#𝔧𝔲𝔫𝔬 𝔠𝔬𝔰𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔢 ⸻ ft. charlie clayton

[saccharineflesh]

You think that there's a you and Zoa? That you're different? The words made their head tilt to the left, as Juno wondered exactly what Charlie was on about. There wasn’t a Juno and Zoa. There was Juno and then there was Zoa and together they made something… Juno couldn’t quite understand, nor did they try too hard to figure out, but as far as Charlie was concerned the answer should have been an easy enough one to provide.

No. 

Simple and easy as that, but they wondered just how much Charlie would hate for Juno to not clarify it all. If they simply refused to answer the question all together, would it drive them crazy? Would they snap? 

An unnatural smile found its way to Juno’s features, and they let it rest. They had gained more intel on Zoa and Charlie in the little time they’ve shared then, than in the years Juno had wondered. The realization that this entire moment could be fueled by a single childish emotion such as jealousy made it easier for them to understand Charlie. “You lack attention.” Juno stated, doing their very best to settle the shivers that rocked through their body as the wind picked up around them. “And my interest.” They went on to continue, pushing their hair over their shoulder as they turned away from Charlie.

It started with a familiar burning on the back of her neck and she reached behind to sooth it with her hand only to find the heat there fresh, stinging. Underneath the pads of her finger were new wet ridges and it made Charlie hold her breath. Her fingers traced the shape of a warped hole and carefully she began to pull apart the flaking skin there. In her ears, deafening flames tore through everything. Metal and smoke tinged her tongue, filled her lungs, paralyzed her. With two hands she pulled apart the injury at the back of her neck, felt her skin crumbling away like ash. She brought her finger to her face, saw sooth covered fingers mired in blood. Juno laughed at her then. The kind of laugh that sounded like a record player at the wrong speed. Everything was on fire.

And then she blinked, and it was quiet and none of that had happened. She was still standing in front of Juno, smug face staring at her. Instinctively, she brought one hand to trace the now smooth skin at the top of her spine. What the fuck.

"You think..." she started, surprising even herself with the uncertainty in which words left her mouth. Her tongue felt dry and she swallowed before continuing. "You think that there's a you and Zoa? That you're different? She's only interested in you because you're a new thing for her to play with. Once she gets bored of you, she'll drop you."

Charlie adjusted as the girl moved, wondered how much longer she'd subject herself to the uncomfortableness of this conversation. An angry laugh crossed her lips. "I've given up on going home," she seethed, "at least I know what's real." At least I think I do?

[saccharineflesh]

There was no right way of explaining the emotions they felt. The energy coursing through them like a wave of current on a live fence. Charlie, no longer present it seemed, as Juno’s thoughts dove into their endless dream. The forest towering over their head, thick and browning as the weather shifted into a colder climate. A colder season. 

Juno hadn’t been paying attention as much as they should have. Philomena moved too fast ahead of them, weaving through the trees every which way, which had Juno running to catch up. One turn into another, and then they felt the world shift and they began to fall. Their eyes shut tight while braising themself for impact and then they felt it - mush and flesh rotting beneath their hands - they smelt it before they seen it all. 

The putrid stench hung in the air so thick that the wind couldn’t clear it. Then, they opened their eyes and the horror stared back into them. Beckoning their very soul in to replace it’s old. Juno couldn’t look away. It felt like hours had passed and still they hadn’t risen. The woman’s face was beautiful - that much they had noticed - despite the maggots protruding. 

They heard Philomena come to a full stop behind them. Breathing heavy and then almost silent. That’s when they noticed the entire world had also gone quiet. Almost as silent as this moment with Charlie. Juno’s eyes fell to Charlie’s lips, trying to understand why they couldn’t hear the words spoken.

They narrowed their eyes with their gaze, but the pressure of the knife made them come back to. “I’m not sure what you’re on about now.” they spoke through what felt like a desert dry tongue. Their own voice sounding muted and far away. “I’ve got a lot of work to do. Unless you actually plan on doing something. Move. Out. Of the way.” 

