#anyway i’ll let you know if i think of any secret grudges i’m harboring

[maureen-corpse]

I love being a hater but I am not on the level of some haters, who stay cranky about particular individuals for multiple years and make sure they talk about it from time to time so everyone knows about the hate in their hearts…I hate and then I forget, I think

[janiedean]

JB + the High Priestess, SanSan + the Empress, Jaime & Tyrion + the Tower, Gendrya + the Moon. Pick any that inspires you, or all of them, or none if they just don't work. Totally not a case of "I tried do a tarot reading for fun a couple of days ago but this stuff is confusing, so might as well reuse the result here." *whistles*

AAAND LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS

okay so, the jb one didn’t want to work but I have at least another ask for that ship so I went for the others, HAVE AT IT ALL THREE OF THEM. sorry for the length just skip the ones you don’t care for in case xD

sansan fertility, natural world, beauty, dependence on others 

Arya is the only person present. She’s also making herself scarce, telling Sansa that she would do it but like hell she was going to be there for it when they actually had to do the deed - she didn’t care to hear it.

That’s all right. Sansa just needs a witness, after all.

She stands in front of the heart tree, in the summer dress she sewed for herself in secret for the last few months. It’s all white and gray with blood-red leaves in it, and of course she also has sewn herself a cloak that’s a bit too large on her shoulders, but - the previous nuptials that she attended gave her the idea, and she rather liked it for herself, so why not?

So, she stands next to the tree as the sun rises from the horizon and turns the white snow a light shade of pink, and thinks that once upon a time she thought her father would walk her to that brave, gentle and strong knight he promised he’d find for her -

Except, she thinks as Arya finally stops threatening Sandor’s life from behind the tree she’s chosen to lurk behind and he finally walks towards her, she thinks she found him on her own, and she wants to think her father wouldn’t say no.

He walks towards her slowly, dressed in pale grey and white, black hair falling over his face, not quite hiding the scar anymore, and once she couldn’t look at him, but now if their eyes meet she can do everything but not look at him, at how he looks like he was born in the North with those grey eyes, at how he’s staring at her as if he can’t believe they’re doing this -

She waits until he comes up to her.

“Are you sure about this?” He asks, for the umpteenth time. She hadn’t thought he could sound so gentle, when they met the first time.

Now she knows he can be gentle, but more than that. She smiles. “It was my idea, wasn’t it?”

Obviously, he’d have never presumed to ask her, or so he told her a while ago, and she wishes he would have, but... she thinks she rather likes not waiting for others to ask her for anything, if she wants it.

She unclasps her cloak, and he leans down enough that she can tie it around his neck, and it does fit him perfectly. “You gave me yours, more than once,” she says whispers. “Let me return the favor.”

She can see his throat working up and down as he nods and stands back up, her fingers tangling with his.

She’s not going to tell him now, because she knows he would just scoffs at her, but as he looks down at her as if she’s the best thing that’s happened to him, she can’t help thinking that if she ever dreamed of a beautiful knight marrying her... well.

She might have just gotten her wish.

jaime & tyrion: destruction, sudden, flames, fear of change

Winterfell’s yard is covered in burning fires - Jaime supposes that it’s one of the few advantages of having real breathing dragons flying around. The fires never die down. Which is a good thing, considering that they haven’t seen the sun in days.

He also -

He also hasn’t talked to Tyrion since he arrived here with Aerys’s - with Daenerys Targaryen, hells, he’s not going to think of Aerys first when he looks at her otherwise he’s never going to even come close to trusting her, and he can’t afford to not trust her these days. No one can, for that matter. And fine, Tyrion hasn’t talked to him, either, but - but the Long Night is upon them, and he doesn’t want to die without having at least… well. Talked things through, for what it’s worth.

His brother is standing in front of one of those fires. No one else is there, but it’s freezing cold and people are changing their shifts, so no one is actually in the yard. It’s supposed to be the dead of the night, technically, or it would be if the sun still rose.

