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calumikey · 6 days ago

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Back To You - Part 12 | Sam Carpenter

Pairing: Sam Carpenter x reader

Warnings: mentions of violence, death, blood, injuries, and swearing

Summary: When Sam left after turning eighteen, you were devastated. You’d been in love with her since you were kids and her leaving meant you never got to tell her how you truly felt.

Fast forward a couple of years, Tara gets attacked and Sam returns. . .

A/N: Get ready. . . 👀

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“Okay, you’re all set,” the paramedic says, patting my shoulder. He crumples the packaging of the butterfly closure strips he just used on my cheek up in his fist and throws it into the trash can next to us.

I sigh and shoot him a thankful smile before hopping off the stretcher and climbing out of the back of the ambulance.

As it turns out, none of my injuries are life threatening. My stomach is just bruised and the cut on my cheek isn’t as deep as I originally thought it was.

If I’m honest, my confidence to beat Ghostface again is actually what took the biggest hit. I’m in my prime, physically, and I thought I knew what I was getting into, but this Ghostface is different than Amber and Richie.

He is more. . . rutheless, and the way he fights makes me believe he has some kind of professional training.

“Y/N!”

Oh no.

I slowly turn around to face a fuming Sam. Now that the initial worry has worn off she’s mad and I’m not at all surprised when she shoves me after brushing past another paramedic to get to me.

“Hey, calm down.” I lift my hands placatingly, but she’s not having it.

She scowls and glares incredulously. “Calm down?” she hisses. “Calm down? You almost got yourself killed with that little stunt of yours back there. What the fuck were you thinking?!”

I glace over her shoulder to see Tara watching us with a smug look and her arms crossed over her chest. She sees me looking at her and I silently plead she’ll come over and get Sam to back off, but she doesn’t. She just looks away and I feel my stomach sink.

This is definitely payback for earlier when I didn’t defend her against Sam.

Little shit.

“I wasn’t thinking, okay?! All I wanted was to get you and Tara out of there and I did. You’re both okay,” I argue, turning my attention back to Sam.

She scoffs and pokes my shoulder, stepping closer so we’re almost chest to chest. “And what about you?! Huh? You could have gotten killed!”

Usually I’d be nervous if she was standing this close, but right now I’m simply exhausted and irritated. Why can’t she just say thank you for what I did and move on? Besides, I’m fine!

“But I wasn’t,” I shoot back, looking down at her with as much defiance as I can muster. “I’m still here, am I not?”

“So, what? You’re just going to keep putting yourself in danger until you inevitably do get yourself killed? Do you have no sense of self preservation?” she spits, the fury in her eyes taking me by surprise for a moment.

Why is she so mad? I saved her life!

“If it is to make sure you and Tara are safe then yeah!”

Silence.

Sam stares at me with wide eyes and takes a step back before whispering, “You would die for us? For me?”

Exasperated, I throw up my hands. “Of course, Sam! Why is that so hard for you to believe?”

It’s true, I would die for either of them. Not that I want to, of course, I like being alive, but if it comes down to it, I’d rather it be me than them.

That’s how much I love them. That’s how much I love Sam.

All the fight leaves Sam’s body and she just stares at me with confusion written all over her face. There’s also something else in her eyes, but I can’t quite place it.

Why is it so hard for her to believe it? I almost died saving Tara twice before, so why would that have changed? Why wouldn’t I do the same for her?

“But. . . Why?” she croaks which makes me huff in disbelief.

Is she seriously asking that?

Because I fucking love you, I want so scream, but before I can open my mouth a police officer steps between us.

“Sorry to interrupt, but Detective Bailey is asking for you guys at the station and I’ve been told to give you a ride,” he says politely and I look at Sam one more time to see she’s lost in thought before nodding and following him to his squad car.

I slide into the middle seat next to Tara who’s already in the car and nudge her with an unamused look for leaving me alone with Sam before letting her hug my arm for comfort. Sam gets in as well a moment later and we spend the drive to the police station in silence.

