‘did i fall out of line when i called you?’ (Mess It Up by Gracie Abrams)
The price of the easy nostalgic conversation was the hard one that followed it and immediately the mood shifted. They weren’t the same people as the kids in the memories they were describing, or more so, their relationship wasn’t the same. Too much had gotten in the way. Of the many regrets that Lenora had regarding her actions, the distance from Zek was definitely one of them - and talking with him now only reinforced that. It had been something lingering in the corner of her mind for months, something unspoken that had crept out tonight, and compelled her to calling him tonight. While it was a discussion she had been nervous to have, Lenora knew with graduation upcoming - it was possibly now or never.
Though their distance wasn’t something that happened over time, Lenora knew. Rather, it was something specific that altered the dynamics between them. It was an encounter, occurring one of the many times her and Elio had been on a break. Fleeting moments laced with uncertainty and guilt that evidently led to the alteration of their relationship. The right thing at the time had been to go back to Elio. When he came back to Lenora, declaring his love and desire for commitment to her, Lenora was scared to put everything into the uncertain and unfamiliar territory with Zek. Comparing the security of Elio against drunken moments and unspoken feelings that may not have even existed, it seemed like the logical answer. At the time.
“I didn’t know if you wanted anything to do with me,” She told him honestly, not actually bringing up why he could have thought that. Lenora didn’t give context to the statement similarly to the way they both refrained from talking about it after it had ended. They left each other to speculate on the others’ perspectives. Lenora had to assume that his close friendship with Elio meant that he didn’t want to talk to her. “Elio was your best friend, I knew that was important to you,” She expressed, unsure of how to navigate this conversation. “But I missed you too,” Lenora disclosed, then she corrected herself - “I still do.”
Hyun-ae watched as Niko asked Yua if she wanted hot chocolate. That much, she could understand. That was a safe choice for a child of Yua’s age. Hyun-ae knew hot chocolate rarely had caffeine, and getting a child caffeinated never ended well…Niko then said she didn’t have to learn Japanese, and Hyun-ae shook her head. ”It’s really no problem. I’ve been wanting to learn, but just never got around to it. I’m pretty good with languages, so it shouldn’t be too hard. Besides, if I need help, I have you. If you don’t mind helping me, that is. I’d appreciate it.” She smiled, taking a drink. Hearing that Niko had learned to make matcha at five, Hyun-ae’s eyebrows raised. She believed them, it was just surprising. ”You learned to make matcha when you were five? That’s impressive. I like matcha, it’s just sometimes too bitter. Funny, because bitter coffee doesn’t bother me. I guess it depends on how you make it. I don’t know much about tea, but if there are any flavors you recommend, I’d be more than willing to try them. I do like bubble tea.” Hearing Niko talk about Yua made Hyun-ae smile. ”That’s true. I believe that parents believe their kids are the best, no matter what.” She chuckled when Niko referred to her sticker covered face as adorable. ”Like with my cousins. They may have covered my face in stickers, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. They were just messing around. It honestly is pretty cute. A bit of a pain to get off, though. Literally. I was pulling them off for a good ten minutes. Ouch.” Hyun-ae put her hand up to her face, remembering when she had to pull the stickers off. ”I made sure to keep stickers out of their reach after that. Also, don’t fall asleep on the couch with kids around. You’ll get something done…most likely to your face.” @Caticorn - Niko
The atmosphere at Sadie Monroe’s wake was heavy. Extremely heavy. As it should have been. She had died so young, it was tragic. As tumultuous as her family was, she didn’t know what she would do if either of her dads died. She’d come back from a lot but she wouldn’t be able to come back from that. One sound cut through the sombreness of the occasion - the laughter of one Phoebe Taylor-DeLoughrey. She slurred an insult about both Clara and her sister and then sat down across from her. She was clearly drunk.
“Phoebe, I know you hate me and my sister but do you really think that this is the appropriate time or place for this?” She asked, trying to keep her voice down but unable to suppress the anger in her tone. In one sentence, Phoebe had pressed pretty much every button Clara had left. She could take people saying things about her. Yeah, she’d probably cry about it later but it wouldn’t garner an immediate reaction. Saying things about Amanda though? That’s a quick way to get on Clara’s bad side or, in Phoebe’s case, even further onto Clara’s bad side. Though, in this instance, she wasn’t sure if she was referencing the insults, the fact that Phoebe was drunk, or both.
Clara rolled her eyes as the girl continued, biting the inside of her cheek as Phoebe referred to her as her sister’s bodyguard. It was true that she was very protective of her twin, but being the shorter twin by quite a bit, the thought of her being a bodyguard was very amusing. Clara scoffed when Phoebe asked why she didn’t like her, as if she didn’t know.
”Again. Really not the time or the place but my sister is her own person, she’s capable of socializing without me. She’s probably with our dads or something. I don’t require Amanda to tell me where she is every second of every day." She responded, hoping that answering Phoebe’s questions might get her to take her drunk instigating somewhere else. “You did nothing to me but you did something that hurt my sister, which means that I don’t like you. Honestly, that’s worse than if you’d done something to me. I would expect you of all people to understand that. Don’t tell me that you’ve never held a grudge against someone because they hurt Amelia.” She responded to the girl’s inquiry as to why she hated her, mentioning the fact that they were both twins.
