Taking Root sidestory
Authors: Marina and Casey
Story: Taking Root
Challenge: Coconut 15 (if I do say so myself), Tangerine 13 (throwing stones) [Marina]; Blueberry Yogurt 18 (negotiation), Apple Pie 11 (home cooking) [Casey]
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Chopped Nuts, Sprinkles, Smoothie
Word Count: 1,375
Rating: PG
Summary: Sidney decides to clarify things for Nicole.
Notes: More fluffy things featuring Sidney and Nicole, who do not get enough time to be awesome as they’re Sprinkles, unfortunately.
Sidney usually hurried to her normal lunch spot as fast as she could go. It was not very fast. She hadn't been able to run well since the accident, and her progress in physical therapy, while steady, was fairly slow. She was almost used to it, though, and had very nearly stopped feeling inadequate for it.
One lunchtime, about a week after the Poppe Shoppe meetup, she arrived at the bench and found that she had beaten Nicole there. Puzzled, but triumphant, she sat down to unpack her paper bag.
Nicole appeared a moment later, obviously slower than usual, frowning in thought. "Hey, Nic," said Sidney, a little worried at seeing this.
She glanced up and smiled. "Hi, Sid," she said.
"What's up?"
"Nothing much," Nicole said, plopping herself down next to her. "Just people being idiots."
Sidney smiled wryly. "As usual?"
"As always. How're you?"
"I'm okay." She held up her lunch. "Kevin made cupcakes last night. I brought two, want one?"
"I don't have anything to trade in return," Nicole said, with a more genuine smile.
"I don't care," said Sidney.
Nicole swiped the pastry from her hand. "Then gladly. Your brother makes some mad cupcakes."
Sidney grinned. "Right? He taught himself, even. Lindsey laughed her ass off, but she ate three and claimed she had the right to because it was her birthday when Mom complained at her about the calories."
Ignoring the rest of her lunch, Nicole took a big bite out of it and hummed appreciatively. Sidney ate hers also, forgetting about the frown for the moment. However, the worry flooded right back once Nicole had finished; as she licked the crumbs and frosting off her fingers, she snuck a glance that Sidney only barely caught. "Nic, what is it?" Sidney asked, having the sinking feeling that she knew already.
Nicole sighed. "I'm sorry, Sidney. I just..." The usually eloquent girl stumbled over her words. “I can't help being curious. People were talking about...well...I told them to shut up, but it still made me wonder…"
Sidney’s stomach sank. "About what?" she asked anyway.
Nicole paused and then looked up, meeting her eyes. "Why you have a limp."
"Oh." So Nicole had noticed her limp. It was really more of a shamble-a zombie shamble, Kevin liked to tease, making enough of a joke out of it that Sidney had learned to deal and to ignore her detractors. Most of the time, she managed it, although the ignoring part wasn’t always easy. "What are they saying?"
The other girl frowned. "You don't need to hear it. Just people being stupid, as I said."
"It's not worse than anything I've heard before, I bet," Sidney said, striving for lightness.
"Probably not, which is why you don't need to hear it again," Nicole said firmly. "I told 'em I didn't want to hear it and not to say it in front of you either."
"Thanks, but they're going to anyway."
"Figured. Don't need to condone them being assholes, though."
"'preciate it." Sidney glanced into her bag, unsure of what else to say. She didn't know whether to volunteer the information, or to wait until Nicole asked for it. Either way, it was shaping up to be a conversation she had hoped not to have until much further down the line.
Nicole played with her apple. "I'm not gonna ask. It's yours to tell or not," she said, after a minute.
"You might as well know if you're going to hear all that crap anyway." Sidney bit her lip. "I was hit by a car a little more than two years ago, walking across the street to a friend's house."
The other girl's eyes went wide and she let out a low whistle. "And the limp's from that."
Sidney nodded. "It's much better now than it was, since I've been to physical therapy, but my doctor says I've still got a long way to go."
"Couldn't tell. Half of the time, it's not that obvious," Nicole said.
She felt deeply gratified by the falsehood, but she replied in a deceptively frank tone, "You're a liar, but thanks."
Nicole smiled crookedly. "Okay, it's fairly rare when it's not, but I assume that's still an improvement."
"Yeah, it is. And at least I can walk. They weren't even sure I'd wake up, at first."
"Seriously?"
Sidney nodded again. It felt awkward to go into it with someone who didn't know, but if Nicole was going to know, it was just as well she knew everything up front. "I was in a coma for a couple of months."
Nicole nodded slowly. "But obviously you woke up."
"No, I'm a zombie," Sidney deadpanned, falling back on her brother’s joke in an attempt at lightness.
She succeeded better than she expected to, because Nicole only grinned. "Just as long as you let me keep my brain."
"No, see, me bringing you cupcakes is my evil plot to prime your brain for maximum deliciousness," said Sidney, feeling highly encouraged. "You know, when I get around to eating it."
"Well, you'd need more cupcakes than that if you want it to be legit sugary. Mom doesn't believe in sugary snacks except as dessert after dinner."