They didn’t dilly anymore, no longer coerced by Charlie’s proximity, and placed a hand at her chest - reading themself to push once more. “If you’d like something to do - other than putting a knife to my face - and if you think you can manage, there’s a lump of clay in need of wedging. It’ll keep your hands… busy.”

If Charlie had been any less observant, she may have missed the unexpected way that Juno's body reacted to the cold steel of her knife. It was her own physical reaction to Juno, the tightening in her chest and drying of her lips, that alerted her that something sadistically erotic had sprouted between the two of them. The rise and fall of their chest that could hardly be argued to be a fear response with the way they looked at Charlie.

It almost made her fumble the knife, how readily she wanted to give herself the satisfaction of capitalizing on this feeling. Nine years ago, Charlie never would have held a knife to anyone's face, and deep inside her she felt a sense of shame that she had grown into a person that now seemed to enjoy it. The room darkened, or at the very least the corner of her vision did as her tongue slipped out to wet her lips.

"I don't?" she whispered, pressing herself and the blade sharper in, reveling in the sick enjoyment she felt at the thought of hurting them while they seemed to want it. "You say that like you want me to. Huh, You're more of a freak than I thought."

[saccharineflesh]

They watched with utmost curiosity and fascination as the emotions traveled through Charlie’s features. Juno could have sworn in the moment that the other’s body temperature had risen beyond the possible and they wondered which part of their dialogue had brought the rise in her. Did hearing herself be called dumb make Charlie’s control slip like a slimy fish through wet hands? Was it the fact that Juno spoke them? Would hearing the words come from Zoa gain a different reaction? They weren’t sure, and most importantly than all of those questions, Juno wanted to see just how much control Charlie allowed herself to lose over simple words. 

Juno didn’t bother commenting on what they knew about the two women, because no amount of clarification from their end would make sense in Charlie’s eyes. No amount of closeness or bond shared between Zoa and Juno would ever be seen as real and genuine. If they were being honest, Juno themself was unsure of what lied there. How in so little time, they could gain a new perspective on what it meant to be alone and how they weren’t sure if that was an option for them anymore.

“Because there’s nothing to know. There is no Zoa and you, Charlie.” Juno corrected, barely catching themselves before they fell back into the water. The sudden move made their chest rise with surprise, and adrenaline entered their system. They could understand the answer a little more, then. Had Juno lost Zoa, they could have seen themselves react in a similar manner. Albeit less dramatic and weak as Charlie looked now, but the sentiment was understood. “Not sure if there ever really was, although I know how much you town folks enjoy living in pretend scenerios.” It was laughable really. Juno adjusted their footing, and shifted away from the dock’s edge. “Think it’ll get you home sooner?”

Charlie had come here to peaceful catch some fish, and yeah, she wasn't the best fisherman so the true purpose of this trip had been to get some distance from spaces that reminded her so much of Zoa. It was suffocating how much, after six years, Zoa consumed nearly every part of her body. She was choking on the fumes of Zoa's destruction and there was apparently nowhere, nowhere, in this goddamn town she could seem to escape it.

The hands at her side balled into tight fists and she stepped into Juno's space. Their words were like cutting into poorly healed scars. For a moment, the rage she felt almost, almost, made her strike Juno in the face. Nine years in hell town and everyday Charlie felt herself straying further away from the humanity that had once so gently held her heart. Violence crawled and sunk into every limb until only rage remained. "You don't fucking know shit about Zoa and I," she seethed, before bringing both her hands up and shoving Juno, hard, back in the direction of the water.

"Stay the fuck away from me."

[saccharineflesh]

Juno’s gaze focused on the tree line as Charlie spoke. They didn’t understand exactly what Charlie thought or what information she had over whatever went on in The Settlement, but her distaste was clear. There were parts of them that made Juno want to speak out and correct the information, but then again people will believe whatever makes their perspective seem true. Witches and curses, or parties and orgies - the list of accusations Juno heard was endless. Charlie believing all of it only proved how weak minded she really was. Couldn’t think for herself and yet Zoa was being brainwashed? The entire thing was laughable but Juno merely rolled their eyes and met her gaze. 