He walks next to him and says nothing. He knows Tyrion must be aware he’s there, because he did make a noise of acknowledgment, but - but he said nothing. So Jaime also says nothing and stares ahead in those flames for a moment, and then he immediately looks away because he can’t stand to look at fire for too long.

Stands to reason Tyrion can, but -

Ah, fuck that. He sits on the ground, knowing he’ll regret it later.

“I never told you because I was scared shitless,” he blurts, not quite looking at either the flames nor his brother. He’s staring down at his right wrist - Brienne insisted that he found some wool to wrap it in or he’d get frostbite, and fine, he doesn’t want to lose any more pieces.

“How about you elaborate?” Tyrion asks, his voice not wavering.

“There’s not much to elaborate. Father pretty much strong-armed me into it, I regretted lying to you the moment it left my mouth because I will probably go to my grave remembering how devastated you looked, and after… I knew that if I told you you’d hate me for the rest of your life and I didn’t - I couldn’t handle it. I was terrified of even damn breaching the subject, and I hated that I was involved in it, so I didn’t even think about it, because I hated myself for it. And then I realized I couldn’t run from that kind of secret forever and I’m glad I told you even if I hate that you hate me. There, was that elaborate enough for you?”

“Somehow,” Tyrion sighs, sounding weary, “it was exactly what I was hoping you’d say and what I thought you might, which is bloody unnerving because by all means I should hate you and I never really could and you’re making it really hard to keep that resolution.”

Jaime has to let out a half-laugh at that. “If you were hoping I’d say it, why would it be a problem if it was hard to keep the resolution?”

“Because you were the last person I ever thought would do such a thing,” he exhales, “except that then I remember Father was involved and I don’t know if I can blame you completely.”

Jaime nods, still not looking ahead.

“Any reason why you’re staring at your arms?”

“I don’t know if I can stand looking at you while I said that and I can’t - I had enough fire with Aerys. I’ll pass.”

Nothing happens for a moment.

Then Tyrion moves closer, sitting down nearer. “What if I told you that I like that?”

“You wanted dragons to be real when you were six,” Jaime shakes his head. “Is that how you think you’d surprise me?”

“What if I told you that I wanted one so I could burn both Father and Cersei myself?”

Years ago, he’d have been horrified. Now, though - “Considering how they were to you, that’d be the least one would assume. Also, she asked me to come back for her and I burned her letter and I never regretted not going back, so I suppose I can’t fault you for that, either.” The part of him who’d have screamed that it was wrong to leave her has been silent for a long, long time.

Tyrion nods, and he doesn’t tell him to leave. That should be good enough. Except that Jaime then realizes something, and maybe it’s dumb but years ago he wouldn’t have hesitated before sharing it, so -

So, fuck it.

“You know, maybe you did kill Cersei with a dragon,” he says.

“… How did I happen to miss such a thing?”

Jaime shrugs. “Well, I don’t know if you talked to the not-so-dead Aegon Targaryen lately, but when he showed up here just after signing that truce with your queen, he said that talking to you made him decide to handle things himself. And they were the one taking her out, if you didn’t forget them. Do your math.”

At that, Tyrion finally turns to look at him. His mismatched eyes look absolutely appalled at his poor attempts at levity, but a moment later he does laugh, the flames making that scar he got at Blackwater look as red as dark blood, and - “You really won’t let me harbor resentment in peace. Never mind. You wouldn’t even when you weren’t there, anyway.”

“… What?”

“Never mind. I tried and I never quite managed it. It’s fine. And it would be ridiculous if I held on to grudges now.”

Jaime hadn’t known someone could feel so relieved at hearing on single sentence in his life, but now he does, and it becomes even more relieving when he raises an arm and Tyrion pretends to not notice but then moves against his side.

For the next short while, looking at those flames isn’t even hurting his eyes that much. 

gendrya: domesticity, the wilderness, howling, illusion, insecurity

She did tell him, during the Long Night.

Once I thought we might ride off together like in the songs. We’d be outlaws together. But I thought it was stupid the moment it came to me.

Admittedly, he’s never been that great with fancy words, or fancy anything. So he had just said, it wasn’t stupid. She had looked up at him with those grey eyes of hers, the grip she had on her sword’s handle slightly going lax when she had been clutching at it hard enough her knuckles turned white from the moment she said she wanted to talk to him.

