#tai immediately using that against her smh

[ladyintree]

tai’s mouth drops,  and swats at her arm again.   ❝  first of all,   you couldn’t handle us,  ❞    she taunts,   immediately letting out a laugh.   ❝  and secondly—   don’t joke about that too loudly.   my wife may actually kill you,  ❞   she warns playfully,  though she doesn’t really think that’s much of a joke—   because harper is right,  mikayla is definitely too possessive,  and so is taissa.   she looks her over and scoffs.   ❝  yeah.   what the fuck was up with that?   he was prepared to spent eternity out here,  and he can’t even spare some real food?  ❞    she’s joking,  too — because it’s easier than the alternative,   the fact that she’s still shaken by what sometimes feels like his presence.   her brows furrow,  looking at her like she’s being ridiculous.   ❝  trust me, i know plenty about body heat.   mikayla always took good care of me,  ❞    she teases,  purposefully allowing herself to give too much information  (  maybe she learned that from her wife, too.  )   she’s taken back when harper brings up the fire,   and she looks down,  because as much as she likes taking pride in this things she’s done out here —- and anywhere, really —-  that night was such a blur to her.   ❝  yeah,  ❞    she mutters,  taking a deep breath.   ❝  well,  i’ve gotten pretty fucking good with an ax,  so.  ❞    she wants to believe they would’ve made it out anyway, though.   just like the plane— the first time she did everything she could to get them out of danger.    she rolls her eyes,  glancing back to her hut.   ❝  yeah,  we’re working on that.  kayla and i are getting pretty crafty,  ❞   she insists.    ❝  i’m not worried about you two.   kind of worried about shauna on her own, though,  ❞    she admits,  taking a deep breath as she thinks it over.   ❝   but i don’t exactly think she’s willing to be a roommate,  either.   ❞    and surely, mikayla definitely wouldn’t want tai inviting her to theirs. 

she rolls her eyes and waves harper off.   ❝  no.  screw that guy,  ❞   she scoffs,   as if he’s done something to wrong her.   in her eyes,  he did,  but deep down,  she knows he was fine.   he was clearly one of mikayla’s better boyfriends,  and maybe she should at least be grateful for that.  her jaw clenches when harper talks about what’s back home,  and tai shakes her head after a moment.   ❝  i try not to think about it,  ❞   she mumbles,   because while she didn’t really have many friends outside of the team,   her parents were always good to her,  and she can’t bear to think about what they’re going through without their only daughter,  especially since she refused to even eat one last breakfast with them.   a small smile forms on her face as she nods her head.   ❝  yeah.  i still will,  ❞   she says,  more of a promise to herself.   ❝  it’ll just look a little different than what i expected.  ❞    but she’s not going to let what happened to her hold her back.   maybe,  she’ll just have someone with her to support her.   because she will do whatever it takes to keep mikayla alive out here.

she thinks it over,  nodding her head slowly,  because so much of her and mikayla’s relationship really has been dependent on some of the worst things that have happened to them since they got on that plane.  she tries not to dwell on that.   ❝  yeah.   no kidding.  ❞    and yet,  she still hasn’t found  a better solution from her failure then.   she looks back at her curiously,  surprised to hear her talk about soccer,  but she can’t help but laugh as she explains.   ❝  yeah, the soccer team was the right pick then,  ❞   she teases,  because even she thought many of her teammates were hot—  though, clearly, her attention had always been on one in particular,  which is exactly why she was hardest on her.   her eyes widen as harper admits to having a crush on her,   but a cocky smirk spreads over her lips as she laughs.   ❝  of course you did.  i was always hot,  ❞    she teases,  though it makes a younger version of herself feel at peace,   because back then,  she always wondered if anyone was thinking of her the way she was thinking of others.   ❝  you wouldn’t know what to do with me if i wasn’t a pain in your ass.  you’re welcome,  ❞   she insists,  though her compliment does make her feel good,  and she appreciates her telling her— even if it comes with admitting something she likely wasn’t ever going to.   she laughs, rolling her eyes again.    ❝  oh,  no you won’t,    because then i’d tell mikayla about your big crush on me,   and i’ll let her deal with you,  ❞    she warns playfully.   

"we deserve an award, honestly. a celebratory wedding just isn't enough for all this work. also, i'm not included in that." she teases. "but if you're ever looking for a third..." laughing before she can even finish. they're both too possessive for that. she holds her tools up, "thank you dead cabin guy for being a creepy hoarder and letting us take all your knowledge." it feels more mocking that she would like; she really is grateful for everything the cabin had provided. it was what they had needed. "if only your food hadn't gone rotten." it's light, even though the subject matter isn't at all. she nods at tai's next comment. they were all going stir-crazy in the cabin. "was good for body heat, though. not that you'd really know that." tai spent most of their time up in the attic. "you know, uh, we might not have gotten out if it wasn't for you. i was too focused on it all burning down to care, but, thanks." she doesn't want to linger on the doors being jammed for too long. everyone has latched onto coach scott as the culprit, and...who else could it be? but she doesn't like thinking of him that way. he was one of the few adults that actually believed in her, even if he clearly hated being a soccer coach. "and that is why we need to sound proof your hut." she teases back. "i think van and i will manage just fine. we're used to being together."

harper can't stop herself from laughing at tai's reaction to her mentioning asher. "it was never going to work out, but you don't need to be so obvious. have you ever heard of humility?" harper had a few friends who would have mourned her, but asher probably had an intense amount of attention on him. he and jeff with their missing girlfriends; the entire world must think jackie is dead, but they don't know how right they are. "i can't really imagine what they're going through back home." she admits softly. "they're in their own hell." it may be the biggest news to ever hit that town, and she imagines there will be some vigil for the one-year anniversary, but eventually, all support is going to taper off. they'll be a ghost story. she clears her throat "always the ambitious one. can't let a serious relationship distract you, huh? make plans..." she doesn't know if she believes in God, but this was certainly cosmic doom. "you'd make one hell of a lawyer."

her eyebrows furrow, wondering what she means. it doesn't click until she looks back at her and sees she means them. she remembers that hoodie, and she remembers what happened to it. she can't dive into the romance of that with the reminder. "so much has happened since then." she says instead. 3 of them are dead. she pulls herself out of it again, but it takes a minute for her to find her groove. "you'll be the first to know." she teases. "i'll bore you will all the details." she looks around the camp again, smile faltering slightly. want is a dangerous thing out here, and that is something she wants. unlike tai, it's something she's always wanted for herself. "you know why i joined the soccer team? i mean, i needed to, and i like sports, but it wasn't cause i just love soccer." she smirks. "it was a nice and easy way of witnessing a bunch of hot athletes." she wonders if tai can relate, or if being good at the game was the only thing that mattered. "it's probably safe to admit this now, although mikayla might still hate me for it, but i had the biggest crush on you." she hopes tai can take it in stride. "now you're a huge pain in my ass." she teases. "but yeah, that determination and fierceness? it was hot." she blinks blankly at her, but she decides just as fast that it isn't worth dwelling on. this makes more sense than her prior assumption. she wants to tease her about being scared, but honestly, she's not too fond of the woods anymore. "you better not." she teases back. "or i'll just have to object to the wedding. the reason these two cannot be wed is because taissa turner is a big liar."