A/N : Hi! This is a gift for illustraice and itschildofthefairies, who produced a beautiful piece of art, hipster fairy Zeira flying over Manhattan. I decided to give her life with words, and even if I'm not american, I hope you'll like this 'little' one shot xD

Some Zeira lines are from them, they were so cool I had to put them :) (guess which ones!)

Thanks xternel for the help :*

Real Good Jeans

There are people you can't help staring at in the streets. Some of them because they're stunningly beautiful and elegant, like they were materialized from a Vogue magazine. Some of them because they're the complete opposite of grace and discretion. Some others because they seem to have access to a dimension where Luna Lovegood is considered perfectly normal…

Then there was her. The girl that was something else. Literally something else. The major feeling she elicited in people was confusion. She was part of the world of Manhattan, with its tall buildings and cosmopolite population, and part of an unknown dream realm you'd wish to visit at least once in your life.

With her angelic face framed by wavy brown hair tied in two low ponytails and the dark red leaves tangled in the strands, she had a soft air of a child who didn't realize she grew up.

However, at first sight, her outfit could make you think she was a fashion girl who really had a high opinion of herself. Real good jeans drawing her adult curves, and a matching heart-shaped top probably quite expensive, revealing enough cleavage to attract guy's eyes on her. Her body screamed 'I'm sexy and I know it'. That was enough to contrast with the childishness of her face.

Her large and long coat, covering the whole length of her limbs and stopping at her knees, added a relaxing tone to her outfit, like it was brushing off the fanciness of her clothes underneath. 'Yeah I know how to dress, so what? You should take example on me if you need to stare.'

This all gave her a confusing look, but that wasn't the shocking part for the voyeurs. She wore socks and wings. Admire the fact that these two elements have nothing in common. Matching socks on her feet because never in the world would she wear socks that would contrast with her clothes, and bright orangish wings gleaming under the sunlight, bouncing lightly in her back when she walked. If she wanted to emphasize her 'little lost girl of neverland' look, she succeeded.

What kind of hipster trend was that?!

Nobody knew. Nobody ever asked her. The girl was a mystery for the inhabitants of XXth Street of Manhattan. Her pretty face showed up every morning at 7:30, stopped at Starbucks, went out with a cinnamon roll and a cappucino in her hands, walked down the whole street, nose in the air and a smile on her face like she was looking at Tinker Bell dancing in the sky, then disappeared at the corner of XYth Street.

Nobody knew who she was, where she lived, or why the hell she wore socks without shoes.

Every morning at 7:28, Mavis got out of her bakery and leaned on the wall, waiting for the strange girl to show up on the opposite sidewalk. Since she settled down in the 'city that never sleeps' a month ago, the sight of the hipster girl every morning was the only happy event of her day. The only thing she waited for. It took her mind off her daily problems, like her rent, the lack of customers, the expensive life she had in Manhattan, her mother…

She craved to talk to the girl. She wanted to know her name, know why she wore socks and wings, discover her personality… Yet she never dared. There was like an invisible barrier between the girl and 'ordinary people', like she was too cool to be talked to, unless she decided the contrary.

Sometimes Mavis saw her speak to people crossing her path on the street. Given their astound look, they probably didn't know her, and didn't realize the honor she was giving them when she criticized their look.

"Seriously girl…that top is from forever73 not forever21…"

"I would definitely not wear bright red lipstick with that blonde hair of yours…"

"Sweetie, algebra is important, but wearing a Pi on your shirt won't get you an A+…"

"This is a handbag, not your lifetime trash-bin…"

Mavis couldn't help laughing secretly at this peculiar girl with socks and wings in her back, giving fashion advice to random people in the street. At the end of every encounter she made, the girl put a sort of golden coin in their hand, gave them a motherly smile and sighed.

"When you need it, you'll know what to do. You poor mortals…"

And she went off, shaking her head in desperation before she put her nose in the air again, sipping on her cappucino.

One morning, Mavis watched the hipster girl's routine at 7:30, then took her usual place behind the counter, waiting for customers to walk in. A few young adults stopped there to buy her a croissant, before rushing outside to catch the next train to work.