It wasn’t, she had repeated.

No, he had said, shaking his head. It would have been entirely more stupid if I had assumed someone like you would even have looked at me twice in different circumstances.

Now that is stupid, because I would have, she replied, and then her mouth had been tentatively on his, and -

There was no need for fancy words, after that.

But after the Long Night was over, when people were picking up the pieces and she looked increasingly uncomfortable with the prospect of staying here surrounded by people who’d ask her about what she planned to do with her father’s legacy and looked at her brother as if he would have to promise her hand to someone, he had said, you know, we could ride off together.

It had sounded downright stupid... except that then she had kissed him again and said yes even if her voice shook as she asked if he really wanted someone who couldn’t be a proper wife to him and didn’t know anything of what was expected of her in such a situation, and he had said that he didn’t give a single damn about that and after all her knowing how to sew wasn’t what got them out of Harrenhal, back in the day.

So they did run, even if she writes to Winterfell regularly. She said she would be back at one point. Just not now.

Gendry’s fine with that. It’s not like he ever cared for castles in the first place, and knowing that his father was a king hadn’t really changed that. They rode until they found some abandoned house in the Riverlands that was close enough to Riverrun and not too far from the Kingsroad, and they never quite left, and maybe sometimes they barely are there because they ride out to see what’s become of Westeros after everything is said and done, but when they are he cooks and she cleans, he mends their clothes and she takes care to check if their weapons need more sharpening, and maybe they haven’t married but they laid together so many times they’ve lost count, and so what if Arya takes the lead more often than not? He thinks he likes that, the way she seems to know what she wants, and the way she looks at him like he’s exactly everything she wants, and once she told him in a whisper that she liked how he looked at her the way most others only ever looked at her sister.

Well, your sister is pretty, he had said, but she’s really not the kind of that catches my eyes. Also, I couldn’t give her sharpened blades for her name day now, could I?

Arya had laughed at that, and she couldn’t have known that he had been planning to give her a new dagger the day he asked if she maybe wanted to find a heart tree because he hated treating this like it wasn’t permanent.

She says yes when he asks, immediately catching a stray tear falling from her eye and making him swear he’ll keep that for himself, and they don’t use cloaks because where would they even start making any, but she says it will be fine if he ties their hands together, and so he does, and when she says that even if they’re married now she’d rather stay in their small Riverlands now not so abandoned house for a while instead of telling everyone else he says of course, it’s not like he cares about where they are if she’s there with him.

He always thought that when she smiled, the few times she did, she looked way prettier than any proper lady could have in her best gown and corset. When she does it now, wide enough her teeth show, he knows it to be as true as it was the first time he did, and he tells her, and he doesn’t know if he’ll ever quite get the way she looks at him when he tells her such things, as if she can’t conceive that someone would actually mean that. But then her mouth is on his and she seems very enthusiastic about their current decisions, and so he stops thinking about it.

He should tell her that to him, the idea of some lady even knowing his name was so absurd, not even songs contemplated it, one day, and instead she did -

But maybe he can tell her later.

They do have all the time in the world, after all.

[hadtochangemyurlquick]

Lexa’s Dancing Again

For @queen-of-arda it’s been an honor being your secret Santa, even if the entire endeavor was a little bit of a mess. Happy holidays kiddo! Sorry I’m a little late! En mochof @slakgedakru for editing some of that trig! I love you all!

Pairings: Echo/Raven, Clarke/Lexa, and there’s a couple others but they’re either barely mentioned or brotps

Canon divergent at 3x07 probs, idk it doesn’t matter, it takes place a couple years in the future or something don’t question it

Summary: A winter solstice festival dance where Echo is useless, Lexa is hopeless, Clarke is clueless, and Raven is just oblivious. (I've never written Echo or Raven in this capacity before so please be kind)

“I’m still surprised Roan gave you the night off,” Echo didn’t look away from the dance floor as the person sat beside her.

