#jules will have to either pull him out or push him in and drive herself

[lilmisskiwi-art]

Even as a 7+ monster he insists no one drives but him

Roger - @dias-sketchbook

[pascalpanic]

Miller Morales Mechanic Shop (Frankie Morales x f!Reader)

Part One of Miller Morales Mechanic Shop

Summary: Something is wrong with your car. What, exactly? You have no clue. So you bring it in to some professionals- who also have a toddler running around the shop.

W/C: 2.3k

Warnings: language, Frankie is a dad, brief mention of divorce and trauma bc poor Frankie, there is a child heavily involved in this so if you don’t like kids this isn’t for you :)

A/N: WELCOME TO PART ONE EVERYONE! This is such a cute AU and I’m BEYOND excited to start sharing it with you all! I don’t know how many parts this will be or anything but I can’t wait to take it and run with it.

Marisol Morales behaves for very few people. One of those is Ben Miller. Unfortunately, she has decided to break her own rules today.

Frankie loves summer. He loves his little girl playing outside in her baby pool, taking her for walks around the neighborhood with their three-legged dog, all of the fun parts. The hard part is when the nanny goes on a vacation and Mari has to come to work with him.

Benny and Frankie, ever since the chaos that was the Lorea mission, run a small mechanic shop together. Miller Morales Mechanic Shop isn’t necessarily the busiest place in town, but they make enough to get by and have some disposable income too. Mari loves to hang around the shop with her daddy and uncle. She’s there more than Frankie would like, but he supposes it’s not the worst thing in the world. When Frankie and Jules split and Frankie won full custody, he’d hoped a nanny would take care of most everything when Mari is home all day in summer. Sadly, he was in for a rude awakening when no Mary Poppins showed up on his doorstep.

It’s normally not too bad; Benny hung the moon in Mari’s eyes. If she won’t do something for her daddy, which is still somewhat rare, she’ll always do it for her Uncle Benny. That makes the day run much smoother. Mari has a whole host of quiet-time activities and toys to play with, and the men generally trade off periods of either working on the cars or being with the little girl.

Her favorite activities at the shop include drawing on the concrete with thick sticks of chalk and playing with her toy helicopters and planes. Benny insists tanks are cooler, but Mari prefers flying her Polly Pockets in the chopper, running through the garage and making flight noises. She’s a smart little thing; for her age, she’s picked up big words and can make sentences out of three words, which is quite a stretch for a baby just over two years of age. She calls for Benny and Daddy and knows the names of his tools: wench, scu-dwive, and her favorite, win-seeled wipe fwuid. She loves to babble at customers while they get their oil changed.

-

Being shit with cars is no fun. It only increases the anxiety when some light flashes on your dashboard. The lights can mean so many things that you find it ridiculous; “check engine”? Check it for what? To save yourself the anxiety, you find your nearest mechanic and pay them to deal with it.

Today, as you pull over into a gas station, you check your phone and find that the nearest shop is a place you haven’t heard of. It must be new. Miller Morales Mechanic Shop, 0.6 miles away. The name implies something more local and homegrown. You’re more than willing to support a place like that, so you start up the engine, pray you don’t explode, and make your way over to the shop.

It’s nearby, like the map indicated. The outside is a quaint little place, tucked in a strip mall next to a coffee shop, a dentist, and an insurance agency. The three car bays are empty, and knowing next to nothing about how these shops work, you pull inside and park your car, letting it run as you wait for an employee. The bell dinged to let them know you were here, so you stay patient and listen idly to the hum of the talk radio show from your car’s speakers.

After a minute or two pass, you realize that maybe this wasn’t the right place to be. Maybe you were supposed to go in the front or something. Concluding that you probably aren’t where you’re supposed to be, you turn off the car and get out only to be greeted by the sound of buzzing lips.

You can hear a baby’s voice, mimicking some kind of vehicle’s sound, and for a second you’re worried this place must have you hearing things. Then, from a swinging door to the front comes a little girl, running and babbling to herself about her toy helicopter.

She has a head full of dark brown curls, tied back into two puffs with pink scrunchies, and matching pink leggings and a t-shirt far too big for her, the back emblazoned with the shop’s logo. She’s barefoot, tiny feet slapping against the cold cement.

“I told you I had to piss, Fish!” A man’s voice shouts from one end of the garage.

“No you didn’t, dipshit!” Another man shouts back. Being caught in the middle of their argument is quite comical, if you’re being honest with yourself. “She’s fucking two! You can’t leave her alone like that, man!”

The first voice is matched to a person as a tall blonde man emerges from the customer service side of the shop. “Marisol Morales, come here,” he insists sternly as he rolls up the sleeves of his jumpsuit. “Come on, you’re gonna trip.” Ben is embroidered on a patch over his heart.

She pouts at him before stumbling forward and continuing to run, stopping as she sees you and looking up in confusion. Her lower lip sticks out in a pout as her eyes scan your face, as if she’s trying to remember if she knows who you are. “Hi,” she finally concedes as you bend to her level.

“Hi there,” you smile and hold out a hand. “What’s your name?” You pick her up, holding her on your hip so that she doesn’t trip, like Ben so desperately feared.

The second, unknown voice shouts for the little girl again before boots clunk on concrete up to you, rounding your car and stopping. This must be the girl’s father, you realize, as you rake your eyes up his body. He wears the same navy blue jumpsuit as the other man, though it’s unsnapped over his chest, exposing the white t-shirt beneath. The patch on his chest reads Catfish. He wears a ball cap and warm brown curls peek out from under it. He has scruff and a hooked nose that perfectly matches the one on the little girl. “I Mari,” she introduces herself proudly.

“Hey, leave her alone, Mar,” the man shakes his head as he hoists her up to hold her on his hip. “I’m so sorry about that,” he says with an embarrassed smile, showing a dimple beneath the scruff on his chin.

“No, it’s not a problem,” you laugh then set her down and tell the little girl your name. “Aren’t you just the cutest?” You chuckle as she looks at you. She blushes and buries her face in the man’s chest, giggling shyly.

He looks down at the little girl then up at you again. “Well, uh, hi. I’m Frankie, and you’ve met Mari already.”

“Your daughter?” you ask as you look at the pudgy little girl, who now stares at you in awe.

Frankie nods and adjusts his ball cap, pushing his hair back with it. “Yep. Our nanny is on vacation, so she gets to hang out around here,” he chuckles and kisses her head, setting her down. “Go see Benny, yeah?” He asks her. She happily waddles off towards the blonde man, who gives you a wave then heads into the back. “What brings you in?”

“Would you laugh if I told you I don’t really know?” You admit with a shy smile. “My check engine light came on while I was on the highway. I don’t know the first thing about cars, so I was hoping you’d figure out what that meant.”

“Nah, no laughing here,” he nods and gives you a genuine smile before looking over at your car. “Shouldn’t be too much of a problem. I’ll have you pop the hood for me and I’ll give it a look?” He asks.

“That would be great. Thank you,” you tell him, the desperation for his help in your voice. Now that you get the chance to really look at him, he’s quite attractive. His eyes are deep set and a beautiful brown, and they crinkle when he smiles. Facial expressions only accentuate the lines in his face, but he’s certainly not old. His eyes still hold his youth.

“No problem.” He leads you to the car and you pop the hood open before getting out. “Could I take your keys?” he asks you. “Just so I can turn it on and off and all that good stuff.”

“Yeah, of course,” you nod frantically and hand them over to him. “I’ll… be in the waiting room?”

“That’s how we usually do it,” he chuckles as he takes the keys from you. “Just shout for Benny if Mari annoys you again.”

That makes you frown. “She’s not annoying at all. She’s adorable,” you smile as you look over your shoulder and see her and the blonde man playing together.

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive,” he laughs and points his wrench at you as he walks to the hood of the car.

Shaking your head, you can’t help but laugh as you head back to the waiting room. You walk in and Mari perks up, turning to look at you. “Hi! Playing helicopter,” she tells you in her stunted speech as she holds up the toy.

“You sure are,” you nod and sit next to her. “Can I play?” You ask, looking up at Benny, silently asking him the question too.

He nods and Mari squeals happily. “Friend!” She shrieks and hands you another helicopter. “Go pew pew, okay?” She drags them across the toy mat like they’re cars, and you follow suit.

“Okay,” you laugh. Looking up at the blonde man, you extend a smile his way and introduce yourself. He’s busy repairing a Barbie dollhouse with a screwdriver.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ben, Benny, whatever you wanna call me.”

Driving your helicopter around the ground, following Mari’s lead, you chuckle. “No preference?”

“Fish calls me Benny.”

“Fish?” You ask and tip your head.

“Frankie, whatever. We’re buddies from the service. His code name was Catfish,” the man explains with a shrug, testing the hinges of the plastic door.

That makes you smile down at Frankie’s daughter. “Really, just buddies? Could’ve sworn you’d be brothers,” you tease the blonde, blue-eyed man. “Does Frankie know how to do his daughter’s hair?” You ask and fiddle with her two pigtails.

“Yes, he does,” Frankie insists as he walks out to the front, cleaning a wrench. “But just barely.”

You look up at him, embarrassed. “Her pigtails just look a little messy. Then again, she was running around like crazy,” you laugh and watch her rush over to Frankie, insisting he pick her up.

Bending down to grab her, Frankie groans at the ache in his joints. “She was. I could use some pointers, if you’ve got ‘em.”

“Of course,” you nod and stand too, brushing the dust from the concrete floor off on your pants. “What’s the verdict on the car?” You ask.

Frankie turned, watching as Benny walks out to the shop, but he turns back to face you. “Oh, right. The engine was misfiring, and unburned fuel was being put into the exhaust system, and that damaged the catalytic converter.”

You nod as you listen to him, really staring at his face more than anything. He’s just so damn pretty, you note as you admire the curve of his nose, his slightly sunken and dark eyes. His lips look beautiful and soft, even though they seem a little chapped. When he stops talking, it takes you a second to process it. “I don’t know what that means,” you admit with a shy smile. “I told you. I don’t know shit about cars,” you laugh, playing it off like you were lost when you were really lost in his eyes.

He shakes his head and laughs, bouncing Mari on his hip. “Your car is gonna need some work. Couple hours,” he shrugs. “If Benny and I get to working on it together, an hour and a half, maybe?” He admits.

“Yeah, that’s great. I can watch Mari,” you offer.

Frankie would never be this trusting normally. You’re a straight-up stranger, but your demeanor is good enough for him. Besides, you’re right here. He can check on the two of you every so often, and Mari seems to love you. “That would be great,” he smiles. “You really don’t have to.”

“No, I have nothing better to do,” you chuckle and look at the little girl. “You wanna play?”

Mari nods excitedly and Frankie sets her down. She rushes back to her toy mat and you watch her go. “Thank you, again, for fixing all this.”

“Just doing my job,” he nods. This time, it’s his turn to admire you. He stares at your face, examining the curves and angles that make you up. Your eyes are kind and warm as they follow the little girl, and he can see that he’s making a good choice here.

When you sit down, Mari comes and sits cross-legged across from you. “What are we gonna play?” You ask her, looking at her wide variety of toys. Her pile includes dinosaurs, Matchbox cars, lots of toy helicopters and planes, Barbie dolls, and a plastic tea set.

“Tea party!” She says and hands you a tiny plastic cup and a felt muffin.

“Oh my goodness,” you gasp in a fake accent. “How delightful!”

Frankie peeks over his shoulder at the two of you. He could really get used to that sight.

-

taglist:

@remmysbounty @mishasminion360 @blo0dangel @binarydanvvers  @sleep-tight1 @apascalrascal @randomness501 @spideysimpossiblegirl @notabotiswear @pedro-pastel @sanchosammy @lv7867 @greeneyedblondie44 @hunnambabe @astoryisaloveaffair @emesispo @pedritobalmando @magikfanatic @a-court-of-feysand-and-elorcan @princess76179 @deltadebelleza @tacticalsparkles @queridopascal @wintermuteway @maievdenoir @dobbyjen @beskarboobs

[tangledstarlight]

For the prompts thing...

You’re my ex but I think I still have feelings for you.

Juke, preferably.

not entirely sure what this is. it went on a very weird journey. don't hate it. i know you probably wanted something either angstier or funnier but this is very...middle ground? idk man it's 2:40am. enjoy! thank you for sending one!😊💜

24. you’re my ex but i think i still have feelings for you

50 cliche tropes and prompts!

Julie remembers every little detail about the day they broke up.

She remembers the way her coffee had tasted in the morning, how she’d struggled to make her hair look semi-presentable for school, how the radio had played a new Taylor Swift song, how they’d all laughed at lunch like everything was normal. She remembers knowing it was coming but not being able to do anything to stop it.

Her and Luke broke up a week before High School graduation at 4:37pm on a Thursday that felt just like any other.

It was because she’d gotten into her top college choices, Luke said. It was because he and the boys were going to tour that summer, she said. It was because they were 17 and everyone said a high school romance would never last that kind of distance or difference in lifestyles.

The last time she saw him had been at Carrie’s graduation party. A stolen moment in a locked bedroom that had left them both a little breathless and both a little teary eyed and promise to never settle for less than their worth. Flynn doesn’t comment on her rumpled clothes and she sees the way the boys don’t ask about the wet patch on his shirt over his heart where they all know reaches her eye line.

They steal one last look at each other as the night ends and they get into different cars to go home. One last smile, one last wave, two last words whispered across a drive, “Bye Jules.”

Then Julie locks away the part of her heart that belongs to Luke Patterson and moves on.

//

College is different then she expected it to be. Less like the films she’d seen growing up and more like, well, reality she supposes. Her roommate is friendly and they get along fine. There’s no stolen food or ruined clothes or spontaneous parties in their room. It’s nice, it’s normal, it’s fine.

There’s parties on campus and off that never get as wild as she expects them to. And Julie starts to wonder if maybe she’s doing college wrong. If she’s maybe not experiencing all the wild and terrifying things that other people are. There’s no one night stands or running from police or walking up with traffic cones in her room.

She tries to explain it to Flynn. How she’s worried she’s doing college wrong. That she and Luke broke up because they were supposed to experience life and he didn’t want to hold her back and how he had never asked her if she even wanted to go on tour with them.

There’s silence on both ends of the phone after she confesses that, before Flynn slowly asks if she had wanted to go with the boys.

And Julie doesn’t know. She doesn’t have an answer, and even if she did, what did it matter now?

//

Her first boyfriend after Luke is a guy named Henry.

He’s soft spoken and doing some sort of business degree and knows how to cook fancy foods and goes to bed at 11pm on a weekday and has no real opinions on who is a better guitarist –– Eric Calpton or Jimi Hendrixs –– and he’s basically the complete opposite to Luke.

And Julie likes him. She likes that he’s kind and polite and that he listens to what she has to say and that he’s predictable.

Which is also what she dislikes.

There’s no give or take or pushing to be better. She can always guess exactly what Henry is going to say or where he’ll want to eat or what he’ll want to do on the weekend. And it’s not because she knows him oh so well. It’s just that he’s predictable. He’s mundane.

And Julie hates that because of Luke she knows not to settle for ordinary.

//

She graduates college and moves in with Flynn and for the first time in her life, Julie realises she doesn’t know what to do next. Doesn’t have a plan. It’s terrifying the same way it’s exhilarating.

Creating music has always been the goal, now she just has to figure out how she’s going to do it. What kind of artist she wants to be. And she remembers –– or really it’s not remembering, because it’s always there in the back of her mind –– what Luke had once said. How it’s not about the money, it’s about making a connection with someone. With everyone.

And Julie knows he’s doing that.

Knows that the band put out an ep, that they have a small following that grows a little more every day. Knows that Luke hasn’t sacrificed his goals for money.

She’s happy for him. For them. She just tries not to think about it too much.

//

Julie sees him for the first time in six years at a supermarket of all places.

In the cereal aisle.

He’s still wearing his stupid band tee’s that he’s cut the arms off, and still wearing beanies just to contradict himself, and still squinting at labels because he refuses to get his eyes tested.

Julie knows, as she stands with her basket at one end, that she can turn around right now. That he’ll never have known she was there. That she can carry on with her life without him in it.

“Need me to read that for you?” she finds herself asking as she stops next to his side, the distance between them feeling like miles rather than the handful of inches it really is.

For a moment, Luke doesn’t say anything. Just looks at her, eyes tracing over her face, her body, probably taking in all the ways she’s changed. Like what she’s doing to him. Taking in the way his shoulders are broader, biceps more defined, how there’s a stubble dusting his cheeks and his hair looks a little longer. How he seems to hold himself differently, more confidently.

And then one of his hands rubs at the back of his neck, and a sheepish smile pulls at his lips as he holds the box out to her, “Yeah, please.” He finally says, and it’s the first time she’s heard him speak in six years and his voice is a little deeper, a little raspier like he’s been shouting. But it’s still him. She’d recognise his voice anywhere.

Swallowing, Julie accepts the box and turns it around, eyes scanning the tiny letters quickly and, before she can start reading, Luke is saying something.

Two little words.

“Hi Jules.”

Julie feels something inside her click. Something unlock as a smile breaks out across her face.

“Hi Luke.”

[incorrectbandofbrothersquotes]

You Better, You Better, You Bet - Chapter 8

She Makes Me

Ron Speirs x Juliet Fletcher

Summary: Juliet Fletcher reaches a breaking point in her life. When she is at her absolute lowest, she meets Ron Speirs, and something happens between them that neither of them will ever forget.

Word Count: 3.8k

Tag List: @vintagelavenderskies​ @how-are-those-nuts-sarge​ @iilovemusic12us​ @hesbuckcompton-baby​ @tvserie-s-world​ @whovian45810​ @50svibes​ @cagzzz107​​ If you’d like to be added, let me know!

A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this update!

Warning(s): None :)

Chapter 1  Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4  Chapter 5  Chapter 6  Chapter 7

AO3 link

Chapter 8 let’s go!!!

LONDON HEIR WEDS UP AND COMING LADY

Arthur William Burns, 33, of London has married Miss Elaine Spencer, 20, of Birmingham. The couple celebrated their union on February 14, 1944 at the chapel on his uncle Edward’s estate in Suffolk. The intimate ceremony was followed by a small reception of the couple’s closest friends and family. The new Mrs. Burns was thoughtful about her war-time wedding, taking extra steps to avoid unnecessary costs or supplies. She updated her mother’s wedding dress instead of buying new, and after the wedding, generously donated the gown to the Army. Her engagement ring was an heirloom of Mr. Burns’ family, but it didn’t stop there - 

The article didn’t stop there, but Juliet did. She couldn’t read another word about Arthur’s wedding. In fact, she slammed the paper down on her desk. It rattled the teacup in its saucer to the side, but miraculously, nothing spilled. Huffing, and her article forgotten, Juliet folded her arms across her chest and stewed. 

She couldn’t really say why it bothered her so much. She had moved on the same as him, but getting married? It hadn’t been that long. What could Arthur possibly know about this girl? For a girl she was at the tender age of twenty. Was that what irked her? That the girl was so young? No, it was fairly normal for an age gap like that, especially among their class. 

Perhaps it was the class issue that was grating on her. Elaine Spencer was - to the Burns family - everything Juliet was not. Young, rich, well-behaved, and (though only Arthur knew this difference) able to bear children. Seeing their announcement, and the kind of wedding they could afford, was a rather harsh reminder of all that. But even that should not have been this upsetting. 

Deep down, Juliet knew what was bothering her was that she was bothered at all. She was happy with Ron. So why did she care about her ex? Why did this feel like such a blow to her pride? Why did she feel as if Arthur had just terminated their engagement all over again? Wasn’t it enough to have Ron in her life, a man she truly respected and cared about? 

That was something else to consider. Juliet realized she had wasted far too much time on someone who wasn’t half the man Ron was. And yet, Arthur had rejected her. If what she thought about him was true - that he was a coward and totally undeserving of her - shouldn’t it have been the other way around? She knew she felt shame for how much she had loved Arthur when she didn’t receive that love in return. Was that what got on her nerves about this? 

She certainly was not jealous of the girl. Elaine. Juliet knew she absolutely did not want to be married to Arthur. In the long run, they could never make each other happy. Especially now that Juliet had experienced Ron, who truly appreciated what she had to give. She had to keep reminding herself of him or Arthur’s dumb face next to Elaine’s stunning smile would drive her crazy. And yet, she couldn’t stop looking at that picture. They looked so perfect. 

Her door opened and she jumped a little bit out of her seat with a gasp. It was Ron, but that oddly made her more nervous. She perked up. 

“Hi, honey!” she greeted brightly. 

His brown knit together over his eyes. “Honey?” 

“Yes, dear?” she returned. 

“Seriously,” he frowned. “Why are you calling me that?” 

“I haven’t before?” 

“Obviously not.” 

“You don’t like it?” 

“Obviously not,” he repeated. “What’s going on?” 

“Nothing!” she insisted. Then it was her turn to frown. “What endearments am I allowed?” 

“Why do you need them, when my name works just fine?” he replied. 

“Oh come on,” she said. “Not even darling?” 

“Darling is meaningless here, you people call everyone darling,” he said. 

She considered that. “Alright. ‘Love’, then?”

“No, thanks.” 

“Baby?” 

“No.” 

“Dear?” 

“No.” 

“Sugar?”

“No.” 

“Sweetheart?” 

“No.” 

She bit back a giggle for the last one. “Daddy?” 

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.” 

“My heart belongs to Daddy,” she began to sing as she got to her feet and approached him. “So I simply couldn’t be bad -”

“That’s a little bit sick, coming from you,” he cut across her as he shrugged off his jacket.

She ignored him. “Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy! Da da da da -” 

This time, he interrupted with a kiss. Juliet giggled into his mouth, but he was successful in stopping the song entirely. When they parted, she had a goofy grin on her lips. 

“Are you absolutely certain we should disregard the genius of Cole Porter?” she teased. 

“Let it go,” he returned. 

“What are you gonna do?” she challenged, making her voice dramatically husky. “Spank me?” 

He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.” 

She blinked, taken aback by his casual reaction to such a suggestion, but she was also a little curious, so she decided to push the envelope. “You wouldn’t.”

“What’s the matter?” he questioned. “Afraid you’ll like it?” 

Her mouth fell slightly agape. How had he managed to so drastically turn the tables on her? She was supposed to be teasing him and somehow, she ended up being the one flustered and red-faced. She cleared her throat and shook her head to remove the rather graphic images that had popped up inside it. All thoughts of Arthur were certainly out the window. 

“I did not anticipate this backfiring,” she admitted. 

“And yet, here you are,” he said. 

“How tired are you from training?” she asked. 

“Not too tired to make love to you, if that’s what you’re asking,” he answered. 

“That’s the perfect amount,” she said. 

With that, she tugged off her cardigan and pulled him in for another kiss, deep and deliberate, with a nip at his bottom lip to get him riled up. He lifted her into his arms and they fell on the bed together - her pinned beneath him as their lips remained locked. 

Afterwards, as they dressed to get some dinner and Juliet was in the bathroom fixing her hair, Ron spotted the article. Suddenly, her behavior when he first walked in made sense. She’d distracted him with the endearments conversation, and he hoped he had distracted her from what she’d read. But his gut told him there was something more. He’d walked through that door every day without surprising her. There was a reason she had started and panicked this time. He picked up the newspaper, and looked hard at the photo - at the man who had humiliated Juliet, but ultimately paved the way for Ron’s own happiness with her. 

Arthur was not much to look at, which was both surprising and expected. Surprising because well, Ron found Juliet to be very beautiful, and he knew she could do better. Expected because Juliet was not the sort of person to base a relationship on looks alone. Although she had certainly noticed Ron’s. But for the first time, that made him doubt. She told him once she was more upset by the indignity of what Arthur had done, but she must have really seen something in him to have agreed to marry him. And she talked so much about Ron’s looks, he started to wonder if that was all she saw in him. 

He quickly dismissed that thought. She had been incredibly vulnerable with him and shared parts of her life he was certain she had shared with few others, perhaps not anyone. But something was holding her back from addressing this with him, and he wanted to know what. 

“I reckon we can just pop downstairs and have something quick,” she said as she emerged from the bathroom and picked up her cardigan. “That way we won’t get too cold before we - y’know - warm back up again.” 

He faced her, and caught the surprised look in her eye at his expression. Her smile drooped and faded as she realized what he held in his hand. 

“Jules,” he said, voice heavy. “I want you to do something for me.” 

“Sure,” she looked nervously between the paper and his face. “Anything, Ron, just -” 

“Without one fucking joke, I want you tell me why you’re upset about this,” he said, indicating the paper, though she understood perfectly well what he meant. 

She sighed. “Are you sure you want to hear this?” 

“Yes,” he said. 

She waited for him to explain, but he didn’t. But he was not sacrificing his control of the conversation, he was solidifying it. She was going to explain herself to him. 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m annoyed at myself for letting it upset me at all,” she said. She met his gaze, searching his face for a reaction, but he didn’t give one. “I mean, yes, it’s a wound to my ego that by all rights that announcement should be about me and him. Although, I never would have gotten married on Valentine’s Day. Seriously, of all the cheesy -” 

“No jokes,” he cut across her. 

“That wasn’t a joke, it was a disparaging remark,” she returned. 

“Juliet.” 

“Sorry.” 

She bit her lip, carefully forming how she wanted to say what was on her mind. But, it turned out he wasn’t giving her that either. 

“Don’t think, just talk,” he instructed. 

“I care about you so much,” she blurted out. “You make me happy in a way I hardly thought possible until I knew you. But seeing that announcement made me ache. It’s difficult to pin down why exactly since there are a number of things that bother me about it, but mostly it’s that it shouldn’t matter. I’ve moved on, haven’t I? But if that still hurts me, I’m worried that perhaps I haven’t, and that’s not fair to you or to me. And if that’s the case then perhaps I should let you go, but the thought of that makes me want to hurl myself out of a window. Then that makes me worried that no one will ever be enough for me. Which is ridiculous because you’re more than enough. You’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever met in your own weird way. So, that means there’s something terribly, terribly wrong with me.” 

She stopped to take a deep breath and paused. She considered saying more, that was really the sum of her feelings. Ron stood there calmly. 

“Can you talk now please?” she requested. 

A hint of smirk tugged at one side of his mouth, but he stopped it. 

“It’d bother me more if you didn’t care about this,” he replied, which made her brow wrinkle. “It’s okay to have feelings about someone you were involved with. Doesn’t mean you still have feelings for them.” 

“You don’t think it’s a reflection of my feelings for you?” she asked hesitantly. 

“No,” he said with a shrug. 

She bit her lip. “I just...I just don’t think it would get to him if he saw my wedding announcement in the paper.”

“It would,” he replied. 

She rolled her eyes. “You can’t know that, you didn’t know him.” 

“I know you,” he said. “That’s enough to understand that there’s no way you didn’t have an impact on him.” 

“That’s -” she began to argue but stopped herself as she absorbed it fully. “Well...that’s actually a lovely thing to say, thank you.” 

He set the paper down and walked over to her, gathering her up in his arms so he could kiss her forehead. 

“Don’t hide behind distractions when there’s something serious,” he said gently. “And don’t hurl yourself out a window, I had enough trouble with you on the bridge.” 

She looked up at him and smiled. “You’ve lifted your moratorium on jokes, I see.”

He pecked her on the lips. “Nope, just for me.”

She repaid him with a light jab to his ribs with her pointer and middle fingers. “Shut up.” 

On that note, they headed down to the bar for dinner and drinks. Though Juliet had mentioned wanting to return to her room quickly, they ended up lingering. Talking like they had when they first met. Juliet talked a little more about Arthur, and Ron gave her the space to do so. It didn’t last long. Slowly, he faded from the conversation and they moved on. Ron challenged her to a darts game, and Juliet readily accepted. 

“I’ve never played before,” she confessed. “Well, actually, I almost did when I was seven or so. Dad took Billy and I to the pub with him and left us to our own devices.” 

“I don’t like where this is going,” Ron said. 

She pressed on anyway. “We weren’t tall enough to reach the board, so Billy drew one on the wall we could use. The owner got upset and started shouting at him.” 

“I really don’t like where this is going,” he said again. 

“So, I stabbed him in the thigh with the dart,” she finished. 

“Billy?” 

“The pub guy.” 

“Just checking.” 

“Anyway, he starts screaming -”

“Billy?” 

“Nope, still the pub guy,” she said. “He grabs me by my hair and starts dragging me out. That didn’t sit right with Billy, so he leaps onto the man’s back and starts punching him. Mind you, Billy was only about nine at the time, so he wasn’t the most effective.” 

“I imagine not.” 

“But of course Billy doesn’t care, he’s just looking out for me,” she continued. “So the guy lets go of me, and I grab him round the legs and trip him. Then Billy and I ran out of there as fast as we could, terrified about what Dad would do to us if he realized we’d caused the commotion. Luckily, he never found out.” 

He blinked at her. “Honestly, I’m just impressed you stabbed a guy.” 

“He yelled at my brother!” she returned. “What was I supposed to do?” 

“Stab him, of course,” he said. 

“That!” she cried. “Right there! That’s why we work so well together!” 

She giggled into his mouth as he kissed her in agreement. 

“C’mon, let’s play,” he said. 

He showed her where to stand, how to hold the dart, and some tricks he used to get better aim. She was attentive to his coaching, and it certainly paid off. Each throw got her closer and closer to the bullseye. So much so, he considered tripping her on her last turn. He didn’t, since that would put her dart in rather close proximity to his thigh, and he was in no mood to get stabbed himself. 

She took her shot, and to the surprise of Ron and a few onlookers, she hit the center of the dartboard. She punched the air with excitement and let out an enthusiastic scream before turning to face him, beaming with triumph. 

“That’s right!” she bragged to anyone listening. “Juliet Fletcher is the darts champion!” 

For a moment, Ron genuinely feared she was going to try and chest bump him, and he wasn’t sure there could be romance after that. To his relief, she did not. She did something far more embarrassing. In movements that could only be described as lost and awkward, she...danced. If one could even call it that. Her limbs jerked, her hips lacked any semblance of rhythm, and her feet sort of scraped across the floor. He watched in disbelief as she went about her celebration, completely unabashed. 

“What’s the matter, Speirs?” she taunted. “Upset you lost to a girl?” 

He wanted to laugh, but he was so disturbed it came out more of a grimace. “What...what are you doing?” 

“Victory dance,” she returned simply. “Like footballers do.” 

“No one has ever done anything like what you’re doing,” he said. 

She came to a slow stop, a smirk on her face. “I told you I can’t dance.” 

“I thought you meant the foxtrot.” 

“Well, I can’t do that either.” 

“I’d expect not.” 

“Are you embarrassed?” she wondered. 

“Aren’t you?” he shot back, though judging by her expression, she wasn’t. 

“Nope,” she shook her head. 

“Should be,” he said under his breath. 

She ignored that little remark. “Life’s too short to stifle the joy of kicking your boyfriend’s ass in a game of darts.” 

He rolled his eyes. “I’d hardly call that an ass kicking.” 

“You wanna go again?” she dared him. 

“God, no,” he replied quickly. “If you win, you’ll start dancing again.” 

“So you admit it?” 

“What?” 

“You’re afraid I’ll win.” 

“Yeah, but not for the reason you want.” 

“Whatever,” she giggled. “I’m gonna get another drink, d’you want one?” 

“Sure,” he said. 

With a nod, she headed for the bar. She established fairly early on in their relationship that she was not the sort who wanted to be doted on. She had no problem sharing the responsibility of buying drinks or fetching said drinks. Ron rarely even pulled out her chair for her. Opening doors was different, as Juliet usually had a bag or something, but she never so much as suggested that Ron carry it for her. He once offered, but she told him she’d only allow it if she could tip him, which promptly ended the conversation. 

“Hi, Juliet,” Emily, the bartender, said as she approached. “‘Nother round of whiskeys for you and Lieutenant Speirs?” 

“Yes, please,” Juliet replied. 

“Just a moment, I’ve got to bring some beers to the lads back there,” Emily said, pointing to the other end of the pub. “I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time,” Juliet assured her. 

While she waited for Emily, a man approached the bar. A dark haired, tall, but mousy looking man Juliet had seen at the Blue Boar only a handful of times. He was usually alone and stayed for only one drink before leaving. She got the impression he was not solitary by choice - he was clearly unpopular. The other officers always gave the table a wide berth. 

“Hi,” he said timidly. 

It took her a moment to register he was speaking to her. “Oh! Hello, there.” She stole a glance at his rank and then his name. Sobel. She decided against trying to say it to avoid the risk of mispronouncing. Plus, she didn’t want him to think she was interested. 

“My name’s Herbert,” he said. “Herbert Sobel.” 

She studied his face for a moment. “Herbert, huh?” 

He blinked, surprised. “Um. Yes.” 

“Oh, yeah, Herbert absolutely suits you,” she said. 

He was taken aback again. “I’m sorry, what?” 

“Never mind,” she shook her head. “How can I help you, Herbert?” 

“You could start with your name,” he replied. 

She wrinkled her nose. “Eh. No, thanks.” 