“This is getting ridiculous,” Sam says quietly, getting to her feet and pointing at her now vacant chair. “Just take a seat. We’ve been here for hours and you haven’t stopped pacing once.”

We’re alone in an interrogation room and there are pictures of the latest Ghostface killings on the table. I can’t stand to look at them any more and I’m beyond tired, so to keep myself distracted and awake I pace around. Well, until now.

Sam eyes me expectantly, her arms crossed over her chest, but I just shake my head.

Tara is asleep with her head on the table, and I know I won’t be able to sit still when I sit down and I don’t want to risk waking her.

I also know that tonight’s been a lot for Sam, even more than for me, so she should really be the one sitting down.

“Y/N. . .” she warns, but I just shake my head again.

“You’re tired, you sit down. I’m fine on my feet,” I say only to yawn a second later.

“Are you now?” she deadpans and I sigh, turning to resume my pacing.

I don’t get very far though because before I know what’s happening, Sam’s grabbed my elbow and dragged me to the chair.

She pushes me to sit down on it, and I’m about to protest and stand right back up when she plops down on my lap.

“Just sit. . .�� she mumbles.

My brain short circuits and I freeze, feeling my heart race in my chest when she leans back against me, resting her head on my chest.

I know I could easily get her off me and stand up, but I don’t dare to move.

What the fuck is happening?

At the bodega she was about ready to rip my head off and now she’s doing this, whatever this is. . .

We haven’t been this close since we were kids and she snuck into my room and I don’t know how to react, or where to put my hands. I can just hope she can’t hear how fast my heart is beating.

I have to admit, she feels warm and the smell of her perfume brings me an unexplainable comfort, but I’m currently more awake than I’ve been all night even though the opposite seems to be true for her.

She lets out a deep breath and gets more comfortable on my lap and when I hesitantly wrap my arms around her middle so they’re not just awkwardly hanging by my side she puts her hands over mine and interlaces our fingers.

What is happening?!

The resolve I had to stay away from her so as to not get hurt again is dwindling, leaving me utterly confused.

I don’t know what I want anymore, but I do know that it feels right to have her this close.

Still, I want to ask her what she’s doing since she’s with Danny— or is she?— but I don’t get the chance because before I can pluck up the courage to do it, the door flies open.

Tara jerks awake and sits up with wide eyes, frowning momentarily when she sees the position Sam and I are in before turning back to what I’m assuming is Quinn’s dad, Detective Bailey, who just walked in.

“Sorry for the long wait,” he says, closing the door behind himself. When he turns, he looks at Sam and me weirdly, but he doesn’t comment on it.

Still, it makes me feel uneasy, and I want Sam to get off me, but she just holds my hands tighter and shifts so she faces Bailey more directly as he sits down at the other side of the table.

He throws a Ghostface mask onto the table and says something about it having been found at the apartment crime scene. I don’t pay much attention because I’m still distracted by Sam sitting on my lap.

He also goes on to ask us all about our alibis and I only give a short answer, saying that I just got into the city and that I was with Sam and Tara the rest of the night.

“Was the party before or after this?” he asks Sam and I tense underneath her when he shows us a video of Sam trying to lunge at the girl who threw her drink on her.

Where did he even get that?

Sam squeezes my fingers, but her voice is level when she replies, “Before. . .”

Tara huffs. “The point is we were with people all night.”

Bailey nods, although it seems almost reluctantly and it’s silent for a moment before Sam asks the question I’ve been meaning to ask myself ever since we got here.

“So, our roommate’s dad just happened to pull our case?” she asks and I see something like irritation flash in Bailey’s eyes before he answers.

“The detective who had the case offered it to me because it involves Quinn. But I can totally give it back if you’re uncomfortable,” he says and the way he says it almost makes it sound like a challenge.

Of course it makes sense that he’d work on this case, but my gut tells me that something’s not right about this whole thing.

I could also just be tired and hungry though, after all, I’ve been up for almost twenty four hours now and the last time I ate something was back at Liam’s which was just some leftover chocolate cake.