“Zoa is smart. One of the smartest I’ve yet to meet.” Juno agreed, nodding their head with no other inclination, “Which only adds onto how dumb you really are.” A scuff left Juno’s body and they shook their head before coming to a full stance. The brainwashing didn’t really hold much weight. Zoa had been in Arcadia far longer than Juno was. By that logic - if the allegations were true - should Juno be the one being brainwashed? “It’s no wonder leaving you was so effortless.”

Try as hard as she had, there hadn't been a day that had gone by since Zoa's departure where the mention of the other person didn't get a rise out of her. She had worked so hard on being able to control her reaction to a simple name, but even that was still difficult on most days. I'll inform Zoa of your cooperation. Charlie tightened her hands at her side, let a deep breath out through her nose and felt the way her jaw clenched. As hard as she tried, it was too hard to control and with a quick movement she shoved them backwards into the water with a hard open palm.

She waited for them to resurface and then crouched down to speak to them, trying her hardest to keep the anger out of her voice. "You think I can't see what you're all doing over there with your brain washing. Zoa's smart. One day she'll wake up and notice it's all a bunch of bullshit. Wonder how cooperative she'll be then."

[saccharineflesh]

Despite the inconvenience of getting all their stuff soaking wet, Juno didn’t quite mind falling into the water. They had thought about it often while merely sitting on the edge of the dock staring out onto the water’s edge. Although their reasoning was slightly more off putting than a mere soak in the river. Regardless, they allowed themself to sink slightly to get a full mental image of what it all felt like. Juno had never cared for water filled places. Not pools, not jacuzzi’s, not the ocean, rivers, lakes, or even ponds. Something about them felt extremely sinister to the point that they naturally, in their state of living, kept a good distance from it all. 

They weren’t particularly scared of it, though. It was how sickeningly inviting falling to the bottom was for them. They could have easily just let go of everything and allowed their body to suffocate until their lungs were filled with water instead of air. They had read loads of affidavits where others explained the sensation of drowning. How they fought for a single breath only to be assaulted by the liquid that surrounded them. Helpless as death stared them right in the face. 

The voice Juno heard surprised them enough to allow their face to break the surface and find the source. Attached to an outstretched hand, Charlie was. Juno wondered for a moment whether to accept the help or not. To remain in the cold threatening waters or allow themselves to be touched by someone with such clear resentment for their person. A smile appeared in Juno’s head, though their features remained stoic and detached as ever, but they reached to grab the other’s hand. “Thank you.” was their response, as Juno allowed themself to be hoisted back onto the dock. 

“It was a part of my ritual, actually.” they couldn’t help themselves from engaging in the witch lore Charlie seemed to have concocted in their psyche. “I’ll inform Zoa of your cooperation.” The comment wasn’t needed, and Juno knew that, but they couldn’t help the satisfaction it brought them either. Juno had never shared words with Charlie before connecting with Zoa. Hadn’t shared words with plenty of people in the town really, but Charlie was different from the rest. Even without having asked, they could tell that something was going on between the woman and their roommate.

Back when she was a kid Charlie didn't care too much about fishing. It was a task that required patience, something she often lacked as a young kid. Being static in one place for prolonged periods of quiet, it just didn't sit right with her. But now, now she could spend hours sitting in silence at the docks, fishing rod in hand, catching trouts and whatever else the water would give her. Sometimes this meant catching and releasing smaller inedible fishes, other time she'd be fishing out shoes or hats or rocks. She'd tried driving out a fishing boat once, just to see how far she could go, if she could leave, but out in the vast waters was a thick fog that Charlie got lost in. For her, it felt like weeks had passed, each days longer than the one before. It wasn't until the fog spit her back out towards the dock that she found it she had only been gone a couple of hours. After that, Charlie never set foot on a boat again, opting instead to fish from the comfort of the docks.

There was a sign, at least Charlie thought it was a sign, as to whether or not the catch would be good that day. If she got to the docks and a stack of pebble was at the entrance, the catch for the day would be bountiful. If the pebbles were knocked over, or missing altogether, then she would be lucky to catch anything at all.