“What?” 

“I’d rather not give you my name,” she said. “Because I’m afraid the follow up is going to be your asking for my phone number or offering to buy me a drink. So I reckon we’re better off if I get the ‘no’ out of the way now. Save us all some time.” 

He sputtered for a moment before she went on. 

“I know this must seem like contempt prior to investigation,” she said. “But even if I wanted to - which I don’t, mind you - I am involved with someone.” 

“Wha - who?” he wondered. 

“Lieutenant Speirs,” she said, and pointed him out for good measure. 

Sobel glanced over just as Emily returned and began pouring the whiskeys. 

“Well, isn’t Speirs lucky,” Sobel murmured. 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Juliet said, taking their drinks. “I really am a horrid bitch, you wouldn’t like me anyway.” She held back a laugh as his eyes went wide. Emily covered her mouth to stifle her own giggle. “Cheers, Herb. And thanks, Emily.” 

Emily asked a stricken Sobel what he wanted to drink while Juliet left. She returned to her seat next to Ron and delivered his whiskey. He wore a deep frown which told her he’d been watching her interaction with Sobel. 

“What’d Captain Sobel want?” he asked, just a hint of bitterness to his voice. 

“Don’t get your knickers in a twist, I shot him down,” she replied. 

“He hit on you?” he questioned, but his shoulders relaxed a little. “Must not have seen you dance.” 

“Shut up!” she laughed, elbowing him. 

He didn’t say anything in return, he only put his hand on her thigh, giving it a little squeeze. Something about it thrilled Juliet. It was...intensely macho. Possessive even. Normally things like that disgusted her, but Ron made it sexy. Only, she had to question it. 

“Are you serious?” she said. 

“About what?” he returned. 

“You’re not bothered by my talking about my ex-fiancé, but a strange man offering to buy me a drink has you marking your territory?” she asked. 

“I can’t help who you were with before we met,” he said. “I can do something about anyone getting ideas now.” 

“What would you have done then?” she questioned playfully. 

“Stab him with a dart,” he replied, without missing a beat. 

She giggled before she sipped her drink. “You’re ridiculous.” 

She wasn’t able to remain in Ron’s grasp long. Emily approached and told her there was a phone call for her. Juliet excused herself, but not before kissing Ron deeply. 

“So the other girls don’t get any ideas either,” she teased. 

“Fine by me,” he said. 

With one more peck, she followed Emily behind the bar. She picked up the receiver and held it to her ear. 

“Juliet Fletcher,” she said. 

“Juliet, it’s Otis,” said the voice on the other end of the line. 

“Oh, hello, Otis, how are you?” she replied politely. She got along with the investigator most out of all the people involved in Peggy Lee’s case. 

“Quite well, thank you,” he said. “I’m sorry to call you so late, but I’ve just gotten the news that Meredith Fisher’s trial has been moved up. We begin on the fifteenth of March.” 

“Crikey, that’s quick,” Juliet said. 

“I know, but the prosecution is confident enough,” he told her. 

Juliet was tempted to let him know they were absolutely right in their confidence with the way Meredith Fisher’s lawyer was going about things, but she held her tongue. 

“That’s good,” she said. “I’ll be sure I’m there for the trial.” 

“I’ll see you then,” he returned. “Good night, Juliet.” 

“Good night,” she replied before hanging up. 

She returned to Ron, who shot her a curious look. 

“A trial date has been set for Meredith Fisher,” she said. “In just a couple weeks.” 

“Are you ready?” he asked. 

“Damn right I am,” she said. 

“That’s my girl.”

[yespleasetommyshelby]

Love in the 21st - Jay Halstead Fic - Three

"We got a name, Omar Rojas." I said loudly as me and Jay got back up to the bullpen, going over to the printer and grabbing his photo that I had printed on the way here, wireless is a wonderful thing, and slapping it up on the board next to the two who are now headless.

"Alright, this guys got priors for drugs, assault, carrying a weapon, the usual. Except he is a member of the Columbian Cartel." Jay explained as he took a seat on the edge of his desk.

"Good job, see if there's anything else you can dig up on this guy, friends, family, known locations." He instructed just as his phone rang. "Excuse me."

A whistle coming from the top of the stairs caught everyone's attention, Al had been over to the academy and pulled someone out to help us out. The guy he had got was tall and he had dark blonde/brownish hair.

"Guys, this is Adam Ruzek, Adam this is intelligence." He briefly introduced before he looked over at Erin. "Where's Voight?"

"Uh, he took a call, he went down the hall." She answered nodding her head in the direction he went, with a nod Al made his way past.

"Antonio Dawson, welcome to intelligence." Dawson got up and introduced himself, everyone following suit as they met the second newbie today, sighing to myself slightly I stood up and walked over being the last one to introduce myself.

"Hey, Kylie Platt fellow newbie." I smiled shaking his hand, that were real soft by the way.

"Adam Ruzek, and I wasn't told there was another newbie." He smiled looking down at me.

"Uh yeah, I was transferred here this morning, although I didn't know I would be in intelligence until a couple days before I started." I laughed slightly thinking back to how shocked I was when Trudy first told me.

"We must be real good at what we do then." He joked winking at me, he was about to say something else before he was interrupted.

"Hey Kylie, wanna grab a coffee?" Erin asked coming up besides me with a 'let's go' kind of look on her face.

"Uh, yeah sure." I said kind of unsure giving Adam a small smile before following Erin into the break room.

"Listen, I just wanted to let you know that if I was you, I wouldn't get romantically involved with anyone here." She smiled slightly pouring herself a cup of coffee as I made myself a tea, never a fan of coffee.

"What? Adam? I just met the guy like five minutes ago." I said confused.

"No, I don't mean him I just mean in general, ya girls have gotta look out for each other, I'm mainly letting you know because of Voight, he really does not approve of in-house romances." She said with a slight smile grabbing her mug before walking out into the bullpen.

"Hey Erin." I called making her look back over her shoulder. "Thank you, for the advice." I smiled receiving one in return.

"There's one last hit, I've arranged a meet with another deal Xavier." Voights voice booms as he strolls into the bullpen, putting yet another picture up on the board. "Ruzek you're up, you're gunna pose as a buyer and get this guy to set you up with his boss." Voight pointed at the newest newbie.

----------

The meet was a success, the Xavier guy was quick to roll on another guy, his whereabouts currently being traced by Chicago's finest tech whizz Sheldon Jin, speaking of which.

"I got a location boss." His voice sounded from the hallway as he practically ran through to Voight's office.

"Alright, lets gear up, Platt you ride with me." He said nodding to me.

"Uh, yes, Sarge." I nodded as he walked away. "Okay, what did I do?" I asked the rest of the guys who were getting ready to move out.

"Probably for your baseball practice earlier."Jay grinned as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What baseball practice?" Antonio asks as we make our way down to the armory.

"You haven't heard how we got Omar's name?" He asked looking over at me with a sly grin on his face.

"I haven't, how'd you get it?" Adam asked as the rest of them shook their heads that they didn't know either.

"It was simple, he told us, anything Jay says is a lie." I lied narrowing my eyes at Jay.

"That doesn't sound right." Adam chuckled going along with Jay, Jackass.

"It's not, mini Platt here took the guys bat and started swinging it around the store, there was shit flying everywhere. He was so pissed man." Jay laughed loudly, the rest of the team joining in.

"Ha ha ha, you're real funny, you know that?" I laughed sarcastically.

"Come on mini Platt, I've already told you it was badass, Voight probably just wants to know if it went down the way he was told or something." Jay said throwing his arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah, oh and by the way until you stop with the 'mini Platt' nickname you've got going on, you will be further known as chuckles." I smile sarcastically at him as the rest of the team got geared up.

"That'll never stick." He laughed shaking his head checking my vest was secure, just as Adam walked back in.

"We're ready to roll, you guys good?" He asked looking between my narrowed eyes and Jay's laughing face.

"We're good man, right mini Platt?" He chuckled raising an eyebrow at me.

"Wait, it just clicked, you're the niece aren't you." Adam asked wide eyed as he looked down at me.

"You're way too good for intelligence Ruzek." I laughed sarcastically patting his chest, turning and walking out towards the cars, hearing Jay's laughter as I went. "C'mon Chuckles we've gotta go!" I yelled grinning back at him as I watched how the laughter stopped and he narrowed his eyes at me for a change.

-----------

We were about five minutes away from our location when Voight turned to look at me slightly before looking back at the road again, this is all the fifteen minute drive has been, him looking at me every now and again.

"Hey, did I do something wrong?" I asked looking at the side of his face, watching how a small smirk made its way onto his ever resting bitch face.

"I heard about what happened in that store." He said without looking at me.

"I didn't hurt anybody and I got the name, what's the issue?" I asked shrugging my shoulders. "I mean sure some of his goods are now unsaleable but that's his fault for not telling me when I first asked." I carried on looking out of my window.

"You did good kid." He smiled at me as he stopped the car before something behind me caught his attention. "Damn it." He muttered as he got out of the car and went over to a guy wearing a suit, who I believe is the Lieutenant from violent crimes.

"Approaching the apartment now." Jules' voice came through on the com as her, Antonio, Erin and Jay made their way inside the building.

"You didn't think to tell me this why?!" Voights yell carried through the air, grabbing his walkie. "Suspect is believed to be in the building! I repeat Pulpo is in the building." He yelled into his radio just as gunshots were heard coming from the apartment block.

"Officer down! Officer down! Jules has been hit in the neck!" Erin's panicked voice came through the coms causing my blood to run cold.

"Pulpo's heading out the back exit of the building, he's armed." Antonio's breathless voice came through the radio.

"All units go! This guy shot one of our own, I don't care if he walks out." Voight ordered, nodding I took off knowing exactly what he meant, if you get the shot, take it.

"He's heading south through the alley that runs along the north side of the building." Adam's voice came through.

Stopping in my tracks I turned around jumping in one of the SUV's and taking off to where I knew that the exit to the alley was. Just as I made it to the alley a loud bang was heard as a body ran straight into the side of the car, falling to the ground with a thud, jumping out I raised my weapon and held my aim on the guy groaning in pain on the floor.

"Chicago PD! Stay down and put your hands behind your head," I yelled kicking the gun that he'd dropped away from him, Jay and Adam appearing seconds after. "What's up chuckles, too quick for you?" I laughed as he knelt down and cuffed Pulpo.

"Smart thinking." Adam panted leaning up against the car with a small smile on his face.

"Why, thank you." I smiled helping Jay stand Pulpo up and shove him in the back of the car.

-----------

"My god, I can not wait to go home and just forget all about today." I muttered from my place infront of Trudy's desk as I nurse my now cold cup of tea. Jules didn't make it, the bullet that hit her caught an artery, she had bled out before she'd even made it to med.

"I know Kyles, I still can't believe that he kept the fact that the bastard was in the building, if he would've just told Voight she'd still be alive." Trudy muttered narrowing her eyes at a figure who was in the captains office. Lieutenant Belden of violent crimes, absolute scum if you ask me.

Nodding in agreement I turned round just as Belden left the office, bad timing for him though as an extremly pissed off Voight stormed into the building.

"You did this!" He yelled as he charged at Beldon shoving him into the wall behind him. "You got her killed!" He yelled pointing his finger in his face.

Trudy was quick to come round and push him away, pushing against his chest as other officers grabbed him and pulled him back.

"Not the time or place Sergeant." Trudy told him seriously as she let go and pointed upstairs. "Go on." She told him receiving a slight glare from him before he stormed off slamming the gate behind him.

"Everyone back to work!" She yelled at the patrolmen who were stood watching the scene unfold. They quickly went back to their business. "And that, is just a taste of why you do not mess with Hank Voight and his unit." She sighed walking back round to her side of the desk.

"Platt, get back upstairs now." Voight's loud voice caught me off guard as he rushed back down the stairs and past the desk towards the garage type place where the cage sits, our private interview room for pieces of shit such as Pulpo. Which is currently where Antonio is, hopefully beating him senseless for what he did to Jules.

"What's going on Sarge?" I asked as me and Trudy looked at him confused.

"Antonio's son has been kidnapped." He said lowly before he went, I'm guessing, to the cage to get Dawson.

"Oh shit." I muttered to myself spinning round and sprinting up the stairs to intelligence.

[moldisgoodforyou]

lost time (chapter six)

MASTERLIST

pairing: rafe cameron x oc

warning: cursing, underage drinking 

wordcount: 3.4k I’m getting into a groove here

_________

Sophie didn’t know what came over her, but she lied. Straight through her teeth.  

_

When she woke up on Saturday morning, head throbbing, she dragged herself out of bed and down the hall to promptly pull trig in the bathrooms and move on with her day. After taking care of things, she looked herself over in the mirror, grimacing at her appearance. As she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, her eyes widened in surprise at the dark hickey coloring her neck and she promptly let her hair fall back down, storming back into her room.

Allie was already up early, doing homework, and Julia was just barely waking up and winced at the sound of the door slamming shut behind Sophie. 

“What the fuck is this?” Sophie exclaimed, pulling back her hair and pointing out the bruise. 

Allie covered her mouth as she tried her best not to laugh, hesitant to answer. “Um...you might have made out with someone at the party. You don’t remember?”

“No, I was way drunk.” Sophie turned to Julia, raising her eyebrows. “Do you know who?” 

“You made out with my date, bitch.” Julia snorted, using the insult as a term of affection. 

“Your date…” Sophie trailed off, the memories rushing back to her and her jaw dropped. “I didn’t. No I fucking didn’t.” 

“You did. And then you walked home alone and didn’t text us like you’re supposed to, so thank god for Find My Friends.” Allie chided her, crossing her arms. 

Sophie winced and glanced between the two of them. “Fuck, Jules, I’m sorry. I wasn’t -” 

Julia waved her hand. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. I don’t care, he clearly wasn’t into me.” She wiggled her eyebrows at Sophie, grinning. “Had his eye on you all night.” 

“Fucking hell.” Sophie cursed, pressing her hand to her neck. “If this is still here on Monday, I can’t go to class. I can’t.” 

In the end, Allie forced her out the door for class after Julia skillfully applied three layers of concealer to Sophie’s neck. Sophie told herself she would play nice, for once, and tried catching his eye during the entire class, but Rafe didn’t glance in her direction once. She felt like her heart was going to beat straight out of her chest as she pulled him aside after class, resolving to confront the situation head-on. The exact opposite happened and she regretted playing dumb the second the words left her mouth. 

“I meant to ask, did you have fun at the party with Julia? I honestly don’t remember much after the bus back to Theta.” 

As Rafe’s face dropped, she clutched at the straps of her backpack, wanting to just shrink away in embarrassment. She kept up the small talk for only a few moments later before watching him walk off alone. Sophie ignored the small voice in her head yelling at her to go after him, explain things, but realized she had nothing to explain. It was simply a drunken makeout, she decided, nothing more. 

Of course, he had to ruin that plan of ignoring things by getting her coffee from her favorite place for their study date. 

“Where’d you get the coffee?” Allie questioned her the second Sophie returned to their room Tuesday night, struggling to hold back a smile. 

“Rafe brought it. For our study date.” 

“Date?” Julia teased, sending Sophie a wink. 

Sophie blushed, shaking her head quickly. “You know what I mean!” 

“You know, if you weren’t so stubborn, you could just get together already.” Julia pointed out, rolling her eyes. 

Sophie scoffed right away. “Yeah, okay. When hell freezes over, maybe.” She took a seat on the futon, pulling out her phone to distract herself from the conversation. That lasted for approximately two minutes until Allie broke the silence. 

“Soph...why are you so against the idea of you two?” Allie asked, treading carefully around the subject. The last time she had brought it up, sophomore year, Sophie had reacted worse than when Julia had tried to set her up with a Michigan basketball player she knew (“not the enemy, Jules!”). 

“I...I don’t know.” Sophie avoided eye contact from both her roommates and ducked her head down as she thought. “We fight too much.” She decided, giving herself an easy out. 

“You two are like magnets are every party.” Julia pointed out. “Fighting is a cop out, and you know it.” 

Sophie huffed and stood, crossing the room to leave. “I don’t want to talk about it, it’s nothing.” 

“You’re going to have to figure it out someday.” Julia pushed, sticking her foot in front of the door. 

Sophie frowned and gently kicked her foot away before she left. “Not today.” 

_ 

She was distracted again in class, barely paying attention when Rafe finally sat next to her in their assigned seats. He kept tapping his pencil against the desk in a steady pattern as their professor lectured.

Midway through class, Sophie reached out, placing her hand on top of his. “Stop.” She hissed, nudging her knee against his under the table.

He didn’t tug his hand away like she expected he would. “You stop.” Rafe whispered back, smirking.

There was something about the smug smirk that made her want to both kiss him senseless and slap him across the face. 

“You drive me fucking crazy.” She muttered, pulling her hand back to her desk. 

He grinned and leaned closer, his voice husky as he whispered. “I should hope so.” 

She closed her eyes to keep her composure, letting out a slow breath. “Rafe.” He leaned back in his seat, satisfied, and redirected his attention to the lecture. Sophie grumbled and angled her seat away from his as she continued to take notes, doing her best to ignore his presence.

When the lecture ended a few minutes later, he bumped his shoulder against hers as they packed up. “Hey. Um. Does your offer still stand?” 

Sophie softened, surprising him with a smile. “For family weekend? Yeah, of course. I’ll come over to Delt and we can walk over together.” 

“You don’t want to drive?” 

“Nah, don’t want to mess with parking. And I’m not planning on staying sober.” She grinned.

He swallowed, thinking about what happened the last time she was drunk. “Right, okay. I’ll see you then.” 

_

Sophie showed up on the front porch of Delta Tau Delta right on time like she promised. She hesitated, about to ring the doorbell, then decided to just wait outside, shooting Rafe a quick text. Upstairs, Rafe had changed into his third polo of the day and was currently sporting his second jacket he had tried on, fixing his hair in the mirror. 

“You gotta chill the fuck out, dude.” James told him, watching skeptically as Rafe combed gel through his hair. 

At the ding of his phone, Rafe groaned, decidedly not ready. “Colin, can you get that?” 

Colin reached over and grabbed Rafe’s phone, then raised his eyebrows just slightly. “It’s just an email. Hey James, come check on the tailgate out back with me?”

James grumbled but rose from the bed, following Colin out the door. “Can’t you boss around the pledges on your own?” 

The second they were down the hall, Colin grabbed James’ arm and hustled him down the stairs. James yanked his arm away, trying to smack him upside the head before Colin batted his hand away with a smirk. “What the fuck are you doing?” James asked.

Colin grinned, holding up Rafe’s phone. “Sophie’s here.” 

“Ahhh.” James nodded knowingly and followed him out to the front door. Sophie glanced up from her phone when the two boys swung both the front doors open, flanking either side of the doorframe.

“Sophie, hello!” Colin greeted her with a broad grin, waving her inside.

She stood slowly from the porch bench, tilting her head slightly. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure I remember your names…” 

James shook his head. “Nah, we haven’t met. But we’ve just heard so much about you from Rafe!” 

“Our roommate.” Colin clarified. “Come in, we’ll get you a drink! He’s still getting ready.” Sophie nodded and followed them both inside, making their way to the kitchen past a couple groups of girls there for the pregame. 

After a couple minutes alone upstairs, Rafe turned to check his phone on his own but couldn’t find it. He immediately cursed, figuring James and Colin were up to something, and allowed himself another glance in the mirror before rushing downstairs. After asking a pledge where they went, he found James and Colin in the kitchen with Sophie. She looked a little bemused as she accepted a White Claw from them, glancing around for Rafe. 

“Sophie!” Rafe called out across the room, making his way to them. His jaw was slightly gritted as he slung a tight arm around James’ shoulder, shaking his head. “Don’t believe anything they’ve told you, alright?” 

Sophie laughed, taking a quick sip. “I like your friends, they’re fun.”

Colin grinned. “Hear that, Rafe? We’re fun.”

Rafe grumbled, dropping his arm from James. “Yeah, yeah. Soph, you ready?” She nodded, giggling as Colin and James called out ‘be safe!’ in unison behind them as they left the house. They fell into an easy stride outside, heading toward the stadium.

Sophie reached out, lightly brushing her fingers across his hair. “Did you put something in your hair? I thought you ditched that in college.” 

Rafe blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah, just got kind of lazy with it. Why, does it look bad?” 

“No! No, it doesn’t at all.” She replied hurriedly. “Just haven’t seen it like that since high school.” 

“Oh.” He nodded, reassured. “Dunno, just wanted to look a little nicer to see your parents, I guess.” 

“It’s not like you have to impress them or something, they know you.” 

“Yeah, but I’m crashing your family weekend. I’ve got to make a decent impression.” 

“You’re fine, Rafe, don’t worry about it. I mentioned you were coming to my dad and he sounded more excited to see you than me.” She laughed and he relaxed just slightly, but kept his hands shoved in his jacket pockets.

“Okay, so. I gotta know how you ended up as such an…” He paused, searching for the words. “Such an outspoken, feminist environmentalist when your parents are so…” he trailed off again.

Sophie raised her eyebrows. “Not?” 

He nodded. “Yeah, basically. I did not expect that golf debate from you, given that your dad probably spends 50 hours a week at the golf course.”

She laughed, touching his arm for a moment. “I mean, I already had those ideals but college has helped. Education, baby.” He suddenly felt warm at the term of endearment, ducking his head down for a moment so she couldn’t see his blush. 

They kept up easy small talk until they arrived at a house just a street away from the stadium, packed with alumni and students alike tailgating. Sophie was greeted by several people almost instantly and gave them quick smiles before taking Rafe’s hand to guide him through the party to find her parents. He couldn’t help but grin. 

“Mom! Dad!” She called out, grabbing their attention as they came closer. She dropped Rafe’s hand but her mom didn’t miss it, giving them a knowing glance between the two. Sophie shook her head imperceptibly, making her mom just laugh. She gestured at Rafe, as if presenting him. “Mom, Dad, you guys know Rafe. Say hi.”

Her dad grinned, shaking Rafe’s hand heartily. “Good to see you, kid. Your dad didn’t make it out?”

Rafe shook his head but offered a broad smile in response. “No, not this year. Business stuff.” 

“Ahh, always working.” Her dad nodded knowingly, reaching into the cooler. “Well, no worries, you get to hang with us instead. “What are you drinking, Rafe?” 

“Oh, uh, just a beer, Mr. Flint.” 

Her dad laughed. “You called me Jeff all through your lessons in high school and now we’re back to formalities? Knock it off.” 

Rafe nodded, fully relaxing as he accepted a beer from him. “Sorry, habit. How are you, Mrs. Flint?” 

“I’m good, Rafe, it’s nice to see you.” She stepped forward, giving her daughter a hug and tugged on the end of Sophie’s tight denim skirt. “Sophie, could you have worn something shorter? You’re going to be freezing halfway through the game.”

Sophie hid a grin as she took a sip from a beer. “Not if I’m drinking properly, Mom.”

Her mom shook her head, letting out a big sigh but ruffled Sophie’s hair affectionately. “You’re still 20 for a couple weeks, child, remember that.” 

“Yeah, yeah. C’mon Rafe, let’s go find my brother.” Sophie excused them from the conversation, taking his hand again to wind them through the party.

Rafe leaned in close as he followed behind, a teasing lilt to his voice. “I don’t mind how short your skirt is.”

She rolled her eyes but was grateful she was leading him, as she felt a blush creep onto her face. “I don’t remember asking you.” 

She found her brother with some friends in the kitchen and knocked back the rest of her beer to help herself to another from the fridge. “Hey, Carter, you remember Rafe?” She kept ahold of Rafe’s hand this time, stepping into his side.

Her brother, Carter, looked over the two of them with a wary eye. “Course I do. How’ve you been, Cameron?” His tone was friendly, but Rafe could tell otherwise from his stiff posture.

“I’m good. Soph told me you’re in grad school here? What are you studying?” 

“Soph told you, huh?” Carter repeated, emphasizing the nickname and shooting Sophie a glance, unreadable to Rafe. She rolled her eyes as she watched the interaction and traded Rafe’s empty beer can for a new one. “I’m getting my master’s in civil engineering. You? How’d you end up here from the Outer Banks?” 

“Thought I’d look for something different than what I was used to. And there’s a good business program here.” Rafe responded, thanking Sophie quietly for the new drink. 

“Hm.” Carter replied curtly and Rafe was reminded in the moment of how much he resembled Sophie, especially when she made a point to argue with him. His lips turned up in an amused smile. “Something funny, Cameron?” Carter asked, breaking Rafe’s reverie.

“Huh? No, just thinking.”

Sophie shook her head. “Stand down, Carter. Rafe, let’s go find someone more entertaining.” She grinned at her brother as she took Rafe’s hand again, leading him away. 

“I don’t think he likes me too much.” Rafe mentioned as they made their way to the front porch.

Sophie hopped up on the porch railing to face him. “He’s just protective. He’s not very friendly to any guy I introduce him to.” She took a drink, watching Rafe smirk, then shook her head quickly. “Not that you’re - I mean, you’re not -” 

Rafe laughed and leaned forward, placing both hands on either side of her on the railing. It was friendly, maybe with a hint of flirting, but Sophie shivered all the same. “You’re fine, Flint, I know what you mean. When are we heading over to the game?” 

“Soon. I want another drink first though, I know the rules better when I’m not sober.” She tilted back her head to catch the last couple drops from her can, trying her best to ignore his steady gaze.

He laughed. “That makes zero sense.”

She ran her tongue over her lips subconsciously. “It makes sense to me.” 

“Uh huh.” Rafe leaned back just enough to finish his beer like her. “There’s twenty minutes to kickoff, how about we grab one more and head over?” 

Sophie took the opportunity to hop down from the railing, nudging him aside with a hand on his chest. “Bet I can shotgun faster than you.” 

“Is that a challenge?” He raised his eyebrows and took her empty can, tossing them both. 

“Always, Cameron.” She grinned, grabbing two drinks for them from a cooler.

Rafe wrinkled his nose as he accepted the drink. “White Claw, Soph, really?”

She took out her key and stabbed the can, then handed it over to him. “What, can’t handle it? Would you prefer a piss-warm beer?”

He scowled, bringing it to his lips. “Ready?” 

“Ready.” They popped the tab at the same time and kept eye contact as they chugged, Rafe stepping away as Sophie tried stepping on his toe to distract him. He finished moments before her and threw down his can triumphantly, raising his hands in victory. “Ha! Beat you!”

Sophie groaned and grabbed new cans right away. “Rematch.” 

“Don’t be a sore loser.” Rafe teased, but took the can anyways. 

“Don’t be so proud about finishing first.” Sophie shot back with a proud smirk. 

He laughed, loud. “That’s a good one. Just one more, yeah?” 

“Yeah, I’ll win and we can call it good.” 

He grinned. “You’re cute when you’re persistent.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Fuck off.”

He just laughed again and stabbed both their cans, then lifted his to his lips. “Ready to lose?”

Sophie responded by popping her tab just quick enough to give her a tiny head start. She finished just before him this time, dropping her can - but a shot’s worth of alcohol dripped out onto the porch, betraying her.

“You cheated!” Rafe pointed out, grabbing up the can and pointing out the evidence.

She blushed but crossed her arms, lifting her chin. “Did not. That’s...condensation.” 

“It’s okay, Soph, just say I’m better.” He smirked. 

“Except you’re not, and I never lie.” She retorted. 

“You’re turning red.” 

“I’m not.” 

“You’re lying again.” 

She huffed, folding her arms across her chest. “Thank you for reminding me why I hate you.” 

At that moment, her parents walked out from the house, her dad laughing as he caught the last of Sophie’s words. “There’s the Rafe and Sophie I know. I thought you were being too nice.”

Her mom tutted, elbowing her dad’s side. “Are you two ready for the game?”

Sophie bent down to pick up the cans from the porch and throw them away, wobbling slightly when she stood up too quickly and plastered on a smile for her mom. “Yes, we’re ready.” 

Rafe grinned, catching her elbow to keep her steady. “Didn’t peg you as a lightweight, Soph.” He murmured, so only she could hear.

“It’s the heels.” She replied lamely, gesturing to her boots.

“You’re underage, Sophie. Don’t be a bad influence.” Her mom reminded her, starting off with her dad toward the stadium. Sophie and Rafe followed close behind and he laughed at her mom’s sentiment. 

They were pretty engrossed throughout the game, Rafe enjoying her family’s company. He was caught off guard a couple times by her dad slinging an arm around him in celebration after a touchdown, or her mom reaching over for a high-five, but gradually grew more comfortable. Sophie took several opportunities to sneak him shooters throughout the game, trying to knock them back as discretely as possible even though her mom was just a few seats away. (Her dad participated in a round of shots when her mom left for the restroom at halftime.) The alcohol and lack of food went straight to her head, and by the end of the game, she was leaning completely into Rafe, her arm wrapped around his waist. 

“You’re trouble, Soph.” Rafe murmured to her, laughing at her obvious blush. 

“I’m just keeping the game fun. Poor Indiana has been getting blown out since the first quarter.” She rested her head on his shoulder and he cleared his throat, reminding himself this was only because she was drunk.

“Ready to go?”

Sophie shivered, crossing her arms. “Yeah, fine. To the bars?”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm, trying to warm her up. “I don’t know about that, I think you need some food.” 

“Rafe, are you joining us for dinner?” Her mom interrupted them with a friendly smile.

“Um, no, I don’t want to intrude. I really appreciate you letting me hang around for most of the day though, I had a lot of fun.” He countered quickly, moving Sophie to stand upright.

She let out a quiet whine and he dug his fingers just slightly into her shoulder.

“You’re welcome to join if you’d like.” Her dad replied, giving Rafe a second chance. 

“No, no, it’s alright. I’m going to catch up with my friends, thank you though.” He denied the offer again. “I’ll see you in class, yeah Soph?” 

She patted his cheek with a dopey smile. “See you in class, buddy.” 

Rafe grinned, shaking his head before he turned away to walk home on his own. “Call me if you want a ride later. It was good to see you both!” He waved goodbye to her parents, walking away. 

taglist: @obx-saltlife​ @dontjinx-it @butgilinsky @oopsiedoopsie23 @taiter-tots @annedub​ @alexandracheers​

[imnotoverlyobsessive]

Looks Like Someone Picked a Whole Bushel of Oopsie Daisies

Chapter Ten: Shades of Blue

As always, thanks to @edward-or-ford and @pacific-ship!

How can you leave me on my own? Desperate and destitute, these seconds feel like lifetimes without you.- New Years Day, My Dear

Mabel marked off February 1st in her calendar with an X in her pink gel pen with sparkles (was it really even a gel pen if there were no sparkles? Mabel’s opinion was firmly on the side of ‘no, absolutely not’).

Just two hundred and twelve days to go. She was counting the days, the hours, the seconds (okay, maybe just the days, she wasn’t that good at math) till her parents could no longer keep her from her soulmate.

Because on August 31st, 2017, Mabel and her super awesome brother-boyfriend-soulmate combo would be turning eighteen, and there was nothing their parents could do to keep them apart once they turned eighteen.

Their parents had insisted they were monitoring their texts, and that they weren’t allowed to speak under any circumstances.

Of course, Dipper had called Mabel from Grunkle Stan’s phone (turns out their parents had been total liars about that, too, and neither Grunkle Stan nor Grunkle Ford was in any way opposed to the whole soulmate situation) as soon as she got home, and they had both downloaded an untraceable messaging app where they could text, make phone calls, and send pictures.

As one might imagine, they sent a great deal of pictures.

And also videos.

They had a lot of phone sex and sexy texting time, okay? They’d only gotten to have actual in-person sex twice (twice!), so they had to compensate somehow.

In any case, there was nothing they could do about it before they turned eighteen, so they had to come up with workarounds.

Not that it could prevent the withdrawals that were likely to hit if another month or two went by without them seeing each other, of course, but it sure made the days go by easier.

Mabel wasn’t sure what her parents were planning to do once they hit the three month mark and the first of the withdrawal symptoms started. It wouldn’t be so bad at first, according to what Dipper had told her regarding the massive amount of research he’d done. Probably just more of the usual depression she’d been having since she watched him disappear behind their car, and then sleepiness, then headaches and body aches, and then things would get progressively worse until eventually, they wouldn’t be able to function at all anymore.

She didn’t know what their plans were for anything, really. She hadn’t spoken to them since they’d left Gravity Falls. She hadn’t said a word to them on the drive home; just put her headphones in and tuned out. She hadn’t said anything to them since, either. Her parents would try to get her to talk sometimes. Her mom did it more often. She had headphones on most of the time. She wasn’t even home very much.

She didn’t tell her parents when she was going to a friend’s house the way she had before. The first few times, her parents had called the parents of various friends until they found her. After awhile, though, they stopped.

She didn’t care if they were worried. They clearly weren’t worried enough about her and Dipper to let them be together, so Mabel didn’t see any reason to notify them or her comings and goings, despite their protests. Just because they wanted to cherry pick their concerns for her well being didn’t mean she had to let them.