She rolled her eyes, something she never would’ve done just years ago, “I’m still surprised you harbor a grudge.”

Raven’s voice tightened, “You cancelled on me because he told you to.” Echo fought the urge to roll her eyes again, instead taking a sip of her sweet wine. Raven held her hand out and Echo passed it to her. Raven hadn’t talked to her since the incident nearly a month ago, but still expected more than her fair share of alcohol. “I’m assuming you brought this?” Raven passed it back.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out what Monty and Jasper had planned?” Raven shook her head in mock contempt making Echo struggle to keep her own smile off her face.

“They’re incredibly immature.”

“The flask is hidden in your brace.”

Monty and Harper waltzed passed, off tempo and grinning as they tried to step on each other’s feet. The officials around them watched with confusion, though Echo noticed some of the children dancing with a little more of the reckless abandon attributed to the skaikru couple.

“I didn’t know he and Clarke were friends,” Raven nodded to Roan and Clarke, her king’s pained expression as Clarke stepped on his feet.

“They remained in touch after he kidnapped her and she tried to poison his mother.”

Raven snorted, “Sounds like how Clarke makes friends.”

The slow song faded out and Clarke and Roan shared a parting hug before Clarke spotted them and wandered over. “How is everyone?” She collapsed beside Raven and grabbed a cup of wine from a passing servant.

“Octavia’s with Ilian, Bellamy’s getting wasted with Murphy, Jasper’s trying to get with some lake clan chick -”

“Boat clan,” Echo cut in and Raven nodded.

“Right, right, and we just saw Monty and Harper, and let’s see - who else?”

“Miller and Jackson?” Clarke asked.

“I think Miller’s on Kane tonight and Jacksons moping with Bell and Murphy,” Raven said and Echo tuned them out, instinctually seeking out Roan again. She was off tonight but she wasn’t fool enough to think there was ever a time she didn’t have to be on her guard. She spotted Kane talking with Abby, a blush painting Abby’s face as the band began to play another slow song.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” Clarke announced, Echo glanced over, perhaps she had noticed her wayword mother attempting to bed the chancellor of the thirteenth clan. But instead the girl’s gaze was focused elsewhere, on an exit to the dance hall swinging shut. Raven took a swig out of her flask.

“Have fun.”

Echo’s brow furrowed, often this announcement preceded a group expedition, but Raven hadn’t even bothered asking for an invite. Perhaps Clarke was allowing them time alone? She watched Raven, who now refused to make eye contact with her and Clarke left the table.

“Would you like to dance?” Echo attempted, her heart beating faster than it did on her first hunt.

“Nah,” Raven took another swig of her flask, “Legs not good for much nowadays.”

Echo nodded and stood, her duty lay with her king anyway and she found him talking among some broadleaf dignitaries. She swerved through volatile dancers and made her way closer watching with some admiration as he held court, discussing trade deals and borders, endlessly charming and swift. The mindless politics filled her head with noise, enough to block out the sounds of music and cheer the winter solstice dance so often brought. Indra appeared at his side, muttering something and Roan found her eyes across the group. He nodded his head at the back door and she began striding for it.

“My apologies, I must attend to this,” she heard him say to group gathered. She slipped into the hallway and he found her, stiffened, awaiting orders. “I gave you the night off. Why were you still guarding me?”

“Moba, haihefa,” I’m sorry king, she bowed her head.

“That wasn’t an answer.” She didn’t respond and he sighed, his body heaving with it. “Indra requires your assistance. The commander is missing and they wish to find and retrieve her without raising any alarms. They require a spy.”

“Trikru nou gada loufa op, ai azhefa?” Trikru don’t have spies, my king?

“Hon em daun ekkou, nou dat ai klin nodotaim,” Find her Echo, don’t question me again, he strode back into the ball room and she glared at the ground. A wild goose chase no doubt, an easy way to get rid of her.

She searched the obvious places first. The bathroom was empty, Clarke probably back by now in the main hall reacting to her mother’s new pick of men. Echo was sorry to be missing it. She wandered through the library, remembering Raven cursing Lexa for hoarding her old world scrolls. She even snuck into the fleimkepa temple, despite her every instinct to avoid it, and sent up a prayer of apology before sneaking out again. She found Lexa’s room and study, both empty of the commander, and at last returned to the hall to ask Clarke if she had any ideas. Raven found her first.