When the waitress came by, Niko ordered their food as well as a hot chocolate for their daughter and jasmine tea for them. They smiled when Hyun-Ae insisted that learning Japanese was something she had always wanted to do. “Of course I wouldn’t mind.” They responded, excited. “You do also have a bit of an advantage being a Korean speaker. The pronunciation of Japanese isn’t too different from Korean.”
They nodded when she repeated their comment about knowing how to make matcha when they were five. “Well, okay, my mom was supervising and helping but I knew the steps. By thirteen, I could make it completely by myself.” They explained. “Matcha can be bitter if you make the water too hot. My favourite type of tea is jasmine, though. Jasmine milk tea is good as bubble tea.”
Niko laughed as Hyun-Ae continued to tell them about her cousins and their stickers. “Okay, wait, when you say cousins, you don’t mean Jae, right?” They asked, remembering that they knew Hyun-Ae’s cousins and wondering if she meant a different side of her family. “I’ll keep that in mind but Yua’s still a bit too young for that, aren’t you Yua-chan?” The little girl looked up as she heard her name.
Hyun-ae nodded when Niko said she’d have an advantage because she knew Korean. ”I figured, I’m just glad to have it confirmed. I’m very fluent in Korean, so Japanese shouldn’t be a problem. I also watched subbed anime, but I really doubt that helps much. I’ve mainly just learned how to yell things.” She joked, grinning. When Niko reiterated that they had technically been supervised, Hyun-ae nodded. ”I would hope so. You were only five. I don’t trust that you did a good job, but trusting a five year old alone with hot water seems like a bad idea. You’re just asking for a trip to the burn unit…still, cool your mom taught you. Niko explained why the matcha Hyun-ae drank was so bitter, and she nodded. ”That would definitely make sense. Thank you for the advice. I’ll try to make the water not as hot next time. Regarding jasmine, it’s definitely very good in milk tea. I like barley tea, which is very common in Korea. I recommend it. It has a lot of health benefits.” Niko asked about which cousins, and she shook her head. ”No, I don’t think you know them. Different aunt.” She laughed when Yua looked up after hearing her name. ”Oh, I’d trust her. I’m sure you’ve taught her well. My cousin just wasn’t able to teach her kids not to get into mischief. I don’t hold her at fault, though. Besides, the stickers were easily removed, and I got a laugh out of it. No harm done.” @Caticorn - Niko
[color="#707151”]”What made you think I wanted nothing to do with you-“[/color] It was a question that left Zek’s mouth followed by confusion written all over his face; a question he did not really want nor needed an answer to so before even letting her give him an answer, he continued. ”You know at the beginning, I thought you two were happy and I didn’t want to disrupt that.“ His eyes met hers, searching for any sign of how she was processing his words. Part of that confession was true; he couldn’t deny that everything looked perfectly fine at the beginning. Mind I remind you again that Elio was his friend which meant at times he would hear how perfect it was. Images he did not want to have in his mind but couldn’t say anything. And Zek couldn’t be the one to judge anyone and try to intervene when his own, not only life, but love life was a disaster.
There were many reasons why he couldn’t bring himself to talk to her about it. So sometimes he would try to do it through JP. Let him deal with it with the knowledge that he had some part in it too.
“But I missed you too. I still do.”
[color=“#707151”]”I know,“[/color] he simply said, offering her a weak smile. Zek’s gaze softened, and he took a moment to choose his words carefully. [color=”#707151”]”Lenora, it’s… It’s not about disrupting anything. It’s about you being happy, truly happy. If that’s with Elio, then I want that for you. If it’s not, and you need someone to talk to or lean on, I want to be here for you, just like before. But you have to let me in.“[/color] The vulnerability in his voice expressed a genuine desire to support her, no matter the circumstances. ”And maybe then I wouldn’t mind making some more paper planes and I promise to be more discrete this time.“
As Clara confronted her, questioning the appropriateness of her actions, Phoebe’s reaction was a mix of amusement and indifference. She tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips, seemingly unfazed by the tension in the air. Clara’s attempt to maintain composure did little to deter Phoebe’s carefree demeanor. [color=“#d39d7a"]”Is there ever the appropriate time or place for this? And I am not really sure what you mean by this? We are just talking, Clara. Can I not ask questions anymore?”[/color]
And to everything Phoebe’s reaction was a scoff, a dismissive sound that underscored her lack of remorse. It was as if Phoebe had dismissed not just Clara’s concerns but the very notion that remorse or restraint were necessary in the given circumstances. [color=“#d39d7a"]”Oh, of course I’ve held grudges especially when it comes to Amie BUUUUT we are not talking about Amie right now… Claaaara, dear, lighten up a bit. We’re here to remember Sadie, sure, but life doesn’t stop for anyone. Besides, why waste the opportunity for a lively chat? I didn’t know funeral etiquette included a ban on questions?”[/color] Phoebe retorted, a playful glint in her eyes as if challenging Clara to join her in the defiance of convention. Since she started this Phoebe was not going to let it go… However the topic of Amanda was not what Phoebe was interested in.
