[ONC2024] Everyone can read minds except for Ethan Langdon. And Ethan Langdon has the dumbest (and cutest!) thoughts Lukas Hoffmann has ever heard.
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Lukas Hoffman's life in Brambleburg is about as boring as you'd expect for a town where everyon...
"You really shouldn't have sold him that record player, Lukas," Isabella berates me as soon as Ethan is gone.
I groan. "I didn't have a choice, Oma. It's not like I can call him out on thoughts he doesn't know I can hear."
"Hmphf." Isabella channels a wave of disapproval towards me. "It is of no matter. I will be offering him a job at the bookstore."
"What? You can't do that!"
Before I can protest, the bell above the door jangles, and old Mr. Müller from across the street walks in.
"That's a lovely idea, Isabella," he says warmly, reading our silent argument.
"Sebastian." My grandmother smiles, inclining her head in greeting. "I need someone to help out anyway, and I thought he could use the money."
"Poor lad," Mr. Müller agrees. I feel awful charging him for staying at my home, but he think it's an Airbnb. I gave him a fairly low rate, but I had to make it believable.
"It's not like there are any actual rentals in this town," I point out. Then I add, perhaps a little unfairly seeing as how he's pretty much trapped here, "And God knows how long he'll be staying with you for."
Oma frowns at me. "You don't really mean that, Lukas." Sebastian is so kind for keeping Ethan in his home.
Seb flushes. "It's the least I could do. And I'm sure he will love the bookstore, he thinks about books often." Isabella is so thoughtful for offering him a job where he'll be happy. Her hair looks lovely pinned up like that....
I roll my eyes heavenwards, trying to ignore their fond exchange.
"Lukas here is being rather awful to the boy," Oma says, changing the subject by deftly throwing me under the bus. Why don't you want us to help him?
"It's not that I don't- but the bookstore is right next door!" I exclaim. He's already in here often enough!
Oma cracks a sly smile. "He just has a little crush on you. What's wrong with that?"
Sebastian grins and nods. "Boy thinks of you all the time at home." Even more than he thinks about books! "I can't get a break."
I point at him and look at Oma. "That! That's what's wrong it!" I fold my arms. "It's creepy."
"You're lying to yourself, Lukas," Oma replies. "Don't forget I can read your thoughts too." He knows I'm right. I'm so wise....
"Well, it's more about the fact that I feel creepy listening to his thoughts," I grumble, feeling the heat crawl up neck. I don't think about him that often. "It's a violation of privacy, and he doesn't even know it."
Sebastian sighs. "There is no privacy in Brambleburg." Us locals are just better at keeping our minds blank when we're out and about.
I slump in my chair. I'm usually very good at it, but Ethan's thoughts are so loud and uncontrolled that they make my own thoughts rise to the surface.
Oma is contemplative. "There are no records of any outsiders who have stumbled by our town before." I've never heard of such an instance...long as I've been alive.
"It is unusual." Sebastian scratches at his snowy beard.
"He's unusual," I can't stop myself from muttering. Well, if I hadn't said it aloud they would have heard me anyway.
"My point is that there is no precedence for it." Isabella shoots me a look. "We don't know whether the magic will wear off, or whether he will remain here indefinitely."
She then says something so disturbing it makes my skin crawl. And I am reminded of the awful German bedtime stories she used to read to me as a child.
"The thing about Brambleburg is, no one enters and no one leaves."
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A/n: hihii it got a bit creepy! This is still gonna be a full on fluffy romcom tho so don't worry <3