“Have you seen Clarke? She never came back and I’m getting worried.”

Echo narrowed her eyes and dragged Raven outside, “Heda is missing too.”

Raven’s mouth pressed into a thin line, “You think it’s Titus? Emerson?”

The song finished and the band began to play another slow song, “Is this the fifth in a row?”

“What?” Raven blinked at her and Echo rolled her eyes.

“I know where they are.”

She marched them to the ambassador’s hall where the music could still be heard through the floorboards and Echo peeked through the cracked door, Raven following her lead.

Lexa’s head lay on Clarke’s shoulder, both held the other’s waist with one hand and interlocked their fingers with the other. Lexa had her eyes closed and Clarke looked like she was murmuring something. Echo scowled. Clarke was singing.

Lexa had her eyes closed, looking so peaceful she might’ve been asleep and Clarke’s cheek pressed against her forehead. The song began to fade into yet another slow song, no doubt at the commander’s order and their sway paused.

“Leksa?” Lexa hummed, eyes still closed. “Ai hod yu in.”

Lexa’s eyes opened, blinking, she drew away and Clarke’s face filled with a weakness and vulnerability. “Clarke -” Clarke drew away, and Echo pulled Raven back now, giving her a look as the girl attempted to stand her ground. “I love you too.” Raven glanced back at the scene, the two now locked in a kiss and Echo took the opportunity to get her off balance and dragged her out and back to the elevators. Indra found them as soon as they stepped out.

“Well?”

Echo shrugged, “She is discussing something with Wanheda,” Raven snorted, “it was not my place to intrude.” Indra narrowed her eyes and put a hand on her dagger but let Echo pass her without much trouble. She found her old seat, Raven finding hers. “I did not know they were involved.”

“I knew she was seeing someone but - yeah. I guess it’s my fault for her not thinking she could trust me though.” Raven looked around for her flask and Echo watched her. Wondered what else this girl blamed herself for.

“It’s hard to trust in this life, but the only one who will be punished for not doing so is you.”

Raven met her eyes, “it hasn’t always worked out for me.”

“What? Trust? Relationships?”

“Yes,” Raven’s voice choked up and Echo’s jaw tightened and she inched closer, “I don’t want to get hurt again.”

“Honesty doesn’t always have to be painful, it can be freeing.”

“You’re a spy. What would you know about honesty?” Raven looked away and Echo placed a hand over Raven’s, brushing a finger over her callouses until Raven met her eyes.

“I’ve never lied to you,” she moved closer, Raven’s breath hitched. “But let’s start with a dance.”

“We should go back soon,” Lexa muttered and Clarke groaned. She kissed Clarke’s cheek, “Thank you for running away with me.”

“Well it wasn’t easy,” Clarke swiped some hair away from Lexa’s face, brushing them behind delicate ears, “I think Raven’s suspicious.” Lexa leant into the touch in a way that made Clarke melt, “I’ll run away with you any time, Lexa.”

It wasn’t a promise either of them could keep but they pretended, letting the bliss close their eyes, warmth coming over them in droves. Clarke grinned into sweet, softer than feather, kisses.

They pulled away with a sigh, “I’ll leave first.” Clarke squeezed Lexa’s hand and Lexa pulled Clarke’s up to her lips and kissed the knuckles.

“May we meet again, Clarke.”

Clarke smiled, moving her hand to cup Lexa’s hand and kissing her again. “We will.” Lexa smiled as they pulled away and Clarke left, riding the elevator down, still riding the warmth in her chest from her time with Lexa. She came back to the dance hall, taking her old seat looking around for someone she recognized, her mom maybe, last she seen Kane wanted a private conversation with her about something. Or maybe Raven, she figured the girl would either get wasted with Bellamy and Murphy or get wasted alone as she typically did at these things.