Too bad that "sign" didn't apply as to whether or not the company would be good. It wasn't that Charlie hated Juno, necessarily, but rather hated everything the other person represented. For her, the settlement was nothing short of a cult, freaks that preferred embracing supernatural nonsense, rather than ignoring all the weird shit happening around the town like Charlie did. After six years she still couldn't understand why Zoa had left her to go there.

Deciding that she wasn't going to be catching anything anyway, Charlie packed up her stuff and made to head out. As she walked past, she heard a splash from Juno's direction. She paused, turned, and felt briefly amused at the other's predicament. But when no one moved to help them Charlie briefly considered letting them flounder. The docks were high, they'd probably struggle to pull themselves out alone. Maybe they can drown. Woah. Thinking thoughts like that was new for her, and not something she wanted to make a habit of. She shook her head to clear it, set her gear down and walked to the edge of the dock.

"You know if you spent less time writing witchy woo woo stuff in your journal and actually watch where you were going instead then this could have been prevented. Here," she said as she extended her hand down to them, "let me help you out."

[saccharineflesh]

A sigh of irritation was all that escaped their body at Charlie’s words. Juno didn’t bother glancing down to see what she meant about their attire, knowing full well that plenty questioned their choice of wardrobe. It was a normal thing for Juno - had been since they were young - so Charlie’s comment went as unaffecting as a cry for help on deaf ears. 

They never seemed to have much time to process when Charlie was involved, and before they knew it she was up against them once more. This time it was different though. Something behind Charlie’s eyes made a hollowness in their stomach suddenly enlarge with… something. Heavy, it seemed, as the pressure in their stomach dropped lower and lower the tighter the knife pressed to their cheek. 

A large part of Juno’s brain told them to push away and not give the other woman more freedom to touch them, but the cool touch of the blade was too intoxicating for Juno to think straight. They had never felt a sensation quite like this before and that alone should have been enough incentive to pull away. To assess what happened and label this feeling they couldn’t escape. 

Juno’s eyes had engorged during this brief altercation, and their chest rose and fell in rhythmic frenzy. Their lips grew dry and toes felt oddly present. But they hated not being in control and as magnetizing as the burning sensation was, they hated that Charlie had brought it out of them. 

“You don’t have the guts to deliver, Charlie.” they spoke, inching their face towards the weapon without fear. If anything to cultivate the time frame to to their own death sentence. “But I’m not going to continue to bicker with you. Leave, stay, do as you please. Just get out of my way.”

Charlie was used to touching fire, to feeling things that were unpredictable, that burned. Even now she was wishing that her fingertips felt heat again, so cold and disconnected from the rest of her body that she'd barely registered Juno when she grabbed her. Although she supposed that she would have had the same reaction to being grabbed by the other if the roles were reverse, it didn't make the sudden push back any less shocking.

And then her eyes met Junos' and a heat erupted inside her, burning up her cheeks. Anger, a familiar little friend that Charlie had the ability to summon at a moments notice, sometimes unwillingly. Charlie narrowed her eyes and looked Juno up and down. They were definitely not dressed for any adventure in the winter wonderland currently bulldozing through Arcadia. She ticked an eyebrow up and then crossed her arms across her chest, knife still in hand. "Right, repeat that sentence and tell me how I'm the moron when you're the one dressed like that."

Charlie took a step into their space and tilted her head to the side as if to say oh and you're going to make me? There was a part of her that enjoyed how much Juno seemed to hate having her close. "I'm not going anywhere until the weather improves. For your sake, I suggest you don't try to force me. I'd hate to rough up that pretty face of yours." In saying that she used the dull edge of her knife to trace down Juno's cheek.

[saccharineflesh]

“Why do you speak so much?” Juno asked, a little more exasperated than previous times. It simply made no sense. For someone who claimed to despise them - whether Juno had a real clue as to why or not - Charlie certainly enjoyed passing words with them. “It’s as if you specifically target me to vent to when I never offered the service.”

