the shire is burning [eddie munson x OC]

chapter ten

"Jesus Christ, did you run the entire way here?"

Steve is leaning against the trunk of his car, Robin at his side, when Willow finally arrives at Family Video on foot. She's sweaty, exhausted, but most importantly - she's smiling. Her face is as red as her hair and her chest has never burned worse than it is now, even in gym class, but she can't wipe the smile off her face.

"Yes, now come on, or we're going to be late," Willow huffs as she strides right past her two friends, eyes set on the door of the establishment as she digs out her resume from her backpack.

She can see the look the two exchange before Robin is the first to chase after her, "Wait up! Did Steve tell you he put his mom down for his reference?"

"What?" Willow turns and laughs at Steve over her shoulder.

"What's wrong with that? She's like, super well-respected," Steve defends himself, rushing around the two girls to open the door for them.

Willow mutters out a ' thank you ' while Robin ever so lovingly groans ' dingus '.

Keith sits at the counter, looking bored as ever with a bag of cheeto puffs when they walk in. He doesn't even greet them, much less look at them, until Robin is at the counter, slapping down Steve's and her own resume.

Willow is less aggressive, still a bit breathless as she gently puts her resume on top of theirs. "Hey there, Keith."

"Hi," he replies in his signature monotone, looking up between the three friends, "You're late."

"I know, we're sorry, it was my fault. I got caught up at school," Willow apologizes, inching the resumes towards him. He finally focuses on those and takes them from her.

They all stand in silence for a moment while Keith is scanning over each of their resumes painfully slowly. Willow is slightly worried, hoping she won't be caught in her lie. She'd put down that she worked at Scoops Ahoy with her friends. Which she knew was lying, but technically, she had been there enough that she felt like an honorary member of the crew. And when the decision to all apply to Family Video had been made, Robin was sure to coach Willow on everything from what to say about her previous work experience to what she needed to say regarding movies to get Keith to like her. She spent several hours on the floor of her bedroom with Robin pacing back and forth as she stressed the importance of directors that Willow no longer remembered the name of, of which films changed the trajectory of which genres, et cetera. The only thing Willow remembered was the movies Robin had drilled her to say were her favorite, mainly because the movies they'd chosen for her answer were her favorites.

Robin is clearly getting antsy with Keith's silence, finally piping up, "You know, uh, just to be clear, we weren't fired, you know? The mall burned down and, like, killed a bunch of people."

Willow and Steve both nod in solidarity with Robin's statement as Keith lowers their resumes, looking unimpressed. "Thanks for sharing. Didn't know."

Willow cheeks are hurting from the fake smile she's plastered on her face in hopes it would get Keith on their side.

"Three favorite movies, go," Keith suddenly says, snapping and pointing at Robin first.

"Uh... The Apartment, Hidden Fortress, Children of Paradise," she answers without missing a beat.

Keith doesn't respond before he turns his eyes on Willow, who is wide-eyed, realizing it was her turn. "Oh, uh..." she pauses, not sounding nearly as confident as Robin had, but then her friend gives her a nudge and so she blurts out her favorites as approved by her, "The Exorcist, Jaws, and uh... The Thing."