Besides, she came home every few days, anyway. It was usually only for a night, of course. Then she’d go back out again. And yeah, that meant she was out on school nights, but her grades were good, and she always made it to class on time.

She wanted Dipper. She wanted to be in his arms again. She slept in the shirt she’d taken from him every night, and she hadn’t even washed it. It smelled more like her by that point than it did him, and not in a good way, either, but it made her feel a little better.

Plus, whenever she sent him pictures of herself wearing it (sometimes leaving enough of the buttons undone to where her cleavage was visible, other times leaving all the buttons undone), he got all possessive and sexy, and the night usually ended with them panting each other’s names into the phone as quietly as they could.

Mabel stared at the cheery pink gel pen in her hand. She wasn’t feeling particularly pink. She hadn’t felt pink in just over a month, as it happened. Which was strange, because Mabel always felt some shade of pink or purple.

But she could hardly remember what Dipper smelled like. She could hardly remember what he tasted like. What he felt like. If she couldn’t remember those things, she couldn’t make herself feel anything that wasn’t some shade of blue or other.

She hung the gel pen back up on her calendar, grabbed her overnight bag, and opened her bedroom door.

She had her headphones in and was looking at her phone, pulling up a playlist, so she didn’t notice her mother there until she spoke.

“Honey, why don’t you spend the night here? I’ll make your favorite, if you want, and we can watch a movie, and…” tears welled up in her mother’s eyes. “Please, sweetheart, I can barely remember what your voice sounds like.”

Well, Mabel thought, maybe you shouldn’t have decided to separate me from my soulmate, then.

With that in mind, Mabel shot her mother a glare severe enough to make her flinch, and pushed past her, her overnight bag bumping against the hallway wall as she did.

Her friends were waiting for her in their car outside.

Mabel loaded her bag into the trunk and ignored her mother watching her behind the curtains in the living room.

Squeezing into the only empty seat in the car, she grinned at her friends.

Kristin, Eva, and Julie had been total lifesavers. They knew about Mabel’s soulbro situation, and they were, like, super supportive.

“Your ‘rents still giving you shit?” Julie asked over her shoulder as she pulled out of the driveway.

Mabel sighed heavily, her shoulders drooping. “It’s not shit, exactly, just…” she sighed again. “They just, y’know. They won’t let me see him.”

“Yeah, that still doesn’t make any sense to me at all,” Kristin said, adjusting her black lipstick in a compact mirror. “I get that having an incesty-soulmate isn’t, like, ‘socially acceptable’ or whatever,” she did air quotes with her fingers, the motion seeming a bit off due to the tube of eyeliner she had in between her pointer and index fingers that she was using in lieu of lipstick. “But if my parents can handle me being bi, yours should be able to handle your soulmate being your brother.”

“Okay, so here’s the thing,” Eva cut in, turning around to address Kristin and Mabel. “I feel like, if it were me, and they were my kids, at first I’d be all freaked out, y’know? Cause like, they’re your kids, and then it turns out they’re soulmates and have to bang a whole bunch or they’ll get all eeeeuuughh, right? That’d mess anybody up, I think,” she paused for a moment before continuing. “But the thing is, though, I feel like after that initial freak out, I’d be kinda relieved, honestly.”

“Relieved? Really?” Julie was so surprised she forgot to use her turn signal when changing lanes. “Oops, my b,” she said, half to herself and half to the driver who had honked at her. Not that he could hear her, of course.

“Why relieved?” Mabel wondered.

“Well, if you’ve got a kid, right, and your kid finds their soulmate and it’s some stranger you don’t know, how do you know your kid’s soulmate isn’t gonna hurt them, or be a terrible person or something?” Eva reasoned.

“That’s a good point,” Kristin agreed, shutting her compact mirror with a snap. “Soulmates aren’t exactly exempt from domestic abuse and shit.”

Eva nodded. “Exactly, so like, if it were me, I feel like I’d be cool with it once I got used to the idea, because I’d know my kids, right, so I’d know they’d never hurt each other.”

“That makes sense,” Julie said thoughtfully.

“Mmm,” Mabel hummed. “I guess. I dunno. They’re weird about it.”

“Wait a sec,” Kristin interjected. “Didn’t you say your parents mentioned something about their parents being, like, religious fundies or something?”

Mabel nodded. “I think my grandmother on my mom’s side might be. Which would make sense, honestly, since my mom has been so militant about keeping the Dipster and me apart.”

“Okay, first of all,” Eva had a haughty air to her voice, and Mabel raised an eyebrow at her. “First of all,” she said again. “It’s ‘the Dipster and I’.”

The other three girls groaned, and Julie took a hand off the wheel to swat at her half heartedly.

“Ommigod, shut up!” Mabel giggled.

“Whatever, you love me and you know it,” Eva said with a grin.

The others grumbled but did not object.

“FYI, Mabes,” Kristin put a hand on her arm. “You should send him a selfie real quick.”

“Oh?”

“Mhm,” her friend nodded sagely. “You look hot, and it’s a damn crime he doesn’t get to see it in person, so you gotta help a brotha out!”

Mabel smiled and snapped a few dozen pictures of herself.

“Okay, which one’s best?” she asked, handing her phone to Kristin, who scrolled through and inspected each one.

“No, no, no… meh, maybe… no, no… oooo, yes, love it, this one, totes send this one! Look at how much boobage you got in there, just fuckin’ go for it, man!”

Mabel grinned and sent the picture to Dipper, along with a short little miss you <3 text.

He responded with a miss you too and then, two seconds after, fuck you’re beautiful.

She giggled and showed Kristin his response. “Mhm, mhm, told ya.”

“Okay, so, confession time,” Julie said, pulling into her parents’ driveway.

“Spill it,” Eva immediately demanded.

“So you guys know Chad, right?”

“Unfortunately,” Kristin said with a grimace. The guy in question was a bit of a fuckboi.

“No, don’t say that!” Julie whined, getting out of the car. “He’s really sweet!”

”Of course he is,” Eva deadpanned.

“He is!” Julie insisted. “Anyway, so he asked me out.”

Mabel groaned. “Jules, tell me you didn’t.”

“I might have, yeah.”

“Ugh, ew,” Kristin said.

“It’s not ew!”

“No, it’s totally ew,” Eva pointed out, and Mabel nodded her agreement.

“If it helps,” Julie was saying sheepishly as she unlocked her front door, “he’s really, really good.”

“Of course he’s really good, numbnuts,” Kristin said with an eye roll. “He’s slept with half the school.”

“So have you!” Julie said defensively.

“Oooo, gotta point there,” Mabel snickered, pointing a glittery blue nail at her friend.

“Yeah, but I’m, like, discreet about it,” Kristin pointed out. “And I’ve actually dated people seriously, too!”

“Anyway,” Julie cut in. “So the consensus is ew, then, huh?”

“Definitely ew,” Mabel agreed.

“Why are Chads always such Chads?” Kristin wondered aloud, opening the door to Julie’s bedroom.

“They really are,” Eva laughed, plopping down on the bed.

“Soooo…” Mabel trailed off. “Cards Against Humanity, anybody?”

———————————————————————Her friends always helped push the separation anxiety to the back of her mind, but with the other three girls asleep, there was nothing for Mabel to do but wallow.

Her phone lit up the dark room, illuminating the air mattress Mabel lay on.

Dipper had sent her a message.

I want you.

Mabel unplugged her phone and scrambled up as quietly as she could, crossing the hall into the guest bedroom and locking the door behind her and turning on the light, typing out a quick okay in response.

She knew from experience that as long as she was quiet, nobody would hear her.

Now? he asked.

Now.

And then he was calling her, and she was hastily stuffing her headphones in her ears and hitting the little phone icon on her screen.

“Hey,” he greeted, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

“Hey,” she said back. It was always such a relief to hear him. “I miss you.”

“We’ve been texting all day,” he laughed.

“I know, but…”

“It’s not the same,” he agreed with the words she hadn’t said.

“Yeah,” her voice was soft, and she heard him sigh on the other end of their call.

“Can I see you?” he asked after a moment.

“Y- yeah, one sec.” They’d done this more times than she could count, but somehow, she was always nervous.

She stripped out of her shorts and unbuttoned his shirt to let it reveal her breasts, pulled her panties down a bit with her thumb and smiled into the camera.

She only had to take six or seven pictures before she had one she was satisfied with. Sending it over and promptly deleting them from her phone, she waited for it to arrive.

She knew when he got it, because he said, “Fucking hell, Mabel,” with a groan, and she could almost picture him stroking himself.

She’d only seen him do that a handful of times, when they’d gotten the chance to do this on the rare occasion she was at their parents’ for the night. She could have watched it for hours.

“You’re so perfect,” he sighed in her ear, and if she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine he was there with her. He’d kiss her neck, maybe, and then squeeze her breasts and pinch her nipples. Mimicking the things he was doing to her in her mind’s eye, she trailed a hand down her body and stroked herself lightly through her panties, listening to the way his breath was quickening.

“I wanna see you, too, Dip,” she sighed into the phone.

A few seconds later, a picture came through of him holding himself, and when she saw him naked… well. She had seen him naked more times than she could count by that point, but it was always breathtaking each time.

“Are you wet for me, Mabes?” he murmured in her ear.

She nodded, pulling her drenched panties off and kicking them to the side, before remembering he couldn’t see her. “Yes.”

“Show me.”

She took another picture, this time of a part of herself she didn’t really understand why he wanted to see, but he liked it so she sent it to him anyway.

“I wish I had gotten to taste you,” he gasped. “I think about that a lot.”

“O- oh?” How embarrassing. She knew she was blushing. She could feel it.

“Are you blushing right now?” Dipper asked. “I bet you are. You’re so cute when you blush.” She giggled a little, and he went on. “Will you touch yourself for me?”

“Mhm.” She brushed her fingers over her slit, dipping one inside slightly, just for a second, and gasping as she did so.

“Pinch your nipples, too, okay? I know you like that.” He did know, didn’t he? He knew all the things she liked. He seemed to know them intuitively. To be fair, though, he’d said she knew all the things he liked, too.

Pinching her nipple and brushing a finger lightly over her clit, Mabel whimpered.

“Does that feel good?”

“Y- yes,” she gasped out.

“I wish… mmmf,” he cut himself off with a groan. “I wish this was your hand instead of mine.”

Mabel squeezed her breast roughly, rubbing a finger back and forth over her clit.

“Me too,” she whined. “God, Dip, I want… I want you inside me so bad, I-“

“I know, Mabes. I know. I’d give anything to be inside you right now.”

She rubbed herself a little faster, and her legs were going to give out, she could tell they were, so she allowed herself to collapse onto the cold of the hardwood floor.

“You okay?” Dipper asked when he heard her fall to the ground, concern evident in his voice.

“Yeah, I just had to… ah!” she gasped. “I had to sit down.”

“Oh, okay,” he murmured, and it sounded like he went back to stroking himself.

“I need you.” She’d resorted to begging. She always did that when she was getting close.

“I know,” he groaned. “I need you, too.”

“Dipper, I- please, I need…” she rubbed herself faster, and her hips lifted off the floor an inch or so.

“I know,” he said again.

“I need you.” She couldn’t stop. It felt too good. “I need it, I want you so bad, please,” she begged. “Please give it to me, please Dip, god, I can’t-“

“Are you gonna cum for me, Mabes?”

“Yes,” she gasped. “Yes, I’m gonna- fuck, I want your cum in me, yes-“ her wrist hurt, but she kept going. She was so close, so fucking close-

“Cum for me, I wanna hear you cum for me.”

“Dipper, ah, oh fuck, Dipper, I’m gonna-“ her body spasmed, and she fell limp.

A few seconds later, he followed her with a grunt.

It had felt so good, and Mabel felt so content for a split second, because she’d forgotten that Dipper wasn’t there with her.

The tears started to fall, and she began to sniffle. It usually ended that way. She couldn’t help it.

“Mabel,” he said with a sigh.

“I’m sorry,” she hiccuped.

“No, no,” he assured her. “I just… I wish I could be there with you.”

“I don’t care where we are as long as we’re together,” she cried softly.

“I know,” he sighed again. “But we’ll be together soon, okay? I’ve got an idea.”

“An idea?” What kind of idea, she wondered.

“Yeah, but it’s a surprise, so until I’ve got everything worked out, just be patient for me, okay?”

“Okay,” she sniffed.

“I love you,” he told her softly.

“I love you, too.”

After a few seconds, he said, “and on that note, I need to clean this jizz off my stomach before it drips all over my bed.”

She giggled. “Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”

“You’ll text me tomorrow, right?”

“Uh, doi, when don’t I?” She sniffed again. It was hard to force the silliness that usually felt natural when she felt so blargh.

“Good point,” he chuckled. “Night, then. Love you,” he said again.

“Love you, too.”

After they hung up, it took several minutes for Mabel’s body to stop tingling from her orgasm, and then several more minutes before she could stop the tears and go back to bed.

Being without him was tougher than she’d imagined.

[zoefandom127]

Part 2 of HUIYWM!!! here’s part 1

Hands Up If You’re With Me Ch. 2

"Dude, that was awesome!" Reggie spoke to Luke as the foursome ran off the stage. "Great way to end the tour. But I'm kind of sad that it's ending."

Luke shrugged while putting his arm around Julie. "Yeah, but at least I get to hang out with my favorite people." He winked down at Julie and she returned by elbowing him in the ribs with a grin.

Alex rolled his eyes. "People or person?" He implied with a raised eyebrow. "Besides, we've been stuck on a bus together for 6 months. Trust me, we do not need to spend any more time with each other. I've seen things that could break a man."

"Good thing you're not a man then." Luke snorted.

Alex laid an offended hand on his chest while the rest of the group snickered. The group rounded the corner into the backstage common room and were greeted by their manager, Macy.

"Amazing show, guys! The audience loved it." Macy smiled a warm smile as they walked into their dressing room.

"Thanks, Macy." Julie returned the warm smile and proceeded to take a seat on the armchair placed in the corner.

"Yeah, thanks Mama Mace." Reggie winked as he moved to the couch that was next to Julie His back was met with a halfhearted glare by Macy.

"Anyways, you guys are completely free this upcoming save for a talk show with Carrie Wil—,"

A collective groan was sounded throughout the room.

"Carrie?" Julie whined. "The meanest person on earth, Carrie?"

"I'm sorry but she insisted and it would look bad for you guys to reject the hottest talk show host right now."

"She's definitely hot," Reggie spoke, thoughtfully. All eyes landed on him. Julie almost had a look of disgust. "What?"

"Look," Macy put the attention back on herself with her "business voice". "I know you don't like her but whatever drama you had going on in high school needs to be put aside."

Luke saw the dejected look on Julie's face. "Hey, it's only gonna be for like an hour. What could go wrong?"

Julie pondered all of the possible scenarios of what could happen in her head with the demon that is Carrie Wilson. It may seem immature and petty to hold grudges since high school but Carrie was the one factor in her high school experience that made everything miserable for her. Especially after her mom died.

But if it's for the sake of the band...maybe she could let it go for an hour.

"Fine, but if she says anything off to me I just want to let you guys know now that my actions will not be my own at that point." Julie crossed her arms and hardened her face.

"Oh please, like you could hurt a fly." Reggie laughed.

"Hey, I can be mean!" Julie argued.

The boys looked at each other with a knowing look and busted out cackling. Julie looked to Macy but all she could do is shrug and attempt to hide the laugh bubbling up in her throat.

Julie simply huffed and leaned back in her chair. Assholes.

"Aw c'mon now we've made her mad. Jules, you want a lollipop?" Alex snickered from the left side of the long couch that held the boys. Julie stuck her tongue out at him and lifted her middle finger in his direction, resulting in more laughter.

Macy glanced at her phone and broke through their cackles. "Time to go, guys. Limo's outside."

"Oh limo. What did we do to deserve that." Reggie said as the group hopped up from their seats. They suspected that people have already gathered their stuff into the car since no one told them to get it.

"I thought you guys could use a little post-tour reward." Macy grinned, leading them back to where the car was.

...

The gang moved through the fans that crowded the exit as best as they could, stopping occasionally to make comments for paparazzi and sign autographs and take pictures with fans. There were two tall, built bodyguards at the front and back of the group to stop any handsy and assertive fans from getting too close. Usually, it would be one at each end but after an incident where Reggie lost his shirt, Luke almost got his pants ripped off and Alex practically got manhandled by a group of teenage girls, Macy thought it was best not to risk it.

Just as everyone was set into the car a persistent man with a camera arrived at Julie's side right before her door closed. Almost pushing himself inside of the car to keep the door from closing, he assembled his camera right in Julie's face and flashed it mercilessly.

Dots covered Julie's vision as she placed a hand in front of her eyes to shield them from the nearly blinding proximity of the light. Another hand, which she assumed was Luke's because he was the only other person at her side, moved her head into his shoulder to help get away from the man who was shouting at her as he continued to take pictures.

"Hey, man could you not?" Alex complained while Reggie glared hard but the man paid no attention to either of them.

The man simply continued on with his shouting at Julie. "Are you and Luke Patterson dating?"

He was basically in the car at this point, moving his camera around to try and get different angles of Julie and Luke. Julie's breathing began to escalate. Everyone knew that she was a major advocate for mental illness and that even though she's a performer, her anxiety is still very present. Especially in situations like this.

She's talked on her platform many times about what triggers her and how her anxiety and depression started after her mother died. She's explained how sometimes the chaotic energy of being in a band can get to her sometimes but it's gotten better the more time she's spent in the spotlight. Although, paparazzi brought an entirely different kind of anxiety that Julie usually tried to avoid.

Normally she would answer whatever questions she could from the annoying photographers but sometimes that wouldn't be enough for them. And though some paparazzi can be considerate and respect her wishes when she's done answering questions, most aren't as forgiving.

This guy was among the most.

"Julie Molina, are you and Luke Patterson an item?" The man grabbed Julie's arm significantly hard to try and turn her around to face the camera.

Julie's eyes widened in horror and tried to yank her arm back but the man was unrelenting. "Get off of me!"

"Just answer the question." The man growled.

Luke and Alex pulled Julie back while Reggie broke the grip of the man with a strong pull. Security came in time at the break of contact to gather up the resilient man and drag him away from the car. Reggie shut the door quickly and Luke told the chauffeur to go ahead and drive them away from the venue, his arm still around Julie's shaking form.

"Jules." Alex started, his eyes laced with worry.

"You okay?" Reggie asked in a concerned tone.

Her head was back in Luke's shoulder and her eyes were shut tightly.

Luke moved her so that she faced him, both of his hands on either side of her face. "Julie. Hey. It's okay. Breathe."

A gasp escaped her lips. She hadn't even noticed she wasn't breathing until Luke pointed it out. Luke started to speak but she couldn't hear a word. Her eyes darted around the inside of the car rapidly. She tried to take a breath but for some reason she couldn't.

"Julie." Her eyes met the source of the voice. In her frenzy, Reggie and Alex seemed to have moved behind Luke, all of their gazes were on her. "Julie, do what I do," Luke spoke in a firm voice as demonstrated a deep breath in through his nose and an exhale from his mouth

Julie followed as best as she could until her breathing became semi-regular. Luke smiled a reassuring smile at her once he saw she was regaining control. She saw the panic on all of the boys' and she desperately wanted to ease their concern.

She cracked a small smile and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Nothing like a mini panic attack to end a tour, am I right?"

The boys grinned at her happily and at her horrible attempt to make the situation lighter. Yet it worked.

"Group hug!" Reggie moved to the side of Julie that Luke wasn't on and ambushed her in a tight embrace. Alex wiggled himself in between Julie and Luke and attacked her other side in a warm hug.

"Hey, what about me?" Luke whined with a pout.

Julie rolled her eyes and opened her arms as wide as the hugs on either side of her body would allow. "Come on, you puppy." Luke beamed at her and tackled her middle without care. Julie let out a hearty laugh.

"This is nice." Reggie said. And it was.

After a nice, comfortable moment in their band embrace, Reggie spoke again. "Can we get ice cream?"

this fic is basically gonna be some jatp drabbles set in this universe. hope y’all stick around for what else i’ve got in my brain!

[emgemwritesthings]

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4... 

Chapter 5: Oh How the Turn Tables...

…He hears the gun fire and instantly feels the unseen force push him back as he falls into the wall of the warehouse as searing pain explodes in his side as he hits the ground.

He looks up in time to see the blurry silhouette of Rick charging around the corner gun in hand and letting off a shot followed by the shooters lifeless body collapsing to the floor. Rick rushes out in front of Gordon gun at the ready as T.C grabs him under the arms and lifts him up just enough to quickly drag him back into the maze of metal cargo boxes for cover away from the line of fire. He can’t stop his cry of pain at the sudden movement as his hands quickly grab at where he’d been hit. Magnum follows them closely behind, as Rick remains posted in the aisle and Higgins goes to cover their other side keeping an eye out for the last two men.

Magnum rushes to his side as T.C lowers him back to the ground propping him up against the side of the metal crate. His hands lie limply at either side of him as he tries to get a hold of his breathing.

“Talk to me man. What happened?” Magnum asks him face grim with concern.

“I-I was checking…to see if…it was…clear…got shot.” He groaned out trying to keep his eyes open as the pain began to take over his senses. The pain was unbearable. If he just closed his eyes for a second…

He’s startled by Thomas’ hand patting the side of his face.

“Hey! Stay awake. Where are you hit man? Did it hit the vest?” Magnum asks him frantically shaking him by the shoulders slightly. Katsumoto tries to clear his head enough to answer but his vision is still blurry as the pain in his side only builds.

“Gordon! Did it hit the vest?” Magnum demands as he grabs both his shoulders to get the detectives full attention.

“I don’t-I don’t know.” He manages to slur out. He closes his eyes and focuses on his breathing again.

“Gordon, can you show us where the bullet hit you?” T.C asks keeping his voice steady and calm as he tries to get a better view of his vest.

He looks down at himself for a long moment before raising his hand limply motioning to his left hip. Before he knew what was happening Magnum had his hand under the bottom for his vest quickly pulling his hand back to reveal blood.

“Shit! It just missed the vest. T.C, help me support him. We need to get him to a hospital now!” Magnum tells T.C quickly before shooting his gaze back to Katsumoto as he quickly gets Gordon out of his vest to get easier access to the wound.

“Ok man, you’re going to be fine, alright. You’re going to be fine, but we need to get you out of here.” Magnum tells him throwing the injured man’s vest to the side.

After discarding the vest, he brings his attention back to hole in his friends’ side as he grabs the hole in the fabric around the wound and tears it open. With a now clear view of where the bullet hit, he could see the full extent of the injury. Blood seeped from the wound at an alarming rate as it quickly slid off his side pooling underneath him and as he shifted the dazed man to side to get a view of his back he could see that the bullet hadn’t made an exit wound, which could only mean on thing. The bullet was still in him.

“Higgins!” Thomas whispers just loud enough for her to hear. She backs up keeping her eye on the entry into their row of shipping containers.

“Is he ok?” She asks voice full of concern but refusing to take her eyes off her post.

“No.” He says simply.

“Here.” She says shrugging off her over shirt. “Use this. It’ll do until we get to T.C’s van.” She tells him as she throws the shirt over before restationing herself.

Magnum quickly takes the crushed fabric, tears up the shirt folding up one piece before pressing it onto the wound applying pressure causing Katsumoto to yell out while T.C got started on tying the other strips around his waist to hold the patch in place. After they finished tying the makeshift bandage around his waist Thomas gives him a quick once over.

“Do you think you’ll be able to walk if T.C and I help support you?” The P.I asks his gaze full of worry for his friend.

“Yeah…I’ll be fine.” He says trying his best not to flinch as the slightest movement pulls at the wound. He may be injured but he was still a HPD officer and they were civilians which made them his responsibility. On top of that he actually classified them as his friends, well, most of the time. Though he may not say it much, he cared about all of them, and he would not forgive himself if he was the reason for any of them being put in harm’s way.

“What’s happening back there TM?” Rick asks over his shoulder keeping his eyes and gun locked on his post.

“Gordon is hit pretty bad. We’re leaving now.” He says just loud enough for his voice to reach him as he stayed on task. Magnum and T.C grab under one of his arms each getting ready to lift him up. Magnum looks over to T.C

“Ok. One, two, three.” They lift him up, Gordon doing his best to support himself with their help. They quickly pull his arms over their shoulders to stop him from collapsing back to the ground. As they get their balance Magnum pushes his hand back onto the improvised bandage to keep pressure and help slow the bleeding.

“You good to go?” Thomas asks him quietly.

“Yeah.” He replies quickly eyes squeezed shut as he tries to breathe through the new onslaught of pain.

“Ok, we’re ready to go, Higgins cover us from behind and Rick you lead the way. T.C if things start to go south you help them, and I’ll take care of Gordy.” Magnum says coordinating the groups next move.

With Rick leading the way they begin to make their way back through the warehouse. Everyone keeps an eye out for the last two men. Without warning one of the men comes rushing out from behind one of the rows of shipping containers and starts firing at them, the man barely gets three shots out before Rick guns him down. They continue to make their way back to the exit staying wary of the last of the men who had captured Higgins and Magnum. When they reached the door they had entered from, Rick stood with his back against the wall right next to the door frame while Higgins got ready to pull the door open for him. On Rick’s signal Higgins yanks the door open and Rick moves forward ready to shoot if necessary.

“Alright, coast is clear.” Rick tells them poking his head back in the doorway for a second.

Katsumoto looks up and can see Rick’s usual smirk back on his face, a good sign that they may be in the clear for the moment. As they all slowly exit the warehouse Katsumoto feels all adrenaline from the past hour leave his body. It is quickly obvious to everyone that the two people he is sandwiched between are the only thing keeping him from face planting into the gravel road.

“Let’s get you to the hospital you drama queen.” Magnum tells him with a half laugh trying to lighten the mood of the situation.

“I’ve got him, you go get the back door open.” T.C tells him giving him the keys as he repositions his grip on the Detective to take the brunt of his weight. He gives a quick nod before rushing over to the van.

“Rick, once we get into cell range call the hospital to tell them we will be arriving with a member of HPD in need of immediate medical attention.” Magnum tells him as he reaches the door of the van.

Once Magnum opens the van Higgins and Rick quickly run to the boot putting all their weapons away before Rick runs back over to T.C who is trying his best to guide Katsumoto over to the back seat of the van, but the detective was having a hard time staying on his feet and getting him into the vehicle wasn’t going to be a one man job.

“Thomas! You and Jules get in the back and we’ll pass him through to you.” Rick calls out. The two of them get in with a first aid kit they got from the boot as Rick reaches Katsumoto’s free side.

“Hey man, how are you holding up?” Rick asks before sliding under Katsumoto’s free arm to help hold him up.

“I’m…fine.” He says barely a whisper but one look at his ashen pale complexion and Rick can tell he’s about to keel over.

“T.C!” He shouts out just in time as his legs collapsed out from under him, his body becoming dead weight in their arms.

They quickly move the barely conscious man into the van Magnum and Higgins help guide him into the middle seat as T.C and Rick get into the front and start driving to the hospital. Gordon slumps back in his seat all energy leaving his body as his head falls to the side and rests on Higgins shoulder. Everything was a huge blur and he just wanted to sleep.

“What happened!?” Magnum exclaimed to Rick who is leaning over the back of his seat as T.C floored it to the hospital.

“I don’t know. One minute he was up and ok…ish. And then…” Rick tells him motioning frantically with his hands towards the Detective who was now barely awake. He then turns back to the front as he pulls his phone out to check if he has a cell signal.

“Can you go any faster?!” Higgins asks T.C as she begins to pull back the makeshift bandage. There was blood still oozing out of the wound and didn’t seem to have slowed down much at all.

“Higgy, if it went any faster, I would be driving faster.” T.C tells her frustration clear in his voice.

“Gordon? Hey! Can you hear me man? Can you open your eyes for me?” Thomas says giving the wounded man’s shoulder a gentle shake.

His eyes open half lidded and glazed over as he tries to focus on his surroundings.

“What happened?” He slurs as his eyes look around the van before settling on Thomas and Higgins.

“You were shot back at the warehouse, remember?” Higgins tells him gently. “We are driving to the hospital now but I’m doing my best to clean the wound out and stop the bleeding until we get there.” Higgins tells him as she quickly works on cleaning out and redressing the wound.

“You have to stay awake till we get to the hospital. You got that?” Magnum tells him face stern and demanding. He tries his best to nod his head still resting on Higgins shoulder, this was probably the most serious he’s seen the P.I his muffled mind thinks to itself.

“Hospital is 10 minutes out do you think he’ll be ok till then?”

“I don’t know, just keep driving.” Magnum tells him.

“A-Are you and Higgins…Ok?” He manages to slur out as he tries to sit up straighter finally able to remember the reason they were at the warehouse in the first place.

“Gordon we are fine, now try and relax and stop moving so I can slow the bleeding.” Higgins tells him as she secures a gauze pad onto the wound with a bandage she is wrapping tightly around him.

“Yes!” They all hear Rick call out before starting speak more quietly into the phone. “Listen we need are driving to Queens right now, we have an injured HPD Detective who is immediate need of medical attention.” He says into the phone pausing to listen to the operator on the other end of the call as he steals quickly glances at the injured man behind him. “…he is still conscious, yes…He was shot just above his left hip…We are doing our best to slow the bleeding, but it doesn’t seem to be doing much…We are about 10 minutes out…Thank you.” He says before hanging up on the call.

“You…You are going to have to call HPD. Get someone…to take…to get a state…statement from you and Magnum.” Gordon pants out lifting his hand in their general direction before having to stop to catch his breath.

“Take it easy man.” Magnum says pushing him gently back against the seat. “We can worry about that later.” He tells him while sending a silent look of worry over to Higgins.

“No…” Gordon says stubbornly pushing himself off the back of the seat again. “I need to report back what’s…what’s going on. That one of the men got away...we could still have a…chance at catch…” He stops suddenly crying out in pain as he collapses back into the seat.

“Stop moving! You’re going to make the bleeding worse!” Rick shouts turning around leaning over the back of his seat trying to help keep him resting against his seat. Magnum keeps a hand on one of his shoulder pinning him to the seat.

“We will call HPD once we get you to the hospital. Ok?” T.C tells him, his eyes still glued to the road.

He looks at them and decides there is no use in arguing and sinks back into his seat breathing through the pain. Another few seconds go by before the edges of his eyes start to turn go fuzzy grey. He tries to blink the haziness in his eyes away, but it only makes it worse, as the seconds go by the darkness quickly closes in around his vision. His head feels empty as the last of his energy leaves him and then he’s falling to his side. He hears the muffle sound of shouting as blurry shapes move above him. He feels something grabbing at him by the shoulders and shaking him but it’s too dark to see what and soon everything around him faded into silent empty state of darkness.

[someonefantastic]

I Think I’ve Broken Something

Okay this entire fic was inspired by one scene in The Polarizing Express and then got taken in a totally different direction than originally planned because Julie inspired me to write more Gus and Juliet friendship. So anyways, enjoy! Summary: Police cruisers are supposed to be safe, especially for the people inside of them. Except this time Shawn, Gus, and Juliet aren't safe. Not even a little. Warnings: car crash, blood, broken bones, dislocation also on ao3 ____

“Gus, I’m going to remember this.” Shawn pouted from the backseat of the cruiser.

“Shawn quit being a baby, he won fair and square.” Juliet pointed out.

“No, he didn’t! The rules of shotgun are different when it’s your girlfriend driving.”

Gus narrowed his eyes, turning around to face his friend, “No they’re not! They’re the exact same regardless of who is driving the vehicle. You’re just salty.”

“You’re salty.”

“Guys!”

The three of them were following a lead on their latest case. Due to the blueberry being in the shop and Juliet’s VW Beetle not being the best form of police transportation, she had secured a cruiser for their use. Unfortunately, that also meant fighting over who gets to sit in shotgun.

“I feel like a perp back here,” Shawn whined, fingers clutching onto the wire grate.

“You look like an idiot,” Gus mumbled, earning a glare from his best friend.

He turned his attention to his girlfriend, eyebrows waggling, “Jules, is this sexy? Like I’m your suspect and you're the cop and you’re going to have to put the screws to me?”

She rolled her eyes, slowing to a stop at a quiet intersection, “Sure Shawn, it’s very attractive.”

Next to her, Gus made a face, “You do realize you’re just encouraging him.”

She gave a half shrug, “He needs it.”

“Hey!”

“If it makes you feel any better, I like it when you’re in the backseat.” A soft smile played on her lips, “Whenever I look at my rearview mirror I get to see your face.”

He grinned, “If it weren’t for these bars- and Gus- I would so kiss you right now.”

She smiled at him, catching his eyes through the mirror as they shared a look.

“You’re clear on the left.” Gus’ words snapped her attention back to the road.

“Dude, you don’t always have to point out when someone is clear.”

“I’m just trying to make sure we don’t get honked at. It is a bad image for a driver who is turning right to be stopped at a clear intersection for longer than thirty seconds.”