Instead she found her dancing, limping and tripping and laughing, and laughing. Raven was letting out peals of laughter and her partner looked like she was just trying to keep up.

“She looks happy,” Clarke jumped, noticing Octavia for the first time.

“Oh yeah, I didn’t think she and Echo were…”

“Yeah.”

“Did you -”

“No. But I guess it proves it then.” Clarke looked at Octavia, the painfully stoic face not giving an ounce of emotion away, “it’s possible to find a second love.”

Harper and Raven were hooting at each other as the tempo finally picked up in the music and more people joined the dance floor. Echo was holding Raven back from a fistfight and Monty looked afraid for his life as Harper, stumbling around, cussed Raven out. Jasper and the floukru girl Clarke had thrown at him were making their way onto the dancefloor and Jasper didn’t look like he had taken a sip of alcohol that night. Hell even her mom was… was dancing with… A grin lit up Clarke’s face. Her mom smiling bigger than she was and Clarke knew Kane would take care of her. They deserved it after everything.

Lexa walked back in and met her eyes, “Indra told me she hasn’t even been to one of these since Costia died,” Octavia said. Clarke looked back at her, “I don’t think I’ve seen you this happy since Finn. Maybe not even then.” She stood, “I’m glad you two found each other.” Lexa was still watching her and if Raven could date a grounder that betrayed them so could she.

She made her way over and Lexa smiled.

[billierutherford]

Tense Encounters - Thillie

TAGGING ➝ Theo Smythe & Billie Rutherford. LOCATION ➝ Jack Rutherford’s Home. TIME FRAME ➝ Sunday, July 12th. WARNINGS ➝ Brief mentions of Alzheimer's disease   NOTES ➝ Billie realizes avoiding Theo is going to be harder than she expected.

BILLIE:  The prospect of seeing Theo again was making her nervous, it shouldn't. They were adults now, no longer kids. No matter how many times Billie said that to herself, she still felt the fire in her belly. Maybe she just wanted to protect that childish part of her that fell for a wicked trick. Either way.. She'd have to swallow her anger and get through this awkward meeting. Just because she couldn't stand Theo didn't mean she had to ruin the friendship him and her father created. Her childhood home wasn't too far from the bakery, the other employees were able to hold it down while she visited her father.

The Alzheimer's was on set, but Jack Rutherford still remembered most things most days. It was Billie's insistence that she take over the bakery while he relaxed, enjoyed his life. "Hey Daddy," She smiled walking into the house, he was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, she leaned down and kissed his forehead, he smiled up at her. "What do I owe the pleasure?" He asked, setting his newspaper down. It always made her giggle that he still read it. "Theo wanted to come over and see you." It felt weird saying 'Theo' but she refused to say his full name like she used to. "That'd be nice." Her father hummed, Billie laughed, taking off her shoes and sitting next to her father. "I guess." Of course the doorbell rang, she huffed before pushing herself off the couch and opened the door. THEO:  Theo. Billie called him Theo. Billie Rutherford who'd only ever called him Theodore. Everyone else exclusively called him Theo or TJ. But the way his full name fell out of her mouth was... anyway. So she was clearly holding some kind of grudge. Even after all these years and space away from each other. That wasn't much of a deterrent though. She'd let it go eventually. So he pulled on his best ripped jeans, a plain tee,  a plaid shirt, and his favorite hat backwards and skated his way over to Jack Rutherford's. 

Theo shifted on his feet in front of the door with a large thermos of soup in one hand and a six pack in the other. For a second he almost reconsidered. And then the door open and the thermos almost rolled out of his hand. He quickly recovered, catching it and clearing his throat. Some things never changed but Billie sure did. Her bouncy curls that she'd started straightening the last he saw were back in full force. They framed her face that no longer carried any of the awkwardness teen years brought. She was hot. Very hot. "Sup," he finally managed to get out and slipped in the door, toeing out of his shoes before letting himself into the house proper. "Hey, Jack," he greeted warmly, setting down the thermos and going in for a high five. Jack met it with a laugh that made Theo smile softly. "Nice having Billie back around, huh?" He swung his eyes over to hers with the question and tried not to get lost in the brown of them.