The two sisters share a look, Tara seemingly skeptical of the situation, but then Sam sighs and relaxes back against me, saying, “It’s fine.”

Bailey nods and he looks almost smug and I frown for a moment, but then he goes on to talk about Sam’s stolen license and I zone out again.

That is until the door opens once again and a uniformed officer tells Bailey that the FBI is here, claiming jurisdiction over the case.

The FBI?

“What?” Bailey clenches his jaw and gets to his feet. “Where are they?”

He leaves the room without looking back and as soon as he’s gone, I let out a long sigh. This is not how I thought my trip to New York would turn out.

“This is all so messed up,” Tara whispers.

“Yeah.” Sam nods and for a couple of seconds we sit in silence. Chatter from outside the interrogation room is the only thing to be heard, well, that and the clock ticking on the wall above us until Sam gets to her feet, pulling me up by my arm as well.

“What are you—?” I start but she’s already dragging me to the door.

“I want to know what’s going on,” she says.

Tara shrugs when I look at her, and before I know it the three of us are standing in the hallway where Bailey and a blonde woman I don’t recognize are in the middle of a conversation.

“Kirby?” Sam asks, letting go of my arm.

“Hey, Sam,” the blonde— Kirby— says, sending Bailey a placating smile before pulling Sam into a hug. “Tara. . .” She smiles at the younger Carpenter before shifting her attention to me. “Oh, and Y/N, hey.”

Kirby, Kirby, Kirby. . . Why does that sound so familiar?

“You guys know each other?” Bailey asks with a somewhat displeased look.

“Yeah, we went to Woodsboro High together,” Sam explains, the surprise of seeing the blonde still present on her face. “She was a senior when Y/N and I were freshman.”

Ah, yes. That’s why her name rings a bell.

The two of us never really saw that much of each other around school, but now that I know who she is I remember her from back then.

Wow. . . That feels like forever ago. I’m really getting old.

An officer walking by and handing Bailey another Ghostface mask in an evidence bag, this time from the bodega, cuts our trip down memory lane short.

It turns out it belonged to Charlie Walker and Jill Roberts, both of whom were Ghostfaces which makes me feel uneasy.

Two Ghostface masks belonging to previous Ghostfaces have been found now, and it’s pretty obvious that it’s not a coincidence.

The question is though, why would the current Ghostface leave them at the crime scenes and how did he get his hands on them in the first place.

Aren’t those masks evidence? Shouldn’t they be locked up at a police station somewhere?

“Whoever’s doing this,” Kirby says, snapping me out of my thoughts, “is a student of the killers who came before. . . Maybe he believes Sam is the latest in a long line.”

Excuse me?! Sam is not Ghostface.

I gape at Kirby, but Tara and Sam don’t seem too surprised by what the blonde just said.

This is definitely part of what I’m still missing. . .

Sam grabs my arm again and goes to brush past Bailey and Kirby, saying, “Good luck with that, but we’re getting out of town,” only to be stopped by Bailey who steps in her way and says, “That’s not possible. You’re all persons of interest in a double homicide, so you’re not allowed to leave town.”

“Are you serious?” I ask, speaking up for the first time since telling him about my alibi.

Kirby nods with an apologetic look, trying to convince us to just work with them to get this solved as quickly as possible, but Sam just shakes her head.

“Yeah, no. We’re leaving.” She spins around and leaves, and Tara and I are quick to follow her only to run into Gale Weathers and a whole bunch of other reporters outside.

It’s a struggle to get through them, especially getting past Gale who since writing her book on what happened is dead to me, but after Tara punches her we manage to flag down a cab and get away.

When her book first came out, I was a little irritated because she said she wouldn’t write about what happened, but then I read it and I was furious. She portrayed Sam as unstable and a born killer, which made me furious, and then she even tried to get an interview with me to talk about it which I, of course, refused.