"I will let my zombie manservant know."
"Kevin's now your manservant too?"
Sidney laughed. "The sad thing is, I think he would be if I wanted him to be."
That made Nicole chuckle, too. "From the sounds of it, probably. Just as long as he keeps providing you with cupcakes, and me through you."
"I'll keep sharing, promise."
"Awesome. So how long do they expect you to need physical therapy?"
Sidney did not like thinking about this. It seemed that it would never end, sometimes. "A while. It depends on how well things go."
Nicole smirked. "So then I don't need to worry about you consuming my brain until then?"
"As long as you can move faster than me," Sidney said, highly amused.
"I'll practice my mile."
"Duly noted."
Nicole took a bite out of her apple, looking thoughtful again. "Why do kids have to be so stupid? What happened is your business and not theirs."
"Kevin says people are just assholes," said Sidney. She shrugged and fished her sandwich out of her bag. "I'm pretty much used to it. Although, it was better when Chase and Carrie were here and they knew why and didn't care."
"Well, I don't care either. You're awesome either way," Nicole said as she took another big chunk of apple.
Sidney could not help beaming. "Glad you think so."
The other girl grinned at her, swallowing her bite. "I'd be a pretty poor friend if I didn't like you or something because you have a limp and the misfortune of being hit by a car."
"I didn't really think you would, I just...I've never actually told anyone who didn't know before."
"Makes sense. I didn't mean to push," she said apologetically.
Sidney shrugged. "You're my friend and you noticed and I'd rather you knew what actually happened than what everyone else is saying."
Nicole nodded slowly. "That's the only reason I did. I knew they had to be all off, from the way they said it and stuff, but...well, got curious."
"Which is fine. It's not a crime or anything."
"Glad you think so," she said lightly. She took another large bite of apple, chewed it, and then added, "Just remember, I am rather partial to my brain, okay?"
"So you don’t want more cupcakes?" Sidney teased.
Nicole paused, absorbing that. "Rather partial," she said finally. "Not fully partial."
"I thought so," Sidney said smugly.
Nicole laughed. "Yeah, you got me."
"I know." Sidney took a bite of her sandwich. "Of course, I might be convinced to spare you if you help me find other brains for my diet."
"You know, funny you should mention that," her friend said, with a smirk that belied her casual tone. "I was just listening to a couple of people whose brains would be perfect. Maybe a little fatty, but they don't all need to be smart, do they?"
"No, just some of them."
"Great. I'll get to work sucking them in after lunch," she said, setting to her own sandwich.
Sidney grinned widely. "Deal."
Story: Taking Root
Challenge: Coconut 15 (if I do say so myself), Tangerine 13 (throwing stones) [Marina]; Blueberry Yogurt 18 (negotiation), Apple Pie 11 (home cooking) [Casey]
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Chopped Nuts, Sprinkles, Smoothie
Word Count: 1,375
Rating: PG
Summary: Sidney decides to clarify things for Nicole.
Notes: More fluffy things featuring Sidney and Nicole, who do not get enough time to be awesome as they’re Sprinkles, unfortunately.
Sidney usually hurried to her normal lunch spot as fast as she could go. It was not very fast. She hadn't been able to run well since the accident, and her progress in physical therapy, while steady, was fairly slow. She was almost used to it, though, and had very nearly stopped feeling inadequate for it.
One lunchtime, about a week after the Poppe Shoppe meetup, she arrived at the bench and found that she had beaten Nicole there. Puzzled, but triumphant, she sat down to unpack her paper bag.
Nicole appeared a moment later, obviously slower than usual, frowning in thought. "Hey, Nic," said Sidney, a little worried at seeing this.
She glanced up and smiled. "Hi, Sid," she said.
"What's up?"
"Nothing much," Nicole said, plopping herself down next to her. "Just people being idiots."
Sidney smiled wryly. "As usual?"
"As always. How're you?"
"I'm okay." She held up her lunch. "Kevin made cupcakes last night. I brought two, want one?"
"I don't have anything to trade in return," Nicole said, with a more genuine smile.
"I don't care," said Sidney.
Nicole swiped the pastry from her hand. "Then gladly. Your brother makes some mad cupcakes."
Sidney grinned. "Right? He taught himself, even. Lindsey laughed her ass off, but she ate three and claimed she had the right to because it was her birthday when Mom complained at her about the calories."
Ignoring the rest of her lunch, Nicole took a big bite out of it and hummed appreciatively. Sidney ate hers also, forgetting about the frown for the moment. However, the worry flooded right back once Nicole had finished; as she licked the crumbs and frosting off her fingers, she snuck a glance that Sidney only barely caught. "Nic, what is it?" Sidney asked, having the sinking feeling that she knew already.
Nicole sighed. "I'm sorry, Sidney. I just..." The usually eloquent girl stumbled over her words. “I can't help being curious. People were talking about...well...I told them to shut up, but it still made me wonder…"
Sidney’s stomach sank. "About what?" she asked anyway.
Nicole paused and then looked up, meeting her eyes. "Why you have a limp."
