paenitet.

and now that i'm grown i'm scared of ghosts, memories feel like weapons.

[sinspledge]

vince slams the notebook shut when she rounds the corner, a poor attempt at inconspicuousness he hopes doesn't out him as not doing his homework. at least, the homework they'd pledged to do together. he is doing is homework. doing his homework for his class on deconstructing the sonnet, in which all of his sonnets were constructed around natalie. " hey. sorry, i would have let you in myself if you called. " @soulwounded

[soulwounded]

〝   and miss the opportunity to make some pledges blush ? s'like you don't know me at all , winthrop .   〞 natalie leans against the door frame like she owns the place , her grin wide and her dark eyes curious , head tilting forward — she tries to sneak a peak . 〝   whatcha writing ?   〞

[cursedshores]

" if you don't have ten dollars, we can do five. "

[soulwounded]

〝   are you calling me poor ?   〞

[cotiere]

  〝 i'm an open book, sheppy. not everyone's so lucky to have childhood trauma up their sleeve. 〞  age seventeen a young adult in her book.  〝 mind if i ask you a question? 〞

[soulwounded]

〝   shoot.   〞

[cotiere]

  〝 you think there's a difference because we hooked up in high school. 〞  a deliberate diminishing of their relationship, roman attempts to turn the argument on its head. 〝 so, what, you can't be trusted to grocery shop on your own? 〞

[soulwounded]

〝   so much for being back on the wagon. i just... i worry about you. when it's her.   〞

[cursedshores]

" anyone who's heard how gossipy you get after three drinks? "

[soulwounded]

〝   i don't gossip. i perform a public service.   〞

[cursedshores]

" bet you ten bucks you can't do it. " @soulwounded

[soulwounded]

〝 that's way harsh, kinney. 〞

[cotiere]

  〝 it's just 'till she's back on her feet. i'd do it for you, you'd do it for me, so what's the problem? 〞

[soulwounded]

〝   you know the answer to that.   〞

[cotiere]

  〝 nobody likes mondays. that's like tellin' me you love puppies. who doesn't? tell me somethin' real. somethin' you'd only tell a therapist. 〞

[soulwounded]

〝   little early for ptsd nightmares and childhood trauma.   〞   a beat.   〝   you tell me yours,   i'll tell you mine.  〞

[soulwounded]

〝   just the smell of it:   like sports bras and desperation.   〞

@cursedshores

[soulwounded]

〝   who knew my subconscious could be such a bitch  ?   〞

@cursedshores

[soulwounded]

〝   damn it.   i hate mondays.   〞

@cotiere

[soulwounded]

〝   consider that me hitting you.   without the hitting.   〞

@cotiere

[cotiere]

faith's not exactly subtle with it: snide remarks made transparent by her appearance alone, bites toothless and soft. but its only somewhat helpful in easing his own anxieties. it's still the two of them, choosing to be in each others presence for the first time in years. shit's heavy. even if he never meant for it to be.   〝 you think i'd invite you over just to slam the door in your face? 〞 curious, like a dog with its head titled, he tries to gauge the situation. 〝 you're right, that'd be pretty funny. 〞  not exactly the payback imagined, but funny nonetheless. stepping to the side, julian opens the door wider.  〝 feeling benevolent today. 〞

[soulwounded]

〝   somethin' i'd do  .   and well  ,   karma's a fucking bitch ,   right  ?   〞   she hates how easy it is to fall into old habits  ,   comments snide but ultimately toothless  .   faith can almost remember the girl she was back then  :   young  ,   in love  .   she takes a step over the threshold  ,   and physical distance closes  .   she can see the green of his eyes  ,   smell his cologne  .   〝   chill  ,   jaeger  .   〞   his leash now unhooked  ,   the shephard trots to julian's side  —   dark  ,   cool nose pressing into his thigh  .   an affectionate greeting  .   〝   forgot how much he likes you  .   guess kennedys have always had bad taste in men  .   〞

[cotiere]

  〝 can't it be both? 〞

[soulwounded]

〝   wow  ,   a two-for-one deal  .   normally it would take kung pow chicken  ,   and imported beer before you got to first base  ,   but since you're being so generous i think i can make an exception  .    〞

[cotiere]

  〝 no, i'm sold on the trust fall. 〞 odette is no germaphobe but the line has to be drawn somewhere. alongside other lines, one which she toes the line of. 〝 don't think i'm ready to swap spit with you just yet. 〞

[soulwounded]

〝   unsure if that sounds more like a threat or a promise  .   〞

[cotiere]

  〝 you don't. 〞 and neither does she. the longer this conversation goes on, the less sure odette becomes of her reciprocation. maybe she'd step to the side, maybe she wouldn't…  〝 i guess you'd just have to trust that i will. isn't that the whole point of a trust fall, eastwood? 〞  

[soulwounded]

〝   touché  .   〞   a fair point   .   〝   you catch me  ,  i catch you  .   call it a trust fall pact  .   unless you wanna circle back to the spit shake  .   〞

[soulwounded]

〝 sometimes i think you're from another planet  . 〞   an affectionate nudge  .   〝 and sometimes i think you're really very nice  . 〞