Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first time Beau met Fez she must have been around ten years old as she lived in one of those motel that some manage to rent all year round. The basic two floors complex with the swimming pool in the middle.
The sun went down but the heat still irradiated from the buildings, the floors and roads. Summer heat in Florida were incomparable, heavy, humid, tropical.
Beau's mother was the motel clerk and so they were occupying the first apartment complex behind the front desk while Paulie O'Neill and his son lived above them.
Beau and her mother often heard shouts and fightings going on upstairs and Beau's mother kept saying O'Neills were trouble ; Paulie was some sort of pimp and a wife beater that's why the kid's mom had run off the hills.
Brandy had warned Beau a couple time against the O'Neill's kid, saying he's going to end up just like his daddy as she smoked her cigarette, leaning on the counter of the tiny kitchen they had.
She was observing her tomboy of a daughter as Beau was about to finish her dinner. The commotion upstairs stopped suddenly as they heard the front door of the apartment complex upstairs thrown shut in anger.

-"Can I go play outside, mama?" Beau asked as she put her now empty plate in the sink.

Her mother hummed her uncommitted response as she texted on her phone with a clicker sounds each time her long fake nails hit the screen.

Beau goes to get her precious BMX from her room as her mother growls slightly at the sight of the bike.

-"God, I hate that thing." She mumbles before pouring herself another drink.

Beau ignores her and goes to ride around the swimming pool of the complex.

Beau's dad wasn't part of her life as he didn't get along with her mother but he did bring her gifts at Christmas, the only time of the year she'd see him. He had gotten her the BMX last Christmas and Beau was taking that thing everywhere she went.

Beau loved riding in the evening when the sun was going down but the heat remained. She felt the gaze of someone on her and sure enough when she looked up she met his turquoise eyes. He had such a serious face on for a kid. The O'Neill kid was sat on the stairs leading to the second floor of the motel and he was sporting a black eye and a cut lip. He was wearing baggy clothes and a heavy-looking chain around the neck.
Fez had always seem calm in appearance, observant and almost calculating.
Beau tried her best to ignore him and carry on riding, even though, she felt nervous under his stare.
She heard him climbed the stairs and when she looked up again, he was gone.
She had drifted away towards the parking lot of the motel when he came back towards her with a beat up skateboard.

Beau stopped near him and she could see the thick eyelashes around his wide turquoise eyes and the freckles all over his face.

-"Can you do tricks ?" Fez asked as he nodded towards her BMX.

Beau shook her head no, shyly.

-"Can you ?" She asked back to him and he nodded but made a sign with his hand that could be translated by "so so".

They spent the evening riding around together on the parking lot as Fez shown off the tricks he knew on his skateboard.

-"Can I try yours ?" Fez asked and Beau hesitated for a second as she remembered her mother's saying about the O'Neill's being trouble but she ended up nodding and dismounting her BMX to pass it onto him.

He pushed his skateboard towards her, making it roll with his foot before taking her BMX and trying it around for a while.

-"You don't wanna try mine ?" He asked with a slight scold on his face.

-"Don't know how." Beau answered as she chewed on her thumb, embarrassed.

-"Shoulda say." He replied and Beau could decipher a slight southern drawl from the kid.

He spent the rest of the evening teaching her to ride his skateboard, as he literally dragged her by the hand as she stood on it.

-"Beau ! It's late, come back now!" Beau's mother had shout as she stood near the pool, a cigarette hanging at her mouth, and her arms crossed on her chest.

Beau knew she was going to get told off for hanging out with the O'Neill's kid as she looked at her mother going back in.

She sighed and went to get her BMX back as Fez walked back with her, his skateboard under his arm. The night had fallen and their path were lightened by the lights around the motel complex.

-"I thought Beau was a boy's name." He mumbled and Beau noticed he tended to slur his words.

-"I think my mom called me like that 'cause of an old boyfriend. -She replied, shrugging. -What's yours ?"

-"Fezco but you can call me Fez."

-"Fezco ? What kinda name is that ? Surely you're lying."

-"Only my parents uses my real name, I don't like it."

-"What is it ? Come on, I told you mine."

-"You didn't, your mom did." He answered, matter of factly.

-"Alright, Fez's fine. Where do you go to school ?"

-"I'm gonna go Westfield High in September ; I guess you're still a jit."

Beau turned towards him with a scowl, ready to tell him off but she caught the mocking laugh he was trying to hide.

-"I start Middle School this year."

Brandy was waiting at the door of the front desk to rush Beau in.

"'Night, Mrs. Taylor." Fez nodded towards Beau's mother before climbing the stairs two by two.

Beau made a bee line to go brush her teeth as her mother followed her to the tiny bathroom.