As Mavis was bringing more home made treats from the kitchen, she heard the bell ring and hurried to welcome her new customer. She froze on the spot when she recognized her.

"Are your cinnamon rolls crunchy?"

Mavis's jaw dropped, unable to process the words coming out of the girl's mouth.

"Did you lose your tongue?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. Someone with poor self-confidence might have thought it was a rude question, but the girl in socks looked genuinely concerned.

Mavis cleared her throat as she put her products on the counter.

"What do you mean, miss?"

"I mean exactly what I said. Are they crunchy?"

"…as crunchy as I can make them."

"Good. Give me one of these then. I won't ever trust these incompetent humans of Starbucks. Look at this, it's not a cinnamon roll, it's cinnamon dough. Nothing consistent to eat, I swear to god…"

Mavis didn't answer. The cinnamon roll the girl was holding looked perfectly normal to her, but she preferred not to lose her new client.

She served her the treat, which the girl examined with suspicious eyes, before nodding in approval.

"Do you need anything else, miss?"

"Yes, I want an espresso."

"I'm sorry, I don't serve that… I'm running a bakery, not a coffee shop, you see…"

"Aw, that's too bad, I guess I'll have to find another place…" the girl said more to herself than to Mavis. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she observed the cake again.

"Or…you can buy a cinnamon roll here, and have an espresso at Starbucks."

"I can't do that." she shook her head. "These incompetents served me a cappucino."

"Oh, they took the wrong order?"

"No. I came in as usual, and they served me a cappucino."

Mavis didn't understand. Everyday, the girl was having a cappucino, she was sure of it, because she knew the guy who ran Starbucks, and he told her the girl always took the same thing. She didn't even have to say a word now, because they knew her for six months already, and it was always the same. A cappucino and a cinnamon roll.

"Why didn't you order an espresso if you wanted one?"

"Well it's obvious today is espresso day, isn't it?" the girl searched for Mavis's agreement, but only found a confused look on her face. "When I'm in a bad mood, I take an espresso!"

Mavis almost burst out in laughter. This girl was something else. Starbucks guy didn't notice she was in a bad mood, so he served her the wrong tacit order, and as a result the girl left them.

The baker was about to answer when the bell rang again. New customers was the girl's cue to leave.

"I didn't pay you!" the girl slammed her money on the counter. "When you need it, you'll know what to do. Oh and tomorrow prepare me a cappucino, I'll be in a good mood. Very hot, and no sugar please, this is so not how you drink coffee. I'll pay you an extra, bye!"

The girl left so quickly Mavis didn't have time to reply anything. She gaped at the money.

"Golden coins?!"

The next morning, Mavis waited behind the counter, like everyday, but a slight excitement could be noticed on her face if you knew her. She was waiting for her odd customer.

She served her 'ordinary' clients in a daze. Her mind was flying far away, anxious at the idea that the hipster girl wouldn't come.

But at precisely 7:30, the door opened, the bell rang, and the dawn sunlight poured in, bouncing on the orangish wings of the girl. She waited for her turn like everyone else, with her enormous fancy coat, her good jeans and matching socks.

"Nice coffee." she tasted it to be sure she had made the right choice the day before. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"How will I know if you're in a good or bad mood?" Mavis asked before she forgot. The girl blinked as if it was an extremely weird question to ask. But then she seemed to remind Mavis didn't know her and it wasn't clear to common people.

"When I'm in a bad mood, my wings don't glow…obviously."

She paid Mavis, and left. Golden coins, once again, but this time there were five coins instead of three. Mavis promised herself she would ask her name next time. And ask her why she wore wings and socks.

"Um miss…? It's my turn, I reckon?"

Mavis realized she had been zoning out and her clients were waiting.

"Do you serve coffee now?"

"No, I'm sorry, she's just a…special client."

"My poor boy… I'm really sorry your mother has such bad taste… You don't deserve to wear these clothes… Here take this, when you need it, you'll know what to do."