I’m so tired, I bet I could fall asleep standing up right now. I just got out of the shower at Sam’s and Tara’s and am now pulling on the clothes they lent me. Well, technically they’re Chad’s because his are the only clothes that fit me, but he’s got them stored here for emergencies.

Originally, I wanted to go to Liam’s to get my stuff, but I couldn’t risk Ghostface following me and potentially finding out about Liam.

Then, my second thought was to go out and buy some stuff while Sam and Tara went to meet the others on campus to talk about what’s going to happen next, but Tara refused to let me go alone.

Which is how I ended up here, in Sam’s room, half dressed in a pair of loose jeans, with damp hair and an aching stomach.

I can’t find the sweater Tara tossed my way earlier, so I just take a seat on the edge of the bed and close my eyes, trying to indulge in this little moment of peace while the other’s are in the living room and in the kitchen making dinner.

I know now that the reason Sam was assaulted by that girl is because there’s rumors going around that she instigated all the murders in Woodsboro and then framed Richie for them. It also clears up why Kirby said people think Sam is a Ghostface, however it doesn’t explain why I haven’t heard about this until now— until Ethan mentioned the rumors online which led me to go down a rabbit hole on my phone before showering.

I’m appalled by it, and mad that people even consider believing this shit, but I’m also disappointed that neither Tara nor Sam told me about it.

The door creaks open behind me, but I don’t open my eyes or turn around until I hear Sam clear her throat softly.

I wasn’t expecting her, so I’m quick to get up and look for the sweater since I’m still half naked.

“Looking for this?” she asks quietly as she picks the sweater off the floor on the other side of the bed.

Ah, that’s where it went.

“I— Yeah,” I take it from her with a tight-lipped smile and quickly put it on, not missing the way her eyes dart to my scars before I cover them.

I don’t like how awkward things are between us, and I don’t like how confused I am about my feelings for her.

Her sitting on my lap at the police station is one thing, she could have just been tired and clingy after what happened, but this, the intense way she’s looking at me right now. . . That is something else entirely.

I love her. I love her more than anyone, but I don’t want to get hurt again.

“You know,” she says with vulnerability seeping into her voice. “I don’t actually hate you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I— Okay. I mean, I wasn’t thinking you did, but. . .”

She chuckles sadly and shakes her head. “Not now, no, but—“ she runs her hands through her hair, “—years ago, you stopped me from going home with that guy, Josh, I think was his name. You stopped me from doing something I would have regretted for the rest of my life a-and I threw it in your face. I told you I hated you and I never forgot about it.“

When our eyes meet, I see tears glistening in her eyes, making me frown as I take a step forward.

“Sam. . .” I whisper, but she averts her shame-filled eyes. “I know you didn’t mean it. Even back then, I knew. You were hurting and you needed someone to blame, so you blamed me because I was closest to you. It stung, yes, but I never held it against you. If I’m honest, I even forgot about it until you just brought it up.”

“But then why do you hate me now?” she asks, her voice cracking.

She’s still not looking at me, so I close the distance between us and tentatively brush my fingers against her cheek. “What are you talking about? I don’t hate you.”

She unconsciously leans into the touch, her watery eyes finally meeting mine again. “Then why are you shutting me out? After what happened last year I thought we were fine, but then. . . after Christmas you started acting weird a-and I don’t understand why.”

Guilt washes over me like a tidal wave. I never meant to hurt her by keeping my distance. All I wanted to do was protect my heart.

I let my hand drop off her cheek and clench my jaw.

I’m so tired of this cat and mouse game. I don’t want to get hurt again, but she deserves to know the truth. I mean, what better time is there than now? We could all die tonight, and I’m not prepared to take this secret to the grave with me. After all, I was already going to tell her last night before we were interrupted and taken to the station.

“Because. . . I love you,” I whisper shakily.

Sam’s eyes widen but I continue before she can say anything.

“I’ve loved you since we were kids, Sam. It’s always been you, but I’ve kept my distance these last nine months because I realized that you don’t—and will never— feel the same way about me. I never meant to hurt you in the process. . .”