BILLIE:  Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe she should leave. Billie didn't really need to be here, they were friends, Jack and Theo could get along without her fine. She inhaled through her noise, ignoring the weight in the middle of her chest. Billie shrugged, "Enjoying a lunch break." Billie closed the door behind Theo, letting him walk further into the house as she stood back. "Of course it is." Her fathers words snapped Billie out of her trance, she smiled softly at her father, it fell when she met Theo's eyes. "Did you want some soup now?" She asked her father, walking towards the thermos, taking it in her hands. "Just a little sweetpea," Billie nodded, she didn't really want to ask Theo if he wanted any, but her father would drill her about it later on if she didn't. Besides she was raised to be polite. "Would you like some too?" She asked Theo, slowly dragging her eyes to him.

THEO:  Theo watched as Billie set up soup for Jack and wondered what about this seemed like a grand idea in the first place. "Nah that's all him," he declined politely with a small wave of his hand. He could tell the politeness was forced for the sake of her father being in the same room. Maybe this would've been better alone. Or maybe he intentionally wanted Jack around as a buffer. They hadn't spoken to let alone seen each other in years. He was slightly worried it was more than just a grudge. Theo cleared his throat and grabbed the beer off the table. "I'll put these away before they get warm," he excused himself and made his way into the kitchen. He let out a deep breath as he opened the fridge and found a spot for them. He leaned against the door even after it was closed and berated himself. "Get it together idiot," he mumbled and pushed off of the fridge to head back towards the living room.

BILLIE:  Nodding, Billie got a small bowl and a spoon from the kitchen before pouring some out for her father, she put it in his hands, wondering if she should store the rest in the fridge. "Lighten up sweetie, no need to hold a grudge."  He said once Theo left the room. Instantly, Billie shot daggers at her father. Part of her couldn't blame him, he didn't know the trust about their falling out. For all Jack knew, they dated shortly before breaking it off. She didn't want to ruin their friendship. Jack's eyes got wide before looking down at his soup. She closed the thermos before going to walk towards the kitchen, almost bumping into Theo in the process.  She stopped, her eyes on his chest before she blinked and looked up at him. She squared her shoulders a bit, "Excuse me."

THEO:  Theo hadn't even seen her coming until she was practically in her face. "Woah, shit," he exhaled, his hands shooting out to catch her forearms -- a kneejerk reaction. They lingered for a just a moment before he dropped them to his sides. His eyes wandered across the shorter cut of her hair. It worked so incredibly well for her. For a moment he considered just stepping to the side and letting her by. But if there was ever a chance for confrontation, this seemed to be it. He licked his lips and creased his eyebrows slightly. "Are you ever gonna let it go?"

BILLIE:  "Theo," She sighed, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why does it matter if I do or not?" She asked looking up a him. Part of her wished she could, holding onto anything negative was draining. But after she overheard the truth.. She was hyper aware of how she looked, her hair. The glasses and extremely curly hair got her teased a lot. After everything with Theo she start to straighten it, pleaded her parents to let her get contacts. It stopped the bullying, but she never trusted anyone had genuine interest in her. On top of them only noticing her when she changed. "I get that it was some stupid joke for you in high school, but it --" She sighed, having to explain this dumb high school prank fueled years of trauma and trust issues wasn't easy. She was already vulnerable with him once, and look where that got her. "It wasn't for me."

THEO:  Hearing the name Theo never stopped hitting his chest in a particular way. Like the extra vowel to get the -dore out wasn't worth the effort. His eyebrows pushed deeper together because he was sure he knew why but he didn't want to give that theory any life. He wasn't harboring years old secret feelings. He just missed his friend. "Because I miss you," he blinked. "I miss my best friend." Theo shrugged his shoulders and carded a hang trough his hair. That much was very true. He always had. Every pivotal moment in his life he wished he'd been able to scream about it over snapchat with his friend. That's all. He sighed through his nose and pressed his lips together for a moment. "I know and I'm sorry. I meant that. I never intended to hurt you."