"What the hell are you giving to my son?!"

Mavis rushed out of her bakery, forgetting her client in the middle of their order. An outraged mother was trying to take the golden coin from her son who clutched on it with all his strength, while the hipster girl was watching the scene with a cool interest.

"What's wrong, madam, can I help you?"

"If you can make my son obey and this insane woman disappear, I'll be eternally grateful… Tommy you can't accept what a stranger gives you, it's dangerous!"

"I'm not a stranger. I'm Zeira."

Mavis looked at her. Zeira huh… After a whole week trying and find the courage to ask, it was this mother she didn't even know who gave her what she wanted.

"Please Madam, people are staring… I know this woman, Zeira, she's a client and she gave me the same thing as your son, and it's harmless, I promise!"

"It's your problem if you trust people who should be locked in a hospital!"

"Mom, please, listen to me!"

"No, let's go, we'll discuss this at home." the mother snarled. She grabbed her son's wrist and tugged him, putting distance between them and the bakery, where people already whispered about the scene.

"You never listen when I talk…" the kid whined. He looked behind him, an imploring look in his eyes, and found Zeira's peaceful gaze. She smiled softly and nodded to him. The boy frowned and looked at the coin. A bright smile illuminated his face. He followed his mother without resisting.

"What happened…?" Mavis was agape. She hadn't missed the silent exchange between the boy and Zeira.

The girl in question shrugged and headed towards the bakery.

"With a bit of luck, the boy won't have to wear these thrift shop clothes anymore. Is my coffee ready?"

Two weeks had passed since the first time Zeira had pushed the door of the little bakery of XXth Street. She still hadn't paid a single dollar for her daily cinnamon roll and cappucino, but Mavis didn't mind. Her visits were a bowl of fresh air in her melancholic life.

Since the baker didn't know what to do with all the golden coins she got, she kept them in a big jar hidden in the closet of her little room above the shop. She still didn't know what use they could be of, but Zeira seemed to take it very seriously, so she didn't throw any of them away.

The strange winged girl now spent at least half an hour with Mavis every morning, eating her breakfast in the shop and talking about people in the street. This one should get a fresh haircut, this one clearly didn't like herself, this one liked himself a bit too much…

She had a way of judging people that some would call very rude and condescending, but Mavis didn't see it like that. Zeira just wanted to help. She didn't see anything wrong into pointing out the lack of elegance in one's outfit, on the contrary, she gave them a favor.

Maybe Mavis was too tolerant, but who cared. Zeira made her happy.

"Are you a fairy?"

"…obviously not." Mavis giggled at the weird ask. She got used to these kind of questions, but sometimes they were still a bit startling.

"You're right. You lack of delicacy and you're not cheerful enough. But you're much better than any other human I've met, so it can be confusing."

"How am I much better?" Mavis decided to follow the game.

"Well, you don't have the typical human judging attitude you know. I can't stand that, people who judge without knowing anything about the person."

"Says the one who called Starbucks incompetent."

"I was in a bad mood. And I only stated facts."

"If you say so," Mavis smirked.

"There's also your looks. Sweet pink fits you. And your little wings in your hair…cool."

Mavis's jaw dropped. Zeira just gave her a compliment. About clothes. The baker never saw her do that.

"…thank you," she smiled and took her 'wings' off her hair. "It's a headband… It was my mother's last present before she…"

Mavis's voice broke. Sadness veiled her pretty face all of a sudden. She clutched the headband in her hands, remembering the first time she saw it a few months ago, at the hospital, her mother's last home. The sick woman thought her daughter would look cute with this, and even if Mavis got some people staring at her in the street, she promised herself to always wear the weird little wings.

"Sweetie, wearing only one color isn't in at all anymore. You need a striking color to boost that pink…"

Mavis looked up in surprise. Zeira snapped her fingers.

"Emerald. Just like your eyes."

"What?"