-"I told you not to hang out around O'Neill's. He's too old to play with a little girl your age."

-"But he just shown me tricks on his skateboard. Besides, there aren't many kids around to hang out with."

Brandy sighed and came to hug her daughter from behind.

-"Trust me I know how those older boys can seem cool and interesting but they're only gonna bring you troubles and heartache and I don't want that for my baby girl."

*****

Despite her mother's warnings, Beau spent most of the summer hanging out with Fez, whether it was to ride around in the evening or swimming in the pool during the day. Brandy had gotten used to it but had strictly forbidden Beau to hang out in the O'Neill's apartment.

Brandy had warmed up to Fez to the point she let him stay for dinner a couple time and let them play some Nintendo 64 in Beau's room.

A couple nights before school started again, Brandy was having a late night in as she watched her TV series while Beau was sleeping, when she heard a huge fight upstairs but this time a woman seemed to be involved. Brandy checked her phone and it shown 1 am. She heard commotion, things being thrown around, things falling heavily on the floor, yelling and then, nothing for a while.
She held her breath as she was a second away from calling the cops when she finally heard steps and movements. She jumped startled when she heard a loud knock on their front door.

Brandy quickly opened the door to find Fez with new bruises and a bleeding busted lip. His clothes were creased and fresh stains of blood were covering his baggy white T-shirt ; he wiped off the fresh blood with the back of his hand before grimacing at the metallic taste of blood.

-"Christ, Kid, are you okay ?" Brandy asked, putting a hand on his shoulder, ready to pull him inside in the security of her apartment as she looked behind and around him.

-"I'm fine, Mrs. Taylor. I'm here to let you know I'm movin' in with my grandma. She's waitin' on me."

Fez pointed his thumb vaguely behind him and Brandy barely caught the sight of a blonde woman smoking a cigarette in a '77 Cadillac, in the darkness of the night.

-"Could you give this to Beau, please?" He asked as he passed her a crumpled paper.

Brandy took the note in her hand, confused and unsure if she could actually let him go.

-"You sure you gonna be okay ?"

-"Yes, ma'am." Before he could add something else, the loud honk of the Cadillac echoed in the night and Fez picked up a duffle bag from the floor.

-"'Night, Mrs. Taylor."

-"'Night, kid." She answered as she looked at the car leave the entrance of the motel.

-"Mama ? What's going on ?" Beau asked sleepily, coming up behind her mother.

-"Babe, Fezco came by and left this for you. He left and he's moving in with his grandmother." She said as she passed the note to her daughter.

Beau's face crumbled slightly after the surprise and the confusion. She rubbed her eyes and read the paper.

2926 Terry Lane
32810 ORLANDO

407-408-2579 Call me, Finley

Chapter Text

Chapter II

"I can't believe my baby girl is already a mid schooler. I got you a little something as a back to school gift." Brandy claimed excited yet emotional. Beau could see the tears in her mother's eyes threatening to drop.

Brandy got up real quick from the chair while Beau was eating her bowl of Frosted Flakes in the tiny kitchen.

"There baby, open it." Brandy said in a slight southern accent as she puts down the wrapped up gift on the tiny kitchen table.

"What is it ?" Beau asked, excited as she grabbed the rectangular gift.

"Open it."

Beau ripped open the wrapping, the same Christmas wrapping from last year, and discover a brand new iPhone.

"Oh my god, mom ! Thank you !" Beau exclaimed loudly as she stood up abruptly to hug her mother before studying her phone closely.

"I thought now that you're a little grown up, you might make some friends and...well, you won't need to borrow my phone anymore to talk to Fezco."

"Thanks mom ! That's awesome. But wasn't it a little expensive ?" Beau asked, worried now.

"Don't you worry about that. John helped me out ; it's from your dad also. We thought it might be good for you to be able to reach us at any time and let us know where you are. We never know with all those things we hear about school shooting and all that. It's important that you can communicate and call for help if necessary."

"I love it." Beau said one more time, giving her mother a toothy grin as she hugged her middle.

"Come on, you should get going. You can't be late on your first day."

****

At first, Beau thinks to ride to Westfield High after school, but according to her phone, it'd be almost a 45 minutes bike ride. Also, she didn't think turning up to Fez's high school on his first day might be a bright idea when she probably would be seen as a child to his peers.
Hence, she renounced to go to his high school.
As soon as the bell rang, she was out the door, on a mission to go hang out with Fezco.
It takes Beau 20 minutes to get to the address that he gave her a couple days ago.