Sure enough, her left side was clear and she eased her foot off the break, beginning to turn.

“There wasn’t even anyone behind us!”

“Guys!” Juliet glanced to her left, briefly considering glaring at them but it was lost as she noticed a pickup truck barreling at them- blowing through their red light as they took a sharp left turn. Her eyes widened, “Brace yourselves!”

They didn’t have time to respond before the truck slammed into them. The force was so great that the wheels left the ground and they were momentarily suspended. Whirling around she reached for Shawn’s hand through the bars. For a brief second their fingers touched a gentle reminder of security. Then the car hit the ground and they were jerked away.

They crashed and slid, the metal grinding on the road as they slid off the edge. Jerking, they slid down the side of a ditch before coming to a stop at the bottom, the car having been stopped by the edge of a forest.

The quiet that followed was unnerving. A sort of faux calmness. As she slowly opened her eyes, she groaned, a ringing in her ears.

The first thing she saw was that the grass and sky seemed to have flipped. That either meant she had a severe concussion, which was possible, or the car had landed upside down. She went with the latter as she leaned forward to switch off the car. Thankfully that little bit of training she remembered.

A groan by her side caught her attention as Gus cracked open his eyes, palm pressed firmly against his head. He seemed relatively okay but she couldn’t be too sure.

Behind her, a small thud echoed and she heard someone gasp sharply.

“Shawn,” Her voice was concerned but she didn’t risk turning around. At least not until they assessed the situation. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing babe, I just-” She could hear him inhale through his teeth, “I think I’ve broken something.”

“I think I’ve broken everything,” Gus moaned, hands going to his seatbelt.

“Nobody move,” She instructed, causing him to freeze. “We need to make sure none of us have any major injuries. If we move, that could hurt us more. Gus you first.”

“I don’t think anything is broken. I’m sore and going to be bruised but aside from hitting my head, I’m fine.”

“Thank goodness,” She breathed. The less injured they were, the better.

“How about you?”

Slowly flexing and moving her limbs, she hissed as her left arm was jostled. “I think I dislocated my shoulder. Otherwise, I’m in the same boat as you.”

“Shoot,” He muttered, “That’s not good.”

“Could be worse.”

As he nodded in agreement, she turned her head, “Shawn, how are you doing?” When he didn’t respond, she turned more, craning to look at him. “Shawn?”

Gus followed her movements as they frantically looked around. “I can’t see him.”

“Crap.” She pressed her hands against the roof, feet flat on the floor before using one hand to undo her seatbelt.

“What are you doing? I thought we were to stay put?”

“If something’s wrong with Shawn, we’re going to have bigger problems.” She explained, easing herself down to the ground and pulling on the door handle.

He followed her actions, echoing her movements until he could also pull on his door.

“Shoot, it’s stuck.”

“Mine too,” She scowled. Shifting her legs, she pressed them against the frame. “Okay, it’s moving a little. I’m gonna try to kick it open.”

Not waiting for his response, she kicked as hard as she could, ignoring the way her muscles protested. “Come. On. Almost. There.” With each word she grunted, her feet hit the door again and again. With one giant blow, it cracked open, just enough for her and Gus to get out.

Wasting no time, they shimmed out of the car, doing their best to avoid the broken glass that littered the ground. Crawling over to the back of the car, they both gasped, eyes going wide.

The backdoor was pushed in, metal twisted and concave. Glass spilled over the roof from the broken window and Shawn lay awkwardly in the middle, leg twisted at an odd angle. Blood poured down the side of his face and his eyes were closed.

Gus and Juliet exchanged frantic looks.

“He must’ve unbuckled.” She bit her lip, scanning his motionless body.

“Shawn...” His eyes darted over the scene. “We’ve got to get him out.”

She shook her head, “If we move him, we risk hurting him more. We’ll just have to wait for the paramedics to arrive.” Fear grew tight in her belly as she looked at her unconscious boyfriend. “Though we should try to stop the bleeding.”

Beginning to shed her suit coat, she winced, the movement pulling at her arm. She tugged again, pausing as a hand was placed on her shoulder. “Here, let me.” Quickly Gus pulled off his jacket, handing it to her before she crawled inside.

“How’s he looking?” He asked as she positioned herself above him, gently pulling his head into her lap.

“Not great. It’s a lot of blood. But head injuries are known for that sort of thing so we won’t know for sure until he gets looked at.”

She tenderly pressed the jacket to his head, frowning as he whimpered. “It’s okay Shawn, it’s okay, I’ve got you.”

With her free hand, she gently brushed his hair away from his forehead before running her fingers across his scalp. Whenever he got migraines or was worn out from a case, she would brush his hair until he fell asleep. It was calming, a peaceful and intimate moment for the two of them. He would always joke that he must’ve lucked out pretty hard to get a girlfriend who loved his hair as much as he did.

“Uh, Juliet?” Gus called from outside, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“I think we need to get Shawn out.”

She shot him a look. “I told you, we can’t risk it.”

“I think we’re going to have to.” He replied, bending down to look at her. “There must’ve been a leak. If the super-sniffer isn’t wrong, and it never is, we don’t have much time before the car blows up.”

She was sure she stopped breathing, heart beating frantically in her ears. Glancing down, she took in Shawn’s pale face, the crimson only serving to accentuate his unnatural complexion. Moving him would be dangerous but she wouldn’t leave him. They were going to get out of this.

“Okay. Moving him will be tricky since we don’t know the extent of his injuries. We’ll have to be mindful of his leg and head and possibly his ribs. Who knows what happened to him in the crash.”

He nodded, biting his lip.

“We don’t have time to make a splint…” She slipped one arm out of her suit coat before grabbing the end and biting down as she removed the other sleeve. Fire shot from her shoulder and spread down her arm causing tears to prick in her eyes.

After a few seconds of deep breathing, she tossed the coat to him, “Use this to sort of tie his legs together. It’ll have to do for now.”

Shooting her a sympathetic look, he did as she instructed, eyes returning to her when he finished. Wrapping Gus’ jacket around Shawn’s head, she tucked her arms under his, supporting his head against her chest. “This is going to be difficult but I need you to pull his legs out as best you can. If we go slow, we should be able to move him out without hurting him too much.”

Gus nodded again, wrapping his arms around the unconscious man’s legs, doing his best to avoid gripping too hard on his bad one. The seconds ticked by as they cautiously began to move Shawn’s body out the broken window. Glass cut at her knees and her arm screamed with every movement but she had to get him out- had to get him safe. Her eyes never left Shawn, even as they pulled him outside, sighing with relief as her legs hit the grass. “We did it.”

“We still need to move.” Gus pointed out, eyeing the overturned squad car with increased worry.

She nodded, moving to Shawn’s side. Biting her lip, she wrapped one arm across his back, supporting his head against her shoulder and tucking her other arm under his legs. She took a deep breath, stifling a yelp as she lifted him. The fire was back, burning hotter than ever but if they were to move fast, she’d need to carry him.

Gus stood to the side, watching her with wide eyes. “Wow.”

She tilted her head towards the trees. “Go!”

The two of them began to stumble frantically away from the car, their limbs aching in protest. Ducking behind some trees, they pressed their backs into the bark as a loud bang echoed around them. Resounding thuds soon followed as debris rained down, a district crackling in the distance, the smell of burning filling the air.

Breathing heavily, Gus helped Juliet ease Shawn to the ground, his head winding up cradled in her lap. Letting out a deep breath, he slid down next to her, eyeing his best friend with worry.

“How are we going to get out of this?”

She looked up at him, blue eyes reflecting his fear. “I don’t know.”

[punkscowardschampions]