BILLIE:  "But you did." She pressed, "You made me feel stupid, everyone knew it was nothing but a joke. I walked around school thinking you had feelings for me and it was all a lie. I damaged my hair, I forced my parents to get me contacts. I don't trust anyone, because I fucking can't. You did that." Billie's throat ached, her nose burned slightly. She hated that he was bringing all of this out of her, she wished she stayed at the bakery. This was stupid and pointless. What was awful was that she missed him too, but she refused to let herself sink into those feelings. She waited for years to hear him say he was sorry, but it didn't take the pain away like she thought.

THEO:  Theo was briefly at a loss for words. Of course he'd noticed when she showed up and her bouncy curls were gone. And then the glasses. Subtle changes but enough to make a difference in the cruel eyes of high schoolers. He didn't think it was his fault. And then to know his stupidity left a mark she carried even now? He swallowed hard and murmured, "Wilhelmina. It wasn't," he started softly. "It wasn't a lie. I-- At first, yeah, okay, fine, it was a dare and it's fucked up. It stopped being a joke. I didn't know how to tell you. And then you found out and everything went to shit," he huffed. Nothing about her expression was telling him she would crack anytime soon. Maybe too little too late was a very real thing. Theo sighed and wiped his palms down the sides of his jeans -- an anxious habit. "I should go."

BILLIE:  Hearing her full name from him was weird, she wondered if that's what it felt like when she shortened his. "I appreciate that," And she did, would it be enough to stop holding the grudge? Maybe not yet, maybe not ever. Her face softened, she sighed. "No," She started, scratching at her arm -- A anxious habit she still couldn't drop. "He likes having you here. Stay. I should get back to the bakery anyways." Billie's lips formed a straight line, she shifted her weight before sighing again. "Give me your phone." She managed finally, looking at him.

THEO:  "Do you?" he snorted hard because it felt like the polite thing to say and not how she truly felt underneath the surface. Apparently he'd have to work for that. Theo eyed her hand and silently reach his fingers out to curl around hers and pull it away. She'd break the skin if she had her way. He glanced over her shoulder into the living room and sighed softly to himself. As if he should've noticed Jack wasn't entirely himself sooner. Theo'd been too caught up in talking about Billie with him. "You sure?" Trying to worm his way to Billie's good side was going to be a hell of a time. At her question he gave her a brief side eye and slowly pulled out the device, unlocking it and holding it out for her.

BILLIE:  Her brows pushed together, creating a crease, her eyes hard. "I can take it back." She said sternly, Theo pushed buttons she didn't like pushed, she was trying her best not to entirely go off on him. Especially here, in her father's home. Billie took the phone, putting her number in, putting in her full name because she was feeling a little petty. She sent herself a text so she'd have his number as well. "Here. If anything happens if he starts to forget anything." She held the phone out for him before holding her hand back. "Do not make me regret giving you my number." She stated before handing it back to him. She didn't trust Theo with her heart anymore, but she felt she could trust him with her father.

THEO:  Theo squared his jaw and inhaled slowly through his nose. And quite literally bit his tongue. It was an argument that would go nowhere and was better left alone ultimately. So he pushed out an exhale and held his palms up in surrender. "Relax." He watched her enter her number and full first name which he huffed a laugh at. He reached for it and rolled his eyes as she snatched it back out of his reach. "No promises," he teased as he slipped it back into his pocket. Theo's eyes fell on Jack then back to Billie's and they softened around the edges a little. "I'll take care of him."

BILLIE:  With a roll of her eyes, something passed through her, a distant memory of their friendship. The bickering, the teasing, she bit the inside of her cheek and shoved the thought to the back of her mind. That didn't matter now. Those five words eased her anxiety a little, she nodded, able to give him a smile. "Thank you," It was then she realized she still had the thermos in her hands. "He'll want more, even if he said he didn't." She laughed softly. "I'll get out of your hair." She turned and went back to her father. "Hey Daddy, I'm gonna head back to the bakery. Theo said he'd stay for a while. Call me if you need anything I'll bring home some cookies for you." Billie hugged her father, letting him kiss her temple before she waved at him, and Theo by proxy before walking out the door.