She brakes with difficulties, using her beat up white converse to stop her BMX from crashing to what seems to be some convenient shop.
The front wheel still crashes loudly into the old white painted metal surface of the convenience shop, stopping her ride abruptly.
She drops her BMX to the floor and steps back to get a better look at the shop

Did she make a mistake on the address ? Maybe she didn't type the address right on her phone or maybe he made a mistake writing it.

"Hey, what the hell, kid ? Would you mind not crashing into my store ?"

Beau was confused for a second, the voice was coming from above her and she had to squint her eyes as she was blinded by the sun. She brought her hand to her face to create some sort of shade to her eyes to catch a better look at the bleached blonde woman standing on the rooftop of the store.

The woman was mature and she was smoking a cigarette, bringing it to her thin lips, between two long tighten fingers. She wore a couple gold rings and long dark cherry red nails that reminded Beau the claws of a dangerous animal. She wore a black two pieces swimming suit and shiny red heels. Beau noticed she was also covered with tattoos.

"Uh...I...I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't brake with my bike." Beau had to actually shout to be heard, grimacing from the sun.

"Does it look like it's my problem, kid ?" She asked nonchalant, and shrugging as she brought the cigarette to her lips and pulled on it, hollowing her cheeks and showing off high and strong cheekbones.

Beau was lost for word as she didn't know what she could possibly answer to that.

"Beau. -A breaking teenage boy voice called out softly. Beau turned towards the voice and find Fezco coming out of the store with a slight surprise on his face. -What happened ?" He asked as he took a look at the bike on the floor. He quickly turned his gaze towards her as he sported a worried look, scanning her from head to toe.

-"Did you hurt yourself ?" He asked worriedly as he came closer to her.

He was wearing dark jeans with a black t-shirt and a black sweater with dark green lines on the arms and two gold chains around his neck. His ginger hair were fixated with gel on the side, his middle part on the right.

Beau was slightly taken back from the genuine worry she could read on his face.

"Oh I'm fine, I just didn't really get the hang of braking with a BMX."

"Yeah, would've been better with brakes to use on the daily. You gotta have some proper kicks to brake, same with a skateboard. I might have an old pair of Vans you can try, I'll bring them next time."

"That'd be cool, thanks. -She answered awkwardly as she held onto the straps of her backpack and shuffled on her feet. - I wasn't sure that was the right place." Beau added as she vaguely points at the store with her hand.

"I work here after school ; it's a family business. Come on. - He said as he picked up her bike from the floor and started rolling it towards the entrance of the store. - You can leave it inside so it don't get stolen."

The store looked like a one-stop shop ; it sold everything from snacks, soft drinks and liquor to e-cigarettes, candy, ice-creams, Tampax, lip balms and whatnot. There was a simple desk in the middle of the store with a cash register, a computer and papers on it and behind it a wall of a wide ranges of cigarettes packs with a stand of colourful lighters next to it. The drinks and liquors were stored in refrigerators, in front of the desk, that covered the whole side of the store, surrounded by bright red neons lights.
The whole store was covered in advertising posters and neons. Fezco leaned the bike on some ice cream freezer before getting two Kool-Aid Jammers outside of one of the refrigerators and giving one to her.

Beau thanked him, punching the straw in the little foil bottle while Fezco went to sit on the desk near the cash register. Beau noticed the stack of papers on the desk seemed to be his homework. She awkwardly stood there, drinking her soft drink.

"So, how was your first day ? Made any friends ?"

"Not really. -She shrugged. - There are two girls that seem nice but they hang out with some grade seven and I don't think they wanna hang out with me. One of them said I look like some eight years old boy."

"Say what now ? Yo, who said that ?" He asked with a frown.

"Ion know- Beau mumbled, chewing on the plastic straw. -Think his name was Nate but it's whatever." She added when she could still see the frown on his face.

In all honesty, Beau was used to be the youngest of the class as she was born late December and she did looked youthful and tomboyish. She had long light brown hair, with natural golden locks, cascading to her lower back, with wide and shiny hazel, almond shaped eyes. She was naturally pale with a small nose and pink pouty lips and a heart shaped face. She wore baggy boys clothes and she was an adept of football shorts, baggy large t-shirt and high socks.

"Also, you called me a jit before." Beau laughed quietly, teasing him to try and appease his surprising anger.

It worked as his frown was replaced by surprise. His eyes slightly widening and a small smirk appearing on the right of his lips.

"Hey now, it's not the same. *I* can call you a jit. - He said while pointing his index finger to his chest. -Not some middle schoolers. Besides, it's endearing when I say it."

"Endearing ?"

"Means like in a nice way or sum."

"Oh, that's some high schooler level vocabulary, I guess. -She laughed, still a little awkward. -How was your first day ?"

"Was alright ; School, you know. -He shrugged. -I got a whole bunch of homework to do." He said as he tilted his head towards the stack of papers on the desk, next to him.