Anybody else and they would have simply walked away without a thought. Kept going about their day and pretended they weren’t there. But Charlie wasn’t someone who could simply be ignored. She wasn’t someone Juno felt comfortable giving their back to either, even without the fear of death. Something about her kept their focus intact. 

They had to find ways to break free from her. It went without saying that every moment spent in their presence made Juno want to gouge out their own ears. To hear her no more. But if that were the case then Juno wouldn’t find themselves following her at times. Wouldn’t find themself staying up at night wondering about the other. Thinking about whether their most recent encounter had been fueling enough for Charlie to entice another round. 

Isn’t that what this was? Another round?

The thrill was too much, and while they did have their journals to write it all down, Juno was too smart to show Charlie where they kept them. There was no doubt in their mind that she would destroy them if so. Purely to spite them if not for her lack of intelligence. 

“Put your knife away. They serve no purpose within these walls.” With a final roll of their eyes, Juno made way towards one of the windows, taking a moment to finally glance at the world outside and the threat it created. “You did not come in here to get stuck!” they shocked themself with a hiss, pushing off the window and dashing for the front door. Trying to find a safe path that leads towards the Settlement main hall. “Where were you?”

The corner of her lips pulled up in distain at the mention of finding another location. Charlie chanced a glance out one of the window panes, unhappy to see that the conditions weren't improving, in fact she'd be lucky to see past her nose out there, and the howling wind was a stark reminder she might lose a few fingers to the cold if she did.

"Glad to know you're just as stupid as you look, I'm not going back out there," she stated, bringing her eyes back to look at Juno. They had such a punchable face, Charlie thought as her empty hand tightened into a fist. At their words, Charlie couldn't help but smirk. The image of Juno attempting to kill her in the radio station unfolded in her mind like a movie. The blonde could defend herself but she knew Roux would chew a hole through their neck before they even finished crossing the threshold and then fuck Charlie in their blood, and if she was honest, that seemed particularly enticing at the moment. "I'd love to see you try," she stated as she took a few steps to the side the gage the true size of the greenhouse. Then she eyed Juno up and down, couldn't help but think the other reminded her of a little victorian orphan.

"You've got the disposition of a wet paper towel, I don't think you have it in you to kill. In fact, I think without your guard dog around a strong breeze would knock you on your ass."

[saccharineflesh]

Juno shouldn’t have been too surprised at the turn of events. It would be someone from the town - out doing who knows what during a snowstorm, instead of where they were probably needed. It was what got so many of them killed in the end anyways. Juno could usually tell - after the first couple encounters - who would make it and who would succumb. Humans were easy that way. Wore their greatest fears and weaknesses around like a necklace for all to admire. 

But Charlie wasn’t one of them. Juno couldn’t claim to know her beyond the times they’d studied her from afar - their meetings, up til now, had been confusing at best - but there was an anger inside of her that intrigued them. What drove them to want to study them more closely. Even if that was proving to be more work than they’d like to exhaust. 

“Then, you should have stayed off Settlement property.” They uttered, mostly under their breath. Juno had a busy day ahead of them, they couldn't deal with the distraction nor catastrophe that having to listen to Charlie go on while they attempted to work would bring. The girl was violent. Impressively so. Juno had taken notice of the knife she wielded. How could they work in peace?

On their attempt out the door, Juno was dragged backwards and the surprise alone had been enough to cause their reaction. Turning, as abruptly as they had been touched, Juno pushed at Charlie’s shoulders - needing to put some type of distance between them. Needing to reevaluate what had just happened, and why they had been touched. The feeling had been too sudden for them. Too unexpected and unwanted. “Don’t touch me.” Juno stated, eyes burning into the other, “I wasn’t going to step outside. If you noticed I’m not even wearing a jacket, you moron.” 

It wasn’t needed within the confines of the greenhouse. A little over a month into moving in, Juno had crafted an indoor oven with dirt bricks. That’s where their clay fired until they set. The fire was strong enough to allow the air around them to warm up, proving more functional than what it was intended for. They had only meant to look outside better. To measure, even if in their own head, the path elsewhere. But there was no way for them to see past the last few foot prints of Charlie’s footsteps. 