Janis & Jimmy

Janis: 👍? Jimmy: you? Janis: what kind of answer isn't that, boy 😏 Jimmy: what kind of question were it in the first place, girl? Janis: honestly, try and be a good host Janis: you just want me to be shit Jimmy: that's not what I want Janis: Go on, you've got me interested Jimmy: What, you're not riveted by Gracie's IRL storytime? 😱😱 Janis: if I was, I'd be subscribed Jimmy: OMG you're NOT suchanathlete69??! Jimmy: that's awkward Janis: Catfished again Janis: unlucky, mate Jimmy: did wonder why you were saving your best chat for them late night 🗨 we were having Janis: 🙄 Hilarious Janis: obviously you'd have got none if I'd have known you were coolguy666 Jimmy: 💔 Janis: I know Janis: welcome for the pain for your art Jimmy: #whenyourmusenevertakesadayoff Janis: this is a business trip Jimmy: owe you a golf holiday, I know Jimmy: gonna have to proper unwind for a bit as only a rich girl can Janis: No, no Janis: golf trips are boys only clubs Janis: 💔 💀👑 Jimmy: poor baby Janis: please never call her that Jimmy: you don't think it's a goer? reckon she'd 💕 it Janis: 🤢 Janis: she doesn't 💕 you, soz Jimmy: I'd obvs say it in her daddy's accent, not that thick Janis: Stop 😂 Janis: we cannot afford to pull over Jimmy: he ain't driving that fast, let's just jump out Janis: I know her voice IS that annoying Jimmy: could easily drown her out, mine's worse Janis: nah Janis: no 🥇 for you on that one Jimmy: [nudges her like rude] Janis: [nudges him back like it's a compliment, idiot] Jimmy: [a look like it's not one of your best 😏] Janis: [a look like you want my best rn?] Jimmy: [a LOOK] Janis: [just the longest LOOK back ever but then looking at the fam like 😒 ugh] Jimmy: [just touching her 😒 face so she's looking at him again like forget them] Janis: [makes a lil noise like oh, but then so 😍] Jimmy: [a lil kiss but really soft and quick so nobody else notices] Janis: you are so Jimmy: you are Janis: no you Jimmy: [kisses her again less softly or quickly because no you] Janis: [goes in like dgaf fam] Jimmy: [y'all can deal we know Grace is the only one who's bothered and she's seen worse/is chatting away] Janis: better? Jimmy: how do you want me to answer that? Janis: truthfully Janis: obvs Jimmy: [shakes his head because we know any time they kiss he just wants to kiss more #mood but she could read that no as he's not gonna answer] Janis: [is a bit like ?? but shrugs like okay] Jimmy: [I like to think he's about to say something but then his phone is going off cos all that fam drama whenever he goes anywhere] Janis: [just sitting there, not knowing what the craic is #always] Jimmy: [sums up this era so accurately] Janis: do you reckon that lot are even in the car yet Jimmy: probably still trying to fit the tall one's body in the boot Janis: great Janis: HATE when you have to wait for the gals to decapitate ⏲😩 Jimmy: I'll tell 'em to crack on Janis: 'cos they always listen to you Jimmy: duh Janis: you'll need at least (1) sports car for those privileges Jimmy: better get to nicking one then Janis: oh yeah Janis: gonna be loads rocking up Jimmy: Challenge accepted, Jules Janis: know I said it was a business trip Janis: but gonna be suspicious if you don't at least pretend to enjoy the tunes Jimmy: 🥇 but it'll still be a stretch Janis: you got this, babe Jimmy: 🏆💪 Janis: all tight tanks and short shorts, is it Janis: gotcha Jimmy: [😏] Jimmy: can't bully you into wearing pjs everywhere Janis: too right Janis: well soft, you Jimmy: [pushes her like oi but deliberately really softly] Janis: [😏] Janis: I might've brought a pair Janis: if you're lucky Jimmy: don't sound like me, that Jimmy: not a paddy Janis: then I'm gonna be well cold in our tent tonight Jimmy: not gonna let that happen Jimmy: what kind of fake boyfriend would do Janis: one who's busy jacking cars maybe Jimmy: fancy cars have heated seats, you'll be alright Jimmy: on or off my lap Janis: on Janis: thanks Jimmy: [pulls her onto his lap now so casually] Janis: [snuggles into him as casually like, could be warmer] Jimmy: [puts his arms around her like he's doing it for warmth but we know he's just pulling her closer too] Janis: alright, I'll trust you Jimmy: alright, I might be a bit lucky Janis: you can be Jimmy: [such a LOOK] Janis: I can't wait to be alone with you again Jimmy: you sure we can't pull over? Janis: can you reach the break from here? Janis: [reaching her leg over like she's gonna but they are obviously nowhere near] Jimmy: [just looking at her like well you moving about is not helping] Janis: [is fully aware and enjoying it herself] Jimmy: [whispers in her ear that he hates her because we can't say what we really wanna say] Janis: [#into it and having to do the most to hide it from the whole van rn] Janis: you're so rude Jimmy: how am I? Jimmy: it's you Janis: you started it Jimmy: it's your fault Janis: it's not my fault you look like that Janis: or feel like Jimmy: but you're so Jimmy: that's nowt to do with me Janis: it's everything to do with you Jimmy: alright maybe a bit Jimmy: I just Janis: I know Jimmy: do you? Janis: [a LOOK up like don't I?] Jimmy: [just gonna kiss her so you don't say something you shouldn't thank you boy] Janis: [a moment] Janis: Me too Jimmy: [looking at her because she's so beautiful it's killing us all] Janis: [when you can never keep looking as long as he can so you move somehow closer to hide] Jimmy: [making it so she has to look at you, excuse you sir cos you're shamelessly hot about it, as if all the eye contact in the world will do the job of telling her you love her so you don't have to do it #ifonly] Janis: [when you literally cannot and you go way too hard 'cos you have no other option because what can you say] Jimmy: [excuse them rn everyone, thank god Grace is loud af whether she's still talking or blasting music or both lol] Janis: [at least the camper does offer a degree of privacy too you two are clearly in the back alone] Jimmy: [mhmm you're all very welcome for that] Janis: ['can you be quiet?' when you're so serious suddenly 'cos the need is so real] Jimmy: [nods but like can you actually boy I am less convinced] Janis: [do your best lads 'cos we doing this regardless tbh] Jimmy: [you must've been pretty quiet in that kitchen the other day as his brother and sister were in the next room then, you can do this] Janis: [we believe in you, in his ear whilst she can still trust herself to whisper though, 'I'm gonna make it so hard for you'] Jimmy: [already biting his lip because you can't be making a noise that fast #challengeaccepted but he obvs wants to and would've] Janis: [biting his ear lobe at the same time 'cos forever a thing now for all those #mems 'it was never hard to fake this part, you know' 'cos we all know that was never fake 'cept the very first time 'you're so fucking wantable'] Jimmy: ['its so different with you' even as a whisper you can imagine how his voice sounds cos as much as he meant that like he's so over all the girls in his DMs telling him how hot he is etc that 100% isn't ALL he means, likewise he doesn't just mean this is so different from the fake and we all know it #emotions] Janis: [when it's obviously exactly the same for you and it's been known since the first kiss so it throws you when he says it 'cos still just think you're broken or something at this point and you really wanna ask really so he says it again but you don't wanna give yourself away so you just go in 'cos you need all the moments] Jimmy: [safer that both of you don't talk for a bit tbh] Janis: [deffo gonna be saying his name though like it's the only word you know casually] Jimmy: [so into it, she was not wrong about making it hard for him to shhhh] Janis: [so into that, soz to everyone else we know they do not care] Jimmy: [glad as I am Harold is not turning up at this festival always a bit gutted because you need to know just how much you can't compete sir] Janis: [foreals, though it should be obvious with how hard you're being ignored/she's not hitting you up] Jimmy: [just Mia in his DMs what a downgrade] Janis: [when even her intentions aren't pure, poor boy lmao] Jimmy: [I'm sure there's also loads of girls from your own school, I don't feel sorry for you boy] Janis: [no one should] Jimmy: [he's a bad egg] Janis: [and not even bringing it sexually, rude] Jimmy: [he and Mia so #fated cos she's obvs not either] Janis: [imagine they got together together if Mia wasn't cray] Jimmy: [they're getting as together as she ever does, being in love with her dad and everything, like he'll last longer than anyone else has] Janis: [awh, get married guys] Jimmy: [thank god they can't have babies cos imagine] Janis: [gutted y'all won't be invited to the wedding and baby shower] Jimmy: [so glad she's as barren so she can't have a child just to hurt Grace when that all comes out] Janis: [the levels of petty] Jimmy: [she'd be gutted she can't force one of the others to do it] Janis: [do not need that level of drama ty ladies] Jimmy: [anyway is there any other shit we wanna do with JJ before they get there?] Janis: [we know the vibe, in their happy bubble now 'til they have to deal with the flat whites again] Jimmy: [ignore your fam for as long as you can as well boy, you need a break] Janis: [do we wanna hit the flat white points in here or ref on socials or a mix of?] Jimmy: [we can probably do both cos plenty of slagging off of them to be done] Janis: [right, what do we wanna do first, what makes most sense, Asia maybe, or Mia] Jimmy: [we said that Mia hits that first aid tent pretty fast for the attention so we could do that first] Janis: [lego 👍] Janis: don't you fancy being 🥇 nurse? Janis: sure you can plump a pillow better than any of them 😏 Jimmy: that'll be why I'm legging it in the other direction Jimmy: she's getting too used to having me about as is Jimmy: and I've only got a 💀💀💀 pact with you Jimmy: unless 👵👴💕 come asking Janis: treat 'em mean is her whole thing, she'll 👀 your game from a mile off, like Janis: and I'll keep mine out for any 👵👴 that are down with the kids Jimmy: 🤞 Janis: d'ya reckon we could convince her 💊 were sleeping tabs or Jimmy: challenge accepted Janis: though if she tells me she loves me, I will need the med tent for real 🤢 Jimmy: me an' all Jimmy: 💔 Janis: don't lie Janis: all you want is her love, be like you doubled your dose Jimmy: steady on Jimmy: can't all pile into first aid Janis: not getting in no tent with them again Janis: the ☁ of fucking glitter and 'perfume' was worse than tear gas Janis: gonna have flashbacks Jimmy: Baby Jimmy: I get it, you already ✨ eh, vampire girl Janis: any more glow would just be showing off Janis: not like me, obvs Jimmy: don't sound like you at all Jimmy: [but kisses her] Janis: you tryna save me, yeah Jimmy: got some first aid skills of my own Jimmy: 🏆 Janis: [😏] Janis: can we keep that between us Janis: or they'll all be faking it Jimmy: they were warned only one of you is getting mouth to mouth ages ago Janis: her man ain't here so Janis: you're well in Jimmy: ⏲💔😭 Jimmy: [playfully pushes her out of the way like I g2g] Janis: me that's 💔💔💔 Janis: dickhead Jimmy: [pulls her into a hug that's meant to be OTT but is just real] Janis: [when you can't even pretend to push him away] Jimmy: ['I told you ages ago, I just want you' as a whisper in her ear but with kisses in between the words like the first time he said it for those mems] Janis: [the 😍 are so real, at least they must be somewhere nearby but definitely not for their benefit really we know 'good'] Jimmy: [we know he's giving them back] Janis: [they need to be dragged to an artist they 100% don't wanna see rn] Jimmy: [10000% cos for him that's literally all of them and I vote she sees community service girl with her 📷 but she doesn't see them cos busy and Janis makes sure Jimothy don't see her lol lol] Janis: [tbh, we all know there's ways of doing that, namely dancing with him, even if the music is far too shit so you have to make your own rhythm] Jimmy: [he's only got 👀s for her at the best of times so it's really not a challenge to distract him lol] Janis: [this can be when Ella freaks out too, when you and Mia just wanna be alone in the tent lmao you seem SO gay] Jimmy: [oh ladies] Janis: 🖖🕙✂ Jimmy: ? Janis: contenders for love's young dream Jimmy: you and Mr Lucas got a better shot Jimmy: 🎯💕 Janis: sure, he's less 💀 than them but young is still a stretch Jimmy: he's too young for me Janis: who isn't Janis: dead fussy Jimmy: we can't all be as unfussy as the #squad Jimmy: 💀#2 excluded Janis: you can say slags, it's alright Janis: never hear you over this racket Jimmy: [shouts it because that nerd] Janis: [loling] Jimmy: didn't have their hearing checked Jimmy: shit nursing that Janis: your standards are very high, it's been known Janis: [OTT smug face like look at me] Jimmy: [twirls her around because nerd] Janis: [fully have a nerdy dance moment and knock into people be those dicks 'cos the level you do not care about anyone else ever] Jimmy: [literally nobody else here as far as you two are concerned] Janis: [until we blow that up anyway] Jimmy: [speaking of I like to think Grace is starting to put the moves on whatever guy she ends up pulling to annoy Mia cos not there to stop her] Janis: [telling her all about his band and set, like how fascinating] Jimmy: [the fam she's grown up in, boy she knows] Janis: [when you realize none of 'em are paying attention now, Asia's probably missing and the two left are flirting so you see your chance] Janis: wanna go find some overpriced food n drink? Jimmy: stop calling me fat OMG 😱😱 Janis: [pokes his non-existent belly 'cos you ain't even with how much you smoke/general decent genetics, lucky] Janis: that's what we 💗 about you Janis: make us look better Jimmy: first off, Asia couldn't look any better, tah very much 👻💕 Jimmy: second, piss off you Janis: 🤞 an opportune date rapist has thought so too and we won't have to see her 'til tomorrow Janis: [going in the direction of the food trucks etc] Jimmy: [following her obvs] Janis: [holding her hand back like 'don't get lost'] Jimmy: [giving her look like he might find Asia but boy we all know you'd be gutted instead of thrilled if you did, stop playing] Janis: [gesturing with your free hand like be my guest, but 😒 face with it] Jimmy: [return of the pouty lip kiss thing because he can't even pretend he wants anyone else at this point] Janis: [enjoy your moment being so in everyone's way in this crowd] Jimmy: [we know you love it] Janis: [stay back community service gal] Jimmy: [we're not ready for you yet hun] Janis: [well you are gonna have to shoot your shot soon 'cos this is only a weekend but ignoring you rn thanks 'cos full on alone time 'cos the flat whites are being messy by themselves] Jimmy: [soz jj have gotta do the most so it's the most awkward when you do appear] Janis: [oosh she's gonna be so mad, already mad you're here like no you ain't allowed lol] Jimmy: [like I think she should do something at the last possible moment so then it's like raw af when they gotta leave] Janis: [I vibe] Jimmy: [so for now you can be happy nerds until Asia's bf appears and is like ??] Janis: [oh sir, you don't even know] Jimmy: [they'd both be so relieved you're not Harry though tbh] Janis: [#bffs probably checking his socials so hard making sure he looks busy somewhere else like] Jimmy: [she can be doing that while he's having a text argument with either his dad or sister casually] Janis: [awkward if he saw that out of context] Jimmy: [OMG should we] Janis: [why not yo] Jimmy: [let's say he goes to take her phone to look at something on Cass' socials cos she's blocked him as a fuming 12 year old would and that's how he sees it cos you know he's not gonna ask if he can borrow it just take it like a rude hoe] Janis: [when you're just like excuse me, taking it back 'cos you lowkey aren't even thinking how that looks] Jimmy: [looking at her like EXCUSE YOU cos of how it does look] Janis: [taking what would seem like a rude amount of time to get it like ? then just pshing like oh please] Janis: checking he ain't coming Jimmy: 👍 Janis: really Janis: what is up with you? Jimmy: [just shaking his head because fuming] Janis: ['what?' and a look like I know this cannot be about him rn] Jimmy: leave it out Janis: you can read my messages if you like, 'cos I ain't sent him none Jimmy: I don't wanna read whatever bollocks he reckons is top 🍑📞 Jimmy: you're alright Janis: yeah, me either Jimmy: don't wanna hear your protests either Jimmy: @ Bill's 👻 Janis: Don't be a dick 🙄 Jimmy: you only about it when he's doing it? Janis: yeah, obviously Jimmy: 👌 Janis: seriously Janis: so you're gonna be in a mood now, for what Jimmy: for what? Jimmy: are you serious? Janis: I told you why I was looking at his shit, why do you have an issue with that? Jimmy: you weren't gonna say nowt til I caught you at it Jimmy: how's that to start with? Janis: don't make it sound like something it ain't Janis: it's irrelevant as long as he's not showing up, that's why Jimmy: bollocks Jimmy: you being glued to your screen ain't irrelevant Janis: for fuck's sake Janis: I'm not glued to my screen Jimmy: not now, dickhead Janis: oh, you want me to be loving this convo more Jimmy: 🙄 Janis: wow, please tell me more Janis: 😍 Jimmy: go back to working out where he is Jimmy: never seen you care so much about owt else Janis: because I don't want to fucking see him Jimmy: check out his socials a bit harder while you're saying that Jimmy: see if you can really take the piss Janis: [walking off from wherever they're currently situated] Janis: fuck this then Jimmy: Great talk, babe Janis: don't talk to me then Janis: and don't fucking babe me Janis: as bad as that lot now Jimmy: Yeah I got the message that you don't wanna 🗨 Jimmy: could always block me like you ain't done him Janis: What do you want me to say then Janis: 'cos you ain't listened to fuck all I have Jimmy: I heard you Janis: don't believe me then Jimmy: you easy could've said to me, check he ain't coming Janis: why would I when I can do it myself and not bother you Jimmy: you don't wanna see him, there's a reason Janis: he's a prick? Jimmy: is that a question? Janis: hardly Jimmy: you think I can't handle him or what? Janis: Obviously not Janis: you did, didn't you Jimmy: what then? Janis: it didn't make any sense to me to have you thinking about him and if he might come and all Janis: that's it Jimmy: like I weren't Janis: well that can't be put on me Janis: or do, whatever Jimmy: I give a shit about what you do and don't want Jimmy: do what you want with that Janis: then believe me when I say I don't want him Jimmy: Alright Janis: is it or not Jimmy: I said alright Jimmy: come back Janis: not yet Jimmy: please Janis: don't do that Jimmy: I'm sorry Janis: it's fine Janis: whatever Jimmy: it's not Janis: I just need Janis: some fresh air Jimmy: I get it, everyone's doing my head in but you Jimmy: I didn't mean to do yours in an' all Janis: you mean 'til you caught me hoeing I weren't Janis: are you alright? Jimmy: I mean you weren't, that's why I said it Jimmy: you're not Jimmy: I were doing my own head in about that dickhead, you did nowt Janis: we can count him as a no-show, anyway Janis: not stalking him in vain Jimmy: yeah Janis: don't make me sound as cliche to say he ain't worth the mental energy Jimmy: don't make me sound as cliche as some dickhead who's only bothered by a bigger dickhead Janis: he's just some dickhead Janis: this town is full of 'em Jimmy: like I said Jimmy: ain't got the 🎻🎻 out for him Janis: well I don't need it, tah Jimmy: not playing you a song either, girl Janis: yeah, I noticed you didn't answer my question Jimmy: probably don't need answering then Janis: your mood is obvious, obvs Janis: you could give me a why Jimmy: I did Jimmy: I said everyone's doing my head in Janis: yeah Janis: beyond the obvious everyone and their standard annoying bullshit or Jimmy: depends Janis: depends on what Jimmy: what else you've noticed Jimmy: I dunno what's obvious to you or what bullshit you reckon is my standard Janis: 🔎🔎 Janis: that'd be telling Jimmy: there you go then Janis: take some of their drink Janis: doing them and us a favour Jimmy: 👍 Janis: it'll make you feel better Jimmy: weren't arguing Jimmy: no need to convince me, mate Janis: it's my calling Jimmy: don't give up 🏃 Janis: most people hear have heard the good word Janis: then some, state of 'em Jimmy: but have they heard Bill's? Janis: it's his 🌍 babe Janis: we're all just players Jimmy: I know Jimmy: I'm already a fan Janis: hipster scum Jimmy: it's my calling Janis: 😏 Jimmy: 😎🚬 Janis: good idea too Janis: don't need to tell you that though Jimmy: just did Janis: do plenty of things I don't need to Jimmy: you wanting a 🏆 for that or what? Janis: you wanted me to come back a second ago, dickhead Jimmy: I still want you to come back Janis: then don't sass me Janis: you are well becoming one of them Jimmy: saying that ain't gonna stop me wanting you back Jimmy: however many times you compare me to them slags Janis: shout it again so I know it's real? Jimmy: [does] Janis: [comes back from wherever she was, not that far away like 👏] Jimmy: [just looking at her like he hasn't seen her for a thousand years] Janis: [just coming over and hugging him in a way that is clearly genuine] Jimmy: [hugging her back really tightly even if he has to put that stolen vodka down to do it] Janis: ['I just want you too, alright'] Jimmy: [when you gotta kiss her because overwhelmed by emotions because we only got that cheating ex is our past no ride or die and no crying at the festival boy] Janis: [we just always kissing so we can't admit the obvious right now god bless] Jimmy: [both of you acting like you're shit with words but we know the truth is you're scared to say anything too hardcore because you're not shit with words at all] Janis: [mhmm] Jimmy: [just not letting her go cos you're a clingy bitch] Janis: [doing that thing where you're backwards and just let him walk you around as one to cheer him] Jimmy: [feeding her some vodka because why let her do it herself when you can and make it a moment] Janis: [#aboutit even if you gotta be like 😏 'you trying to get me drunk?'] Jimmy: ['not much of a challenge that' forever calling her a pisshead and/or lighweight but smiling] Janis: ['wrong twin' and an OTT pissed off face whilst you return the vodka favour] Jimmy: [loling don't choke boy] Janis: ['I don't find it funny, thank you very much' but not actually mad] Jimmy: [tickling her to try and make her laugh too] Janis: [tryna escape but not that hard moment] Jimmy: [you know he's gotta make it hot and pin her up against something soz not soz] Janis: [when those #mems hit and you're 😳] Jimmy: [telling her you missed her even though she was only gone for a hot sec cos you're highkey] Janis: ['you are such a headfuck' followed by the most torturously slow kiss ever 'cos this whole situation got you like] Jimmy: [SUCH a noise because torture is right] Janis: [going at it like you're mad at him] Jimmy: [enjoy it cos we gonna make all that Asia drama happen soon] Janis: [oh Asia you fool, I like to think the people who's tent you're in don't even know that you're there like they're just chilling with a BBQ or whatever] Jimmy: [same though] Janis: [but your mans clearly thinks you're cheating on him so you getting dumped, poor hoe] Jimmy: [Mia and Ella would have totally encouraged him to believe that] Janis: [gotta let them have some victories, sadly] Jimmy: [I do love what a shit time you anorexic gays are clearly having though] Janis: [yes, overall this has been worth it, not that JJ are gonna care about that once we fuck this all up with community service girl but still] Jimmy: [soz lads] Janis: [hohaha it works out in the end so got to be done] Jimmy: [you gotta be pushed or you'll be fwb until you're like 23] Janis: [and there are babies to be had just you wait lmao] Jimmy: [beautiful af babies] Janis: [but for today, Asia drama pops off] Jimmy: [when he's gonna be worried cos he's a good boy not because he's 😍 thank you gals] Janis: [the level of 👀 they'll all be] Jimmy: [like soz he's triggered by her just disappearing shut your mouths ladies] Janis: [all be looking and shouting and pissing people off who are tryna kip probably like be those hoes] Jimmy: [how drunk the flat whites are I can't even] Janis: [Janis like 'I'll stay here in case she comes back' 'cos cannot be seen with them/does not care about Asia we all know lol] Jimmy: [when you don't wanna be separated but you have to go look because the squad can't be trusted to do fuck all rn] Janis: Godspeed Jimmy: Tah Janis: don't let lizard boy get in a punch up Janis: 'less you're gonna film it for me Jimmy: he couldn't throw a punch if you 💰 him, rich girl Jimmy: but if some dickhead gives him a smack, I'll obvs get my 📷 out Janis: maybe I will Janis: make it worth him coming down Jimmy: 👍 Janis: what's 👎 Jimmy: what kind of question's that? Janis: what do you mean Jimmy: what I said Janis: are you actually worried about her Jimmy: shut up Janis: fuck off telling me to shut up Janis: you know she's just carrying on the party somewhere else Jimmy: 🙄 Janis: fine Janis: be a dick Jimmy: lasses first Janis: what, 'cos I'm not gonna freak out over wherever Asia is sucking dick and getting more white-girl wasted Jimmy: just leave it out Janis: have fun with that then Janis: 🙄 Jimmy: 👌 Janis: had no idea you were such an amateur Jimmy: Piss off Janis: really Janis: see if Mia needs anything whilst you're at it, like Jimmy: yeah alright Janis: 👌 Jimmy: in a bit then Janis: if you're lucky Janis: depends if you're personally gonna check every tent Jimmy: stop being a dickhead Janis: I'm not, you're being a mug Jimmy: 🎻🎻 Janis: idc, and you clearly love it Jimmy: obvs Jimmy: living laughing loving, me Jimmy: having a top time with my #lad BFF Janis: you fit right in, how many times can I say it Jimmy: as many times as you like Jimmy: wouldn't wanna piss on your parade Janis: yeah Janis: so considerate and caring Jimmy: I get it, you're gutted I'm not a massive bastard Jimmy: bit busy rn but I'll dry your eyes when I get back Janis: 'cos that makes sense Janis: don't bother, I don't need you Jimmy: don't bother to start talking sense now, you've been going on ages without any Janis: if you're so busy, then you don't have time to come at me with all this bullshit Jimmy: too right Jimmy: nowt left that needs to be said any road, you've well covered it Janis: yep Janis: go away now Jimmy: [does for ages because obvs they don't find Asia til the AM/way later we know and her bf is fuming and there's DRAMA and nobody notices that Jimothy is struggling with all this] Janis: [when you've just been here alone with nothing to do and no updates so you're casually fuming at all this] Jimmy: [just goes back into their tent because bye everyone he's so over y'all] Janis: [just lowkey shouting at them all to stfu with this bullshit now so he can get some peace] Jimmy: [get in your tent and sleep it off you hot messes] Janis: [just sat outside 'cos you aren't about to go in either tent like thanks so much for this gals] Jimmy: [just throwing a hoodie or whatever at her through the tent flap cos you know she's out there and it's been raining] Janis: [tapping the tent to say thanks 'cos you aren't gonna actually say it] Jimmy: [when you know they just sat on either side of this tent opening so casually how romeo and juliet of you] Janis: [the accidental drama of it all] Jimmy: [get drunker yourself boy that'll help SO MUCH honestly] Janis: [oh no no] Jimmy: [full of good ideas jimothy is] Janis: [when you just wanna go so bad but can't 'cos Asia's fucked that for you] Jimmy: [Oh Asia] Janis: [just picking up the shit they left outside and fucking it up/throwing it/losing it] Jimmy: [I don't blame you babe, go off] Janis: [gotta do something yo] Jimmy: [I'm just gonna leave him in here marding, much less productive] Janis: I'm going for a walk alright Jimmy: Alright Janis: you need anything? Jimmy: Like what? Janis: Shoes, is a good one Janis: more bottles, less likely but maybe Jimmy: I don't need owt off you Janis: alright Janis: your loss Jimmy: 💔 Jimmy: have my 😭 when you've gone Janis: no thanks Jimmy: on you go then Janis: weren't waiting on your permission Jimmy: weren't giving it Janis: just keep the search party away and it doesn't matter either way Jimmy: not your bodyguard Jimmy: or theirs Janis: yeah sure Jimmy: meaning what? Janis: meaning tell yourself that then Jimmy: fuck you Janis: wow Jimmy: find someone else to take the piss out of while you're out and about Janis: I'm not the one that's taking the piss out of you Jimmy: bollocks Janis: No, not bollocks Janis: have I had you running 'round this entire place after me Janis: no Jimmy: I'd go looking for you whether or not you reckon it makes me a twat Janis: it makes you a twat for them Jimmy: she's an fucking idiot Jimmy: not gonna just leave her Janis: She's managed to keep herself alive just fine 'til now Janis: how is it your job Jimmy: what so I'm a knobhead when I'm not on the clock? Jimmy: tah Janis: oh whatever Janis: I can't be bothered with this Jimmy: Why do you care if I look for her for a bit or not? Janis: I don't Janis: the question is why do you care Jimmy: It's what we're here for, for a start Jimmy: fake nice Jimmy: not that you can be bothered Janis: bullshit Janis: it's not fake, and even if it were, they're all too plastered to care or remember Jimmy: And what? Jimmy: You're jealous of her now Janis: get real Jimmy: you Janis: I am Janis: and I told you, this whole nice guy thing Janis: can't be bothered Jimmy: her boyfriend's at a loose end, crack on Jimmy: he's well more your type Janis: yeah you wish Jimmy: weren't a request Jimmy: I'm actually alright for threesomes as it goes Janis: and I'm alright without them or any of their sloppy seconds so piss off Jimmy: night then Janis: good chat Jimmy: won't get any 🏆 or owt but whatever Janis: I'll cope Jimmy: I'll live an' all Jimmy: 💔 to hear it, I know Janis: yeah Janis: 'cos if you ain't a 👼 you're that dick Janis: no inbetween Jimmy: it's you who's trying to shove a label on my head, when you ain't chucking me in a reusable coffee cup with them that is Janis: What are you trying to prove Jimmy: What are you on about? Jimmy: she's gone, I had a look for her 'cause her mates are too pissed, nowt else Janis: 👌 Jimmy: fuck's sake Janis: just go to bed Jimmy: you ain't put any more work into being my step mum Jimmy: let that dream 💀💀💀 Janet Janis: You're so funny Jimmy: 🥇 or nowt Janis: 🤐 then Jimmy: piss off with telling me what to do Janis: you're annoying Jimmy: yeah and you being a dickhead'll stop me Jimmy: good one Janis: what will Janis: seriously Jimmy: [stops replying like fine if that's how you want it seriously] Janis: [let's give you both a break] Jimmy: [we should say it's later and he's drunker and he's wandering around looking for her but in a more chill way than the flatwhites earlier so we're not waking half the campsite] Janis: [whereas she has been 'cos AM so nowt still officially on but people carrying on so she can be coming back] Jimmy: [awkwardly bumping into each other like] Janis: [literally 'cos can't straight up ignore him so just looking like oh, it's you] Jimmy: [looking at her like where the fuck have you been cos will never say it] Janis: ['I can't sit still'] Jimmy: ['I can't sleep'] Janis: ['why?'] Jimmy: [shrugs because so many reasons] Janis: [nods like #relatable] Jimmy: [nods like okay now I know you're alright I'll fuck off] Janis: [just looking at him like seriously 'this is stupid now'] Jimmy: [looking at her like it's been stupid this whole time] Janis: [walking alongside him like where are we going then 'cos you aren't just leaving] Jimmy: [god knows where they are actually going but he's sneaking looks at her with every step honey] Janis: [if you see it's 'cos you are too so can't say anything] Jimmy: ['I don't get why you're fuming at me' cos drunk enough we can just say it] Janis: [when you didn't take a bottle so you aren't at that level so you're more awkward but like alright, we're doing this, shrugs 'cos doesn't fully get it herself that's the tea 'I don't get what you really want'] Jimmy: ['from what?'] Janis: ['from-' gestures at herself then around them '-any of this, all of it, I knew, and then it changed, then I thought I knew again but then you do something or say something and I'm back at the start'] Jimmy: ['what did I do or say?'] Janis: [a look like, loads of stuff 'I've got to remind you?' and tapping his head and then the bottle like pisshead] Jimmy: ['I just mean-' stopping himself cos do you even know what you mean rn] Janis: [a sigh like fuck it, why not, 'cos he might not remember and tbh over the weirdness and tension so may as well 'you say you want me but then you trail after her for ages' shrugs 'we could've had fun instead'] Jimmy: ['it weren't like that' trying so hard not to owt all his secrets rn casually 'she could've been any of 'em' shakes his head at himself like he's remembering who they actually are 'except Mia, fuck her'] Janis: [lil 😏 but not committing to it 'cos still too awks and gah on this 'I know, do I have to be fair and logical about it though? Not good like you, fuck her'] Jimmy: ['I weren't thinking proper about it, you know what I'm like, full Shakespearean tragedy or nowt' shrugs like it's all such bants and it's so fine but he's obvs worried] Janis: ['You're just a nice person' shrugs like obviously, we're not here to debate that 'but-' making an actual ugh noise out loud 'cos can't believe you thinking like this, never mind saying it '-you say it's different with me, yeah? But you'd do that for anyone, and you just lump me in with them, like, how is it different...' looking away 'cos so mad at yourself and shamed] Jimmy: ['I've never lumped you in with them, that were you doing it to me' stops and looks at her 'you are different, from every other paddy dickhead I've met and a fair few northern ones an' all, I'm not just looking for you 'cause you're lost, I wanna be around you loads and I don't wanna be around anyone, even do my own head in, don't I?'] Janis: [not kissing him even though you (clearly) really, really want to, because you've been doing that when you're stopping yourself from saying what you want to but you're finally getting somewhere here and it doesn't feel shit, trying to actually say something in response though, is difficult 'cos OVERWHELMED 'I like you too'] Jimmy: [100% is 😳 and he's so white we all see it okay] Janis: [when he's so cute you gotta at least hug him 'so can we-' pausing 'cos about to say 'go back to how we were' but that's not exactly what you want so you're like umm '- you know, go back to our tent now?'] Jimmy: [hugging her back so hard like don't hurt yourself boy you're still not healed thank you 'we can do owt you want' sounds so casual but he's never meant anything more] Janis: ['I just wanna be with you, as long as it's alone, I don't care where'] Jimmy: [we handholding back to that tent because I don't think we can guarantee alone anywhere else] Janis: [we buzzing but we got some stuff we gotta say still so 'I'm sorry, you know, I was taking the piss a bit'] Jimmy: ['me an' all' because he is also sorry and was also taking the piss 'it does my head in like nowt else, fighting with you'] Janis: ['yeah' 'cos hard same 'it's just how I am with everyone else, it's easier to me than-' when you don't know what this is so we're just trailing off here '- but easier doesn't mean not shit'] Jimmy: ['I get it, all that nice lad bollocks, I get paid for it or get forced into it 'cause I don't want them turning into massive dickheads, like he is, and how I am, off the clock' when you just ranting about your fam casually now 'but I'm still doing the wrong thing for trying to get it right for myself for a bit' shrugs like so what can I do] Janis: [just letting him and listening because you can just about catch up to what he's saying here 'well, we don't have to spend no more time with this lot now and you don't have to fake nice to me, is that a start for some time just for you?'] Jimmy: [holds out the hand she's not holding like pinky promise me gal 'I ain't been faking nowt with you for ages' because tea that we can drunkenly spill] Janis: [does 'this shit is over' gestures towards their tents 'cos we can all see the squad turning to shit without you two needing to be involved 'good, 'cos I'd call you a liar if you said otherwise, I'd know if you were faking that, tah'] Jimmy: [the new dawn new day is gonna be messy for that lot we know 'will piss on their tent for you before we proper draw that line, if you like' because remember when she said he should] Janis: [lols 'so romantic'] Jimmy: [😍 which would seem so fake after she's said that but it's for the lol and how fucking cute she is] Janis: ['not gonna tell you where or where you can't piss, not that kinda fake girlfriend' 😏 'anyway I wrecked loads of their shit earlier so' shrugs like no room to talk] Jimmy: ['I were about to ask what kind you were, but that answers that' 😏 gives her the 🚬 from behind his ear like you a bad bitch I see] Janis: ['you've asked me that one before, only on special occasions, alright' loling again 'where are your sunglasses, like?'] Jimmy: [touches the top of his head like a nerd like nope they not there, looks down to see if they're on his top and pats his pockets, doing a more and more pouty face the longer the search goes on and he doesn't 'find' them] Janis: ['how do I even know it's the real you, honestly' then gasps dramatically like OMG 'Jamie?!' and being so 😍] Jimmy: [lols 'top news that some good'll come out of how our kid is probably scratching knobhead into 'em with her compass instead of doing her maths'] Janis: ['it's a look, sure you can style it out'] Jimmy: ['duh' in such a flat white voice] Janis: [shudders like #triggered 'don't, they're finally asleep and not annoying me'] Jimmy: [pretends like he's gonna shout slags but only whispers it cos doesn't want them to wake up either] Janis: ['far as dirty talk goes...' but is 😍 can't lie] Jimmy: [gets his empty bottle from earlier and spins it then kisses her really hardcore like it's a pisstake of how the flatwhites hook up but also a shameless excuse] Janis: [have at it kids, you've been waiting for ages by your standards] Jimmy: [I wanna volunteer that this is the first time he calls her baby not as a pisstake because drunk enough that he accidentally could do] Janis: [yas, here for that] Jimmy: [we crossing lines today] Janis: [and it feels so good] Jimmy: [mhmm] Janis: [step back homewrecker] Jimmy: [I'm so mad at her like yeah he's hot af but who do you think you are, this is not a James and Ava situation thank you] Janis: [lucky you ain't getting brawled tbh] Jimmy: [would love that] Janis: [we tryna be mature and show our feels in a better way though, tragically] Jimmy: [she isn't worth it anyways lbr like he's not even interested] Janis: [and they'll be done with community service soon they wouldn't have got that long so bye] Jimmy: [let the door hit you on your way out] Jimmy: [imagine their cute little disorientated sleepy faces though and how snuggled they'd be] Janis: [getting woken up by shouting is so confusing like 'scuse me hello???] Jimmy: [and once again lowkey triggering for my soft son] Janis: [we just staying snuggled 'til we work out what's going on and even then we ain't getting involved honey, just making a face like, called that] Jimmy: ['I've changed my mind, don't bother fucking him' we joking but we're also not because the voice is soft] Janis: [pushing his body with yours from a sleeping position, so also gently 'no scaly #kinkunlocked, idiot'] Jimmy: [pulling her closer again nbd] Janis: ['poor boy though, don't think it's even a record of shortest relationship for her' snuggling in harder without thinking about it 'cos they being so loud about their 💔 rn] Jimmy: [stroking her hair because it's comforting for them both 'do you wanna go get breakfast?' tea makes everything better that's facts] Janis: [#facts, nods 'they'll need to keep their energy up and all' 'cos remembering to be fake nice more whilst you're still here also the idea of throwing a sandwich at them like there you are is amusing her greatly] Jimmy: [we'll never know what amazing shade he was gonna reply with because a massive yawn instead cos you know they ain't had hardly any sleep] Janis: [Awh'ing at him, genuinely, and closing his eyes with her fingers like go back to sleep 'I'll find some earplugs for you, sleepy baby'] Jimmy: [holding onto her like DON'T GO without thinking about it] Janis: [is not going, just looking at him 'you shouldn't be allowed to look like that in the morning'] Jimmy: ['gotta keep up with you, girl' morning 😍] Janis: ['you don't have to try' the multiple meanings, love that] Jimmy: [does an IRL 🤏 like I do a bit] Janis: ['but I'm SUCH an athlete' 😏] Jimmy: ['help me up then' cos determined to get tea but would need help up cos those tricky ribs sleeping on the ground isn't really the one] Janis: [not to mention all the extra activities y'all have been getting up to on the ground, but helps him up, lol at them just scooting past like don't mind us you two] Jimmy: [god imagine, at least you can pretend you're wincing at that scene and the drama boy] Janis: [obvs notices 'you need another massage' looks about as they walking 'they probably have a tent here, like' 'cos the random hippie crap they do at festivals now be wild] Jimmy: [yeah even at small local ones like you know this is, the gimmicks be cray 'depends'] Janis: ['go on'] Jimmy: [draws two lines on her back like are you keeping a tally of how many I'll owe you or not] Janis: [shakes her head like nah 'I don't need nothing, besides, basically helping me with my homework so'] Jimmy: [draws the 🤓 in the same place but under whatever top she's wearing rn so it's against skin because harder to work out what he's drawing that's his excuse anyway lol] Janis: [has no idea what that was, the confusion and lol like boy what but also being like 'do it again' 'cos you want him to heheheh] Jimmy: [obvs does do it again slower like let's make this a moment] Janis: [so faux offended when she works it out 'shut up, I just like touching you'] Jimmy: ['gutted how I'd rate you don't actually count for nowt' cos she'd get that A+ honey] Janis: ['well you can tell Mr Joyce how good I am if you want but he'll just swear up and down he's NEVER made us massage each other for our mark, like'] Jimmy: ['til Mr Lucas comes through with the hours of footage, dickhead can't deny it then'] Janis: [loling 'dread to think what they have you do for art, babe'] Jimmy: ['yeah it's a proper laugh a minute, like' making a face because lord the bollocks he would have to do all jokes aside] Janis: ['he is an excellent life model though, be fair' the fakest wistful 😍 for Mr Lucas] Jimmy: ['that'll be why my dad put that one on the fridge' what a lovely mental image 'nowt to do with my talents'] Janis: [loling 'I'll try not to be offended he don't wanna look at me every day instead'] Jimmy: ['he does but can't be letting our kid get inspired by you an' all' mimes drawing a moustache and some devil horns on her even though we know Cass would probably do worse 'you're my muse' casually saying that like you're mine, we know] Janis: ['fair' 'cos we get it, dealt with a lot of siblings and a lot of siblings gf/bfs but not and never dealing with that so we coming at it with bants 'how much do muses get paid then, 50, 60?'] Jimmy: [IRL 🤔 winnie like he's so seriously considering for ages but then shrugs 'I gotta stay poor and you gotta stay rich' when you just saying you gonna give her all your money bye] Janis: ['gotta stay on brand, I get it' looking at the food trucks and tents like 🤔 Winnie herself 'they'll all bankrupt ya but may as well enjoy it'] Jimmy: [just 😍 so hard what is she even saying he don't know] Janis: [squishing his face like focus boy but you ain't mad, just getting in people's way, again, at least most people won't be up until the music starts again] Jimmy: [we know you there somewhere though with your coffee and your camera, community service gal] Janis: [ugh, have a tea you scumbag] Jimmy: [that's how you know they ain't #fated] Janis: [mhmm, she'd probably put the milk in first] Jimmy: [they only gonna talk about 📷 when they do see her cos only thing they have in common and all he's bothered about hearing from her] Janis: [like take a hint, it's not what you think it is, are you a flat white] Jimmy: [like I'M SORRY even when he's talking to you he's gonna be touching the bae so much unless she literally leaves, get a grip] Janis: [it's shameless, have you even talked to Janis or tried to] Jimmy: [blatantly scared of her aren't you babe] Janis: [like she hate you now but you know, not without reason, she'd definitely wanna leave but would probably stand her ground 'cos why should you just get to talk to him, be polite, madam, you can't] Jimmy: [1. even Grace was more subtle when she was leaving half the shit she owns at the CG 2.he don't wanna talk to you hun he don't wanna talk to anyone but her so excuse you 3. he blatantly would make NO indication that he wants Janis to leave hence holding her hand still/touching her all the time without even being aware of it really and like showing her the pics too/trying to include her in the convo like I should take a pic of you like this etc] Janis: [seriously, like this is so awkward and it's all your fault, probably in community service 'cos some girl scrapped with you 'cos you tryna steal her man] Jimmy: [go and hoe on pete he'd be about it, except don't cos he's too good for you too] Janis: [my boo says stay away, we aren't having you in the squad honey] Jimmy: [I like to think she finally makes her excuses/has some friends to get back to but like I said we all been knew she gonna try and chat to him in his DMs and get him to hang with them all later like a snek] Janis: [mhmm, we see you, hoe, also thanks for making this so awks now] Jimmy: [Jimothy just like 'bit weird she were here' cos boys are oblivious] Janis: ['is it?'] Jimmy: [a look like umm yeah? because he genuinely thinks it's a coincidence, oh boy] Janis: [shrugs 'small world, smaller town'] Jimmy: [shrugs back because he's already forgotten her and that's the tea, casually heading back to see what state the flat white drama has reached] Janis: [meanwhile we'll just be angsting don't mind us] Jimmy: [when you know she's quiet and it's different but you think she just doesn't wanna see the flat whites and is tired like you are so you just squeeze her hand like it's okay] Janis: [just the fakest smile, one that looks like a grimace, they're probably at the comforting stage so leave them to be extra about it, breathing out like 'thank fuck' Jimmy: [I like to think Grace shoots Janis a tiny look that nobody else sees like please kill me because so over it 5eva] Janis: [just 😏 and silently like good luck with that] Jimmy: [please can we say that when jimothy and community service girl cross paths again later Grace sees them and 'accidentally' does something to fuck with her like spill a drink on her/her camera whatever cos she's that clumsy bitch but she's also jj's biggest shipper on the low and it's never gonna get back to Janis but #defense squad regardless] Janis: [100% here for that] Jimmy: [she's a hoe and she 👀 you gal] Janis: [when you're that unsubtle] Jimmy: [for now though enjoy Asia crying too loud guys] Janis: [just having your breakfast in your tent like isn't this fun lmao] Jimmy: [getting his headphones and giving her one cos he's put on songs he knows she like because a babe] Janis: [literally anything over the sound of that lot] Jimmy: [you know they wireless cos it's the future so he doesn't have to sit as close as he is] Janis: [just looking at him silently saying as much but turning it into #bants like you think he's tryna steal your food like get off] Jimmy: [does steal some cos that bitch and it's all #bants and we're all fine] Janis: ['fat bitch' in a flat white impression] Jimmy: [dramatic OTT 😱] Jimmy: stop trying to make me 😭 an' all Jimmy: be rude to take the 🏆 Janis: they're pros at 😭 if nothing else Janis: don't be so cocky Jimmy: and I'm not? Jimmy: had the 🎻🎻 out when I came out my mum, ain't stopped since, tah Janis: that's 'cos you're the first child Jimmy: she weren't chuffed about none of us Jimmy: not special, me Janis: still, you get away with more by default Janis: even if it's just 'cos they're green Jimmy: yeah get away with loads Jimmy: be why I'm in community service Janis: amateur Janis: if you turned on the waterworks, might not have happened Jimmy: that's on Bill's 👻 only floating about when I don't need him Jimmy: your fault an' all though, meant to be #inspiring Janis: yeah well, you're welcome Jimmy: when you're not tucking into any grub, might be Janis: now you're calling me fat? Janis: get your own insults Jimmy: calling you territorial if owt 😾 Janis: you got your own, dickhead Jimmy: maybe I like yours better Jimmy: [a LOOK] Janis: [😳] Janis: shut up 🙄😏 Jimmy: [does the whole what charade like he can't hear her even though they are typing] Janis: [🖕] Janis: not getting 'round me that easy Jimmy: it's alright, not scared of hard work, as well you know Janis: yeah yeah Janis: ⌚💕 Jimmy: [throws something at her but like a pillow because he's like be nice to me not fight me] Janis: [😒 'oi!'] Jimmy: ['Oi you' but softer] Janis: [taking said pillow and laying down like I'm exhausted, 'scuse me, which is true but you just can't] Jimmy: [you 100% know he's gonna lay down and spoon her like okay then] Janis: [allowing it 'cos you want it and you're trying not to let a hoe ruin shit for you 'cos ultimately you ruin things for yourself if that ain't a mood and you're just fighting all your instincts to not rn] Jimmy: [just having that moment even though we know it's not comfy for you on the ground because you wanna snuggle her more than you care about yourself] Janis: [and we know neither of you is sleeping but this beats interacting with the flatwhites at least] Jimmy: [you can blatantly hear his heartbeat in between songs gal you know he's not] Janis: [turning to look at him and frowning 'cos he looks as uncomfortable as he is 'you need your massage now' and putting him on his back] Jimmy: [shamelessly so into it when she's doing power moves like that] Janis: [when this keeps your hands and mind busy so you can just get into it and forget about that hoe for a hot sec and try to make him feel better] Jimmy: ['it weren't this bad before' when you've accidentally outted that this isn't the first time this has happened so you're like hope she's focused enough to not question me] Janis: [when he would've tensed when he realized what he'd said so you definitely took notice, as if you weren't anyway, but it does give you indication to not freak out, again, as if you would 'you probably had fractures and injuries, but smaller, repeat injuries in the same place lead to smaller cracks making bigger breaks and giving you longer healing time overall' shrugging like it's that casual 'plus, you're well old now, yeah? muscle and bone don't repair like it used to, granddad'] Jimmy: ['One foot in the grave, me, just waiting for you to get in' because we can always hide behind #bants] Janis: ['no pressure, like' shaking her head like 😏 'worse than a proposal'] Jimmy: ['might be worse than the proposal they pissed on, give you that, Jules' saying that like you're gonna do a better one] Janis: ['be serious, if you distract me I might break another bone and fuck taking the blame for someone else's handiwork and all'] Jimmy: 'Alright, well that there's a seriously good angle for you' mhmm on top of you we know what you're saying and mimes a 📷 like he's taking a pic of her cos that's his handiwork] Janis: [when you're into it and wanna be more into it but 📷 triggers you so you gotta brush him off like oh please 'I'm a professional'] Jimmy: [when you're gonna agree/give her another compliment but you don't have to say anything because a NOISE happens instead because that's how good she is at this] Janis: ['even when you make that very hard' 'cos fuuuck boy 😍] Jimmy: [giving her a LOOK because she's making it very hard for him to even function rn on every level] Janis: ['you deserve it' whispering this when you're inches from his face 'cos massaging his neck and shoulders] Jimmy: ['because?' also whispering and leaning in even more] Janis: ['because...' getting so close that when you talk, your lips touch his and he can feel how hard you're breathing and the heat 'you know exactly what you do to me'] Jimmy: ['because I need you' cos he's not said that yet and we know it's the truest thing and we're all dying because he's as close rn still cos there's never any chill] Janis: [such a noise 'cos not what you were expecting him to say but exactly what you wanted to hear and didn't even know how much that you cannot deal 'if you're lying, I will kill you' Jimmy: ['you'll have to kill me 'cause I'm not' when he's literally saying break my heart bitch idc like he's Peter from all the boys excuse you sir] Janis: ['I won't hurt you' like all the meaning and intention behind that because she hurts everyone else in her life very much on purpose so even to promise to try, bye] Jimmy: [gotta kiss her because we can't even like soz I know we're trying to communicate better but] Janis: [it is needed] Jimmy: [let them have it, they've done loads of meaningful chatting by their standards] Janis: [and the gals should've pissed off to get ready by now] Jimmy: [100% hope they can hear you though because payback is a bitch and so are all y'all] Janis: [same like they better but you two don't need to think about that] Jimmy: [it's okay we know it's not intentional like the fake dating days you're just loud af] Janis: [same like they better but you two don't need to think about that Janis: [Asia gonna have a meltdown lol] Jimmy: [And Mia cos she only just got rid of the band boys and now she has to be reminded yet again that lads exist other than her father] Janis: [so gutted harry isn't here so you can use him, also omg she's like bffs w matty from skins so she should end up going out with him] Jimmy: [she's the only one gutted he's not here] Janis: [mhmm] Jimmy: [also Grace is the only one who is allowed to be like NOPE over hearing anything cos that's her sister the rest of y'all can calm down] Janis: [like you ain't hoeing when it suits lol] Jimmy: [jj are in LOVE bye] Janis: [we already got one hussy tryna ruin it, y'all can stay in your own tent tah] Jimmy: [oh what a fun tent that would be] Janis: [at least this will probably make your giggle 'cos you're 12, welcome for the mood boost] Jimmy: [honestly grow the fuck up gals] Janis: [immediately like shh Asia, so they can get back to Mia's fave topic, JJ] Jimmy: [Grace just wants to LEAVE RN IMMEDIATELY but she can't cos where would go you even go gal #coffeehunting oh Sammi] Janis: [just put some headphones in, it'll piss off Mia but what doesn't, just means they can bitch literally behind your back knowing you can defs still hear] Jimmy: [100% the mood well enjoy looking a state all of y'all cos Grace is good at makeup for all her many other flaws and she's not gonna do none of yours now soz not soz] Janis: [you know the day #2 looks are not gonna be as popping, we've all been taken down a notch/to reality here] Jimmy: [not that any of you were serving on day 1] Janis: [well no but less glitter and feathers today I feel] Jimmy: [we should say the 🌧 is worse too just to really rub salt in] Janis: [it probably would be, and muddy festival is the vibe for everyone else just not y'all] Jimmy: [like you live in Ireland not Ibiza deal with it] Janis: [you should not be surprised at this point like hellur] Jimmy: [what do we wanna do next?] Janis: [well his phone needs to be blowing up on the sly once they're remotely paying attention to anything else again] Jimmy: [yeah they're probably trying to get a snuggly little nap in as well how rude] Janis: [when his phone always blows up low-key and obvs you've always wanted to know but not your place but I feel like he'd act different somehow from when it's just basic DMs or fam so she's like oh but obvs still saying nothing] Jimmy: [I had the most heartbreaking mental image of him smiling or loling at his phone and I'm like WHAT ARE YOU SAYING YOU HUSSY] Janis: [just like brb need something from their tent like you ever do 'cos gotta go] Jimmy: [when that doesn't strike you as weird because you too busy reading whatever bs this gal is all up in your inbox with boy no] Janis: [asking grace to do your makeup so you've got an excuse to be an age] Jimmy: [when she'd be so ???!! because when does that ever happen but she's not gonna say anything like what's wrong in front of the others] Janis: [we sitting there in silence like mia don't start] Jimmy: [she'd be so annoyed so a big part of Grace would be thinking that's why Janis asked because she did promise she'd annoy Mia whoever she can but she's not stupid so she knows its not just that hence her revenge against community service girl later because even if that's not it, it's not helping and that's her sister you hoe] Janis: [just like well you must be having a great chat, Jimothy, don't even care where I am or what I'm doing, great] Jimmy: [that said I am gonna have him hit her up like ? when it's been ages so I'll do that rn] Jimmy: Alright? Janis: 👍 Janis: party never stops Jimmy: you're still next door then? Janis: yep Janis: 💄💅💇 takes time Jimmy: if you get ✨ in my sleeping bag I'm dumping you Jimmy: you would look 🥇 wearing 🌹 in your hair though Jimmy: proper renaissance verona #aesthetic I reckon Jimmy: Bill will be well chuffed Janis: don't think that's the era we're bringing back here Janis: but yeah, give her your notes Jimmy: 💔 Jimmy: UGH won't bother asking her to do me next Janis: you're not invited Janis: 💔 Jimmy: bit rude Janis: they are Jimmy: but they can't stop me nipping round to borrow a cup of sugar or whatever bollocks good neighbours are supposed to let you have Janis: oh yeah Janis: dead likely to have sugar Janis: ask about carbs whilst you're getting kicked out Jimmy: hair straighteners then Jimmy: the what don't matter Janis: you won't be able to breathe for hairspray Janis: go enjoy the delightful weather Jimmy: how long are you gonna be? Janis: depends Jimmy: on what? Jimmy: how decent the setting spray is? Janis: no, how much you keep chatting Janis: and why do you know what setting spray is Jimmy: I'll call you then, you can put me on speaker Jimmy: and 'cause I've had a girlfriend before Janis: never hear you over them and their 'music' Jimmy: 🙄 Jimmy: I get it, you're being tortured Jimmy: but I can save you Janis: I won't be that long Janis: no need for heroics or dramatics, boy Jimmy: 😱😱😱 Jimmy: just every need for you to have Bill turning in his ⚰ with that blasphemy, yeah? Janis: he's your imaginary friend more than he is mine 👻💕 Jimmy: so you don't want custody when we break up? 👻💔 Janis: you're alright Jimmy: 👍 Janis: [some time] Janis: you good to go? Jimmy: depends Janis: ? Jimmy: 1. where 2. who with 3. what have they done to you Janis: 1. mainstage 2. who do you think and who did you have in mind 3. dramatic, sure she's put a selfie up by now Jimmy: 1. if I have to 2. you and not them 3. stop saying that like it's a bad thing, dickhead Janis: 1. sure you can convince the alternative act in the 2nd tent is gonna be more fun 2. I'll be there and all 3. soz, it's so wonderful I 💗 it Jimmy: alright Janis: 👌 Janis: [squad rolling out, at least you wouldn't have let Grace go cray with your look so you aren't looking a state, not the mood here ty] Jimmy: [she gonna look good Grace knows what she's doing and Jimothy gonna notice so hard bye] Janis: [ah the awks of treating this like a mission like you need to be up front or something like you suddenly care] Jimmy: [the joys of how much he doesn't know what's going on so he's just being their normal] Janis: [oh boy, meanwhile we getting on it hard, like thanks for the drinks, strangers, we do not care] Jimmy: [like that's registering with him but as per he just thinks she's over the flat whites cos hard same for him always] Janis: [it's a good cover honestly] Jimmy: [and we know he's getting on it too because still got that fam drama and guilt that only gets worse the longer he's away] Janis: [we're just partying, this is casual] Jimmy: [I just imagine Grace like 👀 at them both lowkey trying to work out why the vibe's off cos she don't know yet] Janis: [try and be subtle gal, she will not be happy lol] Jimmy: [contrary to popular belief she can do subtle lol] Janis: [the front was a mistake 'cos obvs community service will be there for the photos] Jimmy: [we see you giving him the eye gal even if he hasn't noticed] Janis: [you're 'working' focus] Jimmy: [literally though and more importantly if you're gonna look then see his blatant 😍 for his bae cos she looks good as hell thank you] Janis: [heading out for a piss, like we all know you aren't finding your way back through a crowd for time/if ever] Jimmy: ? Janis: 🚽 Janis: doing it in a bottle and lobbing it isn't an option for the fairer sex Jimmy: 🎻💔🎻 Janis: real tragedy, yeah Jimmy: would've come with you, that is Janis: told you the trick now, you don't need to Janis: keep 🕺🙌🎉 Jimmy: my turn to get tortured now? Janis: don't seem like it Janis: music ain't up to much but you know Janis: all things considered Jimmy: I'd have rather had the contouring done Jimmy: said as much Janis: 🙄 Janis: you don't need contouring, I need a piss Jimmy: what's your sister's problem? Jimmy: keeps 👀 it's weird Janis: fancies you still, obviously Jimmy: so funny you Janis: who's joking Jimmy: piss off Jimmy: she's been all over that dickhead with the 🍕 and 🎸 til a bit ago Janis: so? Janis: 💔 you ain't her one and only Jimmy: obvs yeah Janis: she ain't fussy Jimmy: makes one of us that does Janis: ha Janis: alright Jimmy: Oi Jimmy: I'm well fussy, me Janis: you picked her so not fussy enough it's gonna get in the way Jimmy: what? Janis: what do you mean what Janis: only so many ways to say that Jimmy: What are you saying it for? Jimmy: that were a game and it were ages ago Janis: alright, ignore it then Janis: joke fit Jimmy: Nah, how about you answer me Janis: I did Janis: joke Jimmy: 👌 Janis: 🤣👮 Jimmy: alright, shut up Jimmy: that don't make it funnier Janis: gutted Jimmy: 💔💔💔 Janis: such a 🥇 taste in humour, you Jimmy: I'm northern, we're #blessed there's owt at all Janis: meant to give you a sense of humour along with the chip on your shoulder Jimmy: is it? Janis: yep Jimmy: go on and @ my dad with what a disappointment I am there Jimmy: been running a tally for ages Janis: write it down yourself and get a routine going Jimmy: to have no dickhead 🤣? you're alright Jimmy: got that already without putting 🖋 to paper Janis: got your fans Janis: taste not necessary Jimmy: Tah Janis: any time Jimmy: 👍 Janis: less typing more dancing, dickhead Jimmy: I don't have any dickhead to dance with Janis: yeah you do Jimmy: nah Janis: there's a crowd Janis: last I checked Janis: 'less everyone's pissed off Jimmy: 🤞🖤 Janis: yeah Janis: that's the spirit Janis: dance like no one's watching, probably got that on a shirt Jimmy: the tall one 100% has Janis: irony lost on them as well as sarcasm Jimmy: real tragedy that Janis: not as tragic as her dancing Jimmy: nowt could be Janis: not seen my sister;s Janis: don't tell her, she'll be devvo Jimmy: 👀 it now Jimmy: hang on, I'll shout her Janis: go ahead Jimmy: better trained than my 🐕 her Jimmy: comes right when you say her name Janis: fuck off Jimmy: what? Janis: not funny Jimmy: is a bit Jimmy: you'd know if you were here Janis: glad I'm missing out Jimmy: I get it, you must've seen her 😭 loads Janis: duh Jimmy: you've been ages Janis: 🚽👮 now too are we Jimmy: would obvs go towards ✔ my #ultimate kink Janis: recommend the portaloos then Janis: sights and smells 10/10 on that score Jimmy: 😍😍 Janis: gotta queue obvs Janis: not the only pervert around Jimmy: just the 🥇 Janis: prove it Jimmy: go on Jimmy: what do you want me to do? Janis: you've got the sick 🧠 Janis: why have I got to think of the task Jimmy: you set the challenge Jimmy: come on, don't be 🙀 Janis: I'm not Jimmy: tell me then Jimmy: ⏲💪🏆 Janis: I dunno Janis: not gonna make you do anything you don't wanna do, am I Jimmy: how do you know I don't wanna? Jimmy: do owt to prove myself, me Jimmy: I ain't scared Janis: well if you do wanna then you can just do it Janis: I cba to facilitate that Jimmy: spoilsport Janis: call me what you want Jimmy: Hey, what's wrong? Jimmy: I'm only pissing about Janis: good for you Janis: I'm fine, bored of this shit Jimmy: we can leave them to it for a bit, when you come back Janis: I'm already back at the tent Jimmy: Alright, hang on Janis: you don't need to Jimmy: Do you not want me to or what? Janis: I'm just going sleep so you may as well stay there Jimmy: that weren't what I asked Janis: stop asking questions Janis: I'm fucked Jimmy: fucked how? Jimmy: that can be the last one Janis: how you think Janis: 🍻🍹🥃 Jimmy: Bollocks Jimmy: you're not Janis: yeah I am Janis: how'd you know Jimmy: we're 🗨 Jimmy: and I've 👀 you pissed before Janis: Autocorrect pretty sound Jimmy: 👍 Jimmy: I'll be there in a sec Janis: fine Janis: do what you like Jimmy: Why are you fuming at me? Jimmy: I just wanna check you're alright Janis: yeah, make it sound like an obligation Janis: I said I was going kip, not lying in a pool of my own sick Jimmy: calm down Janis: just stop, alright Jimmy: What, giving a shit about you? Jimmy: No Janis: being so Janis: you know Jimmy: bollocks do I Janis: just stop Jimmy: you Jimmy: stop saying that Jimmy: I haven't done nowt Janis: stop talking Janis: I wanna go to sleep Jimmy: properly talk to me Jimmy: how about that? Janis: No Janis: I've got nothing to say right now Jimmy: why? Jimmy: it don't make sense Janis: if it don't to you that ain't my problem, alright Jimmy: what the fuck does that mean? Janis: that if you're that oblivious then there's nothing I can do about it Jimmy: to what? Janis: now you're just trying to piss me off Jimmy: now you're just being a twat Janis: then leave me alone Jimmy: fuck's sake Janis: if you're so bothered Jimmy: I don't get this Jimmy: you Janis: yeah Jimmy: What kind of answer is that? Jimmy: and you say I'm a headfuck Janis: you expect me to sit and explain myself Jimmy: why not? Janis: 'cos what kind of fucking question is that Jimmy: a valid one Jimmy: what's changed, when the fuck did it? Jimmy: there's some others Janis: I don't want to do this right now Jimmy: me an' all but you come out of their tent and you're a different lass Janis: called a makeover Jimmy: it ain't about what's been put on your face Jimmy: sort your head out Janis: don't fucking tell me to sort my head out Janis: who the fuck are you to Jimmy: Or what? Jimmy: great question though, babe, who the fuck am I? Jimmy: some mug again, do you reckon? Janis: Yeah, or what me too, that'll help Jimmy: Go on, what would? Jimmy: I don't need this bollocks from you Janis: How many times have I told you to leave it and go away Janis: if you don't need it, there's your solution Jimmy: how many times have you said you give a shit? Jimmy: words or no words Jimmy: so we're here for a second go, what's changed? Janis: well you say a lot of shit too Jimmy: is that it? Jimmy: what did I say? Janis: No Janis: you say shit that you then prove you don't actually mean Jimmy: like? Janis: you should know Janis: not make me sit here and fucking spell it out like a twat Jimmy: well I don't Janis: then forget about it Janis: you don't have to say anymore bullshit and I won't believe it Jimmy: if that's what you reckon this is, there's nowt I can say Jimmy: come talk to me when you know what the fuck you want me to try and prove Janis: what I reckon is you say all the shit you say to me but literally moments after we've been together you're more concerned messaging someone else and saying shit to them to notice anything about me Jimmy: ? Jimmy: this is about Becca then Janis: Becca, is it Janis: how would I fucking know Jimmy: you spoke to her this morning, maybe that'd be how Janis: no I fucking didn't Janis: and she's never talked to me either Jimmy: I were there Jimmy: yeah you did and yeah she did Janis: Piss off Jimmy: you Jimmy: all of this is about her? Janis: if you're this stupid, happily Jimmy: it's me being stupid? not a chance, mate Janis: It's incredible you ever get laid if this is how bad you are at taking a hint Jimmy: it's even bloody more so that you still can't get your head round this after we've been over it when you had your two previous strops about her Janis: fuck off Jimmy: yeah I will do Jimmy: 'cause what more can I say or do Janis: Try not being a patronizing cunt in the future Jimmy: what future's that? The one where me and Becca run off into the sunset or? Janis: yeah, keep trying Jimmy: yeah, that's what this is, you putting me on trial for nowt Jimmy: it's such bollocks Janis: it's not Janis: you think and respond how you like Jimmy: fuck responding to any of this Jimmy: Asia's ex boyfriend had a better argument than you're bothered with Janis: yeah well if you want to be as much of a cunt as Asia, do it on your own time Jimmy: nearly there according to you, just swap patronising for owt she can spell Jimmy: thick'll work, you've said that one enough Janis: if it fits, have at it Jimmy: 👍 Janis: hypocrite is a great one and all Janis: two-faced, if you wanna stick with their vernacular Jimmy: 'course I do Jimmy: peas in a pod, us Jimmy: another load of bollocks you've stuck with Janis: show me where you ain't and I'd take it back Jimmy: if you need showing, you're more of a headcase than I gave you earlier credit for Jimmy: and I'll give you another 🏆 for it Janis: you want headcase, you had a fight with Harry, I've not fucking touched her Jimmy: neither have I Jimmy: you gonna pretend you've not touched him? Janis: so as long as there's no touching, it don't count Janis: like it's not a strop when you do it Janis: alright, yeah, go along with those rules, sounds fair Jimmy: it's not a strop when it's your ex Jimmy: she's nowt to me Jimmy: neither's your sister Jimmy: neither's Asia Jimmy: Do you want me to go on or what? Janis: he isn't my ex, actually Janis: and she doesn't intend to stay nothing, just because you've not realized doesn't mean I'll sit here and pretend I ain't so you reckon I'm chill Jimmy: call him what you want Jimmy: and her Janis: whatever Janis: you're a fucking hypocrite Jimmy: you're fucking Janis: you've said enough Janis: I'll read it back and make a list Jimmy: you can crack on with that when you've slept it off Jimmy: won't be about distracting you Janis: yeah I don't plan to stick around either Jimmy: 🥇💡 Janis: 👍 Jimmy: [well that was a fun time but I don't think there's anything else I can say sadly] Janis: [probably not] Jimmy: [we should 1000% say he gets a lift back with community service girl though cos you know that bitch would offer #keen thank god her friends are also there cos I don't trust you gal] Janis: [yeah she's already hitched a ride in this convo like weren't hanging about, the flat whites will be thrilled] Jimmy: [Grace will be losing her mind] Janis: [soz 'cos we know she's not going home] Jimmy: [literally trying to phone her constantly even though you know she won't answer babe and what are you gonna say if she did anyways] Janis: [fun times] Jimmy: [Cali are gonna be thrilled af] Janis: [like she already weren't coming to the house low-key never mind not coming back to town] Jimmy: [and we said this is near the end of the hols so that makes it worse like school be looming] Janis: [basically] Jimmy: [at least the flatwhites don't know that jj didn't leave together because he's not gonna be hanging around waiting for them to wake up and fill them in on his plans, like Grace will know cos she'll see him with that hoe like we said but she's not telling the squad] Janis: [like you'll know if you get to school and she ain't about but 🤞 lads] Jimmy: [yeah depending how long we drag the angst out but for right now you're still #goals and Mia is fuming about it] Janis: [realistically CS isn't waiting any time to make a move so it wouldn't take long to out] Jimmy: [exactly dr phil and we know they highkey too so] Janis: [bit awks when you gotta be like oh u right but that's the path you chose jimothy] Jimmy: [when you're so focused on the bae that you don't see any other girls trying to get their claws in, oh sir] Janis: [what fun, look forward to that]