"Find yourself a nice emerald neckless. Not too big, because girl, you don't need to show off like that, it doesn't suit your personality. Not too small, nobody will see it… And I guess you can't afford a real emerald… But it's alright, find yourself a nice green fake-emerald neckless, and you will look perfect. Take this…" she put a golden coin in her hand. "When you need it, you'll know what to do. Gotta go, bye!"

"You have particular friends, miss…" said an old lady who watched the winged girl leave the shop.

"Very particular…" Mavis shook her head to focus on her work.

Mavis didn't know why she never asked anything personal to Zeira. Maybe she was scared to learn that she was a schizophrenic who escaped the hospital, or other incredible stuff like that which would explain such a strange attitude.

She needed her to be that weird friend who spoke about humans like she didn't belong to their world. She enlightened her life, and in return she offered her coffee and breakfast, since the winged hipster never thought of paying her with real money even once.

The girl gave her trouble once or twice, as some customers didn't appreciate at all to be told they have poor fashion taste… But overall it was fine, and most of the people Zeira spoke to came back to the bakery, more happy than they were before.

It was like she had a weird power turning men, women and kids genuinely happier and more peaceful. But not at their first meeting, that was for sure.

The most tensed situation Mavis ever encountered, was this young woman wearing skimpy clothes, a big layer of make up on her face, and high heels… Zeira couldn't help telling her opinion about the girl's appearance of course, and before Mavis could stop her, she had already made her so mad her big boyfriend was ready to punch Zeira in the face.

"She didn't mean it, she just wants to help!" Mavis tried to defend her friend.

"How is 'Boys are cute darling but you need your dignity first' meant to help?!"

"Don't take this to the first degree…"

"Babe, I think they're both sayin' shit, there's no degree in USA, it's Fahrenheit."

"Where did you buy all that muscles? You should go back and trade them for brains instead."

"Zeira!"

"You're right that's enough. Guys, take these…"

Mavis was sure the guy, whose forehead vein was ready to pop, would punch Zeira if she tried to give them her usual golden coins, but they both seem entranced by her all of a sudden. They took their coin and left without causing any trouble.

A few days later, make-up girl opened the bakery door, in the afternoon, a big smile on her face, and asked Mavis to thank 'the sassy winged girl' for her. She laughed as she said that she was right, she definitely needed her dignity. She was still wearing skimpy clothes, high heels, and enough make up to color your cheek if she kissed you. She left, illuminating everyone crossing her bright way. Brilliant, happy, mesmerizing.

Mavis wondered if she wasn't dreaming.

There was a time where Mavis thought she'd die from exhaustion. Her bakery was working so well now, she had to wake up very early to prepare more and more products. This happened almost two months after the first time she spoke to Zeira.

Despite Mavis's motivation, dark circles became permanent beneath her eyes, and her customers started to ask her to be careful. She was young, she needed to take care of herself.

"Girl, seriously. Working hard is necessary to live, but killing yourself at work is just stupid. Take an assistant."

Zeira's frank suggestion sunk in Mavis's mind for a week, before she decided to call her cousin, Yuri Dreyar, who was also a baker. To her great joy, he accepted to help her, but unfortunately, Mavis didn't plan he would meet Zeira on his first day.

"Hi, welcome to Vermillion Bakery, how can I help-"

"Oh hun…orange?!"

"Excuse me?"

"Honey, you can't wear orange. Orange is SO not your color."

"…what?!"

"You need to take this off right away."

"Okay, stop that, or I'll have to ask you to leave the shop."

"You can't, I didn't get my coffee and my cinnamon roll."

"Oh, so you want a cinnamon roll?"

"Not before you take this hideous shirt off, like, for real."

"Why are you mocking me like that?!"

"There is absolutely nothing funny about a blond guy wearing orange."

Mavis arrived just in time to stop Yuri from calling the police.

"You know this girl?!"

"Yes, she's my friend… I'm sorry, I should have warned you about her…"

"Yeah, you shoulda, I never met someone so annoying and condescending!"

"Hey! She just wants to help, that's all!"

"It's alright, Mavis, it's not his fault he has absolutely no vibe for clothes or human psychology."