[color=“#d39d7a"]”So… Let me get this right, okay? In my mind,”[/color] pausing to take a sip out of the glass and rest her elbows on her knees, she made it seem as if she was thinking deeply about the topic. [color=“#d39d7a"]”You’re mad I was able to get someone your sister might’ve liked? What is so strange about that?”[/color] She laughed a little bit. [color=“#d39d7a"]”There is just oooooooone thing I can’t seem to understand- What… What is so special about you, Clara?”[/color] Her words, a mixture of provocation and genuine curiosity, hung in the air. From just those words one could not guess what Phoebe was really thinking but she was excited to see what Clara thought.
Phoebe’s real question was - What is so special about you, what did Elio see in you?
Atlas was right. As much as Adonis hated to say it, well, think because Adonis was not about to say that out loud. Atlas was right. Adonis has no idea what Atlas experienced, and from the looks of it, it was draining, but was Adonis going to admit that? Well, no. Call this a pride thing or whatever—though it was not really pride, more of something else—but Adonis was not about to apologize to Atlas and go like, ‘I’m sorry, let’s start over?’ all in one day. Ever since Atlas disappeared, Adonis had told himself that if Atlas was still alive and not death as presumed, Adonis would not forgive him.
It was not his right to forgive Atlas or not forgive him, it was Leon’s, and Adonis knew that too but it was also Adonis right whether people liked it or not. Adonis still remembers, he remembers the memories of seeing Leon so vulnerable. He remembers the day Atlas was confirmed to be missing all to well.
2037
That was the date, Atlas had gone missing. 2037, that was the year that Adonis would have engraved in his mind, in his memories forever. 2037, never had a year scared him and filled him with sadness as much as 2037.
Adonis remembered that when Atlas went missing, it was also the year that Leon’s father died and Leon had entered a depression episode. He remembered he had been scared to approach Leon, scared that he would make the situation worse and scared that Leon would falter. Adonis had feared that Leon would commit suicide and that would have been the last time he saw his best friend. He had wanted to comfort Leon, to take him out to the park- grab some drinks or go bowling, but Leon did not want comfort, he wanted to be left alone. It was not like Adonis knew how to properly comfort someone though, but he wanted to try and yet he could not because Leon did not want that. He had not even talked to Evie nor Sebastian, and truly the idea of Leon running away or committing suicide did not seem so far-fetched.
Adonis also remembered his thoughts back then; how could he not? Especially when Atlas was right in front of him. The blame, Adonis had placed all on Atlas, though he knew it was an @sshole move of him. But Adonis had sincerely believed Atlas was dead, and it was not like blaming a dead man was going to do anything. It was useless to hold a grudge against a dead person, and that was exactly why Adonis chose Atlas as his scapegoat—though technically Atlas was a reason for Leon’s emotional mess back then, but moreover, Adonis had chosen Atlas as his scapegoat because he had believed him to be dead, and if he was dead and he blamed it on him, it was a useless thing to do, and useless was how Adonis felt at that moment. He could not even do anything to help his own fcking best friend; he was completely and utterly useless, just like holding a grudge against a dead man was.
And Adonis wanted to hold that grudge for a very long time. Back then he had not thought of; what if Atlas was truly alive and was in a dangerous situation, could he still blame him? Currently, he was thinking yes or at least until Adonis gets his mind straight and knows more about what happened, the blame was still on Atlas because Adonis did not know how to act, what to do, or what to say, if the blame was not on Atlas and thus as stupid and strange as it sounds it had to be-for the time being.
“Not really,” Adonis muttered at Atlas asking if losing his family and the boy he loved was not enough. It was enough, and it was a painful feeling and situation, Adonis could tell- he would not be able to handle being away from his family, not being near his siblings or being with his father and mother, he was a family oriented person after all, so why did he say that? It was simple, he disliked Atlas, or well he wanted to get Atlas on the edge enough to confess what truly happened and then leave, so Adonis could have time to wrap his mind around all of this, to wrap his mind around the fact Atlas is alive and breathing, and how he cannot really blame Atlas anymore for all this. Sebastian had nudged him on the ribs, "Seriously, Adonis " Sebastian had hissed, “I didn’t mean it like that,” Adonis sad rolling his eyes. How did he mean it then? “Yeah, yeah. Your situation was sad. Congrats on being alive, let’s join a brotherhood together. See! I’m being kind and understanding now, Atlas, so what really happened? You know you can tell me since we’re bros and everything now.”
“Adonis..” Sebastian began in a warning tone.
“What? What did I do? It’s not like I’m forcing him to say it. I’m just congratulating my bro for being alive and not dying in the ‘serious situation that he won’t tell no one what happened’ situation that happened. How is that a bad thing?”