[apparitionism]

Mercury 9

Apparently it’s old-school week around here… this is the penultimate part of Mercury, which I started forever and a day ago (2014!) and have failed to update for almost as long. But as I’ve noted, I finish what I start, so here continues a tale concerning, among other things, Myka and Helena and some existential and ethical questions raised by the whole Janus coin/Emily Lake situation. It takes place at a county fair in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which might seem a trivial (or random) detail but in fact is not. We’ll see if I can pull the pins on my plot-grenades… what’s here will make no sense at all without what came before, and it’s honestly a bit much for a brief recap. I tried to link to the other parts, but I didn’t show up in search, so here’s another try without... [ETA: Whatever, Tumblr; I give up. Here are the links: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, and part 8.]

Mercury 9

“It’s a real tossup,” Pete remarked as he walked between Myka and Helena, “whether it’s worse when you’re all over each other or when you’re on the outs.”

Their arrival at the fair that morning couldn’t have presented a clearer contrast to that of the day before: The distinct lack of rocking and rolling all night, as well as the sad absence of partying every day, made sure of that. The drive from the hotel had featured only functional words, mostly between Pete and Helena, and Myka found herself yearning for Helena’s floridly non-silent silent treatment instead. She could have used the low-stakes exasperation she felt when confronted with it to begin to grope her way into feeling that this problem, too, could be set back onto an established track, so an eventual reconciliation would be inevitable.

But a disagreement over Helena’s displeasure with Jules Verne, and with Myka regarding words said about Jules Verne? That was barely skin-deep. This went all the way through, like a bullet, one with both their names on it. A really big bullet… Myka struggled to keep herself from believing that this one was also of Helena’s invention. What goes up—into the stratosphere, into something like happiness—

No, Myka had told herself firmly, halting that line of thought just as Pete was looking at his phone and reporting, “Ida texted. She’s at the barn. Says to meet her, but that there’s no new intel on the Lelands.”

“Still at square one,” Myka grumbled. “Great.”

Pete rubbed his hands together. “It is great. We have to go right by the Pizza Pagoda on the way.”

As they’d walked (and walked and walked), Myka stewed at the fair both in its particulars—had these people never seen an actual pagoda? couldn’t they correctly identify the structure in which money was being exchanged for pizza?—and in its entirety. People were happy. Having a good time. Eating pizza. Wearing smiles.

She didn’t want to kick a rock; she wanted to hide under one. Or send all of those pizza-eating smilers to hide under one so she wouldn’t have to see how unaffected by this situation they all were. How dare they be so unscathed.

Helena had a unique ability to push her to this kind of resentment. After Yellowstone, Myka could hardly bear to look other people in the eyes, in their unknowing, unaffected faces; after Pittsburgh, the same. After, after, after. After Kenosha?

Then again maybe they would never get to the after; maybe they were doomed to trudge through this fair forever with Pete, who was now shaking his head and repeating, “Real tossup.”

Helena, walking on his right side, radiated nonresponse. He looked expectantly to the left, at Myka.

“I’m pretty sure it’s worse right now,” she said. She considered kicking him under a rock.

“Well, for you,” he fake-pouted. “You never think about me.”

“Right. Never. Who just bought you that slice of pizza at that Quonset hut they didn’t even bother putting in a pagoda costume?”

“The pizza fairy. Hey, you could be her twin!”

And that, surprisingly, made Myka smile and shake her head. She twitched an involuntary glance rightward and realized that Helena was having the same response.

Helena looked up and leftward, met Myka’s eyes, and clearly came to the reciprocal realization.

The atmosphere shifted.

One look didn’t reverse the effects of the past twenty-four hours, not nearly. But Myka was self-aware enough both to understand how that one look softened the air between them, and to resent how smoothly and easily it had done such work.

How dare you, she said to herself. How dare you knuckle under. If you’re going to be angry and jealous and unreasonable, you could at least have the rank obstinacy to stay that way.

And Helena had this unique ability too: to make everything Myka did, everything she felt, seem right and wrong at the same time.

This nonsense at a fair might have been a particularly egregious example of Myka tripping over Helena and stumbling into that state, but it wasn’t the only one.

She remembered, as a paradigmatic case, a time when she had been trying to hide an injury. “I’m on the way!” she’d yelled from the bedroom as she quickly dealt with changing the dressing on her wound. Just a flesh wound, nothing serious, certainly not life-threatening, and barely even blood-supply-threatening: a cut on her abdomen. Nobody reasonable would have called it a gash or a slice or anything like that. She’d made Pete promise not to tell anyone about it, post-retrieval, because sure, it hurt, but it didn’t matter.

Judging from the horror on Helena’s face when she barged in and realized what Myka was doing, though? It mattered to her. And the potential for that horror was a large part of why Myka had tried to hide it—but Helena’s face was now shouting that Myka had failed. She’d made Helena feel the horror, and maybe worse, she’d rendered Helena unable to hide that she was feeling it.

“Don’t get like this,” Myka said. (Because warning Helena off always went so very well.)

“I am not getting like anything.”

“Okay, okay,” Myka then said. (Because placating Helena also always went so very well.)

“I am reacting, as a human does, to another human’s injury.”

“And don’t play it off either! You wouldn’t be getting like this over Pete.” The latter, Myka said because it was true, but even as she said it, she saw that pointing it out wasn’t going to be any sort of positive contribution to the situation.

“You want my reaction to be entirely because of you, yet you also want me not to have it at all.”

Under other circumstances, Helena might have smiled as she said something like that, and Myka, with an admittedly unreasonable hope that the smile might still be forthcoming, said, “Yes.”

It wasn’t. “But you knew I would have it,” Helena said, unsmiling and prosecutorial. “You were trying to hide this from me.”

When Helena got prosecutorial, Myka got defensive. “Okay, yes. I didn’t say it made sense.”

“Good, because it doesn’t.” Stubborn.

Which Myka could match: “I know that. I just said that.”

“I want to care for you.”

Helena didn’t mean “take over a mundane first aid task,” and Myka knew that too. Yet she snapped, “I can take care of myself.” Even as another part of her was prodding her with You want her to care for you and How long did you really think you could hide the need for this mundane first aid task from her anyway.

“I’m certain you can.”

That was raw hurt, shivering under an inadequate coat of dispassion—and Myka responded wrong to both: “Right. Just like I assume you can.” And that was out-and-out perjury. Helena’s fragile body, so tenuously and lately re-housing the soul it should… Myka was absurdly protective of that body, but Helena shouldn’t have felt the same way about Myka. Shouldn’t have had to feel the same way, and certainly shouldn’t have been boxed into showing that she felt that way.

They’d papered over that confrontation somehow, but Myka couldn’t remember the resolution, which had to mean that it had been something as simple as what had happened just now, on a graveled pathway at a fair in Kenosha with Pete standing between them talking about a pizza fairy: mutual recognition of a shared response. Some reminder of commonality of feeling, of purpose. Surely that was the wrong way to handle conflicts in a relationship… but just as surely, it was right, too.

However: They still hadn’t said a meaningful word to each other by the time they reached the barn. Myka was still perversely attempting to work her resentment back up, and Helena was clearly avoiding looking at her, maybe just as perversely, maybe to avoid creating another moment of fellow-feeling, and Myka tried selling herself an even more unreasonable story about that: It’s because she knows she’ll bust out laughing when she sees my face working to stay surly, and—

“I realize I’m being a busybody,” Ida said, first thing, “but I’m sensing some tension between my leading ladies. And not the kind that keeps people tuning in.”

Pete said to Myka, “She means UST.” To Helena, he said, “They tune in for UST.” Both of them must have looked baffled, for he gave up on them and said to Ida, “It was like that with them, for basically ever. Before they R’ed the ST. But you can keep that going only so long, you know?”

Ida nodded. “So many shows get it wrong.”

“For what it’s worth,” Pete said, his voice conspiratorially low, “I think Myka and H.G. got it right.”

Mere moments before, Myka would have had to struggle to keep from saying, irritably and out loud, that Pete should shut up. But the shift—it kept happening, Pete’s words helping it along, despite Myka’s attempts to wrestle herself angry. She and Helena had certainly not apologized, or compromised, or exchanged more than that single glance, but between them there was a tuning, like the manipulation of a radio dial: static, then the beginning of decodable sound, the tiny twist calling music, voices, a signal more and more clearly into the receiver from the ether. Any errant twitch of fingers on the dial might cause the transmission to be lost again.

Myka didn’t want it lost. She looked, with purpose, at Helena, and Helena looked back. Still no apologies, no compromise… but the signal strengthened.

“You’re very sweet to them,” Ida told Pete.

Now Myka rolled her eyes, but she tried to keep the motion as small as possible.

“I know, right? You’d think they’d appreciate me more.”

“You need a love interest,” Ida said.

“I double-know that. But the fans, I think they’d still be all about Bering and Wells.”

Ida looked at Myka, then Helena, then back and forth again. “Which one is which?”

Pete put on a boxing-announcer voice: “In this corner, you got your tall, dark, and broody: that’s Bering. Across the ring from her, there’s Wells: not quite so tall, also dark, also broody, but with epic, extra fallout.”

“Isn’t that funny,” Ida said to Helena.

Helena crossed her arms in defense. “What? ‘Epic, extra fallout’? That is not funny.”

Might not be funny, but it isn’t wrong, Myka thought. Then Helena turned a quick, overbright glare on Pete with a mutter of “and I know what ‘fallout’ means now, thank you very much,” which made Myka think, But maybe also a little funny…

“It’s funny that you’d show up here,” Ida said.

“Here?” Pete asked, and Helena echoed, “Here?”

Before Myka could do the same—because that didn’t seem funny at all—Ida followed up with, “And I just now worked it out: H.G.! I see why that’s your nickname.”

“It’s not my nickname,” Helena said. She’d uncrossed her arms, but now she crossed them again, and Myka wondered whether any photographs existed of Helena as the sulky, impossible child she must have been, when she wasn’t otherwise occupied with charming everyone into treating her as the miniature adult she no doubt considered herself to be.

Pete gave Helena a quizzical look. “But it kind of is your nickname. I mean, those are your initials, so… wait. Here. Ida, you are brilliant and so am I, because I know exactly what you’re thinking. And now I got it: I also know exactly what we’re looking for.” He looked at Myka, then at Helena. “Because who’s from Kenosha?” To Ida, he said, “Don’t give it away; they think they’re so smart, but we’ll see.”

“Who’s from Kenosha?” Myka repeated. “Probably almost everybody at this fair. Except us.”

“But who else is from Kenosha?”

“Probably almost all the other people who live in Kenosha?” Myka looked to Helena for help, but Helena shrugged.

Her own look, followed by Helena’s shrug, and immediately it struck Myka: that was their first real, intentional communication since the morning’s argument, and it did figure that it was about not knowing what Pete was getting at. Myka wasn’t yet ready to admit to anyone, including herself, that Pete was actually being very helpful today.

“Plus?” Pete pushed.

Myka tried, “Plus people who moved away?”

“Exactly. And who moved away?”

“A lot of people. Probably.” Myka knew she was being uncharitable, but small towns really weren’t her favorite. She figured living in Univille was most likely a karmic punishment… for what, she wasn’t quite sure, but she certainly hadn’t spent this life, or probably any other, being as perfect as she’d intended to be, and small-town-South-Dakota purgatory was undoubtedly the result. “Maybe,” she softened, ideally defraying some of the spiritual cost.

Pete snickered. “Not a lot who used a microphone and people believed it.” He stopped and waited, mouth a bit expectantly open, like a dog waiting to be rewarded for chasing a ball. “Really? No ideas? How about you, supergenius? Kinda up your alley, there, Agent Wells.”

Then Myka got it, and so did Helena, for they said in unison, “War of the Worlds?”

Pete exhaled an at-last noise. “That’s right: Orson Welles, Kenosha boy. Hated the place, but still.”

War of the Worlds. Of course. Myka sighed, because it really had to have happened sooner or later. “You’re saying you think this is the microphone from the War of the Worlds radio broadcast?”

“I’m saying it loud, and also proud, because I’m the one who thought of it, with the fabulous assist from my best friend Ida. I could say it through the thing, so you’d believe me like all those radio listeners believed Martians were attacking, but I don’t think I’m gonna have to.” He fiddled with his phone and turned the screen to Ida. “It looked pretty much like that, right?”

“Just like that. And that’s funny too: I’d forgotten it said ‘CBS’ on it, but it did. What a terrible witness I’d make in a courtroom drama.” She looked at all three of them in turn. “This TV show I’m running around like I’m on, it isn’t a CBS one, is it?”

Pete shook his head. “Not so much. Maybe Fox? Lower budget, though, so probably Syfy; FX if you’re lucky. But don’t tell.”

Myka couldn’t find it in her to be angry at him for saying too much, particularly not when Ida said, with real regret, “No one would believe me anyway.”

“Well, no,” Pete said, but he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “On account of you don’t have the microphone.” He held a sssshhh finger to his lips.

“But that leaves us still at square one,” Myka pointed out.

Pete frowned. “And not on the way past pizza this time either.”

“I have an idea,” Ida said.

Pete now flung his arm around her fully. “Like I said, you’re brilliant. From the start I knew I liked you. This idea, is it about pizza?”

“It’s about knowing, not pizza. Knowing, and believing. Ginny knows she’s going to lose the pie contest, because of Agnes and key lime. But what if she happened to win instead?”

He wrinkled his brow. “What if she… oh, I get it. She’d be very into being there. You think that’d override their supervillain plot, whatever it is?”

“I think it would override her grandchildren. And the fact is, she does believe in herself—she always holds out a little hope in these key lime years. Dreams the impossible dream.”

“So we flush her out, assuming she’s lurking, by making sure she wins? But how do we do that?” Pete asked.

Ida smiled. She looked very proud of herself. “I’m going to make Agnes’s pie disappear.”

“Poetic,” Myka said, and she couldn’t help herself; as she said it, she looked at Helena.

“Ironic,” Helena countered, directly at Myka..

Poetic, ironic… and then this struck Myka: those were the first real, intentional words they’d said to each other since the morning’s argument.

An ironic, or possibly poetic, twist of lip from Helena acknowledged that she, too, knew the exchange for what it was.

Pete said, “I personally am an expert in making pies disappear, so maybe I should be the one who sticks his neck out on this one.”

“You’re so sweet,” Ida told him, and Myka had to concede that it was actually true. (Except when it wasn’t.) Ida went on, “But if I’m going to be on a show, no matter what network carries it or who I can tell about it, I’m certainly going to see it through. Plus, in a very CBS way, I’d like everything back to normal.”

Myka thought, Sing it, sister. Not that I know what normal is, but I know what it isn’t.

Yet she and Helena walked side by side as their little team crossed the fairgrounds, the air between them unheavy. It wasn’t a normal walk by any means… but it wasn’t a march to be endured, as she’d begun the day thinking all their walks would be. She might have turned to Helena and said normal words. She didn’t, but she might have—and that was progress. Reparative progress.

The pie-judging location was not, Myka was pleased to find, a named pagoda, pavilion, patio, or promenade, but rather a large and simple tent, with no sign designating it the Pie Tent, probably because it was also the bread, pickles, and jam tent. She could feel Pete’s mouth watering as they entered the space.

Ida lasered in on the pies, which were clearly the main attraction, displayed like crown jewels on inky-velvet–clad shelving. “I’ve never tried such skullduggery before,” she confided. She looked at the pies, then looked at Myka and Helena in a way that Myka found immediately disconcerting. “I’ll need a distraction. Leading ladies, would you oblige?”

Pete snickered, but he applauded as he did so. “Oh, you’re good. You definitely watch a lot of the right kind of TV. My hat’s off to you, ma’am.”

“No,” Myka said. “Just no.” As if things weren’t bad enough, now she was supposed to put on some show for—

“Now wait,” Helena said, and her tone was her most “reasonable,” which at no time did Myka ever find to be actually appeasing, “Mrs. Thatcher has a plan, one that may very well succeed. Shouldn’t we contribute to that potential success? Agents don’t simply stand around and watch while other people make and implement plans to help them.”

“I really don’t see why not,” Myka said, deploying her own version of “reasonable.” “Or maybe Pete could stuff all the bread in his mouth. That’d be distracting.”

“Maybe I could,” Pete said, appraising the bread entries.

Helena did that little ironic, or poetic, twist of lip again, and now Myka knew perfectly well that she was being dared to think about Helena’s lips. The twist became a full smile as Helena said, “Won’t you kiss me passionately before the good people of Kenosha?”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with pie,” Myka said, knowing it was a nonsensical objection, not fully knowing why she was making it, because she did want to kiss Helena. But ideally someplace where they could work things out—which was emphatically not before the good people of Kenosha.

“That’s why it’s a distraction,” Pete explained, with seriousness. “Or you could have a slap fight. Your choice I guess; they’ve both got about as much to do with pie.”

Ida shook her head. “I’ve seen slap fights over everything in this tent, pie included. That wouldn’t even register.”

Myka raised eyes and palms heavenward in capitulation, because what choice did she really have, and Helena took that as her cue: “At long last,” she declaimed, “I declare publicly my love for you. Good people of Kenosha, you are my witnesses.” She gestured floridly to those witnesses, obviously to ensure that she had attracted, and would attract still more, attention. Then she turned back to Myka, displaying an impish facsimile of ardent sincerity. “Tell me that you reciprocate my ardor, so that I may live out my remaining days a happy woman.”

Myka began, “You are just too—” and she would have ended with “much,” but Helena took advantage of her mouth saying “too” to bestow one kiss, then another, and Myka had no choice but to play along.

“I know you don’t like to kiss me in front of other people, most days, and today perhaps not at all,” Helena murmured as they kissed and stopped, kissed and stopped. “I know it’s a hardship for you.”

“Hardship,” Myka sighed out. Why did Helena have to dig at her like this? “Are people watching?” she asked as they continued these strange, designed-to-be-seen kisses.

Helena smiled through one kiss, then another. “As if they were judging our worthiness for a ribbon in an osculation contest.”

“This is ridiculous,” Myka muttered.

“More so if you don’t participate. I myself want to win, not merely place.”

So Myka participated, to the extent that she could, given the still-unreconciled business of the day before, and the night, and this morning. She felt herself make a face as they broke apart minimally again—and then she made the break definitive, for she saw Pete give her a thumbs-up. “Pie achieved,” she informed Helena. “Thank god.”

“Myka,” said Helena, in mild rebuke.

“Helena,” Myka sighed in response. “Why do we do this?”

“Because we prefer it to the alternative,” Helena said. “At least, I do.”

And the challenge made Myka kiss her one more time, kiss her right. “I do too,” she said, making no face this time.

Helena shrugged her slim shoulders and said, with a tiny smile, “More than earlier today?”

“Exactly the same,” Myka told her, because it was true: she preferred every aspect of their relationship, even its most difficult terrain, to any alternative she could imagine… and for that response she was rewarded, because there was the smile, the precious one that graced Helena’s face at the best of times, the one that made Myka wonder how she had made it through decades of her life before this maddening presence swept in and made herself at home.

Myka hoped, given that the kissing seemed to have facilitated the pie-stealing as intended, that the proceedings would hustle their way to a conclusion… but no. The actual pie-judging was an elaborate affair, even unto the deployment of ceremonial utensils: knives of various sizes and sharpenings, serving implements with ornately sculpted handles, forks featuring equally silvered intricacy. Slicing, lifting, raising morsels with surprising elegance to judgmental mouths.

And speaking of judgmental mouths—and eyes, and pointing fingers—several of those continued to be directed at Myka and Helena. Helena, of course, settled into a showy preen, as if the attention obviously was entirely congratulatory, and Myka was as hard put as ever to understand how a literal Victorian could be more openly defiant of any given situation’s norms than someone who’d learned the world a century later.

But the century-later-learner in question was Myka, who labored to find and abide by every nuance of the norms governing any situation. And the literal Victorian in question was Helena, who would have defied norms regardless of when, regardless of whose. Regardless, Helena would have flown a flag that said Yes you should be looking, and you should be applauding my audacity, and as for anyone who fails to do so? I will spare no time or thought for those unfortunate fools.

But also: Look at me for my audacity. Not for the feral, fearful animal it hides.

And what about Myka, drawn to both those things?

Every nuance of the norms: of course, at the worst of times, she clung ever more tightly to those norms, begrudging Helena both the audacity and what it hid, condemning herself for finding all of it irresistible.

How handy, in those worst times, to have Emily Lake to wield as a cudgel. Or a scalpel.

Right, Myka thought, help them punish Helena, you and Helena, more: No, Regents, don’t trouble yourselves, no no no; I, Myka Bering, will take it from here. Because I am exactly the sort of dutiful idiot who would do that.

She didn’t want to be that sort of dutiful idiot.

So don’t, she told herself. Don’t do their dirty, punitive work. Make things better, not worse.

Myka deliberately caught the eye of a younger woman, one glaring a disapproval that belied the idea that that that demographic was wholeheartedly embracing change… Myka raised her eyebrows at her—not quite Helena’s flag-flying, but a challenge all the same. Then she moved so that her shoulder rested against Helena’s. Helena looked up in surprise, then let her own body lean, with the most gentle of pressure, on Myka. A whisper of relief. And all that mattered, in this moment, was Helena’s body, this long-lived body that had borne, and was still bearing, so much more than it was ever meant to. Myka was embarrassed by her own tendency to stagger under the weight, when what she should have been saying, and enacting, was I’ll carry you.

One clasp of Helena’s body, one breath into her hair; Helena turned once into the curve of Myka’s neck. These soft things didn’t reverse the past twenty-four hours either. But they allowed Myka, at least, to begin to pay productive attention to more-mundane problems.

Like a case to be brought to a conclusion. Slowly.

“What are those judges even doing?” Pete was asking Ida, and that earned him a tsk-tsk. They tasted the pies one more time, she told him, to make sure. “Even though they already basically know who won?” he complained.

“Without the second tasting, this plan wouldn’t work,” Ida reminded him, “because Agnes would already have won. Besides, you seem like the kind of man who’d feel a kinship with people who like having lots of opportunities to eat pie.”

“Yeah, but it’s taking them forever,” he groaned, and Myka was inclined to echo him.

“It’s important,” Ida told him.

To Myka’s surprise, Helena said, “She’s right.”

“Pardon?” Myka said.