"Oh." So Nicole had noticed her limp. It was really more of a shamble-a zombie shamble, Kevin liked to tease, making enough of a joke out of it that Sidney had learned to deal and to ignore her detractors. Most of the time, she managed it, although the ignoring part wasn’t always easy. "What are they saying?"
The other girl frowned. "You don't need to hear it. Just people being stupid, as I said."
"It's not worse than anything I've heard before, I bet," Sidney said, striving for lightness.
"Probably not, which is why you don't need to hear it again," Nicole said firmly. "I told 'em I didn't want to hear it and not to say it in front of you either."
"Thanks, but they're going to anyway."
"Figured. Don't need to condone them being assholes, though."
"'preciate it." Sidney glanced into her bag, unsure of what else to say. She didn't know whether to volunteer the information, or to wait until Nicole asked for it. Either way, it was shaping up to be a conversation she had hoped not to have until much further down the line.
Nicole played with her apple. "I'm not gonna ask. It's yours to tell or not," she said, after a minute.
"You might as well know if you're going to hear all that crap anyway." Sidney bit her lip. "I was hit by a car a little more than two years ago, walking across the street to a friend's house."
The other girl's eyes went wide and she let out a low whistle. "And the limp's from that."
Sidney nodded. "It's much better now than it was, since I've been to physical therapy, but my doctor says I've still got a long way to go."
"Couldn't tell. Half of the time, it's not that obvious," Nicole said.
She felt deeply gratified by the falsehood, but she replied in a deceptively frank tone, "You're a liar, but thanks."
Nicole smiled crookedly. "Okay, it's fairly rare when it's not, but I assume that's still an improvement."
"Yeah, it is. And at least I can walk. They weren't even sure I'd wake up, at first."
"Seriously?"
Sidney nodded again. It felt awkward to go into it with someone who didn't know, but if Nicole was going to know, it was just as well she knew everything up front. "I was in a coma for a couple of months."
Nicole nodded slowly. "But obviously you woke up."
"No, I'm a zombie," Sidney deadpanned, falling back on her brother’s joke in an attempt at lightness.
She succeeded better than she expected to, because Nicole only grinned. "Just as long as you let me keep my brain."
"No, see, me bringing you cupcakes is my evil plot to prime your brain for maximum deliciousness," said Sidney, feeling highly encouraged. "You know, when I get around to eating it."
"Well, you'd need more cupcakes than that if you want it to be legit sugary. Mom doesn't believe in sugary snacks except as dessert after dinner."
"I will let my zombie manservant know."
"Kevin's now your manservant too?"
Sidney laughed. "The sad thing is, I think he would be if I wanted him to be."
That made Nicole chuckle, too. "From the sounds of it, probably. Just as long as he keeps providing you with cupcakes, and me through you."
"I'll keep sharing, promise."
"Awesome. So how long do they expect you to need physical therapy?"
Sidney did not like thinking about this. It seemed that it would never end, sometimes. "A while. It depends on how well things go."
Nicole smirked. "So then I don't need to worry about you consuming my brain until then?"
"As long as you can move faster than me," Sidney said, highly amused.
"I'll practice my mile."
"Duly noted."
Nicole took a bite out of her apple, looking thoughtful again. "Why do kids have to be so stupid? What happened is your business and not theirs."
"Kevin says people are just assholes," said Sidney. She shrugged and fished her sandwich out of her bag. "I'm pretty much used to it. Although, it was better when Chase and Carrie were here and they knew why and didn't care."
"Well, I don't care either. You're awesome either way," Nicole said as she took another big chunk of apple.
Sidney could not help beaming. "Glad you think so."
The other girl grinned at her, swallowing her bite. "I'd be a pretty poor friend if I didn't like you or something because you have a limp and the misfortune of being hit by a car."
"I didn't really think you would, I just...I've never actually told anyone who didn't know before."
"Makes sense. I didn't mean to push," she said apologetically.
Sidney shrugged. "You're my friend and you noticed and I'd rather you knew what actually happened than what everyone else is saying."
Nicole nodded slowly. "That's the only reason I did. I knew they had to be all off, from the way they said it and stuff, but...well, got curious."
"Which is fine. It's not a crime or anything."
"Glad you think so," she said lightly. She took another large bite of apple, chewed it, and then added, "Just remember, I am rather partial to my brain, okay?"
"So you don’t want more cupcakes?" Sidney teased.
Nicole paused, absorbing that. "Rather partial," she said finally. "Not fully partial."
"I thought so," Sidney said smugly.
Nicole laughed. "Yeah, you got me."
"I know." Sidney took a bite of her sandwich. "Of course, I might be convinced to spare you if you help me find other brains for my diet."
"You know, funny you should mention that," her friend said, with a smirk that belied her casual tone. "I was just listening to a couple of people whose brains would be perfect. Maybe a little fatty, but they don't all need to be smart, do they?"
"No, just some of them."
"Great. I'll get to work sucking them in after lunch," she said, setting to her own sandwich.
Sidney grinned widely. "Deal."