“For goodness sake,”
“Fine, fine,” Adonis said, not saying anything for the reminder of the time, well for less than 3 minutes. He had turned to Evie, asking her about the English test that happened before, deciding to change the mood and atmosphere. Evie was about to respond, but then Sebastian had chimed in, asking for France.
“Still, such a situation sucks, but at least you picked up a new language?” Sebastian said trying to be optimistic, “And at least you speak English, unfortunately, France is kinder towards English speaking people as they will assume you have money, especially if you have an American or british accent.”
It’s been a long time since Sebastian had been to his home country due to situations…but he still knew that the French tended to be more xenophobic towards non english or spanish speakers because he had friends from all over the world who shared their experience with him, and those with an American or british accent always told him, ‘it was a great advantage’ because they saw with their own eyes how english speakers with non-american/british accents were treated, and how foreigners who spoke a language that was not english or spanish were treated and Sebastian hated to hear that. At least, they always said they enjoyed themselves, Sebastian doesn’t know though with the situation Atlas is describing, whether Atlas got to enjoy himself and thus he had suggested they go rollercoasting, get Atlas to have fun again and catch up because unlike Adonis and previously Evie, Sebastian had never hated Atlas. He had found him interesting and a little funny, he had always been happy with the way Atlas made Leon feel and as long as his friend was happy, then Sebastian was too.
Atlas never got a chance to answer his invitation as Evie’s voice interrupted. She had answered her phone to her brother calling and walking off. Sebastian hoped everything was ok and gave her the thumbs up as she left. He turned back to Atlas again, “So…the offer is still hanging, you know, come on, it will be fun!.” Sebastian promised, practically begging with his eyes. In Sebastian’s mind, if this whole ‘getting along’ thing went well, Adonis would stop being an @ss to Atlas who already looks and acts like he had been through enough.
Atlas had responded to his proposition and Sebastian nodded, but at his next words, Sebastian had winced- Atlas had used that nickname for Leon. Sebastian turned to Atlas, hoping that it had not provoked an emotion from him, and relaxed, seeing that Adonis did not seem to care, he turned to Atlas relaxed, and before he knew it, a fist had reached Atlas jaw.
“Fck it, Adonis??” Sebastian turned to Adonis giving him an incredulous look as he pushed Adonis in a ‘wtf’ way. Adonis did not even flinch as instead he looked pleased with himself and he was. Adonis was pleased with himself, because he had done what he had promised himself to do if he saw Atlas again- give him a punch and well now he could half forgive him , then fully forgive him later. Adonis turned to Atlas, a smug look on his face, and then scratched his neck sheppishly “I forgive you and sorry about the punch… You know that brotherhood offer is still out there…”
There was clearly no reasoning with Phoebe right now. Unfortunately, it seemed like there was no getting rid of her either. “Tell yourself whatever you want, Phoebe, but insults disguised as questions can wait until we’re not at a wake.” Clara told her with a challenging look. She wanted to ask her how the hell she got so wasted but the chances of being given a straight answer were slim to none.
Clara scoffed when Phoebe told her to lighten up, saying that life doesn’t stop for anyone. The comment immediately took her back to when Amanda first disappeared and she wanted nothing more than for life to stop so she wouldn’t have to move forward without her sister. “Yeah, I’m sure Sadie’s family would love to hear that.” She quipped, rolling her eyes. Maybe if she spoke to Phoebe like she wasn’t drunk, it would sober her up a bit. “Well, you should probably be banned from asking questions right now but either way, most ‘lively chats’ don’t begin with ‘imagine being your sister.’” She pointed out, using air quotes to make sure her message really got across.
“When my sister is hurt, I get upset. Especially with those who caused it. Doesn’t matter how trivial it is. Again, I’m sure you can relate to that.” She explained, again bringing in Amelia as an example. Then she asked what made Clara so special. Clara covered her mouth as she stifled a laugh. “I ask myself that question every day.” She mused, providing the girl with an unserious answer to her unserious question.
Veronica flashed a teasing grin at Justin’s comment about sharing a Budweiser to solve problems. “Well, you know, beer has been known to have magical problem-solving properties,” Veronica quipped, she couldn’t help but smile at Justin’s playful challenge. “and besides, I do like to keep things interesting. Maybe I just wanted to see if you’d go along with my unconventional charm,” she replied, raising an eyebrow.
She waited for him to finish, then took the bottle from him, her fingers brushing against his briefly, and leaned back with a confident smirk. “But hey, if that’s how you think I ask people out, consider yourself special. Not everyone gets the Budweiser treatment,” she teased and took a sip, her eyes sparkling with mischief
Veronica’s confidence shone through as she kept up the playful banter, seamlessly weaving flirtation into their conversation. Despite the heaviness of their shared history and the uncertainties of their current situation, she felt a sense of ease in their dynamic. With each teasing remark and shared laugh, she found herself drawn to Justin in a way that felt both familiar and exhilarating.