“This… deliberation. Over something so seemingly small as the taste of a pie—it reminds me of the past. Not the harsh past, which I extolled to you, but its softer, slower aspect.” As Helena said this, her eyes weren’t misty, exactly, but they were looking at some fair that wasn’t this one. “I was wrong to maintain that the difference runs in only one direction. Forgive me?”

Myka’s impulse was to say “There’s nothing to forgive”—but they both had a lot to forgive. It also seemed to slight Helena’s… nostalgia? And her sincerity about that nostalgia. So Myka hesitated.

Helena then said, “From time to time I fail to acknowledge that a position should have nuance.”

As if Myka’s pause had meant she needed Helena to offer still more words of expiation. As if only then might Myka say “yes” in answer to a question about forgiveness.

It made Myka want to cuddle her. And shake a fist at her… but then again, she knew that she herself inspired the exact same push-pull in Helena.

So: “Me too,” Myka said.

And she was glad she’d got that out when she did, for then everything started happening: Ginny Leland’s peach/apple pie was announced the first-place winner “due to an unfortunate last-minute withdrawal,” and suddenly Ida was pointing, saying “There it is!” and Pete was rushing up to an ecstatic woman and a startled man, the latter indeed in possession of a microphone.

“I don’t understand,” said Paul Leland.

“I don’t care!” his wife declared. “I won!”

She rushed away to claim her ribbon. Her husband took a step as if to follow her, but Pete tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me, sir, but would you mind letting me have a closer look at that vintage sound equipment you’ve got there? It’s from about 1938, if I’m not mistaken, which I’m not. Right?”

“You can see me,” said Paul Leland.

“Yes I can,” Pete said. “And just to make sure that keeps being true, why don’t you pass the mic to this nice lady in the fancy purple gloves… ha! For a fistful of truth!”

“I don’t understand,” he said again, and he did look utterly baffled. He didn’t resist when Myka took the piece of history from him.

“Beastie Boys,” Pete informed him.

Myka muttered a cautionary “Pete…”

“Yeah, sorry. I actually don’t understand either, because I’m sort of getting a vibe that you’re not a supervillain. But you know what I’m also sort of getting a vibe about? This maybe has something to do with how you don’t watch radio.”

“I didn’t want anyone to see me…” Paul Leland said slowly. “I didn’t want anyone to see me, and then they didn’t. Why didn’t I want anyone to see me? Ginny!” he called to his wife, then headed in her direction. Myka didn’t see any need to stop him; they had the artifact, and Pete was most likely right: he wasn’t a supervillain.

“Maybe that’s the downside?” she wondered to Helena. “Wanting to be invisible?”

“Then why his wife as well?” Helena wondered back. “If it’s simply a consequence of using the microphone, wouldn’t it adhere only to him?”

“You don’t know the Lelands,” Ida said. “How could anything happen to one of them and not the other? They’re inseparable. Adhering’s a good word for it… look!” She gestured toward the now-reunited couple, and indeed, as Ginny Leland glowed with pride over the blue ribbon she held, Paul seemed to shine too.

Pete said, “So we’re thinking that on account of him not wanting to be seen, they weren’t, then on account of her really really wanting to, they were? That’s… some kind of teamwork.”

And Ida mused, “It’s like that sometimes.” She looked, with intent, at Myka and Helena. “Isn’t it.”

“Isn’t it,” Helena echoed. She leaned once again on Myka.

Myka was still gloved, still holding the artifact, so she unfortunately couldn’t take much enjoyment from that lean, or do more than vaguely return it. “Let’s go behind the tent,” she suggested, and Pete whistled. “To bag the microphone,” she said, but her withering tone never had any effect on him.

Ida followed them behind the tent, and once again, Myka couldn’t see her way to objecting.

Pete had a static bag in hand; Myka tried to slip the microphone into it, but he insisted on putting on gloves himself and taking the artifact from Myka, and then he insisted on Farnsworthing Claudia before he did anything else. Myka didn’t understand why until he said, “And now here we go. All you lovely ladies are witnessing my very first literal mic-drop.” Myka heard this “literal” as a minor, if most likely accidental, miracle, while Claudia said an extremely dry “waited a lifetime for this” and “imagine my delight.”

“I’m starting to develop a theory about why you people bring up mushrooms,” Ida said, gazing at the Farnsworth.

“In my day we often suggested it was laudanum,” Helena told her.

Ida made a noise of speculation. “And I’m starting to develop a theory about why you said ‘H.G.’ isn’t your nickname.”

Pete held the microphone up and waved it. “Show’s happening right here right now! Come one come all to the center ring!” Before Myka could object that this was a fair and not a circus, he dropped it in.

Nothing happened.

“Here in Kenosha,” Ida said—gently, as if Pete’s feelings might be hurt—“we wouldn’t really call that a ‘show.’”

Pete shook the bag, seemingly encouraging it to work harder. “Claud, could we be in a defective static situation?”

“If so,” Claudia told him, “It’s one of those really random black-swan thingies. Not impossible, but—”

“I’ll try another one,” he assured her.

Nothing happened.

“I see what you mean about the low budget,” Ida told him.

Pete looked mournfully into the bag. “So I was wrong? Not an artifact after all… hey, waitaminute,” he said. He shed a glove, fished the microphone out, held it up, and said through it, “Sugar is nutritious.” His voice boomed even more than usual.

That’s a funny thing for him to have said, Myka thought, because of course—

“Hey, Mykes, how do you feel about eating sugar?” he asked.

And that was a funny thing for him to have asked. She gave him her best Pete you are insane look and said, “Well, it’s nutritious, so of course I feel pretty good about it.”

Did he look… horrified? “This is bad,” he said, and through the Farnsworth she heard Claudia shriek, “You broke Myka! You bet it’s bad!”

Myka tried to reassure them both: “No, sugar’s good.”

“Oh my lord,” Helena said, and Myka couldn’t understand why her voice clutched in a way that nearly matched Pete and Claudia…

TBC

[rocky-alex]

A Hunter’s Life For Me

Word count: 2494

Warnings: angst, a lot of it...

Pairings: OFC(Jules) x Dean, Reader x Sam

A Hunter’s Life Masterlist

Chapter 14: I know his heart by heart

Jules POV

“Dean…” His whole body as shaking, and he wasn’t letting me go. When the first shock seemed to have settled he’d moved closer, leaning his head on my shoulder. One of my hands moved down over his back, pulling him close to my body. He’s safe, he’s okay, a voice in my head kept trying to tell me. It wasn’t until I’d assured myself of that fact that I realised I’d just stopped him from killing someone, someone he’d once, and maybe still, considered family. I couldn’t let him do that to himself, my own safety be damned.

Feeling people move behind me I turned my head slightly to the side, noticing Sam and Y/N slowly leave the room. Sam gave me a worried look, like he wanted to stay to make sure his brother wouldn’t lose it again. I slowly nodded my head, reassuring him that everything was fine. Dean would be okay, he had to be. As soon as my skin had touched his it seemed like a lid slammed shut on his emotions. He wasn’t calm by any means, but he wasn’t about to explode either. It was like my sudden appearance acted like a shield, stopping any actions he’d come to regret.

We stood like that for several minutes, neither one wanting to move it seemed. But I had questions, and I needed Dean to answer them.

“Dean.” I pulled away slightly and he raised his head, looking at me. Guilt shone from his eyes, pulling him down. “No, Dean. Don’t.” I lifted my hands to his face again. He closed his eyes, swallowing hard.

“Jules, you… You could’ve-” I stopped him short.

“You’d never do that, and you didn’t.” He was not going down that road, no matter how much it called to him. He was barely holding everything back.

I wasn’t sure he would be able to do much of anything right now, let alone gather his mind enough to tell me what I had to know, but he didn’t have a choice. Something had made him react like he did, and I’d be damned if he wouldn’t tell me what.

“Dean.” My hold on his face tightened, forcing him to look at me. “What happened?”

Sam POV

“What the fuck was that Sam?” Y/N asked him once they were out of earshot of Jules and Dean. Sam didn’t look at her. He didn’t know what to answer. There were so many things in the air right now, unknowns that he hadn’t had the time to figure out. Dean had found out what Jules really was, seeming to almost have forced Cas to tell him. As far as Sam knew, Jules had no idea yet, as Cas didn’t seem to have gotten to the point before he and Dean interrupted their conversation in the library. Then there was Dean’s behaviour towards Jules. He’d gone from seeing her as a naive child who had no idea what she was getting herself into, to being in a constant worry over her, and damn near losing his mind if she was in danger. Sam couldn’t put his finger on what it was that had drawn Dean and Jules together so suddenly and unavoidably.

“Hey!” A hand was waving infront of his face. Y/N had stepped infront of him, trying to catch his attention. Then there was her. She’d been working for Crowley, then showed up at their doorstep in a panic, claiming Crowley was coming for her. Could he believe her? Truth be told, Sam’s trust in Y/N had popped like a bubblegum the second he found that little tidbit out. Was this a game? A trick? Was Crowley coming for them instead? He didn’t know, and he didn’t know if he could trust any answer Y/N gave him. But she wasn’t giving in it seemed, she wanted to know.

“You know, Y/N, if you wanted to know you shouldn’t have left in the first place.” He couldn’t stop the bitterness in his voice, couldn’t stop the hurt he still felt at her leaving. In his mind she hadn’t trusted them to help her with what she had to do. It wasn’t fair, he knew her reasons, and logically he could understand them. Two warring sides of him, which ultimately, to him, meant he couldn’t trust her.

“That’s not fair, Sam.” Her voice had gone quiet, her gaze dropping to the floor. The stab of guilt in Sam’s chest was too small to stop him.

“Maybe not, but neither is siding with Crowley instead of asking me and Dean for help.” He paused, debating whether to put a final nail in the coffin. He couldn’t deny that he wanted her back, with his whole being. But in his life he’d been through too much to put himself out there for someone who’d already left him once, and very likely would again. “I can never trust you again, Y/N. Not even now, when the only reason you came here was because this is the only safe place from Crowley.”

Her head whipped up, tears in her eyes. In that moment Sam wanted to take it all back, take her in his arms and never let her go. He saw the hopelessness there, saw that she truly had nowhere left to go. The only thing that stopped him was the thought that he himself could end up with the same look in his eyes.

As Sam’s determination held, Y/N seemed to collect herself, straightening her shoulders. The look in her eyes hardened to stone.

“Whatever you want to think, Sam, I still want to help.” Sam was quiet for a few moments. Nothing would ever be the same between them, and he’d never be sure she was ever completely on their side again, but they were at their wits end.

“Okay.”

Dean POV

The moment her hands touched his skin he deflated. It took all he had to stay on his feet and hold onto her. Then she spoke.

“Dean.” He lifted his head to look in her in the eyes, and all he saw was what he could’ve lost. What he could’ve made himself lose. “No, Dean. Don’t.” Her voice was insistent, wouldn’t let him drown. He closed his eyes, swallowing hard.

“Jules, you… You could’ve-” She cut him off,

“You’d never do that, and you didn’t.” But I could have, a voice in his head insisted. Jules tightened her hold on him.

“Dean. What happened?” The determination she had, holding him up by sheer force of will, not letting him fall into the pit of rage, hurt and self-hatred… She wouldn’t let him go. He wasn’t worth it, he knew that. But no matter what they went through she always came back to him. And it scared him.

As he’d done countless times before, Dean pulled himself up straight, pushing down everything he felt so he could focus.

“Let’s go”, he said, taking her hand.

Jules POV

The change was instant. A hundred thoughts seemed to run through his head in the space of just a few seconds, but when they settled, so did he. He straightened up and took my hand.

“Let’s go.”

He led me through the bunker, down the hallway leading to the bedrooms. We didn’t run into Y/N or Sam, almost making me think they’d left the bunker. Dean didn’t seem to notice, or he didn’t care. The room he led me to had a very lived in feeling to it, with things lying around everywhere, mostly weapons, but also magazines, books and other knick knacks. Looking at the walls I saw a few pictures of him and Sam with people who must have been his parents. I turned to face him and was met with… coldness.

“What… what’s wrong?” I asked him. It didn’t make sense. It was like everything I’d seen just moments ago had vanished into thin air, and left behind was… nothing.

“I don’t know, you tell me.” What?

“I’m sorry, have I done something wrong?” His sudden change in attitude was shocking, but as far as I knew, nothing I’d said or done should have caused this.

“Again, you tell me.” What the fuck?

“Okay, this isn’t fair.”

“Yeah, you’re right, it’s not.”

“Dean, I’m really not following here.”

“Jules, we’ve known each other for just a few weeks. And yet, the thought of something happening to you, the thought of you possibly dying… It drives me crazy.”

“And how is that my fault?” The blank look disappeared, and anger took it’s place.

“Because I can’t live like that! It doesn’t make sense!” The shock of him suddenly screaming at me only held me down for a moment.

“How do you think I feel? This whole thing, everything that’s happened to me, has me so scared that I don’t know what to do. I don’t know who I can turn to. I had to wait for you and Sam to fall asleep to even try to figure out what’s wrong with me, and I still don’t know! I don’t know what I am, I don’t know where these freak powers come from, and I definitely don’t know why I feel the way I feel about you. So how the fuck do you expect me to have the answers?” That shut him up. I could see he still wanted to rage and scream about everything that was happening, but what I’d said made sense.

“And by the way”, I continued, on a roll now that I was finally letting it out. “I betting you know more than I do anyway. Your angel friend seemed more than happy to talk to you. So you tell me, Dean, how is this my fault?” His fists were clenched and he wasn’t backing down. He turned his back to me and I was so sure he was going to start breaking things. But nothing happened.

“You’re right”, he finally said. “Cas did talk to me. He told me…” “Told you what?”

“He told me what you are.” My breath caught in my throat.

“And?” I asked, my voice coming out as barely a whisper. Dean wouldn’t look at me.

“It’s bad. Worse than anything we’ve come across before.” He stopped talking. I wasn’t having it. In my heart I knew what he was hiding, but I had to hear him say it, or it wouldn’t be real.

“Dean, tell me. Tell me or I swear to god I’ll hurt you.” He flinched.

“You’re both angel and demon, baked into a human body. You’ve got more power than any of us know how to handle. They’ll all be coming for you.”

It all clicked into place in my head. Angels and demons, fighting for a power I’d never known I had, a power that had just randomly landed in my lap and that I had no idea what to do with.

“So it was true…” My voice was so quiet I could barely hear it myself, but Dean’s head snapped up, and the anger was back.

“It was true? What the hell do you mean it was true?” He was walking closer, and I cowered back. I’d never once felt afraid of him, I still didn’t, but the way he was moving… It reminded me of a… a hunter. For the first time I realised just how dangerous he was.

The moment I flinched away from him he stopped. The anger dropped and he once again looked scared, and I realised just how in the dark he felt too. The thought of being so attached to someone scared him, and he didn’t know what to do. The words started flowing out of me, telling him everything I felt.

“Dean, when you left after I woke up I didn’t know what to think. I was scared, alone. Sam was there but I needed you. I don’t know why, but I did.” He’d backed away from me again, but the distance suddenly hurt. “What happened when I was asleep falls in line with what the angel told you. I was in a field, right between two armies, and they were coming for me. They both wanted me, but neither could have me. That was all I knew.”

“Angels and demons…” he whispered. I nodded.

“Dean, I have to know more. I have to know what’s happening to me.”

“Cas will know”, he said, as if that was the answer to everything. Seriously? I snorted. “What?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, but that won’t cut it.” “Why not? He told me what you are.”

“Exactly, he told you. Not me. He’s and angel, Dean. What’s to say he won’t try to take me for their side? Or just try to get me out of the way?” Dean was in my face in an instant, his breath hot on my face.

“You don’t know anything, Jules. You don’t know half the things Cas has done for us over the years, what he’s given up to save our asses I don’t know how many times. He’s family.” Like that magically meant I’d trust him.

“And this is my life, Dean! You might know him, but I don’t, and I can’t risk it just because he simply told you what I am. It doesn’t work that way! The only one I’ve come to trust in the past few weeks is you. You’re the one who looked for me and found me, I feel safe with you, and safe is in short supply these days.” “Cas is safe! He wouldn’t let anything happen to you!”

“But I don’t know that!” All the air left my body and it took all my willpower to stay upright. He didn’t understand. “It’s not that easy. I left my whole life behind and was lucky enough to have you and Sam let me in. I don’t know how it happened, but it’s come to the point where I can’t lose you. Dean I lo-” I stopped myself just in time, not letting the words out. He couldn’t know. But by the look on his face he knew exactly what I’d been about to say. Not missing a beat he took my face in his hands, not letting me look away.

“Jules, I trust him more than anyone besides Sam. If I thought he’d hurt you, in any way, I wouldn’t have… He’d have… I won’t let that happen.” This was one roller coaster after another. I couldn’t stop the tears welling up in my eyes at his words. How was it that I believed him when I didn’t believe anyone else? How was it that he was the only one who made me feel like I wasn’t alone? Sam had been with me when Dean left, but Dean… I raised my hands to his wrists, holding on for dear life.

“I don’t know what to do.” I was sobbing now.

“Me neither, sweetheart. But we’ll get there.”

@carryonmyswansong, thank you for checking in on me and keeping my hopes up for this story <3

Note: I’m back! A year later but I’m back :) I felt the urge to write and I took it. This chapter is a year in the making, and I do not know how it turned out, so please let me know. Be gentle? It’s been a while :P (and I’ve also forgotten how I usually formed the chapters when I post, so I’ve probably forgotten something) 

Another thing! The reader insert link has apparently stopped working, another one in its place, and I’ll try to get it working. That’s why it’s not in this chapter. 

[fallinfor-youreyes]

Cotton Candy Smile

For Unwrittenmusing’s Valentine’s in Verona Challenge! Ao3

Week 1: Firsts. I mashed up first dates and first kisses.

The second the fireworks ended, the carnival started to wind down. The lines for the rides shrunk, vendors sold their last pieces of delicacies, and Rosaline shivered as the wind decided to pick up.

Benvolio glances at her over their giant stick of cotton candy, and the next thing she knows, he tossing his thin jacket at her, before taking a giant bite out of his side of the sugar.

“Thanks,” Rosaline says, trying not to think about it to much as she shrugs the coat on, pushing the sleeves up enough so she can see her hands.

Juliet giggles a couple of feet ahead of them, Romeo twirling her along to the music streaming from the speakers placed all around the fair grounds. Benvolio makes an annoyed sound, probably his 30th of the night, and takes another bite of the cotton candy. Rosaline’s not sure if she’s ever seen someone eat fluffy pink sugar as angrily as Benvolio Montague.

Honestly, she isn’t entirely happy about their current situation either, but she does love the Carnival. It comes to Verona every year, and it’s full of happy memories with her parents and Livia and even on occasion a little Juliet, and her Aunt and Uncle smiling in the time Rosaline labeled ‘the before’.

Before the accident, before her aunt never did anything but scowl, before her uncle locked himself in his study, before her and Livia became burdens instead of nieces, before when life was easier.

The carnival is a happier place in her heart, and she’s not going to let a Montague ruin the night simply because he doesn’t want to play chaperone. That’s basically what they are tonight. Her uncle ruled that Juliet could only go out with a boy if Rosaline was going too, something he didn’t think would happen, but apparently, Benvolio would do anything for his cousin, much in the same way as Rosaline. Enough that he sacrificed his Friday night to come and scowl throughout the whole adventure.

Livia has escaped from the rather depressing chaperone party, having asked to go out with her friends before Juliet had the bright idea to go on a date with a Montague of all people.  

“Oh my god!” Juliet squeals, and grabs Romeo’s arm, dragging him back toward Rosaline and her grumpy partner in cotton candy treats. “The tunnel of love! We have time for one more ride, don’t we?” Juliet asks, her eyes pleading.

Benvolio checks his watch before glancing at Rosaline. Rosaline shrugs.

“C’mon Ben!” Romeo knocks his shoulder against his. “You know you love the tunnel of love.” His eyes  jump to Rosaline in Benvolio jacket and he winks.

Rosaline checks the time herself. “We still have a couple of hours until curfew.”

“Fine,” Benvolio says, taking himself and their cotton candy toward the closest bench.

“Woah! Hold on!” Romeo runs and jumps in front of Benvolio before he can sit. “It’s a four person ride.”

Rosaline can feel Benvolio’s glare from her spot next to Juliet. Juliet links their arms. “So, he gave you his jacket huh?”

Rosaline pushes her as Romeo tries to gab the cotton candy from Benvolio.

“We still have half a stick of cotton candy!” Benvolio says, jumping over the chair to get away from his cousin.

“You can finish it online!” Romeo jumps onto Benvolio’s back, and grabs a piece of the fluff for himself.  He took it from Benvolio’s side, Rosaline notes, pleased. “Rosaline, knock some sense into him!” Romeo says, trying to direct Benvolio back toward them.

Benvolio shakes his head, his eyes pleading. And, really, she doesn’t want to go through the ‘most romantic ride you’ll ever be on’ with Benvolio Montague of all people, but she also can’t pass on the opportunity to make him a little uncomfortable. He’s been closed off and grumpy throughout the entire night, so he deserves some sort of punishment for being a bit an asshole.

Rosaline shrugs. “I don’t mind going on.”

Benvolio groans, and finally pushes Romeo off. “Rom, you owe me two weeks worth of dishes now.”

Romeo plants a wet kiss on Benvolio’s cheek before skipping his way back to his girlfriend. Benvolio is much less enthusiastic as he makes his way back to Rosaline.

“I thought we were partners in this, Capulet.”

“This is payback for not coming on the roller coaster with me.”

“I told you I don’t trust carnival roller coasters.”

“Sucks to be you then, huh,” she teases.

Benvolio studies her for a minutes, and then his entire demeanor changes. “If ya wanted to get me to romance you so bad, Capulet, you should have mentioned it.” He slips into a smile and his arm drops over her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“You asked for it.”

Juliet glances back at them, and an evil twinkle enters her eyes.

Rosaline wants to toss the empty cotton candy cone at her head.

They make it the front of the line, and Rosaline and Benvolio try to follow Romeo and Juliet to the enter line, but the worker stops them.

“Two people at a time, loves,” the worker says, way to much enthusiasm in her voice for the time it is.

“Of course it is.” Benvolio sighs, and shoots a glare at Romeo who blow him a kiss.

Rosaline watches as the actual couple disappears into the tunnel, and Benvolio’s arm around her shoulder goes slack.

“I hate them.” he says. There’s no venom in his voice though. He just sounds tired.

“No you don’t.” Rosaline glances up at him. “They just indulge in driving us crazy, and we love them too much to deny them.”

Benvolio studies her from his new vantage point and sighs. “Sorry if I’ve been a bit shitty all night. I just wasn’t prepared for Capulet’s.”

Rosaline snorts, and crosses her arms across her chest, the sleeves of his jacket covering her hands again. “I wasn’t expecting a partner at all, so image how I felt when I saw a Montague who wasn’t Romeo driving the car.”

“Fair.” He pulls her closer, and Rosaline is pretty sure it’s accidentally. “I promise next time, I’ll be more agreeable.”

“Next time?” Rosaline raises an eyebrow at him. “What makes you so sure there’s going to be a next time, Montague?”

His eyes go wide, and she’s pretty sure his ears turn pink, but it could be the light from the tunnel.

“No, I meant-” He scrubs his free hand down his face. “Mercutio will probably be up for babysitting duty-”

“Ben.” Rosaline squeezes the hand over her shoulder. “I was joking. We’re partners now.” She nudges him with her hip, knocking both of them a little off balance.

And really, she wouldn’t mind being stuck with him again the next Romeo and Juliet get enough courage to ask their parents to go out. He has stayed with her the whole time, has asked which side of the cotton candy she wanted, and he gave her his jacket the second after she shivered. The worst thing he had done was be grumpy, which was valid, considering he had given up his Friday night to baby sit his younger cousins date all because his cousins girlfriend had a slightly crazy dad.

“Yeah?” He asks.

“Yeah. I mean, I also already punished you for being shitty by forcing you on the ride so...”

The ride carts around the corner, and the super enthusiastic worker beckons them forward. “You guys are so cute! Enjoy the ride!”

Rosaline resists the urge to laugh out loud, as they slowly make their way into the intoxicatingly pink tunnel.

Xxx

They wander out the car as the carnival is officially closing, Romeo and Juliet whispering together, pausing before they reach the car.

“So...” Romeo spins on his heel and turns to face the two of them. “You know how Mercutio and Antonio took separate cars tonight and basically avoided all of the friends in an attempt to make this a  realistic date?”

Benvolio nods, narrowing his eyes at Romeo. “Yeah. What of it?”

“Well, they are taking the same car home.” Romeo pauses, for what Rosaline assumes dramatic affect. “And they need someone to drive it back.”

Juliet bites her lip, and turns to Rosaline. “And, we have over 2 hours until curfew.”

Rosaline sighs, and drops her head into her hands. “You guys want to take the car.”

They nod simultaneously.

“No.”Benvolio shakes his head, and starts moving toward their car. “I told you, if you made me come out with you tonight, that I was staying with you the whole time. Rosaline and I sacrificed our Friday nights so you two could go out, and-”

Juliet turns her eyes to Rosaline, and Rosaline sighs, again. For some reason, she can’t say no to Juliet when she gives her the puppy dog eyes.

“Wait,” she hooks her hand around Benvolio’s elbow, and he stops. “What if we let them?”

Benvolio turns to her, and the entire fight dies in his eyes. If Rosaline didn’t know better, she’s say he was fighting this for her.

“What?”

“We give then an hour and a half. You’d only be stuck with me for a few more hours.”

He cracks half a smile and then waves his hands at Romeo. “Fine. But you better be back in time for their curfew. And now you owe me three weeks of dishes.”

“Thanks man.” Romeo grabs Juliet’s hand, but before they can to the car, Rosaline stops her.

“Juliet. You better back at the house at least 20 minutes before curfew. You know we can’t be late, and that I can’t walk in without you.”

“I know, Ros.”

“Jules.” Rosaline pulls out the big sister voice, and Juliet runs over to her, wrapping her in a hug. “I’ll be home 25 minutes before curfew if it makes you happy.”

Rosaline scoffs at her and pushes her toward Romeo, watching them rush away and disappear into the parking lot.

Benvolio laughs, and rubs his hand down his face. “They owe you so much.”

“Oh I know. I have a secret stash of favors both her and Livia owe me.” Rosaline says.

Benvolio spins his keys around his finger before starting off toward the car. “How do you feel about milkshakes?”

“You can still think about sugar? After all that cotton candy?”

Benvolio shoots her a grin as he climbs into the car. “I know a place with great milkshakes and even better fries.”

“I am a sucker for fries.”

Benvolio throws the car into reverse and for the first time all night, Rosaline allows herself to have some real fun.

Xxx

“You’re lying.” Rosaline says, dipping her fry into his milkshake again.

“I am not. I’m telling you, Mercutio has gotten us into some really weird places.” Benvolio swats her hand away so he can dip his own fry into the shake.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so pleased getting caught sneaking into the Mayor’s office.”

“What can I say,” Benvolio shrugs. “I multifaceted, Capulet.”

She’s still in his jacket, but he hasn’t asked for it back yet, and she’s quite comfortable at the moment.

“So,” Benvolio swipes his shake for a sip before she can dip another fry. “What happens if you miss curfew?”

It should be an easy question, but Rosaline tenses, and Benvolio shakes his head. “You don’t have to answer that,” he says, sincerely, and it makes her feel all warm inside.

“No, it’s cool. My aunt and uncle are just a little intense.” Rosaline shrugs, trying to play it off. They’re more evil than intense, but that’s a lot to unload to anyone, especially a Montague. “Nothing would happen to Jules, except a stern talking to, but I probably wouldn’t be allowed out for two weeks. Extra chores.”

Benvolio’s jaw tightens, but Rosaline can’t figure out why. “I’m pretty sure all uncles in Verona are terrible.”

Rosaline studies him for a moment, before grabbing his shake back. “So, what did you give up tonight so we could follow the misfits around?”

She’s pretty sure his cheeks turn pink but he ducks his head before she can be sure. “Um,” He pauses, like he’s contemplating how much to tell her. “There’s this pottery class I go to.” His eyes snap up before she has a chance to process his words. “And I swear Capulet, no one knows, so you can’t tell anyone.”

“Scout’s honor.” Rosaline holds up her hands and Benvolio rolls his eyes. “Do you have pictures?”

He looks at her in that way that makes her think he’s starting to trust her when he digs his phone out of his pocket and passes it to her.

She assumed it would be small plates or bowls, but the pictures on his phone are giant vases, delicately painted and sculpted with intricate designs. “These are amazing!”

This time, his cheeks do turn pink, and there’s no way he can hide it. Benvolio shrugs. “I was thinking about going to art school, but my uncle already has my business school and classes picked out.”

He tries to brush it off, but Rosaline can hear the regret in his voice, the longing, the tinge of resentment. She recognizes it.

“Promise me you won’t stop.” Rosaline grabs his hand. “Keep taking classes, and see if you audit courses, just promise me you won’t let them win.”

Benvolio stares at their hands linked across the table and then his eyes meet hers, blue and beautiful enough to take her breath away.

“You can’t let them win either.”

She nods, and then he smiles, and Rosaline finds herself blushing because of a Montague.

Xxx

They’re parked halfway down the block, near the park at the edge of their street, when Juliet texts to say they are five minutes out.

Benvolio jumps out of the car and rushes around to get her door before Rosaline can type out a reply, and then he’s holding out a hand, and helping her jump down.

“Thank you, for tonight.” Benvolio says, his hand still in hers. “I was a dick. And you forgave me.”He scratches the back of his neck, before smiling at her. “And I had a lot of fun.”

Rosaline takes a step closer to him without really meaning to. “Thanks for giving up pottery to hang out with me.”

“Anytime,” he says, more of a whisper than anything, tugging her closer.

Rosaline bites her lip, and then -

Lights flash behind them, and Juliet is rushing out of the car, Romeo close on her heels.

Rosaline drops his hand as Juliet collides into her. “Fifteen minutes until curfew!” Her cheeks are flushes and her hair is a mess, and Romeo looks positively love struck, and Rosaline can’t help but laugh at them.

“Good job.” Rosaline attempts to make her cousins hair the semblance on normal, when Juliet grabs her hand.

“Can we say good night one last time?” she whispers, and Rosaline has given in to so much tonight, but they have a few extra minutes, and she’s in a good mood.

A really good mood.

“Fine. I’ll meet you at the end of the driveway, do not make me have to drag you away.”

Juliet squeals, and then collides into Romeo, pushing him back toward his car for one more kiss.

Rosaline smiles after them, before turning to Benvolio, her stomach flip flopping in some dumb way. He’s resting against his car, his eyes trained upon her in a way that makes her cheeks heat up

“Well, good night then Montague,” she says, saluting him before turning toward the house.

“Capulet.”

She can hear his footsteps, and her step falters for a second. His hand slips around her elbow and then she’s spun into his chest.

“I think you’re wearing my jacket.”

“Oh.” Rosaline glances down at her arms, to see that his jacket is still very much on her person. “I am.”  

He swallows hard, and his hand slides from her elbow until it’s cupping her cheek. “I would let you keep it, but I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble.”

“Then you would have no one to share cotton candy with.”

“Exactly.”

She leans into his hand, and then the next thing she knows, his lips are on hers, and she’s gripping the front of his shirt so she can pull him closer to her.

It’s good, as far as first kisses go. Better then good.

He’s smiling against her lips, and then his hand slides around her waist, and he tastes like chocolate milkshakes and too much carnival sugar, but she doesn’t pull away until she’s about to go light headed.

He tucks a curl behind her ear, and presses another kiss to her forehead. “We have an audience.”

Rosaline hides her head in his chest, before she slips off his jacket and pushes it into his hands.

“Until next time Montague.” She says, spinning on her heel and grabbing Juliet by the arm.

“Looking forward to it, Capulet.”

Juliet’s nails dig into her arm, but Rosaline keeps marching them toward the door.

She doesn’t turn around until they make it the driveway, finding both Montague boys watching them walk away.

She still feels a little breathless. Juliet is still almost buzzing with questions.

Rosaline waves and then pulls Juliet the rest of the way to the door.

Maybe, just maybe, being forced to play babysitter for Juliet and Romeo wasn’t the worst thing to happen to her Friday night.

[lunaschild2016]

Belief: Part 7

A/N: So, I had been wracking my brain for the name of the actor who I always saw in my mind’s eye for Elijah. Low and behold it hit me hard when I got a craving to watch some True Blood. So loves, if you need a mental image of who Eric’s brother is....it is Eric...the vampire...the one and only Alexander Skarsgård!

Here is a new chapter for you to consume and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: ‘Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children.’ (James O'Barr, The Crow) V Roth is still Mother to this world and I am just one of the children singing my own tune into the night.

