[ota] that stay on my nose and eyelashes

[bluntforces]

Evan isn't supposed to be coming back to the Deck until Christmas time. He's in fact supposed to be studying this weekend. He will be studying this weekend. Definitely 100% going to spend time studying here despite not having his study group to force him to when it starts to get boring

Comments

[uncutclarity]

Bags everywhere. Everywhere, Evan, just look at all of this.

"You know, sometimes I think you need a bell to warn people that you're coming."

It's not a bad idea. He might get one for Christmas.

[bluntforces]

But look how he scrambles. Like a super-well-trained scrambling thing.

"We tried that," he huffs between snatching things up for her. "For, like, a month when I was fifteen. Ain't actually-- all that useful. People looked-- too low, y'know, thinkin' it was-- a dog comin' up on 'em."

He's not actually joking.

[uncutclarity]

"Not seriously?" Though, actually, she vaguely remembers this, as it was during the ending phase of Crushing Relationship. "Well, I'll think about it. Maybe one of the chirping bird things that tells you when it's okay to cross the street. How're you, love?"

She's been home. Matthew's Aussie rubs off.

[bluntforces]

So seriously, Avery. That's what the brief, mournful look is about while he finally finishes getting the bags piled properly. He'll be carrying them wherever she's going as penance, clearly.

"Or some sorta car alarm." To be decided, clearly. Time yet before Christmas. "Been doin' real well, actually. Grades gettin' better, meetin' real nice people, feelin' real settled out there." For now. Probably. "How 'bout you, hm?"

[uncutclarity]

There were...some shopping days before Christmas. She couldn't handle counting this year. "Eh," she says. "You know Diamonds. There's always some drama. Did you hear about Hector?"

[bluntforces]

Ah. That. He might be crazy, but he thinks that this is the right time to give her elbow a worried little squeeze as his smile falters a hair, Ace-ness be damned. "Yeah. 's a damn shame. You been holdin' up okay?"

Not the Diamonds. Her.

[uncutclarity]

Most people focus their worry on Säde, which is understandable. She and Hector were together a long time, and they'd not left on good terms. "It's hard, you know?" She says. "We lost him once already."

[bluntforces]

Which meant some people had to focus on not-Säde--and if that weren't a fantastic descriptor in some ways for Avery, what was?

"'s gotta be even harder." She must know that a hug is coming. Right about now. "'m real sorry, Avery."

[uncutclarity]

It is, without a doubt, one of the best descriptors for Avery. One of the things both of them agree on. Though she should be more charitable; theoretically they've cleared the air.

"Yeah," she says on an exhale, leaning in. "Well. It'll get better, right?" It had with Sieben, eventually. It would with Hector, too.

[bluntforces]

Deck life has been easy for the McCartneys, but there's real validity to the way Evan squeezes her a little tighter. Loss is hardly unknown. "Will. Just gotta remember it will, y'know? Not get stuck in the hurtin' right now."

[uncutclarity]

"Yeah." Her shoulders droop, and then straighten. She'd gotten caught up with it, with Sieben, and that had ended with her running into a goat named Frank out in the country. "Yeah, I know. Still, you'd think the fates would lay off a little, for a few months."

[bluntforces]

"Nah. Life's a way better boxer'n that. Gotta hit the two of a one-two punch." They'd survive. They always did.

[uncutclarity]

It was a human thing, really, the survival. They all survived. Sometimes what they survived was someone else's inability to. "So, does that mean we get to start punching life back?"

[bluntforces]

"Ain't sure we really get t' punch back. But, y'know. Standin' back up is a pretty good 'fuck you' to life." That's the way it is.

[uncutclarity]

She laughs a little at that. "Then I guess that's what I'll keep doing. You too?" Don't think she hasn't noticed the lack of romantic success this year, Evan. Don't be her and swear off it.

[bluntforces]

Absolutely not. He's had complete success. He's learned how to have a friend with benefits mostly not break his heart, and he's totally got a girlfriend. A girlfriend who lives in Canada. She couldn't be sweeter. He wishes Avery could meet her.

His girlfriend. Who lives in Canada. Her name is Alberta.

"You know me, Avery. Ain't got enough brains left t' know when I should stay down."