As they lounged on the rooftop, surrounded by the city lights, Veronica couldn’t help but notice the chemistry between them. It was a spark that ignited with each witty retort and lingering glance, creating a palpable energy that seemed to dance between them in the cool night air.
Veronica’s eyes sparkled with amusement at Justin’s quip, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. “Straight-up fire, huh? Well, I’ll take that as a compliment,” she replied, her tone light and teasing. “Let’s just hope the world is ready for a little heat.”
She leaned in slightly, her expression mischievous. “But don’t worry, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to keep things interesting. Maybe even a fire extinguisher, just in case,” she added with a wink, her playful confidence shining through.
“Besides,” she continued, her voice softening just a touch, “a little fire can be a good thing. Keeps things lively, don’t you think?” Veronica’s gaze held his for a moment longer. The night air was cool, but the warmth of their banter created a cozy atmosphere, making her feel a sense of connection she hadn’t realized she missed.
Veronica couldn’t suppress her smirk at Justin’s response, his mock-surprised tone only fueling the playful banter between them. “Oh, Justin, you’re breaking my heart,” she teased, her tone dripping with exaggerated melodrama. “Here I am, all ready to be dazzled by your grand finale big guns, and you’re holding out on me?”
She leaned back, crossing her legs with an amused glint in her eye. “But don’t worry, darling,” she added with a teasing wink, “I’ll try not to be too disappointed. After all, I wouldn’t want to shatter that carefully crafted mystique of yours.”
Her tone was light and teasing, but there was a glint of genuine curiosity in her eyes. Despite the playful facade, Veronica couldn’t help but wonder what surprises Justin might have up his sleeve. After all, the anticipation was half the fun.
“Yeah comes in handy when you get to college too,” Justin told her, almost as a warning as he thought on the many assignments and exams he required intoxication to get through, not to mention his breakup that required some serious remedy. “Oh yeah?” He replied as Veronica spoke of her ‘unconventional charm’, taking him out of the thought process he had gotten lost in. “Given the circumstances, unconventional is very fitting,” He commented, not needing to expand further on how.
He watched Veronica leaning back as she spoke to him, his hands falling to his sides now the bottle was taken from them. “Unconventional charm and Budweiser treatment,” Justin told her, summarising her last phrases. “Whatever did I do to deserve all this?” He wondered, underlying curiosity alongside his humorous tone. His hands brushed across the tiles of the roof, his mind returning to what was going on underneath them. While Justin felt guilty to be leaving it behind even temporarily, it felt like a relief to be with someone who didn’t need intense emotional support from him as the rest of his family did. “Yeah sure, lively,” Justin echoed to her, continuing this little escape for some time longer, the skepticism obvious in his voice. “I’d still be keeping ahold of that extinguisher, you never know.”
As Veronica played into the offended take on his comment, Justin continued on the defence in the same exaggerated manner as her. “If you’re not dazzled by me before the ‘big guns’ then you don’t deserve to see them,” He informed her, with a shrug, unsure of where he had been going with that statement when he started, but his tone remained confident regardless.
Destiny stood outside of the Beryl Heights rehab center feeling chilly and cold. She rubbed her arms back and forth but it didn’t seem to help, so instead she resorted to shuffling her feet. She was was waiting for Adonis to come but was getting nervous and impatient. She hadn’t seen him in months and wasn’t sure what to think of everything. She wondered why he would want to see her after she made a fool out of herself that last time she was at school. Being drunk at prom of all places. As she continued looking at the ground deep in thought, she heard the sound of a car coming through the parking lot and her head snapped up.
Elijah sat on the concrete bench that was right beside the Beryl Heights building, and smoked a cigarette. He looked up at the blue sky deep in thought as the smoke went up in the air in front of him. His mind wandered to the things that happened this past year at Beryl and his life in general. How everything went downhill. The last time he was even at school was when prom happened and how he went with Richard and Sammy, but things that happened now seem so far away, like a dream he made up. He and Sammy even got into an argument and he hadn’t spoken to Sammy and Richard or anyone from Beryl in a long time, but it didn’t really matter to him. As he took another puff of his cigarette he thought about how his dad made the family go bankrupt and basically ruined their lives. He was poor now and the only reason he was still at Beryl was because people felt sorry for him.
As he continued smoking he heard shuffling of someone walking up to him, but he didn’t bother looking at them even when they stood beside him.
Veronica leaned back against the rooftop’s edge, her gaze fixed on the city lights twinkling below like scattered gems, the cool breeze ruffling her hair as she listened to Justin’s banter. She couldn’t help but smirk at his playful warning about college and the necessity of beer. “Yeah, beer becomes your best friend in college, or so Ive heard?” she remarked, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. “Though I must say, I’ve always been more of a whiskey kind of girl myself. But hey, whatever gets you through those late-night study session, right?”
She enjoyed the back-and-forth with him, the easy rhythm of their conversation, “Deserve it? Well, let’s just say you’ve earned it,” she teased, a hint of playfulness lacing her words. “Or maybe I just woke up feeling generous today, who knows”
Veronica couldn’t help but think back to their childhood, to that one moment when Justin had come to her rescue without a second thought. It was a small gesture, one that he probably didn’t even remember, but it had meant the world to her. And now, as they sat here on the rooftop, she couldn’t help but feel grateful for his presence in her life, for the way that as unconventional as it all might have been, he had been there when she needed him .