I shudder. There’s no turning back now. For a moment Tara’s muffled laugh from the living room and the heartbeat in my ear are the only things I can hear.

“How would you know?” Sam croaks, an unreadable expression on her face.

“Know what?” I ask, frowning at her lack of reaction.

Her eyes dart over my face, searching for. . . I don’t even know what.

“That I don’t feel the same way?” she whispers, stepping closer.

“What?” I was expecting everything but that. “I don’t—“

“You’re such an idiot,” she mumbles, surging forward and kissing me.

I choke in surprise, my hands flailing around for a split second before my eyes fly shut and my arms find their way around her waste.

This is everything I ever dreamed of and more. Her lips taste like the cherry lip-balm she likes, making me swoon, and her fingers digging into my neck send shivers down my spine.

If she wasn’t as pressed against me as she is, I’m sure my knees would give out under me.

As great as this is though, I can’t help but suddenly think of Danny and I pull back right before she can deepen the kiss.

“Sorry.” She pants against my lips, resting her forehead against mine. “I shouldn’t have just—“

“No.” I shake my head. “I-It’s okay. . . More than okay actually.” We both chuckle. “But what about Danny?”

She sighs and pulls back enough to look at me, her fingers playing with the damp hair at the back of my neck. “I told you. We’re not a thing. We used to fool around for a while, but now we’re just friends.”

“Friends?” I ask skeptically.

“Yes, friends.” She shoots me a knowing look, the tiniest hint of a smile pulling at her lips. “He’s always wanted more, but I told him it’s not happening because I’m in love with someone else. . . I’m in love with you.”

I know she’s basically already said it, but hearing her actually say it makes me gasp softly which in turn makes her smile a watery smile.

“I love you,” she whispers again, pecking my lips. “Always have and always will. I just— I never told you because when I realized it, it was right before I found out who my real dad was and I didn’t want to drag you into it. Then, I left for five years and when I came back, I didn’t think I deserved to tell you. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me the most, but then we were getting over it and I thought maybe, just maybe, I’d get a chance to tell you after all. . . and then you started shutting me out.“

I chuckle in disbelief and pull her into a hug, burying my nose in her hair. “I shut you out because you never reacted to what Richie said and then you said all that stuff about long distance relationships and—“

“I didn’t say anything about what Richie said because I didn’t think he was actually right. After everything I’d done, I just didn’t believe that you could ever be in love with me,” she argues weakly, tightening her arms around my neck. “And the whole long distance stuff, I just— I wasn’t talking about you. With anyone else, I wouldn’t want it, but with you?! You’re the exception to every rule.”

Well damn. If only we’d talked sooner.

I sniffle and blink back a wave of tears before pulling back to look at her again.

Tara’s going to be so proud of us.

“I love you,” I say, feeling my heart flutter at the way her eyes sparkle when I say it.

She moves her hands from the back of my neck to my jaw, her thumb gently touching the cut on my cheekbone. It makes my skin tingle and when she whispers, “I love you, too,” I lean down to brush my lips against hers.

She hums and goes to deepen the kiss, but then a scream from the living room makes us jump apart.

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And BAM! There it is! It finally happened, people! We kissed. Be honest, was it a little rushed, or are you guys happy with it?

Writing it, it felt a little rushed but we’re twelve chapters in now, so I think the timing’s okay.

Anywayyy, hope you liked it!

Tag list: @bella423 @artrizzler19 @btay3115 @canyonyodeler @quadofthec @pussyydestroyer @rqizzu @pithod @morganismspam23 @idontliketoread2137

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calumikey · 6 days ago

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and i agree with you 🙂‍↕️ she's a princess and should be treated like one

if it's not you (i don't wanna talk)

ship: anora x reader (gender neutral)

content: no warnings except ani being a disney adult <3

summary: security!reader and ani have been hooking up. gaining her trust is hard after vanya.

word count: 1600+

Ani takes a long, pissed-off drag of her cigarette, standing outside of HQ with little more than her puffer jacket over her shoulders. The rest of her clothes are typical work attire for the erotic dancer, mesh stockings, high sparkly pleasers, a tight red dress with loose straps that accentuates her figure but comes off with a single motion during her routine. As she exhales a plume of smoke, her eyes lock with yours. You're standing barely ten feet away, stationed by the entrance with your arms crossed as you check everyone who goes in and out. Life as part of HQ's security detail has gotten a lot more interesting after you and Ani started hooking up. Right now, you try not to let your gaze flit over her body, clearing your throat and staying on task.