Beau was about to say something when her phone rang, cutting her off.

Of course, it was her mother who was probably worried by now.

"Mom (...) I'm fine, I'm with Fezco. (...) We're actually hanging out at his grandmother's store (...) Yeh...yes, he walked me from school. -Beau lied as she looked towards Fezco and she gave him a little grimace, between embarrassment and cheekiness. - We...we're going to do some homework and then I'll get going ; promise. (...) Yes, I'll say 'hello' to his grandmother (...) Mom, Jesus (...) Yes, he's gonna walk me home." She added the last part almost whispering as she looked towards the refrigerators and away from Fezco, as embarrassment was eating at her.

"Sorry about that." Beau said, after hanging up.

"You good, she gives a fuck, you lucky like that."

"I guess." She answered awkwardly as she knew from her mother that Fezco's mom was not around.

"We can do some homework if you want." He offered.

"Oh no, we don't have to, I just said that so she'd leave me alone."

"I don't want her to think I'm a bad influence or sum. You can sit over there and do whatchu gotta do " He said pointing at the ice cream freezer on the side of the desk, slightly behind it.

"But maybe I should get going cause like aren't you supposed to be working ?"

"Oh so you worrying' about that now. - He teased, chuckling but sobered up when he saw how out of place she looked, shuffling uncomfortably on her feet, holding onto her backpack's straps.-It's been quiet so far. I'm doing some homework between clients. Like I don't mind if you stayin'. Plus you gotta say 'hi' to my meemaw." He added the last part laughing, remembering her phone conversation with her mother.

****

A while passed as Beau and Fezco finally quieten to work on their homework ; Fezco on the desk with the cash register and Beau sat on the ice cream freezer. Only a couple clients came through, mainly high schoolers to buy soft drinks and snacks but now that it was getting late, more shady looking and acting clients came to buy cigarettes and liquor.
Despite his young age, Fezco always seemed in control of any situation ; almost serving the clients coldly and carefully, never saying more than a couple words.
Beau kept to herself but Fezco could hear the very quiet 'hello' she said every time a client would come through.

"It's quiet as a library in here, kid. How's it going ?" A woman called out as she entered the store.

"Hey, meemaw ; it's going good." Fez mumbled, engrossed in his homework.

Beau looked up and discovered the same woman from earlier that was wearing a black bikini on the rooftop of the store. She was now wearing black shorts and a back tank top while still smoking a cigarette.

She did call it her store earlier ; Beau thought.

Fezco's grandmother looked even more intimidating from up close. Beau's eyes met Fez's grandmother.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your little friend, Fez ?" She asked with a smirk.

That seemed to wake Fezco up as he jumped off the desk.

"Uhm...Meemaw, that's Beau, Beau Taylor from the Seven Seas Motel. Beau, that's my grandma, Marie O'Neill."

"Hi ma'am." Beau said shyly.

"Beau, uh. More like lil' crasher." Marie said with a wide smile , referring to her biking accident from earlier and Beau turned bright red, making Fezco laugh quietly.

"I'm sorry I'm going to work on that." Beau stuttered.

"I'm fucking with you kid, you're good. I'm going to take over, Fez, you guys can go."

"You sure ?" Fezco asked and his grandma nodded, dismissing him.

Beau gathered her things and jumped off the freezer.

"I should get back home ; mom's gonna be waiting."

"Ight, I'm going to walk Beau home and I'll come back home right after, meemaw."

"Alright, you kids be careful out there."

"Thank you for letting me hang around, Mrs O'Neill."

"Anytime, lil crasher."

****

True to his words, Fezco walked Beau home and by that, he meant riding her BMX instead of her while she stood up on the pegs, at the back, while holding onto his shoulders.

The ride back to the motel was pleasant and quiet. A comfortable silence. Fezco rid the BMX to the front desk of the motel and finally climbed off the bike, giving it back to her.

"Thank you for taking me back home. You didn't have to do that, you know." Beau claimed as she took the bike off of him.

"Nah, your mama's right, it's safer if I get you home. Let me know whenever you wanna hang out from now on, I can try and walk you from school too, aye."

"Ight." Beau answered, unknowingly mimicking his speech.

Fez noticed however which made him snort amusingly, before ruffling her hair gently. Beau laughed and moved away her head to escape him.

They both walked in the front desk and greeted her mother.

"Hi, Mrs Taylor."

"Hi Fez, thank you for walking her back home."

"No problem."

"Would you like to stay for dinner ?"

"I would've love to but I told my grandma I'd come home right away."

"Next time then."

"Have a good night, Mrs Taylor. See you later, lil crasher."