Justin’s hands, now freed from the bottle, brushed against the rooftop tiles, a subtle movement that didn’t escape Veronica’s notice. She let out a genuine laughter as Justin echoed her skepticism about the so called lively atmosphere. “Ah, but Justin,” she retorted, her tone teasing, “where’s your sense of adventure? Life’s too short to always play it safe.” She leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “And besides, I’ve got the extinguisher right here,” she added, tapping her finger against her temple with a wink.
Veronica arched an eyebrow, feigning offense at Justin’s comment. “Oh, so now you’re withholding the ‘big guns’ until I’m sufficiently dazzled? Sounds like a strategic move, Mr. Smooth,” she teased, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm. “But let’s be real, Justin, if I’m not dazzled by now, are your ‘big guns’ really all that impressive?” She flashed him a mischievous grin, leaning in slightly. “Though I suppose I’ll have to take your word for it and get my dazzle on. Wouldn’t want to miss out on the show, after all.”
Atlas looked up, blinking back the tears that stung his eyes. He knew it wouldn’t be easy to talk to people but he wasn’t expecting it to be this hard. Of course, it was Adonis who made it harder.
Flashback - April 2040
Atlas waited at Leon’s front door. He’d rang the doorbell but was now questioning whether or not anyone was home. He hoped that he hadn’t moved and he was bothering a random stranger for no reason. The door opened, revealing a young girl. She was tall, standing almost at eye level with him and it took him a moment to realize who he was looking at.
“Jae?”
“Oh my god, Atlas?” Leon’s younger sister exclaimed before she paused, staring at him as if trying to discern whether he was real. “Does Leon know you’re back?"
“Yeah, he does.” He saw Jae’s face change and her expression doesn’t seem pleased. “You don’t seem happy about that.”
“Well, I would have preferred he not know unless you’re actually staying.” She quipped, crossing her arms.
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that he’s just getting himself to a place where he’s actually okay but if he goes to his dark place again, I don’t think he’ll come back.” She responded, staring him down. “So just- don’t get close to him if you’re planning to leave again. Anyways, he doesn’t live here anymore.”
“Look, I know you’re mad because I left but-“
“Of course, I’m mad!" She interrupted him, raising her voice. "You shattered what was left of my brother’s happiness!”
“What?” Her words were harsh and the look in her eyes even harsher. He knew that his disappearance had strongly affected Leon. He had seen it in his eyes when they were reunited in France. That didn’t prepare him to be faced with an observer’s version of the events, which were turning out to painfully truthful.
“I have never been able to forget the way my mom screamed when she found out our dad died." She started, her voice gaining a tightness. "I haven’t been able to forget the way Leon cried when you disappeared without a word either and he hasn’t been the same since. You saw how bad his depression gets, how could you do that to him?”
“You said died.” He thought out loud as he came to the realization. The words had come easily out of her mouth but Atlas couldn’t remember ever hearing them come from Leon.
"So? That’s your takeaway? My dad has been dead for the last five years. How else should I say it?”
“Leon never says dead or died when he’s talking about your dad. He always says-”
“‘Lost’ or ‘passed’. Yeah, I know." She cut him off again, her tone of voice less than impressed. "My brother is capable of a lot of things but evidently processing grief isn’t one of them.”
“What do you mean when you say that he hasn’t been the same?” He asked hesitantly, not sure if he actually wanted to hear the answer.
“I haven’t seen my brother genuinely smile or genuinely happy in three years. It’s always his practiced competition smile accompanied by a performance of joy." The words ‘practiced’ and ‘performance’ reminded Atlas of what Leon had been like when they first met. Had his disappearance really caused him to return to that?
Present
Jae’s words had added to the weight of the guilt Atlas felt over the way that he left. When he thought about him during the time he was away, he thought of him as having moved on and living his life happily with maybe a new boyfriend or girlfriend. He thought that maybe he had that in Persephone but from what he had seen and heard, Leon had essentially been frozen in the same mentality for the past few years.
“What is wrong with you?” Evie scolded Adonis as he offered unnecessary insight. “No. I want you to be completely honest with me. If this hadn’t happened to Atlas, if this was anyone else, would you be acting like this?” She challenged, staring him down but rolling her eyes when he pressed him yet again to share where he had been and what happened to him.
"If we’re really ‘bros’ now, you would respect my wishes when I say that I don’t want to talk about what happened.” He challenged, trying to reveal that Adonis didn’t actually believe the words he was saying. Thankfully though, Sebastian got him to let up and then he took control of the conversation, trying once again to add some optimism. ”I actually learned two. I was also taught Japanese by the woman who took me there.”