Rating M ( Language, Violence, There will be smut, Angst, Tragedy, Romance, Fluff)

@kenzieam  @pathybo  @jaihardy @every-jai  @ericdauntless@beautifulramblingbrains  @bookgirlthings  @jojuarez26 @oddsnendsfanfics@offroadinjandals  @singingpeople  @iammarylastar @irasancti@captstefanbrandt  @clublulu333  @fuckthatfeeling  @tigpooh67 @ex-bookjunky  @jughead-wuz-here  @badassbaker  @beanzjellly @beltz2016@meganbee15 @affabletimelady  @scorpio2009  @gylisaa@geekybeyondallreason @violetsonthelam @kyloswarstars@emmysrandomthoughts @kgurew @beltzboys2015-blog @slytherin-princess-25273 @whatwouldbuffydo666  @jaiboomer11  @holamor@wealwayskeepfighting  

**I promise I have put the read more option in but it has been glitching. Also, if I have forgotten anyone and you want to be tagged or removed just message me!**

Part 7

“You are looking extremely happy. I take it that the tour and meetings went well?” Tori asked as we all gathered once again at the Erudite tower and headed towards a conference room that we would all use to go over some last minute details from each group.

I smiled at her widely and nodded. “Better than I had imagined.”

The lunch hour had been emotional but it gave me an insight into Eric. I also felt that Elijah and I had really bonded as well. We didn’t go too deeply into anything else regarding Eric and the past.

He did let me know that part of the reason the Erudite are responding to Eric the way they are, is mostly because of him being viewed as a savior of sorts to the faction. But there is also the fact that before Eric had transferred to Dauntless there had only been two people that could rival or beat Jeanine’s IQ. Eric was one of them and Cara, the new main leader, was the other.

In Erudite, they regarded that above all others. It was how Jeanine got her place as leader despite her not being suited for the position at all. In Erudite’s eyes, even if he is Dauntless now, Eric deserves a position of power there. It was also why Jeanine had been desperate to get him to Dauntless and out of the running for being a threat to her position but still keep him tied to Erudite.

While he is proud of Eric, both the brothers find this amusing and ridiculous as hell. They aren’t above using it to their advantage though. Which is how I think he has been able to get things for the clinic and how I believe he is getting everything he can for Dauntless now.

I walk into the conference room beside Tori, quietly talking about some of the things I am hoping actually happen that Eli and I have worked out. The table in the conference room is a long glass rectangular thing with that same thick blue-tinged glass that can be found everywhere here. There are two white chairs at each end and either side has evenly spaced chairs along it.

Eric is standing at one end of the table and when he sees me walk in beside Tori, he pulls out one of the chairs. At first, I think it is for Tori, considering the other end already has the two main leaders of Erudite at theirs. But she breaks off from me, with a smile tilting her lips, and heads to the first chair on the long edge.

I pause, confused for a second and thrown off. Eric raises an eyebrow and barely beckons me with his head. I feel as if every eye is on me as I walk to him, slide into the seat and then feel him push my chair in for me before sliding into his own seat. A glance around and I don’t see anyone overtly looking at what just happened, well besides Tori, but I feel as this was a display of some kind.

I am probably making more out of it than what it really meant but regardless it has my stomach fluttering. My hands are shaking slightly in my lap and I turn my head towards Eric. The corners of his eyes are wrinkled as he looks me over with worry in them.

“You good?” He asks lowly with that same emotion in the tone.

I smile and nod in answer, not trusting my voice. He exhales through his nose just a little bit too forcefully as if he was holding his breath, and he briefly takes my hand in his, giving it a squeeze before we both let go and turn our attention to the others filling the room and taking their seats.

Elijah has a car that Eric and I join him in directly after that final meeting. I watch the sector go by as we drive through it onto the way where Erudite have actual houses for families or those of some higher standing in the faction. I am surprised that they have something like that honestly. I thought that much like Dauntless or Candor, they would all live in apartments inside the main compound.

I am in the passenger seat that both brothers insisted I take while Eric is in the backseat. We are all talking about the normal living situation in Erudite.

“They honestly just started opening up and having more of the houses available. Your thoughts about Erudite mainly living in apartments were correct. That was what we grew up in. It was easier for the families and those caretakers that would be the ones to take care of the kids.” Eric

said from behind us.

Elijah nods. “You’ll see that the ones who choose to live in the houses are the ones like me, who would rather not have other people raising their kids while they barely have a presence in their life. My stipulation to heading up the department and helping leadership out was that I would be able to set my hours so that I could be the one to parent Olivia.”

“While Amity has houses, there were a few people that lived in the huge complex. Choosing to have single rooms instead of apartment-like housing. Those were usually the single members that either just went through initiation or worked in some capacity at the compound.” I say with a shrug, trying to let them it wasn’t a totally foreign concept.

That would probably have been where I lived if I had stayed. Well, before I married Vicente anyways. I actually shudder at the thought entirely.

“What about the kids too young for school but whose parents work out in the fields?” Eli asks with a brief look to me as he makes a turn into the housing subdivision.

“There were women that had childcare set up in their homes. They could have as many as ten kids in their home from sun up to just before sundown. They usually had a few helpers, some of them older dependents, to assist in whatever they needed. Honestly, Erudite aren’t the only ones that can have parents to get caught up in their jobs and be away from their families for the majority of the time. Before my parents passed they were the same. We had Abuela though, so we didn’t have to go to the childcare centers.”

We continue to talk, mainly Elijah and myself with Eric adding something in everyone once in a while until we finally pull up to his house. All the houses in the subdivision have a uniform look to them. They are all very sleek and geometrical. They almost remind me of the Abnegation houses, which are all just big grey concrete rectangles. Erudite use the combination of rectangles and squares for a very symmetrical look, but they are a combination of large windows, a warm beige stone, and stucco. Materials that I am familiar with being used in some Amity homes. It turns out that this housing area is newer and the reason the materials look familiar is that they come from my old faction. Amity has even been contracted build them.

When we stop, the nerves hit and hard. I am intimidated and nervous about meeting the little girl that means so much to Eric. I can admit I am also a little unsure about it. Elijah obviously tried to reassure me that Eric had never really felt ‘that way’ about Jules but there is a big part of me that wonders.

All my insecurities and questions are all, not forgotten really, but set aside the moment we enter the house and I catch sight of the little girl that so obviously has the two Coulters wrapped around her little finger. I immediately understand why.

She is beyond adorable. One look at her father and uncle and she completely forgets about the puzzle blocks she was so absorbed with on the living room floor. She shot to her feet and launched herself towards her daddies outstretched arms. Her shoulder length chocolate brown curls bouncing and her laughter and smile making her chubby cheeks show deep dimples in her warm bronze skin.

Elijah barely gets a hug from her before she is already trying to launch herself from his arms straight into Eric’s. He catches her with a laugh and starts to talk to her. He never once engages in what is called baby talk but he starts asking her things that make me almost think I am in some alternate reality, they are just so out of character for how I have seen him be.

Elijah moved to speak with her nanny, Connie, about her day and just the general updates you would expect from a parent. It is very apparent that his main focus was she generally happy during the time he was away. The older Erudite smiles at him with reassurance and I guess this is something that she is regularly asked when she has the little girl.

I hear my name being called, drawing me from listening to the conversation between father and nanny and look to where Eric has his hand held out to me, calling me over. I hear him telling Olivia my name and for her to say hello. I walk slowly to his side and watch the little toddlers eyes focused on me. Looking a combination of shy and appraising.

Caramel colored eyes are looking at me with the familiar intensity that both her father and uncle have and it throws me off a little bit so I don’t return the greeting right away. Her cheeks dimple as she smiles at me and I find myself returning the greeting. There is a slight hesitation from her, a look of concentration and then she holds her arms out in a gesture I recognize; her wanting me to hold her. The moment she is transferred into my arms, I melt.

Most of the dinner was spent with Olivia in one of our laps, though she spent a good amount of it in mine. During it, the Erudite in both Elijah and Eric could be found as they asked questions or interacted with Olivia. Trying to engage her in ways that were developmental in some fashion.

I found out the reason Eric was able to understand me when I speak in Spanish was from Jules. She was bilingual as well and it was something that Elijah was promoting in their daughter.

I also found out why Eric never responded in Spanish, his accent was….pretty horrible. It was funny actually that it was so terrible. There had been a joke between the three friends about it. Elijah’s was pretty good. When I joined the conversation with Olivia, teaching her new words, I swear Eric was pouting at his inability to roll his r’s.

Olivia’s energy, which I learned she had loads of, started to fade. I realized it must be well past her normal bedtime.

“Say goodnight to Devi and Eric, Olivia,” Eli instructed his daughter with a smile as she was curled up in his arms where he is sitting on the couch.

She yawns even as she is scooting out of his lap and toddles over to Eric, who scoops her up, causing her to giggle.

“‘Night, Eric.” She tells him in her soft voice.

“Night, princess. I’ll see you next week for dinner.”

“Promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

My heart feels like it is going to burst with how the entire interaction makes me feel. Then that gets even more intense when the little girl makes her way over to give me a hug and tell me goodnight as well.

“‘Night, Devi.”

“Good night, ángel,” I replied as she snuggled into me.

Olivia pulled back and smiled at me. “You come again?”

My smile widened. I wanted to laugh even if I was unsure how to answer. It seems that the ability to make a command and masquerade it as a question is a genetic one. Olivia certainly inherited that from Eric.

Before I can reply, said uncle replies for me. “Of course she will, princess.”

Elijah chuckles as he scoops up the little girl and takes her off to get ready for bed. Both Olivia and Eric had been wearing smug little smiles after his declaration.

With Olivia off to get ready for bed, Eric fills the wine glass that I had only been sipping from and pulls me close to his side on the couch we had been sitting on. It is an intimate gesture that I wonder how it doesn’t feel awkward at all to me. Considering all our interactions so far have been so charged with tension of all kinds. There is still the heavy attraction and the feeling being nearing him, it's buzzing underneath my skin. But it is faint with just the pleasure of being with him like this.

I can feel that he must be feeling the same thing in how he melds into me and the couch. Truly relaxed and not holding himself so stiffly. Even his face is relaxed. It is funny how you don’t realize how tense someone is until just the absence of it seems to transform them. He looks younger and if it is at all possible, even more handsome.

Eric takes a deep drink of his glass of whiskey then lets out a long sigh. His eyes close briefly and he looks at me when I ask him softly if he is ok.

His lips tilt up. “Right now, fucking fantastic.” His arm tightens around my waist a little at those words. “Tomorrow though is going to be another story.”

I take a sip of my own wine with my eyebrow raised in question. After I swallow I voice it. “What is tomorrow?”

“Abnegation.” He says, a sneer in his voice. “Tomorrow I have an even earlier start to the day to be at The Hub where will be starting out from.”

“You aren’t just having meetings with them?”

He gives a tired shrug. “It’s what we are calling them. Meetings, tours….but they are all really the same thing.”

My earlier guess had been correct that Erudite was being inspected, but why was Abnegation?

“So they are being inspected like Erudite was today?”

He looks over at me as he drinks from his glass and there is a smile along with pride in his eyes. After he swallows he nods. Elijah had walked into the room and grabbed a drink for himself from the small hidden bar in the room.

“What are we talking about?” He asked as he took up a lounging position.

“We are talking about the inspections that aren’t to be called inspections because God’s forbid the city knows how bad we all fucked up.” Eric drawls out sarcastically before draining his glass.

“You make it sound like every faction is having them.”

“They are,” both men reply in unison.

They see my confusion so explain. This falls on Eli after Eric waves him to it, content to just have his arm wrapped around me while listening.

I felt bad for how oblivious I have been to what is going on until Elijah told me that this all wasn’t being publicly announced. It isn’t being hidden either, anyone that cares to go over the public records for the government meetings, especially directly after the whole Erudite shakedown, would be able to know this.

Basically when everything was going on the faction leaders or representatives of all factions were held accountable for a number of things that had, in essence, led to the state the city had been in. Elijah didn’t go into all the details but gave examples.

Abnegation has allowed corruption in the form of Marcus Eaton, who was ousted as a result. They had also made decisions that were going to lead to another war brewing if a few hadn’t come forward in warning, with the factionless.

Erudite, we all knew. Experiments, hoarding of supplies that could help the city or extorting other factions for those supplies in order to get more power.

Dauntless was the abuse of power that would have led them to be the lap dogs and muscle for Erudite.

Candor turned out there were several in the faction that was helping to use the law they were supposed to uphold to help Erudite and Dauntless.

Amity was the refusal to take sides or provide information that could have stopped things with Erudite well before they started to spiral. It also turned out that my old faction had known and ignored the actions of factionless that were trying to build up for their own coup.

Every faction is guilty of something. So in an effort to move forward, an agreement was made that every faction has the right to perform inspections of the others to make sure that things that had been ordered to be corrected have been done.

Dauntless had two of these without me knowing. The first was from Abnegation the day of my blow up on Eric. That morning it had been Abnegation who Marlene burst into the office to announce had arrived. The other had been from Erudite.

It sounded like there were specific things each faction were concerned with or in charge of overseeing during their inspections. It made me curious enough that I made a mental note to look the information up myself when I could.

With Eric needing to be up early, we didn’t stay at Elijah’s for much longer. He had called a car for us to take back to Dauntless, made me promise that I would come for dinner next week and even got both of us to agree to come earlier than dinner to spend more time with Olivia.

Like this morning there was a driver, but unlike in the morning, Eric didn’t keep his distance. He didn’t do more than hold me close and run his fingers lightly over my bare knee. He was tired I could tell but he was also deep in thought.

“Was the trip to the wall during our initiation the last time you were in Amity?”

“Mmhmm.” I hum my agreement quietly with my eyes closed, enjoying the touch. “Why?”

He lets out a quiet sigh and I look at him.

“The rest of the week will be filled with more of what I had today. Abnegation takes up two days and then the factionless sector another. Plus we have the patrol stations to do. Which means I will hardly be in Dauntless for the remainder of the week.”

I feel disappointment flood me at this. It means I won’t be seeing Eric at all.

He nods slightly. “So, I was thinking…” he says slowly while his thumb traces circled over the fabric of my dress on my thigh, “I was hoping you would join me when I have to go to Amity this weekend. I will have to stay overnight so we can do what needs to be done over two days instead of trying to cram it all in one.”

I tensed at this, debating. I didn’t relish the thought of going back to my old faction. As far as I was concerned there was nothing there for me to draw me back. There was also the part of me that I had been denying, that some small bit was scared to go back. Scared of what it would make me feel or what I would discover there.

“I understand if you can’t,” Eric said but in his voice, I picked up that he didn’t really, there was even a bit of annoyance in it. There was also something else that I couldn’t place but wasn’t concerned about.

I focused on what I knew was there and how it felt like a challenge to me. A dare. Unspoken but if it weren’t dark I am sure I could see it in his eyes.

“Do you really want me to go with you?”

He leans in close so that his nose brushes my ear. “Would I be asking if I didn’t?”

I huff at the smartass tone and reply but also at the feel of his teeth nipping and tugging slightly on my ear.

“I’ll go, but I refuse to be forced through a tour of the fields.” I breathlessly give my first stipulation.

He chuckles quietly but nods against the skin of my neck where he had moved his attention to. He pulled back and moved my hair to my other shoulder, completely uncovering the side he is attending too.

“I can live with that.” He agreed in a purr before placing a kiss on my shoulder that is bare as well since I had taken off the blazer I was wearing.

I swallow and close my eyes. “And you better be prepared for what a lack of carbs is going to do to me because I refuse to eat any bread while I am there. Which is going to suck.”

He gives a small growl, his arm pulls me closer and his teeth nip at my collarbone. “Noted, but you won’t have to avoid it if they have done as they have been instructed.”

My forehead wrinkles and I pull back, trying to get him to look at me. He resists at first then pulls back with a scowl.

“What do you mean?”

He shrugs nonchalantly. “They aren’t allowed to serve dependents or visitors anything that has been laced with peace serum anymore.”

My breath catches and I watch him carefully. “Dependents….you mean like dependents of other factions right? Like when they take baked goods to school and offer them?”

“Well, that definitely has stopped but no.” He says and looks me dead in my eye. “No, I meant that they are no longer able to give any of their own dependents the serum. At least only in extreme cases meeting certain scenarios and then it will be documented and reviewed. They are no longer able to use that as a means to control the faction but especially the dependents. That’s abuse and will not be tolerated.”

“Eric…” I whisper, a bit overwhelmed.

I can’t continue. I want to ask him why but can’t. I want to ask him if this was his doing but I don’t. Something in me tells me it was part his doing. Something also tells me that it was partly because of me but I can’t confirm that or think about it.

It scares me to even have the thought fluttering in my mind. It feels too big. Too monumental. It also scares me so much because I want to be right so badly that if I am not it might crush me. Because if I am right then just maybe he feels the same way I am coming to see I truly feel for him. That this isn’t just some intense physical thing between us.

Stick with what you know, Nunez.

I reach around and grab his uniform jacket and pull him to me. To hell with being a stick up the ass Erudite.

I must have said that aloud because I swear he grumbled out an agreed or something like that in between us coming up for air again after the first kiss I initiated. In this, at least, we were both on even and familiar ground.

[jiemba]

Title Fight Chapter 1 -                     Warm Winter

Sanvers Teen AU - Both recovering from their own grief and trauma, 15-year-olds Alex and Maggie meet at a youth boxing program and help each other heal. On AO3 here. 

A Secret Santa present for @kuromikoneko. Heads up for internalised homophobia, a slur.  

It’s torture, having to drag that suitcase across the country.

In truth, she’d never properly unpacked it in the months she’d lived with Tia Yolanda. But somehow this feels impossibly more agonising, locking down the only things she owned – belongings she hadn’t chosen to take with her, when it happened.

Had it been up to her, she would have brought some of her books. Definitely her jersey (I doubt they’ll want you to play anymore, Margarita, her mother had said when she’d asked for it). The necklace Abuelita gave her at her first communion. The ice cream wrapper from her third grade field trip to Lincoln, the farthest she’d ever been from Blue Springs. Her yearbook from the end of middle school – the one where Eliza had drawn hearts around the photo of their soccer team and promised that they’d always be friends.

That first night at Tia’s, Maggie could see that her father had packed either in a rush, with no care, or both. He hadn’t folded anything, only including purely functional items – a few clothes (too many t-shirts, not enough socks, no bras), a toothbrush, the school books she hadn’t taken that day. Not a single family photo. No memories.

Somehow, as if by some cruel joke, one of Eliza’s shirts had survived the carnage. Papi must have found it on her chair and mistaken it for hers. For two days, it still smelled faintly of popcorn butter and cigarettes when she held it close, crying herself to sleep, not sure if she wanted to burn the thing or keep it forever.

This isn’t how she’d imagined taking her first plane trip. She’d always thought of Eliza going with her to college, or to soccer tryouts, like Jess and Jules in the only non-horror movie she'd ever watched repeatedly in secret. Just a stupid dream of a stupid girl. Eliza was half a country away now, guarded by her community - a blemished victim of Maggie’s perversion, a narrow escapee from a life of sin.

On her last night in Nebraska, Maggie had walked a mile to dump the shirt on the girl’s doorstep. Now, along with the loss of her winter jackets, her suitcase contained even less than when she first arrived, but was markedly more organised. She’d re-packed it neatly, every night at the end of Tia’s couch for the last five months, in case.

It feels ridiculous now, to have repeated the action each night like a prayer - hoping for salvation, for forgiveness, with an intensity approaching the religious. In the departure gate of Dallas/Fort Worth, the loudest room she’s ever stood in, she’s so sickened by her own devotion that she almost wishes she could open up her body and drain every black drop of him, of them, from her veins, scratching the tar from the tunnels of her heart from the inside out.

And yet, all she wants is to hear them.

The ringing on the line is barely audible in the wash of every other sound. It reminds her of last summer, when she and her cousins had walked out to the creek on the far north edge of their farm, and played Marco Polo with their heads underwater even though it was shallow enough to stand.

“Hello?”

“Eddy?”

“Maggie?”

“Hey,” she says, but the word comes out watery. She feels her throat catch, pain tight behind her eyes. “Are Mami and Papi -”

“They’re not here.”

“Oh,” she breathes, biting her lip before she swallows. “I just…wanted to call and say we got to Texas. We have one more flight to National City before we drive over.”

“You’re not supposed to be calling, Mags. I’m not supposed to be talking to you.”

“I just wanted to let you know. Will you tell them?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Do it, OK?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

An announcement sounds over the speakers, but it’s not for her. Tia is still sitting at the end of a row of seats, removing her glasses to rub her eyes, trying to stay awake.

“Did you get our new address? We slipped it under -”

“Yeah, we got it.”

The tears are hot in her eyes now, her too-warm fingers sweaty around the phone. “If I don’t get to talk to you soon, happy birthday for next week.”

“Thanks, Mags.”

“I’m gonna miss pushing your face in the cake,” she tries to joke, but the last word falls away into a sob.

“Mags, don’t cry, OK? At least you get to get out of this shithole. You’re lucky.”

For a moment, neither of them says anything. Wiping her face, the confession comes out in a whimper. “Te echo de menos.”

“Mags -”

“Quiero volver a casa.”

He sighs, three states away. “I don’t think you can.”

“Eddy -”

“Don’t call again, OK? You’ll get me in trouble.”

“Tell them I-” she starts to say, but he hangs up before he can hear her cry across the distance.

The conversation repeats in her head as many times as she can remember the words, even as she sits on the second plane she’s caught in her life, gripping the edges of her armrests, watching the city below pull away from her into one gargantuan blackness.

You’re lucky, she tells herself, even as the words feel like a rock in the throat. You’re lucky. You’re lucky.

They sky is smaller here.

She can’t see the horizon in any direction, buildings reaching up and over her head so high her neck strains seeking the end of their climb. Rain bleeds down the windows, in what is likely the first real release after a long summer, and even the water seems different here - a cluttered pattering on steel rather than a steady hiss over a field.

“How is it?”

Maggie looks up from her plate, the first Chinese food she’s ever tasted zinging in her mouth – sweet and spicy and bright. She twirls some noodles around with her fork, grateful that her Tia had asked for one rather than making her learn to use chopsticks, today of all days. “It’s good,” she mumbles.

“Different, no?”

“Yeah.”

Yolanda gives her a soft smile, her eyes wrinkling at the edges, absentmindedly twisting her wedding ring around, around, with her thumb. “This will be a good thing, mija. For both of us. A fresh start.” She pushes the last of the spring rolls towards Maggie. “The rest are yours.”

“I don’t want any more.”

“You’ve hardly eaten.”

“I said I don’t want it.”

Her Tia concedes in a sigh. “OK. We can take the rest in the car.”

Maggie twirls her noodles in spirals. Never lifts her fork. Watches the people outside run between awnings.

Across from her, Yolanda pinches the bridge of her nose before looking over her niece, the girl still huddled in the corner of the booth in one of her old t-shirts, the fabric overshadowing her small frame. “What I’m trying to say,” she says gently, “is that this won’t be like Nebraska. People are more open-minded. Lots of different types of people live here.”

“Oh yeah?” Maggie mutters through gritted teeth, almost as harsh as a snarl, the bite in her words purely instinctual. “Even tortilleras?”

The glare from her aunt hits hard. “As long as you live with me,” she tells her, voice low and measured, “you will never use that word again. Understood?”

“Why?” Maggie scoffs. “That’s what I am to you, isn’t it? That’s what you think of me.”

“No, mija -”

“That’s why Papi got rid of me. That’s why Mami didn’t even say goodbye, and Eddy doesn’t like me anymore. ”

Under the table, she scratches her fork into her thigh, over her jeans, as hard as she can bear it to go, biting her lip as tears spring to her eyes. In her other hand, her napkin is crushed so tight it’s stiffened into a hard ball.

“Mija, listen to me,” she hears her Tia murmur, the woman reaching out to cover her hand on the table. “I know I don’t…understand these things. But I will never call you names like this.”

“Everyone else does.”

“Everyone else is gone,” she reminds the young girl before her, looking so much smaller than her years. “We’re here now. In a new place. No one has to know.”

Those last words aren’t an instruction, but Maggie hears them as one anyway.

“I’m trying to learn,” Yolanda continues. “But I’m scared for you. I don’t want to encourage this. I don’t want you to have a hard life.”

The words strike Maggie in the way that a slap can be momentarily painless when there’s no warning. “A hard…” she starts to repeat, but the words fall away in her chest.

“I just want what’s best for you.”

The rain outside settles into a steadier thrum. Maggie rests her head against the window, curling into herself, weeping into her sleeve.

“I’ve tried to make it go away, Tia,” she whispers. “I don’t know how.”

“I know, mija. But if this is really how you are -”

“It’s not.”

“Mija -”

“No es asi,” she insists.

Her aunt looks at her, and she looks away.

They order the rest of the food to go, and the waitress, maybe only a couple of years older than Maggie – eyes like river stones, jet black hair tied daintily in a bun that reveals the sweet slope of her neck, skin tanned and pure and unmarked – drops a few extra fortune cookies by Maggie’s plate with a smile that warms the room and says she hopes she feels better.

Maggie can only thank the table, heat rising in her cheeks at the too-warm feeling singing in her blood.

Because she may not be able to say it out loud, but it’s true, what they say about her. That she’s no good. That she ruins everything she touches. That she’s a sinner, a pervert, some sick freak who can’t make it stop.

Almost all the towns on the way have Spanish names.

Their new area in Santa Lucia has taquerias, and two movie theatres, and even more churches. There’s a mall not far from the apartment. A real one, with two levels, and restaurants along the street outside displaying signs in languages she’s never seen.

There are always cars on the road. Real street lights that tell you when to walk.

But the noise is what’s hardest to get used to. Even when they’re unpacking pre-delivered boxes, windows open to let the after-rain air through the apartment, there are always people outside, and sirens every so often, and music from a bar at the very end of the street. No crickets. No trees.

“Don’t lift that one, mija, it’s too heavy.”

“I got it, Tia.”

“But your wrist -”

“I said I got it,” she mutters, but she breathes out her relief when she sets the box down in the kitchen, twirling her left hand in clockwise motions.

Her aunt paces off to put some sheets on Maggie’s bed. “This will be better than the couch, no?”

Maggie can’t bring herself to reply. Tears are stinging sharply in her eyes, a storm’s weight behind them.

“I know it’s small,” her Tia sighs. “But it’s the best I can do, for now.”

“Why did you bring me here?” Maggie weeps, barely above a whisper.

In the corner of her eye, her aunt shoulders sag inward. “Ay princesa, I know. I know it’s hard, but I’m trying to do what’s best for -”

“What’s best for me?” Her voice breaks over the words, loud enough to fill the room. “How can you say that?”

“Margarita, don’t raise your voice at me in this house.”

“Or what?” she cries, yelling now. “You’ll get rid of me too?”

“Mija, that’s enough.”

“You took me away from them,” the young girl sobs, her injured hand coming to cover her face as the other braces her weight against the counter, trying to keep her knees from buckling. “Now they’re really never gonna come back for me.”

“Ay mija…”

“I’m missing Eddy’s birthday.”

“Escuchame -”

“And you sold Hugo and Dante.”

“I had to.”

“They were gonna change their minds. Papi was gonna come get me. I know he was.”

The sight of the sobbing girl, collapsing forward over the counter, both hands coming to cover her face, twists in Yolanda’s gut. “Mija,” she breathes, edging closer. “You weren’t safe. After you got hurt -”

“I told you, I just fell. Nothing happened,” she lies, but her muscle memory betrays her, her good hand going to hold her wrist without thinking.

“I know it’s a huge change. But we need a fresh start. Both of us.”

Maggie’s next words come out as a whimper. “I don’t wanna be here.”

“I know,” Yolanda murmurs, coming around the counter to comfort her niece. “I know you miss it. But this is our home now.”

She reaches out a hand, but Maggie jerks away from her. “Don’t,” the girl cries, somewhere between a snarl and a sob. “I fucking hate you.”

She pushes past her aunt. Slams her door so hard the walls flinch.

In the night, Maggie’s memories make easy meat of her - the way the foxes in Nebraska would play with her chickens, bloody-mouthed, long after they were dead.

The drunken stumble-homers let their voices ring out so far that Maggie’s not sure which way they come from. But the memory of her father’s silence deafens it all - the way he couldn’t even look at her, when he pried her hands off of him and shut off her childhood with one slam of a car door. How that night, on her knees in Tia’s driveway, howling into her hands, threads of his warm winter jacket and crumbs of snow melted painfully together under the fresh cracks in her fingernails.

People get desperate, when they fight to hold onto things.

In her pocket, the forgotten fortune cookies from yesterday have crumbled to dust. She opens the packets and picks the scripts from the carcass of each one, setting them aside in an empty drawer – the first souvenirs of a new life.

This is how Yolanda finds her just before dawn, balled up on an unmade mattress that’s impossible to sleep in after months on a couch, weeping into her sleeve as her head hangs out the window, taking in the new sounds of the first, albeit small, city she’s ever lived in.

“Come on, mija,” she sighs against the doorframe. “If we’re both awake and miserable, we may as well get out of the house.”

There’s never been so much blue in one place before.

In the early morning, the sky and the water almost meld together in one stroke of watercolour, a fading wash of indigoes and navies and greys.

“I’m sorry,” Yolanda mutters, hastily dabbing her eyes a little before she steps out of the car. “I just haven’t seen a beach since we were back home.”

Maggie blinks away her own tears, the breeze of her first ocean brushing salt through her hair. “It’s alright, I guess,” she tries to joke half-heartedly, taking in the ‘Swan Beach’ sign at the end of the footpath. “I expected swans.”

Yolanda gives her a wry smile and removes her shoes, prompting Maggie to do the same.

The water is colder than she expected. She watches her Tia’s whole body relax as she breathes in the ocean air, sand coasting over her feet with every wave. “Back home,” the woman says, still looking out over the sea, “I used to stand on the beach like this until my feet sank into the sand. I got way up over my ankle once, but your papi pushed me over and I had to start again.”

Maggie wiggles her toes, the wet crunch between them unfamiliar. “How do you do it?”

“Just stand. It takes a long time.”

Above them, a swarm of gulls rise and lilt over their heads, calling in the morning light.

“Tia?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think I’m like him?”

Yolanda tucks some of her niece's hair behind her ear, choosing her words. “Yes and no,” she murmurs eventually, just loud enough over the swell of the sea. “You’re tough. But not hard.”

Maggie nods slowly, trying to process the distinction.

“And mija, between you and me,” the woman says as she looks over their feet, grains of sand almost completely covering their toes, “You’re not strong because you’re his daughter. You’re strong because you had him for a father.”

Maggie takes a moment to hear the words, but she thinks she understands.

In the corner of her eye, a dark-haired girl is charging into the water, lifting a surfboard up and over the wall of a wave like it’s nothing at all. Maggie lowers her eyes to the ground.

“They were never gonna come back for me, were they?”

Beside her, her aunt softens, leaning over to kiss her hair. “No lo se, mija.”

Maggie sniffles, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Ahead of her, the young girl is paddling further than Maggie would ever dream of going. The ocean is so big, so deep, so full of sharks and crabs and eels, but she’s not even scared. Maggie watches her turn on sit on her board and look out over her kingdom, the sunrise lighting the red in her hair, before she turns back to carve along the arm of a wave with surety and grace.

It’s almost as if she’s commanding the ocean to carry her home, and as beautiful and powerful as she appears from afar, Maggie can’t make herself look away this time. Even so, she gets the sense she’s watching a part of this girl she’s not supposed to see, and she doesn’t know why.

“I don’t know how to raise you, mija,” her Tia confesses then, barely loud enough to carry over the waves. When Maggie looks to her, the sight of her aunt weeping aches deep in her chest.

“Tia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said -”

“I know. You have every right to be angry.” She smiles gently through her tears, before wiping her eyes and releasing one deep, long breath. “What I’m trying to say is, I may not know what I’m doing, and I may not understand, but I’ll give you everything that I can. I’m just trying to do the right thing, even if I don’t know what that is sometimes.”

Chewing her lip a little, Maggie holds herself as the wind picks up. “I’m sorry. You didn’t ask to look after me.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Yolanda insists, firmly but gently. Maggie watches her twist her ring around again, slowing her breathing in time with the waves. “We both needed to be somewhere new, I think. Maybe we can figure out the rest as we go along. Together. OK?”

Maggie nods, tears slipping from her eyes without permission.

They watch the sunrise for a long while, birds circling and diving in broad strokes, the broadening light warming their faces, full of morning.

“It’s going to be a warm winter,” Yolanda says.

The words are a comfort. She hadn’t even thought about that. But a few months from now, as the worst year of her life ends, there won’t be snow. No icicles on the trees. Just the frozen spit of the Pacific, if she can ever bring herself to be brave enough to stand in it.

In the distance, the girl on the surfboard sits and watches the sun, shaking the salt from her hair.

This time, Maggie feels that familiar, shameful warmth in her belly, and drops her eyes to her feet, squashing it down.

The past is a brass knuckled teacher. She won’t lose another home.

Spanish translations (please let me know of any mistakes): Te echo de menos = I miss you Quiero volver a casa = I want to come home Tortillera = dyke No es asi = It's not like that Escuchame = Listen to me No lo se = I don’t know