“Get warmed up enough to go elsewhere. Nobody will be coming here to help.” Juno stated, though the thought of a trail of bodies frozen on their way to them would be enough to make them sit tight. “And keep out of my way. Some of us have things to do.”

The number of outrageous things she heard from Juno was enough to incite anger out of anyone. A thousand Buddhist couldn’t keep their vows around them.  Juno wore out her patience like a flame to a  line of gunpowder, inevitably leading to a deadly explosion. Yet here Charlie felt stumped. Because if she said anything to Juno about how much she talked then she would just prove Juno’s point, and giving the other the satisfaction of being right, well, that wasn’t about to happen if she could help it. Satisfying Juno wasn’t high up on her list of priorities.

There was something oddly comforting about any interaction she had with them though, a certainty in the outcome, a routine in their dance that seemed increasingly volatile, all but physical. It would get physical eventually, Charlie was sure of this. This place made her more like an animal waiting to pounce every day, and there was only so much goading she could take before she would have to silence Juno, whatever that looked like.

“I’ll put my knife away when you put those scissors down,” she bargained, side stepping yet again when Juno made their way to a window. Charlie always kept her front to them, turning her back would be a mistake she’d never make around someone she trusted about as far as she could throw. Indignant, Charlie scoffed and looked around their surroundings.

“Oh I’m sorry, you think I did this on purpose? You think I want to be stuck in here, with you of all people?” She asked as she followed Juno to the door. It was frustrating, the little sliver of care that sparked from somewhere inside her gut, igniting a motion she couldn’t stop and she reached out and grabbed Juno back with her free hand.

“Are you crazy? I barely made it here and now the snow is way worst off, you’ll get disoriented and probably freeze to death, but by all means if that’s what you want.”

[saccharineflesh]

“Perhaps you’ll have better luck with the next one.” Juno offered, motioning with their head back towards where Charlie had come from. They didn’t particularly care much for company, but if they had to pick someone to spend less time with then Charlie would definitely be at the top of said list. It wasn’t that Juno didn’t like her particularly, they just didn’t care to entertain the conversation. Juno much preferred to watch her from afar. Stalk her like a wild animal would its prey. Learning it’s routine until they knew her like the back of their hand. 

That was exciting. Whatever this back and forth thing Charlie had in mind with Juno, however? Could have easily missed them. 

Had Juno cared for the humor they would have chuckled, instead they followed the woman’s eyes around the greenhouse before glancing down at their tool. “I know where you sleep, Charlie. If I wanted you dead I wouldn’t wait for you to show up at my doorsteps.” Where would the fun in that be? Although the image of Charlie lying dead before them did spark some light inside their brain.

They could see it all unfold right then and there. Juno reached forward with the scissors, too fast for Charlie to notice in their flicker of panic, and they’d stab her right at the neck. At first their vision would blur, confusion over whether they had actually done that or not, but then the red liquid pouring down Charlie’s neck and shoulders would straighten them out. 

Drip, drip, drip…

And nothing but a shock stare back from the woman. No more side comments. No more aggressive trivial chatter.

Charlie was beginning to wonder what gods she had managed to piss off in a previous life that kept landing her in these situations. Sure, she had broken a few mirrors in her lifetime, and stepped under ladders, and had black cats (much like the one she could have sworn she had seen scampered off on her entry) had crossed her paths. But objectively, she wasn't a bad person and she knew there were far worst off in the world in terms of characters.

So why was it that she was stuck in this town, in this storm, in this greenhouse with the one person who happened to be a physical manifestation of all Charlie truly wanted out of life: someone that was loved and cared for by Zoa. She debated going back out and finding somewhere else to stay, but the throbbing of her warming fingers, red and blistering from the cold, quickly discouraged that idea.

And then she saw the scissors in Juno's hands. Slowly she pulled her on knife out of its sheath and kept it down in front of her near her waist. She ignored the screaming of her fingers as she tightened her hold and kept her eyes on the scissor blade that occasionally caught the light of the greenhouse.