“So…the offer is still hanging…”
He could see the look in his eyes and so to appease him, he agreed. Then he slipped up and his poor choice of words resulted in Adonis’ fist colliding with his face, sending him stumbling backwards. Sebastian scolded him and Evie rejoined as Atlas was massaging his sore jaw and Adonis was apologizing and telling him that the offer for brotherhood was still standing.
“Are you serious?” He asked in disbelief.
“I was gone for less than ten minutes, what the f*ck happened?” She asked, looking at each of the boys to see who would give an answer first.
The conversation seemed to flow so effortlessly. Veronica bounced back from all his remarks with her quick wit and playfulness, and Justin’s mind began to drift from all that had been troubling him before. He always knew her to have a strong social standing, even when he was a year ahead of her. Justin was reasonably established at Cerulean High too, yet their circles had never really overlapped. Though watching her now he began to understand the draw to someone like Veronica Parker.
“Let me assure you, ‘all that impressive’ indeed,” He replied, his tone softening from confident and teasing to something more quiet. “It will be worth the wait.” For a lingering moment, Justin’s gaze stayed on Veronica. It felt instinctual to lean in as she did, and meet her eyes as hers reached him. Soon enough the beer had been discarded, the conversation had been forgotten about and the space between them had noticeably diminished. It seemed almost inevitable that–
Justin cleared his throat, an abrupt interruption to the silence and thus the moment. The sky that had once surrounded them with colour had now completely darkened, and Justin stood up. “I expect people would be missing the man of the hour,” He joked, though reminding them both of the circumstances still occurring under the roof. “And there’s only so long I can run on an empty bottle,” Justin added, waving the wine they had finished off as Veronica eventually stood by his side.
• ◌ • ◌ • ★ • ◌ • ◌ •
@CerealKiller bit late sorry lols xx
if you don’t have an almost-fall moment then what was the point
As the conversation unfolded, Veronica couldn’t help but notice the subtle shift in the air as Justin’s tone softened. What started as lighthearted banter had taken on a different tone, one that felt more intimate, more charged; his words hung between them, the promise of something worth waiting for, and for a moment, she believed him. Veronica found herself caught in the pull of his gaze, It was a strange, unexpected feeling, like a slow-burning change in the way Veronica saw Justin. As if the ground beneath her had shifted just enough to make her see things differently.
She had known Justin for years, always a steady presence in the background, but she had never really seen him. Not like this. He was the guy who floated around her world, always close enough to be familiar but never close enough to truly matter. Or so she had thought. But now, as she looked into his eyes, Veronica came to realize that maybe, just Maybe, she was missing something right under her nose. a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and for a lingering moment, Veronica’s gaze locked with his, and the world around them seemed to fade into the background. The rooftop, the distant hum of traffic, the muffled sounds from downstairs, the empty bottle between them; they all felt distant, unimportant. All that mattered was the space between them, and how it was slowly, but surely, closing. She leaned in, instinctively, meeting his eyes as they met hers, searching for something she couldn’t quite put into words.
Don’t tell him that, we don’t want to boost his ego, but perhaps Mr. Smooth didn’t need the big guns after all; she could see that Justin had a charm all his own, one that didn’t rely on flashy tricks or bravado.It was ironic, really, she prided herself on being perceptive, always one step ahead, yet here she was, realizing that there might just be more to Justin Williams than she had ever bothered to see. It was something real, something that resonated with her in a way she hadn’t expected. It was the kind of charm that crept up on you, slowly but surely, until you found yourself wondering how you hadn’t noticed it before.
She could feel the warmth of his breath, see the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, and deep down, she knew that this moment was different from all the others they had shared.
But just as the moment seemed to stretch into something more, Justin cleared his throat, breaking the spell. The sudden noise shattered the quiet tension between them, and Veronica blinked, reality rushing back in, reminding her of where they were and why they were there. The sky that had once been a canvas of colors was now a deep, inky black, and the rooftop, once a private sanctuary, now felt exposed under the weight of the night. She knew that the evening was a far cry from a celebration, and while their conversation had offered a temporary escape, the underlying sadness was always present. “I suppose you’re right,” Veronica said, standing up beside him, her voice carrying a playful edge despite the underlying seriousness of the situation. “People might start to wonder where their charming host has run off to.”
She took a moment to glance at the empty bottle in his hand, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. “And here I thought you’d be content with just a bit of stardust and charm to keep you going,” she quipped, her voice light despite the underlying seriousness of their situation. She flashed him a teasing smile before adding, “But I guess if the bottle’s empty, it’s time for a refill. Can’t have you running on empty, after all.”
As Justin gave the slightest hint of pulling away, Veronica immediately followed suit, a silent understanding that now wasn’t the time for this. Whatever this was. “Exactly. Without me they’re probably standing around in silence. Like it’s some sort of funeral,” He responded, his adjusted tone leaving no trace of what had been developing moments prior. Like with the events of today, Justin was good at making jest and shedding some lightheartedness over whatever severity lay beneath the surface.