For her part, Ani also doesn't let your illicit affair slip, talking to Lulu as if you're not even there. "What a fucking waste of time, Lu!" Ani spits, turning to her best friend and fellow dancer who's leaning back against the brick wall, vape poking out from her mouth. "Did you notice the way those assholes have been acting all night? Not tipping for shit, and sure as hell didn't wanna go into a private."

"Fuckin' cheapskates. Tell me about it, girl," Lulu agrees. "I convinced this old dude back to room 6 and for what? Barely enough cash to cover my cab fare home!"

"You'd think they could show a little appreciation, y'know? Buying overpriced drinks and getting sloppy drunk, but not a fucking dime to show for it," Ani scoffs, accent sharp and biting. "I forgot how much this place sucks. Two weeks away and I'm already bitching."

"If he didn't take you on that Disney World honeymoon, you should sell the ring and go yourself, at least," Lulu offers.

"Yeah, tell me about it. Maybe if Jimmy stops being such an asshat about the 'long leave' I took."

They've been swapping this cig and vape as they talked for the last ten minutes, something you had to start counting since Jimmy told you to limit the dancers' smoke breaks to 15 minutes, tops. If you give Ani some extra time to cool off on the down low, no one had to know. She still had that faraway look in her eye sometimes, after coming back from her 'failed marriage' as Diamond would call it.

Your footsteps crunch on the pavement as you approach the two, clipboard in hand. Ani stands up straight at the sight of you, and you hate the way she tenses up, jaw set. You miss the stolen flirtation, the steamy glances she'd throw your way, and the touches you'd let graze over Ani's skin when no one was watching. Miss the way she'd laugh at your jokes even if no one else heard them. Miss the way she'd roll her eyes but melt into your touch whenever you held her.

"Five minutes 'til you have to go back in, Lulu. Think Jimmy mentioned one of your regulars is coming?" A little white lie. You wanna talk to Ani, wanna get things sorted after the last time you two 'hung out'. She's been avoiding being alone with you since last Tuesday, when you left before she woke up, so you haven't had the chance to explain. Explain that it was a family emergency, explain that you didn't plan on leaving her, explain that her bed is one of the few places you can actually rest and relax.

Fuck. You're so sprung.

"Oh, Peter?" Lulu giggles, already fixing up her skirt and her hair at the mention of her regular. "Alright, I'm heading back in. You coming with, Ani?"

Ani's arms cross over her chest, something you can tell is a defensive posture but hopefully Lulu only takes as the same annoyance at the Headquarters cheapskates. "Nah, I'll just finish this," she tells her friend, flicking off some ash from her cigarette and giving Lulu an 'I'm fine' smile. "Go on ahead, I'll see you inside." The blonde accepts this easily, flashing you a polite goodbye as she enters through HQ's double doors.

A beat. Ani isn't looking at you, apparently having decided that the glowing ember at the end of her cig is fascinating. She passes it to you wordlessly but doesn't wanna be the one break the silence. Fair enough.

You sigh. Taking a quick drag since she offered, your words come out with the smoke into the hazy air. "Can we talk? I know I fucked up, but-"

Even that is enough to make the stripper scoff, a bitter laugh escaping her cherry red lips. "Talk?" Anora shakes her head. "Last time we talked, you left." An accusatory finger jabs at your chest, the pointed acrylic of her nail digging in and making it hurt almost as much as her hateful tone. "Before the crack of dawn. Without. A. Damn. Word." Her voice rises with each word, and you glance towards the door to make sure no one overheard.

