Challenge COMPLETE
• February 2022 Lovely Word Stroll IN PROGRESS
• March-June 2022 GYWO Yahtzee COMPLETE
• 3/11-17/22 March Small Challenge COMPLETE
• 5/11-12/22 May Small Challenge COMPLETE
• 5/15-21/22 7 Days, 7 Stories COMPLETE
• July 2022 Mid-Year Marathon INCOMPLETE
• 7/1/2022 February Challenge: Five and Ten COMPLETE
• 7/5/2022 March Challenge: SuperWordAlicious COMPLETE
• 7/10-12/22 Time Management Challenge COMPLETE
• 7/14/22 Simile but Different Challenge COMPLETE
• 7/21/22 Blind Prompts Challenge COMPLETE
• August 2022 Mid-Year Marathon INCOMPLETE
• 7/28/22 Stop, Drop, Write COMPLETE
• 7/29/22 Green with Graffiti Challenge COMPLETE
• 8/17/22 Christmas in July COMPLETE
• 8/30/22 August Challenge: The Dump COMPLETE
• 9/12-13/22 Two-Day Challenge COMPLETE
• 10/14-18/22 Nano Prep Challenge COMPLETE
• 11/13-14/22 Roll the Dice Challenge COMPLETE
• 12/12/22 Time Management Challenge COMPLETE
• 12/16/22 September Challenge COMPLETE
• 12/19/22 Challenge: Choose Your Title COMPLETE
• 12/20/22 November Challenge: Dated COMPLETE
• 12/21/22 December Challenge: Stop Watch COMPLETE
7/29/22 | green with graffiti challenge | original | 698 words | COMPLETE
The tag itself wouldn’t be anything special to anyone else. No gang claims or famous artwork happening here. But Maria could see it every morning when she woke up across the street, the small heart with an arrow through it in a graphic type of design. Every morning it made her smile, even if hours later she knew that her father would have her scrubbing it off the side of the building later that day.
She moves through the beginning paces of her day—shower, getting dressed, eating breakfast—and then heads over to the bodega where her father is already out and swearing at the appearance of the art.
“You would think whoever this idiot is would take a hint,” he murmurs as she gets closer. “Clean this up, mija? Before the customers come in?”
“Yes, Papi,” she nods as she makes her way inside to drop off her stuff. Gathering the cleaning supplies, she makes her way over to the spot in question and scrubs.
She never would have known that they’re made for her if she hadn’t spent so much time up close and personal with them. It’s a small tag, not a lot of surface area, but she can see the shape of her name made out in the arches and curves of the heart and arrow. She can also see the matching points of Esteban’s name as well, blending together. Every time she sees it, she can’t help but smile, and every time she has to wash it away it makes her sad, but she knows her father would never let it stay.
The paint washes away to a nearby storm drain along with the soapsuds, and soon the shop is back to its usual sickly green. She sighs, puts the cleaning supplies away, and heads back to the register for the rest of her shift.
People flow in and out, some familiar, some not, getting their coffee and groceries before heading back out to their day. The monotony of the day makes it easy for her to daydream, pretend she is anywhere else in the world, doing anything else but man this register. But around mid-afternoon, a familiar cologne appears in front of her register, placing down a coffee and a pack of Ho-Ho’s, followed by a ten-dollar bill.
“Maria.”
She looks up with a smile as she pulls it closer. “Esteban.”
“Did you get my message?”
She glances around briefly to make sure her father isn’t anywhere nearby before turning back to him. “I did. But you know you can’t just keep putting it up every day.”
“Well, if your father didn’t keep washing it away, I wouldn’t have to.”
She doesn’t have the heart to tell him she’s the one being forced to erase his painstakingly planned graffiti, so she lets him believe that it’s her father doing the damage. “That will never happen, and you know it.”
“So I guess I’ll just have to keep putting it back.”
She sighs. “You could just give it to me on a piece of paper, you know? Like a drawing.”
“Yeah, but that’s not the same.” He takes the Ho-Ho’s back from her, as well as his change, before tossing her a wink. “I’ve got something to prove.”
“And what’s that?”
“I’m going to out stubborn him, every time.” His hand brushes hers, and he gives it a soft squeeze, before releasing it as her father rounds the corner. Maria’s eyes drop to the counter, and Esteban quickly leaves. Her father comes up to the side and raises an eyebrow.
“Ho-Ho’s again?”
“Just like every other day.”
He waves a hand. “Terrible for his digestion.”
Maria can’t help the soft chuckle. Her father wanders off to do something else in the store and she glances back to the window to meet Esteban’s eyes as he makes his escape. She knows he’ll be back tonight to recreate his work, and tomorrow morning she’ll be washing it off again, but as much as it saddens her, she can’t help but look forward to it.
Maybe he truly will out-stubborn her father after all.