She passed him the empty bottle, making a comment on not leaving Justin running on empty. “Hey, this stardust and charm doesn’t come for free,” He commented, opening the window to get back off the roof. “Needs compensation in some form,” Justin told her as he held out his hand to Veronica to let her pass and get in first. Though the contact was reminiscent of the moment they had shared as the sun set, Justin’s eyes fixated on the roof she was climbing across and out of, preventing anything from coming of it.
“Thank you though,” Justin commented, stuffing his hands in his pockets as they both returned to the top floor of his house. He gestured to where they had just left, as if it wasn’t clear what he was referring to. “I needed that. A moment… away,” He said, possibly almost as surprised as Veronica at the sudden sincerity in his voice. His head nodded towards the stairs, to the living room that now fell silent with the absence of people. “Sounds like the party’s over,” He noted.
Veronica followed Justin’s lead, pulling back from the almost-moment with an ease that masked the flicker of tension still lingering in the air. His quick turn to humor wasn’t surprising; she knew Justin was good at deflecting, at making light of the heavy. She smirked at his comment, playing along. “Right,” she said with a smirk. “A funeral, imagine that.” she replied with a hint of irony, the weight Sadie’s wake subtly woven into the banter.
Justin held out his hand to help her back off the roof, and Veronica hesitated for just a beat before taking it, feeling the warmth of his fingers despite the cool night air. There was something fleeting in the way their hands connected, an acknowledgment of the moment they almost shared before reality interrupted, the tension that had built between them just moments ago, now tucked neatly away for another time. There was no need to rush, no need to let the spark burn too quickly.
When they were both back inside, Justin’s sudden tone shift caught her off guard. His gratitude, though simple, was unexpectedly sincere. Veronica glanced at him, reading the quiet honesty in his words as he gestured toward the roof where they’d just shared a rare, quiet escape. She could hear the subtle surprise in his voice, like he wasn’t used to admitting he needed anything from anyone, something she herself understood all too well. Veronica tilted her head, studying him for a second, Then, with her trademark smile, she softened. “You’re welcome, Williams,” she replied. “Glad I could provide a suitable distraction,” she added with a wink, injecting just enough playfulness to keep the mood from getting too heavy.
Her eyes followed his nod toward the now-silent living room. “Looks like it. But then again,” she added, her voice adopting a more gentle tone, “I don’t think there was ever really a party, was there?” Her words were carefully chosen, acknowledging the reality of his mother’s wake without fully diving into it. She knew this wasn’t just an escape for him. It was something heavier, something that lingered under the surface. And for her too, if she was being honest.
Her expression shifted, just slightly, from playful to thoughtful. “Look, I know this wasn’t exactly the easiest day for you…" She met his gaze aagain, her tone softening slightly. "But for what it’s worth, it was good to have a moment away. Sometimes it’s nice to get away from everything and just… exist in the quiet with someone who gets it.”
There was a beat of silence before she let a smirk slide back onto her face, nudging his arm lightly with her elbow, her voice casual but with a note of sincerity. “If you ever need another moment away, you know where to find me.”
Veronica didn’t offer more than that, she never revealed all her cards. She remained confident, guarded, a little mysterious, but always present in her own way. She’d let him come to her if and when he needed to. For now, she left the moment open, just like the space that had grown between them up on the roof. “But don’t think you’re off the hook yet. You still owe me a grand finale, remember?”
Something that closely resembled a laugh escaped him when Veronica noted the party and its lack thereof. “No, not after we left there wasn’t,” Justin noted playfully, a comment far from the truth that entailed sympathetic faces, words of condolences and grand bouquets. He knew that the next few months would probably look like that, if not years. He had become the son of a dead parent, and with that came the endless urge from others to help him, to offer advice and comfort - all of which he didn’t want. Didn’t need.
But with Veronica it didn’t feel like that. With her, Justin hadn’t felt the need to heavily acknowledge the nature of today, nor talk about his feelings. Her eyes weren’t filled with the pity that he dreaded to see. It made him feel comfortable, enough to even make jest of the situation without worrying it would cause awkwardness. So when she extended her offer for future moments away, Justin nodded his head genuinely. “Careful, I may take you up on that,” He told her lightheartedly. “Hope there’s the room on your roof too, then.”
What he expected next for them to head back down the stairs, putting an end to this unconventional day. But before they could, Veronica pointed out that Justin still owed her a grand finale. Now that did sound like something he might have said… without thinking that a future Justin would actually have to act on his words.
Justin let the moment of silence linger, to leave her wondering what this supposed big move would be. The flowers gifted to their family today had truly piled up, the overflow of which being taken upstairs to whatever surface that could hold them. Careful in his movements, Justin advanced to one of the filled vases next to them, his fingers brushing lightly over the delicate petals before singling out a white rose.
Then he faced the awaiting Veronica again. “A token of my gratitude,” Justin explained softly. He slowly reached forward to tuck the stem of the flower behind her ear, pausing for a moment as his hand grazed the dark strands of her hair. A small smile crossed his face, appreciating the way the light bounced off the soft petals and enhanced Veronica’s beauty. Then he broke away, anticipating her reaction to yet another silent but weighted moment.