"From you? Fuck all," she spat out, intermittently flickering her eyes around the room to try and get gage of the area she knew Juno was better acquainted with than she was. It was either die in the storm or die getting stabbed by scissors it seemed like. "The world outside's gone to shit, if you haven't noticed. This was the first building I could find."

She brought her eyes to the scissors and indicated with her chin, "you gonna try to stab me with those or?"

[saccharineflesh]

Juno hadn’t minded the snow too much that morning. They had spent almost the entire night watching it fall. Unable to pry their eyes away from it all because it was the calmest and quietest it had been outside in… well, years. No one wondering about disturbing the picturesque finish of the snow’s fall, and no noise to accompany its smooth finish except for the hum of Zoa’s slumber in the background. Everything felt almost perfect, which wasn’t a word Juno used to describe very many things. 

After ensuring the sky above was as open as the day would allow, Juno made their unbothered way out of their shared cabin. They didn’t like to wake Zoa on their way out, Juno was usually gone before the sun fully awoke and she needed the rest for her daily journey. One thing they did ensure to do was place the other’s socks closer to the fire. Allowing the makeshift fireplace the two constructed the week prior to warm the socks and ease the shock of the morning air. 

The greenhouse was where they spent most of their day. Before, a place where Juno called home, now felt more like an office than anything else. They had all their possessions there. Majority of it all being plants Juno collected and grew for consumption or inhalation. A good selection aided in the Settlement’s culinary endeavors, but the rest were more practical for their survival. Herbs that helped sustain their medicine supply, by allowing homemade remedies to take their place. It was a practice their mother knew well, and while Juno themselves wasn’t as practiced, the time in Arcadia had forced their interest. 

They’d been searching through one of their utility closet for a pair of scissors when they heard her voice. Juno paused, almost frozen in place as they waited to ensure they hadn’t made the experience in their head, but then they heard movements up ahead. 

“The only person who belongs here.” Juno replied, having found the tool needed as they closed the door and turned towards the other woman. Approaching tentatively, while wondering what they could possibly be doing there. Juno glanced at the shut door behind Charlie before fixing their focus on the woman herself. “What do you want?”

with: @saccharineflesh where: Settlement greenhouse

The weather had everyone on edge this morning, which meant it had been easier for Charlie to sneak out unnoticed into the forest. The snow proved a nice calming distraction, and Charlie had her bow tucked by straps against her backpack, not that she planned on using it. Today was all about sketching, and if she ventured towards the settlement, who would notice? Except, as good of a planner as Charlie had once been, the blizzard that blew through was unpredictable and she soon found that the layers she had on were insufficient to keep her warm.

She found herself disoriented by the snow, and the way it blew horizontally made her unsteady on her feet. Her best hope was to continue towards the last building she had seen in the distance prior to losing visibility, even if that building belonged to the settlement. She figured she could hate herself for going there later, it was better than dying out here, cold and alone.

She trekked through the thickening snow with great difficulty. There weren’t that many snow boots in Arcadia and so snow was falling into her hiking boots, clumping wetly against her wool sock and rendering them all but useless in keeping her feet warm. Her legs began to burn, and she wondered if she had gotten so disoriented that maybe she’d gone the wrong way. Yet, her only option was to keep going until her legs gave out, only then could this snowstorm claim her. She was rewarded for her perseverance when she came face to face with a glass pane. Keeping a hand on the glass pane, she walked around until she found the entrance to the building. Opening the door against the harsh wind was another challenge, particularly because the tip of her gloved fingers felt tingly and numb from the cold.

Charlie pulled until she was able to wedge herself in and then shut the door behind her. Immediately, she took in her surroundings, a dimly lit greenhouse but the warmth and humidity of the plants was inviting. There were clear signs that someone lived here, though Charlie hoped they weren’t presently home. Her hands twitched to grab at her bow at the thought, but she knew her fingertips wouldn’t be able to pull a string back right now. Removing her gloves, Charlie began to walk around the Greenhouse, eyes flickering down occasionally to assess the red skin of her fingertips. She was in the process of blowing on them to warm them up when she heard a noise and dropped a hand to wrap around the hilt of the knife in her belt.

“Hello? Who’s there?”