"Excuse me?! I don't need to get lectured on fashion and psychology by a girl who wears fairy wings like a kid and socks!"

"Like a kid…?" Zeira frowned, blinking several times as if she hadn't heard well.

"Okay, that's enough, Yuri, I have work for you in the kitchen, go!"

Yuri obeyed to her cousin but grumbled profanities until he disappeared through the kitchen door. Mavis sighed in exhaustion and observed her weird friend. She was still the same after these two months. Same wings, same leaves in her hair, same weird contradictory outfit…

"Hey Zeira… Why do you wear socks?"

"You don't like my socks?"

"I do, but…why don't you wear shoes?"

"…I don't need shoes since I fly most of the time."

"…you don't mean it that way right?" Mavis asked in concern. She was used to Zeira's eccentricity, but this was too weird to be ignored.

Zeira laughed, then she sat cross-legged. In the air. With no support under her legs. Her orange wings flapping for the first time since Mavis met her.

The baker clasped her hand against her mouth to hold back a scream. Her bottom found its way on the chair behind her. This was not real. This couldn't be.

"This time you really lost your tongue."

"What- just- how?!"

"How? Well I don't know, all fairies have wings naturally, I mean, we were born that way. The difference lays in the shape, color, speed, and fashion. Some fairies have bad taste, but not as much as human in my opinion, you seriously lack of color vibe."

Mavis let her babble about how fairies were better than human and that's why they visited human realm to help them. Still in shock, she slapped her cheeks twice.

"Honey, you can buy some blush at Sephora if you want your cheeks pinker." Zeira said with concern.

"You are…a fairy?!" Mavis exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, of course…" Zeira rolled her eyes as she landed on the ground. She headed towards the entrance, and turned the little sign hung on the door, so that people outside would read 'closed'. "You obviously are in no state to work."

Mavis didn't protest. She was staring at Zeira, doubt in her eyes.

"…do that again?"

Zeira smiled and flapped her wings again. She flew all the way to the counter, and sat where the customers put their money.

"…so these are real…" Mavis pointed at the orangish glowing 'tissue'.

"Yes. What's the point of wearing wings if you can't fly with them?"

"And you said there are other people like you?"

"Not people. Fairies. We're not human."

"It can't be true… You're the only person with wings wandering in New York, and people would know if there were…non-humans among us."

"Girl, your people are so oblivious they can't even understand I'm not human, how on earth could they discover the other ones?"

"…you mean they're hiding?"

"Obvi!"

"But why?"

"I forgot, there's a law about that, I never read it." Zeira brushed it off. Mavis was sure she must cause as much trouble in the fairy world – if it really existed – as in the human world.

"…this is insane!"

"What's insane?"

Mavis jolted when she heard the male voice. Yuri didn't seem to have heard the conversation, thankfully, or he would have already called the police.

Zeira left the bakery, and Mavis decided to trust Yuri with the shop. She needed to take the day off.

Lying on her small bed, Mavis contemplated the ceiling of her room like she had been doing that all her life. Eyes widened, dark circles on her pale skin, she looked like a vampire waiting for the night to come.

Zeira…was not human. She looked like a human. A crazy one. Who always talked about 'mortals' like she didn't belong there. And who could fly. With real wings. Glowing when she was in a good mood. It was no trick, Mavis saw them flap in the air.

Or maybe she thought she saw them. Maybe it was just a dream, and she would wake up soon, realizing Yuri hadn't started his first day yet. She pinched her arm. Nope, it was no dream. The girl in real good jeans could fly.

Mavis jumped off her bed and opened her closet. She took the jar almost completely full of golden coins with precaution and put it on her desk/dinner table. She prudently grabbed one of the coins, fearing it might explode in her hands.

Nothing exceptional. It was golden, it had a star sculpted on both sides.

'When you need it, you'll know what to do…'

Obviously Mavis didn't need these coins today, if they really were of any sort of help…

A/N : How'd you like it? :D Please leave a review to tell me your thoughts!

I'll update next week!

Bisous, Doublepassé