"Listen to me. I had an emergency. Family shit." Her bitter expression softens the slightest bit, going from a grimace to a frown. "Not that I gotta explain myself to you, since you made it plenty clear we're just fooling around but... I'm not the type to fuck around on a woman I care about."

"Care about?" Ani nods, all sarcastic as she nods and finally, finally looks up into your eyes. "Don't make me fucking laugh, OK? I don't have time for this. I got shit to do. Break's almost over."

"I'll tell Jimmy your break just started now," you barter, but she just laughs, stubbing out her cigarette on the wall and turning on her heel. "Don't run away."

Before you realise it, you've grabbed her elbow. Anora stops. She didn't have to, your touch is barely holding her there, and she could stomp away easily if she really didn't want to hear you out. It tells you she wants to hear this. Wants some assurance that this isn't it, this isn't all you see her as. "Run away? You're the one who ran off, you jackass." And you hate the implicit comparison in that, hate that she's seeing you like her immature dirtbag of an ex.

"I didn't mean to. I should've told you, I know. I didn't think about how it'd look." It's not an explanation but it'll have to be enough. "And I do care. I thought I made that obvious."

She looks at you for a long moment, staring, searching for something in your eyes like she's desperate to believe you. That you really do care, in some fucked-up small way.

"Oh yeah? You care?" she says, in that higher voice she puts on whenever she's mocking whatever poor soul got on her bad side. It stings, but not so bad as the idea that she thinks she's hard to care about. Finds it impossible now, after her runaway pathetic excuse of a husband that left her broken and back on the Headquarters' roster.

"Yes, I do."

She rolls her eyes, but there's no affection in them now. Not like the last time she did it when you two were cuddled up in her bed. "So what was the emergency? Hm?" Ani tilts her head, stalking closer, getting up in your space. "No, actually, you know what? Fuckin' tell me a single thing you know about me that isn't about how good of a fuck I am, or how I feel stretched out on your fingers."

Without skipping a beat, you surprise even yourself when the next words fall out of your mouth. Little things you've noticed when you sleep over, like how she decorates her space or what things make her pretty face fall. "You collect those stupid little Disney figurines that they sell in mystery boxes but don't open them right away because it gives you something to look forward to," you tell her. "Your full name's Anora Mikheeva. You don't like the way it sounds when someone pronounces it wrong, but you don't like when they pronounce it right either. Sounds like your sister when she's yelling at you."

Blinking rapidly, she looks at you like you've grown a second head. You think for a moment that you said too much, showed Ani all your cards, before she starts laughing. "Fuck. What are you, a stalker?" And well, the way she smiles now actually looks impressed. "Fine. I guess you don't just wanna get into my panties, whatever. Kinda sweet of you."

Ani's gaze drops to the ground again, and she kicks at a pebble with the toe of her pleaser. She chews on her bottom lip as she thinks about what you said. You're right, of course, she's got those cute little fuckers lined up on her shelf because they make her smile each afternoon when she's fixing up her hair tinsel. The mystery boxes are a little thrill she gives herself, a silly hobby that makes her feel like a kid again. Cause she grew up too fast.

"Well, so what?" Ani says, but her voice lacks its usual bite. She wants to stand her ground, but she's unconvinced. Noticing things like that is nice, but doesn't explain how you could leave without warning, doesn't convince her that she's cared about for once. "That don't mean shit. You don't know the real me." She wraps her arms around herself tightly, feeling suddenly vulnerable. "No one does." Ani shakes her head, trying to dispel the thoughts racing through her mind.

Your fingertips linger on her skin, as she shifts her arm away, but at least she doesn't turn to go. "I want to," you tell her. "Give me a chance to try."

You must have sounded just genuine enough, because you feel the tell-tale sign of Anora melting into your touch. Accepting your presence. "Buy me an extra mystery box and we're even. And don't even think about ditching me again."

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